Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For December 13-14/2019 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 58th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
December 14/2019
Tites For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on December 13-14/2019
President Michel Aoun Discusses Paris Meeting on Lebanon with Kubis
Pompeo Dispatches David Hale to Beirut
Pompeo: We Stand with People of Lebanon against Corruption, Terrorism
U.S. Sanctions 3 Individuals, Several Firms Allegedly Linked to Hizbullah
Hezbollah: ‘No easy feat’ but Lebanon gov’t must include everyone
Nasrallah Urges ‘Partnership Govt.’ Comprising Everyone, including FPM
US Treasury designates Lebanon and DRC-based Hezbollah money launderers
Government must include political parties, Nasrallah says
Judge Aoun Keeps Salloum in Custody after Rizk Allows Her Release
Beirut Judge Presses Charges against Hbeish
Bustani Hands Total First License to Drill for Lebanon’s Oil and Gas
Several demonstrators arrested in connection to shutting down highway in Beirut
Army Arrests Protesters in Jal el-Dib
Lebanon’s Gebran Bassil backs technocrat government without Saad Hariri
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on December 13-14/2019
Resignation of the Lebanese President and all the Top Officials Is A Must
Abu Arz-Etian Saqer/December 13/2019
Due to solid facts related to an ongoing Lebanese governmental crisis that is not going to be solved soon,
And because all tangible circumstances indicate that this promised rescue government will not be formed in the near future
And Since all practical solutions for the imminent financial-monetary-economic-social crisis are technically linked to the governmental crisis.
And Since the general conditions of the country is worsening day by day, and warns of a comprehensive and terrifying collapse.
And since the top official have entirely failed in everything and at all levels,
Therefore, the resignation of the Lebanese President of the Republic, along with all the top officials becomes an inevitable and urgent national necessity.
The available two choices are either an inevitable and immediate resignation, or an inevitable and disastrous comprehensive collapse.
Long Live Our Holy Lebanon
President Michel Aoun Discusses Paris Meeting on Lebanon with Kubis
Naharnet/December 13/2019
President Michel Aoun held talks on Friday with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis and discussed the outcome of the International Support Group for Lebanon meeting in Paris earlier this week, the National News Agency said. On Wednesday, Lebanon’s appeal for urgent aid received short shrift at the Paris conference, with France, the US, Russia and other countries making assistance conditional on the formation of a new reform-minded government. Speaking at the end of the ISG meeting for Lebanon, host French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said: “The only possible criteria (for aid) is the effectiveness of the government in implementing the reforms awaited by the population. “This is the only way that the participants around this table and beyond can mobilise to give Lebanon the support it needs.”Lebanon has been rocked by unprecedented popular protests over official mismanagement and corruption since October 17. Hariri, who remains premier in the interim, had appealed for aid from Lebanon’s allies to secure basic imports in the face of an acute dollar liquidity crisis. Importers of fuel, medicines and wheat have warned of shortages if the situation persists. But the international community has insisted that any aid be conditional on the implementation of wide-ranging reforms, from greater transparency to guarantees on the independence of the judiciary. Prime Minister Saad Hariri stepped down two weeks into the revolt, but a deeply divided political class has failed to reach agreement on a new head of government.
Pompeo Dispatches David Hale to Beirut
Beirut – Khalil Fleihan/
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale is expected to visit Beirut this month as Lebanon suffers a deep political and economic crisis, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. Hale’s trip would be the first diplomatic move made by President Donald Trump’s administration towards Beirut since the start of massive anti-government demonstrations on October 17.The US official’s planned visit comes after a meeting of the International Group in Support (ISG) of Lebanon held in Paris on Wednesday. US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker, who represented Washington at the IGS meeting, has informed the US administration about the dangerous levels that Lebanon’s political, economic, social and financial conditions have reached. The US has openly supported Lebanon’s unprecedented cross-sectarian protests denouncing government mismanagement and corruption. The diplomatic sources said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been closely monitoring the situation in Lebanon since his last trip to Beirut in April. Another diplomatic source told the newspaper that Washington will neither provide financial assistance nor liquidity in US dollars that is much required in the Lebanese market. “However, the US can speak with a number of donor countries and organizations, mainly the International Monetary Fund,” the source added. Hale’s visit to Beirut also comes as Lebanon prepares to hold biding parliamentary consultations to name a new premier tasked with forming a government. This month, Trump’s administration lifted a mysterious “hold” on more than $100 million in security aid for Lebanon, more than a month after lawmakers learned the funds were being blocked. Hale said during previous congressional testimonies that there had been some
Pompeo: We Stand with People of Lebanon against Corruption, Terrorism
Naharnet/December 13/2019
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday announced that the U.S. stands by the Lebanese people in the face of “corruption and terrorism,” shortly after Washington slapped sanctions on three individuals and several firms allegedly linked to Hizbullah. “We stand with the people of Lebanon to fight against corruption and terrorism. Today we designated two prominent Lebanese businessmen whose illicit financial activity supports Hizbullah,” Pompeo tweeted. “We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to counter the threat Hizbullah poses,” he added. Earlier on Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions against three alleged Hizbullah money launderers and financiers, including a diamond trader who collected art. It accused Lebanon-based Nazem Said Ahmad, whose art collection includes works by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, and his companies of helping to launder large sums of money for the group. “Ahmad, who has a vast art collection, is one of Hizbullah’s top donors, generating funds through his longstanding ties to the ‘blood diamond’ trade,” it said. A second man based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Saleh Assi, was sanctioned for laundering money through Ahmad’s diamond business and supporting another alleged financier already under sanctions. The U.S. Treasury also slapped sanctions on Lebanon-based accountant Tony Saab, saying he “provided support to Assi.”
