English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 08/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2021/english.march08.22.htm

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Bible Quotations For today
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
Metthew 07/01-12: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 07-08/2022
The Shiite Community in Lebanon is Kidnapped, a Hostage and a Victim, and not an Embracing Environment for Hezbollah, The Iranian Proxy/Elias Bejjani/March 07/2022
Aoun Says Elections Will Happen, Defends Megacenters Plan
President Aoun signs 12 laws approved by Parliament, refers them to publication
President Aoun meets European People’s Party delegation: Parliamentary and presidential elections will take place
President Aoun receives message from Algerian counterpart on Arab situation and Arab Summit preparations: Lebanon welcomes any Arab meeting and will...
Berri discusses fresh developments with visiting foreign delegations
Mikati meets Iraq's Industry Minister, European delegation, Interior Minister, Algerian Foreign Minister
Activists Assaulted after Chanting against Iran at Beirut Book Fair
Alloush Says to Run in Elections to 'Fill Sunni Void'
Russian War in World's 'Breadbasket' Threatens Lebanon's Food Security
Supply Fears: How is Russia-Ukraine War Affecting Lebanon?
Jumblat Decries Attempt to 'Besiege' Him by Hizbullah, Allies

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 07-08/2022
Two Civilians Killed in Israeli Strikes near Damascus
Russia says military action will stop immediately if Ukraine agrees to four conditions
Hate for Putin's Russia Consumes Ukraine
A Russian oligarch whose $120 million superyacht was seized in France reportedly told the captain to sail to Turkey as fast as possible after being sanctioned
Russia Snubs U.N. Court Hearings in Case Brought by Ukraine
Why Israel is Mediating between Russia, Ukraine
U.S. Officials Say Russia Recruiting Syrians to Fight in Ukraine
China Calls Russia its Chief 'Strategic Partner' despite War
Russia Sets Ceasefire for Evacuations amid Heavy Shelling
Stung by Criticism, UK's Johnson Speeds up Russia Sanctions
Iran seeks 'creative ways' to nuke deal after Russian demand

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on March 07-08/2022
Audio from FDD/Sailor, Soldier, Spy: Three Perspectives on Putin’s War on Ukraine/Biden’s Bold Gamble Might Just Save Ukraine/March 07-08/2022
Putin’s War Is Xi’s Worst Nightmare ...Beijing is watching closely. And it doesn’t like what it sees
/Craig Singleton/Foreign Policy/March 07/2022
Biden’s Coming Iran Deal Will Be Even Worse than Obama’s/Richard Goldberg/National Review/March 07/2022
Turkey Committing War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity – Again/Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/March 07/2022

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 07-08/2022
The Shiite Community in Lebanon is Kidnapped, a Hostage and a Victim, and not an Embracing Environment for Hezbollah, The Iranian Proxy
Elias Bejjani/March 07/2022
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/106824/elias-bejjani-the-shiite-community-in-lebanon-is-kidnapped-a-hostage-and-a-victim-and-not-an-incubating-environment-for-hezbollah/
The hard, tough and miserable living conditions that the Lebanese Shiite community is encountering on daily bases, all over occupied Lebanon, confirms at all levels, and fields, and without any doubt, that the Iranian terrorist Hezbollah, is an
Iranian military proxy from A to Z, and has nothing to do with Lebanon’s Shiites, or with any other Lebanese community.
Actually, Hezbollah kidnaps and takes hostage the Shiite community, and falsely alleges that it is an embracing environment for the Iranian agenda of violence, terrorism, “Wilayat al-Faqih” Mullahs’ denominational doctrine, and expansionism schemes.
Hezbollah does not in reality pay any serious concern to the fate of the Shiite Lebanese community, in domains of safety, security and future, or otherwise it would not have placed this community in an exposed, fragile and dangerous circumstances, due to its blatant military interventions in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Gaza and numerous Arabian Gulf stated, especially, Saudi Arabia.
Hezbollah in Syria is fighting the Syrian people, openly siding with the criminal Assad regime, and doing the same thing in Yemen, Iraq, Gaza and in many other countries. If Hezbollah’s leadership really care about the fate and safety of the Shiite Lebanese community, it would have not stored its weapons caches in all Shiite villages and cities, (in residential areas) of Beirut (Dahea Sothern Suburb), south, Bekaa regions, and in other residential Shiite residential areas.
It is worth mentioning that Israel has several times posted on its official web sites an information bank that shows all the locations of Hezbollah’s weapons caches all over Lebanon.
Meanwhile, If Hezbollah cares about its Lebanese Shiite people, it would not have sent its men to be killed in Syria, in support of the criminal Syrian Assad Regime, where unofficial studies indicate the killing of nearly 4,000 young Shiites men there.
The infrastructure, social and economic services in all Lebanese Shiite villages and cities that are totally under the hegemony of Hezbollah are all very bad and extremely very primitive.
Based on all the above facts there is no embracing Shiite environment for Hezbollah in occupied Lebanon, but rather a hostage, a kidnapped and a victim community, and therefore it is the duty of the Lebanese state to liberate the Shiites from the Hezbollah captivity.
In conclusion, Hezbollah is a mere Iranian militant terrorist proxy, and has no embracing Shiite environment. In the same context, and when Lebanon is Liberated, and the UN resolutions are implemented, Hezbollah’s leadership and all its officials Must be charged, and put on trial for the crimes they have committed.


Aoun Says Elections Will Happen, Defends Megacenters Plan
Naharnet/March 07/2022
President Michel Aoun on Monday stressed that “the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections will take place.”He voiced his remarks during a meeting in Baabda with a delegation from the European Peoples Party. Asked about the megacenters plan, Aoun said he personally supports it. “But some ministers expressed their reservations, saying they believe there would be a lot of difficulties in implementing it,” the President added.“A meeting will be held over the issue and they will get convinced that it is not that difficult or complicated as claimed by the Interior Minister’s report. We have a method to facilitate the issue and accordingly there will be megacenters,” Aoun went on say.

President Aoun signs 12 laws approved by Parliament, refers them to publication
NNA/March 07/2022
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, signed 12 laws approved by the Parliament in its last session and referred these laws for publication in the Official Gazette.
Laws:
- Law No. 269 relating to the regularization of the status of inspectors in the General Directorate of Public Security.
- Law No. 270 relating to the promotion of inspectors in the General Directorate of Public Security from holders of a Lebanese degree in law to the rank of Captain.
-Law No. 271 relating to the promotion of sergeants in the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces to the rank of lieutenant.
-Law No. 272 ​​amending Article 4 of the Law implemented by Decree No. 3473 of March 5, 1960 and its amendments (organizing the Druze confessional judiciary) and the tables 1 and 2 attached to it.
-Law No. 273 relating to the amendment of Law No. 62/2016 dated October 27, 2016 (establishing the National Human Rights Commission that includes the Committee for the Prevention of Torture) amended by Law No. 6/2020 (the 2020 budget law and annexed budgets).
-Law No. 274 relating to the reorganization of the Rashid Karami International Fair.
-Law No. 275 relating to the teaching of informatics in all public education cycles and stages.
-Law No. 276 authorizing the collection of imports as before and the disbursement of expenditures from February 1, 2022 until the issuance of the General Budget Law 2022 on the basis of the 12th rule.
-Law No. 277 amending Paragraph 6 of Article 9 of the Social Security Law amended by Law No. 27 dated 10/2/2017.
-Law No. 278 establishing the right of full-time faculty members at the Lebanese University who have reached the legal age to be appointed to their teaching staff.
-Law No. 279 extending Law No. 200/2020 dated December 29, 2020 until the completion of the forensic audit work and the amendment of paragraph 2 of its only article.
- Law No. 280 to correct the name of the village of (Majdalaya), Aley District - Mount Lebanon Governorate, in the name of the village of (Majdalaya).
MP Bou Saab:
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, met MP Elias Bou Saab, today at Baabda Palace, and discussed with him current political developments and on-going preparations for the parliamentary elections.
Southern maritime border demarcation was also tackled in the meeting.
MP Bou Saab pointed out that the President stressed that this year’s parliamentary elections are of particular importance, given the role entrusted to the Parliament in the next stage, “At a time when Lebanon is working to implement the plans that lead to the start of the process of advancement and economic and financial recovery, not to mention other benefits”.
MP Bou Saab also stated his position regarding running for the Public Prosecution office for a new term and the reasons that made him wait. MP Bou Saab indicated that he felt President Aoun understands his position, stressing that he will always remain by the side of the President and all the files he is working on because their achievement is the hope of the Lebanese.
“I found that His Excellency the President is keen on holding the elections on time” MP Bou Saab said.
“Regarding border demarcations, His Excellency the President is committed to Lebanese rights and puts Lebanon’s interest above all else, based on his constitutional oath and adherence to Lebanese sovereignty that governs the presidential performance and his conviction that this file needs national consensus for its importance. The President will follow up on the file to prevent further waste of time to reach a decision that enjoys a national consensus, whatever this decision is” MP Bou Saab concluded. -- Presidency Press office

President Aoun meets European People’s Party delegation: Parliamentary and presidential elections will take place
NNA/March 07/2022
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, emphasized that “Today, Lebanon is experiencing difficult conditions as a result of accumulations, wrong economic policies and rampant corruption, in addition to the repercussions of global and regional crises”.
The President also stressed that the parliamentary and presidential elections will take place, and pointed to the need to make a change in laws, especially in terms of adopting decentralization to reduce the central authority of the decision.
The President’s stances came while meeting with a delegation from the European People's Party (EPP-European Peoples Party), which is visiting Lebanon to review its conditions.
Head of the delegation, French MP Franck Proust, thanked President Aoun for receiving them, and pointed out that this visit comes within the framework of reviewing the Lebanese situation and how to contribute to assistance on the political and economic levels, especially in light of Lebanon’s preparations for parliamentary elections on May. Lebanon.
“On the other hand, Lebanon is in the process of negotiating with the International Monetary Fund to complete a financial recovery plan amid difficult conditions imposed by the Fund that directly affect the speedy implementation of this plan” Proust said.
MP Proust also pointed to the emergency geopolitical situation with what is happening in Europe after the Ukrainian crisis, which affected the global economy and food security, in addition to the fact that the situation in Lebanon was affected by regional events in addition to its relations with the Gulf States.
Moreover, MP Proust expressed constant readiness to stand by Lebanon and support it in various fields to overcome the crisis it is going through.
For his part, the President wished that the delegation would achieve the goal of its visit to Lebanon and review its various conditions, noting that Lebanon is living today in very difficult conditions, especially in terms of economic,financial and political crises. The President also stressed that everything Lebanon suffers is the result of accumulation and wrong economic policies, in addition to corruption.
In addition, President Aoun emphasized that “The situation in Europe currently affects the global economy as well as Lebanon, especially that most countries have taken decisions to stop the export of primary and basic materials abroad, and of course, Ukrainian goods. Everyone knows that the Lebanese economy is a rentier economy that must turn into a productive economy to achieve self-sufficiency and face these difficult circumstances”.
On the other hand, President Aoun tackled the events surrounding Lebanon and their impact on public and private life in it, especially the Syrian crisis and its repercussions on various sectors in light of the large Syrian displacement towards Lebanese lands and the demographic impact of this issue on Lebanon, in addition to the impact of the Corona pandemic, and the great explosion that occurred in the port of Beirut, where part of the capital was destroyed, resulting in many martyrs, victims and wounded, and a great impact on the institutions that provide public services.
Moreover, President Aoun affirmed that after the port explosion, various countries stood by Lebanon and sent aid to it, but this aid does not enrich people or enable them to continue to live in dignity, so the percentage of the poor class in Lebanese society has increased.
“In light of the high public debt ratio today, Lebanon is in need of financial loans to be able to confront the economic collapse, and we are today in the process of negotiating with the International Monetary Fund to obtain these loans in the context of a financial and economic recovery plan” the President said, stating the difficult conditions imposed by the IMF to implement this plan.
Responding to a question from the assistant head of the European Observation Mission for the upcoming parliamentary elections, about conducting a study on the possibility of establishing mega centres, and about his opinion on the implementation of this mechanism, President Aoun confirmed that he personally supports the establishment of the Mega Center,“But some ministers expressed reservations. There are many difficulties in implementing this matter now”. The President also revealed that a meeting will be held on this subject and they will be convinced that the matter is not that difficult and complicated as appeared in the report of the Minister of Interior. “But we have a method that will facilitate the matter, and on this basis there will be a Mega center”.
In response to a question about his expectations from the parliamentary and presidential elections, President Aoun said: “Of course, we cannot know the results of the electoral process from now, but I assure that these elections will happen. As for the issue of the presidential elections, no one has yet nominated himself for these elections, but there are many candidates like for the parliamentary elections”.
In response to a question, President Aoun stressed that the Lebanese political system is very difficult because it is a system based on consensus and consensual.
Asked about what is being said about the possibility of Lebanon being helped by Europe in light of the absence of foreign confidence in the Lebanese, especially since it is said that most of the Lebanese have foreign agendas, the President stressed that the Lebanese system is paralyzed and in need of change by adopting decentralization to facilitate the decision-making process, and secondly by fighting corruption by implementing forensic audit in the face of corrupt people. Reform through laws is very important, as is reform in the ruling system”.
The delegation also included members from Slovakia, Belgium, Serbia, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Belarus, Germany and Cyprus. --Presidency Press Office

