English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For November 23/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2021/english.november23.21.htm

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Bible Quotations For today
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart
Matthew 11/25-30: “‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on November 22-23/2021
By Al Mighty God’s Will Lebanon Will Reclaim Its Confiscated Independence/Elias Bejjani/November 22/2019
Health Ministry: 556 new Corona cases, 10 deaths
Lebanon celebrates 78th Independence Day
Aoun, Berri, Miqati Hold 'Serious Dialogue' in Baabda Meeting
Civil society groups partake in parade celebrating Independence Day at Beirut Port
Berri meets with US Congress delegation, reviews general conditions with Abu Faour, Aridi
France's ambassador on Independence Day: The political class must assume its responsibilities
Interior Minister before US Congress delegation: We are continuing the necessary measures to conduct the elections with integrity, transparency
Putin's decision to provide Lebanon with satellite images is highly appreciated,” says Abu Zeid
Russia Sends Satellite Images to Lebanon from Day of Beirut Port Blast
Bou Habib, Lavrov discuss bilateral relations, reform dossier
Lebanon opposition suffers big loss in Beirut Bar Association polls
Rahi meets with US Senate delegation in Bkirki
Rahi presides over Sunday Mass in Bkirki
President Aoun’s address to the nation on the eve of Lebanon’s 78th Independence Day
Independence and change/Ana Maria Luca/Now Lebanon/November 22/2021
Lutter pour une Indépendance durable, à jamais. Pour toujours, une fois pour toutes./Jean-Marie Kassab/Novembre 21/2021
Delusions of Independence after the End of a Century/Sam Menassa/Asharq Al-Awsat/November 22/2021
Lebanon … the Night the General Was Summoned/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat/November 22/2021

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 22-23/2021
Five killed and more than 40 injured after a vehicle barreled through a Wisconsin Christmas parade, Waukesha officials say
Israel uncovers massive Hamas terror network
Report: US warned Israel that Iran attacks are 'counterproductive'
Independent Winners of Iraq Elections Complain Vote Appeals are Handing their Seats to Losers
Arab League Calls for Pressuring Israel to Negotiate with Palestinians
US envoy Kerry attends signing of UAE, Jordan, Israel energy deal
Saudi Defenses Destroy Houthi Armed Drone Targeting Najran Airport
Bahraini King Asserts Need to Ensure Regional Maritime Security against Hostile Actions
Arab Coalition Warns of Danger to Global Trade South of Red Sea
Sudan Frees Several Civilian Leaders Held since Coup
Sudan’s Hamdok Says He Returned to Safeguard Economic Gains
Hamdok reinstated as military, civilians accept no-win, no-lose deal
Dbeibah counts on Libya judiciary to overcome legal challenges
U.S., Australia, UK Sign Key Deal in Nuclear Sub Alliance
Fresh Protests, Violence against Covid Restrictions

Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 22-23/2021
As GCC economies recover, doubling down on transformational reforms is imperative/Jihad Azour/The National/November 22/2021
A ‘Racial’ Jihad?/Raymond Ibrahim/November 22/2021
Malley should go back to the basics/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/The Arab Weekly/November 22/2021
Why are the British banning Hamas, now?/Khairallah Khairallah/The Arab Weekly/November 22/2021

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on November 22-23/2021
By Al Mighty God’s Will Lebanon Will Reclaim Its Confiscated Independence//لبنان القداسة، بإذن إذن الله سوف يتحرر ويسترد سيادته واستقلاله
Elias Bejjani/November 22/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/104307/elias-bejjani-by-al-mighty-gods-will-the-holy-lebanon-will-reclaim-its-confiscated-independence-%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%86%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%a9%d8%8c-%d8%a8%d8%a5%d8%b0/
Psalm 92:12: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon”.
Today, the Lebanese back home in beloved Lebanon, as well as those living in Diaspora are all remembering with sadness, anger and frustration their country’s confiscated Independence Day. In reality, Lebanon is currently and since 2005 is totally occupied by Iran’s terrorist armed proxy, the notorious Hezbollah.Although our beloved Lebanon is practically not independent and fully occupied by Hezbollah, but every sovereign, faithful and patriotic Lebanese is hopeful and fully confident that this era of terrorism, evilness, oppression and hardship is ultimately going to end. By God’s will Lebanon’s freedom spring is on the horizon.
Today Free and Patriotic Lebanese call on all the free and democratic countries to help in Liberating the land of the Holy Cedars.
Lebanon, the land of the Holy Cedars, and the 7000 years deeply rooted glory, holiness and history at the present time is sadly an occupied, impoverished, and oppressed country. The ferocious occupier, Hezbollah, is an evil force that portrays and simplifies all that is stone ages concepts.
This terrorist armed militia totally controls and by force confiscates Lebanon’s decision making process on all levels, and in all domains, including the peace and war one.
Meanwhile the majority of the Lebanese officials, as well as the politicians, are mere mercenaries appointed by Hezbollah, and like puppets carry its wishes and orders.
The USA and other democratic countries can help Lebanon, and the Lebanese people in reclaiming back their confiscated independence and stolen country through strong, loud and official practical stances, and not only by rhetorically routing on going statements.
Lebanon can only be helped by the immediate implementation of the three UN resolutions that addresses its crisis: the armistice agreement, 1559, 1701 and 1680
What every country must be aware off is that the Lebanese people, who are taken hostages are unable on their own to liberate their country without a real and clear practical support from the UN and all the democratic countries.
The Lebanese people want a prosperous, democratic, independent, fully sovereign, peaceful Lebanon, reliant (including for security) on effective, transparent government institutions subject to public accountability.
After liberation, and with the right government, officials and politicians in place, and with a solid renewed international support, Lebanon re emergence from dust and ruins should not be impossible to achieve.
Yes, that’s what the majority of Lebanese want and yarn for. But between now and then, there is a blocking force that is hindering and opposing moving Lebanon in that direction.
This evil force, the Hezbollah terrorist occupier is feared by many, and countering it has no local strategies, in official policies. Hezbollah is obstructing prosperity, reform, sovereignty, and protecting all kinds of corruption and corrupters
From our Diaspora, we hail and command the courageous and patriotic Lebanese citizens who bravely call Hezbollah by its actual name, an Iranian terrorist occupation army, no more no less.
May Almighty God bless, safeguard Lebanon and grant its oppressed people the power and will to free their country and reclaim it back from Hezbollah, the Iranian terrorist Occupier.

Health Ministry: 556 new Corona cases, 10 deaths
NNA/Monday, 22 November, 2021
In its daily report on the COVID-19 developments, the Ministry of Public Health announced on Monday the registration of 556 new infections with the Corona virus, thus raising the cumulative number of confirmed cases to-date to659960. The report added that 10 deaths were also recorded during the past 24 hours.

Lebanon celebrates 78th Independence Day
NNA/Monday, 22 November, 2021
The ceremony to celebrate Lebanon’s Independence Day began with the presence of President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Army Commander Joseph Aoun. A symbolic military parade was held on the occasion at the headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense in Yarzeh. After that, the President of the Republic, the House Speaker and Prime Minister headed in one car towards the Presidential Palace in Baabda, where they held a meeting at President Aoun's office.

Aoun, Berri, Miqati Hold 'Serious Dialogue' in Baabda Meeting
Naharnet/Monday, 22 November, 2021
President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Miqati held a meeting Monday at the Baabda Palace after overseeing a military parade marking Lebanon’s Independence Day. “Independence would not have been achieved had the Lebanese not gathered shoulder to shoulder in Rashaya,” Miqati said after the talks. “Understanding and dialogue are the foundations and being distant creates estrangement,” the premier added. “Today’s meeting represented serious dialogue and, God willing, it will lead to a good outcome,” Miqati went on to say. The Miqati-headed Cabinet has not convened since October 14 over a dispute related to Judge Tarek Bitar’s probe into the Beirut port explosion. Berri’s Amal Movement, Hizbullah and the Marada Movement have called for the judge’s removal over alleged bias.

Civil society groups partake in parade celebrating Independence Day at Beirut Port
NNA/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Marking Lebanon’s 78th Independence anniversary, the "Civil Parade" activities set out this evening from the Karantina area towards Beirut Port under the slogan, "People, Army, Judiciary", with the heavy participation of civil society groups and "October 17 Revolutionaries". The rows of participants extended to the Dora area, while the sides of the road witnessed crowds of citizens who came to attend the parade. Participants raised banners calling for "realizing real independence, fighting corruption and theft of public money, reaching the civil state, and holding those responsible for the August 4 explosion accountable."Professionals from various fields and sectors took part in the activities, alongside a number of artists and intellectual and social figures, as they all raised Lebanese flags and army banners.

Berri meets with US Congress delegation, reviews general conditions with Abu Faour, Aridi
NNA/Monday, 22 November, 2021
House Speaker Nabih Berri met Monday at Ain El-Tineh Palace with members of the US Congress delegation currently visiting Lebanon, including Congressmen Darin Lahood, Darrel Issa and Dan Kildee, and the head of the American Support Group for Lebanon, Ambassador Ed Gabriel, in the presence of American Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea, where talks centered on the general situation prevailing on the local and region scenes, and on bilateral relations. The Speaker later discussed recent developments with “Democratic Gathering" Members, MP Wael Abu Faour and former Minister Ghazi al-Aridi, who left without giving any statement. On another note, Speaker Berri contacted today the newly-elected Bar Association Deans in Beirut, Nader Kaspar, and the North, Marie-Therese al-Qawwal, congratulating them on winning the Syndicates’ elections in Beirut, Tripoli and the North.

Berri: At the most existentially critical moment for Lebanon, we are all concerned with fortifying its judiciary; Expatriates are the nucleus of the...
NNA/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Marking Lebanon’s 78th Independence Day commemoration and the registration deadline for Lebanese expatriates to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, House Speaker Nabih Berri called for “summoning independence as a history that began as a station for assuming national responsibility that ensured independence and liberation from colonialism, and continued, in many independent stations, to confront and resist the Israeli aggression and occupation, and to consolidate the unity and Arabness of Lebanon as a final homeland for all its sons.”
“We are all concerned at this moment, which is the most existentially dangerous for Lebanon and the Lebanese, to fortify Lebanon and its independence by immunizing the judiciary and achieving its independence as an authority that adheres to the rules of the constitution and the law, away from politicization, maliciousness, sectarianism and confessionalism,” he said. ‘We are concerned with liberating the economy from its dependence and surrender to the power of monopolies and monopolists; with liberating citizens’ livelihood and medicine from black market dealers; with liberating people’s deposits and lifetime savings from banks by legislation and approving laws that preserve their rights; with restoring trust between the citizen and the state and its institutions, and the world’s confidence in Lebanon’s position, role, message and human being; a Lebanon that is committed to fulfilling its constitutional entitlements on time,” Berri asserted. “On Independence Day, to the resident Lebanese who continue to hold on to the embers of belonging to the nation, the land, and the constants, and to the expatriate Lebanese who rendered the area of ​​their homeland the size of the universe, who have always been and still are Lebanon’s ever shining sun and stars that do not know decline…To them, at this moment in which they confirmed the depth of their belonging to Lebanon and their partnership right in everything that ensures the livelihood of the state and society by registering to partake in the parliamentary elections, we pay tribute and respect,” the Speaker went on. “You will participate in the elections liberated from the sectarianism that has plagued us internally,” Berri emphasized, addressing the Lebanese expatriates, adding, “The bet is on you as being the nucleus of the civil state to which the Lebanese aspire, and in which Lebanon’s salvation lies.”
“A salute to the Lebanese army, its leadership, officers, soldiers and individuals, the security forces and the resistance fighters, all the resistance fighters and the martyrs, all the martyrs, who made independence and sovereignty and preserved the rights, wealth and borders,” Berri concluded.

France's ambassador on Independence Day: The political class must assume its responsibilities
NNA/Monday, 22 November, 2021
"On this national day, I share with you my best wishes for a sovereign and united Lebanon in confronting all the challenges it faces today. A country and a state stemming from the deep commitment of Lebanese people to live together in an open, free and rich country in its diversity,” France's Ambassador to Lebanon, Anne Grillo, said today via her Twitter account on the occasion of Lebanon's Independence Day. “France stands with all Lebanese committed with determination, talent and courage to build the nation they aspire to have, the nation they deserve and that is within their reach,” the ambassador added.
Finally, she pointed out that the tragic situation that Lebanon has reached requires the authorities and the political class to assume their responsibilities.

