English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 15/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For today

But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving.
Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God
Letter to the Ephesians 05/03-13/:”But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be associated with them. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,”.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 14-15/2021

Elias Bejjani/Visit My LCCC Web site/All That you need to know on Lebanese unfolding news and events in Arabic and English/http://eliasbejjaninews.com/
The Healing Miracle of the Paralyzed/Elias Bejjani/March 14/2021
Health Ministry: 3,086 new Corona cases, 46 deaths
Al-Rahi Urges against Roadblocks, Says Army Not for Repression
Protests around Lebanon as Currency Continues to Slide
Hariri Slams 'Absurd Policies' Seeking Return to 'Sectarian Polarization'
Bassil Says FPM to Review Hizbullah MoU, Urges 'Fair Distribution of Losses'
Berri Mulls Mediating Govt. Solution as Ibrahim Suspends His Drive
Hassan requests an investigation into three concurrent deaths at 'Our Lady of Zgharta' Hospital
Hariri: Martyrdom of PM Rafic Hariri and his companions yielded March 14th

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 14-15/2021

Pope Francis renews appeal for Syria on 10th anniversary of conflict
A Decade of War in Syria Killed Over 388,000
Kosovo Opens Embassy in Jerusalem
Netanyahu: Master Politician Fighting for Survival
Israel unveils ‘Iron Sting’ guided mortar system for future urban warfare
Netanyahu Eyes Vaccine Win as Israel Heads for Fourth Vote
Ireland Recommends Suspending AstraZeneca Jab over Blood Clot Fears
Tehran holds trial of British-Iranian for ‘propaganda’
US plans to reinvigorate diplomatic effort alongside UN in Yemen: State Department
Turkey must lay ground for normalizing ties with actions: Egyptian FM
At least 14 killed in Myanmar as protest leader says people should defend themselves
 

Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on March 14-15/2021

The Vade Mecum of an Unlikely Negotiation/Charles Elias Chartouni/March 14/2021
“Nowhere to Turn for Safety”: The Persecution of Christians, February 2021/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/March 14/2021
Why Iran sanctions are still a powerful tool/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/March 14/2021
First shot fired against US Syria sanctions/Dr. Theodore Karasik/Arab News/March 14/2021
A better way forward for Afghanistan/Yasar Yakis/Arab News/March 14/2021

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 14-15/2021

Elias Bejjani/Visit My LCCC Web site/All That you need to know on Lebanese unfolding news and events in Arabic and English/http://eliasbejjaninews.com/
 

The Healing Miracle of the Paralyzed
Elias Bejjani/March 14/2021

http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/73457/elias-bejjani-praying-for-others-and-the-healing-miracle-of-the-paralyzed-miracle/
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11/28-30).
The habit of praying for others in any manner or pattern is a desirable religious practice, especially when the prayers are for the sake of those who are sick, persecuted, oppressed, poor, lonely and distressed, or have fallen prey to evil temptations. Praying for others whether they are parents, relatives, strangers, acquaintances, enemies, or friends, and for countries, is an act that exhibits the faith, caring, love, and hope of those who offer the prayers. Almighty God, Who is a loving, forgiving, passionate, and merciful Father listens to these prayers and always answers them in His own wisdom and mercy that mostly we are unable to grasp because of our limited human understanding. “All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21/22)
On the fifth Lenten Sunday the Catholic Maronites cite and recall with great reverence the Gospel of Saint Mark( 02/01-12): “The Healing Miracle of the Paralytic”: “When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was in the house. Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them. Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him. When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”— He said to the paralytic— “I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.” He arose, and immediately took up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
This great miracle in its theological essence and core demonstrates beyond doubt that intercessions, prayers and supplications for the benefit of others are acceptable faith rituals that Almighty God attentively hears and definitely answers.
It is interesting to learn that the paralytic man as stated in the Gospel of St. Mark, didn’t personally call on Jesus to cure him, nor he asked Him for forgiveness, mercy or help, although as many theologians believe Jesus used to visit Capernaum, where the man lives, and preach in its Synagogue frequently. Apparently this crippled man was lacking faith, hope, distancing himself from God and total ignoring the Gospel’s teaching. He did not believe that the Lord can cure him.
What also makes this miracle remarkable and distinguishable lies in the fact that the paralytic’s relatives and friends, or perhaps some of Jesus’ disciples were adamant that the Lord is able to heal this sick man who has been totally crippled for 38 years if He just touches him. This strong faith and hope made four of them carry the paralytic on his mat and rush to the house where Jesus was preaching. When they could not break through the crowd to inter the house they climbed with the paralytic to the roof, made a hole in it and let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on in front of Jesus and begged for his cure. Jesus was taken by their strong faith and fulfilled their request.
Jesus forgave the paralytic his sins first (“Son, your sins are forgiven you) and after that cured his body: “Arise, and take up your bed, and walk”. Like the scribes many nowadays still question the reason and rationale that made Jesus give priority to the man’s sins. Jesus’ wisdom illustrates that sin is the actual death and the cause for eternal anguish in Hell. He absolved his sins first because sin cripples those who fall in its traps, annihilates their hopes, faith, morals and values, kills their human feelings, inflicts numbness on their consciences and keeps them far away from Almighty God. Jesus wanted to save the man’s soul before He cures his earthy body. “For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?” (Mark 08:/36 & 37).
Our Gracious God does not disappoint any person when he seek His help with faith and confidence. With great interest and parental love, He listens to worshipers’ prayers and requests and definitely respond to them in His own way, wisdom, time and manner. “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened”. (Matthew 07/07 &08)
In this loving and forgiving context, prayers for others, alive or dead, loved ones or enemies, relatives or strangers, are religiously desirable. God hears and responds because He never abandons His children no matter what they do or say, provided that they turn to Him with faith, repentant, and ask for His mercy and forgiveness either for themselves or for others.
“Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up”. (James Letter).
There are numerous biblical parables and miracles in which Almighty God shows clearly that He accepts and responds to prayers for the sake of others, e.g.:
Jesus cured the centurion’s servant on the request of the Centurion and not the servant himself. (Matthew 08/05-13)
Jesus revived and brought back to life Lazarus on the request of his sisters Mary and Martha. (John 11/01-44)
In conclusion: Almighty God is always waiting for us, we, His Children to come to Him and ask for His help and mercy either for ourselves or for others. He never leaves us alone. Meanwhile it is a Godly faith obligation to extend our hand and pull up those who are falling and unable to pray for themselves especially the mentally sick, the unconscious, and the paralyzed. In this realm of faith, love and care for others comes our prayers to Virgin Mary and to all Saints whom we do not worship, but ask for their intercessions and blessings.
O, Lord, endow us with graces of faith, hope, wisdom, and patience. Help us to be loving, caring, humble and meek. Show us the just paths. Help us to be on your right with the righteous on the Judgment Day.
God sees and hears us all the time, let us all fear Him in all what we think, do and say..

Health Ministry: 3,086 new Corona cases, 46 deaths
NNA/14 March ,2021 
Ministry of Public Health announced, on Sunday, the registration of 3,086 new Corona infections, thus raising the cumulative number of confirmed cases to-date to 418,448.It also indicated that 46 deaths were recorded during the past 24 hours.

Al-Rahi Urges against Roadblocks, Says Army Not for Repression
Naharnet/14 March ,2021
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday called on anti-government protesters to “respect citizens’ right to movement” and “avoid the blocking of public roads.”In his Sunday Mass sermon, he called on them to resort instead to organizing demonstrations in public squares to “express their rightful demands according to legal and civilized norms.”The patriarch added that such a tactic would spare protesters “any clash with the army and security forces” and would enable them to “stand as a firm bulwark in the face of subversive infiltrators.”Al-Rahi also voiced regret over the death of two men in a car crash linked to roadblocking protests in the North. Commenting on the latest stances of Army chief General Joseph Aoun, the patriarch said he understands “the complaints of the military institution,” stressing that it is unacceptable to put the army “in the face of its people.”Authorities “have no right to neglect the army’s needs or to disregard the input of its command or the sentiments of its officers and soldiers,” al-Rahi added, referring to the army’s financial deficit in light of the country’s growing economic and financial crisis. “The army is the legitimate force in charge of defending Lebanon and it is unacceptable to legalize or cover for the presence of any illegal arms alongside its arms. The army is the army of the entire nation and some do not have the right to turn it into the army of the ruling authority,” al-Rahi warned. “The army is the army of democracy and no one has the right to turn it into the army of repressive measures,” the patriarch cautioned.

