Sam Heller | سام هيلر
@abujamajem.com
Researcher and analyst looking at Lebanon, Syria and the wider neighborhood. Century International Fellow. Former Crisis Group. "Jamajem" means ☠️.
www.abujamajem.com
www.abujamajem.com
The Tablet ethos and worldview: www.nytimes.com/2016/06/11/h...
October 31, 2025 at 1:10 PM
The Tablet ethos and worldview: www.nytimes.com/2016/06/11/h...
October 28, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Borders authority chief Quteiba Badawi visits Dara'a, says agreement on rehabilitation of "old Dara'a" crossing (Ramtha) and Damascus-Dara'a highway: x.com/q_badawi/sta...
October 24, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Borders authority chief Quteiba Badawi visits Dara'a, says agreement on rehabilitation of "old Dara'a" crossing (Ramtha) and Damascus-Dara'a highway: x.com/q_badawi/sta...
So when Barrack responds to junk from Twitter accounts he apparently doesn't follow, is that stuff that his staff is forwarding him, or just whatever his For You feed is showing him? How algorithm-brained is he?
October 23, 2025 at 2:36 PM
So when Barrack responds to junk from Twitter accounts he apparently doesn't follow, is that stuff that his staff is forwarding him, or just whatever his For You feed is showing him? How algorithm-brained is he?
Let's see what kind of friend of Syria Rayburn really is if he's confirmed in the Senate and tasked with dealing with a Shara'-led Syria: x.com/MhdAGhanem/s...
October 22, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Let's see what kind of friend of Syria Rayburn really is if he's confirmed in the Senate and tasked with dealing with a Shara'-led Syria: x.com/MhdAGhanem/s...
On October 15, Lebanese education ministry updated instructions to schools to now allow registration of Syrian children lacking residency or UN registration; PSP took credit, for children displaced from Sweida:
www.elnashra.com/news/show/17...
www.elnashra.com/news/show/17...
October 22, 2025 at 1:35 PM
On October 15, Lebanese education ministry updated instructions to schools to now allow registration of Syrian children lacking residency or UN registration; PSP took credit, for children displaced from Sweida:
www.elnashra.com/news/show/17...
www.elnashra.com/news/show/17...
"First Lady of Rafah" 🙃
October 22, 2025 at 7:08 AM
"First Lady of Rafah" 🙃
Don’t know why people are upset about the White House, looks normal
October 21, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Don’t know why people are upset about the White House, looks normal
Tom Barrack long Twitter post on Lebanon and Syria includes Lebanon disarmament pitch that seems incoherent, insulting; also extended speculative riff on Hizbullah forcing postponement of 2026 parliamentary elections and resulting civil unrest 🤨 x.com/usambturkiye...
October 20, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Tom Barrack long Twitter post on Lebanon and Syria includes Lebanon disarmament pitch that seems incoherent, insulting; also extended speculative riff on Hizbullah forcing postponement of 2026 parliamentary elections and resulting civil unrest 🤨 x.com/usambturkiye...
@unhcr.org Lebanon Syrian returns & movements snapshot for 30 September quantifies Syrian new arrivals identified outside Ba'albek-al-Hermel and 'Akkar/North; likely onward movements internally seeking livelihoods: data.unhcr.org/en/documents...
October 16, 2025 at 3:57 PM
@unhcr.org Lebanon Syrian returns & movements snapshot for 30 September quantifies Syrian new arrivals identified outside Ba'albek-al-Hermel and 'Akkar/North; likely onward movements internally seeking livelihoods: data.unhcr.org/en/documents...
@unhcr.org update on voluntary repatriation of Syrian refugees from Lebanon, as of September 30: data.unhcr.org/en/documents...
• 17,291 have gone through voluntary returns process;
• A further 118,764 (not including people whose return was facilitated) have expressed interest.
• 17,291 have gone through voluntary returns process;
• A further 118,764 (not including people whose return was facilitated) have expressed interest.
October 7, 2025 at 9:16 AM
@unhcr.org update on voluntary repatriation of Syrian refugees from Lebanon, as of September 30: data.unhcr.org/en/documents...
• 17,291 have gone through voluntary returns process;
• A further 118,764 (not including people whose return was facilitated) have expressed interest.
• 17,291 have gone through voluntary returns process;
• A further 118,764 (not including people whose return was facilitated) have expressed interest.
On eve of Bari Weiss's reported installation as editor-in-chief of CBS News, her Free Press continues to collaborate with Center for Peace Communications on information operation promoting Israeli-backed Gazan militias:
October 4, 2025 at 6:48 AM
On eve of Bari Weiss's reported installation as editor-in-chief of CBS News, her Free Press continues to collaborate with Center for Peace Communications on information operation promoting Israeli-backed Gazan militias:
Unsurprisingly, McGurk supports Trump announcement that counterprograms international recognition of Palestinian state and jams Israeli deal terms on Hamas, helping legitimize continued war if Hamas resists:
September 30, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Unsurprisingly, McGurk supports Trump announcement that counterprograms international recognition of Palestinian state and jams Israeli deal terms on Hamas, helping legitimize continued war if Hamas resists:
Extending those waivers makes sense, if Lebanon hopes to realize the potential of its Syrian refugee returns plan.
