English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For September 25/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Laborers in the
Vineyard/Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you
begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Matthew 20/01-16/”For the kingdom of heaven is like a
master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his
vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them
into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing
idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and
whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the
sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he
went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here
idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them,
‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard
said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with
the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came,
each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought
they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on
receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last
worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the
burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them,
‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take
what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to
you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you
begrudge my generosity?’So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on
September 24-25/2021
Health Ministry: 603 new Corona cases, 8 deaths
Aoun discusses general affairs with Rahi. tackles situation of Electricity of
Lebanon and Hydrocarbons Corporation with Energy Minister
President Aoun’s address at 76th session of United Nations General Assembly
Mikati from Elysee says determined to implement necessary reforms, hold
elections in spring
Macron urges new Lebanese PM Mikati to undertake 'urgent' reforms
Rahi tackles local developments with interlocutors
Berri discusses security situation with Ibrahim, meets Sheikh Al Khatib, Abou
Haidar
Army Commander meets counterpart in Turkey
Bou Habib meets diplomats, dwells on Lebanon foreign relations
Hezbollah: Ship loaded with diesel from Iran arrived at Baniyas port yesterday
Mashnouq Asks Court of Cassation to Recuse Bitar
UK Urges Public Calm over Shut Fuel Stations
USAID Celebrates the Closing of its Microfinance Assistance
Geagea from Bcharre refuses to deny expatriates voting privilege
Ibrahim broaches developments with Norwegian Ambassador
Minister El Khalil meets World Bank delegation
Jumblat Mockingly Suggests Sending General Security to Search for Iraqi Oil
Hizbullah Says Second Iranian Fuel Ship Has Arrived in Syria
U.N. Announces Start of Fuel Delivery to Vital Institutions in Lebanon
Launch of "Karama-Beirut Human Rights Film Festival" – 5th Edition in
cooperation with the UN and Czech Embassy
Hezbollah flexes its muscles in Lebanon and provides free Iranian fuel/Nader
Durgham, Suzan Haidamous and Lizy Sly/Washington Post/September 24/2021
Balkan justice lessons for Lebanon/Ana Maria Luca/Now Lebanon/September 24/2021
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
September 24-25/2021
Iranian FM points to ‘serious progress’ in talks with Saudi Arabia
U.S. Implores Iran to Return to Nuke Talks without Delay
Sadr promotes himself as moderate alternative ahead of Iraq elections
Menfi announces October conference to garner support for Libya
Are Arab countries edging closer towards normalisation with Syria?
Erdogan voices unhappiness over relations with US
Jailbreak sheds light on Israel’s mass incarceration of Palestinians
France says UK's Johnson offered to 're-establish cooperation'
Libya Plans Conference on Its Political
Process
Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC
English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
September 24-25/2021
Question: "What is predestination? Is
predestination biblical?"/gotquestions.org/September 24/2021
UN Secretary-General's opening remarks at High-level Dialogue on Energy/NNA/September
24/2021
Turkey: NATO's Pro-Russian, Taliban-Friendly Ally/Burak Bekdil/Gatestone
Institute/September 24, 2021
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on
September 24-25/2021
Health Ministry: 603 new Corona cases, 8 deaths
NNA/September 24/2021
In its daily report on the COVID-19 developments, the Ministry of Public Health
announced on Friday the registration of 603 new Coronavirus infections, which
raised the cumulative number of confirmed cases to-date to 621,155. The report
added that 8 deaths were recorded during the past 24 hours.
Aoun discusses general affairs with Rahi. tackles situation
of Electricity of Lebanon and Hydrocarbons Corporation with Energy Minister
NNA/September 24/2021
The Maronite Patriarch, Beshara Boutros Al-Rahi emphasized that he has no fear
that Lebanon will move forward again in light of the presence of a government
whose members are excellent and well-known, speaking of a basic condition “That
politicians do not engage in government, ministers and justice, and that sects
do not engage in justice and government”.
The Patriarch stressed the necessity of issuing a law allowing Lebanese
immigrants to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“I am a Lebanese who believes that Lebanon has sovereignty, independence and
dignity that must be respected. What is said on social media does not change my
convictions” Patriarch Al-Rahi asserted. Positions of the Maronite Patriarch
came while meeting President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun.
Latest internal developments in light of the formation of the government and
gaining confidence, were addressed .
Statement: “I had was honored to visit His Excellency the President of the
Republic to congratulate him and all the Lebanese on the new government because
it generates hope for them after the country suffered and we all suffered with
the absence of a government. This was the main reason for the visit and we
discussed with all living and material issues, issues of refrigerators and apple
seasons, in addition to educational matters, schools and the conditions of the
people, students and teachers, in addition to the issues that citizens suffer
from, such as fuel, especially gasoline and diesel..
We discussed these issues that the President of the Republic is also
experiencing. We have hope that in the presence of a government whose members
are excellent and well-known, there is no fear that Lebanon will move forward
again and restore normal economic life.
However, there remains a basic condition that politicians do not engage in
government, ministers and justice, and that sects do not engage in justice and
government. We are in a country that separates religion and state on one hand
and the authorities on the other. We cannot move forward and everyone deals with
something that does not concern him. Let everyone work in his place. Let the
separation of powers be the separation of authorities and the separation of
religion from the state, a separation of religion.
This means that we, as clergymen, deal with issues of principle, matters that
relate to the human being from his rights to the good of society and the nation,
but we do not enter into narrow matters, neither with appointments nor with
other matters, for example. This also applies to politicians who have to deal
with political affairs, as they have nothing to do with the administration, the
ministry or the judiciary. What makes us retreat in Lebanon and what makes the
government unable to move forward, as well as the parliament, and justice as
well as security, are these overlapping interventions.
These are our wishes, and then we can dream of the existence of a state, not
states, a central state that imposes its prestige and security and can help all
citizens to be respected by all states, from the Arab states to which we belong
to the international community, as a country enjoys its sovereignty and
independence and has its security, army, dignity and constitutional
institutions. A country which enjoys a separation of powers that the whole world
will witness to. The media should not publicly the bad news in front of
everyone. Let us take positive issues and highlight them, and there are many
positives among the Lebanese people, highlight the positives that the Lebanese
enjoy abroad Especially those who excel. We are in a state of illness, should I
kill myself for that? I have to take care to recover from the disease, and the
media should help show Lebanon's positive face, especially since the positives
outweigh the negatives”.
Questions & Answers:
Asked about the ministerial policy statement and what the government can
achieve, the Patriarch replied: “It is not required for me to agree or disagree.
The ministerial statement included titles that constitute the government’s
action plan, and we give full confidence to the responsible authority, and what
concerns us is that the work is to serve the country, the whole country, all the
Lebanese, he Lebanese citizen, their dignity and their rights, and the life of
this country with dignity, independence, sovereignty and freedom of decision.
This is what we repeat constantly”.
Asked about the parliamentary elections and the attempt to abolish the right to
vote for expatriates, Patriarch Al-Rahi replied: “Citizens in many countries
participate in the elections where they are, and this took place in Lebanon. It
remains for Parliament to regulate the law so that the Lebanese people around
the world can exercise their rights, especially since they have Lebanese
citizenship. Shall we tell those to take the Lebanese nationality and preserve
your patriotism and your Lebaneseness, while they do not have the right to
participate in the elections? A law should be passed allowing Lebanese
immigrants to participate in the elections. And whether the representatives are
from inside or outside, this matter is linked to how the law is issued. I have
heard many immigrants say that if they have to elect six representatives from
all over the world, how can they get to know each other, and why don't they vote
from Lebanon, especially since they know the candidates? This is what they say,
but what the Parliament decides, let it be”.
Regarding criticism of what was stated in his sermon about oil tanks that
arrived in Lebanon, the Patriarch said that “We are accustomed to tolerance and
forgiveness, but that does not change my convictions. It is Syria, and it is not
allowed for diesel tanks to enter under the security authority of the Syrian
army and Hezbollah. I called this a derogation of Lebanese sovereignty and
dignity, and there is no longer any consideration for Lebanon, and this is
unacceptable and I cannot accept it. What they say on social media and what they
do not say does not change my convictions. I am a Lebanese believer that Lebanon
has sovereignty, independence and dignity that must be respected. This is what I
constantly demand no matter what is said and written”.
Energy Minister:
The President met the Minister of Energy, Engineer Walid Fayyad, and discussed
with him the situation of the Electricité du Liban, the obstacles facing its
continuation in the production of electric energy, and the measures to be
adopted to solve this crisis. The fuel situation in general, especially diesel
and gasoline was also tackled in the meeting. --Presidency Press Office
President Aoun’s address at 76th session of United Nations
General Assembly
NNA/September 24/2021
The following is an address delivered on Friday by His Excellency, President of
Lebanese Republic General Michel Aoun, at the 76th session of the United Nations
General Assembly by videoconference: “Your Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid,
President of the General Assembly, Your Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres,
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Your Excellencies the heads of States
and Governments,
Ladies and gentlemen,
At the outset, I would like to congratulate your Excellency on your election to
preside over the seventy-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly,
wishing you success in carrying out your duties, in light of the continuous
global endeavors to recover from the repercussions of Covid-19. I would have
preferred to congratulate you in person rather than through videoconference,
which was imposed by the global health situation, for the second year in a row.
I wish to thank His Excellency Mr. Volkan Bozkir for running well the affairs of
last year’s General Assembly, and to congratulate His Excellency
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on his reelection for a second term at the
head of the international organization, thanking him on his efforts for Lebanon
and his contribution to the organization of three conferences in support of the
Lebanese people in the aftermath of the Beirut Port blast tragedy.
Our thanks also go to the Heads of States who participated in these conferences,
to governmental and non-governmental organizations, and to all those who have
contributed to this support. I wish to thank in particular France, whose
President rushed to Lebanon personally to support it in its ordeal, and the
friendly and brotherly States that contribute to promoting our armed forces
which are fighting terrorism and cooperating with the Peacekeeping forces to
preserve calm and stability on our Southern borders and to implement Resolution
1701.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Twenty years ago, a few miles from the headquarters, the largest terrorist
operation struck the heart of New York, causing thousands of victims and leaving
deep marks in the world’s conscience. It also had tremendous repercussions at a
global scale, and entailed a war on terrorism that succeeded sometimes and
failed sometimes. In all cases, many peoples, especially in our region, have
paid dearly for that war, in terms of death, destruction and displacement, and
they are now pulling themselves together and trying to rise as New York had
risen, because the will of life is more powerful than any terrorism, and it
undoubtedly converges with the theme of the present session “Building Resilience
Through Hope”.
Esteemed audience,
As the Lebanese Government has been formed according to the constitutional
mechanism after a political crisis that lasted more than a year, Lebanon has
embarked on a new phase that would hopefully mark a promising step on the path
of recovery. There is no doubt that major internal and international challenges
await the new government to earn the confidence of both the people and the
international community after having obtained that of the Lebanese Parliament.
Over the past two years, Lebanon has known its hardest times, whereas successive
crises - some inherited and ramified and some urgent - exploded simultaneously,
affecting all sectors. Indeed, the financial and economic policies adopted for
decades and built upon the profit-based pattern, in addition to corruption and
waste that result from bad management and absence of accountability, pushed
Lebanon into an unprecedented financial and monetary crisis which led to
economic stagnation, a stifling livelihood crisis, and growing in unemployment,
migration and poverty rates. The Government has committed to carry out the
pressing and required financial and economic reforms, to fight corruption and
lay down a financial recovery plan in the context of continuing negotiations
with the International Monetary Fund, accompanied by a plan to generalize the
social safety net, a plan to reform and – where needed - restructure the banking
system, and to carry on with the implementation of the electricity sector plan.
