English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 23/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the
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Bible Quotations For today
If they have called the master of the house
Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! ‘So have no
fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing
secret that will not become known.”
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 10/21-26:”Brother will
betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against
parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my
name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you
in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone
through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ‘A disciple is not
above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple
to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the
master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his
household! ‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be
uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on June 22-23/2021
Ministry of Health: 147 new infections, 4 deaths
Rahi says Lebanon politics shrouded with sabotage
Rahi on Political Deadlock: It's Our Turn to Fight Like Our Ancestors Did
President Aoun meets Lebanese-Zimbabwean Friendship Association
Army Commander receives Jumblatt, delegation of Baalbek-Hermel deputies
UK Head of Mission ends two-day visit to South Lebanon: ‘To the people of
Lebanon: it’s a privilege to support you’
Berri meets Egyptian and Ghanaian ambassadors, offers condolences on Saadiyat
road accident victims
Strong Lebanon: Failing to approve plan to rationalize subsidies deals major
blow to what remains of Lebanese people's savings
Hassan discusses with Turkish counterpart promotion of pharmaceutical, medical
investment: We look forward to importing high-quality Turkish products
Nawraj Association remits to Sister Mary Harika donation funded by Evangelical
Lutheran Church ofً Württemberg
Audi tackles Lebanese crisis with Shea
UK urged to stand with Iranian people, reject new president
French Prosecutors Charge 4 Executives over Libya, Egypt Cyber-spying
Aoun Says Lebanon Diaspora Can Help Crippling Economy
Over 140 Stations Refuse to Receive Gasoline over Security Concerns
Report: Berri Insists His Initiative on Govt Formation Could Save Lebanon
Economic collapse wreaks havoc in Lebanon/Rosabel Crean/The Tablet/June 22/2021
UK Head of Mission Ends Two-Day Visit to South Lebanon
Again, Crisis-Hit Lebanon Increases Bread Prices
In Times of Crises, Lebanon's Old Must Fend for Themselves
Nissan CEO Promises Turnaround for Disgruntled Shareholders
Lebanon must heed warnings of looming meltdown/Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab
News/June 22/2021
As Lebanon battles crisis, coastal city Batroun thrives on local tourism
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June
22-23/2021
Raisi sends mixed signals to Gulf Arabs, reiterates hardline credentials
Iranian state news websites seized, replaced with US law enforcement notices
Iran-backed Houthis launch explosive drone toward Saudi Arabia’s Khamis Mushait
Sudan asks UN Security Council to meet over Ethiopia’s controversial Blue Nile
dam
Sisi-Mitsotakis meeting reflects focus on Turkey’s regional policies
Washington pushes for removal of foreign fighters from Libya
Palestinians, Settlers Clash in Tense Jerusalem Neighborhood
No plans for Biden to meet new Iranian leader, says White House
IDF Chief Kohavi warns US against rejoining 2015 Iran deal
Israel successfully downs targets using airborne laser system
Bennett aims for ‘no surprises, no daylight’ with Biden administration
Amal Clooney brings to justice Daesh woman who oversaw rape, enslavement of
Yazidis
Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC
English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June
22-23/2021
Iran election results make Elbrahim Raisi president. The U.S. can’t
forgive his crimes/
Borghan Nezami Narajabad/Iranian Americaneconomist/THINK/NBC/June 22/2021
What Happened at the Biden-Putin Summit? Not Much./Thomas Joscelyn/The Dispatch/FDD/June
22/2021
Germany's Largest Right-Wing Extremist Group is Turkish, not German/Soeren Kern/Gatestone
Institute/June 22/2021
Egypt Seizes an Ancient Christian Monastery’s Land/Raymond Ibrahim/Coptic
Solidarity/June 22/2021
Jordan: The Coup That Never Was/Alberto M. Fernandez/MEMRI/June 22/2021
IRGC’s intelligence agency in Iranian power grab/Dr. Mohammed Al-Sulami/Arab
News/June 22/2021
Algerian authorities won the army’s loyalty but lost everything else/Saber Blidi/The
Arab Weekly/June 22/2021
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on June 22-23/2021
Ministry of Health: 147 new infections, 4 deaths
NNA/June 22/2021
The Ministry of Public Health announced 147 new coronavirus infection cases,
which raises the cumulative number of confirmed cases to 543698.
Rahi says Lebanon politics shrouded with sabotage
NNA/June 22/2021
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Beshara Boutros Al-Rahi, on Tuesday said in an
address he gave at the "Patriarchal Institution for Comprehensive Development"
conference in Bkerki that Lebanon's politics was shrouded with "sabotage and
demolition.""As if political action is for the ruin of our nation and the
demolition of our country," Al-Rahi exclaimed. "Our mind is free, and our
abilities are free; if we work together, we can rise in spite of everything," he
added. "We are not the only homeland that has ever experienced this ordeal, and
we must jettison our fear and renew confidence in our homeland. Our ancestors
had resisted calamities in previous times, and this is our role today," Al-Rahi
said.
Rahi on Political Deadlock: It's Our Turn to Fight Like Our
Ancestors Did
Naharnet/June 22/2021
Maronite Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi on Tuesday lamented how politics in Lebanon
is caught up in “sabotage and destruction,” whilst the crisis-hit country needs
solutions to steer it out of its crises, the National News Agency reported.
“Politics is engrossed in sabotage and demolition, as if political action is for
the ruin of a nation and the demolition of a country,” said Rahi at a conference
in Bkirki. But he assured the Lebanese’s ability to rise up because “our minds
are free, and our capabilities are free. If we work together, we can rise in
spite of everything.”"Lebanon is not the only nation enduring such crises,"
noted Rahi, “we have to demolish fear and renew trust in our nation. Our
ancestors have fought and today is our turn to do the same,” he said. Political
leaders have failed, since the designation of PM-designate Saad Hariri back in
October, in forming a much-needed government to steer crisis-hit Lebanon out of
its multiple crises. Disputes on ministerial shares and portfolios still control
the political scene, while the country slides deeper into an unprecedented
economic crisis, amid paralysis of the political class.
President Aoun meets Lebanese-Zimbabwean Friendship Association
NNA/June 22/2021
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, emphasized the importance of the
Lebanese role in the diaspora, to help restore Lebanese economic recovery and
limit the repercussions of the current situation on citizens who face daily
difficulties. The President also stressed the work to revive the Lebanese
economy and recover the Lira value, calling on all to cooperate to achieve this
goal especially the Lebanese in diaspora who can play an important role in this
field. Positions of President Aoun came while meeting a delegation from the
Lebanese-Zimbabwean Friendship Association, today at Baabda Palace.
The delegation included Vice President, Engineer Mahdi Hassan, retired Brigadier
General, Antoine Istanbouli, Lawyer Abbas Aidibi, Dr. Hussein Wannous, Mr.
Kassem Murad, Lawyer Ahmed Aidibi, and Mr. Ahmed Murad.
In the meeting, the President was briefed on the role which the association
plays in strengthening trade and economic relations between Lebanon and
Zimbabwe, where Eng. Hassan stated that “The role of the Lebanese expatriate is
very essential in moving the economic wheel and establishing productive,
non-consumable investment projects in addition to creating job opportunities for
the Lebanese youth”.
“Cooperation between Lebanese residents and expatriates on one hand, and the
Lebanese state and countries of diaspora on the other, has become an imperative
so that our country can advance and progress hence achieving common interests
between Lebanon and brotherly countries. Our association will work to build a
wide network of relations between the two friendly countries in order to achieve
common interests, support trade and cultural exchange and enhance the role of
the Lebanese community in Zimbabwe. Our association and its efforts will be the
cornerstone for establishing diplomatic relations between both countries”
Engineer Hassan added.
President Aoun:
For his part, the President welcomed the delegation and praised the Lebanese
diaspora in various world countries, noting that former Foreign Minister, Gebran
Bassil, worked to shed light on this diaspora and put it within the framework of
institutions, by launching the initiative of the Lebanese Diaspora Energy
Conference, which is annually held in Beirut. In addition, President Aoun
emphasized the development of relations between Lebanon and Zimbabwe, and
pointed to the importance of the association’s work and Lebanese community, in
parallel with what the state is accomplishing through the Foreign Affairs
Ministry and official institutions.
“You are the messengers to Lebanon abroad, and messengers to your host country
in Lebanon. Relations between the two countries develop, improve and become more
useful, through you” President Aoun said.
Moreover, the President stressed that “Development in Lebanon is a necessity,
especially in this difficult period which Lebanon is going through in light of
this unprecedented and great crisis. This crisis is part of the heavy legacy
which we inherited from previous eras and as a result of the accumulation of
crises which began with the huge debts which resulted from the state as result
of corruption, waste of public funds and mismanagement. This burden has
increased after the Syrian war and the closure of borders, in addition to the
great impact of the Syrian displacement on various economic sectors. All that in
addition to the impact of the October demonstrations and the Corona pandemic
outbreak, leading to the great catastrophe which befell Lebanon after the Beirut
Port explosion”.
“The burden is too great for a small country like Lebanon. A country whose
economy is poor in production, and a country whose national currency was
supported by increasing debts, while it would have been more useful to support
the Lebanese pound by increasing national production” President Aoun added.
“Therefore, we are trying today to revive the Lebanese economy and recover the
value of the Lebanese Pound. We call on everyone to cooperate to achieve this
goal, especially the Lebanese diaspora who are able to play an important role in
this field” the President concluded. ---Presidency Press Office
Army Commander receives Jumblatt, delegation of
Baalbek-Hermel deputies
NNA/June 22/2021
Armed Forces Commander General Joseph Aoun received at his office in Yarzeh head
of the Progressive Socialist Party, former MP Walid Jumblatt, and discussed with
him the general situation in the country. He also welcomed a delegation of
deputies from Baalbek-Hermel headed by Representative Hussein Hajj Hassan, and
they discussed various issues.
UK Head of Mission ends two-day visit to South
Lebanon: ‘To the people of Lebanon: it’s a privilege to support you’
NNA/June 22/2021
Over a two-day tour of the south of Lebanon, Head of the British Embassy in
Lebanon, Dr. Martin Longden visited UK-funded projects in Saida, Tyre, and Bint
Jbeil, and met with a wide range of Lebanese society, underlining the UK’s
continued support to all the people of Lebanon.
Dr. Longden met the Mayor of Saida Mohamad Saoudi and visited two UK- funded
community projects benefiting the residents of the city and their livelihoods.
Longden saw how the rehabilitation of Saida’s Fish Market supported local
fishermen, joined by Ziad Hakawati, municipality focal point on the fish market
project. He also saw how the installation of 160 solar-powered streetlights
across the city’s 7 km coastline helped boost tourism and livelihoods. Since
2014, the UK has provided over $105 million support to its Lebanon Host
Communities Support Programme, reaching over 220 municipalities in collaboration
with UNDP and the Ministry of Social Affairs.
At a roundtable discussion with Palestinian men and women from the Saida’s
refugee camps and neighbourhoods, participants presented their initiatives for
increasing recycling projects, championing women’s empowerment, and supporting
the Palestinian communities through Civil Defence representation. Thanks to the
UK’s Conflict Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), the project has benefited the
resilience of tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and facilitated social
integration despite the immense challenges.
In Tyre, Dr. Longden visited the Imam Sadr Foundation with its Director General
Nijad Charafeddine and saw a project focusing on vocational training for 18-25
year olds. He visited the Papyrus project previously funded by the UK embassy,
which employs vulnerable Lebanese, and refugee women to collect, recycle and
convert waste paper into eco-friendly handicraft, and saw the handwoven carpets
made by women and vulnerable refugees.
Paying tribute to Becky Dykes’s life and the values she upheld, an olive tree
was planted in her memory in Qana by UN Women. The tree planting was part of a
ceremony to mark the end of a Rebecca Dyke’s foundation and UN Women project
training women community mediators in conflict prevention. Dr. Longden thanked
the women for their touching tribute to an excellent colleague and humanitarian.
The visit to South Lebanon was an opportunity to highlight the impact of climate
change on our daily lives and the importance of protecting fragile ecosystems.
The British delegation benefited from a guided tour at Tyre Coast Nature Reserve
by Dr. Naheda Msayleb head of the Tyre Natural Reserve NGO, and heard about its
unique biodiversity providing a safe haven for fauna and flora to flourish.
On day two of his visit, Dr. Longden met in Bint Jbeil’s Social Development
Centre (SDC) women and girls from various backgrounds who found a safe space to
learn and gain skills, benefit from psychosocial support, and integrated Gender
Based Violence-Youth programme activities. The safe space in the SDC is part of
the UK’s No Lost Generation Initiative and provides services to over 1100
beneficiaries every year. It is one of 12 safe spaces set up in SDCs in Lebanon
run by the Ministry of Social Affairs in collaboration with UNICEF Lebanon and
local NGOs. With the No Lost Generation Initiative (£92m – 2016-2022) the UK has
reached more than 134,000 boys and girls with child protection, Gender-Based
Violence services and psychosocial support services to prevent and respond to
violence.
At Kfarhatta’s Secondary Public School, part of the British Council’s Connecting
Classrooms Programme, Dr. Longden saw four interactive projects by 48 students
and their teachers focusing on Mental health and wellbeing, Media literacy,
Climate change, Build back greener and Embrace diversity. The connecting
classrooms Programme engages over 100 schools in Lebanon reaching over one
hundred thousand boys and girls of all ages.
Dr. Longden also met with MP Bahia Hariri, and visited Beaufort castle.
At the end of his visit, Dr. Martin Longden said from Bint Jbeil:
‘It has been great to escape the Beirut bubble and come down and meet with
people and communities here. And my programme has been really varied, busy which
reflects the very special agenda that underpins the UK-Lebanon relationship.
‘I am really proud to see the transformational impact of British aid programmes
here in Southern Lebanon. So from education programmes and protection for women
and girls here in Bint Jbeil to support for Lebanese livelihoods in Saida and
help to refugees in Tyre. These programmes are making a real difference. ‘These
are truly difficult times for Lebanon. And although the UK will always do what
it can to stand by the people of this country, we cannot make the difference
without a serious and a credible Lebanese government, that can be a partner to
take the reforms necessary to really turn the situation around. How long must
the people suffer before Lebanon’s politicians come together and take collective
action to deal with this crisis? ‘But on a positive note, I see here in Southern
Lebanon as elsewhere in the country people with a real passion and talent and
commitment to really make a positive difference to people’s lives. And to me
these are the true leaders of Lebanon the ones who are getting on and doing what
they can to make this country a better place and the UK is really proud to stand
with you and support you in this.’ — UK Embassy
Berri meets Egyptian and Ghanaian ambassadors,
offers condolences on Saadiyat road accident victims
NNA/June 22/2021
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Tuesday welcomed at the Second Presidency in Ain
el-Tineh, Egypt's Ambassador to Lebanon, Dr. Yasser Alawi, with whom he
discussed the latest political developments and the general situation, as well
as the bilateral relations between the two countries. Speaker Berri also met
with President of the Audit Bureau, Judge Muhammad Badran, accompanied by a
delegation of judiciaries. Badran handed over to Berri a special report on the
postal sector related contract. Berri also received the Ambassador of the
Republic of Ghana to Lebanon, Egypt and Sudan, Dr Winfred Nii Okai Hammond.
Discussions reportedly touched on the general situation and the bilateral
relations between the two countries. On the other hand, Berri contacted by phone
Mr. Qassem Hawila, offering condolences over the fallen victims in yesterday’s
horrific car accident on the coastal highway in the Saadiyat region.
Strong Lebanon: Failing to approve plan to
rationalize subsidies deals major blow to what remains of Lebanese people's
savings
NNA/June 22/2021
The Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc hoped in a statement following its
periodic meeting, headed by MP Gebran Bassil, that the positions launched by
Bassil last Sunday and the "idea he presented would be a basis for boosting
contacts and holding the necessary consultations for the establishment of the
promised reform government." The statement issued in the wake of the meeting
stressed that the bloc sees the continuing stalemate as "tantamount to
committing a crime against the people, and this is something it refused to
participate in or be silent over or allow its continuation."The bloc noted that
"securing fuel, medicine, and basic goods is a vital matter." "It is
impermissible to allow a sharp rise in prices without providing the necessary
assistance to the needy," conferees urged, wondering why the procrastination
when everybody knows "that the radical solution is to rationalize subsidies
gradually and approve the subsidy card." The bloc believes that "lifting the
subsidy and refraining from approving the rationalization plan and the subsidy
card will cause the interruption of materials and cause a major increase in
prices, which is bound to ignite a massive social unrest. (…) Failing to approve
the subsidy rationalization plan deals a blow to what is left of the savings of
the Lebanese."
