LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
July 30/17
Compiled &
Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
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Bible Quotations For Today
The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 04/14-21/:"Then Jesus,
filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him
spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their
synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had
been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom.
He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He
unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because he has anointed meto bring good news to the poor. He
has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the
blind,to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s
favour.’And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat
down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say
to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."’
At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day
of salvation I have helped you
Second Letter to the Corinthians 05,20-21.06,01-10/:"We are ambassadors for
Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of
Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no
sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work
together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For
he says, ‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of
salvation I have helped you.’ See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the
day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault
may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended
ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships,
calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger;
by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love,
truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the
right hand and for the left; in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good
repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are
well known; as dying, and see we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as
sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having
nothing, and yet possessing everything."
Question: "Should a
Christian study philosophy?"
Answer: The word philosophy comes from the Greek word philosophia, which means
“love of wisdom.” The study of philosophy is about using rational argument and
critical thinking to analyze the way human beings think and know and perceive
the world around them—both the physical world and the abstract world of ideas.
Questions like “what is real?” and “can the truth be known?” and “what is
beauty?” are all philosophical questions. There is nothing wrong with a believer
in Jesus Christ loving wisdom (Proverbs 4:6; 7:4), and there is nothing wrong
with a Christian studying philosophy. The book of Ecclesiastes is very
philosophical, dealing as it does with several different worldly philosophies
before concluding that a philosophy that fears and obeys God is the best
(Ecclesiastes 12:13).
A Christian believes that all necessary questions pertaining to life can be
answered by the Bible. However, philosophy is a fascinating field of academic
study, and, if a believer’s mind is inclined toward it, the study of philosophy
can be enlightening and prove beneficial in one’s dealings with the world. An
understanding of the various philosophies of men is a valuable tool in
evangelism. Paul was able to engage the philosophers on Mars Hill because of his
familiarity with Greek writings (Acts 17:28), and he quoted a Cretan philosopher
to make a point in Titus 1:12.
Faith is often seen as a “non-intellectual” pursuit; it is viewed as something
understood with the spirit and the heart and therefore doesn’t need to make
sense to the rational mind. This idea goes all the way back to ancient times.
The Greek culture, the birthplace of philosophy, could not understand the
Christian message, which seemed irrational to them. The preaching of the cross
was foolishness to the Greeks (1 Corinthians 1:23). Paul here intimates the
limitations of human philosophy. The philosophy of man can never arrive at the
truth of God on its own.
God’s wisdom is revealed to man when God gives him the mind of Christ. Without
God’s revelation, man in his natural state cannot understand the things of the
Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14–16). Wisdom does not come from the natural,
rational mind because man’s mind and his reason are fallen; that is, they are
affected by sin. Wisdom is a beautiful thing, poetically described as the worker
by God’s side as He created the world (Proverbs 8:12–31). To truly be able to
think rationally, a person must be introduced to the ultimate source of wisdom,
which is God Himself. Faith in God is not foolishness—though it is perceived
that way by those who trust solely in reason—it is rather what informs reason.
“By faith we understand” (Hebrews 11:3). Through faith, we access true wisdom
(Proverbs 3:5–6).
On the one hand, the study of philosophy is totally harmless—simply a way to
understand human concepts and learn to think critically about the world. On the
other hand, if a person does not accept man’s fallen nature as revealed in
Scripture, philosophy can turn into the assertion of man’s reason as the
ultimate source of wisdom. When people trust in their own reason to lead them to
truth, they lead themselves astray. For this reason, the study of philosophy is
fraught with pitfalls; the reasoning of unsaved men fills the textbooks, and the
Christian must be aware. But philosophy as a field of study is simply a tool—it
can be used to build beautiful and enlightening arguments based on what is
revealed by God to be true, or it can be used to deconstruct and confuse a
fallen mind that trusts itself rather than its Creator.
**Recommended Resource: Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by
William Lane Craig & J.P. Moreland
GotQuestions.org?
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 29-30/17
Hezbollah fighter challenges officer from IDF
Spokesperson's Unit/Roi Kais/Ynetnews/July 30/17/
Fate of Ancient Canaanites Seen in DNA Analysis: They Survived/Nicholas St.Fleur/The
New York Times/July 27/17
Palestinians: The Metal Detector Scam/Khadija Khan/Gatestone Institute/July
29/17
We must prepare for the global energy changes to come/Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al
Arabiya/July 29/17
Qatar’s spins and maneuvers/Mohammed Al-Hammadi/Al Arabiya/July 29/17
Egypt goes about the task of reforming the religious rhetoric/Mashari Althaydi/Al
Arabiya/July 29/17
Trump under NKorean and Iranian missile siege/DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis July
29, 2017
Titles For Latest
Lebanese Related News published on
July 29-30/17
Report: Battle to Expel IS from al-Qaa, Ras Baalbek
Within 72 Hours
Report: LF Says Upcoming Battle in Ras Baalbek Different from Arsal's
Lebanese Chief of Staff from Eastern Border: Army in Open War against Terrorism
Nizar Zakka's Attorney: He ended his hunger strike
Hbeish: Qbayat fire completely extinguished
Army: Four enemy drones violate national airspace
Bou Saab says army will receive absolute support to complete its process of
liberating the land from Takfiris
State Security: Three Palestinians arrested for belonging to terrorist groups in
Nabatieh
Khoury: There is an international decision to rid Lebanon of terrorists
Aoun affirms commitment to resolution 1701
Hezbollah fighter challenges officer from IDF Spokesperson's Unit
Fate of Ancient Canaanites Seen in DNA Analysis: They Survived
Titles For Latest
LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
July 29-30/17
Qatari Islamist’s confessions reveal Doha ‘plot’ to sabotage Gulf states
Saudi envoy to the UN: Saudi Arabia increased efforts to combat extremism
Arab foreign ministers to meet in Bahrain over Qatar crisis
Syrian Coalition Calls for Establishment of ‘National Army’ to Fight Terror
UAE: Boycotting States Have Evidence of Qatar’s Funding of Terror Groups
Protests Besiege Nusra Front in Damascus’ Eastern Ghouta
Qatar appeals to UN, while US calls for dialogue
Yemeni vice president: Houthis targeting of Mecca backed by Iran
Iran Guards Report New Incident with US Navy in Gulf
N. Korea Leader Says 'All US' Within Range after Missile Test
Latest Lebanese
Related News published on
July 29-30/17
Report: Battle to Expel IS from al-Qaa, Ras Baalbek Within
72 Hours
Naharnet/July 30/17/The Lebanese Army is gearing for a battle against the
Islamic State group militants on the eastern borders in the al-Qaa and Ras
Baalbek which will reportedly “begin within 72 hours,” al-Mustaqbal daily said
on Saturday. Senior military sources told the daily that “military
reinforcements taken in al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek come in the context of preparing
for "zero hour" that will mark the start of the battle waged by the army to
liberate a distinctly Lebanese land. “It falls within the framework of the
army's duties and role in the protection of borders and sovereignty,” stressed
the source on condition of anonymity. On the reasons that made the army refrain
from taking part in the battle waged by Hizbullah against al-Nusra Front
militants in the outskirts of Arsal, the source stressed: “The recent battles
against Nusra had been launched mainly from within the Syrian territory,
specifically from the outskirts of Flita. Consequently, the Lebanese army had no
mission or role except to protect the Lebanese border, Lebanese civilians and
displaced Syrians. “However, the army is the sole entity that will wage the
battle in the outskirts of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek,” stressed the source.