President Aoun receives message from Algerian counterpart on Arab situation and Arab Summit preparations: Lebanon welcomes any Arab meeting and will...
NNA/March 07/2022
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, considered that “Current conditions in the Middle East and in the world as a whole necessitate more than ever before for solidarity between the Arab countries and strengthening unity after the distance that occurred in contravention of the Charter of the League of Arab States, and the considerations that impose the meeting of Arabs on one word”.
President Aoun also stressed that “Lebanon has always worked to bring the Arabs together and to remove the reasons that led to their division, and therefore welcomes any inclusive Arab meeting”.
The positions of the President came while meeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad in the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Mr. RamtanLamamra, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Dr. Abdullah Bou Habib.
The Algerian Minister handed President Aoun a written message from Algerian President, AbdelMajid Tebboune about the Arab situation and on-going preparations for the holding of the Arab Summit hosted by Algeria. President Tebboune also expressed his “Pride in the relations of brotherhood and cooperation that unite Lebanon and Algeria”, stressing “The keenness to raise these relations to higher ranks in various fields to serve the higher interests of our two brotherly countries and peoples”.
President Tebboune added “There is no doubt that the delicate circumstances that our Arab nation is going through and the political, security, economic and health challenges it faces dictate that we strengthen the practice of consultation and coordination, especially since the Corona pandemic has prevented for a long time from holding our regular meetings on a regular basis”.
“You share my opinion that this situation, as difficult as it is, is not inevitable. Our Arab nation has capabilities in all respects, which enable it to overcome the stage of division it is currently going through. Therefore, Algeria, which will be honored to host the next Arab Summit, is seeking to intensify its efforts in order to provide conditions for success of this important date, and winning the bet of advancing joint Arab action to serve the issues of our nation, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause. We also seek to achieve the aspirations of our peoples who yearn for unity in the framework of stability, cooperation and solidarity in a manner that guarantees a decent position for our nation on the global stage, and avoids its marginalization, especially in light of the emergence of the indicators of a new international order for some stage after the COVID 19 pandemic” President Tebboune added.
“For the success of this endeavour, we rely a lot on your brotherly support, given your rich experiences and your special position in the Arab world as a result of your customary personal care and your unwavering constructive stances, given also the responsibilities that your brotherly country will assume at the level of the bodies of the League of Arab States” President Tebboune stated.
Minister Lamamra had explained to President Aoun the reasons that prompted Algeria to consult with Arab countries on the issue of holding the Arab summit and the proposed date for it in preparation for taking the appropriate position.
For his part, President Aoun welcomed Minister Lamamra and conveyed his greetings to President Tebboune, praising the Lebanese-Algerian relations. The President described Lebanese-Algerian relations as “Deep and solid brotherly relations”, expressing his hope that Algeria will succeed in organizing the Arab summit.
President Aoun also stressed that Lebanon will be at the forefront of the countries that will participate in it as soon as the date is set, “Because the Arab summit has become a need to bring the Arabs together regarding the crucial issues facing us, especially as it hurts us about the differences in opinion between the Arab brothers and the existing military conflicts”.
Statement:
After the meeting, Minister Lamamra made the following statement:
“I was honored by this reception by the brotherlyPresident of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Aoun.
I conveyed him a written message from his brother, President Abdel Majid Tebboune, which carries feelings of brotherhood, affection and respect for his person and the brotherly Lebanese people, and is related to the development of our distinguished bilateral relations based on brotherhood and common principles.
This visit comes within the context of consultation on current issues, the most important of which are issues related to the present and the Arab future.As you know, Algeria has the honor to prepare to host an Arab summit and is doing its best for the sake of reunification and preparing the appropriate conditions for the convening of a comprehensive and inclusive summit that culminates in success that will be measured by the ability of Arab leaders to make consensus and take decisions that would help us rise to the existential challenges arising from the Corona pandemic and, God willing, this pandemic will be about to end. Weare working on arranging the house in preparation for what comes after. Rebuilding international relations in light of the current collisions and confrontations requires more work to overcome this difficult stage in human history”.
Questions & Answers:
Question: Do you specify the date of the Arab summit in Algeria?
Answer: “Algeria has a proposal based on what the President of the Republic decided on the basis of good preparation, materially and politically, through the visits he personally undertakes to brotherly Arab countries. As for setting the date, that will be under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Abdullah Bu Habib when he ascends to the presidency of the Ministerial Council of the League of Arab States. Congratulations to Lebanon, Algeria and the Arabs for this renewed opportunity for reunification under the auspices of Lebanon and on the land of Algeria, God willing”.
Question: Have you discussed with His Excellency the President the Kuwaiti initiative related to the Lebanese-Gulf dialogue? Since this is one of the conditions for the success of the Arab summit in Algeria, will there be a “zero” of problems between the Arab countries for the success of this summit?
Answer: “I visited Lebanon recently, and President Abdel Majid Tebboune paid an official visit to brotherly Kuwait. We listened to the explanation given by our brothers in Kuwait about this blessed initiative that we support and wish for success. We believe that the Lebanese political field takes this initiative seriously, and we are optimistic in this regard”.
Question: Will Syria be invited to the summit?
Answer: “Part of the consultations revolved around this issue”.-- Presidency Press Office

Berri discusses fresh developments with visiting foreign delegations
NNA/March 07/2022
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Monday welcomed at his Ein Teeneh residence, a delegation representing the European People's Party (EPP), which includes deputies and parliamentarians elected in the various parliaments of European countries.
Berri separately tackled the most recent developments with the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad, Ramtan Lamamra, who visited him on top of a delegation, in the presence of Algerian Ambassador to Lebanon, Abdel Karim Rkaibi.Berri also welcomed on Monday Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals, Manhal al-Khabbaz, in presence of Industry Minister Georges Boujikian, Lebanon's Ambassador to Iraq Ali Habhab, and Iraqi Ambassador in Beirut Haider Shiaa Al-Barrak.

Mikati meets Iraq's Industry Minister, European delegation, Interior Minister, Algerian Foreign Minister
NNA/March 07/2022
Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Monday emphasized: "Lebanon, which has suffered from invasions and wars throughout its history, adheres to international law and the United Nations Charter, and does not accept any aggression against the sovereignty and integrity of any country, and considers that the problem between Russia and Ukraine is resolved through negotiations, not military options."
Premier Mikati's stance came during his meeting at the Grand Serail with a delegation from the European People's Party (EPP), which includes deputies and parliamentarians elected in the various parliaments of European countries.
The delegation was chaired by French MP, Franck Proust, and included 30 deputies and personalities representing 16 European countries.
On the other hand, Mikati met with Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Judge Bassam Mawlawi, with whom he discussed Ministry-related affairs and the megacenter dossier.
On emerging, Minister Malwalwi affirmed that the Megacentre is a reform step, yet the most important thing is not to postpone the elections.
The Prime Minister also met at the Grand Serail with Minister of Industry and Minerals of Iraq, Manhal al-Khabbaz, in presence of Industry Minister Georges Bouchikian, Lebanon's Ambassador to Iraq Ali Habhab, and Iraqi Ambassador in Beirut Haider Shiaa Al-Barrak.
"We were honored to visit the Prime Minister in the company of our dear friend the Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals. We held positive talks over an array of common affairs," said Bouchikian, announcing that a Lebanese ministerial delegation chaired by Mikati will visit Iraq soon.
For his part, Minister al-Khabbaz indicated that talks touched on the bilateral cooperation between Lebanon and Iraq and the prospects of commercial exchange.
"We confirm the Iraqi government's support for the Lebanese government," he underlined.
On the other hand, Premier mikati received Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Ramtan Lamamra, on top of a delegation, in the presence of Algerian Ambassador to Lebanon, Abdel Karim Rkaibi.
During the meeting, bilateral relations between the two countries and cooperation in all fields were discussed.
The visiting Minister also briefed Premier Mikati on the ongoing preparations for holding the Arab summit in Algeria on the first and second of upcoming November. Among Premier Mikati's itinerant visitors for today had been a delegation from the Islamic Orphanage, headed by the Director General, former Minister Khaled Qabbani.
Mikati later met with former Minister Roger Dib.

Activists Assaulted after Chanting against Iran at Beirut Book Fair
Naharnet/March 07/2022
At least two activists were beaten up Monday, one of them severely, after they chanted “Beirut Free, Iran Out!” at a section displaying pictures of slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani at the Beirut International and Arab Book Fair at the Seaside Arena (previously known as BIEL).
MTV identified two of the activists as Shafik Bader and Nelly Qandil. It added that Bader’s cellphone was taken away by the attackers. A force from the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch later arrived on the scene and launched investigations as a number of other activists arrived in solidarity. The Lady of the Mountain Gathering later announced that members from the Gathering and others from the National Council to Lift the Iranian Occupation of Lebanon had “come under an attack” at the fair. “They came under a flagrant attack for asking ‘who is Qassem Soleimani’ and why his picture was on display at a cultural fair,” the Gathering said, expressing its solidarity with the activists and calling on security authorities to launch a probe. It also slammed “the presence of a security apparatus belonging to Hizbullah at a cultural fair” with the aim of “protecting a picture.”The fair’s administration later decided to shut down the fair for Monday over security and safety concerns.

Alloush Says to Run in Elections to 'Fill Sunni Void'
Naharnet
/March 07/2022
A few days after resigning from al-Mustaqbal Movement, ex-MP Mustafa Alloush has confirmed that he will engage in the upcoming parliamentary elections to “fill the void in the Sunni arena” following ex-PM Saad Hariri’s withdrawal from politics. “We have not finalized the alliances yet and things are supposed to crystallize in the next two days. The candidates whom we will ally with are either independent or close to al-Mustaqbal Movement,” Alloush said in an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper. “Ex-PM Fouad Saniora is the one leading this drive, in agreement with former premiers and figures who are influential politically and socially,” the ex-MP added. Asked about the financial and logistic difficulties resulting from the absence of al-Mustaqbal Movement’s electoral campaign, Alloush said: “We have neither alternatives nor financing, because we weren’t ready for this, but vacuum cannot be acceptable and we will try to secure alternatives in the coming days.”

Russian War in World's 'Breadbasket' Threatens Lebanon's Food Security
Associated Press
/March 07/2022
If the Russian war on Ukraine is prolonged, Lebanon could face wheat shortages starting July. That could create food insecurity and throw more people into poverty in Lebanon, where diets are dominated by government-subsidized bread. The Beirut port's explosion in 2020 had destroyed Lebanon's main grain silos and authorities are now scrambling to make up for a predicted wheat shortage, with Ukraine providing 60% of its supply. They are in talks with the U.S., India and Canada to find other sources for a country already in financial meltdown. A ministerial panel led by the economy minister and comprised of the ministers of industry, agriculture, defense and culture was formed Friday to “tackle the food security crisis” in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The committee would “protect the markets in terms of preventing monopolization and price manipulation.”People in Europe, Africa and Asia also rely on the vast, fertile farmlands of the Black Sea region — known as the "breadbasket of the world." Ukrainian farmers have been forced to neglect their fields as millions flee, fight or try to stay alive. Ports are shut down that send wheat and other food staples worldwide to be made into bread, noodles and animal feed. And there are worries Russia, another agricultural powerhouse, could have its grain exports upended by Western sanctions. While there have not yet been global disruptions to wheat supplies, prices have surged 55% since a week before the invasion amid concerns about what could happen next. In Europe, officials are preparing for potential shortages of products from Ukraine and increased prices for livestock feed that could mean more expensive meat and dairy if farmers are forced to pass along costs to customers. Russia and Ukraine combine for nearly a third of the world's wheat and barley exports. Ukraine also is a major supplier of corn and the global leader in sunflower oil, used in food processing. The war could reduce food supplies just when prices are at their highest levels since 2011. A prolonged conflict would have a big impact some 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) away in Egypt, the world's largest wheat importer. Millions rely on subsidized bread made from Ukrainian grains to survive, with about a third of people living in poverty. "Wars mean shortages, and shortages mean (price) hikes," Ahmed Salah, a 47-year-old father of seven, said in Cairo. "Any hikes will be catastrophic not only for me, but for the majority of the people."
Anna Nagurney, a professor of supply chains, logistics and economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said, "Wheat, corn, oils, barley, flour are extremely important to food security ... especially in the poorer parts of the globe." With Ukrainian men being called on to fight, she said, "Who's going to be doing the harvesting? Who'd be doing the transportation?" Egypt's state procurer of wheat, which normally buys heavily from Russia and Ukraine, had to cancel two orders in less than a week: one for overpricing, the other because a lack of companies offered to sell their supplies. Sharp spikes in the cost of wheat globally could severely affect Egypt's ability to keep bread prices at their current subsidized level. "Bread is extremely heavily subsidized in Egypt, and successive governments have found that cuts to those subsidies are the one straw that should be kept off the camel's back at all costs," Mirette Mabrouk, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, wrote in a recent analysis.


