LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
June 13/17
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For Today
If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12/35-44/:"‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. ‘But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’Peter said, ‘Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone? ’ And the Lord said, ‘Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions."

When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.
First Letter to the Corinthians 04/09-16/:"For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day. I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. I appeal to you, then, be imitators of me."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 12-13/17
Qatar and the axis of extremism/Hussein Shobokshi/Al Arabiya/June 12/17
The Qatar crisis: Who started it/Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/June 12/17
IRGC Navy General: 'Think Of 300 Fast Boats Armed With Weapons And Katyusha [Rockets] Approaching [An Aircraft Carrier] At 130 Km/Hr – Who Will Win/MEMRI/June 12/17
On Washington Investigating Qatar/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17
Iraq, Syria and the Kurdish Fingerprint/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17
Germany: Migrant Sex Crimes Double in One Year/Soeren Kern/Gatestone Institute/June 12/17
Saudi Arabia's Connection to Radicalizing British Jihadis/A. Z. Mohamed/Gatestone Institute/June 12/17
France: Islamic Antisemitism, French Silence/Guy Millière/Gatestone Institute/June 12/17
Why Won't Abbas Accept "Two States for Two Peoples"/Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute/June 12/17

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on June 12-13/17
Aoun-Hariri Meeting Raises Lebanon’s Optimism in Approving New Electoral Law
Aoun urges Cyprus cooperation in oil, gas fields
Aoun Receives Cypriot Counterpart: For Boosting Cooperation in Oil and Gas Sectors
Gulf, Egypt Envoys Talk Qatar Crisis, Electoral Law with Hariri
Sarraf, Mashnouq Crack Down on Guns, Tinted Cars after Crime Surge
Raad Says 'No One Can Act Unilaterally' on Electoral Law
Miqati, Berri Agree Tripoli Maronite Seat 'Should Not be Reallocated'
Hamadeh: The Ball is in the FPM's Court
Report: Berri Rebuffs 'Reduction' in Parliamentary Seats for Expats
Man who Fired at Army Post Arrested by State Security
'Surf Syria': A Refugee in Lebanon Finds a Dream at Sea
Othman, Khatib tackle general situation
Rahi welcomes Anastasiades in Bkirki
Abi Khalil, Cypriot official tackle cooperation prospects within energy field
MP Raad urges for election law's finalization
Defense Minister revokes 2016 weapons licenses
Army chief meets MP Helou, UNIFIL Commander

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published onJune 12-13/17
US President Donald Trump asserts ‘punishing Qatar’ a positive move
Israeli Commandos Heading to Cyprus for Largest-ever Drill/The joint drill, which involves 400 Israeli soldiers, has ruffled feathers in Ankara
Crisis Deepens as Israel Lowers Power Supply for Palestinians in Gaza
Fighting Terrorism Tops Sisi, Merkel Talks
Kuwait Speaks about Qatari ‘Understanding’ of Gulf Concerns
Saudi Arabia and the UAE exempt Qatari spouses caught in GCC crisis
Qatar Denounces Gulf States' 'Policy of Domination'
Qatar Begins Shipping Cargo Through Oman to Bypass Gulf Rift
Qatar Launches 2 Shipping Routes with Oman
Arab League to Hold a Meeting on Israeli Infiltration into Africa
ISIS Administered by 12-Member Committee Instead of Baghdadi
Israeli Army Prepares for a Possible New War in Gaza
Saudi Major Killed, 2 Policemen Injured in Qatif Attack
Death of Coup Leader Dabash, Four of His Security Personnel in Shabwa
Protests in Rabat in Solidarity with Rif Movement
Seif Al-Islam Freed, Whereabouts Unknown
Macron Headed for Huge Majority, But Low Turnout a Concern
India's Modi to hold first talks with Trump on June 26 in Washington
200 Russian protesters arrested in St Petersburg

Latest Lebanese Related News published on June 12-13/17
Aoun-Hariri Meeting Raises Lebanon’s Optimism in Approving New Electoral Law
Nazeer Rida/Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Beirut – A meeting between Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Sunday helped overcome some of the remaining obstacles that are hindering the approval of a new parliamentary electoral law. The meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda raised the level of optimism in the country that the thorny electoral law dispute will be resolved after years of political wrangling. The lingering differences over the current law lies in the distribution of seats in electoral districts and if the preferential vote should be held on the basis of the district or province (qadaa), revealed Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan. Hariri said after his talks with the president: “The meeting with Aoun was positive and we should speed up the drafting of the new electoral law.” The premier stated that the drafting should be complete before Wednesday’s cabinet session. Lebanon witnessed a flurry of political consultations last week in an attempt to eliminate the remaining obstacles in the electoral law and set a date for the parliamentary elections that have been twice postponed due to dispute over the law. The factions are also seeking to extend parliament’s term before it expires on June 20. Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil stated that “time is running up”.“It is unacceptable for us to reach vacuum,” he added, warning that vacuum will not be limited to parliament, but it will extend to the whole state. He stressed: “We will forge ahead with openness and positivity to reach an agreement.”He called for the adoption of an electoral law that is based on proportional representation and 15 districts, saying that there are no disputes over the essence of the new law. Adwan echoed Khalil’s statements, adding that some issues of contention will be resolved this week. The differences center on the preferential vote, he said. “If we failed to reach an agreement, then we have no choice but to resort to a vote on it,” he explained.The MP also denied that there are differences between the Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement, saying: “We are in agreement over 98 points, while two remain.” Should a new law be adopted, then the date of the parliamentary elections will be set by the president and prime minister. “The economic situation in the country depends on the adoption of this law,” stated Adwan. Mustaqbal Movement MP Mohammed al-Hajjar meanwhile called for “preparing for the polls as if they were taking place tomorrow.”He pledged that a new law will be approved soon and all officials should be responsible for preparing the country for voters to head to the ballot boxes to practice their democratic rights. Not all sides in Lebanon have been pleased with the latest developments regarding the law, as Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh lashed out at the Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement saying that they had reneged on an agreement made with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki. “They have gone against what we agreed on at Bkirki. Their fear has driven them to devise electoral laws that suit their interests,” he noted.

Aoun urges Cyprus cooperation in oil, gas fields
The Daily Star/June 12, 2017/BEIRUT: President Michel Aoun Monday lauded bilateral cooperation between Lebanon and Cyprus, calling for increased coordination in offshore oil and gas exploration. "I encourage the governments of the two countries to raise the level of cooperation in the fields of oil and gas," Aoun said in a joint news conference with his Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades. Lebanon and Israel are locked in a dispute over a maritime zone that is believed to contain large quantities of natural gas. Lebanon is demanding the demarcation of the area with the help of the U.N. and other concerned parties. Technically and legally, the United Nations does not have the mandate to demarcate disputed borders between countries. However, Lebanese officials insist that the U.N. has an interest in taking steps to avoid an open conflict between Lebanon and Israel. The disputed maritime border zone with Israel that comprises 870 kilometers of water off Lebanon’s southern coast. Aoun hoped that talks would serve "the best interest of both countries." "What's happened in the region has increased the importance of us working together," Anastasiades said. "We are aware of Lebanon’s generosity hosting over 1.1 million refugees, and we are aware of its impact," he said. "I assure you ... Cyprus will assist Lebanon in taking on these challenges through bilateral relations and through the EU." The Lebanese government estimates that around 1.5 million Syrian refugees live in unofficial camps around the country in deteriorating economic conditions – which Lebanon was already suffering prior to the refugee crisis. Aoun praised the aid offered by Cyprus to the Lebanese Army. Defense Minister Yaacoub Sarraf announced over the weekend that Cyprus had agreed a 15 million euro ($17 million) military aid package for the Lebanese Army. During an official trip to Cyprus, Sarraf and Cypriot officials discussed enhancing bilateral ties and military cooperation between the two countries. The defense minister and his Cypriot counterpart Demetris Eliades also signed an annual cooperation agreement between the two countries’ militaries.
Cyprus’ military aid was the latest assistance package received by the Lebanese Army in recent months. The aid to the Army comes as the military keeps up its targeting of militants along Lebanon’s northeastern border with Syria. The Army has been pounding militant hideouts in Arsal and Ras Baalbeck belonging to Daesh (ISIS) and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly the Nusra Front, on an almost daily basis. On May 31, Italy also delivered aid to the Army and promised to maintain counterterrorism training programs with Italian security forces. "There's a main goal, which is to keep Lebanon's security a top priority on the agenda of European Union countries," Aoun added. The president also expressed Lebanon's support to U.N.-backed Cyprus reunification talks, stressing the importance of unified Cypriot lands and the need for a settlement and stability. Aoun will later host a state lunch in Anastasiades honor.
Anastasiades, who landed in Beirut on Sunday, will also meet with Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai in the evening.

Aoun Receives Cypriot Counterpart: For Boosting Cooperation in Oil and Gas Sectors
Naharnet/June 12/17/President Michel Aoun held a meeting on Monday with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades at the Baabda Palace, where talks focused on the bilateral relations between the two countries and the means to strengthen them at various levels. “We encourage our countries' governments to raise the level of cooperation in the oil and gas fields,” said Aoun in a joint press conference held at the President ail Palace after the meeting. The President has also highlighted the need “to ease the entry conditions of Lebanon's agricultural and industrial products to the Cypriot market.”For his part, Anastasiades hailed the relations connecting Cyprus and Lebanon and said: “Our ties go beyond geographical boundaries, they are deeply rooted between the two peoples.”Furthermore, he assured that his country will continue to help Lebanon in facing the challenges, he said: “We will continue to help Lebanon and ease the challenges it is facing particularly the crisis of displaced Syrians through the European Union channels.”Anastasiades arrived on Sunday in Lebanon accompanied by an official Cypriot delegation. He is on a four-day visit and is accompanied by his wife Andri.

Gulf, Egypt Envoys Talk Qatar Crisis, Electoral Law with Hariri
Naharnet/June 12/17/Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks Monday at the Grand Serail with UAE Ambassador to Lebanon Hamad Saeed al-Shamesi, Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Nazih el-Naggary and acting Saudi charge d'affaires Sultan al-Subai. “We came here today to meet His Excellency PM Hariri and to explain the stance of the three countries that rejects Qatar's destabilizing policy in the region,” the envoys said in a joint statement issued after the talks. “We are fully aware of the delicacy of the situation in Lebanon and the ongoing debate regarding the electoral law, which is the priority for the Lebanese, and we encourage them all to reach an agreement in this regard as soon as possible,” they added. “We are keen on putting Lebanese leaders in the picture of the reasons and motives that pushed us to take our common stance after a long period of patience, in light of the firm ties that link us to brotherly Lebanon and the common interest with it in achieving stability in the region,” the envoys went on to say. “We want the Lebanese authorities to be fully aware of our stance and the way it develops, hoping they will take it into consideration according to the Lebanese vision and interests,” the ambassadors of the UAE and Egypt and the acting Saudi charge d'affaires added. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt last week announced the suspension of all ties to Qatar over what they say is the state's support for extremist groups and its political proximity to Shiite Iran. Qatar denies the allegations. As a result Qatar's only land border has been closed, it has been stopped from using the airspace of neighboring nations and its citizens have been told to leave various Gulf countries within two weeks. Kuwait, which is now leading mediation efforts, and Oman are the only Gulf Cooperation Council members which did not take measures against Qatar in the worst diplomatic crisis to hit the region in years.

Sarraf, Mashnouq Crack Down on Guns, Tinted Cars after Crime Surge
Naharnet/June 12/17/Defense Minister Yaaqoub al-Sarraf and Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq on Monday took measures related to the latest surge in murders and violent incidents that the country has witnessed. In a memo to the Directorate General of Internal Security Forces, Mashnouq asked for “a stricter crackdown on cars using unlicensed window tint,” citing a proliferation in the practice and in the use of such vehicles in “murders, robberies, kidnaps and drug trade.”The defense minister meanwhile issued a decree annulling all firearm licenses issued in 2016, citing “the latest security incidents and crimes resulting from the proliferation of arms in the hands of citizens, which have negatively affected stability in the country, citizens' sense of safety and the State's image.”The country has recently witnessed a surge in murders that have shocked the public opinion, the last of which was the killing in cold blood of 24-year-old man Roy Hamoush. The culprits in the case were quickly arrested but Hamoush's family and relatives of other victims have urged stronger preemptive measures and some of them have called for an end to the moratorium on executing convicted murderers.

Raad Says 'No One Can Act Unilaterally' on Electoral Law
Naharnet/June 12/17/MP Mohammed Raad, the head of Hizbullah's Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc, stressed Monday that “no one can act unilaterally” regarding the new electoral law. “We must finalize the electoral law's remaining points and end the debate on it,” Raad said. “As long as we've agreed on a format, which is proportional representation in 15 districts, we must be swift in discussing the details,” the MP added. “No one can go backward or reverse the general framework that we have agreed on for the electoral law,” the lawmaker went on to say. He also stressed that “time is not in anyone's favor.”In remarks published Sunday, Lebanese Forces deputy leader MP George Adwan stressed that the country will have a new electoral law “on Friday.”Adwan has played a key role in promoting a draft electoral law fully based on the proportional representation system and 15 electoral districts. The parties have agreed on the law's general format but they are still discussing the mechanism of counting votes going for so-called preferred candidates on the electoral ballots and whether it should depend on the electoral districts or the administrative districts. The Cabinet will discuss the draft law on Wednesday and should an agreement be reached Parliament is supposed to approve the bill on Friday.

Miqati, Berri Agree Tripoli Maronite Seat 'Should Not be Reallocated'
Naharnet/June 12/17/Ex-PM Najib Miqati announced Monday that he has agreed with Speaker Nabih Berri that the Maronite parliamentary seat of Tripoli should not be reallocated to another electoral district. “I was pleased to meet His Excellency the Speaker and it was normal to tackle the electoral law. Our viewpoints were identical regarding the need to keep the Maronite seat in the city of Tripoli, the city of coexistence that embraces all people,” said Miqati after meeting Berri in Ain el-Tineh. “Enough with the segregation and polarization attempts,” Miqati added.
“I'm keen on this seat in Tripoli and so are all of Tripoli's residents and Speaker Berri also shares this opinion, which was the reason behind my visit, and we have agreed on this issue,” the former premier went on to say.

