LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 25/2019
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For today
We also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us
Letter to the Romans 05/01-11;”Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.””

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on May 24-25/19
Hezbollah’s bogus Liberation & Resistance Day
French Report: US Sanctions Choke Off Iran’s Aid to Hezbollah
Report: Satterfield Again in Beirut Next Week for Demarcation Talks
Lebanon's Cabinet 'Finalizes Budget Articles, Numbers' ahead of Final Session in Baabda
Aoun, Hariri Meet U.S. Congress Delegation Led by Engel
Bassil Hails 'First Budget that Secures Financial Regularity'
Economy Minister Bans Pricing in Foreign Currency
Hariri Calls for Prompt Repatriation of California Car Crash Victims
Lebanon Deports Sixteen Syrians
Sources: Lebanese Banks Warn against Budget Approval Delay
Hakim: Danger of High-Voltage Power Lines Is a Fact, Not Possibility
Achkar Says Kataeb's Students and Youth Department Played Significant Role in Lebanon's History
Lebanon Gripped by Scorching Temperatures Before Brief Relief
Hezbollah Operative Ali Kourani Convicted on Terrorism Charges

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 24-25/19
Manhunt underway after at least seven injured in 'nail bomb' blast in French city of Lyon
Trump Says U.S. to Send 1,500 More Troops to Middle East
Trump to Bypass Congress to Sell Arms to Saudi, UAE
New US Strategy in Syria to Pressure Russia, Face Iran
Moscow Getting Ready for ‘Military Decisiveness’ in Idlib
Facing War Prospects, Iranians Stockpile Food
Canada strongly condemns increasing violence in northwestern Syria
Algerian Protests Continue amid Public Dismay
Yemeni President: We Will No Longer Accept UN Envoy’s Violations
Salame: Libya is Committing Suicide by Squandering its Oil Wealth
Libya Says it Rescued 290 Migrants in Mediterranean
Senior Cleric Among Casualties in Kabul Mosque Blast
Resignation of UN Envoy for Western Sahara Returns Negotiations to Starting Point
Sisi to Discuss with African Leaders Joint Cooperation
Jordanian-Iraqi-Palestinian Summit Supports Establishing Palestinian State
Tearful British PM Announces Resignation in Emotional End

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on May 24-25/19
Hezbollah’s bogus Liberation & Resistance Day/Elias Bejjani/May 25/19
Hezbollah Operative Ali Kourani Convicted on Terrorism Charges/Emanuele Ottolenghi/FDD/May 24/2019
What Would A Palestinian State Actually Look Like/Elan Journo/Jerusalem Post/May 24/2019
Canada Moves to Ban Christians From Demonstrating in Public Under New Anti-Hate Proposal/Big League Politics/May 24/2019
Iran’s Options and the Destructive Defiance/Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/May 24/2019
Why is The New York Times Trying to Abort the Trump Peace Plan/Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute/May 24/2019
Rehabilitation of innocent victims can be strongest weapon against extremism/Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/May 24/2019
The key to Sudan’s stability and unity/Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy/Arab News/May 24/2019

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on May 24-25/19
Hezbollah’s bogus Liberation & Resistance Day
Elias Bejjani/May 25/19
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/75168/elias-bejjani-hezbollahs-bogus-liberation-resistance-day-3/
Believe it or not, on May 25 each year since 2000 Lebanon has been celebrating the so-called “Liberation & Resistance Day.”
Sadly, this celebration commemorates a bogus event, and a phony heroism that did not actually take place.
On May 22, 2000 the Israeli Army unilaterally and for solely Israeli domestic reasons withdrew from the security zone of South Lebanon in accordance with UN Resolution 425.
This miscalculated and hasty withdrawal was a fatal Israeli decision that has inspired the Hamas terrorism acts and the on-going havoc in the Palestinian Gaza strip.
During the last 19 years many Israeli officials and politicians from all parties openly and harshly criticized Barak’s Government (Barak was PM at that time) hasty and unwise decision through which Israel’ abandoned its ally the South Lebanon Army (SLA) and gave Hezbollah all south Lebanon and the entire Lebanon on a plate of sliver.
The unilateral Israeli withdrawal created a security vacuum in south Lebanon.
The Syrians who were occupying Lebanon at that time and fully controlling its government, did not allow the Lebanese Army to deploy in the south and fill this vacuum after the Israeli withdrawal.
Instead Syria helped the Hezbollah militia to militarily control the whole southern region, and even patrol the Israeli-Lebanese border.
It is worth mentioning that the Israeli army’s withdrawal was executed without any military battles, or even minor skirmishes with Hezbollah, or the Lebanese and Syrian armies.
The Syrian regime, in a bid to justify both its on going occupation of Lebanon and the avoidance of disarming Hezbollah, came up with the “Shabaa Farms occupation big lie” and declared Hezbollah a Liberator, alleging it had forced Israel to withdrawal from South Lebanon.
Syria, in the same camouflaging and devious context, dictated to both its puppet Lebanese parliament and government to declare May 25th a National Day under the tag of “Liberation & Resistance Day”.
In reality Hezbollah did not force the Israeli withdrawal, and did not play any role in the Liberation of the southern Lebanese region.
In fact both Hezbollah and Syria deliberately hindered and delayed the Israeli withdrawal for more than 14 years.
Every time the Israelis called on the Lebanese government to engage in a joint, serious effort under the United Nations umbrella to ensure a safe and mutually organized withdrawal of its army from South Lebanon, the Lebanese government refused to cooperate, did not agree to deploy its army in the south, and accused the Israelis of plotting to divide and split the Syrian-Lebanese joint track.
This approach to the Israeli calls was an official Syrian decision dictated to all the Lebanese puppet governments during the Syrian occupation era.
Since then, Hezbollah has been hijacking Lebanon and its people, refusing to disarm and advocating for the annihilation of Israel.
This Iranian mullahs’ terrorist army stationed in Lebanon, is viciously hiding behind labels of resistance, liberation and religion.
Hezbollah has recklessly jeopardized the Lebanese peoples’ lives, safety, security and livelihood.
It has been growing bolder and bolder in the last 19 years and mercilessly taking the Lebanese state and the Lebanese people hostage through terrorism, force and organized crime.
Sadly, Hezbollah is systematically devouring Lebanon day after day, and piece by piece, while at the same time marginalizing all its governmental institutions in a bid to topple the Lebanese state and erect in its place a Shiite Muslim regime, a replica of the Iranian Shiite mullahs’ fundamentalist republic.
Meanwhile the free world and Arabic countries are totally silent, indifferent, and idly watching from far away the horrible crime unfolding without taking any practical or tangible measures to put an end to this anti-Lebanese Syria-Iranian scheme that is executed through their spearhead, the Hezbollah armed militia.
Who is to be blamed for Hezbollah’s current odd and bizarre status?
Definitely the Syrians who have occupied Lebanon for more than 28 years (1976-2005).
During their bloody and criminal occupation, Syria helped the Iranian Hezbollah militia build a state within Lebanon and fully control the Lebanese Shiite community.
But also the majority of the Lebanese politicians, leaders, officials and clergymen share the responsibility because they were subservient and acted in a dire Dhimmitude, selfish and cowardly manner.
If these so-called Lebanese leaders had been courageous and patriotic and had not appeased Hezbollah and turned a blind eye to all its vicious and human rights atrocities, intimidation tactics, crimes and expansionism schemes, this Iranian Shiite fundamentalist militia would not have been able to erect its own mini-state in the southern suburb of Beirut, and its numerous mini-cantons in the Bekaa Valley and the South; nor would Hezbollah have been able to build its mighty military power, with 70 thousand militiamen, or stockpile more than 200 thousand missiles and force the Iranian “Wilayat Al-Faqih” religious doctrine on the Lebanese Shiite community and confiscate Lebanon’s decision making process and freedoms.
Since Hezbollah’s emergence in 1982, these politicians have been serving their own selfish interests and not the interests of the Lebanese people and the nation. They went along with Hezbollah’s schemes, deluding themselves that its militia and weaponry would remain in South Lebanon and would not turn against them.
This failure to serve the people of Lebanon allowed Hezbollah to make many Lebanese and most of the Arab-Muslim countries through its terrorism propaganda to blindly swallow its big lie of theatrical, faked resistance and Liberation.
Hezbollah would not have been able to refuse to disarm in 1991, like all the other Lebanese militias in accordance to the “Taef Accord,” which called for the disarmament of all militias.
Hezbollah would not have become a state inside the Lebanese state, and a world-wide terrorism Iranian-Syrian tool which turned against them all after its war with Israel in year 2006 and after the UN troops were deployed on the Lebanese – Israeli borders in accordance with the UN Resolution 1701.
On May 7, 2008 Hezbollah invaded Sunni Western Beirut killing and injuring in cold blood hundreds of its civilian citizens, and too attempted to take over by force Mount Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s General Secretary Sheik Hassan Nasrallah called that day (May 7, 2008) a great and glorious victory for his resistance, and keeps on threatening the Lebanese that a replicate of that day will take place if they do not succumb and obey his Iranian orders.
Hezbollah is a deadly dragon that the Lebanese politicians have been allowing him to feed on sacrifices from the southern Lebanese citizens, especially on those who were living in the “Security Zone” and who fled to Israel in May 2000 after the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon.
This dragon who enjoyed devouring his southern sacrifices has now turned on all the Lebanese and if they do not stand for their rights and dignity, he will keep on devouring them all one after the other.
We call on the Lebanese government, the Lebanese Parliament and on all the free and patriotic Lebanese politicians and leaders to cancel the May 25 National Day, because it is not national at all, and also to stop calling Hezbollah a resistance, put an end for its mini-state, cantons and weaponry, and secure a dignified, honorable and safe return for all the Lebanese citizens who have been taking refuge in Israel since May 2000.
N.B: The original version of the above article was first published in 2010..It is republished with minor changes.

