LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
April 28/17

Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For Today
His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 02/13-25/:"The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone."

The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner and A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall
First Letter of Peter 02/01-10/:"Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture: ‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner’, and ‘A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 27-28/17
One of the moments that led to the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon/Dr. Walid Phares/Face Book/April 27/17
Lebanon still paralysed politically six months into Aoun presidency/Jacob Burns/albawaba/April 27/17
Sanction Iran's Regime, Add IRCG to Terrorist List/Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/April 27/17
The Pope's Pilgrimage to Al-Azhar/Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute/April 27/17
Palestinians: This is How We Intimidate Journalists/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/April 27/17
Mattis and Trump: The Odd Couple that Works/David Ignatius/The Washington Post/April 27/17
The Kidnap of the Qataris Is a Defeat to Iraq’s Sovereignty/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 27/17
At 100 Days, Trump’s No Russian Stooge or Fascist/Eli Lake/Asharq Al Awsat/April 27/17

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on April 27-28/17
One of the moments that led to the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon
Lebanon still paralysed politically six months into Aoun presidency
Report: Israeli Strike Near Damascus Airport Targets Hizbullah Military Base
Israel Says Damascus Blast, Preventing Arms Transfer to Hizbullah 'Consistent' With its Policy
Lebanese citizen infiltrates Israel, arrested in the north
Lebanese Arrested in Kiryat Shmona after Infiltrating Israel
Jumblat Says Would Accept 'Proportional Representation Law Taking Minorities into Account'
Hariri Meets Aoun, Urges 'Equation that Ensures Correct Representation'
PSP Delegation Visits Geagea as Berri's Aide Meets Hariri
Bassil Meets Jumblat after Latter's Criticism of His Electoral Law Format
Jumblat Picks at 'Placid' Mashnouq
Hariri receives Khalil, Zasypkin and "football legends"
Hariri chairs meeting of committee tasked to develop national anti corruption plan
ISF Arrests 91 Syrians who Tried to Cross Illegally into Lebanon
Israeli Troops Nab 50 Goats after Failing to Abduct Shepherd near Shebaa
Aoun follows up on World Bank projects with Belhaj
2 Nusra Militants Held for Plotting to 'Destabilize Palestinian Camps'
Judge Refers 5 Suspects on Charges of Involvement with IS
Truckers Rally for Second Day, Another Road-Blocking Scenario Feared
Mashnouq participates in Al Azhar peace conference in Cairo
Army Chief tackles military affairs with British, Tunisian and Cypriot ambassadors
Toeini via Twitter: treasury revenues up from 18 to $99 million
Chebib bans peddlers in streets of Beirut

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 27-28/17
Pope Tawadros Inaugurates Largest Coptic Church in the Gulf
A Patriot anti-ballistic missile intercepts a drone that had infiltrated from Syria
Iranian Cargo Planes Land in Damascus Hours Before ‘Israeli Strike’ on Airport
Syria Confirms Israeli Strike Hit Military Compound Near Damascus Airport
IDF strikes Hamas target in Gaza in response to cross-border fire
Jubeir Says Iran, its Militias Have No Place in Arab World
'Knives' Seen as Man Arrested near UK Parliament
Russian Spy Ship Sinks Off Turkey Coast after Collision
Return the money if you don’t need it: Qatari Minister to Abadi
Saudi Crown Prince: Biggest challenge lies in preserving unity of the homeland
UN envoy eyes new Yemen peace talks before Ramadan

Latest Lebanese Related News published on April 27-28/17
One of the moments that led to the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon
Dr. Walid Phares/Face Book/April 27/17
Many dynamics came together between 2000 and 2005 to produce the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon. Some inside the country and others worldwide, eventually led to the April pull out of the Assad forces from Lebanon after close to 30 years of occupation.
But in my own memory, having witnessed events for all these decades, one of the moments that were at the genesis of provoking events leading to the Cedars Revolution on the one hand and the alignment of the US and France to force that withdrawal on the Syrian regime in 2005, was the day the US triggered the introduction of what became UNSCR 1559. That day was in March 2004 at the US mission at the UN in New York. That afternoon we met with UN ambassador John Negroponte and his deputy and handed him the memo that asked for a UN resolution.
As I will detail in my memoirs, there were many initiatives for years, but the sole initiative that actually demanded an international resolution to force Syria out of Lebanon started in 2000 and materialized that day of 2004. With us were Joe Baini Tom Harb, and Fady Bark.
Many other activists played part in this chain of pressures ending in introducing a text of resolution by the US. In this picture taken at the request of ambassador Negroponte, we aimed at marking a beginning of a process, which one year later ended in the withdrawal. Many efforts, tragedies and sacrifices followed from the day the resolution was introduced, was voted, to the day Washington and Paris asked Assad to withdraw. A short moment in history we memorized in this picture. A window opened for Lebanon to liberate itself, but unfortunately soon it dissipated. There will be more opportunities in the future. The question is will the Lebanese seize them?

Lebanon still paralysed politically six months into Aoun presidency الشلل في لبنان لا يزال قائماً بعد 6 أشهر على رئاسة عون
Jacob Burns/albawaba/April 27/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=54739
Lebanon’s parliament elected Michel Aoun to be the country’s president on October 31, after 29 months without someone in the role. A retired General who spent 15 years in exile after being forced from the country by Syrian troops, he shifted alliances over the last decade to become close with the militant group Hezbollah and its Iranian and Syrian backers.The election was widely seen as a welcome return to normalcy after a dangerous political vacuum. The country borders Syria and Israel, hosts more than a million refugees, and is still working through the painful legacy of its fiteen-year civil war, all of which make it prone to instability.Aoun was elected on the promise to hold parliamentary elections, which the country has not had since 2009, but his first six months have not seen those take place. In fact, a in sign of continuing political deadlock, Aoun recently had to invoke a presidential privilege and suspend parliament for one month in the hope that the time could be used to secure cross-party support for a new electoral law. “He tried to pass off the government as a transitional government,” Kareem Chehayeb, a Lebanese journalist and analyst, told Al Bawaba. “Although objectively Aoun did a lot to build state institutions - such as passing the state budget, the first in twelve years - he’s done everything but pass an electoral law.”
Bassam Khawaja, the Lebanon researcher for Human Rights Watch, said that parliamentary paralysis was blocking the route to important legislation that would protect human rights in the country. “[Parliament] has failed to pass important draft legislation to criminalize all forms of torture, remove civilians from the military court, end child marriage, reform Lebanon’s domestic violence law, and repeal a law that allows rapists to escape punishment by marrying their victims,” he said.  The country has been suffering economically in tandem with its political crises. The World Bank has criticized Lebanon’s public finances as “structurally weak and worsening”, and said that they are in need of urgent reform.Jad Chaaban, an Associate Professor of Economics at the American University of Beirut, said that, “the election of a president has not changed anything” in terms of the economy. “There is still very low growth, limits on expenditure, and many public projects are on hold. The economic situation is linked to regional developments, such as Syria, and structural things inside Lebanon.”Chaaban said that much of the problem with government finances stems from the political clientelism that dominates the country. “In the national unity government that exists now, you have many political parties, and so you have more political players who want to get more from the same pot. And the government is not able to deliver.”Chaaban told Al Bawaba that he believed this factional conflicts were driving the labor disputes that have spilled out onto Lebanon’s streets in recent weeks, such as the truck drivers’ protest in Lebanon yesterday. The professor, who has also been involved with the grassroots movement Beirut Madinati, said that, “politics is rooted in these corrupt client networks, and they’re decades old.” He said that while the activist community in Lebanon remained fragmented, it would be hard to challenge those structures. Chehayeb though said that he was enthused by the thought of the coming elections. “I think what makes them exciting is that they come on the heels of a wave of protest during the trash crisis. The presence of lots of independent candidates adds an interesting dynamic to politics in Lebanon.” Khawaja, though, cautioned that grassroots activism was taking place in a political climate that was increasingly intolerant of free speech. “We have seen a pattern in recent months of authorities prosecuting individuals for political statements made on social media, under draconian laws that allow sentences of up to 2 years in prison. These prosecutions chill freedom of expression.”It therefore remains to be seen whether Aoun can steer Lebanon’s political class away out of the deadlock in which they remain. Elections would renew the legitimacy of a parliament that is eight years into a four year term, but that would not translate into automatic improvement in the quality of life for ordinary Lebanese and the refugees in the country. “The main issues we face,” said Chaaban, “all these are not on the state’s agenda. The mistake we keep making is to let ourselves be driven by the state’s agenda, and not what matters most to us.”

Report: Israeli Strike Near Damascus Airport Targets Hizbullah Military Base
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 27/17/A massive explosion that struck near Damascus International Airport early on Thursday setting off large fires, was reportedly the result of an Israeli strike that targeted a Hizbullah military base, media reports said. The blast was outside the airport itself. It was not immediately clear whether it was the result of an air strike or a ground attack, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Israeli warplanes have hit the airport and other bases around the capital in the past, targeting what it said were weapons stockpiles of Hizbullah, which is allied with the Syrian government. Hizbullah's al-Manar television said the explosion was "probably" caused by an Israeli air strike. "The blast was huge," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told Agence France Presse. "It's unclear what caused the explosion but there are fires raging at the site."
Al-Manar said the strike caused only material damage. "Al-Manar's correspondent reported that an explosion struck at dawn on Thursday in fuel tanks and a warehouse near Damascus International Airport and that it was probably the result of an Israeli strike," the channel said. Other media reports said the “Israeli raid targeted an ammunition depot for Hizbullah.”The airport lies about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southeast of the capital.It was hit by Israeli air strikes in December 2014, Syrian state media reported at the time. Israel does not usually confirm or deny each individual raid it carries out. But last month, it said it had carried out several strikes near the Syrian desert city of Palmyra, targeting what it said were "advanced weapons" belonging to Hezbollah. The strikes prompted Syria to launch retaliatory ground to air missiles, one of which was intercepted over Israeli territory in the most serious flare-up between the two neighbors since the Syrian civil war began six years ago. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman threatened to destroy Syrian air defense systems if they were used again. On January 13, Syria accused Israel of bombing Mazzeh air base in the western suburbs of the capital. There were several strikes near the same base last year. In April 2016, Netanyahu admitted for the first time that Israel had attacked dozens of convoys in Syria that he said were transporting weapons destined for Hezbollah. Israel and Syria are still technically at war, though the armistice line had remained largely quiet for decades until 2011 when the Syrian conflict began. Israel and Hezbollah fought a devastating 34-day war in 2006 which killed 1,200 people in Lebanon, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.

