English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For January 20/2023
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers
are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his
harvest
Matthew 09/36-38: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because
they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to
his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore
ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on January 19-20/2023
Lebanon fails to elect new president at 11th attempt
MPs support blast victims' families as they fail again to elect a president
Parliament winds up president election session, no new state head chosen
Berri broaches bilateral relations, general situation with French Ambassador
Families of Beirut port victims rally near parliament
Khalaf, Saliba begin open-ended sit-in in parliament over presidential crisis
Bitar stresses he won't give up, urges 'drastic solution' from judiciary
Belgian parliament urges EU to sanction Lebanese politicians
Blast victims' relatives rally near parliament ahead of presidential election
session
Lebanese Army forbids Israeli bulldozer from crossing Blue Line
Lebanese to get extra four hours of daily electricity in $116m move
Workers hopeless as Lebanese pound plummets to 50,000 to the dollar
Lebanese pound hits all-time low as deadlock persists
Jumblatt meets Hezbollah delegation
SchoolTec exhibition kicks off at Mövenpick
Lebanon pleads with UK for financial help to battle poverty and refugee crisis
Sayyed Nasrallah: We Want a President Who Does Not Flutter with One US Blow!
Titles For The
Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on January 19-20/2023
Netanyahu discusses Saudi peace with US security advisor
Netanyahu says he discussed Saudi Arabia with White House's Sullivan
Top Israeli legal official tells Netanyahu to fire key ally
Israel and Palestinians clash at UN meeting as tensions rise
Israeli military kills Palestinian teacher, militant in raid
EU assembly wants Iran's Revolutionary Guard on terror list
Iran: We can threaten Suez, Hormuz, the strategic waterways of region
Zelensky ramps up pressure on Western allies to send tanks
New Zealand's Ardern, an icon to many, to step down
U.S. and Israel discuss Ukraine -White House
No need for German, U.S. tanks to be sent to Ukraine simultaneously -defence
minister
An oil tanker and bulk carrier sail near the crude oil terminal Kozmino in
Nakhodka Bay
Poland reviews security after divers found near key port
Kadyrov, Prigozhin slam prohibition on Russian soldiers' beards
Spanish, French leaders meet to sign friendship treaty
Titles For The
Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on January 19-20/2023
A Prosecutor Was Murdered for Investigating Iran and Argentinian
Corruption/Toby Dershowitz/The Algemeiner/January 19/2023
Forty Percent of Saudis and Emiratis Still Accept Israeli Contacts, Even Under
Netanyahu/David Pollock/The Washington Institute/January 19/2023
What Do Iran’s Protests Mean for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region?/Zubir R. Ahmed,
Nawzad Shukri/The Washington Institute/January 19/2023
Militia Spokesmen Reflect on Sudani Inviting U.S. Forces to Remain/Ameer al-Kaabi,
Michael Knights, Hamdi Malik/January 19/2023
Palestinians Beat and Pepper Spray Elderly Christian, Stone Coptic Church in
Jaffa/Raymond Ibrahim/January 19/2023
on January 19-20/2023
Lebanon fails to elect new
president at 11th attempt
Jamie Prentis/The National/January 19/2023
MP Michel Moawad beaten by blank votes as political vacuum persists.
The Lebanese Parliament failed to elect a new president for the 11th time on
Thursday, prolonging a government vacuum that comes amid one of the worst
economic crises of modern times. MP Michel Moawad received the most votes with
34, but — as has happened many times in recent sessions — was beaten by 37 blank
votes. Another 14 were for “New Lebanon”, while 15 were declared invalid,
including one for US Senator Bernie Sanders. There were a handful of valid votes
for other names. A two -thirds majority is required in the first round to win
the race to be president in the 128-seat parliament. Subsequent rounds in the
same session need only an absolute majority — or 65 votes. On Thursday, 111 MPs
were present. Mr Moawad has consistently been able to garner the support of a
core bloc of MPs including those from Lebanon’s biggest party, the Lebanese
Forces. But he is nowhere near the vote threshold needed. His father, Rene,
served as head of state for 17 days before his assassination in 1989. Two
"Change MPs", the movement closely linked to the 2019 nationwide protests that
led to the collapse of the-then government, announced they would stay in
parliament until a president was elected. One of them, lawyer Melhem Khalaf,
called for successive sessions "without interruption" until a president was
elected. He said Lebanon did not "have the time nor the luxury to wait for the
maturation of any settlement". Mr Khalaf described the "display of repeating the
sessions" without any result as "absurd and reprehensible". In Lebanon’s
confessional power-sharing system, the presidency is reserved for a Maronite
Christian, the Prime Minister for a Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of Parliament
for a Shiite Muslim. Former army general Michel Aoun stepped down as president
at the end of October, while Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government is in
caretaker status and thus severely stripped of power. Mr Aoun and Mr Mikati were
at loggerheads for months over the make-up of Lebanon's cabinet and failed to
reach an agreement before the former's term ended. The power vacuum is
increasing fears of further political paralysis and that reforms needed to
secure a bailout from the International Monetary Fund will not be implemented.
Lebanon's economic collapse has been described by the World Bank as one of the
worst in modern history, with much of the population pushed into poverty. The
financial crisis is being blamed on decades of mismanagement and corruption by
Lebanon’s elite. The local currency has lost more than 95 per cent of its value,
inflation is rampant and there are widespread shortages of electricity, clean
water, medicine and other basic essentials.
MPs support blast victims' families as they
fail again to elect a president
Naharnet/January 19/2023
Parliament convened Thursday for the 11th time to elect a president, as
activists and relatives of the Beirut port blast victims rallied in front of the
parliament to protest the stalled probe into the blast.
Lawmaker Michel Mouawad won the support of 34 lawmakers while thirty-seven MPs
cast blank votes. Seven MPs voted for prominent historian and academic Issam
khalifeh, two for former Minister Ziad Baroud, and 29 ballots were spoiled. Some
of the MPs joined the rally before entering parliament, with some of them
holding pictures of the victims. MP Qassem Hashem of the development and
liberation bloc strongly reacted to the scene. "Stop exploiting the blood of the
martyrs," he said, adding that "this is a national cause." At the beginning of
the session, Democratic Gathering bloc MP Hadi Abou el-Hosn said that his bloc
might be forced to suspend its participation in the upcoming session if the
presidential deadlock persists. He also voiced support for the families of the
victims. So did Kataeb MP Sami Gemayel and MP and presidential candidate Michel
Mouawad. MP Melhem Khalaf said that he and Change MP Najat Aoun will not leave
Parliament until the announcement of open consultations and sessions for
electing a president. "I am ashamed of being a parliament member," Khalaf said,
as he decried the terrible situation in the country. he said that people are
constantly asking him for flour, bread, milk, electricity and water. "I am
ashamed of being a member of a parliament that is unable to elect a president,"
he added.
Parliament winds up president election
session, no new state head chosen
NNA/January 19/2023
he 11th parliament session to elect a president of the republic ended on
Thursday but no head of state was chosen.
Results came as follows:
Michel Mouawad: 34 votes
Issam Khalife: 7 votes
Edward Honein: One vote
Ziad Baroud: 2 votes
Annulled votes: 29
Berri broaches bilateral relations, general situation with
French Ambassador
NNA/January 19/2023
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Thursday received at the second presidency in Ain
El-Tineh, French Ambassador to Lebanon, Anne Grillo, with whom he discussed the
current general situation and the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Families of Beirut port victims rally near parliament
NNA/January 19/2023
A crowd of activists and families of the Beirut port blast victims have rallied
near the parliament ahead of the 11th session to elect a president of the
republic, with a number of lawmakers having joined them, our correspondent
reported on Thursday.
Khalaf, Saliba begin open-ended sit-in in parliament over
presidential crisis
Naharnet/January 19/2023
MP Melhem Khalaf and Najat Saliba of the Change parliamentary bloc on Thursday
began an open-ended sit-in inside parliament to press for an end to the
presidential deadlock. In a statement, Khalaf said he will not leave parliament
until MPs hold successive and open-ended sessions to elect a new president.
“This is not a symbolic move; we are implementing the constitution,” Khalaf said
at a joint press conference with Saliba. “Article 75 obliges parliament to
convene in a continuous manner,” he added. MP Firas Hamdan, also of the Change
bloc, later announced that he will join Khalaf and Saliba in their sit-in and
that the three lawmakers will not leave parliament until a president is elected.
Khalaf and Saliba “are equipped to stay until the next session, despite all the
practices that might happen, such as the closure of bathrooms and the shutdown
of electricity,” MP Paula Yacoubian said. “We have discussed this with (Deputy
Speaker) Elias Bou Saab,” she added. Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel for his
part said: “Melhem Khalaf and Najat Saliba’s move was not coordinated with us
and we will study the possibility of joining them in parliament.”
Bitar stresses he won't give up, urges 'drastic solution'
from judiciary
Naharnet/January 19/2023
Beirut port blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar has stressed that he “will not
give up the port file under any pressure.”“I will not step down from this case,”
Bitar added, in remarks to the al-Modon news portal. Asked about the French
judicial delegation’s request to look into the investigations file, Bitar
emphasized that he will not hand over “any paper” from his file before the
resumption of the Lebanese investigation. “I’m ready to cooperate with the
French judiciary to achieve justice,” he added. And in remarks to Asharq al-Awsat
newspaper, Bitar underscored that “the investigation will continue and will not
come to an end.” “I will not surrender to obstruction,” he added. “I hope the
judiciary will reach legal exits that would re-launch the investigation course
in an ordinary and regular manner,” Bitar went on to say, calling for “a drastic
and not a temporary solution.”The Aug. 4, 2020 explosion killed more than 230
people, injured 6,000 and devastated entire neighborhoods of the capital after
hundreds of tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in
fertilizers, detonated in a port warehouse. It later emerged the chemical was
shipped to Lebanon in 2013 and stored improperly at the warehouse. A handful of
senior political and security officials knew of its presence and the threat it
imposed on the city but failed to take action to remove it. Bitar's
investigation into the disaster has been frozen since December 2021 after
politicians he had charged in the case filed legal challenges to the probe. No
one has been tried or convicted over the blast.
Belgian parliament urges EU to sanction Lebanese
politicians
Naharnet/January 19/2023
The Belgian Parliament has voted unanimously in favor of a resolution calling on
the European Union to impose sanctions on Lebanese politicians. The bill had
been submitted by Malik Ben Achour, a member of Belgium’s socialist party who
introduced the bill more than two years ago. “It’s the first time that a
parliament in Europe adopts a resolution on Lebanon calling on the EU to
implement its sanctions framework,” Ben Achour told English-language Emirati
newspaper The National. “This is a strong signal of support to all those who
want to fight for the rule of law in Lebanon and the independence of the
judiciary,” he added. Ben Achour had visited Beirut in late September with other
European officials to meet Lebanese activists, lawyers and judges. Adopted in
July 2021, the EU’s framework for sanctions on Lebanon is designed to target
those who are guilty of serious financial misconduct or obstruct the
implementation of reform plans. It remains unused as the EU focuses on the war
in Ukraine and rarely discusses Lebanon.According to The National, the
wide-ranging resolution adopted on Wednesday also asked the judiciary of Belgium
and neighboring countries to deepen investigations into the wealth of Lebanese
officials in Europe.
Blast victims' relatives rally near parliament ahead of
presidential election session
Associated Press/January 19/2023
Activists and relatives of the Beirut port blast victims rallied Thursday in
front of the parliament ahead of another presidential election session.
They are protesting years of what they say is political interference in
the probe. The Aug. 4, 2020 explosion killed more than 215 people, injured 6,000
and devastated entire neighborhoods of the Lebanese capital after hundreds of
tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertilizers,
detonated in a port warehouse. It later emerged the
chemical was shipped to Lebanon in 2013 and stored improperly at the warehouse.
A handful of senior political and security officials knew of its presence and
the threat it imposed on the city but failed to take action to remove it.