French Report: US Sanctions Choke Off Iran’s Aid to Hezbollah
London - Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/A French newspaper has found that crippling US sanctions on Iran have choked off Tehran’s financial support to Hezbollah, one of the country’s most important proxies in the Middle East.
Le Figaro’s report entitled, “Hezbollah put on diet due to the fall of Iranian aid”, emphasized that Iran has cut its transfers to the Lebanese group by half, reducing the salaries of party members. The report quoted a Hezbollah media worker as saying that the salaries were cut by two thirds, and that the party had to reduce compensation to the families of “martyrs.”According to the report, wages paid to Hezbollah fighters returning from Syria (formerly ranging between $600 and $1,200) have fallen by 50 percent, while salaries of soldiers fully dedicated to the fighting will be also reduced. A well-informed diplomatic source quoted by Le Figaro said that Hezbollah, “which has long benefited from its relations with Iran, has been subjected to austerity measures and no longer enjoys any benefits.”“Six months ago, cash transfers from Tehran to Beirut airport through Iranian airlines were estimated at $70-80 million per month, according to US and French figures; but these payments have now dropped by around 50 percent,” according to the French source. The report also pointed to US restrictions on bank transfers. It noted that banking supervision “severely affects Lebanese merchants abroad, as well as fundraising and service stations located in the Hezbollah stronghold, in southern Lebanon.”

Report: Satterfield Again in Beirut Next Week for Demarcation Talks
Naharnet/May 24/2019/US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield will return to Beirut next Tuesday to meet with Lebanese officials in the framework of his mediation over the demarcation of the territorial and maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday. The daily said that some “important developments” have emerged at the level of Satterfield’s negotiations over the border issue. Satterfield is expected to arrive in Beirut early next week and is scheduled to hold meetings with Lebanese officials, according to al-Joumhouria. On Tuesday he will meet with Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss Israel’s response after the mediation. Last week, Berri described the outcome of the U.S.-mediated talks over the demarcation as a “victory for the Lebanese stance.” Satterfield, held a meeting in Beirut on Monday on his second visit in a week and "told officials Israel had agreed to hold negotiations to draw up the maritime border" with Lebanon. Israel also agreed to discuss the territorial frontier between the two countries, including several disputed areas, a source said. Last year, Lebanon signed its first contract to drill for oil and gas in its waters, including for a block disputed by Israel, with which it has fought several wars. Israel and Lebanon are still technically at war, although the last Israeli troops withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000 after two decades of occupation. A consortium composed of energy giants Total, ENI and Novatek was awarded two of Lebanon's 10 exploration blocks last year. It is set to start drilling in block 4 in December, and later in the disputed block 9. Last year, Total said it was aware of the border dispute in less than eight percent of block 9 and said it would drill away from that area. On April 5, Lebanon invited international consortia to bid for five more blocks, which include two also adjacent to Israel's waters.

Lebanon's Cabinet 'Finalizes Budget Articles, Numbers' ahead of Final Session in Baabda
Naharnet/May 24/2019/The Cabinet on Friday held its last Grand Serail session on the state budget and the final session will be held at the Baabda Palace at a date to be set later, the information minister said. “We have finished discussing and approving the state budget's articles and numbers,” Jamal al-Jarrah told reporters after the session. He quoted Prime Minister Saad Hariri as saying that “lowering the deficit from 11.5% to 7.5% is something extraordinary.” “The financial correction is happening and will continue to take place over the next five years and PM Hariri stressed the need to finalize the budget and send it to Parliament,” Jarrah added. Industry Minister Wael Abu Faour meanwhile quipped that “an agreement was reached on the budget after approving 'the ten commandments of Prophet Jebran,'” in reference to the proposals of Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil. Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani of the Lebanese Forces meanwhile announced that the LF had voiced reservations during the session over some articles, including those related to telecommunications and the Port of Beirut. “We have not reached the sought goal and there will be more work on the state budget. The session in Baabda will not be a formality and there are things that should be achieved in the 2020 budget,” he added. State Minister for Administrative Development Affairs May Chidiac meanwhile said that “it does not seem that things will end up smoothly.”“There are topics that have been postponed to the Baabda Palace session,” she added. Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil meanwhile said that he did not hear the LF's ministers voicing reservations during the session, which prompted Hasbani to note that the reservations were recorded in the session's minutes of meeting. “Today's session indicated that there will be no discussion of additional articles or numbers in the next session,” Khalil told reporters. “There are no pending articles or numbers and there won't be additional discussions wherever the session might be held,” he added. Chidiac had said before the session: “If there is an inclination for a budget vote, the LF will vote in favor despite some reservations.”For his part, Education Minister Akram Shehayyeb said: “The budget must be approved by consensus. Bassil was positive,” he said, referring to Bassil’s suggestions to slash the budget deficit. “Lowering the budget deficit to 7.5 percent is an accomplishment, and I hope we finalize the talks today,” he added. The Cabinet has held 18 sessions to finalize the budget and several parties have accused Bassil of hindering the discussions with side proposals. Proposals he made in Wednesday's session had prompted Hariri to give ministers 48 hours to study them. Lebanon has vowed to slash public spending to unlock $11 billion worth of aid pledged by international donors during an April 2018 conference in Paris. Last month, Hariri vowed to introduce "the most austere budget in Lebanon's history" to combat the country's bulging fiscal deficit, sparking fears among public sector employees that their salaries may be cut. Lebanon is one of the world's most indebted countries, with public debt estimated at 141 percent of GDP in 2018, according to credit ratings agency Moody's.

Aoun, Hariri Meet U.S. Congress Delegation Led by Engel
Naharnet/May 24/2019/President Michel Aoun on Friday met in Baabda with U.S. Representative Eliot Engel, the head of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs. Engel was accompanied by a delegation and the meeting tackled “means to boost relations between the two countries in all fields,” the National News Agency said. During the meeting, Aoun urged the U.S. administration to “work on finding a solution for the Palestinian cause and Palestinian refugees,” noting that “this cause has been without a solution for 71 years.”“We call on America to help in returning (Syrian) refugees to their country because it can no longer bear the repercussions, especially amid the difficult economic situation,” the president added. Apparently referring to the U.S. concerns over Hizbullah, Aoun reassured that Lebanese laws penalize “any activity linked to funding terrorism or money laundering.”“These laws are being implemented firmly and accurately and the international financial institutions are witness to this,” the president added. “Thanks to its military and security forces, Lebanon, which has eradicated terrorism, has achieved security stability across its territory, especially the northern, eastern and southern borders,” Aoun went on to say. Engel and the delegation also held talks with Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Hariri's office said the talks tackled “the developments in Lebanon and the region and the bilateral ties between the two countries.” The talks were continued over an iftar banquet thrown by Hariri.
Separately, Hariri met at the Grand Serail with British Ambassador to Lebanon Chris Rampling and discussed with him the developments and the bilateral relations.

Bassil Hails 'First Budget that Secures Financial Regularity'
Naharnet/May 24/2019/Free Patriotic Movement chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil on Friday said the government has endorsed the “first” state budget in Lebanon's history that “secures financial regularity.”“We have achieved the first state budget that secures financial regularity. Only the state develops the country and development cannot be seasonal but rather a daily act,” Bassil said during an iftar banquet in the northern city of Tripoli. “We have kickstarted the course of curbing and lowering the deficit and we will continue it through the subsequent budgets, until we reach a day when the state would fund its projects from its own revenues,” he added. “Only the state can implement major projects through a rectified state budget,” Bassil went on to say. He also said that Tripoli has all the assets needed in order to become a platform for rebuilding Syria and Iraq, citing its port, exhibition and the nearby Qlayaat airport.
The Cabinet has held around 18 sessions to finalize the budget and several parties have accused Bassil of hindering the discussions with side proposals. Proposals he made in Wednesday's session had prompted Prime Minister Saad Hariri to give ministers 48 hours to study them. Lebanon has vowed to slash public spending to unlock $11 billion worth of aid pledged by international donors during an April 2018 conference in Paris. Last month, Hariri vowed to introduce "the most austere budget in Lebanon's history" to combat the country's bulging fiscal deficit, sparking fears among public sector employees that their salaries may be cut. Lebanon is one of the world's most indebted countries, with public debt estimated at 141 percent of GDP in 2018, according to credit ratings agency Moody's.

Bassil Discusses CEDRE, State Budget with Macron’s Adviser
Naharnet/May 24/2019/Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil held a meeting with special envoy of French President Emmanuel Macron, Aurélien Lechevallier, accompanied by the first chancellor at the French embassy in Beirut, Salina Cataluna, the National News Agency reported on Friday. A comprehensive presentation was made of the local and regional conditions during the meeting, including the implementation of the Paris CEDRE Conference and the approval of Lebanon's 2019 state budget, said NNA. The interlocutors also discussed the U.S. mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel over the territorial and maritime borders, and the heated tensions between the US and Iran.

Economy Minister Bans Pricing in Foreign Currency
Naharnet/May 24/2019/Minister of Economy and Trade Mansour Bteish on Friday issued a circular concerning the need to price goods and products in the Lebanese currency. “Pursuant to the laws and regulations in force, in particular Article 5 of the Consumer Protection Law, which stipulates that traders must declare the price in Lebanese pounds in an apparent manner either on the item or on the shelf presented to him,” said the circular. “Some traders have deliberately announced prices in dollars, contrary to the law, which may create confusion in the financial markets and negatively affect the interest of the consumer. The Ministry of Economy and Trade requested all traders to declare prices in Lebanese pounds and comply with the legal texts in force,” it added. The circular noted that the necessary legal action will be taken to bring violators before the competent court.