Israel Says Damascus Blast, Preventing Arms Transfer to Hizbullah 'Consistent' With its Policy
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 27/17/Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said a massive explosion near Damascus International Airport on Thursday was consistent with Israel's policy, but stopped short of confirming his country was behind it. Israeli warplanes have hit the airport and other bases around the Syrian capital in the past, targeting what it said were weapons stockpiles of its Lebanese foe Hizbullah, which is allied with the Syrian government. "We are acting to prevent the transfer of sophisticated weapons from Syria to Hizbullah in Lebanon by Iran," Katz told army radio. "When we receive serious information about the intention to transfer weapons to Hizbullah, we will act. This incident is totally consistent with this policy."In line with its usual practice, Israel's military has declined to comment on the incident. Israel has sought to avoid being dragged into the six-year civil war in Syria, but acknowledges carrying out air strikes there to stop what it says are deliveries of advanced weapons to Hizbullah. Last month, in the most serious incident between the two countries since the Syria conflict began, Israeli warplanes struck several targets, drawing retaliatory missile fire. Israel used its Arrow interceptor to destroy what was believed to have been a Russian-made SA-5 missile, and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman threatened to destroy Syria's air defense systems "without the slightest hesitation" if it happened again. Israel fought a devastating war against Hizbullah in 2006.

Lebanese citizen infiltrates Israel, arrested in the north
Ahiya Raved/Ynetnews/April 28/17/The man is spotted by civilians at the Kiryat Shmona bus station, 10km from the border. The police came to the scene and handed the man over to the security services. A Lebanese citizen who had infiltrated Israel was caught on Thursday evening in the central bus station in Kiryat Shmona, which is about 10 kilometers from the border. During the evening, citizens spotted a man who looked suspicious to them in the area of the central bus station in the northern city. They called the police, who approached and questioned the man. From their questioning, the police learnt that he was a man who infiltrated Israel from Lebanese territory. The police brigade commander was called to the scene and the man was transferred to the security forces for questioning. The IDF confirmed that a civilian with a Lebanese identity card had been found in Kiryat Shmona, and that the incident was under investigation.

Lebanese Arrested in Kiryat Shmona after Infiltrating Israel
Naharnet/April 27/17/Israeli forces arrested a Lebanese man in the northern Israeli community of Kiryat Shmona after he crossed the Lebanese-Israeli border, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.“Israel's border battalion in Metula went on alert after it failed to detect the crossing of the man, who entered from the Lebanese town of Kfarkila,” NNA said. The Lebanese army and security forces and U.N. peacekeepers meanwhile went on alert on the Lebanese side of the border, the agency added.Al-Jadeed television said the Israeli army was staging patrols along the border in the area. Israeli news website Ynet said the Lebanese man “was caught in the central bus station in Kiryat Shmona, which is about 10 kilometers from the border.”Israeli residents who saw the man called the police and he was taken to a security station for questioning, Ynet added.

Jumblat Says Would Accept 'Proportional Representation Law Taking Minorities into Account'
Naharnet/April 27/17/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat announced Thursday that he would accept an electoral law fully based on proportional representation “if it is based on certain districts that take minorities into account in the current sectarian system.”In an interview with al-Jadeed television, Jumblat also stressed that there is no parliamentary vacuum in the constitution and slammed a proposed electoral system that involves sectarian voting in the first round as a “segregationist law.”“The political class must agree before May 15 on an electoral law that mixes between the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems, or between proportional representation and the right districts. However, should there be no agreement on a new law, the 1960 law that was amended in Doha is still in effect,” Jumblat added. “I have suggested a solution, but there are other solutions. I don't mind the other solutions but no to the (sectarian) qualification system,” the Druze leader went on to say. Lambasting the qualification system as “outdated” and “a heresy,” Jumblat underscored that it is categorically rejected and that his ministers would vote against it should it be raised in Cabinet. “We are seeking agreement and partnership, not to topple the balances, and we reject the qualification system because it undermines partnership and produces segregation and disintegration,” Jumblat added, emphasizing that “there can be no electoral law without consensus.”He also reassured that “the elections will take place” and noted that his “only ally during this period is Speaker Nabih Berri.”Asked about calls for creating a senate, Jumblat said the constitution stipulates the abolition of political sectarianism as a precondition for the creation of a senate while noting that that there is a 1989 agreement on allocating the presidency of the senate to the Druze community.

Hariri Meets Aoun, Urges 'Equation that Ensures Correct Representation'
Naharnet/April 27/17/Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced Thursday that he is optimistic that an agreement on a new electoral law will be reached soon, while stressing the importance of “reaching an equation that ensures correct representation.”“We are not in a confrontation with any political group and what's important is to reach an equation that ensures correct representation,” said Hariri after talks with President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace. “We're working 24/24 on the file of the electoral law because this is the main priority, and I'm optimistic that things will reach a happy ending,” Hariri added. He also said that his stance aims to “press all political parties in order to prevent extension” of parliament's term.

PSP Delegation Visits Geagea as Berri's Aide Meets Hariri
Naharnet/April 27/17/A Progressive Socialist Party delegation dispatched by MP Walid Jumblat held talks Thursday in Maarab with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. The delegation comprised MPs Akram Shehayyeb and Wael Abu Faour and the meeting was held in the presence of LF secretary general Chantal Sarkis. A terse statement issued by the LF said the two-hour talks tackled "the proposed electoral laws, especially the hybrid law which remains the best one." The conferees also "agreed on the need to continue contacts with all parties in order to reach a new electoral law as soon as possible."Jumblat had held talks earlier in the day in Clemenceau with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil. Speaker Nabih Berri's aide Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil meanwhile met with Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the Grand Serail. Talks tackled “the ongoing contacts regarding the electoral law,” Hariri's office said. In an interview aired later in the day by al-Jadeed TV, Jumblat described an electoral format proposed by Bassil and involving sectarian voting in the first round as “outdated,” while noting that he would accept the proportional representation system “if it is based on certain districts that take minorities into account.”

Bassil Meets Jumblat after Latter's Criticism of His Electoral Law Format
Naharnet/April 27/17/Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil held talks Thursday afternoon with Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat. The meeting at Jumblat's residence in Clemenceau was held in the presence of his son Taimur, Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh and MP Ghazi Aridi. A terse statement issued by the PSP said talks tackled “the current political developments.”The PSP's al-Anbaa online newspaper reported later in the evening that the meeting between Jumblat and Bassil “was characterized with total frankness.”“They stressed the importance of direct communication away from the tendentious rumors that are seeking to distort the bilateral relation,” al-Anbaa said. The two leaders also called for “openness and for consolidating partnership and cooperation,” the newspaper added. Earlier this month, Jumblat had lashed out at an electoral system proposed by Bassil that involves sectarian voting in the first round as “divisive” and the product of a “sick mentality.” “The mere mention of sectarian voting is a termination of partnership,” Jumblat said. In the first round of the proposed system, voting takes place in the current 26 districts and voters are not allowed to vote for candidates from other sects. Two candidates for each sectarian seat qualify for the second round during which voting would take place in 10 newly-defined electoral districts and according to a non-sectarian proportional representation polling system.

Jumblat Picks at 'Placid' Mashnouq
Naharnet/April 27/17/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat criticized on Thursday Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq for being “unruffled” by the road accidents and the latest road-blocking strike that paralyzed traffic in various Lebanese regions and left drivers stranded in vehicles for hours. “The Interior Minister is unruffled while running the safety of roads, road accidents and the truck owners strike. As if he lives in the arctic,” said Jumblat in a sarcastic tweet on Thursday. On Wednesday and via his Twitter page, Mashnouq urged truck owners to reopen roads they had blocked during the day protesting his decision to shut down sand mining and stone crushing sites. Truckers blocked several main roads around the country bringing traffic to a standstill in several areas and stranding citizens in their cars for hours. A clash has even erupted on the road-blocking protest in Khalde between truckers and citizens that escalated into gunfire and the smashing of a car's windows. Citizens were up in arms as they demanded the State to find a solution for a road-blocking plague that pushes campaigners to close the streets when demands are at hand. Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq later called for an emergency meeting for the Central Security Council at the Interior Ministry. He vowed that all necessary measures will be taken to prevent future road closures.

Hariri receives Khalil, Zasypkin and "football legends"
Thu 27 Apr 2017 /NNA - The President of the Council of Ministers Saad Hariri received this evening the Russian ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin in the presence of his advisor for Russian affairs Georges Chaaban. The meeting focused on the general situation and bilateral relations.
Hariri also met with the Minister of Finance Ali Hassan Khalil and discussed with him the contacts related to the electoral law. Hariri also received the former stars of "Barcelona" and "Real Madrid" football teams who are in Lebanon to participate in a "El Clasico of Legends" friendly football game.

