A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For March 11-12/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 147th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
March 12/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 11-12/2020
MoPH announces first full recovery from novel coronavirus
MTV Lebanese anchor Nabila Awad announces state of emergency, criticizes government for politicizing coronavirus
Lebanon Bans Flights from 4 Nations, Asks Citizens to Return from 7 Others
Lebanon impose strict measures in response to coronavirus outbreak/Chiri Choukeir/Annahar/March 11/2020
Al-Maounat Hospital: Ten staff members, one patient tested positive for coronavirus
Lebanon Restaurants Closed over Coronavirus Fears
Lebanon Records 2nd Coronavirus Death as 8 New Cases Confirmed
Panic in Jbeil over Coronavirus after ‘Person Coming from U.S. Infects 15’
Hariri Urges Officials to ‘Close Doors in Face of Coronavirus’
Facts about Lebanon’s 61 Coronavirus Cases
Geagea Urges Declaration of Health Emergency
Employees of Rafik Hariri Hospital Declare Strike
Lebanese man pleads guilty in US to buying drone parts for Hezbollah
Lebanon PM Informs Diplomats of Imminent Announcement of Rescue Plan
Demeaned and no dollars: Lebanese choked by bank
controls/Withdrawals curbed to as little as $100/week.
Lebanon’s Govt. to Strengthen Financial Situation, Adopt Reform Program
Tenenti: Nepalese peacekeeper killed in transport accident in Mays al Jabal
Information Minister meets Ambassadors of EU, Germany, Japan
Kattar, Japanese ambassador tackle overall situation
Crisis Of The Iranian Order/Tony Badran/ Hoover Institution/March 11/2020
Coronavirus up-date/Roger Bejjani/Face Book/March 11/2020
Aoun receives credentials of eight new ambassadors to Lebanon, meets Chinese Ambassador
Diab: The government has not been late in taking any measure aimed at protecting the Lebanese
Diab discusses with visitors endeavors to advance Lebanon
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 11-12/2020
MoPH announces first full recovery from novel coronavirus
NNA/March 11/2020
The Ministry of Public Health announced this Wednesday the first full recovery from the novel coronavirus. The patient had received treatment at the Rafic Hariri University Hospital.
MTV Lebanese anchor Nabila Awad announces state of emergency, criticizes government for politicizing coronavirus
Arab News/March 11/2020
Lebanese news presenter at MTV, Nabila Awad, called on people to act as if there was a state of emergency in Lebanon, asking people to stay at home.
PM was criticized for taking too long to ban flights from Iran
Social media users called on the government to ‘lock down the entire country’
BEIRUT: Lebanese people took to social media on Wednesday to call on the government and Prime Minister Hassan Diab to impose a state of emergency and a nationwide lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic. Diab was also criticized for taking too long to ban flights from Iran, center of one of the worst outbreaks outside of China. One Twitter user named Jessy said: “Let us declare a state of emergency in the country before it is too late, before we all lose a loved one, and before it all gets out of hand!” Diab said Wednesday that Lebanon has suspended flights from Italy, South Korea, Iran and China, the countries hit hardest by the l coronavirus. The measures came as Lebanon announced its second death from COVID-19 in two days. Several other users wrote “Lock down the entire country NOW” repeatedly and used the hashtag “Declare a state of emergency” was trending. Taking it a step further, Lebanese news presenter at MTV, Nabila Awad, took it upon herself to tell it as it is and called on people to act as if there was a state of emergency in Lebanon, asking people to stay at home to avoid becoming infected. “The government today has certain considerations and does not want to announce the state of the health emergency but here on MTV we want to address this specific issue to our audience and ask them to act responsibly and act as if there is a state of health emergency in Lebanon,” she said during a news broadcast. She called on people to be “responsible” and “stay in their homes as a type of quarantine.”
“The issue is really dangerous and from MTV we call on everyone to act as if there is a health emergency,” she added. Social media users praised and thanked Awad for her intervention. “It is very important to declare a state of emergency. The headline must remain as long (as possible), do not delete it, keep it permanently until the virus is contained. We congratulate you on this important step,” Georges Ghorayeb said. Meanwhile, Sarah Luna Makdissy thanked the channel and said “those who could care less about their health and wants to wander around and keep receiving planes from Iran, they are free to do so and endanger their lives but they are not free to infect others.”
Lebanon Bans Flights from 4 Nations, Asks Citizens to Return from 7 Others
Naharnet/March 11/2020
Lebanon on Wednesday banned all flights from Italy, Iran, South Korea and China as a precaution against the spread of the novel coronavirus, giving its citizens in France, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Germany, Spain and the UK a four-day deadline to return home.
The measures were announced by Prime Minister Hassan Diab following a meeting for the country’s anti-coronavirus committee. “Lebanon was among the first nations that took measures over the issue of the coronavirus and we followed up on all cases as some voices attacked the government, especially when we announced the closure of schools,” Diab said. “From the beginning, we took strict and preventative measures at the airport,” he added. “We are facing a disease that is spreading in most countries in the world and the government has not procrastinated in taking any measures to protect the Lebanese,” Diab went on to say. He added that he has asked public administrations and municipalities to limit their work to the least number of employees and that he has asked authorities to take all measures to prevent public and private gatherings. “I have asked employers in all sectors to take measures to protect employees,” Diab said, noting that the committee is monitoring all cases and will submit further recommendations should the need arise. Earlier in the day, Lebanon recorded its second death from the virus as eight more infections were confirmed, raising the country’s overall cases to 61, the Health Ministry said. Unconfirmed Media reports later said that seven more cases were recorded. The syndicate of the owners of restaurants had earlier announced closure until further notice, noting that food delivery services will remain active. Lebanon has already closed educational institutions, sports clubs, nightclubs, pubs, fairs and other venues as a precaution against the virus.
