English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For January 31/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus said to His disciple: I sent you to reap that for which you haven’t labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
John 04/31038: 31 In the meanwhile, the disciples urged him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”The disciples therefore said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Don’t you say, ‘There are yet four months until the harvest?’ Behold, I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already. He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit to eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you haven’t labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 30-31/2022
Corona - Health Ministry: 7,105 new Corona cases, 14 deaths
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister: We have received Lebanon's response to the Gulf initiative & it will be studied
Bou Habib hands his Kuwaiti counterpart President Aoun's letter to Prince Nawaf, Lebanon’s response to Kuwaiti paper
Gulf States Review Lebanon's Response to Proposal to Ease Row
Al-Rahi Urges Officials Not to Cover Up for 'Arms Multiplicity'
Rahi presides over Sunday Mass in Bkirki
Lebanon's Hezbollah says it expects parliamentary election on time
Alain Aoun points to FPM’s alliance possibility with Hezbollah in upcoming elections despite all differences
Geagea announces re-nomination of Daccache in Kesrouan: Whoever votes for FPM & Hezbollah will be extending the suffering
Lebanon: An Arab Icon or a Houthi Iteration?/Rajeh Khoury/Asharq Al-Awsat/January,30/2022
All bets off for Lebanon after Hariri’s withdrawal/Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/January 30/2022

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 30-31/2022
Arab Foreign Ministers Hold Consultative Meeting in Kuwait
Israel supports UAE security needs, president says on first visit
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Meets with Israeli President
Israeli President Herzog to Arrive in UAE for First Visit Sunday
US Iran envoy criticized for ‘parroting Iranian propaganda’ about women in stadiums
France Calls on Iran to Release Jailed Researcher
Macron Stresses Need to 'Accelerate' Iran Nuclear Talks
Macron Tells Iran’s Raisi More Effort Needed in Nuclear Talks
Russia's FM: NATO Wants to 'Drag' Ukraine into Alliances
Iraq Arrests Suspect Linked to Baghdad Airport Attack
Iraqi Airstrikes Kill 9 IS Militants, including 4 Lebanese
Over 330 Killed since IS Attacked Syria Prison
Canada/Global Affairs Canada temporarily withdraws non-essential personnel from Canadian embassy to Ukraine
Iraq Arrests Suspect Linked to Baghdad Airport Attack
UAE, Ethiopia Discuss Regional Developments, Peacemaking in Horn of
South Sudan FM: We Look Forward to a Pivotal Saudi Role in Africa
Protester Killed in Khartoum
Saudi Minister: We Will Confront Anything that Threatens Gulf States' Security

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 30-31/2022
The Severed Head of Santa Claus: The Persecution of Christians, December 2021/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/January 30, 2022
What role for political parties in Jordan?/Shakir Rafayah/The Arab Weekly/January 30/2022
West must widen focus on Tehran’s malign activities/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/January 30/2022
US should walk away from Iran nuclear talks/Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/January 30/2022

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 30-31/2022
Corona - Health Ministry: 7,105 new Corona cases, 14 deaths
NNA/January,30/2022
In its daily report on the COVID-19 developments, the Ministry of Public Health announced on Sunday the registration of 7,105 new Coronavirus infections, which raised the cumulative number of confirmed cases to-date to 914,929. The report added that 14 deaths were also recorded during the past 24 hours.

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister: We have received Lebanon's response to the Gulf initiative & it will be studied
NNA/January,30/2022
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister, Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, said today that the Gulf countries will study Lebanon's response to Gulf proposals to the Lebanese government aimed at improving relations between the Gulf and Beirut, according to "Reuters" news agency.
The Kuwaiti foreign minister thanked Lebanon for "interacting" with the demands formulated by the Gulf countries, saying that it was a "positive step."During the consultative meeting hosted by Kuwait today, the Arab foreign ministers discussed ways to develop the multiple areas of cooperation between the member countries of the Arab League, and the frameworks for their development amidst broad and more comprehensive dimensions and horizons. A statement by the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry, as reported by "Sky News", said that the Arab ministers discussed all the common fateful Arab issues, foremost of which being the Palestinian cause. Conferees touched on aspects of Arab cooperation in dealing with these crises and how to maximize the Arab role in this framework, in a high spirit of transparency and frankness within the “one Arab house”, according to the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry issued statement.

Bou Habib hands his Kuwaiti counterpart President Aoun's letter to Prince Nawaf, Lebanon’s response to Kuwaiti paper
NNA/January,30/2022
In an issued statement this evening, the Foreign and Emigrants Ministry indicated that Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdallah Bou Habib, visited Kuwait to participate in the consultative meeting of the Arab League, where he met with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al Mohammed Al Sabah, and handed him a letter from the President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, addressed to His Highness, the Emir of the State of Kuwait, Prince Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, as well as Lebanon’s response to the Kuwaiti initiative.
The statement added that Minister Bou Habib also participated in today’s consultative ministerial meeting, where he presented the situation in Lebanon and emphasized the need to restore the historical brotherly relations with its Arab brethrens, noting that this message had a “positive impact” on the Kuwaiti side and the participants. “The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister stressed his country's keenness on Lebanon's stability and the welfare of its people, and the continuation of the Kuwaiti endeavor to arrange relations with the brothers in the Gulf to complement what was constituted in the Lebanese response,” the Foreign Ministry statement concluded.

Gulf States Review Lebanon's Response to Proposal to Ease Row
Agence France Presse/January,30/2022
Kuwait said Sunday that a Lebanese response to a list of suggested measures to ease a diplomatic rift with Gulf Arab countries is currently under review. Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser al-Mohammed Al-Sabah said that receiving the response was a "positive step by the Lebanese authorities."
He was speaking during a news conference following a meeting of Arab foreign ministers, which was attended by Lebanon's top diplomat Abdallah Bou Habib. Sheikh Ahmed visited Beirut last week and handed Lebanese leaders a list of suggested measures to ease a diplomatic rift with Gulf Arab countries.
In October, Saudi Arabia and its allies suspended diplomatic ties with Lebanon after the airing of comments by then information minister Georges Kordahi criticizing a Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen. Kuwait recalled its ambassador from Beirut and also asked Beirut's charge d'affaires to leave the emirate. Kordahi resigned in November, in a bid to ease the standoff and French President Emmanuel Macron said Paris and Riyadh had agreed to fully engage to restore diplomatic ties. "It is now up to the relevant parties in Kuwait and in the Gulf states to study this response in order to find out what will be Lebanon's next step," Sheikh Ahmed reporters. The measures presented by Kuwait are part of wider efforts to restore trust between Lebanon and its Gulf Arab neighbors as Beirut grapples with an unprecedented financial crisis. Despite Kordahi's resignation, tensions between Lebanon and Gulf Arab states have persisted, mainly over Hizbullah, which is backed by Saudi's arch-rival Iran. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Beirut called on Lebanese political parties to "end Hizbullah's terrorist hegemony over every aspect of the state."

Al-Rahi Urges Officials Not to Cover Up for 'Arms Multiplicity'
Naharnet/January,30/2022
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday stressed that Lebanese officials “do not have the right to reject the hands that are extended to help them,” in an apparent reference to the paper of Arab and international demands that has been presented to Lebanon by Kuwait. Lebanese officials “should not conceal truths, distort facts, cover up for the multiplicity of arms, justify violations and practices, or evade giving answers to the key issues,” al-Rahi said in his Sunday Mass sermon. He added that “because the Lebanese state is today unable to agree on a unified stance regarding the proposals and initiatives that are beings submitted to it,” a U.N.-sponsored international conference must be held to “put an executive mechanism for the U.N. resolutions.”Commenting on the withdrawal of ex-PM Saad Hariri from political life, al-Rahi described Hariri as “the man of moderation,” and said his decision has been “surprising.”“It has sparked alarm and protest among a national segment that is an essential partner in the national partnership,” the patriarch added, referring to the Sunni community. “As we hope that his decision is temporary, we would like for the dear Sunni community to maintain its enthusiasm for elections,” al-Rahi went on to say.

Rahi presides over Sunday Mass in Bkirki
NNA/January,30/2022
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, affirmed that it is unacceptable for some to take the latest facts as an excuse to promote the postponement of the elections. The Prelate, who presided over Sunday Mass service in Bkirki, expressed his hope that politicians and officials would be able to conduct a free, fair and clear dialogue with the desire to reach the objective truth that unites and rescues Lebanon from its political, economic, financial, social, living and security crises. He hoped that the upcoming legislative elections next May will result in free representatives who will have the spirit of dialogue and believe in it. "The upcoming elections are a deadline to strengthen the system and allow people to express their views and demand accountability. This time, it is an opportunity to choose the next destination in Lebanon. The elected parliament elects the new President of the Republic, who will initiate reforms and participate in a national dialogue to be held after the emergence of the new authority under international auspices," he indicated. The Patriarch explained that efforts must be made by the forces that fight and reject the fait accompli, domination, prejudice and aggression against brotherly and friendly countries, while demanding the implementation of international resolutions. He stressed that "former PM Saad Hariri, a man of moderation, surprised us with his decision and raised concern and protest against a national social segment, an essential partner of the national partnership."
Rahi called on the authorities to control the borders instead of imposing new high taxes and fees on citizens.

Lebanon's Hezbollah says it expects parliamentary election on time
Reuters/30 January ,2022
Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group said on Sunday it saw no reason to delay May's parliamentary elections, days after politics was turned on its head by Saad al-Hariri's withdrawal from public life. Hariri, Lebanon's leading Sunni Muslim politician and three times a former prime minister, declared on Monday he would boycott the vote, adding to the uncertainties facing a country grappling with a devastating financial crisis. “All indications are that the parliamentary elections will take place on time,” Sheikh Naim Qassem, deputy leader of the heavily armed Hezbollah, according to a copy of his speech seen by Reuters.
Maronite Christian patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, a Hezbollah critic, said on Sunday Hariri's move must not be used as an excuse to call for a delay. Hezbollah's adversaries hope to overturn the majority won by the group and allies including President Michel Aoun's Christian Free Patriotic Movement in 2018.
Since then, the financial crisis has plunged the bulk of Lebanese into poverty. The meltdown came to a head in late 2019, when economic grievances ignited protests against the ruling elite over decades of corruption and mismanagement. Despite this, Hezbollah does not expect the election to yield a result much different to 2018, Qassem said, dismissing what he described as expectations of parliament being turned “upside down”. Hezbollah opinion polls across Lebanon showed “the results of the election will be close to the make-up of the current parliament, with slight changes that do not affect the general make-up”, he said. “Therefore, we say to those who have high hopes: ‘put your feet on the ground’,” said Qassem, whose group is designated as a terrorist organisation by countries including the US. While none of Lebanon's main parties have called for an election delay - Aoun said on Saturday he saw no reason for one - many observers believe this may well suit a number of influential players if they feel they stand to lose out. Western states want the vote to go ahead on time. One party hoping to gain is the Christian Lebanese Forces, a Saudi-aligned group fiercely critical of Hezbollah and Aoun.
Hariri leaves behind him a fractured Sunni community where analysts believe Sunni allies of Hezbollah may be able to win more seats. But Hezbollah adversaries also hope to gain. Hariri's brother, Bahaa, announced on Friday he is entering politics. A fierce critic of Hezbollah, he plans to support candidates but will not be running himself.

