English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For 03 July/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2021/english.july03.22.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave
them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease
and every sickness
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint
Matthew 10/01-06/:"Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them
authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and
every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also
known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother
John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of
Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who
betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go
nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Titels
For English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News
& Editorials published on July 02-03/2022
US Sponsors Int’l Conference on Countering Hezbollah’s Terrorist
Activities
Israel says downed 3 Hezbollah drones on way to offshore gas field
Israel bombs suspected Hezbollah posts in Syria's Tartus
Arab FMs meet Aoun prior to Lebanon-hosted consultative meeting
President Aoun meets with participants in Arab Foreign Ministers Consultative
Meeting
Aboul Gheit: Lebanon’s support is moral since the Arab League cannot provide gas
or electricity, but it urges people to move
Bou Habib: Everyone is eager for Lebanon to recover; We do not want to set up
camps on our borders
Aboul Gheit, Bou Habib hold joint press conference at the end of Arab Foreign
Ministers' Consultative Meeting
Mikati following his retreat with Al-Rahi in Al-Diman: No ministerial portfolio
can be restricted to a specific sect
Berri receives Arab foreign ministers in presence of Aboul Gheit: Lebanon will
not forget its Arab brothers, but today is asking...
Al-Makari to Radio Lebanon: Governments far from national unity are the best,
judicial action is necessary to fight corruption
Corona - Health Ministry: 1,295 new Corona cases, 1 death
Attack on Army post in Tripoli, soldier stabbed
Mikati says ready to amend line-up, won't spark clash over finance portfolio
Lebanon: US Ensures Egypt, Jordan are Exempted from Caesar Act on Gas Deal
Two Injured in Israeli ‘Aggression’ Targeting Syria’s Tartus
The vast Iran-Hezbollah drone threat is escalating - analysis/Seth J. Frantzman/Jerusalem
Post/July 02/2022
Titles For Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News publishedon
July 02-03/2022
Iran Condemns Airstrike, Opposes Turkish Move into Syria
Iranian-Flagged Tanker in Greece Tugged to Piraeus Port
Tehran Insists on Continuing Nuclear Talks amid Western Pessimism
Strong Earthquake Kills 5 in Southern Iran
More surface-to-air missile systems for
Ukraine to fight Russia, US announces
Russians Press Assault on Eastern Ukrainian City
Ukraine Leader Accuses Russia of 'Terror' in Missile Strike that Killed 21
Libyan protesters storm, set fire to parliament in Tobruk
Palestine to hand over bullet that killed Shireen Abu Akleh to US authorities
Israel sends observers to military drill in Morocco
Titles For LCCC English
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on July 02-03/2022
The Cards in Putin’s Hands/Elias Harfoush/Asharq Al Awsat/July 02/2022
The Ayatollah’s Model for the World/Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/July 02/2022
Tesla May Be Driving Itself Out of the Running as EV Leader/Gary
Smith/Bloomberg/July 02/2022
Biden Admin and EU Appease Mullahs, Iran Regime Employs More Terror Cells/Majid
Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/July 02/2022
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on July 02-03/2022
واشنطن: علي بردى/الشرق الأوسط/02 تموز/2022
US Sponsors Int’l Conference on Countering Hezbollah’s Terrorist Activities
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/109785/%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b4%d9%86%d8%b7%d9%86-%d8%aa%d8%b1%d8%b9%d9%89-%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%aa%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b9%d8%a7%d9%8b-%d8%af%d9%88%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%8b-%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%a7%d9%82%d8%b4%d8%a9-%d8%a7/
The Law Enforcement Coordination Group (LECG) focused on countering Hezbollah’s
terrorist and illicit activities convened in Europe on June 29-30 for its ninth
meeting, said the US State Department. More than 30 governments – from the
Middle East, South America, Central America, Europe, Africa, Indo-Pacific, and
North America – participated in this session, along with Europol. 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. LECG members discussed how law enforcement or
financial tools can be used to disrupt Hezbollah’s terrorist and criminal
activities, and associated networks. The LECG also featured governments from
Europe, South and Central America, and the Indo-Pacific that have taken national
level action in recent years to designate, ban or restrict Hezbollah from
operating on their territory. 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, said
the State Department. Officials from the US Departments of State, Justice,
Treasury, as well as from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Drug
Enforcement Administration also participated in this meeting. The LECG will
convene again in 2023.
Israel says downed 3 Hezbollah drones on way to offshore
gas field
Agence France Presse/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
The Israeli army on Saturday said it intercepted three drones launched by
Hezbollah from Lebanon that were headed towards an offshore gas field in the
Mediterranean, an announcement that was later confirmed by Hezbollah.
"Three hostile drones approaching the airspace in Israel's economic waters have
been intercepted," the army said in a statement, adding that the drones were
headed towards the Karish gas field.
The drones were shot down by a fighter jet and a navy missile ship, the Israeli
army added. "The UAVs were identified by detection systems and monitored by
ground control units throughout their flight. The UAVs were identified at an
early stage and intercepted at the optimal operational point," it said.
It added that an initial inquiry suggests that "the UAVs did not pose any
imminent threat."Noting that "the UAVs were intercepted over the Mediterranean
Sea," the Israeli army added that "the detection and alert systems functioned as
required."
"This embodies the concept of multi-layered air defense in the best possible
manner in unison with the professional activities of the soldiers at sea and in
the air who successfully carried out the defensive mission," the Israeli army
boasted. The drones were not armed and did not pose a risk, Israeli military
sources said. One drone was intercepted by a fighter jet and the other two by a
warship, the sources added. In a statement, Hezbollah said it launched "three
unarmed drones" towards "the disputed area in the Karish field for
reconnaissance missions.""The mission was accomplished and the message has been
sent," it added, without mentioning any Israeli interception.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz earlier said that "Hezbollah is undermining
the Lebanese state's ability to reach a sea border agreement," warning that
Israel "has the right to respond to any harm attempt."Lebanon condemned Israel
last month when a vessel operated by London-listed Greek energy firm Energean
entered the Karish field. Israel claims that the field lies in its waters and is
not part of the disputed area subject to ongoing negotiations on the maritime
border. Hezbollah warned Energean against proceeding with its activities.
Lebanon and Israel resumed negotiations on their maritime border in 2020, but
the process was stalled by Beirut's claim that the map used by the United
Nations in the talks needed modifying. Lebanon initially demanded 860 square
kilometers of waters it said were in dispute but then asked for an additional
1,430 square kilometers, including part of the Karish field.
Israel fought a devastating war with Hezbollah in 2006 and regards the
Iran-backed group as one of its principal enemies.
Israel bombs suspected Hezbollah posts in Syria's Tartus
Agence France Presse/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
An Israeli airstrike targeted suspected Hezbollah posts in Syria's coastal
Tartus province on Saturday morning, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
said. The Observatory said the facility that was
struck, near Lebanon's border, had formerly been used to keep farm animals but
was now being used by Lebanon's Hezbollah for military and commercial purposes.
The strike wounded two civilians according to the Syrian defense
ministry."The Israeli enemy carried out an air strike" at about 6:30 am near the
town of al-Hamidiyah, the ministry said in a statement, identifying the
locations hit as poultry farms, without elaborating. The strike was conducted
from the Mediterranean Sea, west of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli, and "led
to the injury of two civilians, including a woman," the ministry said in a
statement. Al-Hamidiyah is located south of Tartus, a
bastion of the Syrian government and home to a naval port used by Russia, whose
armed forces have backed the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out
hundreds of air strikes against its northern neighbor. The raids have targeted
Syrian government troops as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters from
Hezbollah. Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights, said the airstrike on Saturday targeted "warehouses formerly used to
raise animals, and which the Lebanese Hezbollah group was using to transport
weapons."Syrian air defense systems do not appear to have been deployed, said
the British-based monitor, which has a wide network of sources inside Syria.
Last month Israeli strikes on Damascus International Airport rendered its
runways unusable for weeks. Besides the extensive damage caused to civilian and
military runways, the monitor said the strikes had targeted nearby warehouses
used as weapons depots by Iran and Hezbollah.The Syrian war has claimed the
lives of nearly half a million people and forced around half of the country's
pre-war population from their homes.
Arab FMs meet Aoun prior to Lebanon-hosted consultative
meeting
Naharnet/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
A delegation of Arab foreign ministers and Arab League officials met Saturday
with President Michel Aoun in Baabda, shortly before a consultative meeting for
Arab foreign ministers that Lebanon hosted.
Speaking after the meeting with Aoun, Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit
stressed support for Lebanon and its government and people. "We listened to
President Aoun's explanations about the Lebanese stance and situation and the
country's need for support," Abul Gheit added. The Arab FMs' "meeting in Beirut
signals that the Arab countries stand by Lebanon and its political leadership
and people, hoping that this beautiful country and its extensive history will
overcome the economic and political problems it is suffering from," Abul Gheit
went on to say. Aoun for his part said that "despite its difficult
circumstances, Lebanon is determined to find solutions to overcome its crises"
and is "keen on its water, oil and gas resources."He also emphasized the
importance of "cooperation and solidarity among the Arab states in light of what
our countries are witnessing of crises, pressures and transformations," adding
that "the Palestinian cause and the suffering of some Arab countries and their
peoples from wars should be the top concern."The Arab foreign ministers later
held their consultative meeting at the Hilton Beirut Habtoor Grand hotel in Sin
el-Fil. Lebanon is the chair of the current session of the Council of Arab
Foreign Ministers.
President Aoun: “Cooperation and solidarity between Arab
countries is important in light of the crises, pressures and transformations our
countries are witnessing...Palestinian issue is at the forefront of concerns, as
well as the suffering of some Arab countries and their peoples from wars”
President Aoun: “Lebanon is no longer able to bear the burden of the large
numbers of refugees and displaced persons on its land. We hope that you will
help us to face these challenges”
President Aoun: “Lebanon, despite its difficult circumstances, is determined to
find solutions to get out of its crises, while it adheres to its water, oil and
gas resources”
Aboul Gheit: “The significance of the meeting in Beirut is that the Arab
countries stand by Lebanon, its political leadership and its people, with the
hope that this beautiful country and its long history will overcome the economic
and political problems it suffers from”
President Aoun meets with participants in Arab Foreign Ministers Consultative
Meeting
NNA/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, stressed the importance of
Arab-Arab relations, especially in this delicate circumstance that the Arab
world is going through and the challenges it faces that require the utmost
levels of consultation and joint cooperation.