U.S. Sanctions 3 Individuals, Several Firms Allegedly Linked to Hizbullah
Naharnet/December 13/2019
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Friday slapped sanctions against three individuals and several firms allegedly linked to Hizbullah. In a statement, the Treasury identified the individuals as Nazem Said Ahmad, Saleh Assi and Tony Saab. It described Ahmed and Assi as “two prominent Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)-based money launderers,” adding that they have affiliated companies some of which have “generated tens of millions of dollars for Hizbullah, its financiers, and their malign activities.”“Hizbullah continues to use seemingly legitimate businesses as front companies to raise and launder funds in countries like the DRC where it can use bribery and political connections to secure unfair market access and evade taxes,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “This Administration will continue to take action against Hizbullah financiers like Nazem Said Ahmad and Saleh Assi, who have used money laundering and tax evasion schemes to fund terrorist plots and finance their own lavish lifestyles as the Lebanese people suffer,” Mnuchin added. “Art and luxury goods dealers should be on alert to the schemes of money launderers who hide personal funds in high-value assets in an attempt to mitigate the effects of U.S. sanctions,” said Deputy Secretary Justin G. Muzinich. Describing Nazem Said Ahmad as one of Hizbullah’s “top donors,” the statement said the man possesses “an extensive art collection worth tens of millions of dollars, including works by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, many of which have been on display in his gallery and penthouse in Beirut.”He generates funds through his “longstanding ties to the ‘blood diamond’ trade,” the statement added, noting that Saleh Assi has “laundered money through Ahmad’s diamond businesses.”The U.S. Treasury also slapped sanctions on Lebanon-based accountant Tony Saab, saying he “provided support to Assi.”“Saab has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of Assi,” the statement said.
“As an employee of Assi’s company Inter Aliment, Saab was involved in facilitating the transfer of millions of dollars for Inter Aliment and Minocongo and provided documentation of such transfers to Assi. Saab was also involved in facilitating Assi’s payments to (alleged Hizbullah financier Adham Hussein) Tabaja,” the statement added.
Hezbollah: ‘No easy feat’ but Lebanon gov’t must include everyone
Al Jazeera/December 13/2019
Hassan Nasrallah insists on its ally, the FPM take part in next government, with consultations starting on Monday.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has said the formation of a new government in protest-hit Lebanon will be “no easy feat”, adding that the new cabinet must bring all sides together. In a televised speech on Friday, the leader of the Shia group insisted that its ally, President Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) – Lebanon’s largest Christian political bloc – take part in the cabinet. Speaking before binding parliamentary consultations to nominate a new head of cabinet on Monday, Nasrallah said forming a new cabinet that desperately needed to redress a tumbling economy could take time.
“The consultations are supposed to take place on Monday and we hope that whoever receives most votes will be designated to form a government,” he said. “But the formation will be no easy feat.” Nasrallah said neither a government that only includes Hezbollah and its allies, nor one that only comprises its rivals, could pull the country from a crisis that “requires that everyone stand together”. Lebanon has been swept by mass nationwide protests since October 17 demanding the complete overhaul of a political class deemed inept and corrupt. Prime Minister Saad Hariri stepped down on October 29 under pressure from the popular protests, but bitterly divided political parties have failed to agree on his successor ever since. The protesters have demanded a government made up solely of experts not affiliated to the country’s traditional political parties, but analysts have warned this could be a tall order. Noting that the crisis has deteriorated since Hariri’s resignation, Nasrallah said he would support a “government of national partnership”, and one with “the widest possible representation” that did not exclude any of the major parties.
He said it could be headed by Hariri, who remained in a caretaker capacity, or someone the outgoing prime minister designated. The names of various potential candidates have been circulated in recent weeks, but the Sunni Muslim establishment on Sunday threw their support behind Hariri’s return. Under the country’s power-sharing system, the prime minister must be a Sunni Muslim. Nasrallah’s speech came a day after FPM leader and Aoun’s son-in-law Gebran Bassil said the party would not join a new government under the terms set by Hariri, but would not obstruct the formation of a new cabinet.
The position of the FPM could ease the way to the formation of a Hariri-led government. Lebanon is in urgent need of a new government to pull it from a deepening economic crisis that has shaken confidence in its banking system. Foreign donors have said they would offer support only after a cabinet able to enact reforms is in place. The World Bank estimates a third of Lebanese live in poverty and this could rise to half. It has projected a recession of at least 0.2 percent for 2019.
Nasrallah Urges ‘Partnership Govt.’ Comprising Everyone, including FPM
Naharnet/December 13/2019
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday called for the formation of what he called a “national partnership government” comprising all parties, including the Free Patriotic Movement, as he noted that the formation process will not be “easy.”He also said that such a government should be led by Saad Hariri or a figure enjoying his support. “The consultations are supposed to take place Monday and we hope a PM-designate will be named,” Nasrallah said in a televised address. “So far, no agreement has been reached on any candidate… We hope that the figure who gets the necessary votes will be designated on Monday,” he added. “After the designation of a premier, we will talk about the line-up and we would negotiate and cooperate with the PM-designate to form the government,” he said.Nasrallah however pointed out that the formation of a new government will not be an “easy” process. “We insist on the FPM’s representation in the government and no party should be eliminated,” Nasrallah added, a day after FPM chief Jebran Bassil announced that his movement will not take part in any so-called techno-political government led by Hariri. “Hariri must ease his preconditions if a national partnership government is to be formed,” Nasrallah said. Noting that the 1943 National Pact forbids the formation of a “one-sided government,” the Hizbullah leader said “any government needs domestic stability in order to be able to address the economic situation.” “A one-sided government might face several accusations and road-blocking protests… Any salvation government will have to take unpopular decisions,” Nasrallah said. Noting that the International Support Group for Lebanon — which convened in Paris Wednesday – has called for the formation of a “reformist government,” Nasrallah suggested that such a government “does not necessarily stand for a technocrat government.” “The caretaker government must shoulder its responsibilities regarding the economic situation,” he said. Hariri has insisted that he will only lead a technocrat government, telling the other parties that he is not opposed to the nomination of another figure for the PM post. A leading candidate for the post – Samir Khatib – was however told on Dec. 1 by the country’s grand mufti, Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan, that were was Sunni “consensus” on the nomination of Hariri, which prompted Khatib to withdraw his nomination. Hariri resigned on October 29, bowing to pressure from unprecedented and cross-sectarian street protests demanding an end to corruption and an overhaul of the entire political system. The protest movement has repeatedly called for the formation of an independent technocrat cabinet.
