English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 20/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2021/english.june20.22.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
But now I am going to him who sent me;
and not one of you says to me, Where are you going
John 16/04-11: I have said these things to you so
that when the time comes, what I have said may come to your mind. I did not say
them to you at the first, because then I was still with you. But now I am going
to him who sent me; and not one of you says to me, Where are you going? But your
hearts are full of sorrow because I have said these things. But what I am saying
is true: my going is for your good: for if I do not go away, the Helper will not
come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And he, when he comes, will
make the world conscious of sin, and of righteousness, and of being judged: Of
sin, because they have not faith in me; Of righteousness, because I go to the
Father and you will see me no more; Of being judged, because the ruler of this
world has been judged.
Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on June 19-20/2022
Fathers’ Day: The Holy Gift Of Fatherhood/Fathers on Earth are God’s
servants/Elias Bejjani/June 19/2022
Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Urges Government Formation, Presidential Election
Al-Rahi urges inclusive govt. with no portfolio monopolization
“Cycling Day” from Barouk to Maasser Al-Shouf under auspices of Ministers of
Youth & Displaced
Corm announces end of private sector's monopoly on Internet services
Hajj Hassan says dollarization price of gasoline will increase burden on citizen
Baalbek plunges into darkness for the sixth consecutive day
Horch Beirut is a Beiruti heritage, and the heart & lungs of the capital that
must be preserved, tweets Makhzoumi
Hamieh announces launch of duty free market auction at Beirut Airport
Why Have the Lebanese ‘Forgotten’ Politics?/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/June
19/2022
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on
June 19-20/2022
Israel’s PM warns Iran: Those who send ‘terrorists’ to attack Israelis
will pay price
Pompeo says Biden admin. not reinforcing support to secure Israel, ‘friends’ in
Gulf
Israeli foreign minister to visit Turkey amid security jitters
Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian at West Bank Barrier
Israel Suspends Increase in Entry Permits for Palestinian Workers from Gaza
NATO Chief: The War in Ukraine Could Last 'for Years'
Ukraine says repulsed Russian attacks near Severodonetsk
Pentagon Describes Russia's Actions in Syria as 'Provocative'
The Possible Changes in Syria are External
Barzani Makes Fiery Statements on Relationship between Erbil, Baghdad
Hundreds Protest in Tunis Against Saied's Plan for Constitution
Macron's second term on line in parliamentary election
Germany says will take emergency measures to meet energy needs
Titles For The Latest LCCC English
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on June 19-20/2022
Afghanistan, Once More a Center for Terrorism and Drug Trade/Camelia
Entekhabifard/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022
Biden’s Upcoming Visit to Saudi Arabia/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/June
19/2022
West should expect Iran’s political dam to break at any moment/Dr. Majid
Rafizadeh/Arab News/June 19/2022
US democracy in crucial test/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/June 19/ 2022
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on June 19-20/2022
الياس بجاني: عيد الأب في كندا
وأهمية، بل قدسية دور الأب الذي هو خادم الله
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.
Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Urges Government Formation,
Presidential Election
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai called for the formation of a new
government, asserting his rejection of a "caretaker government," "constitutional
vacuum," and "presidential vacancy." Speaking after the Maronite Church's Synod
of Bishops' spiritual exercise, Rai called on civil and political officials to
resolve the issue of the government and prepare for electing a new president
without delay. Rai said it is time to decide whether "we are worthy of this
nation and its pluralistic composition." He indicated that the political parties
are irresponsible and disregard people's sufferings and the fate of Lebanon."
"This is a delicate stage that calls for choosing a credible prime minister who
has the experience, knowledge, and wisdom in public affairs capable of forming a
cabinet with the President of the Republic as soon as possible to take urgent
decisions, the first of which is to initiate vital and expected reforms,"
asserted the Patriarch. He called on the international community to help Lebanon
by finding a solution to the presence of Palestinian refugees and displaced
Syrians on Lebanese soil, stressing that "the human and brotherly feelings that
we have for these two brotherly peoples do not nullify the national thinking in
the interest of Lebanon." Rai noted that it could not be accepted that many
parties, especially at the international level, consider refugees and displaced
persons a reality that must be adapted to the point of integration, settlement,
and naturalization. He wondered how some countries can claim they are keen on
maintaining Lebanon's independence and stability while they work to undermine
its unity. "This is a destructive logic that will inevitably undermine Lebanon's
unity and force us to confront it to save Lebanon's entity, its current
constitution, and its charter formula."He called on the Lebanese state to make
an exceptional effort by negotiating with the Palestinian Authority, the Arab
League, the United Nations, and major countries to redeploy the refugees in
countries capable of accommodating them. He also stressed that the time has come
for the displaced Syrians to return and build their homeland.
Lebanese parties are discussing the nomination of a new prime minister amid
fears that disparities will prevent the prime minister-designate from forming
his cabinet, and the government will remain a caretaker until President Michel
Aoun's term expires on October 31. The bishops of the Maronite Church supported
Rai, affirming in their concluding statement their adherence to coexistence, the
national pact, and the participatory formula among the Lebanese components in
the political system.
They called on political officials to form a new government to address
corruption and implement the required reforms. Meanwhile, the head of the
Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc, MP Taymour Jumblatt, considered that
the harsh phase that Lebanon is going through requires reform and a productive
government away from all political conflicts, third-party veto power, and
ministries attributed to certain parties. Jumblatt indicated that the government
should be capable of communicating with the Arab and international communities.
He underlined the need to highlight the specifications required for any future
prime minister, whose priority would be implementing reform plans and
negotiating with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Jumblatt also stated
that the PM must distance himself from drowning in the pitfalls of quotas, and
narrow calculations that have always exhausted the country, undermined the
aspirations of its youth, and destroyed its institutions. Furthermore, Lebanon's
Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc member, MP Hassan Ezzeddine, stressed the need to
form a salvation government capable of protecting Lebanon's sovereignty, wealth,
and independence. MP Hussein Jishi also called for forming a cabinet that takes
the initiative as quickly as possible to address urgent matters and award oil
and gas extraction contracts, even if it is only in the areas not disputed with
Israel, and expand its scope of cooperation to all countries except Israel.
Jishi said that getting out of the economic crisis is possible and requires
sovereign political decisions. He asserted that it is time for cooperation and
understanding to save the country, reiterating that the bloc is ready to work
with everyone "because we are all in the same boat."
Al-Rahi urges inclusive govt. with no portfolio
monopolization
Naharnet/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday called for the formation of an
“inclusive” government in which there is no monopolization of ministerial
portfolios. “We demand the formation of an inclusive
government as soon as possible and we urge all political forces that believe in
Lebanon’s free, sovereign, independent, strong and resilient entity to put aside
their conflicts and interests and secure political stability, not only for the
sake of the government’s formation and the election of a new president, but also
for fending off any regional threat to Lebanon,” al-Rahi said in his Sunday Mass
sermon. He added that the formation of a government is “an essential condition
for continuing the negotiations with the international community and the
International Monetary Fund, and for resuming the talks over the southern
maritime border, on which the fate of the oil and gas fortune is hinging.”The
patriarch also noted, that in light of the current and short-term uncertainty,
“the public interest requires that the coming government enjoy national
representation that is liberated from conditions that violate the constitution,
the National Pact and the norms.”“It should not have hereditary portfolios, nor
portfolios that are the property of a certain sect or party… We want a
government in which Lebanese components are equal in shouldering all ministerial
responsibilities,” al-Rahi urged. “We want a government that is brave in
confronting anything that is illegal and that is eligible to deal with the Arab
and international communities,” the patriarch went on to say.
