LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 26/17
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For Today
Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11/09-13/:"‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’"

He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God
Acts of the Apostles 16/25-34/:"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 25-26/17
Trump Meets Hariri, Says Hizbullah 'Menace' to Lebanon, Entire RegionAssociated Press/July 25/17
Is Turkey scattered on all fronts/Christian Chesnot/Alarabiya/July 25/17
Not necessary to put war back on the table; Iran is at war/Hamid Bahrami/Alarabiya/July 25/17
Why some companies are more important than governments/Hussein Shobokshi/Alarabiya/July 25/17
How the Modern World Made Cowards of Us All/Arthur C. Brooks/The New York Times/July 25/17
Norway's Political Elites Cheer for Islam/Fjordman//Gatestone Institute/July 25/17
Palestinians: Abbas's Security Doubletalk/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/July 25/17
Turkey flexing military muscle in Qatar/Metin Gurcan/TranslatorTimur Göksel/July 25/17

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on July 25-26/17
Trump Meets Hariri, Says Hizbullah 'Menace' to Lebanon, Entire Region
Hariri from Washington: Lebanon's Stability, Improving Its Economy My Sole Concern
Trump, Hariri Tackle Lebanese, Regional Affairs
Mustaqbal: Hizbullah Battle Reflects Iranian Decision to Seize Control of Lebanon
Hizbullah 'Eyes IS Battle' after 'Near End' Assault against Nusra
Army boosts security measures in Arsal vicinity
Army: Gunman killed, another injured during raids in Arsal
Army Chief meets Ambassadors of Algeria, Sri Lanka
Army Commander, diplomats tackle overall situation
Army: Syrian referred to justice for allegiance to terrorists
Gen. Aoun Says Army Won't Let Syrian Camps Become 'Cover for Terrorists'
Army Kills Syrian Fugitive in Arsal Camp Shooting
Harb, Egyptian Ambassador tackle current developments
Flahaut commences official visit to Lebanon
Lebanese Social Affairs Minister: Arsal Battles Are Part of Syria’s War
Aoun meets with Lebanon's top students
Amnesty Says 'Further Investigation' Needed into Death of Syrians in Army Custody

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 25-26/17
Russia posts troops 8km from the Israeli Golan
US House Votes Tuesday to Sanction Russia, Iran, NKorea
Boycotting countries announce new list of terrorism backed by Qatar
US Navy Ship Fires Warning Shots at Iranian Vessel
Iraqi Defense Minister Denies Threatening to Use Army Against Kurdish Independence
Turkey’s Erdogan says Gulf trip ‘productive’, will continue efforts
Turkish Sources: Erdogan Did not Propose Initiative to Solve Crisis with Doha
Iraqi Defense Minister Denies Threatening to Use Army Against Kurdish Independence
Israel Removes Metal Detectors from Jerusalem’s Haram al-Sharif
Coalition waged heaviest air strike against Houthis in Sanaa and Saada
Egypt Military Says 40 Militants Killed in Campaign

Latest Lebanese Related News published on July 25-26/17
Trump Meets Hariri, Says Hizbullah 'Menace' to Lebanon, Entire Region
Associated Press/July 25/17
U.S. President Donald Trump called Hizbullah a threat to Lebanon and the entire Middle East on Tuesday, accusing it and Iran of fueling a humanitarian disaster in Syria. "Hizbullah is a menace to the Lebanese state, the Lebanese people and the entire region," Trump said at a joint press conference alongside Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the White House. "The group continues to increase its military arsenal which threatens to start yet another conflict with Israel... With the support of Iran, the organization is also fueling humanitarian catastrophe in Syria," the U.S. president added. “Lebanon is on the frontlines against the terrorism of ISIS, al-Qaida and Hizbullah,” Trump went on to say.
Asked about the possible sanctions on Hizbullah, the U.S. leader said: "I'll be making my position very clear over the next 24 hours."Trump also pledged additional support for the Lebanese army and hailed its role in the fight against IS and other terrorist groups. Hariri for his part stressed that the Lebanese government “is committed to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 as well as all UNSC resolutions.”“We also discussed the pressures Lebanon is facing as a result of 1.5 million Syrian displaced in our country,” he added. “I thanked President Trump for his support to our army and security agencies as well as his support to UNIFIL,” Hariri said at the press conference. He added: “We discussed the efforts Lebanon is making to safeguard our political and economic stability while combating terrorism.”In brief remarks before an expanded meeting with aides, Trump and Hariri had pledged to fight terrorism to the end. Hariri said he hopes the partnership between the U.S. and Lebanon against terrorism will continue until terrorists are defeated. Trump responded, "We will do that."The U.S. president also said Lebanon is winning the fight against the Islamic State group and others and that "ultimately you will win ... we have great confidence in you."Hariri had on Monday met at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington with the Lebanese staff at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, his media office said in a statement. The meeting was held in the presence of members of the Lebanese delegation, Executive Director of International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Merza Hassan, Executive Director at the IMF Hazem Beblawi and Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the IMF Jihad Azour. Hariri assured that his “only concern is to preserve Lebanon, try our best to protect its stability and improve the economy.""We are seeking to develop partnership with the bank (World Bank) to be able to improve the Lebanese economy, particularly at this difficult stage, whether in respect to growth in Lebanon or the deficit from which we are suffering in light of the presence of the displaced Syrians,” he added. The PM noted that the government is “looking for ways to create job opportunities and working on an investment plan for the infrastructure, including electricity, water, communications and all the other sectors, which will allow tourism, agriculture, industry and other sectors to develop.”
Turning to the repercussions of displaced Syrians on Lebanon's infrastructure, he said: “Before the Syrian crisis, the infrastructure in Lebanon was already worn out, and today with the one million and a half displaced Syrians you can imagine the weariness in these infrastructure. “But, we were able with the President to reach a political solution based on protecting the country from all that is happening outside and supporting the country from the inside by introducing projects related to progress,” he said. Hariri assured that despite some political differences “we agreed that this political dispute will not hinder the governmental work.” “We are also working to approve the gas and oil draft law as soon as possible and it will be ratified in parliament in the next few weeks. We also approved the salary scale with all the reforms that were included,” added the PM.“The situation in Lebanon is difficult but not impossible,” he concluded. Earlier on Monday, Hariri kicked off his official visit to the United States by meeting a number of U.S. Congress officials in Washington.

Hariri from Washington: Lebanon's Stability, Improving Its Economy My Sole Concern
Naharnet/July 25/17/Prime Minister Saad Hariri met at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington on Monday, with the Lebanese staff at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, his media office said in a statement Tuesday. The meeting was held in the presence of members of the Lebanese delegation, Executive Director of International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Merza Hassan, Executive Director at the IMF Hazem Beblawi and Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the IMF Jihad Azour.Hariri assured that his “only concern is to preserve Lebanon, try our best to protect its stability and improve the economy. We are seeking to develop partnership with the bank (World Bank) to be able to improve the Lebanese economy, particularly at this difficult stage, whether in respect to growth in Lebanon or the deficit from which we are suffering in light of the presence of the displaced Syrians.”The PM added that the government is “looking for ways to create job opportunities and working on an investment plan for the infrastructure, including electricity, water, communications and all the other sectors, which will allow tourism, agriculture, industry and other sectors to develop.”Turning to the repercussions of displaced Syrians on Lebanon's infrastructure, he said: “Before the Syrian crisis, the infrastructure in Lebanon was already worn out, and today with the one million and a half displaced Syrians you can imagine the weariness in these infrastructure. “But, we were able with the President to reach a political solution based on protecting the country from all that is happening outside and supporting the country from the inside by introducing projects related to progress,” he said. Hariri assured that despite some political differences “we agreed that this political dispute will not hinder the governmental work.”“We are also working to approve the gas and oil draft law as soon as possible and it will be ratified in parliament in the next few weeks. We also approved the salary scale with all the reforms that were included,” added the PM. “The situation in Lebanon is difficult but not impossible,” he concluded.
Earlier on Monday, Hariri kicked off his official visit to the United States by meeting a number of U.S. Congress officials in Washington. Hariri is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Trump, Hariri Tackle Lebanese, Regional Affairs
Beirut – Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is scheduled to meet on Tuesday in Washington with US President Donald Trump to discuss a number of issues concerning Lebanon, including the fight against terrorism and the support to the Lebanese Army, in addition to the new financial sanctions that the US Administration intends to impose on Hezbollah and the means to avoid their impact on the country’s banking system. On the second day of his visit to Washington, Hariri met with Administration officials and members of the Senate and Congress, with whom he tackled the situation in the country and the region, efforts to counter terrorism and Lebanon’s aspirations with regards to international and US support at this critical stage, which sees the Army fighting terrorist groups along the Lebanese borders. Hariri also met on Monday with the Lebanese staff at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In remarks on the occasion, the prime minister said: “Lebanon, as you know, is living a small miracle in a burning region. We were able to reach a kind of agreement to preserve the country especially that we see what is happening in Syria, Iraq and other Arab countries.”
“My only concern is to preserve Lebanon, try our best to protect its stability and improve the economy”, he added. He stressed the need to promote partnerships with the World Bank in order to create job opportunities and to work on investment plans for the country’s infrastructure. Meanwhile, Future Bloc MP Amin Wehbi underlined the importance of Hariri’s visit to the US, noting that it “indicates Lebanon’s central position in all international policies”.  “We study objectively and responsibly the importance of the role of Lebanon, in light of chaos sweeping many countries around the world,” he stated. Meanwhile, sources said that the US Congress would soon adopt a new legislation to impose sanctions against Hezbollah. In this regard, Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Pierre Bou Assi said that Hezbollah was part of the Iranian system. “After a big absence of the administration of former President Barack Obama from the Lebanese arena and the Middle East, President Donald Trump’s Administration came to settle things,” he stated.

