Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 09-10/2023
Tragic fall of Haitham and Malek Tawk: Al-Rahi highlights failure to implement judicial decisions due to political interventions
LBCI/9 Jul 2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/119947/119947/
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi presided over Sunday's mass at the summer patriarchal residence in Dimane, stating that the deceased Haitham and Malek Tawk fell victim to the lack of respect for and implementation of administrative and judicial decisions issued by the Ministry of Environment and the real estate judge in the North. "Unfortunately, it is clear that the failure to implement these judicial and administrative decisions is a result of well-known and familiar political interventions at the expense of the rule of law and its institutions," al-Rahi affirmed. He stated that had these scientific and objective decisions been implemented, the problem would not have persisted with its tragic consequences, "including the recent tragedy of the fall of the martyrs Haitham and Malek Tawk." What is also required is for politicians to refrain from their interventions that hinder the work of the security agencies responsible for enforcing judicial rulings and administrative decisions and to halt any works on the surface or underground of Qornet El Sawda, especially those related to water, following laws that prohibit any dealings with water at an elevation exceeding two thousand meters, he expressed. The concerned municipalities in Bcharre, Bqaa Safrin, and Ehden-Zgharta are also requested to respond to the request of the real estate judge in the North to facilitate the work of surveying teams and provide the necessary documents and records in their possession to complete the process of demarcation and surveying, said the Maronite patriarch. Regarding the presidential file, the patriarch said, "The obstinacy in maintaining the vacuum in the presidential seat, unfortunately, for personal, sectarian, and future goals, has led to an inevitable result, reflected in the parliament transformed into an electoral body as 'legislating necessity,' and in the caretaker government as 'necessity appointments.' Such an action undermines the constitutional and public institutions and erodes the people's and the state's trust." "It is a crime committed by all those who obstruct the process of electing a president, despite the presence of capable candidates."
He continued, "Here is the Central Bank facing a structural crisis, and the governor's deputies demand the 'necessity appointment' of a new governor for six years while refusing to proceed with the interim appointment until the election of a new president." "Here is the Lebanese Army, in exceptional circumstances, resorting to 'necessity appointment' to maintain the continuity of security institutions, including the utmost necessity of stability in Lebanon and civil peace amidst the successive crises we are experiencing," he added. Al-Rahi also addressed the vacancy in the Military Council, stating, "The vacancy affecting the Military Council within the military institution, if it continues, may have very negative repercussions not only on the military institution but also on the security situation in Lebanon as a whole." The patriarch concluded, "Let us appeal to the Almighty God to awaken the consciences of those responsible for obstructing the election of a president so that they reconsider their actions and realize the extent of the subsequent harm to the state and the people."

Bishop Aoudi:  The state must be aware that negligence may lead to a crime, and failure to hold criminals accountable leads to chaos and perhaps further
NNA/July 09, 2023
Bishop Aoudi in his homely today said, "Our country has an abundance of leaders, politicians, and officials, but few of them care about the salvation of the country and people, and spreading a national awareness that unites and does not divide. Very few work for the public interest, and carry out their patriotic duty with integrity and sincerity. If all were doing their duty, would we be witnessing what we are witnessing?" Disagreements, disputes, and discrepancies that contribute to the disintegration of our society? If the borders were clear between regions, real estate, and commons, would citizens fight and kill because of disputes over borders and water? Why don't the competent departments determine ownership of real estate and demarcate borders, all borders, so that everyone can live in peace? The right is not taken. By intimidation or by transgression and annulment, but rather by resorting to the law and applying its provisions, and this prevents sedition and fighting. The state must be aware of the dangers of neglecting what affects people's lives because negligence may lead to a crime, and failure to hold criminals accountable leads to chaos and perhaps further." And he concluded: “God granted us the mind to distinguish between good and evil, so instead of being dragged after evil that destroys and does not save, we are called upon not to reject Christ’s intervention to save us from the evil one and his tricks, just as the people of the Gergesene country rejected him only because they lost their flock of pigs. Christ came to save them, so they rejected him and asked Departure from him because they lost their interests, which are originally contrary to the law and the law. Let us move away from interests and selfishness, and let us flee from the evil one and his tricks, imitating those who accept salvation."

Suspect in Haitham Tawk's death arrested by Army Intelligence, LBCI sources confirm
LBCI/9 Jul 2023
LBCI's sources confirmed that the Army Intelligence arrested hours ago one of the participants in the armed clash that took place in Qornet El Sawda, which led to the death of Haitham Tawk. It affirmed that he had been monitored since the incident took place.

Rescue still possible: Deputy PM outlines priorities for Lebanon's recovery
LBCI/9 Jul 2023
Many people have lost hope in Lebanon's reform. Many consider that the Lebanese need a shock or a major revolution, as they still pay the price for the failure of the ruling class, their interests, and divisions. However, "rescue is still possible," according to the Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Negotiating Team with the International Monetary Fund, Saadeh Al-Shami. He has identified three priorities:
1. First, improving citizens' living standards through an economic recovery program and reforming institutions related to recovery, starting with the Central Bank of Lebanon, followed by the Ministry of Finance, the Civil Service Council, the Central Inspection, and others. With each reform in these institutions, there will gradually be a transformative pattern.
2. The second priority is the independence of the judiciary, which plays a crucial role in accountability.
3. The third priority is enhancing governance and combating corruption, for example, by implementing a digital transformation strategy to improve transparency in the public sector.
Achieving these goals is undoubtedly a challenging process, according to Al-Shami. However, it is not impossible if there is the will and determination.
Meanwhile, Lebanon is searching for a will to rise from below zero while neighboring countries have made progress thanks to their determination and planning. For instance, Dubai is the most advanced city in infrastructure, security, and the fastest-growing international trade. It is launching a 10-year plan to double its economy and become one of the top three economies in the world. Similarly, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and other countries are designing, planning, and implementing strategies, making advancements in infrastructure, and attracting global economies.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia achieved the fastest growth among the world's largest economies last year. Today, it is leading the process of change in the region thanks to implementing its Vision 2030. Its plan is based on three goals:
- Achieving a society where every citizen lives happily with access to world-class education and healthcare.
- Achieving a prosperous economy that provides opportunities for all and prepares for future jobs.
- Building an ambitious nation with efficient governance under an effective and transparent government.
In Lebanon, many plans do exist... but without implementation and leadership.

Daou: The economic situation is catastrophic
National News Agency/9 Jul 2023
MP Mark Daou stressed "the importance of electing a president of the republic instead of adhering to the policy of obstruction, excess power and dedicating patchwork policy to pressing issues," stressing his refusal to appoint a governor for the central bank by a caretaker government. Daou's position, which came during an interview with the “Liqa’ Al-Ahad” program via “Voice of All Lebanon,” expressed his surprise at the statement issued by the four deputies of the Central Bank Governor, and in his opinion that they were “asked to do so.”MP Daou raised questions about the role of the caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, who did not issue any position regarding this issue, while his deputy, His Excellency Al-Shami, took the initiative to respond to the statement of the governor’s deputies. The lawmaker also called for "liberalizing the exchange rate and moving towards approving the real dollar rate," pointing out that the "Sayrafa" platform only serves banks and a group of money changers and money transfer companies. In this context, the deputy warned that the economic situation is catastrophic, and the issue of the governance of the Banque du Liban is extremely dangerous. Finally, the MP concluded by saying: "We cannot build a state with weapons outside the state that send permanent threats."

