English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May 13/2023
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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15 آذار/2023
Bible Quotations For today
Take the first fish that comes up; and when
you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you
and me
Saint Matthew 17/24-27/:”When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of
the temple tax came to Peter and said, ‘Does your teacher not pay the temple
tax?’He said, ‘Yes, he does.’ And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first,
asking, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or
tribute? From their children or from others?’ When Peter said, ‘From others’,
Jesus said to him, ‘Then the children are free. However, so that we do not give
offence to them, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes
up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to
them for you and me.’”.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on May 12-13/2023
Iran:
Replacing Khomeini with Clinton/Amir Taheri/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 12/2023
The Post-American Regional Order/Huda al-Husseini/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 12/2023
Chinese Embrace Brazil as "Global Strategic Partner" as Brazilian President
Visits China/Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute./May 12, 2023
On the ballot in Turkey: trust and the democratic spirit/Alexandra de Cramer/The
Arab Weekly/May 12/2023
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on May 12-13/2023
‘I want to
live in peace like the rest of the world’s children’: Palestinian teen’s plea to
Pope Francis
Israel kills senior Gaza commanders as Egypt tries to mediate conflict/Five
senior Islamic Jihad figures killed since Tuesday.
Fierce Gaza-Israel fighting renews as truce hopes fade
Jerusalem in Islamic Jihad crosshairs as Gaza fighting continues
Palestinian reaction in West Bank to Israeli attacks on Gaza ‘below
expectations’
Israel is ‘colonial power’ violating international law: UN special rapporteur
New UK Special Representative to Syria appointed
UN must keep moving quake aid to Syria after deadline: Amnesty
UN envoy: Humanitarian deal between warring sides first step toward ceasefire in
Sudan
Sudanese factions fight on after failing to agree on truce
Disinformation adds dark note to pivotal Turkish election
Erdogan rival accuses Russia of ‘deep fake’ campaign ahead of Sunday vote
Iranian Dissident Put Under Police Protection in UKuring an interview with The
Associated Press/Friday, Sept. 23, 2022
Iran Frees Two French Citizens, Says Macron
Lenderking: Iran Still Smuggling Weapons, Narcotics to Yemen
German-Iranian Charged with Arson Attempt Near Synagogue
Russia Acknowledges Retreat North of Bakhmut; Mercenary Boss Calls It a ‘Rout’
Titles For
The Latest
English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on May 12-13/2023
French diplomat: MBS told Macron 'yes for Franjieh'
Lebanon’s Politicians Intensify Meetings over Presidential Crisis
Is Suleiman Frangieh still in Lebanon's presidential race?
Frangieh's presidential hopes hang in the balance
Bukhari says 'observations' on Franjieh clarified, urges president 'this month'
KSA stance 'unchanged' after Yarze talks, Paris says 'no veto' on anyone
Yarze talks: Ordinary meeting or major shift?
Report: Bassil backpedals on Azour after opposition endorses him
Geagea to avoid 'provoking' Hezbollah, opposition nominee to emerge soon
Judge Aoun accuses Lebanon and Gulf Bank of money laundering
Mawlawi after meeting with Bukhari: Our relationship with Saudi Arabia will not
be severed
From freedom to restrictions: Lawyers' battle for freedom of expression
Cash-strapped Lebanese soldiers moonlight as mechanics, waiters
Concern as Beirut Civil Defense chief detained by Syrian intelligence
Protests at Palestinian refugee camps in support of Gaza
AFC Asian Cup 2023 groups revealed: Lebanon placed in Group 1
Lebanon's Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Production Earns International Acclaim "Bustan
El Zeitoun" Bestowed with 3 Global Awards, Showcasing Unparalleled...
Oil prices edge lower in Lebanon
Sayyed Nasrallah Says Hezbollah Won’t Hesitate to Act in Support of Gaza: “We’ll
See”
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on May 12-13/2023
French diplomat: MBS told
Macron 'yes for Franjieh'
Naharnet/May 12/2023
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said yes to French President Emmanuel
Macron for Suleiman Franjieh, the French daily Le Monde quoted a French diplomat
as saying. The newspaper said that the Saudi-Syrian rapprochement has increased
the presidential chances of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's personal friend.