Mustaqbal: Hizbullah Battle Reflects Iranian Decision to Seize Control of Lebanon
Naharnet/July 25/17/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc warned Tuesday that Hizbullah's eastern border operation reflects an “Iranian decision” to “seize control of Lebanon.”“The bloc discussed the developments of the ongoing battles in Arsal's outskirts in the face of terrorist groups, expressing dismay over Hizbullah's unilateral decision to launch the battle while bypassing the Lebanese state and its legitimate political, military and security institutions,” said Mustaqbal in a statement issued after its weekly meeting. It added: “Hizbullah's unilateral decision to wage this battle reflects the Iranian leadership's decision and its plots to seize full control of Lebanon's eastern border region, in coordination with the Syrian regime, to pave the way for seizing full control of Lebanon, subjugating its political system and turning it into one similar to the Iranian and Syrian regimes.”Accordingly, the bloc emphasized that “there is no political or national legitimacy under any excuse for Hizbullah's fighting in the eastern border region.”Mustaqbal also called on the government to seek the deployment of the Lebanese army in areas from which jihadist militants are being ousted to “enable Arsal's residents to return to their farms and run their businesses.”
It also called for utilizing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 in terms of “asking the Security Council to approve expanding the jurisdiction of UNIFIL forces to assist the Lebanese army in protecting Lebanon's eastern and northern borders, in the vein of the successful experience in the South.”Hizbullah's major offensive against al-Nusra Front has entered its fifth day and most of the Arsal outskirts region has been captured from the hands of the jihadist group. Hizbullah is expected to launch a similar operation against the jihadist Islamic State group in the border region in the near future.
Nusra and IS militants had overrun Arsal in 2014 before being ousted by the army after days of deadly battles.The two groups were also responsible for sending several bomb-laden cars and suicide bombers into Lebanon under the excuse of responding to Hizbullah's military intervention in neighboring Syria.

Hizbullah 'Eyes IS Battle' after 'Near End' Assault against Nusra
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 25/17/Hizbullah fighters have made “additional gains” in their fight against al-Nusra Front militant group along the eastern border with war-ravaged Syria, and plan to wage an assault against the Islamic State organization located on the other side of the outskirts, media reports said on Tuesday. LBCI said that Hizbullah was able to seize control on Tuesday of Wadi Kamil, Wadi Hammoudi, Makaabat al-Forn, al-Baydar, Shaabat al-Nahle and Wadi Dalil al-Barak, in Arsal's outskirts. On Monday Hizbullah said its fight against the militant groups was "nearing its end", and called on fighters to surrender. A senior Hizbullah leader told al-Joumhouria daily on Tuesday that its fighters will fight militants of the Islamic State on the other side of the outskirts after concluding their battle with Nusra. “We can say that the decision has been made, and preparations for media tours in the liberated region will begin today. But, the battle does not end here, it will be completed very soon on the other side of the outskirts occupied by the Islamic State terrorists. We are in the process of liberating the region and cleaning it of any traces of terrorists,” the Hizbullah source told the daily on condition of anonymity. Hizbullah announced a major push on Friday to clear both sides of Lebanon's border with Syria from "armed terrorists". The clashes are focused on the outskirts of Arsal, a mountainous area around the Lebanese border town of Arsal. Tens of thousands of Syrian refugees live in the town and the surrounding outskirts Arsal area, some in camps. "The battle against (former Al-Qaeda branch) Al-Nusra Front is nearing its end," Hizbullah's War Media outlet said on Monday.  "We call on all fighters left in outskirts if Arsal to save themselves by laying down their arms and surrendering to guarantee their safety," it added. Details on military developments in Arsal's outskirts are limited to Hizbullah's War Media channel as most local and international media have been barred from the area. Hizbullah, which has been fighting alongside Syrian government forces since 2013, announced the offensive on Friday morning. The clashes have killed at least one civilian, and Hizbullah has carried out funeral services for at least 18 of its fighters. The Lebanese army has not officially declared its participation in the offensive but has fired shells on "terrorists" in the area. On Monday, the army and the Lebanese Red Cross helped 79 women and children refugees fleeing Jurud Arsal camps into the town of Arsal, Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said. Security around Arsal has long been a concern, with Lebanese security forces battling jihadists in the area in 2014. Tensions boiled over again last month, when Lebanese army raids on refugee camps near Arsal were met with a string of suicide attacks and grenades that left a young girl dead. The army subsequently made dozens of arrests but announced days later that four of the detainees had died of pre-existing medical conditions, sparking allegations of torture. On Monday, a government medical committee tasked with investigating the incident concluded the "deaths were not the result of acts of violence," but of "a variety of health problems," NNA said.

Hezbollah fighters advance towards al Malahi, Wadi Hmayed
Tue 25 Jul 2017/NNA - Hezbollah fighters have advanced towards al-Malahi and Wadi Hmayed, as the battle to liberate Arsal outskirts from terrorists is nearing an end, National News Agency correspondent reported on Tuesday. The Resistance's artillery is currently pounding al-Nusra terrorists' pockets, in conjunction with a widely staged attack on all al-Nusra fronts in Wadi Hmayed. Meanwhile, Syrian warplanes are raiding al-Zamarani region on the Lebanese-Syrian borders, after negotiations between al-Nusra and Hezbollah have failed.

Army boosts security measures in Arsal vicinity
Tue 25 Jul 2017/NNA - The Lebanese army boosted its security measures in the vicinity of Arsal, to prevent the infiltration of militants from Arsal outskirts into refugee encampments or the town, NNA field reporter said on Tuesday. The army ran patrols in the eastern chain in a bid to prevent any infiltration into the Lebanese interior.This came in the wake of artillery and missile shelling by Hizbullah fighters, during the clamping down on Nusra Front militants.

Army: Gunman killed, another injured during raids in Arsal
Tue 25 Jul 2017/NNA - One Syrian fugitive belonging to a terrorist organization was killed inside a refugee encampment in Arsal during a raid effectuated by a Lebanese army patrol this afternoon, a communiqué by the military indicated on Tuesday.
"At 1:30 pm today, in the Jammala locality in the town of Arsal, and while a Lebanese army patrol was effectuating a raid in search for a fugitive belonging to a terrorist organization, an armed group opened fire at the patrol from inside a camp the fugitive had fled to. The patrol countered fire sources, killing one gunman and wounding another," the communiqué read.

Army Chief meets Ambassadors of Algeria, Sri Lanka
Tue 25 Jul 2017/NNA - Lebanese Army Chief, General Joseph Aoun, met, at his Yarze office on Tuesday, with Algerian Ambassador to Lebanon, Ahmed Bouziane, with whom he discussed the current situation in the country and the broader Arab region. Later on, General Aoun held similar talks with Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Wijeratne Mendis. Aoun also met today with former army commander, General Jean Qahwaji, with talks touching on most recent developments. A delegation of the Lebanese-Canadian Club, and former chairman of Télé Liban Talal Maqdessi have also visited General Aoun.

Army Commander, diplomats tackle overall situation
Tue 25 Jul 2017/NNA - Army Commander Joseph Aoun on Tuesday met respectively at his Yarzeh office with Algerian Ambassador to Lebanon, Ahmed Bouziane, and Sri Lankan Ambassador to Lebanon, Wijeraten Mendis, with talks reportedly touching on the general situation in Lebanon and the broader region. General Aoun also met with former Army Commander General Jean Kahwaji, with the current developments featuring high on their talks.

Army: Syrian referred to justice for allegiance to terrorists
Tue 25 Jul 2017/NNA - The Army Intelligence Directorate has referred Diab Turki al-Ali, Syrian, to the competent court for belonging to terrorist groups and partaking in the 2014 attack on the Lebanese army in Arsal, a communiqué by the Lebanese military indicated on Tuesday. Al-Ali had joined al-Nusra Front before swearing allegiance to Daesh.

Gen. Aoun Says Army Won't Let Syrian Camps Become 'Cover for Terrorists'
Naharnet/July 25/17/Army Commander General Joseph Aoun on Tuesday stressed that the military will not allow the Syrian refugee encampments in the country to turn into “a cover for terrorists.”“While abiding by human rights standards, the army will not allow the camps to turn into a cover for terrorists that would allow them to secretly plot terrorist operations against targets inside the country,” Aoun emphasized during an inspection visit to the Air Forces Command in Ain el-Rummaneh. He also noted that the army's effort is currently focused on “protecting the residents of Arsal, the border villages and the refugee settlements from infiltration attempts by the terrorists, and on coordinating with the international Red Cross and the Lebanese Red Cross to offer medical and food aid to the refugees.” Commenting on the latest arrests at the Syrian refugee encampments, the army chief said the detainees comprised “50 dangerous terrorists, some of whom were masterminds and participants in the abduction of troops and the attack on the Arsal technical school during the August 2014 clashes.”More than 350 Syrians were arrested during recent army raids on two refugee encampments in and around Arsal, in a crackdown that witnessed suicide and grenade attacks against army troops that left seven of them wounded.

Army Kills Syrian Fugitive in Arsal Camp Shooting
Naharnet/July 25/17/Syrian fugitive Youssef Nouh, 22, was killed Tuesday during an army raid in the al-Sanabel Syrian refugee encampment in the border town of Arsal, state-run National News Agency reported. “An exchange of gunfire erupted when Nouh tried to escape,” NNA said. The agency noted that the man belonged to the jihadist al-Nusra Front group and was “one of those who had fled from the outskirts” of the town.His body was transferred to the al-Rahma hospital in the area. The development comes amid the fifth day of a major Hizbullah offensive aimed at ousting al-Nusra from Arsal's outskirts.

Harb, Egyptian Ambassador tackle current developments
Tue 25 Jul 2017/NNA - MP Boutors Harb met on Tuesday at his Hazmieh office with Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Nazih al-Najjari, with whom he discussed most recent developments in Lebanon and the broader region, including the situation in Arsal. Bilateral relations between Lebanon and Egypt also featured high on their talks. On the other hand, MP Harb said that he is awaiting the government's position on the alleged violations committed in the power barges deal.

Flahaut commences official visit to Lebanon
Tue 25 Jul 2017/NNA - The Honorary President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, Andre Flahaut, arrived on Tuesday afternoon at Rafic Hariri International Airport, starting an official visit to Lebanon. Greeting him at the Airport had been House Speaker Nabih Berri's Representative MP Michel Moussa, Belgian Embassy Charge d'Affaires in Lebanon and senior Embassy staff. The Belgian official shall hold talks with President of the Republic Michel Aoun, House Speaker Nabih Berri, and Progressive Socialist Party head MP Walid Jumblatt. Flahaut shall also inspect several Syrian refugee camps and will visit the towns of Tibneen and Ehden. Flahaut's itinerary also includes the signature of a twinning agreement between Ehden and the Belgian city of Tubise. The Belgian politician will also visit Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rahi at Diman patriarchal summer residence.

