Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 22-23/2023
On this day of August 23/1982, Bachir Gemayel was elected President.
Elias Bejjani/August 23/1982
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/121512/121512/
On the annual anniversary of Bachir’s election as Lebanon’s president on August 23/1982, we renew our vows, and declare again our commitment to Bashir’s cause and dream, to our national Lebanese identity, to liberation, to basic dignity and to holy resistance against all kinds of occupations.
Bashir’s cause is not dead. It cannot die, and will never die as long as one Lebanese remains committed to Bashir’s patriotic beliefs and loyalty to Lebanon, to its 7000 years of history and civilization.
Bachir was “the young president who brought the light of hope to Lebanon”, as described by President Ronald Reagan. This patriotic president, known for his strategic planning and stances that crossed all red lines, led the Lebanese people to dare to dream again. His leadership drove them to yearn for a free country that was worth fighting for. A day where Bachir’s love for his nation was contagious, and his patriotism was infectious more than ever.
Bashir’s national dream for Lebanon is not dead, for no criminal can kill Freedom dreams. Dreams are acts of intellectual imaging and portrayal of aspirations, objectives and hopes that people Endeavour to fulfill in reality. Bashir’s dream is alive in the hearts and spirits of every patriotic Lebanese all over the world.
Our deep-rooted Lebanese identity is unique. It was carved by our faithful ancestors in Lebanon’s mighty mountains, and planted with sweat and blood in its holy soil throughout seven thousand years of heroism and sacrifices. Generation after generation, Lebanese have built Lebanon and made it into a fort and oasis for freedom, and an asylum for the persecuted…. Lebanon may not be a big country, but it is big in deeds.
For 7000 years Lebanon was successful in surviving with dignity, through hundreds of invaders, tyrants and conquerors…all were forced to depart defamed and in humiliation, defamed. Bashir gave our identity worldwide dimension, and made it a cause and purpose for each and every Lebanese. Lebanon’s liberation is the aim of every patriotic Lebanese.
Bachir, when the Pharisee’s murdered you, only your flesh passed away. And in that moment your sanctified image was implanted forever into the hearts of your people. Your heroism was sealed. Bashir, you speak to the conscience of every Lebanese who believes in Lebanon and its people. You live on in us, and in our blessed heritage.
Long Live Free Lebanon.

Riad Salameh Protects His Life with Information Smuggled out of Lebanon
Beirut: Youssef Diab/Asharq Al Awsat/22 August 2023
Former governor of Lebanon’s Central Bank (BdL) Riad Salameh has yet to be handed the summons for his court date on August 29. A judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the court has not received a reply to the summons. A security patrol that tasked with delivering it had not found him at his Rabieh residence. This would be the second time that the former governor skips a court hearing. The source revealed that Salameh owns two other homes, one in Jounieh and another in Safra. This doesn’t necessarily mean that he will be found there to be handed the summons, it added. On the court’s next move should he fail to appear before it, the source said there is still time for the summons to be delivered. Salameh has avoided the spotlight since his 30-year tenure at the Central Bank ended in July. This has raised questions about whether he fears for his life given the wealth of information he has about alleged illicit dealings in state. The Financial Times reported that Salameh “having left the BdL ‘with secrets in tow’, a senior politician says, he has made known they are scattered on flash drives outside the country ‘should something bad happen to him’.”Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Salameh’s legal representative Hafez Zakkour did not confirm or deny the information. He added that Salameh hasn’t received his court summons yet. The revelations indicate that Salameh’s life may be in danger. Official Lebanese circles are taking the claims seriously, while an informed judicial source said the FT report was “very accurate”. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that Salameh has recorded videos, backed by documents, detailing the financial operations that had taken place at BdL during his time in office. He also named influential people, including politicians and judges, who were involved. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source described Salameh’s move as “very smart because it protects him from any physical harm”. In all likelihood, the information in his possession will be posted on the internet should any harm happen to him. Moreover, this information has been passed on the European and American judiciaries after the US Treasury slapped sanctions on Salameh and his close associates over their illicit dealings. There appears to be an insistence on revealing the identity of the influential people who benefited from the BdL funds and who were involved in money laundering schemes, added the source. The involvement of American prosecutors in the case would facilitate uncovering the influential figures who were complicit with Salameh in squandering public funds. The American probe will be more effective than the European investigation because the American have the complete information about the movement of dollars and transactions from Lebanon to Europe, the US and other countries.

Four Kahale residents testify in deadly clash probe
Naharnet/August 22/2023
Four residents of the town of Kahale on Tuesday headed to a military intelligence department to give their testimonies regarding the deadly clash with Hezbollah members on August 9. A statement issued by Kahale’s municipality, residents and dignitaries said the four men testified as witnesses. “The follow-up committee convened to discuss the meeting that was held with the army chief in the presence of the intelligence director, and after the clarifications that the delegation received and to facilitate the probe that we have been demanding, the four young men will appear to testify as witnesses,” the statement said.
The residents had initially refused to go to interrogation, insisting that Hezbollah’s members should also be summoned. They later learned that some Hezbollah members were questioned as witnesses. Kahale resident Fadi Bejjani and Hezbollah member Ahmed Qassas, both of whom were armed according to videos, were killed in an exchange of gunfire after a Hezbollah ammunition truck flipped over on the downhill curve of the international highway that passes through the town. The incident started after some residents learned that the truck belonged to Hezbollah. They surrounded it and demanded to know what was inside before a fistfight ensued between two individuals. Footage available online also shows Hezbollah members opening fire and Kahale residents hurling rocks towards the overturned truck and its armed Hezbollah guards. Another video shows a short-distance exchange of gunfire between Hezbollah members and Bejjani. The identity of the individual who fired the first shot is still unclear.

Reports: Shiite Duo answers Le Drian as opposition coordinates with US, KSA
Naharnet /August 22/2023
Hezbollah and Amal have reportedly responded to two questions, included in a letter that the French embassy had sent to the Lebanese MPs, regarding the required qualifications of the future president. Al-joumhouria newspaper reported Tuesday that it had learned from the Shiite Duo's sources that Amal and Hezbollah have told French special presidential envoy for Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian that they will attend the dialogue. Le Drian, who is scheduled to return to Lebanon in September, 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 opposition MPs' response to Le Drian's call for dialogue upset and embarrassed the French envoy, media reports said. A French senator criticized last week the French "interference" in the Lebanese affairs, as she slammed Le Drian for sending questions to the Lebanese MPs, dubbing it as "an insult to the Lebanese."Before his return to Lebanon, Le Drian will hold talks with the five-nation group on Lebanon -- which comprises in addition to France, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt -- and will brief the group on the replies he received from the Lebanese MPs in order to decide on the next step, al-Joumhouria said. Meanwhile another local media, al-Akhbar, claimed that some opposition MPs want to end the French role to start a new phase that will focus on nominating Army chief Joseph Aoun for presidency. "The Americans and the Saudis are coordinating on a daily basis with opposition lawmakers to torpido any dialogue initiative, until time is appropriate to reveal their presidential candidate," the pro-Hezbollah daily said.

'A day of joy in Lebanon's darkness': Berri, Mikati visit drilling rig in block 9
Naharnet/August 22/2023
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri arrived Tuesday at Beirut's airport to take a helicopter that will transport them to the drilling rig in Block 9. Mikati, Berri, caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad and caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamiyeh visited the Transocean Barents drilling rig which will start within a few days searching for gas in Block 9 offshore Lebanon."In this darkness comes a day of joy, for which I worked for many years, until the framework agreement was reached," Berri said before heading to the rig.
In October, Lebanon and Israel signed a landmark border agreement that opens up lucrative offshore gas fields for the eastern Mediterranean neighbors. Beirut divided its exclusive economic zone at sea into 10 blocks, and Block 9 was part of the area disputed with Israel. Block 9 contains the so-called Qana field or Sidon reservoir. Under the U.S.-mediated deal between Lebanon and Israel that was signed in October, the disputed waters would be divided along a line straddling the “Qana” natural gas field in the Mediterranean. Gas production would be based on the Lebanese side, but Israel would be compensated for gas extracted from its side of the line under a separately signed deal between TotalEnergies and Israel. Berri hoped to see good results within months and said that gas exploration could save Lebanon from its deep financial crisis. There are still no proven gas reserves in the field that straddles the maritime border, but a 2012 seismic study by the British firm Spectrum estimated recoverable gas reserves in Lebanon at 25.4 trillion cubic feet. Lebanese officials have announced higher estimates. Many politicians in Lebanon have pinned hopes of a way out of crisis on gas exploration, but analysts have said Beirut cannot count on gas alone to bail it out.

Report: Doha seeks to convince Bassil not to back Franjieh
Naharnet/August 22/2023
Qatar has “strongly interfered” in a bid to “impede the ongoing dialogue between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement” through “offering incentives to FPM chief Jebran Bassil,” a media report said. Doha wants to convince Bassil “not to engage in a settlement leading Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh to the Baabda Palace,” ad-Diyar newspaper reported on Tuesday. Qatar “has started hinting that it might give up its support for Army chief General Joseph Aoun’s nomination and search for an acceptable alternative if this concession would prevent an agreement with Hezbollah on Franjieh,” the daily added.

Azour reportedly met al-Rahi and Khalil on 4 day visit to Lebanon
Naharnet/August 22/2023
Former minister Jihad Azour has met Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil, on a four-day visit to Lebanon, MTV said Tuesday. Azour also met former Democratic Gathering bloc MP Nehme Tohme, the media outlet reported. Azour is an intersection presidential candidate between the opposition MPs and the Free Patriotic Movement. He has stepped aside from his role as the director of the Middle East and Central Asia department at the International Monetary Fund in view of the presidential contest.Azour, who served as Lebanon's finance minister from 2005 to 2008, failed to get across the line in the last presidential election session, as he garnered 59 votes while Hezbollah's candidate Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh garnered 51 in the 128-seat parliament.Azour has the backing of the country's largest Christian political parties -- the Free Patriotic Movement, which has been allied with Hezbollah since 2006, and the Lebanese Forces party. He is also backed by the majority of Druze legislators and some Sunni Muslims.