Interior Minister before US Congress delegation: We are continuing the necessary measures to conduct the elections with integrity, transparency
NNA/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Minister of Interior and Municipalities Judge Bassam Mawlawi received Monday members of the US Congress delegation currently visiting Lebanon, including Congressmen Darrel Issa, Darin Lahood and Dan Kildee, as well the head of the American Action Group for Lebanon Edward Gabriel, Mike Ahmar and James McClin. During the meeting, Mawlawi stressed on “continuing all necessary measures to conduct the parliamentary elections in a fair and transparent manner," thanking the Lebanese army for its assistance, and hoping that “this will also apply to the internal security forces and public security in light of the circumstances that Lebanon is going through."The meeting included a tour d’horizon touching on various political issues, and the prevailing economic problems and their reflection on the daily living situation and the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. On emerging, Congressman Issa expressed the delegation’s gladness that their visit to Lebanon coincided with the anniversary of independence, adding that the meeting with Minister Mawlawi focused on the parliamentary elections and their scheduled date. “We were pleased with the answers we got in terms of ensuring the security of the elections, which are the best democratic means, and we also talked about the importance of the future outlook for the return of the Lebanese economy to what it was before,” Issa added. In turn, Congressman Kildee said: "Our goal is to hold transparent and fair elections so that the Lebanese people express their opinion freely, and we hope that the expatriates will also have a role in expressing their opinion."

Putin's decision to provide Lebanon with satellite images is highly appreciated,” says Abu Zeid
NNA/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Adviser to the President of the Republic for Russian Affairs, former MP Amal Abu Zeid, who participated in the talks between the Lebanese and Russian Foreign Ministers Abdallah Bou Habib and Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, considered Monday that "Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to provide Lebanon with satellite images of the port of Beirut before and after the explosion is a highly appreciated step." He added that this would “help shed light on the nature of this explosion and reveal its causes, at a time when more than one country has refrained from handing over these images to Lebanon.”
In a later tweet, Abu Zeid said: "We raised with the Russian leadership the issue of the return of the displaced Syrians to their homes and the importance of completing this step, given Lebanon's inability to bear this huge burden in light of its stifling economic and financial conditions, and given the stability of the security situation in vast areas in Syria."He added: “Regional issues and the negotiations taking place over the Iranian nuclear dossier were not absent from our talks in Russia, in wake of their major effects on the Lebanese situation,” noting as well that they discussed the possibility of benefiting from raw materials for manufacturing the Sputnik V vaccine to immunize our society against the Corona pandemic.

Russia Sends Satellite Images to Lebanon from Day of Beirut Port Blast
Asharq Al-Awsat/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Russia has sent Lebanon the satellite images it has for Beirut's port before and after a huge explosion rocked it last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his Lebanese counterpart in Moscow on Monday.
Russia's space agency Roscosmos said last week it agreed to provide the images after a request from Lebanese President Michel Aoun. The blast was the country's worst peace-time disaster. "At the request of the Lebanese government, today we handed over materials prepared by Roscosmos... satellite images, and we hope they will help in the investigation of the causes of this incident. This issue is now receiving quite serious attention in Lebanon and we hope it can be closed," Lavrov told reporters. The blast, one of the world's largest non-nuclear explosions, killed more than 215 people, injured thousands and destroyed swathes of the Lebanese capital on Aug. 4, 2020. The probe still continues. Lavrov added that he and his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib, also discussed the possible participation of Russian companies in rebuilding infrastructure destroyed in the blast. Lavrov did not name which companies could be involved.

Bou Habib, Lavrov discuss bilateral relations, reform dossier
NNA/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, met today at the guest house of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov, with talks touching on the relations between countries, the regional and international conditions, and most importantly the reform steps the Minister is working on in Lebanon. Following their three and a half hour meeting, which included a working lunch, Bou Habib said: "We expressed our gratitude and appreciation for being handed the satellite images of the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020, and we will place them in the custody of the Lebanese judiciary, hoping that this will contribute to revealing the truth about this tragedy that befell Lebanon." “We presented our situation in Lebanon in light of the political and economic challenges, and we touched on the most important steps that are underway in this regards, including the agreement on a support program with the International Monetary Fund, which coincides with carrying out necessary reforms especially in the electricity and banking sectors, and restructuring the public sector,” Bou Habib added. He went on to state that discussions during the meeting also tackled “ways to activate bilateral agreements in a way that enhances cooperation between Lebanon and Russia,” noting that “Minister Lavrov assured us of his encouragement to Russian companies, including those operating in the energy and oil sectors, to work in Lebanon.”“I had the honor of being briefed by Minister Lavrov on a number of international and regional issues, including his vision of the Syrian crisis to bring peace and preserve the unity and sovereignty of the Syrian territories, emphasizing that the future of Syria is determined by the Syrian people,” Bou Habib indicated. He stated that he highlighted Russia’s significance and centrality in achieving the desired goals, and its ability to help secure the safe, dignified and rapid return of the displaced Syrians to alleviate the enormous burdens on Lebanon. “We welcomed Russia's helpful role in communicating with regional partners. We hoped that Russia would continue its good efforts with its friends in the region to reduce escalation and tension, which would positively impact Lebanon's stability and internal conditions,” Bou Habib maintained. "I extended an invitation to Minister Lavrov to visit Lebanon to have a closer look at the situation in order to pursue consultations and discussions, and he promised to visit soon," the Foreign Minister concluded.

Lebanon opposition suffers big loss in Beirut Bar Association polls
The Arab Weekly/November 22/2021
BEIRUT--The Beirut Bar Association elected a new head Sunday in a vote that saw major losses for opposition candidates and big wins for representatives of the country’s ruling elite. Nader Gaspard was chosen to replace Melhem Khalaf, an independent candidate whose election two years ago was widely hailed as a victory for a 2019 protest movement demanding a political overhaul. Gaspard ran as an independent candidate but is backed by several of the country’s top political parties, according to local media reports. For many, his victory marks a win for the country’s ruling class, just months away from Lebanon’s first parliamentary polls since 2018. Lawyers backed by the country’s opposition groups also failed to clinch a single seat on the association’s nine-member council. Under Khalaf’s leadership, the Beirut Bar Association was instrumental in supporting opposition activists demanding an end to endemic corruption and nepotism that led to the country’s worst-ever financial crash. It also collected and processed hundreds of criminal complaints from the victims of last year’s deadly blast at the Beirut port, in an effort to press for accountability from the state. Many in Lebanon will be wondering whether Sunday’s vote could foreshadow similar gains for established political parties in legislative polls scheduled for March. The vote will mark Lebanon’s first major electoral test since the onset of its financial collapse in 2019. It comes as Lebanese, nearly 80 percent of whom live below the poverty line, battle to survive with scant incomes and endless power cuts and price hikes.

Rahi meets with US Senate delegation in Bkirki
NNA/November 22/2019
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, received this afternoon in Bkirki a US Senate delegation, including Senators Darren Lahoud, Daryl Issa and Dan Kildy, and the President of the American Support Group for Lebanon, Ambassador Ed Gabriel, who are currently in Beirut on a support visit to Lebanon and the Lebanese. The delegation reviewed with al-Rahi the reality of the crises prevailing in the country, affirming "the United States' support for the Lebanese people and for the advancement of Lebanon and the return of sovereignty and complete decision to the hands of the Lebanese army."
On emerging, Lahoud said: "We were honored to visit His Beatitude today, and the meeting was excellent, in which we discussed a number of issues and crises experienced by the Lebanese. The first objective of our visit to Lebanon is to express our support for the Lebanese people in these very difficult circumstances in light of the current economic and humanitarian crisis. We discussed with the Patriarch some solutions that the United States can commit to, and its role in helping the government to pursue serious negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.” He added: “We also discussed with the Patriarch how the United States can contribute to supporting the investigation process in the Beirut port explosion and the importance of supporting Judge Tarek al-Bitar.” “We emphasized the need to hold transparent parliamentary elections, and until then we hope that the current government will work for the good of the Lebanese people,” Lahoud underlined, noting that these issues were also raised during the delegation’s visits to a number of Lebanese political figures. In turn, Senator Issa said: "The Lebanese people are ready for work and change, if the government shows a willingness to work seriously."

Rahi presides over Sunday Mass in Bkirki
NNA/November 22/2019
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, presided over Sunday Mass service in Bkirki this morning. Addressing the faithful believers, the Maronite Patriarch said: "The time has come for people to awaken and emerge out of their humiliation and witness to living under the control of the state and liberation from sectarian projects." Referring to Independence Day, Al-Rahi complained about "the presence of officials and leaders who are not independent." He added: "Independence does not coexist with a rule that does not secure prosperity for its people. Officials must believe that Lebanon's existence is a project of sovereign and neutral independence in this East."

