English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For December 10/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the
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http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2021/english.december10.21.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus Embarrasses The
Chief Priests & The Elders
Matthew 21/23-27: When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the
elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what
authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?”Jesus answered
them, “I also will ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will
tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, where was it
from? From heaven or from men?”They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we
say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if
we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all hold John as a prophet.” They
answered Jesus, and said, “We don’t know.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on December 09-10/2021
Lebanese President: Parliamentary Elections Will Be Held On Time
Egypt to supply Lebanon with gas to alleviate power crisis
Miqati Arrives in Cairo, Meets al-Sisi, Aboul Gheit
Miqati Fears Calling for Cabinet Session if Bitar Row Not Resolved
KSA, UAE Say Lebanon Shouldn't be a Launchpad for 'Terrorist' Hizbullah
Yemen army kills Hezbollah military expert, Akram Al-Sayed in Marib
Yemeni Minister Urges Stance from Lebanon after 'Hizbullah Commander' Killed
Bitar Reportedly Says He’ll Issue Indictment in Three Months
Bassil Slams Labor Minister Decision to Allow Palestinians to Work in Lebanon
Judge Bitar resumes Beirut blast probe; unwilling to budge
BDL Hikes Bank Withdrawal Exchange Rate to LBP 8,000
Shami: IMF Talks Difficult if Cabinet Doesn't Convene
Lebanon Reports Its First Omicron Cases
Water Pipe Bursts in Beirut, Causing Material Damage
Lebanese rulers’ desperate positive spin on country’s crisis/Mohamed Chebaro/Arab
News/December 09, 2021
Sixteen months/Ronnie Chatah/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
Macron’s Lebanon initiative will have a placebo effect/Makram Rabah/Al-Arabiya/December
09/2021
Les élections et AlbertSuperHarry/Jean-Marie Kassab/Decembre 09/2021
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
December 09-10/2021
US preparing for outcome where no Iran deal is reached: Senior US
diplomat
Return to 2015 Iran deal should only be first step to longer, stronger deal:
Saudi FM
US, Israel to Discuss Military Drills for Iran Scenario
US to Decide Quickly if Iran Serious About Nuclear Talks
Half of Iran's Civil Jets Grounded For Lack of Spare Parts
US Seizes Iranian Arms Destined for Yemen’s Houthis
UAE, Saudis decry Hezbollah, back Palestinian capital in Jerusalem
US eyes joint military drills with Israel to deal with Iranian nuclear threat
Israeli Foreign Minister in Cairo to Strengthen Ties
Qatari Emir, Saudi Crown Prince Chair Joint Coordination Council Meeting in Doha
Joint UAE-Saudi Statement Reaffirms Distinguished Ties, Deep-rooted Historic
Relations
Muslim Brotherhood ups campaign to postpone Libya elections
Congress Demands Biden’s Administration Clarify US Strategy on Syria
Iraqi Official Says US-led Troops End Combat Mission, as Planned
Burhan Warns Diplomats Not to Interfere in Sudan's Internal Affairs
Le Drian Urges Easing of Tension with Algeria
As ties warm up with Arab countries, Syria to host 2024 energy conference
Sudan in danger as death toll in Darfur tribal clashes mounts
Canada/Minister Joly and Minister Sajjan to participate in G7 Foreign and
Development Ministers’ Meeting in Liverpool, United Kingdom
Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC
English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
December 09-10/2021
Arabs to Biden: Do Not Let Iran Play You for a Fool/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone
Institute/December 09/2021
Have political parties lost their role in Algeria?/The Arab Weekly/December
09/2021
West must learn from its Iran nuclear deal mistakes/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab
News/December 09, 2021
Adapting to the changing face of the space race/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab
News/December 09, 2021
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on December 09-10/2021
Lebanese President: Parliamentary Elections Will Be Held On
Time
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
President Michel Aoun has underlined Lebanon’s commitment to international
resolutions and confirmed that the parliamentary elections would take place in
the spring. He also said that efforts were underway to resume cabinet sessions.
His remarks came during a meeting on Wednesday with the United Nations Special
Coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka, at the Baabda Palace. “Any attempt by
external sides to interfere in the elections to influence voters will be faced
firmly,” Aoun said, pointing to “parties, organizations, and associations trying
to exploit the country’s difficult living and economic conditions to pressure
voters.”He added that contacts were underway to overcome obstacles paralyzing
the cabinet, reiterating his rejection of political interference in judicial
affairs, in particular the ongoing investigations into the Beirut port
explosion. Aoun also emphasized “Lebanon’s commitment to implementing
international resolutions, especially UN Security Council Resolution 1701,”
highly valuing “the existing cooperation between the Lebanese Army in the South
and UNIFIL for the sake of stability and security in the region,” a statement
issued by the presidential office said. Wronecka, for her part, informed the
president on the discussions following her briefing to the UN on the
implementation of Resolution 1701 and the position of member states. UNSCR 1701
stipulates that the government must have control over all Lebanese territories
and disarm all armed groups in the country. Aoun welcomed the expected visit of
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Lebanon later this month, revealing
ongoing preparations and coordination with the UN Secretariat in New York.
Egypt to supply Lebanon with gas to alleviate power
crisis
AFP/Arab News/December 09, 2021
CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Lebanese Prime Minister
Najib Mikati in Cairo on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Egyptian Prime
Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, and Abbas
Kamel, head of General Intelligence.
Speaking after the meeting, El-Sisi stressed the importance Egypt places on the
safety and stability of Lebanon and his desire to help maintain “the strength
and capacity of the Lebanese state.”Mikati praised Egypt’s efforts to mobilize
international support for Lebanon, which is facing several crises politically
and economically. He noted that Egypt plays a vital role in maintaining
stability in the Arab world and said he sees the country as a model for others
to follow, in light of its economic success and development. In their meeting,
the two leaders reviewed the latest developments in Lebanon, in addition to ways
of strengthening the existing relationship between their countries. Mikati had a
separate meeting with Madbouly attended by Lebanon’s Ambassador to Cairo Ali Al-Halabi,
diplomatic advisor Boutros Asaker, and Assistant Foreign Minister of Egypt for
Arab Affairs Alaa Moussa.
Madbouly said Mikati’s visit to Egypt came at a very important time for Lebanon,
and noted that El-Sisi had ordered the urgent supply of gas to Lebanon to help
solve the country’s power shortage.n Mikati reviewed proposed areas of
cooperation and support, which include strengthening cooperation on gas and
electricity, trade — especially in regard to Lebanese agricultural products, and
the provision of aid including food, baby formula and medicine. Madbouly
confirmed that El-Sisi had issued clear instructions to the government that any
necessary aid should be provided as soon as possible.
He added that the Lebanese proposal for a shared-electricity would be assessed
as quickly as possible, and that a date would soon be set for the next session
of the Joint Higher Committee of the two countries. Mikati has proposed that the
next session should be held in Beirut. Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair
Lapid, also visited Cairo this week, and met with El-Sisi, who assured Lapid
that Egypt will continue its efforts to achieve comprehensive and just peace in
the Middle East on the basis of the two-state solution. The Egyptian president
also highlighted Egypt’s work in the Gaza Strip, and its long-standing efforts
to ease tension between Palestine and Israel.
Miqati Arrives in Cairo, Meets al-Sisi, Aboul Gheit
Naharnet/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
Prime Minister Najib Miqati arrived Thursday in Cairo on an official visit to
Egypt. He met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Egyptian Prime
Minister Mustafa Madbouli. Miqati and al-Sisi discussed the Lebanese-Egyptian
relations and the situation in the region, the Premiership said.
Miqati also visited the Arab League's headquarters where he met with the
League's Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
Miqati Fears Calling for Cabinet Session if Bitar Row
Not Resolved
Naharnet/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
Prime Minister Najib Miqati still doesn't want to call for a Cabinet session, if
the standoff continues over Judge Tarek Bitar's investigations, ministerial
sources said. The sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper, in remarks published
Thursday, that the prime minister "fears that such a step would cause more
negative repercussions on the government’s situation.”Cabinet hasn't convened
since Hizbullah and Amal said they would boycott cabinet meetings until Miqati's
administration heeds their demands to replace Bitar.
KSA, UAE Say Lebanon Shouldn't be a Launchpad for
'Terrorist' Hizbullah
Naharnet/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
KSA and UAE urged Lebanon, in a joint statement, "to make political and
economical reforms and to limit the possession of arms to the legitimate state
institutions." "Lebanon shouldn't be an incubator for organizations and groups
that target the security and stability of the region, such as terrorist
Hizbullah," the statement said. The statement stressed that Lebanon shouldn't be
a launchpad for any terrorist acts." They also said that Lebanon shouldn't be a
source of drug smuggling, which "threatens the safety of societies in the region
and the world."
The statement comes at the end of the Saudi crown prince's visit to the United
Arab Emirates on Wednesday, during a high-profile tour of Gulf states.
Yemen army kills Hezbollah military expert, Akram Al-Sayed
in Marib
Saeed Al-Batati/Arab News/December 09, 2021
AL-MUKALLA: A Hezbollah military leader fighting for the Iran-backed Houthis has
been killed in clashes with government forces in the central province of Marib,
Yemen’s information minister revealed on Thursday. In a tweet, Moammar Al-Eryani
said that expert adviser Akram Al-Sayed died when Yemeni army troops shelled
Houthi positions south of Marib, inflicting a blow to a Houthi militia push to
seize control of Marib city. The Houthis are being supported by thousands of
fighters, including many from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq. Al-Eryani called on the
international community and UN Security Council permanent members, “to condemn
this blatant interference, which undermines de-escalation efforts in Yemen,
continues bloodshed, and exacerbates humanitarian suffering of Yemenis.” The
minister urged an intensification of sanctions against Lebanese Hezbollah and
demanded that the government in Lebanon curb the influx of Hezbollah fighters to
Yemen. The Yemeni government has long accused Iran of deploying fighters from
its proxy militias in the region to reinforce the Houthis.
In August, the Yemeni government announced the death in a coalition airstrike in
Serwah of an Iranian military officer who was providing the Houthis with
frontline military advice in Marib. Last year, Arab coalition warplanes killed
two Hezbollah military experts in Yemen during airstrikes on a training camp
outside Houthi-held Sanaa. Meanwhile, sources in Marib reported an increasing
number of attacks by the Houthis on government troops over the past two weeks
which had been concentrated on a chain of mountains known as Al-Balaq, on the
southern edges of Marib. Heavy fighting had left dozens of combatants dead on
both sides, they said. Yemen’s Defense Ministry denied Houthi claims that the
group had seized control of strategic eastern parts of Al-Balaq saying that army
troops and allied tribesmen had repulsed attacks. Several civilians were
wounded on Thursday when two missiles fired by the Houthis ripped through Al-Hamma
camp that hosts 264 internally displaced families on the outskirts of Marib, the
government’s Executive Unit said. It added that the number of displaced people
living in Marib city and its surrounding areas had increased to 2,231,460 after
96,328 people had fled districts south of Marib since early September.
Yemeni Minister Urges Stance from Lebanon after 'Hizbullah
Commander' Killed
Naharnet/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
Hizbullah military commander and expert Akram al-Sayyed has died in artillery
shelling in Yemen’s Marib governorate, Yemeni Information, Culture and Tourism
Minister Moammar al-Aryani has said, describing the development as “a painful
blow to Tehran’s regime and its sectarian militias.” “Al-Sayyed, 35, had entered
Yemen in August 2017 among a host of terrorists belonging to Hizbullah, and on
December 3 he was sent with a number of Hizbullah experts to the fronts of
southern Marib to lead operations and implement Iran’s scheme of escalating the
magnitude of confrontations in the governorate,” Aryani said in a social media
post. He added: “The terrorist was killed alongside Huthi militia commander Abu
Ashraf al-Asadi and eight members of the militia, while his body was evacuated
in an ambulance to the al-Jouba area before being transferred to the Saada
governorate, where the bodies of dozens of Iran and Hizbullah experts and
fighters are being buried in full secrecy.”The Yemeni minister accordingly
called on the Lebanese government and people to “take a decisive stance over
Hizbullah’s continued interference in the Yemeni affairs and its involvement in
the shelling of cities and villages and the death of Yemenis.”
He also called on the international community, the U.N. and the permanent
members of the U.N. Security Council to “condemn this blatant interference which
is undermining the efforts of pacification and peacemaking in Yemen,” while
urging them to “toughen the sanctions against Hizbullah’s leaders.”
Bitar Reportedly Says He’ll Issue Indictment in Three
Months
Naharnet/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
Beirut port blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar has told the families of the
detainees in the case that he will issue the indictment within three months, a
media report said on Thursday. The detainees “will be eventually released” and
they “did not commit a premeditated offense,” Bitar added, according to al-Akhbar
newspaper. There will be a “timeframe” for the imprisonment of each of the
detainees, based on the responsibility of each one of them, the judge reportedly
went on to say. “No one can remove me, and if they remove me I will return,”
Bitar also told the families, according to al-Akhbar.
Bassil Slams Labor Minister Decision to Allow Palestinians
to Work in Lebanon
Naharnet/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
Free Patriotic Movement head Jebran Bassil tweeted Thursday that the decision by
the labor minister to allow Palestinians and the unregistered individuals to
practice dozens of professions is "illegal.""The decision violates the Labor Law
and the Constitution," Bassil said. "It is veiled naturalization and it is
rejected," the MP added. Bassil called on the labor syndicates to reject it
before the State Council, and on the Lebanese to refuse to comply with it. "This
is unacceptable and we will not allow stealing the jobs from the Lebanese in
such circumstances,” Bassil decried. Labor Minister Mostafa Bayram later
affirmed that "the decision is not against the law," and that he has taken it
based on his "powers" as a minister. He said that "the ethical aspect and the
economical benefit are the two motives for the decision," stressing that "the
humanitarian side was one of the main motives."