Alain Aoun points to FPM’s alliance possibility with Hezbollah in upcoming elections despite all differences
NNA/January,30/2022
MP Alain Aoun pointed Sunday to "the possibility that the Free Patriotic Movement will ally with Hezbollah in the parliamentary elections, despite all the differences between them." Speaking in an interview with "Voice of All Lebanon" Radio Channel this morning, Aoun described the decision of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and the Future Movement to suspend political work at the current stage as a “huge shock”, deeming it “a decision related to a specific political team and not a comprehensive boycott of the political system.”He added: “It is not possible to know what the elections will produce in the absence of the Future Movement’s participation.”Regarding the economic rescue plan, Aoun said that it “requires consensus and support from all political parties so that it does not fail through polarizations at the gates of the elections,” calling on all “to assume their responsibilities to reach a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund before the parliamentary elections,” while emphasizing the need to adopt “progressive taxation”. Over the state’s annual budget currently under study, Aoun considered that “if it manages to return public sector employees to their offices, it would have fulfilled its purpose," noting that "discussions will touch on improving revenues so that the increase in employees' salaries will not be through taxes,” while stressing the need to apply “progressive taxation”.Asked about Lebanon’s response to the Arab paper and the issue of Hezbollah's weapons, the MP said: "We do not want problems with the Arab countries, but there are reasons that have led to our current status to which everyone is linked, and Lebanon cannot be asked to solve these problems alone and disarm Hezbollah."

Geagea announces re-nomination of Daccache in Kesrouan: Whoever votes for FPM & Hezbollah will be extending the suffering
NNA/January,30/2022
Lebanese Forces Party Chief, Samir Geagea, declared Sunday the re-nomination of MP Shawki Daccache for one of the Kesrouan Maronite parliamentary seats, emphasizing that "anyone who votes for the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah will be extending his pain and suffering without anyone’s help,” and stressing that "the parliamentary elections constitute a real opportunity to replace the current majority.”Geagea's words came during a retreat organized by the LF Party's Kesrouan branch in presence of MP Daccache and senior partisans. Addressing the attendees via “Zoom” application, Geagea stressed that "change will only happen through all its components,” and confirmed that “the upcoming parliamentary elections are not like the previous ones, as they constitute an opportunity to replace the current majority that did not preserve the state and did not take into account the interests of citizens, leading them to the highest levels of underdevelopment, destitution, poverty, and dishonesty.”For his part, Daccache considered that the “LF Party Chief’s declaration of general mobilization is a clear indication that the upcoming elections are pivotal and will draw the image of Lebanon's future and preserve its identity."

Lebanon: An Arab Icon or a Houthi Iteration?
Rajeh Khoury/Asharq Al-Awsat/January,30/2022
Against the backdrop of the Arab Consultative Ministerial Council, what message will Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib deliver Saturday, to his Kuwaiti counterpart, Dr. Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah?
What will be the response to the Arab-Gulf-international message which Dr. Al-Sabah delivered on January 23 to the head of state and members of parliament and government, which included proposed measures to rebuild trust between Lebanon and Gulf and Arab states and, by extension, states of the world?
I can claim, with certainty, that nothing of use will be brought by Bou Habib, nothing to respond to the Kuwaiti message that is based on the Taif Agreement –the actual constitution of Lebanon, or UN resolutions 1559, 1701 and 1680, nor Arab League resolutions, or Lebanon’s decision to “dissociate” and abstain from being a platform for any attack, in word or deed, against Arab and Gulf states. However, all Bou Habib will have are empty, tedious platitudes void of any true meaning or commitment, statements that the Lebanese state has been keen to reiterate over the past five years, i.e. after it had become enthralled with Hezbollah which ascended Michel Aoun into the Baabda Palace after he had boasted about his contribution to the issuance of Resolution 1559.
The speech of the Kuwaiti foreign minister was affable and noble, as he attempted to remind officials of how brotherly Arab states yearn for Lebanon, now hijacked, to reclaim its role and its image. Dr Al-Sabah said: “We are not intervening in internal Lebanese affairs, but rather demanding that Lebanon not be a platform for any aggression, by word or deed. We wish for Lebanon to be as it was more than 73 years ago, a stellar symbolic icon to the world and the Arab east, Lebanon as an oasis and a space for hope for all, a sanctuary of intellectuals and literary figures, and those in all human sciences. This is Lebanon as we know it, not as a platform for aggression.”
Someone should have listened and recognized, knowing that the ten-point letter conveyed by Dr. Al-Sabah is the last chance for Lebanon to reclaim itself and its agency, sovereignty and identity all of which are crumbling. This is after Lebanon became a de facto Iranian platform for attacks, verbal and material, as well as accusations and smuggling narcotics into brotherly Gulf states. This also comes after Hezbollah had broken all of its commitments to international and Arab League resolutions, and transgressed all boundaries that preserve Lebanon’s role, its image, and its relations as an Arab state with its brothers in the Arab Gulf as well as states around the world.
The foreign minister of Kuwait granted a period of five days to respond to his letter, which clearly indicated that this is the last opportunity for Lebanon to emerge from this “hell” as President Aoun once described it. However, what have been the outcomes since that visit on January 23 and until today?
The answer is nothing whatsoever. No meeting has been held between heads of state to seize this opportunity and make a firm stance that could salvage Lebanon and rearrange its relations with Gulf and Arab states, or the international community that now views Lebanon as a failed state. This was clear from the first moment that Aoun responded that Lebanon is adhering to the Taif Agreement and international resolutions, and after the clear reservation he showed to clauses of Resolution 1559, as he considered Hezbollah’s weapons to be more than a domestic matter of Lebanon, but rather a regional and international issue that must be understood by Arabs and the world!
This is precisely what Aoun wishes Arabs and the world to understand, that Lebanon is a mere platform for attacks, verbal and otherwise, within the conflict Iran wages against Gulf and Arab states, and against the United States and many countries around the world. He suggests that Arabs and Gulf states must simply understand Lebanon’s inability to emerge from the grips of a party that claims, outright, to be fighting on the side of Iran.
What will the Lebanese foreign minister bring to Kuwait?
Nothing of any use; merely a few empty promises and embarrassingly tedious platitudes. The ten-point paper to which Arab and Gulf states, and the US and France, all seem to agree, seems to be an extension of President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative. This is the last chance for Lebanon, which its politicians must seize in order to rescue their country from its great collapse. Thus, the response from Lebanon will most resemble a statement from a vassal state, or rather one taken hostage by Hezbollah and Iran. The statement will likely repeat and regurgitate the ideas from the ministerial statement of Najib Mikati’s government, a government formed and then obstructed by Hezbollah which sought to cease the investigation into the crime of the Beirut port blast.
However, he will also reiterate the farce that is Lebanon’s adherence to the Taif Agreement, the National Accord, and international agreements and resolutions. There will also be statements of absolute support for the armed forces and legitimate security forces protecting the borders and the interior of Lebanon, empowering state authority and safeguarding institutions, and maintaining Lebanon’s relations with Arab and Gulf states, and keenness to prevent and dismantle attempts to smuggle narcotics from Lebanon to those states.
“Hope it isn’t too much bother,” as the Lebanese saying goes. These are merely words repeated for years, while the Lebanese state remains a hostage of Iran which, on many occasions, stated that it is in control of Beirut without a single objection from senior Lebanese officials. For these reasons, it is fair to say that the response to the latest Arab/Gulf/International last chance for Lebanon, conveyed by Foreign Minister Al-Sabah, came immediately from Yemen via the missile and drone attacks targeting the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which, with footage, announced that Hezbollah is involved in supporting the coup forces in Yemen, the Houthis, with training and assists them to attack the Kingdom.
The Lebanese government was preoccupied with its budget proposals and taxes that will be imposed on the impoverished Lebanese people. Yet, no time was allocated to discussing the Arab proposal to save Lebanon which did not demand that Lebanon fights or disarms Hezbollah as per resolutions 1559 and 1701. Instead, the Arab plea clearly wishes the Lebanese government, steadfastly and patriotically, to impose a serious and responsible political understanding, starting from Aoun’s alliance with Hezbollah, to stop the latter from turning Lebanon into a platform from which to attack Arab and Gulf states.
Of course, Hezbollah neglected to comment on the substance of this letter, especially as relates to resolutions 1559 and 1701. Instead it responded on the ground, mobilizing its “locals” in the southern Lebanese town of Ramyah against UNIFIL forces in a third such attack after two more against UNIFIL patrols in Qana and Chaqra. Then, as usual, Aoun informed the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka, that an investigation was launched into the incident. However, previous investigations have been done for similar incidents and none have materialized, this is if such investigations were launched at all.
When Aoun hosted consulates on New Year’s Eve, he told diplomats that Lebanon hopes that other states adopt its same attitude, such that its territory is not used to settle disputes or regional conflicts, nor to support some groups or parties at the expense of others. This rhetoric is truly bizarre, as Aoun is the first to know that Lebanon is no longer merely an Iranian platform against Arab Gulf states, but is instead a platform for the export of military and media support, and narcotics, into the Gulf region.
To repeat, what message could Abdallah Bou Habib deliver to Kuwait today, after he said he “does not want such Arab brotherhood” after Gulf states began withdrawing their diplomats? How will the Lebanese foreign minister respond to the Gulf/Arab/International letter stating Lebanon is at a crossroads today?
The answer is: Lebanon will either be Arab, according to its identity and history, and be an icon and symbol around the world and a space for hope for all, as Dr. Al-Sabah said, or it will be a hostage of Iran, a reiteration of the Houthi model, and a platform from which to attack its Arab brothers.