President Aoun’s address to the nation on the eve of Lebanon’s 78th Independence Day
NNA/November 22/2021
On the eve of Lebanon's 78th Independence Day, President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, delivered the following address to the nation:
My fellow Lebanese ladies and gentlemen,
Here comes Lebanon’s seventy-eighth Independence Day, and the nation is still drowning in a sea of successive crises that prevent us from celebrating joyfully, but do not keep us from living its meanings.
Lebanon and the Lebanese have paid a heavy price to turn Independence from a mere commemoration to a festive occasion, and it is the right - rather the duty - of all of us to hold on to it and seek to fortify it.
For the State, Independence means free decision and the protection of the nation’s interest while preserving the best relations with all States.
As for the citizens, independence means empowered and trustworthy State institutions that protect them and ensure their rights while they ensure in turn their obligations towards these institutions.
This independence needs a daily strife to preserve it and recover what we have lost, to make a clean break with an exhausting reality against which our nation and our people are struggling. It also requires an honest cooperation between all components of the nation, groups and individuals alike. As for the political exploitation of crises, it will only generate further deterioration and fragmentation.
My fellow Lebanese,
Forty percent of this presidential term passed without a government, because the formation processes were stalled by artificial obstacles and clashes, which delayed treatments and exacerbated crises.
After a strenuous gestation, and under pressing circumstances, the “Together for the Rescue” government saw the light, with tremendous and thorny challenges ahead: an unprecedented financial and monetary crisis, a stifling livelihood and sanitary crisis, an economic atrophy and an increase in unemployment, migration and poverty rates. The cabinet has committed to a realistic program that puts Lebanon on the path out of the tunnel, and as soon as it started to grope its way, it stopped due to a new crisis in which the judiciary, security and politics got mixed up.
The exit from the present crisis is not impossible, it was provided to us by the Constitution, specifically paragraph “e” of its preamble, which stipulates that the Lebanese system is based on the “separation of powers” principle. Shall we all abide by the ceiling of the Constitution and "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's", in order for the Government to resume its duties under these pressing circumstances? Or shall we allow the noose to be further tightened around our parents and children, threatening their livelihood or security? Are we really aware of the extent of harm caused to our society by the paralysis of the government?
The current situation must not go on.
Another crisis has emerged with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a number of Gulf States, troubling the relations between them and Lebanon, and leading to negative repercussions at many levels, including the governmental reality. Here, I wish to reiterate Lebanon’s keenness on establishing the best relations with the brotherly Arab States, in particular the Gulf countries, based on the need to draw a line between the positions of the Lebanese State and the possible statements of some individuals and groups, especially that the democratic regime in Lebanon guarantees freedom of opinion and speech. I am pursuing my endeavors to solve this emerging crisis, and I do hope a solution is reached soon.
My fellow citizens,
You want accountability. You want to see those who wreaked havoc in the country and those who embezzled or squandered your funds pay for their abuses, and you always ask the obvious question: “why has no one been put behind bars yet?”
No one has been put behind bars yet because accountability belongs to the Judiciary, and everything else is mere media accusations that may be right or wrong, and no one can be incarcerated without a judge’s sentence.
I therefore address you, Judges of Lebanon,
Accusations are numerous and so are the accused. Everyone has made themselves judges, prosecutors and attorneys; everyone accuses and everyone is accused. This mess of accusations which threatens now, in some of its instances, stability and even civil peace, would not have happened if our Judiciary had not failed to do its job, if it had been kept off limits for politicians and non-politicians, and if its independence had been consolidated by a law that has not yet seen the light.
Today, the Judiciary can still take the lead, if it manages to dissociate itself from interference and abide by legal provisions that govern the work and independence of the judicial branch and correct any infringements that may obstruct its performance.
Let everyone keep in mind, politicians, spiritual leaders and judges alike, that if the Judiciary is fine, the nation is fine.
My fellow Lebanese,
My message to you today is: soon, you shall have the opportunity to change. Turn the ballot box into a weapon against corruption, the corrupt and those who were brought up in their school. It has been proven, throughout the past thirty years, that they are deeply rooted and shielded with all sorts of redlines.
This is your chance and the nation’s real chance. Do not allow them to return with new masks and imported clothes, supported by political finance that will bring you no good or favor, but will rather sabotage the election’s credibility and try to control key positions by filling them with people who are pliant to foreign will.
Corruption is entrenched indeed in all junctions of the State; and its lords seek, jointly and severally, to undermine any rescue attempt. What has happened and is still happening with the forensic audit in the accounts of the Central bank bears testimony to that. Indeed, this self-evident procedure which marks the beginning of any reform process in the various State agencies and which aims at unveiling the reasons behind the collapse and defining responsibilities to pave the way for accountability and recovery of rights, has been subject to all sorts of obstacles, way before it had been adopted at the Council of Ministers and till the moment; and we were untying the knots consecutively, one after another…
I call on you to watch vigilantly and spot the blockers once masks have fallen off: it is the same corrupt establishment, and you will soon have an opportunity to deter it. Don’t waste this opportunity!
My fellow Lebanese,
Internal concerns, no matter how numerous, cannot make us forget about the real confrontation to defend our sovereignty, liberate our remaining occupied territories, and protect our rights in our waters. Our first choice has been and still is to engage in indirect negotiations for the demarcation of our Southern maritime borders, knowing that positive signals have begun to emerge to reach an agreement that guarantees Lebanon’s interest and sovereignty over its waters and natural resources, thus leading to the resumption of the oil and gas exploration operation.
My fellow soldiers,
You come from this people and I am one of you. I know well the situation of the institution and the repercussions of the economic and livelihood crisis on it, but I am confident that no matter how tough the crisis gets, it cannot nail your upbringing and your doctrine, and you shall keep shouldering the responsibility vested in you no matter how heavy it may be.
Your role today and every day is to preserve security and stability, and I have faith that you have been and shall always remain the security valve and the object of confidence of your fellow citizens.
My fellow Lebanese,
Do not let despair sneak into your hearts. I share the scale of your suffering and I am sparing no effort to mitigate it. I am convinced that the beginning of the solution of today’s crisis lies in the cooperation with international institutions, and its preparation has started indeed. As the input of these institutions is organized, the practical phase begins, marking the actual beginning of the way out of the crisis.
Restore your confidence in your State and its institutions, because there is no alternative for them, and those who bet on their fall and rejoice about it are slaughtering the nation and its people.
Beware of extremism and the rejection of the other.
Beware of the rhetoric of hatred which becomes inflammatory with the approach of electoral seasons.
Beware of the propaganda conducted by some media to sow division and undermine mutual trust between you.
Remember that you are the children of one nation, and that after the closure of ballot boxes you will go back to living together.
You must remain as one united coherent entity to work for the rescue of Lebanon.
My fellow Lebanese,
On the eve of Independence Day, and in my last address to you on this occasion, may your faith in your country be greater than any skepticism, because this country has faced throughout its history many events and calamities, but it got out of them sound; and it must embrace, once more, the path of recovery no matter how tough hardships can get.
Long live Lebanon!" ---- [Presidency Information Office]

Independence and change
Ana Maria Luca/Now Lebanon/November 22/2021
Lebanese President Michel Aoun sits between Prime Minister Najib Mikati (R) and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri during a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of Lebanon's Independence Day at the Defense Ministry in Yarzeh on the eastern outskirts of Beirut on November 22, 2021. Photo: Anwar Amro, AFP. On November 22 Lebanon officially celebrates its Independence Day with a military parade. Most Lebanese celebrate it by going away for a long weekend. It’s a day off, when public institutions as well as banks are closed.
Independence Day commemorates the end of the French Mandate in Lebanon in November 1943 and the emergence of the state of Greater Lebanon.
But in fact, what many Lebanese have argued and are still arguing is that even post 2005, after the Syrian withdrawal, Lebanon has hardly ever been truly independent.
This column in NOW by Ronnie Chatah looks at the regional winds and forces and how they stand against change and reform in Lebanon.
Elections
The “empire” strikes back: After two years of winning the leadership of the Lebanese Bar Association, independents and reformists have experienced a setback. Nader Gaspard, an independent candidate supported by Amal Movement, Future Movement and The Free Patriotic Movement, is the new head of the Bar Association after Sunday’s elections.
He replaces Melhem Khalaf, an independent candidate whose election two years ago was widely hailed as a victory for the 2019 protest movement demanding a political overhaul. Lawyers from the 2019 protest movement who spoke to NOW commended Khalaf’s leadership. The Bar Association has helped support opposition activists and helped collect and process hundreds of criminal complaints from victims of the August 4 Beirut blast in order to press for accountability of the state.
But on Sunday, lawyers backed by the country’s opposition groups also failed to clinch a single seat on the association’s nine-member council.
It’s still early to say what exactly this may mean for the Bar Association, but it has definitely worried the opposition a few months before the legislative elections in 2022. A record: Nearly 245,000 Lebanese living abroad have signed up to vote in next year’s parliamentary polls, Lebanon’s foreign ministry said Sunday, after it closed the window for registration.
Lebanon’s diaspora – estimated by many to number at least three times the country’s 6-million population – will take part in the vote for the 128-seat parliament, making them a powerful electoral force.
The foreign ministry said the final expat voter count reached 244,442 — more than double the almost 93,000 who registered for the last parliamentary polls in 2018, Lebanon’s first expat vote.
Europe accounted for the largest number of registered expat voters, with nearly 75,000, followed by Asia with 61,000 voters, and North America, where 60,000 signed up, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Why the number is meaningful: In the 2018 parliamentary elections, the turnout was rather low- 49.7 percent. According to a study by the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies released in January, the number varied from below 40 percent in Beirut and Tripoli to more than 65 percent in Keserwan and Jbeil. The explanations the social scientists found were that the increase in number of first-time voters as well as the fact that Sunni and Alawite voters did not vote as an act of discontent towards the ruling elites and that there was an increase in the number of confessionally mixed voting centers.
Voters’ personal data: Emails by reformist political group Kulluna Irada sent to Lebanese expats to encourage registration sparked intense controversy on social media, as many feared the use of personal data without the consent of voters raised privacy problems. Kulluna Irada said the data was all open source and nothing illegal had been done in procuring it.
And data in general: Right in the middle of that controversy, the minister of Telecommunication. Johnny Corm, suggested during a TV interview that he’s considering selling user data to private companies in order to increase the ministry’s revenues.
A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest: President Michel Aoun has said that he won’t sign a decree that reschedules the parliamentary elections for March 27. “If I receive it, I will return it for reevaluation,” Aoun said. Aoun told al-Akhbar newspaper that he will not approve that the elections take place on any other dates than May 8 and May 15. “No one can impose a decree on the president,” he added.
“The elections have never been held in Lebanon before May or June,” Aoun said, adding that the weather in March might deprive thousands of Lebanese from voting.
Government
Not an alliance: “Hizbullah respects three main rules: Resolution 1701 (that ended the 2006 war), domestic stability and avoiding any harassment to the ambassadors of countries that designated Hizbullah as a terrorist organization, such as the Americans, British, Germans and Arab countries,” Aoun told al-Akhbar in the same interview.
We agree to disagree: “[Saudi Arabia] was the first country I visited when I was elected for the presidency in 2017,” Aoun said.
He also pointed out that he prefers that Information Minister George Kordahi – who started the diplomatic row with the Gulf states by criticizing their military intervention in Yemen – take the decision to resign over the option of sacking him.
Seconded: Free Patriotic Movement chief Gebran Bassil, Aoun’s son-in-law, called for “differentiating” between the stances of the Lebanese state and Hezbollah, noting that he had “repeatedly” expressed his “opposition to Hizbullah’s stances” during his tenure as foreign minister.
An optimist: PM Najib Mikati said that his cabinet will soon be able to convene and that a deal with Hezbollah and Amal is close. He also said he was optimistic after discussing with Aoun and Amal leader Nabih Berri during the Independence Day parade.
Only on our terms: Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday said that his party “backs the resumption of the Lebanese government’s meetings,” but he added that the government should only meet after “addressing the reasons that led to the meetings’ suspension.” That is a euphemism for judge Tarek Bitar and his investigation into the Beirut blast that Hezbollah sees as “politicized” (another euphemism for Western-backed).
Migration
Restrictions on Belarus flights: Lebanon said last Wednesday that only foreigners with Belarusian residency permits would be allowed to fly from Beirut to the ex-Soviet country, amid a migrant crisis on its border with Poland. The announcement came after European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas visited Beirut to warn against human rights abuses in between Belarus and Poland.
Another boat: The Lebanese army said Saturday it had stopped a boatload of 91 people including Syrian and Palestinian refugees from departing Lebanon illegally. The boat almost sank in bad weather and that all on board, mostly women and children, were rescued and taken to shore. The statement did not specify their intended destination, but it was probably Cyprus, the closest EU shore.
The refugees in Barca: A group of 39 Palestinians carrying Lebanese passports refused to board their flight during a stopover because they wanted to request asylum in Spain and spent 5 days on the El Prat airport waiting for the Spanish authorities to find a solution. Eventually, they could go out of the airport on Saturday, according to La Vanguardia.
UNRWA in crisis: Palestinian refugees in Lebanon face the country’s economic crisis, have no right to work and they also may not receive any aid from international organizations either.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, fell well short last Tuesday of its target to plug a $100-million gap this year and secure full long-term funding despite fresh pledges from donors.
UNRWA warned it was facing an “existential” threat as it urged the international community to commit to more stable financing at a conference in Brussels, insisting it needs to find $800 million a year going forward.
A statement said donors committed an extra $38 million for this year — leaving the agency still $60 million short.
“Our operation require a minimum of $800 million a year. It is not possible to operate with less than that,” Lazzarini said.
UNRWA, which has a staff of 28,000, provides assistance to more than five million Palestinians registered with it in the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Lebanon.
In other news
Satellite imagery from Moscow: Lebanon’s Foreign minister Abdallah Bou Babib was in Moscow today and obtained satellite images of the Beirut Port to use in the blast investigation. It is unclear how helpful they may be.
Diploma factories: Iraq has summoned its cultural attaché in Beirut for an investigation into the alleged sale of “hundreds” of fake Lebanese university degrees to Iraqis, including MPs. The fake degrees – reportedly hundreds – cost “between $5,000 for a master’s degree and $10,000 for a PhD”, an Iraqi official told AFP.
Auditing the self: Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh on Friday met with Prime Minister Najib Miqati and said he handed him “a report prepared by the BDO, Semaan, Gholam & Co auditing company.”
“The report was prepared at my request and it includes an auditing of my personal bank accounts and the accounts that have been mentioned in the press for the past year and a half and are the subject of judicial investigations,” Salameh said after the meeting.
The reactions:
From Tehran to Beirut: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited Lebanon last week right after he had been in Tehran to warm relations with Iran. In Beirut, he offered to mediate the diplomatic row with the Gulf states and also invited PM Mikati to Ankara.
Lebanon +:
Podcasts: Our columnist Ronnie Chatah had a long and thorough conversation on his podcast, The Beirut Banyan, with journalist Jad Ghosn, himself one of Lebanon’s most followed podcasters, about the role of journalism after the Beirut blast. In a tiny snippet of Ghosn’s reflection on one’s political relevance when they are not aligned with old sectarian factions in Lebanon:
Subsidies were lifted on medicines and hospitals are struggling to care for the sick. The incidents of Covid19 cases has been slightly on the rise in Lebanon in the past two weeks so keep safe and wear your mask.

