English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For October 22/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.
First Letter to the Corinthians 04/01-13/:”Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they should be found trustworthy. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgement before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God. I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, brothers and sisters, so that you may learn through us the meaning of the saying, ‘Nothing beyond what is written’, so that none of you will be puffed up in favour of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift? Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Quite apart from us you have become kings! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we might be kings with you! For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October 21-22/2021
Pope Francis rushed to the hospital
MoPH: 700 new coronavirus, 3 deaths
Macron Renews Support for Lebanon in Message to Aoun
Aoun Meets Miqati, Says Govt. to Address Cost-of-Living Issues
Reports: Military Court Summons Geagea over Tayyouneh Clashes
Sami Gemayel Lauds LF 'Performance', Says Hizbullah Doesn't Have 100K Fighters
Resumption of Cabinet Sessions Reportedly Imminent
Berri: Atmosphere of Border Demarcation Negotiations with Israel More Than Positive
Berri Says Sea Border Discussions with U.S. 'More than Positive'
US Reassures Lebanon Gas Supplies Through Syria to Be Shielded from Caesar Law
Officials Reject Nasrallah’s Threats to Turn Hezbollah Arms against Lebanon
For a change, Hezbollah’s boast of 100,000 fighters is not aimed at Israel/Hassan Nasrallah’s claim about size of terror group’s fighting force, seen as an exaggeration by analysts, is directed at domestic rivals
After the “sahsouh”/Dana HouranyNow Lebanon/October 21/2021
On Hezbollah’s Issue with Justice/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/October, 21/2021

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on October 21-22/2021
Saudi FM, US envoy discuss Iranian support to ‘terrorist militias’
Feeling besieged by enemies, Iran multiplies military drills
Blast at US Outpost in Syria, No American Injuries
U.S. Confirms 'Coordinated' Attack on Base in Syria
Recent Attack On Al-Tanf Military Base Follows Years Of Threats Promising Violence To Expel U.S. Troops From Syria – As Reflected In MEMRI Reports/October 21, 2021
Syria Says 24 Executed over Starting Wildfires
Abu Dhabi crown prince discusses Syria, regional issues with Assad
US seeks regional deal with Iran that includes Yemen settlement
Under lawmakers’ pressure, Kuwait’s emir launches process for amnesty
Report: Mossad network caught by Turkey's National Intelligence Organization
Trump to launch new social network
Pakistan Foreign Minister Makes First Trip to Kabul Since Taliban Takeover
Ethiopia Launches New Round of Air Strikes in Tigray
UN Mission Announces Deployment of 1st Group of Monitors in Libya
Pakistani Police Says 3 Afghans from ISIS Group Killed Near Border
Erdogan Threatens to Expel 10 Western Envoys

Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on October 21-22/2021
When Cities Are Empty... Armed Men Mobilize/Hussam Itani/Asharq Al-Awsat/October, 21/2021
Capability: The Secret behind World History/Raymond Ibrahim/October, 21/2021

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October 21-22/2021
Pope Franicis rushed to the hospital
NNA /Thursday, 21 October, 2021 
Pope Francis was rushed to Gemelli Hospital on Thursday due to a colon condition, our correspondent in Rome reported.

MoPH: 700 new coronavirus, 3 deaths
NNA /Thursday, 21 October, 2021
Lebanon has recorded 700 new coronavirus cases and 3 deaths during the last 24 hours, as indicated by the Ministry of Public Health on Thursday.

Macron Renews Support for Lebanon in Message to Aoun
Naharnet /Thursday, 21 October, 2021
French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo on Thursday relayed a verbal message to President Michel Aoun from his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said. Macron “reiterated his country’s support for Lebanon’s president, government and people,” NNA said. He also expressed readiness to help the Lebanese in all fields to “enable them to confront the difficult circumstances that they are living,” the agency added.

Aoun Meets Miqati, Says Govt. to Address Cost-of-Living Issues
Naharnet /Thursday, 21 October, 2021
President Michel Aoun met Thursday in Baabda with Prime Minister Najib Miqati to discuss the general situations in the country in light of the latest developments. The Presidency said the discussions tackled “the need to speed up the launching of the ration card in light of the surge in fuel prices and its impact on the prices of commodities and foodstuffs.”Aoun and Miqati also addressed “the fate of the $246 million World Bank loan and the solutions in this regard.”They also touched on “the outcome of the visits that are being made by a number of international envoys, the developments of the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, and a number of solutions for addressing the situations of public sector employees in light of the difficult economic and financial situations that the country is going through.”Later in the day, Aoun held talks with U.N. Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka. The Presidency said Aoun stressed to her “that the preparations are ongoing to begin negotiations with IMF as soon as possible.”“The financial forensic audit of the central bank’s accounts started today by the Alvarez & Marsal firm and the government will carry on with tackling the pressing cost-of-living issues to curb their negative repercussions on citizens in light of the hike in fuel prices,” Aoun told Wronecka. The President also said that “the probe into the Beirut port blast crime is ongoing to determine responsibilities according to the applicable legal norms.”

Reports: Military Court Summons Geagea over Tayyouneh Clashes
Naharnet /Thursday, 21 October, 2021
The Military Court has summoned Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea to hear his testimony over the deadly Tayyouneh clashes, media reports said on Thursday. Al-Jadeed TV said the move comes in light of “the confessions of the detainees.”“Geagea’s summoning came after very advanced discussions, which included talk of summoning other officials and leaders concerned with the Tayyouneh incident to also hear their testimonies,” al-Jadeed added. The TV network added that State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Fadi Akiki ordered the testimony but said that it should be in the Military Court. Maarab meanwhile said that Geagea has not received the summons, noting that he will comment on the move in his TV interview on Thursday evening.

Sami Gemayel Lauds LF 'Performance', Says Hizbullah Doesn't Have 100K Fighters
Naharnet/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
Kataeb Party leader Sami Gemayel, who is visiting the U.S., has called through MTV for “raising the voice in the face of the hegemony that Iran is practicing on Lebanon through Hizbullah.”“We want all the world capitals to know that there is a major effort to unify the ranks of the opposition in Lebanon. We are also interested in supporting the Lebanese Army, which is facing major attempts to tarnish its image and role and is being subjected to huge political pressure in order not to perform its duties,” Gemayel added. “Hizbullah’s intimidation is rejected and we will not fear it,” the Kataeb chief emphasized. Noting that the differences between Kataeb and the Lebanese Forces party are “known” and that he does not want to re-mention them, Gemayel lauded the LF for the “change in its performance.” “The LF’s performance is now in the right direction and it is clearer regarding the confrontation which we consider to be open between us and Hizbullah,” Gemayel added. “There is a big transformation in the LF’s policy since the election of Michel Aoun as president and this is something positive,” the Kataeb leader went on to say. In an interview with the Washington-affiliated al-Hurra TV, Gemayel noted that “Hizbullah does not have 100,000 fighters,” dismissing remarks by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. “The Lebanese Army is certainly the strongest,” he added.

Resumption of Cabinet Sessions Reportedly Imminent
Naharnet/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
Cabinet will resume its meetings soon after Prime Minister Najib Miqati communicated behind the scenes with Hizbullah’s leadership, Speaker Nabih Berri and others, obtaining a pledge that they will not subject the government to any setback, Asharq al-Awsat daily reported on Thursday. Miqati told them that the government has two pressing missions: the first is related to the talks with the World Bank for financing the importation of Egyptian gas to Lebanon, and the second is related to the start of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund with the aim of funding Lebanon’s financial recovery plan, the newspaper added. Miqati had suspended Cabinet sessions after the eruption of a dispute over Judge Tarek Bitar’s fate and the subsequent Tayyouneh clashes.

Berri: Atmosphere of Border Demarcation Negotiations with Israel More Than Positive
Beirut - Thaer Abbas/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
US mediators are trying to rekindle indirect negotiations between Lebanon and Israel after they arrived at an impasse following the former’s request to gain more territorial waters believed to hold oil and gas.
Lebanon tacitly retracted its request by agreeing not to demarcate sea borders according to zones on which negotiations were launched and by returning to the framework agreement announced by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in October last year. For years, Berri has been the file’s chief negotiator. US envoy Amos Hochstein, a senior energy security adviser at the State Department, met several Lebanese officials on Wednesday in the presence of US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea. Berri confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the atmosphere is more than positive. He pointed out that discussions with the US had principally shelved the thought of shuttle negotiations, an idea proposed by US mediators as an alternative to indirect talks taking place at UN headquarters at the borders. “An extensive discussion took place that concluded with a return to the framework agreement that we had previously announced as a basis for negotiations, and for the talks to go back to the UN headquarters as was the case previously,” Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat. There is initial approval from the US, and Hochstein will visit Tel Aviv to obtain Israeli consent, explained Berri. The speaker also said he received assurances that Lebanon would be exempt from the restrictions of the Caesar Act in the issues of drawing Egyptian gas and electricity from Jordan through Syria. Hochstein, who arrived in Beirut on Tuesday evening, had met with President Michel Aoun, Berri, and Prime Minister Najib Mikati. While the sources said Hochstein will also meet with officials in Israel, they pointed to a lack of signals on negotiations resuming imminently. So far, nothing has been settled.

