Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 17-18/2023
Nasrallah’s speech is terrorist par excellence, and contains direct, brazen threats to individuals, deputies, activists, Journalists and media outlets
Elias Bejjani/August 16/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/121268/121268/
Our prayers go out to the souls of Lebanon’s latest martyrs, Fadi Bejjani, Elias Al-Hasrouni, Haitian and Malek Touq, who sacrificed themselves on the altar of Lebanon. May their souls Rest in Peace in the Heavenly mansions.
It is so obvious that Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s speech on Monday, August 14, 2023 was not at all according to any standard; accommodating, calm and conciliatory, as Hezbollah’s media outlets — their cymbals and mouthpieces — tried to portray it.
The lengthy, bragging, and Hippocratic speech focused on individuals, activists, parliamentarians, journalists and media facilities, with the aim of singling them out, terrorizing and threatening them.
Nasrallah in a cunning, malice, hostile and provocative rhetoric utilized all his talents of terrorism to divide the people of the Kehali town, and to sow discord among them. He focused on those who took to the streets and confronted his group’s terrorist members, threatening that his militia knows them and has their pictures. Meanwhile with a disgusting impudence he called on the judiciary to pursue and charge them, while intentionally turning a blind eye on the armed reception that took place in the Bekaa region for his militia’s terrorist who assassinated the martyr Fadi Bejjani.
He threatened the MTV station, and described it as malicious (without naming it), and held it accountable for everything that happened in the town of Kehali. In the same context, his threat included Nidaa Al-Watan newspaper (without naming it) among many other media facilities and journalists who covered his militia’s Kehali invasion and crimes.
With the same bragging, fabricated and accusative rhetoric, Nasrallah accused with sedition against his so called resistance, the Members of the parliament, partisan activists and journalists who rushed to support the people of Kehali town.
His most dangerous threat was an alleged civil war that all those Lebanese who reject his militia’s occupation, do not acquiesce in his Iranian authority, do not stupidly applaud the charlatanism and hypocrisy of the heresy of his so called resistance, are preparing.
Nasrallah and his mullahs’ masters in Iran must be well aware that the majority of the Lebanese societies, strongly reject their hegemony and occupation, as was clearly shown in the towns of Shuya, Khaldeh, Ain al-Rummaneh and Kehali.
It is worth mentioning that the ministerial statements, which some allege to have legitimized Hezbollah and the lie of its resistance, are mere proposed plans that have no legal or legislative value. The only authority who legislates in Lebanon is the parliament, and up till now, it did not legislate neither Hezbollah’s weapons nor its alleged and criminal resistance.
As for Hezbollah’s blatant MP, Muhammad Raad’s statement in which he said, “whoever does not want the resistance does not want the Taif Accord”, it is a brazen threat of a war that Hezbollah is preparing to launch against any Lebanese who wants to implement the Taif Accord, that calls plainly for disarming all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, and extending the state’s authority by means of its own forces to all Lebanese territories. It remains that Hezbollah, according to all the Lebanese laws, is a gang of armed criminals and mercenaries and not a resistance. Meanwhile, Hezbollah did not liberate the south of Lebanon from the Israeli occupation in the year 2000, Nor does Hezbollah represent the Shiite community in the Lebanese Parliament which it kidnaps, takes hostage and falsifies its presentation by force, terrorism and sectarianism.
In conclusion, there will be no solutions in Lebanon at any level, and in any domain without the full implementation of the UN resolutions pertaining to Lebanon, namely the Armistice Agreement, 1559, 1680 and 1701.
Long Live Free Lebanon

Legislative session adjourned due to lack of quorum
Naharnet/August 17, 2023
Parliament did not convene Thursday due to a lack of quorum as only 52 lawmakers showed up to attend a legislative session that was supposed to discuss several laws including the capital control law and the oil and gas sovereign fund draft law.
Meanwhile, demonstrators rallied outside parliament to protest the capital control law. Opposition MPs had called Wednesday on all blocs to boycott today's session and all the coming parliamentary sessions, as they considered parliamentary sessions "unconstitutional" amid a presidential void. The Free Patriotic movement also did not attend the session that it considered as "non urgent." "What is more urgent than today's articles," asked caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who had met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri before the session. "We have reached a very difficult stage," he said, stressing that if the bank restructuring law is not approved, further problems would threaten Lebanon. Restructuring the banking sector is a key demand of the International Monetary Fund to start getting Lebanon out of its paralyzing financial crisis. The proposed IMF reforms will likely force most of the country’s 46 banks — a huge number for a nation of 5 million people — to close down or merge.

Sami Gemayel: Confrontation is most important message
Naharnet/August 17, 2023
Kataeb Party chief Sami Gemayel has stressed that dialogue with Hezbollah would be futile as long as it “continues to insist on its candidate and on the approach of imposition, intimidation, weapons and murder.”“Today we took a strong stance to put an end to the entire approach of Hezbollah,” Gemayel said in an interview with MTV, referring to a statement issued by the MPs of Kataeb, Lebanese Forces, Tajaddod and three independents. “From the very first day they’ve been trying to drag us to the dialogue table, sometimes Speaker (Nabih) Berri and sometimes Hezbollah, and today the French initiative came separately, but the results might lead to the same place,” Gemayel added. Asked whether the paper sent to parliament by French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian represents a “breach of sovereignty,” the Kataeb chief said: “Not many countries care about Lebanon, that’s why we don’t want to attack anyone, but in form the French letter was certainly not appropriate.”“Moving to confrontation in the opposition’s statement is the most important message,” Gemayel added.

Bassil denies meeting Franjieh, says still backing Azour
Naharnet/August 17, 2023
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Thursday denied a media report claiming that he has met with Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh. Bassil also stressed that he is still committed to the “intersection” with the opposition over Jihad Azour’s nomination.
“He is still fully supportive and committed to the ongoing understanding and intersection with the opposition forces over the domination of Dr. Jihad Azour, and he calls for holding successive parliamentary sessions to choose one of the proposed candidates or agree on a candidate who would enjoy the support of most parliamentary blocs,” Bassil’s press office said in a statement. “Anything other than this would be a waste of time and effort and an extension of the crisis with further collapse, including any open-ended dialogue without a specific agenda and timeframe,” the statement said. As for the FPM’s dialogue with Hezbollah, the statement said “it includes clear demands that have been announced by the FPM chief through the media and are related to broad decentralization, the trust fund and the state building project.” “Dialogue has not yet reached the stage of discussing names,” the statement added. Al-Liwaa newspaper had earlier reported that Bassil has met with Franjieh over a dinner banquet as part of the “presidential dialogue between Hezbollah and the FPM” and that “the meeting’s atmosphere was positive and fruitful.”

National grid power restored after Mikati deal with Primesouth
Naharnet/August 17, 2023
Primesouth, the company that operates the al-Zahrani and Deir Amar power plants, resumed its services Thursday after a deal with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, media reports said. “Mikati called Primesouth’s CEO and pledged to pay $7 million out of the company’s overdue fees in return for an instant activation of the power plants. The company has started operating the power plants, which will provide electricity within three hours,” al-Jadeed TV said. MTV meanwhile said the $7 million would be paid from the funds Lebanon received from the International Monetary Fund as part of the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) program, after acting Central Bank Governor Wassim Mansouri “refused to pay from the bank’s reserves.” “The Central Bank will not pay any dollar from the reserves to Primesouth or to other parties, and the state must pay from its accounts or from what’s left of the SDR funds,” LBCI TV quoted a Central Bank source as saying. “The prime minister has been informed of this stance,” the source added. In a crisis-hit country that heavily relies on power generators, the outage resulting from the services suspension had threatened to disrupt operations at the Rafik Hariri International Airport, the Port of Beirut and other key state facilities.

UNRWA urges armed groups to immediately vacate its facilities in Ain el-Helweh
Naharnet/August 17, 2023
UNRWA said Thursday it has received alarming reports that armed actors continue to occupy its installations including a school compound in Ain el-Helweh Palestine refugee camp in the South of Lebanon. UNRWA facilities have reportedly been damaged by the recent fighting in the camp. The compound has four UNRWA schools that normally provide education to 3,200 Palestine Refugee children. “This is a grave violation of the inviolability of U.N. premises under international law, which compromises the neutrality of UNRWA installations and undermines the safety and security of our staff and Palestine Refugees," UNRWA said in a statement, as it strongly condemned the acts. The statement added that all UNRWA facilities, including schools, must be protected at all times. "Schools are meant to be a sanctuary for children and zones of peace where children learn and play. They must never be used for armed conflict." UNRWA urged all relevant actors to "immediately vacate its premises so that the Agency can restore critical services and the delivery of assistance to Palestine Refugees in need."

Treasury Department Sanctions Hezbollah ‘Green’ Front Group
FFD/August 17, 2023
Latest Developments
The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Lebanon-based Green Without Borders (GWB) and its leader, Zuhair Subhi Nahla, on August 16 for aiding Hezbollah. Treasury explained that GWB “has provided support to and cover” for Hezbollah’s operations in southern Lebanon along the Lebanon-Israel border “while publicly operating under the guise of environmental activism.” Treasury designated GWB and Nahla pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists, terrorist organizations, leaders and officials of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
According to Treasury, GWB has more than a dozen outposts along the Israel-Lebanon border, manned by Hezbollah operatives. These outposts serve as cover for Hezbollah munitions storage tunnels and impede border patrols by United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers.
Expert Analysis
“The Israelis have been sounding the alarm about Green Without Borders for several years now. This imposter charity has consistently posed a threat to regional security through the erection of outposts along the Lebanese border that Hezbollah could exploit. The timing of these new sanctions, however, is important. They come amidst multiple provocations by Hezbollah along the border. Washington is thus making it clear that Hezbollah’s aggression will be accounted for.” — Jonathan Schanzer, FDD Senior Vice President for Research
“Treasury’s designation of Green Without Borders is an important first step in preventing Hezbollah’s fake environmental group from triggering a real war. But there is more to be done. When the mandate of UNIFIL peacekeepers comes up for renewal by the UN Security Council on August 31, the United States should insist that the mandate be strengthened to stop GWB from blocking UNIFIL’s access to the border. In addition, the U.S. government should condition some of its hundreds of millions of dollars in annual assistance to the Lebanese government and armed forces on their removal of GWB outposts and other Hezbollah positions near the Israeli border.” — Orde Kittrie, FDD Senior Fellow
GWB Part of Broader Pattern of Hezbollah Aggression at Border
The GWB outposts are a major, but far from the only, dangerous recent border activity by Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Several border incidents have involved GWB incursions across the Israeli border line.
For example, on July 15, a Hezbollah-affiliated member of the Lebanese Parliament illegally led an 18-person group across the border. On July 14, Hezbollah members illegally entered Israel and stole military equipment. On July 9, a group of 30 Lebanese soldiers and Hezbollah members illegally crossed the border. In May, Hezbollah erected two military structures in Israeli territory.
Hezbollah Military Actions Violate International Law
Hezbollah’s military presence anywhere in Lebanon, including along the border with Israel, is contrary to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for “the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, so that … there will be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese state.” The goal of the resolution, passed following the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, is to prevent a future conflict by removing the main cause of that war: the presence in Lebanon of Hezbollah forces.
The 27 military outposts that Hezbollah has built along the border over the last year, under the guise of GWB, gravely undermine the Resolution 1701 framework. That framework has, despite its flaws, helped Israel and Lebanon avert large-scale war since 2006.

