English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 08/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For today
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.
John 15/01-08/: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 07-08/2020
Lebanon records 11 new COVID-19 cases
Aoun Evokes '1975-1976 Incidents' to Warn against Strife
Army Command announces injury of 25 of its military men during yesterday's events, warns it will not tolerate further instability attempts
Berri: Cursed is he who awakens strife!
Rahi: We regret the inclusion of religion in the political divisionBassil: Our current system creates crises
Bassil: Our current system creates crises
Sit-in at Riyad El-Solh Square against the civil war
Demonstrators stage a sitin at Tripoli's AlNour Square to protest yesterday's incidents
Kubis: Insulting religious figures is a disgrace and must be rejected by all
Hariri warns against sectarian strife
Hariri, Jumblatt review latest developments in Clemenceau
Justice Minister: Civil state alone gathers citizens, protects their beliefs
Hassan agrees with Derian, Al-Khatib to reinforce a uniting dialogue, ward off strife
Aoukar demonstration canceled by organizers
Lebanese army says sectarian clashes won’t be tolerated as president urges calm
Lebanon: Aoun Not Likely to Respond to Calls for National Unity Government
Violence erupts in Beirut, demonstrators call for disarming of Hezbollah
Bassil Says Civil State is 'Salvation' after Sectarian Unrest
Lebanon will descend into chaos before Hezbollah disarms/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/June 07/2020

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 07-08/2020
Iranian targets in Syria attacked by unidentified aircraft, 12 dead
Air Raids Kill 12 Pro-Iran Fighters East Syria
“Unidentified drones” kill 12 pro-Iran militiamen in eastern Syria/Israel suspected of being behind attack.
Israel PM Netanyahu: We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon
Clashes between security forces and locals in Iran's Lorestan province
A Cairo initiative for Libya as GNA forces aim for Sirte against Russian, French objections
Global Coronavirus Cases Near 7 Million
Recognition of Palestinian State Complicates West Bank Annexation Plans
Former Longtime Palestinian Islamic Jihad Leader Dies
Time for a Change': Anti-racism Protesters March across U.S.

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 07-08/2020
"You Are Finished!": Turkey's Growing War on Christians/Raymond Ibrahim/June 07/2020
Does Russia want Tehran to get nukes? - analysis/Yonah Jeremy Bob/Jerusalem Post/June 07/2020
Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook Reach a Tipping Point/Timothy L. O'Brien/Bloomberg/June 07/2020
Iran gloats over US protests despite domestic woes/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/June 07/2020
Where will we stand amid the anger of the repressed?/Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/June 07/2020
Turkey-Russia cooperation faces new test over Libya/Yasar Yakis/Arab News/June 07/2020

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 07-08/2020
Lebanon records 11 new COVID-19 cases
Annahar/Annahar/June 07/2020
The cases that were registered in the past 24 hours were distributed as follows: nine locals and two expats.
BEIRUT: The Ministry of Public Health announced on Sunday that 11 new coronavirus positive cases were recorded, raising the total number of registered cases to 1,331. The cases that were registered in the past 24 hours were distributed as follows: nine locals and two expats.The total number of active cases reached 525.

Aoun Evokes '1975-1976 Incidents' to Warn against Strife
Naharnet/June 07/2020
President Michel Aoun on Sunday reminded the Lebanese of the 1975-1976 incidents to warn them against a renewed descent into civil strife, a day after the country was rocked by fast-moving sectarian unrest.
In a statement, the president said he condemns “any insult against the religious symbols of any component of the Lebanese family and the subsequent acts of violence and reactions that occurred overnight in several Lebanese regions.”
He also deplored "the attacks on shops, institutions and military and security forces who were carrying out their duty of preserving security and preventing riot," in reference to clashes between protesters and security forces in central Beirut.
"We draw our national immunity from each other and our strength has been and will always be in our national unity, no matter what our political differences may be," the president added. "I address the conscience of every political and spiritual official and that of the prudent Lebanese who lived the 1975-1976 incidents... to carry out what they should do, each from their position, to put out any form of strife resulting from insults to our religious, spiritual and personal sanctities," Aoun urged. He said the events of Saturday should be "an alarm bell for everyone" to realize that "not through insulting each other's sanctities we can achieve any demand."Aoun added: "We can't achieve dignified living or reach our goals through insults or attacks on security forces, shops or institutions, and any security setback will not be in anyone's interest, seeing as no one can triumph over the other through force or violence."

Army Command announces injury of 25 of its military men during yesterday's events, warns it will not tolerate further instability attempts
NNA/June 07/2020
Lebanese Army Command - Orientation Directorate issued a statement on Sunday, in wake of the regretful incidents witnessed on Saturday night, saying: "Yesterday, as the deployed Army units were carrying out their duties in maintaining security, opening roads that were blocked by protesters, and preventing infringement on public and private property, the military units were subjected to stone-throwing and large explosives, which resulted in the wounding of 25 members, one of them with a serious eye injury.""The Army units also arrested 4 persons (Syrian, Palestinian and two Sudanese) for carrying out riot and sabotage acts during yesterday's movements," the statement added. "The Army leadership believes that the country passed through a tribulation yesterday that could have dragged us down to a dangerous slope, as what happened almost shattered the national unity, tore civil peace and nurtured division. The Army Command, thus, warns against the consequences of being drawn into sedition, and stresses on maintaining responsibility, awareness and wisdom in order to preserve civil peace, protect national unity, and ward off the traps of sedition," the statement emphasized. The Army Command also urged citizens to be well-aware of the grave and critical stage, stressing the need to adhere to security measures, and warning that it will "not tolerate any act of insecurity or instability, because the safety of people and the country is above any consideration."

Berri: Cursed is he who awakens strife!
NNA/June 07/2020
House Speaker Nabih Berri denounced, on Sunday, the regretful events that occurred yesterday night in the capital, Beirut, and certain Lebanese regions, some of which were characterized by a sectarian nature.
"It is sedition that emerges, once again, to assassinate the country and its national unity and target its civil peace...a strife that is more severe than killing! Cursed be the one who awakens it, so beware of falling into its furnaces, for it will spare no one," he strongly cautioned.
"Absolutely, and with utmost certainty, any insult against Islamic and Christian sanctities, symbols and sacred places is condemned and denounced," the Speaker underscored. "Every act coming from any party that targets the unity of the Lebanese, their security, stability and coexistence is an Israeli act, and any voice that promotes discord between the people of the same homeland and children the same religion is a Hebrew voice, even if uttered in the Arabic language," Berri corroborated. "We highly value all sincere efforts made by the political, spiritual, security, and military leaders at all levels to cut-off the sedition and bring it to its cradle," the Speaker said. In this context, he urged all Lebanese citizens, politicians, opinion leaders and the media, to maintain deep wisdom and insight, awareness and consciousness at this critical stage, and refrain from being drawn by instincts and reactions that may lead to disastrous consequences.

Rahi: We regret the inclusion of religion in the political division
NNA/June 07/2020
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rahi, presided over Sunday Mass service in Bkirki this morning, expressing his regret that religious beliefs are the cause of political divisions and armed conflicts.
Rahi stressed that "the popular demands are shared by the Lebanese youth without any connection to their religion, sect, party, or region."
He regretted that the speech had turned violent and that social and economic demands had been marginalized during Saturday's events in Downtown Beirut.
The Patriarch denounced the negative image that these events reflected abroad, and said: "How will we receive assistance from Arab countries and the international community if we cannot maintain internal political security, solidarity, and impartiality?"

Bassil: Our current system creates crises
NNA/June 07/2020
"Respect for the other is a moral obligation and acceptance of the other is self-respect," Free Patriotic Movement Head, Gibran Bassil, said on Sunday via his Twitter account. Bassil considered that "civic education is the foundation, while respecting sacred beliefs," adding that Lebanon's salvation lies in the civil state. "The current system is generating crises, and its development has become a must," he concluded.

Sit-in at Riyad El-Solh Square against the civil war
NNA/June 07/2020
Tens of citizens flocked to Riyad El-Solh Square in downtown Beirut this evening amidst security measures by the Army and Internal Security Forces, where they staged a sit-in against the civil war and to ward off the sedition that emerged yesterday in a number of Lebanese regions, NNA correspondent reported.
Participants held banners in condemnation of discord, subversion and sectarian strife which only leads to destruction. Demonstrators assured that their demands are still the same, namely against corruption and the corrupt, and to restore the looted funds, among other demands.

Demonstrators stage a sitin at Tripoli's AlNour Square to protest yesterday's incidents
NNA/June 07/2020
Activists from Tripoli, Minnieh, and Akkar regions held a sit-in on Sunday at the Abdul Hamid Karami "Al-Nour" Square, in rejection of the insulting slogans and the incidents that occurred yesterday night, NNA correspondent in Tripoli reported. Protesters held up banners denouncing "the attack on the shrine of the mother of believers, Aisha," calling on the state to hold the perpetrators accountable and ward off sedition. They also demanded the state to put an end to these provocations that can almost ignite sectarian strife in the country.

Kubis: Insulting religious figures is a disgrace and must be rejected by all
NNA/June 07/2020
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis, tweeted Sunday, following yesterday's events in the capital, Beirut, saying: "Insulting religious feelings and figures is a disgrace and must be rejected by all. Hatred and intolerance has no place in any religion."He added in a second tweet: "Raising inflammatory slogans and sectarian hatred can have only one result - deepening the suffering of the people, killing peaceful protests with their legitimate demands, putting Lebanon on fire."

