Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For December 10-11/2019 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 55th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
December 11/2019
Tites For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on December 10-11/2019
Bishop Audi’s Divine Words Drove Hezbollah In To A tantrum of Fear and Anger
My Almighty God Bless & Safeguard Bishop Elias Audi …He Witnessed For The Truth & For Lebanon
Angry protesters attack Lebanese city’s municipality
Protesters Vandalize Tripoli Municipality after Two Die in Building Collapse
Protesters Block Jounieh Highway, Many Roads as Tripoli Protests Escalate
Clashes reignite in Tripoli after roof collapse kills two people
Saudi Arabia’s FM: Important Lebanon finds way forward for stability
Army Receives Shipment of U.S. Ammunition
Hariri Meets with Caretaker Interior and Finance Ministers
Lebanon: Heavy Rain Causes Floods, Inundates Beirut
Protesters in South Lebanon Stand Up to Attack, Threats
Army: Six Troops Injured in Clashes between Protesters, Karami Supporters
Report: Hariri Insists on ‘Rescue’ Cabinet Composed of Specialists
Berri’s Bloc Slams Israeli Vessel’s Infiltration of Lebanese Waters
HRW Warns of Impact of Financial Crisis on Lebanon Hospitals
Relief Agency: 15 people injured in stampede between protesters and Army in Al-Mina
Jumblatt: Paris conference may be last opportunity for Lebanon to stop decline
Four detainees released from Jounieh Serail
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on December 10-11/2019
Bishop Audi’s Divine Words Drove Hezbollah In To A tantrum of Fear and Anger
Elias Bejjani/December 10/2019
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/81284/elias-bejjani-my-almighty-god-bless-safeguard-bishop-elias-audi-he-witnessed-for-the-truth-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b7%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b3-%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af%d8%a9/
Bishop Audi’s divine words scared Hezbollah because THE WORD is holy, pure and stronger than missiles. Yes it is the word of truth no more no less. Meanwhile the terrorist Hezbollah instigated all its trumpets, mouthpieces, cymbals, mercenaries, and Trojans to harshly, boldly and impolitely criticize and assault Bishop Audi. This crazy reaction affirms that Hezbollah, despite of all its missiles and huge arsenal is afraid of the Bishop’s words of truth.
My Almighty God Bless & Safeguard Bishop Elias Audi …He Witnessed For The Truth & For Lebanon
Elias Bejjani/December 09/2019
المطران الياس عودة شهد للبنان وللحق وسمى الأشياء بأسمائها
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/81284/elias-bejjani-my-almighty-god-bless-safeguard-bishop-elias-audi-he-witnessed-for-the-truth-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b7%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b3-%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af%d8%a9/
Lebanon’s Orthodox great Bishop of Beirut, Msgr Elias Audi has overtly, patriotically, and faithfully witnessed for the truth and for our beloved Lebanon, the Land of the Holy Cedars.
In his yesterday’s Homely he called things as they are, and named those forces who occupy Lebanon, as well as those Lebanese puppet officials who instead of serving Lebanon’s interests are siding with the terrorist Hezbollah, the occupier of Lebanon, and serving the Iranian agenda of occupation, expansionism and terrorism.
All those officials, politicians, clergymen and journalist who criticized Audi’s courageous homely are either Iranian mouthpieces, or mere Iranian mercenaries.
Accordingly all their Dhimmitude replies of criticism are valueless.
And yes as Bishop Audi stated, Hezbollah occupies Lebanon, and its leader Hassan Nasrallah is the actual ruler of the country, and yes the Lebanese officials are mere puppets.
Our Prays go to the oppressed and occupied Lebanon that Almighty God shall always guard, protect and safeguard
Angry protesters attack Lebanese city’s municipality
Associated Press/December 10/2019
The attack in the country’s north came as heavy rainfall blocked roads and strained major infrastructure across Lebanon. BEIRUT: Angry protesters attacked the municipality headquarters in Lebanon’s second largest city, Tripoli, on Tuesday, smashing windows and setting a room on fire, in an outburst of violence triggered by the collapse of a house overnight in the area that killed two siblings. The attack in the country’s north came as heavy rainfall blocked roads and strained major infrastructure across Lebanon. The country is already roiled by anti-government protests and a plunging economy.
Many Lebanese hospitals may soon be unable to provide patients with life-saving surgery and urgent medical care amid the worsening financial crisis, an international rights group also warned on Tuesday. For years, the Lebanese state has failed to pay its debts to public and private hospitals, making it more difficult for them to buy medical supplies and pay salaries. “The Lebanese government’s failure to pay its bills to medical facilities seriously endangers the health of the population,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “While politicians horse-trade over a new Cabinet, the government is not responding to the desperate economic situation in the country and the clock is ticking on the ability of many doctors and hospitals to treat patients.”
The economic crisis has led to unprecedented capital controls by lenders. It has also affected imports amid a shortage of U.S. dollars that the Lebanese banking system heavily relies on. Lebanon imports most of its basic needs such as medicine, fuel, wheat and medical products.
Sleiman Haroun, the president of the Syndicate of Private Hospitals, told The Associated Press that the health sector is passing through “a very serious crisis” because doctors are facing a shortage of foreign medication and equipment. Haroun said that importers of medical products have been saying since September that they have not been able to buy new stocks. This is causing shortages in urgently needed material, including stents for hearts, filters for kidney and blood bags, he added. In Tripoli, a large military force was sent to the city to deal with the violence. The cause of the house’s collapse wasn’t immediately clear, but heavy rain appeared to have contributed. The two killed were a 19-year-old woman and her older brother, according to local media.