Hariri Calls for Prompt Repatriation of California Car Crash Victims
Prime Minister Saad Hariri asked the Secretary General of the Higher Relief Committee Major General Mohammed Kheir to take the necessary measures to accelerate the repatriation of the bodies of the four Lebanese students who died in a tragic car crash in the U.S. state of California lately, Hariri’s media office said on Friday.It added that Kheir has started a series of contacts with the families of the victims and the Consul General of Lebanon in California Mirna Khaouli. Kheir stressed the readiness of the committee to do whatever is needed as instructed by Premier Hariri to return the bodies to Lebanon as soon as possible.Four Lebanese students from the southern town of Yaroun have been killed in a car crash in California. They were identified as Hussein Saleh, Hussein Saab, Hussein Ghasham and Hussein Ayyoub. Their car crashed into a giant pole as they were returning home after having a Suhoor pre-dawn Ramadan meal.

Lebanon Deports Sixteen Syrians
Naharnet/May 24/2019/Lebanon has "summarily deported" at least 16 Syrians, some of them registered refugees, by forcing them to sign "voluntary repatriation forms," human rights groups said on Friday. Lebanon hosts nearly one million Syrian refugees -- a significant burden for a country of four million people -- and there has been mounting pressure for them to go home even though the U.N. says many areas remain unsafe to return to. The 16 were all removed to Syria on April 26 after they arrived at Beirut airport, Human Rights Watch and four other groups said in a joint report. Most of them were sent back to Lebanon after they were barred from entering Cyprus via Turkey, quashing their plans to seek asylum, it said. At least five were registered with the United Nations refugee agency, it added. "Lebanese authorities shouldn’t deport anyone to Syria without first allowing them a fair opportunity to argue their case for protection," said HRW's acting Middle East director, Lama Fakih. The report said around 30 Syrians have been deported from Beirut airport this year by Lebanon's General Security agency. The latest deportees said they were "pressured" by General Security officers at the airport into signing documents stating that they were “voluntarily” returning to Syria. "My biggest fears returning to Syria are that I would be conscripted and have to fight, or that I would be arrested because the regime has me on a wanted list or because of a case of mistaken identity," the report quoted one of the deportees as saying. “If I wasn’t scared of arrest, I wouldn’t have left Syria in the first place." General Security estimates that over 170,000 Syrian refugees returned home from Lebanon between December 2017 and March 2019.Despite some returns, the United Nations says the country as a whole remains unsafe for large-scale repatriations.

Sources: Lebanese Banks Warn against Budget Approval Delay
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/Lebanese bankers have expressed fears over the government’s delay in approving the 2019 state budget, saying the postponement could be aimed at adopting it without introducing new reforms. “There are substantial risks on the economy and the currency in case the government fails to pass the budget by the end of this month,” the sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. The “marathon” discussions on finalizing the budget continued on Friday, as Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil remain at odds over whether more is needed to bring down the deficit. “The budget is not up to the level of needed reforms to reach growth,” said Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani. The government holds a meeting on Friday, supposedly the last, to discuss the state budget before referring it to Parliament for approval. Hassan Khalil declared the budget complete at the start of the week while Bassil responded by saying the budget would be over when it is over. Speaking to Reuters by phone on Thursday, Hasbani said he had “deep concerns” about delays to a final agreement, and that additional ideas under discussion amounted to “small, incremental points”. “Catastrophe has been avoided through this stabilization budget but much more needs to be done on the structural reform side in order to build growth going forward to avoid any future problems,” Hasbani said. A cabinet minister denied that the draft budget only targets the poor by imposing taxes on them. “We introduced taxes on banks. There will be a 10 percent tax on the interest rate, a rise from 7 percent,” the minister, who refused to be identified, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Hakim: Danger of High-Voltage Power Lines Is a Fact, Not Possibility
Kataeb.org/May 24/2019/Former Economy Minister Alain Hakim on Friday stressed that the health hazards of high-voltage power lines are not just possibilities, deeming the danger as a fact would not only affect Mansourieh, but also the surrounding areas. “Global reports have proven the danger that these power lines posed to the health of the people and the environment,” Hakim said during a press conference held by the residents of Mansourieh, Beit Meri, Ain Najem, Ain Saadeh and other Metn villages affected by the project. "The state is responsible of the protection of its citizens. Why are there laws prohibiting smoking in public areas while there is a total carelessness of the issue of power lines that entails a big threat to public safety?” Hakim asked.

Achkar Says Kataeb's Students and Youth Department Played Significant Role in Lebanon's History
Kataeb.org/May 24/2019/Head of the Kataeb's Students and Youth Department, Zakhia Achkar, stressed that scores of martyrs hailed from the department during the party's struggle in defense of Lebanon, adding that the Kataeb's youth have always stood against malicious schemes to alter the country's identity. “Those youth turned from combatants to martyrs so as to defend the Lebanese cause,” Achkar told the Kataeb website. “The resistance of the Students and Youth Department against the Syrian occupation kept going for 15 years until the Cedar Revolution was achieved in 2005. Later, they pursued with their struggle to build a civilized, corruption-free State,” he added. Achkar called on all the Kataeb students to participate in the celebration of the party’s Students and Youth Department foundation anniversary, Saturday at 17:00 in Bickfaya.

Lebanon Gripped by Scorching Temperatures Before Brief Relief
Kataeb.org/May 24/2019/Lebanon is set to be hit by a scorching heat on Friday, with temperatures 33 degrees along the coast and 35 degrees in Bekaa. According to the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, the heat wave will recede on Saturday and Sunday, before intensifying again during next week. The Beirut airport’s meteorology department noted in its morning forecast that temperatures on Fridaywill reach highs of 41 degrees in Bekaa, 37 degrees in the mountains and 39 degrees along the coast and in Beirut. Temperatures will become cooler during the weekend, with temperatures reaching 27 degrees on the coast, 24 degrees in the mountains and 30 degrees in Bekaa. Humidity will range between 45 and 85%.

Hezbollah Operative Ali Kourani Convicted on Terrorism Charges
Emanuele Ottolenghi/FDD/May 24/2019
A New York federal court convicted Hezbollah operative Ali Kourani on eight counts of terrorism last Thursday. The case illustrates how Hezbollah tasks its recruits with gaining American citizenship legally, rather than relying on forged passports to help them enter the U.S.
Kourani became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2009, and only afterward began to identify and scout targets for potential terror attacks. Court documents show that Kourani’s handler would not task him operationally until Kourani received his citizenship so as not to put the naturalization process in jeopardy.
Kourani conducted physical surveillance on multiple U.S. government buildings in New York, including the FBI’s New York offices, an Army National Guard facility, an Army armory, and a U.S. Secret Service facility. Hezbollah also tasked Kourani with identifying former Israeli military personnel living in New York as potential targets for attacks to avenge the February 2008 killing of Hezbollah commander and terror mastermind, Imad Mughniyeh.
Perhaps most chillingly, Kourani was tasked with intelligence gathering on the security protocols at New York’s John F. Kennedy’s international airport. As detailed in court documents, the surveillance would have enabled Hezbollah to learn the layout of terminals, the locations of surveillance cameras and security personnel, as well as baggage screening and collection practices. Kourani also scouted targets abroad, including similar surveillance at another unnamed airport; those plots may be ongoing despite his arrest.
The Kourani case also opens a window into Hezbollah’s malign activities other than planned attacks. Court documents name numerous U.S.-based individuals and entities potentially involved in a variety of criminal activities linked to terror finance and money laundering.
Notably, Kourani was involved with a business in Dearborn, Michigan that sold used cars to Benin, in West Africa; it is possibly one of 300 such dealerships implicated in the 2011 case prosecutors brought against Ayman Joumaa and the Lebanese-Canadian Bank. The scheme laundered a reported $200 million a month for the benefit of Colombian and Mexican drug cartels. Evidence showed that Hezbollah leveraged U.S.-based used car dealerships to launder the drug revenues by exporting vehicles to West Africa. But law enforcement actions taken against the bank’s network affected only 30 businesses due to lack of interagency cooperation. The others may still be active.
The Kourani case is one of two high-profile cases against Hezbollah operatives currently under prosecution in New York. The second case, involving Samer El-Debek, is still pending. El-Debek, arrested like Kourani in 2017, is being charged with being a Hezbollah explosives expert tasked with a terror operation in Central America. These cases may be only the tip of the iceberg. Such threats help explain why the Justice Department, when it established a Task Force to combat transnational organized crime in October 2018, designated Hezbollah as one of its five primary targets. It is time the Task Force begins rolling out indictments against Hezbollah’s terror and terror finance operations inside the U.S.
Emanuele Ottolenghi is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he also contributes to FDD’s Center on Economic and Financial Power (CEFP). Follow Emanuele on Twitter @eottolenghi. Follow FDD on Twitter @FDD and @FDD_CEFP. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 24-25/19
Manhunt underway after at least seven injured in 'nail bomb' blast in French city of Lyon
The Telegraph Henry Samuel,The Telegraph /May 24/2019
A manhunt is underway in the southeastern French city of Lyon after at least seven people were injured in the explosion of a "nail bomb". The blast was caused by a "home-made bomb" in a case containing "an explosive charge and nuts and bolts", which went off at 5.30pm local time, said the interior ministry. The explosion occurred in the centre of France's second-largest city outside a boulangerie in rue Victor Hugo. Prosecutors have launched a terror probe into the attack. According to French reports, police are actively seeking a male suspect in his early to mid-30s who placed the case on the ground and made his escape on a bicycle. According to BFMTV, security cameras picked up the man, who was wearing a hood, dark glasses and a black jumper and light shorts, shortly before the blast. An eight-year old girl is reportedly among those hit by the blast but was not seriously hurt. AFP cited police sources as saying that 13 people were injured and that 11 had been evacuated to hospital. Other reports suggested that seven had been injured. None are in a serious condition, according to the mayor of the second arrondissement of Lyon, Denis Broliquier.  French president Emmanuel Macron confirmed there had been an "attack in Lyon" but no deaths. "My thoughts obviously go to the wounded and their families," he said during an interview. In a sign of the seriousness of the attack, Edouard Philippe, the French prime minister, cancelled his appearance at the final rally of the Macron camp in Paris ahead of Sunday's European elections in France. Christophe Castaner, the interior minister was travelling to the scene. In a tweet, he said he had ordered state authorities to "reinforce security at sites welcoming the public and sports, cultural and religions events". The women's World Cup soccer tournament is scheduled to start in France on June 7. Lyon will host the semifinals, and then the final on July 7. Police and soldiers patrolling as part of the anti-terror Vigipirate programme have closed off the area with a security cordon. Local state authorities are asking inhabitants to avoid the district, situated near place Bellecour, Lyon's biggest square. Emergency services and bomb disposal experts are at the scene. "The security perimetre is being widened, lots of police on the scene," said Jean-Yves Sécheresse, deputy mayor in charge of security in Lyon. Alexis Saillan, receptionist at a hotel near the explosion said he heard a "deafening blast". "I saw people running in panic and heard some cries. Police told me it was a package bomb. They told us to stay indoors and to close the windows," he told BFMTV. "We heard a big, muffled sound," one unnamed witness told France Info radio, who said that at the time there were "traffic jams in the one-way road and lots of people in rue Victor-Hugo". David Kimelfeld, head of the Lyon area, said: "This is the first time that Lyon has been through such an episode."He added: "We are worried when this type of attack happens, but we need to remain very cautious over the circumstances and not panic the population."