Supply Fears: How is Russia-Ukraine War Affecting Lebanon?
Naharnet/March 07/2022
Bakeries Closing Doors
Several bakeries closed Monday as mills only delivered flour to Arabic bread bakeries, according to the mills agent in the South, Ali Rammal. "The majority of bakeries that produce pastries, manakeesh and markook bread will be closed within the next 48 hours," Rammal added.
Poultry Feed Prices Surge
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Lebanese Poultry Syndicate William Boutros said that the available poultry feed in Lebanon will only last for two months, amid worries that Russia could have its grain exports upended by Western sanctions. Lebanon imports large quantities of feed from Russia and Ukraine, Boutros clarified, adding that the prices of grain for animal feed have surged. Ukrainian farmers have been forced to neglect their fields as millions flee, fight or try to stay alive. Ports are shut down that send wheat and other food staples worldwide to be made into bread and animal feed.
Station Queues are Back -
Long queues have also returned to fuel stations over the past hours in Lebanon, while top member of the Lebanese station owners syndicate, George al-Brax, reassured that there is no gasoline shortage in the market. “We are following up on the fluctuation of the global oil prices and we will amend prices when necessary,” Energy Minister Walid Fayyad said. He warned that inspectors, escorted by State Security agents, would begin raiding stations to make sure they are abiding by the official prices and that they are not withholding their stocks from consumers.


Jumblat Decries Attempt to 'Besiege' Him by Hizbullah, Allies
Naharnet/March 07/2022
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said that the Axis of Defiance wants to "besiege" him. "It's ok," he added, telling Nidaa al-Watan newspaper, in remarks published Monday, that Hizbullah wants to impose itself on the entire country and on all sects. "If he could, Hizbullah wouldn't hesitate to benefit from achieving gains in the Druze arena," Jumblat explained. He went on to say that the Axis of Defiance wants to downsize his political influence and that Hizbullah is "obviously" taking part in executing "an order" that had been given to "besiege" him. "Lebanon had always been a culturally diverse country, even when it was under the Ottoman control," Jumblat said, criticizing Iran's influence. "It was even easier in the Syrian era, as Syrians controlled the key security and military decisions but did not eradicate the country.""We no longer understand what Iran wants," Jumblat said, adding that "nothing will change in Lebanon without sovereignty."Jumblat also slammed Free Patriotic Movement head Jebran Bassil and decried the "cost" of the FPM-Hizbullah's alliance. "It has cost us and will cost us a lot, politically and economically.” "Bassil is everywhere," he said. "He is blackmailing Hizbullah, interfering in the presidential elections' fate and in the maritime border demarcation with Israel.”On another note, the PSP head considered that no one can replace ex-Prime Minister Saad Hariri. "We have lost a great ally," he said
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The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published 
on March 07-08/2022
Two Civilians Killed in Israeli Strikes near Damascus

Agence France Presse
/March 07/2022
Israeli missile strikes killed at least two civilians before dawn on Monday near the Syrian capital Damascus, state media reported. Israel carried out the strikes at around 5:00 a.m. (0300 GMT), hitting positions south of the capital, Syria's official SANA news agency said, citing a military source. "Our air defense systems intercepted the missiles, downing most of them," SANA added. "Two civilians were killed and some material damage was incurred," it said, without elaborating. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit "a weapons and ammunition depot operated by Iran-backed militias near the Damascus international airport." The war monitor, which relies on an extensive network of sources inside Syria, said it could not confirm civilian fatalities. According to the Observatory, Israel has carried out raids in Syria at least seven times since the start of the year.  Last month, Israeli raids near the capital killed two Syrian soldiers and four Iran-backed militia fighters, the Observatory says. Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes inside the country, targeting government positions as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters of Hizbullah. While Israel rarely comments on individual strikes in Syria, it has acknowledged mounting hundreds since 2011. The Israeli military has defended the strikes as a necessary measure to prevent its arch-foe Iran from gaining a foothold on its doorstep.The conflict in Syria started with the brutal repression of peaceful protests and escalated to pull in foreign powers and global jihadists. It has killed nearly 500,000 people.


Russia says military action will stop immediately if Ukraine agrees to four conditions
Kate Buck/yahoo/March 07/2022
Russia has issued a list of demands for Ukraine to follow if its invasion is to come to an end.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov gave Moscow's most explicit statement so far of the terms it wants to impose on Ukraine to halt its "special military operation", which is now in its 12th day.
Pesko said Ukraine must:
Cease military action
Change its constitution to enshrine neutrality
Acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory
Recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent territories.
The outlining of Russia’s demands came as delegations from Russia and Ukraine prepared to meet on Monday for a third round of talks.
Peskov said that, if those conditions are met, Russia's military action will halt "in a moment".
He added: "They should make amendments to the constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. This is possible only by making changes to the constitution."
Evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, on March 7, 2022. - Ukraine dismissed Moscow's offer to set up humanitarian corridors from several bombarded cities on Monday after it emerged some routes would lead refugees into Russia or Belarus. The Russian proposal of safe passage from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol and Sumy had come after terrified Ukrainian civilians came under fire in previous ceasefire attempts. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)
He also insisted Russia was not seeking to make any further territorial claims on Ukraine.
Peskov said the Ukraine was aware of the conditions, adding that they were told "that all this can be stopped in a moment."
"We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot," he said.
"We have also spoken about how they should recognise that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognize that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And that’s it. It will stop in a moment."
It is not yet clear how receptive the Ukrainian government will be to the demands.
By changing its constitution to enshrine neutrality, Ukraine would be unable to join Nato - a key move the Kremlin is keen to ensure.
Ukraine has been keen to join the EU, with leaders from the bloc meeting this week to discuss Zelenskyy's bid to join this week.
The chairman of EU summits Charles Michel tweeted on Monday: "The EU's solidarity, friendship and unprecedented assistance for Ukraine are unwavering. We will discuss Ukraine's membership application in coming days."
Watch: Zelenskyy calls for harsher Russian sanctions
Vladimir Putin reportedly thought his invasion would take a matter of days, but was met with a strong resistance from Ukrainian Armed Forces and civilians.
Boris Johnson said on Monday that Russia's invasion breaches Ukrainian sovereignty.
The prime minister said Putin's recognition of the independence of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine is "a repudiation of the Minsk process and the Minsk agreements."
Speaking at Downing Street, Johnson said the UK "will continue to do everything we can to stand by the people of Ukraine with a very robust package of sanctions."
"They will be triggered with the first toecap of a Russian incursion or Russian invasion. But plainly what has happened is extremely bad news.
"We will be urgently talking to our friends and allies around the world, all of whom are jointly signed up with us in this package of sanctions."
On Wednesday, Russia admitted for the first time admitted it had suffered heavy losses, saying in a statement 498 of its troops had died. The UK has the death toll will be “considerably higher” than figures released by the Kremlin.
The United Nations has opposed any Russian claim to Donetsk and Lugansk and it has also condemned the annexation of Crime by Moscow in 2014.
Russia has increasingly been seen by the international community as a "global pariah" following the invasion on 24 February.
Evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, on March 7, 2022. - Ukraine dismissed Moscow's offer to set up humanitarian corridors from several bombarded cities on March 7, 2022, after it emerged some routes would lead refugees into Russia or Belarus. The Russian proposal of safe passage from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol and Sumy had come after terrified Ukrainian civilians came under fire in previous ceasefire attempts. An emergency UN general assembly voted overwhelmingly for a resolution deploring Russia's invasion of Ukraine and called for the immediate withdrawal of its forces, with longstanding allies Cuba and Venezuela joining China in abstaining. The only countries to vote no in support of Moscow were Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea and Syria. The outlining of Russia's demands came as delegations from Russia and Ukraine prepared to meet on Monday for a third round of talks aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. It began soon after Putin recognized two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian government forces since 2014, as independent - an action denounced as illegal by the West.
Putin's invasion has triggered the worst refugee crisis since World War Two, displacing around 1.5 million people. Ukrainian cities have come under almost constant bombardments, with Ukrainian officials estimating that over 2,000 civilians - including children - have been killed in the violence.
Russia agreed to a ceasefire over the weekend so people could be evacuated from their homes. Attempts at an evacuation in Mariupol were stopped on Sunday after men, women, and children were targeted with shells as they tried to flee. International attention has focused on Irpin, a Kyiv suburb where residents have been scrambling across a river to flee Russian bombardment. Eight people were killed - including two children from the same family - Ukrainian authorities said, after Russian shells hit a damaged bridge they were attempting to cross.

Hate for Putin's Russia Consumes Ukraine
Maria Varenikova/The New York Times/Mon, March 7, 2022
LVIV, Ukraine — Trapped in his apartment on the outskirts of Kyiv during fierce battles over the weekend, the well-known Ukrainian poet Oleksandr Irvanets composed a few lines that encapsulated the national mood. “I shout out to the whole world,” he wrote in a short poem published online by his fans, who have since lost touch with the writer and were worried that he may have fallen behind Russian lines. “I won’t forgive anyone!” If there is one overriding emotion gripping Ukraine right now, it is hate. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times
It is a deep, seething bitterness for President Vladimir Putin, his military and his government. But Ukrainians are not giving a pass to ordinary Russians, either, calling them complicit through years of political passivity. The hatred is vented by mothers in bomb shelters, by volunteers preparing to fight on the front lines, by intellectuals and by artists. The emotion is so powerful it could not be assuaged even by an Orthodox religious holiday on Sunday intended to foster forgiveness before Lent. Called Forgiveness Sunday, the holiday is recognized in both the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox churches.
And this hatred has overwhelmed the close personal ties between two Slavic nations, where many people have family living in both countries. Billboards have gone up along roadsides in gigantic block letters, telling Russians in profanity-laced language to get out. Social media posts in spaces often shared by Russians and Ukrainians have been awash in furious comments. Some Ukrainians have posted pictures of people killed in the military assault in Russian chat rooms on the Telegram app. They have vented by writing on the reviews pages for websites of Moscow restaurants.
And they have been mocking Russians in scathing terms for complaining about hardships with banking transactions or the collapsing ruble currency because of international sanctions. Damn, what’s wrong with Apple Pay?” Stanislav Bobrytsky, a Ukrainian computer programmer also trapped in the fighting around the capital, Kyiv, wrote sarcastically about how Russians are responding to the war. “I cannot pay for a latte in my favorite coffee shop.” Putin is the target of much of the Ukrainians’ unbridled resentment. The authoritarian leader is to blame, almost all Ukrainians agree. But the frustration is also directed more broadly at Russian society.
Many Ukrainians chastise Russians for increasingly accepting middle-class comforts afforded by the country’s oil wealth in exchange for declining to resist limits on their freedoms. They blame millions of Russians, who Ukrainians say gave up on the post-Soviet dreams of freedom and openness to the West, for enabling the war. “Are your iPhones all right?” another Ukrainian writer, Andriy Bondar, asked Russians on his Facebook page, after a thinly attended anti-war rally in Moscow that was broken up by the riot police. “We are very worried about you. It’s so cruel they use rubber sticks, those terrible riot police.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine also appealed to Russians on Sunday to protest for their own sakes as much as for the Ukrainians. “Don’t miss this opportunity,” he said in comments directed at Russians.
“Citizens of Russia, for you this is a struggle not only for peace in Ukraine, it is a struggle for your country, for the best that was in it, for the freedom that you saw, for the prosperity that you felt,” he added. “If you keep silent now, then only your poverty will speak for you later, and only repression will answer. Do not be silent!”Zelenskyy did not hold back on how he felt about the Russian military. “We will not forgive the shooting of unarmed people,” he said. There were virtually no anti-war protests in Russia before the conflict began, though small demonstrations have been staged in recent days. Most participants were arrested. Yuri Makarov, the chief editor of the Ukrainian national broadcasting company and the head of a national literature and arts award committee, said the war had driven a deep wedge between the Ukrainian and Russian societies that will be hard to heal. Russians, he said, have become Ukrainians’ “collective enemies.”Some modicum of popular support is enabling the fighting, he said. “The orders to shell the residential areas of Mariupol, Kharkiv and Zhytomyr were given by specific colonels, captains and junior lieutenants, not by Putin or Shoigu,” he said, referring to the Russian president and his minister of defense, Sergei K. Shoigu. “It is their choice and their responsibility,” he added. “As for the Russians, I am not interested in their motivation now. They, with the exception of a few, were quite comfortable being in a full dictatorship,” he added.
Olha Koba, a psychologist in Kyiv, said that “anger and hate in this situation is a normal reaction and important to validate.” But it is important to channel it into something useful, she said, such as making incendiary bombs out of empty bottles.
“When people are happy about the death of Russian soldiers, it is explicable” she said. “There is a subconscious understanding that this soldier will no longer be able to kill their loved ones.” Irvanets, the poet who sent his bitter composition to friends over the weekend, wrote that he had composed the lines in “a city shattered by missiles,” and he referenced the upcoming holiday on Sunday. But by Forgiveness Sunday, his fans were writing on social media that he had not been in contact and they were concerned that something had happened to him.
“I will never forgive Russia,” the poet wrote.
© 2022 The New York Times Company”