Lutter pour une Indépendance durable, à jamais. Pour toujours, une fois pour toutes.
Jean-Marie Kassab/Novembre 21/2021
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/104324/%d8%ac%d8%a7%d9%86-%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%8a-%d9%83%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%a8-%d9%8a%d9%88%d9%85-%d8%ba%d8%af-22-%d9%86%d9%88%d9%81%d9%85%d8%a8%d8%b1-%d9%87%d9%88-%d9%8a%d9%88%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%b3/
Demain le 22 Novembre est supposément la fête de l’Indépendance. Drôle de fête, triste fête car rien à fêter et tout pour être triste.
Ce même jour en 1943 nous avons obtenu notre indépendance dans un concours de circonstances. En fait, même cette dénomination est fausse : car ce jour-là ce n’était que la fin du mandat Français et rien d’autre. Rien à voir avec l’indépendance, rien à voir avec la souveraineté nationale. Nous n’avons jamais eu d’indépendance, peut-être quelques petites années, une illusion d’indépendance, mais rien de plus. Tout le reste était guerres, après-guerre, et préludes à des guerres où les choix étaient imposés de l’extérieur avec l’approbation de l’intérieur. Triste Histoire…
Nous en sommes là, une fois de plus : l’Iran occupe le Liban, carrément, avec l’accord de nombres Libanais, dont 3 leaders, les trois présidences, ainsi qu’une bande de mafieux qui sont au pouvoir. Le comble est qu’ils sont appuyés par des Elus. Nos élus, et potentiellement ceux qui seront élus dans la mascarade qui s’annonce et nommée élections libres. Les élections dans un pays occupé ne sont qu’un show orchestré par un marionnettiste appelé l’occupant.
De plus, nous sommes en pleine déroute financière, insurmontable et peut-être irréparable sauf miracle.
Fêter l’Indépendance ? That is not the question.
Lutter pour l’ Indépendance? That is the question. Oui oui et oui. De toutes nos forces. Chasser l’intrus et foutre en tôle les collabos. Raser leurs têtes et les pourchasser là où ils se cacheront.
Lutter pour une Indépendance durable, à jamais. Pour toujours, une fois pour toutes.
Résister puis passer à l’offensive. Oui oui et oui…
Vive la Résistance.
Vive le Liban
Jean-Marie Kassab

Delusions of Independence after the End of a Century
Sam Menassa/Asharq Al-Awsat/November 22/2021
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/104331/%d8%b3%d8%a7%d9%85-%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%89-%d8%a3%d9%88%d9%87%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%aa%d9%82%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%84-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d9%86%d9%87%d8%a7%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%a6/
On this day, November 22nd, the Lebanese commemorate their independence from France in 1943. It is the last commemoration of Michel Aoun’s term, and this year also marks the end of the first hundred years since the establishment of Greater Lebanon was announced in 1920. It is perhaps the worst independence day Lebanon has witnessed over those 78 years, even with all the political and economic crises and civil wars the country had seen. The awful situation the country finds itself in amid shaky regional and bumpy international circumstances has compelled serious thinking about the future and the changes it will bear witness to. The question has become: will anything remain of the Lebanon we have known over the past century?
Lebanon’s political and security difficulties are not new, and the multifaceted and interconnected reasons for them are simultaneously local and regional. Domestically, to be fair, Lebanese are responsible for a large part of the crisis. Since its independence, Lebanon has not been built on structural and institutional foundations that enforce the emergence of a state and citizenship, but on sectarian foundations that turned it into a geographical space that hosts a group of sects, each of which has its eye on a foreign guardian. It couldn’t rise to the level of a nation, and the Lebanese did not fuse together and leave their sectarian garments behind to become citizens. A decisive juncture came in 1969, the year Lebanon signed the Cairo Agreement with the Palestinian Liberation Organization. That day, the seeds of the civil war, which would see an explosion of violence that began in 1975, were sown. The war wouldn’t end until the Taif Agreement was concluded in 1989. Then came the events of October 13, 1990, and the expulsion of the country’s major Christian figures from it. After that, without any deep reconciliations, the warlords took power, taking their battle from their military barricades to their political ones. The war became dormant; it did not end.
“The straw that broke the camel’s back” over the past two decades was power being handed to an armed Lebanese faction that follows a sectarian ideology foreign to its local sectarian community, as well as the Lebanese and Arab climates. It is part and parcel of the Iranian-Syrian political axis and is totally loyal to it. There is no doubt the other Lebanese factions have their own alliances with other counties in the region. However, those alliances did not rise to the level of bordering on total ideological and organizational alignment that would render those factions integral parts of those alliances whose dictates and commands are always followed, as is the case for Hezbollah with Iran. This unique and highly complicated relationship has left Hezbollah without any form of allegiance to the nation or consideration for the country’s interests, leaving Lebanon without its Arab and Western dimensions and putting it in the center of the region and the world’s confrontations on a regional axis’ side.
As for the regional climate surrounding Lebanon, it is also witnessing many changes. The most prominent of them is that the concept of an Arab world has become a thing of the past and that this Arab world has become fragmented, with its counrties going in different directions and preoccupied with different and distant concerns. On one side, there are the Gulf countries, a second is composed of Egypt, Jordan and Iraq (to a certain extent), who are trying to form an axis, and a third in North Africa, with its wars in Libya and the troubles in Algeria, as well as the disputes between its countries over several issues, and Sudan is drowning in its problems. Facing them is the Iranian axis that includes Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, which is uncertain and being disputed over.
This Arab scene, with all of its disputes and crises, had a new element added to it as six Arab countries normalized ties with Israel, as did Palestine itself, and Qatar and Oman are not far from this wave of reconciliation. On the other side, the countries that form the Iranian axis are escalating against the normalizers, who are trying to expand the circle so it encompasses Syria as well, disregarding the fact that it would be akin to suicide for the Assad regime because it would deprive it of its raison d’etre, the claim of resisting Israel. It also assumes that Damascus could become out of Iran’s control, which will not happen because the links that tie the countries together are deep and ideological. Tehran makes the decisions in Damascus and will not let go of its spearhead, which has allowed it to enter the region and in which it has invested for decades. Moreover, Israel perhaps does not want to normalize with a state-controlled by five others, especially since it never strived to bring down the Assad regime. Instead, it prefers for Syria, which has become a playground for Israeli airplanes and rockets and a place where Israel can clip Iran’s wings, to remain weak and occupied.
As for the international level, the United States’ policy remains foggy and characterized by an array of contradictions. On the one hand, the Democratic administration is striving to return to the nuclear deal and avoids angering Iran. Meanwhile, a bipartisan majority in Congress has been stern with Iran and its allies, and there is a chance that the upcoming midterm elections will not be in the Democrats’ favor. Also, it cannot overlook the actions that destabilize regional security taken by Tehran, its vassals and the regimes, headed by the Syrian regime, allied with it. The way Iran sees it, returning to the nuclear agreement is not in its interest, at least not now. That would cost it a card it uses for blackmail in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, and China is providing it with a dimension that cannot be underestimated.
As a result, Lebanon celebrates its crumbling independence and enters the last year of the president of the republic’s term and the end of its first century in this midst of this climate, which has been reflected in unprecedented immigration that is akin to fleeing. Even without it, the country has been going through the most difficult and dangerous phase of its modern history: the state, with all of its institutions, has been sidelined and brought under the control of a single faction. The Arab world is unable to take a united and unifying stance despite the attempts to establish a new, cohesive regional system to confront Iran and change regional politics, and Western states, first and foremost the United States, are loud and clear: do not depend on us and take your thorns out yourselves.
All of the West’s stances and reactions to the grave developments seen in Lebanon over the past few decades, the most prominent of which are the investigations of Rafik Hariri’s assassination and the Port of Beirut explosion, as well as Hezbollah’s encroachments, do they not remind us of the attempt to pardon the actions seen in Syria? Those who forgive everything that happened in Syria are pardoning what happened in Beirut. The United Nations’ entire monotonous tune on Lebanon’s affairs, from the claims of being committed to its sovereignty and independence, as well as the implementation of Resolutions 1559 and 1701, is empty. The West is working to serve its interests, and today those interests demand that Lebanon does not attract more problems to it, even if it continues to be governed by “devils.”
What matters is that Lebanon does not shake up the region and leave a negative impact on it. How else could we explain Washington’s support for the current government, which itself admits that it is under Hezbollah’s control? What is remarkable about all of this is that Lebanon is being boycotted and punished because of Hezbollah while some are striving to reconcile with Syria, the central sponsor of the party's presence in Lebanon and the primary vessel for its regional expansion. The West has no problem recognizing a government that is controlled by Hezbollah or normalizing ties with the Syrian regime, despite attempts to contain and reduce Iran’s control over it.
No one cares about what Iran has done in Lebanon after taking down the borders separating the countries under its control, where it is building infrastructural bases that have changed the countries’ culture, habits, and their education, banking, fiscal, economic and political models. Iran does not occupy countries militarily, controlling them by infiltrating, patiently and calmly, local communities, instead. It is the first power to apply the concept of evading accountability by using local communities to wage its wars and allow it to expand. Hezbollah is operating along its lines, as it does not govern directly but through Christian Lebanese, and that is a reality the West does not want to recognize or understand.
The Lebanese scene today, on its independence day, probably induces deep despair and despondency, and that is not only because all the county’s institutions and requisites for statehood are faltering. Indeed, more painful is that the will to resist this state of affairs, which has come to be seen as our unavoidable fate, is floundering, while most of the country’s leaders are competing in a democratic game that is an illusion because it is played under Hezbollah’s terms.

