Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 09-10/2023
Two dead in clashes between Hezbollah and Christian villagers after truck crash
Arab News/August 09, 2023
Shots were fired after a vehicle belonging to Hezbollah overturned while traveling from the Bekaa Valley to Beirut
Security sources said one of the dead was a Hezbollah member and the other was a 60-year-old villager called Fadi Bejjani
BEIRUT: At least two people were killed on Wednesday in clashes between armed Hezbollah fighters and Christian residents of a mountain village, after a militia truck overturned on the road between Damascus and Beirut.
Shots were fired after Hezbollah operatives who were escorting the vehicle surrounded the truck, which crashed on a downhill turn near Kahaleh, about 15km from the Lebanese capital. Security sources said one of the dead was a Hezbollah member and the other was villager Fadi Bejjani, 60.
TV footage showed men in plainclothes firing rifles in the street. A third person was reportedly injured in the shootout, and bullets damaged nearby buildings. Lebanese army troops were deployed around the lorry at nightfall while a crane was used to remove wooden crates from it. Witnesses said the boxes appeared to be ammunition crates, but there was no official confirmation. The truck was plain white in color with no military markings. Hezbollah later confirmed the truck belonged to them and one of their members had been killed while securing it. Church bells rang in the village to call people to gather. There were confrontations between villagers and the army as soldiers tried to prevent civilians from approaching the truck. The vehicle overturned at a notorious accident spot on the treacherous, winding road, which has many dangerous curves. Witnesses said the driver was injured when it overturned and fled the scene. A village spokesperson said they would not allow the vehicle to be moved, and urged “the Lebanese state to carry out its duties.” He added: “The army personnel who are present do nothing.” According to reports from the scene, army forces prevented photographers from taking pictures of the crash site and the license plate of the truck had been covered up. Arab News contacted State Security for more information about the incident but its media office refused to provide any details “until Thursday morning.”Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he spoke to Gen. Joseph Aoun, commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, about the incident. He asked the general “to expedite the ongoing investigations to reveal what happened, in parallel with taking the required field measures to control the situation,” according to Mikati’s media office. Hezbollah acknowledged that the truck belonged to it and had been traveling from the Bekaa Valley. The group added that its “members were making contact to ask for help to remove the truck from the road, as a number of armed men from militias present in the area gathered and they assaulted” those accompanying the truck “in an attempt to control it.”It added: “They threw stones at the truck first then opened fire, which resulted in the injury of one of the Hezbollah members who were protecting the truck. He was taken to hospital where he died later. “An exchange of gunfire took place with the attacking gunmen, and a force from the Lebanese army intervened and prevented these gunmen from approaching or controlling the truck.” Representatives of the people of Kahaleh responded by saying: “Hezbollah is the militia, not us.”The Lebanese Forces party said the people of the country are paying the price for the security chaos and the proliferation of illegal weapons in Lebanon.It accused Hezbollah militants of “shooting directly at the civilians who gathered, which led to the death of Fadi Youssef Bejjani, who was trying to save the truck driver.”
— with agencies

2 dead as Hezbollah clashes with Kahale residents after arms truck overturns
Agence France Presse/August 09/2023
A Hezbollah arms truck flipped over Wednesday on the Kahale road after which a deadly clash with residents erupted, media reports said. TV networks said Hezbollah members opened fire in the area, killing a Kahale resident and wounding another person. One Hezbollah member was also killed in the incidents according to reports. The army was meanwhile trying to contain the situation in the area after the withdrawal of Hezbollah’s members, amid an attempt by residents to prevent the removal of the truck. Kahale mayor Abdo Abi Khalil said residents of the town surrounded the truck demanding to know what was inside. Hezbollah members escorting the truck opened fire at the residents to keep them at bay, killing one person, Abi Khalil said. In a statement, Hezbollah said that one of its members was wounded during the incident and later died of his injuries. "A number of armed men from the militias present in the area gathered and attacked" those escorting the truck, read the statement. "They began by throwing rocks, and then opened fire," it said. A statement issued by the Aley department of the Lebanese Forces party meanwhile said that Kahaleh resident Fadi Youssef Bejjani was killed by gunfire as he was trying to rescue the truck's driver, calling on the army and security forces to arrest the shooters, confiscate the truck, conduct the necessary investigations and prevent "militia-like" practices. A statement by residents of Kahale, read on local television, said the townspeople would seal off the road, which runs from Beirut to Damascus, until authorities disclose the contents of the truck. “The truck belongs to Hezbollah and we don’t know what’s in it and we have left things to the Lebanese Army to control the situation,” sources close to Hezbollah told al-Jadeed TV. “The army will erect additional checkpoints to control the situation in Kahale and remove the truck’s cargo,” the sources added. Kahale’s municipal police chief meanwhile told MTV that the town’s residents will not allow the removal of the truck. “We lost a young man who fell dead on the church’s stairs after they opened fire on us,” he added. “Several buildings in Kahale came under gunfire and the army is continuing to prevent residents from approaching the truck,” MTV reported. “Security officials received phone calls from Hezbollah officials who asked them not to intervene in what’s happening in Kahale,” the TV network added.

Hezbollah claims that the truck and his men were attacked first
LBCI/August 09/2023
The Media Relations of Hezbollah issued a statement following the recent developments in the Kahale area, saying that during the arrival of a truck belonging to Hezbollah from Beqaa to Beirut, it encountered a problem in the area.
"While the concerned individuals were making contacts to request assistance and clear the road for the truck to continue on its journey, a group of armed individuals from the militias present in the area gathered. They attacked the truck's personnel in an attempt to take control of it."The statement said that they began by throwing stones, followed by gunfire, which resulted in the injury of one of the "brothers" responsible for protecting the truck. "He was transported to the hospital in critical condition and later passed away. An exchange of gunfire occurred with the attacking militants." It affirmed that the Lebanese Army unit intervened and prevented these "militants" from approaching or taking control of the truck. It concluded by saying, "Communications are ongoing to address the ongoing situation." However, the people of Kahale said the opposite, claiming that the locals went to the accident scene to help the driver, as many such incidents happen in the area.

Hezbollah truck accident in Kahale leads to fatalities, community tensions
LBCI/August 09/2023
A truck, allegedly affiliated with Hezbollah, was involved in a car accident on the road from Beqaa to Beirut earlier on Wednesday evening, leading to an immediate and tense response from armed men attempting to protect the shipment and vehicle. The incident quickly escalated as local residents became involved, resulting in shots being fired by the armed individuals. Two fatalities have been confirmed, one from Kahale and another from the opposing side, along with a third injury. People in the Kahale area are demanding that the Lebanese government take action and conduct a thorough investigation. Many are almost certain that the truck belongs to Hezbollah. The Lebanese Army has begun efforts to remove the truck from the scene but has encountered resistance from local residents. They are demanding verification of the truck's contents before allowing its removal.

Renewal Bloc condemns 'militia' incident in Kahale: Calls for state sovereignty
LBCI/August 09/2023
The Renewal Bloc condemned the incident in Kahale, where a truck loaded with "militia weapons" belonging to Hezbollah caused the martyrdom of Fadi Bejjani from the town. It considered that the passage of unauthorized and unruly weapons in secure Lebanese towns, along with the practice of intimidation, constitutes a continuation of dominance, challenge, and a violation of state sovereignty and law. The bloc denounced the statement of Hezbollah, which falsely accused some of Kahale's residents as militias, calling on the "silent government" and relevant authorities to fulfill their role, even if only once, in asserting the authority of the state, which Hezbollah violates. The bloc expressed full solidarity with the people of Kahale and with every Lebanese town and region that rises in defense of the state against militia weapons. It urged the military institution to play the required role in protecting civil peace and stability.

From car accident to abduction: The latest on Elias Hasrouni's case
LBCI/August 09/2023
In a location beneath the road between Ain Ebel and Haneen, which is not frequently used by vehicles, the lifeless body of the Lebanese Forces official Elias Hasrouni was found a week ago beside his jeep, which had collided with an olive tree. The airbag in the car was deployed, and there were no injuries except for a rib fracture in the chest. At first, the family assumed it was a car accident. But, suspicions remained about the possibility of Hasrouni being a victim of murder. Security cameras in Ain Ebel were reviewed, and the case shifted from a car accident to an organized and professional abduction and killing, as video footage from a house camera in the town showed that two jeeps obstructed and intercepted Hasrouni's car last Wednesday evening. Some of the abductors, accompanied by the jeeps, got into his vehicle before his lifeless body was later found. LBCI retraced Elias Hasrouni's path on Wednesday evening
He was spending time at a restaurant near the church in Ain Ebel with some young people from the town. Around 9 p.m., he left and drove towards his home. However, he was intercepted and kidnapped hundreds of meters from his house. A camera on top of one of the houses captured the video that attributed the abduction and killing of Hasrouni. The kidnappers drove Hasrouni's car towards a road, passing his tourist resort and his house. They took a desolate path, aiming to create the impression that his death resulted from a car accident due to losing control of the vehicle.
His car was thrown after a slope, landing in a ravine beneath the road, with his body beside it. The Lebanese Forces official, aged seventy, retired from Electricité du Liban years ago and owned a restaurant and a tourist resort in Ain Ebel. He was a former coordinator for the Lebanese Forces in the same town.
Additionally, he was imprisoned after the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000 due to his previous affiliation with the "Lahad Army," and he was summoned for investigation again in 2007. However, the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces is currently investigating the case, refraining from anticipating the crime's motives or perpetrators before the investigation's conclusion.