Protests around Lebanon as Currency Continues to Slide
Associated Press/14 March ,2021
Lebanon's currency plummeted to a new record low on Saturday, continuing its crash amid a worsening economic crisis that has triggered near-daily protests throughout the tiny country. Among the Saturday afternoon protests was a small one near parliament, where riot police fired tear gas to disperse scores of young men throwing stones at security forces. The protesters also tried to break through a metal gate leading to the legislature. Lebanon's worst economic crisis in decades began in October 2019 and worsened with the spread of coronavirus and a massive explosion in Beirut in August. The blast of nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers, killed 211 and wounded more than 6,000. In addition to Beirut, there were also protests in other cities such as Tripoli, Sidon and Tyre, as well as road closures in different parts of Lebanon. The Lebanese currency hit a new record low on Saturday, reaching about 12,500 pounds to the U.S. dollar on the black market. The official rate remains at about 1,500 pounds against the greenback. Commodities and consumer goods are mostly imports and prices have thus soared. Lebanon's economic and financial crisis has become worse in recent weeks as political bickering between rival groups has delayed the formation of a new Cabinet. The World Bank said in December that that Lebanon's gross domestic product shrank at least 19.2% in 2020 alone. In March last year, Lebanon defaulted for the first time ever on a payment on its massive debt amid ongoing popular unrest. Lebanon's debt reached $90 billion or 170% of GDP, making it one of the highest in the world. The crash has raised concerns over the country's stability as crime has risen and tens of thousands of people lost their jobs over the past year.

Hariri Slams 'Absurd Policies' Seeking Return to 'Sectarian Polarization'
Naharnet/14 March ,2021
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri on Sunday blasted what he called the “absurd policies” that are attempting to “return Lebanon to the era of sectarian polarization,” in tweets marking the anniversary of the March 14 uprising. “The martyrdom of PM Rafik Hariri and his companions created March 14, an extraordinary uprising in Lebanon’s history that was baptized with the blood and sacrifices of opinion leaders and politicians,” Hariri said. “It opened the doors of exiles and prisons; lifted the sword of tutelage off the state; broke the barriers of sectarian and regional allegiances; and restored national unity and the principles of coexistence and loyalty to Lebanon,” Hariri added. “March 14 was a project of a homeland, liberation and reconciliation which planted in the conscience of the Lebanese a popular, political and cultural scene that cannot be eradicated by the repercussions of regional changes nor the absurd policies that are seeking to return Lebanon to the era of sectarian polarization,” he tweeted.
 

Bassil Says FPM to Review Hizbullah MoU, Urges 'Fair Distribution of Losses'
Naharnet/14 March ,2021
The Free Patriotic Movement announced Sunday in a political paper that is “determined” to review its 2006 memorandum of understanding with Hizbullah and that it wants a “fair distribution” of Lebanon’s financial losses. The paper was recited by FPM chief Jebran Bassil in a televised address marking the FPM’s March 14 anniversary. “Israeli understands the language of war and does not understand the meaning of true peace. It wants to impose artificial normalization on (Lebanon) through the clout of foreign forces and under the pressure of crises and suffering, but this will only lead to further hatred and hostility and will make peace distant,” Bassil said. “Only a Lebanon that has strong security and economy is capable of making just, permanent and comprehensive peace with Israel,” he added. Commenting on Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s call for Lebanon’s neutrality, Bassil said neutrality requires domestic consensus, regional acceptance and international approval. “Until then… Lebanon should not get entangled in issues not related to it or to its interests,” he explained. Moreover, Bassil said the FPM have fears over the “adoption of federalism” in Lebanon, seeing as “the fabric of our people and their geographical mixing might turn it into a voluntary segregation of residents due to its reliance on the sectarian and not the regional aspect.” “This might turn it into a sort of veiled partitioning, which is definitely rejected by us,” he added. Separately, Bassil said the FPM is determined to review its MoU with Hizbullah in order to “improve” it. He said such a revision would seek to ensure that Lebanon is protected against any foreign aggression through a consensual national defense strategy. It would also seek to “build the state through a serious anti-corruption fight” and to “improve” the political system to prevent “obstruction” and achieve “full national partnership among all of the country’s components.” Turning to Lebanon’s unprecedented economic and financial crisis, Bassil said the FPM calls for recovering deposits transferred abroad in order to achieve a “fair distribution of losses.”
And noting that the FPM “has suffered major injustice” and “false accusations” due to its policies that call for “regaining rights, rejecting naturalization and fighting corruption, Bassil said his Movement should not be on the defensive but rather on the offensive against “those who exhausted the country throughout the past 30 years.”

Berri Mulls Mediating Govt. Solution as Ibrahim Suspends His Drive
Naharnet/14 March ,2021
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is mulling the reactivation of his mediation regarding the new government, hoping he will be able this time to “resolve the obstacles that are still delaying the government’s formation,” highly informed political sources said. “Berri is linking his action to the approval of President Michel Aoun and Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil,” the sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in remarks published Sunday. The Speaker’s initiative calls for “the formation of an 18-minister government with no one-third-plus-one share to any camp and it would be left to him to find an exit to resolve the dispute over the allocation of the interior portfolio,” the sources added. “This would hinge on Hizbullah’s communication with them and whether it is ready to practice its pressure instead of merely urging them to endorse the Speaker’s initiative,” the sources explained. General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim meanwhile suspended his mediation after it ran into obstacles and after he knew of Berri’s intention to reactivate his own initiative, the sources said. “Ibrahim took the decision on his own to prevent anyone from trying to depict his mediation as a competition with Berri,” the sources added.

Hassan requests an investigation into three concurrent deaths at 'Our Lady of Zgharta' Hospital
NNA/14 March ,2021
Caretaker Minister of Public Health, Hamad Hassan, gave his instructions to the health department head in the North region, in addition to the judicial doctor and the monitoring doctor at "Our Lady of Zgharta" Hospital, as well as the inspecting physician, to visit the hospital this morning to verify the possible causes of the three deaths that coincided on the same day.The initial report revealed that "no electrical malfunction had occurred and that oxygen was available in sufficient quantity in the main tanks in the hospital, whereby there was only shortage of oxygen pumping for a short period during which the backup actuator was used." The report emphasized that "the three patients were suffering from critical health conditions and had been in intensive care for more than two weeks," adding that "confirmation of their death's connection with the lack of oxygen pumping or due to other medical reasons requires additional probing that will be completed in the near future to settle the matter, ensuring that truth is revealed to the families of the deceased and to public opinion."
 

Hariri: Martyrdom of PM Rafic Hariri and his companions yielded March 14th
NNA/14 March ,2021
"The martyrdom of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and his comrades marked March 14th...An exceptional uprising in the history of Lebanon initiated by political and opinion leaders with their blood and sacrifices...It opened the doors of exile and prisons, lifted the sword of guardianship off the state, and broke the barriers of sectarian and regional affiliations, restoring national unity and the concepts of coexistence and loyalty to Lebanon," tweeted Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri today, in commemoration of March 14th occasion. "March is a project of a homeland, liberation and reconciliation, which implanted in the conscience of the Lebanese a popular, political and cultural scene that cannot be erased by the repercussions of regional variables or the absurd policies that work to return Lebanon to a time of sectarian mobilization," he added. Hariri paid tribute, on this day, to everyone who took part in reviving the occasion, and to the people of Lebanon from all regions who ignited the heart of Beirut with the pulse of freedom, sovereignty, independence and the great loyalty and devotion to the blood of Martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and the martyrs who fell on the path of this historic day.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 14-15/2021

Pope Francis renews appeal for Syria on 10th anniversary of conflict
The Associated Press/14 March ,2021
Pope Francis has renewed his “heartfelt appeal” to all sides in the Syria conflict to demonstrate “signs of good will so that a glimmer of hope can be open for the exhausted population.” The pope offered prayers for Syria during his traditional Sunday blessing in St. Peter’s Square, noting that a decade has passed since the start of the “bloody conflict.”It “has caused one of the most serious humanitarian disasters of our times, with an unknown number of dead and wounded, millions of refugees, thousands missing, destruction and violence of every type, enormous suffering for the entire population, in particular the most vulnerable, including children, women and the elderly.”Francis also expressed hope for “a decisive and renewed commitment” in the international community, so that “once arms are laid down, the social fabric can be mended to launch reconstruction and economic recovery.”

A Decade of War in Syria Killed Over 388,000
Agence France Presse/14 March ,2021
The overall death toll for Syria's civil war has reached 388,652 since it began a decade ago this month, a war monitor said on Sunday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the figures includes almost 117,388 civilians, among them more than 22,000 children.
Attacks by the Syrian regime and allied militia forces accounted for the majority of civilian deaths, said the Britain-based monitor which relies on sources inside Syria for its reports. The Observatory's previous tally was issued in December and stood at more than 387,000.
Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said 2020 saw the lowest annual death toll since the war began with just over 10,000 deaths. Battles slowed this year as a ceasefire held in northwestern Syria and attention turned to containing the coronavirus pandemic. The Observatory also documented at least 16,000 deaths in government prisons and detention centers since the conflict erupted in 2011 after the brutal repression of anti-government protests. It said, however, that the real number was likely higher because its tally does no include 88,000 people believed to have died of torture in regime prisons. Today the Damascus government controls more than 60 percent of Syria after a string of Russia-backed victories against jihadists and rebels since 2015. Among the regions still beyond its reach are the last rebel enclave of Idlib in the northwest, Turkish-held areas along the northern border, and northeastern parts of the country held by US-backed Kurdish forces. The war has forced more than half the country's pre-war population to flee their homes. Some 200,000 people have gone missing, according to the war monitor.

Kosovo Opens Embassy in Jerusalem
Agence France Presse/14 March ,2021
Kosovo said Sunday it had officially opened its embassy in Jerusalem after becoming the first Muslim-majority territory to recognize the city as Israel's capital. The move was in exchange in for Israel recognizing Kosovo, a major victory for Pristina's efforts to gain full global recognition of the independence it declared in 2008 following a war with Serbia in the 1990s. The new embassy was opened during a brief ceremony during which Kosovo's flag was raised in front of the building in Jerusalem, the Kosovo foreign ministry said in a statement. Serbia has refused to acknowledge the independence of its former province, so while Kosovo has now been recognized by much of the Western world, its rejection by Belgrade's key allies Russia and China has locked it out of the United Nations. Israel had been another key holdout until last month, when it established diplomatic ties with Kosovo. In exchange Kosovo followed the controversial lead of former U.S. president Donald Trump by recognizing Jerusalem as the Jewish state's capital. Trump had discussed the Israel-Kosovo deal in Washington during economic talks with Serbia and Kosovo in September. Kosovo's decision sparked criticism not only from Muslim-majority countries such as Turkey, but also from Europe. The status of Jerusalem remains one of the biggest flashpoints in the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and most countries have their embassies in Tel Aviv. In one of Europe's most intractable disputes, Serbia has rejected Kosovo's independence since it broke away in a 1998-99 war that was ended only by a NATO bombing campaign against Serb troops. Both Kosovo and Serbia face mounting pressure from the West to resolve the impasse, seen as crucial to either side joining the European Union. More than 13,000 people died in the war, mostly Kosovo Albanians, who form a majority in the former province.
 

Netanyahu: Master Politician Fighting for Survival
Agence France Presse/14 March ,2021
Benjamin Netanyahu has remained in power as Israeli prime minister for a record 12 consecutive years, partly by convincing some voters that only he can keep the Jewish state safe while defending it on the world stage.
But on March 23, the 71-year-old wily politician faces his fourth re-election contest in less than two years, after repeatedly failing to unite a coalition behind him, despite his devoted right-wing base. Polls indicate that this master political survivor, widely known as Bibi, could again struggle to forge the necessary 61-seat parliamentary majority. Since Israelis last voted a year ago, support for Netanyahu's Likud may have even dipped, despite clinching historic normalization agreements with four Arab states and unrolling a world-beating Covid-19 vaccination campaign, the envy of many nations. One reason why his political standing remains fragile is that his dealings with coalition partners are so often undermined by mistrust, said Colin Shindler, a leading Israel scholar at London's SOAS University. "You trust people insofar as you can use them, as you can pretend to forge friendships and alliances with them," said Shindler, author of "The Rise of the Israel Right: from Odessa to Hebron". "But at the end of the day your core belief is to protect yourself and survive," Shindler told AFP. "That is how I perceive Netanyahu." Yet despite being the first sitting Israeli premier indicted while in office over corruption allegations which he denies, Netanyahu may well survive the ballot box again. That is because part of the electorate still sees him as the safest available pair of hands to guide the nation, Shindler said. "That's the reason he's still in power. He's the national goalkeeper and he doesn't let in any goals."
Shaped by father and brother -
Netanyahu is the son of a historian who was active in right-wing Zionist groups, an ideological inheritance that helped shaped the premier's political career. Addressing the World Holocaust Forum last year, Netanyahu said the Jewish people had a mandate "to always take seriously the threats of those who seek our destruction." "To confront threats even when they are small and, above all, to always have the power to defend ourselves by ourselves." An occasional cigar smoker with a husky voice and greying comb-over, the broad, burly and square-jawed Netanyahu has two sons with his wife Sara and a daughter from a previous marriage. His brother, Yonatan, was the only Israeli soldier killed in a commando raid to free hostages at Uganda's Entebbe airport in 1976. Netanyahu called the event, which marked him deeply, "a very dramatic national experience" and "one of great personal consequence." He was raised partly in the United States and graduated from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
His perfect English made him a fixture on U.S. television channels defending Israel through the late 1980s and early 1990s, exposure that raised his political profile both at home and abroad.  A sceptic of the Oslo Peace Accords, Netanyahu became Likud's leader in 1993 and led the party to victory as Israel's youngest-ever prime minister in 1996, aged 46. He lost power in 1999, but regained it 10 years later and has not relinquished it since.
Jewish people's 'chief defender'
Netanyahu has not engaged in substantive peace talks with the Palestinians while overseeing a boom of Jewish settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. He frequently cites the risks Israel faces from Lebanon's Hizbullah and has called Iran's regime the greatest threat to the Jewish people since Nazi Germany. Thwarting Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program has become a centerpiece of his foreign policy.  In one of the most controversial diplomatic episodes of his tenure, Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the US Congress in 2015 without having been invited by then president Barack Obama to condemn Obama's nuclear negotiations with Iran. Netanyahu's "vision of himself as the chief defender of the Jewish people against calamity allowed him to justify almost anything that would keep him in power," Obama wrote in his presidential memoir, "A Promised Land". Following three inconclusive elections in 2019 and 2020, Netanyahu agreed to a unity government with his rival, the centrist Benny Gantz. The three-year coalition formed in May called for Netanyahu to hand power to Gantz after 18 months. But Netanyahu experts widely predicted he would find a way to sink the coalition before allowing Gantz to become prime minister. And as a deadline approached to either pass a government-saving budget or let it collapse, forcing a fourth election, Netanyahu baulked. Gantz said "he had no illusions" about Netanyahu when he entered the coalition, but had hoped that the pandemic and the economic crisis it wrought would compel the premier to opt for political calm over another vote. "Much to my dismay, that didn't happen," Gantz said, days before the government fell. "Netanyahu didn't lie to me. He lied to all of you."
 

Israel unveils ‘Iron Sting’ guided mortar system for future urban warfare
The Associated Press/14 March ,2021
The Israeli Defense Ministry on Sunday said it has completed development of a new guided mortar system, giving the army a formidable new weapon against enemies embedded in crowded urban environments. Officials said the “Iron Sting” system, using both GPS and laser technology, would provide Israeli land forces a new level of precision while minimizing the risk of harming nearby civilians. Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the system “changes the battlefield and provides our forces with more accurate and effective means.”The Israeli military has found itself in recent years grappling with the challenge of battling Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, while also training for the possibility of war against Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court this month opened a preliminary investigation into possible war crimes by Israel during its 2014 war in the Gaza Strip, when hundreds of civilians were killed during fighting between Israel and Hamas militants. Israel has blamed Hamas for the civilian casualties, citing the group’s attacks launched from residential neighborhoods. But human rights groups have said the military did not take sufficient precautions to distinguish between militants and civilians. Col. Assaf Shatzkin, head of the land systems department in the ministry’s research division, said the new mortar system would help the army against enemies like Hamas and Hezbollah. He said it could strike short-range targets within several kilometers (miles) with precision of just a few meters (yards).“With this precise mortar shell, it can be more focused on the enemy ... without a collateral damage to those that are not relevant to the fighting,” he said. The system is expected to be activated in the coming months, he said.

Netanyahu Eyes Vaccine Win as Israel Heads for Fourth Vote
Agence France Presse/14 March ,2021
When Israel this month holds its fourth election in less than two years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hope goodwill from a world-beating Covid vaccination campaign can finally secure him an elusive majority government. The last time Israelis went to the polls just a year ago, they delivered a result that had already become familiar: neither the right-wing Netanyahu nor his centrist challenger Benny Gantz had enough support for a parliamentary majority. The world, and Israeli politics, have since been upended by the pandemic. Just weeks after the last election, Israel entered the first of three coronavirus lockdowns. In May, Netanyahu, Israel's longest serving premier, and Gantz formed a unity government, declaring that the public health threat required political stability. But their coalition, which had been set to last three years, collapsed in December when Netanyahu's refusal to approve a 2021 budget forced new elections, to be held on March 23. Netanyahu, a wily political veteran, is now hoping he can sneak over the line thanks to the inoculation drive. The 71-year-old also hopes for a boost from having clinched historic normalization deals with four Arab states -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan -- agreements he claims mark a new era in the Middle East. But despite Netanyahu's apparent successes, polls point to another indecisive result, with the premier so far lacking a clear path to form a government.
- 'Vaccine nation' -
Israel, a country of about nine million people, has given the two recommended jabs of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to around four million residents, an inoculation pace envied by many nations. Netanyahu has been happy to take the credit for boldly reaching out early to drug-makers with approved vaccines. "Do you know how many presidents and prime ministers call Pfizer and Moderna? They don't answer. But when it's me, they take the call," he said days ago. "I convinced them that Israel would be a model country to roll out the vaccine: who else will do that? Definitely not (Yair) Lapid, (Naftali) Bennett and Gideon (Saar)," he proclaimed, referring to his main election challengers. Israel secured a large vaccine stock from Pfizer because its highly digitized medical system enabled it to offer the company fast, precious data on the product's impact. Netanyahu has repeatedly visited vaccination centers and adopted the phrase "Vaccine Nation", a play on the "Start-up Nation" tag Israel acquired because of its burgeoning high-tech sector. But some voters also blame Netanyahu for the painful lockdowns. His political allies, ultra-Orthodox Jews, have flouted restrictions -- often with a muted police response -- fueling transmission while many other citizens were following the rules.
- Right-wing pitch -
As the vaccine edges Israel out of the pandemic, its political landscape is shifting. Gantz's supporters punished him for entering a Netanyahu-led government and his fractured Blue and White party may not even get enough votes to qualify for parliament. Netanyahu's former partner, Yair Lapid of the Yesh Atid party, has emerged as his main challenger, polls show. And a former prominent member of Netanyahu's Likud, Gideon Saar, has formed his own party to run against the premier. Seeking to make up any lost ground, Netanyahu has tried to appeal to Arab voters, despite having disparaged them in past campaigns and backing a 2018 law that downgraded Arabic's status as an official language. For all that has changed since the last election, a single question for voters has again dominated this year's campaign: are you for Netanyahu or against him? The electorate is "divided between those who want Netanyahu to continue to another term in office and those who hope to see him finally head home", the head of the Israel Democracy Institute think-tank, Yohanan Plesner, told AFP. Seeking to shore up his right-wing support in the campaign's final days, Netanyahu on Sunday visited Kfar Etzion, a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank. Settlers, who live in communities widely regarded as illegal under international law, are also being courted by Netanyahu’s right-wing rivals, Saar and Bennett. Netanyahu recalled visiting Kfar Etzion in its early days, some 50 years ago, and lauded the "wonderful pioneering activity" of his audience. He warned voters that straying from Likud would be a "terrible mistake" that could produce a left-wing government. "Vote Likud," he told them. "We will create a strong, stable, right wing government."

Ireland Recommends Suspending AstraZeneca Jab over Blood Clot Fears
Agence France Presse/14 March ,2021
Ireland's vaccine taskforce on Sunday recommended temporarily suspending the rollout of the AstraZeneca coronavirus jab, following reports of blood clots in adults who received the shot. "The National Immunization Advisory Committee (NIAC) has recommended that the administration of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca be temporarily deferred from this morning," Ireland's deputy chief medical officer Ronan Glynn said in a statement. He said the recommendation has been made "on the precautionary principal" after "a report from the Norwegian Medicines Agency of four new reports of serious blood clotting events in adults after vaccination."

Tehran holds trial of British-Iranian for ‘propaganda’
The Arab Weekly/14 March ,2021
LONDON--The trial of British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe at Iran’s Revolutionary court was held on Sunday, her lawyer Hojjat Kermani said, hoping she would be acquitted from the charge of “propaganda against the system”. “Her trial was held at branch 15 of the Revolutionary court. Her charge is propaganda against the system,” Kermani said, adding that “Zaghari-Ratcliffe was fine and calm at the court session”. “The trial was held in a calm atmosphere. The final defence was taken. Legally, the court should announce the verdict in a week but it is up to the judge. I am very hopeful that she will be acquitted,” Kermani told Reuters. Iran had released Zaghari-Ratcliffe from house arrest last Sunday at the end of a five-year prison sentence, but she had been summoned to court again on the other charge. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested at a Tehran airport in April 2016 and later convicted of plotting to overthrow the clerical establishment. Her family and the foundation, a charity that operates independently of media firm Thomson Reuters and its news subsidiary Reuters, deny the charge. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who served out most of her sentence in Tehran’s Evin prison, was released last March during the coronavirus pandemic and kept under house arrest, but her movements were restricted and she was barred from leaving the country. Last Sunday, Iranian authorities removed her ankle tag, but she still could not leave Iran. Asked whether she could leave the country, Kermani said:”I don’t know about her travel ban situation.” British foreign minister Dominic Raab welcomed the removal of the ankle tag but said Iran continued to put Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her family through a “cruel and an intolerable ordeal”. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in a call with Iranian Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday, said Zaghari-Ratcliffe must be allowed to return home to her family. Iranian media reported that during the call, Rouhani raised the issue of a 400-million-pound historical debt which Tehran says Britain owes the Islamic Republic in capital and interest for a 1970s arms deal with the then-Shah of Iran. Authorities in London and Tehran deny that Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case is linked to the repayment deal for the non-delivery of tanks. But a prisoner exchange that freed four American citizens in 2016 saw the US pay a similar sum to Iran the same day of their release.

US plans to reinvigorate diplomatic effort alongside UN in Yemen: State Department
Reuters/15 March ,2021
The US plans to reinvigorate diplomatic efforts, alongside the United Nations and others, to end the war in Yemen, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told U. N. Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths, a State Department spokesperson said on Sunday. “He highlighted that the US supports a unified, stable Yemen free from foreign influence, and that there is no military solution to the conflict,” State Department Spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. The Arab Coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 after the Iran-allied Houthi group ousted the country’s government from the capital Sanaa.The United Nations describes Yemen as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Turkey must lay ground for normalizing ties with actions: Egyptian FM
Reuters/14 March ,2021
Turkey’s actions must show alignment with Egypt’s principles and goals for relations between the two countries to return to normal, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Sunday. Shoukry confirmed contacts between Cairo and Ankara after years of tensions but indicated that dialog was limited. Relations have been frosty since Egypt’s army ousted Mohammed Mursi, who was the country’s first democratically elected president and an ally of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, following protests in 2013. “(There is) no communication outside the normal diplomatic framework. If real actions from Turkey show alignment with Egyptian principles and goals then the groundwork will be laid for relations to return to normal,” Shoukry said. Top Turkish officials said last week that diplomatic contacts had resumed and that Ankara was seeking further cooperation. Erdogan said contacts were “not at the highest level, but right below the highest level”. Egyptian intelligence sources said Turkey had proposed a meeting to discuss cooperation. Any thaw in ties between the two regional powerhouses could have repercussions around the Middle East, where Cairo and Ankara have sought to influence events in various hotspots and stand on opposing sides in a Mediterranean maritime dispute. Shoukry also told lawmakers there were positive messages from Qatar indicating a desire to further repair relations following a summit in Saudia Arabia’s al-Ula in January. Egypt and its Gulf allies Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain agreed at the summit to restore diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Doha, which had been severed in 2017 over allegations Qatar supported terrorism, a charge it denies.

At least 14 killed in Myanmar as protest leader says people should defend themselves
The National/14 March ,2021
Myanmar security forces killed at least 14 protesters in the Hlaingthaya district of Yangon on Sunday, the Myanmar Now news service reported, while other domestic media gave higher tolls. Myanmar Now said the information came from a rescue worker and a hospital near the industrial district. Yangon-based Thit Khit Media reported 30 civilians were killed in Hlaingthaya. Daily protests against the military's seizure of power are entering their sixth week. In Yangon, a video posted on social media showed crowds of people, some wearing hard hats and gas masks, running down a street as the sound of gunfire is heard. The demonstrators quickly sprayed vapour from fire extinguishers as they retreated. The use of fire extinguishers – common now in protests across Myanmar – is intended to smother tear gas and also create a screen that makes it harder for police to pursue or shoot at demonstrators. There were also reports of injuries from live rounds and rubber bullets in other parts of Yangon, including Insein Township, where black smoke could be seen after security forces reportedly set roadblocks on fire. State-run media announced late Sunday that Yangon's massive Hlaing Tharyar township and the neighbouring Shwepyitha township will be placed under martial law. The vast and impoverished townships are known as factory hubs and home to garment factories. The junta "gives administrative and judicial martial law power to the Yangon regional commander... to perform security, maintain the rule of law and tranquility more effectively," said an announcer on state-run TV. On Saturday, the civilian leader of Myanmar’s government in hiding vowed to continue supporting a “revolution” to oust the military leaders who seized power in the February 1 coup. Mahn Win Khaing Than, who was named the acting vice president by Myanmar’s ousted politicians and is a member of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party, addressed the public for the first time since the coup. "This is the darkest moment of the nation and the moment that the dawn is close. “In order to form a federal democracy, which all ethnic brothers who have been suffering various kinds of oppressions from the dictatorship for decades really desired, this revolution is the chance for us to put our efforts together,” he said. Mahn Win Khaing Than, who is on the run along with most senior officials from the ruling National League for Democracy Party, said the civilian government would seek to give people the legal right to defend themselves. At the end of the message, he flashed the three-finger salute that has become a symbol of resistance to the military rulers. More than 80 people had been killed and 2,100 arrested as of Saturday in widespread protests against the military coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners advocacy group said. At least 13 people were killed on Saturday, one of the bloodiest days since the coup, witnesses and domestic media said, as hundreds of people demonstrated in different parts of Yangon after putting up barricades of barbed wire and sandbags to block security forces. In one area, people staged a sit-in protest under sheets of tarpaulin rigged up to protect them from the harsh midday sun. "We need justice," they chanted. "They are acting like they are in a war zone, with unarmed people," said Myat Thu, an activist in the city of Mandalay.
Junta-run media MRTV's evening news broadcast on Saturday called the protesters criminals but did not elaborate.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on March 14-15/2021

The Vade Mecum of an Unlikely Negotiation
Charles Elias Chartouni/March 14/2021
قراءة للدكتور شارل شرتوني في كُتيّب عملية التفاوض الأميركية -الدولية-الإيرانية النووية
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/96963/charles-elias-chartouni-the-vade-mecum-of-an-unlikely-negotiation%d9%82%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%a1%d8%a9-%d9%84%d9%84%d8%af%d9%83%d8%aa%d9%88%d8%b1-%d8%b4%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%84-%d8%a9%d8%b4%d8%b1%d8%aa%d9%88%d9%86/

One wonders whether the chances of a fruitful negotiation will ever see the light between the Iranian regime, the United States of America and the international community.
How can you get a totalitarian dictatorship to overcome its ideological warps, open up to the rest of the world and engage in negotiations with a genuine intent of normalization.
Setting high expectations on a political system based on a psychotic world vision, a destabilization strategy wreaking havoc throughout the Middle East, and a sense of impunity which account for its reckless policies and tempestuous military interventionism, should be weighed against the backdrop of a widening regional chaos induced by the structural brittleness of the regional State system and its backlashing effects (Iran included), the unraveling of the Iranian economy, the expanding scope of rural and urban poverty, the destructive consequences of environmental disarray, the costs of an overstretched imperialism, and the debunked religious legitimacy…,.
What’s typical of totalitarianism is the deliberate contempt of whatever facts contradict its cognitive framework and impugn its paranoid defenses.
How can we set a negotiation on track when its premises are absent or at best controversial and fluctuating, and its scope shifting along the ever changing moods and political objectives of a decaying dictatorship.
The initial blueprint of the 2015 negotiations was predicated on a demilitarization scenario built around the nuclear core-component and its conventional ramifications, the progressive political normalization at both internal and external ends, matched with the lifting of financial sanctions and the onset of working economic relationships.
Paradoxically enough the Iranian regime failed on every account to uphold its commitments when its double dealing, shadowy adherence, blatant instrumentalisation of the accord to hedge its ballistic missiles program and military expansionism throughout the arc of Middle Eastern instability.
The regime has managed to deliberately undermine its stated diplomatic objectives, while pushing forward a destabilization strategy throughout the Middle East.
While reviewing the predicates of the actual negotiation scheme, i was not surprised to observe that the methodology is still dealing with the equivocations and inconsistencies of the obstinate unilateralism displayed all along by the Iranian regime.
The US administration has to capitalize on the the achievements of the Trump modus operandi, its determination to reach a comprehensive deal which includes the various recapitulated stakes and their counterparts, and evade the pitfalls of a segmented approach and its self defeating “equivocation fallacy”.
The Iranian regime has intentionally failed repeated attempts at normalization on account of its ubiquitous insecurities, ideological restrictions, and dissembling pattern of communication, which leave us with the ultimate question that has never been answered, is the Iranian regime willing or capable of normalization and at which cost?
The track record of the Islamic regime is not reassuring, nor the hazards of volatile Middle Eastern geopolitics are quite helpful in this regard.

“Nowhere to Turn for Safety”: The Persecution of Christians, February 2021
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/March 14/2021
ريموند إبراهيم/معهد كايتستون: جدول بالإعتداءات وعمليات الإضطهاد والقتل التي تعرض لها المسيحيون في عدد من البلدان خلال شهر شباط/2021..لا مكان آمن يمكن اللجوء إليه
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/96978/raymond-ibrahim-gatestone-institutenowhere-to-turn-for-safety-the-persecution-of-christians-february-2021-%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%85%d9%88%d9%86%d8%af-%d8%a5%d8%a8%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%87%d9%8a%d9%85/

“[W]hat is happening in eastern DRC, the killing of innocent civilians on an almost daily basis, is an underreported tragedy.” — Illia Djadi, human rights activist acquainted with the region, Persecution, International Christian Concern, February 16, 2021 — Democratic Republic of the Congo
A Muslim colonel stole weapons from an armory and then blamed the 12 soldiers on duty for the theft. Six of those 12 soldiers—all Christians—were then executed on January 25. — The Christian Post, February 4, 2021 — Nigeria
“It’s not only about these six soldiers…. Nigeria is becoming like Somalia and Rwanda. That was exactly how it started, with the government taking sides and backing the members of a particular ethnic group. That’s the situation. Even in the security forces, Christians are being targeted.” — Emeka Umeagbalasi, a lawyer, The Christian Post, February 4, 2021 — Nigeria
“Many Nigerians now believe the Army fights for Islam, not Nigeria…. The Army’s lack of action to protect Christians comes directly from its leaders in government… When troops go into areas controlled by radical Islamists to defend Nigerian Christians, the government orders them to retreat. Then, Islamist rebels shoot them in the back.” — The Christian Post, February 4, 2021 — Nigeria
Four converts to Christianity, arrested on the charge of “acting against national security by forming a house Church,” were sentenced to a combined total of 35 years in prison…. Apparently thinking his sentencing too lenient, the [judge] further informed the Christian prisoners… that “your actions are worthy of death.” — Uganda Christian News, February 3, 2021 — Iran
During the court hearing, testimony was offered that “In Syria there was a practice whereby if they kill an apostate, they are assured passage to Heaven in the afterlife”…. The accused were granted bail. — Malta Today, February 12, 2021 — Malta
Sexual Assaults on and Forced Conversion of Christian Women
Bangladesh: Two Muslims brutally raped a married Christian mother. On the evening of February 5, the 43-year-old woman was at home alone (her husband worked nights and her son was studying at a distant school). Two men broke in and attacked her. According to the woman:
“With their faces covered, they looked like thieves, but instead they wanted sex and started beating me up. As I tried to disentangle myself, I recognised Mohammed Alam’s face [a neighbor]. They kept beating me; I was scared and helpless. I asked for some water and they gave me a glass mixed with a sleeping pill that made me unconscious for three days.”
When her husband returned home from work on “the next morning he found the door open and his wife on the floor, undressed and unconscious.” He proceeded to file a complaint at the local police station against his neighbor, Mohammad Alam, and his accomplice. Mohammad was arrested, though his friend remains on the run. “Alam thought that since we were very weak Christians we would not raise our voices,” his victim explained. Her husband said that, although their Muslim neighbors initially “showed their solidarity and denounced the attack,” once he filed the complaint, all these same “local Muslims sided with Alam, claiming he could not have done it… His brothers also offered me money to withdraw the complaint, but I told them that I want punishment for the attackers.”
Pakistan: After Arooj Karamat, a 23-year-old Christian girl applied for the position of math instructor in a school adjacent to a mosque in Islamabad, the Muslims around her began to harass and insult her—to the point of threatening her with rape and death if she did not convert to Islam. Initially Arooj’s female Muslim colleagues began to discuss religion around her; she assiduously refused to respond, even when they made comments “about Christianity [that] were hateful and derogatory.” Before long, those same teachers began to pressure her to convert to Islam. In a February 16 interview, Arooj gave her story, which culminated with an attempted violent abduction. After explaining how she did not want to take the job, as it was so close to a mosque, the 23-year-old explained (grammar slightly adjusted for readability):
“I started facing religious criticism from my co-workers who talked bad about Christianity. There were three female teachers and one male teacher; he taught Quran (religious studies) to students. One day on July 20, 2020 that man named Muhammad Abdul Basit offered me to convert to Islam and be a Muslim if I want to go to heaven and if I want to live a peaceful life; he was a kind of extremist person, he belongs to some religious group who spread Islam… I refused to accept Islam; then he started cursing me, speaking bad things about Christianity and then threatening me that he will rape me and kill me for denying Islam.”
She resigned the same day, told her family everything, and her father and younger brother always stayed near her whenever they ventured outdoors. Four days later, the family was out shopping. When Arooj and her mother stepped out of the store, as they were walking towards the waiting male members of the family, they passed by a mosque. From it, Muhammad Abdul Basit came running out; at the same time, a big pickup truck pulled up behind the Christian women. Arooj continues:
“[F]our men with black turbans on the head and white gowns with long beard came out with guns and a rope in their hands; they covered us from all sides; I started screaming for help and they pushed away my mother and one of them hit my mother with a gun and broke her arm; others were grabbing my arms and legs while Muhammad Abdul Basit was trying to tie my hands with rope and forcing me towards car; I was shouting for help and my mother was laying on road injured, screaming and shouting for help; people on the road gathered around us to see what is going on and my brother and father also came there to see what was happening; when they saw us they both fought with them to protect us; my brother and father grabbed my legs and arms out of the car; then those men beat my father and brother—they beat my father so bad and injured him badly while Muhammad Abdul Basit was hitting me with slaps on my head and face, and those four men took out big guns and loaded them; they were about to shoot me but the public had gathered by them; it was a big crowd there so they could not shoot me at that time and went away but were threatening us loudly that they will come back to kill me.”
Nigeria: Based on the diary of Naomi Adamu—one of the many schoolgirls abducted by Islamic militants of Boko Haram in 2014 to much international attention (before it was revealed that they were overwhelmingly Christian)—some of what they went through is becoming known. According to a Feb. 20 report:
“Adamu wrote on the days when it was safe, after compulsory lessons on the Qur’an and foraging for meagre rations from the forest. The small act of rebellion gave her strength. When her Boko Haram minders told her she would be killed if she did not convert, marry a fighter and bear his children, she refused and was beaten with the butt of a rifle… [She and others who refused to comply] were condemned to backbreaking labour as ‘slaves.’ …. ‘I became the leader of our girls because I was the eldest among them and I was the most stubborn. Boko Haram wanted me to convert as an example because they knew the other girls listened to me – they beat me and bullied me and threatened to kill me, but I told them even if the heaven and earth come together I will not marry.’ … Soon, some of the hostages were openly insubordinate, refusing orders and being beaten repeatedly. They began quietly singing hymns when their guards were distracted. Then the singing got louder. A small group of the most defiant students was separated. Adamu, their leader, was dubbed ‘the chief infidel’ by furious Boko Haram leaders. ‘When they realised we don’t wear hijab like the other girls they beat us and said they would cut off our heads. They made us wear hijab and pray but we decided together to fake the ceremony. We mouthed Christian prayers and told each other the story of Job,’ said Adamu. Once again the students were told they would be killed if they did not submit and convert. Again the small group of rebels refused. ‘At a certain point we had seen so many bodies, we were no longer afraid to die.'”
Slaughter of Christians
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): On Sunday, February 14—St. Valentine’s Day—Islamic terrorists of the Allied Democratic Forces killed 13 civilians in the Christian majority nation, and burned down a Catholic church during a raid. In the subsequent firefight, three soldiers and four terrorists were killed. The Allied Democratic Forces, which is connected to the Islamic State, had killed about 850 people in 2020. Discussing this and other attacks on DRC’s Christians, Illia Djadi, a human rights activist acquainted with the region, said:
“These predominantly Christian communities are attacked by an Islamic extremist group with a clear Islamic expansionist agenda. We need to pay attention to these events because what is happening in eastern DRC, the killing of innocent civilians on an almost daily basis, is an underreported tragedy.”
Nigeria: A Muslim colonel stole weapons from an armory and then blamed the 12 soldiers on duty for the theft. Six of those 12 soldiers—all Christians—were then executed on January 25. According to lawyer Emeka Umeagbalasi:
“The government of today detests Christianity… This administration is running on ethnic agenda against the Igbo [Christian] population…. This has never been a practice in the Army. Things got changed the moment this present administration [of Muhammadu Buhari] came to power. Things are happening before that didn’t happen. It’s not only about these six soldiers…. Nigeria is becoming like Somalia and Rwanda. That was exactly how it started, with the government taking sides and backing the members of a particular ethnic group. That’s the situation. Even in the security forces, Christians are being targeted.”
The Feb. 4 report elaborates:
“Many Nigerians now believe the Army fights for Islam, not Nigeria… In the country’s predominately Christian south, people call it ‘Boko Haram’s Army.’ Muslims hold all the most important leadership positions. The Army’s lack of action to protect Christians comes directly from its leaders in government… When troops go into areas controlled by radical Islamists to defend Nigerian Christians, the government orders them to retreat. Then, Islamist rebels shoot them in the back.”
As for those Christians killed “illegally” by Muslim terrorists in Nigeria, some of the more notable follow:
On Feb. 17, in Niger state, Islamic gunmen attacked a boarding school for boys and killed a Christian student; 42 others were abducted and subsequently released.
On Feb. 16, Fulani herdsmen shot dead Mati Sani, a 65-year-old elder of the Evangelical Church Winning All; three other Christians were abducted during the same raid.
On Feb. 14, Muslim herdsmen shot and killed four Christians, all members of the Evangelical Church Winning All.
On Feb. 7, Muslim Fulani herdsmen killed another church elder and four other Christians.
On Feb. 2, Fulani herdsmen ambushed and killed two Christians traveling on a road.
Attacks on Churches
Kenya: According to a February 3 report, Muslims torched five separate churches between January 20 and January 24. “A majority of the church members were afraid to attend services [in or near the ruins] in the aftermath of the burning of the churches, fearing that the arsonists might follow them right into their homes, risking the lives of their families,” a local source said. As took place in France when vandals used human excrement to draw a cross on the Notre-Dame des Enfants Church in 2019, so these Kenyan arsonists also “committed the heinous acts of scooping human feces onto the buildings,” the source added.
Sudan: The ninth church to be torched in Muslim-majority Sudan in two years took place, according to a report on February 17. “In every city or village where Muslims live, they should not allow anything that belongs to infidels such as church buildings to be there,” one Muslim wrote on social media. Another insisted that wherever Muslims allow the existence of a church, that place becomes “disgraced.” In the words of the Rev. Kuwa Shamal of the Sudanese Church of Christ, “They targeted the church because they do not want to see any sign of the cross in the area.”
Authorities also apprehended, beat, and threatened a Christian leader because he had spoken out against the burning of this latest church. On February 14, masked men, believed to be national security personnel, seized Osama Saeed Kodi, chairman of the Christian Youth Union, and handcuffed and blindfolded him. “We will kill you if you continue with Christian activities in Tambul,” they warned him before they released him. Later Kodi said, “I have been brutally beaten by national security personnel on my chest and on my right leg. I am still in pain as a result of this beating. I thank all those who stood with me during the detention. I shall continue to defend the right of the church despite all these obstacles.”
Nigeria: Suspected Muslim arsonists set Holy Family Catholic Church ablaze on Sunday, February 21. On learning that “armed bandits” were approaching their village, according to a report from the same day, Christian locals fled. On finding no one to victimize, “the armed bandits set ablaze the place of worship and the two houses.” Another report noted:
“While the gunmen in this particular incident remain unknown, Kaduna State has experienced countless attacks at the hands of Islamic terrorist groups, led by Fulani militants and Boko Haram. Christian communities are targeted, and thousands of believers have been kidnapped, tortured and killed with nowhere to turn for safety. While the government denies religious motives behind these attacks, the frequent burning of churches and targeting of believers shows that a hatred of Christianity plays a key role in violence throughout the Middle Belt.”
Although all mosques in Algeria were given permission to reopen on February 15, churches were denied the same permission. Pictured: The Basilica of Notre-Dame-d’Afrique in Algiers. (Image source: Damien Boilley/Flickr/Wikimedia Commons)
Algeria: Although all mosques were given permission to reopen on February 15, churches were denied the same permission. According to a press release from the Prime Minister’s office, “all mosques on the national territory are opened, in strict compliance with health measures and protocols for the prevention and protection against the spread of the Coronavirus, in particular the preventive support system put in place for mosques.” As one report states, however:
“Churches were notably omitted from the press release, despite the fact that the same social distancing and health protocols could apply to churches, just the same as mosques. Churches in Algeria were already facing pressure prior to the pandemic as nine churches were closed in 2019. None of the 2019 closed churches were reopened, primarily due to the claim that they were unregistered or unregulated by the state. Now, new health regulations indicate that churches may continue to be disadvantaged and so far have not been awarded the same benefits as other religious buildings of worship.”
Attacks on Converts to Christianity
Uganda: A Muslim husband splashed acid onto his wife after suspecting she had converted In “the middle of the prayers, my husband walked out and began calling Muslims and mentioning that infidels were at his house,” said Janati Kyoleka, a 25-year-old mother of three—aged 5, 2, and 5 months. She had secretly converted in December and her husband had just seen a Christian couple praying with her.
“When my friends saw the Muslims approaching the homestead, they took off…. My husband began questioning me whether I had embraced Christianity. I kept quiet. He started beating me with sticks, and my 5-month-old began crying, and before the arrival of the neighbors, my husband had already poured acid on me, and I lost all consciousness.”
She awoke in a hospital bed, with acid burns over the right side of her body, from breast to thigh, including her genitalia. “I know my marriage with my husband is over,” Kyoleka reflected. “I am grateful to God that my children are with me.” A local church couple have since taken her children and her in: “The responsibility of taking care of Kyoleka and her three children is not easy, but God will give us sufficient grace and providence,” a member of the Christian family said.
Iran: Four converts to Christianity, arrested on the charge of “acting against national security by forming a house Church,” were sentenced to a combined total of 35 years in prison. By forming and meeting in a house church, they were further accused of “widespread association with missionary groups, as well as evangelical Christian groups outside the country.” According to the Feb. 3 report:
“Judge Moghiseh – who has earned the nickname the ‘Judge of Death’ for his harsh treatment of prisoners of conscience – reportedly spoke ‘obscenely’ to the Christians and would not listen to their defence, only citing the report of the intelligence agent.”
Apparently deeming his sentencing too lenient, the “Judge of Death” further informed the Christian prisoners of conscience that “your actions are worthy of death.”
Malta: In an apparent attempt to kill the apostate and please Allah, a Muslim man stabbed a former Muslim who had converted to Christianity. Simar Halil Hannan, 26, seemingly with the help of an accomplice, stabbed Lamir Mohmmad, 29, in the neck. The men are originally from Syria. During the court hearing, testimony was offered that “In Syria there was a practice whereby if they kill an apostate, they are assured passage to Heaven in the afterlife.” Although prosecution insisted that his client “was now living in terror of the men,” which “led to a heated exchange with the court,” according to the Feb. 12 report, the accused were granted bail.
Somaliland: On Jan. 25, a Christian couple and their newborn baby were arrested. The next day, police searched and seized from their home incriminating evidence of Christianity. In Somaliland, promoting any religion other than Islam is banned. The same day, the police arrested Aster, an Ethiopian (and therefore likely Christian) woman who had been living with them. On Jan. 31, they were all presented before a judge who informed them that they “are suspected of spreading Christianity.” The prosecutor has 45 days from the date of arrest to complete his investigation and gather evidence, at which point they will be judged. As last reported, they remain incarcerated and denied access to their lawyer. Similarly, a few months earlier, on October 5, 2020, a Somaliland police colonel announced that a husband and wife were also arrested for being “apostates and evangelists spreading Christianity.” Police reportedly entered the couple’s house after being alerted by “suspicious activities.” On finding Christian materials inside their home, police apprehended and hauled the couple, who have three children, away. During the same conference, the police colonel repeated that “whoever dares to spread Christianity in this region should be fully aware that they won’t escape the hand of the law enforcement officers and that the spread of Christianity will not be allowed and is considered blasphemy.” He also encouraged citizens to report on those they suspected of being Christian, a policy that may explain how this latest couple came to be arrested.
Attacks on Christian “Blasphemers”
Pakistan: Haroon Ayub and Salamat Mansha, two Christian men, both aged around 26, were arrested and are being charged with blasphemy—which carries the death penalty—because Muslims lied and told police that they were proselytizing. They were accused of saying that the Muslim prophet Muhammad had “strayed” from the truth, and other words that amounted to “acts of terrorism.” On February 13, the day of the incident, a group of Muslims had come across the two Christians reading the Bible in a park. The Muslims began questioning them both, and asked them for any Christian literature that might help them understand their religion. The Christians gave them a booklet titled “Water of Life,” and the Muslims left. Haroon then returned home, while Mansha stayed in the park. “A few minutes later,” to quote from their defense lawyer, “the Muslim youths returned to the spot where Mansha was present and attacked him, claiming that he and Haroon had blasphemed against their prophet.”
“They also summoned the park’s security and lied to them that the two Christians were evangelizing to Muslims in the park and had used derogatory words for the Koran and the prophet [Muhammad]…. Mansha was taken into custody from the spot, while we have managed to obtain pre-arrest bail for Haroon Masih till Feb. 24. Haroon and Mansha were not preaching to the Muslims as alleged in First Information Report [FIR] No. 61/21. In fact, they were reading the Bible and discussing it amongst themselves when a group of Muslim boys, including Ahmed [who filed the police complaint], overheard them and objected to their Bible study.”
Algeria: A 43-year-old married Christian father of four was sentenced to five years in prison for reposting a cartoon of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, on his Facebook account—three years ago, in 2018. To his surprise, on January 20 of this year, authorities appeared at his door concerning that cartoon, and ordered him to appear at court. According to the February 1 report, “After questioning him about a caricature of Muhammad recorded on his Facebook account with a screenshot by agents from Algeria’s cybercrime unit in 2018, the prosecutor requested he be punished with five years in prison under Article 144 of the penal code against insulting Muhammad.” The judge complied, sentencing him to five years imprisonment and the payment of a 100,000 dinar fine (equivalent to about USD 750). “It is a tragedy for us and for his family,” local Pastor Seighir said:
“When a member of the Body of Christ is sick, the whole body feels the pain. Brother Hamid was naive in accepting this cartoon on his Facebook account. That this story goes back three years and only now it’s resurfacing – it’s hard to digest.”
The pastor added that the accused’s wife and four children—aged 6, 4, 3, and 3 months—are especially “dejected and dismayed, especially since one of the children is seriously ill.” Article 144 bis of the Algerian penal code states:
“Whoever insults Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) or the rest of the prophets, or ridiculed the basics of the religion or any of the Islamic rituals either in writing, drawing, expression or any other method. The General Prosecution shall initiate the litigation procedures spontaneously.”
In 2016 and 2017, two other Christians were also sentenced to prison for blaspheming against Muhammad.
Generic Attacks on Christians
Indonesia: On Feb. 8, authorities publicly flogged two Christian men for drinking alcohol and gambling in Aceh, which enforces Islamic law, or Sharia. A masked man administered 40 lashes with a stick on each of their backs.
Ghana: An armed gang attacked an all-night Christian prayer service around 2 am on Feb. 6. Three Christians—one only 2-years-old—were injured after one of the assailants opened fire; the rest of the congregation fled and hid. “All three victims sustained minor gunshot wounds on their legs,” one of the congregants added. Discussing this incident, another report offers context:
“Ghana has historically been a safe country for Christians, with over 70 percent of the population claiming to follow Christ. While Muslims and Christians have generally lived peacefully amongst each other, fears of religious tensions have increased, especially towards the northern Burkina Faso boarder. Though it is unclear if this attack was religiously motivated or just a random act of crime, attacks on churches is a bad sign for the freedom of religion in a region where Islamic radicalism and attacks on Christians is growing rapidly.”
Sudan: According to a Feb. 22 report, on the day that the only Christian program on Sudanese television first aired, outraged Muslims urged authorities to remove it. “Christians and Jews are not only infidels, but they are cursed by Allah,” Muzemil Fakhiri, a popular imam complained in an online video: “Now Sudan TV is openly broadcasting infidel programs instead of playing Islamic programs. Yes, Christians are infidels!”
Raymond Ibrahim, author of Crucified Again and Sword and Scimitar, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, and a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
About this Series
While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians by extremists is growing. The report posits that such persecution is not random but rather systematic, and takes place irrespective of language, ethnicity, or location. It includes incidents that take place during, or are reported on, any given month.
© 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.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17164/persecution-of-christians-february
 

Why Iran sanctions are still a powerful tool
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/March 14/2021
Since Joe Biden became US president, the Iranian regime has been gradually softening its position in order to resurrect the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal. This is considered a humiliation to the Islamic Republic, which is known to boast about its power, resilience and opposition to US demands.
Ahead of the Biden administration assuming office in January, the Iranian leaders took a firm stance toward the nuclear deal, believing that the new president was going to be similar to Barack Obama in terms of having a strong desire to resume the nuclear deal with Tehran. After all, Biden was vice president in the Obama administration that negotiated the JCPOA and, when he was running for president, he made it clear that he wanted to resort to diplomacy in order to bring Tehran back to the nuclear pact.
Believing that the nuclear deal would be revived in a matter of days, the Iranian leaders became emboldened and initially demanded that the US must return to the nuclear pact and lift all sanctions without any conditions. In addition, the regime began threatening Washington in an attempt to project its power and further rush the Biden administration into returning to the 2015 nuclear agreement. For example, the Iranian authorities started enriching uranium to 20 percent purity at the underground Fordow nuclear facility, meaning it is now just a short technical step away from weapons-grade level.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps followed suit by targeting international shipping, such as seizing a South Korean-flagged tanker. The Iranian parliament also did its work by passing a law that required the government to expel all International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors from the country if US sanctions were not lifted by Feb. 21.
The empowered regime had previously also started demanding financial compensation. Iran’s judiciary demanded that the US pay $130 billion due to the damage done by its sanctions. Similarly, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif last year told a forum organized by New York’s Council on Foreign Relations: “Compensate us for our losses… A sign of good faith is not to try to renegotiate what has already been negotiated.”
The Iranian leaders believed the White House would be in a hurry to revive the nuclear deal with President Hassan Rouhani’s so-called moderate administration before June’s Iranian presidential election, which could well result in a hard-line political figure being elected.
Less than two months after the Biden administration took office, Tehran has started softening its position.
However, things began changing when the Biden administration did not show the strong desire that the Iranian leaders were expecting concerning a possible return to the nuclear agreement. Statements coming out of the White House also poured cold water on the Iranian regime’s plan. Rob Malley, the State Department’s Iran envoy, pointed out that the ball is in Iran’s court. He added: “We don’t intend to base the pace of our discussions on the Iranian elections — the pace will be determined by how far we can get, consistent with defending US national security interests. In other words, we won’t rush or slow things because of the Iranian elections.”
Biden also stated that his administration would not lift sanctions on Iran in order to give an incentive to the Islamic Republic to come to the negotiating table. The White House instead insisted that the Iranian government must comply with its commitments under the nuclear deal in order for the sanctions to be lifted.
Now, less than two months after the Biden administration took office, Tehran has started softening its position in order to bring back the 2015 nuclear deal. Constant demands for financial compensation have disappeared from the Iranian leaders’ announcements. In addition, in spite of the law not allowing IAEA inspectors to monitor Iran’s nuclear sites after Feb. 21, the regime reached an agreement with the head of the IAEA to grant the inspectors access for the next three months. The Rouhani administration would not have reached such an agreement without the approval of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Zarif has also retreated from his firm stance and has proposed a “coordinated return” to the nuclear deal. He pointed out that EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell could help “synchronize” or “coordinate” attempts by Iran and the US to return to the JCPOA.
The Iranian regime’s retreat from its firm demands regarding the nuclear deal show the importance of the sanctions leverage that the US holds over Tehran.
• Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh

First shot fired against US Syria sanctions
Dr. Theodore Karasik/Arab News/March 14/2021
There have now been 10 years of chaos in Syria, with many guilty actors. But efforts to reverse the course in the country are gaining steam. For example, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to the Gulf last week featured many prominent themes, but Syria really stood out. His trips to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar revealed significant forward movement in Moscow’s interests in the Middle East.
These meetings discussed the next regional steps, signifying Russia’s policy direction since Vladimir Putin’s first visit in 2007. Since then, Russia has achieved much in terms of its strategic desires. Syria is just one place that now comes into sharp focus. One may be able to go so far as to argue that the success of Lavrov’s visit comes at the direct expense of the US, as Moscow is taking advantage of Washington’s focus on ending its so-called forever wars and its moving of the center of its strategic gravity to the Indo-Pacific region.
Given this gap, Russia and the Gulf states are seeking to pressure the US to loosen its Caesar Act sanctions. They, along with Turkey, are intent on reshaping Syria’s political future. Bringing Damascus back to the Arab League and helping it achieve a strategic transformation — but not on Western terms — seems to be the flavor of the day. Unfortunately, the perceptions are that the current US administration is weak and is going to falter on Iran. Thus, the Russia-Gulf nexus is seeking a multitude of paths before Syria and the Levant. The idea is to keep Iran out by cutting off the oxygen to Tehran’s interests on the ground. Moscow’s relationship with Tehran comes into play here as it can act as a channel for communication.
The questioning of the Caesar Act creates a very toxic environment for policymakers in the West
Iran is buried deep in Syria in terms of its relationships with institutions and its on-the-ground interests. Tehran’s ability to run different types of networks, both legal and illegal, is detrimental to Syria’s future. This is not seamless and is subject to many pressures, and the tendency to try to push back against Iran is clear. Moscow is in the comfortable position of talking to Iran while pursuing this policy in Syria because of its long-standing ability to get Tehran to back away. It is a balancing act that is still not well understood in the West.
This questioning of the Caesar Act creates a very toxic environment for policymakers in the West. There is, in particular, a real race against time in terms of Syria’s humanitarian situation. The unfolding economic and social landscape is being wrecked by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and strife of all stripes. Summertime will not make anything better. The talks that Lavrov held in the Gulf last week involved many different aspects of the Syrian question. While Idlib may have been the focus of one discussion, how to deliver aid to other parts of the country was the subject of another. Reconstruction was part of a third set of discussions. There are a number of inter-state working groups discussing Syria’s ability to reboot itself with this type of immediate outside help. Jordan may be in a key position to act as a moderator between Washington and others.
Much of Syria has been destroyed by the last decade of civil war. Food prices are out of control, electricity provision is sporadic, and the currency is in decline. President Bashar Assad is yet to gain control of large parts of the country and there are no resources to address reconstruction, which is why Lavrov’s trip to the Gulf could be so important. The thinking goes that Russia, along with the Gulf states, might be about to use the Astana process to settle several layers of Syrian society and Damascene politics. Assad’s future is not guaranteed. Some of what is being done now has been proposed before, but the alignment of players is more conducive to success this time. Turkey plays a role in the “distribution of labor” over fixing Syria, as Lavrov discussed in the three Gulf capitals. In other words, the immediate future is dominated by a different set of players because of the timing of the US transition. The American policy process should catch up, but the first shot has been fired against the Caesar Act.
The coming months of diplomatic meetings on Syrian-related issues will be contentious as they go up in front of the UN. Ten years of UN attempts to fix Syria now face a different landscape, while screaming for help. There appears to be a building challenge to US policy, but the flip side is that it pressures Iran and meets a requirement framed within a new humanitarian aid and reconstruction context exacerbated by COVID-19 economics. How Europe reacts, or even takes the lead, remains to be seen.
• Dr. Theodore Karasik is a senior adviser to Gulf State Analytics in Washington, D.C. Twitter: @tkarasik

A better way forward for Afghanistan
Yasar Yakis/Arab News/March 14/2021
Afghanistan news channel TOLOnews last week disclosed the contents of a letter that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had written to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. It concerned the slowness of progress in the peace process and the US’ intention to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan by May 1. This was one of the first major concrete steps of the Biden administration in terms of foreign policy.
Both the content and narrative of the letter varied from the established diplomatic practice. Since it was signed by the secretary of state, it should have been addressed to Blinken’s counterpart, the foreign minister of Afghanistan, or it had to be signed by President Joe Biden and addressed to Ghani.
Blinken’s letter stated: “We are considering the full withdrawal of our forces.” The established practice in international relations requires that, when such an important step is being considered, it is more appropriate to present the move as a common decision of the two countries.
As a reaction to this unilateral approach, Amrullah Saleh, the first vice president of Afghanistan, said: “They (the US) make decisions on their troops, not on the people of Afghanistan. We will never accept bossy and imposed peace.” Ghani, in turn, said that the future transition of power would occur via elections based on Afghanistan’s constitution, not plans made by “others.” The US should have avoided such an exchange of harsh sentences.
In the letter addressed to the Afghan authorities, there was a reference to two sets of meetings with a view to relaunching the peace process. One of them was proposed at the ministerial level with the participation of Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and, of course, the US. The State Department declined to disclose whether these countries were consulted beforehand. If not, some of them may decline the invitation simply because this news was prematurely divulged.
We also learned from Blinken’s letter that the second set of meetings is scheduled at the senior officials’ level and that it will be held in Turkey in the coming weeks. The State Department also declined to disclose whether Turkey had agreed to host such a meeting. I presume that, if Ankara was informed beforehand, irrespective of whether it would agree to host the meeting, it would have jubilantly announced it to demonstrate how Turkey could be helpful to the US in its initiatives.
The international community may now reassess the entire process of the Afghan crisis, bearing in mind that the country has been at war for more than 40 years.
Meetings between senior representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban are at present taking place in Doha, Qatar, but the Taliban is doing everything it can to drag the process out. The Biden administration may believe that Turkey has stronger leverage with the Taliban and that more concrete progress might be achieved by moving the meetings from Qatar to Turkey. If this assumption proves to be true, the Afghan peace process may be revitalized. If not, the limits of Turkey’s leverage will be displayed. The US will not lose anything in either case.
Blinken’s letter also says that US military assistance will continue after the withdrawal of its troops, so the emphasis is still on a military solution. The international community may now reassess the entire process of the Afghan crisis, bearing in mind that the country has been at war for more than 40 years. It might be more appropriate to look for nonmilitary options.
The US last year disclosed its military budget for the Afghan crisis. In 18 years — from 2001 to 2019 — it amounted to $778 billion. This does not include the funds spent by the other countries that contributed soldiers to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. More importantly, it does not include the human suffering, casualties and damage caused to the physical infrastructure.
One may wonder whether Afghanistan would not have suffered less if this $778 billion had been channeled into education and agriculture. It is, after all, a mainly agricultural country. It is not easy to quench the defense industry’s thirst, but if even a fraction of the US military budget for the war in Afghanistan were allocated to agricultural development, Afghan society could be transformed. Together with an emphasis on education, this could transform Afghan society completely and the country would cease to be a den for terrorists.
This opportunity has been missed, but we may now turn to the next generations. The time to act is now. If the emphasis could be shifted from military assignments to civilian and developmental assistance, Afghanistan may become a completely different country in just one or two generations.
• Yasar Yakis is a former foreign minister of Turkey and founding member of the ruling AK Party. Twitter: @yakis_yasar