US Treasury designates Lebanon and DRC-based Hezbollah money launderers
Ismaeel Naar, Al Arabiya English/Friday, 13 December 2019
The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on two Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)-based money launderers and their affiliated companies, accusing them of having links to Hezbollah and generating millions of dollars for the group. The actions on Friday targeted Lebanon-based Nazem Said Ahmad and DRC-based Saleh Assi. “Ahmad, who has a vast art collection, is one of Hezballah’s top donors, generating funds through his longstanding ties to the “blood diamond” trade. Treasury is also taking action against DRC-based Saleh Assi who has laundered money through Ahmad’s diamond businesses,” a statement from the US Treasury read. “Hezbollah continues to use seemingly legitimate businesses as front companies to raise and launder funds in countries like the DRC where it can use bribery and political connections to secure unfair market access and evade taxes,” said US Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “This Administration will continue to take action against Hezbollah financiers like Nazem Said Ahmad and Saleh Assi, who have used money laundering and tax evasion schemes to fund terrorist plots and finance their own lavish lifestyles as the Lebanese people suffer.”The move comes at a time when a US official confirmed to Al Arabiya that US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale is expected to visit Beirut next week. The official said that Hale will carry a message from Washington to Lebanese officials that the US will not provide financial support to Lebanon until after the formation of a government that responds to the demands of the Lebanese people.
Government must include political parties, Nasrallah says
Georgi Azar/Annahar/December 13/2019
His comments signaled that an independent government, a core demand of the popular uprising, remains far fetched.
BEIRUT: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah maintained Friday his group’s preference for a government that includes the majority of political parties. “It is unacceptable to form a government that includes any component,” Nasrallah said during a televised speech. His comments signaled that an independent government, a core demand of the popular uprising, remains far fetched. He outlined his group’s refusal, along with the Amal Movement, of forming a “one color” government as responsibility for Lebanon’a current state of shares “should be shared by all.”He said the Cabinet formation would prove no easy task as the different stake holders have to yet to agree on a potential candidate to head the government. On Monday, President Michel Aoun will host the different parliamentary blocs during binding consultations. Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned on Oct. 29, dissolving the government. Nasrallah also called on his ally, the Free Patriotic Movement, to take part in any government after its leader Gebran Bassil announced Thursday his party’s non participation.
Judge Aoun Keeps Salloum in Custody after Rizk Allows Her Release
Naharnet/December 13/2019
Mount Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun on Friday blocked a decision to release Traffic Management Authority head Huda Salloum from detention, remanding her in custody in Baabda, the National News Agency said. First Examining Magistrate of Beirut George Rizk had earlier on Friday interrogated Salloum and ordered her release after she signed a proof of residence, NNA reported. NNA said Salloum’s lawyer Marwan Daher attended the interrogation and that the questions pertained to the public prosecution’s lawsuit against her on charges of bribery and illicit enrichment. Judge Aoun had on Wednesday ordered Salloum’s arrest based on a lawsuit filed by the lawyer Wadih Akl, which accused Salloum of offenses related to bribery, forgery, the waste of public funds, illicit enrichment and mismanagement. Aoun then referred the file to Judge Rizk. MP Hadi Hbeish of al-Mustaqbal Movement has accused Judge Aoun of taking a politicized measure against Salloum in order to replace her with a figure loyal to the Free Patriotic Movement.
Beirut Judge Presses Charges against Hbeish
Naharnet/December 13/2019
Beirut Attorney General, Judge Ziad Abu Haidar, pressed charges against MP Hadi Hbesih in a case of defamation against Mount Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun, LBCI TV station said on Friday. Abu Haidar referred Hbeish to the investigative judge, it added. LBCI said that Attorney General at the Court of Cassation Judge Ghassan Oweidat, who summoned Hbeish for testimony Friday, considered Hbeish’s case “a proven crime” and asked Abu Haidar to prosecute him. Hbeish did not attend the session, but his attorney presented a motion to dismiss the charge noting that it was not the case. On Thursday, the Lebanese state, represented by the head of the lawsuits dept. at the Justice Ministry Judge Hilana Iskandar and its legal delegate the lawyer Rabih al-Fakhri, has filed the lawsuit against Hbeish. It accuses Hbeish of “launching a public assault against Aoun in front of all those present in the lobby of the Justice Palace in Baabda on Wednesday,” against the arrest of director general of the traffic administration, Hoda Salloum.
Bustani Hands Total First License to Drill for Lebanon’s Oil and Gas
Naharnet/December 13/2019
Caretaker Energy Minister Nada Bustani on Friday handed the license to drill Lebanon’s first oil exploration well in its territorial waters to the director of Total. Bustani handed over the permit to drill in Bloc 4 to a consortium comprising energy giants Total (France), ENI (Italy) and Novatek (Russia).
Last year, Lebanon signed its first contract to drill for oil and gas in its waters. Total, ENI and Novatek took the first two of its 10 blocks, including in Bloc 9, disputed by neighboring Israel with which Lebanon has fought several wars.
