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

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/newselias/english.september17.17.htm 

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Bible Quotations For Today
Boasting About Tomorrow
James 04/13-17/Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

You are in fact the slaves of the master you obey
Romans 06/14-23: “What, then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law but under God’s grace? By no means! Surely you know that when you surrender yourselves as slaves to obey someone, you are in fact the slaves of the master you obey—either of sin, which results in death, or of obedience, which results in being put right with God. But thanks be to God! For though at one time you were slaves to sin, you have obeyed with all your heart the truths found in the teaching you received. You were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness. (I use everyday language because of the weakness of your natural selves.) At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes. When you were the slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.21 What did you gain from doing the things that you are now ashamed of The result of those things is death! But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life. For sin pays its wage—death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

Question: "What is a Christian worldview?"
GotQuestions.org
Answer: A “worldview” refers to a comprehensive conception of the world from a specific standpoint. A “Christian worldview,” then, is a comprehensive conception of the world from a Christian standpoint. An individual’s worldview is his “big picture,” a harmony of all his beliefs about the world. It is his way of understanding reality. One’s worldview is the basis for making daily decisions and is therefore extremely important. An apple sitting on a table is seen by several people. A botanist looking at the apple classifies it. An artist sees a still-life and draws it. A grocer sees an asset and inventories it. A child sees lunch and eats it. How we look at any situation is influenced by how we look at the world at large. Every worldview, Christian and non-Christian, deals with at least these three questions:
1) Where did we come from? (and why are we here?)
2) What is wrong with the world?
3) How can we fix it?
A prevalent worldview today is naturalism, which answers the three questions like this: 1) We are the product of random acts of nature with no real purpose. 2) We do not respect nature as we should. 3) We can save the world through ecology and conservation. A naturalistic worldview generates many related philosophies such as moral relativism, existentialism, pragmatism, and utopianism.
A Christian worldview, on the other hand, answers the three questions biblically: 1) We are God’s creation, designed to govern the world and fellowship with Him (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:15). 2) We sinned against God and subjected the whole world to a curse (Genesis 3). 3) God Himself has redeemed the world through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:15; Luke 19:10), and will one day restore creation to its former perfect state (Isaiah 65:17-25). A Christian worldview leads us to believe in moral absolutes, miracles, human dignity, and the possibility of redemption.
It is important to remember that a worldview is comprehensive. It affects every area of life, from money to morality, from politics to art. True Christianity is more than a set of ideas to use at church. Christianity as taught in the Bible is itself a worldview. The Bible never distinguishes between a “religious” and a “secular” life; the Christian life is the only life there is. Jesus proclaimed Himself “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) and, in doing so, became our worldview.
Recommended Resource: Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by William Lane Craig & J.P. Moreland

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 16-17/17
The Geagea LF, Has Nothing To Do With The Historic LF/Elias Bejjani/September 16/17
Did the Saudi Crown Prince make a covert visit to Israel?/Jerusalem Post/September 16, 2017 13:21
Why Iran’s plan in Syria will fail/Amir Taheri/Al Arabiya/September 16/17
Saudi Arabia, Iran and distancing hajj from politics/Hassan Al Mustafa/Al Arabiya/September 16/17
How Women are Treated by Islam/Denis MacEoin/Gatestone Institute/September 16/17
Geert Wilders: "In My Opinion, Islam Is Not a Religion"/Telegraaf and Geert Wilders/Gatestone Institute/September 16/17

Titles For Latest LCCC Lebanese Related News published on September 16-17/17
The Geagea LF, Has Nothing To Do With The Historic LF
Aoun Lauds Renewal of UNIFIL Mandate ahead of Trip to New York
Lebanese Army Celebrates Eastern Border Victory, Aoun Assures 'Aggressors Will be Captured'
Report: Lebanon Steps Up Security after 'Risk Reports'
Bassil Starts Tour to Canada, US
French Embassy Warns of 'Security Risk in Next 48 Hours'
Ibrahim: What Was Built With Blood, National Unity Won't Be Banished By Sectarianism
Hariri meets AlRiyadi Women's Sports Team before their participation in Eastern European Basketball Championship
Riachy: Security apparatuses stand against attempts to destabilize security
Jumblatt: Vote for diversity within unity
Hasbani from Majdelyoun: Reactions to Army victory expected, Security Forces highly proactive
Army Commander: Whoever proves to be involved in nation attack will be arrested

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 16-17/17
British Police Make 'Significant Arrest' in Train Attack Probe
N.Korea Seeks 'Equilibrium' with US, Says Nuclear Capability Nearly Complete
Qatari Emir Meets Merkel, Macron in 1st Trip Since Crisis
Russia, Iran, Turkey to Police Syria Idlib Safe Zone
Iraq Launches Operation Near Syrian Border
Egypt Condemns 7 to Death over IS Links, Copt Beheadings
US-Backed Force Says Hit by Russia, Regime Strikes in East Syria
Fresh violence in Central African Republic leads to more displaced
Venezuelan authorities, opposition close to reaching agreement, says Maduro
France slams Silicon Valley for skirting tax in Europe
Ryanair cancels about 2,000 flights over six weeks
China provides $10 billion credit line to Iran

Latest Lebanese Related News published on September 16-17/17
The Geagea LF, Has Nothing To Do With The Historic LF/قوات سمير جعجع لا تمت بصلة لقوات بشير..القوات التاريخية
Elias Bejjani/September 16/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=58767
Sadly and it really hurts to say it: Mr. Samir Geagea’s current LF (Lebanese Forces) is not in any way, or even close to the Historic LF by any means. not at all.
This version of the LF is proving in reality and actuality and on daily basis, as well as in every political choice, in all its moody and individualized alliances, in all that is related to the Lebanese identity, and to all that is “Lebanese Patriotic Cause” …it is proving without a shadow of a doubt that it is much, much worst than all the other feudal falsely called Lebanese Christian political parties.
What really is so dangerous and so devastating and so disappointing for our Christian societies in both Lebanon and Diaspora is the apparent below zero intellectual and faith level of the Geagea worshipper (they are worshippers and not followers or supporters and this is a proved fact) ) in all that is, free opinion, discretion, knowledge, respect of others and civilized rhetoric.

Aoun Lauds Renewal of UNIFIL Mandate ahead of Trip to New York
Asharq Al-AwsatSeptember 16/17/Beirut- Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Friday welcomed the renewal of the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in the country and said he was satisfied with the international community’s favorite response to Lebanon’s demands on allowing UNIFIL to function in line with the standards it was established on. Last month, the Security Council extended the mandate of the peacekeeping force, which now has 10,500 troops on the ground monitoring a 2006 ceasefire following Israel’s summer war with Hezbollah. Aoun made the remarks in talks with United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag at Baabda Palace. The meeting took place prior to Aoun’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and his meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Aoun and Kaag discussed the implementation of UN resolutions, particularly resolutions 1701 and 2373. The Special Coordinator reiterated the international community’s commitment to safeguarding Lebanon’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Lebanese president sent his regards to Guterres, saying the meeting in New York will be an opportunity to discuss issues of common interest “mainly Lebanon’s request to become an international center for the dialogue of civilizations and religions, and the importance of cooperation with international organizations that provide assistance to Syrian refugees.” Aoun’s scheduled meeting with the UN chief would be their second encounter after they had held talks on the sidelines of the Arab League summit in Jordan last March. The Lebanese president also discussed with Kaag repeated Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty amid a complaint that Lebanon has recently filed with the Security Council. Aoun also met Friday with EU Ambassador Christina Lassen.

Lebanese Army Celebrates Eastern Border Victory, Aoun Assures 'Aggressors Will be Captured'
Naharnet/September 16/17/The Army Command celebrated on Saturday the army's victory in ousting the Islamic State extremist militants from Lebanon's eastern border, the National News Agency reported. Army chief Major General Jospeh Aoun presided over the ceremony honoring army units that participated in the Dawn of the Outskirts battle. “At the Dawn of the Outskirts we were courageously able to triumph over terrorism, we were up to the challenge,” said Aoun at the beginning of the ceremony. Addressing the troops, he added: “You have achieved two main objectives of the battle. First, you liberated the land from terrorism and second, you revealed the fate of the kidnapped soldiers. You have to double readiness to confront the Israeli enemy which did not stop threatening the Lebanese security.” Aoun assured that the military services' efforts to “detain aggressors” will carry on. Medals were distributed to the commanders of the army units who have participated in the operation. The celebration was held at the Riyaq military air base in Eastern Bekaa in the presence of security services leaders, senior military officers, the commanders of the regiments that carried out the operation and families of the slain soldiers.Al-Joumhouria daily reported that Aoun is set to deliver a speech and will “pay a special tribute to families of fallen soldiers, pledging to reveal full facts related to the circumstances that led to their sons' deaths.”“He will stress that the army is determined to protect the borders and fight terrorism wherever it is,” it added. Early this week a downtown Beirut rally to celebrate the army's eastern border victory was called off. Defense Minister Yacoub al-Sarraf and Tourism Minister Avedis Guidanian held a joint press conference to invite the Lebanese to take part in a Thursday rally but on Tuesday the defense and tourism ministries issued a statement saying the celebration was “postponed” after “consultations with the three presidents” and for “purely logistical reasons.” Al-Joumhouria newspaper had reported that the event was mainly called off to avoid “conflicting stances” from President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri on the 2014 Arsal clashes, the probe that Aoun has ordered into the kidnap of troops and policemen that year, and Hizbullah's role in the country. The developments come after Lebanon recovered the bodies of servicemen abducted and executed by the Islamic State group as part of a Hizbullah-led ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire followed separate but simultaneous anti-IS offensives by the Lebanese and Syrian armies and Hizbullah on both sides of the Lebanese-Syrian border. President Aoun, Army Commander General Joseph Aoun and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declared victory over the IS group in the wake of the assaults.

Report: Lebanon Steps Up Security after 'Risk Reports'
Naharnet/September 16/17/After threats of “heightened security risk” issued by foreign embassies in Beirut, reports said on Saturday that the security apparatuses have taken the latest “threats seriously” and have stepped up safety measures to prevent any breach, al-Joumhouria daily reported Saturday.
“The security situation is acceptable and under control. The army has upped its readiness against terrorism after the battles in the outskirts. It has recently stepped up its security presence and the intelligence directorate together with the other security services are working at full capacity in the pursuit of terrorist cells,” an unnamed military source told the daily. Another senior military source told the newspaper that “information was obtained about a large Islamic State group network planning to carry out terrorist bombings against commercial centers and tourist facilities. Cooperation is being conducted between the Lebanese, American, British and other international agencies in order to eliminate these threats. The source assured that the network was rendered "inactive."He assured that "nothing calls for fear and panic because the security services are alert and security measures are high," adding that "caution is required." On Friday, the French Embassy in Beirut warned its citizens of a "high risk of attacks on public places, special vigilance must be observed within the next 48 hours,” it said in a statement. The warning follows a security message for U.S. citizens in Lebanon in which the U.S. Embassy said that it has barred the movement of U.S. government staff to the Casino Du Liban in Jounieh due to “ongoing threats.”On Friday, the Army announced in a communique that it arrested an IS cell comprised of 19 members in the southern refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh. "The network's commander, Fadi Ibrahim Ahmed, aka Abu Khattab, who was on the hide in said camp had plans to stage terror attacks," the army had said.

Bassil Starts Tour to Canada, US
Naharnet/September 15/17/Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil started a tour on Saturday that will include the United States and Canada, the National News Agency reported. The Minister is scheduled to visit various States and will hold a series of official meetings, added NNA. On the 23rd and 24th of September, Bassil will also inaugurate the second Lebanese Diaspora Energy conference for North America at the Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas.