Lebanon's ISF thwarts human smuggling operation, rescuing 231 migrants
LBCI/9 Jul 2023
The specialized units of the Internal Security Forces (ISF)'s Information Branch gathered intelligence indicating that an unknown group was preparing to smuggle individuals by sea from the northern region of Lebanon to Italy.  The departure point was identified as Selaata Beach, with migrants being charged between $6,000 and $7,000 per person.  According to the ISF's General Directorate, these efforts are taken as part of their ongoing efforts to combat illegal migration from Lebanon to European countries via the northern Lebanese shores, where unsafe boats are used. Several incidents of boat sinkings resulting in the death of undocumented migrants have been reported.  Consequently, in response to this information, orders were given to intensify patrols to thwart the smuggling operation.  In the early hours of July 8, 2023, following careful surveillance and monitoring, the Information Branch carried out simultaneous operations in the neighborhoods of Miniyeh–Danniyeh and Al Mahmara. The operations led to the following outcomes:  On the Miniyeh–Danniyeh highway, patrols from the Information Branch arrested 111 individuals of Syrian nationality, including women and children, traveling in two "pickup" vehicles. The arrested individuals were accompanied by:
- A.F. (20 years old)
- S.M. (born in 1989, Lebanese)
- M.R. (born in 1993, Lebanese)
On the Al Mahmara highway, patrols from the Information Branch arrested 120 individuals of Syrian nationality, including women and children, traveling in two "pickup" vehicles. The detained individuals were accompanied by:
- M.B. (born in 1986, Lebanese)
- T.H. (born in 1990, Lebanese)
- M.S. (born in 1989, Lebanese)
The events on the mentioned date were not merely massive arrest operations by the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces (ISF). They were also humanitarian missions that resulted in the rescue of 231 undocumented migrants who were at risk of an uncertain fate in the open sea.
The investigation is currently ongoing under the supervision of the competent judiciary.

MP Mohammad Raad highlights importance of political understanding in Presidential elections
LBCI/9 Jul 2023
On Sunday, MP Mohammad Raad, head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, emphasized that the mandatory path to accomplish the presidential elections, given the current circumstances, is through dialogue and understanding. "The alternative would be a waste of time and a squandering of the interests of the country and its people," he said. He further stressed that the state is primarily concerned with taking serious and swift action to compel the "Zionist enemy to retract the steps and measures by which it encroached on the northern Lebanese part of the town of Ghajar." He affirmed that the state would find all Lebanese, national political forces, and brotherly countries and peoples standing alongside it, supporting its rightful demand and cause.

Dialogue and partnership, not accusations and division, key to Lebanon's progress, says Jaafari Mufti
LBCI/9 Jul 2023
Grand Jaafari Mufti, Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan addressed spiritual and political figures, stating, "When Lebanon is a country of national partnership, we must emphasize national collaboration and the necessity of protecting and building upon it."This puts the Parliament at the forefront because Lebanon is a parliamentary democratic republic. He said: "We should eliminate sectarianism from the Lebanese constitution," saying that in this capacity, the Parliament serves as a refuge for protecting the constitutional nature of Lebanon, calling the Parliament and its members to establish the country's constitutional foundation without destroying it. Otherwise, Lebanon will be lost in the corridors of deals. He affirmed the need to refrain from focusing on personal interests, adding that leaving a power vacuum is an "evil" that allows national interests to fall prey to chaos. Thus, the Parliament, the government, and all institutions and public administrations must protect national interests due to national necessity. Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan confirmed that constitutions that do not guarantee the interests of their nations are nothing more than documents of destruction because the principle here is the protection of Lebanon's interests, not the protection of sectarian interests. The solution is national, not sectarian, he added. He continued, "We must remove the tendency to reject dialogue from our minds, and the distribution of accusations is unacceptable. "Shooting" at the mission of the Parliament is like shooting at the largest institution that guarantees national representation. The solution lies in dialogue, not estrangement, and in protecting the partnership, not tearing it apart. Anything else adds to the destruction of Lebanon." Qabalan concluded, "The Israeli step to annex the Lebanese village of Ghajar is a national catastrophe, and there must be a national escalation. Every inch of Lebanese land [...] requires the government and political forces to launch a large-scale national mobilization commensurate with the strategic defense force authorized to protect every inch of Lebanese territory."

Al Sayyed proposes “Salim Michel Edde” for heading the BDL governorship, outlining his many significant attributes that render him most suitable...
NNA/09 Jul 2023
MP Jamil Al Sayyed wrote today on Twitter: “It is not my habit to hail people, whoever they are, because power corrupts most of them when they reach it; however, in these days of presidential vacuum, utter chaos, and rampant corruption in all corners of the country, Lebanon needs a Maronite president with national specifications and the ethical, clean and coexistent character of the late Minister Michel Eddeh...”He added: “It is true that my advocacy today for Sleiman Franjieh’s success naturally requires the existence of a competent and independent government by his side, in addition to his ability more than anyone else to withstand and face the fateful risks that threaten Lebanon, most importantly the Israeli enemy, resettlement, the displaced and division; yet, in the event that these risks disappear in the future, Salim Michel Edde will be the most qualified for the presidency of the republic, not because of his late father, but because of his gratuitous love for Lebanon and his personal specifications and professional and moral background history...”MP Al Sayyed concluded his tweet by hoping, at least at this stage, that Salim Michel Edde be appointed as a new governor of the Banque du Liban, underlining his strong confidence that the latter can perform in this position what no one else can do in reforming the monetary and financial situation in the country.

Deputies Khalaf, Aoun, Yassin, Jaradi & Hamdan from the outskirts of Ghajar village: Government must exhaust all pressure means to lift usurper...
NNA/09 Jul 2023
MPs Melhem Khalaf, Najat Aoun, Yassin Yassin, Elias Jaradi and Firas Hamdan, from the outskirts of the village of Ghajar, addressed a call this afternoon to all those concerned, saying: “We, the nation’s representatives, stand here on the outskirts of the besieged village of Ghajar, on the Lebanese-Syrian border, to say openly to the whole world that the Israeli enemy's seizing of the northern part of the town of Ghajar is a very dangerous aggression against Lebanon, a persistent assault on Lebanese sovereignty and a flagrant violation of all international covenants and resolutions, which cannot be tolerated nor ignored."
They added: "We are present today in the village of Ghajar - as we came a year ago to al-Naqoura to confirm Lebanon's rights and its entitlement to Line 29 - to reaffirm our adherence to every grain of soil from our country, and to every drop of water from its sea, and there is no differentiation between one region and another, and no discrimination between one citizen and another."They also stressed on the concept of sovereignty as being "indivisible" and that "we are all responsible for all the lands, for there is no bargaining or abandoning of any inch of territory and water of our homeland, nor any sovereign wealth that belongs to all the Lebanese people." The deputies strongly denounced the government's "timid, indolent and inattentive position in the face of this serious event," urging it "to exhaust all pressure means, without any delay, to lift this usurping and blatant aggression immediately," acknowledging the "heroic role of the Lebanese army in confronting the Zionist enemy and its ambitions."They added: "We call on it (Lebanese army) to establish its ability to resist the occupation and consolidate its legitimacy on all Lebanese lands and its ability to confront all aggressors against Lebanon's dignity, security and stability."
The change deputies concluded by affirming "the necessity of consolidating a state that is responsible for all its citizens, protects and defends them, and exercises through its constitutional institutions its effective sovereignty and firm authority with justice over all its lands, and safeguards its borders with all national standards."

Makary patronizes honoring ceremony of Sadiq Al-Sabah: He restored brilliance to Lebanese drama, succeeded in chronicling a beautiful memory of his homeland
NNA/09 July 2023
Carataker Minister of Information, Ziad Al-Makary, patronized a cerrmony organized by the Kamel Youssef Jaber Cultural and Social Center in Nabatiyeh and the Makassed Philanthropic Islamic Association in honor of the President of "Cedars Art Production" Company - Sabah Brothers, film producer Sadiq Anwar Al-Sabah. The reception was attended alongside Minister Makary by Caretaker Industry Minister George Boushkian, MPs Hani Qobeissi, Michel Moussa, Abdel Rahman Al-Bizri, Ali Osseiran, former Deputy Yassin Jaber, Governor of Nabatiyeh Hassan Fakih, former Director General of Public Security Major General Abbas Ibrahim, and several other prominent figures and officials. In his word during the reception, Minister Makary praised the valuable contributions made by Al-Sabah in favor of the Lebanese drama by "restoring its brilliance, rendering it an industry and succeeding in chronicling a beautiful memory of his homeland." He added: "We gather today in Nabatiyeh in this cultural edifice - the Kamel Youssef Jaber Cultural and Social Center, at the kind invitation of former minister and deputy Yassin Jaber, to honor a great man from Lebanon who drew from his authentic city openness, depth, steadfastness and deep roots, and from his ancient family, achievements, successes, manifestations, and creations..."Makary continued to appreciate the honored Al-Sabah's prominent stature, value and being a role model, adding, "He is a kind person with a pure of heart...He spares no effort in serving Lebanon in its vastness...crossing regions, sects and hearts...He has crossed the borders of Lebanon to the Arab world, and from it to humanity...."Marking Al-Sabah's many virtues and considering him as one of Lebanon's flags, Makary deemed that it would only be right to raise his name as a flag on one of the streets of Lebanon, saying, "How beautiful it is for a person to be honored in his hometown, among his family, friends and admirers."