Hariri chairs meeting of committee tasked to develop national anti corruption plan
Thu 27 Apr 2017/NNA - Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, chaired over a meeting held at the Grand Serail this evening for the committee charged with drafting a national anti-corruption plan.
The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Anti-Corruption Affairs Nicola Tueini, Minister of Administrative Development, Inaya Ezzeddine and ranking judiciary. After the meeting, Ezzeddine said "The importance of this meeting lies in the fact that, for the first time, the ministerial committee sits with the technical committee established in 2011 to combat corruption. I have been informed of the draft of national strategy to combat corruption; a mission that the government pledged to carry out in its ministerial statement, and which falls within the framework of Lebanon's international commitments."
"The draft strategy contains a reading of the causes of corruption and the identification of concrete and implementable proposals of interest to various sectors and authorities. Some of them proposals are directly enforceable, and it was agreed to form a team to follow up on the implementation of these proposals," she went on, stressing that some of the proposals need to be turned into draft laws, and a team of specialists will be formed for this purpose. Ezzeddine said a final drat shall be submitted to Prime Minister Hariri as soon as possible, upon his request, to turn it into an integrated document binding for the Lebanese State. "All of this has been done in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program, to be able to learn from the experiences of Arab and foreign countries at the level of fighting corruption," she concluded.

ISF Arrests 91 Syrians who Tried to Cross Illegally into Lebanon
Naharnet/April 27/17/The Internal Security Forces announced Thursday that it has arrested 91 Syrians who tried to cross illegally into Lebanon. “As part of combating the smuggling of individuals from Syria into Lebanon and after investigations and surveillance, the ISF Intelligence Branch managed to intercept 91 Syrians – 29 men, 29 women and 33 children – in the Bekaa town of Suwairi,” an ISF statement said. “Some of them were trying to cross into Lebanese territory in two cars – a Renault Kangoo and a Kia Picanto – while others were trying to enter on foot,” the statement added.The detainees and the two cars were handed over to the relevant authorities for the necessary legal measures, the ISF said.

Israeli Troops Nab 50 Goats after Failing to Abduct Shepherd near Shebaa
Naharnet/April 27/17/An Israeli patrol on Thursday tried to kidnap 23-year-old Lebanese shepherd Maher Fares Hamdan from the al-Shahel area in the outskirts of the southern border town of Shebaa, Lebanon's National News Agency reported. The shepherd managed to escape but Israeli troops seized around 50 goats and took them into occupied territory, NNA said. “The patrol violated the line of withdrawal by around 30 meters” during the operation, the agency added.
Israel released the herd of goats in the evening, NNA said.

Aoun follows up on World Bank projects with Belhaj
The Daily Star/April 27, 2017/BEIRUT: President Michel Aoun Thursday discussed with World Bank director for the Middle East Ferid Belhaj the organization's projects in Lebanon. Aoun thanked Belhaj for his efforts to strengthen ties between Lebanon and the World Bank during his stay in Lebanon. Also at the meeting was Change and Reform Bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan, who also chairs Parliament's Finance and Budget Committee. Belhaj later met with Speaker Nabih Berri at the latter's Beirut residence in Ain al-Tineh. Prime Minister Saad Hariri also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani earlier on Thursday to follow up on the latter's meeting with the World Bank at its headquarters in Washington DC. The World Bank agreed to give Lebanon a $150 million in loans and grants to invest in the health sector. Approval will be submitted to the World Bank board of directors this summer for endorsement. In a meeting with Aoun earlier last week, Belhaj said that Lebanon was a priority for the World Bank, particularly because it hosts over a million Syrian refugees, as well as Palestinian refugees.

2 Nusra Militants Held for Plotting to 'Destabilize Palestinian Camps'
Naharnet/April 27/17/A Palestinian and a Syrian have been arrested for “belonging to the terrorist al-Nusra Front group” and seeking to destabilize the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, General Security said. During interrogation, the Palestinian detainee said he had communicated with the Lebanese Nusra leader Hilal Yahia al-Hosni, aka Abu Maria, with the aim of heading to Syria's Daraa along with the Syrian detainee in order to join Nusra's ranks, a General Security statement issued on Thursday said. “Abu Maria asked them to work for him inside the Palestinian camps, so they tried to join the group of the terrorist Bilal Badr during the latest Ain el-Hilweh clashes, but the intensity of the fighting prevented them from doing so, which prompted them to try to meet fugitive terrorist Shadi al-Mawlawi through a mediator,” the statement added. The mediator, however, advised them not to approach Mawlawi in order to stay away from suspicions, it said. “Consequently, Abu Maria asked N. A. (the Palestinian detainee) to assassinate a senior Palestinian official visiting the Shatila camp in order to create chaos and clashes in it and alleviate the pressure on the Ain el-Hilweh camp,” General Security said. The Nusra leader also asked him to “shoot a video of the operation so that it be claimed by the terrorist al-Nusra Front group.”“He started plotting for the operation but his swift arrest thwarted it,” General Security added. The Syrian detainee meanwhile reasserted N. A.'s confessions and told interrogators that he was a member of Mawlawi's group and that he had taken part in attacks against the army during the 2014 clashes in Tripoli. “After interrogation and after they confessed to plotting acts of sabotage in Lebanon, attempting to join the group of the terrorist Bilal Badr, and plotting to assassinate a Palestinian figure with the aim of stirring strife in the camps, they were referred to the relevant judicial authorities,” General Security added.

Judge Refers 5 Suspects on Charges of Involvement with IS
Naharnet/April 27/17/Military Prosecutor Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Thursday five Lebanese with involvement with the Islamic State militant group, the National News Agency reported. NNA said the suspects, two of whom were already in detention, were charged for taking part in security and military operations in favor of the IS. He referred their case to First Military Investigation Judge Riyad Abu Ghida.

Truckers Rally for Second Day, Another Road-Blocking Scenario Feared
Naharnet/April 27/17/For the second day in a row, truck owners started rallying on several roads around Lebanon early on Thursday to protest Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq's decision to shut down sand mining and stone crushing sites, as citizens fear that the bizarre Wednesday scenario of road-blocking could be repeated. According to the Traffic Management Center, truckers gathered on the Safra highway, Dora-Karantina highway, Zahrani highway and the Khalde-Beirut highway near the Costa Brava. MTV reporter said the truckers have gathered and vowed they won't block any roads mainly after a decision issued by Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq preventing closing roads. On Wednesday, the trucks have blocked several main roads around the country bringing traffic to a standstill in the area and stranding citizens in their cars for hours. A clash has erupted on the road-blocking protest in Khalde between truckers and citizens that escalated into gunfire and the smashing of a car's windows. Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq later on Wednesday called for an emergency meeting for the Central Security Council at the Interior Ministry. He vowed that all necessary measures will be taken to prevent future road closures.

Mashnouq participates in Al Azhar peace conference in Cairo
Thu 27 Apr 2017/NNA - Minister of Interior and Municipalities Nuhad Mashnouq participated in the opening of the "Al-Azhar International Peace Conference" which started its work in Cairo this Thursday and will continue till tomorrow evening. Mahnouq attended the opening ceremony along with a number of Arab and international political, religious and intellectual figures. Head of the world's Catholic Church, Pope Francis, is expected to address the closing session tomorrow.

Army Chief tackles military affairs with British, Tunisian and Cypriot ambassadors
Thu 27 Apr 2017 /NNA - Army Chief, General Joseph Aoun, received at his office in Yarzeh, the British Ambassador to Lebanon, Hugo Shorter, accompanied by the military attaché, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Gunning. The meeting touched on cooperation between the armies of the two countries, and the British assistance program to the Lebanese Army, mainly in terms of controlling land borders.Aoun then received the Tunisian Ambassador, Mohamed Karim Boudali, and the Ambassador of Cyprus, Christina Rafetti, and discussed with them the general situation in Lebanon and the region.
Head of the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) and Chief of Staff, Major General David Gwan, has also visited the Army Chief and has briefed him on the situation on the southern border and the cooperation between the army and the UNTSO under the Truce Agreement and Resolution 1701.

Toeini via Twitter: treasury revenues up from 18 to $99 million
Thu 27 Apr 2017/NNA - State Minister for the fight against corruption, Nicolas Toeini, tweeted on Thursday "After the duty free bids were cleared, treasury revenues rose from $18 million to $99 million per year, although the number of bidders did not exceed the two companies.""The qualitative leap in state revenues after the bids today on the duty free zone shows the extent of injustice that has been done to public funds for years," he said via Twitter.

Chebib bans peddlers in streets of Beirut
Thu 27 Apr 2017/NNA - Beirut City Governor, Ziad Chebib, issued a decree banning peddlers in the city of Beirut and canceling all licenses granted previously, pursuant to the directives of the Minister of Interior and Municipalities. Chebib tasked Beirut Police with implementing the contents of this decision.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 27-28/17

Pope Tawadros Inaugurates Largest Coptic Church in the Gulf
Mirza Al-Khuwaylidi/April 27/17/Kuwait –Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Church, inaugurated on Tuesday in Kuwait, the largest Coptic church in the Gulf, which extends over an area of 6,500 sqm. The inauguration ceremony, held under tight security measures, gathered a number of government officials and representatives of different religious confessions in Kuwait. On Sunday, Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received Pope Tawadros II, who expressed happiness over his meeting with the Emir as well as his visit to Kuwait, which he said was known for its tolerance and kindness of its people. Pope Tawadros II, in a mass at the Saint Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, commended Kuwait-Egypt deep-rooted relations at the official and public levels. Tawadros arrived in Kuwait for a four-day visit on Sunday at the invitation of the Kuwaiti Emir, marking the first such visit to the state by a Coptic Orthodox patriarch. Local media reports quoted the Coptic Pope as saying: “I was amazed by the kindness of the Emir, officials, and people of Kuwait. I know there are people from more than 100 nationalities living in Kuwait in harmony.”He also praised Kuwait’s efforts to fight terrorism, stressing that terrorism in Egypt “will not break the strong bond between Muslims and Christians that has persevered for more than 14 centuries.”On Thursday, Pope Tawadros concludes his visit to Kuwait and returns to Egypt, where he will receive Pope Francis on April 28-29.

