Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 24-25/2023
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.

4 Arab Israelis arrested for Hezbollah ties, smuggling Iranian explosives
Rina Bassist/Al Monitor/August 24, 2023
Four Arab Israelis were arrested last month on suspicion of smuggling into the country munitions they received from Hezbollah, Israel’s Shin Bet security agency announced Thursday. The four, residents of Kfar Qasim village and the town of Lod, were indicted on Thursday on charges of arms trafficking.
According to the Shin Bet announcement, which included pictures of those arrested, Kafr Qasim residents Jalal Khursa, Ahmed Issa and Muhammed Issa and Lod resident Nuh Assam were caught in possession of Iranian-made explosives. The Shin Bet suspects the four were part of a smuggling ring that received and distributed illegal arms and possibly drugs from Hezbollah. The security agency is now looking into other Israelis suspected of involvement in the smuggling ring. A Times of Israel report revealed that the four men were arrested in two separate raids. The three Kafr Qasim residents were arrested on suspicion of having smuggled “a large number of quality weapons” into Israel. Two Iranian-made explosive devices, among other weapons, were seized by Israeli security forces in the Kafr Qasim raid. According to the Jerusalem Post, the smuggling ring was uncovered in an investigation by the police, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet that began last July. The Jerusalem Post report quoted an unnamed Shin Bet official as saying, "This affair once again illustrates the efforts of terrorist elements from Hezbollah and Iran to exploit the Arab citizens of Israel for security activities against the state. It also emerged in the investigation that the line between the security and the criminal is extremely thin." On Aug. 9, the Jerusalem District Court cleared three Israelis accused of spying for Iran after they interacted with an Iranian intelligence operative on Facebook. Israeli authorities had suspected an Iranian intelligence agent had engaged with several Israelis, falsely presenting himself as an affluent Muslim from Tehran who was curious about Judaism and planned to visit Israel, in an effort to establish contacts and collect intelligence.

Hardline Christian group attacks queer-friendly bar in Lebanon
Beatrice Farhat/Al Monitor/August 24, 2023
BEIRUT — A group of hardline Christian men who call themselves Jnoud al-Rab (Soldiers of God) attacked a queer-friendly bar in Beirut on Wednesday evening, amid a rising wave of hate speech against the LGBTQ community in Lebanon. According to the local news outlet L'Orient Today, a drag show was under way in the Om Bar, in the capital's bustling Mar Mikhail neighborhood, when a group of men stormed in, hurling insults and trapping people inside. “Jnoud al-Rab attacked the venue and held everyone hostage and refused to let people out. . . . It was a good hour, more than an hour,” Tarek Zeidan, executive director of the Beirut-based LGBT rights group Helem, told L’Orient Today. Videos of the brawl went viral on social media. One attacker can be heard saying, “This is Satan’s place. It’s promoting homosexuality on the land of the lord. . . . This is forbidden. . . . This is only the beginning.”
The attack is the latest incident targeting Lebanon’s LGBTQ community amid increasing homophobic rhetoric. In an Aug. 1 report, Human Rights Watch documented a rise in attacks against the queer community after remarks by Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Shiite Hezbollah movement. On two occasions in July, Nasrallah incited violence against the LGBTQ community, telling followers that gay people “are to be killed” and calling homosexuality a “sexual perversion” and a “threat to society.”Politicians have also escalated their attacks against the community. Earlier this week, Abbas Halabi, caretaker minister of education, banned the popular children’s game “Snakes and Ladders” from public schools because it includes the colors of the rainbow, a symbol of the LGBTQ movement. Lebanon was once hailed as one of the most liberal countries in the Middle East, but in recent years its queer community has encountered increasing harassment and crackdowns. Authorities use Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code — criminalizing “sexual intercourse contrary to the order of nature” — to prosecute gay people. The government has also banned several movies for content deemed queer-friendly. In June, it blocked cinema screenings of Sony’s new Marvel movie, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” due to a frame containing the transgender flag. Last summer, “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” an animated film, and Disney’s “Lightyear” were banned because of same-sex kissing scenes. More recently, the release of the blockbuster film “Barbie” caused a weeks-long heated debate over whether to allow it to be shown in the country. Caretaker Culture Minister Mohammad Mortada had called for its ban, arguing that it promotes homosexuality and contradicts the values of the Lebanese people. On Wednesday, however, Lebanese General Security, in charge of censorship and the inspection of films, decided to allow "Barbie" to be shown in local theaters. VOX Cinemas announced on its website that it premieres Aug. 31.

Air traffic controllers at Lebanon’s only civilian airport to go on strike over staffing shortages
AP/August 24, 2023
BEIRUT: Air traffic controllers at Lebanon’s only civilian airport announced on Thursday they would go on strike next month over severe staffing shortages, partially closing the Beirut hub. The announcement by the team of 13 air traffic controllers at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport follows a report last week by the European Union’s aviation safety watchdog that raised concerns after inspecting the airport, just south of the Lebanese capital. The airport is supposed to have a staff of 87 air traffic controllers, the controllers said. Lebanon’s has been in the grip of a devastating economic crisis since late 2019 after decades of corruption and mismanagement. Public sector and state institutions have steadily deteriorated as the cash-strapped government struggles to provide adequate funding. The Beirut airport has faced power cuts and equipment shortages for months during the busy tourism season. Over 4 million people flew into Lebanon since the beginning of the year. The strike would begin Sept. 5 and the controllers would not work overnight, between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency and International Civil Aviation Organization said in a report carried by Lebanese media last week that its inspection of Beirut’s airport earlier this summer detailed multiple safety concerns, including a severe shortage of air traffic controllers. The controllers said in their statement that the government has ignored their repeated proposals to resolve the issue, including bringing in experts from abroad to help, and dismissed their safety concerns. They said that they work roughly 300 hours a month, and “most of us are above 50 years old.” Government officials have not responded to the announcement. The country’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation last week said that the airport staff shortage is part of a global issue impacted by the coronavirus pandemic restrictions. It said authorities were training new staff with ICAO’s support.

Lebanese air traffic controllers address staff shortage with new 7 AM - 8 PM shift
LBCI/August 24, 2023
In a recent statement issued by Lebanese air traffic controllers under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, concerns were raised about the department's severe staff shortage. The statement highlighted that the current situation has led to operational challenges and poses potential risks to aviation safety. The air traffic controllers, numbered 13, including department heads, sections, and branches, work within two separate centers. The statement provided a breakdown of the staff distribution, indicating that there are: Six air traffic controllers for regional surveillance, responsible for radar operations out of 52 controllers. They are assisted by two retired contract controllers. Seven air traffic controllers for airport tower operations out of a total of 35 controllers. They are supported by one retired contract controller. "We work in tandem to ensure 24/7 airport operations throughout the year. Despite our continuous struggles over the years, we refrained from publicizing our challenges due to the potential impact such details could have on public perception and air traffic operations. This includes airlines, aircraft insurance companies, and the International Civil Aviation Organization," the controllers clarified. Contrary to reports from specific suspect sources that falsely accused air traffic controllers from the 1990s of negligence and mismanagement, the controllers emphasized their continuous efforts to seek recruitment and training. They explained that their organizational structure dates back to a canceled directorate, established by Decree No. 7251 on January 21, 2002, to create the General Authority of Civil Aviation. This entity has yet to materialize.  Any solutions proposed require the approval of the Cabinet for implementation. However, most solutions have been met with sectarian, political, or unexplained obstacles.
The statement revealed, "Our most recent effort was the recruitment of assistant air traffic controllers from the 2018 batch, which did not materialize. This step was crucial for a long-term solution to the shortage crisis since assistant controllers need over three years of intensive training in an institute accredited by the International Civil Aviation Organization to become certified controllers."To address the shortage, the air traffic controllers proposed temporarily recruiting certified foreign controllers who could quickly adapt to Lebanese airspace navigation plans. They stressed the need for equity regarding working hours and compensation between foreign recruits and local controllers. Given the persisting challenges, the air traffic controllers decided to transition to a modified schedule starting September 5, 2023. During this time, they will manage operations at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The flight schedules will accommodate the operational capacity of the air traffic controllers, considering their current numbers and aiming to ensure safe aviation operations until necessary reforms are implemented in the aviation sector to reinstate 24-hour airport operations securely.

Ukraine asks Lebanon to bar Syrian ship carrying ‘stolen’ corn from docking
Reuters/August 24, 2023
BEIRUT: Ukrainian officials on Thursday asked Lebanon to bar a Syrian state-owned cargo ship carrying allegedly stolen Ukrainian grain from docking in Lebanon’s Tripoli port, according to the Ukrainian embassy and a diplomatic note seen by Reuters. The Ukrainian mission said in comments to Reuters that the Finikia was transporting 6,000 metric tons of corn, which it considered stolen, from the Black Sea port of Sevastopol. In the note to Lebanon’s ministries of transport, finance and economy, as well as the customs directorate, the embassy said the corn had been “stolen from storage units in the Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.” It said the ship was “in violation of international law” and expressed its hope that Lebanon “does not allow the entry of the aforementioned cargo ship FINIKIA to Lebanese ports to sell stolen Ukrainian grain.” Lebanon’s ministers of transportation and finance did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Syria’s government and the Syrian General Authority for Maritime Transport, which owns the Finikia, did not immediately respond to written questions. Lebanon’s economy minister said he had not received a formal note but that the embassy had sent similar notes in the past. Moscow has previously denied stealing Ukraine’s grain. According to MarineTraffic and a source at the Tripoli port, the ship had not yet docked there. Last year, Ukraine raised the alarm when the Syrian-flagged Laodicea docked in Beirut carrying what Ukraine said was 10,000 metric tons of stolen flour and barley. Lebanon seized the ship but ultimately allowed it to leave. It sailed on to Syria. Both the Finikia and the Laodicea are owned by the Syrian General Authority for Maritime Transport. The authority and the ships it owns have been sanctioned since 2015 by the United States for their alleged role in Syria’s war. Ukraine has estimated that 500,000 metric tons of what it calls plundered Ukrainian grain had arrived in Syria in 2022 since the February 2022 invasion, shipped from several ports.
A deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine’s grain expired in July.

MPs responses to Le Drian's presidential questions
Naharnet/August 24, 2023
As French special presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian arrives in Lebanon in September to resume his initiative to push for a solution to the presidential impasse, Lebanese MPs have still not responded to a letter he sent via the French embassy, in which Le Drian asks them about the required qualifications of the future president. Al-Akhbar newspaper said Thursday that while Amal has responded to the letter, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Marada are preparing their answers, and the Progressive Socialist Party will hold a meeting monday to take a decision regarding the letter. PSP sources have told al-Akhbar that, unlike the opposition, the party is leaning towards responding to the letter, as it does not want to strain its relation with France even though it has many reservations on Paris' approach. The Change MPs, for their part, are still mulling whether to respond or not, except for MP Elias Jradeh who decided to respond and is already preparing his answer. 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. Opposition sources told al-Akhbar that they had agreed with Le Drian, during his last visit, to discuss the qualifications of the future president in bilateral work meetings in September, and not through written questions and answers.
The daily said that other delegates from the five-nations group on Lebanon might also visit Lebanon in September.

Bou Habib says not in New York to 'confront Americans'
Naharnet/August 24, 2023
Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib has said that he is not going to New York to “confront anyone or be a reason for obstructing any agreement related to the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate.”“What concerns Lebanon is lowering the tensions that sometimes result from clashes between residents and some UNIFIL members as well as the tensions caused by Israel,” Bou Habib said in an interview with the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper published Thursday. “Addressing these two issues will lower the chances of war and its regional repercussions and will secure stability for Lebanon as it begins to extract its gas resources from the regional waters. This will be our message in New York and it won’t be a message to challenge the Americans or others,” the minister added. “Should the (U.N.) Security Council reject it, it will bear the responsibility for the deterioration of the security situation in the South, and that’s why I will hold meetings with the ambassadors of the Security Council member states and with the U.N. secretary-general to relay this message,” Bou Habib went on to say.

Fayyad says permit granted for 3D seismic survey of Block 8
Naharnet/August 24, 2023
Caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad on Thursday announced that a reconnaissance permit has been granted to a consortium of international companies to conduct a 3D seismic survey of Lebanon’s offshore Block 8.“Today is a historic day in a journey that had started in the year 2010,” Fayyad said at a press conference. The minister’s announcement coincided with the beginning of gas exploration in Block 9. “There are major hopes pinned on this block (#8) … and it had not been possible to launch the survey prior to demarcating the border with Israel, something that took place (last year),” Fayyad added.
Cash-strapped Lebanon hopes that future gas discoveries will help it pull itself out of the worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history. In 2017, Lebanon approved licenses for an international consortium including France’s TotalEnergies, Italy’s ENI and Russia’s Novatek to move forward with offshore oil and gas development for two of 10 blocks in the Mediterranean. The borders of one of the two blocks were disputed by neighboring Israel until a maritime border deal was reached last year. In January, Lebanon, ENI, TotalEnergies and state-owned oil and gas company Qatar Energy signed an agreement in which the Qatari firm replaced Novatek. Under the deal, Qatar Energy will take Novatek's 20% stake in addition to 5% each from ENI and TotalEnergies, leaving the Arab company with a total stake of 30%. Total and ENI will each have 35% stakes. 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.