Berri Says Sea Border Discussions with U.S. 'More than Positive'
Naharnet/Thursday, 21 October, 2021  
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has described the talks that a U.S. envoy held Wednesday in Lebanon as “more than positive.”The U.S. envoy, Amos Hochstein, met Wednesday with President Michel Aoun, Berri and PM Najib Miqati in a bid to rekindle moribund talks over a maritime border dispute between Lebanon and Israel that is holding up oil and gas explorations. In an interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper published Thursday, Berri said Wednesday’s discussions “have in principle shelved the shuttle negotiations idea that the Americans had proposed as an alternative to the indirect negotiations that were held at the U.N. headquarters at the border.”“Extensive discussions took place and led to returning to the framework agreement that we had previously announced as the basis for the negotiations,” the Speaker added. He also said that the U.S. envoy will visit Israel to obtain approval of the decision and that he received U.S. reassurances that Lebanon will be granted exemptions that would it to import gas and electricity via Syria despite the Caesar Act. Informed sources in Lebanon meanwhile told the newspaper that “there are no indications that point to an imminent resumption of the negotiations” and that “nothing has been settled until the moment.”

US Reassures Lebanon Gas Supplies Through Syria to Be Shielded from Caesar Law
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
Lebanese Energy Minister Walid Fayad said on Wednesday that US mediator Amos Hochstein has assured him that participants in the project to supply Lebanon with Egyptian gas will be shielded from the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Law, Lebanon's state news agency (NNA) reported, citing a statement by the ministry. Under an agreement announced last month, Egypt will supply natural gas to Lebanon via a pipeline that passes through Jordan and Syria to help boost Lebanon's electricity output. Speaker Nabih Berri, who met Hochstein, also said he received assurances that Lebanon would be exempt from the restrictions of the Caesar Act. Hochstein also held talks with President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Officials Reject Nasrallah’s Threats to Turn Hezbollah Arms against Lebanon
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah’s latest speech drew widespread condemnation in Lebanon after he threatened to turn the party’s weapons against the country.Some officials viewed his comments as a threat to not just Christians, but to the whole country in what they perceived as an excessive show of force. Resigned Kataeb MP Nadim Gemayel tweeted: “Nasrallah, you are not the enemy of Christians… but the enemy of Lebanon.”“You have killed the country’s best youth and its economy and you have forced its Christian, Sunni and Shiite youth to immigrate,” he added, addressing Nasrallah. The Hezbollah leader had delivered a speech on Monday to address clashes that erupted last week in Beirut’s Tayyouneh area. The fighting pitted supporters of the Shiite Hezbollah and the Amal movement against the Christian LF. Seven people were killed in the fighting and dozens injured. The LF condemned Thursday’s events and blamed the violence on Hezbollah’s “incitement” against Tarek Bitar, the lead investigator in a probe into last year’s blast at Beirut port. Amal and Hezbollah had called the demonstration to protest against Bitar. Nasrallah alleged that his party helped preserve the presence of Christians in Syria and that it was defending Christian representation in Lebanon. Resigned MP Elias Hankash told local radio on Tuesday that Hezbollah has lost its central cause and has now turned its weapons towards Lebanon. This is a battle between the sovereign and free Lebanon against the Lebanon of war and recklessness, he added. MP Fuad Makhzoumi accused Nasrallah of distorting facts.
“The dispute in Lebanon today is not between Christians and Hezbollah, but between Lebanese people, who want a country that is built on justice and an economy, and Hezbollah and its corrupt political system, which is being protected by sects that have destroyed the judiciary, reform and the concept of the state and have isolated Lebanon from its Arab environment,” he tweeted. Lebanese Forces MP Ziad Hawat said that Nasrallah’s “acknowledgement that his party boasts 100,000 fighters and his condescending tone towards the Lebanese are unacceptable.”He added: “The Christians and Lebanese were not intimidated by the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Syrian occupation army and you certainly won’t intimidate them with your actions because they have a long history in resisting occupiers.” He noted Nasrallah’s hypocrisy in speaking about weapons, militias and the civil war, while at the same time declaring that he heads the largest militia, of 100,000 fighters, in order to intimidate and subjugate the Lebanese.

For a change, Hezbollah’s boast of 100,000 fighters is not aimed at Israel/Hassan Nasrallah’s claim about size of terror group’s fighting force, seen as an exaggeration by analysts, is directed at domestic rivals
Times Of Israel/October 21/2021
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/103530/%d8%aa%d8%a7%d9%8a%d9%85%d8%b2-%d8%a3%d9%88%d9%81-%d8%a5%d8%b3%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%a6%d9%8a%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%aa%d9%84-%d9%8a%d8%a7-%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%af-%d9%86%d8%b5%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%84%d9%87/
BEIRUT — A boast by the leader of Hezbollah that he commands 100,000 fighters came as a surprise to many Lebanese, not least because it was addressed to a domestic audience rather than the terror group’s archenemy Israel. Experts say the figure, which exceeds the size of Lebanon’s army by about 15,000 troops, is an exaggeration. But Hassan Nasrallah’s brag is likely to further ratchet up anxiety about a return to sectarian fighting in the small country roiled by a series of devastating crises. “This is more about flexing Hezbollah’s muscles to demonstrate its power against other opposing political parties that want to undermine it,” said Dina Arakji, a researcher at Control Risks, a Dubai-based global risk consultancy group.
Nasrallah made the declaration Monday as part of the growing confrontation over a judicial investigation into last year’s massive Beirut port explosion that killed more than 215 people and devastated parts of the city. Hezbollah and its Shi’ite allies from the Amal Movement led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri want the lead judge removed, accusing him of bias.
Deadly gunbattles broke out last week in Beirut during a demonstration organized by the two Shi’ite factions, after their supporters came under fire as they marched through Christian neighborhoods on their way to the Justice Palace. Clashes with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, reminiscent of the 1975-90 civil war, played out for several hours along a former front line separating the Muslim and Christian sectors of the city. The Iran-backed Hezbollah accused the Christian Lebanese Forces party of starting the fighting in which seven Shi’ites were killed. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea denied his group was the aggressor, but said residents of Christian areas could not be blamed for defending themselves against armed Hezbollah militiamen marching through their neighborhoods.
In Monday’s speech, Nasrallah accused Geagea of seeking to reignite a civil war and said he was forced to announce the number of Hezbollah fighters “not to threaten a civil war, but to prevent one.”
Hezbollah is a largely secretive organization and it is difficult to independently verify Nasrallah’s claim about the size of the force. Hezbollah rarely comments on its military structure, weapons or number of fighters.
Most estimates for the number of fighters, however, range between 25,000 and 50,000, including 10,000 elite troops known as the Radwan Force and a separate reserve force. Hezbollah is known to have stepped up recruitment in the years after the 2006 war with Israel. In the past decade, however, it lost nearly 2,000 members while fighting in Syria alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces in that country’s civil war.
Nasrallah said in his speech that those troops were armed and trained for warfare against Israel, not for an internal armed conflict. Arakji, the analyst, said it was significant that he chose a speech about the Lebanese Forces and last week’s Beirut violence to reveal the figure.
Hezbollah’s claim about a 100,000-strong fighting force was particularly jarring because Lebanon’s army only has about 85,000 troops. The country’s financial crisis and currency collapse have severely impacted the military as an institution, and affected troop morale.
Last week’s fighting was a rare instance of members of Hezbollah clashing with internal rivals, something the group has repeatedly pledged to avoid.
The group’s reputation took a major hit in 2008, after its fighters overran predominantly Sunni Muslim neighborhoods in Beirut. It was considered the first time Hezbollah used its weapons internally since the end of the civil war in 1990. It came in response to the then-government of prime minister Fuad Saniora’s decision to dismantle Hezbollah’s crucial secret telecommunication network.
Some observers say Nasrallah’s implicit threats reveal a degree of vulnerability of Hezbollah, even though it is the most dominant political and military force in Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s Shi’ite constituency, like other Lebanese communities, has been thrown into poverty by the country’s severe financial crisis. More Lebanese regard the group, which once had popular support across religious sects for its opposition to Israel, as being part of a corrupt ruling class that drove the country to bankruptcy. The group’s recent campaign against Tarek Bitar, the judge leading the port blast investigation, is further pitting the group against many Lebanese who support him and seek justice and accountability.
Civil strife pitting Hezbollah fighters against rival Lebanese groups would be disastrous for the group, which already lost popularity for its involvement in Syria’s civil war. Hezbollah officials have repeatedly said the group will not be pulled into an internal war — a weak point its opponents like the Lebanese Forces might be looking to exploit as a way to gain popularity ahead of general elections expected next spring.
Hisham Jaber, a retired Lebanese general who heads the Middle East Center for Studies and Political Research, said Hezbollah will avoid civil war at all costs. Hezbollah could easily take control of most of Lebanon militarily within a week, but this would hurt the group in the long term, Jaber said. “Whenever they storm and control areas it will be the countdown for [Hezbollah’s] existence, because their presence in Lebanon is a resistance movement and not a force to fight in a civil war,” he said. Sarit Zahavi, a former Israeli military intelligence officer who runs the Alma research institute in northern Israel, said Nasrallah greatly exaggerated his group’s military capabilities with the aim of intimidating his domestic rivals. “His message is ‘I’m the strongest player in Lebanon,’” Zahavi said. She said it could backfire against Nasrallah and draw further criticism in Lebanon. “What he’s actually saying is ‘I’ve built up great power not only to fight Israel but to fight Lebanese,’” she said.

