LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
June 05/17
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
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Bible Quotations For Today
Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God
without being born of water and Spirit
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 03/05-08/:"Jesus answered,
‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born
of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the
Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, "You must be born
from above." The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but
you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who
is born of the Spirit.’"
You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make
me full of gladness with your presence
Acts of the Apostles 02/22-28/:"‘You that are Israelites, listen to what I have
to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power,
wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know.
this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of
God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God
raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to
be held in its power. For David says concerning him, "I saw the Lord always
before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my
heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience
corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of
gladness with your presence."
Titles For Latest LCCC
Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June
04-05/17
Iran Heads towards Iraqi-Syrian Border/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/June
04/17
Qatar…Test for Trump’s Anti-Terror Plan/Eli Lake/Bloomberg/June 04/17
Trump’s Right: Germany’s Trade Surplus is Too Big/Justin Fox/Bloomberg/June
04/17
After Middle East, Will Islamists Uproot Christians in Europe/Giulio Meotti/Gatestone
Institute/June 04/17
Accept Islamic Terror as the New Normal/Nonie Darwish/Gatestone Institute/June
04/17
Qatar pressured to expel Hamas/Seth J. Frantzman/Jerusalem Post/June 04/17
Titles For Latest
Lebanese Related News published on
June 04-05/17
Hariri: We are Preparing Northern Lebanon for Syria Reconstruction Phase
Lebanon senior officials decry 'cowardly' London attacks
Franjieh: Those who Invented Bizarre Laws Can't Celebrate Approval of
Proportional Representation
Bassil: We've Buried 1960 Law, Ended Vacuum and Crushed Extension Attempt
Reports: Nasrallah Pressed Bassil on Extraordinary Session, Proportional Law
FPM Seeking Agreement on 'Senate, Equal Power-Sharing and Administrative
Decentralization'
Army Bombs Militants as Nusra Hit by IS Attack Involving Suicide Blast
Two Wounded in Attack on Palestinian Security Force in Ain el-Hilweh
Hariri: Cabinet will convene in Tripoli to approve its vital projects
Berri condemns London attack
Jumblatt denounces London attacks: We hope that Western democracy will remain
deeply rooted
Hezbollah condemns London attacks, calls on British government to conduct
realistic study to determine source of such ideology
Franjieh emphasizes BsharreZgharta historical ties
Titles For Latest
LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
June 04-05/17
Pope Francis: prayers for victims of London terror attacks
Trudeau says Canadian was one of 7 killed in London terror attack
Denmark Halts Funding of Palestinian Groups after Israeli Pressure
Syrian Regime Heads South to Recapture Dara’a
Ankara Reveals Old Plan to Liberate Raqqa by Arab Forces
Egypt, Sudan Hold Talks to Defuse Tensions
Yemeni Minister Says Cholera Cases Likely to Increase
Coup Displaces 700 Families in Yemen’s Taiz in May
Mohammed bin Zayed: UAE, Saudi Arabia Face Challenges Together
Senior Turkish PM Aide Arrested for Gulen Links
Bahraini FM Denies Attempts to Contain Crisis with Qatar
King Salman Discusses Regional Issues with French President
12 Arrested after 'Evil' London Terror Attack
Iraqi Forces Retake Area near Syrian Border from IS
Saudi Arabia, Egypt foreign ministers discuss ties, counter-terrorism efforts
UK election to go ahead on June 8 despite London attack
Iran says London attacks "wake up call", urges uprooting terrorism sources
Latest Lebanese
Related News published on
June 04-05/17
Hariri: We are
Preparing Northern Lebanon for Syria Reconstruction Phase
Asharq Al-Awsat/Asharq Al Awsat/June
04/17/Beirut – Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri described the northern region
of Akkar as an “example of national adherence” for standing by the state and
preserving coexistence. He said during an iftar dinner in the region that the
area, which lies in the northernmost part of Lebanon near the border with Syria,
is being prepared for the phase of the war-torn country’s reconstruction. He
acknowledged that Akkar “suffers more than others due to the economic lapse that
affected the whole of Lebanon.” The premier however hailed the locals for
hosting scores of Syrian refugees “who have fled the hell of Bashar Assad and
his murderous regime.”“The next phase will be about reconstructing Syria after
the nightmare against the heroic Syrian people is over,” declared Hariri. He
said that despite the hardships, the Akkar residents remained committed to the
state and its sons form the backbone of the army and security institutions. They
have stood as a solid fortress against extremism and terrorism, he stressed. He
pledged that Akkar will witness an economic revival through offshore oil and gas
exploration and the opening of the Rene Mouawwad airport in al-Qulaiyaat that
will be vital in the reconstruction of Syria.
Lebanon senior officials decry 'cowardly' London attacks
The Daily Star/ June 04, 2017/BEIRUT: Lebanese senior state
officials Sunday condemned the attacks in London and called for combatting
extremism. President Michel Aoun Sunday expressed solidarity with Britain,
denouncing the "cowardly" attacks. "Targeting Britain repeatedly with brutal
attacks indicates that it still stands in the face of dark and inhuman
[ideologies] represented by terrorism, which is desperately trying to circulate
them as an alternative culture to the dialogue of civilizations and religions."
Assailants drove a van into pedestrians at high speed on London Bridge on
Saturday night before stabbing revelers on nearby streets, killing at least
seven people and wounding dozens in what police suspect was a terrorist attack.
The Lebanese president sent cables of condolences to Queen Elizabeth II and
British Prime Minister Theresa May. "The Lebanese stand in solidarity with
Britain in fending off all kinds of terrorism," Aoun told May. At least 48
people were injured in the attack - the third to hit Britain in less than three
months - which came days ahead of a parliamentary election on Thursday. “Lebanon
that has also paid the price of its belief in the dialogue of civilizations and
religions and thwarting terrorism, is holding onto its values that it
represents,” Aoun said, calling for collaboration with the UK and other
countries "to triumph."Aoun offered his condolences to Queen Elizabeth and May,
hoping a speedy recovery of the wounded. Speaker Nabih Berri also deplored the
attacks.
"The organized crime and [attacks] targeting capitals and cities across the
world ... proves that such terrorism organizing the bloody crimes aims at
destabilizing and rattling global security and peace, as well as that of the
Middle East and the Arab and Islamic regions,” Berri said in a statement
released by his press office. “This terrorism has no religion,” Berri said,
adding that “its project is based on killing and destruction.” “It (terrorism)
calls for united international measures, joint operations room that coordinates
international responsibilities.”Berri also called for "drying the [financial]
sources of terror and to cut its movement across the world, as well as issuing
unified international laws that govern the means of combating it.”Former Prime
Minister Najib Mikati joined the condemnation wave. “One certainty: terror won't
win,” said British ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter, who condoled with the
families of the victims via Twitter.
London Bridge is a major transport hub and nearby Borough Market is a
fashionable warren of alleyways packed with bars and restaurants which is always
bustling on a Saturday night. The area remained cordoned off on Sunday, with
train stations closed. Forensic investigators could be seen working on the
bridge, where buses and taxis stood abandoned. There was no immediate claim of
responsibility for the latest attack to hit Britain and Europe. Less than two
weeks ago, a suicide bomber killed 22 people, including children, at a pop
concert by U.S. singer Ariana Grande in Manchester in northern England. In
March, in a similar attack to Saturday's, a man killed five people after driving
into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in central London. Islamist militants
have carried out attacks in Berlin, Nice, Brussels and Paris over the past two
years.
Franjieh: Those who Invented Bizarre Laws Can't Celebrate Approval of
Proportional Representation
Naharnet/June 04/17/Marada Movement
chief MP Suleiman Franjieh on Sunday slammed “those who invent bizarre laws” and
yet claim victory when an agreement is reached on proportional representation,
in an apparent jab at Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil. “People have
a memory. Those who disavowed proportional representation and sought to drop it
through inventing bizarre laws cannot consider themselves to be heroes when it
gets approved,” Franjieh said during a Marada rally. He also noted that Marada
will have “candidates and friends” in all electoral districts in the upcoming
parliamentary elections. Bassil had proposed several so-called hybrid laws that
combine proportional representation with the winner-takes-all system, arguing
that they would secure better “Christian representation.”Prime Minister Saad
Hariri confirmed Thursday after talks with President Michel Aoun and Speaker
Nabih Berri in Baabda that the political parties have agreed on an electoral law
based on full proportional representation and 15 districts and that the law's
details would be finalized “before the expiry of parliament's term” on June 20.
“We have agreed on the framework of the electoral law and a committee will
address the details and final touches,” Hariri said.
Bassil: We've Buried 1960 Law, Ended Vacuum and Crushed Extension Attempt
Naharnet/June 04/17/Free Patriotic
Movement chief Jebran Bassil boasted Sunday that the FPM has “buried the 1960
electoral law, ended vacuum and crushed the attempt to extend parliament's
term.” “This is a victory for the FPM,” Bassil added from the Keserwan district.