Hassan discusses with Turkish counterpart promotion
of pharmaceutical, medical investment: We look forward to importing high-quality
Turkish products
NNA/June 22/2021
Caretaker Minister of Public Health, Hamad Hassan, initiated his visit to Turkey
with a meeting held with his Turkish counterpart, Fahrettin Koca, at the
headquarters of the Turkish Ministry of Health in Ankara, during which they
discussed ways to bolster cooperation and investment in the fields of medicine,
supplies, implants, equipment, and medical tourism, in addition to exchanging
services and experiences in the field of medical tourism. The Turkish minister
welcomed his guest, pointing out that "Minister Hassan's visit coincided with an
important medical development in Turkey represented by the use of the Turkish
vaccine for the first time," suggesting "the possibility of cooperation in the
field of clinical studies."Koca expressed his country's readiness to "develop
bilateral cooperation in the health field at all levels," stressing "the
importance of Minister Hassan's visit to the Turkish Medicines Authority, and
the "importance of completing the administrative arrangements to launch the
works in the Turkish Specialized Hospital for Burns in Sidon, which is set to be
fully equipped in late July." In turn, Minister Hassan thanked "the Turkish
government and the Turkish people for the support provided to Lebanon throughout
all the ordeals it has gone through, especially the support provided by the
Turkish Ministry of Health to hospital institutions after the explosion of the
Port of Beirut."He pointed out that "the delicate circumstances that Lebanon is
going through are pushing it to turn towards friendly countries, including
Turkey, which highlights the quality and effectiveness of its pharmaceutical
products." Hassan stressed "the ministry's interest in importing these products,
especially medicines for incurable diseases, in addition to high-quality Turkish
medical supplies and implants, through agreements either between the ministries
of the two countries or between the Lebanese Ministry of Health and Turkish
companies, or even between Lebanese and Turkish companies."Minister Hassan and
the accompanying delegation then visited the Ankara Governmental Hospital, and
inspected its various departments, as this hospital is considered one of the
largest international hospitals.
Nawraj Association remits to Sister Mary Harika
donation funded by Evangelical Lutheran Church ofً Württemberg
NNA/June 22/2021
Under the auspices of Reverend Dr. Habib Badr, head of the Beirut Evangelical
Church, a team of Nawraj Association headed by Dr. Fouad Abou Nader, has
remitted to Sister Mary Harika, (director of Besançon school of Baskinta), an
amount of €25.000. This donation was funded by the Evangelical Lutheran Church
ofً Württemberg, Stuttgart, to cover the tuition fees of the students for the
academic year of 2020-2021.
Audi tackles Lebanese crisis with Shea
NNA/June 22/2021
Metropolitan of Beirut, Archbishop Elias Audi, welcomed this Tuesday the US
ambassador to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea, with whom he discussed the current
situation and the crisis that Lebanon is going through. The Ambassador was
accompanied on her visit by Political Adviser Ethan Lynch.
UK urged to stand with Iranian people, reject
new president
Arab News/June 22/2021
LONDON: The British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) on Tuesday urged the UK
government to reject newly elected Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and campaign
for him to face justice for human rights abuses.
Raisi won the presidential election on June 18, but the BCFIF said in a
statement: “Elections in Iran are neither free, fair nor representative. It
reflects the will of the unelected Supreme Leader and serves as a process to
further strengthen the theocracy’s grip on power to the detriment of the Iranian
people.” It added: “This was made clear again on June 18 as the Iranian people
rejected the theocracy in its entirety with a widespread national boycott of the
presidential election farce.”The BCFIF said Raisi “had an extensive role in the
regime’s current and past crimes against humanity, including the 1988 massacre
of 30,000 political prisoners and PMOI (People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran)
members and supporters in Iran as well as the killing of 1,500 protesters and
torture of thousands of arrested protesters during and after the nationwide
protests in November 2019.” In the week after Raisi’s election victory, Sir
David Amess, a Conservative MP and co-chairman of the BCFIF, said: “The people
of Iran answered the call by the President-elect of the National Council of
Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Mrs Maryam Rajavi and completely boycotted the
election farce in Iran.” He added that the BCFIF supports Rajavi’s call “for
Raisi to be investigated and face justice in an international tribunal. This
issue must be a priority for the UK Government during the 47th Session of the
United Nations Human Rights Council.”Andrew Rosindell, a Conservative MP and
member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said: “With Raisi as president,
the regime is signalling that it will continue its repression, persecution of
popular dissent and export of terrorism.”He added: “It is time for our
government to follow the recommendations in our report which includes
proscribing the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) in its entirety and
taking steps to end the impunity of Iranian officials by holding the regime to
account for its support of terrorism and systematic human rights abuses.”
French Prosecutors Charge 4 Executives over Libya, Egypt
Cyber-spying
Agence France Presse/June 22/2021
Prosecutors have charged four executives at two French companies accused of
aiding Libya's former strongman Moamer Kadhafi and Egyptian authorities to spy
on opposition figures who were later detained and tortured, a rights group said
Tuesday.
The former chief of Amesys, Philippe Vannier, was charged in Paris last week
with "complicity in acts of torture," according to the International Federation
of Human Rights (FIDH), which was confirmed by judicial sources. Olivier Bohbot,
head of Nexa Technologies, and two other executives were charged with
"complicity in acts of torture and forced disappearances." The firms are
suspected of selling internet surveillance gear to Libya and Egypt,
respectively, that was used to track down regime opponents.
"This is a considerable step that demonstrates that what we see every day on the
ground -- the links between the activities of these surveillance companies and
violations of human rights -- can be considered criminal and lead to complicity
charges," Clemence Bectarte and Patrick Baudouin, lawyers for FIDH, said in a
statement. The FIDH filed suit and investigations were opened after the deals
were reported by The Wall Street Journal in 2011 as the Arab Spring protests
raged in several Middle East countries. The WSJ report revealed that Amesys had
provided Deep Packet Inspection technology to Kadhafi's government, allowing it
to surreptitiously intercept Internet messages. Amesys has acknowledged the tech
deal with Libya, made in the context of easing ties with the West starting in
2007, when Kadhafi visited French president Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris. At least
six alleged victims of the spying who joined the suit as plaintiffs were
questioned by French judges from 2013 to 2015. In
2017, judges turned their focus to Nexa, accused of selling an updated version
of Amesys's software called "Cerebro," capable of real-time message or call
tracing, to the government of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The FIDH said judges were also investigating the sale of similar technologies to
Saudi Arabia.
Aoun Says Lebanon Diaspora Can Help Crippling Economy
Naharnet/June 22/2021
President Michel Aoun on Tuesday emphasized the important role Lebanon’s
diaspora can play in reviving the country’s worsening economy, the National News
Agency reported. He said the “diaspora can help restore economic recovery and
limit the repercussions of the current situation on citizens who face daily
difficulties.”The President also stressed the need to restore the value of the
Lebanese pound, calling on all to cooperate to achieve this goal. Aoun’s
positions came during a meeting with a delegation of the Lebanese-Zimbabwean
Friendship Association at Baabda Palace.
Over 140 Stations Refuse to Receive Gasoline over Security
Concerns
Naharnet/June 22/2021
More than 140 gas stations have refused to receive gasoline from distributors
because their workers are facing “troubles, blackmail and physical assault and
are not being able to protect themselves,” the representative of distributors,
Fadi Abu Shaqra, said on Tuesday. In a phone interview with the National News
Agency, Abu Shaqra called on security agencies and Internal Security Forces head
Maj. Gen. Imad Othman to “protect the stations that are performing their
duties.”Asked about caretaker Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar’s meeting with MPs
last week and what the central bank requested from him for the import of fuel to
continue, Abu Shaqra said there was a proposal to adopt the LBP 3,900 dollar
exchange rate to “ease pressure on the central bank,” reassuring that “there was
no talk of lifting subsidization in a complete manner.”Commenting on the fuel
shortage crisis, the representative added: “Distributors and the owners of
stations are not the cause of the crisis. The high demand in the market is
rather leading to the quick consumption of the quantities that are being
injected into the market.”Distributors and stations are also “facing pressures
and problems due to the shortages,” he said. The fuel shortage crisis has
worsened in recent days and many are blaming it on increased smuggling into
Syria from the tiny country. Long lines have formed outside gas stations in
cities and towns across Lebanon, choking traffic. Motorists line up for hours to
fill up but only receive rationed amounts of fuel. Nerves have frayed in the
long waits and in a number of incidents, angry drivers have fired guns in the
air to jump the line or demand more fuel. Lebanon's cash-strapped government,
which has dwindling foreign reserves, is struggling to secure fuel and subsidize
imports that include most of the country's basic goods and medicine.
Report: Berri Insists His Initiative on Govt Formation
Could Save Lebanon
Naharnet/June 22/2021
Speaker Nabih Berri said his initiative to ease the government formation “still
stands” despite the newly “fabricated" political tension aimed at foiling his
move, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday. Berri stresses that the
initiative is the way out of the Lebanese crisis, and through forming a
government that will start the rescue workshop, said the daily. He believes
everyone should know that shall his initiative fail “there would be no country,”
referring to Lebanon’s extremely worsening economic and financial crisis amid a
political paralysis. Meanwhile, the political bureau of Berri’s AMAL Movement
issued a statement on Monday after positions made by MP Jebran Bassil. The
bureau expressed commitment to the Constitution and to the National Pact Accord
that serves the country’s interest, stability and security. Bassil had on Sunday
said that Berri has not been an "impartial mediator" in his latest efforts to
find a solution to the deadlock, urging Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
to step in as a "friend" and "referee."
Economic collapse wreaks havoc in Lebanon
Rosabel Crean/The Tablet/June 22/2021
Several roads were blocked by protesters last week as banks and government
offices observed a general strike in protest against the collapsing economy.
Severe fuel, medicine, electricity, and food shortages have been wreaking havoc
on daily life in Lebanon, as the country’s deep political crisis has
precipitated a national economic collapse. Prospects for the visit that Pope
Francis has said he would dearly like to make to the country appear to be
receding by the day. Over the last fortnight, citizens have faced two-hour long
queues and rationing at gas stations, hospital and pharmacy strikes over
medicine shortages, frequent electricity blackouts, all alongside complete
inaction from the country’s leaders. In late 2019, as the beginnings of an
economic downturn appeared in the small Middle Eastern nation, thousands of
people protested in an uprising against the country’s ruling elite; who for
decades siphoned off state funds and racked up debts amid a culture of impunity
and corruption. Now the country’s grave political and economic crisis has
resulted in the Central Bank struggling to subsidise imports of fuel, medicine,
food, and other essential goods, with its US dollar reserves running dry.
Government ministers have admitted for months the subsidy scheme can no longer
be supported, but no alternative has materialised, with the result that over
half of Lebanon’s six million people are now in poverty and suffering from food
insecurity. Abou Rami, a 61-year-old shopkeeper in Basta, a traditional
working-class neighbourhood in Beirut, told The Tablet he can no longer afford
to buy meat and struggles to pay for his sick daughter’s medicine.
The Lebanese pound has lost 90 per cent of its value against the US dollar, with
food prices now five times higher than in 2019.
Abou Rami said life in Lebanon today was harder than anything in his lifetime,
even during the country’s 1975-1990 civil war. “It is so hard. I am hopeless, I
am going to cry,” he said, sitting inside his shop with the lights off, as one
of the country’s now almost hourly power cuts struck. The crisis has been
aggravated by a stalemate among the country’s political class, with the
confessional power-sharing system between a Maronite Christian President and
Sunni Muslim Prime Minister – currently Michel Aoun and Hassan Diab in a
caretaker capacity – simply proving unfit for purpose.
After the explosion in the port of Beirut last summer that devastated the
capital city, Diab’s government resigned and former prime minister Saad Hariri
returned. But Hariri’s cabinet formation efforts have been blighted by
squabbling between Hariri and Aoun, who has been pushing for veto power in
cabinet for his Christian party, the Free Patriotic Movement. For ten months the
country, which has the highest ratio of Christians in the Arab world, has been
left without a fully functioning government. A damning
World Bank report from earlier this month ranked the economic crisis as possibly
one of the top three most severe crises globally since the mid-nineteenth
century. Despite the urgency of the situation, the
country’s political and religious leaders remain unable to present a rescue
plan, abandoning a population to sink further into the abyss.
Abou Rami spoke for many when he concluded: “I am tired, I don’t have hope
anymore.”
UK Head of Mission Ends Two-Day Visit to South Lebanon
Naharnet/June 22/2021
Over a two-day tour of the south of Lebanon, Head of the British Embassy in
Lebanon, Martin Longden, visited UK-funded projects in Sidon, Tyre, and Bint
Jbeil, and met with a wide range of Lebanese society, underlining the UK’s
“continued support to all the people of Lebanon,” the Embassy said on Tuesday.
Longden met the Mayor of Sidon Mohammed al-Saudi and visited two UK-
funded community projects benefiting the residents of the city and their
livelihoods. He saw how the rehabilitation of Sidon’s Fish Market supported
local fishermen, joined by Ziad Hakawati, municipality focal point on the fish
market project. He also saw how the installation of 160 solar-powered
streetlights across the city’s 7km coastline helped boost tourism and
livelihoods. Since 2014, the UK has provided over $105 million support to its
Lebanon Host Communities Support Program, reaching over 220 municipalities in
collaboration with UNDP and the Ministry of Social Affairs.
At a roundtable discussion with Palestinian men and women from Sidon’s
refugee camps and neighborhoods, participants presented their initiatives for
increasing recycling projects, championing women’s empowerment, and supporting
the Palestinian communities through Civil Defense representation. Thanks to the
UK’s Conflict Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), the project has “benefited the
resilience of tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and facilitated social
integration despite the immense challenges,” the Embassy said in a statement.
In Tyre, Longden visited the Imam Sadr Foundation with its Director General
Nijad Charafeddine and saw a project focusing on vocational training for 18-25
year olds. He visited the Papyrus project previously funded by the UK embassy,
which employs vulnerable Lebanese, and refugee women to collect, recycle and
convert waste paper into eco-friendly handicraft, and saw the handwoven carpets
made by women and vulnerable refugees.
Paying tribute to slain UK diplomat Becky Dykes’s life and the values she
upheld, an olive tree was planted in her memory in Qana by U.N. Women. The tree
planting was part of a ceremony to mark the end of a Rebecca Dyke’s foundation
and U.N. Women project training women community mediators in conflict
prevention. Longden thanked the women for their “touching tribute to an
excellent colleague and humanitarian.”
The visit to South Lebanon was an opportunity to highlight the impact of climate
change on our daily lives and the importance of protecting fragile ecosystems.
The British delegation benefited from a guided tour at Tyre Coast Nature Reserve
by Dr. Nahed Msayleb head of the Tyre Natural Reserve NGO, and heard about its
unique biodiversity providing a safe haven for fauna and flora to flourish.
On day two of his visit, Longden met in Bint Jbeil’s Social Development Center (SDC)
women and girls from various backgrounds who found a safe space to learn and
gain skills, benefit from psychosocial support, and integrated Gender Based
Violence-Youth program activities. The safe space in the SDC is part of the UK’s
No Lost Generation Initiative and provides services to over 1100 beneficiaries
every year. It is one of 12 safe spaces set up in SDCs in Lebanon run by the
Ministry of Social Affairs in collaboration with UNICEF Lebanon and local NGOs.
With the No Lost Generation Initiative (£92m – 2016-2022) the UK has reached
more than 134,000 boys and girls with child protection, Gender-Based Violence
services and psychosocial support services to prevent and respond to violence.
At Kfarhatta’s Secondary Public School, part of the British Council’s Connecting
Classrooms Program, Longden saw four interactive projects by 48 students and
their teachers focusing on Mental health and wellbeing, Media literacy, Climate
change, Build back greener and Embrace diversity. The connecting classrooms
Program engages over 100 schools in Lebanon reaching over one hundred thousand
boys and girls of all ages.
Longden also met with MP Bahia Hariri, and visited Beaufort castle.
At the end of his visit, Longden said from Bint Jbeil: “It has been great
to escape the Beirut bubble and come down and meet with people and communities
here. And my program has been really varied, busy which reflects the very
special agenda that underpins the UK-Lebanon relationship.”“I am really proud to
see the transformational impact of British aid programs here in southern
Lebanon. So from education programs and protection for women and girls here in
Bint Jbeil to support for Lebanese livelihoods in Saida (Sidon) and help to
refugees in Tyre. These programs are making a real difference,” he added.
“These are truly difficult times for Lebanon. And although the UK will
always do what it can to stand by the people of this country, we cannot make the
difference without a serious and a credible Lebanese government, that can be a
partner to take the reforms necessary to really turn the situation around,”
Longden said. “How long must the people suffer before
Lebanon’s politicians come together and take collective action to deal with this
crisis?” he urged.
Longden added: “But on a positive note, I see here in southern Lebanon as
elsewhere in the country people with a real passion and talent and commitment to
really make a positive difference to people’s lives. And to me these are the
true leaders of Lebanon the ones who are getting on and doing what they can to
make this country a better place and the UK is really proud to stand with you
and support you in this.”
Again, Crisis-Hit Lebanon Increases Bread Prices
Agence France Presset/June 22/2021
Lebanon’s economy ministry announced on Tuesday a bread price hike, the fourth
in almost a year, a move the government blames on end of subsidies on sugar as
declared by the Central Bank of Lebanon, amid a plunge in the value of the local
currency. The economy ministry announced that the
price of 910 grams of bread will be sold at 3,250 Lebanese pounds, up from 2,750
pounds, before the latest increase. The move means the
price of bread has more than doubled since May last year, as the country
grapples with an unrelenting economic and political crisis that predates the
coronavirus pandemic. In justifying the latest hike, the ministry pointed to the
Central Bank’s end of subsidies on sugar, and to an ongoing failure to form a
new government driving a "sharp fall in the Lebanese pound against the dollar".