“Cycling Day” from Barouk to Maasser Al-Shouf under
auspices of Ministers of Youth & Displaced
NNA/June 19/2022
A "Cycling Day" was held this Sunday between Barouk to Maasser Al-Shouf, under
the dual patronage of the caretaker government's Youth and Sports Minister,
George Kallas, and Displaced Minister, Issam Sharafeddine.
In a brief word on the activity, Kallas considered that "this pioneering
initiative launched by the Cycling Club is very much appreciated, and is
accorded great attention especially as it is an environmentally-friendly sport
and helps to acquaint participants with various Lebanese regions while
practicing this peaceful sport.” The Youth & Sports Ministry was represented
during the event by Mohammad al-Shama'a, who conveyed to the athletes the
Ministry's greetings and encouragement for such activities.
Corm announces end of private sector's monopoly on Internet
services
NNA/June 19/2022
Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Johnny Corm praised the continuation of
Internet services through public-private partnerships. In response to a press
statement published by Fouad Zamakhal about the state's monopoly on the sector,
the minister announced the end of the private sector's monopoly on the Internet
market in Lebanon, at the expense of state resources and the interest of
citizens.
Hajj Hassan says dollarization price of gasoline will
increase burden on citizen
NNA/June 19/2022
Head of Baalbeck-Hermel parliamentary bloc, MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, indicated on
Sunday that the intention of the BDL governor to dollarize the price of a can of
gasoline according to the black market exchange rate, will increase the price of
the can above the minimum wage. Hajj Hassan added that such a decision will
cause a huge problem, the extent and repercussions of which no one can
anticipate.
According to him, this decision will significantly increase the burden on the
citizen.
Baalbek plunges into darkness for the sixth consecutive day
NNA/June 19/2022
The city and its region suffer for the sixth consecutive day of power outages,
which led to the crisis of power and water cuts in residential neighborhoods,
the inability to draw drinking water from home wells, food spoilage and rotting
medicines kept in refrigerators., NNA correspondent said. The merchants of the
city of Baalbek appealed to the Electricity du Liban (EDL), "fairness in
distributing electricity among all regions, and dealing with Baalbek at the
gates of the tourist season and international festivals, the icon of resorts,
ancient cities and tourism, since its archaeological sites have always been
global, and the destination of tourists Europeans and foreigners visiting
Lebanon."
Horch Beirut is a Beiruti heritage, and the heart & lungs
of the capital that must be preserved, tweets Makhzoumi
NNA – MP Fouad Makhzoumi wrote Sunday a series of tweets on today's inspection
visit to follow up on the weeding and cleaning works within the campaign that
was launched yesterday in “Horch Beirut”, saying: “The forest must remain a
nature reserve and a green space in which the people of Beirut and the region
find a breathing escape, and this is what we stressed when we submitted a bill
to render the forest a nature reserve.”He added: “We call on the Ministry of the
Interior and all those concerned to complete the implementation of the campaign
to remove infringements and violations, such as random cafes that distort the
image of the forest...It is also necessary to increase the number of the
municipal guard regiment and waste containers inside the forest.”Makhzoumi
concluded: “To complement the initiative of illuminating the city of Beirut with
solar energy, which was implemented by the Makhzoumi Foundation in several
stages, we will light certain areas of the forest, and this was agreed upon with
those concerned because ‘Horch Beirut’ is a heritage, and denotes the heart and
lungs of the capital which must be preserved.”
Hamieh announces launch of duty free market auction at
Beirut Airport
NNA/June 19/2022
Caretaker Public Works and Transport Minister, Ali Hamieh, affirmed today that
“increasing airport revenues is a path we will continue following,” declaring
“the launch of the duty free market auction at the airport through the Tenders
Department, so that offers will be opened upcoming July 14.”Hamieh indicated
that "the opening price is LBP 850 billion” adding that “for each passenger it
is $ 3.5 dollars,” and “reviewing and obtaining the book of conditions is
available through the office of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation."
Why Have the Lebanese ‘Forgotten’ Politics?
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022
Individuals can only learn politics in a political society, just like they can
only learn the law in a society of laws.
Thus, for example, the Cuban oppositionists in Miami engaged with all sorts of
concerns and activities that are difficult to link to politics and the law. The
same is true for the Russians who rose to the fore and took power after the
Soviet Union collapsed, as well as many of those who became “politicians” in
Iraq after Saddam fell or their Syrian counterparts who had been hoping to
succeed Bashar al-Assad.
They are all the product of one of two things: either the disruption of politics
in their country in favor of a form of “politics” that is the prerogative of a
single party and a single leader, or living in exile. They all came to politics
from zero political experience.
Lebanon does not fall into this category. It is not governed by a one party
regime with a single ruler, and parliamentary elections that all parties contest
are held; the latest of these elections ended only recently. However, Najat Aoun
Saliba (one of the 13 new “change deputies”) saying that Parliamentary Speaker
Nabih Berri “is in himself a school, that, God willing, I will manage to learn
from” demonstrates that Lebanese politics is plagued by deep problems. It is not
merely a question of Berri and schooling being total opposites, as on top of
that, the statement also negates Saliba’s political raison d’etre: why change
then? Why vote for her as a candidate representing change?
The incident, then, is more than a gaffe or a slip that the good intentions of
Saliba and her other colleagues can cover for. It touches on, among other
things, the state of politics, how it is practiced, and how it is represented in
Lebanon.
Since the war of 1975, politics' capacity for driving change has been
diminishing, as has conceiving oneself and the other politically. In addition to
the human losses and material damages it left in its wake, the war undermined
the political consciousness that been building: let us remember that the 1972
elections brought to Parliament a Baathist like Abedalmajid al-Rafiie, a
Nasserist like Najah Wakim, and an exotic Marxist like Zaher al-Khatib.
After that war, another "white revolution" like the one that toppled the
presidency of Bechara El Khoury, or elections like those of 1968 that created a
fundamental shift in the country's politics, have become unimaginable.
Let us also note that politics, under Syrian tutelage and then the tutelage of
Hezbollah, has become an exercise in the “marginalization” of major sectarian
communities: marginalization of the Christians between the Taif Agreement of
1989 and March 14, 2005 and then the marginalization of the Sunnis, which
continues to aggravate by the day. Politics through marginalization is not
politics. It is more an object of collective psychology. In addition, those
sects themselves underwent in relatively short periods of time some major shifts
in their political consciousness. This phenomenon was manifested in the strong
support for Aoun among Christians, which left the majority reversing its
traditional positions. With Hariri, a similar shift occurred within the Sunni
community. Today, there is good reason to believe that Christians and Sunnis'
collective mood might have begun shifting again.
What we are describing is neither a clinical case nor things that happen in a
hospital. It is the disruption of politics that draws on many other sources: the
plurality of the sectarian leaderships have been shrinking further, as the
Lebanese historian and intellectual Ahmed Baydoun has repeatedly explained.