Lebanese Social Affairs Minister: Arsal Battles Are Part of Syria’s War
Asharq Al-Awsat English/July 25/17/Beirut – Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Pierre Bou Assi said on Monday that battles taking place along the borders with Syria were part of Syria’s war. In an interview with LBCI, the minister said: “The battles currently taking place at the border between Lebanon and Syria are part of what is happening in Syria and come within the framework of the regional battle.” He also stressed that the Lebanese Forces have always called for the demarcation of the border and there has always been a rejection by Bashar al-Assad’s regime. “We are only concerned with the decisions taken by the Lebanese government and implemented by the security services, and we look at what is going on in Arsal mountains from the perspective of Lebanon’s interest and not from the perspective of Hezbollah,” the minister said, stressing “absolute support for the Lebanese Army only,” and calling to “hand over to the State any illegal weapons.” Meanwhile, the Future Movement lashed out at those who “warned against criticizing Hezbollah’s engagement in the Arsal battles.”In a statement issued on Monday, the movement said: “The Future Movement, which regrets political opposition to the annexation of Lebanon to the Syrian war, affirms its principled position — which it shall never back from — and its attachment to the Lebanese army and security forces’ legitimacy in their capacity as an exclusive tool to defend Lebanon and the Lebanese people, and the protection of the border.”“The Future Movement, which is saddened by the fall of many Lebanese youths in the midst of wars that only serve the Iranian-Syrian axis, renews its call to rally around the Lebanese army and the other legitimate forces,” the statement added.

Aoun meets with Lebanon's top students
The Daily Star/ July 25/17/BEIRUT: President Michel Aoun on Monday urged students who scored top marks in official exams not to settle on their accomplishments, but to push hard to the next level in their education. The roads of education and culture are “without end,” and both complement each other, Aoun said, addressing students who scored the top three marks in Grade 9 and Grade 12 official exams. He urged them to consider this stage as a starting point as they embark on their journeys to university. “You are the elite and you will act as a model for the Lebanese in the future,” he said. Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh thanked Aoun for taking the time to meet with the students despite his busy schedule and his commitment to follow-up on the latest security and military situation. “This is a clear indicator on the status of the youth among your priorities,” he said.

Amnesty Says 'Further Investigation' Needed into Death of Syrians in Army Custody
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 25/17/The Lebanese authorities must “disclose the full findings of their investigation” into the deaths of four Syrian detainees, Amnesty International said Tuesday, after the country’s military prosecutor revealed Monday that a forensic report concluded that they had died of “natural causes.”The men died after they were arrested in a military raid in the town of Arsal on June 30. Forensic analysis of photographs showing the bodies of three of the four deceased men, commissioned by Amnesty International, reveals “signs of recent beatings and trauma to the head, legs and arms suggesting they may have been tortured,” Amnesty said in a statement. “It is extremely important for the full findings of the forensic report commissioned by the military prosecutor to be made public and accessible to the lawyers and families of the victims,” said Lynn Maalouf, Middle East Research Director at Amnesty International.“Independent forensic analysis of photographs of the bodies obtained by Amnesty International raise serious questions about whether these men faced torture or other ill-treatment while in custody. International standards require that the full details of the official forensic report be disclosed. If torture is deemed the cause of death, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) must take the necessary steps to bring those responsible to justice, in a fair trial,” she added. Prior to Monday’s announcement, a statement issued by the LAF on July 4 said the four men – Anas Hussein al-Hasiki, Mustafa Abdul Karim Absi, Khaled Hussein al-Mlais and Othman Merhi al-Mlais -- had died of “chronic diseases aggravated by climate conditions.”According to information obtained by MTV, the military prosecutor's report says climate conditions contributed to worsening the detainees' pre-existing conditions.
“Al-Mlais died of respiratory problems, al-Hasiki was addicted to the ecstasy psychoactive drug and died of a heat stroke, al-Absi died of lung disease and pneumonia aggravated by his presence in an extremely hot place, and Mlais died of a sudden heart attack after he went through thermal and physical stress,” MTV quoted the report as saying. Amnesty International saw reports by a forensic doctor at Riyaq Hospital dated 1 and 2 July 2017 saying that the two men “died of heart attacks and one of a stroke and that their bodies showed no signs of physical violence.”
“Both these reports and the statement made by the military prosecutor that the men died of 'natural causes' are inconsistent with Amnesty International’s findings,” the organization said in its statement. According to information gathered by Amnesty International one of the deceased Syrian men, Anas Hussein al-Hasiki, was arrested from his flat outside al-Qariya camp during the raids. “He was taken to Riyaq detention center where he was repeatedly beaten by soldiers in front of other detainees. According to eye-witness accounts, he was severely beaten on three separate occasions, losing consciousness each time,” Amnesty said. “The final time, the soldiers beating him tried to wake him up by forcing water down his mouth but were unable to revive him. He died a couple of hours later,” it added.
Efforts by lawyers representing the families of three of the deceased men to find out their causes of death were “quashed by military officials,” Amnesty lamented. “Despite the lawyers receiving a court order for another forensic doctor to examine the bodies and analyze medical samples, the samples were confiscated from the lawyer by Military Intelligence on 6 July,” it pointed out. The military prosecution later announced that it had opened its own investigation and had assigned three forensic doctors to examine the bodies. However, the lawyers representing the families “were never informed of the results of the examinations,” the organization said. “Neither they nor the families have been given a copy of the forensic report completed by the three forensic doctors,” it noted. Amnesty urged Lebanese authorities to “ensure an impartial investigation into the deaths of the four men in custody, in addition to other allegations of arbitrary arrest and detention and torture and other ill-treatment.” “Suspected perpetrators must be immediately suspended from carrying out military operations pending the conclusion of these investigations,” it said. “While we understand the Lebanese authorities’ duty to counter security threats and to protect the population from deadly attacks, they must do so while respecting the human rights protections set out in international law, as well as ensuring accountability for any human rights violations committed by army or security officers,” Amnesty urged.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 25-26/17
Russia posts troops 8km from the Israeli Golan
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report July 25, 2017/Russia has quietly moved troops to a point in southern Syria that is 8km from Israel’s Golan border, in the face of Israeli objections, debkafile reports exclusively. Moscow used the uproar over the Temple Mount standoff and the diplomatic crisis between Israel and Jordan to cover its creeping troop deployment almost up do Syria's borders with Israel and Jordan. debkafile’s military sources report that some 800 Russian troops face Israel and another 400 are positioned on the border with Jordan. They have set up a roadblock east of Quneitra 8km from Israeli positions on the Golan. They have also strung an additional four to six lookout posts, some of them 13km from Israeli military positions, along the 64km Syrian-Israeli border - from Mount Hermon in the north, up to a point south of Qunetra in the south. Most of the Russian troops were recruited in Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, republics known for their Muslim extremist activity. Israel has repeatedly objected to the proximity of this Russian military presence, and asked the Trump administration to prevent it. But the protests from Jerusalem went unheeded in Washington and Moscow. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary James Mattis regard the creation of US-Russian sponsored ceasefire zones in southwestern Syria as an essential component of their military cooperation in Syria and the war on ISIS.
debkafile’s military sources report that, on Monday, July 24, Moscow announced the Russian deployment after the fact in messages to Washington, Jerusalem and Amman. They were all too engrossed in coping with the crises that had sprung up over Temple Mount and in relations between Jerusalem and Amman to pay much attention to this Russian fait accompli. According to the announcement by Col.-Gen Sergey Rudskoy, Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff, the Russian units were in already in place on July 21 and 22: “We informed our colleagues from the United States, Jordan and Israel, through military diplomatic channels in advance of the deployment of the Russian-controlled forces around the perimeter of the de-escalation zone in southern Syria,” he wrote. debkafile recalls that the Russians brought into embattled Daraa earlier this month to monitor the first ceasefire zone did not require Hizballah to withdraw. Iran’s Lebanese proxy is still there. Israel fears that Hizballah will repeat this exercise in the second ceasefire zone and establish a presence opposite the Golan without the Russians raising a finger to keep them out.

US House Votes Tuesday to Sanction Russia, Iran, NKorea
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 25/17/The US House of Representatives votes Tuesday to slap new sanctions against Russia, a move that limits President Donald Trump's ability to tinker with the penalties and has also triggered uproar in Moscow and Europe. The legislation, which is the result of a congressional compromise reached at the weekend and is aimed at punishing the Kremlin for meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and Russia's annexation of Crimea, could end up penalizing European firms that contribute to the development of Russia's energy sector. New sanctions against Iran and North Korea for their actions on or testing of ballistic missiles are also included in the bill. Key among the provisions is one that handcuffs the US president by making it difficult for him to unilaterally ease penalties against Moscow in the future -- effectively placing him under Congress's watch. Initially, Trump resisted the legislation. But faced with near-total consensus among Republican and Democratic lawmakers, the White House blinked. In mid-June, the Senate voted 98-2 in favor of tough sanctions on Moscow and Tehran, but the text stalled in the House. Now that an agreement was reached Saturday, the House vote could be similarly overwhelming. The measure would then return to the Senate for final passage, likely before summer break in mid-August. The bill includes sanctions against Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which stands accused of supporting terrorism, and North Korea, for its missile tests.
"I am pleased to see the Congress work as a whole to hold Iran, Russia, and North Korea accountable for their continued destabilizing activities across the world," Democratic Senator Robert Menendez said in a statement. The bill also "sends a clear message to the president that Congress is prepared to act with a united voice," he added.While the commander in chief has called for improved relations with Russia and President Vladimir Putin, the White House has said Trump backs sanctions on Russia.
But it did not say directly that Trump would sign the bill.
"He's going to study that legislation and see what the final product looks like," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters Monday on Air Force One. US lawmakers, including Republican leaders, have remained wary of the intentions of the billionaire businessman-turned-president regarding a relaxation of pressure on Putin. Even if Trump ended up vetoing the legislation, Congress would likely be able to overcome such a blockage with a two-thirds majority in each chamber. - Russia, Europe alarmed -The Kremlin on Monday warned that fresh sanctions on Russia would hit the interests of both sides.
"We consider such a continuation of the rhetoric of sanctions counter-productive and harmful to the interests of both countries," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.  From Paris to Berlin the sanctions bill was seen as Washington's unilateral action that disrupts a carefully crafted order. To date, sanctions against Russia have been coordinated on both sides of the Atlantic, so the Western bloc appeared united. "For us, G7 unity regarding sanctions is of key importance as it is the respect of implementation of Minsk agreement," European Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has signalled that the European Union would be prepared to respond. Several European nations including Germany are livid because the new law would allow the punishment of companies engaged with pipelines from Russia, for example by limiting their access to US banks.
The provision could theoretically pave the way for sanctions against the European partners in Nord Stream 2, a project to build a pipeline carrying Russian gas across the Baltic which could boost supplies to Germany from 2019. Such partners include France's Engie, Germany's Uniper and Wintershall, Austrian firm OMV and the Anglo-Dutch Shell. To date, Washington and Brussels had agreed that sanctions would not affect Europe's gas supply. In an apparent concession, the House slightly modified a provision so that the bill only targets pipelines originating in Russia, sparing those which merely pass through Russia, such as the Caspian pipeline which carries oil from Kazakhstan to Europe.