Judge Bitar resumes Beirut blast probe; unwilling to
budge
Najia Houssari/Arab News/December 09, 2021
BEIRUT: The lawyers of the Beirut port explosion victims and the 17 arrested
defendants fear the lawyers of the politicians accused of being involved in the
crime would resort to the Court of Cassation after they exhausted their cases
before the Court of Appeal. Tarek Bitar, the judge leading the probe, had
resumed his meetings on Wednesday in his office at the Justice Palace after the
judiciary defied the pressures to remove him from the case. Every setback in the
investigations delays the indictment and the trials even further.
The horrific blast occurred on Aug. 4, 2020, after 1,750 tons of ammonium
nitrate stored at the Beirut port along with seized explosives exploded, killing
220 victims, injuring over 6,500 people, and destroying the Beirut waterfront
and its back neighborhoods. Bitar and his predecessor, Judge Fadi Sawan, accused
former PM Hassan Diab and four former ministers, Ali Hassan Khalil, Ghazi
Zeaiter, Nohad Machnouk and Youssef Finianos of being involved in the crime and
charged them with “a felony of probable intent to murder and a misdemeanor of
negligence because they were aware of the presence of the ammonium nitrate, and
did not take measures to spare the country such a disaster.”
Director-General of State Security Maj. Gen. Tony Saliba, his counterpart at the
General Security Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and several judges have also been
accused of being involved. Bitar has not yet received the results of the
simulation he conducted of the explosion in August. A security source told Arab
News that security experts are still reviewing the simulation before drawing up
their report and presenting it to the judge. Bitar is yet to receive the
satellite images [from the day of the explosion] that the Russian administration
handed over to the Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib over a week ago.
“The satellite images have been given to experts from the security forces for
reviewing,” the source noted.
He downplayed the possibility of these images revealing significant details.
“These satellites are always rotating, so they might not have taken any images
right before or during the explosion. If these satellites were above the Beirut
port following the blast, then these images are worthless to the investigation
because what matters is what led to the explosion.”The security source noted
that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) asked many countries for satellite
images when it was investigating the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri,
but none of the satellites had taken images right before or during the crime.
On Thursday, former minister and lawyer Rachid Derbas, representing Diab,
submitted formal pleas before Bitar, regarding the jurisdiction of the Judicial
Council and the Supreme Council for the Trial of Presidents and Ministers.
A judicial source told Arab News that all the arrests and charges made by Bitar
“were based on acts that led to the explosion, and anyone who says otherwise is
lying. The investigation does not focus only on the explosion. It is rather
manifold; how the ship loaded with ammonium nitrate arrived in Lebanon and all
the events that led to the day of the explosion. This investigation is carried
out by a single judge, while such crimes usually have an integrated team to
expedite things.”
He questioned why Hezbollah is suspicious of the investigation's path and is
accusing Bitar of politicizing the case.
The judicial source recalled a speech Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan
Nasrallah gave in the wake of the blast, in which he said he will not provide a
cover for anyone involved, no matter their sect, especially if they were
Shiites, then, later on, started accusing Bitar of politicizing the
investigation and targeting specific sects. “Bitar’s investigation is still
ongoing and he is summoning everyone he believes the facts point to as being
involved. He still has a lot of suspects he needs to question.” Whenever Bitar
takes a step forward, he stumbles over new obstacles. The source wondered: “How
come the STL’s verdict did not provoke any offensive stances such as the ones
Bitar is facing today?”
The judicial source believed Bitar would not step down, “otherwise, he would be
admitting to all the accusations made against him. “Bitar’s conscience is clear
and he is simply doing his duty,” he said, adding: “The judiciary has to shelter
Bitar, just as the military court did and imprisoned the journalist who dared to
utter offensive words against the military institution.”
The ruling class is trying to evade Bitar by insisting that politicians should
be tried before the Supreme Council for the Trial of Presidents and Ministers.
Legal expert and former MP Salah Hanin had previously told Arab News: “The PM
and ministers do not have immunity when they commit a criminal offense such as
the port explosion crime. It subjects them to ordinary laws and to the same
judiciary that exercises its authority over all citizens.”
Hanin cited Article 70 of the Constitution, which stipulates that the parliament
has the right to impeach the PM and ministers for high treason or breach of
their duties. “This article does not include criminal offenses; they thus must
appear before the judiciary.”
BDL Hikes Bank Withdrawal Exchange Rate to LBP 8,000
Naharnet/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
The central bank on Thursday hiked the dollar exchange rate for bank withdrawals
from LBP 3,900 to LBP 8,000 while setting a $3,000 monthly cap per account. In a
statement, the bank said its measure comes ahead of “devising an integrated and
comprehensive governmental pan that is based on the economic and reformist
principles and the requirements of the International Monetary Fund. ”The bank
also called for a governmental plan that “allows for unifying exchange rates,
protecting social and economic stability, and limiting the losses of
depositors.”BDL also noted that a $3,000 monthly cap will be imposed on every
account in order to limit the growth of money supply (M1) in the market and its
impact on inflation. The Lebanese pound, pegged to the dollar for 30 years at
1,507, has been in a free fall since late 2019. It is now trading at nearly
25,300 to the dollar at the black market. The financial crisis has driven more
than half of the population into poverty, caused the local currency to lose more
than 90% of its value, and prompted banks to lock deposits through informal
capital controls, eroding trust in a once-thriving banking sector.
Shami: IMF Talks Difficult if Cabinet Doesn't Convene
Naharnet/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Shami said that "we need the approval of the
Cabinet to start with the IMF's plan.""If Cabinet doesn't convene, there would
be difficulties to negotiate with the IMF," Shami said.He added that there is a
preliminary agreement on the numbers, and "we are still studying the way to
treat the gap." An IMF delegation met with Lebanese officials, Shami said,
adding that the "meetings were not limited to protocols, but included policies
and strategies.""We hope a broader delegation will visit Lebanon in mid-January
to discuss the details of the monetary and economic recovery program," the
deputy PM said. Shami stated that the capital control draft law is "the result
of merging two draft laws submitted by the finance and justice committees, based
on the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund."
"The capital control draft law aims to protect the depositor before anything
else," he added.
Lebanon Reports Its First Omicron Cases
Agence France Presse/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
The Lebanese health ministry said Thursday that it had confirmed the country's
first two cases of the Omicron variant of Covid in passengers tested upon
arrival at the airport. "Two cases detected in airport testing" were confirmed
to be of the Omicron variant, Health Minister Firass Abiad told a press
conference.
He said both passengers had flown in from the African continent and had been
placed in quarantine. Early data suggests the variant is more contagious, posing
an increased infection risk for people who have already had the virus or been
vaccinated compared to previous variants, but is also milder in its symptoms,
World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.
Lebanon reported 1,994 new Covid cases on Wednesday, one of the country's
highest figures for a single day since the start of the pandemic, the minister
said. Abiad voiced concern over a resurgence of the virus he said the crisis-hit
country's ailing health system was even less prepared to handle than during
previous waves. When cases spiked in late 2020, the influx of critical patients
had brought Lebanon's hospitals to breaking point.
A worsening depreciation of the local currency and the mass emigration of health
workers has only made the situation worse. Lebanon has recorded more 683,000
cases of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic two years ago and 8,804
deaths, according to government figures.
Water Pipe Bursts in Beirut, Causing Material Damage
Naharnet/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
An old water pipe burst Thursday in Mohammad al-Hout street in Ras al-Nabaa,
Beirut, causing major material damage. The burst submerged 13 cars in a
building's parking in water, and damaged the main road. A car fell into the
sinkhole caused by the road's subsidence. The Beirut Fire Brigade, in
cooperation with specialized technical engineers from the Municipality of
Beirut, worked on removing the water. The burst was not due to the stormy
weather conditions, media reports said, but rather to a malfunction in the over
100-year-old water pipe. “The incident sheds light on the water networks'
condition in old and neglected buildings of Beirut,” Governor of Beirut Marwan
Abboud said. "We have treated three cases of road subsidence in the recent
period," he added."There is no maintenance and no one is taking care of the
infrastructure," Abboud said.
Lebanese rulers’ desperate positive spin on country’s
crisis
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/December 09, 2021
The dust has now settled on last month’s COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow,
with the result being a clearly limited, cosmetic improvement in our chances of
surviving the climate crisis beyond 2050, since the pledges continue to fall
short of what is needed. Actions to curb methane levels, to help abandon coal
use or to curb deforestation and promote afforestation remain too limited and
marred by international discord, particularly differences between rich and poor
nations and between the Global North and the Global South.
But don’t worry. Lebanon, the little Mediterranean Arab nation, despite its
historically unprecedented economic meltdown, sees in its demise a perfect
opportunity to improve the country’s environmental policies and tackle its
festering waste management crisis.
Environment Minister Nasser Yassin, an academic who was appointed to Lebanon’s
so-called “apolitical” technocrat government under Prime Minister Najib Mikati
in September, said that the cash-strapped state should turn away from big and
expensive waste management contracts toward a more rational, recycling-oriented
local approach.
“The financial crisis makes it difficult to manage the waste issue but it is
also an opportunity… if we manage this sector and put it back in the hands of
local authorities that do not seek profit,” Yassin told AFP in an interview last
month.
The minister apparently thinks that the time has come to map out a puzzle of
sustainable partnerships between local authorities and economic players in the
divided country. He hopes to establish, for example, a new partnership with the
syndicate of paper industries, whereby paper waste can be bought for a set price
and recycled. Yassin also cited plans for Beirut’s fruit and vegetable waste to
be turned into compost for the farming sector.
Though Yassin stated that the country generates about 40 percent less waste due
to the economic crisis, the waste disposal problem has remained unresolved since
2015, when the country’s main rubbish management contracts collapsed due to
differences between the political elites over how to distribute the spoils. This
saw the country drowning in its own garbage for months.
Since then, as the major waste treatment plants have been going bankrupt,
wildcat landfill sites, which often incinerate their trash or dump it in the sea
or in rivers without any care for people’s health or well-being, have
mushroomed.
One must commend the insight and the foresight of ministers like Yassin, who are
capable of talking about a better future for those who might survive Lebanon’s
multiple crises. Just to remind the minister, we are talking here about a
country that is suffering from a political stalemate after the rise of Hezbollah
as the key powerbroker, which is interested only in serving the agenda of its
patrons in Syria and Iran.
Therefore, Lebanon’s government, in which Yassin serves, is labelled as
Hezbollah’s government. It is not interested in solving the urgent problems, let
alone the long-term ones. The complete meltdown of the economy over the past two
years was long in the making due to the corruption and mismanagement of the de
facto rulers of the country and their domestic and regional masters.
The situation in Lebanon, which has defaulted on its debts internationally and
seen its currency lose more than 90 percent of its value, has been ranked by the
World Bank as likely among the three most severe crises globally since the
mid-19th century.
The International Monetary Fund has offered assistance, but the same domestic
political barons have failed to form a government that could deliver the needed
reforms that would allow foreign aid to reach the country. According to the
World Bank, the nation’s economy contracted by 7 percent in 2019 and then 20
percent in 2020. The only solution the Lebanese authorities — that President
Michel Aoun has been hailing as “the strong regime” — have put in place in an
attempt to ease the crisis is to place the entire burden on small depositors by
freezing their assets, sending the country’s not-so-perfect banking system,
which was an important driver of the economy, into freefall.
This bankrupt state has been unable to settle many of its bills, leaving the
country without power, medicine and other vital supplies. This has led to a
sharp deterioration in the provision of basic services, such as hospital care,
education and safety, and has encouraged those who can to migrate. All leading
worldwide institutions have said this will damage Lebanon permanently, with the
loss of human capital particularly hard to recover from.
But the Lebanese need not worry, as the environment minister thinks that every
crisis carries in its midst limitless new opportunities. Perhaps the polluted
air caused by the diesel-powered electric generators people are using to replace
the nonexistent national power grid might help make the people’s lungs more
resistant to pulmonary diseases.
This bankrupt state has been unable to settle many of its bills, leaving the
country without power, medicine and other vital supplies.
Some employees in Lebanon are surviving on less than $100 a month, teachers and
nurses even less, while doctors are increasingly looking for work abroad and
parents can no longer afford school or university tuition fees. But using the
same reasoning as the environment minister, if the population goes hungry, then
maybe that fasting can be a means to bolster their immunity and general
well-being.
In short, I want to hang on to any positive spin from Lebanon’s ruling elite
that regeneration is possible despite the desperate state of affairs being
experienced by the country and its people. The problem, however, is that the
writing on the wall has been clear for the past two decades at least.
Waste and graft, which have been the order of the day for the de facto rulers of
Lebanon for so long, are to blame, not the COVID-19 pandemic, the port of Beirut
explosion, the Syrian civil war, the Israeli occupation of Palestine or
colonialism. This was authored by a political class that has no regard for basic
human dignity and is used to kidnapping and holding hostage the people, state
and society for its own higher, holiest and nonhuman but greener economic goals.
*Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years of
experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy. He
is also a media consultant and trainer.