Geagea, Gemayel react after LF official abducted, killed in Ain Ebel
Naharnet/August 09/2023
A veteran Lebanese Forces official has been abducted and killed in the southern town of Ain Ebel, his hometown, CCTV footage and a forensic doctor’s report said, days after reports said that the man had died in a traffic accident. “The forensic doctor’s report says that Elias Hasrouni was strangled and hit with a gun butt on the head and on his rib cage, which resulted in the fracture of his ribs and their penetration of a lung, before the body was thrown near the car’s location,” al-Jadeed reported on Wednesday. The CCTV footage shows two SUVs encircling Hasrouni’s vehicle and individuals getting out of them and entering the man’s vehicle before the three cars drive away. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea meanwhile said in a statement that Hasrouni was the victim of an “elaborate ambush” set up by “six to nine individuals.” “They took him to another place and killed him there,” Geagea said, noting that “this new information has become in the hands of security agencies, especially the Lebanese Army’s Intelligence Directorate and the Internal Security Forces’ Information Branch.” “It is required to unveil the perpetrators’ identities as soon as possible, in light of the sensitivity of the situation in Ain Ebel and the neighboring villages and in light of the repercussions that might result from this crime should the culprits remain unknown,” the LF leader added. Kataeb Party leader Sami Gemayel for his part described Hasrouni as a “heroic resistance fighter” who was killed “in a militia operation in his town Ain Ebel.” “We will not demand to know the truth, seeing as it is clear as the sun in a security zone whose affiliation is well-known … The country is hijacked, the Lebanese are hostages and we are in a state of resilience and resistance and they will not defeat our resolve,” Gemayel added. A statement issued by Ain Ebel residents meanwhile blamed “the killing and treachery machine” for the crime, noting that Hasrouni’s “assassination” will “reopen the file of the comrades Roger Safi and Nakhle Atallah, who also fell in the South in mysterious incidents.”“Those who are supposed to be real partners in Lebanon are practicing the role of the real partners of the enemies, exclusively excelling in murder, liquidation, treachery and assassination,” the statement said. “Those who assassinated all of March 14’s leaders, the intellectual Lokam Slim and the hero Elias Hasrouni are neither the Israeli enemy nor the Japanese Red Army, but rather the enemies of the interior, who only know the language of killing, rockets and the 100,000 fighters,” the statement added, in an apparent accusation against Hezbollah.

France reportedly asks US that Le Drian make last-ditch attempt in Lebanon
Naharnet/August 09/2023
France has asked the U.S. administration that French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian make a last-ditch attempt to break the presidential impasse in Lebanon, after Lebanese leaders received the five-nation group’s “heated” message, sources informed on the French-U.S. talks said. “The French envoy is preparing to explore the impact of this message on Lebanese officials, hoping to break the alignments to agree on a candidate whose election would restore regularity in state institutions,” the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported.

Assad: We don't back any candidate in Lebanon
Naharnet/August 09/2023
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said that Damascus has not “intervened to resolve the crisis in Lebanon.” In an interview with Sky News Arabia that will be broadcast in the evening, Assad added that his country does not support any presidential candidate in Lebanon.

Report: Iran's Quds Brigade commander arrives in Beirut
Naharnet/August 09/2023
Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, who leads Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force, has arrived in Beirut, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hadath TV reported on Wednesday. According to The Wall Street Journal, Qaani had visited Lebanon in April and met with the leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Around the same time, militants in southern Lebanon fired a barrage of rockets at Israel, the largest such attack since the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.

FPM, Hezbollah reach 'preliminary accord' on presidency, decentralization
Naharnet/August 09/2023
A preliminary presidential agreement has been reached between the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah, FPM chief Jebran Bassil said. "We have reached a preliminary agreement with Hezbollah on a course leading to a consensual candidate in return for national demands," Bassil revealed, adding that "it is not possible to elect a president without an understanding" and that he is counting on an "inter-Lebanese dialogue." The demands discussed with Hezbollah are the administrative and financial decentralization law and the trust fund law. These demands concern all the Lebanese, Bassil claimed. "This is political work and not a bargain," he said.

UNRWA returns to Ain el-Helweh after armed clashes
Naharnet/August 09/2023
Following a week-long suspension of services in Ain el-Helweh due to armed clashes, UNRWA has now resumed its operations within the camp. Health Centre II has been reopened and resumed provision of medical care to Palestine Refugee patients. Many children including newborns were brought to the centre for treatment and vaccination. Sanitation Laborers have commenced clearing the streets from the piled-up garbage and disinfecting in the less affected areas. Working in partnership with various stakeholders, the Agency is preparing to conduct assessments and clear remnants of war from the affected zones once these become accessible again. “We very much hope that the camp remains calm,", said Dorothee Klaus, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon who visited Ain el-Helweh camp Tuesday to oversee the situation and the partial reinstatement of the Agency's operations. "I heard today of families unable to leave houses for days under fire and injured upon escape, children crying of fear and women’s hair turning white. "UNRWA will consecutively support clearance of rubble and reinstatement of damaged water networks and electricity lines. A secure environment is necessary for UNRWA to operate," Klaus went on to say. She added that UNRWA is collaborating with partners to prepare for clearance of affected camp sites once possible to ensure the safety of the community and UNRWA staff from remnants of the war.

Powering up: EDL's quest for funding and BDL's support
LBCI/August 09/2023
The Ministry of Energy and Banque du Liban, specifically Electricité du Liban (EDL), strive to open a new chapter between them, particularly in securing funds, especially for purchasing fuel for power generation facilities. In this context, a meeting was held between BDL Acting Governor Wassim Mansouri and the caretaker Minister of Energy, Walid Fayyad. During this meeting, Mansouri affirmed that he will not take any step that compromises the reserves and the current monetary stability. He said he would carefully study the electricity dossier before deciding on any steps that could be taken without causing monetary harm. Consequently, he will not rely on the previously used mechanisms for financing electricity under Riyad Salameh. Sources suggested that Mansouri might later consider converting minimal amounts of the Lebanese pounds collected by EDL into dollars, ranging from one to two million dollars at most.
From his side, the Energy Minister is keen to grant BDL sufficient time to agree on a working mechanism to secure funds. Fayyad also explained to Mansouri how securing funds for EDL and ensuring higher supply hours at the expense of generators could lead to a trade balance savings of around $2.5 billion.
An initial test of the relationship between the Central Bank of Lebanon and the Energy Ministry accompanied these discussions. However, EDL has obtained approval from the Ministry of Finance to open a $ 58 million credit to purchase 66,000 tons of gas oil. EDL is awaiting BDL's response to this request.
Furthermore, the payment for these funds is deferred for six months and is part of the $300 million previously agreed upon with the former governor, Riyad Salameh, to be allocated for EDL.

Diplomatic 'back-and-forth' leads to agreement on refugee data handover
LBCI/August 09/2023
It wasn't easy for Lebanon to obtain a written commitment from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to hand over data on the Syrian refugees and sign an agreement in this regard. The agreement, signed on Tuesday between regional representatives of the UNHCR in Amman and international representatives from Geneva, along with the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, came after a back-and-forth between Lebanese authorities and international parties. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had recently taken a firm stance towards UNHCR employees in Lebanon, suspending transactions and visas they requested and preventing the entry of aid shipments for refugees into Lebanon. Additionally, the repercussions of the Ukraine conflict forced a rearrangement of priorities for international financial organizations, leading to reduced external budgets, including those allocated for refugees.
These factors significantly contributed to expediting the agreement regarding the handover of refugee data, as explained by diplomatic sources familiar with the matter to LBCI. According to the agreement, the UNHCR will hand the refugee data to the Lebanese General Security within a three-month deadline, but not all data. LBCI has learned that the agreement includes handing over data for about 860,000 refugee individuals who entered Lebanon since the start of the war and registered until 2015. For those who entered after that date and whom Lebanon refused to register, the UNHCR has documented them nonetheless, and their number is approximately 700,000. As explained by security sources, these groups have different legal statuses in Lebanon. Those registered until 2015 will have their lists handed over to the General Security, which will handle it based on each refugee's situation and the extent to which this status applies to take the necessary legal actions. As for those registered after 2015, Lebanese laws will be applied regarding residence, work, movement between Lebanon and Syria, and the justification for staying or leaving Lebanon. Most importantly, at the beginning of data handover negotiations months ago, the UNHCR had initially required the state to grant permanent residence to refugees in Lebanon in exchange for the data. Notably, the General Security will receive this data without any condition or requirement.