A Russian oligarch whose $120 million superyacht was seized in France reportedly told the captain to sail to Turkey as fast as possible after being sanctioned
Kate Duffy/Insider/Mon, March 7, 2022
A Russian oligarch told the captain of his yacht to sail from France to Turkey ASAP, per the WSJ.
Igor Sechin's yacht was docked in France when he was sanctioned after Russia invaded Ukraine.
French authorities tied the yacht down so it couldn't leave, a customs officer told The Journal.
Igor Sechin, a Russian billionaire and oligarch, told the captain of his now-seized superyacht to leave a French port and sail to Turkey as fast as possible after he was hit with sanctions, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
The US and the European Union put Sechin, who is said to be a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on their sanctions lists shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Sechin is also known as Russia's "Darth Vader." The report on Sechin's orders offers a glimpse into how the wealthiest Russians who were targeted by sanctions sought to move their yachts and private jets across the world after the invasion of Ukraine in order to protect their assets.
Eric Salles, a lead officer on the seizure operation, said in an interview with The Journal that French customs officers found out last week that the yacht was preparing to leave the French town of La Ciotat despite having repair work scheduled.
Customs officers also heard the yacht was owned by Sechin, CEO of Russian state-controlled oil giant Rosneft, Salles added.
The customs officers went to the yacht and questioned the captain, Salles said in the interview.
The captain told officers that he had orders to leave the French port and "sail to Turkey as quickly as possible," Salles told The Journal.
After hearing this information, French authorities tied the yacht to the quay with steel-rope slings so it couldn't leave, Salles told The Journal. Officers proceeded to check documents, further question the captain and crew, and surveil the vessel 24/7, Salles added.
Sechin's yacht was officially seized by the authorities on Wednesday night, according to a press release tweeted by French finance minister Bruno Le Maire. The yacht's captain — still on board the vessel with other crew members — wasn't arrested, Salles told The Journal.
Sechin is among several high-profile Russian business executives who have been sanctioned by the EU, US, UK, and others because of their ties to Putin. Gennady Timchenko, a Putin confidant, and Alexei Mordashov, reportedly the wealthiest man in Russia, had their superyachts seized by officials in Italy, The Associated Press reported on Friday.

Russia Snubs U.N. Court Hearings in Case Brought by Ukraine
Associated Press/Mon, March 7, 2022
Ukraine pleaded with the United Nations' top court Monday to order Russia to halt its devastating invasion, saying Moscow is already committing widespread war crimes and "resorting to tactics reminiscent of medieval siege warfare" in its 12-day-old military onslaught. Russia snubbed the International Court of Justice hearings and its seats in the Great Hall of Justice remained empty. On a lawn outside the court's headquarters, the Peace Palace in The Hague, a protester placed colored candles spelling out the words: "Putin Come out." Ukrainian representative Anton Korynevych told judges at the International Court of Justice: "Russia must be stopped and the court has a role to play in stopping it."Ukraine has asked the court to order Russia to "immediately suspend the military operations" launched Feb. 24 "that have as their stated purpose and objective the prevention and punishment of a claimed genocide" in the separatist eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. Lawyers for Kyiv dismissed the Russian claim. "Ukraine comes to this court because of a grotesque lie and to seek protection from the devastating consequences of that lie," David Zionts told the court. "The lie is the Russian Federation's claim of genocide in Ukraine. The consequences are unprovoked aggression, cities under siege, civilians under fire, humanitarian catastrophe and refugees fleeing for their lives." A decision on Ukraine's request is expected within days.
If the court were to order a halt to fighting as Ukraine requested, "I think the chance of that happening is zero," said Terry Gill, a professor of military law at the University of Amsterdam. He noted that if a nation does not abide by the court's order, judges could seek action from the United Nations Security Council, where Russia holds a veto. The court's president, American judge Joan E. Donoghue, said Russia's ambassador to the Netherlands, Alexander Shulgin, informed judges that "his government did not intend to participate in the oral proceedings."
Because of Russia's refusal to participate in the hearings, Moscow's turn to present legal arguments on Tuesday was canceled. Korynevych condemned Moscow's snub. "The fact that Russian seats are empty speaks loudly," he said. "They are not here in this court of law. They are on a battlefield waging aggressive war against my country." The request for so-called provisional measures is linked to a case Ukraine has filed based on the Genocide Convention. Both countries have ratified the 1948 treaty, which has a clause allowing nations to take disputes based on its provisions to the Hague-based court.
"Ukraine emphatically denies that any such genocide has occurred, and that the Russian Federation has any lawful basis to take action in and against Ukraine for the purpose of preventing and punishing genocide," the country said in its claim to the court. Even before the hearing, Donoghue sent a message to Russia's foreign minister on March 1 pressing home the necessity to act " in such a way as will enable any order the Court may make on the request for provisional measures to have its appropriate effects." Jonathan Gimblett, a member of Ukraine's legal team, highlighted the urgency of Ukraine's case, saying Moscow's "military aggression could have resulted in a new nuclear catastrophe affecting not only Ukraine or Russia, but potentially a vast surrounding area." He added that Russia, "today is resorting to tactics reminiscent of medieval siege warfare, encircling cities, cutting off escape routes and pounding the civilian population with heavy ordnance." The success of Ukraine's request will depend on whether the court accepts it has "prima facie jurisdiction" in the case, which is not a guarantee that the court ultimately would proceed with the suit. Cases at the International Court of Justice typically take years to complete.
Regardless of the outcome of the hearings, they give Ukraine another platform to air grievances about Moscow's invasion."It's part of, I think, an overall diplomatic strategy to try to put maximum pressure on Russia," said Gill. Ukrainian representative Oksana Zolotaryova emotionally underscored the high stakes as the hearing closed. "As I am speaking, the Russian Federation continues its relentless assaults on our cities, on our towns, on our villages, on our people," she told judges. She added: "We don't know yet the true number of Ukrainians that Russia has murdered in the past eleven days. We can only guess how many more will be murdered in the next eleven days if this senseless aggression does not stop."

Why Israel is Mediating between Russia, Ukraine

Associated Press/Mon, March 7, 2022
With his surprise visit to Moscow on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is assuming the unlikely role of mediator between Russia and Ukraine. Bennett, who has helmed the country for less than a year and is largely untested on the world stage, positioned Israel in an uncomfortable middle ground between Russia and Ukraine in the lead up to the war, creating a launching pad from which to emerge as a player in diplomatic efforts.But wading into international mediation in the midst of war could be a minefield for Israel. It relies on its ties with the Kremlin for security coordination in Syria, and with Moscow sitting at the negotiating table with Iran over its nuclear program, Israel cannot afford to anger President Vladimir Putin. What's more, it's unclear whether the efforts, said to have been coordinated with the U.S., will bear fruit. Success in getting the sides to compromise would elevate Bennett to an international statesman and boost Israel's standing after decades of global criticism over its lengthy, open-ended military rule over the Palestinians. Here is a look at the unexpected new player in the Ukraine crisis:
BENNETT'S BET
Bennett came to power last year as part of a pact by eight ideologically disparate parties bent on ousting former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A religious Jew who made millions in the country's hi-tech sector, Bennett has served in various Cabinet positions in the past but lacks the charisma and the international experience of his predecessor. Mediating between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin, a former KGB agent, will test him like never before. Opponents at home see Bennett's rule as illegitimate because they disapprove of the way he was brought to power and public opinion has in recent months not been in his favor. Additional criticism mounted in the lead-up to Russia's war with Ukraine over Bennett's reticence to censure Russia — breaking with Israel's allies in the West who were stepping up sanctions. While Bennett repeatedly expressed his support for the Ukrainian people, he stopped short of condemning Russia's invasion. As Western sanctions mounted, Bennett was maintaining contact with both Putin and Zelenskyy, who reportedly asked Bennett to begin mediating between the sides. With his visit to Moscow, he became the only Western leader to meet the Russian president since the war erupted.His involvement in such a high-profile, high stakes conflict could breathe life into his political fortunes. "Bennett has reinvented himself," said Esther Lopatin, a European affairs expert at Tel Aviv University. "Here's someone who was suffering in polls, who was facing public criticism. Turns out he can pull rabbits out of his hat."
A DIPLOMATIC MINEFIELD
Israel is one of the few countries that has good working relations with both Russia and Ukraine. It has delivered 100 tons of humanitarian aid to the country and has announced it will be setting up a field hospital there. Ukraine is also home to some 200,000 Jews, hundreds of whom have already fled to Israel, with many more expected. But Israel's ties with Russia are of strategic importance. Israel relies on Russia for security coordination in Syria, where Russia has a military presence and where Israeli jets have frequently struck targets said to be weapons caches destined for Israel's enemies. Russia is also among the powers negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program in Vienna, where a deal is imminent. Israel opposes the deal, saying it doesn't adequately restrain Iran's nuclear activities and has discussed that opposition with Russia frequently in the past. If Israel's outreach morphs into outright mediation, Israel will have to maintain that neutral position, breaking from the West, even if Russia's onslaught intensifies. Any wrong move and relations with Putin could sour. If talks fail, Bennett could appear to have been outsmarted by Putin's cunning and could be blamed for the conflict having worsened.And as one of the only Western-allied countries that has not engaged in openly hostile rhetoric toward Moscow, Israel will be the West's main diplomatic link to the Kremlin, a high-pressure, delicate position.
CHANCES FOR SUCCESS?
Hours after returning from his trip, Bennett told his Cabinet that it was Israel's moral duty to step in, "even if the chance is not great." With that, a country that has traditionally been a beneficiary of international mediation with the Palestinians and Arab nations was inching toward becoming the mediator. "There's a feeling that there is an opening, that no one is talking to Putin. Israel is a player who can talk to both sides," said Vera Michlin-Shapir, a former official at Israel's National Security Council and the author of "Fluid Russia," a book about the country's national identity. "But what happens going forward?"Michlin-Shapir warned that Israel doesn't necessarily have the diplomatic tools to properly mediate such a complex crisis, no matter the goodwill. Efforts by France and Turkey — bigger players internationally — failed to avert the conflict. "On the one hand, (Bennett) has upgraded his international standing overnight and has won a lot of political points within Israel. On the other, he is taking a huge risk, not only for himself as a politician but for the state of Israel and its standing in the world," commentator Barak Ravid wrote on the Israeli Walla News site. "The prime minister has waded into the Ukrainian mud without knowing entirely just how deep it is."

