English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For August 05/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
We
bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have
become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.
First Letter to the Corinthians 04/09-16: “For I
think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to
death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to
mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are
weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. To the
present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and
homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we
bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have
become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.
I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved
children. For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not
have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the
gospel. I appeal to you, then, be imitators of me.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on August 04-05/2021
Hezbollah the Terrorist organization is totally responsible for the
Beirut Port Explosion, and justice will not be achieved before Lebanon is
liberated from its occupation/Elias Bejjani/August 04/2021
Pope, on anniversary of Beirut blast, promises Lebanon visit
Amer Fakhoury Foundation On The Beirut Port Explosion
Al-Rahi: We do not want wars and martyrs, let us keep away from our entity the
maps that are being drawn for the Middle East
“Iran out:” Anti-Hezbollah protesters march in Lebanon on Beirut blast
anniversary
Aoun at the virtual Conference held in support of the people of Lebanon: Lebanon
counts on you, don’t let it down
Final statement at the end of Lebanon’s Support Conference
Biden Donates $100 million to Lebanon at U.N.-backed Conference
Hezbollah’s insistence on control is major cause of Lebanon’s problems: Saudi FM
One year after Beirut port blast, truth remains elusive
365 days after Beirut blast, every day counts/Ralph Tarraf/Najat Rochdi/ Saroj
Kumar Jha/The Arab Weekly/August 04/2021
Clashes with Security Forces as Protesters Mark Port Blast Anniversary
Minor Scuffles in Zouk, Beirut as Army Seizes Arms from Cars
French Ambassador: The Lebanese Need Justice to be Served
Kataeb Party pays tribute to its martyrs on August 4th: For lifting immunities
since no one is above accountability
Beirut marks one year since port blast with anger and mourning
A year after the Beirut blast, survivors are still grieving, still angry, and
still waiting for justice/Ben Wedeman/CNN/August 04/2021
Israel conducts air strikes on targets in south Lebanon: Statement
US condemns rocket attacks from Lebanon on Israel
Three rockets fired towards northern Israel, IDF retaliates
Army: Enemy artillery targeted several areas in southern Lebanon
Four enemy shells fall on Kfarshouba Hilltops
Army: Arrest of citizens in possession of weapons, ammunition in Zouk & Sidon
“Amal Movement” denies circulated news about confiscated weapons that were on
their way to the Beirut Port commemoration ceremony
Geagea: Beirut Port blast will not go unnoticed, immunity to be lifted off all
The Criminal State and the Mandated Internationalization/Charles Elias Chartouni/August
04/2021
Lebanon’s League of Victims/Mohanad Hagi Ali/Carnegie MEC/August 04/2021
President Macron: France will allocate 100 million Euros as direct support to
the Lebanese in education, food and health aid, in addition to providing 500,000
COVID-19 vaccines
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 04-05/2021
Human rights groups slam EU for sending diplomat to Raisi inauguration
Iranian anguish over tough internet restrictions in new bill
Potential Hijack' of Ship Off UAE is Over, Says UK Agency
Italy leads European effort to resolve Libyan differences
Sisi could test Egyptians’ patience, own popularity with bread price hike
Tunisia Unions Urge Speedy New Government after Takeover
Humanitarian Crisis Unfolding in Daraa, Syria
Syria Shelling by Turkey, Proxies Kills Four
Taliban Claim Kabul Bombing as Afghan Forces Defend Besieged Cities
Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC
English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
August 04-05/2021
Violations' the UN Security Council Does Not Care About/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone
Institute/August 04/2021
Biden Administration "Surrenders" to Germany on Russian Gas Pipeline/Soeren
Kern/Gatestone Institute/August 04/2021
It’s Time for Biden to Leave a Bad Deal in the Past/Richard Goldberg/National
Review/August 04/2021
Iran escalates maritime conflict against Israel/Joe Truzman/FDD's Long War
Journal/August 04/2021
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 04-05/2021
Hezbollah the Terrorist organization is totally
responsible for the Beirut Port Explosion, and justice will not be achieved
before Lebanon is liberated from its occupation.
Elias Bejjani/August 04/2021
حزب الله الإرهابي هو المسؤول عن تفجير مرفأ بيروت، والعدالة لن تتحقق قبل تحرير
لبنان من رجس احتلاله
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/101087/elias-bejjani-hezbollah-the-terrorist-organization-is-totally-responsible-for-the-beirut-port-explosion-and-justice-will-not-be-achieved-before-lebanon-is-liberated-from-its-occupation/
Prophet Isaiah 33/01: “Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed!
Woe to you, betrayer, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying,
you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed”.
In reality and practically, justice in Lebanon will remain a mirage and a dream
while Lebanon is still occupied by the Iranian Hezbollah, and governed by a
bunch of local puppets and Trojans.
Sadly, justice in our beloved occupied Lebanon is currently far from reach, and
even impossible, whether in regards to the Beirut Port explosion horrible crime,
or the assassinations of dozens of sovereigns, patriotic and free Lebanese
figures.
Justice in the occupied Lebanon is currently ignored, muzzled, marginalized and
down trodden, and will not be achieved in any way before the country is
liberated from the occupation, domination, hegemony, barbarism and the Mafiosi
of the Iranian terrorist organization, Hezbollah.
In this Trojan framework that Hezbollah is enforcing, all that is circulated in
the media about judicial investigations into the Beirut Port Explosion crime in
particular, revolves only around ignoring the real perpetrator, and on
distracting the Lebanese people with names of political and security officials
who are charged on mere negligence basis.
The occupier, Hezbollah who has been since 2005 in complete control of Beirut’s
airport and port, brought the shipment of ammonium nitrate to Lebanon in full
partnership and co-operation with the Syrian Criminal Assad Regime.
Hezbollah stored the ammonium nitrate in the Beirut Port, used it inside and
outside Lebanon in terrorism explosions, and transported most of it to Syria,
where Assad regime transformed it into bombing barrels of death and destruction.
Due to the fact that Hezbollah is an “assassination machine “and an Iranian
terrorist organization that occupies and terrorizes the Lebanese, all the
Lebanese security officials and politicians, including and foremost, the
President, House Speaker, PM, ministers, MP’S and all high ranging government
employees would not have dared to utter a word about the ammonium shipment, even
if they were aware of it. This enforced silence would be either because of fear
for their lives, or due to their treason affiliation with Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, the terrorist Hezbollah, and through its ruling puppets and officials
in all positions continues viciously to distract the judicial investigation, and
the peoples’ focus from the truth, that actually and plainly points towards its
sole criminal role in exploding Beirut’s Port on August 04, 2020.
Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah has been openly and loudly threatening the
Lebanese judiciary, and questioning its credibility, in a replicate to his evil
role with the Special Tribunal For Lebanon (STL), that was investigating the
assassination of the late PM, Rafik Al Hariri.
In summary, Hezbollah, which occupies Lebanon and controls its rulers, officials
and political parties’ without even one exception, is fully accountable for the
Beirut Port Explosion crime, and accordingly justice will not be fully achieved
before the liberation of Lebanon, and before charging, arresting and before
putting on all its leaders on trial.
And until the day of liberation comes, this Terrorist and criminal armed
militia, will continue to systematically and viciously to devour our beloved
Lebanon, The Land Of The Holy Cedars, piece by piece, intimidating its people
and assassinating its patriotic leaders.
Pope, on anniversary of Beirut blast, promises Lebanon
visit
NNA/August 04/2021
Pope Francis, speaking at his first general audience since he underwent
intestinal surgery a month ago and on the first anniversary of a fatal blast in
Beirut, said he had a "great" desire to visit Lebanon. The 84-year-old pope, who
looked fit and improvised parts of his address, also wished success for French
President Emmanuel Macron's efforts to raise more than $350 million in aid for
Lebanon at a donors' conference and send another warning to its squabbling
political class. L8N2PA5JL The huge chemical explosion in Beirut killed 200
people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage. Francis was speaking in
the Vatican's audience hall. He said many in Lebanon, which is mired in a
financial depression and faces its worst social crisis in 30 years, had lost
"even the illusion of living."Donors should help Lebanon "on a path of
resurrection", he said. He called for "concrete gestures, not just words"
because many who had lost their homes and jobs were tired and deluded. "Dear
Lebanese, my desire to come to visit you is great. And I will not tire of
praying for you so that Lebanon returns to being a message of brotherhood, a
message of peace for all of the Middle East," he said.The Vatican's foreign
minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, said last month the visit could take place
late this year or early next year. He suggested the pope could go even without a
government in place. --- Reuters
Amer Fakhoury Foundation On The Beirut Port Explosion
August 04/2021
May we take a moment of silence today to remember the third biggest explosion in
the world that happened in Beirut, Lebanon on August 4, 2020.To this day, those
who are responsible for killing over 200 innocent people and injuring over 7,000
people have yet to be held accountable. A proper investigation into the
explosion has yet to take place. Senior Lebanese officials have been linked to
the blast, however Lebanese authorities have rejected lifting their immunity and
so they will not be questioned. After a clear obstruction of justice, we call on
the international court to take action and hold accountable lebanese officials
responsible for the explosion.
Al-Rahi: We do not want wars and martyrs, let us keep
away from our entity the maps that are being drawn for the Middle East
NNA/August 04/2021
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Beshara Boutros al-Rahi, affirmed during the Mass
of the Martyrs of the Beirut Port this afternoon, that "we are here to witness
to the unity of Christians and Muslims in loyalty to Lebanon alone."He added
that "the countries participating in the Paris conference to help Lebanon are
much appreciated," believing that "the world's response to Lebanon begins with
saving it economically and financially, and by holding an international
conference for Lebanon that declares its neutrality and sets a mechanism for
implementing international resolutions, even if that requires issuing new
resolutions.""No matter how much the political group turns a blind eye to
reality, it will not be able to conquer the people indefinitely," the Patriarch
asserted, adding that "the issue is a matter of time, and saving Lebanon will
inevitably come.""We do not want fighting, or battles, or wars. We have a
surplus of wars, martyrs and resistance, so let us move towards freedom and
peace, and steer the maps that are being woven for the Middle East away from our
historical entity," underlined al-Rahi.
“Iran out:” Anti-Hezbollah protesters march in Lebanon
on Beirut blast anniversary
Marco Ferrari and Omar Elkatouri/ 04 August ,2021
Protesters marching on the anniversary of the Beirut port blast are demanding an
end to Iranian influence in Lebanon. Demonstrators were marching towards the
capital’s Martyr’s Square at around 7pm local time waving Lebanese flags and
chanting “Iran out, Iran out,” according to BBC Persia. Anti-Iran and
anti-Hezbollah slogans could be heard from the crowds on the anniversary of the
deadly blast that killed more than 200 people and left thousands more injured.
Security forces fired tear gas at anti-government protesters demonstrating
outside the Lebanese parliament building. Tensions have been mounting in the
crisis-stricken country over what many believe is the government’s failure to
fully investigate the blast. The port explosion, considered one of the biggest
non-nuclear blasts ever recorded, happened when more than 552 tons of ammonium
nitrate stored in a grain silo in the city centre caught fire. It leveled
buildings within a two-mile radius.
Aoun at the virtual Conference held in support of the
people of Lebanon: Lebanon counts on you, don’t let it down
NNA/August 04/2021
In his delivered speech at the virtual conference held in support of the people
of Lebanon on Wednesday, President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, said:
Your Majesties, your Highnesses, your Excellencies, A year has gone by since the
calamity struck the heart of Beirut, and it is still a bleeding wound in the
conscience of all the Lebanese; the quest for truth and full justice is still
the claim of every Lebanese and a self-evident right, especially for those who
were inflicted loss at heart, the parents of the victims who fell on that
fateful day.I have already committed before the Lebanese to serve justice and
hold accountable everyone whose involvement is proven by the investigation.
Today, I re-state my pledge that NO one is above the law, no matter how high he
may rank.
Let justice go all the way in probe and trials, till facts are revealed and till
the desired justice is served. Ladies and gentlemen, A year after the disaster
of the fourth of August 2020,the devastating repercussions still reflect on all
levels, humanitarian, social, economic, health and educational, thus aggravating
the crises that beset our nation. Lebanon is currently going through the hardest
times: a record poverty rate, the Covid-19 pandemic, a severe shortage of drugs,
along with the heavy burden of the Syrian displacement, the siege imposed around
us, depriving Lebanon of its vital extension, and so on. Therefore, Lebanon can
no longer wait for regional or broader solutions. There is no doubt that Lebanon
needs every assistance and support from the international community, after
determining needs and priorities, notably:
- Badly needed humanitarian, social and health assistance;
- assistance that guarantees the continuous provision of the vital basic
services in emergency settings, especially in the health sector and in the
maintenance of water and electricity infrastructures;
- assistance that ensures the needs of our security valve, the Lebanese Army and
security forces.
Furthermore, rehabilitating, developing and fully re-operating the port of
Beirut - the artery of the Lebanese economy - is a pressing necessity and a top
priority for us, and any international effort is welcome in this respect.
Ladies and gentlemen,
For many months, the country has drowned in a political crisis in which,
unfortunately, the details of cabinet formation prevailed over the program, the
government’s rescue project.
Today, we are in a new phase. I do hope that a government is formed, a
government which is capable of implementing the required reforms, preparing for
the upcoming parliamentary elections and, in parallel, building confidence with
our International partners and reaching out to the international Monetary Fund.
We must underscore in this context that the amount that will benefit Lebanon
next September from the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights must be employed carefully
and in the best way to face the collapse and embark on reforms. I strongly
believe that the procedures of the forensic audit of public accounts are
necessary and mandatory. I have promised the Lebanese to carry on with
themdespite all obstacles. We hold on to the forensic audit of the Central
Bank’s accounts, and we await its outcome to determine and allocate losses and
responsibilities.
Esteemed audience, In my own name and on behalf of the people of Lebanon,
I wish to thank brotherly and friendly States and institutions for their
solidarity, and for the aid they have sent throughout the past year. And today,
I would like to renew my thanks to the organizers who – by asignificant gesture
- wanted this conference to mark the first anniversary of the tragic Port blast.
My thanks also go to my friend President Macron, to the UN Secretary General Mr.
Guterres, and to all the heads of States, leaders and officials who are present
with us, as well as all those who have supported Lebanon through its present
crisis. Lebanon counts on you, don’t let it down.
Thank you.------Presidency Informaton Office
Final statement at the end of Lebanon’s Support
Conference
NNA/August 04/2021
In conclusion of the “Conference for Supporting Lebanon and the Lebanese” which
was virtually held this afternoon upon the invitation of French President,
Emmanuel Macron, the following statement was issued:
“The Conference in Support of the Population of Lebanon took place on 4 August
2021 by video-conferencing, at the joint invitation of the President of the
French Republic and the United Nations Secretary-General.
Thirty three States, thirteen international organizations and 5 representatives
of Lebanese civil society took part in the discussions. A year ago today, a
terrible explosion devastated the port of Beirut and the surrounding areas. The
international community expressed its solidarity. A support conference, convened
on 9 August 2020, organized an initial emergency humanitarian response. A second
conference was held on 2 December 2020, to generate additional support and
foster the beginning of a medium-term recovery effort.
A year after the explosion, the participants in the Conference, and the Lebanese
people, have commemorated this tragic anniversary, seen a major deterioration of
the living conditions of Lebanon’s whole population and called for
accountability from the Lebanese political class to ensure full light is shed on
the explosion. Today, the crisis is affecting all of Lebanon and all its
inhabitants. This crisis is economic and financial, and is one of the three
worst in the world since the mid-19th century according to the World Bank. This
is also a social crisis, as essential needs and supplies of basic services are
no longer being delivered to a large part of the population. It is also a food
crisis, and is turning into a humanitarian crisis. It is a political crisis,
whose responsibility lies on the political leaders, marked by the stalemate in
the formation of a government capable of implementing the most urgent reforms.
Lastly, this is a crisis of confidence, both between the people of Lebanon and
its leaders, and between those leaders and the international community. In this
particularly difficult context, the Conference has welcomed the fact that the
totality of the aid promised a year ago has been disbursed. The participants
have responded to a further UN humanitarian appeal for $357 million for the
coming 12 months, pledging support in finance of a total in the order of $370
million dollars, to which should be added substantial in-kind assistance. The
aim in particular is to address the most urgent food security, water and
sanitation, and health and education needs.
The participants highlighted that this additional support aims to save lives and
is in no way a lasting solution to the difficulties Lebanon is confronted with.
These require first and foremost the formation of a government that implements
the reforms promised since the CEDRE conference in 2018, which were recalled on
1 September 2020 in the roadmap agreed by all Lebanon’s political forces. The
participants underlined that the implementation of these decisions remains
critical for any structural financial support on their part.
The Conference’s participants welcomed the designation of Mr. Najib Mikati as
Prime Minister and called for a government that would be dedicated to the
country’s rescue. As soon as it is formed, the new government would need to
dedicate itself to swiftly launching, conducting and concluding negotiations in
good faith with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It will also have to
prepare the 2022 elections, which must be transparent and impartial and be held
according to the planned schedule.
The Conference discussed the measures required by the worsening of the crisis.
The gradual lifting of subsidies for essential products should take place
alongside the creation of social protection safety nets, including through the
immediate implementation of the World Bank’s Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN)
loan. The distribution of pre-paid cards and the preparation of the lists of
beneficiaries it requires should be delivered in full transparency. The
Conference’s participants noted that the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction
Framework (3RF) has been implemented and allows better donor coordination and a
major role for civil society. The Lebanon Financing Facility (LFF), a World Bank
multi-donor trust fund, should begin disbursements without bureaucratic
obstacles in the days following this Conference, paying the first donations to
SMEs. Current contributors encourage other donors to join them. At a time when
the Lebanese economy is in a deep recession, the banking and financial sector
needs to play its normal role of financing the real economy. Addressing the
financial crisis needs to start immediately, under a plan and a Banking
Resolution Act based on fair, transparent rules that ensure the actors of this
financial crisis contribute. he participants noted that Lebanon will soon
receive its share (around $900 million) of the universal and unconditional
allocation of IMF special drawing rights, with the key aim of addressing the
recession and the consequences of the global public health crisis. They
recommended that the use of these resources be decided in a fully transparent
manner, in liaison with civil society, be subject to monitoring in real-time and
ex-post evaluation, and, lastly, contribute to the preparation of appropriate
public policies. They agreed to follow attentively and come back to this
subject.
The participants considered that, in accordance with the expectations of the
Lebanese people, the country’s development model needs to be overhauled to
ensure the country gets back into a sustainable and people-centered development
process. Humanitarian assistance cannot be a long-term solution and the
development of a program with the IMF must be linked to the prospect of a
renewed governance and of a new development model anchored in the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development.