French Embassy Warns of 'Security Risk in Next 48 Hours'
Naharnet/September 15/17/The French Embassy in Beirut on Friday warned its citizens of a "heightened security risk" in the next 48 hours. "Due to a high risk of attacks on public places, special vigilance must be observed within the next 48 hours," the Embassy said. The warning follows a security message for U.S. citizens in Lebanon in which the U.S. Embassy said that it has barred the movement of U.S. government staff to the Casino Du Liban in Jounieh due to “ongoing threats.”“Due to ongoing threats to locations such as the Casino Du Liban in Jounieh, Lebanon, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut has barred any movement of U.S. government staff to that Casino,” said the message which was published on the Embassy's website. “As always, the U.S. Embassy will continue to evaluate the movements of its personnel, and encourages all U.S. citizens to be aware of their immediate surroundings at all times and take appropriate measures to ensure their safety and security,” it added. “Terrorist incidents may occur with little or no warning. In the event of a security incident, avoid the area and monitor the media for the latest developments,” the Embassy cautioned. The warnings prompted Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq to issue a reassuring statement. "The warnings of the Western embassies are based on information from a foreign intelligence agency. Lebanese security agencies are following up on these warnings to verify correctness and accuracy," Mashnouq said in a statement. "Therefore there is no need for panic or for blowing the reports out of proportion," he added. Casino Du Liban chairman Roland Khoury meanwhile reassured that the U.S. Embassy's move is a “routine measure that is not exclusively related to Casino Du Liban.”In remarks to MTV, Khoury noted that the Casino is guarded by “an army intelligence post, an Internal Security Forces post, an army checkpoint at its entrance, in addition to private security guards.”Khoury also revealed that the Casino's administration has taken a decision to bar the entry of cars into the Casino's premises, reassuring that “the customers' safety and well-being are guaranteed.”

Ibrahim: What Was Built With Blood, National Unity Won't Be Banished By Sectarianism
Naharnet/September 15/17/General Security Chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim hailed the “sacrifices” of Lebanese towns of Arsal, Baablbek and al-Qaa that have paved way for “building a strong State,” the National News Agency reported on Friday. “Achieved victory and the liberation of the beloved Arsal, Baalbek and al-Qaa were two of the major sacrifice stations on the road to building a strong State of Lebanon,” NNA quoted Ibrahim as saying. His remarks came during a ceremony organized under his patronage by the Municipality of Kawthar al-Sayyad honoring the students of the town. Ibrahim assured that “Lebanon is no longer a playground for adventure lovers. What we have built with blood, exertion and national unity will not be dispelled by sectarian traders and electoral seasons. Living in peace and stability is a human right. It is the duty of the political forces to shoulder this responsibility.”

Hariri meets AlRiyadi Women's Sports Team before their participation in Eastern European Basketball Championship
Sat 16 Sep 2017/NNA - Prime Minister Saad Hariri met Saturday at the "House of Center" with al-Riyadi Women's Sports Team, led by Al-Riyadi Head Hisham Jaroudi and Vice Head Tammam Jaroudi, prior to their departure to partake in the Eastern European Basketball League Championship upcoming Wednesday. Hariri expressed his pride in the team's achievements, being the first Arab team in a group game to participate in a European tournament. He hoped that "they would do their best in the Championship, since that would be beneficial to Lebanon in general, and to women in particular," while stressing the need to "further encourage women towards making more accomplishments."  Al-Riyadi Head, in turn, thanked the Prime Minister for his support to the team, hoping to win the first three games within the Championship and be granted the opportunity to raise Lebanon's name high.

Riachy: Security apparatuses stand against attempts to destabilize security
Sat 16 Sep 2017/NNA - Minister of Information, Melhem Riachy, on Saturday, deemed that the security apparatuses in Lebanon are standing against any attempts aiming at destabilizing security in the country.
"Security Forces are on high alert to face terrorism," Minister Riachy said during an interview to "Voice of Lebanon" Radio Station, noting however that the readiness of said forces does not eliminate fears or the possibility of any explosion at any moment. Commenting on the security warnings issued by the U.S. and French embassies over the possibility of a terrorism act, Riachy said that the Interior and Foreign Ministries responded to those warnings and did not exaggerate. "[Interior and Foreign Ministries] are doing their duty to protect security in Lebanon, just as the foreign embassies are keen on their nationals' safety," Riachy added. As for the upcoming parliamentary elections, Riachy highlighted the importance of issuing the biometric cards. He added that holding by-elections is not necessary at this stage since parliamentary elections will be held in six months. Touching on Russia's visit outcome, he said: "Hariri-Putin meeting was excellent; we sensed a Russian understanding to neutralize Lebanon [from abroad conflicts] and to prevent the investment of any security or political activity inside Lebanon to the benefit of any side in Syria." "The idea of involving Lebanon in proposing a solution to the Syrian crisis contradicts the logic of neutrality" he went on, rejecting the idea of normalization of relations with the Syrian regime. Concerning the long-disputed electricity file, Riachy sounded optimistic over finding a near solution, saying "views have become very close, especially after the last cabinet's decision regarding the establishment of land stations alongside maritime stations."

Jumblatt: Vote for diversity within unity
Sat 16 Sep 2017/NNA - Democratic Gathering Head, MP Walid Jumblatt, called Saturday on the Lebanese to vote for diversity while preserving their unity. "The free parliamentary elections are approaching, and each person can vote as he pleases," said Jumblatt, speaking before a large popular delegation from the town of Kfarmatta who visited him at his Mokhtara Palace. He wished that the State could go back to its institutions, its Central Inspection Body, Accountability Bureau and its Department of Tenders, which has prepared a very clear report on the electricity issue. "This is useful for the State, officials and citizens, so we can avoid plunging into financial adventures that may yield repercussions in a year or two," said Jumblatt.

Hasbani from Majdelyoun: Reactions to Army victory expected, Security Forces highly proactive
NNA /Sat 16 Sep 2017/Deputy Prime Minister, Public Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani considered Saturday that the reactions in wake of the Army's achieved victory were expected, noting reassuringly that security forces are proactively taking all necessary precautions and preemptive measures. Speaking during his East Sidon and Jezzine tour which he started by visiting the Hariri Residence in Majdelyoun where he met with MP Bahiya Hariri, Hasbani confirmed that "Lebanon still remains one of the most stable countries, not only in the region but in the whole world." The encounter with MP Hariri was a chance to review various hour issues and daily living matters related to Sidon and Jezzine regions. Both Hasbani and Hariri also met with the youth committee in charge of preparing for the "Sidon Health Day: Together for a Healthier Sidon," which is scheduled to take place upcoming Sunday, September 24, 2017.

Army Commander: Whoever proves to be involved in nation attack will be arrested
Sat 16 Sep 2017/NNA - Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, disclosed Saturday that detention has begun, stressing that anyone found to be involved in the attack on the nation shall be arrested. Speaking during a ceremony in honor of army units who participated in the "Fajr al-Joroud" military operation, Aoun indicated that "a series of arrests have been initiated, whereby every homeland aggressor shall be arrested," assuring that there will be no place for rioters in the country. "The State has won, in wake of the current challenges and our preemptive war against terrorism. We will pursue all those who attacked Lebanon and the army," Aoun asserted, addressing the troops. "In our 'Fajr al-Joroud' operation, we have won courageously against terrorism," he went on. "During the 'Fajr al-Joroud' operation, two main goals were achieved, namely the liberation of the land from terrorism and revealing the fate of the kidnapped soldiers," the Army Chief explained. Urging army soldiers to maintain utmost readiness in face of the Israeli enemy, Aoun said: "You have to double your readiness to confront the Israeli enemy which has never ceased its threatening of Lebanese security."

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 16-17/17
British Police Make 'Significant Arrest' in Train Attack Probe
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 16/17/British police said they arrested an 18-year-old man on Saturday at a Channel port in their investigation into the bombing of a London Underground train. "The 18-year-old man was arrested by Kent Police in the port area of Dover this morning, Saturday, 16 September, under section 41 of the Terrorism Act," police said in a statement that described the arrest as "significant". "Although we are pleased with the progress made, this investigation continues and the threat level remains at critical," police said. The man is in custody at a local police station and will be be transferred to a south London police station in "due course".Thirty people were treated in hospital after a bomb detonated in a packed London Underground train on Friday morning, in what was Britain's fifth terror attack in six months. The toll was revised upwards by one early Saturday."This arrest will lead to more activity from our officers," police said. "For strong investigative reasons we will not give any more details on the man we arrested at this stage. "This investigation continues and the threat level remains at critical," the statement added. The Islamic State group said an IS "detachment" had been behind the bombing.Prime Minister Theresa May announced late Friday that the threat level had been raised to "critical -- meaning another attack could be imminent -- and said troops would take over guarding key sites to free police officers for deployment elsewhere. Four previous attacks in London and Manchester this year claimed the lives of 35 people. Three of those attacks involved a vehicle ploughing into pedestrians. The other was a bombing in May at a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in Manchester which killed 22 people, including several children.

N.Korea Seeks 'Equilibrium' with US, Says Nuclear Capability Nearly Complete
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 16/17/North Korea said Saturday it was seeking military "equilibrium" with the United States as leader Kim Jong-Un vowed to complete Pyongyang's nuclear programme, which he said had "nearly reached the terminal". North Korea successfully fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan on Friday, responding to a new round of UN sanctions over its sixth nuclear test with its furthest-ever missile flight. "Our final goal is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the US and make the US rulers dare not talk about military option for the DPRK," leader Kim said, according to a report carried by the official KCNA news agency. Kim said the country was close to the goal of completing its nuclear ambitions and should use all power at its disposal to finish the task, saying it had "nearly reached the terminal", the official KCNA news agency reported.
Kim said Friday's launch, which it described as a drill rather than a test, had increased the North's "combat power of the nuclear force", KCNA reported.
"We should clearly show the big power chauvinists how our state attain the goal of completing its nuclear force despite their limitless sanctions and blockade," Kim said, according to KCNA. The UN Security Council condemned Friday's launch as "highly provocative" and US President Donald Trump scheduled talks with the leaders of Japan and South Korea to address the crisis. "As Kim Jong-Un's most recent launch demonstrates, this is one of the world's most urgent and dangerous security problems," US National Security Advisor H.R McMaster said. - Equilibrium 'unrealistic' -The US Pacific Command confirmed Friday's rocket was an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) and said it did not pose a threat to North America or to the US Pacific territory of Guam, which Pyongyang has threatened with "enveloping fire". Seoul's defence ministry said it probably travelled around 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 770 kilometres. Yang Uk, an analyst with the Korea Defence and Security Forum, told AFP that Kim's stated ambition of achieving a military balance was some way off. "It's too unrealistic for North Korea to reach equilibrium in nuclear force with the US even if it's true that the North has been making a rapid progress in its nuclear drive," he said. The North has raised global tensions with its rapid progress in weapons technology under Kim, who is regularly pictured by state media overseeing launches and visiting facilities."The latest launch, which was apparently made from a TEL (transporter erector launcher or missile vehicle) instead of a makeshift launch pad, means the North is now ready to deploy the IRBM Hwasong-12 for combat purposes," he said. The North's previous missile launch, a Hwasong-12 IRBM just over two weeks ago, also overflew Japan's main islands and was the first to do so for years. "Within three to five years, the North is expected to be capable of operating nuclear missiles as deterrence," Yang Uk added. - Calls for talks -Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron jointly appealed for talks with North Korea, saying this was the only way to resolve tensions over its nuclear programme. The crisis requires resolution "exclusively through political and diplomatic means, by restarting direct negotiations", a Kremlin statement said following a phone call between the leaders.  The appeal was directed at the United States and Japan, countries calling to ramp up pressure through sanctions rather than pin hopes on talks. Russia and China, North Korea's main ally, on Monday backed a US-drafted resolution at the Security Council to impose fresh sanctions on Pyongyang -- but they maintain dialogue is key to defuse the crisis. Washington has rejected as "insulting" a proposal from China to kick-start talks with a freeze on North Korea's nuclear and missile tests in exchange for a suspension of US-South Korean drills. The sanctions imposed on Monday banned the North's textile trade, stopped new work permits for its labourers, and imposed restrictions on shipments of oil products, among other measures. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo could "never tolerate" what he called a "dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace". In response to Friday's launch, South Korea's military immediately carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own, with the defence ministry saying it took place while the North's rocket was still airborne. President Moon Jae-In told an emergency meeting of Seoul's national security council that dialogue with the North was "impossible in a situation like this".