The pound is currently trading at about 14,000 to the dollar on the black
market, compared with the official rate pegged at 1,507. The consequent erosion
of purchasing power has fanned anger in a population that has long viewed the
ruling elite as irretrievably corrupt. More than half the population lives in
poverty, according to the UN.
In Times of Crises, Lebanon's Old Must Fend for
Themselves
Associated Press/June 22/2021
Tiny and bowed by age, Marie Orfali makes the trip five times a week from her
Beirut apartment to the local church, a charity and a nearby soup kitchen to
fetch a cooked meal for her and her 84-year-old husband, Raymond. Their only
support — Raymond's $15,000 one-time end-of-service payment from when he retired
more than 20 years ago — long ago ran dry. They have since depended on charity
to cover almost everything: rent, cleaning supplies, pain killers and food for
their white dog Snoopy. But charity covers less and less as Lebanon's currency
collapses. The cash they get from a benefactor and the church every month, once
amounting to $400, is now barely worth $40.
The 76-year-old Marie broke down in tears when asked how she's doing. "I've
become scared, I've become jittery," she said. "I sit and cry and think, I want
money. I want to get stuff for the house."With virtually no national welfare
system, Lebanon's elderly are left to fend for themselves amid their country's
economic turmoil. In their prime years, they survived 15 years of civil war that
started in 1975 and bouts of instability. Now, in their old age, many have been
thrown into poverty by one of the world's worst financial crises in the past 150
years. Lebanon has the greatest number of elderly in the Middle East — 10% of
the population of 6 million is over 65. Around 80% of the population above the
age of 65 have no retirement benefits or health care coverage, according to the
U.N.'s International Labor Organization.
Family members and charities, traditionally the prime source of support, are
struggling with increasing needs as unemployment rises.
Any dollar savings the elderly had from a lifetime of work are locked up in
banks, inaccessible in the banking crisis. The savings lost nearly 90% of their
value as the local currency collapsed against the dollar. Imported medicine and
basic goods are in jeopardy, and a once reliable health care system is
crumbling.
"I don't have money to buy clothes or shoes," Marie said, whispering. She didn't
want Raymond to hear her complain. He recently went through a COVID-19 infection
and brain surgery and gets agitated, and it's only worsened by lockdowns and the
financial crisis. Raymond worked for 26 years as an orderly at one of Beirut's
hospitals, and Marie as a custodian at a university.
Now they live among piles of their belongings in a rented apartment in east
Beirut, trinkets filling the shelves and pictures of Jesus and the holy family
adorning every wall. The black suits that Raymond once wore to parties — he was
a lively dancer — still hang over his bed. A bag of bread is under the bed for
easy access. He moves around the apartment with a walker. Their five children
are struggling as well and can't help.
Over the past two years, more elderly have taken to the streets, searching
through trash or begging, said Joe Taoutel, who runs Rafiq el-Darb, or Friends
until the End, the charity where Marie gets some of the meals each week.
Taoutel delivers home meals to more than 60 elderly families, up from five
before the crisis. "Those who used to give are now in need," said Taoutel. "At
first, groups would help their sects. Now, needs have increased, and no one can
replace the state."
Lebanon is one of only 16 countries in the world with no pension scheme for
private sector workers in case of old age, disability and death, according to
the ILO. The national social security program covers only 30% of the labor
force, mainly giving one-time payments at retirement, and is dangerously
underfunded.
To rub salt in the wound, a massive explosion in Beirut last summer devastated
parts of the city where hundreds of homes of Lebanon's older Christian
population stood, temporarily or permanently displacing them.
The government is struggling to provide for a population where now 55% live
under the poverty line since the crisis began in late 2019. The World Bank has
given Lebanon a loan of $246 million to offer cash assistance to about 160,000
Lebanese families — but disbursement has been delayed. The financial institution
said it had no data for how many of the elderly are under the poverty line.
As the economy falters, more young Lebanese are migrating, leaving behind aging
parents. The U.N. estimates that by 2030, those above 65 may make up more than
15% of Lebanon's population, a trend that could be accelerated with the brain
drain and a deteriorating health care system.
"The elderly and those with disabilities are remaining. If society is not aware
of this problem, I think we're heading toward more crises," said Mustafa Helweh,
head of Social Services Medical Association, a rehabilitation hospital and
nursing home in Tripoli, northern Lebanon.
Thousands of foreign domestic workers — the backbone of the elderly care system
— left as dollars became scarce. The overwhelmed health care system is no longer
considered reliable. At the height of the pandemic, nursing homes were
considered a high risk around the world. In Lebanon, some families saw them as
the answer.
Helweh's 104-year-old facility accommodates up to 300, a mix of elderly,
mentally ill and people with disabilities. It halted admissions and visits at
the start of the pandemic.
When it reopened six months later, 42 new patients were admitted, an unexpected
rush. With currency depreciation, a private room now costs the equivalent of
only about $100 a month. The facility is refitting part of the basement for more
rooms, but a plan for a 72-bed annex never took off. Foreign funds were stuck in
the bank, and bureaucracy delayed government approval. Private donations made up
for shortages, though families were asked to look for medicines in short supply
or bring in adult diapers, now five times more expensive. Nurses looked for jobs
elsewhere as salaries couldn't keep up with inflation.
Suleiman Ali Yousef, an 81-year-old merchant, arrived nearly two months ago.
Yousef and his wife contracted coronavirus together last year. Unlike everything
they did together the past 50 years, she passed away alone. His health weak,
Yousef needed care. His children admitted him.
A self-made man, Yousef said he survived the treacherous business world with
quick wits and good connections. He imported cheap goods from Europe during the
civil war.
His wife managed the savings, and they lived well, never needing financial help
from family. He only stopped working because of a stroke two years ago.
Now half his savings are stuck in the bank. The other half is merchandise stored
at a warehouse. He has no social insurance.
"I never cost the state anything in my life. I worked and paid for everything,"
he said from his bed. "It must offer me a service. I am sick."
He despairs at finding himself alone and in need. "I don't want to go back to
being a young man. No, thank you! But I want to take care of myself."
Back in the Orfalis apartment, Raymond said he can't afford to hire help. He can
barely afford his pain killers. His equally aging wife is his only caregiver.
She changes his diapers and responds to his bell rings in the middle of the
night from the room next door.
"She is suffering with me. I don't want her to suffer," he said, weeping. "I
have nothing. Just God. May He take me back and relieve me."
Nissan CEO Promises Turnaround for Disgruntled Shareholders
Associated Press/June 22/2021
Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida pleaded for patience from disgruntled
shareholders Tuesday and promised a turnaround at the Japanese automaker, which
is projecting a third year of losses as it struggles to distance itself from a
scandal over its former chairman, Carlos Ghosn."What we have worked on during
years of hardship will bear fruit," Uchida said at the annual regular
shareholders' meeting. Attendance was limited at the
meeting, which was also relayed online due to pandemic precautions. One
shareholder got up and demanded a detailed disclosure of Ghosn's alleged
wrongdoing, saying questions about governance remained unanswered.
Another shareholder also addressed the Ghosn scandal, saying the problem
should have been solved internally instead being handed over to prosecutors.
Nissan Motor Co., based in the port city of Yokohama, has been struggling
in recent years. Its brand image was battered by the 2018 arrest of Ghosn over
various financial misconduct allegations. Ghosn jumped
bail and fled to Lebanon in late 2019. But his arrest shocked Japan and raised
serious questions about leadership at the maker of the Leaf electric car, Z
sportscar and Infiniti luxury brand.
"We are sorry to have caused such worries. We are doing our best to recover your
trust. I have not forgotten this for a moment," said Uchida.
All shareholders remained anonymous and were identified with numbers.Separately,
another shareholder got up to express his outrage that there have been no
dividends for two years, while some executives still are paid huge salaries.
Uchida assured investors the automaker was doing its best to avert a
third straight year of losses. Slammed by weak sales during the pandemic, Nissan
is projecting a 60 billion yen ($540 million) loss for the fiscal year ending in
March 2022. That's smaller than the losses racked up in the previous two
years.Uchida said profitability was improving, and asked shareholders to give
Nissan a bit more time to prove itself. Nissan boasts fine technology in
automated driving and electric vehicles, he said. "Please be assured we will
continue with improvements," said Uchida. At the end
of the two-hour meeting, shareholders approved the reappointment of the 12
directors. They include Uchida; Jean-Dominique Senard, an executive from French
alliance partner Renault, and seven outside directors.The approval was shown by
applause. Votes were also submitted by proxy and online in advance. Another
proposal, which demanded the disclosure of the alliance agreement between
Renault and Nissan, known as RAMA, for "Restated Alliance Master Agreement," was
rejected. Nissan management had opposed that, saying confidentiality was
necessary. The relationship between Renault and Nissan has been a recurring
sticking point. Ghosn was sent in by Renault to salvage Nissan from the brink of
bankruptcy in 1999. Nissan officials have testified they turned to Japan's
criminal authorities to get Ghosn arrested because they feared the alliance was
excessively dominated by Renault. One shareholder at
Tuesday's meeting urged Nissan to apologize to Greg Kelly, a former top
executive at the company who is being tried in Tokyo, charged with
under-reporting Ghosn's compensation. Kelly, an American, says he is innocent.
Uchida declined comment on Kelly's case.
Lebanon must heed warnings of looming meltdown
Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/June 22/2021
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Saturday said that the Lebanese leaders
were to blame for the crises gripping their country, and threatened to impose
sanctions on those who continue to obstruct the formation of a new government.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, the World Bank issued another warning about the
impending economic collapse of Lebanon, stressing that its economic and
financial crisis is likely to rank in the Top 10, possibly Top 3, most severe
episodes globally since the mid-19th century.
In fact, Lebanon has been gripped by a combined political and economic crisis
since at least October 2019, when Lebanese youths took to the streets to protest
against the economic recession and Iran’s meddling in Lebanon’s affairs. The
protests forced the resignation of then-Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
The twin crises intensified last summer following the Beirut port blast that
killed hundreds and injured thousands of innocent civilians, destroyed many
homes and toppled the government of Prime Minister Hassan Diab. Since then,
Lebanon has not been able to form a new government to replace Diab’s and the
economic crisis has reached boiling point.
Lebanon’s mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc with the
health and livelihoods of its citizens and accelerated its slide toward chaos.
Lebanon’s multiple crises are now coming to boiling point and threatening to
unleash unprecedented chaos in the already troubled country. Last Tuesday, the
Lebanese pound hit a record low of 15,550 to the dollar in unofficial exchanges
— a tenfold increase on the official rate of 1,507, which has been in place
since 1997. It continued in effect until September 2019, when the banking sector
practically collapsed. Since then, while maintaining the official peg to the
dollar, the pound’s rate of exchange has declined dramatically, with several
unofficial and semi-official rates operating at the same time.
Lebanon’s public debt has exceeded 170 percent of gross domestic product (GDP),
the highest ratio in its history and among the highest globally. The country
defaulted on paying back debt obligations for the first time in March 2020,
while talks aimed at reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) on a bailout package stopped last year, and corruption accusations leveled
at Lebanon’s top banking officials have further eroded trust in Lebanon’s
monetary and financial system both locally and internationally.
Borrell’s comments, which were made at the presidential palace after he met with
President Michel Aoun, came amid reports in the Lebanese media that France and
the EU are putting together proposals for possible travel bans and asset freezes
on some Lebanese politicians. Borrell urged Lebanon to reach a deal with the
IMF, saying: “We cannot understand that nine months after the resignation of a
prime minister, there is still no government in Lebanon… Only an urgent
agreement with the International Monetary Fund will rescue the country from a
financial collapse… There is no time to waste. You are at the edge of the
financial collapse.”
Borrell revealed that the Council of the European Union had been weighing up
other options, including targeted sanctions. He rejected claims by some Lebanese
politicians that refugees were the cause of the crisis. “It is not fair to say
that the crisis in Lebanon comes from the presence of refugees,” he said.
In a June 1 report, the World Bank lamented the “continuous policy inaction and
the absence of a fully functioning executive authority,” adding that, for the
past 18 months, “Lebanon has been facing compounded challenges: Its largest
peace-time economic and financial crisis, COVID-19 and the Port of Beirut
explosion.” It described the policy responses to these challenges by Lebanon’s
leadership as “highly inadequate.” It estimated that real GDP contracted by 7
percent in 2019 and 20 percent in 2020, along with an expected 10 percent in
2021, bucking the international trend of recovery during this year. It reported
a “brutal contraction” of GDP from $55 billion in 2018 to $33 billion in 2020 —
a drop of 40 percent.
The World Bank warned that “Lebanon faces a dangerous depletion of resources,
including human capital, and high-skilled labor is increasingly likely to take
up potential opportunities abroad, constituting a permanent social and economic
loss for the country.” It expected further deterioration in basic services,
including electricity, water supply, sanitation and education, as well as rising
unemployment and poverty rates, with more than half the population below the
national poverty line.
Many see the roots of Lebanon’s crises in decades of corruption and
sectarian-based division among its leaders. However, the recent political and
economic mismanagement by the ruling coalition is unprecedented. The coalition
is dominated by Hezbollah and supported by the Free Patriotic Movement, a
political group headed by Aoun’s son-in-law Gebran Bassil.
Multiple crises are now coming to boiling point and threatening to unleash
unprecedented chaos.
In addition to corruption and mismanagement, Lebanon’s acquiescence to
Hezbollah’s participation in the Syrian civil war on Iran’s side has alienated
many of its traditional partners, including the US, Europe and the Gulf
Cooperation Council countries. Failing to live up to its financial obligations
and its defiance of international institutions have left it with very few
friends.
This crisis is the biggest threat to Lebanon’s stability since at least the
1975-1990 civil war or, according to the World Bank, since the mid-19th century,
when it faced an earlier civil war.
With no other options left, Lebanon should take very seriously the exhortations
and warnings of the EU foreign policy chief and the World Bank, who are not
usually given to unfounded exaggerations.
*Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the GCC Assistant Secretary-General for Political
Affairs & Negotiation, and a columnist for Arab News. The views expressed in
this piece are personal and do not necessarily represent GCC views. Twitter:
@abuhamad1
As Lebanon battles crisis, coastal city Batroun thrives on
local tourism
Reuters/21 June ,2021
While businesses across Lebanon are fighting to survive a monumental economic
meltdown, the coastal city of Batroun is thriving as a tourist destination for
Lebanese whose summer plans have been supered by the crisis and the pandemic.
Crowds stroll along Batroun’s streets and visit its historical sites, others
sunbathe on beaches and many drink their nights away despite the pandemic and
their country’s financial crisis dubbed by the World Bank as one of the deepest
depressions of modern history. “Lebanese can’t go for tourism abroad anymore,”
54-year old restaurant owner Maguy al-Mouhawas said. “They find that this city
embraces them and their children, it treats them like its own, and this is why
there’s a bigger turnout.”
Mouhawas notes that more properties are being rented out or purchased and that
more businesses are investing in Batroun, in stark contrast to the large exodus
from the capital a little over an hour’s drive away. Lebanon’s financial crisis
has wiped out jobs, propelled more than half of the population into poverty and
slashed 90 percent of the value of the country’s local currency. Beirut is also
still recovering from the aftermath of last year’s huge port blast that killed
hundreds, injured thousands and destroyed large swathes of the capital. Back in
Batroun, John Bechara, who works for the municipality as a tourist guide, takes
visitors on tours of the city’s ancient churches, Phoenician sea wall and main
monuments.
“My love for Batroun made me look at every stone, every corner and every person
I meet in the streets to ask about the history, and this is how I am getting
attached to my city more and more,” the 54-year-old Bechara said. On a random
weekend or even on summer weekdays, the city’s streets, beaches, restaurants,
cafes and pubs are full of life. “This atmosphere was not created overnight. We
knew our city is a touristic city par excellence, what you are seeing now is the
result of 22 years of work,” said the head of Batroun municipality Marcelino
al-Hark. Small businesses and famous brands are multiplying in Batroun,
especially in the hospitality and food and beverage sectors. Lebanon has
recently eased its coronavirus restrictions and is recording low COVID-19 daily
cases. Many Batroun residents were pleased with the hubbub, but some raised
concerns about the growing crowds. “We love people and we love gatherings,
Batroun’s people have always been hospitable and generous, but it is the
traffic... there have been many problems because of car parking,” said
67-year-old retired chef Elias Louka as he walked through his neighborhood on
his way to go fishing. But Mouhawas, who described Batroun as the “oxygen” of
her life, sees nothing but added value. “Paradise without people is not worth
going to,” Mouhawas said, quoting an Arabic proverb. “Fortunately, in this
economic situation, our city is thriving so we don’t feel the economic and
financial burden like others,” she said.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published on June
22-23/2021
Raisi sends mixed signals to Gulf Arabs,
reiterates hardline credentials
The Arab Weekly/June 22/2021
TEHRAN - In his first news conference Monday Iran’s new hardline president did
not object to resuming diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia but refused any
widening of international negotiations about Iran’s nuclear programme to other
issues of concern to Arab Gulf capitals such as Tehran’s ballistic missile
development and deployment of armed proxies in the region. Ebrahim Raisi brushed
aside US calls for Iran to agree to follow-on discussions on expanding the
initial nuclear deal to include its ballistic missile programme or its support
for regional groups that the US designates terrorist organisations.Gulf Arab
states have said it would be dangerous to separate the nuclear pact from Iran’s
missile programme and “destabilising” behaviour in the Middle East. US Secretary
of State Antony Blinken seemed to echo that concern in January.