Reports: Raisi's visit to KSA to tackle Lebanon's presidential file
Naharnet/August 22/2023
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.

Lebanon considers dollar payments for electricity amid ongoing challenges
LBCI/August 22/2023
The caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, swiftly adjourned the Cabinet Committee meeting on electricity at the Serail on Monday. The session remained undecided on the KALLES electricity ship, which docked off the Zahrani power plant since Friday. The vessel, which has incurred a daily charge of $18,000 due to its unloaded cargo, remains a pressing issue for Lebanon's finances. The postponed session is now rescheduled for the upcoming Monday, potentially exacerbating the incurred losses. Until then, Lebanon will incur at least $126,000 as a penalty for the vessel's sea stoppage instead of the previously agreed upon seven days. Additionally, the cost of the cargo, amounting to $29 million, will be factored in, with funds available in the Electricité du Liban (EDL) 's account, albeit in Lebanese lira. There is a dispute over converting it into dollars due to the limited currency availability from the BDL. During the session, the General Director of EDL, Kamal Hayek, proposed collecting electricity fees in dollars to avoid potential disputes, given that all the institution's payments are in dollars. According to LBCI's sources, a study is being prepared within the next two days, which will be presented to the Consultations and Legislation Commission at the Justice Ministry for approval. It is worth noting that two articles in the Monetary and Credit law and Consumer Protection law prohibit such a conversion and require clarification. EDL will suggest allowing collection in dollars or giving consumers the choice to pay in either dollars or lira at the same value. However, EDL has approximately $45 million in its account at the BDL in lira. A week ago, the institution submitted a letter to the bank's clearing department requesting converting the amount to dollars, estimating it at $37,252,000. The collection process continues at a good pace. EDL believes that collecting fees in dollars can reduce demand for dollars and dry up the lira market. It hopes the BDL will reciprocate the intention by converting the amount to dollars, allowing it to function effectively. There are clear benefits from EDL's perspective, aiming to achieve a financial balance between production costs and collected fees, which remain in lira. The question remains whether a swift decision to collect fees in dollars will alleviate concerns for all parties involved: BDL, EDL, and even citizens paying the same value in dollars. The need for bold decisions extends to other domains, including collecting fees in dollars, unless there's an intention to undermine EDL at the expense of generators and beneficiaries, who might be tied to cartels and companies importing oil derivatives.

Systemic crisis: Lebanon's crisis qualifies as systemic according to global standards
LBCI/August 22/2023
The Lebanese crisis aligns with global criteria, defining any financial crisis as systemic.
However, several essential specifications support this characterization:
1- Macroeconomic impact: The crisis's repercussions extend to the macro-economy.
2- Financial institution influence: The crisis affects all financial and banking institutions within the financial system.
3- Debt aggravation: The crisis exacerbates debt-related issues for companies, individuals, and governments.
4- Trust erosion: The crisis erodes confidence in the financial system, escalating tensions between financial institutions and the public.
These criteria aptly describe the consequences of the crisis in Lebanon, therefore warranting the designation of a systemic crisis.
Systematic crisis necessitates distinct approaches beyond those used for ordinary crises. They require broader measures, including implementing structural reforms within the financial system, supporting sectors impacted by the crisis, and bolstering overall economic confidence. Governments' intervention becomes essential to establish a comprehensive economic plan to enhance growth and stability. As a result, in systemic crisis scenarios, a comprehensive rescue plan overseen by the government becomes imperative. Regrettably, the Lebanese government has yet to implement such a plan despite nearly four years since the crisis erupted.

Call for reforms: Tourism Minister urges swift action for Beirut Airport improvements
LBCI/August 22/2023
The Tourism Minister has called on all relevant authorities to convene an emergency meeting to find solutions to enhance the Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport operations. This plea comes as the Minister reiterates proposals made three months ago to take proactive measures that facilitate and respect the movements of both arrivals and departures at the airport. Minister Walid Nassar expressed the need for immediate financial injections in a push for reforms at the airport, asserting that $3 million should be allocated to Beirut Airport to address pressing issues. The focus on airport concerns was once again brought to the forefront by Walid Nassar. What exactly does he intend?
"The solution lies in directing these funds directly to Beirut Airport," he said. Nassar believes that services for travelers and incoming passengers can be effectively secured by channeling the funds directly to the airport. However, with the proposed solution in mind, what challenges does Beirut Airport currently face? At the beginning of the season, a promise was made to equip the airport with a large generator to compensate for power cuts and ventilation disruptions during electricity shortages. Although the generator arrived at the airport over a month ago as a donation, technical issues have delayed its installation. According to Fadi El Hassan, head of Civil Aviation, the placement of the generator is technically intricate. Still, he assured it would be operational by the end of the week. As for the issue of congestion, El Hassan revealed that approximately 7.5 million individuals have passed through Beirut Airport this year. This number surpasses its capacity, which is at most 6 million. Addressing security and passport control matters, El Hassan stated that there has been an increase in the deployment of Internal Security Forces and General Security personnel. In conclusion, Beirut Airport welcomes those arriving and departing, those who choose Lebanon as their tourism destination, and those visiting their families. Thus, the airport remains the primary gateway for arrivals and the ultimate farewell point for travelers. Ensuring a positive experience at the airport should remain a top priority for all stakeholders, showcasing the best image of Lebanon.

Beirut Port kiosks: Beirut Governor's failure to enforce removal order raises concerns
LBCI/August 22/2023
Over two weeks after the issuance of the removal order, Beirut Governor Judge Marwan Abboud has not executed the decision to remove illegal kiosks. In response, he told LBCI that the one-week deadline is meant to be a motivating period, not an ultimatum, and can be extended for logistical reasons. The controversy revolves around unauthorized kiosks that have become a security threat at the Beirut port due to their violations and illicit activities, including prohibited actions and even prostitution. Despite the gravity of the situation, LBCI contacted Omar Itani, the Acting Director-General of the Beirut Port, who declined to comment regarding Abboud's accusations against the port's management for not enforcing the removal of these illegal structures. In a sequence of events, the Public Works Ministry forwarded the request to remove illegal kiosks to the Interior Ministry. The latter referred the request to the governor, who believes that the port's management should be responsible for implementing the removal order.  However, the port's administration insists on the necessity of removal. The outcome is an impasse, symbolizing the deadlock that continues to define the situation.
The illicit kiosks issue at Beirut Port is widely known, and the lack of decisive action by the Supreme Defense Council is raising questions about the government's commitment to law enforcement. These unauthorized kiosks occupy state-owned land without payment of fees or leasing compensation. Is the state passively accepting or tacitly complicit in this situation? The port's management, the governor, and the Interior and Public Works Ministers are responsible for answering this question.

Mikati meets TotalEnergies delegation: The start of drilling activities on August 24 represents a shining milestone
LBCI/August 22/2023
Prime Minister Najib Mikati received a delegation from TotalEnergies in the presence of Energy and Water Minister Walid Fayad on Tuesday at the Grand Serail. This meeting follows the inspection visit by the Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, along with Energy and Water Minister Walid Fayad and Public Works and Transportation Minister Ali Hamie to the offshore oil and gas exploration platform in Lebanese territorial waters on Tuesday. Laurent Vivier, Senior Vice President of Middle East Exploration at TotalEnergies; Julien Pouget, Senior Vice President of Exploration and Production for Asia; and Romain de La Martinière, General Manager of TotalEnergies in Lebanon, also attended the meeting. The Petroleum Sector Management Committee members in Lebanon, headed by Wissam Zahabi, were also present. During the meeting, the Prime Minister reiterated the affirmation "that the start of drilling activities on August 24 represents a shining milestone that we hope will have a positive outcome in providing additional resources that can help Lebanon overcome its crises." He considered that everyone should rise above personal calculations and private considerations and engage with the project as it constitutes an achievement for all Lebanese and a fundamental pillar for boosting the national economy.

TotalEnergies launches exploration activities on Block 9
NNA/August 22/2023
TotalEnergies, and its partners Eni and QatarEnergy, launched today the exploration activities on Block 9 in Lebanon, with a visit to the Transocean Barents drilling rig in the presence of the Speaker of the Parliament, M. Nabih Berri, the Prime Minister, M. Najib Mikati, the Minister of Energy and Water, M. Walid Fayad, accompanied by M. Ali Hamié, Minister of Public Works and Transport and representatives from the Lebanese Petroleum Administration (LPA). The drilling rig is, since August 16th, located in Block 9 at around 120 km off the coast of Beirut. During the visit, the Lebanese officials received a briefing on the completion of preparations for the exploration well drilling, which is scheduled to start in the coming days. “Following the peaceful definition of the maritime border, TotalEnergies, along with its partners Eni and QatarEnergy, committed to drill an exploration well in Block 9 as soon as possible in 2023. We are pleased to announce that the drilling operations will start in few days, thanks to the commitment of our teams, the support of the Lebanese authorities and of our partners. This exploration well will allow us to assess the materiality of hydrocarbon resources and production potential in the area”, said Romain de La Martinière, General Manager of TotalEnergies EP Lebanon. TotalEnergies is the operator of Block 9 Offshore Lebanon, and holds a 35% interest, alongside its partners Eni (35%) and QatarEnergy (30%).

Minister Fayad meets TotalEnergies officials, says drilling operation to kick off August 24
NNA/August 22/2023
Caretaker Energy and Water Minister, Walid Fayad, on Tuesday met at his ministerial office with TotalEnergies top officials, including Laurent Vivier, Senior Vice President of Middle East Exploration at TotalEnergies; Julien Pouget, Senior Vice President of Exploration and Production for Asia; and Romain de La Martinière, General Manager of TotalEnergies in Lebanon. The meeting, which came following an inspection visit to the drilling rig in Block 9, reportedly discussed the completion of preparations and the scheduled timeline for the drilling operation scheduled to kick off on August 24. "On August 24, the drilling operation will begin, marking a historic day for which we have high hopes. After 67 days, we will get the drilling results, which will hopefully serve as a positive sign for the Lebanese people,” Fayad said. "TotalEnergies and its partners are fully committed to professional work, and the expectations so far have been extremely positive. Moreover, they have expressed their interest in the neighboring blocks of Block 9, and there will be developments that we will announce at later stages,” the Energy Minister added.