Qatari Emir Meets Merkel, Macron in 1st Trip Since Crisis
Associated Press/Naharnet/September 16/17/Qatar's ruling emir met German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday on his first trip abroad since a diplomatic crisis erupted between the tiny Gulf nation and its neighbors, and the German leader voiced "great concern" that no end to the conflict is in sight.
Merkel, addressing reporters alongside the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said she hoped dialogue could lead to "fair compromises." "It's cause for great concern that after 100 days a solution to this conflict is still not in sight," she said. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates cut ties with Qatar in June over its close relations with Iran and its alleged support for extremists. Qatar denies supporting extremism, saying the crisis is politically motivated. In Berlin, the emir reiterated that his country is open to negotiations with its neighbors, saying through a translator that "Qatar is prepared to take a seat at the table to solve this problem." He also said that fighting terrorism "is a big priority for us and we have to concentrate on the roots of terrorism."Germany has been supporting diplomatic efforts to try and defuse the crisis. Its foreign minister has said the country's intelligence service would play a role in clearing up accusations that Qatar supports terrorist groups.Following the meetings with Merkel, the emir went to Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. He left the Elysee palace without speaking to the press. On the first stop, the emir met Thursday night in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who's been a major supporter of his country during the three-month-old conflict.Turkey has shown solidarity with Doha by delivering food and other supplies and boosting military ties, including sending troops to a Turkish base there. Among demands the Arab nations made of Qatar in June is for all Turkish troops in the country to be expelled. Other demands include limiting diplomatic ties to Iran, shutting down the state-funded Al-Jazeera satellite news network and other media outlets and severing ties to all "terrorist organizations," including the Muslim Brotherhood and Lebanon's Hezbollah. Qatar has rejected the demands as violations of its sovereignty. In Ankara, the two leaders "stressed the need for a resolution through diplomatic means" to the crisis, according to Erdogan's office. "We support a resolution of the crisis through a brotherly manner and through dialogue," Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan's spokesman, told reporters. "This crisis only serves the enemies of this region."But as the emir was in Ankara calling for dialogue, a Qatari exile held a conference in London that explored the possibility of a "bloodless coup" overthrowing the government in Doha. The conference was organized by Khalid al-Hail. Analysts and experts have suggested al-Hail is supported by the Arab countries now boycotting Qatar, something he denies. "We have a crisis, the government of Qatar has to admit it," al-Hail said. "And I don't believe the current regime in Qatar is acting for the good of my people."

Russia, Iran, Turkey to Police Syria Idlib Safe Zone
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 15/17/Russia, Iran and Turkey on Friday agreed a deal to jointly police a fourth safe zone around Syria's Idlib province as part of a Moscow-led plan to ease the six-year conflict. In a joint statement after two days of talks in Kazakhstan the three powers said they agreed "to allocate" their forces to patrol the zone covering rebel-held Idlib province and parts of the neighbouring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo regions.  The talks in Astana are the sixth round of negotiations Moscow has spearheaded since the start of the year as it seeks to pacify Syria after its game-changing intervention on the side of leader Bashar al-Assad. Like Russia, Iran supports the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey has sided with the rebels. Russia had previously deployed military police to patrol the boundaries of three zones agreed in the south of Syria, in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, and in part of the central Homs province. Idlib, which borders Turkey, was captured in 2015 by an alliance of jihadists and rebels. The statement said the forces would be deployed according to maps agreed earlier this month in Ankara, but gave no further details of their exact positions. A joint Russia-Turkish-Iranian coordination centre will be set up "aimed at coordinating activities of deescalation forces", it said. Both the Syrian government and the armed opposition sent delegations to the talks. The joint declaration also stated that further talks would be held in the Kazakh capital at the end of October.

Iraq Launches Operation Near Syrian Border
Associated Press/Naharnet/September 16/17/An Iraqi military commander says troops have launched a multi-pronged operation to capture a town near the Syrian border from the Islamic State group. Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Rasheed Yar Allah said Saturday the operation to liberate Akashat aims at securing part of the borders and the area north of the vital highway that links Baghdad to neighboring Jordan and Syria. The spokesman for the Joint Military Command, Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, says the U.S.-led coalition is offering aerial support for different factions of troops. Akashat is a small town west of Anbar province located south of the IS-held, strategic towns of Qaim, Rawa and Ana. IS has been driven out of most of the territories it seized in 2014, from northern Iraq through the country's center and across western Anbar province.

Egypt Condemns 7 to Death over IS Links, Copt Beheadings
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 16/17/An Egyptian court Saturday condemned to death seven people for membership of the Islamic State group and over the beheading on a Libyan beach of 21 Coptic Christians from Egypt, judicial officials said. IS in Libya posted a video on the internet in February 2015 of the beheadings, sparking international condemnation and Egyptian air strikes against jihadist targets in the neighbouring Arab state. Of the seven defendants, three were sentenced to death in absentia, the officials said. An unspecified number of those condemned were accused of having taken part in the beheadings. Death sentences in Egypt are subject to review by the country's mufti as the official interpreter of Islamic law, although his verdict is not legally binding. Prosecutors accused the seven suspects of membership of an IS cell in Marsa Matruh, northwest Egypt, and of planning attacks after having received military training at jihadist camps in Libya and Syria. Verdicts are to be issued on November 25 against 13 others on trial in the same case. In May, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said military reverses for IS in war-torn Syria were driving its fighters to try to relocate to Libya and the Sinai Peninsula of eastern Egypt. Egypt has been battling an insurgency by an IS affiliate based in North Sinai since the military's ouster in 2013 of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. Hundreds of members of Egypt's security forces have been killed, while more than 100 Copts have died in church bombings since December.

US-Backed Force Says Hit by Russia, Regime Strikes in East Syria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 16/17/A US-backed force battling the Islamic State group in eastern Syria said six of its fighters were wounded on Saturday in air strikes by regime and Russian warplanes. It is the first time the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters, have said they have been hit by Russia.  The SDF and Russian-backed Syrian government forces are conducting parallel but separate offensives against IS in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.  "At 3:30 am (0030 GMT) on September 16, 2017, our forces east of the Euphrates River were targeted by Russian and Syrian regime warplanes in the Al-Sinaaiya area," the SDF said. It said six of its fighters were wounded.  Al-Sinaaiya is an industrial area northeast of the city of Deir Ezzor, about seven kilometres (four miles) from the east bank of the Euphrates. "At a time when the SDF's brave forces are scoring great victories against IS in Raqa and Deir Ezzor... some parties are trying to create obstacles to our progress," the statement said. The SDF's assaults against IS in Deir Ezzor and in Raqa further up the Euphrates Valley are both backed by the US-led coalition. The Syrian government's offensive in Deir Ezzor is backed by Russia. The SDF says it not coordinating its operations with the government or Russia. But the coalition says there is a de-confliction line to prevent the two offensives from clashing.

Fresh violence in Central African Republic leads to more displaced
Sat 16 Sep 2017/NNA - Expressing concern over continued violence in the Central African Republic and the resulting “massive new levels” of displacement, the United Nations refugee agency has underscored the need to ensure that relief workers are not made targets of hostilities and are given the humanitarian security they need to carry out their mission. “Since May, fresh and fierce clashes between armed groups in the CAR have wrought increasing suffering, deaths and destruction of property,” said Andrej Mahecic, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). “Many newly displaced people speak of having witnessed killings, robberies, lootings and kidnappings. Even after reaching safe locations, they often risk assault by armed groups, if they venture outside,” he added. According to the UN agency, the crisis, well into its fourth year, has left one in every two Central African in need of humanitarian assistance or protection to survive and, if left to fester, the violence could negate the progress towards recovery in the country. The violence has also driven over half a million people from CAR to seek refuge in neighbouring countries and displaced an additional 600,000 people within the country. The level of insecurity has also prevented UNHCR and other relief organizations to fully assess the full extent of damage or displacement from the recent violence. “Some of our planned humanitarian deliveries by air have also been delayed or blocked, due to the armed groups’ presence [and] aid agencies, including UNHCR, are increasingly among those targeted by armed groups and have, in some instances, been compelled to temporary withdraw their personnel,” said Mr. Mahecic. “Despite the challenges, we continue to help those displaced in areas like the Haute-Kotto provincial capital of Bria, which was at the centre of much of the displacement in the east,” he added, noting that the UN agency’s response is struggling due to lack of resources. Earlier this year, UNCHR issued an appeal for $209 million for its operations within the country as well as to assist refugees from the Central African Republic in neighbouring countries. However, only 9 per cent of the appeal has been funded thus far. ---UN

Venezuelan authorities, opposition close to reaching agreement, says Maduro
Sat 16 Sep 2017/NNA - Delegations of the Venezuelan government and the opposition are in an advanced phase of talks on an agreement that would guarantee political coexistence, peace and sovereignty, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and on Friday in the course of a video conference.
"As a result of talks between representatives of the Venezuelan government and the opposition held this week we moved closer to an agreement on political coexistence, peace and sovereignty," Maduro said. "We’re very close to it. The next meeting has been scheduled for September 27 in Santo-Domingo, the capital of the Dominical Republic." "Jorge Rodriguez will represent the Venezuelan government there and (parliament) deputy Julio Borges, the opposition," he said. Maduro also thanked the opposition leaders for a decision to sit down to the table of negotiations with the government. "I thank them for enabling us to move to an advanced stage of negotiations and I reaffirm our preparedness to abide by the rules that have been coordinated," he said. One of the decisions taken in the course of talks in the Dominican Republic was to set up a group of countries facilitating the talks. The Dominican Republic, Mexico, Chile, Nicaragua, and Bolivia joined forces in the group. ---TASS

France slams Silicon Valley for skirting tax in Europe
Sat 16 Sep 2017/NNA - French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire accused US internet giants on Friday of escaping their fair share of taxes in Europe, as he pushed the EU to urgently address the issue. Big EU countries have become increasingly frustrated that internet giants such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google escape paying a fair tax by basing their operations in lower-tax EU states such as Ireland and Luxembourg. "We need to make sure in Europe that all companies are paying their fair share of tax, that is the meaning of our initiative," Le Maire told reporters on the sidelines of talks with his EU counterparts in Tallinn, Estonia. "You know that this is not the case. That huge companies, huge internet companies are not paying a fair contribution to Europe."Le Maire said he would formally unveil his proposal on Saturday to reverse the problem. The plan already has the formal backing of Germany, Spain and Italy with Bulgaria, Austria, Greece and Latvia also ready to come on board. Le Maire said this reform would ensure that internet giants pay tax where they earn revenue, instead of on profits booked in their EU member state headquarters of choice. "Our proposal is simple. It is to tax the turnover at member state level of the largest internet companies," he said. European regulators have become increasingly aggressive against US technology giants seen by officials as gaining too much power, with Amazon and Apple also facing scrutiny. Le Maire insisted that his initiative was in no way anti-American and would not punish innovation."Of course we welcome these companies in France and in Europe," he said. "They are essential for innovation, essential for competition or jobs." Le Maire's proposal comes after Google recently escaped a €1.115 billion tax bill sought by the French treasury, after a court upheld EU law, ruling that the US company's Irish subsidiary was not taxable in France. French President Emmanuel Macron promised to get tough on US internet giants during his election campaign, seeing their low tax rates as a source of resentment about globalisation and as unfair for European companies. ---AFP

Ryanair cancels about 2,000 flights over six weeks
Sat 16 Sep 2017/NNA - Ryanair announced Friday it was cancelling between 1,680 and 2,100 flights over the next six weeks in a bid to "improve punctuality", sparking outrage from passengers who suddenly have to make new travel plans. The Irish low-cost airline said it would scrap 40 to 50 flights daily -- "less than two percent" of its flying programme -- to address problems caused by air traffic control (ATC) delays and strikes, weather disruption and a change in the holiday schedules of pilots and cabin crews. Throughout the day on Friday, the Ryanair Twitter feed was filled with complaints from passengers who had their flights cancelled, with one describing the lack of notice an "absolute disgrace" and another saying it was "shocking".  "We apologise sincerely to the small number of customers affected by these cancellations, and will be doing our utmost to arrange alternative flights and/or full refunds for them," the airline's head of communications, Robin Kiely, said in a statement. He explained: "We have operated a record schedule and traffic numbers during the peak summer months of July and August but must now allocate annual leave to pilots and cabin crew in September and October while still running the bulk of our summer schedule. "This increased leave at a time of ATC capacity delays and strikes (in France), has severely reduced our on-time performance over the past two weeks to under 80 percent. "By cancelling less than two percent of our flying programme over the next six weeks, until our winter schedule starts in early November, we can improve the operational resilience of our schedules and restore punctuality to our annualised target of 90 percent." ---AFP