Othman warns over politics' impact on security
Naharnet/August 24, 2023
Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen Imad Othman has reassured that the security situation in Lebanon is “under control,” while warning over “the impact of politics on security and stability.”“I sense that the (ISF) institution is in danger. There are parties targeting it because it is in control of security in the country. I don’t want to delve into details, but there is a direct and unjustified targeting of the ISF,” Othman added, in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. The major general also said that the strongest motive that pushes the ISF to continue its missions is its belief that “someone wants to replace it” and that “someone wants chaos instead of stability.”“There are problems such as the security hotbeds which are spread in some areas and which take a military aspect; the Palestinian camps and the fighting that takes place in them every once and a while; and Syrian displacement and the fears that security concerns grow because of it,” Othman added. “There are many crimes related to Syrian presence and this represents a pressure on security forces and on prisons’ infrastructure in Lebanon, seeing as the number of Syrian prisoners has become around one third of the number of prisoners in Lebanon,” the ISF chief warned.

Salloum calls for treating agricultural drugs like regular medications
LBCI/August 24, 2023
President of the Lebanese Order of Pharmacists, Dr. Joe Salloum, called on Thursday in a statement to "treating agricultural drugs like regular medications. Their danger is no less than that of ordinary drugs, and they should only be dispensed under a pharmacist's supervision and the pharmacist's oversight of the Pharmacists Syndicate.""Regrettably, all types of drugs are being smuggled into Lebanon without serious measures to prevent it. If anything, this indicates a disregard for human life on the part of the authorities," he stated.

Addressing Humanitarian Needs: Médecins Sans Frontières Responds After Clashes in Ain al-Hilweh Camp
LBCI/August 24, 2023
Following the clashes in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp a few weeks ago, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) took the initiative to provide medical and non-medical assistance to the residents. The clashes resulted in numerous injuries and evident suffering, underscoring the camp's need to enhance medical and humanitarian support. Médecins Sans Frontières stated that "from the early hours of the clashes, our teams responded to the population's growing needs, donating over 150 sets of blankets and mattresses to families displaced by violence. Concurrently, we gradually increased our support to local health facilities and community health workers, supplying around a ton of medical kits and supplies to enhance their capacity to respond to the rising numbers of wounded." They added, "With the situation now calmer, a team of nurses, doctors, and paramedics was deployed to various locations within the camp to provide free medical care to those most in need." "We provided wound care to the injured, treatment for those with chronic non-communicable diseases, and psychological services and sessions for over 80 individuals at the clinic," Dr. Tamara Chehadeh, who leads the response for Médecins Sans Frontières, explained. This was achieved in collaboration with local partners and health facilities in the camp, where Médecins Sans Frontières worked between 2011 and 2020, establishing a knowledge network. "We received patients suffering from severe shock symptoms. Many told us about the difficulties they faced in accessing healthcare, particularly mental health care, within and outside the camp," Dr. Chehadeh added. Médecins Sans Frontières noted that despite the cessation of clashes in Ain al-Hilweh, the situation remains tense, stating that "our direct medical activities within the camp have paused, but we remain committed to providing support whenever the need arises once again."

Formalizing Civil Defense volunteers: PM Mikati acknowledges national efforts
LBCI/August 24, 2023
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati praised the Civil Defense for its sacrifices, considering the government's decision to install civil defense volunteers as a gesture of appreciation for their efforts in all Lebanese regions. The Prime Minister received the Director General of Civil Defense Raymond Khattar and a delegation of volunteers on Thursday afternoon at the Grand Serail. During the meeting, the Prime Minister informed the delegation that a decree to formalize the Civil Defense volunteers had been published in the Official Gazette Thursday. Mikati stated, "It is the right of volunteers to receive the necessary recognition for their work and sacrifices, especially since their efforts cover various Lebanese regions without discrimination. It is also worth noting the role played by the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Bassam Mawlawi, in bringing this matter to fruition." The Director General of Civil Defense, Raymond Khattar, expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for this achievement after twenty years of waiting. He also praised the Minister of Interior and Municipalities for his support and advocacy for the rights and demands of the Civil Defense. He hoped that the Civil Defense would be provided with the necessary equipment to enable it to fully carry out its work. Civil Defense members also delivered words of gratitude, acknowledging the Prime Minister's continuous and dedicated support and follow-up on their tasks.

Lebanon's Central Bank Receives Approval to Publish Summary of Gold Reserves Audit
LBCI/August 24, 2023
The Central Bank of Lebanon announced on Thursday in a statement that, based on the communication of the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon with the auditing company ALS Inspection UK Ltd, which KPMG commissioned in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund, the Central Bank of Lebanon obtained approval on August 24, 2023, to publish a summary of the audit report on its gold reserves. Consequently, the Central Bank published the mentioned summary and its translation into Arabic, confirming that the gold reserves held in the Central Bank's vaults are consistent with the quantities documented in the financial statements.

Lebanese Basketball Team Prepares for a Tough World Cup Run After a 13-Year Hiatus
LBCI/August 24, 2023
The Lebanese national basketball team arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia, this Thursday, gearing up for their latest appearance in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, which kicks off this Friday. The tournament will take place across Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines from August 25 to September 10. This marks Lebanon's fourth appearance in the tournament, following participations in 2002, 2006, and 2010, and comes after a 13-year absence from the global stage. The team is hopeful of putting up a strong performance, buoyed by their impressive run in the last Asian Cup, where they reached the finals.
The team, led by national coach Jad Al-Hajj, has been busy preparing for the tournament, participating in friendly matches in Turkey and hosting games in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Lebanon's Basketball Team Ready to Rise to the World Stage: A Look at Their Pre-Tournament FIBA Press Conference
Ahead of their debut in the FIBA World Cup, Lebanon's national basketball team shared their thoughts on the competition and what it means for their country in a pre-tournament press conference. Present were player Wael Arakji and head coach Jad al-Hajj, who spoke candidly about the journey ahead.
"We're Here to Fight"
When asked about how he felt prior to the start of the tournament, Wael Arakji responded: "Honestly, I'm really happy I'm back in Jakarta... Very excited to kick off the tournament tomorrow. We know it's not gonna be an easy game. We have a very tough group, but we're here to fight and to show the world what we're made of." This "fighting spirit" was echoed by Coach Jad al-Hajj: "It's our first experience in the World Cup. So all we can say is we're gonna give our best. We're going to fight till the end, we have nothing to lose. We're representing Lebanon."
Underdogs with Nothing to Lose
Facing powerhouse teams like France and Canada, Lebanon is entering the tournament as underdogs, a term both the player and coach embraced. Arakji said, "Honestly, we're not putting any expectations... People are expecting them to win; no one is expecting us to win, so everyone is expecting us to lose. We're gonna go hard. We're gonna go out there, fight till the end, and we're not scared of anyone."
The Pressure and the Hope
Both the coach and the player acknowledged the importance of basketball in Lebanon, especially during these tough times. "We know that basketball now is the sport number one in Lebanon. Everyone's waiting for us," said Coach al-Hajj. Arakji added, "Lebanon is not in its greatest situation. So whatever positive we bring to our people, they will be happy. This is what we're aiming for."
Facing Europe's Best
Arakji acknowledged the level of competition, especially against top European teams. "You're playing against the top five-six countries in Europe... most of them are not if they're not NBA players, they're EuroLeague players."
Moving Forward
Despite the uphill battle, the team seems more than ready to represent Lebanon on the world stage. As Arakji succinctly put it, "It's an opportunity that every player coming from a small country looks for." Lebanon finds itself in a challenging group, often referred to as the 'Group of Death,' alongside France, Canada, and Latvia. Despite the strength of the competition, the Lebanese squad is optimistic, especially since Al-Hajj's roster is at full strength. It's worth noting that Lebanon has previously beaten France in 2006 and Canada in 2010. The team will begin their tournament journey on Friday with a game against a well-organized Latvian team. They will then face a star-studded Canadian team, featuring NBA talent, on Sunday, August 27, and will conclude the first round against tournament favorites, France, on Tuesday, August 29.
All games will be broadcast live on LB2.
It's clear that for Lebanon's basketball team, the FIBA World Cup is about more than just a game. It's an opportunity to show the world their mettle, uplift the spirits of a nation going through difficult times, and write a new chapter in the history of Lebanese sports. With this attitude, they're already winners in the eyes of many.

Lebanese Politician Fares Souaid: Dialogue With Hizbullah Is The Best Option; Without Support Of Regional Powers Like Israel, Saudi Arabia, And Syria, The Christian Parties Are Not Ready To Confront Hizbullah Militarily
MEMRI/24 August 24/2023
Source: MTV (Lebanon)
Lebanese Maronite politician Fares Souaid said in an August 10, 2023 interview on MTV (Lebanon) that Fadi Bejjani, a Lebanese Christian who was killed during clashes between Hizbullah militants and local Christians in Kahaleh, was a hero and martyr. He said, however, that the Christian political parties are not ready to enter into a military clash with Hizbullah and should instead opt for dialogue with Hizbullah, since waging war against Hizbullah without the involvement of a foreign power such as Israel, Syria, or Saudi Arabia would be futile.
Fares Souaid: "The heroic martyr Fadi Bejjani [who was killed by Hizbullah]… Anyone in my town or in yours…"
Interviewer: "Would get his gun and defend himself."
Souaid: "If I saw a stranger with a gun, in the middle of my town, shooting at children, the least I would do is get my weapon and shoot him."
Interviewer: "In addition, he was standing on the steps of the church, which is symbolic."
Souiad: "Right. However, this heroic act by Fadi Bejjani does not mean that there is a political decision or readiness among the Christian political parties to enter a military clash with Hizbullah.
"Today, leaving the dialogue [with Hizbullah], deciding that we want to reconsider it because of what happened - the balance of power does not allow us to get anything more [than this dialogue]. What is the opposite of dialogue? Violence. If we are capable of using violence, let's do it.
"If anyone in the Arab world or in the region says that they will support us... If you can get an Ariel Sharon to enter Lebanon with 100,000 soldiers, you have my support. I say this out in the open. If you are capable of doing this, I support you. If you can bring back the 1976 version of Hafez Al-Assad, who came to help us in Tel Al-Zaatar – go for it. If you can get Saudi Arabia to support you, count me in. However, all of this is impossible. Impossible. If we are called to enter a futile war that will only further erode Lebanon's character, then no. I support the dialogue again and again."