Lebanon impose strict measures in response to coronavirus outbreak
Chiri Choukeir/Annahar/March 11/2020
After announcing the first death yesterday morning at the RHUH, a second death has been recorded at the RHUH today, 55-year-old teacher Maroun Karam.
BEIRUT: A number of Lebanese districts will be put under partial government-ordered lockdown as officials struggle to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected 68 people and killed two. With the coronavirus spreading like wildfire across the globe, Lebanese officials have scrambled to put a lid on the outbreak. People are no longer allowed to assemble in public; movie theaters, gyms, computer cafes, restaurants and pubs will be closed; along with the Casino Du Liban and similar establishments. Sports tournaments have been postponed and cultural events canceled. Lebanon’s Shiite Muslim authorities have also suspended the Friday weekly prayers and all other gatherings in mosques of their denomination until further notice. This decision will stay in effect until March 25. Schools and universities are also on lockdown until further notice. Flights with Italy, Iran, South Korea and China will stop completely in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said Wednesday. A scheduled flight from Iran carrying 150 people later tonight will be the last one welcomed, according to reports. Lebanon had reduced, but not halted, the number of flights coming from Iran, along with other countries, and put in place additional screening measures on arrival for passengers coming from countries experiencing outbreaks. Flights from countries with increasing numbers of cases such as France, Egypt, Iraq, U.K., Spain and Germany would be stopped, with Lebanese citizens having four days to return. After this deadline, Lebanese wishing to return will have to seek consular assistance. Back to back deaths were at Rafic Hariri University Hospital, with the latest victim being 55-year-old teacher Maroun Karam. Karam contracted the virus from one of his students who was traveling abroad. Given his weak immune system, Karam passed away earlier today after infecting both his wife and children, RHUH said. The Ministry of Health announced that 11 percent of the cases are under the age of 20, 77 percent aged between 20 to 59 years old and 10 percent are above the age of 60. Meanwhile, 37 percent of the cases are a direct offshoot of cases in Egypt, the United Kingdom, Iran and Switzerland.
Al-Maounat Hospital: Ten staff members, one patient tested positive for coronavirus
NNA/March 11/2020
In light of the exacerbation of coronavirus (COVID-19) spread, the Notre Dame de Secours (Al-Maounat) Hospital announced in a statement this Wednesday:
“1- After conducting laboratory tests on employees who were in direct contact with an infected patient, it was found that ten staff members had contracted the virus.
2- All the staff members who tested positive did not show any associated symptoms and are in good health. They were put in a specially equipped department, and are now isolated at the hospital. They will be monitored by a special medical and nursing team throughout their quarantine period.
3- The patient who was infected with coronavirus is still in the hospital, in critical condition. He is being treated in one of the isolation rooms.
It is worth noting that all necessary preventive and protective measures have been taken; an external path completely separated from the hospital entrance has been devoted for patients suspected of contracting coronavirus. Also, specialized teams are daily sterilizing public places and units, training workers on methods of prevention, and taking preemptive measures at the approved entry points.”
Lebanon Restaurants Closed over Coronavirus Fears
Naharnet/March 11/2020
Lebanon’s restaurants will close as a precaution against the COVID-19 coronavirus but delivery services will remain active, their syndicate announced on Wednesday. The syndicate said the decision was taken despite “the syndicate’s readiness and the health precautions that have been taken” and following “several meetings with Tourism Minister Ramzi Msharrafiyeh.”“We decided that closure for a certain period is in everyone’s interest,” the head of the syndicate said, calling on the tourism minister to offer the syndicate “ultimate support” to secure the continuity of the restaurants industry after the crisis. “We also ask banks, suppliers and the owners of properties to cooperate and take these extraordinary circumstances into consideration,” the head of the syndicate added. Earlier in the day, Lebanon recorded its second death from the virus as eight more infections were confirmed, raising the country’s overall cases to 61, the Health Ministry said. Media reports later said that seven more cases were confirmed. Lebanon has already closed educational institutions, sports clubs, nightclubs, pubs, fairs and other venues as a precaution against the virus. The government’s anti-coronavirus committee will meanwhile hold a press conference at 5:00 pm to announce further measures.
Lebanon Records 2nd Coronavirus Death as 8 New Cases Confirmed
Naharnet/March 11/2020
Lebanon on Wednesday recorded its second death from the COVID-19 coronavirus as eight more infections were confirmed, raising the country’s overall cases to 61. As the National News Agency confirmed the second death, TV networks identified the victim as 55-year-old teacher Maroun Karam. According to MTV, he was infected by a student coming from abroad and was not suffering from any illnesses but had a weak immune system. “He had infected his wife and two children” prior to his death, MTV said. Al-Jadeed TV said the man died at the state-run Rafik Hariri University Hospital after being transferred from a hospital in Bsalim. Health Ministry Director General Dr. Walid Ammar meanwhile announced that eight new infections have been confirmed. The National News Agency said four of the infections were recorded at the Notre Dame des Secours hospital in Jbeil and four others at the Hôtel-Dieu de France hospital in Beirut. Media reports meanwhile said that Lebanese authorities are mulling the closure of restaurants and cafes, following the recent shutting of educational institutions, sports clubs, nightclubs, pubs, fairs and other venues.
Panic in Jbeil over Coronavirus after ‘Person Coming from U.S. Infects 15’
Naharnet/March 11/2020
A person coming the United States is infected with the coronavirus and there are 15 infected people at a quarantined ward at the Notre Dame des Secours hospital in Jbeil, Amchit municipal chief Antoine Issa told Radio Voice of Lebanon on Wednesday.