Hariri warns against sectarian strife
NNA/June 07/2020
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri addressed all citizens who were appalled by the insults proffered against the Mother of the Believers, Aisha (wife of Prophet Mohammed), and called on them to resort to awareness and wisdom, and not be drawn into any reactions that could threaten civil peace and allow the ignorant people to ignite discord between the sons of a same country. He said on Twitter that "any insult against Sayyeda Aisha is disgraceful and unacceptable and struck us all at the core", adding that it constitutes an insult to all Muslims without exception, and was condemned by Shiite politicians and clergymen, as well as by Sunnis and Dar Al Fatwa specifically. "My appeal to our beloved ones in all regions is to respect the invitation of Dar Al Fatwa and warn the Muslim public against falling into the trap of sectarian strife. God's curse on strife and those who awaken it," concluded Hariri. [Former PM Hariri's Press Office]

Hariri, Jumblatt review latest developments in Clemenceau
NNA/June 07/2020
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri arrived shortly in Clemenceau to meet with Progressive Socialist Party Chief, Walid Jumblatt, in the presence of Democratic Gathering Head, MP Taymour Jumblatt, MP Wael Abu Faour, and former Cabinet Ministers Ghazi al-Aridi and Ghattas Khoury. Talks during the meeting touched on the latest political developments and the prevailing conditions in the country.

Justice Minister: Civil state alone gathers citizens, protects their beliefs
NNA/June 07/2020
Minister of Justice, Marie Claude Najm, tweeted Sunday in wake of yesterday's regretful events, saying: "Seeking refuge in a sect is fear for existence and isolation from the other. Our state does not belong to a religion, and the civil constitution that we desire is custodian of all. Only a civil state gathers citizens and protects their beliefs, and guarantees them an equal space in freedom and justice."

Hassan agrees with Derian, Al-Khatib to reinforce a uniting dialogue, ward off strife
NNA/June 07/2020
Druze Unitarian Community Sheikh Al-Aql, Naim Hassan, contacted Sunday the Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul-Latif Derian, and Vice-President of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, deliberating over yesterday night's sad incidents and mutually agreeing on the need to strengthen an inclusive dialogue and ward off sedition in the country. The Druze Sheikh Al-Aql had earlier issued a statement following last night's events, in which he valued the "good initiatives based on wisdom and a sense of responsibility, which alone would protect Lebanon in its security, economy, and survival as a country fit for its people.""We thank the Lord Almighty, the Compassionate, the Merciful, for His keenness towards Lebanon and its people, for we can hardly believe how many rush to the heart of the abyss and stir up discord, amidst a massive course of extremely dangerous and stormy crises shaking the fate of the country and its citizens," Sheikh Hassan said. "We warn against any attack on religious shrines and symbols, and the angry drift towards refusal or treachery of the other. Enough of playing in the circle of fire! We are all children of this country, which we know and in which we are aware of one another...and we know well that we have nothing but our understanding and renewing the certainty of our coexistence together no matter the unfolding crises," the Druze Sheikh Aql underscored.

Aoukar demonstration canceled by organizers
NNA/June 07/2020
Lebanese youth and student organizations canceled the demonstration that was scheduled in front of the American embassy in Awkar in solidarity with the American people and denouncing the U.S. interference in Lebanon's internal affairs, due to the current security situation, NNA correspondent said on Sunday.

Lebanese army says sectarian clashes won’t be tolerated as president urges calm
The National/June 07/2020
The military warned that Saturday’s sectarian-charged clashes could have 'dragged the country into a dangerous slope'
Lebanon’s president urged calm and religious authorities rushed to defuse tension after mass protests took a sectarian turn on Saturday night and the military said no further breach would be tolerated. President Michel Aoun called on the nation to heed Saturday’s clashes as a “warning bell”.
“The persecution of any religious symbol or Lebanese sect is the persecution of all Lebanese,” Mr Aoun said. “Our strength was, is and will remain in our national unity, whatever our political differences.”Both Dar Al Fatwa, the country’s highest Sunni authority, and Imam Abdul Amir Qabalan, Lebanon’s highest Shiite authority, condemned sectarian chants and slogans heard during Saturday night’s demonstrations. Thousands took to the streets in downtown Beirut on Saturday afternoon in a return of the anti-government demonstrations that brought down the government of Saad Hariri in October.
But as the day wore on, protesters – throwing stones and fireworks – fought with the police who fired tear gas. At least 48 people were wounded, the Lebanese Red Cross said. Officers also moved to break up scuffles between a contingent of Hezbollah and Amal Movement supporters and the protesters.
Demonstrators chanted anti-Hezbollah slogans and insults about its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, while the supporters chanted sectarian slogans back.
In chants heard in videos posted online the group can be heard insulting revered Sunni figures including Aisha, one of the Prophet Mohammed’s wives.
In response, groups took to the streets and blocked roads in several largely Sunni areas of the country – including south Beirut – and gunfire was reported.
The Lebanese army warned that it would not tolerate future incidents, saying the “security of the people and country is above any other consideration.”
The military warned that Saturday’s sectarian-charged clashes could have “dragged the country into a dangerous slope, as what happened almost destroyed national unity, tore civil peace and nurtured division."
Dar Al Fatwa, Lebanon’s highest Sunni religious authority, called for calm and said Muslims should not fall “into the trap of sectarian and religious sedition”.
It said: “The insults emanate from certain ignorant people who do not know the true values of Islam”.
The Shiite High Council supported the statement of Dar Al Fatwa and said there were “suspicious attempts to evoke sectarian sedition among the Lebanese and to strike at their national and religious unity”.
Lebanon’s most senior Shiite politician, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, also condemned the chants as “worse than murder,” and an attempt to “assassinate the country."
"Every act from any side targeting Lebanese unity, security, stability and livelihoods is an Israeli act. Any voice that promotes strife [between the Lebanese] is a Hebrew voice, even if spoken in Arabic," he said in a statement released by Parliament’s press office.
Former prime minister Saad Hariri said he was appalled by the insults and called on people not to react in a way that would threaten civil peace or sow discord.
“Any insult against Sayyeda Aisha is disgraceful and unacceptable and struck us all at the core,” he said in a tweet. “I appeal to … all religions to respect the statement of Dar Al Fatwa and warn the Muslim public against falling into the trap of sectarian strife. God’s curse on strife and those who awaken it.”
Hezbollah also denounced the chants, saying it did not support the message. It also spoke out against sectarian division. Amal officials denounced what it called a “blatant attempt to provoke sedition between the faithful”.
The military was present in large numbers in Ein El Remmeneh and Chiyah in south Beirut, a mixed Christian-Shiite site of one of the massacres of the 1975-90 civil war. Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s office tweeted, saying: “The prime minister condemns and denounces in the strongest terms, all sectarian slogans ... and calls on all Lebanese and their political and spiritual leaders to exercise awareness and wisdom and co-operate with the army and security services.”

Lebanon: Aoun Not Likely to Respond to Calls for National Unity Government
Beirut- Mohammed Shokair/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 7 June, 2020
President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Hassan Diab are not likely to respond to recent calls for the formation of a unity government, parliamentary sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. In remarks earlier this week, Deputy Speaker Elie Ferzli underlined the need for a national unity government that would constitute “a safety net for Lebanon” and help stop the financial and economic collapse, especially amid the ongoing negotiations between the current cabinet and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to the sources, Ferzli’s call was aimed at ringing the alarm over the current government’s inability to assume a rescue role. They noted that the only obstacle that would prevent the establishment of a new political stage and the creation of the appropriate conditions for the birth of a government of national unity was “the insistence of the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gibran Bassil that this government provides him with what he needs to serve his presidential ambitions.”The same sources noted that Ferzli’s call lacked a plan and work program that would address the post-government resignation phase. They added, however, that the deputy speaker, who disagrees with Bassil, has a good relationship with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. The latter is responsive to the need to change the government, but awaits the adequate atmosphere that is currently unavailable. Therefore, Diab’s government is unlikely to be dissolved soon despite the lack of concordance among its ministers. The sources said that the government has been blaming its failure to address the economic crisis on the ongoing efforts to face the outbreak of the coronavirus. Nonetheless, it did not give any attention to the resumption of the street protests but moves on with its scheduled plans, including the issuance of a package of financial and backing appointments during the upcoming cabinet session on Thursday.

