A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For November 24-25/2019 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 38th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
November 24-25/2019
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on November 24-25/2019
Hizbullah, AMAL Supporters Attack Protesters as Roads Blocked across Lebanon
Lebanese Hezbollah supporters attack protesters near the Ring Bridge
American officials advocate US support to Lebanese military following aid freeze
Protesters Rally near U.S. Embassy to Deplore U.S. Statements
Protesters blast US official near US Embassy in Lebanon
Report: No Govt. Breakthrough Expected Next Week
Fneish Says No Govt. Can be Formed without Parliamentary Majority Consent
Minors Held for Removing FPM Banner Released
Five children arrested in Lebanon for tearing down Aoun poster: Reports
Children detained for tearing down political banner as protests continue in Lebanon
Hariri’s Press Office: Text messages sent from outside Lebanon
Banks’ Association denounces campaign against its sector, urges politicians and media to exercise national responsibility
Reports: Fakhoury in Poor Health, Lebanese Officials Encouraged Him to Return
Lebanon Anti-Graft Protesters March for Nature Too
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on November 24-25/2019
Hizbullah, AMAL Supporters Attack Protesters as Roads Blocked across Lebanon
Naharnet/November 25/2019
Supporters of Hizbullah and the AMAL Movement launched fresh attacks late Sunday on anti-corruption protesters in central Beirut, as roads were blocked across Lebanon in an escalation of anti-corruption protests. Fistfights first erupted on the Ring flyover in central Beirut before the AMAL and Hizbullah supporters descended on Riad al-Solh and Martyrs Square where they reportedly vandalized tents and threatened protesters. Riot police and army troops later reinforced their presence on the highway and separated between the two groups. The Hizbullah and AMAL supporters resorted to stone throwing at this point and shouted insults and sectarian slogans. The protesters responded with “revolution” chants and other protest slogans.
Lebanese Hezbollah supporters attack protesters near the Ring Bridge
Al Arabiya English/The Associated Press/Monday, 25 November 2019
Supporters of the Lebanese Hezbollah attacked protesters near the Ring Bridge in Beirut on Sunday, amid heavy presence of security forces and anti-riot police. The supporters, who were riding motorbikes with the flags of Hezbollah and Amal Movement, stoned the protesters, who retaliated.
No injuries were immediately reported. The attacks occurred after protesters blocked a major road that links eastern neighborhoods of the capital with western parts. Since last month, Lebanese from all religious backgrounds have taken to the streets en masse to cry out against what they view as an incompetent and corrupt ruling class, forcing the government to resign.
American officials advocate US support to Lebanese military following aid freeze
Emily Judd/Al Arabiya English/November 24/2019
US politicians and military officials are speaking up about their support for the Lebanese military following confirmation that the Trump administration is withholding $105 million in security aid to Lebanon. US Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General Kenneth McKenzie told Al Arabiya English they approve of US support to the Lebanese military. Murphy told Al Arabiya English in an exclusive interview that he is a “big supporter” of US engagement with the Lebanese military.“I think they [Lebanese Armed Forces] are a partner for peace and stability. An imperfect partner, but a partner nonetheless,” Murphy told Al Arabiya English at the annual IISS Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain. McKenzie said that CENTCOM supports “continued assistance” to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), albeit their “record is not perfect.”“We think the LAF needs to be the military element of the government of Lebanon. I would certainly support continuous support to the LAF,” said McKenzie.
Earlier this month, it was reported the Trump administration has frozen $105 million in security aid to Lebanon, including military vehicles, weapons and ammunition. David Hale, the top career diplomat at the State Department, confirmed the freeze on Wednesday, saying there was apparently “a dispute over the efficacy of the assistance.”The US State Department told Congress on October 31 that the White House budget office and National Security Council had decided to withhold the foreign military assistance, according to two US officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The officials did not say why the aid was blocked. The aid was frozen before massive demonstrations, protesting against economic hardship and corruption, began in Lebanon on October 17. Nina Shea, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said that American leadership should rally allies behind the demands of the protesters and the LAF, “which has kept order until now.” “Either the LAF is supported to be the dominant force that ensures an orderly transition and protects all the population, regardless of religious identity – or they’re abandoned to the benefit of Hezbollah, Iranian tyranny and other malign actors,” said Shea in an interview with Al Arabiya English. The Trump administration, which has not publicly explained its decision to withhold funding, has been pressing for the isolation of Lebanese Hezbollah, which is allied with Iran and has seats in the government. Shea called on American and allied diplomacy to quickly held build a consensus around a “new accountable and Hezbollah-free government.”“With American policy leadership, the Middle East could experience a moment like 1989, with Lebanon and Iraq as the new Poland and Hungary – and Iran, the Soviet Union,” said Shea.
Protesters Rally near U.S. Embassy to Deplore U.S. Statements
Associated Press/Naharnet/November 24/2019
A number of demonstrators who are part of the anti-corruption protest movement that is sweeping the country on Sunday rallied near the U.S. embassy in Awkar to denounce recent U.S. statements about the situation in Lebanon. Heightened security measures were taken in the area as a security cordon was imposed several hundred meters away from the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching it. The National News Agency said protesters stressed that their demo “is not aimed at proving their patriotism before the supporters of the resistance (against Israel), but is rather aimed at rejecting the U.S. policy in Lebanon and all the politicians who claim to be against the United States.” Some protesters meanwhile said that improving living conditions in Lebanon is as important as immunizing the country in the face of foreign interferences. At the end of the demo, the majority of protesters started marching towards downtown Beirut as a few stayed behind and said they would try to cross the metallic barriers. The rally did not witness any confrontation with security forces in contrast to demos held in the same area in the past. Most of those who participated belong to leftist groups or are supporters of the official Syrian Social Nationalist Party and its various splinter factions. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus and former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs Jeffrey Feltman have commented on Lebanon’s protests in recent days. The protesters blasted the comments by Feltman before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on the Middle East in which he said that “the demonstrations and the reactions to them by Lebanese leaders and institutions fortunately coincide with U.S. interests.”Protesters have been holding demonstrations in Lebanon since Oct. 17, demanding an end to widespread corruption and mismanagement by the political class that has ruled the country for three decades.