The radio network said a state of panic is engulfing the Jbeil district, amid calls for closing public and private institutions, restaurants, leisure places and assembly venues.Earlier in the day, Lebanon recorded its second death from the virus as eight more infections were confirmed, raising the country’s overall cases to 61, the Health Ministry said. Media reports meanwhile said that Lebanese authorities are mulling the closure of restaurants and cafes, following the recent shutting of educational institutions, sports clubs, nightclubs, pubs, fairs and other venues.
Hariri Urges Officials to ‘Close Doors in Face of Coronavirus’
Naharnet/March 11/2020
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Wednesday urged Lebanese authorities to “close the doors in the face of coronavirus from whichever country it may come, brotherly, friendly, near or far.”“Let the safety of the Lebanese people prevail over all considerations,” Hariri said in a tweet. “Lebanon is in danger like many countries that took courageous and responsible steps, closed the airspace and borders, putting complete areas in quarantine,” Hariri added. He concluded: “If political and economic issues are subject to disagreements and can withstand differences in views, the threat of the coronavirus requires no hesitation in taking the measures that protect the safety of the citizens and residents and prevail over any political interests and obligations.”Earlier in the day, Lebanon recorded its second death from the virus as eight more infections were confirmed, raising the country’s overall cases to 61, the Health Ministry said. Media reports later said that seven more cases were confirmed. Lebanon has closed restaurants, educational institutions, sports clubs, nightclubs, pubs, fairs and other venues as a precaution against the virus. The government’s anti-coronavirus committee will meanwhile hold a press conference at 5:00 pm to announce further measures.
Facts about Lebanon’s 61 Coronavirus Cases
Naharnet/March 11/2020
The Health Ministry on Wednesday released a report detailing how the country’s 61 coronavirus patients were infected and their ages. It said 37% of them came from abroad — Egypt, the UK, Iran and Switzerland. Fifty-eight percent were meanwhile infected by those coming from foreign countries. “Thirteen were infected by a patient coming from Egypt, five were infected by a patient coming from the UK, five were infected by patients coming from Iran and three cases are being investigated,” the report said. As for ages, 11% of them are below 20, 77% are 20 to 59 years old and 10% are 60+.
Geagea Urges Declaration of Health Emergency
Naharnet/March 11/2020
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday called for declaring a health emergency in Lebanon and said authorities’ response to the coronavirus crisis has been insufficient due to “political reasons.”“A serious health emergency must be declared, especially as to providing public and private hospitals with all the necessary equipment and taking the maximum precaution measures,” Geagea tweeted. “It is also needed to stop all flights from countries witnessing major disease outbreaks, especially Iran and Italy, seeing as there direct flights from these countries to Lebanon,” Geagea added, lamenting that such a measure should have been taken from the very beginning. “Unfortunately, the government did not take it for the known political reasons,” he said. Earlier in the day, Lebanon recorded its second death from the virus as eight more infections were confirmed, raising the country’s overall cases to 61, the Health Ministry said. Media reports meanwhile said that Lebanese authorities are mulling the closure of restaurants and cafes, following the recent shutting of educational institutions, sports clubs, nightclubs, pubs, fairs and other venues.
Employees of Rafik Hariri Hospital Declare Strike
Naharnet/March 11/2020
The committee of the employees and contract workers of the state-run Rafik Hariri University Hospital on Wednesday declared an open-ended strike at a time the hospital is leading Lebanon’s medical response against the coronavirus epidemic. The committee said it took its decision due to “all the threats, difficulties and hard circumstances that the hospital’s workers are going through and the blatant carelessness of the administration and the officials concerned.”It added that a press conference will be held at 9:00 am Thursday to explain “the situation of employees and their daily suffering.”The committee’s decision is likely related to wages and recompenses.
Lebanese man pleads guilty in US to buying drone parts for Hezbollah
Agencies/March 11/2020
Issam Hamade and brother Usama Hamade alleged to have bought engines and parts to help track and guide unmanned aircraft for terror group
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — A Lebanese national charged with conspiring to export drone parts and technology from the US to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate US export laws.
Issam Hamade pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Minnesota. His brother, Usama Hamade, faces similar counts and is also charged with smuggling.
Prosecutors said the brothers acquired sophisticated technology for drones from 2009 to 2013 and illegally exported them to Hezbollah.
Issam Hamade faces up to five years in prison when sentenced next month, but prosecutors plan to ask for 30 months, according to a plea agreement. Hamade’s defense attorneys plan to ask for time served. He’s expected to be deported after he serves his time.
The Hamades were arrested in February 2018 in South Africa and were extradited to the US last fall.
According to an indictment, the parts included inertial measurement units, which can be used to track an aircraft’s position, and digital compasses, which can be paired with the inertial measurement units for drone guidance systems. The parts also included a jet engine and 20 piston engines. Hezbollah is known to have several models of drones in its arsenals, and some have been used to penetrate Israeli airspace, including in November.
In August, Israel said it foiled a planned armed drone attack from Iranian-backed fighters base din Syria. Hours later, two drones crashed into Hezbollah offices in Beirut in what was thought to be a linked incident.
In the plea agreement publicly filed Tuesday, Issam Hamade admitted that his brother arranged to purchase parts and technology from various countries, including the US, from 2009 to 2011.
He also admitted that he transferred money from Lebanon to accounts in South Africa at his brother’s request, knowing the money was being used to buy these parts. The plea agreement says Hamade had reason to believe the parts and technology were going to Syria, in violation of US export laws.