Toeing the line
Toeing Supreme Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s line, Raisi said Iran’s “regional
activities and ballistic missile programme” were non-negotiable. A Saudi-led
coalition intervened in Yemen’s war in 2015 after Iran-backed Houthi forces
drove its internationally-recognised government out of the capital, Sana’a.
Raisi also said his administration would be open to restoring ties with Iran’s
regional foe Saudi Arabia.“There are no obstacles from Iran’s side to re-opening
embassies … there are no obstacles to ties with Saudi Arabia,” he said. The
embassy shut down in 2016 as relations deteriorated. Raisi said his foreign
policy priority would be improving ties with Iran’s Gulf Arab neighbours. But
instead of signaling any interest in containing the Houthis aggressive behaviour,
he called on Saudi Arabia to immediately halt its intervention in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister discussed with the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) chief “the importance of imposing the necessary mechanisms for a
rapid and comprehensive inspection of all Iranian nuclear sites,” the foreign
ministry wrote in a tweet on Monday. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, who is on
an official visit to Vienna, also discussed with IAEA’s Rafael Grossi “stopping
Iranian policies and violations of international laws and norms that destabilise
the security and stability of the region and the world,” the ministry added.
Iran experts agree it will be a tough, if not impossible, for Biden to get Iran
to go beyond the nuclear agreement.
“I’m very sceptical that once we’ve lifted the sanctions to get them to return
they’ll feel any incentive to come back and negotiate more concessions,” said
Karim Sadjapour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace. “And, if we coerce them with sanctions to come back to the table, they’ll
argue that we’ve abrogated our end of the nuclear deal. Again.”Critics of the
nuclear deal maintain that the administration has already given away too much in
exchange for too little by signalling its desire to repudiate Trump’s
repudiation of the nuclear deal. And, they say that even if Iran agrees to some
sort of additional talks, the pledge will be meaningless.
Iranian and Western officials alike say Raisi’s rise is unlikely to alter Iran’s
negotiating stance in talks to revive the nuclear deal. Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei has the final say on all major policy. “We support the negotiations
that guarantee our national interests … America should immediately return to the
deal and fulfil its obligations under the deal,” said Raisi, who is himself
under US sanctions.
Raisi said Iran’s foreign policy would not be limited to the nuclear deal,
adding that “all US sanctions must be lifted and verified by Tehran”.
Closing doors
From day one, Raisi seemed busy closing doors with the US to reassure Iran’s
ultraconservatives. Despite Washington’s overtures, Iran’s president-elect
staked out a hard-line position towards the US, rejecting the possibility of
meeting President Joe Biden. Asked if he would meet Biden if those sanctions
were lifted, Raisi answered: “No.”“We don’t currently have any diplomatic
relations with Iran or any plans to meet at the leader level,” White House press
secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. “Our view is that the decision-maker here is
the supreme leader.”It remains to be seen to what degree Washington will
pressure Iran on human rights and democracy as part of Biden’s Middle East
agenda even though the US State Department said it regarded the process that
elected Raisi as “pretty manufactured”. Raisi will become the first serving
Iranian president sanctioned by the US government even before entering office,
in part over his time as the head of Iran’s internationally criticised
judiciary, a situation that could complicate state visits and speeches at
international forums such as the United Nations. The circumstances of last
election in Iran could also be an eye-opener for most accommodationist US
politicians. “This election was rather a selection, as it precluded any
competitive race,” said Ali Fathollah-Nejad, an analyst and author of Iran in an
Emerging New World Order. “… the true nature of the Islamic Republic has been
revealed, in that the theocratic institutions are omnipotent and the so-called
republican one is just an impotent facade.”
Iranian state news websites seized, replaced with US law
enforcement notices
AFP/22 June ,2021
US law enforcement seized control of the websites of two Iranian
state-controlled news groups, Press TV and Al-Alam, and of the Al-Masirah TV
channel of Yemen’s Houthis, statements posted on the websites showed Tuesday.
Each site had displayed a single page with a statement that it “has been seized
by the United States Government” and making reference to US sanctions laws,
accompanied by the seal of the FBI and the US Department of Commerce. Islamic
Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the parent of Al-Alam, reported that other sites,
including a Palestinian-directed broadcast and an Arabic-language religious and
cultural channel were also seized. IRIB accused the United States of repressing
freedom of expression and joining forces with Israel and Saudi Arabia “to block
pro-resistance media outlets exposing the crimes of US allies in the region.”
Iran-backed Houthis launch explosive drone toward Saudi
Arabia’s Khamis Mushait
Ismaeel Naar, Al Arabiya English/June 22/2021
Saudi Arabia has intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the Houthi
militia toward the southern city of Khamis Mushait, the Arab Coalition confirmed
in a statement. The coalition confirmed that the Iran-backed Houthis continue
its attempts to target civilians and civilian objects. It also coalition
stressed that it takes operational measures to protect civilians and civilian
infrastructure objects from hostile attempts. The latest attack on Tuesday comes
two days after Saudi Arabia’s air defenses destroyed six armed drones launched
by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia towards the kingdom, bringing the total it
intercepted during the day to 17. The Iran-aligned Houthis have frequently
targeted Khamis Mushait and other Saudi cities along the frontier in the more
than six-year-old Yemen war. A military coalition led by Riyadh intervened in
Yemen in March 2015 after the Houthis ousted the internationally recognized
government from the capital Sanaa.
Sudan asks UN Security Council to meet over Ethiopia’s controversial Blue Nile
dam
Reuters/22 June ,2021
Sudan asked the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to meet and discuss a
dispute over a giant dam being built by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile, a government
statement said. Ethiopia is pinning its hopes of economic development and power
generation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), while the two
downstream countries - Egypt and Sudan - are concerned about it and seeking a
binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam. Egypt relies on the
Nile River for as much as 90 perccent of its fresh water and sees the dam as an
existential threat. Sudan is concerned about the operation of its own Nile dams
and water stations. Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mariam Sadiq al-Mahdi called on the
Security Council to hold a session as soon as possible to discuss GERD and “its
impact on the safety and security of millions of people,” the government
statement said. In a letter to the council head, she called on him to urge
Ethiopia to stop the “unilateral” filling of the dam “which exacerbates the
dispute and poses a threat to regional and international peace and security,”
the statement added. Ethiopian officials did not immediately return messages
seeking comment. Sudan and Egypt had already agreed this month to work together
on all levels to push Ethiopia to negotiate “seriously” on an agreement, after
African Union-sponsored talks remained deadlocked. The two countries called on
the international community to intervene. Earlier this month, Arab states called
on the Security Council to discuss the dispute and Ethiopia’s plans to go ahead
with the second filling of the dam this summer even without an agreement with
Sudan and Egypt. Ethiopia rejected the Arab League resolution in its entirety,
its Foreign Ministry said. The country previously rejected calls from Egypt and
Sudan to involve mediators outside the African Union.
Sudan said earlier in June that it was open to a partial interim agreement on
the multibillion-dollar dam, with specific conditions.
Sisi-Mitsotakis meeting reflects focus on Turkey’s
regional policies
The Arab Weekly/June 22/2021
CAIRO – The joint press conference between Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sisi
and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Monday, highlighted the continuing
concern over the Turkish role in the eastern Mediterranean. However, the two
leaders’ statements only hinted at what they considered a major threat to the
two countries for strategic and historical reasons. The Egyptian president
avoided direct reference to Turkey during the joint press conference held in
Cairo, which indicates that Cairo, although it sees in Ankara a great regional
rival, is not about to confront it and is waiting for broader political and
regional changes that could affect the policies of Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan. Sisi stressed his commitment to sovereignty over territorial
waters and his keenness to strengthen relations with Greece and develop existing
cooperation within the framework of the tripartite mechanism with Cyprus, in
order to achieve common interests and goals in the eastern Mediterranean region.
Mitsotakis stressed that his country is interested in strengthening cooperation
with Cairo and also developing the tripartite mechanism between Egypt, Greece
and Cyprus, which, he said had been “successful and effective for coordination
and regular institutional cooperation.” He said he agreed with Egypt on the need
to establish peace in Libya and the withdrawal of foreign forces its territory.
Analysts say Turkey usually responds to regional statements that are critical of
its role with indifference on the one hand and with continued pursuit of its
plans, on the other hand, regardless of any warnings. They point out that the
statements by regional officials, especially those coming from Egypt, over the
Turkish role have remained purely rhetorical as they did not pressure Ankara
into retreating from its increasing encroachment in the eastern Mediterranean
and keeping away from disputed areas, nor did they seek to force it to withdraw
its forces and the mercenaries it brought to Libya.
By contrast, Ankara strengthened its influence in Cyprus. The French, Egyptians
and Greeks lowered the tone of their statements to the point that they gave the
appearance that their words were merely meant as formal expressions.
The Turks are now imposing their presence in Libya as a fait accompli and senior
officials are conducting visits to Tripoli without informing any local or
international parties, as if the Libyan capital was a Turkish province.
The same analysts believe that the abundance of statements and intensity of
diplomatic moves are no substitute for practical results on the ground
especially when they do not oblige the opposition to reconsider its policies.
They point out that Egypt, which seeks to appear as a regional alternative to
Turkey, exaggerates its political weight, especially since it found itself alone
trying to curtail Turkey’s influence. They warn that Egypt could make the
mistake of inflating the extent of its success in Gaza, which, by any standard,
was due to exceptional circumstances.
They see that what happened in Gaza as being the result of combined regional and
international conditions that made Egypt the only link between conflicting
agendas and opposing powers that agreed on the need for de-escalation in Gaza
and an attempt to draw Hamas toward a political settlement.
Sisi and Mitsotakis, focused on the latest developments in Libya. It was agreed
to support the current political track, leading to the holding of elections on
time before the end of this year and on the importance of disbanding the
militias and the departure of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libyan
soil.
This concentration on the Libyan crisis suggested that Turkey will not succeed
in imposing a fait accompli on the regional powers and that it will face no
choice but to act in accordance with international demands since the second
Berlin conference on Libya, set to start Wednesday, may involve collective
pressure on Turkey to force it to modify its behaviour. Former Egyptian Foreign
Minister Mohamed Al-Orabi told The Arab Weekly that the meeting confirmed that
there are no alternatives to Egypt’s relationship with the eastern Mediterranean
countries because rapprochement with these countries is of great strategic
importance for both Egypt and Turkey and for the region.
Orabi explained that Turkey’s problem lies in the belief that Erdogan’s recent
meeting with US President Joe Biden will achieve strategic inroads for Ankara
and will allow it a greater margin of manoeuvre and change its regional
approaches.
He pointed out that Egypt will not allow developments in the region to affect
its relations with eastern Mediterranean countries and there is evidence Cairo
will seek in the near future to further boost relations with Greece and Cyprus.
Washington pushes for removal of foreign fighters from
Libya
The Arab Weekly/June 22/2021
WASHINGTON – The United States is in talks with some of the key actors in Libya
over the withdrawal of foreign forces ahead of elections planned for December,
Washington’s top Libya envoy said on Monday on the eve of the second Berlin
conference on Libya. Special Envoy for Libya Richard Norland told reporters that
part of the importance of Libya’s elections was so a fully empowered, credible
and legitimate government could push foreign actors to pull out their troops.
“That will be a very important development and … very impactful, but we’re not
suggesting that we have to wait until next year to try to make some progress,”
Norland said ahead of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s travel to the
Second Berlin Conference on Libya this week. “There are negotiations underway
with some of the key actors aimed at trying to remove some of the mercenaries,
the foreign fighters,” Norland added.
Libya has suffered a decade of chaos and violence since a 2011 NATO-backed
uprising ousted the-then head of state Muammar Gadhafi, but its two main warring
sides this year consented to a new government. But while the installation of a
unified administration and a push for national elections in December are seen as
the best hope in years for a lasting political solution, the process is still
fraught with challenges. Most territory is still controlled by local armed
groups, major outside powers have not pulled foreign fighters from the front
lines and key figures disagree on the management of Libya’s economic resources.
— Berlin gathering —
Germany will seek to broker lasting peace in Libya on Wednesday, gathering world
powers in Berlin to extract a firm promise to withdraw foreign fighters and keep
the North African country on track for its December 24 election. The Berlin
conference talks could pave the way for the withdrawal of Turkish and Russian
sponsored mercenaries. The efforts to end a decade-long spiral of violence in
Libya will bring the country’s transitional government, as well as US Secretary
of State Antony Blinken, to Berlin for the in-person UN-sponsored talks. In a
phone call with Libyan interim Foreign Minister Najlah Manqoush just days ahead
of the meeting, Blinken “stressed the United States’ commitment to increasing
diplomatic engagement to promote international efforts supporting progress in
Libya.”Like host German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Blinken and Mangoush harked
back to last year’s meeting and the pledges made but which have not been fully
implemented. The presidents of Russia, Turkey and France had then vowed to end
foreign meddling in Libya and withdraw foreign militants or troops. Since those
talks, a formal truce was agreed last October that led to the creation of a
transitional government under Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah and a
presidential council headed by Mohammad Younes Menfi which have promised to hold
polls. However, the UN has warned that progress has stalled, notably on a key
requisite of the polls, the pullout of all foreign soldiers. The presence of an
estimated 20,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries on Libya’s territory is seen
as a threat to the UN-backed transition leading to the elections. Western
leaders have repeatedly called on the foreign fighters to depart. Turkey
meanwhile has troops in Tripoli, which it argues were sent under a bilateral
agreement with the government, implying that they are not affected by a request
for foreign troops to leave. Fighters brought to Libya by Turkey include
thousands of mercenaries and militants from Syria. Russian mercenaries
supporting Haftar’s side in the east of the country are also still in place.
Diplomats underlined the delicate balancing act needed to ensure that neither
side feels it is losing out by withdrawing. Jalel Harchaoui, Global Initiative
senior fellow and an expert on Libya, said Wednesday’s talks must go beyond a
simple declaration of intent if they are to make a real impact. “Is there a
mechanism for (the fighters) to leave? Are Libyans pushing for them to leave in
real life on the ground? No,” he said. But he voiced hope that the talks would
bring tangible help on the upcoming elections. “Somebody could come up with a
good idea of agreeing on a constitutional basis in July and be on course for
elections in December,” he said, referring to a key requisite for the polls. “I
think there’s a good chance (for elections by year’s end) and the Berlin process
could help.”
Palestinians, Settlers Clash in Tense
Jerusalem Neighborhood
Associated Press/June 22/2021
Palestinians and Jewish settlers hurled stones, chairs and fireworks at each
other overnight in a tense Jerusalem neighborhood where settler groups are
trying to evict several Palestinian families, officials said Tuesday. The
threatened evictions fueled protests and clashes in the runup to last month's
11-day Gaza war and pose a test for Israel's new governing coalition, which
includes three pro-settler parties but is hoping to sideline the Palestinian
issue to avoid internal divisions. Israeli police and border officials said they
arrested four suspects in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. It was unclear who
started the brawl. One woman was reportedly injured when she was hit in the back
by a stone, police said. The Red Crescent emergency service said its crews
treated 20 Palestinians, including 16 suffering from pepper spray and tear gas
and others wounded by rubber-coated bullets. Two other people were wounded,
including an elderly man who was hit in the head, it said. The Red Crescent said
settlers threw stones at one of its ambulances and Israeli forces sprayed skunk
water on a second ambulance belonging to the service.
The eruption of violence is the latest friction in Sheikh Jarrah, where weeks of
unrest captured international attention ahead of the 11-day Israel-Hamas war
last month. The cease-fire took effect on May 21, but the long-running campaign
by Jewish settlers to evict dozens of Palestinian families continues.
And so the cycle of tension endures, in a stark early test for Israel's
new coalition government, which is just over a week old.
At the helm under a rotation agreement is Prime Minister Naftali Bennett,
head of the right-wing Yamina party. In two years, he'll be replaced by Yair
Lapid, leader of centrist Yesh Atid. And leading the opposition is Likud leader
Benjamin Netanyahu, ousted from the premiership after holding the post for 12
years.An intervention by Israel's attorney general at the height of the unrest
has put the most imminent evictions on hold. But rights groups say evictions
could still proceed in the coming months as international attention wanes,
potentially igniting another round of bloodshed. The settlers have been waging a
decades-long campaign to evict the families from densely populated Palestinian
neighborhoods in the so-called Holy Basin just outside the walls of the Old
City, in one of the most sensitive parts of east Jerusalem.Israel captured east
Jerusalem, home to holy sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, in the
1967 war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally. Israel views
the entire city as its capital, while the Palestinians want east Jerusalem as
the capital of their future state. The settlers say the homes are built on land
that was owned by Jews prior to the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation.