The President considered that "Cooperation and solidarity between brotherly Arab
countries is important in light of the crises, pressures and transformations our
countries are witnessing”.
President Aoun stressed that "Lebanon, which suffers from a series of
accumulated crises, also suffers from burdens that it bears as a result of the
large numbers of refugees and displaced people on its land, and it is no longer
able to bear this situation, and the position of the international community
does not encourage finding quick solutions”.
Moreover, the President hoped that “The Arab foreign ministers help to face
these challenges”, asserting that “Lebanon, despite its current difficult
circumstances, is determined to face challenges and find solutions to get out of
its crises”.
Stances of President Aoun came while receiving a delegation of participants in
the consultative meeting of Arab foreign ministers, which Lebanon is hosting
today.
Meeting:
At the beginning, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Dr. Aboul Gheit,
expressed his "Honor and that of the delegation participating in the Arab
consultative meeting in President Aoun's visit. I thank Lebanon for hosting this
meeting, which is the third, after Doha and then Kuwait”.
“Meetings between Arab foreign ministers are important for communication, and
its importance is that they do not have an agenda or documents for research and
discussion. Rather, it is a meeting in which opinions, positions and ideas are
exchanged in an open manner, which would crystallize into projects and programs
that benefit the Arab League”!Abou lGheit said.
Dr. Aboul Gheit also considered that “Holding such a meeting in Beirut,
specifically at this particular time, has an important meaning, and its
significance is that the Arab countries stand by Lebanon, its political
leadership and its people, with the hope that this beautiful country and its
long history will overcome the economic and political problems that it faces and
suffers from”.
Abou lgeit concluded "From here, our meeting in Beirut reflects confidence in
Lebanon's stability and future”.
President Aoun's speech:
President Aoun responded welcoming the delegation, thanking the
Secretary-General of the Arab League for his speech and said:
"We welcome you to Beirut, the Secretary-General, Honorable Ministers, and Heads
of delegations.
I would like to extend through you my heartfelt greetings to the leaders of the
brotherly Arab countries. I wish all the best to you and your country, and the
continuation of progress and prosperity.
I thank the brotherly Arab countries for their support for Lebanon in the
difficult circumstances it is facing, and I express my appreciation for the role
of the Secretary-General for his efforts to find solutions to the crises and
challenges facing the brotherly countries.
You are meeting today in Beirut to consult on issues of Arab concern and more,
and you are working to strengthen joint Arab action. We wish you success in your
efforts and welcome you to your second country, Lebanon. Cooperation and
solidarity between brotherly Arab countries is important in light of what our
countries are witnessing from crises, pressures and transformations. The
Palestinian cause is of course at the forefront of concerns, as well as the
suffering of some Arab countries and their peoples from wars, in different ways.
Lebanon, which suffers from a series of accumulated crises, and you know the
burdens it bears as a result of the large numbers of refugees and displaced
people on its land, is no longer able to bear this situation. The position of
the international community does not encourage finding quick solutions.
We hope that you will help to confront these challenges. Lebanon despite its
current difficult circumstances, is determined to face challenges and find
solutions to get out of its crises. We held parliamentary elections last May and
a delegation from the Arab League participated in observing them, and we are in
the process of forming a new government. We are seeking to reach an agreement
with the International Monetary Fund to help Lebanon.
There is an American mediation to demarcate the southern maritime borders of
Lebanon, and Lebanon adheres to its water, oil and gas resources.
I renew my welcome to you and wish you success in your meetings and
deliberations, and I wish Algeria success in organizing the Arab Summit in the
first and second of November. I will follow it as a Lebanese citizen, because my
term ends on the 31st of next October. I wish Qatar success in organizing the
World Cup events and I take the occasion to thank the leaders of the brotherly
Arab countries who have cooperated with me over the past six years, have been by
our side and have repeatedly responded to my calls to support their younger
brother Lebanon”.
For his side, the Secretary-General of the Arab League thanked President Aoun
for his speech, wishing him a long life after the end of his term, and for
Lebanon to come out of its crises.
Statement:
After the meeting, Dr. Aboul Gheit made the following statement:
"Brothers, foreign ministers and presidents’ delegates, expressed their thanks
and appreciation to His Excellency President Michel Aoun, by attending the
presidential palace headquarters, in addition to their standing and support for
Lebanon.
This consultative meeting is the third, and it is held by consensual among all
Arab countries. It was Lebanon's role to host it, and the ministers welcomed the
attendance and their support for the Lebanese people, the Lebanese government
and the Lebanese presidency.
We listened to a gentle speech in which His Excellency President Aoun explained
his position and presented the situation. On our part, as an Arab League, we
stand behind the Lebanese state, the Lebanese government and the Lebanese
people, and we wish Lebanon all the best and success”.
Attendees
The Arab delegation included Messrs.: Secretary General of the League of Arab
States, Dr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Ambassador Abdel Rahman El Solh.
From Jordan: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Expatriates Affairs in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ayman Safadi, Ambassador
of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Lebanon Walid Abdul Rahman Jafal Al Hadid,
From the UAE: Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the League
of Arab States, Ambassador Mariam Khalifa Al Kaabi.
From Bahrain: The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Syria, Waheed Mubarak
Sayyar,
From Tunisia: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tunisian Immigration, Othman Al-Jarandi,
and the Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia to Lebanon, Ambassador Boraoui
Al-Imam.
From Algeria: The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad
in the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Ramtane Lamamra, and the
Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to Lebanon, Abdelkarim
Rakaibi.
From Comoros: Minister of State in charge of cooperation with the Arab world in
the Republic of the Comoros, Kassem Lotfi.
From Djibouti: The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Djibouti to the
League of Arab States, Ambassador Ahmed Ali Berri.
From the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: The Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia to the League of Arab States, Ambassador Abdul Rahman Al-Jumah.
From Sudan: Ali Sadiq, the Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Sarah Idris
Hassan Ahmed, Chargé d'Affairs at the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in
Lebanon.
From Somalia: Bilal Mohamed Osman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal
Republic of Somalia, Chargé d'Affairs at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of
Somalia in Lebanon, Farhan Jargen.
From Iraq: The Permanent Representative of Iraq to the League of Arab States,
Ambassador Ahmed Al-Dulaimi, and Iraq’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Haider Shaya Al-Barrak,.
From the Sultanate of Oman: The Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of
Oman to the League of Arab States, Ambassador Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Rahbi, and
the Sultanate of Oman’s Ambassador to Lebanon Badr bin Muhammad bin Badr Al-Mandhari.
From Palestine: Dr. Riyad Al-Malki, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
in the State of Palestine, and Ashraf Dabour, the Ambassador of the State of
Palestine to Lebanon.
From Qatar: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State
of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, and the State of Qatar’s
ambassador to Lebanon, Ambassador Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Sahlawi,
From Kuwait: The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh
Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, and the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to
Lebanon, Ambassador Abdul-Aal Al-Qina’i.
From Libya: The Permanent Representative of the State of Libya to the League of
Arab States, Ambassador Abdel Muttalib Idris Thabet.
From Morocco: The representative of the Kingdom of Morocco, Ambassador Ahmed Al-Tazi,
and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Lebanon, Ambassador Mohamed
Ikrim.
From Egypt: Deputy Foreign Minister for Geographical Affairs of the Arab
Republic of Egypt, Ambassador Hamdi Sanad Loza, and the Ambassador of the Arab
Republic of Egypt to Lebanon, Muhammad Yasser Alawi.
From Mauritania: Assigned to a mission in the office of the Mauritanian Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Abroad, Ambassador Hosni Fakih.
From Yemen: Dr. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Expatriates Affairs of the Republic of Yemen, and Abdullah Abdul Karim Daiis,
the Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen to Lebanon.
On the Lebanese side: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Dr. Abdullah
Bou Habib, former Minister Salim Jreissati, Director General of the Presidency
of the Republic, Dr. Antoine Choucair, and advisors: Brigadier General Boulos
Matar, Rafic Shelala, Antoine Constantine and Osama Khashab attended.
Presidency Information Office
Aboul Gheit: Lebanon’s support is moral since the Arab League cannot provide gas
or electricity, but it urges people to move
Bou Habib: Everyone is eager for Lebanon to recover; We do not want to set up
camps on our borders
Aboul Gheit, Bou Habib hold joint press conference at the end of Arab Foreign
Ministers' Consultative Meeting
NNA/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Abdallah Bou Habib, and
Arab League Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, held a joint press conference
this evening, in which they outlined the discussions that took place during the
consultative meeting of the Arab foreign ministers held at Al Habtoor Hotel in
Sin El Fil this morning.
Bou Habib began by expressing gratitude for “this wide Arab participation in the
meeting, which was successful by all standards, thanks to the cooperation
between us and His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Arab League, my
brother Ahmed Aboul Gheit and his team.”
He added: “I felt from all the ministers and heads of delegations all devotion
and solidarity with Lebanon in its crisis, for everyone is eager for its
recovery as soon as possible...and all deemed that participating in this
meeting, in itself, is a message of support and standing by Lebanon.”
Bou Habib went on: "This meeting is hosted by Lebanon in its capacity as the
current head of the Arab Ministerial Council, and is dedicated to consulting on
developments and challenges facing the region and the world.
He added: “I can say that the discussions that took place were to a large extent
transparent, and there was an exchange of views in a responsible and serious
manner, resulting in more rapprochements on several matters and practical
approaches to the issues raised.”
“The continued support of the Lebanese state and its institutions was tackled, a
support that has accompanied Lebanon from the Taif Accord, through the Doha
Agreement, far-reaching the current Arab rally around Lebanon,” Bou Habib
asserted. He added, "Of course, it was an occasion for us to present the
difficult conditions endured by Lebanon and the Lebanese and the official
efforts to alleviate the citizens’ sufferings despite the burden of the crisis.
We also underlined the need for adopting a new approach to the issue of the
displaced Syrians that does not lead to financing their stay in host countries."
Bou Habib continued: "The various crises witnessed by many Arab countries were
discussed, in addition to the Palestinian cause, and the intransigence of the
occupation and its dissipation of the foundations of a just and comprehensive
solution based on the two states.”
“The convening of the Arab summit in Algeria was also discussed,” he said.
"There was a special pause on the issue of food security, the crisis in Somalia,
and the drought that struck the country over successive years and its impact on
agriculture, livestock and life in general, and the call was adopted to provide
the necessary support to help alleviate the suffering," Bou Habib explained.