US sanctions Lebanese environmental group accused of being arm of Hezbollah
Associated Press/August 17, 2023
The United States has imposed sanctions on a Lebanese environmental organization accused of being an arm of the militant group Hezbollah. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Green Without Borders and its leader, Zouher Nahli, for allegedly providing support and cover to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon along the "Blue Line" between Lebanon and Israel "while operating under the guise of environmental activism." The announcement comes as tensions between Hezbollah and Israel flared along Lebanon's southern border for much of last month. Hezbollah erected two tents in Shebaa Farms and the Kfarshouba hills, which Israeli captured from Syria during the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. Meanwhile, Israel's building of a wall around the Lebanese part of a village that Israeli troops captured during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war worsened tensions. In early July, Israel shelled a southern Lebanese border town after explosions were heard in a disputed area. The Treasury says Green Without Border's outposts are manned by Hezbollah operatives, serving as cover for the militant group's warehouses and munitions tunnels. Workers at the outposts have allegedly prevented United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon from accessing areas that the agency has authority to access. Green Without Border is a nongovernmental organization established in 2013. It says it aims to protect Lebanon's green areas and plant trees. "We are not an arm for anyone," Nahli told The Associated Press in January. "We as an environmental association work for all the people and we are not politicized." He said the same after the AP contacted him about the Treasury's announcement. However, Israel, the United States and some in Lebanon accuse the NGO of hiding Hezbollah's military activities by setting up outposts for the militant group along the border. Israel accuses the organization of gathering intelligence for Hezbollah through its outposts, which Nahli has denied. UN's peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, in November, said their patrols were prevented from nearing shipping containers and prefabricated buildings set up alongside the border, some with clear Green Without Borders markings. Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the State Department, said the U.S. took action "as part of our efforts to prevent and disrupt financial and other support for terrorist attacks in Lebanon, Israel, and around the world."Brian E. Nelson, the Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the U.S. rejects Hezbollah's "cynical efforts to cloak its destabilizing terrorist activities with false environmentalism."Israel and Hezbollah fought to a draw in a monthlong war in Lebanon in 2006. Israel considers Hezbollah its most serious immediate threat, estimating it has some 150,000 rockets and missiles aimed at Israel.

PRESS RELEASES/Treasury Sanctions Lebanese Entity and Leader for Providing Support to Hizballah
USA DepartmentOf The Treasuary/August 16/2023 August 16, 2023
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Lebanon-based Green Without Borders and its leader. Green Without Borders is a Lebanon-based organization that has provided support to and cover for Hizballah’s operations in southern Lebanon along the “Blue Line” between Lebanon and Israel over the last decade while publicly operating under the guise of environmental activism.
“The United States rejects Hizballah’s cynical efforts to cloak its destabilizing terrorist activities with false environmentalism,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “We will continue to support the many Lebanese civil society groups protecting Lebanon’s unique and sensitive natural environment while also relentlessly pursuing Hizballah and their support networks.”
OFAC is designating Green Without Borders and its leader, Zuhair Subhi Nahla, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists, terrorist organizations, leaders and officials of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
GREEN WITHOUT BORDERS
Green Without Borders (GWB) was established in 2013 with the ostensible purpose of protecting Lebanon’s natural environment, including reforestation activities. In reality, it has served as a cover for Hizballah’s activities in southern Lebanon along the Blue Line, where GWB has outposts manned by Hizballah operatives in more than a dozen locations. These outposts, which are manned by Hizballah operatives, serve as cover for Hizballah’s underground warehouses and munitions storage tunnels. These installations have impeded United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeepers from fulfilling their UN Security Council (UNSC) mandate to monitor the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701 and have prevented oversight of these outposts. Under the cover of GWB outposts, Hizballah members conduct weapons training at firing ranges, patrol the surrounding area, and maintain containerized housing units 25 meters from the Blue Line. Alleged encroachment on private property by GWB and Hizballah and propagandizing by GWB have also caused well-documented clashes with locals.
Since 2013, GWB has used its resources to support Hizballah activity at GWB outposts and has also publicly partnered with the Hizballah’s construction arm, Jihad al-Bina, which was designated by OFAC in 2007. Collaboration between GWB and Hizballah is widely reported in the media, including by official Hizballah media outlets.
GWB is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(iii)(C) of E.O. 13224, as amended, for materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah.
ZUHAIR SUBHI NAHLA
Zuhair Subhi Nahla (Nahla) is the leader of GWB. Nahla has described GWB’s tree planting activities as providing a wall to protect Hizballah, highlighting its strategic importance for Hizballah’s security. Although Nahla claims that he and GWB are not part of Hizballah, he has publicly acknowledged his and GWB’s affiliation with the terrorist group.
Nahla is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(iii)(E) of E.O. 13224, as amended, for being a leader or official of GWB, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the persons named above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, must be blocked and reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States (including transactions transiting the United States) that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.
Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions with persons designated today entails risk of secondary sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. Pursuant to this authority, OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducted or facilitated any significant transaction on behalf of a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897. Detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from the ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also the willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.

Release Date/08/16/2023
Recent Actions Body
SPECIALLY DESIGNATED NATIONALS LIST UPDATE
The following individual has been added to OFAC's SDN List:
NAHLA, Zuhair Subhi (Arabic: زهير صبحي نحلة) (a.k.a. NAHLAH, Zuhayr Subi; a.k.a. NAHLI, Zouher), Nabatiyeh, Lebanon; DOB 18 Nov 1967; POB Dakar, Senegal; nationality Lebanon; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions Pursuant to the Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations; Gender Male; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; National ID No. 429658 (Lebanon) (individual) [SDGT] (Linked To: HIZBALLAH).
The following entities have been added to OFAC's SDN List:
DEFENSE ENGINEERING LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP (Cyrillic: ТОВАРИЩЕСТВО С ОГРАНИЧЕННОЙ ОТВЕТСТВЕННОСТЬЮ ДЭФЭНС ИНЖИНИРИНГ) (a.k.a. DEFENS INZHINIRING; a.k.a. "DEFENSE ENGINEERING, TOO"), Ul. Dinmukhamed Konaev 12/1, Sultan, Kazakhstan; Secondary sanctions risk: North Korea Sanctions Regulations, sections 510.201 and 510.210; Transactions Prohibited For Persons Owned or Controlled By U.S. Financial Institutions: North Korea Sanctions Regulations section 510.214; Organization Established Date 27 Nov 2018; Company Number 181140030924 (Kazakhstan) [DPRK] (Linked To: MKRTYCHEV, Ashot).
GREEN WITHOUT BORDERS (Arabic: أخضر بلا حدود) (a.k.a. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF FOREST, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ANIMAL WEALTH (Arabic: الجمعية الوطنية لحماية وتنمية الثروة الحرجية والبيئية والحيوانية)), Property No. 335, Section No. 13, Ground Floor, Nabatiyeh, Lebanon; Additional Sanctions Information - Subject to Secondary Sanctions Pursuant to the Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Target Type Charity or Nonprofit Organization; Registration Number 1128 (Lebanon) issued 20 Jun 2013 [SDGT] (Linked To: HIZBALLAH).
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY VERUS (Cyrillic: ОБЩЕСТВО С ОГРАНИЧЕННОЙ ОТВЕТСТВЕННОСТЬЮ ВЕРУС) (a.k.a. VERUS CONSULTING GROUP; a.k.a. "LLC VERUS"), Per. Balakirevskii D. 23, Floor 3, Pomeshch. 309 Komnata 1, Office 45, Moscow 105082, Russia; Office 45, Room 1, Facility 309, Floor 3, Building 23, Balakirevskiy Lane, Basmanny Municipal District Federal Intracity Territory, Moscow 105082, Russia; Secondary sanctions risk: North Korea Sanctions Regulations, sections 510.201 and 510.210; Transactions Prohibited For Persons Owned or Controlled By U.S. Financial Institutions: North Korea Sanctions Regulations section 510.214; Organization Established Date 10 Feb 2021; Tax ID No. 9701170663 (Russia); Registration Number 1217700053493 (Russia) [DPRK] (Linked To: MKRTYCHEV, Ashot).
VERSOR S.R.O., Karadzicova 8/A, Bratislava 82108, Slovakia; Secondary sanctions risk: North Korea Sanctions Regulations, sections 510.201 and 510.210; Transactions Prohibited For Persons Owned or Controlled By U.S. Financial Institutions: North Korea Sanctions Regulations section 510.214; Organization Established Date 14 Apr 2012; Tax ID No. 2023480030 (Slovakia); Identification Number 46622764 (Slovakia) [DPRK] (Linked To: MKRTYCHEV, Ashot). .

Lebanon’s caretaker PM says economic stability at stake with stalled laws
Najia Houssari/Arab News/August 17, 2023
Mikati compelled to settle outstanding dollar payments to power plant operator following blackout, water cuts
Najib Mikati: In countries that have faced similar economic crises, parliament would be in constant session, and those nations would have resolved the crises
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati issued a new appeal on Thursday for parliament to approve a string of crucial economic laws, in response to its failure thus far to convene for discussions on the country’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and capital control legislation. “In countries that have faced similar economic crises, parliament would be in constant session, and those nations would have resolved the crises,” said Mikati. “In Lebanon, we have been talking about capital control for four years without reaching a discussion, either in a parliamentary session or in finding a solution.”
Mikati continued: “There are numerous legislative proposals in parliament regarding the recovery plan, bank restructuring, and addressing the financial gap. All of these necessitate immediate resolution. “If parliament does not convene to pass them collectively, there will be no economic stability in the country. “We have reached an exceptionally challenging phase, and our economy is transitioning into a cash-driven economy, exposing Lebanon to manifold risks. Should we fail to find a solution, every individual must bear their responsibility.”Many lawmakers who boycotted the legislative session harbor doubts over the existence of loopholes and favoritism in the Sovereign Wealth Fund Bill, said MP Sajih Atiyeh, head of the parliamentary work and energy committee. The bill has not yet undergone committee discussion, he added.
MP Osama Saad, meanwhile, said that the proposed capital control legislation “somewhat safeguards the interests of banks.”Another MP, Salim Al-Sayegh, remarked: “The legislative session disrupts the balance of powers in the absence of a president, and we seek a dialogue led by the president.”
A group of depositors attempted to stop MPs accessing parliament by staging a protest around the premises, objecting to any endeavor to enact capital control legislation. The caretaker government on Wednesday approved the budget for the current year.
The budget deficit has surged from 18.5 percent to around 24 percent due to requests from some ministers to revise their allocations. Meanwhile on Thursday an electricity blackout prompted Mikati to verbally pledge to a major power provider it “will receive $7 million of its dues monthly, in exchange for the immediate operation of the power plants.” Mikati acted after Primesouth, which runs power plants in Deir Al-Zahrani and Deir Ammar, initiated a 24-hour shutdown to pressure the government to settle accumulated debts spanning over four years, and to honor commitments made by Electricite du Liban to make instalment payments outstanding since March. When questioned about the source of the dollars pledged to pay Primesouth with, Mikati stated: “The emerging crisis is being resolved.”
Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport and the Port of Beirut were forced to turn to private generators to secure power during the crisis.
Fadi Al-Hassan, the airport’s manager and director general of Lebanon’s Civil Aviation Authority, said: “The airport is operating according to its emergency plan. However, relying on electricity generators to run the airport is impractical and unsustainable.”
Water pumps in various regions also ceased delivering drinking water to homes as a result of the electricity blackout, with many private generators unable to meet the energy shortfall. Primesouth attempted to obtain dollars from the Banque du Liban — Lebanon’s central bank — or through special drawing rights from the International Monetary Fund. However, sources said the BDL refused to disburse the money. The central bank’s acting Gov. Wassim Mansouri insisted on sticking to his policy — “legislation for disbursement, coupled with implementing drastic reforms to ensure the government returns funds to the central bank.” An official source said the government had refrained from approving the disbursement, passing it to parliament, where the speaker, Nabih Berri, declined to get involved as it would mean accessing frozen dollar deposits borrowed from private banks.
MP Razi Al-Hajj remarked: “(We have heard) multiple reasons, yet still no electricity; $40 billion in electricity subsidies since 2010, with 40 percent technical and operational wastage in electricity production and distribution.
“For 40 years, we have been awaiting 24/7 electricity; makeshift solutions exhaust and frustrate the people.” Primesouth’s decision to initiate the shutdown came after several prior warnings, following the extension of its annual contract for the operation and maintenance of the two power plants, signed with EDL. The contract expired in 2021,but Primesouth retracted its warnings upon receiving a promise from the Ministry of Energy of $45 million. The cost of electricity to the Lebanese state totals “$160 million monthly,” according to a French report. Economist Marc Ayoub said: “Economic losses in the electricity sector between 1992 and 2019 exceeded $50 billion, accounting for over half of the public debt.”Electricity supply in Lebanon often spans between two to four hours a day.