Lebanese summers are often filled with uncertainty and this year is no different
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/August 09, 2023
As the people of Lebanon last week marked the third anniversary of the devastating Beirut explosion, one of the world’s biggest non-nuclear blasts, despair remained the name of the game in a country that continues to face extreme internal and external challenges.
Most of these crises are authored by a discredited political elite dominated by advocates of resistance to Israel, as championed by Hezbollah. Meanwhile, the country is still without a president, a functioning government, a governor of its central bank, and soon, perhaps, will be without the heads of its armed forces, security services, judiciary and so on.All of this while the midsummer winds of instability continue to blow along the border with Israel and internally within Palestinian refugees camps, adding to the countless woes endured by the population, regardless of which side of the political divide their loyalty tilts toward. The anniversary of the massive explosion at Beirut’s port — which destroyed a large section of the Lebanese capital on Aug. 4, 2020, killed more than 220 people and injured at least 6,500 — passed as you might expect for the commemoration of an occasion that is imprinted in the memories of the Lebanese people generally and has left deep scars in the souls of those who lost loved ones. Impunity for those whose actions resulted in the disaster is still the name of the game three years later, and this is in keeping with a tradition of such crimes in the country being attributed to unknown individuals. Authorities allude to the fact that the disaster was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where a vast stockpile of the industrial chemical ammonium nitrate had been stored for years without proper safety precautions. The investigation into the disaster has been politicized, shackling the judiciary and effectively rendering it redundant. Justice for the victims therefore remains out of reach, as versions of the truth(s) are subject to interpretation based on individual allegiances that reflect the same horizontal and vertical divides that have made the once quasi-independent judiciary ineffective.
The stalled investigation into the explosion is just one of many long-running deadlocks Lebanon is faced with
Since its earliest days, the probe has faced a slew of political and legal challenges. In December 2020, the lead investigator, Judge Fadi Sawan, charged former prime minister Hassan Diab and three ex-ministers with negligence. As the political pressure mounted, the judge was removed from the case. His successor, Judge Tarek Bitar, unsuccessfully asked for the immunity from prosecution granted to MPs who formerly served as cabinet ministers to be lifted in this case. In response the powerful, Iran-backed Hezbollah launched a smear campaign against Bitar, accusing him of bias and demanding he be dismissed. His investigation was suspended in December 2021 as he faced a barrage of lawsuits from politicians he had summoned to the inquiry to answer charges of negligence. In January this year, though, Bitar resumed his investigation and charged eight new suspects, including high-level security officials and Lebanon’s top prosecutor, Ghassan Oueidat. Oueidat in turn charged the judge with insubordination and “usurping power.” Bitar remains the investigating judge despite not setting foot inside Beirut’s justice palace for months. The stalled investigation into the explosion is just one of many long-running deadlocks Lebanon is faced with, leading people to question whether or not the country is ripe for a slide into another round of violence of some sort.
The inhabitants of this small yet complex Mediterranean country are well-trained in forecasting and speculating about the likely sources, and the wheres and the whens, of the next troubles they are likely to face. And evidence has been piling up, internally and externally, against a backdrop of the complete absence of any executive power able to deal with the ramifications of the crises afflicting the country. The most recent such sign of trouble brewing was the violence that broke out last week between the mainstream Palestinian faction Fatah and hard-line Islamists at Ain Al-Hilweh refugee camp south of Beirut, where at least 13 people, most of them militants, were killed while the Lebanese security forces stood by and watched. Tensions between Israel and militant group Hezbollah have also been on the rise, following recent inflammatory incidents along the UN-controlled boundary between Lebanon and Israel, 17 years after the last devastating war between the two sides, in 2006. Many have questioned Hezbollah’s brinkmanship and the timing of its volatile border clashes that are testing Israeli resolve, especially since Israel, too, seems to be in the grips of an internal schism, triggered by the election in November of the most right-wing administration in the country’s history. In particular, a large section of the Israeli population is at odds with the new government over its planned reform of the judiciary, which many believe is an attempt to help Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu avoid the corruption charges he faces and the prospect of a possible prison sentence. Though Netanyahu has been cautious about becoming embroiled in all-out conflicts in the past, many see in the latest incidents along the border as signs of an emboldened Hezbollah that feels less under pressure, which in turn is a reflection of a buoyant Iran. As a result, matters could easily spiral out of control, to the further detriment of Lebanon, given that Netanyahu seems under pressure and desperate domestically and could do with external distractions.
This scenario becomes more plausible when viewed through the lens of the various cross-border encroachments this year, in particular a serious incident in April when a large salvo of rockets was fired from Lebanon into Israel in response to Israeli police raids on Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.
While a Palestinian faction in Lebanon claimed responsibility for that attack, it was widely feared in Lebanon that the militants had most likely acted in coordination with Hezbollah, which controls much of the country, especially in southern Lebanon. Given the risks of strategic miscalculations by the Israeli government or Hezbollah, Lebanese fears of an all-out conflict are increasingly plausible. For months now, all domestic indicators have indicated that the country has reached a dead end, as a result of the inability of its discredited political elite to comply with international demands to implement the basic economic and social reforms that would unlock urgently needed international economic aid for the stricken country.
In the absence of such action, and unless the political elite change course, Lebanon’s summer is likely to remain suffocatingly hot, with the threat of fires — natural or man-made — breaking out that could make life even more unbearable for the majority of the people of Lebanon.
Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist, media consultant and trainer with more than 25 years of experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy.

Israel Threatens to 'Return Lebanon to Stone Age' in any War with Hezbollah
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 09/2023
Israel threatened on Tuesday to "return Lebanon to the stone age" in any war against Hezbollah, following weeks of friction with the armed Iranian-backed group along the countries' border. "Do not make a mistake. We do not want a war. But we are prepared to protect our civilians, our soldiers and our sovereignty," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement, his remarks intended for Hezbollah. Such rhetoric has been heard from both sides since the last Israel-Hezbollah war, in 2006. But it has become more pointed since a roadside bombing in Israel in March, which it blamed on a Hezbollah infiltrator, Reuters said. The group did not claim responsibility for the bombing. Recent weeks have seen face-offs between Lebanese civilians, at least one group of Hezbollah operatives and Israeli troops across the fortified frontier.

Lebanon’s FPM, Hezbollah Make Progress in Their Dialogue
Beirut: Caroline Akoum/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 09/2023
The dialogue between Lebanon’s Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and Hezbollah is making progress over a number of issues in the country. Sources from the FPM said the talks are not only limited to the presidential elections but have covered the “building of the republic.”Head of the FPM MP Gebran Bassil said: “There can be no election of a president without understanding and we are counting on intra-Lebanese dialogue to achieve this.”“We hope the dialogue will continue and our invitation is always open,” he told a press conference after a meeting of the FPM political council. He revealed that a “preliminary agreement” has been reached with Hezbollah over the “course of the adoption of a consensual” presidential candidate in return for “national demands.” “We are still in the early stages of the dialogue with Hezbollah. We have made proposals and are awaiting their response,” he went on to say. “What we have proposed with the party is not a deal, but political work that we have spoken about with all the Lebanese,” he added. Hezbollah has described the return to dialogue with its Christian ally as positive. It did not comment further on the talks. Reports have said that any agreement in the dialogue may pave the way for a meeting between Bassil and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The FPM sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the dialogue has reached a “serious phase and may only take a few days.” “We are serious and hope the other party would be serious in responding to our proposals,” they added. They revealed that the talks have addressed the Taif Accord and calls to implement it as a follow up to the document of presidential priorities that the FPM had previously submitted. The FPM believes that their implementation will form the foundation of the republic ahead of the election of a president, they stated. Any agreement with Hezbollah will be presented to the Lebanese people and culminate in a national agreement at parliament, they continued. “At any rate, Hezbollah agreed to dialogue and this is a good thing given that other parties have dismissed even discussing the possibility of holding talks,” they remarked. Meanwhile, parliament Speaker Nabih Berri – a Hezbollah ally – is unlikely to go ahead with the possible agreement between the party and FPM given his opposition to some of its points, such as “decentralization of financial affairs”. Political analyst Qassem Kassir said: “Bassil often kicks off dialogue with ambitious conditions, but Hezbollah is definitely holding dialogue while keeping its other partners in mind” - namely Berri.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 09-10/2023
Iraq bans media from using term ‘homosexuality’
Reuters/August 10, 2023
BAGHDAD: Iraq’s official media regulator on Tuesday ordered all media and social media companies operating in the Arab state not to use the term “homosexuality” and instead to say “sexual deviance,” a government spokesperson said and a document from the regulator shows. The Iraqi Communications and Media Commission document said that the use of the term “gender” was also banned. It prohibited all phone and internet companies licensed by it from using the terms in any of their mobile applications. A government official later said that the decision still required final approval. The regulator “directs media organizations ... not to use the term ‘homosexuality’ and to use the correct term ‘sexual deviance’,” the Arabic-language statement said. A government spokesperson said a penalty for violating the rule had not yet been set but could include a fine. Iraq does not explicitly criminalize gay sex but loosely defined morality clauses in its penal code have been used to target members of the LGBT community. Major Iraqi parties have in the past two months stepped up criticism of LGBT rights, with rainbow flags frequently being burned in protests by Shiite Muslim factions opposed to recent Qur’an burnings in Sweden and Denmark. More than 60 countries criminalize gay sex, while same-sex sexual acts are legal in more than 130 countries, according to Our World in Data.

Iran hangs five men convicted of gang rape
AFP/August 10, 2023
TEHRAN: Iran executed five men by hanging on Wednesday after convicting them of gang raping a woman in the northwest of the country last year, the judiciary said. The “five men who had kidnapped and raped a woman in the city of Marand in May 2022 were executed today (Wednesday),” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website announced. The men, who were arrested four days after the gang rape in East Azerbaijan province, were implicated in other crimes, Mizan said without elaborating. Last month, Iran executed three men who were convicted of raping women they had anesthetized after luring them to a fake cosmetic surgery clinic. They were found guilty of conspiring in multiple cases of sexual assault in the southern province of Hormozgan in late 2021, Mizan reported at the time. Human rights group Amnesty International says Iran executes more people than any other country except China and hanged at least 582 people last year, the highest number since 2015. Amnesty says authorities in Iran have “significantly increased the number of overall executions for all crimes, with at least 282 people executed in total so far in 2023.” It says the figure is nearly double the number of executions that were recorded at the beginning of June last year.

Union of Journalists in Tehran: More than 100 Journalists Arrested Since Start of Protests
AFP/09 August/2023
The Union of Journalists in Tehran said on Tuesday that more than 100 journalists have been arrested in Iran since the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 that triggered unprecedented protests. "Journalism in the country is going through a dark era," said Akbar Montajabi, the head of the Union of Journalists in Tehran, noting that over 100 journalists have been arrested over the past 11 months. "However, even with these arrests, the flow of information remains unstoppable and finds its path like water," he added. In an article published in Sazandegi newspaper, Montajabi said the era of journalistic suppression continues with an increasing number of journalists being arrested, dismissed, censored or forced into exile. He insisted that "journalists are not adversaries" to the country. "Those who steadfastly remained, holding the torch for freedom, are not foes. They do not cooperate with hostile governments; they are an integral part of the people. Journalists mirror the pain endured by the nation," he wrote. Mass demonstrations erupted in September 2022 following the death in custody of 22-year-old Iranian-Kurd Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly breaching the Iran’s strict dress code for women.
Meanwhile, more than 90 journalists have been arrested or summoned over the past 10 months in different cities across the country, according to the reformist Shargh daily, quoting a report by a local committee that supports detained journalists. Most have been released on bail or granted amnesty, but the fate of 11 journalists, including six detained and five others awaiting verdicts, "is still unknown," said the report published on Iran’s National Journalists’ Day, celebrated on August 8. Among the detained journalists are Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, who covered Amini’s death and have been detained since September. Hamedi broke the news of Amini’s death and Mohammadi wrote about her funeral. Hamedi works for the reformist newspaper Shargh, while Mohammadi works for the reformist newspaper Ham-Mihan. The two journalists had been indicted on charges of acting against national security, and creating "propaganda against the system." Hundreds of people including security forces were killed and 20,000 arrested over their participation in what the authorities have described as "riots" fomented by the West. The popular protests presented the biggest challenge to the ruling regime in 43 years.

