Israel begins demolishing the homes of 80 families in the Negev

The demands of Iraqi political forces burdened the efforts of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to complete his government formation, by demanding that he appoint 4 deputy prime ministers and create ministries, in exchange for continued support for the Baghdad government, in what observers described as “positions of appeasement.”

Political forces claimed that the Iraqi parliament would hold a session today (Monday) to vote on the positions of deputy prime ministers and 9 ministerial portfolios, including defense, interior, and higher education, as well as the creation of new ministries. However, a parliamentary source confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that “until yesterday evening (Sunday), the government did not submit an official request to the Presidency of Parliament for the purpose of setting a session to vote on the vacant ministerial portfolios.” Which means that differences still exist.

According to observers in Baghdad, the efforts of the political forces have not stopped after the turmoil that the markets witnessed as a result of the devaluation of the dinar’s exchange rate, and they are demanding “the creation of comfort positions that would add a heavy burden to the budget again, at a time when Iraq is unable to export a sufficient amount of oil to finance operational expenses, most notably the salaries of about 8 million employees, retirees, and contractors.”

Internal Security patrols were deployed, at dawn on Sunday, in the Salhiya neighborhood in the city of Hasakah, with the aim of enhancing security and stability and controlling any potential violations to maintain public safety.

While local media sources reported that people reported to Public Security about a case of kidnapping of a young man working in blacksmithing, at the hands of a group affiliated with the Revolutionary Youth Organization (an organization affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party), the people were able, with the help of the Internal Security Forces, to free the kidnapped person. However, what sparked resentment was that the kidnapping group was released without accountability.

In another provocative incident, members of the Revolutionary Youth opened fire on a bus carrying students on the Qamishli-Al-Hasakah road to prevent it from crossing, according to what the Al-Hasakah Observatory reported.

The Internal Security Command in Al-Hasakah Governorate had announced the allocation of a phone number to facilitate the submission of reports from residents. She confirmed, in a statement on Sunday, that the aim of this measure is “to encourage community cooperation, in a way that contributes to maintaining security and stability.” This came after tensions witnessed in the governorate following the “Friday of Raising the Syrian Flag” demonstrations.

Despite the return of calm to the governorate after days of tension and the heavy deployment of Syrian internal security forces in the governorate, a state of caution still prevails, accompanied by friction and provocative behavior, amid an exchange of accusations between the Arab and Kurdish components of responsibility for the tension.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish leader and politician Abdul Karim Omar, the official of the Syrian Kurdish Council for Relations in Damascus, called on all parties in Hasakah Governorate to “exercise restraint,” and the representative of the Autonomous Administration in Damascus rejected “nationalist incitement and opened direct channels of communication to address any friction before it escalates.” He said in a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat: “What is happening in Al-Hasakah is the result of the accumulation of political, administrative and security files, not all of which have been adequately resolved.

On Saturday, the Kurdish National Council in Syria, a political body that includes several allied Kurdish parties, called for an end to exclusionary and inflammatory speeches. He added, in a statement published on his official accounts, that the demonstrations and movements that the governorate witnessed recently included “provocative” slogans that raised tension and fears of their negative repercussions on the relations between the people of the region and its components. They stressed his rejection of “chauvinistic and exclusionary discourses, whatever their source.”

He stressed the need to respect national and cultural peculiarities, reject treason, arrogance and exclusion, and give priority to the language of dialogue and national responsibility. He also called for accelerating the implementation of understandings related to the integration of civil and military institutions, in a way that ensures security and stability and preserves the rights of the various components of the region.

According to data on the ground, there are “fears among segments of citizens regarding security, rights, and participation in the management of their affairs,” Abdul Karim Omar told Asharq Al-Awsat. He believes that the solution is to complete the integration process “in a clear and fair manner, guarantee the rights of all, and open a serious dialogue that includes the various forces and actors in the region.”

He also stressed equality before the law, protecting cultural and linguistic rights within the agreed upon legal frameworks, in accordance with the “January 29 Agreement,” addressing any violations independently and fairly, facilitating citizens’ transactions, and improving services. Considering that “the success of any settlement is measured by what people touch in their daily lives.” He stressed the need today in Al-Hasakah for calm and confidence-building, and for practical steps, the results of which the citizen will feel on the ground.

The Kurdish politician also expressed the certainty that “the unity of Syria must be based on the unity of institutions, the rule of law, and equal citizenship, not on exclusion or revenge.” He called on all parties to exercise restraint, reject nationalist incitement, and open direct channels of communication to address any friction before it escalates.

On Friday, Al-Hasakah witnessed demonstrations that started from the Gweran neighborhood towards the city center, demanding strengthening the presence of Syrian state institutions and imposing security. Amid tensions between supporters and opponents of the movements, and fears of escalation leading to frictions of a national nature.

In a protest, organized by the families of Syrian detainees in Iraq, on Sunday, in front of the Iraqi embassy in the capital, Damascus, they accused the dissolved “Syrian Democratic Forces” (SDF) of forcibly deporting their children to Iraqi prisons under false and baseless charges. They demanded immediate action to release their children and hand them over to the Syrian government to ensure their safe return to their country and their families.