Lights back on in Lebanon after Prime Minister promises payment
Nada Homsi/The National/Aug 17, 2023
Electricity in Lebanon returned on Thursday afternoon following a brief blackout that began the previous evening, caused by the stoppage of the country’s two largest power plants due to a lack of payment.
Primesouth Lebanon, the company operating the Zahrani and Deir Amar power plants on behalf of Electricite du Liban – the country’s state electricity provider – said it would resume operations after a promise from caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati that it would receive a monthly amount of $7 million in unpaid dues. The amount is to be drawn from Lebanon's Special Drawing Rights, a supplemental reserve provided by the International Monetary Fund. The company cited an accumulated debt of “over $80 million and counting” for the stoppage of electricity generation in the power plants, said a company official, speaking on condition of anonymity. A statement circulated by Primesouth earlier on Thursday pointed to “serious breaches of contract and our failure to receive the financial dues resulting from it”.
“The main problem since the beginning of the [economic] crisis is that we were spending a lot on suppliers and contractors, in dollars, for maintenance and spare parts,” the official said. Primesouth haemorrhaged money after Lebanon’s central bank, suffering from a major liquidity crisis, was unable to pay dues owed to the company, the official said. “Today we got a promise that we would receive regular payment and so we turned our plants back on,” he added. Power cuts caused by lack of fuel or delayed payments are not uncommon in the country. Electricity has become notoriously scarce in Lebanon since an economic crisis began ravaging the country in 2019.
The crisis has resulted in the collapse of most public subsidies and services.
No payment despite EDL liquidity
Lebanon's electricity sector is in chaos, with state electricity only supplied for less than an hour a day – if at all – before March, when the government approved an emergency plan enacted by caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayad. The plan saw increased revenue for EDL through a rise in electricity tariffs, with a $116 million advanced line of credit from the central bank to pay for fuel and power plant maintenance, which would, in theory, be repaid by the revenue from tax increases. This brought state power up to around four to six hours per day. But despite the minister’s emergency plan, Primesouth said it had received little but promises. “We have been receiving promises of weekly and even daily payments, but without any payments despite the continued collection from citizens,” the company statement said. “No dues have been paid to us since that period, which negatively affected our ability to pay the financial dues owed to us, which made us unable to continue in the performance of our work.” It remains unclear why the state has not paid Primesouth since March. The Energy Minister told The National that payment delay lay with the central bank, and not with the liquidity of EDL, which has generated money from collected tax revenue. “There is money in the bank and fuel in the tank,” Mr Fayad said. “There should be no problem paying suppliers for fuel or operations.”
EDL has accumulated the equivalent of about $40 million in Lebanese pounds in its central bank account. According to Mr Fayad, the amount awaits conversion to dollars to pay suppliers, which the central bank has yet to release.
The problem is that the central bank had “not acted on the orders of the payments”.
“There is no logical reason they don’t convert Lebanese [pounds] into dollars,” Mr Fayad told The National.
He added that he has been trying to contact acting central bank governor Wassim Mansouri since early August but has received no response. “It’s unfair to hold hostage the money EDL has brought to the bank.” The National contacted the central bank for comment but received no formal reply. In a comment to local television station LBCI, a central source said it would “not pay a dollar from the reserves to Primesouth or others, and the state must pay from its accounts or from the remaining funds in the SDR”.The state's lack of liquidity – which in 2019 caused commercial banks to enact unofficial capital controls, trapping people's deposits – makes it difficult for the central bank to use its own reserves, which technically consists of depositors' money. Mr Fayad waved off the bank's comment.“This has nothing to do with the SDR. It has nothing to do with the issue. EDL as an institution has plenty of money.”Blackouts are not new to Lebanon, which has had spotty state electricity since the days of the 1975-1990 civil war. Until 2019, there were rolling blackouts in state electricity for at least three hours per day, allowing private generators to take control in the interim. But since the start of the economic crisis, state power cuts became regular, with costly generator subscriptions overwhelmingly replacing state electricity as a primary source of power for residents. “People are paying for the electricity. There is money in our account. And we need to pay the suppliers,” Mr Fayad said of the challenges facing the state power provider. “Do we want to have institutions that function or not? Or do we want to let this country become completely dependent on generators?”

The LIC Newsletter Issue 6
Dear Friends,
Lebanon remains in a perilous state after months of continued gridlock surrounding the election of a President. The two front runners, Sleiman Franjieh, the Hezbollah nominee; and Jihad Azour, the current director for the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund, failed to secure a two-thirds majority in the first round vote on June 14th. The subsequent second round was stopped from occurring after members supporting Sleiman Franjieh walked out, causing a loss of a quorum and an adjournment of Parliament. This second round is critical because the President can be elected by a simple majority versus the required two-thirds majority needed for the first round
The failure to elect a President has persisted because Speaker Berri refuses his constitutional duty to open a session of Parliament and allow MP’s to vote. This is an attempt to block a reformist from being elected President and thus forces the Lebanese people to pay the price of the continued political chaos.
To best help solve this impasse, we call on the friends of Lebanon and in particular the United States, to:
Stand by the forces of democracy and against those who seek to undermine its principles and suppress the rights of the people’s legitimate representatives.
Insist on the respect of the constitution and the legal democratic process versus attempts to subvert it.
Persist in demanding from Speaker Berri to abide by the constitution, keep the parliament in session, and allow successive rounds until a president is elected.
Continue highlighting the need for Lebanon to have a president who will affirm the authority of the state, follow the constitution, ensure the independence of the judiciary, reject the rule of the militias, respect international resolutions, and implement necessary reforms to turn Lebanon back from the brink of collapse.
Coordinate diplomatic efforts with the friends of Lebanon, such as the members of the Quintet, Egypt, France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to reach a positive outcome while adhering to democratic principles and constitutional norms.
The implications of not electing a president for Lebanon are serious and could threaten regional stability. This is why we call on Lebanon's friends to help resolve this issue. Not only will they be indirectly affected, but those with vested interests in Lebanon, such as the United States, will see their investments go to waste.
For Lebanon,
Dr. Joseph Gebeily
President

Lebanon's geopolitical fragility comes partly from within
Raghida Dergham/The National/August 17/2023
Regional and global powers have a role in shaping the country's destiny, but the buck needs to stop with its feuding politicians
Contrary to some assumptions in Lebanon when analysing the impact of Saudi-Iranian relations on their country’s future, there is no real rift between the two powers after they recently signed an agreement. Rather, Tehran’s intentions are being put to the test as it takes steps towards improving relations with the Arab world, such as by calling for talks on the Durra gas field disputed between Iran on one side and Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on the other.
While Lebanon is not a top priority in the Saudi-Iranian dialogue, it is not completely excluded from this stage of discussions either. Yet both parties have so far avoided discussing details of developments in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, with the focus being on implementing the bilateral aspect of their agreement.
Of course, not everyone in Tehran favours the agreement with Saudi Arabia. Some in its leadership seek escalation as US-Saudi relations are being boosted by a major reset, making the revival of the nuclear agreement, which would lift sanctions on Iran, unlikely before the 2024 US presidential election. Consequently, Lebanon is a potential arena for escalation if Tehran deems it necessary. Lebanon is also linked to the Iranian agenda in Syria and to rogue Palestinian agendas disguised as resistance with false claims of seeking the liberation of Palestine.
Lebanese authorities have not acted on the security risk inside the country’s Palestinian camps, where violent disputes between armed factions reflect a struggle for control between Fatah and Hamas. That these factions’ arms fall outside the state’s control are a reminder of Hezbollah’s own weapons, which challenge the state’s sovereignty.
Key Arab states are conveying to Lebanon that total collapse of the country could be inevitable if its governing class continues its games and ploys for electing a president, forming a government, and appointing a full-time central bank governor. The banality of some political players is matched only by their narcissism, while Hezbollah vies to create a new system in Lebanon that officially legitimises its weapons.
Be that as it may, Gulf countries seek to fortify the Taif Agreement, bolster the National Accord Charter, and shore up the authority of the president and prime minister.
When it comes to the presidential election, the regional equation enters the fray of local Lebanese considerations
One diplomat who did not wish to be named told me that key to finding solutions to Lebanon’s problems requires its leaders examining them from a political perspective, not just an economic one. In other words, Lebanon needs to reconsider its foreign policy priorities, rather than focusing solely on the economic aspects of its relations with the Gulf.
The tussle to pick a new president continues, as Hezbollah wants someone aligned with its interests. It might accept Commander of the Armed Forces Joseph Aoun’s candidacy as a compromise, for he is acceptable regionally and to the US, as well as to significant Lebanese factions. However, the incident in the mountain village of Kahaleh, where a truck loaded with Hezbollah weapons overturned at a bend in the road and led to a deadly shootout between residents and the group, has proved to be a test for the army’s leadership. It has also laid bare Hezbollah’s intentions.
When it comes to the presidential election, the regional equation enters the fray of local Lebanese considerations.
It might lead Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah to show some humility and settle for less than complete control over the president and the army commander. Indeed, some leaders within the Iranian regime don’t want their domination over Lebanon to be labelled as brazen.
Meanwhile, they are uncomfortable with recent developments in Syria, where Iran’s relationship with Russia is reportedly under strain, and where the US and Turkey’s interests could be converging. Moreover, Moscow increasingly needs Ankara and is willing to make a deal over Syria, which unsettles Tehran.
These geopolitical considerations are driving policymaking within Iran, which is also grappling with internal restlessness due to its major policy pivots such as the agreement with Saudi Arabia.
In Tehran, there is a faction that is unhappy with the Saudi role as a regional and international player, as evidenced by its recent Jeddah summit to find a solution to the Ukraine conflict. This faction seeks to retain Hezbollah as a valuable card in Lebanon for disruptive purposes and for future negotiations with Saudi Arabia.
Arab countries are under no illusion that a radical change has occurred in the Iranian regime’s policy and ideology. But they hope it will demonstrate good intentions by refraining from threatening the freedom of navigation in the neighbourhood’s waterways. It remains to be seen whether Tehran also avoids escalating the conflict in Yemen and abstaining from increasing uranium enrichment for use in nuclear weapons production.
Any significant economic co-operation between Iran and the Gulf countries is contingent upon the US lifting key sanctions on Tehran related to the nuclear issue. There doesn’t seem to be an imminent nuclear agreement, but there are deals that could involve a commitment from Tehran not to increase enrichment and to release American detainees in exchange for the release of Iranian funds held by third parties.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, right, and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan meet in Tehran in June. AP Photo
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, right, and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan meet in Tehran in June. AP Photo
MORE FROM RAGHIDA DERGHAM
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The Arab Gulf countries are among those reshaping the global security order
The impact of Iran’s economic situation will not be contained internally, as it will affect its proxies and direct engagements – with Syria being an example. Tehran is observing Arab reactions towards Syria, and a forthcoming meeting of an Arab League ad-hoc committee will convene to follow the “step-by-step” agreement for Syria’s rehabilitation.
That will be a topic of discussion when Russian President Vladimir Putin pays a visit to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as is expected to happen soon. It is a meeting Tehran might follow with trepidation.
In exchange for giving the Kremlin the transit of Russian goods through Turkey, Ankara seeks a free hand in Syria. This is bad news for Tehran, which has pledged to the Assad regime to recover all of Syria’s territories while remaining the sole regional military player in the country. However, this is less likely to materialise because Russia is no longer Iran’s unwavering partner in Syria, considering the changing dynamics in the Ukraine war.
The Iranian regime is also aware of the significance of the Biden administration’s recent pivot to Saudi Arabia, as the two countries explore co-operation in areas spanning security, military, intelligence, economy and technology. Some in the regime are uncomfortable with Riyadh’s growing influence not just vis-a-vis the US, but also with China, India, Russia and other countries.
There was hope that the Saudi-Iranian agreement would herald a substantial breakthrough in Lebanon – as would talks among members of the Quintet Committee, comprised of Egypt, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the US. Both possibilities remain viable.
But the time has come for more stringent actions towards the various Lebanese factions and for earnest discussions with the Iranian leadership over Hezbollah’s future. Delaying these conversations could trigger catastrophic scenarios, such as another devastating war with neighbouring Israel.

