English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For April 07/2023
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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15 آذار/2023

Bible Quotations For today
The Death of Jesus/Good Friday
John 19/28-37: Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty. A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 06-07/2023
Thursday of the Holy Mysteries: Sacraments, Humility and Temptation/Elias Bejjani/April 06/2023
Rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon raise risk of conflict
Israel Intercepts Rocket Fired from Lebanon
34 rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel, 25 intercepted
UN chief condemns rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel, urges 'restraint'
UNIFIL urges restraint after rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel
Netanyahu vows enemies will 'pay price' after Lebanon rockets
Israel says Lebanon rockets were 'Palestinian fire'
US says Israel has 'right to defend itself' after Lebanon rockets
Mikati rejects 'escalation' from Lebanese soil after rockets on Israel
Geagea addresses Lebanese govt. over South rockets
Drone used in bid to smuggle drugs into Lebanon’s biggest prison
US calls for de-escalation amid rising tensions in Lebanon, Jerusalem, and Gaza; Israel prepares for retaliation
Paris Asks Franjieh for Guarantees, Answer Lies with 'Hezbollah'
Berri 'satisfied' with Franjieh-Durel meeting outcome
Bassil urges Christian agreement on president, says Doha has no candidates
Total Energies contracts Transocean to drill first well in Lebanon's block 9
From $8.5 to $20 Million: Lebanon's unfinished Olympic-sized pool
Number of unconvicted prisoners in Lebanon exceeds 80 percent: MP Michel Moussa
Salameh's term ending soon: Who will be the successor amid financial crisis?
Legal battle against Lebanon's central bank governor faces jurisdictional dispute and Parisian hearing
Salameh summoned for interrogation in Paris on May 16
Number of unconvicted prisoners in Lebanon exceeds 80 percent: MP Michel Moussa
Meanwhile in Lebanon/Franck Salameh/Hoover.org/April 06/2023
Lebanon in need of a new political system/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/April 07, 2023

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 06-07/2023
Netanyahu: 'We will cripple our enemies, they will pay a heavy price'/Ynetnews/April 07/2023
Rockets from Lebanon are a green light to encourage escalation on all fronts/Ron Ben-Yishai|/Ynetnews/April 07/2023
Rockets Fired from Gaza Raise Tension as Passover Begins
Hamas says Palestinians will respond to Israel's al-Aqsa aggression
Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa face second day of harassment by Israeli polic
Saudi Arabia, Iran to Launch Arrangements on Reopening of Embassies and Consulates
Rouhani Calls for Referendum on Economy, Foreign, Domestic Policies
Iran, Saudi Arabia push ahead with normalisation as they agree on embassies
Canada Repatriates 14 Women, Children from Syria’s Roj Camp
UN Palestinian Refugee Chief Warns over Lack of Donors
Macron meets Xi in Beijing with Ukraine top priority
Moscow is trying to play it cool, but its military moves hint at growing concern over NATO's newest member/Michael Peck/Business Insider/Thu, April 6, 2023

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 06-07/2023
Countries and -” Countries!/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq A-Awsat/April, 06/2023
The Big Show/Samir Atallah/Asharq A-Awsat/April, 06/2023
Crisis in the Arab World… And a New Arab Initiative/Saleh Al-Qallab/Asharq A-Awsat/April, 06/2023
China's Race to Dominate the Military and Emerging Technologies/Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute/April 6, 2023
Why Muslims Hate the Cross: Part 1/Raymond Ibrahim/April 6, 2023
The three possible outcomes of the Saudi-Iran deal/Faisal J. Abba/Arab News/April 07, 2023

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 05-06/2023
Thursday of the Holy Mysteries: Sacraments, Humility and Temptation
Elias Bejjani/April 06/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/38445/38445/
On the Thursday that comes before the “Good Friday, when Jesus was crucified, Catholics all over the world, including our Maronite Eastern Church celebrates with prayers and intercessions the “Thursday of the Holy Mysteries”, which is also known as the “Washing Thursday “, the “Covenant Thursday”, and the “Great & Holy Thursday”. It is the holy day feast that falls on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with His 12 Apostles as described in the gospel. It is the fifth day of the last Lenten Holy Week, that is followed by the, “Good Friday”, “Saturday Of The Light and “Easter Sunday”.
Christianity in its essence and core is Love, Sacrifice, honesty, transparency, devotion, hard work and Humility. Jesus during the last supper with His 12 Apostles reiterated and stressed all these Godly values and principles. In this holy and message proclaiming context He executed the following acts : He, ordained His Apostles as priests, and asked them to proclaim God’s message. “You have stayed with me all through my trials; 29 and just as my Father has given me the right to rule, so I will give you the same right. 30 You will eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to rule over the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22/28 and 29)
He, taught His Apostles and every body else, that evil temptation and betrayal can hit all those who detach and dissociate themselves from God, do not fear Him, lack faith, lose hope and worship earthly treasures. He showed them by example that even a disciple that He personally had picked and choose (Judas, the Iscariot) has fell a prey to Satan’s temptation. “But, look! The one who betrays me is here at the table with me! The Son of Man will die as God has decided, but how terrible for that man who betrays him!” Luke 22/21)
He, washed His Apostles’ feet to teach them by example modesty, devotion and humility. “So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him” (John 13/12-16).
Modesty was stressed and explained by Jesus after His Apostles were arguing among themselves who is the greatest: “An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them should be thought of as the greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the pagans have power over their people, and the rulers claim the title ‘Friends of the People.’ But this is not the way it is with you; rather, the greatest one among you must be like the youngest, and the leader must be like the servant. Who is greater, the one who sits down to eat or the one who serves? The one who sits down, of course. But I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22/24 till 27)
Thursday of the “Holy Mysteries”, is called so because in His Last Supper with the 12 disciples, Jesus Christ established the Eucharist and Priesthood Sacraments when “He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this, and share it among yourselves, for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of God comes.” “He took bread, broke it and gave it to the disciples saying: This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me. And when He Likewise, took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you”.
Thursday of the Holy Mysteries (Secrets-Sacraments) is the heart of the last Lenten holy week, in which the Maronite Catholic Church lives with reverence and devotion the Lord’s Last Supper spirit and contemplation through prayers and deeply rooted religious rituals and traditions:
The Patriarch prays over and blesses the chrism (Al-Myroun), as well as the oil of baptism and anointing that are to are distributed on all parishes and churches.
During the mass that is held on this Holy Day, the priest washes the feet of twelve worshipers, mainly children (symbolizing the apostles numbers). Jesus washed His disciples feet and commanded them to love each other and follow his example in serving each other.
Worshipers visit and pray in seven Churches. This ritual denotes to the completion of the Church’s Seven sacraments (Secrets) : Priesthood, Eucharist, Holy Oil, Baptism, Confirmations, anointing and Service.
This tradition also denotes to the seven locations that Virgin Mary’s went to look for Her Son, Jesus, after she learned about His arrest. The detention place, The Council of the Priests, twice the Pilate’s headquarters, twice the Herod Headquarters, till She got to the Calvary.
Some Christian scholars believe that this tradition was originated in Rome where early pilgrims visited the seven pilgrim churches as an act of penance. They are Saint John Lateran, Saint Peter, Saint Mary Major, Saint Paul-outside-the-Walls, Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls, Holy Cross-in-Jerusalem, and traditionally Saint Sebastian Outside the Walls. Pope John Paul II replaced St. Sebastian with the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Divine Love for the jubilee year of 2000.
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is accompanied by the ringing of bells, which are then silent until the Easter Vigil. Worshipers used to kneel and pray the rosary in front of the Eucharist (Blessed Sacrament) all Thursday night. The Blessed Sacrament remains exposed all night, while worshipers are encouraged to stay in the church as much as they can praying, meditating upon the Mystery of Salvation, and participating in the “agony of Gethsemane” (Garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives) in Jerusalem where Jesus spent his night in prayer before His crucifixion on Good Friday.
After the homily washing of feet the service concludes with a procession taking the Blessed Eucharist (Sacrament) to the place of reposition. The altar is later stripped bare, as are all other altars in the church except the Altar of Repose.
Thursday of the “Holy Mysteries”, is called so because in His Last Supper with the 12 disciples, Jesus Christ established the Eucharist and Priesthood Sacraments when “He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this, and share it among yourselves, for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of God comes.” “He took bread, broke it and gave it to the disciples saying: This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me. And when He Likewise, took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you”. Jesus ordained His disciples as priests of the New Testament when he said to them during the Last Supper: “But you are those who have continued with me in my trials. I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. You will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Before Celebrating the Resurrection Day (Easter) worshipers live the “Paschal Mystery” through the Thursday Of the Sacraments, Good Friday and Saturday Of The Light.
Because He loves us and wants us to dwell in His Eternal Heaven, Jesus Christ for our sake willingly suffered all kinds of torture, pain, humiliation and died on the Cross to pave our way for repentance and salvation.
Let us pray on this Holy Day that we always remember Jesus’ love and sacrifices and live our life in this context of genuine, faith, love, meekness and forgiveness.

Rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon raise risk of conflict
Najia Houssari/Arab News/April 06/2023
BEIRUT: Militants in Lebanon launched a rocket barrage at villages across Israel’s northern frontier on Thursday, wounding two people and forcing hundreds to flee to bomb shelters, the Israeli military said. The attack, one of the heaviest in years, ratcheted up regional tensions a day after Israeli police raided Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, Al-Aqsa Mosque. Israel’s military later said that 34 rockets had been fired from Lebanon in the 15-minute strike, with 25 intercepted, and at least four landing in Israel. Lebanese troops and the UN peacekeeping force were heavily deployed along the southern border with Israel on Thursday as investigations began into the attack. The Israeli army said that its Iron Dome anti-missile system “intercepted multiple rockets fired from Lebanon.” Earlier, warning sirens sounded in many Israeli settlements, prompting people to flee to shelters. Media outlets in Israel initially estimated that up to 100 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward settlements and towns in the country’s north. Israeli spy drones were seen flying over southern Lebanon following the attack. UNIFIL described the situation in southern Lebanon as “extremely serious,” and urged “restraint and to avoid escalation.”Candice Ardell, deputy director of UNIFIL Media Office, said in a statement: “Multiple rockets were fired from southern Lebanon toward Israel this afternoon. The Israeli army informed UNIFIL that it has activated its Iron Dome defense system in response to the attacks.”
She added that Maj. Gen. Aroldo Lazaro, UNIFIL head of mission and force commander, had been in contact with authorities on both sides of the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon. Social media activists on both sides of the border shared footage of the attack and rocket interceptions. The Lebanese National News Agency said that Israeli artillery responded to the rocket strike by firing heavy shells from positions along the border with Lebanon. According to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, security officials believe that the Palestinian militant group Hamas was behind the rocket attack.
A source close to Hezbollah said that the party had nothing to do with the incident, according to Al-Hadath channel. “If we wanted to respond, it wouldn’t have been this way,” the source said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chaired a high-level security meeting to follow up on developments in the wake of the attack. “No one should test us and we will take all the necessary measures to defend our country,” Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said. Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Beirut on Wednesday to take part in “events related to the Palestinian cause,” according to Hamas spokesperson in Lebanon, Walid Kilani. Hezbollah usually commemorates “Al-Quds Day” during Ramadan every year. Meanwhile, Lebanon condemned the Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the raids “constitute a flagrant aggression and a transgression against holy sites,” and called on everyone with “a conscience to intervene and stop what is happening.”

Israel Intercepts Rocket Fired from Lebanon
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
A rocket was fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory on Thursday and was successfully intercepted, the Israeli military said in a statement. Two Lebanese security sources said there were two rocket attacks from southern Lebanon and, shortly afterwards, a burst of artillery fire hit southern Lebanon. There were no immediate reports of any casualties. Also, it was not immediately clear who was behind the rare rocket fire from Lebanon. Air raid sirens were heard across Israel's western Galilee region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "receiving continuous updates about the security situation and will conduct an assessment with the heads of the security establishment," his office said.The reports come at a time of heightened tension following Israeli raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem this week. Residents of southern Lebanon said they heard loud blasts.