“The FPM's founder has become the country's president and he has invoked his
powers. We have witnessed that the president has the ability to use these
powers, telling parliament that it has an extraordinary legislative session from
June 7 to June 20 that is exclusively limited to devising an electoral law,”
Bassil went on to say. Turning to the law that the ruling political class has
agreed on – proportional representation in 15 districts – Bassil said “it might
not be the ideal law” but it allows Christians to “elect 50 out of 64 MPs
instead of 31 under the 1960 law.” “This is not a minor thing but it is not
sufficient, that's why we will continue and fight because we want 64 out of 64,”
the FPM chief added. Separately, he said the members of the armed forces should
be allowed to vote. “Servicemen are not only supposed to die on the fronts and
they have the right to vote. Some say that the voting of the army and security
forces would be an interference in politics, as if they don't have an opinion in
their homes and their minds. What's important is that they don't practice their
viewpoint on the checkpoints or on the frontier,” Bassil said. “Whether a
serviceman supports the FPM or al-Mustaqbal Movement, whether he is Muslim or
Christian, he is firing at Daesh (Islamic State group) and defending us against
death and terrorism, and the least we can do is to grant them our votes,” Bassil
added.
Reports: Nasrallah Pressed Bassil on Extraordinary Session,
Proportional Law
Naharnet/June 04/17/http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/230916-reports-nasrallah-pressed-bassil-on-extraordinary-session-proportional-law
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah played a key role in persuading Free
Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil to accept an electoral law fully based
on proportional representation and to seek President Michel Aoun's signature on
a decree opening an extraordinary legislative session with the aim of appeasing
Speaker Nabih Berri, media reports said. “Hizbullah was decisive in telling
Minister Jebran Bassil that it would not accept parliamentary vacuum even for a
single minute and that it was necessary to issue a decree opening an
extraordinary legislative session prior to the three-party meeting” in Baabda
between Aoun, Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, informed parliamentary
sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in remarks published Sunday. “Berri was
informed of the outcome of the Nasrallah-Bassil meeting and he attended the
presidential iftar banquet accordingly after realizing that the opening of the
session was not a problem anymore,” the sources added. Other parliamentary
sources meanwhile told Kuwaiti newspaper al-Seyassah that Berri was “very
relieved” by Nasrallah's stance. “Berri considered Nasrallah's remarks a heavy-caliber
message to the FPM that it should not go very far in its new alliances, whether
with the Lebanese Forces or al-Mustaqbal Movement, especially that the new
presidential tenure cannot afford to lose Hizbullah's support amid the critical
circumstances that Lebanon and the region are going through,” the sources added.
FPM Seeking Agreement on 'Senate, Equal Power-Sharing and
Administrative Decentralization'
Naharnet/June 04/17/The Free Patriotic Movement is seeking consensus on a
host of “guarantees and annexes” after the latest agreement that was reached on
an electoral law based on proportional representation and 15 districts, a media
report said on Sunday. Explaining FPM chief Jebran Bassil's recent remarks about
“guarantees and annexes,” a prominent member of the Change and Reform bloc told
al-Mustaqbal daily that the FPM is seeking consensus on three issues -- “the
creation of a Senate after passing the electoral law, enshrining equal
Christian-Muslim parliamentary power-sharing in the Constitution, and passing an
administrative decentralization law within a specific timeframe.”Prime Minister
Saad Hariri had confirmed Thursday after talks with President Michel Aoun and
Speaker Nabih Berri in Baabda that the political parties had agreed on an
electoral law based on full proportional representation and 15 districts and
that the law's details would be finalized “before the expiry of parliament's
term” on June 20. “We have agreed on the framework of the electoral law and a
committee will address the details and final touches,” Hariri said.
Army Bombs Militants as Nusra Hit by IS Attack Involving Suicide Blast
Naharnet/June 04/17/The Lebanese army's artillery was on Sunday pounding the
posts of the militants in the outskirts of the eastern border towns of Arsal and
Ras Baalbek, state-run National News Agency reported. Security sources meanwhile
told al-Jadeed television that an Islamic State group had carried out an attack
on posts for the al-Nusra Front rival jihadist group in the Ajram area in
Arsal's outskirts. “A member of the attacking force blew himself up outside one
of the posts,” the sources said. “The army's artillery targeted an IS infantry
force that was trying to infiltrate into the Ajram area, inflicting confirmed
casualties,” the sources added.
Two Wounded in Attack on Palestinian Security Force in Ain
el-Hilweh
Naharnet/June 04/17/Palestinian activist Asef Moussa and another activist from
the al-Badawi family were wounded Sunday in an attack on the Joint Palestinian
Security Force in the Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp, state-run National News Agency
reported. The camp's al-Fawqani street witnessed heavy gunfire and the hurling
of a hand grenade when an armed group attacked the guards of the JPSF outside
the Martyr Saeed al-Youssef Hall, NNA said. The attack was followed by sniper
gunfire on the al-Fawqani street and the vegetable market area. The agency added
that the camp is currently witnessing a state of tension and a deployment by
members of the powerful Fatah Movement in the Jabal al-Halib area.
Hariri: Cabinet will
convene in Tripoli to approve its vital projects
Sun 04 Jun 2017/NNA - Prime Minister Saad Hariri Sunday promised to hold a
cabinet session in Tripoli to endorse the city's much-needed projects. Speaking
during a "Ramadan Suhour" held in his honor by former Minister Mohammad Safadi
in Batroun, Hariri said: "Today, a new atmosphere prevails in the country that
is in the interest of Lebanon as a whole, and Tripoli in particular." Addressing
various attending ministers, deputies and prominent dignitaries representing the
North region, Hariri said "God willing, we will meet again in Tripoli. We are
aiming for the benefit of Lebanon and Tripoli, which really needs a lot of
work." Hariri thanked Safadi for his kind hospitality, valuing their deep and
honest friendship. In turn, Minister Safadi praised the Prime Minister's stance,
treasuring their brotherly ties and lauding his determination to tackle the
needs of Tripoli and its surrounding region.
Berri condemns London attack
Sun 04 Jun 2017/NNA - House Speaker Nabih Berri expressed solidarity with
Britain, denouncing the attacks in Central London. "We reaffirm our strong
condemnation of the terrorist acts that targeted London Bridge and Boro Market,
which resulted in the death and injury of a large number of innocent civilians,"
Speaker Berri said in a statement on Sunday. The Speaker added that such
organized crimes prove that the aim of terrorism is to destabilize and undermine
the international and regional security. Berri urged the International community
to eradicate terrorists' sources and to issue unified laws to combat them.
Jumblatt denounces London attacks: We hope that Western
democracy will remain deeply rooted
Sun 04 Jun 2017/NNA - Democratic Gathering Chief, MP Walid Jumblatt, Sunday
condemned the terrorist attacks against Britain, hoping that "the foundations of
Western democracy would remain firm and strong, since it reflects the values of
freedom and human rights regardless of its positions vis-à-vis various issues."
"I deplore this terrorist act and extend my condolences and sympathy to the
British Government, the British people and the victims' families," said Jumblatt
in his issued statement.
Hezbollah condemns London attacks, calls on British
government to conduct realistic study to determine source of such ideology
Sun 04 Jun 2017/ NNA - Hezbollah political party denounced, in a statement on
Sunday, the terrorist attack that targeted the British capital, London, urging
its government and public opinion to "conduct a realistic study to determine the
source of this ideology away from major economic companies' calculations." "This
new crime is one in a series of terrible atrocities perpetrated by the same
groups against our cities, countries and nations, and every day hundreds of
victims and martyrs fall," the statement indicated. "Such atrocities witnessed
by the world are indicative of the course that fanaticism will take, in the
event that influential forces and states fail to adopt decisive steps in
confronting terrorism and those who finance it with the aim of dominating our
region and the entire world," the party statement added. Hezbollah concluded by
expressing deep sorrow at this human tragedy, offering sincere condolences to
the victims' families and wishing speedy recovery for the wounded.
Franjieh emphasizes BsharreZgharta historical ties
Sun 04 Jun 2017/NNA - "Bsharre and Zgharta share a historical relation,"
stressed Maradah Movement Chief, Sleiman Franjieh, on Sunday. Speaking before a
Maradah delegation from Bsharre, Franjieh considered that such deeply rooted
ties are further strengthened through the Movement members' presence and
contributions. "This was clearly evident in the outcome of the recent municipal
elections," he added. Touching on the voting law, Franjieh noted that people
have memory; hence, whoever denied relativity in the past and worked against it
by inventing strange laws, cannot be considered a hero now, adopting it once
approved! "Al-Maradah will have candidates and friends in various districts in
the upcoming parliamentary elections," added Franjieh. He concluded by pointing
to the need for balanced development in various underprivileged areas in the
country, vowing that the Public Works Ministry will tend to this matter.