The participants were concerned about delays to the inquiry into the 4 August
explosion. They also noted with concern the operational situation of the port of
Beirut. They called on the Lebanese authorities to immediately take the measures
required for adequate maintenance and for the reconstruction of the parts of the
port that were destroyed. Lebanon’s greatest asset is its people. The crisis and
the effects of the political stalemate are leading increasing numbers of
Lebanese people to leave their country. That is a major risk for the country’s
future, and is already undermining Lebanon’s sectors of excellence, particularly
education and health. The Conference’s participants highlighted that the
formation of a government to immediately implement the indispensable reforms is
the first step in a sustained effort to address the challenges faced by Lebanon.
The participants stand alongside the Lebanese people on this path and intend to
continue their dialogue with Lebanon’s national institutions and civil society.
They confirmed their determination to make use of all available instruments to
provide direct support to the population. However, structural economic and
financial assistance will require profound changes expected from Lebanon’s
leaders.” ----Presidency Information Office
Biden Donates $100 million to Lebanon at U.N.-backed
Conference
Naharnet/August 04/2021
American President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday, at the virtual conference
held in support of Lebanon a humanitarian aid worth $100 million, on top of an
amount of approximately $560 million that Washington has provided as a
humanitarian aid over the past years. The Deputy Secretary-General of the United
Nations Amina Mohammed also spoke at the conference, urging Prime
Minister-designate Najib Miqati to form a government quickly and stressing that
Lebanon is experiencing one of the most terrible crises at the economic,
educational and infrastructure levels. The Jordanian King Abdullah II also
participated in the conference and said in his speech that “we must provide
humanitarian, health and food aid,” highlighting the fact that Lebanon is also
“hosting refugees.” French President Emmanuel Macron had led the round of donor
pledges with a promise of 100 million euros ($118 million) from France.Macron
aims to raise at least $350 million in emergency aid for the Lebanese in this
U.N.-backed donor conference for Lebanon, which he is chairing over a video
link-up with several world leaders.
Hezbollah’s insistence on control is major cause of
Lebanon’s problems: Saudi FM
Reuters/04 August ,2021
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Wednesday the insistence of the
Iran-backed Hezbollah group on imposing its will in Lebanon was a main reason
for the country’s crisis, according to Al-Ekhbariya TV and a foreign ministry
statement.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also said Riyadh was concerned that no tangible
results had been reached in investigations into the Beirut port explosion that
devastated swathes of the capital a year ago. He said any assistance to Lebanon
would be linked to serious reforms there. A donor conference to raise emergency
aid for Lebanon’s crippled economy on Wednesday raised $370 million, French
President Emmanuel Macron’s office said.
One year after Beirut port blast, truth remains elusive
The Arab Weekly/August 04/2021
BEIRUT--Lebanon marked the first anniversary of the catastrophic Beirut port
explosion on Wednesday with prayers for the victims and expressions of anger and
sadness from residents who are still in mourning and demanding justice.
One year since the blast, caused by a huge quantity of ammonium nitrate stored
unsafely at the port for years, no senior official has been held to account,
infuriating many Lebanese as their country endures a financial collapse. More
than 200 people were killed and thousands wounded. One of the biggest
non-nuclear explosions ever recorded, it was felt in Cyprus, more than 240 km
(150 miles) away. An investigation into the blast is stalling as requests to
question senior politicians and former officials have been denied.
Waiting for the truth
French President Emmanuel Macron, who has led Western pressure for reform in
Lebanon, said its leaders owed the people the truth and heaped new criticism on
the governing elite for failing to deal with the economic crisis.
Victims’ families have been organising demonstrations demanding justice for
those who lost their lives. “We didn’t forget yet, it is an hour of anger,
sadness,” said Khose Khilichian, a resident of the Bourj Hammoud district near
the port, who said he would pray for the victims.“My wife and I were on the
balcony and we just found ourselves in the middle of the living room. My house
was all destroyed.” The damage is still visible across much of Beirut. The port
resembles a bomb site, its towering grain silos unrepaired. A huge banner on a
building overlooking the port said: “Hostages of a Murderous State.”
“The neighbourhood changed, the spirits changed, everything changed in this
neighbourhood,” 72-year-old Habib Frem, who was wounded in the blast and whose
house was damaged, said, wearing black to mark the day.
Marches converged on the port where prayers were held just after 6 pm (1500
GMT), coinciding with the time of the blast.
A country in crisis
Leading prayers at a hospital that was badly damaged in the blast, Greek
Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi said the investigation must continue until
punishment is meted out to those who deserve it.
Nobody was above the law, he said, and “whoever obstructs justice is a criminal,
even if they are highly placed”, he said. At the time of the explosion, Lebanese
were already facing deepening hardship due to the financial crisis caused by
decades of state corruption and waste. The meltdown worsened throughout the last
year with the governing elite failing to establish a new cabinet to start
tackling the crisis, even as poverty has soared and medicines and fuel have run
out. Hosting a donors’ conference for Lebanon, Macron pledged a further 100
million euros ($120 million) in emergency aid and 500,000 doses of COVID-19
vaccines. He is trying to raise more than $350 million.
“Lebanese leaders seem to bet on a stalling strategy, which I regret and I think
is a historic and moral failure,” he said. Pope Francis wished success for
Macron’s efforts and said donors should help Lebanon “on a path of
resurrection”. He said he had a great desire to visit Lebanon, where he said
many had lost “even the illusion of living”.
The state has taken no steps towards reforms that might ease the economic
crisis, with the sectarian elite locked in a power struggle over posts in a new
cabinet to replace the outgoing government of Hassan Diab, who quit after the
blast. “We tell everyone without exception, our nation is in danger,” Najib
Mikati, a politician-businessman who was tasked last month with trying to form a
cabinet, said in a statement marking what he called a “painful” anniversary. In
an op-ed, senior officials from the United Nations, European Union and World
Bank said the investigation into the port blast continues to stall “without a
truly independent judiciary able to block political intervention”. “The country
critically needs a government capable of managing the crisis, working together
with a parliament to make progress on reforms,” they wrote.
365 days after Beirut blast, every day counts
Ralph Tarraf/Najat Rochdi/ Saroj Kumar Jha/The Arab Weekly/August 04/2021
We commemorate today the tragedy that took place on August 4, 2020,in Beirut. A
man-made disaster, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, which
killed 214 people, left more than 6,000 injured and shattered the lives and
livelihoods of thousands across Lebanon.
365 days later, the people of Lebanon are still waiting for the justice promised
by the country’s decision-makers.
365 days later, the investigation continues to stall, without a truly
independent judiciary able to block political intervention.
365 days later, we reiterate our call for an effective, independent and
transparent investigation that can bring justice for the victims and peace for
their families. In a country notorious for its culture of impunity,
accountability could demonstrate that change is possible.
As we look back on this year, another tragedy unfolds before our eyes: an
economic implosion with severe implications on Lebanon’s social fabric and human
capital, which could be an irreversible loss for Lebanon. It is time for the
country’s decision-makers, who are entrusted with the safety, security and
well-being of their people, to live up to their responsibilities.
We continue to stress to Lebanese counterparts the need to adopt urgent measures
to get out of the crisis. Following the blast, the European Union, the United
Nations and the World Bank presented a people-centred plan for the recovery and
reconstruction of Beirut. At the heart of this plan are reforms. Meaningful
socio-economic reforms that the Lebanese authorities should urgently undertake
to stabilise the dramatic situation and put Lebanon on the path of economic
recovery. Unfortunately, too little has been done.
We remain committed to assist the people of Lebanon. But without a real
transformation in the way the country is governed, our efforts mean little. The
forthcoming elections offer a unique opportunity for people to make their voices
heard and start the change they are calling for. But change must begin now. The
country critically needs a government capable of managing the crisis, working
together with a parliament to make progress on reforms. It is time to act now.
Every day counts.
We extend a hand to those who still believe in this country. Let us work
together for a better Lebanon. A country worthy of its great people.
*Ralph Tarraf is ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon.
*Najat Rochdi is UN deputy special coordinator for Lebanon, resident and
humanitarian coordinator.
*Saroj Kumar Jha is regional director of the Middle East department of the World
Bank.
Clashes with Security Forces as Protesters Mark Port
Blast Anniversary
Agence France Presse/August 04/2021
Thousands of grief-stricken Lebanese on Wednesday marked a year since a
cataclysmic explosion ravaged Beirut, protesting impunity over the country's
worst peacetime disaster at a time when its economy was already in tatters.
Not far from a somber remembrance service being held at the "ground zero" site
of the blast, a group of protesters scuffled with riot police near the entrance
to parliament, whose members have been accused of stalling a probe into the
disaster.
Police fired tear gas at stone-lobbing demonstrators and beat them with batons,
in clashes which the Red Cross said left dozens of people injured.
Mournful tunes rang out above central Beirut, as crowds walked towards the
dockside, many brandishing posters demanding accountability over the disaster.
On August 4, 2020, a stock of ammonium nitrate fertilizer haphazardly stored at
the city's port exploded and left swathes of the Lebanese capital looking like a
war zone.
What went down as one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history killed at
least 214 people, levelled entire neighborhoods, irreparably scarred the
nation's psyche and deepened the country's economic abyss.
At the clock struck 6:07 pm, the exact time of the blast, thousands stood
silently on the empty highway running past the obliterated port, the ruins of
its grain silos basking in the evening sunshine.
Sandra Abras, 43, said she had come to pay respect to the victims after she was
lucky to survive the explosion, but her home was ravaged in the blast.
"We weren't able to return home for a month and a half... We fixed it with our
own money," she said, adding she suffered terrible headaches for months after
the event.
Lawyers, doctors and engineers also joined in to pay tribute to those who
perished in the blast, whose shockwave was felt as far away as Cyprus.
Port workers were buried under gutted grain silos in the explosion, commuters
crushed to death and residents lacerated by supersonic shards of glass bled out
in their homes.
- 'My government killed my people' -
At the march a year later, protesters clad in dark hooded robes paraded a mock
guillotine.
"My 'government' killed my people, took our homes and turned our city to dust,"
one woman's sign read.
Wafaa Karam, 37, mourned her brother, a nephew and a cousin, all firefighters
killed last summer after they rushed to extinguish the fire that sparked the
blast.
"We want the truth," she said. The country's already reviled political class has
hidden behind its proclaimed immunity to avoid prosecution, stalling the lead
investigating judge's work at every turn. Jeffry Chartouni, a worker at the
port's grain silos, said he wanted justice for his seven colleagues killed. "The
security officials, the government, the customs, of course they all knew," the
32-year-old said. Since the blast, the country has sunk deeper into economic
crisis.
With more than half the population now living under the poverty line, former
colonial power France Wednesday pledged $118 million and the United States
promised $100 million, at the latest conference to drum up humanitarian aid.
'Nitrate deputies' -
Amnesty International has accused the Lebanese authorities of "shamelessly
obstructing" justice, while Human Rights Watch accused them of "criminal
negligence."On Monday, relatives of blast victims called on authorities to lift
immunity within three days, warning they were willing to "break bones" in
upcoming protests. According to foreign and Lebanese intelligence reports seen
by AFP, hundreds of tons of fertilizer were carelessly stored in the same
warehouse as tons of fireworks and rolls of detonating cord, among other
dangerous materials. The reports last year suggested welding work caused the
original fire. But more thorough investigations have yet to ascertain that fact
and answer how the shipment got there in the first place, or why the hazardous
materials were left to fester for years. Lebanon's parliamentarians -- some of
whom have been nicknamed the "nitrate deputies" on social media -- are ignoring
intense international pressure and threats of sanctions. The political class has
also yet to agree on a new cabinet to replace the one that resigned after the
explosion, a key condition to unlock any financial assistance to the
cash-strapped state. Lebanon's descent into chaos had already started before the
port blast, with a bankrupt state trapping people's savings in banks and the
national currency nosediving on the black market. The country is now facing
medicine, fuel and clean water shortages that are crippling a health sector
facing a new wave of Covid infections and leading all of those who can to
emigrate.
Minor Scuffles in Zouk, Beirut as Army Seizes Arms from
Cars
Naharnet/August 04/2021
Protesters scuffled with the army Wednesday in the Zouk Mosbeh area after troops
arrested a man whose car contained a box of 9mm bullets, TV networks said. The
army also seized six gas masks from several other cars. A statement issued by
the army said “army units in the various Lebanese regions arrested several young
men who were heading to take part in the first anniversary of the Beirut port
blast while having quantities of arms and ammunition in their possession.”The
army also posted pictures of the seized arms and equipment on its official
Twitter account. The pictures show machineguns, hand grenades, ammunition and
various military equipment. A Lebanese Forces supporter meanwhile assaulted one
of the participants in the commemorations in the Beirut port area. The assaulted
man said he had encountered a car whose passengers were hoisting LF flags. “He
asked them to hoist the Lebanese flag or the army flag instead of parties’ flags
on such a tragic anniversary and the exchange then escalated into slurs and
insults, after which one of the partisan men beat him up in a severe manner,”
LBCI TV reported.
French Ambassador: The Lebanese Need Justice to be
Served
Naharnet/August 04/2021
French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo voiced France’s support to the
Lebanese, on the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast. She said in a tweet
Wednesday that “her thoughts are with the victims who passed away unjustly.”“The
Lebanese need justice to be served, to be able to mourn,” Grillo added.The
ambassador expressed her solidarity “with those who survived, with the Beirutis
and with all my dear Lebanese friends,” stressing that France and the French
people are standing with Lebanon.
Kataeb Party pays tribute to its martyrs on August 4th: For
lifting immunities since no one is above accountability
NNA/August 04/2021
Head of the Kataeb Party, Sami Gemayel, announced Wednesday that the period
preceding the date of August 4th is not the same as the period following it,
stressing on “lifting the immunities off all officials who knew about the
ammonium nitrates, since no one is above accountability."
Gemayel criticized the audacity of officials in keeping to their chairs and
continuing in power as if nothing has happened. “Why did the nitrates come to
Beirut? Who sent them, and for whom? Why did they remain 8 years at the port?
Why were they not removed? Why did the quantity of 550 out of 2,700 tons
explode? Where did the rest go? How did they get out of the port? In whose
trucks and in whose knowledge? And where were they transferred?” he wondered.
Gemayel continued to underline that the huge question remains: "Did Hezbollah
turn bunker No. 12 into an explosives warehouse in collusion with the Lebanese
state? Was it supplying the Syrian regime with nitrates to turn them into barrel
bombs to throw at its people? What started the fire? What exploded in the first
blast? Why was PM Diab heading to the port a week before the explosion, but
later changed his mind? Who told him not to go? And why? What is the relation
between the port explosion and the assassination of photographer Joseph Bejjani,
retired customs colonel Joseph Skaff, customs anti-smuggling officer Colonel
Mounir Abou Rjaili…and the honorable fighter, brother and friend, Luqman Slim?”
Gemayel stressed on receiving answers to all these questions, demanding that
immunities be lifted off each and every official who knew about the nitrates,
and emphasizing that “no one is above accountability, whether heads of
apparatuses, deputies, ministers, current or former presidents.”
“The President of the Republic admitted that he knew 15 days earlier, why is he
above accountability? Hezbollah's devices are active in the port, with the
knowledge of the security services and all the Lebanese…Why is Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah above accountability?” Gemayel continued to question.
"Anyone who knew is forbidden to be above accountability, without any
exception," he strongly reiterated. Gemayel’s words came during the Kataeb
Party’s commemoration of the Beirut Port blast, in a gathering held outside the
Kataeb Central House in Saifi this afternoon, which was attended by a number of
resigned MPs, representatives of the change forces, members of the Kataeb
Political Bureau, and a crowd of partisans and friends.
Beirut marks one year since port blast with anger and
mourning
Reuters/Jerusalem Post/August 04/2021
A missive blast last year in Lebanon's Beirut port killed hundreds and injured
thousands in a country on the brink of economic collapse. Lebanon marked the
first anniversary of the catastrophic Beirut port explosion on Wednesday, with
residents expressing anger and sadness in a city where many are still in
mourning and demanding justice. One year since the blast, caused by a huge
quantity of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at the port for years, no top
official has been held to account, infuriating many Lebanese as their country
endures a crippling financial collapse. The Lebanese investigation into the
blast is stalling as requests to question senior politicians and former
officials have been denied. More than 200 people were killed and thousands more
wounded in the blast. One of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded,
it was felt in Cyprus, more than 240 km (150 miles) away. Victims' families have
been organizing demonstrations demanding justice for those who lost their lives.
"We didn't forget yet, it is an hour of anger, sadness," said Khose Khilichian,
a resident of the Bourj Hammoud district near the port, who said he would pray
for the victims. "My wife and I were on the balcony, and we just found ourselves
in the middle of the living room. My house was all destroyed."The damage is
still visible across much of Beirut. The port resembles a bomb site, its
towering grain silos unrepaired. A huge banner on a building overlooking the
port said: "Hostages of a Murderous State." "The neighborhood changed, the
spirits changed, everything changed in this neighborhood," 72-year-old Habib
Frem, who was wounded in the blast and whose house was damaged, said on
Wednesday, wearing black to mark the day.Marches are due to converge on the port
where prayers are expected to be held just after 6 p.m. (1500 GMT), coinciding
with the time of the blast.
"NATION IN DANGER"
Leading prayers at a hospital that was badly damaged in the blast, Greek
Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi said the investigation must continue until
punishment is meted out to those who deserve it. Nobody was above the law, he
said, and "whoever obstructs justice is a criminal, even if they are highly
placed," he said.At the time of the blast, Lebanese were already facing
deepening hardship due to the financial crisis caused by decades of state
corruption and waste. The meltdown worsened throughout the last year with the
governing elite failing to establish a new cabinet to start tackling the crisis
even as poverty has soared and medicines and fuel have run out. French President
Emmanuel Macron, who has led Western pressure on Lebanese leaders to enact
reforms, pledged a further 100 million euros ($120 million) in emergency aid for
Lebanon, and 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
Macron will seek to raise more than $350 million in aid at a donors' conference
on Wednesday. Pope Francis wished success for Macron's efforts and said donors
should help Lebanon "on a path of resurrection," adding that he had a great
desire to visit Lebanon where he said many had lost "even the illusion of
living." There have been no steps towards reforms that might ease the economic
crisis, with the sectarian elite locked in a power struggle over posts in a new
cabinet to replace the outgoing government of Hassan Diab, who quit after the
blast. "We tell everyone without exception, our nation is in danger," Najib
Mikati, a politician-businessman who was tasked last month with trying to form a
cabinet, said in a statement marking what he called a "painful" anniversary. In
an op-ed distributed by email, senior officials from the U.N., European Union
and World Bank said the investigation into the port blast continues to stall,
"without a truly independent judiciary able to block political
intervention.""The country critically needs a government capable of managing the
crisis, working together with a parliament to make progress on reforms," they
wrote.