Lebanon PM Informs Diplomats of Imminent Announcement of Rescue Plan
Beirut – Khalil Fleihan/Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 11 March, 2020
Western ambassadors, most of them Europeans, agree on giving Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab an opportunity to see how well he will be able to fulfil his promises on a rescue plan over outstanding debts, banks, and financial and economic reform. Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Diab has informed the ambassadors, mainly those concerned with the situation in Lebanon, that the government has “suspended” the payment of debts, pending negotiations with creditors. He also said that the government was ready to put in place programs to fulfill its obligations. A number of foreign ambassadors reported that whenever they asked Diab about the rescue plan, he replied: “The plan is being prepared and is in an advanced stage.” While one diplomat stated that the plan would be announced on May 11, others denied discussions on “a specific date, due to several delicate matters tackled by the government and the difficulty to deal with them.” Diplomatic sources said that major countries were monitoring with great concern the situation in Lebanon and underlined the need for rapid measures to find a solution. They added that the International Support Group for Lebanon “believes that the situation can no longer handle more stalling, and requires urgent solutions,” including resolving a dispute on resorting to the World Bank to pump the liquidity needed by Lebanon.
Demeaned and no dollars: Lebanese choked by bank controls/Withdrawals curbed to as little as $100/week.
Reuters/March 11/2020
BEIRUT – Outside a bank in Lebanon’s capital, dozens of people line up every morning long before the doors open, hoping to extricate whatever little cash the limits allow this week.
An employee announces only 15 people can get $100, everybody else must leave. Another morning, he says the branch has no dollars today. “How can this be? A bank that has no money,” said Pauline Sawma, 28, bursting into laughter after she tried withdrawing a sliver of her money.
“I’ve been here since 7 a.m. Can you imagine? Standing outside and waiting, so that maybe they give me $200 and maybe not,” she said. “You can’t buy anything, you can’t travel. My microwave is broken, I can’t even get it fixed.” Lebanon’s financial crisis has made dollars scarce, hiked prices, slashed jobs and fuelled unrest. Cash-strapped banks have come under fire for imposing controls after years of funneling deposits to a dysfunctional state drowning in debt. The controls, which kicked in four months ago without legislation, vary from one bank to another, giving some discretion to branches to decide who gets what. Banks have curbed withdrawals to as little as $100 a week, blocked transfers abroad and cut card spending online or abroad. At least a dozen depositors told Reuters the curbs got stricter every few weeks and often did not apply to everyone in the same way. Some said their branches did not always have cash to meet even the measly limits. Others said bankers had threatened to close accounts of customers who tried complaining. Bank workers say they, too, have faced growing pressure from irate depositors.
Patience running thin
The banking association could not be reached for comment. Its chairman has said the rules seek to preserve Lebanon’s wealth inside the country and that banks have sustained big losses to secure hard currency. With patience running thin, the government has vowed to draft a law standarizing the controls, and on Tuesday, a public prosecutor met bankers to agree a set of rules. At two of Lebanon’s biggest banks, at least a dozen customers said they could no longer withdraw U.S. dollars that had gone into their accounts as of January. They must take out the funds in Lebanese pounds at the official peg, wiping more than 40% off the value relative to the market. “They think it’s okay to humiliate people and we don’t have the right to complain. It’s as if we’re garbage,” said Sawma, who works at a beauty parlor where she took a pay cut. When she objected about queues, she says the manager berated her. “It’s not their fault, the bank employees. God help them,” she added. “But at least respect us. Now they’re being demeaned, we’re being demeaned, and the politicians live in la-la-land.” Abdelhassan Husseini, a college professor in his 60s, spent 20 years saving for his kids. Now his architect son needs the funds to move abroad — like many young Lebanese graduates — the bank won’t issue the U.S. dollars, not even in a cheque. The bank had offered him a Lebanese pound cheque instead, he said. “It’s utter humiliation. This is our money,” he added, stalking out of his branch. “One day they give you $100, another day $50. Next they’re going to start taking cash from you.” In his speech declaring Lebanon could not repay its debts, Prime Minister Hassan Diab pledged at the weekend to protect deposits. Still, such reassurances in recent months have done little to stop Lebanese from stashing cash at home. After witnessing the 1975-1990 civil war and moving abroad with her husband to make a living, Hiyam al-Shami returned to spend her 60s in Lebanon. Now their savings are trapped in the bank and their kids have emigrated. “It’s a shame, at my age, to be demeaned like this,” she said. “I wanted to live a bit here in Beirut, to see my siblings, to go out…God help us with these rulers. I hope none of them remain, not a single one.”
Lebanon’s Govt. to Strengthen Financial Situation, Adopt Reform Program
Beirut – Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 11 March, 2020
The Lebanese government underlined the necessity to strengthen the financial situation, restructure the public debt and adopt a reform program for growth, during a ministerial session held at the Baabda Palace and led by President Michel Aoun. The Cabinet discussed developments in the financial and monetary situation. Addressing the ministers, Aoun said: “In conjunction with negotiations with Eurobond holders, the government should develop a strategy for debt restructuring and plans to restructure banks, the central bank and others.”Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad said Prime Minister Hassan Diab stressed the need to strengthen the financial situation, restructure the public debt and adopt a reform program for growth.” “We all know that currency shortages automatically lead to a loss of value. These two factors lead to a decline in import, and thus an economic recession and an increase in the fiscal deficit, and of course the debt problem, which adds to the shortage of currency,” Abdel Samad quoted Diab as saying. Measures will have repercussions on the banking system, the minister added. “When we discover the extent of this effect, we will initiate reforms in the banking sector and seek to restore it to serve the real economy,” she explained, quoting the premier. The Information minister went on to say that the package of reforms would “affect the lives of citizens and pave the way for a better future.” “We are studying measures from two angles: Whether Lebanon will receive external support or not… We will protect the poorest groups by launching the social safety net because reforms will affect growth,” she reported. The Cabinet also listened to the opinion of international consultants and studied a number of topics. Media reports said that following the session, the Finance and Economy ministers headed to the Grand Serail, where they held a meeting with Diab to further discuss the upcoming measures. On the Coronavirus, the minister stressed that the issue took a large part of the discussion, adding that a decision on Wednesday will be taken over halting all flights from affected countries.