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
June 04-05/17
Pope Francis: prayers
for victims of London terror attacks
Sun 04 Jun 2017/NNA - Pope Francis
offered prayers for the victims of the Saturday evening terror attacks in
London, as well as for the families of the victims. The prayers of the Holy
Father came at the end of Mass on Pentecost Sunday, during the course of remarks
to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, as they prepared to pray the
Regina coeli with him. “May the Holy Spirit grant peace to the whole world,”
Pope Francis prayed, “may He heal the wounds of war and of terrorism, which even
this [Saturday] night, in London, struck innocent civilians: let us pray for the
victims and their families.” Seven people are dead and 48 others are injured in
London after a van drove into pedestrians on London Bridge, after which the
occupants of the vehicle emerged and began stabbing people in Borough Market.
Witness reports say the assailants cried, “This is for Allah,” as they stabbed
their victims repeatedly. Armed police shot and killed the three attackers.
---Vatican Radio
Trudeau says Canadian
was one of 7 killed in London terror attack
The Canadian Press/June 04/17/A
Canadian was among those killed in a terror attack on London Bridge and a
bustling market in the U.K. capital, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. Trudeau
said in a written statement released Sunday that the government wouldn't be
commenting further on the death out of respect for the family. The attack began
at about 10 p.m. local time Saturday, when three men drove a van into
pedestrians on London Bridge, police said. The attackers, wielding blades and
knives, then ran down a set of stairs into Borough Market where they stabbed
people in several different restaurants.The attack lasted about eight minutes,
police said, but seven people were killed and at least 48 were hospitalized. The
attackers were shot dead by police, and 12 people have been arrested in Barking
in east London. Raids are going on elsewhere in the city. The Canadian
government is advising citizens to be vigilant in the wake of the attack. The
government and diplomats on the ground in London are advising travellers to
avoid the affected areas, follow the instructions of local authorities and
monitor local media. Governor General David Johnston tweeted about the attack,
calling it "evil and senseless."He said he was "heartbroken to learn that a
Canadian is among those who lost their lives."Trudeau said Canada would stand
with the U.K. in the fight against terrorism. "We grieve with the families and
friends of those who have lost loved ones, and wish all those injured a speedy
and full recovery," Trudeau said. "Londoners and people across the United
Kingdom have always displayed strength and resilience in the face of adversity.
We recently witnessed this after the attacks in Manchester and in the
Westminster area of London. This time will be no different." Opposition leader
Andrew Scheer said in a written statement Sunday that Canada and the U.K. have
historically stood "shoulder to shoulder" against threats. "I do not want to see
my children grow up in a world where they are afraid to go to the mall, or a
concert, or travel the world," Scheer said. "This is why Canada, and our allies,
must be fully committed to confronting and destroying this terrorist
threat."This is the third attack in Britain in as many months. Two weeks ago, a
suicide bomber blew himself up at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, in
northwest England, killing 22 people and injuring dozens more. In March, a
British convert to Islam ran down people with a vehicle on Westminster Bridge,
killing four before fatally stabbing a police officer on Parliament's grounds.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday that police had recently foiled
five other plots. May characterized the latest attack as the work of Islamic
extremists, but no group has yet claimed responsibility. —With files from The
Associated Press
Denmark Halts Funding of Palestinian Groups after Israeli Pressure
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Ramallah
– Denmark announced that it will halt the funding of civil Palestinian groups in
wake of Israeli accusations that some of these organizations promote “terrorism”.Danish
Ambassador to Israel Jesper Vahr said on Saturday that his country will
discontinue the financing of Palestinian non-government organizations and
centers. Copenhagen has decided to completely sever ties with these
institutions, adding that it will ask them to return funds provided to them. The
decision comes days after a Danish Foreign Ministry investigation over donations
that go to Palestinian centers. The ministry vowed to review the donations that
the government grants to Palestinian ngos. Danish Foreign Minister Anders
Samuelsen declared that he will not approve any new financing until the results
of the investigation are revealed. “We must make sure that the Danish aid is
positively bolstering human rights in the Palestinian territories,” he said in a
statement. The development comes after major pressure exerted by Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “cease the funding of organizations that are
active in incitement against Israel.”He had presented Samuelsen with a list of
organizations that receive Danish funding. These groups also advocate the
boycott of Israel.
Syrian Regime Heads South to Recapture Dara’a
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Beirut – The Syrian regime has pushed military
reinforcements to the southern front ahead of a strategic battle aimed at
cementing its presence in the areas it controls in the city of Dara’a.
Opposition sources in the south told Asharq Al-Awsat that its forces are getting
prepared for the battle, noting that the opposition has made progress and
recently targeted regime reinforcements headed to Dara’a. Sources added that the
battle with the regime will not be easy despite the intense airstrikes. The
regime reinforcements started hours after the visit of Maher Assad to Dara’a
along with officers from the fourth armored division. Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights Director Rami Abdel Rahman said that the Syrian regime longs to put
an end to the depletion of its forces on the contact lines in the city. He told
Asharq Al-Awsat however that the reinforcements and military preparations are
insufficient for a wide operation in the south. Although the huge reinforcements
hint that the battle will not be limited to regaining Manshiya district,
estimates show that seizing Dara’a has become a major regime concern. Southern
front spokesman Issam al-Rayes told Asharq Al-Awsat that “Manshiya district has
become a nightmare for the regime that wants to restore it along with other
regions in the city.” He pointed out that the continuous airstrikes and
bombardment that were launched two weeks ago have intensified in recent days, a
sign that the battle is imminent.
Ankara Reveals Old Plan to Liberate Raqqa by Arab Forces
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Ankara – Ankara officially revealed for the first
time some details of its proposals to liberate Syria’s Raqqa city from ISIS. The
plan relies on Arab forces instead of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).
Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said during a television interview on
Friday that Turkey had presented the plan to the United States as an alternative
to its support to Kurdish militias, which Ankara deem as an extension of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. The proposal calls for training 10,000 to
12,000 thousand people are part of the Free Syrian Army. The Arab members of the
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will then join them. Kalin said that this
20,000-strong force, backed by airstrikes and the international coalition, will
be able to carry out the upcoming Raqqa operation. Washington’s plan to
recapture Raqqa primarily relies on the SDF. According to some military experts,
Washington believes that Kurdish forces are better prepared to defeat ISIS and
it does not have much trust in the Free Syrian Amy due to the divisions among
its factions. Kalin revealed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had
during his latest meeting with US President Donald Trump and other US officials
underlined the American error in arming the YPG as part of the war on ISIS.
Erdogan had met with Trump in May when he visited the US. Kalin added that the
American officials told the Turkish president that they will take measures that
will ease Ankara’s security fears.
“We will continue to work with the US as a member in the alliance against ISIS.
It is clear however that the Americans committed a mistake in this issue and
they will see its results on the long or short term,” he said. He stated that
Washington will soon regret arming the Kurdish forces and will eventually turn
to Turkey for help.
Egypt, Sudan Hold Talks to Defuse Tensions
Sawsan Abu-Husain/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Cairo – Egyptian President Abdel
Fattah el-Sisi emphasized the importance of the historical ties with Sudan,
stressing the need to continue on strengthening and developing them. He made his
remarks during a meeting with the Sudanese Foreign Minister, Ibrahim Ghandour,
who is currently visiting Cairo. Egyptian Presidency official spokesman,
Ambassador Alaa Youssef, said the two parties discussed means of enhancing
relations on all levels. They agreed on the importance of continuing work to
overcome any obstacles. The Sudanese delegation also conveyed the greetings of
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. The Sudanese and Egyptian Foreign ministers
affirmed their countries’ keenness to develop better relations in all fields and
to continue coordination and consultation between the two sides on various
issues. During a joint press conference with his Sudanese counterpart, Egyptian
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that both Cairo and Khartoum want to enhance
their relations. The Egyptian FM said his meeting with Ghandour was “candid and
transparent”, stressing the Sudanese-Egyptian relations will remain strong and
will overcome any difficulties. He also said that talks held with his Sudanese
counterpart and Sisi were successful. He revealed that the two sides agreed to
continue to hold the regular meeting of the consulate committee to further
enhance cooperation opportunities. Shoukry added they discussed ways to promote
economic cooperation and overcome any recent restrictions to achieve the joint
interest, saying he will work with Ghandour to remove any misunderstanding
between the two sides. He stated that Sisi ordered the activation of cooperation
mechanisms between the two countries, particularly in the security and military
domains. For his part, Ghandour said the meeting covered all economic,
political, social and cultural issues. He also pointed out that no two
presidents in the world have met 18 times like Presidents Bashir and Sisi. This
confirms both leaderships’ keenness on maintaining the relations between the two
countries.
He called on the Sudanese and Egyptian media to play a positive role to preserve
the historic relations between the two countries, saying official ties may
occasionally become tense, but “we have to maintain ties between the two
peoples”. When asked about Egypt’s announcement concerning establishing a buffer
zone on the border triangle between Sudan, Egypt and Libya, Ghandour said the
border between Egypt and Sudan extends over more than 1,900 km and no country
can protect its border on its own. He added that he proposed to the Egyptian
leadership the establishment of a joint border patrol force, pointing to Sudan’s
experience with Chad and Ethiopia that managed to protect the joint borders
against terrorist groups like Boko Haram of Nigeria and al-Shabaab of Somalia.