Violence erupts in Beirut, demonstrators call for disarming of Hezbollah
Aoun calls for “national unity” as sectarian frictions emerge.
The Arab Weekly/Agencies/Sunday 07/06/2020
BEIRUT--Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun pleaded for “national unity” on Sunday after violence erupted in parts of Beirut between supporters and opponents of the Shia paramilitary group Hezbollah as demonstrators called for the disarming of the pro-Iranian party.
“Our strength remains in our national unity…What happened last night is a warning bell,” Aoun’s office quoted him as saying on Twitter. “We must put our political disputes aside and hurry to work together to revive our country from the depth of the successive crises.”Gunfire was heard in some Beirut neighbourhoods and suburbs on Saturday night during scuffles between supporters of rival parties, local media reported. Security forces deployed in large numbers. Calm returned after a tense standoff in a Christian-Shia district linked to the start of the civil war, along a former frontline, local media said. Earlier on Saturday, security forces had fired tear gas at protesters who threw rocks, angry at the ruling elite and its handling of the crisis.
According to the Lebanese Red Cross, 48 were wounded in the violence, 11 of whom were hospitalised, while the rest were treated at the scene.
It was the first major anti-government rally attracting demonstrators from across the country since authorities relaxed a lockdown imposed in mid-March to fight the spread of the coronavirus. “We came on the streets to demand our rights, call for medical care, education, jobs and the basic rights that human beings need to stay alive,” said 21-year-old student Christina.
Saturday’s protest turned violent as supporters of Hezbollah reacted violently against demonstrators calling on the group to disarm.
“As long as there are militias that are stronger than the state, then it (the government) will not be able to fight corruption,” said John Moukarzel, a real estate company owner. Hezbollah is the only group to have kept its weapons since the end of the Lebanese civil war, deeply dividing Lebanon and exerting pressure on its political class. “Weapons should be only in the hands of the army,” said Sana, a 57-year-old female protester from Nabatiyeh, a city in southern Lebanon, a Hezbollah stronghold. Soldiers formed a human chain separating the two sides after supporters and opponents of Hezbollah threw stones at each other.
Supporters of Hezbollah, which is also represented in the government and parliament, chanted: “Shia, Shia.”
Political and religious leaders across sectarian lines warned against the danger of sectarian violence. “The Prime Minister condemns and denounces in the strongest terms, all sectarian slogans … and calls on all Lebanese and their political and spiritual leaders to exercise awareness and wisdom and cooperate with the army and security services,” Prime Minister Hassan Diab wrote on Twitter. On Saturday evening, there was an exchange of gunfire between residents of a Sunni district, a stronghold of the former prime minister Saad Hariri, and a nearby Shia neighbourhood, a stronghold of the Amal party, a security source said.Soldiers moved in to restore order, said the state-run news agency ANI. There were clashes too in the northern city of Tripoli. Lebanon has been rocked by a series of political crises in recent years, before an economic crunch helped trigger unprecedented cross-sectarian mass protests in October.
The demonstrations forced the government to resign and a new one headed by Prime Minister Hassan Diab was approved by parliament in February, tasked with launching reforms and combatting corruption. But many Lebanese say the new administration has failed to find solutions to the country’s manifold problems, including a grinding recession and spiralling inflation. The local currency has lost more than half of its value on the black market in recent months, falling from the official rate of 1,507 to more than 4,000 pounds to the dollar. Banks have gradually stopped all dollar withdrawals. More than 35 percent of Lebanese are unemployed, while poverty has soared to engulf more than 45 percent of the population, according to official estimates.
Lebanon is also one of the world’s most indebted countries, with a debt equivalent to more than 170 percent of its GDP. The country defaulted on its external borrowing for the first time in March. Diab’s government adopted an economic recovery plan in April and has begun negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, to try to unlock billions of dollars in aid.A sign held aloft by protesters on Saturday called for “a government that eliminates corruption, not one that protects corruption”. President Aoun wanted to show in recent days that he endorses the fight again corruption.
He said Friday the fight requires laws and legislations. But many Lebanese were sceptical about the president and the Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s ability to face a corruption plague deeply-rooted in the country. Diab had expressed good intentions in the war on corruption, but many analysts say a political bloc led by Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and directed by Gebran Bassil is working to abort his efforts. Lebanese politicians expressed concern over Aoun’s call last April to establish a special anti-corruption court. They feared that this court would be a prelude to the government taking measures affecting Lebanese politicians from the opponents of the Covenant and the government.These fears doubled as Aoun talked about the need to target political corruption in particular not only focusing corruption in administrations.
Lebanese politicians said that the campaign launched by Aoun to fight corruption aims to threaten his political opponents, mainly Saad Hariri and Walid Jumblatt. Lebanese political circles were also doubtful about the President’s ability to tackle the corruption-riddle sector of electricity which has caused the loss by the state of fifty billion dollars in the past decade under the eyes of his own political party led by Minister Gibran Bassil.

Bassil Says Civil State is 'Salvation' after Sectarian Unrest
Naharnet/June 07/2020
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil announced Sunday that a “civil state” is the “salvation” for the country, a day after sectarian unrest incidents rocked the country. “Respecting the other is an ethica commitment and accepting the other is self respect,” Bassil tweeted. “Civic education is essential and respect for sentiments and creeds is sacred,” he added.“Our current system creates crises, its improvement is a duty and the civil state remains the salvation,” the FPM chief went on to say.

Lebanon will descend into chaos before Hezbollah disarms
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/June 07/2020
Once again, and despite the dangers, Lebanese protesters have taken to the streets. Although limited in numbers, it is the first time they have stood so close to the presidential palace in Beirut and the first time they have openly requested the full respect of the constitution. Indeed, a few courageous protesters, mainly women, held signs saying, “Make 1559 happen,” and “Make 1680 Happen,” referring to UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Clearly, they are calling for Hezbollah to disarm as a key step toward the return of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
In 2004, Resolution 1559 saw the UNSC declare its support for a free and fair presidential election in Lebanon, conducted according to constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence. It also called on all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon. And, in a related provision, the council called for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias.
Resolution 1680 of 2006 “strongly encouraged” the delineation of Lebanon’s border with Syria and called for the full implementation of all requirements of Resolution 1559, including the disarmament of armed militias such as Hezbollah. Yet, almost 15 years later, Hezbollah is left unchecked with an even larger arsenal, and Syria’s influence might be staging a comeback.
Obviously, in politics, there are no permanent enemies. When Resolution 1559 was passed, President Michel Aoun was in exile in Paris and was in favor of it. He was also, before that, pushing for the US’ Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003, which aimed to reduce Syria’s influence in Lebanon. Aoun even testified to the US Congress, speaking against Syria and in support of the law.
Yet, today, in a sad and ironic twist, he is an ally and devoted supporter of Hezbollah, the last armed militia in Lebanon. Moreover, his entourage is no longer encouraging resolutions against Hezbollah or Syria, but facing up to becoming the target of sanctions itself. Indeed, under this month’s incorporation of the US Caesar Act, which targets the Syrian regime and its supporters for their war crimes, Hezbollah and its allies will also be pursued.
I remember meeting (and interviewing) Aoun in Paris just before his return to Lebanon in 2005. At that time, he was still clearly standing for the full sovereignty of the country, and this not only meant Syria’s exit but also the disarmament of Hezbollah and Palestinian militias. He even accused the Lebanese political leaders of lacking courage; yet today he stands on the same side. One can still question whether his alignment with Hezbollah was due to the refusal of the March 14 Alliance leadership to give him the representation share he deserved or because he was reading the geopolitical landscape of the years to come, which was perhaps signaling an appeasement with Iran.
Political pragmatism in Lebanon is always brutal and, although Aoun has a clear alliance and is openly collaborating with Hezbollah, most Lebanese political leaders have been complacent or silent on Hezbollah’s status for many years. Geopolitical shifts and death threats have left them disillusioned about any international help in facing up to the Iranian-sponsored armed group.
This complete bankruptcy of political will in favor of full sovereignty was clearly revealed by Saad Hariri in the last months of his premiership when, during a televised interview, he stated: “It is not my problem that Hezbollah became this strong.” He was referring to the fact that Hezbollah’s armament is a regional or a global problem, linked to the Iranian file, and not a domestic issue. He added: “Hezbollah is not running the government. I am running the government, President Aoun is running the government as president.” But he was running it in appearance only — following Hezbollah’s guidance and even shielding it from sanctions through his friendship with French President Emmanuel Macron, instead of pushing for disobedience and passive resistance. Without an alliance like Aoun has, he was accommodating all Hezbollah’s objectives, just as Prime Minister Hassan Diab is doing today.
Most Lebanese political leaders have been complacent or silent on Hezbollah’s status for many years.
It is nevertheless true that Hezbollah is part of the Iranian equation, as it has been a fantastic “Swiss army knife” in the hands of its leaders. There seems to be no subversive activity it cannot do, while at the same time promoting the political and religious agenda of the mullahs globally.
While a few protesters dared to address this issue, most analysts — even those supporting the Oct. 17 protest movement — came out to state this is not the time to focus on Hezbollah’s weapons, as this would antagonize the community supporting the militia and that the focus should instead be on corruption to make them join the protests. Ultimately, this is irrelevant, as most of the Shiite community supports Hezbollah or Amal, while other sectarian groups, with maybe less indoctrination, support their own respective leaders.
The message of “all means all” seemed the only way forward for the protesters. However, it is difficult to force this outcome when you are holding a sign and your opponent is holding a Kalashnikov and does not mind using it. Because of this, “all means all” is quickly becoming, “all, but if not yours then not mine either.”The protesters are right: The impact of Hezbollah’s armaments is linked to the corruption and dissolution of the Lebanese state. One cannot have rule of law or sovereignty if one group dictates its wishes and all its actions are beyond accountability. The corruption trickles down from this point.
As the Hezbollah government is now pleading for the International Monetary Fund deal it originally refused, the desperate economic situation, accentuated by the coronavirus pandemic, could provoke extreme changes, especially as hunger takes over and the international community is not interested. Chaos and even violent clashes could take place, making Hezbollah a potential target of its own tactics of asymmetrical confrontation.
Chaos will indeed fall on Lebanon before Hezbollah gives up its main competitive edge, which is its military arsenal. I once asked a Western diplomat how Hezbollah could be disarmed. Could the army oversee this without facing full dissolution? His answer was that, once its role was no longer required, Hezbollah would disappear, just like most non-state armed groups in history. Buried in my belief that sovereignty will prevail sooner or later, I never thought of asking whether they would disappear by taking over Lebanon or by surrendering their weapons.
*Khaled Abou Zahr is the CEO of Eurabia, a media and tech company. He is also the editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 07-08/2020
Iranian targets in Syria attacked by unidentified aircraft, 12 dead
Jerusalem Post/June 07/2020
The report claimed that the 12 people killed were Iraqi and Afghan militants of a pro-Iranian militia
A total of 12 members of a pro-Iranian militia in Syria were killed and Iranian targets were destroyed overnight in an airstrike by unidentified aircraft in the eastern Syrian city of Deir ez-Zur, according to the Syrian Human Rights Survey Center.
Vehicles and ammunition were destroyed in the airstrike that targeted a militia reported to have reinforced its forces in the region three days prior. The report claimed that the 12 people killed were Iraqi and Afghan militants of the organization who were residing in the base, which is located close to the Iraqi border. The attack came two days after an airstrike in Syria – which was alleged to be carried out by Israel – targeted Syrian defense factories near the northwest city of Masyaf, killing nine. Israel has allegedly conducted a number of airstrikes in recent months as part of its "war between wars" against Iranian forces and militias backed by Iran in Syria. Airstrikes attributed to Israel have targeted dozens of sites belonging to Iran and Iranian-backed forces in recent years.
Tzvi Joffre contributed to this report.