A year after the Beirut blast, survivors are still
grieving, still angry, and still waiting for justice
Ben Wedeman/CNN/August 04/2021
Beirut, Lebanon (CNN)I wince every time I see footage of the Beirut port blast.
In the leadup to its anniversary my colleagues and I have had to pore over hours
of video of the explosion and its aftermath. It's not an easy task. I was at my
desk in CNN's Beirut bureau, contemplating what to do after work on a hot August
evening, when I felt the building shake.
An earthquake, I thought.
As I crouched down to take cover, I heard a huge explosion, followed by a tide
of shattering glass. I stumbled from room to room in a daze, stepping over
twisted aluminum window frames, cables, chairs and broken equipment.
Was it a car bomb? I asked myself. An airstrike?
I looked outside and saw a strange orange-red cloud floating overheard. Below in
the street, car alarms were squawking in a cacophonous chorus, the air full of
dust, people were running around, shouting in confusion.
I called CNN producer Ghazi Balkiz. He answered, only to say he was OK but that
was it. Next, I tried calling our cameraman, Richard Harlow. No answer. I called
again and again. Still no answer. Richard eventually made it back to the office,
his right hand a bloody mess, and a gaping wound in his leg which he only
discovered hours later, numbed by the shock and adrenalin of the moment. Ghazi
showed up later, after he'd taken his wife Sally to a chaotic hospital to be
treated for multiple wounds caused by flying glass. The scenes from that
hospital, he said, were worse than any he had seen covering the wars in Syria
and Iraq. Everyone who survived the events of August 4, 2020, in Beirut vividly
recalls the shock, bewilderment and confusion they felt in the moments after the
blast.
Since then, those emotions have been replaced by others -- anger, rage and
resentment -- that the dangerous ingredients that caused it had lain so close to
the heart of this bustling city for more than six years. One year ago, at 6.08
p.m. on an otherwise unremarkable Tuesday, they detonated in a mushroom cloud of
death and destruction -- one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history. Since
then, Lebanon has plummeted even deeper into an abyss of economic and financial
oblivion, political paralysis, and despair which it had begun sinking into long
before the explosion. For those who lost loved ones, the blast, and their
demands for justice and accountability, remain a constant. On a hot, humid
afternoon in late July, Elias Maalouf stands outside the Justice Ministry in
Beirut holding up a photograph of his son, George, in military uniform. George
was killed when hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate, stored in the port since
it was confiscated in 2013, exploded leaving a 400-foot wide crater and a trail
of destruction spreading more than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the epicenter of
the blast. "Every day his mother cries and cries," said Maalouf. "She asks, 'Why
doesn't George come over for coffee? Why doesn't he come over for the weekend?'"
Elias Maalouf stands outside the justice ministry in Beirut holding up a
photograph of his son George, who was killed in the blast.
George, 32, was engaged to be married. "I wanted him to fill our house with
grandchildren," his father said.
Maalouf says he searched for eleven days to find his son's body.
He and the families of many of the others who died have gathered regularly to
demand justice for the more than 200 people killed in the blast but, a year on,
it remains elusive.
Investigation goes nowhere
The day after the explosion, Lebanon's interior minister Mohamed Fahmi promised
an investigation that he said would "be transparent, take five days, and any
officials involved will be held accountable." The first judge appointed to lead
the inquiry, Fadi Sawan, was dismissed after the politicians he wanted to press
charges against took him to court. They argued he was incapable of impartiality
because his house was damaged in the blast. Another judge, Tariq Bitar, took his
place. But when he asked to question senior officials, including the powerful
head of public security General Abbas Ibrahim, the interior minister ruled that
Ibrahim could not be subject to interrogation. Dozens of members of parliament,
representing almost every political party across the spectrum, signed a petition
to take the case out of Judge Bitar's hands and move it to a previously unknown
"Judicial Council." This sparked a social media campaign against the so-called
"deputies of shame." A year on, the "rapid" and "transparent" investigation has
gone nowhere. A report published by Human Rights Watch this week summed up some
of the reasons why. "In the year since the blast ... a range of procedural and
systemic flaws in the domestic investigation have rendered it incapable of
credibly delivering justice. These flaws include a lack of judicial
independence, immunity for high-level political officials, lack of respect for
fair trial standards, and due process violations," the report found.
What I saw on 4 August killed my heart," recalled Samia Doughan, holding a
photograph of her husband Mohammad, who was killed in the blast. "I saw people
in pieces," she said. "I saw people mutilated while I was searching for my
husband."
Turning her anger on those who run the country, she said: "For 30 years they
destroyed us, they made us beggars, they impoverished us, humiliated us, they
murdered us."
"They" are Lebanon's political elite -- a group of mostly men representing
Lebanon's 18 officially recognized religious sects. A power-sharing arrangement
dating back to French colonial rule ensures that Lebanon's spoils are divided
among them -- behind a façade of democratic elections.
They're a seductive lot, especially to Western media: Gracious, accessible,
sophisticated, worldly, well-travelled, and often fluent in English and French,
they dish out soundbites and insider gossip that guarantee an interesting
article or report.
They've done well for themselves. Most are fabulously wealthy, living in
splendid isolation in their luxury mansions, shielded from a populace reeling
from one crisis after another.
But sometimes the sheer absurdity of that separation becomes vividly apparent.
Najib Mikati, Lebanon's latest prime minister designate -- the third to try and
form a government in less than a year -- recently appeared on Lebanese
television to lament the lot of this cursed blessed land's self-appointed
leaders.
"We're ashamed to walk in the streets," he told local broadcaster MTV. "I want
to go to a restaurant!" he said, the frustration in his voice clear. "We want to
live!"
Since the October 2019 uprising that brought hundreds of thousands of people to
the streets to protest Lebanon's rotten political system, politicians and their
spouses trying to dine out have become a favorite target of activists on the
lookout to blame and shame those who have brought the country not just to the
brink of ruin, but to ruin itself.
More than 50% of the population here now lives below the poverty line.
In the last two years Lebanon's currency, the lira, has lost more than 90% of
its value against the dollar. Two years ago, the minimum wage was equivalent to
$450, now it is worth little more than $35.
Petrol is in short supply. Power cuts in Beirut often run for more than 20 hours
a day. Thousands of businesses have closed. Unemployment has skyrocketed. Baby
formula has disappeared from the market. People beg relatives visiting from
overseas to bring life-saving medicines no longer available in pharmacies here.
All of which means that Mikati's seemingly heartfelt plea -- "We want to live!"
-- falls on deaf ears. Miqati, who hails from Tripoli, Lebanon's poorest city,
is the country's richest man. Forbes Middle East estimates his net worth at $2.5
billion in 2021 -- up by $400 million over the past year. Mikati was charged
with corruption in 2019. He denied the allegations.
It seems self-awareness is the only thing the elite here lack.
Investigative journalist Riad Kobaissi has spent years digging up tales of
corruption and mismanagement in Beirut's port, which he says Lebanon's various
political factions have benefited from for years. Kobaissi scoffs at the idea
that any one faction is better or cleaner than another; he says the port
catastrophe only made that more obvious. "It's a system failure," he said. "And
those who compose this system, despite the contradictions between them, are
refusing to take responsibility for what happened."The port blast, he said, "is
a direct result of the cohabitation of the mafia and the militia. Bottom line!"
'Exponentially growing rage'
I first met Paul and Tracy Naggear 17 days after the port blast. They were still
in a state of shock. Their three-year-old daughter, Alexandra, whom they had
taken to the protests in 2019, was killed when the force of the explosion threw
her across a room in their home, crushing her skull.
"We were aggressed and killed in our houses," Paul said then, his face still
bruised. "The only shelter, or the only place of safety that you thought was
still there, we don't have anymore. It's just too much.""The rage we have today
is exponentially growing, and reality is hitting us," said Tracy.
I interviewed the couple again just days before the anniversary. Just before we
turned off the camera, Paul said, "Wait, I have just one thing to say.""The only
thing we ask for," he said, "is for the European Union, France, Germany, the UK,
the US, the UN to cut all diplomatic ties with this mafia ruling regime. They're
criminals. They're traitors to the nation." "It's ridiculous," added Tracy. "The
problem with this government is that they are not just criminals. They don't
know how to do things. They're big failures. They don't know how to manage
electricity. They don't know how to manage food. They don't know how to manage
health. It's not just the economy. We have nothing in Lebanon."Paul brushed off
the increasingly urgent calls from abroad for Lebanon's squabbling politicians
to form a government, implement reforms and root out rampant corruption."Please!
Stop asking them to form a government," he said. "Not these guys. They're thugs.
Garbage in, garbage out."
Almost everyone in Beirut today is angry.
One of the slogans of the October 2019 uprising against the political elite was
"Kulun yaani kulun" -- "All of them, meaning all of them" -- referring to the
widespread demand that the entire political elite be swept away to allow Lebanon
to realize its potential.
Yet all of them have managed to weather the triple storm of the past year --
explosion, economic collapse, and coronavirus pandemic -- intact and healthy,
physically and mentally. Meanwhile the rest of the country struggles on, day by
day.
Lebanon's political class has failed, as Tracy Naggear, still mourning her
daughter, said. A year on from the deadly blast, many here are asking when they
will finally be held accountable.
Israel conducts air strikes on targets in south Lebanon:
Statement
Joseph Haboush & Rawad Taha, Al Arabiya English/04 August ,2021
Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on unidentified targets in south
Lebanon, the Israeli army said overnight Wednesday.An Israeli army spokesperson
said warplanes targeted areas where rockets were launched at Israel earlier in
the day.
A separate air strike was carried out on a target where rockets were previously
launched at Israel. During the 11-day Israeli bombardment of Gaza, rockets were
reportedly fired by Palestinian factions based in south Lebanon. Lebanon's The
Daily Star cited a local security source as saying that two targets were struck
in south Lebanon.An Al Arabiya English correspondent heard a loud explosion near
the Dimashkiye area. The Israeli army spokesperson threatened more strikes and
warned against escalation. "The Lebanese state shoulders responsibility for what
takes place inside its territory," the official said.
US condemns rocket attacks from Lebanon on Israel
Reuters/04 August ,2021
The United States condemned rocket attacks targeting Israel by armed groups
based in Lebanon, the State Department said Wednesday, adding that it will
remain engaged with Lebanese and Israeli partners to de-escalate the situation.
“We absolutely condemn the rocket attacks from armed groups, based in Lebanon,
that were fired into Israel,” State Department Spokesman Ned Price told
reporters.
Three rockets fired towards northern Israel, IDF
retaliates
Atutz Shiva/August 04/2021
No injuries reported after two rockets land in Israeli territory.
A "Color Red" air raid siren sounded early Wednesday afternoon in the town of
Kiryat Shmona, near Israel's northern border, sending Israelis to bomb shelters.
According to an initial report by the IDF, the sirens sounded in Kiryat Shmona,
Kfar Giladi, and Tel Hai, after three rockets were fired from Lebanon into
Israeli territory. One of the rockets fell short and landed in Lebanese
territory, while the other two landed within Israel's borders. Reports said that
at least one missile had fallen in an open area near Kiryat Shmona. Though there
have been no reports of physical injuries, Magen David Adom is currently
treating four victims for shock. Responding to the attack on Israeli civilians,
the IDF Artillery forces fired into Lebanese territory, towards the site from
which the missiles were fired. Later on Tuesday afternoon, a Defense Ministry
statement noted that the IDF is continuing to conduct additional artillery
strikes along the Lebanese border. The IDF's current estimate is that a
pro-Palestinian Authority organization is responsible for the attacks. The Iron
Dome missile defense system was not activated, and none of the missiles were
shot down. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White) and IDF
Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi are holding a briefing on the matter. Also attending
the meeting were Director of the MoD Policy Bureau , Head of the Operations
Directorate and Head of the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate. During the meeting,
Gantz instructed the officials to deliver a firm message to UNIFIL following the
attack. Doron Shenper, a spokesperson for the Kiryat Shmona municipality,
requested that residents remain in their "safe spaces" until further notice is
given."We are strong and we will get past this," he said. "No one was injured,
and that's what's important."
Army: Enemy artillery targeted several areas in southern
Lebanon
NNA/August 04/2021
Lebanese Army Command - Orientation Directorate issued the following statement
this evening: "The artillery of the Israeli enemy directed today ninety-two
shells at the areas of Wadi Hamoul, Al-Sadana, Sahel Al-Mari, Rashaya Al-Fokhar
outskirts, Sahel Al-Khiam, in addition to Blat Plain, after rockets were fired
from one of the southern areas towards the occupied Palestinian
territories.”“The army conducted patrols in the region, setting-up a number of
checkpoints, and initiated investigations to uncover the identities of the
rocket launchers,” the statement added, assuring that “the situation is being
monitored in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in South
Lebanon.”
Four enemy shells fall on Kfarshouba Hilltops
NNA/August 04/2021
Four shells fell on the hills of Kfarshouba inside the Lebanese territories this
afternoon, launched from the Israeli enemy forces’ Ruwaisat Al-Alam post, NNA
correspondent reported. Meanwhile, the Israeli enemy shelling continued in the
Sadana area outside the town of Shebaa, which resulted in a fire that broke out
between the Hebarieh and Shebaa regions, NNA correspondent added, noting that
the Civil Defense units were unable to put out the fire due to the heavy enemy
shelling of the area far-reaching the heights of Shouwaya.
Army: Arrest of citizens in possession of weapons,
ammunition in Zouk & Sidon
NNA/August 04/2021
Lebanese Army Command - Orientation Directorate issued a statement this
afternoon, in which it indicated that “Army units deployed since the early
morning have taken precautionary measures to keep pace with the commemoration of
the Beirut Port explosion, by setting up fixed checkpoints and patrols in order
to prevent riots or clashes. In this context, they arrested a citizen in the
Zouk area in possession of a Pump-action weapon, pistol ammunition, sticks, gas
masks and metal chains, while six other citizens were arrested at the Awali
checkpoint in Sidon, who were in possession of weapons, ammunition and military
equipment.”“The seized materials were handed over to the concerned sides, as
investigations with the detainees were initiated under the judiciary’s
supervision,” the statement added.
“Amal Movement” denies circulated news about confiscated
weapons that were on their way to the Beirut Port commemoration ceremony
NNA/August 04/2021
The leadership of the "Amal" Movement denied, in an issued statement this
afternoon, the circulated news about an image showing confiscated weapons that
were on their way to the Beirut Port memorial event, stressing its keenness on
"respecting the measures of the army and security apparatuses.”The statement
demanded herein that "all the appropriate measures be taken to maintain
stability, and to control any violation of security measures."
Geagea: Beirut Port blast will not go unnoticed,
immunity to be lifted off all
NNA/August 04/2021
"For us, the Strong Republic Bloc and the Lebanese Forces Party, there is no
immunity for anyone in the case of the port explosion…and we are immediately
with lifting immunity off any official or person whom the judicial investigator
asks to lift the immunity off,” Lebanese Forces Party Chief, Samir Geagea,
affirmed on Wednesday, calling on all those who claim to want justice to support
the judicial investigator in his demands and not to obstruct his work. He
stressed that "the bombing of the Port of Beirut will not go unnoticed, as other
cases have passed...We are more determined than ever to pursue this case in
order to bring it to its true conclusions, as it should be through knowing how
the port blast took place and who is responsible for it, and this is all we
want.”Geagea's words came in a statement after a meeting by the "Strong
Republic" Parliamentary Bloc, which he chaired at the Party’s headquarters in
Maarab.
The Criminal State and the Mandated Internationalization
Charles Elias Chartouni/August 04/2021
“The belly is still fertile from which the foul beast sprang”(Bertold Brecht)
The Human Rights Watch report brings the evidence of the governing oligarchy’s
direct implication in the preparation of the impending disaster of August 4th
2020. The complicities, omissions and sense of impunity were behind this
monumental explosion which destroyed the Eastern part of the capital, and tore
down at the very essence of Lebanon’s nationhood, liberal political values,
conviviality, and raison d’être. The complicities of the reigning oligarchs all
along the political, administrative, legal and security spectrums, invalidate
their legal statuses and right to oversee the criminal investigation and legal
process. Criminals and their accomplices should be dismissed and the whole
dossier, in its forensic and legal aspects, should be deferred to the
international criminal court after the deliberate bungling made us lose one
year, and left the community of victims and the destroyed capital under the
discretionary power of a political class which demonstrated its moral
callousness, ostentatious cynicism, and utter disregard for its moral, legal and
political obligations.
This moral chasm is irreversible and there are no chances to repair it since the
ethical betrayal has vitiated the essence of moral and civic boundedness which
characterize democratic citizenship. The HRW report is part of an all
encompassing investigative process which has amply documented the professional
and moral pitfalls of a willingly botched investigative, legal and incriminating
process, that failed a year after the disaster, to build a legal case and
proceed into incrimination. To the contrary, the reigning oligarchs have doubled
down on denial, investigative and legal sabotaging, and sheltering behind
spurious legal immunities designed to protect politicians and bureaucrats whose
responsibility was fully documented throughout the legal process.
The commemoration of this appalling tragedy is a watershed, there is no more
room for perpetuating this culture of mendacity, duplicity and insidious
violence, it’s time for justice, moral reckoning and reconciliation around the
values of constitutional State, democracy, liberalism, justice, holistic
ecology, empathy, solidarity, and basic Human Rights…. The oligarchic wheeling
and dealing is not part of our grammar and should not be part of our political
future, and the civic movements are our path to the alternative future. The
steady civic movements have built a momentum of their own and testify to the
determination of the young generation to overcome this state of political
prostration, and face up to the terrorist plague embodied by the beast that
destroyed our capital and left it’s indelible scars on our bodies, souls and
streets.
Lebanon’s League of Victims
Mohanad Hagi Ali/Carnegie MEC/August 04/2021
The country’s political leaders are hindering an investigation into the
explosion at Beirut port, but that’s par for the course.
On July 13, three weeks before the first anniversary of the August 4 explosion
last year in Beirut port, families of the more than 200 victims tried to storm
the home of Lebanon’s caretaker interior minister, Mohammed Fahmi. They were
angry that Fahmi had refused to lift the immunity of a senior general whom the
judge investigating the explosion wanted to question. The families, holding
empty coffins to commemorate their loved ones, were beaten back by police for
demanding justice and accountability.
Fahmi’s refusal to allow General Abbas Ibrahim, the head of the General Security
Directorate, to meet with the investigating judge, Tareq Bitar, was followed by
the Lebanese parliament’s efforts to stall similar requests. Bitar wants to
question a number of security chiefs as well as parliamentarians who held
ministerial positions in governments that had allowed the 2,750 tons of ammonium
nitrate, which caused the blast, to remain stocked in the port for years.
