A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For March 04-05/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 140th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
March 05/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 04-05/2020
Lebanon’s Iranian Cancerous Occupation and The Required Solutions/Elias Bejjani/March 03/2020
Number of registered coronavirus cases in Lebanon rises to 15/Perla Kantarjian/Annahar/March 04/ 2020
IMF Deal Seen as Only Solution for Crisis-Hit Lebanon
Differences Emerge between Hezbollah, FPM over Cooperation with IMF/Paula Astih/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 04/2020
President Aoun follows up on work of Ministries
Hariri Hospital Report: Number of confirmed coronavirus cases rises to 15
Al-Maounat Hospital: Patient coming from Egypt isolated after testing positive for coronavirus
Hassan, WHO Reassure Coronavirus ‘Under Control’ in Lebanon
Maronite Bishops push for forsaking depositors’ funds
Roads Blocked in Lebanon as Dollar Hits Record Parallel Market High
U.S. Contractor Charged with Giving Up Military Secrets to Hizbullah-Linked Lebanese
Berri Urges No Eurobond Payment ‘Even If It Leads to Default’
Diab Meets UN Delegation on UNIFIL Role
Arab Inter-Parliamentary Meeting Postponed over Virus Concerns
Kattar, Czech ambassador discuss egovernment program
Kattar meets World Bank delegation over joint projects
Defense Minister meets ambassadors of Korea, Finland
Lebanese Hizb ut-Tahrir Preacher Ahmad Al-Qasas: The Muslims Will Kill The Jews, Who Will Hide Behind Rocks And Trees; The Jews Are The Most Cowardly Of Allah’s Creations/MEMRI/March 04/2020
Lebanon’s business conditions continue to deteriorate as March 9 deadline looms/Sarmad Khan/The National/March 04/2020
US linguist charged for giving top-secret information to man with Hezbollah links/Joyce Karam/The National/March 04/2020
Hezbollah’s Suicidal Red Line/Michael Young/Carnegie MEC/March 04/2020
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 04-05/2020
Lebanon’s Iranian Cancerous Occupation and The Required Solutions
سرطان الإحتلال الإيراني للبنان والحلول الدولية المطلوبة
Elias Bejjani/March 03/2020
Lebanon’s current problem is the cancerous Hezbollah’s Iranian Occupation that is systematic, and since 1982 has been covertly and overtly devouring Lebanon and everything that is Lebanese in all domains and on all levels.
The Solution is through the UN declaring Lebanon a rogue-failed country and the strict implementation of the three UN Resolutions addressing Lebanon’s
ongoing dilemma of occupation:
The Armistice agreement
The 1559 UN Resolution
The 1701UN Resolution.
All other approaches, no matter what, will only serve the occupying Mullah’s vicious scheme of destroying Lebanon and strengthening its ironic, terrorist grip on the Lebanese.
All Pro-Lebanon’s Freedom demonstrations in any country in the Diaspora that are carried on by the Lebanese MUST call for this only International solution.
Meanwhile, yes, Lebanon and the Lebanese are facing very serious crises, hardships and problems in all life sectors; e.g., poverty, unemployment, corruption, drug trafficking, money laundering, politicization of the judiciary, electricity shortage, a scandalous disarray in trash collection, lack of health benefits, education, and numerous social services … and the list goes on and on.
BUT, non of these hardships in any way or at any time will be solved as long as the terrorist Iranian Hezbollah remains occupying the country and terrorizing its people. At the same time, the majority of Lebanese officials, politicians and political parties are actually the enemies of both Lebanon and its citizens.
In this context, President Michael Aoun, His son-in-law, the FM, Jobran Bassil, Amin Gymael and his son Sami, PM, Saad Hariri, Druze leader Walid Jumblat, House Speaker Nabih Berri, Lebanese Forces Party leader Samir Geagea, Slieman Frangea and many other politicians, as well as numerous topnotch clergymen from all denominations are all cut from the same garment of oligarchic, narcissism, trojanism, greed, and feudalism in their mentality and education.
They all, with no sense of patriotism, have succumbed to the Hezbollah’s Iranian savage occupation.
They all and each from his status and based on his capacity and influence, have traded Lebanon’s independence, freedom, decision making process and sovereignty with mere personal power and financial gains.
In reality, they have sold their country to the occupier, Hezbollah, and with no shame have accepted the status of Dhimmitudes, puppets, tools, trumpets, cymbals and mouthpieces for the terrorist occupier. They betrayed, and still betraying, the country and their own people.
In this realm, the Lebanese demonstrators who are loudly shouting the Slogan, “All of them” are 100% right and are righteously witnessing for the truth because all of the above political and official prominent figures are practically mere merchants with numbed consciences.
All Of Them definitely means all of them.
It is worth mentioning that the Lebanese constitution is ideal for the nature of the multi-cultural and multi-religious denominational composition of the mosaic of diversified Lebanese society.
The governing disasters that have been targeting and hitting Lebanon since the early seventies has nothing to do with the great and ideal covenantal (unwritten pact) constitution, but with the foreign occupations and the oligarchic Lebanese corrupted officials and politicians.
My fellow patriotic and God fearing Lebanese from all religious denominations and all walks of life in both Lebanon and the Diaspora, stand tall and steadfast like our cedars. Do not lose faith or give up on hope, and never ever forget that our beloved, country, Lebanon is holy.
