English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 19/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2021/english.june19.22.htm

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Bible Quotations For today
Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 14/21-27/:”They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. ‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 18-19/2022
Fathers’ Day: The Holy Gift Of Fatherhood/Fathers on Earth are God’s servants/Elias Bejjani/June 19/2022
The Mapping of Hezbollah’s Military Areas in South Lebanon
UN chief calls on Lebanon to respect Hague court’s verdict on Hariri killing
UN chief urges all to 'respect STL's decision' after latest verdicts
Presidency Information Office: "MTV" Channel's report on the President's wealth is groundless, falls under the misleading...
Maronite bishops issue statement upon conclusion annual retreat in Bkerke
Bukhari receives Derian, Siniora, Heads of Islamic Bodies, MPs
FPM denies talk about imposing conditions to partake in government: There are many false statements
Makhzoumi: Weeding campaign in Horch Beirut following fire outbreak
Mawlawi's Office: Amount spent to secure electricity during elections reached approximately $160,000, not $1.6 million
Miqati hints he's ready to return as PM, rejects 'bargains'
Hamish Cowell appointed as new British ambassador to Lebanon
Salam in response to Bakeries Union: Placing dealers, crisis instigators behind bars is the only solution
UNRWA inaugurates new school in Sidon
LibanPost: Employee well-being is key to excellent customer experience
UK's MENA Director Stephen Hickey ends two-day visit to Lebanon
Democratic Gathering urges productive govt., accuses Aoun of sea border bargaining

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 18-19/2022
Pope Francis: No Christian is exempt from aiding the poor
Saudi crown prince to visit Egypt June 20 on regional tour - sources
Israel warplanes hit Hamas sites in Gaza after rocket fire
Shin Bet: Tehran's Terrorist Cells Are Still at Large Operating in Turkey
Iran Digs a New Tunnel Network to Enrich Uranium
Man Aboard Plane Grounded in Argentina Linked to Iran's Quds Force, Says Paraguay
Iran Fighter Jet Crashes after Engine Fails, Pilots Survive
Britain Must Keep up Support for Kyiv amid ‘Ukraine Fatigue’, Says Johnson
Russian State TV Airs Videos of Two Missing Americans in Ukraine
Ukraine President Praises Troops in Visit to Southern Front Line
Zelensky hails EU backing as intense shelling hits Donbas
Final Polls Cast Doubt on Macron Majority ahead of Weekend Vote
Attack on Sikh Temple in Afghan Capital Kabul Wounds 2
18 Dead in India, Bangladesh Floods; Millions without Homes
Attack on Sikh Temple in Afghan Capital Kabul Wounds 2
Fire at Sinopec Shanghai Petchem Plant Kills One

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 18-19/2022
Iran's Nuclear Program: Where Is the Biden Administration's Plan B?/Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/June 18/2022
The Madrid Summit and the Challenges Facing NATO/Omer Onhon/Asharq Al Awsat/June 18/2022
Is Putin’s War More Like WWI or WWII?/Andreas Kluth/Bloomberg/June 18/2022
America and the Middle East/Hafed Al-Ghwell/Arab News/June 18, 2022
A lot at stake as the EU prepares for historic expansion talks/ Andrew Hammond/Arab News/June 18, 2022

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 18-19/2022
Fathers’ Day: The Holy Gift Of Fatherhood/Fathers on Earth are God’s servants
Elias Bejjani/June 19/2022
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/65390/elias-bejjani-fathers-day-the-holy-gift-of-fatherhood/
“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!” (Lydia M. Child, U.S. Author)
Canadians observe Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June. It is a day for people to show their appreciation for fathers, grandfathers, godfathers and fatherly figures. Father figures may include stepfathers, fathers-in-law, guardians, foster parent, and family friends. Hopefully, all men will have the blessed grace of being fathers. Being a father is a heavenly endowment, a great satisfaction, and a fulfilling Godly obligation as the Holy Bible teaches us: “Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.”
Almighty God has blessed both parents, fathers and mothers and recommended that they be honored, respected, cared for, and obeyed by their children. God’s fifth commandment delineates this heavenly obligation and duty: “”Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which The Lord your God gives you.” (Exodus 20:12 ).
God is our Holy Father, and we all, men and women, are His beloved children. Fathers on Earth are God’s servants who are entrusted by Him to safeguard, raise, embrace, support, provide and teach their children. Meanwhile fathers are required to carry their holy duties in raising their children in the fear of God, with the best of their knowledge, all their resource and means, full devotion and with all required sacrifices.
Fathers are the cornerstone of their families upon which children depend, learn, nurture, hold fast and shape their lives. Caring, devoted and righteous fathers are always given a hand by God and blessed for their rearing and erection of boundaries. Today we are celebrating “Fathers’ Day”, with all those who cherish fathers, appreciate their sacrifices and honor their Godly role. Best wishes to all fathers hoping they will be shown today all the due gratitude from their sons and daughters. On this very special day our deceased fathers’ and mothers’ spirits are roaming around sharing with us our joy and happiness, God bless their souls.
Attitudes of gratitude or ingratitude towards fathers on Fathers’ Day, are very sensitive issues that affect and touch the hearts and minds of many people. These two contradicting attitudes exhibit how much a person is either appreciative or ungrateful. The majority of people hold on dear to their fathers and do all that they can to always show them their great and deeply felt gratitude, while sadly there are those odd ones out who show no gratitude, abandon them and even at times endeavour to ruin their lives and inflict harm and pain on them. By doing so and negating God’s commandments that stress an utmost respect for parents, these people make themselves enemies of Christ Himself. Definitely God will be angry about such condemned conduct. This deviation from all human norms occur because of ignorance, selfishness, lack of faith and hope. These people fall into temptation, become proud of what they should be ashamed of, worship things that belong to this world and forget all about “Judgment Day”.
Colossians 3/20: “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord”.
Leviticus 20/09: “For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him”
Fathers no matter what must be loved, honored, dignified and respected. God Himself is a Father and He will not bless those who deny their fathers’ heavenly right of fatherhood and respect. In this context, Billy Graham says: “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” The Holy Bible in tens of its verses warns and puts on notice all those with callous hearts and numbed conscience who show no gratitude to their fathers and break their hearts.
Isaiah 46:4: “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”
Even when fathers are abandoned by their children and denied their heavenly rights, they never ever hold any grudges, feelings of hatred or hostility against them. No matter what, fathers always wish their children health, prosperity and success. One of our Lebanese deeply rooted sayings portray how fathers constantly feel towards their ungrateful children: ” My heart beats for my son no matter what, while my son’s heart is callous like a rock”. Many verses in the Holy Bible overtly call on the children to treat their parents with love, endurance, affection and utmost care. At the same time the Bible instructs parents to value the Godly delegation to them to raise their children with all means of righteous, protection and provision.
Proverbs 23/22: “Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old”.
Ephesians 06/01-02: “Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. Respect your father and mother is the first commandment that has a promise added: so that all may go well with you, and you may live a long time in the land”.
Many grown-up men and women do not appreciate their parents’ sacrifices unless they themselves have become parents. Back home in Lebanon where the family has always been sacred, we have a saying that shows how important it is in the eyes of the God that parents are always to be respected, honored and loved. “God will not bless or facilitate the life of those who mistreat their parents and He will reply to the parents’ wrath when they ask for punishment for their ungrateful children”. Good, loving , faithful and God-fearing fathers know no hatred, grudges or despair. They remain, always, hopeful and keep on praying to Almighty God that their children, (grateful or ungrateful ) are constantly healthy, prosperous, happy, and successful .
Philippians 04/04-07: “May you always be joyful in your union with the Lord. I say it again: rejoice! Show a gentle attitude toward everyone. The Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.”.
Happy Fathers’ Day to all Fathers.

The Mapping of Hezbollah’s Military Areas in South Lebanon
Alma Research and education centre/June 18/2022
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/109459/%d8%a5%d8%b3%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%a6%d9%8a%d9%84-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b4%d8%b1-%d9%85%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%82%d8%b9-%d8%ad%d8%b2%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%84%d9%87-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b3%d9%83%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%81/
Many areas (zones) throughout South Lebanon are considered Hezbollah military sites. The entrance to these areas is forbidden. Local civilians, UNIFIL forces, and even the Lebanese army are not allowed access to these parts. Some of the areas are very close to villages.
Some of these areas are located near Lebanese army and UNIFIL bases. These areas are used by Hezbollah, in routine and in times of emergency, for training purposes, weapons storage depots, deployment areas, defensive zones, rocket, and missile launching areas, etc.
We have data that includes mapping dozens of such areas in South Lebanon. We will publish the information gradually. For the sake of convenience, we numbered the areas in ascending order.
On June 9, we published the location of zone number 1 near the village of Mansouri, south of Tyre, near the coastline.
The village of Mansouri is known as a Shiite village controlled by Hezbollah.
Near the village of Mansouri, there is another military zone used by Hezbollah, which we numbered as zone number 2
https://israel-alma.org/2022/06/16/the-mapping-of-hezbollahs-military-areas-in-south-lebanon/
https://israel-alma.org/2022/06/16/hezbollah-executive-council-organizations-operating-under-the-education-unit/
https://israel-alma.org/2022/06/15/hezbollah-the-executive-council-the-entities-subject-to-the-social-unit/

UN chief calls on Lebanon to respect Hague court’s verdict on Hariri killing
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/June 18/2022
Iran-backed Hezbollah refuses to hand over three men convicted of involvement in the 2005 suicide blast that killed former prime minister Rafik Hariri
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon last year announced that it will have to shut down, after dealing with outstanding appeals, because of lack of funding
NEW YORK: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on authorities in Beirut to respect the decision of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which on Thursday imposed life sentences on two members of Hezbollah for involvement in the 2005 bombing that claimed the life of former prime minister Rafik Hariri. Hariri was killed on Feb. 14, 2005, by a suicide bomber who targeted his armored convoy on the Beirut waterfront. The blast killed 21 other people and injured 226. The attack triggered nationwide protests that drove Syrian troops out of Lebanon after almost 30 years of military deployment in the country. Salim Ayyash was convicted by the STL in 2020 and sentenced to life imprisonment for his part in the assassination, but the tribunal ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict Habib Merhi and Hussein Oneissi. Prosecutors appealed against the acquittal and in March both men were found guilty.
All three men were tried, convicted and sentenced in their absence. They remain at large and are unlikely to serve any time in jail because Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Iran-backed Hezbollah, does not recognize the authority of the court and refuses to hand them over.
Guterres said his thoughts “are with the victims of the Feb. 14 attack, and their families.” He also expressed his “deep appreciation for the dedication and hard work of the judges and staff involved in this case throughout the years.”
Noting “the independence and impartiality of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,” he called on Lebanese authorities “to respect the decision of the Tribunal.”Farhan Haq, a spokesperson for the UN in New York, told Arab News that the organization “welcomed the progress and the work being done by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and we believe that this is a case where the people of Lebanon deserve justice.”The STL was established at The Hague in the Netherlands in 2009 in line with a UN Security Council resolution. It eventually tried four suspects in absentia, one of whom, Assad Sabra, was acquitted.
Plagued by political issues in Lebanon, the court announced last year that it would have to close after dealing with outstanding appeals because it was running out of funding. This means the trial of Ayyash in a separate case involving three attacks on Lebanese politicians in 2004 and 2005 is unlikely to take place.