Sixteen months
Ronnie Chatah/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
France’s strategy to find a solution to the Lebanese crisis has been flawed
since Emmanuel Macron decided to sidestep the country’s independence, Ronnie
Chatah writes. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beirut two days after
the port blast destroyed large swathes of the city. At a moment no Lebanese
politician dared to show their face in public, he walked down a shattered Rue
Gouraud – Gemmayze’s main thoroughfare – named after general Henri Gouraud’s
presiding role during the First World War as Ottoman authority gave way to
French administration. Amidst rubble, blood, torment and tears Macron promised
that France would never leave Lebanon’s side. We watched him gather many of the
country’s post-civil war former militiamen-turned-political-elders at La
Résidence des Pins. Tail ends of a century of France’s legacy in Lebanon. In the
backdrop, a famous photo of Gouraud’s proclamation of Le Grand Liban on
September 1, 1920 along the palatial steps. A snapshot instilled of a
territorially expanded Mount Lebanon to coast and valley, and a
cross-confessional experiment that would give way – in the middle of the Second
World War – to elusive independence.
And in the foreground, a roundtable of misery. The usual suspects were chastised
by Macron, who warned that if they did not reform, they would lose control.
Either the regime gets its act together, or it is tossed to history’s dustbin,
adding to the protestors’ demands, heard for months on end.
French President Emmanuel Macron hugs a resident as he visits a devastated
street of Beirut, Lebanon, on August 6, 2020 two days after the massive
explosion that devastated the Lebanese capital. French President Emmanuel Macron
pledged support and urged change. Photo: Thibault Camus, AFP Pool.
On parle
The old and inefficient way we govern – inherited from centuries of Ottoman
dominion and enshrined by two decades of French rule – we can update ourselves.
In fact, it is no one’s responsibility but our own. Endless academic research
papers, think tank panel discussions and NGO initiatives on how to caress
sectarianism’s insecurities while learning from secularism’s advantages are, in
the end, a sideshow. Our society’s concerns reflect our multi-layered history
and multitude of identities. And pluralism is one of our strengths. The long and
arduous job of channeling communal differences into sounder ways of political
expression has been on pause for over half a century. And that has nothing to do
with the way we were born. Our nascent cosmopolitanism is real, with or without
a French midwife. It is how we grew up, independently, in the 20th century that
brought us to our knees. An adolescence that barely hit maturity before losing
the most important tool to chart our destiny: sovereignty. Our adulthood has
been mired by cycles of wealth and despair. A rollercoaster ride that lets us
shine at times, while losing most of our modernity to invasion, occupation and
war. And a guarantee that the 21st century shall not fare better, far better
expressed by Samir Kassir in his ‘Histoire de Beyrouth’: “extravertie dans sa
prospérité, la ville l’est encore dans sa ruine.”Our sovereign foundation has
been left out of Macron’s calculations or resolution to Lebanon’s problems. Our
sovereign foundation has been left out of Macron’s calculations or resolution to
Lebanon’s problems. I use the word resolution here, somewhat chidingly, because
there is no practical path for successful reform within a country burdened by
its perpetual battlefield role for rogue regimes. Instead, at La Résidence,
weeks from Greater Lebanon’s centennial, Macron sidestepped conflict resolution
for a typical crisis managerial role. A position many leaders, including Macron,
have tried and struggled with before ultimately fading. Short-term ideas meant
to alleviate some suffering, while accepting an abnormal state of affairs where
a foreign-backed militia holds more sway than the local population. Avoiding a
foundational flaw that ensures continued failure.
And since hindsight is ‘2020’, neither reform nor regime change has happened.
Macron treated the main contributor to our post-war status quo as ‘one in the
same’ – ignoring what Assad’s soldiers and intelligence inherited when they left
Lebanon, looking away from indirect control over all security matters, ranging
from border control, airport access and port oversight, and leaving foreign
policy out of the discussion. The hardest question Macron asked Mohammad Raad in
a private meeting two days after the largest non-nuclear blast in modern history
was whether he could prove his Lebanese identity. As challenging an
accomplishment as offering Fairouz an award or planting a cedar tree.
Je m’excuse
Macron lectured, pressured, threatened European Union-backed sanctions (their
framework is in place and yet to be implemented) and scolded Lebanese leaders to
get over their differences and work together. And it took thirteen months before
Hassan Diab’s caretaker government gave way to Najib Mikati’s currently
paralyzed cabinet, following Hezbollah’s demands to remove Judge Tarek Bitar
from the port blast investigation. Regardless of his determination and valiant
effort, Bitar’s work, inherited from dismissed Judge Fadi Sawan, has been
effectively stalled and suspended, and threatened directly by Hezbollah.
Hezbollah is not a political party. They are an Iranian-sponsored proxy army
based in Lebanon, with a veneer of civic engagement. Their local politics is the
least important domestic weapon they use for influence. To even consider such an
important component to the IRGC’s external military as on par with other
Lebanese groups completely ignores the reasons why our state collapsed. The
leaders Macron engaged with are collateral to generations of political violence,
spared individuals that navigate such moments in order to retain relevance. Most
importantly, they shield the proxy from serious scrutiny. In return, they are
offered rampant abuse of the power sharing system born out of 1920, enhanced in
1943 and cosmetically altered in 1989. Their idea of governance is better
defined by state plunder and rampant corruption. But their longevity and ability
to stay well into the 21st century is what happens to any country at war.
Not civil war, any longer, but a consistent warzone. Our territory secured
Syrian and Iranian regimes’ influence in the region. Yes, negligence and
ineffective state control over sensitive transit sites allowed 700 tonnes of
ammonium nitrate to detonate in 2020. But saving Assad’s life is what brought
over 2,700 tonnes in 2013.
Au revoir
Fast forward to December 2021.
On one of the first visits of a Western leader to Mohammed Bin Salman following
Jamal Khashoggi’s murder in 2018, Macron pushed for the Saudi regime to reengage
Najib Mikati’s government in light of George Kordahi’s resignation. A free fall
(and that is being polite) from expectations when he first arrived after the
port blast. And the latter-day attempts of another crisis management leader on
their way out of Lebanon, searching for marginal success and far more concerned
about presidential elections at home than another country’s problems. Sixteen
months that showed there is no eagerness, or willingness, to help end Lebanon’s
nightmare. Macron, himself, witnessed the price we paid for storing the Syrian
regime’s preferred barrel-filled weapon. He was emotional with us on Rue Gouraud.
He cried with us, embraced us…his anger was real. I trust his feelings were
sincere. And hours later he mistakenly bet on reform taking hold in a country
still ruled by political violence. And on our centennial, from declaration to
diminished role, one thing is certain: France let go of Lebanon.
*Ronnie Chatah hosts The Beirut Banyan podcast, a series of storytelling
episodes and long-form conversations that reflect on all that is modern Lebanese
history. He also leads the WalkBeirut tour, a four-hour narration of Beirut’s
rich and troubled past. He is on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @thebeirutbanyan.
Macron’s Lebanon initiative will have a placebo effect
Makram Rabah/Al-Arabiya/December 09/2021
The recent visit of French President Emmanuel Macron during the week to The Gulf
was a chance to reaffirm France’s bilateral ties as well as its role in bringing
stability to a region which is plagued with Iran’s unrestricted expansionist
project.
Macron’s visit to Saudi Arabia also took on further importance to the people of
Lebanon who were anxiously awaiting his initiative to bring an end to the
diplomatic crisis which saw the country ostracized by its Arab brethren, who
reacted violently to the statements of Lebanon’s Minister of Information George
Kordahi over Yemen and his support of the Houthis. While initially Kordahi - a
mouthpiece for the alliance of minorities and the Syria-Iran axis - refused to
apologize and tender his resignation, he quit one day before Macron met with the
Saudi leadership, in what many saw as an opportunity to break the ongoing
deadlock. True to his promise Macron was able to convince the Crown Prince
Mohammad Bin Salman to agree to take a phone call with Lebanon’s Prime Minister
Najib Mikati. It was a conversation which underscored France and Saudi’s
commitment to help Beirut implement much needed reforms to escape its current
economic and political crisis.
People with health issues or inactivated vaccine should get COVID-19 booster:
WHO
To the Lebanese, and particularly the pro-Iran faction, this simple phone call
was affirmation that they had won this diplomatic duel and that Saudi Arabia had
once again failed to force Lebanon to publicly stand up to Hezbollah and its
occupation of the country and its sovereignty.
In reality a re-examination of the French initiative and Saudi acquiescence to
it reveals otherwise, as the move actually places Lebanon and its ruling
establishment under more pressure to reform and importantly - to challenge
Hezbollah’s hold over it. This is something that both countries have repeatedly
failed to do. The Saudi-French-Lebanese cordial phone call was an occasion to
remind the murky Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati that the recent diplomatic
debacle substantiated that he had no sway over his own cabinet, and that the
Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, and the ruling elite were in
command of this so-called technocratic independent government. Both Macron and
Mohammad bin Salman reminded the Lebanese that normalization can only happen
once Lebanon ceases to be “a launching pad for any terrorist acts that
destabilize the security and stability of the region, and a source of drug
trafficking.”They also stressed the importance of maintaining Lebanon's
stability and respecting its sovereignty and unity in accordance with Security
Council resolutions (1559), (1701) and (1680) and other relevant international
resolutions.
In reality, the Macron initiative further disenfranchised the Lebanese state and
consequently the public who have failed to realize that their perpetual
suffering will not end unless they understand that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf
states are no longer willing to bankroll a country that doubles as a base for
the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and its Levant outlet Hezbollah.
The new road map for Lebanon’s recovery set in Jeddah over the weekend requires
Mikati to challenge Hezbollah each and every time it acts, starting with the
ongoing smuggling of Iranian diesel, a situation that Mikati coolly sidestepped
by timidly declaring “the violation of Lebanon's sovereignty makes me sad."
Mikati and the Lebanese apprehension to also stand up to Hezbollah transforming
their country into a narco-state that exports millions of amphetamine pills to
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the wider region, will not be brushed under the
rug.
Above all Lebanon must understand that Hezbollah and its trans-regional
activities have direct repercussions on the national security of the many Arab
Gulf states. This does not only apply to the Yemeni conflict. Kuwait, regarded
by many as the most restrained among the Gulf nations is in the process of
dismantling another Hezbollah cell. Contrary to what Iran and its Lebanese
lackeys are promoting, Saudi Arabia is not the only obstacle for Lebanon
normalizing relations with the Arab world, but rather it is Hezbollah. It is
important to remember the last time President Macron intervened to contain the
fallout of Saad Hariri’s resignation in 2017 while visiting Saudi Arabia. The
outcome was undesirable. At the time Macron’s good relationship with the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia saw the Lebanese state pledge to maintain neutrality, something
which it obviously failed to uphold and it contributed to Hariri’s eventual
political downfall. Macron has in fact committed Mikati and Lebanon to an
impossible goal, similar to the parents of a lazy student requesting a makeup
exam to a son whose abysmal record speaks for itself. Mikati must be cautious
that Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf might be willing to humor the French
president, but ultimately it will not compromise on its own security and
wellbeing. More importantly, Mikati’s pledges that are similar to his
predecessors need to be put into action, or he will face Hariri’s fate of
driving Lebanon further under Iranian control.
Les élections et AlbertSuperHarry
Les élections et AlbertSuperHarry/Jean-Marie
Kassab/Decembre 09/2021
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/104667/%d8%ac%d8%a7%d9%86-%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%8a-%d9%83%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%aa%d8%ae%d8%a7%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%88%d8%a3%d9%84%d8%a8%d8%b1%d8%aa-%d8%b3%d9%88%d8%a8%d8%b1-%d9%87/
Jean-Marie Kassab/Decembre 09/2021
Juste qu’on m’explique comment les élections parlementaires, si elles auront
lieu pourraient changer les choses.
Scenario Idéal : La majorité au nouveau parlement sera souverainiste, propre,
non corrompue. Michel Aoun puisqu’ il est toujours président convoquera ces
nouveaux élus pour choisir un nouveau premier ministre. Puisque nous serons dans
LalaLand, ils choisiront le meilleur : un mélange d’Albert Einstein, de Superman
et de Harry Potter. AlbertSuperHarry, formera son équipe toujours Lalalandienne,
le moins con ayant deux Doctorats de Harvard et de la Sorbonne, le meilleur un
prix Nobel. Il l’a présentera à Aoun qui la soumettra illico à Gebrane qui la
refilera aux Iraniens avant même que AlbertSuperHarry ne quitte Baabda.
La suite du scenario idéal : La liste sera refusée 100 fois parce que ni Gebrane
ni Hassan sont intéressées par les deux susdites qualifications. Ils sont plutôt
intéressés par des références Arsène Lupin ou émanant d’un mollah de Qom.
AlbertSuperHarry s’en ira épuisé et la queue entre les jambes etcetera etcetera.
Scenario réaliste : Les élections n’auront pas lieu , Michel Aoun l’ avait
annoncé : « Je resterai si le parlement l’exige ».
Les élections dans un pays occupé sont un immense mensonge et une illusion
d’optique partagée entre le peuple (bien intentionné) et les candidats souvent
moins bien intentionnés et en soif de pouvoir ou de maintien de pouvoir.