Lebanese Daily: Hizbullah Arms Truck Incident In Beirut May Cause U.S. Forces To Shut Down Iraq-Syria Border; U.S. Steps To Preempt Growing Russian Presence In Syria Poses Threat To Iranian Influence In This Strategic Area
MEMRI/August 24, 2023
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On August 20, 2023, the online news portal "Asas Media," which opposes Lebanese Hizbullah, published an article titled "The Kahale Truck Carried American Weapons." The piece claimed that the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) smuggled weapons to Hizbullah and that the incident may cause the U.S. to shut down the Iraq-Syria border. It argued that the threat posed by Iran-backed factions to U.S. interests is outside security agreements between Baghdad and Washington, and that the growing war of influence in Syria between the U.S. and Russia endangers Iran's ability to control the strategic Tehran-Beirut corridor and its access to the Mediterranean Sea.[1]
Earlier this month, Lebanese media reported that an arms truck belonging to Hizbullah was involved in an accident on the road from Beqaa to Beirut on the evening of August 9. Reports said that the incident led to an immediate armed response from locals, who clashed with the armed men assigned with protecting the shipment and the truck, resulting in the death of a Hizbullah affiliate and a local.[2]
In reaction to the incident, on August 12 Hizbullah's Media Relations Office released a statement claiming that following the accident, armed men belonging to a "local militia" opened fire at the Hizbullah operatives, who fired back. It said that a Lebanese Army unit arrived on site and prevented the "assailants" from drawing near the arms-loaded truck.[3]
The article opened by citing Iraqi sources as saying that the weapons transported aboard the Hizbullah truck originated from the Iraqi armed forces' warehouses and included U.S.-made weapons, and that parties affiliated with the PMU were smuggling these weapons to Lebanese Hizbullah.
Speculating, the article said the incident "may result in a U.S. move to activate the plan to shut down the border between Iraq and Syria and cut the lines of arms transfer from Iran and Iraq towards Syria and Lebanon," noting that the incident coincided with "the remarkable movement" by U.S. forces in the Gulf and the Red seas, the dispatch of about 3,000 soldiers, aircraft carriers, and other military units, as well as ground movements between U.S. bases in Iraq.
Attacks and Threats By Iran-Backed Factions On U.S. Interests Occur Outside U.S.-Iraqi Government Understanding
The U.S. military movements in Iraq and the region generated significant debate in Iraq regarding their purpose. According to the article, they coincided with the security meeting held in Washington between an Iraqi military and security delegation with U.S. counterparts to discuss the means to boost bilateral cooperation and activate the strategic framework agreement signed in 2008.
Additionally, the article stressed that the U.S. military movements took place following the U.S.-Iranian prisoner swap deal, which will allow Iran to have direct access to its frozen financial assets in Iraqi, Japanese, and South Korean banks.
Nonetheless, the border area between Syria and Iraq continues to see attacks by Shi'ite factions against U.S. bases in Syria's Al-Omar and Koniko gas and oil fields, which "most likely occur outside the U.S.-Iraqi understandings" and also are "not consistent with the recent agreement between Washington and Tehran." The article said.
Additionally, it contended that one of the most important outputs of the strategic dialogue between Washington and Baghdad is that the U.S. set the "operational framework" for its forces' activities in Iraq, describing it as an advisory role and as assisting in the war on terror. It also noted that such a framework not only aligns with prior agreements with Iraqi governments in the past, but also is "not far from the consent [reached] by the Iranian regime's leadership after the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani and [in] the Iraqi parliament law passed a few days after the assassination, which obligated the Iraqi government to work to remove U.S. forces from Iraq."
"U.S. Military Mobilization Does Not Target Iraq"
Sources from within the Iraqi delegation that visited Washington told the outlet that the U.S. mobilization in the region does not target Iraq, but said they also demanded that the U.S. look at the Iraqi arena separately from the Syrian arena. Iraqi officials reportedly claimed that the 7,000 elements affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) in the region must not include Iraq, where the number "dropped to less than 1,000 affiliates dispersed across [the country] who do not pose a real threat to security stability in Iraq."
"What is happening in Iraq has nothing to do with the U.S. military reinforcement in the region, given that the main goal of these forces, according to U.S. statements, falls within the framework of enhancing the security of waterways and preventing Iranian forces from attacking oil tankers in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz." The sources added.
Any U.S.-Iran Conflict In The Future Will Take Place In Syria's Eastern Region, Without Lebanese Hizbullah Involvement . According to the article, the escalation carried out by the Iran-backed "resistance" factions, and the escalation in the language of threats made against U.S. forces are the result of an internal Iraqi conflict and the relationship of these factions with the Iraqi government, following accusations that the government continues to evade budget allocations and financial obligations towards the PMU.
It went on to argue that any future confrontation or escalation between the U.S. and Iran will not take place in Iraq, but rather in Syrian territory, noting that the conflict revolves around the future of Syria, its regime, and its control over all of its territory.
"The area of tension between both parties is limited to eastern Syria, particularly the Deir Al-Zor region, extending to the Iraqi border," an area which, the article claimed, "is exclusive to the Iranian forces, some Syrian factions, and the Syrian army."
The daily added that Lebanese Hizbullah is kept out of the conflict zone in eastern Syria, as its role "has been limited to the Aleppo region and its environs."
Iran Fears Growing U.S., Russian Influence In Syria May Diminish Its Ability To Control "Strategic Corridor"
Iran's focus on the Syrian-Iraqi border strip is part of the framework "to establish the rules of engagement with the U.S. forces," and the interests of each party, considering the repercussion of the situation in Ukraine on the Syrian arena, the article said.
It further argued that proactive U.S. move aims to secure its presence in Syria and preempt any Russian move in Syria should Russia's "situation in Ukraine improve." Such a scenario, the article contended, increases the fears of the Iran-led axis about the repercussions of a U.S.-Russia confrontation on the Iranian presence, influence, and ability to control this vital strategic corridor, which represents "a major artery that links Tehran to Lebanon and the Mediterranean coast."
[1] Asasmedia.com, August 20, 2023.
[2] Naharnet.com, August 9, 2023.
[3] Almanar.com.lb, August 12, 2023.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 24-25/2023
Iran Unveils New Combat Drone
FDD/August 24, 2023
Latest Developments
The regime in Iran unveiled a new drone on August 22, which it claims can fly higher and farther than other drones in its arsenal. According to Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency, the Mohajer-10 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) can fly at speeds of 130 mph (210 kph) at up to 24,000 feet, carry a payload of 660 pounds (300 kilograms), and stay in the air for 24 hours. It can be equipped with electronic surveillance equipment, a camera, jamming equipment, and smart bombs.
Expert Analysis
“This new drone will increase Iran’s intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike capacity. We should expect this regime to use its finite resources to hone domestic oppression, build new weapons, and export terrorism, with the goal of conducting more attacks on U.S. forces as well as against America’s Arab, Israeli, and European allies and partners. The urgent need for a combined Middle East regional security architecture focused on air and missile defense is growing.” — Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power
“Whether reverse-engineered or a composite of illicitly procured foreign parts, Iran’s drones are a near omnipresent feature on the battlefields of the Middle East and increasingly beyond. But to treat all of Iran’s drones as ‘suicide’ or kamikaze drones would be to ignore the role that unmanned combat aerial vehicles, like the Mohajer class, offer Tehran. While the newest Mohajer’s range, speed, altitude, potential bomb array, and max cargo weight are yet to be independently verified, Tehran’s intent to improve its oldest drone class — which dates back to the Iran-Iraq War — should not be underestimated.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD Senior Fellow
Iranian Drone Program
The new drone bears a strong resemblance to America’s General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper drone, one of which killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, in 2020. While it is uncertain to what extent the Mohajer-10 copies the Reaper, Tehran has a history of capturing and reverse-engineering U.S. drones.
Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle program manufactures multiple drone types. Iran first fielded the Mohajer line of drones in 1985. Unlike the better-known Shahed-series suicide drones that Iran has provided to Russia, the multipurpose Mohajer drones can return after completing their mission and be rearmed. Iran has provided Mohajer drones to Russia as well.
Threat to Israel
The Mohajer-10’s range would allow Iran to strike Israel from inside its territory instead of using proxies in Syria and Lebanon, which are vulnerable to Israeli airstrikes. A video introducing the new drone included the warning, “prepare your shelters,” apparently directed at Israel, written in Hebrew and Farsi.
Iran’s Priorities
The clerical regime has faced nearly a year of protests over human rights abuses, mistreatment of women, and economic decline. Rather than stabilizing its economy, Tehran prefers spending its finite resources on developing offensive drone capabilities. While the United States claims that Iran can only use the approximately $16 billion in unfrozen funds for humanitarian purchases, money is fungible, and the funds returned to the regime will allow it to continue developing its military capabilities to strike U.S. military personnel and America’s Middle East allies and to fund the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

Palestinian authorities say explosion at Hamas site in Gaza kills 1 militant
Associated Press/August 24, 2023
An explosion ripped through a Hamas militant site in the central Gaza Strip on Thursday, Palestinian authorities said, killing one militant and seriously wounding another. The Gaza-based interior ministry did not reveal the cause of the blast but said it killed Ashraf Hussein, a member of Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades. The Qassam Brigades acknowledged that Hussein was killed in what the group described as an accidental explosion. There was no information about what kind of militant facility was affected in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, or about the extent of damage caused. Gaza's Hamas rulers have a number of training sites and underground facilities used for manufacturing weapons and storing raw rocket material. Accidental explosions have been reported in the past at bomb laboratories and munitions storehouses. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, prompting Israel and Egypt to impose a blockade on the territory, largely to prevent the militants from amassing more weapons. Israel and Hamas have fought four wars and exchanged fire countless times since the Hamas takeover of the crowded Palestinian enclave.

3 small Palestinian villages emptied out this summer. Residents blame Israeli settler attacks
AL-QABUN, West Bank (AP)/Thu, August 24, 2023
The Palestinian hamlet of al-Qabun in the central occupied West Bank was silent this week — the grazing fields for sheep deserted, the empty schoolhouse locked, the makeshift homes left as steel carcasses. The last families living there packed up two weeks ago, driven from their homes of nearly three decades by what they said was a year of intensified attacks and harassment by armed Jewish settlers living in unauthorized outposts on neighboring hilltops. “I feel like I’m a refugee here, and settlers are the owners of our land,” said Ali Abu Kbash, a shepherd who fled al-Qabun with his four children and 60 sheep for the rocky slopes of a neighboring village. He said life had become unbearable as settlers tried to take over his fields with their sheep, tampered with the village’s water supply, and routinely burst into his village to harass residents. The exodus from al-Qabun, a small Bedouin village northeast of the city of Ramallah that numbered 89 people before the evacuation, represents the third case over four months in which a Palestinian community emptied out, according to data from U.N. monitors. Residents blame mounting settler violence. For Palestinians, the recent wave of departures from Area C — the 60% of the West Bank that has remained under Israeli military control since interim peace accords from the 1990s — is emblematic of a new stage in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as Jewish settlers double down on shepherding as a tool to seize land. United Nations officials warn the trend is changing the map of the West Bank, entrenching unauthorized outposts. Some 500,000 Israelis have settled in the West Bank — specifically in Area C — since Israel captured the territory, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war. Their presence is viewed by most of the international community as a major obstacle to peace. Settlement expansion has been promoted by successive Israeli governments over nearly six decades, but Netanyahu’s far-right government has made it a top priority. Settler firebrand and powerful Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich plans to ask the government to allocate $180 million for West Bank projects that could advance his goal of eliminating any differences between life in the settlements and life within Israel’s internationally recognized borders. "The displacement of Palestinians amid increasing settler violence is of a magnitude that we have not previously documented,” said Andrea De Domenico, head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the occupied Palestinian territory. Settler attacks have displaced nearly 500 Palestinians, including 261 children, in the past year and a half, the office estimates.
A spokesperson for settlers in the region denied accusations of violence or aggression against Palestinian communities. “No one forced them out,” said Eliana Passentin. “They chose to leave.”
While Bedouin are traditionally nomadic, the recent departures are not voluntary seasonal migrations, residents and researchers said. Instead of moving to nearby hamlets before returning, Bedouin are fleeing the open areas of the West Bank for populous towns under Palestinian Authority administrative control. Most of the displaced villagers said they would like to go home one day but would not unless the outposts disappeared. Out of 36 people who fled the Palestinian hamlet of al-Baqa, east of Ramallah, in early July, just one six-person family has returned after settlers from a newly established outpost wreaked havoc on the village, setting their sheep loose on Palestinian grazing fields and torching a home with people inside. “The rest of my village is too scared to return,” said Mustafa Arara, a 24-year-old resident who recently went back. Palestinian rights groups describe the uptick in settler incursions as part of a state-backed strategy. For decades, the settler movement has sought to clear sections of the West Bank around the Israeli-built Route 90 road that runs through the Jordan Valley. If Israel were to develop the areas, it would bolster the contiguity of settlements and further weaken the already faint possibility of a partition deal leading to Palestinian statehood. Many Bedouin communities in Area C have been slated for expulsion because they could not secure permission to build. According to anti-settlement watchdog group Peace Now, over 95% of Palestinian building permits are rejected. The military routinely issues demolition orders for homes of corrugated tin and scrap wood. Last week, authorities leveled a European Union-funded schoolhouse in the Bedouin hamlet of Ein Samiya, which 150 residents recently fled — virtually guaranteeing they would not return soon.
But the government hasn’t carried out mass evictions for decades. In some cases, Israel's Supreme Court delays the expulsion of Bedouin communities by questioning whether authorities have suitable relocation plans. Now, rights groups say radical Jewish settlers and their sheep are doing what Israeli authorities have not — driving scores of Bedouin from land that they’ve inhabited for decades. Most settled in the area after fleeing or being forced from the Negev desert in the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation. “I don’t think there was a meeting in a smoky room between the army and government and settlers,” said Michael Sfard, a prominent Israeli lawyer who often represents Palestinians. “But in a more general way, Israel is directly pushing the Palestinian community away from open lanes of Area C and into more populous enclaves.”Amana, a group that supports and funds unauthorized settlements, described the shepherd outposts as a way for Israelis to take over the most land with the least effort at a conference in 2021. “Construction takes up little ground and is expensive, and it doesn’t allow you to bring in large amounts of people in a short period of time,” Amana’s secretary-general, Ze’ev Hever, said at the conference. Israeli shepherd settlers now control some 60,000 acres — just under 7% of Area C, said Dror Etkes, an Israeli anti-settlement researcher. A quarter of that land was seized after Palestinian residents evacuated. When al-Qabun emptied, some 3,000 additional acres fell under Israeli control, Etkes said. Violence from both Israelis and Palestinians has long been routine in the territory. But under Netanyahu's new government, the number of attacks against Palestinians has skyrocketed, according to U.N. monitors.
In the governorate of Ramallah — where four small Palestinian villages have emptied out since last July — the U.N. has recorded 150 Palestinians injured and four killed by either Israeli settlers or Israeli forces in settler-related incidents between January and early August this year. That’s nearly double the number of injuries recorded in all of 2022. Israel’s military said it does not allow or support acts of settler violence. It said the security forces deal with “cases in which a report of violence in the area” is received.
After evacuating earlier this month, some residents from al-Qabun returned — to set fire to what remained of their homes. They’d rather burn down the place themselves than let Israeli settlers do it, they said. The violent settlers who drove them to leave, they said, came from a nearby outpost known as Malachei Hashalom — Hebrew for “Angels of Peace." Founded in 2015, Malachei Hashalom describes itself as a “special shepherding farm ... where Jewish presence is critical to the security and integrity of the country.”
Earlier this year, Netanyahu’s government pledged to legalize the outpost.