The kick-off was with the entry of the financial forensic audit of Lebanon’s
Central Bank’s accounts into force after completing the necessary procedures,
and this audit shall be applied to all public accounts; this very audit that I
have committed before the people of Lebanon and the international community to
execute in line with the principles of transparency and accountability.
And as we rely on the international community to finance vital projects in the
public and private sectors to revitalize the economic cycle and create job
opportunities, we also rely on it to help us recover the smuggled funds stemming
from corruption crimes.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The wars of the region around us have contributed to the exacerbation of our
crises, especially the Syrian war which have weighed heavily on us, notably
through the imposed siege that has deprived Lebanon of its vital extension, or
the infiltration of terrorism into our territories, or the large numbers of
Syrian displaced who streamed into Lebanon, exceeding today 1.5 million.
I have been vocal, at all fora and specifically that of the United Nations, in
exposing the catastrophic outcomes of displacement on all economic, social,
health and security aspects, and I appealed to the international community to
help us secure the safe return of the displaced; but unfortunately, no one
responded to our appeals, and assistance continued to be given to the Syrians in
their place of residence in Lebanon rather than extending it to them in their
country, and this encouraged them to stay where they are.
Today, as Lebanon is resisting to survive and go on, I repeat the plea: yes, the
international community must help Lebanon shoulder the exhausting burden
entailed by the displacement crisis; yet, it must first work for the safe return
of the displaced to their country. Lebanon, which has laid a comprehensive plan
for this return, affirms its position rejecting any form of integration of the
displaced, as it reiterates its position rejecting any form of settlement of
Palestinian refugees, based on the necessity to find a solution to the
Palestinian issue in accordance with relevant international resolutions,
specifically those guaranteeing the right of return. On the other hand, the
persistent Israeli threats remain the main concern of the Lebanese State, the
last aspect of which was Israel’s attempt to explore for oil and gas in the
disputed area on the maritime borders.
Lebanon condemns any attempt to transgress the boundaries of the Exclusive
Economic Zone within which Lebanon holds on to its right to oil and gas
resources, especially that exploration procurement has begun months ago, then
was halted due to strains whose source is no longer a secret to anyone.
Lebanon demands the resumption of indirect negotiations for the demarcation of
the Southern maritime borders according to international laws. It affirms that
it shall not back off and shall not accept any compromise. The role of the
international community is to stand by it.
Distinguished guests,
The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the world with its catastrophic consequences on
health, economy, education and other sectors. In Lebanon, its repercussions were
exponentially greater because they added up to its crises and they still do.
Although the concerned authorities and health organs have dealt with this
emergency situation with a professional and proactive approach that kept the
infection figures within acceptable ranges, the repercussions have been very
hard on an already shaky economy and on the health sector, in light of the
growing shortage of drugs, medical supplies and fuel, in addition to the human
drain of doctors and nurses due to migration for economic reasons.
As for the vaccination, Lebanon shall have the credit of being among the
pioneering countries in this respect, as the rate of vaccination to date has
reached 30%, and we are striving to surpass the 40% goal by the end of the year.
Amid these crises, the catastrophic Beirut Port blast came to aggravate the
suffering. Today, more than a year later, our capital continues to be quiet and
dark, as it remains a disaster-stricken city. We want the heart of our country
to beat again, and we also want the Port of Beirut to return to being a pole of
attraction. We are grateful for all the humanitarian assistance that has been
sent to our people. Today, the need remains pressing for reconstruction and
development supplies and we welcome any international endeavor to habilitate and
develop the port, till it is re-operated fully as per the applicable laws.
The international solidarity with our capital and our people is commendable. It
has contributed indeed to healing some wounds, but the assistance that Beirut
wants as well lies in what may be required by the probe in order to disclose the
truth to serve justice. The comfort of the victims’ parents and the healing of
the wounded’s pain can only be complete by serving justice.
The Lebanese justice is investigating the causes and circumstances of the
explosion and the administrative liabilities; it has many defendants and
arrested. The investigation, which remains confidential, still needs to unveil
where the explosive materials came from, why they entered our port, who is
really behind them, and if the satellites captured anything at the moment of the
blast.
We therefore repeat our request to the States which possess information and data
that help the investigation to share them as needed.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The crises of the past two years in Lebanon and the world have delayed the
procedures related to the creation of the “Academy for Human Encounters and
Dialogue” which I had launched from the rostrum of the United Nations in 2017,
and which earned the support of the General Assembly in 2019 as per Resolution
73/344. However, the course of events and the raging conflicts in the
surroundings reaffirm the importance of this initiative and what is sought from
it in terms of human and civilizational communication. It am pleased that a
large piece of land very close to Beirut has been allocated to host the Academy,
and the necessary studies have been prepared to initiate construction works. I
call on all friendly and brotherly States to join those which have already
expressed their desire to sign the Academy establishment convention.
Esteemed audience,
The theme that you have picked for this session, “Building Resilience Through
Hope”, is not a mere literary title for the Lebanese people. It is rather a life
experienced on a daily basis, for resilience is our life’s journey, our hope has
never faded nor has its light ever dimmed. And despite all the hardships, crises
and tragedies that besiege us, our people are struggling for a better tomorrow.
As Lebanon tries tenaciously to work its way towards recovery, it relies on
international solidarity to achieve its goals.”
Mikati from Elysee says determined to implement necessary reforms, hold
elections in spring
NNA/September 24/2021
In a joint press conference at the Elysee Palace with French President, Emmanuel
Macron, Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, affirmed on Friday his government’s
determination to swiftly implement all the necessary reforms.
“France has been and still is Lebanon’s permanent and steadfast ally. I’ve had
the great honor and pleasure of meeting with President Macron to discuss an
array of issues of great importance to both of our countries,” Mikati said in a
word he gave during the press conference. “Recently, Lebanon has been
experiencing a series of crises that have bogged it down in an unprecedented
state of distress. However, all throughout this ordeal, Mr. President [Macron],
you have always been by our side,” Mikati added, deeming this support of
particular importance “because France represents the heart of the international
community made up of our Arab brothers and our friends across the world.”Mikati
went on to explain that his meeting with Macron had been an opportunity to
express his determination to swiftly implement all the necessary reforms, in
cooperation with the Lebanese government and with the support of Lebanese
President, Michel Aoun, as well as that of the House of Parliament, “to restore
confidence, spread a new breath of hope, and alleviate the sufferings of the
Lebanese people.” “These measures will be decisive in reviving the nation’s
economy, in pursuing promising negotiations with the International Monetary
Fund, and in kick starting an end to the crisis. I am confident that we can
count on France's support in these negotiations,” Mikati added. Most
importantly, Mikati said that he had also assured President Macron of the
government's determination to hold parliamentary elections next spring, hoping
that this will pave the way for a new political life that the Lebanese people
long for.
Macron urges new Lebanese PM Mikati to undertake 'urgent' reforms
NNA/September 24/2021
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday urged the new Lebanese Prime Minister
Najib Mikati to undertake "urgent" reforms to help his crisis-wracked country,
as the two men met for the first time in Paris. After repeating previous
criticism of Lebanon's political class, Macron told Mikati it was "urgent to
implement measures and essential reforms" and that Lebanon "could count on"
former colonial power France for support. The reforms should include tackling
power and other infrastructure problems, improving public finances, reducing
corruption, and stabilising the banking system, he said. Mikati said he had come
to the French capital to reassure Macron that he and his new government,
approved by the Lebanese parliament on Monday, were committed to reforming. “I
expressed my determination to implement ... the necessary reforms as soon as
possible in order to restore confidence, to give hope and reduce the suffering
of the Lebanese population," he said. He also vowed to respect the country's
political timetable and hold general elections next year. The billionaire's
nomination has brought an end to 13 months of political deadlock since an August
2020 blast that killed at least 214 people and devastated swathes of the capital
Beirut. An economic meltdown since then has depleted central bank reserves,
devalued the currency by more than 90 percent and plunged three out of four
citizens below the poverty line, while those who can are emigrating by the
thousands. France has led the international response to the tragedy, organising
three international conferences devoted to Lebanon and delivering aid in
exchange for promises of political reform and accountability. Macron travelled
to Lebanon two days after the blast, and returned for a second trip. The
43-year-old French leader has repeatedly expressed exasperation over the failure
of Lebanon's leaders to end the political crisis and tackle the economic
emergency. "It's a secret for nobody that the negotations took too long while
the living conditions of Lebanese people were getting worse," Macron said on
Friday. Speaking next to Mikati on the steps of the Elysee Palace, he said that
the Lebanese population had "a right to know the truth" about the August 2020
blast in Beirut. One of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history, the explosion
was caused by a vast stock of highly explosive ammonium nitrate that had sat for
years in a port warehouse, a stone's throw from residential districts.—AFP
Rahi tackles local developments with interlocutors
NNA/September 24/2021
Maronite Patriarch, Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, on Friday welcomed Minister of
Tourism, Walid Nassar, who lauded the prelate's remarks from Baabda presidential
palace. “Such words encourage all ministers to serve Lebanon and its people
better,” Nassar said, confirming his efforts to activate the tourism sector and
promote the country’s archaeological sites. Separately, Rahi met with Minister
of Education, Abbas Halabi, with whom he discussed the situation of the
educational sector and the challenges facing the school year. Patriarch Rahi
also met with Syriac Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatius Joseph III Younan. It is to
note that Patriarch Rahi had earlier met with Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Abdallah Bou Habib, and Minister of Administrative Development, Najla Riachi.
Berri discusses security situation with Ibrahim, meets
Sheikh Al Khatib, Abou Haidar
NNA/September 24/2021
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Friday met at the Second Presidency in Ain-el-Tineh
with General Security chief, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, with whom he discussed
the current general security situation. Speaker Berri also received Vice Head of
the Islamic Supreme Shiite Council, Sheikh Ali Al Khatib.
Among Speaker Berri’s itinerant visitors for today had been Economy Ministry’s
Director General Mohammed Abou Haidar.
Army Commander meets counterpart in Turkey
NNA/September 24/2021
Lebanese Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, currently on an official visit to
Turkey, on Friday met with his Turkish counterpart, Turkish Army Chief of Staff,
General Yaşar Güler, with whom he discussed the best means to boost military
support and strengthen relations between both sides.
For his part, the Turkish official confirmed his country's continuous support
for the Lebanese army, which faces many challenges amid the dire economic
situation that the country endures .
Bou Habib meets diplomats, dwells on Lebanon foreign
relations
NNA/September 24/2021
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdallah Bou Habib, started his
activities today with a meeting with the United Nations Special Coordinator in
Lebanon Joanna Wronecka, who said after the meeting: "Discussions have focused
on joint cooperation and the implementation of United Nations Resolution
1701.""The United Nations work program in Lebanon for this year and the coming
year, will focus on the importance of holding parliamentary elections, and
securing the required support from the United Nations," she said, pointing out
that "issues related to foreign policy were also discussed," and describing the
start of cooperation as "excellent". Minister Bou Habib also met Russian
Ambassador Alexander Rudakov, who conveyed congratulations from his Russian
counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Discussions touched on bilateral relations and the
means to restore them to what they were prior to the crisis.
Minister Bou Habib then welcomed the Ambassador of Cyprus to Lebanon, Panayiotis
Kyriacou, on a protocol visit, during which they discussed the visit that he
might pay to Lebanon at a later time, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also discussed
with UNIFIL commander Stefano Del Col issues related to the work of the UNIFIL
force.
Hezbollah: Ship loaded with diesel from Iran arrived at Baniyas port yesterday
NNA/September 24/2021
The media relations of Hezbollah announced in a statement "the arrival of the
second ship loaded with diesel, coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran, at
10:00 PM on Thursday to the port of Baniyas."