34 rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel, 25 intercepted
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/Associated Press
The Israeli army said it intercepted rocket fire from Lebanon Thursday after clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians inside al-Aqsa Mosque -- Islam's third-holiest site -- drew warnings of retaliation from around the region. Israel's army said it had "identified 34 rockets that were fired from Lebanese territory into Israeli territory" and that 25 were intercepted by Israeli air defenses. "Five rockets landed in Israeli territory," added the Israeli army statement that followed the attack, which was not immediately claimed by any group. The Israeli military denied to AFP that it had retaliated "thus far" in response to reports from Lebanon's National News Agency that Israel had struck targets in southern Lebanon. According to the Lebanon report, Israeli artillery fired "several shells from its positions on the border" towards the outskirts of two villages after the launch of "several Katyusha type rockets" at Israel.
Sources close to Hezbollah meanwhile told Al-Arabiya TV that "Palestinian factions are behind the firing of rockets" and that Hezbollah was not involved in the incident. "We would not respond to any Israeli action in this manner," the source said.
There was no immediate claim of the responsibility for the attack, which came amid heightened tensions after Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque before dawn Wednesday and again in the evening.
Lebanese security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media said the rockets had been fired from the area of a Palestinian refugee camp — suggesting that the rockets had been fired by Palestinian militants based in Lebanon. The Lebanese army said in a statement that it found missile launchers and “a number of rockets intended for launch” in the vicinity of the towns of Zibqin and Qlayleh in south Lebanon and was working to dismantle them.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "receiving continuous updates about the security situation and will conduct an assessment with the heads of the security establishment," his office said. A meeting of Israel's security cabinet was also scheduled for later Thursday. The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad hailed the rockets as “a heroic operation against the Israeli crimes in the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”The rockets came a day after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Lebanon for a visit. A Hamas source told AFP that Haniyeh had canceled a visit to the southern Lebanese city of Sidon scheduled for Thursday afternoon due to the "developments".
The source added that Haniyeh was set to meet with Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in the next 48 hours. Israeli emergency services reported a man had been lightly wounded by shrapnel and a female was injured while running to the shelter.
Warning sirens sounded in the town of Shlomi and in Moshav Betzet and the Galilee in northern Israel, the army said. In the evening, three mortar shells were fired from the southern Lebanese region of Marjeyoun at an open area in Israel's Metulla, Israeli media reports said.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant meanwhile "completed a situation assessment with senior officials in Israel's defense establishment," after which he instructed "to prepare all the possible responses to recent events," a statement said. And as Israel's foreign minister said that Israel "will take all measures to protect its security," security sources told Israel's Channel 12 that there will be no "war against Lebanon" while confirming that Israel will "retaliate." Armed police in riot gear stormed the prayer hall of Al-Aqsa mosque before dawn Wednesday, aiming to dislodge "law-breaking youths and masked agitators" they said had barricaded themselves inside. The violence, during both the Jewish Passover and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, sparked an exchange of rockets and air strikes with militants in the Gaza Strip, with fears of further escalation.
Lebanon's Hezbollah warned earlier Thursday it would support "all measures" Palestinian groups may take against Israel after the clashes. "Hezbollah forcefully denounces the assault carried out by the Israeli occupation forces against the Al-Aqsa mosque compound and its attacks on the faithful," Hezbollah said in a statement. Hezbollah, an arch foe of Israel, has close ties with the Islamist movement Hamas, which rules Gaza, and with the Islamic Jihad militant group, which is also based in the coastal enclave. The last rocket fired from Lebanon into Israel was in April 2022. Security incidents occur from time to time in the border area between Lebanon and Israel, which is guarded by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

UN chief condemns rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel, urges 'restraint'
Agence France Presse/April 06/2023
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon toward Israel, his spokesman said Thursday, calling on "all actors to exercise maximum restraint." "We condemn the multiple rockets being fired from Lebanon into northern Israel today," Stephane Dujarric told reporters, asking all parties to "avoid any unilateral action that could further escalate the situation."

UNIFIL urges restraint after rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel
Naharnet/April 06/2023
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Thursday called for restraint after rocket fire from southern Lebanon targeted Israel. "This afternoon there were multiple rocket launches from southern Lebanon toward Israel. The IDF (Israeli army) informed UNIFIL that it had activated its Iron Dome defense system in response," UNIFIL said in a statement. "Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lázaro is in contact with authorities on both sides of the Blue Line," UNIFIL added. "The current situation is extremely serious. UNIFIL urges restraint and to avoid further escalation," it said.

Netanyahu vows enemies will 'pay price' after Lebanon rockets
Agence France Presse/April 06/2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday vowed Israel's enemies would "pay a price" following a barrage of rockets from Lebanon that was blamed on Palestinian groups. "We will strike our enemies and they will pay the price for any act of aggression," Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting, according to a short video statement released by his office. A barrage of 34 rockets was fired at Israel from Lebanon on the Jewish holiday of Passover -- the largest escalation along the frontier since Israel and Hezbollah fought a 34-day war in 2006.
It came just days after Israeli police drew widespread condemnation and warnings of retaliation from around the region for beating up Palestinians inside Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque -- Islam's third-holiest site. The site is known to Jews as the Temple Mount -- considered the holiest site in Judaism. "We have no intention of changing the status quo on the Temple Mount," he said, referring to a current arrangement that allows Jews to visit the site but not pray there. "We are calling for calming the situation and we will take strong action against extremists who use violence there," Netanyahu added.

Israel says Lebanon rockets were 'Palestinian fire'
Agence France Pressessociated Press
Israel blamed Palestinian groups on Thursday for a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon, an Israeli army spokesperson said. "We know for sure it's Palestinian fire," Lt. Colonel Richard Hecht told reporters. "It's hard to say, it could be Hamas it could be Islamic Jihad, we are still trying to finalize but it wasn't Hezbollah," he continued. "We assume Hezbollah knew about it, and Lebanon also has some responsibility. We are also investigating whether Iran was involved," he added. Hecht also said that Thursday's rocket fire was not believed to be connected to events in Syria. The salvo of 34 rockets fired on the Jewish holiday of Passover was the largest escalation along the frontier since Israel and Hezbollah fought a 34-day war in 2006. It came just days after Israeli police drew widespread condemnation and warnings of retaliation from around the region for beating up Palestinians inside Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque -- Islam's third-holiest site.

US says Israel has 'right to defend itself' after Lebanon rockets
Agence France Presse/April 06/2023
The United States said Thursday that its ally Israel had the right to defend itself after a barrage of rockets from Lebanon following soaring tensions over Jerusalem. "We condemn the launch of rockets from Lebanon and Gaza at Israel," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters. "Our commitment to Israel's security is ironclad, and we recognize Israel's legitimate right to defend itself against all forms of aggression." Israel said it had identified 34 rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel, with 25 intercepted, in the largest escalation along the frontier since a war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. The rocket fire came just days after Israeli police drew widespread condemnation and warnings of retaliation from around the region for beating up Palestinians inside Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque -- Islam's third-holiest site. "We continue to say quite forcefully that any unilateral action that jeopardizes the status quo is unacceptable," Patel said.

Mikati rejects 'escalation' from Lebanese soil after rockets on Israel
Agence France Presse/April 06/2023
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Thursday Lebanon "refuses any escalation from its territory," condemning the barrage of rockets fired towards Israel from its soil. Mikati said in a statement that Lebanon "rejects the use of its territory to carry out operations that destabilize the situation," after Israel threatened to retaliate against Palestinian groups it accused of the attack.

Geagea addresses Lebanese govt. over South rockets
Naharnet/April 06/2023
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday addressed questions to the Lebanese government after dozens of rockets were fired from south Lebanon at northern Israel. “What are the national obligations that necessitate firing dozens of rockets from south Lebanon at Israel at this very moment and what will the Lebanese government’s response be regarding its pledges to commit to the stipulations of Resolution 1701?” Geagea asked in a statement.“What if a single windowpane gets shattered at the house of a Lebanese citizen in the South due to the exchange of rockets and artillery shelling? From where will the Lebanese government bring the necessary money to fix it? Not to mention the main, essential and urgent question: Has the Lebanese government met or taken the decision to fire the rockets from the South at Israel?” the LF leader added. “By ceding the state’s strategic decision to the Axis of Defiance, the Lebanese government would be renouncing its main responsibilities of preserving the security of the country and its citizens,” Geagea warned. He added that “a presidential candidate who would not pledge to return the entire strategic decision to the Lebanese state would not be eligible to be a candidate nor a president.”

Drone used in bid to smuggle drugs into Lebanon’s biggest prison
Najia Houssari/Arab News/April 06/2023
BEIRUT: Security forces in Lebanon have foiled an attempt to use a drone to smuggle drugs into the central Roumieh Prison. The administration of the largest prison in Lebanon spotted the drone hovering over the convicts’ ward several days ago. The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces said that a transparent bag containing drugs and a cell phone had been taped to the drone. After the drone was seized, it was found to contain 74 narcotic pills, a white substance, a cell phone containing a SIM card, a USB flash drive and a pair of earbuds, the ISF said.
Many attempts have been made to smuggle prohibited substances into Lebanese prisons, especially Roumieh. A week ago, the mother of an inmate was caught trying to smuggle narcotic pills into the facility she had hidden inside her body, the ISF said.
Lawyer Rabih Qais, who is familiar with prison affairs, told Arab News: “There are constant attempts to smuggle prohibited substances into prisons, and the means are always changing. “Organized crime prevails in prisons, like all prisons in the world. In Roumieh, there are gangs that sell drugs inside the prison and those include the most dangerous criminals.”Qais added: “Prison security guards are doing their best to thwart attempts to smuggle contraband into Roumieh, although they work under extremely difficult conditions and their salaries have become worthless.”
Lebanese prisons are overcrowded with inmates facing charges of murder, drug use and trafficking, and theft. Prison overcrowding in Lebanon now exceeds 380 percent. About 80 percent of the prison population is being held without trial. Due to the overcrowding, new detainees are often kept in police stations that fail to meet prison standards. A judicial source told Arab News that there are no beds for detainees in police stations, and that no food or medical care are provided.
“About 45 percent of inmates and detainees are of Syrian nationality,” the source added. There are more than 9,000 prisoners in Lebanon, distributed across 25 prisons and 229 police stations. Roumieh, which was built in 1972 to accommodate 1,200 prisoners, now houses more than 4,000 inmates. Some cells designed to hold up to five inmates are housing more than 10 people, who take turns to sleep because of the lack of room, some released prisoners have reported. Caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, a former judge, said in January that the country’s economic crisis is affecting the ability of authorities to employ security guards around the clock in prisons, as well as maintain consistent power and food supplies, and medical care.
“We have to secure all these things for the prisons, so we cannot allow the electricity to go out or food to run out. The Ministry of Interior bears this burden although it is not its duty to secure such needs,” Mawlawi said.
In mid-March, food vendors said that they would stop delivering to prisons from April 4 in protest against the prisons’ failure to make up for price differences resulting from currency depreciation.
The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Finance rushed to address the emerging crisis in late March, as the head of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee, MP Michel Moussa, announced the taking of “several treasury advances to secure dues for companies that provide foodstuffs to prisons.”
Meanwhile, a seven-month strike by judges over wage deflation has undermined hopes of alleviating overcrowding in prisons.
Human rights associations have reported “the most horrific forms of neglect and grievance.”Worsening conditions have led to the death of 33 inmates in the past year alone, while serious illnesses including cholera are rife across the prison system.
Recent video footage leaked from inside Roumieh showed a number of inmates threatening the judiciary with mass suicide, demanding that they be tried.
The inmates denounced the “injustice” of Public Prosecutor Judge Ghassan Oueidat’s decision to release those involved in the Beirut port explosion in 2020, while others have been detained for years without trial.
Nader Gaspar, head of the Beirut Bar Association, complained about “the lack of personnel in charge of guarding prisons, at a time when security personnel are assigned to guard political figures.”

US calls for de-escalation amid rising tensions in Lebanon, Jerusalem, and Gaza; Israel prepares for retaliation
LBCI/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
Israel prepares for retaliation. The United States has expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in Lebanon, Jerusalem, and Gaza, urging all parties involved to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation. The National Security Council at the White House reaffirmed the US commitment to Israel's security and recognized its legitimate right to protect its citizens and territory against any form of aggression. The NSC further stressed that those who use Lebanon as a base for launching missiles against Israel are endangering the Lebanese people and increasing the potential for destabilization in the country. In a separate briefing, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari informed reporters that Hamas was responsible for the recent rocket attack from Lebanon. He also stated that the Lebanese government is accountable for any attack originating from its territory. The IDF is currently investigating if there was any Iranian involvement in the rocket attack. In response to the rocket fire, the Israeli foreign ministry has instructed its ambassadors to convey a message to their host governments, emphasizing Israel's intention to retaliate. The instruction stated, "You need to speak to stress that Israel will take the needed steps to defend itself."

Paris Asks Franjieh for Guarantees, Answer Lies with 'Hezbollah'
Mohamed Choucair/Asharq A-Awsat/April, 06/2023
Qatar's Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi held recently a number of meetings with Lebanese spiritual and political leaders, which highlighted the difference between Qatar and France's approach in dealing with the presidential issue.
According to well-informed sources, Paris is likely the only side that is pushing for electing former Minister Sleiman Franjieh as Lebanon's president, within the framework of a settlement that includes appointing Former Ambassador Nawaf Salam as prime minister, and IMF director in the Middle East and Africa, former Minister Jihad Azour, as governor of the Banque du Liban, to succeed Riad Salameh. The sources also noted that the Qatari minister did not come to Beirut to promote any candidate for the presidency, instead, he stressed that Qatar shares the same view with Saudi Arabia on the presidential crisis, especially in terms of linking international and regional assistance for Lebanon with the election of a president, who will be able to launch an intra-Lebanese dialogue that will see the adoption of the required reforms. The same sources quoted the Qatari minister as saying that the solution begins with the election of a president who enjoys the characteristics agreed upon by the international community, and opens the door to the formation of a coherent government to start implementing reforms. Al-Khulaifi also believes that any progress within the quintet committee for Lebanon – which brings together representatives of the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar – will depend on dialogue between the Lebanese political forces. In this context, the sources did not rule out that the five-member committee - in light of the questions raised by the Qatari minister - would discuss a set of ideas that would pave the way for a better political climate, provided that it coincides with the willingness of the political forces to resolve the differences that hinder the election of the president. Meanwhile, the United States is watching the outcome of the French initiative, even if it believes that the Hezbollah-Amal duo has encouraged Paris to adopt the Franjieh-Salam barter, under the pretext of facilitating the election process. Accordingly, Paris is giving itself an opportunity to push for the election of Franjieh, based on the fact that Hezbollah’s approval is necessary for the presidential election, despite the assertion of opponents that the party cannot unilaterally choose a president for the country. France did not promise Franjieh to support his candidacy indefinitely, and instructed him to move at the local and foreign levels to address the objections to his election. However, the former minister had a positive impression following his meeting with French presidential advisor Patrick Durrell, as reported by former Minister Youssef Fenianos, who was dispatched by Franjieh to inform Speaker Nabih Berri and the Hezbollah leadership of the outcome of his meeting.

Berri 'satisfied' with Franjieh-Durel meeting outcome
Naharnet/April, 06/2023
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is satisfied with the outcome of Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh's visit to Paris, al-Akhbar newspaper reported Thursday. The daily said that Franjieh had briefed Berri about his visit to France, over a phone call. Franjieh had met last week in Paris French presidential advisor for North Africa and the Middle East Patrick Durel. Berri's visitors told al-Akhbar that the talks were positive and showed that "doors are not closed." France will discuss Franjieh's answers to certain questions with Saudi Arabia, the visitors quoted Berri as saying.
Annahar had earlier reported that Durel had obtained Paris-demanded “guarantees” from Franjieh and will discuss them with the Saudis. Former lawmaker and minister Franjieh is close to Hezbollah and a personal friend of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. His grandfather and namesake was president when Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war broke out. "We need a president who can talk to everyone, including Syria and Hezbollah," Berri said. Franjieh has not officially announced his candidacy, but Hezbollah and Amal have officially nominated him.