Lebanon … the Night the General Was Summoned
Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat/November 22/2021
The atmosphere was gloomy inside the hall of the remote hotel. Melancholy autumn erased the freshness of features, while the majestic trees took off their royal cloak. Leaves piled up like memories of a violated republic. When they accompanied him to the meeting room, his anxiety mounted. He saw in the corner a Lebanese flag… A flag that looked frail, humiliated, and confused, as if looking for a way to hide its face. The feelings of apprehension heightened as the meeting was held on the eve of Lebanon's independence anniversary.
He was haunted by a fear that he had never known throughout his tumultuous life. Did they bring him here to question him about the state of independence? It would be bitter if his assumptions are correct. Suddenly, he felt a defensive arrogance. He will respond by laying the blame on them. He will say that the explosives that they had accumulated over the years detonated during his tenure. He might think of using the phrase "turning the table on those present," but he dreaded the wrath of two men who would take part in the meeting and knew him inside out.
Before reaching his seat, he went through the names of the participants. Presidents Bechara El Khoury, Camille Chamoun, Fouad Chehab, Charles Helou, Suleiman Franjieh, Elias Sarkis, Bashir Gemayel, Rene Moawad and Elias Hrawi. He also noticed a private row for three presidents who were invited as observers: Amin Gemayel, Emile Lahoud and Michel Suleiman.
He tried to awaken his defensive memory, as he might need it. He could remind Bechara El Khoury that he was forced to leave the palace in wake of a popular storm, and after his brother overly interfered and took advantage of his influence. Camille Chamoun may be reminded that he left following a violent revolution, but deep inside he was jealous and afraid of the attractiveness of this fox.
He will feel embarrassment in front of Major General Fouad Chehab, who assumed the presidency without soaking his hands in blood, and always looked greater than his post.
Charles Helou is not a problem. He can be reminded that the Cairo Agreement with the Palestine Liberation Organization - which undermined the sovereignty of the state - was signed during his term.
He will also feel humiliated in front of Elias Sarkis, who cannot be accused of shedding a drop of blood or of theft. He assumed the governance of the Central Bank with absolute integrity and passed through the Presidential Palace, not only refusing to beg for an extension of his stay, but insisting on leaving according to the constitution.
Bechara El-Khoury opened the session, pointing to its convening on the anniversary of Lebanon's independence on November 22, 1943. He said that the residents of the distant hotel, who were very worried about their homeland, decided to summon and listen to President Michel Aoun. They also invited the living former presidents, as observers.
The attendees were surprised by Fouad Chehab's rush to ask to speak, despite his usual honorable tendency to remain silent.
"I want to take the opportunity to apologize to the Lebanese people because the presidency was subsequently used badly and harmed both the country and the military," Chehab said.
"When I agreed to take over the presidency after the events of 1958, I felt the country's need for institutions to protect it from collapse. Fortunately, I did not have a son to whom I would renounce the constitution, or a son-in-law who hijacked the country to secure his own future. The truth is that if they had existed, I would not have hesitated to distance them from the state and its institutions."
Chehab added: "Corruption led to the transformation of the presidential palace into the retirement home of those who successively assumed the position of army chief… Promoting this idea was aimed at weakening both the army and the presidency. It is a shame there are those who were could not control their appetite, so they were weakened, along with the republic and others. It pains me to hear that the Lebanese are digging in waste to find something that can fill their hunger… that the soldier's livelihood is threatened, and that the country's institution is collapsing. That is why I want to apologize to the Lebanese people for what the generals did in the palace."
Aoun said he refuses to be addressed in this way, and that he would be forced to withdraw from the meeting. Chamoun gave him a hard look and said: “I know you were a pure Chamoun supporter before becoming excessively captivated by Bashir Gemayel. This is not strange. But I would like to ask what you have done with Bashir's own legacy and with those following his ideas.
"I want to ask you: Is it true that the Lebanese currency registered during your tenure a terrible collapse that culminated in the theft of the citizens' savings in banks? Is it true that people are longing for the era of the militias due to the excessive decline in the authority of the state during your term? Is it true that you entered the palace to implement the Mar Mikhael Agreement with Hezbollah and that you are defying the Taif Accord that is enshrined in the Lebanese constitution? Is it true that you have contributed to weakening the state in order to become president, and when you did, you only found an exhausted old widow so you pushed her toward her coffin?
"How do you deign to accept the change of the face of Lebanon and that it turn into an isolated island, that it lose its friendships and opportunities for a dignified life for its people? What good does it benefit a man to secure his son-in-law's victory and lose himself in the process?"
Aoun became confused and said that the legacy that preceded him was difficult and heavy, alluding to the policy of Rafik Hariri. A quarrel erupted between him and Elias Hrawi. He heard the latter say: "They accused Emile Lahoud of swimming, but you outdid him. You swam from the bank of Bashir Gemayel to the bank of Hassan Nasrallah, which caused an internal coup and the collapse of Lebanon's relations with the outside."
Uproar ensued. Bashir Gemayel intervened, addressing a confused Aoun in a stern tone: "I understand that you are incapable, but I do not see how you allow the collapse to bear your signature. How do you accept that the state be buried in your era? That the Lebanese throw themselves in the boats of death? That poverty and humiliation afflict an orphaned people? How can Lebanon exist without a developed hospital and a modern university, without a judiciary and without police?"
Aoun had a difficulty finding answers. Then Gemayel asked him the thorny question: "Is it true what Elie Hobeika wrote in his memoirs that you were his partner in the 'tripartite agreement' sponsored and engineered by Damascus? Is it true that your dream was limited to entering the presidential palace, and when you did, you found it poisoned after you paid the high entrance fee?"
Bechara El-Khoury sensed that the consultation session was about to turn into a trial. He asked the Lebanese not to celebrate Independence Day this year. He urged Aoun to apologize to the citizens on the occasion, not to remind them of the achievements, foremost of which is the forensic audit, which is like medicine that had arrived only after the death of the patient.
Before Aoun left to the Baabda palace, the Lebanese flag was seen sneaking up furtively to throw itself in one of the "death boats" departing from the coast of Tripoli.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 22-23/2021
Five killed and more than 40 injured after a vehicle barreled through a Wisconsin Christmas parade, Waukesha officials say
CNN/November 22/2021
Five people were killed and more than 40 were injured when a vehicle drove into a Christmas parade Sunday afternoon in Waukesha, Wisconsin, city officials said. "These numbers may change as we collect additional information. Many people have self-transported to area hospitals," the city of Waukesha said in a Twitter post Sunday night.Witnesses described the horror of seeing individuals struck and lying on the ground after a red SUV drove through a series of barricades and barreled into the crowded parade route on Main Street around 4:39 p.m. local time.

Israel uncovers massive Hamas terror network
Arutz Sheva Staff/November 22/2021
Joint operation of IDF, Shin Bet, and police breaks up massive Hamas terror network, foiling planned attacks. Over 50 terrorists arrested. Over the last few months, IDF troops, joint with the ISA (Shin Bet) and the Israeli Police, have apprehended over 50 terror operatives, all part of a large-scale terrorist cell based in the Judea and Samaria area, in order to carry out different terror attacks in Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem. As part of the troops’ activities, soldiers from elite units, including the Duvdevan Unit, thwarted the threats and apprehended a large number of operatives.
The thwarted terrorist cell possessed many weapons and explosives, including explosives suitable for building a number of heavy explosive terror belts. Unique intelligence activity and operational collaborations with the ISA and the Israeli Police, brought to the soldiers, participating in the operation, intelligence and advanced capabilities. The IDF, alongside the security forces, will continue to operate at all times in order to thwart attempts aimed at committing terror attacks against Israeli civilians. The Chief of the General Staff, LTG Aviv Kohavi in a meeting with commanders: “You carried out your mission well, you thwarted a large-scale terrorist cell. You made the people of Israel feel safe and secure".

Report: US warned Israel that Iran attacks are 'counterproductive'
Elad Benari/Arutz Sheva Staff , November 22/2021
New York Times: US officials warned Israelis that repeated attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities encourage Iran to speed up nuclear program. US officials have warned their Israeli counterparts that the repeated attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities may be tactically satisfying, but they are ultimately counterproductive, The New York Times reported on Sunday, citing several officials familiar with the behind-the-scenes discussions. According to the report, Israeli officials have said they have no intention of letting up the attacks, waving away warnings that they may only be encouraging a sped-up rebuilding of Iran’s nuclear program, one of many areas in which the United States and Israel disagree on the benefits of using diplomacy rather than force. The report also said that intelligence officials and international inspectors say the Iranians have quickly gotten the attacked facilities back online, often installing newer machines that can enrich uranium at a far more rapid pace. When a plant that made key centrifuge parts suffered what looked like a crippling explosion in late spring, destroying much of the parts inventory and the cameras and sensors installed by international inspectors, production resumed by late summer, according to The New York Times. The report comes ahead of the resumption of nuclear talks between Iran and world powers on November 29. The New York Times report said that inside the White House, there has been a scramble in recent days to explore whether some kind of interim deal might be possible to freeze Iran’s production of more enriched uranium and its conversion of that fuel to metallic form. In return, the United States might ease a limited number of sanctions. While that would not solve the problem, it might buy time for negotiations, while holding off Israeli threats to bomb Iranian facilities.
Ahead of the resumption of talks, Iran has demanded that the US lift sanctions imposed on Iran as part of the nuclear talks and also reassure Iran it will not abandon the deal again. US officials have insisted that while Washington prefers the path of diplomacy to resolve the standoff with Iran, there are other options on the table. On Saturday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the US will consider all options if diplomacy fails. "The United States remains committed to preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon. And we remain committed to a diplomatic outcome of the nuclear issue. But if Iran isn't willing to engage seriously, then we will look at all the options necessary to keep the United States secure," Austin said in a speech at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Manama Dialogue 2021 taking place in Manama, Bahrain. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Sunday that he supports a “broader, stronger” deal with Iran. “I support an agreement that will be broader, stronger and longer – taking Iran back, dismantling its current capabilities and placing effective inspections on its sites and on its weapons production,” Gantz said at the Haaretz-UCLA conference.

Independent Winners of Iraq Elections Complain Vote Appeals are Handing their Seats to Losers
Baghdad - Asharq Al-Awsat/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission acknowledged that the appeals filed against some voting stations and the ensuing recount of ballots has had a major impact on the outcome of the parliamentary elections results.It said it will announce the final results of the polls in the coming two days. Member of the commission's media office, Jamil Mohsen, said the appeals have had a "strong impact" on the final results. He explained that some of the voting stations that the relevant judicial authority had to eliminate from the final count has led to a change in the electoral results. He clarified that the federal court approves the name of the winners, while the judicial authority confirms the appeals. The judicial authority is still studying several appeals that had been filed by losing powers. Meanwhile, independent figures, who had won seats in parliament without support from any political powers, have expressed concern that their positions would be usurped by the losers so that they can be appeased. Pro-Iran groups had emerged as the major losers in the October vote. Their supporters had held protests, which at times turned violent, to protest the results of the elections. Winning independent MP Hussein Arab told Asharq Al-Awsat that the appeals were in fact an "act of assassination" of the voice of independents. Independent seats have been flagrantly stolen and handed to the losing forces, he added. "We are awaiting the commission's final decision," he said, warning that if violations continue, then the independents may be forced to withdraw from the entire political process. "Everyone knows that we won our seats fairly," he stressed, rejecting pressure that the independents relinquish their position. He urged all neutral parties "to stand by us because this wrong start could set a dangerous precedent in political life, especially since we are the first independent bloc to be formed in parliament," he continued. Three out of seven appeals against independent seats have been approved, effectively handing over the posts to losing figures. Political sources in the Salaheddine province revealed that the losing Fatah alliance had won a second seat in the area. The alliance, headed by Hadi al-Ameri, was one the biggest losers in the polls, in which it won 17 seats. The figure has risen to 20 thanks to appeals.

Arab League Calls for Pressuring Israel to Negotiate with Palestinians
Asharq Al-Awsat/Monday, 22 November, 2021
The Arab League called on the US administration to pressure Israel into launching a serious negotiation process with Palestine.
Sec-Gen of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit met with White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Brett McGurk, on the sidelines of the IISS Manama Dialogue. During their meeting, the Sec-Gen called on the US administration to expedite the opening of its consulate in East Jerusalem, saying it is an important message to the various parties on its commitment to the two-state solution. A statement issued by the Arab League indicated that Aboul Gheit discussed several regional and international issues during the meeting, namely the situation in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed the importance of uniting all international efforts to confront terrorism, its sources and protect humanity from its dangers. Shoukry said during his participation at the fourth Plenary Session entitled "Changing Multilateralism and Regional Security" of the IISS Manama Dialogue that the world is facing an escalation in the risks associated with cross-border terrorism, which aims to destroy societies and demolish the concepts of the national state. The FM also addressed challenges of climate change, which has become a tangible reality, warning that its consequences have become a threat to economic development and food security and a source of conflict over scarce resources that may threaten international peace and security. He also discussed issues of illegal immigration, cyber and digital security, challenges of artificial intelligence, genetic modification, space security, and others. Shoukry stressed the urgent need to develop and modernize international and regional multilateral frameworks, noting the need to adopt new priorities and topics on the global agenda. On the sidelines of the conference, the top Egyptian official met with the European Union's Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Annette Weber. The spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Ahmed Hafez, announced that the two discussed means to support pillars of security and stability and the latest developments in the Horn of Africa. They also exchanged "views on a number of important issues especially GERD & the situation in Sudan."