Mashnouq Asks Court of Cassation to Recuse Bitar
Naharnet/September 24/2021
Former interior minister and incumbent MP Nouhad al-Mashnouq on Friday filed a
request asking the Court of Cassation to remove Judge Tarek Bitar from the
Beirut port blast investigations. The request was submitted by Mashnouq’s lawyer
Naoum Farah. Former public works minister Youssef Fenianos had on Wednesday
filed a similar request, citing "legitimate suspicion" over Bitar’s handling of
the case. The developments are the latest in a year-long saga surrounding the
investigation into the explosion. Months into the probe, the former lead judge
running the investigation, Fadi Sawwan, was removed by the Court of Cassation
after similar charges were filed against him by senior government officials. The
judge has accused Mashnouq, Fenianos and two other former ministers of
intentional killing and negligence that led to the deaths of more than 200
people in the explosion. Over 6,000 were injured in the massive blast that also
devastated a large section of Beirut. Fenianos’ petition was harshly criticized
by human rights activists and angered the families of the victims, which claimed
it was another ploy to "prevent the truth." "It is outrageous that Lebanese
politicians think they can just replace a judge every time he tries to hold them
accountable until one is appointed that is to their liking," said Aya Majzoub, a
Lebanon researcher from Human Rights Watch. More than a year later, there are
still no answers to what triggered the explosion, and no one has been held
accountable. Rights groups and local media revealed that most state officials
knew of the presence in the port of hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, a
highly explosive material used in fertilizers, that had been improperly stored
there for years.
UK Urges Public Calm over Shut Fuel Stations
Agence France Presse/September 24/2021
The UK government on Friday urged the public against panic-buying as some petrol
stations closed pumps due to a lack of lorry drivers to deliver fuel. Tabloid
newspaper The Sun headlined its front page "We're running on empty," with the
coronavirus pandemic and Brexit triggering an ongoing crisis in the haulage
industry. But Transport Secretary Grant Shapps insisted there was no fuel
shortage and the government was taking steps to recruit more drivers. "The
advice would be to carry on as normal," Shapps told Sky News after a number of
UK petrol stations run by BP and ExxonMobil-owned Esso were forced to close to
customers. The Times reported that at least 50 of BP's 1,200 service stations
were out of at least one type of fuel, while Shapps said five had closed. Prime
Minister Boris Johnson's office is also urging people not to rush to petrol
stations despite the closures. "There is no shortage of fuel in the UK and
people should continue to buy fuel as normal," a Downing Street spokesman said
Thursday. Experts and business leaders have said Brexit and the pandemic have
reduced the number of truck drivers working in Britain, affecting supply chains
for numerous businesses. Shapps said the problem is one of distribution, not
Brexit. The minister told BBC radio that government measures to increase
recruitment, such as making it easier to take tests to become a lorry driver,
would help. He vowed to "move heaven and earth and do anything that's required
to make sure that lorries carry on moving goods and services and petrol around
the country." But while saying the government was "ruling nothing out", Shapps
rebuffed industry calls to add lorry drivers to a special list of industries
suffering labor shortages, to make it easier for EU citizens to obtain work
visas. Shapps argued that many people with the right to work in the UK had quit
driving "often because there has been cheaper European labor," undercutting
their pay. "We want to get those people back in," he said, adding that "the
market is responding by paying drivers more, and that is bringing more people
back in". But Shapps added that Britain was keen to "entice" EU citizens with
residency status in the UK who are qualified as lorry drivers but no longer work
in the sector. He cast doubt on suggestions the government could deploy the army
to deliver fuel, saying: "Probably that's not the solution in terms of just
sheer numbers."
USAID Celebrates the Closing of its Microfinance Assistance
NNA/September 24/2021
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) celebrated the
achievements under its microfinance assistance project -- the Livelihoods and
Inclusive Financial Expansion (LIFE) Project. The project improved economic
opportunities for low-income individuals and microenterprises in the North,
South, Bekaa and Mount Lebanon regions, by advancing the business skills of
small entrepreneurs and expanding their access to financial services. The event
was held in the presence of the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea, USAID
Mission Director, Eileen Devitt; LIFE Chief of Party, David Holdridge; and
representatives from the microfinance and non-governmental organization sectors.
This event was an opportunity to highlight the achievements of the $20.3 million
LIFE activity over the past five years. The project benefitted around 40,000
beneficiaries through business development services, in-kind grants as well as
direct and indirect loans to micro and small businesses. It outlined the
positive impact of partnering with microfinance institutions (MFIs) to provide a
safety net for vulnerable businesses, in addition to supporting the livelihoods
of small business owners through the creation of the Regional Revitalization
Hubs. Through these hubs, USAID provided intensive, long-term training and
equipment to over 5,000 micro and small businesses to enhance their
sustainability and ability to survive the current economic crisis.
The event also shed light on the project’s responsiveness to the many challenges
faced during the last three years. Since October 2019, LIFE has continuously
adapted its investments to provide the needed relief to those microbusinesses
most in need. LIFE provided more than 15,000 affordable loans and capital assets
within the community of unbanked micro and small businesses, made desperate by
the economic crisis. In August 2020, following the Port of Beirut blast, LIFE
was among the first respondents to support microenterprises that were affected
by the blast. Through its partners, LIFE provided technical support, in-kind
grants, affordable loans, and in certain cases psychological counselling to over
350 owners of microenterprises whose businesses were destroyed after the blast.
In her opening remarks, Ambassador Shea asserted, “The U.S. government, through
the United States Agency for International Development, has long made developing
and advancing small Lebanese businesses a priority. For example, in 1997, USAID
was the first donor to engage microfinance institutions and support the
microfinance sector in Lebanon…I am particularly proud of our microfinance
partnerships, which have endured despite Lebanon’s dire economic situation. We
look forward to continuing our strong support for Lebanon’s private sector,
especially micro and small enterprises, which are instrumental to the recovery
of the Lebanese economy.”
For his part LIFE COP, David Holdridge laid down a vision of a resilient and
modern Lebanon…
The ceremony included a 30-minute round table panel discussion about some of the
most prominent topics related to the future of microfinance and livelihoods in
Lebanon. The panel comprised the president of the Union of People with Physical
Disabilities (LUPD), Sylvana Lakkis; Michel Daher Social Foundation (MDSF)
President, Marleine Daher, Al Majmouaa CEO, Dr. Youssef Fawaz, EMKAN Executive
General Manager, Dr. Mayada Baydas.
The ceremony concluded with remarks by Mrs. Eileen Devitt, USAID Mission
Director, who commented, “It has been an inspiring journey to partner with our
microfinance institutions to the benefit of marginalized businesses over the
past five years. I am confident that this support is crucial for their long-term
sustainability and for Lebanon’s economic rebirth.”
Geagea from Bcharre refuses to deny expatriates voting
privilege
NNA/September 24/2021
Lebanese Forces party leader, Samir Geagea, on Friday said that his party's
resistance to the multiple dangers threatening Lebanon lies in its “struggle and
perseverance.”Speaking at a ceremony to pay tribute to 100 LF supporters in the
caza of Bcharre, Geagea voiced his utter refusal to deprive Lebanese expatriates
from their right to vote, pledging that his party will fight such a decision
till the end.
Ibrahim broaches developments with Norwegian Ambassador
NNA/September 24/2021
General Security General Director, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, on Friday
welcomed Norwegian Ambassador to Lebanon, Martin Yttervik, with whom he
discussed the general situation and ways to enhance cooperation between the
embassy and the General Directorate of Lebanon’s General Security.
Minister El Khalil meets World Bank delegation
NNA/September 24/2021
Minister of Finance, Dr. Youssef El-Khalil, on Friday received a delegation from
the World Bank chaired by the WB’s Middle East regional director, Saroj Kumar
Jha. Discussions focused on ongoing projects with the World Bank. After the
meeting, Saroj Kumar Jha said that “helping the government address the
electricity sector crisis is a priority on our work agenda. We are ready to
assist the government in facing the challenges in this sector.” “We also
discussed the need to expedite the implementation of the social safety net
project, which will help more than 200,000 families in Lebanon. We therefore
asked the Minister of Finance to help advance the project implementation
process. We also focused on the need to bring Lebanese children back to school,
”he said. Kumar Jha concluded, “We also discussed cooperation in terms of
macroeconomics, fiscal policy, private sector development and other reforms. We
affirm our readiness to support efforts in addressing Lebanon’s crises and
swiftly implementing urgent reforms.”
Jumblat Mockingly Suggests Sending General Security to
Search for Iraqi Oil
Naharnet/September 24/2021
Head of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblat asked Friday "what has
become of the Iraqi oil” and “who are the companies in charge of replacing it
with fuel in order to produce electricity?”“The blackout on this issue is
strange,” Jumblat said in a tweet. He then sarcastically added that “it might be
useful for the Lebanese General Security to send special units in search for the
fate of the trucks between (Iraq’s) Anbar and (Syria’s) Deir Ezzor."
Hizbullah Says Second Iranian Fuel Ship Has Arrived in
Syria
Naharnet/September 24/2021
A second Hizbullah-imported ship carrying Iranian diesel has arrived in Syria,
the Iran-backed Lebanese party announced on Friday. In a statement, Hizbullah’s
Media Relations Unit said the ship docked at Syria’s Baniyas port at 10:00 pm
Thursday. Dozens of tanker trucks carrying Hizbullah-sourced Iranian fuel had
entered shortage-hit Lebanon last week. The quantity was from a first Iranian
diesel ship that also docked in Baniyas. Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
had promised in August he would bring fuel from Iran to alleviate the rationing
that is sowing chaos across Lebanon. The country defaulted on its debt last year
and can no longer afford to import key goods, including petrol for vehicles and
diesel to power generators during almost round-the-clock power cuts. The amount
of Iranian petrol being delivered can only meet a small part of the demand in
Lebanon and Hizbullah’s critics have derided the move as a propaganda stunt.
According to Nasrallah, a third ship began loading gasoline on September 13 and
a fourth ship carrying diesel is expected to arrive in October. The Hizbullah
leader said in his most recent speech that the diesel would be distributed to
all Lebanese components and to those who want it without “sectarian or regional
discrimination.”
U.N. Announces Start of Fuel Delivery to Vital Institutions in Lebanon
Naharnet/September 24/2021
The U.N. Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon and Resident and Humanitarian
Coordinator, Najat Rochdi, has announced the start of the delivery of fuel to
critical healthcare and water institutions across Lebanon to ensure continuous
provision of services to the most vulnerable populations affected by the energy
and fuel crisis. The severe electricity and fuel shortages which have been
affecting Lebanon over the past weeks are impeding the provision of essential
services, including health care and water, and have resulted in “tremendous
additional hardship across all populations,” Rochdi’s office said in a
statement.
The fuel shortage has also posed additional operational challenges to the
humanitarian community assisting the country’s most vulnerable populations. “In
order to mitigate additional suffering and preventing loss of lives, I have
asked the World Food Program (WFP) in Lebanon, as the global humanitarian lead
on logistics, to develop an emergency fuel-supply plan to maintain critical
health, water and sanitation services for the most vulnerable populations and
prevent the discontinuation of lifesaving activities implemented by humanitarian
actors,” Rochdi said.
The three-month plan, developed in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO and the NGOs
working on health and WASH issues, will provide fuel to all public hospitals,
primary health care centres and dispensaries servicing the most vulnerable
communities in the different regions in Lebanon and relied upon by an estimated
2.1 million annually. It will also provide fuel to four water establishments to
secure continuous water supply to about 2.3 million people across the country.