Bassil urges Christian agreement on president, says Doha has no candidates
Naharnet/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has revealed that the Qatari delegation that visited Lebanon had stressed that Doha “has no candidates.”Qatar rather supports “the idea of having a program and a roadmap,” Bassil said in an interview with al-Joumhouria newspaper, noting that “an integrated plan consists of a president, a premiers and a rescue plan.” “They did not propose names nor bargains. They rather explained their vision, which calls for the election of a president for Lebanon,” Bassil added, pointing out that “the election of a president does not solve the problem” of the country.
As for his deteriorating relation with Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, the FPM chief described it as “frozen” because there are “two different approaches.” “We don’t want the presidency but we won’t endorse a candidate who would aggravate the crisis. I don’t work as a house boy for anyone, I rather work for Lebanon and the FPM,” Bassil added. Calling for “an agreement among the strong Christian parties” over the new president, Bassil reiterated that he has offered a “major concession” by not nominating himself for the post. “There are other names in the country other than Suleiman Franjieh and we have also rejected (Michel) Mouawad. The issue with Franjieh is not personal, knowing that Mouawad was with us in the bloc and we also rejected him and knowing that I personally have an interest in Franjieh’s election,” the FPM chief added. “But there is no interest for the country in his election,” he said.
“To the contrary, I will be pleased if he gets elected and I will laugh, but I know that that will not be in the country’s interest,” Bassil went on to say, noting that he has been offered “guarantees and promises” to endorse Franjieh’s nomination. Moreover, the FPM chief said: “There are many figures who are capable of communicating with Syria and Hezbollah other than Franjieh and the issue should not be limited to one person.”“We will keep working and we will not announce a name in order not to harm his chances. Others have proposed Michel Mouawad and what has been the result?” Bassil added. “Our efforts are clear. We’re not part of any camp. We will seek to reach a candidate who would add a work plan to our agreement,” the FPM chief said, revealing that he is “working on agreement” with several “figures and MPs.” Asked about calling on the FPM’s supporters to organize street protests, Bassil said: “If intransigence continues, if Riad Salameh is not held accountable, if no political reforms are passed in parliament, if they don’t agree to the IMF’s demands and if they don’t want to agree on a president, it will be normal to tell the FPM to be ready to take to the streets.”

Total Energies contracts Transocean to drill first well in Lebanon's block 9
LBCI/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
Total Energies has informed the Energy Ministry and the Petroleum Sector Administration that it has contracted Transocean to bring a drilling rig to Lebanon to drill the first well in Block 9. The drilling rig, which is expected to arrive in Lebanon and begin drilling between September and December of this year, is a self-propelled platform currently operating in the North Sea with Total Energies as well.The contract estimates that the drilling rig will operate for 67 days at a cost of $365,000 per day, making the total cost of the contract for working days $25.58 million. The contract also includes the cost of sailing the rig to the drilling site, including fuel costs of $6.24 million, as well as the cost of departing Lebanon and returning to the North Sea at $6.24 million. In addition, 10 percent of these amounts will be allocated for emergencies, bringing the total value of the contract to $41.29 million, to be paid by Total Energies.

From $8.5 to $20 Million: Lebanon's unfinished Olympic-sized pool
LBCI/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
Lebanon's ongoing financial crisis has been attributed to many factors, and now a new report sheds light on a startling example of the government's mismanagement of funds. Lebanon started building an Olympic-sized indoor pool in 2004, but as of 2023, the project remains unfinished. What is worse, the government has reportedly paid a staggering twenty million dollars for the incomplete pool. However, the project was initially budgeted at $8.5 million, but it has since ballooned to $20 million without completion and requires an additional $10 million to complete it. This shows the upward trajectory of public money waste in other large and small projects will be more explicit. Suppose international organizations and countries are informed about Lebanon's mismanagement of funds with the example of this unfinished pool. In that case, they may begin to understand why the Lebanese people are suffering so much. However, LBCI followed up on this case, and the Youth and Sports Committee has been meeting to address the issue and has decided to form a parliamentary investigation committee and a subsidiary committee to investigate. Additionally, sources told LBCI that the Court of Audit had received documents and files related to the project to begin its financial investigation. This unfinished swimming pool project is a shocking example of the waste of public funds and mismanagement of resources in Lebanon. Thus, while investigations and audits are necessary steps toward accountability, legal action must also be taken against those involved in the mismanagement of public funds.

Number of unconvicted prisoners in Lebanon exceeds 80 percent: MP Michel Moussa
LBCI/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
On Thursday, the Human Rights Committee held a session in the Parliament to tackle issues regarding nutrition and health in prisons. After the session, MP Michel Moussa affirmed today Lebanon is facing a significant crisis that primarily affects the marginalized classes, including prisoners. "It is unacceptable that the number of unconvicted prisoners exceeds 80 percent. Here is our call for the judiciary to speed up the trials and apply the articles related to releases." MP Michel Moussa stated that the session was held to discuss the urgent issues in prisons, especially regarding nutrition and health, because the living, social, health, and economic crises that exist in the country also affect prisons, expressing that prisoners cannot earn money to be able to live with it. He added that assistance provided by international institutions and the International Red Cross, which provided significant contributions, must be preserved and maintained permanently. He also demanded an increase in this assistance and called for more coordination between institutions for fair and varied aid distribution. He stressed that the overcrowding in prisons is not humanly acceptable, adding that "we appeal to the judiciary, even if it is in cases of strike, that there be exceptions to consider these rulings because there are those who serve a much longer prison term than they are sentenced to at the time of the sentencing." He continued: "There are basic issues for the committee, and we all know that in the past period, the number of deaths was unusual, and we demanded clear and effective investigations regarding deaths in coordination with the judiciary. It is the right of families to know about the fate of their children and what led to their death." The Human Rights Committee also tackled health issues, especially the issue of hospitals, emergency cases, and costs, and the issue of enhancing hospitalization opportunities for prisoners. As for nutrition, MP Michel Moussa said they would work to have treasury advances as food contractors threaten to stop deliveries because they have accumulations on the state.

Salameh's term ending soon: Who will be the successor amid financial crisis?
LBCI/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
Lebanon's Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh's term in office is set to end in July, which poses a complicated situation if a new president is not elected and a government is not formed to appoint a successor. With the possibility of the presidential vacancy continuing, some experts believe that the current government, even if it is a caretaker, could still appoint a new governor in case of necessity. But who will be the successor, and will he/she be willing to take on the challenges of Lebanon's financial crises? This is especially because the situation needs radical reforms to meet the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) demands. However, under Article 25 of the Banking and Credit Law, "if the governor's position is vacant, the first deputy governor assumes the governor's duties until a new governor is appointed." Some sources stressed that the current policies adopted by Salameh might not be accepted by the first deputy governor, Wassim Mansouri, and that, as it has become known, he does not wish to involve himself in a dispute with the Maronite community, and the position of ruler belongs to it. Furthermore, he may not want to risk getting involved in any political interference. The possibility of Mansouri taking over as governor raises concerns as it remains unclear how long he would hold the position and whether he could implement any monetary policies. Moreover, what if he implements a plan that a newly-appointed governor later revokes? However, Salameh's reappointment remains a possibility if the authority expresses its desire to renew his term and if he so desires. Additionally, the inability of the caretaker government to appoint a new governor and the refusal of the first deputy governor to assume the governor's duties could make permissible what was once deemed forbidden.

Legal battle against Lebanon's central bank governor faces jurisdictional dispute and Parisian hearing
LBCI/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
In Lebanon, no political intervention is necessary to slow down any legal process. Implementing the law alone is sufficient to waste time. On Thursday, the first investigating judge in the interim, Charbel Abu Samra, was supposed to hear from Lebanon's central bank governor, Riad Salameh. However, Salameh did not show up, and instead, his lawyer attended to inquire about a memorandum previously submitted in which he objected to the lawsuit department in the Ministry of Justice's involvement in Salameh's file by claiming that it was acting on behalf of the Lebanese state. Salameh believes that the lawsuit department in the Ministry of Justice has no authority to prosecute him since it did not obtain permission from the relevant minister, the finance minister, relying on an opinion from the Committee of Legislation and Consultations. However, the lawsuit department in the Ministry of Justice responded with a memorandum stating the obligation to defend the interests of the Lebanese state and explaining the reasons why it is exempt from obtaining permission. Meanwhile, sources from the Ministry of Finance confirmed that it had been informed by the lawsuit department a week earlier, and that the need for the lawsuit department in the Ministry of Justice to obtain permission is a matter that will be decided by the judiciary. The Thursday session was postponed because Abu Samra sent the entire file to the Attorney General of Appeal in Beirut, Raja Hamoush, to express an opinion and return it to him to make the final decision. Abu Samra scheduled a session for Salameh on May 18. However, the dispute between Salameh and the lawsuit department in the Ministry of Justice may take days, if not weeks, to resolve, especially if Salameh or the lawsuit department decides to appeal Abu Samra's decision, which could lead to a new postponement of the May 18 session. Before May 18, the French judiciary scheduled a hearing for Salameh on May 16 in Paris. An injunction was sent on this matter to the Lebanese judiciary. It is worth noting that Judge Ghada Aoun previously imposed a travel ban on Salameh. However, concerned judicial sources indicate that she will send a letter in the coming days to the investigating judge to request the lifting of the travel ban. The question remains: How will Salameh be notified of the Parisian session in accordance with the law and by whom? And will all of this back-and-forth result in a delay in resolving the case?

Salameh summoned for interrogation in Paris on May 16
Naharnet/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
The Lebanese judiciary has received a French judicial writ summoning Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh to an interrogation session in France on May 16, LBCI TV reported on Thursday. In Lebanon, Judge Charbel Abu Samra postponed a Salameh interrogation session in a domestic probe against the governor to May 18, al-Jadeed television said. French judge Aude Buresi has postponed a session to announce a verdict against Salameh to May 23 while summoning him for interrogation on May 16. “The French judge was supposed to issue (Tuesday) a verdict upholding the freezing order on Salameh’s properties and confiscated assets or acquitting him, in a lawsuit filed by the Gathering of the Victims of Fraudulent and Criminal Practices in Lebanon and French NGO Sherpa,” al-Akhbar newspaper said. The lawsuit accuses Salameh of money laundering, embezzlement and illegal commissions. According to al-Akhbar, the session’s postponement to May 23 was prompted by the Lebanese state’s intervention in the case as an aggrieved party and a request by the lawyers of the Lebanese state for looking into the file. And as sources close to Salameh said that he will not go to France because he knows that he will be indicted, French sources said that Buresi will indeed indict him if he shows up or will issue an arrest warrant for him if he doesn’t. “Salameh’s indictment, if it happens, will change the rules of the game in Lebanon, seeing as Salameh will no longer be able to enjoy a political, judicial and security cover, out of (Lebanese officials’) fear of foreign sanctions. Cabinet will also have to meet to sack him if he does not tender his resignation before that,” al-Akhbar added.

Number of unconvicted prisoners in Lebanon exceeds 80 percent: MP Michel Moussa
LBCI/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
On Thursday, the Human Rights Committee held a session in the Parliament to tackle issues regarding nutrition and health in prisons. After the session, MP Michel Moussa affirmed today Lebanon is facing a significant crisis that primarily affects the marginalized classes, including prisoners. "It is unacceptable that the number of unconvicted prisoners exceeds 80 percent. Here is our call for the judiciary to speed up the trials and apply the articles related to releases." MP Michel Moussa stated that the session was held to discuss the urgent issues in prisons, especially regarding nutrition and health, because the living, social, health, and economic crises that exist in the country also affect prisons, expressing that prisoners cannot earn money to be able to live with it. He added that assistance provided by international institutions and the International Red Cross, which provided significant contributions, must be preserved and maintained permanently. He also demanded an increase in this assistance and called for more coordination between institutions for fair and varied aid distribution. He stressed that the overcrowding in prisons is not humanly acceptable, adding that "we appeal to the judiciary, even if it is in cases of strike, that there be exceptions to consider these rulings because there are those who serve a much longer prison term than they are sentenced to at the time of the sentencing." He continued: "There are basic issues for the committee, and we all know that in the past period, the number of deaths was unusual, and we demanded clear and effective investigations regarding deaths in coordination with the judiciary. It is the right of families to know about the fate of their children and what led to their death." The Human Rights Committee also tackled health issues, especially the issue of hospitals, emergency cases, and costs, and the issue of enhancing hospitalization opportunities for prisoners. As for nutrition, MP Michel Moussa said they would work to have treasury advances as food contractors threaten to stop deliveries because they have accumulations on the state.

