English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For August 22/2023
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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15 آذار/2023
Bible Quotations For
today
Healing on the Sabbath/Which of you, if your son or an
ox fell into a well, wouldn’t immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?
Luke14/01-06/ When he went into the house of one of the rulers of the
Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching him. Behold, a
certain man who had dropsy was in front of him. Jesus, answering, spoke to
the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
But they were silent .He took him, and healed him, and let him go. He
answered them, “Which of you, if your son† or an ox fell into a well,
wouldn’t immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” They couldn’t answer
him regarding these things.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on August 21-22/2023
Reports: Raisi's visit to KSA to
tackle Lebanon's presidential file
Report: Le Drian may delay visit to give time to Hezbollah-FPM talks
Opposition Forces Delegation Visits Lebanese Army Commander
Army chief meets Kahaleh town families delegation
Opposition MPs affirm support for LAF, urge justice and fairness in dealing
with recent security developments
Challenging Negotiations Continue for UNIFIL Renewal in South Lebanon
Hezbollah attacks “UNIFIL”, in a message to the United Nations
Berri says 'would have been better' for opposition to respond to France call
for dialogue
Ex-MP says FPM-Hezbollah talks progressing, Azour still FPM candidate
Uncertain start of school year in Lebanon amid teacher salary dispute
Berri meets new Algerian Ambassador, UNRWA Affairs Director, broaches
financial situation with Central Bank’s interim head
Calling for an international fact-finding committee: Beirut fire brigade
martyrs' association seeks justice for blast victims
Armed groups take over all schools in Ain Al Hilweh refugee camp
Minister of Tourism: 1.35 Mln People Visited Lebanon This Summer
Organ donation in Lebanon relies on individual initiatives
On the Culture War in Lebanon/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August
21/2023
After Destroying Lebanon, Iran-controlled Hezbollah Threatens War with
Israel/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/August 21, 2023
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on August 21-22/2023
Syrian TV says Israel attacks targets around Damascus
Russian strikes kill 8 fighters in Syria's rebel-held northwest
Netanyahu says recent attacks on Israelis are backed by Iran
Iran Says Prisoner Exchange Process with US Will Take Up to Two Months
IRGC Issues Warnings to US Warships in Strait of Hormuz
Iranian Minister of Intelligence Says His Country Holds ‘Spies’ from France,
Sweden, UK
Suspected Palestinian Gunman Kills Israeli, Wounds Another in Latest Attack
in West Bank
Egypt FM Stresses Keenness of Arab Ministerial Liaison Committee to Resolve
Syria Crisis
French Soldier Died in Iraq on Sunday, Paris Says
Kurdistan President Offers Condolences Over Death of French Soldier in Iraq
8 'Nusra' Militants Killed in Russian Strikes Northwest Syria
New Protest in Regime-Held South Syria over Living Conditions
Sistani Breaks Silence on Jadriya Land Seizures
Sudan: Global Aid Official Appeals for Funds to Help Sudanese Trapped in War
Two Injured in Ukrainian Drone Attack in Moscow Region, Nearly 50 Flights
Disrupted
Greece offers to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters: Zelenskiy
Ukraine Says it Repels Russian Attacks in Kharkiv Region, Gains in East
Zelenskyy Thanks Danes in Person for F-16s, Though the Planes Won’t Have an
Immediate War Impact
BRICS Summit set for Johannesburg
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published
on August 21-22/2023
A Window of Stability in a Stormy Sea/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat
newspaper/August 21/2023
‘Killing Christians Takes Us to Paradise’: The Persecution of Christians,
July 2023/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/August 20, 2023
Women bear the brunt of Taliban’s gender apartheid/Baria Alamuddin/Arab
News/August 21/2023
US border policies in spotlight as illegal immigrant numbers surge/Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab
News/August 21/2023
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News &
Editorials published on August 21-22/2023
Reports: Raisi's visit to KSA to
tackle Lebanon's presidential file
Naharnet/21 August 2023
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia will tackle the
Lebanese presidential file, media reports said. The kingdom will ask Iran to
“facilitate the election in light of its relation with Hezbollah,” Annahar
newspaper reported on Monday.
The Iranian foreign ministry had announced last Monday that Saudi King Salman
bin Abdul Aziz had officially invited Raisi to visit the kingdom and that the
visit’s date was yet to be announced.
Report: Le Drian may delay visit to give time to Hezbollah-FPM talks
Naharnet/21 August 2023
The French President’s Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian might
postpone his upcoming visit to Lebanon from the first week of September to the
third week of September, the Progressive Socialist Party’s al-Anbaa news portal
reported on Monday.
The delay would be aimed at “giving time to the efforts seeking to pacify the
opposition’s stance as well as allowing the Haret Hreik-Mirna Chalouhi dialogue
to make progress,” al-Anbaa said. “France is looking forward to the dialogue
between Hezbollah and Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil and is
awaiting its outcome and hoping it will be positive, because any presidential
agreement between the two parties might largely mean that Bassil would back
Suleiman Franjieh’s nomination,” al-Anbaa added. However, the outcome is not
guaranteed until the moment and sources informed on the discussions have said
that the negotiations are making progress albeit slowly, al-Anbaa said.
Moreover, the news portal said that the Lebanese Forces “will not take part in
Le Drian’s dialogue should he call for it in September and will not answer the
questions that the French envoy had sent (to parliament) days ago.”
Opposition Forces Delegation Visits Lebanese Army Commander
LBCI/21 August 2023
A delegation of opposition members of parliament visited the Chief of the Army,
General Joseph Aoun, in his office in Yarzeh this morning. The purpose of the
visit was to reaffirm their support for the military institution and all
security agencies as the safeguard of the state and its citizens. The
parliamentarians emphasized the necessity of asserting the authority of the
Lebanese Army and all official security apparatuses throughout the country's
territories. They stressed the importance of empowering the Army to carry out
its border protection and control tasks through the constitutional right granted
to official military and security forces for the exclusive use of force and
arms. They highlighted the need to resolve evolving events threatening civil
peace and citizens' safety. The delegation also prioritized expediting ongoing
investigations into Ain Abel and al-Kahaleh incidents. They stressed the
importance of achieving decisive, swift, and conclusive results, particularly
regarding identifying the killers of Elias Al-Hassrouni in Ain Abel and Fadi
Bejjani in al-Kahaleh and delivering them to the competent judiciary. The
delegation underscored the judiciary's responsibility to uphold justice. It
urged it to conduct fair investigations, treating victims' families and all
Lebanese equitably. They emphasized the need to prevent those trying to exploit
the situation and create a rift between the people and the Army to destabilize
the nation and the state. The delegation called for a definitive confiscation of
seized materials and ammunition, essential evidence in a clear-cut crime.
Army chief meets Kahaleh town families delegation
NNA/August 21/2023
Maj. Gen. Aoun also received a delegation from the families of the town of
Kahaleh, in the presence of the Army Intelligence Director. Discussions touched
on the affairs of the town and the recent incidents, in addition to the concerns
of its people. The delegation hailed the role of the army during the current
stage, stressing "the importance of the historical relationship between the town
and the military institution, and the keenness to continue this relationship
based on respect, and to follow up on the file judicially."
Opposition MPs affirm support for LAF, urge justice and fairness in dealing with
recent security developments
LBCI/21 August 2023
A delegation of opposition MPs visited Army Commander General Joseph Aoun in his
office in Yarze on Monday morning to reaffirm their support for the military
institution and all security agencies as a safety valve for the state and its
citizens.
The deputies emphasized their commitment to the necessity of the Lebanese Army
and all official security agencies asserting the state's authority across all
territories, enabling the Army to carry out its border protection and control
tasks. This is in accordance with the constitutional right that grants the
official military and security forces the exclusive use of force and arms. They
stressed the need to swiftly handle the events that threaten civil peace and
citizens' safety. The delegation also expressed the priority of expediting the
ongoing investigations into the Ain Ebel and Kahaleh incidents and the necessity
of reaching conclusive, decisive, and prompt results, particularly in
identifying the killers of Elias Hasrouni in Ain Ebel and the killers of Fadi
Bejjani in Kahaleh.They emphasized the judiciary's responsibility to uphold
justice, urging it to complete the investigations reasonably and to treat the
victims and all Lebanese with impartiality and fairness. This is to prevent
those seeking to exploit the situation from creating a rift between the people
and the Army, leading to the downfall of both the institution and the state.
They demanded a final seizure of the confiscated materials and ammunition as
part of an apparent crime. The delegation also addressed the latest developments
in the investigations of the events in Khaldeh. They stressed the necessity of
the judiciary pursuing all those involved who incited the confrontation and have
not been arrested yet. It has become essential for the military court to swiftly
adjudicate this case and release the innocent detainees from the Arab tribes.
The delegation included the following MPs: Ghassan Hasbani, Mark Daou, Ashraf
Rifi, Salim El Sayegh, Elias Hankach, Bilal Houshaymi, and Waddah Sadek.
Challenging Negotiations Continue for UNIFIL Renewal in
South Lebanon
LBCI/21 August 2023
As the vote on the renewal of UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon, scheduled for
August 31, approaches, sources following the matter describe the negotiations as
challenging. On the 23rd of this month, the countdown begins for the voting
session after the government coordinator with the emergency forces, Brigadier
General Mounir Chehadeh and Caretaker Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou
Habib arrive in New York. Intensive meetings are expected with permanent
representatives of Security Council member states. It's worth noting that the
draft resolution prepared by the Lebanese dossier specialist at the Security
Council arrived in Lebanon about three weeks ago. Following this, a meeting was
held between Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Foreign Minister Abdallah
Bou Habib, and Brigadier General Mounir Chehadeh to discuss the draft and to
present the Lebanese Army's observations on it, particularly those related to
granting freedom of movement to UNIFIL.According to the information, the draft
text states that UNIFIL does not require prior permits or approvals from the
United Nations or the Lebanese government to carry out its assigned tasks. It
emphasizes that UNIFIL has the right to carry out its tasks independently and
strongly condemns any attempts to hinder or restrict UNIFIL's movements.
However, Lebanon is requesting the removal of this paragraph and its replacement
with "UNIFIL has the right to enjoy freedom of movement in coordination with the
Lebanese government."Lebanon has also requested the removal of other paragraphs
that discuss shortcomings in electing a president and reproachfully implementing
financial and economic reforms. Additionally, Lebanon seeks the removal of the
paragraph related to UNIFIL's movement towards warehouses belonging to the
"Green Without Borders" association affiliated with Hezbollah, as these are not
considered military sites.Among the paragraphs that Lebanon requests to amend is
the one that mentions "the delineation agreement between Lebanon and Israel."
Instead, Lebanon proposes the following wording: "An agreement between Lebanon
and the United Nations through the US mediator and the third party, which is
Israel." Another demand from Lebanon is to assign the name "Al-Mari" to the
occupied north, starting from the village of Al-Ghajar, to assert Lebanon's
right in that area. Only now, it's evident that the diplomatic efforts led by
the Foreign Minister and Lebanon's representative to the Security Council, Jean
Mrad, along with ambassadors and delegates from permanent member states, have
yet to result in a successful vote in favor of Lebanon. Israel's lobbying
efforts continue. While Russia and China are close to Lebanon's stance, France,
Britain, and the United States are still distant. If a deadlock is reached,
Lebanon might adopt a position in this regard, according to sources.
Hezbollah attacks “UNIFIL”, in a message to the United
Nations
Janoubia Site/August 21/2023 (Google Translation)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/121492/121492/
What does Hezbollah Party want? A question that comes to the minds of the
Lebanese, with the succession of the security incidents that this party
fabricates throughout the Lebanese territory, and renews it when its need calls
for it, without taking into account the existence of an army, people, and state.
This kind of behaviour shows as if it is waging its last battle to control the
joints of state institutions and the field, and to preserve its existence after
it lost The popular and sectarian incubator, and it has become a strange entity
among a people looking for life and stability in their land and homeland, which
has turned into a warehouse of iron and gunpowder.
After “Ain al-Hilweh”, al-Kahala, Ain Ebel and Hay al-Salam, and the sporadic
daily events in the Shiite villages and towns, the party’s latest and not the
last, yesterday afternoon, came to add to its records a new attack on the
“UNIFIL” forces near the Sahl al-Khiam at the al-Wazzani junction by The
“People’s Unit”, which specializes in attacking these forces, is represented by
a number of young men blocking the road in front of the international forces,
while they raise the flags of “Hezbollah”, encircle them and demand that they
leave with threats and insults. This attack coincides with the ongoing
deliberations in the corridors of the United Nations to renew the “UNIFIL” in
Lebanon, which ends at the end of August of each year, amid attempts by
“Hezbollah” through the ruling system, to amend the decision that grants the
“UNIFIL” forces the powers of inspection, raids and patrols without Coordination
with the Lebanese army, and there is a draft project in the nations to expand
its tasks, especially after the assassinations that took place in the areas of
influence of “Hezbollah” in the south, and the disintegration of the party south
and north of the Litani, bypassing Resolution 1701.
These repeated attacks during this month are not intended only to send messages
to the interior and abroad, as is clear, but what is happening, according to a
field source for Janoubia, “is the result of confusion and loss of balance after
the series of defeats of the axis in the region, describing the party as a
“raging bull within His arena,” especially after the demarcation of the maritime
borders, and the drawing up of new rules of engagement that are closer to peace
than to war, despite the skirmishes on the borders that both sides realize are
for local consumption only, and will not lead to a major war.
And directing a new case in which he justifies his actions and covers up behind
them, after he lost the justification for his existence, especially with the
growing popular resentment against him, in light of the difficult economic and
living conditions and the spread of crime, which revealed the falsity of his
reformist slogans over the past years. He was not surprised that “Hezbollah’s
weapons went inside after it lost the external mission and is now looking for a”
job “for it.”