After the “sahsouh”
Dana HouranyNow Lebanon/October 21/2021
Some families of the Beirut blast victims may have been intimidated by the October 14 clashes, judging by the change of heart of the group’s spokesman who announced his resignation and support for Hezbollah.
We have a saying in Lebanon: “before the sahsouh and after the sahsouh“.
A sahsouh is a dope slap, a smack on the back of someone’s head when they say or do something seen as out of line.
It became quite a popular expression used in the Lebanese Shiite community to describe the change of opinions one undergoes after being threatened by one of the two Shiite parties, Amal Movement or Hezbollah.
In the Lebanese media, we are accustomed to seeing individuals d express their anger against Hezbollah in particular, at times even employing violent speech. And then, suddenly, they take back what they said, and publicly release official apologies.
The story goes as follows: citizen A says something spontaneously against the Secretary-General of Hezbollah out of anger and frustration.
The next day, the same person releases a statement surrounded by photos of Hezbollah Secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah whilst holding one themselves. With a shaky, almost inaudible voice and a reverent demeanor, they express their support and love for Hezbollah and commonly use the phrases “we are under your shoe”( Nehna tahet sobatak) or “we apologize to your shoe” (mne’tezir men sobatak).
What happened in between the initial statement and the following apology always remained a mystery. But it’s the sahsouh.
Opposing Shiites are “smacked” into silence, the fear of violent retaliation always looming. Another common joke within the community is that of a black “Envoy” four by four arriving to kidnap the culprit once something is said against Hezbollah. From kidnapping to physical violence, the jokes may be funny, but the intimidation is real. Opposing Shiites are “smacked” into silence, the fear of violent retaliation always looming.
I have met and interviewed Ibrahim Hoteit many times. He was dynamic, driven, determined and outspoken. Now, he appears calm, almost stoic, and transformed.
The man in his 50s – 60s, brother of Tharwat Hoteit, one of the victims of the August 4 Beirut Port explosion, and previously the spokesperson of the families of the victims, recently underwent a radical change of heart.
He used to take the lead and speak on behalf of the families of the Beirut blast victims at every protest. He was on television almost everyday, with the Beirut blast investigation being debated by activists and politicians alike.
“With the judge till the very end” was a phrase he used commonly until last Friday night when he released a video that immediately went viral. In the video, he stated that he no longer supported judge Tarek Bitar, the lead magistrate in the investigation, and called on him to quit the case. He also criticized “America’s interference” and expressed his support to Hezbollah.
The video came as a response to the clashes that occurred in the Tayyouneh area following a protest planned by Hezbollah and Amal supporters. Seven people died, including two bystanders, and 32 were wounded. The worst fighting Beirut has seen since May 8, 2008.
Hoteit’s change of heart worried many. It looked like intimidation. This was definitely not the first time Hezbollah and Amal were accused of threatening activists, and Hoteit himself had admitted to previously receiving threats during the families’ protests. “If any harm was to happen to me then it’s on Nabih Berri,” I once heard Hoteit say during a protest I was covering.
Hoteit then backtracked on his statement in a recent interview, claiming that his words were simply the result of being in the heat of the moment.
“We still cling to our stance and the trust we gave the judge and our case is much bigger than sectarian, authoritarian, and political feuds,” some of the families said in a statement on Sunday.
But there are others who, like Hoteit, have been reduced to silence, fearful, and intimidated by the October 14 show of weapons in Tayyouneh and Ain el-Remmaneh. Yesterday I tried to reach out to members of the families of the victims, several of which I had spoken to many times before. They were all hesitant to talk to the press.
The Beirut blast case should be a priority above all feuds. But the apparent steadfastness of Judge Bitar has politicians desperately meddling, starting with what they do best: dividing people.
Dividing the group
In July, when families were protesting outside Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s house in Ain Al-Tineh, Beirut, Hoteit himself addressed Berri, starting his statement with “Your Excellency”. Other protesters asked him to stop using honorifics. On that day, there was an altercation between the families of the victims and their supporters and the army. “You will pay heavily for these actions, Nabih Berri. I, Ibrahim Hoteit say so.”
Fast-forward three months, Hoteit recently said in an interview that he didn’t have any particular political bias and didn’t belong to any group.
There are others who, like Hoteit, have been reduced to silence, fearful, and intimidated by the October 14 show of weapons in Tayyouneh and Ain el-Remmaneh. This issue divided the families into two groups, the pro-Bitar and the anti-Bitar. The “us vs them” narrative, that the politics of the country was built on, seemed to have spread its venom to this cause too.
A source close to the families who wished to remain anonymous told me that all the WhatsApp groups that they used to communicate on were now canceled, until further notice. “Ibrahim said he didn’t want to be reached at the moment,” the source said. This division highlights the issue of unity amongst the members of this group and raises the question of what will happen if more people give up, or are forced to give up, like Hoteit did. Looking at things through a sectarian lens, as most political parties want us to do, members of the Shiite sect face harsher consequences for their speech against the political duo than the rest of the families.
Intimidating any dissent
With the absence of strong opposition in the government, Hezbollah remains the dominant group in the country, together with its ally, the Amal Movement. They can silence anyone they want, however they want.
The October 17 revolution challenged that abuse of power. Therefore, the political duo used their supporters many times to beat up protestors, sometimes even attacking and burning their tents.
While the country was celebrating the two-year anniversary of the revolution, Amal Movement supporters prevented the celebration in Tyre’s Al-Alam Square on Saturday night. They attacked protesters in the square and chose to hold a funeral for the victims that fell during the Tayouneh clashes last Thursday in order to disrupt the celebrations for the uprising’s anniversary, prompting protesters to cancel their sit-in.
Whether Hoteit was truly under duress or speaking out of sheer conviction, it remains undeniable that the clashes, mixed with the whole debacle around the integrity of the judge, adding Hoteit’s resignation, all led to one thing: distraction from the Beirut blast case and the ones responsible for it.
Could Hoteit be an example of that abuse?
He says he’s not. He blames Thursday’s clashes and the judge for his 180-degree turn. “The only thing I’m afraid of is the future of our country if clashes like these occur again,” he said.
His reasoning for no longer siding with the judge was that he felt the clashes happened because of their case, and that the judge, who knew 90 percent of the truth, refused to say it.
“Judge Bitar told me that he knew almost all of the truth but he didn’t want to say it yet and his reasons did not convince me as I have other issues with his method of work as well.”
Claims like these frame the judge in a negative light. Whereas before politicians were attacked for obstructing justice, the judge now would be attacked for withholding the truth.
Hoteit’s concern over further violence and bloodshed in the country is legitimate. After losing a close family member in the explosion, one wouldn’t wish this type of grief on anybody else. He also said that he felt that the port blast case was responsible for the Thursday clashes. So when choosing between civil peace and a judge, the choice seemed obvious.
Whether Hoteit was truly under duress or speaking out of conviction, it remains undeniable that the clashes that left 7 dead and 32 wounded may have pushed some of the people militating for justice and accountability to feel guilty for what happened or to fear further violence.
Mixed with the whole debacle around the integrity of the judge and Hoteit’s resignation, it all led to one thing: distraction from the Beirut blast case and the ones responsible for it.
*Dana Hourany is a multimedia journalist with @NOW_leb. She is on Instagram @danahourany.