Iran: No Pre-conditions for Prisoner Swap with US
London: Asharq Al Awsat Tehran/09 August 2023
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Tuesday that Tehran has no pre-conditions for a prisoner swap deal with the United States. Abdollahian stated that Iran has been for months discussing prisoner swaps with Washington via Oman and Qatar, and that Iran has announced its readiness to exchange prisoners to intermediary parties. The Iranian FM was then asked about reports saying the total of US citizens detained in Iran has increased to five after the arrest of an American woman of Iranian origins. “The number is not important in this file,” Abdollahian said. “The issue of prisoner exchange is a humanitarian one and we do not consider any preconditions for it. We have announced to the intermediary parties that we will exchange prisoners within agreed frameworks,” the top Iranian diplomat added, according to ISNA. Abdollahian’s comments came hours after he held a phone call with his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi. The two ministers discussed the latest developments regarding their ties and the implementation of the deals signed between the two sides, Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Iran’s extremist newspaper, Khorasan, said Monday that the US suspended a deal to release four US nationals in Iran in return for four Iranian prisoners in the US “until the release of the US woman arrested” over spying charges. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller declined to confirm or deny the arrest of the fifth US citizen when asked about the issue during his daily press conference on Monday evening.Meanwhile, Abdollahian arrived in the Japanese capital on Sunday where he held talks with senior government officials. Discussions touched on the bilateral relations between the two countries and other regional and international issues. Abdollahian said that Japan put forward proposals on indirect negotiations with the aim of reviving the nuclear agreement and stopping Iranian nuclear violations in return for lifting sanctions. He said that Iran is seeking ways to reactivate the nuclear agreement through negotiations and expressed appreciation for Japan’s diplomatic efforts. Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov visited Tehran and held talks with his Iranian counterparts, Ali Bagheri Kani Reza Najaf on the future of the Iran nuclear deal and other security issues, ISNA said late on Monday. Ryabkov and Bagheri Kani exchanged views on the implementation of Resolution 2231. The Russian official then invited Iran to continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) despite US obstacles. Ryabkov further said the revival of the Iran nuclear deal hinges on the decision of the United States and European participants in the JCPOA, expressing certainty that the Iranian friends are ready for the JCPOA revival. Ryabkov then stated that Russia supports Iran's membership in the BRICS group. He said that the military cooperation between Iran and Russia will continue despite the enemies' opposition, adding that Russia is committed to cooperation with its friendly countries like Iran. Tehran on Tuesday organized an ‘Iran and BRICS: Prospects for Partnership and Cooperation’ conference. At the event, Abdollahian said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will participate in the BRICS summit, which will be held this month in Johannesburg. Iran is trying to convince BRICS members to accept its request to join the organization.

Israel Says It Foiled a Smuggling Attempt of Reconnaissance Drones to Gaza Strip
Asharq Al Awsat/09 August/2023
The Israeli defense ministry said on Wednesday that security personnel have thwarted an attempt to smuggle ten small drones into the Gaza Strip, the Arab News Agency (ANA) reported. In a statement, the Ministry said its “security personnel thwarted an attempt to smuggle 10 reconnaissance drones into the Gaza Strip at the Erez Crossing.”It added that the "drones are suspected to have been intended for reconnaissance purposes by terrorist groups operating within the Gaza Strip.” According to the statement, the drones were perfectly hidden inside a suitcase and put on a vehicle bound to the Gaza Strip. It added that the drones were intended to reach Palestinian organizations for the purpose of gathering information.

Abbas Reviews with Jordanian Monarch US Proposal for Quintet Meeting with Israel
Ramallah: Asharq Al Awsat Amman/09 August/2023
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed with Jordan’s King Abdullah II an American proposal to hold a new five-party meeting with Israel, according to a Palestinian official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the German news agency that Washington had proposed holding a meeting that would include the Palestinian Authority and Israel, along with Jordan, Egypt and representatives of the US administration. The official did not specify the proposed date or place for the encounter, but said that the American endeavor was aimed at restoring bilateral contacts between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, and ensuring the intervention of regional parties to enhance cooperation and reduce tension in the Palestinian territories. According to the official, the Palestinian leadership has not provided a final answer regarding the proposal, and wants to consult with the Jordanian and Egyptian sides, in light of its insistence on guarantees regarding Israel’s commitment to the outcomes of such talks. Abbas and his senior aides met with the Jordanian monarch in Amman, where they “reviewed bilateral relations and common issues, as well as the latest political developments,” the official Palestinian News Agency reported. The meeting came two days after the Israeli cabinet convened to discuss providing facilitations for the Palestinian Authority, upon American request. Israeli media reports stated that the head of the Israeli General Security Service (Shin Bet), Ronen Bar, met, on Monday, with the Secretary of the Executive Committee of the PLO, Hussein Al-Sheikh. But the latter denied the claims. Meanwhile, Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned of the danger of the continued absence of a political horizon for resolving the Palestinian issue, and its repercussions on security and stability in the entire region, stressing the necessity to stop all illegal unilateral Israeli measures. During his talks with Abbas, the Jordanian king said that the international community must provide protection for the Palestinian people, and deploy concerted efforts to find a political horizon that would re-launch serious and effective negotiations to resolve the Palestinian file on the basis of the two-state solution.

UN Announces Deal Reached with Syria to Reopen Border Crossing from Türkiye
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 09/2023
The United Nations announced late Tuesday that an agreement had been reached with Syria to reopen the main border crossing from Türkiye to its opposition-held northwest for six months. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the “understanding” reached following talks between UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and Syrian officials, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. The agreement will reopen the Bab al-Hawa crossing which has been used for 85% of deliveries to the northwest Idlib region. Haq's statement followed his earlier announcement Tuesday that Syria has agreed to keep two other crossings to the northwest, Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai, open for three months until Nov. 13. The UN Security Council had failed to adopt either of two rival resolutions on July 11 to authorize further deliveries through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing to Idlib province. It is home to about 4.1 million people, many of whom have been forced from their homes during the 12-year civil war, which has killed nearly a half million people and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million. Hundreds of thousands of people in Idlib live in tent settlements and had relied on aid that came through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing. Syrian President Bashar Assad opened the two additional crossing points from Türkiye at Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai to increase the flow of assistance to victims of the devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that ravaged northwestern Syria and southern Türkiye on Feb. 8. He extended their operation for three months in May until Aug. 13. Haq said the Syrian government informed Griffiths in a letter on Sunday that it would allow the UN to continue using the two crossings until Nov. 13. Syria had set conditions for the renewal of deliveries through Bab al-Hawa, which the UN humanitarian office had largely rejected. Haq’s statement gave no details on the agreement reached with the Syrians. Syria has insisted aid deliveries must be done “in full cooperation and coordination with the government,” that the UN would not communicate with “terrorist organizations” and their affiliates, and that the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent would run aid operations. The UN responded that the prohibition on communicating with groups considered “terrorist” by the Syrian government would prevent the UN and partner organizations from engaging “with relevant state and non-state parties as operationally necessary to carry out safe and unimpeded humanitarian operations.” Stipulating that aid deliveries must be overseen by the Red Cross or Red Crescent is “neither consistent with the independence of the United Nations nor practical,” since those organizations “are not present in north-west Syria,” it said in a letter. The letter also noted that the Syrian government’s request that aid deliveries should be carried out in “full cooperation and coordination” with Damascus requires “review.”

US Vows to Keep Syria’s Chemical Weapons Program in UN Spotlight Over Russian and Chinese Opposition
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 09/2023
The United States and its allies vowed Tuesday to keep Syria’s failure to account for its chemical weapons program in the spotlight at the UN Security Council every month despite opposition from Russia and China. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government “has repeatedly lied to the international community” and to investigators from the international chemical weapons watchdog, which has confirmed that it used these banned weapons on at least nine occasions. She said the Biden administration will continue to demand a full accounting from Syria as it pledged after joining the Chemical Weapons Convention in September 2013, when it was pressed by its close ally Russia following a deadly chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, which the West blamed on Damascus. For the first time, Russia and China refused to speak at the monthly meeting on the Syria chemical weapons issue, saying they are repetitive and should be cut back. Syria’s minister counsellor Alhakan Dandy did speak, saying his country was surprised at this month's meeting “given that there have been no developments that would require it,” other than what he called continuous attempts by the United States “to exploit the chemical weapons file to serve their agenda of hostility against Syria.”He repeated Syria’s condemnation of the use of chemical weapons and called claims it used such weapons in Ghouta, where more than 1,400 people were killed, “lies.” He also insisted the Syrian military doesn't possess any chemical weapons. Dandy said Syria has cooperated with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which monitors implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. But he also accused its investigators of being politicized and “using unprofessional working methods and double standards.”UN deputy disarmament chief Adedeji Ebo told the council, however, that Syria has failed again to provide the OPCW with a full accounting of its program, citing “gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies” in its declaration.
He singled out unanswered questions about activities at Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Center “and the declaration of quantities of nerve agents produced at one chemical weapons production facility that was declared by the Syrian Arab Republic as never having been used to produce chemical weapons.”
Ebo reiterated the UN's repeated call on Syria “to respond with urgency” to all OPCW questions. Syrian representatives did meet a delegation from the OPCW’s technical secretariat in Beirut on June 22 and 23, and Ebo said Syria committed to present proposals for better implementing its obligations. He said the OPCW is waiting to hear from Damascus about resuming consultations. Thomas-Greenfield expressed regret that two permanent council members, which she didn’t name, didn’t speak. Russia and China were the only countries to remain silent. “The Assad regime is betting that this council will simply move on,” she said. “It is hoping we will change the subject.”“We must not succumb to fatigue or, worse, indifference. The Assad regime used weapons of mass destruction against its own people. ... And we will not move on, and the regime will not escape accountability,” the US ambassador said. There was widespread support from other council members that Syria must answer all questions from the OPCW, although the United Arab Emirates, the Arab representative on the council, said the council should discuss the Syria chemical weapons issue every three months, not every month.