Judge Tarek Bitar’s investigation into the disaster has been frozen since
December 2021 after politicians he had charged in the case filed legal
challenges to the probe. No one has been tried or convicted over the blast. Some
MPs, including MP Razi al-Hajj, MP and presidential candidate Michel Mouawad,
and change MPs Firas Hamdan and Halima Kaakour joined the rally. So did Kataeb
MP Sami Gemayel. Kaakour called for the independence
of the Judiciary and for "radical solutions".William Noun, who lost his brother
firefighter Joe in the blast, said that some MPs will support the families'
cause in today's session. "We are here today to see which MPs are with us and
which ones are against us," Noun said.
Lebanese Army forbids Israeli bulldozer from crossing Blue
Line
Naharnet/January 19/2023
The Lebanese Army on Thursday prohibited an Israeli bulldozer from breaching the
U.N.-demarcated Blue Line on the border with Lebanon, al-Manar TV said. The army
had on Wednesday also stopped the work of an Israeli bulldozer by force after it
tried to cross the Blue Line. Lebanese and Israeli troops had earlier gone on
alert on both sides of the border.
Lebanese to get extra four hours of daily
electricity in $116m move
Nada Homsi/The National/January 19/2023
Cabinet grants financing for emergency power plan, with the other half requested
pending approval.
Lebanon’s caretaker cabinet on Wednesday approved a $116 million treasury
advance to pay for production and maintenance of the state's collapsing energy
sector — a boon for residents relying on costly generator subscriptions in the
absence of state electricity. The advance is part of an emergency workaround
proposed by the country's caretaker energy minister to jump-start the
electricity sector, which has provided near-negligible amounts of electricity
since Lebanon's economic downfall three years ago. It will cover $62 million for
66,000 tonnes of diesel fuel and $54 million for the maintenance of power
plants. But the release of a further $184 million will be contingent on the
formation of a ministerial committee to which Lebanon’s state energy company,
Electricity Du Liban, must report periodically. Minister of Energy and Water
Walid Fayad, who boycotted the session for "constitutional reasons" although the
plan approved was his own initiative, called the green light on the treasury
advance "a half victory.""This is just a morphine dose," he added. "It's
supposed to be a holistic plan."His proposal to obtain a $300 million Treasury
advance was a scaled-down version of the emergency electricity plan proposed in
November, which had called for double that amount to cover Lebanon's state
electricity needs for five months, providing six to eight hours of electricity
per day. The revenue generated during tariff collection would help the Energy
Ministry return the advance to the central bank, creating a rolling line of
credit. The approval of even half the requested advance is “more positive than
it is negative,” Dr Fayad told The National.
Lebanon's state-provided electricity sector is in a shambles amid financing
troubles and political deadlock, which has prevented Dr Fayad’s previous
electricity plan from taking effect. The unsuccessful November plan sought
Central Bank financing to cover the price of costly fuel imports to power energy
plants. But it reached a stalemate after rival political parties’ disagreed on
whether a caretaker government could convene to approve the loan, in the absence
of a president. Wednesday's session was boycotted by the Free Patriotic Movement
and its allies, including Dr Fayad, on the premise that a resigned government
cannot convene constitutionally in the absence of an elected head of
state.Following the end of president Michel Aoun's term in October, Lebanon was
left without a president and only a caretaker cabinet with limited powers. But
with the deeply divided parliament unable to agree on a candidate, the
presidential vacuum appears set to continue, foreshadowing further state
paralysis — and leaving Lebanon’s residents deprived of basic goods and services
while its politicians contend for control.
“Again and again we see how people suffer as a result of this political
bickering,” said Dr Sami Atallah, founding director of Lebanon-based think tank
The Policy Initiative. Dr Atallah blamed Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing
system for hampering the development of the struggling nation, which has been
embroiled in a steep economic crisis since 2019. The financial crash, referred
to as a "deliberate depression" by the World Bank, is widely blamed on the
corruption and negligence of Lebanon’s political class. Dr Fayad said he
proposed the plan as a workaround to attending cabinet sessions, which he deems
unlawful, by drafting four decrees for the Treasury advance, which ministers
could countersign without a full cabinet being required. He said $300 million
was the minimum amount needed to kick-start the process and create a rolling
credit line.
"I had sent them a very clear timetable," an audibly frustrated Dr Fayad told
The National. However the funding to power plants was secured, Lebanon’s
residents will welcome the addition of a few hours of state electricity per day.
They have been dependent on expensive shared generator networks since the end of
the country’s 1975-1990 civil war, when the national power infrastructure was
devastated.
Where once they switched on for a few hours a day to fill gaps in state
electricity provision, generators are now a primary source of power for most
households due the rarity of state electricity since Lebanon’s economic crisis
began. But generators are expensive and can only provide limited power. Those
who can afford generator subscriptions have become accustomed to switching off
the water heater to do laundry, or turning off the fridge to turn on the air
conditioning. Mervat Amand, a 55-year-old homemaker in Choueifat, said her
household had been forced to adapt in the absence of state electricity. During
the winter months, they boil water on the stove to take warm showers, her son
showers in his gym when he can and they gather around a kerosene heater instead
of turning on their wall-mounted heater, she said. “We even changed the kind of
washing machine we use. Now we have one that uses less water and less
electricity,” she told The National. Ms Amand said she doubted that additional
state electricity would manifest tangibly."They've promised all that before,"
she said. Dr Fayad told The National it was uncertain how much electricity would
be generated with just half of the requested treasury advance. "Maybe around
four to five hours,” he predicted, warning that if a committee to unlock the
remaining funds was not created quickly, the fuel would “not last longer than a
month.”
Workers hopeless as Lebanese pound plummets to
50,000 to the dollar
Nada Maucourant Atallah/The National/January 19/2023
Currency has lost 97% of its value since the start of the 2019 economic crisis
Lebanon's pound plummeted to an all-time low on Thursday, trading at 50,000
against the dollar. Once pegged at 1,500 against the US currency, it has now
lost 97 per cent of its value after economic collapse in 2019 caused by decades
of corruption and financial mismanagement. Hussein, 50, a father of five who
works as a technician, said the collapse was “affecting us on every level”
including education, health and grocery bills. He earns around 10 million pounds
per month, the equivalent of $200 at the new rate. With the pound crashing on
the parallel market, his salary was slashed by almost seven times. The
depreciation of the currency is fuelling one of the highest inflation rates in
the world, surging to 189 per cent in the first 11 months of 2022 from the same
period a year earlier. “Before the crisis, two million Lebanese pounds was more
than enough to meet the needs of a family,” Hussein said. "It is impossible now.
I do not see the situation improving any time soon.”Mariam, 34, a pharmacist who
earns her salary in cash, had to drastically adjust her way of living since the
crisis. “I cannot afford to pay for anything more than essential products,” she
said. She has little hope of the situation improving. “There is no coming back
to normal if no political reforms are undertaken,” she said.
Deadlock
Beirut signed a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund in
April in a bid to unlock billions of dollars in loans to lift the cash-strapped
country out of its financial woes. But the entrenched elite, which the World
Bank says deliberately orchestrated the depression, has made little progress in
introducing sweeping reforms the IMF requested to address the crisis. The
country is also dealing with an unprecedented leadership crisis. It has been
without a president since October and has a caretaker cabinet with limited
powers. The political deadlock has prevented Prime Minister-designate Najib
Mikati from forming a government since a general election in May.
Lebanese pound hits all-time low as deadlock persists
Associated Press/January 19/2023
The value of the Lebanese pound hit an all-time low Thursday, trading at 50,000
to the U.S. dollar, as the country's deeply-divided parliament failed to elect a
president for an 11th time. The cash-strapped
country's national currency, once valued at 1,500 to the dollar, has been
tanking since late 2019 and has since lost over 90% of its value. The financial
crisis has plunged three-quarters of the population into poverty, with millions
struggling to cope with some of the world's sharpest inflation. Experts blame
the country's entrenched ruling elites for decades of corruption and financial
mismanagement. The Lebanese pound's plunge comes days
after a European judicial delegation from France, Germany, and Luxembourg landed
in Beirut to interrogate embattled Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh and a
dozen affiliates in a European money laundering investigation of some $330
million. They so far have questioned banking officials and former central bank
officials. Switzerland and Liechtenstein have also opened probes against Salameh
for money laundering allegations. Lebanon's
deeply-divided parliament is meanwhile in flux. It has continuously failed to
agree on a new head of state since President Michel Aoun's six-year term ended
on Oct. 30. All but 18 of the Parliament's 128 legislators showed up Thursday,
with most — 71 lawmakers — voting either for parliamentarian Michel Moawad, an
outspoken critic of Hezbollah, or casting blank ballots.
The worsening political paralysis has left the country without a
president and only a caretaker government, stalling a host of economic reforms
aimed at stopping wasteful spending and combating rampant corruption. Lebanese
authorities in April 2022 reached a tentative agreement with the International
Monetary Fund for a recovery plan conditional on a host of economic reforms and
anti-corruption measures. However, the international organization has been
vocally critical of Lebanon's sluggish efforts to meet these demands.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's cash-strapped banks continue to impose strict limits
on withdrawals of foreign currency since October 2019, tying up the savings of
millions of people. As the economy continues to tank without any reforms, some
depositors have resorted to storming bank branches and take their trapped
savings by force.
Jumblatt meets Hezbollah delegation
NNA/January 19/2023
Progressive Socialist Party leader, Walid Jumblatt, is currently meeting at his
Clemenceau residence, with a delegation of Hezbollah.
SchoolTec exhibition kicks off at Mövenpick
Naharnet/January 19/2023
Established in 2013, EDUCITY, the leading fair organizer, has launched SchoolTec,
the first national exhibition for Educational Supplies and Solutions, which is
taking place for the first time in Lebanon. The opening ceremony took place on
Wednesday January 18, 2023 in the presence of hundreds of educators. And the
fair will continue on Thursday January 19, and on Friday January 20 from 3:00
until 9:00 p.m. in Mövenpick Hotel Beirut – Lebanon.
SchoolTec presents a real opportunity for any educator, professor, teacher,
principal, counselor, academic supervisor, parent or for those who are just
intrigued to learn more about the education technologies, to join the show for
three days. More than one and a half million Lebanese students are studying in
the different educational establishments in the academic year 2021-2022.
This is your ideal place to connect with stakeholders, to drive
innovation in edtech, to foster collaboration and to discuss the future of
education in Lebanon. At SchoolTec, you will be able to uncover the latest
developments in educational technologies, pedagogy, best practice, and to
inspire teachers & learners for the future.It’s a totally free to attend
exhibition & conference. In order to book and guarantee your seat in the
conference, you are required to pre-register ONLINE, free of charge, via the
link:https://ihjoz.com/events/6885
or just pass by and register at the entrance free-of-charge.
Lebanon pleads with UK for financial help to
battle poverty and refugee crisis
Nicky Harley/The National/January 19/2023
Aid watchdog warns UK ‘no longer has ability’ to respond to human rights work
due to budget cuts.
Lebanon has appealed to the UK to help with its growing poverty and refugee
crises as its ambassador revealed that 80 per cent of the population are in need
of assistance. Rami Mortada, the Lebanese ambassador to Britain, made a plea to
the international development committee for help. Mr Mortada said Lebanon was
now at "breaking point" because of the number of refugees it accepted and from
its own economic problems. But the UK's aid watchdog, the Independent Commission
for Aid Impact, published a report on Wednesday warning that the UK "no longer"
had the ability to respond to human rights work as it once did, after its budget
was slashed by a third. On Tuesday, Mr Mortada told the committee that Lebanon
was in "dire need" of assistance. "Originally, the refugee population was
considered vulnerable," he said. "Now nearly 80 per cent of the host country is
vulnerable and in desperate need of assistance.
"We have a population of four million and we are hosting 1.5 million Syrian
refugees and 200,000 Palestinian refugees. "Around half the population of
Lebanon are refugees, which is a considerable burden in financial and economic
terms. "It is now over 10 years into the Syria crisis and you can imagine the
tensions that arise and the political uncertainties as to the future of their
presence. "Now, 80 per cent of the Lebanese population are below the poverty
line, 34 per cent under the extreme poverty line. "Prior to 2019 the target
group for assistance was the refugees. Now, today priorities should be
recalibrated. "The 2019 economic meltdown should be taken into account in
redesigning the support scheme."