On Sunday, Shoukry is set to meet with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in
Cairo to discuss regional and Arab affairs, as well as bilateral relations. On
Monday, Shoukry will head to Algeria on a two-day visit where he is expected to
participate in the ministerial meeting with the Tunisian and Algerian foreign
ministers to discuss counterterrorism efforts in Libya, coordination to address
obstacles to the Skhirat agreement, and the impact of the Libyan crisis on
neighboring countries. On Thursday, Shoukry will receive French Foreign Minister
Jean-Yves Le Drian in Cairo. The French official is expected to meet also with
Sisi. The visit is the first since the election of French President Emanuel
Macron and is scheduled to focus on counterterrorism, Middle East developments,
Libya and bilateral relations.
Yemeni Minister Says Cholera Cases Likely to Increase
Nayef Al-Rasheed/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Riyadh – Abdulraqeeb Saif Fateh,
Yemen’s minister of local administration, said that the number of cholera cases
is likely to increase amidst the absence of environmental sanitation, especially
in insurgents-held regions – including Sana’a. The Yemeni minister told Asharq
Al-Awsat that the main reason behind the widespread of cholera is that
insurgents are acting irresponsibly in Yemen through refusing to disburse
salaries for laborers in charge of sanitation and cleaning work even though they
have laid their hands on the state’s treasury of around YER500 billion (USD1.7
billion). He added that thanks to the efforts of Saudi Arabia and Saudi-led
coalition in Yemen, access has been successful to some regions where there are
cholera cases. A sufficient amount of medicine and first aid has been sent after
the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud launched
a campaign to fight the outbreak. The Yemeni minister demanded again to break
the siege on Taiz International Airport and Hodeidah International Airport to
permit the access of more medicine and first aid for citizens. “Although there
is an airport in Taiz, the region has been under siege for two years and cholera
started to spread. Hodeidah witnesses the death of one child every eight hours
due to contagious diseases,” Fateh stated. The United Nations had announced an
unprecedented outbreak of cholera in Yemen. UNICEF spokesperson Christophe
Boulierac said that in one month 70,000 cases of cholera were registered.
Coup Displaces 700 Families in Yemen’s Taiz in May
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Taiz – The humanitarian relief coalition in Yemen’s
Taiz province announced that 131 people were killed and 320 wounded, including
women and children, in May in the ongoing war the Houthi militia and Saleh
insurgents are waging in the area. It said that 736 families have been displaced
from their homes in the area. The majority of these families have not received
urgent aid because the majority of donor organizations have halted humanitarian
assistance to Taiz. The coalition said that 21 children were killed and 28
wounded in May. Two women were killed and 11 injured during the same period.
Eight of these cases have been amputations. Thirty-one houses and public and
private properties have been damaged in May, added the coalition in a report.
Water, electrical and sanitation services continue to be cut from Taiz city. It
also lacks the necessary medicine and health services. In May, the coup militias
committed 12 massacres in various neighborhoods of the city, killing dozens of
people, including children, announced the humanitarian coalition. It called for
introducing necessary aid to the displaced and those affected by the unrest. The
aid can be allowed entry through the southern and western entrances of the city,
it explained, seeing as they are the only secure humanitarian passages in the
area. It urged all humanitarian organizations to assume their moral and
humanitarian responsibilities towards the people of Taiz.
Mohammed bin Zayed: UAE, Saudi Arabia Face Challenges
Together
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Jeddah – Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Abu
Dhabi crown prince and deputy commander of the UAE Armed Forces, concluded his
visit to Saudi Arabia, leaving on Saturday as Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman bin Abdulaziz, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, bade him
farewell at King Abdulaziz International Airport. Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed discussed
earlier ways to strengthen bilateral ties and other regional and international
topics of mutual interest. They also congratulated each other on the occasion of
the holy fasting month of Ramadan. According to WAM, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed
asserted that UAE and Saudi Arabia stand together in face of challenges and
risks that threaten the region because they value solidarity and believe that
the Gulf Cooperation Council would be more influential if united. They also said
that the regional and international challenges and risks require that the
Council remain united to protect its states’ security and maintain their
development and cultural achievements. The Abu Dhabi crown prince stressed that
the UAE will always be a backer of GCC unity.
Senior Turkish PM Aide Arrested for Gulen Links
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Ankara – As the trials of the suspects linked to the
failed July 2016 coup, Turkish security forces arrested on Saturday Birol Erdem,
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim’s chief adviser and a former senior justice
ministry official, on charges of belonging to the movement of US-based Muslim
cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen has been blamed for the coup. Birol Erdem, a
former senior justice ministry official, was taken into custody in Ankara along
with his wife Gulumser Erdem, Anadolu news agency said. They had previously been
summoned for questioning as part of the investigation in the coup. Republican
People’s Party chief Kemal Kılıcdaroglu and Nationalist Movement Party chairman
Devlet Bahceli announced last week that Gulen followers have infiltrated the
ruling Justice and Development Party. They said that some government officials
also support the exiled cleric. Yildirim condemned these claims however, saying
that there are no Gulen supporters in the government or the political field.
Commenting on the trials of the coup suspects, Turkish presidential spokesman
Ibrahim Kalin said that they are taking place according to the law.
He said in a televised interview on Friday that the presidency is monitoring the
trials that had kicked off only days ago in Ankara and Istanbul. Meanwhile,
Turkey’s permanent ambassador to the European Union Fark Kaymakci reiterated
accusations that the Gulen movement was linked to the failed coup. He said that
the movement is the greatest danger Ankara is facing because it has been
infiltrating state institutions for several years. He also criticized the
stances of some European countries on the coup, saying in an interview: “We have
unfortunately not heard many statements of solidarity from our western friends
in wake of the coup.” “We have strived to understand this. This traitorous
attempt has cast a dark shadow on Turkish-European ties,” Kaymakci stated.
Bahraini FM Denies Attempts to Contain Crisis with Qatar
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Manama – Bahrain underlined the unity of Gulf
nations, yet denied any attempts to contain the recent crisis with Qatar.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa told
a group of journalists that he was not aware of any attempts to solve the issue
with Qatar, but “there is keenness on Gulf unity.”When asked about the future of
the relations, the minister said that Bahrain wants relations between brotherly
countries to be clear. He reiterated the Gulf position against any risks that
might threaten it, especially after the important summit in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia. The Bahraini FM stated that the summits renewed relations between the
Gulf countries and their biggest ally, the US, adding that this is the most
important aspect that they will defend. He went to say that Gulf countries have
a unified position and complementary relation against all threats and anything
that might attempt to separate them whether internally or externally. The
minister also held the Lebanese government accountable for “Hezbollah’s”
interference in Bahrain. “There should be a responsible authority as the policy
of disassociation over the insulting of Arabs is not acceptable,” he declared.
On Saturday, a group of hackers took over the Twitter account of the Bahraini
foreign minister. The ministry later confirmed the incident, blaming it on the
“terrorist party,” without elaborating. The minister said he was surprised with
the incident and was alerted by a number of Saudi and Bahraini youth followers
and other friends from the Gulf who informed the Twitter administration. The
Foreign Ministry issued a statement a few hours after the hacking incident,
saying that “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain would
like to clarify that the Twitter account of His Excellency the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, was hacked
today (Saturday) by a terrorist group attributing false tweets to H.E. the
Minister.”The statement continued to say that the terrorist group fears hearing
the truth in the minister’s tweets, which often exposes their terrorist nature,
said the Bahrain News Agency. The account was recovered after an hour and half
after Twitter administration shut it down and coordinated with the IT department
and officials of the Bahraini Foreign ministry. The ministry confirmed that all
necessary measures will be taken to hold accountable the individuals behind this
act. In his first post-Twitter recovery tweet, the FM praised God and thanked
all those who supported him. Minister Khalid ruled out the possibility that Iran
may be linked to the hacking, saying his country is clear on its position from
Iran.
King Salman Discusses Regional Issues with French President
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 04/17/Jeddah – Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King
Salman bin Abdulaziz discussed with President Emmanuel Macron bilateral
relations and means to promote them in all fields. This came during a telephone
call during which they tackled regional and international issues of common
interest in order to coordinate efforts to bring about peace and security to the
region, chiefly fighting terrorism. Macron hailed the Kingdom’s role, in this
regard, lauding King Salman’s speech during the Arab-Islamic-US summit, recently
held in Riyadh. He also underscored the significance of joint partnership to
face extremism and work towards drying up the funding of terrorism.
12 Arrested after 'Evil' London
Terror Attack
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/June
04/17/British Prime Minister Theresa May blamed "evil" Islamist ideology Sunday
for an attack by knife-wielding men who mowed down and stabbed revelers in
London, killing seven, as police said they had arrested 12 suspects. Saturday
night's rampage at the popular nightlife hub around London Bridge, by three men
arriving in a van and wearing fake suicide vests, was the third deadly terror
attack in Britain in three months and came only days before snap elections.