On Hezbollah’s Issue with Justice
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/October, 21/2021
It is no longer a secret that Hezbollah has an issue with courts. The party hates and fears them. The reasons can be traced back to actions that many see as legitimate causes for suspicion. However, there is another dimension to Hezbollah’s hatred for and fear of justice: it lies in the makeup of the party, which makes it hostile to courts of any sort. In other words, it is hostile to justice, the paths it takes, and the frameworks it works within. We could recall, selectively, incidents that inform our understanding of the relationship that ties justice and its institutions to the parties that resemble Hezbollah and the regimes Hezbollah fancies. With this recollection, we conclude the following: empowered totalitarian or pseudo-totalitarian parties cannot coexist with empowering justice. It is either or. We didn’t hear, during the Soviet era, for example, of illustrious Soviet lawyers, and we do not hear about distinguished Chinese, Iranian or Syrian jurists today. These things don’t happen, as in places with revolutionary rather than electoral legitimacy, where the judiciary is subordinate to the executive and there is a cause considered sacred, a cause for the sake of which any action can be justified, the emergence of illustrious lawyers or distinguished jurists is impossible. Amalgamating powers, as opposed to separating them, does not allow for that; indeed, it negates any justification for it.
The fact is that such regimes’ conception of justice, and so of courts and trials, is based on their constant pursuit to subvert them and replace them with some kind of “revolutionary justice,” a form of “justice” that serves particular ideas and furthers a particular segment of society’s interests. That is, it is injustice.
True, regimes that did not emerge through revolution and do not brag about being a form of resistance could undermine the law and the judiciary. However, those regimes do not have a theory opposed to the application of justice. They deviate from their descriptions of themselves as being committed to justice and working in accordance with it. Though they negate it in practice, they do not refute it in principle.
While the “supreme court” is the pride of liberals’ thought, as it can overturn parliamentary votes signed by presidents, the pride of totalitarian thought is silencing those who object to the leader and his ruling party’s decisions. The silencing could be forever.
Bolshevik Russia set the precedent: “revolutionary justice” was, in practice, a tool to weed out “class enemies.” With the abolition of the preceding judicial system, the secret police, the Cheka, took on some of these tasks, and the rest were left to “people’s violence” against the “enemies of the people.” The Bolsheviks swiftly brought back the courts, but their vengeful nature shaped how they operated and the decisions of their ideologized, lightly trained judges.
Per the Chinese constitution, the judicial system is independent of administrative apparatuses, public organizations and individuals. However, the Chinese Communist Party’s “Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission” is responsible for “coordinating”, and it is granted the power to “directly oversee” all of this judicial system’s work. It is for this reason that Hong Kong insisted, when it became part of China, on maintaining its own legal system as part of the “one country two systems” principle.
The notion of “human rights” was seen by the first generation of China’s communist rulers as a bourgeois notion that should be circumvented. The second generation rose to this challenge by developing a theory that distinguishes “our human rights” from “their human rights.” Only over the last few decades, as it opened up to the outside world, was this nonsense put an end to.
With the 1959 Cuban revolution’s victory, lawyers fled the country in droves. Among the first instructions given by Fidel Castro, himself a lawyer, was that youths should avoid studying law and study science, engineering and medicine instead. The socialist system needs building, not establishing the facts, as they are already established, and there is no conflict in a socialist paradise. In 1962, Fidel Castro proposed the establishment of “popular tribunals.” Since then, there have been many positive changes, some of which were made under pressure imposed by opening up to the world and intentions to improve ties with the United States and Spain. Some were made in response to the changing times and the difficulty of maintaining the previous frameworks. However, to this day, lawyers cannot work independently and have to be part of a collective body tied to the political power. In Iran, imitating the Soviet-style, the first courts that emerged after the revolution were created to serve a particular purpose: punishing enemies, taking revenge from the supporters of the Shah’s regime, and getting rid of those who could pose a threat to the new regime. The early trials were inaugurated by Hojjat Al-Islam Sadegh Khalkhali: death sentences were issued quickly and Khomeini swiftly approved them. Today, despite more than 40 years having gone by since the revolution, elite circles in power continue to argue about the “necessity” of generalizing “revolutionary court” laws to all matters, without exception. For one of the prevalent criticisms levied at penal courts is that they are too soft and lenient. “Revolutionary court” trials, on the other hand, are held without a jury, and one judge can issue a verdict, once and for all, on the defendant’s fate. It is held behind closed doors, and only the court has the right to reveal what transpires behind those doors. These are the models that Hezbollah is inevitably keen on imposing a replication of in its country. Will Lebanon be dragged into this situation under the pretext that justice, as it currently stands, is politicized and serves foreign powers? Most probably, something of this sort is already underway.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on October 21-22/2021
Saudi FM, US envoy discuss Iranian support to ‘terrorist militias’
The Arab Weekly/October 21/2021
RIYADH--Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud and US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley met in Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss the Iranian nuclear talks, the state news agency SPA said. Prince Faisal and Malley, who earlier visited Qatar on a regional tour to coordinate with Gulf allies, also discussed strengthening “joint action to stop Iranian support for terrorist militias” threatening regional security, SPA added. Iran’s proxy militias in the region include the Houthis in Yemen as well as armed contingents in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. Iran’s new President Ebrahim Raisi has not yet agreed to resume indirect talks with the United States on returning to the deal, under which Iran curbed its nuclear programme in return for economic sanctions relief. Malley has said Washington is ready to consider “all options” if Iran is unwilling to return to the 2015 agreement, while Prince Faisal last week warned of the “dangerous” acceleration of Iran’s nuclear activities. Riyadh, which has criticised Iran’s proxy wars in the region, has been targeted by Yemen’s Houthi militias with drones and missiles. Riyadh has criticised the 2015 pact as flawed for not addressing Tehran’s missile programme and network of regional proxies, a key concern for some Gulf states. US President Joe Biden’s administration wants to negotiate a return to compliance with the deal after his predecessor, Donald Trump, withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, as a result of which Iran resumed the building its stockpile of enriched uranium.

Feeling besieged by enemies, Iran multiplies military drills
The Arab Weekly/October 21/2021
TEHRAN, Iran--Iran on Thursday kicked off yet another military drill across the country as the hardline government of Ebrahim Raisi feels besieged by threats. The new drill is held just a week after another massive air defence exercise. Iran’s state TV said bombers, jet fighters and attack and surveillance drones will participate in the drill, using heavy weapons including laser-guided missiles. It said all Iranian military air bases will participate in the maneuvre. Reportedly, Iran has 12 air bases. The report did not say how long the drill will last. It came a week after Iran held a two-day annual air defence exercise in the country’s sprawling central desert, with both the army and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard taking part. Iran regularly holds such manoeuvres and claims they assess the troops’ combat readiness and demonstrate the nation’s military capabilities. But the succession of military drills in recent weeks has raised eyebrows among Iran’s neighbours and beyond. The arrival at the White House of the Democratic administration of President Joe Biden has not assuaged the fears by the Iranian regime about the hostile intent of its traditional nemeses, the US and Israel, especially since Washington has refused till now to remove the sanctions imposed against Iran by the Trump administration. The region remains on edge over Iran’s escalating nuclear programme. Talks in Vienna to revive Tehran’s now-tattered 2015 accord with world powers have stalled since June, with no date set for their resumption.
The 2015 nuclear deal saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But defiantly, Iran has since been raising it enrichment levels and delaying the resumption of the talks with Western powers. Despite holding its own direct talks with Tehran, Saudi Arabia has warned against the “dangerous” acceleration of Iran’s nuclear programme and remains wary of Iranian military support to the Houthis in Yemen. Tehran’s nuclear programme has sparked increasing tensions with Israel, which has vowed not to allow Iran to produce a nuclear bomb. The US administration’s position here has moved closer in recent weeks to that of Israel. During talks with Israel, Washington has even vowed to seek a “Plan B” to abort Tehran’s nuclear programme if diplomacy fails. The Iranian government has subsequently warned Israel against any “military adventures”. Tensions with Israel have spilled over to Iranian neighbour Azerbaijan over its ties to the West and deep military cooperation with Israel. Azerbaijan and Israel have strengthened their military alliance in recent months, with Israeli-supplied high-tech drones helping to tilt the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in Baku’s favour last year. “It’s clear that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not tolerate the presence of the Zionist regime, even demonstratively, near its borders and in this regard it will take any action it deems necessary for its national security,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh was quoted as saying by Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency.