Tenenti: Nepalese peacekeeper killed in transport accident in Mays al Jabal
NNANNA/March 11/2020
UNIFIL Spokesperson Andre Tenenti announced Wednesday that a member of the Nepalese contingent had been killed in a transport accident in the southern town of Mays-al-Jabal. According to a statement by the UNIFIL, the peacekeeper’s death was a result of a logistic transport accident that occurred yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon in a Nepalese contingent base in Mays-al-Jabal. The statement indicated that investigations were still underway to determine the causes and circumstances of the accident.
Information Minister meets Ambassadors of EU, Germany, Japan
NNA/March 11/2020
Minister of Information Dr. Manal Abdel Samad Najd, welcomed this Wednesday in her office at the Ministry the Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf, with talks reportedly touching on the EU’s projects in Lebanon and media cooperation prospects. Minister Abdel Samad later met with German Ambassador to Lebanon, Georg Berglen, with media realtions featuring high on their talks. The Minister also met with the Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon, Takeshi Okubo.
Kattar, Japanese ambassador tackle overall situation
NNA/March 11/2020
Minister of Environment, Demianos Kattar, received this Wednesday in his office at the Ministry the Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon, Takeshi Akubo, who came on a protocol visit.
Talks between the pair reportedly touched on the overall situation and the means of cooperation in the environmental field.
طوني بدران: أزمة النظام الإيراني
Crisis Of The Iranian Order
Tony Badran/ Hoover Institution/March 11/2020
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/84068/%d8%b7%d9%88%d9%86%d9%8a-%d8%a8%d8%af%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a3%d8%b2%d9%85%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%86%d8%b8%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%8a-tony-badran-crisis-of-the-irani/
The “transnational”: this is how Qassem Soleimani, the former head of Iran’s Qods Force, who was killed in a January U.S. missile strike in Baghdad, is described in Hezbollah-run schools in Lebanon. Soleimani, who commanded the militias prosecuting Iran’s wars in the region and who managed the Islamic Republic’s realm from Iraq to Lebanon, met his end as the Iranian order in those two countries was under severe stress, adding to the Iranian regime’s domestic troubles as it reels under the weight of U.S. sanctions.
Iraq and Lebanon have long suffered from endemic corruption and mismanagement, which have now resulted in failing economies. In fact, Lebanon is already in the stage of financial and economic collapse. Beyond economic grievances, however, the political orders both in Iraq and Lebanon are in a crisis of legitimacy. For months, popular demonstrations have been raging against the Baghdad and Beirut governments and the sectarian political actors who run them. This turmoil in Iran’s Arab holdings adds another layer of pressure on top of the two-year old widespread popular protests inside Iran.
These popular protests have revealed the vulnerabilities of the Iranian regional project, of which Soleimani was the anchor. Likewise, they have exposed the incoherence of U.S. policy ideas about Iran and fractured states like Iraq and Lebanon over the course of almost two decades.
Iran is at the heart of the protests in Iraq and Lebanon. In Iraq, far more explicitly than in Lebanon, the protests have taken aim directly at Iran and its local agents who control the government. Iraqi protesters have defaced posters of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and have attacked the Iranian Consulate along with the offices of militias like the Badr Organization, ripping up pictures of its leader as well. Slogans like “Iran out, out,” have been characteristic of the protests. It bears underscoring that these protests have been raging not only in Baghdad but also in majority-Shiite cities like Karbala, Najaf, Nasiriyah and Basra.
The Lebanese protests have been more widespread in terms of sectarian geography, encompassing both major Sunni cities like Tripoli as well as Shiite cities like Tyre. The anti-Iran element of the Lebanese protests has been indirect. The protests have targeted the entire political system, over which Hezbollah presides. Their slogan, demanding the ouster of the entire sectarian political class spares none: “all of them means all of them.” And they have not shied away from including Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, by name: “all of them, means all of them, and Nasrallah is one of them.”
The political orders of Iraq and Lebanon share a core feature. While both claim the trappings and formal structures of states, these structures are, in fact, dominated from within by parties-cum-militias commanded by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the model of Hezbollah. The reaction of the wardens of these political orders in Baghdad and Beirut has been to suppress the protest movements. In Iraq, the death toll had exceeded 600 by end of January. While things in Lebanon have not yet reached that level of lethality, violence against the protests has been a centerpiece of the sectarian elite’s response from the get-go.
This violent response, however, has not yet succeeded in snuffing out the protests. In Iraq especially, this failure is compounded by competition among the militia leaders, a result of the vacuum left by the elimination of the governor of the realm, Soleimani, and of his top Iraqi lieutenant, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. These leaders are now scrambling to claim the head position. The fractiousness of the Iraqi Shiite scene, formerly managed by Soleimani, and the absence of a credible figure to succeed him in that role, has led Iran to rely on Hezbollah as a steadying hand in Iraq, even as it deals with the turmoil in Beirut.
These frailties inside the Iranian order only underscore the fantastical nature of former president Barack Obama’s vision for Iran as the bedrock of stability in the region. But if these protests against the political systems and governments of Iraq and Lebanon have exposed Iran’s vulnerabilities, they have also highlighted the incoherence of U.S. policy in these countries.