National campaigning for Thursday's general election was suspended for the day
out of respect for the victims, who included 48 people treated in hospital, some
of them in life-threatening conditions. No details have been released about the
suspects, who were shot dead within minutes by police, and detectives are still
investigating whether they acted alone. The 12 arrests were made in the
ethnically diverse east London suburb of Barking, with Sky News reporting that a
property raided by police belonged to one of the killers. May said the attack
was driven by the same "evil ideology of Islamist extremism" behind last week's
Manchester suicide bombing that left 22 people dead, and the Westminster attack
in March, which killed five. "The recent attacks are not connected but we
believe we are experiencing a new trend in the threat we face," she said after
chairing a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee. She warned
that perpetrators are inspired to attack "by copying one another."The assailants
wore fake suicide vests in a bid to increase the sense of panic as they lunged
seemingly at random at the crowds gathered around London Bridge and Borough
Market, which is full of restaurants and bars. Gerard Vowls, 47, said he saw a
woman repeatedly stabbed, and threw chairs, glasses and bottles at the attackers
in a bid to stop them. "They kept coming to try to stab me... they were stabbing
everyone. Evil, evil people," he told The Guardian newspaper. Holly Jones, a BBC
reporter, saw a white van speeding into crowds of people walking along the
pavement on London Bridge, saying it hit about five or six people. Another
witness called Eric told the BBC he had seen three men get out and thought they
were going to help. Instead they "started kicking them, punching them and took
out knives. It was a rampage really," he said, adding that he heard a shout of:
"This is for Allah."An Australian and four French nationals were among those
hospitalized, their governments said, while a Spaniard was slightly wounded.
Praying for London
Britain was already on high alert following the attack on a concert by U.S. pop
star Ariana Grande in Manchester, northwest England, in which seven children
were among the dead.Grande, who will headline a benefit concert in Manchester
later Sunday alongside stars including Pharrell Williams and Justin Bieber,
tweeted that she was "Praying for London."The national threat level was raised
to maximum after the Manchester attack and troops were deployed at key public
sites, but reduced to its second highest level last weekend. May, who served as
interior minister for six years before taking office after the Brexit vote last
summer, said Britain's response to the terror threat must change. "We cannot and
must not pretend that things can continue as they are," she said. She repeated
calls for international action to combat extremist content online, a message she
took to the G7 leaders summit last week. May also warned there was "far too much
tolerance of extremism in our country", promising to review counter-terrorism
efforts, including possibly increasing the jail terms handed out in terror
cases. The ruling Conservatives and the main opposition Labor party suspended
national campaign events for the day, although local campaigning will continue.
"But violence can never be allowed to disrupt the democratic process, so those
campaigns will resume in full tomorrow and the general election will go ahead as
planned on Thursday," the prime minister said. Saturday's rampage is the latest
in a string of attacks to hit Europe, including in Paris, Berlin and Saint
Petersburg, and the French, German and Russian leaders sent messages of support.
U.S. President Donald Trump offered his help, tweeting "WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD
BLESS!" -- and highlighting his thwarted ban on travelers from six mainly Muslim
countries.
Echoes of Westminster attack
Several people said they were ordered by police to stay inside pubs and
restaurants as the terror raged outside. Alex Shellum at the Mudlark pub said a
woman had come into the bar "bleeding heavily from the neck", telling the BBC:
"It appeared that her throat had been cut." Italian photographer Gabriele
Sciotto, who was watching the football at the Wheatsheaf pub in Borough Market,
said he saw three men shot just outside the pub.In a picture he took, a man
wearing combat trousers, with a shaved head and what looked like a belt with
canisters attached to it could be seen on the ground with two more bodies behind
him. "In two or five seconds, they shot all the three men down," Sciotto told
the BBC. The attack had harrowing echoes of the attack on Westminster Bridge in
March, when British Muslim convert Khalid Masood rammed his car into pedestrians
before crashing into the barriers surrounding parliament. He stabbed a police
officer to death before being shot dead by a ministerial bodyguard.
Iraqi Forces Retake Area near Syrian Border from IS
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/June
04/17/Iraqi forces retook an area near the Syrian border from the Islamic State
group on Sunday as part of operations to expel the jihadists from strongholds in
the country's north. The Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization) forces
announced the "total liberation" of al-Baaj district "with support from the air
force". "The Iraqi flag has been hoisted above its buildings," said a statement
from the Hashed, an umbrella organization for pro-government paramilitaries that
is dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias. The Hashed on May 12 launched an
operation to retake the Qayrawan and al-Baaj areas west of Mosul, the country's
second city that is the target of a massive anti-IS operation. The forces on May
23 announced they had retaken Qayrawan. Both areas are in Nineveh, the province
of which Mosul is the capital, and lie between territory under IS control in
Iraq and Syria. The jihadists took over large swathes of territory of Iraq and
Syria in 2014, but have since faced offensives on several fronts in both
countries. Iraqi forces backed by the U.S.-led coalition have since October been
battling to oust IS from Mosul. They are advancing on the last areas of the city
still held by IS, but the presence of large numbers of civilians is slowing
their progress.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt foreign ministers discuss ties, counter-terrorism efforts
Staff writer, Al Arabiya
EnglishSunday, 4 June 2017 /Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met on
Sunday with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir and discussed the latest
efforts in countering terrorism and extremism in the region.They discussed means
of bolstering bilateral relations in all fields and efforts exerted to combat
terrorism. The two ministers also tackled regional issues, including the
situation in Libya, Syria and Yemen. Al-Jubeir said the recently concluded
Arab-American Islamic Summit in Riyadh was a historic one, and that it produced
several important decisions in the face of terrorism and cooperation in
preventing its support. "We are looking forward to developing cooperation with
Egypt, especially in the field of countering extremism and terrorism and
protecting Arab national security," Jubeir told reporters at a press conference
in Cairo with his counterpart Shoukry. For his part, Shoukry said that Arab
national security must be protected from any outside interference.
UK election to go ahead on June 8
despite London attack
Sun 04 Jun 2017/NNA - Britain's
national parliamentary election will go ahead on Thursday, Prime Minister
Theresa May said on Sunday after an attack in London left seven people dead and
48 injured. Several political parties including May's Conservatives and the main
opposition Labour Party suspended campaigning on Sunday, but May said it would
resume on Monday. "As a mark of respect the two political parties have suspended
our national campaigns for today, but violence can never be allowed to disrupt
the democratic process, so those campaigns will resume in full tomorrow and the
general election will go ahead as planned on Thursday," she said in a televised
statement in front of her Downing Street office. ---Reuters
Iran says London attacks "wake up call", urges uprooting terrorism sources
Sun 04 Jun 2017/NNA - Iran said on
Sunday the London attacks were a "wake-up call" and urged Western states to go
after ideological and financial sources of terrorism, state media reported, in a
thinly veiled reference to Saudi Arabia. Three attackers drove a van into
pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing revellers nearby on Saturday night,
killing at least seven people in what Britain said was the work of Islamist
militants engaged in a "new trend" of terrorism. "Repeated blind terror attacks
around the world are a wake-up call for the world community," the official
Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as
saying. "To uproot terror, it is necessary that they (Western states) address
the root causes as well as the main financial and ideological sources of
extremism and violence, which are clear to everyone," Qasemi was quoted as
saying by Press TV. Iran denies Western charges of sponsoring terrorism, and
accuses Saudi Arabia's Wahhabi brand of Sunni Islam and funding from its
arch-rival of being behind Sunni militant groups who have been behind a recent
spate of deadly attacks in Europe.