He added that the battle is expected to be within a “geographical area free of
any civilians or displaced people,” which will comfort the military units while
facing terrorist groups who will not be able to use the encampments of the
displaced or civilians as human shields. The area has witnessed an exchange of
shelling in the past 48 hours. The report comes in the wake of a Hizbullah
assault in Arsal's outskirts that managed to oust al-Nusra Front's jihadists
from the area. Militants from the al-Qaida-linked, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, and the
Islamic State group are entrenched in rugged mountains along the Lebanese-Syrian
border. The Lebanese army regularly shells their positions while Hizbullah and
the Syrian army have engaged in clashes with them on the Syrian side of the
border. The two groups overran the northeastern border town of Arsal in 2014 and
engaged in deadly battles with the Lebanese army for several days.
The retreating militants abducted around 35 troops and policemen of whom four
have been executed and nine remain in captivity.
Report: LF Says Upcoming Battle in Ras Baalbek Different
from Arsal's
Naharnet/July 30/17/In light of battle reinforcements taken by the military
forces to oust the Islamic State group's militants from Lebanon's eastern border
area, the Lebanese Forces said the expected battle in Ras Baalbek and al-Qaa is
different from the one waged in the outskirts of Arsal, al-Jouhmouria daily
reported on Saturday. “The battle in the outskirts of Ras Baalbek differs in
form and content from the battle in the outskirts of Arsal,” LF sources told the
daily. “In form, Ras Baalbek's outskirts are Lebanese while the outskirts of
Arsal are triangular, one part is Lebanese, another is Lebanese-Syrian and the
third is Syrian. Thus, the Lebanese state can not enter into a confrontation on
Syrian soil and fight alongside the Syrian army which has been isolated at
Syrian, Arab and international levels,” added the source. Media reports said
Saturday that the Lebanese Army is gearing for a battle against the Islamic
State group militants on the eastern borders in the al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek's
outskirts. The source who spoke on condition of anonymity assured that the army
“was the first to start the battle through its airstrikes and artillery,”
pointing out that the reasons were not enough to let the army engage in the
battle in Arsal. “In content,” added the source, “the Lebanese army represents
all the Lebanese people as it fights to protect the land and Lebanon's interest.
While Hizbullah's fight is a class struggle-- even if Lebanon is benefiting this
time in exceptional ways. Hizbullah's main goal is to achieve the interest of
the axis it belongs to, not Lebanon's interest.”Last week Hizbullah launched an
assault in Arsal's outskirts that managed to oust al-Nusra Front's jihadists
from the area. Militants from the al-Qaida-linked, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, and the
Islamic State group are entrenched in rugged mountains along the Lebanese-Syrian
border. The Lebanese army regularly shells their positions while Hizbullah and
the Syrian army have engaged in clashes with them on the Syrian side of the
border. The two groups overran the northeastern border town of Arsal in 2014 and
engaged in deadly battles with the Lebanese army for several days. The
retreating militants abducted around 35 troops and policemen of whom four have
been executed and nine remain in captivity.
Lebanese Chief of Staff from Eastern Border: Army in Open
War against Terrorism
Naharnet/July 30/17/Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Hatem Mallak on
Friday visited military units deployed on the eastern border in the al-Qaa, Ras
Baalbek and Arsal areas, inspecting their measures on the ground and giving the
necessary instructions to the officers and soldiers, the National News Agency
said. Mallak lauded the units' “efforts and sacrifices over the past days in
terms of striking terrorists sneaking towards the town of Arsal and the refugee
camps, and therefore protecting residents and keeping them safe from clashes, in
addition to securing the delivery of food and medical aid to these camps in
coordination with the red cross,” NNA said.“The army's war against terrorism
will remain open until the liberation of the last inch of the eastern border
region, and the upcoming battle will be decisive and the army will inevitably
emerge victorious, the same as it won all the previous confrontations against
the terrorist groups,” Mallak vowed. He also called on soldiers to show “more
vigilance and to remain prepared to carry out the missions that are expected in
the near future.”Mallak's visit comes amid reports of preparations by the army
for an offensive against the jihadist Islamic State group in the outskirts of
the border towns of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek. The area has witnessed an exchange
of shelling in the past 48 hours. The chief of staff's visit also comes in the
wake of a Hizbullah assault in Arsal's outskirts that managed to oust al-Nusra
Front's jihadists from the area.
Nizar Zakka's Attorney: He ended his hunger strike
Fri 28 Jul 2017/NNA - Nizar Zakka's Attorney, Antoine Abou Dib, on Friday
announced that he recieved the following statement from his client: "At the
request of my sons, and because of the support of the American Congress, I've
decided to end my hunger strike."Zakka added in his atatement: "33 days of
hunger strike, and the support of family, friends, and even strangers, has
helped me find protection, help, and guidance that I did not have before. I want
to thank again the Congress, the American people, for not forgetting about me
and other fellow hostages held captive in Iran. I also thank fellow hostages and
prisoners in Evin prison, for showing solidarity with my cause, for treating me
as brother. This has truly been a gift, a huge difference in how the Iranian
government has treated me. I am innocent of the charges against me. I just want
to go home and be reunited with my family and friends."
Hbeish: Qbayat fire completely extinguished
Sat 29 Jul 2017/NNA - MP Hadi Hbeish indicated Saturday that the fire which
lasted since Friday morning until today in the area of Qbayat over approximately
250 hectares has finally been extinguished, and is currently being cooled down
using water from an artificial pond developed in the region. Hbeish thanked the
Lebanese army, Civil defense and volunteers, the Lebanese Red Cross, the Qbayat
Municipality and all citizens of Qbayat and Akkar who responded to the emergency
call to help extinguish the fire. The deputy regretted the forest disaster which
befell the areas that suffered from fire, while reassuring that no human
casualties were reported. He added that the causes of the fire are not yet
known, since investigations are still underway into the incident. In this
connection, Hbeish indicated that the Prime Minister would be informed of the
incident's details in an effort to provide all necessary assistance and
compensations for those who incurred material damages, in cooperation with the
Municipality of Qbayat. He added that a report would be submitted to the Supreme
Relief Commission in this respect.
Army: Four enemy drones violate national airspace
Sat 29 Jul 2017/NNA - An Israeli enemy reconnaissance aircraft breached the
Lebanese airspace above the Southern town of Rmeish at 10:30 p.m. on Friday,
circled over the areas of Riyak, Baalbek and the South and then left at 10:55
p.m. flying over the town of Kfarkila, an issued Army Command communiqué
indicated on Saturday. A similar enemy drone also violated the national airspace
over the town of Kfarkila at 3:50 p.m. on Friday, circled over various Southern
areas and then left at 7:40 p.m. flying above the town of Alma el-Shaeb, the
communiqué added.
