English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For 02 July/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest . Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 11/25-30/:”‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Titels For English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 01-02/2022
Abu Arz’s statement towards the declaration of the state of free Lebanon by Saad Haddad in 1979
Over 30 governments gather to discuss Hezbollah’s ‘ongoing global terrorist’ plots
Welcome to Lebanon flag with passport stamp - Illustration
Intertwined political, financial crises threaten Lebanon's reforms
Shea briefs Aoun on progress in Hochstein’s talks with Israel
Aoun meets Mikati over cabinet line-up
President Aoun signs 5 officer promotion decrees
Berri receives Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bou Saab and British Ambassador, meets US Ambassador over border demarcation file
Corona - MoPH: 1330 new Coronavirus infections, one death
Report: Hezbollah trying to persuade Aoun with Mikati's line-up
Report: Israel suggests Lebanon buy 'its share' in Qana field
Mikati signs military and security promotions decree
Qassem says govt. formation essential, urges compromises
Qatar donates $60 million to Lebanon's army during crisis

Titles For Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 01-02/2022
Iran nuclear talks likely to resume after Biden’s Gulf trip
Tehran worries about shaken power of Guards as it seeks to appease Turkey over aborted plot
At least 18 dead in Russian missile attack on Odesa building
Putin's week: Facing NATO expansion, West's unity on Ukraine
Tunisian president seeks more powers in new constitution
Rights group says Palestinians torture detainees with impunity
Thousands rally in Sudan day after 9 killed during protests
UN says Libya rival officials fail to agree on election criteria
Egypt government sponsoring 'campaign against journalism'
Jordan swears in Prince Faisal as deputy to King Abdullah II

Titles For LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 01-02/2022
Today in History: Western Christians Experience the Muslim Way of War/Raymond Ibrahim/July 01/2022
Iraq’s anti-normalisation law was stillborn/Ibrahim al-Zobeidi/The Arab Weekly/July 01/2022
Israel’s natural gas windfall is bad news for Palestinians/Joseph Dana/Arab News/July 01/2022
Only Iraqis can curtail Iran’s influence over their country/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/July 01/2022
EU must stand firm now that it has backed Ukraine/Carl Bildt/Arab News/July 01/2022

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 01-02/2022
من الأرشيف/فيديو من عام 1979 .. أبو أرز يعلن تأييدة لدولة لبنان الحر في الجنوب بقيادة الرائد سعد حداد/Abu Arz’s statement towards the declaration of the state of free Lebanon by Saad Haddad in 1979
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/109767/%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d8%b1%d8%b4%d9%8a%d9%81-%d9%81%d9%8a%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%88-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%b9%d8%a7%d9%85-1979-%d8%a3%d8%a8%d9%88-%d8%a3%d8%b1%d8%b2-%d9%8a%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%86-%d8%aa/
1- Our agreement in 1969 was imposed on the Lebanese government by the Palestinians; it was an official acceptance of the Palestinian armed presence in Lebanon.
2- Thereupon the Palestinians have established several small independent states within Lebanon, for example, the Palestinians camps can be considered as completely independent states, in addition to the actual Palestinian state in the south of Lebanon between the Zahrani and the Litani rivers.
3- Fath Land was established 10 years ago in the South and was only eliminated by the last Israeli operation in the South.
4- The Syrian armed presence is in fact an effective occupation of a great part of Lebanese territory.
5- Saad Haddad’s reaction was therefore a natural result of the number of concessions by the Lebanese government as described above.
6- Saad Haddad state is at least the sole Lebanese small stated among the multitude of fallen states listed above.
7- Saad Haddad has not announced an isolated state with Beirut being its capital and his intention is to liberate the whole of Lebanon from the Syrians and Palestinians occupation.
For all these reasons, we have declared and maintained our support

Over 30 governments gather to discuss Hezbollah’s ‘ongoing global terrorist’ plots
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/01 July ,2022
A group of over 30 governments met this week to discuss the global terrorist threat posed by Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah, the State Department said on Friday. “Participants discussed Hezbollah’s ongoing global terrorist plotting, weapons procurement, and financial schemes, and outlined how Hezbollah may adapt in the future to evade law enforcement detection,” according to a statement. The Law Enforcement Coordination Group (LECG) also looked at ways to disrupt “Hezbollah terrorist and criminal activities, and associated networks.”“LECG participants noted that these actions demonstrate the growing recognition among our partners about the need to cooperate on our efforts to counter Hezbollah’s global terrorist networks,” the statement read. This was the group’s ninth meeting, which gathered countries from the Middle East, South America, Central America, Africa, Indo-Pacific and North America. Europol was also present at the meeting in Europe, but the State Department did not specify where it was held. Several countries have designated Hezbollah as a terror group in recent years, following Washington’s lead. Others have banned or limited Hezbollah’s activities in their respective countries, including participating in pro-Hezbollah parades. The US designated the group as a terrorist organization in its entirety in 1997. But French refusal to blacklist the group in its entirety has hindered international efforts to pressure Hezbollah and get them to disarm. They were the only group allowed to keep their weapons following the 1975-90 Civil War in Lebanon. Hezbollah claims it is a resistance force against Israel, which continues to occupy certain pockets of Lebanese territories, including the Shebaa Farms and the northern part of Ghajar.

Welcome to Lebanon flag with passport stamp - Illustration
Robert McKelvey, Al Arabiya English/01 July ,2022
As Lebanon’s crises continue to deepen, many members of the population are seeking to leave their home country in search of better prospects abroad. Still, many are being held back by restrictions imposed on their inability to apply for or renew their passports. The collapse of the Lebanese lira over the last two years has led to an exponential increase in the cost of living, down to necessities like food, fuel, and power. Over ninety percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and nearly one-in-three Lebanese are unemployed. Not being able to travel means missing out on job opportunities outside the country and the more reliable salaries paid in fresh foreign currency on which many families in Lebanon now depend. “My passport expires in 2023,” said Siham Sulaiman, a Beirut resident. “I’m hoping to renew as soon as possible – to avoid complications – [but] I don’t have an appointment.”
“When it comes to delays and issues, nothing is off the table,” she continued. “They could postpone [your appointment] without giving any reasonable time, or the first possible appointment could be months – if not a year – later.”Obtaining official documents in Lebanon is often difficult, frustrating, and protracted due to a lack of standardized practices and poor record keeping. Costs have also increased significantly since the onset of the financial crisis. “I’ve known for a while that official papers and documents were not available, so it was a matter of time before it hits our passports,” said Lea Aouad, another Lebanese citizen. “The fees to renew were becoming crazy, so – even if passports were available – not many people are able to renew because they cannot afford it.”“I have a US passport [but for] the numerous cousins I have in Lebanon, my sister-in-law, and my friends, their experience has been horrid,” said Elias Nader, a Lebanese-American living in California. “There is no complete information on what to do. They are waiting and waiting and cannot get a response back from anyone.”
Renewing a passport also requires a physical appointment, which people can only obtain through an online booking service. It excludes those without internet access or who cannot travel to their official meeting place at the appointed time. It consists of a rapidly expanding proportion of the Lebanese population. In April, the problem peaked as the demand for passports exceeded the physical stocks held in reserve by the Lebanese General Directorate of the General Security. It followed a dispute over payments to its French supplier company. Despite suspending its website for several months, the GDGS insists that it never stopped issuing or renewing passports. “Although obtaining a passport is a constitutional right, the unaccounted rise in the number of passport renewals depleted the limited inventory,” a GDGS spokesperson told Al Arabiya English. “The passport reservation platform was stopped, and the total number of daily applicants was limited to cope with the unexpected rise in demand.” According to the GDGS, nearly 70 percent of citizens who renewed their passports between 2020 and 2021 have not yet used them. It has prompted the government body to appeal for restraint on the part of citizens in the hope of avoiding further unnecessary delays, allowing those with genuine, urgent requirements to be processed faster.
“[We ask] citizens who do not urgently need a passport not to hurry to book appointments, to enable those who desperately need to get a passport,” the GDGS said in an official statement. “These passports will be secured to those who claim them as their right and a construction of laws that guard this right.”Despite this, within days of reopening the booking system, appointments for passport renewals were already fully booked until April 2023. It has left some citizens concerned that the GDGS will suspend the renewal if the new physical stocks fail to meet the enormous demand.
“I feel insecure being in a country going through such a situation without the option of leaving,” said Aouad. “I feel trapped, anxious, and disconnected from the world. [It is a] horrible feeling, especially when you [are going] through blackouts and fuel shortages.”Some citizens believe that the government is using the passport crisis to indirectly restrict the flow of emigrants – particularly students and young professionals – out of the country, to prevent a feared ‘brain drain’ that threatens Lebanon’s economic recovery. Others take a dimmer view, regarding the move as simply another opportunity for the wealthy political elite to enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary citizens or obstruct Lebanese expatriates from voting in the recent parliamentary elections. “[They] wanted to prevent expats with a Lebanese passport from traveling back to Lebanon to vote,” said Nader. “Many expats who wanted their passports renewed could not get them [and] their local embassies could not tell them why. Also, they want to prevent the current exodus of doctors, nurses, and professionals due to the economic disaster that has engulfed the country.”“After the explosion on August 4, and with this crisis, people just want to leave,” echoed Aouad. “[This is] a way for the corrupt politicians not to allow that and, by increasing the fees, it is another way for them to profit and steal money.”