A Patriot anti-ballistic missile intercepts a drone that had infiltrated from Syria
Yozv Zitun and Ahiya Raved|/Ynetnews/April 28/17/After reports that Israel attacked Syria this evening, a Patriot anti-ballistic missile launched intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle that infiltrated from Syria. A Patriot anti-ballistic missile stationed in the north of the country intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle that infiltrated Israel from Syria on Thursday evening.IDF spokesperson confirms: "A Patriot anti-ballistic missile was launched a few minutes ago toward a target in the Golan Heights." Thursday morning it was reported that Israel launched an overnight attack targeting a Hezbollah weapons depot in the Damascus International Airport. According to reports, the chain of explosions rocked the Syrian capital at about 3:20am. The depot handles a significant amount of weapons that Tehran, a major regional ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, sends regularly by air, the source said, without giving further details.
The source said the arms depot gets a major part of the weapons supplied to an array of Iranian backed militias, led by Hezbollah, which have thousands of fighters engaged in some of the toughest fronts against Syrian rebels.Officials on both sides of the Syrian conflict—among opposition forces and among forces fighting alongside President Bashar Assad—attributed the attack to Israel.

غارات اسرائيلية على مخازن اسلحة في مطار المزة قيل أنها لحزب الله
Iranian Cargo Planes Land in Damascus Hours Before ‘Israeli Strike’ on Airport
Haaretz/April 27/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=54735
The strike came a day after Defense chief Lieberman said Israel ‘will not allow Iranian and Hezbollah forces’ to amass at the northern border . Four cargo planes originating from Iran landed at an airport outside Damascus just hours before Syria accused Israel of attacking a military compound nearby. Explosions hit in the area of Damascus International Airport early on Thursday morning, with Syria’s official news agency accusing Israel of attacking a military compound outside the airport. Hours before the blasts, which took place at 3:25 A.M., two Iranian 747 cargo planes, an Iranian Ilyushin il-76 and a Syrian Ilyushin il-76 landed in Damascus, according to the flight radar tracking site Flightradar24.com. The flights were both military and commercial, all taking off from Tehran, Iran. Without confirming whether Israel was behind the strike, Intelligence Affairs Minister Yisrael Katz told Army Radio on Thursday morning that the attack in Syria was “entirely consistent with our policy to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah.”While visiting Moscow, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Wednesday that Israel “will not allow Iranian and Hezbollah forces to be amassed on the Golan Heights border. The Defense Ministry said Lieberman discussed the situation in Syria and the continued coordination between the Israeli and the Russian armies with Russia’s foreign and defense ministers. The statement said that “Defense Minister Lieberman expressed concern over Iranian activity in Syria and the Iranian use of Syrian soil as a base for arms smuggling to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Syria Confirms Israeli Strike Hit Military Compound Near Damascus Airport
Haaretz/April 27/2017
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=54735
Jack Khoury, Gili Cohen , The Associated Press and Reuters
Strike hits depot supplying arms to Hezbollah, source says, hours after several Iranian cargo planes land in Syria
Intelligence minister: Attack consistent with Israeli policy.
Explosions hit in the area of Damascus International Airport in Syria early Thursday morning. Syria’s official news agency confirmed that Israel struck a military compound outside the capital’s airport.
Local reports say the airport compound was hit with five strikes at around 3:25 A.M. local time. No injuries have been reported. Video carried on Lebanese TV and shared on social media sites showed the pre-dawn airstrikes caused a fire around the airport east of Damascus, suggesting fuel sources or weapons containing explosives were hit.
Syria’s official news agency blamed the strike on Israel, citing a military source. The report said the attack took place on a military compound southwest of the airport. The blasts were followed by a fire in the same place, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor.
An intelligence source in the region told Reuters that an Israeli attack hit an arms supply hub operated by Hezbollah near Damascus airport, where regular supplies of weapons from Tehran are sent by commercial and military cargo planes.
Four cargo planes originating from Tehran landed in Damascus hours before the strike, according to Flightradar24.com.
The source said that the depot handles a significant amount of weapons that Tehran, a major ally of Assad, adding that the arms depot gets a major part of the weapons supplied to an array of Iranian-backed militias, led by Hezbollah, which is engaged in some of the toughest fronts against Syrian rebels.
Intelligence Affairs Minister Yisrael Katz told Army Radio on Thursday morning that the attack in Syria was “entirely consistent with our policy to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah.” Katz however did not confirm Israel was behind it.
A spokeswoman for the Israeli military, asked if Israel had been involved in carrying out air strikes targeting Damascus airport, said: “We can’t comment on such reports.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov appeared to denounce the incident on Thursday, without making any mention of Syrian reports that Israel was behind the strike.
“We consider that all countries should avoid any actions that lead to higher tensions in such a troubled region and call for Syrian sovereignty to be respected,” Peskov told reporters, when asked about the attack.
Peskov added that Russia and Israel were in constant contact about the situation in Syria through various channels.
Sources in the Syrian opposition say that the attack was on a military airfield near Damascus’ international airport that is used by Iranian-supported troops.
They say that weapons and an ammunitions depot were targeted.
Local reports note that the compound that was hit includes warehouses, airplane hangers and an industrial zone.
Lebanon’s al-Manar, a television channel affiliated with the Assad ally Hezbollah, said the blast was likely caused by an Israeli airstrike. It said initial indications were that the blast had caused only material damage and no human casualties.
The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Rami Abdurrahman says the explosion early Thursday was heard across the capital, jolting residents awake.
He says the explosion is reported to have occurred near the Damascus airport road.
Activist-operated Diary of a Mortar, which reports from Damascus, says the explosion near the airport road was followed by flames rising above the area. A pro-government site Damascus Now says the explosion was near the city’s Seventh Bridge, which leads to the airport road.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Wednesday while on a visit to Moscow that Israel “will not allow Iranian and Hezbollah forces to be amassed on the Golan Heights border.
Lieberman, who is attending a security conference in the Russian capital, met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday.
A statement issued by the Defense Ministry said Lieberman said discussed the situation in Syria and the continued coordination between the Israeli and the Russian armies with the Russian ministers.
The statement said that “Defense Minister Lieberman expressed concern over Iranian activity in Syria and the Iranian use of Syrian soil as a base for arms smuggling to Hezbollah in Lebanon.”
On Tuesday a senior Israeli officer said that the Israel Air Force destroyed around 100 Syrian missiles, many of which were due to be delivered to Hezbollah, in an attack last month. This was a rare admission that Israel had taken military action in Syria.

IDF strikes Hamas target in Gaza in response to cross-border fire
Anna Ahronheim/Jerusalem Post/April 27, 2017
IDF tank fire struck and destroyed a Hamas terror target in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday shortly after shots from the Palestinian enclave were fired at Israeli forces stationed near the border, the military said. "The IDF will continue to act with determination at all times to maintain the security of the State of Israel," the IDF said in a statement on the cross-border exchange. While the origin of the gunfire was not immediately clear, Israel holds Hamas responsible for all aggression coming from the Strip. There were no initial reports of injury or damage in the incident, which came shortly after the Palestinian Authority informed the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) that they planned to immediately stop all payments for the electricity Israel supplies to the Gaza Strip. The supply of fuel for the Strip has been a source of dispute between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas since the group took control of the Strip in a bloody coup in 2007 but despite the violent takeover from the Fatah, Abbas’ government in Ramallah has until recently paid the bills.  Gaza’s sole functioning power plant shutdown last week after fuel supplied by Qatar and Turkey ran out, reducing power supply to 1.9 million residents of the Strip to just six hours of electricity followed by 12 hour blackouts. Israel supplies an estimated 30% of the electricity required in the Gaza Strip through 10 power lines which produce 125 megawatts. The cost of this energy supply, around NIS 40 million a month, was paid for by the Palestinian Authority.
A senior IDF official said that the power struggle between the PA and Hamas as well as the fuel crisis in Gaza- which is already in dire straits with a lack of infrastructure and a failed economy-could lead Hamas to clash with Israel. “In a few days there will be no electricity in Gaza. They have a dilemma for the first time if to use the money for tunnels or electricity. They have always received electricity until now but now they will have to decide what they prefer,” he said. Jpost.com Staff contributed to this report.

Jubeir Says Iran, its Militias Have No Place in Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat/April 27/17/Moscow – Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Adel al-Jubeir discussed the future of Syria with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday. During a joint news conference following the meeting, the Saudi foreign minister said Riyadh is against involvement of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Lebanon’s “Hezbollah” in Syria. “We believe that they have no place in any part of the Arab world,” Jubeir said. He also said that the interference of the IRGC in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and the Gulf was “unacceptable and rejected.”He reiterated the Kingdom’s stance that there was no future for Bashar al-Assad in Syria. “Assad is responsible for the killing of 300,000 Syrian citizens. He is also to blame for the involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah in carrying out genocide crimes in Syria,” he added. Pointing out to a disagreement between Moscow and Riyadh over Iran’s role in Syria, Lavrov said: “As for the presence of Iran and Hezbollah in Syria, as you may well be aware, we do not consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization. We operate on the premise that both were invited to Syria by a legitimate government.”The Russian foreign minister continued: “Of course, we are aware of Saudi Arabia’s position. Clearly, we are not on the same page in that regard, to put it mildly.” “Nonetheless, we share the view that all without exception Syrian sides and all without exception external actors who have any influence on these sides should be involved in the process if we want to resolve this crisis. Of course, terrorist organizations recognized as such by the UN Security Council, such as ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra, must be excluded from the process,” Lavrov added. Al-Jubeir stressed that the Syrian regime has repeatedly violated the agreed truce, adding that any solution to the war in Syria should be based on Security Council Resolution 2254. The Saudi minister said that the Russian-backed Syrian peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan were witnessing positive progress, but he thought there was no need to widen the list of participants in those talks, which are sponsored by Iran, Turkey and Russia. For his part, Lavrov voiced his country’s commitment to promote good relations with the Kingdom.“Overall, we are satisfied with the results of our talks, which have confirmed our mutual resolve to continue to develop Russian-Saudi relations to the benefit of our nations and in the interests of stability in the Middle East and North Africa,” he stated.

