Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on December 22-23/2023
Video/Embracing the True Spirit of Christmas: A Call for Forgiveness and Reconciliation/مع روحية الميلاد دعوة للغفران والمسامحة
Video & Text/Embracing the True Spirit of Christmas: A Call for Forgiveness and Reconciliation/مع روحية الميلاد دعوة للغفران والمسامحة
What is the true meaning of Christmas?
Lebanon ready to apply UN resolution on border if Israel complies: PM
‘Shining Stars of Hope’ sees performers hit the stage to support Lebanese creatives
EU allocates €205.5 mn in support for Lebanon
Italian PM to visit Beirut for talks on calming border clashes
Israeli army says Lebanon rocket fire kills soldier
Ex-US ambassador Hale calls for turning tables on Iran, proxies after war
IDF says it struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon after attack
Hezbollah targets officers and soldiers in northern Israel
Mikati, al-Rahi discuss Lebanon's crises as war knocks fragile economy
'Forget my address', Slim tells Mikati
Report: Israel intends to assassinate Palestinian officials in Lebanon
South Lebanon small businesses defy Israeli bombs to stay open
Lebanon's anti-money laundering system: Acting BDL Governor reveals 'acceptable' results
Israeli soldier killed, another 'severely' injured in Lebanon shelling
Hezbollah mourns the martyr Hussein Ali Ezzedine from Maaroub, south Lebanon
Tourism Minister: An important and surprising tourism initiative would have taken place in Lebanon if not for the Gaza war
Geagea is open to reaching an agreement on the presidency, but only via ‘bilateral discussions’
Shea bids farewell to Lebanese leaders as embassy staff make their return
Is Lebanon a rich or poor country?
Berri broaches general situation with itinerant visitors, receives UK Ambassador, General Labor Confederation delegation, MP Skaff
Lebanon's mutual evaluation report on AML/CFT measures released by MENAFATF: Recommendations and path forward unveiled

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 22-23/2023
UN Security Council acts to boost aid to Gaza after US abstains
As death toll passes 20,000, U.N. again delays vote on aid to Gaza
Hamas and Palestinian Authority split on UN Gaza resolution
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza seen as among the most destructive in recent history, experts say
At least 5 US-funded projects in Gaza damaged or destroyed
Putin vows aid, urges halt to Gaza fighting in call with Abbas
Who is Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' most-wanted terrorist
More than 20 countries join coalition to protect Red Sea shipping
Saudi defense minister meets UK PM in London
France grounds plane carrying 300 Indians over suspected ‘human trafficking’
Iran shutters bookshop over hijab law violation: media
Iranian plot to assassinate two news presenters in London uncovered by double agent
Ukrainian forces shoot down three Russian Su-34 fighter jets on southern front
Tensions rise between Sudan army and United Arab Emirates
Washington welcomes Japan's decision to send Patriot missiles to US
Two Syrians charged in Germany with war crimes

Titles For The Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 22-23/2023
Holiday Reflections: 'The Cause of America Is the Cause of All Mankind'/Lawrence Kadish/ Gatestone Institute./December 22, 2023
Does Biden Want Israel to Lose the War?/Robert Williams/Gatestone Institute/December 22, 2023
The Biden Administration, Palestinians and Inconvenient Truths/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute./December 22, 2023
Don’t listen to the doubters, history shows Hamas CAN be defeated/Haisam Hassanein/ New York Post/December 22/2023
Palestinian Christians prepare for somber Christmas amid war/Associated Press/December 22/2023
EU must prove it is serious about enlargement/Luke Coffey/Arab News/December 22, 2023
The real AI revolution should be in humanity’s attitude toward it/REFIK ANADOL AND KAREL KOMAREK/Arab News/December 22, 2023
The year in review: Influential people who died in 2023/Associated Press/December 22/2023

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on December 22-23/2023
Christmas and Ingratitude Towards Parents: Honoring Parents Intertwines with Honoring God, The Father Himself.
Video/Embracing the True Spirit of Christmas: A Call for Forgiveness and Reconciliation/مع روحية الميلاد دعوة للغفران والمسامحة
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9L3K1BI8PQ&t=1s
Video & Text/Embracing the True Spirit of Christmas: A Call for Forgiveness and Reconciliation/مع روحية الميلاد دعوة للغفران والمسامحة
Elias Bejjani/December 19/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/125288/125288/
As we approach the commemoration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the divine God who was incarnated for our sake, taking what is ours and giving us what is His, it is not only our duty but a profound obligation to extend our hands to those with whom we are at odds. Specifically, within our families, it becomes imperative to reconcile, forgive, and seek forgiveness from those we may be estranged from. The true essence of celebrating Christmas remains elusive unless we forgive, reconcile, and extend forgiveness to those with whom we have disagreements, particularly within our families.
Celebrating Christmas cannot be genuine unless we forgive, reconcile, and extend forgiveness to those with whom we have any form of discord. It is a call to action, mirroring the spirit of the season, and a reflection of the teachings of the Lord, whose birth we commemorate. Just as He embraced humanity with love and forgiveness, let us emulate His example by reaching out to those we may be in conflict with, especially within our own families, to foster unity, understanding, and the true spirit of Christmas.”
As the festive season envelops us in a warm embrace of twinkling lights, festive tunes, and the tantalizing aroma of holiday treats, it is imperative that we take a moment to reflect on the essence of Christmas beyond the glittering façade of festivities. Beyond the gifts and the feasts lies a profound spirit—one of love, caring, and most importantly, forgiveness.
In a world often marred by discord and strife, Christmas serves as a poignant reminder of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. It is a time to mend fractured relationships, heal old wounds, and extend the hand of forgiveness to those who may have wronged us. Yet, in the midst of the jingling bells and joyful carols, it is disheartening to witness a paradox—a hypocrisy that threatens to undermine the very essence of this joyous season.
Celebrating Christmas without embracing the spirit of forgiveness is akin to adorning a festive garb while wearing a mask of indifference. The lights may sparkle, the carols may resonate, but the true meaning of Christmas remains elusive without a genuine commitment to fostering love and reconciliation. It is a call to action, a challenge to peel away the layers of resentment and pride that separate us from those we hold dear.
One of the most poignant scenarios that demand our attention is the estrangement within families. How often do fathers remain distant from children, siblings harbor grudges, and fractures persist in the very foundation of what should be a sanctuary of love? The season of Christmas beckons fathers to approach their estranged family members, to bridge the gaps that time and bitterness have forged. It is an opportunity to extend the olive branch, to rebuild the bonds that may have been strained by misunderstandings and grievances.
Similarly, the call extends to the younger generation—children who may find themselves distanced from their parents. The spirit of forgiveness is not a one-way street; it requires both parties to be willing to let go of past hurts and open their hearts to reconciliation. Children, too, must find the courage to approach their parents, to initiate conversations that transcend grievances and foster understanding. It is a chance to rediscover the warmth of familial love and the joy that comes from rebuilding connections.
Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness; it is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. It is a gift we give ourselves and others, a balm that soothes the wounds of the past and paves the way for a brighter, more harmonious future. As we gather around the Christmas tree, let us remember that the true ornament of this season is not the tinsel or baubles but the bonds of love and forgiveness that weave a tapestry of warmth and unity.
In this Christmas season of giving, let us give the invaluable gift of forgiveness—to our family members, friends, and even to ourselves. Let the spirit of Christmas be a catalyst for reconciliation, a force that transcends differences and fosters a renewed sense of togetherness. In doing so, we honor the true essence of Christmas and create a legacy of love and forgiveness that will resonate far beyond the twinkling lights and festive melodies.

What is the true meaning of Christmas?
GotQuestions.org/December 22, 2023
The true meaning of Christmas is love. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love.
The real Christmas story is the story of God’s becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Savior! Why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself (1 John 4:8). Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? Out of gratitude for what God did for us, we remember His birth by giving each other gifts, worshiping Him, and being especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate.
The true meaning of Christmas is love. God loved His own and provided a way—the only Way—for us to spend eternity with Him. He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love. "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

Lebanon ready to apply UN resolution on border if Israel complies: PM
AFP/December 22, 2023
BEIRUT: Lebanon is ready to implement a UN resolution that would help end Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks on Israel if Israel also complies and withdraws from disputed territory, Lebanon’s prime minister said Friday. The frontier between Lebanon and Israel has seen escalating exchanges of fire, mainly between the Israeli army and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, raising fears of a broader conflagration. UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, called for the removal of armed personnel south of Lebanon’s Litani River, except for UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese army and state security forces. The solution to the current cross-border hostilities “is the implementation of international resolutions,” including Resolution 1701, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said in a statement. “We are totally ready to commit to their implementation, on condition the Israeli side does the same, and withdraws — according to the international laws and resolutions — from occupied territory,” he added. Mikati’s office said the premier was referring territory claimed by Lebanon that remains occupied following Israel’s withdrawal from the country’s south in 2000: the disputed Shebaa Farms, the Kfarshuba hills and the Lebanese side of the village of GHajjar. Despite holding sway over swathes of the country’s south, Hezbollah has not had a visible military presence on Lebanon’s southern border since the end of the 2006 war. A diplomatic source, requesting anonymity, told AFP that the proposals to avert another all-out conflict include settling the disputed land border between Israel and Lebanon and encouraging Hezbollah withdraw its fighters from near the frontier. On Monday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna met with senior officials in Beirut, a day after visiting Israel and the occupied West Bank, as part of efforts to de-escalate border tensions, while Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin urged Hezbollah to avoid provoking a “wider conflict.” Since hostilities began in October, more than 140 people have been killed on the Lebanese side, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also more than a dozen civilians, three of them journalists, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, four civilians and seven soldiers have been killed, according to officials. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Sunday said ensuring the security of Israelis near the border meant pushing Hezbollah “north of the Litani River,” which is around 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the frontier. “There are two ways to do that: either by diplomacy or by force,” Cohen said.

‘Shining Stars of Hope’ sees performers hit the stage to support Lebanese creatives
Updated 22 December 2023
LYNN KSEIBI/Arab News/December 22, 2023
JOUNIEH: Amid the shadows cast by Lebanon’s economic woes, Thursday night’s “Shining Stars of Hope” event lit up Jounieh, just outside Beirut, as 120 artists, performers, choir groups and musicians hit the stage to support fellow Lebanese artists facing financial hardship. Hosted by veteran TV presenter Ricardo Karam, the Takreem Foundation orchestrated the “Shining Stars of Hope” event at Casino du Liban in Jounieh, pulling in a full house with more than 700 attendees. Hosted by veteran TV presenter Ricardo Karam, the Takreem Foundation orchestrated the “Shining Stars of Hope” event at Casino du Liban. (Arab News) Karam set the emotional tone with a moving opening speech featuring his hopes for the future of Lebanon and he also expressed solidarity with Gaza, sparking applause from the audience. Artists hailing from different parts of Lebanon took center stage with delightful performances of beloved Christmas classics. The performances were enacted in various languages and musical styles, showcasing Lebanon's rich cultural tapestry. Lebanese soprano singer Fadia Tomb El-Hage merged contemporary and classical genres during the event. “After the Gaza war, I chose not to participate in Christmas concerts. The tragic loss of lives in Gaza deeply affected me, and I follow the news daily. However, Ricardo Karam's determination to support artists facing difficulties inspired me to reconsider and participate; it is a cause. It deserves our contribution. Being an artist, I understand the challenges of freelancing in a country without retirement or health insurance or royalty acknowledgement of their work. After all, people in Lebanon survive thanks to private initiatives,” El-Hage told Arab News. “Christmas embodies a celebration of family, whether it's our core family or a metaphorical one, like the artistic community. As artists, we aspire for our collective efforts to matter, hoping that our performances have brought joy during these challenging times filled with despair and ambiguity,” she added. The night progressed with a joyful atmosphere as tenors delved into the realms of jazz, and pop singers explored the world of classical melodies. Among these artists was Tania Kassis, who sang in pop-opera style and surprised the audience by performing “Chou betmanna” (“How I Wish”), a song that has yet to be officially released. The lineup also included Ronza, Yuri Mrakadi, tenors Marc Reaidy Baz and Bechara Moufarrej, baritone Maxim Chami and countertenor Matteo Khodr. Choir singers from the Tania Kassis Academy, alongside musicians and dancers from the Zirka troupe, also graced the stage, which was designed by Jean-Louis Mainguy. “Tonight was beautiful. The people, the music, the attendance, the media, the energy — I believe this mission was successfully completed,” Yuri Mrakadi, a prominent Lebanese singer and composer, said on stage. “In gratitude for the dreams that these artists ignited in us, the least we can do is show solidarity and appreciation,” Mrakadi added.

EU allocates €205.5 mn in support for Lebanon
Naharnet/December 22, 2023
The European Union has decided to allocate 205.5 million Euros to address several priority areas to support the country’s stability and recovery.
"In these times of uncertainty and instability in the region, the European Union reaffirms its support to the people of Lebanon and has decided to allocate 205.5 million Euros to address several priority areas to support the country’s stability and recovery," the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon said Friday in a statement. The European Union said it will continue, as a first priority, supporting Lebanon with enhancing border management, by offering financial and technical assistance to align it with international standards. "This will contribute to Lebanon’s overall security and stability, in the face of regional uncertainty and threats," the statement said. "In this context, it is crucial for Lebanese public institutions to be well equipped to address the growing needs of the people of Lebanon. This starts with the implementation of necessary economic and structural reforms, in line with recommendations of the International Monetary Fund. To address the lack of resources needed to undertake such reforms, the European Union will help Lebanon implement fiscal policy and public finance management measures that increase public revenues and improve the economic conditions in the country once the IMF programme is in place. "Moreover, the European Union will continue supporting Lebanese public institutions in enhancing governance, accountability and transparency when running public affairs and providing basic services to the population. This includes improving the management of the water sector by introducing monitoring systems for water extraction and upgrading existing customer databases. Such practices of calculating the actual cost of water and ensuring accountability in the process will support the sector in becoming administratively and financially self-sufficient. "The Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon added that the European Union will also support measures to respond to the ongoing electricity crisis in Lebanon, by encouraging renewable energy and energy efficiency investments by SMEs. "Additionally, the European Union will assist Lebanon in strengthening electoral processes by enhancing the capacities of public institutions to conduct credible, transparent and inclusive elections, within constitutional deadlines. The European Union will also support initiatives in favour of a vibrant robust civil society including in the field of culture with the main goal to foster social cohesion and democratisation. "To address the growing needs of vulnerable people in Lebanon, the European Union will continue, as in previous years, to provide indispensable support in education, social protection, and water sectors to strengthen also the capacity of local authorities to provide services in a sustainable manner."Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon Sandra De Waele said that “more than ever, sound governance and strong State institutions that are effective, transparent and accountable to their citizens, are needed in Lebanon. With the tools at our disposal, we are committed to supporting Lebanon in strengthening its State institutions and modernising its public administration."

Italian PM to visit Beirut for talks on calming border clashes
Naharnet/December 22, 2023
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will arrive Saturday in Beirut, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported Friday. The daily said that Meloni will meet her Lebanese counterpart Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and will seek to de-escalate tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border. Meloni will also visit the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, Major General Aroldo Lazaro.

Israeli army says Lebanon rocket fire kills soldier
AFP/December 23, 2023
JERUSALEM: Israel’s military said Friday rocket fire from Lebanon had killed one of its soldiers and wounded another near the border, where violence has flared during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The soldiers were hit during “operational activity” in the Shtula area in northern Israel, the army said in a statement. The frontier between Lebanon and Israel has seen escalating exchanges of fire, mainly between the Israeli army and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, raising fears of a broader conflict. Hezbollah said two of its fighters had been killed by Israeli fire on Friday as it claimed several attacks on areas near the border in Israel. The Israeli army said that after a report of sirens sounding near the border in Manara, several “launches were identified from Lebanon toward Israel.”It added that “a number of mortar launches were identified from Lebanon toward Metula,” also near the border, and that “IDF (army) artillery struck the sources of fire.”An Israeli fighter jet earlier on Friday “struck infrastructure and a military site belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon,” the army said. Hezbollah says it is acting in support of Hamas. Since hostilities began in October, more than 140 people have been killed on the Lebanese side, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also more than a dozen civilians, three of them journalists, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, at least four civilians and eight soldiers have been killed, according to officials.

Ex-US ambassador Hale calls for turning tables on Iran, proxies after war
Naharnet/December 22, 2023
Former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale has called for the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701 and for turning the tables on Iran and its proxies in the region when the war on Gaza ends. Since the war in Gaza began, there have been near-daily clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces along the Lebanon-Israel border, with fears of an escalation to a full-scale war. On the Lebanese side, more than 140 people have been killed, most of them Hezbollah fighters -- including one announced on Thursday -- but also more than a dozen civilians, three of them journalists, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, four civilians and seven soldiers have been killed, according to officials. Hale also said, in an interview with MTV, that implementing Res. 1701 will put a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of the army. He added that it is a good time for continuity in the army command "at a time of war in the region" and amid "a potential of a greater escalation" in Lebanon, lauding the extension of the term of Army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun.

IDF says it struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon after attack
Clyde Hughes/United Press International/December 22, 2023
Israeli forces in the Northern Command sector operates near the Israel-Lebanon border on October 12. Israel said it responded to a Hezbollah attack near the border on Friday. Israel Defense Forces said it attacked Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon after they fired nearly two dozen rockets into Israel on Friday, threatening to expand the current Israel-Gaza war. Hezbollah, which took responsibility for the initial attack on southern Israel, said two of its members died in the exchange of fire. It said 121 members have died in skirmishes along the Israel-Lebanon border since Oct. 7. About 20 rockets were fired from Lebanon into the Shomera area in northern Israel, along with additional rocket fire along other border areas. The IDF did not say if any casualties resulted from the Hezbollah attacks. Israel responded to the attacks with fighter jets that hammered rocket launch sites, military buildings, and other known Hezbollah infrastructure. Another Lebanon-based target was slammed by tanks and artillery. The IDF said it shelled several areas along the Israel-Lebanon border with artillery to prevent future Hezbollah attacks. An Image released by IDF on on Thursday October 12, 2023, shows Israeli forces in the Northern Command sector, reserve forces as they deploy in in the settlements near the border with Lebanon in the north of Israel. The IDF has warned that Hezbollah's actions are putting the Lebanese general population in danger as Israel responds to the attacks.
Israel forces have searched for several senior Hamas-linked leaders including Saleh al-Arouri and Osama Hamdan, along with Palestinian Islamic Jihad's Secretary-General Ziad Nakhalah. "Hezbollah has turned southern Lebanon into a combat zone and continues to endanger the future of the entire state of Lebanon for Hamas and Iran," IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said.

Hezbollah targets officers and soldiers in northern Israel
Naharnet/December 22, 2023
Hezbollah targeted Friday groups of soldiers and officers near the Shumira barracks and the Even Menachem settlement and an Israeli infantry force in Metulla while Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on al-Labbouneh.
The Israeli artillery also shelled Rab Tlatine, Jabal Blat, al-Jebbayn, Tayr Harfa, al-Naqoura, Houla, Mays al-Jabal, and Aita al-Shaab. Hezbollah said all targets were direct hits and inflicted casualties. Since the war in Gaza began, there have been near-daily clashes between the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces along the Lebanon-Israel border, with fears of an escalation to a full-scale war. The tensions put a major damper on travel to Lebanon, at least temporarily. Hezbollah has been carrying out near-daily cross-border assaults in support of Gaza and Hamas. Israel has been responding with its own bombardments in mostly tit-for-tat exchanges that have been largely contained to areas near the frontier, although fears remain of a broader conflagration.
Displacement
On the Lebanese side, more than 140 people have been killed since the cross-border hostilities began in October, most of them Hezbollah fighters -- including one announced on Thursday -- but also more than a dozen civilians, three of them journalists, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, four civilians and seven soldiers have been killed, according to officials. According to updated figures from the International Organization for Migration, the hostilities have displaced more than 72,000 people in Lebanon, most of them in the country's south. Thousands of civilians living along Israel's northern border with Lebanon have been evacuated by the army. Despite holding sway over swathes of the country's south, Hezbollah has not had a visible military presence on Lebanon's southern border since the end of a 2006 war the group fought with Israel. A United Nations Security Council Resolution that ended that war called for the removal of weapons in southern Lebanon from the hands of everyone except the Lebanese army and other state security forces. On Monday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna met with senior officials in Beirut, a day after visiting Israel and the occupied West Bank, as part of efforts to de-escalate border tensions. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Sunday said that ensuring the security of Israelis near the border meant pushing Hezbollah "north of the Litani River" in south Lebanon. "There are two ways to do that: either by diplomacy or by force," Cohen said.