Protesters blast US official near US Embassy in Lebanon
Associated Press/November 24/2019
BEIRUT: A few dozen people have demonstrated near the U.S. Embassy outside Beirut against what they are calling America’s intervention in Lebanon’s affairs. Lebanese troops and riot police employed tight security measures Sunday near the embassy northeast of the city. The protesters later dispersed without any reports of violence. Protesters have been holding demonstrations in Lebanon since Oct. 17, demanding an end to widespread corruption and mismanagement by the political class that has ruled the country for three decades.
The protests have since snowballed into calls for the entire political elite to step aside. The protesters blasted recent comments by former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman before the House Subcommittee on the Middle East in which he said that “the demonstrations and the reactions to them by Lebanese leaders and institutions, fortunately, coincide with U.S. interests.”The protests have since snowballed into calls for the entire political elite to step aside.
Report: No Govt. Breakthrough Expected Next Week
Naharnet/November 24/2019
No breakthrough is expected next week in the negotiations to form a new government, a ministerial source said. “Unless an unexpected development happens, no breakthrough is expected next week, although Speaker Nabih Berri expects progress in this regard, but it won’t happen over the next days,” the source told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in remarks published Sunday. “The forces insisting on a techno-political government do not intend to search for a replacement for Hariri without obtaining his own consent, because such a government would remain incapable of seeking financial aid from the international community, not to mention that it will be a one-sided and unilateral government,” the source added. Hariri submitted his government’s resignation on October 29 in the face of unprecedented protests against the entire political class. President Michel Aoun has delayed the binding parliamentary consultations to name a new premier, arguing that prior consensus is needed on the shape of the new government amid the delicate situations in the country.
Fneish Says No Govt. Can be Formed without Parliamentary Majority Consent
Naharnet/November 24/2019
Caretaker Youth and Sport Minister Mohammed Fneish of Hizbullah emphasized Sunday that the new government cannot be formed without the approval of the parliamentary majority led by Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement. “There is a political equation in Lebanon called parliament and a government cannot be formed without this parliament’s confidence,” Fneish said. “No government can be formed without consensus between the PM-designate chosen by the parliamentary majority and the president, and thus the formation of governments has mechanisms that must be used so that we reach solutions,” he added. In an apparent jab at caretaker PM Saad Hariri, Fneish said: “He who evades responsibility cannot claim that he is innocent, seeing as every person has his history, policies and stances, and therefore evading responsibility is not courage but rather aggravation of the suffering of the Lebanese.”“Let no one think that the Americans care about the suffering of the Lebanese,” the caretaker minister added, noting that “America largely bears the responsibility for what’s happening in Lebanon through the sanctions that hit Lebanon, through pressuring us to accept a settlement with the Israeli enemy on the issue of border demarcation, and through pressuring banks and the money transfers of the Lebanese.”ves to us that he has failed, because he is ignorant of what’s happening in Lebanon and is still insisting on his failure and ignorance,” Fneish added. “If he believes that what’s happening will defeat and weaken the resistance… I believe that this reassures us that our enemy is still foolish and does not know the reality of our society and reality of the resistance’s environment and its insistence on the resistance choice,” Fneish went on to say. Moreover he added that “those who offered thousands of martyrs in defense of this country will spare no political effort to strengthen the dignity and security of the Lebanese.”
Minors Held for Removing FPM Banner Released
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 24/2019
Five youngsters including several minors were released at dawn Sunday after being arrested around midnight for removing a banner hung outside the offices of the Free Patriotic Movement in the Upper Metn town of Hammana. The National News Agency said residents of the area were rallying outside the Hammana police station when the five were released. Protest movement activists had reacted angrily overnight on social media, after initial reports said minors were being held for “tearing up a picture of President Michel Aoun.” It later turned out that the reports were baseless. “Down with the regime that arrests children,” said one user. “When a 12-year-old child manages to shake the state’s throne, you know the state is corrupt,” another wrote. In a statement, the FPM warned that “such actions are unfamiliar and create undesired tensions in this region,” urging all sides and parties in the region to “preserve security and stability.”It also stressed its keenness on “coexistence in Mount Lebanon.”Security forces released the five detainees after midnight after taking a statement from them, the Committee of Lawyers for the Defense of Protesters said. The army said two of the children were 15 years old, while the third was 12. During the first month of demonstrations, security forces arrested 300 people including 12 minors who were released within the next 24 or 48 hours, according to the lawyers’ committee. But 11 people — including two minors — remain in detention accused of attacking a hotel in the southern city of Tyre in the first week of the uprising.