Blast at US Outpost in Syria, No American Injuries
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
A US outpost in southern Syria was attacked on Wednesday, but there were no reports of any American casualties from the blast, US officials told Reuters. The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it was too early to say who was responsible for the attack. One of the officials said it was believed to have been a drone attack. The garrison, known as Tanf, is located in a strategic area near Syria's Tanf border crossing with Iraq and Jordan. The garrison was first set up when ISIS militants controlled eastern Syria bordering Iraq but since the extremists were driven out, it is seen as part of the larger US strategy to contain Iran's military reach in the region. Tanf is the only position with a significant US military presence in Syria outside the Kurdish-controlled north. While it is not common for attacks on the US troops at the outpost, Iranian-backed forces have frequently attacked American troops with drones and rockets in eastern Syria and Iraq.

U.S. Confirms 'Coordinated' Attack on Base in Syria
Agence France Presse,/October 21, 2021
The United States said Thursday that a base in Syria used by the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group was attacked with drones and artillery. No US personnel were injured in the attack Wednesday at the Al-Tanf base, said Captain Bill Urban, a spokesman for CENTCOM.
"We can confirm that the Al-Tanf Garrison area was subjected to a deliberate and coordinated attack. Based on initial reports, the attack utilized both unmanned aerial systems and indirect fire," Urban said in a statement. The attack was initially reported Wednesday by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Al-Tanf base is a desert garrison in southern Syria set up in 2016 as part of the fight against the IS group. Damascus and its allies have repeatedly said U.S. troops had no reason to be there. Iran-backed forces are deployed in close proximity to the outpost, which sits on the strategically important Baghdad-Damascus highway.

Recent Attack On Al-Tanf Military Base Follows Years Of Threats Promising Violence To Expel U.S. Troops From Syria – As Reflected In MEMRI Reports/October 21, 2021
Alarab.co.uk,/October 21, 2021
On October 20, 2021, an attack was carried out against the U.S. military base in Al-Tanf, on the Syrian-Jordanian-Iraqi border, that marked an escalation in operations against the U.S. forces in Syria. A statement issued by the Pentagon said that it was "a deliberate and coordinated attack" using " both unmanned aircraft and indirect fire."[1] Several hours after the attack, the pro-Hizbullah Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported that the Allies of Syria Operations Room, part of the Iran-led resistance axis, was responsible for it. The report claimed further that the attack was part of a "general bid" by the resistance axis to shift the balance of deterrence vis-à-vis the U.S. in Syria. It added that, in discussions between them over the past weeks, the heads of the resistance axis in Syria, Iran and Beirut decided that axis forces in Syria would be reinforced.[2]
Over the years, and especially in the current year, there have been increasing hostilities by pro-Assad militias, both Syrian and foreign, against the U.S. troops in Syria and against the forces allied with them. Sporadic confrontations between Syrian villagers and U.S. patrols soon escalated into rocket and mortar fire, and later to drone attacks, on bases housing American troops.
MEMRI has posted many reports indicating the intention of the resistance axis to employ "popular resistance" against the U.S. forces in Syria, including in Al-Tanf, with the aim of expelling them from the country. These reports presented rhetoric by the regime and its media, as well as by Iranian officials and Iran-backed militias, depicting the American presence as occupation and threatening military action against it.
A MEMRI report from August 2021 reviewed in detail the escalating hostilities in the recent months against the American troops in northeastern Syria, likely carried out by Iran-backed Shi'ite militias. The report presented statements from Syrian pro-regime dailies that presented the attacks as a new phase in the popular resistance to drive out the U.S. presence and threatened to continue and increase this action.
The following are MEMRI reports reviewing the escalating rhetoric and action of the resistance axis against the U.S. military presence in Syria.
Special Dispatch No. 7179, Syrian Regime And Its Allies: We Will Expel U.S. From Syria, Even By Military Means; Al-Raqqa Is Occupied By U.S. Allies, November 14, 2017
Special Dispatch No. 7189, Article In Syrian Government Daily: Syrians Entitled To Oppose U.S. Presence In Their Country By Every Possible Means, November 20, 2017
Special Dispatch No. 7402 - Syrian Regime: We Will Expel U.S. Forces From Syria By Means Of Popular Resistance – March 28, 2018
Special Dispatch No. 7451 - Syrian Threats Against The U.S. Presence In Syria Continue: U.S. Troops, Bases Are In Our Sights And Will Pay A Heavy Price – May 2, 2019
Special Dispatch No. 8398 - Assad Regime Calls For Popular Resistance To Expel U.S. Forces From Syria – December 9, 2019
Inquiry and Analysis No. 1504 – Assad Regime Encourages Attacks On U.S. Forces In Northern Syria: They Can Choose To Leave On Their Own Feet, Or In Coffins, March 11, 2020
Special Dispatch No. 8803 – Syrian Media Threatens Escalation Of Resistance Against U.S. Forces In Country: America’s Policy "Will Not Cause People To Take To The Streets; It Will Cause The Missiles To Emerge From The Depots", June 17, 2020
Special Dispatch No. 8994, Syrian Regime Continues To Encourage Popular Tribal Resistance Against U.S.; Assad: This Is The Only Way To Force The Americans To Leave, October 28, 2020
Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1593 - Amid Escalation In Rocket Attacks On U.S. Forces In Syria, Pro-Regime Syrian Press Threatens: This Is A New Phase In Resistance; Every Rocket Will Be Met With A Rocket 'Until Occupiers Leave' – August 5, 2021
[1] Washingtonpost.com, October 20, 2021.
[2] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), October 21, 2021.

Syria Says 24 Executed over Starting Wildfires
Agence France Presse/October 21/2021
The Syrian government has executed 24 people it convicted of deliberately starting deadly wildfires that raged in the summer of last year, the justice ministry said Thursday. Those executed on Wednesday were charged with "committing terrorist acts that led to death and damage to state infrastructure and public and private property through the use of flammable material," the justice ministry said in a statement carried by state media. Eleven others were sentenced to hard labor for life, four to temporary penal labor and five minors were handed jail sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years over similar charges, it added. Their identities were not disclosed, and no details were provided on where and how the executions took place. The suspects, the ministry said, were identified late last year in an interior ministry probe into wildfires in the provinces of Latakia, Tartus and Homs.
"They confessed that they had started fires at several locations in the three provinces and they also confessed to convening meetings to plan the fires" that occurred intermittently in September and October 2020, according to the justice ministry. It said it documented 187 fires affecting 280 towns and villages last year. They devastated 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres) of agricultural land and 11,000 hectares of forest land, while also damaging more than 370 homes, the justice ministry said. At least three people were killed and dozens wounded, state media reported at the time. Syrian law still provides for the death penalty for offenses including terrorism, arson and army desertion, according to rights group Amnesty International. In its latest death penalty report published this year, Amnesty said it was able to corroborate information indicating that executions took place in Syria in 2020 but said it did not have sufficient information to give a reliable minimum figure. The death penalty is usually carried out by hanging in Syria.

Abu Dhabi crown prince discusses Syria, regional issues with Assad
The Arab Weekly/October 21/2021
ABI DHABI--Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan discussed developments in Syria and the Middle East with Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported. In a phone call from Assad, the two leaders reviewed “the relations between the two fraternal nations and prospects of advancing cooperation across various fields.”“They also discussed the ongoing developments in Syria and the Middle East in addition to issues of regional and international interest,” added WAM. A number of Arab countries have stepped up economic and diplomatic ties with Assad in recent months. The UAE re-opened its mission to Damascus in late 2018 in a bid to counter the influence of non-Arab actors such as Iran, which along with Russia backs Assad and Turkey, which backs rebel forces. Assad’s office said the two leaders discussed mutual relations and ways of strengthening them in addition to expanding cooperation. It added that they also discussed regional and international affairs. Jordan, a staunch US ally, fully reopened its main border crossing with Syria in late September, to boost the countries’ struggling economies and reinforce the push by Arab states to reintegrate Syria. Jordan’s King Abdullah also spoke to Assad for the first time in a decade this month while the Egyptian, Tunisian and Syrian foreign ministers met last month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, in what Egyptian media said was the first meeting at that level for about a decade.