UN chief urges all to 'respect STL's decision' after latest verdicts
Naharnet/June 18/2022
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on all parties to “respect the decision” of the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, after the court sentenced two more Hezbollah members to life imprisonment in relation to the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri. “The Secretary-General’s thoughts are with the victims of the 14 February attack, and their families,” his spokesperson said. “The Secretary-General expresses his deep appreciation for the dedication and hard work of the judges and staff involved in this case throughout the years,” the spokesperson added. The Secretary-General also noted “the independence and impartiality of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon” and called upon all parties to “respect the decision of the Tribunal.”STL Prosecutor Norman Farrell has noted that the conviction of Salim Ayyash, Hassan Merhi and Hussein Oneissi should not be “the final step towards accountability,” calling on Hezbollah to hand over its three members to authorities. “It must be remembered that this is not the final step towards accountability. Justice demands that they be arrested. I call on those shielding the three convicted persons from justice to surrender them to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and on the international community to take whatever steps are available to assist in their arrest,” the Prosecutor said.

Presidency Information Office: "MTV" Channel's report on the President's wealth is groundless, falls under the misleading...
NNA/June 18/2022
In an issued statement by the Republic Presidency Information Office this afternoon, it categorically denied a report broadcasted via "MTV" Channel last Thursday, "claiming that President Michel Aoun’s wealth is estimated at one billion & 200 million US dollars." The statement confirmed that the report content is "false and baseless, and falls within the context of the misleading information broadcasted by MTV Channel from time to time, targeting the Presidency of the Republic and the President," noting that "this news was not attributed to any source and came in an ambiguous and distorted context."The statement continued to indicate that these groundless allegations were previously circulated in 2018 and falsely attributed at that time to "Forbes" magazine. It added that another website entitled, Eliteshared, also posted this information without any proven evidence, "which prompted the General Directorate of the Presidency of the Republic at the time to write to the Minister of Justice on September 17, 2018, requesting the Cassation Public Prosecution to conduct investigations regarding the fabricated news, in preparation for taking procedural, fundamental and legal measures against the fabricators."The Presidency statement concluded by stating that "in light of MTV's broadcasting of the same false news without any verified evidence, then resorting to the judiciary once again becomes an obvious step to put an end to such lies."

Maronite bishops issue statement upon conclusion annual retreat in Bkerke
NNA/June 18/2022
Maronite bishops issued a statement Saturday upon the conclusion of their annual retreat in Bkirky which lasted over a week, at the invitation of Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Rahi. The statement called for the cessation of wars, the establishment of peace, and the return of all displaced and displaced persons to their lands and homelands.

Bukhari receives Derian, Siniora, Heads of Islamic Bodies, MPs
NNA/June 18/2022
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Al-Bukhari, received today at his Yarzeh residence the Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul-Latif Derian, accompanied by former PM Fouad Siniora and heads of Islamic bodies in Lebanon.
The visit was a chance to exchange cordial conversations and discuss the latest developments on the Lebanese and regional arenas, in addition to issues of mutual concern. The Saudi Ambassador later conferred with MP Ahmad al-Khair on the prevailing situation at both the domestic and regional levels. MPs Yassin Yassin and Abdel-Aziz al-Samad were also among the Saudi diplomat's visitors for today, with latest hour issues topping their discussions.

FPM denies talk about imposing conditions to partake in government: There are many false statements
NNA/June 18/2022
The "Free Patriotic Movement" indicated, in an issued statement today, that the false talk about demands and conditions groundlessly attributed to FPM with regards to the government dossier has increased in recent days. "The Free Patriotic Movement, which calls for a speedy cabinet formation to be up to the current stage, confirms that it is not communicating at all with any group or party about participating in the government...nor is it connecting with any party or side about demands or conditions by the Movement or its leader in order to partake in any government,” the statement reassured. Therefore, the statement categorically denied all "false, suspicious and predatory talk about pre-conditions and demands" circulated in the media in this regards.

Makhzoumi: Weeding campaign in Horch Beirut following fire outbreak
NNA/June 18/2022
MP Fouad Makhzoumi tweeted today: “After the fires that occurred at Horch Beirut for the second time in 2022, a campaign to weed the forest was launched to avoid more fires, under the patronage of His Excellency the Governor of Beirut, Judge Marwan Abboud, with the participation of the Makhzoumi Foundation and a number of local associations, the Beirut Fire Brigade and Beirut Municipality Guards."

Mawlawi's Office: Amount spent to secure electricity during elections reached approximately $160,000, not $1.6 million
NNA/June 18/2022
Caretaker Interior and Municipalities Minister Bassam Mawlawi's press office clarified in an issued statement this afternoon, that "the amount spent to secure electricity during the parliamentary elections is about $160,000, and not $1.6 million, as it was inadvertently published in one of the articles on the subject."

Miqati hints he's ready to return as PM, rejects 'bargains'
Naharnet/June 18/2022
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati has signaled that he is willing to be re-appointed to his post, in the first such stance since the parliamentary elections.
In remarks at a university graduation ceremony in Tripoli, Miqati called for speeding up the designation of a new premier, warning that Lebanon no longer has the “luxury of time.”Rejecting that “the premiership post and the premier in person be turned into a material for settlements,” Miqati added that he is “ready for public service” while maintaining his “clear national and personal principles.”“Mistaken are those who think that raising the voice and stirring political and journalistic dust in our face can compel us to deviate a single iota from our principles,” Miqati stressed. He also emphasized that he “will not hesitate to reject any attempt to engage us in settlements in which the country has no interest, or in political bargains that contradict with our principles.”

Hamish Cowell appointed as new British ambassador to Lebanon
Naharnet/June 18/2022
Hamish Cowell has been appointed as the new British ambassador to Lebanon, the British embassy said.
Cowell replaces ambassador Ian Collard, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment, the embassy added.
Cowell will take up his appointment during July 2022.
Below are the posts that the new ambassador has occupied throughout his career:
2017 – 2021 Muscat, British Ambassador
2013 – 2017 Tunis, British Ambassador
2012 – 2013 FCO, Head, North Africa Department
2011 – 2012 FCO, Head, Libya Crisis Unit
2010 – 2011 FCO, Private Secretary, Minister of State
2005 – 2009 Paris, First Secretary, later Head, International Policy Team
2004 – 2005 Secondment to Quai d’Orsay
2001 – 2004 UKRep Brussels, First Secretary, Middle East Issues
2000 – 2001 Middle East Research Associate, International Institute for Strategic Studies
2000 10, Downing Street Press Office
1999 – 2000 Foreign Secretary’s Speechwriter
1996 – 1999 Cairo, Head, Political, Economic & Development Sections
1994 – 1996 FCO, Desk Officer, Common Foreign & Security Policy Unit
1992 – 1994 Tehran, Deputy Head of Mission & First Secretary Political
1989 – 1992 Colombo, Second Secretary, Political and Press
1987 – 1988 FCO, Assistant Desk Officer, Iran/Iraq, Middle East Department

Salam in response to Bakeries Union: Placing dealers, crisis instigators behind bars is the only solution
NNA/June 18/2022
Caretaker Minister of Economy and Trade, Amin Salam, tweeted this evening in response to the statement by the Union of Bakeries, assuring that "enough wheat has entered the country to suffice its needs for more than a month," deeming that "placing the instigators of crises behind bars is the only solution." He added: "Embezzling public funds, undermining food security and stealing people's bread constitutes a destabilization of national security, especially in these delicate circumstances."

UNRWA inaugurates new school in Sidon
Naharnet/June 18/2022
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has inaugurated the newly constructed Trilingual UNRWA al-Sakhra Co-educational School at the Mieh Mieh camp in Sidon.
The inauguration was attended by United States Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea, French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo, Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Dabbour, Chairperson of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee (LPDC) Bassel El Hassan, UNRWA Deputy Commissioner-General Leni Stenseth, and the Director of UNRWA Affairs, Lebanon, Claudio Cordone. The inauguration was also attended by Lebanese officials, representatives of the Palestine refugee community in Lebanon, teachers, students and parents.
The UNRWA al-Sakhra Co-educational School was constructed with the co-funding of the governments of the United States of America and France and with the support of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
The new purpose-built school replaces two rented school buildings, ensuring students receive “quality, equitable and inclusive education,” an UNRWA statement said.
The new facility addresses serious challenges with overcrowding, small classrooms, and poor lighting and ventilation, as well as addressing the prior lack of facilities in the rented school buildings by providing science labs, libraries, and large playgrounds.
In the new school, UNRWA is piloting a trilingual Arabic-English-French model of education delivery in line with Lebanon’s multi-lingual context.
“The new co-ed school provides a safe school environment for almost 1,000 Palestine refugee students. It offers students state-of-the-art facilities, including 28 spacious classrooms, a library, a theater, laboratories, and two playgrounds and activities rooms,” UNRWA said.
U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea noted that “whether providing education and health care or emergency assistance for those affected by conflict, UNRWA is a lifeline for vulnerable Palestinians.”
French Ambassador Anne Grillo reiterated “the importance of providing a decent life for Palestine refugees and of supporting UNRWA, in cooperation with its partners, especially in the field of education. It is through education and its access to all children that Lebanon can build its future.”
Palestinian Ambassador Ashraf Dabbour stated, “The construction of this new school compound came as a result of efforts aiming to alleviate the suffering of the Palestine refugees. It was made possible thanks to the cooperation between the PLO and the governments of the United States of America and France. This also stems from our support to our people and our responsibility to ensure that the future Palestinian generations thrive and become the backbone of the independent Palestinian State.”
The Chairperson of LPDC, Dr. Bassel El Hassan, said: "Despite all the difficulties and challenges, we are committed with our partners to building hope, creating optimism, and promoting stability, under the rule of the law and in respect of legitimacy. High quality education is a gateway to development, and development is a gateway to strength, recovery and self-confidence... and all of that is a bridge to justice, right and a better future. The Palestinian camps, the neighboring and host communities deserve all attention, care and support, which the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee is keen to provide, as part of the Lebanese government’s policy towards the Palestinian cause and the refugee issue.”UNRWA Deputy General-Commissioner Leni Stenseth said, “We celebrate today this achievement that will first and foremost improve the learning experience of our students. This Trilingual school is a new example of the Agency’s continued investments in expanding human development and opportunities for Palestine refugees. A good school environment is a key component in providing refugee children with quality, equitable, and inclusive basic education. I express sincere thanks and appreciation to the United States, France, and the PLO for this generous donation, which once again reaffirms their commitment and support to UNRWA and Palestine refugee children in Lebanon.”The United States and France are among the largest donors to UNRWA. In 2021, the United States government contributed US$ 338.4 million to UNRWA and the French government donated EUR 23.55 million. “It is thanks to the enduring support of donors like the United States and France that UNRWA continues to provide lifesaving humanitarian services to Palestine refugees,” the agency said.