Another enemy drone also breached the Lebanese skies over the town of Alma el-Shaeb
at 7:50 p.m. on Friday, circled over the South region and then left the airspace
at 6:15 a.m. on Saturday, flying over the town of Rmeish, the Army communiqué
continued. Moreover, at 6:10 a.m. today, a similar Israeli reconnaissance
aircraft again breached the Lebanese airspace above the town of Rmeish, circled
over various areas of the South and then left at 10:25 a.m. flying over the
aforementioned town, the communiqué concluded.
Bou Saab says army will receive absolute support to
complete its process of liberating the land from Takfiris
Sat 29 Jul 2017/NNA - Former Minister Elias Bou Saab stressed that the Lebanese
army shall receive utmost support to pursue its march of liberating the land
from Takfiris. Speaking at the inauguration of the "Dhour Shoueir Expatriates
Festival" on Friday evening where he represented President of the Republic,
Michel Aoun, Bou Saab considered that "Lebanon today is facing an enemy similar
to that of July 2006," adding "there is no difference between both the Zionist
and Takfiri enemies."
"Victory lies in our unity together as Lebanese, and in rallying around the
equation of the people, the army and the resistance," he emphasized. "We have
full hope and confidence that the Lebanese army will successfully complete the
mission of eliminating Lebanon's soil of the last terrorist," Bou Saab
underscored.
State Security: Three Palestinians arrested for belonging
to terrorist groups in Nabatieh
Sat 29 Jul 2017/NNA - In an issued communiqué by the State Security General
Directorate on Saturday, it indicated that three Palestinians were arrested in
the area of Qaaqiat al-Jisr in Nabatieh Province on charges of belonging to
terrorist groups. During investigations, one of the arrestees confessed to
working with al-Nusra Front in monitoring Lebanese army checkpoints in Sidon and
at the entrance to Ain el-Helweh refugee camp, in addition to being involved in
assassination plots against Fateh Movement officials. Another arrestee confessed
to working with Daesh organization and taking part in clashes inside Ain el-Helweh
camp. Based on the Government Commissioner at the Military Court's directions,
the detainees were placed in custody of the Lebanese Army Intelligence
Directorate, the communiqué concluded.
Khoury: There is an international decision to rid Lebanon
of terrorists
Sat 29 Jul 2017/NNA - "Change and Reform" parliamentary bloc member, Deputy
Walid Khoury, said Saturday that there is an international decision to eradicate
terrorism from Lebanon, stressing that their presence imposes a threat on the
economic situation in the country. "There is an international decision to rid
Lebanon of terrorism and to isolate it from what is happening in the Arab
countries because the presence of terrorists and security turbulences can
reflect negatively on Europe, in addition to the oil and gas in our waters," MP
Khoury noted. Commenting on the salary scale issue and imposing of new taxes,
the lawmaker considered that their bloc was forced to take such decision, adding
that their goal is to cancel the 1% increase on TVA.
Aoun affirms commitment to resolution 1701
The Daily Star/July 29/17/BEIRUT: President Michel Aoun Friday said Lebanon was
fully committed to the complete implementation of U.N. resolution 1701, a
statement from the presidential palace said. Aoun’s comments came during a
meeting with U.N. Special Coordinator to Lebanon Sigrid Kaag at the Baabda
Palace.
“We know the potential consequences of not abiding by this resolution [1701],”
the statement quoted Aoun as saying. Aoun condemned the continuous violations of
Lebanese territory by Israeli forces and the current occupation of Lebanese land
by Israel. Lebanon has frequently announced its commitment to resolution 1701,
which ended Israel’s 34-day war on Lebanon in the summer of 2006. The resolution
called for an immediate end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the
deployment of the Lebanese Army along the Israeli border, the establishment of a
weapons-free zone south of the Litani River and the disarmament of Lebanese and
non-Lebanese militias. During the meeting the president informed Kaag of the
Cabinet’s recent request to extend the mandate of UNIFIL forces in south Lebanon
for one year. Aoun also spoke of the importance of aid to the Lebanese Army from
the United Nations and world powers in the fight against terrorism. Kaag
delivered a message from U.N. Secretary-General Antnio Guterres congratulating
Aoun on his success in leading the country and reaffirmed the United Nations
continued support to Lebanon. Separately, Aoun met with British Ambassador to
Lebanon Hugo Shorter, they discussed Britain's stance regarding the recent
battles in the outskirts of Arsal.
Hezbollah fighter challenges officer from IDF
Spokesperson's Unit
Roi Kais/Ynetnews/July 30/17/
Photo purports to show fighter of the terror organization posing with sign
saying 'Avichay Adraee, we are practicing against Jabhat al-Nusra ahead of the
invasion to the Galilee.'A photo making the rounds in Lebanon over the past few
days purports to show a Hezbollah militant, who is currently participating in
the fighting in the Arsal mountains on the Syria-Lebanon border, holding up a
sign with a challenge to an IDF officer. "Avichay Adraee, we are practicing
against Jabhat al-Nusra ahead of the invasion to the Galilee #Arsalmountains #alQalamoun,"
the sign says.
Maj. Adraee is the head of the Arabic media desk at the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.
Lebanese newspaper Al-Binaa, which is affiliated with the Lebanese Communist
Party, published the photo, noting: "This is what one of the strongest fighters
in the Arsal/al-Qalamoun mountains wrote to Israeli officer Avichay Adraee." The
photo also made the rounds on social media but was not featured in more central
Lebanese media outlets. The outlets that did publish the photo said they could
not verify its authenticity. In general, it appears Hezbollah-affiliated media
outlets have been following Adraee closely and more than they used to. The
Lebanese Al Mayadeen network published an article about Adraee's use of quotes
from the Quran in his tweets, while Hezbollah's media department uploaded a
video after Adraee posted a greeting to Muslims ahead of Ramadan, calling it a
"holiday greeting from a murderer."
Maj. Adraee responded to the alleged Hezbollah fighter's message on his social
media accounts, saying, "Recently a photo has been published of one of
Hezbollah's members threatening Israel and mentioning me by name. The only
question that came to my mind was whether the photo was taken before or after
Hezbollah bombed a hospital for displaced Syrians in Arsal, with that proving
once more its terrorist and sectarian behavior. "As for my response to the
photo, I'll say: if you realize your threat—you will be welcomed to a new
chapter of your failed surprises."
Fate of Ancient Canaanites Seen in DNA Analysis: They
Survived
Nicholas St.Fleur/The New York Times/July 27/17
Remnants from an ancient Canaanite found in the Sidon excavation site. A genetic
analysis found that the Canaanites survived a divine call for their extinction
and that their descendants live in Lebanon. There is a story in the Hebrew Bible
that tells of God’s call for the annihilation of the Canaanites, a people who
lived in what are now Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Israel and the Palestinian
territories thousands of years ago. “You shall not leave alive anything that
breathes,” God said in the passage. “But you shall utterly destroy them.” But a
genetic analysis published on Thursday has found that the ancient population
survived that divine call for their extinction, and their descendants live in
modern Lebanon.
“We can see the present-day Lebanese can trace most of their ancestry to the
Canaanites or a genetically equivalent population,” said Chris Tyler-Smith, a
geneticist with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute who is an author of the
paper. “They derive just over 90 percent of their ancestry from the Canaanites.”