Hamadeh: The Ball is in the FPM's Court
Naharnet/June 12/17/Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh said on Monday that an agreement on an electoral law is the responsibility of the Free Patriotic Movement now, as he urged against coming up with new “surprises” that only hinder an accord. In an interview with VDL (100.5), Hamadeh threw the ball in the FPM's court and said: “The representation of expatriates is very important, but the manner of their representation is still disputed. I do not see the need to make it a controversial issue.”“Those who do not want a vote law agreement can always come up with new demands,” added Hamadeh. FPM chief Jebran Bassil had suggested that six parliament seats, out of the current 128, are to be reserved for the representation of Lebanese diaspora. His suggestion was not approved mainly by the Shiite parties. Referring to a proposal on the redistribution of parliamentary seats, as suggested by the FPM and Lebanese Forces, Hamadeh remarked that raising the issue at the current circumstances “will create endless problems.” The political parties have agreed on a law based on full proportional representation and 15 districts but the FPM and the LF are reportedly demanding the reallocation of three Maronite seats from Muslim-majority districts to Christian-majority districts. The FPM and the LF believe that moving a Maronite seat from Tripoli to Batroun, another from West Bekaa to Jbeil and another from Baalbek-Hermel to Bsharri would raise Christians' ability to elect MPs with their own votes to 50 out of 64 seats, media reports say. The Minister concluded saying that everything depends on the consultations that will be held in the coming hours, “although a number of issues remain pending but it is important to adopt the proportional representation law with 15 electoral districts,” he said.

Report: Berri Rebuffs 'Reduction' in Parliamentary Seats for Expats
Naharnet/June 12/17/As political parties wrangle to finalize some details related to the electoral law mainly a suggestion to allocate six parliamentary seats out of 128 for the expats' representation, Speaker Nabih Berri stressed that the suggestion is “not applicable,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.
The issue related to the representation of expats in the parliament, proposed by Foreign Minister and Free Patriotic Movement Jebran Bassil, is the main hurdle obstructing an agreement on a parliamentary vote law, the daily said. Berri said: “Reducing the number of parliament seats is not possible at all,” he was quoted as telling his visitors on Sunday. But, he assured that he does not reject the principle, saying “I was the first to create a ministry for the expats. I do not reject the idea in principle, but in order to apply it some conditions must first be fulfilled. Bassil had suggested that six parliament seats, out of the current 128, are to be reserved for the representation of Lebanese diaspora. Referring to Wednesday's “crucial” cabinet session to look into the suggested electoral law, the Speaker said: “Wednesday is supposed to be a decisive day. I have had consultations with PM Saad Hariri stressing the necessity to complete the law.”Berri said he would assign a legislative session on Friday if the cabinet referred the draft law to him on Wednesday, he said: “If the law is forwarded to me on the same day, then we will print and distribute it to the deputies on the same day, and then confirm the legislative session on Friday.”The draft law is fully based on the proportional representation electoral system and the parties have agreed that the polls will be held in 15 electoral districts. They are still however wrangling over the mechanism of counting votes going for so-called preferred candidates on the electoral ballots and whether it should depend on the electoral districts or the administrative districts. The Free Patriotic Movement has argued that confining the preferred vote to the smaller administrative districts would allow Christians to elect more MPs with their own votes.
The parliament's term ends on June 20.

Man who Fired at Army Post Arrested by State Security
Naharnet/June 12/17/A man was arrested Monday on charges of opening fire at a military post in the northern Akkar district, state-run National News Agency reported. “A patrol from the Akkar State Security department has managed to arrest the suspect A.F.,” NNA said. The man is accused of “opening fire from an assault weapon at a Lebanese army post in the al-Buqaiaa area in Mashta Hammoud,” the agency added. The detainee was eventually referred to the Military Court via Military Police, NNA said.

'Surf Syria': A Refugee in Lebanon Finds a Dream at Sea
Naharnet/June 12/17/Ali Qassem had never seen the sea before he fled his home in Syria for Lebanon, but now he's a regular in the waves and dreams of his own surf school. Dressed in a purple wet suit, the 17-year-old confidently coats his board with wax and smears sunscreen on his face before dashing into the sea. He disappears behind one wave and another until his small figure is barely visible from the beach at all, as though he were headed for the horizon. "When I'm on my board, I feel free. I feel like I'm in another life," the teenager says shyly at a beach in Jiyeh, 30 kilometers south of Beirut. Qassem is from Aleppo city, though he says he remembers little from his childhood in Syria. His father has worked in Jiyeh for the past 25 years, and after Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011, he decided to bring his family to Lebanon as well. Qassem has two brothers and three sisters, but speaks little about his family and his life before he became a refugee. A third brother died in the conflict, "killed in Aleppo at the beginning of the war," he says, without giving more details. His life now is dominated by surfing. "Surfing is like an art. It allows me to express my personality," he says, his eyes sparkling in his tanned face."I become someone else. I have more confidence in myself."
A makeshift board
Qassem's entry into surfing came through Ali el-Amine, who became his mentor after meeting him in 2015. At the sandy Jiyeh beach, a popular spot for surfers, Amine spotted Qassem trying his luck in the waves with a makeshift board. "He was trying to surf with a piece of polystyrene he had cut into a plank shape," says the 34-year-old, who runs a surf school in Jiyeh. "He was very thin and wearing nothing but shorts. I was afraid he would drown," he says. But after watching for a few minutes, Amine's fears began to recede. "He knew exactly what he was doing," he says. Qassem had spent long hours observing surfers in the water at Jiyeh before deciding to try himself. "I didn't know this sport existed. The first time I saw the surfers, I wanted to try it," he says with a smile. Amine decided to take Qassem under his wing, offering him a spot at his surf school and giving him a wet suit and board "on the condition he was good in class and behaved with his parents." And two years later, the guidance has borne fruit, says Amine, who considers Qassem like "a son.""He's better than some people who have been surfing for years," he says.
'Surf Syria'
Qassem has stuck with the sport, convinced it can help him "build a better life." During the summer, he works at Amine's school, repairing boards, welcoming customers and helping during lessons. The job provides income that helps his family, along with his father's wages and support from the U.N. refugee agency. "My family really support me in surfing. They have no problem with it," he says. "Right now I'm teaching my younger brother how to surf, and I'm going to teach my younger sister as well."But, while Qassem says he has become used to life in Lebanon, he still dreams of returning home. His ultimate goal is "to become the first professional surfer in Syria and open a surf school in Latakia when the war is over." Latakia is a popular seaside destination, and a government stronghold that has been largely spared the worst ravages of Syria's conflict, which has killed over 320,000 people. The International Surfing Association does not so far count a Syrian surf school among its members, and to help Qassem achieve his goal, Amine has set up a campaign on the GoFundMe crowdfunding platform. The school project might still be far off, but Qassem already has a name for it: "It will be called Surf Syria," he says.

Othman, Khatib tackle general situation
Mon 12 Jun 2017/NNA - Internal Security Forces chief Imad Othman met on Monday at his Barracks office with Environment Minister Tarek al-Khatib, who came on on a visit to congratulate the ISF on its anniversary. Talks reportedly dwelt on the general situation in the country. On the other hand, Major General Othman met with former Minister Marwan Charbel, where they discussed the overall situation in the country.

Rahi welcomes Anastasiades in Bkirki
Mon 12 Jun 2017/NNA - A meeting was held today in Bkirki between Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rahi, and Cypriot President, Nicos Anastasiades, NNA reporter said on Monday.

Abi Khalil, Cypriot official tackle cooperation prospects within energy field
Mon 12 Jun 2017/NNA - Water and Energy Minister, Cesar Abi Khalil, welcomed at his Starco office on Monday visiting Cypriot Trade, Industry and Tourism Minister, Yiorgos Lakkotrypes, where they held a one-hour meeting over issues of mutual concern. Following the one-hour meeting, Minister Abi Khalil said they had a fruitful, lengthy discussion over issues related to renewable energies and sustainable energies, with both countries' experiences being presented during meeting. Abi Khalil said they broached cooperation prospects between the two countries in the energy sector, and briefed the Cypriot visitor on Lebanon's forthcoming oil and gas licensing round. In turn, Minister Lakkotrypes spoke about means of cooperation between the two countries within the field of energy, notably renewed energy, saying they exchanged viewpoints over best means to produce "clean energy."Lakkotrypes went on to say that they took up a highly important issue concerning oil and gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean. Abi Khalil briefed the Minister on the course of the first oil and gas licensing round in Lebanon. The Cypriot Minister wished Abi Khalil success in this regard, and said they agreed to boost cooperation between the two countries.

MP Raad urges for election law's finalization
Mon 12 Jun 2017/NNA - Head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, MP Mohammad Raad, on Monday highlighted the obligation to finalize the election law within the next few days so that the legislative polls should be held under a new vote mode. "We must finalize what is left of the election law and eventually end the discussions over it. As long as we agreed on proportionality with Lebanese as 15 districts, we must not dwell for long about details," Raad told a memorial ceremony in the southern town of Zebdine. "The election law must be finalized in the next few days so that we should hold the legislative polls as per a new vote mode," he concluded.

Defense Minister revokes 2016 weapons licenses
Mon 12 Jun 2017/NNA - National Defense Minister Yacoub al-Sarraf on Monday issued a decree #883 annulling all arms' licenses issued in the year 2016. The decision comes following a string of criminal incidents witnessed recently in the country, as a result of the chaotic arms present in the hands of citizens. "All arms' licenses issued in 2016 are considered cancelled," decree said.

Army chief meets MP Helou, UNIFIL Commander
Mon 12 Jun 2017/He also met with former lawmaker Jihad Samad, over the current general situation on the local scene. General Aoun later welcomed General Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, General Michael Beary, with whom he discussed the current situation along the southern borders, in addition to the ongoing cooperation between the Lebanese military and the UNIFIL. Among Yarze itinerants, have also been Sheikh Soheib Habli, a MEA delegation, and a delegation of Deir-al-Qamar Merchants Association.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 12-13/17
US President Donald Trump asserts ‘punishing Qatar’ a positive move
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 13 June 2017/US President Donald Trump stressed on Monday that “punishing Qatar” is a positive move, referring to the decisions taken by Arab and Muslim countries to sever diplomatic and economic ties with Doha for supporting terrorism.
Referring to the need to stop financing terrorism, the US president said: “You see what is going on in Qatar”.Trump also said the fight against terrorist financing “will end with victory”. Earlier, Trump took to Twitter that he supported the boycotting of Qatar because of its involvement in financing and harboring terrorists. “During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar - look!” Trump tweeted on June 6

Israeli Commandos Heading to Cyprus for Largest-ever Drill/The joint drill, which involves 400 Israeli soldiers, has ruffled feathers in Ankara
Haaretz/June 12/17/Israeli commandos will be undergoing training in Cyprus next week, the biggest joint military exercise ever undertaken between the two countries in the island nation. Sqaudrons of Black Hawk helicopters will head to Cyprus for the joint exercise, which starts Sunday, Haaretz has learned. 
The Israeli commando forces will be spending a week in the Troodos Mountains. According to Cypriot media sources, the training will involve 400 Israeli soldiers. Cyprus and Israel have held joint exercises before, mainly in the air and sea. This time ground forces are also involved. 
The exercise has ruffled feathers in Ankara, according to media reports in Cyprus. The IDF refused to give a detailed account of the drill at this time. It could be assumed that the reason for the flying of hundreds of combatants to an overseas drill, in the Troodos Mountains of all places, is that they are similar to mountainous regions in and around Israel. The IDF has recently increased the frequency of drills conducted by its land forces, and has been trying to improve the quality of these so that they will be is similar as possible to the areas were combat could potentially take place.  

Crisis Deepens as Israel Lowers Power Supply for Palestinians in Gaza
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Israeli Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan announced on Monday that Tel Aviv will reduce electrical power to Gaza, deepening an energy crisis in the Hamas-controlled coastal strip. The decision will worsen the living conditions of about 2 million people living in the Strip that has been under a ten-year Israeli siege. Gaza has witnessed three destructive wars between Israel and the Palestinian factions since Hamas took control of the enclave in 2007. Israeli media said that the government decided on Sunday to reduce reduce electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip after funding cuts by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a minister said Monday. The security cabinet decided Sunday to reduce the daily amount supplied to Gaza by around 45 minutes. Gazans currently receive only three or four hours of electricity a day, delivered from the territory’s own power station and others in Israel and Egypt. Erdan told army radio the reduction was due to an ongoing row between Abbas and his rivals Hamas. Abbas has reportedly decided to slash electricity payments for Gaza in a further bid to pressure Hamas. The West Bank-based Palestinian Authority blamed Hamas’s failure to reimburse it for electricity for the reduction in power supplies. But PA spokesman Tareq Rashmawi coupled that explanation with a demand that Hamas agree to Abbas’s unity initiatives, which include holding the first parliamentary and presidential elections in more than a decade. “We renew the call to the Hamas movement and the de facto government there to hand over to us all responsibilities of government institutions in Gaza so that the government can provide its best services to our people in Gaza,” he said. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Israel and the PA “will bear responsibility for the grave deterioration” in Gaza’s health and environmental situation. Electricity supply is a major concern in the hot and cramped territory, which is currently marking the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. “It is not definite this will cause a military confrontation. It is possible that the Palestinians begin to understand the catastrophe that Hamas means for them,” Erdan said. According to Israeli media, the PA decided to cut electricity payments for Gaza in April. Hamas said then the “catastrophic decision” would have “dangerous” consequences. Residents who can afford it use generators to power their homes or businesses in the impoverished Palestinian enclave of some two million people.

