A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For January 24-25/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 100th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
January 25/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 24-25/2020
Maronite Blinded and Escariotic leaders With idol-Derailed Worshipers/Elias Bejjani/January 24/2020
Pro-Amal supporters shown attacking Lebanese protesters in southern Beirut
Lebanon at a Crossroads after 100 Days of Protests
Aoun meets Interior Minister, MP Pakradounian, diplomats
Diab Chairs First Panel Meeting to Draft Policy Statement
Diab discusses monetary situation with World Bank delegation
Diab, Army Commander discuss security
‘Lebanon Has a Chance to Restore Stability,’ Chief Economist Says
Kubis Says Lebanon Needs Reforms to Gain International Assistance
Fahmi Says 2 Arrested after AMAL Supporters Attack Protesters in Jnah
Nabatieh Protesters Unveil ‘Revolution Fist’ amid Rival Demo
Health Minister Says No Coronavirus in Lebanon
Report: EU Deputies Inquire About Waste Aid for Lebanon
Turkey Earthquake Felt across Lebanon
Arslan, Kubis tackle latest developments
Siniora tackles overall situation with ambassadors of France, Kuwait
Berri’s itinerary focuses on latest developments
Lebanon finance minister to meet IMF official
Wazni, World Bank delegation tackle means to overcome financial crisis
Rampling, Frangieh tackle developments
Dubbed Hezbollah’s government, Lebanon faces daunting task of securing international support/Georgi Azar/Annahar/January 24/2020
Lebanon has 28 days to present rescue plan/Arab News/Najia Houssari/January 25/2020
US envoy to EU: Classify Hezbollah as terrorists/Benjamin Weinthal/Jerusalem Post/January 24/2020
Why should we invest in a time of crisis?/Mohamad Shour and Nassab Helal/Annahar/January 24/2020
Details Of The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorial published on January 24-25/2020
Maronite Blinded and Escariotic leaders With idol-Derailed Worshipers
Elias Bejjani/January 24/2020
Leadership wise, we, the Maronites, are currently orphans in both religious and political domains. Our childish and marginalized present leaders are totally detached from every thing that is a requirement and gifts for leadership, Lebanese identity, faith, self respect, planning, vision, conscience, principles, and self-respect. Sadly they are a bunch of greedy , self-centred, narcissistic and iscariot creatures blinded by their earthly hunger for power and money. No hopes what so ever for our people at any level in their presence and influence…replacing them is an urgent obligation and a must.
Pro-Amal supporters shown attacking Lebanese protesters in southern Beirut
Ismaeel Naar, Al Arabiya English/Friday, 24 January 2020
Pro-Amal supporters were seen attacking Lebanese protesters, including women, with sticks in southern Beirut, videos circulated by activists have shown. The incident took place in the Jnah suburb of southern Beirut on Friday close to the Council for South building. One video, in particular, showed a woman who was filming the gathering before being approached by two men holding sticks before being hit by one of the men. The women shouted that she is from the area before falling to the ground upon being attacked. Another video showed a group of Amal supporters attacking a bus filled with protesters who planned to gather in the area to demonstrate. According to one Lebanese activist on Twitter, at least 15 people were injured during the attacks on protesters in Jnah. Supporters of Shiite groups Hezbollah and Amal have attacked peaceful demonstrators on several occasions since the widespread protest movement first began in October. Lebanon has been gripped by a historic wave of protests since October 17 leading to the resignation of Saad al-Hariri as prime minister, amid anger at the government’s failure to address the country’s worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.(With agencies)
Turkish aid groups building houses in Syria for Idlib’s displaced
Lebanon at a Crossroads after 100 Days of Protests
Naharnet/January 24/2020
When Nazih Khalaf heard that protests were taking place Oct. 17 in Lebanon’s capital over government plans to impose new taxes, he was just returning from south of Beirut where he’d been working to put out deadly wildfires that had been raging for days.
The 42-year-old media activist hopped in a shower and without hesitation headed to Beirut, invigorated by the thought of demonstrations targeting a political class accused of decades of political corruption and mismanagement.
Khalaf hasn’t left downtown Beirut since. Now, 100 days after the nationwide uprising against the country’s hated political class erupted, Lebanon is at a crossroads, and Lebanese are more divided than ever.
“We have protested for 100 days in every sort of way,” Khalaf said. “We chanted slogans, had sit-ins, closed roads, we stood in front of the central bank, in front of the Parliament just so those in power hear our voice and understand that they are really responsible for us.”