Tripoli has witnessed some of the largest protests since nationwide demonstrations broke out on Oct. 17 against widespread corruption and mismanagement. The protesters are demanding an end to the rule of the political elite that has run the country following the 1975-90 civil war.
Locals told the local LBC TV station that the collapse was the result of negligence, saying that the municipality has repeatedly ignored calls by the owners to renovate the old house. Their claims could not be immediately confirmed. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said that the angry protesters damaged the office of the mayor as well as a municipality car that was parked outside the building. It added that the army later intervened and prevented further violence.The violence came a day after Lebanese soldiers had to separate protesters and the bodyguards of a lawmaker after scuffles broke near his house in Tripoli.
Protesters Vandalize Tripoli Municipality after Two Die in Building Collapse
Naharnet/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
Angry protesters on Tuesday attacked the municipality of the northern city of Tripoli after two individuals died in a residential building collapse in al-Mina neighborhood. Protesters fiercely threw stones at the windows of the municipality after the Lebanese army prevented them from forcing their way into the building. A utility room belonging to the municipality and located outside the main building was set on fire. Civil Defense fireteams intervened immediately to distinguish the blaze. Two people were killed at dawn Tuesday when the roof of a residential building collapsed in al-Mina in Tripoli, the National News Agency reported. NNA said the old building collapsed at dawn in al-Andalos neighborhood in al-Mina killing two brothers from Syria. Rescue teams of the Civil Defense, Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces were at the scene immediately after the incident, said NNA. In response, protesters angered with what they say “ignorance” of the authority blocked the main highway with burning tires and stormed the municipality building setting the trash bins on fire and smashing its outdoor.
Protesters Block Jounieh Highway, Many Roads as Tripoli Protests Escalate
Naharnet/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
Protesters on Tuesday blocked the Jounieh highway in both directions for several hours to demand the release of four detained demonstrators. Other protesters meanwhile rallied outside Jounieh’s serail for the same purpose. The detainees were held during a road-blocking protest in the morning. The highway was later reopened after the release of the four protesters. Protests meanwhile witnessed an escalation in the northern city of Tripoli, where several people were injured in clashes between army troops and stone-throwing protesters at the entrance of Tripoli’s el-Mina district. The confrontation erupted as soldiers sought to reopen a blocked road. Troops fired tear gas during the clash as protesters said rubber bullets were also fired at them. The demonstrators in el-Mina are demanding the resignation of the municipal chief in protest at the collapse of a house overnight in the area that killed two siblings. Protesters had attacked the municipality headquarters in el-Mina earlier in the day, smashing windows and setting a room and vehicles on fire. A large military force was sent to the city to deal with the violence. The cause of the house’s collapse wasn’t immediately clear, but heavy rain appeared to have contributed. The two killed were a 19-year-old woman and her older brother. Elsewhere, protesters blocked the al-Quntari intersection in Beirut in solidarity with the Tripoli and Jounieh demonstrators. They were later dispersed by riot police.Other protesters meanwhile blocked the vital Jiye highway that links Beirut to the South, the Hamat tunnel in Batroun, the Chekka tunnel, the al-Beddawi highway, the Minieh-Abdeh road, the al-Bireh-Qubayat road, the Akkar Plain road and several roads in the Bekaa and Hasbaya. The Jiye highway and the Chekka tunnel were later reopened.
Clashes reignite in Tripoli after roof collapse kills two people
Annahar/December 10/2019
Angered protestors made their way to the Mina municipality building and the residence of Mayor Abdel-Kader Alameddine who they accuse of negligence.
BEIRUT: Clashes broke out in Tripoli since the early hours of Tuesday morning after a house’s roof caved in killing two people inside. Angered protestors made their way to the Mina municipality building and the residence of Mayor Abdel-Kader Alameddine who they accuse of negligence.
They threw rocks at the building before storming in and vandalizing the interior before the Lebanese army intervened. Neighbors told local station MTV that they submitted a request to the municipality to have the building refurbished, citing concerns over its safety only to be rebuffed. The two people, Abdel-Rahman Kakhiyeh and his sister Lama, died after the roof of their house collapsed in the middle of the night following heavy rainfall throughout the day. These renewed clashes come a day after Lebanese soldiers had to separate protesters and the bodyguards of a member of parliament after scuffles broke out under heavy rain Monday evening between the two sides in the northern city of Tripoli, leaving at least one person injured. Tripoli has witnessed some of the largest protests since nationwide demonstrations broke out on Oct. 17 against widespread corruption and mismanagement. The protesters have since transitioned to demand an end to the rule of the political elite that has run the country following the 1975-90 civil war.The scuffles started after protesters threw bags of trash in front of the home of legislator Faisal Karameh. The protesters then started throwing stones at Karameh’s guards, who responded by also throwing stones, prompting troops to split them up.In a video aired live on local TV, at least one person was seen injured in the head and ambulances arrived in the area afterward. Nearly half an hour after the scuffles, troops were able to push the protesters away from Karameh’s home. Karameh is a harsh critic of outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who resigned on Oct. 29. His resignation met a key demand of the protesters. Political disagreements between rival groups have so far delayed the formation of a new Cabinet, worsening the country’s economic and financial crisis.
On Sunday, a possible candidate for prime minister of Lebanon said he was withdrawing from consideration for the post, prolonging the country’s political crisis. Samir Khatib said the country’s top Sunni religious authority told him the community supports the re-appointment of Hariri for the post.