Yes, Lebanon is holy and has been blessed by Almighty God since he created man and woman and put them on earth.
Pray for our oppressed and occupied country and that Almighty God shall always guard, protect and defend it through His saints and angels.
Number of registered coronavirus cases in Lebanon rises to 15
Perla Kantarjian/Annahar/March 04/ 2020
The Rafic Hariri University Hospital’s daily report on the latest updates on the novel coronavirus stated that in total, 51 individuals underwent lab tests, of whom 48 tested negative, and two tested positive.
BEIRUT: New coronavirus cases were registered on Wednesday, increasing the total number of COVID-19 patients in Lebanon to 15, with news of the very first patient slowly getting to recovery. The Rafic Hariri University Hospital’s daily report on the latest updates on the novel coronavirus stated that in total, 51 individuals underwent lab tests, of whom 48 tested negative, and two tested positive. The initial coronavirus case of the 45-year-old woman has become a ‘patient zero’ who is no longer symptomatic of the coronavirus, but whose examination came slightly positive. Because of that, the medical team decided to keep her in the hospital’s isolation unit. The second new patient, a person coming from Egypt who appears to be in critical health, was admitted to another hospital in Jbeil due to acute respiratory issues, and tested positive on the virus. The patient will be transferred to RHUH. Also in its daily report, the RHUH disclosed that during the past 24 hours, the hospital’s emergency unit welcomed 45 individuals who suspected to have contracted the virus, and who were subject to the necessary medical tests. Based on the evaluation of the supervising doctor, 15 of them needed to be quarantined, while the rest were advised to put themselves under in-house quarantine. Furthermore, nine of the quarantined patients left the hospital after they tested negative for the virus, but were still asked to stay under home quarantine provided with the necessary instructions and protective means, in accordance with the World Health Organization directions. Till now, there are 14 patients at the RHUH quarantine unit, 15 confirmed novel coronavirus cases, one patient with hopes of recovery (the very first case), and another with a critical condition (Iranian national). The rest have stable health conditions and are receiving the necessary care at the RHUH isolation unit. Also on Wednesday, and according to the Minister of Health Hamad Hassan, the World Health Organization asserted that Lebanon is still in the containment stage and did not reach the outbreak stage. “The situation is under control and safe,” Hassan added, thanking the efforts of the Red Cross, nurses, doctors, RHUH employees, and the ministry’s team for all their conducted work.
IMF Deal Seen as Only Solution for Crisis-Hit Lebanon
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 4 March, 2020
The Lebanese government must swallow its misgivings and reach a rescue deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or risk economic implosion and further turmoil, economists, diplomats and politicians said. Privately, some government officials acknowledge that an IMF bailout is the most logical solution to Lebanon’s economic crisis, according to a source familiar with ongoing discussions. But to get such a rescue program in place, the new government would have to overcome the objections of Hezbollah. As Lebanon’s financial crisis drags on and government revenues dwindle, the bill to rescue the country is rising. Former economy minister and ex-vice central bank governor Nasser Saidi estimates the economy will need $30 billion, and an additional $25 billion to recapitalize a banking system in hock to the state. “Lebanon needs external liquidity both for the balance of payments but also for the government,” Saidi said. “That’s why the external package and the IMF reform program which comes with all the associated reforms which we need is so necessary”.
A $1.2 billion payment on a Eurobond is falling due on March 9 and even though Lebanon is widely expected to restructure its foreign-currency-denominated debt that is unlikely to be enough to deal with the total debt burden, economists and analysts say. The IMF has estimated that Lebanon’s public debt would reach 155% of gross domestic product by the end of 2019, one of the biggest debt burdens in the world. Any move to restructure will further pressurize local banks, which after years of funneling their deposits to the state, have an exposure to Lebanese sovereign debt that stands at almost twice their capital base.
The government could look at forcing depositors to take losses as another way to alleviate its burden. But the Lebanese banking system has been built on attracting deposits from overseas and grabbing such cash would make it more difficult for Lebanon to attract hard currency in future. The banks have already seen deposits drain away, despite effectively imposing capital controls on ordinary savers, and urgently need to restock their balance sheets.
Lebanon hired US investment bank Lazard and law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP last week as advisers. But with inflation shooting up to 30%, the pound depreciating by 40% since October and the number of jobless rising every day, analysts say only a full IMF deal will unlock the tens of billions of dollars Lebanon now needs. “The IMF opens doors to international assistance. An IMF program is inevitable”, Reuters quoted Toufic Gaspard, a former government and central bank economist, as saying. “It’s likely Hezbollah will eventually accept an IMF plan because they have no other option. The alternative will be serious political and economic crises”. The government said it was working its own rescue plan without resorting to an IMF program and was only seeking IMF technical assistance. A senior Hezbollah official said that terms required by any IMF bailout would spark social unrest.
“The position is not towards the Fund as an international financial institution but on the terms offered to Lebanon, because they will lead to a popular revolution,” Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadallah told Reuters.