LibanPost: Employee well-being is key to excellent customer experience
Naharnet/June 18/2022
The Universal Postal Union has published on its website a LibanPost statement about the company’s efforts to achieve the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
Below is the statement’s full text as published by UPU:
“LibanPost: Employee well-being is key to excellent customer experience
At the time when Posts around the world had to adapt to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, LibanPost, in addition to this, was faced with an unprecedented economic and financial collapse, exacerbated by the devastating effects of the Beirut Port blast – one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in the world history. In 2022, the effects of these crises persist. The currency plummet, financial meltdown and political deadlock are all having far-reaching negative impacts on people’s lives and well-being. At LibanPost, over these past years, employees’ well-being and a conducive work environment have been the focus of the management’s policies. With limited means, the Post’s leadership nevertheless made all possible efforts to ameliorate conditions for its staff and address, as much as possible, their increasing financial needs triggered by inflating living expenses and transport costs.
Despite all those economic, financial and social challenges, LibanPost initiated small gestures in order to create a healthy workplace for its employees and help them confront these difficulties.
Some of the uncostly measures to improve the staff’s morale and well-being were related to the working schedule and included: cancelling presence on weekends, implementing the work-from-home policy, creating opportunities for employees to access the nearest Post branch to reduce fuel cost, and introducing for the first time a special schedule for the three summer months to uplift employees’ spirit and increase productivity. On occasions like Mother’s and Father’s days, one day off was granted to postal employees to greet their mothers and fathers and spend time with their families. Believing that employees' well-being is incredibly important, in the longer term, LibanPost adopted this focus as a core element of its strategy meant to strengthen the organizational culture, improve morale, boost motivation and reduce absenteeism.
Having chosen to focus on simple acts that would lead to substantial changes without affecting the budget, the Post implemented several initiatives that played a key role in increasing loyalty and sense of belonging among its employees.
Thus, regular site visits were organized by the executive management to meet people, listen to their concerns, check their work conditions, spread positive vibes, and ease their anxiety. A new organizational set up was created to empower employees with high potential through increasing their involvement, and pushing them to be more creative and innovate for business improvement. These efforts were further strengthened through a whole complex of related measures, like conducting one-to-one meetings with heads of departments to identify potential promotion cases, reviewing grading structure, re-designing organizational structure to create more opportunities for career growth, improving incentive schemes and allowances, and building a new salary scheme to meet market range and be able to retain key people. As part of its corporate social responsibility agenda, LibanPost partnered with the Empowering Young Women Association to introduce new canteen services, thereby supporting young Lebanese women while providing healthy homemade Lebanese and Mediterranean menus to the postal staff at reasonable prices. With this people-centred approach resulting in a higher customer satisfaction, LibanPost believes that a good human experience starts with a happy employee.”

UK's MENA Director Stephen Hickey ends two-day visit to Lebanon
Naharnet/June 18/2022
Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Stephen Hickey, has concluded a two-day visit to Lebanon. He met with senior Lebanese officials, local experts, international partners and visited projects funded by the UK supporting the most vulnerable people in Lebanon. Hickey, accompanied by British Ambassador to Lebanon Ian Collard, held meetings with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib.“Discussions focused on the latest developments in the country and the UK’s support to the people of Lebanon,” the British embassy said in a statement.
At Hona Beirut Café, an initiative led by March Lebanon NGO funded by the UK’s Conflict Stability and Security Fund, he met with a group of young people from marginalized areas in Tripoli and Beirut. The program has helped transform their futures to become “agents of change, delivering community service projects through skills training, professional capacity building and psycho-social support,” the statement said. Hickey also met with senior, NGO and donor development and humanitarian partners working on Lebanon for an overview of the severe challenges the country is going through and the impact on vulnerable communities in particular. And he had a discussion with former recipients of the UK Government’s prestigious Chevening scholarships program. At the end of his visit, Hickey said: “I come at a time when Lebanon is going through an unprecedented economic crisis that is hugely impacting its people. What needs to be done is clear. Lebanon’s leadership must act immediately by implementing urgent reforms including the conclusion of an IMF deal. The UK stands ready to help but first we must see actions by Lebanon’s politicians. Without that, Lebanon cannot stand on its feet and regain the trust of the international community.”“I also had the privilege of meeting a group of our Chevening Alumni who are doing amazing work across different fields for the good of their country. At Hona Beirut Café, it was rewarding to hear the positive impact our project is having on the lives of young people and to hear their concerns, aspirations and hopes for a better Lebanon,” he added. Hickey also stressed that the UK “will continue to be a friend to the people of Lebanon, and particularly its most vulnerable, including refugees.”

Democratic Gathering urges productive govt., accuses Aoun of sea border bargaining
Naharnet/June 18/2022
The parliamentary bloc of the Progressive Socialist Party, known as the Democratic Gathering, on Friday called for forming a new government as soon as possible and said it discussed “the characteristics that the PM-designate should enjoy.”In a statement issued after a meeting in Clemenceau, the bloc called for “a serious discussion of the shape of the government” and said it should be “a government of production and serious action.”It added that the new government will have to “implement the necessary reforms, continue the course of the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, and confront the financial, social and economic crisis and its dangerous social impact on citizens, something that the current government has unfortunately failed to achieve.”The bloc also said that it rejects “any attempt to re-raise the heresy called one-third-plus-one veto share” and called for putting an end to “the principle of sovereign and non-sovereign ministerial portfolios,” stressing that “all portfolios should be allowed for the representatives of all components, away from the monopolization policy that has so far been adopted.”Turning to the issue of Lebanon’s maritime border dispute with Israel, the bloc criticized that Lebanon has offered the U.S. mediator a “verbal rather than a written response,” adding that such a move “raises questions over the truth of what’s happening and the absence of transparency in the official approach towards this sovereign and national file.”Accusing some forces of “trading with Lebanon’s resources for personal motives,” the bloc said the Presidency has refused to sign the decree adopting the so-called maritime Line 29 as Lebanon’s official border for the sake of “personal calculations that have nothing to do with the national interest.”

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 18-19/2022
Pope Francis: No Christian is exempt from aiding the poor
CNA/June 18/2022
In his message for the 2022 World Day of the Poor, published on June 14, the Pope said that the worst thing that can happen to a Christian community is to be “dazzled by the idol of wealth, which ends up chaining us to an ephemeral and bankrupt vision of life.”“Where the poor are concerned, it is not talk that matters; what matters is rolling up our sleeves and putting our faith into practice through a direct involvement, one that cannot be delegated,” Pope Francis said. “No one must say that they cannot be close to the poor because their own lifestyle demands more attention to other areas. This is an excuse commonly heard in academic, business or professional, and even ecclesial circles. None of us can think we are exempt from concern for the poor and for social justice,” he added. The pope underlined that it is not a question of approaching the poor with “a welfare mentality,” but of ensuring that no one lacks what is necessary. He warned Catholics against laxity and inconsistent behavior with regard to the poor. He said: “At times ... a kind of laxity can creep in and lead to inconsistent behavior, including indifference about the poor. It also happens that some Christians, out of excessive attachment to money, remain mired in a poor use of their goods and wealth. These situations reveal a weak faith and feeble, myopic hope.” Pope Francis established the World Day of the Poor in 2016 at the end of the Church’s Jubilee Year of Mercy. The day is celebrated each year on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, a week before the feast of Christ the King. The 6th World Day of the Poor will be celebrated on Nov. 13 with the theme “for your sakes Christ became poor,” inspired by 2 Corinthians 8:9. In the message, signed on the June 13 feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, the pope made a distinction between poverty that humiliates, in which people live in squalor, and Christian poverty that sets people free and brings peace. “Jesus’ words are clear: if we want life to triumph over death, and dignity to be redeemed from injustice, we need to follow Christ’s path of poverty, sharing our lives out of love, breaking the bread of our daily existence with our brothers and sisters, beginning with the least of them, those who lack the very essentials of life,” he said. “This is the way to create equality, to free the poor from their misery and the rich from their vanity, and both from despair.”At a press conference on June 14, Archbishop Rino Fisichella highlighted some Vatican initiatives to help aid the poor in coordination with the World Day of the Poor. He said that 500 families received assistance with rent, insurance, gas, electricity, and water bills thanks in part to the Italian financial services company UnipolSai, and that tons of basic food supplies were distributed thanks to the generous collaboration of local supermarkets in the Diocese of Rome. In his message for the World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis also raised the question of what more can be done to help the millions of people living in war-torn Ukraine and other conflict zones. “What great poverty is produced by the senselessness of war,” he said. “Millions of women, children, and elderly people are being forced to brave the danger of bombs just to find safety by seeking refuge as displaced persons in neighboring countries. How many others remain in the war zones, living each day with fear and the lack of food, water, medical care, and above all human affections?”“How can we respond adequately to this situation, and to bring relief and peace to all these people in the grip of uncertainty and instability?” he asked. ---

Saudi crown prince to visit Egypt June 20 on regional tour - sources
CAIRO (Reuters)/June 18/2022
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will visit Egypt on June 20 as part of a regional tour that includes stops in Jordan and Turkey, two diplomatic sources said on Saturday. Prince Mohammed will meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss issues including the impact of the war in Ukraine on the region, and preparations for U.S. President Joe Biden's trip to Saudi Arabia next month, the sources said. Saudi authorities did not respond to a request for comment about Prince Mohammed's tour. Saudi Arabia is a close ally of Egypt, and has provided Cairo with extensive financial support since Sisi came to power. As portfolio investors pulled money from Egypt and the government faced rising commodity prices in knock-on effects at the start of the Ukraine war, Saudi Arabia deposited $5 billion in Egypt's central bank.The Saudi-based ITFC has provided Egypt with new financing for commodity imports and Egypt's government has said cooperation with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund will result in $10 billion in investments. Prince Mohammed is due to visit Turkey on June 22.
(Reporting by Mohamed Waly, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by John Stonestreet and Frances Kerry)