Trump Says U.S. to Send 1,500 More Troops to Middle East
Associated Press/Naharnet/May 24/2019/The U.S. will bolster its military presence in the Middle East with an additional 1,500 troops, President Donald Trump said Friday amid heightened tensions with Iran. Trump said the troops would have a "mostly protective" role. He spoke to reporters on the White House lawn as he headed out on a trip to Japan. The administration had notified Congress earlier in the day about the troop plans. The forces would number "roughly" 1,500 and would deploy in the coming weeks, "with their primary responsibilities and activities being defensive in nature," according to a copy of the notification obtained by The Associated Press. Their mission would include protecting U.S. forces already in the region and ensuring freedom of navigation, the notification said. Earlier this week, officials said Pentagon planners had outlined plans that could have sent up to 10,000 military reinforcements to the region. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan later said planners hadn't settled on a figure. The U.S. began reinforcing its presence in the Persian Gulf region this month in response to what it said was a threat from Iran. The U.S. has tens of thousands of troops in the Middle East, including at a major Navy base in Bahrain and an Air Force base and operations center in Qatar. There are about 5,200 troops in Iraq and 2,000 in Syria.Earlier this month, the U.S. sent thousands more into the region around Iran, including an aircraft carrier strike group, four bomber aircraft and fighter jets.

Trump to Bypass Congress to Sell Arms to Saudi, UAE
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/May 24/2019/President Donald Trump's administration has notified Congress it will bypass a required review to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, citing a threat from Iran, a senator said Friday. "With this move, the president is destroying the productive and decades-long working relationship on arms sales between the Congress and the executive branch," Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, who had blocked sales due to concerns the weapons would lead to civilian deaths in Yemen, said in a statement.

New US Strategy in Syria to Pressure Russia, Face Iran
London- Ibrahim Hamidi/Asharq Al Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/A US document revealed a “new strategy” that would turn Syria into a regional and international arena, diminishing Iran’s influence and the US-Russian tension.It shows less serious search for a political solution in accordance with its previous formula that is based on “political transition” and meeting the Syrian  people’s aspirations. Hundreds of members of the US Congress signed a letter to President Donald Trump arguing that the United States should remain engaged with the conflict in Syria, saying they were “deeply concerned” about extremist groups in the country. It showed how little they have become concerned with the Syrian internal affairs, and did not refer to resolution 2254 or the political solution. “The conflict in Syria is complicated, and the potential solutions are not perfect, but our only choice is to advance policies that can stop the growing threats to US interests, Israel and regional security and stability. This strategy requires American leadership,” said the letter, signed by nearly 400 of the 535 members of the House of Representatives and Senate. “As some of our closest allies in the region are being threatened, American leadership and support are as crucial as ever,” the lawmakers wrote. The letter contained four threats posed by the situation in Syria, which are terrorism, Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah. “Pockets of ungoverned space have allowed terrorist groups, such as ISIS, al-Qaeda and their affiliates to keep parts of Syria in their stranglehold,” it said.
“These groups’ ability to recruit, propagandize, and grow is alarming. Though their main purpose now may be to fight inside Syria, they retain the ability and will to plan and implement attacks against Western targets, our allies and partners and the US homeland,” lawmakers noted. They pointed out that the region has also been destabilized by the Iranian regime’s threatening behavior.
In Syria, they said, “Iran is working to establish a permanent military presence that can threaten our allies.”Additionally, Iran continues its program to pursue a direct overland route from Iran to Lebanon, they said, adding that connection would better facilitate Iran’s supplying of Hezbollah terrorists and other Iranian-backed militias with deadly weapons. “While our nation has encouraged more stable and inclusive political systems in the Middle East, the regime in Tehran has spread its influence and destabilized its neighbors for its own gain.”Russia is also working to secure a permanent presence in Syria, beyond its naval facility at Tartus. It has changed the arc of Syria’s civil war at the expense of Syria’s people by employing Russian troops, aircraft, and diplomatic protection to ensure the survival of the Assad regime, the letter stressed. By providing Damascus with advanced weapons like the S-300 anti-aircraft system, lawmakers said Moscow is complicating Israel’s ability to defend itself from hostile action emanating from Syria. Russia’s destabilizing role only complements that of Iran – since Russia shows no willingness to expel Iranian forces from Syria, they wrote. Hezbollah now poses a more potent threat to Israel as well, according to the letter. “From Lebanon, Hezbollah has aimed more than 100,000 rockets and missiles at Israel that are increasingly more precise and of longer-range, giving the terrorist group the capability to strike anywhere in Israel.” Lawmakers urged Trump to adopt a new strategy including three main elements, which are Israel’s right to self-defense, pressure on Iran and Russia with respect to activities in Syria, and increased pressure on Hezbollah.

Moscow Getting Ready for ‘Military Decisiveness’ in Idlib
Moscow - Raed Jaber/Asharq Al Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/Moscow has launched a campaign urging civilians in Idlib to leave the city, in the wake of preparations for wide-scope military operations. The Russian Defense Ministry announced that the Syrian regime has prepared two special crossing points to contribute to the departure of the civilian population from Idlib to reduce the escalation. Chief of the Russian Reconciliation Center for the Opposing Sides in Syria Major General Viktor Kupchishin said that “in order to ensure the voluntary and unhindered exit of civilians from the Idlib area to reduce the escalation, two crossing points were prepared.” Kupchishin pointed out that the militants stationed in the zone to reduce shelling have bombed during the past 24 hours up to 13 towns in the provinces of Latakia and Hama, in addition to a scientific research center in Aleppo. This announcement was followed by a Russian military statement accusing the armed members in Idlib of launching four missiles at the Russian Hmeimim air base near Latakia. The Russian Defense Ministry added that drones dropped five bombs on the power station in Hama, leaving no casualties. The Russian statements on terrorists intensifying attacks concurred with a media campaign on expanding the military operations against Jabhat al-Nusra and allied factions. Further, the Russian media reported Syrian regime sources as saying that the warning to Idlib residents won't be for a long period of time. Sources from Hama told Sputnik on Thursday that the Syrian defense systems intercepted drones coming from regions controlled by armed terrorist groups in the countryside of Hama.

Facing War Prospects, Iranians Stockpile Food
London - Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019 /Iran's armed forces Chief of Staff Gen Mohammad Bagheri has issued a new stark warning as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to rise, threatening a shocking retaliation to any US “adventurism.”The escalatory war of words between the US and Iran has worsened with no signs of it winding down anytime soon. Tehran’s clerical regime, however, sought to reassure economically ailing Iranians that despite threats, it’s not looking for war. Nevertheless, these reassurances have fallen on deaf ears with the people registering unprecedented levels of anxiety.
According to Reuters, the nerves of ordinary Iranians who already face hardship from tightening sanctions are being strained by worry that the situation could slip out of control. In interviews conducted from outside the country by telephone and online, Iranians described heated discussions at home, on the streets and on social media. The prospect of war is now the main topic of conversation in workplaces, taxis and buses, Nima Abdollahzade, a legal consultant at an Iranian startup company, told Reuters. “Apart from the deterioration in the Iranian economy, I believe the most severe effect” of confrontation with the US “is in the mental situation of ordinary Iranians,” he said. “They are sustaining a significant amount of stress.” This month tensions have risen sharply, with Washington extending its sanctions to ban all countries from importing Iranian oil. A number of US officials led by National Security Adviser John Bolton have made hawkish remarks, citing Iranian threats against US interests. President Donald Trump himself tweeted: “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran.”Meanwhile, Iranians cope with the day-to-day implications of sanctions and tension. Worries over access to products have prompted some Iranians to stock up on rice, detergent and canned food, residents and shopkeepers said. An advertisement on state TV discourages stockpiling. A middle-aged man heading home after work is drawn to a supermarket when he sees people panic shopping. He buys anything he can put his hands on, causing shelves to be emptier. Shahin Milani, a 38-year-old who tweets about Iranian politics to more than 7,000 followers on Twitter, believes military intervention could never bring democracy. “The people should do it themselves ... If someone is truly worried about the threat of war, they should work to create a democratic, secular government in Iran ... As long as the Islamic Republic is in power, the shadow of war will loom over Iran.”

Canada strongly condemns increasing violence in northwestern Syria
May 24/2019/Global Affairs Canada today issued the following statement:
“Canada is deeply concerned by the continuing violence in northwestern Syria, which has had a terrible impact on the civilian population in the area. Over the last weeks, more than 220 civilians have been killed and 300,000 people have been displaced.
“The deliberate targeting of civilians, medical facilities, hospitals, schools, first responders and humanitarian workers by the Assad regime and its allies is appalling and violates international humanitarian law. ‎Reports that chlorine may have been used as a weapon on May 19 are extremely troubling.
“Canada calls on all parties to abide by their commitments to de-escalate the violence in Idlib, adhere to their human rights obligations, and allow for full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access.”