Saudi Arabia, the bastion of Sunni Islam and a close U.S. ally, denies backing
terrorism and has cracked down on jihadists at home, jailing thousands, stopping
hundreds from travelling to fight abroad and cutting militant finances. Shi'ite
Muslim power Iran and Saudi Arabia are longstanding religious and political
arch-rivals and often accuse each other of backing terrorism. Relations are
fraught as they support each other's foes in regional wars such as in Yemen,
Iraq and Syria. ---Reuters
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on
June 04-05/17
Iran Heads towards Iraqi-Syrian Border
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/June 04/17
The Iranian government has a clear goal of creating a reality that is suitable
for it when it comes to determining the fate of Syria and later expanding its
role in Iraq. To this end, Iran is leading the Iraqi militias, others that it
has established and groups that it has influence over to Syria to wage major
battles to control the crossings and land passage to Damascus and other vital
areas. This means the struggle will last for years, which will push regional
powers to back the opposing groups that will in turn reproduce a new ISIS and
lead to the failure of war on terrorism. As part of its project, Tehran’s regime
is using several excuses to justify its plan, mostly that it is fighting
terrorist organizations and guarding the Iraqi border. In reality it is drawing
up the areas of its control in borders with Syria and it is attempting to impose
its presence on the majority of the 300 kilometers, and then cross over with
Iraqi militias to Syria. Initially, Iran’s al-Quds Force had entered Syria to
save Assad’s regime from collapse under the pretense of protecting Shi’ite
shrines. It is now building its military presence under the claim of fighting
ISIS, but in reality, it has a long-term project to control Iraq, Syria and
Lebanon. Iran’s military presence on the ground will expand during times of
tensions and increased sectarian extremism in Syria and Iraq. Surely, this will
sabotage the coalition project to eliminate the terrorist organization ISIS
because the sectarian practices of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) will
prompt Sunni areas to establish organizations to counter it. This will raise a
number of questions about the seriousness of the international campaign to
combat ISIS. It will also open new fronts with Kurdish fighters when the PMF
passed through their areas. This will also put the passage of armed Iraqi
organizations to Syria under legal questioning, just like the situation with
Turkish forces in Iraq. Tehran is trying to impose a status quo on the
international powers, including its ally Russia after it began sensing a partial
shift in its stance. Russia reportedly said that it currently has to deal with
Iran and its foreign militias because they are present on the ground. Iran is
trying to enforce this by transporting thousands of Iraqi and other fighters to
northern Iraq to cross over into Syria. Iran will tear Iraq apart and further
fragment Syria. It will raise the terrorist risks that take advantage of the
chaos and conflicts on several axes. It is not reasonable that concerned parties
are looking for a political solution in Astana or Geneva while Iranian military
leaders are left to sabotage the situation and ruin international efforts. This
requires exerting more pressure on Iran and making it see the need to remove all
foreign fighters
Qatar…Test for Trump’s Anti-Terror Plan
Eli Lake/Bloomberg/June 04/17
Will this duplicitous nation cut off terrorist financing, or coordinate with the
Pentagon, or both?
For a brief moment it looked like President Donald Trump had done it. He got the
leaders of six Gulf nations to sign a communique pledging to eradicate the
financing of extremists. The timing happened to coincide with the completion of
a new center in Saudi Arabia to combat extremism. It was a powerful signal that
America’s traditional allies were united against Iran and extremists. That
lasted a couple of days. By Tuesday however tension started with a quotation
attributed to Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, which Qatar’s
official news agency quoted him telling a graduating class of national service
recruits that it was important to calm tensions with Iran, that Hamas and
Hezbollah were legitimate resistance movements, and that his country has every
right to host Muslim Brotherhood leaders. That last organization is banned in
most Gulf countries as well as Egypt.
The speech prompted outrage from Qatar’s Arab neighbors. Al-Jazeera, the
broadcaster funded in part by the Qatari government, was banned in Saudi Arabia
and the United Arab Emirates following the sheikh’s reported remarks. (The
Qataris have said that the official news agency was hacked and that the remarks
were never delivered.) Nonetheless, official newspapers in Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates have slammed the Qataris for the past week, accusing the
small nation in the words of one columnist of being a “disobedient son.”
This kind of thing is to be expected in the region. But the conflict also played
out in Washington. The setting was a wonky policy conference on Qatar and the
Muslim Brotherhood sponsored by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and
George Washington University’s Center for Cyber and Homeland Security.
Normally the politics of the Middle East don’t really intrude on such affairs.
But the US ambassador to Qatar, Dana Shell Smith, contacted many of the
panelists in the days before the conference last week to make the case that
Qatar’s new sheikh, who came into power in 2013, is committed to reforming his
country’s notoriously lax attitude toward extremists, thus, he signed the
communique on terror financing earlier this month. There are some pieces of
evidence about Qatar’s recent turnaround, but this tiny country has a long
history of playing both sides. On the one hand Qatar hosts one of America’s most
important military facilities in the region, the Al-Udeid Air Base. And yet at
the same time, its neighbors accuse Qatar of running an influence campaign
against the US and its allies.
Consider Abdul Rahman Omeir al-Naimi. He was a respected Qatari history
professor and the founder of the AlKarama foundation, a human rights
organization that focuses on political prisoners in the Islamic world. Then at
the end of 2013, the Treasury Department designated him as a financier of al
Qaeda. Nonetheless, nearly a year later, the “Daily Mail” reported that he
continued to live openly in Qatar’s capital, Doha.
More recently the Qataris have been a host to Hamas, the Muslim
Brotherhood-affiliated Palestinian group, and when Hamas leaders unveiled a new
set of principles this month, they made the announcement from a hotel in Doha.
At last week’s conference in Washington, former secretary of defense Robert
Gates talked about how he traveled to Qatar for the George W. Bush
administration to make the case to the Qataris to stop tolerating terror groups
inside their country. “There was a good deal of nodding and explanation, but we
didn’t see much change,” he said. Gates concluded: “So we have had a peculiar
relationship. There have continued to be political issues with Qatar even as we
have been strategic military allies.”
That peculiar relationship will now be tested. As Muslim leaders gathered in
Saudi Arabia this month, one of the first tests of this new policy will be
whether Qatar shows initiative in rooting out the terror supporters inside its
own kingdom. It’s less clear how Qatar will respond when the rest of the world
isn’t watching.
Trump’s Right: Germany’s Trade Surplus is Too Big
Justin Fox/Bloomberg/June 04/17
Germany’s gigantic trade surpluses are a problem. Almost everybody — including
lots of Germans — agrees on that. But when President Donald Trump decries the US
trade deficit with Germany, as he did this morning on Twitter, and declares that
“This will change,” it does raise an important question: How can it be changed?
Apparently, Germany’s current account surplus (trade plus income flows) has kept
growing even as the two nations perhaps most famous for their surpluses — China
and Japan — have seen theirs shrink. In 2016, Germany’s current account surplus
blew past China’s in absolute terms ($297 billion to $196 billion), even though
China’s economy is three times bigger.
Germany’s bilateral trade surplus with the US has grown a lot too over the
course of the current economic recovery, although it has shrunk a bit since
2015.
First of all, as an economic journalist, I am required by law 1 to state here
that bilateral trade deficits like the one the US runs with Germany are not in
and of themselves bad. I run a yawning bilateral trade deficit with my local
grocery store, and that’s OK as long as I have enough income from other sources
to make up the gap. When countries run chronic overall current account surpluses
or deficits, though, there can be problems. As former Federal Reserve chairman
Ben Bernanke put it in 2015:
The fact that Germany is selling so much more than it is buying redirects demand
from its neighbors (as well as from other countries around the world), reducing
output and employment outside Germany at a time at which monetary policy in many
countries is reaching its limits.
Big trade imbalances can also lead to unhealthy and unsustainable financial
flows, as happened with the US and China in the lead-up to the 2008 financial
crisis.
So yes, Germany’s huge trade surpluses are a problem. On that we can (almost)
all agree. What’s causing them? The president, who is very big on the word
“deal,” offered this diagnosis in March:
Germany has done very well in its trade deals with the US, and I give them
credit for it.
Here’s a fun fact: Germany has no trade deals with the US! All its trade
relations are managed through the European Union. And yes, the EU ran a goods
trade surplus with the US of $146 billion in 2016. Germany accounted for 44
percent of that, Ireland (where US pharmaceutical companies do a lot of their
manufacturing) 24 percent, and Italy 19 percent. Then again, other EU countries
such as Belgium, the Netherlands and the U.K. all run trade deficits with the US
The EU does impose a lot of tariffs and quotas on imports, but so does the US,
and these trade barriers are seldom cited as a reason for Germany’s big current
account surpluses.Which makes sense, given that so many of them were already in
place in the 1990s when Germany ran chronic current account deficits.
So what accounts for Germany’s big shift to surpluses? The two most convincing
explanations are (1) the birth of the euro and (2) German frugality.
In the decades after World War II, West German economic policy makers made the
strength of the country’s currency a top priority. From 1960 to 1990, the German
mark almost quadrupled in value against the US dollar. Since merging the mark
with the euro in 1999, though, Germany has had to share its currency with the
rest of the euro zone. And since the financial crisis, that currency has been
pretty weak — significantly weaker than the German mark would likely be if it
were still an independent currency. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said as much
in February:
If we still had the deutsche mark, it would be valued differently than the euro
is now. But that’s an independent monetary policy over which I as chancellor
have zero influence.
That sounds like a cop-out — and it is a cop-out! But it’s also mostly true.
Germany’s influence over the trajectory of its currency is now quite limited.
Where German politicians can make a difference is in spending. This is by Marcel
Fratzscher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research, aka DIW
Berlin:
Germany has one of the lowest public-investment rates in the industrialized
world. Its municipalities, which are responsible for half of all public
investment, currently have unrealized investment projects worth €136 billion, or
4.5% of GDP; Germany’s school buildings alone need another €35 billion for
repairs. Meanwhile, private investment in Germany’s aging capital stock has been
weakened by many German companies’ desire to invest abroad.