Five children arrested in Lebanon for tearing down Aoun poster: Reports
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English/Sunday, 24 November 2019
Five children were arrested in Lebanon on Saturday after tearing down a poster of President Michel Aoun in the Hammana municipality, several local news stations reported. All of the boys were under the age of 18. Several social media users took to Twitter to express their outrage, many pointing out that the government is “targeting children instead of corrupt politicians.” Many shared videos of the boys’ parents waiting outside of the police station, calling on Lebanese people to stage a sit-in in front of the station until the boys are released. Pictures reportedly showing three of the arrested boys also circulated on social media, with many expressing their frustration after a judge purportedly ordered for them to be kept at the station overnight. “Down with the regime that arrests children,” said one user. “When a 12-year-old child manages to shake the state’s throne, you know the state is corrupt,” another wrote. A surveillance video was also widely shared online, reportedly showing the children tearing down the poster. According to Al-Jadeed TV, after nine hours in detention, the children were released at 2:10 a.m. local time. A statement from the Lebanese army read that they wanted to “clarify that intelligence did not arrest the boys, but received them from the municipality after they were arrested by its police which was doing frequent patrols after a series of incidents witnessed in the area including unidentified persons burning the Ogero building, and an attempt to burn the Free Patriotic Movement’s center.”Nationwide protests in Lebanon have been ongoing for over a month, fueled by perceptions of corruption among the sectarian politicians who have governed Lebanon for decades and are blamed for leading the country into its worst economic crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.
Children detained for tearing down political banner as protests continue in Lebanon
The National/November 25/2019
Lebanese security forces briefly arrested five youths, including three minors, for allegedly pulling down a sign for the president’s political party, sparking outrage on social media on Sunday. Defence lawyers said the five were taken into custody on Saturday evening in the town of Hammana east of Beirut over claims they tore down a sign for President Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement. Security forces released them after midnight after taking a statement from them, the Committee of Lawyers for the Defence of Protesters said. The army said two of the children were 15 years old and the third was 12.
The news sparked indignation on social media, the latest outcry in a country that has been gripped by spontaneous anti-government protests since October 17. “Down with the regime that arrests children,” one user said. “When a 12-year-old child manages to shake the state’s throne, you know the state is corrupt,” another wrote. During the first month of demonstrations, security forces arrested 300 people including 12 minors who were released within 24 to 48 hours, according to the lawyers’ committee. But 11 people – including two youths – remain in detention accused of attacking a hotel in the southern city of Tyre during the first week of the uprising. Lebanese protesters denounce foreign interference outside US embassy in Beirut Hezbollah accuses US of meddling in Lebanon’s crisis Burj Khalifa and Adnoc headquarters light up with Lebanese flag for Independence Day The demonstrators managed to bring down the government less than two weeks into the protests, but it remains in a caretaker capacity and no new cabinet has since been formed.
Late on Sunday, protesters blocked major roads in several parts of the country and called for a general strike the following day in protest at the lack of progress in forming a fresh government. Earlier in the evening, hundreds had gathered in protest centres in Beirut, the northern city of Tripoli and in Tyre.
In Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, hundreds of women and men demanded their rights, some waving the national red and white flag or chanting “Revolution, Revolution!” Supporters of the militant Hezbollah group attacked demonstrators protesting against Lebanon’s political elite in central Beirut.
The attacks by young men armed with clubs and metal rods chanting pro-Hezbollah slogans began late on Sunday and continued after midnight as riot police and soldiers tried to prevent them from reaching the protesters. Lebanon’s protests have brought together people of all ages from across the political spectrum, tired of what they describe as sectarian politics three decades after a civil war. In the latest show of unity, a festive mood had reigned on Sunday afternoon as Lebanese came together in public spaces across the country on the second day of the weekend. North of the capital women prepared traditional salads to share, while a group of men danced on a beach south of the city, state television footage showed. The Free Patriotic Movement party that Mr Aoun founded is now led by his son-in-law, outgoing foreign minister Gibran Bassil, one of the most reviled figures in the protests.
Hariri’s Press Office: Text messages sent from outside Lebanon
NNA/November 24/2019
Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s Press Office issued a statement today, referring to “forged and suspicious” text messages that are being sent to citizens from outside Lebanon. The statement indicated that “unknown parties using telephone numbers from outside Lebanon are sending text messages to citizens inviting them to alleged meetings with Prime Minister Hariri at Center House, claiming that the invitations were issued by ministers, advisers or assistants to the PM.”The Press Office categorically denied the content of these messages, noting that they have been forwarded to the relevant authorities for necessary action.
Banks’ Association denounces campaign against its sector, urges politicians and media to exercise national responsibility
NNA/November 24/2019
In an issued statement this morning, the Association of Banks in Lebanon said that the banking sector is facing a systematic campaign aimed at undermining its reputation and the people’s confidence in one of the most important productive sectors in Lebanon. The Association’s board of directors said in its statement that it “deplores and condemns what has been said about Bank Audi, which adheres to all applicable laws in Lebanon and international standards, as well as the banking field laws, like all other banks in in the country.” The statement warned those behind this waged campaign to pay attention to the severe damage it may cause to the banking sector; thus, weakening one of the most important components of the Lebanese economy. The Association concluded its statement by appealing to all political forces and the media to exercise national responsibility in such exceptional and difficult circumstances, out of keen concern for preserving the interests of the country and its citizens.
Reports: Fakhoury in Poor Health, Lebanese Officials Encouraged Him to Return
Associated Press/Naharnet/November 24/2019
Lebanese-American citizen Amer Fakhoury, who has been held in Lebanon since mid-September on suspicion that he tortured prisoners at the Israeli-run Khiam prison, is in poor health and his condition is life-threatening, his family has said, citing doctors.