Algerian Protests Continue amid Public Dismay
Algiers - Boualem Goumrassa/Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/Whilst a political flurry continues to storm Algeria, thousands of the North African state’s citizens are expected to take to the street in a fresh wave of protests against former regime stalwarts remaining in power. Demanding the safe transition to civilian rule, Algerians are demanding Army Chief General Gaid Salah allows the setting up of transitional bodies ahead of any election, arguing the existing institutions are too marred by corruption for a legitimate vote to take place. The army has backed the July 4 presidential polls, which were announced following the resignation of ailing leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika last month in the wake of mass protests. On May 4 the former president's younger brother, Said Bouteflika, was arrested along with former secret service head General Mohamed Mediene and intelligence chief Athmane Tartag. A former Bouteflika loyalist, Salah played a key role in his downfall by calling for the president's impeachment just hours before he stepped down. But since, heated conflict between military authorities and protesters has been broiling as the former regime’s elite continue to meddle with governance and public affairs. There has also been implicit pushback against politicians who encouraged the popular movement. Some are being barred from speaking to youth at universities. “Professors at the University Mohamed Boudiaf - M'sila had invited me to present a lecture about the situation in the country in the light of mobility. I was supposed to present Thursday. However, I was later informed that the dean refused on the grounds that the library is reserved for a certain activity,” leader of the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) Ahmed Benbitour told Asharq Al-Awsat. “I do not want to explain or interpret anything, but the professors considered it a political stance on the dean’s part,” Benbitour added. Similar attempts at stifling dissent were spotted across the country as local authorities attempted to silence activists involved in the popular movement by limiting their access to speaking platforms. The well-known sociologist Nasser Jabi and the famous lawyer Mustafa Bushashi, for example, were banned from lecturing at universities for undeclared reasons.

Yemeni President: We Will No Longer Accept UN Envoy’s Violations
Riyadh - Abdulhadi Habtor/Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi has on Thursday fully rejected violations made by UN Envoy Martin Griffiths, which he said would blow chances for a political solution in Yemen. In a letter addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Hadi considered the briefing made by Griffiths to the UN Security Council on May 15 as an example of the flagrant violation of the mandate granted to the UN envoy. He accused Griffiths of praising a war criminal, Abdul Malak Al-Houthi, and depicting him as a peace dove. “Griffiths insists on dealing with Houthi (militias) as a fait accompli government, and as an equivalent to the legitimate government,” the Yemeni President said in his letter. Hadi added that Griffiths has also accepted a unilateral redeployment by the Houthis without any monitoring by the UN and the legitimate government. In his letter, the Yemeni President accused Griffiths of sidestepping Security Council Resolution 2216. “We can no longer accept the ongoing violations committed by the UN envoy,” he said, adding that Griffiths turned his back to the case of prisoners and hostages, and other important issues over his decision to partially implement the Stockholm deal, which was struck between Yemen’s warring sides in December. In his briefing last week, the UN envoy said that General Michael Lollesgaard and his team from the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement confirmed that Houthis were fully compliant throughout the withdrawal and that they were very cooperative. Last December, Griffiths brokered the ceasefire agreement and troop withdrawal from the ports of Hodeidah, Al Salef and Ras Isa during the peace talks in Sweden between the Yemeni legitimate government and the Houthis.

Salame: Libya is Committing Suicide by Squandering its Oil Wealth
Cairo - Khaled Mahmoud/Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame denounced the ongoing conflict in Tripoli and considered that the country is committing suicide and wasting its oil wealth to pay for war. The north African country was "a textbook example of foreign interference today in local conflicts," Salame told a New York-based think tank late Wednesday. Between "six and 10 countries are permanently interfering in Libya's problem" funneling arms, cash and military advice to the country, he warned. But the Libyans do not need outside help to fuel the conflict, which has ravaged the country since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted in 2011, Salame added. "The truth is that Libya can pay for its own suicide," he lamented. "I always considered my compatriots in Lebanon as stupid enough to commit suicide with somebody else's money. The Libyans are even worse. They are committing suicide with their own money," Salame told the International Peace Institute. "We need to work in order to put an end to this conflict," he continued, regretting the lack of unity at the UN over the issue. Fights flared up in Tripoli after the Libyan National Army – led by Commander Khalifa Haftar – intensified airstrikes against pro-government forces. Meanwhile, Head of the Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj arrived Thursday in Algeria for an official visit. Accompanied by Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Siala and a group of advisors and military officials, Sarraj was welcomed by his Algerian counterpart Noureddine Bedoui and Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum. Interim President Abdelkader Bensalah affirmed, in a presidential statement following his meeting with Sarraj, that Algeria is concerned about the ongoing clashes in Libya and the humanitarian and material consequences as well as the numerable displaced. Bensalah noted that the Algerian efforts on the international level seek to expedite the cease of fights and the continuity of the political path with the participation of all Libyan national forces.

Libya Says it Rescued 290 Migrants in Mediterranean
Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/Libya's navy confirmed on Friday that it rescued three boats carrying a total of 290 Europe-bound migrants off the country's Mediterranean coast, following reports by a German aid group about the disaster. Libyan coast guards first reported finding off Qarabuli a sinking rubber boat whose bottom had collapsed on Thursday, leaving most migrants in the water and hanging onto what was left of the boat and plastic barrels. A statement posted Friday on the navy press center's official Facebook page says that boat carried 87 migrants, including six women and a child. Earlier, the coast guard came to the rescue of two other rubber boats carrying a total of 203 migrants off Zlitin, according to a separate statement. The three boats carried mostly Arab and African nationals as well as 14 Bangladeshis, who were handed over to Libyan police after receiving humanitarian and medical aid. A few hours earlier, German aid group Sea-Watch said its aircraft had witnessed three rescue operations by Libyan coast guards on Thursday. Libya has become a major conduit for African migrants and refugees fleeing to Europe. Thousands have perished while making the perilous sea crossing.

Senior Cleric Among Casualties in Kabul Mosque Blast
Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/A bomb exploded in a mosque in the Afghan capital, Kabul, during Friday prayers, officials said, killing three people including a religious scholar and wounding at least 20 men who had gathered for worship. The preacher, Samiullah Raihan, was a supporter of the Western-backed Afghan government which Taliban militants are trying to bring down. He was also a member of the National Ulema Council, Afghanistan's top Muslim clerical body. Firdaws Faramarz, a police spokesman, said explosives were apparently placed near the altar of the Al-Taqwa mosque, a place used by the mosque leader to initiate the prayers. Jan Agha, a district police official, said the bomb was apparently planted in the microphone used by the mosque leader. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but the Taliban and ISIS militants regularly stage attacks in the capital. The explosion hit at a time when dozens of men had gathered for prayers. The death toll could rise, said a second official.

Resignation of UN Envoy for Western Sahara Returns Negotiations to Starting Point
Casablanca - Lahsen Muqnea/Asharq Al Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/UN envoy for Western Sahara Horst Koehler has resigned due to health reasons. The abrupt resignation of UN envoy for Western Sahara Horst Koehler has affected the negations among parties of the Western Sahara conflict to reach a political solution. Koehler submitted his resignation to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, after 20 months of holding his position. During this period, he managed to gather the conflict parties (Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Polisario Front) twice at a round table to build trust after six years of halted direct talks. The 76-year-old envoy said that he was stepping down over health reasons, a UN statement said. Guterres "deeply regretted the resignation but said he fully understood the decision and extended his best wishes to the personal envoy," it added. Guterres thanked Koehler for his "steadfast and intensive efforts which laid the foundation for the new momentum in the political process on the question of Western Sahara," the statement said. Morocco's foreign ministry also issued a statement saying that "the kingdom of Morocco notes with regret" Koehler's resignation while crediting him "for the efforts he has made since his nomination," in August 2017. Morocco affirmed its support to the efforts of the UN Secretary-General in order to settle the regional conflict on Western Sahara, affirming commitment to reach a political and realistic solution that is applicable and sustainable. The Polisario Front – backed by Algeria- said it was "deeply saddened" by the news, and thanked the outgoing envoy for "his dynamic efforts to revive the UN peace process." It added that it is committed to the political process led by the UN, stressing the demand for determining fate and independence.
With Koehler’s resignation, a new diplomatic battle starts between Morocco and Algeria to influence the decision of choosing a successor of Koehler.

Sisi to Discuss with African Leaders Joint Cooperation
Cairo - Waleed Abdul Rahman/Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi kicks off Friday a visit to four countries in the Dark Continent, four months after Egypt assumed the chairmanship of the African Union. Sisi seeks to enhance cooperation with African countries during his scheduled visits to Zambia, South Africa, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Egyptian leader was elected chair of the 55-member pan- African body after Rwandan President Paul Kagame stepped aside in February. Informed sources said that “Sisi will hold bilateral summits with the African leaders to discuss means for enhancing relations and joint cooperation.” In South Africa’s Pretoria, Sisi plans to join 15 other leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Cyril Ramaphosa at the “Loftus” Stadium under the theme “Together We Celebrate Democracy: Renewal and Growth in the Service of Africa.”Egypt’s State Information Services said in a report, published Thursday by MENA, that Sisi’s African tour sets the stage for wider and more advanced economic cooperation and for increasing the size of commercial exchange and investments between Cairo and Cape Town. The report, prepared by the media office of the Egyptian embassy in Pretoria, said Egypt and South Africa have strong economic ties since 1994, when the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced that full diplomatic relations would be resumed between the two countries following the April general elections in South Africa that year. The two states have also signed several economic agreements and memorandums. Meanwhile, Sisi on Thursday gave his directives to officials to continue developing the tourism sector through structural reforms in order to increase competitiveness. The President met with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli and Tourism Minister Rania el Mashaat. According to Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady, the meeting discussed the restoration of Montaza district in Alexandria to revive tourism in the coastal city.