Everyone accepts this matter and moves away from its arsenal, presenting the
duty of obedience, and the second message to the outside, to the effect that its
weapons are a reality over the entire area of Lebanon and for regional purposes
and all the interests of those who oppose it are subject to targeting, including
the international emergency forces.
Berri says 'would have been better' for opposition to
respond to France call for dialogue
Naharnet/21 August 2023
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has criticized those rejecting a Lebanese
dialogue proposed by France, his circles told An-Nahar newspaper, in remarks
published Monday.
The sources quoted Berri as saying that it would have been better for the
opposition MPs to respond to French envoy Jean Yves Le Drian's call for a
dialogue, instead of "betting on other options."Le Drian is scheduled to return
to Lebanon in September after he had proposed on his last visit to Lebanon to
invite all those taking part in the process of electing a president to a meeting
in September to achieve a consensus on the challenges and on the priority
projects the future president will have to carry out, and consequently the
qualities necessary for tackling them. Thirty one opposition MPs said in a joint
statement last week that "any dialogue with Hezbollah would be futile" and that
dialogue should only be held after a president is elected. The dialogue should
be about "the fate of illegal weapons" and "limiting foreign and internal
security to the state represented by the army and security agencies," the
opposition MPs said.
Ex-MP says FPM-Hezbollah talks progressing, Azour still FPM
candidate
Naharnet/21 August 2023
Talks between the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah are progressing calmly
and rationally, a former FPM MP said. Ex-lawmaker Amal Abou Zeid told Kuwaiti
newspaper al-Anbaa, in remarks published Monday, that FPM chief Jebran Bassil
and Hezbollah coordination and liaison official Wafiq Safa are calmly
negotiating to find effective solutions not only to the presidential crisis, but
also to a number of political, economic and security crises. The talks include
the Trust Fund and the broad administrative and financial decentralization.
"What is being said in the media about the stumbling of the negotiations is not
true," Abou Zeid said, adding that Hezbollah and the FPM have not yet discussed
the name of a presidential candidate. "Until now, former minister Jihad Azour is
still the FPM's candidate," Abou Zeid said, denying that Bassil has turned
against his intersection with the opposition on Azour.
Uncertain start of school year in Lebanon amid teacher salary dispute
LBCI/21 August 2023
The fate of approximately 300,000 students in Lebanon's public schools hangs in
the balance as a standoff over teachers' salaries continues. According to the
Ministry of Education, schools are logistically ready to open but will remain
closed unless teachers' salary demands are met. Teachers are demanding monthly
salaries of no less than $700 or its equivalent in Lebanese pounds at market
rates. Last week, the Minister of Education proposed a plan to allocate $150
million for covering incentives, health benefits, and educational supplies.
However, the cabinet approved an advance of 5,000 billion Lebanese pounds,
approximately 35% of the proposed $150 million, specifically for productivity
bonuses separate from the salary. Educational sources indicate that this amount
is sufficient to pay productivity bonuses ranging between $200 and $300 per
month for each permanent teacher for two months. This is a significant increase
from the $125 they received last year. Contractual teachers will also see an
unspecified hike in their hourly rates.
Berri meets new Algerian Ambassador, UNRWA Affairs
Director, broaches financial situation with Central Bank’s interim head
NNA/21 August 2023
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Monday received at the Second Presidency in Ain
El-Tineh, Algerian Ambassador to Lebanon, Belbagi Rachid, who came on a protocol
visit upon assuming his new duties in Lebanon. The visit was an occasion during
which the general situation in Lebanon and the region and the bilateral
relations between the two countries were presented. Speaker Berri also received
at Ain El-Tineh, the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Dorothee Klaus. This
afternoon, Berri met with the Lebanese Central Bank’s Acting Governor Wassim
Mansouri, with whom he discussed the country’s general conditions especially the
financial one.
Calling for an international fact-finding committee:
Beirut fire brigade martyrs' association seeks justice for blast victims
LBCI/21 August 2023
The association of the Beirut fire brigade martyrs released a statement
expressing their gratitude to all Lebanese citizens who joined them in
commemorating the August 4th tragedy. The statement, addressed the media,
conveyed the association's appreciation for its coverage and unwavering support,
emphasizing the importance of keeping their cause alive until the truth is
revealed and accountability is established. Facing a deadlock in the Lebanese
investigation into the Beirut Port explosion case, the association raised
concerns about potential conflicts of interest. They highlighted that the
crime scene falls within the jurisdiction and responsibility of the Lebanese
state, government, judiciary, and military. Many officials remain in their
positions, raising questions about the feasibility of holding the same authority
accountable. Despite this, the association affirmed that the Lebanese judiciary
was given a three-year opportunity to pursue the case, but no substantial
progress has been made. To preserve the integrity of the investigation and
prevent the manipulation of evidence, the association requested all MPs to
collectively sign a petition urging the United Nations to establish an
international fact-finding committee.
The purpose of this committee would be to uncover the truth behind the incident
and continue the investigations that have stagnated within Lebanon. The Lebanese
authorities would be required to provide the committee with relevant documents.
The association thanked all those who signed the petition. It continued, "We
hope and request from the Secretary-General of the United Nations, exercising
his prerogatives, or from the Security Council or the General Assembly, to
approve our request and subsequently request the Lebanese judiciary to provide
the committee with copies of the investigations and information available to the
relevant authorities," affirming the following:
- This petition and the establishment of the committee do not conflict with the
local investigation but complement it;
- This committee will not financially burden the Lebanese state and is not an
international court;
- This request does not contradict the petition submitted to the Human Rights
Council.
The statement pointed out that the decision to pursue this petition was driven
by a drastic shift in international and local perspectives. Notably, the
European Parliament's call for the committee's establishment on August 3rd has
added urgency to the matter.
Moreover, three ambassadors representing Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany
have requested the Lebanese state's cooperation with the committee due to the
victims from their nations. Highlighting the alignment of their stance with that
of the Prosecutor General, Judge Ghassan Oweidat, the association acknowledged
his endorsement of an international fact-finding committee. With the support of
a majority of the Lebanese Parliament members, the association planned to
present the petition to UN officials in Lebanon, the UN Security Council, and
the embassies of Security Council member states, as well as countries with
citizens affected by the explosion, including Australia, Germany, and the
Netherlands.
In conclusion, the statement expressed gratitude for the widespread support and
declared a commitment to the victims of the August 4th explosion, assuring that
their cause would not be forgotten.
Armed groups take over all schools in Ain Al Hilweh refugee
camp
Nada Homsi/The National/August 21, 2023
All schools in the Ain Al Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon have been occupied by
armed fighters, a UN source confirmed on Monday. There are eight schools in Ain
Al Hilweh, the largest refugee camp for Palestinians in Lebanon. The
confirmation that all eight had been taken over by armed insurgents follows a
statement last week by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)
that a second school compound had been taken over. UN agency calls on armed
groups to leave its facilities in Lebanon's largest refugee camp. The occupation
by the extremist factions has thrown the start of the academic year "for 5,900
children” into jeopardy. The UN agency on Friday called for the immediate
withdrawal of armed groups occupying its facilities, including its schools. “We
are getting credible reports of severe damage to the school buildings and
looting of children’s education material and equipment from the schools,”
Dorothee Klaus, director of UNRWA affairs in Lebanon, said last week. UNRWA
temporarily suspended its services in the camp last Friday after reports of
armed groups occupying one of its compounds – one day before they overtook a
second educational compound.
The suspension lasted for a day.
Lebanon’s refugee camps – over which the Lebanese state does not have
jurisdiction due to a decades-old, now defunct agreement – are highly dependent
on UNRWA to provide much-needed services such as education, health and waste
collection. The camps have no officially recognised governance but are instead
administered by various Palestinian political factions and a network of
representatives who make up committees. The first UNRWA educational compound
occupation came during a battle for control of Ain Al Hilweh between armed
groups and the powerful political faction Fatah – the party to which Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas belongs. Thirteen people were killed in the
week-long battle, while dozens were injured and about 2,000 refugees were
displaced, forced to seek shelter in schools and mosques. Although a ceasefire
has tentatively held, armed insurgents have so far refused to leave occupied
UNRWA property. A senior member of Fatah security told The National a meeting
would be held on Tuesday between the camp’s political leadership to determine
the next steps. The battle, which began last month but dragged into August,
broke out following the death of high-profile Fatah commander Abu Ashraf Al
Armoushi and four of his bodyguards. While clashes between rival factions are
not uncommon, this month’s battles have been especially ferocious due to the
high-profile nature of the assassination. Fatah identified those behind the
killing as members of the militant group Jund Al Sham and "takfiri gangs",
according to Palestinian security officials. Jund Al Sham is the name of several
Al Qaeda-affiliated militant groups, one of which operates in Ain al Hilweh. The
Lebanese state's reluctance to enter Palestinian refugee camps has left them
vulnerable to infiltration by outlaws and smaller networks of Islamist
militants. Ain al Hilweh has earned a reputation for being such a haven,
although Fatah has for years attempted to contain the presence of insurgents who
seek to gain control of the camp. Clashes between Fatah and rival Islamist
extremists are not uncommon in Ain al Hilweh, which holds more than 50,000
registered refugees. It is also home to some of the 30,000 Palestinian refugees
displaced from the Nahr Al Bared camp in 2007 during 15 weeks of fighting
between the Lebanese army and Islamist extremists – including Jund Al Sham –
which led to the destruction of the camp.
Minister of Tourism: 1.35 Mln People Visited Lebanon This
Summer
Reuters/21 August 2023
Caretaker Tourism Minister Walid Nassar revealed that 1.35 million travelers,
with 30 percent of them being foreigners, had arrived in Lebanon this summer.
The country received the highest number of expatriates since 2018, reviving the
tourism, service and restaurant sectors as helping it deal with its severe
economic and living crises. The Ministry of Tourism has sponsored 132 festivals
this summer. Nassar stressed that Lebanon boasts all the elements “that allow us
to live in this country, invest in it, and work towards its economic and
financial development.” He emphasized the importance of implementing
administrative decentralization to boost investments and development. “Despite
the poor economic and living conditions we are experiencing, from airport,
infrastructure, electricity, and telecommunications problems, the Lebanese love
life and refuse to give up.”
Meanwhile, caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamieh stressed
on Saturday the need to maintain the electricity supply at Beirut international
airport and the capital’s seaport as the country grapples with a stifling energy
crisis.
Organ donation in Lebanon relies on individual
initiatives
Najia Houssari/Arab News/August 21, 2023
BEIRUT: Organ donation in Lebanon is relying on individual initiatives, although
the issue still generates controversy among the public. Former Health Minister
Mohamed Jawad Khalife told Arab News: “The recommendation to donate organs is
still rare in Lebanon, and this is due to the prevailing culture that considered
this work to be taboo, even though religions do not prohibit it.” Khalife
founded the National Organization for Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplant
in Lebanon during his ministry in 2005. Khalife, a surgeon, added: “When the NOD
LB was formed, it was welcomed by clergy from different communities, who even
took part in awareness campaigns to educate the people about the importance of
organ donation. “The momentum of the campaigns declined after the 2006 July war
and continued until the coronavirus pandemic.”Khalife said that organ donation
is currently restricted to individual initiatives. He added: “In Europe, the
country where people donate organs the most is Spain. In the rest of the EU,
organ donation is between 15 and 20 per million. In Lebanon, the percentage does
not exceed 1.5 percent of the population.”
NOD LB is responsible for monitoring every donation and tissue transplant that
takes place on Lebanese soil. It believes that people’s views on the subject are
slowly changing, thanks to awareness-raising campaigns. Two weeks ago, a young
Lebanese man, Ali Mahmoud Sharafeddine, was in a traffic accident in a town in
the south of the country and died in hospital. His family decided to donate a
number of his body parts to six patients, according to his wishes. The move
resulted in religious scholar Sayyid Ali Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah getting in
touch with the family. He said the act represented “the highest level of
responsibility toward society.”Fadlallah, whose late father, Mohammed Hussein
Fadlallah, was a religious guide, urged “the need to revive and strengthen this
tradition, which is one of the most prominent examples of sacrifice and
devotion, so that others may live and enjoy what they had lost.”However, organ
donation in Lebanon is still causing controversy. Lawmakers have established
legal rules governing the donation of organs. They state that “the identity of
the donor, who is required to be over 18 years old, remains unknown because
donation has no identity, gender, doctrine or race.” Two decrees regulating
organ donation and transplantation were issued after the country’s first
transplant in 1972. One of them declared that the donation should be “free and
unconditional.” Awareness campaigns to encourage organ donation have included
initiatives in schools, universities, and military institutions. Donors must
first fill out a form available on the NOD LB website. However, the organization
said: “There has been no improvement in the actual donation rate and it has been
limited to individual cases.”The NOD LB is also facing a lack of coordination
between hospitals, particularly in the reporting of brain deaths.
An additional issue is that attempts are made by some individuals to sell
organs, especially kidneys, rather than donate them.
On the Culture War in Lebanon
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 21/2023
A cultural war, the likes of which the country has not seen since the mid-1970s,
is raging in Lebanon. Youths influenced by freedom movements across the globe,
or who have lived in the West, or who feel that no one has the right to tell
them how to think and love, or what to watch... have begun crying out in
protest. In 2019, those voices were stifled, but the tragedies that followed
have revived them. The questions that are now turning into the theme of this
clash encompass everything from movies to sexual practices, and George Soros to
entertainment culture... And if the sound of artillery set off by political
disputes never goes silent on our televisions, then these cultural disputes are
providing the artillery with additional shells. With that, some clarification is
needed: this culture war is not being fought between sectarian or partisan
groups who never budge on their positions. In fact, the same fanatical rhetoric
we hear from this sectarian or political authority could be heard from another
sectarian or political authority, and these two authorities could be hostile to
one another or diverge on many fundamental questions.