Sects that had had multiple competing zaiims (chieftains) now have one or two at
most. We also have the question of the "sacredness of the resistance," a
hindrance to politics by definition that has been growing symbiotically with
three other disruptive factors:
The first is that the “resistance community,” basically the Shiites, should not
change. That is, it should not become divided along political lines because this
undermines the ‘sacred’ (Hezbollah), which should never be undermined. The
recent elections are the latest proof of that.
Second, so long as the "resistance community," a large sect, is forbidden from
changing, then all change is forbidden. That is the lesson of October 17. Among
the ramifications is that crimes, from the assassination of Rafik Hariri to the
assassination of Lokman Slim, and the assassinations of the port and the economy
perpetrated during the interval, are not prosecuted in any meaningful way. When
an international court indicts, arresting the perpetrators is impossible.
No law, no institutions. What governs us is our unyielding fate, before which
politics stands impotent and silent.
Third, we have the regional disruption, represented by the solid Iranian wall.
It is most obvious in the experience of Saad Hariri (and Muqtada al-Sadr in
Iraq): isolation from politics has become the only option. Once again, the
psychological prevails over the political.
The implications of excluding politics become apparent once we look at the
“change deputies” themselves: for some, their political experience began
accumulating on October 17. Others had been politically engaged amid their
turbulent student lives over a quarter of a century ago. Most of them are “good
guys” facing up to “thugs.” They are indeed “good guys,” but this question’s
political relevance is another matter.
Politics have been paralyzed by war, sectarianism, the resistance, and finally
Syrian tutelage and an abundance of velvet gloves. In the aftermath of such a
state of affairs, none of us knows what to say. Najat Aoun Saliba went further,
saying the opposite of what she should.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on June 19-20/2022
Israel’s PM warns Iran: Those who
send ‘terrorists’ to attack Israelis will pay price
Tuqa Khalid, Al Arabiya English/Published: 19 June
,2022
Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennet warned Iran on Sunday against any
attempts to target Israelis abroad in “terrorist attacks”, threatening that
anyone who attempts to orchestrate such attacks will pay the price. “We are
currently witnessing Iranian attempts to attack Israelis in various overseas
locations,” Bennett said. “The security services are working to thwart attempted
attacks before they are launched. We will continue to strike those who send the
terrorists. We will continue to strike those who send the terrorists,” he added.
He also warned Israelis against traveling to Turkey for their safety. “Alongside
this, we have warned Israeli citizens to avoid flying to Turkey – especially
Istanbul – at this time if it is not necessary. The danger is still great. I
call on the citizens of Israel to show personal responsibility and safeguard
their security.” Last week, Israel warned its citizens against traveling to
Turkey, citing the danger of possible Iranian “revenge attacks” after the
assassination of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Colonel Sayad
Khodai. Israeli public broadcaster Kan radio reported last week that security
officials foiled an Iranian attack targeting Israelis in Turkey last month.
Tensions between the two countries have heightened in recent weeks amid a shadow
war where Israel targets Iran’s military personnel and officials and scientists
related to the country’s nuclear program, and Iran retaliates by targeting
Israelis abroad.
Pompeo says Biden admin. not reinforcing support to
secure Israel, ‘friends’ in Gulf
Gilane Fatayri & Tala Michel Issa, Al Arabiya English/17 June ,2022
Former US Secretary of State under the Trump administration Mike Pompeo
criticized the Biden administration for not taking “actual steps” to build
relationships with Gulf nations, in an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya on
Friday.Having previously stated that the Biden administration’s policy towards
Iran and the Guld region endangers the security of the US, according to Pompeo,
the work he did under former US President Donald Trump contributed to “creating
stability in the [Gulf] region.”“I haven't seen them take actual steps that
build our relationships with our partners in the region. The Abraham Accords
were part of it. The work that we did to make sure that the nations in the
region had Patriot missile batteries and weapon systems, America’s forward
footprint and al-Udeid in the fifth fleet in Bahrain… these were all elements of
creating stability in the region,” he told Al Arabiya. Pompeo was referring to
Trump’s success in pushing for the normalization of relations between the United
Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and Israel under the Abraham Accords, one
of his administration’s most renowned achievements.Also under the Trump
administration, the US attempted to establish the Middle East Strategic Alliance
which, in theory, aimed to improve the region’s military capabilities and focus
on countering Iran, among other mutual threats. Aside from the US, this involved
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and Egypt.
“I’ve not seen this administration continue to reinforce those in a way that I
think is meaningful and sends messages both to our adversary in Iran, and our
friends, more broadly, our Israeli friends, Saudi friends, our Emirati friends,
that the United States is prepared to help them secure their nation.
Israeli foreign minister to visit Turkey amid security
jitters
JERUSALEM (Reuters)/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid plans to visit Turkey this week, his office
said on Sunday, after months of warming ties but also recent worries voiced by
Israel that its citizens could come under attack by Iranian agents in the
NATO-member country.
The statement said that Lapid, during his trip on Thursday, would meet with
Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, who last month visited Israel to encourage
expanded economic cooperation. Israel has warned its citizens against travel to
Turkey, citing suspected assassination or abduction plots by Iran, which has
vowed to avenge the May 22 assassination of a Revolutionary Guards colonel in
Tehran that it blamed on Israeli agents. Iran has not commented on the Israeli
travel warning, which is currently focussed on Istanbul. In a June 13 statement
that did not name any other countries, Turkey's Foreign Ministry alluded to the
warning and said it was a safe country with "cooperation mechanisms for the
battle with terrorism".
Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian at West Bank Barrier
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian who tried to cross Israel's
security barrier from the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said on
Sunday. Israel's military said soldiers identified near the city of Qalqilya a
suspect damaging the security fence and trying to cross into Israel. The
soldiers opened fire, it said, adding that the incident was still being looked
into. Israel constructed its barrier along the West Bank frontier at the height
of a Palestinian uprising. Palestinians call it a land grab. The Palestinian
Foreign Ministry said Sunday's shooting was a "field execution". The Health
Ministry said forces killed the man, identified as Nabil Ahmed Salim Ghanem from
the West Bank city of Nablus, near the barrier. The official Palestinian news
agency Wafa said he was 53 years old. Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man
last month under similar circumstances. Every day around 165,000 Palestinians
cross with permits into Israel for work, according to the Palestinian workers
union, but each week thousands of others cross illegally, often avoiding
checkpoints through gaps in the security fence.
Israel Suspends Increase in Entry Permits for
Palestinian Workers from Gaza
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Israel said Saturday it was suspending an increase in entry permits for
Palestinian workers from Gaza announced earlier this week in response to rocket
fire from the Gaza Strip.Israeli warplanes hit Hamas military sites in Gaza in
retaliation for the rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave, 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 Israeli 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. Hamas spokesman Hazem
Qassem said the air raids, in the southeast of Gaza City, were an "extension of
the aggression against Palestinian territory in Jerusalem and the occupied West
Bank," after the killing of three Palestinians on Friday. Twelve Palestinians
were also wounded in Friday's Israeli army raid in Jenin, a stronghold of armed
Palestinian factions in the West Bank. The men were killed when Israeli forces
opened fire on their vehicle, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said. The Israeli
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". Qassem made no mention of whether Saturday's
airstrikes caused any casualties. On Saturday evening, Defense Minister Benny
Gantz suspended an increase in Israeli entry permits for Gazan workers "in
response to the firing of a rocket toward the state of Israel", said COGAT, the
Israeli defense ministry body responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian
territories. The additional 2,000 entry permits for Palestinian workers from
Gaza, announced on Thursday, would have taken the total to 14,000. Work in
Israel provides a lifeline for thousands of Gazans, who can earn far higher
wages on Israeli farms and construction sites than they do in Gaza. The
impoverished Hamas-controlled enclave of 2.3 million people has been under
Israeli blockade since 2007.