Vive la Résistance
Vive le Liban
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
December 09-10/2021
US preparing for outcome where no Iran deal
is reached: Senior US diplomat
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/10 December
,2021
The US is preparing for an outcome where no deal is reached with Iran to curb
its nuclear program, Washington’s lead negotiator said Thursday. But there is
still time to reach a deal, and the US is ready to get back into the 2015
nuclear deal “as soon as possible, as soon as Iran is,” US Special Envoy for
Iran Rob Malley said. The US and Iran have been engaged in indirect talks over
returning to the now-defunct JCPOA, from which former US President Donald Trump
withdrew in 2018. Iran is demanding the lifting of all US sanctions before
returning to the deal in exchange for a cap on its nuclear program. The previous
agreement, brokered by former President Barack Obama, failed to address Iran’s
support for militias across the region and its ballistic missile program. “We
are privileging the path of diplomacy,” Malley told Al Jazeera, adding that it
was the best way forward. “We suspect it’s best for Iran, but Iran will have to
decide,” he said. While the US has repeatedly voiced its willingness to reenter
the JCPOA, an acronym for the 2015 deal, it has also waited for almost one year.
The Biden administration quickly said it wanted to reenter the deal, but
presidential elections in Iran resulted in a so-called hardline government that
stalled talks for months. In the meantime, Iran has continued increasing the
materials and enriching the uranium needed for a nuclear bomb. The US will lift
all sanctions “inconsistent with the JCPOA” if a deal is reached, Malley said.
“But in the meantime, we can’t stand by and not be prepared for a world in which
Iran may be choosing to delay the program, try to build more leverage,” Malley
said. “We obviously have to respond. And so, that’s what we’re doing. We’re
preparing ourselves for that outcome.”
Return to 2015 Iran deal should only be first step to
longer, stronger deal: Saudi FM
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/ 09 December ,2021
“The current deal doesn’t protect us from an Iranian nuclear or military
capability,” Prince Faisal said.
Saudi Arabia would welcome a return to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and
world powers, but that would “only be the first step” in addressing Tehran’s
malign behavior, Riyadh’s top diplomat said Thursday. “As previously announced,
we continue to support a return to the deal. But we see it as incomplete; any
return [to the JCPOA] should be only the first step towards a longer and
stronger deal,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan said in televised remarks. The US and
Iran have been engaged in indirect talks over returning to the now-defunct JCPOA,
which former US President Donald Trump withdrew from. Iran is demanding the
lifting of all US sanctions before returning to the deal in exchange for a cap
on its nuclear program. The previous agreement, brokered by former President
Barack Obama, failed to address Iran’s support for militias across the region
and its ballistic missile program. The talks also excluded regional countries
that are endangered by Iran. “The current deal doesn’t protect us from an
Iranian nuclear or military capability,” Prince Faisal said. US Special Envoy
for Iran Rob Malley, who is leading the US delegation in Vienna, said that he
held “another constructive conversation with GCC partners” this week. “We remain
united in our call for a rapid return to mutual JCPOA compliance. This is the
best avenue to strengthen regional economic ties and avoid nuclear crisis. We
will remain in close consultation,” Malley tweeted on Wednesday. The Saudi
foreign minister said it was still to be determined if a deal would be reached.
“In the event that a deal is reached… it’s only [one] step towards the security
and stability of the region,” he said, explaining that Iran’s nuclear program,
its ballistic missile program, “and other movements in the region jeopardize
security.”
US, Israel to Discuss Military Drills for Iran Scenario
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
US and Israeli defense chiefs are expected on Thursday to discuss possible
military exercises that would prepare for a worst-case scenario to destroy
Iran's nuclear facilities should diplomacy fail and if their nations' leaders
request it, a senior US official told Reuters. The scheduled US talks with
visiting Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz follow an Oct. 25 briefing by
Pentagon leaders to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on the
full set of military options available to ensure that Iran would not be able to
produce a nuclear weapon, the official said on Wednesday, speaking on condition
of anonymity. The US-Israeli preparations, which have not been previously
reported, underscore Western concern about difficult nuclear talks with Iran
that President Joe Biden had hoped would revive a 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by
his predecessor, Donald Trump. But US and European officials have voiced dismay
after talks last week at sweeping demands by Iran's new, hardline government,
heightening suspicions in the West that Iran is playing for time while advancing
its nuclear program. The US official declined to offer details on the potential
military exercises. "We're in this pickle because Iran's nuclear program is
advancing to a point beyond which it has any conventional rationale," the
official told Reuters, while still voicing hope for discussions.
Gantz, in a post on Twitter as he departed for the United States, said: "We will
discuss possible modes of action to ensure the cessation of (Iran's) attempt to
enter the nuclear sphere and broaden its activity in the region." He did not
elaborate. Nuclear negotiations will resume on Thursday, according to the
European Union official chairing the talks, and the US special envoy for Iran
plans to join them over the weekend. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
said last week that Iran had started the process of enriching uranium to up to
20% purity with one cascade, or cluster, of 166 advanced IR-6 machines at its
Fordow plant, which is dug into a mountain, making it harder to attack. The 2015
agreement gave Iran sanctions relief but imposed strict limits on its uranium
enrichment activities, extending the time it would need to produce enough
fissile material for a nuclear weapon, if it chose to, to at least a year from
around two to three months. Most nuclear experts say that period is now
considerably shorter. Underlining how badly eroded the deal is, that pact does
not allow Iran to enrich uranium at Fordow at all, let alone with advanced
centrifuges. With the deal's nuclear benefits now badly compromised, some
Western officials say there is little time left before the foundation of the
deal is damaged beyond repair.
Such drills by the United States and Israel could address calls by Dennis Ross,
a former senior US official and Middle East expert, and others to openly signal
to Iran that the United States and Israel are still serious about preventing it
from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"Biden needs to disabuse Iran of the notion that Washington will not act
militarily and will stop Israel from doing so," Ross wrote last month. Ross even
suggested the United States should perhaps signal a willingness to give the
Israeli's the US military's bunker-busting Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a
30,000-pound bomb. Asked about such remarks about deterrence, the senior US
official said: "When President Biden says Iran will never get a nuclear weapon,
I mean, he means it." Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns said on
Monday that the CIA does not believe Iran's supreme leader has decided to take
steps to weaponize a nuclear device but noted advances in its ability to enrich
uranium, one pathway to the fissile material for a bomb. Burns cautioned that,
even if Iran decided to go ahead, it would still require a lot of work to
weaponize that fissile material before attaching a nuclear weapon to a missile
or other delivery system. "But they're further along in their mastery of the
nuclear fuel cycle and that's the kind of knowledge that is very difficult to
sanction away or make disappear, as well," he said. US officials have also long
worried about America's ability to detect and destroy dispersed components of
Iran's nuclear weaponization program once enough fissile material for a bomb
were produced.
US to Decide Quickly if Iran Serious About Nuclear Talks
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
The United States will swiftly determine whether Tehran is acting in "good
faith" in talks about reviving the Iran nuclear accord, a State Department
spokesman said Wednesday, one day before negotiations were due to resume. "We
should know in pretty short order if the Iranians are going... to negotiate in
good faith," said the spokesman, Ned Price, warning that "the runway is getting
very, very short for negotiations." The European Union, which is coordinating
the indirect talks between Washington and Tehran, confirmed they would resume
Thursday in Vienna after a break of a few days.
US envoy Rob Malley "will plan to join the talks over the weekend," Price said.
The talks began in April but were suspended in June due to the election of a new
Iranian president, only to resume last week. After a week of negotiations,
Americans and Europeans alike accused the Iranians of having backtracked since
the spring. Washington has warned it will not let Tehran block negotiations for
much longer while developing its nuclear program at the same time, but has not
yet laid out an ultimatum. The next few days look set to see a last-chance
diplomatic push, although it appears ever more unlikely that the talks will lead
to any breakthrough. "I don't think you will see a long lag between the
resumption of this round and when the United States and our allies and partners
are in a position to judge whether the Iranians have returned... with a
willingness to engage in substantive negotiations," Price told reporters. "It
will not always be in our interest to seek a return to the JCPOA," he said,
using the formal title of the landmark 2015 accord that aimed to curb Iran's
nuclear program to ensure it could not develop an atomic weapon, in exchange for
sanctions relief for Tehran. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was
initially agreed between Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and
the United States. But it began unravelling in 2018 when then US president
Donald Trump pulled out and reimposed sanctions, prompting Iran to start
exceeding limits on its nuclear program the following year.
Half of Iran's Civil Jets Grounded For Lack of Spare Parts
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
More than half of Iran's fleet of civilian aircraft is grounded due to a lack of
spare parts, the deputy head of the country's airlines association has said.
"The number of inactive planes in Iran has risen to more than 170... as a result
of missing spare parts, particularly motors," Alireza Barkhor said in an
interview with state news agency IRNA. The shortage represented more than half
of the civilian aircraft in the sanctions-hit country, he said in an interview
this week, AFP reported. "If this trend continues, we will see even more planes
grounded in the near future," Barkhor was quoted as saying. "We hope that one of
the priorities of the government will be helping to finance airlines so that
they are able to provide the spare parts to refurbish the grounded planes," he
added. According to the Iranian economic daily Financial Tribune, national
carrier IranAir currently operates a fleet of 39 planes, the majority of them
Airbus jets. Iran's economy has struggled under sanctions that were lifted after
a landmark nuclear deal in 2015 but reimposed again after the US withdrew from
the pact in 2018. In 2016, following the lifting of sanctions, Iran concluded
deals to purchase 100 Airbus jets, 80 Boeing planes and 40 ATR aircraft. But
Iran received only 11 planes as deliveries were interrupted following the
reimposition of sanctions, according to the daily.
US Seizes Iranian Arms Destined for Yemen’s Houthis
Asharq Al-Awsat/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
The US Justice Department announced on Tuesday that it has seized two large
caches of Iranian arms, including 171 surface-to-air missiles and eight
anti-tank missiles, destined for Yemen’s Houthi militias. “The US Navy seized
the weapons from two vessels in the Arabian Sea while conducting routine
maritime security operations,” said the Justice Department. Iran’s Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC) orchestrated the arms shipments, which were destined for the
Houthis, it said. “The US government similarly seized the Iranian petroleum
products from four foreign-flagged tankers in or around the Arabian Sea while en
route to Venezuela. These actions represent the government’s largest-ever
forfeitures of fuel and weapons shipments from Iran,” it added. The US in the
two cases struck a "resounding blow” to the Iranian government and to the
criminal networks supporting the IRGC, said Assistant Attorney General Matthew
G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department
of Justice will continue to use all available tools to combat the threats posed
by terrorist organizations and all those who seek to harm the United States and
its allies.”“These two cases demonstrate that not only can we disrupt the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ ability to finance its operations through
petroleum sales, but we can also thwart its ability to use the proceeds of such
sales to arm its terrorist proxies and export terrorism abroad,” said US
Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Given our expertise
and special statutory authority, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of
Columbia is uniquely positioned to support its law enforcement partners in such
terrorism cases. We are deeply committed to this mission.”“The combined efforts
of the FBI and our partners to seize missiles and over a million barrels of
petroleum demonstrate our commitment to defend against foreign terrorist
organizations and enforce US sanctions,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler
Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The Government of Iran’s
sponsorship of terrorism has left innocent victims in its wake and its attempts
to support regimes dangerous to the United States and our allies will be met
with the full force of the law. The FBI has a continued resolve to hold the
Government of Iran accountable for its illegal actions, and we urge anyone with
information about violations of sanctions on Iran to contact the FBI.”US Navy
Central Command (NAVCENT) seized the weapons from two flagless vessels in the
Arabian Sea on Nov. 25, 2019, and Feb. 9, 2020, respectively. The weapons
included 171 guided anti-tank missiles, eight surface-to-air missiles, land
attack cruise missile components, anti-ship cruise missile components, thermal
weapons optics and other components for missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
On Aug. 20, 2020, the Justice Department filed a complaint seeking to forfeit
the seized weapons in US District Court for the District of Columbia. The
complaint alleged that the arms shipments were part of an IRGC trafficking
network designed to distribute illicit weapons to the Houthis in Yemen. The
court granted the government’s motion for default judgment and entered a final
order of forfeiture on Nov. 15. In its opinion, the court found that the
government had adequately alleged that the weapons belonged to the IRGC and that
the IRGC constitutes an entity engaged in planning or perpetrating a federal
crime of terrorism against the US.
UAE, Saudis decry Hezbollah, back Palestinian capital in
Jerusalem
Tzvi Joffre/Jerusalem Post/December 09/2021
The UAE and Saudi Arabia warned against the "terrorist Hezbollah" in a joint
statement on Tuesday.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia stressed the need to ensure that
Lebanon "will not be a starting point for any terrorist acts," pointing
specifically to Hezbollah, and expressed support for a Palestinian state with
its capital in east Jerusalem, in a joint statement at the end of a visit by
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday. The two countries stated
that they reviewed developments and issues of concern for them on the regional
and international arenas, stressing the "coordination of their positions to
serve their interests and support and enhance security and stability in the
region and the world," according to the official Saudi Press Agency. "On the
Lebanese issue, the two sides stressed the need to carry out comprehensive
political and economic reforms to ensure that Lebanon can overcome its crises,
limit arms to the legitimate state institutions, and that Lebanon will not be a
starting point for any terrorist acts and a hub for organizations and groups
that target the security and stability of the region such as the terrorist
Hezbollah or to be a source of drug scourge that threatens the safety of
societies in the region and the world," read part of the joint statement.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia affirmed their "full support" for the rights of the
Palestinian people "foremost of which is their right to establish an independent
and sovereign Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Al-Quds
(Jerusalem) as its capital...in a way that achieves the aspirations of the
fraternally Palestinian people."The statement did not make any references to
Israel. The two states also stressed the importance of dealing "seriously and
effectively" with Iran's nuclear and missile file in a way that contributes to
achieving regional and international security and stability and sparing the
region from "all destabilizing activities and interventions." The statement also
pointed to deep coordination between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in a number of
fields, including energy, technology, health, tourism, food security and human
development, among others.
