1) At the FDD, Joe Truzman reports on the Hamas ‘Arrow Unit’.
“Despite the volume of media coverage devoted to Israel’s ongoing war against the Iran-backed terrorist organization, precious little attention has been paid to the Arrow Unit. Hamas has exploited the humanitarian crisis inside the coastal enclave — rooted in its ongoing refusal to release the hostages seized during its October 7, 2023 atrocities in Israel — to brutally consolidate its control, quashing both criticism of its manipulation of humanitarian aid as well as political dissent more broadly.”
2) The ITIC analyses ‘Lebanese Positions on Disarming Hezbollah’.
“As of now, the issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament is prominent in Lebanon’s public discourse, and for the first time since the organization’s founding more than four decades ago, there is an understanding that the matter is critical for the country’s future and its chances of recovery after the war with Israel. Although President Aoun and senior officials are currently proceeding cautiously, international pressure, especially from the United States and the Gulf States, is growing for Lebanon to complete Hezbollah’s disarmament quickly. Furthermore, conditioning the much-needed economic aid for Lebanon’s recovery on enforcing the state’s monopoly on weapons could place Lebanon’s political and military leadership on a direct collision course with Hezbollah and its supporters and increase internal security tensions.”
3) At WINEP, Makram Rabah discusses ‘The Importance of Regional Diplomacy for Syria’s Druze’.
“The recent flare-up of violence in southern Syria has once again exposed the fragility of the country’s post-Assad order and minority communities’ underlying fears that the current government is unwilling or incapable of establishing a government that ensures minority rights or ensuring the safety of all Syrians against militia factions.”
4) MEMRI reports on Qatari funding for Syria.
“Starting next month (June 2025), Qatar, with U.S. approval, will help pay the salaries of the Syrian public sector, thus enabling HTS to retain its control of Syria amid the deep economic crisis in the country. This move is reminiscent of Qatar’s provision of billions of dollars to Gaza under Hamas, with Israel’s consent, which enabled the terror organization to survive and to build up its military strength.”
5) Toby Dershowitz and Eitan Fischberger report on the journalist behind an Al Jazeera ‘Press Freedom Day’ workshop on “detecting media bias”.
“The Qatar-based Al Jazeera Media Institute recently hosted a webinar for journalists about detecting media bias to coincide with Press Freedom Day. One big problem: Muhammad Khamaiseh, the Al Jazeera instructor who specializes in “journalism ethics”, himself has a record not only of media bias but of hatred and discrimination.”
![Guardian Warning: 24 hrs in photos gallery contains ‘highly distressing’ [& HIGHLY misleading] images](https://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/gaza-strip-people-stand-n-004.jpg)