Meanwhile in Lebanon
Franck Salameh/Hoover.org/April 06/2023
The War in Ukraine is in its second year with no end in sight. Israeli protests continue against Prime Minister Netanyahu’s fiddling with the country’s traditionally strong independent judiciary. Paris is, again, tout feu tout flame in demonstrations mode, as if part of France’s annual “Rites of Spring.” School-shootings continue apace in America.
Meanwhile in Lebanon, as the fasting period of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan 2023 entered its early hours, the country’s caretaker government took the unprecedented step of “postponing” the annual switch to Daylight Saving Time. Lebanon shall rejoin the international DST system at midnight on April 21, 2023, declared caretaker Prime Minister Nagib Mikati—a random inexplicable decision that threw the country into frenzied deliriums of indignation and expressions of approval, doled out in equal measure by supporters and opponents alike. Soon enough, this seemingly innocuous “clocks reset” came to acquire the inevitable sectarian tincture in a multi-ethnic state mired in unresolved ethnoreligious tensions since at least the early 1970s.
The rationale of the Lebanese government and its supporters for the initial postponement was that “springing forward” the official clock would have prolonged daylight hours, making the burden of the Ramadan fast observance a more onerous one. Conversely, fewer daylight hours, the government reasoned, meant fewer hours of fasting and longer Iftar feasting. What’s not to love, right? Except that observant Muslims strictly adhering to this annual sacred ritual do not ordinarily follow a profane man-made “clock” but instead answer to a more reliable “celestial” authority: a divine order regulated by natural cycles of sunrises and sunsets, unaffected by any mundane “what time is it?” Nevertheless, the Lebanese government, in its baffling wisdom, still went ahead with this fanciful gesture, angering not only non-observant Lebanese Muslims, but also Lebanese Christians who happened to be on the last leg of their annual Lent, and who saw in taking them off the “international time-zone system” a disruption of their own fasting season, and a last-minute bungling of Holy Week and the Easter celebrations to come.
If anything, this decision took Lebanon altogether “off the clock” so to speak, isolating it internationally even more so than it had already been isolated, and throwing into disarray all global activities that ordinarily depend on coordinated “time zones”—international air travel, telephone and internet security, credit card use, banking, and other commercial transactions, all of which function on “Authentication and Authorization” security protocols relative to pre-agreed synchronizations. Indeed, the most perfunctory, spontaneous, quotidian tasks of modern life can potentially come to a halt without accurate timestamps crucial to compliance with international exchange and regulatory and security standards.
The societal backlash in Lebanon proper was immediate and widespread. This spanned the very Arabist (and therefore very attuned to Islamic sensibilities) American University of Beirut (AUB), and the very Christian Maronite Catholic and Greek Orthodox patriarchates. Indeed, on March 26, 2023, AUB’s Office of Communications, after having initially begun implementing the government’s decision to delay switching to daylight saving hours, noted that there was “no plausible defense for the cavalier manner in which this decision … has been made,” adding that it was disorienting university exercises and affecting the functioning of AUB’s teaching hospital. For its part, the Maronite Patriarchate issued a strongly worded statement on March 25, 2023 decrying the government’s decision, calling it “improvised,” “unilateral,” and “dismissive of the various components of Lebanese society and of international standards, leading to confusion both at home and abroad.” The Maronite Patriarchate further resolved, along with its affiliated eparchies and institutions, to “not abide by the government’s decision” and to synchronize its clocks with the International Standards of Daylight Saving effective midnight Saturday, March 24, 2023.
These micro- “mutinies” ultimately strongarmed the Lebanese government into backtracking, abandoning its initial decision, bringing Lebanon back into the international fold, and mandating that all Lebanese “official clocks” adopt the Summer Daylight Saving standards effective midnight Wednesday, March 29, 2023. But the damage had already been done. Besides bringing to the fore the government’s indecision, its disorientation, and its utter absence of effective leadership in a country already in the throes of social, political, and economic freefall, this kerfuffle over time reaffirmed Lebanon’s disengagement from standards of international norms. It also reawakened a deep rift that had for years rent asunder Christian and Muslim Lebanese over the nature of their small republic, its identity, and its future.
Thus, this small country, smaller than the state of Connecticut, briefly skirted the prospects of having two time zones: a Christian time zone and a Muslim one, bringing back the memories of the 1975 “civil war” when Lebanon was de facto partitioned into Christian and Muslims cantons. And so, from what were to be two opposed time zones, recalling actual artillery salvos of the olden days, rhetorical shots began being exchanged, between Lebanese Christians and Lebanese Muslims. Christians accused a Lebanese government beholden to the international terrorist group Hezbollah and its Iranian sponsor of further isolating their state from a “Christian West” that they were attuned to. Muslims for their part bristled at the Christians’ indignation, with some voices on social media dismissing Lebanese Christians as puerile and insecure. One Tweet in particular, tauntingly flaunted a provocative Muslim doctrine on Christology by wondering “what would the Christians do if they found out that Issa [Jesus] did not die on the cross?” Besides using an Arabic reference to Jesus (Issa) that many Near Eastern Christians take umbrage to, the statement was also a wanton Muslim jab at the foundational Christian “theology of the cross” and the belief in the “redemptive suffering” of Jesus.
But this is an old story in Lebanon, an old rivalry between East and West, between Muslims and Christians, over the ill-defined identity of Lebanon, a century-old rivalry that had culminated in a murderous war between 1975 and 1990, later ceding Lebanese sovereignty (in return for “civil peace”) to Syrian and Iranian overlords. The founding fathers of modern Lebanon had warned about such dissensions as early as 1920, on the day of the founding of the Lebanese republic. Is Lebanon Christian or Muslim? Is it Arab or Lebanese? Is it of the East or of the Mediterranean (West)? Those were questions that had long preoccupied the Lebanese and stumped them for a good part of a century of troubled statehood. Some Lebanese Christians at the time attempted to stunt (even abort) the birth of modern Lebanon as an “entente cordiale” between Christians and Muslims, between Lebanonists and Arabists, between Mediterraneanists and Red-Sea champions, advocating instead for a Near Eastern Christian “national homeland” on the Eastern Mediterranean, on Mount Lebanon, the traditional heartland of Lebanese Christians. With some Lebanese Muslims on social media calling for Lebanese Christians to be “kicked back to Europe,” and some Lebanese Christians calling for the partition of Lebanon over such calumnies, these “anxieties of a century” all came to a head in late March, all courtesy of an otherwise innocuous, yet ill-timed, switch to Daylight Saving Time.
Worth mentioning in this context is a common taunt among Arabists and Islamists in the Near East, the claim that Lebanese Christians aren’t “authentic” or “native” to the region, that they are a Western colonial implant, remnants of the eleventh century Frankish Crusaders, and thus they deserve being “kicked back to Europe.” Those are fallacies of course. But they are sensitive triggers for many Lebanese Christians. Indeed, speaking of “indigeneity,” Lebanese Christians can be said without a doubt to be the real “first nations” of Lebanon, whereas Arabs and Muslims may in fact be the allogeneic settler-colonials, remnants of the seventh-century conquerors from the Arabian Peninsula who overtook the region in the name of a triumphant Islam, and suppressed its pre-Islamic history.
That this conversation is being rekindled in today’s Lebanon suggests the “coexistence” formula between Christians and Muslims, upon which the modern Lebanese Republic was built, might have outlived its utility. The notion that the Lebanese were “conduits” between East and West, that their country was neither wholly Muslim nor wholly Christian, that its children were neither Arab nor Mediterranean but instead hybrid intermediaries, seems to have breathed its last breath. Indeed, the death knell of this Lebanon had already been sounded in 1949, in an iconic editorial titled “Two Negations Don’t Make a Nation” penned by public intellectual and essayist Georges Naccache, an editorial that earned Naccache a six-month prison sentence and the suspension of his newspaper. The reason for the verdict was that Naccache concluded that a nation’s essence must be founded on a clear definition “of what it is, not what it is not.” Yet Lebanon’s “balancing act of survival,” as he called its power-sharing formula, was defined by what the country was not. The subject of Naccache’s thesis, and the object of his assault on modern Lebanon’s foundation myths, was the so-called “National Pact” of 1943, a gentleman’s agreement (not a written document) that still was binding, that enshrined “power-sharing” in Lebanon by yielding the “lion’s share” to the Christians, and that defined Lebanon not as Arab per se (which had pleased the Christians back then,) but as an “independent and sovereign republic with an Arab face” (which had palliated the Muslims.) That pact, wrote Naccache in 1949,
which was a foundational covenant cementing Lebanon’s independence, carried within it the very contradictions that make today’s Lebanon ungovernable … This so-called “no Westernization and no Arabization” formula [upon which Lebanon was built], this double negation upon which Christianity and Islam have cemented their alliance, is a blueprint revealing not what the Lebanese have in common but what set them apart. Indeed, in their pursuit to be neither of the East nor of the West, the captains of the Lebanese ship led us astray and made us lose our bearings … It is sheer madness to have turned a compromise into a state doctrine … Indeed, Lebanon cannot and ought not be anything other than itself. Yet by dint of wanting to be neither this nor that, Lebanon now risks becoming nothing at all … A state is not the sum of two variants of impotence; two negations can never add up to being a nation.[1]
Going back to the topic of the hour, which is to say the Lebanese government’s antics over the implementation (or not) of Spring 2023 Daylight Saving Time, this too has become a debate over a Lebanon living in a Christian time zone vs. one living in a Muslim time zone. Indeed, Naccache had already treated that very topic in a prophetic 1948 essay where he wrote:
this is indeed what you are, Lebanon, a country where not once in the past twenty-five years have two official clocks succeeded in marking the same time … where the policeman is the perennial ally of the smuggler, and where the tax collector is the tax-evader’s protector … Lebanon, beautiful disorder, sweet injustice in a world ravaged by excesses of order and justice.[2]
Lebanon of today can indeed be summed up by the above, but also by another prophetic verity that became crystal clear to Naccache in 1962. “In this fragmented Arab space,” he wrote, “a Lebanese peace is going to be difficult to come by … This is a bitter reality becoming clearer by the day, and we are not yet at the end of the surprises and the further torments coming our way.”[3]
Daylight Saving Time or not, time seems to be running out on the pursuit of a unitary Lebanon, on preserving a “dialogue of civilizations” that has outlived its utility. Perhaps this spring’s fleeting period of “two time zones” for this tiny, troubled republic was a harbinger of better things to come? Or perhaps the “two time zones” are reflective of the realities of two clashing civilizations disputing the same physical space, and this “clash of civilizations” ought to be formalized by splitting Lebanon into two republics, each at peace with its own identities and neighbors? Indeed, “two negations cannot make a nation,” and without separation, Lebanon very realistically “risks becoming nothing at all.”[4]
[1] Georges Naccache, «Deux négations de font pas une nation» [Two Negations Don’t Make a Nation], L’Orient, Beirut-Lebanon, March 10, 1949. See also Naccache, Un rêve libanais, 1943-1972, (Paris: Editions FMA, 1983), 57-8.
[2] Naccache, «Tu es bien ceci…» [You Are Truly What you Are], L’Orient, Beirut-Lebanon, September 17, 1948. See also Naccache, Un rêve libanais, 49-50.
[3] Naccache, «Dans ce monde arabe éclaté» [In This Broken Arab World], L’Orient, Beirut-Lebanon, June 1, 1962. See also Naccache, Un rêve libanais, 1943-1972, 171-2.
[4] Naccache, «Deux négations», op. cit.
https://www.hoover.org/research/meanwhile-lebanon?fbclid=IwAR2KL06OYYcXW10e7J9UCTpgxITzxIzS3HCSNYLdxqvK7EywB2iRF2pAOEg