After Watching the Controversial Movie #Barbie
Dr. Elie Abou Aoun/August 17/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/121345/121345/
1- The concept of censoring and banning movies in countries reflects a regressive and reactionary approach that is out of touch with the digital globalization era.
2- Such actions are counterproductive, as they inadvertently generate more interest in the banned movie rather than limiting its audience.
3- Censorship constitutes a grave violation of human rights.
4- These rights are derived from the core principle of human dignity, which is a cornerstone across various religions.
5- Even if we were to assume that the Barbie movie is objectionable in some way (which is not accurate), what about the multitude of films that glorify violence, crime, corruption, political manipulation, and other forms of debauchery? Shouldn't they all be banned if the same standards are applied?
6- By these standards, the classic cartoon "Tom & Jerry" should be censored, as it perpetuates racial stereotypes and challenges “God’s” will about life and death (both Tom and Jerry survive deadly injuries but never die).
7- It's likely that Minister #JudgeMMortada Najib Mikati Maronite Patriarchate Bkerke and those involved in the decision to ban the movie in Lebanon didn't even watch it, as we have seen irrational and improvised decisions taken on much more important issues.
8- This illustrates the prevailing mediocrity within Lebanon's political, religious, social circles.
9- The movie doesn't actually promote LGBTQ or transsexualism. Instead, it advances a balanced feminist agenda.
10- The film highlights the potential pitfalls of extreme feminism, such as perpetuating "girls-only" environments every day or marginalizing men.
11- It also underscores that women can be both mothers and leaders, that notions of "body perfection" are unrealistic and that imperfections like cellulite and wrinkles are normal.
12- The movie also addresses the fact that while dolls lack sexual organs, girls possess sexual identities and physical attributes. It normalizes the idea of visiting an OB-GYN.
13- So, what exactly is objectionable in all of this? Is advocating for women's inherent right to decide whether to marry or not, to play equal roles in society, assume leadership positions as much as men, and be free from gender biases truly contrary to religious principles?
14- This is an ossified approach that will only steer young people away from religion.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 17-18/2023
Iran FM in Riyadh for first Saudi visit since ties restored
Naharnet/Associated Press/August 17, 2023
Iran's foreign minister traveled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, marking the first trip to the kingdom by Tehran's top diplomat in years after the two nations reached a détente with Chinese mediation. The visit by Hossein Amirabdollahian comes as both Saudi Arabia and Iran try to ease tensions between their nations, which long have viewed each other as archrivals for influence across the wider Middle East. Challenges remain, however, particularly over Iran's advancing nuclear program, the Saudi-led war in Yemen and security across region's waterways. Amirabdollahian's trip to Riyadh comes as the two nations are reopening diplomatic missions in each others' countries. He was accompanied by Alireza Enayati, Iran's new ambassador to the kingdom. The last Iranian foreign minister to visit Saudi Arabia on a public trip was Mohammad Javad Zarif, who traveled to the kingdom in 2015 to offer condolences for the death of King Abdullah. The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts there. Saudi Arabia had executed a prominent Shiite cleric with 46 others days earlier, triggering the demonstrations. That came as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then a deputy, began his rise to power. The son of King Salman, Prince Mohammed previously compared Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Nazi Germany's Adolf Hitler, and threatened to strike Iran. Since then, the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018. Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks after that, including one targeting the heart of Saudi Arabia's oil industry in 2019, temporarily halving the kingdom's crude production. Religion also plays a key role in tensions as well. Saudi Arabia, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times a day, has portrayed itself as the world's leading Sunni nation. Iran's theocracy, meanwhile, views itself as the protector of Islam's Shiite minority. But after the coronavirus pandemic and the U.S.' chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, Gulf Arab nations including Saudi Arabia have begun reassessing how to manage relations with Iran. In March, the kingdom and Iran reached an agreement with Chinese mediation to reopen embassies. The war in Yemen continues, though Saudi-led strikes have dropped dramatically amid its efforts to withdraw from the conflict, which has seen the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels maintain their yearslong hold on the capital, Sanaa.

Jordan says shot down TNT-loaded drone from Syria
Associated Press/August 17, 2023
Jordan's army said it shot down a drone Wednesday loaded with TNT explosives trying to enter its airspace from Syria, in the latest incident of trafficking of arms or drugs. "Border guards... detected a drone trying to cross the border illegally" from Syria, it said in a statement, adding that the aircraft was "shot down over Jordanian territory". The army said the drone was carrying "TNT-type explosive material". Jordan often announces operations targeting the smuggling of arms and drugs from Syria, especially captagon, an amphetamine-like stimulant plaguing the Middle East. It says smuggling has become "more organised", and that armed groups are now using drones. On Sunday, the army said it shot down a drone flying from Syria that was loaded with crystal meth, the second such case in less than three weeks. Several other interceptions of drones carrying arms and drugs from Syria were reported in February and June. The vast majority of the region's captagon is produced in Syria and Lebanon and smuggled to its main consumer market in the Gulf. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at a meeting in Damascus last month held talks on cooperation against drug trafficking. Regional engagement with Assad's government has grown since its readmission to the Arab League in May, ending more than a decade of isolation after Syria's civil war erupted in 2011.

Israel, Jordan Move Ahead on Water-for-Electricity Deal
FFD/August 17, 2023
Latest Developments
Senior Israeli and Jordanian officials met in Abu Dhabi on August 14 to move forward on a trilateral water-for-electricity deal that is an outgrowth of the Abraham Accords. Representing Israel at the event were Energy Minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister’s Office Director-General Yossi Shelly, in what constituted the highest-level public Emirati engagement with the Netanyahu government since it rose to power in December.
In meetings with the Jordanian energy, water, and environment ministers, the Israeli officials discussed putting the final touches on Project Prosperity, whereby Amman will receive 200 million cubic meters of desalinated water from Jerusalem per annum and, in return, supply Israel with electricity from a UAE-sponsored solar farm in the Hashemite Kingdom. In November 2021, Israel and Jordan signed a declaration of intent for such a project, which is due to be formally launched at the COP28 conference in Dubai later this year.
The Abu Dhabi meeting was also attended by David Livingston, senior adviser to U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry — a sign of the Biden administration’s recognition of the importance of Israeli-Arab normalization.
Expert Analysis
“Three years on, the Abraham Accords continue to bear fruit for the benefit of the entire Middle East. This emerging deal will harness the best of Israeli and Emirati innovation to the benefit of Jordan. It could also help improve relations between Israel and Jordan, which remains publicly antagonistic to the Jewish state almost three decades after their landmark peace treaty.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO
“Jordan, which has experienced successive economic crises, needs this very badly from a financial standpoint. The deal is also a much-needed boost for normalization between Jordan and Israel. Ties between the two countries have deteriorated in recent years amidst an uptick in vitriolic anti-Israel rhetoric by the king and his inner circle. One can only hope that this three-way deal, anchored by the UAE, helps to smooth things over and reset relations between these two key American allies in the Middle East.” — Jonathan Schanzer, FDD Vice President for Research

Israeli troops kill Palestinian militant in gunbattle outside West Bank bakery
Associated Press/August 17, 2023
Israeli forces raided a home above a bakery in a militant stronghold in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, killing a Palestinian militant in a gunbattle in Jenin, a city that has seen some of the worst bloodshed in the current round of Israeli-Palestinian fighting.
Violence has gripped the region since last spring when Israel launched near-nightly raids in response to a spate of deadly Palestinian attacks. It's become the fiercest fighting in the West Bank in some two decades, and along with increased violence by radical Jewish settlers and settlement expansion by Israel's far-right government, has fueled tensions in the region. Early Thursday, Israeli troops surrounded a building containing a bakery and a home. In a statement, the Israeli military said special forces were arresting two militant suspects when they came under fire, shot back and entered the building.
The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the man killed as Mustafa al-Kastouni, 32, and he was claimed by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed offshoot of the secular Fatah party, as one of its fighters. The Hamas militant group said its fighters engaged in a gunbattle with Israeli troops in Jenin and lobbed explosives at the forces. The military said al-Kastouni was killed after he shot at troops. It said he was linked to militant activity against Israeli forces. Witnesses told Palestinian media that Israeli special forces surrounded the bakery and the home above it, opened fire and struck the home. Video on social media showed piles of debris scattered beneath a sign reading "Al-Nour Modern Bakery" as men rushed al-Kastouni's body away from the scene. Jenin, a city where Palestinian security forces have little presence, has long been a bastion of armed struggle against Israel. The city and an adjacent refugee camp have been the focus of Israel's monthslong operation, with an intense 2-day offensive last month at the height of those efforts. Israel deployed armed drones and hundreds of troops, leaving vast destruction and killing 12 Palestinians, most of them militants. An Israeli soldier also died. Israel says the raids are meant to dismantle militant networks and thwart future attacks. The Palestinians see the violence as a natural response to 56 years of occupation, including stepped-up settlement construction by Israel's government and increased violence by Jewish settlers. The ongoing violence in the West Bank has surged to levels unseen in nearly two decades, with more than 170 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since the start of 2023, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Israel says most of those killed have been militants, but stone-throwing youths protesting the incursions and others not involved in the confrontations also have been killed. At least 27 people have been killed in Palestinian attacks against Israelis since the beginning of the year. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. Palestinians seek those territories for their hoped-for independent state.

