LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
April 19/17

Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For Today
Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 21/15-25/:"When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about him?’Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!’So the rumour spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator
Letter to the Colossians03/01-11/:"If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!"

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 18-19/17
Why Lebanon parliamentary poll is unlikely to take place next month/Josh Wood/The National/April 18/17
Why Is Ahmadinejad Coming Back/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arabnews/April 18/17
Senator McCain Praises Iran’s Largest Oppositional Group/The Huffington Post/April 18/17
Once Again, CAIR Shows That Islamism and Civil Rights Don't Mix/Gregg Roman and Sam Westrop/The Hill/April 18/17
Turks Vote to Give Away Their Democracy/Burak Bekdil/Gatestone Institute/April 18/17
A Month of Islam and Multiculturalism in France and Belgium: March 2017/Soeren Kern/Gatestone Institute/April 18/17
What North Korea Should Teach Us about Iran/Alan M. Dershowitz/ Gatestone Institute/April 18/17
Ain al-Hilweh clashes: An eternal dilemma/Hassan Al Mustafa/Al Arabiya/April 18/17
US banks’ Trump card – rolling back banking regulations/Dr. Mohamed A. Ramady/Al Arabiya/April 18/17
Trump’s threats of action against Syria to N. Korea need more than force/Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/April 18/17
American values and the global balance of power/Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/April 18/17

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on April 18-19/17
Why Lebanon parliamentary poll is unlikely to take place next month
Josh Wood/The National/April 18/17
Bassil's Allies Deal Blow to His Electoral Law Proposal
Electoral Laws Proposed by Berri, Miqati Return to
Bassil Says MPs Must Enjoy Their Communities Support, 'No Stability' without New Electoral Law
Mustaqbal Slams Sectarian Incitement, Urges Electoral Law that Boosts Unity
Berri Calls for 'Fair' and 'Non-Sectarian' Electoral Law
U.S. Appropriations Committee Head Leads Congressional Delegation in Visit to Lebanon
International Support Group Urges 'Agreed Electoral Framework, Timely Elections'
International Support Group for Lebanon urges greater efforts for new vote law

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 18-19/17
Egypt: Gunmen Attack St. Catherine's Monastery in Sinai
Palestinian President Abbas In Berlin: Sunni-Shi'ite, Christian-Muslim Conflicts Are All Fabricated; 'Arab Spring' Imported Into The Middle East
Irnian official admits Tehran bid to supply missiles to Houthis
Mattis visits Saudi Arabia, promises to put an end to ‘Iranian’ Houthi rockets
Saudi Arabia hails Turkey referendum as success
Mohamed ElBaradei: Arab Society Lacks Freedom, Knowledge, And Equality; Tensions Are Exact Replica Of Protestant-Catholic Wars Of 17th Century Europe
Why Is Ahmadinejad Coming Back?
Why Is Ahmadinejad Coming Back/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh
Senator McCain Praises Iran’s Largest Oppositional Group
Egypt Arrests Church Bombings Suspect
U.S.-Backed Syria Forces Set Up Post-IS Raqa Council
U.S.-Led Coalition Syria Strikes Kill 20 Civilians
4 Officers among 12 Dead as Saudi Helicopter Crashes in Yemen
Does Assad Have a Place in Trump's 'Syria Plan'?
British PM Calls for Early General Election on June 8
Israel Vows Not to Negotiate with Palestinian Hunger Strikers

Links From Jihad Watch Site for April 18-19/17
FBI investigating jihadis in all 50 states, jihadis plotting to strike in US “every single day”
France: Two Muslims arrested for plotting “imminent and violent” jihad attack
Washington state: Muslim who murdered five in mall is dead in apparent jail suicide
Saudi dad tells daughter hijab is her choice, Western media thrilled, Saudi women still face arrest for taking off hijab
Marine Le Pen: “Give us France back, for God’s sake”
EU leaders terrified” Turkey will soon send three million Muslim migrants to Europe
Indonesia: Sharia vigilantes beat gay couple, then turn them over to religious police
New York Times publishes op-ed by convicted jihad murderer, calls him a “Palestinian leader”
South Dakota Muslim brandishes weapons, Qur’an outside Christian conference, says “Be f**king terrified,” isn’t arrested
UK: Westminster car jihadi told family, “You will soon hear of my death, but don’t worry…I will be in paradise”
Fresno, California: Muslim screaming “Allahu akbar” murders three people, cops unsure if this was terrorism
Hugh Fitzgerald: Rabbi Schloss, Texas Taqiyya, and A Shabbat That’s Fairly Shalom

Links From Christian Today Site on April 18-19/17
General Election on June 8 as Prime Minister announces vote
Analysis: Fresh start for all parties as PM produces an Easter shock at Westminster
Church of Scotland signals openness to gay weddings but seeks 'mutual flourishing' with conservatives
Growing majority of Americans do not trust Trump to keep his promises, new poll finds
Canadian church celebrates Easter by hiring helicopter to drop 45,000 chocolate eggs
Saeed Abedini hits out at critics again in latest Facebook post
Evangelical Christians in India lament church truck crash that killed 16 and injured 50
Prince Harry sought counselling more than a decade after mother's death
Scottish churchgoing sees dramatic fall, further decline predicted
How Easter challenges the horrifying injustice of America's death penalty

Latest Lebanese Related News published on April 18-19/17
Why Lebanon parliamentary poll is unlikely to take place next month
Josh Wood/The National/April 18/17
BEIRUT/Lebanon is a country that likes to pride itself on being a democracy. But it is also a country that has not had parliamentary elections in nearly eight years, whose rulers many now consider to be illegitimate. Parliament has twice voted to extend its term since 2013, citing instability caused by the Syrian war next door and, later, the country’s lack of a president, which resulted in a power vacuum. But although Lebanon now has a president and a functioning government, and the spillover of violence from Syria has subsided, it seems unlikely that a general election planned for May 21 will actually take place.
The excuse this time around is an issue that has afflicted parliament for years: The politicians are unable to come up with a new voting law, one which would be likely to shake up the sectarian balance of power in the country.
Political representation in Lebanon remains based on sectarian quotas that are still largely determined by a census carried out more than 80 years ago. Although the boundaries for electoral districts have been redrawn on several occasions through the years, some critics still say their sects are treated unfairly while others want to do away with a voting system that is rooted in sectarianism altogether. The one thing Lebanon’s perpetually bickering MPs do agree on, however, is that a new electoral law must be made. Last week parliament planned to extend its term yet again, but president Michel Aoun instead suspended parliament for a month, giving members one last shot at reaching an agreement on a new voting law. With the country’s sectarian political parties seeking advantage for themselves and unwilling to potentially sacrifice seats in parliament, compromise is elusive.
Despite the president’s intervention – which came amid calls for street protests against the government – there is not much optimism among Lebanese that there will be an election next month. "They have been trying to agree on a (new voting) law for the past ten years and they couldn’t reach any kind of compromise. In my view, if this was impossible in the past, I’m not seeing any chance to get it done … I may be wrong, but I’m not seeing any likelihood of an agreement on a law in the coming month," said Sami Nader, the director of Beirut’s Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs. Even if Lebanon’s political parties somehow managed to agree on a new voting law, Mr Nader said it would probably take many months for the country – which is beset by inefficiency and corruption – to prepare for a parliamentary election, making a vote unlikely this year regardless.
"Don’t forget we’re in Lebanon, not Sweden," he added.
But by not holding an election, Lebanon is "no longer a democracy" said Ramez Dagher, a Lebanese political blogger. "The moment they vote for the third extensions, those days of ‘democracy’ would be gone."Despite being a respected commentator on Lebanon’s often confusing political scene, Mr Dagher has never voted in an election. The last time there was a parliamentary ballot in Lebanon he was too young. The prospect of a further extension to the current parliamentary term has rekindled public anger towards the Lebanese government.
"They (MPs) have failed the Lebanese people, they have deceived them, they have lied for so many years saying they’re going to resolve this issue and they never did," said Lucien Bourjeily, a theatre director and prominent member of the You Stink movement. You Stink was formed in 2015 to protest against a waste management crisis in Beirut but quickly evolved into a movement against the sectarian political system and government corruption.
As parliament was poised to prolong its term last week, You Stink and other civil society groups planned protests in Beirut, but cancelled them as the president gave parliament one last chance to agree on a voting law. If parliament does extend its term, the activists have promised to bring back the kind of protests that crippled central Beirut in 2015. Last week the country’s most powerful Christian political parties — the president’s Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces — also threatened to send their supporters out on to the streets and called for a general strike. Given that both parties are still represented in parliament, activists have accused them of hypocrisy.
You Stink, along with other anti-sectarian movements that have sprung up in recent years, are eager to field their own candidates, but are unable to do so while Lebanon’s sectarian parties continue to block elections. "We are in a vicious circle where we are waiting for elections to do our big campaigning and to help and support new candidates who might really bring change to Lebanon, but at the same time they (parliament) are not allowing this to happen," added Mr Bourjeily.

Bassil's Allies Deal Blow to His Electoral Law Proposal
Naharnet/April 18/17/Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil's latest electoral law proposal has started to reel from blows dealt to it by both allies and rivals of the FPM, a media report said on Tuesday.“Pessimism is still engulfing most forces as they sense the inability to reach a new electoral law before the grace period passes,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported. “Minister Jebran Bassil's latest hybrid electoral law proposal is reeling from the objections of the political forces,” the daily added, noting that “the proposal has joined the host of 'dead suggestions'.”Bassil's hybrid, two-round electoral system had been initially rejected by Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat and the Lebanese Forces, and on Tuesday MP Ammar Houri of al-Mustaqbal bloc said “Bassil's suggestion with its sectarian voting round cannot pass and it is distant from the spirit of the Taef Accord and the constitution.”Bassil's format prevents voters from voting for candidates from other sects in the first round and divides Lebanon into 26 districts. The second round involves a non-sectarian proportional representation system and 10 larger districts.

Electoral Laws Proposed by Berri, Miqati Return to Forefront
The hybrid electoral law proposed by Speaker Nabih Berri and the proportional representation system proposed by Najib Miqati's government appear to have returned to the forefront of political discussions, a media report said on Tuesday. Berri's proposal resurfaced after the Speaker's recent meetings in Ain el-Tineh with Lebanese Forces deputy head MP George Adwan, Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq and a representative of Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat, al-Akhbar newspaper reported, adding that the conferees discussed “some amendments.” The proportional representation proposal that divides Lebanon into 13 or 15 districts has also returned to the front burner, the daily said. The suggestion had been devised by Miqati's government more than three years ago before being endorsed by the main Christian forces in a Bkirki meeting. The developments come after a hybrid, two-round electoral system proposed by Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil was rejected by both allies and rivals of the FPM. Bassil's proposal had been initially rejected by Jumblat and the LF, and on Tuesday MP Ammar Houri of al-Mustaqbal bloc said “Bassil's suggestion with its sectarian voting round cannot pass and it is distant from the spirit of the Taef Accord and the constitution.”Bassil's format prevents voters from voting for candidates from other sects in the first round and divides Lebanon into 26 districts. The second round involves a non-sectarian proportional representation system and 10 larger districts. Berri's proposal meanwhile calls for the election of 64 MPs under the winner-takes-all system and 64 others under proportional representation whereas Miqati's suggestion involves full proportional representation in 13 or 15 districts.