Lebanon in need of a new political system
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/April 07, 2023
Are old recipes the only way forward for Lebanon? This is what French President Emmanuel Macron and his Middle East team at the Palais de l’Elysee believe. It is mainly why they chose to endorse and support Sleiman Frangieh as the next president of Lebanon. Frangieh is also the candidate chosen by Hezbollah. The presidency vacancy is now entering its sixth month. And so has the paralysis of the country’s institutional processes, whatever that really means in Lebanon.
The objective for Macron is to be able to bring about a solution that would also be interpreted as a diplomatic win for French foreign policy. Indeed, Paris has put its promise and weight behind finding a solution to Lebanon’s problems and to supporting its people. Unfortunately, Lebanese or Levant politics have a habit of humbling global leaders. When foreigners ask me about the involvement of foreigners in local Lebanese politics, I answer that he or she can come in as a global leader but become straight away a simple mukhtar getting lost in meaningless, often artificial details.
The fact is that the current solution, even if Frangieh is voted in by the parliament, will only be a band-aid. There is nothing that will change in the country’s affairs; only more debt and digging the hole deeper. They usually say that if you are digging a hole the first thing is to stop digging, and if your enemy is digging a hole do not stop him. The Frangieh presidency is, in the long-term, Lebanon continuing to dig its own hole.
France is pushing for this solution as it is the only possible fix and to give back representation to the presidency. From the French point of view, this vacancy is also creating a worry within the Lebanese Christian community of losing its political voice. And so, by allowing this election, these worries are being addressed. The choice of Frangieh is also about his friendship with the Syrian President Bashar Assad, as a way of rebalancing the political order. And so, it is to move from Aoun, who was fully under the control of Hezbollah, to Frangieh, who is a balance between Syria and Iran. Talk about a political win for Christians and the Lebanese people.
France should not focus on finding an easy fix for the Lebanese presidency. Instead, it should support the birth of a new Lebanon.
Hezbollah is also keen to see this rebalancing act, as despite its military control of the country it still needs a certain level of order, and it is no longer capable of achieving this. It is a new fuse to support its continued objectives. Yet is there an alternative who could be voted for? France knows that Hezbollah is the ultimate decision maker and would never accept a candidate it cannot control from any political block. And Gebran Basil until recently was a no-go for all. Some now mention the army chief, a reminiscence of the Syrian occupation days with the same background as Emile Lahoud and Michel Suleiman. This rhymes with the return of Assad on the regional scene.
And so perhaps the best palliative solution is Frangieh. Yet, one thing that should be known and understood is that all the promises made by Hezbollah and its allies for this to happen are completely worthless. And they will reverse everything if they feel the need or it serves their interest. Therefore, shouldn’t we discuss a new political system instead of making old recipes?
Indeed, the current system is broken. Why continue? Why not build something new now? Why not create a new Lebanon? There is no doubt that the discussion on federalism brings shivers to many but what is the protection they are getting today? With all due respect, do Christians feel safe? Do Sunnis? Or even Shiites under the oppression of Hezbollah? The answer is no and no again.
This is why France should not focus on finding an easy fix for the Lebanese presidency. Instead, it should support the birth of a new Lebanon. Even if Macron fails in such a mission, he will at least bring forward new hope. Unfortunately, a Frangieh presidency will not. Lebanon does not need to fill a position; it needs to be reinvented through federalism.
If the critics fear secession, then work to make federalism work. I look at it simply; today the political system is built on the fear of the other and this allows for militias to trade with a protection currency. It is nothing short of an institutionalized racketeering political system. Also, it allows them to trade between each other for gains. It is dirty transactional politics. The only way to change this is to make all the communities feel safe and shift toward local representation and decision-making. Then, trades between militias disappear. And this is what federalism delivers. Even Hezbollah will find it suitable.
Others will argue that the consequence of this transformation would be a new civil war. They preach the “better the devil you know” mentality. My conviction is that in fact the palliative solution is the path to civil war. A profound change is the only way to avoid it. It is highly likely Lebanon will apply an old palliative recipe — one that just treats symptoms but not the true disease. Whether or not Frangieh makes it to the Baabda Palace, it will make no difference. Lebanon will continue to die slowly and we will soon have to worry not just about a presidential vacancy but about much worse.
*Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of Barbicane, a space-focused investment syndication platform. He is the CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 06-07/2023
Netanyahu: 'We will cripple our enemies, they will pay a heavy price'
Ynetnews/April 07/2023
PM says internal debate in Israel will not prevent us from taking action against who is responsible wherever and whenever necessary, adds that all, without exception, are united on this. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday opened a security cabinet meeting that was expected to weigh a response to rocket fire from Lebanon earlier, saying: "We will cripple our enemies, they will pay a heavy price."The high-level security cabinet convened for the first time in nearly two months after a barrage of rockets was fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, in an attack attributed to the Gaza-based Hamas terror group.
"I have made it clear that our enemies should not misjudge us: The internal debate in Israel will not prevent us from taking action against them wherever and whenever necessary. All of us, without exception, are united on this," Netanyahu said.
"We have no intention of changing the status quo on the Temple Mount. We are calling for calming the situation and we will take strong action against extremists who use violence there," he continued. "Regarding the aggression against us on other fronts, we will strike our enemies and they will pay the price for any act of aggression." "Our enemies will discover, again, that at moments of truth, the citizens of Israel stand united and unified, and back the actions of the [army] and the other security services to defend our country and our people." Saudi Arabia seeks U.S. security guarantees as term for peace with Israel, report
The meeting followed an assessment that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held with defense officials. Israel’s army said at least 34 rockets were launched into Israeli territory from southern Lebanon, and that it intercepted 25 with its Iron Dome air defense system. Two people have been reported to be wounded so far but were in stable condition. Ministers and top defense officials met before the security cabinet meeting, during which they were expected to discuss the potential responses to the rocket attacks. Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, police commissioner Kobi Shabtai, and chief of police’s Jerusalem district Doron Turgeman were among those present at the forum. The attack marked the largest number of rockets fired from Lebanon since 2006, when thousands of projectiles were launched at Israel.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant gave “initial directives” to army chief Major General Herzi Halevi following the attack. “Gallant has been briefed on the details of the recent security events on Israel’s northern border, and has given initial directives to the [army] Chief of the General Staff and the wider defense establishment,” his office said.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said that the Gaza-based terror group Hamas is behind the rocket fire on the Israeli north. “Lebanon is responsible when rockets are fired from its territory. The IDF is highly prepared and we are looking at who knew about the shooting and whether the Iranians are involved," the IDF added. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group hailed the rocket attack, calling it a "heroic act" and noting that "all resistance forces stand in one front against the Zionist enemy." The rocket attack came amid heightened tensions after Israeli police clashed with Palestinians at Jerusalem's Temple Mount the day prior. The midday rocket attack on northern Israel is believed to be a deliberate move by Palestinian terrorist organizations, encouraged by Iran, to increase tensions in certain areas following the recent unrest near the Temple Mount. The (IDF) responded with artillery, and now the military and the government must determine a further appropriate course of action.
In the northern region, any activity typically requires the approval of the Lebanese-based Hezbollah. While it appears that the Shi'ite terrorist group did not directly launch the rockets, it likely authorized Palestinian organizations based in southern Lebanon to do so. This was predictable, especially given Hezbollah's recent statement expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause around Al-Aqsa. The key player behind this plan is Hamas, particularly Saleh al-Arouri, who oversees operations in the West Bank from his bases in Lebanon and Turkey. Recent events, such as the Temple Mount clashes and rocket attacks from Gaza and southern Lebanon, were instigated by Hamas in order to maintain its position as the primary Palestinian-Islamist resistance movement and to bolster its prestige and leadership status. At the same time, Hamas aims to hold onto its control over Gaza and ease the economic struggles of its residents.
Israel, with its response, plays right into the hands of Hamas, which inadvertently enables the terror group to incite Palestinians in the West Bank and launch attacks against Israel. Hamas, under the leadership of al-Arouri, is now coordinating with various Palestinian organizations to carry out methodical rocket attacks against Israel, effectively creating a new front in addition to the existing two. The objective is to keep Gaza out of harm's way while adding pressure on Israel from a different direction. Israel's current policy of response, which prioritizes keeping quiet around Gaza in exchange for operating lightly against Hamas, is eroding its deterrence against the terrorist group. It is crucial for Israel to take decisive action against Hamas, and the IDF does not require advice from the media on how and where to do so. The restoration of deterrence against Hamas is imperative. The course of escalation will depend on Israel's response to the ongoing events around the Temple Mount. It is worth noting that the cabinet has not convened in two months, but will do so this evening, while the defense minister's dismissal is still a possibility.  Israel is no longer willing to let its deterrence erode, but two factors will likely shape the decision: avoiding a major confrontation with Hezbollah and preventing a conflict with Palestinian organizations during the holiday season when many Israelis are vacationing in the north.

Rockets from Lebanon are a green light to encourage escalation on all fronts
Ron Ben-Yishai|/Ynetnews/April 07/2023
Analysis: Israel's deterrence eroded and the course of escalation against he Palestinian terror groups will depend on it's response to the ongoing events around the Temple Mount, and the rocket fire on the north and the south
The midday rocket attack on northern Israel is believed to be a deliberate move by Palestinian terrorist organizations, encouraged by Iran, to increase tensions in certain areas following the recent unrest near the Temple Mount. The (IDF) responded with artillery, and now the military and the government must determine a further appropriate course of action. In the northern region, any activity typically requires the approval of the Lebanese-based Hezbollah. While it appears that the Shi'ite terrorist group did not directly launch the rockets, it likely authorized Palestinian organizations based in southern Lebanon to do so. This was predictable, especially given Hezbollah's recent statement expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause around Al-Aqsa. The key player behind this plan is Hamas, particularly Saleh al-Arouri, who oversees operations in the West Bank from his bases in Lebanon and Turkey.  Recent events, such as the Temple Mount clashes and rocket attacks from Gaza and southern Lebanon, were instigated by Hamas in order to maintain its position as the primary Palestinian-Islamist resistance movement and to bolster its prestige and leadership status. At the same time, Hamas aims to hold onto its control over Gaza and ease the economic struggles of its residents. Israel, with its response, plays right into the hands of Hamas, which inadvertently enables the terror group to incite Palestinians in the West Bank and launch attacks against Israel. Hamas, under the leadership of al-Arouri, is now coordinating with various Palestinian organizations to carry out methodical rocket attacks against Israel, effectively creating a new front in addition to the existing two. The objective is to keep Gaza out of harm's way while adding pressure on Israel from a different direction. Israel's current policy of response, which prioritizes keeping quiet around Gaza in exchange for operating lightly against Hamas, is eroding its deterrence against the terrorist group. It is crucial for Israel to take decisive action against Hamas, and the IDF does not require advice from the media on how and where to do so. The restoration of deterrence against Hamas is imperative.
The course of escalation will depend on Israel's response to the ongoing events around the Temple Mount. It is worth noting that the cabinet has not convened in two months, but will do so this evening, while the defense minister's dismissal is still a possibility. Israel is no longer willing to let its deterrence erode, but two factors will likely shape the decision: avoiding a major confrontation with Hezbollah and preventing a conflict with Palestinian organizations during the holiday season when many Israelis are vacationing in the north.

Rockets Fired from Gaza Raise Tension as Passover Begins
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
Palestinian fighters fired a barrage of rockets early Thursday, setting off air raid sirens in southern Israel, as violence erupted for the second day in a row during a sensitive period of overlapping holidays. The barrage came after another tense night at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, where Israeli police clashed with Muslim worshippers attempting to stay overnight, in defiance of long-standing compromises about management of the compound. The Israeli military said seven rockets launched from the Gaza Strip all exploded in midair. No group claimed responsibility for the barrage, The Associated Press said. Unrest in the region was less intense than the previous days, but the rocket fire raised fears of a wider conflagration as Jews began the week-long Passover holiday, hundreds of Christians in the Old City gathered for Holy Thursday at the Holy Sepulcher to mark the Last Supper, and Muslims marked the Ramadan holy month. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and stands on a hilltop known to Jews as the Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism. Conflicting claims over it have spilled into violence before, including a bloody 11-day war two years ago between Israel and the Hamas group. Since Ramadan began March 22, scores of Muslim worshippers have repeatedly tried to stay overnight in the mosque, a practice that is typically permitted only during the last 10 days of the monthlong holiday. Israeli police have entered nightly to evict the worshippers.

Hamas says Palestinians will respond to Israel's al-Aqsa aggression
Agence France Presse/April 06/2023
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said Thursday Palestinians "will not sit with their arms crossed" in the face of Israeli "aggression" against the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. He was speaking in Beirut after Israel blamed Palestinian militants for firing a barrage of rockets from Lebanon at northern Israel.
Haniyeh, who arrived in the Lebanese capital a day earlier, met on Thursday the heads of other Palestinian organizations as Israel threatened a military response to the rocket fire. "Our Palestinian people and the Palestinian resistance groups will not sit idly by" in the face of Israel's "savage aggression" against Al-Aqsa, Haniyeh said in a statement after the meeting. Israel accused Palestinian groups of firing 34 rockets from Lebanon on the Jewish Passover holiday, a day after clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians inside Islam's third-holiest site.The violence in Jerusalem was widely denounced by neighboring states and several Palestinian groups vowed they would respond. In his statement, Haniyeh called on "all Palestinian organizations to unify their ranks and intensify their resistance against the Zionist occupation (Israel)." Earlier, Israeli army spokesperson Lt. Colonel Richard Hecht said Palestinian groups were responsible for the rocket barrage. "We know for sure it's Palestinian fire," he told reporters. "It could be Hamas, it could be Islamic Jihad, we are still trying to finalize but it wasn't Hezbollah." Hezbollah effectively controls southern Lebanon and enjoys good relations with Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip, and the Islamic Jihad group also based in the enclave.

Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa face second day of harassment by Israeli polic
Arab News/April 06/2023
RAMALLAH: Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque were attacked by Israeli police again on Thursday, a day after being forcibly expelled from the compound to allow dozens of Israeli settlers to enter for the Passover feast. The tightened restrictions had led to a steep drop in the number of worshippers at the mosque, officials said, with just 20,000 attending the taraweeh prayer on Wednesday, down from 80,000 the day before. Hundreds of worshippers performed the fajr prayer on the thresholds of Al-Aqsa, but as soon as it ended, Israeli forces removed them from the area. Police allowed fewer than 40 Palestinians to enter the mosque on Thursday morning. The Israeli extremist Temple organizations have called on their supporters to storm Al-Aqsa during the Jewish Passover that ends next week. Omar Al-Kiswani, director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, told Arab News that several Muslims were unable to offer the fajr prayer on Thursday because of Israeli restrictions, a heavy military deployment at the gates and a lockdown in the West Bank that will remain in place until Saturday. A total of 199 settlers had stormed Al-Aqsa under the protection of the Israeli police on Thursday, he said. Experts said the cost of the damage caused by Israeli police inside the mosque on Wednesday could run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Precious glass windows, doors, Qur’an libraries and a clinic were all damaged. Al-Kiswani said this had become a policy of the occupation forces during their crackdown at the holy site.
The third Friday of Ramadan is set to come amid a strict security situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It is not known if the Israeli authorities will allow worshipers to reach Al-Aqsa. Also, the third-Friday sermon will be a challenge for the preacher who could be accused of incitement against the Israeli authorities. Al-Kiswani said Al-Aqsa preacher Mohammed Sarandah was summoned by Israeli security authorities before the start of Ramadan and accused of inciting worshippers. He was removed from Al-Aqsa for two months. “We are more concerned about calm in Al-Aqsa Mosque than the Israelis because calm attracts more worshipers during Ramadan,” Al-Kiswani said, adding that an intervention by Arab and Islamic countries could stop Israeli incursions into the mosque.On Thursday, Jordan and Palestine submitted a joint request to the UN Security Council to hold a closed-door emergency session on Friday to discuss Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Jerusalemites told Arab News that the repressive measures there were intended to embarrass Jordan and prove that the Jordanian leadership was unable to protect the sacred site. Jordan has been the official custodian of Muslim and Christian holy places in Jerusalem since 1924. For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world’s third-holiest site. Fatah’s prominent leader in East Jerusalem, Ahmed Ghuneim, said the Israeli tampering with the status quo at Al-Aqsa constituted a threat to Jordan and would destabilize its internal security and stability. Political analyst Ghassan Al-Khatib told Arab News that Israel’s right-wing government was deceiving Jordan by giving it promises to preserve the status quo at Al-Aqsa, while Israelis were taking advantage of its lack of power. Jerusalemites said the Israeli occupation had used different methods to reduce the number of Palestinian worshipers at Al-Aqsa over the past two decades to allow settlers to storm it and carry out their religious rituals without significant resistance. Meanwhile, a 15-year-old Palestinian boy, Khader Ghurab, was injured after being shot by a settler in the old city of Jerusalem late on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia, Iran to Launch Arrangements on Reopening of Embassies and Consulates
Asharq A-Awsat/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
Saudi Arabia and Iran said in a joint statement on Thursday that their agreement in Beijing last month would help bring "security and stability" to the Middle East, adding that they would launch arrangements to reopen missions within the two-month period stipulated in the deal. Riyadh and Tehran agreed to resume diplomatic ties and re-open embassies in a major deal facilitated by China last month. "The two sides emphasized the importance of following up on the implementation of the Beijing Agreement and its activation in a way that expands mutual trust and the fields of cooperation and helps create security, stability and prosperity in the region," said a statement issued on Thursday after a meeting between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, in Beijing. Saudi Arabia and Iran also said in the joint statement they would launch arrangements to reopen embassies and consulates within the two-month period stipulated in the deal. "The technical teams will continue coordination to examine ways of expanding cooperation including the resumption of flights and bilateral visits of official and private sector delegations and facilitating the granting of visas for the citizens of the two countries," they added. Tehran and Riyadh, according to the joint statement, also underlined the importance of reviving a security pact signed in 2001.