U.S. Officials Say Russia Recruiting Syrians to Fight in Ukraine
Agence France Presse/Mon, March 7, 2022
Russia is recruiting Syrian fighters experienced in urban combat as it ramps up its assault on Ukraine, according to U.S. officials quoted by the Wall Street Journal. Moscow, which launched an invasion into its Eastern European neighbor on February 24, has in recent days recruited fighters from Syria hoping they can help take Kyiv, four U.S. officials told the U.S. daily. Russia entered the Syrian civil war in 2015 on the side of President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The country has been mired in a conflict marked by urban combat for more than a decade. One official told the Journal that some fighters are already in Russia readying to join the fight in Ukraine, though it was not immediately clear how many combatants have been recruited, and the sources would not provide further detail. Foreign fighters have already entered the Ukrainian conflict on both sides. Chechnya strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov -- a former rebel-turned-Kremlin-ally -- has shared videos of Chechen fighters joining the attack on Ukraine and said some had been killed in the fighting. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has claimed around 20,000 foreign volunteers have traveled to the country to join Kyiv's forces. The capital and the second-largest city Kharkiv are still held by Ukraine's government, while Russia has seized the port city of Kherson and stepped up its shelling of urban centers across the country. Russia's assault, now in its twelfth day, has seen more than 1.5 million people flee the country in what the U.N. has called Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II.

China Calls Russia its Chief 'Strategic Partner' despite War
Associated Press/Mon, March 7, 2022
China's foreign minister on Monday called Russia his country's "most important strategic partner" as Beijing continues to refuse to condemn the invasion of Ukraine despite growing pressure from the U.S. and European Union to use its influence to rein Moscow in.
Wang Yi said Chinese ties with Moscow constitute "one of the most crucial bilateral relationships in the world."China has broken with the U.S., Europe and others that have imposed sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Beijing has said sanctions create new issues and threaten a political settlement of the conflict. "No matter how perilous the international landscape, we will maintain our strategic focus and promote the development of a comprehensive China-Russia partnership in the new era," Wang said at a news conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of China's ceremonial parliament.
"The friendship between the two peoples is iron clad," he added. Much attention has been paid to a meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Feb. 4, after which a joint statement was issued affirming "strong mutual support for the protection of their core interests." Russia said it endorses China's view of self-governing Taiwan as an "inalienable part of China, and opposes any forms of independence of Taiwan," while China backed Russia in opposing the further enlargement of NATO. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has drawn comparisons to China's own threat to invade Taiwan to bring what it considers a wayward province under its control.
However, Wang said Taiwan was a "fundamentally different" issue from Ukraine because the island is "an inalienable part of China's territory." "Some people, while being vocal about the principle of sovereignty on the Ukraine issue, have kept undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question. This is a blatant double standards," Wang said in a less-than-subtle dig at Taiwan ally the U.S. China and Russia have increasingly aligned their foreign policies against the liberal Western order and their militaries have carried out exercises together and flown joint air patrols, as their relationship has taken on the trappings of an informal alliance. Xi's government has refused to criticize the Russian invasion but tried to distance itself from Putin's war by calling for dialogue and the respect of national sovereignty. That prompted suggestions that Putin failed to tell the Chinese leader his plans before their February statement. Along with denouncing trade and financial sanctions on Moscow, Beijing says Washington is to blame for the conflict for failing to take Russia's security concerns into consideration.
During an hour-long phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday, Wang said China opposes any moves that "add fuel to the flames" in Ukraine. Wang called for negotiations to resolve the immediate crisis, as well as talks on creating a balanced European security mechanism. He said the U.S. and Europe should pay attention to the negative impact of NATO's eastward expansion on Russian security. On a visit to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on Monday, Blinken said China's actions were at odds with its avowed support for stability and "respecting sovereignty."
Blinken was speaking at a news conference with his Lithuanian counterpart, whose country has come under severe economic pressure from Beijing after it agreed to allow Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius. "From its coercion of Vilnius to its failure thus far to condemn Moscow's flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine today and in 2014, Beijing's actions are speaking much louder than its words," he said, referring to Russia's earlier annexation of Crimea. In Brussels, European Commission spokesperson for foreign affairs Peter Stano said the EU would like to see China play a mediating role and convince Russia to stop its war in Ukraine. "China has the potential to reach out to Moscow because of their relationship, obviously, and we would like China to use its influence to press for a cease-fire and to make Russia stop the brutal unprecedented shelling and killing of civilians in Ukraine," Stano told reporters Monday. He noted that China was not among the five countries which voted against a resolution adopted by the U.N. General Assembly condemning the Russian aggression. China abstained in the vote. "This is a reason for us to continue and even step up our engagement," Stano said. Chinese state-controlled media have been told to post only pro-Russian content and to censor anti-Russian or pro-Western views, according to a copy of instructions that appeared on the social media account of the newspaper Beijing News. The post was later deleted. On Friday, a translation by state TV of remarks by the head of the International Paralympic Committee during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Paralympics skipped portions that expressed horror about the war in Ukraine and called for peace. The most senior Chinese leaders have avoided mentioning the war in public. On Saturday, Premier Li Keqiang, the No. 2 leader, indirectly acknowledged its impact, saying prices of oil, wheat and other commodities are high and "prone to fluctuation," but gave no indication why. Global conditions, Li said, were "increasingly volatile."

Russia Sets Ceasefire for Evacuations amid Heavy Shelling
Associated Press/Mon, March 7, 2022
Even as Russia announced a ceasefire starting Monday morning and the opening of humanitarian corridors in several areas, its armed forces continued to pummel Ukrainian cities, with multiple rocket launchers hitting residential buildings. The limited ceasefire announcement came a day after hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from Russian shelling of cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. Officials from both sides planned a third round of talks Monday. Russian forces continued their offensive, opening fire on the city of Mykolaiv, 480 kilometers south of the capital of Kyiv, Ukraine's General Staff said Monday morning. Rescuers said they were putting out fires in residential areas caused by rocket attacks. Shelling also continued in the suburbs of Kyiv, including Irpin, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heating for three days. "Russia continues to carry out rocket, bomb and artillery strikes on the cities and settlements of Ukraine," the General Staff said. "The invaders continue to use the airfield network of Belarus to carry out air strikes on Ukraine." The Russians have also been targeting humanitarian corridors, taking women and children hostage and placing weapons in residential areas of cities, according to the General Staff. A Russian task force said a ceasefire would start Monday morning, the 12th day of the war, for civilians from Kyiv, the southern port city of Mariupol, Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and Sumy. It wasn't immediately clear if fighting would stop beyond the areas mentioned in the task force's statement, or when the ceasefire would end. The announcement follows two failed attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol, from which the International Committee of the Red Cross estimated 200,000 people were trying to flee. Russia and Ukraine have traded blame for the failure. The Russian task force said Monday's ceasefire and the opening of the corridors was announced at the request of French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday.
Evacuation routes published by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, citing the Defense Ministry, show that civilians will be able to leave to Russia and Belarus. Russian forces will be observing the ceasefire with drones, the task force said. The earlier breakdown of evacuations came as Ukraine officials said that Russian shelling intensified across the country. "Instead of humanitarian corridors, they can only make bloody ones," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday. "Today a family was killed in Irpin. Man, woman and two children. Right on the road. As in a shooting gallery."Putin said Moscow's attacks could be halted "only if Kyiv ceases hostilities." As he has often done, Putin blamed Ukraine for the war, telling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday that Kyiv needed to stop all hostilities and fulfill "the well-known demands of Russia." Putin launched his invasion with a string of false accusations against Kyiv, including that it is led by neo-Nazis intent on undermining Russia with the development of nuclear weapons. As Russian attacks worsened, a brief reprieve from fighting in Mariupol collapsed. Heavy artillery hit residential areas in other large cities, local officials reported. "There can be no 'green corridors' because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom," Ukraine Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on Telegram.
On what is known as Forgiveness Sunday in Orthodox Christianity, Zelenskyy said Ukraine will never forgive the shelling of its homes, the killing of unarmed people and the destruction of its infrastructure. "And God will not forgive, either today or tomorrow — never. And instead of a day of forgiveness, there will be a judgment day. Of this I am sure," he said in a video address. The death toll remains unclear. The U.N. says it has confirmed just a few hundred civilian deaths but also warned that the number is a vast undercount. Presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich described a "catastrophic" situation in the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, where efforts to evacuate residents on Sunday failed. About eight civilians, including a family, were killed by Russian shelling in Irpin, according to Mayor Oleksander Markyshin. Video footage showed a shell slamming into a city street, not far from a bridge used by people fleeing the fighting. A group of fighters could be seen trying to help the family. Arestovich said the government was doing all it could to resume evacuations. "This is likely to represent an effort to break Ukrainian morale," the U.K. Ministry of Defense said of Russian tactics as the war entered its 12th day Monday. Fighting has caused 1.5 million people to flee the country, which the head of the U.N. refugee agency called "the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II."
British military officials compared Russia's tactics to those Moscow used in Chechnya and Syria, where surrounded cities were pulverized by airstrikes and artillery. Food, water, medicine and almost all other supplies were in desperately short supply in Mariupol, where Russian and Ukrainian forces had agreed to an 11-hour cease-fire that would allow civilians and the wounded to be evacuated. But Russian attacks quickly closed the humanitarian corridor, Ukrainian officials said. The handful of residents who managed to flee the city before the humanitarian corridor closed said the city of 430,000 had been devastated.
"We saw everything: houses burning, all the people sitting in basements," said Yelena Zamay, who fled to one of the self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian separatists. "No communication, no water, no gas, no light, no water. There was nothing."
Russia has made significant advances in southern Ukraine as it seeks to block access to the Sea of Azov. Capturing Mariupol could allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 in a move that most other countries considered illegal.
But much of the Russian advance has become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv. A senior US defense official said Sunday that the U.S. assesses that about 95% of the Russian forces that had been arrayed around Ukraine are now inside the country. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military assessments, said Russian forces continue to advance in an attempt to isolate Kyiv, Kharkhiv and Chernihiv, but are being met with strong Ukrainian resistance.
Emergency officials in the Kharkiv region said Monday that overnight shelling killed at least eight people and wrecked residential buildings, medical and education facilities and administrative buildings.
Ukraine's professional and volunteer fighters have fought with great tenacity, though they are greatly outmatched by the Russian army. Volunteers lined up Saturday in Kyiv to join the military. Ukraine is also planning to fill an international legion with 20,000 volunteers from dozens of countries, though it was not clear how many were in Ukraine. "The whole world today is on Ukraine's side, not only in words but in deeds," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Ukrainian television Sunday night. The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapon shipments and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But no NATO troops have been sent to Ukraine. Zelenskyy has also heaped criticism on Western leaders for not responding with more force to Russia. He reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which NATO so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would lead to a far wider war. Zelenskyy also asked the United States and NATO countries to send more warplanes to Ukraine. But that idea is complicated by questions about how to provide aircraft to Ukrainian pilots.
He later urged the West to tighten its sanctions on Russia, saying that "the audacity of the aggressor is a clear signal" that existing sanctions are not enough. Russia has become increasingly isolated in the days since the invasion began, closing itself off to outside sources of information as sanctions bite deeply into its economy. The ruble has plunged in value, and dozens of multinational companies ended or dramatically scaled back their work in the country. On Sunday, American Express announced it would suspend operations in Russia, as well as in Russian-allied Belarus. Also, two of the so-called Big Four accounting firms, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers, said Sunday they would end their relationships with their Russia-based member firms. TikTok announced Sunday that Russian users would not be able to post new videos or see videos shared from elsewhere in the world. The company blamed Moscow's new "fake news" law, which makes it illegal, among other things, to describe the fighting as an invasion. Netflix also cut its service to Russia but provided no details. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Congress is exploring how to further isolate Russia from the global economy, including banning the import of its oil and energy products into the United States.