Mr Mortada said with Lebanon's economy being in "freefall" since 2019, the
nation was in desperate need of help and the global community must find a
sustainable solution to deal with the refugee crisis. "We need help to assist
the national economy for it to be able continue assisting the refugees," he
said. "The country is at breaking point."He said Lebanon had been forced to
close its schools due to teachers striking over low pay and it was in
"desperate" need of assistance to reopen them. Mr Mortada said that initially,
schools for Lebanese children were closed while schools for refugees, which were
funded by international aid money, had remained open. The animosity it caused,
he said, led to the Education Minister closing all schools. "It is painful what
you are telling us," the committee's chairwoman Sarah Champion said. Her
colleague Pauline Latham warned that the issue would "create huge problems for
the future".But Mr Mortada's appeal came before the ICAI's report was published.
It warned that budget cuts and a rapid turnover of foreign ministers would have
a major effect on the UK's global human rights work in the future. It says the
UK’s democracy and human rights work has delivered useful results but has been
significantly affected by the cuts and the lack of a strategic framework.
According to the report, the expenditure in this area was reduced by 33 per cent
in 2020, and the rapid turnover of UK government ministers has resulted in the
"lack of a clear strategy".
ICAI warns that, from 2020 on, the UK no longer has the ability to respond to
new challenges and deliver on the UK government’s high policy ambitions in this
area. It also says that, after another change in foreign secretary in September
2022, when James Cleverly was appointed, and discussions of a revision of the
Integrated Review — the UK's national security and international policy — there
is "more uncertainty" ahead. “Promoting democracy and human rights around the
world is an important objective for UK aid, particularly considering the
widespread reversal of democratic trends in recent years,” said ICAI
Commissioner Tamsyn Barton said.
“We found that the UK’s work has produced useful results, including helping
at-risk groups such as women and people with disabilities to advocate for their
rights, combat discrimination, participate in politics and access basic
services, as well as helping to create more effective political and civil
society organisations. “However, since 2020, the UK has been less responsive to
emerging democracy and human rights challenges, due to the aid budget reductions
and the loss of technical expertise within the FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office]. "In principle, the merged FCDO should be better placed to
deploy its development and diplomatic tools together, but this potential has not
yet been realised in practice.”The ICAI has made recommendations including that
the FCDO should publish its approach to democracy and human rights and ensure it
has enough expertise to design and monitor its democracy and human rights
interventions. It should consider whether it can learn from other countries and
take more risks to support people and organisations facing the most serious
threats from repression, and ensure better co-ordination.
Sayyed Nasrallah: We Want a President Who Does Not Flutter
with One US Blow!
Batoul Wehbe/Al-Manar English Website/January 19/2023
Sayyed NasrallahHezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah in a speech
delivered on Thursday, January 19, 2023.
Confident and relaxed he seemed with intermittent jokes levelled sporadically,
indulging audience and attendees at once. Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed
Hasan Nasrallah delivered a speech today (January 19, 2023), his third since the
beginning of the new year. Marking 30th years on the establishment of the
Consultative Center for Studies and Documentation, which had the lion’s share in
his speech, Sayyed Nasrallah tackled several local and regional issues. His
eminence began his speech by extending sincerest gratitude to “my esteemed
brothers who have shouldered the responsibility of overseeing this center, as
well as to all the brothers and sisters who have dedicated themselves to this
center’s operation over the course of three decades,” believing that
achievements were the result of ‘blessed collective efforts.’“Hezbollah has been
concerned with the livelihood of its people for the past 30 years, despite its
significant involvement in resistance and the various challenges that existed at
the time. Hezbollah has, from its inception, and continues to maintain a
steadfast commitment to basing its operations on a foundation of scientific and
technical expertise,” Hezbollah’s leader said.
“The Consultative Center has consistently served as the go-to resource for
guidance and direction for our leadership, units, and diverse departments within
Hezbollah. We have made it clear to our brothers that it is their duty to
accurately represent our organization to the outside world, regardless of any
challenges or unfavourable circumstances that may arise, rather than presenting
a skewed or idealized version that may be more palatable,” he added.
Additionally, Sayyed Nasrallah said, the objective of this center is to provide
insightful and constructive recommendations, perspectives, and alternatives that
are grounded in the vast wealth of human and humanitarian experiences that have
come before us. “It is essential that we tap into the wealth of knowledge and
expertise that exists within our community, by leveraging the intellectual and
specialized capabilities of all individuals within it, in order to achieve our
goals.”
He went on to say that Hezbollah in its efforts to find solutions for
development, advancement and problem-solving, always strives to explore the full
range of possibilities within the resources and capabilities that are readily
available to it.
“The Consultative Center for Studies and Documentation serves as the vital link
between us and the diverse pool of intellectual and visionary resources that we
rely on to guide our actions. From the outset, our aim for this center was to
establish it as an intellectually rigorous, analytical, evaluative, and
visionary entity that is deeply engaged and attuned to the realities of the
current situation on the ground,” Sayyed Nasrallah indicated. “As the leadership
of Hezbollah evaluated the name of the center that was to be established as a
public and inclusive entity, catering to all segments of society, We selected a
more general name in order to ease work and communication. The outputs produced
by the center were always heavily invested in and utilized by Hezbollah, its
institutions, and its affiliated organizations.”“Who stands behind the Loyalty
to Resistance parliamentary bloc in many studies, discussions, and
observations?” Sayyed Nasrallah wondered, then he answered: It’s the
Consultative Center.
Economic Crisis in Lebanon Deepening
Turning to the Lebanese set of crises, Sayyed Nasrallah said: No one argues that
the economic situation is perplexing in Lebanon, this matter is not exceptional
for Lebanon. Rather, there are many countries threatened with collapse. “It is
not permissible for us to despair, although there are attempts to spread
hopelessness in the country, this is a perilous matter. It is not permissible to
remain in a state of confusion, as was the case in the past years, and somewhere
the competent authority must take the initiative to develop a vision to address
the economic situation. On this basis, plans and programs can be drawn up based
on a complete and elaborate vision.”“Corruption was rooted deep in the state
long time ago, if each sect presented its best thoughts and expertise to assume
administrative responsibilities in the state, we would not have reached this
stage. One of the most important causes of the crisis is the misconception of
the economic vision in the 1990s and some corrupt and deceitful economic
policies. Our positions on them were clear in Parliament, the first of which was
the debt policy,” Hezbollah’s S.G. affirmed. A more serious matter, Sayyed
Nasrallah warned, was disrupting the production and making quick profits. “Thus,
our economy has turned into a fragile one,” he said.“Also, among the reasons are
sectarian quotas, absence of sustainable development, repercussions of internal
wars, reconstruction, and displacement file,” he added.
Lebanon under US Siege
Concerning the US blockade against Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah said: It is
unfortunate that some people suggest that the blockade on Lebanon is not in
place, as it is not only implemented by placing a battleship off the Lebanese
coast, but also through the actions and attitudes of the American administration
towards the Lebanese authority. The blockade is implemented through a variety of
means, including preventing external assistance, grants, and loans from reaching
Lebanon, as well as blocking the Lebanese government from accepting donations
and investments, and from addressing the issue of Syrian refugees.
“Returning to the vision that has been adopted by misguided policies,
particularly that the region is moving towards resolving the conflict with the
Zionist entity, that led us to the status co nowadays.”Sayyed Nasrallah also
delved into the fact that the economic situation is being employed as means to
normalize ties with the Zionist entity. In this regard, Sayyed Nasrallah warned
that whoever wants to put in place new economic policies must not build a vision
at the expense of a settlement in the region, assuring that there is no
two-state solution, especially in light of the new corrupt and terrorist
government in ‘Israel’. “There is no settlement with Syria, too. What happened
in Syria is one of the attempts to come up with a political regime that gives
the Golan Heights to the Zionist entity.” He also insisted on working on an
economy plan that provides food security and does not rely on foreign aid and
assistance.
“The situation in the region is heading towards more tension: No settlements, no
peace, and all of this will be reflected in our region,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.
“One of the means for strength is the issue of oil and gas, as it is a huge
wealth in the sea of Lebanon,” His eminence said, assuring that today, the
European decision is decisive to dispense with Russian gas, as its priority is
the Mediterranean wealth, because costs are lower. Therefore, he said, we have
to search for companies to benefit from our national wealth. “We definitely have
oil in our land, and our facts say that politics have forced it to stop, and the
same is true in Palestine and Syria, as there is exploration and extraction of
oil near our borders.”
Abounding Strengths in Lebanon
Other than security with Sayyed Nasrallah enumerated as a strength to the
country, he said that expatriates are also one of its main strengths, calling
them “the most important financial source for the livelihood of the
Lebanese.”“There are great hopes and points of strength. Lebanese are able to
rise, they need the will, the right plan, and seriousness in action. Expatriates
are exposed today to danger, harassment, and aggression by the USA through
putting merchants and rich personalities on sanctions lists on unjust charges.
This needs a follow-up by the state, which unfortunately ‘does nothing’,” he
said.
Ending up the part of economic blockade, Sayyed Nasrallah once again called on
Lebanon to ‘look to the East’: “We must have the courage and willingness to
sacrifice in the face of sanctions and in accepting donations, and we must have
the audacity to say to the Chinese, “Go ahead.” Why are countries in the world
allowed to invest with China while Lebanon is forbidden from doing so?”
Referring to the refugees file, Sayyed Nasrallah said: “We need courage in
dealing with the Syrian displaced file, and stop the racism accusations. This is
a crisis from which all the Lebanese suffer, and we can find a decent solution
for them.”Many people speculate that if Lebanon says it is outside the conflict
with “Israel”, then everything will be resolved, his eminence noted. “I invite
you to observe the situation in Egypt, the first country that made peace with
the Israeli enemy,” he said, referring to the economic crisis that Egypt is
suffering from despite its normalization of ties with the Zionist entity.
“Egypt has the best relations with the US and Saudi Arabia, and it is with the
International Monetary Fund. What situation is Egypt in?” Sayyed Nasrallah
wondered. It’s worth noting that Egypt’s external debt is expected to bypass
$200 billion by early next year, an almost 400 percent increase since 2016.
In a report issued yesterday, the Financial Times said that last year, Cairo was
forced to go to the IMF for the fourth time in six years. Even before that $3bn
loan was secured in October, Egypt was the fund’s second biggest debtor after
Argentina.
Strong, Independent President
In this context, Hezbollah’s secretary general warned that the next six years
are crucial for Lebanon. “If we continue in the same way, the country is on the
verge of collapse.”To this level, Sayyed Nasrallah sarcastically said “We want a
president who, if the Americans blow on him, wouldn’t flutter from the Baabda
Palace to the Mediterranean,” hinting at a strong president who’s able to
withstand US pressure. “We want a brave president who is ready for sacrifice and
who is not concerned with the American threats,” he said in other words,
pledging patience among people as though Lebanon needs a president with a
certain calibre. Since President Michel Aoun left the Baabda Palace in October
30, 11 parliamentary sessions have been held to elect a new president, but none
bore fruit due to lack of consensus.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on January 19-20/2023
Netanyahu discusses Saudi peace with US security advisor
Associated Press/January 19/2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed normalizing ties with Saudi
Arabia in talks with visiting White House National Security Advisor Jake
Sullivan on Thursday, his office said.