'Knives' Seen as Man Arrested near UK Parliament
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 27/17/Police swooped on a man close to the Houses of Parliament in London on Thursday, with eyewitnesses telling AFP they saw knives on the ground.
The incident comes a month after the March 22 attack in which a man drove into pedestrians, killing four, and stabbed a police officer to death at the gates of parliament. "Man arrested in Westminster. No reported injuries," Scotland Yard said on their Twitter account.
"Officers are on the scene."
An AFP photographer saw firearms officers surrounding the man and pinning him to the ground at a pedestrian island. David Wisniowski, who was working on a building site right next to the incident, told AFP he could see "three knives on the floor, one big one and two small." Gabrielle Hennessy, 20, a U.S. tourist, described seeing police rush at a man. "We were walking along Parliament Square and we saw police rush at him. And then he was on the ground surrounded by police. They stood him up and that's when I saw the knife on the ground," she told AFP. Police have taped off the area in question.

Russian Spy Ship Sinks Off Turkey Coast after Collision
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 27/17/A Russian navy spy ship sank Thursday in the Black Sea off the coast of Turkey after hitting another vessel, but coastguards rescued all of its crew.  The Russian military said the Liman -- a former research ship re-fitted as an intelligence vessel -- had a hole torn in its hull after crashing at around 0900GMT about 40 kilometers from the Bosphorus Strait. Turkish media said the second ship, a cargo boat carrying cattle, suffered minor damage and went on its way after the incident that occurred in poor visibility. "The Russian ship sank after the collision. All of the crew on board were rescued," the Turkish coastguard official told AFP, requesting anonymity. The Russian defense ministry confirmed the ship had gone down and said the crew would soon be picked up from the coastguards. "All members of the Black Sea fleet research vessel Liman are alive and well and currently are preparing for evacuation from the Turkish rescue vessel onto a Russian ship," said the ministry in a statement to Russian news agencies. Turkish media said about 78 people were on the Liman and had to be evacuated. The Turkish news agency Dogan said the area where the ships collided was shrouded in thick fog at the time, suggesting that the incident was accidental. Russia's government said in a statement that Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev could hold phone talks to discuss the incident with his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim, agencies reported. It was not known where the Liman was sailing from or its destination. The ship was built as a hydrography research vessel in 1970 but turned into a spy ship in 1989 and armed with an Igla missile launcher, according to public records. Russian warships have traveled frequently through the Bosphorus Strait to and from the Syrian coast, where a navy presence has been deployed to bolster Russia's air campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad. In February, military sources told Russian media that Liman would be observing NATO's Sea Shield exercise in the Black Sea.

Return the money if you don’t need it: Qatari Minister to Abadi
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Thursday, 27 April 2017/The Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abbadi said on Tuesday that Baghdad is holding the ransom paid for the people who kidnapped Qatari hunters, adding that he did not agree on granting the hunters the visas in the first place.
In December 2015, Unknown gunmen driving in a large convoy of trucks kidnapped at least 26 Qatari citizens from their hunting camp in a sprawling desert area near the Saudi borders. However, last month the group was freed and was being handed over to a Qatari delegation in Baghdad.
During a press conference, Abadi said that the ransom paid by the Qatari delegation for the release of the kidnapped hunters did not go to the kidnappers, because giving hundreds of millions of dollars to armed groups is unacceptable. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, responded to Abadi’s statement saying that he was surprised and that the money got into Iraq publically and the government was informed about the operation. It all happened legally and the Qataris were cooperating with the Iraqi authorities all the way. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani added that if they do not need the money anymore, let them return the money through official ways. However, he confirmed that the Qatari hunters got into Iraq through visas that were issued by the government in Baghdad.

Saudi Crown Prince: Biggest challenge lies in preserving unity of the homeland
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Thursday, 27 April 2017/In a speech at the Gulf Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif declared that “the biggest challenge we face today is preserving the unity of the homeland,” stressing “the importance of Arab and national unity, which transcends over personal, sectarian or doctrinal unity.”Prince Naif asserted: “We have been able to maintain the security and stability of our countries and peoples and enhance the development and prosperity they enjoy. The greatest challenge for any country in our modern world is to preserve its national unity away from any internal or external influences or threats. A national unity in which the allegiances to the homeland transcend the personal, ethnic or sectarian loyalties that divides and separate. A National unity , under which everyone understands his duties towards his homeland and his nation, works for the security and stability of his society, and faces with his acumen the negative influences and deviant intellectual tendencies in defense of his religion, the protection of his homeland and the defiance of his enemies all in an effort to deter their evils.“For his part, Bahraini Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa stated: “We are facing a number of serious challenges from the Iranian and Iraqi territories.”Kuwaiti Foreign Minister, Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah, said that efforts should be made to eliminate the hotbeds of terrorism. While UAE Interior Minister Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan praised the brave efforts of soldiers in defending Yemen and the GCC countries. The ministers of interior, foreign affairs and defense of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are holding a joint meeting under the chairmanship of Prince Mohammed bin Naif in the Saudi capital to enhance cooperation, joint coordination and deepen the integration of GCC countries.

UN envoy eyes new Yemen peace talks before Ramadan
AFP, Geneva Thursday, 27 April 2017/A new round of peace talks between Yemen’s warring sides should begin by the end of May, the UN mediator said Wednesday, as alarm grows over the country’s humanitarian crisis. UN special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told AFP that negotiations were underway. “We are at the preliminary stage, but time is also a real constraint for us, because my aim is to finish all of this before Ramadan,” he said, adding that he hoped “to enter into a new round of talks before Ramadan.”The Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan is set to begin around May 27 this year.
Even if Ould Cheikh Ahmed manages to get the parties to the table, any success will be hard-won: since Yemen’s conflict escalated two years ago, all UN mediation attempts and seven declared ceasefires have failed.
Weapons smuggling
Hudaydah is currently controlled by the Houthis, and the UN envoy said he was hearing concerns from the coalition that the port was being used to smuggle in weapons. “We are trying to explore various options by which we can reinforce inspection mechanisms maybe or see how we can minimize the risk of any additional smuggling,” he said. The UN mediator said the Houthis had voiced interest in his proposals and that he aimed to invite them to a meeting in Oman next month to discuss different options.