Stung by Criticism, UK's Johnson Speeds up Russia Sanctions
Associated Press/Mon, March 7, 2022
U.K. lawmakers are set to pass a bill on Monday aimed at toughening sanctions on Russia and rooting out ill-gotten money from the British economy. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Economic Crime Bill will let British authorities "pursue (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's allies in the U.K. with the full backing of the law, beyond doubt or legal challenge." Johnson was meeting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch leader Mark Rutte on Monday to discuss toughening the West's response to the invasion.
But critics say the British government is trying — belatedly — to fix problems of its own making. Opposition politicians and anti-corruption campaigners say Johnson's Conservatives have allowed ill-gotten money to slosh into U.K. properties, banks and businesses for years, turning London into a "laundromat" for dirty cash. Johnson has repeatedly claimed that Britain is leading international efforts to punish Putin over the invasion of Ukraine. The U.K. has slapped sanctions on a host of Russian banks and businesses, measures the government says have curtailed more than 250 billion pounds' ($330 million) worth of Russian economic activity. So far, though, it has sanctioned only a handful of Kremlin-linked individuals with assets in Britain, fewer than either the European Union or the U.S. That has drawn heavy criticism, which appears to be having an effect. Two weeks ago, Johnson said the Economic Crime Bill would be passed in the fall. On the weekend, he announced it would be rushed through Parliament on Monday. The bill will require overseas firms with assets in Britain to reveal their true owners, an attempt to crack down on money-laundering and the use of shadowy shell companies to buy businesses and properties.
Initially, the legislation gave businesses 18 months to comply. That has been shortened to six months — but critics say it should be even shorter. Labour Party business spokesman Jonathan Reynolds said the grace period amounted to a "get out of London free card" for oligarchs.
Opposition lawmakers are urging the government to immediately seize oligarchs' properties in Britain, emulating Italy, which has seized 143 million euros ($156 million) in luxury yachts and villas. The government says the new law will also make it easier to slap sanctions on people and firms who have already been sanctioned by allies including the U.S., Canada and the EU. Critics say the current rules involve too much legal red tape that can be used to forestall sanctions. Britain's Conservatives, in power since 2010, pride themselves on making the U.K. an attractive place for the world's wealthy to live and invest. Many of the ultra-rich own London mansions, send their children to English private schools and employ fleets of PR consultants and lawyers to tend their reputations — helped by Britain's claimant-friendly libel laws. The anti-corruption group Transparency International says Russians linked to the Kremlin or accused of corruption own 1.5 billion pounds' ($2 billion) worth of London property. In a damning 2020 report whose release was delayed for months by the government, Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee said that since the 1990s Britain has "welcomed Russian money, and few questions — if any — were asked about the provenance of this considerable wealth.""There are a lot of Russians with very close links to Putin who are well integrated into the U.K. business and social scene, and accepted because of their wealth," the report said.
Transparency campaigners say the governing Conservatives have received 2 million pounds ($2.7 million) in donations from people linked to Russia since Johnson became prime minister in 2019. The party says all its donors are registered U.K. electors, as the law demands.
Opposition politicians are demanding to know why Johnson gave a noble title and a seat in Parliament's House of Lords to Evgeny Lebedev, the Russia-born owner of two British newspapers. His oligarch father Alexander Lebedev is a former KGB agent, and the Sunday Times newspaper reported that British intelligence agencies had expressed concerns about the 2020 appointment. Johnson's office said all peerages are vetted by an appointments commission, and Johnson denied intervening to overrule concerns about Lebedev. Europe Minister James Cleverly defended Lebedev's title, saying that "what your father did for work" was irrelevant. "My father was a former chartered surveyor, but I'm not," he told the BBC.

Iran seeks 'creative ways' to nuke deal after Russian demand
AMIR VAHDAT and JON GAMBRELL/TEHRAN, Iran (AP)
Mon, March 7, 2022
A top Iranian official said Monday that his country is seeking “creative ways” to restore its nuclear deal with world powers after Russia's foreign minister linked sanctions on Moscow over its war on Ukraine to the ongoing negotiations.
The tweet by Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's powerful Supreme National Security Council, offers the first high-level acknowledgment of the demands of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“Vienna participants act & react based on interests and it’s understandable,” Shamkhani wrote. “Our interactions ... are also solely driven by our people’s interests. Thus, we’re assessing new elements that bear on the negotiations and will accordingly seek creative ways to expedite a solution.”Shamkhani later tweeted criticism of the United States; earlier, he avoided directly mentioning Russia. In recent days, negotiators on all sides in Vienna had signaled that a potential deal was close as the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agreed to a timetable with Iran for it to answer the watchdog's long-standing questions about Tehran's program. But Lavrov on Saturday said he wanted “guarantees at least at the level of the secretary of state” that the U.S. sanctions would not affect Moscow’s relationship with Tehran. That threw into question the months of negotiations held so far on restoring the 2015 deal, which saw Iran agree to drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Lavrov's demand “irrelevant” as the nuclear deal and sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine war were “totally different.” The United States under then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018, setting off years of tensions and attacks across the Mideast.
“Getting out of the deal was one of the worst mistakes that’s been made in recent years. It let the entire Iranian nuclear program that we put in a box out of the box,” Blinken told CBS' “Face the Nation" talk show. “And so if there’s a way of getting back to reimplementing that deal effectively, it’s in our interest to do it and we’re working on that as we speak. It’s also in Russia’s interest.”
Speaking on Monday in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that “peaceful nuclear cooperation” between China, Iran and Russia shouldn't be limited by sanctions. China and Russia are part of the deal, which also includes Germany, Britain and France. The U.S. has sat out of the talks since its withdrawal.“So far Russia had shown a constructive approach for reaching a collective agreement in Vienna and we interpret what they say in this framework,” he said. "We will wait for them to give us more details in Vienna.”He added Iran and the U.S. continued to negotiate on a possible prisoner swap, like one that accompanied the earlier nuclear deal. “The remaining differences are less than fingers of a hand — if no one adds a new issue," Khatibzadeh said. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian also weighed in, vowing that Tehran “will not allow any foreign factor to affect the national interests of the country in the Vienna talks,” according to the state-run IRNA news agency. Russia's Foreign Ministry said Amirabdollahian and Lavrov spoke by phone later Monday about the nuclear deal negotiations.
Meanwhile, the state-owned, English-language Tehran Times newspaper on Monday published an article suggesting the draft nuclear deal in Vienna would allow Iran to “keep its advanced centrifuges and nuclear materials inside the country.”It’s “a form of inherent guarantee to make sure that its nuclear program is fully reversible if the U.S. reneged on its commitments again,” the newspaper said, without providing a source for the information. The 2015 nuclear deal saw Iran put advanced centrifuges into storage under the watch of the International Atomic Energy Agency, while keeping its enrichment at 3.67% purity and its stockpile at only 300 kilograms (661 pounds) of uranium. As of Feb. 19, the IAEA says Iran’s stockpile of all enriched uranium was nearly 3200 kilograms (7,055 pounds). Some has been enriched up to 60% purity — a short technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Speaking from Vienna, IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said any possible renewed nuclear deal would be a “very complex agreement” with a number of steps and sequences. He also acknowledged his inspectors faced a challenging task filling in the gaps left by Iran holding IAEA surveillance tapes and limiting access amid the tensions.Inspector have to make sure everything “is perfectly accounted for to the gram,” Grossi said.
*Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on March 07-08/2022
Audio from FDD/Sailor, Soldier, Spy: Three Perspectives on Putin’s War on Ukraine
https://www.fdd.org/podcasts/2022/03/04/sailor-soldier-spy-putins-war-on-ukraine/
March 4, 2022 | Foreign Podicy
Clifford D. May
Founder & President
Bradley Bowman
CMPP Senior Director
Reuel Marc Gerecht
Senior Fellow
RADM (Ret) Mark Montgomery
CCTI Senior Director and Senior Fellow
About
Vladimir Putin is waging a war of aggression, a war of conquest, an imperialist war. This should not come as a surprise. It’s long been evident that he views himself as a modern czar, a Caesar (which is where the word “czar” comes from), an emperor whose mission is to restore — and, if he can, enlarge — the ancient Russian empire which for a few decades was rebranded as the Soviet empire.
In 2008, he seized two provinces from neighboring Georgia. He began his war against Ukraine in 2014 by annexing Crimea and beginning a low-intensity, long-term conflict in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Western leaders responded with a salad of carrots but not enough sticks to make a campfire.
To discuss what has happened, what is happening, and what should happen vis-à-vis Russia and Ukraine, Foreign Podicy host Cliff May is joined by a sailor, a solider, and a spy. (Maybe a tinker and a tailor will be invited next time.)
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI), served for 32 years as a nuclear-trained surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy.
West Point graduate Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP), served as an active-duty U.S. Army officer and Black Hawk pilot and staff officer in Afghanistan.
Reuel Marc Gerecht, senior fellow at FDD, served as a Middle Eastern specialist at the CIA’s Directorate of Operations.

Biden’s Bold Gamble Might Just Save Ukraine
Shany Mor/ Newsweek/March 07/2022
The Ukraine War is only a week old, so it’s far too soon to make any judgements about its outcome. One thing is clear, though: Russian President Vladimir Putin badly miscalculated. He is facing two tactical surprises at the moment that may prove to have dire consequences.
Putin was clearly not prepared for the fight that the Ukrainians have put up to his invading forces. It’s the only explanation for the logistical failures and enormous reported losses (even discounting for the obvious exaggerations): The Russian Army expected to meet a Ukrainian opposition similar to what it saw in Donbas in 2015 or even in Crimea in 2014.
But the Ukrainians have spent the past eight years learning the lessons of those earlier defeats. They have built a diplomatic network of support they didn’t have a decade ago, and they have purchased arms and developed tactics to make the most of the weapons they have been able to obtain.
Which leads me to the second surprise Putin is facing, namely, the intensity of global sanctions against Russia. He no doubt expected some Western actions, but nothing like the rapid cutoff of Russia from banking, trade and aviation that took place in the past week.
The first surprise fed the second: The failure of Russian forces to extract a quick surrender from the Ukrainians meant the battle would be bloody, heightening outrage. It also meant that opposing Putin would not be seen as hopeless posturing.
This provided the groundwork for the response of the international community, which has been harsher than anything seen in modern diplomacy. It’s harsher than any reaction to Soviet invasions of Hungary or Czechoslovakia or Afghanistan, harsher than the global response to the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, harsher than any sanctions or weapons embargo on South Africa or Iran or Burma. The only precedent for anything remotely like this is the global reaction to the last time a regional power endeavored to invade and occupy whole a neighboring state: when Iraq conquered Kuwait in 1990.
Putin probably expected a more severe form of the sanctions Russia has already been facing since 2014. What we’ve seen instead is a quantum leap of non-military offensive action that has cut Russian banks off from the global financial system, cut Russian airlines out of the airspace of much of the world, and stands to leave the Russian economy permanently hobbled unless it is reversed in the next few months.
And this was all made possible by a bold decision of the Biden administration to share intelligence information regarding Russian invasion plans with the world—repeatedly, in detail, and over a sustained three-month long period beginning last November.
It’s hard to exaggerate just how unprecedented and risky this decision was, and impossible to overstate its impact on the course of events. Already in November, intelligence officials were sharing with the media serious concerns about Russian war plans. These were not couched in equivocal language about “doubts” or “mobilizations” or “operations” or “possibilities.” On the contrary, big words like “invasion” were freely bandied about in background briefings, then by senior officials like Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the President himself.
Much of the world and most of the commenting class did not seem to understand the gravity of the situation. The risks of being wrong, of having exaggerated, to say nothing of the risks of burning sources or helping a rival formulate a better plan, were huge.
So Biden amped things up. Beginning in January, the Biden administration started sharing specific intelligence warnings that the Russians would seek to engineer some sort of provocation in the Donbas region that would result in a firefight between Russian and Ukrainian forces. A danger to ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine would serve as a pretext for violating the lines of control from 2015 and pushing Russian forces into Ukraine and beyond those lines, at least to the internal Ukrainian boundaries for Luhansk and Donetsk. As Ukrainian forces would not doubt react, this then would be the casus belli for a full-scale assault on Ukraine as a whole.
It’s tempting to think that this would not have mattered. After all, who would have believed such an obvious Russian lie? Not readers of this magazine, to be sure. And not leaders in major Western capitals either. And yet, those leaders would have faced loud dissenting voices from precisely the fringes of Left and Right that the Russian disinformation machine has cultivated in the last decade, crowding the space and slowing down a consensus within countries and subsequently among them.
Everyone from Corbynites to Trumpkins and their legions of keyboard warriors would have railed against Western hypocrisy and double-standards, questioned whether Ukrainians really are Nazis, and screamed into the wind “What about Palestine?” An atmosphere of doubt and uncertainty would have blocked the most severe actions, or at least delayed their implementation long enough that they would have become meaningless.
The tailwinds wouldn’t have just come from the fringes either. The first morning after the war broke out, former French Prime Minister François Fillon tweeted out a throat-clearing condemnation of Putin’s action which nevertheless managed to lay all the blame on Western powers and NATO expansion. This talking point could have been a major distraction, but it simply gained no traction; a day later, Fillon severed his business ties with Russia.
Instead, for the first few days of the war, there was only silence from the assorted agitators that acted as spoilers when global powers nearly stepped up to enforce the famous “red line” on the use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons in Syria. What came instead was a tidal wave of unanimity that has been, if anything, a bit frightening (a topic for another essay). It enabled the kind of offensive non-military action that probably won’t be enough to reverse the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but may very well deter future actions—by Russia or other large nuclear powered states resentful about the de facto independence of territories they think belong to them.
Kudos to Biden for taking such a risk. It has already paid off.
*Shany Mor is an adjunct fellow at The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and a lecturer at IDC Herzliya. Follow him on Twitter @ShMMor. FDD is a nonpartisan think tank focused on foreign policy and national security issues.