Mikati's office denies having tried to arrange Riad Salameh's safe move to Cyprus
NNA/August 22/2023
The press office of Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati denied news published today by An-Nahar daily and claiming that the PM, alongside House Speaker Nabih Berri and Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, had tried to make arrangements to ensure the safe transportation of former governor of the Central Bank, Riad Salameh, to Cyprus before moving to a third country."This news is totally untrue," a statement by Mikati's press office said. "We regret that An-Nahar, which we value and respect, relies on a 'rumor' (as literally mentioned in the news) to disseminate fake news," it added.

Stone Age for Stone Age
Nadim Koteich/Asharq Al Awsat/22 August 2023
Hassan Nasrallah heralded a new modus vivendi between Hezbollah and Israel: “Stone Age for Stone Age.” This is nothing but another testament to how far detached from reality this man is, and how weak his senses of history and power dynamics are.
With his formula, Nasrallah takes us back to the rhetoric of the Cold War, and the theory of a balance of terror created by the mutually assured nuclear destruction that would ensue in the event of a nuclear conflict between the United States and Soviet Union. The analogy is certainly tempting, but it's not accurate.
However, this formula shares the flaw of the Cold War’s balance of terror formula. Both then and today, those behind the theory have overlooked the vast gap between the rivals’ nonmilitary power. The Soviet Union did not collapse due to an issue with its nuclear readiness towards the end, but because of domestic social and moral cracks, as well as the failures of its economic system. Along these lines, Nasrallah’s formula seemingly overlooks the fact that the balance of nonmilitary power tilts in Israel’s favor. Israel has a GDP of $522 billion, while Lebanon's GDP hardly exceeds $21 billion, and it is coupled with astronomical inflation rates (above 185 percent), the collapse of its currency, and the disruption of entire sectors. Indeed, the World Bank has called Lebanon’s current crisis the worst that the country has seen in 150 years! And while Israel ranks 16th among the 132 countries included on the Global Innovation Index, and first among the countries of North Africa and West Asia, Lebanon seems unable to secure electricity to its international airport! The strangest difference might be the gap in the countries’ political fortunes. Lebanon has regressed into a kind of international isolation after decades of performing brilliantly in regional and international forums; meanwhile Israel seems to have built more robust global ties than Lebanon itself. As for the cultural gap - and culture has always been a hallmark distinguishing Lebanon - it has made any comparison of them as competitors untenable. The unequivocal superiority of Israeli productions, for example, is evident from the performance of Israeli shows like “Fauda” and “Tehran”, to name a few, on streaming services like Netflix and Apple.
This sums up the multifaceted imbalances of power between the two countries. They are playing on separate fields, affirming the derangement of seeing their relationship as balanced and their sources of strength as symmetric.
Even if we were to focus exclusively on the military balance, we would find that presenting the two sides as equal belligerents would be simplistic. Indeed, to do so is to ignore the reality of Israel’s superiority in the field of military technology. Just a few days ago, Israel announced that the United States had authorized a "historic" $3.5 billion arms deal that will see Israel sell Germany "Arrow-3" hypersonic air defense systems, in what is the largest military deal that Israel has concluded in its history.
History is laden with examples of small players defeating stronger and fiercer opponents. However, these victories are often attained in wars of liberation or resistance against occupation, a radically different context to that of the current dynamics between Lebanon and Israel. The defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan at the hands of fierce local resistance in the 1980s, and the monumental challenges that the Israeli army previously faced in Lebanon and is currently facing in Palestine, clearly demonstrate that resisting occupation, regardless of the gulf between the two sides, can yield results.
However, Lebanon and Israel have a markedly different relationship today. We find ourselves faced with something more like a game of traditional military confrontation between two states rather than a game of liberation and occupation. Indeed, Israel is not currently occupying Lebanon; there is only a dispute over a few border enclaves. In this particular context, one of a semi-traditional confrontation, examples of a smaller player defeating a larger and more developed opponent are few and far between.
Nasrallah's formula is also deeply shameful. Minimizing the gravity of taking entire societies back to the Stone Age reflects a lack of any moral fiber. It mirrors the ideas tested by the dark utopias that raised ideology above humanity. This strategy not only tolerates the prospect of mass destruction, but embraces it as a legitimate form of deterrence without flinching at the catastrophic societal consequences or the lives that would be lost.
Worse still, Nasrallah's formula ignores what diplomacy can achieve. The deal to settle the maritime border dispute between Israel and Lebanon, which allowed for gas exploration to begin in waters of South Lebanon, is a testament to diplomacy’s capacity for ensuring the interests of both Lebanon and Israel.
This is a sustainable approach that can be broadened. The predictable response is that this was only achieved because of Hezbollah's arms. Great then! This ought to become the function of this arsenal, it ought to be invested in enhancing Lebanon's negotiating position and to restore Lebanese sovereignty over the Shebaa Farms, if they are shown to be Lebanese, and to resolve other border disputes. It could perhaps be used to revive the armistice agreement as well, or perhaps to become part of the ongoing comprehensive peace process. The arsenal ought to be a tool that strengthens Lebanon's position among its Arab partners. Seeing things from a realpolitik lens, Hezbollah's arsenal can improve Lebanon's negotiating position and serve the interests of the Lebanese. However, it immediately becomes apparent this is impossible once we recall what kind of ideology that drives Hezbollah, as an entity driven by its ideological fervor that leaves it determined to destroy Israel and avenge its grudge against its Arab neighbors, even if the price is the destruction of the entire country. Nasrallah's formula "Stone Age for Stone Age" is not only wrong and flawed, but it affirms that the idea of channeling the capabilities of Hezbollah into diplomatic efforts is nothing but a political fantasy that serves to perpetuate its hegemony over the Lebanese by force of arms.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 22-23/2023
Two fighters killed in Israeli strikes near Damascus
Agence France Presse/August 22, 2023
Two fighters backing the Syrian government were killed late Monday in Israeli airstrikes on sites near Damascus, an NGO said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "two pro-regime fighters were killed in Israeli strikes against military positions southwest and southeast of the capital". "Israeli missiles destroyed arms depots of pro-Iran militias and the Lebanese Hezbollah a few kilometres from the Damas international airport and around the Kiswah area", it said. Syria's official news agency SANA had said earlier that the country's air defences had intercepted "hostile targets" in the Damascus area, without further details. "The Israeli enemy carried out an attack with missiles sent from the occupied Golan Heights... wounding a soldier and causing material damages," SANA said. During more than a decade of civil war in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on its territory, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters as well as Syrian army positions. Israel rarely comments on strikes it carries out in Syria, but has repeatedly said it will not allow its arch-foe Iran to expand its presence in the country.

A decade after sarin gas attack in Damascus suburb, Syrian survivors lose hope for justice
Associated Presst/22 August 2023
One summer night a decade ago, the al-Shami family was woken up by a roaring sound or rockets but it wasn't followed by the usual explosions. Instead, the family members started having difficulty breathing. Ghiad al-Shami, 26, remembers how everyone tried to run to the rooftop of their apartment building in eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb that at the time was held by opposition fighters trying to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad. Al-Shami's mother, three sisters and two brothers died that night — victims of the Aug. 21, 2013 sarin gas attack that killed hundreds and left thousands of others hurt. Ten years on, al-Shami and other survivors say there has been no accountability for the attack and for the other atrocities committed in Syria during the country's brutal civil war, now in its 13th year. Over the past year, Assad's government — accused by the United Nations of repeated chemical weapons attacks on Syrian civilians — has been able to break out of its political isolation. Assad was welcomed back to the Arab League, which had suspended Syria's membership in 2011 following a crackdown on anti-government protests. With the help of top allies Russia and Iran, Assad also recaptured large swaths of territory he initially lost to opposition groups.
"Today, instead of holding perpetrators accountable, Assad is being welcomed back into the Arab League and invited to international conferences, cementing impunity for the most heinous of crimes," said Laila Kiki, executive director of The Syria Campaign advocacy group. "To all those who seek to shake hands with Assad, this anniversary should serve as a clear reminder of the atrocities his regime has committed," she said in a statement. In 2013, Assad was widely held responsible for the eastern Ghouta attack — weapons specialists said the rocket systems involved were in the Syrian army's arsenal. The Syrian government has denied ever using chemical weapons. Russia, Syria's prime ally, claims the Ghouta attack was carried out by opposition forces trying to push for foreign military intervention. The United States threatened military retaliation in the aftermath of the attack, with then-President Barack Obama saying Assad's use of chemical weapons would be Washington's "red line." However, the U.S. public and Congress were wary of a new war, as invasions in Afghanistan and Iraq had turned into quagmires.
In the end, Washington settled for a deal with Moscow for Assad to give up his chemical weapons' stockpile. Syria says it eliminated its chemical arsenal under the 2013 agreement. It also joined a global chemical weapons watchdog based in The Hague, Netherlands, as global pressure mounted on Damascus.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has blamed the Syrian government for several deadly chemical attacks, most recently for a 2018 chlorine gas attack over Douma, another Damascus suburb, that killed 43 people. Syrian authorities refused to allow investigation teams access to the site of the attack, and had their voting rights within the OPCW suspended in 2021 as punishment for the repeated use of toxic gas. Damascus has accused the watchdog of bias in favor of the West and has not recognized its authority. Western countries say that Syria has not fully declared its chemical weapons stockpile to the OPCW to be destroyed. The Syrian government and its allies reclaimed eastern Ghouta in 2018, with most of its residents fleeing to the last rebel-held enclave in Syria's northwest. Abdel Rahman Sabhia, a nurse and former resident of the suburb, has since moved to the town of Afrin in the northern Aleppo province, now under Turkish-backed groups. "We lost hope in the international community," said Sabhia, who worked at a voluntary field hospital in Ghouta at the time of the gas attack. "Why should we trust in them if we still haven't seen any accountability for all the children who lost their families?" Sabhia says he had gotten used to airstrikes and shelling, but the aftermath of the 2013 attack was different. The streets were eerily quiet, "like a ghost town," he recalled. "We broke into a house and saw a baby, just months old, lying dead in bed with his parents." At the time, dozens of bodies were laid out in hospitals with families looking to identify their loved ones. Some families were buried together in large graves. Al-Shami, who now lives in Istanbul recalls regaining consciousness a day after the attack. "I felt helpless," he said.