Bassil Says MPs Must Enjoy Their Communities Support, 'No Stability' without New Electoral Law
Naharnet/April 18/17/Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday stressed that the members of parliament must truly be representative of their religious communities, while warning that the country can know no stability without the approval of a new electoral law. “In terms of conforming to the National Pact, the presidential vote battle cannot be separated from the parliamentary elections battle. The same as the president is strong, the MP who wants to represent the Lebanese should also be strong in his community,” said Bassil after the weekly meeting of the Change and Reform bloc in Rabieh. “We are facing an attempt to tarnish our image,” added Bassil, after his latest electoral law proposal was dismissed as “sectarian” and “divisive” by several political parties. “We are demanding equal power-sharing between Christians and Muslims and we are not encroaching on anyone's rights,” he went on to say. Bassil emphasized that the FPM's only choice is to reach a new electoral law, adding that he wants to “expose” the intentions of the other parties. “We are convinced that there can be no stability without a new electoral law and we believe that our representation is not correct,” Bassil said.Noting that “there is no approval of full proportional representation” in the country, the FPM chief pointed out that “the electoral law requires consensus and a settlement.” “We are seeking to restore respect for the National Pact and to correct representation, partnership and our role,” Bassil explained.
He also reassured that Lebanon will eventually get a new electoral law and that there will be no return to extending parliament's term, the controversial 1960 electoral law or parliamentary vacuum. Al-Akhbar newspaper reported Tuesday that Bassil's latest electoral proposal has been shelved due to the objections of several political forces including allies of the FPM such as the Lebanese Forces and al-Mustaqbal Movement. Bassil's hybrid, two-round electoral system had been initially rejected by Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat and the LF, and on Tuesday MP Ammar Houri of al-Mustaqbal bloc said “Bassil's suggestion with its sectarian voting round cannot pass and it is distant from the spirit of the Taef Accord and the constitution.”Bassil's format prevents voters from voting for candidates from other sects in the first round and divides Lebanon into 26 districts. The second round involves a non-sectarian proportional representation system and 10 larger districts.

Mustaqbal Slams Sectarian Incitement, Urges Electoral Law that Boosts Unity
Naharnet/April 18/17/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday called for an electoral law that “strengthens national unity” and “respects Islamic-Christian coexistence.”“The bloc reiterates its rejection of anything that might plunge Lebanon into a state of institutional vacuum,” it said in a statement issued after its weekly meeting. “Accordingly, it stresses the importance of reaching a national formula for a new electoral law that would be based on Taef Accord's essential principles,” Mustaqbal added, emphasizing that the new law must “strengthen Lebanese national unity and respect Islamic-Christian coexistence.”The bloc also called for avoiding “proposals and formats that take the country backwards, aggravate tensions and promote sectarian segregation,” voicing regret over “the tensions that some parties sought to stoke last week” prior to the legislative session that was eventually postponed. Speaker Nabih Berri postponed the session to May 15 after President Michel Aoun invoked his constitutional powers to suspend parliament for a month and prevent it from extending its own term for a third time in less than four years.

Berri Calls for 'Fair' and 'Non-Sectarian' Electoral Law
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has called on the political forces to seek a “fair” electoral law that does not aggravate the sectarian situation in the country. “Vacuum in parliament will not happen, because it would lead to the collapse of the other constitutional institutions,” Berri told his visitors.Responding to parties that have said that “the expiry of parliament's term without setting a date for elections does not automatically plunge the country into parliamentary vacuum,” the Speaker said: “These people do not know the constitution and the laws, even if they claim so. These are 'satanic' interpretations and heresies.”Berri's AMAL Movement has reportedly rejected an electoral law proposed by Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil that involves sectarian voting in the first round. Media reports said Tuesday that a hybrid law proposed by Berri has returned to the forefront of political discussions after the Lebanese Forces, the Progressive Socialist Party and al-Mustaqbal Movement rejected Bassil's format. Bassil's hybrid, two-round electoral system prevents voters from voting for candidates from other sects in the first round and divides Lebanon into 26 districts. The second round involves a non-sectarian proportional representation system and 10 larger districts.

U.S. Appropriations Committee Head Leads Congressional Delegation in Visit to Lebanon
Naharnet/April 18/17/Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, led a Congressional delegation visit to Lebanon on April 13-15, the U.S. Embassy said. Frelinghuysen was joined by fellow Committee member, Representative Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD). During the visit, the delegation met with Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Minister of Defense Yaaqoub Sarraf, Army chief General Joseph Aoun, and several Members of Parliament. “They discussed the effectiveness of U.S. programs and policies regarding assistance provided to Lebanon and other countries in the region,” a U.S. Embassy statement said. The delegation also visited the American University of Beirut where they witnessed the impact of U.S. support to AUB’s world-class hospital and institutions of higher learning. In their meetings, Frelinghuysen and Ruppersberger emphasized the United States' “intention to maintain a strong partnership with the people and institutions of Lebanon and the importance of Lebanon’s security, stability, and prosperity,” the statement added.

International Support Group Urges 'Agreed Electoral Framework, Timely Elections'
Naharnet/April 18/17/The International Support Group for Lebanon on Tuesday urged Lebanese leaders to reach an “agreed electoral framework” and to organize “timely elections.”“The members of the ISG take note of the decision of President Michel Aoun of 12 April to adjourn the chamber for one month. They also take note of Speaker Nabih Berri’s announcement to convene the next session on 15 May,” the members said in a joint statement. “In the spirit of sustaining progress, the ISG members encourage Lebanon’s leaders to make maximum use of the resulting time frame to intensify their efforts to arrive at an agreed electoral framework for free and fair elections, in accordance with the Constitution,” they added. The ISG members also reiterated “the importance of timely elections to preserve Lebanon’s democratic process,” calling upon Lebanon’s leaders to “reach an agreement as soon as possible through political consultations.” The International Support Group has brought together the governments of China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, the UK and the U.S., together with the European Union and the Arab League. It was launched in September 2013 by the U.N. Secretary-General with then-President Michel Suleiman to help mobilize support and assistance for Lebanon’s stability, sovereignty and state institutions.

International Support Group for Lebanon urges greater efforts for new vote law
The Daily Star/April 18/17BEIRUT: The International Support Group for Lebanon Tuesday urged leaders in Lebanon to agree on a new vote law in time for the next Parliament session, following President Michel Aoun's postponement. "In the spirit of sustaining progress, the ISG members encourage Lebanon’s leaders to make the maximum use of the timeframe to intensify their efforts to [agree on] an electoral framework for free and fair elections, in accordance with the Constitution," the statement read. It called for timely elections to "preserve Lebanon’s democratic process," urging political leaders to come to a quick agreement through political consultations. The ISGL was established in 2013 to help Lebanon’s state institutions and military deal with the massive influx of Syrian refugees, as well security incidents linked to the neighboring war. It brings together the governments of China, France, Germany, Italy, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union and the Arab League. Aoun last week postponed a Parliament session that was expected to extend their term for another year, demanding that political parties to agree on a new electoral law by May 15.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 18-19/17
Egypt: Gunmen Attack St. Catherine's Monastery in Sinai
Jack Khoury and The Associated Press April 18/17 /Gunmen open fire near the famed Saint Catherine's Monastery in Sinai, killing one policeman and wounding four Gunmen opened fire on a police checkpoint outside the famed Saint Catherine's Monastery in Sinai, killing one policeman and wounding four, Egypt's Interior Ministry confirmed. The statement followed earlier reports in the Arab media of an explosion rocking the monastery on Tuesday evening. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. Santa Katarina, as it is known locally, is considered the world's oldest continuously operating Christian monastery. Security and medical officials say the policemen were manning the checkpoint outside the monastery in the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula when the attack took place.  Earlier on Tuesday, Israel decided to keep the Sinai border crossing with Egypt closed for Israeli travelers, citing a "situation report" by its National Security Council's counterterrorism unit. The decision to close the border was made last week, on the eve of Passover, in light of a security assessment of the situation in the Sinai region and the risk posed to Israelis due to increased ISIS-affiliated activity in the area. Moments after the border closure last week militants from Sinai fired a rocket into Israel.  At least 44 people were killed in two attacks on Coptic churches in Egypt on Palm Sunday. Islamic State claimed responsibility for both attacks, one in Alexandria and the other in the Nile Delta city of Tanta. The Alexandria blast was at St. Mark’s Coptic Cathedral and the Tanta explosion was at St. George’s Church.

Palestinian President Abbas In Berlin: Sunni-Shi'ite, Christian-Muslim Conflicts Are All Fabricated; 'Arab Spring' Imported Into The Middle East
MEMRI/April 18/17/Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the new U.S. administration must abide by the commitments made by its predecessors and that "so far, President Trump has not made a decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem." Speaking at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Berlin, Abbas further said that the Arab Spring had been "imported" to the Arab countries and had led to the exploitation of the Palestinian cause by terrorists. Abbas' statements were made on March 23 and aired on the official Palestinian Authority TV channel on April 2. President Abbas: "When countries make a commitment to something, it is inconceivable for a new administration to not abide by that commitment. Such a thing may happen in jungles, but not in states. In the administrations of Obama, Clinton George W. Bush, or any other administration – when the U.S. government makes a commitment, whoever replaces it must abide by that commitment. Secondly, when President Trump said, during his election campaign, that he would move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, we sent him a friendly message, through unofficial channels, saying that if this happened, it would destroy the peace process. Then we kept quiet. When Mr. Trump entered the White House, he did not mention the moving of the embassy. So we got the message: So far President Trump has not made a decision to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "All of the suffering of the Middle East is due to the so-called 'Arab Spring.' This was imported to the Arab Countries, and is the reason for all the problems that have occurred. When these clashes began, the terrorists came and exploited the Palestinian cause, saying that as long as Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are occupied, we must ignite the entire region. "All these conflicts have been fabricated. I have reached an age when I am allowed to say that historically, there was no conflict between Sunnis and Shi'ites, or between Muslims and Christians."