Jordanian-Iraqi-Palestinian Summit Supports Establishing Palestinian State
Amman - Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 24 May, 2019/A tripartite Jordanian-Iraqi-Palestinian summit, held Thursday in Amman, has underpinned the importance of supporting the Palestinians in securing their legitimate rights and establishing their independent state on the June 4, 1967, lines with East Jerusalem as its capital. Jordan's King Abdullah II, Iraqi President Barham Salih, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas underscored the need to unify positions and bolster joint Arab action to overcome challenges and crises. Discussions addressed the Palestinian cause and the importance of supporting Palestinians in establishing their independent state, in addition to the necessity of maintaining coordination in service of Arab causes and regional stability and security. Within a holistic approach, the meeting covered the latest regional developments and efforts to reach political solutions to current crises and to counter-terrorism. Ahead of the summit, the Jordanian and Iraqi presidents held a meeting where King Abdullah II asserted that Jordan stands by Iraq’s efforts to foster its security and stability and fulfill the aspirations of its people towards further prosperity and progress. The outcomes of the trilateral summit, which was held in Cairo in March, were also highlighted, stressing the need

Tearful British PM Announces Resignation in Emotional End
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/May 24/2019/Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation in an emotional address on Friday, ending a dramatic three-year tenure of near-constant crisis over Brexit and increasing the likelihood of Britain crashing out of the EU later this year. May, who took charge in the aftermath of the 2016 Brexit referendum, was forced to make way following a Conservative mutiny over her ill-fated strategy to end Britain's near five-decade membership of the European Union. "It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit," May, her voice breaking and close to tears, said outside her Downing Street office. "It will be for my successor to seek a way forward that honours the result of the referendum."The 62-year-old leader said she would step down as head of the Conservative Party on June 7. She will remain as prime minister in a caretaker role until a replacement is elected by the party before July 20. The leader of the party, which won the most votes in the last election, automatically becomes prime minister.
Humiliating spectacle
She will be among the country's shortest-serving post-WWII prime ministers, remembered for presiding over one of the most chaotic periods in its modern political history. May was pushed into the humiliating spectacle of a hastily arranged resignation announcement following a meeting with the Conservative Party's committee chief in charge of leadership elections. She had previously vowed to step aside once her unpopular EU divorce deal had passed parliament, and this week launched a short-lived bid for lawmakers to approve it in early June. MPs have rejected the agreement she struck with EU leaders three times, brutally weakening May on each occasion.
'Dangerous phase'
With her resignation, the manner of Britain's withdrawal from the bloc appears more ambiguous than ever. The country has already twice delayed its departure and the possibility is growing it will leave without a deal on October 31, the extended deadline agreed with Brussels. Spain said a no-deal departure now appeared "near impossible to stop" while Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar warned the Brexit saga was entering "a phase that may be a very dangerous one for Ireland."A spokeswoman for the EU Commission said May quitting changed nothing in negotiations. The pound wobbled after she spoke, as analysts said it amplified uncertainty. "The prime minister's resignation also increases the risk of a no-deal Brexit," said Sarah Carlson, of Moody's.
'Misjudged the mood'
May was under rising pressure to resign following months of Brexit-fuelled political paralysis, which intensified following disastrous results in the May 2 English local elections. The Conservatives are expected to fare similarly badly in this week's European Parliament elections when results are announced Sunday. "Politically she misjudged the mood of the country and her party," said Nigel Farage, whose new Brexit Party is predicted to win the contest in Britain emphatically. May's latest effort to force through her despised deal, which included giving MPs the option of holding a referendum on it, proved her final undoing. The move prompted a furious reaction from Conservatives -- including cabinet members. Her departure will kickstart a Conservative Party leadership contest -- already unofficially under way -- that is expected to encompass more than a dozen candidates and favour an ardent Brexiteer. Tory MPs will hold a series of votes to whittle the contenders down to a final two that will be put to the party's more than 100,000 members. Former foreign secretary and gaffe-prone Brexit cheerleader Boris Johnson is the membership's favourite, but numerous Conservative lawmakers are thought to hold serious reservations about his suitability for the top job. Johnson, who has repeatedly said Britain should not fear a no-deal Brexit, thanked May for her "stoical service." "It is now time to follow her urgings: to come together and deliver Brexit," he said on Twitter.
'No legacy'
May was the surprise victor in the 2016 leadership contest to replace then prime minister David Cameron after he quit following the EU referendum.  Despite having campaigned to Remain, she embraced the cause with the mantra "Brexit means Brexit". However the decision to hold a disastrous snap election in June 2017, when she lost her parliamentary majority, left her stymied. Her dismally dysfunctional government saw 36 ministerial resignations -- a modern record. May will leave office without any significant achievements -- other than her bungled handling of Brexit, according to political analysts. "She doesn't really have a legacy," said Simon Usherwood, of the University of Surrey. "I think anybody in her position would have had great difficulty." Others were more brutal in their assessment. "It was only an impossible job because she made it one," said Tim Bale of Queen Mary University of London.o build on them to expand cooperation and coordination. King Abdullah II and Salih further underscored the importance of boosting joint Arab action and unifying Arab and Muslim positions to counter challenges.

Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on May 24-25/19
What Would A Palestinian State Actually Look Like
Elan Journo/Jerusalem Post/May 24/2019
In 1970s Lebanon, the Palestinian movement established its dominion within refugee camps.
The Trump administration is poised to announce a “Deal of the Century” to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hints and leaks suggest that the proposal would stop short of endorsing the goal of a sovereign Palestinian state. That prospect has pushed some into mourning.
The Trump plan, writes distinguished American diplomat William Burns, will likely be “a eulogy for the two-state solution.” The administration is about to “bury the only viable plan” for Israeli-Palestinian peace.
The goal of a Palestinian state is commonly seen as an obvious good – and the fact that it has yet to be realized, a mark of shame for Israel and the United States. But, whatever the actual terms and merits of President Donald Trump’s proposal, we need to question the diplomatic article of faith that Palestinian statehood is necessary for peace.
If you care about justice and the rights of individuals – of Palestinians and Israelis – here is a crucial question seldom asked. What would such a Palestinian state actually look like?
No need to speculate; there have been four Palestinian quasi-states that provide ample data. In Jordan (1968-1970); in Lebanon (1970-1982); the Palestinian Authority in parts of the West Bank and Gaza (1993-onward); and most recently, the Hamas regime in Gaza (2007-onward).
To the extent the Palestinian movement has gained any semblance of self-rule and territorial control, it has built quasi-states that are militant and dictatorial – much to the detriment of the Palestinian people themselves and the goal of peace.
In Jordan in the late 1960s, the Palestinian movement created a mini-state with autonomous shadow-government institutions in all spheres – military, political and social. Palestinian factions ran their own police forces and courts of law, arresting people and punishing them at will. This authoritarian regime was a base of operations for launching attacks on Israel. A plot to overthrow the Jordanian regime led Jordan to liquidate this militant Palestinian quasi-state.
In 1970s Lebanon, the Palestinian movement established its dominion within refugee camps. It imposed taxes, operated courts, conscripted men of fighting age and reshaped the school curriculum – to ensure thought control. The Palestinian movement also seized several coastal towns in Lebanon and parts of the Lebanese administration, and “enforced its will with an iron hand.” From southern Lebanon, Palestinian fighters launched rockets on Israeli towns. This Palestinian quasi-state fell apart after Israel retaliated by sending forces into Lebanon.
THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (since 1994) was the fruit of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. An interim step toward full sovereignty, the PA enjoys formal recognition and far more autonomy than the previous quasi-states – and it has been correspondingly more oppressive and militant.
The Palestinian Authority quickly became yet another Middle East dictatorship, notorious for controlling the press and silencing opponents. The PA operated multiple, competing security forces. Its courts lacked any semblance of judicial independence. Arbitrary arrests were common, and leaders of the regime expropriated their own people’s money and property.
Even with only limited self-rule, the Palestinian Authority provided space and abundant resources to foment and carry out attacks on Israel. In the early 2000s, the regime orchestrated a brutal terrorist war against Israel.
By 2007, the Palestinian Authority split in two: one quasi-state headed by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in parts of the West Bank; and the second run by the jihadists of Hamas in Gaza, a militant regime shaped by Sharia law.
Hamas methodically indoctrinates its subjects on TV, in print, on radio and at the mosque, hammering the themes of holy war and martyrdom for the cause. True to their ideas, the jihadists of Gaza have launched thousands of rockets targeting Israeli cities. These led to several wars and many skirmishes – the most recent in early May.
A common denominator among these four Palestinian quasi-states?
Whenever the Palestinian movement has attained a modicum of self-rule over a stretch of territory, it has subjugated its own people and waged war against Israel.
No honest error or inexperience with governance can explain this pattern. It reflects the ideas animating the leading factions of the Palestinian movement. For many years, the movement’s spearhead was the PLO. Its numerous factions espoused a mixture of Marxism-Leninism, watered-down socialism and variations on Arab nationalism. Since the 1980s, Islamists have moved to the vanguard of the Palestinian movement. All these factions are self-consciously hostile to freedom and individual rights.
Some argue we must disregard the evidence of these quasi-states, because they fall short of full sovereignty. We should suspend judgment until a sovereign, independent Palestinian state is realized. That’s absurd. Why expect that handing authoritarians and theocrats more political power will convert them into champions of individual freedom?
The idea of national self-determination cannot be a license to subjugate. No individual, no group of individuals, no self-identified national community has the moral right to create a tyrannical regime.
Is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict solvable? Actually, yes, as I argue in my book What Justice Demands, and a crucial starting point is to fundamentally rethink our past approach to the conflict. Anyone concerned with the fate of individual Palestinians and Israelis who desire freedom and justice must question the lethal premise of the “two-state solution.” Handing the Palestinian movement even greater political power is a recipe not for peace, but for continued strife.
The writer is a director and senior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute and is the author of What Justice Demands: America and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. @ElanJourno
https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/What-would-a-Palestinian-state-actually-look-like-590541