“Our position is against this type of program and not against the Fund as an organization.” The IMF declined to comment, referring instead to a statement from last week when it said its staff had held five days of “very informative and productive” talks with Lebanese authorities, and stood ready to provide further technical advice as the Lebanese government formulated its economic reform plans. Some analysts argue Hezbollah will have to relent because its Shiite constituency, especially those who pad the public payroll, will be among the worst hit by economic collapse – and because the IMF is the only alternative to that risky outcome. “Unless the right, responsible decisions are made, there’s a big collapse coming and it’s unknown what will come out of it: will it be the same Lebanon or a different Lebanon?,” said Alain Aoun, a senior member of the Free Patriotic Movement. “The price for the Lebanese system will be very high, bigger than just a change of government,” said Aoun, adding that so far no party had presented a credible alternative to an IMF program. Fadallah did not respond to a question about an IMF program being the only way to avoid economic disaster.
Differences Emerge between Hezbollah, FPM over Cooperation with IMF
Paula Astih/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 04/2020
Differences recently emerged between the Hezbollah party and its ally, the Free Patriotic Movement, over how to tackle Lebanon’s crippling financial crisis. Hezbollah had outright rejected any cooperation with the International Monetary fund, saying contacts with it would be limited to consultations. The position stood in contrast with that of leading members of the FPM, who rejected preemptive statements amid the lack of serious alternative options. An IMF rescue plan appears as the best option to tackle the crisis. A $1.2 billion payment on a Eurobond is falling due on March 9 and even though Lebanon is widely expected to restructure its foreign-currency-denominated debt that is unlikely to be enough to deal with the total debt burden, economists and analysts say.
The IMF has estimated that Lebanon’s public debt would reach 155% of gross domestic product by the end of 2019, one of the biggest debt burdens in the world. Any move to restructure will further pressurize local banks, which after years of funneling their deposits to the state, have an exposure to Lebanese sovereign debt that stands at almost twice their capital base. Lebanon hired US investment bank Lazard and law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP last week as advisers. But with inflation shooting up to 30%, the pound depreciating by 40% since October and the number of jobless rising every day, analysts say only a full IMF deal will unlock the tens of billions of dollars Lebanon now needs. Corruption and bad governance are seen as root causes of Lebanon’s problems and the crisis, which has seen street protests against the ruling elite, represents the most serious threat to the country’s stability since the 1975-1990 civil war. Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem was the first to announce his rejection of an IMF bailout, saying: “We will not accept submitting to (imperialist) tools … meaning we do not accept submitting to the International Monetary Fund to manage the crisis.” FPM MP Alain Aoun criticized his remarks, noting: “Before rejecting any option, we must at least have an alternative one available.” “Difference of opinion should not be blown up into a major political dispute… The financial crisis is a new issue up for debate and the political class has enjoyed complete ease and comfort because the state financial system did not allow it to think or prepare for the day when it will fall over into the abyss as it is now,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“Many views have been expressed over how to resolve the crisis, but ultimately, it is important that we reach a joint vision and place a roadmap and realistic and serious solutions,” he stressed. “We should not make presumptions about any issue, whether about the IMF or anything else,” he urged. “We are now studying a rescue program. The plan must secure the necessary financial needs and other issues, such as the debt and bank restructuring.” “Once we determine our needs and the side we can turn to, such as the IMF or friendly nations, then we can make our choice,” Aoun said. “Of course, any option must respect our sovereignty and how much our society can handle.”Hezbollah has proposed alternatives to the IMF to provide much-needed liquidity to revive the economy. It has suggested holding banks responsible for restoring funds that have been smuggled abroad during the recent crisis. Informed sources said Hezbollah is open to technical assistance from the IMF, but without being obligated to adhere to its conditions. The party was also willing to go ahead with the debt restructuring and seeking alternative liquidity sources within the next three months. “The country needs some 4.5 billion dollars until June. We can secure this sum, whether through internal measures or foreign help,” the sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. Director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs Sami Nader said Lebanon has “no choice but to turn to the IMF, because reforms, as much as they are necessary, are no longer enough.”He told Asharq Al-Awsat that 10 billion dollars in liquidity were needed for the economy within a year. He acknowledged that this was a “difficult” choice, but the alternative will be a more severe crisis and the closure of more institutions and firing of more employees. Furthermore, Nader accused Hezbollah of waging a campaign against the IMF because it is controlled by the United States. “How do they expect to receive loans if the loaner does not have guarantees that it will get its money back?” he wondered. Qassem’s remarks drew criticism from various Lebanese officials, including Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, who slammed him for linking the country’s financial woes to the party’s ideological beliefs.
President Aoun follows up on work of Ministries
NNA/March 04/2020
The President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, continued his follow-up to Ministries’ work, projects for implementation, and measures taken to enhance their effectiveness.
Minister Lamia Yammine:President Michel Aoun received Labor Minister, Lamia Yammine, today at Baabda Palace, and discussed with her current developments, and her Ministry’s work program.
After the meeting, Yammine stated that she briefed the President on “The action plan which was set by the Ministry, most important of which is currently protecting the Lebanese labor workforce and following up the increasing exchange cases, and the way these cases are tackled by the Ministry of Public Works”.
Statement: “We are currently preparing to call for an economic-social dialogue with production owners to suggest solutions to this problem. I also informed His Excellency about launching the project of structuring the Labor Ministry after setting a vision and strategy to define the primary role of completing the workshop to update the Lebanese Labor Law with the specialized team, headed by the International Labor Organization. And we are also studying ways to activate the role of the National Employment Corporation” Yammine said.