Mikati, al-Rahi discuss Lebanon's crises as war knocks fragile economy
Naharnet/December 22, 2023
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi agreed, during a meeting in Bkerki, that resolving the Lebanese crises starts with the election of a president.
Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun's term ended in October last year, while its government has been running in a limited caretaker capacity. The head of the General Security agency retired in March without a replacement, and the central bank governor's mandate expired in July, without a clear successor. Parliament recently extended the army chief's mandate, averting a military power vacuum. His departure in January would have added another gap to crisis-hit Lebanon's withering and paralyzed institutions but the FPM said its lawmakers will submit an appeal against the law before the constitutional council, as it considered it unconstitutional. Tensions surged between Mikati and FPM Defense Minister Maurice Slim due to disputes over military appointments, including the extension of the term of Army chief Joseph Aoun. A new army chief of staff and two members of the military council are yet to be appointed. In addition to discussing the economic and political crises, Mikati and al-Rahi discussed the border clashes in south Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. The ripple effects of the war in Gaza are also knocking Lebanon’s fragile economy, which had begun making a tepid recovery after years of crisis, back into recession. The solution to the current cross-border hostilities "is the implementation of international resolutions", including Resolution 1701, Mikati said after the meeting. "We are totally ready to commit to their implementation, on condition the Israeli side does the same, and withdraws -- according to the international laws and resolutions -- from occupied territory," he added. The premier was referring to territory claimed by Lebanon that remains occupied following Israel's withdrawal from the country's south in 2000: the disputed Shebaa Farms, the Kfarshouba hills and the Lebanese side of the village of Ghajar. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, called for the removal of armed personnel south of Lebanon's Litani River, except for U.N. peacekeepers and the Lebanese army and state security forces. The tensions on the border have put a major damper on travel to Lebanon, at least temporarily. The World Bank projected in a report that instead of growing slightly in 2023, Lebanon’s GDP will shrink by -0.6% to -0.9%. “Lebanon’s reliance on tourism and remittance inflows is neither a viable economic strategy nor an economic crisis resolution plan,” the report noted. “Because tourism tends to be volatile and subject to external and internal shocks ... the sector cannot substitute for more sustainable and diverse drivers of growth.” Lebanon fell into a protracted economic crisis in 2019, with inflation hitting triple digits and the local currency collapsing. The lira, which had been pegged at 1,500 to the dollar for a quarter century, now goes for around 90,000 on the black market. Before the war, many of Lebanon’s leaders had been banking on tourism and remittances to drive an economic recovery, hoping to sidestep reforms required to clinch an International Monetary Fund bailout package. Lebanon reached a preliminary deal with the IMF in April 2022 for a $3 billion rescue package but has not completed most of the reforms required to finalize it. Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Saade Chami, one of the few Lebanese officials still pushing for an IMF deal, said Thursday that Lebanon had made “no progress to speak of” in recent months on implementing the rest of the required reforms. However, he pushed back against perceptions that the deal is dead. IMF officials “are still engaged,” Chami said, “but they’re waiting for us to do what we are supposed to do.”

'Forget my address', Slim tells Mikati
Naharnet/December 22, 2023
A statement issued by caretaker PM Najib Mikati’s office has strained the relation anew between the premier and caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim, after the two men held a supposedly positive reconciliation meeting on Thursday.
“There is nothing personal between me and caretaker PM Najib Mikati and the meeting yesterday took place at his desire. This is what my friend, caretaker Culture Minister Mohammad Wissam al-Murtada, told me when he visited me on Wednesday, carrying to me the PM’s desire to meet with me,” Slim told al-Joumhouria newspaper. “Murtada asked me whether I was willing to meet the invitation and I told him that I am a defense minister in a government led by Mikati and that I certainly did not mind that, and this is what happened. I headed to the Grand Serail and he met me with a handshake and kisses as usual. I explained to him my viewpoint on everything that has happened and the mistake in the memo that he had sent to me,” Slim said. Denying that he “apologized” to Mikati as mentioned in the premiership’s statement, Slim clarified that he “voiced regret” over the manner in which he was “dealt with” and that he did not apologize because he is “not guilty.”The minister also revealed that he reached an agreement with Mikati, who asked him to “suggest candidates for three military posts, including the chief of staff,” prior to January 15, although Slim is “not convinced of these appointments after the extension of the army chief’s term.”“I left the meeting based on this, but after the issuance of the statement of the PM’s press office, I called his adviser and told them that it is shameful to say that Murtada ‘took me with him’ as if I’m a little kid and that I did not apologize. I also told him to tell Mikati that he has torpedoed the agreement and that he should ‘forget my address,’” Slim added. The minister had described the meeting as being “full of brotherhood, honesty, cordiality and mutual respect.”Tensions had surged between Mikati and Slim due to disputes over military appointments, including the extension of the term of Army chief Joseph Aoun, which ultimately took place last week. A new army chief of staff and two members of the military council are yet to be appointed. Mikati had in recent days sent a new memo to Slim, asking him to submit proposals for filling the vacant military posts. Slim responded by saying that he was awaiting the result of the appeal filed by the FPM against the law that extended Aoun’s term. In the beginning of Tuesday’s Cabinet session, Mikati informed ministers of the memo that he had sent to Slim two days earlier. “After Mikati recited the memo that he sent to Defense Minister Maurice Slim, one of the ministers suggested that direct contact take place between Mikati and Minister Slim,” al-Liwaa said. “Mikati responded that the premiership cannot be insulted,” the daily added. “The moment Maurice Slim came to the Grand Serail and started shouting, I considered that he was finished to me and that from that moment dealing with him would become formal and through memos,” al-Liwaa newspaper quoted Mikati as telling ministers.

Report: Israel intends to assassinate Palestinian officials in Lebanon
Naharnet/December 22, 2023
Lebanon has been warned that the Israeli Mossad intends to assassinate Palestinian officials in Lebanon, topped by Hamas senior leaders Saleh al-Arouri and Osama Hamdan and Islamic Jihad chief Ziad al-Nakhalah, diplomatic sources said. “The threats are high and require extraordinary measures,” the sources told ad-Diyar newspaper in remarks published Friday, saying that French intelligence chief Bernard Emie had warned -- without mentioning names -- of such a scenario during his latest visit to Beirut.“French President Emmanuel Macron relieved Emie of his duties and replaced him with Nicolas Lerner hours ago, which is a suspicious timing that indicates that Emie might have paid the price of these leaks,” ad-Diyar added.

South Lebanon small businesses defy Israeli bombs to stay open
Agence France Presse/December 22, 2023
In a falafel joint in south Lebanon, Hussein Murtada prepared flat-bread snacks for his few remaining customers as an Israeli surveillance drone buzzed above the border village of Kfar Kila. "We work under the bombs. A few days ago, a shell fell 200 meters from here. Shrapnel hit the shopfront and the wall," said Murtada, 60, pointing to the damage. "I hid behind the fridge in the restaurant" during the bombardment, he told AFP. Since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7 with the Palestinian Islamist group's unprecedented attacks on Israel, Lebanon's Hezbollah group has been carrying out near-daily cross-border assaults in support of its ally Hamas. Israel has been responding with its own bombardments in mostly tit-for-tat exchanges that have been largely contained to areas near the frontier, although fears remain of a broader conflagration. More than 140 people have been killed on the Lebanese side, according to an AFP tally, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also including more than a dozen civilians, three of them journalists. On the Israeli side, four civilians and seven soldiers have been killed, authorities have said. In Kfar Kila, nestled among olive trees, some houses had been completely destroyed, and the sound of nearby bombardment rumbled through the air. Just one grocery store was still open in Murtada's area, and the streets were largely deserted after many villagers fled.
'Disrupted'
Frying falafel in hot cooking oil, Murtada said he was determined to stay open, even if just for the few passing cars and ambulances. "I serve food to anyone who is hungry, even those who can't pay," he said, cutting tomatoes and pickles to go with an order. Lebanon, gripped by a crushing four-year economic crisis, can ill-afford another full-blown conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The two fought a month-long war in 2006. A UN Development Programme report this week said the hostilities had already led to "considerable physical losses, mainly of buildings, houses, commercial entities, infrastructure, services, and utilities" in south Lebanon border villages. "Economic activity and local businesses are either disrupted or have had to shut down or relocate."The World Bank warned on Thursday that "the current conflict and its spillovers into Lebanon are expected to quickly reverse the tepid growth projected for 2023 as the economy returns to a recession". At his petrol station in the village of Taybeh, Ali Mansur was waiting for customers who dared to brave the bombardments. He said his village, just across the border from the Israeli kibbutz community of Misgav Am, is under constant Israeli drone surveillance. Hezbollah does not have a visible military presence in villages along the frontier. On December 11, an elderly local official was killed in Taybeh when an unexploded shell hit him on his balcony. "As long as the strikes are far away, we work to earn a living," said Mansur, aged around 50.
Displacement -
In nearby Adaysseh, Ahmad Tarrab said he had been serving burgers at a small restaurant until last week. "We had stayed open since the start" of the war in October, said Tarrab, 23. But an employee was wounded when a "shell fell in front of the restaurant, and two others behind it", he said, pointing to shrapnel in front of the establishment, whose sign was also damaged. Tarrab later told AFP he decided to flee. According to the International Organization for Migration, the violence has displaced more than 72,000 people in Lebanon, mostly in the country's south. While the majority are staying with host families, more than 1,000 are staying in shelters, according to the U.N. agency. In the main square in Adaysseh, Abbas Baalbaki, who owns a small print shop, was following the news on his mobile phone. Taking a drag on his cigarette, he said he decided to shut his shop after his customers evaporated. He remained defiant, however, adding, "even if the war takes 10 months or a year, I'm not moving".

Lebanon's anti-money laundering system: Acting BDL Governor reveals 'acceptable' results
LBCI/December 22, 2023
The acting Banque du Liban (BDL) Governor, Wassim Mansouri, announced in a statement that the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) published the Mutual Evaluation Report on the Republic of Lebanon regarding anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) measures. The report concerning the FATF 40 Recommendations indicates that Lebanon achieved acceptable results in technical compliance, receiving a rating of "compliant" or " largely compliant" in 34 recommendations.  However, the report highlights the necessity of improvements in the remaining six recommendations, where Lebanon received a rating of "partially compliant," requiring some amendments to laws and regulations. Regarding the direct results of the eleven Immediate Outcome measurements, Lebanon achieved an "average" level of effectiveness in nine direct outcomes, said the statement. While the Lebanese anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing system showed some positive results, it requires further enhancement in areas such as risk assessment, international cooperation, supervision, especially in the non-financial sector, and its procedures, legal persons, and arrangements, parallel financial investigations, and relevant targeted financial sanctions related to United Nations Security Council resolutions. Lebanon obtained a low level of effectiveness in two direct outcomes, primarily related to the inadequacy of confiscation of criminal proceeds and related assets and the adequacy of prosecution and judicial decisions in money laundering crimes that need to be more consistent with the risks, requiring proportional and deterrent penalties, as stated in the report. The assessment Lebanon underwent, based on the methodology adopted by the FATF for evaluating all countries, took place under the known exceptional circumstances that are still prevailing, added the statement. In any case, as in all countries, there is a need for a comprehensive governmental approach to implement the corrective actions required by the relevant internal authorities. Therefore, the Special Investigation Commission, as the national coordinator for the assessment process, will inform the offices of the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime Minister of all the results of the report to communicate with the relevant internal authorities regarding the corrective actions needed to enhance the effectiveness of the Lebanese anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing system. Lebanon is required to submit follow-up reports on the progress made in their implementation throughout 2024 to MENAFATF for discussion and appropriate decision-making."

Israeli soldier killed, another 'severely' injured in Lebanon shelling
LBCI/December 22, 2023
The Israeli army announced the death of one of its soldiers and the severe injury of another as a result of shelling from Lebanon. The army said in a statement: "The soldier was killed during operational activities in the Shtula area near the border with Lebanon, where there is an escalation in the context of the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas."

Hezbollah mourns the martyr Hussein Ali Ezzedine from Maaroub, south Lebanon
LBCI/December 22, 2023
On Friday, Hezbollah mourned the martyr, Hussein Ali Ezzedine, known as 'Abou Nemer,' from Maaroub in southern Lebanon.

Tourism Minister: An important and surprising tourism initiative would have taken place in Lebanon if not for the Gaza war
LBCI/December 22, 2023
Caretaker Tourism Minister Walid Nassar affirmed that air traffic has resumed in Lebanon despite the Gaza war, with global airlines resuming flights to Beirut. Speaking on LBCI's "Nharkom Said" TV show, he referred to the World Bank report indicating that the tourism sector in Lebanon is the top contributor to the local GDP. He compared the current phase Lebanon is going through to the "COVID-19" stage but emphasized the difference due to the current presence of security instability. Nassar explained that approximately 55 to 60 percent of planes arrive in Beirut, translating to about 8,000 individuals daily.
He highlighted intensive activities in tourist areas, especially in Mount Lebanon and Beirut, particularly in restaurants and entertainment fields, with 27 major Christmas activities. Emphasizing the need to keep Lebanon away from war, Nassar stated, "resistance is not only with weapons but with everyone working in their productive sector with sustainable plans."Regarding Douma being one of the most beautiful towns globally for tourism, he confirmed that this is due to the policies followed by the ministry and specialized projects abroad. He stated, "Douma markets will be opened soon after restoration, and we thank Qatar for its support. We nominated Batroun for the Arab Tourism Organization as the most beautiful summer town and Kfardebian for winter tourism for the next year."Nassar clarified that the ministry's goal was to develop domestic tourism, stimulate religious tourism, and open offices for the ministry.
He announced Lebanon's affiliation with the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, making it the only non-European country to connect it with European countries. He also announced the ministry's work to introduce Lebanon to the World Tourism Organization, potentially gaining a position on the executive board soon. He said, "I launched a specific vision from the Lebanese embassy in Riyadh, aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 as the largest Arab economy. Lebanon should play a leading role in decision-making in joint projects due to the presence of the Lebanese community in the Kingdom."He added, "This is a long-term project in cooperation with Qatar, the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, and the Gulf Cooperation Council to connect Arab countries in tourism projects."Nassar confirmed the resumption of work on this vision starting in January. He explained that the ministry is outlining the plans, while implementation will be in collaboration with the private sector. Revealing an essential and surprising initiative "with tourism as its gateway," Nassar stated that Lebanon would have witnessed it if the Gaza war had not begun, following "the ministry's work on reestablishing relations between Lebanon and the Arab neighbors."He announced the main project for 2024, which is the operation of tourist offices opened in Lebanon in 2021 in partnership with the private sector and their rehabilitation. The first office will be in Jbeil. Nassar noted that private sector companies have specific platforms with surveys of tourism establishments. "We need to gather them to issue an official unified map under the name of the Ministry of Tourism."He said: "We previously launched the religious pilgrimage from Dimane, and its symbolism applies to all sects. We included many sites on the religious tourism map, and Lebanon is the richest country in religious pilgrimage due to religious pluralism."He requested that tourism establishments adopt licenses.

Geagea is open to reaching an agreement on the presidency, but only via ‘bilateral discussions’
Daily Star/December 22/2023
Samir Geagea, the leader of the Lebanese Forces, has expressed his willingness to find common ground on selecting a new president, but he emphasizes that this should be done through bilateral discussions. In a statement released on Thursday, Geagea responded to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s comments on the critical necessity of electing a president. He asserted that such consensus should be achieved through “calm bilateral consultations” rather than what he described as a “theatrical” dialogue table. Berri, in his remarks published in al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday, highlighted the urgency of electing a president. He warned about the negative consequences of further delays, stating, “A president must be elected within the next few weeks.” He also cautioned that prolonging the consensus-building process would only lead to more complications and damages.

Shea bids farewell to Lebanese leaders as embassy staff make their return
Daily Star/December 22/2023
Dorothy Shea, the outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, has been engaging in farewell meetings with various Lebanese leaders as her diplomatic tenure in the country comes to an end. On Wednesday, Shea met with Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi. Following this, on Thursday, she visited Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Maarab. Reports indicate that Shea will leave Lebanon on December 29. She will be succeeded by the newly-appointed ambassador, Lisa Johnson, who will serve as charge d’affaires. Johnson’s role will continue until a new Lebanese president is elected, to whom she can present her credentials. The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon had earlier announced a return to “normal staffing and presence,” signifying the comeback of U.S. government employees and their family members to Lebanon. This return follows their earlier departure due to escalating border clashes in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Despite this reinstatement of staff, the embassy continues to maintain a Level 4 Travel Advisory, advising U.S. citizens against traveling to Lebanon. Additionally, the U.S. Embassy has resumed issuing full-validity passports and is now offering all routine services to American citizens. It has also recommenced regular processing for nonimmigrant and immigrant visas.

Is Lebanon a rich or poor country?
Daily Star/December 22/2023
Lebanon’s Economic Landscape: An Overview Lebanon, a country known for its diverse culture and historical significance, presents a complex economic landscape. The nation’s economy is characterized by various sectors including banking, tourism, and agriculture, contributing to its overall GDP. However, Lebanon’s economic journey has been marked by significant challenges, such as political instability and regional conflicts, which have had a profound impact on its economic status. GDP and National Income: Indicators of Wealth When assessing whether Lebanon is a rich or poor country, key indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and national income play a crucial role. Lebanon’s GDP has fluctuated over the years, influenced by both internal and external factors. The country’s national income, derived from various sources including remittances from overseas, also offers insights into its economic health. Debt and Fiscal Deficit: A Glimpse into Economic Struggles One of the major challenges facing Lebanon is its high level of public debt and fiscal deficit. These factors are critical in understanding the country’s economic position. High debt levels have strained Lebanon’s financial resources, leading to economic constraints and affecting the government’s ability to invest in key sectors. Income Inequality and Poverty Rates Income inequality and poverty are significant issues in Lebanon. The disparity between different socio-economic groups provides a clearer picture of the country’s wealth distribution. Poverty rates, which have been on the rise due to various economic setbacks, further highlight the struggles faced by a significant portion of the Lebanese population.The Impact of Political Instability and Regional Conflicts Lebanon’s economic status cannot be fully understood without considering the impact of political instability and regional conflicts. These factors have historically affected Lebanon’s economic growth and stability, influencing investment, trade, and overall economic confidence. Remittances and the Role of the Lebanese Diaspora The Lebanese diaspora plays a vital role in the country’s economy through remittances. These financial contributions from Lebanese living abroad are a significant source of income for many families and contribute to the national economy. The influence of remittances reflects the interconnectedness of Lebanon’s economy with its global community.
Tourism and Agriculture: Pillars of the Lebanese Economy Tourism and agriculture have traditionally been pillars of the Lebanese economy, attracting visitors worldwide and contributing to national income. The success and challenges in these sectors provide insight into Lebanon’s economic strengths and areas of potential growth. Economic Reforms and International Aid In response to economic challenges, Lebanon has been engaged in implementing economic reforms and has received international aid. These efforts aim to stabilize the economy, reduce debt, and promote sustainable growth. The effectiveness of these measures is key to understanding Lebanon’s potential to overcome its economic hurdles. Comparative Analysis with Regional Economies To contextualize Lebanon’s economic status, a comparative analysis with other regional economies is essential. This comparison provides a broader perspective on where Lebanon stands in terms of wealth and economic development relative to its neighbors. Future Prospects and Potential for Economic Recovery Looking ahead, Lebanon’s potential for economic recovery hinges on several factors including political stability, effective economic policies, and global economic conditions. The future prospects of Lebanon’s economy are tied to its ability to navigate these complex factors and harness its inherent strengths. In conclusion, determining whether Lebanon is a rich or poor country requires a nuanced understanding of its diverse and complex economy. Factors such as GDP, debt levels, income inequality, and the impact of political instability paint a picture of a nation with significant economic challenges yet possessing potential for recovery. Understanding Lebanon’s economic intricacies provides valuable insights into its current status and future prospects.

Berri broaches general situation with itinerant visitors, receives UK Ambassador, General Labor Confederation delegation, MP Skaff
NNA/December 22, 2023
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Friday received at the Second Presidency in Ain El-Tineh, UK Ambassador to Lebanon, Hamish Cowell, with whom he discussed the general situation in Lebanon and the region in light of Israel’s continued aggression against the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Speaker Berri later received in Ain El-Tineh, President of the General Labor Confederation (GLC), Beshara Al-Asmar, accompanied by the Union members, in the presence of Amal Movement Central Labor Official, Ali Hamdan. Discussions reportedly touched on demands and syndical issues, especially the laws that were completed in the last legislative session. Berri also received in Ain El-Tineh, MP Ghassan Skaff, with whom he broached the current general situation, political and field developments, as well as legislative affairs.