Irnian official admits Tehran bid to supply missiles to Houthis
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Sunday, 16 April 2017/Iranian cleric Mehdi Taeb, who also heads the Ammar Strategic Foundation, admitted that Tehran supplies the Houthis in Yemen with weapons. In a video which activists circulated on social media, Taeb, who is close to the Supreme Guide Ali Khamenei, said the nuclear agreement between Tehran and the P5+1 group prevented delivering Iranian-made surface-to-surface missiles to the Houthis three times. He also criticized Iranian President Hassan Rowhani and said the latter’s negotiations with the US to seal Iran’s nuclear agreement obstructed the delivery of missiles to the Houthis to strike at Saudi-led coalition jets.“We tried to deliver the missiles three times and we were about to but they suddenly retreated because the Americans threatened to suspend the negotiations,” h reportedly said. “Rowhani’s nuclear agreement blocked military aid to the Houthis in Yemen,” Taeb said before a group of supporters in Tehran. According to Taeb, Khamenei ordered sending Iranian naval forces to Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Mattis visits Saudi Arabia, promises to put an end to ‘Iranian’ Houthi rockets
 Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 18 April 2017/US Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced on Tuesday that his country is pushing for UN-sponsored negotiations to put an end to the conflict in Yemen “as soon as possible.”Mattis was speaking to reporters on the plane that took him to Saudi Arabia, where he will embark in a regional tour on Wednesday to Egypt, Qatar, Israel and Djibouti. “Regarding the conflict, our main objective... is to reach negotiations sponsored by the United Nations to find a political solution as soon as possible,” he stated.
Adding that, “we will collaborate with our allies and our partners to reach the negotiating table under the auspices of the United Nations.”Mattis said that the rockets fired by the Houthis targeting Saudi Arabia and often leading to the death of people have all the Iranian touchstones on it, adding that“it must stop.”US Defense Secretary James Mattis was received by the Commander in Chief Abdul Rahman Al-Bunyan. Investigation launched after 12 killed when Saudi Black Hawk crashes in Marib Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 18 April 2017/The Arab coalition announced on Tuesday that four officers and eight soldiers were killed as a Saudi Black Hawk chopper was shot down in Yemen’s Marib.The cause of the accident is under investigation, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabia hails Turkey referendum as success
AFP, Riyadh Monday, 17 April 2017/Saudi Arabia on Monday praised the success of a referendum giving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sweeping new powers. The cabinet, at its weekly meeting, voiced “congratulations to President Erdogan of Turkey and the Turkish people on the success of the referendum regarding constitutional reforms,” the official Saudi Press Agency reported. The cabinet said it hoped the vote would contribute to “more development success across the country.”The “Yes” camp won more than 51 percent in Sunday’s referendum while the “No” side got almost 49 percent, according to near-complete results released by Turkey’s election authorities. International observers said the referendum campaign was conducted on an “unlevel playing field,” while Erdogan’s opponents fear the result will hand him one-man rule.

Mohamed ElBaradei: Arab Society Lacks Freedom, Knowledge, And Equality; Tensions Are Exact Replica Of Protestant-Catholic Wars Of 17th Century Europe
MEMRI/April 18/17
Former IAEA Director and former Egyptian Vice-President Mohamed ElBaradei talked about the problems facing Arab societies, such as the high rate of illiteracy, saying that “education is a fundamental component of knowledge, in order to create a society that relies on knowledge, not witchcraft.” ElBaradei, who received the Nobel Peace Prize with the IAEA in 2005, said that the animosity between Islamic and secular people in Muslim societies was an “exact replica” of the Protestant-Catholic wars in 17th-century Europe. “For 300 years, they killed one another, and after killing 50, 60, 70 million people, they realized that killing one another was not the solution,” he said. ElBaradei was speaking on Al-Araby TV in an interview that aired on February 4.
Mohamed ElBaradei: "We are a people that subsists on fear, not on dreams. We began the revolution with a dream, but today, we are a people that lives on fear – fear of terrorism, fear of not making a living, fear of a shortage in medicine... We live in fear. We fear one another as well. We are in a situation in which we all must take pause, and examine the state we are in. We are not where we want to be. We have failed to achieve the goals of the revolution.
"From the day I returned to Egypt I have been saying that freedom is linked to livelihood. As long as I am not a free man, I cannot create, innovate, be productive, or understand what is going on around me, and I cannot move forward.
"According to a 2002 UN report on human development in the Arab world, we have three problems. They pertain to all the Arab countries, including Egypt, to varying degrees. They are: (the lack) of freedom, of knowledge, and of equality, and especially empowerment of women. We still suffer from these three problems. Without freedom, there is no knowledge, without knowledge, there is no freedom, and without freedom or knowledge, there is no equality. We need to confront our problems with courage, and realize that there are no winners or losers here. It's not a zero-sum game. Either we all win, or we all lose.
"By not allowing peaceful revolution, you are paving the way to violent revolution. We need to understand this in the Arab world. Not just understand...We are seeing this happen in half the Arab world. This is a message to all the rulers in the Arab world. Peaceful revolution takes place when there is no reform. And if you don't allow peaceful revolution, it will be followed by violent revolution. Take a look at all the Arab countries. That's the message.
"I was telling you about the three problems facing the Arab world, including Egypt. The first problem is (lack of) knowledge. As far as I know, 25-30% (of our population) are still illiterate. This is not an issue that is related to income. Let me draw your attention to this. I've been to Cuba, and there, they have 99.7% literacy."
Host: "Those are the results in an Arab referendum...."
Mohamed ElBaradei: "Exactly. 99%. But it's a survey about literacy. Cuba's capabilities were much more meager than ours. Ten years ago, I visited an elementary school in Cuba. Every child sat in front of a computer. People lived on a dollar or two a day, but they understood the meaning of education."
Host: "So what you are saying is that the key is education?"Mohamed ElBaradei: "Education is a fundamental component of knowledge, in order to create a society that relies on knowledge, not witchcraft. There is a difference between a society based on knowledge, and a society based on metaphysics and witchcraft. Without education and knowledge, we cannot take a single step forward, and this holds true for the Arab world. "There is not a single Arab university on the list of the world's 100 or 200 (leading) universities. There is one Saudi university... There is not a single Arab research center that studies the problems and challenges we face. Not one! "Look at how we speak today, in the Arab world in particular: Those guys are Islamic, those are secular, those are liberals... Nobody really understands what those terms mean. What does it mean to be Islamic? Today, Turkey is an Islamic country. Its people are Muslims, but it has a secular constitution, which has nothing to do with religion. Then you have Saudi Arabia, which says: The Quran is the constitution. They don't have a written constitution. You have Iran, where they have the Rule of the Jurisprudent. In Indonesia, they have a completely different regime. Throughout 14 centuries, we have never rationally defined or properly understood the relation between religion and state, religion and moral values, or its relationship with public affairs and personal matters. People consider themselves Islamic or secular and want to kill one another. That's the easy solution, even before we understand what we want. Unfortunately, the result is an exact replica of what happened in Europe in the 17th century. The 30 Years' War was a religions war waged between Catholics and Protestants. Thirty years... That war ended, and it was followed by the Napoleonic wars, and then World War I and World War II... For 300 years, they killed one another, and after killing 50, 60, 70 million people, they realized that killing one another was not the solution. "In the period known as the Golden Age of Islam, from the 8th until around the 13th century, Islam and science went hand in hand. They complemented one another. "In the Golden Age of Islam, science was a central component of civilization. "Given the state of Islam today, anybody called Muhammad, wherever he lives, is immediately identified as a Muslim who preaches violence. This is the bitter reality in which we live. All we do is say: No, that's not true! Islam is a religion of compassion. Fine, but what are we doing to show the world that it is a religion of compassion? What are we doing to show the difference between us and the extremists?"

Why Is Ahmadinejad Coming Back?
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arabnews/April 18/17
In 2015, when there was no expectation of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s comeback, or talk of his potential registration for Iran’s 2017 presidential elections, I wrote that he “can present a viable challenge to the incumbent President Hassan Rouhani” in this year’s vote. I meant that Ahmadinejad could use his political weight and populism, and could capitalize on people’s economic grievances and hard-liners’ criticism of Rouhani, to campaign and rally the hard-liners’ social base behind another hard-line candidate, not for his own presidency. Running for himself is very unlikely due to reluctance among Iran’s top echelons of powers. Iran’s presidential elections are unpredictable and complex. An example of the complexity is that many candidates register not to run personally but to rally support and mobilize their social base for another candidate. This is likely why Ahmadinejad is registering. His insatiable hunger for power, media attention and status has caused tensions with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Ahmadinejad’s registration gives him the international spotlight he yearns for, and a possibility to be part of the next presidential team if the candidate he supports wins. Although the nuclear deal lifted four rounds of economic sanctions against Iran, the major beneficiaries of oil exports and additional billions of dollars are Khamenei, his circle of power and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). By examining his domestic activities in the last few years, it seems he was preparing to enter politics again. He was traveling to cities, criticizing Rouhani and launching a domestic political campaign ahead of the latest parliamentary elections. Former presidents harshly attacking the sitting one is rare in Iran. Ahmadinejad began capitalizing on the fact that Rouhani’s economic plans and promises were not delivering relief to the overwhelming majority of Iranians. Although the nuclear deal lifted four rounds of economic sanctions against Iran, the major beneficiaries of oil exports and additional billions of dollars are Khamenei, his circle of power and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Rouhani’s stance toward the US was also viewed as weak by hard-liners. As such, the environment is ripe for Ahmadinejad to challenge him electorally. Although Ahmadinejad’s presidency ended in 2013 with the lowest popular vote compared to his predecessors, the socioeconomic situation has since changed. Many Iranians may not like him personally, but his policies of providing monthly cash handouts and subsidies are popular among the poor, particularly after Rouhani cut many social welfares. So Ahmadinejad can campaign for his favorite candidate because he is popular in rural areas, and among the poor and lower middle class. But he may split hard-line votes, which could increase Rouhani’s odds of victory. • Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated, Iranian-American political scientist. He is a leading expert on Iran and US foreign policy, a businessman and president of the International American Council. He serves on the boards of the Harvard International Review, the Harvard International Relations Council and the US-Middle East Chamber for Commerce and Business. He can be reached on Twitter @Dr_Rafizadeh.