Protests in southern Syria gain momentum, spread to Aleppo
Adam Lucente/Al Monitor/August 24, 2023
Anti-government protests in southern Syria continued on Thursday, the fifth day in a row, with demonstrations spreading to other parts of the country. In Suwayda, a primarily Druze city in the southwest, hundreds of people gathered to hoist signs and deliver a message to President Bashar al-Assad, at one point chanting, “Syria is ours and it is not for Al-Assad’s family.” The protesters also denounced the deteriorating living conditions in the country and demanded the release of detainees. Some demonstrators additionally blocked several roads in Suwayda and the surrounding areas, reported the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The local news outlet, Suwayda 24, published a video showing a large crowd of young men chanting, “One, one, one. The Syrian people are one.” Istanbul-based Syria TV reported that on Wednesday demonstrations had spread to the northwest, to government-controlled parts of Aleppo province. Security forces dispersed protesters in Al-Fardous, a neighborhood of Aleppo city, according to the outlet. The US-based non-profit Syrian Emergency Task Force reported on Thursday that protests had taken place this week in Daraa, in the south, and Deir ez-Zor, in the east, as well as in Aleppo. The Associated Press reported demonstrations in Daraa on Monday. The Syrian government has not commented on the apparent unrest. The pro-opposition Shaam News Network reported on Thursday that Suwayda Governor Bassam Parsik had met with the Druze community's spiritual leader, Hikmet al-Hijri, in response to the protests. Why it matters: The protests, which broke out in Suwayda last week, were initially in response to high fuel prices. After almost a decade of civil war, Syria’s economy remains in tatters. Corruption, poor governance, Western sanctions and an earthquake in February have exacerbated Syrians' economic misery. The sustained protests in Suwayda — the site of anti-government demonstrations in 2020 and 2022 — and the subsequent appearance of demonstrations in other parts of the country point to their picking up momentum.
Recent government actions have heightened discontent among Syrians. Seeking to lower the deficit, the government in Damascus lifted fuel subsidies last week, causing a jump in price. Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said that Syrians are angry that the living situation has not improved with the decreased fighting in the country in recent years.
"People are desperate," Landis told Al-Monitor. "There's no electricity, food prices are outrageously high, salaries are low. It's a perfect storm. Things have gotten much worse since the end of the fighting, if we can call it that. People were expecting things would get better."Syria has largely been reintegrated into the Arab world politically. The Arab League readmitted it in May, and Saudi Arabia, which previously backed Syrian rebel groups against Assad's government, restored relations the same month. Assad has failed, however, to use these improved relations to benefit the economy, according to Landis.
"The regime has no clue and is mired in corruption," he said. "Despite rekindled diplomatic relations with Arab countries, there is no foreign investment." Suwayda, which remained in government hands throughout the civil war, has traditionally received a degree of support for the Assad government. Protests in government-controlled areas have been relatively rare in recent years. Landis said Druze views toward the Assad government, however, are more motivated by fear of the opposition than support for the former. "Druze haven’t wanted regime change because the opposition looked a lot worse," he said, pointing to past Islamic State attacks on Suwayda. The radical Islamists consider Druze to be apostates. Some of the protests are taking place in areas that attained deep significance during the Syrian civil war. Daraa is widely considered the birthplace of the Syrian uprising due to protests that took place there in 2011. The civil war broke out that year, following the Assad government's violent crackdown on protests stemming from the Arab Spring, which began in late 2010 in Tunisia and spread across the Middle East. Aleppo was the site of fierce battles between rebel groups and government forces from 2012 to 2016. Today, Assad’s forces, backed by Russia and Iran, control most of Syria. The remaining rebel groups are mostly confined to the north, and a Kurdish-led administration controls the northeast. Despite the strengthening protests, Landis said the current situation is different from 2011. "There is no foreign support for an uprising; there is no potential for unity; the opposition has been destroyed," he said.  Know more: The Lebanese army said on Wednesday that in the past week it had prevented 700 Syrians from illegally entering Lebanon. The influx coincides with the protests in Syria, reported Agence France-Presse.

Three PKK members killed in Turkish drone strike in Iraq: authorities
AFP/August 24, 2023
IRBIL: Three members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were killed Thursday in a Turkish drone strike in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, authorities said, as Ankara’s top diplomat visited the northern region. “A Turkish army drone struck a PKK vehicle, killing an official and two fighters” of the group — considered a terrorist organization by Turkiye and Western countries — in the Sidakan district, the Kurdish counter-terrorism services said. It came as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was visiting the Iraqi Kurdish regional capital Irbil after he began on Tuesday his first official trip to Iraq.
Fidan met with the Kurdistan region’s president Nechirvan Barzani and prime minister Masrour Barzani, amid calls by Ankara for Baghdad to label the PKK a terrorist organization. “We have settled this question in Turkiye once and for all. Now the PKK is hiding in Iraqi territory. We are working with Baghdad and Irbil to protect Iraq from the PKK,” Fidan said at a joint news conference with Masrour Barzani. On Tuesday Fidan had urged the federal government in Baghdad to brand the PKK a “terrorist” organization. Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region has long been a target of Turkish air and ground operations against the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency against Ankara. The Turkish military rarely comments on individual strikes in northern Iraq. Both the Kurdish authorities in Irbil and the federal government in Baghdad have long been accused of not doing enough to stop Turkiye’s frequent resort to military action on Iraqi soil in its nearly four-decade struggle against the PKK. Statements condemning the violation of Iraqi sovereignty are periodically issued, particularly when there are civilian casualties. But critics say both Irbil and Baghdad are more concerned with protecting trade and investment ties with Ankara. On July 25, the office of Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani announced a forthcoming visit to Iraq by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but a date has yet to be set.

Turkish central bank unleashes big interest rate hike in another sign of an economic shift
Arab News/August 24, 2023
ANKARA: Turkiye’s central bank raised its key interest rate by an aggressive 7.5 percentage points on Thursday, a larger-than-expected hike that further signaled a return to more traditional economic policies under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The bank increased its policy rate to 25 percent as it continued to backtrack from the previous rate-cutting course set by Erdogan, which is blamed for fueling a cost-of-living crisis that left many households struggling to afford rent and basic goods as inflation surged. “Monetary tightening will be further strengthened as much as needed in a timely and gradual manner until a significant improvement in the inflation outlook is achieved,” the central bank said. Selva Demiralp, a professor of economics at Koc University in Istanbul, said that normally, interest rate increases slow the economy and can even cause a recession. “Yet in Turkiye we are discussing whether the larger-than-anticipated rate hike could control a downturn,” she told Arab News. “This is a properly designed question. That is because the low interest rate environment pretty much froze credit growth.” The upper limit on commercial loans was also increased, by more than 56 percent. Demiralp said that by allowing banks to set deposit and loan rates more competitively, credit flow could resume, albeit at higher interest rates. But she and some other experts warned that the interest rate increase alone is unlikely to be sufficient or durable enough to resolve the problems, and so additional determined moves are needed to help curb rebounding inflation and correct long-running economic woes. “I see it as a first signal that the new members of the PPK (Monetary Policy Committee) of the central bank were able to implement a more hawkish stance and convince the president that this is better for the economy,” said Demiralp.
“Our year-end inflation forecast is close to 70 percent. In that environment, a 25 percent policy rate still implies a very negative real interest rate and won’t be sufficient. What is critical is the continuation of the hawkish tone that we have witnessed today.”
Nick Stadtmiller, head of product at research company Medley Advisors in New York, agreed that the rate increase is a step in the right direction but he does not believe it will be sufficient to reduce inflation.“I think rates would need to rise at least to 40 percent in order to have a big impact on price growth,” he told Arab News. “Rates that are sufficiently high to reduce inflation will slow economic growth and reduce credit demand. It is difficult to see how policymakers can cut inflation while at the same time stimulating growth in corporate demand, which is their stated goal, he added.
“The other problem is that the gradual approach to tightening policy ultimately means they will have to raise rates later by even more in order to cut inflation down,” Stadtmiller said. “Many other central bankers around the world have said in recent years that increasing rates quickly will allow them to raise rates by less over the entire cycle. The opposite is also true: Raising rates slowly means you have to reach a higher terminal rate at the end to have a similar impact.”It would not be a surprise if the central bank now pauses and takes a few months to assess the effects of the rate hike before taking further action, he added.
“With corporate-loan growth near zero, policymakers may want to see the impact on the economy before tightening more,” Stadtmiller said. Turkiye’s struggling currency, the lira, surged on Thursday in response to the interest rate increase. It gained as much as six percent against the dollar after Erdogan followed up the announcement by expressing strong confidence in his finance team. “We are taking determined steps to address the problems caused by inflation,” the president said in nationally televised remarks. In a message posted on social media, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek wrote: “We are determined. Price stability is our top priority.”

Turkey’s FM tackles long-held disputes with Iraq in first official visit
Ezgi Akin/Al Monitor/August 24, 2023
ANKARA — During his first official visit to Iraq as Turkey’s new foreign minister, Hakan Fidan on Wednesday called on Baghdad to list the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as a terrorist organization. Speaking alongside his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, at a joint press conference in Baghdad, Fidan said his country expected Baghdad to list the PKK as a terrorist organization. “Ignoring borders between Iraq and Syria, the terrorist organization seeks to unite the two regions through a terror corridor it set up,” he told journalists in reference to Syrian Kurdish groups. The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, has been fighting the Turkish state since 1984 for self-rule inside Turkey and is headquartered in mountainous northern Iraq. “The PKK is a terrorist organization that has been occupying Sinjar, Mahkmur, Qandil and many other Iraqi regions,” Fidan said. Turkey’s ongoing military operations in the region against the Kurdish militants have long been a source of tension between Ankara and Baghdad, which has accused Turkey of violating Iraqi sovereignty and killing civilians. Voicing Baghdad’s long-standing grievances over ongoing Turkish military operations, Hussein stressed the importance of his country’s sovereignty. Yet, dismissing accusations, Fidan reiterated his country’s position over the dispute, saying it was the PKK that was threatening Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity. “We cannot remain indifferent to the PKK's challenge to Iraqi sovereignty,” Fidan said. Safeguarding Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity remains among Turkey's top foreign policy priorities, he added. Hussein, in turn, pressed for a settlement to the water-sharing dispute on transboundary rivers shared by Turkey and Iraq. Iraqi authorities have long accused Turkey of cutting off Iraq’s water share from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers through Turkish dams built on the waterways. Turkey, for its part, maintains that Iraqi authorities need to advance their irrigation technology for more effective usage of water. Speaking on Wednesday, Fidan reiterated his country’s position, stressing the need to set up a “scientific and rational” mechanism to solve the problem.
No breakthrough in northern Iraqi oil exports
Both the Turkish and Iraqi chief diplomats pledged to boost cooperation to strengthen economic and trade ties between the two countries, yet Fidan’s first official visit to Iraq still failed to create the breakthrough necessary for the resumption of northern Iraqi oil exports to Turkey. Ankara suspended oil flow from northern Iraq in March after the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) ruled that a unilateral deal between Turkey and the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for the oil exports violated the central Iraqi government’s sovereign rights. Citing sources familiar with the negotiations between Ankara, Erbil and Baghdad for the resumption of oil flow, Al-Monitor reported earlier this week that Iraq was pressing Turkey to increase the water flow from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in return for its green light to restart oil exports. Both countries have been battling with severe drought as temperatures in the region soar to record-high levels. Fidan, who also met with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and various other political leaders in Baghdad, is expected to discuss the export issue with KRG officials in Erbil on Thursday.

Israel to export more gas to Egypt as cooperation grows
Adam Lucente/Al Monitor/August 24, 2023
Israel will start exporting more natural gas to Egypt, its top energy official said on Wednesday, a move that will further cooperation between the two countries and may help alleviate Egypt’s electricity issues. Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said that the country will increase exports to Egypt by an additional 38.7 billion cubic meters (bcm) over the next 11 years. Production from Israel’s Tamar gas field in the Mediterranean Sea will also increase by 6 bcm per year starting in 2026 — a 60% increase from current levels, according to multiple reports.
Egypt did not immediately comment. Why it matters: Egypt began importing Israeli gas in 2020 and imports have risen considerably since then. Last year, Egypt imported a record 6.27 bcm of natural gas from Israel. This was an increase of 48.5% from the year prior, according to the Joint Organizations Data Initiative, which tracks global energy statistics. The cooperation is continuing despite Egyptian criticism of the Israeli government's conflict with the Palestinians. For example, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for visiting the contested Temple Mount (al-Haram al-Sharif) holy site in Jerusalem last month. Israel will need to boost gas production in order to achieve its goal of exporting gas to Europe, while also managing concerns over domestic energy security, David Rosenberg wrote in a memo for Al-Monitor PRO this month. Relatedly, Egypt and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Union in 2022 in order to boost gas exports to the continent. This came in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Europe’s subsequent efforts to reduce its dependence on Russian gas. Natural gas production is declining in Egypt, in part due to water infiltration issues at its Zohr gas field. Moreover, Egypt has experienced government-mandated electricity cuts this summer in response to high temperatures. Egypt uses natural gas for domestic power, and also seeks to export more to Europe. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2022 that Egypt is seeking to reduce the amount of natural gas used for electricity in order to export more gas abroad. Egypt’s natural gas exports amounted to $8.4 billion in 2022. Reuters reported that less than 70% of Egypt’s gas exports went to Europe last year. Know more: In June, Israel approved a plan to work with Egypt and the Palestinian Authority to develop a gas field off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE to join BRICS
Jack Dutton/Al Monitor/August 24, 2023
Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Argentina have all been invited to join the BRICS group of major developing countries, as the bloc seen as an alternative to the Western world order grows its influence. BRICS currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which is hosting the group’s summit in Johannesburg this week. The group already accounts for around 40% of the global population and a quarter of the world’s gross domestic product. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the new members on Thursday, the final day of the summit. “BRICS is a diverse group of nations. It is an equal partnership of countries that have differing views but a shared vision for a better world,” he posted on Twitter, a social media platform now known as X. “As the five BRICS members, we have reached agreement on the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures of the #BRICS expansion process,” Ramaphosa added, before announcing the new countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping called the expansion "historic". "The expansion is also a new starting point for BRICS cooperation. It will bring new vigour to the BRICS cooperation mechanism and further strengthen the force for world peace and development," he added. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X: "India has always supported the expansion of BRICS. India has always believed that adding new members will strengthen BRICS as an organisation." The new members will officially join the group on January 1, 2024. The Shanghai-headquartered New Development Bank, or so-called “BRICS bank”, had already admitted the UAE and Egypt as shareholders. Saudi Arabia and Algeria have also expressed interest in being shareholders. The expansion could make it easier for other countries to join the group, and more than 40 have expressed an interest in joining BRICS, according to South African officials, and 22 have formally applied to join the bloc.  Many countries want to BRICS because they believe being part of the alliance would give them benefits such as development finance and increased investment, as well as potential security guarantees. Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signalled they were open to admitting new members to the group in the future. UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed appreciated the invitation of his country to join. "We look forward to a continued commitment of cooperation for the prosperity, dignity and benefit of all nations and people around the world," he wrote on X.
The BRICS summit began on Tuesday, with political leaders from four out of five of the member countries present. Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend due to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for his role in the Ukraine war. Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov attended the summit instead. Since BRICS was formed in 2010, the economic performance of the members has been mixed: most of the consistent growth has been due to China and India, as in recent years Russia has been hit by sanctions and both Brazil and South Africa have seen political instability that has hampered their economies. But as the rifts between China, Russia and the United States deepen, the bloc has been increasingly looking to act as a counterweight to the West.