Israel warplanes hit Hamas sites in Gaza after rocket fire
Agence France Presse/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
Israeli air strikes hit Hamas military sites in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in response to rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave run by the Islamist movement, the Israeli army said. "A short while ago, in response to the rocket attack, (Israeli military) aircraft struck a number of Hamas terror targets in the Gaza Strip," the army said in a statement. The strikes came after Hamas "launched a rocket... toward Israeli civilians in southern Israel", it said, adding the projectile was intercepted by Israel's air defenses. The Israeli "aircraft targeted a weapons manufacturing site located inside a Hamas military post and an additional three military posts belonging to Hamas," the statement said. Balls of flame shot into the air, leaving dark smoke drifting over the territory, after the strikes. The army said hours earlier that air raid sirens were sounded in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon and in areas near the blockaded Gaza Strip. The exchange came after three Palestinians were killed and 12 others wounded on Friday during an Israeli army raid in Jenin, a stronghold of armed Palestinian factions in the occupied West Bank. The men were killed when Israeli forces opened fire on a vehicle in which they were, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said.
Israel's army said soldiers had come under fire during an operation to search for weapons. One of the dead was a Hamas commander, the group said, vowing that the killings "will not go unpunished". In April, Israeli warplanes also hit Gaza after incoming rocket fire. The Hamas-controlled Gaza coastal enclave of 2.3 million people has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007. That exchange came after nearly a month of deadly violence focused on Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, the third holiest site in Islam.
Last year, Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war triggered in part by unrest over the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, the most holy site for Jews, who call it the Temple Mount. Israel occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognized by most of the international community.

Shin Bet: Tehran's Terrorist Cells Are Still at Large Operating in Turkey
Tel Aviv- Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
Israel’s intelligence agency (Shin Bet) denied claims that Iranian armed cells seeking to attack Israeli tourists on Turkish soil had been arrested, explaining that there are still cells roaming freely in Istanbul, other cities, and tourist facilities in Turkey.
Israeli intelligence said that what complicates the situation for Turkish intelligence is that during investigations with detainees in this case, it became clear that the members of the armed network are not all Iranians, but rather have some Turkish individuals among them. A security official told Israeli media on Friday that Iranians were able to recruit and train a number of Turkish citizens in the operations.
The official said the detainees admitted to planning to carry out shooting attacks on Israeli tourists in Turkey. They were also plotting to kidnap Israelis on the outskirts of cities. “Despite the arrest of quite a few suspects, there is a conviction in Ankara and Tel Aviv that there are still activists in these cells roaming freely and seeking to hunt down Israelis,” the official added. Israel’s National Security Council in recent days has issued a travel advisory to Turkey and asked Israelis already there to return immediately. Channel 12 quoted officials saying that Israeli agents were in Turkey working shoulder to shoulder with their Turkish counterparts in an effort to thwart the attacks, noting the excellent cooperation with local officials. In the past few days several Iranian cells were caught by Turkish authorities, Haaretz cited Israeli sources. They said Iranian teams are still at large in Turkey. Several attacks were thwarted in the past two weeks, some by Iranian agents and some by locals under Iranian directives, Channel 12 news reported without naming a source for the information. No arrests were announced. On Monday, the National Security Council raised the warning level for travel to Istanbul, putting it alongside Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Iran as places that Israelis must leave immediately and may not visit. The authority said it raised the warning level amid “continuing threats and Iranian intentions to harm Israelis in Turkey, with an emphasis on Istanbul.” Other parts of Turkey remained at a slightly lower warning level, with recommendations to avoid visiting the country for nonessential reasons.

Iran Digs a New Tunnel Network to Enrich Uranium
Washington - London - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
Israeli and American intelligence officials said Iran is digging a vast tunnel network south of the Natanz nuclear production site, in what they believe is Tehran’s biggest effort to construct new nuclear facilities so deep in the mountains that withstand bunker-busting bombs and cyberattack, the New York Times revealed Friday. It said that although the construction is evident on satellite photographs and has been monitored by groups that track the proliferation of new nuclear facilities, Biden administration officials have never talked about it in public and Israel’s defense minister Benny Gantz has mentioned it just once, in a single sentence in a speech last month. The NYT also said that in interviews with national security officials in both nations, there clearly were differing interpretations of exactly how the Iranians may intend to use the site, and even how urgent a threat it poses. “By most accounts, Iran is closer to being able to produce a bomb today than at any other point in the two-decade-long saga of its nuclear program — even if it is planning, as many national security officials believe, to stop just short of producing an actual weapon,” the newspaper wrote. And while US President Joe Biden prepares to travel to the Middle East next month, some argue that the conflict over Iran’s nuclear program is about to flare again. Therefore, on Biden’s trip, the question of taking more extreme measures to stop Iran will be high on the agenda. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Tehran is just weeks away from being able to enrich enough bomb-grade fuel to make a single nuclear bomb although fashioning that into a usable weapon could take at least another two years. According to NYT, Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. said Tehran, at least in the short term, was trying to leverage its nuclear capabilities as it negotiates with the United States. “The Iranians’ highest priority is using the nuclear threat to gain concessions, economic and otherwise,” he stressed.
However, the newspaper wrote that the facility could eventually prove critical to Iran if the Biden administration’s efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement continue to run into roadblocks, adding that for now efforts to re-impose limits on Iran’s nuclear actions appear all but dead. It said that currently, the Iranians are looking for new pressure points, including the excavation of the mountain plant near Natanz. Over the past week, Iranian authorities have switched off 27 cameras that gave inspectors a view into Iran’s production of fuel, a decision that was particularly worrisome to Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations agency responsible for nuclear inspections. Experts believe that Tehran is getting to the point of becoming what Robert Litwak, who has written extensively on the Iranian program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, called a “nuclear threshold state whose uranium enrichment program creates an inherent option to produce nuclear weapons,” without actually taking the last step. Meanwhile, an article published by the Foreign Affairs magazine on Friday said that last month, Iran's nuclear program entered dangerous new territory: Tehran now possesses enough highly enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb. It said Tehran currently has enough uranium to begin producing a nuclear bomb. “That material, enriched to 60 percent, would need to be further enriched to roughly 90 percent—so-called weapons-grade uranium—before it could be used in a nuclear weapon,” the article said. According to the magazine, that process, known as “breakout,” will now take just weeks due to Iran’s advances since 2019, when Tehran began casting off the constraints of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal following the US withdrawal from the agreement. It said that although this action alone would not give Iran a bomb, it is the most important step in building one. Foreign Affairs’ article warned that the consequences of this milestone are profound. It said the international community has had months, if not years, to prevent any Iranian dash to bomb-grade material—plenty of time to resolve the crisis diplomatically. “Should that fail, the United States has always kept military options as a last resort. Indeed, this fact has helped deter Iran from trying to build a bomb,” the article wrote. But as US envoy Robert Malley noted last month, Iran’s capabilities have reached the point where Tehran “could potentially produce enough fuel for a bomb before we could know it, let alone stop it,” the article concluded.

Man Aboard Plane Grounded in Argentina Linked to Iran's Quds Force, Says Paraguay
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
One of the men aboard a plane grounded near Buenos Aires has ties to Iran's Quds Force, Paraguay's intelligence chief said Friday, despite claims by Argentina that no evidence links the case to Tehran's overseas intelligence. Intelligence chief Esteban Aquino told AFP that Captain Gholamreza Ghasemi did not merely share a name with a member of the Force -- an arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards which is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States -- but is in fact the same man. Argentine Minister of Security Anibal Fernandez responded Friday that while the Paraguayan official "has his right to say whatever he wants... I'm not going to talk about conjecture.""We abide by due process. And according to the official documentation, there is no specific relationship with terrorist organizations, according to all the databases," Fernandez told AM750 radio. The Boeing 747 cargo plane, reportedly carrying car parts, has been held at an Argentine airport since Wednesday last week, with its 14 Venezuelan and five Iranian crew members prevented from leaving the country pending an investigation. On Monday, Argentine officials raised suspicions of a link between the flight and the Revolutionary Guards. The plane arrived in Argentina from Mexico on June 6, before trying to fly to Uruguay two days later, where it was refused entry. Uruguay's Interior Minister Luis Alberto Heber said Tuesday the country had been responding to a "formal warning from Paraguayan intelligence." It then returned to Argentina where it has been grounded ever since. The plane belongs to Emtrasur, a subsidiary of Venezuela's Conviasa, which is under US sanctions. Paraguay on Tuesday said it had information that seven crew on the plane, which stopped in the country in May, were Quds Force members. Iran has said the plane was sold to a Venezuelan company by Tehran's Mahan Air last year. The United States has accused Mahan Air of links to the Revolutionary Guards.

Iran Fighter Jet Crashes after Engine Fails, Pilots Survive
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
An Iranian fighter plane crashed near the central city of Isfahan on Saturday after its engine failed, but both pilots survived, media reported. The pilots were taken to a local hospital, the official IRNA news agency said. It said there was a technical failure in the engine of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat that led to the crash. A clip by the agency showed columns of smoke billowing from the remains of the aircraft in a desert area. Iran’s air force has an assortment of US-made military aircraft purchased before the 1979 revolution and the Tomcat F-14 is American-made. It also has Russian-made MiG and Sukhoi planes. Decades of Western sanctions have made it hard to obtain spare parts and maintain the aging aircraft. Iran has a history of similar crashes among its faltering fleet. In May a fighter jet crashed in the central desert of Iran, killing both pilots. In February, a fighter jet plunged into a soccer field in the country’s northwestern city of Tabriz, killing both pilots and a civilian.

Britain Must Keep up Support for Kyiv amid ‘Ukraine Fatigue’, Says Johnson
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
It is important Britain continues to show it is supporting Ukraine for the long haul, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday, warning of a risk of "Ukraine fatigue" as the war drags on. "The Russians are grinding forward inch by inch and it is vital for us to show what we know to be true which is that Ukraine can win and will win," Johnson told reporters on his arrival back in Britain from a visit to Kyiv. Some members of his Conservative Party had criticized him for making the trip instead of attending a conference in northern England. "When Ukraine fatigue is setting in, it is very important to show that we are with them for the long haul and we are giving them the strategic resilience that they need," Johnson said.