Senator McCain Praises Iran’s Largest Oppositional Group
The Huffington Post/April 18/17
In a critical move, Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has recently met with Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in Tirana, Albania. They discussed Iran’s politics, the Islamic Republic’s role in the region, and the future prospects. This meeting highlights a significant development in establishing further communication with Iran’s opposition. Today, the Iranian government and media outlets reacted immediately and harshly to this visit by denouncing the United States. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi condemned the U.S. and stated that the US will pay for its mistakes. Senator McCain praised MEK members by pointing out “You have stood up and fought and sacrificed for freedom, for the right to live free, for the right to determine your own future, for the rights that are God given. I thank you for being an example, an example to the whole world, that those people who are willing to fight and sacrifice for freedom will achieve it, and you are an example to everyone in the world that is struggling for (freedom).”He also praised Mrs. Rajavi’s leadership, and hoped for a free Iran by adding, “Someday, Iran will be free. Someday, we will all gather in that square.”
The National Council of Resistance of Iran
Previously, In an unprecedented move, a 23 member bi-partisan group of senior former US officials signed a critical letter and delivered it to President Donald Trump. The letter suggested new policy options regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran and the need for the US to open up a meaningful channel of communication with the Iranian opposition, namely the coalition, National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
This is something that has never been done under any other administration. The letter was signed by senior former US officials including Rudy Giuliani, Joseph Lieberman, Patrick Kennedy, General Hugh Shelton (a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Bill Clinton) to name a few. It explains that revised policies toward Iran are needed because Iran has used every opportunity since its establishment to scuttle US foreign policy objectives and damage US national, geopolitical, economic and strategic interests with the assistance of its proxies.
More importantly, the officials urged Trump to cooperate with Iran’s opposition, as other countries are doing the same “Bush publicly credited the resistance [NCRI]. It is time to end the fundamentalist regime’s undue influence over US policy and establish a channel of dialogue with the NCRI, as many other governments have done, consistent with the longstanding US diplomatic practice of dialogue with political opposition groups worldwide.” For Iranian leaders, the NCRI is a serious threat to their hold on power. They fear foreign governments’ cooperation with the NCRI because it would put significant pressure on the ruling clerics and tip the balance of power against them. Iranian leaders fear that Iranian opposition might inspire the disaffected youth in Iran to protest against the government. Khamenei has repeatedly shown that his main concern is such infiltrations.
More fundamentally, an Iran without the current ruling clerics in power would be a powerful US ally, rather than being an enemy sworn to consistently strive to damage US security and national interests. An Iran without the ruling clerics in power would fundamentally shift the regional and global balance of power in favor of the US. Senator McCain said he believed that the Iranian regime, Bashar Al-Assad and Daesh (ISIS) were all intertwined. He emphasized on confronting Iran and Assad. In addition, Mrs. Rajavi praised Senator McCain for his support of the MEK members in Ashraf and their relocation out of Iraq. She pointed out, “Today, there is a consensus in the Middle East about the clerical regime’s destructive role and that the religious fascism ruling Iran is the primary source of war, terrorism and crisis in the region.”A fundamental change in Iran’s government would be a critical step to end human rights violations and bring stability to the region. Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission, some of the U.S. Embassy staff in Tirana, Albania, as well as several of Senator McCain’s advisors accompanied him in this visit. Before this visit, Senator McCain visited one of the MEK headquarters in Tirana, with Maryam Rajavi.
The National Council for Resistance of Iran
In her speech to the gathering, Mrs. Rajavi thanked Senator McCain for his efforts in support of the MEK members “The relocation of MEK members was a great achievement. Their persistence and sacrifices, coupled with international support made the relocation possible. You played a key role in the safe relocation of Camp Liberty residents and for that the people of Iran are grateful to you,” she added. She also stressed that the Iranian Resistance was determined to continue its efforts “During the 2009 uprisings in Iran, while the Iranian people’s desire for freedom and democracy was brutally crushed, the U.S. Government regrettably remained silent. But the Iranian people have never given up their desire for regime change. We are more determined than ever to establish freedom and democracy in Iran. As the regime is beset by deepening crises, we are closer than ever to achieving our goal....From all indications, the clerical regime is at an impasse socially, politically, and economically and as such is quite vulnerable. The Iranian people and Resistance are more determined and prepared than ever to overthrow the ruling theocracy and establish democracy and popular sovereignty in Iran.” Regarding the recent developments in the region, Mrs. Rajavi said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for many conflicts and humanitarian tragedies including in Syria. Addressing the MEK members, Senator McCain congratulated them on their successful relocation from Iraq. He added “There is no doubt that the people in this room have suffered. They have suffered not only themselves but in the loss of their loved ones because of the Iranian tyranny, and I express my condolences to everyone in this room who has lost a loved one as a result of the Iranian tyranny and terrorism.” Senator McCain also met with a some MEK members as well as former political prisoners. Finally, from my perspective, it is critical to point out that Iranian leaders fear the soft power of oppositional groups more than the military and hard power of foreign governments. That is why Iranian leaders and media outlets have reacted forcefully and anxiously to this visit. Iran’s oppositional groups can be a very powerful tool to counterbalance the Islamic Republic.

Egypt Arrests Church Bombings Suspect
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 18/17/Egyptian police on Tuesday arrested a man wanted for alleged involvement in twin church bombings this month claimed by the Islamic State group, an official said. Acting on a tip-off, police arrested Ali Mahmoud Mohamed Hassan, one of 19 suspects whose names police made public after the Palm Sunday explosions, the official said. Two suicide bombers attacked two churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria on April 9, killing 45 people in the deadliest attack on Coptic Christians in recent memory. Hassan was arrested in the southern province of Qena, from where the two suicide bombers also came.The interior ministry had raised a reward for information leading to the suspects' arrests to 500,000 pounds ($27,518). The Palm Sunday bombings followed an earlier attack by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives in a packed Cairo church in December, killing 29 people. The Islamic State group, which claimed all three bombings, has threatened more attacks on the minority, which makes up about 10 percent of Egypt's 90 million people. The attacks, weeks before a planned visit by Catholic Pope Francis, prompted the government to declare a three-month state of emergency.

U.S.-Backed Syria Forces Set Up Post-IS Raqa Council
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 18/17/The U.S.-backed Kurdish-Arab force leading the fight for the Islamic State group's Syrian bastion Raqa announced Tuesday the creation of a "civilian council" to administer the city after its capture."The civilian council of Raqa will be charged with administering Raqa and the surrounding province after liberation," the Syrian Democratic Forces said in a statement. The council was announced during a meeting in Ain Issa, a former IS stronghold some 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Raqa, in northern Syria.
The SDF launched an offensive to capture Raqa, IS' de facto Syrian capital, in November with support from the U.S.-led coalition. But a key question has been who will administer the city after its capture. "The council is made up of people originally from Raqa province. (The SDF) will entrust it with the running of the city once IS has been pushed out," said Jihan Sheikh Ahmed, a spokeswoman for the Raqa campaign. Several tribal chiefs and local dignitaries from Raqa participated in the meeting establishing the council, which mirrors others set up in towns captured from IS by the Kurdish-Arab force.
A military council will also be formed "soon", according to SDF spokesman Talal Sello, and charged with security in the city after IS is expelled. "The SDF will train people originally from Raqa in cooperation with the international coalition to ensure the city's security after it is freed," Sello told AFP. On Saturday, the SDF reached the outskirts of the key IS-held town of Tabqa, which they surrounded earlier this month. Tabqa and the vast nearby Tabqa dam are considered key prizes in the broader offensive for Raqa city, about 55 kilometers to the east. The SDF has led the fight against IS in large swathes of north and northeast Syria, with support from the U.S.-led coalition. But its advances have angered neighboring Turkey, which views the Kurdish component of the alliance as an affiliate of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The dominance of Kurdish forces in the fight has also stirred ethnic tensions with Arab residents of the areas taken from IS. Some three quarters of Raqa city's pre-war population was Sunni Arab.

U.S.-Led Coalition Syria Strikes Kill 20 Civilians
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 18/17/Air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group killed 20 civilians in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province, a monitor said on Tuesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the deaths came in two separate incidents on Monday. The Britain-based monitor said 13 civilians, among them five children, were killed in a strike on Monday night on the town of Albu Kamal, near the Syria-Iraq border. The strike also killed three members of IS, which controls the town, the monitor said. Earlier in the day, a U.S.-led coalition strike killed seven civilians, including a child, in the village of Husseinyeh, the monitor said. The U.S.-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes against IS in Syria since 2014 and is providing air support for a Kurdish-Arab alliance advancing on the jihadist bastion of Raqa. Last month, the coalition said its campaign against IS in Syria and Iraq had unintentionally killed at least 220 civilians, but monitors say the real number is far higher. Most of the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor, in Syria's east, is held by IS, including parts of the provincial capital, Deir Ezzor city. The jihadists have besieged the remaining government-held parts of Deir Ezzor city, trapping civilians inside with limited access to supplies. More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011.

4 Officers among 12 Dead as Saudi Helicopter Crashes in Yemen
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 18/17/Twelve Saudi soldiers, including four officers, were killed on Tuesday when their helicopter went down in Yemen, the Arab coalition fighting Yemeni rebels said in a statement. The Saudi Black Hawk "fell during operations in the province of Marib" east of Sanaa, the coalition said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency, without clarifying the reason. "The causes of the incident are being investigated," the statement added. Coalition spokesman General Ahmed Assiri told AFP it was "too early" to comment on the causes of the crash, which is one of the deadliest incidents involving coalition forces in Yemen. The rebel-controlled Saba news agency said a helicopter crashed east of the provincial capital Marib without giving further details. A Saudi-led coalition began air strikes over Yemen in March 2015 in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's internationally recognized government in its fight against Iran-backed Huthi rebels. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which play key roles in the coalition, have suffered the alliance's heaviest losses in Yemen, with dozens of soldiers killed. In September 2015, a rebel missile strike on a coalition base in Marib killed 67 coalition soldiers, most of them Emiratis. The United Nations says that more than 7,700 people have been killed since March 2015 in Yemen, which also faces a serious risk of famine this year. Seven ceasefires brokered between government and rebel forces by the United Nations have failed, while U.N.-backed peace talks have repeatedly broken down.

Does Assad Have a Place in Trump's 'Syria Plan'?
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 18/17/Can threatening war crimes charges persuade Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to leave power? What about guaranteeing his safety in exile? These long-shot proposals are at the center of the Trump administration's new effort to resolve Syria's six-year civil war. Though still evolving, President Donald Trump's plans for Syria have come into clearer view since he ordered cruise missiles fired on a Syrian air base to punish Assad for a chemical weapons attack. The strategy breaks down into three basic phases: defeating the Islamic State group, restoring stability in Syria region-by-region and securing a political transition in which Assad ultimately steps down. The approach is little different than one that failed under the Obama administration, and arguably faces greater challenges. Assad has violently resisted all attempts to end his rule, fueling a conflict that has killed as many as a half-million people. The opposition fighting Assad is far weaker after a series of battlefield defeats. And any U.S. plan for Assad will need the cooperation of key Syria ally Russia. Trump last week said U.S.-Russian relations "may be at an all-time low."
Still, several U.S. officials said Trump's national security team is using this month's instability in Syria to try to refocus conversations with Moscow. Trump's cruise missile response to Syria's chemical weapons attack bolstered U.S. arguments that Russia is backing a potential war criminal in Assad, and restored America's ability to threaten military action if more atrocities occur. The officials said they hoped instead to rejuvenate cooperation with Russia on Syria, which could help begin repairing fractured ties between Washington and Moscow. Trump's emerging plan includes these elements, according to several U.S. officials who weren't authorized to discuss internal policy considerations and demanded anonymity:
PHASE ONE: DEFEAT THE ISLAMIC STATE GROUP
Trump's airstrikes marked the first U.S. attack against Assad's forces, but there's no appetite for using America's military to depose Assad. Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, said Sunday the U.S. wasn't planning to send in more ground troops. "Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said last week, using another acronym for the militant group. The group has lost much of the territory it held in Iraq and Syria. The major exception is Raqqa, the group's self-declared capital in Syria, which the U.S. and allied rebel groups are preparing to attack in coming weeks.
PHASE TWO: STABILIZATION
After IS is defeated or its threat neutralized, the administration will try to broker regional cease-fires between Assad's government and rebels. Such truces have rarely held. The Trump administration has spoken about "interim zones of stability." These would be different than the "safe zones" the Obama administration considered but never opted for because they would have required a U.S. military presence to enforce, potentially putting American aircraft in conflict with Syria's air force. Under Trump's plan, the Assad government would be party to the stability zones and U.S. or Arab aircraft could ostensibly patrol them without clashing with Syrian warplanes. With security restored, the administration hopes local leaders who were forced to flee can return and lead local governments. They could help restore basic services and police Syria. The basic idea would be Sunni forces policing predominantly Sunni areas, Kurdish forces policing Kurdish areas and so on. At the national level, the aim is to set up a transitional authority to govern Syria temporarily. U.N.-sponsored peace talks have striven and failed for years to establish such an authority.
PHASE THREE: TRANSITION
Though Trump officials have made conflicting public statements about Assad's future, the emerging plan envi