"Finally, the views of the majority converged on the importance of the joint
Arab decision to reject the politicization of international organizations in
wake of the war in Ukraine," the Lebanese Foreign Minister stated.
Aboul Gheit:
In turn, Aboul Gheit explained that the consultative meeting is one that takes
place during the presidency of a state, and in-between the official meetings of
the League Council, which convenes once at the beginning of March and again at
the beginning of September. “Between these two meetings, the Arab ministers
agreed to have a consultative meeting without any formalities, during which they
exchange discussions on any topic, and therefore no written documents or
decisions are issued at the end,” he said.
Aboul Gheit then gave a briefing on the topics raised during today’s
consultative discussions. Asked about ways to support Lebanon, he indicated that
"the support is moral, because the Arab League cannot provide gas or
electricity, but it can urge people to move, as it is a moral process to inform
humanity that there is a problem and it must strive to solve it."
On the issue of border demarcation, he said: "We stand with the entire Lebanese
state, and the Arab League has very clear positions. Moral and legal support is
fully available to the Lebanese state."On the Syrian displacement dossier, Aboul
Gheit referred to “very intertwined issues that are not resolved by a sole
decision,” noting that “the Syrian situation, as we are witnessing, is the
result of a civil war and massive destruction, and everyone is talking about at
least 500 billion dollars needed to rehabilitate the Syrian infrastructure so
that the people can live...” He added, “The intention is there and the decision
is there [for the return of the displaced], but the will of the international
community to end the Syrian war is still putting pressure on the Lebanese,
Syrian, Jordanian and Egyptian situations, and throughout the region there are
pressures.”On the softening of Lebanese-Arab relations, Aboul Gheit said:
“Lebanon is fully complacent, and I listened to President Aoun, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Parliament, and everyone
said that reconciliation is on its way and that there is Gulf-Lebanese
satisfaction with the relationship now, and do not forget that there are two
Gulf ministers who participated in the meeting and four delegates as well. This
reflects the desire of the countries to heal the rifts and establish a good
relationship."
In response to a question about Syria's status in the Arab League, he said: "The
matter will be raised for further discussion, because there are opinions that
speak of a comprehensive framework for approaching the Syrian situation."
Bou Habib:
Asked whether a solution to the Syrian displacement exists, Minister Bou Habib
explained that "there are no solutions today or any decisions.”
He added, “Yes, we discussed this issue, but we are not alone. Jordan also has
the problem of Syrian displacement, while Iraq welcomes them and has no
problem.”“There was a discussion, but without decisions,” he reiterated.
In response to another question about the establishment of a safe area on the
Lebanese-Syrian border for the displaced Syrians, Bou Habib affirmed: "There is
no such proposal, and we will not accept such a proposal, for we do not want to
set up camps on our borders."
Mikati following his retreat with Al-Rahi in Al-Diman: No
ministerial portfolio can be restricted to a specific sect
NNA/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati visited today Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal
Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, at the Maronite Patriarchate summer residence in al-Diman,
where both men held a retreat on the latest developments.
On emerging, Mikati said: "The meeting with His Beatitude in Diman is renewed
every year at this time. We discussed various political issues and the
government formation dossier, and I explained to His Beatitude the developments
and the need to speed up the cabinet formation...For this reason, I presented
the new government lineup the next day following the non-binding parliamentary
consultations...”
He added, “His Beatitude was understanding of all matters, and I thanked him for
all the support he provided to the government and his insistence on forming the
new cabinet quickly. I also thanked him for his continuous trust and for his
affection and devotion, and for stressing on my role as a bridge between all
sects.”Asked about his presentation of a lineup including rotation in
ministerial portfolios belonging to the President of the Republic so that it
would be rejected, Mikati said: "In principle, I refuse to label people and
portfolios as being affiliated with a specific team, and we must all be devoted
to the country and be a national government in every sense of the word;
otherwise, the country will not rise."
Responding to a question about keeping the Finance Ministry portfolio with House
Speaker Nabih Berri's team, Mikati said: “I chose a new minister, and the
portfolio remained within the existing sectarian distribution. In one of my
media interviews, I said that no ministerial portfolio can be restricted to a
specific sect, but in this particular circumstance, as the government will have
a limited lifespan, we will not allow for a dispute regarding the Ministry of
Finance. What is important is that the government performs its duty, whether it
is a caretaker government or a new government, in order to reach the
presidential election in safety and peace.”Regarding his optimism about the
election of a president of the republic, he said: "Before the parliamentary
elections, I saw difficulty in electing a new president of the republic, but the
new scene in the House of Parliament does not reveal the existence of a group
that wants to disrupt...So I hope that a president will be elected, and within
two or three months, we will have a new president and a new government so that
the required recovery in the country begins."Responding to another question,
Mikati said: “The caretaker government is in place and we are seeking to form a
government, but the countdown is tight, because on the first of September the
period for electing a new president starts."On the border demarcation file, he
said: "We have received encouraging information that can be further improved,
but I will not comment on it before seeing the official and written response to
the Lebanese offer."
Berri receives Arab foreign ministers in presence of Aboul
Gheit: Lebanon will not forget its Arab brothers, but today is asking...
NNA/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
House Speaker Nabih Berri stressed, during his meeting with the Arab foreign
ministers in the presence of Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit,
that "Lebanon will not forget its Arab brothers, nor will it forget the Taif,
Doha or Kuwait...but today Lebanon yearns for its Arab brethrens and hopes for
them to get to the heart of Lebanon’s suffering..."
"Lebanon is not at all a bankrupt country. Rather, it is in a state of cessation
of payment and possesses all the elements of revival and resurrection from
crises if the sincere intentions of its sons, alongside its Arab brothers and
friends in the world, are available,” Berri affirmed.
“Alongside its expatriate community spread out in the Arab states and all the
countries of the world, who constitute an important human, cultural and
financial tributary that can be a pivotal factor in its advancement, Lebanon
possesses water, oil and gas wealth found in our sea, especially at our borders
with occupied Palestine, where indirect negotiations are taking place through
the United Nations and the American mediator, and these talks are in a state of
development,” the Speaker went on.
"Lebanon is rich and capable of accepting projects and investment in the field
of electricity and the establishment of oil refineries," he asserted.
On the issue of Syria and developments related to the Palestinian cause and
Israeli attacks, Berri said: "Today, while you are in Lebanon, we miss, in this
Arab ministerial meeting, Syria, which was exposed at dawn to a new Israeli
aggression via Lebanon’s airspace. What is required of your meeting is a
condemnation at the least...Another thing that all Arabs must realize is that
there are no Arabs without Palestine, and Arabism ends with the end of
Palestine. We have to be aware of what is planned for Jerusalem and
Palestine...Jerusalem is not a piece of land, it is a piece of heaven!”
He concluded by cautioning that, “any negligence in this sacred geographical
spot will surely trigger unfortunate consequences within each of our countries."
In turn, Aboul Gheit, on behalf of the delegation, thanked Lebanon and Speaker
Berri for hosting this consultative meeting, stressing that "its convening in
Lebanon is a message of support for Lebanon's people and institutions,
especially in this difficult circumstance that requires courage to take a
decision."
On a different note, the House Speaker received this afternoon the former Deputy
Governor of Lebanon’s Central Bank, Mohammad Baasiri, with the general
conditions at the financial and economic levels topping their discussions.
Al-Makari to Radio Lebanon: Governments far from national unity are the best,
judicial action is necessary to fight corruption
NNA/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Caretaker Minister of Information, Ziad Al-Makari, affirmed that the speedy
formation of a new government is essential in order to proceed with negotiations
with the International Monetary Fund and tend to various urgent matters;
however, he deemed that the current cabinet can continue to function.
"Logically, forming a government for a few months does not work from a practical
point of view, that is if it is formed quickly based on previous experiences,”
Makari said in an interview with “Radio Lebanon” this morning. For this reason,
he considered that “there is nothing wrong with maintaining the current cabinet
with some amendments and then submitting the lineup to the Parliament Council
for confidence,” noting that this would allow the cabinet to continue the work
it had started and complete the reforms required to salvage the situation.
Asked about his opinion on the possibility of PM-designate Najib Mikati’s
changing of the Energy Minister due to their recent differences, Makari
considered it a normal thing since the PM-designate aims to be comfortable in
his work within the government...”Let's wait and see what happens next week
following the meeting with the President of the Republic," he said, noting that
the ministers are working hard, each in his own area, amidst the dire
circumstances.
Asked about his position on maintaining his ministerial portfolio in the lineup
presented by the PM-designate, Makari said: "No one contacted me, but I saw my
name on the list that was leaked. I am pleased if I can continue with the work I
started, and I hope to continue at the Information Ministry even if I were
commissioned with another more important portfolio, for I have put more than one
file on track and I look forward to completing them in order to restore the
Ministry of Information's powers and leading role in communication."
Responding to another question, Makari considered that nothing can be excluded,
even the presidential vacuum...”I believe that the best governments are the ones
far from national unity which cannot achieve, but the problem today is that
there is no clear majority," he added.
Referring to the meeting of the Arab foreign ministers in Beirut, the
Information Minister highlighted its importance and hoped for a quick return of
Syria to the Arab embrace especially since its relations witnessed improvement
on the Arab scene. "The settlement is near,” he added, “as well as the external
conference, which is inevitable in order to install solutions that may not have
matured yet."
On the prevailing state of corruption in the country, the Minister regretted the
failure of the judiciary and public prosecutions in helping it out of its
stalemate corrupt situation. He hailed herein the role of the media in shedding
light on various corruption dossiers, “but unfortunately, the judiciary is not
moving, and this matter frustrates those concerned in the media and does not
encourage them to continue," he added.
Makari emphasized the importance of the media in addressing these issues while
underlining the need to provide substantiated evidence and documents away from
misleading news. "In Lebanon there are more than a thousand websites that we are
in the process of organizing,” he said, noting that he will raise during the
first session of the Media and Communications Parliamentary Committee the issue
of media regulation and updating laws because they are in constant development.
Finally, Minister Al-Makari saluted the employees of the Ministry of Information
in its various directorates, “for they are the only ones who did not go on
strike and disrupt the public media sector,” promising to “work hard to find
ways to help support their sustenance.”
Corona - Health Ministry: 1,295 new Corona cases, 1 death
NNA/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
In its daily report on the COVID-19 developments, the Ministry of Public Health
announced on Saturday the registration of 1,295 new Coronavirus infections, thus
raising the cumulative number of confirmed cases to-date to 1,114,814,.The
report added that one death was recorded during the past 24 hours.
