English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For April 02/2023
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2023/english.april02.23.htm
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15 آذار/2023
Bible Quotations For today
Palm Sunday/Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
John 12/12-19: The next day the great crowd that had come
for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm
branches and went out to meet him, shouting,“Hosanna!“Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord!”“Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young
donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see,
your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”At first his disciples did not
understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these
things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised
him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had
heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees
said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world
has gone after him!”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on April 01-02/2023
Commemoration Of The Zahle City siege: Heroism and Martyrdom/Elias
Bejjani/April 02/2023
Palm Sunday...the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem/Elias Bejjani/April
02/2023
Conflicting reports emerge on Franjieh's Paris visi
Frangieh visits Paris, PSP emphasizes support for consensus candidate
Calls for national reconciliation in Lebanon: Will politicians respond?
Ogero union ends strike amid concerns for national security
Corm commends Ogero Employees Union's decision to suspend strike, calls on
Cabinet to convene immediately to approve their demands
Reda: For the Lebanese to yield a president of the republic
Makary contacts Lara Bitar & Jean Kassir, stressing keenness on freedom of
expression
Syrian refugees crisis: A demographic and economic time bomb
Lebanese government wastes millions of dollars on unlawful recruitment amid
country collapse
Concerns over media freedom in Lebanon as journalists face investigation
Al-Mortada responding to some calls not to mark Christian holidays: Our
religious occasions in Lebanon are sacred seasons to affirm coexistence
MP Jumblatt: Our position is one & we want an impartial president
FPM's political paper at its VIII National Convention 2023
Information Minister visits KPN Platform, Dream FM Radio Station at the
invitation of Abdel-Massih
Abdallah contacts Ammar, denouncing attack on Maronite Sect's cemeteries in
Sidon
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 01-02/2023
Pope Francis quips 'I'm still alive' as he leaves hospital. He was being
treated in Rome for bronchitis
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Say Officer Killed in Israeli Strike on Syria, Vows
Revenge
Women to be prosecuted 'without mercy' for not wearing veils, says Iran's
judiciary chief
Yoghurt thrown over women in Iran for not covering their hair
Raisi says hijab is the law in Iran as unveiled women face 'yoghurt attack'
Iran, Azerbaijan Exchange Accusations over an Israeli Proposal
Azerbaijan to Open Representative Office in Ramallah
Israelis still protest legal overhaul despite suspension
Israeli police say killed man who grabbed gun, shot at them
Syria’s Foreign Minister Arrives in Cairo
UN Experts Call For Repatriating Detained Syria Children
Pakistani army says 4 troops killed by Iran-based militants
UN Security Council concerned over Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus
Kyiv says Russian UN Security Council presidency is 'symbolic blow'
Germany rules out any further weapons deliveries to Ukraine
Trump 'shocked' by indictment but 'ready to fight'
China Draws Lessons From Russia’s Losses in Ukraine, and Its Gains
High activity spotted at North Korea nuclear complex after Kim's bomb-fuel
order-report
Eight Indians & Romanians lost their lives while trying to illegally enter the
US
Titles For
The Latest
English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on April 01-02/2023
Thanks to Biden Administration, Iran's Mullahs Winners of Russia Invasion
of Ukraine/Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/April 01/2023
France Is Furious/Cole Stangler/The New York Times//April 01/2023
Is the Region on the Cusp of a New Phase?/Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy/Asharq Al Awsat/April
01/2023
Israel… The Game and the Players/Nabil Amr/Asharq Al Awsat/April 01/2023
US needs to keep its allies to preserve the dollar as a global reserve system/Nadim
Shehadi/Arab News/April 01, 2023
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on April 01-02/2023
Commemoration Of The Zahle City siege:
Heroism and Martyrdom
Elias Bejjani/April 02/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/117073/elias-bejjani-commemoration-of-the-zahle-city-siege-heroism-and-martyrdom/
Any country whose people are not always ready to offer themselves as sacrifices
on its altar will lose its sovereignty, and they will turn into humiliated
slaves.
In this context of heroism and resistance, and under the leadership of Sheikh
Bashir Gemayel, the great people of Zahle city, supported by all the free people
of Lebanon, uttered a loud blatant and resounding NO to the Syrian occupation
Army.
On April 02/1981, the Lebanese resistance stood tall like their country’s Holy
Cedars and challenged the Syrian occupier’s terror, criminality, and barbarism.
The Lebanese resistance did not succumb, but courageously defended Zahle City
and defeated the occupier’s criminal siege.
The people of Zahle stood firm and defended their city, and its besieged
residents with ferocity, pride and faith, while offering hundreds of martyrs.
They heroically sad NO, to the barbaric Syrian Baathist armed attack, and
because of their devotion and sacrifices Zahle City remained and is still
remains free and proud.
About Christ’s salvation and crucifixion, Saint Paul wrote in his letter to the
Hebrews/02/09: “But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels,
Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by
the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone”.
As Jesus has tasted death for everyone, the Zahle City martyrs offered
themselves on Lebanon’s alter to keep it a free, independent and sovereign holy
country.
In this same realm of faith and sacrifice, and as the seeds parable teaches us
in the holy Bible, John 12/24/: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat
falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it
produces many seeds.”, the Zahle City martyrs died so the people of Lebanon will
multiply and live in deeply rooted faith values, love pride and dignity.
In contemplating the death of Christ and its holy Godly messages, we can accept
death and transcend its unjust causes, hoping for its sublime purpose. Meanwhile
it enables us to understand and accept the death of our martyrs in the city of
Zahle, and in all of our dear and beloved Lebanon so we can overcome its unjust
causes in order to reach its honorable goal, which is maintaining a free, holy
and independent Lebanon.
The martyrs of Zahle, like Christ, had to taste death, and they did so for the
good of all of us, the Lebanese loving peace and freedom people. They were
martyred in order for us to remain as free Lebanese, and the city of Zahle to
remain, free.
On the evening of April 2, 1981, Sheikh Bashir Gemayel addressed the resistance
fighters in Zahle via the phone and delegated to them the sole decision to
continue the resistance or to leave the city, and he said: “Because the road is
still open for only a few hours, if you leave, you will save your lives, and the
fall of the city becomes an inevitable reality, and this constitutes the end of
the resistance epic.” and if you stay, you will find yourselves without water,
without medicine, without food, without ammunition, and your task will be to
organize the internal resistance and preserve the identity of the Lebanese
Bekaa, and give meaning to our six years of war. And he added: “If you decide to
stay, then know one thing, which is that heroes die and do not surrender.”
Everyone replied, “We will stay,” and the slogan was born, and Zahle remained
free, and Lebanon remained.
In conclusion, faith, heroism and martyrdom defeated the Zahle City Syrian
siege, and Lebanon remained a free country.
Palm Sunday...the Triumphal Entry of Jesus
into Jerusalem.
Elias Bejjani/April 02/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/107794/elias-bejjani-jesus-victorious-entry-into-jerusalem-palm-sunday-2/
(Psalm118/26): “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yahweh! We have
blessed You out of the house of Yahweh”.
On the seventh Lantern Sunday, known as the “Palm Sunday”, our Maronite Catholic
Church celebrates the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The joyful and
faithful people of this Holy City and their children welcomed Jesus with
innocent spontaneity and declared Him a King. Through His glorious and modest
entry the essence of His Godly royalty that we share with Him in baptism and
anointing of Chrism was revealed. Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem, the
“Palm Sunday”, marks the Seventh Lantern Sunday, the last one before Easter Day,
(The Resurrection).
During the past six Lantern weeks, we the believers are ought to have renewed
and rekindled our faith and reverence through genuine fasting, contemplation,
penance, prayers, repentance and acts of charity. By now we are expected to have
fully understood the core of love, freedom, and justice that enables us to enter
into a renewed world of worship that encompasses the family, the congregation,
the community and the nation.
Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time to participate in the Jewish Passover
Holiday. He was fully aware that the day of His suffering and death was
approaching and unlike all times, He did not stop the people from declaring Him
a king and accepted to enter the city while they were happily chanting :
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of
Israel!”.(John 12/13). Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet,
the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19/39-40). Jesus entered Jerusalem to willingly
sacrifice Himself, die on the cross, redeem us and absolve our original sin.
On the Palm Sunday we take our children and grandchildren to celebrate the mass
and the special procession while happily they are carrying candles decorated
with lilies and roses. Men and women hold palm fronds with olive branches, and
actively participate in the Palm Procession with modesty, love and joy crying
out loudly: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21/09).
On the Palm Sunday through the procession, prayers, and mass we renew our
confidence and trust in Jesus. We beg Him for peace and commit ourselves to
always tame all kinds of evil hostilities, forgive others and act as peace and
love advocates and defend man’s dignity and his basic human rights. “Ephesians
2:14”: “For Christ Himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles
into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of
hostility that separated us”
The Triumphal Entry of Jesus’ story into Jerusalem appears in all four Gospel
accounts (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19). The four
accounts shows clearly that the Triumphal Entry was a significant event, not
only to the people of Jesus’ day, but to Christians throughout history.
The Triumphal Entry as it appeared in Saint John’s Gospel, (12/12-19), as
follows : “On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they
heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took the branches of the palm
trees, and went out to meet him, and cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who
comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!” Jesus, having found a young
donkey, sat on it. As it is written, “Don’t be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold,
your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt. ”His disciples didn’t understand
these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that
these things were written about Him, and that they had done these things to Him.
The multitude therefore that was with Him when He called Lazarus out of the
tomb, and raised him from the dead, was testifying about it. For this cause also
the multitude went and met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.
The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing.
Behold, the world has gone after him.” Now there were certain Greeks among those
that went up to worship at the feast. These, therefore, came to Philip, who was
from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told
Jesus.”
The multitude welcomed Jesus, His disciples and followers while chanting:
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of
Israel!”.(John 12/13). His entry was so humble, meek simple and spontaneous. He
did not ride in a chariot pulled by horses as earthly kings and conquerors do,
He did not have armed guards, nor officials escorting him. He did not come to
Jerusalem to fight, rule, judge or settle scores with any one, but to offer
Himself a sacrifice for our salvation.
Before entering Jerusalem, He stopped in the city of Bethany, where Lazarus
(whom he raised from the tomb) with his two sisters Mary and Martha lived. In
Hebrew Bethany means “The House of the Poor”. His stop in Bethany before
reaching Jerusalem was a sign of both His acceptance of poverty and His
readiness to offer Himself as a sacrifice. He is the One who accepted poverty
for our own benefit and came to live in poverty with the poor and escort them to
heaven, the Kingdom of His Father.
After His short Stop in Bethany, Jesus entered Jerusalem to fulfill all the
prophecies, purposes and the work of the Lord since the dawn of history. All the
scripture accounts were fulfilled and completed with his suffering, torture,
crucifixion, death and resurrection. On the Cross, He cried with a loud voice:
“It is finished.” He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.(John19/30)
The multitude welcomed Jesus when He entered Jerusalem so one of the Old
Testament prophecies would be fulfilled. (Zechariah 9:9-10): “Rejoice greatly,
Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous
and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I
will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and
the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule
will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth”.
The crowd welcomed Jesus for different reasons and numerous expectations. There
were those who came to listen to His message and believed in Him, while others
sought a miraculous cure for their ailments and they got what they came for, but
many others envisaged in Him a mortal King that could liberate their country,
Israel, and free them from the yoke of the Roman occupation. Those were
disappointed when Jesus told them: “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom” (John
18/36)
Christ came to Jerusalem to die on its soil and fulfill the scriptures. It was
His choice where to die in Jerusalem as He has said previously: “should not be a
prophet perish outside of Jerusalem” (Luke 13/33): “Nevertheless, I must go on
my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet
should perish away from Jerusalem”.
He has also warned Jerusalem because in it all the prophets were killed: (Luke
13:34-35): “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones
those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as
a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it! “behold,
your house is left to you desolate; and I say to you, you will not see Me until
the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord”.
Explanation of the Palm Sunday Procession Symbols
The crowd chanted, “Hosanna to the Son of David” “Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21/09), because Jesus was
is a descendant of David. Hosanna in the highest is originated in the Psalm
118/25: “Please, LORD, please save us. Please, LORD, please give us success”. It
is a call for help and salvation as also meant by the Psalm 26/11: “But I lead a
blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me”. Hosanna also means: God
enlightened us and will never abandon us, Jesus’ is a salvation for the world”
Spreading cloth and trees’ branches in front of Jesus to walk on them was an Old
Testament tradition that refers to love, obedience, submission, triumph and
loyalty. (2 Kings 09/13): “They hurried and took their cloaks and spread them
under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is
king!”. In the old days Spreading garments before a dignitary was a symbol of
submission.
Zion is a hill in Jerusalem, and the “Daughter of Zion” is Jerusalem. The term
is synonymous with “paradise” and the sky in its religious dimensions.
Carrying palm and olive branches and waving with them expresses joy, peace,
longing for eternity and triumph. Palm branches are a sign of victory and
praise, while Olive branches are a token of joy, peace and durability. The Lord
was coming to Jerusalem to conquer death by death and secure eternity for the
faithful. It is worth mentioning that the olive tree is a symbol for peace and
its oil a means of holiness immortality with which Kings, Saints, children and
the sick were anointed.