Netanyahu Says Recent Attacks on Israelis are Backed by Iran
Asharq Al Awsat/22 August 2023
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, Reuters said. Israel, he said, would employ measures to settle the score with the attackers and those who sent them, from near or far.

Palestinian teen killed in West Bank, 2 arrested over settler shooting
Agence France Presse/August 22, 2023
Israeli troops killed a Palestinian teenager near the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday, the Palestinian health ministry said, as violence surged in the occupied territory. Meanwhile, in the southern West Bank, troops made two arrests in the deadly Monday shooting of a settler near the city of Hebron. "Othman Mohammed Abu Khurog, 17, died after he was shot in the head by the occupation (Israeli forces)," the Palestinian health ministry said. Abu Khurog was killed when clashes erupted in the small town of Zababdeh, southeast of Jenin, which Israeli forces had entered to make an arrest, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. The Israeli army said troops had opened fire after "explosive devices" were thrown at them. "A hit was identified," it said in a statement. Israeli troops routinely carry out incursions into areas such as Jenin which are nominally under the civil and security control of president Mahmud Abbas's Palestinian Authority. In July, the army carried out its biggest raid in years on the Jenin refugee camp, in which 12 Palestinians, including militants and children, were killed. An Israeli soldier also died during the raid, and on Tuesday the army said he was killed by fire from his own comrades. David Yehuda Yizhak was shot dead by fellow troops "following an incident of mistaken identification", the army said. Meanwhile, violence has been rising in the West Bank.On Monday, Israeli settler Batsheva Nigri was shot dead from a passing vehicle while travelling in a car near Hebron with her daughter and a man.
Her daughter was unhurt but the man was seriously wounded, the army and medics said.
Escalating violence -
Two Palestinian residents of Hebron suspected of taking part in the shooting were arrested on Tuesday as troops pressed a manhunt for the woman's killers, the army said. "During their initial questioning, the two linked themselves to carrying out the attack," the army alleged, adding that they had turned in a weapon believed to have been used in the attack. Nigri was a teacher and resident of Beit Hagai, an Israeli settlement south of Hebron. The Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, called her killing a "heroic act" and a "normal response" to the persistent expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The settlements are considered illegal under international law but, not counting annexed east Jerusalem, around 490,000 Israelis live in such communities alongside nearly three million Palestinians. Nigri's murder came two days after an Israeli father and son were shot dead at a car wash in the town of Huwara in the northern West Bank.Israel has yet to make any arrests in those killings despite a search operation that has seen troops raid villages and carry out house-to-house searches. The West Bank has been rocked by violence since early last year, with a string of attacks by Palestinians on Israeli targets, repeated deadly raids by the army and violence by settlers against Palestinian communities.With the latest death, at least 219 Palestinians have been killed in violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict so far this year. The violence has also claimed the lives of 31 Israelis, including the soldier killed by friendly fire in Jenin, a Ukrainian and an Italian, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources on both sides. They include, on the Palestinian side, combatants as well as civilians and, on the Israeli side, three members of the Arab minority.

UN: Over 200 Palestinians and nearly 30 Israelis have been killed this year
Associated Press/August 22, 2023
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has killed over 200 Palestinians and nearly 30 Israelis so far this year – already surpassing last year's annual figures and the highest number since 2005, the U.N. Mideast envoy said Monday. Tor Wennesland told the U.N. Security Council that the upswing in violence is being fueled by growing despair about the future, with the Palestinians still seeking an independent state. "The lack of progress towards a political horizon that addressed the core issues driving the conflict has left a dangerous and volatile vacuum, filled by extremists on all sides," he said. While Israelis and Palestinians have taken some actions toward stabilizing the situation, Wennesland said unilateral steps have continued to fuel hostilities. He pointed to the unabated expansion of Israeli settlements – which are illegal under international law "and a substantial obstacle to peace" – as well as Israel's demolition of Palestinian houses, its operations in the West Bank area under Palestinian administrative and police control, and attacks by Israeli settlers. He also cited "Palestinian militant activity." Wennesland said the current situation is compounded by "the fragility" of the Palestinian Authority's financial situation and severe funding shortages facing U.N. agencies including the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. "While we must urgently focus on addressing the most critical issues and on de-escalating the situation on the ground, we cannot ignore the need to restore a political horizon," he said. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who chaired the meeting, condemned violence by both sides and urged immediate steps to reduce the escalating violence. She reiterated U.S. support for a two-state solution and "good-faith dialogue" between the parties. And she acknowledged the appointment of Saudi Arabia's ambassador Jordan as non-resident consul general in Jerusalem, adding that the U.S. will support "any and all efforts that will bring us closer to a two-state solution." Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador Dmitry Polyansky told the council the long-term stagnation of the peace process "is compounded by the ongoing illegal unilateral actions of Israel to create irreversible facts on the ground, which negates the prospects for reviving direct talks between Palestinians and Israelis." He called the "unprecedented pace" of Israel's settlement expansion the biggest threat. Polyansky called a visit to the region by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, expected before the end of the year, "very timely." And he reiterated Russia's call for a meeting of the so-called Quartet of Mideast mediators – the U.N, U.S., European Union and Russia -- "to revive the peace process and direct Palestinian-Israeli talks on all final status issues." France's political coordinator Isis Jaraud Darnault also condemned "the Israeli colonization of the Palestinian territories" that it wants for its future state, and continuing Israeli demolitions, including a school in the West Bank's Ramallah region on Aug. 17 which was financed by European donors including France. She also condemned violence against Israelis. Darnault told the council the U.N. and regional actors have an essential role to play in restoring "a credible political horizon." "The normalization of relations between Israel and several states in the region contributes to stability and security, but this dynamic will remain incomplete as long as it is not accompanied by a resumption of the political process towards a solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of both Palestinians and Israelis," she said.

Iran unveils armed drone resembling America's MQ-9 Reaper and says it could potentially reach Israel
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)/August 22, 2023
Iran's Defense Ministry unveiled a drone on Tuesday resembling America's armed MQ-9 Reaper, claiming that the aircraft is capable of staying airborne for 24 hours and has the range to reach the country's archenemy Israel. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency published a photograph of the drone, called the Mohajer-10, on display at a conference marking Defense Industry Day with what appeared to be smoke-machine fog underneath it. “Mohajer” means “immigrant” in Farsi and has been a drone line manufactured by the Islamic Republic since 1985.
IRNA said the drone is able to fly up to 24,000 feet with a speed of 210 kph (130 mph), carrying a bomb payload of up to 300 kilograms (660 pounds). It also said the drone could carry electronic surveillance equipment and a camera. Iran's hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, a protégé of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also viewed the drone on Tuesday. “Today, we can firmly introduce Iran as an advanced and technologic nation to the world,” Raisi said in comments aired on state television. He reiterated Iran’s stance about friendly relations with “all countries in the world,” adding that Iran’s armed forces will cut off any hand that will reaches out in an attempt to invade Iran, state TV reported. The Associated Press could not immediately verify the claims about the drone's capabilities, though an arm of state television shared a video of it taking off from a runway. Long-range drones like the Reaper also require ground stations and satellite communications. Officials in Israel, which flies its own long-range, high endurance drones, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Iran has in the past captured U.S. drones or pieces of them, but there's no evidence that it has taken a General Atomics' Reaper, which is flown by the U.S. Air Force and allied American nations as a “hunter-killer” drone that can operate at high altitudes for long hours and follow a target before attacking. North Korea in July showed off drones mirroring the Reaper, possibly designed from publicly available information about the aircraft. In December 2011, Iran seized an RQ-170 Sentinel flown by the CIA to monitor Iranian nuclear sites after it entered Iranian airspace from neighboring Afghanistan. Iran later reverse-engineered the drone to create their own variants.
In 2019, Iran shot down a U.S. Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk in the Strait of Hormuz amid high tensions over its collapsed nuclear deal with world powers. The Reaper also carries special significance for Iran, as one reportedly carried out the 2020 strike in Baghdad that killed Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian general in its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Iran separately said it had provided two types of ballistic missiles to its army and the Guard on Tuesday, including one named for Soleimani. Iran has unveiled a series of drones it describes as capable of long-endurance flights over the last several years. It remains unclear how they've been used in combat. But other Iranian drones have been a key element of Russia’s continued war on Ukraine. Tehran has offered a series of contradictory explanations about the drones, first denying they supplied them to Moscow and then claiming they sold drones only before the war began. However, the volume of drones used in the conflict show a steady supply by Iran of the bomb-carrying weapons in the war. In June, the White House said Iran is providing Russia with materials to build a drone manufacturing plant east of Moscow as the Kremlin looks to lock in a steady supply of weaponry.

Iran Builds Advanced Mohajer Drone with Enhanced Range
Asharq Al Awsat/22 August 2023
Iran has built an advanced homemade drone named Mohajer-10 with an enhanced flight range and duration as well as a greater payload, Iranian state media reported on Tuesday. The drone has an operational range of 2,000 km and can fly for up to 24 hours, media said. Its payload can reach 300 kg, double the capacity of the "Mohajer-6" drone. A video released on Tuesday by Iranian media displayed the drone among other military hardware, with text saying "prepare your shelters" in both Hebrew and Persian. Published on Iran's military industry day, the video's text reflects simmering tensions between arch foes Iran and Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying on Monday that Tehran has funded and encouraged a series of recent deadly attacks against Israelis. US officials have accused Iran of providing Mohajer-6 drones, among other unmanned aerial vehicles, to Russia in its war against Ukraine. Tehran denies this.