Netanyahu, who returned to office last month with the formation of a new
government, was at the helm in 2020 when Israel established ties with the United
Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco as part of the Abraham Accords. The Israeli
premier has repeatedly expressed his desire to see Saudi Arabia, the birthplace
of Islam, join the list. In their talks, Netanyahu and
Sullivan discussed "measures to deepen the Abraham Accords and expand the cycle
of peace, with an emphasis on a breakthrough with Saudi," the Israeli leader's
office said in a statement. They also discussed joint efforts to curb Iran's
nuclear program and its regional activities, with Netanyahu thanking his
American guest for President Joe Biden's commitment to prevent Tehran from
obtaining nuclear arms, the statement said. "You come
at a special time because we have acute challenges to our security and vast
opportunities for peace," Netanyahu said in televised remarks relayed by his
office. "I am convinced that by working together we
can both meet the challenges and realize the opportunities," he said. "That's
something that bolsters our extraordinary alliance but also can change the
region and change history."Sullivan stressed that "America's commitment to
Israel is iron-clad and it's a commitment that's rooted in shared history shared
interests and shared values.""We have to talk about both the challenges but also
the real opportunities that our two countries have to work towards a better
future," he added. Sullivan's visit, the first of a senior US official since
Netanyahu's new government was sworn in, also saw him meet President Isaac
Herzog on Wednesday for talks about "ways to deepen the strategic cooperation,"
Herzog's office said. Before speaking with Netanyahu on Thursday, Sullivan had
met with head of Israel's Mossad spy agency David Barnea and Israeli national
security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi. Hanegbi and Sullivan also held a video call
with their Emirati and Bahraini counterparts, with the four "committing to
enhancing the Abraham Accords," Netanyahu's office said.
Netanyahu says he discussed Saudi Arabia with
White House's Sullivan
JERUSALEM (Reuters)/January 19, 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hosting his first senior member of
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday, said they had discussed
prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Visiting White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also heard from the
Palestinians that their hopes of achieving statehood - long a Riyadh condition
for normalising relations with Israel - were being endangered by Israeli
actions. Netanyahu, who regained the top office last month for a sixth term, has
pledged to forge Saudi ties that would round out normalisation pacts he signed
with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in 2020 dubbed the "Abraham Accords".
A statement from Netanyahu's office said he and Sullivan discussed Iran as well
as "the next steps to deepen the Abraham Accords and expand the circle of peace,
with an emphasis on a breakthrough with Saudi Arabia". Their discussions were
followed by a virtual meeting among Sullivan and his Israeli, Emirati and
Bahraini counterparts. They discussed cooperation in areas such as emerging
technology, regional security and commerce, according to a joint statement.
Israel and Gulf allies share fears over Iran, but Netanyahu's return at the head
of a religious-nationalist coalition government has stoked concern of an
escalation in the decades-old conflict with the Palestinians. The
Israeli-occupied West Bank, among areas where Palestinians seek statehood, has
seen a surge in violence since Israel stepped up raids last year in response to
a spate of lethal street attacks in its cities. Hosting Sullivan in the West
Bank hub city of Ramallah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged U.S.
intervention. "The dangerous situation due to the Israeli escalation ...
threatens security and stability and destroys the two-state solution," Hussein
Al-Sheikh of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organisation on Twitter quoted
Abbas as saying. On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Prince Faisal bin
Farhan Al Saud urged Israel's new government to engage seriously on resolving
the conflict. Sullivan was to stress the U.S. commitment to a two-state solution
in the Israel-Palestinian dispute during his visit, White House national
security spokesman John Kirby said. U.S.-brokered peace talks aimed at
establishing a Palestinian state collapsed in 2014. Among stumbling blocks is
Gaza, another Palestinian territory, which is under the control of Hamas
Islamists who spurn permanent coexistence with Israel. Netanyahu's new
government includes partners who oppose Palestinian statehood and want Israel's
West Bank settlements expanded.
Top Israeli legal official tells Netanyahu to
fire key ally
Associated Press/January 19/2023
Israel's attorney general has told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he must
fire a key Cabinet ally, in a letter made public Thursday, following a Supreme
Court ruling that disqualified him from serving as a government minister. The
letter, sent shortly after Wednesday's court decision, compounds the pressure on
Netanyahu to remove Aryeh Deri from the Cabinet and potentially destabilize his
coalition government. The letter by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara is also
likely to exacerbate a dispute over the power of the judicial system and the
government's bid to overhaul it. Israel's Supreme Court ruled that Deri, a
longtime Netanyahu ally who leads the government's third-largest party, cannot
serve as a Cabinet minister because of a tax fraud conviction. The court said
Netanyahu must fire him. Deri currently serves as Interior and Health Minister.
"You must act according to the ruling and remove him from his position in the
government," Baharav-Miara told Netanyahu in her letter. It wasn't immediately
clear whether Netanyahu would abide by the court ruling. But as the dust settled
a bit Thursday, commentators said they expected Netanyahu to fire Deri and for
the new government to somehow survive his absence.
But the court's ruling only deepened the rift over Israel's justice system.
Netanyahu's ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox government — the most right-wing
in Israeli history -- has made overhauling the country's judiciary a centerpiece
of its agenda. It says a power imbalance has given judges and government legal
advisers too much sway over lawmaking and governance.
The government wants to weaken the Supreme Court, making it difficult for it to
overturn laws it deems unconstitutional. If it somehow does manage to overturn
laws, parliament could overrule the court's decision with 61 votes of the
country's 120-seat parliament. It has also proposed giving the government more
control over how judges are chosen as well as limiting the independence of
government legal advisers and allowing lawmakers to ignore their counsel.
Critics say the plans will upend Israel's system of checks and balances,
granting the government overwhelming power and stripping it of all judicial
oversight. Fierce criticism against the plan has emerged from top legal
officials, former lawmakers and government ministers as well as the country's
booming tech sector. Tens of thousands of Israelis protested the plan last week,
and another protest is expected on Saturday.
Israel and Palestinians clash at UN meeting as
tensions rise
Associated Press/January 19/2023
Israel's U.N. ambassador has accused the Palestinians of stabbing a knife into
any chance for reconciliation by seeking an advisory opinion from the U.N.'s
highest court on Israel's decades-old occupation — and the Palestinian U.N.
envoy accused Israel's new government of seeking to crush its people.
The always contentious monthly U.N. Security Council meeting on the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict was even more vitriolic and threatening this week,
and U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland warned that "a dangerous cycle of violence
persists on the ground, amidst increased political tension and a stalled peace
process.""Israelis and Palestinians remain on a collision course amid escalating
political and inflammatory rhetoric as well as heightened violence in the West
Bank -- both with potentially grave consequences," he said. "Absent a concerted
and collective effort by all, with strong support from the international
community, spoilers and extremists will continue to pour more fuel on the fire
and we will move still further from a peaceful resolution of the
conflict."Underlying the ongoing violence is the Palestinians' decades-long
quest for an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem,
territories seized by Israel in the 1967 war. Israel considers the West Bank to
be disputed territory and has built dozens of settlements that are now home to
roughly 500,000 Jewish settlers.
In the latest confrontation, the Palestinians and their supporters won U.N.
General Assembly approval on Dec. 30 of a resolution asking the International
Court of Justice or ICJ to intervene in one of the world's longest-running and
thorniest disputes and render an advisory opinion on the legality of Israeli
policies in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.While the court's rulings are not
binding, they do influence international opinion. Israel's new hardline
government responded on Jan. 6 by approving steps to penalize the Palestinians
in retaliation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they were aimed at what
he called "an extreme anti-Israel" step at the United Nations.The measures
include withholding $39 million from the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority and
transferring the funds instead to a compensation program for the families of
Israeli victims of Palestinian militant attacks, deducting an amount equal to
the sum the authority paid last year to families of Palestinian prisoners and
those killed in the conflict including militants implicated in attacks against
Israelis, and ending VIP travel privileges for leading Palestinians.
The Palestinians responded by getting more than 90 countries to sign a
statement expressing "deep concern" at penalizing the Palestinians for going to
the court, and urging Israel to reverse the punitive measures. Israel's Foreign
Minister Eli Cohen rejected the statement. At
Wednesday's Security Council meeting, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan
accused the Palestinians of drafting "a poisonous and destructive resolution"
referring Israel to the ICJ "with the sole purpose of destroying Israel as the
Jewish state." He claimed this has been a Palestinian
goal since before Israel's founding in 1948, and said one weapon they use "is
the manipulation and abuse of international bodies" to force Israel to agree to
their demands, which he called "multilateral terror."
Erdan pointed to anti-Israel activities spurred by the Palestinians at the
Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court, and
said that with the adoption of the General Assembly resolution on the ICJ, "the
Palestinians stabbed a knife in the heart of any chances for dialogue or
reconciliation."He also accused the Palestinians and the U.N. of exaggerating
Palestinian casualties and under-reporting and discriminating against Israeli
victims. While 2022 "may have been the deadliest year for Palestinian
terrorists," he said, "it was also the year with the most terror attacks
committed against Israelis in a decade."Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N.
ambassador, told the council the new Netanyahu-led government has said openly
its program is to increase settlements, "annexation, systemic discrimination and
oppression.""It does not recognize our rights anywhere, and proclaims a right
for its settlers everywhere," Mansour said. The
international community overwhelmingly considers settlements to be illegal.
Israel's annexation of east Jerusalem, home to the city's most sensitive holy
sites, also is not internationally recognized. Mansour
said "peace is still possible," but only if the Security Council and the
international community "stand up to the supremacists" and take action to end
Israel's occupation, ensure accountability for its annexation of Jerusalem,
recognize the state of Palestine, and reject Israeli settlers in occupied
territory. "We face the absurd situation where impunity is enjoyed by those who
violate the law and collective punishment is endured by those entitled to its
protection," Mansour told the council.
Israeli military kills Palestinian teacher,
militant in raid
Agence France Presse/January 19/2023
Two Palestinians were killed by gunfire early Thursday during an Israeli army
raid in the flashpoint West Bank city of Jenin, the Palestinian health ministry
said. The ministry said Jawad Farid Bawaqna, 62, was killed by a bullet to the
chest, while Adham Mohammed Bassem Jabareen, 28, was hit in the upper abdomen by
Israeli fire. The Israeli army said that during "counterterrorism activity in
the Jenin (refugee) camp, armed Palestinian gunmen fired heavily at the security
forces, who responded with live fire. Hits were identified". "Explosive devices
were also hurled at the forces. The soldiers apprehended one wanted individual
suspected of involvement in terrorist activity and confiscated an M16 rifle,
rifle parts, military equipment, explosive materials and ammunition," the army
added. A soldier was "lightly injured during the operation and evacuated to a
hospital for further medical treatment," it said.The Islamic Jihad militant
group identified Jabareen as a member. Bawaqna was a sports teacher and youth
leader in Jenin refugee camp, the province's deputy governor said. The deaths
raise the number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank this month to
17, including civilians and militants, according to an AFP tally. The majority
were killed by Israeli forces. A surge in violence in
2022 made it the deadliest year in the West Bank since United Nations records
began in 2005. At least 26 Israelis and 200 Palestinians were killed across
Israel and the Palestinian territories last year, according to AFP figures. The
majority of deaths were in the West Bank, although the toll also includes 49
Palestinians killed in a three-day conflict in Gaza.
EU assembly wants Iran's Revolutionary Guard on terror list
Associated Press/January 19/2023
The European Parliament on Thursday called for Iran's Revolutionary Guard to be
put on the European Union's terrorist list and insisted that sanctions targeting
Tehran had to be expanded after the violent suppression of protests. In a
nonbinding resolution, the legislature mustered a large majority to call on the
EU's 27 member states for such punitive action to counter what it sees as a
swift backsliding of human rights in Iran. Beyond the call to put the
organization on its terrorist blacklist, the European Parliament also wants the
EU to ban any economic or financial activity that can linked to the
Revolutionary Guard Corps. The United States has already designated the corps as
a "foreign terrorist organization," and subjected it to unprecedented sanctions.
The European Parliament action came before Monday's meeting of EU foreign
ministers where more sanctions against Tehran are expected to be approved.
Thursday's resolution came after four months of anti-government protests in Iran
sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was being held by
the morality police for allegedly violating the country's strict Islamic dress
code. The protests quickly escalated into calls for the overthrow of the
theocracy and mark one of the biggest challenges it has faced in more than four
decades. Iran has blamed the unrest on the U.S. and other foreign powers,
without providing evidence. The protesters say they are fed up with social and
political repression, corruption and an economy weighed down by Western
sanctions and mismanagement. The EU steadfastly
condemned the violence used during the demonstrations.