Dr. Tyler-Smith and an international team of geneticists and archaeologists
recovered ancient DNA from bones belonging to five Canaanites retrieved from an
excavation site in Sidon, Lebanon, that were 3,650 to 3,750 years old. The team
then compared the ancient DNA with the genomes of 99 living people from Lebanon
that the group had sequenced. It found that the modern Lebanese people shared
about 93 percent of their ancestry with the Bronze Age Sidon samples.The team
published its results in The American Journal of Human Genetics.
“The conclusion is clear,” said Iosif Lazaridis, a geneticist at Harvard who was
not involved in the study. “Based on this study it turns out that people who
lived in Lebanon almost 4,000 years ago were quite similar to people who lived
there today, to the modern Lebanese.”
Marc Haber, a postdoctoral fellow at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in
England and lead author on the study, said that compared with other Bronze Age
civilizations, not much is known about the Canaanites.
“We know about ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks, but we know very little
about the ancient Canaanites because their records didn’t survive,” he said.
Their writings may have been kept on papyrus, which did not stand the test of
time as clay did. What is known about the Canaanites is that they lived and
traded along the eastern coast of the present-day Mediterranean, a region that
was known as the Levant.
“What we see is that since the Bronze Age, this ancestry, or the genetics of the
people there, didn’t change much,” Dr. Haber said. “It changed a little, but it
didn’t change much and that is what surprised me.”
At first the team was not sure if it would be able to retrieve DNA from the
ancient skeletons, which were recovered from the hot and humid excavation site
within the last 19 years. Dr. Haber had chosen more than two dozen bones from
the site that looked promising and had them investigated for genetic material.
It turned out that only five contained ancient DNA. All of those came from the
petrous part of the temporal bone, which is the tough part of the skull behind
the ear, from five different individuals.
Ancient DNA recovered from bones in the excavation site was sequenced for a new
study.
After extracting that DNA, the team members compared it with a database that
contained genetic information from hundreds of human populations. They then
further compared their results with the genomes of the modern-day Lebanese
population sample, which revealed what happened to the ancient Canaanite
population. “Genetics has the power to answer questions that historical records
or archaeology are not able to answer,” Dr. Haber said. He said researchers
thought that migrations, conquests and the intermixing of Eurasian people — like
the Assyrians, Persians or Macedonians — with the Canaanites 3,800 to 2,200
years ago might have contributed to the slight genetic changes seen in modern
Lebanese populations. Still, the Lebanese retain most of their ancestral DNA
from the Canaanites.
“It confirms the continuity of occupation and rooted tradition we have seen
on-site, which was occupied from the 4th millennium B.C. right to the Crusader
period,” Claude Doumet-Serhal, an archaeologist and director of the Sidon
Excavation who is a co-author on the paper, said in an email.
She said that the archaeologists had found about 160 burials to date at their
excavation site, which is in the heart of modern Sidon. They include graves and
burials where a person was placed in a large jar, and they date to between 1900
and 1550 B.C. The genetic results further support the archaeological
findings.“We were delighted by the findings,” Dr. Doumet-Serhal said. “We are
looking at the Canaanite society through 160 burials and at the same time
uncovering a common past for all the people of Lebanon, whatever religion they
belong to.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/science/ancient-canaanites-bible-lebanon.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
July 29-30/17
Qatari Islamist’s confessions reveal
Doha ‘plot’ to sabotage Gulf states
Staff writer, Al Arabiya
EnglishSaturday, 29 July 2017 /Qatar’s alleged “plots” against the UAE and Gulf
states have been detailed in a new documentary released by Emirati state
television channels, local media reported on Friday. The program features audio
and video confessions by Qatari Muslim Brotherhood supporter Mahmoud al-Jaidah,
who received a seven-year jail term in the UAE for supporting the illegal
Islamist group, Al Islah. In the documentary, Jaidah is filmed saying that Qatar
had become “the preferred” and “only” mediator of terrorist organizations in the
past 20 years.
“The report revealed that Qatar supported Al Islah and provided hotel
accommodations to members of the group,” according to the Dubai-based Gulf News.
The documentary comes amid a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf, as Saudi Arabia, the
UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have boycotted Qatar over its alleged support for
extremist groups. Jaidah’s confessions detailed the organizational structure of
Qatar’s Muslim Brotherhood branch, which included an "Executive Office" and a "Shura
Council."Jaidah, Qatari doctor, had been granted amnesty by the UAE, but he
later returned to attack the UAE on Qatar’s state television.
He said that meetings that took place in Qatar resulted in the “blatant
financing” of these organizations and that the Qatari government provided
material and moral support to fugitive members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Gulf
News reports: “Qatar’s contact with Al Islah members began with Khalid Mohammad
Abdullah Al Shaiba, who was convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for
links to the Muslim Brotherhood and setting up a branch of the organization in
the UAE. “The group then infiltrated Qatari state facilities with the support of
members of the ruling family, with 30 representatives of the group governing the
‘Ahl Al Hall Wa Al Aqd’ Council.”The newspaper stated that Jaidah’s testimony
“serves as the most incriminating proof of Qatar’s role as the primary incubator
of the Muslim Brotherhood.”The following points were also revealed in the
documentary, citing Jaidah’s admissions:
•Doha’s efforts to recruit GCC nationals to carry out terrorist acts inside the
UAE and in the region.
•That the UAE has been the chief target of the Muslim Brotherhood for years.
•The members of a group setting up a Muslim Brotherhood branch in the UAE were
named by Jaidah: Eisa Al Ansari, Mohammad Thani, Nasser Mohammad Eisa, Ebrahim
Al Ebrahim, Abdul Hamid Mahmoud and Khamis Al Mohannadi.
•The Brotherhood’s actions were supported by the Qatari government, as well as
organizations such as, the Shaikh Thani Ibn Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian
Services, and the Shaikh Eid Bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association.
Saudi envoy to the UN: Saudi Arabia increased efforts to
combat extremism
Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 29 July 2017 /Saudi Arabia's
Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Maalami,
said that Saudi Arabia has made incessant efforts to counter extremism, reported
Al Arabiya. In a speech before the General Assembly of the UN, Al-Maalami said
that Saudi Arabia wholeheartedly condemns all acts of terrorism, stressing that
the fight against terrorism is a shared international responsibility that
requires intensive and sustained efforts. The foreign ministers of the four
anti-terrorism countries; Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and
Egypt, will hold a meeting at the Bahraini capital Manama on Saturday to discuss
the latest developments of Qatar crisis. The two-day meeting reflects the
interest of the four countries in coordinating their positions and affirming
their demands from Qatar. The ministers will assess the updates concerning Qatar
crisis to stop its support of terrorism as well as its negative interference in
the internal affairs of their countries.
Arab foreign ministers to meet in Bahrain over Qatar crisis
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 29 July 2017/The foreign ministers of
four Arab countries that cut ties with Qatar over its alleged backing of
terrorism will meet in Bahrain on Saturday "to watch Doha's seriousness in
combating terrorism," Egypt’s foreign ministry said in a statement."Foreign
ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt will hold
a two-day meeting in Manama to evaluate the recent developments of Doha
situation," foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmad Abu Zeid was quoted as saying.
The Arab quartet severed diplomatic ties with Qatar last month after accusing
Doha of supporting terrorism, interfering in their internal affairs and seeking
closer ties with Iran. Qatar had strongly denied the charges and rejected a list
of 13 demands put forward by the bloc for resuming diplomatic ties. On Thursday,
Qatar's foreign minister said the United Nations should step in to help resolve
the crisis.