Intertwined political, financial crises threaten Lebanon's reforms
The Arab Weekly/July 01/2022
The economy is sinking fast: the currency has crashed more than 90% and about 80% of Lebanon's inhabitants now live below the poverty line. have since been overshadowed by political gridlock and opposition to the plan from the banking sector, suggesting that one of the world's worst financial meltdowns could drag on even longer. "My view is that as long as the political governance doesn't change, nothing will happen," said Henri Chaoul, a former member of Lebanon's IMF negotiations team who resigned in 2020 when the then-government's plan was undone. Najib Mikati, the caretaker premier also tasked with forming a new government, faces an uphill battle to cobble together a cabinet that can win the approval of the outgoing president and of a hung parliament. Cabinet formation is already typically a months-long process in Lebanon but could drag even longer as parties try to secure influence in the event that the presidency remains vacant following the end of Michel Aoun's term in October. If divisions prevent a cabinet from being formed and a presidential successor being named by then, Lebanon risks floating rudderless into uncharted territory with no executive authority empowered to push reforms or eventually ink a final deal with the IMF and donors.The economy is sinking fast: the currency has crashed more than 90% and about 80% of Lebanon's inhabitants now live below the poverty line.
Distributing losses
The summer influx of tourists and Lebanese expatriates bringing in badly-needed hard currency will do little to resolve the core of the crisis, which centres on a $70 billion hole in the financial system, more than three times the country's entire yearly economic output. The former parliament did not pass the 2022 state budget, a much-debated capital controls law nor a reformed banking secrecy law. Many had pinned hopes on first-time lawmakers to kickstart a parliamentary push for reforms, but six weeks since the election the body has yet to hold a general session. Members of the finance committee say they only received a copy of the government's financial recovery plan, agreed in mid-May, earlier this week. Major blocs say that plan must be revisited altogether. Critics fear a re-run of a scenario from 2020, when a government rescue plan was torpedoed by Lebanon's parliament and the powerful commercial banking sector. The main division over the plan, then and now, remains how to distribute the losses. Lebanon's government says banks and their shareholders should be first in line to cover losses while the banks say the state should leverage its assets to pay back depositors in a bail-out. Lebanon's banking association says it backs an IMF deal even as it opposes the fundamental way the lender and the government want to attribute losses. That dispute could derail a final IMF programme, Lebanon's caretaker economy minister has told Reuters. The IMF has insisted the zombie banking sector be restructured to allow the economy to recover, but work on that has yet to begin.
Inflation danger
This year's plan has also faced opposition from powerful Shia armed group Hezbollah, which says it must be revised. Its ally Amal, led by speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, has also called for all deposits to be preserved, an impossible scenario, analysts say, due to the scale of the crisis.
Government critics say the continuing stagnation is intended to push Lebanese citizens needing hard currency to withdraw their dollar deposits from banks in local currency at huge losses in a process known as "lirafication."Those withdrawals are slowly shrinking the total amount in dollars that banks would owe to depositors in the event a financial recovery plan is ever implemented. If that policy carries on and the government tries to appease the population by increasing benefits and salaries for the relatively large public sector, Lebanon could spiral into runaway inflation. "With no new revenues, increasing salaries and benefits such as transport allowance will take the country into hyperinflation," Nasser Saidi, an economist and former vice-governor at Lebanon's central bank, told Reuters. There is little time and few valuable dollars to waste. Spending on subsidies and cash injections to prop up the Lebanese pound has sapped the country's FX reserves from more than $30 billion in 2019 to $11 billion today, according to the central bank governor. Opposition MP Ibrahim Mneimneh, a member of the finance and budget committee and long-time political activist, decried the piecemeal approach. Given the logjam, he told Reuters, "we might have to ask people to come down into the street."

Shea briefs Aoun on progress in Hochstein’s talks with Israel
Naharnet/July 01/2022
U.S. ambassador Dorothy Shea briefed Friday President Michel Aoun on the outcome of U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein’s talks with the Israelis and the progress that has been achieved, the Presidency said. Also on Friday, a media report said that Israel's response suggests selling to Lebanon Israel’s small share in the Qana offshore field. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price had announced, earlier this week, that Hochstein’s conversations last week with Israeli counterparts were “productive” and have “advanced the objective of narrowing differences between the two sides.”Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab considered the statement as a “positive” sign.

Aoun meets Mikati over cabinet line-up
Naharnet/July 01/2022
President Michel Aoun discussed Friday with Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati the Cabinet draft line-up that the latter had submitted to the President on Wednesday, the Presidency said. The line-up, handwritten by Mikati, was leaked on the same day. Both parties denied they have leaked it, in separate statements. "Some ideas and suggestions have been discussed during the meeting," the Presidency said, adding that Aoun will meet Mikati again at the beginning of next week to resume the talks over the Cabinet line-up. As Mikati left the Baabda palace without making any statement, media reports said he had blamed Aoun for the leaked document and that some minor amendments have been made to the line-up. Al-Jadeed said that Aoun, during the meeting, proposed to Mikati the idea of ​​expanding the government from 24 to 30 ministers, including political members and ministers of state.It added that the two leaders discussed in the meeting the structure of the government rather than the names of the ministers.

President Aoun signs 5 officer promotion decrees
NNA/July 01/2022 
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, signed promotion decrees for officers in the military corps.
Decrees are:
- Decree No. 9598 of July 1, 2022 promoting officers in the General Directorate of State Security to a higher rank.
- Decree No. 9599 of July 1, 2022, promoting officers in the army to a higher rank.
- Decree No. 9600 of July 1, 2022, promoting lieutenants in the army to the rank of first lieutenant as of 1/8/2022.
-Decree No. 9601 dated July 1, 2022, promoting officers in the Internal Security Forces to a higher rank, as of July 1, 2022.
-Decree No. 9602 of July 1, 2022, promoting General Security officers to a higher rank. -- Presidency Press Office

Berri receives Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bou Saab and British Ambassador, meets US Ambassador over border demarcation file
NNA/July 01/2022
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Friday welcomed at the Second Presidency in Ain El-Tineh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, and an accompanying delegation, in presence of Qatari Ambassador to Lebanon Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Sahlawi.
Discussions reportedly touched on the general situation in Lebanon and the region and the bilateral relations between Lebanon and Qatar.
Separately, Speaker Berri met with Deputy House Speaker, Elias Bou Saab, with whom he discussed the current general situation, the latest political developments and legislative affairs.
The House Speaker also received British Ambassador to Lebanon, Dr. Ian Collard, who came on a farewell visit upon the end of his diplomatic mission in Lebanon. The visit had been a chance to discuss the current general situation and the bilateral relations between the two countries.
This afternoon, Berri met with US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea, who briefed him on the progress of contacts made by US mediator, Amos Hochstein, on the maritime border demarcation file.

Corona - MoPH: 1330 new Coronavirus infections, one death
NNA/July 01/2022
Lebanon has recorded 1330 new coronavirus cases and one death in the last 24 hours, as reported by the Ministry of Public Health on Friday.
NNA - Lebanon has recorded 1330 new coronavirus cases and one death in the last 24 hours, as reported by the Ministry of Public Health on Friday.