Boycotting countries announce new list of terrorism backed by Qatar
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 25 July 2017
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt declare that in their firm and solid commitment to fight terrorism, cut off sources of funding, prosecute those who are involved in it, combat extremist ideologies and hate speech incubators; and in continuous assessment, the four countries have announced the designation of 9 entities and 9 individuals on the lists of terrorist groups:
Entities:
1-AL- Balagh Charitable Foundation - Yemen
2-Al-Ihsan Charitable Society – Yemen
3-Rahma Charitable Organization – Yemen
4-Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council– Libya
5-Al-Saraya Media Center– Libya
6-Boshra News Agency – Libya
7-Rafallah Sahati Brigade – Libya
8-Nabaa TV – Libya
9-Tanasuh Foundation for Dawa, Culture and Media – Libya
Individuals:
1-Khalid Saeed al-Bounein (Qatari Citizen)
2-Shaqer Jummah al-Shahwani (Qatari Citizen)
3-Saleh bin Ahmed al-Ghanim (Qatari Citizen)
4-Hamid Hamad Hamid al-Ali (Kuwaiti Citizen)
5-Abdullah Mohammed al-Yazidi (Yemeni Citizen)
6-Ahmed Ali Ahmed Baraoud (Yemeni Citizen)
7-Mohammed Bakr al-Dabaa (Yemeni Citizen)
8-Al-Saadi Abdullah Ibrahim Bukhazem (Libyan Citizen)
9-Ahmed Abd al-Jaleel al-Hasnawi (Libyan Citizen)
The terrorist activities of the aforementioned entities and individuals have direct and indirect ties with the Qatari authorities.
The three Qatari individuals on the list, along with a Kuwaiti individual, have engaged in fund-raising campaigns to support Al- Nusra Front and other terrorist militias in Syria. The three Yemeni individuals and the three organizations in Yemen, have provided support to al-Qaeda, and have conducted actions on its behalf, mainly by using significant funding from Qatari charities, which are designated by the four states as terrorist entities. The two Libyan individuals and the six terrorist entities, affiliated with terrorist groups in Libya, have received substantial financial support from the Qatari authorities and played an active role in spreading chaos and devastation in Libya, despite serious international concern over the destructive impact of such practices.
While noting that the Qatari authorities had previously signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States to stop terror financing and then announced that it was amending its terror combating laws, the four states consider this step, even if it is a submission to the tough demands to combat terrorism and one of many awaited steps to achieve the Qatari authorities' return to the right track, not enough.
Qatar's 2004 law neither led to combating extremism, terrorism, hate speech, nor did it end its financing and harboring of extremist individuals and groups. To the contrary, these individuals and groups have expanded their presence and activity in and through Doha. The Qatari authorities have a long history in breaking all signed and binding agreements and legal obligations, the latest of which was the 2013 Riyadh Agreement and the 2014 Supplemental Agreement. Moreover, it continued harboring terrorists, financing attacks and promoting hate speech and extremism.
The next long awaited practical step is taking an urgent action by the Qatari authorities to make legal and practical actions to prosecute terrorist and extremist individuals and entities, especially those on this current list and the previous one, which was announced on the 8th of June 2017 so as to confirm the credibility of its seriousness in renouncing terrorism and extremism, and its engagement in the international community fighting terrorism. To that end, the four states, along with their international partners, will monitor the Qatari authorities' commitment in not harboring terrorist, supporting and financing terrorism, ending promoting of extremist and hate speech, and financing of extremists inside and outside Qatar.
The four countries also affirm the continuation of their current measures, and possible future measures that might be taken, until the Qatari authorities are committed to fulfilling all the just demands, which ensure countering terrorism and maintaining security and stability in the region.
United Nations Security ...

US Navy Ship Fires Warning Shots at Iranian Vessel
Asharq Al-Awsat English/July 25/17/A United States Navy patrol ship fired warning shots at an Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessel in the Persian Gulf Tuesday after it approached within 137 meters, a US defense official said. “The IRGCN boat was coming in at a high rate of speed. It did not respond to any signals, they did not respond to any bridge-to-bridge calls, they felt there was no choice except to fire the warning shots,” the defense official told AFP on condition of anonymity. According to AFP, the firing occurred at about 3:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) in the northern Persian Gulf, when the Iranian vessel began to approach the USS Thunderbolt. After the US ship fired the warning shots, the Iranian vessel stopped, the official said, at which point the Thunderbolt continued on her way. The episode marks the latest in a series of close encounters between US ships and Iranian naval vessels. In January, the USS Mahan destroyer fired warning shots at four Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels that approached at high speed in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards are a paramilitary force that answers directly to the Islamic republic’s supreme leader.

Iraqi Defense Minister Denies Threatening to Use Army Against Kurdish Independence
Asharq Al-Awsat English/July 25/17/Erbil- Iraqi Defense Minister Erfan al-Hayali denied news reports that he had threatened that the Iraqi army would interfere if the Kurdistan Region held a referendum and declared independence. He told Rudaw that the issue of the referendum is “political” in nature and therefore the Iraqi army and his defense ministry are out of it. Following his recent visit to Tehran and meeting with the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani, Iranian news outlet, IRNA, quoted Hayali as saying that the Iraqi army would intervene to “prevent any attempts or illegal measures aimed at dividing the country.” It was believed he was referring to the possible establishment of a Kurdish State once the referendum, scheduled for Sep. 25, 2017, is held. “The comments published under my name are far from the truth. We, as the military will not interfere in political affairs in the country, and we have not discussed this issue at all in the meeting.” He highlighted the fruitful cooperation between the Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS in Mosul. Along with senior army commanders, he often stressed the need to distance the Iraqi army from internal conflicts, especially those related to politics.On the other hand, Badr Organization Secretary General Hadi al-Ameri warned Monday from Kurdistan independence referendum, noting that division would lead to civil war.
“No territory and no split, and Iraq will remain unified because we believe that split will lead to civil war,” Ameri added.He then wondered where are the borders of Sunni or Shiite or Kurdish areas.

Turkey’s Erdogan says Gulf trip ‘productive’, will continue efforts
Reuters, Dubai Tuesday, 25 July 2017/Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday described his trip to the Gulf to deal with the Qatar crisis as “productive and successful”, following two days of talks that appeared to yield no immediate progress towards healing the rift. “The visits on the Gulf tour were productive and successful,” Erdogan told lawmakers from his ruling AK Party at a parliamentary meeting. “The contacts we have made during this visit have been useful, and we will continue our efforts for the stability and peace of the region with increasing determination.” Erdogan left Qatar on Monday after two days in the Gulf trying to mediate in the worst row among Arab states for years but there was no sign he had made any progress. Turkey has been Qatar’s most powerful ally in the dispute.

Turkish Sources: Erdogan Did not Propose Initiative to Solve Crisis with Doha
Asharq Al-Awsat English/July 25/17/Riyadh- Asharq Al-Awsat learned that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not present any initiative or mediation role to solve the current Gulf crisis during his meeting with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz in Jeddah on Monday. Yet, he stressed the importance of the unity of the GCC countries and the possibility to solve all problems through dialogue. The Turkish President’s meeting with the Saudi King was positive, according to what senior Turkish officials told Asharq Al-Awsat, noting that he stressed the continued development of bilateral relations in all fields and that relations were not affected by the current Qatari crisis. King Salman held a talking session with Erdogan at al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, and the two parties reviewed developments in the region and efforts exerted to combat terrorism and its sources of funding, in addition to the bilateral relations. In this context, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Erdogan and reviewed bilateral relations and means of developing them in addition to the latest developments in the region, especially means to combat terrorism. Erdogan voiced his support for mediation efforts being led by Kuwait and said initiatives underway to resolve the crisis through dialogue should continue, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. The Turkish president arrived in Jeddah, west of Saudi Arabia, Sunday noon as part of a two-day Gulf tour to mediate a solution to the crisis with Qatar. He left Jeddah on Sunday evening for Kuwait to meet with Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah in his second stop before heading to Qatar Monday as part of his efforts to resolve the current crisis. Erdogan left Doha Monday afternoon at the end of his talks with Qatari officials.