Iran: We can threaten Suez, Hormuz, the
strategic waterways of region
Seth J. Frantzman/Jerusalem Post/January 19/2023
The third article in several days by Iranian pro-IRGC media boasts about drone
and missile threats to Israel and support for Hezbollah and Palestinian armed
groups
Iran’s pro-regime media on Wednesday said that the country’s missiles and drones
now have the “strategic straits” of the region in their crosshairs. The article
in Iran’s Tasnim, which reflects the IRGC’s way of thinking about the region,
says that Iran can now threaten Bab el-Mandeb off Yemen, the Straits of Hormuz
between Iran and the Gulf and even the Suez Canal. The threat to the Mandeb and
Hormuz area was well known in the past, but Iran now appears to have added Suez
to its list of strategic choke-points for world trade that it says it could
threaten.
The Iranian article comes in the wake of several others that have spelled out a
new doctrine for warfare in the region which reflects an offensive stance
designed to deal with perceived threats. Iran, in this new article spelling out
the triple threat to the region’s waterways, is also upping its rhetoric about
drones from Lebanon. The article is based in part on a speech by IRGC Commander
Hossein Salami. He said that the Islamic Republic has drones that can even use
“artificial intelligence” that can “affect the many strategic passages of the
world.”
Iranian military goals and alliances
Salami says that the power of Iran’s drones are increasing and that Iran is
accelerating its production of the systems. The article says that this has
caused the US to “lose its air superiority.”The article notes that drones
threaten the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Israel. It says that in any future or
current confrontation with Hezbollah or Palestinian groups, these groups will
not have the means to threaten Israel’s “sensitive and vital resources.” This
appears to hint at Iran seeking to supply these groups with better weapons. For
years, Tehran has moved weapons to Hezbollah via Syria, including PGMs and other
munitions. The article says Iran equips these “resistance” groups with ballistic
and cruise missiles and “anti-ship missiles.” The Iranian regime now appears to
be spelling out an even greater strategic threat by saying that having equipped
Hezbollah, the Palestinians, Houthis and others with weapons, it can threaten
major waterways in the region. The article openly notes that a large volume of
the world’s trade passes via these waterways and blocking them can affect world
energy supplies. “Now these important sea crossings are within the range of
integrated missile and drone networks,” Tasnim notes. The article references the
recent Zulfikar drills. This is the third article in two days to highlight this
issue. It says the IRGC “practiced an attack on Israel’s weapons of mass
destruction production center in Dimona” during an exercise last year “using a
combination of ballistic missiles and suicide drones.” This is a reference to an
Iranian regime drill and video from December 2021. “Now it seems that with these
actions, Iran, in addition to being able to expand its power and influence in
the important region of West Asia, can also affect the most important waterways
of the world with its actions,” the article says. It references previous threats
to a Saudi ship off of Yemen and also Iranian support for the Houthis and
Hezbollah. As with another article Iranian media published this week, this one
says Iran could strike at the straits of Mandeb, Hormuz or Suez if there is a
threat to its “national interests.”
Zelensky ramps up pressure on Western allies
to send tanks
Associated Press/January 19/2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky bared frustration Thursday on the
sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual gathering in Davos about not
obtaining enough tanks from some Western countries to help his country defend
itself from Russia. Speaking by video link at a
breakfast with U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and former
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Zelensky offered a veiled critique of
countries like Germany, Poland and the United States — crucial supporters of
Ukraine — that have nonetheless hesitated about sending tanks.Zelensky bemoaned
a "lack of specific weaponry" and said that to win the war, "we cannot just do
it with motivation and morale.""And I would like to thank again for the
assistance from our partners," he said at the Victor Pinchuk Foundation
breakfast through an interpreter. "But at the same time, there are times where
we shouldn't hesitate or we shouldn't compare when someone says, 'I will give
tanks if someone else will also share his tanks.'"Zelensky also said air defense
was "our weakness" in light of targeted Russian strikes, including use of
Iranian-made drones, and reiterated his call for supplies of long-range
artillery to fire at Russian forces in Ukrainian territory — not fire into
Russia itself. For months, Ukraine has sought to be
supplied with heavier tanks, including the U.S. Abrams and the German-made
Leopard 2 tanks, but Western leaders have been treading carefully.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, facing increasing pressure to send battle tanks,
dodged a question about the topic Wednesday, instead reiterating that Germany
was one of the top suppliers of military equipment to Ukraine, providing
air-defense systems and armored personnel carriers. "We will continue to support
Ukraine — for as long as necessary," Scholz said after a speech at Davos.
The United Kingdom announced last week that it will send Challenger 2
tanks to Ukraine, while Poland and the Czech Republic have provided Soviet-era
T-72 tanks to Ukrainian forces. German officials have
conveyed their hesitance to allow allies to give German-made Leopards unless the
U.S. also sends Ukraine the Abrams, according to a U.S. official who was not
authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Poland has expressed readiness to provide a company of Leopard tanks, but
has said it would only do so as part of a larger international coalition of tank
aid to Kyiv. "Get them the tanks, get Volodymyr Zelensky whatever he needs,"
said former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who attended the
breakfast.Zelensky used a speech to the political leaders and corporate
executives assembled in the Swiss ski resort of Davos to urge his allies not to
hesitate. "The supplying of Ukraine with air defense systems must outpace
Russia's vast missile attacks. The supplies of Western tanks must outpace
another invasion of Russian tanks," he said by video. The Ukrainian delegation
to Davos, including Zelensky's wife, Olena Zelenska, has been pushing for more
aid. It's never clear how much concrete action actually emerges from a gathering
where leaders and businesspeople discuss the world's problems from climate
change to a slowing economy as well as deal-making on the sidelines.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Ukraine's Western backers
this week will discuss ways to supply heavier and more advanced weapons. "The
main message there will be: more support, more advanced support, heavier weapons
and more modern weapons," Stoltenberg said of a gathering in Germany of top
defense officials, including U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who work to
coordinate military contributions to Ukraine. "This is a fight for our values,
this is a fight for democracy — and we just have to prove that democracy wins
over tyranny and oppression," the NATO leader added.
New Zealand's Ardern, an icon to many, to step
down
Associated Press/January 19/2023
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, who was one of the first members of
her generation elected as a national leader and became a global icon of the
left, said Thursday she was leaving office after five and a half years.
Ardern was praised around the world for her handling of the nation's
worst-ever mass shooting and the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. But
she was facing mounting political pressures at home and a level of vitriol from
some that hadn't been experienced by previous New Zealand leaders.
Still, her announcement came as a shock throughout the nation of 5
million people. Fighting back tears, Ardern told reporters in Napier that Feb. 7
would be her last day as prime minister."I know what this job takes, and I know
that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is that simple,"
she said. Ardern became an inspiration to women around
the world after first winning the top job in 2017 at the relatively young age of
37. She seemed to herald a new generation of leadership — she was on the verge
of being a millennial, had spun some records as a part-time DJ, and wasn't
married like most politicians. She notched up
center-left victories while right-wing populism was on the rise globally: she
pushed through a bill targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, oversaw a ban
on assault weapons, and largely kept the coronavirus out of New Zealand for 18
months. Her approach to the pandemic earned the ire of
U.S. President Donald Trump, and she ended up refuting wildly exaggerated claims
from Trump about the spread of COVID-19 after he said there was a massive
outbreak and "It's over for New Zealand. Everything's gone.""Was angry the
word?" Ardern said about Trump's comments in an interview with The Associated
Press at the time. In 2018, Ardern became just the
second world leader to give birth while holding office. Later that year, she
brought her infant daughter to the floor of the U.N. General Assembly in New
York. In March 2019, Ardern faced one of the darkest
days in New Zealand's history when a white supremacist gunman stormed two
mosques in Christchurch and slaughtered 51 worshippers during Friday prayers.
Ardern was widely praised for her empathy with survivors and New Zealand's wider
Muslim community in the aftermath.
After the mosque shootings, Ardern moved within weeks to pass new laws banning
the deadliest types of semi-automatic weapons. A subsequent buyback scheme run
by police saw more than 50,000 guns, including many AR-15-style rifles,
destroyed.
Less than nine months after the shooting, she faced another tragedy when 22
tourists and guides were killed when the White Island volcano erupted. Ardern
was lauded globally for her country's initial handling of the coronavirus
pandemic after New Zealand managed to stop the virus at its borders for months.
But she was forced to abandon that zero-tolerance strategy as more contagious
variants spread and vaccines became widely available.Ardern faced growing anger
at home from those who opposed coronavirus mandates and rules. A protest against
vaccine mandates that began on Parliament's grounds last year lasted for more
than three weeks and ended with protesters hurling rocks at police and setting
fires to tents and mattresses as they were forced to leave. This year, Ardern
was forced to cancel an annual barbecue she hosts due to security fears. Ardern
last month announced a wide-ranging Royal Commission of Inquiry would look into
whether the government made the right decisions in battling COVID-19 and how it
could better prepare for future pandemics. A report is due next year.
Many observers said that sexist attitudes played a role in the anger directed at
Ardern. "Her treatment, the pile on, in the last few months has been disgraceful
and embarrassing," wrote actor Sam Neill on Twitter. "All the bullies, the
misogynists, the aggrieved. She deserved so much better. A great leader."
But Ardern and her government also faced criticism that it had been big on ideas
but lacking on execution. Supporters worried it hadn't made promised gains on
increasing housing supply and reducing child poverty, while opponents said it
was not focusing enough on crime and the struggling economy. Ardern described
climate change as the great challenge for her generation. But her polices faced
skepticism and opposition, including from farmers who protested plans to tax cow
burps and other greenhouse gas emissions.
Ardern had been facing tough reelection prospects. Her center-left Labour Party
won reelection in 2020 with a landslide of historic proportions, but recent
polls have put her party behind its conservative rivals. Ardern said the role
required having a reserve to face the unexpected. "But I am not leaving because
it was hard. Had that been the case I probably would have departed two months
into the job," she said. "I am leaving because with such a privileged role comes
responsibility. The responsibility to know when you are the right person to
lead, and also, when you are not."
She said her time in office had been challenging but fulfilling.
"I am entering now my sixth year in office, and for each of those years, I have
given my absolute all," she said. Australian Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese said Ardern "has shown the world how to lead with
intellect and strength." "She has demonstrated that
empathy and insight are powerful leadership qualities," Albanese tweeted.
"Jacinda has been a fierce advocate for New Zealand, an inspiration to so
many and a great friend to me," he added. Canadian
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thanked Ardern on Twitter for her friendship and
"empathic, compassionate, strong, and steady leadership."Ardern charted an
independent course for New Zealand. She tried to take a more diplomatic approach
to China than neighboring Australia, which had ended up feuding with Beijing. In
an interview with the AP last month, she said that building relationships with
small Pacific nations shouldn't become a game of one-upmanship with China.
Ardern on Thursday also announced that New Zealand's 2023 general
elections would be held on Oct. 14, and that she would remain a lawmaker until
then. It's unclear who will take over as prime minister until the election.
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson announced that he won't contest the
leadership of the Labour Party, throwing the competition open. Labour Party
lawmakers will vote for a new leader on Sunday. If no candidate gets at least
two-thirds support from the caucus, then the leadership contest will go to the
wider party membership. Ardern has recommended the party chose her replacement
by the time she finishes in the role on Feb. 7.
New Zealand Opposition Leader Christopher Luxon said Ardern had been a strong
ambassador for the country on the world stage. He said that for his party
"nothing changes" and it remains intent on winning the election to "deliver a
government that can get things done for the New Zealand people."Ardern said she
hadn't had too much time to reflect on her tenure in the role, although noted it
had been marked with crises. "It's one thing to lead your country in peace
times, it's another to lead them through crisis. There's a greater weight of
responsibility, a greater vulnerability amongst the people, and so in many ways,
I think that will be what sticks with me," she said. "I had the privilege of
being alongside New Zealand during crisis, and they placed their faith in
me."Aya Al-Umari, whose brother Hussein was killed in the Christchurch mosque
attacks, tweeted her "deepest gratitude" to Ardern, saying her compassion and
leadership during that darkest day "shone a light in our grief journey.""I have
a mixture of feelings, shocked, sad but really happy for her," Al-Umari wrote.
Ardern said she didn't have any immediate plans after leaving office, other than
family commitments with her daughter, Neve, and her fiancé Clarke Gayford, after
an outbreak of the virus thwarted their earlier wedding plans.