Israeli law allows Jews to reclaim such property, a right denied to Palestinians
who lost lands and homes in the same conflict.
No plans for Biden to meet new Iranian leader, says White
House
Reuters/June 22/2021
There are currently no plans for U.S. President Joe Biden to meet with Iran's
newly elected leader, according to the White House, which downplayed Ebrahim
Raisi's influence. Raisi, a strident critic of the West, will take over from
pragmatist Hassan Rouhani on Aug. 3 after an election on Friday.
In a news conference on Monday, he backed talks to salvage a tattered nuclear
deal with Washington but ruled out personally meeting with Biden. White House
press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday that little had changed because Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the key decision maker in Tehran.
"We don't currently have any diplomatic relations with Iran or any plans to meet
at the leader level," she told reporters. "Our view is that the decision maker
here is the Supreme Leader." Psaki said negotiators had concluded a sixth round
of talks about how Iran and the United States could both return to compliance
with the 2015 nuclear pact. An agreement could lift punishing Western sanctions
on Iran. The White House, she said, would be "looking forward to seeing where
that goes" but that they could not predict when or if a deal would be reached.
Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Andrea Shalal
IDF Chief Kohavi warns US against rejoining 2015 Iran
deal
The Jerusalem Post/June 22/2021
In light of the close alliance between Israel and the US, it is rare for a chief
of staff to criticize the foreign policies of allies.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi warned American officials against
rejoining the Iranian nuclear deal while in Washington to discuss the threat
posed by Tehran’s nuclear program. “The Chief of the General Staff emphasized
the shortcomings of the current nuclear agreement, which will allow Iran to make
significant progress related to centrifuges as well as to substantially enhance
the amount and quality of enriched matter over the next few years, also
emphasizing the lack of supervision in terms of nuclear proliferation,” the IDF
Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.
Israel’s top military officer “explained the threat created by returning to the
original nuclear agreement and emphasized that all measures should be taken to
prevent Iran from achieving military nuclear capabilities,” the statement added.
Kohavi is in Washington on a four-day visit and is holding meetings with
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan,
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, head of the US Central
Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, and head of the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
Gen. Richard Clark. In light of the close alliance between Israel and the United
States, it is rare for a chief of staff to make public remarks about political
issues or to criticize the foreign policies of allies.
But Kohavi has made it clear that he views the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action as dangerous, saying in January that he has directed the IDF to prepare
fresh operational plans to strike Iran in order to stop its nuclear program if
necessary.
“Iran can decide that it wants to advance to a bomb, either covertly or in a
provocative way. In light of this basic analysis, I have ordered the IDF to
prepare a number of operational plans, in addition to the existing ones. We are
studying these plans and we will develop them over the next year,” Kohavi said
in a speech at the Institute for National Security Studies think tank’s annual
conference.
“The government will of course be the one to decide if they should be used. But
these plans must be on the table, in existence and trained for,” he added.
During his trip, which is his first as Israel’s top military officer, he is
meeting with his American counterparts to discuss common security challenges in
the region, including issues related to the threat posed by the Iranian nuclear
project, Tehran’s attempt to entrench itself in the Middle East, Hezbollah’s
attempts to strengthen itself and the consequences of the Lebanese terror
group’s precision missile project.
The leaders also discussed the challenges and related responses in the
Palestinian arena, focusing on the Gaza Strip. Kohavi also presented the
military’s main takeaways from Operation Guardian of the Walls. His visit to
Washington that was scheduled to take place in April was postponed due to the
fighting with Hamas and other terror groups in the Gaza Strip. Kohavi is joined
by his wife, Yael, and the IDF attaché in Washington, Maj.-Gen. Yehuda Fox. Head
of the Strategy and Third-Circle Directorate Maj.-Gen. Tal Kalman and head of
the Research Division Brig.-Gen. Amit Saar will also join Kohavi on the visit
and will hold additional meetings with senior members of the US defense
establishment. Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Eyal Zamir is replacing Kohavi in
his absence.
Israel successfully downs targets using airborne laser system
The Jerusalem Post/June 22/2021
Trials over several days were led by the Defense Ministry's Research and
Development unit.
The Defense Ministry has successfully carried out a series of interceptions to
shoot down drones with a powerful airborne laser system installed on a civilian
light aircraft. The trials were carried out over a
number of days last week under the leadership of the ministry’s research and
development unit, together with Elbit Systems and the IAF.
During the trials that were carried out over the sea, the high-powered
laser fired from a civilian Cessna plane destroyed the unmanned targets at
differing ranges and altitudes. According to the
Defense Ministry, Israel is perhaps the first country in the world to have been
able to use such laser technology on an aircraft to intercept targets in an
operational simulation. “This is the first time in
Israel, perhaps the world, that this was done,” said Brig.-Gen. Yaniv Rotem,
head of military research and development at the Defense Ministry. “This is a
groundbreaking technological achievement and is a critical step for further
development.”The fully automated energy system uses the laser to destroy a
target while flying above the clouds, he said, adding that the “powerful and
precise system” can intercept the target “regardless of weather conditions.”
Once a target passes through the area of interest, the system can be directed at
any part of it with very high accuracy. It locks on and remains locked on until
the target is downed. A UAV used in an IAF test of an
airborne High-Power Laser Weapon System.
The trials are the first phase in a multiyear pilot program of the Defense
Ministry’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological
Infrastructure (MAFAT) and Elbit Systems to develop an aerial laser system to
confront a number of threats facing Israel, including long-range rockets. The
system is not intended to be used against incendiary balloons from the Gaza
Strip.
Airborne laser targeting has many advantages, including a low cost of use, the
ability to effectively intercept long-range threats at high altitude regardless
of weather conditions and the ability to defend large areas.
The Defense Ministry hopes to install the system on a larger aircraft in
upcoming trials and then on other aerial platforms, Rotem said. The system
initially will be used for defense and eventually also will be used in offensive
scenarios, he said. During the trials, several UAVs
were downed at a range of one kilometer with a 100% success rate, Rotem said. In
a few years, the ministry intends to build a laser with a power of 100 kilowatts
that will have an effective range of 20 km., he said.
A ground laser system under development will be operational in three to four
years and the airborne system in eight to 10 years, Rotem said, adding that in
another decade, it is hoped that such a system could destroy targets hundreds of
kilometers away.Last year, the ministry launched three programs to develop
high-energy laser demonstration systems in cooperation with the two companies: a
ground-based laser system to complement the capabilities of the Iron Dome
missile interceptor, a maneuverable platform-mounted laser to defend troops in
the field; and a laser demo system mounted on an aerial platform to intercept
threats above cloud cover and for the defense of wide areas.
The ground system will also be able to destroy targets at a range of eight to 10
km. with a 100 kW laser, Rotem said. The ministry is aiming for an operational
system by 2024 to be deployed at the Gaza border area for shooting down rockets,
he said.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz congratulated MAFAT, Elbit and the IAF on the
technological breakthrough. “Today, you have brought us closer to yet another
important milestone in the development of the multitiered defense array of the
State of Israel, and it is significant both in terms of cost effectiveness and
defense capabilities,” he said.
“The laser system will add a new layer of protection at greater ranges and in
facing a variety of threats: securing the State of Israel while saving costs of
interception,” Gantz said. “I am confident that Israel’s defense industry will
succeed in this important development program, and I will work personally
together with the entire defense establishment to ensure its success.”
The Defense Ministry hopes that the airborne system will further increase
the effectiveness of Israel’s air defenses against existing and future threats.
It is expected to complement Israel’s multitiered air-defense array, which
includes the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow missile interceptors.“We are
proud to spearhead the development of this strategic capability together with
the Defense Ministry and the IAF,” Elbit ISTAR general manager Oren Sabag said.
“The trials were successful thanks to a range of unique technological assets.
“We believe that the use of a high-powered laser to carry out low-cost airborne
interception of rockets and hostile unmanned aircraft closer to their launching
areas and away from population centers offers a significant change in Israel’s
defense capabilities.”
Bennett aims for ‘no surprises, no daylight’ with Biden
administration
The Jerusalem Post/June 22/2021
Rivlin White House visit seen as test case for Bennett-Biden relationship;
Netanyahu argues “no surprises” policy limits Israel on security matters.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett hopes to go back to a “no surprises, no daylight”
relationship with Washington, despite disagreements on the likely US return to
the Iran nuclear deal.
President Reuven Rivlin is expected to meet with Bennett and Defense Minister
Benny Gantz in the coming days to discuss matters on the agenda for his visit to
the White House next week. Among the aims of the trip will be to return to the
fundamental agreement for the US and Israel to coordinate and update one
another, a source close to the prime minister said on Monday.
“We won’t be on board with any agreement with Iran,” the source said as the
sixth round of indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran to return to
the 2015 nuclear deal came to a close. “But we can influence it and influence
what happens if Iran violates the agreement – if we are part of the
conversation.”Israel not only wants its national security concerns to be taken
into consideration, but to suggest that it “has a lot to bring to the table in
terms of expertise and intelligence that helps American interests,” the source
added.
Bennett will be watching Rivlin’s trip to the White House closely, viewing it as
an indicator of how he and his views will be accepted in Washington.
Bennett and Rivlin have key elements in common, a source close to the prime
minister explained. They both oppose a two-state solution, but are in favor of
humanitarian moves on the ground to improve relations between Israel and the
Palestinians. They come from the Right, but have tried to take a statesmanlike
position and be accepted by the Right and Left.
THE BIDEN administration invited Rivlin to Washington as early as March of this
year, and the heads of the Democratic and Republican caucuses even asked him to
speak before both houses of Congress, though that currently is not on the agenda
for next week’s visit. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken repeated that
invitation during his visit to Israel last month. Sources in Jerusalem have said
that former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu held up Rivlin’s visit. Biden
administration officials expressed frustration to Bennett and his staff about
the presidential visit being blocked even before he officially became prime
minister. Bennett views the Biden administration’s
persistence in bringing Rivlin to Washington in his last days in office as a
good sign, in light of the fact that president-elect Isaac Herzog’s views,
especially on a two-state solution, are more in line with US President Joe
Biden’s.
The prime minister and his advisers plan to keep an eye on how Rivlin is
welcomed, the level of delegation and with whom the Israeli president meets.
Bennett’s administration seeks to emphasize that its major focus in the
relationship with the US is not the Palestinians. Iran is the priority; other
security matters, as well as economic and technological ties, would come before
the Palestinians.
“Rivlin can convey to Biden and anyone else relevant that we’re on board to
shrink the conflict, but don’t press us too much on the issue,” the source close
to Bennett said. “We’re not sweeping the Palestinians under the rug, but we have
a different approach. We will focus on the win-wins, things we can all benefit
from, instead of taking past positions that did nothing for the Palestinians,
Israelis or Americans.”
ONE EXAMPLE of a “win-win” is the vaccine exchange agreement, currently in
negotiations, for the Palestinian Authority to administer Israeli COVID-19
vaccine doses that are expiring in the coming weeks to its residents, and for
its expected vaccine delivery in September or October to go to Israel instead.
Another is the IDF dropping its policy of entering private Palestinian homes for
intelligence-gathering purposes.
Netanyahu, in his new role as opposition leader, accused the new government of
surrendering to American demands in relation to the Iran deal, citing a readout
of a call between Blinken and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid from Friday, which
said they agreed not to surprise each other.
Netanyahu said Biden and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had issued the same
request to him when he was in office, and he rejected it.
“This is an incredible Israeli commitment that harms the heart of our national
security,” Netanyahu said. “If Begin would have agreed to a policy of ‘no
surprises,’ we would not have destroyed the nuclear reactor in Iraq,” he said.
“For 15 years as the prime minister of Israel, I was asked by our American
friends to make this commitment many times and I always refused,” Netanyahu
said. “Sometimes I updated them ahead of the operations we intended to carry
out, and many times I did not update them.
“But I never, ever, agreed to tell them about all our operations, because it
would invite pressure not to carry them out or leaks to the press that would
prevent the operation and take away our freedom to act against Iran on
existential matters.”
Netanyahu said his response was that he would take their requests into
consideration, but on issues connected to Israel’s existence it must maintain
the complete freedom to take action without the need to report in advance.
“I cannot think of a weaker and more emasculated message to our enemies in
Iran,” he said. “I cannot think of a better gift for the ‘Executioner from
Tehran.’ From now on, he and his friends in the regime know that they can sleep
silently, with no surprises.”
FORMER FOREIGN minister Gabi Ashkenazi, also serving under Netanyahu when he was
prime minister, said in March at a briefing with Israeli ambassadors in Asia
that he and Blinken had agreed that they would not surprise one another on
matters relating to negotiations to return to the Iran deal.
Netanyahu has often said that his open disagreements with former US president
Barack Obama about Iran were a key to Israel’s ties with Gulf states.
But the former prime minister did not always have such a negative view of a “no
surprises” policy. In contrast to the opposition leader’s claims, former
ambassador to the US Michael Oren documented, in his book Ally, concerns of
Israel under Netanyahu’s leadership about Obama seeking greater “daylight” –
meaning less coordination and therefore more surprises – with Israel.
“Historically, that principle [of daylight] applied to the alliance as a whole,”
Oren wrote. “Counterintuitive as it sounds, daylight was bad, and darkness –
that is, the absence of open disagreements on policy – [was] optimal... By
illuminating the gaps in their political positions, the administration cast
shadows over Israel’s deterrence power.”Netanyahu’s critics responded that the
policy of not surprising the US has been intact before, during and after
Netanyahu’s term in office, but never applied to secret military and
intelligence operations – and would not now.
Gantz responded to Netanyahu by saying that what is truly dangerous for Israel
is that he continues leaking the contents of his conversations with the
president of the United States. He said that as defense minister, he would make
sure that “Israel maintains its right to defend itself against any threat and in
any place.”
Lapid responded that Netanyahu’s accusations were inaccurate, adding
sarcastically that he “appreciates the advice of the opposition leader,” but he
is no longer in charge.
The source close to Bennett said: “When you talk like Netanyahu, the US
surprises Israel and that’s exactly what happened the last time [in 2015] where
the Iran deal was made behind Israel’s back. That was not in Israel’s national
security interest.
“A responsible opposition leader who puts country over politics should express
whatever concerns he has with the prime minister directly, instead of calling a
press conference,” he said, “and not politicize the relationship with our most
important ally.”
Amal Clooney brings to justice Daesh woman who oversaw
rape, enslavement of Yazidis
Arab News/June 22/2021
LONDON: Renowned human rights defender Amal Clooney has secured the prosecution
of a Daesh member who abused, enslaved and assisted in the rape of captured
Yazidi women. Clooney’s client was a Yazidi woman who was taken and enslaved at
the age of 14 by the notorious terrorist group. Her captors were an Algerian
woman known as Sarah O. and her husband, a German-Turkish national known as
Ismail S. According to the Daily Mail, he remains at large. Sarah O. was
arrested in Turkey in February 2018. After seven months in custody, she was
deported to Germany and put on trial.
The verdict was heard last Wednesday, and saw Sarah O. sentenced to six and a
half years behind bars in Germany. She was convicted of membership in a foreign
terrorist organization, assault, deprivation of liberty, aiding and abetting
rape, enslavement, and religious and gender-based persecution as crimes against
humanity. From 2015 onward, the couple enslaved Yazidi women and girls who were
captured by Daesh as it expanded its so-called caliphate throughout Iraq and
Syria. Yazidis, considered heretics by Daesh, were subjected to a catalogue of
brutal abuse. Men were often instantly killed and women killed or enslaved. The
survivors were often subjected to acts of extreme cruelty, including sexual
enslavement, torture and summary execution. Over two years, Sarah O. and Ismail
S. enslaved seven Yazidi women, some of whom were sold on to others and one of
whom — a 14-year-old girl — died while in their captivity. Sarah O. beat the
prisoners and assisted in her husband’s sexual abuse of them, helping to
“prepare them” for rape. She also forced them into slave labor in her house. The
victim, whose identity remains hidden under German law, said: “No conviction can
make up for our suffering, but I am immensely grateful to the German Federal
Prosecutors and the German court for investigating and shedding light on the
crimes committed against the Yazidis, and I hope that many more countries will
follow this good example.” Clooney, 43, has been active for years in pushing for
justice for the countless Yazidi women subjected to horrors at the hands of
Daesh. One of Clooney’s colleagues representing the Yazidi women in the
Dusseldorf court, Natalie von Wistinghausen, said: “For the first time ever, a
court handed down a conviction for religious and gender-based persecution, and
this recognition is of utmost importance for our client and for all Yazidi
women, for their religious community as a whole, as well as for other victims of
gender-based violence.”
The Latest The Latest LCCC English
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June
22-23/2021
Iran election results make Elbrahim Raisi
president. The U.S. can’t forgive his crimes.