China provides $10 billion credit line to Iran
Sat 16 Sep 2017/NNA - A Chinese state-owned investment firm has provided a USD 10 billion credit line for Iranian banks, Iran’s central bank president said today. The contract was signed in Beijing between China’s CITIC investment group and a delegation of Iranian banks led by central bank president Valiollah Seif. The Iran Daily said the funds would finance water, energy and transport projects. Iran is vital to China’s trade ambitions as it develops its trillion-dollar “One Belt, One Road” strategy aimed at dramatically boosting its ties to Europe and Africa. In addition to the credit line, the China Development Bank signed preliminary deals with Iran worth $15 billion for other infrastructure and production projects, Seif announced. The contracts reflect “a strong will for continuation of cooperation between the two countries,” Seif said. The credit line will use euros and yuan to help bypass US sanctions that have continued despite the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in 2015. China was a signatory to the deal that lifted sanctions in exchange for curbs to Iran’s nuclear programme. President Xi Jinping visited Iran a week after it came into effect, vowing to boost bilateral trade to $600 billion within a decade.
Although trade was just USD 31 billion in 2016, it has jumped more than 30 per cent in the first six months of 2017. China is already Iran’s biggest oil customer and accounts for a third of its overall trade. Since the lifting of sanctions, Beijing has opened two credit lines worth USD 4.2 billion to build high-speed railway lines linking Tehran with Mashhad and Isfahan, Iran Daily reported. The latest move follows an eight-billion-euro credit deal signed with South Korea’s Exim bank last month. European banks remain wary of penalties from Washington for working with Iran, but talks are said to be at an advanced stage for USD 22 billion in credit deals with banks from Austria, Denmark and Germany. China’s new USD 10 billion credit line will go to Iran’s Refah Kargaran, San’at va Ma’dan, Parsian, Pasargad and Tose’e Saderat banks.

Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 16-17/17
Did the Saudi Crown Prince make a covert visit to Israel?
Jerusalem Post/September 11, 2017 13:21
As expected, news of the visit was not warmly welcomed by the Arab public.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a discreet visit to Israel despite the fact that the Jewish state and Saudi Arabia do not have official diplomatic ties, Israeli and Arab media speculated earlier in the week.
Rumors about the momentous visit, which was not confirmed by Israel, started swirling when Israel Radio's diplomatic correspondent covering Arab affairs, Simon Aran, took to Twitter to announce the visit. Aran tweeted that a senior Arab figure from the Gulf region paid a visit to Tel Aviv last week, stirring immense interest in the Arab media.
Israel Radio's Arabic-language broadcast reported that the the senior figure was a "Saudi prince" who met with senior Israelis to discuss regional peace. According to the report, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and the Foreign Ministry refused to comment on the news.
One Arab media outlet reported that the senior official was Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Qatari media and other affiliated news outlets such as the London-based Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper, used the reports as a further opportunity to attack the Saudi royal family which is heading Arab intervention in Yemen, Syria and other locations. Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah and Syria, and London-based newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi, both published the news reported by Israel Radio.
The Saudi response came shortly thereafter, with Saudi website Elaph (which often interviews senior Israeli officials) reporting on Friday that there was a visit by a senior Arab official but, rather than Saudi, it was a Qatari official who visited. "A senior Elaph source told the newspaper that a high-level Qatari official quietly visited Tel Aviv midweek and discussed security issues with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," wrote the newspaper. "The source added that the visit lasted two days before his meeting with Kuwaiti emir Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and US President Donald Trump to discuss the Qatar diplomatic crisis.""The senior Qatari emissary discussed security issues with Israeli representatives, including military steps that concern Doha due to their potential to escalate the Qatar crisis with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE," reported Elaph. "The Qatari official explained the fragile situation that his country is in to his Israeli hosts in the hope that Israel will help reduce tensions and even solve the crisis through behind-the-scenes efforts. According to reports, Israel will 'look into the issue'. Official Israeli sources refused to confirm or deny the reports."
Publications in Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE all joined the media storm. As expected, news of the visit was not warmly welcomed by the Arab public. "The reports published in Arab media have negative connotations due to their connections to Israel," said Aran, who originally sparked the media's frenzy over the alleged visit. "It is important to remember, however, that in the distant past there were Arab representatives in Israel, including an ambassador from Mauritania, and financial representatives from Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco and Oman - at the same time that an Israeli representative was posted in Doha, the capital city of Qatar.""Even today, according to unofficial sources, there are secret economic and trade relationships between Israel and some of these countries. The prime minister and other senior government officials have spoken of cooperation and have hinted at relationships with countries with whom Israel does not have diplomatic relations."

Why Iran’s plan in Syria will fail
Amir Taheri/Al Arabiya/September 16/17
For the past week or so, Iranian official media and social networks have been abuzz with anecdotes woven around a football match in Tehran between Iran and Syria and the light it might shed on a complicated relationship.
According to most accounts, a group of Syrians flown in by special charter to cheer their national squad in its bid for a place in the World Cup in Moscow staged an anti-Iran demonstration in the stadium. The Syrian contingent included young ladies who refused to wear the Iranian-style hijab.
Their presence in the stadium highlighted the fact that no Iranian woman is allowed to attend a football match after a fatwa by the “Supreme Guide” that women watching young men running around with bare legs might cause “undue excitement” In any case, the Syrian fans seized the opportunity to unleash a torrent of venom against Iran and Iranians. If videos posted on the web is a clue, the Syrians used words and expressions that are not fit to print. That, in turn, provoked an equally abusive torrent from Iranians on social media.
The incident also prompted a debate over Iran’s role in the Syrian tragedy.
“What are we doing there?” was a question repeatedly posed.
The initial answer provided by the Khomeinist authorities was that Iran is fighting in Syria to prevent the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime which had been an ally during the war with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in the 1980s and now a member of the Resistance Front led by Iran. That answer, however, failed to convince many people, even within the regime’s base.
Then another reason was cited: Iran was fighting in Syria to prevent the destruction of Shiite holy shrines. Official media published lists of such shrines, sometimes with photos. But that, too, was challenged by “troublemakers” who pick holes in the regime’s shaky claims. More than 90 per cent of Syrian “Shiite holy sites” turned out to be burial places of ancient Jewish prophets or Sunni Muslim theologians and scholars.
The latest and current justification cited by the regime for Iran’s role in Syria, which means helping President Assad kill more Syrians, is that the Islamic Republic needs a secure land access to the Lebanese border where, thanks to Hezbollah, it sets the agenda. The Syrian part of that dream corridor, which must also pass through a long sliver of Iraqi territory, skirts the fertile plains to the south of Damascus. Hence the idea of a deal with Turkey with Russia’s blessing. Under the deal, Iran will station troops in a “de-escalation zone” south of Damascus while Turkey seizes control of a chunk of Syrian territory in Idlib.
The putative deal is supposed to receive an official façade during talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, under the auspices of the United Nations.
A Syria divided
If put into practice, the Russian “de-escalation” project will freeze the division of Syria into five segments, with Russia, Turkey, Iran dominating three, and the US and its Kurdish and Arab allies present in the remaining two. The Russian scheme may end, or at least tone down, the fighting for a while but risks leading to the destruction of Syria as a unified nation-state. However, a closer look at Syrian realities might show that the Russo-Irano-Turkish scheme is doomed to fail. From what I know of Syria, a country I have observed and visited wince 1970, despite almost seven years of tragedy, the sense of “Syrian-ness” is still strong enough to frustrate putative imperial appetites. In that context, Iran has even less chance of succeeding than Turkey or Russia. In Idlib, Turkey has the advantage of territorial contiguity with Syria, a fact that facilitates logistics and permits significant military intervention to pursue political ambitions.
Also, Turkey has close ties with some elements in Iraqi Kurdistan and could use them to influence at least a segment of Syrians Kurds to accept the “de-escalation zone” as the least bad option. The presence of small groups of Turkmen and Turko-Circassian minorities in the area is an additional boon for Ankara. Russia is also in a better position than Iran to secure a piece of the Syrian cake.Thanks to its monopoly of firepower in Syrian air-space Russian air force can be used in support of any design on the ground. Much of the Russian “piece of cake” is in the Mediterranean, easily supplied and defended by Russian naval power. Moreover, a majority of the local population, having adopted an ambiguous posture towards the Assad regime, might prefer Russian domination to domination by Iran.
The Iranian Islamic Republic has none of those advantages.Syria is not Lebanon where Shiites, accounting for a third of the population, have always looked to Iran as a protector. At different times, notably in the heydays of pan-Arabism under Nasser, Iran, under the Shah, was seen even by Lebanese Christians as a counter-balancing force. Iranian presence and influence in Lebanon date back to the early stages of the Safavid dynasty more than 500 years ago with close family ties, especially among the clergy and traditional business families.
In contrast, Syria has always had a black image in Iranian religious folklore as the base of Ummayads whose caliphate was destroyed by an Iranian revolt led by Abu-Muslim Khorasani. Seen by Iranian mullahs, Damascus is regarded as “Gateway to Hell” because it was there that, according to folklore, the head of Hussein bin Ali, the third Shiite Imam, was presented to the Umayyad Caliph Yazid. Tehran’s attempts to cast Syrian Alawites as “almost Shiites”, thus deserving” protection” as Lebanese Shiites do, have failed. Not a single Ayatollah has agreed to cancel the countless historic fatwas that castigate Alawites as “heretics” or even crypto-Zoroastrians. This means that, unlike Lebanon where at least part of the Shiite community is sympathetic to Iran under any regime, in Syria today Iran lacks a local popular base.
Iranian general Hussein Hamadani, killed in action in Syria, admitted that much in a revealing interview he granted weeks before his demise. In it he reveals that even supporters of Assad within the Syrian army and Ba’ath Party were hostile to Iranian presence in Syria. “The way we think, the way we live is abhorrent to them,” he said. In a recent TV interview, Assad indirectly echoed that sentiment: “We look east to Russia,” he said. No mention of Iran. Empire building isn’t easy, especially when you have neither the military power nor the religious and cultural charisma needed to win native support.
Iran is bound to learn that, unfortunately, the hard way.

Saudi Arabia, Iran and distancing hajj from politics
Hassan Al Mustafa/Al Arabiya/September 16/17
During the press conference which Makkah’ governor Khaled al-Faisal held at the emirates’ headquarters in Mina, he talked about the pilgrims coming from Iran and said: “Iranian pilgrims are our brothers in Islam. We’ve received them and welcomed them in this holy land. We hope they perform hajj, like they arrived, in peace, and that we have nothing but good and kind words to say about one another.”These statements are significant because they’re made by a prominent Saudi official who has administrative and political experience and holds an important post in supervising and organizing hajj rituals. His statements separated between politics and worship. The depth of the political and diplomatic dispute between Tehran and Riyadh is no secret; however, it did not affect the hajj season this year. The coordination and agreement between the two countries contributed to helping the Iranian pilgrims perform the rituals safely. Reuters quoted Pir-Hossein Kolivand, head of Iran’s Emergency Medical Services, as saying: “To be honest, the Saudis are doing a great job, working hard to deliver the best service.”Let’s take a look at history, specifically at the phase when Hejaz began to submit to the command of King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman. Back then, he sent a letter to the Persian consul in Jeddah and said: “We inform our Muslim brothers that all problems and difficulties which Hussein caused in these holy sites are over. The doors of Hejaz are now open for whoever wants to enter through them.”
This letter which Iranian researcher Banasheh Keynoush mentioned in her book “Saudi Arabia and Iran – Friends of Foes,” confirms that managing the two holy mosques was separated from political disputes and sectarian and ideological stances.
Safety and security
Everyone’s main concern was to maintain the safety and security of pilgrims. When the Persian consul in Syria, Habib Allah Hwaida, visited Jeddah on October 20, 1925, he said in a report: “Mecca, under the governance of Abdulaziz, has become better than it was during the days of the Ottomans and Hashemites.” Keynoush said in her book that King Abdulaziz “achieved what the Hashemites had been unable to: the difficult task of fighting bandits and lowering crime rates against pilgrims.”These documents show the importance of working to address any political and security dispute that may jeopardize pilgrims’ safety, regardless of where they are form. This means that dialogue and agreement between the two countries are possible if intentions are honest – especially that the pilgrimage experience confirmed that it’s possible for Riyadh and Tehran to reach practical arrangements and agreements. The important point that obstructs any progress in relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran is the mistrust which resulted from negative experiences in the past years and made Riyadh feel that Tehran makes promises and eventually breaks them. Keynoush quoted Saudi officials she met in the kingdom as saying that the Saudis blame Iran for making inconsistent statements and think that Iran “will never give up its revolutionary ambitions.” So will Tehran launch a goodwill initiative towards its Arab neighbors in the Gulf to eventually resolve the current problems and decrease sectarian and security tensions? Will it do so at this time when the entire region needs to take a practical stance against terrorism and chaos or it does not care?