Total said it was aware of the border dispute in less than eight percent of block 9 and said it would drill away from that area. On April 5, Lebanon invited international consortia of at least three companies to bid for five more blocks by the end of January 2020.
Several demonstrators arrested in connection to shutting down highway in Beirut
Joanne Serrieh, Al Arabiya English/Friday, 13 December 2019Text size A A A
Seven protesters were arrested Friday in connection to shutting down Jal el-Dib highway, to the north of Beirut, the National News Agency reported. Clashes erupted between the Lebanese army and a number of protesters after they tried to block the major road in order to pressure political officials to expedite parliamentary consultations in order to form a new government, according to NNA. The army has since reopened the Jal el-Dib highway completely. Lebanese President Michel Aoun’s formal consultations with parliamentary blocks to designate a new prime minister are scheduled to take place on December 16. Demonstrators have been taking to the streets of Lebanon since October and are fueled by deep resentment for a ruling class seen as mired in corruption, which drove the economy into crisis.
Army Arrests Protesters in Jal el-Dib
Naharnet/December 13/2019
The Lebanese army arrested several activists on Friday during scuffles with protesters blocking the Jal el-dib highway, amid sit-ins elsewhere as the two-month-old movement against corruption and mismanagement continues. Tens of protesters in Jal el-Dib battled police on multiple points on the highway disrupting the morning rush hour. Video recordings circulating on social media showed army troops beating and kicking one of the protesters in the middle of the highway, which angered people. “We are blocking the road this early to make our voices heard in Baabda,” one protester told MTV reporter, referring to President Michel Aoun’s failure to begin the binding parliamentary consultations to name a premier. In the northern city of Jounieh, protesters staged a sit-in near the car registration division preventing access for employees. They placed a Lebanese flag at the entrance door, the National News Agency reported. Protesters also stormed the National Social Security Fund offices in Beirut and Sidon. They recited a statement demanding medical coverage for incurable diseases, old-age pension, health insurance and fighting corruption. Lebanon has been grappling with nationwide protests and faces one of its worst economic crisis in decades, only deepened by the political stalemate. Political parties have been haggling over the nature of the government to replace the government of PM Saad Hariri who resigned late in October. Hariri has called for a government of technocrats but remains the most likely candidate to head a new one.
Lebanon’s Gebran Bassil backs technocrat government without Saad Hariri
The National/December 13/2019
Change of stance on protesters’ demand puts his FPM party odds with its ally Hezbollah
Lebanon’s Free Patriotic Movement will back a new government made up entirely of technocrats, but not with caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri at its head, its leader said, adding a further twist to a political crisis triggered by two months of anti-government protests.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, who heads the Christian party founded by his father-in-law, President Michel Aoun, outlined its position at a press conference on Thursday night. “Should Hariri insist on the ‘nobody but me’ approach, and should Hezbollah and Amal Movement hold on to a technopolitical government led by Hariri, we have no interest in partaking in such a Cabinet as it is doomed to failure,” Mr Bassil was quoted as saying by Lebanon’s National News Agency. “The solution is clear, which is the formation of an effective rescue government, a government of experts whose members and head are specialists capable of restoring people’s confidence, and who are backed by political forces and parliamentary blocs,” he said. Mr Bassil’s statement reverses his party’s earlier opposition to the protest movement’s call for established political leaders to make way for a government of technocrats. The protesters have also said they will not accept Mr Hariri as returning prime minister.
Mr Hariri resigned as prime minister on October 29 in response to the protesters’ demands. The protesters accuse the country’s politicians of corruption, failing deliver basic services and mismanaging the economy. Lebanon has been unable to access a US$11 billion assistance fund pledged last year because the government has been unable to implement the reforms demanded by donor countries. Mr Hariri has supported the call for a government of technocrats but remains the most likely candidate to head one. The country’s top Sunni religious leader called Mr Hariri the preferred candidate, rejecting another proposed name. Hezbollah also want him to head a mixed government of technocrats and politicians. Under Lebanon’s sectarian-based political system, the prime minister is chosen from the Sunni community, the president is a Christian and the speaker of Parliament a Shiite. Consultations between President Aoun and parliamentary blocs to name a new premier are expected on Monday. They were postponed once before over disagreements on naming a new premier. Mr Hariri told the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund’s top executives on Thursday that he was committed to preparing an urgent rescue plan to alleviate the country’s worsening economic crisis, according to a statement from his office. He discussed the technical assistance they could provide for such a plan and asked for increased financial support from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation to ensure the country’s imports are uninterrupted amid a deepening foreign currency crisis. Mr Hariri’s call came a day after an international group of Lebanon’s allies said the country cannot expect to receive aid unless a new government is formed to institute major reforms. The caretaker prime minister wrote to leaders of several countries last week seeking help to keep up the import of essential goods into Lebanon.
Titles For The Latest Lebanese LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 13-14/2019
Resignation of the Lebanese President and all the Top Officials Is A Must/Abu Arz-Etian Saqer/December 13/2019
Appointment of a new Lebanese PM rests on upcoming 48 hours of re-consultation/Najia Houssari/Arab News/December 13/2019
Lebanon’s banking sector under immense pressure, warns Pompeo/Christina Farhat/Annahar/December 13/2019
Rage In Lebanon Over Statements By Iranian IRGC Official Morteza Ghorbani Threatening To ‘Level’ Tel Aviv From Lebanon: Outrageous Comments That May Drag Lebanon Into A Devastating War/MEMRI/December 13, 2019
Shi’ite Protester In Beirut Destroys Hizbullah Membership Card, Complains: We Are Dying Of Hunger; Hizbullah And Amal Do Not Care; Their Critics Are Accused Of Collaborating With Israel/MEMRI/December 13/2019
The Latest Lebanese LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 13-14/2019
Resignation of the Lebanese President and all the Top Officials Is A Must
Abu Arz-Etian Saqer/December 13/2019
Due to solid facts related to an ongoing Lebanese governmental crisis that is not going to be solved soon,
And because all tangible circumstances indicate that this promised rescue government will not be formed in the near future
And Since all practical solutions for the imminent financial-monetary-economic-social crisis are technically linked to the governmental crisis.