The name “King of Israel,” symbolizes the kingship of the Jews who were waiting
for Jehovah to liberate them from the Roman occupation.
O, Lord Jesus, strengthen our faith to feel closer to You and to Your mercy when
in trouble;
O, Lord Jesus, empower us with the grace of patience and meekness to endure
persecution, humiliation and rejection and always be Your followers.
O, Lord Let Your eternal peace and gracious love prevail all over the world.
A joyous Palm Sunday to all
Conflicting reports emerge on Franjieh's Paris visit
Naharnet/April 01/2023
Conflicting reports emerged Saturday over Marada Movement chief Suleiman
Franjieh’s visit to the French capital Paris and his meeting there with Patrick
Durel -- the French president’s advisor for North Africa and the Middle East.
“Paris will tell Franjieh of the need to withdraw from the race to the
presidential palace in order to facilitate the electoral process, seeing as the
election of a partisan president is almost impossible,” Annahar newspaper quoted
unnamed sources as saying. “Hezbollah has been put in the picture of the visit
and it backs the French (withdrawal) scenario in order to avoid embarrassment,”
the sources added. Progressive Socialist Party sources meanwhile told Annahar
that PSP chief Walid Jumblat’s foreign tour, especially his visit to Paris, was
aimed at explaining “the difficulty of Franjieh’s election as president, seeing
as he is loyal to a camp.” “Jumblat urged the French to seek consensus over
another, centrist figure with a financial-economic profile, but the French did
not inform him of any decisive stance in this regard,” the PSP sources added.
The Nidaa al-Watan newspaper for its part reported that Franjieh was informed by
Paris that the bargain deal calling for his election in return for the
appointment of Nawaf Salam as premier has been rejected by the recent Paris
meeting parties -- the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt. Informed sources
meanwhile told the Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Paris has invited Franjieh to
France to agree with him over “the public pledges that he can offer over key
issues, such as how to deal with the premier, the Syrian refugees, border
control, the political-economic-financial reform agenda, and the pledges he can
obtain from Hezbollah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the issues of
refugees and border demarcation.” “Paris also wants to know the nature of the
relation that will be in place between him and Hezbollah and the extent of his
openness toward the Arab world, in particular the Gulf,” the sources added.
Al-Akhbar daily meanwhile quoted diplomatic sources as saying that “the French
stance is still the same” and that “Paris is acting on the basis that there is
time left to continue the discussions with the Saudis over the next weeks and to
eventually convince the kingdom of endorsing the settlement.” And quoting
Hezbollah and Amal Movement sources, al-Joumhouria newspaper said “the French
want to speed up the election of a president,” adding that “it is not ruled out
that Lebanon might have a new president right before or just after the (Easter
and Fitr) holidays.”
Frangieh visits Paris, PSP emphasizes support for consensus
candidate
LBCI/April 01/2023
Secrecy dominates the situation surrounding presidential candidate Sleiman
Frangieh's visit to Paris. Both parties remain tight-lipped about the details of
Frangieh's meeting with French presidential advisor Patrick Durel.
The only exception is the French confirmation that Frangieh provided some
guarantees without disclosing their details or nature. As the discussions of the
visit are exclusive to Frangieh, his return to Lebanon is eagerly awaited to
determine the course of the presidential entitlement. Allies of the head of the
Marada Movement, particularly the Amal-Hezbollah duo, are keeping an eye on the
details of the visit. They are also focused on completing the discussions with
the Saudi side to determine whether Frangieh's guarantees will convince the
kingdom to change its stance against the arrival of a Hezbollah-allied
president. On the Progressive Socialist Party's side, whose leader Walid
Jumblatt preceded Frangieh to Paris and advised the French to adopt a consensual
rather than confrontational candidate, the Democratic Gathering resolved the
debate about its position on the entitlement.
MP Taymour Jumblatt announced that the parliamentary bloc and the party insist
on calling for a consensus figure for the presidency who will not be a party to
or pose a challenge to anyone. The candidate must have a reformist and rescue
vision for the country. This position was previously proposed by Walid Jumblatt
and announced in all domestic and foreign communications and discussions.
"Enough with the imagination of some," Taymour Jumblatt concluded.
Calls for national reconciliation in Lebanon: Will politicians respond?
LBCI/April 01/2023
Thirty-four years have passed since the end of the Lebanese Civil War, marked by
the signing of the Taif Agreement. At that time, warlords transitioned into
peacetime leaders, infiltrating every aspect of the state. They crafted laws and
implemented policies tailored to their interests, never forgetting that they
were once enemies. These enemies re-emerge at every constitutional milestone,
accompanied by the act of exhuming graves. Accusations are exchanged, loyalty is
questioned, and the symbols of the opposing party are targeted, even when
irrelevant to the current discussions. How can those who never forgave the war
build a country? This question was raised by Sami Gemayel, the leader of the
Kataeb Party, who called for a national meeting for truth-telling and
reconciliation. Are the warlords and politicians of today prepared to
participate? In principle, the Lebanese Forces say they support the call but are
waiting for a mechanism to decide on participation, relying on previous
statements by their leader, Samir Geagea. The Amal Movement welcomes any call
for dialogue and reminds that Ali Hassan Khalil's words to Gemayel represent a
personal stance. Hezbollah chose not to comment on the call for truth-telling
and reconciliation. The Progressive Socialist Party, which had previously
brokered reconciliation between the Druze and Maronites through its leader Walid
Jumblatt and Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, rejects any mindset that returns
Lebanon to the painful chapters of war. They call for the Mountain
Reconciliation to serve as a framework governing the relations between Lebanese
people. The Free Patriotic Movement, which associates its war memory with
General Michel Aoun's era, regrets that Lebanon has not yet taken this path of
truth-telling and reconciliation. They believe that organizing disagreements can
lead to constitutions and charters. On the surface, these positions seem
excellent, as everyone wants to turn the page. However, the real challenge lies
in execution. Will they respond to the call for a truth-telling and
reconciliation conference or hide behind the Taif Agreement, which ended the
war, fearing to admit their mistakes?
Ogero union ends strike amid concerns for national security
LBCI/April 01/2023
The Executive Council of the Ogero Union announced the suspension of the strike
starting Saturday, following repeated strikes that led to Lebanon's isolation
from its surroundings and a complete outage of internet and communication due to
the strike.
The Council justified the end of the strike as a preventive measure to protect
national security after the Telecommunications Minister called for a Cabinet
meeting to discuss the situation in Ogero. It is worth noting that the
Telecommunications Minister had agreed with the Caretaker Prime Minister to hand
over Ogero's facility to the army to manage if the employees' strike continued.
Furthermore, the mobile companies, Alfa and Touch, worked on Saturday to refill
diesel fuel to several Ogero's centrals to avoid a complete shutdown of
telecommunication and internet services.
Corm commends Ogero Employees Union's decision to suspend
strike, calls on Cabinet to convene immediately to approve their demands
NNA/Sat, April 1, 2023
Caretaker Tele-Communications Minister Johnny Corm praised in a statement on
Saturday, "the move of Ogero Employees Union to suspend the strike that began
last week," considering that this step points to “the employees’ rationality and
responsibility, especially since the Ogero sector is the backbone of other
sectors that are directly linked to it, so that the country would avoid through
this suspension major problems at all levels.”Corm’s media office announced that
the Minister "has always stressed that any decision related to increasing the
salaries of employees is within the jurisdiction of the Council of Ministers,"
emphasizing that Minister Corm "will remain adamant on working towards a
suitable conclusion for this dossier, particularly since the employees' demands
are rightful."Meanwhile, the Tele-Communications Minister warned against failing
to pay proper attention to this file, reiterating the call on the Council of
Ministers "to meet immediately in order to approve the demands. "Minister Corm
reassures the employees of Ogero that he will always stand by their side to
solve this dossier,” the statement asserted, expressing appreciation to the
employee’s union for calling-off the strike and confirming that the Minister
will be meeting with the union members next Monday to develop a practical
roadmap that addresses all aspects of this dossier.
Reda: For the Lebanese to yield a president of the republic
NNA/Sat, April 1, 2023
Head of the Lebanese Medical Social Assembly and the representative of the
International European Middle Eastern Medical Association in Lebanon, Professor
Raef Reda, regretted in a statement today, that "the outside chooses and
dictates to the deputies the election of this and that candidate for the
presidency of the republic." Reda underlined that the president of the republic
ought to be chosen and elected by the Lebanese themselves.
Makary contacts Lara Bitar & Jean Kassir, stressing
keenness on freedom of expression
NNA/Sat, April 1, 2023
Caretaker Minister of Information, Ziad Al-Makary, contacted today the
Editor-in-Chief of "A Public Source" Website, Lara Bitar, as a follow-up to her
summoning before the Office of Combating Cyber Crimes, and Journalist Jean
Kassir after he was summoned by the State Security Directorate because of his
publication on the "Megaphone" platform. Makary affirmed his keenness on
respecting the freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed by the Lebanese
constitution, stressing the need to address everything that may arise in this
regard through proper legal means and before the concerned court. He announced
that the two summons would be the subject of close follow-up to put matters in
their proper context.
Syrian refugees crisis: A demographic and economic time
bomb
LBCI/April 01/2023
The magnitude of the Syrian refugee crisis and its danger to Lebanese society is
evident in the numbers that no one can deny. According to the Ministry of Social
Affairs, with a population of 4.87 million Lebanese, there are 2.43 million
Syrian refugees, meaning that refugees comprise 45 percent of the Lebanese
people. According to the numbers, if the situation continues, the percentage of
refugees will likely increase by 25 percent after ten years. These numbers
indicate a demographic change in the country, not to mention the economic
pressure caused by this displacement in an already troubled nation. Despite the
demands of the Lebanese state to the international community to work on
returning refugees to their home country, the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) continues to strive to improve their conditions in Lebanon.
Sources confirmed to LBCI that the UNHCR requested the Ministry of Social
Affairs to dollarize the amounts given to refugees in Lebanese lira to be $45
for the family and $20 for the individual. After the Ministry rejected the
request, the organization submitted another proposal to increase the amount to
15 million Lebanese pounds. LBCI presented the number of refugees to the EU
Commissioner for Crisis Management, who confirmed the continued support for
Syrian refugees until a safe environment in Syria encourages their return.
Therefore, it seems that the international community does not care about the
demand of the Lebanese state, which is preparing several proposals for the
return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, to be presented at the Brussels
conference in June.
Lebanese government wastes millions of dollars on unlawful
recruitment amid country collapse
LBCI/Sat, April 1, 2023
In a time of economic collapse, millions of dollars are being wasted on salaries
for random recruits. In 2017, the Parliament passed the new salary brackets and
prohibited new hiring in public administrations. However, in the run-up to the
2018 elections, some political parties and factions broke the law for political
favors. According to a 2019 report from the Central Inspection, the state
unlawfully hired 7,549 new employees, which defied the law, and they were
regular employees and not managers. They were distributed among different
government departments, including 3,305 employees in the Education Ministry and
453 in Ogero, which the General Director of Ogero admitted were distributed
among political parties as well as another number of employees in more than one
governmental and official department. In the Education Ministry and the rest of
the departments, an employee's salary is between seven million and nine million
LBP today. The average wage is around eight million LBP for each employee. Thus,
7,549 employees were unlawfully recruited, which still cost more than 60 billion
monthly. These employees will receive their salaries this month at the Sayrafa
exchange rate of LBP 60,000, meaning that one million dollars will go to these
employees, who had been recruited due to political favors. In conclusion, we pay
about one million dollars per month to employees violating the law. However,
this amount would have secured a lot of life's necessities every month, such as
internet, electricity, water, and additional dollars in the markets. Moreover,
this scenario robs us daily. Why are these people still in their workplaces and
not being dismissed, knowing that most public administrations suffer due to
continuous strikes? They get paid without even working.
Concerns over media freedom in Lebanon as journalists face investigation
LBCILBCI/April 01/2023
Once again, the issue of restricting media freedom has resurfaced in Lebanon.
This time, journalists Lara Bitar and Jean Kassir are being targeted. Lara Bitar
was summoned by the Cybercrime Bureau to be investigated in a complaint filed by
the Lebanese Forces party. The complaint alleges that Bitar published an
investigation accusing the party of being involved in a toxic waste scandal
decades ago. Jean Kassir was called in for questioning by the General
Directorate of State Security, following an order from the General Prosecutor,
Judge Ghassan Oweidat. The investigation was initiated in response to Kassir's
post on Megaphone, titled "Lebanon is governed by fugitives from justice." The
mentioned post featured several political and judicial figures, including Judge
Ghassan Oweidat, who ordered Kassir's questioning. How can Oweidat be both the
victim and the judge in the same case? It is well known that security agencies
are not authorized to investigate journalists, as this falls under the
jurisdiction of the Publications Court. According to legal experts, Oweidat does
not have the right to charge defamation crimes without a personal claim. This
type of charge is not covered by public law. Oweidat should have either filed a
personal claim or requested another judge from the Public Prosecution to examine
the case to ensure impartiality. Therefore, Oweidat's actions represent a
conflict of interest.