A diplomatic crisis exploded last month after Saudi Arabia expressed outrage
against comments made by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi supporting
the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and criticising the military intervention
led by Saudi Arabia, calling the war in the country "futile."
Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with other Gulf states, withdrew their
diplomatic envoys and expelled Lebanese envoys in response to the comments.
Saudi Arabia also designated the financial charity body Al-Qard Al-Hasan
Association, which is linked to Hezbollah, as a terrorist entity, saying it
"works on managing funds for the terrorist organization (Hezbollah) and its
financing."While Kordahi is a Maronite Christian, he received strong support
from the Hezbollah movement who expressed strong opposition against calls for
the minister to resign. The movement claimed Saudi Arabia was "waging war" on
Lebanon with its diplomatic measures issued in response to Kordahi's statements.
Despite the support from Hezbollah, Kordahi resigned last week, saying that he
was doing so "for the mere fact that Lebanon is more important than my position.
I do not accept to be used as a reason to harm the Lebanese residing in Gulf
countries because the interests of my country and my loved ones are way above my
personal ones," according to Lebanon's National News Agency. Kordahi claimed
that France had requested that he resign before a planned visit by French
President Emanuel Macron to Saudi Arabia.
US eyes joint military drills with Israel to deal with
Iranian nuclear threat
The Arab Weekly/December 09/2021
US and Israeli defence chiefs are expected on Thursday to discuss possible
military exercises that would prepare for a worst-case scenario to destroy
Iran's nuclear facilities should diplomacy fail and if their nations' leaders
request it, a senior US official told Reuters.
The scheduled US talks with visiting Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz follow
an October 25 briefing by Pentagon leaders to White House national security
adviser Jake Sullivan on the full set of military options available to ensure
that Iran would not be able to produce a nuclear weapon, the official said on
Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. Iran denies seeking nuclear
weapons, saying it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. But
its bellicose behaviour in the region raises serious doubts about its peaceful
intent. The US-Israeli preparations, which have not been previously reported,
underscore Western concern about difficult nuclear talks with Iran that
President Joe Biden had hoped would revive a 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by his
predecessor Donald Trump. But US and European officials have voiced dismay after
talks last week at sweeping demands by Iran's new, hardline government,
heightening suspicions in the West that Iran is playing for time while advancing
its nuclear program.
The US official declined to offer details on the potential military exercises.
"We're in this pickle because Iran's nuclear programme is advancing to a point
beyond which it has any conventional rationale," the official said, while still
voicing hope for discussions. The Israeli embassy in Washington and Iran's
mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for
comment.
The European Union official chairing the talks has said they will resume on
Thursday, and the US special envoy for Iran plans to join them over the weekend.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said last week that Iran had
started the process of enriching uranium to up to 20% purity with one cascade,
or cluster, of 166 advanced IR-6 machines at its Fordow plant, which dug into a
mountain, making harder to attack. The 2015 agreement gave Iran sanctions relief
but imposed strict limits on its uranium enrichment activities, extending the
time it would need to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon, if
it chose to, to at least a year from around two to three months. Most nuclear
experts say that period is now considerably shorter. Underlining how badly
eroded the deal is, that pact does not allow Iran to enrich uranium at Fordow at
all, let alone with advanced centrifuges.
-Compromised benefits-
With the deal's nuclear benefits now badly compromised, some Western officials
say there is little time left before the foundation of the deal is damaged
beyond repair. Such drills by the United States and Israel could address calls
by Dennis Ross, a former senior US official and Middle East expert, and others
to openly signal to Tehran that the United States and Israel are still serious
about preventing it from obtaining a nuclear weapon. "Biden needs to disabuse
Iran of the notion that Washington will not act militarily and will stop Israel
from doing so," Ross wrote last month. Ross even suggested the United States
should perhaps signal a willingness to give the Israeli's the US military's
bunker-busting Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound bomb. Asked about
such remarks about deterrence, the senior US official said: "When President
Biden says Iran will never get a nuclear weapon, I mean, he means it." Central
Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns said on Monday that the CIA does not
believe Iran's supreme leader has decided to take steps to weaponise a nuclear
device but noted advances in its ability to enrich uranium, one pathway to the
fissile material for a bomb. Burns cautioned that, even if Iran decided to go
ahead, it would still require a lot of work to weaponise that fissile material
before attaching a nuclear weapon to a missile or other delivery system. "But
they're further along in their mastery of the nuclear fuel cycle and that's the
kind of knowledge that is very difficult to sanction away or make disappear, as
well," he said. US officials have also long worried about America's ability to
detect and destroy dispersed components of Iran's nuclear weaponisation program
once enough fissile material for a bomb were produced.
Israeli Foreign Minister in Cairo to Strengthen Ties
Associated Press/Thursday, 9
December, 2021
Israel's foreign minister arrived in Cairo on Thursday on a diplomatic visit
aimed at strengthening ties and shoring up a tenuous cease-fire between Israel
and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met with Egypt's
president, Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, and the country's foreign minister, Sameh
Shokry, for talks that reflected budding ties between Egypt and Israel's new
government. Egypt's intelligence chief also participated in the meetings. Egypt,
the first Arab country to reach a peace agreement with Israel, has served as a
key mediator between Israel and Hamas. The bitter enemies have fought four wars
since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, most an recently an 11-day
conflict in May, and Egypt has been working quietly to arrange a long-term
truce. Hamas is demanding that a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade be eased,
while Israel is seeking the release of two Israeli captives and the remains of
two dead soldiers held by Hamas. Israel's foreign ministry said Lapid presented
a plan to develop Gaza's economy in return for assurances of quiet, and
eventually disarmament, by Hamas. It said the plan must address "the issue of
captives and missing persons." Lapid also discussed Israeli efforts to
strengthen the rival Palestinian Authority, whose forces were toppled by Hamas
in 2007. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas governs only limited autonomous
areas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Lapid raised Israel's concerns about Iran's nuclear program and expressed his
country's desire to ramp up cooperation with Israel in the civilian fields of
economics, energy, agriculture, and trade, according to the Israeli Foreign
Ministry. "Egypt is an especially important strategic partner for Israel," Lapid
said. "My goal is to strengthen our security, diplomatic, and economic relations
with Egypt. It's important to continue to work on the peace between our two
nations."
Upon his arrival, Lapid was welcomed by el-Sissi, who stressed his country's
commitment to a two-state solution and to achieving a "comprehensive and just"
peace in the Middle East, according to statement released by el-Sissi's office.
The Palestinians seek an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and
Gaza — areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Egypt, like most of the
international community, has been consistently supportive of the Palestinian
right to an independent state. Israel's new prime minister, Naftali Bennett,
opposes Palestinian independence and has ruled out peace talks, though he favors
steps at reducing tensions and boosting the Palestinian economy. During separate
talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Lapid handed over 95 Egyptian archeological
items that were seized in Israel earlier this year.
In January, the Israeli police had recovered thousands of stolen archeological
artifacts including gold coins, jewelry, ancient Egyptian sarcophagus lids,
bronze statues and clay vessels. The items were found in central Israel, after a
series of raids described as the largest in the country's history.
Egypt and Israel reached a historic peace accord in 1979. Relations have
generally been cool between the countries, though behind-the-scenes security
cooperation remains strong. There have been growing signs of overall cooperation
in recent months. Lapid's visit came three months after Bennett held talks with
el-Sissi in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. It was the first
official trip to Egypt by an Israeli premier in over a decade. At the time, the
visit signaled a warming in a relationship that had been security-focused but
somewhat cool under Bennett's predecessor, Israeli hard-liner Benjamin
Netanyahu.
Also in May, Israel's then foreign minister, Gabi Ashkenazi, met his Egyptian
counterpart in Cairo. It was the first by Israel's top diplomat to Egypt in 13
years.
Qatari Emir, Saudi Crown Prince Chair Joint Coordination
Council Meeting in Doha
Dubai, Damam - Mosaed al-Zayani, Merza al-Khuwaldi/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9
December, 2021
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has arrived in Doha on the third
stop of his tour of the Gulf states which comes ahead of the 42nd Gulf
Cooperation Council summit hosted by Saudi Arabia later this month. Crown Prince
Mohammed was received on arrival by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani,
after which the two leaders held meetings on Wednesday night. They also chaired
the sixth meeting of the Qatari-Saudi Joint Coordination Council at the Amiri
Diwan and discussed bilateral relations and regional and international
developments. During the meeting, the Saudi Crown Prince relayed the greetings
of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz to Emir Sheikh Tamim. The Council reviewed
the strong brotherly bilateral relations and the ways to support and develop
them in various fields to broader horizons, to meet the aspirations of the
leadership of the two countries and serve the interests of their peoples,
especially in the political, security, economic, investment fields, as well as
other fields. The Council also dealt with several regional and international
issues of joint interest, particularly the latest developments in the region, in
addition to exchanging views on everything that would protect stability and
security in the region. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Emir Sheikh
Tamim signed the minutes of the sixth meeting of the Qatari-Saudi Coordination
Council. “The relations of brotherhood and cooperation between Qatar and Saudi
Arabia are based on solid foundations of a common history and destiny,” said the
Emir in a tweet. “Today, I discussed with my brother, Prince Mohammad bin Salman,
ways to enhance this cooperation between our two countries (and) I also affirmed
with him our common concern to support security and stability in our region and
the region,” Sheikh Tamim said, adding: “Welcome my brother Mohammad to
Qatar.”Moreover, Saudi and Qatari companies signed agreements in the hospitality
and tourism sectors at the Saudi-Qatari Business Forum in Doha on Wednesday.
The forum was organized by the Federation of Saudi Chambers and Qatar Chamber,
with participation from private and public bodies and businesspeople.
Joint UAE-Saudi Statement Reaffirms Distinguished Ties, Deep-rooted Historic
Relations
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
The UAE and Saudi Arabia issued a joint statement following the end of Saudi
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz's visit to Abu Dahbi. The
statement affirmed the distinguished ties and deep-rooted historic relations
between the leaderships and peoples of both countries.
It also revealed that the Crown Prince's visit to the UAE comes in light of
efforts exerted between both countries to boost and develop strategic
cooperation, and economic and development integration to shape a better future,
and ensure security and prosperity.
During the visit, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated the
leadership, government and people of the UAE on the occasion of the country’s
Golden Jubilee. He lauded the distinguished achievements of the UAE government
in a variety of fields and wished the country further progress, wellbeing,
prosperity, security and stability under the rule of its wise leadership.
During their meetings, the two leaders discussed the fraternal ties between the
two countries, and ways of boosting bilateral ties.
The two sides lauded the distinguished level of cooperation between the two
countries in political, security, military, economic and development areas, and
the cooperation and integration under the framework of the Saudi-Emirati
Coordination Council which was established upon the directives of the Custodian
of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and President of the
UAE. The two sides stressed their determination to develop and strengthen the
role of the council in all areas.
The two sides also highlighted the abundant economic potential and distinguished
opportunities that could be generated through the strengthening of the strategic
partnership between the two countries and increasing joint investments,
stressing the importance of highlighting promising sectors to investors in both
countries.
On energy, both sides lauded their close cooperation and the successful efforts
of OPEC Plus to restore stability to the global oil market. They also affirmed
the importance of continuing this cooperation, as well as the commitment of the
member states of OPEC Plus to the agreement, stressing the importance of
continuing their joint cooperation in the field of oil, gas and petrochemicals,
as well as in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, oil products trade,
capitalizing on the electricity connectivity and the electricity trade exchange,
artificial intelligence, digital transformation, cybersecurity and advanced
technologies.
Regarding climate change, the two sides said they are keen to strengthen their
ongoing cooperation in implementing the circular economy approach launched by
Saudi Arabia during its presidency of the G-20, and was approved by the group as
a comprehensive framework aimed at addressing the challenges resulting from
emissions that cause global warming.
The UAE also highlighted the local, regional and international achievements of
the Green Middle East Initiative launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to
address climate change. Also, the Saudi side lauded the UAE’s pioneering role in
addressing climate change, most notably its hosting of COP28 in 2023.
The two sides stressed they will continue enhancing their cooperation in various
areas, including health, tourism, food security and social development.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated the UAE for the successful
organisation of Expo 2020 Dubai while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed highlighted the
UAE’s support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030.
- AlUla -
Saudi Arabia and the UAE emphasised the AlUla GCC Summit Declaration issued on
5th January, 2021, which stipulated the full and accurate implementation of the
vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz,
which was approved by the 36th Gulf Cooperation Council for Arab States (GCC)
Leaders' Summit in December 2015 according to a specific timetable and careful
follow-up.
This includes the completion of economic unity, the joint defense and security
systems pillars, as well as coordinating positions in a way that enhances the
solidarity and stability of the GCC countries and promotes their regional role
through unifying political positions, developing political partnerships with the
international community, regional and international organisations, strength and
cohesion of the GCC states and unity among its member states.
- Palestine -
The two sides further reviewed the latest regional and global developments of
mutual interest and emphasized coordination of their positions in a manner that
serves their interests and supports and enhances security and stability in the
region and the world.