No charges have been filed against Fakhoury. His lawyer, Celine Atallah, said it remains unclear why he’s being held. Fakhoury, however, was once a member of the former Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army militia. He also worked as a senior warden at a former prison described by human rights groups as a center for torture.
His family insists he had no direct contact with prisoners and never abused anyone, but several former prisoners and their relatives have accused him of involvement in torture.
Fakhoury’s family and his lawyer accuse Lebanese authorities of torturing him.
His family said this week that his health has gotten much worse; doctors told them his condition is grave and life-threatening, including a bad infection, a bleeding disorder and other problems. A court session that was to be held this week has been postponed because of his illness.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson told the Associated Press that the U.S. embassy conducted its most recent consular visit with Fakhoury on Nov. 7. No details were provided.
“We take allegations of mistreatment seriously and whenever we receive credible reports of mistreatment we raise our concerns directly with the host government,” the spokesperson said.
In New Hampshire, Fakhoury ran a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean restaurant, where he struck up friendships with patrons and community members. Interested in Republican politics, he once met Donald Trump on a presidential campaign visit. He also hosted fundraisers for a GOP congressional candidate.
Fakhoury was one of many South Lebanon Army members who fled after Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000 following an 18-year occupation, fearing reprisals if they stayed in Lebanon. Others stayed and faced trial, receiving lenient sentences.
Fakhoury’s family says he came to the United States in 2001, where he started a restaurant with his wife and put his four daughters through the University of New Hampshire.
Fakhoury started looking into a visit to Lebanon after President Michel Aoun last year encouraged former SLA members to return home. His lawyer said that, like many others in the SLA, Fakhoury faced a charge in 1996 of collaborating with Israel, which was eventually “dropped.”
“He was actually granted assurances from the government, who reviewed his file and told him, ‘Your file is clear. Come back, you can come back to your country,'” the lawyer said.
He arrived in Beirut in mid-September, along with his wife and two of his daughters.
Security officials held onto his passport for a routine check and let him go. When he returned about a week later to retrieve it, al-Akhbar newspaper, which is close to Hizbullah, published a story accusing him of playing a role in the torture of inmates at the former Khiam prison. He was arrested a day after it appeared.
Scores of protesters outside a military court connected to Fakhoury’s case carried signs dubbing him the “butcher of Khiam”; some demanded he get the death penalty.
Fakhoury’s family and lawyer said he worked at the prison from 1989 to 1996. They said he handled paperwork, cleaned the prison and made sure inmates got their food. “There’s no legal basis for his arrest,” the lawyer said. “There’s no legal basis for his detention. … He’s an American citizen, an innocent American citizen who’s being illegally detained.
“Before the mass anti-government protests started, the Lebanese General Security Directorate said Fakhoury had possessed an Israeli passport. But the lawyer said U.S. records show he didn’t have one. Lebanon’s laws prevent its citizens from dealing with or making any contacts with Israel. Fakhoury’s family said they are working with U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon. They also wrote to the White House but haven’t received a response.Fakhoury’s wife visits him and the daughters received a brief phone call from him during which he asked about his granddaughter and began to cry.
Lebanon Anti-Graft Protesters March for Nature Too
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 24/2019
Surrounded by sweeping pines, lemon trees and bean stalks, hundreds of Lebanese protesters march along, chanting against a planned dam that would drown the valley under their feet. Unprecedented protests about corruption in Lebanon since October 17 have given new life to activism against the controversial structure planned for a lush valley south of Beirut.
Since the start of the year, the future construction site in the Bisri Valley has been cordoned off and several trees uprooted to make way for work to begin. But emboldened by the anti-graft protests, nature lovers have since November 9 ignored the gates and barged through them, hoping to save what remains of their country’s ravaged ecosystem.
Environmental activists in Lebanon say they have their work cut out.
They cite overflowing landfills, a polluted coast, quarries gnawing into mountains and state neglect compounding forest fires that hit the country last month before the mass protests began. Standing on a shack roof near the Bisri Valley, environmental activist Bassam Zeineddine encourages hundreds of fellow hikers who have come to show their support for the dam protest.
“The trees are the only thing left that they haven’t taken,” he shouts, referring to the country’s embattled officials.”They’ve left us nothing else — not water, nor air,” rails the member of the “Save the Bisri Valley” movement in a country where the coastline, rivers and air are all polluted.
Protesters clap and cheer, before setting off to march around 20 kilometers (12 miles), walking stick in one hand and billowing Lebanese flag in the other.
Along earthen paths they head towards the heart of the valley, singing the national anthem before swiftly reverting to chants from recent anti-graft protests.”We pay taxes, but their pockets are full!” they intone.
Chronic water shortages
The government says the Bisri dam is vital to tackling chronic water shortages. But activists say it will ravage most of the region’s farmland and historic sites, and they also fear the consequences of building it on a seismic fault line. Deep in the valley during their hike, the protesters find a cement-making machine. Yellow diggers also sit idle, after several trucks left the site earlier following recent sit-ins, in what the activists say was a small victory.
Nearby, walkers snap images of uprooted tree stumps.
Roland Nassour, 27, says an ongoing survey of the valley has found several oaks and pines ripped from the soil, but that so far most of the valley’s canopy has thankfully been spared.
“The environment is a key part of the revolution,” says Nassour, who is also part of the movement to protect the Bisri Valley. On Monday, he was one of nine activists called in for questioning by police after the construction company complained that gates had been broken and signs ripped down.