Canada Moves to Ban Christians From Demonstrating in Public Under New Anti-Hate Proposal
Big League Politics, May 24/ 2019
The Canadian province of Ontario is considering legislation that would officially criminalize Christianity.
Legislation proposed in the Canadian province of Ontario would criminalize public displays by Christians deemed hateful to Muslims, the LGBT community and other victim groups designated by the left.
The bill, “Prohibiting Hate-Promoting Demonstrations at Queen’s Park Act, 2019,” bans any demonstration, rally or other activity that is deemed hateful by the Speaker from being permissible on legislative grounds – effectively insulating the government from Christian speech.
Life Site News explains that the nebulous nature of Canada’s anti-hate laws essentially give leftist legislators carte blanche to ban all Christian protest:
The problem with this bill, however, lies in the fact that the definition of “hate” is uncertain under Canadian law. As a result, unfortunately, the use of the word “hate” can be a useful tool for some to prevent differing views from being expressed. That is, the word “hate” can be used to silence opposing views expressed when, in fact, the views are simply a reasonable expression of belief.
This concern is based on actual experience. Canadians have already experienced the contempt shown by the Supreme Court of Canada towards Section 2 of the Charter of Rights which provides for freedom of opinion, expression and religion. In the Trinity Western Christian University case (2018), a private Christian university’s moral covenant was deemed hateful and discriminating. In the Bill Whatcott case (2013), the Supreme Court of Canada concluded that the effects of an expression used, not the communicator’s intent, are what is relevant. The court went on to conclude that “truthful statements and sincerely held beliefs do not affect the finding of “hate”. Mr. Whatcott merely expressed in his pamphlet the well-established facts about homosexuality which the court held to be “hateful”. It is worth noting that the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, presumably consisting of equally learned judges, had previously concluded that the pamphlet was not hateful. The Supreme Court of Canada prides itself on being a “progressive” court and has an established bias as evidenced in a series of decisions that have struck down laws based on traditional values. There is little likelihood that the court will protect tradition-based groups if they are denied the right to demonstrate at the provincial legislature.
As Canada becomes more restrictive toward Christianity, they open their arms for the LGBT agenda and Islam to take a foothold in their culture.
The Royal Canadian Mint issued a commemorative coin last month to celebrate homosexual love as a core principle of Canadian society.
“Marking 50 years since a landmark decision that began a process of legal reforms to recognize the rights of LGBTQ2 Canadians is a powerful way to recognize Canada’s profound belief in equality and inclusion,” said Marie Lemay, president and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.
Meanwhile, the far-left Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been revealed to be plotting different ways to bring ISIS terrorists to his nation and possibly be re-introduced in public life.
“None of the options are ideal and all present different challenges and risks,” said the three-page secret paper, which was heavily redacted after its release through the Access to Information Act.
As globalism and liberalism takes a stronger hold in Canada, the government can be expected to become even more hostile to Christianity and more hospitable to subversive agendas.

Iran’s Options and the Destructive Defiance
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/May 24/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/75157/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%AE%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A5%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%85/
According to an old adage every crisis also contains an opportunity. And the current crisis between the Islamic Republic in Iran and the United States may be no exception. Intense sabre rattling on both sides combined with what one might call “diplomacy of gesticulations” has reignited interest in what was a half-dormant conflict. That renewed interest could be used for persuading both sides, and others interested in the “Iran problem”, to re-visit the root causes of the conflict. And, having done so, try to find realistic ways of defusing the situation.
But before that could be done a number of steps must be taken.
To start with we must realize that the crisis in question isn’t caused by any of the traditional causes of conflict between nation-states. Iran and the US do not have a border problem, they are not fighting over access to natural resources and do not seek to snatch market share from one another. Nor are they in conflict over the oppression of one side’s kith-and-kin by the other. The two are not fighting over water resources, access to open seas or calculations about national security.
In other words, the conflict isn’t a classical international one. The reason is that Iran no longer behaves as a nation-state but as a vehicle for an ideology. One might suggest that ideological aspect is also present on the American side as shown by all the talk about democracy and human rights. However, as decades of Cold War with the Soviet Union, as ideological adversary, showed the US was mostly successful in fitting the ideological aspect of the conflict into a frame of nation-state behavior.
In the case of the current conflict with the Islamic Republic the US has on several occasions indicated that it could do the same provided the ruling mullahs pursued their ideological fight against “American values” as a nation-state and through generally accepted standards of international behavior. The US never shared, let alone approve of, the Soviet Union’s Communist ideology but was capable of factoring it in as one element among many in a complex relationship. From Nikita Khrushchev onwards, Soviet leaders were ready to reciprocate that approach. They still said they wanted to “bury capitalism” and made ample use of black-arts and other shenanigans to advance their cause. However, all that was done within the parameters of “cold monster” behavior. In other words, the USSR was pursuing its ideological goals, which over time became less and less defined, by non-ideological methods. Where raison d’état demanded, ideology was ditched with few qualms.
In 1970, when Iran decided to establish diplomatic relations with “Red “China it did not demand that China cease to be Communist or even stop hosting dozens of anti-Shah Iranians who had traveled to Mao-istan to train as guerrillas. What Tehran demanded was for Beijing to stop arming Omani insurgents operating from South Yemen, then under Communist control, and to conclude a trade agreement with Iran. Two years later the success of Iran’s Chinese experiment encouraged the Nixon administration in Washington to also launch a process of normalization with Beijing, eventually leading to full diplomatic relations.
However, historic precedents may not always be applicable to every conflict situation.
And, on balance at this moment, I find it hard to imagine the Islamic Republic, under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s weird leadership, ever sacrificing its ideological pretensions in order to advance the interest of Iran as a state.
And, yet although it is hard to imagine, provided the current level of pressure is maintained both by internal opposition and from the outside by its many enemies and adversaries, may be forced to ponder other options besides destructive defiance.
The Second Imam has made a spectacular comeback within the Khomeinist establishment. Last month, a biography of him, written by an Arab author and translated by Khamenei, with a preface, was re-published and used as an excuse for extensive debates in the official media and intellectual circles. Last Tuesday, the Islamic Security Minister, Ayatollah Mahmud Alawi praised Imam Hassan’s strategy as “divinely inspired”. “The Imam of Ummah need not always rise,” the minister said. “There are times when the Imam’s kneeling is a source of inspiration for their followers.”
There are other signs that Khamenei may be contemplating what he has called “heroic flexibility”. The official propaganda machine is already geared up to claim victory for the Islamic Republic. The official news agency reported on May 21 that “the world is already hearing the sound of breaking of America’s bones.”
Another sign is that the date fixed by the “Supreme Guide” for Israel to disappear from the face of the earth has been extended to 2050. More importantly, we are now told that Israel’s “disappearance” will come at the same time as “the end of America”.
“Islamic Iran shall witness the fall of the Satanic and earth devouring America and the usurper Israel in 2050,” General Hamid Abazari, one of Islamic Revolutionary Guard’s strategists, assured an audience last week.
Should one regard all that as good news?
No necessarily. The madness that is Khomeinism has always had its method which includes abject surrender when pressed too hard and brazen aggression when pressure is eased. The challenge facing Iran is to get rid of that madness altogether as every episode of cheat-and-retreat makes the eventual cure that much more difficult. Contrary to claims by the pro-mullah lobby in Washington the choice isn’t between surrender to Khomeminist madness and full-scale invasion of Iran. Only when the threshold of tolerable pain is reached the “Supreme Guide” may well reconsider his options. We are not there yet.

Why is The New York Times Trying to Abort the Trump Peace Plan?
Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute/May 24, 2019
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14264/new-york-times-trump-peace
No one ever lost money betting against peace between Israelis and Palestinians.... It would be far better if The New York Times waited until the plan was released and then commented on its specific provisions rather than stacking the deck against it by quoting only its most strident critics.
There are those who will criticize any plan, no matter how positive it may be, if it emanates from the Trump administration. When President Trump moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, many Democrats who would have favored such moves if they had been done by Barack Obama, opposed them only because these same moves were done by President Trump. These Democrats do not want to see Trump succeed at anything, even if his success would be good for America, for Israel and for peace.
If the editors of The New York Times refuse to separate opinion and analysis from hard reporting, every reader has an obligation to make that separation for herself or himself. Bear this in mind when you read The New York Times.
The New York Times seems determined to kill the proposed Trump Middle East peace plan before it is even made public. In the guise of news, the Times provided "analysis" in the news section, which was, in reality, an editorial. Readers must be wary.... (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
The New York Times seems determined to kill the proposed Trump Middle East peace plan before it is even made public. In a recent article, it quoted only nay-sayers and critics, who without having even seen the plan have declared its demise. In the guise of news, the Times provided "analysis" in the news section, which was, in reality, an editorial. This has become more and more common on the news pages of The New York Times. The separation of news from opinion is in the highest tradition of journalism, but The New York Times seems determined to knock down that wall of separation, especially when it comes to subjects on which its editors and publishers have strong opinions. Among these subjects are both Israel, which can do no right, and Donald Trump, who is always wrong. When these two subjects come together, as they do with regard to the Trump peace plan, readers must be wary of accepting news reports as objective.
Every single expert quoted in the article predicted that it would not succeed. Many of these experts have been involved in past unsuccessful efforts to bring about a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is not surprising that these experts would not want to see others succeed where they have failed, especially if those others were members of the Trump administration. Then one expert went so far as to say: "The only way to protect the long-term viability of the best aspects of the Kushner plan," he wrote, "is to kill the plan."
The danger of such biased reporting is that it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If The New York Times reports that the plan will fail, that report itself is likely to have influence on parties to the negotiation. Nobody wants to risk their credibility by being part of a failed effort.
The New York Times declined to seek expert opinion from those of us who actually consulted with the administration on aspects of the plan. They seem deliberately to avoid quoting anyone who had a positive view of the Trump administration's efforts.
No one ever lost money betting against peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and the expressed unwillingness on the part of Palestinians leaders even consider the Trump plan is not an encouraging sign, despite published reports that the plan includes considerable economic incentives that could improve the lives of all Palestinians. The hope is that the other Sunni Arab nations in the area will see virtues in the plan and will pressure the Palestinians to sit down and negotiate.
Despite the likelihood of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forming a right-leaning government, it is likely that Israel will look positively upon the Trump efforts, if not all aspects of the plan.
Any peace plan requires compromise on the part of both sides. It would be far better if The New York Times waited until the plan was released and then commented on its specific provisions rather than stacking the deck against it by quoting only its most strident critics.
There are those who will criticize any plan, no matter how positive it may be, if it emanates from the Trump administration. When President Trump moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, many Democrats who would have favored such moves if they had been done by Barack Obama, opposed them only because these same moves were done by President Trump. These Democrats do not want to see Trump succeed at anything, even if his success would be good for America, for Israel and for peace.
Such an attitude reflects the hyper-partisan nature both of today's politics and of today's media.
If the editors of The New York Times refuse to separate opinion and analysis from hard reporting, every reader has an obligation to make that separation for herself or himself. Bear this in mind when you read The New York Times.
*Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law Emeritus at Harvard Law School and author of The Case Against the Democrats Impeaching Trump, Skyhorse Publishing, 2018. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
© 2019 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.