Journalist among three dead in Syria bombing
Agence France Presse/August 09/2023
A Syrian television journalist and two soldiers were killed on Wednesday when a roadside bomb exploded in the southern province of Daraa, state media reported.
"Correspondent Firas al-Ahmad from (privately owned) Sama TV and two members of our armed forces were killed by an explosive device" as they returned from a counternarcotics operation in the province, state television said.
"Terrorists" had planted the bomb, it added. Daraa was the cradle of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule but it returned to Damascus's control in 2018 under a ceasefire deal backed by Russia. The province has been wracked by violence for years. At least 279 journalists have been killed in Syria since civil war broke out in 2011, according to press freedom group Reporters Without Borders. The conflict has killed more than 500,000 people and forced around half of Syria's pre-war population from their homes.

UN announces deal with Syria to reopen border crossing from Turkey
Associated Press/August 09/2023
The United Nations announced late Tuesday that an agreement had been reached with Syria to reopen the main border crossing from Turkey to its rebel-held northwest for six months. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the "understanding" reached following talks between U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and Syrian officials, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. The agreement will reopen the Bab al-Hawa crossing which has been used for 85% of deliveries to the northwest Idlib region. Haq's statement followed his earlier announcement Tuesday that Syria has agreed to keep two other crossings to the northwest, Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai, open for three months until Nov. 13. The U.N. Security Council had failed to adopt either of two rival resolutions on July 11 to authorize further deliveries through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing to Idlib province. It is home to about 4.1 million people, many of whom have been forced from their homes during the 12-year civil war, which has killed nearly a half million people and displaced half the country's pre-war population of 23 million. Hundreds of thousands of people in Idlib live in tent settlements and had relied on aid that came through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing. Syrian President Bashar Assad opened the two additional crossing points from Turkey at Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai to increase the flow of assistance to victims of the devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that ravaged northwestern Syria and southern Turkey on Feb. 8. He extended their operation for three months in May until Aug. 13. Haq said the Syrian government informed Griffiths in a letter on Sunday that it would allow the U.N. to continue using the two crossings until Nov. 13. Syria had set conditions for the renewal of deliveries through Bab al-Hawa, which the U.N. humanitarian office had largely rejected. Haq's statement gave no details on the agreement reached with the Syrians. Syria has insisted aid deliveries must be done "in full cooperation and coordination with the government," that the U.N. would not communicate with "terrorist organizations" and their affiliates, and that the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent would run aid operations. The U.N. responded that the prohibition on communicating with groups considered "terrorist" by the Syrian government would prevent the U.N. and partner organizations from engaging "with relevant state and non-state parties as operationally necessary to carry out safe and unimpeded humanitarian operations." Stipulating that aid deliveries must be overseen by the Red Cross or Red Crescent is "neither consistent with the independence of the United Nations nor practical," since those organizations "are not present in north-west Syria," it said in a letter. The letter also noted that the Syrian government's request that aid deliveries should be carried out in "full cooperation and coordination" with Damascus requires "review."

UN Official: The Monthslong Conflict in Sudan Has Displaced over 4 Million People
Asharq Al Awsat/09 August 2023
Sudan’s escalating conflict has driven more than 4 million people from their homes, including over 884,000 who have fled to neighboring countries, a UN official said Tuesday. The fighting has also triggered outbreaks of disease and an increase in malnutrition, according to William Spindler, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency. From mid-May to mid-July, the UNHCR recorded over 300 deaths from measles and malnutrition, mainly among children under 5, Spindler said, speaking to reporters in Geneva. His remarks came as clashes between the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary force intensify in the eastern part of the capital, Khartoum, and the nearby city of Omdurman, The Associated Press said. Sudan was plunged into chaos in April when simmering tensions between the military, led by Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, exploded into open fighting in Khartoum and elsewhere. “Chronic shortages in health staff, as well as attacks on personnel as reported by the World Health Organization, have significantly compromised the quality of health care across the country,” Spindler said. On Tuesday, Nabil Abdallah, the military’s main spokesman, said army forces killed and injured hundreds of RSF fighters in ongoing operations in Omdurman. The RSF did not acknowledge those casualties and instead said its fighters had killed scores of army soldiers in street battles there. The Associated Press could not verify either claim. The rival forces had ordered civilians to evacuate Omdurman’s riverside district of Abu Zouf due to the intensifying fighting, according to Sudan’s Resistance Committees, a pro-democracy network. Omdurman’s Al-Nou Hospital — where many of the wounded are being treated — is short on surgeons, blood supplies and oxygen tanks, the Sudan Doctors Union said Tuesday. In June, the government said more than 3,000 people had been killed in Sudan's conflict so far but has not released any data since then. Activists and doctors say the real death toll is likely far higher. The fighting has reduced Khartoum to an urban battlefield where many residents live without water and electricity. In the western region of Darfur, the fighting has morphed into ethnic violence with RSF and allied militia targeting African ethnic group communities. Amnesty International has accused both sides of committing war crimes and the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor announced last month an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the latest fighting in Darfur. With Sudan's rainy season underway, Spindler said the UNHCR expects an uptick in cholera and malaria in the coming months. Last fall, flooding killed scores of people across the country.

Poland to Send 2,000 Troops to Reinforce Belarus Border
Asharq Al Awsat/09 August 2023
Poland will send 2,000 troops to its frontier with Belarus, the deputy interior minister told state-run news agency PAP on Wednesday, twice the number requested by the Border Guard, to stem illegal crossings and maintain stability. Poland has worried increasingly about the border area since hundreds of battle-hardened Wagner mercenaries arrived in Belarus last month at the invitation of President Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus started military exercises near the border this week, and Lukashenko said several times that he is restraining Wagner fighters who want to attack Poland. Poland has also seen an increase in the number of mainly Middle Eastern and African migrants trying to cross the border in recent months. For the past two years it has accused Belarus of recruiting migrants in poor countries and sending them across the border illegally to foment instability. "This reinforcement will be not by 1,000, but by 2,000 soldiers," Maciej Wasik told PAP. "This decision was made by the Security Committee, this decision was made by (Defense) Minister Mariusz Blaszczak" On Monday, Wasik said that the Border Guard was requesting an additional 1,000 soldiers be deployed. Wasik said that all attempts to illegally enter Poland by migrants were now being organized by Belarusian authorities. "If we had real border guards on the other side, and not smuggling services, these crossings would not exist at all," he said. The Belarusian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Belarus started military exercises near the border this week.

Taiwan Reports Second Large-Scale China Air Force Incursion This Week
AP/09 August 2023
Ten Chinese air force aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense zone on Wednesday accompanying five Chinese warships engaged in "combat readiness" patrols, the island's defense ministry said, the second such incursion this week. Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, has repeatedly complained of Chinese military activity near it over the past three years, as Beijing steps up pressure to try to force the island to accept its sovereignty. Taiwan's defense ministry said that starting at around 9 a.m. (0100 GMT), it detected a total of 25 Chinese aircraft engaging in operations out at sea, including J-10 and J-16 fighters, as well as H-6 bombers. Of those aircraft, the ministry said 10 had either crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which previously served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides, or entered the southwestern part of Taiwan's air defense identification zone, or ADIZ. Those aircraft were acting in coordination with five Chinese warships engaging in "combat readiness" patrols, it said. Taiwan's military dispatched ships and aircraft to keep watch, the ministry said. The ADIZ is a broad area Taiwan monitors and patrols to give its forces more time to respond to threats, and Chinese aircraft have not entered territorial Taiwanese air space. On Sunday, Taiwan reported a similar level of activity by Chinese warplanes and warships near the island. China staged war games around Taiwan in April after President Tsai Ing-wen returned home from a visit to the United States where she met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Last August, it also held war games around Taiwan to protest against a trip to Taipei by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Taiwan Vice President William Lai leaves for the United States this week on his way to Paraguay on what is officially only a transit but which has angered China. It was China's "priority" to stop Lai from visiting the United States, Beijing's ambassador to the US said last month. Taiwan's democratically elected government rejects China's sovereignty claim and says only the island's people can decide their future.

Nagasaki Marks 78th Anniversary of Atomic Bombing With Mayor Urging World to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Reuters and news agencies/09 August/2023
Nagasaki marked the 78th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the city Wednesday with the mayor urging world powers to abolish nuclear weapons, saying nuclear deterrence also increases risks of nuclear war. Shiro Suzuki made the remark after the Group of Seven industrial powers adopted a separate document on nuclear disarmament in May that called for using nuclear weapons as deterrence. “Now is the time to show courage and make the decision to break free from dependence on nuclear deterrence,” Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said in his peace declaration Wednesday. “As long as states are dependent on nuclear deterrence, we cannot realize a world without nuclear weapons.”Russia's nuclear threat has encouraged other nuclear states to accelerate their dependence on nuclear weapons or enhance capabilities, further increasing the risk of nuclear war, and that Russia is not the only one representing the risk of nuclear deterrence, Suzuki said. The United States dropped the world's first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroying the city and killing 140,000 people. A second attack three days later on Nagasaki killed 70,000 more people. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II and its nearly half-century of aggression in Asia. At 11:02 a.m., the moment the bomb exploded above the southern Japanese city, participants at the ceremony observed a moment of silence with the sound of a peace bell. Suzuki expressed concern about the tragedy being forgotten as time passed and memories fade. Survivors have expressed frustration about the slow progress of disarmament, while the reality of the atomic bombing and their ordeals are not yet widely shared around the world. The concern comes after widespread reaction to social media posts about the “Barbenheimer” summer blitz of the “Barbie” and “Oppenhheimer” movies that triggered outrage in Japan. The combination of “Barbie” and a biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer — who helped develop the atomic bomb — sparked memes, including of mushroom clouds. The craze was seen as minimizing the ghastly toll of the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings. Suzuki, whose parents were hibakusha, or survivors of the Nagasaki attack, said knowing the reality of the atomic bombings is the starting point for achieving a world without nuclear weapons. He said the survivors’ testimonies are a true deterrence against nuclear weapons use.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who did not attend the memorial in person, acknowledged in his video message that the path toward a nuclear-free world has grown tougher because of rising tensions and conflicts, including Russia's war on Ukraine. Also weighing on the disarmament movemement is a deeper division in the international community. Kishida, who represents Hiroshima in parliament, has sought to showcase the G7 commitment to nuclear disarmament but has angered the survivors for justifying nuclear arms possession for deterrence and for refusing to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Suzuki demanded Kishida's government and national lawmakers quickly sign and ratify the treaty and attend the upcoming meeting as an observer “to clearly show Japan's resolve to abolish nuclear weapons.” As Washington's ally, Japan is under the US nuclear umbrella and seeks stronger protection as the allies reinforce security cooperation to deal with threats from China and North Korea's nuclear and missile advancement. Under its new national security strategy, Kishida's government is pushing for a military buildup focusing on strike capability. As of March, 113,649 survivors, whose average age is 85, are certified as hibakusha and eligible for government medical support, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry. Many others, including those known as victims of the “black rain” that fell outside the initially designated areas, are still without support.