Lebanon's mutual evaluation report on AML/CFT measures released by MENAFATF: Recommendations and path forward unveiled
NNA/December 22, 2023
On December 21st 2023, MENAFATF published Lebanon’s Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) on AML/CFT measures, after having discussed and adopted the MER in its May 2023 plenary meeting, and subsequently endorsing in its December plenary meeting amendments to the MER as requested by the FATF. The MER indicates that Lebanon scored acceptable results on technical compliance in thirty four recommendations out of the FATF forty recommendations whereby “Compliant” or “Largely Compliant” ratings were achieved. In the six other recommendations where improvements are needed, Lebanon received “Partially-Compliant” ratings, thus necessitating some legislative amendments. As for the eleven immediate outcomes that measure effectiveness, the MER indicated in nine immediate outcomes in which Lebanon received “moderate” level of effectiveness ratings that the country’s AML/CFT regime delivered some positive results that require further strengthening in areas covering; risk identification, international cooperation, supervision and other measures primarily for the non-financial sector, legal persons & arrangements along with beneficial ownership, parallel financial investigations and targeted financial sanctions with respect to UNSCRs. The remaining two immediate outcomes in which Lebanon received “low” level of effectiveness ratings are mainly associated with insufficient confiscation of criminal proceeds and assets, in addition to shortcomings related to money laundering prosecutions and convictions that need to be more commensurate with the country risks, and for which proportionate and dissuasive sanctions are needed. Lebanon was evaluated based on the FATF assessment methodology that is applied across all jurisdictions, whereby the evaluation process was carried out under known exceptional circumstances that continue to prevail. Nevertheless, as in all jurisdictions, the necessary corrective measures need a whole-of-government approach to be implemented by the concerned domestic competent authorities. As the national coordinator for the assessment process, the Special Investigation Commission (SIC) shall apprise the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime Minister of the MER outcome so as to communicate to each concerned domestic competent authority the corrective measures needed to improve the effectiveness of Lebanon’s AML/CFT regime. Henceforth; Lebanon will be required to submit to MENAFATF progress reports during 2024 that will be discussed and decided upon in its plenary meetings.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 22-23/2023
UN Security Council acts to boost aid to Gaza after US abstains
REUTERS/December 22, 2023
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council on Friday approved a toned-down bid to boost humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and called for urgent steps “to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities” after a week of vote delays and intense negotiations to avoid a veto by the United States. Amid global outrage over a rising Gaza death toll in 11 weeks of war between Israel and Hamas and a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, the US abstained to allow the 15-member council to adopt a resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates. The remaining council members voted for the resolution except for Russia which also abstained. Following high-level negotiations to win over Washington, the resolution no longer dilutes Israel’s control over all aid deliveries to 2.3 million people in Gaza. Israel monitors the limited aid deliveries to Gaza via the Rafah crossing from Egypt and the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing. But a weakening of language on a cessation of hostilities frustrated several council members — including veto power Russia — and Arab and Organization of Islamic Cooperation states, some of which, diplomats said, view it as approval for Israel to further act against Hamas for a deadly Oct. 7 attack.The adopted resolution “calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.” The initial draft had called for “an urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities” to allow aid access. Earlier this month the 193-member UN General Assembly demanded a humanitarian cease-fire, with 153 states voting in favor of the move that had been vetoed by the United States in the Security Council days earlier. The US and Israel oppose a cease-fire, believing it would only benefit Hamas. Washington instead supports pauses in fighting to protect civilians and free hostages taken by Hamas.
AID MONITORING
Last month the United States abstained to allow the Security Council to call for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses in fighting for a “sufficient number of days” to allow aid access. The move came after four unsuccessful attempts to take action. Washington traditionally shields its ally Israel from UN action and has already twice vetoed Security Council action since an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 240 people taken hostage. Israel has retaliated against Hamas by bombarding Gaza from the air, imposing a siege and launching a ground offensive. Some 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to health officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza. Most people in Gaza have been driven from their homes and UN officials have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe. The World Food Programme says half of Gaza’s population is starving and only 10 percent of the food required has entered Gaza since Oct. 7. A key sticking point during negotiations on the resolution adopted on Friday had been an initial proposal for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to establish a mechanism in Gaza to monitor aid from countries not party to the war. A toned-down compromise was reached to instead ask Guterres to appoint a senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator to establish a UN mechanism for accelerating aid to Gaza through states that are not party to the conflict. The coordinator would also have responsibility “for facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying in Gaza, as appropriate, the humanitarian nature” of all the aid. The council also called for the warring parties “to adhere to international humanitarian law and ... deplores all attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as all violence and hostilities against civilians, and all acts of terrorism.”

As death toll passes 20,000, U.N. again delays vote on aid to Gaza
Associated Press/December 22, 2023
More than 20,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza during Israel's war against Hamas, health officials said Friday, the latest indication of the staggering cost of the conflict as Israel expands its ground offensive and orders tens of thousands more people to leave their homes. The deaths, amounting to nearly 1% of the territory's prewar population, are just one measure of the devastation wrought by the conflict that over 11 weeks has displaced nearly 85% of Gaza's people and leveled wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave. More than half a million people in Gaza — a quarter of the population — are starving, according to a report Thursday from the United Nations and other agencies describing the crisis caused by Israel's bombardment and siege on the territory in response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. Despite the emergency, a U.N. Security Council vote on aid deliveries and terms for a cease-fire was delayed again late Thursday, after days of high-level negotiations. The United States, which has veto power, has pushed back against calls for an immediate cease-fire and giving the U.N. sole responsibility for inspecting aid deliveries. Israel, citing security grounds, insists it needs to be able to screen goods entering Gaza. The U.S. said it would back a revised resolution that calls for "creating the conditions" for a cease-fire, rather than an immediate end to fighting. Other countries support a stronger text and said diplomats would need to consult their governments before a vote, which is expected later Friday. Martin Griffiths, the U.N. humanitarian affairs chief, lamented the world's inaction. "That such a brutal conflict has been allowed to continue and for this long — despite the widespread condemnation, the physical and mental toll and the massive destruction — is an indelible stain on our collective conscience," he wrote in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Israel, shielded by the United States, has resisted international pressure to scale back its offensive and has said it would press on until Hamas, the militant group that has ruled Gaza for 16 years, has been destroyed. The military has said that months of fighting lie ahead in southern Gaza, an area packed with the vast majority of the enclave's 2.3 million people, many of whom were ordered to flee combat in the north in earlier stages of the war. Since then, evacuation orders have pushed displaced civilians into ever-smaller areas of the south as troops focus on the city of Khan Younis, Gaza's second-largest. The military said late Thursday that it is sending more ground forces, including combat engineers, to Khan Younis to target Hamas militants above ground and in tunnels. On Friday, the military ordered tens of thousands of residents to leave their homes in Burej, an urban refugee camp, and surrounding communities, within the territory that Israel originally told people to flee to. The air and ground campaign also continued in the north, even as Israel says it is in the final stages of clearing out Hamas militants there. Mustafa Abu Taha, a Palestinian farm worker, said ground battles and airstrikes have continued in his hard-hit Gaza City neighborhood of Shijaiyah, adding that many areas have become inaccessible because of massive destruction from airstrikes. "They are hitting anything moving," he said of Israeli forces.
In the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, an airstrike on a house killed six people, including an infant, according to Associated Press journalists who saw the bodies at a hospital. Rafah is one of the few places in Gaza not under evacuation orders, but has been targeted in Israeli strikes almost every day. Gaza's Health Ministry said Friday that it has documented 20,057 deaths in the fighting. It does not differentiate between combatant and civilian deaths. It previously said that roughly two-thirds of the dead were women or minors. It said 53,320 Palestinians have been wounded. Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll during its intense air and ground campaign, citing the group's use of crowded residential areas for military purposes. Israel declared war after Hamas militants stormed across its border and killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 others. Israel's military says 139 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive. It says it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but it has not presented any evidence to back up the claim. Meanwhile, phone and internet services were gradually being restored late Thursday, after the latest communications blackout of 35 hours. Repeated cuts in communications have hampered aid deliveries at a time of unprecedented humanitarian needs in Gaza. The hunger eclipsed even the near-famines of recent years in Afghanistan and Yemen, according to Thursday's report, which warned that the risk of famine is "increasing each day," blaming the hunger on insufficient aid entering Gaza. "It doesn't get any worse,'' said Arif Husain, chief economist for the U.N.'s World Food Program. "I have never seen something at the scale that is happening in Gaza. And at this speed." The war has also pushed Gaza's health sector into collapse. Only nine of its 36 health facilities are still partially functioning, all located in the south, according to the World Health Organization. The agency reported soaring rates of infectious diseases in Gaza, including a five-fold increase in diarrhea, particularly among young children, compared to pre-war figures. It said there's been a rise in upper respiratory infections, meningitis, skin rashes, scabies, lice and chickenpox. "With the health system on its knees, those facing the deadly combination of hunger and disease are left with few options," it said. WHO relief workers reported "unbearable" scenes in two hospitals they visited in northern Gaza: Bedridden patients with untreated wounds cry out for water, the few remaining doctors and nurses have no supplies, and bodies are lined up in the courtyard. Israeli forces have raided a series of health facilities in the north in recent weeks, detaining men for interrogation and expelling others. On Thursday, troops stormed the Palestinian Red Crescent's ambulance center in the Jabaliya refugee camp, taking away paramedics and ambulance crews, the group said. On Friday, the Red Crescent said the military released some of the paramedics, including women, but eight remained in detention with their whereabouts not known.

Hamas and Palestinian Authority split on UN Gaza resolution
CAIRO (Reuters)/December 22, 2023
The Palestinian foreign ministry and the Islamist group Hamas issued opposing statements on Friday in response to the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of a resolution intended to help bring more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian foreign ministry, which is part of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, called the resolution "a step in the right direction," and said it would help "end the aggression, ensure the arrival of aid and protect the Palestinian people." "We consider it a step that may contribute to alleviating the suffering of our people in the Gaza Strip," the foreign ministry statement said. But Hamas, the militants who run Gaza, called the resolution an "insufficient step" for meeting the impoverished enclave's needs. "During the past five days, the U.S. administration has worked hard to empty this resolution of its essence, and to issue it in this weak formula... It defies the will of the international community and the United Nations General Assembly in stopping Israel's aggression against our defenseless Palestinian people," the statement said. Earlier on Friday, amid global outrage over a rising Gaza death toll in 11 weeks of war between Israel and Hamas and a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, the U.S. abstained to allow the 15-member UN Security Council to adopt a resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates.

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza seen as among the most destructive in recent history, experts say
AP/December 22, 2023
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military campaign in Gaza, experts say, now sits among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history. In just over two months, the offensive has wreaked more destruction than the razing of Syria’s Aleppo between 2012 and 2016, Ukraine’s Mariupol or, proportionally, the Allied bombing of Germany in World War II. It has killed more civilians than the US-led coalition did in its three-year campaign against the Daesh group. The Israeli military has said little about what kinds of bombs and artillery it is using in Gaza. But from blast fragments found on-site and analyzes of strike footage, experts are confident that the vast majority of bombs dropped on the besieged enclave are US-made. They say the weapons include 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) “bunker-busters” that have killed hundreds in densely populated areas. With the Palestinian death toll in Gaza surpassing 20,000, the international community is calling for a ceasefire. Israel vows to press ahead, saying it wants to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities following the militant group’s Oct. 7 cross-border rampage that triggered the war, in which it killed 1,200 people and took 240 others hostage. The Biden administration has quietly continued to supply arms to Israel. Last week, however, President Joe Biden publicly acknowledged that Israel was losing international legitimacy for what he called its “indiscriminate bombing.”
Here’s a look at what is known so far about Israel’s campaign on Gaza.
HOW MUCH DESTRUCTION IS THERE IN GAZA?
Israel’s offensive has destroyed over two-thirds of all structures in northern Gaza and a quarter of buildings in the southern area of Khan Younis, according to an analysis of Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite data by Corey Scher of the CUNY Graduate Center and Jamon Van Den Hoek of Oregon State University, experts in mapping damage during wartime. The percentage of damaged buildings in the Khan Younis area nearly doubled in just the first two weeks of Israel’s southern offensive, they said. That includes tens of thousands of homes as well as schools, hospitals, mosques and stores. UN monitors have said that about 70 percent of school buildings across Gaza have been damaged. At least 56 damaged schools served as shelters for displaced civilians. Israeli strikes damaged 110 mosques and three churches, the monitors said. Israel holds Hamas responsible for civilian deaths by embedding militants in civilian infrastructure. Those sites also shelter multitudes of Palestinians who have fled under Israeli evacuation orders. “Gaza is now a different color from space. It’s a different texture,” said Scher, who has worked with Van Den Hoek to map destruction across several war zones, from Aleppo to Mariupol.
HOW DOES THE DESTRUCTION STACK UP HISTORICALLY?
By some measures, destruction in Gaza has outpaced Allied bombings of Germany during World War II. Between 1942 and 1945, the allies attacked 51 major German cities and towns, destroying about 40-50 percent of their urban areas, said Robert Pape, a US military historian. Pape said this amounted to 10 percent of buildings across Germany, compared to over 33 percent across Gaza, a densely populated territory of just 140 square miles (360 square kilometers). “Gaza is one of the most intense civilian punishment campaigns in history,” said Pape. “It now sits comfortably in the top quartile of the most devastating bombing campaigns ever.”The US-led coalition’s 2017 assault to expel the Daesh group from the Iraqi city of Mosul was considered one of the most intense attacks on a city in generations. That nine-month battle killed around 10,000 civilians, a third of them from coalition bombardment, according an Associated Press investigation at the time. During the 2014-2017 campaign to defeat Daesh in Iraq, the coalition carried out nearly 15,000 strikes across the country, according to Airwars, a London-based independent group that tracks recent conflicts. By comparison, the Israeli military said last week it has conducted 22,000 strikes in Gaza.
WHAT TYPES OF BOMBS ARE BEING USED?
The Israeli military has not specified what it is using. It says every strike is cleared by legal advisers to make sure it complies with international law. “We choose the right munition for each target — so it doesn’t cause unnecessary damage,” said the army’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. Weapons experts have been able to draw conclusions by analyzing blast fragments found on-site, satellite images and videos circulated on social media. They say the findings offer only a peek into the full scope of the air war. So far, fragments of American-made Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) bombs and smaller diameter bombs have been found in Gaza, according to Brian Castner, a weapons investigator with Amnesty International. The JDAM bombs include precision-guided 1,000- and 2,000-pound (450-kilogram and 900-kilogram) “bunker-busters.”“It turns earth to liquid,” said Marc Garlasco, a former Pentagon defense official and a war crimes investigator for the UN “It pancakes entire buildings.”He said the explosion of a 2,000-pound bomb in the open means “instant death” for anyone within about 30 meters (100 feet). Lethal fragmentation can extend for up to 365 meters (1,200 feet). In an Oct. 31 strike on the urban refugee camp of Jabaliya, experts say a 2,000-pound bomb killed over 100 civilians. Experts have also identified fragments of SPICE (Smart, Precize Impact, Cost-Effective) 2000-pound bombs, which are fitted with a GPS guidance system to make targeting more precise. Castner said the bombs are produced by the Israeli defense giant Rafael, but a recent State Department release first obtained by The New York Times showed some of the technology had been produced in the United States. The Israeli military is also dropping unguided “dumb” bombs. Several experts pointed to two photos posted to social media by the Israeli Air Force at the start of the war showing fighter jets stocked with unguided bombs.
IS THE STRATEGY WORKING?
Israel says it has two goals: destroy Hamas and rescue the 129 hostages still held by militants. Eleven weeks into the war, Israel says it has destroyed many Hamas sites and hundreds of tunnel shafts and has killed 7,000 Hamas fighters out of an estimated 30,000-40,000. Israeli leaders say intense military pressure is the only way to free more hostages. But some families of hostages worry that the bombing endangers their loved ones. Hostages released during a weeklong ceasefire last month recounted that their captors moved them from place to place to avoid Israeli bombardment. Hamas has claimed that several hostages died from Israeli bombs, though the claims could not be verified. The level of destruction is so high because “Hamas is very entrenched within the civilian population,” said Efraim Inbar, head of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, a think tank. He also said intense bombardment of Hamas’ tunnels is needed to protect advancing Israeli ground forces from attacks.

At least 5 US-funded projects in Gaza damaged or destroyed
Associated Press/December 22, 2023/
Less than a year before a Hamas attack out of Gaza sparked a war, one of the oldest and largest sports complexes in the Palestinian territories got a much-needed overhaul: brand-new basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, a soccer field, a running track and, for the first time, accessible bathrooms. It was a $519,000 upgrade, funded by United States taxpayers. Now, the roof of the Gaza Sports Club appears to be shredded to ribbons, its AstroTurf field crushed under the weight of massive tanks that can be seen in satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press.
Since early October, at least five U.S.-funded community and youth projects in Gaza appear to have been damaged or destroyed, likely by the U.S.-backed Israeli military. However, both in the past and now, Israeli strikes in Gaza appear to have largely spared major infrastructure projects funded by the U.S. government, which has shared their GPS coordinates and other details with the Israeli military for years.
Israel's offensive is in response to an Oct. 7 Hamas assault in Israel that killed about 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Meanwhile, health officials in Hamas-run Gaza say more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, and some 1.9 million have fled their homes.
The United Nations has identified more than 37,000 structures destroyed or damaged in the war so far. The U.S. has spent more than $7 billion in development and humanitarian aid in the West Bank and Gaza since establishing a U.S. Agency for International Development mission decades ago, including $270 million since President Joe Biden ended a Trump-era halt on new funding. For decades, the U.S. also has sent more than $3 billion a year to support Israel's military, with a pledge from the Biden administration for more than $14 billion in 2023.
"It causes a bit of cognitive dissonance, I would say," said Howard Sumka, who served as the USAID mission director for Gaza and the West Bank between 2006 and 2010. "It's important for us to keep providing humanitarian assistance and development assistance, and when the military comes and wipes it out, we start all over again. But it is a little bit Sisyphean." The AP reviewed U.S. contracts and grants in Gaza and identified more than 30 construction projects built or improved by American taxpayers in the enclave. A review of recent satellite images and analysis from Maxar Technologies finds that, while more than a dozen major U.S.-backed projects appear to be intact, there has been damage to at least five. The AP independently verified Maxar's assessment by examining its satellite images, as well as images from separate satellites captured by Planet Labs in recent weeks. The Israeli military would not comment on damage to U.S.-supported structures or provide any information about its targets.
The exact cause of the damage seen in images cannot be determined by photos alone. In some cases, news reports and government sources verified Israeli military attacks near U.S.-backed projects in Gaza. Israel blames Hamas for the damage, saying the group uses Gaza's civilian infrastructure as cover to stage attacks, hide its fighters and weapons and build tunnels underground. It also says that hundreds of misfired Hamas rockets aimed at Israel have instead landed inside Gaza. The AP was unable to reach Palestinian officials in Gaza due to repeated communications disruptions. The CEO and president of Anera, a U.S. contractor that has built dozens of infrastructure projects in Gaza, including the Sports Club, called its destruction "a terrible tragedy.""This war is exacting a terrible toll - on human lives and the infrastructure of daily life - that will be felt for decades to come," Sean Carroll said.
In 2011, USAID contributed $138,000 to help construct the Arab Orthodox Cultural Center, a two-story building complete with a theater, ballroom and lecture hall. Satellite images from October appear to show major damage to the center.
Two different centers serving children with disabilities appear to have been damaged or destroyed in recent days, according to Maxar images from Dec. 20. The Right to Live Society for children with autism and Down syndrome and the Abilities Enhancement Center for Jabalia Rehabilitation Society supporting disabled children were built with $28,000 and $177,000 in U.S. funding respectively.
Meanwhile, the Gaza YMCA library, renovated with $89,000 in U.S. funds, escaped unscathed, while at least one city block next to it was entirely leveled.
The Rosary Sisters School, which serves both Muslim and Christian children, sustained some damage in a recent airstrike. In 2022, $495,000 in U.S. taxpayer funds built new classrooms with smart boards, air conditioning, an elevator and a brand new floor to make room for a high school. Maxar satellite images show debris and damage strewn across the school's courtyard, which served as a basketball court and assembly area for hundreds of students. But the school buildings themselves were still standing as of Nov. 22, as are the majority of significant U.S.-funded projects in Gaza, critical infrastructure in the impoverished region where clean drinking water was scarce even before the current war — including a desalination plant near Deir Al Balah in Gaza that the U.S. spent $16 million expanding, along with two water reservoirs and pumping facilities at Al Bureij and Al Maghazi, which cost around $7 million combined. That's likely the outcome of precise and extensive communication between American officials and the Israeli military, several former USAID directors said. A U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive diplomatic negotiations said that current U.S. government engagement with Israel is focused on protecting civilians, but that details about the locations of U.S.-funded infrastructure are readily available due to longstanding and ongoing coordination. Dave Harden, who served as USAID mission director from 2013 to 2016, said he worked "extremely closely" with the Israeli officials. "I would give them the coordinates and tell them not to hit it," he said.
The USAID mission began with small improvements. With a budget of just $25 million, Christopher Crowley, USAID's first West Bank and Gaza mission director who arrived after the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel signed the Oslo peace accords, oversaw the construction of a playground for Palestinian children. Basketball courts came next, and soon American taxpayers were paying contractors to refurbish roads and build apartments in Gaza. Infrastructure projects, particularly related to water access, were something the Palestinian and Israeli governments could agree on, and the United States served as a bridge between them, Crowley said. The idea was to help lay the foundation for a future Palestinian state alongside Israel. In 1999, the new Mission Director, Larry Garber, had ambitious plans to build a vibrant economy in Gaza while promoting peace in the region. There would be strawberry markets and flower exports, a major desalination plant and water system. At the same time, U.S. taxpayers began paying nearly $3 billion a year to Israel to support its military efforts. Less than a year later, the second Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation erupted. There were both airstrikes and ground operations, with tanks and armored vehicles. Garber said he would meet with Israeli military leaders and ask them not to hit the U.S.-backed projects. "We would literally tell them, here's the geolocations of our various projects, and for the most part in those days we didn't have incidents of destruction of those facilities," he said. However, Garber said he remembers USAID complaining to Israeli authorities after four recently repaired agricultural wells were destroyed in an airstrike in 2003. A roadside bombing that year struck a U.S. diplomatic convoy, killing three Americans and prompting the U.S. to bar its diplomatic personnel from entering Gaza. USAID has continued to sponsor projects through local contractors. Plans for a major U.S. water project were shelved when Hamas seized control of Gaza from the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority in 2007, and for years USAID scaled back. The U.S. considers Hamas, an Islamic militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, a terror organization, and has no direct contact with it."During my time, we didn't build any big roads, we didn't have any big water projects," said Sumka, who was mission director at the time. "We were forbidden to go in there."Development work resumed when tensions eased, said Mike Harvey, who was mission director from 2010 to 2013. But the cycle continued: The U.S. would build, advise Israeli authorities the geolocation of the infrastructure and hope for the best. Israel and Hamas have fought five wars and numerous skirmishes since late 2008.
"This reflects the priorities Israelis give to make sure that no U.S.-funded infrastructure is hit," Harvey said, because of the obvious "discomfort from that."
The decision to rebuild USAID-branded projects again and again has also been part of a larger political strategy to turn the Palestinian population against Hamas, mission directors said. "Humanitarian aid was the driving incentive," Harvey said. But "it's sending a political message to the people of Gaza: We are not their enemy." It's also about hope. The purpose of the Gaza and West Bank mission was to help stabilize the region and bolster opportunities for Palestinians, ranging from brokering cross-border trade agreements to education programs and infrastructure projects.
But the scale of this particularly violent and deadly war may also influence what USAID is able to accomplish in the future. Nothing gets built in Gaza without agreement from Israel, which may be reluctant to greenlight big infrastructure projects without firm guarantees that no supplies useful for weapons reach Hamas. "Can you imagine how difficult it will be to rebuild Gaza after the scale of destruction we're seeing this time around?" Harvey said. Some of the former USAID directors said their hope for Gaza's future is waning. "There was always some hope that we'd be able to negotiate a solution, as naive as that sounds," Harden said. "I was always a believer. Not anymore, sadly."