All bets off for Lebanon after Hariri’s withdrawal
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/January 30/2022
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, en route to the Arab foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuwait, declared: “I am not going there to hand over Hezbollah’s weapons.” If he was going to deliver only flowery language and empty words, far better he never went at all.
Lebanon cannot positively respond to Arab demands to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1559 — which calls for, among other things, the disarming of Hezbollah — because it long-since surrendered its sovereignty, becoming a mere pawn in Iran’s aggressive regional brinkmanship. Lebanon does not possess a government capable of independent decision making. Indeed, last week’s Cabinet meeting after months of Hezbollah-enforced paralysis was being described as if it were a miracle deserving of frenzied national celebration.
Bou Habib cites “civil peace” to justify non-implementation of Resolution 1559 — i.e., if anybody tries to disarm Hezbollah there will be civil war. He is correct: Hassan Nasrallah openly threatens war against those who challenge Hezbollah. Yet war is looming either way, because if Hezbollah consolidates its creeping coup d’état it risks setting in motion an even more devastating regionwide confrontation with Israel. Just visit Beirut and you will discover that the war has long-since begun — a brutal war of attrition and starvation, waged by the state against its citizens, which may ultimately reap a higher death toll than the worst Israel can do. Let Bou Habib dig deep into the reservoirs of his modest command of the Arabic language to try dazzling his regional counterparts with nonsensical poetry — the stage is set for the deepest of deep freezes in Arab-Lebanon relations, because Lebanon’s leaders through their deliberate actions have imprisoned themselves and their citizens inside a dying entity that no longer even resembles an Arab state.
Announcing the political earthquake of his withdrawal from politics last week, Saad Hariri declared that there were no possible positive outcomes in a reality distinguished by “Iranian influence, international confusion, national divisions, sectarianism and a weak state.” He acknowledged that the public now saw him as just one component of a failed and discredited political class.Hariri’s despair didn't suddenly manifest itself: In 2019, when I last met him, it was easy to detect the burning frustrations of a man who had tried every trick in the political book to marry his profound belief in Arab nationalism, inherited from his father,  with the realities of Lebanese political life dominated by a faction ripping apart the country’s social fabric and sovereignty at the behest of a hostile foreign power.
This year’s elections in Lebanon are the best opportunity for voters to punish politicians who have betrayed their nation.
According to the World Bank, Lebanon’s gross domestic product plummeted from about $52 billion in 2019 to about $22 billion in 2021, the biggest financial crunch worldwide. The only sector that has flourished has been Hezbollah’s stake in the regional narcotics trade. Meanwhile, the relative cost of living has paradoxically soared, making bankrupt Beirut one of the most expensive places to live on the planet — with prices of basic goods often up to 40 percent higher than even New York.
Many of us have long argued that this year’s elections are the best opportunity for voters to punish politicians who have betrayed their nation, but many Lebanese fear what may replace Hariri’s Future Movement. I would like to believe that these seats will be seized by young progressives who represent the values of the 2019 uprising, but these political currents remain embryonic and there is a danger that opportunists could capture the vote. Hezbollah is already scrutinizing which Sunni candidates it may be able to buy off. Bahaa Hariri talks about continuing his father’s journey, but who is Bahaa other than a prestigious surname in a political system overflowing with nonentities, whose sole asset is their status as the corrupt offspring of former warlords and powerbrokers?
President Michel Aoun and his son-in-law Gebran Bassil have spent the past months seeking to delay or cancel the elections, knowing that their fatally discredited Free Patriotic Movement will hemorrhage seats. The absence of a credible representative for Sunni communities may offer them a golden pretext to self-servingly abort the democratic process.
Hariri’s withdrawal hits the ball into the court of Lebanese citizens. Lebanon’s political class are the problem. It isn’t that they don’t possess solutions to Lebanon’s perfect storm of crises, rather that they are actively blocking solutions to protect their interests. Thus, the World Bank in its latest report, “The Great Denial,” refers to a “deliberate depression” inflicted by this kleptocratic political class and a moribund sectarian system. Citizens must not only demand that elections occur on time, they must also collaborate across confessional and factional divides in support of candidates who represent a clean break from the corrupt status quo. If they fail to do this, it will be Nasrallah and Bassil who seize the initiative by sabotaging the democratic system and filling the vacuum created by Hariri’s disappearance with the worst of the worst.
When starving citizens are enduring a freezing winter with no electricity, no jobs, no hospitals, no opportunities, no anything, it is easy to be apathetic. But it is precisely because of this hellish situation that citizens must punish those responsible and act decisively for radical change. There is no earthly need for Lebanon to be a bankrupt, failed narco state, except that some of its leaders want it to be. I write these words with a heavy heart — but a determination to remain optimistic, for the sake of Lebanon and the endlessly resourceful Lebanese people.
Hariri’s refusal to continue participating in this political farce showed the way forward, not just for Sunnis but for Christians, Shiites, Druze and others: As long as you vote for the same faces, you will always get exactly the same outcomes.
The political earthquake of Hariri’s withdrawal must be followed up with a social tsunami, as citizens comprehensively evict all those who betrayed them, restore their nation’s sovereignty, and reopen its doors to the Arab region and the world. Let’s not just pray for a miracle — let’s force that miracle to occur!
*Baria Alamuddin is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in the Middle East and the UK. She is editor of the Media Services Syndicate and has interviewed numerous heads of state.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 30-31/2022
Arab Foreign Ministers Hold Consultative Meeting in Kuwait
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
The consultative meeting of the Arab Foreign Ministers, hosted by Kuwait, kicked off on Sunday under the chairmanship of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah. Sheikh Ahmed is also President of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level in its 156th session. During the meeting, the ministers discussed ways to develop and strengthen the bilateral relations among the Arab League’s member states.They also reviewed the various fields of cooperation and ways to develop them in order to achieve common interests and to preserve the Arab national security and support joint Arab action.

Israel supports UAE security needs, president says on first visit
Reuters/January 30, 2022
The UAE and Israel share concerns about Iran and its allied forces in the region
“We completely support your security requirements,” Herzog said
JERUSALEM: Israel’s president said his country supports the United Arab Emirates security needs and seeks stronger regional ties during the first such visit to the Gulf state on Sunday, as world powers try to revive an Iran nuclear deal. The UAE, along with Bahrain, signed US-brokered normalization agreements with Israel, dubbed the “Abraham Accords,” in 2020. The two Gulf states and Israel share concerns about Iran and its allied forces in the region. Isaac Herzog discussed security and bilateral relations with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The UAE has in the past fortnight been attacked twice with drones and missiles by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia. “We completely support your security requirements and we condemn in all forms and language any attack on your sovereignty by terrorist groups. We are here together to find ways and means to bring full security to people who seek peace in our region,” Herzog said during the meeting, in comments released by his office. Sheikh Mohammed said Israel and the UAE share a “common view of the threats to regional stability and peace, particularly those posed by militias and terrorist forces.”“Today in Abu Dhabi I met with President of Israel Isaac Herzog. We discussed our bilateral relations, regional issues of mutual interest, and the importance of exploring further opportunities to build bridges of cooperation and friendship between our two nations,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted. The presidency in Israel is a largely ceremonial post. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited the UAE in December.President Herzog met the UAE’s foreign minister other officials, Emirates News Agency said. He will also meet Jewish communities in the UAE, which is the region’s commercial and tourism hub.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Meets with Israeli President
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met on Sunday with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is on an official visit to UAE. An official reception was held for Herzog on his arrival at the Qasr Al Watan, where Sheikh Mohamed escorted him to the podium, and the national anthems of the two countries were played, while 21 rounds of artillery were fired to welcome his visit. The Israeli president is accompanied by a delegation including a number of senior officials and Ambassador of Israel to UAE Amir Hayek.Herzog was greeted on arrival in Abu Dhabi by Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Israeli President Herzog to Arrive in UAE for First Visit Sunday
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
Israeli President Isaac Herzog left for the United Arab Emirates on Sunday on the first such visit to strengthen ties. “I will be meeting the leadership of the United Arab Emirates, at the personal invitation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince," Herzog said. "I wish him well and I am grateful for his courage and bold leadership, carving out a peace agreement with Israel and sending a message to the entire region that peace is the only alternative for the peoples of the region."The UAE, along with Bahrain, signed US-brokered normalization agreements with Israel at the White House in 2020.
Earlier in December, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited the UAE.

US Iran envoy criticized for ‘parroting Iranian propaganda’ about women in stadiums
Yaghoub Fazeli, Al Arabiya English/30 January ,2022
US Special Envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, whipped up a storm of criticism on social media after he welcomed news that some Iranian women were allowed to attend a football match in Iran, with users accusing him of “parroting Iranian propaganda.”Iran, whose theocratic rulers have long been opposed to women attending men’s football matches, allocated 2,000 out of 10,000 tickets to women for Thursday’s match, according to state media.Iranian women have been banned from stadiums hosting men’s football matches since shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran became the first Asian team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on Thursday after defeating Iraq 1-0 in Tehran. Malley congratulated the Iranian team for their qualification on Twitter on Friday. “It’s good to see women were allowed to attend the match,” he added in the same tweet, prompting an outcry on social media, mostly from Iranians.
Critics argued that the matter did not warrant a positive response from Malley given that Iran had only allowed a select number of women to attend the match under pressure from world football’s governing body FIFA.
Rather than signifying a positive shift in Iran’s policy on the issue, permitting a limited number of women to attend the match was merely a propagandist effort to “appease” FIFA, they argued. They further argued that Malley’s tweet played into the supposed Iranian propaganda. Women spectators at the match were hand-picked and “most of them were from the families of officials or women football and futsal players,” Radio Farda, the Persian-language broadcaster at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported. FIFA ordered Iran in September 2019 to allow women access to stadiums without any restrictions. The FIFA directive came after a young Iranian woman named Sahar Khodayari – dubbed “Blue Girl” for the colours of her favourite team, Esteghlal FC – died after setting herself on fire outside a court where she feared being jailed for trying to attend a match disguised as a man. Malley’s tweet drew condemnation from scores of Iranians – including activists and journalists – on Twitter.
“Please don’t parrot Islamic Republic propaganda @USEnvoyIran,” Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinjead wrote in response to Malley. “To fool/appease FIFA, [the] regime selected a tiny group of women - 2% of the stadium - & took photos/videos to deceive the international media. Don’t praise gender apartheid. The stadium was not open to all women.”Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, described Malley’s tweet as “problematic.”“While I appreciate the outreach, this is a problematic tweet. Iran only allowed a certain number of women to “freely” enter the stadium—and that was only to appease FIFA,” she wrote on Twitter. Malley told Al Arabiya English in a statement: “Iranian women, like all women, should have every right to cheer their national team. I am glad that FIFA has taken a strong stand on the issue and that this qualifying match marked some movement in the right direction.”“I remember the tragic death of Sahar Khodayari a few years ago,” Malley said, referring to “Blue Girl.” “The government should give every fan an opportunity to attend these events. This isn’t about soccer or even politics, but about basic equality.”Iranian dissidents and activists accuse Malley of being overly lenient with the Iranian regime and inattentive to its human rights abuses. When Malley was appointed as the Biden administration’s Iran envoy in January 2021, they expressed concern that he would overlook domestic repression in Iran in order to reive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Malley was a key member of former President Barack Obama’s team that negotiated the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Washington withdrew from the deal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, reimposing sweeping sanctions on Tehran. A US delegation headed by Malley has been participating in indirect talks with Iran in Vienna aimed at restoring the 2015 deal since last April. Three members of the US negotiating team – including Richard Nephew, who served as Malley’s deputy – have left the team after calling for a tougher approach in the talks with Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing people familiar with the negotiations.
Silence from Iran
Iran, for its part, did not react to Malley’s tweet, and its media overlooked the gesture entirely. “It doesn’t surprise me that [Iranian] official media has been muted in its reaction to the tweet. Rapprochement between Washington and Tehran is just not on the menu for the current Iranian establishment,” Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), told Al Arabiya English. “In general, it would be more helpful for the US State Department to be consistently speaking out against human rights abuses inside Iran rather than occasional tweets coupled with attempts at engagement with a regime that is just not interested in the overtures,” said Brodsky.