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 27-28/17
ضرورة فرض عقوبات على الحرس الثوري الإيراني ووضعه على قوائم الإرهاب
Sanction Iran's Regime, Add IRCG to Terrorist List
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/April 27/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=54741
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10285/iran-ircg-terrorists-sanction
It would seem that sanctions should be enforced and the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) placed on the U.S. list of Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations -- to show that the U.S. stands for human rights, protects the innocent and tries to save the lives of those sentenced to death by Iran's corrupt government.
Bills to sanction Iran that are being presented in Canada or other Western countries are, in fact, receiving scant attention. Canada has been talking about reopening its Iranian embassy, and pro-Iran advocates, such as the Iranian Canadian Congress, are pushing back against legislation that condemns Iran.
Would any modern Western country really wish to appear to be on the side of this barbaric regime, or in any way to assist it?
A subtle, but dangerous force is spreading throughout the West. It has been seeping into the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, the Middle East, the United States, South America and much of Europe.
Who are they?
They are pro-Iran regime advocates. They appear to be Westerners, but pursue a unique agenda. Under the guise of being average Western citizens, they have been infiltrating the social, political, economic and religious sectors of most Western societies.
These are not my words. They came directly out of the mouth of Iran's Minister of Intelligence, Mahmoud Alavi. In a rare, recent interview on Iran's state media, he stated that many Westerners with a dual citizenship "have a lobby group for the Islamic Republic of Iran."
"We should not accuse them and say things that discourage them about the ancestral homeland, this is not good, and losing this capital is not good for the regime... It is wrong to say that all dual nationals are traitors, spies, or foreign agents; many of these dual nationals love Iran, and are a capital for Iran.
"Many who live in Canada, London, or the United States [are devoted] to the [Islamic] revolution and the supreme leader ... In those places some attend religious ceremonies. [Those people] love the [Islamic] Revolution."
Mahmoud Alavi, Iran's Minister of Intelligence, recently stated that many Westerners with a dual citizenship "have a lobby group for the Islamic Republic of Iran... Many who live in Canada, London, or the United States [are devoted] to the [Islamic] revolution and the supreme leader." (Image source: Mohammad Ali Marizad/Wikimedia Commons)
Not long after Alavi's remarks came to light, an Iranian-born Canadian was arrested in Washington state.
"An Iranian-born Canadian arrested in a Washington city on the U.S.-Canadian border has been charged with conspiring to ship a piece of testing equipment used to calibrate missile guidance systems into Iran.
"Federal prosecutors claim Ghobad Ghasempour and two other men smuggled restricted items out of the United States to Iran through China. Ghasempour was charged Tuesday by federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C."
This is not an isolated incident. It has been part of an growing trend.
Is it fair to eat the fruit of the West, while at the same time promoting the Iranian regime that keeps repeating "Death to America"?
Those who appear to pursue appeasement policies toward Iran seem to focus on two issues: preventing any new sanctions on the Iranian government and maintaining the nuclear agreement (JCPOA) that will enable Iran soon to have nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them.
In Canada, for example, the Senate is currently taking into consideration the Bill S-219, "An Act to deter Iran-sponsored terrorism, incitement to hatred, and human rights violations" (to be named the "Non-Nuclear Sanctions Against Iran Act"). If the bill is passed, it would impose at least some economic sanctions on the Iranian regime for its unspeakable human rights abuses.
Iran still boasts pride of place as the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, according to according to the U.S. Department of State.
Iran is also the number one country, per capita, when it comes to executions.
The Iranian regime executes children, gays, lesbians, human rights activists, and, it seems, anyone who disagrees with it. Its abuses go beyond murdering its own citizens. The Iranian regime suppresses every freedom of its people, by torturing, imprisoning, beating and killing them. Iran persecutes religious and ethnic minorities, and leaves only one choice when it comes to religious belief, which is the same as no choice at all. The country in the grasp of an iron fist; because of this, the majority of its people are silenced.
It would seem that sanctions should be enforced and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Coprs (IRCG) placed on the U.S. list of Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations -- to show that the U.S. stands for human rights, protects the innocent and tries to save the lives of those sentenced to death by Iran's corrupt government. One would think that such bills would pass easily in any Western government that hails about human rights and freedoms. Right? Not so fast.
Bills to sanction Iran that are being presented in Canada or other Western countries are, in fact, receiving scant attention. Canada has been talking about reopening its Iranian embassy, and pro-Iran advocates, such as the Iranian Canadian Congress, are pushing back against legislation that condemns Iran, explaining in a recent statement:
"Global Affairs Canada states its position that Bill S-219 (Non-Nuclear Sanctions Against Iran Act) would hinder the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Iran. The Iranian Canadian Congress has expressed its concerns about Bill S-219 since the bill was first introduced to the Senate....We have also consistently asserted that this bill directly contradicts the Government's stated intention to re-engage with Iran by placing legislative and diplomatic hurdles before this process. In a recent letter to members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Global Affairs Canada has agreed with our position regarding S-219.
"With the opposition already formed in the Senate against S-219, we have a golden opportunity to block this bill at the Senate Chamber. Currently we are contacting all Honourable Senators to once again ask them to take into account all evidence and expert advice provided in opposition to the bill and vote against Bill S-219 when it comes for a vote at the Senate Chamber. We need all supporters of peace and diplomacy to help us and take action against these proposed sanctions on Iran. In the next few days we will issue an announcement about next steps that can be taken by community members."
It is critical to understand that the Iranian government needs these appeasement policies, including the so-called "nuclear deal", and that it needs the West to turn a blind eye to Iran's human rights records and military expansionism.
Those who appear to pursue policies of appeasement toward Iran often attempt to justify them by arguing that they will benefit the West. Or they will argue that sanctions against Iran's human rights violations will harm the West. On the contrary, continuing the nuclear agreement and the appeasement policies are what have harmed the West, by providing the Iranian regime with billions of dollars in extra revenues as well as enhanced global legitimacy.
And what does the Iranian regime do with this Western favor? It has been transforming this gift from the West into funds for promoting anti-Western sentiments, anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism; for suppressing and murdering its own people, sponsoring terrorism around the globe, and promoting Islamist ideals.
As Iran continues to flaunt its determination to engage in human rights violations, cruelty, terrorism, torture, and murder, Western governments should act; Western funds should at least stop flowing into Iran, lending its militia legitimacy and supporting actions that should not be tolerated. Would any modern Western country really wish to appear to be on the side of this barbaric regime, or in any way to assist it?
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, a world-renowned businessman, political scientist and Harvard University scholar, is president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He is also the author of "Peaceful Reformation in Iran's Islam". He can be reached at Dr.rafizadeh@post.harvard.edu.
© 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.

The Pope's Pilgrimage to Al-Azharحج البابا فرنسيس إلى الأزهر في مصر
Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute/April 27/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=54743
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10282/pope-francis-egypt-visit
During a meeting between the former Papal Nuncio to Cairo, Archbishop Jean-Paul Gobel, and Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam warned Gobel that "speaking about Islam in a negative manner was a 'red line' that must not be crossed." If there are any condemnations of violence against the Coptic Christians, they are likely to be articulated only by the Grand Imam and the Egyptian President.
If the Pope's humble bearing is excessive, however, it might be interpreted even by peaceable Muslims as a submission. If Francis is asked by the Grand Imam to pray at al-Azhar's mosque, that is a piety that el-Tayeb would not likely reciprocate in a Coptic Church in Egypt.
Facilitating the establishment of an Islamic-Christian relationship that excludes Judaism can only serve the Islamist goal of isolating Jews and Israel. Although relations between the Vatican and al-Azhar will improve in the near future, the honeymoon will not. The Grand Imam will doubtless protect his own theological power base and keep his distance from both the Vatican and the Egyptian regime.
The twin Palm Sunday bombings at Coptic Christian Churches by Islamic terrorists in Egypt, which killed 44 worshipers, draws attention to what is probably the principal reason for the upcoming visit of Pope Francis to Cairo on April 28-29. The Pontiff will likely seek the assistance of Egypt's Muslim hierarchy to help protect Egypt's Coptic Christians, the indigenous inhabitants of the country who now number about 9 million and constitute at least 10% of the population.
During his stay, Francis will meet with the Grand Imam of Cairo's al-Azhar Mosque, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb. Al-Azhar's theological complex, which houses Islam's oldest university, is considered the most influential center of Sunni Islam.
The Pope possibly hopes that the meeting with el-Tayeb will fully repair relations between the Vatican and al-Azhar. These were restored as a result of a letter sent by Pope Francis to the Grand Imam last year. The Papal letter was followed up by a visit to the Holy See by el-Tayeb in May 2016. Relations between the Holy See and al-Azhar had been severed in 2011 by el-Tayeb after he took offense at comments made by the previous Pope, Benedict XVI, on the persecution of Christians in Muslim countries.
Grand Imam el-Tayeb now appears more disposed towards normalizing relations with the Vatican, especially since his amicable visit to the Holy See in May 2016. Al-Azhar's Grand Imam is likely to be more agreeable toward Francis than he was toward Benedict. This show of flexibility might possibly also be an effort by el-Tayeb to get in line with President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi's own call for reform within Islam. However, Al-Azhar, determined to maintain its authority over theological matters, has initiated no substantive, doctrinal reforms in response to President Sisi's declaration. In fact, Al-Azhar has pushed back against attempts by some Muslim reformists who have suggested a more liberal policy concerning women's rights, including the ability to divorce.
El-Tayeb, even if he accepted responsibility for protecting the Copts, may prove unable to prevent Islamic terrorist groups from targeting Egypt's minority Christian population. The alleged cooperation between the Islamic State and the Muslim Brotherhood makes it especially difficult for Cairo to prevent terrorist acts. Islamic terrorist cells in Alexandria and the Sinai Peninsula, where many of the attacks on Copts have occurred, act independently of Egypt's political and religious leaders. The targeting of Christians by these groups may also be part of a larger objective to destabilize the regime of al-Sisi, who has promised security to Egyptians, particularly Coptic Christians. Radical Islamists such as the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS view the Copts as their enemies; many members of this Christian sect support the Sisi government.
It was, in any event, al-Sisi who invited Pope Francis to visit Egypt during the Egyptian president's visit to the Vatican in November 2014. Anti-regime elements might well attempt to stage a spectacular terrorist incident during the Pontiff's visit, particularly targeting Francis himself.
The Pope's upcoming visit is being organized by French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauron, who chairs the Pontifical Council of Inter-Religious Dialogue. Cardinal Tauron is, no doubt, cognizant of the "red line" laid down by the Grand Imam if the Vatican wishes to have amicable relations with the Muslim leadership. During a meeting between the former Papal Nuncio to Cairo, Archbishop Jean-Paul Gobel, and el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam warned him that "speaking about Islam in a negative manner was a 'red line' that must not be crossed." However, given the Pope's past reluctance to condemn radical Islamic concepts, it is unlikely that, during his visit to Egypt, he will depart from this cautious public posture. Comments, if any, by Pope Francis on Muslim violence against Christians will, no doubt, be diplomatic and muted. If there are any condemnations of violence against the Coptic Christians, they are likely to be articulated only by the Grand Imam and the Egyptian President.
Nevertheless, Pope Francis will, it appears, publicly demonstrate his solidarity with fellow Christians by championing the Coptic Pope Tawadros II during memorial services for the recently martyred Copts. Francis, who is known to be fond of Tawadros, might express his deep personal concern for the welfare of the Coptic Pope -- who was celebrating Mass inside St. Mark's Cathedral when the bomber detonated his explosives just outside.
Francis is apparently most anxious to bring Copts and Catholics closer together, in the hope that the Egyptian Church will ultimately formally reunite with the Holy See. The Coptic Church first split from Rome in 451 A.D. However, the Vatican maintains deep respect for the Egyptian Church, which was established by one of the four authors of the Gospels, St. Mark, in Alexandria as early as 42 A.D.[1]
Catholic Pope Francis greets Egyptian Coptic Pope Tawadros II at the Vatican, on May 10, 2013. (Image source: News.va Official Vatican Network)
If the Pope's humble bearing is excessive, however, it might be interpreted even by peaceable Muslims as submission. If Francis is asked by the Grand Imam to pray at al-Azhar's mosque, that is a piety that el-Tayeb would not likely reciprocate in a Coptic Church in Egypt.
The public stance of the Vatican concerning Islam has been routinely cautious. The most recent example of the Pontiff's less-than-direct criticism of Islamist violence is his April 22 statement at a prayer service paying tribute to 21st Century Christian Martyrs in Rome:
Francis said the legacy of modern-day martyrs "teaches us that with the strength of love, meekness, one can combat arrogance, violence, war, and with patience, achieve peace."
A professor of Islamic Studies at the Pontifical Institute in Rome, Father Samir Khalil Samir, also an Egyptian, characterizes the Pope's diplomatic approach to Muslims, "who are the second-most important group in the world, to have a dialogue and understanding." Khalil adds:
"I think it's important to say things with charity, with friendship, but to say things as they are: that it cannot continue like this; we have to rethink Islam. This is my vision. They cannot take the texts of the seventh century literally as they are in the Quran. He [the Pope] does not dare to say something like that because he doesn't know the Quran well enough, and so on. So I understand his position, but it would be better to have a clearer and more frank discussion — with openness, but also with some realism."
This clearly modulated posture was apparent during a session of the Geneva Center of Human Rights Advancement and Dialogue. The theme of the Geneva sessions was "Islam and Christianity: The Great Convergence." The March 15 Conference, attended by Muslim and Christian delegates, studiously avoided key issues of doctrinal divergence, and stressed instead alleged areas of common interest. The key sponsors of the conference were Algeria, Pakistan, and Lebanon, all of which are Muslim majority countries. The only non-Muslim state sponsor of the Conference was Malta. One of the oft-repeated themes of the sessions in Geneva was the 'feel-good' concept of the 'common Abrahamic root' of Islam, Christianity and Judaism -- although no representatives of the Jewish faith were invited to the conference. Statements by representatives of Christian churches seemed overly optimistic about the prospects of developing positive relationships with Islamic societies.
The failure to invite Jewish or Israeli representation by conference organizers was presumably not an oversight. This omission would be consistent with the UN Arab bloc's objective of isolating Israel in an apparent effort to destroy and replace it. That campaign includes efforts by Arab states to marshal support at the United Nations for suffocating Israel through diplomatic subversion as well as through economic strangulation. Facilitating the establishment of an Islamic-Christian relationship that excludes Judaism can only serve the Islamist goal of isolating Jews and Israel.
After the visit of Pope Francis to Egypt, mass murders of Egyptian Copts are likely to continue. Although relations between the Vatican and al-Azhar will improve in the near future, the honeymoon will not. The Grand Imam will doubtless protect his own theological power base and keep his distance from both the Vatican and the Egyptian regime.
Dr. Lawrence A. Franklin was the Iran Desk Officer for Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld. He also served on active duty with the U.S. Army and as a Colonel in the Air Force Reserve, where he was a Military Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Israel.
[1] Tradition has it that Mark founded the Church in Alexandria as early as 42 A.D. but some Coptic documents assert that Mark came to Alexandria for the first time in 61 A.D. after several missionary trips with St. Paul and St. Barnabas.
© 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.