How Women are Treated by Islam
Denis MacEoin/Gatestone Institute/September 16/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10914/women-islam
"No one wants to demonise a particular community but the fact that this is happening again and again in the same circumstances and communities is a fact we cannot ignore. I think there needs to be a national approach..." — Greg Stone, Liberal Democrat party.
If we look at a list of 265 convictions for grooming gangs and individuals in the UK between November 1997 and January 2017 (and if we add on another 18 for the recent Newcastle gang), we will note that more than 99% are for Muslim men, mainly young men in their 20s and 30s.
It is, however, not just white (that is, non-Muslim) women whom Muslim men hold in such contempt. This abuse starts at home in Islamic countries in the treatment of Muslim women. Its roots lie in aspects of Islamic law and doctrine that are retained in the 21st century, despite having been formulated in the 7th century and later.
The idea that a man is not responsible for rape or other sexual assault and that women bear the blame for such a crime goes far to help explain why Muslim men in Britain and elsewhere may feel themselves justified in grooming and sexually abusing young women and girls far less well covered.
Newcastle upon Tyne is a small city in the North-East of England which, in 2017, was acclaimed the best city in the UK in which to raise children (London was the worst). Imagine, then, the shock when the city again became national news on August 9 when a trial at the Crown Court ended in the conviction of 18 people for the sexual grooming of children. Juries "found the men guilty of a catalogue of nearly 100 offences – including rape, human trafficking, conspiracy to incite prostitution and drug supply – between 2011 and 2014."
Of the 18, one was a white British woman. The rest were males of Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian backgrounds, all with Muslim names.
Newcastle has a fairly small Muslim population, quite unlike those in other northern and Midlands towns such as Bradford, Blackburn, or Dewsbury. Based on the 2011 census, Bradford's Muslim population reaches 24.7%, that of Blackburn 27.4%, and that of Dewsbury 34.4%. The highest in the country is only fractionally larger – the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, at 34.5%. The lowest out of 20 local authorities in England and Wales was the London Borough of Hackney with 14.1%. Newcastle's Muslim population is much smaller, at 6.3%. The city boasts around 15 mosques, the vast majority of which are located in the less prosperous south-west sector. The Central Mosque (Masjid-at-Tawheed) is run by the Jamiat Ahle Hadith, a radical Pakistani religious movement and political party.[1] The Islamic Diversity Centre is also connected to a fundamentalist organization based in London. Finally, only 2 terrorist offenders have ever come from Newcastle (see p. 932 in link).
Compared with many other places, Newcastle does not figure high on any list of radical Islamic activity, even if it has a moderate share of fundamentalists. Indeed, following the revelation of the grooming gang in August, a representative of the local Muslim community, city councillor Dipu Ahad,[2] said to the national press that local Muslims were "absolutely disgusted" by their crimes and feared a possible backlash.
It would be churlish and inaccurate to assume that the entire Muslim community of Newcastle, or even a minority, view such criminal activities as acceptable. Islamic law and ethics would condemn the actions of these men as immoral and anti-Islamic. At the same time, efforts by Ahad and others to divorce Muslim grooming gangs from Islam itself raise deeper questions. As in earlier grooming cases, it was important to ask how the crimes had gone unmentioned by those members of the Muslim community who would be closest to the men involved. Ahad said that "fellow Muslims should not feel the need to "apologise" for grooming gangs. He added, "Did the white community come out and condemn the crimes of Jimmy Savile?"
Savile was one of the most popular characters in the UK in his day, awarded an OBE and knighted by the Queen for his services to entertainment and charity. His overwrought celebrity status, his image as a person of good works and compassion served to cover a long career as Britain's greatest sexual predator, who had preyed on at least 500 women and girls, some as young as two. But he was a national celebrity, not a member of a small "white community" that might have been aware of his depredations and capable of alerting the police.
Ahad's reply was an ingenious way to deflect the question of whether Muslims had covered up the crimes by failing to pass on even suspicions of illegality out of feelings of solidarity with members of what they might see as a beleaguered community. This same question has frequently surrounded cases of terrorism by Muslims -- cases that go unreported by the often tight-knit communities.
Like Ahad, Chi Onwurah, the Labour Member of Parliament for Newcastle Central, tried to diffuse the concerns by diminishing any responsibility for the Muslim community. She said:
"those who sought to use the abusers' Asian or Muslim backgrounds to create division were putting other girls at risk. Assuming that grooming and child abuse is [sic] prevalent in one group helps potential abusers hide in plain sight if they are not part of that group.
"Crimes of sexual exploitation can be and are committed by members of all communities and indeed it remains regrettably true that sexual abuse is most likely to come from within the family circle."
However, another city councillor, Greg Stone, from the Liberal Democrat party, took a more robust approach. He saw problems precisely in places that the leftist Ahad and Onwura chose to draw attention away from:
"No one wants to demonise a particular community but the fact that his is happening again and again in the same circumstances and communities is a fact we cannot ignore.
"I think there needs to be a national approach – this is happening in too many places for it to be local circumstances."
He said sexual exploitation would not "go away until we ask difficult questions", adding:
"I don't think we can eliminate the scale of abuse, which has national implications, unless we ask some tough questions of the Pakistani and Bangladeshi community in particular."
Indeed, if we look at a list of 265 convictions for grooming gangs and individuals in the UK between November 1997 and January 2017 (and if we add on another 18 for the recent Newcastle gang), we will note that more than 99% are for Muslim men, mainly young men in their 20s and 30s. On June 2, 2017, it was reported that another 165 suspects had been identified in Rochdale in West Yorkshire, all described as "Asians", a code-word for Pakistani Muslims. Some days later, on June 9, fourteen Pakistani men appeared at Oxford Crown Court charged with child sex abuse.[3]
Like Rochdale and Oxford, several towns appear more than once in different years as centres of Muslim grooming gangs. Rochdale itself saw convictions of a total of 41 men from 2010 (twice), 2012, 2013, and 2016 (twice). It is hard to escape the conclusion that there is an endemic problem both with Muslim men and the communities from which they emerge. The police, social workers, the courts and other authorities who for so many years did their best to cover up the identity of the criminals, allowing them to carry out their sexual abuse for so long, were in the end forced by some determined investigators to take action that exposed the Islamic origins of the vast majority of offenders. But, as some statements about Newcastle have shown, there is still a remarkable reluctance to pinpoint features of Islamic doctrine or Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and other cultures as the trigger for this behaviour.
Perhaps that influence is best summed up in the following remarks made by Badrul Hussain, a member of the Newcastle grooming gang, when speaking to a female inspector on the local Metro service who asked to see his ticket:
"All white women are only good for one thing, for men like me to f*** and use as trash, that is all women like you are worth."
It is, however, not just white (that is, non-Muslim) women whom Muslim men hold in such contempt. This abuse starts at home in Islamic countries in the treatment of Muslim women. Its roots lie in aspects of Islamic law and doctrine that are retained in the 21st century despite having been formulated in the 7th century and later. These include polygamy for men, the permission for men to buy and sell women as sex slaves/concubines, divorce laws that discriminate against women, the insistence that women must cover their bodies and even faces, the discriminatory rules for a woman's inheritance ("The male takes a share equal to that of two females"), the high and escalating practice of honour killings in Muslim societies, including communities in the West (with 58% carried out because young women were "too Western"), the extreme incidence of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Muslim countries and Western Muslim communities, the astonishing level of child marriage (as permitted by shari'a law), and legislation that blames and punishes women for the "crime" of being raped.
Beyond all this, actual attitudes revealed in regular events show a more immediate impact on women's lives.
An Australian report from 2014 records the treatment of women under shari'a law as applied in Indonesia's Aceh province, the only part of the country (which has the largest Muslim population in the world) where full enforcement of Islamic legislation is permitted. Focusing on the treatment of women, it features an interview with one commandant of a shari'a enforcement patrol, Captain Ibrahim Latif. Speaking of a young woman who was gang-raped by vigilantes allegedly because she was found alone with a man, he declares:
"She didn't ask them to do it, but she encouraged it. She encouraged the men because she was wearing super-sexy [he uses the English words] clothes. I think any normal man would have been provoked".
Under his jurisdiction, women covered from head to foot are arrested on the streets (as shown in the film) and shamed or caned for what are deemed "inappropriate" clothing. The young women interviewed all loathe the treatment meted out to them for the most minor infringements. But female members of the shari'a patrols have internalized the notion that women are to blame for crimes such as rape. One says, "crime happens because we [women] invite it", and another comments: "if the man doesn't see anything, he won't be aroused. It's up to us. It's the women that invite it. The curves of their body can arouse men's lust" -- even though any Western man looking any of the well-covered girls who are being hauled over and berated would have difficulty in detecting any curves at all, much less being sexually aroused by them.
The idea that a man is not responsible for rape or other sexual assault and that women bear the blame for such a crime goes far to help explain why Muslim men in Britain and elsewhere may feel themselves justified in grooming and sexually abusing young women and girls far less well covered.
Pakistani attitudes are even more important in understanding what happens in the UK, which houses the largest number of Pakistani immigrants in Europe. In 2012, Atlantic magazine reported on "Six Stories of Abuse, Shame, and Survival" concerning women in Pakistan:
"According to a 2011 poll of experts by the Thomson Reuters Foundation Poll, Pakistan is the third most dangerous country for women in the world. It cited the more than 1,000 women and girls murdered in 'honor killings' every year and reported that 90 percent of Pakistani women suffer from domestic violence."The author, Zara Jamal, herself a woman of Pakistani background, says:
"A difficult irony for women in Pakistan is that, should a victim speak up about physical or sexual abuse, she is seen as having lost her and her family's dignity. Many rapes go unreported as the victim fears she will become worthless in Pakistani society".
Among Jamal's stories is that of 18-year-old Ayesha, a poor young woman who had been sexually abused by a brutal father:
"I went to my uncle's house to get more bread. I didn't know a young man was there. In the empty home, he took advantage of me; he did things that I didn't understand; he touched my chest. Before I could realize, there was a cloth over my mouth and I was being raped. I was having trouble walking back home; I felt faint and I had a headache. This happens a lot in villages. Young girls are raped, murdered, and buried. No one is able to trace them after their disappearance. If a woman is not chaste, she is unworthy of marriage. All he did is ask for forgiveness and they let him go as it was best to avoid having others find out what had happened. He didn't receive any punishment even though he ruined me. People may have forgotten what he did, but I never forgot. Now, he is married and living his life happily. I blame my own fate; I am just unlucky that this happened to me."
The rapist is forgiven and his victim, now considered unfit for marriage, is forced to go out to work to earn a pittance.
Women wearing burqas in Pakistan. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)
Finally, it is notable that since the post-2015 mass immigration to Europe started, large numbers of Afghans, mostly young men, have been entering countries such as the UK. Although the EU has made a deal to deport Afghan asylum seekers, migrants from that country constituted the second-largest group of asylum seekers in Europe, with 196,170 applying in 2015. If anything, male attitudes to women and girls in Afghanistan can make Indonesia and Pakistan seem enlightened.
In 2011 and again in 2013, an Iranian female reporter, Zohreh Soleimani, travelled to the Afghan capital, Kabul, where she carried out interviews and reported on the story of one young woman, Soheila, who had been imprisoned for having taken a lover and having a son with him. Soheila's older brother had run off with another man's wife when Soheila was five, and her father had engaged her to the injured husband, a much older man. Forced to marry him when she was in her teens, Soheila ran away and lived for three and a half years with Niaz Mohammad, a cousin. They fell in love, but her father found them and took Soheila to prison himself. She and Niaz were both sentenced to six years in prison. Many young women in Afghanistan are in jail for such moral "crimes".
In the first of two interviews, Soheila's father, a grizzled old man who looks as if he is in his eighties, states:
"Our religion of Islam does not let a woman do whatever she wants. Under Islamic law, a daughter must marry whomever her father chooses. Islam says whenever a father wants to marry away his daughter – 8, 9, or 10 years old, it doesn't matter. The woman belongs to him. And a woman has no right to refuse." [4]
Now, Afghan civil law currently permits a woman over 18 to marry whom she pleases. The problem with both marriage and divorce lies elsewhere, in traces of shari'a law combined with tradition-soaked tribal or customary law. Soheila's father dismisses civil law and insists that the laws he follows give him absolute rights over a daughter who "belongs to him".
In 2013, Soleimani found Soheila living in a safe house, but unable either to go free with her would-be husband (Niaz Mohammad) or to return home. She had once gone to her father and produced divorce papers from a civil court, but he had rejected them and she was beaten by him, her brother, his wife, and an uncle. She was told never to return, but her father made one concession: he said he would accept her again if she killed her son. Yes, you read that correctly: she could return home if she killed her small son.
In a further interview with the father and Soheila's brother, the father says they will track her down and kill her even if she goes to America. 'Wherever she is found, she will be killed'. He then addresses Soheila:
"If you love him, go to Niaz Mohammad. With all the strength that God has given me, I will ask God, 'Before they take another step, God, kill both of them.'"
visit, the brother states that he had already engaged his own daughter to an older man when she was three days old. Asked what he would do if she too ran away from such a marriage, he is as direct as his father: "I will kill her".
Some of this seems as if taken from a horror story in which men are the unchanging villains and women the eternal victims. Certainly, it is not hard to understand why men coming from these and similar backgrounds, propelled by Islamic and traditional attitudes, unable to cope with the sight of a lightly dressed woman, teenager or little girl, and taught that women are their property, zealous of their personal or family honour, and never taught self-control, assuming male rights over all women, and contemptuous of non-Muslim women on the grounds that all non-Muslims are the inferiors of all Muslims, choose to groom, traffic, and rape vulnerable females living in their own towns.
Dr. Denis MacEoin lectured in Arabic and Islamic Studies at Newcastle University and is currently a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute. He lives in Newcastle upon Tyne.
[1] See John L. Esposito (ed.), "Ahl-i Hadith", The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, Oxford, 2014
[2] A left-wing member of the Labour Party who is known for his pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel activities.
[3] Only ten of these may have been Muslims: four are unnamed and described as men of "no fixed abode".
Strictly speaking, shari'a law requires the woman to give consent, though in practice this is usually obtained under pressure.
© 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.