And Since the general conditions of the country is worsening day by day, and warns of a comprehensive and terrifying collapse.
And since the top official have entirely failed in everything and at all levels,
Therefore, the resignation of the Lebanese President of the Republic, along with all the top officials becomes an inevitable and urgent national necessity.
The available two choices are either an inevitable and immediate resignation, or an inevitable and disastrous comprehensive collapse.
Long Live Our Holy Lebanon
Appointment of a new Lebanese PM rests on upcoming 48 hours of re-consultation
Najia Houssari/Arab News/December 13/2019
BEIRUT: The Free Patriotic Movement’s (FPM) latest decision not to participate in the next Lebanese government has created new difficulties in resolving the political crisis. Sources close to the President Michel Aoun told Arab News that he considered his country in need of “a techno-political government,” but that: “The appointment of the prime minister does not need the consensus that was lost with the FPM’s boycott, but it is needed when forming the government. “The parliamentary consultations will be held as planned, while parliamentary blocs are reviewing their decisions in light of the FPM’s withdrawal. Extensive communication is taking place between them to reach a decision in the next 48 hours.”It is likely that the head of the caretaker government, Saad Hariri, will be reappointed as prime minister of the new government in light of the insistence of the highest Sunni authority.
Hariri is determined to form a government of experts capable of dealing with the difficult economic and financial situations the country is witnessing.
Hariri resigned on Oct. 29 following widespread protests against the government and political class.
The announcement of the International Support Group for Lebanon, from Paris last Wednesday, gave the Lebanese authorities a last and limited chance to achieve the necessary economic reforms and form a government that takes into consideration the demands of the protesters.
FASTFACT
It is likely that Saad Hariri will be reappointed as prime minister of the new government in light of the insistence of the highest Sunni authority. A source close to the interim prime minister said: “Hariri’s position regarding the next government is clear. It is focused on forming a government distant from the traditional quotas logic and capable of addressing the fears of the protesters and the economic threats facing the country.”“The formation of the government is a right limited to the president and the prime minister.” Former constitutional judge Khaled Kabbani told Arab News: “The formation situation is very foggy. Everyone is overwhelmed and things are changing rapidly. “The formation of the government is under a lot of pressure and the latest announcement of the International Support Group for Lebanon reflects that. It wants a government that wins the trust of the protesters. We have to wait and see if it will play a role in resolving the crisis.”
Protestors had considered the latest FPM decision a win for their cause, while activists on social media confirmed that they would continue their movement against the political class, and would shift focus to tax disobedience. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Hezbollah said on Friday that the country’s next government must bring all sides together so that it can tackle the country’s worst economic crisis in decades. The leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said his Iran-backed movement insists on its ally the FPM — Lebanon’s largest Christian political bloc — taking part in the Cabinet.In a televised speech, Nasrallah also said he hoped a new prime minister would be designated on Monday, but added that even so, forming a new Cabinet would not be easy.
Lebanon’s banking sector under immense pressure, warns Pompeo
Christina Farhat/Annahar/December 13/2019
Pompeo called attention to the financial repercussions of the unofficial capital controls implemented by the banking sector. BEIRUT: US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, cautioned of the dangers of the increasing pressure on the banking sector while taking the opportunity to denounce the Iranian backed Hezbollah party. Pompeo reinforced the International Support Group (ISG) sentiment, with the ISG meeting being held today in Paris, that the security of Lebanon is in the best interest of the international community. “I know the meeting is taking place; we’re working on it. We know that the financial situation is very serious and that the Central Bank is under real pressure,” Pompeo said in his remarks. Pompeo called attention to the financial repercussions of the unofficial capital controls implemented by the banking sector. However, he rested the burden of banking rights, and long-term governmental reform, on the shoulders of the Lebanese people. “The Lebanese people don’t have access to their accounts in a way that is full, and sufficient, and adequate, but the responsibility lies with the Lebanese people. The responsibility on how the government will be formed, and shaped, falls to the Lebanese people to demand Lebanese sovereignty, Lebanese prosperity, and Lebanese freedom from outside influence,” Pompeo said.
The 70th United States Secretary of State also denounced Hezbollah, verbally positioning the group as a roadblock to freedom.
“We have a designated terrorist organization, Hezbollah, and I know that the people of Lebanon understand the risk that that presents to their freedom, and to their capacity to deliver for themselves,” Pompeo said. Speaking on behalf of the United States of America, Pompeo insisted that the State Department’s stance on Hezbollah is not an American proposal, but a proposal by the people of Lebanon. This statement was made weeks after the former Ambassador of the United States of America to Lebanon, Jeffrey Feltman, was blasted for unraveling US interests during his recent congressional testimony, stating that the protests “fortunately coincide with US interests” against Hezbollah. “This is not an American proposition, this is a proposition of the Lebanese people and we do stand ready to do the things that the world can do to assist the Lebanese people getting their economy righted and their government righted,” Pompeo said. The tension between the US and Iran is felt in Beirut where the US has intensified its sanctions on Iran-backed Hezbollah. The US took extreme measures, such as sanctioning three top Hezbollah officials earlier this year, that was more geared towards sending a symbolic message than limiting Hezbollah’s influence in practice. With Hariri’s formally accepted explanation to the West on why Hezbollah is represented in government, the distinction between “military wing” Hezbollah, and “political command” Hezbollah, out the window, the question now shifts to what is in store for Hezbollah in the future.