US envoy Kerry attends signing of UAE, Jordan, Israel energy deal
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/22 November ,2021
US President Joe Biden’s envoy for climate, John Kerry, was in the UAE on Monday to attend the signing for “Project Prosperity,” a water for energy deal between Jordan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. “This agreement will further efforts of partner nations Jordan, Israel, and the UAE to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region, and provide a new source of fresh water,” the State Department said. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry was in the UAE to oversee the signing of a deal that would see Israel purchase solar energy from Amman in return for more desalinated water. “The governments of Jordan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates today signed a landmark declaration of intent to build renewable electricity and water desalination capacity and address the threat posed by climate change on energy and water security in the region,” the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported. The deal is made up of two interdependent and contingent components. “Prosperity Green” plans for solar photovoltaic plants generating a capacity of 600 MW to be built in Jordan, with all clean power produced to be exported to Israel. The second, “Prosperity Blue,” is a sustainable water desalination program to be built in Israel to supply Jordan with up to 200 million cubic meters of desalinated water, WAM reported. This declaration was made possible by the signing of the Abraham Accords, WAM reported.
Oman, Qatar Sign Six Agreements during Sultan’s Visit to Doha
Asharq Al-Awsat/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Oman and Qatar on Monday signed agreements on military cooperation, taxation, tourism, ports, labor and investment, the state news agencies of both the Gulf states said. Oman has been pursuing wide-ranging reforms and austerity measures since Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said took power almost two years ago following the death of his predecessor who ruled for half a century. The agreements were signed during a two-day state visit by Oman's Sultan Haitham to Qatar, one of the world's top producers of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The deals included an agreement on double taxation and tax evasion on income and capital taxes, and an investment cooperation agreement between sovereign wealth funds the Qatar Investment Authority and the Oman Investment Authority, said Qatar's Amiri Diwan, the administrative office of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Saudi Defenses Destroy Houthi Armed Drone Targeting Najran Airport
Asharq Al-Awsat/Monday, 22 November, 2021
The Saudi-led Arab coalition said on Sunday that the Kingdom's air defenses shot down an armed drone fired by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen towards Najran.The aircraft attempted to attack Najran airport.
The coalition said the shrapnel from the drone landed on a nearby residential area. No civilians were injured in the incident. The drone was launched from Sanaa International Airport, revealed the coalition. The Houthi attacks undermine the policy of restraint and efforts to reach a political solution in Yemen, it added, stressing that it reserves the right to counter the violations

Bahraini King Asserts Need to Ensure Regional Maritime Security against Hostile Actions
Manama - Merza Khuwaildi/Asharq Al-Awsat/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa stressed the need to ensure regional maritime security against any hostile actions and the need to protect the freedom of navigation and commercial sea routes that serve the entire global economy. During his reception of senior participants of the 17th IISS Manama Dialogue, King Hamad said that the Middle East, which is a highly-important region in the world, continues to be threatened in its security and stability amid mounting challenges. He reiterated Bahrain's firm commitment to peace, dialogue, and coexistence, as stipulated recently in the Abraham Accords, adding that these historic agreements embody "our principled and courageous approach to achieving peace as the supreme goal of our region and all its peoples." The King described the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as the "cornerstone of stability." He stressed their unity's importance as a source of strength for all stakeholders in the region and abroad. He affirmed Bahrain's commitment to opening channels of communication to settle any stalled issues, according to the Bahrain News Agency (BNA). Also, on the sidelines of the Forum, Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, met the US National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Brett McGurk. The two sides reviewed the close historical relations between Bahrain and the US, discussing ways to enhance their cooperation in all fields for the benefit of both countries. They also reviewed the political and security developments in the region, the challenges that threaten it, and the efforts made to consolidate security, peace, and development. Zayani met the Secretary-General of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), Maj. Gen. Pilot Mohammed bin Saeed al-Mughidi and they discussed the efforts of the Coalition in coordinating joint action among all countries to confront terrorism and its sources of funding. They also addressed combating the deviant terrorist ideology through the intellectual, media, military, and financing fields. The meeting touched on means to enhance cooperation in countering terrorism and the international efforts to combat it and achieve security and stability. In addition, Zayani received the US Jewish Committee Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, Jason Isaacson. They discussed aspects of developing cooperation and coordination in all areas related to strengthening the foundations of peace and stability, spreading a culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, exchanging views on the latest developments in the region's political situation, and discussing topics of common concern.

Arab Coalition Warns of Danger to Global Trade South of Red Sea
Asharq Al-Awsat/Monday, 22 November, 2021
The Saudi-led Arab coalition said it detected indications of an imminent danger to navigation and global trade south of the Red Sea, Saudi state media reported early on Monday.The coalition said also that it detected hostile movements and activity by the Iran-backed Houthi militias using explosive laden boats.
Measures are being taken to neutralize the threat and ensure freedom of navigation, it stressed. Earlier this month, the coalition announced that it had destroyed a vessel the Houthis had booby-trapped to use in an imminent attack, in violation of the Stockholm Agreement in place in the Hodeidah province.

Sudan Frees Several Civilian Leaders Held since Coup
Asharq Al-Awsat/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Sudanese authorities have released several civilian leaders detained since last month's coup, a key plank in a deal aimed to restore a fragile transition process towards full democracy, one said Monday. "I was released late yesterday evening," the head of Sudan's Congress Party Omar al-Degeir told AFP, who was among the civilians arrested in the October 25 power grab by the army. "I was in solitary confinement and completely cut off from the world throughout this period." Other civilian politicians, including from the Umma party, Sudan's largest political group, were also released. Top general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan last month declared a state of emergency and ousted the government, in a move that upended a two-year transition to civilian rule. It triggered a wave of mass street protests in which at least 41 people were killed, according to medical sources. But on Sunday, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok -- who had also been put under effective house arrest -- was released. He and Burhan then formally signed a 14-point deal that provided for the premier's reinstatement and for political detainees to be freed. However, analysts warn the move simply "whitewashes" the coup, as it remains unclear how much power Hamdok's government will hold, and which will still be under oversight of a ruling council led by the military. Thousands of demonstrators in multiple rallies rejected the deal, shouting "No to military power" and demanding the armed forces fully withdraw from government. The deal was welcomed by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the international community including the United Nations and African Union, as well as the so-called Troika of the Britain, Norway and the United States. The deal raises hopes the strife-torn northeast African country will be able to return to its fragile transition process, that started after the 2019 ouster of longtime president Omar al-Bashir. But Britain's minister for Africa, Vicky Ford, said that while she was "pleased" at Hamdok's return, she warned that the "military must deliver on their commitment to a genuine partnership with civilians".

Sudan’s Hamdok Says He Returned to Safeguard Economic Gains
Asharq Al-Awsat/Monday, 22 November, 2021
Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said on Monday that maintaining economic gains from the past two years was among the reasons he has decided to return to his post, under a deal with the military nearly a month after he was removed in a coup. In an interview with Reuters at the Khartoum residence where he had been held under house arrest following the Oct. 25 military takeover, Hamdok said he believed a technocratic government would have a chance to improve living standards. Prominent political parties and Sudan's powerful protest movement have opposed Hamdok's decision to sign the agreement with the military on Sunday, with some saying it provided political cover for the coup. "Among the reasons for my return is preserving the economic gains and the economic opening to the world," Hamdok said. "We will continue our contacts with international financial institutions, and the new budget that will begin in January will proceed on the path of economic reform and open the door to investment in Sudan."He said a technocratic government could help improve Sudan's economy, which has suffered a prolonged crisis involving one of the world's highest rates of inflation and shortages of basic goods. It could also work towards completing a peace deal signed with some rebel groups last year to end years of internal conflict, Hamdok said. "Implementing the Juba agreement and completing the peace processes with groups that did not sign the Juba agreement are at the top of the new government's agenda," he said. "We are committed to the democratic path, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and greater opening to the world."

Hamdok reinstated as military, civilians accept no-win, no-lose deal
The Arab Weekly/November 22/2021
The attitude of the street could constitute the litmus test for the deal.
KHARTOUM--The reinstatement of Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok to his previous position in accordance with a political agreement signed, Sunday, with the Chairman of the Sovereign Council, Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, has shown that the two opposite sides have learned the lessons of the acute crisis their country suffered after the October 25 coup, which put the transitional phase in jeopardy, analysts said. The deal, announced in a ceremony broadcast live on Sudan state TV, envisages an independent technocratic cabinet to be led by Abdalla Hamdok until elections can be held. It remains unclear how much power the government would hold. It would still remain under military oversight. The deal expects the military to release government officials and politicians arrested since the October 25 coup.
“The signing of this deal opens the door wide enough to address all the challenges of the transitional period,” said Hamdok, speaking at the signing ceremony. The deal also stipulates that an investigation shall be conducted to identify those responsible for the killing and injuring of civilians and troops that marred protests following the coup.
Hamdok thanked Sudan’s “regional and global friends” who helped in reaching this agreement but he did not name the countries. The 14-clause deal also stressed that power should be handed over to an elected civilian government after the end of the transitional period. “By signing this declaration, we could lay a genuine foundation to the transitional period,” said Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the country’s top military leader. “We want to establish a true partnership with all national forces so that we can eventually build institutions that can take us forward.”
Middle ground  The military establishment reached the conclusion it has no alternative to keeping its alliance with civilians and that its monopoly of power could only lead to more crises which threaten the country’s stability and unity. The army chief found himself during the last few weeks at odds with the population and international powers that back the democratic transition. Hamdok, on the other hand, realised that he could not rely on a splintered political support base that did not have the ability to buttress the building of a democratic system. Instead, he found in rapprochement with the army an important means to preserve the gains made during his premiership of the two previous governments. Analysts say Burhan and Hamdok agreed on a no-win, no-lose formula in their showdown. The army chief remained at the helm of the power structure which will steer the transitional phase until the elections. He was also able to remove the civilians whose presence irked the government and the Sovereignty Council.
On the other hand, Hamdok did not accept the dissolution of his previous government and made sure the decision to dismiss him was rescinded. But he agreed to a different government makeup, which could cost him part of the political support he enjoyed from the Forces of Freedom and Change and other groups. The two signatories to the deal at the presidential palace in Khartoum seemed downcast, suggesting that both sides had somehow suffered defeat after a confrontation that lasted nearly a month. Foreign pressures led to their acceptance of the new formula that was based on mutual concessions.
Observers linked the signing of the agreement to the visit to Khartoum last week by Assistant Secretary of State Molly Phee who met Burhan, Hamdok and civilian forces, and pressed them to agree on mutual concessions to resolve the crisis. Sudanese analyst Mohamed Torshin said that the army removed some political forces from the decision-making centre, without making any serious attempts to correct the “revolutionary course”. He further told The Arab Weekly that external powers were less interested in supporting the democratic transition than in reaching “a level of peace and quiet in Sudan to make sure it does not disintegrate under the pressure of the raging civil war in neighbouring Ethiopia”. He added that Hamdok was maintained as the head of the new government considering his pivotal figure in the current political equation, in addition to the fact that his presence constitutes a guarantee of the interests of many regional and international powers. Concern about continuation of Western support to Sudan seems to have been the main reason that prompted Burhan to accept the deal. But the new agreement faces many obstacles including its rejection by a number of political forces, led by the National Umma Party and a few formations affiliated with the parties of the Alliance for Freedom and Change, which find themselves removed from the forefront of the political scene. Opposition to the deal was voiced by the Central Council Group, the Sudanese Professionals Association, the Resistance Committees and a number of civil society organisations in Darfur and other provinces, which puts obstacles in front of Hamdok in his quest to form a broad political support base. Sudanese sources told The Arab Weekly that the hostile positions of these factions “could benefit Hamdok as it relieves the pressure on him from the army and the Sovereignty Council” but they believe “the vague formula that was agreed upon could cause political disagreements later”. The same sources expected the attitude of the street could constitute the litmus test for the deal. According to these sources, the civilian faces that supported the army’s coup have become pariahs and it will not be accepted in the political scene in the coming period. New protests may further test the resilience of the agreement. Thousands of demonstrators in multiple rallies rejected the deal, Sunday, shouting “No to military power” and demanding the armed forces fully withdraw from government.