Iraqi Defense Minister Denies Threatening to Use Army Against Kurdish Independence
Asharq Al-Awsat English/July 25/17/Erbil- Iraqi Defense Minister Erfan al-Hayali denied news reports that he had threatened that the Iraqi army would interfere if the Kurdistan Region held a referendum and declared independence. He told Rudaw that the issue of the referendum is “political” in nature and therefore the Iraqi army and his defense ministry are out of it. Following his recent visit to Tehran and meeting with the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani, Iranian news outlet, IRNA, quoted Hayali as saying that the Iraqi army would intervene to “prevent any attempts or illegal measures aimed at dividing the country.”It was believed he was referring to the possible establishment of a Kurdish State once the referendum, scheduled for Sep. 25, 2017, is held.“The comments published under my name are far from the truth. We, as the military will not interfere in political affairs in the country, and we have not discussed this issue at all in the meeting.”He highlighted the fruitful cooperation between the Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS in Mosul. Along with senior army commanders, he often stressed the need to distance the Iraqi army from internal conflicts, especially those related to politics. On the other hand, Badr Organization Secretary General Hadi al-Ameri warned Monday from Kurdistan independence referendum, noting that division would lead to civil war. “No territory and no split, and Iraq will remain unified because we believe that split will lead to civil war,” Ameri added. He then wondered where are the borders of Sunni or Shiite or Kurdish areas.

Israel Removes Metal Detectors from Jerusalem’s Haram al-Sharif
Asharq Al-Awsat English/July 25/17/Israeli authorities removed on Tuesday the metal detectors from the holy Haram al-Sharif mosque compound after their installation had triggered days of clashes with angry Palestinians. Despite the removal of the offending equipment, Muslim officials said worshippers should continue a boycott for now. The government said it would introduce subtler measures instead to secure the compound, which houses the revered Al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock, following a deadly attack on Israeli police nearby. Israel’s security cabinet took the decision to remove the detectors early on Tuesday. They decided “to change the inspection with metal detectors to a security inspection based on advanced technologies and other means,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. Details of the advanced technologies the cabinet envisaged were not immediately clear.
A statement from the Waqf, the Islamic endowments organization which administers the compound, said there should be “no entry into Al-Aqsa mosque until after an assessment by a Waqf technical committee and the return of the situation to how it was before the 14th of this month.” A work crew removed the metal detectors from one entrance to the compound in the early hours, and cameras installed on overhead bridges in recent days were also gone, an AFP correspondent reported. Dozens of Israeli security personnel stood quietly outside the entrance, where Muslims have prayed for days in protest at the metal detectors. A small group of women prayed outside. One of them, Widad Ali Nasser, said they would “not enter the Al-Aqsa mosque until the situation returns to how it was before … without surveillance cameras, without searches, without metal detectors.” The women later held a small demonstration, chanting they would “sacrifice their soul and blood for Al-Aqsa.”Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged all Muslims to visit Jerusalem to protect the holy places. “From here I make a call to all Muslims. Anyone who has the opportunity should visit Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa mosque,” Erdogan said in Ankara. “Come, let’s all protect Jerusalem.”“They are attempting to take the mosque from Muslim hands on the pretext of fighting terrorism. There is no other explanation,” Erdogan said in a speech to ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmakers in parliament. He said Israel’s legitimacy rested on the extent of the respect it showed to Palestinians and their rights. Israel installed metal detectors at entrances to the compound after an attack nearby that killed two policemen on July 14. Palestinians viewed the new security measures as Israel asserting further control over the site. They refused to enter the compound in protest and prayed in the streets outside instead. Israeli authorities said the metal detectors were needed because the July 14 attackers smuggled guns into the compound and emerged from it to shoot the officers. The decision to remove the metal detectors followed talks between Netanyahu and Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who demanded they be taken away. Jordan is the official custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem and is one of only two Arab governments to have signed a peace treaty with Israel. It also came after one of US President Donald Trump’s top aides, Jason Greenblatt, arrived in Israel for talks on the crisis and with UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov warning of the risks of escalation.

Coalition waged heaviest air strike against Houthis in Sanaa and Saada
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 25 July 2017/In the last few hours, the Arab Coalition fighters launched the heaviest aerial bombardment against Houthi targets, military sites and barracks of the militias in the capital Sanaa and the governorates of Saada and Amran in northern Yemen. According to local sources in Sanaa, a national security camp located in the north-east suburb of the capital was bombed with five raids at dawn along with the Republican Guard camp south of the capital which was bombed with three raids by the coalition aircrafts. In Saada, the main stronghold of the Houthi militia, the coalition aircrafts targeted dozens of raids against Houthi locations in the districts of Zaher, Shada, Sahar, Saqin and Ghamr as well as al-Salem and al-Baqaa in the Kitaf district and Jaamala area in the district of Majz. It also targeted militia barracks in Saada city, including the government compound building, the Special Security Forces camp, and the Sifi camp. In Amran governorate, Coalition fighters targeted vital sites and militia compounds in the Directorate of Al-Madan, a communications station in the Huth Directorate, leadership centers in the government building compound in Bani Suraim District, the vocational institute in Khamar city and the Ninth Brigade camp in Amran.

Egypt Military Says 40 Militants Killed in Campaign
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 25/17/Egypt's military said on Tuesday it has killed more than 40 extremists in a wide-ranging campaign in the Sinai Peninsula where the Islamic State group has been waging a deadly insurgency. The announcement came a day after seven civilians were killed in a foiled attack on a checkpoint with an explosives-laden car. An army tank had intercepted the vehicle and driven over it, almost flattening it, before the explosives went off, according to a video released by the army. The Islamic State group has waged deadly attacks on the military and police, most recently on a checkpoint in Sinai on July 7 that killed at least 21 soldiers. But the military, which killed the leader of the group's affiliate in Egypt last year, says it is closing in on the jihadists. It said in a statement on Tuesday that "40 extremists" have been killed in the week-long campaign against the militants. A military source told AFP that soldiers were staying put in locations they cleared of the militants, rather than withdrawing as in past campaigns. "After storming terrorist hideouts, the soldiers are staying there," the source, who requested anonymity, told AFP."The terrorist elements are fleeing and leaving their weapons behind," he added.Jihadists launched an insurgency in Sinai after the military overthrew the divisive Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. They have maintained a steady war of attrition with sniper attacks and roadside bombings.But unlike their parent organization in Iraq and Syria, they have been unable to seize population centers in the peninsula bordering Israel and Gaza.

Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 25-26/17
Is Turkey scattered on all fronts?
Christian Chesnot/Alarabiya/July 25/17
To say that the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are upraising both internally and externally is an understatement. One year after the failed coup in July 2016, Turkey is present on all diplomatic and military fronts. Ankara has long stated that it is has a necessary role in the resolution of the crises that agitate the Middle East. President Erdogan has even become a mediator between Qatar, which now houses a Turkish military base, and its Gulf neighbors. However, this diplomatic activism of Ankara hides an accumulation of setbacks and missteps to the point that one can ask the question: does Turkey still pursue a coherent and rational regional and international strategy? Instead, we have the impression that Turkey is escaping its problems without actually solving them with a diplomacy that has lost its composure. It seems that the times of former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, a theoretician of the AKP's neo-Ottoman diplomacy who developed the concept of “zero problem with his neighbors” are dead and gone. Today, itis rather 100 percent neighborhood problems! Meanwhile, Turkey has fallen into the Syrian trap. Ankara wanted to create a broad security zone on its border with Syria which proved to be a big failure. Ankara’s ambitions were blocked by a tactical alliance between Bashar al-Assad’s army and the Kurds of the PPU, of the Syrian branch of the PKK. The fall of Aleppo in December 2016 buried the last Turkish illusions. The Syrian Rai is still in power in Damascus while Erdogan wanted his head. Furthermore, the Kurdish fact in Syria has become an unavoidable reality. In their three cantons of the Rojava (Afrin-Kobané-Jezireh), the Kurds, sworn enemies of Ankara, control about 36,000 square kilometers, more than three times the size of Lebanon. Certainly, they have failed to establish territorial continuity, but since they are backed by the West and the Russians, they succeeded in keeping Erdogan and his army up at night!
Erdogan continues to play on the strategic position of his country, as a link between Europe and Asia
The Iraq front
In Iraq, Turkey wanted to take advantage of the situation. It has the Bachika base in the north-east of Mosul, which is aimed to protect the Turkmen minority. Again, Ankara’s interventionism is likely to fail. After the resumption of Mosul, the government of Baghdad will not tolerate this Turkish base on its soil. Iraqi leaders have yet to digest this unilateral settlement on their territory. Decidedly, the Turkish military bases are giving hives to many people! The Incerlik base in south-eastern Turkey, from where the coalition planes took off to strike ISIS, is also a source of problems. The Americans had to wait several months before obtaining permission to use it. The Pentagon will surely remember this in the future. As for Germany, it has decided to leave Incerlik and to have its Surveillance aircraft take off from Azrak (H5) in Jordan. The most worrying news for Turkey today, although a member of NATO, is that it is no longer considered a reliable partner by Westerners. The latest incident consisted of the disclosure of the positions of the American and French Special Forces in northern Syria by the Anadolu news agency. Behind the scenes, Washington and Paris are furious. As for Germany, Ankara’s main European economic partner, the crisis has now exploded into the open, so much so that the German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble compared Turkey to the former GDR! The Large-scale human rights violations, more than 100 incarcerated journalists – and the totalitarian abuses of President Erdogan have long degraded the image of the country abroad. Fragile on its eastern borders, Turkey must now mourn its integration into the European Union. The Europeans did not appreciate Ankara’s blackmail offer in the crisis of the Syrian refugees. Erdogan continues to play on the strategic position of his country, as a link between Europe and Asia. He underestimates the massive rejection he provokes in European public opinion. In the years of 2000 at the height of his power, he was considered a “model”. Today, he has become a source of repulsion. In the nineteenth century, the Ottoman Empire was referred to as the “sick man” of Europe. At the beginning of the 21st century, History seems to repeat itself.