Sudanese Factions Fight over Army Base in Khartoum
Reuters/22 August 2023
Sudanese military factions battled for a third day over an army base in the capital, eyewitnesses said on Tuesday, as both sides struggle for advantage in a more than four-month war that has devastated the country. After the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) circulated video of its soldiers claiming to have entered the base and captured tanks, army sources said they had managed to drive them out. If the army were to lose the Armored Corps base, its last stronghold in the capital Khartoum would be the army headquarters in the center of the city. Residents' committees reported displacement and deaths among civilians during days of clashes. The RSF has dominated on the ground since war broke out in Sudan on April 15, while the army, which has warplanes and heavier artillery, has maintained control of its main bases in the capital and in central and eastern parts of the country. The two forces have fought fiercely over bases and supply routes west of Khartoum in the Kordofan and Darfur regions. The army launched heavy air strikes and was met with artillery fire as it tried to cut off an RSF supply line between Omdurman and Bahri, Khartoum's sister cities across the Nile. Outside the capital, battles have centered on Nyala, which is the capital of South Darfur and one of the country's largest hubs. At least 60 people had been killed and 50,000 have fled their homes between Aug. 11 and 17, according to the United Nations, as fighting raged in residential neighborhoods and water and electrical services were cut off.

African Union Suspends Niger over Coup, Prepares Sanctions
AFP/22 August 2023
The African Union (AU) has suspended Niger from all its activities following the military coup there and told its members to avoid any action that might legitimize the junta. The coup last month has caused alarm among Western allies and democratic African states who fear it could allow extremist groups active in the Sahel region to expand their reach, and give Russia a foothold to increase its influence. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been trying to negotiate with the junta but says it is ready to send troops into Niger to restore constitutional order if diplomatic efforts fail. In a rare sign of progress on Tuesday, ECOWAS mediator Abdulsalami Abubakar, who is a former military leader of Nigeria, said a weekend visit to Niger had been “very fruitful" and that he still had hope for a peaceful resolution. "Nobody wants to go to war," he told reporters in Abuja after briefing Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on the mission. "We started talking. They (the junta) have made their own points. We'll get somewhere hopefully," he said, without giving further details. The AU Peace and Security Council said in a communique on Tuesday that it had noted ECOWAS' decision to activate a standby force and asked the AU Commission to assess the economic, social, and security implications of deploying such a force. It also said it had asked the AU Commission to compile a list of members of the military junta and their supporters for targeted sanctions and "the application of individual punitive measures". The resolutions in Tuesday's statement were adopted at a council meeting held on Aug. 14, it said. ECOWAS has already imposed broad sanctions on Niger, which the AU endorsed. The AU reiterated calls for the coup leaders to immediately release elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained since the coup, and return to their barracks. The junta has resisted pressure to stand down and on Saturday proposed a three-year timeline to organize elections, a plan which ECOWAS rejected.
'Grave implications'
The ECOWAS Parliament, one of the regional bloc's institutions, is against sending in troops, said Ali Ndume, a representative from Nigeria. "Our stand is informed by the grave implications of a military intervention in Niger. (There is) no alternative to a diplomatic solution," he told journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, following a parliamentary meeting on Niger the night before. Regional leaders have taken a hard line on Niger, trying to show that they meant it when they said coups would no longer be tolerated in the region. Niger's coup is the seventh in West and Central Africa since 2020. The country has strategic significance as a base for US and French troops helping fight extremist militant groups in the region, and as one of the world's biggest producers of uranium. Algerian state radio said late on Monday that Algeria had refused a French request to fly over its airspace for a military operation in Niger. France denied making any such request. It was not clear what type of operation Algeria referred to. The AU said it strongly rejected any external interference in the situation by any actor or country outside of Africa, including engagements by private military companies - a likely reference to Russian mercenary group Wagner, which is active in neighboring Mali. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has welcomed the coup and on Monday posted a video in which he appeared to be in Africa, promoting Wagner's activities there.

Ukrainian Drone Hits Apartments, Cars in Town Near Moscow, Says Russia
AFP/22 August 2023
Russian officials said early on Tuesday that the military had brought down four Ukrainian drones near Moscow and over the Bryansk region that borders Ukraine. A Reuters reporter was in the Odintsovo district near Chastsy settlement to the west of Moscow where one drone was shot down and heard four blasts shortly after 3.00 local time (00.00 GMT). "Windows were shaking," she said. Russia's defense ministry said there were no injuries in the latest attack. One of the drones was shot down over Krasnogorsk, a town outside Moscow, that hosts the Moscow regional government. Videos and pictures from the scene published by Russian media outlet Baza showed broken windows in a high-rise apartment building, debris on a pavement and a car with a hole in its glass roof hatch. Air space over the Russian capital was briefly closed and three major Moscow airports suspended flights, TASS news agency reported. Ukraine does not directly take responsibility for drone strikes on Russian territory that have increased recently. On Monday spokesperson of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) Andriy Yusov, asked about the previous drone attack, told RBC-Ukraine news agency: "GUR is working".

Ukraine Says it Gains Foothold in Strategic Southeastern Village
Reuters/22 August 2023
Ukraine said on Tuesday its troops had entered the strategic southeastern village of Robotyne, a potentially significant advance in its counteroffensive against Russian forces. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on the Telegram messaging app that Ukrainian soldiers were organizing the evacuation of civilians after entering Robotyne but were still coming under fire from Russian forces. "Our soldiers in the village of Robotyne," General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of Ukrainian forces in the south, wrote on Telegram under a picture of a soldier in a tank. Robotyne is 10 km (six miles) south of the frontline town of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region on an important road towards Tokmak, a Russian-occupied road and rail hub. Tokmak's capture would be a milestone as Ukrainian troops press southwards towards the Sea of Azov, a military push intended to split Russian occupying forces. The Institute for the Study of War, an American research group and think tank, has described the Ukrainian attacks on Robotyne as "tactically significant". Advancing in the area could enable Ukrainian forces to begin operating beyond the densest of the Russian minefields that have held up the counteroffensive launched in early June, it said. In a video published by the Ukrainian military, a woman is seen kissing a Ukrainian soldier and several evacuated residents talking on the phone with loved ones. "Psychologically it was very hard (...). We were waiting for so long that today they came unexpectedly. We could not even believe it was ours (..) We are very grateful to the boys (troops)," a 52-year-old woman was saying in the video. Reuters was able to verify the location of the aerial footage from the road layout and positions of buildings seen in the video, which matched satellite imagery of the area. Reuters was not able to independently verify the date it was filmed. Russia, which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, did not immediately comment on the reports from Robotyne.

Ukraine media say Kyiv saboteurs behind drone attacks deep inside Russia
Associated Press/22 August 2023
Ukrainian saboteurs coordinated by Kyiv's military intelligence services carried out a pair of recent drone attacks that hit parked bomber aircraft at air bases deep inside Russia, Ukraine media claimed Tuesday. The attacks on Russian airfields on Saturday and Monday destroyed two Russian bombers and damaged two other aircraft, according to Ukrainska Pravda, as the war approaches its 18-month milestone. That newspaper and Ukraine's NV news outlet said groups of saboteurs were behind the strikes. It was not possible to verify the claims on the ground. Ukrainian media attributed two attacks to the saboteurs: a strike Saturday on the Soltsy air base in the Novgorod region in northwestern Russia, about 700 kilometers (360 miles) north of the Ukrainian border, and Monday's strike against the Shaikovka air base in the southwestern Kaluga region that is about 300 kilometers (180 miles) northeast of the Ukrainian border. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov told the Ukrainian LIGA.net news outlet Monday that at least one Russian warplane was damaged in the attack on Shaikovka. He said it was carried out by people who worked in close coordination with Ukrainian military intelligence but gave no further details.The Russian Defense Ministry said the attack on Soltsy damaged one aircraft. It didn't comment on the reported attack on Shaikovka, but Russian media did.  Ukraine has since early this year sought to take the war into the heart of Russia. It has increasingly targeted Moscow's military assets behind the front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine and at the same time has launched drones against Moscow, most recently early Tuesday. Kyiv is also trying to keep up the pressure on the Kremlin along multiple fronts, pursuing a counteroffensive at various points along the 1,500-kilometer (900-mile) front line, as well as diplomatically by obtaining pledges of more weaponry from its Western allies, including F-16 warplanes. Some previous Ukrainian attacks on Russian air bases involved Soviet-designed drones powered by turbojet engines. They have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers (600 miles). But the strikes in recent days apparently used primitive small drones, which would corroborate the possibility that they were launched by saboteurs.
Also, a Russian pensioner walking in a forest about 600km (370 miles) north of the Ukrainian border on Monday came across the remains of a drone painted in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag. Pictures shared on Russian social media channels show that the drone had "glory to Ukraine" inscribed on a broken wing and "glory to the heroes" written on the other wing, the Russian telegram channel Baza said Tuesday. Meanwhile, a recent spate of drone attacks apparently targeting Moscow continued early Tuesday but were thwarted by Russian air defense systems, Russia's Ministry of Defense said. However, falling wreckage of one drone shattered an apartment building's windows and damaged vehicles in Moscow's western suburbs. There were no reports of injuries in the latest drone attacks that Russia blamed on Kyiv, Though the drone attacks on Russian soil have occurred almost daily in recent weeks, they have caused little damage and no victims. Flights at several Moscow airports were temporarily suspended Tuesday as a security precaution amid the attacks, authorities said.Two other drones were jammed and crashed in the western Bryansk region bordering Ukraine, the defense ministry said. Ukraine hasn't acknowledged responsibility for the attempted drone strikes, nor have senior Russian leaders made any comment about the development. Russian President Vladimir Putin was to speak via video link at a meeting this week in Johannesburg of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Putin is under threat of arrest if he travels abroad due to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant and won't attend the so-called BRICS talks in person.