Germany also has a perennially high household savings rate, is currently running
big government budget surpluses, and has generally been wary of efforts to
expand Europe’s monetary union into a fiscal one in which more burdens are
shared across national lines. So the problem with Germany isn’t so much that it
is exporting too much but that it is spending too little. I’m doubtful that
President Trump can effect much change on that front. But maybe French President
Emmanuel Macron can!
After Middle East, Will Islamists Uproot Christians in
Europe?
Giulio Meotti/Gatestone Institute/June 04/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=55948
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10455/islamists-uproot-christians
About terrorism and Islamist violence, Christian leaders offer only words of
relativism and moral equivalence. Is it possible that after two recent big
massacres of Christians, Catholic leaders have not a single word of courage and
honor, but only the same offer of the other cheek?
Our secular elites condemn proselytizing only when it is practiced by
Christians, never when practiced by Muslims.
In Syria and Iraq, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of places of Christian
worship that Islamic fundamentalists have demolished in the past three years.
These images, along with the mass decapitations and the rape of the minorities,
shock the public, it seems, for one day.
We do not yet know enough about the three terrorists who, saying "This is for
Allah!", killed and wounded so many in London on June 4, but consider these two
recent scenes:
Scene one: Manchester, United Kingdom, the "free world". A British-born Muslim
terrorist prays in a former church. All around him, the Christian sites and
congregations accepted being turned into Islamic sites. The day after, this
terrorist goes on a rampage, murdering 22 concert-goers.
Scene two: Minya, Egypt, the "unfree world". An Islamist terror group stops a
bus full of Christian pilgrims. The terrorists demand that their victims recite
the Islamic creed, the shahaada. The Christians refuse to abandon Christianity
and become Muslims. The Islamists murder them, one by one.
What do these scenes tell us? Christians resist Islam more in the Middle East
than in Europe.
Salman Abedi, the British terrorist who massacred 22 innocent men, women and
children at the Manchester Arena, could, every day, enter what was once a
beautiful Christian church, consecrated in 1883. It was desecrated in the 1960s,
during a great wave of secularization. People still remember the Methodist
Church that it was until it was bought by the local Syrian Muslim community to
make it a place of Islamic worship, the Didsbury Mosque. One can still see the
typical architecture of a church, from the bell tower to the windows. But
inside, instead of an altar, Abedi would be headed to the mihrab, the niche in
the mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca. The pulpit is still there, but
it is no longer used by a Christian pastor. It is used by the imam for the
Khutba, the Islamic prayer.
Outside the Didsbury Mosque there is a sign announcing: "Do you want to know
more about Islam? Come and socialize". Such a sign for Christianity would be
unthinkable in any European city. Our secular elites condemn proselytizing only
when it is practiced by Christians, never when practiced by Muslims. On YouTube,
an Islamist organization celebrates "the church converted to a mosque". Instead
of the times for Mass, there is another sign: "Prayer Room for Men".
A few days after the Manchester attack, Islamists again struck Christians; this
time, pilgrims in Egypt. That attack took place after Pope Francis's trip to
Egypt, where he offered the local suffering Christians only a vague condemnation
of "every form of hatred in the name of religion". The head of the Catholic
Church evidently did not have the courage to address the question of Islamic
fundamentalism, as had his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, at Regensburg.
"Religions do not cause violence and terrorism", assured the new head of Italian
bishops, Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, after the massacre in Manchester, adding:
"Muslims, Jews and Christians believe in a single creator". Unfortunately, the
terrorists murdered the Christians in Minya because they believe Allah is
superior to the Judeo-Christian religion, and gives them the right to take the
lives of "disbelievers".
About terrorism and Islamist violence, Christian leaders offer only words of
relativism and moral equivalence. Is it possible that after two big massacres of
Christians, Catholic leaders have not a single word of courage and honor, but
only the same offer of the other cheek?
The most honest Catholic prelate was the Archbishop of Ferrara, Luigi Negri, who
said:
"I hope that some of these gurus -- cultural, political and religious -- in this
situation will hold back words and not invoke the usual speeches to say that 'it
is not a war of religion'. I hope there is a silent moment of respect".
The gurus, unfortunately, did not hold back; they had words only of weakness and
confusion.
These Islamic fighters, such as those who hit Manchester and Minya, are not
"radicalized"; they follow an Islamic religious dictate according to a literal
reading of the Koran. They attack Europeans because they believe that Islam is
superior and stronger than Europe. They feel that Allah and history are on their
side. They want to see the flag of Islam flying across Western capitals.
The jihadists might think they can do to Europe what they did to Christians in
Niniveh, Iraq. The only way we can win is by defeating them; no compromise is
possible. But Europe speaks of "inclusion" and "integration", never of victory.
While Muslims pray in Europe's former Christian sites, Christians in the Middle
East are murdered for refusing to renounce Christianity and convert to Islam.
Father Antonio Gabriel, of the San Mina parish of the Coptic church in Rome, in
the course of an interview with Tg2000, revealed the dynamics of the new
Islamist aggression against the Egyptian Coptic community. The terrorists,
before killing the passengers of two buses traveling to the San Samuele
monastery, "asked them to give up Christ and become Muslims". But, at the demand
for apostasy, the Christian Copts responded negatively. The rejection of
conversion to Islam triggered the fury of terrorists, who "put the gun on the
head and neck" of pilgrims "to kill them directly".
"If they had accepted", Father Gabriel pointed out, "they would have spared
them".
The same strong-arming took place in Iraq. When ISIS militants gave four Iraqi
children the choice of converting to Islam or death by beheading, the children
chose to follow Jesus and were murdered.
But these amazing stories never reach the European mainstream newspapers and
televisions, as if the information might disturb our self-righteous certainties.
"For decades, the Middle East's increasingly beleaguered Christian communities
have suffered from a fatal invisibility in the Western world", Ross Douthat
wrote in the New York Times. Is that invisibility the result of the West
forsaking of its own identity, as happened with the church in Manchester?
In Syria and Iraq, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of places of Christian
worship that Islamic fundamentalists have demolished in the past three years.
These images shock public opinion, it seems, for one day -- along with the mass
decapitations and the rape of the minorities. Churches, cemeteries and
archaeological sites -- every building that carried the symbols of the Christian
faith (crosses, statues of the Virgin Mary, icons of the saints, even graves) --
were razed to the ground. But is the demise of Christianity in the heart of
Europe, by churches converted to mosques, less severe? And why has Pope Francis
not condemned the abandonment of Christian holy sites and their takeover by
Islam?
Archpriest Dmitri Smirnov, chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church Commission on
Family Matters, recently announced:
"There is very little time left until the death of the entire Christian
Civilization. Several decades, perhaps 30 years, well, maybe in Russia it will
last 50, no longer."
It is impossible for any observer to deny that Christianity is descending into a
terminal crisis in Europe. Catholic leaders in the Netherlands estimate that
two-thirds of their 1,600 churches will be out of use in a decade, and that 700
Dutch Protestant churches will be closed within four years. The Church of
England closes around 20 churches a year. The Catholic Church in Germany has
closed about 515 churches over the last ten years. You find the same scenario
everywhere in Europe.
"I have often heard from Muslims that their goal is to conquer Europe with two
weapons: their faith and their birthrate," said the Maronite patriarch of
Antioch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai. "So when they come to Europe and see the
empty churches, and find the unbelief of Europeans, they immediately think that
they will fill that void".
This is one of the most tragic ironies of our time: that Christians in Europe,
including Pope Francis, have a lot to learn from Christians in Egypt, Syria and
Iraq.
Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, the Maronite patriarch of Antioch, has said "I
have often heard from Muslims that their goal is to conquer Europe with two
weapons: their faith and their birthrate... So when they come to Europe and see
the empty churches, and find the unbelief of Europeans, they immediately think
that they will fill that void". (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
After another ISIS jihadist slit the throat of an 85-year-old priest, Father
Jacques Hamel, during a Catholic mass in France, no rally was called to protest
his murder. No secular personality or newspaper said, "We are all Christians".
The entire Christian establishment refused to write the word "Islam".
Make no mistake; these Islamists are very clear in their goal: eradicating
Christians not only from Mosul, as they did in 2014, but also uprooting
Christians from Manchester, where churches are already converted to Islam. The
pumped-up forces who drove Christians out of their ancestral lands rightly
thought: Why not continue in the West the work begun so well in the East?
Giulio Meotti, Cultural Editor for Il Foglio, is an Italian journalist and
author.
© 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.
Accept Islamic Terror as the New Normal?
Nonie Darwish/Gatestone Institute/June 04/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=55952
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10474/islamic-terror-new-normal
"The use of terror under this doctrine [Targhib wal tarhib, "luring and
terrorizing"] is a legitimate sharia obligation." — Salman Al Awda, mainstream
Muslim sheikh, on the Al Jazeera television show "Sharia and Life".
Part of the tarhib or "terrorizing" side of this doctrine is to make a cruel
example of those who do not comply with the requirements of Islam. That is the
reason Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, and entities such as
ISIS, intentionally hold ceremonial public beheadings, floggings, and amputation
of limbs.