British PM Calls for Early General Election on June 8
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 18/17/British Prime Minister Theresa May called Tuesday for an early general election on June 8 in a surprise announcement as Britain prepares for delicate negotiations on leaving the European Union. "We need a general election and we need one now. We have at this moment a one-off chance to get this done... before the detailed talks begin," May said, despite previously denying that she would do so. Speaking outside her Downing Street residence in London, May warned that "division in Westminster will risk our ability to make a success of Brexit."
She said parliament would be asked to vote Wednesday to decide on whether or not to hold an election. The dramatic announcement comes after months of tumult in British politics following the Brexit vote. A round of opinion polls over the Easter weekend also showed her Conservative Party far ahead of the main opposition Labor Party. The Conservatives polled at between 38 percent and 46 percent, with Labor at 23 percent to 29 percent, according to the polls by YouGov, ComRes and Opinium. The poll lead had prompted many senior Conservatives to call for an election, particularly as May will need a strong parliamentary majority as she seeks to negotiate Britain's exit from the European Union. The Conservatives currently have a working majority of just 17 from the last election in 2015 and some of their MPs have indicated they could vote against the government on key aspects of Brexit legislation. EU leaders except May are set to hold a summit on April 29 where they will agree on the strategy for negotiating Britain's expected departure in 2019. The negotiations themselves are not expected to start until May or June at the earliest. The European Commission has said it wants the exit talks to be concluded by October 2018 at the latest. Britain's next election was due to have been held in 2020 -- a date enshrined in legislation according to which elections have to be held every five years in May. But the law can be overruled if two-thirds of lawmakers in the British parliament vote in favor of early elections -- something that Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn has previously indicated he would do. Corbyn, a veteran socialist with support on the left of the party, won the Labor leadership in September 2015 after the party's defeat in that year's election.
High approval rating
Corbyn, 67, enjoys grassroots support from left-wingers but is opposed by most of the party's more centrist lawmakers, who say that Labor under his leadership is not appealing to the middle classes. May in contrast has scored consistently well in terms of personal popularity and polls have shown approval of her handling of the run-up to Brexit negotiations. When asked who they thought would be the best prime minister, 50 percent of respondents in the YouGov poll said Theresa May and only 14 percent Corbyn. May came to power in July 2016 after her predecessor David Cameron resigned following the shock Brexit referendum vote in June for which he had campaigned for Britain to stay in the European Union. The 60-year-old vicar's daughter is Britain's second prime minister after Margaret Thatcher and many commentators have drawn comparisons to the steely determination of the "Iron Lady". May worked in finance, including at the Bank of England, before being elected as MP for the London commuter town of Maidenhead in 1997. As Conservative chairwoman in 2002, she made waves by suggesting the Tories were seen as "the nasty party" and needed to overhaul their image — something that they did under Cameron's leadership. When the Conservatives won the 2010 general election, May was named home secretary, the hardest job in government which has wrecked a string of other political careers.

Israel Vows Not to Negotiate with Palestinian Hunger Strikers
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 18/17/Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan vowed on Tuesday not to negotiate with hundreds of Palestinian detainees on the second day of a hunger strike led by popular leader Marwan Barghouti. More than 1,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons launched the hunger strike on Monday, issuing a list of demands ranging from better medical services to access to telephones. Issa Qaraqe, head of prisoner affairs for the Palestinian Authority, said on Monday that around 1,300 prisoners were on hunger strike and the number could rise. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club had put the number at 1,500. A spokesman for the Israel Prisons Service said around 1,100 prisoners started the hunger strike and roughly the same number were believed to be continuing on Tuesday. Erdan vowed that Israeli authorities would not negotiate with the prisoners and said Barghouti had been moved to another prison and placed in solitary confinement. "They are terrorists and incarcerated murderers who are getting what they deserve and we have no reason to negotiate with them," Erdan told army radio. He said Barghouti had been placed in solitary confinement because calling for the hunger strike was against prison rules. Some 6,500 Palestinians are currently detained by Israel for a range of offenses and alleged crimes. Of those, 62 are women and 300 are minors. Some 500 are held under administrative detention, which allows for imprisonment without charge. Palestinian prisoners have mounted repeated hunger strikes, but rarely on such a large scale. Barghouti's call for the strike has given it added credibility, with the 57-year-old serving five life sentences over his role in the second Palestinian intifada or uprising. He was convicted of attacks that killed five people. He is popular among Palestinians, with polls suggesting he could win the Palestinian presidency."Decades of experience have proved that Israel's inhumane system of colonial and military occupation aims to break the spirit of prisoners and the nation to which they belong, by inflicting suffering on their bodies, separating them from their families and communities, using humiliating measures to compel subjugation," Barghouti wrote in a New York Times opinion piece. "In spite of such treatment, we will not surrender to it."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 18-19/17
Once Again, CAIR Shows That Islamism and Civil Rights Don't Mix
Gregg Roman and Sam Westrop/The Hill/April 18/17
http://www.meforum.org/6646/cair-shows-islamism-and-civil-rights-dont-mix
Please click here to sign a Change.org petition calling on the nation's largest community foundation to end its financial support for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and other Islamist hate groups.
While CAIR-Georgia official Asma Elhuni was protesting the anti-union policies of a Georgia auto plant in February 2017, CAIR's national office was vigorously resisting the right of its own workers to unionize.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has been claiming for years to be not merely the nation's preeminent Muslim civil rights group, but a defender of the civil rights of all Americans.
In addition to denouncing alleged acts of "Islamophobia," representatives of the organization have been quick to condemn acts of antisemitism, police shootings of African Americans, anti-LGBTQ violence, and so forth, while expressing solidarity with every "progressive" cause under the sun.
But peer beneath CAIR's carefully-crafted press releases and publicity stunts and it's clear that the group's reactionary Islamist roots are as strong as ever.
Last week came a striking demonstration that CAIR's support for workers' rights is just a ruse. The group had been seeking for some time to block the Service Employees International Union from organizing the staff at its national office, claiming that it is a religious organization and therefore exempt from the National Labor Relations Act. The National Labor Relations Board rejected that argument in an April 7 ruling.
Beneath its carefully-crafted press releases, CAIR's reactionary Islamist roots are as strong as ever.
Contrast this with the high-profile appearance just weeks earlier of a CAIR representative alongside auto workers in Marietta, GA, protesting the anti-union policies of a Nissan plant.
The same hypocrisy was on display in the wake of the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, FL, last year by a radical Islamist, when CAIR leaders across the country condemned anti-LGBTQ bigotry. The media fawned over a statement from the head of CAIR's Florida chapter, Hassan Shibly, declaring his "overwhelming love and support and unity" for the LGBTQ community.
But CAIR, with it's strong connections to the Sunni Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, whose hatred of homosexuals is quite explicit, has a long history of promoting homophobia.
Indeed, Shibly himself decried homosexuality as "evil" and a "quick way to earn God's wrath" in a 2009 Facebook essay on gay marriage. While CAIR officials have avoided such statements since Orlando, the organization continues to host radical Islamist speakers notorious for gay-bashing at its events.
Siraj Wahhaj, a frequent speaker at CAIR events and a former member of its advisory board, preaches hate and distrust of homosexuals. See MEF's recent profile.
For example, the radical cleric Siraj Wahhaj, a former member of CAIR's advisory board, remains one of the organization's most frequent speakers. Wahhaj has preached that homosexuality is "a disease of this [American] society" and reminded his congregants, "[You know what the punishment is, if a man is found with another man? The Prophet Mohammad said the one who does it and the one to whom it is done to, kill them both."
Although CAIR officials nowadays speak of women's rights, the mainstay of the organization's "civil rights" work is funding lawsuits under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other statutes to ostensibly protect the "right" of Muslim women to wear face-concealing religious garb in any and all circumstances, from police booking photos and airline security checkpoints to any number of jobs and professions that require dress codes.
"To be shown without a headscarf, it's almost like being shown naked," CAIR national spokesman Ibrahim Hooper told the Washington Post last year.
CAIR claims it works to protect the rights of women, but it's really about protecting the "right" of men to oppress women. Islamists want to create a social environment in which no American Muslim woman will ever have legitimate cause to take off her hijab without the permission of her husband or male relatives.
Islamic extremists prosper in the West because they've learned to exploit its rhetoric and democratic processes.
Again, CAIR's choice of speakers at its events reveals the duplicity of the Islamist organization's message. One cleric promoted by CAIR, Abdul Nasir Jangda, has justified the possession of female sex slaves, and advocated marital rape as a "divinely given right."
The mainstream media rarely challenges CAIR representatives who appear on TV claiming to support lofty ideals that conflict squarely with the extremism they preach within the Muslim-American community.
Deceit lies at the heart of lawful Islamism. Extremists that prosper in the West do so because they have learned to exploit its rhetoric and democratic processes. But it cannot be long before that hypocrisy is laid bare – perhaps it will be the next time a CAIR official expresses solidarity with a labor union.
**Gregg Roman is director of the Middle East Forum. Sam Westrop is director of Islamist Watch, a project of the Middle East Forum.
http://www.meforum.org/6646/cair-shows-islamism-and-civil-rights-dont-mix?utm_source=Middle+East+Forum&utm_campaign=82d05353d2-roman%2FWestrop_2017_04_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_086cfd423c-82d05353d2-33831725&goal=0_086cfd423c-82d05353d2-33831725