Geert Wilders: "In My Opinion, Islam Is Not a Religion"
Telegraaf and Geert Wilders/Gatestone Institute/September 16/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11009/geert-wilders-in-my-opinion-islam-is-
"Not long ago Professor Koopmans found that as much as seventy percent of Muslims find Islamic rules more important than secular laws." -- Geert Wilders Research also points out that 11 percent of Dutch Muslims in the Netherlands are prepared to use violence on behalf of their religion. That is a 110,000 people, twice the size of the Dutch army!" – Geert Wilders I personally believe there are extremist people and moderate people. But I do not believe in two kinds of Islam. There is only one.... You get your head chopped off should you wish to interpret Islam....People who want to come to the Netherlands from Islamic countries should think: this is not a place we want to go to! And we do not do this to bully Muslims, but to keep the Netherlands of the future a free Netherlands." -– Geert Widers
Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders is deeply concerned about Muslim integration. In our series Islam in the Netherlands he is warning about the "perishing"of our culture. "It is not five to twelve or two to twelve, it is almost morning!" The leader of the second party in the country is pondering about very far-reaching measures.
Geert Wilders (54) is not surprised at the shocking poll results released by daily newspaper De Telegraaf. The fact that only thirteen percent of the Dutch population feel that the problem of integration will solve itself is a writing on the wall, according to him. And that only eleven percent of the Dutch see Islam as an enrichment proves in his opinion that what he has been calling for years. "If I had said that three years ago, I would have had tens of thousands of police reports thrown at me. But people are completely fed up with it. "
How do you explain the figures?
"Decades ago, a few thousand people from Islamic countries would stay temporarily. But temporarily turned out to be permanently. Those thousands of guest workers became hundreds of thousands. And in Europe millions of people by now. Back then those people were called upon to integrate and assimilate. But Islam, the word says it already, seeks to dominate. Not long ago Professor Koopmans found that as much as seventy percent of Muslims find Islamic rules more important than secular laws. In Europe almost weekly innocent people are slaughtered in name of Allah and Islam. Proudly. We have been declared war and we refuse to defend ourselves."
Who is responsible for this?
"I think that probably the worst of all is that Western European politicians have allowed this to happen. Last week Sybrand Buma of the Christian democratic party CDA was suddenly critical of Islam. That is like a bank robber who, twenty years after the robbery, has spent all the money and apologizes for doing so. He is the one who did it. CDA has been in power in the Netherlands for 50 years. "
Is it not a bit blunt to say ...
"No!"
... that Muslims do not integrate?
"I am talking about Islam. But research also points out that 11 percent of Dutch Muslims in the Netherlands are prepared to use violence on behalf of their religion. That is a 110,000 people, twice the size of the Dutch army! "
But perhaps many Muslims in fact take Islam less serious and profess their faith behind the front door, peacefully. Secretary Asscher of Integration said in this paper last week that those people should not be held accountable for terrorist attacks.
"Do you know, secretary Asscher and Prime Minister Rutte are two sides of the same coin. After the second attack in June, Rutte said that Muslims are double the victim, because they are not only victims of attacks, but also blamed for it as a group. For all I care everyone is free to get all teary-eyed but we will perish if we continue. It reminds me of what happened after the murder of Theo van Gogh. Some people, even members of the Royal House, went to a mosque as a first response. That is total cowardice. We are the victims."
Who are we? Does it not also include those Muslims not engaged in fanatism? This way people are categorized into a group they do not feel connected to at all.
"Then take your distance from that group. Of course I do not say that all Muslims are cheering at an attack. But I can hardly listen to it, the terror attack commemorations in Parliament. I think we have had ten to twelve this year. I am attending, out of respect for the relatives and the victims and will continue to do so. But every time Rutte reads the same a4-format paper, only altering the name of the city and country where the attack took place. The man does not show any action. "
How do you liberate yourself from the Islamic yoke in your opinion?
"Leave Islam."
So people must renounce their faith?
"There is nothing they must do. But I would tell: freedom is such a splendorous thing. You do not have anything like it in Islam. I can not force people to leave Islam. They must above all realize what is going on in their minds. But the real concern is what happens in the public space. What is happening in my country and whether we should have more or less of that. "
There are also Muslims who were born in the Netherlands. The country is just as much their country as it is yours.
"For those people that could apply, but not to Islam."
But according to the constitution it does, a Muslim born here is considered Dutch. According to the Constitution he or she has an equal right to express what the Netherlands should look like.
"We live in a free country. But in my opinion Islam is not a religion. It is a totalitarian, dangerous and violent ideology, dressed up as a religion. People are allowed to think whatever they like, but I also have the right to say that Islam should not be included in the constitutional freedoms.
Can a Muslim not just be moderate?
"According to the Quran that is not possible. I personally believe there are extremist people and moderate people. But I do not believe in two kinds of Islam. There is only one. One that is impossible to reform. And even if it would be the case, we can not afford to wait for another 150 or 300 years. I think it will never happen. You get your head chopped off should you wish to interpret Islam."
What do you think should happen?
"Recognize the problem. Dare to say that Islam does not integrate. Define Islam as a violent totalitarian undemocratic thing. And stop immigration from Islamic countries. During cabinet Rutte II, a 100,000 Muslims were added. These are not all terrorists or bad people, but it is 100,000 times more Islam entering the Netherlands."
There was a war. People were on the move, lost their homes.
"That was not the case. If they were refugees, they would have stopped in the first safe country after Syria. By the way, this is also part of the solution: all Syrians must return! Tomorrow! Why not? That country is safe. This is our country. Why would a Syrian be able to return from the refugee camps in Jordan or Lebanon and not from a refugee centre here? "
Because the land is in ruins and dictator Assad uses poison gas against his own people for example.
"There are many countries in the world that have not very pleasant regimes."
Back to the Netherlands. We also have a constitution in this country that protects such things as freedom of education and religion. Should that be altered?
"I do not see the word Islam in any constitution, but in jurisprudence Islam is considered to be a religion."
Do you want to put into law that Islam is not a religion?
"We will have to see about legal possibilities Can it be done, how can it be done and what way can it be done. But it's definitely worth studying"
So you want to ban Islam?
"I do not rule out that this may be necessary in the long run. It will concern the expressions. You can not ban an idea, that's impossible. You can not ban communism either. "
There is religious freedom in this country. But you want to record that Islam is not a religion.
"In my opinion it is not part of religious freedom. That is my political wish. How to execute such a thing is wish number two. "
That is very useful for a politician if he makes a statement. What should we think of?
"That is what we have to look into. I have now lifted a tip of the veil. "
Many people will be startled when they read this.
"We are not going to collect Qurans from people's homes. What is going on behind their front door is their business. We are talking about public space, but it is too early to say anything about it now. "
Does this not make it very casual?
"No. I have ventilated this for ten years.
"Some things you mention you have. But banning Islam is something different.
"If it is possible to put it into law, we will put it into law. But it will be about expressions. Recently we have also drafted an administrative detention bill for jihadists. I realize all problems will not be solved tomorrowby closing a mosque. You must make it unattractive in this country to profess Islam. People who want to come to the Netherlands from Islamic countries should think: this is not a place we want to go to! And we do not do this to bully Muslims, but to keep the Netherlands of the future a free Netherlands."
This interview was published in De Telegraaf today , the largest daily newspaper in The Netherlands and was translated by the Party for Freedom.
Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders is deeply concerned about Muslim integration. In our series Islam in the Netherlands he is warning about the "perishing"of our culture. "It is not five to twelve or two to twelve, it is almost morning!" The leader of the second party in the country is pondering about very far-reaching measures.
Geert Wilders (54) is not surprised at the shocking poll results released by daily newspaper De Telegraaf. The fact that only thirteen percent of the Dutch population feel that the problem of integration will solve itself is a writing on the wall, according to him. And that only eleven percent of the Dutch see Islam as an enrichment proves in his opinion that what he has been calling for years. "If I had said that three years ago, I would have had tens of thousands of police reports thrown at me. But people are completely fed up with it. "
How do you explain the figures?
"Decades ago, a few thousand people from Islamic countries would stay temporarily. But temporarily turned out to be permanently. Those thousands of guest workers became hundreds of thousands. And in Europe millions of people by now. Back then those people were called upon to integrate and assimilate. But Islam, the word says it already, seeks to dominate. Not long ago Professor Koopmans found that as much as seventy percent of Muslims find Islamic rules more important than secular laws. In Europe almost weekly innocent people are slaughtered in name of Allah and Islam. Proudly. We have been declared war and we refuse to defend ourselves."
Who is responsible for this?
"I think that probably the worst of all is that Western European politicians have allowed this to happen. Last week Sybrand Buma of the Christian democratic party CDA was suddenly critical of Islam. That is like a bank robber who, twenty years after the robbery, has spent all the money and apologizes for doing so. He is the one who did it. CDA has been in power in the Netherlands for 50 years. "
Is it not a bit blunt to say ...
"No!"
... that Muslims do not integrate?
"I am talking about Islam. But research also points out that 11 percent of Dutch Muslims in the Netherlands are prepared to use violence on behalf of their religion. That is a 110,000 people, twice the size of the Dutch army! "
But perhaps many Muslims in fact take Islam less serious and profess their faith behind the front door, peacefully. Secretary Asscher of Integration said in this paper last week that those people should not be held accountable for terrorist attacks.
"Do you know, secretary Asscher and Prime Minister Rutte are two sides of the same coin. After the second attack in June, Rutte said that Muslims are double the victim, because they are not only victims of attacks, but also blamed for it as a group. For all I care everyone is free to get all teary-eyed but we will perish if we continue. It reminds me of what happened after the murder of Theo van Gogh. Some people, even members of the Royal House, went to a mosque as a first response. That is total cowardice. We are the victims."
Who are we? Does it not also include those Muslims not engaged in fanaticism? This way people are categorized into a group they do not feel connected to at all.
"Then take your distance from that group. Of course I do not say that all Muslims are cheering at an attack. But I can hardly listen to it, the terror attack commemorations in Parliament. I think we have had ten to twelve this year. I am attending, out of respect for the relatives and the victims and will continue to do so. But every time Rutte reads the same a4-format paper, only altering the name of the city and country where the attack took place. The man does not show any action. "
How do you liberate yourself from the Islamic yoke in your opinion?
"Leave Islam."
So people must renounce their faith?
"There is nothing they must do. But I would tell: freedom is such a splendorous thing. You do not have anything like it in Islam. I can not force people to leave Islam. They must above all realize what is going on in their minds. But the real concern is what happens in the public space. What is happening in my country and whether we should have more or less of that. "
There are also Muslims who were born in the Netherlands. The country is just as much their country as it is yours.
"For those people that could apply, but not to Islam."
Are Islam and modernity compatible? Photo: Wikipedia.
But according to the constitution it does, a Muslim born here is considered Dutch. According to the Constitution he or she has an equal right to express what the Netherlands should look like.
"We live in a free country. But in my opinion Islam is not a religion. It is a totalitarian, dangerous and violent ideology, dressed up as a religion. People are allowed to think whatever they like, but I also have the right to say that Islam should not be included in the constitutional freedoms.
Can a Muslim not just be moderate?