Germany Wants To Block Ukraine’s NATO Bid — Telegraph
RT/09 Jul 2023
Germany stands against offering Kiev a clear roadmap or concrete guarantees of joining the Western military bloc at the upcoming summit in Lithuania, The Telegraph reported on Saturday, citing NATO officials. “Berlin is stand-offish at the prospect of offering immediate membership… It wants a process and time to develop guarantees to essentially block membership,” an unnamed source within the military bloc told the British outlet. Germany is reportedly wary that Kiev would immediately invoke Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which stipulates that an attack against one NATO member “shall be considered an attack against them all.” --- RT

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 09-10/2023
Pope Francis announces 21 new cardinals
Reuters/9 Jul 2023
Pope Francis on Sunday announced that he would elevate 21 churchmen to the high rank of cardinal, again putting his mark on the group that will one day choose his successor after his death or resignation. The ceremony to install them, known as a consistory, will be held on Sept. 30, the 86-year-old Francis announced during his noon prayer to pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter's Square. Eighteen of the churchmen are under 80 and will be able to enter an eventual conclave to choose the next pope. The other three, who are over 80 and too old to vote in a conclave, were named to thank them for their long service to the Church. All cardinals, regardless of their age, are allowed to take part in pre-conclave meetings known as General Congregations, giving them a say in the type of person they think their younger brother cardinals should choose. The new cardinals come from countries including the United States, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, Spain, Colombia, South Sudan, Hong Kong, Poland, Malaysia, Tanzania, and Portugal. Three of the new cardinals were recently named as heads of major Vatican departments, including Argentine Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the Vatican's doctrinal department. Another significant appointment was that of Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-Yan of Hong Kong. Chow is one of the major links to the Catholic Church in communist China, where the Vatican is trying to improve conditions for Catholics.

Jordanian security forces kill three terrorists
LBCI/9 Jul 2023
"Three wanted individuals involved in terrorist cases, two of whom had escaped from prison, were killed by the Jordanian security forces," the General Security Directorate in the Kingdom announced. The statement quoted the spokesman of the General Security Directorate, Amer Al-Sartawi, as saying that "a special security force raided the location of three wanted individuals involved in terrorist cases near the southeastern border strip of the Kingdom." Moreover, the security force surrounded the individuals after chasing and reaching them, and engaged in a confrontation with them after they fired intense gunfire towards the force using automatic firearms they possessed, resulting in their all being killed.

US central command says it killed ISIS leader in Eastern Syria
Reuters/9 Jul 2023
The U.S. Central Command said on Sunday it conducted a drone strike on July 7 that killed an ISIS leader in Eastern Syria. It used the same MQ-9 drones in the attack that had "earlier in the day been harassed by Russian aircraft in an encounter that had lasted almost two hours", it said in a statement. "U.S. Central Command conducted a strike in Syria that resulted in the death of Usamah al-Muhajir, an ISIS leader in eastern Syria," it said without giving any more details on al-Muhajir. Washington has in the last year stepped up raids and operations against suspected ISIS operatives in Syria, killing and arresting various of its leaders who had taken shelter in areas under Turkey-backed rebel control after the group lost its last territory in Syria in 2019. The U.S.-led campaign which killed former ISIS head Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, who had declared himself the "caliph of all Muslims", has since targeted its surviving leaders, many of whom are thought to have planned attacks abroad. U.S. military commanders say ISIS remains a significant threat within the region, however, though its capabilities have been degraded and its ability to re-establish its network weakened. Islamic State controlled one-third of Iraq and Syria at its peak in 2014. Though it was beaten back in both countries, its militants continue to wage insurgent attacks.

Netanyahu bristles at protests as Israel's judicial reform edges ahead
JERUSALEM (Reuters)/Sun, July 9, 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday summoned his attorney-general to explain the police's handling of resurgent demonstrations against his plan to overhaul the justice system, as the reform bill edges ahead. The bill that would limit "reasonableness" as a standard of judicial review - and which critics argue would open the door for abuses of power - is scheduled for the first of three ratification readings in parliament on Monday. Critics say such reforms curb court independence. Netanyahu - who is on trial on graft charges he denies - says the aim is to restore balance among branches of government. Compromise talks hosted by Israel's president between the government and opposition stalled last month. Street protests that had subsided are flaring anew. "An agreement is attainable. And yet, still no one is willing to sit down and talk, now, without preconditions. This is a blunder of historic proportions," said President Isaac Herzog, whose post is largely ceremonial. Protesters plan to converge on Israel's main airport as parliament debates the "reasonableness" bill. A major mall chain announced a one-day shutdown if Monday's vote passes. In televised remarks before the cabinet session, Netanyahu said it was "unthinkable" that his religious-nationalist coalition would abridge the right to demonstrate or support any violence against protesters. But he argued such freedom should not be extended to "violations of the law that harm the basic rights of millions of citizens and are taking place on an almost daily basis," citing disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport, calls for disobedience within the military, main road closures and the heckling of elected officials. He said Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara must "give an accounting" at Sunday's cabinet. As the meeting began, Israeli media carried leaked quotes of some ministers calling for her to quit. Baharav-Miara, according to a person briefed on the session, said she hoped the government was not asking her to say a more aggressive crackdown was needed even if it was inconsistent with the judgement of police commanders on the ground and prosecutors. "I hope the government does not expect the law-enforcement apparatus to maintain 'quotas' of arrests or indictments of protesters," she was quoted as saying. Announcing the plan to shut all 24 of its malls on Tuesday, Big Shopping Centers called the "reasonableness" bill, if it passes its first reading, a "serious step on the way to clearly illegal governmental corruption, and another step on the way to dictatorship"."Such legislation would be a fatal blow to Israel's business and economic certainty and would directly and immediately endanger our existence as a leading company in Israel," it added in an open letter. Shares of Big fell 3.1%. Cabinet minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would boycott Big unless it retracted what he deemed its politicised "bullying". The furore has dented the economy. TheMarker financial news site on Sunday estimated economic losses of some 150 billion shekels ($41 billion), citing weaker shares and the shekel, and higher inflation as a result of a more than 5% drop in the shekel versus the dollar that has helped fuel inflation and the cost of living.

Egypt to host summit of Sudan's neighbours on July 13
Reuters/09 Jul 2023
Egypt will host a summit of Sudan's neighbours on July 13 to discuss ways to end a 12-week conflict between rival Sudanese military factions that has triggered a major humanitarian crisis, the Egyptian presidency said on Sunday.
The summit aims to "develop effective mechanisms" with neighbouring states to settle the conflict peacefully, in coordination with other regional or international efforts, the presidency said in a statement. The fighting that erupted on April 15 in the Sudanese capital Khartoum has driven more than 2.9 million people from their homes, including almost 700,000 who have fled to neighbouring countries. Over 255,000 have crossed into Egypt, according to latest figures from the International Organization for Migration. Egypt has close ties to Sudan's army, which has been battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum and other parts of Sudan. Egypt was not involved in talks in Jeddah led by the United States and Saudi Arabia that were adjourned last month after failing to secure a lasting ceasefire.