Putin vows aid, urges halt to Gaza fighting in call with Abbas
Agence France Presse/December 22, 2023/
Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Friday to continue to supply the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and urged a peaceful resolution to fighting between Israel and Hamas. "Russia will continue to supply the Gaza Strip with essential goods, including medicines and medical equipment," Putin told Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas during a telephone call, the Kremlin said, adding that Putin urged the "importance of a quick cessation of the bloodshed and the resumption of the political process".

Who is Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' most-wanted terrorist
ABC News/December 22, 2023/
Few Israelis know the leader of Hamas in Gaza as well as Koubi, who, as an officer in Israel's internal security organization, Shin Bet, interrogated Sinwar for more than 150 hours when he was held in Israeli prisons.
Sinwar is accused by Israel of masterminding the deadliest terror attack in Israeli history on Oct. 7 of this year when 1,200 Israelis were killed. The Israeli military has dropped leaflets in Gaza offering a reward of $400,000 for information leading to his arrest. Koubi remembers Sinwar as being "tough," devoid of emotions but "not a psychopath.""He was a different type of detainee," says the former Shin Bet officer who interrogated Sinwar in the late 80s and early 90s.
In 1989 an Israeli court sentenced Sinwar to four life sentences for his role in killing suspected Palestinian informers and plotting to murder two Israeli soldiers.
Sinwar spent the following 22 years in prison and was one of more than 1,000 Palestinian detainees who were released in 2011 in exchange for Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, who had been held hostage by Hamas for five years.
At the time of his imprisonment, Sinwar was head of Hamas' infamous internal security arm, Al-Majd and according to Israeli and Palestinian sources his job was to investigate members of Hamas who were potentially working with the Israelis.
Koubi says Sinwar boasted during his interrogations about killing suspected Palestinian informants with "a razor blade" and with "a machete."
It is why, says Koubi, Sinwar was dubbed "the butcher of Khan Younis."
In early December of this year the Israeli military said it had surrounded the home of Sinwar in his hometown of Khan Younis in the southern half of the Gaza Strip. They didn't find him. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Dec. 6 that it was "only a matter of time" before he was located. Israeli military leaders have described Sinwar as "a dead man walking."The precise whereabouts of Sinwar is still unknown. He is believed by Israeli officials and others to be hiding in Hamas' vast network of tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip. He has not been heard from since Oct. 7, when Hamas and affiliated groups massacred hundreds of Israeli soldiers and civilians and took around 240 people hostage.
"This offensive is the mission of his life," says Dr. Michael Milshtein, whose job it was to study Hamas and key figures such as Sinwar when he worked in Israeli defense intelligence from 1993 until 2015.
In 2014, as chief of the Department for Palestinian Affairs, Milshtein claims he could see indications that Hamas' leadership in Gaza was already working on something big. At the time Yahya Sinwar was a leading figure in Hamas' political leadership in Gaza. Three years later, in 2017, he was elected as the overall chief of Hamas in the Strip. "When you're trying to find the seeds of this brutality of Oct. 7 you must understand not only the ideology, but also the personality of Yahya Sinwar," said Milshtein, who is now a senior analyst at the Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University.
According to Milshtein, Sinwar's brutality against alleged defectors within Hamas was "spread" throughout the organization and directed against Jews and Israelis, culminating in the atrocities committed on Oct. 7.
In recent weeks it has become clear that multiple warning signs about Hamas' plans for an attack were either missed or ignored by Israeli officials, however the attack still succeeded because the precise details about when the group would strike were kept secret. "That's the way Sinwar works," said Ismat Mansour, a Palestinian writer and activist who spent 15 years inside the same detention facilities as the Hamas leader. Arrested at 16 for his part in the death of an Israeli settler in the West Bank, Mansour was released in 2013 ahead of resumed talks between Israeli and Palestinian Authority officials. Mansour said that, when in prison, Sinwar operated, for much of the time, "in the shadows … with a small and closed group that he trusts."
He described the Hamas leader as a "tough" and "pragmatic" man who learnt fluent Hebrew and spent much of his time studying Israeli society and security matters, including Israel's army, which is now hunting him down. Both Sinwar's former fellow inmate Mansour and his former interrogator Koubi agreed that he was not just widely respected by other prisoners but also by prison staff. "He knew how to convince people to be with him," said former Israeli security officer Koubi, who said Sinwar's influence over prison officials earned him "the best" conditions. Sinwar's ideology and long-term hatred towards Israel was what motivated him to carry out the attack on Oct. 7, according to Milshtein and Koubi. Milshtein said he believes the Hamas leader in Gaza was driven by "jihad" and a "vision" that Israelis and Jews are "germs" and their killing could be justified on religious terms. Mansour, a Palestinian, said there were three factors which drove Sinwar to launch the attack on Oct. 7. The first, he said, were the visits earlier this year by Israeli hard-right nationalists to the revered Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem as well as raids on the mosque carried out by Israeli police. The second, according to Mansour, was Sinwar's rejection of Israel's blockade on Gaza and the tight Israeli restrictions on goods and people leaving and entering the Strip. Finally, as someone who spent much of his adult life behind bars, Sinwar had a "personal commitment," said Mansour, to try and free as many of his close associates being held in Israeli prisons. Despite multiple statements by Israeli officials clearly pinning the blame for Oct. 7 principally on Sinwar, some independent experts who study Hamas are not convinced he was the main architect of the attack.
Hugh Lovatt, a senior policy fellow on the Middle East at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said he believes Mohammed Deif, the leader of Hamas' military wing in Gaza, was the overall mastermind. "Sinwar was certainly an important figure in terms of the planning of the attacks that took place on Oct 7. However, at least in my mind, he was not the ultimate architect of those attacks," Lovatt said. After the scale of the atrocities committed on Oct. 7, Israeli anger "needed to be directed at someone," argued Lovatt, noting Sinwar became a "figure of hate" because he was well-known to Israelis.
In contrast, imagery and information on Deif is so sparse that he is more of "a ghost" figure, said Jennifer Jefferis, a Georgetown University professor and author of "Hamas: Terrorism, Governance and its Future in Middle East Politics."Jefferis said Israel "needs a win" in its war in Gaza and the emphasis on Sinwar is part of the Israeli government's narrative in claiming that victory. "Israel is saying to themselves, 'How do we say that we have beaten Hamas?' and I think this is a way they are doing it, by painting a target on this one guy," she said. Every source interviewed for this article agreed that Sinwar is probably still in Gaza. His former interrogator, Koubi, predicted that the leader of Hamas in the densely populated Gaza Strip will go down fighting if he's located. "He wants to die a hero of the slum, as a hero of Hamas, as a hero of the Gaza people," Koubi said. Both Jefferis and Lovatt said Sinwar's death would not signal the end of Hamas in Gaza. Hamas is "a grass roots, bottom-up organization," said Lovatt. Hamas "has consistently shown the ability to replace leaders when they are killed or captured." Jeffries added, "There will be Hamas 2.0 and resistance to whatever comes next."

More than 20 countries join coalition to protect Red Sea shipping
AFP/December 22, 2023
WASHINGTON: More than 20 countries have joined the US-led coalition to protect Red Sea shipping from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the Pentagon said on Thursday. The Iran-backed Houthis have repeatedly targeted vessels in the vital shipping lane with strikes they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling militant group Hamas. “We’ve had over 20 nations now sign on to participate” in the coalition, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told journalists. Ryder said the Houthis are “attacking the economic wellbeing and prosperity of nations around the world,” effectively becoming “bandits along the international highway that is the Red Sea.”Coalition forces will “serve as a highway patrol of sorts, patrolling the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to respond to — and assist as necessary — commercial vessels that are transiting this vital international waterway,” he said, calling on the Houthis to cease their attacks. The latest round of the Israel-Hamas conflict began when the Palestinian militant group carried out a shock cross-border attack on October 7 that killed around 1,140 people in Israel, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel began a relentless bombardment of targets in Gaza, alongside a ground invasion, which Gaza’s Hamas government on Wednesday said has killed at least 20,000 people. Those deaths have provoked widespread anger in the Middle East and provided an impetus for attacks by armed groups in the region, including the Houthi strikes on Red Sea shipping. The United States announced the multinational Red Sea coalition on Monday, while the Houthis warned two days later that they would strike back if attacked.

Saudi defense minister meets UK PM in London
Arab News/December 22, 2023
LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman met UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday during a visit to London. “I had the honor of conveying the greetings of the Kingdom’s leadership,” Prince Khalid tweeted after the meeting. During the meeting, the sides reviewed the strategic relationship between the two countries as well as regional and international developments, he said. The meeting came under the direction of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he added. Also present were the Kingdom’s Ambassador to the UK Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan and Director-General of the Office of the Minister of Defense Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif. The UK’s Secretary of State for Defense Grant Shapps welcomed Prince Khalid at a formal reception at Lancaster House in London on Thursday. The visit took place as part of the prince’s official visit to Britain, and the reception ceremony featured a ceremonial review of the guard of honor. The two sides held an extensive meeting, and they were joined by representatives from both ministries. The meeting looked at the strategic partnership between the UK and the Kingdom, and explored avenues for bilateral cooperation and ways to enhance military and defense collaboration to serve mutual interests.

France grounds plane carrying 300 Indians over suspected ‘human trafficking’
AFP/December 22, 2023
VATRY, France: A Nicaragua-bound plane carrying more than 300 Indian passengers has been grounded in France over suspected “human trafficking,” authorities said Friday. The aircraft carrying passengers “likely to be victims of human trafficking” was detained on Thursday after an anonymous tipoff, the Paris public prosecutor’s office told AFP. The national anti-organized crime unit JUNALCO has taken over the investigation, prosecutors said. The prefecture in the northeastern department of Marne said the A340, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, “remained grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport following its landing.”The plane had been due to refuel and was carrying 303 Indian nationals, it said. According to a source familiar with the case, the Indian passengers might have planned to travel to Central America in order to attempt illegal entry into the United States or Canada.

Iran shutters bookshop over hijab law violation: media
AFP/December 22, 2023
TEHRAN: Iranian police on Friday closed a major bookshop in the center of the capital Tehran for allowing unveiled women to enter the premises without a compulsory headscarf, a newspaper reported. The closure is part of punitive measures by authorities over the past year against women and businesses who fail to observe the Islamic republic’s strict dress code. “Today, at around noon (0830 GMT), police officers went to the central Tehran branch of Shahr-e-Ketab (book city in Farsi) and closed it,” reformist Shargh daily said on its website. Shargh cited the reasons for the closure as “the non-observance of trade union regulations and the orders of the interior ministry” as well as “the presence of customers without veils.”The bookshop confirmed its closure by authorities in a brief statement on its official Instagram account without elaborating. Covering the head and the neck has been compulsory for women in Iran since 1983, following the 1979 Islamic revolution. Women in Iran have increasingly defied the dress code since mass protests triggered by the September 16 death in police custody last year of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurd, who was arrested for allegedly flouting the dress rules.
During the months-long demonstrations, several hundred people were killed, including dozens of security forces, and thousands were arrested. As part of efforts to enforce the ban over the past year, authorities have closed several businesses for not respecting the dress code and installed surveillance cameras in public places to monitor violations. State media reported in July increased police patrols aimed at catching those ignoring the law and in September, parliament voted in favor of a bill that would toughen penalties on those who breach the dress code.

Iranian plot to assassinate two news presenters in London uncovered by double agent
ARAB NEWS/December 22, 2023
Iran International has been subject to threats by Iran’s government
LONDON: An Iranian plot orchestrated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to assassinate two network anchors from Iran International television station in London during the 2022 anti-government protests in Iran has been exposed by ITV. In a report published on Wednesday, the British network said the elaborate scheme was thwarted thanks to a “double agent” embedded within the operation, who, unknown to the IRGC, was working for a Western intelligence agency. According to the double agent, who spoke to ITV on condition of anonymity, the mastermind behind the plot was Mohammad Reza Ansari, the IRGC commander responsible for orchestrating extraterritorial assassinations. Ansari, previously sanctioned by the US Treasury for failed attempts on the lives of former US officials Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, is based in Syria and reportedly has ties to the family of Syrian President Bashar Assad. ITV reported that Ansari hired and directed the double agent through another Assad associate, Mohammad Abd Al-Razek Kanafani. The hitman was instructed first to use a car bomb near Iran International’s offices in West London and then a “quiet” way, such as stabbing with a kitchen knife, to kill his targets, news presenters Sima Sabet and Fardad Farahzad. The operation was codenamed “Wedding,” with Sabet and Farahzad referred to as the “bride” and “groom,” respectively, unbeknownst to them until revealed by ITV. According to ITV, the double agent — who was promised $200,000, a new identity and “a safe passage to Iran via Syria” — was told the two presenters had to be targeted because they were causing the Iranian regime “a lot of humiliation in the media.”He reported being told by IRGC commanders in October last year “this London thing must be done in any circumstances,” and that Iran’s intention was to show critics of the regime they “could do harm to them at any time.” Iran’s hostility towards the network dates back to its launch in 2017, labeling it a “terrorist organization” and a “public enemy.”The threats against Iran International journalists escalated in November 2022, prompting the network to temporarily relocate to Washington DC due to advice from the London Metropolitan Police. Despite the move, direct threats persisted, leading to the network’s decision to close its London studios. However, operations resumed in September 2023 from a new London-based high-security building. The ITV report coincided with a UK court’s guilty verdict for Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, a Chechnya-born man who gathered information on Iran International’s London headquarters for a possible terror attack. The final sentence is expected on Friday. “This trial was a reminder of the threats journalists and news organizations face,” Iran International said in a statement after the verdict was announced. “We will not be cowed by threats. Our journalists will continue to provide the independent, uncensored news the people of Iran deserve.”

Ukrainian forces shoot down three Russian Su-34 fighter jets on southern front
The New Voice of Ukraine/December 22, 2023
Ukrainian defenders shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers in the south of Ukraine on Dec. 22, the commander of the Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk has reported on Telegram. The aircraft were destroyed at around noon. Oleshchuk called it a response to a nighttime "message" from the Russian military written on one of its downed kamikaze drones. "They wrote on it: ‘Die, b**ches’," Oleshchuk said. "Great idea! Here is our answer to you! Eternal flight, ‘brothers’!" Oleshchuk wrote. Su-34 aircraft are carriers of guided bombs and X-59 missiles, which Russians are using to attack Kherson Oblast and other regions of Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian military’s General Staff, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has lost 324 warplanes and helicopters. Russia is thought to have had 155 Su-34s before it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. More than 20 of them were reported shot down by Ukraine before today’s losses.

Tensions rise between Sudan army and United Arab Emirates
Agence France Presse/December 22, 2023
For months, Sudan's army kept silent amid alleged Emirati interference in the country's civil war, but its anger has finally boiled over, leading to harsh exchanges between Khartoum and Abu Dhabi. The brutal conflict broke out in mid-April between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), killing more than 12,000 people and displacing millions. In November, General Yasser al-Atta, second-in-command to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, openly denounced the United Arab Emirates, calling it a "state mafia" that had "taken the path of evil" by supporting the RSF and its leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Atta accused Abu Dhabi of funnelling weapons through Chad, Uganda and the Central African Republic to the RSF with the help of the Wagner Group, the Russian mercenaries who once enjoyed a foothold in Bangui. "With the weakening of Wagner, their planes have also passed through Chad, landing for a week at N'Djamena airport," Atta added, also accusing eastern Libya strongman Khalifa Haftar of being a conduit for paramilitary supplies. UAE officials did not respond to AFP's request for comment. Experts have warned of the existence of such a supply line since the start of the war, but until November Sudan's army had not made the accusation publicly. "Until recently, the Burhan camp exercised caution and diplomacy, avoiding direct verbal confrontations against key players such as Libya's Haftar, Russia and Abu Dhabi," Jalel Harchaoui, associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told AFP. But the army has thrown caution to the wind by making its accusations public and having the foreign ministry expel 15 UAE diplomats.
'Plausible deniability'
In August, the Wall Street Journal said aid shipments sent via Uganda and intended for Sudanese refugees in Chad had been found to contain weapons destined for the RSF. The UAE promptly denied the report. It said Abu Dhabi "does not take sides in the current conflict". Alex de Waal, an expert on Sudan, said that UAE president Mohamed bin Zayed was a supporter of RSF chief Daglo. De Waal said the pair forged a relationship in 2015 when Daglo provided paramilitaries for the Saudi-Emirati ground intervention in Yemen's civil war. Daglo -- who controls much of Sudan's lucrative gold mining sector -- "also has a mutually profitable business trading gold to the UAE," de Waal said. Though the UAE is formally the world's top buyer of Sudanese gold, observers say many of the support lines are underground. Andreas Krieg, a security studies professor at King's College London, said "the story of the UAE in Sudan is (one) of networks curated by Abu Dhabi to achieve strategic objectives with plausible deniability and discretion".Harchaoui, of RUSI, said the deniability had ensured any condemnation of Emirati interference was only "tepid".
'Act of desperation' -
Nevertheless, with rumours having swirled for months, tensions came to a head in November when hundreds of pro-army demonstrators took to the streets in the eastern city of Port Sudan demanding the expulsion of the Emirati ambassador. Shortly after, Sudan's acting foreign minister Ali al-Sadiq said Abu Dhabi had expelled Sudanese diplomats from the UAE. "We have not asked for justifications from the UAE, even though we had information of their involvement in the war," he told state television in early December. "But they were the ones who expelled our diplomats, and so we had to respond." Last week, the foreign ministry declared 15 UAE diplomats persona non grata, demanding they leave Sudan "within 48 hours". The move came "because we are at an impasse with the UAE," Sadiq said. However, according to Harchaoui, the move can be better understood as "an act of desperation" for a force whose "options are dwindling". While neither side has been able to seize a decisive military advantage, the RSF now controls the streets of the capital Khartoum, the vast western region of Darfur, and is increasingly encroaching on the south. "By taking a bold stand, (Burhan) might be hoping to draw more attention and condemnation towards the UAE's illicit injections of weaponry in support of (Daglo)," Harchaoui said.