Borghan Nezami Narajabad/Iranian Americaneconomist/THINK/NBC/June 22/2021
بورغان نظامي ناراجاباد: نتائج الإنتخابات الإيرانية جاءت بإبراهيم رئيس رئيساً…
أميركا لا يمكن أن تغفر له جرائمه
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/99972/borghan-nezami-narajabad-iran-election-results-make-elbrahim-raisi-president-the-u-s-cant-forgive-his-crimes-%d8%a8%d9%88%d8%b1%d8%ba%d8%a7%d9%86-%d9%86%d8%b8%d8%a7%d9%85%d9%8a-%d9%86%d8%a7%d8%b1/
The Iranian judge's political rise has been long and brutal,
including serving on a 'death commission' that condemned my uncle. American
sanctions must stay in place.
The Iranian election Friday is all but guaranteed to rubber-stamp Ebrahim Raisi,
the head of the Islamic Republic’s judiciary, as the president. Raisi’s
political rise has been long and brutal, earning him sanctions that prohibit all
dealings with him.
With a Raisi win, the U.S. faces pressure to lift the sanctions against him in
the interest of facilitating a resumption of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear
program. That would be a devastating political development empowering the
Islamic Republic in its pursuit of regional hegemony. The repeal of Raisi’s
designation would also be personally painful for many Iranian Americans like me.
I hold him responsible for the death of thousands of political dissidents,
including my uncle.
Raisi’s rise to power has been replete with repression and injustice, despite
him spending his career in the justice system. Prior to his appointment in March
2019 as the head of Iran’s judiciary by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, Raisi variously served as the deputy head of the judiciary, the
country’s prosecutor general and Tehran’s prosecutor general since 1989.
Notably, Raisi, 60, was involved in the regime’s brutal crackdown on Iran’s
political Green Movement protests that claimed the 2009 presidential election
was stolen. But his real infamy dates back to his role in the 1980s when he
served as the deputy prosecutor general of Tehran.
During that time, the Islamic Republic imprisoned tens of thousands of political
dissidents as the clerics consolidated power during the early years of the
Iran-Iraq war. When the eight-year war ended in 1988, Raisi was a member of the
so-called death commission that ordered the extrajudicial executions of at least
4,000 political prisoners.
As documented by Amnesty International, the death commission bore no resemblance
to a true court; its proceedings were arbitrary and offered no possibility of
appeal. The main question that it asked blindfolded prisoners was whether they
were prepared to repent for their political opinions, be it Marxism or
liberalism, and pledge loyalty to the Islamic Republic.
Bahman Nezami, my uncle, was one of Raisi’s victims. Bahman was finishing
medical school when he was first barred from school and then arrested during the
“cultural revolution” and the ensuing political crackdown. His wife was pregnant
with their second son when he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 1983.
Every month for five years, my father took me to visit my uncle in prison,
preserving my deep attachment to him in an effort to lighten his burden of
enduring prison. In kindergarten, I looked forward to the time that I would
finish high school, as I believed that by then my uncle would be free.
But in 1988, my dream was crushed when the death commission killed my uncle. He
had served just one-third of his sentence. Like most of the victims of the
commission, Bahman’s body was not returned to his family, and he was buried in
an unmarked mass grave. We never got to say goodbye.
Recommended
The commission never told prisoners that their answers could condemn them to
death, and some prisoners believed they were appearing before a pardon
committee. Many prisoners realized they were about to be executed only minutes
before feeling nooses around their necks.
When the U.S. sanctioned Raisi in November 2019, the Treasury Department cited
his role in the death commission as one of his numerous human rights
transgressions. Until today, this small step has been the only shred of justice
granted to Raisi’s victims and their families.
This gesture of respect made many Iranian Americans even prouder of their
adopted country. We didn’t choose to immigrate to the United States and become
citizens just for the many opportunities in the U.S., but also for its values.
During the past year, my son has started every day of virtual kindergarten
standing in my home office and pledging allegiance to the American flag,
learning that our country stands for “liberty and justice for all.”
I am living the American dream: I moved to the U.S. two decades ago and earned a
doctorate in economics, taught at a prestigious university and worked in a
renowned institution on my way to becoming a U.S. citizen. Yet, there have been
few things that have made me prouder than knowing that my country does indeed
stand for freedom and justice for everyone.
After all, to my knowledge, the United States is the only nation in the world
that has taken any form of direct action against Raisi in recognition of the
pain and suffering he inflicted on my family and tens of thousands of other
Iranians, including many Iranian Americans.
Unfortunately, this small advance toward justice might be erased if Raisi’s
designation is abrogated in a political miscalculation. Khamenei will understand
the canceling of Raisi’s sanctions as a sign of success for establishing his
“Government of Resistance,” spreading its Islamist views domestically and
internationally via political, economic and international influence. That will
only strengthen the Islamic Republic’s efforts to expand its power at home and
abroad without any compromise.
I hope when my son grows old enough to learn the story of his great-uncle, I can
still tell him that the United States, our country, stands for liberty and
justice for all.
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/iran-election-results-set-make-elbrahim-raisi-president-u-s-ncna1271248
What Happened at the Biden-Putin Summit? Not Much.
Thomas Joscelyn/The Dispatch/FDD/June 22/2021
On June 16, President Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin met for a high-profile
sit down in Geneva, Switzerland.
What did the summit accomplish? Not much. But that wasn’t its purpose. The Biden
administration saw this as an opportunity to open up what it calls a “strategic
stability dialogue.” The first purpose of this dialogue is to prevent a
war—nuclear or otherwise —from accidentally erupting between the two nations.
The diplomatic and military channels are also intended to lay the groundwork for
“future arms control” talks, as well as other “risk reduction measures.” The
Biden team already extended the New START Treaty for five years. This move is
intended to limit both countries’ strategic nuclear arsenals, with the hope of
expanding the arms covered in the future. But the summit covered a wide range of
other issues as well.
Let’s take a look at some of what President Biden said about the face-to-face
meeting during his press conference afterward.
Biden wants Russia to abide by “international norms,” but he didn’t offer any
good reasons to think the Kremlin will.
A reporter from the Associated Press asked the president what “concrete” steps
came out of the summit, given that the U.S. intelligence community has accused
Moscow of meddling in America’s elections, hacking companies and basically
looking the other way as Russian criminals hold U.S. companies ransom. The short
answer is that Biden couldn’t point to anything “concrete.” He said that there
would be unspecified “consequences” for future bad acts and pointed to the Obama
administration’s decision to expel Russian diplomats in late 2016. Otherwise, he
was vague.
The president used the phrase “international norm(s)” several times, claiming
that it was in Putin’s self-interest to abide by them. According to Biden, if
Putin does not conform to these norms, then the former KGB man’s “credibility
worldwide shrinks” and he would risk Russia’s “standing as a major world power.”
This is unconvincing. Putin has regularly violated “international norms”
throughout his tenure, and there’s no good reason to think that international
outrage has made him second-guess his choices.
Biden also threw out the possibility of improved economic conditions for the
Russians, if only the Kremlin reforms its ways. “I don’t have any problem with
doing business with Russia, as long as they do it based upon international
norms,” Biden said. “It’s in our interest to see the Russian people do well
economically. I don’t have a problem with that.” The president continued: “But
if they do not act according to international norms, then guess what? That will
not—that only won’t it happen with us, it will not happen with other nations.”
Biden pointed to Putin’s own comments about the need for “other countries to
invest in Russia.”
For Biden, therefore, socioeconomic considerations should convince Putin to
change. That argument is dubious, given Putin’s history.
President Biden floated the idea of splitting China and Russia.
In response to a question about a potential new Cold War between Russia and the
U.S., President Biden explained why the Kremlin shouldn’t want one.
“You [Russia] got a multi-thousand-mile border with China,” Biden said. “China
is moving ahead … seeking to be the most powerful economy in the world and the
largest and the most powerful military in the world.” Meanwhile, the Russians
are “in a situation where your economy is struggling, you need to move it in a
more aggressive way, in terms of growing it. And you—I don’t think he’s [Putin]
looking for a Cold War with the United States.”
The implication is that Russia should be more worried about China than the
United States. There are some obvious problems with this thinking, which is
derived from the Cold War era, when the U.S. considered Communist China to be a
counterweight for the Soviet Union. (An alternative reading of history suggests
that it was the Chinese who used America as a counterweight to their Soviet
neighbors.)
Today, according to the U.S. intelligence community, the Chinese Communist Party
(CCP) and Putin’s Russia are “strongly aligned” and are likely to remain so.
They have some differences, but none of those add up to strategic disagreements.
In fact, under Putin, Russia and China have enjoyed what they call a
“comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.” They’ve maintained close
economic and military ties throughout the first part of this century.
Putin hasn’t opposed China’s military rise, he’s enabled it. Moscow has viewed
Beijing as a key customer for some of its military hardware. They’ve also
conducted joint military exercises, with Putin even teasing the possibility of
an actual military alliance. That may not be likely, but such formal
entanglements aren’t necessary for the two to be partners, as Putin himself has
explained. And while President Biden raised the prospect of increased trade
between the U.S. and Russia—as a carrot for Moscow reforming its behavior—it’s
worth remembering that China is already Russia’s largest trading partner by a
wide margin.
All of which is to say: While we shouldn’t assume Russia and China always act in
lockstep, they are much closer to each other than the West. And we shouldn’t
assume that they can be easily cleaved from one another. Putin has obviously
calculated that the benefits of his close ties to Xi Jinping and the CCP
outweigh the prospective costs.
Biden warned that America’s “significant cyber capability” could be unleashed in
retaliation for Russia’s cyberattacks.
President Biden was careful to say that he hadn’t threatened Putin in any way
during their private meeting. During his public press conference afterward, the
closest he came to issuing a direct admonition was when discussing cyber
threats.
“I pointed out to him that we have significant cyber capability,” Biden said.
“And he knows it. He doesn’t know exactly what it is, but it’s significant. And
if, in fact, they violate these basic norms, we will respond with cyber. He
knows.”
The president drew some red lines around America’s crucial infrastructure.
Here’s his explanation:
Another area we spent a great deal of time on was cyber and cybersecurity. I
talked about the proposition that certain critical infrastructure should be off
limits to attack — period — by cyber or any other means. I gave them a list, if
I’m not mistaken — I don’t have it in front of me — 16 specific entities; 16
defined as critical infrastructure under U.S. policy, from the energy sector to
our water systems.
Obviously, if Russian actors go after any of these “16 specific entities,” then
that is a direct challenge to President Biden’s leadership. Conversely, if the
Russians refrain from launching cyberattacks on them, or really crackdown on the
criminals who do, then that is a positive outcome of engagement.
The Biden administration has drawn a distinction between two types of
cyberattacks launched by Russian actors: those conducted by Russian intelligence
for espionage purposes and those carried out for criminal purposes. As I’ve
written previously, the hack on SolarWinds is an example of the former, while
the recent ransomware attacks on meat and oil suppliers in the U.S. are examples
of the latter. The U.S. directly blames the Russian government for the
SolarWinds hack and other intrusions by Russian intelligence. When it comes to
criminal activity by Russian actors, the Biden team says Putin’s regime has a
“responsibility” to stop it.
For his part, Putin denied all wrongdoing during his own press conference. Putin
claimed that most cyberattacks are launched from inside the West, that his
government has been completely transparent when the U.S. has inquired about
cyberattacks, and that America is obfuscating with respect to cybercrimes inside
Russia.
That doesn’t sound promising, but both Biden and Putin vowed to keep lines of
communication open on the issue.
President Biden says Putin claimed he was willing to “help” with Afghanistan.
The American retreat from Afghanistan is well underway and expected to be
completed sometime this summer. Asked if he raised the war in Afghanistan with
Putin, Biden responded: “No, he asked us about Afghanistan. He said that he
hopes that we’re able to maintain some peace and security, and I said, ‘That has
a lot to do with you.’”
It’s true that Russia has concerns about jihadism flowing out of Afghanistan’s
borders, through Central Asia and into Chechnya and Dagestan. Al-Qaeda has
worked with Chechen jihadists since the 1990s. and ISIS also has a significant
contingent of members and leaders from the Caucasus region.
But throughout the past few years, the Russians haven’t “helped” on Afghanistan.
They have undermined the Afghan government by hosting the Taliban for talks in
Moscow. The Russians have also likely provided a low level of arms and other
support to the Taliban insurgents, who are still closely allied with al-Qaeda.
So any assistance from the Russians would be a real about-face.
Curiously, President Biden didn’t say anything during his press conference about
the alleged Russian bounties offered for American soldiers. This story is murky
– and the U.S. intelligence community still can’t point to any actual attacks
carried out on Americans as a result of the purported bounties.
The press made a big deal out of it when President Trump didn’t raise the
reporting with Putin. But it appears Biden wasn’t asked if he brought it up
during the summit. The Biden administration has said that the Russians should
answer some of its questions concerning the reported bounty scheme. However, we
are left to wonder what President Biden said about this issue and how Putin
responded.
*Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
and the Senior Editor for FDD’s Long War Journal. Follow Tom on Twitter @thomasjoscelyn.
FDD is a nonpartisan think tank focused on foreign policy and national security
issues.
Germany's Largest Right-Wing Extremist Group is Turkish,
not German
Soeren Kern/Gatestone Institute/June 22/2021
The German Parliament and other federal agencies estimate that the true number
Grey Wolves in Germany is above 18,000. This is five times more than the number
of members (3,500) of Germany's neo-Nazi party.
The ideology underpinning the Grey Wolves movement is a Turkish version of
Aryanism and sets itself in opposition to anyone who is not Turkish or Sunni
Islamic. It is anti-Christian and anti-Jewish, as well as anti-American,
anti-Armenian, anti-Kurdish and anti-Greek.
The objective of the Grey Wolves is to unify all the Turkish peoples into a
single country called Turan whose territory would stretch from Europe to China.
The Grey Wolves also want to establish a new world order based on Islam that is
led by Turkey; they are opposed to the assimilation or integration of Turkish
immigrants into Western society.
"Supporters of the 'Grey Wolves' are responsible for a large number of murders
of political opponents and members of minorities in Turkey and abroad." — Die
Linke, Parliamentary Resolution, November 2020.
"So, the CDU is in reality working with the right-wing extremist Grey Wolves,
although it preaches that right-wing extremism is the greatest danger in
Germany." — Zara Riffler, Tichys Einblick.
"Erdoğan despises the West and Western values. He says this openly at every
opportunity.... One is not working here on integration, not even on a parallel
society, but quite obviously on a counter-society.... Why can Merkel — and
Germany — criticize Trump and the USA, but not publicly and unequivocally put
Erdoğan in his place?" — CDU politician Ali Ertan Toprak, Tichys Einblick.
As German federal elections approach on September 26, the candidates hoping to
succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel are reiterating the need to thwart far-right
extremism, particularly neo-Nazism, in Germany. In fact, the largest far-right
extremist group in Germany is Turkish, not German, according to a new
intelligence report on domestic threats to Germany's constitutional order.
The Turkish neo-fascist movement Ülkücü (Turkish for "Idealists") — popularly
known as Grey Wolves — now has at least 11,000 active members in Germany,
according to the new annual report (Verfassungsschutzbericht 2020) by Germany's
domestic intelligence agency (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, BfV).
The German Parliament and other federal agencies estimate that the true number
Grey Wolves in Germany is above 18,000. This is five times more than the number
of members (3,500) of Germany's neo-Nazi party, the National Democratic Party of
Germany (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands, NPD).
The ideology underpinning the Grey Wolves movement is a Turkish version of
Aryanism and sets itself in opposition to anyone who is not Turkish or Sunni
Islamic. It is anti-Christian and anti-Jewish, as well as anti-American,
anti-Armenian, anti-Kurdish and anti-Greek.
The objective of the Grey Wolves is to unify all the Turkish peoples into a
single country called Turan whose territory would stretch from Europe to China.
The Grey Wolves also want to establish a new world order based on Islam that is
led by Turkey; they are opposed to the assimilation or integration of Turkish
immigrants into Western society.
Followers of the Grey Wolves carry out intelligence-gathering operations for the
Turkish government, and have murdered, assaulted and intimidated critics of
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Germany.
Germany's annual intelligence report, unveiled on June 15, elaborates:
"The Turkish right-wing extremist 'Ülkücü' movement ('idealist' movement)
emerged in Turkey in the middle of the 20th century. It is based on a
nationalist, anti-Semitic and racist right-wing extremist ideology, the roots of
which lie in Pan-Turkism and Turanism. The ideological spectrum of the movement
ranges from neo-pagan elements to nationalist Kemalism to the fringes of
Islamism. The aim of the movement is to defend and strengthen Turkish
citizenship. 'Ülkücü' followers consider the ideal idea to be the establishment
of 'Turan' — an ethnically homogeneous state of all Turkic peoples under
leadership of the Turks. The country of 'Turan' would incorporate the settlement
areas of all Turkic peoples. Depending on the ideological reading, these extend
from the Balkans to western China or Japan.