Palestinians: This is How We Intimidate Journalists
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/April 27/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10116/palestinians-journalists-intimidation
In the world of the Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership, a journalist's loyalty to his leaders and their cause supersedes his loyalty to the truth. In a word, it is the truth vs. Abbas's security forces.
As the international media relies heavily on Palestinian journalists and "media assistants" in covering Palestinian affairs, this intimidation of Palestinian journalists heavily colors the reporting of Western journalists. The stories Palestinian journalists tell their Western colleagues are limited to ones that will not endanger their own lives. This censorship, whether by the Abbas's security forces or self-imposed, explains why one rarely reads or sees a story in Western mainstream media about negative things happening in the PA-controlled territories.
Even when their Palestinian colleagues are beaten and arrested by Abbas's security forces, these "journalists" fail to report such incidents. This makes some sense: should they open their mouths with the truth, Abbas and his cohorts might indeed stop inviting them to press conferences and banquets in the fancy restaurants of Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho.
Seven Palestinian journalists are the latest victims of the Palestinian Authority's (PA) continued crackdown on the media.
The repressive measures are aimed at silencing critical voices among the journalists and deterring others from reporting stories that reflect negatively on the Palestinian leadership in particular and Palestinians in general.
In the view of President Mahmoud Abbas and his PA, Palestinian journalists exist to write stories slamming Israel or praising PA leaders. Media, for them, is defined as a mouthpiece for Abbas, the PA leadership and the Palestinian cause.
Any journalist who dares to think outside this checkpoint is subject to severe punishment. Under Abbas and the PA, there is no room for an independent media.
The three major Palestinian newspapers -- Al-Quds, Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda -- are controlled, directly and indirectly, by the PA.
Although Al-Quds, the largest Palestinian daily, is privately owned and published in Jerusalem, it too serves as a mouthpiece for the PA. The newspaper's publisher and editors know that if they publish any story that is critical of Abbas or the PA leaders, they will face punitive measures, such as banning the distribution of Al-Quds in PA-controlled territories. As such, the editors and journalists have long resorted to self-censorship. This forced silencing explains the absence, for example, of any news items about Palestinian corruption or human rights violations in Al-Quds and the two other newspapers.
Al-Quds suffered heavy financial losses after Hamas banned its distribution in the Gaza Strip several years ago. The newspaper was banned from sale in Gaza because of its affiliation with the Palestinian Authority and criticism of Hamas.
Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda were founded by the PA after the signing of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO, more than two decades ago. The PA appoints the editors and reporters, who receive their salaries from the Palestinian government. The two dailies are the Palestinian version of Pravda ("Truth"), the official newspaper of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
But the truth is hardly on the minds of the Palestinian editors and journalists employed by the PA. Their only truth concerns stories that blast Israel. The pages of the two newspapers are packed with reports of Israeli "wrongdoings." The Palestinians, it seems, are rather blameless from their point of view. A glance at the PA newspapers leaves one with the impression that President Abbas is the greatest leader of the greatest regime on earth.
Abbas's television and radio stations are no different. They too serve as a modern version of the Soviet Union's Pravda. They too specialize in anti-Israel rhetoric, striving to depict Israel as a war-mongering "racist" and "apartheid" country. The anti-Israel incitement in the PA media has radicalized Palestinians to a point where many of them are no longer willing to accept any form of compromise with Israel.
We like to think that things can get better over time. Yet, a new generation of Palestinian journalists is being raised on the notion that their entire reason for being is to serve as spokesmen for their leaders and government. In the world of the Palestinian Authority leadership, a journalist's loyalty to his leaders and their cause supersedes his loyalty to the truth. In a word, it is the truth vs. Abbas's security forces.
Last month, four Palestinian journalists came to learn the hard way what happens when you defy the PA leadership.
During a peaceful anti-PA protest in Ramallah on March 12, Palestinian security officers brutally assaulted four journalists who were covering the event. The four are Hafez Abu Sabra, Mohammed Shusheh, Jihad Barakat and Ahmed Milhem.
Palestinian Authority police assault journalists at a protest in Ramallah, on March 12, 2017. (Image source: Roya News video screenshot)
Shusheh said security officers in plainclothes approached him and tried to snatch his camera. When he resisted, he was beaten with clubs, he said. When his colleague, Abu Sabra, came to his help, he too was beaten on the face with fists and clubs. The other two journalists recounted undergoing similar assaults.
The assault on the four journalists was aimed at preventing them from reporting on the demonstration in Ramallah, which was organized in protest against the Palestinian Authority's decision to prosecute three Palestinians on charges of illegal possession of weapons.
The journalists would not have been beaten had they arrived to cover a rally in support of President Abbas and the PA leadership.
In a bid to contain the anger of Palestinian journalists over the assault on their colleagues, the PA promised to launch an investigation into the police brutality. No one in Ramallah, however, is expecting the PA to punish those responsible for the assaults on the journalists. Moreover, PA leaders have rather poor credibility among Palestinians on the issue of defending freedom of speech and the media.
Why should anyone believe the PA leaders when their actions go against their words and promises?
After the Ramallah incident, where the four journalists were roughed up by Abbas's officers, the Palestinian Authority security forces detained three more journalists: Amer Abu Arafeh, Sameh Manasrah and Qutaiba Qassem. The three were interrogated for "incitement" against the PA on social media -- meaning that they had voiced criticism of Abbas and his security forces. The journalists crossed the red lines by daring to express their opinion in a way that angered Abbas and his PA officials.
Abbas's policy of intimidation seems to be working. Palestinian journalists living under his rule in the West Bank are afraid to report stories that are not favorable in the eyes of the PA leadership.
As the international media relies heavily on Palestinian journalists and "media assistants" in covering Palestinian affairs, this intimidation of Palestinian journalists heavily colors the reporting of Western journalists. The stories Palestinian journalists tell their Western colleagues are limited to ones that will not endanger their own lives.
This censorship, whether by the Abbas's security forces or self-imposed, explains why one rarely reads or sees a story in Western mainstream media about negative things happening in the PA-controlled territories.
The Palestinian journalists, like their leaders, give Western journalists only the dirt on Israel. Many Western journalists, for their part, have adjusted themselves to this reality and are willing partners in the bash-Israel campaign.
Even when their Palestinian colleagues are beaten and arrested by Abbas's security forces, these "journalists" fail to report such incidents. This makes some sense: should they open their mouths with the truth, Abbas and his cohorts might indeed stop inviting them to press conferences and banquets in the fancy restaurants of Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho.
**Bassam Tawil is an Arab Muslim scholar based in the Middle East.
© 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.