Report: Hezbollah trying to persuade Aoun with Mikati's line-up
Naharnet/July 01/2022
Hezbollah is trying to persuade President Michel Aoun and Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil to facilitate the government formation, a Kuwaiti media report said. The Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper said that according to its sources, Bassil will not stand still while the energy portfolio is being taken away from the FPM, while Hezbollah thinks that "a short-term Cabinet is not worth all the tension." The sources said that Bassil's refusal to accept the line-up will be met with a strict political response. The daily reported a possibility of holding early Presidential elections. The sources added that Aoun will officially respond to Mikati on Monday or Tuesday. "Unless he decides to reject the line-up, then he will postpone the response until after the Adha holidays."

Report: Israel suggests Lebanon buy 'its share' in Qana field
Naharnet/July 01/2022
Israel has responded to Lebanon’s latest proposal regarding sea border demarcation and its answer included a suggestion that Lebanon “buy Israel’s small share” in the Qana offshore field, informed sources said. “Israel has welcomed the unified Lebanese stance, which does not mention Line 29 as a negotiations line, and it considered that this answer ends the disputed status of the Karish field file,” the sources told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published Friday. “Israel has not accepted Lebanon’s demand to get the entire Qana field, noting that negotiating over Line 23 means that Israel has a right and a share in the field, while acknowledging that Lebanon’s share in the field is bigger,” the sources added. In the regard, al-Akhbar reported that “the Americans, in consultation with the Israelis and European capitals,” are saying that “as long as the Lebanese share is the bigger one, Lebanon should buy Israel’s share through a global firm that would assume the mission of (gas) extraction and perhaps selling.”Israel has also said that the indirect negotiations should continue through the U.S. mediator and not in Naqoura and that “the negotiations should now focus on how to address the common section of the Qana field.” Moreover, Israel has called on the international community to “deter” Lebanon and prevent it from “endorsing Hezbollah’s threats,” the sources added.

Mikati signs military and security promotions decree
Naharnet/July 01/2022
PM-designate Najib Mikati, in his capacity as caretaker PM, signed Friday the decree of military and security promotions as he received it from the Finance Ministry. A week ago, media reports said Speaker Nabih Berri was “still refusing to agree to the promotions of the officers who graduated (from the Military School) in 1994 under the excuse of ‘sectarian imbalance.’”Berri had asked former finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil during the terms of several previous governments to refuse to sign the decree. Caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim and Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab had last month launched mediation efforts in order to reach “a settlement that would resolve the pending issues all at once,” al-Akhbar newspaper said. The other files mentioned by the report were the appointments of the courts of cassation and the appointments of forest guards.

Qassem says govt. formation essential, urges compromises
Naharnet/July 01/2022
Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Thursday stressed that the formation of a new government is “something essential and fundamental,” urging the parties to offer compromises. “The government’s formation is considered something essential and fundamental, because without a government nothing can change in this situation and things might deteriorate further,” Qassem said. Accusing the “opposition” of seeking to block any “achievement” during the current period, Hezbollah number two said “this totally concurs with the U.S. stance and opinion,” which is also “seeking to block any achievement during this period, pending the end of the current presidential term.”“Hezbollah wants the government to be formed and it advises that we make as much compromises as possible, because any government formed would be better than no government, and because some of the achievements that it might make in this period might be a prelude to exiting the crisis,” Qassem went on to say.

Qatar donates $60 million to Lebanon's army during crisis
Associated Press/July 01/2022
Qatar has donated $60 million to the Lebanese army, hard hit by the Mediterranean nation's unprecedented economic meltdown, Qatar News Agency reported. The announcement came shortly after Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani arrived in Beirut, where he is expected to meet senior Lebanese officials. Lebanon's nearly three-year crisis has put unprecedented pressure on the U.S.-backed army's operational abilities, wiping out soldiers' salaries and wrecking morale. The overall deterioration puts at risk one of the few forces unifying Lebanon — the military. Over the past years, the army has been receiving assistance, including food supplies, from friendly countries. Al Thani, who is also Qatar's deputy prime minister, is in Lebanon to attend the Arab Foreign Ministers Consultative Meeting, the report said. Since the crisis erupted in October 2019, the Lebanese pound has lost more than 90% of its value, tens of thousands have become jobless and three quarters of the population of 6 million, including 1 million Syrian refugees, now lives in poverty. The economic crisis is rooted in decades of corruption and mismanagement by the ruling class, which has been running the country since the end of the 1975-90 civil war. The report said Qatar announced in July last year that the Gulf Arab sheikhdom would support the Lebanese army with 70 tons of food every month for a year.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 01-02/2022
Iran nuclear talks likely to resume after Biden’s Gulf trip
Bloomberg/01 July ,2022
European-brokered efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal are likely to resume following US President Joe Biden’s visit to the region this month, after an intense round of talks in Doha failed to overcome differences. Two European diplomats with direct knowledge of this week’s negotiations said that, while talks didn’t progress, efforts to resurrect the accord were expected to continue beyond the July deadline suggested by the UN nuclear watchdog. A third person familiar with the talks said efforts could resume in the Qatari capital following Biden’s trip. One source briefed on the negotiations said the Doha talks had focused on oil sanctions, adding that other areas actively under discussion are Iran’s access to funds blocked in South Korea, sanctions on airlines and the removal of penalties on the business operations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.The latter is very unlikely to be agreed but the others were achievable, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Narrow window
The 2015 agreement offered Iran sanctions relief, including on oil exports, in return for curbs to its enrichment activities and intrusive International Atomic Energy Agency inspections. Former US President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. President Joe Biden has sought for more than a year to revive the deal but Iran has rapidly expanded its nuclear work while steadily dialing down international oversight during the course of negotiations. The IAEA said at its last meeting on June 9 that its inspectors would no longer be able to verify Iranian nuclear activities permitted under the accord if a diplomatic compromise wasn’t reached within a month, setting the clock ticking on talks. US officials have repeatedly said that the window for a deal is narrow as the accelerated pace of Iran’s nuclear work threatens to make the terms of the original deal obsolete. Tehran’s negotiating team also reiterated grievances over an IAEA censure issued over Iran’s lack of cooperation with monitors, according to one of the European diplomats. While IAEA investigators can report with a high degree of certainty that Iran isn’t diverting any of its declared nuclear material, there’s less conviction about what’s been happening inside the country’s centrifuge workshops, said the other European diplomat. Some monitors are concerned that Iran could hedge against a diplomatic stalemate by stashing uranium-enrichment capacity at an undeclared location. The search for a compromise will probably be given until at least the third quarter, after which the US will hold Congressional elections that could weaken Biden’s hand.
NPT threat
A key meeting of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty members convenes next month in New York. Iran has threatened to leave that bedrock bargain -- which limits the spread of nuclear weapons, in return for access to atomic technologies -- should talks fail, resulting in the country being referred back to the United Nations Security Council for more sanctions. Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amirabdollahian said in a statement Thursday his country remains determined to continue negotiations “until an agreement that’s based on realism is reached.” While western officials at the talks dismissed Iran’s words as grandstanding, they aren’t ready to slam the door on talks quite yet. Gulf nations are being encouraged to play a more active role as the EU’s role as mediator reaches its limit, according to the European diplomats. “The US also must outline a strategy for Middle Eastern stability that is not merely based on containment and confrontation with Iran or securing a short-term reduction in oil prices,” Iran researchers Vali Nasr and Maria Fantappie wrote Friday in the US journal of Foreign Affairs. “It must establish a durable framework for preventing conflict,” they wrote. “The most effective way to do this would be to conclude a new nuclear deal with Iran.” Read more: EU says may not cross ‘finishing line’ on Iran nuclear deal