As Israeli settlements thrive, Palestinian taps run dry
Naharnet/August 17, 2023
Across the dusty villages of the occupied West Bank, where Israeli water pipes don't reach, date palms have been left to die. Greenhouses are empty and deserted. Palestinians say they can barely get enough water to bathe their children and wash their clothes — let alone sustain livestock and grow fruit trees.
In sharp contrast, neighboring Jewish settlements look like an oasis. Wildflowers burst through the soil. Farmed fish swim in neat rows of ponds. Children splash in community pools. The struggle for water access in this strip of fertile land reflects a wider contest for control of the West Bank — and in particular the Jordan Valley, which Palestinians consider the breadbasket of their hoped-for future state and Israelis view as key to protecting their eastern border. "People are thirsty, the crops are thirsty," said Hazeh Daraghmeh, a 63-year-old Palestinian date farmer in the Jiftlik area of the valley, where some of his palms have withered in the bone-dry dirt. "They're trying to squeeze us step by step," Daraghmeh said. Across the West Bank, water troubles have stalked Palestinian towns and cities since interim peace accords of the 1990s gave Israel control over 80% of the West Bank's water reserves — and most other aspects of Palestinian life. The accords also created a limited self-rule Palestinian government that would provide water to its swelling cities by tapping the rapidly depleting reservoirs it shares with Israel and buying water from Israel's state-run company. The arrangement left the Palestinians who live in the remaining 60% of the West Bank under full Israeli civil control stranded — disconnected from both Israeli and Palestinian water grids. This includes much of the Jordan Valley. Intended to last five years, the interim accords remain in place today. "The amount of water that Israel is supplying has not adapted to the needs of Palestinians and in many cases has not changed since the 1970s," said Eyal Hareuveni, author of a recent report on the water crisis from Israeli human rights group B'Tselem. "The infrastructure is designed to benefit settlements." The 500,000 Jewish settlers who live in the West Bank are connected to the Israeli water grid through a sophisticated network that provides water continuously, but Palestinian cities are not. So in the scorching summer, Palestinians get municipal water only sporadically.
With regional droughts intensifying, temperatures rising and Israel's far-right government entrenching military rule over the territory, Palestinians say their water problems have worsened. "This is the hardest summer we've had in nine years," said Palestinian Water Minister Mazen Ghunaim. Ghunaim accused Israel's national water company of reducing water supplies to the Palestinian cities of Bethlehem and Hebron by 25% for the past nine weeks. Palestinians in Hebron say their taps have run dry this summer for as long as a month. Osama Abu Sharkh, a 60-year-old carpenter in Hebron's Old City, has planned each day this summer according to the water flow. When his tap finally springs to life — even if a trickle — his family is jolted into a frenzy of chores: Cooking, cleaning, and, crucially, filling their water tanks. The tanks hold costly trucked-in water during the long stretches when the taps are dry. Ghunaim claimed the recent water cuts were a "political problem" under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ultranationalist government, which has taken a particularly hard line against the Palestinians. "If we were settlers, they would solve this problem instantly," he said. Israel's water authority called the recent disruption to Palestinian cities a technical problem and directed further questions to COGAT, the Israeli agency that liaises with the Palestinians on civilian affairs. COGAT denied any reduction in water flow and insisted "the supply is continuing in accordance with the agreements." But the overall supply is shrinking as the demands of Israeli and Palestinian societies outpace natural replenishment. In the majority of the West Bank where Israel maintains full civilian and security control, Palestinians cannot dig or deepen wells without hard-to-get permits. Since 2021, Israeli authorities have demolished nearly 160 unauthorized Palestinian reservoirs, sewage networks and wells across the West Bank and east Jerusalem, according to the United Nations humanitarian agency, OCHA. The rate of demolition is quickening: Over the first half of 2023, authorities knocked down almost the same number of Palestinian water installations as they did all of last year.
Defending the demolitions, COGAT said "the allocation of water for agriculture is performed in accordance with the law." In the herding communities of the northern Jordan Valley, Palestinian water consumption is just 26 liters (7 gallons) a day. That is so far below the World Health Organization's minimum standard of 50-100 liters that it is ranked as a disaster zone, according to B'Tselem. In contrast, Israeli settlers in the Jordan Valley consume 400-700 liters per capita a day on average, the rights group said. Yet unlike neighboring Jordan and other parched Mideast states, Israel has plenty of water. With a world-leading desalination network and recycled waste water, the country no longer relies on subterranean reserves in the same way it did after first capturing the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war."The main motivation for Israeli actions are not so much about water anymore but about politics," said Jan Selby, a political expert on water issues at the University of Sheffield.
Israel's water network is used not only to power settlements — which most of the international community considers illegal — but also to irrigate the abundant vineyards and olive groves of Jewish outposts, which are built without official authorization. By empowering Jewish outposts to cultivate disputed land and export fine wines and soft dates, Israel expands authority over the West Bank, said anti-settlement researcher Dror Etkes. "Agricultural cultivation is a much more effective way to grab land than construction," he said. For Ibrahim Sawafta, a local council member of the Palestinian village of Bardala in the northern Jordan Valley, Israeli water allocation has become a zero-sum game: Palestinian water scarcity as a result of Israeli settlement prosperity. Over the years, he has watched his village shrink as its few available water sources have dried up, leaving dates tasteless and forcing farmers to give up their citrus and banana groves. More than a dozen farming families have recently left Bardala for a northern town with more water, he said, and others have swapped their fields for better-paying jobs in the flourishing farms of Israeli settlements. "They don't want us to be farmers," Sawafta said of Israeli authorities. "They don't want us to be self-sufficient."

Israeli Counterterrorism Forces Preemptively Strike West Bank Bomb Facilities
FFD/August 17, 2023
Latest Developments
Israeli forces uncovered an explosives laboratory containing seven ready-to-use bombs and another cache of eight bombs concealed in a northern West Bank warehouse, according to an Israel Defense Forces statement on August 16. Both were located in Nablus’ Balata district. Using a controlled detonation, Israeli forces demolished the warehouse, which according to Palestinian reports also served as a Fatah headquarters. Israeli forces also safely detonated another bomb at the entrance to Balata.
During the operation, the troops exchanged fire with Nablus gunmen. Another Israeli unit came under a drive-by shooting near Nablus and returned fire, wounding one Palestinian terrorist.
Nablus, along with neighboring Jenin, has slid into chaos in recent years amid the loss of control by Palestinian Authority security forces and the funding of local armed groups by Iran.
Expert Analysis
“Almost 18 months after it launched Operation Break the Wave, Israel continues to have to strike preemptively at Palestinian terrorists in the northern West Bank — a testament to how effectively Iran and its proxies have built a lethal network there. These bombs might have easily gone off in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv or been used in battle against Israeli forces were it not for their detection and destruction.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO
“The Fatah faction’s connection to the Nablus bombs comes amidst discussions between Islamic Jihad and Fatah figures in the Gaza Strip. Fatah is clearly hedging between its traditional quasi-pragmatism and Iran-sponsored violence. One gets the sense that the faction is at a crossroads. The same might be said for the entire West Bank.” — Jonathan Schanzer, FDD Senior Vice President for Research

Saudi, Iran officials discuss defense ties in Moscow
Arab News/August 17, 2023
Talal Al-Otaibi headed the Saudi delegation at the Moscow security conference
MOSCOW: Talal Al-Otaibi, Saudi Arabia’s assistant minister of defense, met with a senior Iranian defense official on the sidelines of the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security. In pictures posted by the Saudi Ministry of Defense Twitter account, Al-Otaibi was seen in a meeting with Aziz Nasirzadeh, the deputy chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, along with delegations from both countries. Al-Otaibi headed the Saudi delegation at the security conference, where he met with senior officials and heads of delegations from different countries. “During the meetings, he reviewed bilateral ties with different countries and explored ways to enhance partnerships in defense and security fields,” the ministry said in a tweet. Held in Moscow, the annual security conference brings together ministers, military leaders and defense policymakers from all over the world to discuss the most pressing global and regional security issues.As part of the efforts to strengthen relations between both countries, Iran foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is visiting Riyadh on Thursday at the official invitation of his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

Saudi Arabia hopes to see Iran’s president visit following King’s invitation
Agencies/August 17, 2023
Amir-Abdollahian acknowledged that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi hopes to travel to Saudi Arabia on an official visit
Prince Faisal thanked Iranian envoy for Iran’s support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia hopes to see Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi visit the Kingdom following an invitation from King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Thursday in a press conference with his Iranian counterpart.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived Thursday in Riyadh on his first trip Saudi Arabia since a landmark rapprochement deal in March. Amir-Abdollahian has confirmed that Raisi will visit Saudi Arabia anytime soon.
Iran and Saudi Arabia earlier agreed in a China-brokered deal to end a diplomatic rift and reestablish relations following years of hostility that had endangered regional stability in the Gulf, as well as in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. Saudi Arabia broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters attacked its embassy in Tehran in retaliation for Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Prince Faisal added that the countries’ corresponding ambassadors will start in their positions in their respective embassies after their reopening as a result of the two countries ending a diplomatic rift in March and reestablishing relations.
He also thanked the Iranian envoy for his country’s support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030. “Our meeting today is a continuation of the steps taken towards implementing the agreement to resume diplomatic relations, which represents a pivotal platform in the history of the two countries and the path of regional security," Prince Faisal said. Amir-Abdollahian has said that talks with Saudi Arabia have been successful, and both parties have agreed to work together and find immediate solutions to pressing issues in the region. He also reiterated that Tehran was committed to efforts in achieving security and peace in the region. Amir-Abdollahian acknowledged that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi hopes to travel to Saudi Arabia on an official visit. “We believe that the idea of achieving security and development in the region is an idea that cannot be fragmented," he said.