Fighting Terrorism Tops Sisi, Merkel Talks
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Cairo – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi arrived in Berlin on Sunday to attend a summit that will address cooperation between G20 and African countries and to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Egypt’s Ambassador to Germany Badr Abdul Ati said that the visit would include extensive bilateral discussions on the situation in the Middle East and efforts to fight terrorism, revealing the presence of a security report that talks about an increase in the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in eastern Germany. A statement by the Egyptian presidential office said that the summit hosted by Merkel was aimed at promoting cooperation between the G20 and the African states on the different development levels. The statement added that the German president was expected to launch a cooperation initiative with Africa focused on building partnerships with international financial institutions, with the aim to provide an adequate atmosphere to attract foreign investments in Africa. The statement also said that Sisi would deliver a speech before the summit and participate in a roundtable on private investments in the infrastructure of African countries. Egypt’s presidential spokesperson noted that Sisi’s visit to Berlin would also see discussions over the means to promote bilateral ties during meetings with Germany’s top officials, including Merkel and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. The African countries’ conference comes ahead of the G20 Summit, scheduled to take place on July 7. Egyptian officials who accompanied Sisi include Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Industry and Trade Minister Tarek Qabil, International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr, Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority Mohab Mamish, Sisi’s office manager Abbas Kamel, president spokesperson Alaa Youssef and others. On a different note, the Egyptian ambassador said that the German intelligence services were closely monitoring suspicious activities by the Muslim Brotherhood in eastern Germany. The ambassador added that a security report contained information on the increase of the role of the Brotherhood in that region of the country, which was previously part of the Soviet Union.Abdul Ati stressed that the German security bodies were highly concerned about the movement’s activities, adding that the Germans now consider the Brotherhood as an extremist group.

Kuwait Speaks about Qatari ‘Understanding’ of Gulf Concerns
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/“(Kuwait) affirms the readiness of the brothers in Qatar to understand the reality of the qualms and concerns of their brothers and to heed the noble endeavors to enhance security and stability,” KUNA quoted the foreign minister as saying. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain issued separate statements Sunday asking that the humanitarian conditions of people with mixed citizenship be taken into account in appreciation of the brotherly Qatari people who represent a natural extension of their brothers in the three countries. Doha responded to the directives of the three countries and said the nationals of those countries have ‘full freedom’ to stay in Qatar in accordance with the state’s laws and regulations through a work contract approved by their countries or as per their entry visas, a Qatari Interior Ministry statement said. After the Qatari Foreign Minister expressed his country’s willingness to have constructive relations with Iran, Tehran announced sending six planes of food to Doha, each carrying around 90 tons of fruits and vegetables. Iran Air spokesman Shahrokh Noushabadi said on Sunday: “We will continue deliveries as long as there is demand” from Qatar, without mentioning if these deliveries were exports or aid. Also, three ships loaded with 350 tons of food were sent for Qatar.
In Istanbul, Prime Minister Binali Yilderim said that the Qatar crisis could turn into a global problem if the tension grows. “The risk of this issue becoming a global problem is very high due to the geostrategic nature of the region,” he said.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE exempt Qatari spouses caught in GCC crisis
Haneen Dajani and Taimur Khan/The National/ June 12, 2017 /Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/ABU DHABI /Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain will make exceptions on humanitarian grounds for some Qatari residents who have been ordered to leave the three countries. The GCC countries said on Sunday that Qataris married to their own citizens will be exempt from the order, which was part a series of measures taken last week to isolate Qatar over its support of Islamist and terrorist groups. Qatar also said on Sunday that citizens of other states that have severed ties with Doha will be allowed to stay in the country. A hotline has been set up to offer support for Emirati-Qatari families in the UAE under instructions from President Sheikh Khalifa. "The well-being of the brotherly Qatari people is a natural authentic extension of the brotherly UAE people," the WAM state news agency said. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain also set up similar services on Sunday. UAE airports and borders have been ordered to allow any Qatari citizens who are immediate relatives of Emiratis to pass through. Meanwhile, Qatar said it would not "take any measures against residents of Qatar who hold the nationalities of countries that severed diplomatic ties or lowered diplomatic representations with the state of Qatar", Qatar’s state news agency reported. There are more than 11,000 citizens from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain resident in Qatar, three quarters of whom are Saudi, and about 250,000 residents from Egypt, which has also severed ties with Doha.
Intermarriage between citizens of GCC states is routine, and family and tribal connections both precede the creation of the six countries and continue today. The orders against Qatar would have affected many families across the Gulf. The National was told of one case in which an Emirati woman living in the UAE with her Qatari husband and Qatari children would have had to be separated under the original order. With both sides’ announcements on Sunday, families in similar circumstances may be able to avoid separation. The solution came as mediation efforts continued to settle the most serious crisis in the history of GCC relations. Kuwait said on Sunday that Qatar was ready to listen to the concerns of the Gulf states that have cut diplomatic and economic ties. "[Kuwait] affirms the readiness of the brothers in Qatar to understand the reality of the qualms and concerns of their brothers and to heed the noble endeavours to enhance security and stability," foreign minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah said. Kuwait, which has retained ties with Qatar and has often acted as a mediator in regional disputes, said it wanted to resolve the dispute "within the unified Gulf house". Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, responded by tweeting: "Is this the beginning of wisdom and reasonable thinking? I hope so." The US secretary of state Rex Tillerson on Friday urged the countries to ease some of their measures against Qatar. "Families are being forcibly separated, and children pulled out of school," he said. "We believe these are unintended consequences, especially during this Holy Month of Ramadan, but they can be addressed immediately."The restrictions on travel and commerce with Qatar have affected the country’s food imports, much of which come through the land border with Saudi Arabia and re-exports from the UAE.
Doha’s closest ally, Turkey, has said it is increasing food shipments to Qatar, and Iran has so far ordered six planeloads of food to be sent, Iran’s national airlines told the AFP on Sunday. "So far five planes carrying perishable food items such as fruit and vegetables have been sent to Qatar, each carrying around 90 tonnes of cargo, while another plane will be sent today," Iran Air spokesman Shahrokh Noushabadi said.

Qatar Denounces Gulf States' 'Policy of Domination'
Naharnet/June 12/17/A senior counter-terrorism adviser to Qatar's foreign minister has hit out at the diplomatic squeeze on Doha by several Gulf states, calling it a "policy of domination and control."Mutlaq al-Qahtani, a special envoy to Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, said the decision to sever ties by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt as well as other allies over Qatar's alleged funding of Islamist extremist groups would not prove successful. "I think this is not about counter-terrorism, it's not about terror financing," he told AFP. "I think it is about an orchestrated campaign against my country to pressure my country to change its active, independent foreign policy. "This policy of domination and control is not going to work."He added: "When it comes to terrorism, Qatar has never supported terrorism, Qatar does not support terrorism, Qatar will not support terrorism."
The tiny gas-rich emirate is at the center of the biggest diplomatic crisis to hit the Gulf in many years. Qatar has been isolated for the past week by Saudi and others over "terrorism" and because of its relatively relaxed approach to relations with Jeddah's great regional rival, Iran.
As a result Qatar's only land border has been closed, it has been stopped from using the airspace of neighboring nations and its citizens have been told to leave various Gulf countries within two weeks. Al-Qahtani's remarks are some of very few comments to so far emerge from Doha during the crisis. The most visible member of the government has been Sheikh Mohammed who has said that Qatar would not "surrender" to the political pressure.Al-Qahtani said diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute would continue."We have more friends, more than other people might think," he said after Sheikh Mohammed visited Germany and Russia over the weekend. "So we are engaged and want to engage with more countries." He was also dismissive of a terror blacklist published by the Gulf allies at the end of last week which named various Qataris and Qatar-based organizations.
As many as 18 individuals were named, including members of the royal family and a former government minister. Also on the list were Doha-based Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Qatari-funded charities. Al-Qahtani though said the list was little more than a public relations exercise. "It's quite unfortunate to use this kind of list, this kind of subject," he said. "It's very serious and extremely dangerous to use it in a PR campaign, in a PR game."

Qatar Begins Shipping Cargo Through Oman to Bypass Gulf Rift
Associated Press/Naharnet/June 12/17/ Qatar said Monday it had begun shipping cargo through Oman to bypass Gulf countries that have cut off sea routes to the tiny, energy-rich nation, the latest move by Doha to show it can survive a diplomatic dispute with its neighbors. Qatar's port authority published video showing a container ship loaded down with cargo arriving at Doha's Hamad Port from Oman's port of Sohar to a water-cannon welcome. Typically, cargo for Qatar stops at Dubai's massive deep-water Jebel Ali port or in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi, then gets put on smaller boats heading to Doha. But since June 5, the UAE has joined Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt in cutting off sea traffic to Qatar as part of the nations severing diplomatic ties over Qatar's alleged support of extremists groups and close ties to Iran. Qatar's port authority said its cargo will go through Sohar, as well as Oman's port at Salalah, bypassing the need to dock in any of those countries that have cut ties. Global shipper Maersk already has said it will begin using Salalah for its shipments to Qatar.
Meanwhile, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency has said two Iranian navy vessels will stop off in Oman soon as part of an anti-piracy patrol. Oman, not among those countries cutting ties to Qatar, routinely serves as a back-channel negotiator for Western governments needing to speak to Tehran. The diplomatic crisis, the worst since the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq and the subsequent Gulf War, has seen Arab nations and others cut ties to Qatar, which hosts a major U.S. military base and will be the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Doha is a major international travel hub, but flagship carrier Qatar Airways now flies increasingly over Iran and Turkey after being blocked elsewhere in the Middle East. After an initial run on supermarkets by panicked residents, Qatar has secured dairy products from Turkey. Iran also has shipped in vegetables by air and plans to send some 350 tons of fruit by sea to Qatar, with which it shares a massive offshore natural gas field.

Qatar Launches 2 Shipping Routes with Oman
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Dubai – CEO at Qatar Ports Management Company Abdullah al-Khanji said that Qatar has launched two new shipping services to Omani ports after four other Gulf states cut diplomatic ties with Doha last week. The two new services will each run three times a week between Qatar’s Hamad Port and Omani ports of Sohar in the north and Salalah in the south, Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani) announced on Sunday. Khanji said that the first container ship loaded down with cargo arrived at Doha’s Hamad Port from Oman’s port of Sohar on Saturday, noting that these two routes will contribute in enhancing the import of food commodities. He added that many Omani private sector companies have expressed their willingness to provide logistic support to Qatari food-importing companies. Khanji pointed to the activation of the movement on the direct shipping route between Hamad port and China’s economic capital (Shanghai) within “New Falcon” service, which is affiliated to the Mediterranean Shipping Company «MSC», and the direct route of «Ocean Alliance». The trip lasts between 14 to 20 days, contributing to the enhancement of import movement. In light of the current situation, Qatar’s ports give food commodities and their inputs the highest priority, while facilitating the procedures for the rapid release of goods, Khanji explained. He added that cargo for Qatar usually stops at Dubai’s massive deep-water Jebel Ali port or in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi, then gets put on smaller boats heading to Doha. However, since June 5, the UAE joined Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt in cutting off sea traffic to Qatar as part of the severing of diplomatic ties over Qatar’s support of extremist groups and close ties to Iran. Khanji said that Qatar’s cargo will go through Sohar, as well as Oman’s port at Salalah, bypassing the need to dock in any of those countries.

Arab League to Hold a Meeting on Israeli Infiltration into Africa
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Cairo – The Council of the Arab League is holding an extraordinary meeting on Monday at the level of permanent representatives to discuss how to confront the growing Israeli infiltration into the African continent, and its implications on the Arab national security. This session is being held upon the request of Palestine. The participants will focus on the promotion of Arab cooperation with the African Union to renew the Palestinian issue in the African continent. They will also urge African countries not to participate in any Israeli occupation–African conference. This comes amid preparations by Tel Aviv to organize an African–Israeli occupation summit in Togo in October 2017. The league warned of the consequences of electing Israel’s permanent UN representative as a Deputy President of the United Nations General Assembly for 2019-2020. Diplomatic sources reported that the Sec-Gen Ahmed Abu lgheit held series of talks with several Arab and African states warning of Israeli infiltration in Africa. Israel is trying to ensure African votes in its favor during the vote for a membership at UN General Assembly. Arab diplomatic sources believe this could threaten Arab national security.
Israel being a permanent member could affect the council’s crucial decisions especially on issues like the Palestinian cause, Syrian crisis, situation in Yemen, the case of Libya and other causes of the Arab world. The source described Israel as an apostate entity founded on occupying other states. He added that Israel is in constant violation of UN resolutions and rules of international law. According to the source, no sane person can claim that Israel’s candidacy is in accordance with Article 23 of UN Charter which states: “The General Assembly shall elect ten other Members of the United Nations to be non-permanent members of the Security Council, due regard being specially paid, in the first instance to the contribution of Members of the United Nations to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the Organization, and also to equitable geographical distribution.”Member states should consider enforcing Article 6 of the Charter on Israel which states: “A Member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the Principles contained in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council,” he declared.
The source pointed out that this is an unprecedented phenomenon, and instead of forcing Israel to abide by the UN resolutions, Tel Aviv is applying for the highest ranking and most important entity in the UN. Sources close to the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Arab League will discuss several important issues related to the Israeli-African relations and efforts to ensure it doesn’t receive the votes entitling it for a membership in the council. Some countries even devised a plan which included Arab states’ rejection of Israel’s attempt during its speech at the General Assembly. In addition, Arab countries will rise the issue during their meetings with other leaders and prime ministers. Arab officials will also discuss the issue openly and frankly with UN Sec-Gen, his successor, and other UN officials.