NATO Chief: The War in Ukraine Could Last 'for Years'
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
The war in Ukraine could last "for years", NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has
warned, while reiterating calls for Western countries to provide long-term
support to Kyiv. "We must be prepared for this to last for years," the secretary
general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said in an interview published
Sunday by German daily newspaper Bild. "We must not weaken in our support of
Ukraine, even if the costs are high -- not only in terms of military support but
also because of rising energy and food prices."He told Bild that the food and
fuel costs are nothing compared to the one paid daily by Ukrainians on the
frontline, warning "we would have to pay an even greater price" if Russian
President Vladimir Putin were to achieve Moscow's goals in Ukraine. British
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who visited Kyiv on Friday, also spoke over the
weekend of a need to prepare for a long war. This meant ensuring "Ukraine
receives weapons, equipment, ammunition and training more rapidly than the
invader", Johnson wrote in an opinion piece in London's Sunday Times. The NATO
chief has in the past week ramped up calls for alliance members to back Ukraine
in its fight against Russia's invasion. Repeating his calls for NATO member
nations to continue delivering weapons to Kyiv, Stoltenberg said the hardware
support could increase "the likelihood of Ukraine being able to push Putin's
troops out of the Donbas region". The easternmost Donbas region of Ukraine is
currently partly under the control of Russian forces. Ukrainian defense minister
Oleksiy Reznikov and other officials this week met with around 50 countries of
the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters to ask for a surge in
weapons and ammunition. Ukraine received a significant boost on Friday when the
European Commission recommended it for candidate status, a decision European
Union nations are expected to endorse at a summit this week. That would put
Ukraine on course to realize an aspiration seen as out of reach before Russia's
Feb. 24 invasion, even if membership could take years.
Ukraine says repulsed Russian attacks near Severodonetsk
Agence France Presse/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Ukrainian troops repulsed Russian attacks on villages near the eastern city of
Severodonetsk, where the two armies have fought bloody battles for weeks, Kyiv's
armed forces said Sunday. "Our units repulsed the assault in the area of
Toshkivka," the Ukrainian army said on Facebook. "The enemy has retreated and is
regrouping." It said Russian forces were "storming"
towards the village of Orikhove, but that it had "successfully repulsed" an
assault near the village. A day earlier, officials said fierce battles were
taking place in settlements outside Severodonetsk, which they say is mostly, but
not entirely, under Russian control. "All declarations by Russians that they
control Severodonetsk are lies. Indeed, they control the majority of the city
but they do not control it entirely," local governor Sergiy Gaiday said on
Telegram Sunday. He said Russian forces are "constantly replenishing their army
with reserves," bringing in new troops to Severodonetsk and surrounding areas.
"They are now using so-called crawling tactics, they are trying to push through
step by step, meter by meter." Authorities continue evacuations from Lysychansk,
across a river from Severodonetsk and heavily hit by shelling, he said.
Evacuations from Severodonetsk have not been possible for days, after a last
bridge across the river connecting it to Lysychansk was blown up. Ukrainian
authorities say hundreds of people are hiding from shelling in the Azot chemical
plant in Severodonetsk. Gaiday said the plant was "hit twice" in 24 hours and
that its "sewage treatment plant" was destroyed. The U.N. warned this week the
remaining civilians left in Severodonetsk are running out of clean water, food
and sanitation.
Pentagon Describes Russia's Actions in Syria as
'Provocative'
Washington - Elie Youssef/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
US military officials have expressed concern about the increased risk of
confrontation between US and Russian forces in Syria. The commander of US
Central Command (Centcom), General Erik Kurilla, said in a statement that his
regional forces seek to avoid any miscalculated steps that would lead to
unnecessary conflict. "We seek to avoid miscalculation or a set of actions that
could lead to unnecessary conflict: that remains our goal," Kurilla said in a
statement.
He described Russia's recent actions as "provocative and escalatory," referring
to the recent raid on al-Tanf. The Wall Street Journal quoted Pentagon officials
as saying there were fears of a clash with the Russians, accusing the Russian
forces of "significant increase in the provocation" this month. A US military
official said that Russia launched a raid on sites in al-Tanf region last
Wednesday, near the US base, which manages a mission to train and advise local
fighters to combat the resurgence of ISIS. After Russia informed the US through
a communications line that it was carrying out the operation in response to a
supposed attack against Syrian government forces, its military aircraft struck
"a combat outpost at the garrison," a US military official said. The official
explained that two Russian Su-35 and Su-24 aircraft hit a military site, and
although the raid did not target US forces, officials expressed concern that the
attack constituted a challenge to the mission of US forces in Syria. The
newspaper reported that Russia sent two Su-34 warplanes to the area where the US
forces conducted a raid in northeastern Syria to "apprehend an ISIS bomb maker."
However, it quickly withdrew them after US F-16 fighters headed to the area. US
officials also discussed other incidents in the past two weeks without revealing
their details. About 200 US soldiers are stationed at al-Tanf base, out of the
900 soldiers deployed in northeastern Syria. Russia withdrew several of its
forces and military equipment from Syria after it invaded Ukraine, and experts
warn of the "vacuum" that Iran could exploit to replace it. Russia has escalated
its interventions in locations close to the deployment of US forces to ensure
that it can still carry out military operations in more than one place at the
same time. In 2016, Russian warplanes bombed al-Tanf base after two US Navy F-18
planes on patrol in the area left to refuel. The base was empty of US forces at
the time and several Syrian fighters were killed, whom Russia described as
terrorists. In 2017, Russia issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the US to withdraw
its personnel from the base, but Washington refused, and nothing happened.
However, the most dangerous incident between the Russian and the US forces was
in 2018, after fighters of the Russian "Wagner" group advanced to eastern Syria
and fired at the US forces. They ignored the warnings of the US army, which
asked them to leave. US troops then launched an attack against Russian forces,
killing "a few hundred," according to former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The Russian military announced that it had nothing to do with the incident.
The Possible Changes in Syria are External
London - Ibrahim Hamidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Eleven years after the start of the protests and the outbreak of the conflict,
and following two years of stability along the lines of contact between the
three areas of influence, is there a possible change in Syria? Is it external or
internal?
The past decade has witnessed many military and political upheavals. Some areas
expanded and others contracted. Expectations rose and others declined, until the
country was divided into three “states”: One fell under the government control
with Russian and Iranian support, the second under the administration of the
Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the US-led international
coalition, and the third under the control of militant and Islamist factions and
extremist proxies with Turkish support.