In call with Turkey's Erdogan, Biden expresses support for Sweden's NATO bid
ISTANBUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters)/Sun, July 9, 2023
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed a desire to see Sweden join NATO "as soon as possible" in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in which they discussed Sweden's bid to become a member of the Western alliance, the White House said on Sunday.
Turkey, along with Hungary, has been a stumbling block to Sweden's bid, which requires unanimous approval by all NATO members. Erdogan told Biden that Stockholm has taken steps in the right direction for Ankara to ratify its bid, referring to an anti-terrorism law, but said these steps were not useful as Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) supporters continued to hold demonstrations in Sweden, the Turkish presidency's communications directorate said separately on Sunday. Biden "conveyed his desire to welcome Sweden into NATO as soon as possible," the White House said in a statement. The leaders agreed to meet face-to-face in Vilnius, Lithuania, at an upcoming NATO summit and discuss bilateral relations and regional issues in detail, the Turkish presidency also said. On Thursday, Sweden failed to convince Turkey to lift its block on Stockholm's path to NATO membership in a foreign minister-level meeting, as Ankara requested more action in the fight against terrorism. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he would convene a meeting between Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Vilnius on Monday. Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, abandoning policies of military non-alignment that had lasted through the decades of the Cold War in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Finland's NATO membership was green-lighted in April, Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. Stockholm has been working to join at next week's NATO summit in Vilnius. During their call, Biden and Erdogan also discussed the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, and Ukraine's aim to join NATO, according to the Turkish presidency's readout.

Russian, Turkish ministers talk after Turkey sends Ukrainian commanders home
Reuters/Sun, July 9, 2023
The foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey spoke by telephone on Sunday, a day after Ankara angered Moscow by sending five Ukrainian commanders home with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in what Russia called a violation of a prisoner exchange agreement. The Russian and Turkish foreign ministries said Sergei Lavrov and Hakan Fidan discussed the situation in Ukraine, as well as a Black Sea grain export agreement that lifted a Russian de facto blockade of Ukrainian ports last year. Moscow has threatened to quit the grain export deal when it comes up for renewal on July 17, saying demands to facilitate sales of its own grain and fertiliser have not been met. Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that he was pressing Russia to extend the deal, brokered last year by Ankara and the United Nations, by at least three months. The Russian ministry said the two sides had focused on recent developments around Ukraine, including Ankara's returning detained commanders of Ukraine's Azov unit, which defended a steelworks in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol last year. Russia captured the city last year after laying it to waste, killing thousands of civilians in a three-month siege. The Azov unit led the city's defence, holding out in the steelworks for weeks until they were ordered by Kyiv to surrender. The captured Azov commanders, lionized as heroes in Ukraine and vilified in Russia, were released in a prisoner swap in September, under terms that required them to stay in Turkey until the war ends. Zelenskiy brought them home on Saturday after a visit to Turkey. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that Turkey had violated agreements in permitting their release, and had failed to notify Russia in advance. Ankara has not commented publicly about the decision to send them home. Turkey's presidency and foreign ministry did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Zelenskiy brings Azovstal commanders back to Ukraine from Turkey
Reuters/9 Jul 2023
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy brought home from Turkey on Saturday five former commanders of Ukraine's garrison in Mariupol, a highly symbolic achievement that Russia said violated a prisoner exchange deal engineered last year.Russia immediately denounced the release. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ankara had promised under the exchange agreement to keep the men in Turkey and complained Moscow had not been informed. In honour of the 500th day of the war, Zelenskiy also visited Snake Island, a Black Sea outcrop which Russian forces seized on the day of the invasion and later abandoned. The five commanders have been lionised in Ukraine after leading a fierce three-month defence of Mariupol from the Azovstal steel plant last year, the biggest city Russia has captured. "We are returning home from Turkey and bringing our heroes home," said Zelenskiy, who met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Istanbul on Friday. Thousands of civilians were killed in Mariupol when Russian forces laid the city to waste in the first months of the war. The Ukrainian defenders held out in tunnels and bunkers under the Azovstal plant, until finally ordered by Kyiv to surrender in May last year. Moscow freed some of them in September in a prisoner swap brokered by Ankara, under terms that required the commanders to remain in Turkey until the end of the war. Peskov told Russia's RIA news agency: "No one informed us about this. According to the agreements, these ringleaders were to remain on the territory of Turkey until the end of the conflict."Peskov said the release was a result of heavy pressure from Turkey's NATO allies ahead of next week's summit of the military alliance at which Ukraine hopes to receive a positive sign about its future membership. In his remarks, Zelenskiy gave no explanation for why the commanders were allowed to return home now. Turkey's Directorate of Communications did not respond to a request for comment.
THANKS TO TURKISH PRESIDENT
In a ceremony later alongside the men in the western city of Lviv, Zelenskiy thanked Erdogan for helping secure their release and pledged to bring home all remaining prisoners. He said that before the outbreak of war, "many people in the world still did not understand what we are, what you are, what to expect from us and what our heroes are. Now everyone understands."Many Ukrainians hailed the return of the men. "Finally! The best news ever. Congratulations to our brothers!" Major Maksym Zhorin, fighting in eastern Ukraine, said on the Telegram messaging app. Referring to a counter-offensive launched by Ukrainian forces in the past month, Denys Prokopenko, one of the five commanders, told the gathering that his men "will have our word to say in the battles. The most important thing is that Ukraine has seized the strategic initiative and is advancing." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken marked the 500 days by describing Russia as "the sole obstacle to a just and lasting peace" and promising to back Kyiv "for as long as it takes". France's foreign ministry said the time frame "must bring Russia to the realisation that it is in an impasse and immediately stop its illegal war of aggression". The latest U.S. pledge of support included plans to supply widely banned cluster munitions. Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov promised the munitions would not be used in Russia. The general staff of Ukraine's armed forces said Ukrainian forces on Saturday "continued offensive operations" in two sectors in the southeast. Officials say Ukrainian forces have also taken back areas around the shattered eastern city of Bakhmut -- captured by Russian forces in May after month after months of battles.

Germany Wants To Block Ukraine’s NATO Bid — Telegraph
RT/9 Jul 2023
Germany stands against offering Kiev a clear roadmap or concrete guarantees of joining the Western military bloc at the upcoming summit in Lithuania, The Telegraph reported on Saturday, citing NATO officials.
“Berlin is stand-offish at the prospect of offering immediate membership… It wants a process and time to develop guarantees to essentially block membership,” an unnamed source within the military bloc told the British outlet. Germany is reportedly wary that Kiev would immediately invoke Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which stipulates that an attack against one NATO member “shall be considered an attack against them all.”

Russia calls on NATO to discuss Ukraine nuclear plant at summit
Reuters/9 Jul 2023
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday that the leaders of the U.S.-led transatlantic NATO defence alliance should discuss Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant at their summit this week. NATO leaders will meet in Vilnius on July 11-12 to tackle a wide range of topics, from divisions over Ukraine's membership bid and Sweden's accession to boosting ammunitions stockpiles and reviewing the first defence plans in decades. Accusing Ukraine of "systematic infliction of damage" to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Zakharova said that "the NATO summit's key attention should be devoted to it.""After all, the vast majority of the alliance members will be in the direct impact zone" (if something were to happen at the plant), Zakharova said on the Telegram messaging app. Vilnius is some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the nuclear plant, Europe's largest. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of planning to attack the plant, which is located on Russian-held territory in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, near the front line of Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has for days warned of the grave threat at the facility, most recently saying Russian forces had mined the roof of several reactors. The International Atomic Energy Agency experts based at the plant that they had yet to observe any indications of mines or explosives at the plant, but they also needed more access to be sure.