In this sense, the culture war does not correspond to the sectarian-political
war. We could, perhaps, even see the former as an occasion for one of the
latter’s momentary truces or interruptions, especially since the most extreme
parties in every sect always are leaning on what they believe to be common to
all religions and values. This is precisely what the Lebanese Minister of
Culture did recently, bringing all of the prophets together in himself and
speaking in all of their tongues throughout his ongoing campaign against
culture.
However, the recognition does not negate Hezbollah’s particular, distinct and
multi-faceted responsibility. It drew the lines of the field on which this game
is being played. In addition to being a party in which the man of the sect and
the man of politics are one and the same, it sets the agenda for Lebanese public
affairs in general, leaving others almost exclusively reacting to its actions.
Adding to its political and military worlds, it has completed drawing its
cultural world. The party is a model of a parallel society inflated by its
ritual and sectarian particularities, leaving it perpetually caught in a latent
culture war. Spending half an hour watching its broadcaster, Al-Manar, is enough
to ascertain that it pushes out and rejects anyone with a different culture or
preferences. Even the leftists and “anti-imperialists” who support Hezbollah’s
resistance, got a kicking on the values front. Like every cohesive and closed
doctrinal structure, it has its definitive answers, usually announced by its
secretary general, for all the questions of temporal life, as well as matters of
religion.
In all likelihood, the mood of Iranian officials has become more inclined to
this exceptional gloominess after the murder of Mahsa Amini, women, the veil and
sexual violence against women becoming central themes in Iranian politics, and
the spike in repression whose blade strikes intellectuals and filmmakers. “He
who teaches me a letter becomes my master,” as the Arab saying goes. Moreover,
Hezbollah is stoking the climate of cultural tensions with its rhetoric. In
fact, it is stoking two climates that form the distant or immediate background
for what is going on: the first, combatting normalization, is admonishing, and
the assiduous toil exerted to this end knows no limits or restrictions; the
second is opposing the West and its values, and firmly linking the West’s
culture and Western policies that Hezbollah and its proponents oppose. Both
these climates have been filled with toxicity.
There is another reason why the party bears greater responsibility than the
other reactionaries: the climate of tension, fear, and polarized mobilization
stirred by its arms does not create an ideal environment for novel and
enlightened ideas. It pushes every other sect and community to vomit the worst
and most backward things inside it, as amid the sectarian apprehensions, the
verdict of the sect’s men carries more weight in determining right from wrong
and the permissible from the impermissible.
However, the war on culture and freedoms could cost a country like Lebanon more
than it has any other country. Without its universities, publishing houses,
media, cinemas, theaters, and television stations..., Lebanon would lose its
wings, not merely economically, but even in terms of its meaning.
Anti-intellectualism, under these circumstances, is nothing less than a
catastrophe added to the calamities of our economy, politics, judiciary,
education, and what remains of our coexistence, that we have endured and are
enduring. Indeed, it would have been bizarre for culture to be spared by this
wanton onslaught destroying everything else in its path. However, because of
their awareness of this truth and their sensibilities toward it, those who ruled
the country before 1975 rebuffed the idea of a state ideology imposed from
above. Before we became infected with the glorification of resistance, as well
as the Baathist (among others) idea of “Lebanon’s Arabness,” we had no
sacrosanct icons, nor did the political system allow itself to be reflected
culturally. The fact is that the leading figures of what was dubbed an
“isolationist culture” were subjected, during the “isolationist” era”, to
criticism that was largely polemical or defamatory. This is true of Michel Chiha,
Kamal Al-Hajj, Charles Malek, the Rahbani brothers, and others. As for today,
the sacrosanct continues its charge, and freedoms honorably remain steadfast.
After Destroying Lebanon, Iran-controlled Hezbollah
Threatens War with Israel
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/August 21, 2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/121470/121470/
Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of the Hezbollah terror group, recently
threatened to send Israel back "to the Stone Age" if it goes to war with Lebanon
-- meaning defend itself against an Iranian-Lebanese attack.
While Nasrallah's threat to destroy Israel is not new, he surely knows a thing
or two about sending countries back to the Stone Age. His Iran-backed group,
which functions as a state-within-a-state in Lebanon, is responsible for turning
the Arab country into a failed state.
Two days after Nasrallah made his latest threat against Israel, Lebanon
witnessed widespread blackouts, forcing Beirut Airport to run on electric
generators.
"On the other side of the spectrum is the understanding that Lebanon was coerced
into collapse by Hezbollah and its regional broker, Iran." — Fadi Nassar,
assistant professor in political science and international affairs, Lebanese
American University; Saleh El Machnouk, lecturer in political science,
Saint-Joseph University, Beirut; mei.edu, March 24, 2023.
"Lebanon has been hit by a debilitating new wave of hyperinflation, the
imposition of its judiciary over the local investigation into the Port of Beirut
blast, and a European investigation into the Central Bank." — Fadi Nassar and
Saleh El Machnouk; mei.edu, March 24, 2023.
"Hezbollah and [former Lebanese president Michel] Aoun have destroyed everything
that made Lebanon great. The Arab world's banking capital is bankrupt. Tourists
don't frequent destabilized states run by terrorists. Former regional partners
refuse to have anything to do with us. Our celebrated culture is trampled
underfoot by barbarian theocrats. Beirut no longer has a viable port." — Baria
Alamuddin, award-winning Lebanese journalist and broadcaster, arabnews.com,
September 27, 2020.
Since the explosion at the Port of Beirut [which killed more than 200 people,
injured thousands more, and displaced half of Lebanon's capital city], Hezbollah
has been trying to obstruct the investigation into the incident by the Lebanese
authorities.
"All indications, signs, and collected evidence of weapons and explosives, prove
beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Hezbollah, backed by the mullahs in Iran,
have turned Lebanon into a massive arms and explosives warehouse." — Mohammed al
Shaikh, Saudi political analyst, alarabiya.net, September 29, 2020.
"Hezbollah's militia, as was publicly and boldly recognized by its
Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, is trying to convert Lebanon into an Iranian
mullah's province, from which he receives his arms and all the funds and
equipment he requires. Hence, the crimes committed by Hezbollah, including the
Beirut explosion, are in fact an extension of Tehran's orders... Although they
cannot be publicly vocal about it, all the Lebanese hold Hezbollah responsible
for the port bombing. People know that if they do express their opinion,
physical liquidation awaits them...." — Mohammed al Shaikh, alarabiya.net,
September 29, 2020.
Nasrallah and his masters in Iran care nothing about the suffering of the
Lebanese people. What they care about is power, spreading their control to other
Arab countries, and fulfilling their ambition to destroy the only successful and
democratic country in the Middle East: Israel. Besides Lebanon, Iran's terror
proxies have also wreaked havoc in Syria, Yemen and Iraq. How ironic that
Nasrallah, the terrorist leader who has decimated his own country, is now, with
the backing of Iran, threatening to take another state back to the Stone Age.
Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of the Hezbollah terror group, recently
threatened to send Israel back "to the Stone Age" if it goes to war with Lebanon
-- meaning defend itself against an Iranian-Lebanese attack:
"Today, I can present evidence, when I say to the [Israeli] enemy: You, too,
will return to the Stone Age. The civilian airports, the military airports, the
Air Force bases, the power plants and electricity distribution grid, the water
plants, the main communication centers, various infrastructure – there is no
need to go into detail. The oil, petrol, and ammonium nitrate plants. You can
also add Dimona [nuclear] plant. All of these are located in a small territory
[Israel]. If the fighting expands to the entire resistance axis, nothing will be
left of Israel."
While Nasrallah's threat to destroy Israel is not new, he surely knows a thing
or two about sending countries back to the Stone Age. His Iran-backed group,
which functions as a state-within-a-state in Lebanon, is responsible for turning
the Arab country, only a few years ago known as the "Switzerland of the Middle
East" and its capital, Beirut as the "Paris of the Middle East" into a failed
state, the "Venezuela of the Middle East."
Associated Press reported in September 2021:
"As Lebanon sinks deeper into poverty, many Lebanese are more openly criticizing
Iran-backed Hezbollah. They blame the group – along with the ruling class – for
the devastating, multiple crises plaguing the country, including a dramatic
currency crash and severe shortages in medicine and fuel."
Two days after Nasrallah made his latest threat against Israel, Lebanon
witnessed widespread blackouts, forcing Beirut Airport to run on electric
generators. The Electricity Authority of Lebanon announced that the al-Zahrani
and Deir Amman power stations ceased operations due to the operating company's
financial debt. Lebanon's Central Bank refuses to approve additional credit to
the company to operate the power plants without legislation backing such a move
(the bank refuses to accept responsibility for the matter and wants Parliament
to take responsibility).
Many Lebanese hold Hezbollah directly responsible for the four-year-long crisis.
"Lebanon has been hit by a debilitating new wave of hyperinflation, the
imposition of its judiciary over the local investigation into the Port of Beirut
blast, and a European investigation into the Central Bank," according to Fadi
Nassar, an assistant professor in political science and international affairs at
the Lebanese American University, and Saleh El Machnouk, a lecturer in political
science at Saint-Joseph University in Beirut.
"On one side of the spectrum, France has largely characterized Lebanon's crisis
as a consequence of a deeply-flawed power-sharing system that allowed sectarian
allies to divvy up the spoils of the state to the point of bankruptcy. Lebanon's
failure, therefore, is rooted in corruption and mismanagement...
"On the other side of the spectrum is the understanding that Lebanon was coerced
into collapse by Hezbollah and its regional broker, Iran. Through political
assassinations, forced paralysis, and a military takeover in 2008, Hezbollah
filled the power void in Lebanon left by the [Syrian] regime's withdrawal in
2005. Central to that theory is that Hezbollah's costly regional military
interventions – from Syria to Yemen – and coercion of its opponents, paralyzed
the government and cut the country from its traditional Gulf economic
lifeline...
"After years of confrontation between Hezbollah and the anti-Syrian March 14
forces, the former had managed –using both sticks and carrots – to either subdue
or co-opt various political opponents into the so-called national unity
governments. This process...culminated in 2016 with the election of a Hezbollah
ally, Michel Aoun, as president. By then, Lebanon had fully delved into a
Faustian, transactional arrangement between the militia (Hezbollah) and the
mafia (the co-opted cartel of sectarian political elites)..."
The two Lebanese authors point out that Lebanon's Central Bank governor, Riad
Salameh, acting as the mafia's financial architect, siphoned depositors' money
from commercial banks to fund the elite's expanding clientelist network,
resulting in the loss of life savings for hundreds of thousands of Lebanese.
They added:
"The recent case of the US's sanctioning of Hezbollah-affiliated money exchanger
Hassan Moukalled, accused of supporting Hezbollah's finances by acting as
intermediary between the Central Bank and the black market, demonstrates how
Salameh's control of the Central Bank is a key component of Hezbollah's evolving
ability to capture state resources and circumvent international sanctions."
Dr. Ellie Abouaoun, Director of North Africa Programs and Regional Hub at the
United States Institute of Peace, noted that multidimensional poverty in Lebanon
rose from 53% (pre-2019) to 82% in 2019 because of what the World Bank described
as a deliberate depression orchestrated by Lebanon's elite and one of the top
three most severe economic collapses worldwide since the 1850s.
"Holding the community of nations solely responsible for Lebanon's mess is not
only unfair, but essentially preposterous," Abouaoun argued.
"It is clear by now that some Lebanese citizens easily qualify as perpetrators,
while the rest are either unwilling or unfit to be part of a solution, are held
hostage by the current elite, or are just idle babblers, too politically
immature to conceive and execute a way out of the quagmire...
"Lebanon is a country with endemic corruption, dysfunctional legislative,
executive, and judiciary powers, where services are hardly accessible and
poverty rates are alarming."
Baria Alamuddin, an award-winning Lebanese journalist and broadcaster, accused
Hezbollah of destroying everything that made Lebanon great. "Does anyone know
how many Lebanese prime ministers have been appointed over the past year?" she
asked in an article in September 2020.
"With the resignation of Mustapha Adib at the weekend, Hezbollah has thwarted
every attempt to form a competent, technocratic administration to steer Lebanon
out of this catastrophe; demanding, like gangsters, that it must possess the
Finance Ministry, Health, Transport, and everything else it can get its hands
on.
"We have warned for years that Hassan Nasrallah...and Ayatollah Khamenei would
burn Lebanon to the ground to protect their interests...
"Hezbollah and [former Lebanese president Michel] Aoun have destroyed everything
that made Lebanon great. The Arab world's banking capital is bankrupt. Tourists
don't frequent destabilized states run by terrorists. Former regional partners
refuse to have anything to do with us. Our celebrated culture is trampled
underfoot by barbarian theocrats. Beirut no longer has a viable port."
Further evidence that Hezbollah has sent Lebanon back to the Stone Age can be
found in the August 4, 2020 explosion at the Port of Beirut, which killed more
than 200 people, injured thousands more, and displaced half of Lebanon's capital
city.
Although the ammonium nitrate the caused the massive explosion is not directly
linked to Hezbollah, some people have been holding the terror group responsible
for the tragedy, pointing out its previous use of the explosive. Hezbollah has
been accused of preventing the stash from being disposed of after they were
seized by Lebanese authorities in 2013 from a Moldovan-flagged ship en route
from Georgia to Mozambique.
Hezbollah's name is tied up with ammonium nitrate in several historical cases.
In 2020, Israel reportedly provided Germany with information about Hezbollah's
activities on German soil, including the stashing of hundreds of kilograms of
ammonium nitrate. In 2015, British intelligence, acting on a tip from a foreign
intelligence agency, caught an alleged Hezbollah terrorist stockpiling more than
three tons of the explosive packed in thousands of disposable ice packs in North
West London. In a similar case in 2015 in Cyprus, a Hezbollah agent was found
with 8.2 tons of ammonium nitrate.
Since the explosion at the Port of Beirut, Hezbollah has been trying to obstruct
the investigation into the incident by the Lebanese authorities. "All
indications, signs, and collected evidence of weapons and explosives, prove
beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Hezbollah, backed by the mullahs in Iran,
have turned Lebanon into a massive arms and explosives warehouse," said Saudi
political analyst Mohammed al Shaikh.