France's Sarkozy blasted for call to compromise with Russia
Agence France Presse/August 17, 2023
France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy has stirred outrage in Kyiv and Paris by suggesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine could be ended with new referendums in occupied territories. "The Ukrainians... will want to reconquer what has been unjustly taken from them. But if they can't manage it completely, the choice will be between a frozen conflict... or taking the high road out with referendums strictly overseen by the international community," Sarkozy told conservative newspaper Le Figaro on Wednesday. Speaking particularly about the Crimean peninsula, which Russia claimed to have annexed in 2014, the former French leader said that "any return to the way things were before is an illusion". "An incontestable referendum... will be needed to solidify the current state of affairs," he added. The ex-president insisted that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was "not irrational" and could be reached with the right kind of diplomacy from Europe, harking back to Moscow's 2008 invasion of Georgia when Sarkozy said he "convinced (Putin) to withdraw his tanks". "Russia is Europe's neighbour and will remain so," he said. "Diplomacy, discussion and talks remain the only way to find an acceptable solution. Nothing is possible without compromise." Sarkozy added that Ukraine should remain "neutral" and had no place in the EU or NATO. The remarks drew an immediate response from Kyiv, with Mykhailo Podolyak -- a senior aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky -- saying they were based on "criminal logic". "You cannot trade other people's territories because you are afraid of someone or because you are friends with criminals," Podolyak added. While in office, Sarkozy had "deliberately participated in a criminal conspiracy for Russia's seizure of Ukrainian territories," he charged. The ex-president -- who has spent much of his time since leaving office battling a slew of legal cases -- was also attacked at home in France.
Sarkozy "should be considered a Russian influencer," said Julien Bayou, a senior Green Party MP, telling broadcaster LCI the interview was "lunatic" and "shocking". Bayou recalled an ongoing investigation into Sarkozy's lucrative ties to a Russian insurance company on suspicion of influence peddling and concealing crimes. Sarkozy's former intelligence advisor Jerome Poirot told LCI that the ex-president's words were "shameful". "He has no perspective on what's happened or on what he did" during his 2007-2012 term, Poirot said, recalling that Sarkozy was one of the key voices against Georgia and Ukraine joining NATO in 2008 -- which did not prevent Russia's later invasions of both countries. "What were President Sarkozy's red lines? What was his vision for France's security? Just giving in to whatever Vladimir Putin wanted?" he asked.

Libyan militia leader freed after deadly clashes
Agence France Presse/August 17, 2023
A Libyan militia leader whose detention sparked clashes that killed 55 people in the capital Tripoli this week has been released, a military official said Thursday. Gun battles had raged on the streets of Tripoli from Monday night through Tuesday after 444 Brigade leader Mahmoud Hamza was apprehended by the rival Al-Radaa Force. Hamza "was released on Wednesday night and returned to his headquarters south of Tripoli", an official at army headquarters in western Libya told AFP. "He was released under a government-sponsored ceasefire agreement" which also provides for the "withdrawal of fighters from the front lines", said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Videos circulated on social media on Wednesday night showed Hamza dressed in military fatigues and surrounded by his fighters at the Tekbali barracks south of the Libyan capital. Fighting broke out in Tripoli after Hamza's detention on Monday, killing 55 people, wounding 146 and forcing the closure of the capital's only civilian airport -- the worst armed clashes seen in Libya for a year. The two armed groups are among the myriad of militias that have vied for power in the North African country since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi. A period of relative stability had led the United Nations to express hope for delayed elections to be held this year. Calm returned to Tripoli and the Mitiga airport reopened after the ceasefire agreement reached late Tuesday between Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah's government and a social council in the Al-Radaa stronghold of Soug el-Joumaa in the capital's southeast. "The situation is stable, with police patrols having been deployed" in the areas that had seen fighting, allowing people to move around, the military official said. Libya is split between Dbeibah's U.N.-backed government in the west and another in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 17-18/2023
Syrian drug trafficking a threat to the region
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/August 17, 2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/121351/dr-majid-rafizadeh-syrian-drug-trafficking-a-threat-to-the-region-%d8%af-%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%af-%d8%b1%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%b2%d8%a7%d8%af%d9%87-%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%ae/
The dangerous rise in drug trafficking in Syria ought to be taken seriously because its devastating effects are likely to continue to escalate, not only for the Syrian people but also for other nations in the region. The Syrian government must take stronger action.
The devastating impact of the illicit drugs trade is not limited to those who become victims, use the banned substances and suffer emotional and physical damage. The users’ families, friends, coworkers and communities are likely to be negatively affected as well. Some of the negative impacts can be irreversible.
In addition, drug trafficking undermines the social, economic and political stability of countries and subsequently leads to a rise in other related crimes. This issue can become even more threatening, particularly in nations that have a large youth population.
The stance of Arab leaders has been crystal clear: The Syrian government should take action on the ongoing drug trade. According to Reuters, Arab leaders are seeking “a price for reengagement (with the Syrian government), notably a halt to the production and smuggling of the amphetamine Captagon, which the West and Arab states say is being exported around the region from Syria. Alongside the return of millions of refugees who fled Syria, the Captagon trade has become a big worry for Arab leaders.”
Millions of illicit pills have been smuggled from Syria into other Arab countries, including Jordan. Some illegal shipments have been intercepted by the Gulf nations, which appear to be one of the main targets of the drug traffickers. On Sunday, Saudi Arabian officials announced they had seized a huge amount of Captagon. It was reported that two people were arrested by Saudi authorities for hiding more than 2 million pills in boxes of baklava at the Jeddah Islamic Port.
The stance of Arab leaders has been crystal clear: The Syrian government should take action on the ongoing drug trade
A year ago, Saudi Arabia also seized 46 million amphetamine pills that were smuggled in a shipment of flour. Six Syrians and two Pakistanis were arrested after the drugs were seized in a raid on a warehouse in Riyadh. A spokesperson for the General Directorate of Narcotics Control pointed out that this was the “biggest operation of its kind to smuggle this amount of narcotics into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in one operation.”
Furthermore, in February, the UAE arrested a man as he tried to smuggle 4.5 million Captagon pills into the Gulf nation inside cans of green beans.
Also this week, the Jordanian military reported that it had downed a drone flying into Jordan while carrying crystal meth from Syria. Several meetings have been held between Jordanian and Syrian officials in order to address the illicit drug trade, but the issue has remained unresolved. Syrian President Bashar Assad and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi met in Damascus last month. Safadi was said to have discussed with Assad “the dangers posed by drug smuggling across the Syrian border into the kingdom, and the need for cooperation to confront it.”
Described by the media in terms such as “the amphetamine fueling Syria’s war” and “poor man’s cocaine,” Captagon is a synthetic amphetamine-type stimulant that is manufactured illegally, used recreationally and is highly addictive. Captagon is more destructive now than it was when previously produced several decades ago. According to Drugs.com, “instead of just two main ingredients, illegal manufacturing likely combines several highly addictive stimulants with compounding actions into one destructive little pill. This ‘new-age’ Captagon, as with any highly addictive substance, is likely to cause irreversible changes in brain circuitry that govern impulse control and judgment, taking away a person’s ability to reason or think rationally.”
This multibillion-dollar industry in Syria is reportedly worth nearly three times the combined trade of the Mexican cartels
Syria, unfortunately, became a hub for the production of illicit drugs for several reasons. The civil war, a lack of security, the political vacuum, the economic crisis and the isolation of the country by the international community created a ripe environment for criminal groups to engage in the illicit economy and produce and smuggle illegal drugs into other countries. This multibillion-dollar industry in Syria is reportedly worth nearly three times the combined trade of the Mexican cartels. When it comes to Captagon, 80 percent of the world’s supply is produced in Syria.
Several steps can be taken in order to develop an effective strategy to stop the flow of illicit drugs from Syria into other countries. First of all, since Syria has been readmitted to the Arab League, Arab countries can pressure the Damascus government into cooperating with other nations in order to track down and dismantle the groups that are involved in the production and smuggling of illegal drugs. Incentives such as stronger economic ties and increased trade can be offered to the Syrian government if it takes firmer action to put an end to this problem.
Countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have strong capabilities when it comes to law enforcement, intelligence and security. Syria ought to get involved in intelligence sharing with other governments as an effective way to address this threat. Another important issue is to disrupt the flow of funds to drug traffickers in Syria.
Collaboration between healthcare agencies and social services is critical as well. There should be a concerted effort to raise awareness about illicit drugs and the damage they cause via educational institutions and media outlets. Targeting the parts of the population that are at the highest risk of becoming victims of drug trafficking, such as the youth, is also vital. Finally, enhancing the security and economic situations in Syria can play a key role in reducing drug trafficking activities. Through cooperation with the Gulf states, the Syrian government can achieve these objectives.
In a nutshell, Syria has become a center for the production of illicit drugs and their smuggling to other countries. This has a devastating impact on the Syrian people and other nations in the region. It is crucial for the Syrian government to take firmer action and cooperate closely with other Arab leaders in order to tackle this threat.
**Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh

Dichotomies abound in Iraq’s struggle against corruption
Ehtesham Shahid/Arab News/August 17, 2023
Too many dichotomies surround Iraq’s daunting struggle against endemic corruption. Ranked 157th in the Corruption Perceptions Index, it has been, often unkindly, described as a “kleptocracy” with “money laundering cartels” and a “gangster economy.” Transparency International ranked Iraq the world’s joint-10th most corrupt country last year.
A Brookings Institution analysis labels corruption as the Iraq invasion’s “forgotten legacy.” Another study pinpoints the reasons and drivers of corruption in Iraq as a sum of “violent conflict, the legacy of authoritarianism, the weak rule of law, poor quality institutions, and high levels of clientelism.”
Thankfully, more and more citizens and officials acknowledge the problem, even though their not-so-collective semblance of a fight has yet to succeed. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani admits to corruption being one of Iraq’s biggest challenges, “no less serious than the threat of terrorism.”
Iraq’s anti-graft agencies once publicly displayed millions of dollars-worth of recovered public funds. They are asking Interpol to issue alerts seeking the arrest of former officials over the suspected theft of $2.5 billion from the country’s Tax Commission.
In 2008, Iraq acceded to the UN Convention Against Corruption, partnered with the UN Development Program and UN Office on Drugs and Crime to fight corruption, and signed a memorandum of understanding with France to tackle money laundering. A hotline is in place to receive corruption complaints. Digital platforms are on course to enhance transparency. Yet, a lot has stayed the same.
Despite conflicts, Iraq has witnessed green shoots, such as mild improvements in its health outcomes
While still in office, former President Barham Salih described preserving public funds, fighting corruption and recovering looted funds as “an urgent public need.” To combat corruption, he even suggested an initiative similar to the international coalition to defeat Daesh. “We are suffering from corruption as we suffered from ISIS,” Deputy Prime Minister Fuad Hussein said in February, using another term for the terror group.
Implicit in these admissions are dichotomies between cause and effect, perception and reality, and between what is being done and what needs to be done. According to the Arab Barometer, 26 percent of Iraqis say corruption is Iraq’s most crucial challenge, more than the economic situation, foreign interference or instability. Nine in 10 Iraqis admit corruption to a great or medium extent in state institutions, “essentially unchanged since 2011.”
However, the roots of corruption run deep in Iraq, outlasting the cataclysmic events the country has grappled with in recent decades. Preceding the US-led invasion of 2003 were decades of authoritarian rule in which a centralized Baathist regime thrived on loyalty and patronage.
Since then, weak governance and institutions, a lack of transparency, insufficient legal frameworks and a deeply embedded culture of impunity have worsened the situation. Socioeconomic disparities frustrate people, making corrupt practices for survival acceptable.
From the international community’s perspective, washing one’s hands of a country’s persistent challenge does not help. Years before the invasion, the UN sanctions against Iraq lasted more than a decade, causing mass-scale malnutrition and death. Then came the much-touted “Oil-for-Food” program, ushering in massive fraud. Even the reconstruction influx created implicit corruption opportunities.
Corruption erodes public trust in government and institutions, leading to a cycle of cynicism
A New York Times report from July 2020 stated: “The United States is deeply implicated in all this, and not just because its serial invasions wrecked the country and helped ravage the economy.”
One diagnosis leads us to “muhasasa” — Iraq’s “consociationalist” governance system — which, analysts argue, has cemented sectarianism, nepotism and state capture. All these factors have combined to make the “heist of the century” and other infamous corruption scandals possible.
Some signals suggest a decisive battle against corruption is indeed possible. Iraq is no longer subject to the Financial Action Task Force’s ongoing global anti-money laundering and terror financing compliance process. With a high percentage of its 40 million population aged under 25, the youth should be automatically detached from legacy issues of invasion and even terrorism.
Despite conflicts over the last two decades, Iraq has witnessed green shoots, such as mild improvements in its health outcomes. The country has among the world’s largest oil and gas reserves — worth at least $15 trillion, according to one official — which should be utilized to end a protracted economic and social crisis due to high unemployment, poor public services and extreme poverty.
Yet, Iraq’s electric power plants suffer from gas supply shortages and depend on imports from Iran. Strangely enough, OPEC’s second-largest oil producer makes headlines for the frozen bank account of its former oil minister over charges of corruption and receiving bribery.
Typically, corruption erodes public trust in government and institutions, leading to a cycle of cynicism and lack of engagement in the democratic process. Iraq seems caught in this vortex. Wriggling out of this should be its primary objective.
Iraq has all the ingredients to shine again. Its enormous natural resources can form the backbone of a robust economy. As a cradle of civilization, the country’s cultural heritage can attract tourism and international interest. Its geographical location makes it a potential hub for trade and regional connectivity.
With the scourge of corruption curbed, Iraq’s infrastructure drive becomes attractive for strategic investments supporting growth and connectivity. As the country rebuilds and modernizes, such opportunities abound. At some stage, Iraq will choose decisively between the welfare of its people and lining the pockets of its “kleptocrats.”
*Ehtesham Shahid is an Indian editor and researcher based in the UAE. Twitter: @e2sham