Russian troops are running out of equipment and feel 'at war' with their own commanders: experts
Tom Porter/Business Insider/August 22, 2023
Ukraine is trying to breach Russia's formidable defensive lines. The Russian military is facing low morale, infighting, and equipment shortages as it battles Ukraine's counteroffensive, according to experts. Citing Russian military bloggers, an important source of independent information about the Russian military, US think tank The Institute for the Study of War said that the problems extend "along the entire front line." It reported that in one area, Russian forces lacked light vehicles essential for moving equipment around quickly. When soldiers register privately-owned vehicles with the Russian defense ministry for the job they "disappear or get transferred elsewhere." "Russian commanders regularly punish servicemen who keep their vehicles for minor administrative violations and that Russian personnel feel that they are "at war" with their commanders," the ISW said, citing a miliblogger. In the Kherson region in south Ukraine, Russian military requests for boats have not been met, the ISW said, as Ukraine launches attacks across the Dnipro River on Russian defensive positions. It also reported on problems facing Russian artillery units engaged in "counterbattery operations," or targeting Ukrainian artillery and command and control centers. Russian forces began experiencing artillery systems shortages and claimed that Russian forces began to receive "outdated" types of long-range gun, it said. Russia has faced long-standing problems with equipment and ammunition shortages during its invasion of Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin in July admitting that Russia's equipment supplies had not kept up with demand. "High-precision ammunition, communications equipment, drones etc... We have them, but unfortunately, there is not enough," said Putin. US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo in February said that Russia was struggling to produce enough ammunition for its forces. Ukraine is currently seeking to drive Russia out of positions it occupies along a 600-mile front line in east and south Ukraine. But it is facing strong Russian defenses protected by miles of minefields and is experiencing ammunition and equipment shortages of its own. Some analysts believe that if Ukraine succeeds in achieving a decisive breakthrough, Russia's demoralized forces could begin to crack, and resistance collapse. But the ISW, in a recent assessment, cautioned that it was unclear "if, when, or where" this might happen. Russia's military is also riddled with infighting, reports suggest, with the Kremlin having launched a search for traitors in the military command after June's mutiny by the Wagner mercenary force, which sough the ouster of Russia's military leaders over failings in Ukraine.

British intelligence: Ukraine drone strikes against Russian target likely from inside Russia
Paul Godfrey/United Press International/August 22, 2023
The destruction of a Russian supersonic bomber more than 400 miles inside Russian territory means it is likely that some of Ukraine's drone attacks against Russian military targets are being launched from Russian soil, Britain said Tuesday. Russian Defense Ministry claims the attack on the Tupolov-22M3 Backfire long-range bomber at Soltsky-2 Airbase south of St. Petersburg was carried out by copter-style UAVs "added weight" to assessments that Ukraine drone attacks are originating from inside Russia, according to an intelligence update from Britain's Defense Ministry. "This is at least the third successful attack on Long Range Aviation airfields, again raising questions about Russia's ability to protect strategic locations deep inside the country," the MOD wrote in a social media post. The attack took place at about 10 a.m. local time on Saturday with the defense ministry saying the incoming UAV was detected and hit with small arms fire before damaging an aircraft, but that nobody had been hurt. However, the BBC said it had analyzed images posted on social media of a jet aircraft ablaze featuring the unmistakable nose cone of the Tu-22 and that it believes the photos are genuine. Ukrainian media, citing military intelligence sources, are reporting that the attack damaged a further two aircraft, in addition to the Tu-22, and that it was followed by an attack Monday on Shaykovka airfield in Kaluga Oblast that damaged two bombers. Claiming the attacks were carried out by "saboteurs working with the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Intelligence Directorate," the reports appeared to confirm the raids were launched from inside Russia. "These drone operations are coordinated by the Intelligence Directorate and have caused sensitive losses to the enemy in military aviation. And the most important thing is that such planes are no longer produced in the aggressor country," the source was reported as saying. Monday's attack was carried by Russian media but the reports stated that no aircraft had been damaged. Moscow has come under attack a number of times in recent weeks from longer-range fixed-wing UAVs it says are launched by Ukraine, but with the Russian capital 400 miles away it is unclear whether the drones were launched from Ukrainian soil or from inside Russia. Known by Nato as the "Backfire" and widely deployed against Ukrainian cities, the Tu-22M3 has a top speed of Mach 2, or 1,430 mph, and a maximum weapons payload of 26 tons.

Airport chaos continues in Russia as Ukrainian drones target Moscow for the second time this week
Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert/Business Insider/August 22, 2023
All four Russian airports halted operations Monday after Ukrainian drones were shot down overhead. Ukrainian drones have been causing disruption in the airport district in recent weeks. On Friday, airports in the region were also closed due to another drone found in Russian airspace. Ukrainian drones on Monday caused havoc at Moscow airports for the second time in a week, grounding flights and delaying operations for hours while Russia's missile-defense system took effect. On Monday, the Russian state media agency Tass reported midmorning flights were delayed at the Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky airports in addition to more than 50 flights that had been diverted earlier in the day. The Russian Defense Ministry said two drone attacks were repelled in the region, Tass reported — one fell in the Ruza District after being suppressed by electronic warfare equipment; the other was shot down over the Istra District. The Monday strike was shot down near the home of one of Russia's most prolific propagandists — Margarita Simonyan, the head of Russian state television network RT, The Telegraph reported. Simonyan said debris landed a few hundred meters from her home, the outlet reported. A similar incident occurred Friday when one Ukrainian drone was intercepted in the region, causing a shutdown of the four major domestic and international airports. The Friday incident was the third time a drone strike or debris had targeted the Moscow district, where the civilian airports are based, CNN reported. As part of its summer counteroffensive primarily supported by Western allies, including the US, the Ukrainian military has been turning more and more to drone strikes within Russia's borders, including critical Russian targets around the Black Sea. Earlier this month, Ukrainian drone boats badly damaged the Russian warship Olenegorsky Gornyak. A day later, sea drones hit a critical link in the supply chain used to transport fuel and military equipment between Russia and Syria.

UN Says over 200 Former Afghan Military, Officials Killed since Taliban Takeover
Asharq Al Awsat/22 August 2023
More than 200 members of Afghanistan's former military, law enforcement and government have been killed since the Taliban took over, the UN mission in Afghanistan said on Tuesday, despite a "general amnesty" for old enemies. The mission said in a report it had recorded at least 218 extrajudicial killings with links to the Taliban from their takeover of Afghanistan in mid-2021 up to June. "In most instances, individuals were detained by de facto security forces, often briefly, before being killed," the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said. Senior Taliban leaders have said there is an amnesty for former government officials and members of the military by order of their supreme leader. The Taliban-led foreign affairs ministry said in response to UNAMA that it had not received reports of any cases of non-compliance with the order and any cases that did occur would be investigated. UN human rights chief Volker Turk said the killings were a "betrayal of the people's trust" since the victims had been assured they would not be targeted. UN rights office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said the scale of killings was "shocking" and expected the true count to be higher. UNAMA said about half of the killings it recorded occurred in the four months after the Taliban took over, as US-backed foreign forces were withdrawing, in August 2021, and 70 were recorded in 2022. "For the majority of violations discussed in this report, there is limited information regarding measures taken by the de facto authorities to investigate incidents and hold perpetrators to account," UNAMA said, referring to the Taliban administration. "The apparent impunity with which members of the de facto authorities continue to commit human rights violations against former government officials and ANDSF members is of serious concern," UNAMA said, referring to the old Afghan National Defence and Security Forces. In total, UNAMA had recorded 800 incidents of human rights violations connected with the Taliban against former government employees and military including arbitrary arrests, disappearance and torture. The majority were against former members of the security forces and police, the mission said. The Taliban-led foreign affairs ministry said their supreme spiritual leader had issued the amnesty order and another order against torture or ill-treatment of people in custody. It denied state sanctioned extra-judicial killings or targeting people who fought in or worked for the foreign-backed former government. "No military staff of the previous administration has been arrested, detained or tortured because of his activities in the security institutions," it said in a statement that the UN issued with its report. It added that the employees of the previous administration who joined the Taliban government or had military activities to the detriment of the system, have been arrested and introduced to judicial authorities.

Ethiopia to probe alleged killing of hundreds of its nationals at Saudi-Yemen border
Associated Press/22 August 2023
The Ethiopian government said Tuesday it will investigate a report by a human rights group of killings of hundreds its nationals at the Yemen-Saudi border. Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said the investigation will be done "in tandem with the Saudi authorities." The New York-based group Human Rights Watch released a report on Monday citing eyewitness accounts of attacks by border guards in Saudi Arabia using machine guns and mortars on unarmed Ethiopians trying to cross into the kingdom from Yemen. The ministry called for restraint and advised against making "unnecessary speculation until an investigation is completed," saying the two countries "enjoy excellent longstanding relations." A Saudi government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, called the Human Rights Watch report "unfounded and not based on reliable sources," but did not offer evidence to support the assertion. The United Nations has already questioned Saudi Arabia about its troops opening fire on migrants in an escalating pattern of attacks along its southern border with war-torn Yemen. About 750,000 Ethiopians live in Saudi Arabia, with as many as 450,000 likely having entered without authorization, according to 2022 statistics from the International Organization for Migration. A two-year civil war in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region displaced tens of thousands of people.Saudi Arabia, struggling with youth unemployment, has been sending thousands back to Ethiopia in concert with the Ethiopian government.

Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 22-23/2023
Continuing Atrocities: Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan
Mohshin Habib/Gatestone Institute/August 22, 2023
"What began as accusations against two Christian brothers has escalated into a devastating wave of violence, resulting in the destruction of over 20 churches and 500 homes. The situation remains tense as the community grapples with the aftermath of this unfortunate incident." — Pakistan Christian Post, August 18, 2023.
"Both men were taken into custody on the next afternoon and handed to the Counter-Terrorism Department, Punjab for investigation. Section 295-B relates to desecration of the Koran and carries a punishment of life in prison. Section 295-C relates to insulting Muhammad and is punishable by death." — Morning Star News, August 18, 2023.
After the Pakistani Supreme Court's 2018 acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Christian who was charged with blasphemy and kept in solitary confinement for eight years until TLP members held protests across Pakistan. Muhammad Afzal Qadri, a TLP co-founder, also called for the murder of the three Supreme Court justices involved in hearing Bibi's appeal, stating: "The Chief Justice and two others deserve to be killed."
"Videos circulating on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms showed a violent mob dragging a half-dead man on the streets of Sialkot, Pakistan on December 1, 2021. Young men were throwing stones at him and kicking his body as he was dragged mercilessly by those who called themselves the 'protectors' of the sanctity of the Prophethood. The videos go on to show ghastly scenes of the mob burning a corpse as dozens of men not only look on, but use their cell phones to take selfies...." — Atlantic Council, January 15, 2022.
On July 8, 2023, police arrested a 35-year-old Christian for allegedly sharing a post on Facebook, although "Even the imam of the village mosque told them that the post contained nothing derogatory against Islam, and that they should desist from stoking religious tension." — Morning Star News, July 12, 2023.
"Pakistani authorities need no more evidence to see how dangerous the blasphemy laws are – they are abused to make false accusations that can, and have, led to unlawful killings and even whole communities being attacked and their homes burnt." — David Griffiths, Director of the Office of the Secretary General of Amnesty International, August 25, 2020.
No changes in the situation have yet been observed.
On August 16, following an alleged incident of blasphemy in the town of Jaranwala, Pakistan, a violent mob of hundreds ransacked and torched five churches, and attacked the homes of Christians. Pictured: Workers renovate one of the churches that was attacked and gutted by fire in Jaranwala, August 20, 2023. (Photo by Ghazanfar Majid/AFP via Getty Images)
The utmost violence, it seems, against the Christians in Pakistan has taken a permanent form. According to the Pakistani daily newspaper Dawn, on August 16, following an alleged incident of blasphemy in the town of Jaranwala, a violent mob of hundreds ransacked and torched five churches, and attacked the homes of Christians and the office of the local assistant commissioner. According to the newspaper:
"As per police and local sources, the violence erupted after some locals alleged that several desecrated pages of the Holy Quran had been found near a house at Cinema Chowk in Jaranwala, where two Christian brothers resided.
"Rumors of the alleged act spread like wildfire across Jaranwala after those who had leveled the allegations approached different mosques, from where announcements were made to incite people to show their "reaction" to the incident....
"[T]he situation became more volatile when members of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) entered the fray, making public announcements from mosques and other places, riling up people to reach the site of the alleged incident. Soon, a mob gathered outside the house of the two men – who had evacuated by then – and set it on fire, sparking a spate of violent incidents."
The Pakistan Christian Post wrote:
"The extremist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik has posted a video depicting the recent destruction of Christian homes following an allegation of blasphemy, accompanied by threats to carry out acts of violence against those accused of blasphemy...
"What began as accusations against two Christian brothers has escalated into a devastating wave of violence, resulting in the destruction of over 20 churches and 500 homes. The situation remains tense as the community grapples with the aftermath of this unfortunate incident."
A Christian cemetery was also desecrated, residents and community leaders said, and the mob dragged belongings from Christians' houses, and set them on fire in the street. The attack lasted more than ten hours, without any police intervention.
According to Morning Star News:
"The rioting began after Muslim residents of Cinema Chowk in Jaranwala, Faisalabad District, accused Umar Saleeem, known as Rocky, of desecrating pages of the Koran and writing blasphemous comments.
"A relative said Rocky was leaving for work Wednesday morning when he saw a piece of paper with something written in red ink pasted on the door of a Muslim neighbor.
"'When he went closer to read it, he was shocked to see a photograph of him and his younger brother Umair, alias Raja, pasted on top of the page,' the relative told Morning Star News on the condition of anonymity. 'Beneath the page were some partially burnt pages of the Koran inscribed with derogatory remarks about Islam and Muhammad.'"
Instead of providing protective custody, a criminal case was filed against the two Christian brothers on August 16 , under Sections 295-B and 295-C of Pakistan's Penal Code. Both men were taken into custody on the next afternoon and handed to the Counter-Terrorism Department of Punjab for investigation. Section 295-B relates to desecration of the Koran and carries a punishment of life in prison. Section 295-C relates to insulting Muhammad and is punishable by death.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is the fifth-largest political party in Pakistan. It was founded in 2015 by Khadim Hussain Rizvi. The party, capitalizing on Muslim sentiments of hostility towards non-Muslims, secured 3 out of 168 seats in the Provincial Assembly of Sindh in 2018.
After the Pakistani Supreme Court's 2018 acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Christian who was charged with blasphemy and kept in solitary confinement for eight years until TLP members held protests across Pakistan. Muhammad Afzal Qadri, a TLP co-founder, also called for the murder of the three Supreme Court justices involved in hearing Bibi's appeal, stating: "The Chief Justice and two others deserve to be killed."
According to a 2022 report by the Atlantic Council on yet another blasphemy accusation:
"Videos circulating on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms showed a violent mob dragging a half-dead man on the streets of Sialkot, Pakistan on December 1, 2021. Young men were throwing stones at him and kicking his body as he was dragged mercilessly by those who called themselves the "protectors" of the sanctity of the Prophethood.
"The videos go on to show ghastly scenes of the mob burning a corpse as dozens of men not only look on, but use their cell phones to take selfies and memorialize their role in a lynching...
"The victim's name was Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, a 48-year-old manager at a factory in Sialkot. His alleged crime: desecrating posters featuring the name of the Prophet Muhammad.
"On the surface, this lynching may seem like an isolated, extremist reaction to what allegedly happened inside a factory, and while officials have not so far named any organized group for instigating the mob, the slogans chanted at the crime scene point the finger at a sectarian politico-religious party: Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, better known as the TLP."
Many in the Muslim population as well as in Pakistan's establishment, seem never to pass up a chance to file blasphemy charges against vulnerable Christians.
On July 8, 2023, police arrested a 35-year-old Christian for allegedly sharing a post on Facebook, although "Even the imam of the village mosque told them that the post contained nothing derogatory against Islam, and that they should desist from stoking religious tension."
Nevertheless, the police arrested Zaki Masih under Sections 295-A and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Section 295-A pertains to "Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs," punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine, or both. Section 298 relates to the "uttering of any word or making any sound or making any gesture or placing of any object in the sight with the deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person," punishable by one year of imprisonment, a fine, or both, respectively.
There has been an outcry against Pakistan's blasphemy laws by international human rights organizations for a long time. The Geneva based International Commission of Jurists, in a 2015 report, wrote:
"The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) opposes the criminalization of the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and religion or belief in Pakistan in the shape of the blasphemy laws and considers them a flagrant violation of Pakistan's international human rights obligations, including its obligations to respect the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of expression; and equal treatment before the law. Furthermore, the retention of the mandatory death sentence as a penalty upon conviction for a crime, including under 295-C of the Penal Code, violates Pakistan's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), including to respect the rights to life, to a fair trial, and to prohibit torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
David Griffiths, Director of the Office of the Secretary General of Amnesty International, said in 2020:
"Pakistani authorities need no more evidence to see how dangerous the blasphemy laws are – they are abused to make false accusations that can, and have, led to unlawful killings and even whole communities being attacked and their homes burnt."
In 2021, a group of United Nations Special Rapporteurs for human rights -- Ahmed Shaheed, Irene Khan, Fernand de Varennes and Tlaleng Mofokeng -- said that "they were concerned by the continued persecution and acts of violence perpetrated by State and non-state actors in Pakistan, fuelled by claims of apostasy and blasphemy, often targeting religious or belief minorities," adding:
"We urge the Government of Pakistan to comply with its international human rights obligations, including with regard to freedom of expression, religion or belief, as well as with regard to the rights of persons who belong to minorities, to repeal all its anti-blasphemy and anti-apostasy legislation and to take measures to combat advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination and violence."
No changes in the situation have yet been observed.
*Mohshin Habib, a Bangladeshi author, columnist and journalist, is Executive Editor of The Daily Asian Age.
© 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.

The Palestinians of Israel
Nabil Amr/Asharq Al Awsat/22 August 2023
Two million people, give or take, carry Hebrew documents that include everything from their birth certificate to their death certificate, and from the gray ID card to the Israeli passport, in their pockets. Alarmingly, we are currently witnessing a spike in the murder rate in Palestinian communities in Israel, who are subjugated on the basis of their ethnicity, with their existence, let alone equality, rejected. As Israelis protest in the name of democracy and judicial integrity, their movement does not address the question of equality. If it does, it does not do so at a broad enough scale to entice large numbers of Palestinians to take part and enthusiastically adopt the movement, its flags, and its slogans.
The Palestinians’ apprehensions are grounded on communal grievances against the inequalities they are subjected to. This injustice has given rise to phenomena that should concern Israel’s state and society. Indeed, the rising murder rate in Palestinian communities has left the Palestinians certain that, if the state is not implicated in planning and carrying out these killings, it is at least blatantly neglecting its responsibility to address them, although it is more than capable of solving the problem. The wave of murders would have died out before rising to these figures if Israel had made a genuine attempt to do so.
And if the ongoing crime wave wreaking havoc on Palestinian communities in Israel is nothing but a symptom of something deeper, then Israeli politicians, especially those with influence, have done more than just neglect this terrifying development. Some systematically fuel Palestinians’ sense of persecution, and this is not a question of laxity and carelessness in dealing with the killings.
Most recently, Finance Minister Smotrich decided to deduct some of the money that had been allocated for Arab local councils and transfer some of it to support extremist Jewish recipients. The illogical pretext that the Minister of Finance used to justify his decision is that the councils’ budgets go to organized crime groups, “mafias”!
Even if it is walked back on, this kind of decision, given how racist and immoral it is, it is bound to engender negative ramifications and resentments, even among the Palestinians who had thought they were privileged by the state, like the Druze.
The Palestinians in Israel - despite the systematic discrimination and “mafioso” incitement against them led by Israeli ministers - are a real force in Israeli society, professionally and economically. They are not a burden on the state; unlike the Haredim, they do not take without giving back.
In every sector of Israel: medicine, education, industry, agriculture, sports and art, you find capable, productive, determined and distinguished Palestinians.
Nonetheless, one matter we should turn our attention to is the problems plaguing the political class that represents Palestinian society in Israel: They are sick with the virus of division that has infected their kin in the West Bank and Gaza, costing them many real opportunities to make progress in their arduous struggle for justice and equality.
Indeed, they could wield far greater influence and make use of their share of the electorate more effectively, given the number of Palestinians in Israel, especially in the institution that wields the most influence on Israeli policy and decisions, the Knesset.
When the two opposite sides in Israel occupied equal numbers of seats, the Palestinians were kingmakers without whom no government could be formed. This happened for a brief period, but we then saw a retreat. Polls show the sides of the Zionist divide to be neck and neck, giving Palestinian representation in the Knesset back the status they had lost.
With the two sides tied, the Palestinians can become kingmakers once again, which would potentially allow Palestinian MPs to play a significant role in political life and better serve their communities in Israel, or at the very least create a bulwark against legislation and decisions that undermine Palestinians’ rights and interests. The political class, especially those competing for the largest number of Knesset seats, must find a way to unite. Unity is now the only missing piece.