“We’re proud of what we did,” says Nassour. Construction of the Bisri dam is expected to cost $617 million (560 million euros), with most covered by a World Bank loan. The authorities and the World Bank have said the dam will meet the needs of 1.6 million residents suffering from water shortages in greater Beirut. They insist the structure will be safe and that measures will be taken to lessen seismic risks. The World Bank says the dam will have no impact on Lebanon’s overall biodiversity, promising to offset any loss in Bisri with reforestation and “enhanced management” of the Chouf, a separate region nearby. They have also pledged to dismantle a small church and rebuild it somewhere else — a proposal rejected by activists.
‘A champion polluter’ –
On the banks of a meandering river, the hikers catch their breath near some lemon trees and toppled granite columns thought to be from the Roman era.
To the tune of famed Italian resistance song “Bella Ciao”, they sing in the open to save the valley, accompanied by maracas and a harmonica.
“We want nature, we don’t want to sell it. We want flowers, we want plains, we want forests and fields,” they chant. “We don’t want a dam in Bisri. We want a nature reserve.” Clutching his walking stick, avid hiker Lucien says he has come to stress the need to “preserve a green Lebanon.””We need more nature reserves,” says the 30-year-old who works in advertising. Mervat, a 59-year-old activist, said mismanagement of the forest fires in October provided a spark for the revolution. “Lebanon is a champion when it comes to pollution,” said the former laboratory supervisor from the southern city of Sidon. “We want solutions, but the officials are not providing any.”
Titles For The Latest Lebanese LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 24-25/2019
Burning the USA flag in Tyr By Hezbollah is condemned/Elias Bejjani/November 23/2019
Lebanon Is Totally Occupied by Iran …Help Liberate The Land Of The Holy Cedars/Elias Bejjani/November 22/2019
American officials advocate US support to Lebanese military following aid freeze/Emily Judd/Al Arabiya English/November 24/2019
Lebanon’s revolution on its 39th day: An ongoing momentum/Tala Ramadan/Annahar/November 24/2019
After the Lebanon Protests: Between the Party of God and Party of the People/Maha Yahya/November 24/2019
Lebanon’s amnesty law is the government’s last bid to save itself/Makram Rabah/Al Arabiya/November 24/2019
Not afraid of change,’ Lebanese youth denounce sectarianism, corruption/Samar Kadi/The Arab Weekly/November 25/2019
The Latest Lebanese LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 24-25/2019
Burning the USA flag in Tyr By Hezbollah is condemned
Elias Bejjani/November 23/2019
Hezbollah has nothing to do with Lebanon or the Lebanese people.
This criminal and terrorist armed organization is Iranian 100% and savagely occupies Lebanon since 2005, while taking the Lebanese peace loving Shiite community a hostage by force and through terrorism and brutality.
The Lebanese people look at the USA as a great friendly country and appreciates very much its on going support for Lebanon’s freedom, democracy, sovereignty and independence.
Meanwhile Hezbollah is a terrorist Iranian militia and does nor speak on behalf of the Lebanese or represent them in any way.
In this context, burning the USA flag in Tyr is condemned by each and every sovereign and patriotic Lebanese in both occupied Lebanon and Diaspora.
Lebanon Is Totally Occupied by Iran …Help Liberate The Land Of The Holy Cedars
Elias Bejjani/November 22/2019
لبنان وطن الحرف والرسالة والأرز المقدس تحتله إيران وميليشياتها وهو يحتاج لمساعدة العالم الحر ليستعيد استقلاله
Lebanon, the land of the Holy Cedars and 7000 years deeply rooted glory, holiness and history is sadly an occupied, impoverished, and oppressed country.
The stone age savage occupier is the terrorist Iranian armed Hezbollah militia.
This terrorist armed militia controls totally 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 a strong, loud and official stance in practically and not only rhetorically supporting the immediate implementation of the three UN resolutions that addresses Lebanon’s crisis: the armistice agreement, 1559 and 1701.
The Lebanese people after years (since 1975) of Syrian, Palestinian, and current Iranian occupations and oppression are unable on their own to liberate their country without a real and clear practical support from the UN and all the democratic countries.. Help liberate Lebanon.
In this realm I quote Dr. Walid Phares’s response to ambassador Jeffrey Feltman’s recent testimony before the House Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism on “What’s Next for Lebanon? Examining the Implications of Current Protests.
Ambassador Feltman told Congress said:
“Over the long term, U.S. interests in Lebanon would be best protected by what the Lebanese people indicate that they want: a prosperous, democratic, independent, fully sovereign, peaceful Lebanon, reliant (including for security) on effective, transparent government institutions subject to public accountability. With the right government in place and with renewed international support, this should not be impossible to achieve.”
Dr. Walid Phares’s response:
Yes Mr. Ambassador that’s what a majority of Lebanese want. But between now and then, there is a blocking force that will oppose moving Lebanon in that direction. It is a force feared by many and countering it has no strategies, in official policies. A force that is obstructing prosperity, reform, sovereignty, and protective of corruption. And on top of it there are no plans to deal with it. One can ignore it and pretend that it is not there, that eventually it will just go away. But that is not reality…
From our Diaspora, we hail and command the courageous and patriotic Lebanese citizens who bravely for the last 37 days are involved in the current ongoing demonstrations and sit-ins in occupied Lebanon.
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.
Click here to read ambassador Jeffrey Feltman’s testimony text before the House Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism on “What’s Next for Lebanon? Examining the Implications of Current Protests.