Al-Mortada responding to some calls not to mark Christian holidays: Our
religious occasions in Lebanon are sacred seasons to affirm coexistence
NNA/Sat, April 1, 2023
Caretaker Minister of Culture, Judge Muhammad Wissam Al-Mortada, responded today
to some calls sent out to Muslims not to mark Christian holidays in the country,
by saying: "The day Imam al-Sadr came out striving against deprivation and
calling for social justice, he did not view the Lebanese according to sectarian
souls or religious identity.”He added, “The day the mujahideen's blood was shed
on the paths of liberation, it did not differentiate between the soil of Rmeish,
Nabatiyeh, Marjeyoun, Bint Jbeil, Zabadani and Wadi al-Nasara..."“This is how
our religious holidays in Lebanon ought not be a headline for division or
outbidding...They are sacred seasons to affirm coexistence, and whoever wants to
look at the matter from a different perspective alienates himself from national
unity, which is the meaning of our existence,” he asserted. “We do not act under
the weight of emotion, and we do not accept that anger dictates our reactions.
Therefore, we will celebrate the holidays of all Christians and Muslims because
they are our feasts, and we respect the law as it is because it is our law, and
all words contrary to that denote dissonance,” Al-Mortada underscored.
MP Jumblatt: Our position is one & we want an impartial
president
NNA/Sat, April 1, 2023
Head of the "Democratic Gathering", MP Taymour Jumblatt, reaffirmed today the
position of his Bloc and the Progressive Socialist Party in calling for
"searching for a consensus figure for the presidency of the republic, who will
not be a side or constitute a challenge to anyone, and has a reform and rescue
vision for the country, for this is Lebanon's basic guarantee as it flounders
under economic, social, financial and other crises.”This call has been
previously sent out by PSP Chief Walid Jumblatt and announced in all
communications and deliberations at home and abroad. “Enough with the
imaginations of some, our position is the same, and we look forward to a moment
of relief for the homeland, through a new era that does not tolerate the
reproduction of crises and establishes its return to existence and the formation
of its constitutional, executive and administrative powers,” MP Jumblatt said in
an issued statement. During Saturday's meetings at Al-Mukhtara Palace, MP
Jumblatt also discussed the issue of municipal elections and the looming
atmosphere of obstruction or postponement in this regard, calling for "removing
all obstacles that prevent their holding and stand before this important
juncture on the way to building the state and preserving institutions."
Information Minister visits KPN Platform, Dream FM Radio
Station at the invitation of Abdel-Massih
NNA/Sat, April 1, 2023
Caretaker Information Minister Ziad Al-Makary visited today the offices of the
KPN Platform and Dream FM Radio Station, at the invitation of MP Adib
Abdel-Massih in the presence of MP Tony Franjieh, the Platform’s General Manager
Jimmy Saba, the Radio Station’s General Manager Mazen Jabbour, the Political
Programs Director Michel Damaa and the work team. Al-Makary began his visit by
touring the new offices in Kfar Hazir, in the presence of journalists from the
North region. Saba provided a briefing on the flow of media work within the
platform and the coverage it provides in Lebanon and the North. He thanked MP
Abdel-Massih for inviting the Minister of Information to visit the offices and
welcomed both Makary and Franjieh, deeming their visit as a “doorway of support
for the institution."In turn, Deputy Abdel-Massih stressed that "we must all
cooperate for the benefit of Lebanon and society," adding, “We encouraged the
tourism, agricultural, educational and cultural sectors, and today we encourage
the media sector, which is one of the vital sectors in Lebanon. We have an
active minister, the son of a patriotic home who was raised on love of the
homeland and love of the North region...The Franjieh House is also an ancient,
patriotic and northern home, with which we must cooperate for the reconstruction
of Lebanon." For his part, MP Franjieh stressed that “what brings us together in
Lebanon is deeper than any political dispute, so we must join hands and
cooperate openly to distance Lebanon from the logic of conflicts and political
distress, so that we may enter a period of prosperity and be part of our Arab
environment that is taking steady steps towards development and modernity.”He
added: “Our responsibility during the next stage is to find political conditions
that allow us to be productive in accordance with the needs and aspirations of
citizens. From here, we must seek to confirm the role of peace, without which we
cannot relate to the logic of dialogue and understanding prevailing in the
region.”"The major countries are heading towards meeting and having dialogue,
understanding, and rapprochement, while we are searching internally for any
reason to divide our country at the political and sectarian levels,” Franjieh
added regretfully. In turn, Minister Makary praised the exerted efforts of the
young men and women for the sake of Lebanon, saying "Media professionals are the
beacon of Lebanon and the mainstay of the success of media institutions."He
spoke about the platform and individual initiatives that are developing in
society, while regretting the destructive mentality existing within public
media. Makary hoped that a president of the republic will be elected soon,
someone who will cooperate with all parties in order to build a modern country.
He concluded, "Political differences do not prevent us from coming together."At
the end of the visit, Deputy Abdel-Massih presented an honorary shield to
Minister Makary and another to the platform team as a token of appreciation for
their efforts.
FPM's political paper at its VIII National Convention 2023
NNA/FPM/April 01/2023
At its eighth national convention 2023, the Free Patriotic Movement circulated
the following political paper:
“From the heart of the crises oppressing Lebanon and in the face of the pain of
the Lebanese and their cry of despair which require a different political
practice, the Free Patriotic Movement proclaims an act of faith in Lebanon and
its confidence in the possibility of saving and perpetuating it, based on its
long history in which its people have proven their ability to overcome hardships
thanks to their human resources and the will of its people to live. We are a
party that does neither despair nor give up. We have drawn our struggle from the
very spirit of the people, and we persevere through the strength of the youth,
driven by the authenticity of the cause, the clarity of the vision, the purity
of the identity, as well as our unchanging principles that the founding
president, General Michel Aoun, firmly implanted in us. Our identity is our
cause, which is none other than Lebanon, through its territory and its people.
For the liberation of its territory and the restoration of sovereignty, we
fought; and for human dignity, we confronted; and for the reconstruction of the
state, we will continue our struggle, regardless of the sacrifices made. Our
cause is our compass; it guides us in order to make us avoid losing our path and
our vision. Our cause is the establishment of a viable civil state, reinforced
by a democratic system, by an independent judiciary, and by an expanded
decentralization that embraces diversity and encourages the balanced development
of sectors and regions, to be able to face crises, to overcome them, even to
anticipate them. A free, sovereign and stable state which foundations are based
on the free man, on an interactive society, on a free and productive economy, as
well as on parties organizing democracy and applying its principles.
The political paper 2023 VIII National Convention on the basis of the foregoing,
we hope that the general convention of the Free Patriotic Movement held this
year will be the starting point for a new dynamic within the party, based on
respect for its rules and encompassing all communities and sects combined, a
dynamic that can positively reflect on the challenges of the country and be
embodied in a vision, both for the party and for Lebanon, which will extend in
the short term until 2030 and in the long term until in 2050. This vision is
based on what we have previously established as political, economic and
financial reform programs. It is also based on our accomplished vision to
develop the system, as well as on the sheet of presidential priorities which
reflects our conception of electing a President of the Republic as an absolute
priority, since there is no Republic without a Presidency, and that there is no
salvation for Lebanon, no reform without a President who will lead the way. This
year, our vision revolves around three axes: the Free Patriotic Movement – the
Community – the Entity. I - The Free Patriotic Movement, an active institution
The Free Patriotic Movement is inspired by the experience of the previous years,
carried by the energy of renewal carried by its young people in order to create
an active and effective institution, centered on the human being, the territory
and the interaction between them; an institution which strength lies in the
balance and harmony between well-established principles and the ability to
evolve and adapt, as well as in the adoption of a regulatory hierarchy within
the framework of flexibility and diversity; an institution driven by the
concerns, pain, rights, livelihoods and dignity of people. We relate these
concerns to actions and commitment to make the wanted change, without only using
at words stripped of any action. Sometimes we succeed, and other times we fail,
but we never stop working and we never tire of trying again. We take the
initiative and act, without waiting for instructions from abroad; on the
contrary, we seek rather to put the outside at the service and for the benefit
of Lebanon. We dialogue, without becoming prisoners of the axes, and we work to
free Lebanon from them, and to Lebanonize its decisions. We bring together
without separating, we unite without dividing because we believe in the unity of
Lebanon and we work to ensure it, refusing any division of the homeland. We are
the party of authenticity and renewal, we keep in our consciousness and in our
memory the history of Lebanon. We weave our identity from its components; we
embrace all its communities; we carry its values in our conscience and we
practice them on a daily basis.
The generations of the Free Patriotic Movement are linked by a cord of
belonging, bequeathing to each other the founding principles, each generation
evolving through its own experiences. Our party respects traditions, but it
rebels against the traditional. Its past is a source of pride for its present,
and its present is ammunition for its future. It is a party that was born from
the heart of the army and whose young people grew up in the arenas of struggle;
it is essential that they remain there alongside the demands and rights of the
people. It is a party that wishes for Lebanon what it wishes for itself and
promises its generations, especially the youth, that it will strive to be: 2023
VIII National Convention - An institution that embraces the ambition of young
people and helps them achieve the vision they have for their future. - An
institution carrying on the one hand, a promising project for society with
human, economic and social dimensions, and on the other hand, an entity project
with civilizational, cultural and existential dimensions. - An institution that
condemns violence and proclaims itself adept at a culture of peace, acceptance
of others and respect for their right to be different, based on values and
customs. - An institution that brings out the potential of its members, so that
they realize themselves in an executive and financial decentralization within
their regions, whilst being organized within the framework of the institution by
the centralization of political and mediating decisions, so that the image of
their party reflects the image of the state to which they aspire. - An
institution that stimulates its members and helps them to invest in creative and
productive projects that will benefit both their party with some self-financing,
and their society with economic benefits and employment opportunities. II - The
community: A capable society The Free Patriotic Movement carries a social
project for Lebanon, based on the citizen who deserves a decent life and the
right to grow within the framework of sustainable development and in an
environment free from corruption, so that every woman and every man can benefit
from work opportunities, medical and social security; every child must have the
right to be cared for, and every student must have priority in education before
any stranger; and the elderly should have the right to old age pension; everyone
must have the right to security, to the protection of their savings and to the
preservation of their deposits. ٢٠٢٣ VIII National Convention 4 ٢٠٢٣ VIII
National Convention Since a society cannot be founded on corruption, the Free
Patriotic Movement calls for its uprooting from the spirit and culture of the
Lebanese, in order to achieve its extraction from state institutions and achieve
successful reform. Society does not evolve with corruption and a state does not
exist without accountability, and Lebanon will not recover if the policy of
impunity persists against those who looted people's money, brankrupted the state
and destroyed the country.
Along with reform and the fight against corruption, Lebanon needs a qualitative
and radical change to revive its economy, politically and financially
slaughtered by the establishment of corruption. Corruption has caused the
collapse of the rentier economy, and the time has come to establish a free and
productive economy: whether in agriculture, industry, tourism and the knowledge
economy. This will result in prosperity and justice for the society and will
ensure the well-being of the citizen, as opposed to the monopolistic and rentier
economy, perpetuated by the system of authoritarianism and corruption. It is
time to build a regionally balanced economy, based on individual initiative and
energizing the private sector; an economy that takes advantage of the natural
resources of Lebanon: water, gas, oil, sun, air, and which also relies on the
human resources of residents and expatriates; an economy that invests in
Lebanese diversity, climatic, cultural, touristic, archaeological and religious,
and that mobilizes the power of Lebanese creativity in the fields of science,
art, literature and knowledge economy. It is indeed the economy on which we are
working so that there is a sovereign fund relating to oil and gas, and a trust
fund in order to compensate for the losses of depositors and to provide citizens
with the ٢٠٢٣ VIII National Convention 5 ٢٠٢٣ VIII National Convention necessary
services. We call for unanimity among the Lebanese around this type of economy,
in order to achieve prosperity which will become for all a field of competition
between them, a substitute for their conflicts and which will put an end to the
era of divergences, antagonisms and divisions, and achieve a stability that will
reassure citizens about their future. III - The entity: a unique homeland We are
a cause-driven party that has taken on the mission of preserving Lebanon as one
unique country. Unique by the specificity of its components, its message and its
balances. Unique in the equality of its partnership, the flexibility and
tenacity of its people. Unique in its freedom, which is the reason for its
existence; it is surrounded by crises, in the midst of which it constantly
struggles to preserve its sovereignty and independence. That is why it is our
duty, all of us, as Lebanese, to establish a system based on global sovereignty.
Sovereignty in its broadest sense, which is not only sovereignty in terms of
borders, rights and territory, but also sovereignty of national decision-making,
sovereignty of laws, of justice, of the effective judicial system, where all
Lebanese are called to realize their sovereignty in making decisions and
choices. And if the Lebanese wish to be equal in their Lebaneseness, effectively
sovereign in their decisions, truly free in their choice and truly independent
in their will, they must start a dialogue among themselves and propose solutions
to their problems without any sponsor or external tutelage. We see in ourselves
a model for this: we are a party that is sovereign in its character, independent
in its nature and free in its decisions. Sovereignty, freedom and independence
are ingrained in our national genes.
Our belonging is to Lebanon and our loyalty is to it alone. We believe that its
strength lies in its diversity, which is the source of its cultural and social
richness. We believe in independence and practice it, but we reject isolation
and condemn it. Our diverse Lebanon is a message of openness, communication and
interaction with the East, the Gulf and the Mediterranean.