In this regard, the two sides drew attention to their full support for all the
legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost of which is their right to
establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the borders of 4th
June, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab
Peace Initiative, the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
resolutions, and the Madrid Conference references, and other agreed
international references, to achieve the aspirations of the fraternal
Palestinian people.
-Yemen -
The two sides emphasized the compatibility of their views regarding the
continuation of their efforts to reach an overall political solution to the
Yemeni crisis in accordance with the terms of reference represented by the Gulf
initiative and its executive mechanism, the outcomes of the Comprehensive
National Dialogue Conference, the UNSC Resolution 2216, and Saudi Arabia's
initiative to end the Yemeni crisis and reach a comprehensive political
resolution in a manner that preserves Yemen's unity and integrity, respects its
sovereignty and independence and rejects any interference in its internal
affairs.
They also stressed the need to complete the implementation of the Riyadh
Agreement. The two sides also condemned the Houthi militia's continued targeting
of airports, civilian and vital facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Lebanon, Iraq, and Sudan -
Regarding Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the UAE underscored the importance of
implementing comprehensive political and economic reforms to guarantees that
Lebanon overcomes its crises and confines weapons in the hands of legitimate
state institutions.
They also stressed that Lebanon will not be a starting point for any terrorist
acts and an incubator for organizations and groups that target the security and
stability of the region such as the terrorist "Hezbollah", and a source of the
drug scourge that threatens the safety of societies, the region and the world.
They also welcomed the success of the electoral process in Iraq, and expressed
their wishes for the formation of an Iraqi government that will continue to work
towards enhancing Iraq's security, stability and development, and putting an end
to terrorist activities and foreign interference in its internal affairs.
On Sudan, the sides welcomed the agreements reached by the parties to the
transitional phase in the country, and affirmed their continued support for any
steps that would help achieve security and stability in Sudan, expressing their
wishes of stability and prosperity for Sudan and its people.
- Iran and Afghanistan -
The UAE and Saudi Arabia underscored the importance of dealing seriously and
effectively with Iran's nuclear and missile dossier with all its components and
repercussions to ensure achieving regional and international security and
stability, respecting the principles of good neighborliness, the UN resolutions
and international legitimacy, and sparing the region from all destabilizing
activities and interventions. In that context, they demanded that the concerned
parties take into consideration the interests, security and stability of other
countries in the region.
With regard to Afghanistan, they stressed the importance of supporting security
and stability and disallowing the existence of safe havens for terrorists and
extremists in it. Furthermore, they condemned any acts aimed at recruiting
Afghan refugees in various conflict areas, and expressed the importance of
supporting relief efforts and humanitarian work in Afghanistan. In this regard,
the UAE valued Saudi Arabia's invitation to an extraordinary ministerial meeting
of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries, to be held in Pakistan on
19th December, 2021, to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
Also, Saudi Arabia commended the UAE's efforts in the evacuation operations in
Afghanistan.
- Syria and Libya -
Saudi Arabia and the UAE affirmed that a political solution is the only way out
of the Syrian crisis, and in that context, they announced their support for the
efforts of the UN and its Special Envoy to implement the relevant international
resolutions, foremost of which is UN Security Council Resolution No. 2254, and
to stop regional interventions and projects that threaten Syria's unity,
sovereignty and territorial integrity. They also highlighted their support of
the Syrian people and the need to support the international humanitarian efforts
in Syria. As for Libya, the sides welcomed the Libyan and UN efforts to support
the implementation of the agreed-upon political plan, and called for empowering
the Libyan people to achieve their aspirations of unity, peace and stability.
They also underlined the need to withdraw foreign mercenaries, fighters and
forces from Libya. At the end of the visit, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman expressed his thanks and appreciation to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed for the
hospitality he showed to him and his accompanying delegation. For his part,
Sheikh Mohammed conveyed his best wishes to the Saudi Crown Prince and the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, wishing them continued progress and prosperity under
the country's wise leadership.
Muslim Brotherhood ups campaign to postpone Libya
elections
The Arab Weekly/December 09/2021
A group of demonstrators affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood in Libya began a
sit-in in front of the headquarters of the Electoral Commission in the capital,
Tripoli, to demand elections be postponed until a referendum on the country’s
constitution is held. The sit-in signals an escalation by the Muslim Brotherhood
to postpone the presidential elections set for December 24. This escalation
comes after reports, very much doubted by one close Libya watcher, that
Islamists had reached a deal with parliamentarians affiliated with the former
Libyan National Army commander and presidential candidate Khalifa Haftar,
regarding the postponement of polls. Haftar stepped back from his LNA role in
order to be able to run. The opposition of Libya’s Islamists to the presidential
elections does not come as a surprise. For years, the Muslim Brotherhood has
been pushing against polls, justifying its position by the need to hold a
referendum on the constitution first. Videos posted on social media showed the
moment when protesters arrived at the headquarters of the Electoral Commission
and set up tents in front of the building to carry out a sit-in, raising slogans
"No to elections without a constitution."Libyan media confirmed on Tuesday
evening that the demonstrators belong to the Ghenewa militia led by Abdel Ghani
al-Kikli and militias from Zawiya and Misrata which are also affiliated with the
Muslim Brotherhood.
Observers believe that the Muslim Brotherhood's escalation, which comes after
Islamist leaders called for a sit-in in front of the headquarters of the
Electoral Commission, reflects the group’s lack of confidence that the caretaker
Prime Minister Abdelhamid al-Dbeibah, who is close to the Muslim Brotherhood and
Turkey, will win the presidency. The Brotherhood's concerns over a Dbeibah's
possible electoral defeat rose after a Libyan court ruled that Seif al-Islam, a
son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi, can compete in upcoming
presidential elections, overturning a decision by the country’s top electoral
body to disqualify him. Observers believe that the Muslim Brotherhood is
currently manoeuvring to postpone the votes for fear of losing its political
clout, especially in the light of the decline of Islamists’ popularity in the
North African country.
Parliament member Saleh Fahima called on political actors to stop tampering with
the elections, saying in a Facebook post, “When you confiscate the judgment of
the majority and impede the realisation of their wishes in exercising their
democratic right, that means that you have abandoned the peaceful expression of
your opinion and entered the process of trying to subject the opinions of others
to yours.”Fahima stressed that the elections are not a goal in themselves, but
rather a means to reach political stability, adding, "Whoever accepts democracy
as a way to rule and a way to reach power, must accept its results."
This comes at a time when attitudes are changing regarding holding the
presidential elections on time, with a radical shift in the position of Libya’s
parliament, the House of Representatives (HoR).
In fact, the HoR, which had earlier been pressing for the vote to be held on
time, is now moving toward postponement. During a closed session on Tuesday,
members reportedly discussed the developments of the electoral process.
Informed sources told The Arab Weekly that the meeting’s goal was to postpone
the elections and block the release of the final list of presidential
candidates.
The candidacies of Seif al-Islam Gadhafi and Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah
have confused the calculations of the House of Representatives, which is close
to Haftar, who is also running for the presidency. Over the past few days, Libya
has seen court battles, with appeals against Dbeibah’s candidacy and a challenge
by Gadhafi’s son of the Electoral Commission’s rejection of his candidacy. On
Wednesday, MP Ziad Daghim, who is known for his support for Haftar and the
Libyan National Army, called for the postponement of the elections, echoing the
Muslim Brotherhood's stance against holding the polls on time. Daghim said in a
statement to the local “24 hour” website, that “the electoral process entered
the recovery room and the parliament is trying to save it by forming a follow-up
committee and communicating with the commission and the relevant institutions,”
stressing “the need to inject new blood in the legislative authority next
February according to two steps; The first is to hold parliamentary elections,
even if partial until a settlement is reached on the presidential elections," He
continued: "The second is the re-election of a new presidency in parliament,
according to partial parliamentary elections."Before that, on Wednesday, the
Muslim Brotherhood-linked president of the State Council, Khalid Al-Mishri,
called for postponing the presidential and parliamentary elections until
February.
Congress Demands Biden’s Administration Clarify US Strategy on Syria
Washington - Muath Alamri/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
The US House of Representatives has passed a law on disclosing the sources of
the wealth of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, his family and his inner circle,
and requested that US federal agencies submit a detailed report. It also
requested the Biden administration to announce its strategy for Syria. This came
during the Congressional approval of the US Department of Defense budget for the
year 2022 and now awaits the support of the Senate for the law to take effect.
Many see the law’s passing as a legislative victory for the US against the Assad
regime in Syria. It plays to the benefit of the Syrian revolution and popular
opposition, which have long pressed the US to take stricter measures against the
regime in Syria. The initial draft of the bill included an interagency strategy
to disrupt the Assad regime’s illicit drug networks in Syria. However, that part
was excluded from the bill, which maintained the law on presenting a report on
the wealth of Assad and his family members, including his cousins, such as the
Makhloufs and others. Among the amendments that were discussed, but did not
succeed in obtaining enough votes to pass, is an amendment that requires a
strategy for Syria and for making the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
self-sufficient enough to let go of the help of the US forces eventually.
According to the final version that was voted on and approved by submitting the
law to the Senate, which is what Democratic Congresswoman Claudia Tenny had
submitted, orders a report from the State Department on the net wealth of Assad
and his family members, including his wife, children, siblings, as well as
paternal and maternal cousins. The approved amendment, No. 6507, included
disclosure of “income from corrupt or illegal activities practiced by the Syrian
regime.”
The legal amendment stressed the need for interagency coordination to apply US
sanctions against Assad in Syria and the importance of “monitoring rampant
corruption to ensure that no funds are directed to terrorist groups and
malicious activities.”The House bill also included a provision requiring the
Secretary of Defense to report on the estimated cost savings from the complete
withdrawal of US personnel and local contractors from Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Syria, compared to the actual costs in the fiscal year 2021. It also requested
presenting the estimated cost of redirecting US personnel and materials and
“increasing the budgetary power of ships, aircraft, nuclear weapons, key
personnel, and operational costs, to actively participate in great power
competition with Russia and China, and to effectively restrain and deter Russia
and China militarily in all regions.”
In amendment No. 1222, legislators requested the submitting of a detailed report
explaining the US military and political strategy in Syria in no more than 90
days, starting from the entry into force of the budget of the US Government,
Fiscal Year 2022. The amendment stipulated that after the date of enactment of
this law, the US president, acting through the Secretary of State and in
coordination with the Secretary of Defense, “shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report containing a description of the US strategy on
defense and diplomacy toward Syria.”For his part, Representative French Hill of
Arkansas issued a statement voicing his disappointment that his provision to go
after the multi-billion-dollar drug trade in Syria was not included. “While I
was disappointed my provision to go after the multi-billion-dollar drug trade in
Syria was not included because of a disjointed process, I was pleased to see the
note in the Conference Committee Report that indicated support for an
interagency strategy to disrupt and dismantle the Assad regime’s illicit
production and trafficking of Captagon in Syria. I look forward to pursuing
other legislative avenues to move these important provisions forward,” said
Hill.
Hill had previously released a video clip saying that the Biden administration
must do everything in its power to stop the systematic drug smuggling operations
in Syria, describing the Assad regime as a narcostate.
Iraqi Official Says US-led Troops End Combat Mission, as
Planned
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
Iraq's national security adviser said on Thursday that US-led forces had ended
their combat mission in Iraq, a move that transfers all remaining troops into a
training and advising role. According to Reuters, Qasim al-Aaraji said on
Twitter that the combat mission had ended on schedule ahead of the end of the
year and that combat troops were to withdraw. US President Joe Biden and Iraqi
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi sealed an agreement in July to formally end
the US combat mission in Iraq by the end of 2021. Western security and
diplomatic officials say that calling the shift a withdrawal is misleading
because it changes little in terms of the number of forces based in Iraq. The US
has kept around 2,500 troops in Iraq since 2020. The Western officials say that
most of those forces have been operating only in a training and advising role
for some time. The US-led military mission focuses on countering the remnants of
ISIS. It began its mission in 2014 as part of an international effort to defeat
the extremist group which had taken over vast areas of Iraq and Syria.
Burhan Warns Diplomats Not to Interfere in Sudan's Internal Affairs
Khartoum - Mohammed Amin Yassin/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
Sudan's military chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan has warned of possible
measures against foreign diplomatic missions for their alleged incitement
against the Sudanese army. Burhan also reiterated his commitment to the
political agreement struck with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
On 25 October, the military dismissed Hamdok's transitional government. However,
Burhan later reinstated the PM to form a civil government after coming under
local and international pressure. “A number of diplomatic envoys are … clearly
trying to incite the people to turn against the armed forces in order to seize
the opportunity of interfering in Sudanese affairs,” said Burhan at a military
graduation ceremony in River Nile state in northeastern Sudan. “We will not
hesitate to take action against anyone committing violations against the
security of Sudan,” he warned. On the agreement with Hamdok, he said the army
was committed to maintain peace and to prepare for the elections.
Le Drian Urges Easing of Tension with Algeria
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 9 December, 2021
France's top diplomat Jean-Yves Le Drian called Wednesday for an easing of
tensions with Algeria, during a surprise visit to Algiers after repeated crises
between the North African country and its former colonial power.
Addressing journalists after meeting President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Le Drian
said the countries should move past "misunderstandings" and "wounds of the
past". "I hope that our two countries will return together to the path of a
peaceful relationship and look to the future," AFP quoted him as saying.