Zelensky Hails Ukrainians As 'Free People' On Independence Day
AFP/August 24, 2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised his people for fighting for "freedom" in an address Thursday to mark the country's second Independence Day during the Russian invasion. "Today we celebrate the 32nd anniversary of our independence -- the independence of Ukraine. A holiday of free people," Zelensky said in an statement on social media. Freedom "is a value for each of us, and we are fighting for it," Zelensky said as the war in Ukraine enters its 19th month. The country's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Telegram that the fight for independence "continues to this day -- now with the imperial aggressor" Russia. Kyiv's security service chief Vasyl Maliuk also said on Telegram that the holiday had taken on "new meanings" during the war with Moscow. "It became not only the personification of our right to life and freedom, but also a symbol of heroism and bravery," Maliuk said. A series of events are planned across Ukraine to mark the day. In Brussels, EU government buildings were lit up in the blue-and-yellow colours of Ukraine overnight, and Ukrainian flags were hoisted along EU ones.

Germany says 'no accident' Kremlin in focus over Prigozhin death
Agence France Presse/August 24, 2023
The presumed death of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin follows a pattern of "unclarified" fatalities in Russia, Germany's foreign minister said Thursday, adding that it was no coincidence that focus has turned to the Kremlin for answers. "It is no accident that the world immediately looks at the Kremlin when a disgraced former confidant of Putin suddenly, literally falls from the sky two months after he attempted a mutiny," said Annalena Baerbock, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We know this pattern in Putin's Russia: deaths, dubious suicides, falls from windows, all which remain unclarified -- that underlines a dictatorial power system that is built on violence," she said at a press conference with the Kyrgyz foreign minister.

Prigozhin’s death spells end of Wagner, but Russia won't abandon its missions
Anton Mardasov/Al Monitor/August 24, 2023
Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is presumed dead along with his top deputies following a plane crash in Russia’s Tver region Wednesday. While the cause of the crash has yet to be revealed, observers immediately pointed to the Russian state. The likely assassination was expected following the paramilitary group’s failed June rebellion and Moscow's subsequent quiet replacement of Wagner mercenaries in various countries.  Russia’s federal air transportation agency confirmed on Wednesday that the heavily mythologized Prigozhin along with two of his closest associates Dmitry “Wagner” Utkin and Valery “Rover” Chekalov were on the flight manifest, but Moscow has yet to confirm his death (although Putin on Wednesday expressed condolences over his death). Although some Russian analysts suggest the Wagner boss may have staged his own death, this scenario is unlikely given Prigozhin's personal qualities and the nature of the struggle for his business. Soon after Wagner took control of the southern city of Rostov-on-don and began a march on Moscow June 23, the group reached an agreement with the government to end the conflict. Despite the Kremlin's announcement that Prigozhin would leave for Belarus, he continued to be active politically and economically both inside and outside Russia, signing new state contracts worth tens of millions of dollars. His top deputies Utkin and Chekalov also had continued to work on maintaining the presence of mercenaries in key countries, in addition to maintaining in Belarus the 5,000-strong contingent withdrawn from Ukraine and Russia and building new logistical routes for the group in Syria, Libya and the Sahel.
The appearance of some sort of reconciliation between Wagner and the Kremlin following President Vladimir Putin's meeting with the group a few days after the mutiny was obviously false. While the authorities did not take drastic steps against the group — likely for fear of weakening state positions abroad — the Kremlin did work to intercept the projects that Prigozhin had managed to personalize over the years in conjunction with the security services. Some Wagner commanders claimed that the number of mercenaries — among whom the most famous is Andrei "Sedoy" Troshev — transferred to another private military company (PMC) under the control of the Defense Ministry was negligible and that their morale is “extremely low,” suggesting a struggle for personnel.
At the same time, the authority of Prigozhin and Utkin, their ability to maintain a force in Belarus and the danger of sudden steps damaging the Kremlin's image abroad all considerably diminished Moscow's leverage over Wagner as the Russian presidential elections approach in 2024.
The process of luring Wagner fighters into the ranks of PMCs loyal to the government was stalled by mercenaries' belief that their director would somehow be able to negotiate financing and protect them from prosecution for any misdeeds committed in Syria or Libya or for their refusal to sign a contract with the Defense Ministry. Prigozhin managed to keep some of his business in Russia after the mutiny and maintain Wagner's branches in Russia's peripheral regions, such as Perm, showing that the group, as a entity, had the resources to sustain its operations. However, this could have been an illusion. The Kremlin likely did not immediately touch Prigozhin's foreign projects for fear of creating a power vacuum, since IS fighters remain highly disruptive in Syria. However, work on a large-scale replacement of Wagner was undoubtedly underway. During last month’s Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, the deputy head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Andrei Averyanov, participated in the official delegation for the first time. The media has named Averyanov as the commander responsible for the poisonings of double agent Serge Skripal and Bulgarian arms dealer Emilian Gebrev. According to rumors, it was Averyanov who was developing a plan to completely replace Wagner in Africa with a military corps of 20,000 people. "Prigozhin was extremely opposed to this and made every effort to prevent it," reported the Russian Telegram channel VChK OGPU.
On Aug. 22, a Russian military delegation headed by Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov paid a visit to Libya. Given that Yevkurov supervises combat training in the Russian army and participated in negotiations with Prigozhin during the June mutiny, the real topic of his talks with the leader of the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army, Khalifa Hifter, were likely the continued presence of Wagner mercenaries in Libya, rather than the claimed protocol discussion of military ties following the results of this month's international military forum held in Moscow.
A replacement to Wagner was to be formed by several structures, primarily PMCs such as Redut, Convoy and a number of other groups. The Redut PMC has been working in Syria for a long time. It is associated with the projects of Russian businessman Gennady Timchenko and under the control of the Defense Ministry. Redut drove the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but has recently restructured to operate in other regions of Wagner's presence with the financial backing of businessman Oleg Deripaska.
The situation with Convoy, another PMC, is more complicated, because until recently it was an ineffective company that included many people without significant combat experience. Against the background of the war in Ukraine and the Prigozhin rebellion, Moscow grew desperate and pumped money into this force, which turned out to be useful.
The decapitation of Wagner is effectively dismantling the group, because its command council is unable to be effective without Prigozhin, Utkin and Chekalov.  A source who previously served in the Russian military intelligence told Al-Monitor that while Wagner did have a plan of action in place in the event of its leader’s death, it is temporary in nature and did not at all imply full autonomous operation. The source stressed that without Prigozhin, it would be impossible to operate a business that is “in confrontation with the state structures that created this business.”
Yet Moscow does not necessarily have to completely replace Wagner's mercenaries abroad with others. The commanders and fighters of Wagner’s foreign branches are frustrated, facing the prospect of either working for the Defense Ministry’s PMCs or engaging in conflict with the military without sufficient resources or the support of local authorities, as well as the prospect of criminal prosecution in Russia if they return home. The Wagner detachments withdrawn from Ukraine and Russia to Belarus are also virtually locked in training camps and depend on agreements between Moscow and Minsk.
Prigozhin's death looks like a logical outcome of the rebellion and a symbolic warning to his sympathizers within the Russian political, economic and military elite. In this regard, the possibility discussed in the Russian media of a staged death would be equivalent to his real death for the future of the Wagner Group. But given the known cool character of the businessman and the circumstances of his mutiny, it is difficult to imagine that Prigozhin decided to self-destruct or transfer his business to the Defense Ministry in such a cunning way. But there is another possibility that should still be considered. Dozens of employees of Prigozhin's companies told the media that the reason for Prigozhin's mutiny was his "mental state." While the Wagner boss had always had a "particular propensity for violence,” according to media reports he explained to his subordinates the motive for his mutiny in one phrase: "I was freaking out."Nevertheless, given the notable silence of Russian officials on the plane crash for nearly 24 hours, punctuated by Putin's brief commentary, so far it looks like Prigozhin, who had become inconvenient, was eliminated.

Kremlin insiders are baffled over why Prigozhin was flying around Russia after his failed uprising: 'He's not a fool'
Sophia Ankel/Business Insider/August 24, 2023
The Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is presumed dead after his business jet crashed on Wednesday. Prigozhin, who was ousted after a failed mutiny, was en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Kremlin insiders told Meduza they were baffled over why he was still doing business in Russia. Kremlin insiders are baffled over why the Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was flying around Russia just two months after being ousted by Vladimir Putin for trying to initiate an uprising. "He is not a fool, he understood everything, it seems," an insider, who was not named, told the Russian independent news outlet Meduza.
Prigozhin is presumed dead after a private jet he was traveling on crashed in the Tver region outside of Moscow on Wednesday, the Russian state media outlet TASS reported.
The plane, which had seven passengers and three crew members on board, was traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg, TASS added. A person close to Putin, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Meduza that Prigozhin was in the capital on Wednesday to meet with Moscow officials about his longtime catering business, Concord Catering, which had previously received lucrative government contracts. Insider was unable to independently verify this information. Two sources close to the Kremlin said they were surprised that Prigozhin continued to have business in Russia even after the failed mutiny, with one insider telling Meduza: "Why would he need catering contracts here, and with such risks?" rigozhin and his Wagner mercenaries initiated a short-lived mutiny against the Russian defense ministry exactly two months ago, in an effort to oust top-level military officials. But the mutiny failed, and Prigozhin, who had spent months publicly criticizing Moscow's military strategy in Ukraine, was apparently exiled to Belarus. Prigozhin seemed to spend much of the last two months traveling between St. Petersburg and Moscow and — according to a video message he released earlier this week — even appeared to take a trip to Africa, where Wagner troops have had a presence in several countries. It's unclear how exactly the plane carrying Prigozhin and nine others crashed on Wednesday, though security officials and Soviet experts have said they believe Putin most likely ordered the assassination out of revenge for the mutiny.
Ian Petchenik of Flightradar24, a site that tracks flight data, told Reuters that everything looked normal with the plane until it made a "sudden downward vertical" motion, plummeting more than 8,000 feet from its cruising altitude of 28,000 within about 30 seconds. "Whatever happened, happened quickly," Petchenik told Reuters. The former MI6 leader Sir John Sawers told BBC Radio 4's Today program on Thursday that a device could have also been on board that "brought the plane down suddenly."

Wagner leader, Russian mutineer, 'Putin's chef': The many sides of Yevgeny Prigozhin
Associated Press/August 24, 2023
Yevgeny Prigozhin's fate has been entwined with the Kremlin for decades — as a trusted government contractor, and the head of the Wagner mercenary army that fought in Ukraine and has been blamed for doing Russia's dirty work in Syria and Africa.
But when he turned his men toward Moscow two months ago, many inside Russia and beyond started wondering just how long he could last after drawing the fury of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin cut a deal with Putin and the leader of Belarus for a safe haven for himself and the men involved in the rebellion. He was reported to pop up periodically in Russia, and appeared in a recruitment video earlier this week. But then on Wednesday Russia's civil aviation agency said he was aboard a plane that crashed north of Moscow, killing all 10 people on board.
PRIGOZHIN'S BACKGROUND
Prigozhin was convicted of robbery and assault in 1981, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. When he got out, he opened a restaurant business in St. Petersburg in the 1990s. Putin was the city's deputy mayor at the time. Prigozhin used that connection to develop a catering business and won lucrative Russian government contracts that earned him the nickname "Putin's chef." He later expanded into other areas, including media and an infamous internet "troll factory" that led to his indictment in the U.S. for meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Wagner was first seen in action in eastern Ukraine soon after a separatist conflict erupted there in April 2014, in the weeks following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. At the time, Russia denied sending its own weapons and troops despite ample evidence to the contrary. The private Wagner army gave Moscow a degree of deniability. Wagner personnel also deployed to Syria, where Russia supported President Bashar Assad's government in a civil war. In Libya, they fought alongside forces of commander Khalifa Hifter. The group has also operated in the Central African Republic and Mali. But it wasn't until September 2022 that Prigozhin acknowledged founding, leading and financing Wagner. By then, his mercenaries — including men he'd recruited in Russian prisons — were fighting and dying by scores in Ukraine, especially in the shattered town of Bakhmut.
REPUTATION FOR RUTHLESSNESS
Prigozhin fostered Wagner's reputation for ruthlessness, and the mercenaries have been accused by Western countries and U.N. experts of human rights abuses throughout Africa, including in Central African Republic, Libya and Mali. A 2017 online video showed a group of armed people, reportedly Wagner contractors, torturing a Syrian and beating him to death with a sledgehammer before mutilating and burning his body. In 2022, another video showed a former Wagner contractor beaten to death with a sledgehammer after he allegedly fled to the Ukrainian side and was repatriated. Despite public outrage and demands for investigations, the Kremlin repeatedly turned a blind eye.
WAGNER'S ROLE IN UKRAINE
Wagner took an increasingly visible role in the Ukraine war as regular Russian troops suffered heavy attrition and lost territory in humiliating setbacks. Prigozhin toured Russian prisons to recruit fighters, promising pardons if they survived a half-year tour of front line duty with Wagner. In the interview in May, he claimed to have recruited 50,000 convicts, with about 35,000 men on the front lines at all times. He has also said he had lost more than 20,000 men -- half of them convicts -- in the battle for Bakhmut. The U.S. has estimated Wagner had about 50,000 personnel fighting in Ukraine, including 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts.
POKING THE BEAR
Prigozhin claimed full credit in January for capturing the Donetsk region salt mining town of Soledar in Ukraine, and he accused the Russian Defense Ministry of trying to steal Wagner's glory. He repeatedly complained the Russian military failed to supply Wagner with sufficient ammunition to capture Bakhmut and threatened to pull out his men. After the capture of Soldear, Prigozhin increasingly raised his public profile, for months boasting almost daily about Wagner's purported victories, sardonically mocking his enemies and complaining in profanity-laced diatribes about the military brass. On June 23, he called for an armed uprising against the defense minister and headed from Ukraine toward Moscow with his mercenaries. His forces took control of the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, the city in southern Russia near the border with Ukraine, and continued their "march of justice," until stopping a mere 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the Russian capital. Putin branded Prigozhin a traitor as the revolt unfolded. But the criminal case against the mercenary chief on rebellion charges was later dropped. Unusually, the Kremlin said Putin had a three-hour meeting with Prigozhin and Wagner Group commanders days after the rebellion. Some number of Wagner mercenaries headed to Belarus, but the fate of both Prigozhin and his force remained unclear. U.S. President Joe Biden recently suggested Prigozhin was a marked man. "If I were he, I'd be careful what I ate. I'd keep my eye on my menu," Biden said last month. But the man who made his first fortune as a caterer was undaunted in his latest appearance on Monday, telling would-be Wagner recruits his organization was "making Russia even greater on all continents."