A new government was formed Tuesday, and protesters — even though they’ve rejected it as a rubber stamp for traditional political parties — are now split over whether to continue protesting or withdraw from the streets to give the new Cabinet a chance. The peaceful, jubilant protests that characterized the first three months of the uprising have turned violent, and a worsening financial crisis is taking its toll.
Khalaf has been sleeping in a tent that he pitched alongside other protesters and launched a hunger strike earlier this week in exasperation at the political class’ ineptness.
“Unfortunately, for 100 days, they have not listened to us and this new government is the same. In their view, we are not actually people. We are a group of sheep,” said Khalaf from his tent, heavily fatigued after four days of only consuming water and salt.
Another point of division among the Lebanese protesters has been over tactics. Many are frustrated with the frequent roadblocks that have occurred throughout the country.
“I supported the protests at first but when it came to a point where the blocking of roads affected my mom’s doctors’ appointments or my freedom to go to work, then I stopped supporting it,” said a woman who works in management at American University in Beirut. She refused to give her name, fearing it would spark controversy among her friends and colleagues.
Ihab Abu Fakhr is the older brother of Alaa Abu Fakhr, who was shot dead Nov. 12 by a soldier trying to open a road closed by protesters in southern Beirut. He came to central Beirut on Friday to meet with protesters over future plans.
“If I don’t stand up against (the new government), it’s as if I am burying my brother’s cause under the ground,” he said, sitting in one of the tents in downtown among a group of 10 other male protesters.
Some Lebanese are also frustrated at what they view as “thugs” or “infiltrators” who have turned to rioting and vandalism, smashing shop windows and throwing rocks and tiles at police during protests.
Mohammed Saab, a 19-year-old taxi driver, vehemently shook his head at the description of protesters as troublemakers and said that violence from protesters is justified.
“Open your eyes a bit because these people are really hungry. I am with the violence now and the destruction. … The people who say ‘peaceful peaceful’ went out for a bit, they danced, sang, played and then went home. No, this can’t be peaceful. This revolution needs destruction.”
For the past week, a few hundred protesters have engaged in some of the most violent confrontations with security forces in the capital. More than 500 people, including over 100 security forces, were injured in nightly clashes outside the parliament building. Protesters hurled stones, firecrackers, flares and a few Molotov cocktails at security forces who responded with rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons. Several protesters were hit in their eyes and at least two protesters were partially blinded.
On Wednesday, groups of young men rampaged through Beirut’s commercial district, smashing window shops, cafes, banks and other businesses. They ripped tiles off luxury buildings and broke them up to use as stones to throw at police. On Friday, security forces were putting up cement barricades, blast walls and additional barbed wire across the downtown area, blocking the path to major government buildings. Banks stepped up their security and some shops were installing fortified windows and doors, anticipating more violence.
Aoun meets Interior Minister, MP Pakradounian, diplomats
NNA/January 24/2020
Baabda Palace witnessed, on Friday a series of diplomatic and political mertings.
Politically, President Michel Aoun, received the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Brigadier General Mohamed Fahmy, and discussed with him current developments and security conditions in the country.
After the meeting, Fahmy said: “I visited His Excellency the President, and thanked him for the confidence which he, and the Prime Minister, granted me by appointing me as Minister of the Interior. I discussed, with his Excellency l, the security conditions in the country and the measures taken by the security forces in order to maintain security and stability. His Excellency studied the general directives given to security forces regarding their dealings with peaceful demonstrators and the need to provide protection for them, and prevent infiltrators from carrying out riots in places of protest, whether in Beirut or in other regions. I assured his Excellency that the Internal Security Forces are carrying out their duties in accordance with the principles specified in laws, and will protect public and private property and will not attack anyone, securing the protection of citizens at the same time while protecting freedom of expression and human rights guaranteed by the constitution. I presented, to His Excellency, an action plan, hoping that it will help achieve the goals that the Lebanese aspire to regarding security institutions, especially those which are subject to the authority of the Minister of Interior”.
In response to a question, Minister Fahmy stressed that “no one is infallible, but it is not permissible to prejudice the security forces at a time when mistakes come from others as well, bearing in mind that any violation of the laws is subject to accountability in the security forces concerned, but it is unfair to neglect mistakes and ignore the positives and efforts made by the security forces, despite the limited capabilities available”.