Washington welcomes Japan's decision to send Patriot missiles to US
AFP./December 22, 2023
In a statement issued by the White House, Washington welcomed Tokyo's decision to transfer the Patriot missile defense systems to the United States. These systems, designed by the US, are intended for the "replenishment of supplies" for the United States, which has been depleted due to military aid to Ukraine.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that US President Joe Biden is "extremely grateful" to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, considering this decision as "contributing to the security of Japan... by ensuring the US military retains reliable capabilities for deterrence and response."

Two Syrians charged in Germany with war crimes
AFP/December 22, 2023
Berlin: German federal prosecutors said Friday that they had charged two Syrians with “war crimes” committed in Damascus a decade ago as part of the Daesh group. The two men, identified as Mohammad A. and Asmael K. per German privacy rules, were arrested in March and are accused of membership of a foreign terror organization and “hostage-taking resulting in death.”Asmael K. was also charged with murder and killing people protected under international law. Mohammad A. is believed to have joined the Daesh group at the latest in 2013 and served as a commander of 200 fighters. “At the end of 2013, Mohammad A. together with the Daesh fighting unit in his command abducted two opponents of the organization,” prosecutors said in a statement. The victims were held at a Daesh detention center and later “executed” with 10 other prisoners. Asmael K. is alleged to have joined Daesh as a fighter in 2013 and taken part in the abduction in question. He is also accused of guarding the 12 prisoners at the site where they were killed and shooting at least one person. A court in the western city of Duesseldorf will now decide whether the two men, who are in custody, will go to trial. Germany let in hundreds of thousands of Syrians during the 2015-16 refugee influx and has arrested several Syrians on its soil over crimes committed in their country. It has previously used the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows the prosecution of certain serious crimes regardless of where they took place, to try Syrians over atrocities committed during the country’s civil war. One of the most high-profile cases to be brought to trial was that of a former Syrian colonel who was found guilty in January 2022 of crimes against humanity committed in Damascus.

Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 22-23/2023
Holiday Reflections: 'The Cause of America Is the Cause of All Mankind'
Lawrence Kadish/ Gatestone Institute./December 22, 2023
Our nation's founding fathers made the separation of church and state one of the pillars of this republic, but that doesn't mean they weren't religious.
On the contrary. They profoundly believed in God, and through their writings made repeated references to their faith and America's unique place among nations based on that faith. Among those individuals was Thomas Paine who, in his pamphlet "Common Sense," wrote, "The cause of America is the cause of all mankind." He would tell his fellow citizens confronting the imperial rule of England, "Of more worth is one honest man to society, and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived."
America's first president also embraced his religion. In his farewell address, George Washington reminded his audience, "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports."
This embrace of faith is not unique to our national leaders of the 1700s. Historian Gary Scott Smith wrote that President Ronald Reagan "firmly believed and often declared that God intended America to be a beacon of hope, faith, freedom, and democracy — 'a city on the hill.'"
As we celebrate this holiday season it is crucial that we reflect on a nation whose motto, "In God we trust" reveals a foundation of morality, ethics and virtue. It does not matter which religion you embrace. These are basic founding principles of a nation that remains humanity's last best hope and whose citizens are bound together under these shared values. It is easy to lose sight of that fact amidst the political rancor and partisan divides that currently distract us.
Patrick Henry offered his fellow revolutionaries valuable insight when he told them, "I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past."
By that measure, we should take comfort and find confidence in the future of our nation. We have been repeatedly tested -- by both domestic and global challenges -- but by the grace of God and the spirit of the American people, we have sustained our role as an exceptional country. Let us use this time of year to give thanks to our forefathers and find strength in our respective faiths to welcome in the new year.
*Lawrence Kadish serves on the Board of Governors of Gatestone Institute.
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Does Biden Want Israel to Lose the War?
Robert Williams/Gatestone Institute/December 22, 2023
Have any demands been made on Hamas's patrons, Iran and Qatar, to tell their Hamas beneficiaries to stop? Have any demands been made on them to do anything? Why is only the victim of the October 7 invasion being asked to make concessions, and not the aggressor?
"I will not replace Hamastan with Fatahstan.... According to a poll that was carried out a few days ago, 82% of the Palestinian population in Judea and Samaria justifies the horrific massacre of Oct. 7." — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Unfortunately, the October 7 massacre proved beyond a doubt that both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority actually mean it when they say that they want to annihilate Israel. According to a November 14 poll by the Arab World for Research and Development, 75% of the Palestinians polled support the October 7 massacre and 74.7% support the creation of a single Palestinian state "from the river to the sea"... This is what the Biden administration wants to reward with a Palestinian state?
Trade tangible land in Israel for intangible promises from Lebanon -- protected by a military that might wilt at the first shot?
Perhaps Biden could please reconsider?
US President Joe Biden has gone out of his way -- and it is enormously appreciated! -- to stand by America's ally Israel, defending itself from being further attacked by Hamas and other Iranian proxy groups in the region. The Biden administration has sent warships to the region, materiel to counter the more than 9,500 rockets and missiles fired at Israel since October 7, aimed at the cities of a country roughly the size of New Jersey. It is bewildering that he has come under so much unjust criticism for supporting a country that is basically also fighting for the US and the Free World against a terrorist group, Hamas, that apparently sees nothing wrong with burning babies alive, beheading them, raping and torturing men, women and children and then murdering them.
Sadly however, by reportedly demanding that Israel reduce its efforts to confront the Iran-backed terrorist group by January 1, Biden, presumably to help his reelection campaign, is seriously undermining Israel's efforts. Such a curtailment would make it as difficult as possible -- and risky -- for Israel to fight what is already an extremely complicated war in complex urban areas, where Hamas has deeply embedded its weapons within the civilian population.
"You can't operate in southern Gaza in the way you did in the north," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Israeli government at the end of November.
"There are two million Palestinians there. You need to evacuate fewer people from their homes, be more accurate in the attacks, not hit UN facilities, and ensure that there are enough protected areas [for civilians]. And if not? Then not to attack where there is a civilian population."
"I underscored the imperative for the United States," Blinken commented, "that the massive loss of civilian life and displacement of the scale that we saw in northern Gaza not be repeated in the South."
Translation: Israel should risk more of its own soldiers to protect Gazan civilians. Hamas, on the other hand, can continue its war crime of seizing as many human shields to hide behind as they like -- the more the better. If the human shields get killed, Israel, not Hamas, get the blame for "the massive loss of civilian life."All Gazan casualty statistics out of Gaza are issued by Hamas; regrettably, they are not accurate.
Israeli troops are on the streets of Gaza, fighting door to door, and suffering a "massive loss of life" themselves. Because the Israelis have gone out of their way to protect the lives of Gaza's civilians, more than 116 Israeli soldiers have been killed just in Gaza, and more than 1,593 have been wounded, 255 seriously. Israel, in fact, to evacuate civilians from the north of Gaza to its south, waited weeks before launching a ground offensive. Israel also, to evacuate northern Gaza before entering it, dropped four million leaflets in Arabic over Gaza, made 42,000 phone calls, sent 15 million text messages and 12 million recorded messages. What other military would do that?
Have any demands been made on Hamas's patrons, Iran and Qatar, to tell their Hamas beneficiaries to stop? Have any demands been made on them to do anything? Why is only the victim of the October 7 invasion being asked to make concessions, and not the aggressor?
Israel's efforts have been made endlessly more complicated by Egypt's refusal to accept Gazan civilians wishing to enter, even on a temporary basis.
While Hamas tried to keep its own citizens from fleeing to safety by shooting at them, it was Israel that protected Gaza's civilians in a humanitarian corridor so that they could safely travel from north to south.
Keeping Gazans in Gaza was also, apparently, a matter of US policy.
At the COP28 meeting in Dubai, US Vice President Kamala Harris made it a point to demand that Gazans stay put it, although she seems deliberately to have formulated it in a misleading way: "Under no circumstances will the United States permit the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza," she said.
Civilians were not being "forced" to go anywhere; they were being offered a way to avoid the line of fire. When millions of Syrians fled Syria, no one talked about a "forced relocation" of Syrian refugees. When millions of Ukrainians fled Russian bombing, no one claimed that they were "forced to go to Poland." Poland and other neighboring countries were kind enough to open their doors for them. When it came to Gazans, however, no country agrees to take them. If they were able to leave, then how could the international community criticize Israel for "massive casualties"?
When Biden told supporters on December 12 that "the indiscriminate bombing that takes place" by Israel was beginning to cost Israel support around the world, he surely must have known that Israel, in the midst of risking the lives of its own soldiers on the ground, does not engage in "indiscriminate bombing." If it did, many Israeli soldiers' lives could have been saved and the war would have been over in a week.
This week, on December 18, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Israel to discuss the Biden administration's wish that Israel shift from "high-intensity war" to a "more limited, focused conflict."
Three days later, on December 21, Hamas rejected a ceasefire it had been asking for; they probably saw that the demand from the US for "limited conflict" was effectively giving them one.
Biden has also been talking about a "revitalized Palestinian Authority," which the US would like to take over Gaza after Hamas, and that Israel must accept a two-state solution with a Palestinian state. "We have to make sure that Bibi understands that he's got to make some moves to strengthen the [PA]. You cannot say there's no Palestinian state at all in the future," Biden said.
"There will not be any element that educates for terrorism, finances terrorism and dispatches terrorism," Netanyahu replied.
"I will not replace Hamastan with Fatahstan.... I will not allow the State of Israel to repeat the fateful mistake of Oslo, which brought to the heart of our country and to Gaza, the most extreme elements in the Arab world, which are committed to the destruction of the State of Israel and who educate their children to this end... The debate between Hamas and Fatah is not 'whether' to eliminate the State of Israel but 'how' to do it. According to a poll that was carried out a few days ago, 82% of the Palestinian population in Judea and Samaria justifies the horrific massacre of Oct. 7."
Unfortunately, the October 7 massacre proved beyond a doubt that both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority actually mean it when they say that they want to annihilate Israel. According to a November 14 poll by the Arab World for Research and Development, 75% of the Palestinians polled support the October 7 massacre and 74.7% support the creation of a single Palestinian state "from the river to the sea." No less than 98% said that they feel prouder of their identity as Palestinians now -- after the slaughter on October 7. This is what the Biden administration wants to reward with a Palestinian state?
Harris even added that Israel will not be allowed to make any territorial changes to Gaza, such as creating a buffer zone between southern Israel and Gaza. "Under no circumstances will the United States permit... the redrawing of the borders of Gaza," she said.
As a final straw, according to the journalist Caroline Glick:
"Lebanon's Al Akhbar newspaper reported that Amos Hochstein, President Joe Biden's senior adviser and point man for dealing with Hezbollah, presented the Lebanese government with a proposal to avoid such a war [with Israel]. Hochstein's proposal entails Israel surrendering sovereign territory from Nahariya in the west to the Syrian border in the east in exchange for symbolic concessions from Hezbollah..."
"No war means no return of civilians to their homes. It means Israeli farmers permanently unable to return to their orchards and fields, and IDF forces being sitting ducks at the border for as long as they remain deployed. No war, in short, means Israel loses.
"This would be true under all conditions, but Hochstein's offer makes clear that the United States is willing to empower Hezbollah still more and give it an Israeli defeat. In other words, the U.S. policy of avoiding war is actually a policy of standing with Hezbollah against Israel."
Trade tangible land in Israel for intangible promises from Lebanon -- protected by a military that might wilt at the first shot?
Perhaps Biden could please reconsider?
*Robert Williams is a researcher based in the United States.
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

The Biden Administration, Palestinians and Inconvenient Truths
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute./December 22, 2023
The results of the poll also showed that, unlike the Biden administration, most Palestinians do not trust the Palestinian Authority and prefer Hamas's terrorism to a peaceful settlement with Israel.
The PA might say that it is ready to change, but this will be in order to deceive the Biden administration and the rest of the international community into continuing to pour billions of dollars on Abbas and his cohorts...
Despite whatever commitments might be signed in blood, in the eyes of Palestinian leaders, they are just Western fantasies. After the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 and 1995 , then PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat assured his people -- in Arabic -- that Oslo was no more binding than the Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyya, when the Islamic prophet Mohammad agreed not to attack for ten years, then, with his opponents safely neutralized, he assembled an army and attacked after two years.
[S]upport for Abbas and his ruling Fatah faction has dropped significantly. The same is true for trust in the Palestinian Authority as a whole, as demand for its dissolution has risen to nearly 60%, the highest percentage ever recorded in PSR polls. Demand for Abbas's resignation has increased to around 90%... 63% are now in favor of "armed struggle".
According to the poll, most Palestinians justify Hamas's October 7 massacre, including murder, decapitation, rape and burning people alive. These are the same people that the Biden administration wants to give a state next to Israel.
If new presidential elections were held today with only two candidates, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would receive 78% of the vote as opposed to 16% for Abbas. The poll also showed that 54% of Palestinians think that Hamas is the most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people today....
It is enough for Biden administration officials to look at the results of the poll of PSR and talk to ordinary Palestinians to understand that the White House's policies, such as promoting the creation of an Iran-sponsored Palestinian terror state, are not wanted by anyone but Iran and them.
As US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was in the Middle East last week trying to restrain Israel in its war against the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist group and to "revamp" the Palestinian Authority (PA), a public opinion poll again illustrated that, unlike the Biden administration, most Palestinians do not trust the PA and prefer Hamas's terrorism to a peaceful settlement with Israel. Pictured: Sullivan speaks at a White House news briefing on December 4, 2023 in Washington, DC.
As US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was in the Middle East last week trying to restrain Israel in its war against the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist group and to "revamp" the Palestinian Authority (PA), a public opinion poll again illustrated how the Biden administration continues to intentionally ignore the reality of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The results of the poll also showed that, unlike the Biden administration, most Palestinians do not trust the PA and prefer Hamas's terrorism to a peaceful settlement with Israel.
Sullivan was reportedly in the Middle East for two reasons: to pressure Israel to scale down its military operations against Hamas, and to discuss the possibility of having the Palestinian Authority govern the Gaza Strip the day after the current war ends.
Both of these completely unrealistic and harmful objectives are a sign of how the Biden administration's policies are detached from reality, as well as promising the PA a reward for having the same endgame as Hamas – destroying Israel – but just differing about how to do it.
One can understand that the Biden Administration would like to tamp down hostilities before the US presidential election in November, but it needs be understood that this is at the expense of more Israeli soldiers losing their lives and more Palestinians potentially being made to suffer under a Palestinian Authority leadership they say they hate. Close to 90% said they wanted PA President Mahmoud Abbas to resign. The US instead should offer the Palestinian people the opportunity for a better life with greater freedom and opportunities for economic growth.
The demand that Israel switch to low-intensity fighting against Hamas means a lifeline for the terrorist group. Hamas is already under immense pressure as a result of the massive Israeli military operation inside the Gaza Strip. Sullivan's demand comes at a time when hundreds of thousands of Israeli soldiers are risking their lives. More than 425 have been killed on or since October 7, and 1,595 wounded, 255 seriously, in the fight against Iran's Palestinian proxy in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has lost many of its terrorists, bases, and tunnels since the beginning of the war. Its top commanders remain in hiding and a growing number of Palestinians are beginning to publicly voice discontent with Hamas, holding it responsible for the destruction of the Gaza Strip and the displacement of tens of thousands of families.
Forcing Israel to reduce its anti-terror military activities is exactly what Hamas wants. Hamas would be delighted to see fewer Israeli soldiers and armored vehicles in the Gaza Strip. It would also be happy to see fewer Israeli airstrikes on Hamas installations there.
Easing the pressure on Hamas will unfortunately just prolong the war: Israel will need more time to crush the terrorist group.
Moving from high-intensity to low-intensity fighting will allow Hamas terrorists to regroup and rearm in a more comfortable manner as they know there are fewer Israeli soldiers around.
Hamas leaders are now calling for a ceasefire or a temporary pause in the fighting in the hope that this will help them restore their military capabilities and improve their fighting tactics against the Israeli army.
The Hamas leaders are still counting on international pressure on Israel to stop the fighting and save the terrorist group from being removed from power. They are currently in talks with the Qataris to rejoin the Palestinian Authority. As Hamas doubtless sees events, the Biden administration is coming to the rescue.
If the PA has not changed over the past three decades since its establishment, there is no reason to believe it will embark on any drastic changes to placate the Biden administration. The PA might say that it is ready to change, but this will be in order to deceive the Biden administration and the rest of the international community into continuing to pour billions of dollars on Abbas and his cohorts in the deranged hope that they will combat terrorism in the Gaza Strip.
The Biden administration's starry-eyed effort to "revitalize" or "revamp" the Palestinian Authority in the hope it will be able to rule the Gaza Strip once Hamas is removed from power, or in a coalition with the leaders of Hamas, is simply not realistic. Being a peaceful neighbor to Israel is, bluntly, not on the table. Despite whatever commitments might be signed in blood, in the eyes of Palestinian leaders, they are just Western fantasies. After the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 and 1995 , then PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat assured his people -- in Arabic -- that Oslo was no more binding than the Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyya, when the Islamic prophet Mohammad agreed not to attack for ten years, then, with his opponents safely neutralized, he assembled an army and attacked after two years.
As far as most Palestinians are concerned, the talk about "revamping" the Palestinian Authority is just another bad joke, written by infidel Westerners under infidel international laws that do not apply to them. In Islamic law, to deceive an enemy, taqiyya, dissimulation, is not only permitted but advised:
Famous Sunni scholar, 'Allamah Wahidu 'z-zaman Khan of Hyderabad (India) says: "Taqiyyah is proved from the Qur'an, "except when you have to guard against them"; and ignorant people think that taqiyyah is something peculiar to the Shi'as, while it is allowed in the Sunni faith also at times."
As Sullivan was meeting with 88-year-old Abbas to discuss the possibility of handing the Gaza Strip over to the Palestinian Authority, a public opinion poll published by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) showed that a vast majority the Palestinians support Hamas and have no confidence in their president and his leadership. How ironic that the PA and its leaders appear to be more popular among White House officials than their own people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The findings of the poll reveal that support for Hamas has more than tripled in the West Bank compared to three months ago. In the Gaza Strip, support for Hamas increased, but not significantly.
Meanwhile, support for Abbas and his ruling Fatah faction has dropped significantly. The same is true for trust in the Palestinian Authority as a whole, as demand for its dissolution has risen to nearly 60%, the highest percentage ever recorded in PSR polls. Demand for Abbas's resignation has increased to around 90%.
According to the results of the poll, Palestinian support for "armed struggle" (terrorism) against Israel has increased by 10% compared to three months ago: a majority of 63% are now in favor of "armed struggle".
Another inconvenient truth for the Biden administration: According to the poll, most Palestinians justify Hamas's October 7 massacre, including murder, decapitation, rape and burning people alive. These are the same people that the Biden administration wants to give a state next to Israel. Judging from the results of the poll, the future Palestinian state will be controlled by Iran-backed Islamists who will be dancing in the streets each time a Jew is murdered in a terrorist attack.
Asked about Hamas's reasons for invading Israel and commuting the atrocities, the overwhelming majority said it was a "response to settler attacks on Al-Aqsa mosque and on Palestinian citizens and for the release of prisoners from Israeli prisons," while only 14% thought it was an Iranian plot. Needless to say, there were no "settler attacks" on the mosque. This is another bogus accusation made by Abbas and other Palestinians in response to Jews peacefully visiting the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, by agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
Note that it is Abbas who has been describing these visits as violent incursions into the mosque while accusing Jews of "defiling with their filthy feet" the holy sites in Jerusalem. This is the same Abbas that the Biden administration wants to bring back to the Gaza Strip.
Asked what they thought of Hamas's decision to launch the attack on Israel, given its outcome so far, 72% of the Palestinians said it was a "correct" move as opposed to 22% who thought it was incorrect.
Here is another inconvenient truth that the Biden administration may be unhappy to hear: almost two-thirds (64%) of the Palestinians are opposed to the participation of the Palestinian Authority in meetings with the US to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip after the war stops. Only 33% support PA participation in such meetings.
When asked about their own preferences for the party that should be in control in the Gaza Strip after the war, 60% selected Hamas; 16% selected a national unity government without Abbas, and only 7% selected the PA with Abbas.
If new presidential elections were held today with only two candidates, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would receive 78% of the vote as opposed to 16% for Abbas.
When asked which political party or political trend they support, the largest percentage selected Hamas (43%), followed by Fatah (17%), while 12% selected other or third-party groups, and 28% said none of them or did not know. Three months ago, support for Hamas stood at 22% and Fatah at 26%.
The poll also showed that 54% of Palestinians think that Hamas is the most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people today, while 13% think that Fatah under the leadership of Abbas is more deserving; 26% think that both are unworthy of representation and leadership. Three months ago, 27% said Hamas is the most deserving, 24% said Fatah led by Abbas is the most deserving, and 44% said both are unworthy of representation and leadership.
Incredibly, the Biden administration refuses to see what most Palestinians have made irrefutably clear what they want: the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews.
It is enough for Biden administration officials to look at the results of the PSR poll and talk to ordinary Palestinians to understand that the White House's policies, such as promoting the creation of an Iran-sponsored Palestinian terror state, are not wanted by anyone but Iran and them.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based the Middle East.
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Don’t listen to the doubters, history shows Hamas CAN be defeated
Haisam Hassanein/ New York Post/December 22/2023
“Hamas is an idea.” And you cannot kill an idea.
This is an increasingly popular argument from opponents of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, such as Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.
It is also wrong. As the Egyptian government demonstrated in its effort to eliminate the Muslim Brotherhood, the group that gave rise to Hamas a generation ago, ideas wither without organizations to pursue them.
The Egyptian case has special importance because of the ties between Hamas and the Brotherhood, but there’s no shortage of ideas that lost their appeal because their advocates were defeated. The influence of communism faded quickly after the Soviet Union’s fall. The Islamic State attracted tens of thousands of young men to its cause, yet its popularity never recovered from the caliphate’s fall at the hands of an American-led coalition. The Egyptian president and former general, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has spent his decade in office working to crush the Brotherhood.
His methods are rough and have resulted in sharp condemnation from American progressives. Yet today the Brotherhood no longer exists in any meaningful form beyond a web page and a few little-known figures claiming to be leaders while living abroad. Sisi’s thorough decapitation of the group had little to do with winning a war of ideas. The government arrested Brotherhood leaders and forced some into exile.
It used extensive force against the group’s militant offshoots.
Perhaps most important, it waged a relentless campaign against the Brotherhood’s domestic recruitment sources by shutting down its educational institutions, intercepting funding from abroad and working through state-controlled media to criminalize Brotherhood ideology.
No question, there are still Egyptians who believe in that ideology.
The group spent decades building and indoctrinating a committed base.
But as Cairo squeezed harder and harder, infighting between the Brotherhood’s leaders in the diaspora caused it to splinter.
Israel is fighting the same enemy.
Hamas is an offshoot of the Brotherhood, which was born in Egypt and inspired dozens of radical branches across the Muslim world.
In 2007, Hamas launched a bloody coup against the Palestinian Authority in Gaza.
The clash left 800 Palestinians dead — some executed by being thrown from the top of buildings — but Hamas prevailed decisively.
Hamas’ then-politburo chief, Khaled Meshaal, called it a “military resolution.”
Western leaders often insist various problems have no military solution, but Hamas, like Russian President Vladimir Putin, knows they often do.
After taking Gaza, Hamas was able to use it as a human shield, from behind which it launched five rounds of fighting with Israel, including the Oct. 7 massacre.
Sixteen years under Hamas has been hell for Gazans.
Thousands did time in jail, where hundreds died or were released with permanent disabilities. Per the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics, 45% of Gazans are out of work.
Many unemployed youngsters try fleeing by sea, where some end up drowning.
Hamas blames Israel, of course, yet terrorist attacks from Gaza are what necessitate the Israeli effort to isolate the coastal strip.
In its clashes with Israel, Hamas treats the people of Gaza as expendable.
Last month, an interviewer asked top Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk why the group builds tunnels to protect its fighters but no bomb shelters for the people.
Marzouk responded that Hamas’ role is to fight, and the United Nations or even Israel should take care of Gazans.
This attitude comes as no surprise to the people.
Gazans took to the streets in July protesting the poor quality of life under Hamas, chanting, “We want to live.”
Despite these setbacks in its own war of ideas, Hamas remains a tough adversary because it controls Gaza’s resources.
Qatar has poured hundreds of millions of dollars per year into the strip — nominally for humanitarian purposes, but Hamas controls the spending.
Extensive UN aid relieves Hamas of the burden of providing a minimal standard of living, so it can prioritize building up its military capabilities with help from Iran’s Quds Force and Lebanese Hezbollah.
Many Arab leaders see Hamas for what it is but fear the costs of siding with Israelis against fellow Arabs. This narrow thinking has only contributed to Hamas’ power.
At least some regional leaders have stopped condemning Israel’s effort to expel Hamas from Gaza. Two weeks ago, Bahrain’s crown prince and prime minister, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, condemned Hamas “unequivocally.”
Since then, other Gulf leaders have refrained from making unhelpful statements.
The war in Gaza is responsible for great suffering, but Hamas is responsible for the war and for using its people as human shields.
In the long run, a decisive defeat for Hamas is what’s best for Palestinians and the region as a whole, not just Israel.
It would open the door to moderate Arab governments re-engaging with Palestinians, especially the Saudis and Emiratis, who (unlike Qatar) were not interested in backing an Iranian proxy.
A Gaza at peace could begin to rebuild prosperity and ultimately offers the best chance for Palestinians to have a state of their own, beside their Jewish neighbors.
*Haisam Hassanein is an adjunct fellow with Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where he analyzes Israel’s relations with the Arab world.