Turks Vote to Give Away Their Democracy
Burak Bekdil/Gatestone Institute/April 18/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=54470
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10226/turkey-referendum
Alarmingly, Turkey's proposed system lacks the safety mechanisms of checks and balances that exist in other countries such as the United States.
It would transfer powers traditionally held by parliament to the presidency, thereby rendering the parliament merely a ceremonial, advisory body.
"The conditions for a free and fair plebiscite on proposed constitutional reforms simply do not hold," said a report released by the EU Turkey Civic Commission.
In a bitter irony, nearly 55 million Turks went to the ballot box on April 16 to exercise their basic democratic right to vote. But they voted in favor of giving away their democracy. The system for which they voted looks more like a Middle Eastern sultanate than democracy in the West.
According to unofficial results of the referendum, 51.4% of the Turks voted in favor of constitutional amendments that will give their authoritarian Islamist president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, excessive powers to augment his one-man rule in comfort.
The changes make Erdogan head of government, head of state and head of the ruling party -- all at the same time. He now has the power to appoint cabinet ministers without requiring a confidence vote from parliament, propose budgets and appoint more than half the members of the nation's highest judicial body. In addition, he has the power to dissolve parliament, impose states of emergency and issue decrees. Alarmingly, the proposed system lacks the safety mechanisms of checks and balances that exist in other countries such as the United States. It would transfer powers traditionally held by parliament to the presidency, thereby rendering the parliament merely a ceremonial, advisory body.
Why did the Turks choose democratic suicide?
1. Erdogan's confrontational Islamist-nationalist rhetoric keeps appealing to masses who adore him for his claims of being in the process of restoring the country's historical Ottoman influence as a leader of the Islamic world. His rhetoric -- and practices -- would often echo an authoritarian rule in the form of a sultan. It was not a coincidence that the thousands of Erdogan fans who gathered to salute their leader after his referendum victory were passionately waving Turkish and Ottoman flags and chanting "Allah-u aqbar" ["Allah is the greatest", in Arabic]. For most of Erdogan's conservative fans, "God comes first... then comes Erdogan". That sentiment explains why the vote on April 16 was not just a boring constitutional matter for many Turks: It was about endorsing an ambitious man who promises to revive a glorious past.
2. The 'No' campaign and its supporters were systematically silenced and intimidated by a powerful state apparatus, including its police and judicial powers. In contrast, the 'Yes' campaign enjoyed all possible government support, with full mobilization of state means and public resources. Worse, Turkey went to the ballot box under a state of emergency that was declared after a failed coup in July.
3. A European Union (EU) parliamentary organization warned before the referendum that the democratic legitimacy of the vote was in question. It mentioned that the lawmakers' ability to campaign for the 'No' vote had been undermined by the government. "The conditions for a free and fair plebiscite on proposed constitutional reforms simply do not hold," said a report released by the EU Turkey Civic Commission. It highlighted, among several other reasons, that the co-leaders of a pro-Kurdish political party who campaigned for 'No' have been imprisoned since November on charges of links with terror groups. In the 15 months leading up to the referendum, says a civil rights NGO, police used violence to stop a total of 264 peaceful demonstrations in support of the 'No' campaign.
4. With around 150 journalists in jail, the pervading climate was fear.
The great Turkish purge spells big numbers. According to Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu:
47,155 people have been jailed since the coup attempt on July 15;
113,260 people have also been detained;
41,499 people have been released with condition of judicial control and 23,861 people have been released without any condition; 863 other suspects remain at large;
10,732 of those who have been arrested are police officers, while 168 military generals and 7,463 military officers have been jailed as of April 2, 2017;
2,575 judges and prosecutors, and 208 governors or other public administrators have been imprisoned. The number of jailed civilians, including handicapped people, housewives and elders, is 26,177
Over 135,000 people have been purged: A total of 7,317 academics were also purged as well as 4,272 judges and prosecutors who were dismissed due to alleged involvement in the coup attempt.
'No' campaigners were threatened and treated like terrorists. Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) confirmed cases of intimidation against the 'No' campaign across the country.
5. The main opposition Republican People's Party claimed election rigging. It claimed the vote was manipulated in terms of content and method. Only an hour into the vote count, the Supreme Board of Elections declared as valid voting papers without official seals. That practice is clearly in violation of the election laws. The opposition also claimed that in some cities the election observers from the 'No' groups were removed from their polling stations. In Turkey, it probably does not matter what is in the ballot box; what matters more is who counts them.
The April 16 vote in Turkey meant more than a simple vote on a package of 18 constitutional amendments. With a narrow and controversial margin, the Turks voted to change regime in favor of a sultanate. It was not a coincidence that a news editor for Yeni Akit, a militantly Islamist newspaper and a pro-Erdogan outlet, tweeted after the referendum results, an obituary for the "Old Turkey." In January, a columnist for Yeni Akit claimed that Erdogan would become the "caliph" if he wins the referendum and the presidential election.
Turkey's soul-searching and societal wars never have a moment of truce. Turkey's wars are not just between political leaders and parties; they are wars between the supporters of a democratic, secular country and those of a caliphate which Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, abolished almost a century ago. As Kati Piri, the European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur, said of the referendum: "This is a sad day for all democrats in Turkey".
* Burak Bekdil, one of Turkey's leading journalists, was just fired from Turkey's leading newspaper after 29 years, for writing what was taking place in Turkey for Gatestone. He is a Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

A Month of Islam and Multiculturalism in France and Belgium: March 2017
Soeren Kern/Gatestone Institute/April 18/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10232/islam-multiculturalism-france-belgium
Yussuf K. said he carried out the January 2016 attack "in the name of Allah and the Islamic State." He added that he chose his victim because "he was Jewish."
A confidential police report revealed that more than 50 organizations in Molenbeek, a migrant-dominated neighborhood of Brussels, Belgium, are believed to have ties to jihadist terrorism.
An Ipsos poll for France Television and Radio France found that 61% of the French believe that Islam is incompatible with French society.
March 2. In a landmark trial at the Paris Children's Court, a 17-year-old Turkish jihadist, identified only as Yussuf K., was sentenced to seven years in prison for attacking Benjamin Amsellem, a Jewish teacher in Marseille, with a machete. Yussuf K. said he carried out the January 2016 attack "in the name of Allah and the Islamic State." He added that he chose his victim because "he was Jewish." Yussuf K. was charged with "an individual terrorist attempt and attempted assassination in connection with a terrorist enterprise," with the aggravating circumstance of anti-Semitism. He was tried as a minor because he was 15 when he carried out the attack. The criminal trial of a minor on terror charges was the first of its kind in France, where some fifty children are currently being investigated for jihadist offenses.
March 2. The European Parliament voted to lift the immunity from prosecution for National Front leader Marine Le Pen for tweeting images of Islamic State violence. Under French law, publishing violent images can be punished by up to three years in prison and a fine of €75,000 euros ($79,000). Le Pen, a leading candidate in this year's French presidential election, posted the images in response to a journalist who compared her party's anti-immigration stance to the Islamic State. Le Pen denounced the legal proceedings against her as political interference in the campaign and called for a moratorium on judicial investigations until the election period has passed.
March 4. The mayor of the French port of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, signed a decree prohibiting aid groups from distributing meals to migrants and refugees at the site of the former "Jungle" migrant camp. The decree said food distribution by charities had led to large numbers of people gathering at the site of the now-closed camp, with fights breaking out and risks posed to the safety of local residents.
March 6. President François Hollande vowed to "do everything in his power" to prevent Marine Le Pen from winning the upcoming presidential election in France. Polls have suggested that Le Pen, leader of the National Front party, may win the first round of France's election on April 23. Le Pen, who has campaigned on an anti-immigration platform, has also vowed to hold a referendum on France's membership of the European Union. Hollande, who decided not to run for a second term, said it was his "ultimate duty to do everything to ensure that France is not convinced by such a plan" to take France out of the EU. March 7. The 17th Criminal Tribunal of Paris acquitted the Moroccan-born French-Jewish scholar Georges Bensoussan of hate speech charges. The Collective against Islamophobia in France (Collectif Contre l'Islamophobie en France, CCIF) filed a lawsuit against Bensoussan, 64, for "public incitement to discrimination, hatred and violence against a group of people because of their religious affiliation" because of remarks he made on Radio France about Muslim anti-Semitism. He said:
"There will be no integration until we get rid of this atavistic anti-Semitism that is kept secret. It so happens that an Algerian sociologist, Smain Laacher, with great courage said that 'it is a disgrace to maintain this taboo, namely that in Arab families in France and elsewhere everyone knows that anti-Semitism is spread with the mother's milk.'"
In its ruling, the court said the plaintiffs failed to prove the charges of hate speech: "Bensoussan cannot be blamed to have aroused or wished to arouse a feeling of hostility or rejection against a group of persons and, even less, to have explicitly called for specific acts against the group." The judges added that the expression "anti-Semitism, it is sucked with the mother's milk" is a figure of speech, not the expression of "biological racism."
March 12. Mohammad Khan Wazir, a 30-year-old migrant from Afghanistan, was sentenced by the Criminal Court of Grasse (Alpes-Maritimes) to 18 months in prison for threatening to assassinate the city's judges. Wazir was visiting his three-year-old son, named Djihad (the French word for "jihad"), whom judges placed under state care in Grasse, when he allegedly said that he wanted to "go to court with a Kalashnikov to kill them all." After Wazir left Afghanistan in 2007, he met a French woman named Claire Khacer. The couple separated after the birth of their child in 2013. Khacer, who is pregnant with the child of an Islamic State jihadist, was arrested after returning to France from Syria. She is being held on charges of conspiring to join a terrorist enterprise. In court, Wazir admitted to threatening the judges. He said was he was "overwhelmed" by the slow pace of the French bureaucracy. His French-born son still does not have a French passport.
March 13. Sonia Imloul, a 43-year-old activist and the former head of a deradicalization program, was found guilty by the Paris Criminal Court of embezzling and laundering public funds. She was accused of misusing the €60,000 ($65,000) which the French Interior Ministry gave her association, the House of Prevention and the Families (Maison de la prévention et de la familles), for the purpose of discouraging French Muslims from going to Iraq and Syria. She received a four-month suspended prison sentence and was ordered to pay €25,000. The conviction, which came after Julien Revial, a student employed by Imloul, wrote a book exposing her scam, has highlighted the failure of the French government's deradicalization efforts.
March 15. Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux said that French security forces would begin dismantling the Grande-Synthe migrant camp on the northern coast near the port of Dunkirk "as soon as possible" after violent clashes at the site. The number of people at the camp has swelled to 1,500 since the destruction of the "Jungle" camp near Calais, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) away. The Grande-Synthe camp, populated mostly by Kurds, was built to house migrants and refugees who otherwise sleep in tents or makeshift shelters. They gather along the northern coast of France trying to break into trucks heading to Britain or trying to pay smugglers to help them get across the Channel.
March 16. An Ifop poll found that 71% of French people believe the security situation in France has deteriorated during the past five years; 93% believe the terrorist threat remains high; 60% said they do not feel safe anywhere in the country; and 69% believe there are not enough police and gendarmes. The poll also found that 88% support deporting foreigners convicted of serious crimes, and 81% support terminating social assistance to parents of repeat offenders.
March 17. A 30-year-old Muslim man yelling "Allahu Akhbar" slit the throats of his father and brother in the courtyard of their apartment building in Paris. Police said the dead men were found lying on the ground in pools of blood. Neighbors said the suspect had recently become radicalized and that his family was not happy about it. Police quickly dismissed terrorism as a motive for the crime; instead, they focused on "double intrafamilial homicide" in the context of "radicalization." The suspect was arrested and transferred to a psychiatric ward.
March 17. Presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the Left Party, proposed a solution to the debate over sharia-compliant meals in French schools. He said that vegetarian menus without meat in school canteens would answer both religious and ecological questions:
"You do not have meat, you can do without it. There's no need to eat meat all the time. When I was a kid, a lot of my friends were not eating pork because of their religion. We have to find a way that makes it possible for everyone to live well together. So, I would like to have vegetarian menus, menus without meat. There are other sources of protein besides meat. When you're at school, if there's a problem, go smile, vegetarian menus for everyone."
March 18. Ziyed Ben Belgacem, a 39-year-old French national of Tunisian origin, was shot dead at Paris Orly airport, the second-busiest airport in France, after grabbing a soldier's gun, and apparently intending to open fire on passengers. He shouted: "Put down your guns. Put your hands on your head. I am here to die for Allah. In any case, there will be deaths." Police said that Belgacem, who was born in Paris, was a "radicalized Muslim" who was known to the intelligence services. He was a career criminal with a long history of violence, robbery and drug offenses but despite his being investigated as a potential jihadist, Belgacem did not have an "S" file (Fiche "S" or Sûreté de l'État (state security), which flags individuals suspected of belonging to terrorist groups).
March 20. A confidential police report revealed that more than 50 organizations in Molenbeek, a migrant-dominated neighborhood of Brussels, Belgium, are believed to have ties to jihadist terrorism. More than 70 individuals are currently being monitored for suspected connections to jihadism. Most (46) reside in Belgium, while 26 are thought to be in Syria. Twenty people on the list are currently in prison. Counter-terrorism police have visited 8,603 homes and monitored 22,668 residents in Molenbeek, or one quarter of all of its inhabitants.
March 20. French Muslims between the ages of 14 and 16 are far more likely than non-Muslims to hold to "religious absolutism" and be "tolerant of taking violent action for ideological reasons" than non-Muslims, according to a survey of radicalism among French high school students. The study, carried out by the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), showed that "the dissemination of radical ideas in religious matters is approximately three times stronger among young Muslims than in the sample as a whole" and especially among boys (two times more often than girls). Nearly one-third (32%) of Muslim youth believe it is "acceptable in some cases to fight arms for their religion in today's society" compared to 8% of young people in general.
March 22. An Ipsos poll for France Television and Radio France found that 61% of the French believe that Islam is incompatible with French society, compared to 17% who believe the same is true for Judaism and 6% for Catholicism. Most respondents strongly endorsed proposals regulating Islam in the private sphere: 79% favor banning the veil in universities and 77% prohibiting the burkini in public spaces. An extremely large majority of the French (90%) believe that secularism is an essential value of the Republic, and 74% think it is threatened today (92% of Marine Le Pen's supporters feel this way). A majority of the French (60%) believe that the cohabitation between different religions does not happen well in France (85% of Marine Le Pen's supporters feel this way).
March 22. In an interview with De Morgen to mark the first anniversary of the jihadist attacks in Brussels, Mayor Yvan Mayeur warned: "Everyone knows that all mosques in Brussels are in the hands of Salafists. We need to change this, we need new mosques that follow our democratic rules and that are being controlled by the government." Salafists say they want to replace Western democracy with an Islamic government based on Sharia law.
The Collective against Islamophobia in Belgium (CTIB) condemned the mayor's remarks: "Those statements are very serious, manifestly incorrect and totally unacceptable from the mouth of a political representative of a cosmopolitan city such as Brussels."
Mayeur later called for a "mosque planting strategy" based on the "church plant model." This would give the government more control over what is preached inside the mosques. In an interview with the French-speaking RTBF radio, he said:
"I want a moderate Islam in Brussels. I have regular contact with two groups of people who want to build a mosque and who want to follow the standards in exchange for government support. I suggest that the government participates in the financing and control, a bit along the lines of the model of the church councils."
March 25. French anti-terrorism judges charged two men suspected of involvement in supplying a weapon to the gunman killed at Paris's Orly airport on March 18 after seizing the weapon of a soldier. The suspects, aged 30 and 43, were charged for "association with terrorist criminals."
March 29. Flanders, one of three official regions of Belgium, announced that it will impose new restrictions on the ritual slaughter of animals. As of January 1, 2019, all sheep will have to be stunned before they are slaughtered. The restrictions, which will eventually also apply to cattle, have been criticized by Muslim and Jewish groups as conflicting with their religious tenets.
March 30. The French Council of the Muslim Faith (Conseil français du culte musulman, CFCM), the official interlocutor between the French state and the country's Muslim community, in a bid to curb radical Islam, published a 12-point charter regarding the role of imams in society. The document, which all practicing imams will be encouraged to sign, recognizes the values of the French Republic and promotes tolerant Islam. The charter has been rejected by some of the biggest Muslim organizations in France, including the Grand Mosque of Paris and the Union of French Islamic Organizations (UOIF).
March 31. Up to a thousand Muslims rolled out rugs and prayed on the streets of Clichy, a northern suburb of Paris, to protest the closure of a mosque on rue Estienne-d'Orves. The mosque was shuttered after its lease expired and the municipality voted to turn the building into a library. Up to 5,000 worshippers prayed at the facility every day. City officials say that Muslims can worship at a new mosque that was inaugurated in May 2016. Muslims say the alternative facility is too small and remote.
Up to a thousand Muslims prayed on the streets of Clichy, a suburb of Paris, on March 31, to protest the closure of a local mosque; its lease had expired. (Image source: LDC News video screenshot)
*Soeren Kern is a Senior Fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter.
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