On the one hand, the Trump administration’s maximum pressure policy, a fundamental departure from his predecessor’s strategy of realignment with Iran, has been key in exacerbating the structural problems of the Iraqi and Lebanese systems. Since the Lebanese banking sector was dependent on a constant inflow of fresh dollars, the tightening of sanctions on Hezbollah over the past three years further constrained the group’s ability to circulate the proceeds of its global criminal enterprise through the banks. Drying up the flow of dollars denied the corrupt Lebanese political class the ability to limp along and accelerated the collapse.
On the other hand, the president continues to be trapped in the failed policy framework of the Bush and Obama administrations. The frameworks of the Bush administration’s Freedom Agenda, the counterterrorism campaigns, and the explicitly pro-Iranian realignment strategy of the Obama administration all invested the U.S. in the pro-Iranian political orders through the policy of building up state institutions.
Washington is still wedded to the conceit that there are state institutions in Iraq and Lebanon, distinct from and in opposition to Iran’s militias, and that the U.S. needs to strengthen these institutions as the best way to roll back Iranian influences in Baghdad and Beirut.
The protests have put the lie to this conceit. In the imagination of U.S. policymakers, building up the “state” would establish it as the sole legitimate actor, thereby diminishing the clout of the militias. In reality, however, the “state” and the militias are indistinguishable. Hence, the forces beating up, detaining, and shooting protesters in the streets were both the official security forces and the militias. In fact, in certain cases the security services assaulting the protesters were simply the militias in official uniform. The “Parliamentary Police” in Beirut, for instance, is little more than sectarian warlord and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri’s private force — in effect an extension of his Amal militia. The “state,” such as it is, is the “Hezbollah state” — precisely the template which the Iranians implemented in both Lebanon and Iraq. It is not the magic antidote to Iranian influence. It is a vehicle for that influence.
That the people on the streets of Iraq and Lebanon are protesting these “state institutions,” indeed the very political systems, is already testimony to the fact that these institutions, emanating from these sectarian political orders, have lost their legitimacy, at least among a large segment of the population. With that, the full absurdity of the argument behind current U.S. policy, that these institutions are the instruments with which to defeat Hezbollah’s “narrative,” comes into focus. If the U.S. doubles down on the mantra of propping up “state institutions,” it would mean bailing out the Iranian order, in the face of an unprecedented popular challenge and economic crisis.
To be sure, it’s unclear, even unlikely, that these protests will lead to a successful overhaul of the entrenched political systems of Iraq and Lebanon. But equally unclear is how the regeneration and continued underwriting of these systems is in any way in the U.S. interest. The U.S. ought not concern itself with salvaging the existing pro-Iranian systems under whatever pretext, whether it’s “strengthening state institutions,” or “contesting Iranian influence,” or counterterrorism. Investment in “state institution-building” only relieves pressure on Iran, as is the case with the sanctions waivers Washington continues to extend to the Iraqi government
Rather, the model for the U.S. should be its policy during the Cold War. The U.S. did not pour money into strengthening “state institutions” in Budapest or Warsaw. Rather, Washington worked on bankrupting and breaking the Soviet Union, all while lending support, moral and political, to the dissident movements in the Soviet realm.
Likewise, the priority for the U.S. is the intensification and success of its maximum pressure campaign against Iran. The focus should be on raising the heat on Iran and bankrupting it, so as to severely limit its means to project power abroad. While it is possible to envision a wide range of outcomes inside Iran, from the weakening or collapse of the current regime to its possible liberalization, the point of the ongoing pressure campaign is much simpler: To raise the relative costs of the regime’s foreign adventures to levels that it can’t sustain. Insofar as the popular protests in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon are challenging the Islamic Republic and its political order in Baghdad and Beirut, and thereby contributing to the pressure campaign, the U.S. ought to support the protesters, and not the state institutions trying to suppress them.
*Tony Badran is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Follow him on Twitter @AcrossTheBay.
Coronavirus up-date
Roger Bejjani/Face Book/March 11/2020
WHO has projected that 60% to 70% of world population may be affected by this new virus.
What can be done by each one of us?
1. Drink profusely throughout the day 3 liters of room temperature water.
2. Restrict touching your face only if your hands are very well washed and before touching anything.
3. No handshakes.
4. No hugging and no kissing.
5. Keep a hold on sexual relations. Unless abstinence becomes life threatening.
6. Freeze outings to friends or restaurants etc…unless draconian precautions are taken.
7. Work from home when possible.
8. Do not eat raw vegetables or spongy fruits such as strawberries. Eat only grilled or cooked vegetables and skin protected fruits (oranges, mangue, papaya…).
9. Nuts are problematic since they are not protected from humans.
10. No gyms. Do your sport outdoor.
11. Wash using soaps all items bought from supermarket prior to storing.
12. No raw meat for the time being.
13. Clean your mobile phones
Regularly and place in pocket or bag.
14. Clean the household properly.
15. Upon getting in your home, Wash your hands before touching anything or anyone! For at least 25 seconds.
16. Most importantly: don’t panic. Be diligent but don’t panic and act in a civil manner with people around you.
17. Don’t go to any religious or social or sport function where more than 20 persons are confined in a closed place.
18. You need to be a moron to smoke narguilé in a public place (sharing narguilé with others).
Let’s wait for warmer weather.
Aoun receives credentials of eight new ambassadors to Lebanon, meets Chinese Ambassador
NNA/March 11/2020
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, received, today at Baabda Palace, the credentials of eight Ambassadors who constitute a new batch of heads of diplomatic missions to Lebanon.
Ambassadors are: Italian Ambassador, Nicoletta Bombardier, US Ambassador, Dorothy Camille Shea, Slovenian Ambassador, Primoz Seligo, Ghanaian Ambassador, Winfred Ni Okai Hammoud, South African Ambassador, Barry Phillip Gilder, Estonian Ambassador, Miko Haljas, Zambian Ambassador, Major General Topply Mulanbo Lubaya, and Burkina Faso Ambassador, Alassane Mone.