"According to the Quran that is not possible. I personally believe there are extremist people and moderate people. But I do not believe in two kinds of Islam. There is only one. One that is impossible to reform. And even if it would be the case, we can not afford to wait for another 150 or 300 years. I think it will never happen. You get your head chopped off should you wish to interpret Islam."
What do you think should happen?
"Recognize the problem. Dare to say that Islam does not integrate. Define Islam as a violent totalitarian undemocratic thing. And stop immigration from Islamic countries. During cabinet Rutte II, a 100,000 Muslims were added. These are not all terrorists or bad people, but it is 100,000 times more Islam entering the Netherlands."
There was a war. People were on the move, lost their homes.
"That was not the case. If they were refugees, they would have stopped in the first safe country after Syria. By the way, this is also part of the solution: all Syrians must return! Tomorrow! Why not? That country is safe. This is our country. Why would a Syrian be able to return from the refugee camps in Jordan or Lebanon and not from a refugee centre here? "
Because the land is in ruins and dictator Assad uses poison gas against his own people for example.
"There are many countries in the world that have not very pleasant regimes."
Back to the Netherlands. We also have a constitution in this country that protects such things as freedom of education and religion. Should that be altered?
"I do not see the word Islam in any constitution, but in jurisprudence Islam is considered to be a religion."
Do you want to put into law that Islam is not a religion?
"We will have to see about legal possibilities Can it be done, how can it be done and what way can it be done. But it's definitely worth studying"
So you want to ban Islam?
"I do not rule out that this may be necessary in the long run. It will concern the expressions. You can not ban an idea, that's impossible. You can not ban communism either. "
There is religious freedom in this country. But you want to record that Islam is not a religion.
"In my opinion it is not part of religious freedom. That is my political wish. How to execute such a thing is wish number two. "
That is very useful for a politician if he makes a statement. What should we think of?
"That is what we have to look into. I have now lifted a tip of the veil. "
Many people will be startled when they read this.
"We are not going to collect Qurans from people's homes. What is going on behind their front door is their business. We are talking about public space, but it is too early to say anything about it now. "
Does this not make it very casual?
"No. I have ventilated this for ten years.
"Some things you mention you have. But banning Islam is something different.
"If it is possible to put it into law, we will put it into law. But it will be about expressions. Recently we have also drafted an administrative detention bill for jihadists. I realize all problems will not be solved tomorrowby closing a mosque. You must make it unattractive in this country to profess Islam. People who want to come to the Netherlands from Islamic countries should think: this is not a place we want to go to! And we do not do this to bully Muslims, but to keep the Netherlands of the future a free Netherlands."
This interview was published in De Telegraaf today , the largest daily newspaper in The Netherlands and was translated by the Party for Freedom.
Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders is deeply concerned about Muslim integration. In our series Islam in the Netherlands he is warning about the "perishing"of our culture. "It is not five to twelve or two to twelve, it is almost morning!" The leader of the second party in the country is pondering about very far-reaching measures.
Geert Wilders (54) is not surprised at the shocking poll results released by daily newspaper De Telegraaf. The fact that only thirteen percent of the Dutch population feel that the problem of integration will solve itself is a writing on the wall, according to him. And that only eleven percent of the Dutch see Islam as an enrichment proves in his opinion that what he has been calling for years. "If I had said that three years ago, I would have had tens of thousands of police reports thrown at me. But people are completely fed up with it. "
How do you explain the figures?
"Decades ago, a few thousand people from Islamic countries would stay temporarily. But temporarily turned out to be permanently. Those thousands of guest workers became hundreds of thousands. And in Europe millions of people by now. Back then those people were called upon to integrate and assimilate. But Islam, the word says it already, seeks to dominate. Not long ago Professor Koopmans found that as much as seventy percent of Muslims find Islamic rules more important than secular laws. In Europe almost weekly innocent people are slaughtered in name of Allah and Islam. Proudly. We have been declared war and we refuse to defend ourselves."
Who is responsible for this?
"I think that probably the worst of all is that Western European politicians have allowed this to happen. Last week Sybrand Buma of the Christian democratic party CDA was suddenly critical of Islam. That is like a bank robber who, twenty years after the robbery, has spent all the money and apologizes for doing so. He is the one who did it. CDA has been in power in the Netherlands for 50 years. "
Is it not a bit blunt to say ...
"No!"
... that Muslims do not integrate?
"I am talking about Islam. But research also points out that 11 percent of Dutch Muslims in the Netherlands are prepared to use violence on behalf of their religion. That is a 110,000 people, twice the size of the Dutch army! "
But perhaps many Muslims in fact take Islam less serious and profess their faith behind the front door, peacefully. Secretary Asscher of Integration said in this paper last week that those people should not be held accountable for terrorist attacks.
"Do you know, secretary Asscher and Prime Minister Rutte are two sides of the same coin. After the second attack in June, Rutte said that Muslims are double the victim, because they are not only victims of attacks, but also blamed for it as a group. For all I care everyone is free to get all teary-eyed but we will perish if we continue. It reminds me of what happened after the murder of Theo van Gogh. Some people, even members of the Royal House, went to a mosque as a first response. That is total cowardice. We are the victims."
Who are we? Does it not also include those Muslims not engaged in fanatism? This way people are categorized into a group they do not feel connected to at all.
"Then take your distance from that group. Of course I do not say that all Muslims are cheering at an attack. But I can hardly listen to it, the terror attack commemorations in Parliament. I think we have had ten to twelve this year. I am attending, out of respect for the relatives and the victims and will continue to do so. But every time Rutte reads the same a4-format paper, only altering the name of the city and country where the attack took place. The man does not show any action. "
How do you liberate yourself from the Islamic yoke in your opinion?
"Leave Islam."
So people must renounce their faith?
"There is nothing they must do. But I would tell: freedom is such a splendorous thing. You do not have anything like it in Islam. I can not force people to leave Islam. They must above all realize what is going on in their minds. But the real concern is what happens in the public space. What is happening in my country and whether we should have more or less of that. "
There are also Muslims who were born in the Netherlands. The country is just as much their country as it is yours.
"For those people that could apply, but not to Islam."
But according to the constitution it does, a Muslim born here is considered Dutch. According to the Constitution he or she has an equal right to express what the Netherlands should look like.
"We live in a free country. But in my opinion Islam is not a religion. It is a totalitarian, dangerous and violent ideology, dressed up as a religion. People are allowed to think whatever they like, but I also have the right to say that Islam should not be included in the constitutional freedoms.
Can a Muslim not just be moderate?
"According to the Quran that is not possible. I personally believe there are extremist people and moderate people. But I do not believe in two kinds of Islam. There is only one. One that is impossible to reform. And even if it would be the case, we can not afford to wait for another 150 or 300 years. I think it will never happen. You get your head chopped off should you wish to interpret Islam."
What do you think should happen?
"Recognize the problem. Dare to say that Islam does not integrate. Define Islam as a violent totalitarian undemocratic thing. And stop immigration from Islamic countries. During cabinet Rutte II, a 100,000 Muslims were added. These are not all terrorists or bad people, but it is 100,000 times more Islam entering the Netherlands."
There was a war. People were on the move, lost their homes.
"That was not the case. If they were refugees, they would have stopped in the first safe country after Syria. By the way, this is also part of the solution: all Syrians must return! Tomorrow! Why not? That country is safe. This is our country. Why would a Syrian be able to return from the refugee camps in Jordan or Lebanon and not from a refugee centre here? "
Because the land is in ruins and dictator Assad uses poison gas against his own people for example.
"There are many countries in the world that have not very pleasant regimes."
Back to the Netherlands. We also have a constitution in this country that protects such things as freedom of education and religion. Should that be altered?
"I do not see the word Islam in any constitution, but in jurisprudence Islam is considered to be a religion."
Do you want to put into law that Islam is not a religion?
"We will have to see about legal possibilities Can it be done, how can it be done and what way can it be done. But it's definitely worth studying"
So you want to ban Islam?
"I do not rule out that this may be necessary in the long run. It will concern the expressions. You can not ban an idea, that's impossible. You can not ban communism either. "
There is religious freedom in this country. But you want to record that Islam is not a religion.
"In my opinion it is not part of religious freedom. That is my political wish. How to execute such a thing is wish number two. "
That is very useful for a politician if he makes a statement. What should we think of?
"That is what we have to look into. I have now lifted a tip of the veil. "
Many people will be startled when they read this.
"We are not going to collect Qurans from people's homes. What is going on behind their front door is their business. We are talking about public space, but it is too early to say anything about it now. "
Does this not make it very casual?
"No. I have ventilated this for ten years.
"Some things you mention you have. But banning Islam is something different.
"If it is possible to put it into law, we will put it into law. But it will be about expressions. Recently we have also drafted an administrative detention bill for jihadists. I realize all problems will not be solved tomorrowby closing a mosque. You must make it unattractive in this country to profess Islam. People who want to come to the Netherlands from Islamic countries should think: this is not a place we want to go to! And we do not do this to bully Muslims, but to keep the Netherlands of the future a free Netherlands."
This interview was published in De Telegraaf today , the largest daily newspaper in The Netherlands and was translated by the Party for Freedom.
Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders is deeply concerned about Muslim integration. In our series Islam in the Netherlands he is warning about the "perishing"of our culture. "It is not five to twelve or two to twelve, it is almost morning!" The leader of the second party in the country is pondering about very far-reaching measures.
Geert Wilders (54) is not surprised at the shocking poll results released by daily newspaper De Telegraaf. The fact that only thirteen percent of the Dutch population feel that the problem of integration will solve itself is a writing on the wall, according to him. And that only eleven percent of the Dutch see Islam as an enrichment proves in his opinion that what he has been calling for years. "If I had said that three years ago, I would have had tens of thousands of police reports thrown at me. But people are completely fed up with it. "
How do you explain the figures?
"Decades ago, a few thousand people from Islamic countries would stay temporarily. But temporarily turned out to be permanently. Those thousands of guest workers became hundreds of thousands. And in Europe millions of people by now. Back then those people were called upon to integrate and assimilate. But Islam, the word says it already, seeks to dominate. Not long ago Professor Koopmans found that as much as seventy percent of Muslims find Islamic rules more important than secular laws. In Europe almost weekly innocent people are slaughtered in name of Allah and Islam. Proudly. We have been declared war and we refuse to defend ourselves."
Who is responsible for this?
"I think that probably the worst of all is that Western European politicians have allowed this to happen. Last week Sybrand Buma of the Christian democratic party CDA was suddenly critical of Islam. That is like a bank robber who, twenty years after the robbery, has spent all the money and apologizes for doing so. He is the one who did it. CDA has been in power in the Netherlands for 50 years. "
Is it not a bit blunt to say ...
"No!"
... that Muslims do not integrate?
"I am talking about Islam. But research also points out that 11 percent of Dutch Muslims in the Netherlands are prepared to use violence on behalf of their religion. That is a 110,000 people, twice the size of the Dutch army! "
But perhaps many Muslims in fact take Islam less serious and profess their faith behind the front door, peacefully. Secretary Asscher of Integration said in this paper last week that those people should not be held accountable for terrorist attacks.