Syrian Coalition Calls for Establishment of ‘National Army’ to Fight Terror
Asharq Al-Awsat/July 29/17/London- The Syrian Coalition has urged friendly
countries to support the establishment of a unified national army “made of the
revolutionary armed groups forming an integral part of the international
coalition against terror.”The Coalition on Friday held a press conference at the
headquarters of the Secretariat in Istanbul, Turkey, to define its position on
the latest developments in Syria. Head of the Coalition’s media department Ahmed
Ramadan said: “The grave and unfortunate developments that have recently taken
place in Idlib province did not come as a surprise given the conspicuous lack of
sufficient support for the Free Syrian Army groups and the failure to empower
the Syrian people through their legitimate political institutions to establish a
unified national army.” “The latest developments in Idlib province have put the
opposition armed groups in front of a national responsibility to integrate into
a single national army whose primary task is to defend the liberated areas from
the attacks of the Assad regime forces and their allies and to liberate the
areas under the control of terrorist groups,” he added. The coalition also
condemned the blatant intervention of “Hezbollah” in Syria’s Qalamoun and its
siege of several towns and villages in the area in an attempt to force local
residents out of their homes. “These actions are aimed at serving the Iranian
agenda to bring about a demographic change in the area, which includes large
territories of rural Damascus, it said.
UAE: Boycotting States Have Evidence of Qatar’s Funding of
Terror Groups
Asharq Al-Awsat/July 29/17/Riyadh, Washington – The United Arab
Emirates said Friday that the four countries boycotting Qatar have conclusive
evidence that Doha is financing extremist organizations in the region, including
the terrorist al-Nusra Front.
Meanwhile, foreign ministers of the four anti-terrorism countries are preparing
for a meeting in Manama to discuss the latest developments in the Qatari crisis.
UAE Ambassador to Washington Yousef al-Otaiba revealed that the four countries
(Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt) have conclusive evidence to indict Doha
for its support of armed militias in Syria, Libya and Somalia, in addition to
supporting al-Qaeda in Syria, the Muslim Brotherhood, and many others including
Hamas and the Taliban. Otaiba told US TV channel PBS that Doha has the right to
continue to do what it wants and support who it wants. The four countries in
return have the right to continue their boycott and to take the measures that
safeguard their rights and security as they wish. He pointed out that the
Washington-led international coalition against ISIS could triumph, but that
would not be possible without putting an end to funding terrorism from foreign
parties. The ambassador said that the cause of the difference between the four
boycotting countries and Qatar is the lack of its commitment to the charters and
treaties that were signed in Riyadh in 2013 and 2014. He stressed that the Gulf
states and Egypt cannot agree to the policies of Doha that are contrary to the
approach of the Gulf fold. The Gulf crisis is about a fundamental clash of
visions over the future of the Middle East, the UAE’s ambassador to Washington
said. “Our disagreement is about what the future of the Middle East should look
like and that’s something we haven’t been able to square with the Qataris for a
long time,” Otaiba added. For his part, Michael Morell, a former deputy director
of the CIA, said that Qatar has money and relations with extremist groups, and
it sees itself oppressed as a country in foreign policy, so it formed allies
with these groups and funded them to get the external power it wants.
Protests Besiege Nusra Front in Damascus’ Eastern Ghouta
Asharq Al-Awsat/July 29/17/Beirut- The US-led coalition against ISIS is aware of
the coordination between the Syrian regime, Russia and the Kurds in northeastern
Syria, a senior Kurdish official told Asharq Al-Awsat, pointing out that the
Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces are working on a plan to liberate Raqqa
from ISIS within two weeks. The progress of the SDF, supported by the coalition
on one hand, and the regime forces, backed by Russia on the other, has led to
coordination between the parties fighting ISIS. The Kurdish official said that
Washington does not oppose the presence of military chambers for coordination
between the Kurds, the regime of Bashar al-Assad and Russia. In this context,
the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said: “Backed by the US-led
coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces have waged a months-long offensive on
Raqqa and have successfully captured half of the city.”Meanwhile, Syrian regime
troops, with Russian air support, have entered the last ISIS stronghold in the
country’s Homs province after militants began withdrawing. Al-Sukhna, some 70
kilometers northeast of the famed ancient city of Palmyra, is of a strategic
significance since it is the last town on the road to the eastern city of Deir
Ezzor, most of which lies under ISIS control. On the other hand, protests
against al-Nusra Front have taken place in the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta,
which has witnessed confrontations between Faylaq al-Rahman and Hay’at Tahrir al
Sham (HTS), formerly known as Nusra Front, coinciding with attempts to expand
truce to include central and western Ghouta. In an official statement, HTS
accused the fighters of Faylaq al-Rahman of killing one of its fighters in
eastern Ghouta. In the statement, HTS claimed that a group of Faylaq al-Rahman
gunmen attacked one of its fighters in Hamuriya town during his return from the
Jobar front. The statement added that Faylaq al-Rahman members then chased him
and killed him in his home. HTS claimed that Faylaq al-Rahman has carried out
several such attacks on HTS fighters. The statement added that HTS informed the
leadership of Faylaq al-Rahman several times, and the leaders pledged to resolve
the problem, but didn’t keep their promises. In response to the HTS statement,
Wael Alwan, spokesman for Faylaq al-Rahman, told opposition media: “HTS element
has nothing to do with the fronts or fighting, he was a security man who was
walking with his arms in Hamuriya town.”“He attacked one of Faylaq al-Rahman
elements then he was stalked by a patrol of Faylaq al-Rahman, where he hid in a
building under construction and fired at them, which forced them to deal with
the situation and kill him,” Alwan added.
He also said that HTS abuses were repeated more than once in Ghouta. HTS held
Faylaq al-Rahman responsible for this “heinous crime” and demanded that the
killers be handed over immediately.
Qatar appeals to UN, while US calls for dialogue
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishFriday, 28 July 2017/Qatari Foreign Minister
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani called the United Nations to help in
resolving the Gulf crisis. The Qatari minister said to the reporters after
meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who stressed that the
international organization supports solving the crisis regionally. The UN
secretary-general reiterated his full support for Kuwait-led mediation in an
attempt to resolve Qatar crisis. In Washington, where Qatar's foreign minister
met with his US counterpart, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Neuert said
that Washington believe that to solve the crisis; the stakeholders need to sit
together to talk and discuss it directly. In a related context, China's
permanent ambassador in the United Nations expressed his country's belief that
the crisis should be resolved within the Gulf Cooperation Council as an internal
dispute, stressing that China hopes that the parties of the crisis will hold
direct talks to overcome the obstacles to solve the issue. Qatar's foreign
minister said that there are no positive steps taken by the boycotting
countries, pointing out that Qatar wants to end this crisis through diplomatic
dialogue based on principles that do not violate sovereignty and respect of
international law.
Yemeni vice president: Houthis targeting of Mecca backed by
Iran
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 29 July 2017/Yemeni Vice President Ali
Mohsen al-Ahmar said that the attempt by the Houthis to target Mecca is a
terrorist act supported by Iran, reported Al Arabiya. "This is a terrorist act
that hurts the feelings of hundreds of millions around the world," he said.