What North Korea Should Teach Us about Iran
Alan M. Dershowitz/ Gatestone Institute/April 18/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=54477
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10233/north-korea-iran
We failed to prevent North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. As a result, our options to stop them from developing a delivery system capable of reaching our shores are severely limited.
The hard lesson from our failure to stop North Korea before they became a nuclear power is that we MUST stop Iran from ever developing or acquiring a nuclear arsenal. A nuclear Iran would be far more dangerous to American interests than a nuclear North Korea. Iran already has missiles capable of reaching numerous American allies. They are in the process of upgrading them and making them capable of delivering a nuclear payload to our shores. Its fundamentalist religious leaders would be willing to sacrifice millions of Iranians to destroy the "Big Satan" (United States) or the "Little Satan" (Israel). The late "moderate" leader Hashemi Rafsanjani once told an American journalist that if Iran attacked Israel with nuclear weapons, they "would kill as many as five million Jews," and that if Israel retaliated, they would kill fifteen million Iranians, which would be "a small sacrifice from among the billion Muslims in the world." He concluded that "it is not irrational to contemplate such an eventuality." Recall that the Iranian mullahs were willing to sacrifice thousands of "child-soldiers" in their futile war with Iraq. There is nothing more dangerous than a "suicide regime" armed with nuclear weapons.
The deal signed by Iran in 2015 postpones Iran's quest for a nuclear arsenal, but it doesn't prevent it, despite Iran's unequivocal statement in the preamble to the agreement that "Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire nuclear weapons." (Emphasis added). Recall that North Korea provided similar assurances to the Clinton Administration back in 1994, only to break them several years later -- with no real consequences. The Iranian mullahs apparently regard their reaffirmation as merely hortatory and not legally binding. The body of the agreement itself -- the portion Iran believes is legally binding -- does not preclude Iran from developing nuclear weapons after a certain time, variously estimated as between 10 to 15 years from the signing of the agreement. Nor does it prevent Iran from perfecting its delivery systems, including nuclear tipped inter-continental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States.
If we are not to make the same mistake with Iran that we made with North Korea, we must do something now – before Iran secures a weapon – to deter the mullahs from becoming a nuclear power, over which we would have little or no leverage.
Congress should now enact legislation declaring that Iran's reaffirmation that it will never "develop or acquire nuclear weapons" is an integral part of the agreement and represents the policy of the United States. It is too late to change the words of the deal, but it is not too late for Congress to insist that Iran comply fully with all of its provisions, even those in the preamble.
In order to ensure that the entirety of the agreement is carried out, including that reaffirmation, Congress should adopt the proposal made by Thomas L. Friedman on 22 July 2015 and by myself on 5 September 2013. To quote Friedman:
"Congress should pass a resolution authorizing this and future presidents to use force to prevent Iran from ever becoming a nuclear weapons state ... Iran must know now that the U.S. president is authorized to destroy – without warning or negotiation – any attempt by Tehran to build a bomb."
I put it similarly: Congress should authorize the President "to take military action against Iran's nuclear weapon's program if it were to cross the red lines...."
The benefits of enacting such legislation are clear: the law would underline the centrality to the deal of Iran's reaffirmation never to acquire nuclear weapons, and would provide both a deterrent against Iran violating its reaffirmation and an enforcement authorization in the event it does.
A law based on these two elements -- adopting Iran's reaffirmation as the official American policy and authorizing a preventive military strike if Iran tried to obtain nuclear weapons -- may be an alternative we can live with. But without such an alternative, the deal as currently interpreted by Iran will not prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. In all probability, it would merely postpone that catastrophe for about a decade while legitimating its occurrence. This is not an outcome we can live with, as evidenced by the crisis we are now confronting with North Korea. So let us learn from our mistake and not repeat it with Iran.
*Alan M. Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Emeritus, at Harvard Law School and author of Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law and Electile Dysfunction: A Guide for the Unaroused Voter.
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Ain al-Hilweh clashes: An eternal dilemma
Hassan Al Mustafa/Al Arabiya/April 18/17
Colonel Mounir al-Maqdah sat with some Palestinian faction leaders and armed men inside an old building in the center of Ain al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, to accept condolences for the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. I remember heading toward him and offering my condolences. We sat for a few minutes and he then bid us farewell himself at the hall’s exit. This was in 2004 and it was my first meeting with Maqdah. I visited the camp again and met him, along with other faction commanders. Every time I went there, he directed one of his men to accompany me in the camp’s narrow and dangerous alleys crowded by sellers, children and women. The place also buzzed with wanted fugitives sought by the Lebanese army or intelligence and who have found themselves a safe haven in the camp. Like any foreign journalist who comes to Lebanon, I was willing to make risks and visit the camp to work on a number of investigation reports and interviews. Most importantly, I was trying to understand the structure and political and social map of the camp, especially amid claims that there is injustice, as residents are in short of the basic elements that constitute a dignified life and suffer from the lack of services, medical aid and job opportunities. The competition between Fatah and other factions like Hamas, the increased feeling of marginalization and the increase of extremist Islamic rhetoric made it easy to attract young men especially that they are financed from outside the camp
Camp from hell
The camp is located on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese city of Saida. Following the Lebanese army’s clashes with the fundamentalist group Fateh al-Islam in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in North Lebanon in 2007, members of the group and al-Qaeda members hid in Ain al-Hilweh. In recent years as military confrontations escalated in Syria, Ain al-Hilweh became an incubator for fighters. Young men thus joined extremist groups particularly al-Nusra Front and ISIS. Arab and foreign fighters, including fighters from the Gulf, also hid in the camp before and after they went to conflict zones in Iraq and Syria. This led security authorities to intensify their military and intelligence work so the camp does not turn into a den that exports terrorism to neighboring countries.
The consequences of disorder
The clashes earlier this month in the camp between the joint Palestinian security force and fundamentalist groups headed by Bilal Badr were a natural result of the chaos and misery in the camp. The competition between Fatah and other factions like Hamas, the increased feeling of marginalization and the increase of extremist Islamic rhetoric made it easy to attract young men especially that they are financed from outside the camp. These young men thus receive monthly salaries that help them aid their families. The problem in Ain al-Hilweh is complicated and old; however, clashes erupt now and then due to struggle over power inside the camp. As long as weapons and extremism have the strongest influence on people, fundamentalist groups will emerge and expand.

US banks’ Trump card – rolling back banking regulations?
Dr. Mohamed A. Ramady/Al Arabiya/April 18/17
The 2008-09 global financial crisis tsunami, triggered by excessive banking risk taking in derivative and leveraged financial services which bankrupted not only banks but countries, brought about wide ranging regulations to ensure that systemic bank risk is contained.
In the US, in order to avoid another financial meltdown, the Dodd–Frank regulations was passed by Congress which severely restricted banks’ ability to engage in proprietary trading on their own account and also restricted hedge fund like activities at banks that receive deposit guarantees from the US government. US banks are now gleefully expecting a “reform”, if not outright rollback in bank regulations, spearheaded by the assorted millionaires and billionaires on “team Trump”. Billionaire venture capitalist Carl Icahn has been appointed as special advisor of regulatory issues and Steven Mnuchin, US Treasury Secretary, a hedge fund millionaire and Goldman Sachs alumni who has publicly stated that he wants to strip back parts of the Dodd-Frank Act. This has significant repercussions, both to the US financial sector as well as internationally, including the Gulf economies, as the recent global financial crisis so vividly illustrated. President Trump has now signed an executive order to review the 2010 Dodd –Frank financial regulations and stated that “Dodd–Frank is a disaster … and we’re going to be doing a big number on Dodd-Frank”. Those critical of the Act have argued that it is an example of government being overtly–controlling and it fits into the President’s election promise to drain the Washington swamp, as he and his advisors believe that unwinding some of Dodd-Frank regulations will enable smaller community banks to compete by offering choice to consumers.
Financial regulators in Europe most affected by the 2008-9 fallout have supported coordinated international regulation and macro-prudential supervision of the world’s largest banks, some of whom had branches operating in the Gulf countries
Consumer banking
One of these regulations under threat of repeal is the so-called fiduciary rules in consumer banking which aimed at blocking financial advisors from steering clients towards investments with higher commissions and fees, making them less valuable on maturity. Trump team now argues that the Act limits investment choices by forcing asset managers to opt to low yield and low risk investment options. Can President Trump really do a “big number” on Dodd-Frank? It would seem that, notwithstanding a rally in US bank shares following the Trump executive order, the move is largely symbolic as only the US Congress can rewrite the legislation which cannot be undone by a fiat executive order, and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin has 120 days to consult with the Financial Stability Oversight Council , also established by the Dodd-Frank Act. The treasury secretary has to make a persuasive case and prove that the Act does not foster economic growth, hinders US companies to be competitive with foreign firms in domestic and foreign markets, and has not advanced US interests in international financial regulatory agreements.It is not certain that President Trump will obtain all the necessary Republican Congressional and Senate support as the Dodd-Frank Act was a sweeping bi-partisan plan. There are some Republican representatives who will be under pressure from consumer and activist groups, like Occupy Wall Street, who will remind their representatives of the consequences to ordinary families whose homes were repossessed during the 2008-9 financial crisis.
Repealing Obamacare
The set in motion a wave of corporate crisis that led to a global recession, that also affected many countries of the Gulf. Moderate Senate Republicans will most probably resist wholesale rollback, and given the fact that President Trump could not muster all his party’s support to repeal Obamacare, this is a possibility. Instead, President Trump will initiate executive order – driven (non-legislative) piecemeal changes, followed by legislative fixes such as his proposed tax cuts. The drive to wipe out or scale back Dodd-Frank has seemingly lost some momentum. Trump issued an executive order on Feb. 3 for Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to review the law, but the president made no mention of it in his priority-setting speech to Congress on Feb. 28. As with the Republican vow to repeal Obamacare, the sticking point may be finding a replacement for the law on the books.
Whether Dodd-Frank is partially or totally repealed will have international consequences, given that today’s global financial system is closely interlinked and no country can set up its crisis proof firewall. Financial regulators in Europe most affected by the 2008-9 fallout, like Germany, the UK, Spain, Greece, Italy and Portugal have supported coordinated international regulation and macro-prudential supervision of the world’s largest banks, some of whom had branches operating in the Gulf countries. The aim was to monitor more closely these international institutions that are “too big to fail” and limit the type of risks they can take. However, building another wall to protect American banks from global banking rules is not something that will come easy. It has taken nearly seven years for a semblance of confidence to return to the international financial system, but as the current resurgence of Greek debt negotiations illustrate with bailout negotiations between Athens and its creditors stalling, the possibility of “Grexit”, or euro exit, has re-emerged. With selective policy amnesia setting in, the danger of yet another financial crisis remains real.

Trump’s threats of action against Syria to N. Korea need more than force
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/April 18/17
North Korea’s foreign minister longs for Barack Obama’s days, as he recently said that his successor Donald Trump seems to be evil judging by his tweets and statements. Irans Supreme Leader feels the same as he’s criticized Trump and said it was a bad shift that he assumed power.
When Trump warned Tehran that it was playing with fire, Ayatollah Khamenei defiantly said Trump’s statements did not scare them. This was before the US strike on the Syrian al-Shayrat air base. It’s normal for North Korea’s foreign minister to long for Obama’s days. Obama’s term was more like an eight year nap during which evil regimes, like North Korea and Iran relaxed, developed their capabilities and expanded at the expense of others. The result was that North Korea dared to strike Japan for the first time in its history since World War II, as well as develop its nuclear weapons and missiles, so posing horrific threats to the world. Meanwhile Iran took over Iraq and Syria and is trying to do the same in Yemen. Washington is trying to protect its most important allies in the East, Japan and South Korea. This is why it dispatched the vice president to Seoul and sent an aircraft carrier there. Despite its political weakness, the US is still the biggest power in the world. It possesses around 19 aircraft carriers and 10 of them are huge. Russia and China only have one each.
It’s normal for North Korea’s foreign minister to long for Obama’s days. Obama’s term was more like an eight year nap during which evil regimes, like North Korea and Iran relaxed, developed their capabilities and expanded at the expense of others
But military power alone is not enough. America is fighting away from its territories, before countries that are geographically close and are willing to sacrifice a million soldiers without being held accountable by their own people or governments. This week, China improved its military readiness and sent 150,000 soldiers to the borders with its ally North Korea that also shares borders with Russia. Geopolitically speaking, defending South Korea is a difficult task. Its capital Seoul is only 30 kilometers away from the borders of the evil northern neighbor that threatens to bury the capital with a population is 11 million. This is why the Americans established the most fortified buffer zone in the world on the borders. There are around 38,000 soldiers in this zone.
Protecting their interests
This American-Korean struggle has a lot of similarities in terms of challenges that the international community currently confronts. North Korea looks a lot like Iran. Both countries are ideological and under a totalitarian rule which policies are mostly based on establishing a massive regional power against neighboring countries. South Korea improved on social and economic levels and became one of the most developed and industrialized countries in the world. Meanwhile, its neighbor, North Korea, is very poor and lives under the governance of an obsessed man who spends everything the state has to fulfill his military ambitions. This is also the case in Iran. Tehran is as rich as its Gulf neighbors in terms of natural resources. But instead of following in their footsteps and developing its economy, Iran chose to squander its capabilities and establish its policies based on domination and regional power.
The US wants to protect its interests and zones of influence, but it turned out that it neglected that a lot during Obama’s term. Today though, the US believes it must set limits to Syria’s and North Korea’s behavior and send a frank message which stipulates that it’s willing to defend its interests and regions against Russian and Chinese orientations. Let’s keep in mind that the US has been struggling to restore its image as a strong country ever since the September 11, 2001 attacks. However, it hasn’t achieved much since then. Managing the Iraq war was a failure, and Washington’s role regressed during Obama’s eight years in power. And today, Washington is before a world which borders and influence are changing.

American values and the global balance of power
Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/April 18/17
Ever since America’s intervention in World War II, there have been theories about its imperial role and the possibility of the transformation of its power into a tool that destroys hostile countries and different projects. Meanwhile, totalitarian movements have been known for opposing American values considering they are products of an imperial power that plans to control the world through fashion such as jeans, fast food, soft drinks, cinema and the theme of the strong invincible man like the James Bond or Rambo movie series. Exaggerations apart, they are indeed very influential in both the East and the West.
This American state developed and the genius media spread its influence. Almost everything became American. Since America has comprehensive values that are based on freedom, law and justice, it is not possible to separate its military power from its charming media power.
America does not have deep roots in history and conflicts as it was founded 300 years ago and its values were the result of a mix of cultures and nations and were inspired by European civilization as it developed it as per its tools and needs.
During a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his American counterpart Rex W. Tillerson, the former talked about the importance of being aware of history before engaging in the Syrian crisis. He said, in a slightly condescending tone that Tillerson was new, adding that he should know the historical context of the crisis.
However, Tillerson told him that what concerns America is today’s problems, adding that history is not part of personal concerns as America’s own history is modern to begin with.
It is no secret that it is in the interest of American influence to intervene in Syria on the political and military fronts in order to weaken Russia’s intervention. Without this intervention, Russia and Iran will wreak havoc in the Fertile Crescent and will have sole control
Russian rhetoric
The Russians have practically retreated even if their rhetoric has escalated. This is due to Russia’s internal crises and because America is very powerful at pressuring others through sanctions. Moscow is aware that American power is no joke especially considering Barack Obama is no longer the president.
Seen in this context, there have been continuous talks about America’s military ambitions. There are different opinions as some say the US is the strong state that is capable of resolving crises, intervening in crises and finalizing conflicts. Others believe it is a colonial, imperialist and expansionist state. So, how can America’s role be more accurately and clearly understood?
In his book The Future of Power, Joseph Nye, the former Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, analyzed the role of American power and its possible consequences. Nye believes that managing power is more important than power itself. He compared and contrasted American and Chinese power and noted that America continues to excel in terms of military equipment and technological advancement.
According to Nye, the US, as a superpower, will continue to maintain its significance in global affairs but statements that the 21st century is the century of American superiority as well as narratives about American decay are misleading when they’re used to specify the type of strategy which will be important in the 21st century.
A post-American world
He added that it is not possible for the upcoming decades to witness the emergence of a post-American world. Nye noted, however, that the US will require a smart strategy that combines sources of hard power and soft power and solidifies alliances that respond to the new context of the global information age.
The US does not necessarily intervene in crises because it is a colonial or occupying force but because it is capable of making military and political statements of superpowers that think some malaise are ordinary. We, however, cannot say that America’s motives are purely humanitarian as there may be a desire to restore influence and weaken another power.
It is no secret that it is in the interest of American influence to intervene in Syria on the political and military fronts in order to weaken Russia’s intervention. Without this intervention, Russia and Iran will wreak havoc in the Fertile Crescent and will have sole control. This harms America’s national security.
Old statements about America are no longer relevant. Insulting linguistic movements are no more and this superpower whose humanitarian values excel over bloody projects and eliminatory ideologies have stayed. Does any reasonable man think that the values of a party such as the Syrian Baath Party compete with those of the US?