Saudi Arabia’s FM: Important Lebanon finds way forward for stability
Reuters, RiyadhTuesday, 10 December 2019
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said stability in Lebanon, which has been rocked by more than a month of protests that forced the prime minister to resign, was “very, very important” to the kingdom. Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud said he would not “pre-judge” a conference planned this week in Paris to support Lebanon, which is facing its worst economic crisis since the 1975-90 civil war. “I’ll wait for the results of the conference.”The Lebanese people and the political system need to find a way forward that guarantees its stability and sovereignty, he told a news conference – following the conclusion of the GCC 40th Summit held in Riyadh – in response to a question regarding aid to Lebanon.
Army Receives Shipment of U.S. Ammunition
Naharnet/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
The Lebanese Army on Tuesday received a shipment of U.S. military assistance, Lebanon’s National News Agency said. NNA said the shipment, delivered at the Port of Beirut, involved sixteen containers of various calibers of ammunition as part of a U.S. grant. The grant is part of the U.S. military assistance program for Lebanon, the agency added. On December 2, U.S. officials said that the Trump administration had released more than $100 million in military assistance to Lebanon after months of unexplained delay.
Hariri Meets with Caretaker Interior and Finance Ministers
Naharnet/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri met Tuesday evening at the Center House with caretaker Interior Minister Raya al-Hassan and caretaker Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil. The meeting was held in the presence of Hariri’s economic advisor Nadim Munla.A statement issued by Hariri’s office said discussions focused on “the financial and economic situation and the 2020 draft state budget.”
Lebanon: Heavy Rain Causes Floods, Inundates Beirut
Paula Astih/Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
Heavy rains flooded the streets of Beirut again this month, causing major roadblocks and traffic jams across the capital.
People on social media circulated dozens of photos and videos of areas completely inundated and some citizens using kayaks and surfboards to move after their cars were submerged in water and damaged. Many Lebanese expressed their indignation at the renewal of these scenes at every rainstorm, blaming the turmoil on the mismanagement of the concerned ministries and state agencies. The National News Agency (NNA) reported that heavy and torrential rains flooded the Jnah-Saint Simon area, where roads turned into rivers, and water entered homes and shops. Sewage was also mixed with the rainwater, the NNA said. The neighborhoods of Ouzai, Hay el-Selloum, and Laylaki in Beirut’s southern suburb were heavily flooded, and the residents, through personal initiatives, opened some sewers to drain the water amid calls for the municipalities to intervene.
Torrents also submerged several offices at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, as well as the arrival and departure halls. Heavy water swamped the airport’s external exit and entrance, impeding the movement of cars for some time. In a news conference, Minister of Public Works and Transport Youssef Fenianos said he understood the suffering of the people and followed up all the road closures, and added that he was “ready to assume full responsibility.”
Fenianos cited difficulties of spending credits allocated to the ministry due to the financial crisis the country is going through. On the other hand, he noted that the neighborhood of Ouzai fell outside the jurisdiction of his ministry, “but we are rushing to help so that citizens don’t drown in the water.” He explained that the ministry was responsible for main highways. More than one ministry and institution exchanged accusations over the street flooding. In this context, expert in public policies Dr. Ola Boutros pointed out that the best solution to avoid the recurrence of these scenes was to establish a supreme Transportation council. In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, she said: “The issues of transportation, works, traffic, and vehicles are scattered among several ministries and bodies, including Public Works, Energy, Interior, Transport, the Council for Development and Reconstruction and municipalities. In addition, we lack a comprehensive policy in this field.”She added that infrastructure was a second factor to be considered, noting that in some areas, it dated back to the French mandate. “The presence of 1.5 million displaced Syrians exacerbates the pressure on this already worn out network, so every year we see this crisis repeating,” Boutros underlined.
Protesters in South Lebanon Stand Up to Attack, Threats
Beirut- Hanan Hamdan/Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
Five years ago, the former Moukhtar [local head, selected for simple administrative tasks] of the town of Qulaila in South Lebanon, Mahmoud Saleh, could not find anyone to pay for his treatment when he was diagnosed with kidney cancer. This forced him to incur the cost of removing one of his kidneys, which amounted to 18,000 US dollars at the time, although he could not afford it. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Saleh said: “We took to public squares because of the difficult economic situation. Our politicians are responsible for this situation, and we are still here because they refuse to meet a single one of our demands. Those in power have clung to it for many years without even considering giving us our basic rights. We do not even have healthcare or pensions; instead, they have drowned us with debt.” Protesters in Tyre, a city in south Lebanon, have been a vital part of the protest movement since it first erupted in October. They were met with repression, and the most prominent of which was when they were assaulted by partisans and had their tents destroyed at the Al-Alam Square. However, the scene hasn’t changed in the past few days, save the erection of new tents to the square, and the addition of a large tent meant to protect protesters from the rain, allowing them to continue to hold their debates and lectures. The square is also equipped with plastic chairs, mobile mattresses, and stoves to make tea and coffee.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Hassan Darwish, one of the young people who maintain a constant presence in the square, says: “The uprising in Tyre has not changed, and people’s determination has not been shaken. The people of Tyre will not leave the squares just like that, and we will persist until our demands are met”. He points to the fact that internal debates are still being held at the square daily and that civil society initiatives are also ongoing. He also says that a new tent will soon be installed near the square “to support anyone in need by providing them with clothes and food. The basic idea behind it is that it will be accessible to every household and person. We have launched this symbolic initiative because of the difficult living conditions some of us in Tyre arrived at, with the minimum wage standing around 600,000 Lebanese pounds (400$ at the official rate but effectively much less). This isn’t enough for people to secure their basic needs”.