Dbeibah counts on Libya judiciary to overcome legal challenges
The Arab Weekly/November 22/2021
TRIPOLI--Libya’s interim premier Abdulhamid Dbeibah registered his candidacy Sunday for next month’s presidential election, due on December 24. Dbeibah signed documents at the HNEC electoral commission in the capital Tripoli, in footage broadcast live by state television, the day before the deadline for registration. “It is a historic and decisive day. I came for the homeland and the unity of the homeland,” said Dbeibah, the 57th candidate to register for the vote. “We have started this journey together, we will end it together,” he added, promising “no more wars.” The move was widely expected by observers despite Dbeibah being barred from elections under the current rules. Both presidential and legislative polls had been slated for December 24, but in early October parliament split the dates of the vote by postponing legislative elections until January. The path to the ballot box in Libya has been lined with disputes over the constitutional basis for the polls and the powers to be given to whoever wins. In September, parliament speaker Saleh outraged opponents by ratifying a contentious electoral law criticised for bypassing due process and favouring a bid by Haftar. Later that month, parliament passed a no-confidence vote in Dbeibah’s government. That move, said Claudia Gazzini, a Libya expert with the International Crisis Group, could work in Dbeibah’s favour because he was not supposed to make a bid for the presidency.
“He had promised during negotiations with the UN that he would not be a candidate and the electoral law stipulates that candidates must not hold official posts three months before the vote,” she said. “Based on certain legal interpretations, he has been (de facto) suspended from his post by the no-confidence vote,” she added. The Libyan judiciary will be facing a difficult test, especially in light of the accusations swirling around Dbeibah being involved in the payment of bribes to turn the political situation into his favour. Dbeibah was accused during the Geneva Dialogue of buying the votes of members of the Dialogue Forum, an accusation that was denied by his uncle and billionaire businessman Ali Dbeibah.
Dbeibah is not the only candidate facing legal challenges.
Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army, did not relinquish his American citizenship and the electoral law prevents dual nationals from running. As for Seif al-Islam Gathafi, the late dictator’s favourite son, requests by the International Criminal Court for his extradition could be sufficient to ban him from running. On Saturday, Dbeibah denounced a “tailor-made” electoral law ratified by Saleh, who like Haftar had quit his official post in September in order to vie for the presidency. He said that the controversy over the elections law adds to the suffering of the people and serves the agenda of local and foreign parties. “The Libyan judiciary won’t allow selective laws to pass as they violate freedom principles stipulated in the constitutional declaration,” Dbeibah told Libyans in Zuwara city. Dbeibah’s statements came about a month before the scheduled date of the elections, which are viewed as a fateful measure for a country that has suffered ten years of conflicts and the chaos of militias and weapons. Libya expert Jalel Harchaoui said Dbeibah’s candidacy is bound to have a “huge psychological impact on his opponents. “Their anger could play into his hands,” if for example, “his rivals had recourse to violence” or if the electoral process collapses, he added. The Libyan parliament rejects the amendment of Article 12, which stipulates that a candidate must stop exercising his duties three months before the election date, if he is in the executive or military authority, an article that may prevent Dbeibah and others who have not left their posts from running for the presidential elections. Libya’s parliament speaker Aguila Saleh, who registered Saturday to run for president, rejected the controversy around the ratification of the contentious electoral law and said the rules were not “tailor-made” to suit anyone. “The proof is that the international community has accepted them,” he said. An article requiring all presidential candidates to suspend their public roles three months before the poll is in place “so that they don’t use public money for electoral campaign purposes”, Saleh said. He said he stepped back from his role as parliament speaker in September, several days after Haftar suspended his military activities. Saleh rejected speculation in the capital Tripoli that the law could be modified. “There can be no amendments,” he said. So far, 57 people have submitted their candidacy for the presidential elections which come as the culmination of an arduous political process sponsored by the United Nations. More than 2.83 million out of seven million Libyans have registered to vote. The international community and regional powers believe that holding presidential elections first, followed by legislative elections a month later, is necessary to ease tensions in the country.

U.S., Australia, UK Sign Key Deal in Nuclear Sub Alliance
Agence France Presse/November 22/2021
Australia formally embarked Monday on a hotly-contested program to equip its navy with nuclear-powered submarines in a new defense alliance with Britain and the United States. Defense Minister Peter Dutton joined U.S. and British diplomats in signing an agreement allowing the exchange of sensitive "naval nuclear propulsion information" between their nations. It is the first agreement on the technology to be publicly signed since the three countries announced in September the formation of a defense alliance, AUKUS, to confront strategic tensions in the Pacific where China-U.S. rivalry is growing.
The deal will help Australia to complete an 18-month study into the submarine procurement, Dutton said after signing it in Canberra with US Charge d'Affaires Michael Goldman and British High Commissioner (ambassador) Victoria Treadell. Details of the procurement have yet to be decided, including whether Australia will opt for a vessel based on US or British nuclear-powered attack submarines. "With access to the information this agreement delivers, coupled with the decades of naval nuclear-powered experience our UK and US partners have, Australia will also be positioned to be responsible and reliable stewards of this technology," Dutton said in a statement. Ahead of the signing, U.S. President Joe Biden said in a memorandum approving the deal on Friday that it would improve the three countries' "mutual defense posture." Under the AUKUS deal, Australia would obtain eight state-of-the-art, nuclear-powered but conventionally armed submarines capable of stealthy, long-range missions. It also provides for sharing cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum and unspecified undersea capabilities. The agreement has angered China, which describes it as an "extremely irresponsible" threat to stability in the region. It has also infuriated France, which discovered at the last moment that its own diesel-electric submarine contract with Australia -- recently estimated to be worth Aus$90 billion ($65 billion) -- had been scrapped. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been unapologetic about his handling of the agreement, insisting it was in his country's national interest and that he knew it would "ruffle some feathers."

Fresh Protests, Violence against Covid Restrictions
Agence France Presse/November 22/2021
A fresh wave of protests broke out in several European cities and in some French overseas territories Sunday, as protesters reacted, sometimes violently, to moves to reintroduced coronavirus restrictions.
Agence France Presse
Police and protesters clashed in the Belgian capital Brussels, in several Dutch cities and overnight into early Sunday in the French Caribbean territory Guadaloupe. There were fresh demonstrations in Austria, where the government is imposing a new lockdown and Covid-19 vaccine mandate.
In Brussels, violence broke out at a protest that police said was attended by 35,000 people. The march, in the city's European Union and government district, largely focused on a ban on the unvaccinated from venues such as restaurants and bars. It began peacefully but police later fired water cannon and tear gas in response to protesters throwing projectiles, an AFP photographer witnessed. Police told Belga news agency that three officers were injured. Several of the demonstrators caught up in the clash wore hoods and carried Flemish nationalist flags, while others wore Nazi-era yellow stars.
Protesters set fire to wood pallets, and social media images showed them attacking police vans with street signs.
Dutch unrest, Austrian protest -
Protests also erupted in several Dutch cities Sunday, the third night of unrest over the government's coronavirus restrictions. Demonstrators set off fireworks and vandalized property in the northern cities of Groningen and Leeuwarden, as well as in Enschede to the east and Tilburg to the south, said police. "Riot police are present in the center to restore order," a Groningen police spokeswoman told AFP. Authorities issued an emergency order in Enschede, near the German border, ordering people to stay off the streets, police said on Twitter. A football match in the nearby city of Leeuwarden was briefly disrupted after supporters, who are barred from games because of the Covid restrictions, threw fireworks into the ground, Dutch media reported. On Friday night, there was unrest in Rotterdam and last night in The Hague. So far, more than 100 people have been arrested around the country and at least 12 people have been injured during the demonstrations. And in Austria, around 6,000 people gathered in the city of Linz in a protest organized by a new political party, a day after 40,000 marched in Vienna over the partial lockdown. From Monday, 8.9 million Austrians will not be allowed to leave home except to go to work, shop for essentials and exercise. And vaccination against Covid-19 in the Alpine nation will be mandatory from February 1 next year.
French overseas unrest -
Troops headed to Guadeloupe on Sunday after a week of unrest over Covid measures, while Prime Minister Jean Castex was set to convene a meeting in Paris with officials from the French Caribbean island. Roads remained blocked on Sunday after protesters defying a curfew looted and torched shops and pharmacies overnight, when police made 38 arrests and two members of the security forces were injured. The dusk-to-dawn curfew is set to last until Tuesday. The Guadeloupe prefecture said protesters had fired on security forces and firefighters. The level of vaccination against Covid is lower in some of France's overseas territories than on the mainland, but the government warned Sunday that even there, there were worrying signs of rising infections. "The fifth wave is starting at lightning speed," government spokesman Gabriel Attal told media. Europe is battling another wave of infections and several countries have tightened curbs despite high levels of vaccination, especially in the west of the continent.

The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 22-23/2021
As GCC economies recover, doubling down on transformational reforms is imperative
Jihad Azour/The National/November 22/2021
The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and benefitted those who invested in technology; it opens the window for further economic transformation with the right efforts of reforms, the IMF's Jihad Azour writes
When Covid-19 first spread to the countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council in 2020, well-co-ordinated policy responses helped to contain the virus, delivered rapid and widespread access to vaccines, and provided a range of support to stricken businesses and sectors.
These bold moves paved the way for the region’s ongoing gradual economic recovery: non-oil gross domestic product in the GCC is expected to grow by 3.8 per cent in 2021 and inflation pressures are contained. But as the virus retreats and a rebound in oil prices eases pressure on external accounts and supports public balance sheets, policymakers need to show the same determination as they did in the early stages of the pandemic and move decisively enough to ensure a transformational recovery.
Last week GCC finance ministers sat down together in Manama for the first face-to-face meeting since the Covid-19 outbreak, at a pivotal moment when the region is weighing up post-crisis recovery priorities.
Well-calibrated policies are still needed to ensure the recovery is firmly established. Protecting public health and supporting the most vulnerable remain the top priorities. Near-term economic policies should remain accommodative until the recovery takes hold.
Policy support must be focused on upholding hard-hit sectors and vulnerable groups; its withdrawal should be carefully calibrated and communicated. Where policy space is more limited, fiscal savings should be identified. In addition, financial policies to ensure liquidity and spur credit growth should minimise the potential build-up of risks in the financial system.
The global health crisis has also brought forward the imperative of lifting potential growth, while securing fiscal sustainability and preserving financial stability. The resumption of economic activity and higher oil prices provide a golden opportunity to replenish policy buffers and further diversify economies.
As the pandemic recedes and economic recoveries become more established, policies must address medium-term challenges that the pandemic made more pressing: securing fiscal sustainability, ensuring sound yet dynamic financial sectors, and raising potential growth and competitiveness. These forward-looking policies would reinforce credibility and put economies in a position of strength should there be a rapid change in the global environment and risk sentiment.
Looking ahead, sustained and inclusive economic growth, competitiveness, and diversification will be central to support the region’s economy, overcome the risks of substantial lasting negative effects on productive capacity, and prepare for the global energy transition.
Reform priorities include further boosting labour force participation of citizens, particularly women; implementing more flexible policies for expatriates to enhance their contributions to GCC economies; improving the quality of education and training to transform the labour force for future needs; enhancing regulatory frameworks and governance to further mobilise private sector and foreign direct investment and raise productivity; and promoting digitalisation to prepare for the future of work and expand social services.
Recently, encouraging reforms have taken place in all these areas. For example, GCC countries acted swiftly to accelerate digitalisation during the pandemic, and reforms to the Kafala sponsorship system were introduced to enhance expatriate labour’s job mobility. Saudi Arabia also implemented reforms to raise female labour market participation, and the UAE is boosting private sector employment among citizens and attracting highly skilled expatriate professionals through a number of reforms.
The digital transformation accelerated by the pandemic will benefit countries, sectors, and companies that invested in technology. Developments in fintech, central bank digital currencies, and the sweeping shift of activities online create opportunities and foster competition. Efforts in these directions should continue to reap the benefits from digitalisation for productivity growth and broad economic and financial development while minimising any potential risks.
The transition toward environmentally sustainable growth – with mounting concerns about climate change – has become even more urgent. A range of actions are to be taken to address climate change and its impact and foster resilience. These include reforms of the energy sector to increase the share of cleaner energy sources, energy efficiency, water management actions to develop new sources of freshwater and optimise its use, policies to fight land degradation, coastal marine management, and investment in carbon capture, use, and storage. The recent green initiatives by several GCC countries are a very welcome first step. More efforts are needed to deliver the objectives.
Continued GCC integration will support economic and financial development, and better leverage global trends in digitalisation and climate actions. The Al-Ula Declaration from January of this year should boost intra-regional trade, tourism, and financial flows, with potentially substantial longer-term growth gains if integration progresses further. Paired with further improvements in the business environment, closer integration could also attract additional FDI inflows to the region. Regional co-operation in digitalisation and energy transition could generate positive spill-overs across countries and allow the GCC to fully reap the benefits of these global trends.
Even as the GCC region starts to look beyond the pandemic, the extent and pace of the recovery varies across countries, with some facing long-lasing scarring effects. New risks are also emerging alongside rising inflation globally and a potential tightening in financial conditions. Now is not the time to draw back from reform: it is time to double down on it.
*Jihad Azour is the director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department