“The implementation of this emergency fuel supply plan will not impact existing
national fuel reserves, nor will the program interrupt future national fuel
deliveries,” Rodchi clarified. “All fuel will be purchased at a non-subsidized
rate and add to the existing national fuel stocks,” she stressed. “This is an
exceptional emergency support for a maximum duration of three months. The
responsibility to ensure uninterrupted provision of basic services remains with
the Government of Lebanon,” the statement said. “I call on the government to
save no effort to implement, at the earliest possible, sustainable solutions to
the on-going energy crisis and to protect the rights of families in Lebanon to
access essential services,” Rochdi said. Her office added that “this exceptional
intervention is part of the broader U.N. coordinated Emergency Response Plan
launched in early August with a financial ask of US$383 million, to provide
critical life-saving humanitarian assistance to most vulnerable Lebanese and
migrants affected by the ongoing crises.” “It complements and supports
humanitarian assistance provided through UNRWA programs as well as the Lebanon
Crisis Response Plan for Syrian refugees and their host communities,” it said.
Launch of "Karama-Beirut Human Rights Film Festival" – 5th
Edition in cooperation with the UN and Czech Embassy
NNA/September 24/2021
The Lebanese NGO “Art Factory 961” launched Thursday evening the fifth edition
of "Karama Beirut Human Rights Film Festival" under the theme “Occupy the Void”
at the Sunflower Theatre, Tayyoueh, Beirut. The festival is held in
collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre in Beirut (UNIC
Beirut), with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Foundation, “Taawon” NGO and the embassy of the Czech Republic in Lebanon.
The conference featured statements by Ambassador of the Czech Republic to
Lebanon Jiří Doležel and Festival Director Haytham Chamass.
In his statement, Doležel said that the Czech Embassy is proud to be a partner
of the Karama Beirut Human Rights Film Festival for the third time in its young
history. He congratulated Art Factory 961 and its team on their efforts to
organize the festival in these difficult and challenging times when several
alternatives have been considered to make this festival happen. “The Karama
festival is a partner of the One World International, the largest human rights
film festival in the world organized every year in the Czech Republic. We were
happy to see Mr. Chamass as a member of the jury at the One World festival in
2020,” Doležel said. Referring to this year’s festival edition that focuses on
civil society and the power of youth and their ambitions for social and
political change, for equal and full political and public participation, Doležel
said, “Lebanon is going through very difficult times at the moment. I believe
the civil society and young people have a crucial role to play in shaping the
future of your beautiful country.”
“We are pleased to see that the Karama festival is striving to be part of the
process of promoting awareness of human rights, dignity and active citizenship
through its format that includes not only the screenings of the films, but also
the follow-up discussions,” he added.
For his part, Chamass said the Karama-Beirut Human Rights Festival, in its fifth
edition, seeks to invite young men and women who represent the future generation
not to give up and surrender to the sectarian and clientelist system prevailing
in Lebanon, but rather to adopt a rights-based culture that correlates to their
social awareness and be deeply involved in social and political change. “It is
clear that young generations aspire to reconcile with the past and move forward,
towards a future free from the sectarian system (…) No living people can
surrender..we have to respond..we have to resist..we have to awaken our young
men and women, they are the future and we have hope,” Chamass said. He concluded
by calling on everyone to occupy the void left by the pre-citizenship culture.
The festival runs from 23 to 26 September at Sunflower Theatre and features 21
films, including five long feature films and four long documentaries, three
short feature films and three short documentaries, followed by Q&As. (Program
attached)
To encourage young filmmakers, Karama - Beirut Festival presents six films for
Syrian refugees produced by the “Action for Hope Film School,” three of which
are documentaries, while the three others are fictions. 18 films will be
premiered for the first time in Lebanon. Those were produced in several
countries, namely: Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Qatar, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Egypt,
Germany, Canada, the Czech Republic, the United States, and Australia.
As part of the festival, two free-of-charge master classes for students will
take place: the first one will be given by university professor Najwa Kandakji
and tackles “Ways to express revolution in cinema” while the second class by
writer Najib Nseir and is titled “Citizen's Rights in Dramatic Writing”.
2021 Festival Guests
Each year the festival hosts a number of distinguished guests from Lebanon and
the Arab world in the fields of art and direction. The following are some of the
guests of the fifth edition:
Manal Khaled: Director - Trapped - Egypt
Carol Mansour: Director - Shattered Beirut 6.07- Lebanon
Ahmad Ghosein: Director – All This Victory - Lebanon
Charlotte Schwarzinger: Executive Producer - Gaza Mon Amour - France
Daizy Gedeon: Director - ENOUGH! Lebanon’s Darkest Hour – Australia/Lebanon
Adam Hribal: Caught in the Net - Czech Republic
Mohammad Ali Atassi: Director – Here we are - Syria
Joude Gorani: Director - Here we are - Syria
Karama - Beirut Human Rights Film Festival (KBHRFF) is a film event that
contributes, among other well-established and renowned human rights film
festivals in the world, to spreading a cinema that denounces racism, hate
discourse, discrimination and injustice. The 1st edition of KBHRFF was held in
2016 under the theme “The Others,” and aimed to raise awareness on the rights of
refugees and minorities in Lebanon and the Arab World, while the 2nd edition in
2017 addressed the theme “New Identities” and focused on new identities
conflict. The 3rd edition, held in 2018 under the motto “Free the Word,” aimed
to support the freedom of expression that is liberated from traditional official
models, while the fourth edition, held in 2019 under the theme “Talk to Her,”
fell under the framework of the Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.
--UNIC
Hezbollah flexes its muscles in Lebanon and provides
free Iranian fuel
Nader Durgham, Suzan Haidamous and Lizy Sly/Washington Post/September 24/2021
BEIRUT — Lebanon's new government got off to an inauspicious start this week. As
parliamentarians gathered to approve the cabinet lineup, the electricity went
out — a common occurrence these days — and the chamber was plunged into
darkness. To the rescue came Hezbollah, the militant Shiite movement designated
by the United States as a terrorist organization that is also a political party
here. Lawmaker Ibrahim Musawi swiftly procured two generators from the
organization’s offices. “You are welcome,” he said in a video, shared on
Instagram, showing off the two generators in a parking lot outside, with
promises that they would remain for any future parliamentary power cuts.
Eventually, the electricity came back on and the generators were no longer
needed. But the episode provided a fresh opportunity for Hezbollah to remind the
Lebanese who wields real power in their steadily collapsing country.
Lebanon is running out of gas — literally
Hezbollah has also been flaunting its clout by arranging for deliveries of
diesel fuel from Iran, its sponsor, to help alleviate chronic electricity
shortages that have left Lebanese reliant on generators for up to 24 hours a
day. The amounts involved are meager compared to the vast needs — the first
shipment last week brought 33,000 tons, a fraction of the country’s overall
daily consumption. A second shipment expected to be an equivalent amount has now
arrived in neighboring Syria, Hezbollah said on Friday.
“It’s a PR stunt more than anything. It can’t even be considered a Band-Aid
solution,” said Bachar el-Halabi, an energy analyst with the consultancy
ClipperData. But Hezbollah has seized the opportunity to portray itself as a
savior, making the fuel available free to hospitals, charitable institutions,
emergency services, municipalities and other institutions that have had services
crippled by the lack of electricity.
At the same time, it has sought to dispel its image as a sectarian organization
concerned only with benefiting its own Shiite constituency. Among the recipients
of free fuel was the Dar al-Riaya al-Marouni nursing home in the predominantly
Christian Beirut neighborhood of Ain Remmaneh, which cares for 85 elderly
Christians and relies on charity to survive. “Our situation was terrible. We had
no diesel and no electricity at all,” said Malik Maroun, the nursing home’s
manager. After a priest called a dedicated number for those seeking supplies,
Hezbollah delivered 2,500 liters of fuel, enough to provide electricity for two
weeks.
“We will take any donation from anyone as long as it is unconditional,” he
added. They weren’t alone. In a video shared on social media, a grateful nun
lavished thanks on Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah for the “generous” supply of
fuel to her orphanage. “I ask God to give him strength and health,” she said.
With the deliveries, Hezbollah has demonstrated its ability to outmaneuver the
Lebanese state, as well as the United States and its sanctions regime against
Iran and Hezbollah, said Halabi, the energy analyst. Lebanon’s economic and
financial collapse has left the government unable to provide more than a few
hours of electricity a day, and fuel to run the generators the entire country
relies on is scarce.
Hezbollah is an integral part of the Lebanese state, with ministers in the
cabinet and representatives in the parliament. It supported the formation of the
long-awaited new government headed by the billionaire Najib Mikati and served as
kingmaker in the negotiations among the country’s other squabbling factions,
which dragged on for over a year.
Yet the delivery of the fuel seemed designed to undermine the authority of the
new government even before it had won formal approval, underscoring the weakness
of the state and its institutions. Alongside its support for the government,
Hezbollah operates what amounts to a parallel state, with its own militia,
social service networks and illegal trading routes, which it deployed to supply
the fuel. The delivery was calibrated to ensure no drop came into contact with
government entities or employees, thereby averting U.S. sanctions against
Lebanon that might be triggered if the government were involved in the import of
Iranian oil. The fuel was shipped by an Iranian tanker to the Syrian port of
Baniyas, which is already under U.S. sanctions, then loaded onto trucks
belonging to a Hezbollah-owned company, al-Amana, which is also under sanctions.
It was then driven across smuggling routes into Lebanon, avoiding formal customs
posts.
“We have preserved our pride and dignity, rejected humiliation, defended our
sovereignty and, most importantly, safeguarded Lebanon’s national decision,”
Hezbollah lawmaker Mohammad Raad said in comments carried earlier this week by
the state news agency.
Had the United States invoked the sanctions, it would have reinforced
Hezbollah’s narrative that America is responsible for blocking Lebanon’s access
to fuel, Halabi noted.
“This is the victory Hezbollah was able to claim. It was a very smart move, and
they put America and its allies in a bind,” he said. “I don’t see that the
Americans were really interested in retaliating.” The United States is backing a
potentially more effective plan to deliver Egyptian gas and electricity imports
via Jordan and Syria directly to the state-owned electricity company, which
would reduce the country’s reliance on diesel fuel for generators. But that
could take months to implement, officials say. The supplies of diesel oil have
done nothing to alleviate the shortages of gasoline that have further paralyzed
the bankrupt economy, causing huge lines at gas stations. Hezbollah has promised
that it will also soon provide gasoline from Iran.
In an interview with CNN, Mikati said the Hezbollah fuel deliveries made him
“sad” because of the challenge they represented to Lebanese sovereignty. But he
offered no immediate solution.
Smugglers are partly behind Lebanon’s energy crisis. The army is struggling to
stop them. The lights go out on Lebanon’s economy as financial collapse
accelerates Lebanon gets a new government after 13 months of collapse
Balkan justice lessons for Lebanon
Ana Maria Luca/Now Lebanon/September 24/2021
A quick look at the Balkan transitional justice process reveals that tampering
with probes and threatening magistrates can happen with investigations into
crimes like the Beirut blast, but they never manage to bury the file.
It took 16 years, many leaks and reports, constant international pressure and an
administration with a political will to comply with international justice
institutions for the Serbian security agencies to finally arrest Ratko Mladic in
the village of Lazarevo, north Serbia, in 2011.
In 2012, his trial started in the Hague. He had been indicted by the
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for genocide,
crimes against humanity, and numerous war crimes, including the attack on the
UN-declared safe area of Srebrenica in July 1995, all committed while he was the
head of the VRS, the Serb militia during the Bosnia war.
He was found guilty in 2017 and sentenced to life in prison definitively, after
his appeals were rejected, in June 2021. Less than three months ago. In total,
26 years. Bringing to justice high profile suspects in divided societies that
haven’t yet healed from devastating wars is a long, slow and trying process.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of people who took part in wartime crimes and
massacres stood trial in the Western Balkan countries and in the ICTY during the
past 26 years. The process was far from perfect. The justice systems in all
former Yugoslav countries took time and effort to be reshaped and reformed.
There was corruption, there were delays, there was political interference.
There are lessons to be learned from the Balkan traditional justice experience
and they are not all about how effective international courts are.