Tehran worries about shaken power of Guards as it seeks to appease Turkey over aborted plot
The Arab Weekly/July 01/2022
Seeking the double objective of easing tensions with Turkey and boosting the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) capabilities, Tehran has recently dismissed the IRGC's intelligence chief, Hussein Taeb and replaced him with Mohammad Kazemi, who was for years responsible for the IRGC's intelligence protection activities. Turkish-Iranian relations were jolted last month by revelations of an Iranian assassination plot targeting Israeli tourists in Turkey. Israel's incoming prime minister Yaid Lapid thanked Turkey, on June 23, for thwarting an Iranian assassination plot against its tourists in Istanbul which prompted an urgent call for the Jewish state's citizens to return home. The comments from Lapid came after Turkey reported detaining eight members of the alleged Iranian cell. Turkey's private IHA news agency said the eight alleged Iranian cell members were detained in a raid last week in three houses in Istanbul's popular Beyoglu district, an area filled with cafes and bars. In the meanwhile, Iran has been busy putting its house in order. The Guards announced at the end of last month the replacement of its intelligence chief Hossein Taeb, who had held the position for more than 12 years. "The Guards' chief Major General Hossein Salami appointed General Mohammad Kazemi as the new head of the IRGC Intelligence Organisation," Guards spokesman Ramezan Sharif said in the statement. But analysts are sceptical about the possibility of Iranian attempts at rapprochement towards Turkey after the huge alarm sparked by the terror plot.
Analysts do not expect Ankara to curtail its ties with Israel and Saudi Arabia despite Iran’s displeasure since Turkey sees such ties as vital for its national interests. Taeb's dismissal seems to have been also an attempt by Iran to take a new look at the IRGC's operations following a series of intelligence failures that threatened to undermine Iran's ability to respond to growing US and Israeli challenges, as well as to shore up the IRGC's political influence inside Iran.
The image of the Revolutionary Guards has very much suffered in recent years, as Iran’s foreign operations targeting Israelis and Iranian opposition members have failed because they were were exposed by foreign intelligence agencies. The replacement of the intelligence chief came after the killing of a number key Guard members. Iran and US ally Israel have been engaged in a years-long shadow war but tensions have ratcheted up following a string of high-profile incidents which Tehran has blamed on the Jewish state. On June 13, Ali Kamani, a member of the Guards' aerospace division, was killed while on a mission in Khomein in the central province of Markazi, the Guards said in a statement without elaborating.Earlier in June, Colonel Ali Esmailzadeh, a commander of the Guards' external operations unit, the Quds Force, died "in an accident in his home", according to state news agency IRNA. Then on May 22, Guards Colonel Sayyad Khodai, 50, was killed outside his home in the east of the Iranian capital by attackers on motorbikes who shot him five times. The Revolutionary Guards have also failed to protect Iran's nuclear sites over the past year, as illustrated by the many mysterious explosions and outages which have affected sensitive nuclear and missile sites, including the Natanz plant, the largest centrifugal facility and central uranium enrichment centre in Iran. The growing failures of the Revolutionary Guard threaten to weaken its domestic political influence and thus its clout over the choice of the next Supreme Leader who will replace current leader, Ali Khamenei, whose health is widely reported to be deteriorating. It is likely that there will be a reorganisation of the IRGC's operations and missions abroad in the coming months, experts say.

At least 18 dead in Russian missile attack on Odesa building
Associated Press/July 01/2022
Russian missile attacks on residential areas in a coastal town near the Ukrainian port city of Odesa early Friday killed at least 18 people, including two children, authorities reported, a day after Russian forces withdrew from a strategic Black Sea island. Video of the pre-dawn attack showed the charred remains of buildings in the small town of Serhiivka, located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Odesa. Ukrainian news reports said missiles struck a multi-story apartment building and a resort area. The deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Kirill Tymoshenko, said 18 people died, including two children. A spokesman for the Odesa regional government, Serhiy Bratchuk, said on the Telegram messaging app that another 30 had been injured. Sixteen of the 18 victims died in the strike on the apartment building, Ukrainian emergency officials said.
The airstrikes followed the pullout of Russian forces from Snake Island on Thursday, a move that was expected to potentially ease the threat to nearby Odesa. The island sits along a busy shipping lane. Russia took control of it in the opening days of the war in the apparent hope of using it as a staging ground for an assault on Odesa. The Kremlin portrayed the pullout from Snake Island as a "goodwill gesture." Ukraine's military claimed a barrage of its artillery and missiles forced the Russians to flee in two small speedboats. The exact number of withdrawing troops was not disclosed. Russian bombardments killed large numbers of civilians earlier in the war. There were fewer mass casualties as Moscow concentrated on capturing eastern Ukraine's Donbas region. However, a missile strike that hit a shopping mall in Kremenchuk in central Ukraine killed at least 19 people Monday and injured another 62, authorities said.

Putin's week: Facing NATO expansion, West's unity on Ukraine
Associated Press/July 01/2022
It has not been an easy week for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He took his first foreign trip since the invasion of Ukraine to shore up relations with troublesome Central Asian allies. He watched as NATO declared Moscow its main enemy and invited Russia's neighbors Sweden and Finland to join the alliance. And he was forced to deny that his troops had yet again attacked a civilian target in Ukraine. Countering a show of Western unity over Ukraine at a series of summits in Europe this week, Putin has sought to cast the moves by the U.S. and its allies as a proof of their hostile designs, and he vowed to press the offensive against Russia's neighbor, now in its fifth month. Putin long has described NATO's expansion to Russia's borders as the top security threat to his country. When he sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, he cited increasingly close military ties between Kyiv and the West as a key reason behind his action. Russia's aggression against its neighbor has helped cement Western unity, with allies offering billions of dollars in weapons and aid to Kyiv and slamming Russia with unprecedented sanctions that froze its hard currency reserves, targeted oil and other key experts, and barred its planes from European skies. The invasion also prompted NATO to deploy more troops and weapons into the territories of its members in Eastern Europe and encouraged Sweden and Finland to abandon their neutrality and seek NATO membership.
At its summit in Madrid on Wednesday, the alliance formally invited the two nations to join and declared Russia the "most significant and direct threat" to its members' peace and security. Putin, who visited Turkmenistan Wednesday to attend a Caspian Sea summit with three former Soviet nations and Iran, responded by saying that NATO's actions proved its anti-Russian focus while admitting his action helped Western allies cement their ranks. At the summit in Ashgabat, Putin and other participants didn't mention the war in Ukraine in their public comments. In a communique after the talks, they emphasized their agreement to bar any foreign militaries from the Caspian and underlined a pledge not to offer their territories for aggression against another country on its shores. During a meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the summit, Putin emphasized "strategic" ties between Moscow and Tehran. Speaking to reporters in Turkmenistan, Putin charged that the U.S. has "long been looking for an external enemy, for a threat that would help rally allies," adding that "Iran wasn't good enough for that role, and Russia fit much better.""We have given them a chance to unite all allies," Putin said, noting that the NATO summit's decisions offer a fresh proof that the Western group "is a relic of the Cold War intended to serve as an instrument of the U.S. foreign policy to keep its satellites in rein."Before the war, Russia insisted on binding guarantees precluding NATO's expansion to Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations and demanded a rollback of the military alliance's deployments in Eastern Europe. The U.S. and its allies firmly rejected the demands, emphasizing that a key alliance principle is that membership is open to any qualifying country and no outsiders have veto power. At the same time, Washington and NATO offered to discuss arms control, confidence-building measures, greater transparency and risk reduction — issues that Moscow shrugged off as secondary to its main security demands. Until the invasion, the Kremlin denied having plans to attack but warned the West that NATO's expansion to Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations is a "red line" that must not be crossed. Putin alleged the West had "swindled, blatantly cheated" Moscow by offering verbal pledges in the 1990s not to expand NATO's eastward and then enlarged it to incorporate former Soviet bloc countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the ex-Soviet republics in the Baltics. On Thursday, he spoke with his usual rancor about what he described as Western efforts to discourage Ukraine from sitting down for talks with Russia to negotiate an end to hostilities.
"The calls to Ukraine to continue fighting and to abandon any further negotiations confirm our belief that the united West and NATO do not care for Ukraine or the interests of the Ukrainian people, and that their goal is to protect their own interests," Putin said. "The leading NATO members are using the Ukrainian people to reinforce their positions and their role in the world, reaffirm their hegemony and their imperial ambitions."
Commenting on NATO's invitation to Finland and Sweden, Putin rejected the Western description of the move as a major defeat for Russia. "As for the assumption that we were fighting against NATO expansion to Ukraine but now have Sweden and Finland to deal with, there is no substance behind it at all, because for us Finland and Sweden joining NATO is not at all the same as the potential membership of Ukraine," he said. Sweden and Finland are free to do what they want, he said, but noted that "we will have to respond quid pro quo if military contingents and infrastructure are deployed there and create the same threats for the territories where they are created for us." He said Russia doesn't have territorial disputes with those countries, unlike Ukraine, which has declared an intention to win back Crimea that Russia annexed in 2014 and regain control over the Moscow-backed separatist regions in the east, known as the Donbas.."Ukraine is a totally different matter," Putin said. "They were turning Ukraine into an anti-Russia, a bridgehead for trying to destabilize Russia."
He hailed his forces in Ukraine as "heroes" protecting Russia's security and said that the "special military operation" will continue until its goals of "liberating Donbas, protecting its people and creating conditions that will guarantee the security of Russia itself" are achieved.
Putin also denied that Russian forces targeted a busy shopping mall in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, saying that his country doesn't hit civilian facilities and alleging the airstrike was directed at a nearby weapons depot, echoing the remarks of his military officials. But that was disputed by Ukrainian officials and witnesses, who said a Russian missile directly struck the mall, killing at least 18 people, injuring dozens and leaving 20 others missing. Earlier in the war, Russia hit a hospital, theater, residential buildings and a railway station crowded with fleeting civilians. Putin said the actions in Ukraine "are proceeding according to plan" and "our forces are moving forward and attaining the objectives that have been set for the particular period of the engagement," adding that he wouldn't rush the operation to minimize losses.
U.S. director of national intelligence Avril Haines said Putin apparently has gotten beyond the disappointment by the failure to quickly defeat Ukraine and may now hope that if Russia succeeds in crushing the Ukrainian military in Donbas, "that will lead to a slump basically in the Ukrainian resistance and that that may give them greater opportunities."