On the other hand, President Aoun received the Secretary General of the “Tashnag” party, MP Agop Pakradounian, and discussed with him current affairs and the stage after the formation of the new government. Pakradounian explained that he assured The President of the importance of reconsidering the financial situation in the country and recovering looted funds, in addition to caring for social conditions and benefiting from youth energies. Pakradounian pointed to the necessity of giving the government an opportunity to start and work to achieve the desired goals, and he said: “No matter how many comments were indicated about the conditions for forming the government and its characterization and so on, we hope that it will be able to carry out the desired tasks so that Lebanon would benefit”.
On another note, President Aoun received a message from the Prime Minister of Albania, Mr. Adi Rama, conveyed by the Consul of Albania in Lebanon, Mark Gharib, which included an invitation to attend the international donors conference organized by the European Commission on the seventeenth of next February in Brussels, to support the reconstruction efforts left behind by the earthquake which struck Albania on the twenty-sixth of last November, and resulted in 51 deaths and about a thousand wounded.
President Aoun also met the Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Massimo Marotti on a farewell visit on the occasion of the end of his diplomatic work in Beirut and his appointment as a diplomatic advisor to the Italian Minister of Defense. The President praised the efforts made by Marotti during his presence in Lebanon, especially in terms of strengthening and developing relations between the two countries. In recognition of this, the National Cedar Medal was awarded to him (rank of senior officer), wishing him success in the new tasks entrusted to him.
Ambassador Marotti thanked President Aoun for his initiative, confirming that he was happy with the progress made while in Lebanese-Italian relations.
Congratulations for the President of Greece: On the other hand, President Aoun sent a message of congratulations to the Greek President, Katrina Sacilaropoulou, on her election as the country’s president, wishing her success in her new responsibilities.
Condolences: President Aoun telegramed the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, condoling the death of Prince Bandar bin Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud.
Diab Chairs First Panel Meeting to Draft Policy Statement
Naharnet/January 24/2020
Prime Minister Hassan Diab chaired the first meeting of a panel tasked with drafting a new ministerial statement at the Grand Serail, the National News Agency reported Friday. “The PM noted that the Lebanese are waiting for (government) action and results. He said the policy statement must be clear and specific without insinuating everything is going well,” in Lebanon, Information Minister Manal Abdul Samad told reporters in her first statement as minister after the meeting. The committee is headed by Diab and comprises the deputy PM and the ministers of finance, foreign affairs, justice, economy and trade, environment and administrative development, information, youth and sport, telecom, industry, and social affairs, and the secretary general of the council of ministers and director general of the presidential palace, said NNA. The committee met again after Friday prayers and is scheduled to meet again on Saturday and Sunday.
Diab discusses monetary situation with World Bank delegation
NNA/January 24/2020
Prime Minister Hassan Dia, welcomed this evening at the Grand Serail a delegation of the World Bank, chaired by Regional Director Saroj Kumar Jha, in the presence of Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni. Discussions reportedly touched on the overall monetary and economic situation in the country. Later, Premier Diab met with a delegation of the State Security Agency, led by Maj. Gen. Antoine Saliba, with whom he discussed the Country’s security situation.
Diab, Army Commander discuss security
NNA/January 24/2020
Prime Minister Hassan Diab received this Friday, at the Grand Serail, Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, in the presence of the Director of Intelligence, Brigadier Tony Mansour.
During the meeting, a presentation was made of the overall security situation in the country and the affairs of the military institution.
‘Lebanon Has a Chance to Restore Stability,’ Chief Economist Says
Naharnet/January 24/2020
As Lebanon’s newly appointed ministers focus on setting a plan to save Lebanon from the current financial and economic crisis, chief economist for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Finance Institute, Garbis Iradian, said in report there is still hope for Lebanon to restore stability, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.
Iradian revealed to the daily a report he prepared entitled “Lebanon has an opportunity to restore stability” and includes the following ten steps to address the crisis:
1- Reduction in interest rates.
2- Restore vigor to the banking system.
3- Pursue financial adjustment to address the deficit.
4- Reform the Electricite du Liban Authority.
5- Seek an International Monetary Fund program.
6- Reschedule the country’s debt.
7- Unify exchange rates under stable conditions.
8- Privatize cell phone companies and other public institutions.
9- Reduce corruption.
10 – Create a social aid fund.
Iradian said the risks remain, as the cabinet may resign or be subject to intense pressure which may hinder financial and structural reforms.
The impact of the financial crisis on the economy, families, companies and major services sectors in the economy may also be greater than expected, he concluded in his report.
Kubis Says Lebanon Needs Reforms to Gain International Assistance
Naharnet/January 24/2020
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis said he touched “positive signals” during his meeting with PM Hassan Diab at the Grand Serail on Friday, stressing that the international community expects Lebanon to implement a much-needed reform and fight corruption.