Air Raids Kill 12 Pro-Iran Fighters East Syria
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 7 June, 2020
At least 12 pro-Iranian fighters were killed in strikes by unidentified aircraft on eastern Syria late Saturday evening, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "Eight air strikes before midnight on Saturday night targeted a base of pro-Iranian forces in rural eastern Deir Ezzor (province), killing 12 Iraqi and Afghan fighters and destroying equipment and ammunition," the war monitor said. The Observatory did not identify the aircraft responsible, but its head Rami Abdul Rahman told the media that Israel was likely responsible. The Israeli military rarely claims responsibility for such attacks but has vowed to prevent Iran gaining a foothold in the war-torn country or delivering advanced weaponry to Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The Observatory said the latest strikes came after Afghan forces brought in reinforcements from near the Iraqi border to a large Iranian base near the town of Al-Mayadin on the Euphrates river.
Two waves of similar strikes in May killed 12 pro-Iranian fighters, according to the Observatory. Syria's complex, almost decade-long war has killed over 380,000 people, devastated the country's infrastructure and forced millions of people to flee their homes.

“Unidentified drones” kill 12 pro-Iran militiamen in eastern Syria/Israel suspected of being behind attack.
AP/Sunday 07/06/2020
DAMASCUS--Iranian positions in eastern Syria were hit with eight airstrikes by “unidentified drones”, said Sunday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). “The drone attacks killed 12 Iranian-backed militiamen of Iraqi and Afghani nationalities, and caused vehicles and ammunition depots, ” said SOHR.The strikes took place just before midnight in M’eizileh base in eastern Deir Ezzor. The Iranian-backed militias, added SOHR, had brought in military reinforcement to the targeted positions a few days ago. The observatory said 30 vehicles carrying military and logistical equipment as well as fighters arrived June 3 in the position held by Iranian-backed militia of “Fatimiyoun” in Al-Mayadeen city in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor from Al-Herri town on Iraq border. The Observatory did not identify the aircraft responsible, but its head Rami Abdul Rahman said Israel was likely responsible. The Israeli military rarely claims responsibility for such attacks but has vowed in the past to prevent Iran from gaining a foothold in the war-torn country or delivering advanced weaponry to Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. In May, then-Israeli Defence minister Naftali Bennett said his country was determined to drive Iran out of Syria. The US later confirmed Iranian troops were being deployed out of Syrian territory. Israeli envoy to the UN Danny Dannon told Israeli website I-24 last month that “Israel would strike whenever it received intelligence that an Iranian shipment was in Syria.”
Iranian and Iraqi armed groups backing the regime of Bashar Al-Assad have been reported to have deployed across swathes of Deir Ezzor, a large desert province bordering on Iraq.
Two waves of similar strikes in May killed 12 pro-Iranian fighters, according to the Observatory.

Israel PM Netanyahu: We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon
AFP, Jerusalem/Sunday 07 June 2020
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged world powers Sunday to reimpose tough sanctions against Iran, vowing to curb Tehran’s regional “aggression” hours after another deadly strike on pro-Iranian fighters in Syria. “The International Atomic Energy Agency has determined that Iran refused to give the agency’s inspectors access to secret sites where Iran conducted secret nuclear military activity,” Netanyahu told his cabinet. The UN nuclear watchdog said Friday that Iran had accumulated enriched uranium at nearly eight times the limit under a landmark 2015 deal, and has for months blocked inspections at sites where nuclear activity may have taken place. Netanyahu accused Iran of “systematically violating its commitments by hiding sites, enriching fissile material and in other ways.” “In light of these discoveries, the international community must join the US and reimpose crippling sanctions on Iran,” he said. Iran has been progressively rolling back on its commitments under the 2015 agreement in response to US President Donald Trump’s unilateral 2018 withdrawal from the accord and re-imposition of sanctions. The deal to curb Iran’s nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief was signed with the US -- under Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama -- along with Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. Tehran has accused the remaining signatories of failing to sufficiently support it in the wake of Washington’s withdrawal.In his Sunday remarks, Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s longstanding vow to “act against Iran’s aggression” and “not let Iran obtain nuclear weapons.” Israel “will continue to act systematically against Iran’s attempts to establish a military presence on our borders,” he said. Late Saturday evening, at least 12 Iraqi and Afghan fighters in a pro-Iran base in eastern Syria’s rural Deir Ezzor province died in eight strikes by unidentified aircraft. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights could not identify the aircraft, but said Israel was likely behind the attack. A spokeswoman for the Israeli army refused to comment on the Saturday evening strike

Clashes between security forces and locals in Iran's Lorestan province
Yaghoub Fazeli, Al Arabiya English/Sunday 07 June 2020
Clashes broke out late Saturday between security forces and locals in the city of Delfan in Iran’s Lorestan province following protests in the city earlier in the day, according to reports.The clashes began Saturday night when security forces tried to arrest several people for participating in protests against a local sand factory earlier the same day. Locals had staged a protest against a sand factory earlier on Saturday demanding its closure for “destroying the area’s natural resources,” local media reported. For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Security forces reportedly fired shots into the air and used tear gas to disperse protesters. There are no details as of yet on any casualties or arrests.

A Cairo initiative for Libya as GNA forces aim for Sirte against Russian, French objections
The Arab Weekly/June 07/2020
CAIRO –Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi presented, on Saturday, a new political initiative to solve the Libyan crisis, in which he called for a cease-fire, starting this Monday.
It also called for the formation of a presidential council, the goal of which is to lift any cover from Turkey’s activities in Libya, at a time when the militias allied to Fayez al-Sarraj’s Government of National Accord (GNA) seemed to be aiming to attack Sirte, despite French and Russian objections, with Russia said to be ready to use its warplanes to stop the militia’s advance. Sisi’s initiative calls for forming a new presidential council that includes a president, two vice-presidents, and a prime minister, all of whom would be appointed for a term of a year and a half, which can be extended by six months. It also urges the United Nations to compel foreign actors to remove mercenaries from all Libyan territory, and disarm and disband the militias, so that the Libyan National Army, in cooperation with Libyan security forces, can assume its responsibilities and tasks in the country.
The head of the consultative Supreme Council of State in Libya, Khaled al-Mishri rejected the Egyptian initiative soon after its announcement, saying that there was “no need for any new initiative” and that “Haftar has no place in any upcoming negotiations.”
Observers of Libyan affairs said that Sisi’s initiative puts the ball in the court of the Sarraj government and its allied militias, which have consistently declared that they were all for a political solution to the crisis. That desire was repeated recently in Sarraj’s telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The same observers indicated that this step could set off internal disputes within the Government of National Accord since it relies on diverse militias and armed brigades, and that it could also open the way to a return to settling military scores between Misrata, Tripoli, Zintan and Tarhuna, especially now that Misrata’s militias have the upper hand in many issues. The initiative would make it possible to address the dysfunctional economic conditions and impose an oversight on the performance of the Libyan Central Bank and the Libyan Oil Authority, something that may not please Sarraj, the militias, and the Muslim Brotherhood organisation in Libya, all of whom have their hands on the country’s wealth and refuse to share it fairly.
Diplomatic sources confirmed to The Arab Weekly that Egypt has had discussions with the United States, France and Russia about the importance of such the Cairo initiative, and has secured political support for it, especially regarding reviving the path of political dialogue on the basis of the outcomes of the Berlin International Conference, instead of expanding the scope of the war that led to inviting Turkish intervention and embarrassing the international community.
Last Wednesday, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, Commander of the Libyan National Army arrived in Egypt. He was followed two days later by Counselor Aguila Saleh, Speaker of the Libyan Parliament.
The two held meetings with Egyptian officials in charge of the Libyan file and were informed of the Egyptian proposal for a way out of the current stalemate.
Then on Friday, Haftar and Saleh, still in Cairo, met to iron out their differences and join forces. The meeting saw both leaders agree to support the Egyptian initiative and strengthen their political alliance, in preparation for a difficult political confrontation with the GNA, which includes disparate parties.
Sources close to said the Libyan National Army said the LNA’s withdrawal from the vicinity of Tripoli and its positions in western Libya was a premeditated move and came within the context of the army’s agreeing to coordinate with regional and international powers to pave the way for political dialogue, and not because of any intense military pressure. Observers believe that the initiative will increase the pressure on the GNA and might push the militias to take refuge in the military option, starting with attacking the city of Sirte in defiance of the countries involved in the crisis, especially Russia, which is believed to be unwilling to tolerate the militias’ advancing on the oil fields.Various reports have indicated that there was a Russian-Turkish agreement that allows Ankara and its Islamist allies in the GNA to take control of the capital Tripoli and the surrounding area up to its administrative borders. They also mentioned that Russian fighter planes are stationed at the Jafra Base, ready to intervene when the time comes.
It was also reported that Russian jets had staged airstrikes two days ago on suspicious militia movements in the Al-Saddah area between Sirte and Misrata. It was a warning message to the militias who had become too eager for further advances following their recent ground gains in Tarhuna and the vicinity of the capital. These reports said that the fact that the Russian air force has not targeted the militia sites in western Libya is further evidence of Russian-Turkish understandings regarding the limits of military operations and their red lines.
Moreover, should the militias decide to move towards Sirte, they will have to contend with France’s reaction as the latter will certainly not tolerate Turkey’s move to lay hands on French interests in the area.
In recent days, Paris has moved in different directions to confirm its extreme displeasure at the recent developments in Libya. French President Emmanuel Macron has had phone conversations with Algerian Presidents Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Tunisian President Kais Saied, in an effort to help forge a Maghrebi position opposed to the Turkish expansion in North Africa.France politically supports the Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, in its war on militants and armed militias loyal to the GNA. The French position was evident from Paris’s efforts to block any European decision condemning the army or Haftar. The Islamists in Tripoli have accused Paris of supporting the army militarily as well, which Paris denies. France wants through these efforts to withdraw the Libyan file from Turkey and Russia, as there are persistent speculations that the latter two have concluded a deal on sharing influence in Libya in total disregard of the reactions of the international community.