He voiced hope that both would work together to bring stability to Algeria's
neighbors, Libya and Mali. Relations between Algiers and Paris have been
strained for much of the six decades since the former French colony won its
independence after a 130-year occupation. President Emmanuel Macron has gone
further than his predecessors in owning up to French abuses during the colonial
era. But ties collapsed in October after Macron accused Algeria's
"political-military system" of rewriting history and fomenting "hatred towards
France". In remarks to descendants of independence fighters, reported by Le
Monde, Macron also questioned whether Algeria had existed as a nation before the
French invasion in the 1800s. Coming a month after Paris decided to sharply
reduce visa quotas for citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, those comments
sparked a fierce reaction from Algeria. The country withdrew its ambassador and
banned French military planes from its airspace, which they regularly use to
carry out operations against militant groups in West Africa and the Sahel
region. The comments also prompted Tebboune to boycott a major November summit
in Paris on Libya, vowing that Algeria would "not take the first step" to repair
ties. The dispute prompted a rare expression of contrition from the French
presidency, which said it "regretted" the misunderstandings caused by the
remarks. An aide from Macron's office said the French leader "has the greatest
respect for the Algerian nation and its history and for Algeria's sovereignty."
Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra welcomed that statement and, in the
end, represented Algeria at the Libya conference. Le Drian's visit comes as
Algeria prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its independence in March.
As ties warm up with Arab countries, Syria to host 2024
energy conference
The Arab Weekly/December 09/2021
Syria will host an Arab energy conference in 2024, the country’s energy ministry
said Thursday, the latest sign that Arab countries are moving to re-engage with
the government of Syria’s embattled President Bashar Assad. The announcement
followed a unanimous vote from members of the Organisation of Arab Petroleum
Exporting Countries during a virtual meeting Thursday, the ministry said. The
conference will be held in Damascus, according to a ministry statement on
Facebook and the official state news agency SANA. Qatar is hosting the 2023
conference. Arab countries have in recent months been making limited moves to
improve relations with Syria, a decade after it was shunned and kicked out of
the Arab League at the onset of the country’s civil war in 2011. The
rapprochement has included the reopening of several embassies, visits by Arab
officials to Damascus and restoring some commercial ties with the war-torn
country. The moves are a recognition of the facts on the ground — after years of
war and despite the initial support by some Arab countries to his opposition,
Assad’s government has survived and his forces have regained control of much of
the country. Syria’s civil war has displaced half of its population, killed
hundreds of thousands and driven the country’s economy into the ground. Before
the war, Syria produced 350,000 barrels of oil a day, exporting more than half
of it. It now averages around 24,000 barrels a day, covering only a fraction of
domestic needs. Most of its oil fields are in the hands of Kurdish-led forces,
who administer an autonomous region in the country’s northeast. Assad’s
government has relied on a top ally, Iran, for oil supplies. In recent weeks, a
deal was signed with Egypt to extend natural gas through Syria to Lebanon using
an Arab oil pipeline that has been out of service for a decade. OAPEC was
founded in Beirut in 1968 with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Libya as its first
members. Its headquarters are in Kuwait. Algeria, Qatar, the United Arab
Emirates and Bahrain joined three years later. The organisation’s charter was
later changed to allow members where petroleum is an essential source of income,
though not the main one. Syria and Egypt also subsequently joined the group. The
organisation’s website says the total reserves of the member states are
estimated at 704 billion barrels a year.
Sudan in danger as death toll in Darfur tribal clashes mounts
The Arab Weekly/December 09/2021
A Sudanese medical group said Wednesday that the death toll from weekend tribal
clashes between Arabs and non-Arabs in the country’s western Darfur region had
climbed to at least 88. The fighting grew out of a financial dispute late
Saturday between two individuals in a camp for displaced persons in the Kreinik
area in West Darfur province. The following day, Arab militias known as
Janjaweed attacked the camp and surrounding villages. The militias torched and
looted properties, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. Most of the
displaced are from the African Masalit tribe, who were forced to leave their
homes during the Darfur conflict, according to Adam Regal, the spokesman for the
General Coordination for Refugees and Displaced in Darfur. The Sudan Doctors
Committee said it tallied at least 88 dead and 84 wounded from all sides since
the clashes erupted on December 4. It said most of the causalities suffered
gunshots and that the humanitarian situation in the area was “catastrophic.”
Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council on Tuesday said it would deploy a joint force
to Darfur, to help secure the region which has seen a spike in tribal violence
in recent weeks.
The African country is on a fragile path to democracy after a popular uprising
forced the overthrow of President Omar Bashir and his Islamist government in
April 2019, ending nearly three decades of autocratic rule. Before the weekend
violence, since October 62 people had been killed in several bouts of
intercommunal clashes in West Darfur and South Darfur provinces, according to
the doctors' committee. With the latest killings, the overall death toll for
this time period is at least 150. The tribal violence poses a significant
challenge to the transitional government in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum,
which is seeking to end decades-long rebellions in Darfur and elsewhere in the
country. The Darfur conflict began in 2003 when ethnic Africans rebelled,
accusing the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum of discrimination. Bashir’s
government has been accused of retaliating by arming local nomadic Arab tribes
and unleashing the Janjaweed on civilians, a charge it denied. Bashir, jailed in
Khartoum since his ouster, faces international charges of genocide and crimes
against humanity related to the Darfur conflict.
Canada/Minister Joly and Minister Sajjan to participate
in G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting in Liverpool, United Kingdom
December 9, 2021 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable
Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible
for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, will take part in the G7
Foreign and Development Ministers Meeting in Liverpool, United Kingdom, from
December 10 to December 12, 2021.
This will be the second such meeting in 2021, and the first for Ministers Joly
and Sajjan in their new roles. It will serve as an opportunity to continue to
make progress together on several pressing international development and foreign
policy challenges.
Ministers Joly and Sajjan will look to align Canadian efforts with likeminded
partners on a number of priorities, including increasing access to COVID-19
vaccines, advancing gender equality, and supporting global economic growth. They
will also discuss coordinated responses to threats to human rights and
democracy; these discussions will include efforts to deter and end arbitrary
detention for leverage in the context of diplomatic relations. G7 Ministers will
also exchange views on pressing geopolitical issues, including Afghanistan,
China, Ethiopia, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Sudan and Ukraine.
The ministers will have the opportunity to engage with many of their
counterparts, in-person and virtually, including ministers from Australia,
India, and the Republic of Korea along with representatives from many countries
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), who have been invited as
guests to join parts of the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting.
As the host country, the United Kingdom will implement strict COVID-19 health
measures, including social distancing and daily testing to ensure the health and
wellbeing of all staff and attendees. Ministers Joly and Sajjan and Canadian
delegates will follow all applicable health and safety protocols and adhere to
any quarantine requirements upon their return to Canada.
Quotes
“This meeting with G7 partners and guests will allow us to continue working
towards a coordinated worldwide response to the ongoing challenges posed by
COVID-19. I look forward to having important discussions with my colleagues and
seeking real solutions to some of the most pressing issues of our time.”
- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“Global problems demand global solutions. During my first trip as Canada’s
minister of international development, I look forward to working together with
G7 colleagues to address critical issues, including equitable access to COVID-19
vaccines, and the empowerment of women and girls worldwide.”
- Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister
responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada
Quick facts
The G7 is an informal group of like-minded partners that brings together Canada,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the
European Union.
The G7 dates back to the mid-1970s, and the G7 presidency, which rotates
annually between member countries, sets the agenda for the year in consultation
with G7 partners. The United Kingdom has held the presidency in 2021 and Germany
will assume the presidency for 2022. Canada last held the presidency in 2018.
This second ever G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting offers its
members a unique forum where they can develop coordinated approaches through
open and honest discussions on issues related to foreign affairs, international
development, and international security.
G7 foreign and development ministers last met in-person and virtually in May,
2021.
The Latest The Latest LCCC English
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on December 09-10/2021
خالد أبو طعمة/معهد جيتستون : العرب لبايدن يقولون االرئيس، لا تدع إيران تخدعك
Arabs to Biden: Do Not Let Iran Play You for a Fool
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/December 09/2021
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/104661/khaled-abu-toameh-gatestone-institute-arabs-to-biden-do-not-let-iran-play-you-for-a-fool-%d8%ae%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%af-%d8%a3%d8%a8%d9%88-%d8%b7%d8%b9%d9%85%d8%a9-%d9%85%d8%b9%d9%87%d8%af-%d8%ac%d9%8a/
Iran has been insisting on its conditions and demands, including that Washington
and the Western powers release frozen Iranian funds before reaching an
agreement, according to Tariq Alhomayed, a Saudi journalist and former
editor-in-chief of the Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. He added that
Iran was refusing to discuss ballistic missiles, drones and its terrorist
militias in the Middle East as the mullahs continue their alarming rate of
uranium enrichment.
"It is evident that Washington has been begging Iran to return to the
negotiating table," he said. "Washington did not threaten Iran with the use of
force. It is true that we hear statements from Washington about impatience, but
they are neither serious nor real. The Americans did not convey any serious
message to the Iranians." — Tariq Alhomayed, Asharq Al-Awsat, November 24, 2021.
Iraqi writer Ali Alsarraf believes that by seeking guarantees that the US will
not reimpose sanctions on Iran in the future, the mullahs in Tehran are hoping
that they will become immune from anything that their militias do in the Middle
East, including striking American bases and forcing them to leave Iraq and
Syria.
"As with North Korea, the world would be forced to grapple with Iranian
aggression very cautiously because of the likelihood that it could rain down
ballistic and nuclear weapons upon neighbors. Unlike North Korea, Iran has proxy
forces deployed throughout the region which henceforth could act with impunity,
shielded by Iran's nuclear umbrella." — Baria Alamuddin, award-winning Lebanese
journalist and broadcaster, Arab News, November 28, 2021.
It is impressive to see that a growing number of Arabs, especially those...
whose countries are occupied by Iranian-backed militias, share Israeli fears of
the mullahs' evil plans.
The message these Arabs are sending to the Biden administration: take a tough
stance towards Iran before it is too late. Far from being a danger to Israel
alone, Iran is terrorizing Arab countries and threatening world peace and
security.
On the eve of the resumption of the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna, Arabs have
again warned the Biden administration against being duped by the mullahs of
Tehran.
The Arabs, who share Israel's concern over Iran's accelerated efforts (and
deceptive tactics) to achieve nuclear weapons, also warned the Biden
administration against reaching a temporary deal that would give Iran more time
to proceed with its disastrous and dangerous plans.
"Undoubtedly, a temporary nuclear agreement, if it is implemented, reflects the
failure of the policy of President Biden's administration, which announced that
it would seek a wider, stronger and more comprehensive agreement," wrote Saudi
writer and political analyst Yahya Talidi.
Talidi pointed out that the US administration seems confused because of its
changing policy priorities and objectives in the Middle East, "which reflects a
lack of interest in strengthening and factors of stability and security in the
region." The previous nuclear agreement in 2015, he added, was a failure.
"The failure has logical and realistic causes, most notably that it was limited
to a specific time period (it expires in 2025) and did not address the ambitions
of hegemony and expansion of the Iranian regime and its ballistic missiles.
"This failure may be repeated today in Vienna. A temporary agreement could
become permanent, allowing Iran to maintain its nuclear infrastructure and
supply it with uranium, with which it has doubled its stockpile, and then the
region will become mired in an uncontrollable nuclear arms race."
Tariq Alhomayed, a Saudi journalist and former editor-in-chief of the
Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, warned the Biden administration that
Iran was only trying to buy more time by returning to the negotiations with the
US and other world powers:
"The Vienna negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement on the Iranian
nuclear file are supposed to resume next week, and all indications are that we
are facing time-wasting negotiations...
"It is clear that the Iranian [leaders] are not seeking to seriously revive
these negotiations, and therefore are not keen on the completion of the
agreement, especially since the achievement of the agreement may weaken them at
home."
Alhomayed pointed out that Iran has been insisting on its conditions and
demands, including that Washington and the Western powers release frozen Iranian
funds before reaching an agreement. He added that Iran was refusing to discuss
ballistic missiles, drones and its terrorist militias in the Middle East as the
mullahs continue their alarming rate of uranium enrichment.
"Iran is doing all of this to take advantage of the time factor... If a nuclear
agreement is not achieved, Tehran will have reached levels of enrichment that
would allow it to implement its nuclear project by imposing a fait accompli and
declaring victory."
According to Alhomayed, the Biden administration has failed to send a tough
message to Iran ahead of the resumption of the Vienna talks.
"It is evident that Washington has been begging Iran to return to the
negotiating table... Washington did not threaten Iran with the use of force. It
is true that we hear statements from Washington about impatience, but they are
neither serious nor real. The Americans did not convey any serious message to
the Iranians."
Iraqi writer Ali Alsarraf expressed concern that Biden might commit with Iran
the same "sin" he committed with Afghanistan.
Iran, he said, cannot make any concessions on its demands because other parties,
including Russia, are encouraging the mullahs to endorse a hardline approach in
its dealings with the Biden administration:
"The current situation is that Iran and Russia are speaking with one voice,
saying that there is no way to reach an agreement unless the original agreement
is preserved without any additions to it...
"This position says, in other words, that all the previous six rounds were
meaningless. Iran also wants all sanctions to be lifted at once, and on top of
that, it wants guarantees that the US will not reimpose sanctions after the full
return of the agreement. Returning to the original version of the nuclear
agreement means refraining from adding any issues related to Iran's
destabilizing activities in the region, including the activities of its
terrorist militias in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen."