France Calls on Iran to Release Jailed Researcher
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron called for the “immediate release” of a French-Iranian researcher imprisoned in Iran, officials said Sunday. Macron made the plea in a “long” phone call on Saturday with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, according to a statement from the French presidency. Fariba Adelkhah, a 62-year-old anthropologist, has been detained in Iran since June 2019. She had been under house arrest since October 2020, but was sent back to prison earlier this month, The Associated Press said. Adelkhah was given a five-year sentence for “gathering and collusion” against Iran’s security. French authorities said her conviction is “purely political and arbitrary.”Macron also expressed his “concerns” over the situation of another French national detained in Iran who is on a hunger strike to protest his treatment, according to the French presidency's statement. Benjamin Brière, 36 has been sentenced to eight years in prison on what his lawyer said are trumped up espionage and propaganda charges. Brière was arrested in May 2020 after taking pictures in a desert area where photography is prohibited and asking questions on social media about Iran’s obligatory headscarf for women. France and other world powers are in negotiations with Iran in Vienna to revive a 2015 nuclear deal. Macron “insisted on the need to speed up (negotiations) to quickly get tangible progress,” the statement said. Rights groups accuse hard-liners in Iran’s security agencies of using foreign detainees as bargaining chips for money or influence in negotiations with the West. Tehran denies it, but there have been prisoner exchanges in the past. In March 2020, Iran and France swapped French researcher Roland Marchal for Iranian engineer Jalal Ruhollahnejad.

Macron Stresses Need to 'Accelerate' Iran Nuclear Talks
Agence France Presse/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the "need to accelerate" efforts to achieve progress in the Iranian nuclear talks, during a telephone call with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi, aides said Sunday. Macron's call with Raisi on Saturday came a day after the EU mediator said the latest negotiating round in Vienna had been put on pause while calling for "political decisions" to break the deadlock. Diplomats have been meeting in the Austrian capital in the search for a breakthrough to revive the 2015 deal involving Iran, the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia. "The president has reiterated his conviction that a diplomatic solution is possible and imperative and stressed that any agreement will require clear and sufficient commitment from all the parties," the French presidency said in a statement. "Several months after negotiations resumed in Vienna, (Macron) insisted on the need to accelerate in order to quickly achieve tangible progress in this context," it said. During a "long exchange" with his Iranian counterpart, Macron stressed "the need for Iran to show a constructive approach and return to the complete application of its obligations."The Iranian presidency, in a brief statement after the call, said Tehran had proved its willingness and determination to reach a negotiated deal. Western commitments to bring about a revival of the 2015 agreement needed to include a lifting of Western sanctions and a verification procedure for that process, it said.

Macron Tells Iran’s Raisi More Effort Needed in Nuclear Talks
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron in a discussion with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday said a deal on Iran's nuclear activities was still possible but insisted on the need to boost efforts, Macron's office said on Sunday. France, Germany and Britain, known as E3, and the United States are trying to save the 2015 Vienna agreement with Iran but Western diplomats have said negotiations, which have been in their eighth round since Dec. 27, were moving too slowly. Iran has rejected any deadline imposed by Western powers. "The President of the Republic reiterated his conviction that a diplomatic solution is possible and imperative, and stressed that any agreement will require clear and sufficient commitments from all the parties," the Elysee palace said in a statement after a telephone call with Raisi on Saturday. "Several months after the resumption of negotiations in Vienna, he insisted on the need to accelerate in order to quickly achieve tangible progress in this framework," it added. "He underlined the need for Iran to demonstrate a constructive approach and return to the full implementation of its obligations," it said.

Russia's FM: NATO Wants to 'Drag' Ukraine into Alliances
Associated Press/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
Russia's foreign minister claims that NATO wants to pull Ukraine into the alliance, amid escalating tensions over NATO expansion and fears that Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine. In comments on state television Sunday, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also challenged NATO's claim to be a purely defensive structure. Russia's massing of an estimated 100,000 troops near the border with Ukraine has brought increasingly strong warnings from the West that Moscow intends to invade. Russia in turn demands that NATO promise never to allow Ukraine to join the alliance, and to stop the deployment of NATO weapons near Russian borders and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe. The head of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, on Sunday rejected Western warnings about a planned invasion. "At this time, they're saying that Russia threatens Ukraine — that's completely ridiculous," he was quoted as saying by state news agency Tass. "We don't want war and we don't need it at all." Russia has long resented NATO's granting membership to countries that were once part of the Soviet Union or were in its sphere of influence as members of the Warsaw Pact. NATO "has already come close to Ukraine. They also want to drag this country there," Lavrov said. "Although everyone understands that Ukraine is not ready and could make no contribution to strengthening NATO security."Ukraine has sought NATO membership for years, but any prospects of joining appear far off as the country struggles to find political stability and attack corruption. Lavrov also underlined Russia's contention that NATO expansion is a threat because it has engaged in offensive actions outside its member countries. "It is difficult to call it defensive. Do not forget that they bombed Yugoslavia for almost three months, invaded Libya, violating the U.N. Security Council resolution, and how they behaved in Afghanistan," he said. The U.S. and NATO has formally rejected Russia's demands about halting NATO expansion, although Washington outlined areas where discussions are possible, offering hope that there could be a way to avoid war. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made no public remarks about the Western response. Lavrov has said it leaves little chance for reaching agreement, though he also says Russia doesn't want war.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Friday that Putin could use any portion of his force to seize Ukrainian cities and "significant territories" or to carry out "coercive acts or provocative political acts" like the recognition of breakaway territories inside Ukraine. Two territories in eastern Ukraine have been under the control of Russia-backed rebels since 2014, after Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.

Iraq Arrests Suspect Linked to Baghdad Airport Attack
Baghdad, Riyadh: Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
Iraqi authorities arrested a suspect linked to the bombing of Baghdad International Airport, Iraqi sources said on Saturday. The sources said that the detainee, Akram al-Qaisi, is held under investigation by the intelligence services to identify the accomplices and the group behind the attack. A special security unit arrested "Akram Mahmoud Rashid al-Qaisi" on the road between Diyala and Baghdad, a senior Iraqi security source told Asharq Al-Awsat. Qaisi, born in Baghdad, Abu Ghraib in 1984, was a partner in planning and executing the airport attack, he said. Last week, six rockets landed in the Baghdad International Airport compound, damaging two planes on the runway. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Iran condemned the attack. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack" that hit Baghdad International Airport. The ministry stated in the statement its "categorical rejection of this treacherous attack, which threatens the stability of the sisterly Republic of Iraq and the region, and the safety of air navigation."The ministry said that the incident undermines the efforts of the international coalition to help Iraq fight terrorism, reiterating the Kingdom's "full support for the sisterly Republic of Iraq in the measures it takes to protect its security, and its affirmation of the Kingdom's position rejecting all forms of violence, terrorism, and extremism.

Iraqi Airstrikes Kill 9 IS Militants, including 4 Lebanese
Associated Press/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
Iraqi airstrikes killed nine suspected Islamic State fighters, including four Lebanese, in retaliation for an IS attack on Iraqi army barracks earlier this month, officials said Sunday. IS gunmen in Iraq broke into a barracks in the mountainous al-Azim district outside the town of Baqouba on Jan. 21, killed a guard and shot dead 11 soldiers as they slept. It was one of the boldest attacks by the militants in recent weeks and came amid an uptick in violence that stoked fears the group has been re-energized. Yehia Rasool, the spokesman for Iraq's commander in chief, said the joint military operations room and the air force identified the cell behind the attack as its members hid in al-Azim, north of Baghdad. Three airstrikes were launched that killed the nine militants, he said. A security official told The Associated Press that four among the killed were Lebanese, natives of the northern town of Tripoli. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. Tripoli is Lebanon's second largest city and the country's most impoverished. It has been prone to violence and militants who, inspired by the Islamic State group, launched attacks against the Lebanese Army in 2014 in the most serious bout of violence in the city. As Lebanon faces an unprecedented convergence of crises, including a swift descent into poverty, many fear militants may seek to exploit discontent among the city's majority Sunni residents. Lebanon's Al-Jadeed TV gave a higher death toll, saying that five Lebanese were killed in Iraq. One family member appealed in the broadcast to Lebanese authorities to facilitate return of the bodies. Also Sunday, Iraqi anti-terrorism units carried out an inspection campaign in seven prisons in Iraq holding IS militants. The campaign comes after a brazen prison attack IS militants carried out in northeastern Syria that lasted for over a week and in which an unknown number of suspects escaped, the anti-terrorism unit said in a statement. IS was largely defeated in Iraq in 2017. The group was dealt a final blow in 2019 when it lost its last territory in southeast Syria during the U.S.-led military campaign in cooperation with Syrian Kurdish-led forces. But thousands of militants melted into the desert and have continued to wage attacks, frequently hitting security forces and military with roadside bombs and firing on military convoys or checkpoints in both countries.