From the point of view of sovereignty, we wish to cooperate with our close
environment but also with the remote one in which our compatriots are dispersed,
and who have the right to recover the nationality of their homeland, to vote and
to run for elections where they are, in a district of their own; this is the
category whose remittances provide essential support to our economy and
livelihoods. On the other hand, it is imminent to keep our youth and future
generations away from despair and emigration, and to educate and value them so
that they become a hard core for the homeland.
Our starting point is the partnership and the national consensus among the
Lebanese, and any imbalance at this level shakes the balance of Lebanon. A
balanced partnership constitutes a mutual guarantee between the Lebanese as well
as a force of protection for them; by losing it they will turn into fearful
beings who distrust each other. A balanced and equitable partnership establishes
a state of truth and strong institutions through their political, external,
exclusive monetary and defense centralization, and extended administrative and
financial decentralization.
This is the essence of the pact of national understanding, part of which ٢٠٢٣
VIII National Convention 7 ٢٠٢٣ VIII National Convention has been executed -
which is good - and part of which has remained unexecuted, and which includes a
section which has proven, with experience, as having to be modified and evolved
in order to preserve Lebanon's unique identity and national consensus. In
conclusion, we believe in a strong Lebanon and in the need to preserve all the
elements of its strength, including the agreements that the Lebanese are
building among themselves, provided that they are not made to the detriment of
the country's interests, and that they are not temporary in their seasonality
and interest.
We in the party seek to build national understandings in all directions and
dimensions, in which Lebanon's interest comes first, then the interest of the
party. One of the key elements of Lebanon's strength is its cultural identity,
and any attack on its diversity, its characteristics and its particularity,
whether through displacement, asylum or unnatural demographic change,
constitutes an attack on all the components of the country. The collapse of any
component means the collapse of them all and the downfall of the country, not to
mention the dangers of any security upheaval. It remains that the Free Patriotic
Movement, whether in a position of governance or opposition, whether it is on
the sidelines or in a position of participation, will always carry the cause in
its thoughts, in its heart and in its actions, and will continue to reflect the
people's wishes, sorrows and hopes; the party will cleanse itself of all
falsehoods stemming from its actions or wrongly attributed to it, so that it
always remains a source of radiance and hope, no matter how strong darkness and
despair are."
Abdallah contacts Ammar, denouncing attack on Maronite Sect's cemeteries in
Sidon
NNA/Sat, April 1, 2023
Member of the “Democratic Gathering”, MP Bilal Abdallah, commissioned by the
Gathering's Head, MP Taymour Jumblatt, contacted Saturday the Pastor of the
Maronite Diocese of Sidon, Bishop Maroun al-Ammar, denouncing the attack and
vandalism to which the sect’s cemeteries were subjected in the city.
Abdallah stressed that “all attempts to sow discord among the Lebanese have not
and will not succeed.”
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on April 01-02/2023
Pope Francis quips 'I'm still alive' as he leaves hospital. He was being
treated in Rome for bronchitis
Nicky Harley/The National/Apr 01, 2023
Pope Francis was discharged on Saturday from a hospital in Rome where he was
being treated for bronchitis, quipping: “I'm still alive.” The pontiff, 86, was
taken to Gemelli Polyclinic on Wednesday after reportedly suffering breathing
difficulties following his weekly public audience. He was treated with
antibiotics, the Vatican said. The pope, who marked the 10th anniversary of his
pontificate in March, has suffered a number of ailments in recent years.
Pizza-eating Pope Francis set to leave hospital before Easter service, Vatican
says Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said on Friday that the Pope was expected to
take part in this weekend's service for Palm Sunday — a major event that begins
the Easter week celebrations. Holy Week, as it is known, includes a busy
schedule of rituals and ceremonies that can be physically demanding, including a
Good Friday nighttime procession by Rome's Colosseum. The dean of the college of
cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, has said a cardinal would help the Pope during
the week's celebrations and take attend to altar duties. A similar arrangement
was put in place last year, when the Pope sat to one side during some Easter
events due to persistent knee pain, leaving it to senior cardinals to lead the
Masses.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Say Officer Killed in Israeli Strike on
Syria, Vows Revenge
London, Damascus – Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 1
April, 2023
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have admitted that one of their officers was killed
in an Israeli airstrike near the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Friday. The Guards
vowed to retaliate, but the increasing frequency of Israeli airstrikes on Syria
suggests that Israel is determined to confront Iran's strong presence in the
country. Friday’s attack was the second strike near Damascus in two days. There
was no immediate statement from Israel, which usually declines to comment on
reports of strikes in Syria. “The Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has
announced the martyrdom of guardsman Milad Haydari, one of the IRGC's military
advisers and officers,” in the Israeli attack, the IRGC said in a statement
reported by the official news agency, IRNA. The statement also criticized the
international silence regarding “the ongoing violation of the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of an independent member state of the UN.”It emphasized
that Israel “will undoubtedly receive a response to this crime.” The air strike
was the sixth attack by Israel in Syria this month, according to the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights. Israel has for years carried out attacks against
what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran's influence
has grown since it began supporting President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war
that began in 2011. Iran says its officers serve in an advisory role in Syria at
the invitation of Damascus. Dozens of IRGC members including senior officers
have been killed in Syria during the war, according to Reuters. Syrian state
media said that Israel had attacked just after midnight, firing missiles that
hit a site in the Damascus countryside. Syrian air defenses had shot down
several missiles, it said, without mentioning any casualties. The Syrian foreign
ministry also condemned Friday’s attack and said Syria stood ready to confront
any further attacks. Iranian-backed groups, including Lebanon's heavily armed
Hezbollah, and Iraqi paramilitary groups have positions around the capital and
in Syria’s north, east and south.
Women to be prosecuted 'without mercy' for not wearing veils, says Iran's
judiciary chief
Sky News/Sat, April 1, 2023
Women will be prosecuted "without mercy" if they are seen in public without a
veil, Iran's judiciary chief has warned. Following protests in recent months,
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on Saturday: "Unveiling is tantamount to enmity
with [our] values. "Those who commit such anomalous acts will be punished and
will be prosecuted without mercy."He did not specify what the punishment would
be, but violations of state laws on hijabs have seen people face arrest, fines,
imprisonment and even the death sentence. Women across the country have been
refusing to wear their headscarves following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa
Amini in September. Ms Amini had been arrested for allegedly breaking the law on
headscarves and died in police custody. Nationwide street protests were met with
a severe police crackdown. Human Rights Activists, a group that has been
tracking the crackdown from inside Iran, has reported more than 19,700 people
being arrested during the demonstrations. Another group, Iran Human Rights (IHR)
estimates that 500 of them, including 70 minors, were killed by the regime.
Previously, Mr Ejei said that 22,000 people arrested during recent protests have
now been pardoned. Iranian women have now moved their fight online, with many
posting videos of themselves with their hair and bodies exposed. Under Iran's
Islamic Sharia law, women are obliged to cover their hair and wear long,
loose-fitting clothes to disguise their figures. Describing the veil as "one of
the civilisational foundations of the Iranian nation" and "one of the practical
principles of the Islamic Republic," the interior ministry said in a statement
on Thursday that there would be no "retreat or tolerance" on the issue. The
authorities are encouraging people to confront women who break hijab laws -
something that has previously seen religious extremists physically attack them
in public.
Yoghurt thrown over women in Iran for not covering their hair
Sky News/Sat, April 1, 2023
Two women in Iran who went into a store while not fully covering their hair had
yoghurt thrown over them by a man, in an incident captured on video. CCTV
footage showing the "yoghurt attack", believed to have taken place in the city
of Shandiz in northeast Iran, has been spreading on social media. Iran's
President Ebrahim Raisi insisted that the hijab is the law in the country, in
response to the widely shared clip. It shows a man in a chequered shirt getting
increasingly animated as he speaks to one of the women. He is then seen grabbing
a pot of what is believed to be yoghurt and throwing it over the pair before
being confronted by another man and pushed out of the store. Following the
incident, the two women have been arrested for not covering their hair,
according to judicial authorities. The man has also been arrested for insulting
the women, public disorder and "unconventional promotion of virtue".
Authorities said the owner of the dairy shop, who confronted the attacker, had
also been warned. Reports on social media showed his shop had been shut,
although he was quoted by a local news agency as saying he had been allowed to
reopen and was due to "give explanations" to a court. President Raisi said: "If
some people say they don't believe [in the hijab]... it's good to use
persuasion... "But the important point is that there is a legal requirement...
and the hijab is today a legal matter." Women in Iran had already been warned by
the regime's judiciary chief that they will be prosecuted "without mercy" if
they are seen in public without a veil. Following protests in recent months,
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on Saturday: "Unveiling is tantamount to enmity
with [our] values. "Those who commit such anomalous acts will be punished and
will be prosecuted without mercy." Iran has been rocked by huge waves of
protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in September. The 22-year-old
Kurdish-Iranian woman died while in the custody of Iran's morality police.
Raisi says hijab is the law in Iran as unveiled women face 'yoghurt attack'
(Reuters)/Sat, April 1, 2023
President Ebrahim Raisi said on Saturday that the hijab was the law in Iran
after a viral video showed a man throwing yoghurt at two unveiled women in a
shop near a holy Shi'ite Muslim city. Growing numbers of women have defied
authorities by discarding their veils after nationwide protests that followed
the death in September of a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman in the custody of
the morality police for allegedly violating hijab rules. Security forces
violently put down the revolt. Judicial authorities in a town near the
northeastern city of Mashhad issued arrest warrants for the man seen pouring
yoghurt over the heads of the two women, a mother and her daughter. They were
also the subject of arrest warrants for flouting Iran's strict female dress
rules, state media reported. Risking arrest for defying the obligatory dress
code, women are still widely seen unveiled in malls, restaurants, shops and
streets around the country. Videos of unveiled women resisting the morality
police have flooded social media. In live remarks on state television, Raisi
said: "If some people say they don't believe (in the hijab)... it's good to use
persuasion ... But the important point is that there is a legal requirement ...
and the hijab is today a legal matter." Authorities said the owner of the dairy
shop, who confronted the attacker, had been warned. Reports on social media
showed his shop had been shut, although he was quoted by a local news agency as
saying he had been allowed to reopen and was due to "give explanations" to a
court. Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei earlier threatened to
prosecute "without mercy" women who appear in public unveiled, Iranian media
reported. "Unveiling is tantamount to enmity of (our) values," Ejei was quoted
as saying by several news sites. Under Iran's Islamic sharia law, imposed after
the 1979 revolution, women are obliged to cover their hair and wear long,
loose-fitting clothes to disguise their figures. Violators have faced public
rebuke, fines or arrest. Describing the veil as "one of the civilizational
foundations of the Iranian nation" and “one of the practical principles of the
Islamic Republic,” an Interior Ministry statement on Thursday said there would
be no “retreat or tolerance” on the issue. It urged citizens to confront
unveiled women. Such directives have in past decades emboldened hardliners to
attack women without impunity.
Iran, Azerbaijan Exchange Accusations over an Israeli Proposal
Tehran, Baku, London - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 1 April, 2023
The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen's
statements regarding the agreement with his Azerbaijani counterpart on "forming
a united front" against Tehran. Iranian Al-Alam TV quoted Foreign Ministry
spokesman Nasser Kanaani as saying that Tehran sees the statements of the
Israeli and Azeri foreign ministers as an "implicit affirmation of cooperation
between the two anti-Iran sides," and demanded an explanation from the Azeri
authorities in this regard. Kanani said that these remarks show "sinister
intentions" of Israel to turn the territory of Azerbaijan "into a national
security threat" for Iran.Azerbaijan quickly responded to the Iranian threats,
saying Tehran would "never intimidate" Baku, according to a statement by the
Foreign Ministry. The Ministry warned that the Iranian statement is the next
step toward the crisis in the relations between Azerbaijan and Iran, adding that
the Iranian-Armenian rapprochement "remains a threat to the entire region."
"Over the past 30 years, Iran has, with its tacit consent, turned a blind eye to
Armenia's occupation of Azerbaijani territories over the past 30 years." The
Azeri Ministry stated that Iran ignored the occupation of Karabakh and East
Zangazur and plundering these territories, the sale of stones demolished from
houses in these territories in Iranian markets, and the destruction and
destruction and desecration of 65 of the existing 67 mosques.
The statement concluded that despite the military support sent from Iranian
territory to Armenia, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan destroyed the occupying
Armed Forces of Armenia in 2020. Last Wednesday, Azerbaijan opened an embassy in
Israel in the presence of the two countries' foreign ministers. Relations
between Azerbaijan and Iran were also tense after an attack on the Baku embassy
in Tehran last January. On Thursday, Cohen said he had discussed with Cypriot
President Nikos Christodoulides blacklisting the Iranian Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. In a tweet about the meeting, he said
they discussed boosting regional alliance and joint efforts to combat terrorism
"in light of the Iranian attack on Israelis and Jews in Greece that was
thwarted" last week. Cohen said earlier Thursday that he discussed with his
Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos what he called the battle against the
terrorist regime in Tehran that threatens regional stability. He indicated that
the Iranian regime "threatens both our regions, finances terrorism, and
destabilizes the entire Middle East," adding that he asked the foreign ministers
of Greece and Cyprus to move to declare the IRGC a terrorist organization in the
EU.