US seeks regional deal with Iran that includes Yemen settlement
The Arab Weekly/October 21/2021
ADEN--Yemeni political sources have told The Arab Weekly that the US diplomatic efforts to stop the war and push for a political settlement in Yemen have intensified recently as Washington seeks a regional deal that could include an agreement with Iran on its nuclear programme. The sources indicated that the recent developments regarding ongoing dialogue between Riyadh and Tehran are likely to have encouraged the US administration to link its moves over the Yemeni conflict to its indirect talks with the Iranian regime on restoring the nuclear agreement between western powers and Tehran. They believe such linkage was behind the visits of US diplomats to Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak met Wednesday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the US special representative to Iran, Robert Malley. The official Yemeni news agency said that the US envoy briefed Mubarak “about the latest developments in the negotiations conducted by the United States on the Iranian nuclear programme” and “stressed the importance of continuing and strengthening efforts to end the war and bring peace to Yemen.”The agency said the Yemeni foreign minister had stressed “the malicious role played by Iran in Yemen, which threatens stability and undermines any opportunity to reach a political settlement and a comprehensive and just peace in Yemen.”
During his regional tour, Robert Malley visited Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Doha, in a clear indication that the visit’s agenda included the issue of the war in Yemen and discussion of the conflict with influential regional players. The efforts by the US envoy to Iran coincide with an intensive diplomatic drive led by the US envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, who concluded his visit to the region with meetings in Muscat with Omani officials. Meanwhile, UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, also visited Muscat where he met Omani officials and representatives of the Houthis. But Yemen watchers say UN and US diplomatic efforts are being hindered by Houthi military escalation on the ground, which can only fuel more political and military tensions in the Yemeni crisis and not help with mediations towards a settlement. Analysts believe Washington is counting on its indirect talks with Tehran to achieve a level of progress on Yemen while the Iranian regime seems to be using the Houthi card to extract more concessions. There are however no indications of constructive proposals that the Houthis are likely to put on the table. Izzat Mustafa, head of the Fanar Centre for Policy Research, told The Arab Weekly: “Iran’s use of its proxies in the region during indirect talks with the United States and the European Union regarding its nuclear programme is a powerful pressure card in the hands of Tehran, whether negotiations on resumption of the nuclear deal fail or succeed.”On the link between the Iran nuclear talks and the Yemeni issue, Mustafa added that, “the Houthi military escalation in Marib and the launch of drones and ballistic missiles towards Saudi Arabia are meant to help Tehran in the discussions over its nuclear programme, as they give the Yemen conflict a regional dimension and improve Tehran’s chances of achieving its international goals.”Mustafa added: “The issue of the political settlement in Yemen is the most powerful pressure card in Iran’s hands.”The head of the Fanar Centre pointed out that “the American administration is seeking to conclude a political settlement in Yemen that is compatible with the nature of its negotiations with Iran on the nuclear programme. The Houthis, on the other hand, hope to benefit indirectly from US pressures that it sees as exercised in its favour.”Analysts downplay US threats to impose sanctions on the Houthis after recent military escalation in Marib, stressing that US policy makers are still dealing with the Yemeni crisis as a secondary issue that can be resolved within the framework of an overall regional deal. This, the analysts add, gives the Houthi militias a wide margin of manoeuvre within the peace process while they carry on with their military plans and create a fait accompli on the ground.

Under lawmakers’ pressure, Kuwait’s emir launches process for amnesty
The Arab Weekly/October 21/2021
KUWAIT CITY--Kuwait’s ruling emir on Wednesday paved the way for an amnesty to pardon dissidents, which has been a major condition of opposition lawmakers to end a months-long stand-off with the appointed government that has held up planned fiscal reforms. Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah tasked the parliament speaker, the prime minister and the head of the supreme judicial council to recommend the conditions and terms of the amnesty ahead of it being issued by decree, Sheikh Nawaf’s office said. The statement by the emir’s office said the amnesty would cover “some Kuwaitis sentenced in past cases” but gave no further details. It said some 40 MPs had called for the amnesty. Kuwaiti political sources told The Arab Weekly the emir’s decision reflected the extent of pressure exerted by members of the parliament, the National Assembly on the country’s leaders. The same sources added that the MPs calling for the amnesty, as well as those backing them, made no concessions nor pledges in exchange for the amnesty. Moreover, some of the deputies covered by the Emiri decree made only general statements about national reconciliation and the unity of Kuwait but did not apologise for their actions. Nor did any of them refer to any commitment whatsoever regarding the relationship with the government nor commit to easing tensions that have marked the relationship between lawmakers and government officials in recent years. The stand-off between the government and the elected parliament had paralysed legislative work, hindering efforts to boost state finances and enact measures including a debt law making it possible to tap global markets, a government priority. Although Kuwait does not permit political parties, it has given its legislature significant influence, including the power to pass and block laws, question ministers and submit no-confidence votes against senior government officials. That accords citizens more control over how their country is run than in neighbouring autocracies, although the emir still has the final say in state matters. But deadlocks between the cabinet and the assembly have over decades led to government reshuffles and dissolutions of parliament, hampering investment and reform. The statement said the emir decided to use his constitutional right to issue amnesties, following talks between the government and parliament to enhance “political stability” and cooperation between the executive and legislative branches. Dissidents in self-imposed exile include former lawmakers who took part in a 2011 storming of parliament over alleged government graft and mismanagement and other Kuwaitis who openly criticised the emir, a jailable offence, or other Gulf rulers. “This provides a glimmer of hope for cooperation,” opposition MP Muhannad Al-Sayer said. He voiced hope the government would also take into account another key opposition demand that Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah accept to be questioned in parliament, which returns from summer break on October 26. Several lawmakers have questioned the constitutionality of a motion passed in March delaying any quizzing of the premier until the end of 2022. MPs have submitted motions to question Sheikh Sabah on several issues including the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and corruption.

Report: Mossad network caught by Turkey's National Intelligence Organization
Arutz Sheva/October/2021 ,
According to Turkish Sabah newspaper, a Mossad network of 15 people has been caught by Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MIT).
Turkish media on Thursday reported that the government arrested a cell of 15 people over the past month, who were caught spying for the Israeli Mossad, Kan News reported. The 15 were working in five cells, the report added. The media also published photos of several of the suspects.
According to reports in Sabah and Gazetevatan, the "agents" are both Turkish and foreign citizens, and all are of Arab descent. The Turkish claim that the suspects were passing information on foreign students in Turkish universities to the Mossad, especially about those who can work in the security industry in the future. The newspapers added that there was also tracking of "Palestinians." According to the report, within the past month the Turks arrested three cells, the members of which they claimed were providing information to Israel. The report also said that as a result of an action carried out with great secrecy for a year, all of the codes of the Israeli intelligence network were discovered. The network had conducted espionage by collecting intelligence on people who are Turkish citizens or foreign students who live in the country.

Trump to launch new social network
Arutz Sheva/October/2021
Former US President announces new social network, "TRUTH Social", that purports to "stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech." Former US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he would be launching a new social network, "TRUTH Social", that purports to "stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech."In a statement, Trump announced that the app will begin its beta launch for invited guests in November 2021. A national rollout is expected in the first quarter of 2022. “I created TRUTH Social and TMTG to stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech. We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American President has been silenced. This is unacceptable,” said the former President. “I am excited to send out my first TRUTH on TRUTH Social very soon. TMTG was founded with a mission to give a voice to all. I'm excited to soon begin sharing my thoughts on TRUTH Social and to fight back against Big Tech. Everyone asks me why doesn’t someone stand up to Big Tech? Well, we will be soon!” he added. Facebook banned Trump from its platform in the wake of the riots on the US Capitol on January 6 and then referred its decision to the independent Oversight Board, a panel of experts and civic leaders from around the world that was established last year. The Oversight Board later upheld the suspension of Trump, but also said Facebook should determine a "proportionate response" that is consistent with rules applied to other users of the platform. Twitter also shut down Trump’s account following the Capitol riots and later approved a permanent ban on the former President. Twitter and Facebook were the first of many companies to take action against Trump, and were followed by Google which suspended Trump's YouTube channel, Reddit which banned some pro-Trump forums, and Snapchat, which permanently banned Trump’s account on the day he left office. After he was removed from the various social media platforms, Trump briefly ran a blog where he shared statements, but that blog was shut down after less than a month.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Makes First Trip to Kabul Since Taliban Takeover
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi arrived in Kabul on Thursday for his first visit to the Afghan capital since the Taliban victory in August, following weeks of tension over transport links between the two neighboring countries. Qureshi will focus in his talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and other Taliban leaders "on ways and means to deepen cooperation in diverse areas", Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement. The delegation included the head of the ISI intelligence service, Faiz Hameed, who visited Kabul in the immediate aftermath of the fall of the city, Reuters reported. The visit comes after prolonged problems at the Chaman border crossing, one of the main trade transit points between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which has been closed for more than two weeks, causing severe problems for truckers and exporters. In addition, Pakistan International Airlines, the only international airline that had been operating regularly in Kabul, last week suspended flights, complaining of interference and harassment of its staff by Taliban officials. "The Foreign Minister's visit reflects Pakistan's consistent policy of supporting the brotherly Afghan people, deepening bilateral trade and economic relations, and facilitating closer people-to-people contacts," the ministry statement said. The border closure has hurt Afghan fruit producers near the southern city of Kandahar, with pomegranates and other export produce left to rot because trucks cannot get through to their markets across the border.