"Hezbollah's militia, as was publicly and boldly recognized by its
Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, is trying to convert Lebanon into an Iranian
mullah's province, from which he receives his arms and all the funds and
equipment he requires.
"Hence, the crimes committed by Hezbollah, including the Beirut explosion, are
in fact an extension of Tehran's orders...
"Although they cannot be publicly vocal about it, all the Lebanese hold
Hezbollah responsible for the port bombing. People know that if they do express
their opinion, physical liquidation awaits them, as this terrorist party does
with whoever opposes it, and Lebanese judges dare not press charges against it.
The local jurisdiction is too weak to handle this brutal and bloody monster
fairly and transparently."
Nasrallah and his masters in Iran care nothing about the suffering of the
Lebanese people. What they care about is power, spreading their control to other
Arab countries, and fulfilling their ambition to destroy the only successful and
democratic country in the Middle East: Israel. Besides Lebanon, Iran's terror
proxies have also wreaked havoc in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. How ironic that
Nasrallah, the terrorist leader who has decimated his own country, is now
threatening to take another state back to the Stone Age.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East.
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/19916/lebanon-iran-hezbollah-war
Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published
on August 21-22/2023
Syrian TV says Israel attacks targets around
Damascus
Reuters/August 21, 2023
BEIRUT: The Syrian state television channel said late on Monday that Israel had
attacked targets on the outskirts of the Syrian capital, Damascus. State TV did
not give any more details about the targets of the attack but the semi-official
newspaper, Al Watan, said on its website that “Damascus international airport
was unaffected. Israel has for years carried out attacks on what it has
described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran’s influence has grown
since it began supporting President Bashar Assad in a civil war that started in
2011.
Russian strikes kill 8 fighters in Syria's rebel-held
northwest
Agence France Presse/August 22, 2023
At least eight fighters were killed in Russian air strikes early Monday
targeting a rebel base in Syria's northwest, a war monitor said. "Russian
warplanes carried out air strikes on the western outskirts of Idlib city,
targeting a military base belonging to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)... killing at
least eight fighters," said Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights. Several other fighters were wounded in the strikes, with some
in critical condition, said the Britain-based monitor, which relies on a wide
network of sources inside Syria. Jihadist group HTS, led by Syria's former
Al-Qaeda affiliate, controls swathes of Idlib province, parts of which form the
last bastions of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad's rule. HTS also
controls parts of the adjacent Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces. An AFP
correspondent at the site said the jihadist group cordoned off the area after
the strikes, which came shortly after midnight. Russia has repeatedly struck the
Idlib stronghold over the years. Syria's civil war broke out in 2011 after the
government's repression of peaceful demonstrations escalated into a deadly
conflict that pulled in foreign powers and global jihadists. Moscow is a major
ally of Damascus, and its intervention in Syria since 2015 helped to turn the
tide in the regime's favour. On August 5, three family members, all civilians,
were killed when Russian warplanes struck the outskirts of Idlib city, the
Observatory said at the time. On June 25, Russian air strikes killed at least 13
people including nine civilians in Idlib province, in what the Observatory said
was the deadliest such attack on the country this year. A member of the
Turkistan Islamic Party, a Uyghur-dominated jihadist group, was among the four
fighters killed in those strikes, which also wounded at least 30 civilians, the
monitor had said. With Russian and Iranian support, Damascus has clawed back
much of the territory it had lost to rebels early in the conflict. Syria's war
has killed more than half a million people and forced around half of the
country's pre-war population from their homes. The rebel-held Idlib region is
home to about three million people, around half of them displaced from other
parts of the country. Since 2020, a ceasefire deal brokered by Damascus ally
Moscow and rebel-backer Ankara has largely held in Syria's northwest, despite
periodic clashes.
Netanyahu says recent attacks on Israelis
are backed by Iran
Reuters/August 22, 2023
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that a
series of recent deadly attacks against Israelis has been funded and encouraged
by Iran. “We are in the midst of a terror attack. This terror attack is
encouraged, guided, funded by Iran and its satellite states,” Netanyahu said in
broadcast remarks. He spoke in the occupied West Bank at a site where hours
earlier an Israeli woman was shot dead by suspected Palestinian gunmen. Israel,
he said, would employ measures to settle the score with the attackers and those
who sent them, from near or far.
Iran Says Prisoner Exchange Process with US Will Take Up to Two Months
. Reuters/ 21 August 2023
The process of releasing US prisoners held in Iran will take up to two months,
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Monday during a
press conference. "A specific time frame has been announced by relevant
authorities, and it will take a maximum of two months for this process to take
place," Kanaani said. Earlier this month, Tehran and Washington reached an
agreement whereby five US citizens held in Iran would be freed while $6 billion
of Iranian assets frozen in South Korea would be released. South Korean media
reported on Monday that the assets have been transferred to Switzerland's
central bank last week for exchange and transfer to Iran. The Swiss National
Bank plans to exchange the $6 billion holdings in won for dollars and then euros
in the currency market, converting about 300 billion won ($223.85 million) to
400 billion each day for next five weeks, Yonhap Infomax reported, citing an
unnamed currency market source. An official at South Korea's finance ministry
declined to confirm the report, citing the legal and diplomatic sensitivity of
the matter. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said last week that the released
assets would be used to enhance domestic production.
IRGC Issues Warnings to US Warships in Strait of Hormuz
Asharq Al Awsat/21 August 2023
Commander of the IRGC Navy Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said that his forces
issued a warning to an American warship in the Strait of Hormuz, said IRGC-affiliated
Tasnim news agency. IRGC released footage of the USS Bataan and USS Carter Hall
that traveled through the Strait of Hormuz, last Saturday. The American forces
didn’t comment on the matter. Tasnim quoted Tangsiri as saying that during
monitoring the American warship, a US helicopter took off from the vessel's
flying deck but was forced to land shortly after warnings from the watch tower
in the Strait of Hormuz, and the presence of the ‘Revolutionary Guard’ naval
boats. He added it was the first entry by the Americans into the waters off the
southern coasts of Iran since 2021, stressing that Iran and the neighboring
countries in the Gulf can ensure security in the regional waters and there is no
need for foreigners' presence. Tangsiri said the IRGC Navy’s success in
monitoring the maritime movements in the Persian Gulf and its vigilance in the
face of threats, particularly from the warships of extra-regional countries,
proved that the Iranian forces would never allow enemies to undermine the
security of the Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Last week, Western naval forces operating in the Gulf warned ships sailing in
the strategic Strait of Hormuz against approaching Iranian waters to avoid the
risk of seizure. The warnings issued on Saturday and Sunday follow a week that
saw the United States boost its military presence in the region and an agreement
between Washington and Tehran that has raised hopes of reducing tensions between
the adversaries. In April and May, Iran seized two tankers within a week in
regional waters. A few days earlier, Washington announced the arrival of more
than 3,000 US Marines and sailors to the Middle East on board warships as part
of a plan to boost the military presence in the region, which it confirmed aims
to deter Iran from seizing ships and oil tankers.
Iranian Minister of Intelligence Says His Country Holds ‘Spies’ from France,
Sweden, UK
Asharq Al Awsat/21 August 2023
Iran’s Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib said that Iran is holding spies
from Sweden, France, Britain, and several other countries and that some of them
had been put to death. Speaking at the 24th Supreme Assembly of Commanders of
the IRGC, Khatib warned that “the enemy’s” aim is to destabilize Iran and reduce
participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections in March. Reiterating
Khamenei's statements, Khatib said that the enemies are trying to use the
Baha'is, public frustration, trade union movements, and political currents that
incite sedition and change, to provoke crises in society.
The intelligence chief said more than 50 foreign intelligence agencies have
established an “Iran desk” to counter Iran. The minister also blasted the US for
creating the ISIS terrorist group. Iran has foiled many plots after about 200
terrorists entered Iran and were looking to destabilize the country and the
region during the 40th of Imam Hussain rituals in Iraq, the minister revealed.
Iran announced that ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack on a shrine in
Iran's city of Shiraz that killed two and wounded seven. Iranian officials said
that they apprehended the logistics official for the group’s operations and the
link between "ISIS Khorasan" and "ISIS in the Syrian territories". The
officials, however, didn’t provide any evidence.
Khatib revealed that spies from Sweden, France, Britain, and several other
countries, are in Iran’s captivity. “Despite pressure from abroad, some of those
spies were sentenced to death and executed,” said the minister. He emphasized
that coordination and collaboration among all parts of the intelligence
community are key factors in Iran’s success in apprehending spies, said ISNA
news agency. Iran’s “Revolutionary Guards” have arrested dozens of dual
nationals during the past two years, mostly on spying charges. While rights
activists accuse Iran of arresting dual nationals to use them as bargaining
chips, some Western capitals describe their detained citizens as “state
hostages”. In January, Iran executed a former senior official over charges of
espionage in favor of Britain. Tension worsened between London and Tehran after
the execution of dual Iranian-British national Ali Shamkhani, who once held a
high-ranking position in the country's defense ministry. Iran does not recognize
dual nationality for Iranians. This means that if dual nationals are detained,
the government will not grant consular access to foreign officials to visit them
in detention. Earlier this year, Iran freed Belgian aid worker Olivier
Vandecasteele, a Danish, and two Austrians in return for Iranian diplomat
Asadollah Assadi who was serving a 20-year jail for his role in a bomb plot
targeting a rally by opponents of the Iranian regime in 2018. This month, Iran
has moved five Iranian-Americans from prison to house arrest in exchange for
billions of dollars frozen in South Korea. After the funds are transferred to
the Swiss Central Bank account in Germany, they will be transferred to two bank
accounts in Qatar. The White House stressed last week that there would be
restrictions on what Iran could do with any funds unfrozen under an emerging
agreement. Meanwhile, the adviser to the commander in chief of the
“Revolutionary Guards”, Hossein Taeb said that protests and riots are decreasing
as the elections approach, but the political confrontations are increasing. In
this context, he said that the enemies now plot to destabilize political
stability instead of security stability, according to ISNA. More than 500
protesters were killed in the violent crackdown on the protests in the wake of
Mahsa Amini’s death. Over 20,000 people were arrested and seven were executed on
charges of attacking the security forces.
Suspected Palestinian Gunman Kills Israeli, Wounds Another
in Latest Attack in West Bank
dpa/21 August 2023
A suspected Palestinian attacker killed an Israeli woman and seriously wounded a
man in the south of the occupied West Bank on Monday, Israeli authorities said,
as violence continued to flare in the restive territory shortly after another
shooting killed two Israelis.
The latest attack is part of a sharp escalation of violence in the region in
recent months involving Palestinian gunmen, Israeli security forces and radical
Jewish settlers. The combustible mix of armed Palestinians carrying out
shooting attacks against Israelis across the West Bank and within Israel as well
as near-nightly — and often deadly — raids by the Israeli army to arrest gunmen
has fueled the worst fighting between Israel and the Palestinians in the West
Bank in nearly two decades. Israeli security forces said the suspected
Palestinian gunman opened fire on Route 60, the main north-south road in the
West Bank, near the major city of Hebron. The army said the attack killed an
Israeli woman and seriously wounded a man as the two were driving in the area.
The Israeli rescue service reported the two victims were in their 40s. The
deadly shooting came just days after another Palestinian attack killed an
Israeli father and son who were washing their car in the Palestinian town of
Hawara in the northern occupied West Bank, prompting security forces to embark
on an extended manhunt and putting the West Bank on edge. Nearly 180
Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since the start
of this year, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Israel says most of
the Palestinians killed were militants. But stone throwing youths protesting the
incursions and those not involved in the confrontations have also been killed.
Some 30 people have been killed by Palestinian attacks against Israelis during
that time. Israel says the raids are meant to dismantle militant networks and
thwart future attacks. Palestinians say the raids undermine their security
forces, inspire more militancy and entrench Israeli control over lands they seek
for a hoped-for future state. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast
war, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
Egypt FM Stresses Keenness of Arab Ministerial Liaison Committee to Resolve
Syria Crisis
Reuters/Cairo, Egypt,/21 August 2023
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry received on Sunday a phone call from
Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, to discuss the outcomes of the
meeting of the Arab Ministerial Liaison Committee on Syria, which was held in
Cairo on August 15. Shoukry stressed the committee's keenness to complete the
task entrusted to it in order to reach a settlement to the Syrian crisis, and to
preserve the unity and stability of Syria, said Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the
official spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry. Pedersen, for his part,
underlined his keenness on coordinating with the various concerned parties to
build on the agreements reached at the meeting. Last week, the committee
underscored that a political solution is the only way to resolve the Syrian
crisis. It hoped that the constitutional path would be resumed to achieve that
goal, including holding a meeting of the Constitutional Committee in Oman before
the end of the year. The Cairo meeting also emphasized the importance of
intensified efforts to end the humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people and
the need to address the refugee crisis. Shoukry and Pedersen agreed to meet on
the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly next month.
French Soldier Died in Iraq on Sunday, Paris Says
AFP/21 August 2023
A French soldier died on Sunday in Iraq, where he was posted on a training
mission, the French government said. "Nicolas Latourte lost his life in the line
of duty", President Emmanuel Macron said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in a post the death had occurred on
Sunday, adding Latourte had been on a mission to train Iraq's armed forces "to
fight against terrorism".
Kurdistan President Offers Condolences Over Death of French
Soldier in Iraq
Asharq Al Awsat/21 August 2023
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani extended on Saturday his
condolences to the family of a French soldier who died in a car accident in
Iraq. “I offer my deepest condolences to his family, to President Emmanuel
Macron, and to the people and government of France at this difficult time. May
God Almighty bestow His mercy upon him and grant everyone comfort and patience.