Lebanon’s political leadership is intent on blocking the investigation. Last
February, a court removed the previous investigating judge, Fadi Sawan, after he
accused two former ministers of negligence. This blatant denial of justice and
the sheer magnitude of the August 4 bombing have turned the families of the
victims into a determined pressure group. They have led protests and remained
united in an unequal fight against a political class that remains above the law
and is mostly composed of former warlords and corrupt businessmen.
Given Lebanon’s power-sharing system and the impact of this on political and
administrative decisions, responsibility for the shipment of ammonium nitrate
likely encompassed a wide cross-section of members of the political class. The
chemical compound was stored in the port as of September 2013, and the fact that
nothing was done to remove it epitomized the crimes of the political leadership
in the three decades since the end of Lebanon’s civil war. The country’s
politicians have ruled through a combination of greed, indifference to the
public good, and a total absence of accountability. This governing mentality has
placed the country on a path to self-destruction.
However, the victims of the port explosion were only the latest in a long line
of victims, dating back to Lebanon’s fifteen-year-old civil war that began in
April 1975. No one was ever held accountable for the crimes committed during the
conflict, which led to the death of some 150,000 people, according to certain
estimates. Indeed, a general amnesty law passed in 1991 prevented the
prosecution of a large majority of those who had committed wartime crimes.
Only the families of those who disappeared during the war—a figure estimated
anywhere between 5,000 and 17,000 people—protested against the implications of
the amnesty law. Despite scant media coverage and little support from civil
society, the families pursued their efforts, often at a high cost. Najat
Hashisho, the wife of a communist high school teacher, took her husband’s case
to court, identifying one of her neighbors as being among the militiamen who had
abducted him. Her court case, filed on January 23, 1991, failed to advance for
over 22 years as court sessions were repeatedly delayed, unjustifiably, until
she lost. In a statement after the disappointing end of her court battle, Najat
asked, “Is it fair that those who caused harm live in safety and stability,
while the families of the kidnapped suffer from psychological torture and
persistent anxiety?”
Her question has never been as timely as today. Lebanon’s tragedy continues, as
its political class remains entirely unscathed by the suffering it has caused.
In October 2019, following mass nation-wide demonstrations against the country’s
political leadership, the Lebanese woke up to discover that their banks had
frozen their accounts, the consequence of a growing financial crisis that had
been brewing for some time. Yet these same banks, many of which have close ties
to the country’s leaders, allowed politicians to transfer billions of dollars
into their accounts overseas.
The fact that a majority of the Lebanese population has since fallen under the
poverty line has not changed the behavior of the political class in any way. For
the country’s politicians, it is business as usual. No one is held accountable,
so no one cares, while the lavish weddings and foreign travels of the political
elite continue. The politicians’ focus is now on the three elections scheduled
for next year—municipal elections, parliamentary elections, and the presidential
election. Their campaigning includes garnering support by heightening sectarian
polarization and using fresh foreign currency brought back from abroad to buy
political loyalty.
On August 4, the families of the victims of the port explosion and their
supporters will be calling for accountability. The league of Lebanese victims is
expanding—depositors who lost their life savings, employees whose salaries have
evaporated because of the Lebanese pound’s collapse, and the families of the
dead and disappeared from recent decades. One thing is clearer than ever, namely
that Lebanon’s political class only brings misery to the population. The list of
its victims is becoming too long for things to remain as they are.
*Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the
views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
Presidents, Kings and Heads of international organizations speak at the
Conference in Support of Lebanon and the Lebanese in Paris
President Macron: France will allocate 100 million Euros as
direct support to the Lebanese in education, food and health aid, in addition to
providing 500,000 COVID-19 vaccines
President Macron affirms his appreciation to President Aoun as a
freedom fighter
UN Deputy Secretary General: This conference constitutes a unique opportunity to
provide more urgent assistance to the Lebanese to avoid a humanitarian
catastrophe
President Biden announces that the US will provide humanitarian aid worth 100
million US Dollars, asserts that foreign aid wouldn’t be enough if Lebanese
leaders didn’t commit to reforms and fighting corruption
King Abdullah: We cannot wait and see the Lebanese approaching the abyss,
Coordinated international assistance is required
President Al-Sisi: This meeting is a message to Lebanese officials that once a
government is formed, we can move from humanitarian aid to real economic aid
Kuwaiti Prime Minister: The international community cannot continueto help
without Lebanon taking a united and solidarity step
Premier Al-Kazemi: We renew our commitment to provide all requiredrapid
assistance in terms of food and oil...We will continue to exert our efforts by
providing medical and food aid, in addition to fuel to operate electric power
stations
EU President: International assistance depends on a tangible development in the
reforms required to emerge this crisis
IMF Director: Lebanon will receive 860 million $ in assistance to meet the
urgent needs of the Lebanese
Trudeau: Canada will give 20 million USD as aid for Lebanon
British Foreign Secretary: Lebanese officials must reveal the reality of the
explosion, secure the holding of parliamentary elections, and not waste time
waiting for this maturity in order to form a capable and effective government to
implement reforms
UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation: Lebanon must distance
itself from regional conflicts, divisions and polarization policies
Spanish Foreign Minister calls on all Lebanese parties to support the Prime
Minister-designate in accelerating the formation of the government through the
spirit of settlement
Saudi Foreign Minister: “Lebanon's future depends on restoring its sovereignty”
Italian Foreign Minister: We are concerned with the deteriorating economic and
financial conditions of the Lebanese military and security forces, and we will
continue to support them
German Foreign Minister confirms that his country will add 40 million Euros to
the value of the aid it provided last August
Le Drian announces aid worth 370 million Euros, and more than 357 million US
Dollars allocated for next year
Le Drian sends a message to officials warning them “Lebanon is in danger”
Brazil supports Lebanon with 4 thousand tons of rice, continue cooperation in
several fields facing the repercussions of the explosion
Switzerland supports Lebanon with 20 million Swiss Francs, calls for the fast
formation of a government
EU Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development express
full readiness to help Lebanon
-----------------------------
NNA – The Conference for Supporting Lebanon and the Lebanese started in Paris at
1:00pm today with French President, Emmanuel Macron’s speech. President Macron
stressed that “Holding this conference aims to take practical steps to help the
Lebanese” Macron said, noting that “In the coming months, France will allocate
an amount of 100 million Euros as direct support to the Lebanese people,
dispersed in the sectors of education, food and health aid, in addition to
providing 500,000 COVID-19 vaccines, through the month of August”.
President Macron also pointed out that France will contribute to the
reconstruction of the Beirut Port, especially through emergency assistance which
will be provided to maintain its activities.
In addition, the French President stressed that this aid will be directly and
transparently directed to NGOs, and through UN channels, considering that “The
Lebanese crisis is the result of individual and collective failure and
unjustified actions, and as a result of mistakes which occurred against public
interest”. Macron stressed that all the political class contributed to the
exacerbation of the crisis when they placed personal interests above the
interests of the Lebanese.
Moreover, President Macron addressed President Aoun and stressed the
appreciation he has for him as a freedom fighter, calling on him to form a new
government and find the necessary settlement, while implementing the paper which
was agreed upon a year ago. Macron stated that the urgent priority now is to
form a government which can take exceptional measures, in the service of the
Lebanese.
“We have been able to take strict measures against the personalities involved in
corruption and political obstruction in Lebanon, and we have established with
our European partners a special system of sanctions for the sake of Lebanon.
Officials should not doubt our determination to implement these sanctions”
Macron said.
UN Deputy Secretary-General:
Then, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mrs. Amina Mohammed,
confirmed, on behalf of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the international
community’s support for the Lebanese people, extending condolences to the
Lebanese for the victims of the explosion, calling for a transparent
investigation.
Mrs. Mohammed pointed out that Lebanon is experiencing one of the most terrible
crises at the economic, educational, infrastructure and other levels, and the
need of the Lebanese is exacerbating while the Lebanese are still suffering from
a government deadlock for nearly a year.
“We are waiting for Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati to form a government
quickly, because the Lebanese deserve the establishment of strong institutions
which seek to save the country, and to an administration that achieves stability
and growth, and invests in the capabilities of the Lebanese youth” Mrs. Mohammed
said.
“The conference today aims to provide urgent aid to the Lebanese people, in
light of the fact that more than half of the Lebanese are below the poverty
line, and to secure safe drinking water and other requirements of daily life, in
addition to the suffering of refugees and displaced persons, in addition to the
difficult health situation as well. The United Nations, like other countries,
supports the Lebanese people in the difficulties they are facing, and works in
coordination with non-governmental organizations to meet some needs, praising
the remarkable activity of these associations and the Lebanese youth” the Deputy
Secretary General continued.
After reviewing the aid that the United Nations has secured since the explosion
in the port until today at various levels, to help Lebanon rise and rebuild the
basic infrastructure that has been destroyed, Mrs. Amina Mohammed stressed that
this conference constitutes a unique opportunity to provide more urgent
assistance to the Lebanese to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.
There is a need to develop an emergency plan to respond to the necessary needs
of the neediest, but this assistance will not suffice unless projects and plans
for sustainable development, continuity in the future, and the establishment of
a fast social protection service system for economic reform, transparency,
judicial independence and the fight against corruption” Mrs. Mohammed added.
“I renewed the commitment of the UN to provide all support to Lebanon and its
people” Mrs. Mohammed concluded.
US President:
For his part, US President Joe Biden affirmed everyone’s solidarity in order to
save Lebanon after the terrible explosion which afflicted it a year ago.
President Biden pointed to the additional suffering of the Lebanese people
during the past year as a result of the political and economic crises which
could have been avoided.
“The United States is proud of the assistance it provided to Lebanon for a long
time, and I have visited this country several times and it is wonderful. I
announced humanitarian aid from the United States in the amount of 100 million
dollars, in addition to approximately 560 million dollars provided by Washington
in humanitarian aid during the past years. I call on my counterparts in all
countries to strengthen their support for the Lebanese people, but all this
foreign aid will not be enough, if the Lebanese leaders do not commit to doing
the difficult but necessary work to carry out economic reforms and combat
corruption” President Biden said.
“A government must be formed quickly, to work on the priority of putting Lebanon
on the path to recovery, and if the Lebanese leaders choose this option, they
will find the United States at their side in every step to build a promising and
stronger future for the Lebanese. There is no time to waste” the US President
continued.
“We are here to help you if you stick to your commitments” President Biden
concluded.
Jordanian King:
Jordanian King Abdullah II Bin Al-Hussein drew attention to the repercussions of
the explosion and its dire consequences on Lebanon and the world. King Abdullah
considered that the Lebanese crisis is worsening day after day on multi-levels,
especially in basic life matters. “Without coordinated international assistance,
this crisis would transcend the Lebanese borders to reach the entire region. Aid
must reflect positively on the Lebanese, and must be distributed fairly, and the
coordination which will allow us to meet the needs faster and more effectively”.
We cannot wait and see the Lebanese approaching the abyss. We must provide
humanitarian, health and food aid, and we must not forget that the Lebanese also
host refugees.
King Abdullah stressed the importance of Lebanese institutions and called for
stability and the support of the security forces, which would allow securing the
needs of the Lebanese in this difficult situation.
“I hope that countries will be able to unite their efforts to send a message to
the Lebanese that they are in their heart and conscience and are not forgotten
in this difficult circumstance” King Abdullah concluded.
President Al-Sisi:
Then, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stressed the importance of this
meeting to help the Lebanese face the difficulties which have multiplied in all
sectors of life, which are also reflected in the situation of the region as a
whole.
“Egypt hopes to find solutions during this meeting to help the brotherly
Lebanese people” Al-Sisi said, recalling the assistance provided by Cairo since
the explosion last year, and quickly on multiple levels.
The Egyptian president indicated that the economic crisis in Lebanon is
exacerbated by the political void which the country is experiencing, and Egypt
demands once again that this vacuum be filled and corrected to prevent Lebanon
from entering into a vortex in which everyone will fall. “The Lebanese deserve
the establishment of a responsible government that prioritizes the interests of
the country. A government free of sectarianism and politics, capable of facing
current challenges, protecting the sovereignty of the people, and gaining
international confidence and recognition” Al-Sisi said.
“Egypt has exerted several efforts, since August 4, 2020, to contribute to
solving the political crises, due to its relations with various Lebanese
officials. Contacts are still ongoing and coordination is in place with other
friendly countries in order to reach a solution that suits the Lebanese. Egypt
once again calls on all countries in the region to move away from the policy of
taking sides, and to make efforts to overcome the crisis that does not benefit
anyone. Egypt is ready to provide its support to all parties” President Al-Sisi
continued.
“This meeting is a message to all Lebanese leaders and officials, that as soon
as a government which inspires confidence is formed, we can move from
humanitarian aid to real economic aid, and then the picture of the future of the
Lebanese people may become clear” Al-Sisi added.
The Egyptian President concluded that “For Egypt, Lebanon has always been a
source of openness, brilliance and Arab culture. Lebanon enjoys the capabilities
which qualify it to get out of this crisis and move on forward”.
World Health Organization:
WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adanon Gebrezos, referred in his speech to the
efforts exerted by the World Health Organization with a group of international
and local organizations to prevent the collapse of the health system in Lebanon,
especially that half of the Lebanese people live below the poverty line in light
of poor health care. Gebrezos stated health problems located in Lebanon.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development:
Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development,
Mathias Corman, called for the need to provide urgent aid to Lebanon, and to
establish a framework that allows transparency and accountability for the
delivery of this aid.
Corman also pointed out that the organization can help Lebanon to carry out the
required reforms and anti-corruption measures.
Danish Foreign Policy Minister:
The Danish Minister of Foreign Policy, Jesper Muller Sorensen, called on the
Lebanese officials to assume their responsibilities in facing the crisis which
the country is witnessing, and to form a government capable of carrying out
necessary reforms and achieving stability.
Kuwaiti Prime Minister:
Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah said “Our participation
in the conference is to emphasize that Lebanon and the Lebanese are a priority
for all of us. Kuwait seeks to promote dialogue between the various Lebanese
parties to reach solutions”.
Sheikh Al-Sabah called for the need to reach a political, economic and judicial
balance in Lebanon, and to find solutions to the current economic crisis,
stressing everyone’s readiness to help Lebanon recover from the effects of this
explosion. “Kuwait provided additional assistance worth $30 million to repair
and construct the charades, and medical and food aid was also provided via air
bridge, in addition to many aids in many fields and fields, and on the issue of
Syrian refugees.
“Lebanon has reached a crossroad. We must do everything to help it overcome this
ordeal, but it is important that the Lebanese find solutions themselves, because
the international community cannot continue to help without Lebanon taking a
united and solidarity step” Al-Sabah concluded.
Sweden’s Minister for International Development:
The Swedish Minister of State for International Development, Janine Alm Ericson,
indicated that Sweden is contributing 12 million Euros in aid for Lebanon this
year.
“We hope for the rapid formation of a democratic credible government, which is
capable of achieving required reforms” Minister Ericson stated.
Minister of State at the Slovakian Foreign Affairs Ministry:
Slovakian Minister of State, Ingrid Prokova, saw that Lebanon’s long term
recovery requires the achievement of essential reforms. Prokova called for the
formation of a government which works to achieve the interests of Lebanon and
the reform of the Lebanese economy.
Undersecretary of the Omani Foreign Affairs Ministry, for Diplomatic Affairs:
Sheikh Khalifa Bin Ali Al Harthy, asserted Oman’s permanent support for Lebanon
in confronting difficulties, and hoped that Lebanon will be able to overcome the
effects of this current crisis.
Iraqi Prime Minister:
Iraqi Premier, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, considered that the tragedy of the Beirut Port
explosion united the Lebanese. “We are meeting today in order to discuss how to
confront the challenges which face the Lebanese. This prompts us to reaffirm our
stand with the Lebanese people to help them overcome this explosion, each from
his position. Iraq support the efforts made to halt the political and economic
crisis which Lebanon is currently witnessing” Al-Kazemi said.
“Lebanese political leaders must assume their responsibilities in consolidating
the stability of Lebanon, preserving Lebanese unity and international friendship
ties. This issue in itself constitutes a response to the aspirations of the
Lebanese people, through carrying out necessary reforms in order to extricate
the country from the difficult conditions in which Lebanon currently lives in”
Al-Kazemi continued.
Premier Al-Kazemi also pointed out that the solution remains possible thanks to
the wisdom of the Lebanese.
“We are fully confident that the Lebanese people will emerge victorious from
these challenges with a more solid determination. Iraq calls for the help of the
Lebanese people, especially in overcoming the economic situation. It is
imperative that a road map be drawn up for this, and what is required is that
Lebanon help itself by itself. I would like to stress that Iraq is doing
everything it can to strengthen Lebanon’s security and stability” Al-Kazemi
continued.
Al-Kazemi finally stressed that Iraq “Renews its commitment to provide all
required rapid assistance in terms of food and oil. We will continue to exert
our efforts by providing medical and food aid and fuel to operate electric power
plants, and we are doing this because it is our duty towards our brothers who
are in suffering”.
EU President:
European Union President Charles Michel said: “It is unfortunate that the
Lebanese authorities, so far, have not managed to reveal any light regarding the
cause of the tragic tragedy of the port explosion. The families of the victims
and the Lebanese people are still waiting for answers. We urge the concerned
Lebanese authorities to proceed with the investigations to reach the desired
conclusions, to find out who is behind this explosion”.
Michel revealed that the EU has so far allocated 170 million euros for direct
assistance to the Lebanese, in cooperation with the United Nations and the World
Bank. Michel also stated that what is required of the international community is
to support sustainable and equitable growth for Lebanon, pointing out that “It
is time for Lebanon to form a government in the required speed, and to hold
elections on time”.
In addition, Michel stressed that international assistance depends on a tangible
development in the reforms required to get out of the crisis.
“For a long time, Lebanon has been a model for living together in peace and a
source of inspiration for the region and the world, and the Lebanese people can
rely on the European commitment, and the responsibility is required by the
Lebanese officials themselves. The Lebanese people have the right to have
leaders who take responsibility and play their role to the fullest, for Lebanon
to rise again” Michel concluded.
IMF:
The Director-General of the International Monetary Fund, Christalina Georgiev,
considered that “Since our first meeting, parts of the capital Beirut have been
reconstructed, and there was hope that this tragedy would entail political,
economic and social reforms. Unfortunately, this did not happen”.
While reviewing the difficult economic conditions of Lebanon, Georgiev indicated
that Lebanon will receive aid worth 860 million dollars to meet the urgent needs
of the Lebanese people.
Georgiev also stressed the need to form a government which undertakes the tasks
of carrying out the reforms required to revive the economy, considering that
“The energy sector is the most accurate in this context, and there must be more
transparency along with in-depth financial reforms to restore confidence in the
country, restructure the banking sector and protect small depositors”.
Georgiev concluded saying “O wonderful Lebanese people, we stand by you, and we
look forward to forming a government, to join everyone in working to put an end
to the tragedy that Lebanon has been experiencing since the explosion that
occurred a year ago”.