Russia Shoots Down Two Ukrainian Drones Near Moscow
AP/09 August /2023
Russian air defenses shot down two drones aimed at Moscow overnight, officials said Wednesday, in what they described as Ukraine’s latest attempt to strike the Russian capital in an apparent campaign to unnerve Muscovites and take the war to Russia. The drones were intercepted on their approach to Moscow and there were no casualties, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. The Russian Defense Ministry described it as a “terrorist attack.” One of the drones came down in the Domodedovo region south of Moscow and the other fell near the Minsk highway, west of the city, according to Sobyanin. Domodedovo airport is one of Moscow’s busiest. It was not clear where the drones were launched from, and Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment. Ukraine usually neither confirms nor denies such attacks. Flights were halted at Moscow's Vnukovo airport on July 30 and Aug. 1, when drones smashed into the Moscow City business district after being jammed by air defenses in two separate incidents. In May, Russian authorities accused Ukraine of attempting to attack the Kremlin with two drones in an effort to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. Recent drone attacks have aimed at targets from the Russian capital to the Crimean Peninsula.

Rocky US-Saudi bond boosted by Israel normalisation push
Agence France Presse/August 09/2023
A spate of high-profile visits by U.S. officials to Saudi Arabia underscores how ties have warmed amid talks over a potential deal that would see the Gulf kingdom recognise Israel, analysts say. Less than a year after U.S. President Joe Biden warned of unspecified "consequences" for Riyadh during a dispute over oil supply, he is dispatching top aides to meet Saudi royals at a rapid clip. Over the weekend, his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, landed in Jeddah for a summit on Ukraine –- his third visit to Saudi Arabia in just a few months. While bilateral sessions –- including during a three-day tour by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in June -– have touched on topics from terrorism to Yemen, the prospect of normalising Saudi-Israeli ties has been a mainstay agenda item, fuelling rosier exchanges even if it is still seen as a long shot. "U.S.-Saudi ties have warmed unquestionably in recent months," said Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst close to the government. "Dialogue has just gotten much more extensive and friendly and this subject is driving that."The hurdles to an actual deal remain high: Riyadh is reportedly bargaining hard for benefits like security guarantees and assistance with a civilian nuclear programme with uranium enrichment capacity. And Saudi officials have long vowed not to normalise relations with Israel before the conflict with the Palestinians has been resolved. All the same, coordination between Washington and Riyadh is today "better now than at any point in the last two years", said Hesham Alghannam of the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in Riyadh. "It's much warmer and closer. It's not perfect, but it's the best moment since President Biden came into office."
Familiar friction -
The issues bedevilling the decades-old relationship are well-known, from flare-ups over human rights to Saudi concerns about Washington's reliability as a security partner. Those concerns took on new importance after attacks on Saudi oil facilities in 2019, claimed by Yemen's Huthi rebels but widely attributed to Iran, temporarily halved crude output. Saudi officials were deeply disappointed by the tepid response of then-U.S. president Donald Trump's administration, which they believed undermined their traditional oil-for-security trade-off. Growing cooperation with Moscow and Beijing highlights how, as Alghannam put it, Riyadh is no longer content to place "all the eggs in the American basket". The Saudis also leaned on China to broker a landmark rapprochement with Iran announced in March, something the Biden administration was in no position to do. Yet it is important not to exaggerate any slip in Washington's status, Alghannam added. "No major power has a significant military presence in the region other than the U.S., and this will be the case for many years to come," he said, a point driven home by the recent deployment of 3,000 U.S. military personnel to the Red Sea, part of a beefed-up response after tanker seizures by Iran.
'Onus on Israel' -
During last October's dust-up over oil production, both sides were rankled by the stern exchanges that ensued, said John Hannah, a former U.S. senior foreign policy official who has been visiting the kingdom for three decades.
"It extended to the point of very senior (Saudi officials) saying, 'OK, you may be re-evaluating the relationship and may have questions about the future of this partnership, but let us tell you we do as well,'" Hannah recalled.
Even then, though, a genuine rupture was never seriously considered, as the Saudis were simultaneously pitching normalisation terms that would lock in long-term cooperation with Washington. The recent flurry of visits and "serious discussions aimed at taking security ties to new levels" indicate "a much improved atmosphere between top decision makers", said Hannah, now with the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. The new U.S.-Saudi closeness has not gone unnoticed elsewhere, including among Palestinian officials who hope Riyadh will insist on an independent Palestinian state. "I hope that the Saudis will stick to that position and not yield to any kind of pressure, intimidation, coming from the Biden administration or any other power outside of that," Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said last week. Alghannam said Riyadh needs to know whether the Israelis are "actively working towards making tangible progress on resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict". He added: "The onus now lies not on Saudi Arabia, but on Israel, to demonstrate its readiness for peace with the kingdom."

Bahrain prison inmates on hunger strike in latest sign of simmering unrest
Associated Press/August 09/2023
Bahrain prison inmates are taking part in a hunger strike over conditions there, activists and authorities said Wednesday, the latest sign of simmering unrest in the island kingdom a decade after the Arab Spring. The strike targets the Jaw Rehabilitation and Reform Center, a facility holding many of the prisoners identified by human rights activists as dissidents who oppose the rule of the Al Khalifa family. The country's Sunni rulers long have faced complaints from the island's Shiite majority of discrimination. In a statement published by the outlawed Al-Wefaq opposition group, the prisoners said they started the hunger strike over what it described as prison officials blocking inmates from worshipping and 23-hour lockdowns daily. It also alleged prison officials put inmates in isolation arbitrarily, interfered with family visits and provided inadequate health care to those incarcerated. "Our demands are not trifles, but very necessary and required for human life, even at the lowest levels known to human history," the prisoners' statement read. Two prison blocks at Jaw started their hunger strike on Monday, while three others started on Tuesday, said Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, an exiled activist in Britain with the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy. Alwadaei described those in the blocks taking part in the hunger strike as "political prisoners." The prisoners put the number of those taking part in the strike in the hundreds, though that could not be independently confirmed by The Associated Press. Several issued audio messages, later shared by activists, confirming the hunger strike. Responding to questions from AP, Bahrain's General Directorate of Reform and Rehabilitation said that some inmates at Jaw had "returned their meals" on Tuesday. It did not provide a number of those taking part in the hunger strike, but insisted prisons allowed Shiites to commemorate Ashoura and "enjoy their full rights" and health care. Officials "will continue to monitor the conditions of the inmates who have returned their meals to ensure the quality of the services provided and to address their concerns within the framework of adherence to the law and respect for human rights," the government statement said. Jaw is toward the southern end of Bahrain, an island off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf that's about the size of New York City with a population of around 1.5 million people. Concerns over medical care at the prison have been raised before by activists. The U.S. State Department's recent human rights report on Bahrain noted prisoners' families reported a tuberculosis outbreak at the prison in June 2022. The government denied an outbreak took place, but inaugurated a 24-hour clinic at the prison months afterward, the State Department said.
Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet, is in the midst of a decadelong crackdown on all dissent after the 2011 Arab Spring protests, which saw the island's Shiite majority and others demanding more political freedom.
Since Bahrain put down the protests with the help of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, it has imprisoned Shiite activists, deported others, stripped hundreds of their citizenship and closed its leading independent newspaper. It meanwhile recognized Israel diplomatically and hosted Pope Francis last November.

Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 09-10/2023
What Preceded the Jeddah Summit Ensured its Success
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 09/2023
The Jeddah consultative conference on the Ukrainian war continues to receive acclaim after representatives from over 40 countries, including national security advisors from China, India, the United States, and European nations, shared ideas and explored solutions in the coastal Saudi city.
Although the conference was always intended to facilitate exploratory and consultative talks, and thus no concluding statement had not been expected, Saudi Arabia managed to build common ground for this meeting, which allowed for the issuance of a final statement. This raises an essential question: How did Saudi Arabia manage this?
Saudi Arabia succeeded because it adopted a posture of positive neutrality in its engagement with this crisis. While political neutrality can sometimes be negative, the Saudi leadership, headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, prevailed. It succeeded despite the vociferous Western campaigns that sought to portray the Kingdom’s approach to Russia’s war in Ukraine negatively.
From the outset, Saudi Arabia positioned itself as a mediator and peacemaker, and it was keen on remaining equidistant from all the parties involved in the crisis. This strategic posture allowed Saudi Arabia to bring those nations and powers together in a room in Jeddah.
The Kingdom’s efforts began with its votes on UN resolutions regarding the war in Ukraine and its subsequent facilitation of the release of prisoners.
Then came Saudi Arabia’s different stance, which caught the entire world’s attention, as the Crown Prince sent his Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, to Kyiv. From that visit onwards, the world became aware that Saudi Arabia is playing a positive role in resolving this perilous crisis that could have severe implications for us all.
Then came Saudi Arabia’s most prominent step, inviting the Ukrainian president to attend the Arab League summit in Jeddah. This invitation demonstrated its strategic position and how it could contribute to resolving the Ukrainian crisis.
By extending its hand to the Ukrainian president, Saudi Arabia gave him the opportunity to meet with officials who do not support him, though they do not necessarily support or oppose him either. In any case, all the Ukrainians need to do is make their voice heard around the world. The Arab League summit in Jeddah allowed them to do just that.
The Jeddah meeting between national security advisors offered Ukraine the same opportunity. Saudi Arabia also afforded the Ukrainians the opportunity to be heard by 42 countries, including the United States, and more importantly, China.
Naturally, China’s stance on the Ukrainian crisis cannot be called “neutral,” although it has previously sent a proposal. Nonetheless, it was vital that China attend, especially since China did not attend the Copenhagen conference.
China’s presence offered the Ukrainians a chance to convey their message to the Chinese, and other major actors, directly. Indeed, the official Ukraine sent to the Jeddah meeting, Andriy Yermak, held bilateral meetings with representatives from more than 30 countries.
For this reason, the US Department of State expressed its appreciation for China’s attendance at the Jeddah conference. Washington understands the significance of China’s attendance for the Ukrainians and for ensuring an eventual solution. For its part, China lauded the conference and announced that it would attend future consultative meetings.
Thus, the aim of the Jeddah meeting was not to find a resolution for this war that is threatening global peace and the global economy. Rather, its objective was to pave the way for possible solutions, and this is where Saudi Arabia succeeded, as the whole world recognized.
Saudi Arabia is being lauded because its neutrality is positive, not negative. Its neutral posture is the outcome of the role it has been playing on a global level. This matter cannot be overlooked, as this achievement is an extension of the Saudi success it has achieved, both domestically and internationally. under the leadership of the Crown Prince.