"And so to Neve, Mum is looking forward to being there when you start
school this year," Ardern said. "And to Clarke, let's finally get married."
U.S. and Israel discuss Ukraine -White House
WASHINGTON (Reuters)/Thu, January 19, 2023
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan discussed the war in Ukraine
with Israel leaders during a trip to Israel and the West Bank, the White House
said on Thursday. In meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
President Isaac Herzog and other senior officials, Sullivan discussed U.S.
support for Israel's security and continued threats posed by Iran, according to
National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson. "They also discussed
Ukraine, as well as the burgeoning defense partnership between Russia and Iran
and its implications for security in the Middle East region," she said in a
statement. While Israel has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it has
limited its assistance to Kyiv to humanitarian aid and protective gear.
Netanyahu has spoken about reviewing Israeli policy on the Ukraine-Russia war,
but has stopped short of pledging any direct supply of arms to Kyiv, despite
repeated pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for Israel to join the
fight against Russia and provide air defense systems. Statements issued by
Netanyahu and other Israeli officials who met Sullivan did not mention Ukraine
as being among issues discussed. But one of the officials, Foreign Minister Eli
Cohen, also spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart on Thursday, Cohen's office
said in a statement after the minister's meeting with Sullivan. In the phone
conversation, the statement said, Cohen "promised that Israel would continue
supporting the Ukrainian people with humanitarian aid, in building and
rehabilitating in the realms of water, energy and medical equipment, and with
continued training for hundreds of emergency-management and trauma-care
professionals."Cohen encouraged his Ukrainian counterpart to support the
designation of Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist group, the statement
said. The United States respects the considerations other nations have on the
matter of Ukraine, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on
Wednesday when asked whether Sullivan would push Israel to provide weapons to
Ukraine."We're not twisting arms," Kirby told reporters. "But we are certainly
talking directly with our allies and partners around the world to see what they
could provide and what might be available to them or what they might be able to
make available to Ukraine."
No need for German, U.S. tanks to be sent to Ukraine
simultaneously -defence minister
BERLIN (Reuters)Thu, January 19, 2023
Germany's new Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said he did not know of any
requirement that Ukraine receive U.S. and German tanks simultaneously, before a
meeting on Friday at which future supplies to Kyiv will be discussed. Chancellor
Olaf Scholz's government has not so far authorised the export of German-made
Leopard tanks to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia, with sources saying
Berlin would move if Washington agreed to send its Abrams tanks. "I'm not aware
of any such stipulation," Pistorius told ARD television when asked if that meant
Abrams and Leopards had to be delivered at the same time, a position that leaves
open the possibility of an agreement on Friday. The North Atlantic Treaty
Organization and defence leaders from roughly 50 countries will confer at
Ramstein Air Base, the latest in a series of meetings since Russia invaded
Ukraine nearly 11 months ago. Scholz has been criticised by allies for his
stance on sending modern battle tanks that Ukraine says it needs if it is fully
to take the fight to Russians on its territory. An ARD opinion poll showed,
however, that Germans were split on the matter, with 46% in favour and 43%
opposed. The split was especially acute within his own Social Democrats, 49% of
whose backers said Germany should deliver. Younger people were also more
reluctant to send tanks than older respondents in the survey. A German
government source earlier said that Berlin had not so far received any requests
for a licence to re-export Leopard tanks. Poland and Finland have already said
they will send Leopard tanks to Ukraine if Germany gives approval for export.
Berlin has veto power over any decision to export its Leopard tanks, fielded by
NATO-allied armies across Europe and seen by defence experts as the most
suitable for Ukraine.
An oil tanker and bulk carrier sail near the crude oil
terminal Kozmino in Nakhodka Bay
(Reuters)/Thu, January 19, 2023
Ukraine's foreign minister said on Thursday it was time to review the $60 per
barrel price cap imposed on Russian seaborne oil, on the grounds that the
current market price for Russia's Urals oil blend was below that level. The
Group of Seven countries, Australia and the European Union will extend sanctions
on Russia for its war in Ukraine by putting a price cap on its oil products,
such as gasoline and diesel, on Feb. 5. The coalition placed a $60 per barrel
limit on sea-borne Russian crude oil sales late last year. Russian Urals grade
crude for delivery to Europe was quoted at about $57.26 on Thursday, maintaining
a recent steep discount to benchmark Brent crude, which was trading at $86.41.
The price though has been as low as around $50 per barrel this month. Foreign
Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a tweet: "Ukraine is confident it's time to
review the oil price cap given the current market price on Urals is lower than
$50 USD per barrel. "This decision should ensure a drastic reduction in Russia's
income to finance the war, mass atrocities, and destabilization in Europe and
elsewhere."Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said last week that oil
producers had not had difficulties in securing export deals despite the Western
sanctions and price cap.
Poland reviews security after divers found near key port
WARSAW, Poland (AP) /Thu, January 19, 2023
Poland's prime minister said Thursday that the country was reviewing the
supervision of its gas and oil installations and other strategic locations after
a weekend incident in which three foreign divers had to be rescued from near a
key oil port where they had no authorization to be. Premier Mateusz Morawiecki
also said he had requested the secret security services to produce a detailed
report on the incident. Police in northern Poland are facing questions over why
they released the three divers rescued from near the Gdansk oil port without
conducting a detailed interrogation of them. Security experts say the presence
of the divers in the sensitive area of the Gulf of Gdansk last weekend raised
concerns, given the high tensions with Russia over its energy deliveries. The
divers had Spanish identity documents. According to Polish media, the divers
were rescued early Sunday after they sent a distress message when their
unregistered small boat malfunctioned in stormy weather. They were equipped with
professional diving gear and said they were looking for amber, but none was
found in the boat. They had no permission to dive in the gulf. Despite a high
level of security introduced across Poland because of the country's support for
neighboring Ukraine amid Russia's invasion, police released the men. That has
raised questions, more so because the phone numbers they gave turned out to be
inactive. Morawiecki, asked about the matter, said he had commissioned Poland's
secret services to take a close look into it. “Of course, it may be that they
are dangerous people, but it may turn out that these are not dangerous people
and what they have declared is true,” Morawiecki told reporters. He stressed
that Poland had increased its level of supervision of strategic infrastructure
following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, but is also reviewing
security protocols again. “It is obvious that amid the war in Ukraine, when the
risk of sabotage by Russia increased immeasurably, it was necessary to
strengthen the supervision of critical infrastructure. We are also reviewing
this supervision,” Morawiecki said. In raising their concerns, experts are
pointing to the underwater explosions last summer that damaged the Nord Stream
pipelines that run on the Baltic Sea bed and were to carry Russian gas to
Germany. Swedish and Danish authorities have said the leaks were sabotage. Some
media in Poland were suggesting the three divers might have been involved in a
smuggling ring and could have been searching for contraband.
Kadyrov, Prigozhin slam prohibition on Russian soldiers'
beards
(Reuters)/Thu, January 19, 2023
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov on Thursday criticised a prohibition on Russian
soldiers wearing beards, joining Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in the
two men's latest outburst against the Russian military leadership. In an
interview with the RBC news site on Wednesday, Viktor Sobolev, a retired
lieutenant general and member of Russia's parliament, defended the ban on
beards, personal smartphones and tablets as an "elementary part of military
discipline".Writing on Telegram, the bearded Kadyrov, who has talked up the role
of his troops in Russia's war in Ukraine, wrote: "Apparently, Lieutenant General
Viktor Sobolev has a lot of free time ... since he has nothing to do but
rereading the military code of conduct".Kadyrov called Sobolev's comments "a
clear provocation", saying that his mostly Muslim soldiers wore beards as part
of their religious duty. Wagner boss Prigozhin, whose rift with the defence
establishment has become more public in the past week, called Sobolev's comments
"absurd" and "archaisms from the 1960s". Kadyrov and Prigozhin, whose forces in
Ukraine operate largely autonomously of the high command, have become more
outspoken in their criticism of the Russian military leadership since Moscow's
armies suffered a string of cascading defeats in the autumn. The two men have
formed a tacit alliance, amplifying each other's criticism of the military top
brass and calling for more vigorous prosecution of the war.
Spanish, French leaders meet to sign friendship treaty
Associated Press/January 19/2023
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet Thursday with Spanish Prime
Minister Pedro Sánchez in Barcelona to strengthen relations between the European
neighbors by signing a friendship treaty. The one-day summit in Barcelona comes
amid a day of widespread strikes and protests on the other side of the Pyrenees
against Macron's bid to increase the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64.
Sánchez and Macron are to sign a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between
their countries. Both governments consider this a diplomatic bond of the highest
order. Spain only has a similar treaty with Portugal; France has them with
Germany and Italy. The leaders are seeking stronger
positions inside the European Union. Macron is profiling himself as the
continent's leading politician to fill the void of former German Chancellor
Angela Merkel, while Sánchez wants Spain to have a more influential role in
Brussels following the exit of Britain from the bloc. After years of cordial but
sometimes distant relations between France and Spain, the two have grown closer
recently. Spain, France and Portugal have agreed on a major undersea pipeline to
transport hydrogen from the Iberian Peninsula to France and eventually the rest
of Europe. The pipeline, dubbed H2Med, will run from Barcelona to Marseille. The
meeting is being held in Catalonia's National Art Museum, housed in a former
palace perched atop the Montjuic hill that overlooks Barcelona. Catalan
separatists are rallying outside to try to energize their flagging movement to
carve a new state out of this corner of northeast Spain that borders France.
The Latest LCCC English analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on January 19-20/2023
A Prosecutor Was Murdered for Investigating Iran and
Argentinian Corruption
Toby Dershowitz/The Algemeiner/January 19/2023
Senior Vice President for Government Relations and Strategy
Argentina has “serious corruption problems,” according to Transparency
International’s Corruption Perception Index. Will this regrettable condition
continue to conceal the truth behind the identity of those who murdered Alberto
Nisman eight years ago this week?
Formally, Argentina is still looking into the suspicious death of special
prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who investigated the country’s deadliest terrorist
attack ever — the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos
Aires, which took 85 lives and injured hundreds more. Sordid politics and some
members of the country’s judiciary might still prevent a formal determination of
what the nation’s Gendarmerie police concluded in 2018 and the Federal Court of
Buenos Aires affirmed: that Nisman’s murder was due to his AMIA investigation,
and that it was a “direct consequence” of his accusation that then-President
Cristina Kirchner sought to absolve Iran of its role in the bombing in return
for economic benefits for her country.
Nisman was found dead with a bullet in his head on January 18, 2015, hours
before he was to present his findings that Kirchner and a dozen of her
associates sought to cover up Iran’s role in the AMIA bombing. Debunking
Kirchner’s allegation that Nisman had committed suicide, there was no gun powder
residue on his hands.
To date, only Diego Lagomarsino, Nisman’s computer consultant, has been
implicated as an accessory to murder in Nisman’s death. While Nisman himself
owned a gun for protection, Lagomarsino claimed that Nisman had asked to borrow
his gun. Was that part of Kirchner’s debunked suicide story, which she promptly
announced after he was found dead and before any investigation had been
conducted?
Nisman was well aware of the threats he faced while undertaking the dual
investigations into the bombing and the alleged attempt to whitewash Iran’s
role. He made public and filed formal complaints about some of the threats to
his life and to his family. The threats were ugly. But he was determined to
present what he learned from 40,000 wiretaps, legally obtained, which led him to
present a 300-page complaint with Federal Judge Ariel Lijo on the Wednesday
before he was found dead and about which he had planned to brief the Congress
the next Monday.
Nisman had shared the essence of his findings with reporters and others when he
filed the complaint. Kirchner must have known he had presented his initial
findings to Judge Lijo. It was no secret.
Days after Nisman was found dead, Kirchner disbanded the Secretariat of
Intelligence, known as the SIDE, which she believed had cooperated with Nisman
in his investigation against her. A new intelligence agency, the Federal
Intelligence Agency (AFI) was set up, headed by her ally Juan Martin Mena, who
today is vice minister of justice.