Rouhani Calls for Referendum on Economy, Foreign, Domestic Policies
London – Tehran – Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
Former Iranian President Hasan Rouhani on Thursday called for free elections and a general referendum on foreign, domestic, and economic policies 332 days before the scheduled legislative elections. During his meeting with the ministers and senior officials of his former cabinet, Rouhani said that this year would be a test for the regime to stage free and fair elections. "The eyes of the world are on the elections so that they see, and we see, whether the elections are held in a healthy, competitive, and free manner or not," the former president said. Rouhani voiced his successor Ebrahim Raisi in focusing on the recommendations of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who called for curbing inflation and boosting growth. Rouhani said that the past year witnessed bitter events, resulting in most people, including the protesters, demanding a better life. "The country needs reform, change, and transformation," he added, calling for tangible transformation that meets the popular demands. Rouhani reiterated that the answer to people's demands in foreign and domestic policies and the economy could be found by holding referendums as envisaged by Article 59 of the constitution. He explained that a single public referendum could record the people's responses to three questions on the foreign and domestic policies and the economy, stressing that this is a big step for transformation and would lead to optimism for a better future.
On Tuesday, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that the upcoming elections are critical and "can be a manifestation of national power." During his reception of several officials and authority figures, Khamenei warned that if the elections were "not held properly, it shows the weakness of the country, nation, and officials, which makes us weaker and more vulnerable to enemy attacks and pressures."According to the Supreme Leader, the relevant officials should determine the "participation, security, health and competition of elections" strategy to hold fair elections. Khamenei first expressed the calls for a transformative approach on March 21 on Nowruz in Mashhad. Referring to the recent protests, Khamenei said the transformation and transition the enemies want is the opposite of Iran's beliefs. He said that the primary goal of the enemies behind using concepts such as “structural transformation,” “change,” and “revolution” was to change the identity of Iran, adding that the enemy's goal was to eliminate the strengths of the nation and government. Meanwhile, Guardian Council spokesman Hadi Tahan Nazif pledged that the council began preparing for the upcoming February elections and would use all its powers to conduct them properly in line with its legal duties. Iran will also witness the elections of the Assembly of Experts for Leadership, which includes 88 influential clerics, and one of its most significant tasks is to name the successor to the current Supreme Leader. The Assembly holds elections every eight years, and the past elections sparked controversy after Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the Iranian Supreme Leader, was removed from the list of candidates. Similarly, former reformist President Mohammad Khatami called for reforms and returning to the spirit of the Iranian constitution.
In his statement marking the 43rd anniversary of the Iranian revolution last February, Khatami said the way and approach followed made it impossible to meet the demands for reforms, reaching a dead end.
Khatami expressed his regret that the government did not show any sign of reform, saying that structural or behavioral reform would be less costly and more fruitful to get out of the crises. Khatami responded to his ally, the reformist leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who called for drafting a new constitution and submitting it to a popular referendum in "free and fair" elections to change the regime's structure. Mousavi described the structure and unsustainable basic system as a "major crisis" in a country facing many crises. Mousavi, who has been under house arrest since February 2011, said that his campaign slogan for the 2009 presidential elections to implement the current constitution fully is no longer effective.

Iran, Saudi Arabia push ahead with normalisation as they agree on embassies
The Arab weekly/April 06/2023
Iran and Saudi Arabia will reopen diplomatic representations within the two-month period stipulated in an agreement facilitated by China, a joint statement signed by the two countries on Thursday said. They will continue coordination to examine ways to expand cooperation, including resuming flights and bilateral visits, in addition to facilitating visas for citizens, according to the statement. On Thursday morning, Saudi Arabia’s state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV showed Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian shaking hands and sitting side by side after their talks. Iran’s semi-official news agency ISNA reported the deal reached in Beijing by the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers calls for studying the prospects of resuming flights between the two nations and facilitating the visa process for the citizens of both countries. The agreement represents a new step towards reconciliation after seven years of tension. Experts see it as a major diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf Arab states perceive the United States as slowly withdrawing from the wider Middle East while confidence in Washington as a guarantor of regional security against Iranian threats has steadily ebbed. The turning point comes as diplomats have been trying to end a long war in Yemen, a conflict in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched. The two foreign ministers met in Beijing on Thursday in their first formal encounter in more than seven years, after China brokered a deal to restore ties between the regional rivals. The two countries said in their joint statement “the technical teams will continue coordination to examine the ways of expanding cooperation including the resumption of flights and bilateral visits of official and private sector delegations and facilitating the granting of visas for the citizens of the two countries”.In March, China’s President Xi Jinping helped broker the surprise deal between the rivals to end a seven-year rift and restore diplomatic ties, a display of China’s growing influence in the region. That month, Xi spoke by telephone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud about several issues. Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian said the Thursday meeting with his Saudi counterpart was “good and forward-looking”, according to Iranian state TV. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh’s execution of a Shia Muslim cleric indicted on state security related charges. The kingdom then asked Iranian diplomats to leave within 48 hours while it evacuated its embassy staff from Tehran. The relationship began worsening a year earlier, after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war, where the Iran-backed Houthi movement ousted an internationally-recognised government and took over the capital, Sana’a. Iran was widely suspected of arming the Houthis, who carried out missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabian cities and oil facilities.
In 2019, Riyadh blamed an attack on Aramco oil facilities, which knocked out half of its oil output, directly on the Islamic Republic. Iran denied those accusations. Tehran was accused by Riyadh and its Gulf and Arab allies of harbouring expansionist designs through a network of proxies threatening the stability and security of the region.

Canada Repatriates 14 Women, Children from Syria’s Roj Camp
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
Kurdish authorities in northeastern Syria have handed over four women and 10 children to a Canadian delegation in readiness for their repatriation, a Kurdish official said. Western governments have faced mounting criticism for not taking back more of their citizens who traveled to Iraq and Syria to volunteer for ISIS. Thousands of foreign women and children remain in overcrowded displaced persons' camps in Kurdish-administered northeastern Syria. Four wives and 10 children of foreign ISIS fighters “who were living in the Roj camp were handed over to representatives of the Canadian foreign ministry," said Khaled Ibrahim, an official in the Kurdish administration. According to AFP, he said the women were aged between 26 and 35, while the children were aged between three and 11. It was the fourth repatriation carried out by Canada from the overcrowded displaced persons camp, Ibrahim said. On January 21, a Canadian federal court ordered the government to repatriate 23 citizens, 19 of them women and children, from the Roj and Al-Hol camps, without setting a date.Previously the government of Justin Trudeau had treated ISIS family members in Syria on a case-by-case basis, and in four years only a handful of women and children had been repatriated. Since the destruction of the so-called ISIS "caliphate" across Syria and Iraq in 2019, more than 42,400 foreign adults and children with alleged ties to the extremist group have been held in camps in Syria, according to Human Rights Watch. They include around 30 Canadian citizens, 10 of them children, the rights group said in January. Repatriating them is a highly sensitive issue for many governments, but there has been mounting criticism of their reluctance to bring back their own nationals from the camps.

UN Palestinian Refugee Chief Warns over Lack of Donors
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees warned on Thursday that it faced growing challenges in running its operations as donors were set to contribute less money this year. Agency chief Philippe Lazzarini told The Associated Press in an interview that he plans to make a new appeal for donors after the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. He said that if “we are constantly struggling financially, we will become an unreliable partner for the host countries, the communities, for the refugees, but also for our 30,000 staff.”UNRWA was founded in the wake of the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 to serve hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled or were forced from their homes. Today, their numbers have grown to some 5.9 million people, most in the Gaza Strip and Israeli-occupied West Bank, as well as neighboring countries in the Middle East. The agency provides social services, education and jobs to many. Lazzarini said the massive earthquake that devastated the region in early February, as well as an economic meltdown in Lebanon, has added to the plight of many Palestinian refugees. Although its epicenter was in neighboring Türkiye, the earthquake caused damage to Palestinian refugee camps in northern Syria in the provinces of Aleppo and Latakia. According to UNRWA, at least 20 Palestinian refugees were killed in the quake. “I have to say that the population I met has been deeply, deeply traumatized and terrorized by the earthquake,” Lazzarini said about refugee camps in north Syria that he visited in late March during a trip to the war-torn country. Earlier this year, UNRWA launched an appeal for $1.6 billion, of which about $850 million is for the core budget of the organization and about $750 million for an emergency appeal. Lazzarini said that the emergency appeal has recently been complemented by an appeal for $16 million for the February earthquake that hit Syria and Türkiye killing more than 50,000 people including over 6,000 in Syria alone. Lazzarini said the situation in Lebanon, which is witnessing a historic economic crisis, “is extremely, extremely worrying.” Nearly 75% of Lebanon’s population now live in poverty as the Lebanese currency has lost more than 95% of its value, affecting living conditions of the country’s 6 million people, including 1 million Syrian refugees and tens of thousands of Palestinians.
“What you encounter in the camp is a lot of desperation, a lot of distress,” Lazzarini said of Lebanon’s 12 camps, adding that most of the youth that he met have only one dream which is to leave Lebanon. Lazzarini said he does not have statistics on how many Palestinians have left Lebanon since the economic crisis began in late 2019 “but we have seen the tragedies over the last year, which also involve Palestinian refugees.”A crowded boat capsized on Sept. 21 off the coast of Tartus, Syria, just over a day after departing Lebanon. At least 94 people were killed, including Palestinians who were seeking better life in Europe.“Anyone below the age of 30 talks about leaving the country,” Lazzarini said. UNRWA aims to achieve youth empowerment and wants to give a sense of future prospects to hundreds of thousand of young Palestinians, many of whom are impacted by unemployment and other economic obstacles, Lazzarini said. Speaking about the strike by UNRWA employees in the occupied West Bank higher salaries that started on March 4, Lazzarini said the move has impacted the work of the agency, with some 40,000 boys and girls being out of school and also “all our health centers are closed.” He said that sanitation workers also are on strike and the trash and garbage is stockpiling in camps, “which is becoming also a health hazard.” Lazzarini expressed hopes that the strike will end, saying that going on strike is a legitimate right of the UNRWA staff but that many staff members do not necessarily agree with the strike and are willing to work.

Macron meets Xi in Beijing with Ukraine top priority
Agence France Presse/Thursday, 6 April, 2023
President Emmanuel Macron met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, as the French leader seeks to dissuade China from supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The French president, who arrived on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, shook hands with Xi outside the Great Hall of the People, the heart of power in China's capital. Xi greeted his guest on a huge red carpet lined by Chinese and French flags as the countries' national anthems played, an AFP journalist said. Macron has said during his trip that Beijing can play a "major role" in finding a path to peace in the conflict and welcomed China's "willingness to commit to a resolution". His visit to China -- his first since 2019 -- comes as Western pressure mounts on Beijing to help push for peace in Ukraine. Though Beijing is officially neutral, Xi has never condemned the Russian invasion. While he recently went to Moscow to reaffirm his alliance with Vladimir Putin -- framed as an anti-Western front -- Xi has not spoken on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Macron, who is accompanied on his visit by European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, said he wants to "be a voice that unites Europe" over Ukraine, and that coming to China with her serves to "underline the consistency of this approach". In a Thursday morning meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People, Macron stressed the importance of dialogue between China and France "in these troubled times"."The ability to share a common analysis and build a common path is essential," he said. And in a separate meeting with Li, von der Leyen told the premier that relations between the EU and China had grown "complex in recent years". "It is important that we discuss all aspects of this relationship together today," she said, especially in the current "volatile geopolitical environment".Following Macron's talks with Xi, the pair will give statements to the press, followed by a three-way meeting with von der Leyen and a state dinner. Macron will travel to Guangzhou in southern China to meet local students on Friday, taking with him a broad delegation of top politicians, business leaders and even celebrities, including composer Jean-Michel Jarre.
Taiwan tensions
The visit comes in the face of mounting Chinese pressure on Taiwan, with the island's President Tsai Ing-wen meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California on Wednesday. Macron told journalists Wednesday he did not think his Chinese counterparts had "a desire to overreact" to the meeting. Tsai hailed the talks, saying they showed the self-ruled island was "not isolated" on the international stage. Beijing balks at any official contact between Taipei and the rest of the world, insisting there is only "one China". China had repeatedly warned both sides that the meeting should not take place and deployed an aircraft carrier through waters near Taiwan hours before the talks went ahead. Three additional warships were detected in waters separating the island from mainland China, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.
- 'Strongly interconnected' -
Beyond talks on Ukraine, Macron's trip has an important economic component, with the French leader keen to firm up a crucial trade partnership. Macron is accompanied by more than 50 French business leaders on his visit, including top bosses of Airbus, EDF and Veolia. "Several important contracts will be signed" on Thursday, he has promised, warning against an economic decoupling from China. Von der Leyen has also pledged to raise the EU's yawning trade deficit with China during her meetings this week. "Our economies are strongly interconnected but the EU trade deficit is increasing due to discriminatory practices," she said in a tweet.