“We continue to meet with the Parliamentary Committee which studies the law on the pension system and social protection. I also discussed, with His Excellency, the issues related to the National Social Security Fund, the problems it encounters, and possible solutions, because of the social protection this fund provides” Yammine continued.
Questions and Answers:
Question: Is there any fear on funds of the National Social Security Fund?
Answer: “Currently, there is no fear in this issue, and I spoke with His Excellency, and the Prime Minister, to confirm the protection of these funds”.
Question: Is there a new strategic plan for the foreign workers’ issue?
Answer: “There is a plan which was followed previously, and we are trying to work in these circumstances on a new plan, in light of studying proportions allowed according to the Labor Law, and defining the occupations which should be limited to the Lebanese worker”.
Question: To what extent does the Ministry’s plan provide protection for workers who are subjected to arbitral dismissal?
Answer: “We follow this issue from several directions, and the Ministry’s role is as a mediator for dialogue between workers and employers, to ensure that exchange operations are actually due to the influence of the institution concerned with the conditions and not for different reasons. We submitted a decree to the Cabinet to reactivate the Arbitration Committee that had not been in effect for more than a year due to judges’ complaints about the insufficiency of the amount allocated. Knowing that its role is to consider collective exchange operations. We also asked the Justice Minister, through the judicial formations to be done, to note the increase in the number of judges in Labor Arbitration Councils”.
Minister Michel Najjar:
The President met with Public Works and Transport Minister, Michel Najjar, and deliberated with him the affairs of his Ministry and projects in various Lebanese regions.
“We visited His Excellency, the President, and briefed him on the work of our Ministry, and asked for his guidance. His Excellency stressed all the matters that affect the safety and comfort of the citizen through roads, sewage and sanitation. We pledged to take care of all these issues and to stay in constant communication and take his directions, at all times” Najjar said after the meeting. Responding to a question, Najjar stressed that “Rafic Hariri International Airport will be sterilized by a specialized company. We are keen on all matters concerning the citizen’s health, and there is a special cell, headed by Prime Minister Hassan Diab, which is concerned with these issues. All public ports and means of transportation will be completely sterilized, and we will do all procedures that public safety requires”. —-Presidency Press Office
Hariri Hospital Report: Number of confirmed coronavirus cases rises to 15
NNA/March 04/2020
The Rafic Hariri University Hospital issued its daily report on the latest updates on the novel coronavirus. The report read: “During the past 24 hours, the Rafic Hariri University Hospital welcomed 45 individuals at its emergency unit devoted to patients suspected to have contracted the novel coronavirus, all of whom were subject to the necessary medical tests. 15 of those patients needed to be quarantined, based on the evaluation of the supervising doctor, while the rest were asked to put themselves under home quarantine.
In total, lab tests were conducted on 51 individuals, 48 of whom tested negative while 2 tested positive. The one remaining case is that of ‘patient zero’ who no longer suffers from any symptoms; the results of her examination came slightly positive though. The medical team took the decision to keep the lady in the hospital’s isolation unit. Today, 9 of the quarantined patients have left the hospital after their test results came negative. However, they were all recommended to stay under home quarantine, and were provided with all the necessary instructions and means of protection, in accordance with the directives of the World Health Organization. To date, a total of 14 patients remain at the hospital’s quarantine unit. As for the positive cases, their number has risen to 14 inside the hospital. The condition of the Iranian national infected with coronavirus remains critical. The rest are in stable conditions, and they are all receiving the necessary care at the isolation unit. Furthermore, a laboratory examination was done on a patient who was admitted to another hospital due to acute respiratory issues. The person appears to be in a critical health condition. He tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of infections to 15.”
Al-Maounat Hospital: Patient coming from Egypt isolated after testing positive for coronavirus
NNA/March 04/2020
The management of “Notre Dame de Secours (Al-Maounat) Hospital” – Jbeil issued on Wednesday the following statement: “On 3/4/2020, the hospital received a patient who had recently arrived from Egypt, and it became clear after conducting the necessary tests that he was carrying the coronavirus, which required the implemetation of the necessary measures to transfer him to the Rafic Hariri University Hospital – knowing that upon receiving the aforementioned patient, the Ministry of Public Health was informed, and it quickly assured that no examinations were necessary, especially that the country from which this individual was coming was not infested. However, upon suspicious of coronavirus infection, all the preventive measures were taken, and a quarantine was imposed, until the results of the conducted tests came in. Consequently, all the departments and common areas were sterilized, and preventive measures were taken to maintain the safety of patients and visitors, as well as the wellbeing of the medical, nursing and administrative staff.”
Hassan, WHO Reassure Coronavirus ‘Under Control’ in Lebanon
Naharnet/March 04/2020
Health Minister Hamad Hassan on Wednesday assured the Lebanese that all necessary measures were taken to contain the spread of coronavirus, saying the situation is “under control.”In a joint press conference with representatives of the World Health Organizations, Hassan said: “WHO has affirmed that coronavirus has not spread out in Lebanon and the country is in the containment phase of the virus,” said Hassan to reporters. “Our responsibility is to stop the spread of the virus no matter what,” he added, as he hailed the efforts of the staff at the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, the only hospital receiving coronavirus cases in Lebanon, the Lebanese Red Cross team and teams of the health ministry. WHO spokeswoman said: “We are here to help the Lebanese authorities spread the correct information because spreading a single wrong information can endanger people’s lives and cause them to panic. Therefore I stress the necessity of cooperation.”On Tuesday, Hassan said hospitals were ready to deal with any further spread of the novel coronavirus in the country, where 13 cases have been recorded with no deaths. All 13 people suffering from the COVID-19 illness are being treated at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri state hospital, where 140 beds have been designated to isolate and monitor suspected cases.