“I touched seriousness and positive signals from the PM’s part,” said Kubis, “it is crucial to see that the pledges for reform are kept and transparency adopted to the maximum otherwise, we will be in deep crisis” he said in remarks to reporters after the meeting. “The international community expects the government to embark on the implementation of reforms, fight corruption and lend an ear to the demands of the people in the street,” added Kubis. In earlier tweets, Kubis had sharply criticized Lebanese politicians saying they had only themselves to blame for the chaos in Lebanon as the country grapples with nationwide protests, unprecedented economic crisis and violent demonstrations leaving many hospitalized.
Fahmi Says 2 Arrested after AMAL Supporters Attack Protesters in Jnah
Naharnet/January 24/2020
Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi on Friday announced the arrest of two of those who attacked anti-corruption protesters outside the Council for South in the Beirut suburb of Jnah. “They are being interrogated to identify the motives, reasons and instigators behind the attack on rotesters,” Fahmi said in a statement. “They will be referred to the relevant judicial authorities for the necessary legal measures against them and security agencies are continuing their raids to arrest other assailants who took part in the attack on protesters,” he added. Fahmi had earlier condemned “the barbaric behavior that peaceful demonstrators, including women, were subjected to on their way to a sit-in outside the Council for South.”“Among the Interior Ministry’s missions and priorities is the protection of all citizens, be them protesters or not, and the prevention of acts of rioting and vandalism,” Fahmi said. The Ministry “will not allow security violators to insult the dignity of any citizen, under any circumstance, excuse or reason,” the minister stressed, noting that “protesting and assembly is a legitimate right enshrined in the law and all humanitarian and ethical norms and applicable regulations.”Videos circulated online and broadcast by TV networks show the anti-corruption protesters coming under attack by supporters of the AMAL Movement. The assailants, whose faces appear clearly in the videos, were carrying sticks, knives and blades.In one of the videos, an attacker is seen assaulting a female protester who was filming the confrontation.
Nabatieh Protesters Unveil ‘Revolution Fist’ amid Rival Demo
Naharnet/January 24/2020
Anti-government protesters in the southern city of Nabatieh on Friday unveiled a “fist of the revolution” statue to commemorate 100 days since the beginning of the October 17 popular uprising. The ceremony was held amid tight security measures taken by the army and Internal Security Forces, as supporters of Hizbullah and the AMAL Movement staged a rival demo at the location, chanting slogans supportive of Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Speaker Nabih Berri. A representative of the Hizbullah and AMAL supporters said their demo was not aimed at “stirring a problem with the protest movement or anyone else.”“But these people are provoking us by raising this fist in Nabatieh. This city only raises the fist of Imam Hussein and Nabatieh expelled the occupiers and offered martyrs and will not accept such a symbol, a symbol of the international masonic movement. It should be removed and we will not accept that it stays in its place,” the spokesman said. The protester Ilda Mazraani meanwhile said that Nabatieh’s protest movement “will continue its peaceful uprising until the fulfilment of demands,” urging all “free Lebanese” to “defend their right to dignified living and national dignity.”
Health Minister Says No Coronavirus in Lebanon
Naharnet/January 24/2020
Lebanon’s new health minister Hamad Hasan on Friday made a surprise inspection visit to the state-run hospital in Hermel. “We have made this visit to honor our promise that we would stand by our people and they will find us with them whenever they make any appeal,” Hasan said. “I had received a phone call from MP (Ihab) Hamadeh about the possibility of the presence of the symptoms of the H1N1 flu… There is no need to panic over the possibility of the outbreak of this disease or another disease and certainly there is no coronavirus,” the minister added.
He also noted that there a laboratory at the state-run hospital in Beirut is equipped to “receive samples from the various Lebanese regions,” pointing out that “the antidote is present at the ministry and will be offered for free to any clinically diagnosed patients.”“The Ministry’s epidemiological monitoring unit will conduct field surveillance,” he added. A deadly coronavirus has infected hundreds in China and spread to other countries. At least 26 people have died in China and millions are on lockdown in the Chinese city of Wuhan in an effort to curb the virus’ spread. Chinese officials have said the virus likely originated from wild animals at a seafood market in Wuhan but it has since spread to several countries around Asia and beyond. The outbreak has prompted authorities in at least eight Chinese cities to impose travel restrictions and cancel public events to curb the spread.