For more, see:
tcf.org/content/repo...
www.annahar.com/articles/Opi...
today.lorientlejour.com/article/1477...
For more, see:
tcf.org/content/repo...
www.annahar.com/articles/Opi...
today.lorientlejour.com/article/1477...
September 27, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Extending those waivers makes sense, if Lebanon hopes to realize the potential of its Syrian refugee returns plan.
For more, see:
tcf.org/content/repo...
www.annahar.com/articles/Opi...
today.lorientlejour.com/article/1477...
For more, see:
tcf.org/content/repo...
www.annahar.com/articles/Opi...
today.lorientlejour.com/article/1477...
New Sioufi Garden is nice 👍🏻
September 26, 2025 at 9:34 AM
New Sioufi Garden is nice 👍🏻
Ben Hubbard @nytimes.com profile of Syria's Shara': www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/w...
Except I think Shara's successive transformations may have been less about broadening his appeal, and more about consolidating his personal/factional leadership over Syria's insurgency (and, eventually, state).
Except I think Shara's successive transformations may have been less about broadening his appeal, and more about consolidating his personal/factional leadership over Syria's insurgency (and, eventually, state).
September 24, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Ben Hubbard @nytimes.com profile of Syria's Shara': www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/w...
Except I think Shara's successive transformations may have been less about broadening his appeal, and more about consolidating his personal/factional leadership over Syria's insurgency (and, eventually, state).
Except I think Shara's successive transformations may have been less about broadening his appeal, and more about consolidating his personal/factional leadership over Syria's insurgency (and, eventually, state).
@giorgiocafiero.bsky.social for @theipaper.com on Tom Barrack's dumb south Lebanon economic zone idea: inews.co.uk/news/world/t...
Includes my thoughts 👇🏻
Includes my thoughts 👇🏻
September 13, 2025 at 3:30 PM
@giorgiocafiero.bsky.social for @theipaper.com on Tom Barrack's dumb south Lebanon economic zone idea: inews.co.uk/news/world/t...
Includes my thoughts 👇🏻
Includes my thoughts 👇🏻
I cautioned against treating that 24 percent figure from January as fixed in my @CenturyIntl report last month: tcf.org/content/repo...
September 13, 2025 at 12:10 PM
I cautioned against treating that 24 percent figure from January as fixed in my @CenturyIntl report last month: tcf.org/content/repo...
Data also highlight special vulnerability of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, which is a) significant in its own right, to understand how Syrians are living here; and b) also has implications for Syrians' ability to return from Lebanon, given the material challenges and constraints they face.
3/3
3/3
September 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Data also highlight special vulnerability of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, which is a) significant in its own right, to understand how Syrians are living here; and b) also has implications for Syrians' ability to return from Lebanon, given the material challenges and constraints they face.
3/3
3/3
Data show reduced intentions to return in next 12 months, compared to January 2025 – down from 27% to 18% regionally, and from 24% to 14% in Lebanon – but also explains why that decline makes sense, given departure of many Syrians prepared to return and unstable conditions in Syria.
2/3
2/3
September 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Data show reduced intentions to return in next 12 months, compared to January 2025 – down from 27% to 18% regionally, and from 24% to 14% in Lebanon – but also explains why that decline makes sense, given departure of many Syrians prepared to return and unstable conditions in Syria.
2/3
2/3
On Thursday, @unhcr.org released new edition of "Enhanced" Refugee Perceptions and Intentions Survey (eRPIS) on return to Syria, which now incorporates prior socioeconomic data.
A number of relevant bits for Lebanon: data.unhcr.org/en/documents...
Below 🖼️ reduced numbers since December 2024:
1/3
A number of relevant bits for Lebanon: data.unhcr.org/en/documents...
Below 🖼️ reduced numbers since December 2024:
1/3
September 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM
On Thursday, @unhcr.org released new edition of "Enhanced" Refugee Perceptions and Intentions Survey (eRPIS) on return to Syria, which now incorporates prior socioeconomic data.
A number of relevant bits for Lebanon: data.unhcr.org/en/documents...
Below 🖼️ reduced numbers since December 2024:
1/3
A number of relevant bits for Lebanon: data.unhcr.org/en/documents...
Below 🖼️ reduced numbers since December 2024:
1/3
L'Orient-Le Jour notes correctly that the few UNHCR-IOM "organized" return convoys are outnumbered by trucks carrying Syrian returnees and their possessions crossing daily from Lebanon: today.lorientlejour.com/article/1476...
For more: www.annahar.com/articles/Opi...
And: tcf.org/content/repo...
For more: www.annahar.com/articles/Opi...
And: tcf.org/content/repo...
September 12, 2025 at 11:04 AM
L'Orient-Le Jour notes correctly that the few UNHCR-IOM "organized" return convoys are outnumbered by trucks carrying Syrian returnees and their possessions crossing daily from Lebanon: today.lorientlejour.com/article/1476...
For more: www.annahar.com/articles/Opi...
And: tcf.org/content/repo...
For more: www.annahar.com/articles/Opi...
And: tcf.org/content/repo...