"Do you know, secretary Asscher and Prime Minister Rutte are two sides of the same coin. After the second attack in June, Rutte said that Muslims are double the victim, because they are not only victims of attacks, but also blamed for it as a group. For all I care everyone is free to get all teary-eyed but we will perish if we continue. It reminds me of what happened after the murder of Theo van Gogh. Some people, even members of the Royal House, went to a mosque as a first response. That is total cowardice. We are the victims."
Who are we? Does it not also include those Muslims not engaged in fanatism? This way people are categorized into a group they do not feel connected to at all.
"Then take your distance from that group. Of course I do not say that all Muslims are cheering at an attack. But I can hardly listen to it, the terror attack commemorations in Parliament. I think we have had ten to twelve this year. I am attending, out of respect for the relatives and the victims and will continue to do so. But every time Rutte reads the same a4-format paper, only altering the name of the city and country where the attack took place. The man does not show any action. "
How do you liberate yourself from the Islamic yoke in your opinion?
"Leave Islam."
So people must renounce their faith?
"There is nothing they must do. But I would tell: freedom is such a splendorous thing. You do not have anything like it in Islam. I can not force people to leave Islam. They must above all realize what is going on in their minds. But the real concern is what happens in the public space. What is happening in my country and whether we should have more or less of that. "
There are also Muslims who were born in the Netherlands. The country is just as much their country as it is yours.
"For those people that could apply, but not to Islam."
But according to the constitution it does, a Muslim born here is considered Dutch. According to the Constitution he or she has an equal right to express what the Netherlands should look like.
"We live in a free country. But in my opinion Islam is not a religion. It is a totalitarian, dangerous and violent ideology, dressed up as a religion. People are allowed to think whatever they like, but I also have the right to say that Islam should not be included in the constitutional freedoms.
Can a Muslim not just be moderate?
"According to the Quran that is not possible. I personally believe there are extremist people and moderate people. But I do not believe in two kinds of Islam. There is only one. One that is impossible to reform. And even if it would be the case, we can not afford to wait for another 150 or 300 years. I think it will never happen. You get your head chopped off should you wish to interpret Islam."
What do you think should happen?
"Recognize the problem. Dare to say that Islam does not integrate. Define Islam as a violent totalitarian undemocratic thing. And stop immigration from Islamic countries. During cabinet Rutte II, a 100,000 Muslims were added. These are not all terrorists or bad people, but it is 100,000 times more Islam entering the Netherlands."
There was a war. People were on the move, lost their homes.
"That was not the case. If they were refugees, they would have stopped in the first safe country after Syria. By the way, this is also part of the solution: all Syrians must return! Tomorrow! Why not? That country is safe. This is our country. Why would a Syrian be able to return from the refugee camps in Jordan or Lebanon and not from a refugee centre here? "
Because the land is in ruins and dictator Assad uses poison gas against his own people for example.
"There are many countries in the world that have not very pleasant regimes."
Back to the Netherlands. We also have a constitution in this country that protects such things as freedom of education and religion. Should that be altered?
"I do not see the word Islam in any constitution, but in jurisprudence Islam is considered to be a religion."
Do you want to put into law that Islam is not a religion?
"We will have to see about legal possibilities Can it be done, how can it be done and what way can it be done. But it's definitely worth studying"
So you want to ban Islam?
"I do not rule out that this may be necessary in the long run. It will concern the expressions. You can not ban an idea, that's impossible. You can not ban communism either. "
There is religious freedom in this country. But you want to record that Islam is not a religion.
"In my opinion it is not part of religious freedom. That is my political wish. How to execute such a thing is wish number two. "
That is very useful for a politician if he makes a statement. What should we think of?
"That is what we have to look into. I have now lifted a tip of the veil. "
Many people will be startled when they read this.
"We are not going to collect Qurans from people's homes. What is going on behind their front door is their business. We are talking about public space, but it is too early to say anything about it now. "
Does this not make it very casual?
"No. I have ventilated this for ten years.
"Some things you mention you have. But banning Islam is something different.
"If it is possible to put it into law, we will put it into law. But it will be about expressions. Recently we have also drafted an administrative detention bill for jihadists. I realize all problems will not be solved tomorrowby closing a mosque. You must make it unattractive in this country to profess Islam. People who want to come to the Netherlands from Islamic countries should think: this is not a place we want to go to! And we do not do this to bully Muslims, but to keep the Netherlands of the future a free Netherlands."
This interview was published in De Telegraaf today , the largest daily newspaper in The Netherlands and was translated by the Party for Freedom.
Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders is deeply concerned about Muslim integration. In our series Islam in the Netherlands he is warning about the "perishing"of our culture. "It is not five to twelve or two to twelve, it is almost morning!" The leader of the second party in the country is pondering about very far-reaching measures.
Geert Wilders (54) is not surprised at the shocking poll results released by daily newspaper De Telegraaf. The fact that only thirteen percent of the Dutch population feel that the problem of integration will solve itself is a writing on the wall, according to him. And that only eleven percent of the Dutch see Islam as an enrichment proves in his opinion that what he has been calling for years. "If I had said that three years ago, I would have had tens of thousands of police reports thrown at me. But people are completely fed up with it. "
How do you explain the figures?
"Decades ago, a few thousand people from Islamic countries would stay temporarily. But temporarily turned out to be permanently. Those thousands of guest workers became hundreds of thousands. And in Europe millions of people by now. Back then those people were called upon to integrate and assimilate. But Islam, the word says it already, seeks to dominate. Not long ago Professor Koopmans found that as much as seventy percent of Muslims find Islamic rules more important than secular laws. In Europe almost weekly innocent people are slaughtered in name of Allah and Islam. Proudly. We have been declared war and we refuse to defend ourselves."
Who is responsible for this?
"I think that probably the worst of all is that Western European politicians have allowed this to happen. Last week Sybrand Buma of the Christian democratic party CDA was suddenly critical of Islam. That is like a bank robber who, twenty years after the robbery, has spent all the money and apologizes for doing so. He is the one who did it. CDA has been in power in the Netherlands for 50 years. "
Is it not a bit blunt to say ...
"No!"
... that Muslims do not integrate?
"I am talking about Islam. But research also points out that 11 percent of Dutch Muslims in the Netherlands are prepared to use violence on behalf of their religion. That is a 110,000 people, twice the size of the Dutch army! "
But perhaps many Muslims in fact take Islam less serious and profess their faith behind the front door, peacefully. Secretary Asscher of Integration said in this paper last week that those people should not be held accountable for terrorist attacks.
"Do you know, secretary Asscher and Prime Minister Rutte are two sides of the same coin. After the second attack in June, Rutte said that Muslims are double the victim, because they are not only victims of attacks, but also blamed for it as a group. For all I care everyone is free to get all teary-eyed but we will perish if we continue. It reminds me of what happened after the murder of Theo van Gogh. Some people, even members of the Royal House, went to a mosque as a first response. That is total cowardice. We are the victims."
Who are we? Does it not also include those Muslims not engaged in fanatism? This way people are categorized into a group they do not feel connected to at all.
"Then take your distance from that group. Of course I do not say that all Muslims are cheering at an attack. But I can hardly listen to it, the terror attack commemorations in Parliament. I think we have had ten to twelve this year. I am attending, out of respect for the relatives and the victims and will continue to do so. But every time Rutte reads the same a4-format paper, only altering the name of the city and country where the attack took place. The man does not show any action. "
How do you liberate yourself from the Islamic yoke in your opinion?
"Leave Islam."
So people must renounce their faith?
"There is nothing they must do. But I would tell: freedom is such a splendorous thing. You do not have anything like it in Islam. I can not force people to leave Islam. They must above all realize what is going on in their minds. But the real concern is what happens in the public space. What is happening in my country and whether we should have more or less of that. "
There are also Muslims who were born in the Netherlands. The country is just as much their country as it is yours.
"For those people that could apply, but not to Islam."
But according to the constitution it does, a Muslim born here is considered Dutch. According to the Constitution he or she has an equal right to express what the Netherlands should look like.
"We live in a free country. But in my opinion Islam is not a religion. It is a totalitarian, dangerous and violent ideology, dressed up as a religion. People are allowed to think whatever they like, but I also have the right to say that Islam should not be included in the constitutional freedoms.
Can a Muslim not just be moderate?
"According to the Quran that is not possible. I personally believe there are extremist people and moderate people. But I do not believe in two kinds of Islam. There is only one. One that is impossible to reform. And even if it would be the case, we can not afford to wait for another 150 or 300 years. I think it will never happen. You get your head chopped off should you wish to interpret Islam."
What do you think should happen?
"Recognize the problem. Dare to say that Islam does not integrate. Define Islam as a violent totalitarian undemocratic thing. And stop immigration from Islamic countries. During cabinet Rutte II, a 100,000 Muslims were added. These are not all terrorists or bad people, but it is 100,000 times more Islam entering the Netherlands."
There was a war. People were on the move, lost their homes.
"That was not the case. If they were refugees, they would have stopped in the first safe country after Syria. By the way, this is also part of the solution: all Syrians must return! Tomorrow! Why not? That country is safe. This is our country. Why would a Syrian be able to return from the refugee camps in Jordan or Lebanon and not from a refugee centre here? "
Because the land is in ruins and dictator Assad uses poison gas against his own people for example.
"There are many countries in the world that have not very pleasant regimes."
Back to the Netherlands. We also have a constitution in this country that protects such things as freedom of education and religion. Should that be altered?
"I do not see the word Islam in any constitution, but in jurisprudence Islam is considered to be a religion."
Do you want to put into law that Islam is not a religion?
"We will have to see about legal possibilities Can it be done, how can it be done and what way can it be done. But it's definitely worth studying"
So you want to ban Islam?
"I do not rule out that this may be necessary in the long run. It will concern the expressions. You can not ban an idea, that's impossible. You can not ban communism either. "
There is religious freedom in this country. But you want to record that Islam is not a religion.
"In my opinion it is not part of religious freedom. That is my political wish. How to execute such a thing is wish number two. "
That is very useful for a politician if he makes a statement. What should we think of?
"That is what we have to look into. I have now lifted a tip of the veil. "
Many people will be startled when they read this.
"We are not going to collect Qurans from people's homes. What is going on behind their front door is their business. We are talking about public space, but it is too early to say anything about it now. "
Does this not make it very casual?
"No. I have ventilated this for ten years.
"Some things you mention you have. But banning Islam is something different.
"If it is possible to put it into law, we will put it into law. But it will be about expressions. Recently we have also drafted an administrative detention bill for jihadists. I realize all problems will not be solved tomorrowby closing a mosque. You must make it unattractive in this country to profess Islam. People who want to come to the Netherlands from Islamic countries should think: this is not a place we want to go to! And we do not do this to bully Muslims, but to keep the Netherlands of the future a free Netherlands."
This interview was published in De Telegraaf today, the largest daily newspaper in The Netherlands and was translated by the Party for Freedom.
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