Stalemate on the lines of contact between the three “states” lingered for more
than 27 months - the longest period in which geographical control has stabilized
in 11 years. These areas are built on destroyed cities, villages and
neighborhoods, demographic changes, displaced people and refugees. More than 12
million people have abandoned their homes, half of the Syrian population. In
addition, more than seven million people have left the country, including more
than one million to Western states. The emigration flow did not stop, although
its causes became economic, not military or political. What unites the Syrians
wherever they are is their severe economic crisis… Even Arab normalization did
not solve their economic problem. The hope represented by the Arab Gas Pipeline
dissipated under the shadow of the American “Caesar Act” and Western sanctions,
to the extent that the country sank into darkness for hours on Saturday. The
three “states” maintain cooperation, agreements, trade and understandings. Their
actors assume that the stalemate continues for a long period, and that “relief
will come from others.”
Is there a possible change to this picture? It is clear that the current
equations are based on external bargains. The Syrians are no longer able to make
any fundamental change in them. Therefore, any potential modification is
external. There are four possibilities that emanate from four foreign military
forces:
First, Turkey: Turkish officials frequently talk about the possibility of a
military operation in the north of the country. They believe that the Ukrainian
war and the resulting Russian-Western clash have strengthened their negotiating
cards in Syria and the region. They are trying to invest in this situation, by
launching an incursion that weakens any potential Kurdish entity on their
southern border in northern Syria. Turkey is focusing on Manbij, which is
controlled by America’s allies, or Tal Rifaat, which is under the supervision of
Russia’s partners, in addition to the escalation in the eastern Euphrates, which
America controls more deeply. Any Turkish incursion without understandings from
Russia and its partners, America and its allies, will alter the lines of contact
and open the door to a new military escalation. What are the limits of change?
Will they shuffle the cards?
Second, Iran: With Russia’s preoccupation with the Ukrainian war, Iran and
others are trying to fill the void in Syria. Israel is intensifying its military
operations against “strategic Iranian targets” in Syria, the latest of which was
striking Damascus International Airport and isolating the Syrian capital from
the world.
In parallel, the “shadow war” between Tehran and Tel Aviv moved to the heart of
Iran with Israeli talk about the “head of the octopus” strategy. To what extent
will the Iranian-Israeli escalation in Syria remain controlled by Russia? Will
Syria turn into an arena for a direct clash and the possibility of Iran
launching “drone” attacks from Syrian territory? Third, Russia: There has been a
“prevention of clash” agreement between the Russian and American armies since
mid-2017, with the west of the Euphrates River controlled by Moscow and east of
the Euphrates by Washington. There were some skirmishes, but strategically the
deal was kept. However, with the escalation between the two parties in Ukraine,
Russia has begun to test the Americans militarily in Syria, whether over the Al-Tanf
base in the southeast of the country or in the north. To what extent can tension
remain controlled between them? Will Syria turn into an arena for revenge,
whether from America or Russia? Fourth, the United States: Since the arrival of
President Joe Biden to power, the US military presence in Syria has stabilized,
especially after the “Afghan humiliation”, in contrast to the era of President
Donald Trump, when the presence of the US army and its allies depended on a
tweet. Will Biden’s decision remain steadfast in the face of the adventures of
wounded President Vladimir Putin? Will things change in the upcoming
presidential elections in two years? The Syrians know that they cannot control
the decision-making in their country. They are aware that Syria has turned from
a player into an arena. Each side is betting on a surprise by its foreign
military ally, and on a setback that will strike its local opponent with
external tools. Between the blow and the blessing, the Syrians suffer in
darkness… waiting for relief.
Barzani Makes Fiery Statements on Relationship
between Erbil, Baghdad
Baghdad - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party Massoud Barzani has expressed strong
doubts about finding solutions to the outstanding crises between Baghdad and
Erbil. Barzani discussed the political crisis with Iraq during the opening
ceremony for a book exhibition that is part of Erbil's 'Barzan Revolutions'
documentary project. The KDP president noted that the political crisis "is deep
for the region and Baghdad."Barzani called for the constitution to be the ruling
between the two parties, noting that Kurdistan welcomes the constitution as the
"rule of law," but if "they want to seize the powers of the region once again,
that is not acceptable." On the current political process, Barzani said that
"unfortunately, the outcome [of the elections] did not result in the formation
of the government." "We believed that after the ratification of the Iraqi
constitution, everyone's rights would be determined, and at that time, we said
that this constitution is not without shortcomings, but compared to neighboring
countries, it is something. But, unfortunately, it was not implemented," he
said. Earlier, the leader of the Sadrist Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, and the Save
the Homeland Alliance, which included the KDP and the Sunni Sovereignty Alliance
led by Mohammad al-Halbousi, withdrew from the political process. The KDP asked
current Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and former Minister of Housing Benkin
Rikani to conduct the upcoming negotiations with the "coordinating framework"
forces after Sadr's withdrawal. Barzani asserted that no party can impose its
control through force and weapons, noting that "others have already tried and
failed." "War is destruction. We hope that there will be no wars," he said,
asserting that the Kurdistan Region was built with the blood of the martyrs, and
"we will protect it with blood." Barzani's statements are considered the
strongest since the formation of political alliances following the legislative
elections. Missile strikes targeted the Kurdistan region on several occasions.
Some rockets were sent from inside Iraq, while others came from Iran, claiming
the presence of Israeli Mossad in Erbil. The relations remain strained after a
series of decisions issued by the Federal Supreme Court regarding the Region. It
banned the candidacy of former Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, a prominent KDP
leader, for the presidency and announced the Region couldn't sell oil
independently. On Friday, the Kurdistan Regional Government announced it was
establishing two oil firms for exploration and marketing in the latest move in
the battle between Erbil and Baghdad. In Baghdad, the Shiite Coordinating
Framework began consultations to form the government, including with the KDP,
which is vital for future alliances. However, Barzani's fiery statements about
the relationship with Baghdad could constitute one of the main obstacles in the
upcoming talks between the two parties.
Hundreds Protest in Tunis Against Saied's Plan for
Constitution
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Hundreds of people demonstrated in Tunis on Sunday in a second day of protest
against a constitutional referendum called by President Kais Saied that his
opponents say would cement his hold on power. The demonstration was organized by
the Salvation Front, a coalition including Ennahda party that Saied dissolved in
March. It followed a similar protest on Saturday called by the Free
Constitutional Party over the referendum, and a strike on Thursday by a powerful
labor union over government economic reform plans, which brought much of the
county to a standstill. The head of the country's constitution committee said on
Saturday he will hand over the new draft of what he described as a democratic
constitution to the president on Monday, ahead of a July 25 referendum. On
Sunday, protesters marched through central Tunis to Avenue Habib Bourguiba,
watched by a heavy police presence. "Saied must leave... The people on the
streets are constantly against you Saied," activist Chaima Issa told Reuters.
"The UGTT (union) went on strike, and judges are protesting. Do you want to rule
a people that reject you?" Judges in Tunisia on Saturday extended their national
strike for a third week in protest against a decision by Saied to sack 57 judges
on June 1. The president accused them of corruption and protecting terrorists -
charges that the Tunisian Judges' Association said were mostly politically
motivated. Saied's move heightened accusations at home and abroad that he has
consolidated one-man rule after assuming executive powers last summer and
setting aside the 2014 constitution to rule by decree.