Over 330 Killed since IS Attacked Syria Prison
Agence France Presse/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
More than 330 people have been killed in heavy fighting since Islamic State group militants first attacked a prison in northeast Syria, a war monitor said on Sunday. The IS fighters on January 20 launched their biggest assault in years on the Ghwayran prison in the Kurdish-controlled city of Hasakeh, aiming to free fellow jihadists, and dozens remained holed up inside on Sunday. The death toll in fierce clashes since then rose to 332 as the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) found over 50 more bodies overnight in prison buildings and nearby areas, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The Britain-based group, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria, said that 246 jihadists, 79 Kurdish fighters and seven civilian had been killed so far in the IS assault and battles since. "The newly discovered bodies were inside and outside the prison," Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Observatory, told AFP. He said the death toll was likely to rise further "because there are dozens of people who are wounded, others who are still missing, and information about more casualties" on both sides. The SDF announced they had recaptured the prison on Wednesday but intermittent clashes continued until Saturday between Kurdish fighters and jihadists near the jail. On Saturday, an AFP correspondent saw a truck carrying away piles of bodies from an area near the prison, believed to be those of IS fighters. A bulldozer dumped more bodies onto the truck, which then headed to an unknown location. Farhad Shami, who heads the SDF's media office, told AFP that the bodies would be buried in "remote, dedicated areas" under SDF control. According to the SDF, around 3,500 inmates and IS attackers had surrendered to its forces since operations began to recapture the prison. But Kurdish officials estimated that between 60 and 90 IS fighters were still holed up in the prison basement and ground floor. Kurdish forces have repeatedly called for all IS fighters to surrender, while the Observatory said that around 20 of them had turned themselves in on Saturday.

Canada/Global Affairs Canada temporarily withdraws non-essential personnel from Canadian embassy to Ukraine
January 30, 2022 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
Global Affairs Canada today issued the following statement:
“Canada has made the decision to temporarily withdraw non-essential Canadian employees and remaining dependants from the Canadian embassy in Ukraine.
“As announced earlier this week, Canada will be reinforcing the team at the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, with officials with expertise in areas such as security sector reform, conflict management, democratic reform, consular services and diplomacy. Together, they will increase our diplomatic capacity and allow us to continue to assess and respond to the evolving situation in support of Ukraine.
“As we continue to closely monitor the situation, our highest priority remains the safety and security of Canadians. Our officials stand ready to provide consular assistance to Canadian citizens, as required.
“The Embassy of Canada to Ukraine remains open. Canadians in need of assistance can contact the embassy by telephone at 380 (44) 590 3100 or by email at KYIV-Consular@international.gc.ca.
“The EWRC provides 24/7 emergency consular assistance.

Iraq Arrests Suspect Linked to Baghdad Airport Attack
Baghdad, Riyadh: Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022 - 07:15
Iraqi authorities arrested a suspect linked to the bombing of Baghdad International Airport, Iraqi sources said on Saturday. The sources said that the detainee, Akram al-Qaisi, is held under investigation by the intelligence services to identify the accomplices and the group behind the attack. A special security unit arrested "Akram Mahmoud Rashid al-Qaisi" on the road between Diyala and Baghdad, a senior Iraqi security source told Asharq Al-Awsat. Qaisi, born in Baghdad, Abu Ghraib in 1984, was a partner in planning and executing the airport attack, he said. Last week, six rockets landed in the Baghdad International Airport compound, damaging two planes on the runway. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Iran condemned the attack. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack" that hit Baghdad International Airport. The ministry stated in the statement its "categorical rejection of this treacherous attack, which threatens the stability of the sisterly Republic of Iraq and the region, and the safety of air navigation." The ministry said that the incident undermines the efforts of the international coalition to help Iraq fight terrorism, reiterating the Kingdom's "full support for the sisterly Republic of Iraq in the measures it takes to protect its security, and its affirmation of the Kingdom's position rejecting all forms of violence, terrorism, and extremism."

UAE, Ethiopia Discuss Regional Developments, Peacemaking in Horn of
Abu Dhabi - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at al-Watan Palace. The two officials discussed cooperation, joint work, and ways to enhance ties between the two countries various fields to advance their overall development efforts and interests. Sheikh Mohamed welcomed Ahmed and expressed his pride in the constructive friendship that the UAE and Ethiopia have cultivated over the past years through dedicated work to serve the interests of their peoples and enhance security and stability in the region. Sheikh Mohamed and the Prime Minister reviewed the progress and opportunities in the cooperation between their countries in various sectors, primarily developmental, economic, investment, and other vital industries. The UAE-Ethiopia relations witnessed significant development during the past years, particularly in investment, agriculture, trade fields, among others. They also exchanged views regarding the latest regional and global developments and several issues of mutual concern, especially issues related to peacemaking efforts in the Horn of Africa. The Prime Minister briefed Shiekh Mohammed on the latest developments in the Ethiopian arena. The Crown Prince highlighted the UAE's stance and approach to establishing peace and stability, given its firm belief that achieving development and building a better future for people requires building a solid foundation on pillars of stability, peace, coexistence, and cooperation. He thanked the Ethiopian government for its support and condemnation of Houthis' attacks on civilian facilities in the UAE and its solidarity with the UAE in any measures taken. He also pointed out that there is a close link between the security and stability of the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea region on the one hand and the security of the Horn of Africa on the other, calling for a unified and effective regional stance against the threat posed by the militia to the region. Sheikh Mohamed wished success and good luck for the African Union Summit, which Ethiopia will host next February and aims to support stability, peace, security, and development in the African continent, especially since Ethiopia is a cornerstone of joint African action. He also stressed that the UAE attaches great importance to its relations with Africa at the political, economic, trade, and developmental levels. In turn, Abiy Ahmed lauded UAE's stances and initiatives supporting peace and stability in his country and wished continued progress and development for the Emirates. He also praised the UAE's approach in terms of its relations with other countries, which is based on wise and balanced diplomacy. The Prime Minister stated that UAE seeks to promote stability and peace in various countries, and its cooperation and solidarity with governments to address common challenges, and partnership and support for initiatives aimed at achieving prosperity and development for other nations. The Prime Minister renewed his country's solidarity with the UAE in all the steps it takes to preserve its security and territorial integrity. He also stressed that the terrorist attack poses a serious threat to regional peace and security, undermines peace efforts in the region, and violates all international and humanitarian norms and laws.

South Sudan FM: We Look Forward to a Pivotal Saudi Role in Africa
Riyadh - Fatehelrahman Yousif/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
South Sudan Foreign Minister Mayiik Ayii Deng affirmed that Juba strives for a comprehensive strategic partnership with Riyadh and looks forward to a pivotal role for Saudi Arabia in contributing to the country’s advancement by injecting investments in vital development projects. As for Yemen, Deng said that the “Riyadh Agreement” is a real crossing point for a political solution to the crisis. He also denied his country having any relations with Iran at any level. “We signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia for comprehensive cooperation in various fields, such as investment, education, health, diplomatic relations, coordination, and consultation on issues of common interest in international forums, and we affirmed that Juba supports Riyadh in hosting the Expo 2030 event,” Deng told Asharq Al-Awsat. Moreover, the top diplomat reaffirmed that Juba stands by Riyadh’s side in fighting off terrorism. “My visit to Saudi Arabia aimed at introducing ourselves, as the government of South Sudan, to the Kingdom, and then deepening relations with it in various economic and political fields, under the guidance of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who showed great interest in that,” Deng added, noting that he presented investment opportunities to the Kingdom. “South Sudan is an important gateway for the Kingdom to Africa,” he stressed. “We look forward to Riyadh playing a pivotal role not only in the Middle East but also in our African countries, and to contribute to the recovery of investment in our country,” revealed the minister.

Protester Killed in Khartoum
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
Security forces fired tear gas to try to disperse thousands of people protesting against military rule in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Sunday in defiance of a ban on demonstrations. One protester was killed, medics aligned with a movement to end military rule said. The death brings the total number of protesters that have died since an Oct. 25 coup to 79, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. Crowds got within 2 kilometers of the presidential palace on the banks of the Blue Nile before security forces blocked their way, a Reuters reporter said. "We go out to demonstrate so that our children can live under a civil, democratic state in the future. We won't allow our children's future to be confiscated," protester Mohamed Abdelrahman, a 51-year-old government employee, said. Military rulers have been trying to contain a series of protests across Sudan since they took power on Oct. 25. Armed soldiers and military vehicles were deployed across the city for the first time in recent weeks in an apparent show of force. Pictures and footage of rallies in other towns and cities across Sudan were posted on social media, though Reuters could not independently verify when the images were taken. The October coup halted a power sharing arrangement between the military and civilians negotiated in 2019 after former president Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in an uprising. On Saturday, Khartoum State authorities issued a decision banning processions and mass gatherings in central Khartoum, urging people to gather instead in squares and local areas. Some 78 civilians have been killed and more than 2,000 injured in crack-downs on the protests, mainly by gunshots and teargas canisters, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, which is aligned with the protest movement. Military leaders say peaceful protests are allowed and protest casualties will be investigated.