World Bank President:
President of the World Bank, David Malpass said “We are together to help Lebanon
emerge this humanitarian crisis which it experiences. Lebanon is in need of a
government which emphasizes transparency, human rights and an accountability
system which tackles all institutions”.
Malpass referred to the assistance provided by the World Bank, and said that “It
is urgent that Lebanon undertakes a radical and rapid reform in the electricity
sector”.
Canadian Prime Minister:
Canadian Premier, Justin Trudeau expressed his country’s commitment to all means
to assist the Lebanese in facing this tragedy.
Trudeau said that “Despite the aid provided by Canada since 2016, and the
subsequent aid following the explosion, there are still many Lebanese who are
suffering from very difficult conditions. The economic crisis is still
continuing and has become worse with the health crisis due to Corona virus”.
The Canadian Premier also announced that Canada will grant Lebanon, in addition
to the previous aid, an aid worth 20 million US Dollars through the financial
fund established by the World Bank in cooperation with the UN and the EU.
Regarding the August 4 explosion, Trudeau saw the need for a thorough and
impartial investigation to hold those responsible for this disaster accountable
and to renew the commitment towards the Lebanese people to carry out the
necessary and essential reforms in all fields to secure a prosperous and stable
future.
Premier Trudeau also considered that these reforms can only be carried out with
the participation of the Lebanese people, congratulating the civil society and
everyone working to reach a democratic society. Trudeau also pointed out that as
an international community they will always be on the side of the people in
these difficult times.
Josie Borrell:
Higher Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Jose Borrell,
indicated that the EU is still waiting for the results of investigations into
the explosion of Beirut Port and to know the causes of this disaster.
Australian Development Minister:
Australian International and Pacific Development Minister, Zdenko Siselja,
announced his country’s continuation of providing support to Lebanon as it has
been for a long time, affirming their stand by the Lebanese people.
Siselja called for a new government to implement necessary reforms, stressing
the strong ties which bind the two countries. Siselja also pointed out that
there are more than 230,00 Australians of Lebanese origin, in addition to the
residence of about 20,000 in Lebanon.
The Australian Minister also reviewed the assistance provided to Lebanon since
the explosion and afterwards, declaring his expectation to continue providing
assistance through non-governmental organizations and other organizations to
provide aid to the Lebanese.
British Foreign Minister:
British Foreign Minister, Dominic Raab, announced that Britain demands a
transparent investigation, since a year has passed and justice hasn’t been
achieved. “The Lebanese people deserve better than that. The resigned government
must abide by its promises to bring investigations to an end and let the guilty
bear responsibilities” Raab said.
Raab also stressed the continuation of assisting the Lebanese army and security
forces to provide security and stability in Lebanon and to fight terrorism. “The
Premier Designate must satisfy the families of victims by revealing the truth of
the explosion, and ensuring holding parliamentary elections” Raab continued.
Minister Raab also stressed the readiness of the international community to
provide support and assistance in the event that Lebanese officials adhere to
this path, pointing out that “In the event that this path is not adhered to, the
friends of Lebanon should search for a way to stop corruption and meet the
interests of the people, and this is our commitment”.
Spanish Foreign Minister:
Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Alvarez, indicated that today’s conference
is a message of hope for the Lebanese, calling on all Lebanese parties to
support Premier designate, Najib Mikati, in expediting the formation of the
government, through the spirit of settlement, “Because once the government is
formed, it will increase commitments and strengthen talks with the IMF to
implement a program of reforms which will stabilize the economy”.
Alvarez also announced the continuation of the Spanish support to Lebanon in all
fields, more than one million euros in medical aid in 2022, and the readiness
for further cooperation with the “New Lebanon” that will emerge from this
tragedy.
Finnish Foreign Minister:
Finnish Foreign Minister, Boca Haavisto, expressed his country’s desire for
Lebanon to start implementing the necessary reforms in order to move on the path
to overcoming the crises it is experiencing, and for its people to enjoy comfort
and stability, calling on the political forces to work towards this end.
Haavisto also reiterated Finland’s willingness and desire to continue supporting
Lebanon and its people.
Croatian Foreign Minister:
Croatian Foreign Minister, Gordan Radman, indicated that it is necessary to work
in Lebanon to impose serious reforms, stressing that his country will continue
to provide assistance to the Lebanese people, as happened after the explosion on
August 4, 2020.
Radman announced Croatia’s cooperation with the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP) in rehabilitating the Karantina area, which had suffered damage
due to the explosion.
Belgium’s Cooperation and Development Minister:
Minister of Cooperation and Development in charge of major cities in Belgium,
Myriam Ketter, announced her country’s concern about the exacerbation of crises
and tribulations in Lebanon, which now requires the formation of a new
government capable of breaking the stalemate that Lebanon is experiencing in
order to move towards a new stage and a prosperous future, and to carry out the
necessary and required reforms.
UAE’s Minister of State:
Minister of State for International Cooperation in the UAE, Reem Al-Hashemi,
stressed the importance of the international community’s stand by Lebanon, and
the necessity that the Lebanese do their part to get out of this difficult
crisis, and for Lebanon to regain the confidence of the international community,
and to distance itself from regional conflicts, divisions and the policy of
polarization.
Al-Hashemi also expressed her UAE’s commitment to providing aid to the Lebanese
people.
Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister:
The Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister, Mary Ericson Soreed, stressed that the
Beirut explosion, took place while Lebanon passes through a very deep crisis
“And since about a year until today, Lebanon has been without a government and
without knowing the causes of the explosion”.
The Norwegian Minister emphasized that Norway is a key partner in helping the
Lebanese and revealed that they have sent more than 50 million Euros in aid to
Lebanon last year.
Noting that the problem of the displaced Syrians is exacerbating Lebanon's
problems, she also clarified that Norway supports Lebanon’s efforts to
accommodate these displaced persons, and has also sent immediate in-kind aid,
humanitarian, food and medical, to Lebanon after the explosion.
“We are concerned with the deep crisis which Lebanon is going through, which we
do not see so far as positive. It is imperative that quick decisions be taken
aiming to solve this crisis. Norway is interested in providing aid to the most
needy and weak in the Lebanese society. We call for the immediate formation of a
reliable government which meets the urgent needs of the Lebanese through
accurate reforms. We will continue our support for Lebanon’s stability and
security” the Norwegian Minister concluded.
Netherlands Foreign Affairs Minister:
The Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister, Sigrid Kaag, indicated that the real change
in the current Lebanese situation is in the hands of the Lebanese political
leaders.
Kaag also asserted Dutch support for the sanctions path against those who
obstruct democratic work and are characterized by corruption, considering that
the majority of the Lebanese, live below poverty line.
Kaag also expressed her country’s readiness to continue supporting Lebanon in
addition to providing assistance in rebuilding the Beirut Port, given the
maritime experience enjoyed by the Netherlands.
“However, these initiatives depend on the extent of Lebanese leaders’
willingness to work to get their country out of this crisis, and to assume their
responsibilities in forming a transparent government, which debuts necessary
reforms” Kaag concluded.
German Foreign Minister:
The Foreign Minister of Germany, Heiko Maas, said “I can never forget the horror
of destruction and tears in the faces of the Lebanese whom I met last year when
I visited Beirut after the explosion”. Maas noted that Germany is always ready
to help Lebanon, thanks to the friendship which binds the two peoples together,
stating that Germany will add 40 million Euros to the value of aid it provided
last August.
Minister Maas also revealed the sum of 30 million Euros which were donated as
humanitarian aid, in addition to what Germany provided through UNICEF, and the
WHO, to help Lebanon confront COVID-19.
Maas stressed the need to carry out the required reforms, “Without which
sustainable growth cannot be achieved. Let me be frank, that this crisis is
human-made, as the Lebanese political leaders have not risen to the level of
their responsibilities, nor to the level of the legitimate aspirations of the
Lebanese people”.
Minister Maas asserted that any future assistance and support will remain linked
to the formation of an effective and legitimate government which carries out
radical reforms which the World Bank has always referred to.
“All political forces must unite behind achieving these goals now. There is no
time to waste, international aid depends on this matter, and Lebanon’s future
and stability are linked to it” Maas concluded.
Greek Foreign Minister:
Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, indicated that his country stood side by
side with the Lebanese people, immediately after the tragedy occurred last year,
by providing in-kind aid and contributions to reconstruction.
In addition, Dendias stressed the need to expedite the formation of an effective
government in Lebanon in order to maintain its stability, working to restore
sustainable growth to it, calling for “A government which is credible, capable
of accountability, and that undertakes the required reforms”.
Dendias also pointed out that his country, "Given its experience in facing
financial crises, is able and ready to provide any assistance to Lebanon in this
regard”.
Minister Dendias concluded by emphasizing that it is urgent to continue
supporting and assisting the Lebanese people, and working to rebuild what was
destroyed.
Italian Foreign Minister:
Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, affirmed that Italy will continue its
continuous support to restore Lebanon’s vitality, stressing his country’s active
role in coordinating international humanitarian aid to Lebanon, as it provided
about 8 million euros for this aid alone.
Minister Di Maio pointed out that Italy affirmed its immediate and effective
solidarity with Lebanon since the explosion, both financially and through
technical expertise, in addition to laying the foundations for the restoration
and preservation of Beirut's cultural heritage.
The Italian Foreign Minister also reviewed the projects financed by his country
and the assistance it has provided for years, considering that “Lebanon’s
stability is key to the stability of the region. We are also concerned with the
deterioration of the economic and financial conditions of the Lebanese Army and
security forces, and we will continue to support them, in addition to our
support for Lebanon’s stability through our participation in the UNIFIL forces”.
Di Maio concluded that this international aid alone is not enough, and that “A
government must be formed to carry out reforms immediately. I seize the
opportunity to call on all Lebanese parties to form a government”.
Cypriot Foreign Minister:
Cyprus’s Foreign Minister, Nikos Christodoulides, confirmed that his country
rushed immediately after the explosion to meet Lebanon’s needs as much as it
could, revealing that the civil society in Cyprus also moved to help the
Lebanese people, “Particularly to help rebuild schools that were damaged, in
addition to coordinating aid with United Nations organizations”.
Minister Christodoulides called on the international community “To continue
providing aid, but this is not enough for us to assure the Lebanese people that
we stand by them in their legitimate right to justice and accountability”.
Christodoulides also pointed out that Cyprus is committed to Lebanon’s
sovereignty and stability, stressing the necessity of carrying out the required
and necessary reforms, and the necessity of forming a “Universal and reliable
government, without delay, as a key to obtaining international aid, for the
benefit of Lebanon from its repression”.
KSA Foreign Minister:
Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal Bin Farhan, asserted that “KSA has always
expressed full solidarity with the Lebanese, especially since the Taif Accord,
which ended the civil war and returned peace to Lebanon. KSA has provided aid
worth more than 1 billion USD to Lebanon during the past years”.
Bin Farhan affirmed the Saudi aid to Lebanon, and pointed out that “Lebanon is
facing a crisis in forming an effective government, and the insistence of a
group to impose its hegemony”.
Minister Bin Farhan also stressed the need to combat corruption and carry out
the necessary reforms, and said that Lebanon’s future depends on restoring its
sovereignty, regretting that the investigations into the port explosion did not
reach any results.
Bin Farhan concluded by praising the efforts made by France to support the
international community for Lebanon and its people, and said “We repeat that
this support must be accompanied by real reforms, otherwise we fear that any
assistance will be meaningless”.
Brazilian Deputy Foreign Minister:
Brazilian Deputy Foreign Minister, Kenneth Nobrega, indicated Brazil’s continued
commitment to helping the Lebanese community to overcome the crises and
difficulties it is facing, announcing that next October the first batch of aid,
which is 4,000 tons of rice, will arrive in Beirut. Nobrega also
announced his country’s intention to provide material assistance to fight
COVID-19 in Lebanon.
Swiss Minister of State:
Swiss Minister of State in the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Livia Lo,
discussed the aid provided by Switzerland to Lebanon, stressing that
Switzerland’s support for the Lebanese people is continuous.
Minister Lo revealed the Swiss intention to grant 20 million Swiss francs this
year to the most needy people through UN organizations, civil society and direct
aid, pointing out that “Despite the aid provided during the past year, we must
realize that international aid will not be the only solution to Lebanon’s
problems. It was the message conveyed by our Prime Minister Ignacio Cassis
during his visit to Beirut last April”.
Lo added “Lebanon urgently needs an effective government that is credible and
reliable, committed to honesty and carrying out the necessary and essential
reforms to get the country out of its urgent crises”.
Lo concluded stressing Switzerland’s solidarity with the Lebanese people and its
aspiration for the reforms that must be carried out in the interest of the
Lebanese people.
Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs:
Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi,
addressed what the State of Qatar had offered to Lebanon in the past period, and
stressed his country’s continued support for Lebanon and the Lebanese people.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development:
The Vice-President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,
Pierre Heilbronn, spoke, referring to the assistance provided by the Bank to
Lebanon in several aspects, and stressed the need to form a government capable
of achieving reforms, with the support of the World
Bank, “Which would allow the economic recovery and reconstruction of the
country”.
Civil Society:
George Choucair, from civil society, spoke about the impact of the explosion on
the situation in Lebanon, and the moves that civil society takes to confront the
repercussions of the explosion, including making many films that deal with this
issue and its tragic consequences.
Choucair affirmed the determination to continue despite all difficult
circumstances, each in his field and within his capabilities, stressing that
culture is an integral part of the confrontation to overcome crises.
Marietta Avram also spoke, thanking all those who supported the civil society
organizations to stand in the face of the challenges and crises that Lebanon
suffers from, presenting the material, cultural and educational difficulties,
and the necessity of limiting them, calling for international solidarity to
protect educational continuity in Lebanon.
Arab League:
The Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ambassador Hossam Zaki,
delivered the Arab League’s speech, presenting the difficult conditions that
Lebanon is experiencing on more than one level. Zaki called for the
establishment of a government of specialists and technocrats, with clear powers
and popular support to implement reforms, pointing out that the League wants the
new government to be formed soon, after a long time of procrastination.
In addition, Zaki accused the political class and some leaders of caring more
about their own interests than the welfare of their country and the fate of
their people, and urged them to assume their responsibilities and communicate
with each other with good intentions to break the vicious cycle, “As it is the
last chance perhaps before reaching the stage of instability and chaos of
institutions”.
Finally, Zaki announced that the League urges the United Nations and the
participants to try to help the Lebanese prevent the collapse of two main
sectors, namely education and health.
Chinese Ambassador:
Chinese ambassador to Lebanon, Qian Minjian, expressed his country’s welcome to
the designated Premier, Najib Mikati, to form a government, and its hope that
all Lebanese parties would work in a good spirit and strengthen dialogue to form
a government as soon as possible.
Minjian tackled the assistance provided by China to Lebanon, and expressed his
country’s readiness to enhance cooperation between the two countries in all
fields, including the fields of health, reconstruction and security stability
and maintaining calm on the borders.
Russian Charge D’Affairs:
Then the Chargé d'Affairs at the Russian Embassy in France, Alexander Ziziulin,
spoke, and welcomed all international aid to Lebanon, reiterating the importance
of a government capable of taking appropriate decisions to overcome crises, and
that enjoys the support of all Lebanese groups.
Ziziulin also expressed Russia’s support for helping Lebanon at all levels,
while respecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Conference Conclusion:
At the end, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, drew attention to the importance of
this event, and renewed the international community’s support for the Lebanese
people.
French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, presented the work France has done
to secure international aid to Lebanon, and the great efforts made by the
United Nations to put this aid into practice and effectively deliver it to those
who deserve it, in a country that suffers from all kinds of difficulties.
Le Drian pointed out that the aid has reached more than 370 million euros, and
more than 357 million dollars have been allocated for the next year. Le Drian
also revealed that these donations will contribute to securing the basic needs
of the Lebanese.
In addition, Minister Le Drian pointed out that “The direct aid that is secured
to the Lebanese people is not, in any way, a substitute for the responsibilities
of the Lebanese authorities, which must take the necessary steps to overcome
crises, including the formation of an effective and viable government, the start
of negotiations to implement the International Monetary Fund program and the
implementation of initial reforms, namely in the banking sector, the energy
sector and others”.
Moreover, the French Foreign Minister pointed out that “France and the European
Union had put pressure on officials in Lebanon to abide by their pledges in this
field, but the Lebanese authorities should allow the Lebanese to express
themselves in a democratic way in the upcoming elections in 2022, and the next
government should ensure that these elections are held transparently”.
Finally, Le Drian addressed the Lebanese officials by saying that the future of
Lebanon is in danger.
-------Presidency Information Office
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 04-05/2021
Human rights groups slam EU for sending diplomat to Raisi
inauguration
The Jerusalem Post/August 04/2021
Senior Israeli diplomatic source says Raisi and others were documented eating
cream puffs to celebrate the execution of Iranian dissidents.
A group of opposition and human rights groups from Iran slammed the European
Union for its decision to send a senior diplomat to the inauguration of Ebrahim
Raisi, Iran's new president. “The EU cannot be credible on human rights if it
celebrates Ebrahim Raisi as president of Iran,” the statement said. It was
posted online and shared on social media.
According to the statement, the EU decided to send a senior diplomat, Enrique
Mora, for the inauguration of Raisi. “We as movements representing the peoples
and opposition in Iran do not understand this move. There has been no EU
representative to the inauguration of Lukashenka as President of Belarus. Why is
the EU now sending a representative to co-celebrate the inauguration of Raisi?
Our question is whether we as people from Central Asia are seen as less valuable
than people from Belarus. Is the EU choosing a different approach based on
race?”
Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad also condemned the EU decision in
a video she posted online. “I’m furious to find out that Enrique Mora, EU's
Deputy Secretary-General/Political Director has attended Ebrahim Raisi's
inauguration ceremony today. This empowers Raisi, who has committed crimes
against humanity, to kill more people.” The statement posted online from
minority and human rights groups was signed by the Komala Party of Iranian
Kurdistan, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, the Free Balochistan
Movement, the Democratic Solidarity Party of Al Ahwaz, the Baluchistan People's
Party and the Azerbaycan Democratik Birliyi-Birlik, as well as the Freie Bürger
Mitteldeutschland, Fridays for Future, the Rojhelat Women Organisation, the
European Syriac Union, the Youth Organization of Iranian Kurdistan, Kolbarnews
and the Hana Human Rights Organisation. These represent a diverse range of
groups linked to minorities in Iran and human rights activists.
The statement says that there is no question whether Raisi is a human rights
abuser.
“The EU is well-aware of the fact that this man presided in 1988 and 2019 over
the killing and torture of many thousands of people…The EU is also aware that
the election of Raisi was a scam.”
The statement compares the abuses in Iran with the leadership of Belarus and
questions why the EU did not attend the 2020 inauguration in Belarus but sought
to go to the one in Iran. European ambassadors boycotted the inauguration of
President Alexander Lukashenko to protest his government's crackdown on
political opponents at the time.