Macron's second term on line in parliamentary election
Agence France Presse/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
France began voting Sunday in the final round of parliamentary elections, with
centrist President Emmanuel Macron's coalition looking to hold off a challenge
from a newly formed left-wing alliance. Forecasters predict a re-run of last
week's low turnout at polling stations, which opened at 8:00 am (0600 GMT) and
will close at 8:00 pm. The vote will be decisive for
Macron's second-term agenda following his re-election in April, with the
44-year-old needing a majority in order to push through promised tax cuts and
welfare reform and raise the retirement age. Projections from polling firms
suggest his "Together" coalition is on course to be the biggest party in the
next National Assembly, but possibly short of the 289 seats needed for a
majority. New left-wing coalition NUPES is hoping to
spring a surprise, with the red-green collective promising to block Macron's
agenda after uniting behind 70-year-old figurehead Jean-Luc Melenchon. "The vote
is extremely open and it would be improper to say that things are settled one
way or the other," Melenchon told reporters Friday during a final campaign stop
in Paris. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is also eyeing major gains for her
National Rally party, which had just eight seats in the outgoing parliament.
Macron was left disappointed by results last weekend after a first round of
voting saw Together and NUPES finish neck-and-neck on around 26 percent. Surging
inflation, lackluster campaigning from newly named Prime Minister Elisabeth
Borne, and Macron's abrasive personality were all seen as reasons for the
under-performance. "I really don't believe we'll get an overall majority," one
worried minister told AFP last week. The first-round vote served to whittle down
candidates in most of the country's 577 constituencies to two finalists who will
go head-to-head Sunday. The election caps an intense two-month sequence to elect
a new president and parliament, with voter fatigue seen as one of the reasons
for what is expected to be record-low turnout Sunday.
- 'French disorder?' -
The contest between Together and NUPES has turned increasingly bitter over the
last week, with Macron's allies seeking to paint their main opponents as
dangerous far-leftists. Senior MP Christophe Castaner has accused Melenchon of
wanting a "Soviet revolution", while Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire called him
a "French Chavez" in reference to the late Venezuelan autocrat Hugo Chavez.
Macron headed to Ukraine last week, hoping to remind voters of his foreign
policy credentials and one of Melenchon's perceived weaknesses -- his anti-NATO
and anti-EU views at a time of war in Europe. "We need a solid majority to
ensure order outside and inside our borders. Nothing would be worse than adding
French disorder to global disorder," Macron said. As president, he would retain
control of foreign and defense policy whatever the outcome, but his domestic
agenda could be thwarted.
Melenchon has promised a break from "30 years of neo-liberalism" -- meaning
free-market capitalism -- and has pledged minimum wage and public spending
hikes, as well as nationalizations. It has been 20 years since France last had a
president and prime minister from different parties, when right-winger Jacques
Chirac had to work with a Socialist-dominated parliament under premier Lionel
Jospin.
- Turnout key -
A final flurry of polls Friday suggested Macron's Together allies were on track
for 255-305 seats Sunday, with only the upper end of that range being a majority
of more than 289. NUPES would secure around 140-200 seats, making them the
biggest opposition force, while Le Pen's National Rally was seen to get around
20-45 seats. If they secure more than 15 seats, Le
Pen's MPs would be able to form a formal group in parliament, giving them
greater visibility and resources. But after scoring
41.5 percent in the presidential election in April, Le Pen is still struggling
to convert her huge national following into major representation in parliament.
"You can put an end to five years of toxic policies by Emmanuel Macron," she
said in a campaign video posted on social media Friday. "You also have the
chance to protect the country from the far-left."
Observers will be keeping a close eye on turnout figures following a
historically low level last week of just 47.5 percent. The three polls -- from
Elabe, Ifop-Fiducial and Ipsos -- suggested turnout Sunday would be 44-47
percent. Figures will be given throughout the day by
the interior ministry and a higher-than-expected turnout would most likely favor
NUPES, which is banking on young people and the working classes voting. In
France's Caribbean island of Guadeloupe -- where the poll is held a day early --
Justine Benin was defeated by NUPES candidate Christian Baptiste Saturday, a
loss that jeopardizes her role in the government as Secretary of State for Sea.
A government reshuffle is expected after the election.
Germany says will take emergency measures to meet energy
needs
Agence France Presse/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Germany will take emergency measures to ensure it meets its energy needs after
the drop in supply of Russian gas, including increased use of coal, the
government said Sunday. "To reduce gas consumption,
less gas must be used to generate electricity. Coal-fired power plants will have
to be used more instead," the economy ministry said in a statement. The move
follows a warning by Russian energy giant Gazprom last week that it would
sharply cut deliveries to Europe. Gazprom said the supply reductions via the
Nord Stream pipeline are the result of repair work, but EU officials believe
Moscow is punishing allies of Ukraine, where Russian forces launched an invasion
in February. The decision by Berlin marks a turnaround by the ruling coalition
of Social Democrats, Greens and the liberal FDP, which has vowed to wind down
its coal usage by 2030. "It's bitter but indispensable for reducing gas
consumption," economy and climate minister Robert Habeck said in a statement.
The measures announced Sunday also include an "auction" system for the sale of
gas to manufacturers, which, according to the government, will help bring down
consumption by the powerful sector. So far, Berlin has managed to reduce the
share of its natural gas supplied by Russia from 55 percent before the invasion
to 35 percent -- thanks to increased deliveries from countries like Norway and
the Netherlands, and through liquefied natural gas contracts (LNG).
The Latest LCCC English
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on June 19-20/2022
Afghanistan, Once More a Center for Terrorism and Drug
Trade
Camelia Entekhabifard/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022
Karte Parwan is a neighborhood in northwestern Kabul, on a considerable height
compared to the other quarters of the city. Its houses, right next to the lush
heights of Pakhman, give the residents the benefit of being away from urban
mayhem. On Saturday morning, the people of Karte Parwan woke up not to the
pleasant breeze of Pakhman but to smoke, explosions, death and the smell of
gunpowder. Gangs of death, or the suicidal terrorists, had targeted the temple
of Afghan Sikhs.
The news about explosions and killing of citizens, ranging from attacks on
school pupils to suicide attackers entering Shiite mosques and places of worship
for Afghanistan’s ethnic and religious minorities, have become so common that
they appear to form part of the ordinary daily life of people and media. It is
Taliban’s presence that forces this situation on the people of Afghanistan.
Terrorism is in the integral nature of terrorist groups; it doesn’t stop when
they come to power.
Taliban seized power ten months ago. Now, it has been almost a year since they
are in power. There is a very real worry that Afghanistan will be, once more, a
center for international terrorist activities.
Developments in Afghanistan’s northern neighbor, Pakistan, a major supporter of
Taliban which has played a key role in creating Taliban and supporting it with
funds and weapons, shows the reasons for prolonging of terrorist activities in
Afghanistan.
In its conflict with India over the region of Kashmir, Pakistan perennially
needs to keep the practice of Jihad alive for the religious extremists that
follow it. Pakistan’s ISI, working with fundamentalist Pakistani mullahs, has
been the main actor designing and executing religious extremism and agitating
the public opinion in favor of Jihad in the Kashmir region. These Mullahs are
still controlled by the ISI.