I wish his colleague who was injured in the same accident a speedy
recovery.”“The people of Kurdistan appreciate the support and assistance of the
French military within the framework of the International Coalition Forces
Against ISIS, who continue to provide support and assistance to Iraq and the
Kurdistan Region for the eradication of terrorism,” said Barzani. Sergeant
Baptiste Gauchot was killed in a road accident in Iraq, where he was “taking
part in a training mission for the Iraqi armed forces,” Macron said on Friday.
Gauchot “was very seriously wounded when his vehicle went off the road,”
France’s armed forces ministry said. He received emergency surgery at Erbil
hospital but died from his injuries, while a soldier he was with at the time is
being treated in a Baghdad military hospital, it added. In 2021, Macron stressed
that “no matter what choices the Americans make, we will maintain our presence
in Iraq to fight against terrorism.”
8 'Nusra' Militants Killed in Russian Strikes Northwest
Syria
Asharq Al Awsat/21 August 2023
At least eight fighters were killed in Russian air strikes early Monday
targeting a military base belonging to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), commonly
referred to as Nusra Front, in Syria's northwest, a war monitor said. "Russian
warplanes carried out air strikes on the western outskirts of Idlib city,
targeting a military base belonging to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)... killing at
least eight fighters," said Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights. The militant group HTS, led by Syria's former Al-Qaeda
affiliate, controls swathes of Idlib province, parts of which form the last
bastions of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad's rule. An AFP
correspondent at the site said the strikes, which came shortly after midnight,
targeted an area on the outskirts of Idlib city near swimming pools. Syria's
civil war broke out in 2011 after the government's repression of peaceful
demonstrations escalated into a deadly conflict that pulled in foreign powers
and global militants. The war has killed more than half a million people and
displaced millions. The opposition-held Idlib region is home to about three
million people, around half of them displaced from other parts of the country.
New Protest in Regime-Held South Syria over Living Conditions
AFP//21 August 2023
Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets again Monday in Syria's southern
city of Sweida, local media and an activist reported, as dire living conditions
stoke discontent in regime-held areas. Days of rare protests have erupted in the
south after the government lifted fuel subsidies last week, dealing a blow to
Syrians already struggling with the heavy toll that 12 years of war have exacted
on the economy. Local news outlet Suwayda24 posted videos showing hundreds of
people gathered in the city on Monday, holding banners and chanting
anti-government slogans including "freedom" and "long live Syria, down with
(President) Bashar al-Assad"."We've had enough, the Syrian people are
suffocating," one activist in Sweida said on condition of anonymity for security
reasons, adding that hundreds had gathered to protest in the city. Soaring
inflation, the rising cost of living, instability and poverty have plagued the
country, pushing desperate Syrians to take to the streets, the activist said.
Security forces have not cracked down on demonstrators so far, he noted. "My
only hope is that this movement will spread to other provinces and that our
voices will be heard," he told AFP. Syria's war has killed more than half a
million people and displaced millions since it broke out in 2011 following
Assad's repression of peaceful pro-democracy protests. It spiraled into a deadly
conflict that pulled in foreign powers and global extremists. Sunday saw a
strike over deteriorating living conditions and price hikes across Sweida
province -- the heartland of the country's Druze minority -- which has been
mostly spared the worst of the civil conflict.
'Quasi-mafia'
One senior Druze religious leader has expressed support for demonstrators and
chastised the government. Footage on Monday showed protesters carrying local
Druze sheikhs on their shoulders. In December, one protester and a policeman
were killed when security forces cracked down on a demonstration in Sweida
against deteriorating living conditions. On Saturday, dozens demonstrated in
southern Syria's Daraa province, some raising the opposition flag and calling
for Assad's departure, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war
monitor. An activist said there were further protests on Sunday evening in the
province, the cradle of Syria's uprising. Daraa returned to regime control in
2018 under a Russia-backed ceasefire deal, and has since been wracked by
violence and dire living conditions. Some residents also gathered in recent days
in Jaramana, a suburb of the capital Damascus, to protest against recurrent
power cuts, a witness told AFP. The conflict has ravaged the country's
infrastructure and industry, the Syrian pound has lost most of its value against
the dollar, and most of the population has been pushed into poverty. Jihad
Yazigi, editor of economic publication The Syria Report, said the fuel price
hike came after years of punishing inflation, high unemployment and "generally
an exhaustion of the population from the consequences of the war", among other
factors. Resentment against Assad and his family "runs deep and the regime,
which operates as a quasi-mafia, is simply incapable of offering long-term
solutions", he told AFP. "The key will be to watch what happens in loyalist
areas and in Damascus. That's where it really matters," he said.
Sistani Breaks Silence on Jadriya Land Seizures
Baghdad: Hamza Mustafa/Asharq Al Awsat/21 August 2023
The highest Shiite authority in Iraq, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has publicly
denounced the seizure of lands belonging to Iraqi citizens in the upscale
Jadriya neighborhood of Baghdad by influential entities that operate outside the
bounds of the law. Sistani’s denunciation follows the formation of a probe
committee by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani last week. The committee was
formed in response to public outcries from citizens who appeared on television
programs and video clips. They claimed that armed groups, whose identities
remained concealed, coerced them into selling their lands at unjustly low
prices, threatening forceful appropriation if they resisted. A widely-shared
video clip on news agencies and social media platforms showed the First Deputy
Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament and prominent leader of the Sadrist movement,
Hakim al-Zamili, siding with the affected citizens. He promised legal action
against the entities responsible for these transgressions. This development
prompted the authorities to delve deeper into the matter, which has now become a
public concern. While the results of an investigation conducted by Iraqi
Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari are still pending, the stance of
Sistani against such practices has reignited the issue. Given the top Shiite
cleric’s influence, his positions are seen as binding for his followers and
carry significant weight. This adds pressure on the official authorities
conducting the investigation, especially when influential factions, including
armed groups, are involved, bolstering the push for more stringent punitive
measures. Although the statement issued by Sistani’s office was concise, it has
sparked both official and public reactions to various practices that have
surfaced over the past years. During a meeting with residents of the Jadriya
region who had previously appeared in the media complaining about pressures and
threats to relinquish their lands to certain entities, Sistani, according to a
statement from his office, condemned “these practices that violate both
religious and legal standards.” He emphasized that “one of the primary duties of
those in positions of authority, holding the reins of the country, is to protect
the properties and rights of its citizens, and to stand against those aiming to
infringe upon them through terror and intimidation, especially those bearing
official capacities.”
Sudan: Global Aid Official Appeals for Funds to Help
Sudanese Trapped in War
Asharq Al Awsat/21 August 2023
A global aid official urged the international community Sunday to provide more
funds to help Sudanese citizens trapped by a monthslong military conflict
between rival generals in the African nation. Jagan Chapagain, the
secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies, said his organizations have received only 7% of the $45 million they
appealed for to help those inside Sudan. The war pits the military against the
powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. “The needs are real,” he told The
Associated Press in an interview in Cairo. “Sudanese people need urgent support,
urgent solidarity and urgent interest.”Sudan was plunged into chaos in April
when simmering tensions between the military, led by Abdel Fattah Burhan, and
the RSF, commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, exploded into open fighting in the
capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere.The conflict has turned Khartoum and other
urban areas into battlefields. Many residents live without water and
electricity, and the country’s health care system has nearly collapsed. The
sprawling region of Darfur saw some of the worst bouts of violence in the
conflict, and the fighting there has morphed into ethnic clashes with RSF and
allied Arab militia targeting ethnic African communities. Clashes also
intensified earlier this month in the provinces of South Kordofan and West
Kordofan. A rebel group attacked Kadugli, the provincial capital of South
Kordofan and clashed with the military, killing and displacing civilians,
according to the UN mission in Sudan. In al-Fula, the provincial capital of West
Kordofan, fighting erupted for days between the military and the RSF before
local officials helped stop the clashes, the UN mission, known as UNITAMS, said
Sunday. But government offices, banks and the offices of the UN and other aid
agencies were looted, it said More than 3.4 million people were forced to flee
their homes to safer areas inside Sudan, according to the United Nations'
migration agency. Over a million crossed into neighboring countries, including
Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Central African Republic, the agency
added. Chapagain called for the international community to show the same
solidarity with Sudanese people they showed last year when they rushed to help
those who fled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “I see the humanitarian side of the
Ukraine is a good example. That’s how the world community can come together. We
need a similar solidarity for Sudan now,” he said. Along with the $45 million
needed to help those inside Sudan, Chapagain said another $35 million is needed
to provide assistance to those who fled the fighting to Sudan's neighboring
countries. His comments came following a trip to the Egyptian border with Sudan,
where he met with customs officials and Sudanese refugees who fled the fighting
in Khartoum. Egypt received more than 272,000 Sudanese as of Aug. 1, according
to official figures. Although the operations at the Egyptian side of the border
were organized, he said, there were long lines for people on the Sudanese side
waiting to be allowed into Egypt. He said between 400 and 600 people are
crossing daily into Egypt compared to thousands in the first weeks of the war.
Chapagain said the Egyptian government is under economic pressure as they are
hosting more than 9 million migrants, including Sudanese, Syrians and others, as
well as the country’s growing population of over 105 million. “They want to be
generous. They want to be welcoming,” he said. “But at the same time, they do
have concern in the sense that ... they are still a developing country.”
Two Injured in Ukrainian Drone Attack in Moscow Region,
Nearly 50 Flights Disrupted
AP/21 August 2023
At least two people were injured on Monday when parts of a Ukrainian drone
destroyed by Russian air defenses fell on a house in the Moscow region, the
regional governor said. Nearly 50 plane flights in and out of the capital
were disrupted after Russia said it jammed a Ukrainian drone in the Ruzsky
district west of the capital and destroyed another one in the Istrinsky district
nearby. Arrivals and departures from Moscow's four main airports - Vnukovo,
Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Zhukovsky - were restricted, disrupting 45
passenger planes and two cargo planes, Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia
said. Russian officials have repeatedly cautioned that military drones
flying over Moscow - which along with its surrounding region has a population of
nearly 22 million people - could cause a major disaster. Drone air strikes deep
inside Russia have increased since two drones were destroyed over the Kremlin in
early May. Drone strikes on the Russian capital have become increasingly common
in recent months. It is unclear what impact the drone attacks will have on
perceptions of the war among the Russian population. Polling indicates support
for the Russian military operation in Ukraine remains high, around 75%, though
there are questions over how accurate polling is in Russia. Ukraine typically
does not comment on who is behind attacks on Russian territory, although
officials have publicly expressed satisfaction over them.
Greece offers to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16
fighters: Zelenskiy
LBCI/21 August 2023
During an official visit to Greece on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskiy announced that Athens has offered to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16
fighter jets.
Zelensky stated to journalists in the presence of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos
Mitsotakis, "Today we have an important result for the air alliance: Greece will
participate in training our pilots on F-16 fighters. Thank you for this offer."
Ukraine Says it Repels Russian Attacks in Kharkiv Region, Gains in East
AFP/21 August 2023
The situation in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv is "difficult" but
Ukraine's forces are repelling Russian attacks and have re-taken several square
kilometers on the eastern front over the past week, a deputy defense minister
said on Monday. The Ukrainian military said last week that Russia was attacking
towards Kupiansk, a town in the Kharkiv region. "The situation in the Kupiansk
direction is difficult. The enemy is not leaving plans to move forward, the
enemy is pulling up additional forces," Hanna Maliar told the national
television broadcaster. "We are confident in our defenders, but it is very
difficult for them there and the enemy is not advancing there," she said. Maliar
said that Ukrainian forces were advancing south of Bakhmut, the city occupied by
Russian forces in May after a bloody months-long struggle, and had liberated
another three square kilometers over the past week. Reuters was not able to
verify the reports.Maliar said there were no significant changes in the
situation in the south, where Ukrainian forces are trying to split Russian
forces and reach the Sea of Azov. "We should not underestimate the enemy,"
Maliar said. "We should all be patient and support our armed forces."The
Ukrainian military said on Thursday it had made gains on the southeastern front,
pushing forward from the newly liberated village of Urozhaine. However, a US
official said last week Ukrainian forces did not appear likely to be able to
reach and retake the Russian-occupied strategic southeastern city of Melitopol
during their counteroffensive.
Zelenskyy Thanks Danes in Person for F-16s, Though the
Planes Won’t Have an Immediate War Impact
dpa/21 August 2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Danish lawmakers on Monday for
helping his country resist Russia’s invasion, a day after Denmark and the
Netherlands announced they will provide Kyiv with American-made F-16 warplanes
that could be delivered around the end of the year. Zelenskyy told the lawmakers
in Copenhagen that if Russia’s invasion is successful, other parts of Europe
would be at risk from the Kremlin’s military aggression. “All of Russia’s
neighbors are under threat if Ukraine does not prevail,” he said in a speech.
Zelenskyy portrays Ukraine as defending Western values of freedom and democracy
against tyranny. He has argued that Ukraine needs to be properly provisioned to
fend off Russia’s much bigger force. Ukraine has been pressing its Western
allies for months to give it F-16s. Its armed forces are still using aging
Soviet-era combat planes from the 1970s and '80s, and its counteroffensive
against Russian positions is advancing without air support, which analysts say
is a major handicap. Zelenskyy said on Telegram that Ukraine would get 42 jets.
Denmark pledged 19 F-16s, which could be delivered around the end of the year
when pilot training lasting four to six months is completed. However, getting
Ukrainian squadrons battle-ready could take much longer. US Air Force Gen. James
Hecker, commander of US air forces in Europe and Africa, said last week that he
did not expect the F-16s to be a game-changer for Ukraine. Getting F-16
squadrons ready for battle could take “four or five years,” he said. While
some training has already begun for Ukrainian pilots, Dutch Prime Minister Mark
Rutte said Sunday it’s just language lessons so far. Training Ukrainian pilots
is just one of the challenges in the anticipated deployment of F-16s. Questions
also remain over who will carry out crucial aircraft maintenance, the supply of
spare parts, runway maintenance and protective shelters for the planes on the
ground, and what weapons the West will supply to arm the fighter jets. Ukrainian
air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said the F-16s will help Ukraine “change the
course of events” in the war. “Air superiority is the key to success on the
ground,” he said in televised remarks. Denmark rolled out the red carpet for
Zelenskyy's trip to Copenhagen. He also met at the Christiansborg Palace, the
building housing the Danish parliament, with Denmark’s 83-year-old figurehead
monarch, Queen Margrethe, who returned from vacation for the occasion.