Attack on Army post in Tripoli, soldier stabbed
NNA/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
In an issued statement by the Lebanese Army Command - Orientation Directorate on
Saturday, it indicated that a citizen of initials (N.M.) tried to storm an army
post carrying a knife and a suitcase in the Rifa area in Tripoli this morning,
stabbing the soldier on duty several times in different parts of his body as he
tried to stop him. At that instant, the citizen was immediately shot and killed
by another soldier on duty, following which the wounded soldier was rushed to a
nearby hospital for treatment and is currently in a stable condition.
Meanwhile, the suitcase in possession of the assailant is being examined by an
explosives expert and an investigation has been initiated under the supervision
of the concerned judiciary to uncover the circumstances of the incident.
Mikati says ready to amend line-up, won't spark clash over
finance portfolio
Naharnet/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati announced Saturday that he is "ready to
amend" the cabinet line-up he has submitted to President Michel Aoun, while
stressing that he will not trigger a clash over the finance portfolio seeing as
the newbgovernment's term will be short. "No political party is seeking
obstruction, I hope that the government will be formed," Mikati said after
meeting Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Diman. "I have sent a line-up to
President (Michel) Aoun and consultations are still ongoing," he added.
Rejecting the presence of ministerial portfolios that permanently remain with
certain "figures," Mikati stressed the country "cannot continue to function this
way." I reject the "this is mine and this is yours" approach, the PM-designate
added. Noting that he does not mind amending the line-up he has submitted to
Aoun, Mikati reassured that any cabinet line-up will respect equal power-sharing
between Christians and Muslims. The PM-designate also revealed that he has
obtained "encouraging" information about the sea border demarcation talks,
adding that Lebanon is awaiting the official Israeli response to its latest
proposal.
Lebanon: US Ensures Egypt, Jordan are Exempted from Caesar
Act on Gas Deal
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
The US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea assured that progress has been made on
the agreement to secure Egypt and Jordan from the Caesar Act in order to deliver
natural gas to cash-strapped Lebanon. Shea made her assurance during a meeting
with Lebanon’s caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad on Friday. She also held
separate meetings with President Michel Aoun and several Lebanese officials.
Discussions focused on the contact results of US energy envoy Amos Hochstein
with the Israelis on the demarcation of the southern maritime boundary.
Hochstein had visited Lebanon on June 13 and held talks with senior Lebanese
officials who made a unified response regarding indirect negotiations with
Israel, and claimed the right to the entire Qana field and line 23. A Foreign
Ministry statement said the meeting between Shea and Fayyad touched on several
issues, mainly the recent signing of gas contracts with Egypt and Syria on June
21. Shea briefed Fayyad on her latest meeting with US officials in Washington,
noting the “progress” achieved at the level of guarantees to ensure that no
negative repercussions would impact Egypt or Jordan from the Ceasar Law.
Earlier, Lebanon, Egypt and Syria signed an agreement to transport Egyptian gas
to Lebanon in order to operate an electricity plant in North Lebanon. But the
agreement remained pending an American approval that excludes Cairo from the US
imposed sanctions on Damascus under the "Caesar's Law", and awaiting for a World
Bank financing approval. Under the agreement, gas would be pumped through a
pipeline to a power station in Deir Ammar in northern Lebanon, to add about 450
megawatts to the network, that's about four more hours of electricity daily.
Two Injured in Israeli ‘Aggression’ Targeting Syria’s
Tartus
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Israel carried out an airstrike on a coastal Syrian village near the Lebanon
border Saturday morning, Syrian state media reported. Two people, including a
woman, were wounded. The attack was the first since a June 10 Israeli airstrike
on the international airport in the Syrian capital of Damascus caused
significant damage to infrastructure and runways and rendered the main runway
unusable. The airport was closed for two weeks and flights resumed on June 23.
State news agency SANA said Israeli warplanes flying over northern Lebanon fired
missiles toward several chicken farms in the village of Hamidiyeh south of the
coastal city of Tartus. The attack happened a few kilometers (miles) north of
the border with Lebanon. SANA said two people were wounded in addition to
material damage. Israel has staged hundreds of strikes against targets in Syria
over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations. Israel says
it targets bases of Iran-allied militias, such as Hezbollah, which has fighters
deployed in Syria fighting on the side of President Bashar Assad’s government
forces and ships arms believed to be bound for the militias. The Damascus
International Airport strike marked a major escalation in Israel’s campaign,
further ratcheting up tensions between Israel on one side and Iran and its
Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, on the other. The attack Saturday happened hours
before Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was scheduled to arrive
in Syria to meet top Syrian officials. Iran has been one of Assad’s strongest
backers, sending thousands of fighters from around the region to help his troops
in Syria’s 11-year conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced
half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million. A UN report last week said
the conflict that began in March 2011 has killed more than 300,000 civilians.
سيث ج.فرانتزمان/ جيروزاليم بوست:
تصاعد كبير في تهديد إيران وحزب الله من خلال،
الدرونز_ الطائرات بدون طيار
The vast Iran-Hezbollah drone threat is escalating - analysis
Seth J. Frantzman/Jerusalem Post/July 02/2022
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/109796/seth-j-frantzman-jerusalem-post-%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ab-%d8%ac-%d9%81%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%aa%d8%b2%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%86-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%ac%d9%8a%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%b2%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%85-%d8%a8%d9%88%d8%b3/
Hezbollah, Hamas and other Iranian-backed groups have increased their drone
threats over the last years.
Israel’s downing of three drones on Saturday illustrates the growing nexus of
Iran-Hezbollah threats in the region and specifically the Lebanese terrorist
organization’s escalating attempts to target gas platforms off the coast of
Israel.
Over the last several years Iran has rapidly expanded its drone program and
encouraged its proxies in the region to develop their own drone technology.
These drones are often kamikaze drones, meaning they have a warhead and are
designed to fly into their target. The drone threat against Israel has emerged
slowly, in stages, over the last several years. Hezbollah has been using drones
for many years, but they are increasingly more sophisticated and the threat is
growing.
Back in 2014 the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College detailed some
of the past history of these threats.
The article by Dan Gettinger and Arthur Holland Michel noted that “much of Hamas
and Hezbollah’s unmanned technology derives from or originated in Iran, which
has maintained an active military drone program since the Iran-Iraq War.”
It notes that back in 2004 an “Iranian-made drone operated by Hezbollah managed
to fly in Israeli airspace for five minutes before it crashed into the
Mediterranean sea. The 2.9-meter-long UAV was not picked up on Israeli radars.
The incident prompted the Knesset to convene a hearing with the IDF Chief of
Staff Moshe Ya’alon.
The report also noted that in “April 2005, a Misrad-1 UAV reportedly entered
Israeli airspace, conducting an 18-mile (30 km.) reconnaissance flight over
cities in the Galilee region.” During the 2006 war Hezbollah launched more
drones. These included a drone packed with explosives that targeted a ship. One
of the drones even had 30kg. of explosives, according to reports.
Drone capabilities in the Middle East
Hezbollah, Hamas and other Iranian-backed groups have increased their drone
threats over the last years. This included incidents in 2010, 2012 and 2014. The
2012 incident was particularly important because reports at the time said Tehran
had attempted to spy on Israel’s Dimona facility using a drone.
The overall picture that emerges is that by 2018 Hezbollah and Iran, along with
the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, Iranian-backed militias in Syria and a
large number of militias linked to Iran in Iraq, all had drone capabilities.
The UAVs shot down on Saturday appear to be of several different types. It is
unclear if they carried explosives and how they were controlled. They do not
appear to have been linked together to act as a kind of drone swarm.
In 2019 Iran used drones and cruise missiles to attack Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq
facility. Iran also operationalized Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq to target Saudi
Arabia using drones.
Iran moved drone technology to the Houthis in Yemen who have launched numerous
drone attacks against Saudi Arabia over the years. In January the threat grew to
include attacks on the UAE.
The Alma Research and Education Center said in December 2021 that “in the
special report we published on December 21, we stated that we estimate that
today Hezbollah has approximately 2,000 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Over
the past 15 years, there has been a huge increase in the number of Hezbollah’s
UAVs.”
Iran has increasingly used its militias in Iraq and Syria to target both the
Kurdistan autonomous region in Iraq using drones, and has used drones against US
forces in Iraq and Syria.
In October 2021 Iran also used drones in Syria to target the Tanf garrison where
US forces are present in southern Syria. Last July Iran used drones to target a
commercial ship in the Gulf of Oman, killing two sailors on the bridge of the
Mercer Street tanker.
This illustrates the growing regional threat of the drones, which has expanded
rapidly.
In February 2018 Iran lifted the veil on the drone threat by using a drone flown
from T-4 base into Israeli airspace. It was shot down near Beit Shean. In August
2019 Iran sent Hezbollah “killer drone” operatives to a safe house in southern
Syria to target Israel. Israel struck the operatives.
In March 2021 Israel used F-35s to down Iranian drone threats over Syria. Then
Iran used a drone flown from Iraq in May 2021. That drone entered Israeli
airspace near Beit Shean and was shot down.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz has warned of the growing threat. In September 2021
Gantz noted that Iran was training drone operators at its Kashan base and he
mentioned “terror operatives from Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon [trained] in
flying Iranian-made UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).”
Last November Gantz revealed Iranian drone bases in Chabahar and on Qeshm
Island. In February Iran flew drones from Iran over Iraq to target Israel. They
were shot down by the US-led coalition.
On February 17 Israel said it downed a drone flown by Hezbollah. Hezbollah
claimed in February that one of its drones flew into Israeli airspace for half
an hour. Israel activated Iron Dome and scrambled jets at the time.
In March foreign reports, including by Al-Mayadeen, said Israel had destroyed
hundreds of drones in Iran. On May 17 the IDF said it had downed another drone
belonging to Hezbollah.
On June 9, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatened Israel’s gas platforms
off the coast. “The immediate objective should be to prevent the enemy from
extracting oil and gas from the Karish gas field,” Nasrallah said. Hezbollah
wants to stop a potential maritime agreement, backed by the US, between Israel
and Lebanon. Syria also blamed Israel for an airstrike on Saturday in Tartus.
The downing of the drone illustrates Israel’s abilities in detecting drones and
also Israel’s investment over the years in technology to down drones. These
include the use of warplanes, and Barak surface-to-air missiles, and equipping
Israel’s latest corvette ships with the best systems to detect and stop drone
and missile threats.