Maronite Bishops push for forsaking depositors’ funds
NNA /March 04/2020
The Moronite Bishops held their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday presided over by Maronite Patriarch, Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi. The convening Bishops broached a number of church-related and national issues, but they mostly stressed the paramount importance of launching efforts to stir financial and economic growth nationwide. “The Lebanese await apt measures by the cabinet handling the impending debt deadlines; they also await appropriate reform measures to control public funds and to salvage the nation from its financial, economic, and daily living hardships,” a statement issued in the wake of the meeting read. Moreover, the Maronite Bishops did not fail to call on those in charge, whether politicians or economists, to exert all the possible efforts to preserve depositors’ funds, especially those of smaller depositors. The bishops’ statement also called on political parties to halt their rampant polemic, especially through the media, “at a time when solidarity is what the nation needed the most.” Touching on the novel Coronavirus outbreak, the Maronite bishops said that they had been following up on the state’s official measures to contain this disease, stepping up calls for tighter border control and heightened precautionary measures to contain the virus.
Roads Blocked in Lebanon as Dollar Hits Record Parallel Market High
Naharnet/March 04/2020
Anti-government protesters blocked roads across Lebanon on Wednesday to denounce the financial and economic deterioration. The demonstrators blocked the Saifi and Sport City roads in Beirut, the Taalabaya and Jdita roads in the Bekaa and the el-Mina, Minieh, al-Mhammara and al-Beddawi roads in the North. The Jiye highway that links Beirut to the South was later blocked with burning tires as the Saifi road was reopened. In Tripoli, two protesters were injured as army troops reopened the road by force at the Pistachio roundabout. Young men on motorcycles meanwhile roamed the city’s streets before blocking the el-Mina highway in protest at “the deteriorating economic situation, the rise in the dollar exchange rate and officials’ failure to take sufficient measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” the National News Agency said. Protesters on the el-Mina highway also chanted slogans demanding the recovery of the state’s stolen funds. In the southern city of Sidon, demonstrators forced money exchange shops to close in protest at “their exchanging of the dollar at the black market rate contrary to the official rate declared by Lebanon’s central bank.” Money changers were on Wednesday selling the dollar for more than LBP 2,550 and buying it for around 2,540. The money exchange shops have blamed the record rate on “the unstable and ambiguous situations in relation with the March 9 Eurobond juncture and the fears over the coronavirus repercussions, especially as to the shrinking of the global economy.”
U.S. Contractor Charged with Giving Up Military Secrets to Hizbullah-Linked Lebanese
Associated Press/Naharnet/March 04/2020
A U.S. Defense Department contract linguist has been charged with giving classified information, including the names of American intelligence assets, to a Lebanese national with ties to Hizbullah, the U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday. Federal prosecutors accused Mariam Taha Thompson, 61, formerly of Rochester, Minnesota, of turning over information that placed in danger those intelligence assets and American military personnel. Thompson was due in court later Wednesday for an initial appearance. She was arrested last week on the espionage-related allegation. Prosecutors said that during a six-week period starting in late December, when U.S. airstrikes targeted Iranian-backed forces in Iraq, Thompson repeatedly accessed dozens of files that she had no need to review. Those files included the names of human assets, their photographs and cables detailing the information that the sources provided to the U.S. government. Prosecutors said that when officials searched her living quarters, they found a handwritten note in Arabic concealed under her mattress with information about Defense Department computer systems and warning of a Defense Department target. They said she had given the information in the note to a co-conspirator, in whom she had a romantic interest. The co-conspirator, who was not identified, worked for the Lebanese government and “has apparent connections” to Hizbullah, according to prosecutors. They said Thompson, who had a top secret government security clearance, was arrested last Thursday at an overseas U.S. military facility. It was not identified.
Berri Urges No Eurobond Payment ‘Even If It Leads to Default’
Naharnet/March 04/2020
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday announced that “the majority of the Lebanese people and parliament are totally against paying” a $1.2 billion Eurobond debt on March 9. “The banks, which have led us into a loss amounting to 75% of the debt, must bear the responsibility along with the foreign buyers,” Berri told lawmakers during the weekly Ain el-Tineh meeting. “If they want a restructuring without conditions and without paying any portion of the sum so be it, or else we will support any measure taken by the government, except for payment,” Berri added. “Once again I say: the deposits are sacred and must not be touched,” the Speaker warned. He also stressed “the unity of the domestic stance and the opposition and the majority in the face of this crisis.” Economists have warned that payment on time would eat away at Lebanon’s plummeting foreign currency reserves, while bankers say a default would damage the country’s reputation with lenders. Bank of America Merill Lynch in a November report estimated that around 50 percent of Eurobonds were held by local banks, while the central bank had around 11 percent. Foreign investors owned the remainder, or around 39 percent, it said.
But these figures may have changed, with local media reporting that local banks have recently sold a chunk of their Eurobonds to foreign lenders.