Afterward, he addressed the crowds gathered outside the parliament steps. The
United States last week announced its approval for the Netherlands and Denmark
to deliver the F-16s. That is needed because the aircraft are made in the United
States. On Sunday, Zelenskyy visited the Netherlands and inspected two gray
F-16s parked in a hangar at a Dutch base in the southern city of Eindhoven
together with Rutte. Rutte didn’t provide a number or timeframe for deliveries,
saying it depends on how soon Ukrainian crews and infrastructure are ready.
Zelenskyy started his trip Saturday in Sweden, where he asked Prime Minister Ulf
Kristersson for Swedish Gripen fighter jets. Sweden has said it will allow
Ukrainian pilots to test the planes but has not made any commitments to hand
them over.
Kristersson said Monday that Sweden needs the Gripen planes for its own defense,
noting that the country’s bid to join NATO has not been finalized. “We don’t
rule anything out in the future,” he told the TV4 channel. “We will do
everything we can to support them also with aircraft. But right now there are no
new commitments to provide Swedish aircraft to Ukraine.” On Monday, Russian air
defenses jammed a Ukrainian drone west of Moscow and shot down another one on
the outskirts of the city, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. Two people were
injured and one of them was hospitalized when drone fragments fell on a private
house, Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region, said. Such drone
attacks have become an almost daily occurrence in Russia in recent weeks. Also,
Russian rail officials said that a relay cabinet used to run train traffic was
set ablaze on the outskirts of Moscow, causing delays, according to the state
RIA Novosti news agency. Russian authorities have reported multiple similar
incidents across the country, some of which have been blamed on acts of sabotage
encouraged by Ukrainian security agencies. In Ukraine, at least four civilians
were killed and 25 others wounded by the latest Russian attacks, according to
the Ukrainian presidential office. The dead included a 71-year-old man killed by
Russian shelling in the northeastern Kharkiv region, near the border with
Russia.
BRICS Summit set for Johannesburg
Arab News/August 21, 2023
JOHANNESBURG: The 15th BRICS Summit, which involves member nations Brazil,
Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is set to begin in Johannesburg on
Tuesday. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said during an address on
Sunday: “Together, the members of BRICS … make up a quarter of the global
economy, they account for a fifth of global trade, and are home to more than 40
percent of the world’s population. “BRICS as a formation plays an important role
in the world due to its economic power, market potential, political influence,
and development cooperation.”The summit, which takes place from Aug. 22-24, is
expected to welcome more than 40 heads of state and international dignitaries.
The first BRICS meeting of foreign ministers was held on the sidelines of the UN
General Assembly in September 2006. The organization was known as BRIC before
South Africa joined. The first BRIC Summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in
June 2009, and one year later South Africa was invited to join BRICS and
attended the third summit, in Sanya, China, in 2011. BRICS is focused on three
main pillars of cooperation: political and security, financial and economic, and
cultural. Dignitaries and heads of state were expected to arrive in Johannesburg
on Monday. The South African president revealed that Chinese President Xi
Jinping will be one of those arriving in South Africa, on his fourth state
visit. Ramaphosa said: “This BRICS Summit and the state visit by President Xi
Jinping, as well as the many bilateral engagements we will have with President
Lula da Silva of Brazil, Prime Minister Modi of India, and many other heads of
state on the sidelines of the summit, have a bearing on our relationships with
other countries and South Africa’s place in the world.” An expansion of the
membership of BRICS will be one of the topics of discussion. Ramaphosa said that
more than 20 countries had formally applied to join the organization and several
others had expressed an interest in joining. He said: “South Africa supports the
expansion of the membership of BRICS. The value of BRICS extends beyond the
interests of its current members. “For its efforts to be more effective, BRICS
needs to build partnerships with other countries that share its aspirations and
perspectives.”South Africa was named the chair of the grouping on Jan. 1, 2023.
The main themes of the country’s presidency include tackling climate change and
helping toward transformational changes across all sectors of the economy;
educational and continuous skills development; emphasis on the African
Continental Free Trade Area and investments in Africa; the strengthening of
post-pandemic socio-economic recovery; and working toward Sustainable
Development goals, while strengthening multilateralism.
The Latest English LCCC
analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published
on August 21-22/2023
A Window of Stability in a Stormy Sea
Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 21/2023
The Middle East has wasted decades – if not more – of the lives of its people.
They were squandered when the region fell victim to coups, interventions and
fear. Policies that are obsessed with victory and making others yield to them,
while ignoring the pressing need for stability. Wealth was wasted and
revolutions lost. Rivers of blood flowed, and maps were torn apart. The region
was plagued with chronic and recurring conflicts and agendas for vengeance for
events that happened in the distant and not too distant past.
Most of the countries in the region have grown exhausted by this long suffering.
There is no need to look up numbers to sense the poverty, unemployment, drop in
the quality of education and healthcare, and the people’s feeling of being
wronged and oppressed. They feel that the injustice has turned their countries
into cages from which they need to flee. Some are desperate enough to escape in
“death boats” even as the sea shows no mercy to the passengers.
The tricks of the past no longer work. The national anthem does not fill the
void caused by hunger. Stoking intolerance will not force a patient to forget
their need for their medication. Talk of foreign conspiracies no longer works on
people demanding to live a normal dignified life.
It is a painful situation. Countries are living in the grips of arsenals and
drones, while lacking the resources to douse summer wildfires. The most
dangerous aspect of all of this is the people’s feeling that it is impossible to
get rid of corrupt or failed governments. It must be trying for a citizen to
dream of electricity during the age of artificial intelligence and to dream of a
drop of drinking water during the age of successive technological revolutions.
It’s not easy at all for generations to live in cities that only promise them
immigration or a semblance of a life.
The Middle East needs stability. Iraq needs it to treat the deep wounds caused
by several wars. Yemen needs to allow its people to unite and accept the other
so that they can reach an agreement that ends war and fragmentation. They need
dialogue that unites all Yemenis. Syria needs stability and dialogue that would
pave the way for reconstruction and the swift return of millions of refugees.
Lebanon needs stability to allow the Lebanese the opportunity to set aside their
differences.
Sudan urgently needs stability. It is terrifying to read about morgues that can
no longer take in corpses and are left with no choice but to let them rot given
the lack of electricity. It is terrifying to read about hospitals in Khartoum
that have been put out of service and of Sudanese regions that would not
hesitate to secede from the current map. The wars in Darfur are a warning of
more dire things to come.
Libya needs stability to restore unity between its various governments,
parliaments and militias. Libya’s suffering can no longer be blamed on the late
colonel and his practices.
My ideas about stability emerged as I observed the visit by Iranian Foreign
Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to Saudi Arabia that was capped with a meeting
with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The visit gave the impression that the
train that was launched with the Beijing statement, with China’s partnership,
has started to make its way. The truth is that the essence of the tripartite
statement goes beyond restoring diplomatic relations between two important
regional countries. Rather, it is based on the principle of dialogue, respecting
the sovereignty of nations and refraining from meddling in their internal
affairs.These three factors allow rival forces in broken countries a real
opportunity if they choose to seize it. A halt to meddling may force these
powers to search for solutions instead of victories that will only prolong
crises. Perhaps these powers could derive a lesson from the Saudi-Iranian
agreement that put an end to the boycott and instead turned to dialogue, the
reactivation of past agreements and a search for future opportunities.
The disputes between Saudi Arabia and Iran are not at all simple. They have
accumulated over the decades because the two countries follow different policies
in reading the situation in the region and world. In spite of this, they were
determined to steer away from confrontation and tense rhetoric. Instead, they
turned to building bridges of cooperation and seeking investment, prosperity and
positive coexistence without infringing on each other.
The window of stability offered by the Beijing statement is very important to
the region. It becomes more important if we take into consideration a world that
is headed towards very difficult – and even precarious – years. Look no further
than the Russian war in Ukraine and the inability of both parties in achieving
firm advances that would pave the way for a ceasefire. The war has entered a new
phase after Ukrainian drones are now making their way to Russia, including
Moscow, on a daily basis.
The Russian security council’s claim that the West’s defeat in Ukraine is
inevitable underlines the extent and severity of the conflict. The same can be
said about Washington’s opportune agreement to deliver F-16s to Ukraine through
countries that possess them. The situation will no longer be the same once
American planes are seen fighting Russian jets over Ukraine..The situation is
also dangerous on the Taiwan front, especially in wake of the summit hosted by
Joe Biden at Camp David, brining together the president of South Korea and prime
minister of Japan. The summit will only reinforce China’s impression that
efforts are underway to undermine it exactly as NATO has been doing with Russia.
Developments are showing that the world is headed towards very tense years. It
is in the interest of the people of the Middle East to steer clear of them to
avoid paying a heavy price. Saudi-Iranian relations can act as a window of
regional stability in a turbulent world. Or they can at least help limit the
damage.
‘Killing Christians Takes Us to Paradise’: The Persecution of Christians, July
2023
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/August 20, 2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/121480/121480/
“The Taliban are working to completely erase Christianity or any religious
minority from the country, even stating that there are no Christians in
Afghanistan, an obviously false claim. Many Christians have gone underground to
avoid being kidnapped by the Taliban ‘courts.’ The rising starvation rates and
increasing poverty in Afghanistan create an even higher security threat to these
believers since now the Taliban are offering financial compensation to anyone
who reports on Christians… and Afghans are desperate, further heightening the
security risk [to Christians.] Unless ransomed by their families, Christians
captured by the ‘courts’ face brutal torture and even death. If redeemed, the
survivors and their families, often bankrupt from the exorbitant ransom demands,
must flee their homes to avoid repeated kidnappings from the various Taliban
gangs. Because of the persecution, many Christians escape to Pakistan and risk
capture and death by the Taliban. Even if they make it to Pakistan, they must
conceal their faith for fear of receiving worse treatment in already poor
conditions. Some Christian refugees decide to return to Afghanistan, deciding
they have a better chance of survival under the Taliban than in Pakistan.” —
Report by International Christian Concern, July 13, 2023, Afghanistan.
Arguing that churches should never exist in Muslim-majority regions, on Sunday,
July 2, Muslims broke up a Christian worship service even as police stood by
looking on. — Morning Star News, July 17, 2023, Indonesia.
She was heard yelling, “You the minorities should not always ask to be
respected!” — Morning Star News, July 17, 2023, Indonesia.
This video captures some of the most recent damage of beheadings and
desecrations. The report concludes by saying the motivation of the “unknown
vandals” remains “a mystery to police.” — Kronen Zeitung, Austria.
“Blasphemy laws are often used as a weapon of revenge against both Muslims and
non-Muslims to settle personal scores or to resolve disputes over money,
property or business. A mere allegation is enough to provoke a mob to riot and
lynch falsely accused suspects in Pakistan. At least 1,949 persons were accused
under the blasphemy laws between 1987 and 2021, according to the Center for
Social Justice. A large number of these blasphemy cases are still awaiting
justice.” — Morning Star News, July 12, 2023, Pakistan.
These laws are, moreover, becoming more, not less, severe….
“The… situation became tense after the Friday prayers when announcements were
made from mosque loudspeakers asking people to gather for a protest.” — Tahir
Naveed Chaudhry, a Christian and former lawmaker, Morning Star News, July 4,
2023, Pakistan.
“The blasphemy charge against Shahzad stems from personal grudges against him by
the complainant, Ullah … [who] had engaged in legal battles with Shahzad over a
piece of land allotted by the government for constructing a church building.” If
found guilty, [he] faces up to ten years in prison. — Morning Star News, July 4,
2023, Pakistan.
“Blasphemy laws are often used as a weapon of revenge against both Muslims and
non-Muslims to settle personal scores or to resolve disputes over money,
property or business. A mere allegation is enough to provoke a mob to riot and
lynch falsely accused suspects in Pakistan,” according to Morning Star News.
The following are among the murders and abuses inflicted on Christians by
Muslims throughout the month of July 2023.
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Uganda: On July 9, a Muslim man murdered his wife, a mother of three, hours
after she became Christian. Ten days earlier, Amina Nanfuka, 31, while being
treated for medical complications, had gone to stay with a relative. During her
stay, a pastor visited and prayed for her recovery. According to the relative
(name withheld), who had become Christian prior to Amina’s visit:
“I shared the saving power of Jesus, and she showed a desire to accept and to
believe in Jesus but requested waiting for the day that the doctor in Kampala
had given her for a check-up and thereafter attend the church.”
On the morning of July 9, they attended church, where she converted and was
given a Bible. As they were leaving the church, a Muslim business partner of
Amina’s husband saw her. “You mean nowadays you go to church?” he asked, but she
just smiled and left. The two women returned to Amina’s home around 5pm, and by
8pm, her husband was back from work and knocked loudly on the door. According to
the relative:
“Without greeting us, he started shouting at his wife saying, ‘Why did you lie
to me that you were going for a medical check-up and instead decided to go to
church?’ Amina was tongue-tied.”
He then yanked his wife into their bedroom, locked the door, and began demanding
that she surrender the Bible.
“Immediately I heard a loud bang inside with kicks and slaps. She started
screaming and calling for help. I feared for my life and rushed outside the room
shouting and wailing for help.”
Neighbors approached, at which point they saw the husband storm out of the
house:
“We then went inside the bedroom and found her unconscious with blood coming out
of her mouth. She was rushed to a nearby clinic in Bugiri, but soon the doctor
pronounced her dead upon arrival. She was strangled and hit with an object
around her mouth.”