Not necessary to put war back on the table; Iran is at war
Hamid Bahrami/Alarabiya/July 25/17
Two years have passed since the signing of the ineffective nuclear agreement between world powers and Tehran, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). For those who are familiar with the theocracy in Iran, it is a known fact that all foreign policy in Iran are decided by the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. This is even true in the case of the highly promoted nuclear deal. It is worth noting that before and during the negotiations, Khamenei, said that Oman had a key role in breaking the ice between Iran and the US. Thus, it is naive to think that the new president, Hassan Rouhani, was the one who changed the 10-year-long stalemate. Iran has an abundance of oil, gas and others natural resources, hence, using nuclear energy is both expensive and controversial. Independent experts acknowledge that Iran’s goal of maintaining a nuclear program is to produce nuclear weapon. However, Iran has consistently refused these views and claims that its program is of a peaceful nature.
Regional hegemony
It is worth pointing out that having a nuclear warhead will guarantee Iran’s regional hegemony. Therefore, Iran has consistently tried to achieve it. Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former Iranian president and one of the pillars of the Islamic Republic who died last year, said that Iran was trying to make nuclear bomb. “When we first began, we were at war and we sought to have that possibility for the day that the enemy might use a nuclear weapon”, he said in an interview. Consequently, the regime in Tehran sought nuclear weapons in order to tilt the balance of power in the region in its favor. The West imposed comprehensive sanctions against Iran targeting its finance sector and its selling of oil. These intelligent punitive measures exacerbated the Iranian economy that already suffered greatly from decades of economic mismanagement and widespread corruption, to the point of destruction, according to statistics from Iran’s own Central bank. The inflation was over 30 percent in 2013. Iranian authorities confess that the greatest threat to theocracy is not a foreign enemy, like the US, but popular protests, especially by the disenfranchised poor people and youth . Economic poverty put immense pressure on the Iranian middle class, the Iranian government even tried to redefine the base basket of food (government subsidies to the Iranian middle class) to control the inflation. Rouhani's government even started to distribute especial food baskets. The regime’s National Security Council warned about hungry rebellion. Salaries of labors was unpaid and economic deadlock brought the government to its knees. Although, Iran’s goal of making nuclear weapon was in reach and Tehran increased its intervention in the region, the economic crisis threatened the theocracy's very existence. Consequently, the Supreme Leader ordered his officials to start the negotiation with the West. This was president Obama giving artificial respiration to Tehran.
After the agreement
The sanctions aimed at stopping Iran’s nuclear program. According to the JCPOA, Iran must redesign and rebuild its heavy-water reactor in Arak. It means that Iran’s abilities to develop and produce nuclear weapon is intensively limited for years. Some experts, diplomats and government officials argue that the sanctions achieved their goal. But at that time, the JCPOA did not include the rest of Iran’s threatening and destabilizing activities such as its ballistic missile program, dispatch of tens of thousands of militias and paramilitary forces to Syria. The JCPOA did neither addressed the appalling human rights situation in Iran.
Iran and violation of agreement
A conditional approval was published by the Supreme Leader Khamenei with regard to Tehran agreeing to the JCPOA. The document contained several conditions. One of the conditions was about new sanctions after signing of the agreement, it said that “Any sanctions against Iran at every level and on any pretext, including terrorism and human rights violations, by any one of the countries participating in the negotiations will constitute a violation of the JCPOA, and a reason for Iran to stop executing the agreement.”Considering that US has imposed several sanctions on Iran after the deal, one must ask the following question, why has Iran not stopped executing the agreement? The Iranian regime is besieged by extensive social discontent. Over 10 millions are unemployed and many ordinary Iranians are forced to live a life below poverty-line.
Not a foreign enemy
Indeed, Iranian authorities confess that the greatest threat to theocracy is not a foreign enemy, like the US, but popular protests and anti-regime demonstrations, especially by the disenfranchised poor people and youth, breaking the current status quo. The reality is that the regime has always been at war with the young generation over individual liberties and social freedoms, which challenged the foundation of the regime’s theocracy. That is why Iran’s answer to new US sanctions has been merely rhetoric. Due to the theocracy’s weak position in the society and its faltering economy, if Tehran abandons the nuclear agreement, all sanctions will be re-imposed. That will led to an economic and political collapse of the ruling theocracy. Consequently, if president Trump orders to renegotiate the JCPOA, or impose new effective sanctions such as designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, Iran is not able to play its enrichment card. These were the reasons sanctions forced the Iranian regime to come back to the negotiation table, and it will do it again.

Why some companies are more important than governments
Hussein Shobokshi/Alarabiya/July 25/17
Companies are more important than governments. This is the slogan of the new digital economy stage. What is happening today is only an explicit confirmation of that. In the past governments, through their plans and ministries, would outline the economic trends and ambitions, and companies would play in the space allowed. Today, modern technology has provided unprecedented means of empowerment and offered great solutions to simple and difficult problems. Re-engineering has become a reality for all investors in all sectors. The technology offered as solutions by companies, not by governments, to the communications and financial banking sectors has, for example, revolutionized, transformed, and completely changed the traditional business models of these sectors. The method of payment is changing now. Today paper money is on its way to extinction. Television in its current form is also on its way to extinction, it will be replaced by new solutions that will grant the choice in the hands of clients directly by the company and not by the government.
Education and health will be the sectors that are likely to see a tremendous development in their business models so that the new models are more flexible, efficient, effective and more interactive with the intended needs of the customers. This model will be the standard for the firm’s strength rather than the government’s terms.Today, Amazon has become a source of horror for many governments because it threatens their retail sectors, which employ scores of citizens
Conditions on governments
There are very powerful and influential companies that have the ability to impose their conditions on the governments of the world in all its forms. At the very least, the governments of the world may limit their activities if they doubt their capabilities, just as it did with Google in China and Yahoo in China. Exxon Mobil, Shell and Toyota in many countries of the world, or some of the banks belonging to British and French colonial countries. Today, Amazon has become a source of horror for many governments because it threatens their retail sectors, which employ scores of citizens, as well as virtual tourism companies that have wiped out travel agencies, causing the loss of millions of dollars of investment and hundreds of jobs. Governments are realizing that they can no longer impose their conditions on Coca-Cola for example, to disclose the amounts and recipe of its secret beverage and could not force Microsoft to give its software keys. The conditions of companies always prevailed, and all of which have more financial and legal influence than many of the world’s governments combined. Companies such as Apple, Toyota, Nike and Google, for example, their decisions, their financial statements and their marketing policies have an immediate global impact. Companies stronger than governments is not a slogan nor a warning, but the assertion that the power of companies came at the expense of sovereignty and this is the title of the next important stage.

How the Modern World Made Cowards of Us All
Arthur C. Brooks/The New York Times/July 25/17
Back in the late 1980s, Dana Carvey of “Saturday Night Live” used to do a funny impression of President George H. W. Bush, in which the character would justify his own supposed timidity by muttering “wouldn’t be prudent” to himself about every small risk. The impression neatly captured the contemporary notion of prudence: faintheartedness, caution and a general bias against action. So perhaps it seems odd that this is my advice for young people heading out of school and into the world: Be prudent.
Yes, it sounds boring, but it may turn out to be a more radical suggestion than most graduates hear. I thought prudence was not my cup of tea. When I quit college to go on the road as a musician, I was being imprudent. When I quit music to go back to school in my 30s, it was imprudent. When I left a tenured professorship for an unsecure job? You guessed it — imprudent. Then I had an epiphany. When I finally read the German philosopher Josef Pieper’s “The Four Cardinal Virtues,” which had sat unread on my shelf for years, I was shocked to learn that I didn’t hate prudence; what I hated was its current — and incorrect — definition. The connotation of prudence as caution, or aversion to risk, is a modern invention. “Prudence” comes from the Latin “prudentia,” meaning sagacity or expertise. The earliest English uses from the 14th century had little to do with fearfulness or habitual reluctance. Rather, it signified righteous decision making that is rooted in acuity and practical wisdom.
Mr. Pieper argued that we have bastardized this classical concept. We have refashioned prudence into an excuse for cowardice, hiding behind the language of virtue to avoid what he calls “the embarrassing situation of having to be brave.” The correct definition, Mr. Pieper argued, is the willingness to do the right thing, even if that involves fear and risk.
In other words, to be rash is only one breach of true prudence. It is also a breach to be timid. So which offense is more common today? A new study by the University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt helps answer this question. He started with the premise that people who agonize over important choices may systematically make wrong decisions, defaulting to either “yes” or “no” with too much regularity. To investigate, Mr. Levitt found several thousand people in the throes of a difficult decision, weighing choices like job offers and marriage proposals, who volunteered to let him make the decision for them — with the flip of a coin. Heads meant to decide in the affirmative; tails meant to decline. (Let it sink in that thousands of people agreed to have their most important decisions made by a stranger — worse, an economist — flipping a coin.) When given heads, Mr. Levitt found people were much more likely to take the decision affirmatively than they would be if left to their devices, so the experiment was effective.
But the really interesting result concerned the participants’ happiness. In follow-up interviews six months later, Mr. Levitt found that the average “heads” person was significantly happier than the average “tails” person. Here’s what all this means: Our sin tends to be timidity, not rashness. On average, we say “no” too much when faced with an opportunity or dilemma. Once you start looking for this imprudently risk-averse behavior, you see it everywhere, particularly among young people. According to data from the General Social Survey collected by NORC at the University of Chicago, people under age 30 today are almost a third less willing than under-30s in 1996 to relocate for their careers. And as the economist Tyler Cowen observes in his new book “The Complacent Class,” the fraction of people in this age group who own their own businesses has plummeted by about 65 percent since the 1980s.
Economic changes have contributed to both trends, to be sure. But there is another culprit: a diminishing frontier spirit and an increasing paranoia about taking big leaps. Family formation, perhaps the ultimate personal leap of faith, looks to be another victim of this imprudent hesitation. Census Bureau demographers recently reported that while only a quarter of 24- to 29-year-olds were unmarried in the 1980s, almost half of that age group is unmarried today. And delaying the jump to adulthood has real social consequences. Last August, the Centers for Disease Control announced that the United States fertility rate had fallen to its lowest point since they began calculating it in 1909. My checkered past, it turns out, may not be a litany of imprudent decisions. True prudence means eschewing safety and familiarity in favor of entrepreneurial living. It requires clear eyes, a courageous heart and an adventurous spirit.
So take a risk. Be prudent. Don’t wait for social scientists to flip a coin on your behalf. Choose heads.