A Backfire bomber being blown apart deep inside Russia's territory is the latest in a string of glaring failures to protect its strategic bases
Chris Panella/Business Insider/August 24, 2023
How a 23-year-old influencer is helping Ukraine attack RussiaScroll back up to restore default view.Three Tupolev Tu-22M3 bombers of Russian Air Force fly in formation over the Kremlin of Moscow during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the victory in WWII, Moscow, Russia. Last weekend, an apparent drone strike destroyed a prized Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire bomber. The attack occurred far from the front lines of the war and may have been launched from inside Russia. It's the latest incident showing Russia can't protect its critical bases or vital aviation assets. A prized supersonic Russian bomber sitting inside Russian territory far from the fighting in Ukraine was destroyed in a drone strike over the weekend, marking the latest in a string of attacks Russia apparently didn't see coming.
The strike on a vulnerable Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire bomber is part of a growing list of Russian failures to protect its critical bases and vital aerial assets. Whether it be the consequence of negligence, a lack of force protection capabilities, or an apprehension to adaptation, Russia has continued to let important bomber bases take hits. The British defense ministry reported in an intelligence update that a Tu-22M3, a supersonic long-range aircraft known for its anti-ship capabilities and urban bombing runs against cities such as Mariupol in April 2022, was attacked and destroyed while located at an airbase south of St. Petersburg in eastern Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry pinned the hit on a copter-style uncrewed aerial vehicle.
Photos shared online show the bomber in flames while positioned outside on a runway with no apparent cover or protection. The UK defense ministry said "this is at least the third successful attack on [Long Range Aviation] LRA airfields, again raising questions about Russia's ability to protect strategic locations deep inside the country." In previous incidents in December 2022, two UAV attacks on the same day hit two air bases — Engels-2 in Saratov and the Dyagilevo air base in Ryazan — deep inside Russian territory housing strategic bombers. British defense intelligence said at that time that the attacks likely represented the "most strategically significant" force protection failure of the war. In those incidents, the drones were reportedly launched from Ukrainian territory. The most recent attack is "embarrassing, since the strategic bombers were not in any type of shelter or cover," said Samuel Bendett, a research analyst with the Center for Naval Analyses' Russia Studies Program. He noted that protective practices should have become standard after the earlier incidents, but clearly any lessons learned from previous strikes on Russian airbases weren't spread across the defense system.
All of the attacks have been on Long-Range Aviation bases, installations under the Russian Aerospace Forces that focus on long-range aircraft, nuclear capabilities, and strategic bombers, such as the Tu-22M3. These assets are essential not just for Russia's fight in Ukraine, allowing Moscow to threaten both Ukrainian military infrastructure and cities, but they're also key should Russia find itself conflict with NATO.
While the type of drone used to take out the Tu-22M3 is unclear, Bendett told Insider it could have been a smaller first-person view type of drone with a rocket-propelled grenade warhead, a smaller quadcopter that could carry several small grenades, or even a small aircraft-type UAV with a limited range, all of which are quite cheap compared to the valuable target they hit. Additional questions are where the UAV hit the aircraft and whether smaller accompanying drones "may have attacked something stacked next to the aircraft instead like munitions, missiles, or even fuel," he added.
The site of the latest attack, the Soltsky-2 air base in Novgorod Oblast, is nearly 400 miles from Russia's border with Ukraine. It is unlikely that smaller drones of the type Bendett suspects may have been involved would have the range to reach that location from Ukraine, suggesting it was launched within Russia. If that's the case, it may speak to both Ukraine's expanding ability to threaten domestic Russian air bases and Russia's inability to protect them. Bases aren't the only areas and assets Russia has left inadequately defended. Drone strikes in Moscow and the Black Sea — which have increased in frequency and damage done in recent weeks — have raised at times questions about Russian competence and the consequences of complacency. More than whether or not last weekend's attack indicates a growing Ukrainian ability to strike beyond its territory, the Tu-22M3 being destroyed is another glaring failure on Russia's part to protect its LRA air bases. It's been roughly nine months since the December attacks, and another strike points to limited change in force protection for these bombers, which could be as simple as keeping them in hangars or beefing up base security.
A common Russian response is just to move them to different locations. On August 19, Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Gerashchenko posted that surviving aircraft from the recent hit would reportedly be moved to the Olenya airfield in the Murmansk region, a northwestern area close to Finland. Russia's complacency — and apparent lack of realization that their assets can be targeted in this war — have been shown time and time again. In recent weeks, Russian service members have been killed standing in vulnerable positions where Ukraine's US-provided High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems could easily hit them. And the way a drone boat attack against a Russian warship played out in the Black Sea indicated Russian forces had little to no idea an attack was imminent — or hadn't even considered they were at risk. In the aftermath of the Tu-22M3 attack, there's a question of how Russia might adapt. But given its previous track record in the war, that's shaping up to be more of an "if."

Trump set to surrender at Georgia jail on charges over 2020 election
Associated Press/August 24, 2023
Donald Trump is set to surrender Thursday to authorities in Georgia on charges that he schemed to overturn the 2020 election in that state, a booking process expected to yield a historic first: a mug shot of a former American president. Trump's arrival follows a presidential debate featuring his leading rivals for the 2024 Republican nomination, a contest in which he remains the leading candidate despite accelerating legal troubles. His presence in the state, though likely brief, is expected to swipe the spotlight at least temporarily from his opponents in the aftermath of a debate in which other candidates sought to seize on Trump's absence to elevate their own presidential prospects. The Fulton County prosecution is the fourth criminal case against Trump since March, when he became the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted. Since then, he's faced federal charges in Florida and Washington and, this month, was indicted in Atlanta with 18 others — including his ex-chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani — under a racketeering statute normally associated with gang members and organized crime.
The criminal cases have spurred a succession of bookings and arraignments, with Trump making brief court appearances before returning to the campaign trail. He's turned the appearances into campaign events amid a far lighter schedule than his rivals, with staff delighting in wall-to-wall media coverage that has included news helicopters tracking his every move. The campaign has also used the appearances to solicit fundraising contributions from his supporters as aides paint the charges as part of a politically motivated effort to damage his reelection chances. His Atlanta appearance will be different than others, though, requiring him to surrender at a problem-plagued jail — but without an accompanying court appearance for now. Unlike in other cities that did not require him to pose for a mug shot, Fulton County officials have said they expect to take a booking photo like they would for any other defendant."Unless somebody tells me differently, we are following our normal practices, and so it doesn't matter your status, we'll have a mugshot ready for you," Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat said at a news conference earlier this month. District Attorney Fani Willis has given all of the defendants until Friday afternoon to surrender at the main Fulton County jail. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He said in a social media post this week that he was being prosecuted for what he described in capital letters as a "perfect phone call" in which he asked the Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, to help him "find" enough votes for him to overturn his loss in the state to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump is expected to turn himself in at the Fulton County jail, which has long been a troubled facility. The Justice Department last month opened a civil rights investigation into conditions, citing filthy cells, violence and the death last year of a man whose body was found covered in insects in the main jail's psychiatric wing. Three people have died in Fulton County custody in the past month. But he is not expected to spend much time there. His attorneys and prosecutors have already agreed to a bond of $200,000, along with conditions that include barring the former president from intimidating co-defendants, witnesses or victims in the case — including on social media.When defendants arrive at the jail, they typically pass through a security checkpoint before checking in for formal booking in the lobby. During the booking process, defendants are typically photographed and fingerprinted and asked to provide certain personal information. Since Trump's bond has already been set, he will be released from custody once the booking process is complete.
Unlike in other jurisdictions, in Fulton County, arraignments — where a defendant appears in court for the first time — generally happen after a defendant surrenders at the jail and completes the booking process, not on the same day. That means Trump could have to make two trips to Georgia in the coming weeks though the Fulton County Sheriff's Office has said some arraignments in the case may happen virtually if the judge allows, or he could waive Trump's arraignment. When he eventually appears in court, the public is also likely to see much more of the proceedings firsthand. Georgia courts typically allow photographs and video of the proceeding, unlike in federal court and in New York, where press access is tightly controlled. Only in Manhattan were still photographers allowed to capture images of Trump briefly while he sat at the witness stand. Federal courts generally prohibit photography, recordings and electronics of any kind.

Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 24-25/2023
How Turkey’s opposition elite enabled Erdoğan and misled voters
Sinan Ciddi/Global Voices/August 24, 2023
The sources of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s power are vast. In his over twenty years of rule, he has consolidated power to build himself a loyal bureaucratic system (including the military and law enforcement), a compliant mainstream media landscape, and a government system that positions his dictates above any notion of oversight. Added to this is the lack of a credible political opposition field that could offer voters a credible alternative to Erdoğan. This much is known and well-documented. Therefore, when curious observers ask, “Why did Erdoğan win the 2023 presidential elections?” The answer is usually conveyed in a mixture of the reasons cited above. Meanwhile, the elephant in the room — namely, the country’s opposition intelligentsia — is left unaddressed.
What the intelligentsia failed to do
Turkey’s intelligentsia is broad and diverse. But the most recent general elections also showed its demoralizing effect on public opinion. Ahead of and during the general elections held in Turkey in May 2023, many of the influential opposition media outlets, with their commentators and journalists, were in a state of euphoria. Many respected analysts abandoned their objective analytical toolkits and lenses to cheer for the main opposition candidate who ran against Erdoğan: Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Kılıçdaroğlu’s candidacy was essentially forced upon the public by Kılıçdaroğlu himself and his narrow group of political operators, with little debate, public input, let alone any analysis to determine whether he was indeed the best candidate to defeat Erdoğan in what many described as the country’s most crucial election.
Instead, the opposition intelligentsia helped to cement a widespread view that Kılıçdaroğlu was the man to defeat Erdoğan. Meanwhile, those who questioned this decision were cast out as pariahs who could not read the writing on the wall. Seasoned analysts would engage in targeted campaigns that declared that the Erdoğan era was finished and he had no chance of surviving reelection.
This certainty was based on what Rusen Cakir, the editor of Medyascope, constantly referred to as a “governance crisis” by Erdoğan. This “governance crisis” was based on the premise that Erdoğan failed to deliver meaningful solutions to the most pressing economic and political problems the country and voters were facing. Cakir was not alone in this message. Other veteran analysts and observers would join his weekly broadcasts, assuming that their conversations with ordinary voters and attendance at his Republican People’s Party (CHP) campaign rallies were clear signs the Erdoğan era was at its near end.
One veteran journalist and Kılıçdaroğlu advocate, Kadri Gursel, went as far as to say that those who could not see the coming tidal wave were not only uninformed but might not really want Erdoğan out of office! Similar commentaries paid scant attention to alternative analyses: namely that Erdoğan’s image may be tarnished, but he had significant structural advantages arising from incumbency (outlined in the first paragraph) that may help him stay in power.
In the end, the skeptics got it right. What is troubling is that, while the predictions of journalists, pollsters, and analysts can be wrong, it was the marginalizing tone and the refusal to take critical analyses that presented credible alternative scenarios to the public into account. Almost three months since the election, these pundits, rather than acknowledging that they misled the public, have only accepted that they were wrong and that it was time to move on and remain optimistic.
The impact
The wider failure of public intellectuals is twofold: first, raising the expectations of people who looked up to their analysis and were utterly demoralized by the election outcomes. Second is their hand-wringing — they have shrugged off any responsibility for how their analysis was short-sighted.
Analysts have a duty to the Turkish public they influence by providing all the information they are entitled to. Of course, their analyses can be proven wrong, in part or in whole. What would have been valuable in this election cycle was for respected and popular independent outlets to focus on a variety of electoral outcome scenarios, a critical look at why the Kılıçdaroğlu campaign and candidacy were lackluster, and a keener focus on the existing strengths of Erdoğan’s state apparatus that prevented a genuinely competitive election. Instead, we got a misinformation behemoth wherein the vast majority of Turkey’s pro-Erdoğan media spread misinformation, seemingly joined by opposition media outlets that willfully misrepresented the range of possible outcomes that could come to bear. Both helped serve Erdoğan’s interests. However, only the latter is responsible for the sense of demoralization, apathy, and public anger that has since ensued. The Turkish public deserves better from those who claim to speak truth to power.
*Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDD’s Turkey Program and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). Follow Sinan on Twitter @SinanCiddi. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