Rehabilitation of innocent victims can be strongest weapon against extremism
Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/May 24/2019
A recent headline published by the New York Times sparked criticism for describing children born to Daesh terrorists as “time bombs.” After worldwide pressure, the newspaper changed the problematic headline from “Is a Child of Daesh Just a Child? Or a Time Bomb?” to “Thousands of Daesh Children suffer in camps as countries grapple with their fate.”Many people described the initial headline as “grossly irresponsible” and “racist and Islamophobic,” and strongly denounced it for “dehumanizing black and brown children” and “using children — no matter who they are — as click bait.” I totally agree with these criticisms. The original headline was both damaging and disgusting. The downfall of the terrorist organization has left the fate of hundreds of children in question. London think tank the International Center for the Study of Radicalization published a report, “From Daesh to Diaspora: Tracing the Women and Minors of Islamic State,” that researched the women and children connected to the terrorist organization. It found that the documented number of infants born inside Daesh to international parents was at least 730. These children are not going to go away. A comprehensive, tangible and realist policy by the international community is required to find a solution for the fate of these young people.The question of what to do with the children of foreigners fighting with Daesh in Syria and Iraq is posing a dilemma for governments in their home countries, especially in Europe. Some Western governments have been less than keen to accept the children, on the grounds that there is a little public sympathy for the children of terrorists and strong public pressure against such moves.
Last year, Francois Molins, at the time the leading counterterrorism prosecutor in France, also described the children of Daesh members as “time bombs.” Human-rights groups have criticized this type of stance, and called for the return of the children of Daesh members to their parents’ home nations. “Countries… should ensure that all child nationals detained abroad solely because they are the sons and daughters of alleged or confirmed Daesh members are swiftly and safely brought home unless they fear ill-treatment upon return,” Human Rights Watch said.
The strongest permanent blow we can deliver to global extremism is to heal its victims and encourage them to stand up against the violence and terrorism.
A handful of countries have already adopted policies for the repatriation of such children, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Sudan and Turkey. Russia can be viewed as a pioneer in systematically bringing home the children of extremist fighters. Although the homecoming of such children, many of whom were born to Daesh militants, has been a subject of debate in the country, Russian authorities hope that placing them with their extended families will minimize risk of radicalization when they reach adulthood in the Caucasus, a region with a history of extremism.
This week, Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Fatih Yildiz said that his country is willing to welcome all citizens who are not guilty of a crime, especially children born to Daesh militants in Iraq, before Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. “We have agreed with the Iraqi side to alleviate the unjust suffering of the children,” the envoy said, adding that the proces will be coordinated by the Turkish Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services.
France has repatriated several young children who were in camps in northern Syria after they were orphaned or separated from their French parents. Kazakhstan evacuated 231 of its citizens, most of them children, from Syria after they traveled or were taken there to join Daesh. Yazidi survivor groups have welcomed a decision by community elders to allow children who were born as a result of the rape of their mothers by members of Daesh to return with their mothers to their homelands in Iraq. In Syria and Iraq, foreign children of more than a dozen different nationalities are languishing in camps or jails. Repatriating these children is not an easy task and not without complications. But first and foremost, they are the victims of abuse by a ruthless terrorist regime. Countries need to ensure that national initiatives are developed or reinforced to support the mental health, psychological and medical needs of these youngsters.
To ease their integration into society, the first priority is that they receive psychosocial assistance to help them come to terms with the traumas they have gone through. With persistent scrutiny and support from the international community, these children can become assets to peace rather than threats. Human-rights groups warn that allowing these children to die in the wilderness will simply fuel the terrorist and extremist narrative. I believe that the strongest permanent blow we can deliver to global extremism is to heal its victims and encourage them to stand up to violence and terrorism. By healing them so that they can enjoy a productive role in society, these young people will grow to become strong voices against terror.
*Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkey’s relations with the Middle East. Twitter: @SinemCngz

The key to Sudan’s stability and unity
Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy/Arab News/May 24/2019
The military in Sudan is one of the most important elements in the political equation — not only because it now runs the country after the recent revolution, but also because it occupies a large portion of Sudan’s collective memory, whether negatively or positively.
The Sudanese Army has had a decisive part in many of the difficult situations the state has faced in the past. The military has played a patriotic role in protecting Sudan and its unity, and its stance was very clear in achieving the country’s goal of overthrowing former President Omar Al-Bashir.
Sudanese soldiers are known for their ferocity, patience and endurance during battles. This was seen during the war with South Sudan and the Second World War. In addition, about 250 Sudanese troops were sent to fight in the 1948 Palestine war. In the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, Sudan sent an infantry brigade to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Outside the battlefield, the leaders of the Sudanese Army have been wise and diligent, and have always put their country first.
The basis of the modern Sudanese Army was established in 1954, but the country was under British occupation at the time. When Sudan won its independence in 1956, a new national army was formed, starting with the infantry and then the navy and air force.
Since Sudan’s independence, the army has never left the political scene. It came to power four times, firstly on Nov. 17, 1958, led by Gen. Ibrahim Abboud. The second time was on May 25, 1969, led by Jaafar Nimeiri, whose rule continued for 16 years. On April 6, 1985, the then-defense minister, Field Marshal Abdel Rahman Suwar Al-Dahab, was tasked with chairing an interim military council to rule Sudan following an uprising that ousted Nimeiri.
The fourth time was on June 30, 1989, when Al-Bashir led a coup that overthrew the democratic era. He continued to rule until April 11, 2019, when a revolution threw him out with the army’s support. Military leader Abdel Fattah Burhan currently leads the country as head of the transitional military council.
One of the most positive and important episodes in the life of the Sudanese people is the experience of Al-Dahab’s rule. His name not only resonated in protests and sit-ins, but was also mentioned by the leaders of the junta in a letter to reassure opposition forces skeptical of the junta’s intentions to seize power.
Al-Dahab took power after an uprising against Nimeiri. He gave a unique lesson in democracy when he led Sudan for one year as head of the transitional government after Nimeiri was overthrown. He then held a general election in 1986, won by Prime Minister Sadig Al-Mahdi, who was overthrown by Al-Bashir’s military coup in 1989.
The military force faces a future full of major challenges, which the majority of the Sudanese people trust it can overcome.
After that, Al-Dahab announced his retirement from politics and became secretary-general of the board of trustees of the Islamic Call Organization. He died in Riyadh in October 2018 at the age of 83, and the curtain closed on a positive experience that continues to be remembered by the Sudanese people, during which a member of the military led the country to safety and democracy.
Another period that the Sudanese remember is the way Al-Bashir came to power. This period began on June 30, 1989, when national TV announced that a few army officers, led by Al-Bashir, had taken power. The situation was not clear at first, and observers could not confirm the coup.
Al-Bashir’s government carried out a number of largescale arrests. Among those arrested was the leader of the National Islamic Front (NIF) in Sudan, Hassan Al-Turabi, who later said he was the coup’s mastermind.
The experience of Al-Bashir’s rule is rejected by the Sudanese people today because his first government gradually revealed its radical Islamist identity, and its leaders’ statements confirmed this identity and its affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan. Al-Bashir remained in office for 30 years, during which time political life was dramatically altered until the moment came to overthrow him.
The hand that sometimes rules, intervenes wisely and preserves the country’s political unity is matched by another hand that continues to arm itself with all that is modern to defend the homeland’s territory. The Sudanese Army consists of military teams, brigades and departments distributed throughout the country.
The Karary University of Military Technology in Wadi Seidna, north of the city of Omdurman, is responsible for educating and training Sudanese students, and has a good military reputation. The Sudanese Army also includes specialized military colleges and institutes. It produces a number of weapons, including ammunition and cannons, through the Military Industry Corp.
According to the latest figures from the Global Firepower index, which provides data on the world’s military powers, the Sudanese Army ranks 69th, but it is also one of the strongest and largest armies in the Horn of Africa. It has 100,000-150,000 soldiers, supported by the Popular Defense Forces, which includes about 150,000 recruits. The army has a large number and variety of fighter jets, a large number of tanks, and PTR-50 armored vehicles.
This great military force faces a future full of major challenges, which the majority of the Sudanese people trust it can overcome.
*Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy is a critically acclaimed multimedia journalist, writer and columnist who has covered war zones and conflicts worldwide. Twitter: @ALMenawy