Tunisian president seeks more powers in new constitution
Associated Press/July 01/2022
It has not been an easy week for Rus
Tunisian President Kais Saied on Friday unveiled a new draft constitution that would bestow broad powers to the president and curtail the authority of the prime minister and parliament. A referendum on the constitution is scheduled for July 25, exactly to the day when a year earlier Saied suspended parliament and seized power. He said the move was necessary to "save the country" from political and economic crisis, prompting strong criticism from the opposition, which accuses him of slide toward totalitarianism. Several organizations, including the powerful central trade union, the UGTT, have deplored the absence of a public dialogue in preparing the new constitution, which they have dubbed "the Constitution of Kais Saied."The draft text, published late Thursday night, would give the president greater executive power than the prime minister and establish a bicameral parliamentary system for the first time. That would be a big shift from the current constitution, which was seen as groundbreaking when it was passed in 2014 after consultations with multiple groups. The 2014 constitution sought to limit presidential power after the Arab Spring protests put an end to 23 years of unchallenged reign by former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. He was overthrown in 2011 by a popular revolt in Tunisia which triggered a similar movement in several countries of the region against autocratic leaders.

Rights group says Palestinians torture detainees with impunity
Associated Press/July 01/2022
Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip systematically torture critics in detention, a practice that could amount to crimes against humanity, an international rights group said Friday. Human Rights Watch called in its report for donor countries to cut off funding to Palestinian security forces that commit such crimes and urged the International Criminal Court to investigate. The report alleged that Palestinian security forces "use solitary confinement and beatings, including whipping their feet, and force detainees into painful stress positions for prolonged periods, including hoisting their arms behind their backs with cables or rope, to punish and intimidate critics and opponents and elicit confessions." HRW's report comes a year after the death of Nizar Banat, an outspoken critic of the Palestinian Authority, whose family says he died after security forces stormed his residence in the middle of the night and beat him with metal batons. His death sparked weeks of protests against the PA, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Palestinian security forces violently dispersed some of those protests.. Amnesty International said last week that the Palestinian Authority has failed to hold its security forces accountable for the death. Palestinian authorities arrested 14 officers last summer and are trying them in a military court, but have taken no action against top commanders. "More than a year after beating to death Nizar Banat, the Palestinian Authority continues to arrest and torture critics and opponents," said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch. "Systematic abuse by the PA and Hamas forms a critical part of the repression of the Palestinian people." The group listed Palestinians who it said had been arbitrarily arrested in the aftermath of Banat's death. HRW said security forces are not held to account for the alleged torture and that given their systematic nature over many years, the practice could amount to crimes against humanity. Palestine is part of the Convention Against Torture, which requires members to work to prevent torture. The report also describes Israeli mistreatment and torture of Palestinian detainees in the West Bank, saying that no indictments have been issued against Israeli security forces despite hundreds of complaints made over the last 20 years.

Thousands rally in Sudan day after 9 killed during protests
AP/July 01, 2022
CAIRO: Thousands took to the streets Friday in Sudan’s capital, a day after nine people were killed in demonstrations against the country’s ruling generals. The United States and others in the international community condemned the violence in this East African nation, which has been rocked by near-weekly protests since an Oct. 25 coup upended its fragile transition to democracy. The rallies on Thursdays were the largest seen in months. Sudanese military authorities have met the protests with a deadly crackdown, which has so far killed 113 people, including 18 children. In and near Khartoum, large funeral marches took place for some of those killed the day before, while others gathered after Friday prayers at mosques in the country’s capital. Online, photographs of the dead were posted, in some cases in an effort to identify them. The Sudan’s Doctors Committee, a medical group that monitors casualties from demonstrations, said security forces shot and killed nine people, including a child, in or near Khartoum during the rallies on Thursday. The demonstrations coincided with widespread Internet disruptions. Internet monitors and activists say the government has crippled communications to prevent gatherings and slow the spread of news on days when large protest turnout is expected. Sudan’s leading pro-democracy groups — Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change and the Resistance Committees — had called for nationwide protest against the coup. The takeover upended the country’s short-lived transition to democracy following the 2019 ouster of longtime autocratic ruler Omar Al-Bashir.
Since the coup, the UN political mission in Sudan, the African Union, and the eight-nation east African regional Intergovernmental Authority in Development group have been trying to broker a way out of the political impasse. But talks have yielded no results so far. In a joint statement tweeted Friday the three bodies expressed “disappointment over the continued use of excessive force by security forces and lack of accountability for such actions, despite repeated commitments by authorities.”Thursday’s protests also fell on the third anniversary of a 2019 mass rally that forced the generals to sit down at the negotiating table with pro-democracy groups and eventually sign a power-sharing agreement that was expected to govern Sudan during a transitional period, until general elections were to be held. The coup last October scuttled this arrangement. Western governments have repeatedly called on the generals to allow for peaceful protests, but have also angered the protest movement for sometimes engaging with the leading generals. Pro-democracy leaders call for the generals to leave power immediately. “We are heartbroken at the tragic loss of life in yesterday’s protests,” the US Embassy in Sudan said in a statement Friday. “We urge all parties to resume negotiations and call on peaceful voices to rise above those who advocate for or commit violence.”From Geneva, the UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said she was alarmed by Thursday’s killings, especially “after the police had announced they would not use lethal force to disperse the demonstrators.”“In no case is force permissible to dissuade or intimidate protesters from exercising their rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly, or to threaten them with harm for doing so,” she said. Police said Friday an investigation was launched after a video circulated online, appearing to show security forces prodding and kicking a badly injured protester in the street the day before. According to pro-democracy groups, the protester later died. In a statement released on the website of the country’s state-run news agency, police said the video shows security personnel violating orders to not approach demonstrations with firearms. It said those involved would be held accountable. The country’s interior ministry, which oversees the police, has continuously denied the use of live fire on protesters, despite evidence from activists and pro-democracy groups to the opposite.