Russian State TV Airs Videos of Two Missing Americans in Ukraine
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
A Russian state TV channel aired videos on social media of two Americans who went missing last week while fighting alongside the Ukrainian army, stating they had been captured by Russian forces. United States President Joe Biden had said earlier Friday he did not know the whereabouts of Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, both US military veterans whose relatives lost contact with the pair, said AFP. The missing Americans -- including a third identified as a former US Marines captain -- are believed to be part of an unknown number of mostly military veterans who have joined other foreigners to volunteer alongside Ukrainian troops. On Friday evening, Russian journalist Roman Kosarev -- who works with state TV RT channel -- posted a video on messaging platform Telegram of Drueke speaking facing the camera. "Mom, I just want to let you know that I'm alive and I hope to be back home as soon as I can be," said Drueke, who was seated in what appeared to be an office and dressed in military fatigues. "Love Diesel for me, love you," he said, concluding his brief video with a quick wink. Reports in the US say Diesel was Drueke's dog. RT's official Telegram channel also posted an interview with Huynh, in which he said the duo had been "engaged in combat with Russian troops" near Ukraine's flashpoint Kharkiv area. After the pair retreated and hid for hours, they surrendered themselves to Russian troops, Huynh said. The pair were also filmed in separate RT videos -- directly facing a camera angled from above -- saying "I'm against the war", in poor Russian. The circumstances under which the two men were speaking were not fully clear, nor who specifically was holding them. A US State Department spokesperson on Saturday confirmed American authorities had seen the photos and videos of the two US citizens "reportedly captured by Russia's military forces in Ukraine". "We are closely monitoring the situation and our hearts go out to their families during this difficult time," the spokesperson told AFP. During a White House briefing on Friday, Biden urged US citizens not to go to Ukraine. "Americans should not be going to Ukraine now. I'll say it again: Americans should not be going to Ukraine," he said. The Russian proxy authorities in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, a Moscow-controlled swath of eastern Ukraine, have sentenced to death two British men and a Moroccan captured earlier in fighting.

Ukraine President Praises Troops in Visit to Southern Front Line
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has paid another visit to troops on the front lines of Ukraine's war against Russia, praising soldiers holding forward positions as brave and hard-working and vowing the country will prevail. A video posted to Zelenskiy's official Telegram account on Saturday showed the president in his trademark khaki t-shirt, handing out medals and posing for selfies with the troops in what appeared to be an underground shelter in the southern Mykolaiv region. The president's office did not say when he made his latest trip to see troops. "Our brave men and women. Each one of them is working flat out," Zelenskiy said in the video. "We will definitely hold out! We will definitely win!" Zelenskiy has remained mostly in Kyiv since Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. But in recent weeks he has made unannounced visits to the northeastern city of Kharkiv, where there had earlier been heavy fighting, and to two eastern cities close to where battles are being fought. There is also fighting on the eastern and southern edges of the Mykolaiv region in south Ukraine. Zelenskiy's office said the president also visited the regional capital Mykolaiv and inspected its destroyed administration building, where 37 people were killed in late March when a missile blasted through the building. Russian forces reached the outskirts of Mykolaiv in early March but were driven back. He also visited a hospital in Mykolaiv and awarded honors for bravery to Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych and Governor Vitaliy Kim for their work during the four months of Russia's invasion, his office said in separate statements. His office underscored the strategic importance of the territory, which borders the Russia-occupied Kherson region. "Mykolaiv region is a bridgehead for liberation of the Kherson region, which is a goal for every one of us," said Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak on Telegram. His office later said Zelenskiy had also visited National Guard positions in Odesa region, where he thanked the troops for their service, saying "As long as you live, there is a strong Ukrainian wall that protects our country." Moscow says it is engaged in a "special military operation" to disarm its neighbor. Ukraine and its allies say Moscow has launched an unprovoked war of aggression, killing thousands of civilians and flattening cities.

Zelensky hails EU backing as intense shelling hits Donbas
Agence France Presse/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed Brussels' support for Ukraine's European Union bid a historic achievement, as his country's eastern Donbas region faced intense Russian shelling. Brussels spearheaded a powerful show of European solidarity on Friday by backing Kyiv's bid for EU candidate status, an endorsement that could add Ukraine to the list of countries vying for membership as early as next week. The European Commission is set to meet at their Brussels summit on Thursday with all 27 leaders already backing Kyiv’s candidacy and the heads of the bloc's biggest members -- France, Germany and Italy -- giving full-throated support to the idea. Even though EU membership could still be years away, Zelensky called the decision a "historic achievement." "Ukrainian institutions maintain resilience even in conditions of war. Ukrainian democratic habits have not lost their power even now," Zelensky said in a video address. His comments came as powerful shelling struck the country's Donbas region – large parts of which have been occupied by Russian troops – sparking a humanitarian catastrophe that "continues to deteriorate rapidly," according to the UNOCHA. Hundreds of people are trapped in makeshift bomb shelters in the key city of Severodonetsk, which is in the Lugansk region, including at the besieged Azot chemical plant, governor Sergiy Gaiday said. "It is now impossible and physically dangerous to get out of the plant due to constant shelling and fighting. There are 568 people in the shelter, including 38 children," he said. Gaiday said this week that around 10,000 civilians remained in the city, which is controlled mostly by Russian forces. The Ukrainian army said on Saturday there was continuous "fire from artillery and rocket-propelled grenade launchers at the positions of our troops and civilian infrastructure". Russian forces also launched missile strikes on Ukraine's largest oil refinery on Saturday, according to the regional governor in the central Poltava region. "Kremenchuk (oil refinery) is again under enemy strike. Between 6 and 8 Russian missiles hit refineries and other infrastructure," Dmytro Lunin said in a Telegram message. In the city of Lysychansk, also in Donbas and the target of Russian shelling, residents were preparing to be evacuated. "We're abandoning everything and going. No one can survive such a strike," said history teacher Alla Bor, waiting with her son-in-law Volodymyr and 14-year-old grandson.
"We are abandoning everything, we are leaving our house. We left our dog with food. It's inhumane but what can you do?" Russian state television also aired social media videos of two U.S. military veterans who went missing last week while fighting alongside the Ukrainian army, stating they had been captured by Russian forces.
On Friday, United States President Joe Biden had said he did not know the whereabouts of lexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, after their relatives lost contact with the pair. The missing Americans -- including a third identified as a former US Marines captain -- are believed to be part of an unknown number of mostly military veterans who have joined other foreigners to volunteer alongside Ukrainian troops. 'Nothing against' Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had "nothing against" Ukraine joining the EU, saying it was "their sovereign decision to join economic unions or not" -- unlike the security risk he sees in Kyiv joining NATO. But he said European Union membership would turn Ukraine into a "semi-colony" of the West. On Friday, the European Commission gave formal backing to the bid, and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen made her position clear by donning a striking jacket in Ukraine's national colors.
"We all know that Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective. We want them to live with us for the European dream," she said. Once Ukraine joins the EU candidates' list -- alongside several countries in the western Balkans -- it could still take years to meet all the formal membership requirements, even if Kyiv prevails in the war.
Energy crisis
Moscow has turned up the pressure on Western allies by sharply reducing flows of natural gas in its pipelines to western Europe, driving up energy prices. France's network provider said it had not received any Russian gas by pipeline from Germany since June 15, and Italy's Eni said it expected Russian firm Gazprom to cut its supplies by half on Friday. Several European countries, including Italy and Germany, are highly reliant upon Russian gas for their energy needs. Berlin and Rome have rejected Russia's argument that technical issues have caused the drop in supplies, arguing that state-owned Gazprom's move is political. But western Europe is sweltering in a heatwave and energy prices are already soaring, adding to runaway inflation and triggering industrial action in several economies. Separately, Zelensky announced an end to the visa-free travel that Russian citizens, many of whom have Ukrainian relatives, have enjoyed since Ukraine became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Final Polls Cast Doubt on Macron Majority ahead of Weekend Vote
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
A final flurry of polls on Friday ahead of French parliamentary elections this weekend suggested President Emmanuel Macron's allies would emerge as the biggest party in the new national assembly but possibly short of a majority. The surveys from the Elabe, Ifop-Fiducial and Ipsos polling companies indicated Macron's "Ensemble" (Together) coalition was on track for 255-305 seats on Sunday, uncertain of securing the 289 needed for a majority, AFP reported. The figures indicated that voting intentions have remained largely unchanged since the first round of voting last weekend despite energetic campaigning by a new leftwing alliance, NUPES, that is promising to thwart Macron's plans. "The vote is extremely open and it would be improper to say that things are settled one way or the other," NUPES leader Jean-Luc Melenchon told reporters on Friday as he campaigned in Paris with his EELV green party allies. The 70-year-old former Trotskyist has not given up on his objective of a securing a majority and being named prime minister, enabling him to block Macron's plans to cut taxes, reform welfare and raise the retirement age. Forecasting the parliamentary elections in 577 constituencies is seen as a challenging task for polling firms and they have a mixed record. NUPES candidates will need working-class and young voters to head to the polls in large numbers to stand any chance on Sunday after they abstained at record levels last weekend. Friday's surveys suggested they were on track for 140-200 seats.
Ukraine
Friday was the last day of legal campaigning, with all political activity banned from midnight and Saturday a day of calm before voting gets under way. Macron returned home from a trip to Kyiv on Thursday, hoping that his trip to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky along with the leaders of Germany, Italy and Romania will help remind voters of his foreign policy credentials. "It was work for Europe, for our continent and French people," he told BFM television while travelling back. "Because I don't want this war to spread, and because this war is affecting our daily lives: in the price of things, geopolitical disorder, and it is going to affect us over the longterm."
Melenchon's allies have slammed Macron's trip, accusing him of using the Ukraine crisis to grandstand instead of addressing everyday French concerns including soaring inflation. They pointed to a record heatwave that has struck France this week as another reason to reject the 44-year-old president, who they see as doing too little to combat climate change. "If you don't want to live episodes like this over and over again and that it becomes the norm, get rid of this government," the head of the EELV green party, Julien Bayou, said Friday. Martin Quencez, a research fellow at the German Marshall Fund, said it would be crucial for Macron to mobilise right-wing voters to have any hopes of a majority on Sunday. "If you compare the first round of presidential elections to the first round of the parliamentary elections, you find that Macron has lost about four million voters," he said.
Caricature?
The first round of the election on June 12 painted an inconclusive picture, with Ensemble and NUPES neck-and-neck on around 26 percent of the popular vote each. Just five MPs -- four from NUPES and one from Together -- were elected outright in the first round, leaving all to play for in Sunday's run-off voting. Turnout in the first round was a record low of 47.5 percent. Macron and his allies have increasingly sought to portray Melenchon as an economic danger to the country, pointing to his plans for nationalizations as well as major hikes to the minimum wage and public spending. Senior MP Christophe Castaner has accused the former Trotskyist of wanting a "Soviet revolution", while Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has called him a "French Chavez" in reference to late Venezuelan autocrat Hugo Chavez. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Wednesday dismissed NUPES as "the alliance of circumstance" hiding Melenchon's "extreme vision" that is "dangerous for our economy". But Manon Aubry, a European deputy for Melenchon's party, accused Borne of "coming up with one lie after another". French daily Le Monde wrote Thursday that the campaign since the first round had descended into "caricature... rather than discussing the serious issues of the moment".