Palestinian Christians prepare for somber Christmas amid war
Associated Press/December 22/2023
It's normally a moment of pure joy for the Rev. Khader Khalilia: the excitement, the giggles, the kisses, as his young daughters — in their Christmas pajamas — open their gifts. But this year, just the thought of it fills Khalilia with guilt.
"I'm struggling," said the Palestinian American pastor of Redeemer-St. John's Lutheran Church in New York. "How can I do it while the Palestinian children are suffering, have no shelter or a place to lay their heads?"
Thousands of miles away, near Jesus' biblical birthplace of Bethlehem, Suzan Sahori has been working with artisans to bring olive wood Christmas ornaments into homes in Australia, Europe and North America. But Sahori is in no mood for festivities: "We're broken, looking at all these children, all this killing."
In a traditional season of merriment, many Palestinian Christians — in Bethlehem and beyond — are gripped with helplessness, pain and worry amid the Israel-Hamas war. Some are mourning, lobbying for the war to end, scrambling to get relatives to safety or seeking comfort in the Christmas message of hope.
In the occupied West Bank, Sahori, executive director of Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans, an organization selling crafts, will pray for peace and justice. She's grateful she's safe — but wonders if that could change. She's also angry.
"The joy in my heart is stolen," she said. "I'm saying, 'God, how are you allowing all these children to die?' ... I'm mad at God; I hope He forgives me."
In better times, she finds the Christmas spirit in the Bethlehem area unmatched: It's in songs cascading into streets bedecked with lights, markets displaying decorations, and the enthusiasm of children, families and tourists snapping photos with towering Christmas trees.
Now, it's all quieter, somber. Tree lighting ceremonies she attended last year have been scrapped.
The heads of churches in Jerusalem have urged congregations to forgo "any unnecessarily festive activities." They encouraged priests and the faithful to focus on Christmas' spiritual meaning and called for "fervent prayers for a just and lasting peace for our beloved Holy Land."
Thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza, launched after Hamas' Oct. 7 killings and hostage-taking in Israel.
Days before Christmas, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said two Christian women at a church compound in Gaza were killed by Israeli sniper fire. The Israeli military said troops were targeting Hamas militants in the area; it said it was investigating the incident and takes such reports very seriously.
Khalilia is striving to comfort the distraught amid his distress.
"It's hard to watch. It's hard to do your job," he said. "People are looking for us to walk with them in their suffering."
He worries about family in the West Bank; a brother lost his income working for a hotel as travel cancellations pummeled tourism.
Khalilia, who's from a town near Bethlehem, said his daughters will likely get fewer presents, with the savings going toward helping children in Gaza.
Many in the U.S., he said, don't realize that Palestinian Christians exist — some ask if he converted from Islam or Judaism.
He tells them, "When you sing 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' on Christmas Eve, remember that Jesus was born in my hometown."
There are 50,000 Christian Palestinians estimated to reside in the West Bank and Jerusalem, according to the U.S. State Department's international religious freedom report for 2022. Approximately 1,300 Christians lived in Gaza, it said. Some Christians are also citizens of Israel. Many Palestinian Christians live in diaspora communities.
Susan Muaddi Darraj, a novelist in Baltimore, said Christians embody a diversity of Palestinians that gets erased. "Our existence … defies the stereotypes that are being used to dehumanize us."
This Christmas, family gatherings have become more important for comfort, she said.
"Especially in the diaspora ... where, for us, life feels like it's stopped but everyone else around us is going about their daily business."Wadie Abunassar, a Palestinian Israeli in Haifa, said many in his Christian community are trying to balance the somber atmosphere with the Christmas message.
"Jesus came in the midst of darkness" and Christmas "is about giving hope when there's no hope," said Abunassar, a former Catholic Church spokesperson. "Nowadays, more than ever, we need this Christmas spirit."
It hasn't been easy.
"Being Israeli citizens, we feel the pain of our Jewish compatriots," he said. "Being Palestinians, we feel the pain of our Palestinian brothers and sisters."
In Bethlehem, the Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, said tears flow during Sunday services. Many are anxious; some have packed up and left.
Isaac was part of a group that traveled to Washington to advocate for a ceasefire.
"A comprehensive and just peace is the only hope for Palestinians and Israelis alike," said a letter signed by several Christian pastoral leaders in Bethlehem. Addressed to President Joe Biden, it asked him to help stop the war.
The signatories said they lamented all deaths, Palestinian and Israeli.
"We want a constant and comprehensive ceasefire. Enough death. Enough destruction. ... This is our call and prayer this Christmas."
Israel, whose forces have faced a ccusations by some of using excessive force, says it aims to destroy Hamas and accuses it of endangering civilians. Israel and its U.S. ally are also increasingly facing international alarm over the scope of deaths, destruction and displacement in Gaza.
Isaac's church is displaying a nativity scene where a baby Jesus figure, wrapped in a back-and-white Palestinian keffiyeh, is lying in the rubble. Making the display was an emotional and spiritual experience, he said.
"We see Jesus in every child that's killed, and we see God's identifying with us in our suffering."This holiday season, longtime Gaza resident Suhair Anastas is wracked with guilt: She's managed to escape the war in Gaza while others haven't.
A Jordanian Palestinian, Anastas had been living in Gaza, where her late husband was from. For more than a month, she and her 16-year-old daughter sheltered in a Catholic church's school there. Death felt particularly close when a deadly Israeli airstrike struck a Gaza Greek Orthodox Church compound housing displaced people. Israel's military said it had targeted a Hamas command center nearby.
"You go to sleep ... thinking, 'Will I wake up the next morning?'" Anastas said.
Her trip to the border — which involved driving, walking, taking a donkey-pulled cart and a cab — was terrifying.
"The bombings were around," she said. A friend's daughter, a child, kept asking: Are we going to die? Anastas hopes to return to Gaza, but she's unsure what's ahead, or if her home will still be there. Among the many questions over the future of Gaza and its more than 2 million people, is if its tiny Christian community will remain — and for how long. Those still inside include Sami Awad's relatives. A Palestinian American, Awad said he failed to get U.S. help for his family members, who don't hold U.S. passports, to leave. They have moved repeatedly, their latest shelter a windowless cement structure shared with others, said Awad, who's in the West Bank. In sporadic communications, a cousin's told him they were running out of the canned tuna and beans they've survived on. He once told Awad, "If we die, don't grieve too much for us, because it would have been mercy for us," Awad said. At other times, the cousin yelled, "Save us. Get us out.""I feel completely helpless," said Awad, dreading the prospect of bad news at any minute.
Hope came in the form of Australian visas for his relatives, including an elderly aunt and uncle, Awad said, but their names aren't on lists needed to depart.
On Christmas, he said, "We'll wake up, like every other day, to watch the news and to see what are the numbers of people that were killed."
Awad wasn't thinking about putting up a Christmas tree until his youngest daughter argued for one. So now, a tree is up. On it, amid gold and red baubles, is a red, black, white and green Palestinian flag.

EU must prove it is serious about enlargement
Luke Coffey/Arab News/December 22, 2023
This has been a historic month for the EU. After months of deliberation, the Council of the EU last week voted to grant candidate status to Georgia and to begin membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova. This decision marks a turning point regarding the enlargement of the bloc.
When the EU’s predecessor, the European Coal and Steel Community, was created in 1951, there were only six members: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Over the course of the next 53 years, only nine new members were added to what became the European Economic Community and then later the EU, bringing the total to 15. This changed in 2004.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact in the early 1990s, the EU focused on the enlargement prospects in Central and Eastern Europe. This initiative came to fruition in 2004, when the EU’s single largest enlargement occurred. At this time, 10 new countries joined, including seven that were once either part of the Warsaw Pact or Soviet Union. However, since this so-called big bang enlargement in 2004, only three new countries have joined: Romania and Bulgaria in 2007 and Croatia in 2013. Of course, the UK formally left the EU in January 2020 after the Brexit vote. Today, the number of members stands at 27.
Because of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there is a newfound geopolitical impetus for EU enlargement for countries in Central and Eastern Europe. In the summer of 2022, just months after the invasion, Ukraine and Moldova were granted EU candidate status. This month, both began accession talks to formally join the bloc. Meanwhile, Georgia, which has long remained committed to Euro-Atlantic integration but has experienced democratic backsliding in recent years that raised concerns in Brussels, was given candidate status.
However, before popping the Champagne, getting Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia across the finish line and into the EU will be no easy task. This is not because Kyiv, Chisinau and Tbilisi will be unable or too slow at making the required reforms to join. Instead, the biggest obstacles will likely be found in Brussels and among certain EU members in Western Europe as they grapple with the institutional reforms needed to bring in new members. There are four particular issues of concern.
Getting Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia across the finish line and into the EU will be no easy task
Firstly, since voting in the Council of the EU is, at least in part, based on a formula that includes the population of each member state, some countries in Western Europe stand to lose influence if bigger countries join. For example, upon joining, Ukraine would become the fifth-most-populous member, followed by Poland and Romania. This would make Central and Eastern Europe more influential in the decision-making of the EU in a way that will likely make Paris and Berlin uncomfortable.
Secondly, there is also the matter of reallocating seats in the European Parliament if new members are added. Currently, there are 705 seats. These are distributed based on population, with the maximum number of seats for any EU member being 96 and a minimum being six. If a new member joins, the seats have to be redistributed. This means current members will lose seats, especially considering Ukraine’s relatively bigger population. For the EU’s smaller states, this will not make too much difference. However, the bigger states in Western Europe will lose out.
Thirdly, the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy will need to be reformed before Ukraine can join. This will be no easy task. The CAP was introduced in 1962 to facilitate a complex system of agricultural subsidies and to set agricultural policies across the EU. The CAP is hugely expensive as it is and today takes up about a third of the EU’s entire budget. The number of agricultural subsidies received by member states under CAP is linked to farm size. Considering Ukraine has an estimated quarter of Europe’s total farmland, billions of euros in subsidies will be shifted eastward and away from Western European countries like France and Spain. Reforming CAP is already one of the most contentious issues inside the EU. A major farming country like Ukraine joining the EU would make CAP even more difficult to reform. Finally, there is an important geopolitical matter that will need to be resolved before Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia join the EU. All three countries have Russian troops on their territory that are uninvited. It is also not well known that the EU contains a mutual defense clause (Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union) that is similar to NATO’s Article 5 security guarantee. NATO’s defense clause is the No. 1 roadblock when it comes to countries like Ukraine and Georgia joining the alliance. With Russian troops already occupying territory in these countries, NATO members are concerned that their entry into the alliance would trigger an automatic war with Moscow. In theory, the same thing could be true regarding the EU’s Article 42.7, but there has been no public debate about how to address this matter. However, as these three countries get closer to the EU finish line, you can bet that this will become a contentious issue. The biggest obstacles will likely be found in Brussels and among certain EU members in Western Europe
Right now, there is an understandable amount of euphoria in the EU over the prospect of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia joining. However, as Kyiv, Chisinau and Tbilisi make progress on the difficult but necessary reforms to join the EU, Brussels also has an obligation to make the necessary institutional reforms.
It would be tragic if Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia successfully underwent the political and economic reforms needed to join the EU, only to then have the process stalled because of Western European concerns over the allocation of European Parliament seats, voting weight in the European Council or farming subsidies. Even the challenges surrounding the EU’s Article 42.7 are not insurmountable with the right leadership and creativity in Brussels.
If the EU is serious about bringing in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia as members, it must start the necessary reforms now before it is too late.
**Luke Coffey is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. X: @LukeDCoffey

The real AI revolution should be in humanity’s attitude toward it
REFIK ANADOL AND KAREL KOMAREK/Arab News/December 22, 2023
Although our age is defined by humanity’s disproportionate influence on the planet, we ourselves are undergoing profound changes. Tasks that could previously only be accomplished through human labor are increasingly being performed by machines, including many tasks that rely on creativity. Far from a distant theoretical possibility, artificial intelligence has arrived — and it is here to stay.
In considering AI’s potential, it can be tempting to channel the techno-optimism of the 1990s, when IBM’s Deep Blue triumphed over the world chess champion Garry Kasparov, unleashing a wave of interdisciplinary interest in how AI might be deployed and commercialized in other domains. But it can also be tempting to adopt the opposing view and insist that AI will become an intolerable threat to most people’s livelihoods and perhaps even to human existence itself.
Both reactions are not new: They have often accompanied the emergence of major innovations. They also make similar mistakes, because both treat technological progress as if it were something separate from us. Nowadays, the optimists fixate on what AI might do for us, while the pessimists worry about what it will do to us. But the question we should be asking is: what will AI do with us?
This question is as pertinent to fine art as it is to finance, despite the apparent differences between these domains of quintessentially human activity. New media art is best understood as a dialogue between experimentation and tradition. The human longing for novelty and tradition are mutually dependent: Only by appreciating what came before an artwork can we comprehend what makes it new. No work is fully independent of cultural heritage, just as light cannot be understood in the absence of darkness.
Investing, too, is a hybrid enterprise. Success lies in recognizing genuine forms of innovation, which in turn requires an appreciation of what has already been done.
This interplay between past and present also describes generative AI itself. By drawing on vast stores of previous human expression — data — AI can achieve near-universal applicability and facilitate innovation across many areas of culture and industry.
It was this understanding of AI that led us to pursue our collaborative project, which is known as Dvorak Dreams. By harnessing the power of machine learning, we transformed the 19th-century Czech composer Antonin Dvorak’s compositions, visual archives and legacy into a 100-square-meter installation that was exhibited throughout the annual Dvorak Prague Festival in September in front of the UNESCO-listed Rudolfinum. As the inaugural project of the 0xCollection, a new cultural initiative dedicated to digital art, the piece exemplified AI’s potential as a tool for both transforming human creativity and enriching cultural heritage.
AI is admittedly extraordinarily powerful, but it is hardly the first technology to alter the human condition.
Artists working with AI can map out a path for the technology’s role across society more broadly. Today’s algorithmic models rely on massive quantities of training data, most of it created by and for human consumption, and this makes them immensely powerful tools for pursuits like research and development. From hundreds of hours of classical music to more quantitative types of data, it is human input that makes AI’s output meaningful and intelligible. Only by maintaining this symbiotic connection between us and our rapidly evolving technologies can we ensure that AI’s development brings more benefit than harm.
Make no mistake: The benefits of machine learning could be profound. As novel and alien as it may seem to us now, AI is uniquely capable of serving human ends — from optimizing technological efficiency to aiding in the creation of artwork that can be appreciated by audiences around the world. The human response to AI’s output is what will determine its utility, including as an instrument of meaning-making. There is no denying that AI will play an expanding role in our increasingly digitalized world. What we need is a strategy of coexistence that respects, elevates and optimizes both human and machine.
To that end, we see Dvorak Dreams as a proof of concept. Rooted firmly in human sources and imaginative expressions, it leveraged AI to retrieve, synthesize and extend the legacy of an earlier cultural pioneer. The resulting presentation was not simply a machine-generated “hallucination;” it was a display of co-evolution. An “artificial” intelligence, guided by human intervention, made a past cultural production real to us in the present. It both revived history and created it anew. Finding value lies in uniting tradition with novelty. Without both elements, the final product would not move us.
Dvorak Dreams required us to put aside debates about humans versus humans and humans versus machines. The result was beneficial both for the development of technology and for the progress of contemporary art. Now, we find ourselves calling for a revolution — not of the technology, but of humanity’s attitude toward it. AI is admittedly extraordinarily powerful, but it is hardly the first technology to alter the human condition.
We need not assume the position of either a true believer or an unbending critic. Human progress emerges from collaboration between us and, beyond that, between us and our machines. In this sense, the role of artists, investors and innovators in the AI revolution is the same: to combine openness toward the future with informed appreciation of the past.
**Refik Anadol, a lecturer at the UCLA Department of Design Media Arts, is Director at RAS LAB. Karel Komarek, founder of KKCG, is a co-founder of the Karel Komarek Family Foundation and the Dvorak Prague International Music Festival. ©Project Syndicate