ISIS Administered by 12-Member Committee Instead of Baghdadi
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Beirut- ISIS has limited the role of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and sent a 12-member leadership council to the Syrian territories under the name of “negotiating committee” to practically lead the terrorist organization, informed Syrian sources said on Sunday.
“Lately, Baghdadi has only been ISIS’ image, while the actual leadership of the organization in Syria and Iraq is in the hands of a 12-member council that plans and orders everything related to the group,” the founder of the Euphrates Post, Ahmad al-Ramadan, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday.Ramadan denied reports that Baghdadi had been killed in an air strike in Syria, asserting that the leader of ISIS “initially lives in Iraq.”The founder of the Euphrates Post also said that the 12-member council has lately moved to Syria but issues decisions implementable in Syria and Iraq. The latest development comes at a time when ISIS faces in its stronghold in Raqqa an attack from three fronts, led by the Syrian Democratic Forces, which already infiltrated from the east and west of the city and has lately opened a new front against the organization by attacking its linked Division 17 base in the north. Meanwhile, a video released on the Internet showed on Sunday Syrian regime helicopters dropping barrel bombs on the city of Daraa and a Palestinian refugee camp in the southwest of the city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that more than 170 missiles and barrel bombs had targeted Daraa on Sunday.
Currently, ISIS faces four battles in Syria, where the SDF and coalition forces attack the terrorist organization’s stronghold in Raqqa, while the Syrian regime and its allied militias face the group at three other fronts, in the countryside of Palmyra, the countryside of Damascus and in the eastern desert in the countryside of eastern Hama.

Israeli Army Prepares for a Possible New War in Gaza
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Ramallah – The Israeli army has significantly raised its level of alert on the northern front after joint talks between the army and Shin Bet (general security agency) estimated that there is a possibility of an upcoming escalation in the Gaza Strip. The army enhanced its level of readiness through frequent surprise exercises in preparation for a possible war that Hamas could be after, reported Yediot Ahronot newspaper. Internal discussions, between the army and Shin Bet, tend toward the possibility of an upcoming escalation in the strip. This is supported by intelligence reports stating that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating because of infrastructure problems which affect the water and electricity supply, in addition to the financial and political pressure exerted by the Palestinian Authority on Hamas. Furthermore, Qatar, which hosts several Hamas leaders, is dealing with a diplomatic boycott and international pressure, which could affect its financial support for the militant movement. A general assumption is that Hamas will take aggressive measures and start a new war to improve the economic situation and its position in the Arab world. Hamas wants to improve its status in the Arab world as many countries began referring to it as a terrorist entity. Hamas believes that difficult images from a conflict with Israel could definitely help the organization achieve that goal, according to Shin Bet officials. Yediot Ahronot stated that the potential for escalation is high and Hamas will likely use the first opportunity it has to allow factions to launch missiles from Gaza at the underground barrier project in an attempt to disrupt it. According to a security source, Hamas is willing to apply any means to achieve its goal. Other sources reported that Israel has relayed messages that it will not allow the project be stopped, even at the cost of another escalation. Most military and political analysts in Israel believe the next war with Israel will be led by Hamas’ leader in Gaza Yahya Sanwar, who is known in Israel for his extreme and violent stances. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman stated that Israel is not concerned with the escalation. He warned however that any new war would mean the destruction of Gaza’s military infrastructure. “I have no interest in retaking the Gaza Strip,” Lieberman said. “[Israel] cannot get involved in a military conflict every two years and if we need to fight, then we can’t leave any military infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.” “My challenge as Defense Minister, and the Israeli Defense Forces’ challenge as an army, is to prevent the next war,” Lieberman said, adding, “with determination and deterrence, we can make the other side see that we’re serious.” Still, Hamas is not revealing any of its new plans. Observers believe that the organization would rather not head towards direct confrontation amid the deteriorated situation in Gaza, but it may be forced to resort to it if Arab, Israeli and Palestinian pressure increased.

Saudi Major Killed, 2 Policemen Injured in Qatif Attack
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/A Saudi police major was killed and two members of the security forces wounded when an explosive device went off during a patrol in Qatif province, the Interior Ministry said on Monday. The ministry spokesman said in a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that the blast had occurred late Sunday evening in the Masoura district. Major Tareq al-Alaqi was killed and two policemen, who are in stable condition, were injured, the spokesman said. He added that the security forces are investigating the terrorist crime.

Death of Coup Leader Dabash, Four of His Security Personnel in Shabwa
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Aden, Taiz- A prominent leader of the Houthi-Saleh militias and four of his security personnel were killed on Saturday in an attack waged by the pro-government forces in al-Saq area of Usaylan district in western Shabwa province, southeastern Yemen. Houthi prominent Leader Ahmed Saleh Dabash, Abu Hussein, was killed in an attack and artillery shelling by the forces of the 26th Infantry Brigade and al-Hazm battalion on their position in the al-Saq area. The battles and shelling in Usaylan and Beihan fronts coincided with air raids by pro-legitimate government forces that targeted the positions and gatherings of the insurgents at “Akeed Soufa” site. The attack also resulted in the damage of a military vehicle of the Houthi militants at a time when a series of violent explosions rocked the targeted sites and resulted in the death of at least six militants, according to military sources. The source pointed out that violent clashes also broke out between the Popular Resistance and the Houthi-Saleh militiamen in Tewal al-Sadah fighting front in Usaylan, where battles have been flaring since weeks with no ground progress made by either side. Spokesman for army forces in Brigade 19 in Usaylan Mutlaq al-Maaroufi told Asharq Al-Awsat that large military reinforcements have headed two days ago towards the battle fronts in the outskirts of the Directorate of Usaylan. Maaroufi confirmed that the army forces in the three brigades, 19 infantry, 21 mika and 26 infantry, are seeking to regain control of militia-controlled positions and move according to the directives of the army’s top command. Since the outbreak of the battles in Usaylan and Bihan fronts hundreds of militia militants have been killed, including senior military commanders close to Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of the coup group. Also, about 500 soldiers from the popular resistance were killed and about 700 others were injured, according to official statistics in the 19th Brigade.

Protests in Rabat in Solidarity with Rif Movement
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Rabat- Thousands of people took to the streets of Rabat on Sunday demanding that authorities release the leaders of a protest movement in al-Hoceima and surrounding cities in the Rif region of northern Morocco. The demonstrators marched along Mohamed VI avenue in downtown Rabat in solidarity with Hoceima chanting “Free the prisoners!” including the movement leader Nasser Zefzafi, who was among the first to be arrested on May 29. The demonstration in Rabat was one of the largest of its kind in several years. Banned from formal politics Justice and Charity movement participated in the demonstration, in addition to several parties and the Moroccan Association of Human Rights. Justice and Charity is the only opposition group able to mobilize on a massive scale. Many protesters held up portraits of Zefzafi, and his father also briefly joined the protest alongside the families of other arrested activists. Justice and Development Party and Movement for Unification and Reform among other movements and parties were not present at the protests. Secretary General of Development Party and Movement Abdelilah Benkirane criticized the government for not handling the protests in Rif well. Demonstrators called for economic and social reforms for the Rif region and demanded the sacking of several governmental officials, in requests reminiscent to the 2011 protests led by the February 20 movement. Deputy secretary-general of Justice and Charity Fathallah Arsalane said that it is only natural for the organization to participate in the protests because the social problems are aggravating and that people can no longer tolerate injustice. Arsalane called upon the “sane” people in the government to handle the issue and deal with Rif residents because they are a part of this country and their demands are lawful. The deputy secretary-general of Justice and Charity told Asharq Al-Awsat that the ball is now in the court of the government, saying it should either meet the demands of the protesters, or the rate of demonstrations will increase. As long as the people are suffering, they won’t be silenced, he warned. President of Moroccan Association of Human Rights Ahmed al-Hayej reiterated that it is crucial for all detainees to be released. He also asked the government to reopen dialogue channels with leaders of the movement. Hayej told Asharq Al-Awsat that the protests would be seen as fruitful only if the authorities respond to the demands of demonstrators. He did, however, declare that solidarity with Rif would grow stronger if there was no change to the status quo and if more people continued to be arrested.

Seif Al-Islam Freed, Whereabouts Unknown
Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/Cairo- Two days after his release from the town of Zintan under an amnesty law passed by a parliament based in eastern Libya, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, is now free to practice any aspect of his life, the Libyan National Army led by military commander Khalifa Haftar confirmed on Sunday. However, Gaddafi’s new whereabouts are still unknown. Seif had been held in Zintan, about 170 kilometers southwest of Tripoli, since November 2011. Tribal sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that contacts have been made with leaderships in central and western Libya to have more information on the matter. In 2015, a court in Tripoli, where extremist and militia forces rule, sentenced Saif to death in absentia for war crimes. Zintan’s Abu Baker Sadiq brigade, led by Commander Ajmi al-Atir, who is close to Haftar, announced on Sunday it has chosen to release Saif. Ahmed al-Mismari, a spokesman for the Libyan National Army, asserted that Seif Gaddafi is now free in line with the amnesty law. “He is outside Zintan city now and he can take part in any political process if there are no legal hindrances to it,” al-Mismari said. Gaddafi’s loyalists in the east of the country, where Haftar is building power, have been pushing for Saif’s release. However, sources close to Libya’s presidential council of the Government of National Accord led by Fayez al-Sarraj, said that members of the council and other militia leaderships in Tripoli and Misrata, reject the decision of freeing the son of Muammar Gaddafi. Meanwhile, it remains unclear what role Seif al-Islam would play in Libya, where several armed groups and three governments rule the country. While still under arrest, Seif established last year the Popular Front for the Liberation of Libya, which includes some loyalists of his father and other figures who sympathize with him.

Macron Headed for Huge Majority, But Low Turnout a Concern
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 12/17/French voters have put President Emmanuel Macron's party on course for a crushing parliamentary majority, though a record low turnout in the first round of voting raised concerns Monday over the strength of his future mandate. Projections showed Macron widening his centrist revolution, with his Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move, REM) party and its ally MoDem tipped to win between 400 and 445 seats in the 577-member National Assembly in next Sunday's second round. Such a share would give Macron -- who founded his party just a year ago -- one of the biggest parliamentary majorities seen in the modern French state. "France is back," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe declared triumphantly. Government spokesman Christophe Castaner said the 49 percent turnout -- the lowest for six decades in such a vote -- was "a failure of this election", acknowledging that the Macron team would need to reach out to those who stayed away. - 'Monochrome parliament' -But former prime minister Alain Juppe of the rightwing Republicans said the low turnout was a sign of "deep malaise" in the electorate and that a clean sweep by Macron would be bad for democracy. "The stakes of the second round are clear," said the current mayor of Bordeaux, calling for Republicans voters to turn out in force on Sunday. "Having a monochrome parliament is never good for democratic debate". Among commentators also sounding a cautionary note was Nicolas Beytout of the daily L'Opinion, who wrote: "Sure, Emmanuel Macron is ready to pull off the unthinkable for someone who didn't even have a party a year ago -- a spectacular majority in the National Assembly." But Macron's score of 24 percent in the first round of the presidential race and Sunday's low turnout undermine "the illusion of Macron-mania", he said. Some experts say the low turnout reflects fatalism among Macron's opponents in the face of his seemingly unstoppable advance.
What editorial writers proclaimed as a "spectacular" sweep by the REM left the Republicans -- who had hoped to rebound from their humiliation in the presidential vote -- trailing in second with a predicted 70-130 seats. The far-right National Front (FN) of Marine Le Pen was meanwhile forecast to garner only between one and 10 seats. The FN's result showed the party struggling to rebound from Le Pen's bruising defeat by Macron in May's presidential run-off. The FN's deputy leader Florian Philippot admitted to "disappointment" and called on voters to "mobilise massively" for the second round. The radical-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party of Jean-Luc Melenchon, who finished fourth in the presidential race, also fell short of expectations. His camp is tipped to only take 10-23 seats. The worst losses, however, were for the Socialists of Macron's predecessor Francois Hollande and their allies, who are predicted to lose a staggering 200 seats. The party's chief Jean-Christophe Cambadelis and its failed presidential candidate Benoit Hamon both crashed out of the running on Sunday. Cambadelis appealed to voters not to give Macron a monopoly on power. Parliament risked having "no real oversight powers and no democratic debate worth speaking of," he warned. Few candidates reached the 50-percent mark needed for election at the first round. A second round of voting will be held on Sunday in nearly all constituencies between the two or three top-placed contenders. Official final results showed Macron's one-year-old REM and allies MoDem winning 32.32 percent, ahead of the Republicans on 21.56 percent and the FN on 13.20 percent.
The Socialists and their allies secured just 9.51 percent while the radical left and communists were on 13.74 percent. German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Macron on a "great success" Sunday, calling it "a vote for reforms".
- 'Conquering neophytes' -France's youngest-ever president at 39, Macron has gained praise for appointing a balanced cabinet that straddles the left-right divide and taking a leading role in Europe's fight-back against US President Donald Trump on climate change. Sunday's results show he will have relatively free rein to push through the ambitious labour, economic and social reforms he promised on the campaign trail. Macron, who had never held elected office before becoming president, will also have succeeded in ushering in a younger and more diverse parliament with more women and ethnic minorities. His party fielded political newcomers in around 200 constituencies, some of whom felled heavyweights of the left and right in the first round. "A political novice, Emmanuel Macron is set to pull off the most spectacular grand slam of the Fifth Republic," wrote Laurent Joffrin of the left-leaning Liberation daily. "His one-year-old movement is ready to flood the parliament with conquering neophytes."