Israel has increased the abilities of Iron Dome to stop these types of threats
as well. In addition Israel continues to carry out the campaign between the wars
to prevent Iranian entrenchment in Syria. However, the overall context is that
Iran is increasing the range of its drones which are proliferating all over the
region.
Last year it is believed Iran moved Shahed 136 drones to Yemen. These may have a
range that enables them to strike at Eilat.
In addition, Iran increased its investment in Iraqi-based militias such as
Kataib Hezbollah to increase their drone and missile threats.
Israel is increasing its work with US Central Command and Navcent, as well as
with new partners in the Gulf to discuss air defense priorities and drone
threats.
The drone threat on July 2 therefore is part of the much wider Iranian threat;
and ties into the importance of Israel’s work with the US, UAE, Bahrain and
other countries in the region to prevent destabilization.
The US is increasingly concerned about Iranian drone threats. Members of
Congress have also worked on the Deterring Enemy Forces and Enabling National
Defenses (DEFEND) Act and the Stop Iranian Drones Act. All of this is important
in the context of Hezbollah’s recent escalation.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on July 02-03/2022
Iran Condemns Airstrike, Opposes Turkish Move into Syria
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Iran’s foreign minister Saturday condemned an Israeli airstrike on Syria earlier
in the day and said Tehran opposes any military operation by Turkey in Syria’s
north. Hossein Amirabdollahian made his comments at the start of a visit to the
Syrian capital Damascus, where he was expected to discuss mutual relations and
regional affairs with top Syrian officials. Iran has been one of Syrian
President Bashar Assad’s strongest backers, sending thousands of fighters from
around the region to help his troops in Syria’s 11-year conflict. The war has
killed hundreds of thousands and displaced half the country’s pre-war population
of 23 million. Amirabdollahian’s visit came hours after Israel carried out an
airstrike on a coastal Syrian village near the border with Lebanon wounding two
people, Syrian state media reported. It also comes after Turkey’s President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said he’s planning a major military
operation to create a 30-kilometer (19 mile) deep buffer zone inside Syria along
Turkey’s border. He said he would do that by way of a cross-border incursion
against US-allied Syrian Kurdish fighters - an attempt that failed in 2019. "We
understand the concerns of our neighbor Turkey but we oppose any military
measure in Syria,” Amirabdollahian said, adding that Iran is trying to solve the
"misunderstanding between Turkey and Syria through dialogue.”Analysts have said
Erdogan is taking advantage of the war in Ukraine to push his own goals in
Syria. Turkey agreed this week to lift its opposition to Sweden and Finland
joining NATO, saying the Nordic nations had agreed to crack down on groups that
Ankara deems national security threats, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party,
or PKK, and its Syrian extension.
Turkey has demanded that Finland and Sweden extradite wanted individuals and
lift arms restrictions imposed after Turkey’s 2019 military incursion into
northeast Syria. Amirabdollahian blasted Israel saying that through its
airstrikes it is trying to destabilize Syria and show that the country lacks
security. The Israel attack was the first since a June 10 airstrike on the
international airport in the Syrian capital of Damascus caused significant
damage to infrastructure and runways and rendered the main runway unusable. The
airport was closed for two weeks and flights resumed on June 23. State news
agency SANA said Israeli warplanes flying over northern Lebanon fired missiles
toward several chicken farms in the village of Hamidiyeh south of the coastal
city of Tartus. The attack happened a few kilometers (miles) north of the border
with Lebanon. SANA said two people, including a woman, were wounded and there
was material damage. Israel has staged hundreds of strikes against targets in
Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.
Israel says it targets bases of Iran-allied militias, such as Hezbollah, which
has fighters deployed in Syria fighting on the side of Assad’s government forces
and ships arms believed to be bound for the militias. The Damascus International
Airport strike marked a major escalation in Israel’s campaign, further
ratcheting up tensions between Israel on one side and Iran and its Lebanese
ally, Hezbollah, on the other.
Iranian-Flagged Tanker in Greece Tugged to Piraeus
Port
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
An Iranian-flagged tanker seized by Greece in April, part of whose cargo was
confiscated by the United States, was being towed to the port of Piraeus on
Saturday, Greek coast guard officials said, after Greek authorities approved its
release. For over two months the Iranian-flagged Lana, formerly Pegas, has been
anchored off the Greek island of Evia in a diplomatic impasse which has strained
Athens' relations with Tehran amid growing tensions between Iran and the United
States. "It left Karystos at 0630 am (0330 GMT) and is expected to reach Piraeus
around 1000 pm," one official said. Greek authorities in April impounded Lana
and its oil cargo with 19 Russian crew members on board near the coast of Evia,
due to sanctions following a legal action by the United States. The ship was
later released due to complications regarding its ownership, but part of the
Iranian oil cargo had already been transferred to another ship, Ice Energy,
which was hired by the United States and is moored off Piraeus port. The removal
of oil from the Lana prompted Iranian forces last month to seize two Greek
tankers in the Middle East Gulf and sail them back to Iran after Tehran warned
it would take "punitive action" against Athens. Following an appeal by an
Iranian company on June 7, a Greek judicial panel overturned the initial court
order that allowed the confiscation of the cargo on behalf of the United States.
That decision has cleared the way for Lana to retrieve the cargo that was
transferred to Ice Energy. Until last week, however, Lana, which still has
engine problems, was being detained by another company due to debts owed for
towing services. It was officially released after the amount owed was paid off,
legal sources told Reuters.
Tehran Insists on Continuing Nuclear Talks amid
Western Pessimism
London – Tehran – Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Iranian officials insisted on maintaining indirect negotiations with Washington,
amid pessimism among Westrn diplomats about reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement,
after the failure of the latest round hosted by Doha. “Following Doha talks, we
will coordinate with the EU on the next stage of talks,” Iranian Ambassador to
the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi said on Twitter. “Our team is ready to
engage constructively to reach a deal. If the US acts realistically and shows
serious intention to implement its obligations, agreement is not out of reach,”
he added. The Iranian ambassador was referring to his comments during a Security
Council session on Thursday evening to discuss the latest report issued by
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the implementation of the
2015 Security Council resolution on nuclear agreement, officially known as the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. American, British and French diplomats at
the Security Council blamed Iran for the failure of efforts to revive the
agreement after more than a year of negotiations. In parallel, new details were
leaked from the indirect talks that took place between the US special envoy for
Iran, Robert Malley, and the chief Iranian negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani,
mediated by European Union Envoy Enrique Mora, in Doha. Speaking on condition of
anonymity, a US official told Reuters that differences widened after the
unsuccessful talks this week. He said the prospects for reaching an agreement
after Doha were worse than before, and would worsen day by day. “Their vague
demands, reopening of settled issues, and requests clearly unrelated to the
JCPOA all suggests to us… that the real discussion that has to take place is
[not] between Iran and the US to resolve remaining differences. It is between
Iran and Iran to resolve the fundamental question about whether they are
interested in a mutual return to the JCPOA,” the senior American official said.
He added: “At this point, we are not sure if they [the Iranians] know what more
they want. They didn’t come to Doha with many specifics. Most of what they
raised they either knew – or should have known – was outside the scope of the
JCPOA and thus completely unsellable to us and to the Europeans, or were issues
that had been thoroughly debated and resolved in Vienna and that we were clearly
not going to reopen.”
Strong Earthquake Kills 5 in Southern Iran
Agence France Presse/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Five people were killed and 44 others injured in a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in
southern Iran on Saturday, state television reported. Rescue teams were deployed
near the epicenter, Sayeh Khosh village, which is home to around 300 people in
Hormozgan province, some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) south of the capital,
Tehran, the report said. People went into the streets as aftershocks continued
to jolt the area after the early morning quake, which also damaged buildings and
infrastructure. The earthquake was felt in many neighboring countries, the
report said. The area has seen several moderate earthquakes in recent weeks. In
November, one man died following two magnitude 6.4 and 6.3 earthquakes.Iran lies
on major seismic faults and experiences one earthquake a day on average. In
2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake flattened the historic city of Bam, killing
26,000 people. A magnitude 7 earthquake that struck western Iran in 2017 killed
more than 600 people and injured more than 9,000.
More surface-to-air missile systems for Ukraine to fight
Russia, US announces
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/02 July ,2022
The US unveiled another massive arms package intended for Ukraine on Friday,
bringing the total amount of weapons for Kyiv to $6.9 billion since the
beginning of Russia’s invasion on February 24. The Pentagon announced $820
million in additional security assistance for Ukraine, which includes a
Presidential Drawdown of $50 million and $770 million in Ukraine Security
Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. The fourteenth Presidential Drawdown will
include more ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS),
Pentagon Press Secretary Todd Breasseale said in a statement. The USAI will
include two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), four
counter-artillery radars and up to 150,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition,
Breasseale said. Under the USAI, the US procures the weapons instead of
delivering equipment drawn from the Pentagon’s stocks. Breasseale also singled
out Norway for its cooperation in providing air defense systems that will help
Ukraine “defend against Russia’s brutal air attacks.”“The United States
continues to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with
capabilities to meet its evolving battlefield requirements,” he added. A senior
US defense official told reporters that Russia was paying “a very steep price,”
but also noted that Ukraine was paying a “great price as well.”Secretary of
State Antony Blinken said the US was committed to the independence, security,
sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In a statement authorizing
the drawdown of arms and equipment from the Pentagon’s inventories, Blinken said
Washington’s commitment to the Ukrainian people “will not waver.”
Russians Press Assault on Eastern Ukrainian City
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Russian forces are pounding the city of Lysychansk and its surroundings in an
all-out attempt to seize the last stronghold of resistance in eastern Ukraine's
Luhansk province, the governor said Saturday. Ukrainian fighters have spent
weeks trying to defend the city and to keep it from falling to Russia, as
neighboring Sievierodonetsk did a week ago. The Russian Defense Ministry said
its forces took control of an oil refinery on Lysychansk's edge in recent days,
but Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai reported Friday that fighting for the facility
continued. "Over the last day, the occupiers opened fire from all available
kinds of weapons," Haidai said Saturday on the Telegram messaging app. Luhansk
and neighboring Donetsk are the two provinces that make up the Donbas region,
where Russia has focused its offensive since pulling back from the northern
Ukraine and the capital, Kyiv, in the spring. Pro-Russia separatists have held
portions of both provinces since 2014, and Moscow recognizes all of Luhansk and
Donetsk as sovereign republics. Syria's government said Wednesday that it would
also recognize the "independence and sovereignty" of the two areas and work to
establish diplomatic relations with the separatists. In Slovyansk, a major
Donetsk city still under Ukrainian control, four people died when Russian forces
fired cluster munitions late Friday, Mayor Vadym Lyakh said on Facebook. He said
the neighborhoods that were hit did not contain any potential military targets.