In a separate incident, on July 8, Muslims murdered a former Muslim for
converting to Christianity. According to a church pastor who knew the victim,
22-year-old Abudu Amisi:
“Immediately after his conversion [on June 22], Amisi was very fearful of his
life from the Muslims in his village … The church then housed him in a rental
house, and he remained indoors for two weeks.”
On July 8, the church sent two young Christians to accompany Amisi to the local
market to buy food. One of the youths said Abudu was met by a Muslim who seemed
to know him, and who “greeted them cheerfully,” chatting for ten minutes before
leaving them to shop.
“After buying the food items, we then began our journey back to the church.
About 50 meters from the market area, people began shouting and mentioning the
name of Amisi, saying, ‘Here comes the betrayer of Islam. He should not see the
light of the day.’ There and then they surrounded him and then began cutting him
with long knives on his head, face and neck, and fractured his legs and hand.”
The two young Christians fled and contacted their pastor, who immediately called
police. The pastor continued:
“They hurriedly tried to rescue him, but it was too late, they had already cut
Amisi, and he had lost a lot of blood and died on the way to Mbale Regional
Referral Hospital.”
Amisi is survived by his wife and 3-year-old son.
Mozambique: On July 9, jihadists beheaded a Christian fisherman in Cabo Delgado
Province. According to the report:
“[T]he terrorists abducted two men, both fishermen. The other man was allowed to
go free because he was a Muslim. Pray for the grieving family and friends of our
brother, and ask the Lord to bring an end to the Islamist insurgency in northern
Mozambique.”
Nigeria: As part of the jihadist genocide being waged on the West African
nation’s Christians, on July 1, militants raided the Redeemed Christian Church
of God in Ogun State. They murdered the pastor and abducted seven other
Christians who were eventually released. In a statement, the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of Nigeria said it mourned “the loss of the Pastor and condemn the
kidnapping of worshippers who were simply exercising their religious freedom to
worship.”
Separately, 35 Christians were butchered in a series of raids by Fulani herdsmen
between July 4 and July 11. According to the report:
“The attacks are attributed to Islamic terrorists, members of the Fulani
ethnicity. The violence has been ongoing in the region since May 16, taking the
lives of over 350 residents… A radicalized faction of the Fulani people has been
accused of killing three times more Christians than the insurgency known as Boko
Haram in recent years. According to Intersociety, this year alone [between
Jan-Jun, 2023], Fulani militants have jointly killed more than 2,500 Nigerian
Christians, including at least 500 in Plateau State.”
Democratic Republic of Congo: Jihadists of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF),
an Islamic terror group, massacred 17 Christians and torched two churches in
separate attacks throughout July. A survivor of a church attack said these
terror raids are getting “worse,” because they are “targeting the church
leaders,” adding:
“We are overwhelmed. What can we do? Because of this massacre in which we are
[living], which is one too many and we don’t know what to do… So keep praying
for us; whatever difficulties become harder and harder, may God sustain us to
stand firm.”
General Muslim Persecution of Christians
Egypt: According to a July 31 report:
“Two Christian women in Egypt have been reported missing from an area of Cairo
known for persecution incidents. Both women disappeared while traveling to or
from church. Neither family has received adequate help from the police in
locating them.”
The husband of one of these missing women, Neveen Lamei, 24, said:
“On Sunday morning, Neveen followed her usual routine. She got up early, prayed,
and read the Bible. She left her son Tadros sleeping and went to attend her
regular Sunday morning church service. After she didn’t return, I tried to call
her mobile phone many times, but it was switched off. I searched for her
everywhere, but I couldn’t find her. I found out that she never arrived at
church.”
After her husband filed a formal report with police, one of them suggested that
maybe she “ran away” to become Muslim. Her husband said that would be completely
out of character:
“Neveen loves her faith very much…. She was constantly praying and reading the
Bible every day. She was constantly going to church to attend prayer meetings
and masses. I believe my wife was kidnapped while she was on her way to the
church.”
The other missing Christian is a teenage girl, Mariam Nasser Kamal, 17. Also a
regular church-goer, she too disappeared while returning home from a prayer
meeting. According to the report, the region in which both these Christian women
“disappeared” has a history:
“The El Marg district in Northern Cairo has historically been a dangerous place
for Egyptian Christians, with overt attacks and incidents of sectarian violence.
In 2017, two Coptic Orthodox priests were brutally assaulted, resulting in one
death and another with severe injury. Another Christian man was killed in the
same neighborhood two years later. Many Christians in this area feel that the
police and government are not on their side since they are of a minority faith.”
Iran: More than 50 converts to Christianity were arrested in a “rash of new
incidents across five Iranian cities over the past seven days,” a July 18
article reports, “with fears the number could rise much higher as fresh reports
keep coming.” Most of those arrested were plucked out of their homes or
church-homes and “remain in detention on unknown charges.” According to Mansour
Borji, Article18’s advocacy director:
“The reason for this sudden surge in nationwide arrests of Christians is not
clear at this stage. What is obvious is that Iran has begun a fresh crackdown on
civil liberties, and the traditionally vulnerable groups, like Christians, are
on the front line of those targeted.”
Iraq: According to a July 13 report:
“Under mounting pressure from a pro-Iran militia group, the Iraqi president
earlier this month revoked a decade-old decree that formally recognized Chaldean
Patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako and granted him powers over Christian
endowment affairs.”
Christians believe this move is meant to facilitate the further confiscation of
their property, which begun under ISIS. In the words of Diya Butrus Slewa, a
human rights activist from Ainkawa,
“This is a political maneuver to seize the remainder of what Christians have
left in Iraq and Baghdad and to expel them. Unfortunately, this is a blatant
targeting of the Christians and a threat to their rights.”
Other Christians gathered in peaceful protests, holding up “placards telling the
Iraqi government that they had committed ‘enough injustice’ against the
long-suffering Christian community.” Another sign read:
“Mr. President, the protector of the constitution should not violate the
constitution. The Iraqi president orders the displacement of Christians, and
opens the way for violating the property of the Chaldean Church which represents
nearly 80 percent of Christians in Iraq and Kurdistan.”
Afghanistan: A July 13 report sheds light on the horrific condition of
Christians under Taliban rule:
“The Taliban are working to completely erase Christianity or any religious
minority from the country, even stating that there are no Christians in
Afghanistan, an obviously false claim. Many Christians have gone underground to
avoid being kidnapped by the Taliban ‘courts.’ The rising starvation rates and
increasing poverty in Afghanistan create an even higher security threat to these
believers since now the Taliban are offering financial compensation to anyone
who reports on Christians… and Afghans are desperate, further heightening the
security risk [to Christians.] Unless ransomed by their families, Christians
captured by the ‘courts’ face brutal torture and even death. If redeemed, the
survivors and their families, often bankrupt from the exorbitant ransom demands,
must flee their homes to avoid repeated kidnappings from the various Taliban
gangs. Because of the persecution, many Christians escape to Pakistan and risk
capture and death by the Taliban. Even if they make it to Pakistan, they must
conceal their faith for fear of receiving worse treatment in already poor
conditions. Some Christian refugees decide to return to Afghanistan, deciding
they have a better chance of survival under the Taliban than in Pakistan.”
Austria: Two young Muslims living in Austria recently confessed that they would
like to “kill Christians” and “restore the caliphate.” The boys, aged 15 and 16,
were put on trial at the Leoben Regional Court on July 16, 2023. They had made
plans to massacre as many people as possible during an attack on the middle
school attended by the 15-year-old, in Bruck an der Mur, where they both lived.
When confronted in court, the boys — who both have a history of violence and
criminality— admitted that “We wanted to shoot all the Christians in the class!”
Asked how they would have responded if police had intervened, they said, “We
would have surrendered” — adding that “Allah would have forgiven” them in
prison, since “Killing Christians takes us to paradise.” According to one
report:
“The boys also made it clear via platforms that they didn’t believe in ‘boring
knife attacks.’ They wanted to use explosives much more because they could
‘kill’ many more people at the same time…. and they repeatedly expressed their
hatred of the West, which oppresses Muslims.”
Based on their monitored chats, authorities also discovered that another friend
had “offered them a submachine gun from his father’s collection. Unfortunately,
he later posted, he couldn’t get into the safe. The youngsters then decided to
save up for a gun.” The court sentenced them to two years’ imprisonment—though
they only need to serve eight months. (The maximum penalty for juveniles is five
years.) The court also ordered that they undergo “anti-aggression training and a
de-radicalization program.”
Muslim Attacks on Churches and Christian Symbols
Indonesia: Arguing that churches should never exist in Muslim-majority regions,
on Sunday, July 2, Muslims broke up a Christian worship service even as police
stood by looking on.
According to the report:
“After demonstrations against the church, a hijab-clad Muslim woman led the
disruption of the service, a video on social media shows. Standing next to a
police officer, she is seen loudly refusing to allow Christians to worship.”
She was heard yelling, “You the minorities should not always ask to be
respected!” A human rights activist responded by saying:
“Suddenly they come screaming in protest, ‘Why are they worshiping in
Muslim-majority areas?’ Since when are non-Muslim[s] not allowed to worship in a
Muslim area?”
This is the second disruption experienced by the Mawar Sharon Church
congregation in two months:
“The church’s worship was previously disrupted on May 19, when at least 40
Muslims stopped the midday service at the café.”
Austria: On July 3, in Vienna—a city which has more Muslim than Catholic
students—several statues of Jesus and Mary in a prayer garden long known for
being a “spiritual oasis” were found desecrated and beheaded, leaving visitors
who had come to meditate and pray shocked and terrorized. The garden has been
attacked before. In one instance, a Mary statue had hard -to-remove lipstick
smeared on it; in another, police caught but released the vandals, described in
the report only as “young people.” This video captures some of the most recent
damage of beheadings and desecrations. The report concludes by saying the
motivation of the “unknown vandals” remains “a mystery to police.”
Italy: On July 14, the altar of Saint Lucia Church in northern Italy—where most
of the nation’s large Muslim migrant population reside—was vandalized and a
beloved statue of the saint “thrown to the ground and completely destroyed.”
Responding to this incident, Denis Paoli, the provincial councilor of Trento,
said:
“What happened constitutes an intolerable outrage not only for the religious
community, but for the entire civil society. The damages, both material and
moral, are of an unprecedented gravity and what arouses greater indignation is
the treatment reserved for the statue of the Saint.”
France: On July 5, the Saint-Martin Church in Avallon was found vandalized and
robbed of valuable items. According to the report, the historic tabernacle,
where the consecrated hosts are kept—and “in particular to bring communion to
the sick”—was “smashed in broad daylight.” A gold adorned monstrance and two
ciboria (religious vases which also keep the hosts) were also stolen. The report
adds that a few days earlier, on June 26, the nearby Saint-Lazare church was
also vandalized and robbed.
Blasphemy in Pakistan
On July 8, police arrested Zaki Masih, a 35-year-old Christian man, on the
accusation that he shared a Facebook post (dealing with food) deemed offensive
to Islam. According to the accused’s brother, Wasim Masih, Zaki was framed by
the complainant, a Muslim man named Awais, with whose friends the brothers had
earlier been engaged in a property dispute:
“We reconciled with the other party due to the intervention of the village
elders, but it seems they nurtured a grudge and trapped my brother in the fake
case.”
On Friday, July 7, when Awais first tried to incite local Muslims against the
Christians, “Even the imam of the village mosque told them that the post
contained nothing derogatory against Islam,” said the brother, “and that they
should desist from stoking religious tension. However, the complainant filed a
case against my brother, and the police raided his shop and took him into
custody.”
He is charged under Section 295-A of Pakistan’s Penal Code concerning
“deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any
class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.” If convicted, he faces up
to ten years’ imprisonment. According to the report:
“Blasphemy laws are often used as a weapon of revenge against both Muslims and
non-Muslims to settle personal scores or to resolve disputes over money,
property or business. A mere allegation is enough to provoke a mob to riot and
lynch falsely accused suspects in Pakistan. At least 1,949 persons were accused
under the blasphemy laws between 1987 and 2021, according to the Center for
Social Justice. A large number of these blasphemy cases are still awaiting
justice.”
These laws are, moreover, becoming more, not less, severe:
“In January, the National Assembly passed the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill,
increasing punishment for insulting the companions, wives and family members of
Islam’s prophet, Muhammad, from three years to 10 years and a fine of 1 million
rupees.”
In a separate incident, on Friday, July 30, police arrested a Christian man for
posting biblical verses on Facebook that “infuriated Muslims” and caused them to
rise up in violence. Without adding any personal commentary, Haroon Shahzad
posted 1 Corinthians 10:18-21, which condemns food sacrificed to idols as food
sacrificed to demons that should be refrained from eating. Unfortunately for
him, he made this post right around when Muslims were celebrating Eid al-Adha
(Feast of the Sacrifice), which involves slaughtering and eating an animal. A
Muslim villager took a screenshot of the biblical post and shared it with other
Muslims, accusing Haroon of insulting Islam. According to Tahir Naveed Chaudhry,
a Christian and former lawmaker,
“The post began circulating in Muslim circles on Thursday, but the situation
became tense after the Friday prayers when announcements were made from mosque
loudspeakers asking people to gather for a protest.”
Before long, large Muslim mobs, including from other villages, had formed around
the mosque, preparing to dish out some retribution. Chaudhry continued:
“Fearing that the situation could get out of hand, a majority of the Christian
families fled their homes, leaving everything behind…. The police registered a
case against Haroon on Friday under Sections 295-A and 298, under the pressure
of the mobs backed by the extremist Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan [TLP]. The FIR
[First Information Report] is unwarranted, because Haroon had only shared a
biblical verse and had made no personal comment that could be deemed blasphemous
or inflammatory.”