Diab Meets UN Delegation on UNIFIL Role
Naharnet/March 04/2020
Prime Minister Hassan Diab met with a UN delegation where talks touched on UNIFIL’s role and mission in South Lebanon and necessary means to maintain stability along the Blue Line, the National News Agency said on Wednesday. Diab met with UN Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, Khaled Khiari, and Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNIFIL, General Stefano Del Col, with UN special coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis and PM’s diplomatic advisor in the presence of Ambassador Gebran Soufan. UNIFIL Spokesperson, Andrea Tenenti, later released a statement saying: “A UN delegation is currently visiting Lebanon to conduct an assessment of UNIFIL’s resources and options for improving the efficiency and effectiveness between UNIFIL and UNSCOL, taking into consideration the troop ceiling and the civilian component of UNIFIL.This is pursuant to a request made by the UN Security Council in its resolution 2485 of August 2019. The UN delegation led by Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peace-building Affairs and Peace Operations, will be meeting with UNIFIL, UNSCOL and Lebanese officials as well as with diplomatic representatives in Beirut.”
Arab Inter-Parliamentary Meeting Postponed over Virus Concerns
Naharnet/March 04/2020
As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus disease, Speaker Nabih Berri was notified that a meeting scheduled in March for the the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union was postponed, MTV station reported on Wednesday. The meeting was set to be held in Cairo on March 7-8. It was postponed “until further notice,” said the station. The fast-spreading coronavirus is forcing various changes around the world and forcing cancellation of major events.
Report: BDL to Issue Circular Regulating Bank-Customer Relation
Naharnet/March 04/2020
The final version of a “capital control” law prepared by a committee of legal and financial experts will reportedly be discussed during the cabinet meeting on Thursday, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.
According to “well-informed” sources and despite the “intended secrecy” surrounding the matter, the committee finalized the law and handed it to Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni in order to be discussed during the cabinet meeting to be held at Baabda Palace, said the daily. Al-Joumhouria said the law will be discussed in parallel with a new circular to be issued to local banks by Central Bank governor Riad Salameh, regulating the relationship between banks and their customers. A grinding liquidity crunch has hit Lebanon, where unprecedented protests since October 17 have railed against the political class and a deepening economic crisis. Since September, banks have restricted the amount of dollars that can be withdrawn or transferred abroad. Although no formal policy is in place, most have arbitrarily capped withdrawals at around $1,000 a month, while others have imposed tighter restrictions.
Kattar, Czech ambassador discuss egovernment program
NNA/March 04/2020
State Minister for Administrative Development Affairs, Damianos Kattar, welcomed in his office at the Ministry Check Ambassador to Lebanon Michaela Frankova, who came on a protocol visit. Discussions reportedly touched on the bilateral relations between the two countries, especially with regard to administrative development and the e-government program.
Kattar meets World Bank delegation over joint projects
NNA /March 04/2020
Environment Minister Damianos Kattar, welcomed in his office at the Ministry a delegation from the World Bank Group headed by Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Saroj Kumar Jah. Discussions reportedly touched on the projects undertaken by the World Bank in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment. Minister Kattar underlined the importance of cooperation with international partners, hailing the efforts by the World Bank for environment and sustainable development in Lebanon.
Defense Minister meets ambassadors of Korea, Finland
NNA /March 04/2020
Vice Prime Minister, National Defense Minister Zeina Akar Adra, on Wednesday welcomed in her office at the Ministry the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Lebanon, Young Dae Kwon, accompanied by the Korean Military Attaché. Ambassador Kown congratulated Minister Akar on her ministerial post. Discussions reportedly touched on the tasks of the Korean contingent operating within UNIFIL and the cooperation relations between the two countries. Minister Akar also met with a joint delegation of the United Nations Development Program and the European Union, with talks reportedly touching on cooperation projects. Akar later met with the Ambassador of Finland to Lebanon, Tarja Fernandez, accompanied by the Embassy’s Military Attaché, with means of bolstering bilateral relations featuring high on their talks.
Lebanese Hizb ut-Tahrir Preacher Ahmad Al-Qasas: The Muslims Will Kill The Jews, Who Will Hide Behind Rocks And Trees; The Jews Are The Most Cowardly Of Allah’s Creations
MEMRI/March 04/2020
Lebanese Hizb ut-Tahrir preacher Ahmad Al-Qasas said in January 31, 2020 address that aired on the Hizb ut-Tahrir-affiliated Al-Waqiyah TV (Lebanon) that Allah promised that Islam would prevail over all other religions, principles, and laws until it rules the Earth. He said that the Prophet Muhammad had predicted that the Jews will fight the Muslims, but that the Muslims will kill the Jews, until they hide behind rocks and trees, which will call out to the Muslims to kill the Jews hiding behind them. Al-Qasas said that the Gharqad tree is the only tree that won’t call out to the Muslims, and that there are projects meant to keep planting such trees in occupied Palestine, but that these trees will not offer any protection against the promise of Allah. He added that the Jews are the most cowardly of Allah’s creations because they are greedy for any kind of life, not only lives of honor and glory, since they know that they have displeased Allah by rejecting His commandments.Ahmad Al-Qasas: “Allah promised that [Islam] will prevail over all the other religions, principles, and laws, until it rules the entire Earth according to the law of Allah, which was introduced by the Prophet Muhammad.