Norway's Political Elites Cheer for Islam
Fjordman//Gatestone Institute/July 25/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10627/norway-political-elites-cheer-for-islam
If current levels of immigration continue, native Norwegians will be a minority in their own country within a few decades. In some parts of inner city Oslo, they are already a minority.
Ethnic Norwegians living in these areas are called "infidel whore." Many feel as if they are strangers in what once was their own country. Yet the politicians and mass media are not interested. The ruling elites are far more interested in cases of alleged "Islamophobia" or "white racism."
A report commissioned by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) suggested in early 2017 that the Muslim Brotherhood is secretly leading Islamic groups in building a parallel society in Sweden by infiltrating organizations and political parties in the country.
Ramadan is supposed to be an Islamic holy month of fasting. In reality, as one is thought to be doubly rewarded in paradise for deeds "fighting corruption" during Ramadan, it is a month of "jihad and victories."
It therefore nearly always leads to an increase in jihad violence in different parts of the world.
Breitbart News counted at least 1,620 people killed by militant Muslims during Ramadan in 2017. Most of these were killed in Muslim-majority countries. However, deadly Islamic terrorist attacks also hit Western cities such as London.
When dealing with Muslim terror, it can be useful to separate it into two different, categories: Big Terror and Little Terror. Big Terror includes mass casualty attacks such as suicide bombings. Little Terror includes other forms of violence and harassment, such as torching cars, that have a negative impact on daily life. Both forms of terror are intended to spread fear.
France suffers from tens of thousands of car fires every year. Sweden, which has the highest number of Muslim immigrants in Scandinavia, also has the highest number of car fires. In the Muslim-dominated Swedish city of Malmö, cars are now torched on a nearly daily basis.
In June 2017 during Ramadan, dozens of instances of wheel-tampering were reported in different police districts in Denmark. In all cases, the lug nuts that secure the wheels of a car had been loosened. One motorist was driving along when he heard an odd noise. Shortly afterward, his left front wheel appeared in front of the car and rolled off into a field. The car ended up in a ditch; the man, in a hospital. The police have so far been unable to find the perpetrators. They have been advising all motorists thoroughly to check their lug nuts before starting their car.
In June 2017, Oslo, Norway, experienced a significant number of car fires within a few weeks. Officially, the police claimed they could see no connection between these fires, which spiked during Ramadan and mainly took place in Muslim-dominated areas. Anonymous sources claimed that a group of young immigrant men – who had apparently been complicit in the burnings -- had shouted: "We're going to make Malmö!"
If current levels of immigration continue, native Norwegians will be a minority in their own country within a few decades. In some parts of inner-city Oslo, they are already a minority. The author Halvor Fosli, in 2015, published a book in which he interviewed ethnic Norwegians living in those areas. They are called "infidel whore." Many feel as if they are strangers in what once was their own country. Yet the politicians and mass media are not interested. The ruling elites are far more interested in cases of alleged "Islamophobia" or "white racism."
Erna Solberg, Norway's supposedly conservative Prime Minister, has long been known for her positive views of Islam and mass immigration. As PM, she has repeatedly warned against Islamophobia and Christian "racism" against Muslims. In 2011, then as leader of the major opposition party, Solberg stated that Muslims in Europe are now being harassed just as Jews were in the 1930s, during the rise of Nazism.
On June 25, 2017, an estimated 8,000 Muslims celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, in a major sports arena and concert hall in Oslo. Prime Minister Erna Solberg attended. She made some comments about creating a sense of community, and warned against anti-Muslim forces and others trying to divide people. According to national media, many of the Muslims treated the Prime Minister as if she were a "superstar."
Cemal Knudsen Yucel, from the organization Ex-Muslims of Norway, said he was sad to see politicians and media promote Islam and Islamic values on television yet again. As a former Muslim, he has never experienced this kind of celebration in his Muslim home country. There, Eid al-Fitr is normally celebrated with your family, not at a stadium with thousands of people. In his view, this shows how effectively Islam builds power in the society in which it operates. A country's senior political leader attending a gathering of thousands of Muslims in the nation's capital city, can only elevate Islam's status and prominence in society. The Islam-friendly newspaper Aftenposten writes that the Rabita Mosque was a co-organizer of this big Islamic party, attended not only by the Prime Minister but also the national media. The Rabita Mosque in Oslo has for years been involved in highly controversial activities, as pointed out by the author Hege Storhaug. The mosque has been visited by well-known jihadists and its leaders are suspected of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, an international Islamist organization with the motto:
"Allah is our objective; the Prophet is our leader; the Quran is our law; Jihad is our way; dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope."
A report commissioned by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) suggested in early 2017 that the Muslim Brotherhood is secretly leading Islamic groups in building a parallel society in Sweden by infiltrating organizations and political parties in the country.
The Muslim Brotherhood, in the 1930s and 1940s, enjoyed friendly ties with Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, one of its foremost spokesmen today, has stated that Allah sent Hitler to punish the Jews, and indicated that the next genocide of Jews will be at the hands of Muslims. Qaradawi, a leading advocate of suicide-bombing, has also bragged that Muslims will conquer Europe.
Since its founding in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan Al Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood has for generations been involved in fostering those who would promote its expansionist goals. Jihadists and Islamic terrorists who have been members include Sayyid Qutb, Abdullah Azzam, Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network after Osama bin Laden, and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed caliph of the Islamic State (IS or ISIS).
That a mosque with suspected links to such an organization arranged a major event in Oslo -- and was applauded by the country's head of state -- is frightening. While a totalitarian Iron Burka of sharia, jihad, terror, and violence is descending on Europe, many Western leaders and members of the media welcome it, embrace it and claim it enriches our society.
Prime Minister Solberg's main political rival, Social Democratic party leader Jonas Gahr Støre, is possibly even more smitten than she is. In 2008, the Norwegian government sponsored dialogue talks in Oslo with members of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East. Støre, from the Labor Party, was then foreign minister. The prime minister at the time, Jens Stoltenberg, is now leader of the Western defense alliance NATO.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which also has ties to, among other groups, the extremely brutal Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, in 2007 made Norway, under the left-wing Stoltenberg government, the first Western country to "normalize" its relationship with Hamas. AUF, the youth organization of the Norwegian Labor Party, the labor unions (LO) and its coalition partner, the Socialist Left Party, also advocated for this affiliation.
The policy of normalizing ties with Hamas was widely applauded by many Norwegian mass media and left-wing activists in 2007. The major Oslo-based newspaper Aftenposten praised it as a "wise" move. When this author strongly objected to cooperating with terrorists, the Norwegian media and left-wing activists, few years later, accused me of encouraging terrorism.
Raymond Johansen in 2007 had friendly public meetings on behalf of the Norwegian government with the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. In 2011, Haniyeh praised the global terrorist leader Osama bin Laden as "an Arab holy warrior." In 2017, Ismail Haniyeh was chosen to be the new overall leader of Hamas. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) then called him a "pragmatist." Between 2009 and 2015, Johansen was the Party Secretary of the Labor Party, Norway's largest political party for nearly a century. In 2014, he warned in the state broadcaster NRK against the "Fascist" movements now threatening Europe. Did he mean the Muslim Brotherhood or other Islamic organizations who threaten artists and authors? No, comically, Johansen mentioned just me, personally, by name, as a dangerous "extremist" who needs to be confronted. Nobody else. Just me.
Raymond Johansen, currently serving as the Governing Mayor of Oslo, has stated that an attack on Muslims is an attack on him. The vast majority of Muslim immigrants vote for the Labor Party or other left-wing parties. Mullah Krekar, a radical Muslim and "refugee" notorious for publicly praising Islamic terrorists and jihadist massacres, has advised Muslims in Norway to vote for Labor or other Socialist parties.
The deputy leader of the Norwegian Labor Party is a Muslim woman from a family of Pakistani immigrants. The leader Jonas Gahr Støre, as Foreign Minister, held talks by telephone with the Islamic terrorist leader Khaled Mashaal from Hamas. In a book published in 2014, Støre criticized "Islamophobes" again, including this author. On September 11, 2017, Norway will have parliamentary elections. The voters have a realistic choice between two Prime Ministers: Erna Solberg or Jonas Gahr Støre. Both are Islam-friendly, anti-national globalists and multiculturalists who promote mass immigration. Other European countries such as Germany are in a similar situation: virtually all the establishment political parties are promoting more immigration and more Islam.
*Fjordman, a Norwegian historian, is an expert on Europe, Islam and multiculturalism.
© 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: Abbas's Security Doubletalk
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/July 25/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10732/palestinians-abbas-security
So, who is taking Abbas's threats to suspend security cooperation with Israel seriously? Not Israel, not the Americans, and certainly not many Palestinians. Abbas is caught between two bad places -- both of his very own making. On the one hand, he knows that security cooperation with Israel is his only insurance policy to remain in power and alive. On the other hand, Abbas is acutely aware of his status among many Palestinians, who would be more than happy to replace him with someone more... to their taste.
Palestinian intelligence chief Majed Faraj's message was directed to the Israeli public with the goal of pressuring the Israeli government and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to cave in to Palestinian threats and remove the metal detectors. This is why Faraj chose an Israeli journalist who is known to be sympathetic to Abbas and the Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership. Faraj and his boss -- Abbas -- wanted to scare the Israeli public and turn them against Netanyahu by telling them that Palestinians will stop security coordination with Israel unless the metal detectors were removed.
Abbas is still playing his old game. Out of one side of his mouth he claimed a desire for a peaceful solution to the metal detectors crisis, and out of the other side, he egged his people on to murder more and more Israelis. As it turns out, whether security coordination is "sacred" or "suspended," Abbas is in it for one person only: himself.
The conflicting reports emerging from Ramallah concerning security coordination with Israel serve as yet another reminder of the Palestinian Authority (PA) leaders' astounding hypocrisy.
Israel, for its part, has brushed aside reports about a suspension of the security coordination with the Palestinian Authority as yet another Abbas gimmick.
It is far from lost on Mahmoud Abbas and his PA that such security coordination is what stands between a very hungry Hamas and Abbas served up on toast for breakfast.
In the past, Abbas has rightly and reasonably described security coordination with Israel as "sacred," saying he will never succumb to pressure from Hamas and many Palestinians to stop working with Israel in the West Bank.
"I wish to say this openly – security coordination (with Israel) is sacred and will continue regardless of our political differences," Abbas declared in 2014.
Abbas's statement came amid reports that Israeli intelligence had thwarted a Hamas assassination plot against him in 2014.
Security coordination is indeed sacred for the Palestinian Authority president -- not to mention his family members and senior officials, who without such cooperation would also be dead, imprisoned or forced into exile. Abbas has yet to recover from the nightmare of 2007, when Hamas brought about the collapse of his Palestinian Authority and violently seized control over the Gaza Strip. The last thing Abbas wants is a recurrence of that horrific scenario; thousands of his police officers and Fatah loyalists were severely humiliated, and many either lynched in public, thrown off the high floors of buildings, imprisoned, or forced either to surrender or flee to Israel and Egypt.
The latest fiasco pertaining to the issue of security coordination with Israel began on July 21, when Abbas announced his decision to "freeze contacts with the occupation state (Israel) on all levels." Abbas's announcement came during a meeting of Palestinian leaders in Ramallah to discuss the crisis surrounding Israel's decision to install metal detectors at the entrance to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This decision came in response to a shooting attack on July 14 carried out by three Arab Israelis that resulted in the murder of two Israeli police officers.
Abbas's announcement did not refer specifically to security coordination with Israel. Palestinian officials in Ramallah later explained that the decision to "freeze contacts with Israel on all levels" did not include security coordination between the two sides, which they said was continuing as usual and was necessary and vital. Then came the backlash, with Palestinians roasting Abbas for maintaining security coordination with Israel. Palestinians perturbed by metal detectors at the entrance to the Temple Mount have also been chanting slogans against Abbas, accusing him of "collusion" with Israel and failing to support their campaign to have the metal detectors removed.
Social media has also not been silent. Many Palestinians and Arabs have been denouncing Abbas as a pawn in the hands of Israel and the US and demanding that he halt security coordination and all forms of cooperation with Israel.
In an attempt to contain the raging resentment on the Palestinian street, Abbas's aides later clarified that he has instructed his security commanders to stop talking to their Israeli counterparts in protest against the installation of the metal detectors. The aides hinted that despite the instruction, security coordination on the ground level will continue between the two sides because the decision only referred to contacts on a high level.
Many Palestinians, however, are calling Abbas's bluff.
As pressure on Abbas intensified, he sent his intelligence chief, Majed Faraj, to inform an Israeli journalist closely associated with the Palestinian Authority that Abbas has instructed him and other security chiefs to stop talking to their Israeli counterparts.
Faraj's message was directed to the Israeli public with the goal of pressuring the Israeli government and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to cave in to Palestinian threats and remove the metal detectors. This is why Faraj chose an Israeli journalist who is known to be sympathetic to Abbas and the PA leadership. Faraj and his boss -- Abbas -- wanted to scare the Israeli public and turn them against Netanyahu by telling them that Palestinians will stop security coordination with Israel unless the metal detectors are removed -- which the Israeli government agreed to do on the night of July 24.
One wonders when the Palestinian Authority will upgrade its scare tactics: they have used this one for decades to frighten the Israeli public.
The best evidence that Abbas is continuing to bluff everyone regarding security coordination with Israel is what happened in March 2015, when the PLO Central Committee, a key decision-making body headed by Abbas, voted in favor of suspending security coordination with Israel. Not only was this decision never implemented, in fact security coordination between the Palestinians and Israel has since grown stronger as the two sides face a common enemy in the West Bank called Hamas. Abbas is still playing his old game: terrified of the raging Palestinian street, he released a terse statement on July 23 claiming that the decision to suspend contacts with Israel does indeed include security coordination. This latest statement, however, flies in the face of assertions by Israel and some Palestinian officials that suggest the exact opposite. Israeli security officials have scoffed at Abbas's decision, calling it symbolic and saying that security coordination is continuing by telephone.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. (Image source: kremlin.ru)
So who is taking Abbas's threats to suspend security cooperation with Israel seriously? Not Israel, not the Americans, and certainly not many Palestinians. Abbas is caught between two bad places -- both of his very own making. On the one hand, he knows that security cooperation with Israel is his only insurance policy to remain in power and alive. On the other hand, Abbas is acutely aware of his status among many Palestinians, who would be more than happy to replace him with someone more... to their taste. Abbas lives in a demonic Wonderland. Out of one side of his mouth he claimed a desire for a peaceful solution to the metal detectors crisis, and out of the other side, he egged his people on to murder more and more Israelis. As it turns out, whether security coordination is "sacred" or "suspended," Abbas is in it for one person only: himself.
**Bassam Tawil is an Arab Muslim 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.