UN warns Sudan faces 'full-scale civil war' as air raid kills 22
Agence France Presse/July 9, 2023
Conflict-torn Sudan is on the brink of a "full-scale civil war" that could destabilize the entire region, the United Nations warned Sunday, after an air strike on a residential area killed around two dozen civilians. The Ministry of Health reported "22 dead and a large number of wounded among the civilians" from the strike on Khartoum's sister city Omdurman, in the district of Dar al-Salam, which means "House of Peace" in Arabic. After nearly three months of war between Sudan's rival generals, the air strike is the latest incident to provoke outrage. Around 3,000 people have been killed in the conflict, survivors have reported a wave of sexual violence and witnesses have spoken of ethnically targeted killings. There has been widespread looting, and the U.N. warned of possible crimes against humanity in the Darfur region. A video posted by the health ministry on Facebook showed apparently lifeless bodies after the airstrike, including several women. The narrator says that residents "counted 22 dead." The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), fighting the regular army, claimed that the strike killed 31. Since the war began, paramilitaries have established bases in residential areas, and they have been accused of forcing civilians from their homes. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday condemned the air strike in Omdurman, which he said "reportedly killed at least 22 people" and wounded dozens, his deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement. Guterres "remains deeply concerned that the ongoing war between the armed forces has pushed Sudan to the brink of a full-scale civil war, potentially destabilising the entire region," Haq said. He added: "There is an utter disregard for humanitarian and human rights law that is dangerous and disturbing." Nearly three million people have been uprooted by Sudan's fighting, among them almost 700,000 who have fled to neighbouring countries according to the International Organization for Migration. The U.N. and African blocs have warned of an "ethnic dimension" to the conflict in the western region of Darfur, where the United States, Norway and Britain have blamed the RSF and allied militia for most of the widespread violations. Haq expressed support for efforts by the African Union and East African bloc IGAD to end Sudan's crisis. On Monday leaders of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan -- IGAD members handling the Sudan file -- are to meet in Addis Ababa. Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo have been invited but neither side has confirmed they will attend. Numerous ceasefires in the war have been announced and ignored.

Yellen says visit helps put US-China ties on 'surer footing'
Agence France Presse/July 9, 2023
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that her talks with top Chinese officials have helped put ties on "surer footing", as she wrapped up a trip aimed at stabilising fraught relations between the two biggest economies. During her four-day trip -- which came on the heels of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit -- Yellen stressed the need for healthy economic competition and improved communication, and urged cooperation on the "existential threat" posed by climate change. "We believe that the world is big enough for both of our countries to thrive," she told journalists at the US embassy in Beijing on Sunday. "Both nations have an obligation to responsibly manage this relationship: to find a way to live together and share in global prosperity," she added. While it did not produce specific breakthroughs, Yellen's trip furthers a push by President Joe Biden's administration to steady ties with China. Beijing's official Xinhua news agency said Saturday that Yellen's meeting with Vice Premier He Lifeng yielded an agreement to "strengthen communication and cooperation on addressing global challenges". Both sides also agreed to continue exchanges, the readout added. Yellen said Sunday that while there are "significant disagreements" between the countries, her talks had been "direct, substantive, and productive." "My bilateral meetings –- which totalled about 10 hours over two days –- served as a step forward in our effort to put the US-China relationship on surer footing," she said.
"I feel confident that we will have more frequent and regular communication."
Sources of tension
Topping the laundry list of disagreements are Washington's trade curbs, which it says are crucial to safeguard national security.On Sunday, Yellen said she had stressed that Washington's measures "are not used by us to gain economic advantage.""These actions are motivated by straightforward national security considerations," she said. And with the U.S. mulling fresh curbs that could more strictly regulate American outbound investment to China, Yellen said any new moves would be implemented in "a transparent way." "I emphasized that it would be highly targeted and clearly directed narrowly at a few sectors where we have specific national security concerns," she said. "I want to allay their fears that we would do something that would have broad-based impacts on the Chinese economy. "That's not the case, that's not the intention." She also said she had raised "serious concerns" over "unfair economic practices" by Beijing. She cited barriers to foreign firms entering the Chinese market as well as issues around the protection of intellectual property. "I also expressed my worries about a recent uptick in coercive actions against American firms," she said, referring to a recent national security crackdown against U.S. firms in China. During a roundtable of experts on Saturday, Yellen also stressed the "critical" need for the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases to collaborate on climate financing. "The United States and China must work together to address this existential threat," she said.
'Messaging' a key goal
Looking ahead, "any concrete key breakthroughs and major deliverables presumably will be reserved for the two top leaders to announce," said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Washington-based Stimson Center. "The two sides have not had this level of communications and consultations for a number of years," she told AFP. Last month, Biden voiced confidence in meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping soon. Lindsay Gorman, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, added: "I think one underappreciated audience is really U.S. allies and partners, both in the region and globally." "The main goal for this trip is really a messaging goal," she told AFP. Among the aims are communicating how Washington considers its economic relationship with China, and dispelling the notion that it might embrace "pure zero-sum competition" -- while signaling it targets a fairer playing field. Overall, China's response towards Yellen's visit appears "more enthusiastic" than Blinken's trip, as he is considered more hawkish, said Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University. "Yellen is seen as a professional in the eyes of the Chinese, and her attitude towards China-U.S. economic and trade relations is relatively rational," said Wu. Taylor Fravel, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told AFP: "I don't think a single visit or interaction alone can achieve the goal of stabilizing relations." But Yellen's visit and remarks convey support for continued U.S.-China economic cooperation, "despite the political frictions in the relationship and competitive actions around limiting China's access to certain technologies such as semiconductors."

Libya Says Rome Lifts Civil Aviation Ban in Italian Airspace
Reuters/9 Jul 2023
Italy has lifted a 10-year-long ban on Libyan civil aviation using Italian airspace, with flights due to resume from September, the Libyan government said on Sunday. There are currently few airlines operating flights in and out of Libya, a country that has suffered more than a decade of chaos and conflict since Muammar Gaddafi's downfall in 2011. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni informed her Libyan counterpart Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah of the decision on Sunday, the Libyan government said in a statement. The decision was announced after a meeting between Libyan and Italian officials and after technical teams from both sides had discussed the results of a field visit in May related "to checking safety procedures at Libyan airports", it said. Flights out of Libya have long been limited to destinations such as Tunisia, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt and Sudan, with the European Union banning Libyan civil aviation from its airspace. Libyan and Italian authorities agreed that flights would be operated by one carrier from each country, the statement said.

Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 09-10/2023
Any Deal with Iran Requires Congressional Approval
Richard Kemp/Gatestone Institute./July 9, 2023
When President Joe Biden entered the White House... he eased off on sanctions and made it blatantly obvious he would do almost anything for a deal with Iran.
The consequence has been uranium enrichment from 5% to 60%, and with some material up to 84%, according to IAEA suspicions — verging on the levels needed for a bomb.
Biden was so fixated on gaining a deal that he allowed Moscow to take the lead on international negotiations, and his plans even envisaged Russia getting control of Iran's highly enriched uranium. All of this as Putin has been threatening the West with his own nuclear weapons and savaging Ukraine while US taxpayers spend billions of dollars to counter him.
In return for virtually nothing, Tehran would get an initial $20 billion release of frozen assets with perhaps hundreds of billions more to follow, plus US undertakings not to add further sanctions or pursue resolutions against Iran in the UN Security Council or the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
This freeze-for-unfreeze deal makes no sense on any level, especially with Iran, a country that has a track record of breaching the terms of the JCPOA not to mention its documented violations of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which it signed.
With Iran's long history of violence across the region and around the world, the administration can't point to any signs of a reformed, more peacefully-inclined regime that might provide some rationale for thinking it can be dealt with like a civilised country.
The list really does go on and on. It is proof positive of Iran's continued violent intent which will be enabled and fuelled by the huge cash injection Biden is proposing. Some of this money will also of course be funnelled into Iran's nuclear weapons programme.
Biden will also be peering down the barrel of further policy failure if Ukraine cannot prevail against Russian military might despite enormous quantities of US aid. He knows that if Kyiv cannot prevail, some of the responsibility for that will lie at his own door, given his drip-feeding of weaponry when a deluge was not only necessary but also possible. It will represent another defeat for the US and NATO on his watch.
Add to all that Biden's misjudgement in the Middle East: not only his appeasement of Iran but also his petulant and insulting treatment of Saudi Arabia, which opened the door to the Chinese Communist Party becoming a major regional power broker.
Israel, above all nations, cannot afford for Iran to become a nuclear-armed state. It is Tehran's number-one target. Jerusalem cannot take any chances with a regime that has repeatedly stated its intention to wipe Israel off the face of the earth and is developing the means to do so.
What is clear is that Biden has no more intention of standing by his repeated undertakings to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran than Obama had. Like his Democratic Party predecessor, Biden has rolled over to the inevitability of Tehran getting the bomb and is opting for a policy of containment based largely on appeasing the ayatollahs, camouflaged by a nuclear agreement. It amounts to nothing less than capitulation to Iranian blackmail.
Despite all the rumours and leaks, and even public murmurings of assent from Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Biden Administration maintains that a formal treaty is not on the table. This putative disclaimer strongly suggests the plan is reportedly to come to an informal agreement with Iran that would not require Congressional validation: nothing in writing, and perhaps calling the agreement something like a "meeting of the minds" or whatever.
Unfortunately for the Biden Administration, the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA) of 2015 was enacted by Congress, with strong bipartisan support, precisely to avoid such a sleight-of-hand.
"INARA was enacted with strong bipartisan support to ensure Congressional oversight of U.S. policy regarding Iran's nuclear program.... This definition makes clear that any arrangement or understanding with Iran, even informal, requires submission to Congress." — US Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in a letter to US President Joe Biden, June 15, 2023. [Emphasis added.]
Congress should not tolerate being circumvented, with its constitutional powers cynically usurped in this way.
It is not only Israel that is threatened by another nuclear-armed terrorist dictatorship, but the entire region and the world.
It is clear is that President Biden has no more intention of standing by his repeated undertakings to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran than Obama had. Biden has rolled over to the inevitability of Tehran getting the bomb and is opting for a policy of containment based largely on appeasing the ayatollahs, camouflaged by a nuclear agreement. (Image source: iStock)
Iran is pretty much a nuclear threshold state, having enriched enough uranium to build multiple nuclear bombs within a few weeks while hard at work weaponising them in a timeframe that is so far unknown but probably under a year.
Much of this came to pass during Joe Biden's presidency. When President Donald Trump pulled out of President Barack Obama's flawed JCPOA nuclear deal, Iran's uranium enrichment was under 5% and Trump kept it there with his "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions. The ayatollahs were also running scared of Trump and didn't want to tempt him to kinetic action, a fear reinforced by his targeted killing of the international terrorist and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leader Qasem Soleimani in 2020.
When Biden entered the White House a year later, he wanted nothing more than to resurrect the JCPOA, as part of his obsessive undoing of everything Trump had done -- except leaving Afghanistan -- along with a determination by him and his Obama-inherited staff to restore their former boss's legacy. Added to which, Biden decided to slavishly return to Obama's wrongheaded strategy of rebalancing power in the Middle East by giving Iran the upper hand. So he eased off on sanctions and made it blatantly obvious he would do almost anything for a deal.
The consequence has been uranium enrichment from 5% to 60%, and with some material up to 84%, according to IAEA suspicions — verging on the levels needed for a bomb.
Biden was so fixated on gaining a deal that he allowed Moscow to take the lead on international negotiations, and his plans even envisaged Russia getting control of Iran's highly enriched uranium. All of this as Putin has been threatening the West with his own nuclear weapons and savaging Ukraine while US taxpayers spend billions of dollars to counter him.
Now Biden is reportedly on the verge of a "mini-deal" or "non-deal," under which Iran agrees to freeze further enrichment, maybe release a few American hostages and condescend to stop attacking US contractors in Syria and Iraq. "Freeze" apparently means not enriching any more uranium above 60%, a short hop to weapons-grade purity. Compare that to the bad JCPOA deal, which constrained enrichment to 3.67%.
In return for virtually nothing, Tehran would get an initial $20 billion release of frozen assets with perhaps hundreds of billions more to follow, plus US undertakings not to add further sanctions or pursue resolutions against Iran in the UN Security Council or the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
This freeze-for-unfreeze deal makes no sense on any level, especially with Iran, a country that has a track record of breaching the terms of the JCPOA not to mention its documented violations of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which it signed.
With Iran's long history of violence across the region and around the world, the administration can't point to any signs of a reformed, more peacefully-inclined regime that might provide some rationale for thinking it can be dealt with like a civilised country.
Quite the opposite. As of this writing, Iranian-supplied drones are yet again being launched at the civilian population of Ukraine, making Tehran an accomplice to multiple war crimes. The ayatollahs continue to supply killer drones to Russia, with specially enhanced lethality, and are working with Moscow on a plant to manufacture them on an even larger scale. A deal to supply ballistic missiles is in the pipeline. All of this breaks the terms of an extant UN Security Council Resolution supporting the JCPOA.
At home the ayatollahs have been ruthlessly suppressing popular protests against human rights abuses and the savage repression of Iranian women. Meanwhile, a few weeks ago Iran's proxy, Islamic Jihad, launched 1,500 missiles, supplied or funded by Tehran, against Israel's civilian population: more war crimes.
Hell-bent on inflicting death and destruction on America's leading Middle East ally, Iran continues to work in Syria on a base of attack against Israel, and has been topping up the many thousands of lethal weapons in Lebanon as well as pushing its Hizballah proxy to provocations on the ground. In Judea and Samaria, Iranian agents have been stirring up violence, supplying weapons and funds and inciting young Arabs to carry out terrorist attacks against Israelis.
The list really does go on and on. It is proof positive of Iran's continued violent intent which will be enabled and fuelled by the huge cash injection Biden is proposing. Some of this money will also of course be funnelled into Iran's nuclear weapons programme.
Any sane person would ask: what is this all about? First, Biden is desperate for something that can be sold to the American people as a foreign policy win before the elections next year. He certainly needs one, having humiliated the US and NATO with his catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan. That show of abject weakness was a key factor in emboldening Russian President Vladimir Putin to launch his full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.
Biden will also be peering down the barrel of further policy failure if Ukraine cannot prevail against Russian military might despite enormous quantities of US aid. He knows that if Kyiv cannot prevail, some of the responsibility for that will lie at his own door, given his drip-feeding of weaponry when a deluge was not only necessary but also possible. It will represent another defeat for the US and NATO on his watch.
Add to all that Biden's misjudgement in the Middle East: not only his appeasement of Iran but also his petulant and insulting treatment of Saudi Arabia, which opened the door to the Chinese Communist Party becoming a major regional power broker.
That is part of the story. The other part is Biden's desire to shackle Israeli action against Iran's nuclear programme. Jerusalem has set it back by perhaps ten years with a highly effective campaign of cyberwar, sabotage and, reportedly, targeted killings of nuclear scientists. Israel, above all nations, cannot afford for Iran to become a nuclear-armed state. It is Tehran's number-one target. Jerusalem cannot take any chances with a regime that has repeatedly stated its intention to wipe Israel off the face of the earth and is developing the means to do so.
Biden fears that when it comes to the crunch, Israel will launch a major strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. His putative new deal is intended to complicate Jerusalem's decision-making, including calculations on the likely geopolitical consequences. Much the same as Obama's thinking with the JCPOA.
What is clear is that Biden has no more intention of standing by his repeated undertakings to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran than Obama had. Like his Democratic Party predecessor, Biden has rolled over to the inevitability of Tehran getting the bomb and is opting for a policy of containment based largely on appeasing the ayatollahs, camouflaged by a nuclear agreement. It amounts to nothing less than capitulation to Iranian blackmail.
Despite all the rumours and leaks, and even public murmurings of assent from Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Biden Administration maintains that a formal treaty is not on the table. This putative disclaimer strongly suggests the plan is reportedly to come to an informal agreement with Iran that would not require Congressional validation: nothing in writing, and perhaps calling the agreement something like a "meeting of the minds" or whatever.
Unfortunately for the Biden Administration, the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA) of 2015 was enacted by Congress, with strong bipartisan support, precisely to avoid such a sleight-of-hand.
US Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote in a letter to Biden on June 15, 2023:
"INARA was enacted with strong bipartisan support to ensure Congressional oversight of U.S. policy regarding Iran's nuclear program.... This definition makes clear that any arrangement or understanding with Iran, even informal, requires submission to Congress... I urge the Administration to remember that U.S. law requires that any agreement, arrangement, or understanding with Iran needs to be submitted to Congress pursuant to INARA."
[Emphasis added.]
Congress should not tolerate being circumvented, with its constitutional powers cynically usurped in this way. It is time for those Congressmen on both sides of the political divide, who vowed not to let Tehran acquire nuclear weapons, to show up and stand up. They should do all they can to force Biden's hand and push hard for UN snapback sanctions against Iran under the terms of the JCPOA.
Aside from the untold destructive potential, consider the extent to which Western leaders have been cowed by Putin's nuclear sabre-rattling. It is not only Israel that is threatened by another nuclear-armed terrorist dictatorship, but the entire region and the world.
**Colonel Richard Kemp is a former British Army Commander. He was also head of the international terrorism team in the U.K. Cabinet Office and is now a writer and speaker on international and military affairs. He is a Shillman Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