A ceremony was held in the presence of Foreign Affairs Minister, Nassif Hitti, General Director of Protocol and Public Relations in the Lebanese Presidency, Dr. Nabil Chedid, Ambassador Hani Shmaitly, and General Director of Protocol at Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mrs. Abeer Ali. Upon the arrival of Ambassadors to the Presidential Palace, accredited ceremonies were performed, and the Lebanese National Anthem was played, in addition to the Anthem of the country which each Ambassador represents, by the Lebanese Army, while flags of each state were also raisedalongside the Lebanese flag.
Afterwards, Ambassadors saluted the flag and were then accompanied by the Republican Guard Brigade, before entering the Ambassadors’ Salon in two rows, where they presented their credentials to President Aoun, and introduced members of their accompanying diplomatic missions.
While Ambassadors were leaving, the Lebanese Army Music played the Lebanese National Anthem. Ambassadors conveyed to President Aoun, the regards of their Presidents, and their wishes for success in his national responsibilities , assuring him of the work to strengthen bilateral relations between Lebanon and their countries.
President Aoun replied by sending regards, and wishing them success in their diplomatic missions.
Overview:
Italian Ambassador, Nicoletta Bombardiere:
Holds a BA in political science from the University of Florence.
Fluctuated in several positions in her country’s foreign ministry before being appointed consul of Italy in South Africa between 1991 and 1995.
Held the position of first secretary of her country’s permanent mission in Vienna, and worked as a consultant for the General Directorate of Political Affairs in her country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Between 2000 and 2002 she held the position of Head of Section in the General Directorate for Asian and Ukraine Affairs at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Appointed economic advisor to the Italian Embassy in Cairo, and then a senior advisor to the Italian Embassy in London.
Between 2010 and 2013, she held the position of Head of the Specialized Unit for Afghanistan Affairs at the General Directorate of Political and Security Affairs in her country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From December 24, 2015 until her appointment in Beirut, she held the position of diplomatic advisor to the Italian Ministry of Defense.
US Ambassador, Dorothy Shea:
Graduated from Virginia and Georgetown Universities and has a BA from the National Defense Institute in Washington.
Fluent in Arabic and French and has many articles and publications on the elements of contemporary foreign policy in a changing world.
Held several positions and worked in her country’s embassies in Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.
Held the position of a foreign affairs analyst at the US State Department, and worked for the Bureau of African Affairs in the same ministry.
Held the position of director of the Democracy and Human Rights Division at the National Defense Council in Washington, and prior to her appointment in Beirut, she served as deputy head of the US mission in Egypt.
Slovenian Ambassador, Primoz Seligo:
Graduated from the University of Ljubljana, from which he obtained a master’s degree in international relations from the Faculty of Social Sciences, and a BA in economics from the Faculty of Economics.
Fluctuated in several administrative and diplomatic positions, where he worked in the Economic Affairs Department of his country’s foreign ministry before he was appointed as second secretary at the Slovenian Embassy in Moscow and then as first secretary in Ankara.
Held the position of head of the Eastern European Department at the Foreign Ministry before he was appointed ambassador to Ukraine, and non-resident ambassador to Georgia and Moldova, and then to Armenia.
Held the position of head of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry before he was appointed ambassador to Russia, and a non-resident ambassador to the Republics of Belarus, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.
Prior to his appointment in Beirut, he held the position of Head of the Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. – Fluent in English, Russian, Ukrainian, Italian and Arabic.
Ghanaian Ambassador, Winfred Ni Okai Hammond:
Born in 1953
Married with four children.
South African Ambassador, Barry Gilder:
Holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts in writing with distinction.
Held various administrative and diplomatic positions since 1973.
Held the position of Director General of the Internal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the position of Coordinator of Intelligence Affairs at the Coordination Committee of the National Intelligence Services.
Headed the General Directorate of Operations at the Mapungube Institute in Johannesburg.
Fluent in English, French and Russian.
Estonian Ambassador, Miko Hajlas:
Born in Tallinn, Estonia.
Holds a license from the Tallinn Technical Institute in the field of chemical engineering, a license from the Diplomatic Institute in Estonia, and a license from the Institute of International Relations in the Hague.
Fluctuated in various administrative and political positions, where he worked in the Balkan Countries Division and the United States and Canada Affairs Division at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before he was appointed a second secretary for political affairs at his country’s embassy in Helsinki and then in the United States of America.
Worked in the Department of Relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then as Director of Security Affairs and the Arms Control Section of the Ministry, before he appointed a consultant and Minister Plenipotentiary for his country to Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia.
Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Minister of Estonia to Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Fluent in Estonian, English, Finnish and Russian.
Zambian Ambassador, Major General Topply Lubaya:
Holds a BA from Cambridge University, and holdsdegrees in disaster management and the National Security Affairs Program.
Fluctuated in several administrative positions and underwent training courses, worked in human rights training and peace-keeping.
Worked in international missions of the United Nations to Sudan and Mozambique.
Held several military positions and in various sectors before he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army between 2011 and 2016.
Burkina Faso Ambassador, Alassane Mone:
Holds a diploma in higher military studies from the Institute of Combat in Paris, a master’s in specialized diplomatic education from the Institute of Diplomatic and Strategic Sciences in Paris, and a diploma from the Institute of Higher Military Affairs.
Held various military positions before he was appointed between 2011 and 2017 as Secretary-General of the Ministry of National Defense and military veterans.
Holder of several medals, and followed a number of specialized and high training courses.
Appointed extraordinary ambassador and minister plenipotentiary of his country to the Arab Republic of Egypt, starting from September 27, 2018.