Army: Six Troops Injured in Clashes between Protesters, Karami Supporters
Naharnet/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
The Lebanese army said in a statement on Tuesday that six of its troops were injured while separating between “protesters and house guards of MP Faisal Karami’ in Tripoli a day earlier. The statement said that scores of protesters gathered Monday afternoon “outside the houses of some MPs” in the northern city of Tripoli and that the situation aggravated into “provocations, stone throwing between them and guards of Karami.”Six of the troops were injured while trying to separate between the two, said the statement. “The units deployed to separate them and worked to disperse the demonstrators and prevent them from fabricating riots and setting fire to garbage containers, as well as arresting citizen Mohammed Abdul Aziz Ayoun Al-Soud,” it said. In Sarba, army troops arrested four individuals after attempting to block the highway with burning tyres. They have been referred to investigation, according to the statement. On Monday, protesters rallied outside Karami’s residence. Fierce stone-throwing clashes later erupted between the two sides, which prompted the army to fire tear gas to contain the situation. Several people were injured by the flying rocks and objects. The protesters had thrown trash bags outside the houses of several Tripoli politicians, such as Ashraf Rifi, Najib Miqati, Mohammed Kabbara and Samir al-Jisr.
Report: Hariri Insists on ‘Rescue’ Cabinet Composed of Specialists
Naharnet/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
Lebanon’s binding parliamentary consultati ons have been delayed until Monday and outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri “adamantly” insists on forming a cabinet of “specialists” to counter the crisis in Lebanon, the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat reported on Tuesday. Political sources following up on the developments in Lebanon told the daily “the upcoming (binding) parliamentary consultations to name a premier are going to be decisive this time. This has compelled the presidency to allow some time (until Monday) before initiating the consultations.”The sources pointed out that although Hariri is “open” for talks with parties, but he “insists on the formation of a rescue government composed of specialists shall he be chosen to lead the new government.”Hariri is expected to hold talks this week with Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea and Progressive Sociaist Party leader ex-MP Walid Jumblat, they said.
After the recent developments “Hariri’s chances to be named a premier have risen,” they said. On Sunday, President Michel Aoun postponed the consultations after Sunni Muslim leaders threw their support behind Hariri returning to the post, and to “allow for more deliberations”.
Businessman Samir Khatib had been put forward as a likely contender to succeed Hariri, but he said a visit to the country’s highest Sunni Muslim authority had indicated otherwise. Several names had been put forward as potential candidates to replace Hariri, and Khatib was the latest — despite protesters rejecting him as being too close to traditional circles of power.
Berri’s Bloc Slams Israeli Vessel’s Infiltration of Lebanese Waters
Beirut – Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
The Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc, headed by Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri, underlined the need to speed up the formation of the government and respond to the positive international atmosphere to support Lebanon. The bloc also called on the caretaker cabinet to assume its responsibilities and focus on the management of living conditions, food security and the financial and economic situation. In a statement following a meeting on Monday, the parliamentary bloc said it discussed the political situation and the recent “flagrant Israeli breach of Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone.”
“A hydrographic survey ship arriving from Haifa port of the Israeli enemy carrying the flag of Panama docked at the UN naval operations site,” it revealed. “On 27/11/2019 at 13:19, the enemy vessel entered the Lebanese exclusive economic zone at a distance of five miles and remained in block 9 until 20:37 — a period of seven hours and eighteen minutes,” the statement said. “The infiltration of the vessel to conduct scientific research for the benefit of the Israeli enemy is considered a violation of Articles 56 and 60 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the bloc stressed.
It also criticized the UN naval force for failing to implement the required procedures, asking the United Nations to assume its responsibilities in this regard.
HRW Warns of Impact of Financial Crisis on Lebanon Hospitals
Associated Press/Naharnet/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
Many Lebanese hospitals may soon be unable to provide patients with life-saving surgery and urgent medical care amid the worsening financial crisis, an international rights group warned on Tuesday.
For years, the Lebanese state has failed to pay its debts to public and private hospitals, making it more difficult for them to buy medical supplies and pay salaries. “The Lebanese government’s failure to pay its bills to medical facilities seriously endangers the health of the population,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “While politicians horse-trade over a new Cabinet, the government is not responding to the desperate economic situation in the country and the clock is ticking on the ability of many doctors and hospitals to treat patients,” he warned. The economic crisis has led to unprecedented capital controls by lenders. It has also affected imports amid a shortage of U.S. dollars that the Lebanese banking system heavily relies on. Lebanon imports most of its basic needs such as medicine, fuel, wheat and medical products. Suleiman Haroun, the president of the Syndicate of Private Hospitals, told The Associated Press that the health sector is passing through “a very serious crisis” because doctors are facing a shortage of foreign medication and equipment. Haroun said that importers of medical products have been saying since September that they have not been able to buy new stocks. This is causing shortages in urgently needed material, including stents for hearts, filters for kidney and blood bags, he added.
Relief Agency: 15 people injured in stampede between protesters and Army in Al-Mina
NNA /Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
The Operations Room of the Emergency and Relief Agency announced in a statement that 15 people have been injured, 3 of them transported to the region’s hospitals, as a result of the stampede between the demonstrators and the Army in Al-Mina.
Jumblatt: Paris conference may be last opportunity for Lebanon to stop decline
NNA/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
Head of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, tweeted this Tuesday: “The Paris conference may be the last opportunity for Lebanon to stop the decline, if not the collapse. We recall in this regard that the first condition for the Paris conference was reform, starting with the electricity sector. The PSP has repeatedly called for reform in this sector, before the outbreak of the revolution, denouncing the merchants of ‘ships’ and what goes beyond the ships, thus affecting the price of fuel.”
Four detainees released from Jounieh Serail
NNA/Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
The four detainees — Elie Haikal, Gilbert Asseili, Carlos Zogheib and Jad Bou Nasser Eddin — held at the Jounieh Serail against the backdrop of bandits this morning have been released.