A SENIOR Israeli diplomatic source said that Israel and the US are of one mind
on the matter and have expressed their dissatisfaction to the EU and other
countries that have sent representatives to the event.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and the Foreign Ministry publicly criticized the
European Union. “Raisi is the most extreme Iranian president of them all, and
the competition is tough,” Bennett said on Tuesday. “I call on the EU: One
cannot talk about human rights and simultaneously honor a murderer [and] a
hangman, who has eliminated hundreds of opponents of the regime.”Israel is
seeking to emphasize to the world that Raisi is "a cold-blooded killer" who
cannot be accepted by the global community, the diplomatic source said, adding
that Israel has documentation of Raisi and others eating cream puffs to
celebrate the execution of Iranian dissidents in which he was involved. The
human rights groups pointed to recent protests in Iran and the reported arrest
of thousands protesting water scarcity. “Arabs, Kurds, Baloch, Turks, Lur and
Fars are on the streets of Iran to demand the same as every European citizen is
entitled to. The EU is aware of this but decided to ignore it. Iran just in the
last week killed a Romanian citizen through an unwarranted drone attack on a
cargo ship, as confirmed by the UK and the US.”
The statement also referenced Iran’s activities in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and
other countries.
In recent weeks, protesters in Iran have called for the regime to stop its
involvement abroad, angry that resources from the Islamic Republic go to Gaza
but not to locals who lack basic things like electricity. “Sending Enrique
Mora to Iran for the inauguration of Ebrahim Raisi means that the EU tells the
peoples of the Middle East and Iran that you have to either be white or flee to
Europe to obtain human dignity and the right to life,” the statement reads. “We
urge the EU to fulfill its democratic and human rights commitments in its
diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and Ebrahim Raisi’s
administration. We urge you to address the crimes committed against humanity,
rather than standing with those who commit the crimes. We urge the EU to stand
up for its own principles which are in the interest of both EU and Iranian
citizens and that of all peoples oppressed by this regime.”
Iranian anguish over tough internet restrictions in new
bill
The Arab Weekly/August 04/2021
TEHRAN--Iran moved last week toward further government restrictions on Instagram
and other apps, as hard-line lawmakers agreed to discuss a bill that many fear
will undermine communication, wipe out livelihoods and open the door to the
banning of key social media tools.
The bill has yet to be approved by Iran’s hard liner-dominated parliament, but
it is already stirring anxiety among young Iranians, avid social media users,
online business owners and entrepreneurs. Iran is a country with some 94 million
internet devices in use among its over 80 million people. Nearly 70% of Iran’s
population uses smartphones.
Over 900,000 Iranians have signed a petition opposing the bill. The protest
comes at a tense time for Iran, with Ebrahim Raisi, the former judiciary chief
and hard line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, assuming the
country’s highest civilian position this week. Journalists, civil society
advocates and government critics have raised the alarm about the possible
increase of social repression once he takes office. The draft legislation, first
proposed this spring by conservative lawmakers, requires major foreign tech
giants such as Facebook to register with the Iranian government and be subject
to its oversight and data ownership rules. The Iranians seem to be borrowing a
page from Turkey’s restrictions guide-book which includes similar curbs on
social media giants. Companies that host unregistered social media apps in Iran
would risk penalties, with authorities empowered to slow down access to the
companies’ services as a way to force them to comply. Lawmakers have noted that
the crippling US sanctions on Iran make the registration of American tech
companies in the country impossible, effectively ensuring their ban. The law
would also criminalise the sale and distribution of virtual private networks and
proxies, a critical way Iranians access long-blocked social media platforms like
Facebook, Telegram, Twitter and YouTube. It also would bar government officials
from running accounts on banned social media platforms, which they now use to
communicate with citizens and the press. Even the office of the supreme leader
has a Twitter account with over 890,000 followers.
And finally, the bill takes control of the internet away from the civilian
government and places it under the armed forces. The bill’s goal, according to
its authors, is to “protect users and their rights.” Hard liners in the
government have long viewed social messaging and media services as part of a
“soft war” by the West against the Islamic Republic. Over time, Iran has created
what some have called the “halal” internet, the Islamic Republic’s own locally
controlled version of the internet aimed at restricting what the public can see.
Supporters of the bill, such as hard line lawmaker Ali Yazdikhah, have hailed it
as a step toward an independent Iranian internet, where “people will start to
prefer locally-developed services” over foreign companies. “There is no reason
to worry, online businesses will stay and even we promise that they will expand
too,” he said. Internet advocates, however, fear the measures will tip the
country toward an even more tightly controlled model like China, whose “Great
Firewall” blocks access to thousands of foreign websites and slows others.
Iran’s outgoing Information Technology Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi,
whom the hard line judiciary summoned for prosecution earlier this year over his
refusal to block Instagram, warned that the bill would curtail access to
information and lead to full-blown bans of popular messaging apps. In a letter
to Raisi last month, he urged the president-elect to reconsider the legislation.
Facebook, which owns Instagram, did not immediately respond to a request for
comment.
Social media is a highly contested space in Iran, where the government retains
tight control over newspapers and remains the only entity allowed to broadcast
on television and radio. Over recent years, anti-government protesters have used
social media as a communication tool to mobilize and spread their message,
prompting authorities to cripple internet services. During the turmoil in the
fall of 2019, for instance, the government imposed a near-complete internet
blackout. Even scattered demonstrations, such as the recent protests over water
shortages in Iran’s southwest, have seen disruptions of mobile internet service.
But many ordinary Iranians, reeling from harsh American sanctions that have
severed access to international banking systems and triggered runaway inflation,
remain more preoccupied with the bill’s potential financial fallout.
As the coronavirus ravages Iran, a growing number of people like Hedieloo has
turned to Instagram to make a living, tutoring and selling homemade goods and
art. Over 190,000 businesses moved online over the past year.
Although much about the bill’s fate remains uncertain, experts say it already
has sent a chill through commerce on Instagram, where once-hopeful users now
doubt they have a future on the app. “I and everyone else who is working in
cyberspace is worried,” said Milad Nouri, a software developer and technology
analyst. “This includes a teenager playing online games, a YouTuber making money
from their channel, an influencer, an online shop based on Instagram.” He added:
“Everyone is somehow stressed.”
Potential Hijack' of Ship Off UAE is Over, Says UK
Agency
Agence France Presse/August 04/2021
The suspected hijacking of a ship in the Gulf of Oman has ended and the vessel
is safe, a UK maritime security agency said on Wednesday, days after a deadly
attack on a tanker in the region. "Boarders have left the vessel. Vessel is
safe. Incident complete," United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations tweeted. The
suspected hijacking off the coast of the United Arab Emirates came just days
after an attack on a tanker left two dead, which the United States and its
allies blamed on Iran. Earlier, Lloyd's List reported that armed men had boarded
a Panama-flagged tanker and ordered it to sail to Iran. And on Tuesday, the
UKTMO upgraded its report of the "non-piracy" incident on the unidentified ship
60 miles east of Fujairah heading towards the Strait of Hormuz to "potential
hijack." Maritime security analysts at Dryad Global and Aurora Intelligence
identified the endangered ship as the Panama-flagged Asphalt Princess, an
asphalt and bitumen tanker. The ship was heading towards Iran under the control
of armed men with British and US naval operations monitoring the situation,
Lloyd's List said. Richard Meade, editor of the shipping industry intelligence
site, told The Times that "armed forces have boarded the vessel, which last
signaled its position around 5 pm London time, and are directing it towards
Iran". The incident at the opening of the Strait of Hormuz -- one of the world's
busiest waterways -- comes days after an attack on an Israeli-linked tanker
bound for the UAE, which the United States and its allies blamed on Iran.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Tuesday that "reported
'incidents' in the Persian Gulf and broader region appear utterly suspicious".
"Reaffirming our strong commitment to regional stability and maritime security,
Iran stands ready to offer assistance in case of any maritime accidents,"
Khatibzadeh wrote on Twitter.
- 'Deeply concerning' incident -
The United States stopped short of assigning blame for the latest episode but
State Department spokesman Ned Price said there had been "a very disturbing
pattern of belligerence from Iran. "When it comes to this specific incident,
it's too early for us to offer a judgement just yet," Price told reporters.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the United States was in close touch with
Britain over the "deeply concerning" incident. While Iran has denied any
involvement in Thursday's blast on the MT Mercer Street, the United States and
Iran's arch-enemy Israel both say an Iranian drone caused the explosion. Two
crew members, from Britain and Romania, died on the Liberian-flagged ship, which
is managed by prominent Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken earlier vowed a collective response against Iran over the
incident, which he called a "direct threat" to freedom of navigation in the
oil-rich waters. US Navy forces who came to the aid of the crew in response to
an emergency distress call saw evidence of the attack, according to the U.S.
military. The tensions come as Iran on Tuesday inaugurated the Islamic
republic's eighth president, the ultraconservative cleric and prosecutor Ebrahim
Raisi.He succeeded Hassan Rouhani, considered a moderate, who sought to repair
relations with the West and whose administration unsuccessfully sought to
negotiate a revival of a nuclear accord with the United States.
Italy leads European effort to resolve Libyan differences
The Arab Weekly/August 04/2021
TUNIS--The visit to Libya by Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio reflects
Rome’s leading role in European attempts to bridge differences between rivals in
the Libyan conflict, analysts say. The Italians seem to be taking advantage of
their historical ties and economic presence in the country. Libyan sources told
The Arab Weekly the Italian government was preparing to hold a “summit” between
the political actors in Libya before the end of this month. Observers believe
Western capitals see that a meeting between the prime minister of the Government
of National Unity (GNU), Abdulhamid Dbeibeh and the commander-in-chief of the
Libyan National Army, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, could cut through
differences that would delay agreement on the final constitutional text before
September 1, leading to an indefinite postponement of the December 24 election.
European Union countries that are active in the Libyan crisis, including Germany
and France, have taken a step back to make way for Italy. Rome enjoys US and
international backing in its quest for a major role in bridging the gap between
the Libyan parties, as well as between the regional powers involved in the
crisis. Italy’s growing interest in Libya was illustrated by a flurry of recent
contacts made by Italian officials in the country. Last Thursday, the Italian
ambassador to Libya, Giuseppe Buccino Grimaldi, an experienced Libya hand who
also held the Tripoli post from 2011 to 2015, passed on an invitation from Prime
Minister Mario Draghi for Dbeibeh to visit Rome.
Grimaldi was also present during Di Maio’s talks with the President of the
Presidency Council, Muhammad al-Menfi, his two deputies, Musa al-Koni, Abdullah
al-Lafi and State Council President Khaled Al-Mishri.
Rome seems embarked on a mediation between the belligerents in Libya, especially
between the GNU which is closer to the militias, Islamist groups and their
Turkish ally than the House of Representatives (HOR) in Tobruk and Haftar’s army
command in the Benghazi suburb of Rajma.
After his Tripoli meetings, Di Maio went east to Cyrenaica for talks with Haftar.
He also spoke there to HOR Speaker Ageela Saleh.
According to the Italian Foreign Ministry, Di Maio’s visit came within the
framework of “continuing dialogue” with the Libyan parties on “the process of
stabilisation and institutional transition led by the United Nations, which
Italy firmly supports,” as well as “expanding and strengthening the scope” of
the bilateral partnership between the two countries. It is being seen as
significant that after the Libyan Foreign Minister Najlah al-Mangoush met her
Italian counterparte in Tripoli she travelled with him on the same flight to
Benghazi. Before her return to Tripoli, Mangoush talked to the director of
Haftar’s office and a member of the Military Committee (5+5) of the Army
Command, Major General Khairy Al-Tamimi at Benina International Airport The
meeting reviewed the progress of the committee’s work and the results it
reached, including the establishment of the ceasefire and the reopening of the
road linking Misrata and Sirte and thereafter eastwards to Benghazi. Sources
suggested to The Arab Weekly that Tamimi passed on to the foreign minister a
message from Haftar about recent developments and the results of the external
contacts conducted by the army command, especially after the visit of the
military delegation to Moscow last week, which was led by Tamimi.
Sisi could test Egyptians’ patience, own popularity with
bread price hike
The Arab Weekly/August 04/2021
CAIRO--Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi surprised Egyptians Tuesday when
he announced that “the time has come” to increase the price of a loaf of bread.
Observers said the move would test the silence and patience of Egyptians who had
previously kept quiet about other price hikes and that the issue of bread could
be a ticking time bomb ready to explode any moment. Sisi did not mention when
the price increase will come into effect. He left the issue open in order to
prepare public opinion for the new step, which will be a further test of his
popularity, after he successfully overcame the impact of floating the pound. The
Egyptian president tried to preempt those who might be tempted to take advantage
of the move politically when he said, “I hope that our understanding of how to
organise the subsidy of a loaf of bread reaches the people and not be
misrepresented as reflecting an intent to introduce a big price hike. We are
working in a balanced manner so that we save eight billion pounds (about half a
billion dollars) for school nutrition programmes.” Subsidised bread costs
currently 0.05 Egyptian pounds ($0.0032) and 60 million people are allocated
five loaves a day under its sprawling subsidy programme.
Sisi did not say by how much the price would increase, but changes to food
support are highly sensitive in a country where a decision to cut bread
subsidies led to deadly riots across Egypt in 1977. Such a measure has sparked
similar unrest in many parts of the Arab world. “It is time for the 5 piaster
loaf to increase in price. Some might tell me leave this to the prime minister,
to the supply minister to (raise the price), but no, I will do it in front of my
country and my people,” Sisi said. “It’s incredible to sell 20 loaves for the
price of a cigarette,” he added, speaking at the opening of a food production
facility. Egypt is the world’s largest wheat importer. “I’m not saying we make
it significantly more expensive, to as high as it costs to make it, 65 or 60
piasters, but (increasing the price) is necessary,” Sisi said.
“Nothing stays stagnant like this for 20 or 30 years, with people saying that
this number can’t be touched,” he added. Sisi’s government has also turned to
the IMF, which granted a $12 billion loan in 2016 and a one-year $5.2 billion
loan last year, but specified that food subsidies should only reach those most
in need. The loan programme also required higher fuel and electricity prices.
Supply minister Ali Moselhy told local newspaper El-Watan that after Sisi’s
remarks, the ministry has started an immediate study and will present its
findings to the cabinet as soon as possible. Sisi has sought to rein in Egypt’s
massive subsidy programme by targeting those deemed to be sufficiently wealthy
while leaving bread prices untouched. Hussein Abu Saddam, head of the farmer’s
syndicate, told Reuters: “The decision is right and comes at a very suitable
time. It helps us finish with the old practices and customs, in which the
president was always afraid of touching bread prices, fearing the outcry of the
poor.”
Commitments Observers say that raising the possibility of bread price
hikes is longer taboo for the Sisi regime, as it was for his predecessors. The
president has taken a number of difficult steps to reform the economy. The
prices of a range of commodities have risen while plans have been developed to
support the poorest affected by these structural reforms. Observers point out
that the public reaction to price hikes does not usually extend beyond
expressing objections on social media. The government can yield when it feels a
strong pushback. That was the case with the Reconciliation Law on Building
Violations, when the government was forced to withdraw its formula and opt for
more flexible implementation.
Protest laws have limited the prospects of the once-common street demonstrations
thus allowing Sisi to quietly pass his economic reform plans. Senate member
Farida al-Naqash told The Arab Weekly that Sisi’s approach will produce
grassroots repercussions. Price hikes will be felt by certain segments of the
population and the poor, in particular, might loudly oppose the increase to the
price of subsidised bread. That may even spark limited protests, she said, but
will not affect the pace at which the decision is carried through, as state
agencies do not presently see any related signs of concern. Naqqash further told
The Arab Weekly that large families are likely to be particularly affected in
the event of a large increase, but the government, on the other hand, is
compelled because of its reform commitments, to move ahead towards lifting
subsidies and it is hoped that the increase will be minimal.
Bread subsidies account for a large part of state subsidies. Last year, Egypt
reduced the weight of the subsidised loaf of bread by 20 grammes, allowing
bakeries to increase the number of loaves of subsidised bread they produce from
a 100 kilogramme sack of flour.
Planning and project management expert Walid Madbouly explained that the state’s
announcement of its intention to increase the price of subsidised bread came
late. The increase must be based on prior studies, he said, to make sure the
poorest segments of the population are not affected. Madbouly also said it was
important to ensure that the funds cut from the subsidies are directed to other
social programmes related to public health and children’s nutrition. Talking to
The Arab Weekly, he said that the government is working to boost the economy,
which requires reducing direct subsidies for a large number of goods and
products. He added that what is happening now is a restructuring and
rationalisation of subsidies so as to meet the country’s needs in other public
service sectors.
Tunisia Unions Urge Speedy New Government
after Takeover
Agence France Presse/August 04/2021
Tunisia's powerful UGTT trade union body has urged President Kais Saied to form
a new government, nearly two weeks after he assumed executive power and sacked
the prime minister. Saied also suspended parliament for 30 days on July 25, and
has since dismissed four ministers and other top officials. The president has
dismissed accusations by the largest party in parliament that he staged a
"coup". He insists that he acted under the constitution, which allows the head
of state to take unspecified exceptional measures in the event of an "imminent
threat". "We call for speeding up the appointment of a head of government" and
as "a smaller and harmonious rescue government", said a UGTT statement released
late Tuesday. It said any delay in forming a new government risked worsening the
political vacuum in the North African country. It would also "make it difficult
to emerge from the current social and economic crisis", said the UGTT, which
backed the president's move last month. Tunisia is currently suffering one of
the world's worst outbreaks of the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of death toll. It
has seen more than 20,000 deaths from a population of around 12 million. On July
25, Saied announced measures that included freezing parliamentary activity for
30 days, lifting parliamentary immunity and sacking Hichem Mechichi as both
premier and interior minister. He later fired the defense, justice, economy and
communications technology ministers, as well as top officials. New economy and
communications technology ministers were named on Monday. On Tuesday, Saied
dismissed the governor of the Sfax region and Tunisia's ambassador to the United
States, without saying why in either case. Last month, the UGTT -- which played
a key role in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising -- said Saied had acted "in
accordance" with the constitution to "prevent imminent danger and to restore the
normal functioning" of the state. While urging the speedy formation of a new
government, the union body's latest statement also said Saied's "exceptional"
measures respond to the demands of the people. It called them "a definitive
solution to the complexity of the crisis the country is going through in the
absence of any other solutions". The president's move has seen him lose little
popular support. But his main adversary, the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party,
accuses him of staging a coup.