On Thursday, Azerbaijan denounced the "defamatory" statements by a top Iranian
military commander in the latest indication of strained relations between the
two neighbors. The Ministry of Defense said that Iranian Ground Force Commander
Brigadier General Kioumars Haidari said that ISIS terrorists fought for
Azerbaijan and were still present in the country. The Ministry said that Haidari
made vile defamatory, and slanderous statements regarding Azerbaijan, saying
they were "unfounded and completely unacceptable." In January, Azerbaijan closed
its embassy in Tehran following a "terror attack" that killed the embassy's
security chief. Baku is also not satisfied with signs of improvement in
relations between Iran and Armenia after the 2020 war against Azerbaijan over
the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. "The Iranian side had never made
compromising statements about Armenia," read the statement, adding: "the
Iranian-Armenian brotherhood strengthened during this period. It is obvious that
in the world, there are two main allies of Armenia, one of which is France, and
the other is Iran."
Azerbaijan to Open Representative Office in
Ramallah
Tel Aviv – Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 1 April, 2023
The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, sent a letter to the Palestinian
President, Mahmoud Abbas, confirming his country's desire to boost bilateral
ties and open a representative office soon, according to sources in the
Palestinian presidency. The message was delivered by Azeri Foreign Minister
Jeyhun Bayramov, who was at the Palestinian presidency in Ramallah on Thursday.
The sources said that Abbas briefed Bayramov and his accompanying delegation on
the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, especially since
Azerbaijan heads the Non-Aligned Movement. The President referred to Palestine's
keenness to boost the solid historical relations with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
recognizes the State of Palestine, which has an embassy in Baku. The Foreign
Minister conveyed the greetings of Aliyev, stressing his country's desire to
improve brotherly ties. Baku will soon open its representative office in
Palestine, provide 25 scholarships for Palestinian students, and build a school
in Nablus with Azeri funding. Before concluding his visit to the region,
Bayramov laid a wreath at the tomb of the late Palestinian President Yasser
Arafat and visited his museum. The Director General of the Yasser Arafat
Foundation, Ahmed Suboh, and the director of the Yasser Arafat Museum, Mohammad
Halayqa, briefed the Azerbaijani Minister and his accompanying delegation on the
details of the shows at the museum. Bayramov asserted the close historical ties
between Azerbaijan and Palestine, lauding the efforts of Arafat in consolidating
them. Earlier, Bayramov opened an Azeri embassy in Tel Aviv and met with several
Israeli officials, led by President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. He confirmed that Israeli-Azeri
relations had moved to the highest cooperation and strategic and security
partnership stages. Netanyahu stressed that there are common regional challenges
between Israel and Azerbaijan in light of the regional security challenges and
Iran's threat to regional stability.
Israelis still protest legal overhaul despite
suspension
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP)/Sat, April 1, 2023
Tens of thousands of Israelis protested on Saturday against a controversial plan
to revamp the country’s legal system, despite Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s suspension of the changes earlier in the week. The protesters
gathered in Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial hub on the Mediterranean, for the 13th
weekly demonstration, raising Israeli flags and banners against what they said
were plans to weaken the Supreme Court. Several smaller rallies took place in
other towns and cities. The protests have been going on since Netanyahu’s
government, the most right-wing in the country’s history, introduced the
changes. But on Monday, Netanyahu delayed the overhaul plan that deeply divided
the Israelis, saying he wanted “to avoid civil war” by making time to seek a
compromise with political opponents. Protest organizers, however, vowed to keep
up the pressure, calling for the plans to be scrapped. The proposal has plunged
Israel into its worst domestic crisis in decades. Business leaders, top
economists and former security chiefs have all come out against the plan, saying
it is pushing the country toward an autocracy. Fighter pilots and military
reservists have threatened not to report for duty, and the country’s currency,
the shekel, has tumbled in value. The plan would give Netanyahu, who is on trial
on corruption charges, and his allies the final say in appointing the nation’s
judges. It would also give parliament, which is controlled by his allies,
authority to overturn Supreme Court decisions and limit the court’s ability to
review laws. Netanyahu has argued that the overhaul is needed to rein in a
liberal and overly interventionist court of unelected judges. But his opponents
say the package would damage the country’s system of checks and balances by
concentrating power in the hands of Netanyahu’s allies. They also say that he
has a conflict of interest as a criminal defendant.
Israeli police say killed man who grabbed gun,
shot at them
Agence France Presse/Saturday, 1 April, 2023
Israeli police said Saturday they shot dead an Arab Israeli who grabbed a gun
from an officer and fired it in a scuffle in the Old City of Jerusalem. Police
said the attack took place around midnight near the Chain Gate, an access point
to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.
Officers stopped a suspect and, as he was being questioned, "the terrorist
suddenly attacked one of the policemen", grabbing his gun "and managing to fire
it," a statement said. "In a swift response of the officers who were in danger
and struggling with the terrorist, they shot him," the statement said, adding
medics later pronounced him dead. The suspect was identified as a resident of
Hura, a Bedouin village in southern Israel. Passers-by reported hearing gunfire,
and an AFP photographer saw scores of Israeli police deployed in the Old City at
around 1:00 am (2200 GMT Friday). The attack occurred hours after thousands of
Palestinians had packed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on the second Friday of
Ramadan for peaceful prayers. Israeli police said more than 100,000 faithful had
gathered to pray at Islam's third holiest site, built on what Jews call the
Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site.
More than 2,000 police officers had been deployed throughout the city. The
Israeli-Palestinian conflict had seen an upsurge of violence since the beginning
of the year, raising fears of a flare-up during Ramadan. But the past 10 days
since the start of the holy fasting month have seen a relative lull in violence.
Syria’s Foreign Minister Arrives in Cairo
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 1 April, 2023
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Mikdad arrived at the head of a delegation in
Cairo on Saturday. This is his first visit to Egypt since he was named as
Syria's FM. Senior officials from the Protocol Department and staff from the
Syrian embassy in Egypt met Al-Mikdad upon his arrival to the VIP lounge at
Cairo Airport. Earlier, SANA reported that Mikdad will visit Egypt upon the
invitation of Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry, saying discussions will
focus on "strengthening bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries,
as well as the latest regional developments.”Shoukry visited Damascus on
February 27, and conveyed to President Bashar al-Assad a message from President
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in which he affirmed Egypt’s solidarity with Syria and his
pride in the historical relations between the two countries, highlighting
Cairo's keenness to boost those ties.
UN Experts Call For Repatriating Detained
Syria Children
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 1 April, 2023
UN-appointed human rights experts on Friday demanded an urgent repatriation of
children from northeast Syria. UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and
Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, UN Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of
human rights while countering terrorism, released a joint statement, as the
detained children enter their fifth year of detention. “It is now time to bring
them home,” they said. “Many children are now entering their fifth year of
detention in northeast Syria, since they were detained by the de facto
authorities following the fall of Baghouz in early 2019.”
They called on all actors to ensure the immediate safety and protection of all
children, regardless of their location in northeastern Syria to prevent them
from suffering further harm. Al-Hol and Roj are the two largest locked camps for
women, girls, and young boys, holding about 56,000 individuals, including 37,000
foreign nationals. Over half of the population in the camps are children, of
which 80 per cent are under the age of 12 and 30 per cent under five. “These
children are victims of terrorism and of very serious violations of
international human rights and humanitarian law, and must be treated with
dignity in all contexts, whether armed conflict or terrorism,” the experts said.
“Safe return to their home countries, in accordance with the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, is the only solution and must be prioritized.
Pakistani army says 4 troops killed by
Iran-based militants
ISLAMABAD (AP)/Sat, April 1, 2023
A militant attack from across the border with Iran left four Pakistani soldiers
dead Saturday in southwestern Baluchistan province, the army said. The soldiers
were part of a routine border patrol operating along the Pakistan-Iran border
when the militants struck in the Jalgai sector of Kech district, the military
said in a statement.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the
attack. The army said necessary contact was being established with Iranian
officials for “effective action against terrorists” to prevent such incidents in
the future. It identified the casualties as Sher Ahmed, Muhammad Asghar,
Muhammad Irfan and Abdur Rasheed. On Friday, a Pakistani soldier was killed in
an exchange of fire with militants in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province, the army said. There was no immediate of responsibility for that
attack, either. In January, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned
the killing of four security officials along the border with Iran in Baluchistan.
He said: “We expect Iran will ensure that its soil is not used for cross border
attacks.”
UN Security Council concerned over Russian
nuclear weapons in Belarus
Agence France Presse/Sat, April 1, 2023
The U.N. Security Council was divided as Western nations expressed concern about
Moscow's announcement it will deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring
Belarus, but permanent Council member Russia remained defiant. China and Brazil,
for their part, condemned nuclear proliferation in general as the Council met to
discuss the March 25 announcement from Russian President Vladimir Putin. "This
is a further blow to the arms control architecture, to strategic stability in
Europe, and to international peace and security," French Ambassador Nicolas de
Riviere said at the meeting requested by Ukraine, which has been fighting off a
Russian invasion for more than a year. "Let us be clear: No other country has
raised the prospect of nuclear use in this conflict," said Deputy British
Ambassador James Kariuki, referring to the Ukraine invasion. "No one is
threatening Russia’s sovereignty," he added, condemning Putin's statement as
"his latest attempt to intimidate and coerce." "This has not worked and will not
work. We will continue to support Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself," he said.
Russia, however, stuck to its position that there was no difference between what
it plans to do in Belarus, and NATO's deployment of American nuclear weapons in
Europe. Western allies have called the analogy "misleading."China and Brazil
warned of the dangers of nuclear proliferation. "Two wrongs do not make a
right," said Brazilian Ambassador Ronaldo Costa Filho. "Reacting to a nuclear
sharing arrangement or to any other perceived nuclear threat by the placement of
weapons in a non-nuclear weapon state also constitutes a breach of NPT
obligations," he continued, referring to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
"This is a race to the bottom that makes nobody safe, regardless of who made the
first move." China bluntly demanded "no deployment of nuclear weapons abroad by
all nuclear weapon states and the withdrawal of nuclear weapons deployed
abroad." For its part, the U.N.'s high representative for disarmament, Izumi
Nakamitsu, called for all states to "avoid taking any actions that could lead to
escalation, mistake or miscalculation." Ukraine had sought the meeting to
counter what it described as Russia's "nuclear blackmail." Fears of a nuclear
war have been rising since the invasion. Experts believe that any Russian strike
would likely involve small-size battlefield weapons, called "tactical" as
opposed to "strategic" high-powered long-range nuclear weapons. Russia will
start training crews on April 3 and plans to finish the construction of a
special storage facility in Belarus for tactical nuclear weapons by July 1.
Ex-Soviet state Belarus said on Friday that it was also ready to host strategic
weapons.
Kyiv says Russian UN Security Council
presidency is 'symbolic blow'
KYIV, April 1 (Reuters)/Sat, April 1, 2023
A top Ukrainian official on Saturday criticised the 'symbolic blow' of Russia
assuming the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council. "It's
not just a shame. It is another symbolic blow to the rules-based system of
international relations," Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of
staff, wrote in English on Twitter. On Saturday Russia took over the presidency
of the UN's top security body, which rotates every month. The last time Moscow
held the post was in February 2022, when its troops launched a full-scale
invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin said on Friday it planned to "exercise all its
rights" in the role. The United States on Thursday urged Russia to "conduct
itself professionally" when it assumes the role, saying there was no means to
block Moscow from the post. Ukrainian official Yermak also hit out at Iran, who
Kyiv and its allies accuse of supplying Russia with arms, including hundreds of
assault drones which have menaced Ukrainian infrastructure facilities. Tehran
denies supplying Russia with weapons. "It is very telling that on the holiday of
one terror state – Iran - another terror state – Russia – begins to preside over
the UN Security Council," Yermak wrote, referring to Iran's Islamic Republic Day
holiday.
Germany rules out any further weapons deliveries to Ukraine
Arthur Scott-Geddes
The Telegraph/Sat, April 1, 2023
Germany’s Defence Minister has ruled out sending any further weapons or
equipment to Ukraine, admitting that the Bundeswehr will already not be able to
replenish its stocks by 2030. Blighted by chronic underinvestment since the end
of the Cold War, the German army is now in even worse shape after having sent
equipment, ammunition and vehicles like the Leopard 2 main battle tank to the
battlefields of Ukraine. “To put it bluntly, like other nations, we have a
limited inventory,” said Boris Pistorius. “As federal Defence Minister, I cannot
give everything away,” he told German broadcaster Welt. Gaps in the military
will be impossible to bridge by 2030, he added. The German government wants to
grow the Bundeswehr to a 200,000-strong force and spend €130 billion on new
equipment by the end of the decade. “We all know that the existing gaps cannot
be completely closed by 2030. It will take years, everyone is aware of that,” he
said. Mr Pistorius said increasing the defence budget to reach the Nato spending
target of two per cent of national output, from currently around 1.5 per cent,
was his highest priority. “If that is then set in motion at the end of the
[legislative] period, then I would be satisfied,” he added. Mr Pistorius, who
became defence minister after his predecessor stepped down after a series of
political blunders, has inherited the fraught task of rebuilding Germany’s
ailing military after decades of neglect.Rebuilding the military is a crucial
component of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s vision for a “zeitenwende”, or turning
point, in German policy.