Before police even arrived, Haroon and his wife and six children—and several
other family members and siblings—went into hiding. Speaking from an undisclosed
location, Irfan Shahzad, Haroon’s younger brother, said that, in an effort to
prompt Haroon to come out of hiding and surrender himself, police seized two of
his sisters-in-law:
“When we learned that [Muslim] people from at least two or three villages had
started gathering, we ran to save our lives. We couldn’t take our parents along
because of their medical condition, so my two sisters-in-law volunteered to stay
back and look after their needs. It’s a shame that the police detained them
despite knowing that they have infant children.”
The women were finally released after another of Haroon’s brothers and two other
youths presented themselves for detention in their stead. Soon thereafter,
Haroon gave himself up. The report concludes:
“The blasphemy charge against Shahzad stems from personal grudges against him by
the complainant, Ullah … [who] had engaged in legal battles with Shahzad over a
piece of land allotted by the government for constructing a church building.”
If found guilty, Haroon faces up to ten years in prison.
Finally, in yet another incident in July, more Christian families were forced to
flee Islamic fury from an accusation of blasphemy. On July 16, Muslim masses
protested, partly by blocking a major highway for hours, after mosques urged
them to protest the alleged appearance of posters carrying unflattering
caricatures of Muhammad and his child-bride, Aisha, on the walls of a mosque. As
a result, based on precedent, the 3,500 Christian families of Maryam Town, near
to the mosque in question, “panicked.” Discussing this situation, Tahir Naveed
Chaudhry, a former lawmaker (the same quoted above in the case concerning Haroon)
said:
“The mosque announcements accused Christians of being involved in the incident
because the posters were purportedly written by ‘an unknown soldier of Maryam
Town.'”
Both Chaudhry and other human rights activists expressed suspicions that the
Christians are being framed. Chaudhry said:
“This third incident points to a deliberate attempt to spark religious unrest
and target Christians… We told police and Islamic leaders that Christians
already live in fear due to the abuse of blasphemy accusations. It’s highly
unlikely that anyone would commit such a heinous crime and put the entire
community at risk, so we have no objection to a fair investigation.”
Even more telling, the mosque that called for protests is the same mosque that
had incited mobs against Haroon, in the incident above. As Chaudhry observed:
“There are two other mosques near the mosque where the blasphemous posters were
found, but they did not initiate the call for protests. The police must
investigate this aspect.”
*Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West, Sword and Scimitar, Crucified
Again, and The Al Qaeda Reader, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at
the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East
Forum.
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/19909/killing-christians-paradise
**Picture Enclosed/ Thousands of people in Karachi, Pakistan, demand the
execution of Asia Bibi, on November 21, 2018. Bibi, a Christian woman, spent 8
years on death row in Pakistan because of a false accusation of blasphemy,
before being released and exiled. (Photo by Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images)
Women bear the brunt of Taliban’s gender apartheid
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/August 21/2023
In a country where financial, health and welfare systems have collapsed, half
the population are starving, there are four million drug addicts, and 20 percent
suffer mental health problems, the Taliban are obsessed with one policy agenda —
robbing women of any kind of purposeful existence.
Among the 80 decrees issued during the Taliban’s two years in power in
Afghanistan, 54 are explicitly directed at women, with the objective of erasing
their fundamental rights and liberties.
“Most of the girls from my class have had suicidal thoughts. We are all
suffering from depression and anxiety. We have no hope.” These are the words of
an Afghan girl in her early twenties who should have her entire life ahead of
her, but who tried to take her own life after students were barred from
attending university. A UN report found a surge in women who had attempted
suicide, with teenage girls, prevented from pursuing education or careers,
particularly vulnerable.
“Most of our patients lately are women; women's rights activists, former
government employees, journalists, and women who were actively employed under
the previous Afghan government but who have now lost their jobs,” one mental
health practitioner explained.
Given the extreme marginalization and discrimination women have traditionally
faced, Afghanistan has the dubious distinction of being the only country where
women have substantially higher suicide rates than men, representing upwards of
80 percent of cases. Domestic violence levels are among the highest in the
world. In one example of how women are treated like voiceless units of exchange,
an estimated 10 percent of marriages result from a tribal custom in which a girl
from a convicted criminal’s family is provided in compensation to the victim’s
relatives, as a servant or a bride. Eighty percent of marriages occur without
the consent of the bride, who frequently is a child.
In some provinces the Taliban has instructed schools to halt attendance for
girls above Year 3, compared with the current standard of Year 6. This
corresponds to the Taliban’s manifesto, which states that girls are mature
adults from the age of 9.
The closure of beauty salons has erased one of the few safe spaces where women
could socially come together, taking them one step closer to a nationwide life
sentence of house arrest. The salons’ closure means another 60,000 women losing
their incomes.
Yet Afghanistan does have one growth area: Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada
has mandated 100,000 jobs for the madrassa sector, reallocating resources and
staff away from mainstream education. Tens of millions of dollars have been
spent on hundreds of new boys-only madrassas, with several million children to
be enrolled. In remaining schools starved of funding which haven’t been
converted into madrassas, modern subjects are replaced with Talibanized Islamic
education.
The Taliban last month closed all 49 of Afghanistan’s teacher training centers.
This is particularly disastrous, as more than half the staff in many education
institutions have fled overseas.
“The depth and breadth of the changes made by the Taliban’s higher education
authorities — and their profound and wide-ranging repercussions — point to a
rapid and radical process of Talibanization, theocratization and
instrumentalization of higher education,” one research paper warned. Foreign
Policy magazine remarked: “An even bigger problem than the girls who can’t go to
school are the boys who do,” and the “extremist curriculum is teaching children
how to hate, not how to think.”
Although the Taliban are supposedly combating Daesh, such anti-education
policies are a gift for extremist groups, nurturing a generation of men steeped
in the most regressive and intolerant interpretations of Islam, with no other
skills or economic prospects.
Among the 80 decrees issued during the Taliban’s two years in power in
Afghanistan, 54 are explicitly directed at women, with the objective of erasing
their fundamental rights and liberties.
Observers warn that the Taliban are turning a blind eye to the expansion of
Al-Qaeda, the Pakistani TTP, and other like-minded entities, in explicit
violation of the Taliban’s Doha Accord commitments. Meanwhile, freedom of speech
and media protections are non-existent. Reporters sans Frontières this month
warned that Afghanistan's “media have been decimated.” Over 80 percent of female
journalists lost their jobs over the past two years.
In Donald Trump's ill-advised rush to withdraw US assets from Afghanistan, his
Doha Accord gave the Taliban everything they wanted with no mechanism for
holding them to account. Biden was subsequently warned about the consequences of
allowing the Taliban’s return to power, but went ahead with his botched
withdrawal anyway. After lip service that the Taliban would be held to account,
the world is largely distracted by Ukraine and the Taliban have been allowed to
proceed with the full extent of its gender apartheid policies. States such as
Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Iran, India and China are sidling towards de facto
diplomatic recognition. China in particular has stepped up investment and
engagement, seeing Afghanistan as a key plank in its Belt and Road strategy.
As with its promises under the Doha Accord, practically every Taliban public
statement and commitment to the world has been a lie — starting with pledges to
protect women’s rights, and finishing with rhetoric about preventing Afghanistan
reemerging as a global jihad staging point.
The UN Security Council advocates an international “multipronged strategy”
toward the Taliban. This would include ensuring full compliance with the Doha
Accord; encouraging a greater role for centrist political and civil society
actors – including women; and facilitating broad-based national dialogue. To
promote human rights, combat corruption and enshrine the rule of law,
international legal bodies should be given full jurisdiction.
The Taliban multiheaded hydra is as much at war with itself as the outside
world. Just because Hibatullah’s regressive hardliners dictate policy today
doesn’t mean that relative pragmatists won’t be pulling the strings tomorrow —
particularly as it is obvious to all external and domestic observers that
Afghanistan is a profoundly sick country in need of healing and rehabilitation,
and no nation can thrive when the female component is oppressed and
marginalized.
We can state with absolute certainty that women are Afghanistan’s future, with
all their capabilities, energies and wisdom. Such a vision stands in stark
contrast with the ignorant, regressive and extremist minds that Hibatullah’s
madrassas seek to cultivate.
The only question is how much unnecessary misery, repression and deprivation the
Taliban will subject this long-suffering nation to before acknowledging this
inescapable fact.
• Baria Alamuddin is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in the Middle
East and the UK. She is editor of the Media Services Syndicate and has
interviewed numerous heads of state.
US border policies in spotlight as illegal immigrant numbers surge
Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/August 21/2023
In the early days of his presidency, Joe Biden made a swift and momentous
decision that continues to feed the ongoing immigration crisis. One of his
initial actions in the White House was the termination of the Migrant Protection
Protocols, often referred to as the “Remain in Mexico” program. While the
program was effective, its discontinuation brought about significant
consequences.
The essence of Remain in Mexico lay in its approach to handling apprehended
illegal aliens at the US-Mexico border. Under this policy, individuals seeking
asylum were required to stay in Mexico while awaiting the resolution of their
removal cases. This approach had been regarded as a success, as it managed to
curb the influx of unauthorized entries and address specific concerns related to
border security.
However, Biden’s policy shift brought about a fundamental transformation. The
decision to end the program meant that apprehended individuals were no longer
required to remain in Mexico while their cases were pending. Instead, they were
released into the US, sparking concerns about the potential repercussions on
border control, national security and immigration processing.
A significant development occurred when a federal judge mandated the Biden
administration to revive the Remain in Mexico program. Nevertheless, the actual
implementation of this court order seemed to be an uphill battle, as only a
limited number of migrants were placed back into the program. This scenario
further fueled debates about the administration’s commitment to the rule of law
and the enforcement of immigration policies.
The apex of this narrative was reached in June 2022, when the Supreme Court
issued a ruling permitting the Biden administration to legally rescind the
Remain in Mexico policy. While upholding the president’s authority, this verdict
has been met with varying reactions. Supporters of the decision emphasize the
need for flexibility and humanitarian considerations in immigration policies. At
the same time, critics argue that this stance might inadvertently encourage
unauthorized border crossings and potentially exacerbate the existing
challenges. Indeed, the sequence of events unfolded exactly as described. This
sequence of actions and their outcomes highlights the intricate and evolving
nature of Biden’s immigration policy decisions and their impact.
Furthermore, compounding these changes, on the very first day of the new
administration, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf implemented a
100-day pause on deportations of illegal immigrants. This decision was
accompanied by the establishment of fresh interim enforcement priorities,
effectively signaling a shift away from deportations for the mere act of being
an undocumented immigrant.
The rapid and profound changes in deportation policy, enforcement criteria and
procedural requirements have had far-reaching consequences, culminating in one
of the most significant crises in the US today. This crisis casts a dark shadow
over major metropolises and smaller urban centers alike, affecting communities
of all sizes, particularly those governed by the Democratic Party.
The ramifications of these shifts have become acutely apparent in the streets of
cities across the nation, where the impact has been felt at various levels. Law
enforcement agencies, local authorities and communities found themselves
grappling with the repercussions of altered immigration enforcement strategies.
The fallout of these changes has been manifested in increased strain on public
resources, heightened security concerns and complex social dynamics.
Since Biden assumed the role of president on Jan. 20, 2021, an estimated 5.6
million illegal immigrants have entered the US through its northern and southern
borders.
There is a need for careful considerations that balance humanitarian concerns
with practical capacity limitations.
Despite Democratic claims of prioritizing humanitarian concerns, the party’s
actions do not align with these professed values. The apparent lack of
comprehensive care for these illegal immigrants, many of whom find themselves
homeless and in gravely dangerous situations, raises doubts about how their
well-being is being addressed or even considered. Led by progressive politicians
who pretend to advocate for the rights and dignity of immigrants, the Democratic
Party has nothing in mind other than numbers. Each immigrant will be a potential
voter. That is how they plan to change the political demographics.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams last month made a significant announcement that
underscored the pressing challenges his city is facing. With an intake of
approximately 90,000 migrants since April of last year, Adams revealed that New
York had reached its capacity to accommodate additional arrivals. This
declaration, emanating from the leader of the most populous American city,
reflects the gravity of the situation.
The Democratic mayor emphasized the stark reality by stating that the city could
no longer accommodate further migrants due to space limitations. He proposed a
policy change to address the evolving situation: single adult migrants would be
limited to a 60-day stay in the city’s shelters.
Currently, a staggering 105,800 individuals reside in New York’s shelters, a
record high. Among these individuals, more than 54,000 are asylum seekers,
underlining the multifaceted nature of the challenge facing the city due to the
Biden administration’s immigration policies.
The dynamics at play in New York City summarize the complexities inherent in
managing large-scale immigration movements. Adams’ announcement reflects the
need for careful considerations that balance humanitarian concerns with
practical capacity limitations.
The repercussions of the influx of migrants extend beyond New York City, with
other urban centers grappling with similar challenges. The associated costs,
both financial and social, have proven to be substantial.
Chicago, for instance, has not been immune to the challenges that accompany an
increased migrant population. Reports of illegal immigrants in a high-capacity
shelter engaging in disruptive behaviors such as loitering, late-night parties,
prostitution, littering and even conflicts with community members have generated
concerns among locals. These occurrences shed light on the complex dynamics that
arise when a country adopts open-border policies.
In Massachusetts, a state known for its liberal stance and sanctuary policies
concerning illegal immigration, the situation mirrors other regions. Emergency
shelters are becoming overwhelmed as the demand for temporary housing continues
to surge.
Open-border policies without stringent controls present a formidable challenge
to any responsible nation’s commitment to safeguarding its citizens and
maintaining national security.
Progressive politicians are motivated by political gains rather than the overall
welfare of the nation, while the taxpayers are footing the bill.
However, the upcoming 2024 election offers Americans a significant opportunity
to voice their opinions in how they want to shape the nation’s policies.
*Dalia Al-Aqidi is a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy. Twitter: @DaliaAlAqidi