The year in review: Influential people who died in 2023
Associated Press/December 22/2023
Yevgeny Prigozhin rose from being an ex-con and hot dog vendor to winning lucrative Kremlin contracts and heading a formidable mercenary army. But it all came to a sudden end when the private plane carrying him and others mysteriously exploded over Russia.
Prigozhin's Aug. 23 death put an exclamation point on what had already been an eventful year for the brutal mercenary leader. His Wagner Group troops brought Russia a rare victory in its grinding war in Ukraine, capturing the city of Bakhmut. But internal friction with Russian military leaders later burst into the open, with Prigozhin briefly mounting an armed rebellion — the most severe challenge yet to Russian President Vladimir Putin's rule.
The rebellion was called off and a deal was struck in less than 24 hours. However, just two months later, Prigozhin joined the list of those who have run afoul of the Kremlin and died unexpectedly.
He was just one of a number of noteworthy people who died in 2023.
The world also said goodbye to former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who died Nov. 29. Serving under two presidents, Kissinger's shadow loomed large in the foreign policy arena, prompting both admiration and criticism from around the globe. And he continued his involvement in global affairs even in his final months.
Another political figure who died this year was former U.S. first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died Nov. 19. She was the closest adviser to her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, during his one term in the White House and then across four decades of global humanitarian work.
Others from the world of politics who died this year include: former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi; former U.S. senators Dianne Feinstein, James Buckley and James Abourezk; former British treasury chief Nigel Lawson; former Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf; former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor; former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang; former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari; former New Mexico governor and American ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson; former New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver; and former Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos.
Among the entertainers who left the world this year was singer Tina Turner, who died May 24. Turner's powerful voice and stage presence brought her fame across multiple decades, first with her abusive husband, Ike Turner, in the 1960's and 70's. But after leaving their marriage, she found fame again in the 1980's with her hit "What's Love Got to Do With It."
Others in the world of arts and entertainment who died this year include: actors Suzanne Somers, Matthew Perry, Raquel Welch, Richard Belzer, Chaim Topol, Jacklyn Zeman, Lance Reddick, Alan Arkin, Paul Reubens, David McCallum, Richard Roundtree and Tom Sizemore; musicians Jimmy Buffett, Sinéad O'Connor, Rita Lee Jones, Burt Bacharach, David Crosby, Fito Olivares, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Astrud Gilberto, Coco Lee and Tony Bennett; civil rights activist and entertainer Harry Belafonte; TV producer Norman Lear; author Cormac McCarthy; filmmaker William Friedkin; TV hosts Bob Barker and Jerry Springer; poet Louise Glück; guitarist Jeff Beck; fashion designer Mary Quant; wrestler The Iron Sheik; composer Kaija Saariaho; and "Sesame Street" co-creator Lloyd Morrisett.
Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2023 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):
JANUARY
Fred White, 67. A drummer who backed up his brothers Maurice and Verdine White in the Grammy-winning ensemble Earth, Wind & Fire. Jan. 1.
Ken Block, 55. A motorsports icon known for his stunt driving and for co-founding the action sports apparel brand DC Shoes. Jan. 2. Snowmobiling accident.
Walter Cunningham, 90. The last surviving astronaut from the first successful crewed space mission in NASA's Apollo program. Jan. 3.
Fay Weldon, 91. A British author known for her sharp wit and acerbic observations about women's experiences and sexual politics in novels including "The Life And Loves Of A She-Devil." Jan. 4.
Russell Pearce, 75. A Republican lawmaker who was the driving force behind Arizona's landmark 2010 anti-immigration legislation known as the "show me your papers" law. Jan. 5.
Charles Simic, 84. The Pulitzer Prize-winning poet who awed critics and readers with his singular art of lyricism and economy, tragic insight and disruptive humor. Jan. 9.
Lynette "Diamond" Hardaway, 51. An ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump and one half of the conservative political commentary duo Diamond and Silk. Jan. 8.
Jeff Beck, 78. A guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock 'n' roll, influencing generations of shredders along the way and becoming known as the guitar player's guitar player. Jan. 10.
Constantine, 82. The former and last king of Greece, who won an Olympic gold medal in sailing and spent decades in exile after becoming entangled in his country's volatile politics in the 1960s. Jan. 10.
Tatjana Patitz, 56. She was one of an elite group of supermodels who graced magazine covers in the 1980s and '90s and appeared in George Michael's "Freedom! '90" music video. Jan. 11.
Lisa Marie Presley, 54. The only child of Elvis Presley and a singer-songwriter dedicated to her father's legacy. Jan. 12.
Robbie Knievel, 60. An American stunt performer who set records with daredevil motorcycle jumps following in the tire tracks of his thrill-seeking father Evel Knievel. Jan. 13.
Ray Cordeiro, 98. He interviewed music acts including the Beatles during a six-decade career on Hong Kong radio that earned him the title of the world's longest-working disc jockey. Jan. 13.
Lloyd Morrisett, 93. The co-creator of the beloved children's TV series "Sesame Street," which has used empathy and fuzzy monsters like Elmo and Cookie Monster to charm and teach generations around the world. Jan. 15.
Gina Lollobrigida, 95. An Italian film legend who achieved international stardom during the 1950s and was dubbed "the most beautiful woman in the world" after the title of one of her movies. Jan. 16.
Chris Ford, 74. A member of the Boston Celtics 1981 championship team, a longtime NBA coach and the player credited with scoring the league's first 3-point basket. Jan. 17.
David Crosby, 81. The brash rock musician who evolved from a baby-faced harmony singer with the Byrds to a mustachioed hippie superstar and troubadour in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Sept. 18.
Cindy Williams, 75. She was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and 1980s for her role as Shirley on the beloved sitcom "Laverne & Shirley." Jan. 25.
Billy Packer, 82. An Emmy award-winning college basketball broadcaster who covered 34 Final Fours for NBC and CBS. Jan. 26.
Sylvia Syms, 89. She starred in classic British films including "Ice Cold in Alex" and "Victim." Jan. 27.
Barrett Strong, 81. One of Motown's founding artists and most gifted songwriters who sang lead on the company's breakthrough single "Money (That's What I Want)" and collaborated with Norman Whitfield on such classics as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "War" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." Jan. 28.
Tom Verlaine, 73. The guitarist and co-founder of the seminal proto-punk band Television who influenced many bands while playing at ultra-cool downtown New York music venue CBGB alongside the Ramones, Patti Smith and Talking Heads. Jan. 28.
Bobby Hull, 84. A Hall of Fame forward who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup Final. Jan. 30.
FEBRUARY
Paco Rabanne, 88. The Spanish-born designer known for perfumes sold worldwide but who made his name with metallic space-age fashions that put a bold, new edge on catwalks. Feb. 3.
Harry Whittington, 95. The man who former Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot while they were hunting quail on a Texas ranch more than 17 years ago. Feb. 4.
Hsing Yun, 95. A Buddhist abbot who established a thriving religious community in southern Taiwan and built universities overseas. Feb. 5.
Pervez Musharraf, 79. The general who seized power in a bloodless coup and later led a reluctant Pakistan into aiding the U.S. war in Afghanistan against the Taliban. Feb. 5.
Burt Bacharach, 94. The singularly gifted and popular composer who delighted millions with the quirky arrangements and unforgettable melodies of "Walk on By," "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" and dozens of other hits. Feb. 8.
Carlos Saura, 91. Spain's celebrated filmmaker who earned three Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Language Film during his seven-decade career. Feb. 10.
Hugh Hudson, 86. A British filmmaker who debuted as a feature director with the Oscar-winning Olympics drama "Chariots of Fire" and made other well-regarded movies including "My Life So Far" and the Oscar-nominated "Greystroke." Feb. 10.
Hans Modrow, 95. He served as East Germany's last communist leader during a turbulent tenure that ended in the country's first and only free election. Feb. 11.
David Jude Jolicoeur, 54. Widely known as Trugoy the Dove, he was one of the founding members of the Long Island hip hop trio De La Soul. Feb. 12.
Huey "Piano" Smith, 89. A beloved New Orleans session musician who backed Little Richard, Lloyd Price and other early rock stars, and with his own group made the party favorites "Don't You Just Know It" and "Rockin' Pneumonia and Boogie Woogie Flu." Feb. 13.
Leiji Matsumoto, 85. The anime creator known for "Space Battleship Yamato" and other classics using a fantastical style and antiwar themes. Feb. 13.
Raquel Welch, 82. Her emergence from the sea in a skimpy, furry bikini in the film "One Million Years B.C." propelled her to international sex symbol status in the 1960s and '70s. Feb. 15.
Tim McCarver, 81. The All-Star catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster who during 60 years in baseball won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals and had a long run as one of the country's most recognized, incisive and talkative television commentators. Feb. 16.
Stella Stevens, 84. A prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewis's affection in "The Nutty Professor." Feb. 17.
Richard Belzer, 78. The longtime stand-up comedian who became one of TV's most indelible detectives as John Munch in "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "Law & Order: SVU." Feb. 19.
Ahmed Qureia, 85. A former Palestinian prime minister and one of the architects of interim peace deals with Israel. Feb. 22.
James Abourezk, 92. A South Dakota Democrat who grew up on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, became the first Arab American U.S. senator and was known for his quick wit as he advocated for populist causes. Feb. 24.
Betty Boothroyd, 93. The first female speaker of Britain's House of Commons. Feb. 26.
Ricou Browning, 93. A skilled swimmer best known for his underwater role as the Gill Man in the quintessential 3D black-and-white 1950s monster movie "Creature from the Black Lagoon." Feb. 27.
Gérard Latortue, 88. A former interim prime minister of Haiti who helped rebuild and unite the country after a violent coup in the mid-2000s. Feb. 27.
MARCH
Just Fontaine, 89. The French soccer great who scored a record 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup. March 1.
Barbara Everitt Bryant, 96. The first woman to run the U.S. Census Bureau and its leader during the contentious debate over how to compensate for undercounts of minority groups in the 1990 census. March 2.
Tom Sizemore, 61. The "Saving Private Ryan" actor whose bright 1990s star burned out under the weight of his own domestic violence and drug convictions. March 3.
Kenzaburo Oe, 88. The Nobel literature laureate whose darkly poetic novels were built from his childhood memories during Japan's postwar occupation and from being the parent of a disabled son. March 3.
Judy Heumann, 75. A renowned activist who helped secure legislation protecting the rights of people with disabilities. March 4.
Gary Rossington, 71. A co-founder and last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd who helped write the classic answer song "Sweet Home Alabama" and played unforgettable slide guitar on the rock anthem "Free Bird." March 5.
Georgina Beyer, 65. A trailblazing New Zealand politician who in 1999 became the world's first openly transgender member of Parliament. March 6.
Traute Lafrenz, 103. She was the last known survivor of a German group known as the White Rose that actively resisted the Nazis. March 6.
Peterson Zah, 85. A monumental Navajo Nation leader who guided the tribe through a politically tumultuous era and worked tirelessly to correct wrongdoings against Native Americans. March 7.
Chaim Topol, 87. A leading Israeli actor who charmed generations of theatergoers and movie-watchers with his portrayal of Tevye, the long-suffering and charismatic milkman in "Fiddler on the Roof." March 8.
Robert Blake, 89. The Emmy award-winning performer who went from acclaim for his acting to notoriety when he was tried and acquitted in the killing of his wife. March 9.
Jiang Yanyong, 91. A Chinese military doctor who revealed the full extent of the 2003 SARS outbreak and was later placed under house arrest for his political outspokenness. March 11.
Bud Grant, 95. The stoic and demanding Hall of Fame coach who took the Minnesota Vikings and their mighty Purple People Eaters defense to four Super Bowls in eight years and lost all of them. March 11.
Dick Fosbury, 76. The lanky leaper who revamped the technical discipline of high jump and won an Olympic gold medal with his "Fosbury Flop." March 12.
Pat Schroeder, 82. A pioneer for women's and family rights in Congress. March 13.
Gloria Bosman, age unknown. A smooth-voiced South African jazz musician who was lauded for her contribution to the country's music industry in a career spanning more than two decades. March 14.
Jacqueline Gold, 62. She helped make lingerie and sex toys a female-friendly mainstream business as head of Britain's Ann Summers chain. March 16.
Lance Reddick, 60. A character actor who specialized in intense, icy and possibly sinister authority figures on TV and film, including "The Wire," "Fringe" and the "John Wick" franchise. March 17.
John Jenrette, 86. The former U.S. congressman was a colorful politician who was convicted in the Abscam bribery scandal in the late 1970s and whose wife talked to Playboy about an in-session dalliance on the U.S. Capitol steps. March 17.
Fito Olivares, 75. A Tejano musician known for songs that were wedding and quinceanera mainstays, including the hit "Juana La Cubana." March 17.
Willis Reed, 80. He dramatically emerged from the locker room minutes before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals to spark the New York Knicks to their first championship and create one of sports' most enduring examples of playing through pain. March 21.
Darcelle XV, 92. The iconic drag queen who was crowned the world's oldest working drag performer in 2016 by the Guinness Book of World Records. March 23.
Paul O'Grady, 67. An entertainer who achieved fame as drag queen Lily Savage before becoming a much-loved comedian and host on British television. March 28.
Ryuichi Sakamoto, 71. A world-renowned Japanese musician and actor who composed for Hollywood hits such as "The Last Emperor" and "The Revenant." March 28.
Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter, 99. A bridal industry pioneer and Holocaust survivor who decided over a half century ago that brides deserved better than cookie-cutter dresses. March 29.
APRIL
Nigel Lawson, 91. The tax-cutting U.K. Treasury chief under the late Margaret Thatcher and a lion of Conservative politics in the late 20th century. April 3.
Ben Ferencz, 103. The last living prosecutor from the Nuremberg trials, who tried Nazis for genocidal war crimes and was among the first outside witnesses to document the atrocities of Nazi labor and concentration camps. April 7.
Elisabeth Kopp, 86. An advocate of equal rights and the environment who was the first woman elected to Switzerland's seven-member executive branch. April. 7.
Michael Lerner, 81. The Brooklyn-born character actor who played a myriad of imposing figures in his 60 years in the business, including monologuing movie mogul Jack Lipnick in "Barton Fink," the crooked club owner Bugsy Calhoun in "Harlem Nights" and an angry publishing executive in "Elf." April 8.
Anne Perry, 84. The best-selling crime novelist known for her Thomas Pitt and William Monk detective series, and for her own murderous past that inspired the movie "Heavenly Creatures." April 10.
Al Jaffee, 102. Mad magazine's award-winning cartoonist and ageless wise guy who delighted millions of kids with the sneaky fun of the Fold-In and the snark of "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions." April 10.
Mary Quant, 93. The visionary fashion designer whose colorful, sexy miniskirts epitomized Swinging London in the 1960s and influenced youth culture around the world. April 13.
Charles Stanley, 90. A prominent televangelist who once led the Southern Baptist Convention. April 18.
Richard Riordan, 92. A wealthy Republican businessman who served two terms as Los Angeles mayor and steered the city through the Northridge earthquake and the recovery from the deadly 1992 riots. April 19.
Todd Haimes, 66. He led the Roundabout Theatre Company from an off-off-Broadway company teetering on the edge of bankruptcy into a major theatrical force with works on five stages — including three Broadway theaters — and dozens of Tony Awards. April 19.
Barry Humphries, 89. A Tony Award-winning comedian internationally renowned for his garish stage persona Dame Edna Everage, a condescending and imperfectly-veiled snob whose evolving character delighted audiences over seven decades. April 22.
Len Goodman, 78. A long-serving judge on "Dancing with the Stars" and "Strictly Come Dancing" who helped revive interest in ballroom dancing on both sides of the Atlantic. April 22.
Harry Belafonte, 96. The civil rights and entertainment giant who began as a groundbreaking actor and singer and became an activist, humanitarian and conscience of the world. April 25.
Carolyn Bryant Donham, 88. The white woman who accused Black teenager Emmett Till of making improper advances leading to his lynching in Mississippi in 1955. April 25.
Jerry Springer, 79. The onetime mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show featured a three-ring circus of dysfunctional guests willing to bare all — sometimes literally — as they brawled and hurled obscenities before a raucous audience. April 27.
LeRoy "Lee" Carhart, 81. He emerged from a two-decade career as an Air Force surgeon to become one of the best-known late-term abortion providers in the United States. April 28.
Larry "Gator" Rivers, 73. He helped integrate high school basketball in Georgia before playing for the Harlem Globetrotters and becoming a county commissioner in his native Savannah. April 29.
MAY
Gordon Lightfoot, 84. The legendary folk singer-songwriter known for "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Sundown" and for songs that told tales of Canadian identity. May 1.
Tori Bowie, 32. The sprinter who won three Olympic medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. May 2. Complications of childbirth.
Vida Blue, 73. A hard-throwing left-hander who became one of baseball's biggest draws in the early 1970s and helped lead the brash A's to three straight World Series titles before his career was derailed by drug problems. May 6.
Grace Bumbry, 86. A pioneering mezzo-soprano who became the first Black singer to perform at Germany's Bayreuth Festival during a more than three-decade career on the world's top stages. May 7.
Rita Lee Jones, 75. Brazil's million-selling "Queen of Rock" who gained an international following through her colorful and candid style and such hits as "Ovelha Negra," "Mania de Você" and "Now Only Missing You." May 8.
Denny Crum, 86. He won two NCAA men's basketball championships and built Louisville into one of the 1980s' dominant programs during a Hall of Fame coaching career. May 9.
Heather Armstrong, 47. Known as Dooce to fans, the pioneering mommy blogger laid bare her struggles as a mother and her battles with depression and alcoholism on her website and on social media. May 9.
Jacklyn Zeman, 70. She played Bobbie Spencer for 45 years on ABC's "General Hospital." May 9.
Rolf Harris, 93. The veteran entertainer whose decades-long career as a family favorite on British and Australian television was shattered when he was convicted of sexual assaults on young girls. May 10.
Kenneth Anger, 96. The shocking and influential avant-garde artist who defied sexual and religious taboos in short films such as "Scorpio Rising" and "Fireworks," and dished the most lurid movie star gossip in his underground classic "Hollywood Babylon." May 11.
Doyle Brunson, 89. One of the most influential poker players of all time and a two-time world champion. May 14.
Jim Brown, 87. The pro football Hall of Famer was an unstoppable running back who retired at the peak of his career to become an actor as well as a prominent civil rights advocate during the 1960s. May 18.
Timothy Keller, 72. A pastor and best-selling author who founded the influential Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. May 19.
Andy Rourke, 59. Bass guitarist of The Smiths, one of the most influential British bands of the 1980s. May 19.
Ray Stevenson, 58. The Irish actor who played the villainous British governor in "RRR," an Asgardian warrior in the "Thor" films, and a member of the 13th Legion in HBO's "Rome." May 21.
Ed Ames, 95. The youngest member of the popular 1950s singing group the Ames Brothers, who later became a successful actor in television and musical theater. May 21.
Tina Turner, 83. The unstoppable singer and stage performer who teamed with husband Ike Turner for a dynamic run of hit records and live shows in the 1960s and '70s and survived her horrifying marriage to triumph in middle age with the chart-topping "What's Love Got to Do With It." May 24.
George Maharis, 94. A stage-trained actor with rough-hewn good looks who became an icon to American youth in the 1960s as he cruised the country in a Corvette convertible in the hit television series "Route 66." May 24.
Carroll Cooley, 87. The retired Phoenix police captain was the arresting officer in the landmark case partially responsible for the Supreme Court's Miranda rights ruling that requires suspects be read their rights. May 29.
John Beasley, 79. The veteran character actor who played a kindly school bus driver on the TV drama "Everwood" and appeared in dozens of films dating back to the 1980s. May 30.
Theodoros Pangalos, 84. A former Greek foreign minister known for his undiplomatic outbursts and on whose watch Greece suffered one of its most embarrassing foreign policy debacles in 1999. May 31.