Humanitarian Crisis Unfolding in Daraa, Syria
www.uossm.org/Union Of Medical Care and relief Organizations/August 04/2021
Paris, France- A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Daraa, Syria as around
55,000 civilians – 10,000 families are under siege with little to no access to
food, medical care, medicine, or basic human needs. The city of Daraa has been
under siege since June 24, 2021. The humanitarian situation is deteriorating
rapidly. Many families are risking their lives fleeing to nearby areas in search
of a safe haven for their families, while thousands of families remain in a
dangerous situation besieged and under attacks. UOSSM is responding to the
catastrophic situation in Daraa by providing immediate medical relief and food
essentials to besieged and displaced families in need. Working with local
organizations, UOSSM is able to provide emergency aid in the besieged and
hard-to-reach areas in Daraa, and provide basic essentials needed to survive.
Since 2012, UOSSM has been on the ground providing medical aid and emergency
relief to besieged and hard-to-reach areas inside Syria. UOSSM calls on all
parties to provide safe passage and immediate access for humanitarian and
medical aid. The lives of the elderly, young children and vulnerable populations
are particularly at stake.
Dr. Ghanem Tayara, President of UOSSM International said, “We are deeply
concerned with the current humanitarian situation and military operations in
Daraa. We urge the international community to take immediate action to lift the
siege on the people of Daraa, cease all military action against innocent
civilians, and provide safe and secure access for medical relief and
humanitarian aid. The international community must act now, thousands of lives
are at risk if no immediate action is taken.”
Syria Shelling by Turkey, Proxies Kills Four
Agence France Presse/August 04/2021
Shelling by Turkish forces and their rebel proxies killed three children and a
male relative in northern Syria Wednesday, a war monitor said, in an attack
condemned by Kurdish authorities. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights said that rockets were fired on a village controlled by Kurdish forces on
the outskirts of the volatile Ain Issa district, near the border with Turkey.
"Four members of the same family were killed, including a man and three
children," said the war monitor, which relies on sources inside Syria. Others
members of the family were wounded and are in critical condition, it added.
Pro-Ankara fighters have been stationed to the north of Ain Issa since Turkish
soldiers and their Syrian proxies seized a 120-kilometre (70-mile) stretch of
territory along the border from Kurdish fighters in 2019. Since then,
pro-Turkish forces have engaged in sporadic skirmishes with Kurdish forces
branded as "terrorists" by Ankara. The autonomous Kurdish administration
condemned Wednesday's attack in a statement, saying it was intended "to shake
stability in our region and terrorize residents." Turkey and its Syrian proxies
control several pockets of territory in northern Syria as a result of successive
operations against Kurdish fighters or the Islamic State group since 2016.
Taliban Claim Kabul Bombing as Afghan Forces Defend
Besieged Cities
Agence France Presse/August 04/2021
The Taliban on Wednesday claimed responsibility for a huge bomb attack in Kabul
targeting the defense minister as the insurgents fought for control of a string
of besieged cities. The bomb-and-gun attack on Defense Minister Bismillah
Mohammadi Tuesday was one of the biggest in Kabul for months, bringing violence
to the capital after intense fighting in the south and west of the country. The
Afghan and U.S. militaries have carried out air strikes against the insurgents
to push them back, and the Taliban said the Kabul attack was a response to that.
"The attack is the beginning of the retaliatory operations against the circles
and leaders of the Kabul administration who are ordering attacks and the bombing
of different parts of the country," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in
a statement on social media. It represents a major escalation by the Taliban,
who have largely refrained from large-scale attacks in the capital in recent
years after starting talks with the United States on troop withdrawal. The
Tuesday attack targeted Mohammadi as well as some lawmakers. The first bomb
exploded in the center of Kabul, sending a thick plume of smoke into the sky,
AFP correspondents reported. Less than two hours later, there was another loud
blast followed by smaller explosions and rapid gunfire, also near the
high-security Green Zone that houses several embassies, including the U.S.
mission. The minister was safe and Afghan forces repelled the attackers, but at
least eight people were killed, according to interior ministry spokesman Mirwais
Stanikzai. Mohammadi later said it was a suicide car bomb attack targeting his
house. A security source said several attackers stormed a lawmaker's house after
setting off the car bomb and shot at the residence of the defense minister from
there. Security forces had cordoned off the scene of the attack on Wednesday as
troops inspected the buildings and cars damaged by the blasts. Rubble covered
the area while there were bloodstains on some of the floors. There was little
respite in Kabul early Wednesday after a blast injured three people, according
to police.
'No way to escape'
The Taliban threat came after the Afghan military launched a counterattack
against the insurgents in the southern city of Lashkar Gah. The military had
asked people to leave the city on Tuesday as they prepared for their offensive.
Resident Saleh Mohammad said hundreds of families had fled as fighting erupted
between the two sides, trapping many in the crossfire. "There is no way to
escape from the area because the fighting is ongoing. There is no guarantee that
we will not be killed on the way," Mohammad said. "The government and the
Taliban are destroying us."The insurgents have taken control of vast swathes of
the countryside and key border towns, taking advantage of the security vacuum
left by the withdrawal of U.S. forces. The Taliban are now targeting cities,
with fierce fighting for a week around Herat near the western border with Iran,
as well as Lashkar Gah and Kandahar in the south. The Afghan military
counterattack came after another night of heavy clashes with the Taliban. "Those
families which had financial support or a car have left their homes. The
families who can not afford to are obliged to stay in their own homes as we
are," resident Halim Karimi told AFP. "We don't know where to go or how to
leave. We are born to die." The loss of Lashkar Gah, the capital of southern
Helmand province, would be a massive strategic and psychological blow for the
government. The United Nations reported Tuesday that at least 40 civilians had
been killed in Lashkar Gah in the previous 24 hours.
'War crimes'
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch accused that the Taliban of "summarily" executing
detained soldiers, police and civilians with alleged ties to the Afghan
government in areas they had recently seized. The rights group said it had also
obtained a list of 44 people who were killed by the Taliban in the town of Spin
Boldak, which the insurgents captured last month along the border with Pakistan.
"Taliban commanders with oversight over such atrocities are also responsible for
war crimes," Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at HRW said in a
statement. Washington and London have also accused the insurgents of committing
atrocities that may amount to "war crimes" in Spin Boldak.
The Latest LCCC English analysis &
editorials published on August 03-04/2021
Violations' the UN Security Council Does Not Care About
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/August 04/2021
Such Security Council sessions have become routine and almost always end up with
statements denouncing Israel after hearing complaints from PA officials about
Israel's alleged "violations" and "aggressions."
Yet the Security Council meeting, which was held last week, did not hear a word
about human rights violations and aggressions committed by the PA in the West
Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
[Nizar] Banat, the anti-corruption activist and vocal critic of the PA
leadership, was allegedly bludgeoned to death on June 24 by more than 20
Palestinian security officers.
More than a month has passed since his brutal murder but the Security Council
has not found the time to address this grave incident.
The Security Council has undoubtedly not heard of the case of Emad Al-Tawil, a
27-year-old Palestinian who died on June 25 after being beaten by Hamas security
officers. Tawil was a resident of Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
The Security Council and international human rights organizations and
journalists most likely did not hear about the case of Hassan Abu Zayed, a
27-year-old Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, who was shot dead by Hamas "border
guards" on July 23.
The Palestinian human rights abuses and the crackdown on political activists and
journalists are ignored not only by the UN, but also by the Biden
administration.
Instead of pressuring Palestinian leaders to cease imprisoning, torturing and
killing their people, the Biden administration is, absurdly, searching for ways
to strengthen the PA leadership.
Apparently, in the eyes of the Biden administration, strengthening PA leaders
means allowing Palestinian security officers to beat political activists to
death, drag women by their hair on the streets of Ramallah, and imprison and
intimidate journalists. The Security Council members, meanwhile, take their
unjustified obsession with Israel to new heights as Palestinians are taken to
prison or the graveyard at the hands of the PA and Hamas.
The Palestinian human rights abuses and the crackdown on political activists and
journalists are ignored not only by the UN, but also by the Biden
administration. Pictured: Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces deploy in
front of demonstrators in Ramallah on July 3, 2021, during a protest denouncing
the PA for the death of activist Nizar Banat while in the custody of PA security
forces. (Photo by Abbas Momani/AFP via Getty Images)
At the request of the Palestinian Authority (PA), the United Nations Security
Council was again called to hold a session to discuss Israeli "violations" and
"aggressions" against the Palestinians. The PA also demanded that the Security
Council discuss the professed ongoing Israeli "siege" of the Hamas-ruled Gaza
Strip.
Such Security Council sessions have become routine and almost always end up with
statements denouncing Israel after hearing complaints from PA officials about
Israel's alleged "violations" and "aggressions."
Yet the Security Council meeting, which was held last week, did not hear a word
about human rights violations and aggressions committed by the PA in the West
Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Security Council did not hear about more than 75 Palestinian social media
users, political activists and journalists who were arrested by the PA security
forces in the West Bank just in the past few weeks.
The arrests came in response to widespread protests over the death of
anti-corruption activist Nizar Banat, who was reportedly beaten to death by
Palestinian security officers who raided his home in the city of Hebron.
The Security Council did not hear the testimonies of many of those who were
arrested by the PA security forces or details of the various forms of torture to
which they were subjected during their incarceration. Women were dragged by
their hair, subjected to sexual harassment and beaten with batons by PA security
officers. Some of the women and journalists complained that the officers who
beat them also stole their mobile phones and cameras to prevent them from
documenting protests against the death of Banat.
Banat, the anti-corruption activist and vocal critic of the PA leadership, was
allegedly bludgeoned to death on June 24 by more than 20 Palestinian security
officers.
More than a month has passed since the brutal killing of the man, but the
Security Council has not found the time to address this grave incident. Why has
the Security Council not held an emergency session until now to condemn the
Palestinian leadership? Because Banat was killed by PA security officers, not
Israeli soldiers.
On the eve of the Security Council meeting, the PA stepped up its crackdown on
public freedoms, including that of the media, evidently as part of an attempt to
silence its critics and prevent the world from learning about the repressive
measures of the Palestinian security forces against their own people.
Palestinian security officers were sent to close down the offices of J-Media, a
private Palestinian news agency in Ramallah owned by journalist Ala al-Rimawi.
The official reason given for the closure was that the agency had failed to
obtain a proper license from the Palestinian Ministry of Information. Rimawi,
however, was arrested a few weeks ago by the PA security forces on suspicion of
participating in protests over the killing of Banat and "insulting" senior
Palestinian officials.
Also, on the eve of the Security Council meeting, PA President Mahmoud Abbas
fired the director of the Palestinian National Library, Ehab Bessaiso, for
posting comments on social media in which he criticized the killing of Banat.
Bessaiso, a former PA Minister of Culture, had written on his Facebook page
about the slaying of the activist:
"Nothing justifies committing a crime. Killing a person is a crime, no matter
how vague, ambiguous and emotional the picture seems. Difference of opinion is a
space for interaction, discussion, freedom, anger, reflection, development and
correction. Difference of opinion is not an epidemic, an emergency occasion, or
a justification for bloodshed and incitement."
The closure of the news agency and the dismissal of the Palestinian National
Library director are obviously not of any interest to the Security Council or
international human rights organizations.
Palestinian journalists living under the PA in the West Bank continue to
complain that they are regularly targeted and intimidated by the Palestinian
security forces. This charge, however, is obviously not considered by the
Security Council or the UN General Assembly as a human rights violation or an
aggression. Why? The perpetrators are Palestinians, not Israelis.
The Palestinian Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) said it
received information from PA public servants who spoke about threats and
intimidation for expressing their views in public.
"Several public institutions have issued verbal instructions, according to which
a number of personnel were threatened with dismissal from civil service," AMAN
said. "These irregularities affect any civil servant who comments on social
media networks or participates in peaceful assemblies, denouncing the death of
political and social activist Nizar Banat."
The group said it sent a letter to PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh
underscoring the importance of depoliticizing the civil service and making it
neutral. "The right of every Palestinian to freedom of opinion and expression
should be respected," it wrote in the letter. "AMAN and civil society
organisations are monitoring developments affecting public freedoms across
Palestine, particularly following the assassination of political and social
activist Nizar Banat."
Needless to say, the warning by AMAN and other Palestinian human rights groups
did not make it to the Security Council or the pages of Western mainstream
newspapers.
The Security Council and the rest of the international community will continue
to ignore not only what the PA is doing to its people in the West Bank, but also
human rights violations committed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian victims and human rights groups can continue to shout as much as
they wish, but their voices and grievances will never reach the halls or
corridors of the UN in New York.
The Security Council has undoubtedly not heard of the case of Emad Al-Tawil, a
27-year-old Palestinian who died on June 25 after being beaten by Hamas security
officers. Tawil was a resident of Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) has called on
Hamas to investigate the circumstances of his death.
According to ICHR, on July 25, at approximately 4:00 pm, a Hamas police force
estimated at about 40 members went to the house of Hosni Al-Tawil in Nuseirat
Camp.
"About 15 members entered the house and began to search it completely, and the
search continued for about an hour," according to testimonies obtained by ICHR.
"During the search, members of the Al-Tawil family came and tried to enter, but
the police prevented them, and they assaulted Emad Abdul Aziz Al-Tawil by
pushing him, beating him, and punching him with fists and sticks all over the
body."
About 30 minutes after the force left, Al-Tawil began to complain of pain in his
chest and difficulty breathing. After he vomited, members of his family brought
him to a nearby clinic, where he was pronounced dead.
"ICHR considers that the behavior of the policemen and the violation related to
beating citizens in an unjustified manner, requires serious review to ensure the
implementation and respect of the law, and the issuance of the necessary
decisions for police personnel to respect human rights," the group said.
The Security Council and international human rights organizations and
journalists most likely did not hear about the case of Hassan Abu Zayed, a
27-year-old Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, who was shot dead by Hamas "border
guards" on July 23. Abu Zayed was in a car with two of his friends when the
Hamas militiamen opened fire at them on the pretext that they did not stop at a
checkpoint.
ICHR has called for a comprehensive criminal investigation into the case. The
group has also demanded that Hamas allow human rights activists to visit the
deceased man's friends, who have been detained by Hamas and who are the main
witnesses in the incident.
Similarly, the Security Council was never called to hold an emergency session to
discuss the case of Shadi Nofal, 41, who died in Hamas detention on July 5.
According to the ICHR's documentation, Nofal's health deteriorated and he was
transferred to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where he received a cardiac
resuscitation before being admitted to the intensive care unit. Two days later,
he was discharged and remained under observation. He was returned to prison and
on the morning of July 5 was readmitted to the intensive care unit at Al-Aqsa
Martyrs Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Palestinian human rights abuses and the crackdown on political activists and
journalists are ignored not only by the UN, but also by the Biden
administration.
Instead of pressuring Palestinian leaders to cease imprisoning, torturing and
killing their people, the Biden administration is, absurdly, searching for ways
to strengthen the PA leadership.
Apparently, in the eyes of the Biden administration, strengthening PA leaders
means allowing Palestinian security officers to beat political activists to
death, drag women by their hair on the streets of Ramallah, and imprison and
intimidate journalists. The Security Council members, meanwhile, take their
unjustified obsession with Israel to new heights as Palestinians are taken to
prison or the graveyard at the hands of the PA and Hamas.
*Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
© 2021 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.
Biden Administration "Surrenders" to Germany on Russian Gas Pipeline
Soeren Kern/Gatestone Institute/August 04/2021
"The willingness of the administration to make decisions of this magnitude
without consulting the countries most exposed will not be lost on other parts of
the world. Jerusalem and Riyadh, for example, are no doubt already strategizing
around the potential of facing a surprise similar to the one that Washington
just delivered to Warsaw and Kyiv." — Kiron Skinner and Russell Berman, Foreign
Policy, July 26, 2021.
"The lesson learned by Germany is that it can pursue its own inclinations of
doing business with dictators regardless of principles and with no consequences
from Washington. More dangerously, the lesson for Moscow and Beijing is that
sanctions for international aggression will never be sustained for very long.
The Biden administration has made the fragile international order even less
secure." — Kiron Skinner and Russell Berman, Foreign Policy, July 26, 2021.
"The project creates conditions for Russia's escalation of military aggression
against Ukraine, as well as the continuation of a hybrid war against the EU and
NATO.... This Russian pipeline threatens the national security not only of
Ukraine, but also of all of Europe." — Ukrainian Parliament, July 21, 2021.
"The U.S.-German deal is embarrassingly weak. It relies on a vague assurance
that after Putin ramps up the blackmail enabled by the deal, Germany will take
unspecified actions in response.... Overall, Biden handed Putin the biggest gift
he's received in years. He also signaled to Putin that when push comes to shove,
the American president is weak and will bow to political pressure." — U.S.
Senator Ted Cruz, Washington Examiner, July 22, 2021
"Remarkably, Washington agreed to end its opposition to the project without any
recognizable benefit in exchange: Merkel has neither promised increased
engagement for NATO nor more clarity about China. The compromise between Biden
and Merkel is not a compromise at all, but an American capitulation." — Robin
Alexander, Die Welt, July 21, 2021.
The Biden administration has reached an agreement with German Chancellor Angela
Merkel that allows for the completion of a controversial natural gas pipeline
between Russia and Germany. This Russian pipeline threatens the national
security not only of Ukraine, but also of all of Europe. Pictured: Merkel and US
President Joe Biden hold a news conference in the White House on July 15, 2021.
The Biden administration has reached an agreement with German Chancellor Angela
Merkel that allows for the completion of a controversial natural gas pipeline
between Russia and Germany.
The July 21 deal to complete the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would double
shipments of Russian natural gas to Germany by transporting the gas under the
Baltic Sea, has angered the leaders of many countries in Eastern and Western
Europe; they argue that it will effectively give Moscow a stranglehold over
European gas supplies and open the continent to Russian blackmail.
Both the Obama and Trump administrations steadfastly opposed the pipeline on the
grounds that, once completed, it would strengthen Russian President Vladimir
Putin's economic and political influence over Europe.
The Trump administration was especially critical of the pipeline because it will
funnel billions of dollars to Russia at a time that Germany is free-riding on
the U.S. defense umbrella that protects Germany from that same Russia.
The Biden administration's abrupt reversal of long-standing bipartisan policy
consensus has baffled observers from across the political aisle. Just one day
before the Biden-Merkel deal was announced, State Department Spokesman Ned Price
criticized the pipeline as a "Kremlin geopolitical project that is intended to
expand Russia's influence over Europe's energy resources and to circumvent
Ukraine." White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki previously asserted that the
Biden administration "continues to believe that Nord Stream 2 is a bad deal for
Europe."
The Biden administration has not explained why or how completion of the pipeline
will promote American or European strategic interests. Geopolitical analysts on
both sides of the Atlantic say that the pipeline deal will: 1) weaken American
and strengthen Russian influence in Europe; 2) heighten divisions between the
Eastern and Western European members of the European Union; 3) push some of the
EU's eastern periphery closer to China; 4) deprive Ukraine of the transit fees
it now collects on gas pumped through an existing pipeline and thereby undermine
Kiev's struggle against Russian aggression; and 5) allow President Putin to
strong-arm Germany and the European Union by turning off deliveries of natural
gas whenever he wants.