UN says Libya rival officials fail to agree on election criteria
Associated Press/July 01/2022
It has not been an easy week for Rus
After two days of U.N.-mediated talks in Geneva, two senior Libyan officials from the country's rival camps failed to reach an agreement on a constitutional framework for national elections, the United Nations envoy to Libya said. According to Stephanie Williams, the U.N. special adviser on Libya, the influential speaker of the country's east-based parliament, Aguila Saleh, and Khaled al-Meshri, head of the government's Supreme Council of State, based in the west in the capital of Tripoli, could not reach an agreement on the eligibility criteria for presidential nominees. The talks in Geneva were the latest in U.N.-led efforts to bridge the gaps between the factions after the last round of talks in the Egyptian capital of Cairo failed to make headway. "Despite the progress in this week's negotiations between the heads of the respective chambers, disagreement persists on the eligibility requirements for the candidates in the first presidential elections," said Williams. Reports in local media in Libya have said that requirements for a presidential candidacy have been the most contentious point in all previous rounds of talks. The Tripoli-based council insist on banning military personnel as well as dual citizens from running for the country's top post — apparently a move directed at the divisive Libyan commander Khalifa Hifter, a U.S. citizen whose forces are loyal to the east-based administration. Hifter had announced his bid in elections that were slated for last December but the vote was not held because of myriad issues, including controversial hopefuls who had announced bids and disputes about election laws. "I urge the two chambers to overcome the pending disagreement as soon as possible," said Williams. "I also continue to urge all actors and parties in Libya against taking any precipitous action and emphasize that calm and stability must be maintained."There are growing tensions on the ground, and sporadic clashes between rival militias recently erupted in Tripoli. Living conditions have also deteriorated, mainly because of fuel shortages in the oil-rich nation. Tribal leaders have shut down many oil facilities, including the country's largest field.
The blockade was largely meant to cut off key state revenues to the incumbent Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who has refused to step down. His opponents claim his mandate expired on Dec. 25, when the elections were supposed to take place. The developments surrounding the non-vote plunged Libya deeper into political turmoil, with two rival administrations — one led by Dbeibah in Tripoli and another by Prime Minister Fathy Bashagha, appointed by the east-based parliament in February. Both Dbeibah and Bashagha claim power. The rivalry has sparked fears the oil-rich country could slide back to fighting after tentative steps toward unity last year. Libya has been wrecked by conflict since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The country was then for years split between rival administrations in the east and west, each supported by different militias and foreign governments. Despite failing to agree on a framework for elections, Williams said the two Libyan leaders reached "unprecedented consensus" on issues such as the headquarters and distribution of seats for the two legislative chambers, distribution of powers among different executive authorities, delineation of provinces and other matters. "The United Nations' good offices will remain available to provide all support necessary to reach a sound agreement," she added, leaving the door open for possible further talks.

Egypt government sponsoring 'campaign against journalism'
Associated Press/July 01/2022
It has not been an easy week for Rus
Pro-government television presenters and state newspapers in Egypt are at the forefront of a "campaign against journalism", Reporters Without Borders (RSF) charged Thursday. The media watchdog, in a report entitled "The Puppets of President" Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, said Egyptian journalists were operating in an "unsustainable working environment", faced with "campaigns of hatred, denigration and defamation". The state has been "sponsoring these attacks, with the complicity of star presenters and mass media", in a country where popular nightly talk show hosts shape public opinion, RSF's Sabrina Bennoui said in a statement. According to RSF, Egyptian security services have become "the number two player in the media landscape", through a holding company which has acquired "around 17 percent" of media outlets. Its outlets carry out what RSF called "coordinated" media campaigns in which "star presenters slander journalists on television channels" before Egypt's 103-million-strong population. Egypt is regularly condemned for its human rights record, with rights groups saying there are currently 60,000 political prisoners in custody, many under charges of "spreading fake news".According to RSF, some prominent journalists have themselves played a key role in the crackdown, putting aside "their ethics" to become "fervent defenders of the government". When not charged with membership of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, dissident journalists are accused of being "foreign agents" or "inciting debauchery", vague charges that often result in lengthy detentions, RSF said. Egypt, where at least 20 journalists are behind bars, currently ranks 168th out of 180 countries in RSF's press freedom index.
 
Jordan swears in Prince Faisal as deputy to King Abdullah II
Reuters/July 01/2022
Jordan’s Prince Faisal bin Hussein was sworn in as deputy to his brother King Abdullah II, in the presence of Cabinet members, Jordanian state television reported on Friday.It is the first time in Jordan’s history that a prince is appointed deputy king, in the presence of crown prince.
On Wednesday, Prince Hussein was sworn in as his father's deputy, and on Thursday he attended official events and met security leaders, including the Director of Public Security, in his capacity as deputy king. Prince Hussein, 28, was named crown prince in 2009, five years after his uncle Hamza bin al-Hussein was relieved from the position following a series of disputes with the Jordanian monarch. These disputes escalated last year with the accusation of the former crown prince of seeking to overthrow the king, in what became known as the sedition case. Article 28 of the Jordanian constitution states that “if the king intends to leave the country, he shall appoint, prior to his departure, by royal decree, a deputy or a representative body to exercise his powers during his absence.”Born in 1963, Prince Faisal is the son of King Hussein and Princess Muna. Prince Faisal, who is also the younger brother of King Abdullah II, has periodically served as regent during his brother's absences abroad. Born in the Jordanian capital, Amman, Prince Faisal moved to his mother's native UK to attend a school in England before moving to the US.He holds a private pilot's licence and received helicopter training while serving in the Royal Jordanian Air Force.He has served as the president of the Jordan Olympic Committee since 2003.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 01-02/2022
Today in History: Western Christians Experience the Muslim Way of War
Raymond Ibrahim/July 01/2022
Today in history, Europe’s heavily armored knights and Islam’s jihadist light cavalry had their first, major pitched battle, at Dorylauem, in Asia Minor.
It had been two years since the First Crusade was called, and Europe’s Christians, led by the Franks and Normans, were deep in Asia Minor. They had already achieved their first victory, by liberating Nicaea (where the Nicaean Creed, which most Christians still profess today, was formulated in 325). The much more numerous Muslims, led by the Turks, were outraged at having lost the ancient city. Thus, once the Crusaders set off on the long road to Jerusalem, their foes laid in ambush for them.
They got their chance at Dorylaeum, where the Crusader army divided its forces to better forage during their march. On July 1, 1097, one of the smaller contingents beheld some thirty thousand mounted Muslims flying towards them while “shrieking heaven knows what barbarisms in loud voices,” writes a contemporary. Along with these hysterical cries of “Allahu Akbar,” which “seemed to rise to the skies,” was the “clang of armor, the neighing of horses, the trumpet’s blast,” and “the awe-inspiring roll of the drum”—all of which “struck terror to the hearts of the [Christian] legions, unaccustomed as they were to such a scene.”
Intent on annihilating the insolent infidels, the Turks let loose a torrent of arrows, killing hundreds. On getting closer, they targeted the weak and even “slaughtered mothers with their children.” Bohemond, the Norman warlord heading this besieged contingent, instantly dispatched a quick rider to inform the other leaders that “what they want is now here: come quickly.” Duke Godfrey of Bouillon and his men were first to the rescue; they “wondered where in the world such an infinite number of people had come from. Turks, Arabs, and Saracens stood out among the others.”
The Duke and other leaders exhorted their men to fear only God, not “this pile of husks,” whereupon “the Christians with unwonted energy made a furious attack upon the foe with swords.” Even as they “pressed and pursued the Turkish battle line”—and despite the “carnage” created among the Muslims—“like the regenerating heads of the Hydra, where a few fell, countless others took their place.” After much bloodshed on both sides, Christian heavy cavalry charges eventually “broke up the battle lines of the infidels and put them to flight with dreadful slaughter.”
It was a costly Crusader victory. In the gory aftermath, four thousand Christians were massacred. As for the Muslims, about three thousand were killed, “including Arabs, Turks, [and] Persians,” before they retreated.
Not only was Dorylaeum the first pitched battle between the Crusaders and Turks; it was also where the Europeans first truly experienced the Turkic way of war. Unlike their heavily armored Christian counterparts, the Turkish army consisted primarily of light cavalry. It would gallop around, always avoiding what the Crusaders sought and excelled at— cavalry charges and close combat—and let fly volley after volley of arrows (regularly described in both Muslim and Christian sources as blotting out the sun) that would kill or incapacitate their enemy (sources tell of Crusaders looking like “hedgehogs” or found dead with forty arrows protruding). Finally, when the time was right, the Turkish horsemen would go for the kill, that is, when their enemy’s army was disunited.
The chronicler, William of Tyre (b. 1130), offers a succinct summary of the Turkish way of war which dominated most encounters between Turks and Europeans, including before and after the First Crusade (e.g., Manzikert, 1071; Hattin, 1187): The Turks, he writes, would “let fly a shower of arrows which filled the air like hail…. The first shower had barely ceased when another no less dense followed. From this no one who had haply escaped from the former attack emerged unscathed.” Then, whenever the Crusaders charged, the Turks “purposely opened their ranks to avoid the clash, and the Christians, finding no one to oppose them, had to fall back deceived. Then…the Turks again closed their lines and again sent forth showers of arrows like rain.”
After Dorylaeum, the Crusaders marched largely unopposed for three months. Rather than confront them again, the Turks turned to more ignoble tactics. “We have defeated the Christian armies and deprived them of all desire for combat,” they told other Muslim-controlled fortresses on the Crusaders’ route: “Therefore let us into your cities, and welcome gratefully those who go to such lengths to protect you.” Once inside, they “stripped the churches,” plundered whatever was valuable, and “abducted the sons of Christians as slaves, and consigned to the flames other things that were less useful, constantly in fear of our [men] coming up behind them.”
*This article was abstracted from Raymond Ibrahim’s new book, Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam.