Putin’s War Is Xi’s Worst Nightmare ...Beijing is watching closely. And it doesn’t like what it sees.
Craig Singleton/Foreign Policy/March 07/2022
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s worst nightmare is playing out in Ukraine. Regardless of whether he possessed detailed or advance knowledge of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion plans, two things are almost certain: Xi expected Russia’s battle-hardened military to quickly rout the Ukrainians, and the international community’s response would be muted.
Neither came to pass.
Instead, Russia’s messy Ukrainian war has morphed into a case study on how not to conduct an invasion. Even worse, Putin’s many battlefield setbacks have likely neutralized any optimism Chinese military planners may have harbored about easily retaking Taiwan by force.
The upshot is Putin’s unprovoked, all-out assault on Ukraine may have accomplished what until recently seemed all but impossible: derailing Beijing’s timetable to invade Taiwan.
Prior to Russia’s invasion, the likelihood of a near-term Chinese attack on Taiwan was already low. Although China has sought to close its military’s capability gaps with the United States, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) still lacks the means and know-how needed to make good on Beijing’s reunification threats. Moreover, there remains scant evidence that China is actively considering plans to invade Taiwan. The reason: Xi is keen to maintain stability before this fall’s 20th Communist Party Congress, when he will assume a once-unthinkable third term as party secretary.
Certainly, China has stepped up its incursions in and around Taiwan’s airspace. Nevertheless, these provocations do not signal a near-term invasion. Rather, such operations are intended to stoke domestic nationalism and often correlate with important symbolic anniversaries. For example, the PLA dispatched a record of nearly 80 fighters and bombers into Taiwan’s airspace last October to mark China’s founding. Other incursions were clearly aimed at discouraging Taiwan from embracing policy positions abhorrent to Beijing. Last week, Chinese fighters entered Taiwan’s airspace just after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen voiced her support for Ukraine and other Taiwanese politicians sought to draw an equivalence between Russia’s dispute with Ukraine and China’s with Taiwan.
Regardless, a military reunification with Taiwan will not happen overnight. Put differently, it will not be a strategic surprise, just as Russia’s invasion preparations were there for all to see. Weeks, if not months, will be required to position Chinese forces and various logistical elements at pre-identified staging areas along China’s coast. Those herculean efforts pale in comparison to the immense difficulty China’s military will face in safely transporting its forces to the limited number of suitable Taiwanese landing sites located more than 100 nautical miles away. Further complicating China’s planning is that its military has not experienced anything resembling combat in more than 40 years. That is the principal reason why China has sought Russia’s counsel as it devises workarounds to these and other challenges. Look no further than January’s trilateral naval exercises—dubbed 2022 Maritime Security Belt—during which China, Russia, and Iran sought to hone their anti-air and nighttime operational skills at sea.
What then must China’s military planners be thinking as they observe their Russian partners struggling to accomplish any of their stated objectives in Ukraine?
On a purely operational level, invading Ukraine should have been a walkover for Russia, at least from Beijing’s perspective. Russia enjoys close physical proximity to its victim, including the ability to easily insert ground forces via accessible land routes. Having previously annexed Crimea in 2014, Russia also maintains extensive knowledge about the theater of operations. In contrast to China, Russia’s military is also skilled in urban warfare. What’s more, Russia spent decades fostering deep economic and trade linkages with countries throughout Europe that might have neutered the Western response. As we all know, many European countries are more dependent than ever on Russian oil and gas. Some—such as Poland, Estonia, Slovakia, and Finland—rely on Russia for most if not all their energy needs. Putin’s hedging strategy was thus predicated on constraining Europe’s ability to retaliate against Russia should it harass or invade its neighbors.
Of greatest intrigue to China should be the willingness of everyday Ukrainians to risk their lives to defend their democracy as well as Kyiv’s ability to thoroughly control the information environment. Every hour, videos of Russian troops battling with Ukrainian resistance fighters are beamed into living rooms and editorial offices around the world. Having refused to leave the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, with little more than a smart phone, has become a symbol of democratic defiance. Worse yet, hundreds of Russian soldiers have voluntarily laid down their arms, refusing to kill innocent civilians.
Could the same tactical challenges befall China’s inexperienced military during an invasion of Taiwan? The simple answer: Of course, they could, which is why China is acutely monitoring the situation.
More broadly, Beijing could hardly have predicted the overwhelmingly unified international response to Russia’s incursion. Frankly, no one did. The severity of Western sanctions imposed on Moscow, including cutting off Russia’s central bank from the global financial system, is without precedent. Already, Western sanctions, along with new export controls, are wreaking havoc on the Russian economy—to the point that it may never fully recover. At the same time, Europe and the United States appear prepared to absorb the costs associated with such harsh measures, even at the expense of their own economic growth and extensive ties to Russia’s private sector.
Russia’s ejection from the international order also extends to the United Nations, where China has worked extensively to build up its international brand and exert its influence. In a matter of days, U.N. diplomats have reduced Russia, a veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, to near-pariah status. China now finds itself defending Russia’s actions alongside a tiny number of failed states, including North Korea, Syria, and Belarus. Leading that group of international misfits is a far cry from Xi’s goal of ushering in a “new era of international relations,” one in which Beijing and Moscow supplant the United States and European Union. Moreover, if China envisioned that its trade links with other countries would shield it from multilateral condemnation after a military strike on Taiwan, all available evidence suggests that Beijing needs to rethink those assumptions.
China now finds itself defending Russia’s actions alongside a tiny number of failed states, including North Korea, Syria, and Belarus.
The big unknown is how Beijing will navigate this new and unfamiliar terrain. The simple answer is no one knows—not even the Chinese. It is not an exaggeration to claim the entire world has been upended over the last two weeks, and the battle for Ukraine remains far from finished. Nevertheless, it seems all but certain that China will not launch a war it might lose, let alone lose badly. Instead, Beijing will do what it does best: Double down on its long-term, incremental strategy of retaking Taiwan by “all means short of war.” Taiwan will likely face increasing cyberattacks and other forms of non-kinetic coercion aimed at demoralizing the population into eventual capitulation. China will also accelerate its campaign to delegitimize Taiwan on the international stage, denying Taipei recognition in various international fora and perhaps even whittling down the already small number of countries that officially recognize Taiwan.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is the Ukrainians have, in their own way, provided the United States as well as countries throughout Europe and the Pacific with a road map of sorts for how to bolster Taiwan’s resilience. That means hardening Taiwan’s cyberinfrastructure, devoting additional resources toward early detection and monitoring, and investing in training and specialized equipment designed to enable Taiwan’s civilian population to repel a Chinese military invasion. Indeed, such moves must occur in conjunction with Western efforts to augment Taiwan’s defensive capabilities. The trick will be to balance these self-reinforcing efforts while denying Beijing any legitimate rationale to launch an unprovoked attack—or at least one that would be broadly accepted by the international community.
All of that is easier said than done, of course. But so, too, was rallying the world to Ukraine’s defense.
*Craig Singleton is a senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former U.S. diplomat. Follow him on Twitter @CraigMSingleton. FDD is a nonpartisan think tank focused on foreign policy and national security issues.

ريتشارد غولدبرغ/صفقة بايدن القادمة مع إيران ستكون أسوأ حتى من صفقة أوباما …. ما توافقت عليه الولايات المتحدة في فيينا مع إيران هو اتفاقية أقصر وأضعف من اتفاقية أوباما وتوفر المزيد من تخفيف العقوبات مقابل قيود أقل.
Biden’s Coming Iran Deal Will Be Even Worse than Obama’s….What the U.S. is agreeing to in Vienna is a shorter and weaker agreement that provides even more sanctions relief in exchange for fewer restrictions.
Richard Goldberg/National Review/March 07/2022
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/106853/richard-goldberg-bidens-coming-iran-deal-will-be-even-worse-than-obamas-what-the-u-s-is-agreeing-to-in-vienna-is-a-shorter-and-weaker-agreement-that-provides-even-more-sanctions/

President Joe Biden vowed this week to isolate Russia, yet his negotiators stayed at the table with their Russian counterparts in Vienna, putting the finishing touches on an Iran nuclear deal 2.0 that will benefit Russia and Iran and endanger the U.S. and its allies.
The new agreement is even worse than the 2015 deal made by the Obama administration. Biden’s version would lift U.S. terrorism sanctions on Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, and leave Tehran’s illicit nuclear infrastructure intact without first demanding a full accounting of Iran’s secret nuclear work.
Under the deal, Iran would get access to more than $100 billion, which it could spend on terrorism, missiles, and the pursuit of regional hegemony. Enforcement remains weak or non-existent, so there is no barrier to Iran’s crossing the nuclear threshold at a time of its choosing. Terrorism sanctions imposed on the Central Bank of Iran, the National Iranian Oil Company, and a host of other banks and companies will be suspended without any evidence that these institutions are no longer engaged in financing terrorism.
The State Department may even rescind the terrorist designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps despite its continuing sponsorship of terrorism and history of targeting Americans — a slap in the face to nearly 1,200 Gold Star family members who recently pled with the White House not to release any funds to Iran until the regime first paid $60 billion in judgments owed to American victims of Iran-sponsored terrorism.
But wait, there’s more: America may trust Russia to maintain custody of Iran’s enriched-uranium stockpile with a promise to return the stockpile to Iran if the U.S. ever reimposes sanctions. The full contents of the near-final agreement remain unknown, so it is not clear whether Biden will lift U.S. sanctions prohibiting Moscow from transferring conventional arms and missiles to Iran — part of an executive order issued by former president Donald Trump.
How did we get here? At the end of 2020, Iran was down to just $4 billion in accessible foreign-exchange reserves thanks to the historic success of the Trump administration’s maximum-pressure campaign. The regime was reeling from the loss of its terror mastermind, Qasem Soleimani, and its nuclear-weapons architect, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Iran wasn’t enriching uranium to higher levels — not 20 percent, let alone 60 percent — nor had it curtailed U.N. inspectors’ access to key facilities. Meanwhile, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency was on course to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council for noncompliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty over Tehran’s refusal to cooperate with an ongoing probe into concealed nuclear materials, sites, and activities.
The maximum-pressure campaign was working in draining Iran’s reserves and pushing the regime to the brink of economic collapse. But Team Biden had a different strategy in mind: Be nice. The administration stopped enforcing sanctions, eased Iran’s access to frozen funds, and halted pressure on Iran to declare its secret nuclear work. Iran responded by racing forward with its nuclear program and ordering its terror proxies to step up attacks against U.S. forces and allies in the Middle East. For months, Biden’s critics urged a change in strategy — a return to maximum pressure before Iran could erase all U.S. leverage and turn the tables on Washington.
Then came the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Vladimir Putin wasn’t the only dictator in the world to perceive American weakness. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pressed forward with Iran’s nuclear advances, betting Biden would do nothing but offer more carrots. He bet correctly.
As Biden came into office, his administration’s stated policy objective was to negotiate a longer and stronger agreement than the 2015 nuclear deal that faced bipartisan opposition from Congress. What Biden is agreeing to in Vienna is a shorter and weaker agreement that provides even more sanctions relief in exchange for fewer restrictions.
The original deal left Iran’s nuclear-enrichment capabilities intact, provided no restrictions on the development of nuclear-capable missiles, and came with expiration dates — or “sunsets” — on key international restrictions. The first sunset, lifting a U.N. ban on transferring conventional arms to Iran, arrived in late 2020. The next one, lifting a U.N. ban on transferring missile parts to Iran, arrives next year. The deal then allows Iran to conduct the very same nuclear work that we see today in the years that follow.
Moscow loves the old deal, especially the sunsets. Russia stands to make a lot of money off arms sales if Biden rescinds Trump’s executive order. That’s on top of the money Putin will already make building nuclear-power plants in Iran.
The new deal is even better for Putin — the timing of its announcement likely by his design. He will tout it as Russia’s contribution to international peace and security — a contribution requested by Washington.
Now is the time for Congress to act. The White House knows this agreement would never win ratification by the U.S. Senate if submitted as a treaty. Biden may even try to avoid submitting it for congressional review before lifting sanctions, defying a 2015 statute that requires him to do so.
Congress should defend the integrity of U.S. terrorism sanctions by mandating new sanctions on any institution in Iran — including the Central Bank of Iran — that continues to finance the activities of the Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations. Congress should condemn as wholly illegitimate the removal of terrorism sanctions without a cessation of illicit conduct. Biden is setting a dangerous precedent for U.S. counterterrorism policy.
New legislation should set a deadline for Iran to fully account for its undeclared nuclear work or face the full reimposition of U.S. sanctions. Removing sanctions for a supposed nuclear deal that knowingly allows Iran to hide its clandestine nuclear activities defies common sense.
Steps will also be needed to deny Russia the benefits of the deal. Sanctions targeting Russian economic, nuclear, and military relations with Iran should be reinstated or strengthened. The same might be considered for China, which has announced a 25-year economic-cooperation program with Tehran.
Finally, the question of military deterrence will take center stage. The coming deal makes it more likely that the United States or Israel will soon have to choose between military action or a nuclear-armed Iran. Congress should consider what tools Israel may need to defend itself in the wake of a strike against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Unfortunately, a chaotic and dangerous world is about to get a bit more chaotic and dangerous. At least until Congress or a new administration can change course.
*Richard Goldberg is a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He served on Capitol Hill, on the U.S. National Security Council, as the governor of Illinois’s chief of staff, and as a U.S. Navy Reserve intelligence officer. Follow him on Twitter @rich_goldberg. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2022/03/04/bidens-coming-iran-deal-even-worse-than-obamas/