Attack on Sikh Temple in Afghan Capital Kabul Wounds 2
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
At least two people were wounded in an attack on a Sikh temple in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday morning, officials said. "There were around 30 people inside the temple. We don't know how many of them are alive or how many dead. The Taliban are not allowing us to go inside, we don't know what to do," the temple official, Gornam Singh, told Reuters. A Taliban interior spokesman said two were injured after attackers attempted to drive a car laden with explosives into the area. The vehicle detonated before reaching its target, and Taliban authorities were securing the site, he said. It was not immediately clear who was behind the blast.
Local broadcaster Tolo aired footage showing heavy grey fumes of smoke rising from the area. Afghanistan's Taliban rulers say they have secured the country since taking power in August, but international officials and analysts say the risk of a resurgence in militancy remains. Multiple attacks have taken place in recent months, with some claimed by the ISIS militant group. Sikhs are a tiny religious minority in largely Muslim Afghanistan, comprising around 300 family members before the fall of the country to the Taliban. Many had left the country in the wake of the takeover, according to community members and media reports. The Sikh community, like other religious minorities, has been the continual target of violence in Afghanistan. An attack claimed by ISIS at another temple in Kabul in 2020 killed 25. India's foreign ministry was "deeply concerned" about reports of the attack. "We are closely monitoring the situation and waiting for further details on the unfolding developments," foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said in a statement. Saturday's explosion follows a blast on Friday in the northern city of Kunduz at a mosque that killed one and injured two, according to authorities.

18 Dead in India, Bangladesh Floods; Millions without Homes
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
At least 18 people died as floods cut a swatch across northeastern India and Bangladesh, leaving millions of homes underwater, authorities said Saturday. In India's Assam state, at least nine people died in the floods and two million others saw their homes submerged in floodwaters, according to the state disaster management agency. Lightning in parts of Bangladesh killed nine people on Friday. Both countries have asked the military to help with the severe flooding, which could worsen because rains are expected to continue over the weekend. The Brahmaputra, one of Asia’s largest rivers, breached its mud embankments, inundating 3,000 villages and croplands in 28 of Assam’s 33 districts. "We expect moderate to heavy rainfall in several parts of Assam till Sunday. The volume of rainfall has been unprecedented," said Sanjay O’Neil, an official at the meteorological station in Gauhati, Assam’s capital. Several train services were cancelled in India amid incessant rains over the past five days. In southern Assam’s Haflong town, the railway station was under water and flooded rivers deposited mud and silt along the rail tracks. India's army has been asked to help other disaster response agencies rescue stranded people and provide food and essentials to those whose houses are submerged under floodwaters. "We are using speedboats and inflatable rafts to rescue flood-hit people," an army official said. In Bangladesh, districts near the Indian border have been worst affected.
Water levels in all major rivers across the country were rising, according to the flood forecasting and warning center in Dhaka, the nation’s capital. The country has about 130 rivers. The center said the flood situation is likely to deteriorate in the worst-hit Sunamganj and Sylhet districts in the northeastern region as well as in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Rangpur districts in northern Bangladesh. Flight operations at the Osmani International Airport in Sylhet have been suspended for three days as floodwaters have almost reached the runway, according to Hafiz Ahmed, the airport manager. Last month, a pre-monsoon flash flood, triggered by an onrush of water from upstream in India’s northeastern states, hit Bangladesh’s northern and northeastern regions, destroying crops and damaging homes and roads. The country was just starting to recover from that shock when fresh rains flooded the same areas again this week. Bangladesh, a nation of 160 million people, is low-lying and faces threats from climate change-related natural disasters such as floods and cyclones. According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, about 17% of people in Bangladesh would need to be relocated over the next decade or so if global warming persists at the present rate.

Attack on Sikh Temple in Afghan Capital Kabul Wounds 2
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
At least two people were wounded in an attack on a Sikh temple in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday morning, officials said. "There were around 30 people inside the temple. We don't know how many of them are alive or how many dead. The Taliban are not allowing us to go inside, we don't know what to do," the temple official, Gornam Singh, told Reuters. A Taliban interior spokesman said two were injured after attackers attempted to drive a car laden with explosives into the area. The vehicle detonated before reaching its target, and Taliban authorities were securing the site, he said. It was not immediately clear who was behind the blast. Local broadcaster Tolo aired footage showing heavy grey fumes of smoke rising from the area. Afghanistan's Taliban rulers say they have secured the country since taking power in August, but international officials and analysts say the risk of a resurgence in militancy remains. Multiple attacks have taken place in recent months, with some claimed by the ISIS militant group. Sikhs are a tiny religious minority in largely Muslim Afghanistan, comprising around 300 family members before the fall of the country to the Taliban. Many had left the country in the wake of the takeover, according to community members and media reports. The Sikh community, like other religious minorities, has been the continual target of violence in Afghanistan. An attack claimed by ISIS at another temple in Kabul in 2020 killed 25. India's foreign ministry was "deeply concerned" about reports of the attack. "We are closely monitoring the situation and waiting for further details on the unfolding developments," foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said in a statement. Saturday's explosion follows a blast on Friday in the northern city of Kunduz at a mosque that killed one and injured two, according to authorities.

Fire at Sinopec Shanghai Petchem Plant Kills One
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 June, 2022
A fire broke out at a Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co Ltd plant in Shanghai early on Saturday, killing one person, the company said. Roaring fire was seen engulfing part of a sprawling factory, emitting columns of thick black smoke, in a video posted on Twitter by the state-backed Shanghai Daily. The fire at one of China's biggest refining and petrochemicals plants started around 4 a.m. (2000 GMT on Friday) and had been brought under control by 9 a.m. but "was difficult to handle", state media Xinhua reported, citing fire officials. It was expected to continue burning for some time. The driver of a third-party transport vehicle died and a company employee suffered a minor injury, said a Sinopec representative. He said the fire affected the ethylene glycol facility at the plant in Jinshan, a southwestern suburb of China's financial capital. State-owned Sinopec said on its official Weibo account it was monitoring volatile organic compounds and impact to rainwater outlets, and no impact on the surrounding water environment had been found. Sinopec Shanghai has processing capacity for 16 million tons of crude oil a year and 700,000 tons of ethylene, according to its website. It is building a 3.5 billion yuan ($520 million) carbon fiber project as it seeks to diversify away from refining, and focus on resin and fibers.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 18-19/2022
Iran's Nuclear Program: Where Is the Biden Administration's Plan B?
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/June 18/2022
There also exists the dangerous likelihood, if and when Iran's regime has nuclear weapons, that they will fall into the hands of Iran's proxies and militia groups, or that the regime will share its nuclear technology with its proxies and allies, including the Syrian regime and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Iran's regime has already been setting up weapons factories abroad, and manufacturing advanced ballistic missiles and weapons in foreign countries, such as in Syria. These weapons include precision-guided missiles with advanced technology to strike specific targets.
"The mission of the constitution," the preamble [of Iran's constitution] stipulates, "is to create conditions conducive to the development of man in accordance with the noble and universal values of [Shiite] Islam." The constitution goes on to say that it "provides the necessary basis for ensuring the continuation of the revolution at home and abroad."
Eliminating Israel was not only one of the main religious prophecies of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, it is also a leading policy of his successor, the current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that Israel will be erased from the face of the earth.
If the Biden administration allows Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, President Joe Biden and his associates, like Neville Chamberlain's illusory "Peace for our time," will have as their legacy that it was their acts alone that destabilized global security and set the world at risk.
It is therefore imperative that the Biden administration let the ruling mullahs know -- credibly -- that Iran's regime must eliminate the possibility of its having nuclear arms, period. No nuclear deal, no sunset clauses. Sunset clauses merely pave the way for Iran to resume enriching uranium at any level it chooses. The regime's ballistic missile program, which is linked to its nuclear program, must also be eliminated.
It must be made unmistakably clear to the Iranian regime that the United States and its allies will not allow the current regime, a state sponsor of terrorism, to arm itself with nuclear weapons and emerge as yet another global nuclear threat.
There exists the dangerous likelihood, if and when Iran's regime has nuclear weapons, that they will fall into the hands of Iran's proxies and militia groups, or that the regime will share its nuclear technology with its proxies and allies, including the Syrian regime and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The Biden administration's nuclear negotiations to revive the nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) with Iran's ruling mullahs are going nowhere, all while the administration does not seem to have a Plan B.
The ruling mullahs of Iran defiantly continue to advance their nuclear program. They recently switched off two surveillance cameras that were installed by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and will reportedly remove at least another 25.
According to a report by Iranian state television, the Iranian government deactivated "beyond-safeguards cameras of the measuring Online Enrichment Monitor ... and flowmeter." By turning off the surveillance cameras, the regime is effectively preventing the IAEA from monitoring Iran's nuclear activities, including its centrifuges and uranium enrichment.
Iran's ruling clerics continue to claim that their nuclear program is designed for peaceful purposes, not for manufacturing nuclear weapons. If this is so, and if Iran's regime does not have anything to conceal when it comes to its nuclear activities, why is it switching off the IAEA surveillance cameras?
While the Biden administration continues to rely on "negotiations", which they are not even themselves negotiating, Iran has enriched a substantial amount of uranium -- up to 60% purity, a short technical step away from the 90% purity level required to build a nuclear weapon. Even France, Germany and the United Kingdom recently warned that the Iranian government's latest action is "further reducing the time Iran would take to break out towards a first nuclear weapon and it is fueling distrust as to Iran's intentions."
In addition, the Biden administration recently acknowledged that Iran is only weeks away from obtaining nuclear breakout capability. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued the warning last month during a hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The Biden administration must know that Russia and China are not going to pressure Iran's ruling mullahs to cooperate with the IAEA or halt their nuclear activities. In addition, Iran's leaders have shown during the last few years, and during previous rounds of negotiations, that they have absolutely no desire to scale back their nuclear advancements.
If the Biden administration allows Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, President Joe Biden and his associates, like Neville Chamberlain's illusory "Peace for our time," will have as their legacy that it was their acts alone that destabilized global security and set the world at risk.
Iran's ruling clerics, among other unacceptable offenses, have frequently threatened to wipe a whole country, Israel, off the map. One of the core pillars of the Islamic Republic of Iran since the regime took power in 1979 has been the destruction of the Jewish state. Eliminating Israel was not only one of the main religious prophecies of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, it is also a leading policy of his successor, the current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that Israel will be erased from the face of the earth.
There also exists the dangerous likelihood, if and when Iran's regime has nuclear weapons, that they will fall into the hands of Iran's proxies and militia groups, or that the regime will share its nuclear technology with its proxies and allies, including the Syrian regime and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Iran's regime has already been setting up weapons factories abroad, and manufacturing advanced ballistic missiles and weapons in foreign countries, such as in Syria. These weapons include precision-guided missiles with advanced technology to strike specific targets.
It is also important to remember that the Iranian regime's core pillar is anchored in prioritizing the pursuit of its revolutionary ideals: exporting its Islamist system of governance to other countries worldwide, a critical mission the mullahs incorporated into their constitution. "The mission of the constitution," the preamble stipulates, "is to create conditions conducive to the development of man in accordance with the noble and universal values of [Shiite] Islam." Iran's constitution goes on to say that it "provides the necessary basis for ensuring the continuation of the revolution at home and abroad."
It is therefore imperative that the Biden administration let the ruling mullahs know -- credibly -- that Iran's regime must eliminate the possibility of its having nuclear arms, period. No nuclear deal, no sunset clauses. Sunset clauses merely pave the way for Iran to resume enriching uranium at any level it chooses. The regime's ballistic missile program, which is linked to its nuclear program, must also be eliminated.
The Biden administration needs immediately to carry out its Plan B. It has to be made clear to the Iranian regime that, as part of Plan B, military options against the Iran's nuclear sites are on the table. It must be made unmistakably clear to the Iranian regime that the United States and its allies will not allow the current regime, a state sponsor of terrorism, to arm itself with nuclear weapons and emerge as yet another global nuclear threat.
*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
© 2022 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