Titles For The Latest Lebanese LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 10-11/2019
Bishop Audi’s Divine Words Drove Hezbollah In To A tantrum of Fear and Anger/Elias Bejjani/December 10/2019
My Almighty God Bless & Safeguard Bishop Elias Audi …He Witnessed For The Truth & For Lebanon/Elias Bejjani/December 09/2019
Enemies of Lebanon (01 of 03): The Monetary System/Elie Aoun/November 30/2019
Enemies of Lebanon (2 of 3): The Secret Societies/Elie Aoun/December 10/2019
Iran’s threat to destroy Tel Aviv from Lebanon condemned/Najia Houssari/Arab News/December 11, 2019
‘This phoenix has to rise’: new Beirut sculptures represent the power of the Lebanese people/Laura Mackenzie/The National
A War on Two Fronts/Lynn Abi Raad/Carnegie/December 10/2019
The Latest Lebanese LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 10-11/2019
Bishop Audi’s Divine Words Drove Hezbollah In To A tantrum of Fear and Anger
Elias Bejjani/December 10/2019
Bishop Audi’s divine words scared Hezbollah because THE WORD is holy, pure and stronger than missiles. Yes it is the word of truth no more no less. Meanwhile the terrorist Hezbollah instigated all its trumpets, mouthpieces, cymbals, mercenaries, and Trojans to harshly, boldly and impolitely criticize and assault Bishop Audi. This crazy reaction affirms that Hezbollah, despite of all its missiles and huge arsenal is afraid of the Bishop’s words of truth.
My Almighty God Bless & Safeguard Bishop Elias Audi …He Witnessed For The Truth & For Lebanon
Elias Bejjani/December 09/2019
Lebanon’s Orthodox great Bishop of Beirut, Msgr Elias Audi has overtly, patriotically, and faithfully witnessed for the truth and for our beloved Lebanon, the Land of the Holy Cedars.
In his yesterday’s Homely he called things as they are, and named those forces who occupy Lebanon, as well as those Lebanese puppet officials who instead of serving Lebanon’s interests are siding with the terrorist Hezbollah, the occupier of Lebanon, and serving the Iranian agenda of occupation, expansionism and terrorism.
All those officials, politicians, clergymen and journalist who criticized Audi’s courageous homely are either Iranian mouthpieces, or mere Iranian mercenaries.
Accordingly all their Dhimmitude replies of criticism are valueless.
And yes as Bishop Audi stated, Hezbollah occupies Lebanon, and its leader Hassan Nasrallah is the actual ruler of the country, and yes the Lebanese officials are mere puppets.
Our Prays go to the oppressed and occupied Lebanon that Almighty God shall always guard, protect and safeguard
Enemies of Lebanon (01 of 03): The Monetary System
أعداء لبنان (01من03): النظام النقدي
Elie Aoun/November 30/2019
The Lebanese government does not own the Lebanese Pound (or Lira). If it owned the currency, it would not borrow it and pay interest on it.
One main reason why the monetary system is an enemy because the Lebanese government abandoned its exclusive privilege to issue money and vested that privilege in the Bank of Lebanon (Decree 13513, Article 47).
In other words, the government gave the Bank the right to issue money, loan that money back to the government, and then charge it interest – at a time when the government could have issued its own money without paying any interest.
The “Bank of Lebanon” was created pursuant to Lebanese Law Decree 13513 of August 1, 1963 (Code of Money and Credit).
The Decree was signed by President Fouad Chehab and Prime Minister Rachid Karameh (who was also acting as a Finance Minister).
The Lebanese Parliament did not vote on or approve the creation of the Bank.
Not only does the Bank charge interest on the Bank’s loans to the State, the Bank does not pay interest to the State on the State’s deposits in the Bank (Article 86).
Not only has the government abandoned to the Bank its exclusive authority to print money, the government has also exempted the Bank from all taxes, imposts and rates whatsoever, already enforced or likely to be enforced for the benefit of the State, municipal corporations or other organizations (Article 118).
WHO OWNS THE LEBANESE CURRENCY?
The name “Republic of Lebanon” is not printed on any of the Lebanese currency notes. What is printed is the name “Banque du Liban” (Bank of Lebanon). Some may ask, is not the Bank owned by the Lebanese government? The answer is no.
Firstly, Decree 13513 does not say that the Bank is a branch of the Lebanese government. Instead, the Decree’s Article 13 states that the Bank is a juridical person of public law (a legal entity similar to a corporation) vested with financial autonomy.
Secondly, the Decree is written in a manner that reflects a relationship between two independent entities (rather than the Bank being a branch of the government).
For example, Article 74 requires of the government to provide a protection (military guard) for the Bank’s establishment free of charge. No such language would have been used in the Decree if the Bank is a branch of the government.
Thirdly, Article 113 dictates how net profits are shared between the Bank and the government – such as 50/50 basis on certain occasions and even 80/20 (80% to the Treasury; 20% to the Bank) under some other conditions. It is doubtful that this profit-sharing formula has been properly implemented. If the Bank is a part of the government, all the net profits would have been the government’s share, not divided with the Bank.
The questions are: If the Bank is a legal entity, who owns that entity?
In what manner has its profits been used or distributed since 1963 until now? Would the government revoke Article 47 and restore its exclusive privilege to issue money without paying interest for it?
Why opening a new bank requires applying for registration with the Central Bank (Article 135) and not with the Ministry of Finance?
Apparently, no politician would have the courage to discuss these issues.