"Iran is responsible for what happened. The targeting of Mecca with a missile is
something that every Muslim should rise to face and denounce," he added.
"Tehran’s support of the Houthis and pushing them to target Mecca - more than
once - is unjustified absurdity," said Mohammed Ali al-Husseini, a Shiite cleric
and the secretary general of the Arab Islamic Council in Lebanon. He was
referring to the last time Mecca was targeted by a ballistic missile, Saudi air
defenses blocked it in Taif, 69 km from Mecca, and no one was hurt. As for the
dean of the Faculty of theology in Al-Azhar University in Cairo, he described
the Houthis’ violation as suicidal, and said: "They are attempting suicide, an
act that cannot be imagined by a sane person, as well as any true Muslim, the
sacred house of Allah that God has made safe for mankind, those who seek to harm
it await God’s painful punishment.” The Saudi air defense forces managed to
intercept a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi militia towards Mecca in a
desperate attempt to disrupt the Hajj season, no damages were reported.
Iran Guards Report New Incident with
US Navy in Gulf
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 30/17/Iran's
Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that the US Navy had approached their
patrol vessels in the Gulf and fired flares in what it called a provocative
move.
"At 4 pm (1130 GMT) on Friday, the supercarrier USS Nimitz and its accompanying
warship, while being monitored by the Guards' frigates, flew a helicopter near
the Resalat oil and gas platform and approached the force's ships," the Guards
said. On Tuesday, a US Navy patrol ship fired warning shots at a Guards boat in
the Gulf as it closed in on the American vessel, US officials said.
N. Korea Leader Says 'All US' Within Range after Missile Test
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 30/17/Kim Jong-Un
boasted of North Korea's ability to strike any target in the US after a second
ICBM test that weapons experts said Saturday could even bring New York into
range -– in a potent challenge to President Donald Trump. China condemned the
test but US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Beijing and Moscow bore
"unique responsibility" for the growing threat posed by the reclusive North.
Under Kim's leadership North Korea has accelerated its drive towards a credible
nuclear strike capability, in defiance of international condemnation and
multiple sets of UN sanctions. Kim said the test "is meant to send a grave
warning to the US" and demonstrated the North's ability to launch "at any place
and time," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The "leader said
proudly the test also confirmed all the US mainland is within our striking
range," it said. Trump denounced the launch as "reckless and dangerous" and
rejected Pyongyang's claims that such tests helped ensure its security. "The
United States will take all necessary steps to ensure the security of the
American homeland and protect our allies in the region."
Weapons experts said the altitude and flight time of Friday's missile suggested
it was significantly more powerful than the July 4 test, with a theoretical
range of around 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles) meaning it might be able to
reach east coast US cities like New York, depending on the payload size.
"North Korea seems to have made a logical step forward, as it tries to perfect
the technologies to build and field an operationally-viable ICBM that can
threaten the mainland United States," said Michael Elleman, missile defense
specialist at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- 'Growing threat' -Kim Dong-Yub, a defense analyst at the Institute for Far
Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, said the North may have succeeded in
miniaturising warheads down to 750 kilograms (1,650 pounds). "If the missile
carries a 750 kg payload, its range could be 10,000 kilometers. Taking into
account the Earth's rotation, it means it could reach not only the western
cities but New York and Washington as well," he told AFP. Tillerson said
Pyongyang's main ally Beijing, together with Moscow, bore responsibility for the
growing threat from Pyongyang.
"As the principal economic enablers of North Korea's nuclear weapon and
ballistic missile development program, China and Russia bear unique and special
responsibility for this growing threat to regional and global stability," he
said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said he held telephone talks with
Tillerson and agreed on the need to put "the heaviest possible pressure" on
North Korea.
"We confirmed that we will closely cooperate in adopting a fresh UNSC (UN
Security Council) resolution, including severe measures, and working on China
and Russia," Kishida told reporters. In a standard response to the test, Beijing
urged restraint by all sides, after the US and South Korea conducted a live-fire
exercise using surface-to-surface missiles. The heads of the US and South Korean
militaries also discussed "military response options" after North Korea's
launch, the Pentagon said. South Korea said the test had prompted it to speed up
deployment of a US missile defense system. North Korea's unrelenting pursuit of
its missile and nuclear program poses a thorny policy challenge for Trump, who
is at loggerheads with Beijing over how to handle Kim's regime. Trump has
repeatedly urged China to rein in its recalcitrant neighbor, but Beijing insists
dialogue is the only practical way forward.
- 'Time for Trump to focus' -Joel Wit, a senior fellow at the US-Korea Institute
at Johns Hopkins University and an expert on the North's nuclear weapons
programme, said Friday's launch confirmed time was running out for Washington to
find a way out of a pressing security crisis.
"Another North Korean test of what appears to be a missile that can reach the
United States further emphasizes the need for the Trump administration to focus
like a laser on this increasingly dangerous situation," Wit said on the
institute's 38 North website.
The North's July 4 test triggered global alarm, with experts saying the missile
had a theoretical range to reach Alaska. There remain doubts whether the North
can miniaturize a nuclear weapon to fit a missile nose cone, or if it has
mastered the technology needed for the projectile to survive re-entry into the
Earth's atmosphere. But since Kim came to power there has been a series of
technical advances, including three nuclear tests and a string of missile
launches. In all, six sets of UN sanctions have been imposed on North Korea
since it first tested an atomic device in 2006, but two resolutions adopted last
year significantly toughened the sanctions regime.
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources
published on July
29-30/17
Palestinians: The Metal Detector Scam
Khadija Khan/Gatestone
Institute/July 29/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10751/metal-detector-scam
Metal detectors and are commonplace at most prominent mosques in the Middle
East, and more than 5,000 surveillance cameras (and 100,000 security guards)
monitor pilgrims to Mecca in Saudi Arabia during the annual Hajj.
While the Palestinian terrorist was being treated for his wounds in an Israeli
hospital, the Palestinian Authority celebrated his actions and set in motion the
mechanism according to which he will receive a salary of more than $3,000 per
month for his attempt to become a "martyr" through murdering Jews. It is time
for the international community to stop enabling radicals to use the Palestinian
people as pawns in their greater agenda, transparent to everyone, including all
Muslims: to obliterate Israel through delegitimization.
After massive pressure from the Muslim world and international community, Israel
removed all metal detectors and surveillance-camera infrastructure from the
Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the location of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Possibly to obfuscate the reason that the metal detectors were installed in the
first place -- a terrorist attack on July 14, in which three Israeli Arab
citizens killed two Israeli Druze police officers with weapons they had hidden
inside the mosque -- the Palestinian Authority (PA) called on Muslims to boycott
the site and launch "days of rage" against the Jewish state.
Palestinians, claiming that the metal detectors were a "desecration" of the
mosque -- which is actually located on the holiest site in Judaism and the
third-holiest in Islam - entered into violent clashes with Israeli security
forces. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Israel and called on
Muslims to "protect" Jerusalem.