Iraq’s anti-normalisation law was stillborn
Ibrahim al-Zobeidi/The Arab Weekly/July 01/2022
It is superfluous to say that the Iraqi people, unlike most of their Arab brothers, hate injustice and aggression and have little tolerance for unjust rulers, no matter how powerful and tyrannical they are. The Iraqi’s history is full of coups, revolutions and uprisings.
Regarding the Palestinian issue, there is no denying the heroism of Iraqis in fighting the Israeli aggressor and sacrificing themselves for the cause, more than other Arabs. But Iraqis were not waiting for their representatives in parliament to stand for Palestinian rights and reject injustice and aggression.
The law criminalising normalisation with Israel, which was adopted by the parliament of the quota system-parties was stillborn. This was because three-quarters of those who voted for it were normalisers, or future sponsors of normalisation projects. Moqtada al-Sadr hastily issued a very angry tweet aimed at the Iraqi president, Dr Barham Salih, chastising him for not ratifying the criminalisation of normalisation law. Although the law had been signed and published in the Iraqi Gazette several days before, what should be said here is that the signature of the president did not matter. Parliament considered the law effective from the moment it was approved. The president's signature on it hence became irrelevant.
Question: is it permissible for a person who is allied to people who have long normalised with Israel or known of such normalisation, to try to outbid other Iraqis? Israel has now turned its attention away from the small birds on the tree of Iraqi Kurdistan, after securing its hold on richer, stronger and more numerous birds in the region. But history cannot omit the historical fact that Moqtada al-Sadr has had ties to people steeped in normalisation.
Eliezer Tsafrir, the head of the Mossad's station in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iran and Lebanon, revealed, during a television interview with the Russian Arabic channel RT, many details about Israeli covert operations in the Kurdistan region. He stressed that "the relationship of the Israeli Mossad began at the request of the Kurdish leader, Mullah Mustafa Barzani."In one his books, Tsafrir asserted that the beginning of those contacts was in 1965.
Ehud Yaari, an Israeli political writer who is known for his close ties to decision-makers in Israel, spoke publicly about the Kurdish connection on the Israeli TV Channel 12. He made it clear that Israel regrets having long “invested” in Kurdish independence.
He enumerated the most important types of “investment,” saying that it included "military aid, advisory delegations, medical staff, diplomatic aid and secret oil purchases."Has not Moqtada known about this history?
Has he put his hand in the hands of the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani, only after the latter repudiated his past relationship with Israel? And then, why were Iranian missiles and militia drones used against Erbil?When the Kurdistan Democratic Party's representatives voted along with the Sadrist movement in favour of the criminalisation law, did Sadr enquire about the truth?
What the Iraqis know is that this law is a purely Iranian political ploy through which Tehran wanted to respond to assassinations, missile attacks and Israeli drones on sensitive sites inside Iran itself, as well as against the camps of the Revolutionary Guards, the Lebanese Hezbollah, and the Iraqi militias in Syria and Lebanon. And now, after the Israeli-American triumph over the notions of ​​liberation and resistance and after Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, the Emirates, Morocco and Sudan entered into peace agreements with yesterday’s enemy and only Saudi Arabia is left to complete the drama of the new Middle East, will Iran’s Iraqi parties and their Kurdish and Sunni allies remain steadfast in the face of this sweeping tide, especially if the Iranian regime reaches an agreement with the (infidel) West regarding its nuclear and missile programmes? What if Tehran decides to turn to peace and go with the flow and bask in the blessings of normalisation, even if in stages and under the table?
The editor-in-chief of the Syrian newspaper, Tishreen, wondered in an editorial, “Are we enemies of Israel?” His answer was: “Yes, and no.”
“Yes: because we have spent many years saying that we are the enemies of Israel, but it still occupies parts of our land.”And “No: because many things link us to this neighbouring country, the most important of which is the fight against terrorism and it may help improve our relations with the United States, which is still present in our country and we have to deal with it as positively as we can.”
Of course, it is neither permissible nor reasonable to imagine that the editor-in-chief of a party government newspaper to write such dangerous words without the personal approval of Bashar al-Assad himself.
Here we ask, did Bashar, with this article, want to flirt with Israel, in coordination with the Iranian regime, his partner in resistance and the flag bearer of the liberation of Jerusalem, who has pledged to wipe out Israel in seven days?

Israel’s natural gas windfall is bad news for Palestinians
Joseph Dana/Arab News/July 01/2022
In its quest to secure new energy supplies, Europe is on the verge of transforming the Middle East’s longest-running conflict. The Ukraine war and the decoupling of Europe’s reliance on Russian natural gas has led EU member states to frantically look for new energy sources. The recent news that Germany is firing up long-dormant coal-powered plants is a significant setback for years of positive growth in the green energy sector. Coal will mitigate some energy concerns, but it cannot replace Europe’s need for natural gas. The continent is looking to kickstart Israeli natural gas imports, and this subsequent cash windfall for Israel could transform its relationship with the Palestinians forever.
More than a decade ago, Israel discovered several sizable natural gas fields in the Eastern Mediterranean. Since then, the gas fields have been the source of ongoing controversy and geopolitical intrigue. Turkey was the first country to express serious interest in Israeli natural gas. Despite verbose rhetoric from Ankara over Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians, Turkey wanted to become a key conduit of Israeli gas into Europe in its quest to reshape itself as a hub nation for hydrocarbons.
The Turkish-Israeli deal required a complex pipeline that would have had to navigate Greek, Cypriot and possibly Lebanese waters. By the end of 2018, the Turkish pipeline project fell apart and was quickly replaced with a new $7 billion EastMed project that would connect Israel’s offshore fields to Greece through Cyprus and Crete.
As I wrote in 2019, the pipeline was meant to deliver 10 billion cubic meters of gas per annum to energy-hungry markets in the EU, “which will bring in billions of dollars for Israel, Greece and Cyprus, while providing lower gas fees for northern customers who have been dependent on Russia and other Middle East countries until now.” The US ended its support of the EastMed pipeline in January but the bones of the deal appear to form the basis of a new agreement between Europe, Israel and Egypt.
The Ukrainian conflict accelerated these efforts to find a solution. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen this month said that the EU was preparing two “major” energy infrastructure projects to increase energy links with Israel. The projects include a gas and hydrogen pipeline in the Eastern Mediterranean and an underwater power cable linking Israel to Cyprus and Greece.
The announcement came amid a flurry of activity, including a visit by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to Israel for energy talks with his Israeli counterpart and a landmark memorandum of understanding between Israel, Egypt and Europe. The deal will see Israel export natural gas to Egypt, where it will be liquified and sent to Europe. The deal paves the way for the first Israeli gas exports to the EU.
There are still several significant challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean’s natural gas landscape. The Karish gas field between Israel and Lebanon continues to be a flashpoint. Israel claims the field lies entirely in its UN-designated exclusive economic zone, but Lebanon says the area is disputed. US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon have failed to reach a settlement, as the militant group Hezbollah said this month that it would “act” if Israel began to drill in the disputed area before an agreement was made.
Beyond the question of territorial disputes, the imminent arrival of Israeli natural gas in Europe will rekindle more significant concerns over the EU’s relationship with Israel. The EU is Israel’s most important trading partner and activists supporting the Palestinian-led boycott of Israeli companies see Europe as a critical battleground.
Over the past decade, boycott activists have successfully pressured European companies to end business relationships in Israel. For example, the French company Systra pulled out of the Jerusalem light rail project, while the British security company G4S ended its business in Israel. Such victories are meaningless in the face of a massive natural gas deal that will see Israel’s fortunes skyrocket. Will there be a major backlash to the slew of new Israeli natural gas deals from European civil society? With so much focus on Russia’s actions in Ukraine and the subsequent end of Russian natural gas supply, it is unclear if there will be fresh discussions about what Israeli natural gas means for Europe’s commitment to human rights.
Israel is on the verge of a cash windfall unlike any other in its brief history. This infusion of capital will radically transform its relationship with the international community over the ongoing occupation of Palestinian land. With recent normalization agreements in the Arab world, Israel is showing the world that it can maintain its brutal domination over the Palestinians while making new allies and getting rich from its bountiful natural gas reserves. The immediate effect will be the maintenance of the status quo and the expansion of Israel’s settlement project in the West Bank. The long-term impact of these developments, at least from a Palestinian perspective, is anything but hopeful.
*Joseph Dana is the former senior editor of Exponential View, a weekly newsletter about technology and its impact on society. He was also the editor-in-chief of emerge85, a lab exploring change in emerging markets and its global impact.
Copyright: Syndication Bureau