Ethiopia Launches New Round of Air Strikes in Tigray
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
Ethiopia's military launched new air strikes on Tigray Wednesday, the second round of bombardments this week against rebel targets in the war-battered region. The raids mark a sharp escalation in the brutal year-long conflict pitting government forces and their allies against the Tigray People's Liberation Front, the region's once dominant ruling party. The international community has voiced alarm about the new attacks in the north, where fighting since November has killed thousands of people and left millions in need of emergency aid, AFP reported. The government said it bombed TPLF weapons caches in the regional capital Mekele and the town of Agbe which lies about 80 kilometres (50 miles) to the west, after two raids on Mekele on Monday. "It targeted at the facilities that TPLF have turned into arms construction and repair armaments sites," government spokesman Legesse Tulu said of the latest Mekele strike. Dr Hayelom Kebede, research director at Mekele's Ayder Referral Hospital, said eight people had been wounded, including a pregnant woman. UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters that initial information indicated some civilians including women and children were injured. "It was heavy and the jet was so close," one local resident told AFP, with witnesses reporting thick clouds of smoke rising up over the city. The United States, which has threatened sanctions if the warring parties do not reach a negotiated settlement, issued a strong statement denouncing the violence. "We have seen the credible reports of attacks in and around Mekele. The United States condemns the continuing escalation of violence, putting civilians in harm's way," State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted. The conflict has created a deep humanitarian crisis with the United Nations saying around two million people have been displaced and hundreds of thousands plunged into famine-like conditions. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government, barely two weeks into its new term, seems to be waging a new offensive against the TPLF, which dominated national politics for almost three decades before he took power in 2018. William Davison, the International Crisis Group's senior analyst for Ethiopia, said the strikes "appear to be part of efforts to weaken Tigray's armed resistance," as the TPLF makes gains in the neighboring Amhara region."Along with superior manpower, control of the skies is one of the few remaining areas of military advantage for the federal government."
'Surgical operations'
TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda said Wednesday's raid on Mekele hit a residential area "causing injury to civilians and harm to property". "Abiy's reaction to his losses in the ongoing fighting is to target civilians hundreds of kms away from the battlefield," he said on Twitter. He later claimed TPLF fighters had taken control of at least two towns in Amhara, putting the cities of Kombolcha and nearby Dessie -- where tens of thousands have sought refuge from the rebel advance since July -- "within artillery range". Much of northern Ethiopia is under a communications blackout and access for journalists is restricted, making battlefield claims difficult to independently verify. Tigray remains under a de facto blockade, with the warring parties each accusing the other of hampering the delivery of desperately needed aid. Legesse, the government spokesman, charged that the TPLF was using ordinary people as human shields. "We confirm and assure these surgical operations have not any intended harm to civilians," he said. On Monday, there were two aerial assaults in and around Mekele, the city held by the TPLF since it was recaptured from government forces in June.
The United Nations said those attacks had killed three children and wounded nine people.

UN Mission Announces Deployment of 1st Group of Monitors in Libya
Cairo - Jamal Jawhar/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
The UN envoy to Libya, Jan Kubis, has announced the start of the deployment of the first group of UN ceasefire monitors since October 10.
His announcement came in a letter he addressed to the members of the Joint Military Commission (5+5). In his letter, Kubis affirmed the UN chief’s welcome to the Geneva Agreement on October 8, which stipulates the development of a comprehensive plan for the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign forces from the country, stressing that the deployment of the first group of monitors is a step that will contribute to creating the conditions for the success of the action plan. Kubis also mentioned that the monitors will settle in Tripoli during the first period until the arrangements for their deployment in Sirte are completed, and the monitors will work in cooperation with the Joint Commission and the Libyan parties concerned under Security Council Resolution 2570. Kubis concluded by highlighting the importance of the UN’s support for efforts to implement the action plan, in addition to unifying the military institution to advance the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration tracks, in addition to reforming the security sector in Libya. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has said he "trusts that the deployment of an initial team of United Nations ceasefire monitors will contribute to creating the conditions for successful implementation of the action plan."

Pakistani Police Says 3 Afghans from ISIS Group Killed Near Border
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 21 October, 2021
Pakistani counter-terrorism forces say they have killed three Afghan militants who belonged to the ISIS group during a raid on a hideout near the country's border with Afghanistan. The gun battle was the latest episode of violence in Pakistan involving extremist groups that appear to have been emboldened by the return to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan, The Associated Press said. The dawn raid was carried out in Peshawar, capital of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said Javed Khan, an officer with the provincial Counter-Terrorism Department. The branch is a special police unit that fights local and foreign militant groups. Khan said the slain militants were Afghans, and that the raid foiled a possible terrorist attack. Two other fighters managed to flee, he said, giving no further details. Pakistan has witnessed scores of terrorist attacks in recent years, most of which were claimed by the Pakistani Taliban and the ISIS group. Both organizations have been emboldened by Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan, where Pakistani militants are still believed to be hiding. Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was in Kabul along with a delegation on Thursday for talks on a range of issues, the foreign ministry said before news of the raid was released. It was unclear whether the matter would come up in discussion.

Erdogan Threatens to Expel 10 Western Envoys
Agence France Presse/October, 21/2021
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday threatened to expel the ambassadors of the United States, Germany and eight other Western countries after they condemned the detention of a civil society leader. Parisian-born philanthropist and activist Osman Kavala, 64, has been in jail without a conviction since 2017, becoming a symbol of Erdogan's growing intolerance of dissent.The 10 ambassadors issued a rare joint statement on Monday saying Kavala's continued detention "cast a shadow" over Turkey. "I told our foreign minister that we cannot have the luxury of hosting them in our country," Erdogan told reporters in comments published by Turkish media. Kavala has faced a string of alternating charges linked to 2013 anti-government protests and a failed military coup in 2016. In their statement, the US, Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden called for a "just and speedy resolution to (Kavala)'s case". The 10 envoys were summoned to the Turkish foreign ministry on Tuesday. Erdogan sounded furious in a conversation with Turkish reporters on board his return flight from a tour of Africa. "Is it within your boundary to teach such a lesson to Turkey? Who are you?" he demanded in comments carried by the private NTV broadcaster. The Turkish lira lost one percent of its value against the dollar within moments of Erdogan's comments on fears of a new wave of Turkish tensions with the West.
'Conspiracy'
Speaking to AFP from his jail cell last week, Kavala said he felt like a tool in Erdogan's attempts to blame a foreign plot for domestic opposition to his nearly two-decade rule. "I think the real reason behind my continued detention is that it addresses the need of the government to keep alive the fiction that the (2013) Gezi protests were the result of a foreign conspiracy," Kavala said in the interview. "Since I am accused of being a part of this conspiracy allegedly organized by foreign powers, my release would weaken the fiction in question and this is not something that the government would like," he said.
Kavala was acquitted of the Gezi charges in February 2020, only to be re-arrested before he could return home and thrown back in jail over alleged links to the 2016 coup plot. The Council of Europe, the continent's top human rights watchdog, has issued a final warning to Turkey to comply with a 2019 European Court of Human Rights order to release Kavala pending trial. If Turkey fails to do so by its next meeting on November 30-December 2, the Strasbourg-based council could vote to launch its first disciplinary proceedings against Ankara. The proceedings could result in the suspension of Turkey's voting rights and even its membership.