If a Trump re-election is in the cards, US sanctions against Hezbollah are only expected to grow more unrelenting.“We have taken more actions recently against Hezbollah than in the history of our counterterrorism program,“ Sigal P. Mandelker, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the U.S. Treasury said at a conference in the United Arab Emirates in September of this year.
Rage In Lebanon Over Statements By Iranian IRGC Official Morteza Ghorbani Threatening To ‘Level’ Tel Aviv From Lebanon: Outrageous Comments That May Drag Lebanon Into A Devastating War
MEMRI/December 13, 2019
On December 12, 2019, Morteza Ghorbani, a senior advisor in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), threatened that Iran could attack Israel from Lebanese soil. Responding to the Israeli foreign minister’s remark that an Israeli attack on Iran was “an option,” Ghorbani stated: “If the Zionist regime makes [even] the smallest mistake vis-à-vis Iran, we will level Tel Aviv to the ground, from Lebanon, without having to launch a single missile or any [other] device from Iran… God knows that if, one night, Iran’s leader [Ali Khamenei] will order a missile attack [on Israel], those Zionists will all surrender… Today, the hearts and spirits of the Yemeni, Syrian, Iraqi, Lebanese and Gazan peoples are with Iran.”[1]
Ghorbani’s statement evoked outrage among many Lebanese officials. A conspicuous response was that of Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab, considered to be close to Hizbullah. He said that, if Ghorbani had indeed made the statement, it was very saddening and was an infringement of Lebanon’s sovereignty. Other officials said that Lebanon was not a no-man’s-land to be used by Iran, or a conduit for relaying IRGC threats to other countries. Describing the statement as a violation of Lebanon’s honor and dignity, some called to demand an explanation for Ghorbani’s statement from the Iranian ambassador and even to expel the ambassador.
Criticism of Ghorbani’s remarks was also expressed in Lebanese press articles, which condemned not only Ghorbani but also Lebanese officials, for failing to respond to such Iranian statements and allowing Iran to trample Lebanon’s sovereignty.
In response to the uproar, IRGC spokesman Ramezan Sharif issued a denial, stating that Ghorbani’s remarks had been “distorted and misconstrued by the media.” Sharif added that “Ghorbani does not currently serve as an IRGC advisor but serves in other capacities in the armed forces.”[2]
The following are excerpts from some of the Lebanese responses to Ghorbani’s statement.
Morteza Ghorbani (source: Tehran Times, Iran)
Lebanese Officials: Ghorbani’s ‘Unacceptable’ Statement Is A Violation Of Lebanon’s Sovereignty; Lebanon Is Not A Conduit For Conveying IRGC Messages
Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab tweeted on December 10: “Assuming Ghorbani… indeed made the statements attributed to him, they are very saddening and unacceptable, and are an infringement of the sovereignty of Lebanon, which has friendly relations with Iran. Lebanon’s independent decision-making must not be harmed in any way.”[3]
Elias Bou Saab’s tweet
Lebanese Media Minister Jamal Al-Jarrah, of the Al-Mustaqbal faction, tweeted: “The statements attributed to the Iranian official, about using Lebanon as a launch-pad for a regional war, are irresponsible and arrogant, and are an infringement of the sovereignty of the Lebanese state and people.” In another tweet he wrote: “Iran is free to defend itself as it pleases, but Lebanon is neither a mailbox for IRGC [messages to the rest of the world] nor an arena to be used by any other country. The Iranian official’s remarks are completely ludicrous.”[4]
Lebanese former minister Nohad Machnouk, also from the Al-Mustaqbal faction, tweeted: “The days when some people thought little of using Lebanon as a battlefield for the Iranian project [for exporting its revolution] are over. Had the Iranian official given us and himself one lesson in resistance [by waging it] from his own country, instead of pitching the conflict [into the Lebanese arena] and placing the Lebanese people at the forefront of his regional project, we would have been understanding, although we still would have opposed [letting Iran wage its battles from Lebanon].”
Nohad Machnouk ‘s tweet
In another tweet, he wrote: “We are not a human shield for any regional project [for exporting its revolution]. This [Iranian] official must realize that Lebanon has changed, and it is not impressed with his statements. On the contrary, it will stand like a solid wall against his actions. Lebanon is not, and will never be, a province of Iran.”[5]
Former Lebanese minister Ashraf Al-Rifi, a Sunni who opposes Hizbullah, attacked the Lebanese authorities for letting Iran do as it pleases in Lebanon: “Who gave the Iranian regime permission to be so insolent and treat Lebanon like a no-man’s-land? Ghorbani wants to retaliate against Israel from Lebanon, and not from Iran. If the [Lebanese] government had any self-respect, it would have expelled the Iranian ambassador.”[6] He added: “[Lebanon’s] Foreign Ministry has so far issued no response to Ghorbani’s statement. [Defense] Minister Bou Saab’s position is commendable, but it is not sufficient. An official position must be taken, because what was published [i.e., Ghorbani’s statement] is grave, and threatens Lebanon’s sovereignty and honor, as well as the [international] efforts to extend it economic aid. Lebanon will not be rescued as long as it remains under Iranian patronage.”