“The Prophet Muhammad said: ‘The Jews will fight you, and you will kill them, until the Jews will hide behind the rocks and the trees. Then the rocks and trees will say: ‘oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, kill him!’ – except for the Gharqad tree, for it is the tree of the Jews.’ Look at the actions of the Jews and you will see how they believe the prophecy of the Prophet Muhammad. There is a designated project to keep planting Gharqad trees in occupied Palestine, because it is promised in their [holy] books and their prophecies that the Gharqad trees would protect them from the Muslims. But what good will the Gharqad tree be against the promise of Allah? “Allah has told us about their mentality. He has told us that they are among the most cowardly of Allah’s creations, and that they are eager to protect their lives – no matter what kind of life they have. Allah said: ‘You will surely find them, of all people, the most greedy for life.’ Allah did not say: ‘You will surely find them, of all people, the most greedy to live.’ Why? Because ‘to live’ means living a life of honor and glory, but the Jews are greedy for life, any kind of life, as long as they do not need to face death. Cowards! They cannot imagine dying and meeting Allah, because they know full well that they rejected what Allah has sent down, and that they are the descendants of the slayers of prophets, who rejected Allah’s prophets.”
Lebanon’s business conditions continue to deteriorate as March 9 deadline looms
Sarmad Khan/The National/March 04/2020
Business sentiment in the country has hit a record low as the government struggles to implement reforms
Lebanon’s business environment continued to deteriorate in February with new orders and employment falling as the country grapples with economic uncertainty and a March 9 deadline to repay $1.2 billion (Dh4.4bn) of maturity eurobonds. The Blom Lebanon PMI index, a composite measure of business conditions in the private sector compiled by IHS Markit, improved slightly to 45.4 in February from 44.9 the previous month, staying below the 50 mark that separates economic expansion from contraction. Contributing to another subdued month was a further contraction in private sector output. The pace of reduction remained little changed from January. Those polled said cited political instability among the prime reasons for the decline, according to the survey. New orders placed with Lebanese businesses also fell last month, extending the current sequence of reduction that began in June 2013. Sentiment towards the 12-month business outlook fell to the weakest level in survey history, eclipsing the previous low registered in May 2017. Anecdotal evidence suggests negativity was driven by expectations for a prolonged political and economic instability, according to the survey.
“Most of the indices – especially output, new orders, new export orders, and employment – fell at a slower rate, perhaps stimulated by the formation of the new government and the diminution in the intensity of the uprising and street protests,” Ali Bolbol, chief economist of Blom Bank, said.
“Most crucially, future expectations are at their lowest level in survey history, something that can only be reversed if the new government implements meaningfully and soon a structural reform and economic recovery plan.” Lebanon is experiencing its worst economic crisis since the end of a 15-year civil war in 1990, which gave rise to an unprecedented wave of public protests. The country has one of the highest debt-to-gross domestic product ratios (166 per cent) in the world, according to the Institute of International Finance (IIF). Its public debt increased 7.6 per cent to $91.64bn year-on-year as of the end of December 2019.
US linguist charged for giving top-secret information to man with Hezbollah links
Joyce Karam/The National/March 04/2020
Maria Taha Thompson was arrested in Iraq on February 27 and appeared in court today
A US linguist working for the country’s Defence Department was charged with sharing classified information to an individual with links to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The sharing of the information is alleged to have occurred around the time Washington carried anti-Iran airstrikes in Iraq at the start of this year. Mariam Taha Thompson, 61, of Rochester, Minnesota, was a contractor working as a linguist for US troops in Iraq before she was arrested last Thursday in Irbil and was charged in court on Wednesday. According to the prosecutors, Ms Thompson allegedly passed classified information of about eight people to a man of “romantic interest” and who “has apparent connections to Hezbollah”. The US regards Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation. Court documents allege that the co-conspirator was a foreign national whose relative worked for the Lebanese government. The information passed was “classified national defence information regarding active human assets, including their true names”. According to court documents, Ms Thompson admitted remembering key parts of the classified documents, writing them down and sending an image of her notes by mobile phone. US lawyer Timothy J Shea for the District of Columbia, saw the case as warning to others. “The charges we’ve filed today should serve as a warning to anyone who would consider disclosing classified national defence information to a terrorist organisation,” he said. Ms Thompson held a top secret government security clearance, and the investigation leading to her arrest revealed that started on or around December 30, 2019, a day after US airstrikes against Iranian-backed forces in Iraq, and the same day protesters stormed the US embassy in Iraq to protest those strikes. The document added that during a six-week period between December 30 and February 10, 2020, Ms Thompson accessed dozens of files concerning human intelligence sources, including true names, personal identification data, background information, and photographs of the human assets, as well as operational cables detailing information the assets provided to the United States government.
A court-authorised search of her living quarters on February 19 led to the discovery of a handwritten note that contained classified information from Department of Defence computer systems.
She was allegedly looking at nearly 60 files containing sensitive personal information.
Hezbollah’s Suicidal Red Line
Michael Young/Carnegie MEC/March 04/2020
On February 25, Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general, Na‘im Qassem, made a statement that could ultimately mean the downfall of Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s government. Qassem declared that his party would “not succumb to arrogant means to address the [Lebanese financial and economic] crisis … we will not let the International Monetary Fund manage the crisis.”