Defence budget is lagging
Three days after Russia invaded Ukraine, Mr Scholz announced the creation of a
€100 billion fund to turn the Germany military into the most powerful in Europe.
However, more than a year later, the German military remains beset by shortages
of equipment and personnel. Only around €13 billion of the fund has been
allocated so far, with Germany’s regular defence budget also lagging behind
inflation. Eva Högl, the parliamentary armed forces commissioner, has estimated
that modernising the Bundeswehr would cost at least €300 billion. An annual
report on the armed forces produced by the commission last month revealed the
extent of the problem facing Mr Pistorius and those involved in the
modernisation effort. It uncovered widespread shortages of even basic equipment
such as clothing, with soldiers frequently complaining about uncomfortable
uniforms. The German army was also found to be desperately short of effective
communications equipment like radios, as well as crucial gear used to protect
troops from the effects of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.
Trump 'shocked' by indictment but 'ready to
fight'
Agence France Presse/April 1, 2023
Donald Trump's legal team went on the offensive following his historic
indictment, vowing the former president would never seek a plea deal and was
ready "to fight" all charges. The 76-year-old Trump, who is hoping to recapture
the White House in 2024, chimed in with attacks on the prosecutors who brought
the charges against him and even the judge expected to hear the case."ELECTION
INTERFERENCE, KANGAROO COURT!" Trump posted on his social media platform Truth
Social, adding that Juan Manuel Marchal, the judge who may preside over an
eventual trial, "hates me."Trump is to be booked, fingerprinted and will have a
mugshot taken at a Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday afternoon before appearing
before a judge as the first ever American president to face criminal
charges."The president will not be put in handcuffs," said Joe Tacopina, one of
Trump's attorneys, adding that he does not believe prosecutors will "allow this
to become a circus." Tacopina said the hush-money case being brought by
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg against Trump faces "substantial legal
challenges" and the former president would plead not guilty. There is "zero"
chance Trump would accept a plea deal, he told NBC's Today show. "It's not going
to happen. There's no crime."Trump, who is currently at his palatial Mar-a-Lago
residence in Florida, was initially "shocked" at the indictment, his attorney
said, but "he's now in the posture that he's ready to fight this."
'No comment'
Trump's pending arrest throws a political grenade into next year's White House
race and President Joe Biden sidestepped questions from reporters about the
indictment of the Republican he beat in 2020 and could potentially face again in
November of next year. "I have no comment on Trump," Biden said. A New York
grand jury indicted Trump on Thursday over a $130,000 hush-money payment made to
a porn star to buy her silence during his 2016 campaign. Trump has denied any
wrongdoing and accused Bragg, a Democrat, of waging a "political witch-hunt" to
derail his new White House bid. In predicting his indictment, Trump called for
protests and warned it could lead to "potential death and destruction" for the
country. And in a statement, the ex-president said he had already raised $4
million for his 2024 presidential campaign in the 24 hours following news of the
indictment.
Extra security has been deployed for days around the downtown Manhattan
courthouse where Trump is to be booked and arraigned, with the New York Police
Department saying Friday there were "no current credible threats" to the city.
Trump survived two impeachments while in the White House and kept prosecutors at
bay over everything from the U.S. Capitol riot to missing classified files --
only to land in court over a sex scandal involving Stormy Daniels, a 44-year-old
adult movie actress. He faces felony investigations in Georgia relating to the
2020 election and in Washington over both the classified files and the January
6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by his supporters.Top Republicans have rallied
around the former president who remains the favorite to win the party's 2024
presidential nomination.
- 'Outrage' -
Kevin McCarthy, the top House Republican, said the indictment had "irreparably
damaged" the country. Trump's former vice president and possible 2024 challenger
Mike Pence called it an "outrage" that would only "further serve to divide" the
United States. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another likely 2024 Republican
rival, slammed the indictment as "un-American." On the Democratic side, former
House speaker Nancy Pelosi said "no one is above the law" and Representative
Adam Schiff -- lead prosecutor of Trump's first impeachment -- called it
"sobering."
"The indictment and arrest of a former president is unique throughout all of
American history," Schiff said. "But so too is the unlawful conduct for which
Trump has been charged."Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen told Congress in 2019
that he made the payment to Daniels on Trump's behalf to hide a 2006 tryst and
was later reimbursed. The grand jury that indicted Trump was asked to consider
if there had been a cover-up intended to benefit his campaign by burying the
scandal. The impact of the indictment on Trump's 2024 election chances is
unpredictable but Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump ally, said it would
benefit the former president. "From a political point of view, it's going to
solidify Trump's standing in the Republican Party," Graham told The Washington
Post.
China Draws Lessons From Russia’s Losses in Ukraine, and
Its Gains
Chris Buckley/New York Times/April 1, 2023
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Thousands of miles from the cities that Russia is bombing in
Ukraine, China has been studying the war. In an indirect struggle between two
superpowers on the other side of the world, Beijing sees a source of invaluable
lessons on weapons, troop power, intelligence and deterrence that can help it
prepare for potential wars of its own. In particular, Chinese military analysts
have scrutinized the fighting for innovations and tactics that could help in a
possible clash over Taiwan, the island democracy that Beijing wants to absorb
and the United States has at times pledged to defend. Sign up for The Morning
newsletter from the New York Times. The war is a “proving ground,” they say,
that gives China a chance to learn from successes and failures on both sides.
The New York Times examined nearly 100 Chinese research papers and media
articles that deliver assessments of the war by Chinese military and
weapons-sector analysts. Here is some of what they have covered:
— With an eye on China’s development of hypersonic missiles, which can be highly
maneuverable in flight, they have analyzed how Russia used these weapons to
destroy an ammunition bunker, a fuel depot and other targets.
— They have studied how Ukrainian troops used Starlink satellite links to
coordinate attacks and circumvent Russian efforts to shut their communications
and warned that China must swiftly develop a similar low-orbit satellite system
and devise ways to knock out rival ones.
— They have argued that President Vladimir Putin of Russia deterred Western
powers from directly intervening in Ukraine by brandishing nuclear weapons, a
view that could encourage expansion of China’s own nuclear weapons program.
Ukraine has offered “a new understanding of a future possible world war,” Maj.
Gen. Meng Xiangqing, a professor at the National Defense University in Beijing,
wrote in the Guangming Daily newspaper in January. He also wrote, “Russia’s
strategy of nuclear deterrence certainly played a role in ensuring that NATO
under the United States’ leadership did not dare to directly enter the
war.”Pentagon officials have said that Russia’s troubled invasion serves as a
stark warning to China against risking a war over Taiwan, which lies about 100
miles off its coast. Russian forces have been dogged by shortfalls of weapons
and ammunition and failures in intelligence, resulting in stalled advances and
the heavy loss of soldiers’ lives. Some Chinese analysts have been blunt in
their views of how Russia has foundered.
“The shortcomings that have been exposed in the Russian military’s logistics and
supplies should be a focus for us,” said an article in a magazine published by
China’s agency for developing major military technology. It said that China had
to prepare for similar challenges “when we consider future sea crossings, the
seizure of islands” and other hazard-filled operations — an implicit reference
to taking Taiwan. Ultimately, though, studying Russia’s mistakes may bolster
China’s conviction that it could prevail in a possible conflict, said foreign
experts who study the People’s Liberation Army. China’s official military budget
of $225 billion is nearly three times as big as Russia’s, and China’s vast
manufacturing and technological capacity means it can produce plenty of advanced
drones and other weapons that Russian forces have lacked.
“They’re going to try to roll those lessons into their training, officer
education and doctrine, which is undergoing a revision right now,” said Joel
Wuthnow, a senior research fellow at the National Defense University in
Washington who has studied how the People’s Liberation Army may be learning from
the war in Ukraine. “This was a wake-up call that things may look easy in field
training and on paper, but when you meet the enemy, things get very messy very
quickly.”
China has not fought a major war for 40 years, since Deng Xiaoping sent forces
into neighboring Vietnam, and its military scholars study other countries’
conflicts with a particular diligence. The war in Ukraine is especially
significant for China because it involves an indirect contest pitting Russia, a
close partner of Beijing, against the United States and its allies supporting
the Ukrainian forces. China is “close to this war in a way that wasn’t true of
the Iraq or even Afghanistan wars,” said Lyle J. Goldstein, an expert at Defense
Priorities, a think tank in Washington, who has been studying Chinese
assessments of the war in Ukraine. “They see themselves potentially in Russia’s
shoes in more or less going to war against America.”
Some Chinese experts have said that Russia’s difficulties marshaling enough
infantry troops suggest that China needs to keep its ground forces strong and
large, even while it expands those of sea and air. Russia’s experience showed
that “a great power must maintain ground forces of a reasonable scale, otherwise
it will lose its advantage on the battlefield,” Wu Dahui, a former military
researcher now at Tsinghua University in Beijing, wrote this year.
Russia’s failures in supplying its forces with swift, reliable intelligence
about Ukrainian movements have also prompted Chinese analysts to urge People’s
Liberation Army forces to learn how to better use drones, communications and
satellites in battle.
“Russia wasn’t able to scale up different operations, partly because of the lack
of intelligence coordination and sharing,” said Bonny Lin, the director of the
China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in
Washington. “China may now try to engage in exercises that are a much larger
scale of complexity.”More broadly, Russia’s troubles in Ukraine appear to have
hardened official Chinese views that Beijing, like Moscow, is the focus of a
U.S.-led campaign of “hybrid warfare” that includes economic sanctions,
technological bans, information campaigns and cyberattacks.
“The United States and West have seized on this conflict to engage in the total
political negation, all-out diplomatic suppression and full cultural isolation
of Russia,” Gao Yun, a researcher at China’s Academy of Military Sciences, one
of the elite institutions that shapes war planning, wrote in the People’s
Liberation Army’s main newspaper. “As well as fierce clashes of blood and fire
on the battlefields, the combat in the realm of information and perceptions is
equally intense.”
As Ukraine’s successes mounted, Chinese military analysts have focused on the
equipment and intelligence that NATO countries have provided Ukraine to help
fight Russian forces. China was most likely monitoring the thousands of Stinger,
Javelin and other missiles that Ukraine has acquired and weighing what would
happen as Taiwan built up its stocks, said Goldstein, who also teaches at Brown
University.
“I believe that the Chinese are watching all this very carefully and adding the
numbers up and making a calculation,” he said. Another fixation of Chinese
military analysts has been Ukraine’s use of Starlink, the satellite service
operated by SpaceX, with some suggesting that Beijing should establish a similar
system of its own. Starlink has helped Ukrainian forces maintain communications
and direct attacks even where digital infrastructure has been wiped out. Chinese
military analysts have blamed the inability of Russian forces to cut Starlink
for its troubles on the battlefield. Starlink satellites are cheaper to launch
and operate than traditional satellites. Inspired by Ukraine, Taiwan has also
begun studying the technology.
“Faced with the threat of Starlink,” Chinese rocket and military researchers
said in a study, “we must develop and build our own low-orbiting satellites.”
Chinese army engineering scientists, in a paper also cited in a recent Reuters
report, suggested that the United States could use such technology in a conflict
with China. “Not a moment can be spared in developing ‘soft kill’ and ‘hard
kill’ measures against low-orbit satellite arrays,” the scientists wrote — in
other words, ways to sabotage or destroy the satellites. Chinese military
analysts appear to also be drawing lessons relevant to Beijing’s nuclear
buildup. They have argued that Putin’s nuclear threats were effective in keeping
President Joe Biden and NATO from directly entering the war. In a potential
invasion of Taiwan, Beijing would consider how it might deter Washington, which
has pledged to help the island defend itself and could directly intervene in a
military conflict. “From this it can be seen that nuclear forces are how a great
power displays its stature,” two Chinese rocket researchers wrote in one article
about Russian strategy. China has denounced the use of nuclear weapons in the
war and vows that it would never initiate an attack with nuclear weapons. Even
so, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, indicated last year that China will keep
expanding its nuclear arsenal, which now has more than 400 warheads, still far
fewer than the number held by Russia or the United States. China’s nuclear
arsenal could grow to about 1,000 warheads by 2030, according to the Pentagon.
Putin’s menacing gestures may set an example for Chinese leaders, said Wuthnow
of the National Defense University. “My main worry is a miscalculation” over
nuclear threats, Wuthnow said. “Xi could come to believe that the U.S. and its
allies could be easily sidelined in a Taiwan conflict. But this would likely be
an error in judgment.”
High activity spotted at North Korea nuclear complex after Kim's bomb-fuel
order-report
WASHINGTON (Reuters)/Sat, April 1, 2023
Satellite images show a high level of activity at North Korea's main nuclear
site, a U.S. think tank reported on Saturday after the North Korean leader
ordered an increase in production of bomb fuel to expand the country's nuclear
arsenal. The Washington-based 38 North North Korea monitoring project said the
activity it had spotted, based on images from March 3 and 17, could indicate
that an Experimental Light Water Reactor (ELWR) at the Yongbyon site was nearing
completion and transition to operational status.The report said the images
showed that a 5 megawatt reactor at Yongbyon continued to operate and that
construction had started on a support building around the ELWR. Further, water
discharges had been detected from that reactor's cooling system. New
construction had also started around Yongbyon's uranium enrichment plant, likely
to expand its capabilities. "These developments seem to reflect Kim Jong Un's
recent directive to increase the country's fissile material production to expand
its nuclear weapons arsenal," the report added, referring to the North Korean
leader. On Tuesday, North Korea unveiled new, smaller nuclear warheads and vowed
to produce more weapons-grade nuclear material to expand its arsenal, while
denouncing stepped up military exercises by South Korea and the United States.