Turkey flexing military muscle in Qatar
Metin Gurcan/TranslatorTimur Göksel/July 25/17
One of the key agenda items during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s July 23-24 visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar is Turkey’s continued military presence in Qatar. A Saudi-led coalition of Arab countries that cut ties with Qatar in early June is demanding, among a dozen other things, that Turkey close its base there.Turkey is signaling a shift to "hard power" foreign policy by incrementally building its military presence in Qatar to a brigade-level force.
Doha and Ankara firmly rejected the demand as “infringement of sovereign rights.” Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in his July 21 address to the nation, praised Turkey’s stand in the Gulf crisis, saying, “We express our gratitude to Turkey for rapidly implementing our cooperation agreement and meeting our basic needs.”
Qatar is suffering under sanctions by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt, which have restricted Qatar by air, land and sea, charging that the country supports terrorists, which Qatar denies.
In my June 12 Al-Monitor article, “Turkish military will protect Qatari regime if necessary,” I emphasized that for Erdogan, the survival of the Qatari regime and the personal fate of Al Thani — who had given Erdogan the strongest support against a failed military uprising a year ago — are vital matters. This is one reason why Ankara is determined to expand its military-strategic partnership with Qatar.
The number of Turkish soldiers at what is called the “joint tactical division headquarters” in Doha has reached 300. There is a company from the 2nd Commando Brigade, one mechanized infantry company from the 5th Corps and two 155 mm howitzers. It is now a battalion-level task force.
According to security sources speaking to Al-Monitor in Ankara, the Turkish presence in Qatar is expected in 2018 to become a brigade-level task force of about 3,000 strong. The Turkish base will have its own naval port and a runway initially for its drones and then for military flights. It is likely that by the end of 2018, there will be Turkish naval elements patrolling the Gulf and Turkish drones and airborne early warning and control system planes flying reconnaissance over Qatari airspace and the Gulf.
According to military analyst Can Kasapoglu, the deployment of 3,000 Turkish troops will equal nearly one-third of the entire active Qatari military. Thus, within the confines of bilateral agreements between Ankara and Doha, the base could play a major role in Qatar’s defense planning, as well as in the emir’s regional affairs agenda.
“Forward deployments in Qatar are likely to bring more competition and strain to the Turkish-UAE relations. Nevertheless, as long as Ankara can compartmentalize its relations with the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council], first and foremost with Saudi Arabia, a political dispute with the UAE would be manageable,” Kasapoglu said in a July analysis for the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies.
According to the analysis, currently, Turkey has a military presence in:
Somalia, for partner capacity-building, foreign internal defense missions and humanitarian assistance. Turkey is building a base there that, when completed, will be its biggest base abroad.
Qatar, for assisting with security, building alliances and power projection.
Northern Iraq, for counterterror operations, special reconnaissance, and training and equipping missions.
Northern Syria's Jarablus/al-Bab/al-Rai triangle, for counterterror, special reconnaissance, and training and equipping missions.
Kabul, Afghanistan, for a peacekeeping mission.
Northern Cyprus, with a corps-size military force for collective defense, international obligations and power projection.
Azerbaijan, with military bases for alliance-building and foreign internal defense missions.
Lebanon, where a naval element serves the UN Interim Force.
It's no secret that Turkey has been discussing potential military bases in Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Sources in Ankara have acknowledged that discussions with Saudi Arabia about setting up a base there in the Shiite-populated south and another as a naval sea port have been interrupted because of the Qatar crisis. Many wonder if these two projects in Saudi Arabia will come up during Erdogan’s visit there.
Within three years, Turkey plans to complete the Turkish Coast Guard Anadolu amphibious assault ship and light aircraft carrier. The ship is slated to carry up to 10 F-35B jets that the Turkish navy is planning to deploy in 2021, and new additions to the Turkish Armed Forces' inventory of CH-47 multipurpose and T-29 ATAK assault helicopters — along with a fully equipped marine battalion to secure beachheads. The project will be a major force multiplier for Turkey in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Many people have also noted Erdogan’s statement that Turkey is among 10 countries that can build warships, and that it is now determined to build its own aircraft carrier.
With all these foreign policy moves and plans, Turkey has been gradually militarizing its foreign policy from soft power to hard power.
Between 2006 and 2011, with a foreign policy shaped by then-Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his team, Turkey acknowledged that its value in world politics was predicated on its geo-strategic location, historical depth and soft power.
In 2016, after Davutoglu gave up his premiership, and security risks grew primarily in Iraq and Syria, a new foreign policy gained prominence: respond effectively, proactively and assertively to security risks and challenges through hard power.
Fuat Keyman, the director of the Istanbul Policy Center think tank and a professor of international relations at Sabanci University, defined this new paradigm as “moral realism."
Moral realism “combines hard power-based military assertiveness and humanitarian norms, in addition to new capacity- and strategy-based parameters," he said.
Turkey's military is pleased to project regional hard power as a replacement to civilian diplomacy and alliance building. Among the military branches, the naval command has overtaken the army and air force in roles and missions in this new paradigm. That may explain the increasing visibility, especially of naval officers, when Turkish officials visit foreign decision-makers.
A more "muscular" foreign policy also has the domestic benefits of repairing the civilian-military relations that were seriously damaged with the July 15 coup attempt and encouraging the two sectors to work together. Other segments that are benefiting considerably are the defense industry and military technology.
The somber, rocky relations between the military and civilian sectors in Ankara — over the military education system, promotions and appointments, and power relations between the Turkish General Staff and the Ministry of Defense and among the service commands — have spilled over to shaping and implementing foreign policy, the defense industry and military technologies. Smoothing the relations between two prime sectors of the country by resorting to hard policy in foreign relations is welcome news to a polarized public.