India's Modi to hold first talks with Trump on June 26 in Washington
Mon 12 Jun 2017/NNA - India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on June 26, the Indian foreign ministry said on Monday, the first meeting between the leaders. Ties between the two big democracies grew rapidly under the Obama administration which saw India as a partner to balance China's growing weight in Asia. But Trump has focused on building ties with China, seeing it as key to tackling regional problems such as North Korea's nuclear program. The Indian ministry said Modi's talks with Trump would lay the ground for a further expansion in ties, allaying some of the anxiety that had crept in about a drift in relations. "Their discussions will provide a new direction for deeper bilateral engagement on issues of mutual interest and consolidation of multi-dimensional strategic partnership between India and the U.S.," the ministry said in a statement. The United States has emerged as a top arms supplier to India and the two sides will be looking to move forward with deals such as unarmed drones that India wants for its navy, sources said. One issue that the two leaders face is resolving conflict arising out of the push they are both making at home to boost industry and create jobs. Modi has been driving a Make-in-India campaign to press foreign arms suppliers to set up factories in India and transfer technology instead of selling off-the-shelf, which has made India one of the world's biggest arms importers without any domestic production base. Trump, on the other hand, has railed against firms moving factories outside the United States and has demanded U.S. companies invest at home as part of his "America First" campaign. Trump's review of a visa program under which thousands of skilled Indian workers go to the United States is also a top concern for India. ---Reuters

200 Russian protesters arrested in St Petersburg
Mon 12 Jun 2017/NNA - An Associated Press reporter has counted more than 200 people arrested by police at an unsanctioned opposition rally in St. Petersburg. About 1,000 people had gathered Monday in the city's Mars Field park for a protest that was part of a nationwide wave of demonstrations called for by Alexei Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition figure. After the detentions, the protest appeared to be breaking up, but some demonstrators remained.--Associated Press

Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 12-13/17
Qatar and the axis of extremism/قطر ومحور التطرف
Hussein Shobokshi/Al Arabiya/June 12/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=56200
The Arab world is being “reconfigured” and today it is destined to be located between two main axes: the axis of stability and the desired centrality and the axis of extremism and sedition, which supports fundamentalist groups at the expense of state entities.
This is perhaps the simplest explanation and the interpretation of what is happening between Qatar on one hand and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on the other. The division between the two groups is a reflection of the policies of the two axes.
Qatar has chosen to support extremist groups, moving away from the track. Qatar also chose the same “Iranian route” to support the extremist groups and did not choose the “national” option that unites and does not differentiate. Qatar has the will to govern by proxy and wants to be the maker of kings and presidents, a state that believes that its soft power, as well as money and information broadcasting can “change” the reality on the ground under the slogans of “revolution” and “religion.”
It focused its attention on revolution, the Arab Spring and the religion of “revolutionary.” It even augmented the issue of the mosque renovation project of Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab and named the largest mosque after his name. Qatar desired to claim one of the most important tribes of the Arabian Peninsula in order to disturb Saudi Arabia (an old complexity) and produced documentaries, making a big drama out of it to strengthen its claim.
Let us understand that Qatar is a suspicious state. It mixes politics with religion and the economy and all its actions are politicized to serve its agenda, which came into existence after the coup.
A few years ago, when I attended a conference in Doha, a Qatari researcher was explaining to me the methods of Qatar’s use of soft power and its expected impact in the Arab world. The man said that Qatar has its vision since the day of the coup from the son against his father which affected not only Qatar but also the Gulf region as well.
Qatar wants to influence “every house” and has therefore expanded its largest television station Al Jazeera into a network with several outlets, including BeIn that is involved in broadcasting all types of sports. Soon it plans to enter into the movies and drama segment. It believes in the ability of the media to influence and thus change the formation of collective opinion, thus able to influence them easily.
Great ambitions
Qatar’s another great ambition is to have one of the largest and most influential banks in the Arab world. Their National Bank of Qatar is in expansion mode with capital infusion and acquisitions.
In addition, it is also determined in the growth of its national airline Qatar Airways aiming to be the top airline in the region. Saudi Arabia gave it the license to operate in the Saudi domestic market but it soon realized the risk and did not encourage Qatar Airways to operate in the domestic market. It has tried to be the region’s most accessible education hub in the region, opening to a group of international universities and thus serving as an influential platform for young people and nurturing ideas for controversial decision-making centers in Doha such as Rand, Brookings, Saban Center for Middle East Policy and other institutions.
Let us understand that Qatar is a suspicious state. It mixes politics with religion and the economy and all its actions are politicized to serve its agenda, which came into existence after the coup.
In the past there was warning to Qatar from the former UAE ruler, Sheikh Zayed, for its actions and it also invited the wrath from former King Abdullah. The same anger is expressed by King Salman at Qatar today and the same message is conveyed by Jordan, Bahrain, Morocco and Libya for various reasons. Qatar has always been an offender, let us not forget it!

The Qatar crisis: Who started it?
Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/June 12/17
When it comes to the ongoing Qatar crisis, some would say: We agree on the negative roles Qatar has played since Hamad bin Khalifa’s coup in 1995 but since you have been patient for 22 years, what made you wake up angry today on this particular day?
First of all, patience for mistakes does not mean one must remain patient forever. Second of all, what some people have forgotten is that Saudi Arabia’s three kings in recent years have all voiced anger over several Qatari policies.
In 1990 during the Gulf summit held in Doha to discuss Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, King Fahd protested then-Qatari heir apparent Hamad bin Khalifa’s insistence to discuss the Qatari-Bahraini border dispute before addressing the Kuwaiti crisis. King Fahd left the meeting hall and tensions dominated the summit.
He later told those around him that Hamad bin Khalifa will play a decisive role in the future and this is what happened, beginning with the coup he staged against his father and until today.
Qatar adopted al-Qaeda’s rhetoric and used Al-Jazeera as its platform to attack Saudi Arabia. It adopted a media rhetoric that attacked Saudi Arabia because it had an American base but this ended when the American base relocated to Qatar.
Patience for mistakes does not mean one must remain patient forever. Moreover, what some people have forgotten is that Saudi Arabia’s three kings in recent years have all voiced anger over several Qatari policies
Revolution supporters
Qatar then supported the Brotherhood and revolution supporters – unlike support of the Syrian opposition – bought them houses and funded them and hosted anyone who spoke out against Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries. Even Kuwait was not spared as Doha supported the opposition, pushed people to protest and hosted anyone who confronted governance in Kuwait. This is unlike what happened with Bahrain, the UAE, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, and the list goes on. King Abdullah was thus angered by this behavior and withdrew envoys. Later on, there was the 2014 agreement but Qatar did not implement anything from it. As usual, it tried to use Saudi affairs to serve its own interests and decided that King Abdullah’s death repeals the 2014 agreement. As if Saudi kings walk the path of Qatari coups!

IRGC Navy General: 'Think Of 300 Fast Boats Armed With Weapons And Katyusha [Rockets] Approaching [An Aircraft Carrier] At 130 Km/Hr – Who Will Win?'
MEMRI/June 12/17
In May 12, 2017 statements, Gen. Ahmad Mousavi, commander of a special forces unit of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy, set out the IRGC Navy's strategy for attacking American aircraft carriers in the Gulf. Gen. Mousavi was speaking on the occasion of the first anniversary of the death of Mohammad Nazeri, senior official and founder of the IRGC Navy commando unit, who had trained many top IRGC commanders. The text implies that Nazeri's death may have resulted from the use of chemical weapons, in contrast to other reports which claim that he died of a heart attack.
According to Gen. Mousavi, Nazeri also trained commando fighters in the Syrian army and in Hizbullah. Mousavi said that today all Iranian vessels leaving Iran for Africa and Sri Lanka have Basij and Iranian Vessel Guard forces aboard as part of Nazeri's legacy.
Gen. Mousavi stressed in his statements that the Americans have no answer to the IRGC's strategy for attacking U.S. aircraft carriers – involving hundreds of armed Iranian boats moving at high speed – and noted that the IRGC has decided to attack these American vessels first because they constitute a logistical base.
The following are the main points of a report on Gen. Mousavi's statements published by the IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency:
"Gen. Ahmad Mousavi, an operative in an IRGC naval special forces unit [apparently a naval commando unit], said: 'We want very fast boats, because the speed of the [American] enemy's [aircraft] carrier is at most 40 km/hr. Now, think of 300 fast boats armed with weapons and Katyusha [rockets] approaching [an aircraft carrier] at 130 km/hr. Who will win? The enemy [aircraft] carriers provide fuel, ammunition, bunks [for troops], and hangar storage for aircraft. [Therefore] we will attack these vessels first. '
"A member of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff noted that [the Americans have] no answer to our strategy, because from a certain distance their radar cannot detect [our] swift boats."
Nazeri Told The Commander Of The Syrian Naval Commando Forces: I Will Train For You A Naval Commando [Unit] Named 'Syrian Navy Special Force'
"The martyr Mohammad Nazeri, [a commander] in the commando unit of the IRGC navy, wanted to train certain people so that they would be able to implement some of the orders of [Iranian Supreme] Leader [Ali Khamenei] regarding fighting America, and he excelled at this... Nazeri was a multifaceted man who spent a lot of time researching the armies of the world, and investigated how to physically strengthen people's fighting capability...
"Gen. Nazeri devoted special attention to the Syrians. He would relate how, when he arrived in Syria, the commander of the Syrian naval commando forces, Gen. Muhammad, received him in Tartus with great honor. Therefore, when the [Syrian] forces arrive here [in Iran], they should [also] be received well.
"Some of the Syrian forces came to Hajj Mohammad [Nazeri] in order to undergo training, and after three months they became a naval commando unit. At the same time, Hajj Mohammad sent a message to the commander of the Syrian [naval commando forces] saying: 'I will train for you a naval commando [unit] named "Syrian Navy Special Force.' He stuck this tag to their uniforms and sent them to their commander, Gen. Muhammad. The Syrian commander sent a message to Hajj Mohammad [Nazeri] thanking him.
"The martyr Nazeri wanted very much to increase Iran's might. When Hizbullah was founded, during the time of the martyr 'Abbas Mousavi [a Hizbullah commander assassinated by Israel], Gen. Mousavi arrived at Ba'albeq [Lebanon near the Syrian border], and there selected one group according to body [type], brought these men to Iran, and trained them. That is, Gen. Nazeri trained the first group of Hizbullah [commando fighters]."
"Today Every Vessel Leaving Iran for Africa, Sri Lanka, And So On Has Hajj Mohammad [Basij] Forces Aboard"
"Hajj Mohammad [Nazeari] wanted to eliminate weak points by means of ongoing training. He collected Basij [fighters] operating across Iran and thus launched the Special Basij and the Vessel Guard [unit]. Now every vessel leaving Iran for Africa, Sri Lanka, and so on has Hajj Mohammad forces aboard..."[1]
"On May 11, 2016, after Nazeri's death was announced, Deputy IRGC navy commander 'Alireza Tangsiri, gave more details about his death and his activity: 'When carrying out a mission in the Naze'at region [the region of four islands near the Strait of Hormuz], Gen. Mohammad Nazeri was martyred because of a chemical disease... Gen. Nazeri participated in stopping American and English [forces] that were invading Iranian territory in the Persian Gulf... Nazeri was among the fighters of the eight-year attack of the Sacred Defense [i.e. the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war]. He was a seasoned and professional commander in the IRGC Navy, and served… in the [IRGC] airborne infantry unit and also dispatched IRGC Navy vessels to create security for ships and vessels passing through the Gulf of Aden in recent years.
"In addition, he played a prominent role in training commando forces in the IRGC Navy."
[1] Fars (Iran), May 12, 2017.

On Washington Investigating Qatar
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17/
The ongoing row between Qatar on one hand and a bloc of four including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt on the other is largely based on allegations cast against Doha’s involvement in backing terror groups and rabble rousers. The bloc, led by Saudi Arabia, issued a blacklist naming Qatari suspects and organizations engaged in terror operations. For Qatar’s part, many officials denied accusations and claimed that the list is controversial and reflects intra-state disputes—“Do not believe them because the list is politicized and reflects disagreements among us as countries.” The problem is that blacklisted Qatari parties are not exclusively barred by the bloc of four but are also designated by official United States institutions, such as the Department of the Treasury.
Alarmingly, the blacklist builds for the Qatar crisis taking on an international platform rather than being exclusive to Arab states alone. All pinned names are one way or another related to Qatar, which calls for Doha to extradite and turn in all those residing on its territory. Taking into consideration the political spat Qatar has with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Bahrain, it is only left with one option, the United States, ushering in the Washington-Qatari investigations. Showing potential, US contribution could have developed into a buffer zone, mitigating the conflict.
Instead of discussing the fine print and names, a Qatari official at the foreign ministry employed a hawkish analysis, arguing that the diplomatic crisis targets Doha’s reputation and that the states joining the boycott have imposed self-proclaimed custody over Qatar, setting up a field court to try the gas-rich peninsula.
In order for the truth not to be lost amid the four countries’ claims and Qatar’s denial, the Qataris can just end the problem by involving the Americans considering they are Doha’s friends and have information about the lists.
The matter concerns the entire international community and it does not only concern the Saudis, Egyptians, Emiratis, and Bahrainis. Therefore, it is an opportunity to cooperate and be transparent. All countries must lay out their cards on the table and accept cooperation instead of exchanging accusations.
And just like we’re asking Qatar to cooperate, we call on Saudi Arabia to accept this. All the countries involved in the dispute must accept this and accept an investigation and try those who are listed. The problem of Doha’s authorities is that those who are listed, including Saudi, Kuwaiti, and other accused figures, are linked to it.
For truth to prevail, Qataris can simply end the problem by involving Washington, given that they are Doha’s friends and have a clearer image and details on the lists.Even though Qataris are listed on international and American lists, Qatar refuses to try them. This strengthens suspicions.
What’s worse is that most on those on the roster are still active in Syria, Libya, Egypt, Iraq and other conflict zones where terrorist groups operate. The same goes for institutions and associations which are considered as bogus charity organizations. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE have made these institutions’ names public.
“The list included the names of charity organizations that have a long history in humanitarian work. Some of them have a consultative status at the UN,” the foreign ministry official said. So why doesn’t Qatar silence its rivals and allow an international investigation to look into these institutions or shut them down especially that some of them are listed by the US and are effectively accused of sponsoring terrorism? Our brothers in Qatar, for their own sake and interest, must take the advice on ending this as the game is virtually over. Qatar has befriended terrorist groups since the mid-1990s. At the beginning, it was publicizing al-Qaeda videos and propaganda in Afghanistan. Then Qatar’s activity expanded into areas where there are revolutions and it funded armed groups like al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham. The road ends here and now, counterterrorism ranks first on the world’s priority list. The international community will pursue any country that provides any support to these groups. It will not be long before Doha finds itself caught up between the clamps of countries bigger than Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE.