"The 'Ülkücü' movement regards the Turkish nation as the highest value both
politically, territorially, ethnically and culturally. The assumed cultural and
religious superiority is expressed in the exaggeration of Turkish identity and
results in a degradation of other ethnic groups who are declared 'enemies of
Turkishness.' The symbol and best-known identifier of the 'Ülkücü' movement is
the 'grey wolf' ('Bozkurt') and the so-called wolf salute derived from it, in
which the fingers of the right hand on the outstretched arm shape the head of a
wolf. Supporters of the 'Ülkücü' movement are often referred to as 'Grey Wolves'
('Bozkurtlar').
"The 'Ülkücü' movement is heterogeneous. Of the approximately 11,000 supporters
living in Germany, around 9,400 are organized in three large umbrella
organizations. These represent the various forms of the 'Ülkücü' ideology in
different ways. Some of the associations are foreign organizations of extremely
nationalist Turkish parties. The associations strive for a moderate appearance
in their external presentation and tend to cultivate their right-wing extremist
ideology internally, especially in their associated affiliations. The
unorganized supporters of the 'Ülkücü' movement live out their mostly racist or
anti-Semitic enemy images in different ways, often on social media, but also
when they meet their political opponents, especially the Kurds, in public. This
shows the high potential for violence....
"The topics of 'Ülkücü' supporters in Germany in 2020 were determined by events
in Turkey. These included, for example, Turkey's conflict with neighboring
states in connection with drilling for mineral resources in the Mediterranean
Sea or the war between Azerbaijan's 'Turkic people' and Armenia over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region. The rededication of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul in summer
2020 from a museum to a mosque also met with unanimous applause from 'Ülkücü'
fans. Many hailed this event as a reminder of the conquest of Constantinople in
1453, which they understood as a 'victory over Christianity.' In relation to
this interpretation of the historical event, 'Ülkücü' followers generally use
the number '1453' as a code, for example on social media or in tattoos, to
express Turkish rule and their supposed 'racial superiority.'"
The Grey Wolf movement in Germany is divided into three main umbrella
organizations:
Federation of Turkish Democratic Idealist Associations in Germany (ADÜTDF) is
the largest 'Ülkücü' umbrella organization in Germany. It represents the
interests of Turkey's far-right 'Nationalist Movement Party' (MHP), which is the
parent political party of the 'Ülkücü' movement. ADÜTDF has around 160 local
branches in Germany with around 7,000 members, according to the report, which
adds:
"Outwardly, the group demonstrates a commitment to comply with German law and it
tries hard to maintain a moderate demeanor. Inwardly, however, the ADÜTDF is an
advocate of a nationalist right-wing extremist ideology in line with its parent
party MHP. Because of its membership size, the association is a major exporter
and disseminator of right-wing extremist ideas among Turks and Germans of
Turkish descent living in Germany.
"The ADÜTDF is convinced of the superiority of Turkishness.... This worldview
violates the principle of equality anchored in Germany's Basic Law and
counteracts the integration of migrants of Turkish origin into German society."
Union of Turkish-Islamic Cultural Associations in Europe (ATİB) represents a
more Islamic-oriented part of the 'Ülkücü' movement. ATİB claims to have 80
branches in Germany with over 8,000 members, but the German intelligence report
estimates that the group, which is based in Cologne, currently has around 1,200
members organized in around 25 local branches. The report, which does not
explain the reason for the discrepancy, states:
"ATİB wants to preserve the cultural and religious identity of immigrants of
Turkish origin in Germany.... Through its roots in the 'Ülkücü' ideology, the
umbrella organization creates a disintegrative effect and promotes Turkish
nationalism with right-wing extremist influences, which is characterized by an
extreme friend-foe thinking. This leads to the devaluation of other ethnic
groups or religions, especially Kurds and Judaism."
Federation of World Order in Europe (ANF) is the European organization of the
extreme Turkish nationalist 'Great Unity Party' (BBP), which is directed against
ethnic minorities (especially Kurds) as well as against religious minorities
(especially Christian Armenians). ANF was founded in Germany in 1994 and
currently has around 15 local branches in Germany with a total of around 1,200
members, according to the report, which adds:
"Like BBP, ANF represents the part within the movement that has expanded the
classic 'Ülkücü' ideology to include the factor of religion in the sense of the
so-called Turkish-Islamic synthesis. According to this idea, being Turkish is
only possible in connection with Islam. The striving for a unification of all
Turkic peoples in a homogeneous state 'Turan' is just as much a part of the
political agenda as the creation of a new world order. Behind this is the idea
of a world domination of Islam under the leadership of the Turkish nation....
"The Turkish-Islamic synthesis...represents a hard line of demarcation from
those of different faiths.... Components of 'Ülkücü' ideology such as racism,
anti-Semitism and anti-Christianity, supplemented by Islamism... is directed
against the core foundations of the free democratic basic order such as personal
individuality and identity as well as the legal equality of every human being."
Unorganized "Ülkücü" Movement. In addition to the 'Ülkücü' supporters organized
in ADÜTDF, ATİB and ANF, around 1,600 people belong to other 'Ülkücü' structures
and the unorganized 'Ülkücü' movement, according to the report. They are mainly
younger people who are in contact with one another primarily via social networks
on the internet, but sometimes also meet each other personally. "In doing so,
they cultivate their image of the enemy and agitate against their 'opponents,'
above all Armenians, Greeks, Jews, Kurds and the United States who are belittled
by 'Ülkücü' supporters and declared to be 'enemies of Turkishness.'"
A report by the Vienna-based MENA Research and Studies Center, explained the
myth that underpins the Grey Wolf movement:
"Their symbol: the grey wolf. Their name: Ülkücü, Turkish for idealist. Their
goal: a Turkish empire and the elimination of political opponents....
"According to legend, a wolf in pre-Islamic times led and saved endangered
Turkish tribes who were from the Altai Mountains in Central Asia. The Grey Wolf
is considered a powerful hunter that roams the country freely and independently.
Since he lives from hunting, he will never recognize others as free and
independent. The Grey Wolves movement follows this picture: All non-Turkish
sections of the population, especially minorities in their own country, are
'racially' persecuted....
"The declared goal of the movement is the establishment of a Pan-Turanian nation
that stretches from the Balkans through Central Asia to China and unites all
so-called 'Turkic peoples' in a 'Greater Turkic empire.' Its symbol, the Grey
Wolf, is still used as a sign of distinction today: followers greet the world
with the wolf salute. In addition, the howling wolf, along with the Ottoman war
flag with the three crescents, is a popular flag motif on the scene. Officially,
Turkish followers call themselves Ülkücü, idealists, unofficially they are the
Grey Wolves."
Banning the Grey Wolves
Austria banned the Grey Wolf salute in February 2019. Anyone found making the
gesture in public faces a fine of €4,000 ($4,750); repeat offenders face fines
of €10,000 ($12,000). France proscribed the Grey Wolves in November 2020, after
they defaced an Armenian genocide memorial near Lyon. On May 4, 2021, the
European Parliament called for an EU-wide ban of the group:
"The European Parliament is highly worried that the racist right-wing extremist
Ülkücü movement, known as 'Grey Wolves,' which is closely linked to the ruling
coalition party MHP (the Nationalist Movement Party), is spreading in Turkey
itself, but also in EU Member States; it calls on the EU and its Member States
to examine the possibility of adding Grey Wolves to the EU terrorist list, to
ban their associations and organizations in EU countries, to closely monitor
their activities and to counter their influence, which is especially threatening
for people with a Kurdish, Armenian or Greek background and anyone they consider
an opponent."
In Germany, Chancellor Merkel has been reluctant to outlaw the Grey Wolves,
apparently out of fear of angering Turkish President Erdoğan.
Germany's conservative party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), recently called
on the German government to ban the Grey Wolves. A parliamentary resolution
dated November 16, 2020, said that the group "represents a threat to the
constitutional order and social peace in Germany." It added that Grey Wolves
were being used by the Turkish government to intimidate and silence critics of
President Erdoğan in Germany, and that its objective was to prevent the
integration of Turkish migrants. The resolution elaborated:
"In Germany, Grey Wolves have been pursuing the goal of establishing a Turkish
nationalist identity against the majority society — under the motto of 'European
Turkishness' with the slogan 'Become a German, remain Turkish!' — to misuse them
for the creation of a strong Turkish nationalist lobby in Germany....
"The Austrian National Council decided last year to ban the wolf salute. A ban
on this right-wing extremist symbol is long overdue in Germany as well. But it
is not enough to ban the symbols of the 'Grey Wolves." The anti-constitutional
activities of the 'Grey Wolves' that endanger internal peace must be stopped
altogether."
A day later, Germany's far left party, Die Linke, also called for the Grey
Wolves to be banned, not only in Germany but throughout the European Union. A
parliamentary resolution dated November 17, 2020, stated:
"Supporters of the Grey Wolves are responsible for a large number of murders of
political opponents and members of minorities in Turkey and abroad. In Germany,
supporters of the Grey Wolves have committed several murders and attempted
murders of Turkish and Kurdish activists. They have also attacked and
intimidated opposition members and critics of Turkish President Erdoğan,
including members of the Bundestag who are of Turkish origin, for example, with
regard to the resolution on the Armenian genocide. The Turkish secret service,
with the knowledge of German authorities, uses the Grey Wolves for 'intelligence
matters' in Germany."
On November 17, the Bundestag rejected both motions calling for a ban of the
Grey Wolves. Instead, Germany's mainstream parties — the CDU/CSU and the SPD
(the parties that comprise the ruling coalition government) as well as the FDP
and the Greens — issued a watered-down resolution. Far from banning the Grey
Wolves, it simply called for the government to "push back" (zurückdrängen)
against group's influence (Einfluss) in Germany.
The resolution called for the government to "check" (prüfen) whether Grey Wolf
associations in Germany were engaged in anti-constitutional activities that
could warrant a ban. It also called for the movement's activities to be
monitored by German intelligence, a process that is already taking place.
Finally, the resolution called for "showing solidarity" with people and groups
persecuted by the Grey Wolves in Germany, Europe and Turkey and to support them
"as best as possible."
Merkel Resists a Ban
Writing for the German blog Tichys Einblick, commentator Zara Riffler said that
the resolution issued by the mainstream parties reeks of hypocrisy and was
issued only to save face after France banned the group.
In a two-part series (here and here), Riffler presented a history of the Grey
Wolves in Germany. She showed how Chancellor Merkel's CDU was the first German
party to hold talks with the Grey Wolves, aided them in getting residence
permits and even helped them to set up organizational structures in Germany. "It
was the CDU that helped to democratically legitimize the Grey Wolves," she
wrote. "The CDU's silence on this is deafening."
Riffler recounted how Merkel's chosen successor, Armin Laschet, the
Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, ordered a cover-up after German
media revealed that the German-Turkish politician Sevket Avci, who represents
the CDU for Duisburg, was himself a Grey Wolf. Riffler wrote:
"How many CDU Grey Wolves has Armin Laschet covered up to this day? What kind of
game is he playing? The journalistic question urgently arises: Is there
something being received in return from Turkish right-wing extremists or even
from AKP (Erdoğan's party) lobbyists? Sevket Avci did not suffer any
consequences from the CDU despite great media outrage.... The fact is: The CDU
tolerates Grey Wolves within its ranks — can one then still speak of
'infiltration'?"
Riffler also demonstrates how Chancellor Merkel has repeatedly met with and
allowed herself to be exploited by leaders of the Grey Wolves associations in
Germany, as well as with leaders of MHP, the Turkish party that controls the
largest Grey Wolf association in Germany. Riffler concluded: "So, the CDU is in
reality working with the right-wing extremist Grey Wolves, although it preaches
that right-wing extremism is the greatest danger in Germany."
In an interview with Tichys Einblick, CDU politician Ali Ertan Toprak, a
long-time critic of radical Islam in Germany, said that it was time for the Grey
Wolves to be banned:
"The Grey Wolves have become increasingly influential and increasingly
aggressive, so the danger they pose can no longer be kept under the carpet. The
increasing public pressure in the German population to finally take action
against radical foreign organizations quickly drew attention to the Grey Wolves,
because they are also the largest right-wing extremist group in Germany....
"Erdoğan despises the West and Western values. He says this openly at every
opportunity. He is building a nationalist-Islamist response, which he tries to
spread with his foreign organizations and their structures in every corner of
Germany and Europe. The mosques and affiliated Koran schools also poison their
parishioners and our youth with the poison of nationalistic-religious
segregation. One is not working here on integration, not even on a parallel
society, but quite obviously on a counter-society.
"The alliance between the AKP and the right-wing nationalist MHP is also having
an impact in Germany. With massive financial support from Ankara, an ominous
alliance has emerged that calls into question the basic values of our society.
Germany is losing the hearts and minds of those who have already arrived here.
Those who defend our free democratic values are abandoned. Why can Merkel —
and Germany — criticize Trump and the USA, but not publicly and unequivocally
put Erdoğan in his place? Is the USA strategically less important to us than
Turkey?"
*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.
Egypt Seizes an Ancient Christian Monastery’s Land
Raymond Ibrahim/Coptic Solidarity/June 22/2021
Egyptian authorities recently barged onto and seized land belonging to an
ancient Coptic Christian monastery that was originally founded in the year 360
AD—that is, more than 250 years before Islam first invaded (and subsequently
conquered) Christian Egypt in the seventh century.
On May 30, 2021, authorities arrived with bulldozers and police at the Monastery
of Saint Macarius in the deserts of Wadi al-Rayan in Fayum. They demolished a
fence of the annex-farm and other structures, including a church that had been
erected by the monks living there. Several monks who protested or tried to
prevent this state sanctioned destruction were arrested but shortly released.
The reason for this takeover is that the monastery has been unable to pay the
exorbitant levies that the government imposed on it a few years ago, in large
measure due to the many government enforced COVID-19 restrictions, including on
tourism, which would have helped keep the ancient monastery afloat.
Commenting on this, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a human rights organization,
said:
Whilst we recognise the right of the government to collect the agreed taxes, we
also recognise that this monastery has been on this site for centuries and that
the rental levies are a relatively recent expense in its historic existence. We
encourage all parties to engage in a process of negotiation to ensure a just
settlement in this matter, including a reappraisal of the rent that the
monastery is required to pay, which is a considerable financial burden even
outside the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has negatively
impacted livelihoods in Egypt and across the world.
It’s worth noting that this is hardly the first time that the Egyptian
government harasses the ancient Christian monasteries scattered in the deserts
of Egypt—the one in question, St. Macarius, in particular.
In 2015, for instance, the Egyptian government initiated a project to build a
road around Fayum. The proposed road would have crossed the territory around and
threatened to destroy ancient heritage sites connected to the Monastery of St.
Macarius. Although its monks had submitted alternative plans that would allow
for a road but also preserve the site’s integrity, authorities rejected them.
In the end, the monks had no choice but to lay their bodies down before the path
of the bulldozers, which arrived to the accompaniment of triumphant cries of
“Allahu Akbar” from the company drivers and workers (pictures here). Then, the
monks were again arrested again, though later released, and the road
construction started, against their will.
Jordan: The Coup That Never Was
Alberto M. Fernandez/MEMRI/June 22/2021
King Abdullah II of Jordan and his son Crown Prince Hussein on Umra in Mecca in
2018
It was like catnip for the ruling American elite. In April 2021, Jordan unveiled
information about an alleged plot to overthrow King Abdullah II, a plot
involving even his own Hashemite half-brother Prince Hamza. More important for
the D.C. chattering class were the supposed villains in the story: former U.S.
president Donald Trump, former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and
Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS). This is like the triple crown of
figures reviled by the incoming Democratic administration of Joe Biden and much
of the mainstream media. The timing was exquisite and the lineup of bad actors
could have only been bettered if somehow Putin would also have lent a hand.
If the cast of villains was irresistible, so was the hero. Here was that plucky
Abdullah of Jordan, with his "glamorous" wife and his impeccable English, a
close ally of the West – he was even an extra on an episode of Star Trek:
Voyager! Abdullah was, in this telling, a man of principle threatened by the
MAGA President's ridiculously amateurish son-in-law Jared Kushner and his
thuggish Middle Eastern partners in Jerusalem and Riyadh. If you carefully read
the fine print of the coverage, particularly Washington Post columnist David
Ignatius's detailed piece on the "palace intrigue in Jordan and a thwarted deal
of a century" some red flags might be raised, but you would be reassured that
"Jordan is back in favor" in Washington now, the supposedly all-important
Hashemite custodianship of Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem is intact, and the plot was
disrupted.[1] Indeed, two of the three main Jordanian culprits – former senior
government official Bassem Awadallah and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a Hashemite
relative (from the Mecca branch) and former diplomat – were put on trial in
Amman beginning in late June 2021.[2]
Reading the Western media coverage of this story, something seemed off to me. It
was not only the comments of many Jordanian contacts who were dubious about much
of this tale but what I could see was obviously missing in the story that seemed
strange. For one, it was strange that, in a story about how foreigners –
especially the Americans – had conspired to remove King Abdullah in the past few
years, that there was no acknowledgement that it was the Americans who
supposedly had placed him in power in the first place in 1999. I served in
Jordan beginning shortly after a terminally ill King Hussein displaced his
brother Hassan to make the young Abdullah, who could hardly speak Arabic, crown
prince, ensuring he became king a few weeks later at the age of 37.