Macron chose Franjieh after the Paris meeting to break the Lebanese presidential
impasse in a settlement under which Franjieh would be elected as president in
return for the appointment as premier of ex-ambassador to the U.N. and former
International Court of Justice judge Nawaf Salam. The French officially say they
do not support a specific candidate, and KSA says it doesn't want to interfere
in a Lebanese affair and want the Lebanese to choose their leader by themselves.
On Thursday, Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari met Franjieh at his residence in
Yarze. Conflicting media reports then emerged, some considering the meeting as
an ordinary meeting and others considering it a major Saudi shift from veto to
dialogue.
Lebanon’s Politicians Intensify Meetings over Presidential
Crisis
Beirut: Caroline Akoum/Asharq Al-Awsat/12 May 2023
Lebanon’s political scene is witnessing extensive political contacts and
meetings over the presidential vacuum, especially among the parties opposing the
election of the head of Marada Movement, Sleiman Franjieh.
On Thursday, Franjieh - whose candidacy is backed by Hezbollah and the
Amal Movement - visited Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid al-Bukhari.
While no statement was issued following the meeting, the head of Marada
tweeted: “We thank his Excellency, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, for the invitation. The meeting was cordial and excellent.”
Bukhari later met with a delegation from the National Moderation Bloc.
Meanwhile, the head of the Kataeb Party, MP Sami Gemayel, met on Thursday
with MP Wael Bou Faour, member of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and the
Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc. Gemayel
stressed that extensive contacts were underway to reach a breakthrough in the
presidential crisis. Parliamentary sources in the opposition told Asharq
Al-Awsat that three names were under discussion. They include Army Commander
General Joseph Aoun and former ministers Ziad Baroud and Jihad Azour. While the
sources expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement soon,
they pointed to the opposition’s caution against a possible parliamentary
confrontation if the other side insisted on Franjieh, saying that the results
could turn in his favor in the election session if quorum is secured.
Democratic Gathering MP Hadi Abul-Hassan stressed the need to agree on a
candidate that would gain the support of all sides. He
explained that Franjieh’s supporters should “take a step back” and agree on a
consensual president, noting that no side has so far secured the parliamentary
quorum of 86 deputies to elect a president.
Is Suleiman Frangieh still in Lebanon's presidential race?
Nada Maucourant Atallah/The National/May 12/2023
French diplomat says the Hezbollah-backed candidate is still deemed a viable
option by Paris
A French diplomat has told The National that Suleiman Frangieh, leader of the
Christian Marada party and the Hezbollah-backed candidate, is still considered
an option for Lebanon's presidency by Paris.
Recent reports suggested that France had withdrawn its support for Mr Frangieh.
But the source said: “Nothing has changed. It is still deemed the most pragmatic
option in the current context, given the absence of a more viable solution.”
Paris has long endorsed a formula involving Mr Frangieh serving as the head of
state, balanced by someone from the opposing camp as prime minister.
One potential candidate for the prime ministerial role often mentioned in
this context is diplomat Nawaf Salam. “We maintain a non-veto stance on any
candidate, and should a stronger option emerge, we are open to re-evaluating our
choice”, said the diplomat. The French government views this as the sole option
to overcome a political impasse, as Lebanon finds itself in its eighth month
without a president since the conclusion of former president Michel Aoun's term
on October 31. Mr Frangieh visited Paris in April in response to an invitation
from Patrick Durel, adviser to the Elysee on Middle Eastern and North African
affairs. According to the French diplomat, a viable candidate for the Lebanese
presidency should support the crucial set of reforms requested by the
International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Lebanon has since 2020 been negotiating to secure an aid package from the IMF to
alleviate the country's severe economic crisis. In a deeply polarised Lebanon,
Frangieh is seen as the candidate of Hezbollah — the Iran-backed party opposing
those traditionally more aligned with the Saudis. But recent developments
indicate potential change in Saudi Arabia' stance. On Thursday, Mr Frangieh met
Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari, who the presidential front-runner
described as “cordial and excellent”. Last week, Mr Bukhari said that his
country viewed the presidential election as an internal matter and emphasised
that the kingdom would not exercise a “veto” on any candidate. The source added
that Mr Frangieh was not, strictly speaking, France's designated candidate for
the presidency. “Lebanon holds sovereignty over who they elect, our involvement
to support the most realistic option is a way to speed up the process, as,
despite the urgency of the situation, Lebanon has faded away from the
international agenda,” said the source.