Elsewhere, investigators combed through the wreckage from a Russian airstrike
early Friday on residential areas near the Ukrainian port of Odesa that killed
21 people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said three anti-ship missiles
struck an apartment building in the small town of Serhiivka. The victims of
Friday's attack also included four family members at a coastal campsite that
took a hit as well, he said. "I emphasize: this is a deliberate direct Russian
terror, and not some mistake or an accidental missile strike," Zelenskyy said.
The Kremlin has repeatedly claimed that the Russian military is targeting fuel
storage sites and military facilities, not residential areas. Ukrainian
authorities interpreted the missile attack as payback for the withdrawal of
Russian troops from a nearby Black Sea island with both symbolic and strategic
significance in the war that started with Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow portrayed their departure from Snake Island as a "goodwill gesture" to
help unblock exports of grain.
Ukraine Leader Accuses Russia of 'Terror' in Missile Strike that Killed 21
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 2 July, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday accused Russia of engaging in
state "terror" as he blamed Moscow for missile strikes on a southern resort town
that left 21 dead and dozens wounded. Missiles slammed into an apartment
building and a recreation center in the town of Sergiyvka about 80 kilometers
(50 miles) south of the Black Sea port of Odessa, which has become a strategic
flashpoint in the now more than four-month-old war. The attacks took place a day
after Moscow abandoned positions on a strategic island in a major setback to the
Kremlin's invasion, reported AFP. The dead included a 12-year-old boy, Zelensky
said in his daily address to the nation, adding that some 40 people have been
injured and that the death toll could rise. "I emphasize: this is an act of
deliberate, purposeful Russian terror -- and not some kind of mistake or an
accidental missile strike," Zelensky said. "Three missiles hit a regular
nine-storey apartment building, in which nobody was hiding any weapons, any
military equipment," he added. "Regular people, civilians, lived there." Sergiy
Bratchuk, Odessa deputy chief of district, said on Ukrainian television the
strikes were launched by aircraft that flew in from the Black Sea and fired
"very heavy and very powerful" missiles.
'Inhuman' -
Germany swiftly condemned the violence. "The cruel manner in which the Russian
aggressor takes the deaths of civilians in its stride and is again speaking of
collateral damages is inhuman and cynical," said German government spokesman
Steffen Hebestreit. The attacks follow global outrage earlier this week when a
Russian strike destroyed a shopping center in Kremenchuk, central Ukraine,
killing at least 18 civilians. President Vladimir Putin has denied his forces
were responsible for that attack and Moscow made no immediate comment on the
Odessa strikes. On Friday, Zelensky hailed a new chapter in its relationship
with the European Union, after Brussels recently granted Ukraine candidate
status in Kyiv's push to join the 27-member bloc, even if membership is likely
years away. "Our journey to membership shouldn't take decades. We should make it
down this road quickly," Zelensky told Ukraine's parliament. The president of
the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, addressing Ukrainian lawmakers by
video link, said membership was "within reach" but urged them to work on
anti-corruption reforms. Norway, which is not an EU member, on Friday announced
$1 billion worth of aid for Kyiv including for reconstruction and weapons. And
the Pentagon said it was sending a new armament package worth $820 million,
including two air defense systems and more ammunition for the Himars precision
rocket launchers the United States began supplying last month.
'Borshch war' -
In a decision that immediately inflamed tensions further between Kyiv and
Moscow, the UN's cultural agency inscribed Ukraine's tradition of cooking
borshch soup on its list of endangered cultural heritage. Ukraine considers the
nourishing soup, usually made with beetroot, as a national dish although it is
also widely consumed in Russia, other ex-Soviet countries and Poland. UNESCO
said the decision was approved after a fast-track process prompted by Russia's
invasion of Ukraine. We "will win both in the war of borshch and in this war,"
said Ukraine's Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko on Telegram. Russian foreign
ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova quipped: "Hummus and pilaf are recognized
as national dishes of several nations. Everything is subject to Ukrainisation."
Phosphorus bombs -
On Thursday, Russian troops abandoned their positions on Snake Island, which had
become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance in the first days of the war, and sat
aside shipping lanes near Odessa's port. The Russian defense ministry described
the retreat as "a gesture of goodwill" meant to demonstrate that Moscow will not
interfere with UN efforts to organize protected grain exports from Ukraine. But
on Friday evening, Kyiv accused Moscow of carrying out strikes using incendiary
phosphorus munitions on the rocky outcrop, saying the Russians were unable to
"respect even their own declarations". In peacetime, Ukraine is a major
agricultural exporter, but Russia's invasion has damaged farmland and seen
Ukraine's ports seized, razed or blockaded -- sparking concerns about food
shortages, particularly in poor countries. Western powers have accused Putin of
using the trapped harvest as a weapon to increase pressure on the international
community, and Russia has been accused of stealing grain. Ukraine on Friday
asked Turkey to detain a Russian-flagged cargo ship that Kyiv alleged had set
off from the Kremlin-occupied port of Berdyansk.
While heavy fighting continued in eastern Ukraine, officials said schools in the
Ukrainian capital would re-open at the start of the school year on September 1
for the first in-person classes since lessons went online after the invasion
began.
Olena Fidanyan, head of Kyiv's education and science department, said
territories adjacent to the schools will be checked for explosives and school
bomb shelters will be restocked with essential supplies.
Libyan protesters storm, set fire to
parliament in Tobruk
Agence France Presse/July 02/2022
Protesters have stormed Libya's parliament in the eastern city of Tobruk and set
parts of it ablaze, venting their anger at deteriorating living conditions and
months of political deadlock. Black smoke billowed as men burned tyres and
torched cars after one protester had smashed through the compound's gate with a
bulldozer and others attacked the walls with construction tools, local media
reported. The building was empty, as Friday falls on the weekend in Libya.
Libya's House of Representatives has been based in Tobruk, more than 1,000
kilometers (600 miles) east of the capital Tripoli, since an east-west schism in
2014 that came three years after a mass popular revolution toppled dictator
Moamer Kadhafi. A separate legislature, formally known as the High Council of
State, is based in Tripoli as the oil-rich North African country remains divided
between rival administrations vying for control. Libya, sweltering in summer
heat, has endured days of power cuts -- a situation worsened by the blockade of
key oil facilities amid the entrenched political rivalries. "We want the lights
to work," chanted protesters, some of whom were brandishing the green flags of
the Kadhafi regime. The parliament condemned the "acts of vandalism and the
burning" of its headquarters. The interim prime minister of the Tripoli-based
government, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, meanwhile voiced support for the protesters'
concerns in a Twitter message.
Political stalemate -
The two governments have been vying for power in Libya for months: the one based
in Tripoli, led by Dbeibah, and another headed by former interior minister Fathi
Bashagha, appointed by the parliament and supported by eastern-based strongman
Khalifa Haftar. Presidential and parliamentary elections, originally set for
last December, were meant to cap a U.N.-led peace process following the end of
the last major round of violence in 2020.
But the vote was never held due to several contentious candidacies and deep
disagreements over the polls' legal basis between the rival power centres.
The United Nations said Thursday that talks between the rival Libyan
institutions aimed at breaking the deadlock had failed to resolve key
differences. Parliament speaker Aguila Saleh and High Council of State president
Khaled al-Mishri met at the U.N. in Geneva for three days of talks to discuss a
draft constitutional framework for elections. While some progress was made, it
was not enough to move forward towards elections, with the two sides still at
odds over who could stand in a presidential vote, said the U.N.'s top Libya
envoy Stephanie Williams.
'Escalating quickly'
The prospect of elections appears as distant as ever since the parliament
appointed Bashagha, arguing that Dbeibah's mandate had expired.
After Bashagha failed to enter Tripoli in May, the rival administration has
taken up office further east in Sirte, Kadhafi's coastal hometown. Recent weeks
have seen repeated skirmishes between armed groups in Tripoli, prompting fears
of a return to full-scale conflict. Demonstrators rallied in other cities on
Friday including Tripoli, where protesters held up crossed-out images of both
Dbeibah and Bashagha. "Popular protests have erupted across Libya in
exasperation at a collapsing quality of life, the entire political class who
manufactured it, and the UN who indulged them over delivering promised change,"
tweeted Tarek Megerisi of the European Council on Foreign Relations. "Things are
escalating quickly and the response will define Libya's summer." Libya's
National Oil Corporation announced on Thursday losses of more than $3.5 billion
from closures and declared force majeure on some sites, a measure freeing it of
contractual obligations due to circumstances beyond its control.
The NOC said output "dropped sharply" and exports had fallen to
365,000-409,000 barrels per day, a loss of 865,000 bpd compared with the average
before April. Eastern-based strongman Haftar's forces control major oil
facilities. A drop in gas production has contributed to Libya's chronic power
cuts which can last around 12 hours a day.
Palestine to hand over bullet that killed Shireen Abu
Akleh to US authorities
Reuters/02 July ,2022
The Palestinian Authority will hand the bullet that killed prominent
Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh to US authorities for forensic
examination, a Palestinian official said on Saturday.Abu Akleh was killed on May
11 while was covering an Israeli military raid in the Palestinian city of Jenin
in the occupied West Bank. After an investigation, the Palestinian Authority
said she had been shot by an Israeli soldier in a “deliberate murder.”Israel has
denied the accusation and says it is continuing its own investigation. But it
says it cannot determine whether she was shot accidentally by an Israeli soldier
or by a Palestinian militant during an exchange of fire without examining the
bullet to see if it matches an Israeli military gun. “We agreed to transfer the
bullet to the Americans for examination,” Akram al-Khatib, General Prosecutor
for the Palestinian Authority, told Reuters without providing further details.
Israel sends observers to military drill in Morocco
Reuters/ 02 July ,2022
Israeli military observers have taken part in a drill in Morocco for the first
time, Israel’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday, describing the move as a mark
of improved relations, which were upgraded in 2020. The presence of the three
observers at this week’s “African Lion 2022” exercise, which also involved US
forces, followed the participation last year of a Moroccan counter-terrorism
unit at a multinational drill in Israel, the ministry said.