Even after his death, when opponents of Nisman wanted to dissuade prosecutors
and judges from looking too deeply into those crimes, they would often engage in
not-so-subtle threats: one of Nisman’s opponnents, for example, posted an image
of the person being threatened next to a picture of Nisman and asked if he
wanted to face the same fate that had befallen Nisman. “Meet the next Nisman.”
In another example, the daughter of a prosecutor looking into allegations of
Kirchner money-laundering, announced that neither her father nor any family
members had any intention of committing suicide, signaling that if any of them
were found dead, it would not be by their own hands.
In 2016, activist Fernando Esteche — one of those implicated along with Kirchner
in the attempted cover up of Iran’s involvement in the AMIA bombing — proclaimed
that any judge seeking to imprison Kirchner “could be found dead.”
In December 2016, Eduardo Taiano received threats in connection with his role as
head prosecutor investigating Nisman’s death. The messages threatened “to do the
same thing to him and his son Federico that was done to Nisman.”
In 2022, an Argentine court found Kirchner guilty of fraud during her tenure as
president, for directing millions of dollars in taxpayer money to a family
friend. A panel of judges sentenced her to six years in prison and banned her
from ever holding public office. The prosecutor in the case, Diego Luciani,
called the case “one of the most extraordinary corruption schemes” in Argentine
history. Kirchner has temporary immunity and will be able to remain free due to
her current role as a vice president, and can appeal the verdict.
Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez shocked the country when he smugly sent
a thinly veiled threat to Luciani as that case was proceeding. “Nisman committed
suicide; I hope that the prosecutor Luciani does not do something similar.”
Fernandez knows well that Nisman did not commit suicide. He had himself said
before becoming president that even Kirchner knew Nisman had not killed himself.
His point to Luciani was crystal clear. What was done to Nisman could be done to
him.
There are national security implications for Argentina and for the world in the
attempts to cover up Nisman’s murder. It was Nisman’s granular reports that
provided a roadmap for law enforcement on how the Islamic Republic of Iran had
penetrated, recruited, radicalized, financed, and executed terrorism in the
Western Hemisphere.
His investigation exposed how Iran had created terrorist networks and sleeper
cells — to be deployed at the time of its choice — throughout Latin America,
including in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Guyana,
Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname. The network also extended to parts of Europe,
including Germany. His reports showed how Iran uses its embassy pouches,
diplomatic cover, illicit financing, front companies, and other mechanisms
operated out of the line of sight to carry out terrorist activities.
Iranian officials plotted the AMIA bombing in Mashad, Iran, on August 14, 1993.
Many of them plotted terrorist attacks both before and after the AMIA bombing.
Argentina maintains warrants for their arrest. Some of them have Interpol red
notices, which seek the arrest of wanted individuals. Two of the Iranian
officials implicated in planning the AMIA bombing serve in President Ibrahim
Raisi’s cabinet today.
In a surreal twist, a Boeing 747 cargo plane, sanctioned by the US Department of
the Treasury for ferrying weapons from Iran to Syria, is sitting on a Buenos
Aires tarmac. The Iranian-owned plane was sold to Venezuela’s flagship carrier,
Conviasa Airlines. It landed in Buenos Aires on June 6, 2022. Rather than
carrying a small crew of four or five needed to offload automotive parts, 19
“crew members” were on the plane, including Gholamreza Ghassemi, a pilot from
the Islamic Republic Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force. He was one of for
Iranians on the plane. All the “crew members” were eventually released.
While the cargo plane’s exact mission has yet to be determined, one thing is
clear. Iran and its proxies are not done with seeking to carry out nefarious,
dangerous activities in our own backyard.
While Nisman is no longer physically with us, the lessons of his investigation,
his murder, and its coverup remain. We ignore them at our peril.
*Toby Dershowitz is senior vice president for government relations and strategy
at the non-partisan Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Follow her on Twitter
@tobydersh
Forty Percent of Saudis and Emiratis Still
Accept Israeli Contacts, Even Under Netanyahu
David Pollock/The Washington Institute/January 19/2023
Approval for contacts with Israelis remained steady through 2022, even as
hesitancy on Abraham Accords continued.
Two rare, reliable new public opinion polls commissioned by the Washington
Institute of citizens in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in late
November 2022—when it was clear that Benjamin Netanyahu would once again become
Israel’s prime minister—show popular acceptance of allowing contacts with
Israelis is holding steady at just over 40 percent in both states. These results
are all the more surprising, as around 90 percent of those two publics also say
that Netanyahu’s election would have negative regional effects.
In fact, that level of Saudi and Emirati popular acceptance for contacts with
Israelis has remained stable since a comparable survey in November 2020, soon
after the Abraham Accords were announced. A positive view of contacts roughly
doubled compared to findings from another survey conducted shortly before the
Accords were made public. Subsequently, the Temple Mount tensions and May 2021
war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza had no apparent effect on this higher level
of public support according to polls taken just a few weeks later. It now
appears that Netanyahu’s return to power, highly unpopular as that is among
these Gulf Arab publics, does not alter this pattern. In addition, findings from
a parallel survey conducted in Bahrain in July 2022 are remarkably similar, with
37% of Bahrainis also voicing acceptance of allowing Israeli contacts. Even in
Qatar, which has not joined the Abraham Accords, the most recent available data
(November 2021) reveal an almost identical level of popular acceptance of
Israeli contacts among its citizens.
The logical conclusion is that this aspect of normalization with Israel has
itself become relatively “normalized” among most Arab Gulf publics—even as a
slim majority in each country remains privately at least “somewhat” opposed to
it. The figures are similar and steady over the past three years, regardless of
formal inclusion or exclusion from the Abraham Accords, political changes in
Israel, or tensions on the ground in the Palestinian arena.
More than Half of Palestinian Public Has Also Been Open to Some Israeli Contacts
Also noteworthy in this connection is that among the Palestinians themselves,
the most recent available hard survey data (June 2022) show an even higher
proportion—at least 60% of each subgroup—approving certain contacts with
Israelis. In this case, a West Bank/Gaza/East Jerusalem poll conducted by a
local independent Palestinian pollster asked about encouraging “direct personal
contacts and dialogue with Israelis, in order to help the Israeli peace camp
advocate a just solution.” At the time, a surprising 48% of East Jerusalem
Palestinians also expressed a positive view of the Abraham Accords themselves,
though only around half as many Gazans or West Bankers agreed with that
assessment.
Views on Contact with Israelis Differ from Views on Full Diplomatic
Normalization
This distinction in the Arab popular consciousness between contacts with
Israelis and formal peace agreements with Israel is a significant characteristic
of public opinion in the Gulf as well. In Saudi Arabia and the UAE, for
instance, the most recent survey shows that only around 20% of each public says
the Abraham Accords will have “a positive effect on the region.” When those
Accords were first announced, by contrast, an initial burst of optimism yielded
corresponding figures of around 40% positive views among both those publics.
Majority of Lebanese Endorse Maritime Deal with Israel—But Not Personal Contacts
A different distinction emerges, surprisingly, in Lebanon, where the November
2022 survey series asked both about contacts with Israelis and about Lebanon’s
own new maritime boundary accord with the neighboring Jewish state. The
overwhelming majority of Lebanese—whether Shia, Sunnis, Christians, or Druze—say
they reject contacts with Israelis, which are outlawed and indeed prosecuted by
their government. Yet the majority overall (61%) also voiced a favorable view of
the maritime deal with Israel. That proportion of support for the deal is much
higher than in any of the other three Arab countries polled in this November
2022 wave.
Just Ten Percent in Egypt or Jordan Approve Israeli Contacts, Despite Decades of
Formal Peace
In these latest polls, Egypt also stands out strongly from its Gulf Arab cousins
in terms of popular rejection of contacts with Israelis. Even after 45 years of
official peace with Israel, a mere 10% of Egyptians today say that “people who
want to have business or sports contacts with Israelis should be allowed to do
so.” That percentage has barely budged since the question was first posed in
July 2020, whatever the state of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process or any
other discernible variable. This attitude is most likely both cause and
consequence of Egyptian government policy during most of those long decades.
That policy can best be described as follows: secret security cooperation with
Israel—alongside ferociously negative, state-guided media coverage and
commentary on almost everything Israeli, plus intense harassment of most
Egyptians, excepting for a few government-approved economic managers, who engage
personally with any Israelis. In this respect, Jordan follows closely in Egypt’s
footsteps. Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, and the two
countries have worked closely together ever since on border security and even on
certain Temple Mount issues, and lately also on energy and water projects.
Nevertheless, the percentage of Jordanian citizens in every recent survey who
say they accept contacts with Israelis also hovers consistently at the
strikingly low level of approximately ten percent. Jordanian officials sometimes
privately acknowledge that this dichotomy presents a problem, although there is
little evidence that they intend to correct it.
Methodological Note
This analysis is based on face-to-face surveys conducted among representative
samples of around 1,000 citizens in each country, selected according to standard
geographical probability procedures. In the 2022 West Bank/Gaza/East Jerusalem
poll, the sample size was 1,315 Palestinian adults (age 18+) residing in the
three territories. The surveys were conducted by highly experienced, technically
qualified, and entirely apolitical regional commercial survey research
companies. Strict quality controls, health safety protocols, and assurances of
confidentiality are provided throughout the fieldwork.
The author has personally organized and supervised the conduct of these surveys,
without ever in any way interfering in the sampling, interviewing, or other
aspects of the research. The statistical margin of error for samples of this
size and nature is approximately 3 percentage points. Additional details,
including full questionnaires, results, demographic distributions, and other
pertinent information, are readily available on our interactive polling data
platform.
What Do Iran’s Protests Mean for Iraq and the Kurdistan
Region?
Zubir R. Ahmed, Nawzad Shukri/The Washington Institute/January 19/2023
Introduction
Anti-regime protests are nothing new in the Islamic Republic. While the most
recent protests are the most serious of repeated movements since 2009, what has
made the regime indifferent to popular demands in the past is the power
structure it has built—ruled by a benefiting minority with the support of the
military and paramilitary forces, state employees, and the families of martyrs
of the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.
Nonetheless, the clerical regime has its weaknesses. As others have argued, the
regime has not succeeded in remedying the political, social, and economic
problems that originally led to the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Iran, which has
long sought to export its ideology, is now losing this international power. As
such, any changes inside Iran will directly affect regional dynamics. As a
regional middle power, Iran still has enormous influence in Iraq, Syria, and
Lebanon, and any domestic political instability will have external repercussions
in these countries—especially in the case of Iraq. Ultimately, further
instability can push Iran to either step away from or reinvest in its sizable
influence in Iraq. Either outcome will have a major impact on the future
trajectory of Iraqi politics.
On the one hand, greater instability in Iran may undermine Iran’s position and
impact in Iraq, directly influencing the shape of the post-2003, Shia-centric
government. Since 2005, Tehran has possessed a huge amount of influence over
Iraq’s political elite and military forces, most recently through the Hashd al-Shaabi,
or Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)—paramilitary movements that claim to have
160,000 members beyond the control of the Iraqi Prime Minister. Growing Iranian
weakness greatly reduces Iran’s clout over Iraqi Shia hardliners, making it
difficult for Tehran to maintain its sway in the wider region.
In religious terms, Iran’s decline may lead the marja—leading Shia clerics with
political and theological influence—of the Iraqi city of Najaf to become
stronger than those from Iran’s Qom. Competition between these two sources of
Shia authority would only increase after the death of the current leading marja,
Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf.
Following the eruption of the October Protests in Iraq in 2019, the divide
between Qom and Najaf became much more entrenched. Since the Iranian Revolution,
the Qom marja have been a main pillar of the regime, wielding a political form
of wilayat al-faqih. As a result, the marja have long been distrusted by
Iranians. Now, many protesters see “all Shia clerics—not just key regime
supporters, but also silent critics and neutral authorities—as the foundation of
the regime’s legitimacy, facilitating its initial emergence and justifying its
principles, policies, and decisions ever since.”
In Khomein, the birthplace of Ayatollah Khomeini, protestors recently attacked
and torched Khomeini’s family house, which was turned into a museum. The
unprecedented act of defiance was widely supported on Persian social media.
Likewise, videos show angry demonstrators setting fire to a seminary in Qom, as
young people have targeted clerics in the street, flipping their turbans off
their heads.