Kataeb Party MP: Decisions Of War And Peace Must Not Be Up To Hizbullah And Iran
MP Nadim Gemayel, of the Kataeb party, tweeted: “As a Lebanese citizen I demand [to hear] a clear response to [Ghorbani’s] statement from: 1. [Hizbullah Secretary-General] Hassan Nasrallah; 2. President [Michel] ‘Aoun; 3. Interim Prime Minister [Saad Al-Hariri]… We will not accept [a reality whereby] decisions of war and peace are in the hands of Hassan Nasrallah or Khamenei. We are a sovereign country, not a proxy state.”[7]
Nadim Gemayel’s tweet
MP Michel Moawad, head of the Independence Movement, which is part of the March 14 Forces, tweeted: “We wonder why [the attack on Israel] should come from Lebanon, rather than from Iran or the [Syrian] Golan? We refuse to let Lebanon be treated as a no-man’s-land. The statement of this Iranian official proves once again that we must formulate a defense strategy directed by the Lebanese state, which has the exclusive authority to defend itself and its citizens.”[8]
MP Muhammad Al-Hajjar of the Al-Mustaqbal faction tweeted: “I strongly condemn the statement of Iranian General Morteza Ghorbani. It constitutes a blatant violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and an insistence on treating Lebanon as an arena that serves the interests of Iran’s expansion plans. I call to [summon] the Iranian ambassador in Beirut and demand an explanation for this statement.”[9]
Head Of ‘Movement For Change’: Iran Is Dragging Lebanon Into A Confrontation With Israel
Elie Mahfoud, head of the Movement for Change, which is part of the Mustaqbal faction, wrote: “Iran is continuing its insolence towards Lebanon… Here we have General Morteza Ghorbani, an advisor to the commander of the IRGC, saying that, if Israel makes the smallest mistake vis-à-vis Iran, [the latter] will level Tel Aviv from Lebanon, instead of fighting it from [its] own territory… As if we haven’t suffered enough due to Iran’s financing of the armed [Hizbullah] militia that receives orders according to the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran, [Iran now] continues its manipulations that affect our stability and [expose] Lebanon to Israeli aggression. I refer Ghorbani’s statement to the Lebanese authorities, and expect to hear an official position regarding this dangerous invasion of Lebanon.”[10]
Elie Mahfoud’s tweet
Criticism of Ghorbani’s statement was also voiced by Christian MPs from the Strong Lebanon faction, led by Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, an ally of Hizbullah. MP Farid Boustany tweeted: “If it is true [that Ghorbani made these statements], they harm Lebanon’s sovereignty on the one hand, and the might of the resistance [Hizbullah] on the other.”[11] Another MP from this faction, Antoine Pano, tweeted: “The disturbing statement attributed to… Ghorbani is a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and the sanctity of its soil. We will not allow Lebanon to be used by any country as a platform for settling its scores.”[12]
Lebanese Columnist: Iran Sees Lebanon As Nothing But A ‘Missile Launcher-Pad’, And This Is The Fault Of The Lebanese Leadership
As stated, criticism of Ghorbani’s statement was also expressed in Lebanese press articles. Journalist Yousuf Bazzi wrote in the daily Al-Mudun that Ghorbani’s statements are unsurprising, since they reflect what has been known for years: that Iran sees Lebanon as nothing more than an arena from which to attack Israel. Lebanon, he added, accepts this and lets Iran govern its fate – and the ones to blame for this are not Iran or Hizbullah, but rather the Lebanese leaders who allow it. He wrote: “Whoever [expresses] surprise at Ghorbani’s statements… is either naïve or a liar… These statements are not new, but are [merely] a reminder of the situation on the ground. As far as Iran is concerned, Lebanon is a kind of missile launch pad. Not a state, a nation or a homeland. A missile launch pad and nothing more. So much so that the commander of the local IRGC division [i.e., Hizbullah], Hassan Nasrallah, boasted in his latest speech that he has so many missiles he does not know where to put them.[13] [Moreover,] several months ago he repeated numerous times that he is at the command of [Iranian] leader [Ali Khamenei] and will go to war if Iran is attacked…[14]
“General Ghorbani’s confidence in Lebanon’s willingness to avenge Israel’s [attacks on] Iran stems not only from Nasrallah’s complete loyalty and submission to wilayat al-faqih [i.e., the rule of the jurisprudent, Khamenei], but also from the submission of the Lebanese state to Nasrallah’s party, which is part of the IRGC – submission that can no longer be concealed or camouflaged…
“A state whose fate is decided by an IRGC commander known for killing his own people – over 1,000 [Iranian protesters] killed in three days and thousands detained and tortured – and who is engaged in the criminal and cold-blooded murder of young Iraqi [protesters] while also managing an extermination campaign against the Syrian people – [such as state] is not fit to be called a state…
“When it comes to the complete violation of the principle of [our] national sovereignty, neither Iran nor the IRCG are to blame. Nor is it the fault of Hizbullah, which lives in peace with its faith in Khomeini’s empire. The blame lies… with the official representatives of the Lebanese state, especially those who, in 2016, formulated the so-called arrangement [according to which Michel ‘Aoun was appointed president and Saad Al-Hariri was appointed prime minister], an arrangement that was a carte blanche for Iran to govern Lebanon and its fate…”[15]
Lebanese Columnist: Ghorbani’s Statement May Bring A Devastating War Upon Lebanon
Journalist Ahmad Al-Zou’bi wrote in the Al-Liwa daily: “This is not the first time the IRGC has interfered in Lebanon’s political affairs… Iran regards Lebanon as part of its empire and as an arena for displaying its regional influence, [and] considers Hizbullah as the jewel in its crown. It [also] has important means, interests and considerations in the Land of the Cedars that are not merely military…
“General Ghorbani’s statements constitute a blatant act of aggression against [Lebanon’s] national sovereignty. Lebanon can no longer bear to serve – both metaphorically and in practice – as a mailbox for Iran in its dialogue with the U.S. and the West, or as an arena for Iranian score-settling with various parties. The government’s silence, and its failure to speak out against these recurring Iranian positions that disrespect Lebanon’s sovereignty, is disturbing…
“The gravest aspect of the Iranian official’s statement is that it prompts and supplies an excuse for, or drags [Lebanon] into, a painful Israeli attack… by creating reasons, justifications and [suitable] circumstances for such an attack. If such an attack takes place, it will eliminate any chance of seeing the country get back on its feet, for it is already on the brink of bankruptcy… [Moreover,] Lebanon’s relations with its Arab surroundings and its friends around the world are not at their best, for well-known reasons. [So] a war, if it breaks out, will have devastating consequences. We should keep in mind that nobody in the Arab or international community will be willing to come to Lebanon’s rescue and to rebuild it if another war, like the one in 2006, breaks out.”[16]
[1] Khabar Online (Iran), December 9, 2019.