Report: EU Deputies Inquire About Waste Aid for Lebanon
Naharnet/January 24/2020
A group of European parliament deputies are reportedly seeking investigation into corruption claims involving European aid for Lebanon in waste management projects, which if verified may lead to withholding EU aid from the crisis-hit country, al-Akhbar daily reported on Friday.
The EU deputies are allegedly demanding that the “looted” funds be recovered, hoping that Lebanon’s government would initiate an investigation on its part and return this money as a goodwill gesture, according to the daily. “On November 14th, the Brussels conference for the European Union on Lebanon and corruption succeeded in including Lebanon’s file in the European Parliament session held two weeks later, during which about 20 European deputies spoke about the situation in Lebanon, among them is Thierry Mariani, former minister in the government of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy,” said al-Akhbar.In his intervention Mariani said “We, as elected people in the European Parliament have to wonder where does the money we transfer to Lebanon as aid goes?” according to al-Akhbar. In 2017, the European Commission approved EU-funded projects including a program aiming at enhancing the waste management sector in the Governorates of Beirut and Mount Lebanon to “process waste management in order to contribute to the establishment of better and environmentally-friendly waste governance in general,” an EU press release said then. Mariani reportedly highlighted a message from a member of the Municipal Council in Tripoli, Nour al-Ayoubi, stating that the European Union had given a gift to build a waste sorting plant in the northern capital, which was not implemented according to the book of conditions.
Turkey Earthquake Felt across Lebanon
Naharnet/January 24/2020
Residents of Beirut, Keserwan, Tripoli, Sidon and several other Lebanese region on Friday felt an earthquake that struck eastern Turkey, Lebanon’s National News Agency said. Lebanon’s state-run National Center for Geophysics said “the earthquake felt by the Lebanese in several regions originated in Turkey, where a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit areas in eastern Turkey.”In remarks to MTV, the secretary general of Lebanon’s National Center for Scientific Research, Moein Hamze, said the quake struck at 7:55 pm and had nothing to do with any seismic activity on the faultlines of Lebanon or the neighboring countries, stressing that “there is no reason for panic.” A Turkish government agency said the quake measured 6.8 on the Richter scale. There was no immediate information about any casualties but Tyrkey’s interior minister said there were reports that some buildings had collapsed. The quake shook the Sivrice district in the eastern province of Elazig. The U.S. Geological Survey assessed the quake’s magnitude at 6.7, and said it struck at a depth of 10 kilometers. “Sivrice was shaken very seriously, we have directed our rescue teams to the region,” Turkey’s interior minister told reporters. Turkey lies on major faultlines and is prone to earthquakes. In 1999, a devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit Izmit in western Turkey, leaving more than 17,000 people dead including about 1,000 in the economic capital Istanbul.
Arslan, Kubis tackle latest developments
NNA/January 24/2020
“Lebanese Democratic” Party leader, MP Talal Arslan, met Friday at his Khaldeh residence with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis, with whom he discussed most recent political developments on the local and regional arena.
Siniora tackles overall situation with ambassadors of France, Kuwait
NNA/January 24/2020
Former Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, on Friday welcomed at his Bliss office the French Ambassador to Lebanon, Bruno Faucher, with whom he discussed the current situation and the bilateral ties between the two countries. Siniora met this morning with Kuwaiti Ambassador to Lebanon, Abdel Aal al-Qinai, with talks reportedly touching on the Country’s general situation.
Berri’s itinerary focuses on latest developments
NNA/January 24/2020
Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri welcomed this Friday in Ain El-Tineh former Minister Ghazi Al-Aridi, with whom he discussed the overall situation and the latest political developments. Berri also tackled bilateral relations between Lebanon and Italy during his meeting with Italian Ambassador Massimo Marotti. The Speaker then met with President of the Constitutional Council, Judge Tannous Meshleb, and members with whom he tackled the functions and work of the Council.
Berri also welcomed the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Lebanon, Abdul Muttalib Sarker.
Lebanon finance minister to meet IMF official
Reuters, Beirut/Friday, 24 January 2020
Lebanese Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni will meet with International Monetary Fund official Sami Geadah on Saturday, a statement from the Finance Ministry said on Friday. Wazni was named minister this week in a new cabinet that is hoping to enact urgent reforms to mount a recovery from the worst financial strains in decades.
Wazni, World Bank delegation tackle means to overcome financial crisis
NNA/January 24/2020
Minister of Finance, Ghazi Wazni, received a delegation from the World Bank headed by the Regional Director of the Mashreq Department, Saroj Kumar Jha, with talks touching on overcoming the economic crisis and undertaking the necessary reforms to advance the economy.