French Malaise Strikes Again
Amir Taheri/ Asharq Al-Awsat/July 09, 2023
These riots did start with the killing of a 17-year boy of Algerian ancestry by the police. But the killing was not racially motivated and, as protesters made clear, what was at issue was police brutality rather than racial hatred... [T]he root cause of the anger that provoked the riots was a deep dissatisfaction with the way the country is governed.
What has happened in France in the past five or six decades is a major change in the balance of power between the state and society. French society today is far better educated, self-confident, better informed and more enterprising than the French state, which has become costlier, less efficient and more arrogant.
The suburbs that burned are precisely the ones that the French state has invested more than 30 billion euros in "improving" over the past 20 years. The result has been the creation of a whole generation of "assisted" people whose ethnic and/or religious backgrounds are treated as heirlooms to justify government handout in various guises.
But just as man can't live on bread alone, he won't be grateful and obedient by handouts alone.
Judging by France's recent history, the month of June should be a quiet moment when people prepare for summer holidays in exotic places. Protest marches, riots and even revolutions usually take place in the spring, with May being the hottest month for political gesticulations. The baccalaureate exams are over, the annual bonuses are paid and the fruit-picking is over. Thus, the riots of the past two weeks that produced mayhem in Parisian suburbs and a dozen other places across France came like bolt out of the blue.
"Race riots shake France," was one headline in British newspapers. "Muslim youths on the rampage in Paris suburbs!" was how a German newspaper's shorthand account of the events that saw the burning of over 100 public buildings, including city halls and schools, the torching of scores of buses and trams, and hundreds of cars, the looting of countless shops, and, more dramatically, the ransacking of Bibliotheque Alcazar, Marseille's iconic public library.
So, what is going on? What we witnessed was certainly not a race riot. In fact, though France has its own share of bigots, as a nation it's the least racist of all European nations. It had black African and Arab Muslim members of parliament and even Cabinet ministers at least half a century before the US allowed its "visible minority" a side-chair in places of political power. For decades, France was a refuge for black American writers, musicians, human rights activists and "ordinary" citizens unhappy about racial discrimination.
These riots did start with the killing of a 17-year boy of Algerian ancestry by the police. But the killing was not racially motivated and, as protesters made clear, what was at issue was police brutality rather than racial hatred. The victim, Nahel Merzouk was of Muslim background and some of the rioters who went on the rampage did mouth militant slogans. But the root cause of the anger that provoked the riots was a deep dissatisfaction with the way the country is governed.
The riots came as an unexpected prolongation of months of protests against President Emmanuel Macron's decision to increase the legal retirement age from 62 to 64 years. Interestingly, even some opponents of the change agree that the reform was necessary to shield the national pension fund from bankruptcy.
What caused deep anger was the fact that the measure, having failed to secure a majority in the National Assembly, was pushed through an extra-parliamentary device meant for use in highly exceptional cases.
France has never fully reconciled itself with representative democracy, always running its political life in two separate spaces, the parliament and the street. It has never managed to create political parties with a lifespan long enough to change the nation's political culture in favor of institutionalized politics. Between the parliament and the street where barricades can be erected the French also dream of a providential man -- someone like Napoleon Bonaparte, Boulanger, Gambetta or Charles De Gaulle to transcend the two spaces.
As the state machinery has grown to a gargantuan size, it has suffered a degree of desacralization that has turned it into an unfriendly, if not actually hostile, presence in the eyes of many French. And, yet, because the state controls more than 57 percent of gross domestic product, more than Poland and Hungry did even in the Communist era, it is seen as a pickpocket that could also put some money in your pocket if and when you know how to persuade or force it.
A costly beast, the French state is built on five levels, communal, departmental, regional, central and European. With the ever-speedier changes in information, knowledge and technology, the beast is often behind events in real life. Until not long ago, it even had a Ministry of The Plan to establish Soviet-style five-year plans that would become outdated before they were even published. Thinking it knows best, recently the state decided to distribute billions of euros to farmers to prepare for the latest fashionable "national concern", climate change. The bureaucrats sent to distribute the money quickly found out that the farmers were already coping with the problem in a wide variety of often ingenious stratagems without waiting for Olympian deities to become generous.
Almost half a century ago, the best-seller "The French Malaise" by Alain Peyrfitte spoke of a democratic deficit in the French system.
A Gaullist baron, Peyrfitte put the blame on the citizens who, being rebellious by tradition, disobeyed their democratically elected masters, making it difficult to implement necessary reforms or keep good leaders, such as General De Gaulle, in power. Democracy, he argued could not solve problems in the manner an instant coffee is made and served. The French leader needs time to do the great things he is destined to do for the nation. But time is precisely what the citizens don't or cannot give the leader.
The same analysis has produced rumors about Macron looking for a way to seek a third term as president, something forbidden by the law. That, of course, could be done through a constitutional referendum and shady political deals.
However, the malaise that France suffers from is unlikely to be cured by such shenanigans. What has happened in France in the past five or six decades is a major change in the balance of power between the state and society. French society today is far better educated, self-confident, better informed and more enterprising than the French state, which has become costlier, less efficient and more arrogant.
The "cold monster", as the French call the state, has lost its monopoly on information and seems unable to create new interfaces with society. Its old strategy of pouring money at problems, as shown by the latest "disturbances," has proven ineffective.
The suburbs that burned are precisely the ones that the French state has invested more than 30 billion euros in "improving" over the past 20 years. The result has been the creation of a whole generation of "assisted" people whose ethnic and/or religious backgrounds are treated as heirlooms to justify government handout in various guises. But just as man can't live on bread alone, he won't be grateful and obedient by handouts alone.

Israel, Saudi normalization a long way off, Biden says
Steve Holland and Doina Chiacu/Reuters/July 09/2023
Israel and Saudi Arabia are a long way from a normalization agreement that would involve a defense treaty and a civilian nuclear program from the United States, U.S. President Joe Biden said in a CNN interview broadcast on Sunday. U.S. officials have been negotiating in a bid to reach an elusive normalization deal between the two countries. "We're a long way from there. We got a lot to talk about," Biden said in an interview with "Fareed Zakaria's GPS." Israel's energy minister expressed opposition last month to the idea of Saudi Arabia developing a civilian nuclear program as part of any U.S.-mediated forging of relations between the countries. Biden pointed to Saudi Arabia's decision on the eve of his visit to the kingdom last summer to open its airspace to all air carriers, paving the way for more overflights to and from Israel. The U.S. president also noted efforts toward a permanent ceasefire in Yemen, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and has widely been seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. "So, we're making progress in the region. And it depends upon the conduct and what is asked of us for them to recognize Israel," Biden said in the interview. "Quite frankly, I don't think they have much of a problem with Israel. And whether or not we would provide a means by which they could have civilian nuclear power and/or be a guarantor of their security, that's - I think that's a little way off." Israel has said it expected to be consulted by Washington on a U.S.-Saudi deal affecting its national security. Israel, which is outside the voluntary Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and has no nuclear energy, is widely believed to have atomic weaponry.Pointing to precedents like Iraq and Libya, Israel has long worried that potentially hostile neighbors could use civilian nuclear energy and other projects developed under the 1970 NPT as cover for clandestine bombmaking. Public fury grew in the Arab world last week after one of Israel's biggest military operations in the occupied West Bank in years, a raid in a Jenin refugee camp, a Palestinian militant stronghold.
Saudia Arabia on Tuesday joined other Arab League nations in condemning the raid, which killed 12 Palestinians. Even before the latest violence, Riyadh said normalization is not possible until Palestinian statehood goals have been addressed. Israel’s religious-nationalist government has acknowledged setbacks in the normalization efforts amid Saudi censure of its policies toward the Palestinians. Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen sounded a hopeful note on Sunday about the rare participation of an Israeli delegation at a Riyadh-hosted soccer video-gaming tournament over the weekend.
"Ultimately we want to reach a state of full relations - meaning cooperation on economic matters, intelligence, tourism, flights, et cetera - and I reckon this will happen sooner or later," he told Israel’s Army Radio. The Israel Football Association, which is managing the delegation at the FIFAe World Cup Riyadh 2023, said its participation was enabled by Riyadh’s agreement to admit all comers - not any arrangement between the Saudi and Israeli governments.