Only Iraqis can curtail Iran’s influence over their country
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/July 01/2022
In an ideal scenario, Iraq would completely break free from Iranian control. Unfortunately, today’s world — and the Middle East in particular — rarely sees an ideal scenario come to light. The Goldilocks scenario is a mirage in our region. Instead, we usually witness a complicated and endless situation. This is especially true for Iraq. A country with such a rich history and role as an important pillar of the Middle East’s stability is left between the role of being a vassal state and a no man’s land for extremist groups.
Iran, thanks to its militias and control over Iraq’s political parties, is the biggest actor within the country’s decision-making process. This power has increased over the last 10 years, as the US became less focused on the Middle East. Despite the screams of protesters and some political opposition, the country has been unable to rebuild itself and break free of this interference and control. And so, if a Goldilocks scenario is not possible, what could be the next best thing? Is there a way for the Iraqis to balance this influence and recalibrate its bilateral relations with Iran?
In Iraq (and Lebanon too), people have taken to the streets to protest against the Iranian-backed armed militias and Tehran’s political interference. This is especially so as it looks more and more like an occupation, with these groups focused on protecting Iranian interests and not the interests of the Iraqi people or nation. Nevertheless, Iraq currently has a better chance to change this situation than Lebanon does. But it is important to understand what is achievable and what is not. Can Iraq really stop all the Iranian-backed parties and their militias from having a role in government? How does the country establish a new balance in its relations with its neighbor?
It is also worthwhile asking if Muqtada Al-Sadr, who won a majority in parliament, has this objective? Did he plan to rebalance relations with Iran? His resignation, along with all of his MPs, has been regarded by several think tanks in Washington as a gift to Iran. Yet, in reality, it is difficult to see the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accepting any Iraqi government without its sponsored parties and their militias. This would have had consequences not only in Iraq, but also in Iranian domestic policymaking. It would have been a big failure for the IRGC, which portrays itself as an invincible actor. This is reason enough to put the country on fire. Al-Sadr is not an enemy of Iran, but Iran needs to have all its proxies to be able to play its division game. Having one friend or ally in control does not work, as he becomes too powerful.
Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has shown the will and actions to bring the Iranian-backed militias under control and to limit their influence. He has also shown a great deal of balance between Iranian and Iraqi interests. Yet, with the economic pressures and the many deadlocks in public life, it has been difficult for his government to positively impact people’s everyday lives. And now their patience is running thin. In reality, this is in great part due to the negative role of Iranian-controlled political formations that (like in Lebanon) block and use the state for their own benefits while depleting its resources.
This situation cannot go on for much longer, especially with the global trends. Iran needs to read the situation more carefully, from the protests and their slogans to the recent elections results. We all know the violence the militias are capable of using to protect Iranian interests.
But is that the only way forward? In fact, there is a lot Iran can gain from a stronger and more stable Iraq. A move toward less control and interference — toward what healthy bilateral relations should be — would be the right move. Obviously, Tehran will not let this happen. Therefore, it is down to the Iraqis to change this and to force a new balance in their relations with their neighbor. The objective is not to become enemies, but to be good and respectful neighbors.
There are many reasons why this should happen. The main reason is obviously to bring stability back to Iraq and allow Iraqis from all ethnic and religious groups to be able to live in peace and with honor. Another reason is regional. A stable Iraq with balanced relations with Iran can help bring more stability between Iran and the rest of the Middle East. It is potentially the connecting point or hub for positive relations. Once again, this can only happen through the will of the Iraqis themselves. Iran has no incentive whatsoever to let go of its prize or change what it gains from Iraq today.
The best way to limit Iranian influence is through a proper implementation of the political system: Let the federation work and do not let Tehran impose a centralized system on top of it. A smart federal mindset that brings unity under one flag, while giving freedom to all of Iraq, is the best method for change. It is only by empowering all Iraqis that the country will be able to force the militias into a corner and change the dynamics of Iraq’s relations with Iran and then the Middle East.
*Khaled Abou Zahr is CEO of Eurabia, a media and tech company. He is also the editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.

EU must stand firm now that it has backed Ukraine
Carl Bildt/Arab News/July 01/2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions in Ukraine are not in doubt. He wants to end its status as an independent political entity and incorporate its territory within the Russian Federation. In his opinion, achieving this goal would undo two great historical errors committed in the last century: First, allowing a Ukrainian republic to exist within the Soviet Union, and, second, allowing this republic to become an independent nation state.
How likely is this outcome? In theory, the Russian army could slog brutally across Ukraine’s vast plains for many years, reducing its urban centers to rubble. But one lesson from the areas Russia has managed to occupy since Feb. 24 is that it would also need to establish a harsh regime of repression, forced Russification and outright elimination of opponents. This would require a massive, widespread mobilization of resources in Russia.
So far, Putin has been reluctant to order any such mobilization, or even to speak in terms of war. In the four months since the invasion began, the Russian people have been told that there is merely a “special military operation” in Ukraine. Additional army recruitment has largely come from Russia’s less-developed areas, where high unemployment leaves young men with few alternatives.
In any case, intensified repression and increasingly hysterical propaganda would be necessary to sustain a wartime mobilization within Russia. The Kremlin’s messaging would most likely focus increasingly on establishing a narrative making the case for a necessary, righteous war with the entire West. Mounting Russian casualties — which are already higher than from the decade-long Soviet war in Afghanistan — will be a problem; but if recruitment efforts steer clear of major urban areas, it might be manageable.
A fully mobilized Russia would be a country completely decoupled from the West. Since harsh sanctions will remain in place, Russian industry would be forced to climb down the technology ladder, putting a powerful brake on vast new oil and gas projects in the Arctic, where the Kremlin has staked the country’s economic future.
Russia would have to become dramatically more dependent on China. But it is unclear how long the Chinese government would play along with a “rescue Russia” policy, nor is there any reason to believe that India would choose Russia over the US as its technology partner for the future. As the Kremlin’s intentions in Ukraine become clearer, any remaining international support is likely to dwindle further. Putin has set his country on a course that is highly problematic, if not utterly catastrophic.
Meanwhile, with its recent decision to make Ukraine (along with Moldova) a candidate for membership, the EU has taken a huge strategic step that will have far-reaching implications in the years ahead. Whereas Putin radically escalated his efforts to eliminate Ukraine in February, the EU has now doubled down on supporting the country and helping it build a brighter future.
The European bloc has committed itself to upholding the survival of the Ukrainian state in the face of the Russian onslaught
Of course, formal Ukrainian membership is not imminent. While Ukraine made some progress by implementing an extensive free trade and association agreement with the EU in 2014, it still has a long way to go to meet all the requirements for membership. Nonetheless, by inviting Ukraine to join, the EU has committed itself to upholding the survival of the Ukrainian state in the face of the Russian onslaught. Apart from the military assistance now flowing in, this will require very substantial financial support for as long as Russia’s aggression continues. War is expensive.
Europe has made the right move. The unraveling and eventual elimination of a European state would threaten all Europeans’ security, not to mention undermining global stability and opening a Pandora’s box of other issues. Are there any other borders in the vast space between the Vistula and Volga rivers where borders could be moved or eliminated, as they have many times before in history? Are there other states that could be eliminated from the roster of UN members? These are not idle questions. Putin has already indicated that he thinks as little of Kazakhstan’s sovereignty as he does of Ukraine’s.
The EU has made clear that it intends to stand firm in defense of existing states, recognizing that the inviolability of borders is the foundation of European security and global order. It therefore must be firm in not recognizing any Russian-occupied territory — including Crimea. It is now simply inconceivable that the EU will accept Ukraine’s violent dismemberment or elimination. The question, then, is whether Putin can agree to back down, or whether regime change or state collapse will be required to bring about a similar outcome. That is fundamentally where the aggressive war that Putin launched on Feb. 24 is bound to lead.
• Carl Bildt was Sweden’s foreign minister from 2006 to 2014 and prime minister from 1991 to 1994, when he negotiated Sweden’s EU accession.
Copyright: Project Syndicate