New era of Middle Eastern prosperity is possible
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/August 17, 2023
Following last week’s developments regarding a potential prisoner swap between the US and Iran, there have been renewed questions about whether this will kick-start a new round of nuclear diplomacy.
Five US citizens should soon leave Iran in exchange for Tehran gaining access to $6 billion in frozen funds and America freeing several jailed Iranians. On the domestic US side, this was seen by the Republicans as responding to blackmail, which invites hostage-taking situations. Yet, for the Biden administration, it was a diplomatic success. The reality probably lies in between. However, what everyone is whispering is that this is, in reality, part of the nuclear deal.
It is interesting to see how things are shifting in the Middle East. Eight years ago, the Iranian nuclear deal was the main news in the region. But the consequences of the 2015 nuclear deal were not positive for the stability of the region. Many do not know that Arab countries were not against a deal, but they did not understand why the US administration left them in the cold during the execution of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. In turn, the execution of the deal might have been understood by Tehran as being a message allowing it to do whatever it pleases in the region. Today, the hostage swap and the possibility of a return to the nuclear deal is a sort of “who cares?” moment. Many might ask why and how?
Well, there is a simple reason for that. The news that the region cares about took place a few months ago, with the rapprochement between Arab countries and Iran. And this week, observers have focused on the Saudi flag flying high on top of the Kingdom’s consulate in Mashhad, Iran, as well as Mohamed Al-Hussaini, the UAE’s minister of state for financial affairs, discussing efforts to boost cooperation with Iran during a meeting with ambassador Reza Ameri. The difference is that, this time around, the Arab countries did not wait and have not been left in the cold, but are actually ahead of the curve. They have pursued what is in their best interest and initiated an appeasement with Iran. It is also important that Tehran was open to this new phase.
This time around, the Arab countries have not been left in the cold, but are actually ahead of the curve
So, there are no surprises. This US-Iran swap is not happening at a time of confrontation between the Arab countries and Tehran, which is a good point. There is no doubt that, for each and every party, it is still a fragile situation and one of discovery. There is the possibility that this stability might not last. Yet, this level of engagement has never been seen in its seriousness, even at the time of Mohammed Khatami’s presidency.
It is also clear that, in this balance of relations, China has now become an important stakeholder. We might even say that Beijing has more leverage over Iran (in theory) than the US. And as it entertains strong relations with both the Gulf Cooperation Council and Iran, it can support or guarantee this stability while the nuclear deal moves ahead.
If you read between the lines of the announcements made by the Biden administration, we can say that the US is moving forward according to the conditions of Tehran and sticking to the timeline of the JCPOA of 2015. A Washington think tank noted that, under the JCPOA and UN Security Council Resolution 2231, by 2031 there would be no cap on Iran’s uranium enrichment purity level, no cap on its enriched uranium stockpile, enrichment would be permitted at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, new enrichment plants would be permitted, the prohibition of plutonium reprocessing would be lifted, heavy water reactors would be permitted, and there would be no cap on heavy water production or domestic stockpiling.
There is just one request that the GCC and Arab countries have repeated: good neighborly relations
If only half is correctly predicted, it is now clear that we can expect a nuclear Iran to emerge in the coming years. It is also clear that the Arab countries are ready for this scenario and have enlarged their maneuvering capacities. The reality is that, with this process this time around, Washington is mainly hurting its closest ally, Israel. Therefore, I would not be surprised if Israel ended up striking a deal with China to mitigate the consequences of any new nuclear deal, in addition to the expected US umbrella protection. I would prefer a denuclearized region, but this would be more likely to see a balance of power that resembles what we see between China and the US or between Pakistan and India.
I am encouraged by the enhancement of relations between the Arab countries and Turkiye, which could support adding both Iran and Israel to this new chapter. In order for this to happen, there is just one request that the GCC and Arab countries have repeated: good neighborly relations. This means no interference in domestic affairs and a stop to the regimentation of youth on hate speech against other ethnicities and religions. All of these have already been achieved by the Arab countries.
This is the base and the start of everything in our region. On these foundations, we can then build strong economic integration and life-changing regional infrastructure, offering citizens from all across the Middle East prosperity as never seen before. I do not think that an appeasement between Iran and Israel is impossible. I believe that Turkiye and the Arab countries can play a role in achieving this. It is also with these steps that we will better the lives of Palestinians and solve all conflicts in the region. The US still has the potential and the responsibility to play a significant role in this new framework, but this time it needs to be transparent with its allies.
*Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of Barbicane, a space-focused investment syndication platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.

Africa’s catalog of coups and the West’s fading influence
Zaid M. Belbagi/Arab News/August 17, 2023
A string of coupist regimes in Africa now connect the Atlantic with the Red Sea. Last month, another band of officers huddled around a camera commandeered national television to announce a coup d’etat in Niger, making it the sixth country in Africa’s sprawling Sahel to witness a military overthrow of the government. Amid a wider perceived decline in American influence, the coup also exposed frustrations with France’s regional strategy and Russia’s growing involvement on the continent.
Twenty-four hours before Presidential Guard Commander Gen. Omar Tchiani proclaimed himself the leader of a new junta, American diplomats lauded the soon-to-be-ousted President Mohammed Bazoum’s government as stable and an important ally in an area of “bad countries.” The unfortunate timing of the statement perfectly illustrated Western misconceptions about a strategically important part of the world that is increasingly a Russian preserve. As the world’s foremost front line in the fight against extremism, stability in the Sahel is critical to ensuring peace on the continent. The crossroads it occupies between north and south make the ramifications of its political and military instability incredibly significant for the wider area.
By many measurements the poorest country in the world, Niger is nevertheless an important base for international military forces. The foreign military presence is synonymized by Air Base 201, a US drone base owned by Niger but built and paid for by the US. The multimillion-dollar base has been central to US Africa Command’s initiatives to “degrade violent extremist organizations in the Sahel and contain instability in Libya,” alongside the “containment of Boko Haram.” Since 2022, following the French withdrawal from Mali, Niger has hosted 1,500 French servicemen at the airbase of Niamey. This force, the remnants of France’s doomed Operation Barkhane, had performed an anti-extremist function, while also significantly harming the popularity of Bazoum.
As the world’s foremost front line in the fight against extremism, stability in the Sahel is critical
Having a parliament dominated by his allies to vote in favor of the continued deployment of foreign forces fighting extremists in April 2022, Bazoum drew consternation from voices within the country that have long been campaigning against the presence of foreign (especially French) troops, who are branded as occupiers that threaten national sovereignty. Following the breakdown of France’s relationship with Mali following another coup in August 2020, Niger became a central base for such operations and, with it, significant local and military criticism of the foreign presence. It is therefore surprising that, given rumors of a potential coup had circulated for some time, French and US officials seemed blindsided by the recent turn of events.
In many respects, Niger was the last haven for international counterterrorist activities in the Sahel. From there, the US carried out surveillance and drone attacks across Libya, Burkina Faso and Mali. The country was similarly important for France, making the new junta’s announcement of the cessation of defense cooperation with Paris hugely significant. On Aug. 7, 94 French senators sent an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron, in which they regretted “the failure of Operation Barkhane” and “the erasure of France” in Africa. The coup in Niger has not only drawn attention to a worrying trend of military interventions in politics in the region, but also stands out as a watershed moment, quite possibly signaling the end of Western influence in a region where Russian flags now seem ubiquitous.
Where the Central African Republic and Mali pulled away from France, they found ready support in Moscow. The Russian state-funded private military company Wagner has picked up the slack, amid Western sanctions on both military regimes. In a fragile country like Niger, where international military funding provides a critical economic lifeline, rigid international sanctions will push an open door to further cooperation with Russia at a time when Moscow is seeking to cultivate friends on the continent.
It is surprising that French and US officials seemed blindsided by the recent turn of events in Niger
Given Macron’s previous warnings of Russian disinformation in the Sahel, Vladimir Putin has now sought to fill the growing vacuum in Niger, urging caution and courting Mali’s military leader amid perceived Western inertia on the issue. The return of Russia on the continent makes the prospect of the expulsion of the unpopular French military presence more likely. Two decades of often clumsy French military involvement have emboldened those calling for an end to “Francafrique,” the alleged neocolonial practices of France in its former African colonies.
Having backed leaders in Mali and Niger with weak domestic mandates, France’s involvement has drawn heavy consternation. The perceived success of regional powerhouses like Morocco, which have sought to rebalance their external relationships, has been to the detriment of those whose voices France has emboldened.
The latest coup has, for example, reiterated criticisms of the use of the CFA franc, with its foreign reserve deposit requirements. CFA francs — used in 14 countries, 12 of which were formerly ruled by France — have for generations facilitated the import of French goods to the detriment of local exports. The presence of such mechanisms has only increased in controversy, especially given the current sentiment in the region.
Short-termist foreign interventions and the legacy of neocolonial structures have increased the instability of the Sahel region in recent decades. The ongoing catalog of coups is in response to a lack of leadership, both local and international, which has allowed weak states to fall victim to instability. The botched foreign intervention in Libya in 2011 left the region awash with weapons amid a wider extremist sphere of influence that grew from the US’ uneven and at times muddled global war on terror. The Sahel’s fall from the West’s grasp is the long-term result of larger strategic failures; severe sanctions and disengagement will only lead to the region’s further collapse.
*Zaid M. Belbagi is a political commentator and an adviser to private clients between London and the GCC. Twitter: @Moulay_Zaid