Iraq, Syria and the Kurdish Fingerprint
Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al Awsat/June 12/17
We reap what we sow. Many countries did not pay attention to the fact that maps need constant maintenance to prevent them from aging and rotting, and that relations between entities should be continuously repaired as well.
The first condition of maintenance is to prioritize the notion of citizenship and to build a state that deserves to be called as such; which means a state of law and institutions, a state that guarantees equal rights and duties.
Discrimination against citizens creates a hole in the map; a hole that allows the infiltration of winds and foreign influence. The ruler believes that power can silence the people forever. He has forgotten that the balance of power can be distorted and twisted and that the oppressed can grab any opportunity to take revenge. Grievances can make them jump out of the map.
The ruler commits a fatal error when he gives power the last say and when he refuses to listen to people’s complaints or demands. He believes that he has an endless ability to silence them and that fear can make the wounded and the disadvantaged forget their injuries and the injustice against them.
The worst scenario of all is when the ruler regards a group of citizens as a foreign body that was planted by destiny inside the map, and when he believes that the solution is to abolish the features of this group, separate it from its heritage, weaken its language and force it to gradually relinquish its identity.
The call for holding an independence referendum in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on September 25 has ignited the Kurdish issue. Baghdad opposed the call. Iran rejected it. Ankara saw it as a huge mistake. The reactions of those parties are not surprising. Countries that have scattered Kurds across their maps following World War I, including Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, can disagree over anything but on the necessity to abort the Kurdish dream of having an independent state.
Masoud Barzani is aware of this truth. It is clear that the referendum will not lead to immediate measures. Lessons have taught Barzani to differentiate between dreams and illusions. He understands that rushing to completely leave the Iraqi entity could make the province an easy prey for major players in the region.
It is widely believed that Barzani is hopeless over the future of Iraq as a whole, especially in the wake of the ongoing rivalries between the Sunni and Shiite entities.
However, Barzani knows well that reviewing the borders involves major risks unless it is achieved under an international umbrella that sponsors a process of such size and nature.
ISIS’ invasion of Mosul has accelerated the dismantling of the Iraqi entity. It has intensified conflicts between the Sunnis and the Shiites. It has also increased the distance between Erbil and Baghdad.
ISIS attempted to invade the Kurdish province to fortify its presence in its mountains and take advantage of its location on the border of three countries. The Kurds engaged in a fierce battle to defend their region. They paid heavy prices. The Kurdish leader has once again concluded that the Sykes-Picot entities are artificial and not endlessly viable. He considered that “new maps are drawn with blood.”
Barzani knows that a Kurdish state in northern Iraq is a quasi-impossible dream. Yet, perhaps he is trying to consolidate the right to independence, even if it was not possible to be achieved in the near future. Some people believe that he is ready to accept a less-than-a-divorce formula. A formula that is based on confederate states that would save Erbil and Baghdad from being entangled in complex relations.
However, such formula needs a dance partner. It needs a realistic partner in Baghdad. Without the presence of such collaborator, Baghdad might be pushed towards a new conflict following the fall of ISIS: a conflict that can be triggered in “disputed areas”, beginning with Kirkuk. Some people do not exclude an upcoming confrontation between the Peshmerga and the Popular Mobilization Forces, with all the consequences that may imply on the Iraqi and regional levels.
While talking about Iraq, one should not neglect the deep transformations taking place in Syria. Syria’s Kurds today are different from those who were living there six years ago when the war broke out. Syria’s Kurds did not rush to engage in the country’s uprising. They took the role of spectators and were preparing for the worst. ISIS’ insistence to target their areas has offered them several opportunities. Their victory in Kobani has given them a much longed-for legitimacy. The Democratic Union Party, led by Saleh Muslim, succeeded in militarizing a society that felt threatened.
It was widely believed at the beginning that the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) has not cut its relations with the regime, and that the latter was able to manipulate it at the right time to suit its own interests. Nonetheless, the Kurds proved to be coherent forces at a time when the Syrian opposition was being struck on several sides. Syria’s Kurds have found a major role in fighting ISIS. They received training and arms. Washington was betting on their role, despite Erdogan’s anger and warnings.
It is true that the Turkish Army succeeded in preventing geographic communication between Kurdish areas, but this did not keep the YPG from changing the landscape in several Syrian regions.
Saleh Muslim says that the Syrian regime has practically collapsed. He means the single-party regime. He also says that it was impossible to revert to the pre-war situation in 2011. He notes that the Kurds will live in self-administered zones. The role of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Raqqa reinforces the belief that the Kurds will not have a marginal role.
In the past century, maps were sketched on the detriment of the Kurds. It looked like they were confined inside the borders. Abstaining from treating the Kurds with equity while preserving our maps has led us to the explosion.
It is clear that the Kurdish fingerprint will be seen when drawing the future of Iraq and Syria, which raises the fears of Turkey and Iran.

Germany: Migrant Sex Crimes Double in One Year/في ألمانيا تضاعفت أعداد جرائم الجنس خلال سنة
Soeren Kern/Gatestone Institute/June 12/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=56192
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10522/germany-migrant-sex-crimes
The case of Eric X. and his 23-year-old rape victim has exposed, once again, the systemic failure by German authorities to enforce the law and to ensure public safety: a failure to secure borders; a failure to vet incoming migrants; a failure to prosecute and imprison criminals; a failure to deport failed asylum seekers; and a failure by police to take seriously the migrant rape crisis engulfing Germany.
Germany's migrant sex-crime problem is being exacerbated by its lenient legal system, in which offenders receive relatively light sentences, even for serious crimes. In many instances, individuals who are arrested for sex crimes are released after questioning from police. This practice allows criminal suspects to continue committing crimes with virtual impunity.
In Berlin, a court acquitted a 23-year-old Turkish man of rape because his victim could not prove that she did not give her consent. The court heard how the man shoved the woman's head between the steel bars of the headboard of a bed and repeatedly violated her over a period of more than four hours. The woman cried "stop" and resisted by scratching the accused on the back, but at some point she stopped resisting. The court asked: "Could it be that the defendant thought you were in agreement?"
Two German police officers have been removed from their posts after they failed properly to provide emergency assistance to a woman who was raped by a migrant in Bonn.
The lack of attention by the police has added to the perception that German authorities are not taking seriously a rape crisis in which thousands of German women and children have been sexually assaulted since Chancellor Angela Merkel allowed in around two million migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Some of the approximately two million migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East allowed into Germany by Chancellor Angela Merkel are shown arriving in the country, via Austria, on October 28, 2015 near Wegscheid. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
The incident occurred shortly after midnight on April 2, when a 23-year-old woman was raped at a campground at the Siegaue nature reserve. When the woman's panic-stricken 26-year-old boyfriend called the police emergency number for help, a female officer answered the phone. The man said: "My girlfriend is being raped by a black man. He has a machete." The policewoman responded: "Are you f**cking with me?" ("Sie wollen mich nicht verarschen, oder?"). The man replied: "No, no." The policewoman responded: "Hmm." After some moments of silence, she promised to dispatch a police car to investigate. She then said, "thank you, bye-bye" and abruptly hung up the phone.
A few minutes later, the boyfriend again called the police emergency number and another officer answered the phone. The man said: "Hello, I just called your colleague." The officer replied: "What is it?" The man: "It's about my girlfriend being raped." The officer: "This is in Siegaue, is not it?" The man: "Exactly." The officer then told the man to call police in Siegburg, a town north of Bonn. "They can coordinate this properly," the officer said before hanging up.
Police finally arrived at the scene about 20 minutes later. Frank Piontek, a spokesman for the Bonn police department, initially defended the police conduct: "Even if police would have handled this differently, nothing could have been done to stop the rape." Facing a wave of public outrage, however, the Bonn police department police announced on May 31 — two months after the rape — that the two officers involved in the case would "never again" be allowed to work at the police emergency control center.
Meanwhile, six days after the rape, police arrested a suspect, a 31-year-old migrant from Ghana named Eric Kwame Andam X., based on DNA evidence. Eric X. was well known to German police: he had previously been arrested five times for a variety of crimes, was never charged and always set free. It later emerged that he had fled Ghana in 2016 after murdering his brother-in-law.
After leaving Ghana, Eric X., whose late father was one of the country's top cocoa producers, travelled to Libya. From there he crossed the Mediterranean Sea to reach Italy, where he applied for asylum and spent nine months in a migrant shelter.
In early 2017, Eric X. got on a train in Rome; he arrived in Germany on February 10, 2017 and applied for asylum there. One month later, German officials rejected his asylum application. Eric X. should have been deported on March 17 — two weeks before the rape in Bonn — but an immigration attorney filed a petition on his behalf to appeal the asylum decision, even though EU law clearly stipulates that Eric X. was allowed to apply for asylum in only one EU country, in his case Italy. Local judges were unable to decide the appeal in a timely manner because of an overload of similar cases.
The case of Eric X. and his 23-year-old rape victim has exposed, once again, the systemic failure by German authorities to enforce the law and to ensure public safety: a failure to secure borders; a failure to vet incoming migrants; a failure to prosecute and imprison criminals; a failure to deport failed asylum seekers; and a failure by police to take seriously the migrant rape crisis engulfing Germany.
An annual report — Criminality in the Context of Migration (Kriminalität im Kontext von Zuwanderung) — published by the Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt, BKA) on April 27 revealed an increase of nearly 500% in migrant sex crimes (defined as sexual assaults, rapes and sexual abuse of children) during the past four years.
The report showed that migrants (Zuwanderer, defined as asylum seekers, refugees and illegal immigrants) committed 3,404 sex crimes in 2016 — around nine per day. This was a 102% increase over 2015, when migrants committed 1,683 sex crimes — around five per day. By comparison, migrants committed 949 sex crimes in 2014, around three per day; and 599 sex crimes in 2013, around two per day.
According to the report, the main offenders in 2016 were from: Syria (up 318.7% from 2015); Afghanistan (up 259.3%); Iraq (up 222.7%); Pakistan (up 70.3%); Iran (up 329.7%); Algeria (up 100%); and Morocco (up 115.7%).
Germany's migrant sex-crime problem is being exacerbated by its lenient legal system, in which offenders receive relatively light sentences, even for serious crimes. In many instances, individuals who are arrested for sex crimes are released after questioning from police. This practice allows criminal suspects to continue committing crimes with virtual impunity.
In Hamburg, for example, a 29-year-old Afghan asylum seeker sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl while she was asleep in a room at a local hospital. The Afghan had been admitted to the hospital's emergency room due to his advanced state of inebriation. Unattended, the Afghan first wandered into the room of a 29-year-old woman who managed to get him to leave her alone. He then entered the room of the 15-year-old and performed sex acts on her. He was detained and released. Police said there were insufficient grounds to press charges.
Also in Hamburg, a court on June 8 ruled that Ali D., a 29-year-old migrant from Iraq who raped a 13-year-old girl in the city's Jungfernstieg subway station, could not be guilty of the charge of sexual abuse of children (Sexueller Missbrauch von Kindern) because he could not have known that the girl was under 14. According to German law, children are children if they are under 14 years of age. By dropping the charge of sexual abuse of a child, Ali D. faces only a single charge of rape which, in this case, carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison. The court showed leniency because Ali D. — who fled to Hungary after the attack and was extradited to Germany on March 2 — confessed to raping the girl. The court also said that Ali D. had "diminished responsibility" (verminderte Schuldfähigkeit) because he was drunk when he raped his victim.
The same court previously handed suspended sentences to a group of Serbian teenagers who gang-raped a 14-year-old girl and left her for dead in sub-zero temperatures. At the time, the judge said that although "the penalties may seem mild to the public," the teens had all made confessions, appeared remorseful and longer posed a danger to society.
The ruling, which effectively allowed the rapists to walk free, provoked a rare moment of public outrage over the problem of migrant sex crimes in Germany. An online petition calling for the teens to see time in prison has garnered more than 100,000 signatures, and prosecutors said they would appeal the verdict. The court has not yet, however, agreed to retry the case.
In Berlin, a court acquitted a 23-year-old Turkish man of rape because his victim could not prove that she did not give her consent. The court heard how the man shoved the woman's head between the steel bars of the headboard of a bed and repeatedly violated her over a period of more than four hours. The woman cried "stop" and resisted by scratching the accused on the back, but at some point she stopped resisting. The court asked: "Could it be that the defendant thought you were in agreement?" The court said it could not determine whether, from the perspective of Turkish culture, what she thought was rape he might have thought was simply wild sex.
In neighboring Austria, the Supreme Court reduced the sentence of Amir A., a 21-year-old migrant from Iraq, from seven years to four for raping a 10-year-old boy at a public swimming pool in Vienna. During his initial trial, Amir A. confessed to raping the boy. He said it was a "sexual emergency" because he had not had sex for four months. His defense attorney persuaded the Supreme Court that the seven-year sentence was "draconian" and "excessive." Counting time already served, Amir A. will soon be free.
Meanwhile, if opinion polls are any indication, Chancellor Merkel appears not to have to worry about paying a political price for her role in the migration crisis. Indeed, she is just as popular now as she was before the migrant crisis erupted in August 2015.
An ARD-Deutschlandtrend poll published on June 8 found that 64% of Germans are "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with Merkel. If the German chancellor were to be directly elected, 53% (up 4% from previous month) would choose Merkel, while 29% would opt for her Social Democratic challenger, Martin Schulz (down 7% from previous month).
In September 2016, the ARD-Deutschlandtrend poll showed Merkel's popularity rating had plunged to 45%, a five-year low, and down from a high of 67% a year earlier. At the time, more than half (51%) of those surveyed said it would "not be good" if Merkel ran for another term in 2017.
The polls seem to show two factors in Merkel's favor: the lack of a political rival strong enough to challenge her; and voters may think she is the least bad candidate to lead the country.
Soeren Kern is a Senior Fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter.
Sexual Assaults and Rapes by Migrants in Germany, May 2017
A 25-year-old migrant from Syria raped a 24-year-old woman in Magdeburg. A "dark-skinned" man (dunkle Hautfarbe) sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl while she was jogging in Hockenheim. Two "dark-skinned" men (dunkler Teint) sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman in Coburg. An 18-year-old migrant from Tunisia sexually assaulted several women, including a female police officer, at the railway station in Freiburg. He was detained and released.
A Turkish taxi driver raped a 23-year-old woman in Wiesbaden. Three "southern- or Arab-looking men" (südländischem bzw. arabischem Aussehen) sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman in Pforzheim. A 19-year-old migrant from Nigeria attempted to rape a 22-year-old woman in Munich. Three "Arab-looking" men (arabisches Aussehen) sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman in Pforzheim. A "southern-looking" man (südländischer Typ) sexually assaulted several women in Chemnitz.
A "dark-skinned" man (dunklerer Teint) tried to molest an 11-year-old girl in Bielefeld. A "foreign-looking man with brown-colored skin" (ausländischem Aussehen mit bräunlicher Hautfarbe) sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl on a train in Marburg. A "southerner" (südländischer Typ) was arrested for sexually assaulting several women between the ages of 20 and 50 in Bonn. A man with "dark skin" (dunkle Haut) exposed himself to a 20-year-old woman in Herten. A "southern-looking" man (südländisches Erscheinungsbild) sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in Kaltenkirchen.
A 17-year-old Afghan raped a 17-year-old girl in Calden. A man with "possibly a Russian accent" sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in Kierspe. Two "dark-skinned" men (dunkle Hautfarbe) attempted to abduct a seven-year-old girl in Kiel. Two men speaking German with an Eastern European accent attempted to rape a 45-year-old woman in Papenburg.
A 19-year-old "refugee" raped a 16-year-old girl in Minden. The suspect is known to police for a variety of previous offenses. A "dark-skinned" man (dunkler Teint) sexually assaulted a 20-year-old female jogger in Kleve. A "southern-looking" man (südländische Erscheinung) sexually assaulted a woman in Nürnberg. A 28-year-old migrant from Somalia sexually assaulted a woman in Gießen. She defended herself with pepper spray; he was arrested at the scene.
A group of Afghan and Somali asylum seekers gang-raped a 15-year-old girl in Tulln (Austria). The perpetrators were identified after all 59 men in a local asylum shelter were ordered to provide DNA samples.
Two men "speaking broken German" sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman in Munich. Several migrants sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman in Augsburg. An unidentified man sexually assaulted a ten-year-old girl in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. An unidentified man sexually assaulted several teenage girls in Kierspe. An "Eastern European" man tried to rape a 45-year-old woman in Papenburg. At the time of the attack, the woman was walking her dog, a German Shepherd, which promptly bit the man and caused him to run away.
A 26-year-old migrant from Eritrea raped an underage girl near the railway station in Hennef. Four "dark-skinned" men (dunkelhäutigen Männern) sexually assaulted a 51-year-old man in Bad Reichenhall. A "dark-skinned" man (dunklen Teint) sexually assaulted a 24-year-old woman in Gießen. Three "dark-skinned" men (dunkelhäutiger Mann) sexually assaulted four women in downtown Stuttgart. Two Turkish men, ages 19 and 31, raped a 13-year-old girl in Wismar. The men had groomed the girl, who was home alone at the time of the attack, on the internet.
Two "Africans" (schwarzafrikanischer Typ) unleashed a dog on a 21-year-old woman and sexually assaulted her at a train station in Munich. A 36-year-old migrant from Bulgaria sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman in Kassel. A "southern-looking" man (südländisches Aussehen) sexually assaulted a 17-year-old woman at the railway station in Ulm.
A "southern European-looking" man (südosteuropäisches Aussehen) sexually assaulted a woman in Nürnberg. A "dark-skinned" man (südländischer/dunkler Hauttyp) sexually assaulted a 26-year-old woman in Essen. A 22-year-old Syrian man raped his ex-girlfriend in the presence of her two small children in Barsinghausen. A "dark-skinned" man (dunklen Teint) sexually assaulted a 24-year-old woman at knifepoint in Gießen. A "southerner" (südländischer Typ) sexually assaulted a 22-year-old woman while she was jogging in Augsburg. A man with a "strong Eastern European accent" (starkem osteuropäischen Akzent) attempted to abduct a 21-year-old woman in Herden.
A 19-year-old Moroccan man sexually assaulted two women in Stuttgart. A "southern-looking" man (südländisches Aussehen) sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl in Lörrach. A 21-year-old migrant from Libya sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman while was using a restroom at a restaurant in Plauen. A "dark-skinned" man (dunkelhäutigen Mann) sexually assaulted a 30-year-old woman in Freilassing.
Three asylum seekers were arrested for sexually assaulting several women at an outdoor festival in Darmstadt. A "southern-looking" man (südländisches Erscheinungsbild) exposed himself to a female jogger at a park in Oberhausen. An unidentified man exposed himself to a woman in Bremen.
An "Arab-speaking" man sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl who was riding her bicycle in Elmshorn. A 24-year-old migrant from Guinea sexually assaulted a 32-year-old woman on a bicycle path in Olpe. A "dark-skinned" man groped a woman at an outdoor festival in Nürtingen. When she slapped him on the face, the suspect, who remains at large, smashed a beer glass in her face.
A 27-year-old asylum seeker was arrested for raping a 37-year-old woman in Hamburg-Sülldorf. A 40-year-old man from India sexually assaulted a 52-year-old woman on a train in Chemnitz. An "African-looking" man (Erscheinungsbild her afrikanischer Abstammung) sexually assaulted a 34-year-old woman at the railway station in Ottbergen. Three "southern-looking" men (südländisches Erscheinungsbild) sexually assaulted two women in Winsen.
Court Cases involving Migrants Accused of Sexual Crimes, May 2017
May 10. An 18-year-old Somali man was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in a psychiatric hospital for sexually assaulting two elderly men and murdering an 87-year-old woman at a nursing home in Neuenhaus. The Somali had entered the nursing home at night through an unlocked door. He performed sex acts on an elderly man who was asleep. He then entered the adjacent room performed sex acts on another elderly man who was also asleep. When the man's wife woke up and caught the Somali in the act, the Somali beat her so severely that she died a few moments later.
May 11. In Landshut, a 37-year-old asylum seeker from Uganda was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a 29-year-old woman. The woman was riding her bicycle when the man stopped her, tore off her clothes and threatened her with a gun if she resisted sexual intercourse. The judge said the man had "diminished responsibility" (verminderte Schuldfähigkeit) because he was drunk when he raped his victim. The judge also noted that the man cannot be deported because he is bisexual and homosexuality is illegal in Uganda.
May 11. In Bremgarten (Switzerland), a 20-year-old migrant from Eritrea was sentenced to 38 months in prison for attempting to rape a 19-year-old woman. In his defense, the suspect blamed alcohol and the devil.
May 16. In Bochum, Ziyad K., a 32-year-old migrant from Iraq, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for raping two Chinese women. The judge said he had the impression that the man, who confessed to the crimes, "did not understand what he did." The judge added: "It is important to note that this case is not against refugees or asylum seekers."
May 22. In Leipzig, Mirza B., a 23-year-old migrant from Pakistan, was sentenced to one year and ten months in prison for sexually assaulting seven women. During his trial, Mirza B., whose German is reportedly limited to three words, "I f*ck you" ("Ich f... dich!"), admitted to committing the crimes. His excuse: alcoholism ("I drink seven beers a day") and ignorance ("I did not know that sexual assault is a crime.") Mirza B. cannot be deported because he does not have a passport or other official identification.
© 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.