Enemies of Lebanon (2 of 3): The Secret Societies
ايلي عون: اعداء لبنان – الجزء الثاني
Elie Aoun/December 10/2019
In a speech on press freedom, U.S. President John F. Kennedy stated that the responsibility of the press is not to amuse or entertain but to educate, to state the dangers and opportunities. In that same speech, he spoke in opposition “to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings.”
He added: “We are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy … It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific, and political operations.”
President Kennedy was not a conspiracy theorist. What he stated was a fact, not a theory. His assassination was the price he paid for his courage – for rejecting the rule of those who rule behind the scenes.
It is against this “highly efficient machine” that both the U.S. and Lebanon struggle.
During the 2004 presidential election, both George W. Bush and John Kerry were members of “Skull and Bones.” Regardless for whom of the two candidates the Americans voted, they were voting for the same secret society.
During the 2016 U.S. election, the vice presidential candidates on both sides were Jesuits. Regardless for whom Americans voted, they were voting for a Jesuit vice president.
Many view the Jesuit Order as a religious or educational institution, but that is not the complete story. According to the CIA’s E. Howard Hunt, “the Jesuits form the greatest intelligence service in the world, and always have.” Anyone who investigates their true history would know of their criminality and involvement in the usurpation of nations.
Whether in the U.S. or in Lebanon, often an individual is selected for a certain position based on that person’s affiliation – not patriotism or qualification.
The secret societies do not reward honest patriotic individuals, but rats who are willing to sell their soul and country for the sake of political advancement. Where is the benefit and logic in undermining the country where those who lead the secret societies and their descendants live? For money and power that will eventually vanish?
The Jesuit-educated leaders of the Kataeb and Lebanese Forces along with the freemason leaders of FPM and Al Marada do not and cannot achieve any constructive measure for the country. The same can be said of the Jesuit/Freemason Saad Hariri and Druze leaders, and the Freemason Shiite leadership.
These “leaders” are neither Christians nor Muslims. Their political logos and hand-signs have no basis in either the Bible or the Quran. They know exactly their pagan and “dark” source.
The fact that all these politicians have the same affiliation could not have been a mere coincidence. This fact proves that Jesuitism and freemasonry play a role in ruling and destroying Lebanon. Their loyalty is to their agenda, not a country. It is a waste of time to expect from them anything different than the “fruits” that have already been given.
The Jesuit educational system is not the means through which positive improvements can take place. Whether the reader wishes to believe or not, national independence and wellbeing are not a part of the Jesuit agenda. A good Jesuit/Freemason politician, who decides to become patriotic, gets assassinated.
Our objective is not to fight them. Rather, it is to know the truth and then focus on our strengths and that which we can do ourselves – focus on what we can build, rather than what we oppose. Eventually, evil carries the seed of its own defeat.
What type of cabinet Lebanon needs? A cabinet with no Jesuits and no freemasons.
The heads of the Jesuit intelligence network and freemasonry are guilty in undermining Lebanon. If they wish to “redeem” the names of their secret societies, they must remove their “dirty” stooges from power. The “prestige” of Jesuitism and freemasonry is down the drain, along with other undesirable objects.
Iran’s threat to destroy Tel Aviv from Lebanon condemned
Najia Houssari/Arab News/December 11, 2019
Lebanon is not an arena for external use by any country, says information minister
BEIRUT: A statement by a senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has triggered a series of condemnations in Lebanon, after he claimed the country could be used for military strikes.
Maj. Gen. Morteza Qorbani told Mizan News: “If the Zionist regime makes the smallest mistake toward Iran, we will reduce Tel Aviv to ashes from Lebanon,” according to Russia Today, adding he claimed his words were “a response to Israeli statements about launching military action against Tehran.”
“Iran is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons and Israel is too small to make any mistake toward Iran. If the Supreme Leader orders a missile attack against Israel, all Zionists will raise their hands and surrender.
“The hearts and souls of the people of Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq are with Iran, and the recent events in Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran aim to strike the unity of the resistance front, including the Islamic Republic.”
In response to the statement, Lebanon’s Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab said: “If what is attributed to (Qorbani) is correct, it is unacceptable and it is a violation of the sovereignty of Lebanon, which has a relationship of friendship with Iran.”
The minister, who belongs to the Free Patriotic Movement allied to Hezbollah, stressed: “The independence of the Lebanese must not be affected in any way.”
Farid Al-Bustani, a member of the parliamentary bloc affiliated with the Free Patriotic Movement, said: “If this is true, it is a violation of the sovereignty of Lebanon on the one hand and the status and immunity of the resistance on the other.”
FASTFACTS
● Iran’s Gen. Morteza Qorbani told Mizan News: ‘If the Zionist regime makes the smallest mistake toward Iran, we will reduce Tel Aviv to ashes from Lebanon.’
● Lebanon’s Minister of Information Jamal Al-Jarrah described the words as ‘irresponsible and arrogant, constituting an affront to the sovereignty of Lebanon, the people and the state.’
Minister of Information Jamal Al-Jarrah described the words as “irresponsible and arrogant, constituting an affront to the sovereignty of Lebanon, the people and the state.
“Iran can defend itself however it wants, but Lebanon is not a mailbox for the IRGC and is not an arena for external use by any country. These words are completely unacceptable.”
The president of the Independence Movement, Michel Moawad, criticized Qorbani’s statement, while member of Parliament Nadim Gemayel demanded a “clear position on these words from Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, President of the Republic Michel Aoun and from (Prime Minister) Saad Hariri.” Hezbollah’s Ibrahim Al-Moussawi tweeted: “In light of the enemy’s (Israeli) occupation of Palestine, parts of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, the threat against Egypt, and the Zionist appetite open to our oil, gas and water, any call to neutrality is misleading and suspicious, and it is a betrayal of the homeland, right and justice, and meets the enemy’s goals intentionally or unintentionally. “Neutrality is at best a delusion and at its worst is treachery. Reject it.”