The Real Reason Palestinians Do Not Have a Free Media
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/August 09, 2023
This fierce crackdown on Palestinian journalists, however, is ignored by the mainstream media in the West. When Palestinian journalists are brutally attacked, where is the outrage of foreign journalists? Their outrage seems reserved only for stories that reflect negatively on Israel.
All three media outlets [The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN] were obsessed with the case of Abu Akleh because they were trying to implicate Israel, even though there was no conclusive evidence that she had been hit by an Israeli bullet.
On August 3, a video posted on social media featured Palestinian Authority officers in plainclothes severely beating Palestinian journalist Nidal Al-Natsheh.... His crime: he tried to report about a protest by university students against human rights violations committed by the Palestinian Authority.
On July 31, Palestinian Authority security officers arrested journalist Sami Al-Sa'i... Al-Sa'i has been arrested a number of times for allegedly criticizing the Palestinian Authority on social media. Because of his repeated incarcerations, he has been unable to find work.... Recently, to support his family, he has been selling juice on the streets of Tulkarem.
On July 17, Palestinian Authority security forces arrested journalist Akil Awawdeh... Hours before his arrest, Awawdeh had ridiculed the Palestinian security forces' spokesperson for stating the Palestinian Authority does not arrest people because of their political affiliation.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate named a number of other journalists also detained and threatened by Hamas security forces and militiamen: Ehab Fasfous, Fouad Jaradah, Mohammed Abu Awn, and Mohammed Haddad.
Many in the international community who pretend to be "pro-Palestinian" do not really care about the Palestinians at all, or about the too-many-to-count vicious human rights violations committed against them every day. They only care about one thing: bash Israel.
These journalists appear so obsessed with reporting on Israel's "crimes" – real or imagined – that, presumably to avoid casting the Palestinians in a bad light, they painstakingly avoid any story that might reflect negatively on the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. By doing that, however, the international community and media are, in reality, doing incalculable harm to the Palestinian people, who are then forced to continue suffering, without a murmur of help from anyone, under the repressive and undemocratic regimes of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
This fierce crackdown on Palestinian journalists by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas is ignored by the mainstream media in the West. When Palestinian journalists are brutally attacked, where is the outrage of foreign journalists? Their outrage seems reserved only for stories that reflect negatively on Israel. (Images source: iStock)
The past few days have again shown that the Palestinians' two governments – the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip – are doing their utmost to silence and intimidate Palestinian journalists who criticize them or report about their repressive measures and financial corruption. It is no secret that the Palestinians do not have a free media. The media in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is controlled by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas evidently want Palestinian journalists to serve as mouthpieces for their corrupt and undemocratic governments. They do not tolerate any form of criticism. Any Palestinian journalist who does not comply with their wishes is beaten, arrested or thrown out of his or her job. The Palestinian Authority and Hamas apparently want Palestinian journalists only to serve as foot soldiers for the Palestinian government and people.
This fierce crackdown on Palestinian journalists, however, is ignored by the mainstream media in the West. When Palestinian journalists are brutally attacked, where is the outrage of foreign journalists? Their outrage seems reserved only for stories that reflect negatively on Israel.
If the attacks on Palestinian journalists were being carried out by Israeli soldiers, The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN would have dispatched teams of investigative reporters and "experts" to report Israel's "atrocities."
That is what these three American media outlets did regarding the tragic case of Shireen Abu Akleh, an Arab Christian correspondent for the Qatari-owned, Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Al-Jazeera TV station, who was killed while covering armed clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen in the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank. All three media outlets were obsessed with the case of Abu Akleh because they were trying to implicate Israel, even though there was no conclusive evidence that she had been hit by an Israeli bullet.
While the case of Abu Akleh caught the attention of many Western media outlets, no one appears to care about the condition of Palestinian journalists living and working under the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. In addition to fierce physical assaults, Palestinian journalists also have their cameras and mobile phones confiscated by security officers belonging to the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Sometimes the cameras and phones are returned after the security officers remove all the information they want, sometimes not.
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas have been at each other's throats ever since 2006, when Hamas won a Palestinian parliamentary election. In 2007, the rivalry between the two parties reached its peak when Hamas staged a violent coup against the Palestinian Authority and seized control of the entire Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas do have one thing in common: the fear of an independent and free media. That is why they are sending their security officers and thugs to arrest and beat up Palestinian journalists.
On August 3, a video posted on social media featured Palestinian Authority officers in plainclothes severely beating Palestinian journalist Nidal Al-Natsheh and destroying his camera in the city of Hebron. His crime: he tried to report about a protest by university students against human rights violations committed by the Palestinian Authority.
On August 6, Palestinian journalist Ali Al-Samoudi was injured when Palestinian security forces opened fire at a group of Palestinians in Jenin. Al-Samoudi was reporting on Palestinians who were celebrating a terror attack in Tel Aviv that was carried out by a Palestinian terrorist. The Palestinian Authority was apparently worried that scenes of Palestinians rejoicing over the murder of a Jew (a municipal patrolman killed in the attack) would expose the Palestinians' glorification of terrorists and support for the murder of Jews.
Another journalist injured during the incident was Mohammed Abed. He reportedly sustained a direct hit from a tear gas canister fired by Palestinian security officers. The Palestinian Quds News website, where Abed works, condemned "recurring assaults and the intentional targeting of journalists" by the Palestinian Authority.
On July 31, Palestinian Authority security officers arrested journalist Sami Al-Sa'i at his workplace in the city of Tulkarem, also in the northern West Bank. Al-Sa'i has been arrested a number of times for allegedly criticizing the Palestinian Authority on social media. Because of his repeated incarcerations, he has been unable to find work in the local and foreign media. Recently, to support his family, he has been selling juice on the streets of Tulkarem.
On July 17, Palestinian Authority security forces arrested journalist Akil Awawdeh, also for critical posts on social media. Hours before his arrest, Awawdeh had ridiculed the Palestinian security forces' spokesperson for stating the Palestinian Authority does not arrest people because of their political affiliation.
This past week, Hamas security officers attacked and detained several Palestinian journalists trying to report on widespread protests against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) said the Hamas officers threatened the journalists and prevented them from covering the protests. It said that journalists Mohammed Al-Baba and Bashar Taleb were taken to a Hamas police station where they had their cameras and mobile phones searched and confiscated. The PJS named a number of other journalists also detained and threatened by Hamas security forces and militiamen: Ehab Fasfous, Fouad Jaradah, Mohammed Abu Awn, and Mohammed Haddad.
If Palestinians think that the Palestinian community, including their Western colleagues, care about their predicament, they are painfully mistaken. Many in the international community who pretend to be "pro-Palestinian" do not really care about the Palestinians at all, or about the too-many-to-count vicious human rights violations committed against them every day. They only care about one thing: bash Israel.
When the Palestinian Authority and Hamas beat and arrest Palestinian journalists, the United Nations and so-called human rights organizations look the other way. Western journalists covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Western universities are no better.
These journalists appear so obsessed with reporting on Israel's "crimes" – real or imagined – that, presumably to avoid casting the Palestinians in a bad light, they painstakingly avoid any story that might reflect negatively on the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. By doing that, however, the international community and media are, in reality, doing incalculable harm to the Palestinian people, who are then forced to continue suffering, without a murmur of help from anyone, under the repressive and undemocratic regimes of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East.
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You think Trump’s indictments are ‘historic?’ Wait and see what happens if he becomes president again
Dr. Amal Mudallali/Arab News/August 09, 2023
Washington is using the word “historic” a lot these days. Last week, for example, two “historic” events happened on the same day in the American capital.
One was the third indictment of Donald Trump, a first for an American president, especially in the form of a federal indictment. The other was the downgrading by Fitch of the US debt rating from the highest AAA level to AA+.
Both events were branded historic by the American media and political observers, who tried to pin the responsibility for both on either the Democrats or the Republicans, depending on political affiliations or leanings.
The bigger story of the two was the indictment of Trump in connection with his alleged efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election. He appeared in federal court to face charges of “conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy against the rights of citizens, and obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding.”
These are serious charges that go to the heart of the democratic system and the peaceful transfer of power. The New York Times wrote that this “third indictment in four months gets to the heart of the matter, the issue that will define the future of American democracy.”
Trump pleaded “not guilty” and called the situation a “very sad day for America.” Describing the indictment as “persecution of a political opponent,” he claimed he is leading President Joe Biden “by a lot” in opinion polls and dismissed the case as a politically motivated attempt to prevent him from running for election.
“So if you can’t beat him, you persecute him or you prosecute him,” he said. “You can’t let this happen in America”.
It is clear that his strategy, and that of his team, is to win this case in the court of public opinion before any trial takes place in judicial courts. Trump’s claim that the indictments he faces are politically motivated is certainly a belief shared by many of his supporters. According to a CBS poll in June, 76 percent of Republican primary voters said they believed this to be true in the case of the indictment over his alleged possession of classified documents. The poll also revealed that 61 percent of the Republican voters who were questioned had not changed their opinion of Trump as a result of the indictment, and 41 percent said it had made them view him in an even more positive light.
A new ABC poll after the third indictment showed that support for indicting the former president fell along party lines too. In the poll 89% of the Democrats believed Mr. Trump “should have been charged with a crime in this case,” compared to 14% of Republicans who believed that.
These polls are but one more illustration of the political fault line and deep divisions in the country along party lines, raising concerns that they are starting to have real consequences for the country and its financial and economic stability.
Experts are worried about the message these repeated political confrontations are sending to the financial markets, and to the world in general, about the health of American democracy and the country’s economic and political stability.
The most glaring illustration of this concern came on the same day Trump was indicted for the third time, as if to make the point in unmistakably stark terms. It was, however, a coincidence that Fitch, the ratings agency, downgraded the US debt rating on the same day the former president was accused of inciting political instability. Fitch cited “a steady deterioration in standards of governance over the last 20 years” and added that the “repeated debt-limit political standoffs and last-minute resolutions have eroded confidence in fiscal management.”
Fitch’s director, Richard Francis, explained to Reuters the specific concerns that led to the downgrade, saying that “you have the debt ceiling, you have Jan. 6. Clearly, if you look at the polarization with both parties, the Democrats have gone further left and the Republicans further right, so the middle is kind of falling apart.”
In a story headlined “Yet another Trump ‘indictment’: Fitch blames Jan. 6 for US credit downgrade,” New Republic magazine described the coincidental timing of the two announcements as “a weird stroke of irony.”
Not surprisingly, the White House saw it as vindication of its claim that the attack on the Capitol, and the hard-line tactics of Republicans in blocking the president’s agenda in Congress, have contributed to the economic woes of the country. Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre was very clear about where the administration believes responsibility for the downgrade lies.
“It’s clear that extremism by Republican officials, from cheerleading default to undermining governance and democracy to seeking to extend deficit-busting tax giveaways for the wealthy and corporations, is a continued threat to our economy,” she said.
The White House is, and should be, concerned because the 2024 election campaign is already underway, in the court of public opinion and in actual US courts. The Biden team knows that Trump and his campaign will use the downgrade to attack Biden and his economic policies as “disastrous Bidenomics,” as they put it, regardless of whether or not the Fitch data and analysis were “outdated,” as Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen suggested.
This 2024 presidential campaign is shaping up to be the most contentious and divisive in American history, not only because of the deep divisions in the country, or the increased role of artificial intelligence in the spreading of fake news, but because it is obvious from last week’s developments that Trump is not taking hostages.
In a message posted on his Truth Social platform, he wrote: “IF You Go After ME, I’M Coming After You.” His campaign defended the message as being “the definition of political speech.” But some commentators, and Justice Department prosecutors, saw it as a threat and expressed concern that the former president might disclose in his social media accounts information that is important to the cases he faces.
But the main concern is what Trump would do if he does return to the White House. According to the New York Times, he and his allies “are planning sweeping expansion of presidential power over the machinery of the government” and to “centralize more power in the Oval Office and his hands.”
After reviewing “his campaign policy proposals and interviews with people close to him,” the newspaper wrote: “Mr. Trump and his associates have a broader goal: To alter the balance of power by increasing the president’s authority over every part of the federal government that now operates, by either law or tradition, with any measure of independence from political interference by the White House.”
Moreover, the language of the former president is clear about his intentions should he win the election. During a speech in Bedminster, New Jersey, after his second indictment in New York, he laid out his plans very clearly.
Trump’s claim that the indictments he faces are politically motivated is certainly a belief shared by many of his supporters.
He announced he would “appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of America, Joe Biden, and the entire Biden crime family.”But most importantly, he said:” I will totally obliterate the deep state. We know who they are. I know exactly who they are.”
No presidential candidate has ever used this kind of language.
If any of this comes to pass it will be truly “historic” and America, as we know, it will cease to exist as a democracy in which the transfer of power is a normal, peaceful and orderly process. But this is what Trump and his supporters believe the Democrats are doing to him now, through the indictments. And that is why the 2024 presidential election will be truly historic.
*Dr. Amal Mudallali is an American policy and international relations analyst.