In regards to the Iranian occupied Lebanon the help that the country and its oppressed people need from the USA, Europe and all other free countries is the immediate implementation of the UN three resolutions: the armistice agreement, 1559 and 1701. The USA sanctions on the Mullahs’ regime for almost 40 years did not actually make any difference except in hurting more the Iranian people. Sanctions on Hezbollah while it occupies Lebanon and controls fully its rulers is not going to change the current status quo..although sanctions on Lebanese politicians who are Hezbollah puppets can help in deterring them
Lebanon’s revolution on its 39th day: An ongoing momentum
Tala Ramadan/Annahar/November 24/2019
BEIRUT: During early morning hours, protestors gathered around the US embassy in Beirut to chant against the intervention of foreign countries in Lebanon’s nationwide demonstrations. This came as a reaction for recent comments by former US Ambassador to Lebanon, Jeffrey Feltman in which he said that “the demonstrations and the reactions to them by Lebanese leaders and institutions, fortunately, coincide with U.S. interests.” Although some skirmishes took place, the protests have remained mostly non-violent. Meanwhile, a number of activists, schoolchildren, and university students, in cooperation with the municipal workshops, cleaned Al-Nour Square in Tripoli. Demonstrations were also happening in the city. Students were marching through the main streets and all the inner neighborhoods and were shouting slogans condemning the difficult living and economic conditions and demanding the formation of a government as soon as possible to respond to the demands of the popular movement. After the revival of the “fist of revolution”, which was lifted in Martyrs’ Square, a number of young men made a phoenix from the tents of the previously broken tents, and a number of demonstrators gathered in Martyrs Square and Riad El Solh, amid the insistence of the participants to complete their revolution, while dozens of demonstrators gathered at sea points to affirm the right of the Lebanese to benefit from the beach and refuse to exploit the maritime property in illegal ways. Potluck picnics also took place on the coast of Corniche Ain El Mreisseh, Raouche, Saida, Marj Bisri and Sour where participants gathered around food and revolutionary talks since 11 AM to revive the picnic folklore, a step accentuating Lebanon’s unity. Protesters in Nabatieh also held a demonstration in which they were divided among groups of different professions. The demonstrations that began on October 17 against proposed taxes on WhatsApp calls turned into a condemnation of the country’s political elite, who have run the country since the 1975-90 civil war.
After the Lebanon Protests: Between the Party of God and Party of the People
Maha Yahya/November 24/2019
Summary: Lebanon’s protesters succeeded in one of their demands: the resignation of the country’s embattled Prime Minister. After the seismic protests, what is the best way forward?
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On October 28, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned from office following two weeks of nationwide protests. While the spark was a proposed tax on the use of internet telephone calls, the protests quickly turned into a more general condemnation of the country’s political leadership, its escalating economic crisis and its sectarian power sharing system.
A COUNTRY IN CRISIS
Lebanon’s economic crisis has reached a breaking point. Public debt is estimated at 150 percent of GDP, economic growth is negative, the dollar peg for the Lebanese pound is wavering on the black market, and there are signs of inflation as the prices of some basic goods have increased between 15 and 30 percent.
Meanwhile, perceptions of corruption are at an all-time high. Lebanon is ranked by Transparency International as the 138th most corrupt state globally. While the tipping point leading to the protests was economic dissatisfaction, there is an abysmal trust gap between Lebanese political parties and the citizens they represent. Protesters believe the country’s political and economic mismanagement by a sectarian political class has only benefitted the elite. Living standards have declined for citizens from all sects, along with their future prospects.
Protesters also denounced the sectarian power sharing system that prevails in the country. This system distributes government positions among the country’s different sects and ethnic groups in order to guarantee the representation of diverse communities in government and mitigate the prospect of communal conflict. However, the system has enabled sectarian political elites, mainly warlords turned politicians, to hijack communal representation and create patronage networks at the state’s expense.
WHY THESE PROTESTS WERE DIFFERENT
Maha Yahya
Yahya is director of the Carnegie Middle East Center, where her research focuses on citizenship, pluralism, and social justice in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings.
What was distinctive about the protests is that for the first time protesters across the board were criticizing the leaders of their own sect. For the political elite, the breadth of discontent was startling. No political leader or party was spared.
Most surprising, perhaps, was the dissent that emerged from within the Shiite community, who rarely publicly criticize the leaders of the two key political parties, Hezbollah and Amal.
HEZBOLLAH’S REACTION
Hezbollah’s response to the protests was expressed in two speeches by its secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah. He initially voiced understanding for the protesters’ frustrations, but he rejected demands that the government and president resign and that early elections be held on the basis of a new law. He went on to depict the nationwide protests and public anger with the status quo and deteriorating economic conditions as part of a conspiracy to undermine Hezbollah and its legitimacy. As such, he chose to perpetuate the status quo and a political order that has protected Hezbollah, a reaction that pro-Iran parties have also demonstrated in Iraq, where over the past few weeks, hundreds of demonstrators have been killed.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s regional patron, Iran’s supreme leader Sayed Ali Khameni, is portraying the demonstrations in Lebanon and Iraq as an external plot against their respective countries.
THE POLITICAL FALLOUT
Hariri’s resignation—under pressure following the street protests, and because of his partners’ unwillingness to find a political solution to the crisis—has allowed him to recover some of his political capital.
However, the cost to Hezbollah and their key partner, Lebanon’s president Michel Aoun and his son-in-law, foreign minister Gebran Bassil, was significant. For Aoun, the government’s resignation posed a significant blow to his legacy as did the palpable antipathy on the streets to Gebran Bassil. For Hezbollah, it weakened their key Christian partner in Lebanon.