French Saudi talks
“Following extensive talks between France and Saudi Arabia, the kingdom has now
made it clear that it does not object to Mr Frangieh's election,” said political
scientist Karim Emile Bitar. “While they might not be very enthusiastic,
France's endorsement of this formula would not have happened without Saudi
Arabia in the loop.” He added that “there is no more reason for the kingdom to
object to Mr Frangieh in Lebanon”, in light of recent geopolitical developments
including Syria's return to the Arab League and the Saudi-Iranian detente.
But Mr Frangieh is still far from being a consensual figure within the
Lebanese political landscape. On Wednesday, Sami Gemayel, the leader of the
Christian Party Kataeb, said he refused any Hezbollah-backed candidate, claiming
that the opposition “first want to prevent Hezbollah's takeover of the
presidency and then suggest a name”.“If Hezbollah continues to impose its
decisions on the Lebanese, that could lead to civil war,” he added. “We can't
accept being crushed.”Against this backdrop, opponents of Mr Frangieh have been
critical of the French position. “It is perceived as cynical. Some people
pointed out that economic interests could be at stake, while the French argue
that the main concern is the stability in Lebanon,” Mr Bitar said.
“Realpolitik governs the dynamics at play, but it is also understandable
as the situation could potentially deteriorate further with a presidential
vacuum.” From the French perspective, “Mr Frangieh is
not France's candidate, but the candidate of the strongest political party in
Lebanon, and France is trying to mitigate the damage by making sure there is a
deal”, he said. The Lebanese parliament remains deeply
polarised. Despite convening 11 times, with no 12th vote scheduled, it is still
unable to elect a new president. Speaker Nabih Berri
has called for a June 15 deadline and said “regional and international climate
regarding the presidential elections are encouraging”.
Frangieh's presidential hopes hang in the balance
LBCI/May 12/2023
The path to Baabda Presidential Palace seems uncertain for Frangieh regarding
garnering external support and securing the necessary votes.
So far, Frangieh has only gathered 65 votes in his favor.
Frangieh's supporters comprise various factions, including:
- the Development and Liberation Bloc (15 votes)
- Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc (15 votes)
- their independent allies (8 votes)
- Independent National Bloc (4 votes)
- the Armenian parliamentary bloc (3 votes)
This makes a total of 45 votes.
This means that Frangieh needs an additional 20 votes to reach the required 65
votes. The key to achieving this lies in winning over the opposition parties
that reject Frangieh's election. The potential factions to target are:
- Strong Republic Bloc: 20 votes
- Strong Lebanon Bloc: 18 votes
- Democratic Gathering Bloc: 8 votes
- Tajadod Bloc: 4 votes
- Change MPs Bloc: 5 votes
- Kataeb Party Bloc: 4 votes
These collectively hold 59 votes.
However, all eyes are currently on the National Moderation Bloc, consisting of
six MPs, which was visited by the Saudi ambassador on Thursday.
Sources within the bloc confirmed to LBCI that the bloc would not go
against the Saudi will. They added that the bloc's stance remains undecided
regarding whether they are with Frangieh or against him. However, they have
agreed that the bloc's votes should be consolidated in one place and not
distributed, according to the same sources. The
unavailability of the required 65 votes for Frangieh is one of the reasons why
the Speaker of Parliament has not called for a session to elect the president.
Even if Frangieh's supporters could secure the quorum of 86 votes for
such a session, it is currently unfeasible under the present circumstances.
Furthermore, the opposing party has yet to present a consensus candidate,
and the divisions within the Parliament remain a key factor. Without internal
consensus and external support, the conclusion is clear: The path to Baabda
Presidential Palace remains distant for any potential president.
Bukhari says 'observations' on Franjieh clarified, urges president 'this month'
Naharnet/May 12/2023
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari has told the majority-Sunni National
Moderation parliamentary bloc that “Saudi Arabia has no veto on anyone nor a
veto on Suleiman Franjieh,” a media report said. Asked
whether his meeting with Franjieh has “dispelled his country’s concerns,”
Bukhari told the bloc, according to al-Liwaa newspaper, that he has “no concerns
over Franjieh, but rather some observations that have been clarified.”
The Saudi ambassador also stressed the need to “finalize the presidential
election as soon as possible, specifically before the end of this month,”
al-Liwaa added. Senior Hezbollah sources meanwhile
told the daily that the Bukhari-Franjieh meeting was “excellent” and that it was
a “positive indication regarding the transformations that the presidential file
is witnessing, specifically as to the kingdom’s stance on Franjieh as a certain
president for the republic.”
The sources added that the meeting was “part of the preparatory steps for ending
the presidential vacuum,” noting that “clearer stances and steps are expected to
follow and will help those hesitant over Franjieh’s nomination to change their
stance or to at least secure quorum in parliament for his election.”
Shiite Duo sources meanwhile told al-Liwaa that efforts are underway to “secure
consensus among the Lebanese blocs opposed to Franjieh over a candidate for
confronting him” and that a presidential election session would be held after
the Arab Summit that Saudi Arabia will host on May 19.
KSA stance 'unchanged' after Yarze talks, Paris says 'no
veto' on anyone
Naharnet/May 12/2023
Thursday’s meeting in Yarze between Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari
and Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh “did not change the kingdom’s stance
as to what it has declared regarding the Lebanese presidential juncture,” a
media report said on Friday. “What Franjieh heard from the ambassador was the
same stance that the other parties heard from him: his country does not have any
problem with anyone and it does not support or veto anyone,” Annahar newspaper
reported. “Accordingly, the Lebanese themselves must choose their president,”
the daily quoted Bukhari as telling Franjieh. A senior French diplomat meanwhile
told the newspaper that “France has no veto on any presidential candidate in
Lebanon,” when asked whether Paris has backed down from a proposal calling for
Franjieh’s election as president and Nawaf Salam’s appointment as premier.
“Suleiman Franjieh can become president and so can any other figure. Joseph Aoun
for example is an excellent army commander and is an upright figure whom we
respect. He can also become president and there are others as well, but the
problem lies in the political obstacles and gathering a parliamentary majority
that would allow any candidate to be elected,” the diplomat said. He added:
“What applies to Suleiman Franjieh applies to others. If we look at the Lebanese
institutions, we understand that it is not enough for Lebanon for a president to
be elected. Any president is required to commit to the implementation of certain
matters, such as refraining from using the one-third-plus-one veto power (in
Cabinet) and backing the premier in the implementation of reforms.”
Yarze talks: Ordinary meeting or major shift?
Naharnet/May 12/2023
A meeting between Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari and Hezbollah's presidential
candidate Suleiman Franjieh, although dubbed by some local media as an ordinary
meeting, was considered a "major positive Saudi shift" by a senior political
source. The source told al-Joumhouria, in remarks published Friday, that Saudi
Arabia has shifted "from veto to dialogue" with Franjieh, and that elections
might be held within a month if the positive ambiance persists. "We could reach
positive conclusions in the coming weeks," pro-Franjieh sources told a local
newspaper, expecting an imminent "semi-settlement". The sources added, in
remarks published Friday in al-Akhbar, that Bukhari was very cordial and assured
Franjieh that there is no Saudi veto against him. The
breakfast in Yarze was coordinated with French and local parties, including
Berri who described the situation as "excellent", al-Akhbar said.
While some parties still strongly oppose Franjieh and warn of boycotting
a session that would elect him, the Sunni MPs and the Progressive Socialist
Party still haven't made a clear nomination. "We will not boycott any election
session," the Sunni MPs said after they met Bukhari on Thursday, adding that
they will endorse any candidate who can maintain good relations with the Arab
and Gulf countries. PSP leader Walid Jumblat for his part will announce Monday
his presidential approach. "Jumblat will announce that he will not turn towards
Franjieh," al-Jadeed reported.