Saudi Minister: We Will Confront Anything that Threatens Gulf States' Security
Dhahran - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 30 January, 2022
Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, said that the security of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is indivisible, stressing that "we all stand united in the face of anything that threatens the security and stability of the Arab Gulf states."The Minister was speaking at the conclusion of the "Arab Gulf Security 3" joint tactical exercise of the GCC, hosted by the Interior Ministry's Security Forces Training Institute in Abqaiq. "We reject by all means anything that compromises our security, tampers with our assets, or undermines the safety of individuals and facilities. Our message, which we all agree on, is that the security of the GCC states is inseparable, and by action that precedes words, the determination of the men is proven,” the Minister said. He conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense to the GCC Interior Ministers. Prince Abdulaziz reiterated that the GCC countries, guided by the vision of their ambitious leaders, witness a comprehensive development renaissance in all fields, citing security as one of the critical elements for achieving development and protecting lives and property. "Through this joint exercise, we confirm the main objective set by the directives of their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC states to permanently improve security coordination and cooperation between our security forces and unify efforts to raise readiness,” he stated. Prince Abdulaziz noted that the exercise comes after a successful confrontation of the coronavirus pandemic, during which the GCC security services, in partnership with the competent authorities, were able to implement health precautions to protect citizens and residents.
"We have come out of this experience with lessons that will, God willing, contribute to enriching experiences and enhancing skills,” said the Prince. At the end of his speech, Prince Abdulaziz thanked the GCC leaders for their unlimited support and helpful guidance, expressing his appreciation to the GCC field commanders and participants in the exercise. The event was attended by UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Lieutenant-General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Bahrain's Minister of Interior Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Oman's Minister of Interior Hamoud al-Busaidi, GCC Sec-Gen, Nayef al-Hajraf, and the heads of delegations of GCC member states. The attendees watched a video that highlighted the efforts of the GCC security services in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic. They also reviewed hypotheses of dealing with the cyber-attack and responding to an attack on an economic facility, booby-trapped boats attack, and armed robbery. Following the ceremony, the handover of the flag of the joint tactical exercise of the GCC security services, "Arab Gulf Security 4", was passed to Qatar. Prince Abdulaziz also honored the winners of the Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Prize for Security Research.The ceremony was attended by Deputy Governor of Eastern Region Prince Ahmad bin Fahd bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Vice Minister of Interior Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Daoud, and several senior officials at the GCC Interior Ministries.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 30-31/2022
ريموند إبراهيم/كايتستون: تقرير بجدول قائمة ما تعرض له المسيحيون من اضطهاد خلال شهر كانون الأول/2021/رأس بابا نويل المقطوع
The Severed Head of Santa Claus: The Persecution of Christians, December 2021
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/January 30, 2022
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/105951/%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%85%d9%88%d9%86%d8%af-%d8%a5%d8%a8%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%87%d9%8a%d9%85-%d9%83%d8%a7%d9%8a%d8%aa%d8%b3%d8%aa%d9%88%d9%86-%d8%aa%d9%82%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%b1-%d8%a8%d8%ac%d8%af%d9%88%d9%84-%d9%82/
Days before Christmas, on December 17, a Muslim cleric told his congregation, following mosque prayers, that wishing non-Muslims a Merry Christmas is “like congratulating murderers and pedophiles” — Breitbart.com, December 23, 2021, Canada.
The imam concluded by calling on Allah to “give strength to Islam and Muslims, to humiliate infidels and polytheists, to destroy the enemies of (our) religion and to annihilate heretics and atheists.” — Breitbart.com, December 23, 2021, Canada.
“Get lost, this [France] is not your country….” — Muslims confronting a Catholic procession, Medforth.biz, December 11, 2021, Nanterre, France.
After decapitating a Christian pastor, Islamic State-linked Muslims handed the pastor’s severed head to his widow and ordered her to deliver it to the police. — Daily Mail, December 17, Mozambique.
“The [ISIS-linked] group… forced younger, healthy-looking, and lighter-skinned women and girls in their custody to ‘marry’ their fighters, who enslave and sexually abuse them.” — Human Rights Watch, December 7, 2021, Mozambique.
“Quranic texts are not the only way to teach Arabic in schools. There are other methods such as literature, poetry and rhetoric…. The government always backs down from any removal of Quranic texts in school curricula or the subject of religion, fearing attacks and criticism by extremist groups.” — Isaac Hanna, journalist and head of the Egyptian Association for Enlightenment, Al Monitor, December 15, 2021, Egypt.
“Get lost, this [France] is not your country….” — Muslims confronting a Catholic procession on December 11, 2021 in Nanterre, France. Pictured: The Saint-Joseph-des-Fontenelles Church in Nanterre. (Image source: Guilhem Vellut/Flickr CC by 2.0)
Hate for Christmas; Violence against Christians
The Islamic State: As always happens before the festive Christmas season, professional Islamic terrorists sought to incite Muslims to launch “lone wolf” attacks on Christians. On December 20, the ISIS-operated Rocket.Chat communication platform posted a drawing of a veiled jihadist brandishing a bloody knife in one hand while holding the severed head of Santa Claus in the other. Messages on the platform included:
“With the advent of the so-called polytheistic celebrations that the unbelievers are experiencing these days, we send a message to our monotheist brothers in Europe, America, Australia, Canada, Russia, and other countries of unbelief and apostasy…. Attack the citizens of crusader coalition countries with your knives, run them over in the streets, detonate bombs on them, and spray them with bullets.”
Canada: Days before Christmas, on December 17, a Muslim cleric told his congregation, following mosque prayers, that wishing non-Muslims a Merry Christmas is “like congratulating murderers and pedophiles” and, therefore, a “major sin.” During his “sermon” at the Islamic Center for Muslim Youth in Victoria, Imam Younus Kathrada, said:
“Yes, it’s Christmas season, and so many people are asking, ‘Why shouldn’t I congratulate people on this occasion?’… Would you like to congratulate a fornicator? Would you congratulate a murderer? Obviously not? Would you like to congratulate a pedophile? Obviously not…. So how can you praise people for insulting Allah (God)?… Where is your love for your creator when you approve of people who insult Allah? It is a major sin and it is unbelief.”
The imam concluded by calling on Allah to “give strength to Islam and Muslims, to humiliate infidels and polytheists, to destroy the enemies of (our) religion and to annihilate heretics and atheists.”
France: On December 11, a group of Catholic worshippers celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception at their parish in Nanterre. During a short procession near their church, Muslim passersby began to call them names, threaten them, and even engage in violence. According to the report, written by one of the procession participants,
“several young men began to surround us, about ten in all, giggling as they insulted us. Then the giggling was followed by increasingly violent insults ‘children of whores,’ ‘gang of whores,’ then more and more Christianophobic words: ‘This is not a cathedral.’ ‘You are Khouffars, infidels,’ ‘Get lost, this is not your country.”
As the procession continued on its way, the Muslims drew in more closely and became more confrontational—including by spitting on the Christian procession: “The priest is the first to be attacked because he is leading the procession,” the report continues. “He is spat at and then cold water is poured on him. Tension rises and the group that has surrounded us makes contact.” One Muslim proceeds to cry out—”wallah [by Allah] on the Quran I will cut your throat.” When the priest explained that the procession was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Muslims reply: “This is the land of Allah, f**k off!” The report concludes:
“More words are spoken in Arabic while several parishioners are violently pushed around by the youths. We were followed almost during the entire procession and insulted with the foulest possible language… No one was hurt, but the parishioners were shocked by this inexplicable violence against a simple procession that was taking place in a peaceful atmosphere, had been authorised by the prefecture and was following a traditional route. There was hatred in their eyes without anyone being able to explain it in any way. … [T]he atmosphere is very stressful and it is becoming more and more complicated, even dangerous, to be a Christian in certain areas.”
Parisian authorities arrested two 23-year-old Muslim men on November 29. “According to a confession from one of the suspects,” a December 8 report notes, “they planned to [attack with knives and] kill passers-by in popular places before Christmas and die martyrs.” The two men were indicted for terrorism and imprisoned.
In response, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanine called on “the prefects to reinforce security in front of places of worship and businesses as the Christmas holidays approach because of the terrorist threat and the increased risk of robberies.” He asked for “the systematic presence” of police in front of “Christian places of worship.”
Finally, on December 24, a man, apparently intoxicated, burst into Saint Vincent Church as Christmas Eve Mass was underway and started crying aloud that he was a Muslim. Police, who were already nearby due to heightened security, quickly arrested the man, a 52-year-old Moroccan; after sobering up at the police station, he was released. No complaints were filed.
India: Angered by the sounds of Christmas carols, hundreds of mostly Rohingya migrant Muslim workers, some armed, violently attacked a group of Christian migrant workers near a factory in Kerala. “A scuffle broke out at around 11.30 pm when some Muslims objected to carols being sung by Christian migrants from Nagaland and Manipur,” according to the December 28 report. “While they were celebrating and dancing late at night, Muslim migrants attacked them.” Several police and others who tried to intervene in the riot were also injured; the Muslims even “tried to burn policemen alive.” Twenty-four people were arrested and 132 detained.
The Slaughter of Christians
Democratic Republic of Congo: On December 25, an Islamic suicide bomber connected to the Allied Democratic Forces attacked a restaurant crowded with families enjoying Christmas Day dinner. At least eight people were killed and many injured. According to one local:
“This is an action of terror. … Today’s attack was unexpected because we are used to hearing incidences of Christians being killed in the villages. The last time we had such terror attacks in this town of Beni was in May and June, where the attackers also planted bombs in churches, but that was stopped by the government forces. In June, one woman was killed and others injured when a bomb planted inside a church’s compound exploded. Another bomb had been trapped at a bar that killed several revelers.”
Separately, on December 8, Muslim terrorists of the Allied Democratic Forces slaughtered 16 people. “It was horrible to see mothers, children and elderly people fleeing the cruelty of the ADF,” said Pelka Josaphat, a resident of Mangina. “The victims were killed by machetes and within my family four people are not responding to calls because they were carried away by the enemy.”
Mozambique: After decapitating a Christian pastor, Islamic State-linked Muslims handed the pastor’s severed head to his widow and ordered her to deliver it to the police. The pastor had been working in his fields when the militants found and beheaded him. The beheading took place in the resource-rich Cabo Delgado region, which has been targeted and terrorized by ISIS-militants since 2017. There, 3,340 people have been killed and nearly a million displaced.
A December 17 report offers background on how the Islamic State came to power in this southeast African nation:
“Mozambique is a majority Christian country, with Muslims comprising around a fifth of its population. A religious movement, Ansar al-Sunna, first appeared in 2015 in the north of the country, formed by followers of radical Kenyan cleric Aboud Rogo Mohammed who has been linked to the 1998 US embassy bombings…. It started building mosques and religious schools, becoming more and more popular with locals. But in 2017, the group starting launching attacks and became known locally as al-Shabab [the Youth], although they do not have any known connection to Somalia’s jihadist rebels of that name. Militants started posting photos on the encrypted messaging service Telegram posing in front of the ISIS flag and praising its then leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Islamic State then confirmed that jihadis in Mozambique had joined its Central Africa Province division (ISCAP), along with militants in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ISIS have since claimed responsibility for many of the attacks carried out in Mozambique, including brutal beheadings and massacres, often posting photos of the victims online…. The militants still refer to themselves as al-Shabab but they are now strongly considered to be an arm of ISIS, which was confirmed by US officials in December.”
According to a separate Human Rights Watch report published on December 7, since 2018, Islamic terrorists have kidnapped and enslaved more than 600 women and girls in Cabo Delgado province:
“The [ISIS-linked] group… forced younger, healthy-looking, and lighter-skinned women and girls in their custody to ‘marry’ their fighters, who enslave and sexually abuse them. Others have been sold to foreign fighters for between 40,000 and 120,000 Meticais (USD $600 to $1,800). Abducted foreign women and girls, in particular, have been released after their families paid ransom.”
Commenting on these findings, Mausi Segun, Africa, director at Human Rights Watch, said:
“They should take all necessary steps to prevent rape and sexual abuse by their fighters, end child marriage, forced marriage, and the sale and enslavement of women and girls at their bases and areas of operation.”
Nigeria: Some of the accounts of terrorization and slaughter that Christians experienced in the month of December follow:
Muslim gunmen, believed to be Fulani, ambushed three Christians on their way home, following an evening of Christmas caroling. According to the December 29 report, “Two were killed with bullets and a female survived dangerous bullet wounds.” Discussing this incident, a Christian youth leader in the area said that the government had “abandoned them to the mercy of Jihadist gunmen”:
“Ambushes are not new to us. We lost over 300 people in an ambush without any effort by the security to arrest the terrorists… Fulani (militants) are killing Christians… but some are still referring to it as a clash.”
Muslim gunmen killed a Christian pastor in captivity—after his wife delivered the demanded ransom. According to a local source quoted in the December 11 report:
“When some money was raised, they asked the wife to bring the money which she took to them on November 18. They collected the money and kidnapped her. They kept her until December 6 and released her to go and look for more money. From that time, they were not talking to the wife again…
Three days later, on December 9, the terrorists phoned the Rev. Dauda’s church and said they had killed him.
Between December 17-19, the Fulani murdered at least 45 Christian farmers in Nasarawa state.
On Sunday, December 19, an ISIS offshoot targeted and killed 12 Christians as they left their churches in Borno State. “I feel very sad that our people have continued to be attacked ceaselessly by Boko Haram elements without the government doing anything to end these attacks,” Joseph Yohanna, a local, said. “Please pray that God deliver our people and the country from these murderers.”
On December 16, Muslim Fulani murdered four Christians; the bodies of two other Christians killed earlier were discovered on the same day.
On December 3, Christians in the Muslim majority north of the nation were reported as “living in terror after receiving letters threatening death unless they close their churches.” “There’s fear and panic here since the letter was received,” Mary Ibrahim, a Christian local said. “Christians no longer find it easy to attend fellowship and Bible Study programs in churches.” Ayuba Matthew, another local, explained:
“A letter was sent to our churches warning that the Christians must close down churches, or we’ll be attacked… We are worried that these Fulani terrorists will carry out their threats, as they’re now in complete control of the rural areas of Zamfara state.”
Attacks on Apostates, Blasphemers, and Evangelists
Uganda: On December 20, the Muslim husband of Aisha Nambeya, 27, found a Bible in her possession; she had become Christian days earlier. He violently beat her, prompting Aisha and her five children, aged between two and nine, to flee their home. Aisha explained:
“My husband arrived at 4 p.m. while I was still asleep and found me with the Bible. He was furious and wanted to know who gave me the Bible. I would not disclose it even after him beating me up.”
He “slapped her and struck her on the back and head with a stick, leaving her with swelling near her ear.” Before leaving the house an hour later, her husband warned her that when he returned she must be prepared to confess to everything, including who gave her the Bible, and if indeed she had dared to apostatize from Islam.
“As he left, I knew I was going to have serious problems, so I decided to take all my small children to the church. The church quickly relocated us to another place. We left everything back at home and managed to come with only a few clothes. We need prayers for help from God.”
Separately, on December 12, a Muslim mob invaded Umar Opoloto’s banana plantation after learning of his conversion to Christianity on the previous day, when he invited an evangelist he had heard at an open air event to dinner at his house. Umar explained:
“I was touched with the preaching of the pastor because he was using the Koran and Bible, yet some of our sheikhs had talked bad of Jesus as a lower prophet than Muhammad… I wanted to know the truth of what he was preaching, so I invited the pastor for supper at my house. That very evening, I and my entire household gave our lives to Christ as Lord and Savior.”
Responding to this development, local Muslims called for mosque prayers at 10 a.m. on December 12, a Sunday, a highly irregular time to do so, according a neighbor whose name is being out of fear for his safety. “Thereafter I saw a huge number of Muslims chanting his name, ‘Umar, Umar, Umar,'” the neighbor said. “I then rang him to alert him so as to save his family.” Umar managed to escape before the angry Muslims broke into his home with machetes, sticks and stones. The neighbor continued:
“They broke into the house but could not find anyone inside. They destroyed some of the property then went ahead and started destroying his cassava, banana plantation and livestock, shouting the name of Umar, saying he has blasphemed Islam and the Islamic community.”
Pakistan: A young Christian college student, Ayesha Masih, was pressured into dropping out of medical school in Lahore, after repeated harassment from her Muslim classmates. The bullying began when Ayesha attended an Islamic studies course. “A Muslim girl sitting behind me asked about my faith background,” she explained. “I proudly told her that I am a Christian.”
“The Muslim girl did not like my response and objected to me studying Islamic studies because I am not a Muslim. I made it clear that I have been studying this subject since grade nine and ten and have always received excellent results. The next day, she refused to shake my hand in the morning. The girl said she did not want to touch a non-Muslim. Her attitude scared me a bit; however, I ignored it as I just wanted to focus on my studies.”
A few weeks later, in December, the harassment became more threatening and violent:
“I had to leave the medical college because I was afraid my Muslim classmates would accuse me of insulating [sic] Islamic books. One day, I left the classroom for the cafeteria and retuned [sic] to see a group of girls gathered around my desk. They started abusing me for allegedly insulting the Islamic textbooks by putting my backpack on the ground. I refused this allegation as I did not put my backpack on the ground. However, none of them listened and they started beating me.”
Although her parents submitted a formal complaint to the college, administrators failed to investigate the situation. Because false blasphemy accusations against Christians are both common and punishable in Pakistan—either by mob violence, prison sentencing or both—Ayesha and her parents decided the safest route for her was to drop out of medical school.
Indonesia: On December 14, police arrested Joseph Suryadi, a 39-year-old Christian man, on the charge that he had committed blasphemy against the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Joseph is accused of posting a caricature of Muhammad on Twitter and comparing him with a notorious Islamic boarding school owner known as Herry Wirawan, accused of raping 13 girls at his school. According to the report:
“The caricature shows a man with a woman in a hijab along with a message saying that the age of Aisah, the Prophet Muhammad’s wife, was young [9-years-old] when she was married to the prophet and that his desire for the young woman was like what Wirawan had for his victims. Police arrested Suryadi after receiving more than 7,000 complaints from Indonesian Muslims. He faces up to five years in prison if found guilty of blasphemy.”
Jakarta police spokesman Endra Zulpan said Suryadi had denied posting the caricature and said it happened after he discovered his mobile phone had gone missing.
Kenya: On December 3, four Kenyan-born, ethnic Somalis attacked a Christian pastor, also of Somali origin, on the road. He had converted to Christianity and was also leading other Somali Muslims to Christ—including 13 whom he was returning from meeting with at an underground prayer meeting. Two weeks earlier, the pastor had received an anonymous, threatening text: “We are getting reports that you are now a Christian. You have been missing our Friday prayer meeting. If this is true, then you are risking your life.” In fact, he had converted four years earlier but had kept it secret by attending mosque until COVID-19 gave him a pretext to withdraw. On the day of his beating, when the four Muslims stopped him, “They started questioning me about not attending Friday prayers at the mosque,” the pastor said. “I kept quiet, and one of them threatened to kill me if I continued keeping quiet.” Another of the Muslims told the others, “I think it’s true that he has joined Christianity, that is why he is not answering our question.” The pastor continues:
“Immediately one began to slap me while another held me with the intention of strangling me, and I fell down. They started beating me with hard objects around my knee. I then shouted for help and screamed with a lot of pain. Thank God that at that moment a vehicle approached with bright lights, and the attackers fled away, leaving me bleeding in a pool of blood.”
He was taken to a hospital; he had, among other injuries, a fractured bone in his leg. After he was released from the hospital five days later, he, his wife and three children (aged three, five, and eight), fled to an undisclosed location. The pastor added:
“I know if I report this case to the police, then the attackers can easily find a way of killing me and my family. My family is very fearful and terrified, and it is causing a lot of pressure on us.”
General Abuses against Christians
Turkey: On December 31, unknown vandals defaced Istanbul’s Kadıköy Protestant Church by writing “Allah 1” on its door. The church is just the latest of several in Istanbul alone to be desecrated in recent years. In July 2021, three people danced to loud music on top of the wall of the Armenian Church of Surp Takavor in Kadıköy. In May 2020, surveillance footage showed a man tearing down the cross outside Surp Krikor Lusavoriç Armenian Church. Also in May 2020, a man tried to burn the entrance door of Surp Asdvadzadzni Armenian Church.
Egypt: On December 2, Marna, a 15-year-old Coptic Christian girl, disappeared on her way to a private tutoring lesson. Immediately her family contacted the police and pled with them to find and retrieve her. Two days later, on December 4, after the police had displayed nothing but apathy, the Christians of al-‘Amoudain village, where the girl is from, gathered together to stage a protest against both the disappearance of yet another Christian girl, and the police’s lack of concern. They held signs and chanted “Marna must be returned to us” and “We want our daughter back.” The police were quick to respond; they descended on the village, and, according to eyewitnesses from the girl’s family, “in order to disperse the protest, police opened fire on us with tear gas,” prompting “loud screams from the women and a state of panic in the village.” The police further arrested 22 Christian protesters during the clash. “We demand our rights in returning our daughter,” a family representative responded, “[and] in peacefully gathering to demand a revelation of the girl’s fate.” Due to such persistence and incessant calls for police to act, days later Marna was returned to her family—a happy though rare ending for Egypt’s Christian minorities.
Separately, a heated discussion broke out at the Egyptian parliament during a discussion on a suggested bill that would require all Egyptian students—including millions of Coptic Christians—to memorize portions of the Koran. According to the December 15 report:
“In the session, a representative of Al-Azhar suggested students be required to memorize more Quranic verses, but parliamentarian Youssef Al-Husseini objected to provisions in the bill that retain Quran memorization in primary school. ‘There are non-Muslim students like Copts who should not be forced to memorize the Quran,’ argued Husseini, who is deputy chairman of parliament’s media and culture committee.”
Further pursuing the matter, Al Azhar later issued a statement claiming that the Koran was the first text to establish the “principles of freedom and respect for religions” and call for “human fraternity and equality without discrimination on the basis of religion, color, race or language.” Parliamentarian Husseini responded by saying that “There is no relationship between strengthening the Arabic language and imposing a holy book on all Egyptians regardless of their religion.” He pointed to several other forms of Arabic literature and poetry that can be used in teaching and suggested that Al Azhar had a different motive:
“There are still some hard-liners within Al-Azhar, and it is necessary to call and insist on establishing a civil education system, not a religious one.”
Isaac Hanna, a journalist and head of the Egyptian Association for Enlightenment, agreed:
“Quranic texts are not the only way to teach Arabic in schools. There are other methods such as literature, poetry and rhetoric…. Separating students in the religion class is [a] form of discrimination that divides society…. The government always backs down from any removal of Quranic texts in school curricula or the subject of religion, fearing attacks and criticism by extremist groups.”
Raymond Ibrahim, author of Crucified Again and Sword and Scimitar, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, and a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
About this Series
While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians by extremists is growing. The report posits that such persecution is not random but rather systematic, and takes place irrespective of language, ethnicity, or location. It includes incidents that take place during, or are reported on, any given month.
© 2022 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.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/18179/persecution-of-christians-december