The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on October 21-22/2021
When Cities Are Empty... Armed Men Mobilize
Hussam Itani/Asharq Al-Awsat/October, 21/2021
Two years after the October 17 protests began in Lebanon, the scene has gone back to normal. The revolution, whose participants had claimed they wanted to evade the fatal curse of civil wars, it seems, with all its crowds, supporters, songs and slogans, very far from today’s reality of armed sectarian clashes.
The Lebanese’ despondency and sense of defeat are understandable. Indeed, they are expected. That is because the revolution’s dreams and promises of stamping out corruption, putting an end to clientelism, the domination of a political class that lives on the corpses of the innocent and incitement to violence and assassination were shattered. Its only result was increased savagery reminiscent of the darkest days of the civil strife seen between 1975 and 1990. Everyone is called to the slaughterhouse, and everyone is preparing for it. There are no victims here, no children, seniors or needy. Everyone, like seasoned killers, has a dagger in their mouth. The smell of blood mixes with that of the air contaminated by the smoke released from electricity generators in the poor neighborhoods, while politicians with black hearts sit in their palaces and hiding places, counting their wins and losses.
The fact that Lebanon’s economic and foreign policy functions are linked to sectarian positions in domestic politics has been a given of Lebanese political sociology for decades. Academic works issued in the sixties demonstrated the link between the changes ensuing from the European industrial revolution in the nineteenth century and the continent’s demand for raw and semi-manufactured materials in the Levant (Lebanon, Syria and Palestine) and the formation of new social groups that went about affirming their identity as they rose up the social ladder and strengthened their ties with the West.
The wars fought between 1860 and 1840 were, from this point of view, an indication of the resistance of traditional agrarian societies built on feudal relations of production to the potential for massive change carried by the nascent capitalism of the Mediterranean’s southern shores.
The wars of the seventies and the eighties had a similar dynamic. The sects that were not part of the old conflicts fought in Mount Lebanon demanded- after seeing that they had the merit and deserved to do so- to share power with those who had inherited the country from the Mutasarrifiyya and French occupation.
Arab and international dimensions are also in the picture. Lebanon, which benefited economically from Palestine’s ports being shut and the nationalizations seen across the Arab world, refused to pay its share of the Arab-Israeli conflict’s costs. It seems that history has left the Lebanese paying those costs many times over through the destruction seen during civil, regional and global wars in which rivers of blood drowned every attempt to understand the reasons for the conflict.
Thirty years after the Taif Agreement was signed and the civil war officially ended, Lebanon has not yet carved out a role for itself that would allow it to join the post-Cold War world. The train of history departed and left its Lebanese passenger on the station’s pavement: no economic role or flexible political structure that would enable it to take on the tasks as of it and no real understanding of the scale of the decline that country’s position in the world had seen while it was preoccupied with rounds of fighting and importing weapons.
Attempts to bring the country’s pre-civil war function back to life and make Lebanon an economic hub in a peaceful Middle East have come to nothing more than the empty and abandoned buildings that we see in the capital’s commercial center, which has become empty and dreary, exactly as it had been during the civil war.
This time, however, its state is the result of the August 4 blast, not the destruction left by sectarian militiamen and their allies. Many of the shops in the commercial center were destroyed twice, once by the real estate company that seized it claiming that it would be transformed into a global commercial center and another when it was left dead and without movement, still a witness to the blast, with shops whose owners decided not to fix after the massive blast had left their doors broken. Beirut’s downtown perhaps deserves someone to walk its streets and describe it, taking inspiration from Walter Benjamin’s writings on Paris, its covered allies and facades, but flipping his description on its head.
The “October protests” and their subsequent failure to turn their slogans into reality came to be confirmed. The sterility of the political class’ framework for managing the economy, with its dependence on the outside and disregard for the direction Lebanese society was taking, was affirmed. However, unlike the wars of 1840-1860 and 1975-1990, which the tension between an intransigent political structure and the pressure of socio-economic change played a role in igniting, post- “October Uprising” Lebanon appears to be regressing to a situation of walking back on commitments to the agreements that frame how the Lebanese live together within a single state. It seems that we are seeing the beginning of a stage in which the Lebanese search for means of survival in a hostile and obscure world similar to that of the first humans to walk the earth. The angry armed crowds seen during last week’s clashes are the only outcome of the silence that reigns over central Beirut. The two images, one of the militants and another of empty commercial streets, deserve to be amalgamated and contrasted.
The flourishing of identitarian sectarian rhetoric, which had receded during the “October protests,” means, among other things, that the Lebanese’ means of survival have become linked once again to closed groups after they had abandoned the dream of openness to the other, accepting them, and living with them. They now prefer to wait for the generosity offered by expatriates over getting involved in costly local economic reform. In other words, illusions have proven more believable than reality.

Capability: The Secret behind World History
Raymond Ibrahim/October, 21/2021
In many ways, Columbus Day, which recently passed, has become emblematic not just of the accusation that Columbus was a racist who inaugurated a genocidal campaign against the natives, but a reminder that virtually all Europeans preceding the great era of woke were horrible people.
This conflation was especially on display during the summer of 2020, following the death of George Floyd, when not just Columbus’s statues but the statues of many traditional heroes of Western and American civilization were attacked on the accusation that the men they represent were all racists and somehow involved in or approved of the slave trade of Africans. The problem with this otherwise entrenched view is that it completely ignores one simple fact: If Europeans were aggressive or exploitative of nonwhites, that is not because they were intrinsically violent (a racist point, incidentally) but simply because they were able to. And that’s the virtual bottom line of all history: Capability. Europeans did not defeat and uproot American Indians, enslave Africans, and colonize the rest because they lived according to some sort of unprecedented bellicose creed specific to whites and alien to nonwhites. Quite the contrary: they did so because they—as opposed to natives, blacks, etc.—were able to do so. That is the fundamental difference.
Consider: Had pre-Colombian American Indians developed galleys for transoceanic travel, or advanced fire arms, or compasses, or organized military structures and stratagems; and had they arrived on the shores of, say, “Dark Age” Europe—what would they have done? Would they have conquered and subjugated, or would they have looked at the inferior pale savages and “respected” them in the name of “diversity,” leaving them wholly unmolested?
What if sub-Saharan blacks were technologically or militarily more advanced than their northern neighbors in Europe during the premodern era, and therefore could easily have subjugated and enslaved them? Would they have done so, or would they have left them in peace in the name of “multiculturalism”?
These are the hypotheticals that no one seems interested in asking, since the answer to these “what ifs” is as clear as day.
After all, one cannot argue that nonwhites did not reach such a militarily or technologically advanced state because they were a peaceful and unambitious people. In their own limited way—ways that were limited to bows, arrows, and spears—both natives and blacks constantly warred on, killed, raped, plundered, and sold their fellow natives and blacks into slavery. As Michael Graham writes,
When thinking of pre-Columbian America, forget what you’ve seen in the Disney movies [meaning the 1995 animation, Pocahontas]. Think “slavery, cannibalism and mass human sacrifice.” From the Aztecs to the Iroquois, that was life among the indigenous peoples before Columbus arrived. For all the talk from the angry and indigenous about European slavery, it turns out that pre-Columbian America was virtually one huge slave camp.
Similarly, according to Tony Seybert, author of “Slavery and Native Americans in British North America and the United States: 1600 to 1865”: “Enslaved [American Indian] warriors sometimes endured mutilation or torture that could end in death as part of a grief ritual for relatives slain in battle. Some Indians cut off one foot of their captives to keep them from running away.”
If this is how they treated—and all throughout the so-called Third World, especially sub-Saharan Africa, still treat—their own kin, what would they have done to the “other,” such as the white man, were they able to reach him before he reached them?
None of this, of course, is meant to exonerate all premodern European actions but rather to place them in much needed context, a context that makes perfectly clear that, historically, all people—white, black, yellow, red, whatever—were the same; they warred, and, when capable —keyword—went on the offensive in search of conquest and hegemony. Depending on their capabilities—bows and arrows or guns and cannons—their efforts often resulted in tribal or international hegemony.
To say otherwise—to say only one group of people, whites, behaved this way—is to be racist. (Not, of course, that the woke crowd care about this bit of inconsistency.)
Perhaps even more overlooked or ignored is the role of religion: whereas all people when left to their primordial self are predisposed to war and predations on the other, religion tends either to exacerbate or mollify these tendencies.
Consider Islam: Anytime Muslims could, they most certainly would attack, plunder, conquer, and enslave the other (with a special “appetite” for whites)—not least because their religion commands them to do so. If the Americas were conquered by Europeans, virtually the entire “Muslim world” was conquered by Muslims; the heart of it—the Middle East, all of North Africa, and Turkey—was conquered from Christians. Muslims, moreover, enslaved many millions of Europeans in the centuries before and after they discovered the New World.
On the other hand, the historic religion of Europe, Christianity, is precisely what prompted its Western adherents throughout the world to abolish slavery (which a resistant Muslim world was eventually forced to accept). Put differently, whereas Muslim and other nonwhite conquests often culminated in slavery, depopulation, and devastation, European conquerors at least went on to abolish slavery and introduce their Muslim and other nonwhite subjects to the boons of modernity, including scientific and medicinal advances. Today America continues to offer all sorts of benefits and advantages to nonwhites—natives and blacks chief among them—whereas nonwhites continue killing each other, including with spears, bows and arrows.
In short, the many people in the West, above and beyond the woke crowd, who subscribe to any version of history that juxtaposes evil, oppressive, conquering whites, with noble, peaceful, and egalitarian nonwhites, are woefully ignorant of the fundamentals of reality, including the premiere role of capability in world history.