JUNE
Kaija Saariaho, 70. She wrote acclaimed works that made her the among the most prominent composers of the 21st century. June 2.
George Winston, 73. The Grammy-winning pianist who blended jazz, classical, folk and other stylings on such million-selling albums as "Autumn," "Winter Into Spring" and "December." June 4.
Astrud Gilberto, 83. The Brazilian singer, songwriter and entertainer whose off-hand, English-language cameo on "The Girl from Ipanema" made her a worldwide voice of bossa nova. June 5.
Robert Hanssen, 79. A former FBI agent who took more than $1.4 million in cash and diamonds to trade secrets with Moscow in one of the most notorious spying cases in American history. June 5.
Richard Snyder, 90. A visionary and imperious executive at Simon & Schuster who in bold-faced style presided over the publisher's exponential rise during the second half of the 20th century and helped define an era of consolidation and growing corporate power. June 6.
Françoise Gilot, 101. A prolific and acclaimed painter who created art for more than a half-century but was nonetheless more famous for her turbulent relationship with Pablo Picasso — and for leaving him. June 6.
The Iron Sheik, 81. A former pro wrestler who relished playing a burly, bombastic villain in 1980s battles with some of the sport's biggest stars and later became a popular Twitter personality. June 7.
Pat Robertson, 93. A religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president, and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition. June 8.
Theodore "Ted" Kaczynski, 81. Branded the "Unabomber" by the FBI, he was the Harvard-educated mathematician who retreated to a shack in the Montana wilderness and ran a 17-year bombing campaign that killed three people and injured 23 others. June 10.
Roger Payne, 88. The scientist who spurred a worldwide environmental conservation movement with his discovery that whales could sing. June 10.
Silvio Berlusconi, 86. The boastful billionaire media mogul who was Italy's longest-serving premier despite scandals over his sex-fueled parties and allegations of corruption. June 12.
Treat Williams, 71. An actor whose nearly 50-year career included starring roles in the TV series "Everwood" and the movie "Hair." June 12. Motorcycle crash.
Cormac McCarthy, 89. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who in prose both dense and brittle took readers from the southern Appalachians to the desert Southwest in novels including "The Road," "Blood Meridian" and "All the Pretty Horses." June 13.
Glenda Jackson, 87. A two-time Academy Award-winning performer who had a second career as a British lawmaker before an acclaimed late-life return to stage and screen. June 15.
Daniel Ellsberg, 92. The history-making whistleblower who by leaking the Pentagon Papers revealed longtime government doubts and deceit about the Vietnam War and inspired acts of retaliation by President Richard Nixon that helped lead to his resignation. June 16.
Big Pokey, 48. A popular Texas rapper and original member of Houston's pioneering Screwed Up Click. June 18.
George Frazier, 68. The former pitcher was a World Series champion who had a nearly three-decade run as a television broadcaster. June 19.
H. Lee Sarokin, 94. The federal judge who freed boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter and in a landmark case famously said tobacco companies engaged in a "vast" conspiracy to conceal the dangers of smoking. June 20.
Winnie Ewing, 93. A charismatic politician who is considered the mother of the modern Scottish independence movement. June 21.
Sheldon Harnick, 99. A Tony- and Grammy Award-winning lyricist who with composer Jerry Bock made up the premier musical-theater songwriting duos of the 1950s and 1960s with shows such as "Fiddler on the Roof," "Fiorello!" and "The Apple Tree." June 23.
John Goodenough, 100. He shared the 2019 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his work developing the lithium-ion battery that transformed technology with rechargeable power for devices ranging from cellphones, computers, and pacemakers to electric cars. June 25.
Peg Yorkin, 96. She donated $10 million to the Feminist Majority Foundation, which she co-founded and pushed to bring the most common method of abortion to the United States. June 25.
Sue Johanson, 93. A nurse who became a popular TV sex expert in Canada and the United States when she was in her 60s. June 28.
Alan Arkin, 89. The wry character actor who demonstrated his versatility in everything from farcical comedy to chilling drama, receiving four Academy Award nominations and winning an Oscar in 2007 for "Little Miss Sunshine." June 29.
JULY
Yan Mingfu, 91. A former top Communist Party figure who acted as an envoy to pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989 and was forced out after the protests were crushed. July 3.
John Berylson, 70. An American businessman known for his enthusiastic ownership of the English soccer team Millwall. July 4. Car crash.
Coco Lee, 48. A Hong Kong-born singer and songwriter who had a highly successful career in Asia. July 5.
James Lewis, 76. The suspect in the 1982 Tylenol poisonings that killed seven people in the Chicago area, triggered a nationwide scare and led to an overhaul in the safety of over-the-counter medication packaging. July 9.
Mikala Jones, 44. A Hawaii surfer known for shooting awe-inspiring photos and videos from the inside of massive, curling waves. July 9. Surfing accident.
André Watts, 77. A pianist whose televised debut with the New York Philharmonic as a 16-year-old in 1963 launched an international career of more than a half-century. July 12.
Jane Birkin, 76. An actor and singer who made France her home and charmed the country with her English grace, natural style and social activism. July 16.
Kevin Mitnick, 59. His pioneering antics tricking employees in the 1980s and 1990s into helping him steal software and services from big phone and tech companies made him the most celebrated U.S. hacker. July 16.
Tony Bennett, 96. The eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" graced a decadeslong career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga. July 21.
Hugh "Sonny" Carter Jr., 80. He was an organizer in the "Peanut Brigade" that helped elect his cousin Jimmy to the White House and later enforced the president's frugal ways in the West Wing. July 23.
Sinéad O'Connor, 56. The gifted Irish singer-songwriter who became a superstar in her mid-20s was as much known for her private struggles and provocative actions as her fierce and expressive music. July 26.
Randy Meisner, 77. A founding member of the Eagles who added high harmonies to such favorites as "Take It Easy" and "The Best of My Love" and stepped out front for the waltz-time ballad "Take It to the Limit." July 26.
Paul Reubens, 70. The actor and comedian whose Pee-wee Herman character — an overgrown child with a tight gray suit and an unforgettable laugh — became a 1980s pop cultural phenomenon. July 30.
Angus Cloud, 25. The actor who starred as the drug dealer Fezco "Fez" O'Neill on the HBO series "Euphoria." July 31.
AUGUST
Sheila Oliver, 71. The New Jersey lieutenant governor rose to become one of the state's most prominent Black leaders and passionately advocated for revitalizing cities and against gun violence. Aug. 1.
Mark Margolis, 83. The Emmy-nominated actor who played murderous former drug kingpin Hector Salamanca in "Breaking Bad" and then in the prequel "Better Call Saul." Aug. 3.
William Friedkin, 87. The Oscar winning director who became a top filmmaker in his 30s with the gripping "The French Connection" and the horrifying "The Exorcist" and struggled in the following decades to match his early success. Aug. 7.
Sixto Rodriguez, 81. He lived in obscurity as his music career flamed out early in the U.S. only to find success in South Africa and a stardom of which he was unaware. Aug. 8.
Robbie Robertson, 80. The Band's lead guitarist and songwriter who in such classics as "The Weight" and "Up on Cripple Creek" mined American music and folklore and helped reshape contemporary rock. Aug. 9.
Tom Jones, 95. The lyricist, director and writer of "The Fantasticks," the longest-running musical in history. Aug. 11.
Magoo, 50. The rapper known for his work in the hip-hop duo Timbaland & Magoo and hit song "Up Jumps da Boogie" featuring Aaliyah and Missy Elliott. Aug. 13.
Clarence Avant, 92. The judicious manager, entrepreneur, facilitator and adviser who helped launch or guide the careers of Quincy Jones, Bill Withers and many others and was known as the "Black Godfather" of music and beyond. Aug. 13.
Ada Deer, 88. An esteemed Native American leader from Wisconsin and the first woman to lead the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Aug. 15.
Jerry Moss, 88. A music industry giant who co-founded A&M Records with Herb Alpert and rose from a Los Angeles garage to the heights of success with hits by Alpert, the Police, the Carpenters and hundreds of other performers. Aug. 16.
Michael Parkinson, 88. The renowned British broadcaster who interviewed some of the world's most famous celebrities of the 20th century from Muhammad Ali to Miss Piggy. Aug. 16.
Jiri Cerny, 87. A legendary Czech music critic who introduced Western music to generations of listeners behind the Iron Curtain and became one of the voices of the 1989 anti-communist Velvet Revolution. Aug. 17.
Betty Tyson, 75. Convicted in a 1973 murder, she spent 25 years in prison before being exonerated on the basis of new evidence. Aug. 17.
James Buckley, 100. The former New York senator was an early agitator for then-President Richard Nixon's resignation and winner of a landmark lawsuit challenging campaign spending limits. Aug. 18.
John Warnock, 82. The Silicon Valley entrepreneur and computer scientist who helped invent the PDF and co-founded Adobe Systems. Aug. 19.
Ron Cephas Jones, 66. A veteran stage actor who won two Emmy Awards for his role as a long-lost father who finds redemption on the NBC television drama series "This Is Us." Aug. 19.
Howard Hubbard, 84. A retired Catholic bishop who acknowledged covering up allegations of sexual abuse in his upstate New York diocese and later married a woman in a civil ceremony. Aug. 19.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, 62. As head of the Wagner Group, he made his name as a profane and brutal mercenary boss before mounting an armed rebellion that was the most severe and shocking challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin's rule. Aug. 23. Plane crash.
Bob Barker, 99. The enduring, dapper game show host who became a household name over a half century of hosting "Truth or Consequences" and "The Price Is Right." Aug. 26.
Samuel "Joe" Wurzelbacher, 49. He was thrust into the political spotlight as "Joe the Plumber" after questioning Barack Obama about his economic policies during the 2008 presidential campaign. Aug. 27.
Gil Brandt, 91. The Pro Football Hall of Fame member was the player personnel director alongside the stoic, fedora-wearing coach Tom Landry and media-savvy general manager Tex Schramm as part of the trio that built the Dallas Cowboys into "America's Team" in the 1970s. Aug. 31.
SEPTEMBER
Jimmy Buffett, 76. The singer-songwriter who popularized beach bum soft rock with the escapist Caribbean-flavored song "Margaritaville" and turned that celebration of loafing into a billion-dollar empire of restaurants, resorts and frozen concoctions. Sept. 1.
Bill Richardson, 75. A two-term Democratic governor of New Mexico and an American ambassador to the United Nations who dedicated his post-political career to working to secure the release of Americans detained by foreign adversaries. Sept. 1.
Steve Harwell, 56. The longtime frontman of the Grammy-nominated pop rock band Smash Mouth that was behind the megahit "All Star." Sept. 4. Acute liver failure.
Shabtai Shavit, 84. The Israeli spymaster who was credited with advancing Israel's historic peace treaty with Jordan during his term as director of the Mossad intelligence agency. Sept. 5.
Ian Wilmut, 79. The cloning pioneer whose work was critical to the creation of Dolly the Sheep in 1996. Sept. 9.
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, 95. The controversial South African politician and traditional minister of the Zulu ethnic group. Sept. 9.
Roy Kidd, 91. He coached Eastern Kentucky to two NCAA Division I-AA football championships in a Hall of Fame career. Sept. 12.
Eno Ichikawa, 83. He revived the spectacular in Japanese Kabuki theater to woo younger and global audiences. Sept. 13.
Michael McGrath, 65. A Broadway character actor who shined in zany, feel-good musicals and won a Tony Award for "Nice Work If You Can Get It." Sept. 14.
Fernando Botero, 91. A renowned Colombian painter and sculptor whose depictions of people and objects in plump, exaggerated forms became emblems of Colombian art around the world. Sept. 15.
Giorgio Napolitano, 98. The first former Communist to rise to Italy's presidency and the first person to be elected twice to the mostly ceremonial post. Sept. 22.
Matteo Messina Denaro, 61. A convicted mastermind of some of the Sicilian Mafia's most heinous slayings, Italy's No. 1 fugitive was captured after decades on the run. Sept. 25. Died in a prison hospital.
David McCallum, 90. The actor who became a teen heartthrob in the hit series "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." in the 1960s and was the eccentric medical examiner in the popular "NCIS" 40 years later. Sept. 25.
Dianne Feinstein, 90. A centrist Democrat from California and champion of liberal causes who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992 and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics. Sept. 28.
Michael Gambon, 82. The Irish-born actor knighted for his storied career on the stage and screen who gained admiration from a new generation of moviegoers with his portrayal of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight "Harry Potter" films. Sept. 28.
Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, 98. A renowned agricultural scientist who revolutionized India's farming and was a key architect of the country's "Green Revolution." Sept. 28.
Saad Eddin Ibrahim, 85. A prominent Egyptian-American academic and pro-democracy activist during the reign of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Sept. 29.
OCTOBER
Tim Wakefield, 57. The knuckleballing workhorse of the Red Sox pitching staff who bounced back after giving up a season-ending home run to the Yankees in the 2003 playoffs to help Boston win its curse-busting World Series title the following year. Oct. 1.
Dick Butkus, 80. A Hall of Fame middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears whose speed and ferocity set the standards for the position in the modern era. Oct. 5.
Michael Chiarello, 61. A chef known for his Italian-inspired Californian restaurants who won an Emmy Award for best host for "Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello" and appeared on Bravo's "Top Chef" and "Top Chef Masters." Oct. 6. Allergic reaction that resulted in anaphylactic shock.
Burt Young, 83. The Oscar-nominated actor who played Paulie, the rough-hewn, mumbling-and-grumbling best friend, corner-man and brother-in-law to Sylvester Stallone in the "Rocky" franchise. Oct. 8.
Hughes Van Ellis, 102. He was the youngest known survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre and spent his latter years pursuing justice for his family and other descendants of the attack on "Black Wall Street." Oct. 9.
Kevin Phillips, 82. The author, commentator and political strategist whose landmark book, "The Emerging Republican Majority," became a blueprint for GOP thinking in the 1970s and beyond. Oct. 9
Louise Meriwether, 100. The author and activist whose coming-of-age novel "Daddy Was a Number Runner" is widely regarded as a groundbreaking and vital portrait of race, gender and class. Oct. 10.
Mark Goddard, 87. An actor best known for playing Major Don West in the 1960s television show "Lost in Space." Oct. 10.
Rudolph Isley, 84. A founding member of the Isley Brothers who helped perform such raw rhythm and blues classics as "Shout" and "Twist and Shout" and the funky hits "That Lady" and "It's Your Thing." Oct. 11.
Louise Glück, 80. The Nobel laureate was a poet of unblinking candor and perception who wove classical allusions, philosophical reveries, bittersweet memories and humorous asides into indelible portraits of a fallen and heartrending world. Oct. 13.
Piper Laurie, 91. The strong-willed, Oscar-nominated actor who performed in acclaimed roles despite at one point abandoning acting altogether in search of a "more meaningful" life. Oct. 14.
Suzanne Somers, 76. The effervescent blonde actor who played Chrissy Snow on the television show "Three's Company" and later became an entrepreneur and New York Times best-selling author. Oct. 15.
Martti Ahtisaari, 86. The former president of Finland and global peace broker who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his work to resolve international conflicts. Oct. 16.
Bobby Charlton, 86. An English soccer icon who survived a plane crash that decimated a Manchester United team destined for greatness to become the heartbeat of his country's 1966 World Cup triumph. Oct. 21.
Bishan Bedi, 77. The India cricket great whose dazzling left-arm spin claimed 266 test wickets. Oct. 23.
Richard Roundtree, 81. The trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several "Shaft" films beginning in the early 1970s. Oct. 24.
Richard Moll, 80. A character actor who found lasting fame as an eccentric but gentle giant bailiff on the original "Night Court" sitcom. Oct. 26.
Li Keqiang, 68. The former premier was China's top economic official and an advocate for private business but was left with little authority after President Xi Jinping made himself the most powerful Chinese leader in decades. Oct. 27.
Wu Zunyou, 60. An epidemiologist who helped drive the country's strict zero-COVID measures in China that suspended access to cities and confined millions to their homes. Oct. 27.
Matthew Perry, 54. The Emmy-nominated "Friends" actor whose sarcastic, but lovable Chandler Bing was among television's most famous and quotable characters. Oct. 28.
Ken Mattingly, 87. An astronaut who is best remembered for his efforts on the ground that helped bring the damaged Apollo 13 spacecraft safely back to Earth. Oct. 31.
NOVEMBER
Bob Knight, 83. The brilliant and combustible coach who won three NCAA titles at Indiana and for years was the scowling face of college basketball. Nov. 1.
Frank Borman, 95. The astronaut who commanded Apollo 8's historic Christmas 1968 flight that circled the moon 10 times and paved the way for the lunar landing the next year. Nov. 7.
Steve Norton, 89. He ran the first U.S. gambling facility outside Nevada — Resorts casino in Atlantic City — and gave advice around the world on how to set up and operate casinos. Nov. 12.
Don Walsh, 92. The retired Navy captain was an explorer who in 1960 was part of a two-man crew that made the first voyage to the deepest part of the ocean — to the "snuff-colored ooze" at the bottom of the Pacific's Mariana Trench. Nov. 12.
Terry R. Taylor, 71. In two trailblazing decades as the first female sports editor of The Associated Press, she transformed the news agency's emphasis into multilayered coverage of rigorous reporting, entertaining enterprise and edgy analysis. Nov. 14.
Daisaku Ikeda, 95. He headed Soka Gakkai, a Japanese Buddhist organization, that includes famed musician Herbie Hancock and other celebrities in its fold. Nov. 15.
Bobby Ussery, 88. A Hall of Fame jockey who won the 1967 Kentucky Derby and then crossed the finish line first in the 1968 edition only to be disqualified days later. Nov. 16.
George "Funky" Brown, 74. The co-founder and longtime drummer of Kool & The Gang who helped write such hits as "Too Hot," "Ladies Night," "Joanna" and the party favorite "Celebration." Nov. 16.
Rosalynn Carter, 96. The former first lady was the closest adviser to Jimmy Carter during his one term as U.S. president and their four decades thereafter as global humanitarians. Nov. 19.
Marty Krofft, 86. A TV producer known for imaginative children's shows such as "H.R. Pufnstuf" and primetime hits including "Donny & Marie" in the 1970s. Nov. 25.
Terry Venables, 80. A charismatic and tactically innovative English soccer coach who led his national team to the European Championship semifinals in 1996 after winning trophies at club level with Barcelona and Tottenham. Nov. 25.
Tim Dorsey, 62. A former police and courts newspaper reporter who found lasting fame as the creator of the crime-comedy novel series starring Serge A. Storms, an energetic fan of Florida history and an ingenious serial killer. Nov. 26.
Frances Sternhagen, 93. The veteran character actor who won two Tony Awards and became a familiar maternal face to TV viewers later in life in such shows as "Cheers," "ER," "Sex and the City" and "The Closer." Nov. 27.
Charlie Munger, 99. He helped Warren Buffett build Berkshire Hathaway into an investment powerhouse. Nov. 28.
Henry Kissinger, 100. The former secretary of state exerted uncommon influence on global affairs under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, earning both vilification and the Nobel Peace Prize. Nov. 29.
Shane MacGowan, 65. The singer-songwriter and frontman of "Celtic Punk" band The Pogues, best known for the Christmas ballad "Fairytale of New York." Nov. 30.
DECEMBER
Sandra Day O'Connor, 93. The former U.S. Supreme Court justice was an unwavering voice of moderate conservatism and the first woman to serve on the nation's highest court. Dec. 1.
Juanita Castro, 90. The sister of Cuban rulers Fidel and Raúl Castro, who worked with the CIA against her siblings' communist government. Dec. 4.
Norman Lear, 101. The writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime-time television with "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons" and "Maude," propelling political and social turmoil into the once insulated world of TV sitcoms. Dec. 5.
Benjamin Zephaniah, 65. A British poet, political activist and actor who drew huge inspiration from his Caribbean roots. Dec. 7.
Ryan O'Neal, 82. The heartthrob actor who went from a TV soap opera to an Oscar-nominated role in "Love Story" and delivered a wry performance opposite his charismatic 9-year-old daughter Tatum in "Paper Moon." Dec. 8.
Andre Braugher, 61. The Emmy-winning actor who would master gritty drama for seven seasons on "Homicide: Life on The Street" and modern comedy for eight on "Brooklyn 99." Dec. 11.
Zahara, 36. She rose from an impoverished rural background to find rapid fame with multi-platinum selling albums and delivered her unique version of wistful Afro-soul in her country's isiXhosa language and in English. Dec. 11.
George McGinnis, 73. A Hall of Fame forward who was a two-time ABA champion and three-time All-Star in the NBA and ABA. Dec. 14.
Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, 86. As Kuwait's ruling emir, he spent a three-year, low-key reign focused on trying to resolve the tiny, oil-rich nation's internal political disputes. Dec. 16.