The Latest LCCC English
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on July 02-03/2022
The Cards in Putin’s Hands
Elias Harfoush/Asharq Al Awsat/July 02/2022
The Russian war on Ukraine dominated the two summits that brought Western
countries together in the German province of Bavaria and the Spanish city of
Madrid. G7 leaders sought to show their unity as they declared their support for
Ukrainian President Zelensky and affirmed that they are standing by his country
politically and militarily. Consequential decisions were made. Significant
increases in military aid and funding were announced. Long-range missiles were
promised to Ukrainian forces, as was the persistence of training on Western
weapons.
Growing apprehension of Russia’s threat to European security was voiced. The
“historic” decision to open the door to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, a step
that these two countries could not have taken before the Russian invasion of
Ukraine, given their longstanding commitment to neutrality, was prompted by this
apprehension. Although Putin tried to downplay the implications of this
decision, saying that he had no problem with Finland and Sweden taking whatever
path they wanted, he warned that building military bases in these countries
would lead to a similar reaction on Russia’s part, which would impose “an
equivalent threat to the countries coming to us with these threats.”
Finding a way around the challenges posed by the new geopolitical situation he
finds himself in will prove a difficult task for Putin. A quick glance at the
map shows that Russia is now surrounded from the West and that it has no
friendly neighbors besides Belarus. And the Russian President, who had been
complaining that the West was “at his doorstep” before the invasion of Ukraine,
will share a 1,300 kilometers border with NATO once Finland joins. Not only are
they at the door, but Russia’s entire western border would also require constant
attention to defend. A state of affairs that the leadership in Moscow had not
seen during the worst phases of the Cold War.
Putin is playing many cards to fight back: he is escalating militarily in
Ukraine, seizing as much territory as he can in the Donbas in Eastern Ukraine
and beginning to integrate them, administratively and economically at this
stage, into Russia’s administrative and financial system. He also has the
economic escalation card, which he is playing by restricting the global supply
of food and energy. In this tactic, Putin sees a weapon useful for undermining
Western cohesion and pushing other regions and countries, especially India and
African countries, to speak out against the continuation of the war.
The political escalation card has manifested itself in attempts to exploit the
positions of several Western countries (such as Hungary, France and Germany)
that seem more inclined to keep the door open to reaching an agreement with
Moscow and seeking a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian war. Although Western
leaders tried to demonstrate their cohesiveness at the G7 and NATO summits, we
have seen many signs that countries have divergent views regarding the
implications of military escalation against Russia.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been the most explicit among Western
leaders in pointing out these disparities; from the get-go, he has been calling
on other leaders to show clear and robust support for Ukraine as it seeks to
preserve its independence and reclaim the territories lost as a result of the
invasion. The most effective card in Putin’s hands is constantly spooking the
West with the dangers of a nuclear confrontation with Russia. Keir Giles, an
expert in Russian affairs at The Royal Institute of International Affairs
(Chatham House) in London, has said that Russia’s escalating threats influence
the decisions of these countries and push them to think twice about providing
the Ukrainians with advanced weaponry they need to retrieve the territories they
had lost and that President Zelenskyy keeps asking for.
Putin feels he can mitigate his military inferiority vis-a-vis the West by
spooking Western concerns about the consequences of escalation. Putin, Medvedev,
and others’ references to Russia’s possession of nuclear weapons and its ability
to reach any European targets have been explicit.
In addition, Western countries are struggling with the economic ramifications of
the war, which has raised prices and weakened support for the decision-makers of
these countries. The Russian President does not face problems of this kind, as
expressing discontent leads to imprisonment in Russia.
Moreover, there is the fact that Putin has a clear vision of what he wants to
achieve in this war, while Western countries’ views of what they would consider
an acceptable way out of the crisis are ambiguous and contradictory.
The Russian President wants full control of Eastern Ukraine and to prevent
Ukraine from making sovereign decisions that go against Moscow’s interests, in
other words subjugating Kyiv to the will of the Kremlin. As for Western
countries’ stances, they range from accepting compromise solutions on Crimea and
Donbas to refusing to end the war before Russian troops withdraw from all the
territory they have occupied since March 2014.
Nonetheless, the most important element in the Russian-Western standoff is the
arsenal. This war is not being fought with words but with weapons. And as long
as the West remains reluctant to provide weapons that could alter the balance of
power in favor of Ukraine and push Putin to face the possibility of a defeat,
the war will continue to be in Moscow’s favor. In time, it will turn into a war
of attrition for the Europeans, the Ukrainians, and the world, while the Russian
President feels no need to worry or reveal any of his figures or losses.
The Ayatollah’s Model for the World
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/July 02/2022
While Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping
are marketing their authoritarian rules as alternatives to a “moribund” Western
democratic system, the Khomeinist mullahs in Tehran are also throwing their hat,
sorry turban, into the ring as contenders for leading a new World Order.
An early version of the mullahs’ bid came almost 30 years ago when Hojat
al-Islam Muhammad Khatami suggested that, by separating religion from politics,
the Renaissance and Enlightenment in Europe had created a world order that
fomented wars, slavery and colonialism. The way to salvation was to restore
religious control on politics by granting theologians a role in the leadership.
The new version is offered by Ayatollah Ahmad Alam al-Hoda, a senior cleric in
Mash’had and one of the four or five turbaned heads considered as possible
successors to the present “Supreme Guide” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The
father-in-law of the current Islamic President Ayatollah Ibrahim Raisi, Alam al-Hoda
also has close relations with the military-security apparatus often labelled as
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Trying to cast himself as the ideologue of
the regime Alam al-Hoda spelled out his world vision in a lengthy sermon in the
“holy city”. According to him the era of modernism that began with the
Westphalian treaties, the American independence, the French Revolution and the
Industrial Revolution is over as we enter the post-modern world. “The world that
was enslaved by modernity is crumbling,” he said. “A post-modern world is on the
horizon; one that only Islamic Iran can lead.”
Alam al-Hoda claims that the United States is falling apart as some states,
notably Texas, seek secession and with Israelis fleeing their “promised land” in
ever growing numbers. But why should Iran emerge as the new world leader? Alam
al-Hoda’s answer is stark: Today the Islamic Republic in Iran is the only
standard-bearer of true Muhammadan Islam. Out of the 57 countries with Muslim
majority populations, Iran is “the only country which has an Islamic government
in the true meaning of the term”.
Other nations need not convert to Islam to benefit from the “Islamic model”. In
fact some non- Muslim nations, notably Venezuela, have already done so.
Mohsen Shaterzadeh, former ambassador of the Islamic Republic to Venezuela, says
that Hugo Chavez’s Bolivarian Revolution was “inspired by the teachings of Imam
Khomeini”. Chavez who made several trips to Iran learned how to rule a nation in
a just way.
“Chavez finally came to believe in the Hidden Imam and developed a deep devotion
to Supreme Guide Imam Khamenei,” Shaterzadeh says. Iran’s “Islamic model “has
also won “mass followings” in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen where the movement
for establishing a “truly Muhammadan system” continues to grow. This
“we’re-the-most-beautiful” illusion of the mullahs may be dismissed as an acute
form of limerence. The problem is that it prevents Iran from acquiring a
realistic portrayal of itself that is not reflected in the falsifying mirror of
fanatical fantasy. A true picture of Iran under the Islamic Republic may attract
some sympathy for the sufferings of a nation held hostage in a wayward ship in a
stormy sea. If you thought that was an outburst of poetic conceit listen to what
another ayatollah, Ahmad Jannati, said only last week. “People say that because
of inflation, they cannot afford more than one meal a day,” he said. “What is
wrong with that? One meal is a blessing as there are people who cannot have even
that. In Islam the rule is to bear all hardship to protect those who protect the
faith it from its enemies.”
In other words, Alam al-Hoda’s “postmodern Islamic model” is “government by
starvation.”
Starvation isn’t the only “blessing” that the Islamic Republic offers.
The Islamic Republic accounts for 50 percent of all executions in the world
although Iran counts for only 1.1 percent of the world population. More than 40
percent of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience are in the
Islamic Republic. Each year an average of 150,000 highly educated Iranians,
among them 3,500 doctors of medicine, leave the country to join the estimated 8
million, almost 10 percent of the population, already in exile. According to
Transparency International, the Islamic Republic is also in the world top league
for corruption. According to Tehran’s official reports between 2016 and 2020
embezzlement and bribery rose by 300 percent. Only last month, a $400 million
embezzlement case was reported among 85 other cases of “big corruption” being
investigation. Official reports show that some 80 un-named but presumably
powerful figures owe untold sums to state-owned banks on the basis of
non-existent collaterals. Flight of capital is estimated to be between $22 and
$30 billion a year. With the national currency becoming virtually worthless and
the Tehran Stock Exchange regraded as a den of thieves, even small savers try to
take whatever money they have out as quickly as possible.
Again according to official estimates more than 1.5 million Iranians have
purchased property in Turkey while a further 1.2 million have invested in real
estate in Georgia, Armenia and Serbia.
At the same time, again according to official estimates, a quarter of Iranians
live in sub-standard housing, including 13 million trapped in shanty towns. A
few weeks ago the collapse of a tall building in southwest Iran claimed at least
80 lives. The authorities admit that the permits needed to build the tower were
purchased through bribery. Worse still, the Mayor of Tehran warns that there are
almost 500 shabbily built towers in the capital that cannot be razed presumably
because they belong to powerful regime figures. Iran’s position on the global
life expectancy chart has fallen to 49th place compared to 38th in 1977. Iran is
also facing a downward demographic curve with a significant number of young
people unable to get married and raise families. In 2021, President Hassan
Rouhani’s government estimated that 25 percent of Iranians lived below poverty
line while another 30 percent had “a good life.” The remaining people were JAMS
or “just-about-managing” on the edge of poverty.
Add to all that the challenges that average Iranians face in social, cultural
and political domains and Alam al-Hoda’s “Islamic model” is unlikely to find a
big market across the globe. Those who supposedly love that model in Iraq,
Syria, Lebanon and Yemen are simply paid to sing its praise.
According to former Islamic Foreign Minister Muhammad-Javad Zarif, Tehran spent
around $35 billion a year to feed its supporters in Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut
and Sanaa, the four Arab capitals that Iran controls according to Ayatollah Ali
Yunesi. Alam al-Hoda and his ilk are caught in the Walter Mitty syndrome after a
Danny Kaye film in which a poor chum imagines himself in a series of heroic
roles.