‘This phoenix has to rise’: new Beirut sculptures represent the power of the Lebanese people/
Laura Mackenzie/The National
Sculptures of a phoenix and a revolutionary woman have been erected by protesters and artists in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square
First, there were the martyrs. Then, the phoenix. Then, the revolutionary woman. In the past two weeks, the famed bronze statue in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square that was built in honour of Lebanese nationalists executed by the Ottomans in 1916 has been joined by two neighbours – two sculptures that are decades younger than the civil war-scarred statue, but which are arguably just as powerfully symbolic.
One of the new sculptures, a giant phoenix, positioned as if about to take flight, was pieced together by anti-government protesters out of the remains of protest tents destroyed by government supporters. “It was really a collaboration of all Lebanese people – of all religions, all sects, all areas,” says Hayat Nazer, the Beirut-based artist who had the idea for the piece. “There were even old men with white hair working on it. And there were several who had blood coming out of their hands because the metal pieces (from the tent frames) were broken and had sharp, ragged edges.”
Nazer, who had originally gone down to the protest site, just south of Martyrs’ Square, on Lebanese Independence Day to build the phoenix alone and was quickly joined by a hundred people wanting to help, says she begged the men with bleeding hands to stop. “But they would not,” she says. “They were like, ‘No, no, we have to finish. This phoenix has to rise.’” And within only a few hours, rise, it did. Work continued on the sculpture for a few more days, though, with engineers and architects offering their technical knowledge, another person donating LED lighting to give the creature fiery eyes and blazing feathers at night and one man even voluntarily waking up before dawn every morning to go and check that nothing had happened to the sculpture overnight – and then messaging Nazer with an update.
Such determination seems representative of the very message that Nazer was trying to convey in the first place. As the artist, 32, explains, she had wanted to build the phoenix – a mythical bird that is born again from the ashes of its predecessor – to show that “we [the Lebanese people] will not burn, we will not break, we will be victorious”.
“While the idea of the phoenix on its own is very strong, and it coming from the burnt tents is very strong, for me, what’s even stronger is that, on the day of independence, the Lebanese people built it”, says Nazer, sitting in the protest site at night, raising her voice to be heard above the revolutionary songs being blasted out from a speaker as passers-by stop at regular intervals to take photos of the bird. Lebanese protesters gather around Martyrs Square monument in Lebanon’s capital Beirut during ongoing anti-government demonstrations on October 28, 2019. Demonstrators set up barricades and parked cars across key roads today to protest corruption and press their demands for a radical overhaul of their country’s sectarian political system. / AFP / ANWAR AMRO
Lebanese protesters gather around Martyrs Square monument in Beirut. AFP
The second new sculpture to appear in this part of downtown Beirut in recent days is also as powerful. Titled Revolution is a Woman, the figure of a woman waving a Lebanese flag is made out of rubbish collected from the protest sites in the area, including water bottles, cans and even the plastic tips used to smoke shisha – a common activity for many of those protesting.
Pierre Abboud, 47, the Dubai artist and interior designer behind the work, says he was inspired to fly back to his home country to build it after witnessing the strength of the Lebanese women who have taken part in the countrywide protests since October 17, including the wife of Alaa Abou Fakhr, the protester killed by a soldier in front of his family last month. “When this young man was shot and his wife was kissing his hand [at the funeral], I was really touched by the scene and I did a drawing. And then I saw all the women on the street trying to make peace between the men,” he says, referring to the female protesters who have deliberately stood between their male counterparts, the security forces and government supporters to prevent bloodshed (one of whom, incidentally, has been Nazer, the artist behind the phoenix).
epa08051121 A tourist from Hungary looks at a sculpture made of soft drink cans depicting a girl carrying a Lebanese flag with Arabic words at the ground reading ‘Revolution is a woman’ by Lebanese artist Pierre Abboud on display at Martyr’s Square in Beirut, Lebanon, 07 December 2019. Demonstrations in Lebanon are continuing as protesters aim to apply pressure on the country’s political leaders over what they view as a lack of progress following the prime minister’s resignation on 29 October. Lebanese President Aoun called for formal consultations on 09 December with lawmakers to designate a new prime minister. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
A tourist looks at the sculpture made of soft drink cans. EPA
“The women are still keeping this revolution very moderate, very decent, very creative … I want to tell the women, thank you – to my mother, to my sister, to my wife. The women are keeping it peaceful, while they [the politicians] want to make it bloody.”
The recycled materials from which Abboud’s revolutionary woman is made of, meanwhile, are a nod to another central theme of the recent Lebanese protests: recycling and the environment. With the country long having grappled with waste crises, protesters have made it a point to clean up after themselves and to recycle as much rubbish as they can from the protest sites, including in downtown Beirut where Abboud sourced his sculpture’s materials from a specially designated recycling site.
“The trash that we have is gold,” says Abboud, who describes “trash art” as his passion and who was involved in a record-breaking effort in Lebanon last year to create the world’s largest recyclable material mosaic.
“Let’s think ‘environment’ through the whole country. Let’s make use of the trash. Let’s be creative and arrange our environment versus art … Lebanon should be the country of beauty and art. And the sculpture is a small message to show how we can do that – using the trash, using the bad things.”
Though Abboud’s sculpture was designed and financed by him, however, like the phoenix, it is the work of many people. The artist employed the help of many friends, contacts and colleagues. And when Abboud and his team were working on the sculpture at the protest site, as Nazer also experienced, passers-by kept offering to help. “People were amazing … There is a vibe I never saw. They helped me all day long.”