Its state media said Kim had ordered the production of weapons-grade materials
in a "far-sighted way" to boost the country's nuclear arsenal "exponentially."
It is unclear whether North Korea has fully developed miniaturized nuclear
warheads needed to fit on smaller weapons it has displayed and analysts say
perfecting such warheads would most likely be a key goal if it resumes nuclear
testing for the first time since 2017. South Korea and the United States have
warned since early 2022 that North Korea may resume nuclear testing at any time.
In a report last year, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
estimated North Korea had assembled up to 20 nuclear warheads, and probably
possessed sufficient fissile material for approximately 45–55 nuclear devices.
Eight Indians & Romanians lost their lives
while trying to illegally enter the US
NNA/Sat, April 1, 2023
Canadian police announced Friday that the bodies of eight people of two families
were found in a swamp on Canadian soil after trying to enter the United States
illegally. They belong to two different families, one Canadian-Roman and the
other Indian. "Eight bodies were recovered from the water," local police chief
Sean Dollod told a news conference on Friday. After the discovery of the bodies
of six people on Thursday, including a child under the age of three, "two other
bodies were found, a Canadian infant of Romanian origin and a woman who
apparently holds Indian nationality," according to Duloud. Canadian authorities
believe that these two families were trying to enter the United States illegally
from Canada.
The Latest LCCC English analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on April 01-02/2023
د. ماجد رفي زاده/معهد جيتستون: بفضل إدارة بايدن الملالي الإيرانيون هم المنتصرون
في الغزو الروسي لأوكرانيا
Thanks to Biden Administration,
Iran's Mullahs Winners of Russia Invasion of Ukraine
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/April
01/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/117060/117060/
Russia also reportedly wants to buy ballistic missiles from Iran, which has the
largest and most diverse ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East. The
Iranian regime therefore should officially be considered an accomplice to
Russia's war crimes.
The Iranian regime, probably because it knows that the Biden administration will
not take any action, is ratcheting up its engagement and weapons exports to
Russia.
"President Biden's leadership is non-existent.... Look at what's happening right
now with unemployment — eight million jobs are unfilled right now, and President
Biden just ushered through a partisan bill to pay people billions of dollars not
to work when eight million jobs are unfilled right now. We're paying people not
to work, and they're borrowing money from our kids and our grandkids to do
it.... We're seeing inflation starting to go through the roof. Our country is
less secure. Look at what's happening around the world — the Middle East, Iran —
who the President wants to let back into an agreement to get a nuclear weapon.
[The Iranians are] helping funnel these bombs that are being shot into Israel. I
mean where is the President's leadership on any of these crises?" – US Rep.
Steve Scalise, Fox News, May 2021.
The Iranian regime was, from the outset, in favor of the Russian invasion and
praised Russia's decision to send troops into Ukraine. Since then, it has become
a major weapons exporter to a global power – not limited to exporting just
drones. Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran's President Ebrahim
Raisi hold a meeting in Tehran on July 19, 2022. (Photo by Sergei Savostyanov/Sputnik/AFP
via Getty Images)
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the Biden administration has been running out the
clock, allowing the ruling Islamist mullahs of Iran to prosper from the war and
emerge as the winners. According to a January 2022 report:
"[T]he United Nations has reported at least 6,919 civilian deaths and more than
11,000 wounded as a result of the war in Ukraine and estimates the actual
figures to be much higher. Approximately 6.5 million Ukrainians are internally
displaced, and about 5 million have fled as refugees to European countries.
About 2.8 million Ukrainians are in Russia and Belarus, in some cases against
their will."
The Iranian regime was, from the outset, in favor of the Russian invasion and
praised Russia's decision to send troops into Ukraine. Since then, it has become
a major weapons exporter to a global power – not limited to exporting just
drones.
According to a recent report from Sky News:
"Iran has secretly supplied large quantities of bullets, rockets and mortar
shells to Russia for the war in Ukraine and plans to send more, a security
source has told Sky News.
"The source claimed that two Russian-flagged cargo ships, departed an Iranian
port in January bound for Russia via the Caspian Sea, carrying approximately 100
million bullets and around 300,000 shells.
"Ammunition for rocket launchers, mortars and machine guns was allegedly
included in the shipments.
"The source said Moscow paid for the ammunition in cash."
Iran's supply to Russia of drones and other weapons is, in addition, providing
the mullahs with a great opportunity to perfect their drone and military systems
as well as to profiting financially from the arms exports.
Iran's regime also reportedly sent troops to Crimea to assist Russia in its
attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure and civilian population, and to increase the
effectiveness of suicide drones. Even the White House admitted on October 20,
2022 that it had evidence that Iranian troops were "directly engaged on the
ground" supporting Russia's drone attacks in Crimea.
Russia also reportedly wants to buy ballistic missiles from Iran, which has the
largest and most diverse ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East. The
Iranian regime therefore should officially be considered an accomplice to
Russia's war crimes.
Since the Russian invasion, according to Human Rights Watch:
"Russian forces have repeatedly carried out disproportionate and indiscriminate
bombing and shelling of civilian areas. These attacks destroyed and severely
damaged homes, businesses, schools, health care institutions, and other
facilities. Over 2,700 educational institutions have been damaged, more than 300
beyond repair."These attacks have struck many hospitals, including at least one
children's hospital in Chernihiv, a maternity hospital in Kharkiv, and a
maternity ward in Vilniansk. As of October, the World Health Organization had
confirmed more than 700 attacks on healthcare facilities, personnel, and
vehicles, which killed at least 200 people.
"Many of these attacks on civilian areas have been with explosive weapons with
wide area affects, including cluster munitions, unguided aerial bombs, and
guided missiles."
The Iranian regime, probably because it knows that the Biden administration will
not take any action, is ratcheting up its engagement and weapons exports to
Russia. As US Representative Steve Scalise (R-La.) put it in May 2021:
"President Biden's leadership is non-existent. And you just mentioned a number
of crises that we're seeing. The crisis at the border has become very evident.
The President still won't acknowledge [sic] and go down to the border. Gas
prices are through the roof, and people are now waiting in line. There was a
major hack by Russia likely. President Biden doesn't want to confront that.
You're looking at home prices, right now because of lumber prices going through
the roof. An average home is over $36,000 more than it was a year ago. Look at
what's happening right now with unemployment — eight million jobs are unfilled
right now, and President Biden just ushered through a partisan bill to pay
people billions of dollars not to work when eight million jobs are unfilled
right now. We're paying people not to work, and they're borrowing money from our
kids and our grandkids to do it. We've seen this on every front, and the economy
is really in a delicate spot. We're seeing inflation starting to go through the
roof. Our country is less secure. Look at what's happening around the world —
the Middle East, Iran — who the President wants to let back into an agreement to
get a nuclear weapon. [The Iranians are] helping funnel these bombs that are
being shot into Israel. I mean where is the President's leadership on any of
these crises?"
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a business strategist and advisor, Harvard-educated
scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and
president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has
authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at
Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
France Is Furious
Cole Stangler/The New York Times//April 01/2023
“This government just does not listen to us,” said Renald, a 50-year-old
electrical mechanic at the Port of Marseille, as his co-workers assembled a
barricade this week on the route leading to a fuel depot. “There’s a deep anger
here.”
That anger is unlikely to have been assuaged by President Emmanuel Macron’s
televised interview on Wednesday. Breaking his near silence on the pension
overhaul that has plunged France into strikes and protests, he defended the
legislation as an economic necessity. A no-confidence vote that he narrowly
survived in the National Assembly on Monday has clearly done little to instill
penitence. Against the people — a majority of whom oppose the overhaul, which
would raise the retirement age by two years, to 64 — the president is doubling
down.
Some still hope the bill might be stopped. After all, there is a precedent for
the French government retracting an unpopular law in the face of mass protests,
as occurred in 2006. And the overhaul still needs to survive examination from
France’s Constitutional Council, the country’s highest court, which may ask
questions about the dubious way it was carried out.
Yet if the government gets its way, as seems probable, it will be a Pyrrhic
victory. The damage of the past weeks can’t be undone. Mr. Macron has burned
bridges with potential allies, poisoned relations with possible negotiating
partners and rallied a majority of the French public against him. To judge from
Thursday’s wave of strikes, which hit everything from oil refineries in Normandy
to public buses in Nice, the discontent isn’t going anywhere.
Quite simply, it’s now going to be harder for Mr. Macron to govern. Without a
majority in the National Assembly, his Renaissance party has relied heavily on
support from the right-wing Republicans since the legislative elections last
summer. But 19 Republican deputies backed the motion of no confidence. After
such an unmistakable act of defiance, it’s difficult to imagine the party
teaming up with the Élysée Palace on major changes in the immediate future.
More important, the president has lost the trust of the French public,
exhausting whatever good will remained after his re-election by ignoring — once
again — that millions voted for him out of a desire to prevent his far-right
opponent from taking power. Thanks to his pension overhaul, Mr. Macron’s
approval ratings have fallen below 30 percent. Calls to clean up trash on the
streets of the capital may fire up the president’s wealthy urban base, but
they’ve fallen on deaf ears for most of the country, which has little in common
with moneyed Parisians.
Today’s political moment feels very similar to the early phases of the Yellow
Vest movement in 2018, when a proposed hike in the fuel tax unleashed weeks of
demonstrations. Then, too, there was simmering anger from households struggling
to make ends meet, widespread support for disruptive protest and a stunning
aloofness from the people in charge. As in the early days of that conflict, Mr.
Macron went weeks without publicly addressing the pension battle at length,
forcing his prime minister to take the heat instead. His first major address on
the topic since protests began was panned by critics as tone-deaf and
condescending.
“There’s a form of disconnect,” Laurent Berger, the general secretary of the
country’s largest labor confederation, the C.F.D.T., which prides itself on its
ability to negotiate and compromise, told me. “There needs to be an end to this
verticality where only a precious few are right and everybody else is wrong.”
That obstinacy has pushed France into a political crisis — one that raises
questions over the very architecture of the Fifth Republic and the extensive
power it hands the head of state. How is it possible for a president without a
parliamentary majority to ram through such an unpopular policy?
With Mr. Macron ignoring pleas to organize a referendum or hold new legislative
elections, calls to reform France’s political institutions could grow louder.
One remedy, as the historian and political scientist Patrick Weil has suggested,
could be to increase the amount of time between the presidential and legislative
elections. That would allow French voters — as they did before 2002 — to weigh
in on the president’s tenure through de facto midterm elections. The demand from
the left-populist party France Unbowed to create a Sixth Republic that would
rein in the power of the presidency may begin to look more appealing.
In the meantime, protests are becoming more disruptive: Activists have blocked
highway traffic, descended on rail yards and led nightly marches. Mr. Macron’s
camp has complained about the confrontational tactics, and the president has
even drawn parallels to the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol. It’s a fanciful
comparison. Demonstrators are responding to a government that has repeatedly
ignored public opinion, pleas from moderate labor unions and large conventional
street protests. And as the French know from their own history, from 1789 and
1968 to the Yellow Vests, direct action with a popular mandate often gets
results — even if it’s loud and unruly.
Renald, the mechanic, put it best. “This government doesn’t want to negotiate,”
he told me outside the fuel depot. “Well, at a certain point, they’re going to
find themselves up against people that don’t want to negotiate, either.”
Is the Region on the Cusp of a New Phase?
Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy/Asharq Al Awsat/April 01/2023
The month of March appears to be a consequential month for the Arab world. Over
the past decades a number of events with far-reaching consequences for the
region have taken place during this month.
Amongst these events is the US invasion of Iraq. This month we commemorated the
20th anniversary of this tragic event. An event that not only brought untold
misery to the people of Iraq but had far reaching implications for the Arab
world as well as the international system at large.
While the month of March up until this year evoked tragic memories for the
Arabs, March 2023 holds the promise of positive change.
Two important developments have taken place that could have the potential to
break the cycle of wars and destruction as we will explain later in the article.
Many Iraqis were convinced that freedom and human dignity can only be attained
with the overthrow of the ruling autocratic regime. For some the only way to
achieve this objective was with the help of foreign military intervention.
The invasion of Iraq may have brought an end to a brutal dictatorship but in the
process dismantled a proud nation without replacing it with a system that
provides the freedom, security, the respect for human dignity and prosperity
that the Iraqis aspired to achieve.
Many Iraqis are asking themselves the question: are we better off today than we
were 2003?
Some 300,000 Iraqis lost their lives and according to former Iraqi Prime
Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi since 2003, more than $600 billion has been siphoned
off to away from the development of the country to enrich few individuals. Is it
not ironic that Iraq an oil rich country lacks sufficient funds to finance its
economic development and imports energy from Iran. Moreover, the tragedy is
compounded by the fact that a functioning democratic system that delivers on the
aspirations of the Iraqi people remains elusive.