What role for political parties in Jordan?
Shakir Rafayah/The Arab Weekly/January 30/2022
As soon as the House of Representatives began discussing the parties’ law, there were attempts to set up new parties in Jordan, as if this were a small mirror of the country’s future political life, even though recent constitutional amendments actually did away with any real reform.
It seems as if Jordan is new to political parties and is still groping for the path of partisan activity, which will represent, in theory the core of the promised political participation, although the credibility and ability of the plans to make a difference are debatable.
In the middle of the last century, there was an active party political life in Jordan, as a reflection of the ideological tide that was sweeping the region at the time. Pan-Arabist and socialist parties, including Baathists, Nasserites and Communists, were established. Along with them there was also the Muslim Brotherhood. However, over the past decades, the parties’ influence on the political scene has diminished due to security restrictions, martial law and arrests, until party affiliation became a charge that could unsettle one’ professional career and academic pursuits.
The party political life regained some of its vitality in the late eighties. But it all soon retreated under security pressure, poor financing and modest party representation in parliament. The rhetoric of the parties became so unconvincing that large segments of Jordanians abandoned them.
In 2022, there are now less than 40,000 members of 50 different parties and negligible party representation in parliament. This scattered and weak picture is in fact a mirror of the situation of the political parties, as they prepare to go through the experience of forming governments as the main pillar of political reform. The ruling establishment decided to revive political party activity. It also decided that the formation of governments from the parliamentary parties would begin after at least ten years. It said programme-based parties are preferable to ideological parties. Moreover, it imposed more restrictions on the creation of parties and set quotas for youth and women.
This recipe does not make sense as a basis for effective party political life. Rather, it is a recipe that is more akin to the activity of cooperative societies and tribal and regional leagues, which Jordanians prefer to political parties. Party politics cannot be renewed by decisions or legislative amendments that are isolated from the general political context and the prevailing culture, unless the goal is to reduce the entire reform project to the creation of political parties that convince no one and have nothing to add to the governance and management of the country.
Do people believe the ruling establishment, when it encourages them to seek membership of political parties while imposing strict restrictions on freedom of expression and conducts “electronic patrols” to prosecute them for what they say and write on the internet and social media?
How can we have a partisan life while we do not enjoy public liberties at the individual and social level which are suitable for practicing politics, while security institutions chase activists and protesters?
The government that will be led by parties in the coming years will have fewer powers than the current governments formed by the king, according to the constitutional amendments approved by parliament and the expected amendments to the parties and election laws.
The constitutional amendments took away from the government the original powers that were linked to its general mandate over the country. The prime minister has become a member of the National Security Council, who is invited by the king to the council’s meetings which he attends like other members.
The ruling establishment does not find it embarrassing to say that the council’s role will ensure that political parties have no influence on security affairs and foreign policy issues, even though governments would be based on parties in the first place!
The government will not have a role in selecting a group of senior official positions such as the Director of Public Security, the Grand Mufti and the Chief Justice. And all of these are added to the king’s sole prerogatives without the government making any recommendation.
Access to power lies at the heart of the creed and goal of any political party on the face of the earth, whether it is formed in an arbitrary manner or as a natural result of exercising political action in an adequate public atmosphere and an appropriate legislative environment.
But the power that will be available to party-based governments in the future according to the constitution will be nothing more than marginal competance that will not allow any real changes and will not make an impact on political participation.