A ‘Racial’ Jihad?
Raymond Ibrahim/November 22/2021
Cover of a Polish magazine under the heading “The Islamic Rape of Europe.”
During one recent night, four young Muslim migrants from Morocco appeared out of the darkness and surrounded a 30-year-old woman in northern Spain. “Let’s see how we destroy that beautiful face,” they cried, before punching her several times in the face, wounding and ultimately hospitalizing her.
According to the report, the young woman was returning home alone and observed that she was being followed by several young people from whom she tried to distance herself to get to her home. After blocking her way and beating her, the four assailants fled without stealing any of the personal belongings that she carried from her.
By both their words (“let’s…destroy that beautiful face”) and deeds (including not robbing her) theirs was a hate crime, pure and simple.
Perhaps what’s most interesting about this story is that hating and/or being envious of someone because they have a “beautiful face”—and attacking them for it—fits a well-documented pattern. One can offer many examples, but to demonstrate consistency and continuity, let us focus on one that deals with the same peoples, Moroccans and Spaniards—from over 1,300 years ago.
While discussing relations between the Berbers of Morocco and the Christians of Spain before the former invaded and conquered that European peninsula, Muslim historian Ahmad bin Muhammad al-Maqqari (b. 1578), offered the following:
Whenever some of the scattered tribes of Berbers inhabiting along the northern coast of Africa happened to approach the sea shore, the fears and consternation of the Greeks [i.e., Spaniards] would increase, they would fly in all directions for fear of the threatened invasion, and their dread of the Berbers waxed so greatly…. [In response] the Berbers…hated and envied them the more.
This would seem to be an accurate description of how those four Moroccans felt when the “pretty white girl” tried to avoid them.
Al-Maqqari continues that, due to this, “even a long time afterwards a Berber could scarcely be found who did not most cordially hate [a Spaniard]….” This is an understatement: After the Berbers and their Arab leaders—in a word, Muslims—invaded Spain in 711 and conquered it, their “cordial hate” manifested itself in atrocity after atrocity (including turning Cordoba into the Muslim world’s slave emporium with Spanish and other European women) over the course of centuries, until Spain finally expelled Islam in the sixteenth century.
Of course, now that Muslims have been welcomed into Western Europe with open arms, the sadistic rape of European women has soared. In Sweden alone, rapes have increased by 1,472 percent since that nation welcomed Islam.
At any rate, al-Maqqari’s main point—that Spanish/European aversion to the savage North Africans and their “threatened invasions” prompted the latter to “hate and envy them the more”—has, it would seem, been another one of those lesser-known or spoken factors behind Muslim hostility for Europe, past and present.
Were I to play “psychologist,” I might opine that it hints at something of an inferiority complex, a gnawing envy that compels one to “avenge” himself on those whom he thinks have a (rightful?) aversion to him—as those four Moroccan men recently did to that “beautiful face[d]” Spanish woman, and as hordes of Moroccans did 1,300 years earlier.
All of this is exacerbated by the little-known and lamentable fact that not a few people from North Africa and the Middle East—indeed, not a few people from all around the non-Western world—harbor racist tendencies; that is, they see the world through a hierarchy of skin color.
Again, although one can offer several examples, let us stay consistent with our present theme and pattern. Less than two weeks after the attack in northern Spain, according to a November 8, 2021 report, another Moroccan migrant just across the border in neighboring France was arrested for screaming “racist insults” at and apparently trying to murder a group of black people with a knife.
Nor is this phenomenon limited to Islam; one need only look to India for the starkest example of non-white racism. Based on that nation’s caste system, those who are fairer are instinctively and openly treated as “superior”; those who are darker are instinctively and openly treated as “inferior.” It’s just how things go and everyone accepts it.
From here, one begins to understand the dilemma: if a brown-skinned person believes it is right and proper to look down upon a black-skinned person, this same brown-skinned racist will naturally feel looked down upon when surrounded by people fairer than him—irrespective of how they actually see and treat him. This, it would seem, engenders anger and resentment, or in al-Maqqari’s apt words, “hate and envy.”
Add to that the already tribalistic doctrines of Islam—which is all about “us vs. them”—and one can begin to see why millions of Muslims are simply incapable of assimilating in the West.

Malley should go back to the basics
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/The Arab Weekly/November 22/2021
Whatever policy the US special envoy is conducting on Iran does not qualify as diplomacy, but rather as ideology.
The US special envoy on Iran Robert Malley thinks that there is only one way to solve the global stand-off with Iran: ending Tehran’s exclusion and boosting its economy, which should incentivise the Islamic regime to stay in the nuclear deal. To Malley, sanctions have failed and war is not an option. Malley also thinks that Iran’s destabilising activities, ballistic missiles, explosive drones and terrorist militias, are not America’s problems and should be solved independently of nuclear talks and in negotiations between Iran and its regional opponents.
Malley’s plan, however, is riddled with loopholes that make his diplomacy look more like ideology. That he laid out his views shortly before the US returns to negotiations with Iran in Vienna next week over rebooting the 2015 nuclear deal will be of particular concern for America’s allies in the region.
At the annual Manama Dialogue, organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Malley said that the “total lifting of sanctions and their economic dividends are sufficient incentive for Tehran to get back and stick to the nuclear deal.” The problem with Malley’s argument is that the deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has sunset limits that eventually expire, freeing Iran of restriction and putting its nuclear programme under the watch of UN inspectors. Going by past experiences, UN inspectors have always been toothless and have failed to detect, preempt or stop proliferation in places such as North Korea and so far with Iran. Incentive alone is not enough to quash Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
Malley then argued that “most of the region’s dysfunction has roots in Iran’s exclusion.” Those, who like Malley, adopt the de-colonisation approach to countries like Iran have always failed to assign agency to rogue states for their own failure. Iran, for example, violated international law in 1979 by storming the US embassy, resulting in severance of ties. The new regime, at the time, did the same to the Israeli embassy.
By 2016, the Iran regime had still not learned its lesson. It sent its thugs to burn the Saudi embassy in Tehran and the consulate in Mashhad, prompting Saudi Arabia to cut ties with Iran.
In most cases where countries sever diplomatic relations with Iran, Tehran has been the belligerent. Yet Malley and the decolonisation crowd have often blamed the rest of the world for Iran’s isolation.
To substantiate his argument that only incentives work with Iran, Malley said, “We have tested the alternative” to boosting Iran’s economy by “withdrawing from the nuclear deal with Iran and applying maximum pressure.” Malley added: “Did we reach effective results?” He answered in the negative.
But this is spin. What Malley failed to mention was that after former President Donald Trump killed Iran’s all-militia commander Qassem Soleimani and imposed the “maximum pressure” policy on Iran, Tehran retreated and only escalated the morning after Trump’s defeat in elections to President Joe Biden. Maximum Pressure on Iran did not fail. Malley’s promised incentives made Iran ask for more and get away with doing less.
Finally, when Malley said “we are not negotiating anything else other than the nuclear issue in the Vienna Talks, because Iran’s activities in the region are a concern for GCC countries, Israel and others,” he effectively painted a regional picture without America in it. America, however, is not disengaging before handing the Iranian regime enough money to dig in its heels and continue attacking GCC countries and Israel.
Former President Barack Obama designed his Iran policy based on the known “carrots and sticks” diplomacy technique. If Iran stopped its pursuit to acquire nuclear weapons and ended its destabilising behaviour in the region, America and the world would remove sanctions and embrace the regime. Warmer relations build mutual trust with Iran, which would help solve the non-nuclear problems. It never occurred to Obama, however, that Iran never considered its destabilising behaviour as being problematic, but has always viewed it as its raison d’etre. If anything, it was Iran who hoped that its trouble-making behaviour would be accepted by Obama and Tehran’s new-found global friends as a legitimate expression of national interests.
Malley, who was one of the architects of Obama’s nuclear deal, went several steps further. Those who have read Malley’s literature and that of his like-minded friends know that his top priority is de-colonisation. That is why he always blames others for Iran’s ills, but never blames Tehran itself.
Whatever policy the US special envoy is conducting on Iran does not qualify as diplomacy, but rather as ideology. Perhaps Malley should go back to the basics, that sometimes power can only be stopped by a bigger power, that reward and punishment is a system that has proven its worth and that changes the calculus of governments, even Messianic and non-realistic regimes like the one in Tehran.

Why are the British banning Hamas, now?
Khairallah Khairallah/The Arab Weekly/November 22/2021
It is no longer possible to separate what is happening in Gaza from the regional situation
The British decision to consider Hamas a terrorist organisation is the culmination of many failures by the militant movement since the first day of its establishment in late 1987, as a planned substitute for the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). Hamas had always had one goal, besides serving Israel, of course. That goal was to distort the nature of Palestinian society, which used to be an open society. But the question is why has Hamas been considered a terrorist organisation, only now and not since its inception?
Is this due to the discovery by Britain and the US administration of a well known fact, to wit that Hamas is just an Iranian tool that has now become a card in the larger game of the “Islamic Republic”? This game falls within the broad framework of the Iranian-American negotiations, which will eventually determine if the Joe Biden administration is ready to submit to the conditions that the “Islamic Republic” seeks to impose.
Hamas never had any goal except to kill any hope of achieving a peace settlement that would secure the minimum “inalienable legitimate rights” for the Palestinian people.
The expression of these rights is contained in one of the United Nations’ resolutions adopted during heydays of the PLO thanks to the political achievements of Yasser Arafat in the post-Lebanon era. The phase of the Palestinian armed presence in Lebanon was definitely detrimental to both Lebanon and to the Palestinian cause.
The key dubious achievement of Hamas, which is an integral part of the Muslim Brotherhood, is perhaps the role it played in serving the interests of the Israeli right. It played that role through the suicide operations that it carried out every time there was a glimmer of hope for a settlement. After the suicide bombings ran their course, Hamas moved to the stage of launching rockets from Gaza. Israel was certainly never willing to accept the creation of an independent Palestinian state, but it is also true that Hamas was always ready to play the role expected from it in the service of Ariel Sharon and then Benjamin Netanyahu, who, thanks to the Gaza rockets, could repeat on every occasion that, “There is no Palestinian partner with whom to negotiate.”
On the way to the British decision, the main turning point was the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2005. Israel withdrew from all of the Strip, including the settlements it had established there. Instead of seizing the opportunity of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza to show the Palestinians that it can set up the nucleus of a Palestinian state, which was ready to live in peace with its neighbours, Hamas moved to spread violent chaos in the Strip. It took advantage of the weakness of the Palestinian National Authority represented by its President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), who could not at any time exercise the leadership to carry through any true vision.
In fact, Israel withdrew from Gaza and left Hamas to carry out a coup against the Palestinian National Authority in mid-2007, knowing full well that everything the movement did would serve Israel’s goals in the West Bank.
In fact, Gaza was never a real concern for Israel, which always wanted to abandon the Strip somehow.
In 2001, Britain took the decision to declare the military wing of Hamas (the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades) a terrorist organisation. Why did it wait till the end of the year 2021, to find out there is no distinction possible between the military and the political wings of Hamas? Trying to distinguish between the two was absurd from day one.
What is maybe new is that Hamas, which was never able to prove that it is an independent Palestinian movement, is more clearly than ever under Iranian control. Such a control raises fears of the transfer of Iranian precision missile technology and drones to the Gaza Strip. That seems to be the real reason for the British decision, which shows full awareness of the danger that any new war between Israel and Gaza could pose. Iranian missiles and drones will undoubtedly harm Israel, but the great harm will befall Gaza itself, whose people are still suffering from previous wars. There are Gazans still sleeping in the street since their homes were destroyed by war in late 2008 early 2009.
It is no longer possible to separate what is happening in Gaza from the regional situation. There is a strong possibility that the British decision is evidence of a change in US policy. Washington has begun to look with great concern at Iranian missiles and drones and their use in such places as Iraq and Yemen. Gaza is now part of the Iranian pressure cards against the US administration and allied countries such as Britain. Tehran’s aim is to exclude Iran’s behaviour outside of its borders from the nuclear talks. To put it more clearly, Gaza has joined the list of such countries as Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, as places where Iran can flex its muscle through sectarian militias. All in all, the Sunni Hamas proves the depth of the relationship between Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood and their ongoing cooperation for many years past.