Becoming a champion of the status quo also tarnished Hezbollah’s preferred image as a defender of the poor and downtrodden. While the party holds power in government, it has managed to dodge any accountability for the sorry state of affairs in the country. Yet, its status as a defender of the rights of the Shiite community within Lebanon has been eroded. Like other Lebanese, they believe this sorry state of affairs to be the result of patronage politics and clientelistic networks facilitated by Lebanon’s governance system that includes Hezbollah.
For Hezbollah, addressing internal dissent is a difficult road to maneuver. It is a military and religious party that is paternalistic and strictly hierarchical in nature. The party has had to reduce salaries and curtail social service provision as a result of dwindling finances. Faced with widespread protests, its initial reaction was to deploy force and intimidation tactics.
The question now is how far Hezbollah is willing to go to prevent dissent. So far, the party has restricted itself to dispatching thugs to break up protests in Beirut and southern Lebanon. Along with the other major Shiite political party, the Amal movement, it has also prohibited protests or signs of dissent in the villages and towns of southern Lebanon. As one of the young protesters in the area told me, “What is wrong with letting people voice their opinion? You say you are hungry, and they respond you are a foreign agent.”
MOVING FORWARD
President Aoun and Hezbollah are faced with a dilemma. Granting concessions to protesters risks creating a perception that they are weak. Yet resorting to more force will only accelerate Lebanon’s economic collapse and its social repercussions.
Given the economic situation, the Lebanese political class needs to move quickly to name a new prime minister who is acceptable both to them and to the protesters. The country cannot afford the time-consuming horse trading that usually occurs when governments are formed. If there is an economic collapse and the Lebanese pound loses value, Lebanese citizens could see their incomes, pensions, and savings disappear, and half the population could fall into poverty. The fallout in terms of public anger could pale in comparison to what we’ve seen thus far.
THREE OPTIONS
In this context, Hezbollah and its allies are likely to negotiate with Lebanon’s other political parties one of three choices. One option is to ask Hariri to form a new government, where the ministers would be apolitical technocrats or a mix of political and independent appointees named by the various political parties. This option is unlikely at this point, since they already rejected a change of cabinet under Hariri at the height of the protests.
A second more likely option is to endorse a national salvation government headed by an independent Sunni, one acceptable to Hariri. This cabinet would also be composed of independent candidates not mired in corruption, or a mix of experts and political appointees. The mandate of such a government would be an economic reform plan, but it would not necessarily organize early elections, as demanded by the protestors. Consensus among the political class for such a cabinet is necessary. State institutions are greatly influenced by the different political parties, as they have the capacity to hinder or support the work of ministers. Political parties may be forced to reach such a consensus, once they realize that the country could descend into chaos should they fail to take action.
A third, least favorable option at this point, is that Hezbollah adopts a rejectionist position, in coordination with the Amal Movement and Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement. This would place the country in even more jeopardy as it could include forming a cabinet without Hariri’s bloc, something that would be badly received by his supporters and by an international community that is likely to interpret such a move as a Hezbollah takeover of the country. It could also include a stronger show of force against unarmed protesters, which would only destabilize the country, and possibly slide Lebanon into a civil conflict. This is unlikely at the moment, as Hezbollah is keen to maintain stability in its own back yard, given regional challenges.
A NATIONAL AWAKENING
History in Lebanon is being made. The country and its people are standing at one of the most significant historic junctures in its one-hundred-year history. A sense of national awakening is driving the demand to move from identity-based politics to a government focused on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. This reflects a fundamental societal change, which will impact Lebanon’s future. Its political leadership and Lebanese citizens on the street can either steer the country onto a brighter and more sustainable path—or end up trapped once more in a bitter civil conflict.
*Maha Yahya: Is director of the Carnegie Middle East Center, where her research focuses on citizenship, pluralism, and social justice in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings.
Lebanon’s amnesty law is the government’s last bid to save itself
Makram Rabah/Al Arabiya/November 24/2019
There is a current standoff between the Lebanese people and the ruling establishment, who for two consecutive weeks has been trying to force a parliamentary session to pass an amnesty law, which would absolve the ruling elite from a number of crimes, including tax evasion.
This standoff comes as part of a nationwide uprising, which has seen millions of people take to the streets, demanding a change to the archaic and corrupt governance structure that their country is infamous for.
This amnesty law is no mere legislation but rather part of an elaborate scheme by the ruling elite to create schism and chaos in the midst of the protesters by placing them at odds with each other while at the same time providing the different political factions with legal leverage going forward.
The political elite envisioned that any opposition to this amnesty law would mobilize the families of thousands of convicts awaiting amnesty, and thus turn the national uprising into a sectarian brawl.
The proposed bill, submitted by two members of speaker Nabih Berri’s bloc, did not follow proper procedure and never went through subcommittees for proper revision and approval.
Perhaps more importantly, the parliament session and any other legislative sessions at this moment in time are unconstitutional simply because article 32 of the Lebanese constitution clearly states that the parliament in its current session “shall be reserved to the discussion of, and voting on the budget before any other work. This session lasts until the end of the year.”
Therefore, the parliament cannot technically meet unless it passes the much-anticipated budget or in case of “legislative necessity” which the current amnesty bill is no justification for.
The most sinister part of the bill is that it places Lebanese factions in fierce opposition, as the draft law is designed to cater to thousands of outlaws, some predominately Shiites from the eastern part of the country who are in jail or on the run for crimes connected to narcotics.