Chinese Ambassador:
President Michel Aoun met the Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon, Wang Qijan, today at the Presidential Palace, who briefed him on latest developments in China on combatting Corona.
Qijan said that the situation in China is now better due to the measures adopted by authorities to restrict this disease and halt its spread, pointing out his country’s readiness to help Lebanon in this process.
Diab: The government has not been late in taking any measure aimed at protecting the Lebanese
NNA/March 11/2020
Prime Minister, Dr. Hassan Diab, said during the press conference held this evening at the Grand Serail after the meeting of the Coronavirus Follow-up Committee:
“As you may know, Lebanon was among the first countries to take tough action on the coronavirus. From the onset, we have established a Special Committee to follow up on the coronavirus. The Committee has followed up on all cases and taken many bold actions.
As usual, the government was loudly attacked, especially when it took the decision to shut down schools and universities and to adopt stringent measures concerning flights to certain countries.
We have also taken strict measures at Rafic Hariri Airport in Beirut and have preceded other counties of the region in taking relevant precautionary measures.
Today, we are facing a disease that is spreading all over the world. The disease is widespread in countries with great potential, despite the action which is being taken.
The entire world is currently facing this challenge, and the government has not been late in taking any measures aimed at protecting the Lebanese. Nevertheless, some have resorted to political point scoring, whereas we are all required to rise to the level of national responsibility in this critical and sensitive period, for protecting the Lebanese in response to the outbreak of this disease is what is urgently required.”
On the other hand, the Committee for the Follow-up of Anti-Coronavirus Preventive Measures and Actions held a meeting this afternoon at the Grand Serail and issued the following recommendations:
“At 16:00 hours, the Committee for the Follow-up of Anti-Coronavirus Preventive Measures and Actions held a meeting chaired by Major General Mahmoud Al-Asmar and attended by a representative of the President of the Republic, Dr. Walid Al-Khoury, and the advisor of the Prime Minister, Dr. Petra Khoury, as well as other members. The meeting resulted in the following recommendations:
At the internal level:
1. Establish a rotational shift work for public sector employees (with the exception of all military and security services as well as medical and health institutions) in a way that ensures continuity of work, implementation of necessary transactions for citizens and adoption of necessary measures to prevent overcrowding in public departments.
2. Communicate with all private institutions (except medical and health institutions) to take measures aimed at organizing rotational shift work to a minimum level in a way that ensures continuity of work in all productive sectors and guarantees workers’ rights.
3. Ban gatherings in public and private spaces, and close cafes, restaurants, bars, public parks and shopping centers (except for food sales outlets) – tourist and archaeological sites, grottoes, ski centers, leisure and amusement facilities of all kinds, as well as clubs, public and private sports stadiums, swimming pools, health resorts, etc.
4. Re-engage with all religious authorities in order to take maximum action to limit gatherings in places of worship and relevant facilities.
5. Require all citizens, especially the elderly, to stay at home and go out only for work and when absolutely necessary.
6. Require all citizens to refrain from partaking in all social events and gatherings, both indoors and outdoors; all concerts, parties, events, conferences and meetings of all kinds shall be cancelled.
7. Urge private hospitals to accelerate readiness.
At the external level:
1. Suspension of all flights (air, land and sea travel) to and from the following States: Italy – South Korea – Iran – China (Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan Province of China) for one week from the date of issuance of the present decision.
2. Suspension of the entry by air, land or sea of all persons arriving from countries experiencing the outbreak of the new Coronavirus (France, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and other countries), with the exception of diplomatic missions accredited in Lebanon, international organizations, Lebanese citizens and members of Lebanese families who have not yet received Lebanese citizenship or residency in Lebanon and UNIFIL, while giving them 4 days to return to Lebanon.
3. After the expiry of the 4-day deadline, all flights from the aforementioned countries shall be suspended, and Lebanese wishing to return have to communicate with Lebanese embassies in relevant countries, so that the appropriate measures can be taken at the right time in coordination with the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (these procedures do not apply to transit passengers).
Note: After the expiry of the 4-day deadline, items 2 and 3 shall enter into force for a period of one week as of the issuance of the relevant decision.
4. Lebanese and foreign visitors returning to Lebanon from the countries mentioned in Items 1 and 2, who did not show symptoms of the disease, must abide by domestic isolation for 14 days and communicate with the Ministry of Public Health in the event of any symptoms.
Implementing Entities: All ministries, where appropriate.
The Committee shall keep its meetings open to follow up on developments and to take appropriate action in a timely manner”
Diab discusses with visitors endeavors to advance Lebanon
NNA/March 11/2020
Prime Minister Hassan Diab met today with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis. After the meeting, Kubis said that during his upcoming visit to New York, he will “brief the UN Security Council about the developments in Lebanon and implementation of the resolution 1701 and related resolutions.”“We also discussed the steps and progress implemented by the government in diverse areas that are relevant to the economy and the people,” Kubis added.
PM Diab also received a delegation of Ambassadors from Latin America, headed by the Ambassador of Mexico José Ignacio Madrazo, with Ambassadors of Argentina Mauricio Alice, Colombia Fernando Helo, Chile Mauricio Ugalde, Uruguay Ricardo Nario, Cuba Alexander Pellicer Moraga, Venezuela Jesús Gregorio González, and Brazilian Chargé d’Affaires Jandyr Ferreira Dos Santos Junior. The delegation reiterated its full support to the Lebanese Government.
PM later met with MPs Ali Darwish, Assaad Dergham, and Simon Abi Ramia, with whom he respectively discussed coronavirus recent developments, projects in Akkar region, and financial and economic plan. Beiruti Popular Gathering also visited the Grand Serail on Wednesday. — Presidency of the Council of Ministers