Palestinians near Jerusalem's Old City protest Israel's installation of metal
detectors at entrances to the Temple Mount, although the metal detectors had
already been removed days before, on July 28, 2017. (Photo by Ilia Yefimovich/Getty
Images)
A Palestinian teenager posted on Facebook his intention to become a "martyr,"
before entering the home of a Jewish family in the West Bank and slaughtering
three of its members. While this terrorist was being treated for his wounds in
an Israeli hospital, the Palestinian Authority celebrated his actions and set in
motion the mechanism according to which he will receive a salary of more than
$3,000 per month for his attempt to become a "martyr" through murdering Jews.
Then, on July 23, a terrorist in Jordan -- the country that has religious
custodianship over the Temple Mount through the Islamic Waqf -- attacked an
Israeli security officer at the Israeli embassy compound in Amman. In self-defense,
the officer shot and killed him, catching another Jordanian in the crossfire. In
an deal between Israel and the Jordanian authorities, the guard and other
embassy staff were released, apparently in exchange for a promise that the metal
detectors would be removed from the entrance to the Temple Mount.
The metal detectors, however, had nothing to do with the real reason for the
inflamed atmosphere -- stoked by PA President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction and
the terrorist organization Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip -- in spite of the
fact that the attack that spurred their installation was committed by Israeli
Muslims against Israeli Druze. In reality, the security measures were taken by
Israel to protect all people entering the site -- where only Muslims are allowed
to pray, while Christians and Jews may visit only under strict surveillance.
Proof that the violence was not provoked by measures that were actually aimed at
preventing terrorists from infiltrating deadly weapons onto the Temple Mount
lies in the fact that metal detectors and are commonplace at most prominent
mosques in the Middle East, and more than 5,000 surveillance cameras (and
100,000 security guards) monitor pilgrims to Mecca in Saudi Arabia during the
annual Hajj. Furthermore, everyone visiting the Western Wall in Jerusalem,
another Jewish holy site, is required to pass through metal detectors before
entering the plaza -- a protection taken for granted.
The ongoing incitement against Israelis -- this time using metal detectors as
the excuse to claim that the Jewish state is attempting to change the "status
quo" on the Temple Mount -- not only disgraces Islam; it hurts the Palestinians
whom the world claims to want to defend.
It is time for the international community to recognize this and stop enabling
radicals to use the Palestinian people as pawns in their greater agenda,
transparent to everyone, including all Muslims: to obliterate Israel through
delegitimization.
**Khadija Khan is a Pakistani journalist and commentator, currently based in
Germany.
© 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.
We must prepare for the global energy changes to come
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/July 29/17
Bahrain was a rich market for pearl trade. One morning, things changed as the
Japanese discovered cheaper and more productive industrial alternatives. The
Bahraini main trade collapsed, the fishing boats became deserted, and the Gulf
region lost one of its most important financial resources. This same story can
happen again with oil, especially since alternatives have been developing which
encouraged governments in a number of countries to support electric cars, and
plan to end the era of gasoline and diesel cars. Britain, France, Germany, the
Netherlands, as well as India and China, have announced their intention to
dispose of petroleum fuels for cars. We have already witnessed how cars replaced
horses and donkeys. Today history repeats itself. This is what makes ideas and
projects such as Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia an existential issue, because it is
based on finding an alternative income for oil; otherwise we would be in a real
danger. The new area will require rationalizing a huge portion of government
spending, educating people on how to manage their savings, reforming education
and employment, and empowering women. Otherwise, the task will be a lot harder
later.
Although the gasoline and diesel cars still have two decades in their lifespan
in a number of major world markets, oil revenues are suffering today as prices
continue to fluctuate and the alternative oil market such as coal expands. This
increases pressure on planners to accelerate the search for faster solutions.
The economy cannot survive with these very high rates of foreign employment and
local unemployment or with government support for various goods and services.
All of which will make the task very difficult for the government and citizens
over the next few years. We will see the end of time of servants and drivers,
and the difficulty of acquiring a paid or guaranteed government job. No one is
aware of what is happening in the world or even doubts the need to move to a new
stage relying less on oil. Strategy makers will need to think deeply how any
country can distinguish itself industrially or serviceably. Does it lean more
towards religious tourism or expansion of industrial oil products? Should the
focus be on sciences from the early stages of education or rather specialization
and the declaration of the country in an urgent state of transition?
To be less reliant on oil
No one is aware of what is happening in the world or even doubts the need to
move to a new stage relying less on oil. So the inauguration of Vision 2030 came
as a conscious and responsible reading before the states change history in the
car industry, which will be the major blow to the oil market. We will see a
heated race between reducing our reliance on oil resources and reducing
dependence on its derivatives of car fuel. Stopping gasoline and diesel cars
does not mean the end of the oil age, but it strikes at the most important
products and markets which happen to be the source of our main income. Oil will
remain for a long time a source of life in other areas. It is fuel for aircraft
and ships, operates electricity generators, runs desalination plants, used in
the heating sector, used as asphalt and a key component in many industries from
iron to shampoo, toothpaste and even artificial hearts.
I have heard skeptics say that the 20-year time limit for gasoline and diesel is
unrealistic and oil will continue to be needed, arguing that the proportion of
electric cars in Britain is only one per cent today, but we have seen how the
world changed in short times and embraced modern techniques. It may be repeated
with electric cars, especially that its technology, as well as the electronic
car, is moving forward with amazing speed. Hence, we must be optimistic that we
are able to challenge and overcome the crisis.
Qatar’s spins and maneuvers
Mohammed Al-Hammadi/Al Arabiya/July 29/17
Officials in Qatar wake up every day waiting for one thing: a decision to
suspend the boycott which the four countries, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United
Arab Emirates and Egypt imposed. Up until now, they do not believe that this
boycott has in fact happened. They’re also incapable for comprehending that the
boycott will go on and will not stop unless Qatar alters it behavior and
policies and becomes a positive player in the region. No one wants it under
anyone’s sovereignty and no one has the time to be its guardian as each has his
plans, projects and concerns. Who would want to find a little naughty boy to be
his guardian? Qatar is trying to shift facts and confuse issues. This is the
approach it’s adopted to confront the matter in front of its people and the rest
of the world. So far, Qatar’s statements have been reflected endless projections
as they’ve said the boycotting countries do not fight terrorism and accused them
of funding terrorism. It also said the boycotting countries are the reason
behind terrorism and it promoted the theory they’re behind the September 11,
2001 attacks. Qatar is making absurd accusations against the four boycotting
countries and the world has realized this now as Qatar speaks and makes
accusations without presenting a single proof that backs its allegations.
Letting Qatar live in its illusions seems logical as it does not want to listen
to anyone. Qatar is actually the country that is trespassing its limits with
other countries and this is something that no one will accept. Arab countries’
belief in the fairness of their causes and the accuracy of their stance make
them strong and steadfast in terms of the decision they’ve taken despite all the
lies propagated via the media and some international pressures. These countries
are not playing around or making false accusations against Qatar, and they’re
not politically childish like Qatar to make such a major boycotting decision
without thoroughly studying it and considering all possible scenarios and
expectations. This is what Qatar cannot comprehend, let alone do.
Qatar is trying to shift facts and confuse issues.