The Madrid Summit and the Challenges Facing NATO
Omer Onhon/Asharq Al Awsat/June 18/2022
An international organization is relevant and effective to the extent that it can respond to needs and requirements and adapt itself in time.
NATO, which is world’s leading political and military alliance, was founded in 1949 after the Second World War. At the time, Nazi’s were defeated and a new world order was in creation but it was not easy as there were aftereffects and the wounds of the war were fresh.
It was the Soviet Union of Joseph Stalin and the communist threat which set the stage for the new international order. Under the leadership of the United States, the 12 western countries joined forces against Soviets and communism. A bipolar international order emerged with the “free world” on the one hand and the “communist dictatorship” on the other.
After the original member countries, new members which joined the Alliance were Turkey and Greece with their everlasting disagreements, post-Nazi West Germany and post-Franco Spain.
In the aftermath of the demise of the USSR and the fall of the Iron Curtain, former communist countries and later on, successor states of former Yugoslavia joined.
As NATO expanded to 30 members, national interests varied, different and sometimes conflicting priorities emerged.
How does NATO adapt to changing circumstances?
NATO has to update itself politically and militarily. The organization has no difficulty in adjusting its military plans as needed. On the other hand, the political guidance which comes in the Strategic Concept, is updated every 10 years or so. The last strategic concept was adopted in Lisbon in 2010 and it is now outdated in the international environment of 2022.
Let us recall that, at the 2010 concept, Russia was addressed within a spirit of partnership and there was no mention of China.
Now, work is underway in Brussels to write a new strategic concept. NATO leaders plan to adopt it when they meet in Madrid on June 29-30.
All this work (Summit preparations and a new strategic concept) is being done against the background of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and in a new strategic environment where threat comes from many directions and in various forms.
The circumstances under which the new Strategic Concept is being developed:
Russia is no longer the hoped for cooperation partner. It is an aggressive and assertive country which threatens and attacks.
NATO is not directly involved in the war, but the Russia attacked Ukraine under the pretext of NATO’s eastward expansion and the supposed threat it posed to Russia.
NATO member states are sending weapons to Ukraine. Despite suffering very serious losses both in terms of soldiers and weapons, as well as economic losses as a result of sanctions and fierce resistance from Ukrainians, Russia has been able to occupy and hold onto a number of regions. Almost all of Eastern Ukraine has come under Russian control and there is a very serious risk that the fate of these territories may be like Crimea’s.
Former eastern bloc countries which became NATO members were always distrustful of Russia and followed policies to this effect. Their stance disturbed and even irritated some other members but apparently, it seems that they only knew too well the character of their former boss and beyond being vengeful, were fearful of it.
China is now in the picture. The US is in global rivalry with China and its policy on this matter is spelled out in the Indo-Pacific Strategy where China seeks to become world’s most influential power. The US is not ready to accept this and is aiming at mobilizing its regional allies, including and NATO.
The Heads of State and Government of NATO stated in their declaration in London in December 2019 that “China is growing in influence which presents both opportunities and challenges and that the Alliance needs to address this issue together”.
The next strategic concept will definitely have an Indo-China angle and will include references to China, but the question is how. NATO countries may call upon China to act responsibly but I do not think they would take an openly adversarial approach. Many member countries have extensive economic ties with China and confrontational relations could cause harm far worse than the pandemic and war in Ukraine combined.
In 2010, NATO states declared that terrorism posed a direct threat to the security of the citizens of members and to international stability. This may seem straightforward and non-problematic, but that has not been the case.
NATO does not have its own terrorist organizations list. The UN list and individual lists of member countries are the references. Even though NATO has several documents on terrorism, not all members are on the same page on this issue. Turkey’s objection to Sweden and Finland’s applications for membership stems from issues related to terrorism.
There are other potentially problematic issues which have become topical because of the war in Ukraine.
NATO-EU relations: The US may be willing to encourage the EU to take more responsibility for the security of Europe, but they would not allow this to be carried to the level of letting it go. French and American views may once again conflict here.
- Relations with partners: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led many partner countries to seek security assurances from NATO. Article 5 of the Washington Treaty (an attack against one ally considered an attack against all) does not apply to non-member countries no matter how close they are as partners. There may be some thoughts to come up with a new set of rules in this regard.
In any case, even though there may be some ideas to support potential victims in a number of ways, including providing weapons and applying sanctions, NATO members would not be willing to take further steps which would increase the risk of direct confrontation with Russia.
- Applications of Finland and Sweden: Turkey has demanded that these two countries stop giving support to organizations which it considers terrorist. But in some cases Turkey’s terrorists are others’ non-terrorists and even allies against ISIS. This issue is problematic but in any case, there are no deadlines to complete the application of these two countries by the Madrid Summit and the NATO Secretary General has emphasized this point during his visit to Finland. Accession is a process which includes approval and parliamentary ratification in each member country and this takes time.
- Black Sea security: The war in Ukraine and the ensuing food crisis have brought up some fresh discussions about Black Sea security and NATO naval presence. There are differing views among member states on this issue.
In conclusion; Russia may be hoping for fresh divisions and rifts within the Alliance but I believe that NATO is well established and experienced to deal with all these challenges and will crown the Summit with messages of unity and a new strategic concept.

Is Putin’s War More Like WWI or WWII?
Andreas Kluth/Bloomberg/June 18/2022
Beware the “lessons of history” as drawn by charlatans, ignoramuses or tyrants, for they will be daft, wrong and possibly disastrous. The self-serving amateur historiography of Russian President Vladimir Putin is an example.
Last year, he invented a narrative “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians,” which was subsequently revealed as one of the hallucinations that made him attack Ukraine. The other day, he was at it again, comparing himself to Peter the Great, and hinting that “it seems it has fallen to us, too, to reclaim and strengthen.” That implied he might like to wage war against Sweden (as Peter did in the 18th century) and seize lands that are now part of Estonia, a member of NATO.
Oh dear. If Putin were a pub drunk, real historians would be guffawing. His overall legacy will be nothing like Peter’s — the Tsar, like Putin, was brutal and imperialistic, but also known for opening Russia toward the West and progress. Yet Putin is a dictator in possession of the launch codes for the world’s largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, so his ravings are terrifying.
That said, the inevitability that some people will draw inane conclusions from history shouldn’t prevent the rest of us from trying to be more sophisticated about it. As the Maori of New Zealand say, we walk backwards into the future with our eyes fixed on the past. We need history to make sense of the world; we need yesterday to understand today. The trick is to be eclectic, precise and subtle. Nobody today is exactly like Hannibal, Boudica, Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, Catherine the Great or any other historical figure. But specific aspects of people and events in the past do echo down the ages. We just have to be clear about what those are in each context.
In groping for analogies to Putin’s war against Ukraine, there are lots of possibilities. I’ve compared the scenarios to the outcomes of the Korean War and the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland; others have looked to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 and beyond.
For most people, however, the most evocative comparisons are to the First and Second World War — not least, because of fears that Putin may yet escalate and hurl us into a Third one. But those two previous conflagrations were completely different, and offer diverging lessons.
Poles, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians and other Eastern Europeans tend to view Russia’s war of aggression as comparable to Nazi Germany’s assaults on Czechoslovakia and Poland in 1938-39. Polish President Andrzeij Duda, for example, has explicitly compared Putin to Adolf Hitler.
By contrast, German and French intellectuals and politicians prefer analogies to World War I. In part, that’s because of a German taboo against comparing anything to Hitler (a sort of reverse Godwin’s Law), since that would seem to cast doubt on the historical singularity of the Fuehrer’s crimes, above all the Holocaust.
By citing World War I, these observers are also signaling concern that the West, like Europe in 1914, could accidentally stumble into a bigger disaster. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has invoked “The Sleepwalkers” by Christopher Clark. That book describes in minute detail how Europe’s statesmen (they were all men), in responding to the assassination by a Bosnian Serb of an Austro-Hungarian prince in a Balkan backwater, slid into a continental fratricide because they didn’t comprehend the automatic escalation spirals they had built into their alliance systems and mobilization schedules. With such precedents in mind, leaders will tend to view Ukraine’s Donbas as akin to Bosnia Herzegovina in 1914 — a land where the West has interests, but also a liminal place that could be a potential trap, luring NATO countries into a shooting war against Russia, with unknowable consequences.
The World War I analogy also explains why French President Emmanuel Macron worries about outcomes that would “humiliate” Putin. The Treaty of Versailles humiliated Germany, leaving it resentful and thereby seeding the next World War.
But these comparisons miss the mark, according to Martin Schulze Wessel, a German historian of Eastern Europe. In the First World War, several leaders and powers shared responsibility for a disaster they could have prevented. In 1939, by contrast, one man launched an unprovoked attack against a weaker neighbor, as part of a pattern of irredentist, chauvinistic and imperialist aggression. This most closely fits Putin in 2022.
In that analogy, those leaders in the West who spent years trying to “appease” the tyrant — during the previous century or this one — misread the situation, the threat and the man. It also follows, as Poland’s Duda said, that negotiating with Putin — talking for the sake of talking — won’t help, unless and until the aggressor is stopped on the battlefield. This is why the Poles and Balts say bluntly what Scholz so far refuses to state: Ukraine must win.
Note that the analogy of World War II does not extend to whatever Hitler did in the years after 1939. The comparison does not imply that Putin is planning a Holocaust, nor that he must eventually commit suicide — or that Russia, like Nazi Germany, must end up occupied and dismembered. To understand how Putin’s war could end, we need to observe how this tragedy unfolds, while reaching again and again for the most appropriate lessons of the past.