Mattis and Trump: The Odd Couple that Works
David Ignatius/The Washington Post/April 27/17
As President Trump nears the 100-day benchmark, it’s a good moment to examine the relationship that has evolved between the mercurial and inexperienced commander in chief and his unflappable defense secretary, Jim Mattis.
It’s an unlikely partnership, but so far it mostly seems to work. Trump may have relatively few domestic-policy accomplishments to show after three months, but he can take credit for selecting a generally solid national-security team and for listening to its advice.
Traveling with Mattis last week in the Middle East, I had a chance to watch the delicate balancing act between a media-obsessed White House and a national-security leadership that mostly would be happy to stay out of the news.
During his meetings in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel, Mattis focused on alliance issues. But the big running stories last week were about symbolic displays of US military power by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, and by dropping a massive weapon in Afghanistan whose nickname, “Mother of All Bombs,” was catnip for journalists. Mattis struggled to adapt to this ever-shifting information space, and his messaging wasn’t always clear.
Mattis is mildly eccentric by military standards, with his penchant for studying Roman philosophy in Latin and suggesting reading lists for his troops. But like every successful Marine and Army general, he is fundamentally a team player who moves with a group, rarely in isolation.
What that has meant in practice is that Mattis has bonded with Trump’s other key foreign policy advisers: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, national security adviser H.R. McMaster, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and CIA Director Mike Pompeo. This is a strong, self-confident group; there’s little of the infighting that characterizes Trump’s domestic advisers.
Mattis’ closest link, interestingly, may be with Tillerson, the ExxonMobil chief-turned-diplomat. Mattis believes that US foreign policy became overmilitarized in recent years and that a strong State Department voice is essential.
The national-security process worked well in the two-day planning and execution of a missile strike this month on a Syrian airfield. Within hours of the Syrian chemical weapons attack on its people, Mattis was framing options drawn from a list of contingency plans. The Pentagon prepared for the possibility that Russia would respond. Planners predicted an 85 percent success rate for the United States; it turned out to be closer to 95 percent.
One puzzle for Mattis these days is navigating a kaleidoscopic world at a time when the public (or, at least, the media) seeks monochromatic answers. Mattis noted in an interview during the trip that Tillerson had offered a nuanced explanation of Iranian actions (complying with the nuclear agreement but meddling in the region), but coverage had focused on the negative. Policymakers sometimes need to “hold two contrary ideas in equipoise,” he explained. “Our world is not black and white.”
An example of the interplay between diplomatic and military issues is the strategy for taking Raqqa, ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital in eastern Syria. Trump has claimed to have a “secret plan” for victory, but the actual policy debate remains complicated and unresolved. The US Central Command recommended a quick move to capture Raqqa, led by a force commanded by Syrian Kurds. The problem is that Turkey regards these Kurdish fighters, known as the YPG, as a deadly threat — and even recenlty bombed two YPG camps.
While respecting Centcom’s recommendations, and its sense of urgency, Mattis was persuaded by Tillerson and others to conduct a more careful review of policy. A quick hit on Raqqa that enraged Turkey might prove to be a tactical success but a strategic setback. The policy debate continues (though officials said Turkey would probably be warned against any more bombing of YPG positions).
What Mattis and the other former commanders bring to Trump’s national-security table, perhaps paradoxically, is a wariness of overly hasty military commitments. In the debate about stopping North Korea’s nuclear program, for example, Pentagon planners understand that the thriving metropolis of Seoul could become a gruesome, Stalingrad-like battlespace in an ill-planned conflict.
Discussing what he called the “ghastly” situation in Syria, Mattis voiced concern that “we are seeing the re-primitivization of war,” with use of chemical weapons and the bombing of children, hospitals, churches and other once-forbidden targets. “We’ve got to hold people accountable,” he insisted.
But how? A hidden drama of these first 100 days has been the interaction between the foreign policy team and a White House that’s just beginning to think about how to use US power in a dangerous world.

The Kidnap of the Qataris Is a Defeat to Iraq’s Sovereignty
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 27/17
Former Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs and Finance Hoshyar Zebari said that the kidnapping of the Qatari hunters represented a defeat for Iraq’s sovereignty and institutions, knowing that it was not the first time it had happened. Turkish workers had also been kidnapped while working on the construction of a football field in al-Sadr city in Baghdad. Both crimes were conducted by a militia affiliated with Iran.
Is it possible that, upon Iran’s directives, armed militias abduct a group of Qatari visitors who legally entered Iraq with visas and were under the protection of Iraqi security forces?
Iran-linked militia Iraqi Hezbollah dared to publically challenge the government by kidnapping Qatari civilians for 18 months and, on behalf of Iranians, negotiated their release un conditions.
Iran is doing today in Iraq what it did in Lebanon during the 1980’s. It transferred Lebanon into an arena against the West, and at the time Iranian territories were secured, Lebanon was a target for Israeli occupation, US bombardment, and the Syrian troops for looting. Until this day, Lebanon is suffering within a semi-sovereign state.
Tehran’s regime was active in Iraq over the past few years establishing multiple militias to subdue other Iraqi forces. The largest of all the militias is the Popular Mobilization Forces which became a militia equivalent to the army in order to weaken the centralized Iraqi authorities, just like it did in Lebanon.
But, can the Iranian regime abolish the Iraqi state with its enormous resources and which is larger than Lebanon and has a far more important strategic value?
Iran is trying to control Iraq in a big battle where different Iraqi parties are fighting power and dominance. This is all happening amid difficult circumstances. The government in Baghdad remains silent, avoiding confrontation without any objections to Iran’s continuous interventions and breach of sovereignty.
In case Iranian intelligence manages to control Iraqi official and other institutions, the expected result will be the division of the country.
Kurdistan region can’t remain a part of a frail state run by Tehran. Kurds have always complained that Baghdad is no longer the center of the state because of its weak institutions. Similarly, the five Sunni governorates would refuse to be under the jurisdiction of Baghdad even though over the past eight years, Iran managed to recruit several leaderships, members of parliaments and media figures of those governorates.It is not unlikely that most Iraqi voices rejecting the Iranian control and its militias in governorates of Shiite majority is because of direct control attempts.
During the years that followed the withdrawal of US troops, Iran managed to infiltrate and control the institutions of the Iraqi states. Tehran went as far to enforce its own interpretation of the Algiers border agreement between Iran and Iraq, changed the stream of Arabian Sea, and forced the Iraqi government to fund its militias in Iraq and Syria claiming they were fighting terrorist organizations.
Because of its area, Iraq won’t be as easy as Lebanon for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Weakening Baghdad will create a dangerous vacuum which will affect the region’s security, including that of Iran. Iraq is a very important country for superpowers like US and Russia and none of these countries will allow the regional countries, be it Iran or any other, to dominate Iraq without a direct or indirect confrontation. The repetitive Iranian acts of abduction and extortions in Iraq pose a clear threat to Iraq’s security, stability, and unity.

At 100 Days, Trump’s No Russian Stooge or Fascist
Eli Lake/Asharq Al Awsat/April 27/17
Before Donald Trump won the election in November we were warned: He is a Russian stooge. He is a fascist. He will upend the protocols and traditions that make governing possible. This is not normal.
Now that we are approaching the 100-day mark, it’s worth noting that the president is defying the expectations of his resistance. And while there is plenty to oppose in Trump’s young presidency, he is neither the Siberian Candidate nor the second coming of Mussolini.
Let’s start with Russia. The FBI is still investigating whether and how his campaign may have colluded with Moscow’s efforts to influence the presidential election. And yet in terms of actual policy, Trump has settled on a much tougher line with Russia than how he campaigned or in his first few weeks.
But there has been no reset. In fact it’s fair to say that Trump has been much kinder to China, Russia’s traditional Asian rival. Trump ended any chance for the multilateral trade deal with China’s neighbors known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He dropped his threat to revisit the One-China Policy that requires the US not to recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty.
More recently, he has said he won’t pursue China for currency manipulation, and tells us he is pleased by China’s cooperation against North Korea during the current nuclear crisis.
Instead, Trump is treating Russia in practice the way he promised in the campaign to deal with China. His government has supported Montenegro’s membership into NATO.
The Trump administration last week rejected a request from Exxon-Mobil to get a waiver to explore energy exploration in the Black Sea with a Russia concern, despite the fact that he chose Exxon-Mobil’s chief executive officer, Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state. You may remember him as the guy who won the Russian Order of Friendship in 2013.
Then there was the decision this month to fire 59 tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase, following the Syrian gas attack on rebel populations. Those strikes against Russia’s only real client state in the Middle East caught Moscow by surprise, and further unraveled the relationship the Kremlin had hoped to reset with Trump. A few days after the missile strike, Trump’s White House released a dossier calling out Russia’s own fake news about the Syrian gas attack.
Now, US-Russian relations are cratering. Both sides say they are at a historic low point. Russian bombers in the last week have been flying into Alaskan airspace, testing Trump’s resolve. Meanwhile, one of America’s top generals just suggested Russia was arming the terrorist Taliban.
To be sure, Trump during the campaign gave his critics something to work with on this front. He at times encouraged his supporters at rallies to do violence to protesters. He promised to bring back waterboarding “and much worse,” for terrorists captured on the battlefield. He campaigned on banning Muslims from entering the country and he promised to build a wall on the Mexican border.
The courts have rebuked him twice on the much-modified travel ban that would apply to Muslim-majority countries. His first effort to repeal and replace Obamacare failed miserably. He has yet to offer an infrastructure spending bill, tax reform or a plan to build the wall.
An added irony is that the bete noir of the anti-Trumpists, senior strategist and former Breitbart publisher Steve Bannon, is currently out of favor. Trump’s new inner circle is comprised of people like the investment banker Gary Cohn, the kind of globalists the president campaigned against.
The other set of advisers are retired generals like National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, who is seen as a check on the nationalist ideologues that so worry most of Trump’s opposition.
Traditionally, fascism is the marriage of corporate and military elites with an authoritarian leader. For Trump’s White House, however, his corporate and military advisers are steering Trump to a more traditional presidential agenda.
None of this is to say Trump is doing a great job. He has shown himself to be entirely unfamiliar with the intricacies of policy. His hostility to the press is dangerous and counterproductive.
But these flaws have not yet posed an existential threat to the republic. He has obeyed the courts, even as he has derided their decisions on twitter. He has reversed himself on Russia. And slowly but surely, he has begun to resemble something less menacing and more normal than his foes predicted.