Everything around Qatar is active while Doha is standing still and spinning
around itself while repeating the same old tune against Egypt and against
President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi. It’s under the illusion that if it continuously
targets Egypt and harms the Egyptian command, the reality will change. However
even if Qatar plays all its cards, it will not be able to harm Egypt as its
status is very high and it will not be affected by childish games that are not
only clear to the Egyptian elite and ordinary people but also to simple
Egyptians as they are well-aware now that Qatar targets Egypt’s political,
economic and media activity. Egypt after the boycott decision is completely
different than Egypt before the boycott. Before the decision was taken, Egypt
complained of Qatar but today it’s practically acting to confront Qatar’s
destructive actions against it. Qatar will be really surprised in the upcoming
days especially that Egypt is not alone as three honest and respectable
brothers, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, are with it and they will not give
up on one another until the mission is accomplished and until they end Qatar’s
harmful and evil acts against them and against the rest of Arab states and until
it completely stops supporting and funding terrorism and harboring terrorists.
Qatar continues to spin around itself by repeating its inciting media statements
against the four countries and by adopting peaceful rhetoric towards terrorism,
violence and extremism. It also claims others are being unjust towards it and
says the four boycotting countries have harmed it. Qatar is still looking for
legal measures to use against these countries as it’s hoping to find something
that may convict them. It did this in the past but didn’t succeed so does it
think that it will succeed today after the rules of the game have changed?
Egypt goes about the task of reforming the religious
rhetoric
Mashari Althaydi/Al Arabiya/July 29/17
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi finally announced the establishment of
the Egyptian supreme or national council for combating terrorism and extremism.
This is an enlightening path and a blessed move. There is unquestionable
determination to work and exterminate extremism that produces awful violence
that targets markets, streets, schools, mosques, churches and airports.
Terrorists are monsters who operate like zombies that rose from their dark
graves.The council is chaired by the president himself. Among the members are
the parliament speaker, Al-Azhar Sheikh, the Coptic pope and state officials
such as the education, awqaf, interior and intelligence ministers. The aim of
the council is to set plans, execute them and supervise them. All this is good
and it’s rather a duty and a requirement. This is the work of the state and the
society. We wish Egypt luck and success and we hope Muslims and the entire world
succeed in winning over Islamized terrorism and the culture behind it.
Task before Al-Azhar
Previously, Sisi had informed Al-Azhar officials that religious reform is a must
and said he will quarrel with them before God if they don’t achieve the task.The
determination and honesty of the responsible Muslim man, Sisi, are beyond doubt.
However, the task of religious reform is not a military one which he can simply
approve and it gets done. We wish it were so, as that would have been much
easier. The issue is also not just about Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan,
Indonesia or Senegal. It is about defeating the culture of terrorism and
extremism – and I emphasize extremism here. It is a global task that concerns
all people considering the news about terrorism coming daily from across the
world. There are many Arabic, Islamic and even European initiatives and centers
that work to confront Islamized terrorist cultures, whether Sunni or Shiite, on
the ideological and media levels. It’s worth noting that Sunni ones are more
than Shiites. The diversity of such work is of course good and beneficial.My
only note is that we focus on media and quantitative activity at the expense of
qualitative and intellectual activity when the problem’s core is educational and
not relevant to media activity.
I’ll be more frank and ask: Is there a serious and specialized discussion before
politicians and media figures talk about concepts such as Sharia, governance,
Caliphate, secularism, international law and its moral obligations, women’s
rights etc.?
This is where we must begin, as late author Khalid Mohammed Khalid put it.
Trump under NKorean and Iranian missile siege
DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis July 29, 2017
In the same 48-hour time frame, North Korea and Iran both managed to rattle the
West by successfully testing advanced missiles. Thursday, July 27, Tehran
launched a "Simorgh" rocket, which is capable of carrying a 250-kg satellite
into space. The next day, Pyongyang test-fired its second intercontinental
ballistic missile, an improved version of the Hwasong 14, first tested three
weeks earlier.
President Donald Trump was discovering that sanctions are no deterrent
The depth of the dismay in the West may explain why none of the experts dared
mention the even more troubling fact which has been known for some time: Iran
and North Korea are longstanding partners in their long-range missile programs.
Each maintains experts at the other’s development facilities.
On July 28, the Hwasong 14 flew 47 minutes over a distance of 3,724km before
dropping into the Sea of Japan. Kim Jong-un boasted: “The test confirmed that
all the US mainland is within striking range,” confirming the new estimate that
North Korea’s latest ICBMs can now reach major American cities like Chicago and
Los Angeles.
That was his delighted response to the latest round of US sanctions.
Iran was less forthcoming about its latest test, without however neglecting to
underline its success. debkafile’s military and intelligence sources confirm
that Iran’s success was no less impressive than North Korea’s - and just as
dangerous. The Simorgh, aka Safir-3, is the fruit of years of Iranian
development and many failed tests on the way to achieving a satellite-carrying
rocket as the basis for nuclear-armed ballistic missiles.
US military sources tried to present the Iranian test as another flop, only
admitting at length that “the only thing we know for sure is that no satellite
was put into orbit.” Like the Americans with regard to Iran, Russian military
sources tried play down the North Korean success by tossing it off as an
ordinary, medium-range ballistic missile.
But the fact is that Iran was not trying this time to put a satellite in orbit.
Its objective, for which a big step was taken forward, was to perfect the
technology for building missiles able to carry small nuclear warheads, as well
as carriers for boosting military and spy satellites into space.
Tehran was extremely cagey with details about its success. The Safir-2, built
around components of the North Korean BM-25 ballistic missile, which too derived
from the Soviet R-27 fired from submarines, was able to attain an estimated
range of 3,000-4,000km. The Simorgh or Safir-3 tested this week was an advanced
version of its predecessor. The two-stage version, powered by solid fuel, is
believed to have an improved range of 7,500km.
Two years ago, when Iran placed an imaging rocket into orbit during February
2015, Israeli rocket experts established that these rockets were also capable of
striking any point that Iran may chose. Tehran was therefore well ahead of
Pyongyang in its ability to stage a missile attack on the United States mainland
- except that this discovery was eclipsed at the time by the Iranian nuclear
negotiations nearing conclusion with six world powers, led by the United States.
President Barack Obama, hell bent on a deal, gave in to Tehran’s demand to leave
its missile program out of the accord. Iran was left free to pursue its
ballistic missile program unchecked by international law up until now.
Therefore, when on Thursday, the US Senate slapped sanctions on Iran as
punishment for its missile tests, the Foreign Ministry in Tehran was formally
within its rights Saturday in affirming “Iran’s inalienable right” to develop
missiles “in compliance with its international obligations.”
In another event tied to Iran’s missiles, Saudi Arabia Thursday, July 26,
announced the interception of “a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s
Iran-backed Houthi insurgents against the holy city of Mecca.” The defense
ministry in Riyadh said the missile had been shot down some 69km away from
Mecca, causing no damage or casualties.
The Saudis have for some months accused Iran of supplying the Yemeni insurgents
with Fatteh-110 missiles for targeting Saudi cities, including the capital,
Riyadh. They had expected President Donald Trump to hit back at Iran. However,
other than reprimanding Tehran for hostile action against the “US partner Saudi
Arabia,” no tangible US action was forthcoming – only fresh sanctions, which
don’t cut much ice in Tehran or Pyongyang.
Donald Trump’s six-month presidency is clearly under siege. On top of the
bucketfuls of trouble landing on his head at home, he is being pushed against a
wall by America’s enemies in two world regions – the Far East and the Middle
East.