The deputy secretary general justified this by saying that Lebanon would not accept IMF money to address its ongoing economic collapse, because such funds would come with tough conditions the country was unwilling to accept. What was remarkable in his comment was that he was under the false impression that the need to resort to IMF funding is a choice. It is usually a necessity.
It was always evident that Hezbollah would have problems with an IMF bailout, because this would grant the institution significant control over aspects of the Lebanese state, including the party’s patronage networks. Moreover, Hezbollah thinks, and statements by U.S. allies appear to prove, that some are thinking of linking IMF assistance to the achievement of U.S. demands on the party.
The problem is that without an IMF bailout, Lebanon cannot access funds to refloat its economy, nor receive the hard currency necessary to import vital necessities such as food, medicine, and fuel. Unless Hezbollah wants the whole system to come tumbling down, with no prospect of a resolution, it will have to compromise on the IMF.
Diab knows what’s at stake. That is why he made a remarkable statement on March 2 in which he admitted that “the state is no longer able to protect the Lebanese and guarantee them a decent life.” The prime minister realizes that without IMF funding his government is as good as finished. That is why those around him are putting a gloss on what Qassem said, pointing out that Diab will take the appropriate decision when the time comes and that the Hezbollah official was merely expressing his own point of view.
That’s certainly an optimistic reading, but one that is necessary to open the door to discussions on the matter between Diab and Hezbollah. Several things stand out in Qassem’s comments. First, by arguing that the IMF’s conditions would be too harsh for Lebanon to bear, he seemed not to grasp that when the country’s foreign currency reserves run out, the Lebanese will literally be screaming, and their pain will be far worse than anything the IMF imposes.
Second, Qassem appears not to understand that countries have a margin to negotiate with the IMF before it intervenes in their economy. Therefore, it is better for Lebanon to initiate such talks today, while it still has some leverage, than wait until everything is in meltdown and the country has none. Indeed, the IMF team that visited Beirut recently appears to have gotten the impression that the Diab government did not want the financial institution to bail it out.
Those in the government who understand economics, Diab among them, realize that Qassem’s blanket rejection is simply not feasible. There are those who will argue that Hezbollah doesn’t care and will go all the way to protect its stakes in the system, even if it means destroying Lebanon. But that may be an extreme interpretation, because complete ruination could sweep away the party’s allies, but also the edifice it has spent many months trying to preserve.
Moreover, if open-ended resistance is the party’s strategy, it’s not a very good one. Even Iran compromised at essential moments in its post-revolutionary history—whether on ending the war with Iraq or suspending its nuclear program to reverse its economic hardship. The only way for the party to avoid the IMF would be to push for reform of the economy, end corruption, and put Lebanon on a sustainable financial path. Does one expect this from a party that, like all others in Lebanon, has been feeding parasitically off the state for years, is continuing to protect a vile and decayed political class, and has never formulated any economic plan worth considering?
Yet reform is inevitable if Lebanon is to emerge from the tunnel. There are reports that the main constituents of the government still believe they can secure funding from outside. They believe that remittances from Lebanese can help float the economy. But that absurd reasoning in the best of circumstances will only buy time to pursue a road to nowhere. Banks will collapse, more businesses will close, poverty and unemployment will rise, social revolution will be in the air, and Hezbollah will preside over a field of devastation.
Fortunately, Hezbollah’s allies are not necessarily of the same view as the party. By all accounts the finance minister Ghazi Wazni understands the problem, and has surely explained this to the parliament speaker Nabih Berri. In fact, Berri’s decision to welcome an IMF advisory team weeks ago was regarded by some observers as a cautious opening to an eventual IMF bailout plan. Berri must know he is far more vulnerable than Hezbollah once the country runs out of foreign currency reserves and is cut off from international markets.
What about Hassan Diab? If Hezbollah gets its way, that means that his government, which has struggled to build public and international confidence, may be condemned to presiding over an irreversible deterioration of the economy. In such a context, the prime minister’s only option is to put his job on the line and tell Hezbollah that if it insists on limiting his margin of maneuver, he will resign. And even if Diab doesn’t do that, it is questionable whether his government can remain intact if ministers see that their ability to resolve the financial crisis is nil. In that case they may simply prefer to jump ship.
There will be hardliners in Washington who will try to use aid to Lebanon as leverage to secure concessions on Hezbollah’s weapons. This would be monumentally reckless. It would be morally repulsive because Hezbollah’s rejection is a near certainty, therefore such a move would condemn millions of Lebanese to dire poverty. It would provoke displeasure among countries in the IMF, who do not want the institution to serve as a branch of U.S. foreign policy. And it would lend credence to Hezbollah’s view that all foreign assistance is tied to efforts to weaken the party. Undoubtedly, Hezbollah holds Lebanon hostage, but collective punishment against the country would effectively mean killing the Lebanese in order to save them.
There is still considerable resistance to reform among Lebanon’s political class. No politician wants to surrender his levers in the system until the others surrender theirs. This has created a fatal deadlock and an urge, once more, to gain time. But that useless game has reached an end. Hassan Diab still has the latitude to push for change, because his resignation is something Hezbollah and its closest allies want to avoid. If an IMF bailout is inevitable, and it is, then he has to determine what it would take for the parties to go along with it.