Tesla May Be Driving Itself Out of the Running as EV Leader
Gary Smith/Bloomberg/July 02/2022
Early bicycles came in a variety of sizes, shapes and styles, and they had
colorful nicknames. The “dandy horse” had no pedals and was propelled by the
rider’s feet pushing the ground — essentially wheel-assisted walking. The “penny
farthing” had pedals, but the rider sat above a huge front wheel that dwarfed
the tiny back wheel — similar to the size difference between the British penny
and farthing coins. “Boneshaker” bicycles had iron and wood wheels that were
ill-suited for rough terrain. What they all had in common was that they were
uncomfortable, unsafe and expensive.
In the late 1800s, a series of technological innovations led to “safety
bicycles” that had two identical wheels, a chain drive, a diamond frame and
inflatable tires. The British public embraced the safety, comfort and cost of
these improved bicycles. Middle-class Brits who could not afford a horse or
horse and carriage were now able to travel conveniently through cities and far
into the countryside — even over bad roads. Bicycles were also environmentally
friendly, offering an inexpensive solution to what became known as “the great
horse manure crisis of 1894,” a reference to the fact that the horses
transporting people and goods were overwhelming cities with foul-smelling,
disease-spreading droppings.
The number of British bicycle makers quintupled, to 833 from around 163. Many
were financed by stock sales, with the number of publicly traded British
companies producing cycles, tubes or tires increasing from fewer than 10 in 1895
to 127 in 1897. At its peak, in 1896, British companies produced 750,000
bicycles a year, many of which were exported to the US, France and other
European countries that were similarly enamored of safety bicycles and clogged
with horse manure.
As with many speculative stock bubbles, this genuine technological innovation
led to a growth in companies profiting from this innovation and rising stock
prices that attracted speculators who expected prices to continue rising — a
self-fulfilling prophecy, for a while. Bicycle stock prices tripled during two
months in 1896 while the overall stock market languished.
Emotions trampled reason. During the tulip bulb bubble, the supply of bulbs
increased because tulip bulbs multiply naturally. During the bicycle bubble, the
sprouting of new companies increased the supply of bicycles, particularly
mass-produced American bicycles that cost 50% less than handmade British cycles.
Enthusiasts shrugged off supply worries and gushed about a future in which
bicycles would be the dominant form of transportation. Bicycles were
revolutionary, but bicycle stock prices had become uncoupled from the profits of
bicycle makers. Fools pointed to the revolution wrought by bicycles and the
superior quality of British bicycles, but the supply of greater fools soon dried
up. After peaking in 1897, the stock prices of bicycle makers fell 73 percent
over the next few years. The bicycle bubble was different from the tulip bubble
and South Sea bubble in that there was not a sudden pop but a gradual deflation,
not unlike air slowly leaking out of a bicycle tire.
Fast-forward to today’s electric-vehicle revolution and head cheerleader Elon
Musk, who boasted in 2016 that “all Tesla vehicles exiting the factory have the
hardware necessary for Level 5 autonomy. Every car we make, on the order of
2,000 cars a week, are shipping now with Level 5, meaning hardware capable of
full self-driving, or driverless, capability.” Viewers gushed at a promotional
video. “What a day to be alive,” one said.
Alas, it can be a long road from proof of concept to viable product. On the
six-level spectrum of driving automation, Teslas are still stuck at Level 2,
with the release notes for its “Full Self-Driving Beta” software warning that it
may “do the wrong thing at the worst time, so you must always keep your hands on
the wheel and pay extra attention to the road.” Wise words, since several
glitches have been reported, including Teslas sometimes ignoring speed bumps and
stop signs. Tesla Inc.’s market capitalization topped $1 trillion in October
2021, as much as the 10 next most valuable automakers combined. Tesla’s market
cap has slipped to $800 billion in the current stock market slump, yet it is
still valued at more than 100 times earnings, and prominent pundits think that
its stock is cheap. Investor Gary Black predicted that Tesla’s current $700
stock price will pass $3,000 by 2030; even more audaciously, Ark analyst Tasha
Keeney set a 2026 date.
The 2030 forecast assumes that 60% of the cars sold worldwide in 2030 will be
EVs and that 20% of these cars will be Teslas — giving Tesla 10 million car
sales in 2030, compared to slightly less than 1 million in 2021. The 2026
forecast assumes that Tesla will sell between 5 million and 10 million cars that
year, but nonetheless gives the same $3,000 price target.
Teslas are fine cars (my family owns two), but there is a big difference between
a good car and a great stock. These ebullient predictions have uncanny parallels
to the unbridled enthusiasm for bicycles 125 years ago. Economically relevant
EVs are a terrific technological innovation — as evidenced by the vigorous
efforts of new and established automakers to build EVs. Now, as then,
enthusiasts don’t seem to have considered the implications of the looming
explosion in supply. High-end cars like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi will compete
directly with Tesla, while other companies like BYD Co. Ltd., General Motors
Co., Hyundai Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. will offer attractive cars at
half the price. Tesla currently has 14% of the worldwide EV market (followed by
Volkswagen AG at 12% and SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd. at 11%). The assumption that
Tesla’s worldwide market share will increase to 20% over the next 10 years is
beyond optimistic, verging on delirious.
Tesla got a big head start in battery design and driver-assistance systems, but
solid-state EVs are about to shake up the battery competition. Fully
self-driving cars are not only still elusive but also deeply distrusted by
consumers. Tesla is increasingly just one among many, in the same way that an
early bicycle maker soon became just one among many.
The British bicycle bubble ended with a whimper. The same is likely to be true
of the Tesla bubble.
Biden Admin and EU Appease Mullahs, Iran Regime Employs
More Terror Cells
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/July 02/2022
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian bragged that he had "long but
positive meeting" with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, and
added that "What is important for Iran is to fully receive the economic benefits
of the 2015 accord."
"The message for the Biden administration [regarding the attempted kidnapping of
a US citizen last year], which has frequently proclaimed its intention to defend
pro-democracy dissidents, is that Iran and other foreign dictatorships won't
shrink from launching attacks inside the United States unless deterred....'" –
The Washington Post, July 10, 2021.
The Iranian regime is not going to change until it has all the world governed
under one Islamist regime -- or until it is stopped. This objective comes as a
part of the theocratic establishment's core revolutionary principle: exporting
its revolution to other countries.
"We shall export our revolution to the whole world. Until the cry 'There is no
god but Allah' resounds over the whole world, there will be struggle." — The
Islamic Republic of Iran's founding Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
The European Union is doing all it can to revive the nuclear deal and open the
flow of funds to Iran, lift sanctions, and put the ruling mullahs on a legal
path to becoming a nuclear state. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein
Amirabdollahian bragged that he had "long but positive meeting" with EU foreign
policy chief Josep Borrell on June 25, and added that "What is important for
Iran is to fully receive the economic benefits of the 2015 accord." Pictured:
Amirabdollahian (R) receives Borrell in Tehran on June 25, 2022.
The European Union is doing all it can to revive the nuclear deal and open the
flow of funds to the Iranian regime, lift sanctions against Tehran, and put the
ruling mullahs of the Islamic Republic on a legal path to becoming a nuclear
state.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell recently travelled to the
Islamic Republic, a "top state sponsor of terrorism" according to the State
Department, in order to "reverse current tensions" and seal the nuclear deal.
Apparently, Borrell succeeded at resuming the nuclear talks. Iranian Foreign
Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian bragged that he had "long but positive meeting"
with Borrell on June 25, and added that "What is important for Iran is to fully
receive the economic benefits of the 2015 accord".
Intriguingly, Borrell's visit to Iran came after Turkey detained eight members
of an Iranian cell who were planning to assassinate Israelis. "The hitmen in the
assassination team," stated Turkey's private IHA news agency, "who settled in
two separate rooms on the second and fourth floors of a hotel in Beyoglu, were
[detained] with a large number of weapons and ammunition."
We're not only talking about the murder of innocent Israeli tourists," Israel's
then Foreign Minister Yair Lapid warned, "but also a clear violation of Turkish
sovereignty by Iranian terror."
If the Iranian regime had succeeded at its terrorist plot in Turkey, imagine how
many innocent Israeli civilians would have been killed. However, not a word of
condemnation has been issued by the Biden administration or the European Union.
Iran's regime looks as if it is going to be rewarded with its nuclear deal.
The EU and the Biden administration do not even seem to care about their own
citizens, who would likely be a target for an emboldened and empowered Iran. An
Iranian diplomat, Assadollah Assadi, was last year sentenced to 20 years in
prison in Belgium, for his role in a 2018 terrorist plot. Assadi delivered
explosive material to his accomplices with the aim of bombing an Iranian
opposition rally in Paris. Had the plot not been discovered at the last minute,
hundreds of people could have been killed, including international dignitaries
and many European parliamentarians.
Tehran's assassination attempts and terror plots can be found in other European
countries as well. Another agent of the Iranian regime, for instance, Mohammed
Davoudzadeh Loloei, in 2020 was sentenced to prison by a Danish court for being
an accessory to the attempted murder of one or more opponents of the Iranian
regime.
On American soil, less than a year ago, the Iranian regime was caught plotting
to kidnap a US citizen in Brooklyn, New York. Even The Washington Post pointed
out that the attempted abduction should be a serious warning to the Biden
administration:
"The message for the Biden administration, which has frequently proclaimed its
intention to defend pro-democracy dissidents, is that Iran and other foreign
dictatorships won't shrink from launching attacks inside the United States
unless deterred....'"
The Iranian regime is not going to change until it has all the world governed
under one Islamist regime -- or until it is stopped. This objective comes as a
part of the theocratic establishment's core revolutionary principle: exporting
its revolution to other countries. As the Islamic Republic's founding Supreme
Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, famously stated:
"We shall export our revolution to the whole world. Until the cry 'There is no
god but Allah' resounds over the whole world, there will be struggle."
The regime's key mission was also incorporated in its constitution, which
states:
"The Constitution provides the necessary basis for ensuring the continuation of
the Revolution at home and abroad. In particular, in the development of
international relations, the Constitution will strive with other Islamic and
popular movements to prepare the way for the formation of a single world
community."
It is shameful that while the Iranian regime is carrying out terrorist plots to
kill innocent people in other countries, the Biden administration and the EU
continue to appease the ruling mullahs and reward the predatory regime of Iran
for its malign behavior at home and abroad with riches, legitimacy, missiles and
the ultimate gift: the nuclear deal, with which it can keep threatening its
neighbors and destabilizing the world.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a business strategist and advisor, Harvard-educated
scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and
president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has
authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at
Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu