English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 19/2023
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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15 آذار/2023
Bible Quotations For today
The Healing Miracle of the Paralytic
Saint Mark ( 02/1-12): “The Healing Miracle of the
Paralytic”: “When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard
that he was in the house. Immediately many were gathered together, so that there
was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them. Four
people came, carrying a paralytic to him. When they could not come near to him
for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up,
they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on. Jesus, seeing their
faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” But there were
some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this
man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within
themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts? Which
is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise,
and take up your bed, and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has
authority on earth to forgive sins”— He said to the paralytic— “I tell you,
arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.” He arose, and immediately took
up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and
glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!””
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on March 18-19/2023
St. Joseph’s Day Annual/Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
The Healing Miracle of the Paralyzed Miracle & The Significance Of Praying For
Others/Elias Bejjani/March 19/2023
European team ends questioning of Lebanon Central Bank chief over corruption
charges
Report: KSA still against French-proposed deal after Paris talks
Maronite Patriarchy organizes retreat day for Christian parliament members
NLP confirms response to Al-Rahi's invitation to spiritual retreat
Michel Moussa rules out a close visit to Berri to Saudi Arabia
Further rise in fuel prices
Judge Aoun: Defendant accused of money laundering & forgery enters and exits
freely...a question for the people, Judicial Council & every official
Grillo at the inauguration of the French Institute's new wing in Jounieh: We
remain by your side during this difficult period
Al-Absi, John X, Avram II meet with Hungary's Prime Minister
Makhzoumi from Dar Al-Fatwa: For benefiting internally from the regional
situation to get out of the prevailing crisis
Al-Murtada patronizes a new cultural event within La Francophonie month: Our
culture in Lebanon is one of openness, yet it is rational, balanced and...
Boushkian representing Mikati at the conclusion of 20th Science Competition: We
are on the verge of a new phase, with oil extraction moving Lebanon...
Netanyahu and Nasrallah blindsided by revamp of Iran-Saudi ties & while the two
leaders see the deal as potentially catastrophic, others – who knew of the
Chinese mediation between two Islamic countries – aren’t convinced/Majdi Halabi/The
Media Line/Ynet News/March 18/2023
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 18-19/2023
Rights Groups: Iran Executes 7 Kurds, Including 'Political Prisoner'
EU Resolution Demanding Probe into Poisoning Incidents Angers Iran's Foreign
Ministry
Iran Court Sentences 2 to Death Over Deadly Shrine Attack
Before Xi Visit, Russia Says it Held Naval Drills with China and Iran in Arabian
Sea
Amirabdollahian Denies Differences Over Iran's Foreign Policy
Assad Conditions Meeting Erdogan, ‘If It Serves Syria’s Interest’
Egypt, Türkiye Agree to Normalize Relations
Saddam’s Tribe: Revenge behind Preventing Our Return Home
100 Killed In Israeli-Palestinian Conflict This Year
Trump Says Expects to be Arrested, Calls for Protest
Russia Extends Grain Deal for 60 Days
International court issues war crimes warrant for Putin
US leadership role in Middle East facing deep challenges
Titles For
The Latest
English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on March 18-19/2023
Iran’s Mullahs Mission: Wipe
Out America/Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/March 18/2023
Clarifying the Status of Previous Iran-Saudi Agreements/Faris Almaari/The
Washington Institute/March 18/2023
Iraq 2050: Prosperity, Stability, and Reviving the Baghdad of Innovation and
Culture/Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani/Prime Minister of Iraq/Asharq Al-Awsat/ March,
18/2023
America Is in a Disgraced Class of Its Own/Matthew Desmond/The New York
Times/March, 18/2023
The Saudi-Iran deal is an opportunity to bring stability/Nadim Shehadi/Arab
News/March 18, 2023
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on March 18-19/2023
St. Joseph’s Day Annual
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/73094/elias-bejjani-saint-annual-josephs-day/
The feast day of St. Joseph is celebrated annually
on March 19/Our Bejjani family has proudly carried this name generation after
generation for centuries and still we do. May God and His angles safeguard our
caring and loving son Youssef, and our grandson Joseph, who both carry this
blessed name.
It is worth mentioning that St. Joseph’s Day is a Maronite – Roman Catholic
feast day that commemorates the life of St. Joseph, the step-father of Jesus and
husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
People with very strong religious convictions among which are the Lebanese
Maronites celebrate St. Joseph’s Day on March 19 and believe that this day is
St. Joseph’s birthday too.Back home, in Lebanon St. Joseph is considered the
Family Saint and looked upon as a family and hardworking father role model
because of the great role that Almighty God had assigned him to carry. His duty
was to raise Jesus Christ and take care of Virgin Mary. God has chose him to
look after His begotten son and Virgin Marry. He fulfilled his Godly assignment
with love, passion and devotion.
May Al Mighty God bless all those that carry this name.
The Healing Miracle of the Paralyzed Miracle & The Significance Of
Praying For Others
Elias Bejjani/March 19/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/73457/elias-bejjani-praying-for-others-and-the-healing-miracle-of-the-paralyzed-miracle/
On the fifth Lenten Sunday the Catholic Maronites cite and recall with great
reverence the Gospel of Saint Mark ( 02/1-12): “The Healing Miracle of the
Paralytic”
This great miracle in its theological essence and core demonstrates beyond doubt
that intercessions, prayers and supplications for the benefit of others are
acceptable faith rituals that Almighty God attentively hears and definitely
answers. It is interesting to learn that the paralytic man as stated in the
Gospel of St. Mark, didn’t personally call on Jesus to cure him, nor he asked
Him for forgiveness, mercy or help, although as many theologians believe Jesus
used to visit Capernaum, where the man lives, and preach in its Synagogue
frequently. Apparently this crippled man was lacking faith, hope, distancing
himself from God and total ignoring the Gospel’s teaching. He did not believe
that the Lord can cure him.
What also makes this miracle remarkable and distinguishable lies in the fact
that the paralytic’s relatives and friends, or perhaps some of Jesus’ disciples
were adamant that the Lord is able to heal this sick man who has been totally
crippled for 38 years if He just touches him. This strong faith and hope made
four of them carry the paralytic on his mat and rush to the house where Jesus
was preaching. When they could not break through the crowd to inter the house
they climbed with the paralytic to the roof, made a hole in it and let down the
mat that the paralytic was lying on in front of Jesus and begged for his cure.
Jesus was taken by their strong faith and fulfilled their request. Jesus forgave
the paralytic his sins first (“Son, your sins are forgiven), and after that
cured his body: “Arise, and take up your bed, and walk”.
Like the scribes many nowadays still question the reason and rationale that made
Jesus give priority to the man’s sins. Jesus’ wisdom illustrates that sin is the
actual death and the cause for eternal anguish in Hell. He absolved his sins
first because sin cripples those who fall in its traps, annihilates their hopes,
faith, morals and values, kills their human feelings, inflicts numbness on their
consciences and keeps them far away from Almighty God.
Jesus wanted to save the man’s soul before He cures his earthy body. “For what
does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?” (Mark
08:/36 & 37).
Our Gracious God does not disappoint any person when he seek His help with faith
and confidence. With great interest and parental love, He listens to worshipers’
prayers and requests and definitely respond to them in His own way, wisdom, time
and manner.
“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be
opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who
knocks it will be opened”. (Matthew 07/07 &08)
Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises.
Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them
pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of
faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up”. (James 05:15)
In this loving and forgiving context, prayers for others, alive or dead, loved
ones or enemies, relatives or strangers, are religiously desirable. God hears
and responds because He never abandons His children no matter what they do or
say, provided that they turn to Him with faith and repentance and ask for His
mercy and forgiveness either for themselves or for others. “ There are numerous
biblical parables and miracles in which Almighty God shows clearly that He
accepts and responds to prayers for the sake of others.
Jesus cured the centurion’s servant on the request of the Centurion and not the
servant himself. (Matthew 08/05-33 )
Jesus revived and brought back to life Lazarus on the request of his sisters
Mary and Martha. (John 11/01-44)
Praying for others whether they are parents, relatives, strangers,
acquaintances, enemies, or friends, and for countries, is an act that exhibits
the faith, caring, love, and hope of those who offer the prayers. Almighty God,
Who is a loving, forgiving, passionate, and merciful Father listens to these
prayers and always answers them in His own wisdom and mercy that mostly we are
unable to grasp because of our limited human understanding.
“All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew
21/22)
Almighty God is always waiting for us, we, His Children to come to Him and ask
for His help and mercy either for ourselves or for others. He never leaves us
alone. Meanwhile it is a Godly faith obligation to extend our hand and pull up
those who are falling and unable to pray for themselves especially the mentally
sick, the unconscious, and the paralyzed. In this realm of faith, love and care
for others comes our prayers to Virgin Mary and to all Saints whom we do not
worship, but ask for their intercessions and blessings.
O, Lord, endow us with graces of faith, hope, wisdom, and patience.
Help us to be loving, caring, humble and meek. Show us the just paths.
Help us to be on your right with the righteous on the Judgment Day.
God sees and hears us all the time, let us all fear Him in all what we think, do
and say.
European team ends questioning of Lebanon
Central Bank chief over corruption charges
Bassem Mroue/The Arab Weekly/March 18/2023
Judge Helena Iskandar, who is representing the Lebanese state in the European
questioning, charged Salmeh on Wednesday with corruption.
A European legal team on Friday wrapped up two days of questioning of Lebanon’s
Central Bank chief in Beirut in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor,
officials said. Several European countries are investigating bank governor Riad
Salameh, who in recent years has been charged with corruption-related crimes, in
a case of money laundering of some $330 million. Salameh, 72, has been the head
of Lebanon’s Central Bank since 1993. He was questioned for two hours on Friday
and six hours the day before, according to Lebanese judicial officials. The
European delegation — with representatives from France, Germany, and Luxembourg
— questioned Salameh through a Lebanese judge, acting as a go-between. Under
Lebanese laws, the representatives cannot directly question Salameh. On
Thursday, Salameh was questioned about an apartment in Paris rented by Lebanon's
Central Bank and Forry Associates Ltd, a brokerage firm owned by Salameh's
brother, Raja Salameh, the officials told The Associated Press, speaking on
condition of anonymity to discuss the probe proceedings. The questions mostly
focused on the Central Bank, its assets and investments outside Lebanon, the
officials added.
Salameh issued a statement later saying he responded to the questions out of
respect to the law, adding that he was not questioned "as a suspect or accused.”
He also denounced what he described as “bad intentions” against him. “Nations
are not built on lies,” said Salameh, who has repeatedly denied corruption
charges. The European team set April 15 to start questioning Salameh's brother
and an associate, Marianne Hoayek, the officials also said. Judge Helena
Iskandar, who is representing the Lebanese state in the European questioning,
charged on Wednesday Salameh, his brother and Hoayek with corruption.
In addition to the European probe, there are other legal proceedings against
Salameh underway in Lebanon. In late February, Beirut’s public prosecutor, Raja
Hamoush, charged the same three suspects with corruption, including embezzling
public funds, forgery, illicit enrichment, money-laundering and violation of tax
laws. Lebanon is grappling with the worst economic and financial crisis in its
modern history. The economic meltdown that began in late 2019 is rooted in
decades of corruption and mismanagement by the country’s political class. More
than 75% of the tiny nation’s population of 6 million has been plunged into
poverty. Salameh was once hailed as the guardian of Lebanon’s financial
stability, but many in the country now hold him responsible for the crisis,
citing policies that drove up national debt. He still enjoys backing from the
country’s top politicians, however. His term ends in July and he has told local
media that he would like to step down from his post instead of pursuing another
term.
Report: KSA still against French-proposed deal after Paris talks
Naharnet/March 18/2023
No joint statement was issued after the French-Saudi meeting on Lebanon that was
held Friday in Paris, but leaks about the general vision of the two parties
regarding the presidential crisis have emerged, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on
Saturday. “The French are trying to benefit from the Saudi-Iranian agreement to
pass the settlement that they had previously proposed, but the Saudi stance is
still negative,” the daily said. Saudi Arabia is “still rejecting the principle
of bargaining between the presidency and the premiership and the possibility of
the election as presidency of Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh,” al-Akhbar
added. “Prior to its departure to Paris, the Riyadh delegation had returned to
raising specific standards and specifications and to talking about reforms,” the
newspaper quoted informed sources as saying.
Maronite Patriarchy organizes retreat day for
Christian parliament members
LBCINNA/March 18/2023
The Maronite Patriarchy has announced plans to host a retreat day for Christian
parliament members from various political factions. The retreat, scheduled for
April 5, 2023, aims to bring together prominent Christian political figures for
a day of reflection and dialogue.
The invitation, issued by Cardinal Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, in
consultation with other religious leaders, emphasizes the importance of unity
and understanding among Christian parliament members. The event will be held at
the Beit Anya-Harissa retreat center, situated near the revered Our Lady of
Lebanon shrine.
The day-long retreat is set to commence at 9 a.m. with a joint reflection,
followed by a series of activities focused on fostering dialogue and promoting
mutual respect among participants. The retreat will conclude after lunch at the
Beit Anya residence, with the administration extending hospitality to all
attendees.
Organizers have requested participants to reserve the date and join the retreat
day dedicated to promoting cooperation and understanding among Christian
parliament members in Lebanon. The detailed program for the event will be sent
to all invited attendees in due course. The Maronite Patriarchy's initiative to
bring together Christian parliament members for this retreat signifies the
importance of unity and collective efforts for the well-being and future of
Lebanon. --- LBCI
NLP confirms response to Al-Rahi's invitation to spiritual
retreat
NNA/March 18/2023
The National Liberal Party welcomed, in a statement on Saturday, "the initiative
launched by the Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, to invite
Christian deputies to a spiritual retreat and prayer to address the issue of the
presidential elections," affirming its acceptance of the invitation. It is to
note that during his recent visit to Bkirki, the NLP Chief, former MP Dori
Chamoun, called on the Patriarch to invite the Christian deputies, especially
the Maronites, to Bkirki to push them to assume their responsibilities.
Michel Moussa rules out a close visit to Berri to Saudi
Arabia
NNA/March 18/2023
MP Michel Moussa confirmed that there is no upcoming visit by Parliament Speaker
Nabih Berri to Saudi Arabia."Berri has not yet been invited to visit Saudi
Arabia, but he is open to any invitation and seeks consensus in the region," MP
Moussa indicated this morning. “The election of a president must be expedited,
and the nomination of Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency is a serious matter,
but it requires consensus from the parties through a serious dialogue that leads
to ending the war," the lawmaker pointed out during an interview to "Voice of
all Lebanon" this morning.
"Everyone was complaining about the presence of external interference, but today
we are facing the Saudi-Iranian agreement, which at least removes the argument
that foreign countries are obstructing the presence of a president for Lebanon,"
the MP added.
"The Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh, is trying to say that he is not the
only one responsible for what is happening in the country," he concluded.
Further rise in fuel prices
NNA/March 18/2023
The price of 95-octane gasoline increased by 27 thousand pounds on Saturday,
while the 98-octane gasoline increased by 28 thousand pounds, and diesel fuel by
25 thousand pounds.
Accordingly, the prices are now as follows:
- Gasoline 95: LBP 1,990,000
- Gasoline 98: LBP 2,038,000
- Diesel: LBP 1,881,000
Judge Aoun: Defendant accused of money laundering & forgery
enters and exits freely...a question for the people, Judicial Council & every
official
NNA/March 18/2023
Public Prosecutor in Mount Lebanon, Judge Ghada Aoun, tweeted today: “A
defendant abroad and in Lebanon, under money laundering charges and a felony of
forgery in the bank’s budgets...The Lebanese state sued him and asked for his
arrest....He enters and leaves freely with security protection, while no one
questions? An inquiry at the disposal of the people, the Judicial Council and
every official. Let us know if the law applies to all people or not...while
noting that there is an open subpoena issued against him by the Appeal Public
Prosecution in Mount Lebanon. Why was it not implemented?"
Grillo at the inauguration of the French
Institute's new wing in Jounieh: We remain by your side during this difficult
period
NNA/March 18/2023
Marking the month of La Francophonie, French Ambassador to Lebanon, Anne Grillo,
inaugurated on Saturday the new wing of the French Institute in Lebanon at the
Institute's headquarters in Jounieh. Alongside the French Ambassador, the
openining ceremony was attended by President of the Federation of Keserwan Al-Ftouh
Municipalities, Joan Hobeish, and President of the Apostles Institute, Father
Moueen Saba, in addition to various cultural and educational figures. In her
word on the occasion, Ambassador Grillo spoke about the importance of the
Francophonie, "which represents the values of brotherhood and participation,"
indicating that there are 9 centers of the French Institute distributed across
Lebanese territories, from Tripoli to Sidon, Tyre, Nabatiyeh, Deir al-Qamar,
Baalbek and far-reaching Zahle. She affirmed France's commitment to Lebanon and
its keenness on this presence, "because Lebanon is diversified and I want to be
closer to the Lebanese," she said. Grillo hoped that there would be a new
partnership in all regions, from Keserwan to Metn and Jbeil, "because even
within one region there are peculiarities and this is what makes Lebanon a
beautiful country, for you are not alike....Sometimes it is difficult when you
try to unite everyone, but your lack of similarity is the wealth of this
country," she asserted. Grillo also spoke about the possibility of cooperation
between mayors in France and Lebanon through various projects, and stressed that
"Lebanese men and women are not alone, we are here to stay by your side in this
difficult period.""I believe that you should look to the future, and demonstrate
confidence, courage and the talent that you have," Grillo concluded, addressing
the attendees
FPM: Positions attributed to parties or activists who have
no official status do not represent us
NNA/March 18/2023
The Free Patriotic Movement affirmed today via Twitter that "its positions are
expressed only through officials in their formal capacity, as well as official
statements and communication channels affiliated with the movement." "As for the
stances attributed to sides or activists who have no organizational status, they
do not represent the movement," the tweet added. Accordingly, the FPM disavowed
all offensive words that go beyond the moral and ethical limits regardless of
their source, and called on all active supporters on social media to abide by
the official directives and not to be drawn in any way into reactions and
comments that do not reflect the position or ethics of the movement.
Al-Absi, John X, Avram II meet with Hungary's Prime
Minister
NNA/March 18/2023
Greek Melkite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East Yusuf al-Absi, and
Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi, as well as Syriac Orthodox Patriarch
Avram II, met today with Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, within the
framework of their official visit to Hungary. The meeting was a chance to
discuss the general conditions and relations between the Lebanese and Hungarian
peoples, and the problems that Christians in the region suffer from in light of
the accumulated wars and crises. In this context, Al-Absi thanked Hungary for
its "constant interest in supporting Christians," and stressed "the necessity of
continuing fruitful cooperation for the good of the Church in these countries
that have been suffering for years."
Makhzoumi from Dar Al-Fatwa: For benefiting internally from
the regional situation to get out of the prevailing crisis
NNA/March 18/2023
Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Darian, received today at Dar
al-Fatwa, National Dialogue Party Leader, MP Fouad Makhzoumi, accompanied by the
Director General of the Makhzoumi Foundation Samer Al-Safeh, with talks touching
on domestic affairs and the general situation in the country.
Following the meeting, Makhzoumi said, "The visit is to congratulate His
Eminence on the approaching holy month of Ramadan, may God bring all blessings
to the Lebanese...This month is the month of tolerance and solidarity, and we
must cooperate with each other."
He stressed "the need to benefit internally from the regional conditions to get
out of the difficult crisis the country is going through, as the dollar has
crossed the threshold of one hundred thousand and the Lebanese lira has lost its
value, while on the other hand, after about a year since the initial agreement
with the International Monetary Fund, no reform has been implemented."On another
note, Makhzoumi appreciated the keen concern of the Saudi Kingdom for Lebanon,
recalling the five umbrellas that protected Lebanon during the last period,
especially the initiative that reached us through the State of Kuwait and its
content, through which they pledged their readiness to help us but in return
there are constants and conditions that we must adhere to, as it is no longer
possible to extend any assistance if Lebanon continues to interfere outside its
borders. The MP also recalled his visit along with a delegation of 40 deputies
to Stockholm where they met with officials of the European Union, pointing to
"the response that the delegation received," stressing that "we will have a
visit to Brussels to make our voice heard again for the European
Union."Makhzoumi concluded by stressing his support for Dar Al-Fatwa and the
Zakat Fund, underlining the need to ease the burdens on the Lebanese citizen and
expressed optimism towards the possibility of cooperating to reach a solution in
the coming period.
Al-Murtada patronizes a new cultural event within La
Francophonie month: Our culture in Lebanon is one of openness, yet it is
rational, balanced and...
NNA/March 18/2023
Caretaker Minister of Culture, Judge Muhammad Wissam Al-Murtada, inaugurated
today the exhibition by the creative sculptor, Carol Angea, at the headquarters
of the National Library in Beirut, in the presence of the Caretaker Ministers of
Industry and Environment, George Boushkian and Nasser Yassin, with a crowd of
diplomats and cultural figures attending. The exhibition is held under the
title, “Libre Equilibre”, as part of the activities of the Francophone Month
organized by the Ministry of Culture, which includes a number of sculptures with
"bronze and resin" in various forms, showing the expressions of women and men in
states of joy and sadness, and the quest for a liberal space to live in a
society that allows its citizen the chance to achieve part of his or her dreams
within a group, as the artist reflected in her sculptures. This exhibition
continues until March 31st. In his inaugural word, Al-Murtada encouraged the
Lebanese to visit the exhibition, saying: "This exhibition reflects the best
expression of the openness that we aspire to have, which is in harmony with our
culture in Lebanon, but it is a rational openness that enjoys balance, and
ensures that society is not lost and that cultural identity is not lost.”
Boushkian representing Mikati at the conclusion of 20th
Science Competition: We are on the verge of a new phase, with oil extraction
moving Lebanon...
NNA/March 18/2023
Caretaker Industry Ministry George Boushkian represented PM Najib Mikati at the
conclusion of the activities of the twentieth annual Science Competition 2023
organized by the National Commission for Science and Research at the Conferences
Palace - Rafic Hariri University Complex in Hadath.
The ceremony came following the arbitration of 97 participating scientific
projects from 70 different schools, submitted by 400 male and female students
with their supervising instructors. The arbitration took place online via the
Microsoft Teams platform between March 15 and 17, according to specific
arbitration criteria. The final ceremony was preceded
by a science exhibition, during which the participating students displayed
posters of their innovations to the visitors.
In his delivered word, Boushkian conveyed the greetings of the Prime Minister
and his encouragement for this activity that is related to the future of
generations in the country and its economy. He congratulated the organizers and
the youth participating enthusiastically in creative and innovative scientific,
technological and industrial projects. “We in Lebanon are most in need of such
scientific and practical projects to develop our industries and enter new and
modern technological, information and electronic sectors that depend on your
capabilities, qualifications and expertise,” he added, addressing the young
participants and the Lebanese youth in general.
"Lebanon does not lack educated human capabilities as a result of its richness
in ancient universities to which students from the countries of the region come,
with their outstanding university professors and an environment that fosters
culture, openness and multilingualism...No matter what is said about the
difficult situation in Lebanon, which is true and cannot be denied, the faith,
struggle and stubbornness of the Lebanese render them determined to face the
challenges, overcome the difficulties, and continue the march of progress,
construction, production and export,” Boushkian went on.
He added: “The Lebanon of tomorrow is the Lebanon of competence, the
Lebanon of leadership, the Lebanon of citizenship, the Lebanon of principles,
and most importantly the Lebanon of law...My advice to you is not to deviate
from your adherence to these core commitments and headlines that will lead your
life towards goodness and success.”Boushkian summed-up with an optimistic note
by considering that “we are entering a new phase in the country, with the
extraction of gas and oil moving Lebanon from one bank to the other...and when
Lebanon becomes a country dependent on its oil resources, the concept of
production will be further strengthened in the national economy, and large
institutions will come to Lebanon and the required local, international and
multinational partnerships will be established, making Beirut a prominent city
on the map of the Arab and regional economy." “You are the future and the
leaders of tomorrow's Lebanon...With you begins the real change required to
build a homeland in which its children live equally and without
discrimination...The important thing is not to lose hope and trust in yourself,”
he reassuringly concluded.
مجدي حلبي: نتنياهو ونصرالله أصابتهما الصدمة جراء الإتفاق السعودي الإيراني،
وبينما يعتقدان أن الصفقة قد تكون كارثية فإن الآخرين من الذين كانوا على علم
بالوساطة الصينية بين دولتين إسلاميتين غير مقتنعين
Netanyahu and Nasrallah blindsided by revamp of Iran-Saudi ties & while the two
leaders see the deal as potentially catastrophic, others – who knew of the
Chinese mediation between two Islamic countries – aren’t convinced
Majdi Halabi/The Media Line/Ynet News/March 18/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/116735/116735/
Many were surprised by the Saudi-Iranian agreement to return to normal relations
and for each to reopen its embassy in the other’s capital. The most surprised by
the move were two: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah leader Hassan
Nasrallah.
Netanyahu told a crowd of businessmen in Rome that he planned to normalize
relations with Saudi Arabia and build a railway from the Gulf to Haifa’s shores
on the Mediterranean Sea, shortening the distance between the Gulf’s energy
resources and consumers in Europe.
Nasrallah was also surprised by the recent agreement between Saudi Arabia and
Iran to resume diplomatic relations. He declared in a speech just one day
earlier that such an agreement would take a significant amount of time to
achieve.
There are indications that Saudi Arabia did not inform Netanyahu or his
officials about the recent diplomatic developments with Iran. The two countries
in recent years have had unofficial bilateral relations, though these were
interrupted in 2020.
It likewise appears that Iran did not inform its allies of the recent diplomatic
developments with Saudi Arabia, which took place behind closed doors in Beijing.
Iran considers the agreement to be a matter of supreme national interest, which
will contribute to the stabilization of the Gulf region and potentially lead to
breakthroughs in various arenas in the Middle East.
One of the most significant potential outcomes is the possibility of resolving
the ongoing conflict in Yemen, according to an outline currently being drawn up
as part of the Saudi-Iranian negotiations.
Riyadh notably kept Washington informed about the ongoing negotiations with
Tehran, and while American officials were aware of the general outline of the
agreement, they were not involved in all the details.
This suggests that Saudi Arabia remains committed to its relationship with the
United States. Additionally, the U.S. does not view China’s sponsorship of the
reconciliation agreement as a threat to world peace, but rather as a signal of
Saudi Arabia’s ability to navigate and manage diplomatic relationships in the
Arab and Islamic worlds as a leading country in the region.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia seemingly has been sharing updates on its Iran
negotiations with other countries in the region, including the United Arab
Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, and Bahrain. These nations, along with several
other Muslim countries, have reportedly welcomed the agreement’s finalization.
Saudi officials have said that one of their primary objectives in reaching the
diplomatic agreement with Iran was to promote calm in the Gulf region and
achieve peace, particularly in anticipation of the month of Ramadan and the
upcoming hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
This period is marked by the visit of millions of Muslims from around the world
to Saudi Arabia, particularly to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. In
contrast to Israel’s response, Saudi Arabia appears to view the agreement with
Iran as a natural outcome of neighboring nations with an uneasy relationship but
a shared interest in peaceful coexistence.
The Saudis do not appear to be overstating the significance of the agreement and
have expressed a willingness to weather any potential Iranian breaches of the
agreement. Indeed, Saudi Arabia has a long history of fluctuating relations with
the Persian Iranians.
The Iranians appear to have had a greater interest in reaching this agreement
than the Saudis did, as they sought a means of extricating themselves from the
economic and social crises that have fueled popular uprisings within the Islamic
Republic in recent months.
This was compounded by the cessation of nuclear talks with the U.S. and European
nations, and the increasing military pressure against Iran from Israel and the
Pentagon, including periods of tension and mutual provocation.
Iran notably maintains normal relations with several other Gulf nations,
including the UAE, whose national security adviser, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed,
has visited Tehran several times in the past two years. Iran’s counterparts have
also visited Abu Dhabi, and have maintained relations with Muscat, Doha, and
Kuwait City.
Saudi Arabia, however, is viewed as the most significant country in the Gulf
region from Iran’s perspective. Hence, the pursuit of an agreement with the
kingdom. Iran has relinquished many of its assets related to its attempts to
control the Middle East through armed militias.
In return, Iran gains peace, less Western pressure, and a large, strong, and
prosperous neighbor that is not likely to go to war with the Islamic Republic
during this sensitive period.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia apparently did not place much importance on
Israel’s promises to protect and defend the kingdom in case of escalation, as
Israel’s talk of normalization did not align with the Saudi royal family’s plan.
Additionally, Israel’s failure to make progress toward resolving the Palestinian
issue allegedly played a role in Saudi Arabia’s plans. The kingdom considers the
Palestinian issue to be a fundamental factor in its approach toward the Jewish
state.
Saudi Arabia’s recent diplomatic successes, including the reconciliation with
Qatar and Turkey, demonstrate its leading role among Arab and Muslim countries
in the Gulf and beyond. The recent agreement with Iran shows once again Riyadh’s
ability to navigate complex geopolitical challenges and pursue peace and
stability in the region.
This diplomatic approach has cemented Saudi Arabia’s position as a strong and
influential player in the Muslim world. The deposit of $5 billion in the Central
Bank of Turkey highlights Saudi Arabia’s commitment to supporting its allies and
maintaining economic stability in the region.
The Iran-Saudi Arabia agreement, brokered by China, is a resounding slap in the
face to Netanyahu and his administration, which failed to “provide the goods”
and were left with no say in the matter. It is also a strong blow to Hizbullah,
which knew “nothing and a half” about the agreement.
The agreement proves that Saudi Arabia is the strongest and leading Arab and
Muslim country in the Gulf and among Islamic countries and it is a signal to the
United States that there are alternative power structures in the no longer
unipolar world.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on March 18-19/2023
Rights Groups: Iran Executes 7 Kurds, Including 'Political Prisoner'
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
Iran on Friday hanged a Kurdish man viewed as a political prisoner by activists,
rights groups said, amplifying alarm over the soaring number of executions in
the country this year. Mohayyedin Ebrahimi, 43, was hanged at dawn at Urmia
prison in northwestern Iran, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Hengaw
rights groups said in separate statements. Five other men were also executed on
drug-related charges at Urmia on Friday morning, the groups added, according to
AFP. Ebrahimi was arrested in 2017 during a clash where he was shot in the leg,
and was sentenced to death the following year.
He was accused of involvement in the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, a
banned group which has waged an armed struggle for self-determination of Iran's
Kurdish-populated region, and indicted on the capital charge of armed rebellion.
Ebrahimi denied the allegations, with rights groups saying he had only been
working as a porter carrying goods from Iraq. Both IHR and Hengaw described him
as a "political prisoner" who had been subjected to forced confessions while in
jail. Amnesty International said it condemned the execution which came "after a
grossly unfair trial that relied on torture-tainted 'confessions'."
The London-based rights group added that Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei
"must stop using the death penalty as a tool of political repression and put a
moratorium on executions." There had been fears Ebrahimi's execution was
imminent after he was granted a meeting with his family and moved to solitary
confinement. IHR said a protest took place outside the doors of Urmia prison
late on Thursday after it became apparent his execution could be imminent, and
his son was arrested. Hengaw said Ebrahimi's family was initially told he was
moving to another prison after the sentence was suspended, only to be called to
collect the body. Before his execution he had written a letter to IHR pleading
for help in saving his life and describing the charges as "false and
fabricated". Meanwhile, another convict was hanged on Thursday in the prison of
Khorramabad in western Iran for the murder of a policeman, the official IRNA
news agency said. The hangings come as alarm intensifies over the high number of
executions in Iran, which has also faced strong international condemnation over
its crackdown on a protest movement that erupted in September. Iran has executed
four people over the protests, sparked by the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini,
a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who had been arrested for allegedly violating the
strict dress rule for women. Rights groups have warned that executions on all
kinds of charges are on the rise, arguing this seeks to intimidate society into
not protesting. According to IHR, at least 144 people have been executed this
year. IHR director Mahmood Amiry Moghaddam described those executed "as victims
of the government's execution machine, whose purpose is only to intimidate
people and prevent protests." Amnesty has accused Iran of a "chilling escalation
in the use of the death penalty" with the Kurdish and Baluch ethnic minorities
particularly targeted.
EU Resolution Demanding Probe into Poisoning
Incidents Angers Iran's Foreign Ministry
London, Tehran - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
The Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly criticized the European Parliament
resolution to demand an international investigation into the poisoning of
schools in dozens of Iranian cities. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser
Kanaani expressed his surprise at the position of the European Parliament,
adding that, unfortunately, the EU Parliament has turned into a platform for
"suspicious and extremist figures with the aim of spewing hate against the
people of Iran and for the Iranophobic project." The spokesman added that senior
officials in Iran strongly condemned this inhumane act, and ordered a
comprehensive investigation into the issue, demanding the identification of the
perpetrators. On Thursday, the European Parliament called on the United Nations
to investigate the poisoning of thousands of schoolgirls in Iran, condemning the
regime's months-long failure to act on and deliberate suppression of credible
reports of systematic toxic attacks against schoolgirls. Members of the European
Parliament overwhelmingly endorsed a non-binding resolution urging the Human
Rights Council to launch an investigation into the facts and calling "for those
responsible to be held to account." The resolution called on the Iranian
authorities to grant full access to the UN IIFFM and the UN Special Rapporteur
on the country's human rights situation. State media and officials reported that
13,000 schoolchildren, primarily girls, have fallen ill after what are believed
to be "poisonings."Some politicians accused religious groups that oppose girls'
education. Reports of poisonings emerged two months after the protest began
after the death of the young woman, Mahsa Amini, after the morality police
arrested her. Last week, the Interior Ministry said that more than 100 people
had been detained across 11 provinces on suspicion of taking part in the recent
poisonings. Authorities arrested the suspects and launched an investigation. The
Ministry said that among those arrested were people and students aiming to close
the schools and create skepticism towards the state. The Human Rights Committee
of the Iranian judiciary said in a report that less than 10 percent of the
female students were infected with an irritant of dangerous and non-lethal war
gases. Judiciary Spokesman Masoud Setayeshi criticized the description of the
attacks as "poisoning," saying it was better to use a term that describes the
deterioration in health or "fatigue." He indicated that poisoning must have
determined symptoms identified by the specialized laboratories.
Iran Court Sentences 2 to Death Over Deadly Shrine
Attack
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
An Iranian court has handed out death sentences to two men over an attack on a
shrine in Iran that killed 15 people in October, the official news agency IRNA
reported on Saturday. Fars Province Prosecutor Kazem Mousavi said the two men
had been found guilty of charges including "spreading corruption on earth" and
acting against national security, IRNA reported, adding that the sentences can
be appealed. CCTV footage broadcast on state TV showed the attacker entering the
popular Shah Cheragh shrine in the southern city of Shiraz after hiding an
assault rifle in a bag and shooting as worshippers tried to flee and hide in
corridors. The gunman, identified as a citizen of Tajikistan, later died in a
hospital from injuries sustained during the attack. The two men sentenced to
death said during the trial that they had been in contact with ISIS in
neighboring Afghanistan and helped organize the attack, Iranian media reported.
Three other men received jail sentences ranging from five to 25 years in the
trial, the prosecutor said.
Before Xi Visit, Russia Says it Held Naval Drills
with China and Iran in Arabian Sea
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
Russia, China and Iran have completed three-way naval exercises in the Arabian
Sea that included artillery fire at targets on the sea and in the air, the
Russian defense ministry said on Saturday. The exercises, off the Iranian port
of Chabahar, took place as Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares to host his
Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Moscow for a three-day state visit starting on
Monday, said Reuters. Russia has continued to stage military exercises with
partners, especially China, despite the strain on its armed forces from the
year-long war in Ukraine, where it has failed to achieve any major advance since
last summer. The Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov and the Chinese destroyer
Nanjing were involved in the drills that took place on Thursday and Friday, the
defense ministry said. The Gorshkov, which is equipped with Russia's
latest-generation Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, also took part in joint
naval exercises last month with China and South Africa.
Amirabdollahian Denies Differences Over Iran's
Foreign Policy
London - Tehran - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023 -
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian denied on Saturday any local
differences over Iran’s novel foreign policy, stressing that all parties were in
coordination under "the supervision of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi."
Amirabdollahian confirmed that the Supreme National Security Council Secretary,
Ali Shamkhani, would soon visit Iraq. Earlier, observers questioned the foreign
ministry's absence from the talks with neighboring countries, especially after
Shamkhani visited the UAE a week after Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to resume
diplomatic relations. The FM asserted in a tweet in Arabic that Shamkhani's
visits to the UAE and Iraq were carried out within the framework of security
relations. The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accompanies the
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council in these travels, he noted,
adding that there is coordination in Iran's foreign policy.
Hours before Amirabdollahian's tweet, Iranian news agencies reported that
Shamkhani would travel to Baghdad next week to sign a security agreement without
giving further details. The rapprochement between Iran and Gulf and Arab
countries increased after the Saudi-Iranian agreement. Meanwhile, the head of
the government's information council, Sepehr Khalaji, said the Iranian President
had assigned Shamkhani to visit the UAE to continue the government's policy of
supporting and boosting ties with neighboring countries. Khalaji tweeted that
these visits would include other regional countries. On Thursday, Reuters quoted
two Iranian officials saying that last September, the Supreme Leader, Ali
Khamenei, lost patience with the slow pace of bilateral talks and summoned his
team to discuss ways to accelerate the process, which led to China's
involvement. Iran chose its senior national security official Ali Shamkhani to
lead the negotiations because he is an ethnic Arab, said a regional source who
belongs to Khamenei's inner circle. Furthermore, Telegram channels affiliated
with the reformists explained Shamkhani's mission with neighboring countries,
saying the ruling establishment concluded that the team of the Foreign Ministry
needs to have the necessary effectiveness to obtain a sustainable agreement.
They also reported that regional countries believe Raisi's government needs more
guarantees because they don't think he would remain as the head of the state.
The objectives of Shamkhani's tours
Shamkhani visited Abu Dhabi, where he met the President of the UAE, Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. They discussed bilateral relations and ways to
build bridges of cooperation between the two countries. According to official
Iranian media, Sheikh Mohammed asserted that the UAE seeks to remove
misunderstandings with Iran. Shamkhani also met the Emirati National Security
Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The official IRNA news agency quoted
Shamkhani as saying during the meeting: "Cooperation and rapprochement must
replace hostility and divergence in the region."The Iranian official ended his
visit with consultations with Emirati VP and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum. During Thursday's talks with his Emirati counterpart,
Shamkhani called his UAE visit "a meaningful beginning for the two countries to
enter a new stage of political, economic, and security relations," according to
IRNA. IRNA defended the government's foreign policy, saying that resolving the
seven-year-old tension with Saudi Arabia is key to removing misunderstandings
with other regional countries. IRNA set several goals for Shamkhani's new
mission, including the government's policy to ensure there is no delay or
stagnation in diplomacy, noting that within this context, the doors in Vienna,
Brussels, and New York would not remain closed. It also addressed the
possibility of achieving rational behavior with the countries of the region,
especially Saudi Arabia. Shamkhani's appearance in Iranian diplomatic events
came after information circulated about a possible imminent change in the
nuclear negotiating team, especially after the removal of chief negotiator Ali
Bagheri-Kani. Bagheri-Kani did not attend the talks held by the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director, Rafael Grossi, earlier this month.
However, he visited Muscat to discuss a prisoner exchange with the United
States.
"Rational" relations with the US
The Imam of Friday prayers in Qom, Hashem Hosseini-Bushehri, said that Iran has
no problem establishing relations with the US if it takes a "rational" path with
Tehran. During the Friday prayers, the conservative cleric added that Tehran was
determined to reconcile with its neighbors, with one exception: the Zionist
entity.According to the Fars news agency affiliated with the Iran Revolutionary
Guard Corps, he indicated that if Washington were rational and submitted to the
people's will, Tehran would not mind establishing relations. Hosseini-Bushehri
defended the government's foreign policy, saying conservatives, reformists, and
all politicians must support what serves the country's security, asserting it
was not time to settle political scores.Friday imams across Iran welcomed the
agreement with Saudi Arabia, and the Tehran Friday imam, Ali Haj Akbari, said it
was based on the principle of pride, wisdom, and interest."
Assad Conditions Meeting Erdogan, ‘If It
Serves Syria’s Interest’
Moscow - Raed Jaber/Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
The recent statement of the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, in Moscow
surprised many Russians and others, who sensed a victorious tone. Assad did not
refer to the political path to resolving the Syrian crisis and imposed
conditions for normalization with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He told Channel One Russia that the negotiations began at the security level and
the level of defense ministers, noting that officials are discussing the meeting
at the level of assistant foreign ministers and may reach the foreign ministers.
Assad asserted that the most critical issue is maintaining the national
interest. The results of Assad's visit to Moscow may be related to the faltering
efforts to announce a breakthrough in normalizing relations between Damascus and
Ankara. The Kremlin hoped that the talks would result in clear agreements.
During the talks, President Vladimir Putin deliberately set premises, indicating
the success of the Russian armed forces in undermining the terrorist threat.
Putin prioritized ensuring internal stability and improving the economic and
living situation. In the meeting between the two foreign ministers, Minister
Sergey Lavrov stressed that more favorable conditions for moving towards a
political settlement concerning Syria have matured. Lavrov noted that Moscow
seeks to reach fair agreements based on Security Council Resolution No. 2254. In
response, the Syrian position lauded the Russian role in sovereignty,
territorial integrity, and the need for all illegal foreign forces to leave the
country.
In press statements after the meeting, Assad touched on several issues related
to Syria's position within the Russian axis in the face of the new world war. He
escalated his rhetoric against US policies, affirming his country's recognition
of the "new Russian borders," and mocked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky,
describing him as a puppet of the West. Assad touched on all the issues on the
international agenda as an essential part of the axis of the ongoing Russian
war. However, he did not refer to the political settlement in Syria, the
Syrians' dialogue, or improving his country's disastrous living conditions.
Meanwhile, Assad maintained his declared positions on the normalization issue
with Türkiye and renewed his conditions for meeting Erdogan. He mocked the
statements of Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, who claimed the Turkish
presence in Syria was not an occupation, ignoring the suggestion put forward by
Russia, which confirmed Türkiye’s readiness to withdraw according to
understandings that meet the security interests. It is possible to proceed from
the Kremlin statement to investigate the results of the Russian-Syrian summit,
mainly since all official Russian statements ignored the ideas put forward by
Assad. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the two presidents discussed
several issues, including military-technical cooperation and the normalization
of relations between Damascus and Ankara. Peskov explained that the talks could
result in a decision in the coming weeks or months to sign an essential document
on further trade and economic cooperation development. He described the
negotiations as substantial, noting that senior officials briefed both
presidents. A Russian diplomatic source said that Assad's media statements and
behavior during the negotiations were surprising, as the Syrian president was
unwilling to delve into the principles of a political solution. In remarks to
Asharq Al-Awsat the source said it was unfortunate that the Syrian president was
unaware how unstable the situation in the de-escalation zone in Idlib was, and
that coordination with Türkiye was an essential guarantee for arranging this
matter later.
A source familiar with the talks said a clear message was conveyed to the Syrian
leadership about the need to deal seriously and positively with the issues.
Based on that, it was agreed that Syrian and Turkish officials would start
meetings. A diplomatic source recalled that the Russian Ministry of Finance
refrained from responding to the Russian and Syrian Economic Committee's
requests regarding funding some projects or giving loans due to the lack of
guarantees. The situation requires a special decision approved by the special
monitoring authorities to maintain federal laws.
Egypt, Türkiye Agree to Normalize Relations
Cairo - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
The Foreign Ministers of Türkiye and Egypt emphasized efforts on Saturday toward
the full normalization of ties between the two countries and the start of a new
phase of joint cooperation. Türkiye Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held talks
with his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo on Saturday, the first such visit in a
decade. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shourky said the talks with his Turkish
counterpart had been “honest, deep and transparent,” adding that both countries
look forward to restoring full diplomatic ties. In a joint press conference in
Cairo, Shoukry and Cavusoglu said talks on the possibility of restoring ties to
ambassadorial level would happen at "the appropriate time.”Cavusoglu said
Türkiye would upgrade its diplomatic relations with Egypt to ambassador level
"as soon as possible". "I'm very glad that we are taking concrete steps for
normalizing relations with Egypt… We will do our best not to rupture our ties
again in future," Cavusoglu said. Earlier, Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman
Ahmed Abu Zeid said in a tweet on Saturday that the “discussions between the two
officials will tackle a range of bilateral ties and international and regional
issues of common concern," in a step towards restoring normal relations. Shoukry
received his Turkish counterpart at the foreign ministry in Cairo. They held a
closed-door meeting. Cavusoglu arrived in Cairo on Saturday heading a delegation
of Turkish officials. He was received at Cairo airport by Ambassador Ehab Nasr,
Assistant Foreign Minister for European affairs, and members of the Turkish
embassy in Egypt. On Friday, Abu Zeid said the visit paves way for restoring
normal relations between the two countries, and for launching dialogue.
Saddam’s Tribe: Revenge behind Preventing Our Return Home
Baghdad - Fadhel al-Nashmi/Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
More than a thousand families from the Iraqi village of Al-Awja, the hometown of
the late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, have been living away from their homes
for nearly a decade. In 2014, the rise of ISIS and its grip on large swathes of
provinces west and north of Iraq, including Saladin Governorate, where Al-Awja
is situated, forced families to leave their homes. Military authorities in Al-Awja,
which is located on the banks of the Tigris River and is about 10 km south of
the city of Tikrit, the center of Saladin, offer various reasons and excuses for
not allowing the return of these uprooted families. The authorities are claiming
that some of the families had sympathized with the terrorist group, accusing
some of even participating in some of the crimes carried out by ISIS. Some,
however, believe that the matter has to do with taking revenge on the region and
its residents as most of them are relatives and kinsmen of Saddam. Before the
fall of his rule in 2003, the region enjoyed significant influence and power.
Today, many of Al-Awja’s locals took refuge in the Kurdistan region. Some of
them went to live in Tikrit, and some preferred to move to Turkiye or other
Western countries. “We are not alone as there are other families who were not
allowed to return to their homes, such as the people of Jurf al-Sakhr, but our
misfortune seems exceptional given our closeness to the late President Saddam
Hussein,” Falah al-Nada, the son of the head of Al-Bu Nasir tribe, told Asharq
Al-Awsat. Saddam was a member of the Al-Bu Nasir tribe. “The new regime placed
us in the category of permanent enemies who are not allowed to return,” added
al-Nada. “In 2003, Law No. 88 was issued. It considered all the people of Al-Awja
to be pawns of Saddam’s regime, and decided to seize their movable and immovable
money,” reminded al-Nada, adding that the law was revoked in 2018. Al-Nada
voiced his surprise regarding the decision to prevent the return of the people
to their homes and said there is no justification other than “the will for
revenge.” When asked about the conditions of the city of Al-Awja 20 years after
the overthrow of Saddam’s regime, al-Nada said: “We do not know, but the city
has turned into a military barrack controlled by a faction affiliated with the
Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).”
100 Killed In Israeli-Palestinian Conflict This Year
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian Friday in what the army described as an
attempted "stabbing attack", bringing the number of people killed in the
conflict this year to 100. The Palestinian health ministry announced the death
of Yazan Omar Jamil Khasib, 23, who died "after the occupation (Israel) opened
fire on him at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh" city near Ramallah, in the
occupied West Bank, AFP reported. The Israeli army said "soldiers spotted a
suspect and asked him to identify himself. The suspect drew a knife and
approached the forces who responded by opening fire". "The assailant was
neutralized," the army said in a statement, adding that the incident took place
close to Beitin, a Palestinian village near Al-Bireh. No military personnel were
injured in the incident, it added. Israel has occupied the West Bank since the
Six-Day War of 1967. Since the start of the year, the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict has claimed the lives of 86 Palestinian militants and civilians,
including children. Thirteen Israeli adults and children, including members of
the security forces and civilians, and one Ukrainian civilian have been killed
over the same period, according to an AFP tally based on official sources from
both sides.
Trump Says Expects to be Arrested, Calls for
Protest
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
Former US President Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that his arrest was
imminent and issued an extraordinary call for his supporters to protest as a New
York grand jury investigates hush money payments to women who alleged sexual
encounters with the former president. Despite no evidence that Manhattan
prosecutors have given any official notice to him or his lawyers, Trump declared
in a post on his social media platform that he expected to be taken into custody
on Tuesday. In its direct encouragement of protest, and his capital letter
demand to “TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” the post evoked in foreboding ways the
rhetoric he used shortly before the insurrection at the US Capitol on Jan. 6,
2021. After hearing from the then-president at a Washington rally that morning,
his supporters marched to the Capitol and tried to stop the congressional
certification of Democrat Joe Biden's White House victory, breaking through
doors and windows of the building and leaving officers beaten and bloodied.
The Associated Press aid that District Attorney Alvin Bragg is thought to be
eyeing charges in the hush money investigation, and recently offered Trump a
chance to testify before the grand jury. Local law enforcement officials are
bracing for the public safety ramifications of an unprecedented prosecution of a
former American president. But there has been no public announcement of any time
frame for the grand jury’s secret work in the case. At least one additional
witness is expected to testify, further indicating that no vote to indict has
yet been taken, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was
not authorized to publicly discuss the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Russia Extends Grain Deal for 60 Days
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
Russia has notified all parties to the Black Sea grain deal that the agreement
has been extended for 60 days, the RBC media outlet quoted Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying on Saturday.The United Nations, Türkiye,
who brokered the deal last July, and Ukraine wanted a 120-day renewal. Russia
only agreed to 60 days, demanding that the European Union, United States and
Britain ease sanctions on the supply chain of the Russian agricultural sector if
they want the Black Sea pact to be further extended beyond May 18. This is the
second renewal of separate agreements that Ukraine and Russia signed with the
United Nations and Türkiye to allow food to leave the Black Sea region after
Russia invaded its neighbor more than a year ago. The warring nations are both
major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other affordable food
products that developing nations depend on. Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said in a statement that 25 million
metric tons (about 28 million tons) of grain and foodstuffs had moved to 45
countries under the initiative, helping to bring down global food prices and
stabilizing markets.m “We remain strongly committed to both agreements and we
urge all sides to redouble their efforts to implement them fully,” Dujarric
said. The war in Ukraine sent food prices surging to record highs last year and
helped contribute to a global food crisis also tied to lingering effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic and climate factors like drought.
International court issues war crimes warrant for Putin
Associated Press/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian
President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility
for the abductions of children from Ukraine. It was the first time the global
court has issued a warrant against a leader of one of the five permanent members
of the U.N. Security Council. The ICC said in a statement that Putin "is
allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of (children)
and that of unlawful transfer of (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to
the Russian Federation."The move was immediately dismissed by Moscow — and
welcomed by Ukraine as a major breakthrough. Its practical implications,
however, could be limited as the chances of Putin facing trial at the ICC are
highly unlikely because Moscow does not recognize the court's jurisdiction or
extradite its nationals. But the moral condemnation will likely stain the
Russian leader for the rest of his life — and in the more immediate future
whenever he seeks to attend an international summit in a nation bound to arrest
him. "So Putin might go to China, Syria, Iran, his ... few allies, but he just
won't travel to the rest of the world and won't travel to ICC member states who
he believes would ... arrest him," said Adil Ahmad Haque, an expert in
international law and armed conflict at Rutgers University. Others agreed.
"Vladimir Putin will forever be marked as a pariah globally. He has lost all his
political credibility around the world. Any world leader who stands by him will
be shamed as well," David Crane, a former international prosecutor, told The
Associated Press.
The court also issued a warrant for the arrest of Maria Lvova-Belova, the
commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian
Federation. The AP reported on her involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian
orphans in October, in the first investigation to follow the process all the way
to Russia, relying on dozens of interviews and documents. ICC President Piotr
Hofmanski said in a video statement that while the ICC's judges have issued the
warrants, it will be up to the international community to enforce them. The
court has no police force of its own to do so.
The ICC can impose a maximum sentence of life imprisonment "when justified by
the extreme gravity of the crime," according to its founding treaty, the Rome
Statute, that established it as a permanent court of last resort to prosecute
political leaders and other key perpetrators of the world's worst atrocities —
war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Still, the chances of Putin or Lvova-Belova facing trial remain extremely
remote, as Moscow does not recognize the court's jurisdiction — a position it
vehemently reaffirmed Friday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia
doesn't recognize the ICC and considers its decisions "legally void." He called
the court's move "outrageous and unacceptable."Peskov refused to comment when
asked if Putin would avoid making trips to countries where he could be arrested
on the ICC's warrant. Ukraine's human rights chief, Dmytro Lubinets, has said
that based on data from the country's National Information Bureau, 16,226
children were deported. Ukraine has managed to bring back 308 children.
Lvova-Belova, who was also implicated in the warrants, reacted with dripping
sarcasm. "It is great that the international community has appreciated the work
to help the children of our country, that we do not leave them in war zones,
that we take them out, we create good conditions for them, that we surround them
with loving, caring people," she said. Ukrainian officials were jubilant at the
move.
In his nightly address to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
called it a "historic decision, from which historic responsibility will
begin."Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's U.N. ambassador, recalled that on the night
of Russia's invasion, "I said at the Security Council meeting that there is no
purgatory for war criminals, they go straight to hell. Today, I would like to
say that those of them who will remain alive after the military defeat of Russia
will have to make a stop in The Hague on their way to hell." In Washington,
President Joe Biden called the ICC's decision "justified," telling reporters as
he left the White House for his Delaware home that Putin "clearly committed war
crimes." While the US does not recognize the court either, Biden said it "makes
a very strong point" to call out the Russian leader's actions in ordering the
invasion. Olga Lopatkina, a Ukrainian mother who struggled for months to reclaim
her foster children who were deported to an institution run by Russian
loyalists, welcomed news of the arrest warrant. "Everyone must be punished for
their crimes," she said in a message exchange with the AP. While Ukraine is also
not a member of the global court, it has granted it jurisdiction over its
territory and ICC prosecutor Karim Khan has visited four times since opening an
investigation a year ago. Besides Russia and Ukraine, the United States and
China are not members of the 123-member ICC. The ICC said its pre-trial chamber
found "reasonable grounds" that Putin "bears individual criminal responsibility"
for the child abductions "for having committed the acts directly, jointly with
others and/or through others" and for failing to "exercise control properly over
civilian and military subordinates who committed the acts." During a visit this
month, ICC prosecutor Khan said he went to a care home for children 2 kilometers
(just over a mile) from front lines in southern Ukraine. "The drawings pinned on
the wall ... spoke to a context of love and support that was once there," he
said in a statement. "But this home was empty, a result of alleged deportation
of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation or their unlawful transfer to
other parts of the temporarily occupied territories." "As I noted to the United
Nations Security Council last September, these alleged acts are being
investigated by my office as a priority. Children cannot be treated as the
spoils of war," Khan said.
And while Russia rejected the allegations and warrants, others said the ICC
action will have an important impact.
"The ICC has made Putin a wanted man and taken its first step to end the
impunity that has emboldened perpetrators in Russia's war against Ukraine for
far too long," said Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director at
Human Rights Watch. "The warrants send a clear message that giving orders to
commit, or tolerating, serious crimes against civilians may lead to a prison
cell in The Hague."Crane, who indicted Liberian President Charles Taylor 20
years ago for crimes in Sierra Leone, said dictators and tyrants around the
world "are now on notice that those who commit international crimes will be held
accountable."Taylor was eventually detained and put on trial at a special court
in the Netherlands. He was convicted and sentenced to 50 years' imprisonment. On
Thursday, a U.N.-backed inquiry cited Russian attacks against civilians in
Ukraine, including systematic torture and killing in occupied regions, among
potential issues that amount to war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity.
The sweeping investigation also found crimes committed against Ukrainians on
Russian territory, including deported Ukrainian children who were prevented from
reuniting with their families, a "filtration" system aimed at singling out
Ukrainians for detention, and torture and inhumane detention conditions. On
Friday, the ICC put the face of Putin on the child abduction allegations.
US leadership role in Middle East facing deep challenges
Agence France Presse/Saturday, 18 March, 2023
China's shock success at bringing Saudi Arabia and Iran together has challenged
the United States' longstanding role as the key outside power broker in the
Middle East. Beijing's persuading archrivals Riyadh and Tehran to reestablish
diplomatic relations upstaged the United States just as Washington appears
powerless to intervene in the political tensions in Israel over the Netanyahu
government's sharp-right turn, which has inflamed Palestinians. "Anything that
can help reduce tensions, avoid conflict and deter in any way dangerous and
destabilizing actions by Iran is a good thing," US Secretary of State Antony
Blinken said Wednesday on the Saudi-Iran deal announced on March 10. U.S.
officials have tried to minimize Beijing's role in the region, saying it is far
from supplanting the United States: much of the Middle East still sits under the
Pentagon's security umbrella. But China's breakthrough is a real challenge, as
Washington remains deeply preoccupied with the Ukraine war and, over the long
term, with blunting Beijing's diplomatic and military advance in the
Indo-Pacific region. James Ryan, Director of the Middle East program at the
Foreign Policy Research Institute, said Washington is happy if anyone can
contribute to Middle East regional stability, even rival China. "The Biden
administration has very clearly said that when it comes to the Middle East
they're going to favor security, they're going to favor stability," he told AFP.
"American involvement just overall is going to be more on the sidelines than it
has been in the past," a message the Saudis "very clearly" understand, Ryan
said.
Tense ties with Riyadh
China stepped in in a period when the US views Iran as a major threat to the
region and yet its own relations with longtime ally Saudi Arabia have frayed.
Meanwhile, its ability to intervene in Israeli-Palestinian disputes has greatly
diminished. Despite scoring a huge $37 billion contract to sell more Boeing jets
to the Saudis this week, Washington's ties with Riyadh have been tense since
President Joe Biden ordered a review of the relationship in October. Biden has
spoken of "consequences" after the Saudis snubbed US requests to increase oil
output to force down prices that soared after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Instead, Riyadh cut production, sending prices even higher with global impacts.
Abraham Accords
A Saudi-Iran rapprochement also threatens the ultimate goal of the U.S.-crafted
Abraham Accords: Arab powerhouse Saudi Arabia's recognition of Israel after
decades of refusal. In negotiations driven by Washington, the United Arab
Emirates and Bahrain launched the process of recognizing Israel in 2020, and
since then Morocco and Sudan have followed suit. But Riyadh has resisted
pressure to do so as well. The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times
reported that the Saudis want security guarantees from Washington and assistance
on their civilian nuclear program in exchange for recognizing the Jewish state.
Meanwhile, Biden's hopes to break some ice with Iran by restoring the 2015 deal
that limited its nuclear program -- abandoned by predecessor president Donald
Trump -- have gone nowhere. Instead, Tehran has moved further away, supporting
Russia in its war on Ukraine.
Stymied by Israeli politics
The turmoil in Israel is another headache. Despite repeated calls from US
officials for de-escalation, including a visit by Blinken to Jerusalem and
Ramallah in late January, the violence between Israelis and Palestinians has
worsened. Much is being driven by a deep rift in Israeli politics, including
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's move to weaken the country's supreme court.
Day after day, U.S. officials condemn inflammatory actions, while reiterating
"unwavering" support for Israel and commitment to the "two-state solution." Yet
that has had no impact on the increasingly hardline government of longtime ally
Netanyahu. In an interview with AFP on Thursday, Blinken said that the United
States would not take sides in the "very vibrant democracy of Israel."
"Consensus is the best way forward," he said of the political schism. But
pressure is mounting on the Biden administration. Around one hundred Democratic
lawmakers recently wrote Biden expressing concerns about the direction of
Netanyahu's government and urged the U.S. leader to use all diplomatic tools
possible to prevent it from "further damaging the nation’s democratic
institutions." "In this fragile and combustible moment, consistent and sustained
U.S. diplomatic leadership is critical," they told Biden. But with U.S.
elections looming next year, the White House's latitude "is going to be very
limited" in its ability to impact Israeli politics and the Palestinian issue,
said Ryan. The Israelis "are much more confident now, especially post-Abraham
Accords, in their ability to act as they please," he said.
The Latest LCCC English analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on March 18-19/2023
ماجد رفي زاده/معهد جيتستون: مهمة ملالي إيران القضاء
على أمريكا
Iran’s Mullahs Mission: Wipe Out America
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/March 18/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/116721/116721/
A radical regime, whose mission is to “Export the Revolution” and bring Islamist
rule to the rest of the world, will not alter its aims through policies of
appeasement.
Currently, thanks to the Biden Administration’s appeasement where it would not
matter and inaction where it would, the Iran’s ruling mullahs are closer than
ever to acquiring nuclear weapons. The Biden administration would do well to
realize that a nuclear Iran is not just an existential threat to Israel; a
nuclear Iran is major threat to the region, Europe, America, the world.
The regime has made its intentions clear. Especially now that it is aligned with
Putin’s Russia and the Chinese Communist Party, it would like to conquer the US.
As recently as November, Khamenei vowed, “Death to America will happen. In the
new order I am talking about America will no longer have any important role.”
The headline of a report by Iran’s state-controlled Afkar News reads (in Farsi):
“American Soil Is Now Within the Range of Iranian Bombs”. The report boasts
about the damage that Iran could inflict, and clams that the Islamic Republic
can use “a high-altitude electromagnetic bomb to attack the United States.
“The same type of ballistic missile technology used to launch the satellite
could carry nuclear, chemical or even biological weapons to wipe Israel off the
map, hit US bases and allies in the region and US facilities, and target NATO
even in the far west of Europe….” — Afkar News, August 15, 2020.
American politicians shortsightedly fail to harden America’s electric grid,
probably because it will not show up as an accomplishment that donors will
respond to, electorally or financially, during their election campaigns.
Tragically, through its appeasement policies and failure to take on the Free
World’s adversaries in a serious and credible way, the Biden Administration has
been empowering at least one predatory regime that is determined to accomplish
its mission of Jihad to rule the world at any cost; even if that requires wiping
out other states. And now, thanks to the catastrophic policies of the Biden
Administration — suppressing US fossil fuel production, thereby enriching Russia
so it could launch a war against Ukraine; and by snubbing America’s historical
ally, Saudi Arabia — it has brought US national security to the brink.
Iran’s regime has made its intentions clear. Especially now that it is aligned
with Putin’s Russia and the Chinese Communist Party, it would like to conquer
the US. As recently as November, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed:
“Death to America will happen. In the new order I am talking about, America will
no longer have any important role.”
A radical regime, whose mission is to “Export the Revolution” and bring Islamist
rule to the rest of the world, will not alter its aims through policies of
appeasement.
The appeasement policies of the Obama Administration empowered and emboldened
Iran’s ruling mullahs, and the Biden Administration seems determined to pursue
the same path. Recall when, upon reaching the JCPOA “nuclear deal” with Iran in
2105, then US President Barack Obama pointed out that he was “confident” that
the deal, with its lifting of sanctions on Iran, would “meet the national
security needs of the United States and our allies”? It was even outlined in the
JCPOA preamble that all parties “anticipate that full implementation of this
JCPOA will positively contribute to regional and international peace and
security.”
What was actually the result? The international community witnessed even more
rockets launched by Yemen’s Houthis at civilian targets, the deployment of
Lebanese Hezbollah soldiers in Syria, and increasing attacks by the
Iranian-funded Hamas on Israel. With billions of dollars of revenue pouring into
the pockets of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Tehran did not change its behavior for the
better. Instead, it became even more empowered and emboldened to pursue its
revolutionary ideals of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism.
Iran became, in fact, according to the US State Department, “the world’s worst
state sponsor of terrorism.”
Worse, at the peak of these appeasement policies towards the mullahs, Iran’s
fundamentalist regime was emboldened to publicly harass the US Navy, detain US
sailors and imprison American citizens. Khamenei has also repeatedly threatened
“Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” and made incendiary remarks about
wiping Israel from the face of earth “in less than 8 minutes.”
Currently, thanks to the Biden Administration’s appeasement where it would not
matter and inaction where it would, the Iran’s ruling mullahs are closer than
ever to acquiring nuclear weapons. The Biden administration would do well to
realize that a nuclear Iran is not just an existential threat to Israel; a
nuclear Iran is major threat to the region, Europe, America, the world.
The regime has made its intentions clear. Especially now that it is aligned with
Putin’s Russia and the Chinese Communist Party, it would like to conquer the US.
As recently as November, Khamenei vowed, “Death to America will happen. In the
new order I am talking about America will no longer have any important role.”
The headline of a report by Iran’s state-controlled Afkar News read (in Farsi):
“American Soil Is Now Within the Range of Iranian Bombs”. The report boasted
about the damage that Iran could inflict, and claims that the Islamic Republic
can use “a high-altitude electromagnetic bomb to attack the United States.”
“The U.S. Congress’ Electromagnetic Attack Commission has long warned that
detonating just one nuclear bomb at high altitude [over the US] could take out
the US power grid and, with it, all infrastructure. The report of March 28, 2017
of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in the US Senate
also writes in a report to the 114th Congress: ‘A successful attack with an
electromagnetic nuclear bomb against the United States could cause the death of
approximately 90% of the American population.'”
The report adds: “By sending a military satellite into space, Iran now has shown
that it can target all American territory; the Iranian parliament had previously
warned [the US] that an electromagnetic nuclear attack on the United States
would likely kill 90 percent of Americans….. If the industrialized nations of
the world cannot devise effective ways to defend themselves against dangerous
electronic attacks, they will collapse within a few years… American soldiers
will not be able to find food to eat or fire a shot.”
American politicians shortsightedly fail to harden America’s electric grid,
probably because it will not show up as an accomplishment that donors will
respond to, electorally or financially, during their election campaigns.
The European Union, which voted in favor of lifting the arms embargo against
Iran, is also being threatened:
“The same type of ballistic missile technology used to launch the satellite
could carry nuclear, chemical or even biological weapons to wipe Israel off the
map, hit US bases and allies in the region and US facilities, and target NATO
even in the far west of Europe….”
Tragically, through its appeasement policies and failure to take on the Free
World’s adversaries in a serious and credible way, the Biden Administration has
been empowering at least one predatory regime that is determined to accomplish
its mission of Jihad to rule the world at any cost; even if that requires wiping
out other states. And now, thanks to the catastrophic policies of the Biden
Administration — suppressing US fossil fuel production, thereby enriching Russia
so it could launch a war against Ukraine; and by snubbing America’s historical
ally, Saudi Arabia — it has brought US national security to the brink.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a business strategist and advisor, Harvard-educated
scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and
president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has
authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at
Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu
© 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.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/19496/iran-mission-wipe-out-america
Clarifying the Status of Previous Iran-Saudi
Agreements
Faris Almaari/The Washington Institute/March 18/2023
The steps taken to actually implement Riyadh and Tehran’s new normalization
accord bear close watching given the uncertainties surrounding their 1998 and
2001 agreements.
Official statements about the new Chinese-brokered agreement to normalize
Iran-Saudi relations have referenced two previous agreements between the
regional parties: the “General Agreement for Cooperation in the Fields of
Economy, Trade, Investment, Technology, Science, Culture, Sports, and Youth,”
signed on May 27, 1998, and a security cooperation agreement signed on April 17,
2001. Yet a closer look at these agreements reveals puzzling uncertainties about
their current legal standing and activation status.
Saudi Procedures for International Agreements
Riyadh’s approval of treaties and international agreements is governed by
Article 70 of the Saudi Basic Law, Article 20 of the Council of Ministers Law,
and Article 18 of the Shura Council Law. The ratification process includes
multiple steps. First, a draft is submitted to the Shura Council, the kingdom’s
consultative body, then assigned to the relevant committees for deliberation
before being incorporated into the council’s agenda. The adaptation and
discussion stages follow, then voting, which requires absolute majority approval
before a draft is submitted to the king. The king in turn forwards it to the
cabinet (Council of Ministers) for a process similar to that used by the Shura
Council. If the cabinet approves the draft, it goes back to the king for
signature and ratification. In case of disagreement between the two councils,
the draft must be returned to the Shura Council for consultation before being
submitted directly to the king, who makes the final decision.
Notably, all such agreements are issued by “Royal Decree,” not “Royal Order.”
Although both types of proclamation are issued by the king, orders do not
require the same two-council ratification process as decrees.
In the case of the 1998 General Agreement with Iran, the draft was approved by
the Shura Council on September 27 of that year, and media reports indicate that
it was formally ratified by the cabinet on November 10. For the 2001 security
cooperation deal, the cabinet authorized former interior minister Nayef bin
Abdulaziz to sign the agreement with Iran that January via Decision no. 249,
then reportedly ratified it on September 23 after the Shura Council approved it.
Interestingly, however, neither treaty has been published by the Saudi National
Center for Archives and Records (NCAR), whose holdings comprise at least 900
international agreements dating back to 1961. NCAR has published other Saudi
bilateral agreements that are similar in name, content, and timeframe to the
1998 and 2001 accords with Iran, including deals with the Philippines (October
1994), Russia (November 1994), Czech Republic (March 2002), Uruguay (April
2002), Romania (June 2002), Ethiopia (October 2002), Tajikistan (May 2003), Sri
Lanka (December 2003), China (2006), and many more. Even inactive or nulled
agreements are available. The Saudi Archives Law and NCAR’s internal bylaws
require that all unclassified state records be properly archived and made
available for public access, including documents like the Iran agreements, so
their omission is puzzling.
Moreover, both Riyadh and Tehran have repeatedly expressed their willingness to
“activate” the 2001 agreement, but with little to show for it. The joint
security committee formed as part of the deal has met twice (November 2001 and
April 2008) on the sub-ministerial level to discuss ways of activating the
agreement. And in 2016, Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia stated that
then-president Hassan Rouhani was interested in activating it. Yet their joint
statement about the new normalization deal includes a reminder that they have
yet to “implement” the security agreement more than two decades after it was
signed.
Next Steps
Affirming and activating these past agreements would be an important indicator
of each country’s willingness to move beyond the mere reopening of embassies and
other initial diplomatic steps mentioned in the recent announcement. In Riyadh,
it remains unclear whether certain cabinet ministers are opposed to deeper
normalization with Iran, as some may be skeptical about the long-term prospects
of cooperating with an often-hostile regional rival.
In Tehran, officials would need to clarify if their government ever completed
ratification of the past agreements. Iran’s Shura Council and Guardian Council
approved them both at the time, but it is unclear whether they are still in
effect. If the two governments proceed with the necessary affirmations in the
near term, it would be a significant signal of bilateral progress.
Implementing specific articles from the 2001 agreement would be an even more
potent demonstration of strengthening ties. As described in the Farsi text, the
agreement identifies the interior ministers of each country as the primary
points of contact. Officials in Washington and other capitals should therefore
keep a close eye on whether the two governments and their previously mentioned
joint security committee establish and maintain contact under these terms,
especially since Article 6 of the agreement allows either side to refuse to
cooperate.
Monitoring developments related to the 1998 General Agreement would provide
similar insight into the relationship’s true trajectory. For example,
cooperation on low-cost, low-commitment initiatives in the sports and cultural
sectors would be a notable first step considering Riyadh’s growing interest in
those fields. Yet deeper economic cooperation may prove difficult—although the
Saudi Public Investment Fund has occasionally played a role in advancing
bilateral relations, Iran’s economic wherewithal is greatly limited by heavy
international sanctions.
Apart from any further action on the 1998 and 2001 agreements, policymakers
should watch for diplomatic steps such as reopening embassies, dispatching
ambassadors, and establishing minister-level relations on various issues. Also
notable will be how the two governments handle Iranian participation in the
upcoming Hajj pilgrimage, which has often been a contentious issue. They signed
a memorandum of understanding on that matter in early January, so they may find
coordination and cooperation easier this year.
*Faris Almaari is a research assistant in The Washington Institute’s Program on
Arab Politics.
Iraq 2050: Prosperity, Stability, and Reviving
the Baghdad of Innovation and Culture
Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani/Prime Minister of Iraq/Asharq Al-Awsat/ March, 18/2023
This week, we mark the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the dictatorial
regime, with all the pain and tragedy that was born of it, as well as all the
hopes for prosperity and liberation from tyranny and injustice. The thunderous
collapse of the regime was the result of decades of oppression, tyranny and
mismanagement. Meanwhile, twisted fantasies and attempts to attack and dismiss
others, domestically and externally, squandered the wealth of the country, while
Iraqis’ lives and dignity were taken lightly.
The regime’s downfall was the inevitable outcome of the way in which the country
had been run and the regime’s failure to properly assess its strengths and those
of its opponents. Instead of the country embarking on a long overdue
renaissance, it was gripped by the sorts of developments that countries usually
face after they escape the grip of a deranged authoritarian regime and
transition to a country of freedoms and liberties, which sometimes turned into
chaos.
The conditions persisted for a long time, and they dashed the people’s hopes for
freedom, salvation and progress. The time to heal our wounds has come; we must
take steps toward a prosperous future for the brave Iraqi people. Our people
have been extremely patient, sacrificing their dearest possessions and offering
busloads of martyrs for the sake of liberating Iraq’s people and territory and
cleaning out the filth of terrorism and tyranny.
Iraq managed to formulate a constitution centered on the Iraqi people (both men
and women) that guaranteed their rights to freedom, dignity and equality. The
constitution paved the way for building a state of equal citizenship, which must
remain our objective. We strive to achieve it despite all the difficulties and
challenges. It also guaranteed the country’s sovereignty, independence, and
unity.
Our people are waiting for a renaissance, which they know their country has all
the requisites for. We do not lack human capital, and our labor force is
educated. We are not short on natural and manmade wealth either. This is the
land of eternal rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates. It is geographically located
in one of the most strategic and significant places on the world map.
All of this has afforded Iraq a special place in history. It was a beacon of
science, literature and knowledge that scholars and students flocked to for
centuries. The time has come for us to remember these feats and allow them to
inspire us to push toward the restoration of Iraq’s role as a leading country.
These are not merely fanciful hopes. Rather, they must be turned into reality,
and with God’s help, our people are capable of doing so. What we need are
well-formulated plans and practical programs. We must implement them stringently
in all domains. Today, we are on the cusp of a new phase that we seek to make a
prosperous one, and we are working very hard on this. We have developed a
holistic program to address the most pressing problems facing the country. From
the very first instant, we have been working to clear all of the obstacles
hindering the country’s progress.
One of the most prominent barriers is financial and administrative corruption.
Thus, since the beginning, we have taken the initiative to eliminate this
problem within the framework of a comprehensive plan that we will be updated on
a regular basis. We want to strike the pits and tools of corruption wherever
they are. In this regard, I look forward to helping all the good people of Iraq
and every citizen who stands by the state and its loyal institutions in
addressing this problem, which is just as dangerous as terrorism.
We are determined to rebuild Iraq within the framework of a clear vision and a
road map of several stages. We have started the first phase by channeling the
state’s energy towards construction, economic reform, and combating poverty, as
we have made clear in the comprehensive program of our government, which set our
priorities. The second stage involves working to ensure economic and human
development, as well as building our military capacities and enhancing security.
Despite the scale of domestic and global challenges, we are steadfast in our
determination to face them. The difficult circumstances that our people have
undergone during this period have helped them better identify their interests.
They know that conflicts and quarrels can only lead to failure and regression on
every level. The hardships and calamities faced by the Iraqi people of all
faiths have solidified their Iraqi identity. It has become clear that the
sub-identities, while greatly respected, cannot substitute a national identity
that unifies the people of Iraq. There is no glory without this unity, and none
of us will live in dignity until the entirety of Iraq is a dignified leading
nation.
The Iraq of today is an Iraq that has made peace with itself and others. It does
not want to harm anyone, nor would it allow anyone to attack it. This is an Iraq
that wants the best for all and for its people to lead the lives they are worthy
of. Iraq needs all of its citizens without exception, especially amid the
current construction drive. We look forward to working diligently alongside all
friendly countries and international organizations to overcome the environmental
challenges facing the planet, including desertification, increased sand and dust
storms, water shortages, rising temperatures, exacerbating pollution, disease,
and poverty, and declining services, as well as all other challenges that
require total cooperation to overcome, especially those that cannot be solved
with measures in one place but not others.
We are aware of the gravity of these difficulties, and we are fully prepared.
Indeed, we are doing everything we can to develop partnerships and bring
countries together to face these challenges. Iraq extends its hand to any good
relationship and partnership in security, the economy, or the environment.
Diversifying our sources of income is a pressing need. We must stop depending on
oil revenues to fund our budgets. Building alternatives through agriculture,
industry, tourism, trade, and other pursuits is necessary. We have also set
meticulous plans to encourage domestic and foreign investment, opening the door
to investors and ventures. We are aware that construction and investment will
require more skilled workers and capacity building. Thus, we have launched the
Entrepreneurship Program to help youths acquire the expertise and skills needed
in the market without forgetting to build the capabilities of our military and
security agencies. Development can only be achieved through domestic stability
and solid foreign relations. Domestic stability demands that Iraq be a country
of laws where the state has a monopoly on arms. We will not tolerate seeing
weapons outside the hands of the state’s security and military establishment. As
for solid foreign relations, they require the development of regional and
international partnerships. Iraq’s abundance of resources, strategic location,
history, regional weight, and influence in the world economy all mean that it
has the capacity to play a bigger role befitting that is of its real size. And
its good relations with friendly countries have paved the way for building
bilateral and multilateral partnerships with many countries across the globe,
and we have many more relationships to build.
Finally, I believe that today is the right time to launch a comprehensive
national campaign for construction, reconstruction, and the development of
services throughout the country. With the help of the Iraqi people, our
partners, and our friends, we will build a strong and capable Iraq. This will be
achieved through our next plan, which we have called “Iraq 2050.”
America Is in a Disgraced Class of Its Own
Matthew Desmond/The New York Times/March, 18/2023
If we apply the legal scholar John A. Powell’s “targeted universalism” approach
to eradicating poverty — an approach that involves setting a goal and
recognizing that certain groups will need distinctive interventions for that
goal to be met — then our attitude toward different antipoverty policies should
be “both and.” We don’t need new solutions to this problem as much as a new
mind-set, a renewed national commitment to broad prosperity. The ideal poverty
rate in America is zero. Why settle for anything less? Why accept the boring,
pernicious best-we-can-doism that has captured the inequality debate in recent
years? “We have to challenge the tragedy, the catastrophe, of compromise,” the
Rev. William Barber II, one of the chairmen of the Poor People’s Campaign, told
me.
When the Johnson administration launched “an unconditional war on poverty in
America” in 1964, it wasn’t just lofty rhetoric. It set a deadline. Sargent
Shriver, the director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, announced that “the
target date for ending poverty in this land” would be 1976, the bicentennial.
“We once had ambitions about poverty abolitionism,” Dorian Warren reminded me,
and we can rekindle that sense of urgency.
So rather than wait around for Congress to act, we should begin to act
ourselves. Poverty abolitionism isn’t just a political project, after all; it’s
a personal one, too. For starters, just as many of us are now shopping and
investing in ways that address climate change, we can also do so with an eye
toward economic justice. If we can, we should reward companies that treat their
employees well and shun those with a track record of union busting and
exploitation. To do so, we can consult organizations like B Lab, which certifies
companies that meet high social and environmental standards, and Union Plus,
which curates lists of union-made products. These everyday decisions can add up
to something. If more of us adopted poverty abolitionism as a way of living —
and of seeing the world and imagining a better one — that behavior would spread,
which in turn could redefine what is socially acceptable and what is believed
possible. If enough of us found ways to show that we will no longer stand for so
much immiseration, we would put upward pressure on corporate and elected
leaders, potentially creating a groundswell of political will and renewed calls
for reform.
A third of the country’s people live in households making less than $55,000.
Many are not officially counted among the poor, but there is plenty of economic
hardship above the poverty line. And plenty far below it as well. According to
the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which accounts for government aid and living
expenses, more than one in 25 people in America 65 or older lived in deep
poverty in 2021, meaning that they’d have to, at minimum, double their incomes
just to reach the poverty line.
Programs like housing assistance and food stamps are effective and essential,
protecting millions of families from hunger and homelessness each year. But the
United States devotes far fewer resources to these programs, as a share of its
gross domestic product, than other rich democracies, which places America in a
disgraced class of its own on the world stage.
The Saudi-Iran deal is an opportunity to bring stability
Nadim Shehadi/Arab News/March 18, 2023
The 20th anniversary of the Iraq invasion has been overshadowed by the
revelation of a Chinese-brokered Saudi-Iranian rapprochement. In hindsight, the
Chinese role is a logical outcome of the need to fill the vacuum of US
withdrawal from the region post-Iraq. It is also an opportunity for a
revitalized GCC role with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman cooperating to
bring stability to the region.
The details of the deal are not important. “The making of a treaty is the treaty
itself,” according to Cardinal Wolsey who was King Henry VIII’s chief adviser.
It does not matter what the terms are. Ultimately it is the goodwill that
matters, not the terms. When the goodwill that brought the parties together runs
out, the treaty is broken, whatever the terms say.
Timing is relevant in that it comes when Iran is at its weakest internally with
continuing protests and Saudi Arabia possibly at its strongest. The region also
deserves a break from the ups and downs it has witnessed since the Iraq
invasion. There is a window here represented by the period when the goodwill
will last, but it will not last forever.
GCC states, while bound by cooperation agreements, have also evolved in separate
ways over the past 20 years. The result is that they have different contacts and
alliances in the various conflicts of the region. When they were in competition,
their interventions made the situation worse. But if they cooperate then the
fact that they are in touch with opposing sides in places such as Yemen, Libya,
Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq will give them an advantage in helping
resolve the problems often complicated by an Iranian role. They must not waste
the opportunity that the agreement provides and must act while the goodwill is
still there.
In the meantime, geopolitical experts are going wild analyzing the global
significance of the deal, the winners and the losers: China’s new and unexpected
role as a mediator in the Middle East and its rise to rival the US as a power
broker; also the calculations and strategies of Saudi Arabia and Iran and the
various possible scenarios. It is a useful exercise but there are too many
uncertainties — the outcome of the Ukraine war, what looks like another global
financial banking crisis in the making, and the result of the protests in Iran,
Iraq and Lebanon against the Iranian regime and its proxy militias.
All parties involved in the Saudi-Iran agreement have found a way of declaring
it a victory, except the Americans who were caught by surprise and must be
working hard to find a positive angle. In 2003, the US invaded Iraq ostensibly
to fix the region, then it changed its mind and left it in the lurch. In the
best of all interpretations, the invasion did pull the region out of stagnation
at a time when it looked like the descendants of Saddam Hussein, together with
those of Muammar Qaddafi, Bashar Assad and Ben Ali, were going to rule forever.
Until the US decides who its friends and enemies are, seeking Chinese help seems
to be the best option.
The fall of the statue of Saddam Hussein broke the myth of the power of
dictatorships and inspired other movements in the region, culminating in what
became known as the Arab Spring. Iraq itself looked like it was about to see
better days after the successful “surge” of 2007-08 when the US announced a new
way forward and brought in more troops who collaborated with Sunni tribal
leaders to oust Al-Qaeda from Iraq.
At the time, in 2009-2010, international organizations wrote glowing reports
that Arab regimes had understood the message and were reforming. The regimes may
have fooled the bureaucrats at the UN, the EU, the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund but they did not fool their own people. Revolts
against dictatorships rose in Tunis, Libya and Syria and for a short while it
did look like we were heading toward a brighter future with freedom and
democracy.
Then it dawned on us that the US had changed its mind; it was as much of an
internal American soul-searching about its role in the world as it was about
learning the wrong lessons from the Iraq war. There was the manner in which the
Barack Obama administration withdrew from Iraq, together with the decisive
moment in September 2013 when the president backed off from enforcing the red
line he drew over the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons against civilians.
Later, Iranian and Russian interventions to save Assad were also ignored,
resulting in the destruction and starvation of cities and millions of refugees.
Syria was sacrificed for a nuclear deal with Iran. We heard justifications such
as “why should we be the policeman of the world” or “well, let’s not forget that
America has done some really bad things” and “we only make things worse” or “we
make peace with enemies not with friends” or “we are focused on Daesh.” Syria’s
descent into hell destabilized the whole region and the ripple effects disrupted
the EU with the resulting refugee crisis.
Except for a short interlude during the Donald Trump presidency, the US under
Obama and Joe Biden has been mostly blind to Iran’s interventions in Palestine,
Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. We heard explanations that the Houthis,
Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad or the various militias in Iraq were local
organizations with a local agenda and could not be reduced to proxies of Iran.
Then there was the September 2019 drone and missile attacks on Saudi Aramco
facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais; the January 2022 attacks on the UAE’s Mussafah
oil refinery barely noticed by Washington.
If the Iraq war resulted in the US pulling away from its role as a superpower in
the region, it took the Ukraine war and the Iranian protests, with parallels
drawn with Russia and Iran’s role in Syria, to again disrupt America’s
soul-searching moment and hopefully lead to a review of its relations with its
allies. In the meantime, and until the US decides again who its friends and
enemies are, and shakes itself out from the trauma of its Iraq invasion, seeking
Chinese help and guarantees seems to be the best option.
• Nadim Shehadi is a Lebanese economist. Twitter: @Confusezeus