The broad perception among many Jordanians – especially critics of the
government, and particularly East Bank Jordanians – at the time was that
Abdullah's rise was engineered by U.S. Ambassador William J. Burns and CIA
station chief Robert Richer, who prevailed on the ailing King Hussein to make
the change. Whether it was true or not, it was a perception broadly and
fervently held. Why this alleged coup was done varied with the telling. Some saw
it as cleverness: "The smart Americans knew that Prince Hassan was not up to the
challenge of being king and wanted someone better." Others saw a different
conspiracy theory: "The Americans wanted to place the half-British Abdullah with
the grasping Palestinian wife on the throne in order to 'Palestinianize' the
Hashemites."
In the alternate telling by some Jordanians of today's coup story, the key
elements are still about power, but as much – or more – about power and money in
Jordan as they are about Trump's "Deal of the Century." For these Jordanians,
the details of this plot cannot be divorced from generalized unhappiness at the
political and economic situation in Jordan, poverty, unemployment, inequality,
and a strong sense that it is all the fault of a corrupt king and queen. For
these Jordanians, the fact that Bassem Awadallah is supposedly part of this plot
is telling.
For the first decade of King Abdullah's rule, Awadallah was a key figure, touted
to eventually become prime minister, seen as very close to the Americans and a
champion of "reform," supposedly streamlining Jordan's administration and
reforming it along neo-liberal economic lines. Deeply distrusted by East Bank
Jordanians because of his Palestinian roots, his fall from grace in 2009 (it was
rumored that he had assaulted his wife) signaled an end to reform efforts.
Jordan was corrupt with Awadallah's influence and it would become even more
corrupt without him.
In the alternate telling of recent Jordanian events, Awadallah is the hapless
fall guy, manipulated into being the local villain of the tale by Jordan's
extremely capable General Intelligence Directorate (GID). In fact, the whole
chain of events is seen by some as a polished GID "legend" from start to finish,
combining real bits of data with an intentional and misleading political agenda.
Awadallah's public humiliation is a sop to disgruntled East Bankers –
traditional pillars of Hashemite rule but very alienated today. Arrogant and
closely connected to the king for years and then involved with the Saudis,
making him a scapegoat distracts from anger at the perceived corruption of the
king and especially Queen Rania, in those same local circles.
The role in the plot revealed so far of Sharif bin Zaid also combines real
elements while obfuscating real information. There is a supposed internal fight
over revenues due – tens of millions of dollars or much more – from Hashemite
properties in Mecca. The Meccan Hashemites feel it is theirs and these revenues
have not been fully paid because of bad blood between MBS and King Abdullah. The
Jordanian ruler would dearly love to be the recipient of this expected windfall.
The part about the alleged involvement of Prince Hamza is true, up to a point.
Unhappiness with the king has damaged the reputation of his son and heir and
conversely boosted the popularity of the powerless Hamza, especially among the
many Jordanians who – despite their discontent – still prefer to see the
continuation of Hashemite rule in some form and fear becoming another
dysfunctional Arab republic.
The key incident here is not something done by outsiders but by Hamza himself,
in March 2021, when he paid a call to bereaved Jordanians in the city of Salt
after COVID-19 hospital patients suffocated to death because of an oxygen
shortage.[3] King Abdullah had explicitly forbidden members of the royal family
to pay condolence calls – except for himself and his son and heir Crown Prince
Hussein. Hamza's visit upstaged and disrupted the planned photo op prepared for
his nephew and rival. Three weeks later, the coup story broke.
Rather than seeing Hamza diminished by the still unrolling political scandal –
so far – some see his status enhanced as a royal alternative. His very
powerlessness and isolation, and the quiet dignity with which he handled the
crisis have enhanced his status. Whether this impression survives an
orchestrated show trial of the other "conspirators" is still to be determined.
The Ignatius piece, relying on a Jordanian document shared with him by "a
knowledgeable former Western intelligence official," while breathlessly
promoting this Trump-Netanyahu-MBS plot also, if you look closely, has some
important caveats. The plotters' actions "do not amount to a coup in the legal
and political sense" and "Trump, Netanyahu and MBS don't appear to have been
working to overthrow the king." The Al-Aqsa angle also seems dodgy. Yes, there
is a historic Jordanian custodianship but also a struggle between Hamas and the
Palestinian Authority over Jerusalem. Jordan has real equities there but one of
the redlines of Jordanian policy is not to be left at the end of the day holding
too much of the Palestinian issue, either. Influence, attention, and money
coming from the Jerusalem file are as welcomed as much as anything that
contributes to the pernicious idea that "Jordan is Palestine" is to be rejected.
If indeed this is in any way a GID-concocted tale fed to credulous American
media sources, it is one of their biggest accomplishments in a long secret
history of successful operations.[4] In this sense, the coup story has helped
the Jordanian government in some important ways – helped it in Biden's
Washington certainly and rallied, at least for the moment, domestic support for
King Abdullah at a volatile time – while seemingly making a potential future
Hashemite succession struggle more bitter and lasting. The May 2021 conflict
between Hamas and Israel was also received joyfully by the Amman authorities as
it, like the coup story, allowed malcontents to let off steam, distracted
attention from domestic issues, and underlined Jordan's continued relevance to
the politics of region. And relevance means money, either from the West or Arab
regimes interested in stability. Jordan is still a simmering political and
economic mess but the regime has played this round of the influence game, no
matter what the real truth actually is, rather well. So far.
*Alberto M. Fernandez is Vice President of MEMRI.
[1] Washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/06/11/jordan-saudi-trump-netanyahu-deal,
June 11, 2021.
[2] Albawaba.com/ar/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%83%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%87%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%82%D8%B6%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AF%D8%A3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%AB%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%86-1434415,
June 20, 2021.
[3] Reuters.com/article/us-jordan-security-royals-rift-insight/the-sudden-visit-to-covid-victims-families-that-sparked-jordans-royal-rift-idUSKBN2BV374,
April 8, 2021.
[4] Foreignpolicy.com/2014/09/12/the-mouse-that-roars, September 12, 2014.
IRGC’s intelligence agency in Iranian power grab
Dr. Mohammed Al-Sulami/Arab News/June 22/2021
Tyrannical regimes always collapse years — and perhaps even decades — before
their downfall is officially announced. In a state like Iran, fears about, and
hedges against, downfall represented a focal point in the thoughts of its
founding father Ayatollah Khomeini and his loyalists such as Morteza Motahari,
Mahmoud Taleghani and Mohammed Kazem Shariatmadari.
They believed that any future collapse of the regime would be caused by external
pressures, so they focused on ways to handle them. They were heedless of any
potential adverse interactions at home, believing that the mere existence of the
Islamic Republic would result in all the Iranian people submitting and becoming
obedient servants of the Vilayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist)
system.
During its early days, the Iranian regime managed to wipe out all its domestic
opponents through assassinations, arrests and even mass executions, such as the
1988 slaughter of tens of thousands of leftist dissidents. This led to many
leading opposition figures fleeing Iran. Despite this wiping out of opponents,
even the most ardent regime loyalist must have wondered if it would be possible
for any single Iranian faction — primarily the clerics — to cling to absolute
power for decades without facing any serious competition from other factions
within society.
It was expected that the regime’s military branch, particularly given its
strength and weapons arsenal, would be the most likely potential rival. The
regime pre-empted this possible threat by placing the zealously loyal Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the same footing as the national army and
implementing a cultural and intellectual societal transformation program,
through which clerics managed to wrest control from the once-mighty military
establishment.
In recent years, however, it has become increasingly apparent that a new reality
is taking shape, confirming that the era of Vilayat-e Faqih has ended and the
reign of Iran’s intelligence services controlling the country has begun.
The authority of the guardian jurist has gradually declined in the face of the
increasing clout of the IRGC’s intelligence agency. The latter has gained its
strength and pre-eminence through its long-standing dispute with Iran’s Ministry
of Intelligence. Although this dispute dates back to when the IRGC’s
intelligence agency was established in 2009, the significance and effects of
this tense relationship have only become apparent in the past three years.
The IRGC’s intelligence agency was established as an apparatus directly
affiliated with the IRGC. Unlike the Ministry of Intelligence, it cannot be
questioned or controlled in any way by the president or parliament. It is wholly
under the direct authority of and answerable solely to Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei. This agency coordinates with the IRGC’s chief commander and the
supreme leader’s office. While it is not under the authority of the IRGC’s chief
commander, it coordinates with him.
All of this means that this agency, which was only formalized as an institution
in 2019, represents the supreme leader’s direct tool for gathering information
at home and overseas. It prepares the required reports to make decisions without
intermediate intervention, either from the presidency or from the commanders of
Iran’s regular military establishment.
The most recent indication of the advent of the “intelligence state” in Iran and
the end of Vilayat-e Faqih appeared to be when Sadeq Larijani — the chairman of
the Expediency Discernment Council and the former head of the judiciary —
complained about the disqualification of his brother, Ali Larijani, who was
formerly the speaker of the parliament for four consecutive terms, from last
week’s presidential election following a decision by the Guardian Council, of
which Sadeq remains a member.
In his complaint, Sadeq asserted that the Guardian Council’s decision cannot be
defended; whether regarding the candidates who were approved or the ones who
were omitted from the presidential race. The reason for this blunder was the
high level of interference by Iran’s security services and their issuance of
reports that completely ignore reality. The Ministry of Intelligence rushed to
dismiss as groundless any suggestion of its involvement in this matter. Sadeq
said: “In this bizarre time and amid such bizarre behaviors, I turn to God
Almighty and complain to Him. I seek refuge with God from all that His faithful
servants sought refuge.”
Sadeq’s complaint — which carefully avoided directly addressing or mentioning
the supreme leader, even in the form of a plea, despite his closeness to him —
suggests in coded terms that he is aware that Khamenei is now overpowered by the
institution that prepared the reports in which his brother is mentioned. The
Guardian Council took these reports into consideration when making its decision.
Shortly after this statement, Sadeq retracted his comments after realizing the
potential grave danger that such an outburst might place him in. Even the
supreme leader could not remain heedless of this situation and stated plainly
that some candidates were vehemently wronged — specifically referring to Ali
Larijani — but did not level any direct criticism at the Guardian Council,
reiterating instead that it had simply performed its duties. This, of course,
raises the question: Which apparatus wronged Ali Larijani?
On the issue of the election, Khamenei repeatedly emphasized the importance of
public participation. Thus, it was noticed that, while he had favored the
relatively youthful IRGC candidate Saeed Mohammad, the Guardian Council’s
decision dashed any hopes of there being a high or even an average turnout for
the election, let alone electing any younger figure to the presidency. This
demonstrates that the supreme leader’s instructions and preferences no longer
take automatic precedence, as they did previously. Instead, “deep state” forces
are now shaping Iran’s political realm and its future.
If we look to the past to prove this point, we will stumble across multiple
examples, including the disqualification of former President Akbar Hashemi
Rafsanjani from the presidential race in 2013. This may also be the reason why
Rafsanjani failed to win the chairmanship of the Assembly of Experts. Heydar
Moslehi, Iran’s intelligence minister in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government,
announced that he prepared the reports submitted to the Guardian Council, which
led to Rafsanjani being disqualified from the presidential race. He said that
disqualifying Rafsanjani was — from his viewpoint — in the interest of the
regime.
The era of Vilayat-e Faqih has ended and the reign of Iran’s intelligence
services controlling the country has begun.
At that time, the Ministry of Intelligence still had the upper hand in the
intelligence arena. Since then, however, the IRGC’s intelligence agency has
assumed this pre-eminent status after dealing several blows to the ministry,
both inside and outside Iran. This has reached the extent that each of the two
agencies exposed the other’s agents overseas, with this war between the Ministry
of Intelligence and the IRGC’s intelligence agency leading to clandestine
Iranian espionage networks being dismantled and their members arrested.
In short, the supreme leader’s inner circle has undermined his authority, with
the real power in Iran now divided between Khamenei and the IRGC’s intelligence
agency. This indicates that the latter is effectively monopolizing power in Iran
to the extent that the country is ruled by a jurist without guardianship,
marking the start of the agency’s era as the real power in Iran.
*Dr. Mohammed Al-Sulami is president of the International Institute for Iranian
Studies (Rasanah). Twitter: @mohalsulami
Algerian authorities won the army’s loyalty but lost
everything else
Saber Blidi/The Arab Weekly/June 22/2021
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s statement, after his vote in the
parliamentary elections, summed up the entire expectations from the authorities,
from the decision to dissolve the previous parliament to the announcement of the
official results of the poll a few days later. What has been important to
Tebboune is the renewal of the legislature, not the search for popular
legitimacy. When President Tebboune said, “I do not care about the voter turnout
rate, the most important thing is to elect new representatives who will
represent those who elected them to carry out their legislative tasks,” he
highlighted the authorities’ need for a new body whose first task would be to
consider a government bill that would allow the Algerian army to undertake
missions outside the country’s borders, within the framework of the new doctrine
established by the country’s new constitution.
Because constitutionally the bill requires approval by two-thirds of the MPs,
the authorities should be particularly satisfied with the outcome of the
legislative elections.
The absence of an absolute majority and the close distribution of representation
in parliament between the government’s partners reassures the authorities over
the future of the bill, which now will only await parliamentary endorsement and
international or continental political blessing.
With this outcome, one recalls the statement of Mohamed Laagab, the former
presidential adviser and manager of President Tebboune’s campaign, who told
local media that “the new constitution was drafted according to external wishes
and that it came to keep pace with global values,” which does not rule out that
a change in the army’s doctrine was among the so-called wishes.
The content of the final version of the new constitution has encouraged
influential actors on the regional scene, led by France, to exert constant
pressure on the Algerian army to engage concretely in the war on terrorism and
not to limit itself to the type of security and military assistance and services
it had provided under former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The legitimacy of
the new institutions is no longer a source of concern for Algiers, considering
the statements of senior state officials, led by Tebboune and the head of the
election authority, Mohammed Chorfi, with what is described as “the halal
president, the halal constitution and the halal parliament”. This is a reference
to what they see as power emanating from genuine popular will, even if its
represents a minority of society. What is important in the current circumstances
is to pass the bill without delay, especially since regional powers and capitals
support Algeria without reservations.
However, ambiguity continues to surround the desired role of the army.
Perceptions vary between drawing new strategic guidelines for the Algerian army
in the region so that it becomes a real player with influence in the Sahel and
Sahara to wariness about the armed forces becoming involved in a proxy war.
This is all the more likely in the light of the reluctance of the forces of
influential outside powers to carry out missions in the region and the emerging
signs that the Algerian army could be engulfed in a quagmire fighting jihadist
groups.
The authorities were only able to reach this point after holding an election
that remains controversial because it was boycotted by three-quarters of voters
and has brought back to government the same instruments of poweragainst which
the street rose up in February 2019. Advocates of the new bill do not seem to
have taken into consideration the nature and composition of the Algerian
military establishment.
Unlike other professional armies, the Algerian army remains tied to the doctrine
of the Liberation Army which has bequeathed to the post independence army the
values of defending national sovereignty, preserving the independence and the
security of the homeland and of the people while refusing to get involved in
external crises.The Liberation Army also planted the army’s popular roots as an
institution that remains essentially composed of members of the lower classes.
This reinforces the fear of families about the fate of their children because of
the bill which is seen as bringing unknown consequences. In recent weeks a chant
at some popular protests “The army is ours and should remain inside our
country,” demonstrates another concern that the authorities want to overcome
with parliamentary legitimacy and strategic relations with actors on the
regional scene, especially in light of their proliferation in recent years.
After France and the United States, then China and Russia came Turkey. Now,
Algeria faces multiple partnership options and a wide margin of manoeuvre,
especially since the balance of power points to the sharing of the region’s
cake. Algeria is therefore qualified for profitable partnerships.
The Algerian authorities will have achieved their desired goal if they can be
sure of the support of outside partners in the face of internal protests which,
since forcing the resignation of President Bouteflika, have left them with a
shaky legitimacy.
But the bets remain open. The army does not have a tradition of intervention
beyond its borders and the public is fearful of the risks inherent in the
unknown experiment. All could may turn into a new headache. Families once
reacted to the sacrifices of their children during the bloody decade with
national banners and ululations. But one can only guess the reactions if the
victims fall outside the country’s borders, especially since the armies of
traditional powers want to avoid more losses in their own ranks.
The Algerian army, which had earnt the high regard of the public in past
decades, is still paying the price of its political involvement in internal
battles.
Since the outbreak of the protest movement in February 2019, the military
leadership has been at the forefront of events and this has pulled the entire
institution into the political strife and angered the public after it became
became clear its basic demands were being circumvented. In many street
demonstrations protestors carried pictures of high-ranking generals and officers
denouncing them and accusing the military of suppressing the peaceful
revolution. This has marked the beginning of the fracture in the military’s
relationship with its popular base.
The overlap between the new political authorities in Algeria and the military
establishment has come into the open. The military’s involvement in the
political scene was no longer concealed even before the parliamentary elections.
Talking about a great achievement, Tebboune said, more than once, that he “has
the support and loyalty of the army,” instead of talking about popular
legitimacy, as is usually the case in republican tradition.