Pakistan sees the keeping up of Jihad in the fundamentalist section of its
society as crucial in its confrontation with India over Kashmir. But now that
there is no war with India, people who have been brainwashed for this purpose
must be kept busy so as to not threaten Pakistan’s security.
Pakistan’s strategic depth necessitates insecurity for Afghanistan. Keeping
alive the element of Jihad for confrontation with India means the need for
recruitment of suicidal and extremist forces who must be kept busy in a nearby
region. All the elements that could once more help turn Afghanistan into a
center for international terrorism are there.
First, it is the Jihadist ideology. Of the 150,000 soldiers of Taliban, more
than 50 percent (i.e. around 75,000) harbor a Jihadist ideology. This means a
belief in suicide operations, creation of an Islamist caliphate and idea of
Islam dominating the globe. (This is not counting the foreign forces in
Afghanistan who are members of Al Qaeda, ISIS-Khorasan, Central Asian terrorists
and other foreign militants with similar ideas to Taliban.)
Ideology is thus the strongest motive. Then there is the question of
Afghanistan’s geography which gives help for strengthening and promotion of
terrorist groups.
This country consists of mountains, many valleys and forests. It thus gives a
great opportunity for hiding and refuge for these groups.
The third factor is access to funding for terrorist groups based on drug trade
and excavation and illegal smuggling from mines of gold, precious stones and
coal. Based on reports by international organizations, since Taliban came to
power, production of drugs has accelerated. The annual volume of drug trade in
Afghanistan is estimated at more than 33 billion dollars which is the main
source of funding for terrorist groups and Taliban. The areas for cultivation of
drug and routes of smuggling are controlled by terrorist groups; this was true
under the previous government and it is true now.
To justify terrorist actions and massacring of innocent people, the propaganda
machinery of Taliban issues fatwas and offers false interpretations and fake
versions of Quranic verses and the Hadith. It thus gives religious approval to
brainwashed extremist groups.
Ideology, appropriate geography and ample financial resources are there. All
that is needed to turn the country into a center for international terrorism is
weaponry which was provided gratis by the US.
Sadly, the US left seven billion dollars worth of weaponry and military
equipment in Afghanistan as it rapidly left the country. In the absence of a
responsible and accountable government, and given the terrorist groups that
boast financial resources, ideology and a suitable geography, the weapons are
being used for massacre, terrorism as well as sales and exchange with other
terrorist groups.
Given such volumes of weapons, financial resources and extremist motives, these
groups can easily threaten the world with their extraterritorial forces.
The world and the West want to close their eyes to the current catastrophes in
Afghanistan. Killing Sikh citizens in a Sikh Dharamshala (as Sikh and Hindu
places of worship are called in Dari) in the faraway Karte Parwan might only
lead to a bit of sadness as they ignore the massacre of people in Panjshir and
killing of Shiite worshippers. They ignore Afghanistan and all the people being
killed there. But history is full of lessons. In the 1990s, too, the world
abandoned Afghanistan and closed its eyes on the brutality of Taliban and
massacring of its people. It was the attack on the World Trade Center towers in
New York that awakened them.
Today, things are not like the late 1990s. They are more serious and dangerous.
The world must provide for the formation of an inclusive and elected government
with representation from all minorities. Terrorists must be contained in their
roots.
Ignoring the events in Afghanistan and the killings that are going on there as
well as the growth in production and export of drugs to the world will help turn
the country into a center for international terrorism. There should be a
government in Afghanistan that’s responsible, in contact with the international
community and able to represent the people of the country with credibility,
respect and calm.
In 1933, the great poet of Indian subcontinent, later known as the spiritual
father of Pakistan (which was founded almost a decade after his death) visited
Afghanistan on the invitation of Kabul. Following his trip, he wrote a poem
called “Passenger.” Few of its verses are quite telling:
“Asia is a united body,
The Afghan nation is its heart.
When Afghanistan goes bad, so will Asia.
When Afghanistan does well, so will Asia.”
Biden’s Upcoming Visit to Saudi Arabia
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022
US media is talking about President Joe Biden’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia
next month with a series of articles and news stories. It is basically a
contradiction… but it is their story, not ours.
Politics is not an arena for slogans, good intentions and naïve leftist dreams.
Politics is realism, rationality and the language of interests. In our region,
the role model is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, yesterday, today, and tomorrow,
God willing.
Regardless of what is being said, Saudi Arabia remains an influential country in
its surroundings, the region, the Arab and Islamic world, and the international
community. This is an evident fact, not mere slogans.
Everyone is aware of this, whether there is a war in Ukraine or not. After all,
politics is the work of realists, not dreamers who are faced with rejection in
their own countries, not only in Saudi Arabia, or the region.
Biden is coming to Riyadh with energy and regional security files, and features
of an escalating conflict with Iran. He will attend a Gulf-Arab summit with the
participation of Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, with the aim to strengthen a
Saudi-American strategic partnership that is not governed by the absurdity of
the left, nor the slogans of dreamers.
Biden is coming as it has become clear to the West that Iran cannot be trusted.
He visits Saudi Arabia, which is today the largest and fastest reform movement
in the region, for the sake of the Saudis themselves, and not to please anyone.
The US president will visit Saudi Arabia, which is the ideal model in the
region, in contrast to the destructive Iranian role.
Someone may say that Biden comes to fulfill the interests of his country. This
is true. But to those who constantly repeat that the American president cares
only about his country, not others, we say that the Saudi leadership was also
firm in achieving the interests of the Saudis, not others.
Therefore, Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia, and his meeting with the King and the
Crown Prince, come to consolidate the concept of interests. This is the card
that the Saudi leadership knows how to use always and forever, because Saudi
Arabia is an influential country, and a fortress of security, safety and
stability for the entire region.
Accordingly, what is being written and published in the West doesn’t matter.
That’s their own business… We also don’t care about ideas promoted by the
malicious people in our region because those represent the opposite of who we
are and what we seek to achieve, that is reform, openness, and the consolidation
of stability.
We say it doesn’t matter because some in the West traded in files such as human
rights, which they ignored in Iran and Syria. Some tried to meddle with files
that are at the heart of the region’s security and stability, and we see how
Iraq suffers, for example, from the consequences of such behavior.
What is most important is that Saudi rationality has prevailed, because this is
the logic of states. Moreover, the strategic Saudi-US partnership is also back
on the right track, after attempts to destabilize it under false slogans. The
events have proved that Saudi Arabia is a country whose status cannot be
underestimated. It is not the time to humiliate opponents, nor to spread
propaganda... Today is a day for reminding that politics is the art of the
possible, and that politics without realism means nothing. This is the typical
Saudi approach, and apart from that, details are worthless.
West should expect Iran’s political dam to break at any moment
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/June 19/2022
The Iranian regime continues to experience political earthquakes and it is
failing to address the underlying issues. Political upheavals are like dam
failures. To the casual observer, they appear to happen in an instant. But in
actuality, what causes dams — and political systems — to break is years of
unaddressed small leaks that create mounting pressure until one final drop
causes the entire structure to collapse.