Australian Government Bows to Far-Left Pressure on Israel
David May and Natalie Ecanow/ The Algemeiner/August 24, 2023
Earlier this month, Australia upended nearly a decade of precedent when the government announced that it will start referring to the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem, and Gaza as “occupied Palestinian territories” rather than “disputed” lands.
The Australian government claims it is “advancing the cause of peace,” but how this move advances peace is not readily apparent. The change simply accepts the Palestinian framing of a key issue at a time when the Palestinian Authority (PA) can barely control the West Bank, let alone negotiate with Israel.
In 2014, Australia’s then-Attorney General George Brandis explained that the government would stop using the term “occupied” because it is mistaken to “describe areas of negotiation in such judgmental language.”
He said that the word is “freighted with pejorative implications which is neither appropriate nor useful.” Instead, the government opted for the term “disputed,” which more accurately describes the legal status of the territories.
Since the end of the British Mandate in 1948, no government has exercised undisputed sovereignty over the West Bank, Gaza, or eastern Jerusalem. Jordan conquered the territories during Israel’s war of independence, but few countries recognized Jordan’s claim. When Israel won control of the lands in the Six-Day War, it did not claim sovereignty. The Palestinians now claim the rights to govern these territories, but according to the Oslo Accords that created the PA, negotiations with Israel must first resolve the land’s status.
Australian policy reflected this until August 8, when Canberra flipped the script. Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced the change, and even described the Gaza Strip as occupied, despite the withdrawal of all Israeli forces and residents in 2005.
Wong represents the Australian Labor Party (ALP), which secured a majority in Australia’s May 2022 elections. Her announcement regarding the territories came less than two weeks before the ALP’s national conference, which began in Brisbane on August 17.
The timing is not coincidental. Reportedly, ALP leaders were at odds with the far left over “two foreign policy matters” in the run-up to the conference: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and a nuclear-powered submarine deal that the previous government negotiated with the United States and United Kingdom.
The ALP split the difference. The party reportedly “tor[e] down one of those foreign policy pillars, which is support for Israel, to preserve the other.” A spokesperson for the opposition told the press that the change in policy has “everything to do with managing factional differences” and “nothing to do with advancing a lasting two-state outcome.”
Australia has been an ally of Israel for decades; the two enjoyed particularly close ties under Australia’s previous government. In February 2022, for example, then Prime Minister Scott Morrison rejected an Amnesty International report that wrongly accused Israel of “apartheid.” Wong herself said the accusation was “not helpful in progressing the meaningful dialogue and negotiation necessary to achieve a just and enduring peace.”
But under ALP rule, Australia’s Israel policy has started to backslide. In October 2022, the government reversed Morrison’s decision to recognize western Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. And this year, Australia signed two joint statements with other Western governments condemning Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank.
Wong insisted last week that the government in Canberra remains a “committed friend of Israel.” She defended the decision to adopt the term “Occupied Palestinian Territories” as a move consistent with United Nations and European Union practice.
Thankfully, ALP has yet to lead Canberra completely off the deep end. Last October, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) investigating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “set forth grounds to conclude” that Israel’s presence in the West Bank is “now unlawful under international law.” Two months later, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution requesting that the ICJ issue an advisory opinion echoing the COI’s finding. Australia voted against the resolution — justifiably.
Israel’s West Bank presence is the result of a defensive war it won in 1967. Having tried and failed multiple times to negotiate a “land for peace” agreement, the Palestinian leadership has consistently rebuffed Israel’s terms. The Israelis have thus sustained their presence in these disputed territories.
Facts notwithstanding, the ICJ appears poised to rule against Israel and advise that international law requires Israel’s swift and unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank. A bipartisan group of American lawmakers warned that such an outcome “would almost certainly be used to further the propaganda assault and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel while simultaneously undermining the credibility and effectiveness of UN human rights bodies.”
Fifteen judges sit on the ICJ, including one from Australia. And while ICJ judges are independent, their decisions often reflect the priorities of their home countries. The first round of submissions in the ICJ proceedings were due on July 25. Australia did not file, and is thus precluded from direct intervention in the proceedings. But in the wake of its misguided shift in language, the ALP government can still redeem itself. It should make clear that Australia stands by Israel amidst an ongoing delegitimization campaign. A clear public statement in support of Israel would carry weight with the court, and help steer Australia’s policy back in the right direction.
*Natalie Ecanow is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where David May is a research manager. FDD is a non-partisan research institute in Washington, DC, focusing on national security and foreign policy. Follow FDD on Twitter @FDD.

UN has responsibility to try to resolve Sudan crisis
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/August 24, 2023
The conflict in Sudan continues to escalate, spreading to more cities. The capital Khartoum has also become an urban battleground, making it extremely urgent to reach a resolution and bring an end to the devastating war.
One of the most important issues to address is how the war is affecting ordinary people. The escalation of the conflict is significantly exacerbating the humanitarian situation, particularly in El-Obeid in North Kordofan, Khartoum and other nearby cities, as well as some areas of the Darfur region, especially in the western part of Darfur. This has led UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk to warn that the “disastrous, senseless war in Sudan, born out of a wanton drive for power, has resulted in thousands of deaths, the destruction of family homes, schools, hospitals and other essential services, massive displacement, as well as sexual violence, in acts which may amount to war crimes.”
To put it in perspective, since the conflict erupted between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, more than 4 million people have been forced to flee their homes. Nearly 1 million refugees and asylum seekers have fled to neighboring countries, while about 3 million people are currently internally displaced.
Another alarming fact is that the brutal war has significantly damaged the healthcare system in Sudan. In a war, hospitals and doctors are often targeted as a military strategy — a tool to carry out political retaliation, to impose fear on society and punish doctors and health workers for protecting and treating casualties of war.
The continuation of the conflict could cause the total collapse of the healthcare system in Sudan
Healthcare workers are risking their safety to save patients’ lives and treat various medical issues, including bullet wounds, all kinds of injuries and women giving birth. A nurse with Doctors Without Borders reflected on her experience working in a hospital in Khartoum, writing: “The entire time we were working we could hear the sounds of war outside. There were planes circling. They would fly over and within a few minutes or within an hour, the bombing would start. Between the explosions, there were sounds of gunshots from the streets. If it was very close, you could feel the walls shake, the windows too. There was smoke all around the hospital. Several times, members of the team lost family members in the bombing. We didn’t sleep a lot. Some nights we didn’t know what was real and what wasn’t because our dreams and reality started to blur.”
Without a resolution or intervention by the international community, the continuation of the conflict could cause the total collapse of the healthcare system in Sudan. Nearly two-thirds of hospitals are currently out of service in areas that have been affected by the conflict, with less than 20 percent of hospitals in Khartoum being operational.
It is worth noting that attacking hospitals, schools and healthcare workers in a conflict zone is considered to be a violation of international law. It is one of the six grave violations identified by the UN Security Council in its resolution 1998, which was passed in 2011.
The UN has a responsibility to act in such a crisis. Unfortunately, no concrete action has been taken in spite of the severity of the situation. Before the spread of social media and 24-hour news outlets, the UN could argue that it was unaware of human rights violations in the country. But there is currently no excuse for the UN not to act forcefully. While some parties in the war may not give much significance to the UN and its resolutions, any action taken by the international organization to hold the perpetrators accountable would be a blow to their global image and prestige.
The international community can take several steps, most importantly to set up an investigative mechanism
The international community can take several steps, most importantly to set up an investigative mechanism. It ought to prioritize and reveal to the world the deteriorating human rights situation in Sudan and how some parties are committing crimes against humanity. The UN must also pressure both sides to cooperate with its Human Rights Council investigation. This includes allowing investigators to enter Sudan, interview people and witness the situation on the ground.
If the warring parties refuse to work with the UN Human Rights Council, its case ought to be immediately referred to the UNSC. This would be a significant warning due to the fact that the council can trigger the rule of “responsibility to protect.” This “embodies a political commitment to end the worst forms of violence and persecution … It seeks to narrow the gap between member states’ preexisting obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law and the reality faced by populations at risk of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.” The responsibility to protect has previously been invoked in more than 80 UNSC resolutions.
A second solution would be to urgently bring both sides of the conflict to the negotiating table. In order to accomplish this objective, the international community can use its political leverage in order to impose diplomatic and economic pressure on the parties involved.
In a nutshell, the UN must act immediately and establish a credible mechanism to investigate the situation in Sudan in order to address the humanitarian crisis and protect people who have been impacted by the civil war.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh

Concrete achievements needed to drive BRICS forward
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/August 24, 2023
It is a hot topic in coffee shops in the Middle East nowadays that the world is witnessing an eclipse and the end of US-Western hegemony is near. For me, it has often been nearly impossible to chip into these conversations to say that the world has always been fluid and it is difficult to reach consensus on a single worldview between its many vying superpowers and players old and new. Yet, I have to admit that, more than ever before, not only in the Middle East but also in the wider Global South, the buzzwords abound about a new century without the US and Western powers; one that promises to offer more justice and equitability championed by new players like China, Russia and whomever is orbiting within their sphere of influence.
The spotlights of those aspiring for a global recalibration have been shining on Johannesburg in South Africa this week, where the leaders and heads of governments of the BRICS countries are meeting for the grouping’s 15th summit. They are discussing widening its membership and influence, pushing for a shift in global geopolitics.
It is not difficult to see why people in coffee shops across the world could be lured into thinking that the old world order is ripe for picking in South Africa, through enlarging the BRICS bloc or setting up other alliances that could magically rebalance the alleged tilt in favor of the West. The list of grievances deployed to justify the change is long and versatile, from abusive trade practices, punishing sanctions regimes and a perceived neglect of the development needs of poorer nations to residues of colonialism and an erroneous sense that nations are told how to behave, who to support and how to conduct their sovereign affairs. People repeatedly evoke the West’s domination of international bodies such as the UN, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
In short, amid rising dissatisfaction with the prevailing world order, the pledge of current BRICS members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to make the grouping a leading champion of the Global South has found resonance among 40 countries that we are told have expressed an interest in joining BRICS, each for their own separate interests. Yet, opening up its membership is a thorny issue, favored by China and Russia while Brazil and India tend to want to go slowly.
Becoming a counterweight to the current alleged Western monopoly was maybe the key driver for the bloc
Becoming a counterweight to the current alleged Western monopoly was maybe the key driver for the bloc. Yet this could only start with the de-dollarization of the world economy in favor of the use of local currencies, maybe creating a new single currency or even toying with alternatives like blockchain and bitcoin. The US dollar’s share of international financial transactions remains strong at 42 percent, while the euro is at 32 percent and the Chinese yuan’s share is only 2 percent.
The BRICS bloc’s development bank launched in 2015, with the aim of competing with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, but it has been hit by sanctions on Russia and its loan basket remains limited.
Potential candidates like heavily sanctioned Iran and Venezuela could only benefit from admission to a grouping that is home to 40 percent of the world’s population and a quarter of global gross domestic product. But the bloc’s chances of becoming a global political and economic player are limited due its lack of a coherent vision, divisions and absence of concrete results. This is reflected in the motives of the various countries that want to join the bloc. Some are seeking more visibility and a rival to their dependence on the West, or to improve their chances of gaining membership of global bodies, while candidates like Ethiopia and Nigeria are drawn by the bloc’s commitment to reforms at the UN that would give Africa a more powerful voice. Others want change at the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund and World Bank as a way to reconfigure the international financial architecture.
Along these lines, an expanded BRICS would surely look more like a bloc that resembles a grievances box, despite its members’ efforts to become a counterweight to the West amid China’s continued tensions with the US and the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Small countries hoping for an economic boost from BRICS membership might look to South Africa’s experience
Meanwhile, small countries hoping for an economic boost from BRICS membership might look to South Africa’s experience. Its trade with fellow BRICS members has increased steadily since it joined, according to an analysis by the country’s Industrial Development Corporation. But that growth is largely down to imports from China and the bloc still accounts for just a fifth of South Africa’s total two-way trade.
What will drive BRICS forward will be concrete achievements, not mere rhetoric. In a world that appears to be at an inflection point, groupings to drive reform and deal with the adversities facing the planet, like global warming, food security, poverty and conflict, should be applauded. But attempts to engineer a radical overhaul of a world system led so far by the US and the West, as created in the wake of the Second World War, are unlikely to benefit from more groupings or alliances.
Yes, maybe the US and the West have many shortfalls that have been fueling inequality on the world stage. And they may not have been redressing aspects related to peace and justice as desired by those sitting in coffee shops mainly in the Global South. So, one can excuse some people’s pontification about seeing hope in new blocs or groupings. But I invite them to look more thoroughly before embracing this or any new grouping and analyze the track record of its champions in governance, accountability and transparency.
Almost fifteen years since its inception, concrete achievements for the BRICS countries are difficult to find, but it remains an important talking bloc, with hope that its agenda and actions for the common good will outweigh the empty slogans we have heard so far. Those sipping their coffee in the Global South aspire to a free refill at least, if not the full geopolitical change tabled by the bloc and its supporters.
**Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist, media consultant and trainer with more than 25 years of experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy.