Moscow is trying to play it cool, but its military moves hint at growing concern over NATO's newest member
Michael Peck/Business Insider/Thu, April 6, 2023
Finland's admission to NATO this month doubles the length of NATO's border with Russia.
Russian leaders have downplayed the significance of their neighbor joining the alliance.
But Moscow is making moves that indicate concern about NATO gaining new territory nearby.
Finland joining NATO has created an unwelcome prospect for Moscow: a potential adversary on Russia's sensitive northern border.
Finland's admission this month doubles the length of NATO's border with Russia and does so in a region with important Russian military outposts. Russian leaders have downplayed the significance of Finland joining NATO, but as the alliance gets closer and the Arctic becomes more accessible, Moscow is making moves that indicate growing concern about a part of its frontier that has long been calm. The Grand Duchy of Finland was a part of the Russian Tsarist Empire from 1809 until 1917 but became an independent nation in the chaos of the Russian Revolution. Two decades later, Finland had perhaps its finest hour in the Winter War, in which the outnumbered and outgunned Finns held off a clumsy Red Army invasion before agreeing to terms with the Soviets. After allying with Nazi Germany, Finland renewed the fighting in the Continuation War, which ended in an armistice in 1944.
After World War II, the Kremlin could take comfort that at least its smaller neighbor had been "Finlandized," a somewhat uncomplimentary Cold War term referring to Helsinki's stance of strict neutrality in return for the Soviets not invading or interfering. Even as Eastern Europe and Central Asia chafed under Soviet occupation, Finland remained a Western-oriented democracy just 100 miles from St. Petersburg and Murmansk.
But Putin's invasion of Ukraine scared not only Finland into joining NATO but also Sweden, which hasn't fought a war since Napoleon was alive. (Sweden's application has yet to be approved.) This boosts the alliance's military, political, and economic power considerably and confronts Russia with the prospect of even more NATO forces on its border. "There will be more integration" between the new members and the rest of NATO, said Dmitry Gorenburg, a researcher with the Center for Naval Analyses think tank in a March 24 podcast. "There'll be more intelligence-sharing. There is the possibility of NATO forces and infrastructure being deployed to those countries. And that's something that does concern Russia." Which brings up the inevitable question: How will Russia respond? So far, the Kremlin has downplayed Finland's NATO accession, perhaps out of caution or embarrassment, Gorenburg said. "What they've always said is, 'this is fine, we don't care. It's your decision. But if NATO infrastructure is developed or if the US or other NATO member states' forces are deployed to the new members, that will be a concern for us and we will react.'"Moscow reiterated that message after Finland officially joined the alliance, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying, "Naturally, this forces us to take countermeasures to ensure our own tactical and strategic security."Exactly what that reaction will be isn't clear. So far, Moscow has announced plans to increase the size of its military, beef up its forces in northwestern Russia, and reestablish the Leningrad Military District, which covers part of that region, including the Kola Peninsula, and was merged with other districts in 2010.
"The problem for them is that right now, it's quite unclear that they have the wherewithal to develop those new forces given that they're fighting in Ukraine," Gorenburg said. "But they've at least broadcast that intention."
Russia has long experience in Arctic operations and had developed specialized units and equipment for operations near Finland. Indeed, Russia has been building up Arctic bases and forces for years, a move that other countries, including the US and China, have followed, drawn by the prospect of more accessible Arctic resources and shipping routes.
Previously, the Atlantic Ocean was the Russian military's focus and the Arctic was its third priority, according to Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer, commander of the US Navy's Second Fleet, which reactivated in 2018 in response to Russian activity in the Arctic and North Atlantic.
In July 2022, however, Russia released a new maritime doctrine that raised the priority of the Arctic and pledged to protect those waters "by all means," Dwyer said during a Wilson Center event on February 9.
"Now Russia has realized that the Arctic is the key to their to their economy and to their defense, as they see the receding of the Arctic ice cap," Dwyer added. Since 2013, Russia has built six bases, 14 airfields, and 16 deepwater ports in the high north, as well as 14 icebreakers, according to Adm. Daryl Caudle, head of US Fleet Forces Command. Russia's Arctic forces also field an array of powerful weapons, including submarine- and land-based cruise missiles and air-launched hypersonic weapons."They have strong anti-access and access-denial capability that reaches from the Arctic to the Baltic to the GIUK gap," Caudle said at the Wilson Center event, referring to the chokepoint between Greenland, Iceland, and the UK.
But Russian units trained for Arctic ice are being chewed up in Ukrainian mud.
"They ended up throwing ground forces from the entire country into this fight, including from the East, from the Pacific region, and from the North," Gorenburg said. "There are specialized Arctic brigades and naval infantry brigades and that kind of thing that have been fighting and getting ground up in Ukraine. So the ground forces component of that northwest force grouping has been significantly degraded." Even if Russia had more troops to threaten Finland, the overall balance has changed. Under Article 5 of NATO's charter, an attack against one member "shall be considered an attack against them all." If Putin wants to punish Finland, he risks war with NATO. That's a gamble he will be reluctant to take.
*Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds a master's in political science. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 06-07/2023
“+” Countries and “-” Countries!
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq A-Awsat/April, 06/2023
Dear reader, has the title confused you? The explanation is simple: The world has recently been embroiled in crises, especially since the coronavirus pandemic. Nonetheless, the most significant crisis is not the Russian war on Ukraine, but the manner in which this destructive war is being addressed.
Indeed, we are now faced with countries that can be described as “+,” as they are striving for development and stability and to ensure that their national project succeeds. They thereby contribute to promoting the growth and stability of the countries around them, and thus the international community as a whole. Other countries can be called “-” led by the United States, and politically, Israel as well, these countries take a short-sighted view of global events. Their approach has negative implications on the international community as a whole.
Why this introduction? Here is a simple example. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen commented on OPEC+’s announcement that it cut output by saying it was a “counterproductive” decision that could exacerbate uncertainty about global growth projections and burden consumers with even higher inflation rates. The fact is that this statement applies more to Washington’s handling of the war in Ukraine than to the decision to cut production. It has been over a year since the eruption of the war in Ukraine, which has precipitated too many crises to count, not only in Ukraine but around the world.
In the introduction to a political discussion on its website, which begins with the quotes of the “the primary victims of real wars,” the World Bank Group says that the Russian invasion of Ukraine will have long-term repercussions for human welfare, first and foremost for Ukrainians, but “also for the world as a whole..”It adds that determining the costs to human welfare that have accumulated since the war began is difficult because there is no reliable data and identifying its implications and indicators such as GDP are not very useful indicators.
Indeed, besides the humanitarian crisis it has created in Ukraine, this war has given rise to energy and food crises, and one is immune to the repercussions of this crisis. Despite all of this, Washington insists on defeating President Vladimir Putin and refuses to seek diplomatic solutions to resolve the crisis politically.
Thus, we have what could be called “+” countries, at the forefront of which are Saudi Arabia and the Arab Gulf states that are seeking development, stability, and citizen welfare. The direction they are heading in is clear, and their objectives can only be achieved through regional and international cooperation.
On the other hand, “-” countries want the international community to cater to their domestic issues and disregard those of “+” countries. For example, despite the Arab Peace Initiative and the Abraham Accords, Israel has never pursued regional peace in the region, squandering one opportunity after the other. Thus, we are facing “+” countries that are striving to enhance human welfare and stability as they pursue a clear vision. Meanwhile, the “-” countries seek to perpetuate crises. They have no strategy and have disregarded the threats, both to the Ukrainians themselves and the international community, presented by the Ukraine crisis. The simplest example of this lack of a “clear vision” is that, despite the statements of the Treasury Secretary, US President Joe Biden claims the OPEC announcement “is not as bad as you think.” Ask me: Where is the contradiction? I respond: “No comment.”

The Big Show
Samir Atallah/Asharq A-Awsat/April, 06/2023
Everything in the United States is a show. Each event has a lot of Hollywood industry and philosophy: The scene must be overwhelming and the real hero is the director, not the actor. The latter is just a tool in his hands. He moves him the way he wants. Therefore, the names of the actors are shown at the end of a movie, followed by the director’s signature. In Las Vegas, the rich are invited to lose their money and fortunes in gambling clubs. In order to easily attract the victims and drive the sheep to slaughter, the greatest and fanciest artistic shows are organized, with the participation of the most famous Hollywood stars.
Donald Trump’s trial in New York was the most exciting show in history: the camera filmed his blue plane as it entered the skies of New York. A huge aircraft. Vast runways adjacent to the water. A tense touchdown: the wheels hit the ground, and the brakes begin to tame the mighty bird. Thank God for your safety, Mr. President.
After the landing, aides, escorts, guards and other people started to exit the plane. From here, ground cameras followed the owner of the jet to the tower he possesses on Columbus Circle. Millions of people around the world watched for free, without paying tickets. Cut. Stop filming.
The next morning, the most famous man in America arrives in court and is asked about his name, age, profession and place of birth. For the first time in his life, this man will be calm, silent and miserable, and not impulsive, arrogant, loud and fussy. The director advised him that this is the best way to win people’s sympathy. Calm down, Mr. President, control your feelings completely. The movement of your hands. No smile of any kind. Cut.
His Honor, the District Attorney, who is overseeing the case of the former president appears, and he is a dark-skinned young man. How beautiful and surprising this part of the show! The “colored” man is now prosecuting the white president, for charges that threaten his reputation and may send him to prison.
America is stunned by this huge performance. You don’t know what to applaud: the rule of law or the lawlessness? The president’s trial or his disgrace? Does the show make Trump a victim who will win the upcoming elections, or a popular hero and a constitutional loser? Trump is known from his experience from the tallest tower in the city. He made the law a continuation of the reality show he was presenting. Between one scene and another, a vulgar tale is advised to be heard with parental guidance.

Crisis in the Arab World… And a New Arab Initiative
Saleh Al-Qallab/Asharq A-Awsat/April, 06/2023
As is apparent to everyone, the Middle East is undergoing broad dynamic change. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the foremost state in the region and a leader that is closely attuned to the concerns, interests, and challenges facing the Arabs in this changing world, stands at the heart of these changes.
This region has been suffering from instability and war, with several countries becoming conflict zones and enumerable outside parties interfering in its affairs. Unfortunately, these interventions have come at the expense of Arab interests and the sovereignty of Arab countries, and they have resulted in the displacement of millions of people and the resurgence of terrorism and extremism. It is now time for this region to find stability and search for a role for itself in this turbulent world, thereby safeguarding the interests of the Arab people and restoring unity after years of division.
Syria, which continues to be a key link in the long chain of Arab history, has yet to recover from its setbacks. It has been in turmoil, ravaged by conflict and bleeding internally, since 2011. We must end this crisis, reunite the Syrian people, and put an end to this war that continues to destroy a country that used to be a substantial power in the Arab world!
This region will never be stable so long as Syria is plagued by instability. In fact, things will only get worse if the Syria problem is not resolved. A solution must be found if we are to prevent this infection from spreading to all the countries of the region.
Here, we must address a question that has been lingering for a long time: Can we not deal with this important issue after all these years? Do we not have an opportunity to engage with Damascus and contribute to resolving this crisis after all these years?
The broad political overtures led by Saudi Arabia undoubtedly seek to answer this question, restore unity to the Arab nation, and solve the crises that have drained its resources and undermined its stability. This step must be met with positive steps from all the other parties concerned, especially the Syrian government, which must reunite its people and agree on a political framework for ending this civil crisis and addressing its underlying causes.
All eyes are on the upcoming Arab Summit that will be held in Riyadh in May. Indeed, it is expected to, indeed it must, succeed in reuniting the Arab world. The challenges and crises facing Arab countries today are significant, and they require intra-Arab rapprochement and coordination.
It is crucial to note the recent statement made in this regard by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan. “There have been discussions about Syria’s return to the Arab embrace… there is a consensus building in the Arab world, that the status quo is not tenable.”
Meanwhile, we have seen many media reports discussing the reestablishment of consular ties between the two brotherly countries, which is expected to lead to the restoration of diplomatic relations, which have been severed since 2011. Syria’s membership in the Arab League has also been suspended since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution.
The recent moves by Saudi Arabia are part of a broader foreign policy perspective that the Kingdom has adopted. Shortly after Saudi Arabia and Iran concluded the recent agreement mediated by China, Saudi efforts to bring Syria back to the Arab League and normalize the Arab world and the Kingdom’s relations with it were accompanied by a substantial step by Russia. Moscow has been arranging for dialogue and deals between Syria and Türkiye to resolve the disputes between the two countries. This would also strongly contribute to efforts to restore stability in the region and put out many of its fires.
The push by Russia to ensure a rapprochement between Türkiye and Syria has made real progress. Indeed, the foreign ministers of Syria, Türkiye, Iran, and Russia are scheduled to meet on Tuesday in Moscow, where they will discuss the disputes between Syria and Türkiye and make arrangements to resolve them.The situation in the Arab world today is dangerous. We face a broad array of diverse challenges. New approaches must be taken, and a new consensus must be built if we are to reunite and allow all the Arabs to take back their place in this world that recognizes only the powerful.
The status quo has become untenable. If no solutions to the crises wreaking havoc in several Arab countries are not resolved, we could be looking at a dark future, God forbid.