[2] ISNA (Iran), December 11, 2019.
[3] Twitter.com/EliasBouSaab, December 10, 2019.
[4] Twitter.com/aljarrahjamal, December 10, 2019.
[5] Twitter.com/NohadMachnouk, December 10, 2019.
[6] Twitter.com/Ashraf_Rifi, December 10, 2019.
[7] Twitter.com/nadimgemayel, December 10, 2019.
[8] Twitter.com/michelmoawad, December 10, 2019.
[9] Twitter.com/DrMohamadHajjar, December 11, 2019.
[10] Twitter.com/MahfoudElie, December 10, 2019.
[11] Twitter.com/FaridBoustany, December 10, 2019.
[12] Twitter.com/PanoAntoine, December 10, 2019.
[13] For Nasrallah’s statements, see alahednews.com.lb, November 11, 2019.
[14] For Nasrallah’s statements, see alahednews.com.lb, September 10, 2019.
[15] Al-Mudun (Lebanon), December 12, 2019.
[16] Al-Liwa (Lebanon), December 11, 2019.
Shi’ite Protester In Beirut Destroys Hizbullah Membership Card, Complains: We Are Dying Of Hunger; Hizbullah And Amal Do Not Care; Their Critics Are Accused Of Collaborating With Israel
MEMRI/December 13/2019
In a December 8, 2019 broadcast on Al-Arabiya TV (Dubai/Saudi Arabia) from Beirut, a Shi’ite protestor from Baalbek-Hermel named Hussein Ali Matar asked to be interviewed by the reporter. Matar said that it is impossible to find a job in his area without connections to Hizbullah or the Amal Movement and that Shi’ites in Lebanon are dying of hunger and eating from the trash. He said Hizbullah and Amal Movement officials should resign if they cannot help the people and criticized these movements for accusing their critics of treason and collaboration with Israel. Matar then proceeded to destroy his Hizbullah membership card on camera.
To view the clip of Lebanese Shi’ite Protester Hussein Ali Matar on MEMRI TV, click here or below.
“I Am A Shi’ite From Baalbek-Hermel… I Am Dying Of Hunger We Are All Dying Of Hunger There”
Hussein Ali Matar: “I asked to talk to Al-Arabiya Network in order to deliver my message. I am a Shi’ite from Baalbek-Hermel. In short, I am dying of hunger. We are all dying of hunger there. We are willing to do any job. I’m telling you, I applied for work at the Dar Al-Amal Hospital, but you need connections to the Amal Movement. I applied for work at a factory, but again, you need connections to the Amal Movement. For any job I apply to, I need connections to either Hizbullah or Amal.
“I am a Shi’ite and I have a debt of 2 million Lebanese pounds because of the rent. I support four sisters and one brother, and I haven’t worked in six or seven months. I go everywhere, but nobody helps me. They say there is nothing they can do.”
“You Think That I Am Well-Fed Just Because I’m From Hizbullah? I Am In The Same Situation As Everybody Else”
“I used to work for Hizbullah and they let me go. So now what? This is my party membership card. This card shows that I volunteer for Hizbullah’s Islamic health organization. I – a son of Hizbullah – am dying of hunger. The others keep talking about the weapons of the resistance. Nobody is touching the weapons of the resistance. We all support the resistance against Israel, but we are dying of hunger. One needs to eat in order to fight.
“You think that I am well-fed just because I’m from Hizbullah? I am in the same situation as everybody else.
“During the elections, the Council for Development and Reconstruction made us promises about Baalbek-Hermel. They should go to Baalbek-Hermel and see how the people are dying of hunger. With my own eyes, I saw people eating from the trash. There are people in Baalbek-Hermel who eat from the trash. I saw it with my own eyes. People are sick and tired of being hungry.”
“You Volunteer For Hizbullah, Why Didn’t They Help You?”
Reporter: “You volunteer for Hizbullah. Why didn’t they help you?”
Matar: “I don’t know, ask them. I knocked on their door 100 times. I’m telling you, I went to the office of Hashim [Safi Al-Din] in the Dahieh Suburb. He wouldn’t see me. He sent his assistant. I told him that I wanted work and he said: ‘What do you want me to do? There’s no work in the country.’
“What do you mean there’s no work? When you told me to vote for you, I did. How come there is no work in the country? Now they tell people to leave [the demonstration]. Why would they leave? Each one of [those in power] gets $1,000-1,500, while I get nothing, not a single Lebanese pound a month.”
“If Anybody Who Is Not From Hizbullah Or The Amal Movement Wants To Help Us, They Turn Him Into A Collaborator With Israel”
“If they can’t help us, they should resign and let others help us. If anybody who is not from Hizbullah or the Amal Movement wants to help us, they turn him into a collaborator with Israel. I am talking to you now, and tomorrow they’ll say I am a traitor, who betrayed the resistance and became an ally of Israel.”
Reporter: “What are you doing?” Matar shows his Hizbullah ID card to the camera,