Jha expressed “the Bank’s readiness to assist Lebanon, under the present financial circumstances.”
Rampling, Frangieh tackle developments
NNA/January 24/2020
Leader of the Marada movement, Sleiman Frangieh, welcomed at his residence in Bnashii the British Ambassador to Lebanon, Chris Rampling, in the presence of MP Tony Frangieh, former Minister Rony Araiji and Dr. Jean Boutros. The meeting touched on the latest developments on the local and international scenes.
Dubbed Hezbollah’s government, Lebanon faces daunting task of securing international support
Georgi Azar/Annahar/January 24/2020
Speaking on Wednesday, Pompeo said Washington does “not know the answer yet” if it will work with the newly formed Lebanese government.
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s new government received a lukewarm welcome internationally hours after its formation, with U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stopping short of voicing support for the debt-ridden country.
Speaking on Wednesday, Pompeo said Washington does “not know the answer yet” if it will work with the newly formed Lebanese government. The government came to fruition after months of political unease exacerbated by massive economic contraction.
Lebanon’s debt-to-GDP stands at more than 150%, one of the highest in the world, and unemployment hovers between 35% and 40%. It is ranked 138 out of 175 countries by Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.
“The test of Lebanon’s new government will be its actions and its responsiveness to the demands of the Lebanese people to implement reforms and to fight corruption,” Pompeo said in a statement.
“Only a government that is capable of and committed to undertaking real and tangible reforms will restore investor confidence and unlock international assistance for Lebanon,” he added, highlighting the need for the small Mediterranean country to get its finances in order before seeking external support. On Tuesday, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab formed a 20-member government after ceding to the demands of his backers by adding two posts for the Marada Movement, allies of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.
After months of tug and pull and feuds over ministerial allocations, Hezbollah and its allies managed to form a Cabinet that faces the daunting task of steering Lebanon away from financial collapse.
Hezbollah’s grip on the government is sure to spur the international community, with Pompeo arguing that the protests are fueled by anti-Hezbollah sentiment. “The protests taking place today in Lebanon are saying to Hezbollah no more. We want a non-corrupt government that reflects the will of the people of Lebanon,” he told Bloomberg in an interview.
The Shiite militant and political group Hezbollah is designated a terrorist organization by both the U.S and U.K.
Speaking from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, former Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil threw his weight behind the government which “will restore international confidence.”
“This government should start right away to fix the fiscal problems of this country,” Bassil said, calling on both Lebanese and the international community to afford the government a chance to “prove its credibility.”
“This government will prove whether it is credible or not by its action,” Bassil told panel moderator Hadley Gamble.
After securing the vote of confidence of Parliament and the Lebanese people, the new government will then seek to rally the support of international donors Bassil said.
Yet Hezbollah’s backing might derail international help, as pointed out by Gamble. “I have asked the Saudis and the Qataris, and the message is clear, off the record, that they will not back a government that is backed by Hezbollah,” she said. To circumvent potential isolation, Bassil maintained that the first order of business lies with the government implementing the necessary reforms before seeking international aid.
Ever since U.S President Donald Trump took office, his Cabinet has initiated a maximum pressure campaign targetting Iran and Hezbollah with hard-hitting sanctions. Hezbollah’s dominant military and political force, however, aided by its alliance with the biggest Christian parliamentary block, has made it hard to dampen both its local and regional influence.
Western media have also dubbed the Cabinet Hezbollah’s government, raising concerns over its perception in wider international spheres.
British Ambassador to Lebanon Chris Rampling held Thursday a meeting with Diab at the Grand Serail, somewhat echoing Pompeo’s sentiments.
“The formation of a new government is an important step for Lebanon. Along with other members of the international community, we stand ready to support Lebanon, but we look to this government to demonstrate its commitment to the reforms which Lebanon desperately needs,” Rampling said.
Lebanon has 28 days to present rescue plan
Arab News/Najia Houssari/January 25/2020
UN special coordinator for Lebanon tells PM Diab: ‘Most important step to take is reforms, reforms, and reforms’
Lebanon has 28 days to prepare a statement showing how it will resolve its crises following a meeting Friday between the UN’s special coordinator for the country and Prime Minister Hassan Diab.
The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis met Diab and reiterated that the most important step that should be taken was “reforms, reforms, and reforms, break up with previous corruption practices, adopt transparency, reestablish trust, and listen to the demands of people demonstrating in the streets in order to win their confidence.”
The government has 28 days to prepare its statement, which includes a plan to address the turmoil coursing through Lebanon.