China's Race to Dominate the Military and Emerging Technologies
Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute/April 6, 2023
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) openly says it wants to establish dominance in emerging critical technologies as part of its strategy to supplant the United States as the world's dominant power, establish a new world order and replace the US-led international system established after WWII.
The US has only a little time left in this race. Reports indicate that deep cuts to the military made by several administrations have severely impaired its ability to catch up. Remaining talent and resources will possibly be reallocated in a new administration, if it is not too late by then. China has been supercharging its military for years while the U.S. has sat back, watched, and argued about unrelated social issues.
Communist China is currently preparing its people for war. America is not. The American people, who take their magical lives -- when compared to so many people in the world -- for granted, may be in for a tormenting shock.
China has been supercharging its military for years and is preparing its people for war. America is not. The American people, who take their magical lives for granted, may be in for a tormenting shock.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) openly says it wants to establish dominance in emerging critical technologies as part of its strategy to supplant the United States as the world's dominant power, establish a new world order and replace the US-led international system established after WWII.
The US has only a little time left in this race. Reports indicate that deep cuts to the military made by several administrations have severely impaired its ability to catch up. Remaining talent and resources will possibly be reallocated in a new administration, if it is not too late by then. China has been supercharging its military for years while the U.S. has sat back, watched, and argued about unrelated social issues.
China also hopes to exploit the military potential of new technologies. Some, such as hypersonic advances, have the potential for developing sophisticated new weapons systems. Others, such as the science of "Big Data," can enhance military targeting while rapidly collecting, analyzing and storing immense amounts of information.
Robotics, another modern technology, has already been deployed by the US military against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and suicide bombers in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The anti-armor Javelin missile, originally a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, will eventually be fired from a 7-ton robot as it surveys targets beyond the forward edge of the battle area. The Javelin has proven successful in Ukraine as a check against Russia's advantage in armored weapon systems, particularly when Russian tanks travel in columns. In future wars, robots could guide unmanned jets as well as armored vehicles.
A "directed energy weapon" (DEW) can direct the flow of atomic particles. New advances in DEW technology include high-powered microwave weaponry and chemical laser systems.
Another promising military application is the science of quantum technology (physics/chemistry). A quantum, the smallest measurable unit of light (a photon) or electricity (an electron), can become the medium of an encrypted intelligence messaging sent, say, from a command headquarters to a military front.
Quantum communications, when encrypted (quantum encryption), are impervious to decryption. China dispatched the first quantum message , from Vienna Austria to Beijing, via satellite in 2017.
Chinese Communist Party leaders have maintained a keen interest in securing for China a lead in quantum disciplines. Chinese quantum expert Jian Wei-pan -- in large part responsible for the launch of the first quantum satellite in the summer of 2016 -- briefed CCP Politburo Members on the military advantages, should China secure a solid lead in this technology.
China is in an additional race with the US in the field of "advanced data analytics": the ability to sift through enormous amounts of information at great speeds, using artificial intelligence both to identify trends and predict events. This capability reportedly can improve the training of pilots, commercial or military.
China appears determined to master "big data analytics" by applying advanced computers to assist the People's Liberation Army in planning. Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the 19th Party Congress in 2017, personally endorsed the integration of "big data" into the Chinese economy. The CCP stated at the time:
"By 2030, our country will reach a world leading level in artificial intelligence theory, technology and application and become a principal world center for artificial intelligence innovation."
Intelligence collection tracking systems have been improved. For instance, new drone technology easily exposed a training exercise that featured U.S. Special Forces personnel attempting to infiltrate a hypothetical enemy area of operations.
The "Swarming Drone Pack" -- whereby one drone can transmit data simultaneously to the entire swarm -- can, in addition, both help or complicate US/NATO Special Forces operators' missions.
Advances in quantum sensing enable discernment of nuclear ordinance or radioactive materials embedded below the earth's surface -- such as in monitoring a nation's non-declared atomic storage, or attempts by adversaries to shield nuclear weapons programs.
The Free World's "tech war" against the CCP and the race to dominate artificial intelligence is also a contest in which the victor will dominate the global dissemination of information. The winner will establish future international rules and standards, especially for digital technologies. Xi threw down the gauntlet in a 2020 speech in which he announced the plan for establishment of a "Digital Silk Road" – asserting that control of information as a critical part of total control over a "new world order."
China has so far aggressively been leading in the extraction of rare earth materials necessary for vital weapons systems. China dominates the extraction of neodymium necessary for Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and samarium needed for nuclear reactors.
Communist China is currently preparing its people for war. America is not. The American people, who take their magical lives -- when compared to so many people in the world -- for granted, may be in for a tormenting shock.
*Dr. Lawrence A. Franklin was the Iran Desk Officer for Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld. He also served on active duty with the U.S. Army and as a Colonel in the Air Force Reserve.
© 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.

Why Muslims Hate the Cross: Part 1
Raymond Ibrahim/April 6, 2023
As Christians prepare to celebrate Easter, Muslims continue to desecrate that one symbol most representative of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ: the Crucifix.
Most recently in France, on Mar. 16, 2023, a Muslim man smashed a church’s six foot tall Plexiglas cross—which had stood since the 1600s—into pieces. A week earlier, also in France, another Muslim man broke off and desecrated the crucifixes affixed to some 30 graves.
A couple weeks before that, in neighboring Belgium, a 16-year-old convert to Islam arrested on terrorist related charges had earlier videotaped himself smashing crucifixes.
What is it about the cross that prompts such behavior?
For starters, not only is it the symbol of Christianity; it also symbolizes the fundamental disagreement between Christians and Muslims. As Historian Sidney Griffith explains, “[t]he cross … publicly declared those very points of Christian faith which the Koran, in the Muslim view, explicitly denied: that Christ was the Son of God and that he died on the cross.” Accordingly, the cross “often aroused the disdain of Muslims,” so that from the start of the seventh century Muslim conquests of Christian lands, there was an ongoing “campaign to erase the public symbols of Christianity, especially the previously ubiquitous sign of the cross.”Testimonies abound from the very earliest invasions into Christian Syria and Egypt of Muslims systematically breaking every crucifix they encountered. According to Anastasius of Sinai, who lived during the seventh century Arab conquests, “the demons name the Saracens [Arabs/Muslims] as their companions. And it is with reason. The latter are perhaps even worse than the demons,” for whereas “the demons are frequently much afraid of the mysteries of Christ”—among which he mentions the cross—“these demons of flesh trample all that under their feet, mock it, set fire to it, destroy it”
The comparison to demons is not without significance. Last year in Pakistan, for example, a Muslim man named Muhammed climbed atop and wrapped himself around a large cross on church property and started spasmodically swinging his body in an attempt to bring it down—all while reciting Koran verses, shouting Islam’s jihadist war-cry, “Allahu Akbar,” and threatening Christians (video here). According to the report, Muhammad was “in such a religious frenzy,” and so “intent to tip the cross over,” that “he was risking his life to do so.” He fell, was injured and tended to—by Christians.
Similarly, in France, after a Muslim man was arrested for destroying crosses in a graveyard, initial reports stated that “The man repeats Muslim prayers over and over, he drools and cannot be communicated with: his condition has been declared incompatible with preliminary detention.” He was hospitalized as “mentally unbalanced.”
Ironically, for Muslims, it is the cross itself that it satanic. After referring to the crucifix as “an element of the devil,” Indonesian cleric Sheikh Abdul Somad continued his videotaped response to the question why Muslims “felt a chill whenever they saw a crucifix,” by saying, “Because of Satan!” Similarly, Kuwaiti cleric Othman al-Khamis issued a fatwa comparing the Christian crucifix to Satan, adding that crosses can only be publicly displayed in order to mock them, for example by depicting them “in an insulting place such as socks.” In keeping with such logic, a Pakistani shoe-seller placed the image of the cross on the soles of his shoes, so that the crucifix might be trodden with every Muslim footstep.
As with all things Islamic, hate for the cross traces back to the Muslim prophet Muhammad. He reportedly “had such a repugnance to the form of the cross that he broke everything brought into his house with its figure upon it,” to quote historian William Muir. Muhammad also claimed that at the end times, Jesus (the Muslim “Isa”) would make it a point to “break the cross.”
When asked about Islam’s ruling on whether anyone — even a Christian — is permitted to wear a cross, Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Tarifi, a Saudi expert on sharia, confirmed the hostility: “Under no circumstances is a human permitted to wear the cross.” Why? “Because the prophet — peace and blessings on him — commanded the breaking of it [the cross].”
Sheikh al-Tarifi also explained that if it is too difficult to break the cross — for example, a large concrete statue — Muslims should at least try to disfigure one of its four arms “so that it no longer resembles a cross.” Historic and numismatic evidence confirms that, after the Umayyad caliphate seized the Byzantine treasury in the late seventh century, the caliph ordered that one or two arms of the cross on the stolen Christian coins be effaced so that the image no longer resemble a crucifix.
Fast-forward nearly fourteen centuries, a few years ago in Turkey, authorities “ruled that architectural elements of houses which resemble crosses will not be tolerated.” This ruling came “following complaints that the balconies of certain villas in the village resembled crosses. Photos show that houses had two levels and a cross shape divided the houses into four quadrants. Multiple complaints … led the houses to be destroyed on the basis of their architecture incorporating the cross.”
It is perhaps this continuity between past and present that is most telling. If in 2019 Muslims used human excrement to draw a cross on a French church—smearing fecal matter on churches is not uncommon in the Muslim world—in 1147 in Portugal, Muslims displayed “with much derision the symbol of the cross,” wrote a chronicler. “They spat upon it and wiped the feces from their posteriors with it.” Decades earlier in Jerusalem, Muslims “spat on them [crucifixes] and did not even refrain from urinating on them in the sight of all.” Even that supposedly “magnanimous” sultan, Saladin, commanded “whoever saw that the outside of a church was white, to cover it with black dirt,” and ordered “the removal of every cross from atop the dome of every church in the provinces of Egypt” (Sword and Scimitar, pp. 171, 145, 162).
But why should this topic matter in the first place? After all, the cross is an inanimate object; mocking or destroying it should have zero impact a Christian’s faith. While this is true—and while attacks on real, living humans, chief among them Christian minorities throughout the Muslim world, are obviously worse—attacks prompted by or targeting the cross are important because they truly underscore the reason behind the hate, perhaps even more than when a Muslim kills a Christian (which can be and often is allotted to several other interpersonal factors, for example, personal envy).
Lest all of the above appear too theoretical or abstract, in Part 2 of this article, countless modern day examples of Muslim hostility, violence, and murder provoked by the crucifix will be documented.

The three possible outcomes of the Saudi-Iran deal
Faisal J. Abba/Arab News/April 07, 2023
Thursday’s meeting in Beijing between the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers was a significant step on an unexpected path that may potentially lead to a level of regional stability not seen in over 40 years. That it took place less than a month after the Beijing accord on March 10 is further testimony to Chinese efficiency, and to both parties’ determination to take matters forward. The two countries were represented on Thursday by their foreign ministers, which suggests that both leaderships are confident about the deal and have now delegated the particulars to the relevant government bodies. This is why it was important that the signing of the initial agreement was attended by Ali Shamkhani, a two-star general and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Mosaed Al-Aiban, an extremely high-ranking Saudi royal court adviser and one of the crown prince’s most trusted right-hand men. As I understand it this was at the Kingdom’s insistence, and disarmed cynics who said the deal might have been agreed by the Iranian Foreign Ministry but not by Iran’s deep state or its security apparatus; it leaves Tehran no way out by claiming that the deal was not endorsed by everyone in the regime (not that anyone believes there is a genuine separation of powers, but it is an argument that has been used before).
I have been asked many times over the past month how likely it is that the Tehran regime will stick to the deal. Only senior officials in Tehran can answer that. What I do know, as any negotiator will tell you, is that it is true that it doesn’t take much for such a deal to collapse.
Iran’s negotiators are often described as having the patience of Persian carpet weavers, they have always played for time
Iran’s negotiators are often described as having the patience of Persian carpet weavers. Whether talking with Saudi Arabia or with Western countries, they have always played for time. In the Saudi case, they exploited the fact that all our kings have been of advanced age upon acceding to the throne, so the Iranians knew it was only a matter of time before they had to deal with a new leadership for whom they would not be a priority until they got their house in order. When dealing with Western democracies, Iran understood that elected leaders changed every few years. Even as recently as the Trump-Biden transition in the White House, all Tehran had to do was survive the former’s maximum pressure campaign until the latter arrived determined to revive the Iran nuclear deal, which meant they could demand concessions.
The good news is that none of this is relevant to the Beijing-sponsored deal that was signed on March 10. What makes that agreement different is that it benefits from the presence of “two-factor authentication” — Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the one hand, and China on the other.
The crown prince — young, dynamic and empowered — brings internal stability and foreign policy continuity for decades to come, enabling the relevant officials to focus on every detail of the deal until they see it through. On the other hand, that the agreement was brokered by China and not the US means Tehran cannot wriggle out of it thanks to a Washington administration that may not have bipartisan support in Congress, and in any case will leave after serving its term.
This is also China’s inaugural appearance on the world stage as a peacemaker, and a test of the respect it commands as a global superpower. China has pledged $300 billion of investment in Iran over 25 years and is its biggest trade partner, so there is no doubt that the Chinese dragon will be breathing down Tehran’s neck to ensure that the deal is adhered to — in my view, the only way.
So does this mean that success is guaranteed? Well, in politics it never is. However, there are three possible scenarios.
What makes that agreement different is that it benefits from the presence of “two-factor authentication” — Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the one hand, and China on the other.
The most pessimistic is that Iran doesn’t stick to the deal. That would be a huge lost opportunity for regional peace, but it also means Tehran would have upset a country with the size and weight of China, one of only two friends that Iran has on the global stage (the other, Russia, has its hands full at the moment). For Saudi Arabia it would simply mean a return to the status quo, and we have had over 40 years’ experience in countering Iran’s destabilizing activities and standing up to its militias.
The most likely and realistic scenario is that the deal progresses slowly but surely. It already includes a mutual commitment to non-aggression or supporting aggression against each other, and as recently as Thursday the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen offered to extend the truce there for six months, which is a positive sign. With diplomatic missions reinstated, the two regional powers can talk directly and use diplomatic means to help relevant governments achieve stability and the best possible outcomes in flashpoints such as Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.
The most optimistic scenario is that we all wake up one day and find that every regional conflict that has Iran’s fingerprints on it has been resolved, including Tehran’s withdrawal from Iraq, Lebanon and Syria — but that is unlikely given the sheer amount of entrenched Iranian investment and interests in these countries. But in all cases, at least from a Saudi perspective, this seems like a clear win so far — not only for the Kingdom, but for the region, global markets, and energy security too.
• Faisal J. Abbas is the editor in chief of Arab News