Saudi Arabia's Connection to Radicalizing British Jihadis
A. Z. Mohamed/Gatestone Institute/June 12/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10511/saudi-arabia-britain-radicalization
The probe was to be conducted by the newly established "extremism analysis unit" of the Home Office, then headed by Theresa May, and its findings were due to be published in the spring of 2016. However, more than a year later, the investigation has yet to be completed.
Moreover, its contents might not be released to the public, due their "sensitive" nature, rumored to center on Saudi Arabia, Britain's key ally in the Gulf. Since the U.K. recently approved £3.5 billion-worth of arms export licenses to Riyadh, it is possible -- even likely -- that any revelations about Saudi promotion of terrorism in the country could be problematic.
Mounting evidence suggests that British jihadis are not only groomed in Wahhabi mosques in the U.K., but many visit Saudi Arabia, where they work or study.
In the wake of the London Bridge attack on June 3, which came on the heels of the Manchester Arena bombing, Britain's approach to combating terrorism has come under scrutiny at home and abroad. Judging by man-in-the-street interviews, it played a significant role in the June 8 general election, the outcome of which -- a victory for Prime Minister Theresa May against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, yet a hung parliament -- reflected a split in voter perception over whom was to blame for the country's precarious security situation and which party is better suited to rectify it.
Although Corbyn has called terrorist groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, his "friends," May not only has been holding the reins since the resignation of former Prime Minister David Cameron in September 2016 -- after the Brexit referendum -- but she had also served as Home Secretary for six years before that.
A few months earlier, in January, Cameron authorized an investigation into the foreign funding of radical Islamist groups inside Britain. According to a recent report in The Guardian, Cameron agreed to the inquiry, requested by the Liberal Democrat party in exchange for its support for British airstrikes against ISIS to Syria. The probe was to be conducted by the newly established "extremism analysis unit" of the Home Office, then headed by May, and its findings were due to be published in the spring of 2016.
However, more than a year later, the investigation has yet to be completed.
Moreover, its contents might not be released to the public, due their "sensitive" nature, rumored to center on Saudi Arabia, Britain's key ally in the Gulf. Since the U.K. recently approved £3.5 billion-worth of arms export licenses to Riyadh, it is possible -- even likely -- that any revelations about Saudi promotion of terrorism in the country could be problematic.
During his election campaign, Corbyn attacked May for "suppressing" the report, and called for "some difficult conversations" with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, which have "funded and fueled extremist ideology."
In a letter to Prime Minister May just over a week ahead of her re-election, Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Tom Brake urged that the inquiry be finished and its findings released:
"It is no secret that Saudi Arabia in particular provides funding to hundreds of mosques in the U.K., espousing a very hardline Wahhabist interpretation of Islam. It is often in these institutions that British extremism takes root."
Brake was correct. Mounting evidence suggests that British jihadis are not only groomed in Wahhabi mosques in the U.K., but many visit Saudi Arabia, where they work or study.
One example is Khalid Masood, the British convert to Islam killed while perpetrating the terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge in March, and which left five innocent people dead. Masood, it emerged, had taken three trips to Saudi Arabia -- two of them year-long stints to teach English and a third short visit to the country's Islamic holy sites. Each time, he was given a visa by the Saudi authorities in Britain, despite having been convicted at least twice for violent crimes and lacking the required academic qualifications and experience for the job he was doing.
Although Saudi consulates require background checks of all visa applicants, Masood was ushered through the process, which is known to be strict. By way of explanation, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in London claimed that the reason Masood passed its vetting was that he did not have a criminal record in Saudi Arabia. This is, of course, a complete lie, which raises the question of whether Masood fell through the cracks through incompetence or collusion. Either way, the broader issue of Britons being radicalized both at home and abroad by Saudi Arabia urgently needs to be thoroughly examined and exposed.
The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in London (pictured) claimed that the reason Westminster Bridge terrorist Khalid Masood passed its visa vetting was that he did not have a criminal record in Saudi Arabia. This is, of course, a complete lie, which raises the question of whether Masood fell through the cracks through incompetence or collusion. (Image source: prebano66/Wikimedia Commons)
© 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.