So maybe it is time to contemplate the lessons learned from the bitter
experience the Iraqi people have had to endure over the past 20 years.
First, while Iraqis had - and continue to have - legitimate grievances, it is
obvious that seeking support from foreign quarters does not produce the desired
results. Quite the contrary, outside intervention has unleashed a cycle of
violence, terrorism, sectarian conflict and corruption.
This is not surprising given the historical precedents of foreign military
interventions: US invasion of Cuba in 1898 and Haiti in 1915, and the Soviet
Union invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. All these interventions undermined the
independence of these countries and shunted their political development. But
more than anything else the people paid - and continue to this day - pay a heavy
price.
Second, the US military intervention has weakened the nation state in Iraq.
First by dismantling state institutions that - in spite of their deficiencies-
were able to manage the diverse interests of the people in a manner that most
Iraqis tolerated. Second, by introducing a constitution based on sectarianism.
The result was that sectarianism came to dominate politics in Iraq, pitting
Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds against one another. But also, and probably more
dangerously, it cast its sinister shadow over the politics of other parts of the
region.
Third, the excessive dependency on the diaspora to bring about the change has
proved to be misplaced. Although the Iraqi diaspora were well-versed in
democratic practices, most were detached from the prevailing realities in the
country and therefore, have been unable to spearhead political change.
Fourth, the lack of an active Arab role has been a complicating factor. Without
Arab support, Iraq has been unable to effectively deal with the interventions of
the US, Iran and Türkiye.
In short, the lessons derived from the US invasion of Iraq can be summarized in
positive political change can only come from within a country, that foreign
military interventions have long-term catastrophic consequences, and the lack of
an Arab role in the search for political settlements exacerbates conflicts and
opens the door to even more foreign interventions in Arab affairs and thereby
undermines Arab interests in the long-term.
Now fast forward to March 2023 where two events have taken place that have the
potential to reserve the catastrophic consequences of the US invasion of Iraq
and to reshape the future region.
Since the invasion of Iraq, the concept of the nation state in the Middle East
has come under severe stress. Today we are witnessing a newly discovered
attachment to the concept of the nation state by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom is adopting a new narrative about the Saudi state that stretches
into prehistory. The Kingdom similar to all nation states is a product of a
combination of different factors: people, territory, layers of history and
culture, as well as Islam as the foundational principle of the modern nation
state. The commemoration of the Flag Day for the first time on March 11 stands
testimony to this important development.
The second is the normalization of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. This
could have far-reaching consequences for not only the region, but also the
relationship of the region with the outside world. But probably more importantly
it could very well put an end to the sectarianism that has plagued the region
for so long. This development in the Saudi attitude should be viewed within the
context of Riyadh’s astute handling of its relations with the US, China and
Russia, as well as managing both its oil policy and its international financial
policy as we have seen lately with the crisis with Credit Suisse.
Although sectarianism has long been a feature of the Middle East, the governance
systems over centuries and particularly since the advent of the nation state in
the 20th century have been able to manage sectarianism. What we have witnessed
lately is the transformation of the phenomenon into persistent armed conflicts
not among countries, but more dangerously within countries.
Sectarianism took its new devastating form over the past 40 years. The 1979
Iranian revolution opened the door to the revival of the schism between Shiite
and Sunni Islam and gave it a modern political form as witnessed in the
Iran-Iraq war.
The US invasion of Iraq exploited this rivalry to create an Arab front against
Iran, but more dangerously transplanted/ encouraged sectarian politics in a
combustible local environment, pitting Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds against one
another.
Now with the process of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Iran, hopefully a
reconciliation between Sunni and Shiite Islam will take place opening the door
to achieving political solutions to the complex situations in Iraq, Syria, Yemen
and Lebanon.
Could the Arab world be at the cusp of an important change? After a period of
disarray, largely due to lack of leadership, excessive dependency on the outside
powers, corrosive sectarianism, but now with the renewed attractiveness of the
concept of the nation state and an awareness of the dangers of foreign
interventions, could the Arab countries rediscover that their strength is in
their cooperation?
Time will tell if the Arab countries are able to depend on themselves to help
Iraq to overcome its problems, take the initiative in finding political
solutions to the crisis in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, in articulating a
common vision for a regional security architecture and shaping intra-Arab
relations on tangible common economic and political interests, not on emotions
and slogans.
Israel… The Game and the Players
Nabil Amr/Asharq Al Awsat/April 01/2023
Israel’s professional politicians have taken their fierce and stubborn dispute
to the corridors of the political system. The president has been the mediator,
and all sides have kept their weapons, and despite temporarily delaying work on
their main issue - the “judicial reform” - the majority in the Knesset continued
to work on separate problematic laws.
The opposition continues to take to the streets as they vie to cancel the
reforms after having imposed a temporary pause... They are now discussing this,
and no one is certain of where the dialogue will lead.
The coalition government is the biggest loser. Its influence on the street has
waned and it has been isolated by traditionally supportive global powers,
especially its ultimate supporter (the White House). Indeed, the US
administration has shown its support for the opposition by postponing the
crowning of Netanyahu in Washington and endorsing the Israeli president’s
initiative, which the coalition government has rejected and sees as a proposed
solution put forward by a party to the conflict rather than a president to
everyone.
The internal balance of power internally, as well as the US administration, is
in the opposition’s favor. This has incensed Netanyahu, especially after the US
administration withdrew the invitation that had been announced by its ambassador
in Tel Aviv. The decision to rescind the invitation pushed Netanyahu to take
their dispute public and scold President Biden (who is encroaching on Israel’s
independence and freedom to make its own decisions)!
Israeli domestic politics is a game played on shifting sands, and Netanyahu has
yet to realize that the sand has pulled him from his position as king. He is now
in a weaker position, whether within his camp or at the national level. For the
first time, opinion polls have indicated that the country favors Benny Gantz,
the star of the opposition, and his (disciplined) party would lose ten seats in
general elections if they were held tomorrow.
Netanyahu relies on past achievements. In the past, nothing could undermine the
credit he had built with the electorate, and he is behaving as though he were
still the master of the game and its players. He has not walked back on a policy
that is deepening his crisis and eroding his credibility. Immediately after
having been dealt a blow in the battle to reform the judiciary, he initiated
another battle as he sought to buy Ben Gvir’s loyalty at the expense of the
security establishment’s unity by offering a private militia, not batting an eye
as he tore up state institutions and used them to further his own ends.
Hasn’t Netanyahu realized that he had to bribe Smotrich with the defense
ministry to get the Religious Zionist Party’s votes? He could well continue to
tear the country apart if that is the price of a coalition partner’s loyalty.
These partners have ruthlessly and audaciously exploited his reliance on them,
going so far as to weaken the foundational pillars of the Israeli state.
Netanyahu has a habit of squeezing past crises, even when there seems to be no
way out. However, there isn’t enough cunning in the world to get him out of this
mess.
A third domestic actor stands on the sidelines, largely boycotting the popular
movement, the Palestinian Arabs of Israel.
Several explanations for why they decided to stand aside have emerged.
Nonetheless, something of a consensus on this issue has emerged over the past
three months.
The Palestinian citizens of Israel feel excluded from the movement, which they
said has not addressed their concerns because it has ignored their cause and
demands... Most of them found the popular protest slogan of “justice” neither
compelling nor fair. The discrimination they suffer from and are struggling to
overcome is an affront to democracy. There is also a deeper and more
consequential factor, solidarity with their fellow Palestinians, whose
occupation the protest movement has not raised a single slogan to denounce. The
two million Palestinian citizens of Israel, a fifth of the population, are not
sitting in the stands because they have the luxury to do so or because they are
indifferent.
Rather, they are making a political statement to draw attention to their demands
by pushing their fellow citizens to ask themselves why the Palestinians are
boycotting this broad movement... Despite being a minority in Israeli society,
they have refused to be mere acolytes of the protesters or a stockpile of votes
that competitors draw from every election season.
So far, the boxing match between local actors seems far finished... Whether by
decision or knockout.
Nonetheless, while the direction it will take is uncertain, it is clear that
Israel stands at a major crossroads. Let us always keep in mind the theory of
shifting sands that govern the game and control the players.
US needs to keep its allies to preserve the dollar as a
global reserve system
Nadim Shehadi/Arab News/April 01, 2023
The past decade or so has seen American withdrawal from several conflict zones
with little appetite seen for military engagement or involvement in global
disputes.
The power of the US now rests almost solely on the status of the US dollar as a
global reserve currency, allowing it to use sanctions and exert pressure on
countries. In order to maintain this, it must also keep its allies invested in
that system.
In fact, the US dollar is more than a currency. There is a whole system built
around it. Sovereign financial instruments, be they currency or bonds, are also
political documents that have behind them institutional arrangement, credible
legal frameworks, international alliances as well as military, political and
economic power. Any merchant who invested in Ottoman or Austrian bonds before
the First World War learned that lesson the hard way.
But the dollar system is still solid, the only game in town, and there are no
indications of its demise. On the contrary, during financial crises, people
still rush to it for safety. Istanbul bazaar traders, in these times of
inflation, convert their Turkish lira to dollars almost daily as a store of
value. This is partly an intangible faith in its value and convertibility and
mainly because there is no credible alternative.
This was tested in 1981 when the US dollar lost about two thirds of its
purchasing power through stagflation and still maintained that status. I
remember left-wing student organizations celebrating the end of American
capitalism in conferences 42 years ago.
Debt ceilings can be raised multiple times and the country will be immune to
financial crises as long as it can print its currency and there is global demand
for it. No matter what its share of international trade is, other currencies
traded have to pass through dollar-based convertibility to be credible; even
gold is priced in dollars. The world as we know it needs a currency of reference
such as the dollar. There is no substitute. Furthermore, the dollar is not only
a currency, it is also a platform for trade and payment and dispute resolution,
mainly through American courts. To understand this, imagine having to resort to
Russian or Chinese courts to resolve disputes. It took two world wars to
dislodge British sterling from that position, and the whole post-Second World
War international institutional arrangements as well, as much of international
trade is reliant on the dollar since it was adopted as the global reserve
currency at the Bretton Woods conference. That established the current
international order and its institutions — such as the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund and the International Trade Organization. It would
take a huge upheaval in the international system to dislodge the dollar.
Having said that, the very fact that we are asking these questions means that
the process has begun. We are seeing numerous alliances being formed to combat
the dollar: Every time the US uses sanctions against a country or blocks it from
using the SWIFT financial transfers network controlled by the US Treasury or
other dollar-based instruments; every time it freezes dollar-based assets, it
pushes more actors to start looking for alternatives. Who knows what will happen
with central bank digital currency if it also moves to interbank operations. No
state can defeat the dollar on its own but alliances are forming with that sole
purpose. A hostile collapse of the US dollar would have dire consequences on the
interdependent global economy and, most of all, on the US itself.
When states have an incentive to move away from any instruments or bonds that
the US can seize at leisure or displeasure, that system is no longer safe — even
America’s allies are worried. A friend’s father once said that ideally banking
should be boring, now it is becoming dangerous.
Russia and China are leading the charge and are gathering allies through several
mechanisms. One of them is the expansion of the BRICS alliance already composed
of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The acronym was coined by Jim
O'Neill, the former chief economist of the Goldman Sachs group who has recently
called for its expansion — and there are already talks with several countries,
including some major oil producers, to join it.
China leads the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a Eurasian economic,
political, security and defense bloc that is also seeking an expansion of its
members. They are already discussing alternative arrangements that would hedge
against US-dollar dominance. These efforts have increased with the Ukraine war
and the stepping up of Russian-Chinese trade in yuan. The global economy is also
going through a period of instability. In the past 12 years, especially since
2011, we have witnessed increasing protest movements that represent cracks in
the post-Second World War system. In the 1980s, when we spoke of a global debt
crisis it was understood to mean the debt of developing countries. In 2023, we
automatically also think of some of the leading economies such as Japan and the
UK, as well as the PIIGS group in Europe composed of Portugal, Italy, Ireland,
Greece and Spain, with Greece having the highest debt to GDP ratio of close to
178 percent. The US is again immune to this but the consequences of a
large-scale global crisis remain unpredictable.
There is a new generation that is questioning that world order. A generation
that still pays taxes but gets fewer services than the previous one and is
expected to shoulder the debt burden their parents’ generation has created. The
20th-century welfare state has sold them short. They don’t have faith in
official figures, they see that survival on current salary levels is impossible.
Economists are the last people to offer solutions; Greece and Argentina have the
world’s best economists and the worst economies. The next change in the global
order could be the result of financial implosion rather than a world war.
The US has also been losing influence in regions it is withdrawing from, and
many of its friends have doubts about its reliability as a guarantor of their
security and protection. Within the US itself there are also growing voices that
question its role as a superpower and its ability to lead a stable global order.
Even the Europeans are not satisfied with the current security arrangements.
America forgot how much it depends on its allies. The recent Chinese-brokered
agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran is but one indication of this
phenomenon.
If the demise of the dollar is still difficult to imagine, it is also equally
challenging to think of its power as eternal. The US should review its strategy
and work with its friends and allies and maintain its soft power to ensure that
when change happens, it will be managed. A hostile collapse of the US dollar
would have dire consequences on the interdependent global economy and most of
all, on the US itself.
• Nadim Shehadi is a Lebanese economist.