While the Najaf marja supported the peaceful protestors and their demands for
reform, an end to corruption, the protection of Iraq’s sovereignty, and
government control of Shia armed groups, Iran—and in extension, the Qom marja—rejected
the protests. More specifically, Iran strongly opposed the incorporation of Shia
militia groups into Iraqi forces, and responded by expanding its influence over
allies in Iraq. If Qom experiences a decline in influence, it will undoubtedly
increase in Najaf.
Beyond religious affairs, a diminished Iranian influence in Iraq would have a
significant political impact, perhaps giving Kurdish and Sunni politicians a
more active role in Iraqi affairs. Already, Kurds and Sunnis have played an
important part in the competition between the Sadrist Movement and the
Coordination Framework. A lack of Iranian interference would only enhance their
involvement in political processes and decision making.
On the other hand, instability in Iran could also push the Iranian regime to
pursue a more aggressive policy in Iraq. Iranian authorities have repeatedly
attempted to export their internal problems to other countries, and this time is
no different. Along with several direct strikes in the Kurdish Region of Iraq,
Iranian General Esmail Ghaani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, has even
threatened an unprecedented ground military operation against Iraq if Baghdad
does not disarm Iranian Kurdish opposition groups on Iraqi soil.
With allies in Iraq’s parliament, a favored candidate as Iraq’s President, and
close ties with Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court, Iran could potentially push
Baghdad to make moves against the United States, reviving old efforts to remove
the U.S. advisory mission in Iraq and significantly undermining Iraq’s nascent
democratic institutions. Such efforts would align with Iran’s repeated
accusations that the United States is supporting the current demonstrations and
violating Iran’s sovereignty. Frustrated with U.S. responses to Iran’s
unrest—namely, sanctioning Iran’s morality police and allowing companies to
provide internet access despite the the government’s internet blackout—Iran may
order its Shia militia proxies to target U.S. interests and military bases in
Iraq, making Iraq a battleground for another phase of the Iran-U.S. conflict.
At the very least, Iran’s desire to reassert dominance in Iraq in the face of
its own internal instability will likely result in the reversal of all of former
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s policy decisions—decisions that largely
rejected Iran in order to rebalance Iraq’s regional relations. Already, Iraq’s
new Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, has made significant changes and
has abolished all decisions made by the Kadhimi caretaker government since
October 2021. Such decisions pursued active openness to the Arab world, enhanced
Iraq’s stability via economic, energy, security, and investment agreements, and
fortified Iraq’s sovereignty.
The Kurdistan Region: A New Base for Iran’s Protest Movement?
In the KRI, Iran’s ongoing unrest has only further unraveled Iranian-KRI
relations, which have been in a state of deterioration since Kurdistan’s
independence referendum in 2017. Since 2017, and especially after the
assassination of Qasem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has been fearful that the KRI
would become a platform for the United States to monitor Iraq, Iran and Syria.
As a result, Iran has essentially turned the KRI into a battlefield, attacking
opposition groups but also sending a message to the United States and its
allies.
After demonstrations broke out across Iran, these attacks on the KRI have
intensified as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps bombarded the Iraqi bases of
Kurdish-Iranian opposition groups, killing women and children in the process.
Over 10,500 Iranian Kurds are registered as refugees in the KRI by the UN but
many more likely live there unregistered. Iran blames Iranian Kurds for
instigating and sustaining the protests, and military officials have stated that
100 people have been arrested in Iran so far with “connections” to this Kurdish
opposition. Iran’s attacks on the KRI will undoubtedly continue, with the
possibility that Iran could even use these protests as an excuse to occupy areas
of the KRI and establish military bases, as Turkey has done in the Kurdistan
Region and in northern Syria in recent years.
Finally, Iran could use Iraqi Shia militias as another card against the KRI, or
could ask the Iraqi government to protect the KRI-Iran border with Iraqi forces
rather than the KRI forces. The new government in Baghdad could potentially be
pushed towards escalation against Kurdistan, and specifically against the
Kurdistan Democratic Party—one of Kurdistan’s leading parties which does not
enjoy as warm relations with Tehran as the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
does. Such maneuvering will prove disastrous for the KRI and Iraq.
From Exporting Revolution to Exporting Problems
Since 2003, Iran has viewed Iraq as a strategic battleground and manifestation
of influence against its rivals. In time, however, Iraq has transformed slowly
from being Iran’s domain of influence to instead being a dumping ground for
Iran’s problems.
The current protests in Iran have brought this changing dynamic to the
forefront, as Iran continually attempts to blame its internal “unrest and
insecurity” on “counter-revolutionaries from across the northwestern borders,”
i.e. the KRI. The nature of this blame game, however, points to an important
truth about Iran’s preferred patron-client relationships with external entities,
whether in Iraq, Syria, or Lebanon. Whether real or fabricated as a distraction,
Iran views its proxies and “allies” as potential sources of threat to the
regime. Indeed, Iran sees risk as increasingly inherent in its clientelist
relationships, and recent developments only serve to reinforce this mindset. In
Iraq, for example, intra-Shia feuding between the Sadrist movement and the
Iran-allied Coordination Framework led to strong public anti-Iranian
demonstrations, an unwelcome sight for officials in Tehran.
The same can be said for the more than twenty Iranian proxy groups in Syria,
which have received around $15 billion from Iran for recruitment, training, and
equipment. Although Iran provides these groups with funds, monthly salaries, and
even the rights of citizenship and residence in Iran, the increasingly dependent
nature of the relationship—in which the proxy groups are practically bound to
Iran’s service—has made the groups more unpredictable, less reliable.
As Iran grows wary of its own allies and proxies and continues its distraction
campaign on KRI soil, Sudani’s government in Baghdad is put in a difficult
predicament. Although it is unclear how serious the threat of a ground military
operation in the KRI really is, tensions between Iran and Iraq and Iraq and the
Kurdistan Region are only growing, compounded by the potential religious,
economic, and political repercussions that Iranian instability would cause in
Iraq. Furthermore, Iran has now woven the United States into the narrative,
accusing them of violating their sovereignty and endangering regional stability
and thus conveniently pitting Iran against the U.S. presence in the KRI and
Iraq. As a result, it seems as though the Kurdistan Region will once again
become an arena of Iran’s conflict with the United States.
Militia Spokesmen Reflect on Sudani Inviting U.S. Forces to
Remain
Ameer al-Kaabi, Michael Knights, Hamdi Malik/January 19/2023
Asaib Ahl al-Haq is signaling pragmatism, while Kataib Hezbollah is contorting
its arguments to allow it to play along, albeit without explicitly accepting a
U.S. military presence. On January 13, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani
told the German broadcaster DW that “the general orientation of the government,
[which] is supported by the political forces, [is to] determine the missions,
the numbers, and places [of U.S. troops in Iraq] and for a specific period of
time.” He reiterated this position in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
When mentioning “political forces,” Sudani was referring to the Coordination
Framework (CF), the Iran-backed political coalition that includes the powerful
muqawama (resistance) militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) as a top member. Indeed, on
November 20, AAH leader Qais al-Khazali demonstrated his political seniority by
publicly referring to Sudani as the "general manager" of the government.
Open imageiconUbudi at American Uni
Figure 1: Minister of Higher Education Naim al-Aboudi giving a speech at the
American University of Iraq, Baghdad , January 10, 2023. Sudani’s January 13
comments appear to have the CF's backing, perhaps reflecting the fact that AAH
has been the framework's most vocal adherent of establishing pragmatic relations
with the United States. Notably, Khazali sought to lobby Washington via Iraqi
politicians multiple times beginning in 2018—though not since he was listed as a
Specially Designated Global Terrorist under U.S. Executive Order 13224,
effective January 3, 2020.
Elsewhere, AAH member and current minister of higher education Naim al-Aboudi
attended a conference on development and e-system engineering at the American
University of Iraq-Baghdad on January 10. There, he delivered a speech and was
taken on a tour around campus (Figure 1). A former parliamentarian, Aboudi
obtained his PhD in Arabic language studies from the Islamic University of
Lebanon, an institution that his own ministry does not legally recognize.
Open imageiconAli Turki al-Akhbar 2
Figure 2: Ali Turki’s quote in al-Akhbar daily, January 10, 2023.
The same day as Aboudi's campus visit, parliamentarian and veteran AAH fighter
Ali Turki told the Lebanese daily al-Akhbar, ‘’There is no problem to sit
[negotiating] with the U.S. to exchange interests...The U.S. forces are in Iraq
today to train Iraqi security forces…We are trying to make the relationship with
the United States based on partnership and interests’’ (Figure 2). In the same
interview, Turki characterized today’s Iraqi government as a "muqawama
government." Although AAH was the first U.S.-designated terrorist movement to
fully engage with Iraq's parliamentary politics, there is one other such
organization in the CF: Kataib Hezbollah (KH), which is represented by Harakat
Hoquq's six seats. On January 13, Hoquq secretary-general Said al-Saray told the
Iraqi website Shafaq News, "The failure of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani
to implement the decision to expel the American forces...will push us to take
political positions. Therefore, this decision must be implemented in accordance
with the legal and diplomatic frameworks." Saray was referring to parliament's
January 2020 resolution calling on the government to expel foreign troops.
Open imageiconAli Fadlallah
Figure 3: Ali Fadlallah on al-Nujaba TV talking about the Iraqi government's
relation with the United States," January 16, 2023. These contradictory
positions could be part of the muqawama's emerging division of labor for dealing
with the U.S. presence in Iraq. Former Hoquq spokesman Ali Fadlallah appears to
have been used to express KH’s views on the tricky issue of being inside a
political coalition that is signaling U.S. forces can stay in Iraq, at least for
now. On January 16, he explained the issue while discussing U.S.-Iraqi relations
on al-Nujaba TV (the media wing of the muqawama group Harakat al-Nujaba): “I see
a great maturity in [the way] leaders of the CF and muqawama [behave], and it
seems there is coordination on the vision [regarding the United States]. The
axis [of resistance] pushes to expel the U.S. forces, and the Iraqi government
tries to negotiate [with the Americans]. But when the negotiations happen under
huge pressure, you can weaken the other side...and achieve more benefits in the
current period...The muqawama axis is not out of line with the CF’s vision. It
seems there is [a policy] of carrot and stick [in dealing] with the American
side” (Figure 3). Whether this is the actual muqawama objective—near-term U.S.
withdrawal—or merely a fig leaf to excuse KH’s discomfort with the CF position
may become clearer in time.
Palestinians Beat and Pepper Spray Elderly Christian, Stone
Coptic Church in Jaffa
Raymond Ibrahim/January 19/2023
Fr. Michael, discussing the assault
Though unreported in Western languages, another instance of hostility for
Christians and their churches in the Holy Land recently occurred.
On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2022, a group of Palestinian “youth” assaulted a
Coptic Christian church in Jaffa. After hurling stones and empty glass bottles
at St. Anthony’s Church, they stormed it and savagely beat Fr. Michael Mansour,
its priest.
While loudly cursing Christianity and personally insulting him, they pepper
sprayed the elderly clergyman. The same Palestinian “youth” proceeded to curse
and hurl stones at a Latin church in the same vicinity. Discussing this incident
in a later interview, Fr. Michael, who has lived and been serving his Coptic
flock in Jaffa for some four decades, said that he had felt “dizzy and short of
breath” after being pepper sprayed, and had collapsed, but thankfully recovered.
He prayed for peace and calm to be restored, and asked that God may shed his
grace on his assailants. During the assault, no property was stolen from the
church or Fr. Michael’s adjoining home, suggesting it was a hate crime. In a
statement, Fr. Constantine Nassar, the head of the Orthodox community of Jaffa,
said, “We strongly condemn this barbaric and tribalistic act and call on the
responsible authorities to arrest and bring the perpetrators to trial as soon as
possible, thereby making an example of them to others.”An “example” is certainly
needed. Although the few Arabic language sources reporting on this incident
portray it as an aberrant act that does not represent Muslim/Christian relations
in the Holy Land, the persecution of that region’s Christians and their holy
places has, in fact, been growing (as documented in this article).
As of this writing, no English language media have reported on this incident.