Islamic jihad has always counted on people in conquered lands eventually to
yield, give up and accept terrorism as part of life, similar to natural
disasters, earthquakes and floods.
After terror attacks, we often hear from Western media and politicians that we
must accept terrorist attacks as the "new normal."
For Western citizens, this phrase is dangerous.
Islam's doctrine of jihad, expansion and dawah (Islamic outreach, proselytizing)
rely heavily on the use of both terror and luring. Targhib wal tarhib is an
Islamic doctrine that means "seducing (luring) and terrorizing" as a tool for
dawah, to conquer nations and force citizens to submit to Islamic law, sharia.
It amounts to manipulating the instinctive parts of the human brain with extreme
opposing pressures of pleasure and pain -- rewarding, then severely punishing --
to brainwash people into complying with Islam.
Most ordinary Muslims are not even aware of this doctrine, but Islamic books
have been written about it. Mainstream Muslim sheikhs such as Salman Al Awda
have discussed it on Al Jazeera TV. On a show called "Sharia and Life," Al Awda
recommended using extremes "to exaggerate... reward and punishment, morally and
materially... in both directions". "The use of terror under this doctrine,"' he
said, "is a legitimate sharia obligation."
People in the West think of terror as something that Islamic jihadists inflict
on non-Muslims, and it is. But terror is also the mechanism for ensuring
compliance within Islam. Under Islamic law, jihadists who evade performing jihad
are to be killed. Terror is thus the threat that keeps jihadists on their
missions, and that make ordinary Muslims obey sharia.
An online course for recruiting jihadists contains this description:
"Individual Dawa depends on eliciting emotional responses from recruits (and
building a personal relationship). Abu 'Amr's approach illustrates a recruitment
concept called al-targhib wa'l-tarhib, which is a carrot-and-stick technique of
extolling the benefits of action while explaining the frightening costs of
inaction. The concept was introduced in the Qur'an and is discussed by many
Islamic thinkers exploring the best way to call people to Islam (several
scholars, for example, have written books titled al-targhib wa'l-tarhib).
According to Abu 'Amr, recruiters should apply the concept throughout the
recruitment process, but emphasize the benefits of action early in the process
and the costs of inaction later."
In other words, recruiters of jihadists should start by emphasizing the "good
stuff" first, the "lure" -- the future glory, supremacy and fulfillment of every
lustful wish, such as virgins in heaven. Later, they should threaten the
recruits with "terror" and shame -- the consequence if they fail to participate
in jihad.
Part of the tarhib or "terrorizing" side of this doctrine is to make a cruel
example of those who do not comply with the requirements of Islam. That is the
reason Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, and entities such as
ISIS, intentionally hold ceremonial public beheadings, floggings, and amputation
of limbs. Countries such as Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey are more discrete, but
they tolerate and support honor killings; killing apostates; beating women and
children, and torture and murder in their jails. The doctrine of targhib and
tarhib is alive and well, not just in Islamic theocracies but also in the
so-called "moderate" Muslim countries.
Islam has been using these "pleasure and pain" brainwashing techniques, and
cruel and unusual punishment, from its inception and until today. While the
Bible -- the Western Judeo-Christian tradition -- is in harmony with, and
nurtures, kindness in human nature, Islam does the opposite: it uses the human
instincts for self-preservation and survival to break the people's will and
brainwash them into slavish obedience.
Like the majority of Muslims, I never heard of this foundational Islamic
doctrine when I was growing up in Egypt, but have felt the impact of this
doctrine on my life -- in every aspect of Islamic culture; in Islamic preaching,
in my Islamic family relations; in how Islamic governments operate and how
people of authority, in general, treat the people under them.
The Islamic doctrine of "lure and terror" has produced a culture of toxic
extremes: distrust and fear, pride and shame, permission to lie ("taqiyya"), and
rejecting taking responsibility for one's actions.
Having lived most of my life under Islam, I am sad to say that people the West
calls "moderate Muslims" are frequently, in fact, citizens who have learned to
live with and accept terror as normal. For centuries, many have made excuses for
terror, condemned victims of terror, remained silent or equivocal, and have even
compromised with the terrorists to survive. The Islamic culture in which I lived
looked the other way when women were beaten. When girls were honor-murdered, the
question was "what did she do?" instead of "how could that be?" When Christians
were killed and persecuted, many blamed the Christians for their own persecution
at the hands of Muslims. The normal Islamic response to terror became: "None of
my business."
And now the Islamic doctrine of Targhib wal Tarhib, has moved to the West and
aims at changing Western humanistic culture. It would replace respect for human
rights, caring for one's neighbor and the values of freedom and peace, with the
values of bondage, terror, tyranny and fear.
Islamic jihad has always counted on people in conquered lands eventually to
yield, give up and accept terrorism as part of life, similar to natural
disasters, earthquakes and floods.
It did not take long for the Islamic doctrine of Targhib wal Tarhib to work on
the psyche of Western leaders and media, who are now telling us to live with it
as the "new normal." Islam counts on turning everyone into "moderate" Muslims
who will eventually look the other way when terror happens to the person next to
you.
**Nonie Darwish, born and raised in Egypt, is the author of "Wholly Different;
Why I chose Biblical Values Over Islamic Values."
© 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.
Qatar pressured to expel Hamasضغوطات على قطر لطرد حماس
Seth J. Frantzman/Jerusalem Post/June 04/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=55968
Reports emerged in the Arab press on Sunday that Qatar would expel Hamas
officials based in its capital, Doha.
According to Al Mayadeen, a channel considered close to Iran and the Syrian
regime, Qatar regretted the decision, but said “external pressure” had been
placed on Qatar to reduce its relationship with Hamas. This pressure has come
from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states in the wake of US President Donald
Trump’s Riyadh speech, where he urged the country to “drive out” extremists.
Khaled Mashaal, the former head of Hamas, has resided in Qatar since 2012. The
pressure on Qatar is part of its wider war of words between Abu Dhabi and
Riyadh, which accuse Qatar of destabilizing the region through support of
Islamists. “The countries in the region can be divided into two camps, one that
seeks to advance its foreign interests through the support of Islamists and one
whose foreign policy is guided by opposition to the rise of Islamists,” wrote
Hassan Hassan at The National in the United Arab Emirates.
He sketched out an Islamist-supporting block that spans the region from Iran to
Qatar and Turkey.
Hassan’s paradigm may be a bit contradictory, since Qatar, Turkey and Iran are
on opposite sides of the Syria conflict, but his article published in the UAE is
part of a larger new war of words between Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
They portray Qatar as a source of regional instability. Qatar-based Al Jazeera
was blocked in the UAE and Saudi Arabia on May 24. According to Jonathan
Schanzer, senior vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies, Qatar has been a “support base for Islamists from across the Middle
East. It hosts the political headquarters of Hamas” and other groups. Schanzer
agreed with accusations that Qatar’s softening of its approach to Iran
“appear[s] to be one of the issues at the heart of the current Gulf rupture.” He
also said the recent war of words comes after Trump urged countries to “drive
out” extremists like Hamas. “There are conflicting reports as to whether Qatar
actually followed through here [expelling Hamas]. I think the likelihood of
Qatar ejecting Hamas is low.”Qatar has gone on the offensive against its
accusers. On June 4, Al Jazeera reported that leaked emails from the UAE
ambassador the US, Yousef al-Otaiba, “reveal [the] Emirati ambassador played [a]
role in [the] campaign to tarnish Qatar’s image.” The report quoted The
Intercept, noting “there is a growing axis between some of the Gulf countries,
like Saudi Arabia and the UAE and Israel.”
Some of this dispute may seem petty, such as claims that Al Jazeera “posts a
tweet insulting [the] Saudi king,” but the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs Anwar Gargash warned Sunday that Doha’s behavior was a danger to
stability in the Gulf.
This has implications for Israel. Reports in late May claimed that Iran will
resume funding Hamas. Several days later, Al Mayadeen claimed that a Qatari
envoy gave Hamas officials a list of names of its members who must leave Doha.
The Qatar-Hamas connection goes back years. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani,
the former ruler of Qatar who abdicated in 2013, visited Gaza in 2012 and
pledged $400 million in aid to the Strip. “I haven’t seen Hamas officials
looking so pleased with themselves since they managed to free more than 1,000
Palestinian political prisoners last year [in exchange for Gilad Schalit],” said
the Al Jazeera correspondent in Gaza at the time. When Sheikh Hamad’s son Tamim
came to power in 2013, expectations were that he would moderate Qatar’s role and
reduce funding for Islamists in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Gaza. The Gulf
Cooperation Council, Saudi Arabia and others haven’t seen enough improvement,
and they hope to squeeze and isolate Qatar. The question Doha faces is whether
its claims that Arab states are choosing Israel over one of their own, will work
to deflect criticism, or whether the Gulf can successfully rein in the Qataris.
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Analysis-Qatar-pressured-to-expel-Hamas-494819