India’s space success a beacon of hope and inspiration
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/August 24, 2023
In an extraordinary achievement that echoed worldwide, India on Wednesday proudly announced the landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the moon’s uncharted south pole. This historic milestone solidifies India’s position as an emerging space power. A few days prior, Russia’s attempt at a lunar landing was a failure. These events highlight the fierce global competition for lunar expansion, while underscoring its profound geopolitical implications.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft’s touchdown on the moon places India’s name in an exclusive club of nations. It affirms India’s status as the fourth nation — after the US, Russia and China — to master the art of the lunar landing. The presence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the live broadcast gave a geopolitical dimension to the event, highlighting its significance beyond scientific accomplishment. It was a clear message that India is now emerging as a global political heavyweight in space, but also on Earth.
It contrasts with the hasty attempt by Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft. This was poised to lead Russia’s lunar resurgence, but it met an untimely demise as it lost control and collided with the moon’s surface. This incident serves as a harsh reminder of the unforgiving nature of space exploration, where technical glitches and unforeseen challenges can lead to disheartening setbacks. Yet, one can read more into it, especially with Moscow’s entanglement in Ukraine. Probably another hasty decision that backfired.
The moon’s south pole — just like ours on Earth — has evolved into an area where global powers are engaged in a fascinating tango of cooperation and rivalry. The convergence of scientific curiosity and strategic calculations has ignited a contest for access to this enigmatic area. Recent discoveries of ice nestled within the region’s craters have heightened the allure of the south pole, as water holds the potential to fuel future space missions and potentially sustain life. Much like the competition among terrestrial nations for finite resources to enhance their geopolitical influence, nations are positioning themselves to harness the potential resources of the moon. The resolve of these countries and the magnitude of the competition mirror the pursuit of resources that have, in a way, shaped Earth’s geopolitical landscape.
Moreover, settlements on the moon are key to the future exploration of our universe. And this is a goal that should unite us all. With a much lower gravitational force, rockets can be sent into space from the Moon with lower fuel costs than on Earth. This reduction also allows for greater range — a necessity for interplanetary expeditions.
According to NASA, there is a lot of “mystery, science and intrigue” around the south pole of the moon. It makes sense, then, that there is a purported space race to reach the area, which is far removed from the Apollo landing sites that are grouped together around the equator. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a NASA spacecraft that has been orbiting the moon for 14 years, has obtained data that suggests ice may exist in some of the huge, permanently shadowed craters, and that it may be able to support humanity.
The need for collaboration is highlighted by the Artemis program, which is an ambitious initiative by NASA that is aimed at returning humans to the moon by 2024, followed by the establishment of a sustainable lunar presence. Artemis envisions international collaboration, uniting nations in a collective endeavor to explore and exploit lunar resources. Yet, beneath the veil of cooperation lies an undercurrent of rivalry, as nations strive to secure their roles and potential resources in this race.
China, a formidable player in lunar exploration, is also eyeing the moon’s southern extremity. The Chang’e missions have showcased China’s impressive capabilities in lunar exploration, while the nation’s aspiration to establish a moon base underscores its strategic intent. Similarly, the European Space Agency’s engagement in lunar exploration initiatives adds another layer to the international race. It is captivating to see how science, politics and economic interests merge in this endeavor. Soon, space will be part of every country’s national security.
The worldwide positive reaction to India’s achievement shows a thirst for another way in Earth’s geopolitics. It was interpreted by many as a beacon of hope and inspiration. It highlighted the country’s shift from a history of colonialism and adversity to a nation accessing space, while symbolizing its resilience and a will to succeed, which can serve as an example.
It was a clear message that India is now emerging as a global political heavyweight in space, but also on Earth.
Clearly, the competition for lunar and space dominance is as much about scientific discovery as it is about geopolitical influence. And one may even say that the risks of conflict are actually higher than people imagine. Indeed, there are no frontiers between nations on the moon. This is why, in order to avoid confrontations that could start from space and spread to Earth, there should be a clear commitment from nations that they collaborate and establish a competition rulebook. But competition and freedom of enterprise should be guaranteed and ingenuity and speed rewarded, not controlled by a single body.
This time, unlike 50 years ago, when Russia achieved the first soft landing on the moon, the competition is not only between superpowers, but also includes private companies. The commercialization of space is now a key segment of economic growth. With every new achievement, humanity will uncover the mysteries of our universe. Yet, beneath the scientific goals, one must be aware of the geopolitics and the alliances that influence this global race from the Earth to the moon.
**Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of Barbicane, a space-focused investment syndication platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.

The Washington Post's 'Good' Terrorists
Bassam Tawil/ Gatestone Institute/August 24, 2023
The attacks by the Fatah-affiliated terrorists came days after The Washington Post published a story from Balata refugee camp, near Nablus, in which its correspondents romanticized members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, even documenting them as they visit their barber for a haircut.
The "fighters" The Washington Post is referring to are the terrorists responsible for a series of shooting, stabbing and car-ramming attacks against Jewish civilians and soldiers in the Nablus area and Israel over the past few months. Notably, these terrorists do not hide their involvement in the wave of attacks. In fact, they often boast of the attacks and post videos and posters documenting their role.
What the newspaper fails to mention is that this terrorist [who "bought his M16 [rifle] for $20,000 with the money he earned working in construction in Tel Aviv"] is one of tens of thousands of Palestinians who were granted permits (by Israel) to come and work in Israel as part of an effort to boost the Palestinian economy and improve the living conditions of the Palestinians in the West Bank.
The terrorist did not seek work in the Palestinian Authority-controlled territories because he knew he would have earned much less.... The terrorist was able to save $20,000 from his work in Israel, but instead of using the money to build a new house or improve his living condition, we are told that he chose to establish "the Balata cell of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades."
The correspondents are apparently impressed by the fact that another terrorist, Ammar, paid 20 shekels ($6) to buy them coffee. Ammar had been shot multiple times by Israeli soldiers while attempting to murder Jews near Nablus in April. He managed to escape, but two of his fellow gunmen were killed.
The correspondents go on to claim, falsely, that "there are no sports teams" in Balata refugee camp.
The truth is that the camp has a soccer club that was established in 1954. It is called the Balata Youth Center and states that it "aspires to be the main supporter of all sports, cultural, social, and scouting activities... It also aspires to have a special playground for all sports, such as football [soccer], basketball, handball, volleyball, table tennis, and other individual and group games." The local soccer team has even won several championships.
The terrorists could have joined the soccer team, but preferred to form a terror group to attack Jews.
Instead of highlighting that many of the terrorists are involved in intimidation and extortion of the local community, The Washington Post attempts to depict them as honest law-enforcers.
"The [Balata] Camp has been hijacked by an armed group that is terrorizing and threatening to kill residents who dare to speak out," the Fatah Office of Information and Culture itself said back in 2015. It accused the gunmen of extorting money from wealthy businessmen from Nablus and running a big market for weapons and drugs.
"[A] recent report by the Post provided what was essentially free advertising for a U.S.-designated terrorist group. Worse still, the Post's foray is part of an ongoing trend in Western news outlets being used by terrorist organizations to promote their propaganda." — Sean Durns, senior research analyst for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America.
After the recent murder of the Jewish woman near Hebron, one might wonder whether The Washington Post is planning to send its correspondents back to spend time with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorists to hear, first-hand, how proud they are that they murdered an innocent kindergarten teacher in cold blood.
How would the newspaper's readers have reacted had it sent its correspondents to spend time with Al-Qaeda or Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists to hear their pride in having committed atrocities against American citizens?
The Post piece leaves one with the distinct impression that there is such a thing as a good terrorist: one who targets Jews.
Days before Palestinian terrorists from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades murdered a 42-year-old Jewish mother of three who taught pre-school, The Washington Post published a story in which its correspondents romanticized members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. Pictured: Gunmen from a number of terrorist groups, including the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Izaddin al-Qassam Brigades, Al-Quds Brigades, and Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, hold what they called a "joint press conference" in Jenin refugee camp on February 25, 2023. (Photo by Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP via Getty Images)
On August 21, the Palestinian terror group Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility for the murder of Batsheva Nigri, a 42-year-old Jewish mother of three who taught pre-school. The woman was gunned down by two terrorists near the West Bank city of Hebron.
Shortly after the attack, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of the Fatah faction, headed by Palestinian Authority President -- and Fatah chairman -- Mahmoud Abbas, issued a statement in which it took credit for the attack. The group said it will continue to "adhere to the option of the rifle as a strategic choice." The "option of the rifle," as is evident, refers to terrorist attacks against Jewish civilians and soldiers.
Members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades were later filmed handing out sweets to passersby in the Gaza Strip to celebrate the murder of the Jewish woman.
The involvement of Abbas's group in terrorism against Jews is not new. In the past two years, his loyalists in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades have claimed responsibility for several terrors attacks, especially in the northern West Bank cities of Nablus and Jenin. On August 17, the group boasted that one of its members, Mustafa al-Kastouni, 32, was killed during an exchange of gunfire with Israeli troops in Jenin. Kastouni was wanted by Israel for his involvement in shooting attacks against Jewish civilians and soldiers.
Two days later, the same group mourned the death of another one of its members, Mohammed Abu Asab, who was also killed during an armed clash with Israeli soldiers.
The attacks by the Fatah-affiliated terrorists came days after The Washington Post published a story from Balata refugee camp, near Nablus, in which its correspondents romanticized members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, even documenting them as they visit their barber for a haircut.
Referring to the local commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the newspaper's correspondents wrote:
"The Washington Post spent time with him and some of his 15 fighters, as well as with militants in two other Palestinian refugee camps – Jenin and Askar – over three days in July. The visits, agreed to on condition that full names and specific locations be withheld, afforded a rare window into the lives and actions of fighters on one side of the worst violence to grip the West Bank in decades."
The "fighters" The Washington Post is referring to are the terrorists responsible for a series of shooting, stabbing and car-ramming attacks against Jewish civilians and soldiers in the Nablus area and Israel over the past few months. Notably, these terrorists do not hide their involvement in the wave of attacks. In fact, they often boast of the attacks and post videos and posters documenting their role.
The newspaper goes to lengths to focus on the human aspect of the terrorists' lives. After being led to a room deep inside Balata camp, the correspondents, in an effort to humanize the terrorists, said they were "welcomed" by several men there who were "eating mana'eesh, a flatbread with za'atar. Weapons rested in their laps or against the walls."
The correspondents go on to make a stunning revelation: one of the terrorists, identified only as Zoufi, "bought his M16 [rifle] for $20,000 with the money he earned working in construction in Tel Aviv."
What the newspaper fails to mention is that this terrorist is one of tens of thousands of Palestinians who were granted permits (by Israel) to come and work in Israel as part of an effort to boost the Palestinian economy and improve the living conditions of the Palestinians in the West Bank.
The terrorist did not seek work in the Palestinian Authority-controlled territories because he knew he would have earned much less. The newspaper does not mention that many Palestinians prefer to work in Israel than in the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas. The terrorist was able to save $20,000 from his work in Israel, but instead of using the money to build a new house or improve his living condition, we are told that he chose to establish "the Balata cell of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades."
The correspondents are apparently impressed by the fact that another terrorist, Ammar, paid 20 shekels ($6) to buy them coffee. Ammar had been shot multiple times by Israeli soldiers while attempting to murder Jews near Nablus in April. He managed to escape, but two of his fellow gunmen were killed.
The correspondents go on to claim, falsely, that "there are no sports teams" in Balata refugee camp.
The truth is that the camp has a soccer club that was established in 1954. It is called the Balata Youth Center and states that it "aspires to be the main supporter of all sports, cultural, social, and scouting activities... It also aspires to have a special playground for all sports, such as football [soccer], basketball, handball, volleyball, table tennis, and other individual and group games." The local soccer team has even won several championships.
The terrorists could have joined the soccer team, but preferred to form a terror group to attack Jews.
Instead of highlighting that many of the terrorists are involved in intimidation and extortion of the local community, The Washington Post attempts to depict them as honest law-enforcers. We are told that one of the terrorists its correspondents hung out with, Goblin, beat a suspected thief:
"Goblin slapped the boy. 'You will not steal again', he yelled, striking him in the forehead with the stock of his rifle."
Again, the newspaper ignores that many Palestinians are intimidated and terrorized by the gunmen, whom they hold responsible for the anarchy and lawlessness and living off protection money.
"The [Balata] Camp has been hijacked by an armed group that is terrorizing and threatening to kill residents who dare to speak out," the Fatah Office of Information and Culture itself said back in 2015. It accused the gunmen of extorting money from wealthy businessmen from Nablus and running a big market for weapons and drugs.
Sean Durns, a senior research analyst for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, noted:
"[A] recent report by the Post provided what was essentially free advertising for a U.S.-designated terrorist group. Worse still, the Post's foray is part of an ongoing trend in Western news outlets being used by terrorist organizations to promote their propaganda."
After the recent murder of the Jewish woman near Hebron, one might wonder whether The Washington Post is planning to send its correspondents back to spend time with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorists to hear, first-hand, how proud they are that they murdered an innocent kindergarten teacher in cold blood.
How would the newspaper's readers have reacted had it sent its correspondents to spend time with Al-Qaeda or Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists to hear their pride in having committed atrocities against American citizens?
The Post piece leaves one with the distinct impression that there is such a thing as a good terrorist: one who targets Jews.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East.
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