America and the Middle East
Hafed Al-Ghwell/Arab News/June 18, 2022
For more than half a century, US engagement across the Arab region, and the wider world, has been premised on “preventive diplomacy,” which entailed knowing more about foreign nations and their citizens than any other country on the planet.
It meant that US embassies were right-sized, well-financed, adequately staffed and well-prepared to deal with emergent crises that could eventually spawn threats or leave Washington exposed and vulnerable in endless, quarrelsome quagmires abroad.
At one point, the State Department was usually the first port of call during innumerable efforts to, for instance, de-escalate tensions and prevent conflicts around the globe. A massive diplomatic footprint allowed for careful and effective interventions that channeled aid and comfort to allies, along with clear channels to telegraph the intentions of the White House to known adversaries who were not keen on getting caught on the wrong side of America’s ire.
In a nutshell, everyday diplomacy made it easier for the US not only to navigate complex landscapes the world over, but to lead a liberal global order on the cusp of maturity given the demise of the Soviet Union. Up until the disastrous War on Terror, it was the tireless, and often thankless, efforts by State Department personnel to build or rebuild institutions that safeguarded American interests abroad, long before belligerents and adversaries resorted to the force of arms to service their nefarious aims.
Unfortunately, that was then. Now, American diplomacy is tinged with a profound reluctance to engage meaningfully, or forcefully, for example to help settle quarrels that have subsequently spilled over into extraterritorial proxy affairs in Libya and Syria. Meanwhile, an ill-timed “pivot” to Asia and Europe has only sparked a scramble among regional powers to establish their own hegemonies across the Arab region.
Since 2011, the American capacity to intervene in conflicts, build post-war institutions and guide transitions competently has sharply declined, guided by an illogical aversion to risk that has resulted in a reduced US presence in several parts of the Middle East. The consequences of that blunder in decision-making are already playing out in Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia and Iraq, to name but a few.
Prior to the disastrous War on Terror, American engagement across the Arab world was defined by a characteristic enduring, knowledgeable and consistent presence that was immune to Washington's constantly shifting political winds. A hallmark of this steady, dependable presence was the cultivating of deeply embedded contacts, which made it possible to develop local understanding and make its findings or conclusions intrinsic to policymaking and broader strategic maneuvering.
After the 2012 Benghazi attack, however, the State Department began to prioritize risk aversion, introducing bureaucratic security processes or over-cautious restrictions that left staffers, civilians and others sequestered in embassies and unable to fully engage with counterparts in a part of the world with relationship-based societies that emphasize personal contact.
In the years since, a knee-jerk response that prioritizes safety over cultivating crucial relationships to safeguard American interests has created an unsustainable model for engagement that is partly responsible for the disappointing crisis response in Libya. There, Washington appears as a lumbering, disinterested reactionary, far too comfortable taking a backseat to the competing external interests seeking to dominate a landscape battered by conflict and political malaise, despite its still palpable influence on the North African country’s trajectory in its quest for full democratization.
The US must not unilaterally disarm itself by retreating from areas where others are stepping up.
Even after other Western embassies have returned to Libya, the US and Canada remain notable exceptions, preferring instead to run their operations from neighboring Tunisia, which is currently beleaguered by its own political crisis due to a presidential “self-coup.”
Unsurprisingly, Washington is also strangely passive in its response to the worsening political and economic situation in Tunis, even as the initial enthusiasm for President Kais Saied’s power grab has cooled, which should have elicited a forceful response urging the return to, and promotion of, consensual democratic solutions to Tunisia’s crises.
This prioritization of risk aversion in diplomatic engagement is clearly depriving Washington of much-needed local knowledge and understanding, thus making it more challenging to foresee grave threats, let alone craft effective preemptive action.
Granted, the post-9/11 era has significantly altered the Middle East and North Africa region, and the ensuing “hard power game” between Moscow, Beijing and Washington makes it impossible for the State Department to simply return to any sort of pseudo-MENA-centric posture. However, the US must not unilaterally disarm itself by retreating from areas where others are stepping up.
The foreign policy community in Washington must surrender the zero-sum view that America can only pursue its interests in the region by taking on a maximalist agenda or through a complete remaking of the Middle East.
Indeed, while there is broad consensus that the previous two decades of the post-War on Terror world have produced far too few successes, the jury is still out on what America’s posture in the Arab world should be and whether it can meet with “success” — whatever that means.
It is this ambivalence and uncharacteristic waffling that has driven a few of America’s partners in the region to seek out new relationships and make new calculations in their engagement with the US going forward.
Clearly, the priority for the State Department should not only be insisting on an enduring presence but also a return to the dynamic engagement of the pre-9/11 world, which balanced security interests with economic, political and mutually beneficial cooperation across a range of arenas, not excluding repairing the Arab world’s broken food, water and energy nexus. That level of engagement would require more-involved contact and forceful demonstrations of intent, instead of the current muted responses and absence.
At this rate, America’s waning Middle East diplomacy only serves to act as a stalking horse for geopolitical rivals who do not want to repeat Washington’s failures and end up spending blood, treasure and diplomatic capital in pursuit of narrow, out-of-touch aims.
Without a much-needed turnaround, only tragedy awaits. After all, a frequent conclusion of American foreign policy is often that where the State Department retreats, a Pentagon hammer emerges — one that sees almost every convulsion as a nail rather than a development that is in equal parts concerning and an opportunity to influence outcomes.
• Hafed Al-Ghwell is a non-resident senior fellow with the Foreign Policy Institute at the John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He is also senior adviser at the international economic consultancy Maxwell Stamp and at the geopolitical risk advisory firm Oxford Analytica, a member of the Strategic Advisory Solutions International Group in Washington DC and a former adviser to the board of the World Bank Group.
Twitter: @HafedAlGhwell

A lot at stake as the EU prepares for historic expansion talks
 Andrew Hammond/Arab News/June 18, 2022
European Council meetings of the 27 leaders of EU member states can be technocratic and dull affairs. But this has changed since the start of the Ukraine conflict, with the “hand of history” hanging over their decisions more than ever.
During their next meeting, on Thursday and Friday this week, there will be big decisions to be made, and not only about the bloc’s approach to the war. There are also key decisions to take on the very future of Europe, including the potential enlargement of the EU in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion.
The European integration process began in the 1950s in an effort to prevent another large-scale war on the continent. The six founding members were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Since then, the EU has steadily expanded, aside from Brexit, while espousing the idea that economic and political integration among nations is the best way to promote general prosperity and peace. This approach paved the way for the creation of a common currency the euro in 1999, and for the accession in 2004 of 10 new member nations from formerly communist Central and Eastern Europe.
The revival this summer of the EU expansion process, which has largely been sidelined for years, is another example of how much is changing in Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In recent years, the possible enlargement of the union to include Turkey and Western Balkan countries has proved much more of a challenge than was the case when the admission of Central and East European countries was being considered prior to 2004.
The EU has already opened membership negotiations with two Western Balkan states, Montenegro and Serbia, and with Turkey. It has also given the green light to accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia, although they are still waiting for the process to start. Meanwhile Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo remain potential candidates.
The slow pace of the process reflects the so-called “enlargement fatigue” that followed the 2004 expansion. After the subsequent accession of Romania and Bulgaria in 2007, and the eurozone crisis of 2009-10, Brussels set stricter conditions for the reforms required in candidate nations.
After the process stalled for years, the rejuvenation of the enlargement agenda has been driven by the war in Ukraine. Four months on from the Russian invasion, the European Council is expected this week to give its formal opinion on Ukraine’s EU membership bid, and potentially that of Moldova.
The EU enlargement process might appear unrelated to the rebuilding of Ukraine but the two are actually closely linked.
On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi visited Ukraine and vowed to back Kyiv’s bid to become an official candidate. Draghi described Ukraine’s EU candidacy as “a very profound” and “extraordinary step” and noted that the country would leapfrog Balkan nations if the status is granted.
Europe’s leaders therefore face a delicate balancing act: That of signaling to Ukraine that the EU’s door is open, while seeking to reassure other aspiring members they are not showing unprecedented favoritism to Kyiv.
EU accession is an open-ended process and does not guarantee membership if applicant countries fail to meet the Acquis Communautaire, in other words the requirements of EU law, or the bloc’s procedural expectations. While there is much momentum behind Kyiv’s bid in particular, EU enlargement is a lengthy process and Macron has warned it could take several decades for Ukraine to become a full member.
This is despite the fact that Ukraine has adopted a fair amount of the EU’s legal framework since agreeing to a trade and political partnership with the bloc about a decade ago.
With this process just beginning to play out, Ukraine’s immediate future is still about survival and, when the large-scale fighting ends, the reconstruction process. While the war might continue for a significant time yet, there is much thinking and preparation already underway about the reconstruction agenda. A wide range of international stakeholders, extending well beyond Europe, are involved in these discussions, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the G7, and a number of national governments.
The EU enlargement process might appear unrelated to the rebuilding of Ukraine but the two are actually closely linked in the eyes of many stakeholders, as the EU accession process is widely expected to occur in parallel with reconstruction efforts. In part, this is because of an acknowledgment of the need for wider political and institutional change in Ukraine following criticisms prior to the war, including concerns about corruption.
International discussions are already underway, centered around a three-stage plan for rebuilding: The so-called U-24 Ukraine Recovery Plan mooted by the Ukrainian government, which some observers estimate will cost hundreds of billions of dollars.
The first stage of this is ongoing: Local authorities are cleaning up and restoring destroyed facilities on a temporary basis. The second stage, which will probably begin immediately after the end of mass hostilities, will include the restoration of water and electricity supplies, as well as the provision of housing. The third stage, a full-fledged renewal of infrastructure and transport systems, will be the longest and most costly stage.
This is why this week’s European Council decision will be so important. While Ukraine becoming a full member of the EU is a longer-term aspiration, the decision will also be key to shaping the post-war reconstruction efforts once the fighting ends in the country.
• Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.