It may not have been perfect
Two and a half decades later, societies in Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia and Kosovo
are still facing the legacies of the wars of the 1990s. There are still unsolved
issues between communities and states. Kosovo and Serbia are still trying to
find a way to separate and coexist, while the process of solving the border
demarcation remains stalled. Crime networks are still posing problems.
Right-wing, nationalist movements continue to exist, some youths do adhere to
their principles.
But what the transitional justice process has achieved, be it slow and
imperfect, is to allow much-needed public debate. It created a space where
people and communities could and still can tell their stories out loud, where
anyone – be it in the right or in the wrong – could challenge hegemonic
narratives and demand justice as they saw fit. Maybe the wounds are not yet
completely healed, but at least people were free to expose them, while the
media, at least some of it, was there to listen.
The probe into the explosion that destroyed swathes of Beirut and killed over
200 people should be seen as part of a transitional justice process in Lebanon.
It is not a separate matter. It may just be the beginning of it.
Having the option of a justice process, no matter how it was defined, gave
people a voice and empowered them.
Many experts and analysts still debate the effects of the transitional justice
process in the Western Balkans. They talk about biased courts, wasted time, lack
of real reparations. But many fail to see one most real effect.
Without trying and imprisoning perpetrators of war crimes, living in the same
country, the same place, the same house and with the same neighbors as if
nothing happened, may have been impossible for most victims. The mere existence
of the possibility of transitional justice is what brings closure. Otherwise,
the conflict goes on. As it has been continuing, lurking in the underground, due
to practices of impunity in Lebanon.
Never too late for justice
The Beirut blast was the result of decades of impunity after the civil war.
The probe into the explosion that destroyed swathes of the city and killed over
200 people should be seen as part of a transitional justice process in Lebanon.
It is not a separate matter. It may just be the beginning of it.
Impunity allowed sectarian entrepreneurs to continue boosting the tainted
memories of past traumas as a sacrifice for a greater cause while whitewashing
their own sins and passing them on as past glory. It allowed a captured,
incompetent administration that nonchalantly overlooked the imminence of a
disaster and now, the exponents of this administration are brushing off the
guilt by repeating “it was not my business”. It was someone else’s business.
Impunity crippled the justice system and made it tributary to political
scheming, stealing its credibility. For decades some Lebanese were tried for
terrorism, while others who committed the same crimes escaped justice under the
protective umbrella of a politician or political party. Some politicians
indicted for corruption by one judge are cleared by another judge.
The Beirut blast probe is Lebanon’s now or never. Everyone knows it. Everyone
feels it.
It should be widely seen as the beginning of accountability. It is the result of
a long list of assassinated competent statesmen and professionals who could have
made a difference for Lebanon. But they were killed to preserve the status quo.
The Beirut blast is the consequence of decades of impunity, of not prosecuting
war crimes, murders and assassinations.
Separating the blast from that long list would be the equivalent of admitting
that “it was fate”. But hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, out of which a
large quantity vanished, cannot possibly be fate. Catching fire and exploding
while so many officials had been warned, cannot possibly be fate.
The Beirut blast is the consequence of decades of impunity, of not prosecuting
war crimes, murders and assassinations. Had they been prosecuted in any way, had
they not been stuffing dusty drawers in some old desk under a pile of more
solvable crimes, there would have been a history of accountability.
But politicians threatened magistrates like Tarek al Bitar. The judge gets these
threats because too many others were threatened before him and complied. They
looked the other way to save their jobs and maybe their lives.
Politicians paid off families and told them their murdered relatives were
martyrs who sacrificed their lives for a cause. The payment was often not a
bribe, but a warning. Take it and stay silent, or else.
The lessons of the Balkan transitional justice process tell that perseverance,
transparency and a constant push for accountability, the constant challenging of
imposed symbolism and narratives as well as rejecting pompous premature
memorials is the right way to go. They also say that political change, which
always happens in time and by pushing for fair elections, can also bring
accountability and create a space for public debate.
It takes patience and determination in demanding justice, lobbying international
institutions like the UN Human Rights Council, publishing reports. It takes
awareness in civil society over how long this journey is.
The Beirut blast probe may be obstructed or delayed. Investigators may get
threats and lawsuits and some may even make mistakes under pressure. Some
magistrates may accept to serve politicians.
But the crime is too enormous to be buried with a few threats and a couple of
complaints at the Supreme Court. It’s not 1990 anymore.
*Ana Maria Luca is the managing editor of @NOW_leb. She tweets @AnaMariaLuca79.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on
September 24-25/2021
Iranian FM points to ‘serious progress’ in
talks with Saudi Arabia
AFP/The Arab Weekly/September 24/2021
TEHRAN--Talks between Middle East regional rivals Tehran and Riyadh have led to
“serious progress” on the issue of Gulf security, an Iranian foreign ministry
official said. “Serious progress has been made on the subject of security in the
Gulf,” state news agency IRNA on Thursday quoted ministry spokesman Saeed
Khatibzadeh as saying. Iran and Saudi Arabia, on opposing sides in multiple
regional conflicts, have been engaged in talks since April with the aim of
improving relations, for the first time since cutting ties in 2016. The
discussions were launched under Iran’s moderate former president Hassan Rouhani
and have continued since his ultraconservative successor, Ebrahim Raisi, took
office in August. Initials talks took place with the help of Iraq. Speaking to
journalists on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Khatibzadeh
said the talks were “good” and called for countries to settle regional issues
between themselves, without foreign interference. In Yemen, Iran supports Houthi
rebels who still control most of the north, including the capital Sana’a,
despite more than six years of Saudi-led military efforts to oust them and back
the internationally-recognised government. The Houthis have often targeted Saudi
oil installations and civilian sites. Tehran’s support for regional proxies has
been criticised by Arab neighbours are destabilising and detrimental to peace
and security. In Lebanon, Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah plays an
hegemonic role in political life, while its fighters have been heavily involved
in neighbouring Syria in support of Assad’s government. In Iraq, its loyal
factions challenge the authority of the state and frequently target US sites.
Saudi King Salman on Wednesday said that he hoped that talks with Iran would
“lead to tangible outcomes to build trust” and to the relaunch bilateral
“cooperation”. In a speech via videoconference to the General Assembly, the
Saudi ruler again called on Tehran to cease “all types of support” for armed
groups in the region and reaffirmed his kingdom’s support for “international
efforts aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons”. Riyadh, an
ally of Tehran’s arch-foe Washington, has concerns about Iran’s nuclear
programme, despite the Islamic republic’s claim it is pursuing only “peaceful”
nuclear technology.
U.S. Implores Iran to Return to Nuke Talks without Delay
Associated Press/September 24/2021
The Biden administration is imploring Iran to quickly return to talks on its
nuclear program after a three-month hiatus caused by its government transition,
warning that the window for negotiations may soon close. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken and a senior administration official said Thursday that U.S.
patience is wearing thin and that further delays while Iran continues to expand
its atomic capabilities could lead Washington and its partners to conclude a
return to the landmark 2015 nuclear deal is no longer worthwhile. "We don't have
yet an agreement by Iran to return to the talks in Vienna," Blinken said. "We
are very much prepared to return to Vienna and continue the talks. The question
is whether, and if so when, Iran is prepared to do that."Blinken and the senior
official, who briefed reporters on condition that he not be identified by name,
spoke as diplomats from the remaining parties to the agreement have been meeting
Iran's foreign minister on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly to
gauge Tehran's willingness to return to the talks. While Iran has said it is
ready to rejoin the talks, it has not yet offered a date for a resumption, named
a negotiating team or indicated that it is willing to pick up where the
negotiations left off in June, according to the officials. In discussions with
representatives from the remaining parties to the deal — Britain, France,
Germany, Russia, China and the European Union — the officials said all of them
had agreed on the importance of resuming the talks as soon as possible.
If the talks don't resume, the officials said the U.S. would at some point
determine that Iran was no longer interested in the benefits that the accord
offered or that its recent technological advances could not be undone by the
limits it imposed. "The possibility of getting back to mutual compliance is not
indefinite," Blinken said. "And the challenge right now is that with every
passing day, as Iran continues to take actions that are not in compliance with
the agreement ... we will get to a point at some point in the future at which
simply returning to mutual compliance with the JCPOA will not recapture the
benefits."
The UN's atomic watchdog has said Iran is increasingly in violation of the deal,
known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA, which former President
Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from in 2018. The U.S. has participated
indirectly in the Vienna talks, which were aimed at bringing both Washington and
Tehran back into compliance with the deal. The EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell,
met Tuesday with Iran's new foreign minister, who reiterated Tehran's
"willingness to resume negotiations at an early date," the EU said. Borrell then
met Wednesday with Blinken. Borrell stressed "the need for full cooperation"
from Iran and reiterated his concern about the overall trajectory of the Iranian
nuclear program," the EU statement said. The last round of talks in Vienna ended
in June, ahead of Iran's elections that boosted the ranks of hard-liners. There
had been speculation that the remaining parties to the deal would meet on the
sidelines of this week's U.N. General Assembly. But the U.S. official said Iran
had declined the opportunity to meet.
Sadr promotes himself as moderate alternative ahead
of Iraq elections
AP/The Arab Weekly/September 24/2021
BAGHDAD--The Sadrist movement and its leader, Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, are
hoping to snatch the lion’s share of votes in Iraq’s October elections, in a way
that will enable the movement and its political allies to form the next
government. Sadr’s hope of victory comes as his movement is opening new channels
of dialogue with the West through British and American diplomats. Sadr,
observers say, is working to promote his movement as a moderate and effective
alternative on the Iraqi Shia political scene. In this regard, he wants to
reassure the West, particularly the United States and Britain, that the Sadrists
will prevent the transformation of Iraq into an ideal bridge for Iran to reach
Syria, Lebanon and the Mediterranean. Washington, the observers explain, does
not mind dealing with Sadr, provided that he commits to countering the control
of Iran-backed militias, notably the Popular Mobilisation Forces, over state
institutions in Iraq. Sadr has for weeks been mobilising his supporters across
various Iraqi cities to join a massive rally ahead of elections, in a show of
force that could echo the extent of the cleric’s political and sectarian
influence. Sadr said Thursday that the “gang of corruption” is posing a threat
to Iraq’s future, demanding that “we [Iraqi] reform ourselves and then our
bitter reality, which is currently controlled by corrupt people.” Sadr’s
statements come as his movement is engaged in one of the fiercest electoral
battles in years, especially with the Iran-backed militias and forces competing
for a majority that would allow them to name the next premier. Under Iraq’s
post-Saddam Hussein governing system, the prime minister has always been a Shia
while the largely ceremonial post of president is held by a Kurd and the speaker
of parliament is a Sunni. Sadr, a former nemesis of the United States, who is
also considered as the most influential figure in Iraq, is hoping to double his
parliamentary share in the upcoming elections and to name the next prime
minister. Dhiaa al-Asadi, a prominent member of the Sadrist movement, said that
Sadr “announced that we want the position of prime minister,” referring to a
position that is typically agreed via parliamentary negotiations in the absence
of a majority.
An informed Iraqi political source had previously revealed to The Arab Weekly
that there were electoral understandings between Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi
and Sadr. These understandings include the naming of Kadhimi to head the next
government. The source, which spoke on condition of anonymity, also said that
these understandings have garnered the support of some Shia forces, including
former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and head of the Wisdom Movement Ammar
al-Hakim. There is also the support of some other prominent figure, including
Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi, a Sunni and Masoud Barzani, a Kurd.
Meanwhile, the Sadrist movement is promoting itself among regional and
international players as a moderate political force that will save Iraq from
Iran-backed militias and corrupt people who have infiltrated the country’s
institutions. Sadr is well aware that his Shia opponents are now in their
weakest position. This will make him push to expand his influence within the
state through supporting Kadhimi and improving ties with Washington. In a recent
report, the Financial Times said that ,”for some western policymakers worried
about Iranian influence in Iraq, the man once dubbed the most dangerous in Iraq
by US news media may prove an attractive alternative to more pro-Iran groups.”
“The relationship between Sadr and the west has improved significantly over the
last few years,” said Lahib Higel, senior Iraq analyst at Crisis Group told The
Financial Times. “Sadr is increasingly being seen as a nationalist alternative
and a potential buffer against the more Iran-leaning parties.”The Financial
Times also revealed that Sadrists working in the Iraqi government have met
western diplomats, in what is viewed as an illustration “of how much the group
has changed.”“The orientation of the Sadrist movement is to open up to the
world,” Asadi said. This should be on the basis of mutual interest, he added.
“No country should have the right to intervene in the Iraqi business.”Sadr was
previously viewed as an Iranian proxy, but his close ties with Tehran have
soured over the few last years. “They’re like, tell us more about Sadr, is he
really anti-Iranian, what’s his position on the US, what’s the room for
co-operation with him,” Marsin Alshamary, a Baghdad-based fellow at the Harvard
Kennedy School, told The Financial Times.
“No one really buys that he doesn’t have ties to Iran, or that he wouldn’t shift
towards an Iranian alliance,” added Alshamary. “But at this moment in time … he
can point out the [pro-Iran militias] and say look, they’re the ones who are
hurling rockets at the American embassy … we must be the rational, reliable
actors who have Iraq’s best interest in mind.”However, Iraqi political analyst
Ali al-Rubaie believes that the premiership in Iraq is not solely depending on
election results but rather on Iranian-American settlements about who could be
accepted as new prime minister. Rubaie said in a statement to The Arab Weekly,
“Neither the Sadrist movement nor any sectarian Shia bloc has a vision for
building the state, a political project for Iraq, or even a real government
programme to provide basic services.” In late August, Sadr reversed his decision
to boycott elections and said his movement would take part in order to help “end
corruption.”Sadr, whose political manoeuvres have at times puzzled observers,
has appeared under pressure in recent weeks, with pro-Iran groups and
individuals attacking him on social media and accusing him of responsibility for
Iraq’s recent woes, including electricity shortages and two deadly hospital
fires. The parliamentary vote is set to be held under a new electoral law that
reduces the size of constituencies and eliminates list-based voting in favour of
votes for individual candidates. Kadhimi, who came to power in May last year
after months of unprecedented mass protests against a ruling class seen as
corrupt, inept and subordinate to Tehran, had called the early vote in response
to demands by pro-democracy activists. Sadr’s supporters have been expected to
make major gains under the new electoral system. His Saeroon bloc is currently
the largest in parliament, with 54 out of 329 seats.
Menfi announces October conference to garner support
for Libya
The Arab Weekly/September 24/2021
UNITED NATIONS, New York--The head of Libya’s presidency council said on
Thursday he will hold an international conference in October to garner support
for the country’s stability, warning that it faces “serious challenges” that
could undermine the planned December elections.
Addressing the annual UN gathering of world leaders in New York, Mohammed al-Menfi
said the conference would aim to ensure “unified, consistent” international
support and restore a sense of Libyan leadership and ownership over the
country’s future. “We are faced with serious challenges and quick-paced
developments, which compel us, out of responsibility, to think of more realistic
and practical options to avoid an impasse in the political process, which could
in turn, undermine the looming elections and bring us back to square one,” he
said. National elections, planned for December 24, were pushed as a way to end
Libya’s decade-long crisis, but have been enmeshed in bitter arguments over the
legitimacy of the process that may unravel a months-long peace process. “Libya
is at a critical juncture,” Menfi said. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le
Drian told reporters in New York on Monday that France, Germany and Italy would
co-host an international conference on Libya on November 12 to ensure the
electoral calendar would remain in place. In 2014, eastern and western factions
split Libya in two in a civil war, with an internationally recognised government
in Tripoli and a rival administration backed by the House of Representatives in
the east. The December 24 election was mandated by the Libyan Political Dialogue
Forum, a UN-selected assembly that set a roadmap for peace in Libya, a major oil
producer, through installing a unity government and holding a nationwide vote.
Until elections are held, the assembly selected a three-man presidency council
headed by Menfi and installed Abdulhamid Dbeibeh as prime minister of the
interim government.
Are Arab countries edging closer towards normalisation with Syria?
Reuters/The Arab Weekly/September 24/2021
AMMAN--The recent momentum in Jordanian-Syrian relations has revived talk of a
Jordanian push for normalisation between Arab countries and Damascus, in light
of the change in international regional dynamics. Analysts point out that the
United States, Russia and many Arab countries no longer have reservations about
restoring ties with Syria. But restoration of normal links with the Assad regime
will have to happen first within the Arab fold before it is extended to the
international arena, they say. Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on
Wednesday that “the Syrian crisis cannot be resolved without an American-Russian
dialogue,” stressing the importance of a collective Arab role in reaching a
settlement in Syria. Safadi added, “The Syrian crisis is a catastrophe that must
end and the solution in Syria must be political and preserve the country’s
unity,” noting that Jordan has been impacted by Syria’s continued crisis.
Analysts say that the military showdown in Syria has effectively been settled
militarily in favour of the regime’s forces and their allies since 2018, after
Russia’s direct intervention in the conflict and the removal of armed opposition
fighters from the vicinity of the capital and the nearby governorate of Deraa.
Under the impetus of Arab initiatives, led by the Jordanian government, a
serious debate is ongoing among Arab League member states about resuming
relations with the Syrian regime and reinstatement of Syria’s active membership
in the League. The Arab League had suspended Syria’s membership in October 2011
and called for the withdrawal of Arab ambassadors from Damascus, until the
regime provided protection for Syrian civilians following a bloody crackdown by
Damascus.Since then, several Arab countries have also supported Syrian
opposition factions. After ten years of war in Syria, the country is still
suffering from instability, combined economic and social crises and political
isolation. But military operations have also had a direct fallout on the
security and stability of Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan, Syria’s neighbours. The
Russian military intervention in the Syrian war since 2015 and before that
support from tens of thousands of fighters from Lebanese, Iraqi, Afghani and
Pakistani armed groups linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, guaranteed the
survival of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the failure of efforts to overthrow it
militarily. Many Arab countries accepted this reality early-on and saw that it
was in their interests to restore ties with the Damascus regime.
But the most serious shift in Arab positions occurred at the beginning of 2017,
when the armed opposition lost the battle of Aleppo in the north and then during
2018, when it lost the battles in the Damascus countryside and the Deraa
governorate in the south. The anti-regime rebels eventually handed over their
weapons and agreed to leave the areas previously under their control in the
Syrian north. The UAE and Bahrain reopened their embassies in Damascus at the
end of 2018, at chargé d’affaire-level. In October 2020, Oman sent its
ambassador back to Damascus, becoming the first Arab Gulf country to restore
full diplomatic links. According to media reports, last May, Saudi Arabia
reopened direct communications with Syria, after the Damascus visit by the head
of its intelligence service, Lieutenant-General Khalid al-Humaidan. There, he
met President Assad and the head of the National Security Office, Major General
Ali Mamlouk. The visit was confirmed by a US State Department spokesperson who
told US-funded Al-Hurra TV “the Department is aware of reports of ongoing
Syrian-Saudi talks to reopen the Saudi embassy in Damascus.”Prior to that,
Syrian Tourism Minister Mohammad Rami Radwan Martini, attended a conference in
Riyadh, last March, becoming the first Syrian official to make a public visit to
the kingdom since 2011. However, the official Saudi position is still a
commitment to a political solution to the fighting, under the auspices and
supervision of the United Nationsr.
On Sunday, Syrian Defence Minister and Chief of Staff Ali Ayyoub traveled to
Jordan for the first time since 2011. In Amman, he met the Jordanian Chief of
Staff of the army and other officials. According to the Jordanian army,
discussions centred on the Deraa situation and the fight against terrorism and
drug smuggling in the region. The talks included, it said, increased
coordination on “all common issues”Such cooperation is now possible after Jordan
ended its support to Syrian opposition factions, dovetailing with moves by the
United States and Gulf states. Jordan has also allowed the transit of Egyptian
gas and providing electricity supplies to Lebanon via Syria. For the first time,
Damascus has also received an official Lebanese delegation ahead of the
formation of the government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati. The new Lebanese
premier is known to maintain a close relationship with Damascus that goes back
for many years and is reinforced by personal investments in Syria. Qatar is
alone in opposing publicly any normalisation with the Syrian regime. Besides the
changing mood in most Arab capitals, European countries, such as Greece, Italy,
Spain, Romania and the Czech Republic, are exploring the prospect of reopening
of their embassies in Damascus. Analysts say the lack of Arab consensus on the
future of relations with Syria, in addition to US and European Union sanctions
imposed on the Syrian regime, are among the remaining obstacles to full Arab
normalisation with Damascus.
They believe nonetheless that the Arab overtures to Damascus could not have
happened without the US change of strategy in the region since the arrival of
Joe Biden to the White House. Syria’s neighbours have high geopolitical and
economic stakes in ties with Damascus, especially in ensuring the safe return
home of Syrian refugees now in Lebanon and Jordan. Jordan has gradually moved
closer to Syria and reopened its border crossing hoping to boost its economy,
especially after the pandemic and the reduction of assistance from the United
States and Arab Gulf countries.
Despite the lack of evidence of a possible early end of the alliance between the
Syrian regime and Iran, the UAE, Bahrain and other Arab countries believe that
normalisation with the Syrian regime and the reintegration of Damascus in the
Arab fold will help curtail Iranian influence in Syria and the wider region.
Erdogan voices unhappiness over relations with US
ANN/The Arab Weekly/September 24/2021
ISTANBUL--Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday he felt that
relations with his US counterpart Joe Biden had “not gotten off to a good start”
since the latter’s arrival in the White House. “My wish is to have friendly and
not hostile relations” with the United States, the state news agency Anadolu
quoted Erdogan as saying on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New
York. “But the way things are going between two NATO allies is currently not too
auspicious,” he said. He said he had “worked well” with previous US presidents,
George W Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. “But I cannot say things have
gotten off to a good start with Biden”. The Turkish leader said he had been
unhappy with Washington before Biden took office, notably regarding Ankara’s
removal from the F-35 fighter project two years ago after Turkey agreed a
multi-billion-dollar purchase of the S-400 Russian-made air defence system. That
deal led to US sanctions last year and to Turkey’s suspension from the F-35
programme. ANNAnkara had been due to buy as many as 100 of the stealth fighter
jets, and several Turkish suppliers were involved in the construction. “We
bought the F-35, paid $1.4 billion and the F-35 were not delivered to us,”
Erdogan said. “For us the S-400 affair is done. It is not possible to go back on
that. The United States must understand. We, Turkey, are honest, but
unfortunately the United States were not and are not.” Erdogan said that Ankara
would go “knocking on other doors” and that “Turkey purchases what it needs for
its defence.” Ties between the NATO allies struck a low point earlier this year
when Washington sanctioned the Turkey’s defence industry over the S-400s. It has
also expelled Ankara from its F-35 jet programme, where it was both a buyer and
a manufacturer. Turkey had hoped to forge cooperation with the United States
over Afghanistan after NATO’s withdrawal by operating Kabul airport, but had to
revise its original plan after the Taliban’s rapid and chaotic takeover of the
country. Erdogan insisted that “it is the United States which must pay the
price” in case there is an massive exodus of Afghan citizens. “Where are these
refugees going to go now? It is unthinkable for Turkey to open its doors and
accept them,” said Erdogan. Erdogan has repeatedly pointed out that Turkey
already is home to some five million migrants and refugees, including around 3.7
million from Syria and some 420,000 Afghans. The two countries should work
together as friends but “the current direction does not bode well”, Erdogan
said, adding he and US President Joe Biden had not “started off right”.
Jailbreak sheds light on Israel’s mass incarceration
of Palestinians
AFP/The Arab Weekly/September 24/2021
RAMALLAH--The cinematic escape of six prisoners who tunnelled out of an Israeli
penitentiary earlier this month shone a light on Israel’s mass incarceration of
Palestinians, one of the many bitter fruits of the conflict. Hundreds of
thousands of Palestinians have passed through a military justice system designed
for what Israel still portrays as a temporary occupation, but that is now well
into its sixth decade and critics say is firmly cemented. Nearly every
Palestinian has a loved one who has been locked up in that system at some point
and imprisonment is widely seen as one of the most painful aspects of life under
Israeli rule. The saga of the six, who were eventually recaptured, also
underscored the irreconcilable views Israelis and Palestinians hold about the
prisoners and more broadly, what constitutes legitimate resistance to
occupation. Israel classifies nearly every act of opposition to its military
rule as a criminal offence, while many Palestinians see those acts as resistance
and those engaged in them as heroes, even if they kill or wound Israelis. Israel
has granted limited autonomy to the Palestinian Authority, which administers
cities and towns in the occupied West Bank and is responsible for regular law
enforcement. But Israel has overarching authority and the military regularly
carries out arrest raids even in PA-run areas. Israel seized the West Bank along
with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 war. The Palestinians seek an
independent state in all three.
Symbols of struggle against occupation
The Palestinian prisoners held by Israel include everyone from hardened
militants convicted of suicide bombings and shootings that killed Israeli
civilians to activists detained for demonstrating against settlements and
teenagers arrested for throwing stones at Israeli soldiers. Israel says it
provides due process and largely imprisons those who threaten its security,
though a small number is held for petty crimes. Palestinians and human rights
groups say the system is designed to quash opposition and maintain permanent
control over millions of Palestinians while denying them basic rights. “Mass
incarceration of Palestinians is a means to control the population, to stifle
political activity, to keep a lid on turmoil and activism,” said Dani Shenhar,
the legal director of HaMoked, an Israeli group that advocates for the rights of
detainees. Four of the escapees were known militants convicted of deadly attacks
against Israelis. Of the more than 4,600 Palestinians currently held by Israel
in connection with the conflict, known as “security prisoners”, more than 500
are serving life sentences. A similar number is being held without charge in
so-called administrative detention, perhaps the most controversial aspect of
Israel’s military justice system. Qadoura Fares, head of the Prisoners Club,
which represents current and former Palestinian prisoners, said they are all
“freedom fighters.” “We see them as symbols of the Palestinian people’s
struggle,” he said. Alaa al-Rimawi, a Palestinian journalist with the Al-Jazeera
television network, said he has spent a total of 11 years in prison in several
stints over the last three decades over allegations related to political
activism, but was never convicted of anything. The Israeli military declined to
comment. In 2018, he was arrested while working as the West Bank director of Al-Quds
TV, which is affiliated with the Hamas militant group that runs the Palestinian
territory of Gaza. Rimawi says he is not a member of Hamas or any other group.
He said he was accused of “inciting violence against the occupation” by
publishing stories about home demolitions and Palestinians killed by Israeli
forces. He was released after 30 days but barred from working as a journalist
for two months. On separate occasions earlier this year, he was briefly detained
by both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which also suppresses dissent.
“Existence in a prison is like being in the grave,” Rimawi said. “And then you
come out of it and you feel like you came back to life after death.”
‘Rigged’ system
Many are jailed for violations of the sweeping Israeli military orders that
govern the 2.5 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. Those include
belonging to a banned organisation and taking part in demonstrations, which are
generally considered illegal. Hundreds of minors are arrested every year, mostly
charged with stone-throwing. Palestinians from the West Bank detained on
security-related charges are prosecuted in military courts, while Jewish
settlers living in the territory and held for similar offences would be subject
to civilian courts. Palestinians are rarely released on bail, and most believe
it is futile to contest charges in military trials that can drag on for months
or years. Instead, most cases are settled by plea bargains, contributing to an
estimated conviction rate of more than 95%. Maurice Hirsch, who served as the
top military prosecutor from 2013 to 2016, attributes the high conviction rate
to resource-strapped prosecutors only bringing indictments when cases are solid.
He says acquittals are not unheard-of, pointing to a recent case in which a
Palestinian policeman was acquitted in the shooting death of an Israeli.
Defendants “choose to take the plea bargains because they understand that they
will be convicted because of the evidence,” he said. He insists the trials are
fair, saying they have the same procedural rules as Israeli civilian courts. All
evidence must be shared with defence lawyers and the military judges issuing
verdicts are legal experts outside of the normal chain of command, he said. But
Shenhar said lawyers for Palestinians “know it’s futile to try to defend your
client in court.” “He won’t be acquitted in the end and he’ll stay longer in
prison,” he explained. “So the system is rigged.”
Tough life
Escape is extremely rare, the last major prison break was decades ago, but
Israel has released hundreds of prisoners over the years as part of political
negotiations or in exchange for captured Israelis. Within the prisons,
Palestinians have organised themselves and won concessions over the years
through hunger strikes and other collective action, a source of frustration for
many Israelis. “We become hysterical, like overprotective mothers, reacting to
every terrorist who threatens to fast,” Israeli journalist Kalman Liebskind
wrote in a recent column in the Maariv newspaper. Palestinians say life in
prison is hard enough.
So-called security prisoners are usually barred from making phone calls, but
some manage to smuggle in cellphones. Otherwise, their only link with the
outside world is visits by lawyers and family members. Relatives coming from the
West Bank require military permits, meaning that some prisoners, including
minors, can go months without seeing loved ones, said Shenhar. Rimawi recalls a
stint in prison in the mid-2000s in which his wife, who had given birth after
his arrest, was unable to visit him for more than a year. “My wife eventually
visited me and brought a boy with her. I said, ‘Who is this?’ and she said,
“It’s your son.’”
France says UK's Johnson offered to 're-establish
cooperation'
AFP/September 24/2021
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told French President Emmanuel Macron on
Friday that he wants to "re-establish cooperation", Macron's office said, amid a
diplomatic crisis over a submarine contract with Australia. In the conversation,
which the Elysee said came at Johnson's request, the British prime minister said
he hoped for cooperation "in line with our values and our common interests",
such as the battle against climate change, securing the Indo-Pacific region and
the fight against terrorism. Macron told Johnson that "he is awaiting his
proposals", his office said in a brief statement.-
Libya Plans Conference on Its Political Process
Associated Press/September 24/2021
After a no-confidence vote in Libya's transitional government this week added to
uncertainty ahead of key elections in December, one of its leaders said Thursday
the government would hold an international conference next month on trying to
keep the political process on track.
Mohammad Younes Menfi, who chairs Libya's three-member Presidential Council,
announced the plan but gave few specifics at the U.N. General Assembly meeting
of world leaders. He said the conference would involve "relevant national bodies
and institutions," plus regional and international voices.
The aim: maintaining the political process, keeping "unified, consistent,
coherent" international support, and conducting "safe, transparent, fair
elections," Menfi said. He didn't give a location or exact date.
"Libya is at a critical juncture – indeed, a defining moment," said Menfi, a
diplomat from the country's east. "We either succeed in the democratic
transition by means of fair and free and transparent elections, the results of
which are acceptable to all, then move towards a sustained stability and
prosperity -- or we fail and relapse into division and armed conflict," he said.
Libya has endured a decade of chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled
longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. In the aftermath, the oil-rich nation was
split between a government in the east, backed by commander Khalifa Hifter, and
a U.N.-supported administration in the capital of Tripoli. Each side has also
had the support of different regional powers, militias and mercenaries from
countries such as Russia and Syria. All mercenaries and foreign forces were
supposed to withdraw after last October's cease-fire agreement, but they remain
in the country and Menfi said this issue remains "a real challenge." The current
transitional government replaced the two rival administrations and was intended
to prepare the country for elections on Dec. 24. But Libyan lawmakers passed a
vote of no confidence in the transitional government on Tuesday, adding to
questions about the planned elections. Still, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah
said the government would keep pushing ahead. (edited) Panama's President
Laurentino Cortizo has requested support to address the flood of migrants
passing through his nation.
He told the U.N. General Assembly that, this year alone, already 80,000 migrants
have traversed Panama. It's been an exponential rise, from 800 in January to
30,000 last month, and Panama dedicates some of its limited resources to
providing them with food and shelter.
"Panama does its part. Now we appeal to the international community to, as soon
as possible, make a joint effort, with coordinated strategies and resources," he
said. Cortizo said the migrants largely originate in Africa and the Caribbean.
The crisis is centered in the deep forest of the Darien Gap at Panama's border
with Colombia, which migrants attempt to cross en route to the U.S.
Panama's foreign minister Erika Mouynes said in an interview with The Associated
Press on Monday that the nation hasn't received "a cent of international
cooperation" to face up to the flow of migrants.
"This is everyone's responsibility," Cortizo said.
UNITED NATIONS — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel seized on the U.S. pullout
from Afghanistan to blast the United States for what he said is a history of
foreign policy disasters.
"Occupation only leaves destruction, and no country has the right to impose its
will on sovereign nations," Días Canel said in a pre-recorded video shown at the
U.N. General Assembly. "Afghanistan is not an isolated case. It has been
evidence that where the United States intervenes, there is an increase in
instability, deaths, suffering and enduring scars."Afghanistan was just one
example the Cuban president used to attack U.S. foreign policy, which he said
relied on the "pernicious use and abuse of measures of economic coercion." He
scolded U.S. President Joe Biden for maintaining more than 200 measures adopted
by his predecessor, Donald Trump, particularly the addition of Cuba to the list
of nations that sponsor terrorism. Trump added Cuba to the list just days before
leaving office in January. Díaz-Canel also expressed support for regional allies
Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua and Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, and said the South
American nation "will always be able to count on Cuba's solidarity." In Maduro's
video speech broadcast at the U.N. yesterday, he railed against U.S.'s "fierce
campaign" of sanctions and demanded they be lifted.
The Latest The Latest LCCC
English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
September 24-25/2021
Question: "What is predestination? Is predestination
biblical?"
gotquestions.org/September 24/2021
Answer: Romans 8:29-30 tells us, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to
be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he
also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Ephesians 1:5 and 11
declare, “He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in
accordance with his pleasure and will…In him we were also chosen, having been
predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity
with the purpose of his will.” Many people have a strong hostility to the
doctrine of predestination. However, predestination is a biblical doctrine. The
key is understanding what predestination means, biblically.
The words translated “predestined” in the Scriptures referenced above are from
the Greek word proorizo, which carries the meaning of “determining beforehand,”
“ordaining,” “deciding ahead of time.” So, predestination is God determining
certain things to occur ahead of time. What did God determine ahead of time?
According to Romans 8:29-30, God predetermined that certain individuals would be
conformed to the likeness of His Son, be called, justified, and glorified.
Essentially, God predetermines that certain individuals will be saved. Numerous
scriptures refer to believers in Christ being chosen (Matthew 24:22, 31; Mark
13:20, 27; Romans 8:33, 9:11, 11:5-7, 28; Ephesians 1:11; Colossians 3:12; 1
Thessalonians 1:4; 1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1-2,
2:9; 2 Peter 1:10). Predestination is the biblical doctrine that God in His
sovereignty chooses certain individuals to be saved.
The most common objection to the doctrine of predestination is that it is
unfair. Why would God choose certain individuals and not others? The important
thing to remember is that no one deserves to be saved. We have all sinned
(Romans 3:23) and are all worthy of eternal punishment (Romans 6:23). As a
result, God would be perfectly just in allowing all of us to spend eternity in
hell. However, God chooses to save some of us. He is not being unfair to those
who are not chosen, because they are receiving what they deserve. God’s choosing
to be gracious to some is not unfair to the others. No one deserves anything
from God; therefore, no one can object if he does not receive anything from God.