The Biden-Merkel agreement will avert the resumption of sanctions that the U.S.
Congress has mandated against Nord Stream 2 AG and its chief executive, Matthias
Warnig, an ally of Putin. President Joe Biden waived those sanctions in May
because, he said, they were "counter-productive" to U.S.-German relations. In
exchange, Merkel, whose final term in office ends in September, offered only
vague promises to protect Europe from potential Russian threats.
U.S. sanctions delayed completion of the 1,230-km (764-mile) pipeline by more
than a year and added at least $1 billion to its cost. The €9.5 billion ($11.5
billion) project, which is 90% complete, was initially slated to become
operational at the end of 2019, but was delayed after several key participants
were threatened with U.S. sanctions and bailed out. As a result of the
Biden-Merkel deal, Nord Stream 2 is now expected to be completed by the end of
August 2021.
Reactions to the Biden-Merkel Deal
In an essay published by Foreign Policy, policy analysts Kiron Skinner and
Russell Berman, wrote that by "surrendering" to Merkel on Nord Stream 2, Biden
abandoned a bipartisan consensus, got nothing in return, and made the world less
secure:
"Bipartisan opposition to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was a cornerstone of the
foreign policies of both the Obama and Trump administrations, an unambiguous
response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin's record of using gas
deliveries as a weapon of coercion in Eastern Europe. The recent decision by the
Biden administration to reverse the policy of its predecessors and to refrain
from sanctioning participants in the pipeline project is nothing but a
capitulation to pressure from Germany and a gift to Russian President Vladimir
Putin. The damage to American national interest will be profound....
"The willingness of the administration to make decisions of this magnitude
without consulting the countries most exposed will not be lost on other parts of
the world. Jerusalem and Riyadh, for example, are no doubt already strategizing
around the potential of facing a surprise similar to the one that Washington
just delivered to Warsaw and Kyiv....
"The lesson learned by Germany is that it can pursue its own inclinations of
doing business with dictators regardless of principles and with no consequences
from Washington. More dangerously, the lesson for Moscow and Beijing is that
sanctions for international aggression will never be sustained for very long.
The Biden administration has made the fragile international order even less
secure."
In a joint statement, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Polish
Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said that the Biden-Merkel deal "has created
political, military and energy threats for Ukraine and Central Europe, while
increasing Russia's potential to destabilize the security situation in Europe,
perpetuating divisions among NATO and European Union member states."
The Ukrainian Parliament, in a two-page statement, said:
"Nord Stream 2 is a purely geopolitical project aimed at making Europe dependent
on the Russian gas monopoly. Moscow is implementing this project with a view to
exacerbating and strengthening discordances within the democratic and European
communities. The Nord Stream 2 project is also a tool for projecting the
military force of the Russian Federation against NATO countries in Russia's
priority, the Baltic Sea....
"The project creates conditions for Russia's escalation of military aggression
against Ukraine, as well as the continuation of a hybrid war against the EU and
NATO. The commissioning of the pipeline will remove Ukraine's important lever to
contain Russia, making it vulnerable to the Kremlin's anti-democratic and
anti-reformist vision of Ukraine. This Russian pipeline threatens the national
security not only of Ukraine, but also of all of Europe."
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, a fierce opponent of the pipeline, described the
Biden-Merkel deal as "catastrophic" for U.S. strategic interests. In an opinion
article published by the Washington Examiner, Cruz wrote:
"This decision is a total surrender to Putin. It is a multibillion-dollar gift
that will keep on giving in perpetuity at the expense of the United States and
our allies. It is a generational geopolitical mistake. Russian dictators,
decades from now, will be reaping billions of dollars every year from President
Joe Biden's gift....
"The U.S.-German deal is embarrassingly weak. It relies on a vague assurance
that after Putin ramps up the blackmail enabled by the deal, Germany will take
unspecified actions in response. When asked for details of what such actions
might be, the White House says it doesn't want to specify because doing so would
benefit Putin. Again, embarrassing.
"Overall, Biden handed Putin the biggest gift he's received in years. He also
signaled to Putin that when push comes to shove, the American president is weak
and will bow to political pressure."
European affairs columnist Wolfgang Münchau noted that the political cost of the
U.S.-German deal on Nord Stream 2 will vastly exceed its commercial benefits:
"The Baltic States and Poland, as well as Ukraine, see the pipeline as a massive
violation of their own security interests. The first consequence will be a
strategic alliance between Poland and China. That has already started. China is
the only security option left for Poland, as Russia and Germany are building a
political axis that leaves Poland in the lurch — now with US support. As a sheer
by-product, any attempt by the EU to forge a closer and common foreign security
policy is doomed now....
"Biden and his foreign policy team believe, wrongly in my view, that they can
co-opt Germany into their China strategy. They will discover that the candidate
most likely to succeed Angela Merkel is even more of a mercantilist than she is.
Armin Laschet stands in the tradition of German corporatism."
Robin Alexander, columnist for the German newspaper Die Welt, noted:
"Remarkably, Washington agreed to end its opposition to the project without any
recognizable benefit in exchange: Merkel has neither promised increased
engagement for NATO nor more clarity about China. The compromise between Biden
and Merkel is not a compromise at all, but an American capitulation."
Veteran geopolitical analyst Andrew Michta warned that America's capitulation on
Nord Stream 2 will "redefine" Europe for years to come:
"The strategic myopia of the NS2 decision is disheartening, for it shows our
inability to learn from Europe's evolution over the past three decades. The
stunning transformation of post-communist Europe after 1990 was possible not
only because of the powerful appeal of democracy and markets, but above all
because Russia was literally expelled from the region. It was that factor above
all others that allowed for NATO and then EU enlargement to the East, thereby
creating the conditions that transformed Central Europe from a
hyperinflation-ridden economic basket case into the most rapidly growing part of
the European Union. National security and state sovereignty were the sine qua
non of the successful transformation of post-communist Central Europe.
Furthermore, the emergence of Belarus and Ukraine alongside the Russian
Federation offered the greatest opportunity to date for Russia itself to break
out of the imperial cycle. So long as the sovereignty of Belarus and Ukraine
were preserved, there would be no back-to-empire pathway for Moscow, with the
Russian Federation having at least a shot at becoming a 'normal'
nation-state....
"In light of the NS2 deal and what it signifies in geostrategic terms, Ukraine's
continued independence has been put further in question, while Belarus is no
longer in a position to charter an even quasi-independent course of Russia,
making a regional solution to the security equation in the region that favors
NATO all but unattainable. And if Putin completes the process of re-assembling
the Russian imperial core, his armor and missile installations will be right at
NATO's Eastern border.
"As one surveys Europe's recent history, there are only a few policy decisions
that in hindsight deserve to be called transformative, for they set in motion
developments that would shape power relationships between states for years to
come. We have not yet seen the full impact of the NS2 deal, but arguably the
consequences of the US-German agreement will reverberate across Europe for years
to come."
A Brief History of Nord Stream 2
Nord Stream 2 is led by Russia's Gazprom, with half of the funding provided by
Germany's Uniper and Wintershall, the Anglo-Dutch company Shell, Austria's OMV
and France's Engie.
Despite the multinational participation, the pipeline is essentially a
German-Russian project promoted from its inception by Germany's center-left
Social Democratic Party (SPD), which, even during the Cold War, viewed closer
economic ties with Russia to defuse East-West tensions.
Germany's former SPD chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, a confidant of President
Putin, has been Europe's leading proponent of the pipeline. Schröder, who led
Germany between 1998 and 2005, has been the Chairman of Shareholders' Committee
of Nord Stream since 2006. He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of
Rosneft, Russia's biggest oil producer. He has used his connections in Germany
and elsewhere in Europe to lobby for both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2.
In 2017, when Nord Stream was suffering from several serious setbacks, the
former SPD leader and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel revived the project, as
did his successor, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is now Germany's president.
Germany's current Social Democratic Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, has criticized
U.S. sanctions as foreign interference: "Decisions on European energy policy are
made in Europe, not the USA. We fundamentally reject foreign interventions and
sanctions with extraterritorial effects."
Europe is, in fact, deeply divided over the Nord Stream project and Germany is
in the minority position. Russia is the largest supplier of natural gas to the
EU, according to Eurostat. Just over 40% of EU imports of natural gas come from
Russia, followed by Norway (at around 35%). Nord Stream 2, when combined with
the existing Nord Stream 1, would concentrate 80% of the EU's Russian-imported
gas along that pipeline route.
Germany's Nordic, Baltic and Eastern European neighbors have accused Berlin of
ignoring their concerns that the pipeline is a threat to Europe's energy
security and that it will strengthen Gazprom's already dominant position on the
market.
In March 2016, the leaders of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, in a letter to the European Commission,
warned that Nord Stream 2 would pose "risks for energy security in the region of
central and eastern Europe" and generate "potentially destabilizing geopolitical
consequences."
A report by the Swedish Defense Research Agency found that Russia has threatened
to cut energy supplies to Central and Eastern European more than 50 times. Even
after some of those states joined the European Union, Russian threats continued.
In December 2018, the European Parliament, by a vote of 433 to 105, condemned
Nord Stream 2 as "a political project that poses a threat to European energy
security." It called for the project to be cancelled.
Nord Stream 2 should have been operational at the end of 2019, but the project
was delayed after applications to lay pipes under Danish waters were left
pending since April 2017. Nord Stream Chairman Gerhard Schroeder blamed U.S.
political pressure on Denmark as the main reason for the delay in approving the
permits. "Denmark is putting Europe's energy security at risk," he said.
After Denmark's Social Democratic Party won the Danish general elections in June
2019, the new government removed the last major hurdle to complete the
Russian-led project. In October 2019, the Danish Energy Agency approved a permit
for Nord Stream to lay pipes in a 147-km section in the Danish Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) southeast of Bornholm, a Danish island in the Baltic Sea.
In August 2020, after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with
novichok, a military-grade nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union, Chancellor
Merkel faced intense pressure to pull out of the pipeline project. Merkel said
that the two issues should be "decoupled." The Biden administration, apparently,
agrees with Merkel on rewarding dictators and human rights violators with
multibillion dollar business deals.
*Soeren Kern is a Senior Fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute.
© 2021 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.
It’s Time for Biden to Leave a Bad Deal in the Past
Richard Goldberg/National Review/August 04/2021
A change in Iranian presidents doesn’t change the badness of the Iran deal.
When Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei selected Ebrahim Raisi to be the next president
of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Khamenei was sending Washington a message akin
to Nikita Khrushchev’s infamous 1956 pronouncement: “We will bury you.” But
don’t tell that to the unflappable advocates of appeasement in Washington who
insist it is always the right time for rapprochement with Iran.
Raisi is a hanging judge who sentenced thousands of political prisoners to die,
and he remains ideologically devoted to the Islamic Revolution. Yet somehow, the
appeasers believe his inauguration this week will magically open the door to
peace for our time.
Back in 2013, this same group was promoting a completely different narrative.
After the supreme leader selected the supposedly moderate Hassan Rouhani to be
president following eight years of threats and bluster from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,
Western newspapers and analysts hailed Rouhani’s elevation as a sure sign that
Iran was passing into Thermidor.
“Iranians took a step toward ending their country’s isolation by voting
overwhelmingly in weekend presidential elections for a moderate reformer who
promised a clean break from policies that put Iran on a collision course with
the West,” wrote the Washington Post. “Rouhani will have a powerful mandate to
improve Iran’s international relations and attempt to negotiate a settlement of
Iran’s nuclear activities.”
An article in the New York Times, headlined “President-Elect Stirs Optimism in
Iran and West,” noted that “there is growing optimism in Iran and in the West
that Mr. Rouhani, 64, is ready to restart serious talks on the nuclear issue.”
Rouhani, of course, was no moderate, nor even a reformer. Those who looked more
closely saw he was a loyal servant of the supreme leader. He was a member of the
Supreme National Security Council’s special operations committee during the
high-water mark of Iranian terrorism abroad — including the 1992 bombing of the
Israeli embassy in Argentina, the 1992 assassination of four dissidents at a
Berlin restaurant, the 1994 bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos
Aires that left 85 people dead, and the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers in
Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. airmen.
But the pro-engagement narrative at least made sense. Iran faced significant
economic pressure after Congress imposed sanctions on the regime’s central bank
and forced the SWIFT financial-messaging system to cut off Iranian banks.
Compared to Ahmadinejad and his calls for wiping Israel off the map, Khamenei’s
other lieutenants came off as superficially moderate at least. This gave the
Obama White House the political room to bring secret talks with the regime into
the public domain — and press forward with what would become the Iran nuclear
deal.
Eight years later, no amount of spin or massage can cast the man hand-picked by
the supreme leader to be the next president as a moderate. In 1988, as a zealous
young prosecutor, Raisi sat on Iran’s death commission, ordering the execution
of so-called “apostates” and “denigrators of Islam” every hour for months. The
Hangman of Tehran called these murders “one of the proudest achievements of the
system.” He would keep sending Iranians to their death for several decades: as
chief prosecutor in Tehran, first deputy head of Iran’s judiciary, and, most
recently, as judiciary chief. That is why the Treasury Department imposed
sanctions on Raisi in 2019.
If the selection of a “moderate” cleared the way for diplomacy in 2013, wouldn’t
a return to a fire-breathing “hardliner” like Raisi spell its demise? Not at
all, argue the nuclear-deal die-hards.
“Why Raisi Is the West’s Best Hope for a Deal with Iran,” suggested the headline
on a column from Johns Hopkins’s Vali Nasr. “Hard-liners would never accept an
agreement signed by a moderate — but they’ll fall into line if it comes from one
of their own.”
“For Biden, Iranian Hard-liner May Be Best Path to Restoring Nuclear Deal,”
added the New York Times. On the Times opinion page, Ali Vaez and Dina
Esfandiary added to the chorus: “The Hard-Liners Won in Iran. That’s Not All Bad
News.”
When asked if Raisi’s selection would complicate the administration’s drive to
rejoin the nuclear deal and lift U.S. sanctions on the world’s leading state
sponsor of terrorism, Biden national-security adviser Jake Sullivan said only
one person mattered in Iran: the supreme leader. How funny — that’s exactly what
opponents of the nuclear deal said back in 2013 when the Obama administration
was selling America on the need to embrace a flawed nuclear deal to empower
“Rouhani the moderate.”
Of course, Sullivan is correct — and the selection of Raisi is only one of many
signals the supreme leader has sent Biden this year, making clear that Khamenei
fully intends to pocket any sanctions relief he receives from Washington to fuel
the Islamic Republic’s war on the United States and its allies.
The Justice Department revealed this month that Iran attempted to carry out a
terrorist attack on American soil, kidnapping a U.S. citizen from New York.
Iran-backed proxies in Iraq have attacked U.S. forces for months with little to
no response from Biden. Iran-sponsored terror groups such as Hamas in Gaza and
the Houthis in Yemen have lobbed missiles at Israel and Saudi Arabia. And the
supreme leader has vastly escalated his nuclear provocations — enriching uranium
up to 60 percent purity, producing uranium metal, and limiting monitoring by
international inspectors.
In every way that matters, Khamenei is telling Biden, “We will bury you.”
Biden’s response has been to offer cash. After all, the nuclear deal is
fundamentally an appeasement pact masquerading as a nonproliferation deal; it
offers Iran money for temporary nuclear restraint, and no restraint at all on
the development of nuclear-capable missiles and the regime’s pursuit of regional
hegemony.
In his first press conference as president-select, Raisi made clear that Iran
would never negotiate the longer, stronger deal Biden said he could achieve by
first returning to the old one. Khamenei reaffirmed as much last week. Biden
should take “no” for an answer and leave a bad deal where it belongs — in the
past.
*Richard Goldberg is a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies. He served on Capitol Hill, on the U.S. National Security Council,
as the governor of Illinois’s chief of staff, and as a U.S. Navy Reserve
intelligence officer. Follow him on Twitter @rich_goldberg. FDD is a nonpartisan
think tank focused on foreign policy and national security issues.
Analysis: Iran escalates maritime conflict against Israel
Joe Truzman/FDD's Long War Journal/August 04/2021
On Thursday evening, Iran reportedly carried out a drone attack off the coast of
Oman against the MTT Mercer Street, an Israeli-operated oil vessel, resulting in
the deaths of one Romanian and one British citizen.
“Two of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive
military matters, said the attack appeared to have been carried out by several
unmanned Iranian drones that crashed into living quarters underneath the ship’s
command center, or bridge,” a New York Times report stated.
The attack came less than a month after the targeting of the CSAV Tyndall by
Iran, according to Israeli officials. Although in that case, the partial owner
of the Tyndall – an Israeli businessman – sold his share of the company months
before the attack occurred.
Iran’s previous attacks against Israeli-owned commercial vessels have been
limited to disabling the ship’s operation. However, Friday’s attack was
reportedly a deliberate attempt to cause casualties and escalate the tit-for-tat
maritime conflict between the two countries.Despite a denial by Iran, Israel,
the United States and Britain have publicly blamed Iran for the attack.
Iran’s New Strategy
An Iranian news site, citing unidentified ‘well informed sources,’ claimed
Iran’s attack was in response to an IDF airstrike near a military airport in
Syria that resulted in the deaths of a Hezbollah and a Fatemiyoun commander on
July 22. The al-Alam report has also been cited in numerous news articles as the
reason for the attack, however, that is unlikely to be the case.
It’s improbable Iran would respond in this manner to the killing of members of
militias they support in Syria and Lebanon. Hezbollah has the capability to
respond to Israeli military action without assistance from Iran and has
demonstrated its ability to do so numerous times in the past. Additionally, it’s
highly unlikely Iran would attack an Israeli target over the death of a
Fatemiyoun commander.
The drone strike against the MTT Mercer Street was more likely a response to
Israel’s repeated attacks against Iran’s nuclear program, including the killing
of its top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
Iran has identified Israeli interests at sea to be the most vulnerable to an
attack and has been exploiting them in an attempt to level the playing field
against a powerful Israeli military.
The killing of the crew members represents a departure in Iranian strategy and
creates a challenge for Israel on how to respond without triggering a broader
conflict in the region. Additionally, the involvement of the United States,
United Kingdom and Romania, may complicate this effort as the countries will
have to agree on an appropriate response.
With previous Iranian attacks, Israel had the freedom to choose its response.
However, with the Biden Administration’s involvement, it is unlikely Israel will
have every option available.
Despite the challenges, it is important that Israel succeeds in sending a
message that will create a deterrent effect in Tehran. A limited response will
be viewed as weakness and will further embolden Iran to continue these types of
attacks in the future.
*Joe Truzman is a contributor to FDD's Long War Journal.