West must widen focus on Tehran’s malign activities
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/January 30/2022
The international community must take a multifaceted approach to Iran. The regime’s drive to acquire nuclear weapons remains at the forefront of policy discussions regarding Tehran. This is understandable, of course, but the severity of this threat is no justification for overlooking any of the regime’s other malign activities. The potential perils of single-mindedness have been highlighted in recent weeks by incidents including attacks on US assets in Iraq and Syria, which were evidently carried out by the Iranian regime’s regional proxies and timed to coincide with the second anniversary of a US strike that eliminated the regime’s top operative, Qassem Soleimani.
Another example of the proxy threat came on Jan. 17, when a drone attack penetrated the territory of the UAE and struck civilian areas of the nation’s capital, Abu Dhabi. The drones in question were likely of Iranian origin because the regime has been caught smuggling advanced weaponry to the Houthis in Yemen on several occasions and has placed a great deal of emphasis on drones in its own recent paramilitary buildups.
The attacks in Iraq, Syria and the UAE, coupled with earlier attacks on Saudi Arabia and direct missile strikes on US assets in Iraq, make it clear that the threat from Tehran is confined neither by geography nor by ideology.
The regime appears to freely target fellow Muslim nations, as well as Western targets. It has even attempted to take the fight to these Western nations’ territory, as in 2018, when a Vienna-based regime diplomat and three Iranian intelligence operatives were caught attempting to bomb a Free Iran rally near Paris.
Four European lawmakers last month joined the Iranian oppositional group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, at a conference that highlighted the full range of malign activities for which Tehran must be held accountable. The speeches made clear reference to the nuclear issue and the ongoing negotiations in Vienna between the Tehran regime and the P5+1 world powers. But speakers also criticized the Western signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal for being too conciliatory and overlooking other issues out of fear they might prevent Tehran agreeing to a resolution. For example, former British Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow criticized the UK government and its allies for dealing with Iran’s rogue regime in the same way they would deal with fellow democracies. He added that “the conciliatory approach has yielded no results.”
This is a reminder of the perception that the Western powers have overlooked the domestic aspect of the Iranian regime’s malign activities to a greater extent than any other. Ebrahim Raisi, who became president last summer, was one of four officials to serve on the Tehran “death commission” that in 1988 held sham trials of political prisoners in Evin and Gohardasht prisons as part of the implementation of then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa targeting organized opposition to the clerical system. Most of the victims were members or supporters of the NCRI. The group’s leader, Maryam Rajavi, last month highlighted the progress the Iranian resistance has made toward overthrowing the theocratic dictatorship and replacing it with a truly democratic system.
In other words, human rights should be at the forefront of a correct European policy toward the Iranian regime. This is partly because human rights abuses represent Tehran’s most imminent and widespread threat to life, but also because this focus has the potential to empower Iranian activist communities at a time when an unprecedented rise in anti-government protests has prompted another surge in repression.
The trend of repression has no doubt been enabled by the sense of impunity that surrounds Raisi’s appointment as president. For as long as he faces no consequences for his prior human rights abuses, he will continue to promote more of the same now that he is in the regime’s second-highest office. That prediction has been affirmed by a sharp increase in executions and instances of Iranian activists receiving lengthy prison terms, death sentences and arbitrary punishments for “crimes” such as “spreading propaganda” and showing “enmity toward God.”
The domestic aspect of the regime’s behavior has been overlooked to a greater extent than any other.
One can only imagine how much more widespread the protests would be if the Iranian people had reason to believe that the international community would confront further escalations by the regime, as opposed to focusing solely on Western interests and the already-collapsing nuclear deal.
Confronting the Iranian regime’s malign and destructive activities in the region and its increasing human rights violations at home should be at the forefront of the Western powers’ approach to Tehran.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh

US should walk away from Iran nuclear talks
Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/January 30/2022
As the negotiations to salvage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal reach a critical stage, disagreements have emerged among American diplomats — who are playing an indirect role in the talks in Vienna — over how firm Washington should be with Tehran and when to say, “Enough, this ship has sailed.”
Richard Nephew, the US deputy special envoy for Iran and principal architect of the economic sanctions on Tehran, left the team last week after calling for a tougher stance. At least one other member of the US negotiating team also quit. Some even wanted to pull out entirely when new Iranian negotiators appointed by hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi following his election last year reversed most of the concessions made by their predecessors. It is no surprise to see that the already-lenient US posture is gradually getting softer, since the negotiations are led by Robert Malley, who was the lead Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiator under President Barack Obama when the original deal was signed. He naturally wants to revive what he considers his own deal at any price. Tehran knows how fragile this US administration is. It can procrastinate until the November midterm elections to gain more leverage and ensure all its demands are met. On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian expressed his deep distrust in the White House during a phone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He called on the US and its European allies to take practical and tangible measures in order to reach a sustainable and reliable agreement. From the Iranian point of view, a sustainable deal means one that no future American president can amend or cancel, which is impossible. Biden’s eagerness to fulfill an election promise has blinded him and made him indifferent to the interests of his country’s historically closest allies
It is easy to understand why the pro-Iran Houthi militia was last year removed from the State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations, even though the terrorist group continued to launch drone attacks against military and civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia. It has recently also extended its attacks to the UAE. This is in addition to the US’ tolerance of attacks by pro-Iran militias against its military bases and personnel in Iraq.
President Joe Biden’s intense eagerness to implement even one of his list of promises made to the American people before the 2020 election and to increase his approval rate, which has fallen embarrassingly, has blinded him and made him indifferent to the interests of his country’s historically closest allies.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has repeatedly pointed out that his country will defend itself independently regardless of what happens between Iran and the world powers. “We will protect ourselves by ourselves. Even if there is an agreement, we’re not committed to it. We will preserve our freedom to act,” he told the Jerusalem Post last week. If Bennett can see that Tehran will use any new funds it receives against the US and its regional allies, why can’t Biden? “A deal that will send tens of billions of dollars to this rotten and weak regime will be a mistake because this money will go to terror against (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers and the Americans in the region. When the money enters Iranian coffers, they attack American soldiers... through their proxies,” Bennett reiterated. It would be a terrible mistake indeed.
As a result of America’s current policies in the Middle East and North Africa, Iran and its circle of terrorist friends — the so-called axis of resistance — will be upgraded from neighborhood bully to regional superpower, with sophisticated weapons provided by America’s archenemies, China and Russia.
Washington should correct its mistake and immediately halt its involvement in the Vienna talks. The late, great South African leader Nelson Mandela once said: “History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.” Biden must not decide the fate of an entire region that is vulnerable to destruction, wars and intimidation by an extensive terrorist network for the sake of elections. Peace agreements with terrorist groups bring only tyranny, injustice and horror.
Mr. President, as you speak of humanity and human rights, do not sentence millions of people to death, as you did the innocent people of Afghanistan. Let the legacy of your time in the White House be that of a fair and firm leader. That is what is called redemption.
• Dalia Al-Aqidi is a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy. Twitter: @DaliaAlAqidi