An illustration would be a man randomly handing out money to five people in a
crowd of twenty. Would the fifteen people who did not receive money be upset?
Probably so. Do they have a right to be upset? No, they do not. Why? Because the
man did not owe anyone money. He simply decided to be gracious to some.
If God is choosing who is saved, doesn’t that undermine our free will to choose
and believe in Christ? The Bible says that we have the choice—all who believe in
Jesus Christ will be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10). The Bible never
describes God rejecting anyone who believes in Him or turning away anyone who is
seeking Him (Deuteronomy 4:29). Somehow, in the mystery of God, predestination
works hand-in-hand with a person being drawn by God (John 6:44) and believing
unto salvation (Romans 1:16). God predestines who will be saved, and we must
choose Christ in order to be saved. Both facts are equally true. Romans 11:33
proclaims, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”
UN Secretary-General's opening remarks at High-level
Dialogue on Energy
NNA/September 24/2021
The following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s opening remarks to a
High-level Dialogue on Energy:
“Excellencies, Friends,
Welcome to the High-Level Dialogue on Energy. This event is long overdue. It has
been 40 years since we last discussed energy at the highest level. Today, we
face a moment of truth. Close to 760 million people still lack access to
electricity. Some 2.6 billion people lack access to clean cooking solutions.
And how we produce and use energy is the main cause of the climate crisis.
Emissions from energy account for about 75 per cent of total greenhouse gas
emissions. So, we have a double imperative – to end energy poverty and to limit
climate change. And we have an answer that will fulfil both imperatives.
Affordable, renewable and sustainable energy for all. This is the objective of
Sustainable Development Goal 7. Investing in clean, affordable energy for all
will improve the well-being of billions of people. It can create the green jobs
that we urgently need for COVID-19 recovery. It will advance all the Sustainable
Development Goals. And it is the single most important solution to avert climate
catastrophe. Friends, We have the tools we need. Solar photovoltaics are now the
cheapest power source in most countries. And renewables yield three times more
jobs than the fossil fuel sector. Solar and wind are the stars of our energy
system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they have been the only sources of energy
that continued to grow. But it’s not nearly fast enough.
We are still a long way from being able to provide affordable and clean energy
for all. In 11 sub-Saharan countries alone, one-quarter of health facilities
lack access to electricity. Globally, as many as nine out of ten people breathe
polluted air, leading to some 8 million premature deaths each year. And
disasters made worse by climate change are increasing. Access to clean,
renewable energy is, quite simply, the difference between life and death.
Excellencies, Friends, We must solve these challenges this decade. And we must
start today. Without deep and rapid decarbonization of our energy systems over
the next 10 years, we will never reach the Paris Agreement goal of limiting
temperature rise to 1.5-degrees. This will be fatal to the Sustainable
Development Goals, to us all and the planet. Billions of people will be
condemned to more poverty and more ill-health while the ecosystems we all rely
on collapse. This is a profound injustice to current and future generations.
But this bleak future is not inevitable. Science has shown us exactly how to
avoid it. To limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees we must reduce emissions by
45 per cent below 2010 levels by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2050.
All countries have a role. Developing nations need to see the promised
mobilization of $100 billion dollars a year for climate action. And we must
ensure 50 per cent of climate finance is directed towards adaptation and
resilience to the climate disruption that is to come. Today’s meeting presents a
historic opportunity. I count on all countries – especially major emitters – to
rise to this moment along with the major players from the world of business and
finance. I am pleased to see several of the major emitters – countries and
sectors – demonstrating leadership through the High-Level Dialogue process along
with bold commitments to act.
Excellencies, dear Friends, I see four priorities for a sustainable energy
future. First, we must close the energy access gap by 2030. That means cutting
in half the number of people without access to electricity by 2025. And it means
providing over 1 billion people with access to clean cooking solutions by 2025.
The cost of closing the energy access gap is modest: around $35 billion dollars
a year for electricity access and $25 billion dollars a year for clean cooking.
Second, we must rapidly shift to decarbonized energy systems.
By 2030, solar and wind capacity should quadruple to respectively 630 and 390
gigawatts added annual capacity. And we must intensify our efforts to improve
energy efficiency. There must be no new coal plants built after 2021.
OECD countries must commit to phasing out existing coal capacity by 2030, with
all other countries following suit by 2040.
There is no reason for countries or investors to finance new fossil fuel
exploration, licensing or production infrastructure.
These will become stranded assets.
Clean, renewable energy solutions provide the best business opportunities.
International cooperation must be dramatically scaled up to catalyze the finance
and investment needed to accelerate such energy transitions, especially in
developing countries and small island developing states.
Third, to reach universal energy access by 2030 and maintain a net-zero
trajectory by mid-century, we must mobilize predictable finance at scale and
promote technology transfer to the developing world.
We need to triple investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency to $5
trillion dollars a year.
And access to finance by developing countries must be simplified, facilitated
and expedited.
We need to re-direct fossil fuel subsidies to renewables and put a price on
carbon.
And all development banks – multilateral, regional, and national – need to help
countries as they transition their economies.
Public and private finance must be urgently mobilized and deployed at scale to
accelerate the global phase out of coal power generation.
Fourth, we must ensure no one is left behind in the race to a net zero future.
The global energy transition must be just, inclusive, and equitable.
No two national energy transition pathways will be identical.
Investing in renewable energy – instead of spending billions on propping up
fossil fuels – can create tens of millions of good jobs and empower the most
vulnerable.
However, investments will need to be made in retraining and in social safety
nets.
We can and must pursue an agenda that is good for people and planet.
The commitments coming through the UN Energy-led process are a real signal of
what is possible.
Excellencies, dear Friends,
Every country, city, financial institution, company and civil society
organization has a role to play in building a sustainable and equitable energy
future.
I ask all of you to rise to this moment and be bold.
Demonstrate your commitment to this energy future in the form of an ‘Energy
Compact,’ which can deliver on a global roadmap to achieve our goals over the
next decade.
UN-Energy will continue to help drive [action] through the UN system.
Today, I call on all governments to build on international cooperation and
provide the global package of support needed for a just, inclusive and
sustainable energy transition that ensures renewable energy access for all.
We cannot wait another 40 years.
The age of renewable, affordable energy access for all must start today.”
Turkey: NATO's Pro-Russian, Taliban-Friendly Ally
Burak Bekdil/Gatestone Institute/September 24, 2021
Around the Taliban, and in a bizarre combination of convergence of interests and
ideological kinship, a new anti-Western circle is evolving, including a willing
NATO member state.... anti-Western sentiments are bringing together these
regional powers, who are now courting Afghanistan's radical rulers.
The hard lesson learned from relying on an "ally" for critical production, then
needing to reshore that capability as politics change, ultimately will cost U.S.
taxpayers between $500 million and $600 million in nonrecurring engineering
costs, according to Ellen Lord, the previous Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition.
U.S. President Joe Biden's Afghan drama will spur a number of anti-Western
alliances based on different anti-Western calculations. Proof? Just look at the
names of the countries on Taliban's invitation list for its birthday party.
Around the Taliban, and in a bizarre combination of convergence of interests and
ideological kinship, a new anti-Western circle is evolving, including a willing
NATO member state.... anti-Western sentiments are bringing together these
regional powers, who are now courting Afghanistan's radical rulers. Pictured:
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid addresses a press conference in Kabul on
September 7, 2021. (Photo by Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images)
The Taliban, since its founding in 1994, has been using the most notorious
shariah-based law enforcement, including beheadings, stoning women to death,
forcing burqas on women, killing girls who are students, gang-raping, locking
women in their homes and various other medieval practices. Now, for the first
time in NATO's history, a member nation's president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has
said that the Taliban's interpretation of Islam does not contradict Turkey's.
A love affair with Islam, in fact, seems to be blossoming. At the end of August,
the Taliban asked Turkey for technical support to run Kabul's airport.
Pro-Hamas, Islamist allies Turkey and Qatar have since been discussing with the
Taliban conditions for reopening the Hamid Karzai Airport; only the security
issue of technicians, private companies and security staff who will be running
the airport remains a concern. On September 2, Turkey said it was evaluating
proposals from the Taliban and others for the safe operation of Kabul's airport
after the radical group's return to power in Afghanistan.
"We have held our first talks with the Taliban, which lasted three and a half
hours," Erdoğan told reporters August 27. "If necessary, we will have the
opportunity to hold such talks again."
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also mentioned on September 6 that
Turkey was in "direct talks" with the Taliban concerning the future of
Afghanistan. "After all," the minister said, "It would be wrong for Turkey to
completely pull out of Afghanistan."
The emerging alliance between Turkish Islamists and Afghan radicals does not
look unrequited. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that a Turkish
technical team had already arrived in Kabul this month to help reopen its
airport for domestic and international flights. A draft deal revealed by Middle
East Eye in August included provisions that would see Turkey recognize the
Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and provide security at the
Kabul airport through a private firm.
On September 6, Al Jazeera reported that the Taliban had invited Turkey, China,
Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar to attend a ceremony announcing a new Afghan
government after the dramatic U.S. withdrawal. Turkey is the only NATO member
nation on the Taliban's guest list of countries. It is the only country with an
official (candidacy) link to the European Union.
Around the Taliban, and in a bizarre combination of convergence of interests and
ideological kinship, a new anti-Western circle is evolving, including a willing
NATO member state.
Islamist ideology is not the only motive for Turkey in joining the
Taliban-centric group of unofficial allies. Russia, for instance, does not
recognize the Taliban. Anti-Western sentiments are bringing together these
regional powers, who are now courting Afghanistan's radical rulers.
Turkey's partnership in the U.S.-led, multinational consortium that builds the
F-35 fighter jet was suspended after Ankara decided to acquire the Russian-made
S-400 air defense system. The decision cost Turkey's defense industry $10
billion worth of lost contracts and U.S. (CAATSA) sanctions. The damage,
moreover, is not unilateral. The hard lesson learned from relying on an "ally"
for critical production, then needing to reshore that capability as politics
change, ultimately will cost U.S. taxpayers between $500 million and $600
million in nonrecurring engineering costs, according to Ellen Lord, the previous
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition.
On the Turkish side, the lesson seems not to have been learned at all. Russian
state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said at the end of August that it may
soon sign a new contract with Turkey for the supply of more S-400 air defense
missile systems. "Consultations are continuing. I believe they are already at
their final stage," its Director General Alexander Mikheev said at the
International Military-Technical Forum, Army-2021, without disclosing details of
the possible contract.
Confirming that, Erdoğan said on August 29 that Turkey has no hesitations about
purchasing a second batch of the S-400s from Russia. "Regarding ... the purchase
of the second [S-400] package and so on; we have no hesitation regarding these
matters. We have taken many steps with Russia, whether it be the S-400 or the
defense industry," Erdoğan told reporters.
Russia's military engagement with Turkey may not be limited to an advanced air
defense system only. The Director of Russia's Federal Service for
Military-Technical Cooperation, Dmitry Shugayev, has signaled that Moscow and
Ankara are in talks over possible joint ventures concerning Turkey's efforts to
build a new indigenous fighter aircraft, the TF-X. "At this stage, consultations
are underway with the Turkish side at the level of specialized groups on the
issues of interaction in creating the Turkish national fighter." Shugayev said.
U.S. President Joe Biden's Afghan drama will spur a number of anti-Western
alliances based on different anti-Western calculations. Proof? Just look at the
names of the countries on Taliban's invitation list for its birthday party.
*Burak Bekdil, one of Turkey's leading journalists, was recently fired from the
country's most noted newspaper after 29 years, for writing in Gatestone what is
taking place in Turkey. He is a Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
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