Time for Assad to finally embrace a political solution to Syria crisis
Osama Al-Sharif /Arab Nerws/August 22, 2023
The eruption of protests in two Syrian government-held provinces, Suwayda and Deraa, last week is threatening to get out of control days after President Bashar Assad doubled public sector wages and pensions, triggering a new wave of inflation, and coinciding with a decision to lift fuel subsidies. The Syrian lira has tumbled further against the US dollar in recent days. Protesters in the mainly ethnic Druze province of Suwayda were joined by religious clerics and even local Baath Party officials. In some areas, protesters burned tires, blocked roads and chanted anti-government slogans.
A general strike was observed while placards were raised condemning the government’s failure to provide essential services, resolve bread shortages and curb inflation. The civil unrest spread to more than 40 locations in the province and, on Monday, similar protests took place in the Deraa countryside. Video clips shared on social media showed protesters calling for the downfall of the regime.
The fear now is that other cities and provinces could join the unrest at a time when the economy is in freefall.
Twelve years after the eruption of the Syrian uprising, which quickly turned into a bloody and protracted civil war, it now looks like the regime has come full circle. The fact that the protests began in Suwayda, where the minority Druze community sided largely with the regime during the civil war, should worry Assad.
The Druze had formed armed militias to protect citizens from Daesh and other extremist groups. These militias, known as the Druze Popular Committees, worked alongside government forces. They reportedly engaged in fierce battles to repel attacks and protect their territory in places like Suwayda and Jabal Al-Druze. As a result, most of Suwayda remained in government hands during the conflict and was spared the unrest seen in other parts of the war-torn country.
Twelve years after the eruption of the Syrian uprising, it now looks like the regime has come full circle
But the Druze elders were not comfortable with pro-Iranian militias, which were dispatched by Tehran to defend the regime, being positioned so close to their community. The deployment of Syrian forces along the border with Jordan has complicated matters, as some officers, including those close to Assad, are allegedly involved in narcotics smuggling.
The lira’s decline against the US dollar has accelerated this year. The exchange rate shot up from 7,000 liras to the dollar at the beginning of 2023 to 15,000 liras a few days ago. At the start of the conflict in 2011, the dollar was trading at 47 liras.
Despite the regime’s decisive victory against armed groups in 2018, it has failed to improve the lives of people under its control. The UN estimates that 90 percent of Syrians in government-held areas live in poverty and that more than half of the country’s population — some 12 million people — struggle to put food on the table.
The economic cost of the war has been devastating. It is estimated that the war has caused immense economic losses, including the destruction of infrastructure, loss of human capital, disruption of trade and commerce, and a declining gross domestic product. According to a 2017 report by the World Bank, Syria’s GDP contracted by more than 60 percent between 2011 and 2016. Furthermore, the cost of physical infrastructure damage alone has been estimated to be well over $200 billion. Not a single cent has been spent on reconstruction and millions of Syrian refugees and displaced persons are unable to return to their homes.
Judging by his latest media statements, Assad remains as reluctant to cough up political concessions as he was in 2011
There is no doubt that Western sanctions have crippled the ability of the Syrian government to maintain the provision of basic services. Also, the US and Turkish military presence in parts of Syria has added to the regime’s woes. But other factors have made things worse for ordinary citizens, such as official corruption and mismanagement of the public sector. The devastating earthquake that hit northwestern Syria in February made things worse.
But there are other issues that Assad has failed to address: reconciliation and the launch of a political process to bring the country together. Almost four months since Syria regained its seat in the Arab League and Assad attended the organization’s Jeddah summit, the normalization process is yet to deliver an end to the Syrian debacle. The restoration of ties between Damascus and several Arab capitals was supposed to be reciprocated by a meaningful gesture by Assad to present a political solution to end the 12-year civil war. He has not done so and, judging by his latest media statements, he remains as reluctant to cough up political concessions as he was in 2011.
But this new challenge should come as a wake-up call. The worsening economic conditions will continue to pressure middle and low-income households in government-held areas. The 2018 victory was over armed groups, but now ordinary citizens are taking to the streets. High fuel prices, electricity cuts, inflation, lawlessness in Deraa and other parts, and bread shortages are pushing civilians to the edge. Assad and his Iranian and Russian backers cannot provide a solution. The regime also risks an open war with Israel as it allows Iran to send weapons to its proxies in Lebanon and Syria.
An end can only come if Assad decides to engage his Arab counterparts and embrace a genuine political solution to the Syrian crisis. That would prepare the ground for a process of reconstruction to begin, thus alleviating the economic crunch his government is facing. It would also allow Assad’s Arab allies to put pressure on the West to adopt a new approach to Syria, rather than the one in place that has only hurt ordinary Syrians.
A failure to do so will push people to the brink, igniting a new cycle of violence with uncertain outcomes.
**Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman. Twitter: @plato010

How Washington views the war in Afghanistan two years on
Kerry Boyd Anderson/Arab Nerws/August 22, 2023
Two years after the US and its allies withdrew from Afghanistan, partisan political views in Washington have hardened, while foreign policy experts are starting more comprehensive reviews of the entire war. The American public strongly supported pulling out of Afghanistan but was disappointed in how the war ended. Polling at the time of the withdrawal showed that a strong majority of Americans wanted to end the war and believed that the US had failed to achieve its goals in Afghanistan. Polling also found that a slight majority disapproved of President Joe Biden’s handling of the withdrawal, while the event marked a notable decline in his approval ratings.
The partisan political narratives have changed little. Republican leaders and commentators argue that Biden is solely responsible for the chaotic and deadly nature of the withdrawal, while ignoring the reality that Biden inherited limited options from the Trump administration. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has held hearings to highlight the tragedy of the withdrawal and place blame on the Biden administration. Afghanistan is unlikely to be a major point in the presidential election, but Republicans will try to use it against Biden. On the Democratic side, there is a mix of blaming the Trump administration and simply hoping to move on. In April, the White House produced a report that largely blamed the Trump administration for its 2020 deal with the Taliban, its drawdown of troop numbers and a lack of planning for an intended withdrawal. Democratic leaders acknowledge that Biden made some errors but blame the Trump administration for the most important mistakes. With political perspectives set in stone, the discussion among foreign policy experts is more interesting
With political perspectives set in stone, the discussion among foreign policy experts is more interesting. Within think tanks and among experts with experience shaping and implementing Afghanistan policy throughout multiple presidential administrations, there is a more thoughtful review occurring. A year ago, the focus in Washington was primarily on reviewing the last two years of the war, especially the Trump deal with the Taliban and then the final withdrawal under Biden. Now, two years after the withdrawal, there appears to be more space for broader, nuanced discussion about the entire 20 years of US combat in Afghanistan.
The US’ war in Afghanistan covered two decades, including two Republican and two Democratic presidential administrations. Among those administrations, Congress, the federal bureaucracy, the US military and Afghan leaders, there is plenty of blame to go around. While politicians engage in finger-pointing, foreign policy experts are trying to take a big-picture look at what happened and to identify lessons.
This work is just beginning. In December 2021, Congress established a bipartisan Afghanistan War Commission to conduct a review of US policy toward Afghanistan during the full 20 years of war. For this commission and other experts, there is plenty of material already available for study and further documents and testimony will emerge. There is a general consensus that the war was a failure and that the withdrawal was a debacle. The questions are more about why and how.
The expert discussion about the war is starting to take shape. Many experts — including some Republicans and even some who worked in the Trump administration — believe that the US gave up most of its leverage in return for very little in the 2020 deal with the Taliban. While it was obvious that the US wanted out of the war, better diplomacy could have contributed to a preferable conclusion. Previous administrations also bear some responsibility for missing opportunities to negotiate with the Taliban from a position of strength.
There is a general consensus that the war was a failure and that the withdrawal was a debacle
The 2003 invasion of Iraq made Afghanistan a secondary priority for Washington, diverting many resources. The Obama administration recognized that and tried to correct course, but much of the damage was already done, and the Obama administration made its own mistakes.
Other critiques fall under the general category of failing to understand Afghanistan and adapt to the country’s realities. For example, building a centralized Afghan military with good equipment but lacking in other fundamental areas was a mistake. The influx of foreign aid often was not wisely distributed. Corruption was a massive problem that absorbed significant amounts of aid.
US policy also suffered from unclear and frequently changing goals. Was the US in Afghanistan solely to defeat Al-Qaeda? To defeat all terrorists? To ensure that the Taliban could never regain power? To conduct nation-building? To ensure stability? Leaders and policymakers often lacked clear answers to these questions and failed to clearly communicate their goals to the American public in honest and straightforward ways. While much of the power and thus responsibility was held by presidential administrations, Congress also failed to provide sufficient oversight — at least oversight that put the nation’s interests ahead of scoring partisan PR points.
There were other mistakes, including those related to military operations and political organization. These include losing Afghan support through the collateral damage of war.
The US and its allies had some achievements. Afghan women gained far more rights and there were other significant economic and humanitarian successes. For many Afghans in cities, particularly Kabul, life improved. The desperate desire of so many Afghans to flee in August 2021 demonstrated what they expected from life under the Taliban.
Americans will probably never reach a full consensus on what went wrong in Afghanistan. Scholars, policymakers and citizens still debate what went wrong in the war in Vietnam, why the US invaded Iraq, and so on. A consensus on Afghanistan will likely be elusive, but the coming years will produce improved understanding and perhaps some useful lessons.
*Kerry Boyd Anderson is a writer and political risk consultant with more than 18 years of experience as a professional analyst of international security issues and Middle East political and business risk. Her previous positions include deputy director for advisory with Oxford Analytica. Twitter: @KBAresearch