Iran’s Pension Funds Are a Fiscal Time Bomb Waiting to Explode
Saeed Ghasseminejad/Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor/FFD/August 17, 2023
Protests by Iranian retirees have surged this year, with demonstrations last week in several of Iran’s largest cities. Their calls to increase meager government pensions are both a cry of desperation and a stark warning of a looming societal and fiscal disaster.
The administration of President Ebrahim Raisi is embroiled in a debate over allocating funds to pensions versus infrastructural investments, overshadowing the unsettling truth that 15 of 17 of Iran’s pension funds are insolvent. Supported by continuous governmental bailouts, the funds have become a perpetual source of friction between the government and the elderly.
Over the past decade, Tehran’s allocation for pensions rose from 12 to 15 percent of the national budget. Hidden beneath these numbers is a profound crisis that reflects three adverse trends. First, four decades of double-digit inflation and deficient growth have left real per capita income lagging behind pre-revolution levels. Many retirees find themselves without personal savings and dependent on their monthly pensions, whose dollar value has fallen. The minimum monthly pension payment has fallen to $120, about a 25 percent decrease from where it stood 10 years ago, at roughly $160.
Second, regime insiders have drained Iran’s pension funds either by knowing depletion or the unwitting squandering of reserves. Finally, the aging of Iran’s population has increased the number of retirees and pensioners. Retirees are also living longer, so they require pensions for longer periods than the country’s retirement system was designed to handle. Meanwhile, the active workforce that pays into retirement funds is around 23 million due to decreasing birth, employment, and labor participation rates. High youth unemployment compounds this problem, further straining available resources.
The cornerstone of any solution to this crisis would be an economic transformation that integrates into the global economy, creating opportunities for employment and investment. Yet so long as the Islamic Republic exists, that integration will likely be impossible.
The eradication of corruption and promotion of transparency within the pension system will also be key. Yet this too will be difficult as long as the profoundly corrupt clerical regime remains in power. One change the government can implement is an increase in the retirement age, which currently stands in some cases as low as 45 for women and 50 for men. This would be unpopular under any circumstances and could even provoke an existential crisis for the regime, which faces a perennial crisis of legitimacy thanks in part to its reliance on brute force to repress three waves of protests in recent years.
The government could also seek population growth via increasing birth rates or net inward immigration. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appears focused on advocating population growth, yet without accompanying economic growth, this would backfire by ensuring increased competition over shrinking resources. Thus, an increase in the retirement age may be unavoidable.
Today’s retirees — once the youthful supporters who helped launch the 1979 Islamic Revolution — now chant that the revolution constitutes “sedition” and is “the cause of the nation’s poverty.” As today’s youth fight to topple the Islamic Republic, perhaps the youth of yesterday will join forces with them to dismantle the regime they helped erect.
*Saeed Ghasseminejad is a senior advisor on Iran and financial economics at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDD’s Iran Program and Center on Economic and Financial Power (CEFP). Follow Saeed on Twitter @SGhasseminejad. For more analysis from Saeed and FDD, please subscribe HERE. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, non-partisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

Iran's Plan To Turn The West Bank Into A Terror Base
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/August 17, 2023
Palestinian terrorists... have already turned the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip into a base for firing tens of thousands of rockets towards Israel. Now, the terrorists, with the help of Iran, are trying to use the West Bank to launch rockets at Israeli civilian communities.
Even worse, US Congressional oversight, required for any deal with Iran, was nullified this week when the Biden Administration, apparently to avoid oversight, announced its plans with Iran during Congress' summer recess.
The MEMRI report... noted that the armament efforts in the West Bank are energetically assisted by the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the orders of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Judging from the statements of the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders, the Palestinian terrorists who are now firing rockets at Israeli communities from the West Bank could not have done so without the assistance of Iran. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad do not recognize Israel's right to exist, period.
The Hamas Covenant... openly states: "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad [holy war]. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors." (Article 13)
Those Americans and Europeans who are calling for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank are ignoring the threats by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to continue the fight until the elimination of Israel. The rockets that are being fired from the West Bank should serve as a loud alarm bell to all those who continue to talk about the so-called two-state solution.
It is not difficult to imagine what would happen if Israel pulled out of [the West Bank]. After the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip in 2005, the Palestinian terror groups fired tens of thousands of rockets into Israeli cities and towns. An Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank would mean handing the area to the total control of Iran and its Palestinian terror proxies and turning it into yet another base for Jihad -- not only against Israel but the West.
Palestinian terrorists have already turned the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip into a base for firing tens of thousands of rockets towards Israel. Now, the terrorists, with the help of Iran, are trying to use the West Bank to launch rockets at Israeli civilian communities.
Palestinian terrorists are working hard to turn the West Bank into a launching pad for waging war on Israel. They have already turned the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip into a base for firing tens of thousands of rockets towards Israel. Now, the terrorists, with the help of Iran, are trying to use the West Bank to launch rockets at Israeli civilian communities.
The US Administration's recent move to give Iran access to at least $16 billion, including $6 billion held in South Korea, as part of a prisoner exchange deal, will undoubtedly benefit Tehran's Palestinian terror proxies: Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The two terror groups, which seek the destruction of Israel, have long been receiving financial and military aid from Iran's mullahs.
Even worse, US Congressional oversight, required for any deal with Iran, was nullified this week when the Biden Administration, apparently to avoid oversight, announced its plans during Congress' summer recess. As reported by Richard Goldberg on August 15, in "The Disastrous Implications of the $6 Billion Hostage Deal: That it will encourage hostage diplomacy among our foes is the least of the problems":
"That the White House announced this deal during the August congressional recess was no coincidence. Emergency hearings cannot be held. Resolutions of disapproval cannot be fast-tracked. President Biden has successfully evaded the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which requires him to notify Congress of any agreement with Iran related to its nuclear program before lifting sanctions."
In the past three months, a group affiliated with the Iranian-backed Hamas terror movement fired at least six rockets towards Israeli communities from the Jenin area in the northern West Bank.
On August 15, the Israel Defense Forces tweeted:
"6 rockets in 3 months
"That is the number of failed rocket launch attempts carried out in the area of the Menashe Regional Brigade in the past 3 months, the most recent being a short while ago.
"We will continue operating to thwart any threats against Israeli civilians."
On July 27, the IDF announced:
"A rocket launch was carried out toward the Israeli community of Ram On.
"However, the rocket remnants were located adjacent to the Palestinian town of Silat al-Harithiya by security forces.
"This is a prime example of terrorists using new ways to threaten innocent Israeli civilians without a care for Palestinian lives."
The most recent rocket was fired towards Israel on August 15. The terror group behind the attacks is called Ayyash Battalion, named after Yahya Ayyash, a Hamas arch-terrorist who was behind a series of suicide bombings in Israel during the 1990s. The bombings he orchestrated killed about 90 Israelis, a great deal of whom were civilians. Ayyash is celebrated by many Palestinians, who have named streets and other locales in his honor.
The rockets launched from the Jenin area have so far caused no damage, and no one was hurt.
In a video posted on social media on August 15, the Ayyash Battalion said:
"Our mujahideen [warriors] were able to shell the settlement of Shaked, west of Jenin, with a Qassam 1 rocket in response to the occupation crimes against our people and to avenge the blood of our martyrs."
Last month, the same terror group said that "despite the complex and sensitive security conditions [in the West Bank], and the lack of capabilities and tools, the Ayyash Battalion continues to develop and prepare [for carrying out rocket attacks]." According to the group, "the preparation and development are continuing, and the next [phase] will be greater."
When the terrorists talk about the "complex and sensitive" situation, they are boasting that they were able to fire the rockets despite the presence of Israeli and Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces in the West Bank. While the IDF says it is doing its utmost to combat terrorism in the West Bank, the PA security forces are evidently not doing much to rein in the terror groups operating in areas under their control.
Last month, Saleh Arouri, Deputy Chairman of the Hamas political bureau, boasted that his group was responsible for the rocket attacks from the West Bank:
"The state of resistance in the West Bank is developing, and [Israel] is panicking as it watches its development, as was the case in the Gaza Strip... The resistance fighters in the West Bank are using knives, pistols, and rifles, as well as explosive devices and rockets."
The rocket attacks are part of an increased attempt by Iran's Palestinian proxies, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), to establish themselves in the West Bank and set up a military infrastructure to conduct from there terror attacks and armed struggle against Israel, according to a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI):
"[I]t is clear that the terror organizations are changing their methods of warfare and how they are conducting their armed struggle against Israel from the West Bank, and are attempting to duplicate in the West Bank the methods used to fight Israel in the Gaza Strip. To this end, they are operating in three ways:
"With ongoing efforts to arm the West Bank, including manufacturing weapons and advanced explosive devices
"By excavating tunnels and launching rockets
"By maintaining anti-Israel military cooperation among the terror organizations, following the example of the joint war room in the Gaza Strip."
The MEMRI report also noted that the armament efforts in the West Bank are energetically assisted by the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the orders of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei:
"Khamenei issued these orders a decade ago, and successive commanders of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps have declared numerous times that they are implementing these orders. Hamas and PIJ leaders regularly thank Iran publicly for its military aid to their organizations, including inside the West Bank."
In June, leaders of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad visited Tehran, where they discussed with Iranian officials ways of stepping up the "resistance" attacks against Israel, especially in the West Bank.
In an interview with the Qatar-owned Al-Jazeera TV, PIJ Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhaleh revealed that Iran has been providing the Palestinian terror groups with military aid:
"They also provide us with military expertise... I believe that most of the financial and military aid goes to Hamas. Hamas gets more than Palestinian Islamic Jihad, perhaps because they are bigger than us."
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has also praised Iran for providing his group with money and weapons. "I want to thank those who have given money and weapons to the brave resistance: the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Judging from the statements of the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders, the Palestinian terrorists who are now firing rockets at Israeli communities from the West Bank could not have done so without the assistance of Iran. Hamas and PIJ do not recognize Israel's right to exist, period. The two groups are offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose outspoken objective is the establishment of a sovereign Islamic state that would replace Israel.
The Hamas Covenant states:
"The land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for further Muslim generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered. It, or any part of it, should not be given up."
The Hamas Covenant also openly states:
"There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad [holy war]. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors." (Article 13)
Similarly, Palestinian Islamic Jihad wants to establish a sovereign, Islamic Palestinian state with the geographic borders of the pre-1948 mandate Palestine. Like Hamas, it advocates the destruction of Israel through violent means; it approaches the Arab-Israeli conflict as an ideological war, not a territorial dispute.
In a 2009 interview, former PIJ leader Ramadan Shalah said: "I will never, under any circumstances, accept the existence of the state of Israel."
The Palestinian terrorists who are firing rockets at Israel are not doing it because they want to drive Jews out of the West Bank. Instead, they are launching the rockets because they want to destroy Israel.
Those Americans and Europeans who are calling for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank are ignoring the threats by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to continue the fight until the elimination of Israel. The rockets that are being fired from the West Bank should serve as a loud alarm bell to all those who continue to talk about the so-called two-state solution.
The terrorists are able to fire rockets from the West Bank while the Israeli security forces are still there. It is not difficult to imagine what would happen if Israel pulled out of these territories. After the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip in 2005, the Palestinian terror groups fired tens of thousands of rockets into Israeli cities and towns. An Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank would mean handing the area to the total control of Iran and its Palestinian terror proxies and turning it into yet another base for Jihad -- not only against Israel but the West.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East.
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