France: Islamic Antisemitism, French Silence
Guy Millière/Gatestone Institute/June 12/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10513/france-islamic-antisemitism
The files of the National Bureau for Vigilance Against Antisemitism (BNVCA) document that all of the anti-Semitic attacks committed in France for more than two decades came from Muslims and Islamists.The French authorities know this, but choose to hide it and look in another direction.
None of the French organizations supposedly combating anti-Semitism talks about Muslim anti-Semitism: therefore, none of them combats it.
A survey carried out for the Institut Montaigne a few months ago showed that anti-Semitism is widespread among French Muslims. Apparently, 27% of them (50% of those under 25 years old) support the ideas of the Islamic State (ISIS).
Paris, April 4, 2017, 4:00 am. A Malian Muslim named Kobili Traore breaks into the apartment of one of his neighbors, Sarah Halimi. He knows she is a Jew. In the past, He has repeatedly uttered anti-Semitic insults at her. Halimi and her family had filed complaints and asked the police to intervene. Each time, the police respond that Traore has not committed a criminal act, and that they did not want to be accused of anti-Muslim prejudice.
That day, Traore decides to go from words to deeds. He beats Halimi violently. He tortures her. She screams. Neighbors call the police. This time the police do something -- but not enough.
When they arrive at Halimi's door, they hear Traore shouting Allahu Akbar, and shaytan ("demon"). In a jarring breach of duty, they decide to run away. They walk out of the building and call for reinforcements.
The reinforcements arrive more than an hour later, at 5:30 am. It is too late. Halimi had been thrown out the window by Traore a few minutes earlier. She is dead. Her body lies on the sidewalk three floors below. It is clearly an anti-Semitic murder committed by a Muslim who invoked the name of Allah.
Traore is arrested and says that the Quran commanded him to kill, but he is not thrown in jail. Instead, he is sent to a psychiatric hospital. He is still there. Almost no one in the French media talks about what happened; they still have not. The few journalists who broke the wall of silence described the killing as a "random crime" committed by a "madman". None of them says that the murderer is a Muslim who invoked the name of Allah and that his victim was a Jew.
Three days later, a rally is organized by Jewish leaders at the scene of the crime. Only Jews come. They are greeted by insults similar to those made against Halimi before her slaying. Bottles and metal objects are thrown at them from nearby buildings.
Members of Halimi's family ask the authorities for an explanation, and demand to see the psychiatric report established at the time of Traore's internment. They receive no reply. Joel Mergui, President of the Consistory, the institution charge of the Jewish religion in France, presses charges. Halimi's sister places the case in the hands of a famous lawyer, Gilles-William Goldnadel, president of France-Israel. In an op-ed published in Le Figaro, Goldnadel emphasizes that "the killer has the classic profile of the usual Islamic criminal". He adds that Traore "had no psychiatric history". He notes that the murder occurred shortly before the French presidential election, and any mention of an antisemitic Islamic murder at that time would probably not have served the interests of Emmanuel Macron, the candidate supported by the Muslim Brotherhood in France. Goldnadel points out that a "political choice" was made by the French authorities.
Now that Emmanuel Macron is president, the political choice seems to remains the same.
The murder of Sarah Halimi is not the first anti-Semitic murder Islamic committed in France in recent years. Twelve years ago, Ilan Halimi was abducted, tortured for three weeks, then savagely murdered by a gang led by an Ivorian Muslim, Youssouf Fofana. In March 2012, Mohamed Merah, a French jihadist who trained in Afghanistan, shot dead Rabbi Jonathan Sandler, his two sons, Aryeh, 6, and Gabriel, 3, and Miriam Monsonego, 8, in a Jewish school courtyard in Toulouse. In January 2015, in a kosher supermarket east of Paris, Amedy Coulibaly, a man who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic state, murdered four men: Philippe Braham, Yohan Cohen, Yoav Hattab, and François-Michel Saada.
Each time, the anti-Semitic and Islamic character of the murders was almost completely erased by the French media.
Ilan Halimi's murderers have been described as "teenagers adrift", looking for easy money. Mohamed Merah was originally depicted as a young man frustrated at not being able to join the French army. Amedy Coulibaly was presented as a petty criminal who slipped abruptly towards "radicalization".
The French authorities declare that they mercilessly fight anti-Semitism, but the only anti-Semitism they seem to fight or even denounce is the one emanating from the far-right. During the French presidential election campaign, the Front National and Marine Le Pen were obsessively presented as an absolute danger for French Jews and used as straw-men. Marine Le Pen is not beyond reproach, but she was the only candidate who dared to connect the dots and say that anti-Semitism is rising sharply among French Muslims and leads to murder. Evidence shows that far-right anti-Semitism in France is dying. The files of the National Bureau for Vigilance Against Antisemitism (BNVCA) document that all of the anti-Semitic attacks committed in France for more than two decades came from Muslims and Islamists. The French authorities know this, but choose to hide it and look in another direction.
None of the French organizations supposedly combatting anti-Semitism talks about Muslim anti-Semitism: therefore, none of them combats it. Talking about Muslim anti-Semitism on French territory can lead one to criminal court. This is what happened recently to intellectuals such as Georges Bensoussan and Pascal Bruckner, among others. The Collective against Islamophobia in France (CCIF) tracks all "Islamically incorrect" statements, asks for penalties and is often successful at getting them. Even organizations that pretend to fight anti-Semitism sometimes join the CCIF in fighting someone who points out Muslim anti-Semitism.
Islamic anti-Semitism is such a taboo in France that a documentary on the subject, produced by the Franco-German TV channel ARTE, was cancelled when the station's directors were informed of its contents. ARTE's executives were expecting a denunciation of "fascists". When they saw that the maker of the documentary, Joachim Schroeder and Sophie Hafner, spoke about the omnipresent hatred for Jews in the "suburbs of Islam," they said that the product delivered was not the one they had ordered, and threw it in the garbage. As the film is the property of ARTE, it will never be shown.
A week before the French presidential election, Emmanuel Macron went to the Holocaust Memorial in Paris and used the visit to outmaneuver his opponent, Marine Le Pen, and to denounce the "anti-Semitism that killed Jews in Europe" seven decades ago. He did not denounce the anti-Semitism that kills Jews in France today. He did not do it before being elected. He still has not. He probably will never do it. He knows there is nothing to be gained. He needs the support of the Muslim electorate. He does not want to lose it. The Jewish vote in France has no weight; it does not count.
A survey carried out for the Institut Montaigne a few months ago showed that anti-Semitism is widespread among French Muslims. Apparently, 27% of them (50% of those under 25 years old) support the ideas of the Islamic State (ISIS): those aspects of the survey have barely been mentioned anywhere. Columnist Ivan Rioufol spoke about them recently in a televised debate. A complaint was immediately filed against him.
A petition signed by 16 writers, journalists and academics, made public on June 2, asked that more exposure be given the murder of Sarah Halimi. The French Ministry of Justice said that the psychiatrists concluded that the murderer was not responsible for his actions at the time of the events and that maybe he did not even intend to kill. He will spend two or three years in a psychiatric institution, then will be released.
The district of Paris where Sarah Halimi lived is a no-go zone, like nearly 600 other districts in France. Most Jews who still live in France have left the no-go zones and avoid entering them, as do most other French. Sarah Halimi did not leave. She suffered terrible consequences. She was, those who knew her agree, a sweet woman, but she was a Jew at a time when it is unsafe to be a Jew in France.
Jews who have the financial means to leave France, leave in increasing numbers. Jews who do not have the financial means to leave know that they have to be careful wherever they are in France. If they live in or near an Islamized neighborhood, they understand that they must quickly be able to collect their belongings and flee: their lives are at stake and no one will help them if a jihadist murderer comes to murder them.
**Dr. Guy Millière, a professor at the University of Paris, is the author of 27 books on France and Europe.
© 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.

Why Won't Abbas Accept "Two States for Two Peoples"?
Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute/June 12/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10523/abbas-two-states
Over the years, and to the current day, they continue to want no state for the Jewish people more than they want a state for Palestinian Arabs.
The general idea of a two-state solution – which Abbas has nominally supported – does not specify that one state would be for the Jewish people and the other one for the Arabs.
When the Palestinian leadership and people want their own state more than they want there not to be a state for the Jewish people, the goal of the 1947 U.N. Resolution – two states for two peoples – will be achieved. A good beginning would be for Abbas finally to agree with the U.N. Resolution and say the following words: "I accept the 1947 U.N. Resolution that calls for two states for two peoples." It's not too much to ask from a leader seeking to establish a Palestinian Muslim state.
There is a widespread but false belief that Mahmoud Abbas is finally prepared to accept the two-state solution proposed by the U.N. in November 1947 when it divided mandatory Palestine into two areas: one for the Jewish People; the other for the Arab People. The Jews of Palestine accepted the compromise division and declared a nation state for the Jewish people to be called by its historic name: Israel. The Arabs of Palestine, on the other hand, rejected the division and declared that they would never accept a state for the Jewish people and statehood for the Palestinian people. They wanted for there not to be a state for the Jewish people more than for there to be a state for their own people. Accordingly, they joined the surrounding Arab armies in trying to destroy Israel and drive its Jewish residents into the sea. They failed back then, but over the years, and to the current day, they continue to want no state for the Jewish people more than they want a state for Palestinian Arabs. That is why Abbas refuses to say that he would ever accept the U.N. principle of two states for two peoples. I know, because I have personally asked him on several occasions.
In a few months, Israel will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the historic U.N. compromise, but the leaders of the Palestinian Authority still refuse to accept the principle of that resolution: two states for two peoples.
President Trump, for his part, has expressed an eagerness to make "the ultimate deal" between the Israelis and the Palestinians. This has propelled discussions about the dormant peace-process back into the spotlight. Shortly before travelling to the Middle East – where he met with Prime Minister Netanyahu in Israel and President Abbas in Bethlehem – Trump invited the Palestinian leader to the White House. Abbas was last at the White House in March 2014 shortly before the Obama administration's shuttle diplomacy efforts –led by Secretary of State John Kerry – fell apart.
Leading up to his meeting with President Trump in Washington, Abbas said to a German publication: "We're ready to collaborate with him and meet the Israeli prime minister under his [Trump's] auspices to build peace." He then went on to voice his support for a two-state solution, saying, "It's high time to work on the requirements for it." This was interpreted as a willingness on Abbas' part to accept the idea of a state for the Jewish people. Generally speaking, the international community supports the idea of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with two-states for two-peoples: a state for the Jewish people alongside a state for the Palestinians. Yet presenting Mahmoud Abbas as a supporter of the two-states for two people formulation is to deny truth. The general idea of a two-state solution – which Abbas has nominally supported – does not specify that one state would be for the Jewish people and the other one for the Arabs. Over the years President Abbas has expressed a commitment to a two-state solution – stating that he supports an Arab state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital – but has so far refused to accept the legitimacy of a nation state for the Jews existing by its side.
Consider President Abbas' own words. In a 2003 interview he said: "I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I will never recognize the Jewishness of the state, or a 'Jewish state.'" When asked about Israel being the nation state of the Jewish people (in the context of Ehud Olmert's generous peace proposal in 2008) the PA leader said: "From a historical perspective, there are two states: Israel and Palestine. In Israel, there are Jews and others living there. This we are willing to recognize, nothing else." And in a later interview with the Al-Quds newspaper Abbas reiterated this refusal to recognize that Israel is the nation state of the Jewish people:
"We're not talking about a Jewish state and we won't talk about one. For us, there is the state of Israel and we won't recognize Israel as a Jewish state. I told them that this is their business and that they are free to call themselves whatever they want. But [I told them] you can't expect us to accept this."
The list of such pronouncements from the man at the head of the Palestinian Authority goes on and on. Not only has Abbas refused to accept the formulation "Jewish state," he adamantly refuses to accept the more descriptive formulation "nation state of the Jewish people."
Abbas is of course committed to Palestine being a Muslim state under Sharia Law, despite the reality that Christian Palestinians constitute a significant (if forcibly shrinking) percentage of Palestinian Arabs. Article 4 of the Palestinian Basic Law states that:
1. Islam is the official religion in Palestine. Respect and sanctity of all other heavenly religions shall be maintained.
2. The principles of Islamic Shari'a shall be the main source of legislation.
Writing for the New York Times on the advent of the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War, Israel's former Ambassador to Israel, Michael Oren said: "The conflict is not about the territory Israel captured in 1967. It is about whether a Jewish state has a right to exist in the Middle East in the first place. As Mr. Abbas has publicly stated, 'I will never accept a Jewish state.'"
Oren argues that until Abbas and other Palestinian leaders can say the words "two states for two peoples," no reasonable resolution will be reached.
The Director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency [UNRWA] in Lebanon, Ann Dismorr, poses with a map devoid of any trace of the State of Israel, instead presenting it as a map of "Palestine," May, 2013.
The Palestinian leader's conditional support for a peaceful resolution is also undermined by his own actions. For years, the Palestinian Authority– first under the leadership of Yasser Arafat and now under the 82-year-old Abbas – has perpetuated a vile policy of making payments to terrorists and their families.
According to the official PA budget, in 2016 the Palestinian Authority directed $174 million of its total budget in payments to families of so-called "martyrs," and an additional $128 million for security prisoners -- terrorists in Israeli prisons.
Abbas claims to be a man of peace yet in reality he incentivizes, rewards and incites terrorism.
It must also be remembered that Israel has offered to end the occupation and settlements in 2000-2001. These generous peace initiatives would have established a demilitarized Palestinian state. In 2008, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made an even more generous proposal by offering the Palestinians 97% of the West Bank but Mahmoud Abbas did not respond. For the past several years, the current Israeli government has offered to sit down and negotiate a two-state solution with no pre-conditions — not even advanced recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people. Yet no substantive negotiations have taken place.
Some of the blame rests on the shoulders of Barack Obama. By applying pressure only to the Israeli side, not to the Palestinians, Obama consistently disincentivized Abbas from embracing the two-states for two-peoples paradigm. This came to a head in December when Obama allowed the U.S. not to veto the inane U.N. Resolution, under which the Western Wall and other historically Jewish sites are not recognized as part of Israel. (Recall that U.N. Resolution 181 mandated a "special international regime for the city of Jerusalem," and Jordan captured it illegally. Israel liberated Jerusalem in 1967, and allowed everybody to go to the Western Wall.)
It is a tragedy that the international community – headed by the U.N. – encourages the Palestinian Authority's rejectionism, rather than pushing it to make the painful compromises that will be needed from both sides in reaching a negotiated two-state outcome. Indeed, just a few days ago the U.N. once again demonstrated that it is a barrier to the peace-process. In his address at the U.N. General Assembly marking the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War and Israel's "occupation" of the West Bank, U.N. Secretary General, Antonio Guterres said:
"In 1947, on the basis of United Nations General Assembly resolution 181, the world recognized the two-state solution and called for the emergence of 'independent Arab and Jewish states.' On 14 May 1948, the State of Israel was born. Almost seven decades later, the world still awaits the birth of an independent Palestinian state."
Guterres failed to acknowledge that "the reason the world still awaits the birth of an independent Palestinian state" is because the Arabs rejected the U.N. partition plan, which would have given them their own state, committing instead to seven decades of undermining Israel's legitimacy.
When the Palestinian leadership and people want their own state more than they want there not to be a state for the Jewish people, the goal of the 1947 U.N. Resolution – two states for two peoples – will be achieved. A good beginning would be for Abbas finally to agree with the U.N. Resolution and say the following words: "I accept the 1947 U.N. Resolution that calls for two states for two peoples." It's not too much to ask from a leader seeking to establish a Palestinian Muslim state.
*Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Emeritus, at Harvard Law School and author of "Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law" and "Electile Dysfunction: A Guide for the Unaroused Voter."
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