The theocratic establishment of Iran is starting to show some leaks and the West
needs to be prepared or it risks getting flooded by surprise. Public distrust in
the Iranian government continues to rise. For example, an under-construction
10-story building collapsed in Iran’s southwestern city of Abadan last month.
The resulting death toll has risen to 41, with many more injured. The incident
was the deadliest of its kind in Iran for years. Authorities are blaming the
collapse on individual corruption and lax safety measures and have so far
arrested 14 people. The property’s developer, Hossein Abdolbaghi, was one of the
victims, according to authorities.
However, locals are deeply suspicious of the official narrative and believe
influential backers, likely the regime’s senior leadership, helped Abdolbaghi
flee the country to escape their wrath. An Iranian news website, Memar, painted
a picture of how officials accumulate wealth in Iran: “His (Abdolbaghi) formula
for amassing wealth, like many others in Iran today, is very simple: Clever
management of connections and opportunities based on ‘rente’ (privileges
resulting from undue influence).”
The belief that Abdolbaghi escaped speaks to the level of anger at the
corruption in Iran. This explains why, when Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei sent a
cleric to Abadan, he was shouted down as he tried to address mourners near the
site of the collapse.
This was not an isolated incident, as the supreme leader and his government have
been the targets of slogans and demonstrations across Iran. People have chanted
“Death to Khamenei,” “Shame on you Khamenei, step down from power,” “Death to
the dictator,” “Death to (President Ebrahim) Raisi,” and “Death to the Iranian
regime.”
During his presidential campaign last year, Raisi promised to address the
nation’s economic problems and raise people’s living standards. He famously
said: “The prices of bread, medicine and petrol will not increase under any
circumstances.” But the situations concerning the economy, inflation and
unemployment have all deteriorated since he became president. The government
last month cut subsidies for eggs, chicken, dairy products and cooking oil,
which has sent prices soaring. Overall inflation has now reached nearly 40
percent in Iran.
There is a stark contrast between the wealth being extracted and the high
poverty levels among the ordinary people in Iran.
In spite of the resumption of US sanctions on Iran in 2018 after Washington
pulled out of the multilateral nuclear deal, many Iranians instead blame the
government’s ineptitude and corruption for their growing litany of woes,
including high inflation. Chants such as, “They are lying that our enemy is
America, our enemy is right here,” can be heard during protests in Iran. That is
why economic protests previously erupted across the country and quickly became
political. For instance, the province of Khuzestan, where Abadan is located, was
the center of anti-regime protests in 2019 that arose due to the rising cost of
fuel. They ended in violence, with more than 300 people killed and thousands
arrested, according to Amnesty International.
Iran’s biggest oil and gas reserves are in Khuzestan, but it is a frequent site
of popular discontent. This is due to the fact that there is a stark contrast
between the wealth being extracted and the high poverty levels among the
ordinary people in Iran. This manifests the inequality and corruption Iranians
face.
While this is not a prediction of Iran’s imminent collapse, leaks are appearing
in more places and more frequently across the country. In addition, the recent
seizures of foreign tankers and the increasing tensions with Israel point to a
more reckless Iran as it faces mounting pressure both internally and externally.
With new reports stating that Iran now has enough enriched uranium to build a
nuclear bomb, it is a critical time for the US to increase its support for its
partners in the region, which could play a decisive role in spearheading
diplomatic efforts to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table. Despite the
pessimism around the possibility of a renewed multilateral deal, the worsening
economic conditions in Iran and Western support for partners in the region could
be the missing pieces needed to solve this jigsaw.
In summary, the West must be prepared for major political upheaval in Iran and
it should stand with its regional allies in confronting the Iranian regime.
• Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political
scientist.
Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh
US democracy in crucial test
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/June 19/ 2022
For nearly two years, long before the first ballot was cast in the 2020
presidential election, former US President Donald Trump and his supporters were
claiming that it would be rigged by the Democrats, only to completely cut loose
when he lost to Joe Biden.
Hence, it is imperative, for the sake of the survival of democracy in the US,
that the electoral integrity of the 2020 presidential election is established
beyond doubt, and with that the culpability of those who actively incited the
crowd that committed the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
This means the current investigation by a House of Representatives select
committee into the events of that fateful day — and of the narrative spread by
Trump and his supporters that he lost to a fraudulent election process — is
crucial to the future of the union in what is arguably the most consequential
crisis for American democracy since Watergate.
Getting to the truth about the events that led up to the violent and deadly
attack on Capitol Hill should never have been a divisive issue, but rather
something that all legislators who care for the well-being and survival of the
democratic system should have demanded, instinctively and instantly.
The very fact that most Republican legislators objected to the investigation
suggests either that they have something to conceal regarding the link between
Trump’s behavior and the worst attack in the country’s history on its democratic
institutions, or that they and their party are too scared to break free of the
spell he has cast over them.
However, what was presented last week during the first night of the hearings
should worry not only Americans but also those who still see the US as the
leader of the free world, or long for it to reestablish itself in this role.
Testimony after testimony from some of Trump’s closest political aides and
lieutenants portrayed those around the president as divided into two camps: One
with the common sense, integrity and courage to advise Trump not to declare
victory early on election night for the obvious reason that the result was far
from clear at that point and that, if any trend was emerging, it was indicating
a Biden victory.
The other group, led by Rudy Giuliani, urged Trump to declare that he had beaten
his Democrat rival — despite knowing that the claim was at best premature and at
worst deliberately false, and that it was kick-starting the buildup to the
fabrication that a “major fraud” had taken place to ensure Biden’s victory.
The task for the investigating committee is to explore whether this sheer lie,
repeated time and again by the president, along with his constant incitements
against anyone who challenged him on it, triggered those who broke into the
Capitol and desecrated it.
Over the years, a massive gap has emerged between the values held dear by more
progressive, liberal-minded Americans on the west and east coasts, and those
promoted by the more conservative forces that live mainly in between.
The conservatives feel left behind socioeconomically, they feel their way of
life is under threat and, equally important, they feel patronized by economic
and intellectual elites they perceive as controlling all the centers of power.
This has created a massive breeding ground for Trump’s style of populism, which,
while devoid of any ideological substance, is successfully manipulating the
fears and emotions of millions, especially during times of worldwide
uncertainty.
The Capitol Riot committee’s decision to broadcast the testimonies of those who
were close to Trump was a smart and necessary move.
But because he is still a mighty force within the Republican Party and its
supporters, and has a major influence on the selection of nominees for the
midterm elections later this year, and because it is highly likely that he
intends to run for president in 2024, his true intentions must be revealed by
the current investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection.
The decision taken by the select committee to broadcast the testimonies of those
who were close to Trump, to let the public hear them and judge their merits for
themselves, was a smart and necessary move. People across the US need to hear
how the false claims that questioned the legitimacy of Biden’s election came to
be made.
Breaking the myth of a fraudulent election could close a dark chapter in the
country’s history. More critically, if the US would like to be revered as the
“city upon a hill” it has always aspired to be, it has to put all this behind it
and return to a discourse based on reality and not fantasy, and a civilized and
constructive national debate with real substance to it.
*Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations and an associate fellow
of the MENA Program at Chatham House. He is a regular contributor to the
international written and electronic media. Twitter: @YMekelberg