Abboud, who moved to the UAE in 2005 after finding that he kept running into obstacles with the authorities in Lebanon as a young artist, added that he had never before dreamed of being able to put a sculpture in a square in Beirut.
“And today, I don’t own it anymore,” he says. “It’s for the streets.”
A War on Two Fronts
Lynn Abi Raad/Carnegie/December 10/2019
Lebanese protestors seek change in established syndicates while creating new ones not controlled by politicians.
Since October 17, the Lebanese have risen up against their ruling elite, whom they accuse of having failed to provide economic prosperity, liberty, and stability. Early on, the protestors recognized the role of institutions in any reform process. However, in the absence of early elections, the protest movement has shifted its attention toward advancing their goals through professional syndicates and labor unions, which have been largely coopted by the political class since the 1990s. In this battle for syndicates and unions, the protest movement has advanced on two fronts. In the elections to certain syndicates, it has run against candidates backed by the traditional political class. In parallel to this, it has sought to establish independent syndicates or unions to better embody the demands and spirit of the uprising.
The battle for the presidency of the Beirut Bar Association was the first clear institutional win for the uprising. In elections on November 17, the independent candidate Melhem Khalaf defeated a rival backed by the political parties. This represented a shift in the association, which in recent years has been presided over by politically-backed members. To be sure, the growing desire among professionals to back independents had started well before the uprising, notably in April 2017. At the time another independent, Jad Tabet, had been elected head of the Beirut Order of Engineers. However, Tabet had enjoyed the support of a traditional political party, the Kataeb Party, and only won by a margin of 21 votes, much smaller than the 800-vote difference in favor of Khalaf.
Khalaf’s win also held more meaning as it came at a critical time when the ability of the protest movement to translate its street power into an electoral victory was being questioned. Andrea Makary, a young graduate who worked with Khalaf on his campaign and who recently passed the exam to join the Beirut Bar Association, described the atmosphere during the runoff with the candidate backed by the parties. “When the results were posted, you can’t imagine the amount of joy that filled the Palace of Justice! We literally burst into tears,” she told me. With the odds against Khalaf, the win was especially emotional for his supporters.
Khalaf has become known as the uprising’s candidate. Following his win, lawyers in the Palace of Justice held up their fists, shouting “Revolution! Revolution!” and sang the national anthem, echoing the chants of protestors around the country. Since then, Khalaf has taken a stance in defense of the uprising, marking a significant departure from his predecessor, Andre Chidiac, who had been backed by the Free Patriotic Movement of President Michel Aoun. Under Chidiac, the Beirut Bar Association had failed to support the demonstrators, remaining silent while arbitrary arrests and detentions took place. In fact, the association upheld a rule banning lawyers from protesting in their robes without permission. Making good on his promise to represent anyone in need of a lawyer, Khalaf took to the streets on November 20 when a dozen protestors were arrested in Riad al-Solh Square and he played a crucial role in securing their release. The independents’ win symbolized hope for the many young lawyers disillusioned with the ruling parties. Lawyers in Lebanon, like many other professionals, often affiliate themselves with political parties to get ahead in their careers. A recent law school graduate, Romy Boulos, recounted her experience to me of interviewing with a major law firm. After she told her interviewer that she had no political affiliation, that person said, “You have to be politically affiliated to succeed as a lawyer in Lebanon. You have to choose a party or else you’ll fail.” Refusing to go against her beliefs, Boulos took a job abroad. However, the independents’ victory gave her hope for a career at home.
Makary also described a clear generational gap at play, which she experienced while acting as Khalaf’s representative in one of the polling stations. Young lawyers were moving away from traditional politics, while middle-aged lawyers were still clinging to their political patrons and dismissing the uprising. Yet what was striking was the number of retired lawyers who support the independent wave, after years of experiencing the dominance of the parties.
Aside from scoring electoral wins in established syndicates, independents are creating alternative syndicates and associations that are actively partaking in the uprising. One notable example is the Association of Professionals (Tajammu‘ al-Mehaniyyat wal Mehaniyyin), which describes itself on its Facebook page as “a gathering of professionals from different sectors … that took an active part in the October 17, 2019, uprising against the ruling class.” It acts as an umbrella organization for independent professional associations, such as the Association of Independent University Professors (Tajammu‘ al-Asatizah al-Mustaqileen fi al-Jami‘at), the Alternative Press Syndicate Group (Tajammu‘ Naqabat al-Sahaafa al-Badila), and the Gathering of Independent Employees (Tajammu‘ al-Muwazafine al-Mustaqileen), and also promotes their activities and initiatives. The Association of Professionals also holds its own public discussions and organizes marches and protests related to the independence of syndicates and unions and their role in the current uprising. It hailed Melhem Khalaf’s win as “a victory for the revolution and a loss for the ruling parties” and the beginning of the process of liberating syndicates and unions from the dominance of ruling parties and their system of clientelism.
The battle for independent, representative, and democratic syndicates and labor organizations is a microcosm of the larger struggle in Lebanon’s streets. The electoral victories of independent candidates symbolize small wins on the road toward bigger ones in future parliamentary elections. Syndicates and unions have the potential to play a larger role in the uprising. They can unify members, rally support, and show their force in the streets, as they have done historically and have been doing during the current protests.
Most important in the coming weeks, they can take on more of a leadership role and channel the demands of the uprising to any new government, which may be especially necessary as the economic situation deteriorates. Time and time again, history has shown the power and value of united and independent professional and labor movements in demanding and enacting change.