Turkey Committing War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity – Again
Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/March 07/2022
The Turkish government uses the pretext of "fighting terrorism" for its military attacks against Iraq and Syria. Its "fight against terrorism", however, does not mainly target the Islamic State (ISIS), al-Qaeda or its affiliates such as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Turkey, home to leaders of Hamas until just a few days ago, has for several years been granting citizenship to collaborators of ISIS.
Instead of targeting and defeating jihadist forces in Syria and Iraq, Turkey's military evidently chooses to cooperate with them and targets the [People's Defense Units] YPG, which is the principal military ally of the United States on the ground against Islamic State. Turkey's military attacks thus weaken the US-led global coalition against ISIS and continue to devastate the Yazidis, Christians, Kurds, and other civilians in the region.
"Many governments, including the USA and others, as well as the UN, are trying to rebuild Sinjar. Meanwhile, Turkey is bombing the city regularly." — Pari Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Free Yezidi Foundation, to Gatestone, February 2022.
"While Turkey claims it is trying to attack PKK in Sinjar, in reality they are killing the Yezidis who fought and defended Sinjar against ISIS. Turkey, by the way, did not express any interest in bombing Sinjar when it was occupied by ISIS. It is only now, when the area is once again inhabited by Yezidis, that Turkey is bombing. So we see a very nefarious hand by Turkey, which is bombing basically all of the allies of the Global Coalition against ISIS. While the Coalition is fighting ISIS, Turkey is fighting the Coalition's allies on the ground." — Pari Ibrahim to Gatestone, February 2022.
Turkey has for years been cooperating with jihadists in Syria and bombing Yazidis in Iraq. On February 1, Yazidis (an indigenous non-Muslim minority) in Iraq and Syria were once again terrorized by Turkish airstrikes. "Many governments, including the USA and others, as well as the UN, are trying to rebuild Sinjar. Meanwhile, Turkey is bombing the city regularly," says Pari Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Free Yezidi Foundation. Pictured: Battle-damaged buildings in the town of Sinjar, Iraq photographed on February 5, 2019.
Turkey has for years been cooperating with jihadists in Syria and bombing Yazidis in Iraq. Yazidis, exposed to a genocide at the hands of ISIS in Iraq in 2014, are an indigenous non-Muslim minority in the Middle East who have for centuries faced persecution because of their religion and ethnicity.
On February 1, Yazidis were once again terrorized by Turkish airstrikes targeting parts of Iraq and Syria. The Turkish government-funded TRT channel reported:
"Turkiye [Turkey] has launched an aerial operation in northern regions of Iraq and Syria to target YPG [People's Defense Units]/PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] terrorist bases, hideouts and tunnels that Ankara said was part of its fight against terrorism and right to self-defense.
"The operation dubbed 'Winter Eagle' began early on Wednesday and targeted YPG/PKK in Syria's Derik and Sinjar, Karacak regions in Iraq, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Wednesday in a statement."
The pro-Kurdish Firat News Agency confirmed the airstrikes. The United Nations-administered Makhmour refugee camp in northern Iraq and a nearby village were also among the areas affected by the bombing.
The Turkish government uses the pretext of "fighting terrorism" for its military attacks against Iraq and Syria. Its "fight against terrorism", however, does not mainly target the Islamic State (ISIS), al-Qaeda or its affiliates such as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS or the "Organization for the Liberation of the Levant"). According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies:
"In May 2018, the group [HTS] was added to the State Department's existing designation of its predecessor, the al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Today, HTS can be thought of as a relatively localized Syrian terrorist organization, which retains a Salafi-jihadist ideology despite its public split from al-Qaeda in 2017."
Turkey, home to leaders of Hamas until just a few days ago, has for several years been granting citizenship to collaborators of ISIS.
The 2021 report by the Middle East Institute, "The Economics of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham," details that Turkey and HTS are co-occupying and exploiting parts of northwest Syria:
"The most significant shift in HTS economic policy occurred in July 2017, when the group took over the Bab al-Hawa crossing, one of the biggest sources of revenue in NW Syria and a particularly strategic acquisition in terms of the relationship with Turkey."
In January 2018, Watad Petroleum Company was formed in HTS-occupied north-west Syria and was granted exclusive rights to import oil derivatives and gas from Turkey into the region.
In June, HTS announced that it would replace the Syrian pound with the Turkish lira (TL), indexed the prices of goods to the lira and Watad Petroleum indexed oil derivatives and gas prices to the lira. These changes demonstrate how the Turkish government has become a lifeline for the jihadist HTS through its massive economic support to the group.
On February 2, U.S. Special Forces conducted an operation targeting ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi in Idlib province, near the border with Turkey. The former leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed by a similar operation in the nearby town of Barisha in October 2019. Both areas are controlled by HTS -- supported by the Turkish government.
The Syrian city of Afrin has also been occupied since late 2018 by a coalition of Islamist groups, with Turkey as the real power behind them. The Turkish military -- in an operation dubbed "Olive Branch" -- defeated and expelled the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the People's Defense Units (YPG) which were previously the de facto local military and governing power in the area. In February 2019, the United Nations' Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria released a report assessing the situation in Afrin, which stated:
"The commission finds there are reasonable grounds to believe that armed group members in Afrin committed the war crimes of hostage-taking, cruel treatment, torture, and pillage."
According to many news reports including one from the Firat News Agency:
"Since the occupation of Afrin in March 2018, the Turkish state has established a regime of looting and exploitation. Olive and olive products were the main source of income in the region before the invasion. With the Turkish invasion, Afrin's olive groves have been plundered and have become a source of funding for militiamen from the Turkish-established mercenary 'Syrian National Army' (SNA). The SNA militias loot the region's olive production and bring it to the world market via Turkey."
Instead of targeting and defeating jihadist forces in Syria and Iraq, Turkey's military evidently chooses to cooperate with them and targets the YPG, which is the principal military ally of the United States on the ground against Islamic State. Turkey's military attacks thus weaken the US-led global coalition against ISIS and continue to devastate the Yazidis, Christians, Kurds, and other civilians in the region.
Pari Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Free Yezidi Foundation, told Gatestone:
"On the evening of 1 February, the Turkish Airforce conducted airstrikes in Iraq, targeting Yezidi genocide survivors who have joined the Yezidi defense force, after the Yezidi genocide in August 2014. According to reports we have received, the following areas were hit by the Turkish air force in Sinjar [Shingal].
"1. At least five airstrikes on the peak of Sinjar Mountain.
2. At least five airstrikes near Chalmira area on Sinjar Mountain.
3. At least three airstrikes near Bara Village.
4. At least three airstrikes near Kira Qiranya area.
5. At least two airstrikes near Bab Shalo area.
6. At least one airstrike near Bab Karsi area."
On August 3, 2014, the Islamic State launched an offensive against the Sinjar region of northern Iraq and carried out genocide against the Yazidi population. This involved mass killings, sexual assaults, torture, forced conversions, kidnappings, enslavement, and cultural heritage destruction. ISIS killed or captured nearly 10,000 Yazidis and forcibly displaced hundreds of thousands from their homes. Yazidis call the atrocity "the 74th Yazidi genocide". Today, around 2,700 Yazidi women and children are still held captive by ISIS or remain missing. Approximately 210,000 Yazidis remain internally displaced, mostly spread across 15 Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. According to Ibrahim:
"The Free Yezidi Foundation focuses on displaced Yezidis because many Yezidis are unable to return home and are afraid of the security dangers, including the Turkish airstrikes," Ibrahim added. "There are still more than 200,000 Yezidis who are displaced, in and out of camps. We do not believe these airstrikes are helping -- they are greatly destabilizing. Many governments, including the USA and others, as well as the UN, are trying to rebuild Sinjar. Meanwhile, Turkey is bombing the city regularly.
"Some say Turkey is trying to finish what the Islamic State started, the eradication of Yezidis and preventing Yezidis from returning to their homeland in Sinjar. We understand there is a conflict between Turkey and the PKK. But we as Yezidis do not want to see any more deaths or targeted attacks against Yezidis in Iraq, under any pretexts. It is not only Yezidis who are affected by this. The airstrikes destabilize the area and prevent all the civilians from returning to their areas of origin."
The February 1 airstrikes were not Turkey's first attacks against Yazidis in Iraq. In 2017, Turkish warplanes dropped bombs on Sinjar, hitting a civilian clinic, said Yakhi Hamza, country director of the 1st New Allied Expeditionary Force, a humanitarian nonprofit delivering medical help to Yazidis. The airstrikes killed at least five people and severely wounded several more. In August 2018, November 2019, January 2020 and June 2020, among others, Turkey also carried out airstrikes on Sinjar.
Ibrahim continued:
"Turkey claims it is seeking to attack PKK and PKK assets and bases in Sinjar. We know there is conflict between Turkey and the PKK. But the people who are being attacked and killed are not Kurds from Turkey, they are Yezidis from Iraq. It is hard to understand the legal justification of the Turkish attacks against Iraqi Yezidis who are literally just trying to defend their homeland. These Yezidis fought against ISIS when they came to destroy Yezidis. While Turkey claims it is trying to attack PKK in Sinjar, in reality they are killing the Yezidis who fought and defended Sinjar against ISIS. Turkey, by the way, did not express any interest in bombing Sinjar when it was occupied by ISIS. It is only now, when the area is once again inhabited by Yezidis, that Turkey is bombing. So we see a very nefarious hand by Turkey, which is bombing basically all of the allies of the Global Coalition against ISIS. While the Coalition is fighting ISIS, Turkey is fighting the Coalition's allies on the ground."
In 2015, there were 300,000 Yazidis living in camps for internally displaced persons. An American human rights activist, Amy L. Beam, author of The Last Yezidi Genocide, documenting the atrocities committed by ISIS, moved to Kurdistan, Iraq, obtained Iraqi IDs and passports for nearly 1,000 Yazidis to leave Iraq. Many of these women and children told her their stories of torture and abuse while in ISIS captivity. Beam told Gatestone:
"After nearly eight years of being displaced, with no reconstruction and no compensation, Yazidis feel there is no future in Iraq. After the most recent airstrikes in Khanasor, Shingal by Turkey, Yazidis flooded me with increasingly desperate requests to help them obtain asylum.
"As long as Turkey continues to conduct airstrikes in Shingal with impunity under the false pretext of killing 'PKK terrorists,' Ezidis continue to live in constant fear. Those still living in camps in Kurdistan will not return to Shingal. The international community has shamefully failed to rebuild their homeland.
"Even though the Iraqi security forces have been providing security on the ground in Shingal since October 2017, neither Iraqi federal government, Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI), nor Coalition forces has been able to protect Shingal from Turkey's deadly airstrikes in Shingal. No complaint has been registered with the United Nations Security Council for Turkey's invasion of Iraqi air space."
"It is long-overdue for all countries to offer blanket asylum to any Ezidi from Iraq or Syria. Very little justice has been provided by prosecutions of ISIS in Iraq."
Ibrahim urged the West and the international community to help end Turkey's military attacks against Yazidis. She said:
"We as Free Yezidi Foundation would like to see a no-fly zone over Sinjar. These attacks against our people need to end. Turkey has no right to attack Yezidis who are native to Sinjar. Yezidis survived a genocide. We see a pattern with these attacks: Any time the international community is occupied with another crisis, as was the case with Afghanistan and is currently the case in Ukraine, Turkey starts airstrikes against Yezidis in Sinjar. We feel powerless, as the international community does not react. A NATO member should behave better than this."
*Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.
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