Why This Week’s NATO Summit Will Be a Watershed Moment
Raghida Dergham/The National/July 09/2023
The upcoming NATO summit, scheduled to take place next week in Lithuania, will be a watershed moment, pivoting from theoretical confrontation strategies and scenarios to the harsh reality of an actual war with Russia that threatens to bring the conflict to the heart of Europe. The war in Ukraine has presented operational challenges for NATO member states, compelling the military alliance to demonstrate effectiveness and address new challenges and risks that extend to the Baltic countries and Poland, including the issue of nuclear reactors threatened by conflict. Yet amidst this radical shift in the European equation of war, neither Russia nor NATO countries appear to be in a state of panic, despite the nuclear risks. Instead, practical preparations are being made by the actors to reinvent themselves rather than relying solely on theoretical approaches that were prevalent until now.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, guided by realpolitik, delivered a pragmatic message just days before the July 11th and 12th summit. He said Sweden would not be able to accede to the alliance during the summit due to Turkey's continued opposition but added: "Hopefully we can find common ground to make a positive decision on the completion of Swedish accession into NATO” and stressed that more needs to be done to achieve this “possible” outcome.
Stoltenberg cautioned that any delay in Sweden's accession to NATO would be perceived as a favorable development by the Kurdistan Workers' Party and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Turkey is demanding that Sweden extradite approximately 120 individuals associated or are sympathizers with the Kurdistan Workers' Party who are currently residing in Sweden. Ankara also accuses Stockholm of harboring figures allegedly involved in the attempted coup in 2016. Yet negotiations between Ankara and Stockholm are ongoing. Moreover, NATO’s leadership, the US administration, and European leaders appear to have prioritized giving the negotiations a chance instead of adopting a confrontational approach with Turkey and threatening consequences if Sweden's accession is further obstructed.
NATO countries are closely monitoring the relationship between Russian President and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was re-elected after a highly contested election, when it was evident the US and Europe were not keen on his victory. NATO leaders are concerned about Erdogan's unpredictable nature and his resentful attitude towards the European Union, given the obstacles to Turkey's accession bid. However, the statements made by the NATO Secretary-General indicate that the alliance's leadership has reached the conclusion that confrontation and estrangement with Turkey are unwise for two significant reasons.
Firstly, Sweden has become a d efacto NATO member, even without official recognition. Indeed, Sweden's affiliation with the NATO military umbrella is not a Swedish issue but a European one. Sweden's active participation in NATO's military and technological initiatives has effectively granted them de facto membership status, given the crucial role of the Swedish military-industrial complex in bolstering NATO's military capabilities. Consequently, Sweden's de jure membership serves as a litmus test for Turkey rather than being a practical necessity for the alliance. NATO leaders have made the decision to provide Turkey with a timeline to address its reservations with Sweden's membership, opting to avoid exacerbating European estrangement with Turkey and the potential consequences and repercussions that all parties can currently do without.
Secondly, NATO leaders are not comfortable with the relationship between Putin and Erdogan, which has helped Russia to bypass American and European sanctions and save its economy from collapse. However, at the same time, NATO does not want to completely shut the door on the role that President Erdogan wants to play between Russia and Ukraine, whether within the framework of the almost impossible political mediation or in the context of the agreement to export Ukrainian grains via the Black Sea, which has now expired.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Istanbul on Friday for the first time since the start of the Ukrainian war, focusing on the grain export agreement as well as Ukraine's aspirations for the NATO summit in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. Zelensky launched a charm offensive targeting the capitals of NATO member states, emphasizing the need for tangible steps by NATO leaders towards committing to Kiev's accession to the alliance during the upcoming NATO summit. He said that Ukraine needed a clear signal that it will eventually be allowed into the alliance, not just being told that the door is open for it.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will closely monitor the outcomes of the NATO summit, particularly regarding the steps that could officially cement Ukraine's position within the alliance. This would be final proof of the failure for the ultimatum he issued on December 17, 2021, cautioning NATO against considering Ukrainian membership or expanding its membership. The first blow came when Finland, a country located on the border with Russia, officially joined NATO. Sweden has effectively become a member of NATO, and although Ukraine will not officially become a member soon, it is in practical terms already part of the alliance. This is the result of the ill-conceived ultimatum that led to the Ukrainian war and the decisive confrontation between Russia and the NATO countries.
The turning point for NATO is precisely this: A transition from a cold war to a real war with Russia. War is currently confined to Ukraine, but the three Baltic countries, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, fear that they may be next on Russia's war path. Furthermore, Poland is seriously at risk of falling into war with Russia and Belarus. There is also the possibility of Serbia and Kosovo getting involved in a hot war.
The involvement of NATO countries in direct war with Russia is possible if Russian President Vladimir Putin decides to heed the advice of his military, which wants to change the rules of engagement in the Ukrainian war and adopt a strategy of total war and devastation, instead of what they call the "white glove war." In that case, it is likely that NATO countries will not be content with only providing military supplies through Poland or providing Ukraine with American cluster munitions.
If the existence of the Ukrainian state is threatened, NATO countries will not be able to avoid direct war with Russia. It is clear today that neither the Russian military leadership is prepared to retreat from Ukraine, nor are NATO leaders ready to back down from the Ukrainian war.
In previous summits of the 31-member alliance, before the war with Ukraine, a confrontation with Russia was purely theoretical. During this summit, leaders will scrutinize research papers on how to effectively combat and confront Russia, not just in the Ukrainian arena but also in countries officially belonging to NATO. This means, according to Article 5, that all NATO members would be obligated to defend these countries directly.
Russia will be the focus of the NATO summit, not China. However, the fundamental question is not only about confronting Russia but also about the identity, trajectory, and fate of the NATO alliance. The relationship between the United States and European countries under President Joe Biden has become stronger and deeper, evolving into a new era of military and strategic cooperation with NATO countries.
Wars are lucrative for the military-industrial complex and technological industries, and the Ukrainian war has led to 2% of NATO member countries' GDP being allocated to defence. It is also useful for testing new weapons and for countries to develop their militaries.
The NATO summit this week will have to ponder the aftermath of the Ukrainian war, which goes beyond a new arms race and includes an era of prolonged instability. What will be NATO's responses to these challenges, and how will the NATO institution chart its future? An expansion of the war is not just a theory anymore, because there is no political solution on the horizon with Russia to end the Ukrainian war.
Cornering Russian President will not force him to retreat, as Vladimir Putin does not believe in retreat nor desires it. He may resort to is taking steps championed by Russian military leaders, and that is where the danger lies. NATO leaders are aware that a doomsday scenario is possible, and that they must prepare, including for the horrifying prospect of the destruction of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. Kiev and Moscow have exchanged accusations of preparing "provocations" and "sabotage" there to create a nuclear disaster that would change the course and nature of the Ukrainian war.
Some, out of panic, believe that the shortest path to end the Ukrainian war is a nuclear "incident" that would reshuffle the deck of the war, at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the largest nuclear power station in Europe. The plant is under Russian control since its annexation of the south-eastern territories seized from Ukraine in 2022. Russian Security Council Deputy Dmitry Medvedev frankly stated that any war can be quickly ended either by signing a peace treaty or by using nuclear weapons, as the Americans did in Hiroshima in 1945.
There is no room today for peace treaties between NATO and Russia, as trust has eroded to the point of no return and both sides are engaged in actual confrontation, not just theoretically. Diplomacy has been militarized, with no turning back. What NATO decides in its upcoming summit could therefore be nothing less than a historical turning point.