Global Coronavirus Cases Near 7 Million
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 7 June, 2020
Global cases of the novel coronavirus neared 7 million on Saturday, as case numbers surge in Brazil and India, according to a Reuters tally. About 30% of those cases, or 2 million infections, are in the United States, though the fastest growing outbreak is in Latin America, which now accounts for roughly 16% of all cases. Globally, deaths from the novel coronavirus are approaching 400,000. The United States accounts for about one-quarter of all fatalities but deaths in South America are rapidly rising. The number of deaths linked to COVID-19 in just five months is now equal to the number of people who die annually from malaria, one of the world's most deadly infectious diseases. The first COVID-19 death was reported on Jan. 10 in Wuhan, China but it was early April before the death toll passed 100,000, according to the Reuters tally of official reports from governments. It took 23 days to go from 300,000 to 400,000 deaths. The United States has the highest death toll in the world at almost 110,000. Fatalities in Brazil are rising rapidly and the country may overtake the United Kingdom to have the second-largest number of deaths in the world.
The total number of deaths is believed to be higher than the officially reported 400,000 as many countries lack supplies to test all victims and some countries do not count deaths outside of a hospital.

Recognition of Palestinian State Complicates West Bank Annexation Plans
Ramallah – Kifah Zboun/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 7 June, 2020
A senior source of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party ruled off the Israeli government going forward with the plan to annex portions of the West Bank on time given that it first needs to recognize a Palestinian state, according to the US peace plan, known as the Deal of the Century.
The US has indicated that its recognition for unilateral annexation in the West Bank is contingent on Israel working within the framework of the plan. Israeli television Makkan 33 reported that the source said that, to avoid recognizing a Palestinian state, a compromise is being considered that requires Netanyahu to publicly show his commitment to US President Donald Trump's peace plan. Many voices in the Knesset and the government reject the recognition of a Palestinian state and talk about imposing Israeli sovereignty only. The unilateral annexation of portions of the West Bank could lead to a security deterioration in the region and would have a negative impact on relations with Jordan. It also complicates the process of the Trump peace plan, which is supposed to go into effect next month. More so, it will push Palestinians to implement President Mahmoud Abbas’ decision to terminate all agreements with Israel.
Israeli right-wing officials and the heads of the settlements council oppose the US president's plan, and continue their efforts to drum up the support of ministers for their opposing stance. The plan is also opposed by Israeli parties and all Arab parties in Israel. A joint Jewish-Arab rally against Israeli plans to annex West Bank settlements took place Saturday in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square with thousands of participants. The protest was originally forbidden by the police due to fears over the coronavirus, but police relented and issued a permit on Friday night. Organizers have appointed some 50 supervisors who will ensure that coronavirus regulations are maintained.

Former Longtime Palestinian Islamic Jihad Leader Dies
Associated Press/Naharnet/June 07/2020
The former head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement died Saturday night after a long illness. He was 62. Ramadan Shallah had been in a coma for more than three years after heart surgery, the group said. It didn't say where he died, but he is believed to have been in Lebanon. Shallah led the Iranian-backed group for over 20 years, after its founder, Fathi Shikaki, was shot dead in Malta in an attack widely attributed to Israel. In 2018, the group named Shallah’s deputy, Ziad al-Nakhalah, as a new leader. Palestinian Islamic Jihad has offices in Syria and Lebanon, but most of its activities are focused in the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip. Mosque loudspeakers across Gaza blared in the evening with tributes to Shallah. Last year, the movement took part in several rounds of heavy fighting with Israel. But in recent months it has remained committed to an unofficial truce brokered by regional mediators between Israel and Hamas, the larger Islamic group ruling Gaza. Palestinian Islamic Jihad previously has taken part in numerous suicide bombings, shootings and rocket attacks that killed dozens of Israelis. Shallah was on the U.S. “most wanted list” of "terrorist" suspects with a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction.