The formation of a new government earlier this week ended months of political deadlock following Saad Hariri’s resignation as prime minister in October in response to mass protests over corruption and mismanagement. Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad said the ministerial committee tasked with drafting the statement intended to promptly issue it as there were “pressing internal and external situations, and the crisis is getting more aggravated.”Hundreds of people were injured in Beirut last weekend after security personnel fired tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets at demonstrators who threw stones, attempted to invade the Parliament building, and attacked bank offices and shops. There were also recent clashes between activists and supporters of the Amal Movement, which is associated with the country’s Shiite community. People wanting to protest corruption outside a public institution in the southern part of the capital were targeted by knife and stick-wielding men.
“Young men attacked us and accused us of being spies and agents, then started beating women and men alike,” said one activist. “We fled in every direction and the guards of a major store denied us entry to hide, for they feared being attacked by the aggressors.”
Amal’s leadership said the attack was perpetrated without its knowledge and was a “mere improvised reaction” by inhabitants of the area.
But newly appointed Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmy condemned the “brutal attack.” “Security services will not hesitate to pursue the aggressors and unveil their identities,” he warned. “We will no longer accept that those who tamper with security continue to violate the rights and dignity of any citizen under any circumstances or pretext, for demonstrations, sit-ins are legitimate rights protected by law.”There is also anger at the makeup of the new Cabinet, with senior political figures saying it showed that Hezbollah’s takeover of the Lebanese state was complete. Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said Hezbollah had become the party with the most authority in Lebanon as it was able to extend its influence, authority and control to the head and members of the government. “What happened so far will have negative repercussions on the government and its approach to a large number of problems, which have become aggravated since Michel Aoun became president and led to a significant decline in the confidence of citizens in the government and the political class as a whole,” he told Arab News. The new government did not bring independent ministers as promised, he added.
Earlier this week former minister Marwan Hamade told Arab News that Hezbollah regained a parliamentary majority in 2018 thanks to an electoral law designed to benefit the pro-Iranian party. “Now Hezbollah completes its takeover through the new government where we find the fingerprints of the Syrian regime. The majority of the new ministers in key positions depend either on Hezbollah or on the former security chief, the pro-Syrian Jamil Sayyed, or on Gebran Bassil, their ally,” Hamade said.
US envoy to EU: Classify Hezbollah as terrorists
Benjamin Weinthal/Jerusalem Post/January 24/2020
بنيامين وينثال/جيروسالم بوست: المبعوث الأمريكي إلى الاتحاد الأوروبي: صنّفوا حزب الله كمنظمة أرهابية
Grenell tells ‘Post’ “I am hopeful that there will be a draft European Parliament resolution calling for the ban of Hezbollah.”
The US government’s most important European ambassador on Wednesday urged the EU to designate the entire Hezbollah movement a terrorist entity.
Writing an opinion article for Politico, US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell said, “The European Union should follow the German parliament’s lead and recognize Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.”
Grenell told The Jerusalem Post: “I am hopeful that there will be a draft European Parliament resolution calling for the ban of Hezbollah. The German government’s action on the issue has been a huge step forward in Europe.”
The US Embassy tweeted on Wednesday about Grenell’s meeting with members of the European parliament: “Today we met with David McAllister and several other German members of the @Europarl_EN [European Parliament] to strategize how Europe can take action to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization.”
Grenell noted in a Politico article: “In one of its last acts of 2019, the German parliament called on the government to ban Hezbollah. Recent developments show the government is ready to act, using available legal tools to deny the Iranian terror proxy the ability to plan, recruit and raise funds on German soil.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s administration has not proscribed Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The Post has previously reported, based on intelligence reports, that 1,050 Hezbollah members and supporters operate within German territory. The Hezbollah operatives raise funds, recruit new members and spread antisemitic and terrorist ideologies.
Grenell said Hezbollah “flouts the rule of law, raising hundreds of millions of dollars in financing per year through criminal networks and transnational money laundering schemes originating in or transiting Europe. An EU-wide designation of Hezbollah is necessary to deny it the vast European recruiting and fund-raising networks it needs to survive.”
Grenell wrote that the Bundestag’s moves “come[s] in the wake of continued paralysis in Brussels, where some member countries still argue for Hezbollah’s legitimacy due to its political role in Lebanon. The EU thus maintains an artificial distinction between Hezbollah’s ‘political wing’ and ‘military wing,’ a division the terror group itself does not recognize. The EU’s stated intent for creating this false distinction is to preserve an open channel with Hezbollah and its representatives in the Lebanese government.”