It also caters to a segment of Sunni Muslims who are branded locally as “Islamists”, some of them accused of fighting the Lebanese army in the past few years. By proposing this amnesty bill, both Hezbollah as well as Hariri can muster up much of this popular support which they have lost during the uprising against their excessive corruption and lack of vision.
Contrary to what it repeatedly claims, Hezbollah is in bad shape not only because of the US sanctions on its patron, but because its arsenal of weapons does not contain any economic tools to address the current challenges. It believes that this protest against corruption and bad governance can be suppressed by force, just like the uprising in Syria or the protests in Iraq and Iran. The majority of the people on the street might not be chanting against Iran and its Lebanese subsidiary, but they know full well that one of the main reasons why the Lebanese temple of corruption remains standing is the fact that Hezbollah’s weapons will it.
On the two separate occasions that speaker Berri tried to convene parliament, the Lebanese people flocked to the parliament house and laid siege to the area and preve
Berri’s brutish and condescending attitude is reflective of the mindset of the entire political class, which ostensibly acknowledges the demands of the street, yet refuses to take any step in the right direction to remedy or address any of the political and economic reform challenges.
The ruling elite claims that the parliament session which also had other items on the agenda was geared towards the adoption of judicial reform to fight corruption and empower various governmental entities crucial for establishing the rule of law. These claims however are fallacious and, just like the economic reform plan set forth by the current caretaker cabinet of Saad Hariri, masks a sense of immortality and a belief that they can still outsmart the public and pass on more corruption and usurpation of power as reform.
The people on the streets know quite well what needs to be done to change the current predicament, and their roadmap does not include parliamentary sessions nor false promises from the decrepid political class. The road to salvation passes through the gradual relinquishing of power to a capable and righteous emergency cabinet that would respect the Lebanese constitution and empower the judiciary and respect the separation of powers. Perhaps then, amnesty will give way for rule of law and justice for all.
Not afraid of change,’ Lebanese youth denounce sectarianism, corruption
Samar Kadi/The Arab Weekly/November 25/2019
BEIRUT – They have powered anti-government protests in Lebanon for more than a month, forced the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, blocked parliament and introduced innovative means for peaceful demonstrations. The Lebanese millennial generation is the heart of the persisting revolution.
Lebanon’s parliament was blocked from its first session for two months on November 19 after protesters prevented lawmakers from reaching the building. Authorities announced the session had been postponed indefinitely.
“How are they having a session and not responding to the people? Those who are in the session have nothing to do with us and it’s not what we asked for,” said Maria, a young protester.
Young Lebanese, born after the civil war (1975-90) and commonly known as millennials, are on the front line of protests demanding an overhaul of Lebanon’s sectarian-based political establishment and economic reform. They accuse the ruling class of being corrupt, inefficient and the cause of Lebanon’s worst economic and financial crisis.
“The millennials who constitute the majority of Lebanese are not shaping the revolution… they are the revolution that had started in their hearts and minds way before October 17,” said Pierre Issa, secretary-general of the National Bloc party, one of the few non-sectarian parties in Lebanon.
“When the protests began, the millennials were taken lightly and seen as ridicule or utopian for seeking change. However, they passed quickly from the ridicule stage to being seen as dangerous because they started to shake the political establishment that has been entrenched for decades. Soon they will become evident,” Issa said.
“The millennials want citizenship not sectarianism; a state of law not clientelism; honesty and transparency not corruption; sovereignty instead of affiliation with foreign powers; and democracy instead of the cult of the leader and political inheritance.”
“Our generation opted for conformity (with the existing system) but the millennials are not afraid of change. They are the ones who are leading the revolt,” said Issa, 60.
“The youth are telling the politicians that the system they are clinging to is dead. The ruling class is alien to them; it does not resemble them nor represent them.”
Described as “confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change,” millennials have a strong leaning towards civic responsibility and a more optimistic outlook than their forebears.
They are also the most “connected” generation of all time and the most educated.
“The new generation has transcended sectarian and political alignments. They did not experience the civil war but they inherited the warlords. They don’t understand why they have to be framed by their religion. They are aware of their rights and know that only a state of law can guarantee those rights,” said Mona Fayyad, founder of the Democratic Renewal organisation. “They are leading the revolution. We are learning from our children. This generation has no zaim (sectarian leader).”
She cited one student criticising older generations, saying: “What have you been doing for the past 30 years? Why did you accept to coexist with corruption and graft? Why did you accept to live without electricity, without water and without basic rights?”
Lebanon’s demonstrations revealed a diversity never seen before, uniting citizens from all sects, regions and religious beliefs but also age groups, including children.
Youth have been largely innovative in enhancing what takes place in the streets and squares. They write revolutionary songs and create short movies and satirical caricatures of the political elite. They then share them through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms.
“Unlike previous generations, the millennials have a very powerful tool in their hand that is the easy access to information,” Issa said. “Older generations tended to be recipients of information and news. The millennial generation no longer just receives information and ideas but interacts with them. In fact, they have become creators of information and ideas.”
“Every time one shares a call or a statement on social media it goes viral and the streets are packed. One blogger, for example, has 500,000 followers.”
The protesters want an independent cabinet of technocrats whom they can trust to pull Lebanon out of its economic and financial crisis and stamp out corruption.
“We have to listen to them. They are so creative in their slogans, music, drawings, decisions and actions,” Issa said.
Citing Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran, Issa added: “Our children are not ours; they are the children of life. We should not try to force them to follow us. They are the future, we are the past, they are dynamic and we are static… The day we understand this, society will develop and evolve.”