Time for a Change': Anti-racism Protesters March across U.S.
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 07/2020
Tens of thousands of peaceful protesters rallied for racial justice in cities across the United States following the death of African American George Floyd at the hands of police. Protests took place from New York to Los Angeles but Washington was at the epicenter, as thousands of people -- black, white and brown -- flooded downtown streets surrounding the White House, which was barricaded with black metal fencing. "This fight has been happening for many, many decades, hundreds of years, and at this point it's time for a change," said Washington native Christine Montgomery. "I'm here so my son is not the next hashtag that is circulating worldwide," she added, indicating her 10-year-old child standing next to her.
On a sunny but oppressively hot day, many people wore masks because of the coronavirus pandemic. Volunteers gave out water, hand sanitizer and other supplies as the area took on a block party vibe, with music, mural painting, food trucks, and vendors selling Black Lives Matter T-shirts.
Helicopters circled overhead as some protesters danced -- but the pain which drove many in to the streets was never far below the surface, as others yelled "This ain't no party!"Military personnel as well as police watched over the gathering. But there appeared to be fewer than on previous days, and some gave the protesters small smiles and waves as they marched by. On the National Mall, fencing and uniformed guards blocked protesters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr famously delivered his "I have a dream" speech in 1963. The protests were ignited by videos of a police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes as he pleaded for his life -- the latest unarmed black person to be killed by white law enforcement officers.
The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder.
The rage since Floyd's death in Minneapolis on May 25 has exploded into the most serious civil unrest in America since King was assassinated in 1968.
Peaceful protests swelled Saturday in other US cities. Tens of thousands rallied across New York City and Philadelphia, Chicago shut down the city's Lake Shore Drive to facilitate protests, and demonstrators marched in Los Angeles.
In San Francisco, thousands marched across the Golden Gate Bridge, briefly stopping traffic as they spilled into the driving lanes.
'I can't go in'
But the demonstrations in Washington were the biggest since protests began in Minneapolis before spreading across the country and then abroad. "Today, the pain is so raw it can be hard to keep faith," tweeted Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden. A remembrance for Floyd was held Saturday in North Carolina, the state where he was born, following a memorial service in Minneapolis on Thursday.
Hundreds waited to view his coffin, some holding umbrellas against the hot sun. Some sobbed and many held cell phones high as a hearse arrived with the casket.
Floyd's sisters LaTonya and Zsa-Zsa told reporters they would not go inside.
"I can't go in, see him laying in a coffin, it would drive me crazy forever," said LaTonya through tears. She expressed her pain at watching the footage of her brother's agonizing death. "Every time I look up I see him on the ground, face up, neck down, hollering please help me," she said, adding she wished the video could be taken down. "I'll never hear his voice, I'll never hear his laughter, I'll never tell him again that I love him and likewise he'd tell me the same," said Zsa-Zsa.
'It's about time'
Around the world, protesters echoed the rage of American demonstrators.
"It is time to burn down institutional racism," one speaker shouted through a megaphone at a hooting crowd of thousands outside the parliament building in London. Tens of thousands rallied in Australia and France, while in Tunis, hundreds chanted: "We want justice! We want to breathe!" Back in Washington, many black protesters hailed the multiracial, multi-ethnic nature of the demonstrations, calling the change "invigorating." Jackie Maddox, 59, who remembered her own parents marching in Washington for their rights decades ago, said she felt "relieved" that black people were no longer alone.
"It's about time that they are tired too," she said of other protesters -- though, she added, she hoped it would last. The days of demonstrations in the US -- which have included outbreaks of looting and violence -- have seen new police abuses, some captured on camera. Two policemen in Buffalo, New York were charged with felony assault Saturday after they were filmed shoving a 75-year-old protester who fell, hit his head and began bleeding, in one of the most widely shared videos fueling outrage.
But there were some changes to policing as well. In Seattle, authorities announced a temporary ban on tear gas. A federal judge in Denver forbade the use of chemical agents and projectiles like rubber bullets against peaceful protesters. And in Dallas, police marched in solidarity with protesters.
The unrest has handed US President Donald Trump -- the target of many a biting protest sign and chant -- one of the greatest challenges of his tumultuous presidency. While condemning Floyd's death, he has adopted a tough stance toward protesters, calling them "thugs" or "terrorists" and threatening a military crackdown.
"LAW & ORDER!" the president tweeted as evening fell Saturday, adding later that the crowd in DC was "much smaller" than anticipated.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 07-08/2020
"You Are Finished!": Turkey's Growing War on Christians
Raymond Ibrahim/June 07/2020
When pretexts cannot be found, assailants sometimes resort to other tactics. In an apparent attempt to conceal the online presence of at least one church, for instance, authorities labeled its website "pornographic," and blocked it.
"[T]his hateful environment did not emerge out of nowhere. The seeds of this hatred are spread, beginning at primary schools, through books printed by the Ministry of National Education portraying Christians as enemies and traitors. The indoctrination continues through newspapers and television channels in line with state policies. And of course, the sermons at mosques and talk at coffee houses further stir up this hatred." — Uzay Bulut, Ahvalnews.com., March 16, 2020.
Just what, then, do so-called "radical" Muslims... regard as the "proper" treatment of Christians?
On May 8, 2020, a man tried to torch the Surp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Church in Istanbul, which had been repeatedly attacked with hate-filled graffiti, among other desecrations. (Image source: Vmenkov/Wikimedia Commons)
Islamic terror attacks that target Christians in Turkey have been noticeably on the rise. During Christmas in 2011, for instance, a large-scale al-Qaeda plot to bomb "all the churches in Ankara" was exposed. Before Christmas 2015, ISIS issued death threats to at least 20 Protestant churches, and warned that "Koranic commandments... urge us to slay the apostate like you."
In 2017, as widely reported, a gunman dressed as Santa Claus entered a nightclub in Istanbul during New Year celebrations, and murdered 39 people. A "heroic soldier of the caliphate," the Islamic State ("ISIS") later claimed, "attacked the most famous nightclub where Christians were celebrating their pagan feast." The statement further characterized the government of Turkey as being the "servant of the cross."
In once-secular Turkey, hate for Christians has, in fact, come to permeate every segment of society — from the average Muslim citizen to the highest levels of government. The examples are many; two of the most obvious — the slaughter of Christians and attacks on their churches — follow:
In 2009, a group of young Turks — including the son of a mayor — broke into a Bible publishing house in Malatya. They bound its three Christian employees, tortured them for hours, and murdered them. "We didn't do this for ourselves, but for our religion," one of the Turks accused said. "Let this be a lesson to enemies of our religion." Later, they were all released from prison on a technicality.
In 2012, an 85-year-old Armenian woman was stabbed to death in her Istanbul apartment. Lest anyone mistake the motive, her murderer carved a crucifix on her naked corpse. According to the report, that "attack marks the fifth in the past two months against elderly Armenian women (one has lost an eye)."
In 2019, an "86-year-old Greek man was found murdered in his home with his hands and feet tied"; he too had reportedly been tortured.
In late 2019, a 16-year-old Muslim boy stabbed a Korean Christian evangelist in the heart several times; the 41-year-old husband and father died shortly thereafter.
More common than the targeted killing of Christians are attacks related to churches.
In 2014 in Istanbul, a random gang of Muslims disrupted a baptismal church service in Istanbul. They pushed their way into the church, yelling obscenities; one menacingly waved a knife at those in attendance. "It's not the first, and it won't be the last," a local Christian said.
In 2015, a Muslim man, shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("Allah is greater") and "Revenge will be taken for Al-Aqsa Mosque," hurled a Molotov cocktail at Istanbul's Aya Triada Orthodox Church, and set parts of it on fire. In a separate incident, four Turks shouting "Allahu Akbar" attacked and kicked at the door of Agape Church in the Black Sea region. According to the besieged pastor, they wanted "to go inside and hit someone or attack in some other way."
In 2015, as many as 15 churches received death threats for "denying Allah." "Perverted infidels," one threat read, "the time that we will strike your necks is soon. May Allah receive the glory and the praise." "Threats are not anything new for the Protestant community who live in this country and want to raise their children here," church leaders commented.
When a man opened fire on the Saint Maria Catholic Church in Trabzon in 2018, it was just the latest in several attacks on that church. Weeks earlier, a makeshift bomb was thrown at its garden; in 2016 Muslims crying "Allahu Akbar" vandalized the church with sledgehammers; in 2011 the church was targeted and threatened for its visible cross; and in 2006 its priest, Andrea Santoro, was shot dead during service.
Threatening and defacing churches is especially common. In early 2019, hate-filled graffiti — including "You Are Finished!" — was found on the Armenian Church of the Holy Mother of God in Istanbul. Commenting on it, an Armenian activist tweeted, "Every year, scores of hate attacks are being carried out against churches and synagogues."
In late 2019, while shouting abuses and physical threats against Christians gathered at the Church of St. Paul in Antalya, a man said he "would take great pleasure in destroying the Christians, as he viewed them as a type of parasitism on Turkey."
Most recently, on May 8, 2020, in Istanbul, a man tried to torch a church that had been repeatedly attacked with hate-filled graffiti, among other desecrations.
Rather than threaten or attack churches, Turkish authorities have the power simply to confiscate or close them (here, here, and here, for examples). In one instance, police, similarly to the marauders mentioned above, interrupted a baptismal ceremony while raiding and subsequently shutting down an unauthorized church. "Turkey does not have a pathway for legalization of churches," the report noted.
When pretexts cannot be found, assailants sometimes resort to other tactics. In an apparent attempt to conceal the online presence of at least one church, for instance, authorities labeled its website "pornographic," and blocked it. The ban was "horrible," a church representative responded. "It's a shame. It really pains us at having this kind of accusation when we have a high moral standard."
In addition, ancient churches that predate Islam by centuries — including Stoudios monastery, the oldest Christian place of worship in Asia Minor, and founded a millennium before the Islamic conquest in the fourteenth century — are being transformed into mosques. After explaining how the Turkish government built nearly 9,000 mosques in one decade, while banning liturgy in the Sumela Monastery — another historic site inaugurated in 386, about a 1,000 years before Asia Minor became "Turkey" — a report adds, "This arbitrary ban seems to be yet another demonstration of the 'unofficial' second-class status of Christians in Turkey."
Hate for Christians in Turkey has reached the point where "infidels" are pursued even beyond the grave. Attacks on Christian cemeteries are on the rise, prompting one Christian to ask: "Is it now the turn of our deceased?"
According to a March 2020 report, 20 of 72 gravestones in just one Christian cemetery in Ankara were found destroyed. In another recent incident the desecraters broke a cross off a deceased women's grave. A few days earlier, her church burial service had been interrupted by cries of "Allahu Akbar!"
What is behind all these attacks on anything and everything Christian — people, buildings, even graves? The recent response of a journalist in Turkey was an "environment of hate":
"But this hateful environment did not emerge out of nowhere. The seeds of this hatred are spread, beginning at primary schools, through books printed by the Ministry of National Education portraying Christians as enemies and traitors. The indoctrination continues through newspapers and television channels in line with state policies. And of course, the sermons at mosques and talk at coffee houses further stir up this hatred."
In other words, Turks, once "secular," are now educated to hate Christians.
Notably, even that is not enough to prevent ISIS from accusing Turkey of being a "servant of the cross".
Just what, then, do so-called "radical" Muslims — between 63 and 287 million Muslims support ISIS in just eleven nations — regard as the "proper" treatment of Christians?
*Raymond Ibrahim, author of the recent book, Sword and Scimitar, Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, and a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
© 2020 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Does Russia want Tehran to get nukes? - analysis
Yonah Jeremy Bob/Jerusalem Post/June 07/2020
As the IAEA finds a rare backbone, its efforts are already being sabotaged by Russia.
The IAEA’s leaked late Saturday report escalated its standoff with Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Already in March, the IAEA publicly condemned Iran for the first time for failing to explain concealed nuclear material detected by the agency and for failing to allow it to inspect two nuclear sites. The condemnation came on the backdrop of months of behind-the-scenes attempts to get explanations and access to the nuclear sites in order to avoid a public escalation, since the IAEA would rather not embarrass the ayatollahs. It likely even dates back to 2018 in late April or September, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed to the world various Iranian nuclear violations discovered by a Mossad operation inside Tehran that January.
Add to all this that the agency has a new director, Rafael Grossi, who was not involved in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Together with the lapse of time, this explains why the world’s normally quiet atomic energy inspectors are now raising the temperature on the Islamic Republic.
Yet, as the IAEA finds a rare backbone, its efforts are already being sabotaged by Russia.
Sticking to a script that is not interested in truth but rather to what is in Moscow’s interests, Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov dismissed the reports that Iran has denied IAEA access to nuclear sites.
In uniquely Russian-style, he said that the extended refusal to grant access is not a “denial,” but simply what it looks like: Iran has not yet granted the IAEA access.This re-defining of Iran’s blatant and clear denial of IAEA access might make sense if we were in February or earlier – around a couple weeks after the agency first made the request. But it is now untenable after so many months have passed and since Iran has no explanation for its stalling.
Ulyanov’s statement, along with Russia’s continued ignoring of the US “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran, make it clear that his country has no interest in reining in Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In fact, Ulyanov went even further, attacking the leaking of the report to the media, instead of dealing with Iran's potential nuclear violations.
Probably the only question now is how far Moscow will go in ignoring Tehran’s violations.
Are they just siding with Khamenei at tactical points in order to undermine the US pressure campaign as well as any agency or country that seems to be pushing Iran to comply with the 2015 nuclear restrictions?
Or are Ulyanov’s comments a sign that Russia no longer opposes Iran developing nuclear weapons?
Most analysts would probably say the former and that Moscow would still oppose Iran openly breaking out to getting nuclear weapons. This would simply be because Russian President Vladmir Putin does not like anyone else getting too powerful and would rather sell civilian nuclear items to Iran than have it become completely independent.
But if Khamenei continues to block IAEA inspections, how does the West or Russia know what progress Iran is really making?
The only “good” news from the IAEA’s latest report is that the Islamic Republic has kept its uranium enrichment quality at a low level. According to the leaked report, Iran produced about 500 more kilograms in enriched uranium in three months – and that if they maintain this pace, they will probably have enough low-enriched uranium for two nuclear weapons three months from now.
But when Iran passed the low-enrichment nuclear weapons threshold in March, The Jerusalem Post learned that top Israeli officials were not in crisis mode because Tehran had stayed away from medium enrichment levels like 20% or 60%, let alone the weaponized level of 90%.
From that perspective, even as Iran’s nuclear uranium enrichment stock continues to grow, they are not getting any closer to a nuclear bomb as long as they keep all of their uranium at low quality levels.
The assumption has been that Khamenei will not make any other major moves in any direction before the November US presidential election.
The only question now is whether the tension between the IAEA and Iran will boil over before then. And if so, will that tension frame the nuclear standoff post-election – or will Moscow's support of Tehran blunt the impact of this new pressure?

Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook Reach a Tipping Point
Timothy L. O'Brien/Bloomberg/June 07/2020
Facebook Inc.’s employees have been staging walkouts (virtually, of course — it’s Silicon Valley and a pandemic is afoot). They’ve also posted to an internal chat board, complaining that Zuckerberg, the social media powerhouse’s founder, is allowing it to be used to foment violence, hatred and disinformation by letting President Donald Trump’s incendiary Facebook posts remain in place.
A civil rights group met with Zuckerberg and his chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, on Monday to discuss their concerns about Trump using Facebook to divide the country amid protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, an African American, while in police custody in Minneapolis. One of those who joined the meeting, Color of Change President Rashad Robinson, was troubled by Zuckerberg’s decision to keep the Trump posts.
“The problem with my ongoing conversations with Mark is that I feel like I spent a lot of time, and my colleagues spent a lot of time, explaining to him why these things are a problem, and I think he just very much lacks the ability to understand it,” Robinson told a Bloomberg News reporter.
Robinson and two other civil rights leaders who participated in the Zuckerberg call also released a statement elaborating on that thought: “He did not demonstrate understanding of historic or modern-day voter suppression. … Mark is setting a very dangerous precedent for other voices who would say similar harmful things on Facebook.”
Zuckerberg held a video conference on Tuesday with employees to discuss the Trump backlash and stood firm. He said letting the Trump posts remain was a “tough decision” but was the “right action.” Casey Newton, a reporter for The Verge, obtained an audio recording of a meeting Zuckerberg held last Friday with employees that offers a deeper look into his thinking about the Trump posts.
“This is not how I think we want our leaders to show up during this time. This is a moment that calls for unity and calmness and empathy for people who are struggling,” Zuckerberg said. “There is a real question coming out of this, which is whether we want to evolve our policy around the discussion of state use of force. Over the coming days, as the National Guard is now deployed, probably the largest one that I would worry about would be excessive use of police or military force. I think there’s a good argument that there should be more bounds around the discussion around that.”
Like many of his compatriots in Silicon Valley living in the time of Trump, a pandemic, economic chaos, income inequality and social upheaval, Zuckerberg has reached a tipping point. The visionaries who built fortunes around products and services that weaved the world more tightly and imperfectly together with just the flicks of digital switches have been content, by and large, to pretend their machines are friction-free, self-perpetuating and self-regulating. Facebook, perhaps more than any other digital invention, never had a chance of perpetuating that myth.
As many as 2.2 billion of the planet’s 7.8 billion people use Facebook. It is a giant advertising and communications machine, a vast social trampoline and an enormous chessboard for political and business operatives. Nice things happen on it and bad things happen on it. Yes, Zuckerberg built it, but its influence and scope have certainly outgrown his ability to steer it effectively without being well advised and open-minded.
In addition to concerns about the Trump posts, Facebook employees have complained that Zuckerberg operates in a bubble and needs greater diversity among his senior advisers. But as he moved to reassert his authority within the company in recent months, the 35-year-old mogul has packed his board of directors with more pliant members. An internal study Facebook’s senior executives commissioned in response to criticism about whether the platform had been weaponized by Russians and Trump’s team during the 2016 election — and Zuckerberg’s own concerns that the site was awash in “sensationalism and polarization” — was shelved. Among other things, the study found that Facebook exacerbated tribalism and division among its users. A senior Facebook executive dismissed efforts to address that problem as “paternalistic,” according to reporting from the Wall Street Journal. Facebook has said it doesn’t plan to vet political advertising for its veracity ahead of the 2020 election.
Last week, as Twitter wrangled with Trump over tweets the company decided to label with a warning and then fact-check, Zuckerberg let it be known that he didn’t think any social media platform should be an “arbiter of truth.” This is consistent with statements he has made in the past about the need for Facebook to take a hands-off approach to content on its site and that the burden should be on users about what to believe.
This isn’t consistent with how Zuckerberg has acted, however. For example, and to his credit, he spotted the danger of Covid-19 early and Facebook announced in January that it would remove disinformation about the coronavirus from the site. He later set up an information center about the pandemic on Facebook dedicated to conveying high-quality and accurate data to the site’s users. There are other examples of Facebook proactively removing information or interactions it deemed dangerous or abusive from the site as well. More recently, we have Zuckerberg’s musings about how Facebook might respond if there’s an “excessive use of police or military force” in the US.
There is plenty of room for Zuckerberg to make a principled free-speech defense around Trump or anyone else who posts inflammatory material to Facebook. He went in that direction in one of his own Facebook posts on Friday. “Our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies,” he wrote.
This is reasonable and classic advocacy for free speech. And it bears the classic disclaimer: You can say anything you want in America, but you’re not allowed to yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater. People might get hurt — and in that instance, their safety outweighs your free speech.
That same argument can be made about a political leader threatening violence when people of color, burdened with centuries of racism and discrimination seeded with contemporary despair, take to the street to protest peacefully. But the Trump-Zuckerberg debate also involves dynamics other than the battles taking place on city streets right now. Zuckerberg is a shrewd businessman, and policing his site effectively and proactively would be more burdensome and expensive were he to do it. Running Facebook like a news platform, which it is, rather than as just another technology platform, which Zuckerberg would like to continue pretending it is, would force him into regulatory regimes and responsibilities for which he probably has little appetite. And if his company doesn’t merely foster tribalism and polarization, but actually thrives because of those forces — as the internal Facebook study concluded — why would he rush to overhaul anything?
Yet here Zuckerberg is. Reality has intervened and thrown roadblocks in front of Facebook’s spectacular success. He can continue trying to navigate around them with a schizophrenic approach to free speech deployed as a matter of convenience. Or he can help Facebook become a more mature and responsible enterprise by leading it differently.

Iran gloats over US protests despite domestic woes
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/June 07/2020
The Iranian leaders and state-owned media outlets seem to be seizing the opportunity to criticize, undermine and lecture the US on human right issues.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reacted to the death of George Floyd by tweeting that “if you’re dark-skinned walking in the US, you can’t be sure you’ll be alive in the next few minutes.” Khamenei added that slavery “is one of the tragic events in history.”
Besides human rights issues, Khamenei also shed light on the US’ economic problems, stating: “In the US, for every $100 of white families’ wealth, African-American families only (make) $5. While African-Americans make up 9 percent of the population of Los Angeles, they comprise a third of the homeless. In the year 2015, unemployment rate in the US was 10.4 percent for blacks and 4.7 percent for whites. Life expectancy in the US (is) 71 years for blacks (and) 76 years for whites.” While there is partial truth in some of these statements, Khamenei is capitalizing on the ongoing US protests for his own parochial interests, rather than to promote human rights issues and economic justice.
The history of the Islamic Republic reveals that the ruling mullahs utilize any kind of protests in the US — such as the 1992 Los Angeles riots — as a tool to undermine Washington, push their revolutionary agenda, and appeal to far-left Americans.
The Islamic Republic has also consistently promoted the narrative that the world order, in which the US is considered the superpower, is on the verge of collapse. That is why Iran’s state-owned media outlets last week dedicated significant coverage to advancing this narrative. For example, Javan newspaper’s front-page headline was “Night of Conquering White House,” Kayhan said “US Can’t Breathe: White House Knocked Down,” Khorasan’s headline was “US on Fire, in Blood,” and Afkar reported “Faced with Protests, Foundations of US Fake Democracy Shake: Iran Commander.”
The ruling mullahs utilize any kind of protests in the US to undermine Washington and push their revolutionary agenda.
The Iranian leaders are known for making predictions about the “collapse” of governments that are considered their enemies. The late Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, who believed that the only successful system of governance is that of the Islamic Revolution’s Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist), famously warned the Soviet Union: “Mr. (Mikhail) Gorbachev. It is clear to everybody that from now on communism will only have to be found in the museums of world political history, for Marxism cannot meet any of the real needs of mankind. Marxism is a materialistic ideology and materialism cannot bring humanity out of the crisis caused by a lack of belief in spirituality — the prime affliction of the human society in the East and the west alike.” Gorbachev responded by criticizing Iran for interfering in his country’s domestic affairs, saying: “This invitation is an interference in the internal issue of a country, because every country is free for selecting its school of thought.”
The Iranian leaders are also currently attempting to score a political victory against many young Iranians, who appear to be pro-American, by advancing the narrative that the US is no different from other authoritarian countries that suppress protesters and commit human rights violations.
Furthermore, the regime is trying to deflect attention from its own grave domestic problems. Iran is facing a serious public health crisis and continuing protests, as many people in Iran appear to have come to the conclusion that the regime is more concerned about its own survival than the living standards and health of its citizens. Some 35 prisoners were recently killed by the regime’s security forces for protesting over fears of contracting the coronavirus. An April report by Amnesty International highlighted: “In recent days, thousands of prisoners in at least eight prisons around the country have staged protests over fears of contracting the coronavirus, sparking deadly responses from prison officers and security forces. In several prisons, live ammunition and tear gas were used to suppress protests, killing around 35 prisoners and injuring hundreds of others, according to credible sources.”
The Islamic Republic’s economic outlook is also extremely bleak, which has caused the regime to request an emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund.
Finally, the regime must also address its own systematic suppression, killing and subjugation of ethnic and religious minority groups, including Ahwazi Arabs, Kurds and Sunnis. Iran was also second in the world when it came to the number of people executed in 2018, and first in terms of the number of executions per capita. The executions included juveniles and women, with Iran being a leading executioner of children.
In conclusion, Iran is using the US protests to undermine Washington and push its own revolutionary agenda. However, instead of gloating over the US protests, the ruling mullahs should address their four decades of egregious human rights abuses.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh

Where will we stand amid the anger of the repressed?
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/June 07/2020
Where does the world’s wellspring of anger and frustration come from? From New York to Palestine to Hong Kong to Lebanon, we are living in an era of scarcely concealed rage, underpinned by grotesquely divisive and polarizing political models.
A crop of world leaders thrive on cultivating and exploiting social divisions — Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Viktor Orban, Benjamin Netanyahu, Narendra Modi, Ali Khamenei, Bashar Assad, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. As Trump’s former Defense Secretary James Mattis wrote last week: “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us.” These regimes function on the time-tested recipe of fragmenting and disemboweling society in order to monopolize power. Today we are witnessing the whirlwind.
America has been deluged by anger over police killings of black citizens. The US police have an appalling record of brutally exacerbating racial divisions, having in many states played a historic role in enforcing racial laws and perpetuating white privilege. Why are African-Americans more than two-and-a-half times as likely to be killed by police as whites? Why are African-Americans more than five times as likely to be incarcerated as whites?
I can’t begin to do justice here to the immense, damning history of American racist repression. “When you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, brutalize, and even kill your black brothers and sisters with impunity… then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait,” wrote Martin Luther King nearly 60 years ago, while himself in jail. Police brutality was further, horrifically, illustrated in the widely circulated video of riot police shoving a lone 75-year-old man to the ground and leaving him lying in a pool of his own blood.
In a chilling parallel that triggered “Palestinian Lives Matter” protests, an unarmed autistic Palestinian man, Eyad Hallaq, was last week shot dead by Israeli police officers who had been clearly warned that he was disabled and couldn’t understand their commands. Even when Israeli police officers have been charged over the frequent killings of Palestinian civilians in the past, they usually escape with just token punishments — cheapening human lives to the point of insanity. In Iraq, there has been little effort to bring to justice the Iran-backed Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi paramilitary snipers responsible for killing hundreds of protesters. When regimes violently lash out against citizens, this isn’t strength, but panicked and defensive weakness.
Renewed protests have broken out in my birthplace of Lebanon by citizens enraged with corrupt and incompetent political factions doing nothing to address the country’s chronic poverty and hunger. Hezbollah MP Jamil Al-Sayyed shockingly urged factional leaders, if protesters gathered near their homes, to “shoot them from your window.” These comments are staggering, while not being a galaxy away from calls by pro-Trump senators like Tom Cotton to “send in the troops” to violently crush demonstrations.
Citizens protesting against state violence are being confronted with state violence, perpetuating a toxic cycle of mutual mistrust and social alienation. I was struck by one banner in Washington that read: “Whites are not all racists. Blacks are not all criminals. Cops are not all killers. We are all human.”
Beyond our immediate requirements of water and food, humans have a basic need to be recognized for who they are, and to enjoy the freedom to express their identity without fear of violence. It is as fundamental as the laws of physics that repressed peoples will ceaselessly struggle to achieve their freedom. Whether it takes 10 years or 1,000, Syria will never enjoy peace until its citizens deservedly enjoy their full human rights — likewise Kashmir, Palestine, Iran, the Rohingya, China’s Uighurs, and minorities everywhere.
China is one of many autocratic states that has gleefully highlighted instances of American police violence, undermining efforts to hold Beijing accountable for a raft of measures curbing Hong Kong’s freedoms — most recently criminalizing the mockery of China’s national anthem and banning commemoration of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre — reinforcing fears that the territory’s civil freedoms are finally being snuffed out.
Trump previously expressed admiration for the Tiananmen Square crackdown: “They were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength.” When regimes violently lash out against citizens, this isn’t strength, but panicked and defensive weakness. Confident and respected governments don’t deploy tear gas or live ammunition against their own citizens. Strong governing systems are flexible, not brittle; they evolve to changing circumstances and unexpected crises, absorbing diverse views and acknowledging criticism. Robust systems are greater than the sum of their parts and are not beholden to the whims of a strongman dictator or corrupt oligarchy.
Although it feels as if the world has gone to hell, mass protests in America, Lebanon, Palestine and elsewhere give me hope. In the era of the coronavirus, where we risk our lives by stepping outside our front door, thousands of ordinary people — many only just old enough to vote — are taking a stand against injustice, oppression and racism. Indeed, placards in parallel protests in London and around the world emphasized that racism is a greater threat than coronavirus.
It isn’t just black victims of police brutality who are out on the streets, but also thousands of conscientious whites, Latinos, Muslims, Jews and every demographic imaginable. Yes, black lives matter, but this is more broadly about standing in solidarity with the oppressed and asserting our common humanity, whatever our race, religion, gender, orientation or skin color. Our streets will never breathe peacefully — we can never breathe peacefully — as long as we tolerate repression and injustice against any community.
As Netanyahu’s government readies itself to annex new swaths of stolen land, Palestinians are readying themselves to assert their dignity, identity and territorial rights. Will we stand with them in solidarity? Not because we may be Arab, Muslim or hold specific political beliefs, but because of our shared belief in our collective responsibility to stand up for the rights, dignity and freedoms of all mankind.
*Baria Alamuddin is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in the Middle East and the UK. She is editor of the Media Services Syndicate and has interviewed numerous heads of state.

Turkey-Russia cooperation faces new test over Libya
Yasar Yakis/Arab News/June 07/2020
Turkey’s relations with Russia are usually regarded as a zero-sum game in terms of its relations with the US. When Ankara took a positive course with one of them, it went in the opposite direction with the other. Now the situation has become more complicated because Turkey has positive and negative aspects in its relations with both Moscow and Washington.
The US has stepped up the supply of arms and ammunition to the Syrian Democratic Forces, whose backbone is composed of Kurdish fighters. Turkey has always been sensitive to any move that promotes Kurdish identity in Syria. While doing this to the east of the Euphrates, the US’ Syria coordinator James Jeffrey supported and praised what Turkey is doing in Idlib.
The same ambivalence is valid for Turkey’s relations with Russia. In Syria, cooperation turns to strained relations from time to time. Now, Turkey and Russia are faced with a similar dilemma in Libya.
Turkey’s support for the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) has dramatically changed the course of events. Ankara is eager to continue pushing back the forces of Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar until they are totally defeated, but its attitude differs from that of Russia, which is an important player in Libya. Despite the support it has given to Haftar’s forces through Wagner Group mercenaries, the Tripoli government’s successes gained as a result of Turkey’s support may have raised in Russia’s mind a question mark over whether betting on Haftar might put it in a difficult position.
Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj last week visited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The three items on the agenda were: Energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean, Haftar’s loss of efficiency, and the Libyan cease-fire and peace process. These items indicate that Turkey and Libya are preparing themselves for a lasting relationship.
Rather than taking the risk of being on the losing side, Russia may prefer to cooperate with Turkey.
Another aspect of Turkish-Libyan cooperation that is not loudly voiced is Muslim Brotherhood solidarity. In the past, Turkey has supported the Libyan Justice and Construction Party — a name inspired by the ruling Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP) — which has close ties to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. This is perhaps the critical factor in the opposition of Egypt and other Arab states to Turkey’s involvement in Libya. Russia is also opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood gaining prominence because of Chechens who espouse the same ideology. So the Turkish-Russian cooperation in Libya will have to go through a minefield.
GNA Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Maiteeq last week made a statement that made Turkey very happy. He said the strategic partnership with Ankara would continue during the reconstruction of Libya. So Turkey is aiming for a lasting cooperation with Tripoli and is trying to recover about $19 billion of losses suffered by Turkish construction companies because they had to leave projects incomplete as a result of the Libyan crisis.
On the military front, when Haftar’s forces were withdrawing from the districts around Tripoli, they planted bombs and set booby traps. This was perceived by the GNA’s forces as a sign that they do not plan to return. Russia must have made a similar observation.
After Turkey’s complaint about the presence of Russian mercenaries in Haftar’s army, Moscow withdrew them, but instead sent a fleet of MiG-29 fighter aircraft. Assessments vary on the motives of this move. Russia may wish to keep the balance between the GNA and Haftar and not be a loser. It may also wish to be in a stronger position in the peace talks, so the aircraft will be kept in reserve in case they are needed. Rather than taking the risk of being on the losing side, Russia may prefer to cooperate with Turkey so it can become an arbitrator and reap the associated advantages.
In a meeting held in Moscow between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Libyan counterpart Mohammed Siala last week, it transpired that Moscow might, in fact, shift its support from Haftar to Aguila Saleh, the speaker of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives. This could help its efforts in reaching a compromise on the complicated Libyan chessboard. It may also solve the problem of Turkey’s strong refusal to make any deal with Haftar.
An important stake for Turkey is the implementation of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) it agreed with Libya. Ankara needs a government that would control Libya’s eastern shores because, for the agreement to make sense, the Turkish and Libyan EEZs have to become contiguous. If Libya is divided into two parts and control of its eastern shores falls into the hands of a government that is not friendly toward Turkey, that government may refuse to implement the EEZ agreement. This cannot be secured without the support of a country like Russia, which has leverage on both sides. So the Turkish-Russian cooperation may be put to a new test.
*Yasar Yakis is a former foreign minister of Turkey and founding member of the ruling AK Party. Twitter: @yakis_yasar