The ambassador added: “The facts belie the EU’s stance. Hezbollah works for the Iranian regime, not the Lebanese people, who have protested against Iran’s influence in their country since October. It contributes to the 400,000-plus death toll in Syria, and remains dedicated to the extermination of Israel. It has planned and executed terrorist attacks on European soil. “
The United Kingdom and the Netherlands are the only European countries that have outlawed Hezbollah’s entire organization. The Arab League, the US, Israel, Columbia and Honduras are among the countries that classify Hezbollah a full-blown terrorist movement.
The Post learned last year that Grenell raises a full ban of Hezbollah in every meeting with German officials.
The efforts by the US ambassador to push the Europeans to classify Hezbollah a terrorist organization are unprecedented in the history of US diplomacy on the Continent.
Grenell sought to debunk the standard EU argument that if Hezbollah is banned, EU-Lebanon diplomatic relations could not function. He wrote: “This designation would not deprive Brussels of its open channel to the Lebanese government. The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and others each recognize Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and each maintains a robust relationship with Lebanon.”
Grenell wrote: “On January 10, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting revenue used by the Iranian regime to fund and support its terrorist proxy networks. The US imposed additional sanctions against broad sectors of the Iranian economy, including construction, manufacturing, and mining, to further deny funding to terrorist groups that threaten the US, Europe and our partners in the Middle East… As a result, Hezbollah is under enormous financial pressure. The group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has called on his supporters to make an unprecedented increase in ‘charitable’ donations to pay for fighters perpetuating violence in the Levant. But in the meantime, Hezbollah’s coercive influence over Lebanon’s financial sector, and its operational freedom within the European Union, allow it access to the revenue it needs to weather the storm of sanctions.”
He concluded his article by stating that the US “is resolute in its efforts to stop the spread of Hezbollah’s terror, but we cannot contain the threat on our own. As with similar challenges, the US requires the support of its European allies. If the EU wants to take a stand against the Assad regime’s violence in Syria and the export of that violence and instability to Europe, it should follow the German parliament’s lead, and designate all of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.”
Why should we invest in a time of crisis?
Mohamad Shour and Nassab Helal/Annahar/January 24/2020
BEIRUT: Strict measures implemented by banks asserted a feeling of fear among the Lebanese. These measures, which include limitations on cash withdrawals, money transfers, and prohibiting cashing cheques, reflect the deterioration of the economic situation in the country.
Nicolas Koborssi, founder of an investing service called Manix, organized a seminar titled “Why should I invest in a time of crisis?” on Wednesday. The discussion aimed to raise awareness on the dire need to pump capital into the economy.
“People need to be aware that a time of crisis should not act as a barrier to investment,” said Koborssi. “Money is nothing but a mere piece of paper prone to burning, stealing, and disappearing; storing it aside is pretty much useless.”
According to Koborssi, investment should not be retained to a specific time frame. On the contrary, in times of crisis, the power resides in the hands of the buyers and not the sellers. Economic turmoil instigates a reign of panic causing people to sell everything at a much lower price than usual. This being the case, the purchaser can fully negotiate the price desired making it an ideal time for investors.
“The economy revolves around the laws of supply and demand. These laws are governed by the Lebanese- people either increase or decrease demand,” Koborssi told Annahar.
Koborssi then stressed that if the Lebanese do not want the economy to deteriorate, they have to start investing to boost it.
“I’m not saying go and buy an apartment right away, spend your money wisely. Just don’t withhold it and do nothing with it,” he said.
Koborssi also explained that investments and calculated risks go hand-in-hand. According to the risk-to-reward ratio, risks are inevitable when it comes to investments. The importance lies in how one manages the risks and whether he or she is compensated for it.
Accordingly, studying the finances prior to making an investment is key. It enables one to make a well-informed decision. Nevertheless, there is no one hundred percent guarantee that a person might not lose the amount of money they have invested. Tackling the fear associated with risky investments, Koborssi motivated attendees to step out of their comfort zone.
“Take that extra step and don’t let fear be a barrier,” he said. “By doing so, you encourage many people to do the same.”
People from across the age spectrum participated in the seminar. Many came with a passion, trying to find ways to aid their country’s economy to avoid collapse. “The problems happening in Lebanon enable me to think what can we, the youth, do to help our country,” said Karen Kordab, one of the participants. “I learned that having a problem is an opportunity to create a solution.”“How are we helping our economy when we refrain from investing? This makes the situation much worse on all citizens,” said Randi Menhen, another attendee of the seminar.