The UK’s reluctance to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as terrorists is puzzling
Dr. Azeem Ibrahim/Arab News/August 09/2023
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps poses the single largest threat to the UK’s national security, according to British Home Secretary Suella Braverman, after new evidence emerged about its influence within the country.
Braverman expressed concern about the group’s heightened activities, and was troubled by intelligence reports that suggest Iranian agents are making efforts to enlist members of organized crime syndicates to target opponents of the regime.
MI5 previously warned that Tehran was responsible for 10 plots last year involving planned murders and kidnapping, a number that had grown to 15 by February this year, according to London’s Metropolitan Police. A warning from Scotland Yard about inadequate protection for potential targets compelled Iran International, a dissident TV channel, to cease operations at its British base.
The IRGC is a well-known provocateur and active participant in sectarian conflicts across the Middle East, and now it seems its considerable influence is extending further afield. It collaborates with banned terrorist groups and oversees extensive criminal networks, including a narcotics ring used to finance its political violence.
Functioning as a distinct entity within the Iranian state framework, rather than an official arm of the government, the IRGC is a hybrid of a religious police force and an international terrorist organization. It employs repressive tactics against domestic Iranian protesters while simultaneously engaging in widespread sectarian warfare abroad.
Despite facing as many as 15 credible threats to the lives of UK residents in the past two years, authorities in the UK have yet again declined to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, with the latest missed opportunity coming this month. As protests continue in Iran, now entering their eleventh month, the pervasive violent influence of the IRGC is increasingly evident
The IRGC’s foreign operations division, known as the Quds Force, gained significant notoriety under the leadership of Qassem Soleimani. He orchestrated the establishment of sectarian militias in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, embroiling the group in the internal political conflicts and civil wars of these nations.
The Quds Force has also orchestrated the assassinations of political opponents and protesters, while evading international sanctions and condemnation.
Soleimani himself was a prominent figure and symbol who toured battlefields and orchestrated violent reprisal actions such as the brutal siege of Aleppo in Syria, and the capture of Kirkuk from Iraqi Kurds. His actions became so troublesome that the US ultimately targeted him with a drone strike in Baghdad that killed him in January 2020. Since then, the IRGC’s acts of terrorism have continued under less conspicuous leadership.
Over the past decade, the group has directly participated in or ordered its affiliated militias to carry out the killings of political figures and journalists in Lebanon and Iraq, including notable figures such as Iraqi historian and security expert Hisham Al-Hashimi and Lebanese activist Lokman Slim. Its actions unmistakably meet the criteria for the definition of international terrorism.
Furthermore, the IRGC has entered a new phase of its agenda by plotting the assassination of Iranian dissidents and other perceived enemies of the regime in Europe and the Americas. The US Department of Justice has warned a number of vocal critics of the regime in Tehran, including former National Security Advisor John Bolton and Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad, that they were the targets of such plots in recent years.
In the UK, workers at critical opposition organizations such as Iran International have been notified by the police of threats to their lives from hired criminals and hitmen, and surveillance of their offices and residences.
It is imperative that such activities are acknowledged as acts of terrorism. The fact that these assassination attempts have so far been unsuccessful does not diminish their terroristic nature.
Countries such as the UK, which is already grappling with efforts to counter terror plots by proscribed organizations such as Al-Qaeda, Daesh and domestic extremists, must proscribe and impose sanctions on Iranian IRGC forces and their proxies, should they continue to engage in similar behavior.
Around the world, many nations face similar challenges. Australia, in particular, is engaged in a robust debate on the issue.
As protests continue in Iran, now entering their eleventh month, the pervasive violent influence of the IRGC is increasingly evident. Its forces serve as the regime’s enforcers, perpetrating torture and murder as their primary activities.
Iran’s expansive campaign represents a protracted endeavor by a revisionist force to reconfigure the international order
As the group continues to import and deploy militiamen to brutalize and target civilians, authorities worldwide are reevaluating their perceptions of the Revolutionary Guards. Instead of viewing the group as an unconventional branch of the Iranian state, they now recognize it as a military entity within Iran that is driven by its own history of violence and internal motives. Essentially, the IRGC is an armed group, not a legitimate national military force.
Proscription is not merely a matter of terminology. It holds profound implications for national security, international diplomacy and the lives of numerous individuals caught in the crossfire of the IRGC’s actions.
The group has significant control of a substantial portion of Iran’s natural resources and mineral wealth. Taking decisive action and proscribing the IRGC as a terrorist organization could therefore potentially lead to sanctions targeting a key pillar of the regime in Tehran. Clearly, this is a priority for the UK, as evidenced by the British government’s expansion of its criteria for subjecting Iran’s supporters and businesses to sanctions.
Proscription would also help to thwart attacks within the UK by enabling the utilization of anti-terror legislation to freeze assets and facilitate surveillance of suspected attackers. It could also encourage other nations to follow suit, thus enabling collaborative policies such as those related to immigration powers, thereby hindering the international movement of IRGC agents and obstructing their operations.
Considering the continuing and planned acts of terrorism perpetrated by this armed Iranian group in other nations, it is entirely reasonable for countries such as Britain to reassess their stance on the IRGC. an organization that will never stick to typical military behavior or operate in a legitimate manner.
The inescapable conclusion is that the Iranian regime heavily relies on the IRGC, a terrorist organization, to maintain its grip on power. To aid the people of Iran in breaking free from the oppression of the IRGC, proscription is therefore essential.
Iran’s expansive campaign represents a protracted endeavor by a revisionist force to reconfigure the international order. Geographical boundaries do not restrict its reach, as its influence extends across the globe through criminal networks and acts of terrorism that leave footprints on every continent.
*Dr. Azeem Ibrahim is director of special initiatives at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy in Washington, D.C., and the author of “The Rohingyas: Inside Myanmar’s Genocide” (Hurst, 2017). Twitter: @AzeemIbrahim