Alsarraf believes that by seeking guarantees that the US will not reimpose
sanctions on Iran in the future, the mullahs in Tehran are hoping that they will
become immune from anything that their militias do in the Middle East, including
striking American bases and forcing them to leave Iraq and Syria.
"With Iran's recent announcement that it has produced 25 kilograms of 60%
enriched uranium, postponing the talks for an unknown period does not appear to
be an acceptable option... Because 90% of the enrichment required to produce a
nuclear weapon is very close. There is no doubt that Iran is using this for
blackmail purposes."
Baria Alamuddin, an award-winning Lebanese journalist and broadcaster in the
Middle East, said she supported the use of military force to stop Iran from
gaining nuclear weapons.
Iran's attainment of nuclear capacity, Alamuddin wrote, has immediate
implications for global security.
"As with North Korea, the world would be forced to grapple with Iranian
aggression very cautiously because of the likelihood that it could rain down
ballistic and nuclear weapons upon neighbors... Unlike North Korea, Iran has
proxy forces deployed throughout the region which henceforth could act with
impunity, shielded by Iran's nuclear umbrella."
She pointed out that despite spectacular Israeli acts of sabotage, Iranian
scientists have gone to extraordinary lengths to rebuild and keep nuclear
development on schedule, even at a time when thousands of impoverished citizens
are dying from never-ending COVID-19 outbreaks and much of the country is
running out of water.
"According to intelligence officials, Tehran replaced damaged equipment with new
technology that operates faster and at higher volumes... Hence, reliance on
cyberattacks and pin-prick sabotage has only made Iran double down on its
efforts. The US dilemma is simple: If Iran is hellbent on developing nuclear
weapons, and the world is serious about stopping Iran, then ultimately there may
be no alternative to some form of military force, such as surgical strikes for
permanently eliminating nuclear sites. There is no sugaring this pill. The
ayatollahs must be under no illusion that they can stealthily filibuster their
way toward nuclear breakout capacity".
Alamuddin warned that Western ambivalence and naivety have only made matters
worse: "Iran must be bluntly and forcefully told: If you proceed down this path,
we will stop you!"
Rafik Khoury, another Lebanese writer and political analyst, also expressed
concern over the Biden administration's soft approach towards Iran.
"Washington seems to be begging Tehran to return to the indirect negotiations,"
Khoury noted.
"The men of the first row in the Biden administration were the men of the second
row in the administration of President Barack Obama. Biden's men learned the
lesson of driving from the back seat, despite Biden's statement that 'America is
back in command.'"
Khoury advised the Biden administration to avoid making the same mistake Obama
did by relying on empty and false promises by Iran.
He noted that Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and National Security
Adviser Jake Sullivan initially insisted on a broader and more permanent
agreement that would be linked to a halt to missile development and
"destabilizing" activities by Tehran in the Middle East.
"When Tehran refused to discuss any issue outside of returning to the nuclear
agreement and the lifting of sanctions, the US administration backed down,"
Khoury added.
The views expressed by these Arab writers and journalists are not uncommon in
the Arab world, where many continue to regard Iran as a major threat to security
and stability in the Middle East.
It is impressive to see that a growing number of Arabs, especially those living
in the Gulf states or those whose countries are occupied by Iranian-backed
militias, share Israeli fears of the mullahs' evil plans.
The message these Arabs are sending to the Biden administration: take a tough
stance towards Iran before it is too late. Far from being a danger to Israel
alone, Iran is terrorizing Arab countries and threatening world peace and
security.
*Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
© 2021 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.
Have political parties lost their role in Algeria?
The Arab Weekly/December 09/2021
Recent elections in Algeria showed that affiliation with political parties has
become simply an administrative requirement for electoral candidacy
applications. During the three weeks of the past electoral campaign, no party
programmes nor visions to advance local development were presented to voters.
The turnout rate did not exceed 35 percent, but despite that, the winners were
excited about what they have achieved, trying to hide a grim reality produced by
the new political scene. That reality is that a silent gap is widening between
the candidates and the new political institutions, on the one hand, and
political parties on the other hand. It seems that the different parties no
longer represent anything but a mere political cover or an administrative
requirement to be filed with the national electoral commission. Other than that,
there is no organic nor spiritual relationship between the new generation of
candidates and their parties. This transformation can only increase the
disintegration and dissolution of the political class. When parties can no
longer convince their candidates to adopt their programmes, how can they
convince Algerians about their platforms?
Over the course of three weeks of the election campaign, the Algerian voters did
not hear about this or that party having any programme to promote local
development or to address the daily concerns of the population. The reason was
that candidates seemed too shy to promote their parties’ policies. Many of them
contented themselves with simply advertising their candidacies on social media.
The political divorce between the Algerian street and the elections is directly
linked to the crisis of political parties that have lost their credibility and
their role and no longer have programmes nor an identity. The new logic of
Algerian parties is to be with or against the authorities. Even the largest and
oldest parties have become satellites and not locomotives. They are mostly
satisfied with a piece of the cake without being a partner, or even trying to
inject part of their programme into government policies, which effectively they
support.
From the Algerian perspective, the political party is no longer a school with
ideas, viewpoints and principles, but rather has become an administrative
requirement to run in elections. In the absence of a political link between the
candidate and the party, the voters have become disillusioned about the
electoral game where candidates seek their narrow interest in linking up to
parties that have no substance. It seems that the new electoral pattern adopted
by the authorities to prevent what it called “political corruption and the
seepage of money into party competition”, has had the opposite effect. It has
confused weary voters and embarrassed others into voting for relatives while
entrenching the practice of individualistic opportunism in elections and further
diminishing the value and prestige of the political parties.
Until recently, party loyalty and a candidate’s performance was the first test
for those wishing to run. But the equation has now changed. Parties are giving
up everything and looking for candidates on social media or through official
statements, which is an alarming indication of the advanced erosion of the party
institution. The Socialist Forces Front, which is the oldest opposition party in
the country, created underground during the early years of independence, remains
the most prominent example of the gradual dissolution of the political forces
since the passing of its historic leader Hacine Ait Ahmed.
It is a party where a high-ranking member dares to run under the banner of the
National Liberation Front and not his own party and where candidates quickly
turn their backs on their party after winning seats in its name.
West must learn from its Iran nuclear deal mistakes
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/December 09, 2021
The failure of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action, should have taught the US, France, Germany and the UK several lessons
when it comes to dealing and negotiating with the Iranian regime. If the West
wants to reach an enduring agreement with Tehran, it should show that it has
learned from its mistakes.
This means that any nuclear deal with Tehran must not be transitory, which is
what the Iranian regime wants it to be.
The primary objective of the nuclear talks was to halt Iran’s nuclear program
permanently, hence eliminating the possibility of a nuclear arms race in the
region and removing the strategic threat that a nuclear-armed Iran might pose in
the region via its hegemonic ambitions, thereby shifting the balance of power
and creating new alliances.
Unfortunately, the 2015 JCPOA, which the Biden administration, Germany, France
and the UK are currently trying to revive, fundamentally moved away from this
key goal. At the time, as the Obama administration attempted to add to its
Middle Eastern achievements, the Iranian nuclear team managed to obtain an
unprecedented number of compromises from the White House, removing crucial
restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, lifting sanctions and ensuring it had
the ultimate legal right and international legitimacy to become a nuclear
threshold state.
The objective of permanently halting Iran’s nuclear program unfortunately
morphed into limiting Tehran’s nuclear ambitions for a set period, while
removing sanctions and ultimately rewarding the theocratic regime with the
sunset clauses.
The Biden administration has suggested extending the sunset clauses from 15
years to 25 years. But this would still be a transitory agreement that would
allow the regime to resume enriching uranium at any level it chooses, spin as
many advanced centrifuges as it wants, make its reactors fully operational,
build new heavy water reactors, produce as much fuel as it desires for its
reactors, and maintain higher uranium enrichment capability, with no
restrictions after the period of the agreement. In other words, the sunset
clauses will most likely ensure that Iran will be a nuclear state after the 15
or 25-year period, assuming that Tehran will not covertly violate the rules in
the meantime. After the expiration of such an agreement, Iran would be rewarded
with an unrestricted nuclear program.
Technologically speaking, after Iran becomes a nuclear threshold state, it takes
only a matter of weeks to produce weapons-grade material. In fact, the regime
hopes for such a temporary agreement, as it would allow Tehran to enrich uranium
and be free of sanctions.
A second mistake that needs to be learned from is the decision to lift all
sanctions against Iran on the first day of the agreement. When this happened in
2015, the West lost all leverage against the regime and Iran immediately
rejoined the international community and increased its oil sales and trade
revenue, strengthening the ruling clerics’ hold on power and eliminating the
economic danger that had been causing potentially revolutionary domestic unrest.
In 2015, the Iranian regime received an extremely favorable deal from the P5+1
powers, as all four rounds of UN sanctions, which took decades and a significant
amount of political capital to put in place, were lifted on day one of the
nuclear deal. This move by the Obama administration, which led the negotiations,
was a result of misguided diplomacy and was politically and strategically
dangerous.
Three conditions must be included in any new agreement to replace the failed
2015 JCPOA.
If all sanctions are lifted immediately and Iran later decides to breach the
terms of the deal, it would be extremely difficult to again find consensus in
the UN Security Council on imposing sanctions on Tehran.
Finally, Iran’s ballistic missile program is interconnected with the nuclear
program. The international community witnessed how the Iranian regime expanded
and launched far more ballistic missiles after the 2015 nuclear deal, despite UN
Security Council Resolution 1929, which states: “Iran shall not undertake any
activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons,
including launches using ballistic missile technology, and that states shall
take all necessary measures to prevent the transfer of technology or technical
assistance to Iran related to such activities.”
In conclusion, any new deal with the Iranian regime must permanently bring an
end to its nuclear threats and defiance, allow for sanctions to be lifted
gradually, and also restrict Tehran’s ballistic missile program.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist.
Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh
Adapting to the changing face of the space race
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/December 09, 2021
During French President Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to Saudi Arabia last
weekend, much attention focused on the geopolitical aspects of the high-level
discussions. However, there was another important aspect: Space. The CEO of the
Saudi Space Commission, Dr. Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi, signed a cooperation
agreement with Philippe Baptiste, his counterpart at the French National Center
for Space Studies.
This agreement included strengthening the strategic partnership between the two
sides and laying the foundations for cooperative activities in the peaceful use
of space. The accord completes other steps the Saudi Space Commission has taken
to facilitate the exchange of information and technologies, and contribute to
capacity-building in the Kingdom. It is also the focus for development of public
and private-sector activities to build up an attractive environment for
investment in the space sector and the growth of its economy.
Regrettably, most headlines about space today portray the sector in a negative
light — a game in which billionaires show off and waste resources that could be
better directed to other, more worthy, projects and causes. This is a major
misunderstanding of the opportunities, as well as challenges, that the “new
space” is presenting. Space has become a key component for the security and the
economy of every country and region. It simply cannot and should not be ignored.
There is obviously a geopolitical aspect to the development of innovation in
space. From the beginning, it was perceived as an ideological and political
competition between the US and the USSR — a way of highlighting the advances in
research and discovery for each of the superpowers. Everyone knows of the famous
“Sputnik moment.” And it is often said that the US anti-missile Strategic
Defense Initiative played a key role in ending the Cold War, leaving the Soviet
Union with a challenge that it was unable to meet due to its limited resources.
The SDI never materialized, but it had the desired impact.
Yet, the story of space is not only about geopolitics, but also scientific
discovery and economic development. Today, this industry is valued at more than
$400 billion and is expected to be worth $1 trillion by 2040. If you watch the
latest football matches live, it is thanks to the space and satellite industry.
Moreover, without space and global positioning systems, you would be unable to
use most of the applications on your smartphone. That is why space has shifted
from solely a geopolitical competition to a commercial one as well.
One of the key points in the agreement and steps taken by the Saudi Space
Commission is the empowerment of the private sector. This is an important and
necessary action that can no longer be ignored. One could make a comparison with
the rise of social media platforms. These companies today have full control over
the entire supply chain of information and are acting as the main
infrastructure, or utility company, for data. They have been left unchecked and
now have the power to decide which voices are heard and which are not. The same
can and will happen in space.
Just as social media has transformed every company into a media company, in the
future every company will become a space company.
In this sense, Josef Aschbacher, director-general of the European Space Agency,
recently said that Elon Musk was being allowed to “make the rules” in space.
This refers not only to the advances in the launching capacity of SpaceX, but
also the Starlink satellite internet constellation it operates. Aschbacher has
encouraged states to avoid competition and, instead, focus on empowering the
private sector to achieve better results faster.
It is also true that the revolution in the space sector today was brought about
partly by Musk. By democratizing access to space and making it cheaper, he has
unleashed a historical opportunity for a large number of new space companies to
offer various applications. A big part of the financing of SpaceX comes from
NASA and US government contracts, of course. Yet, the US has moved quickly and
shifted the power toward the private sector. The same is now happening in the
region that covers Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
And so, just as social media has transformed every company into a media company,
in the future every company will become a space company. Once again, the key
point is that whoever has control over the supply chain, whether private sector
or government, will have the capacity to shut down others and generate chaos.
Hence, the development of a sustainable framework among friends and allies — as
Saudi Arabia and France have initiated — is an absolute necessity to grasp the
economic opportunities space is creating. Nevertheless, it is also important to
build for a future that protects and offers security, especially as the risk of
geopolitics morphing into astropolitics increases.
*Khaled Abou Zahr is CEO of Eurabia, a media and tech company. He is also the
editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.