Report: Bassil backpedals on Azour after opposition
endorses him
Naharnet/May 12/2023
The opposition has tried to agree with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran
Bassil on a presidential candidate who would enjoy the broadest support in
parliament and who was his candidate in the first place, a media report said on
Friday. “It proposed to the FPM leader that ex-minister Jihad Azour be a
candidate supported by the entire opposition, but he evaded accepting this
proposal in order not to infuriate Hezbollah,” the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper
reported. “Bassil seemed to prefer an agreement with Hezbollah rather than with
the opposition,” the daily added.
Geagea to avoid 'provoking' Hezbollah, opposition nominee to emerge soon
Naharnet/May 12/2023
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has reversed his stance on choosing a
“confrontational candidate” and has accepted to endorse “a consensual candidate
who wouldn’t provoke Hezbollah in particular,” a media report said.
The LF believes that it has offered “a major concession in this regard, because
its aim is to present a candidate in the face of Franjieh within a few weeks,”
informed sources told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published Friday. Moreover,
the sources said that imminent results can be expected from the opposition’s
deliberations and that a “serious candidate” will emerge soon.
The opposition is seeking “an agreement on a paper carrying the platform
of the supposed candidate” and there are “names who are ready and appropriate
for this role,” the sources added.
Judge Aoun accuses Lebanon and Gulf Bank of money
laundering
LBCI/May 12/2023
In a recent development, Lebanon and Gulf Bank has been added to the list of
banks accused by Judge Ghada Aoun of money laundering.
This accusation comes in response to a directive issued by the Public Prosecutor
of Cassation, Ghassan Oueidat, regarding handling public prosecutions with the
amended banking secrecy law and the restriction of suspicion of concealing
information. This move has once again sparked anger from the Association of
Banks, which has accused Judge Aoun of interpreting the law as she sees fit.
The Association has also warned of the dangers of continuing this
destructive approach towards the banking sector. Furthermore, it believes that
changing the alleged criminal description from concealing information to
accusing banks of money laundering will increase the risks associated with
correspondent banks' relationships. The Association views this approach as
deepening the crisis by persistently ruining the country's financial reputation.
Moreover, it considers it a violation of principles and laws and a judicial
rebellion against the directives of the Public Prosecutor of Cassation. The
banking sector in Lebanon has been facing significant challenges in recent
years, including economic meltdown and financial crises. Accusations of money
laundering further exacerbate the difficulties faced by the banking industry, as
it hampers trust and cooperation with correspondent banks.
Mawlawi after meeting with Bukhari: Our relationship with Saudi Arabia will not
be severed
LBCI/May 12/2023
Caretaker Interior Minister, Bassam Mawlawi, announced after meeting with the
Saudi Ambassador, Walid Bukhari, at his residence in Yarze, "we were pleased to
meet Ambassador Bukhari, the ambassador of the Kingdom that supports and
encourages the swift election of a President for the Republic." "Our
relationship with Saudi Arabia has not been and will not be severed, and we are
fulfilling our complete duties for the interest of the Lebanese people," he
added.
From freedom to restrictions: Lawyers' battle for freedom of expression
LBCI/May 12/2023
No speeches in the media for any lawyer, except with permission from their
syndicate. This is the outcome of the legal battle fought by lawyers to protect
their freedom of expression. However, the final word came from the Civil Appeals
Court, which handles union cases. It issued its decision on the appeal regarding
the media appearances of lawyers and affirmed the validity of the amendments
made by the Beirut Bar Association. But what are these amendments? And why did
they cause such a stir? Before March 3rd, obtaining permission for media
appearances by lawyers was limited to discussing pending cases before the
judiciary. It was also advisable for lawyers to obtain permission from the
syndicate to participate in any seminar with a legal consultancy character.
After March 3rd, it became mandatory for any lawyer to obtain prior
authorization allowing them to appear in the media. These amendments were met
with rejection and appeal by the lawyers before the Appeals Court. Consequently,
lawyer Nizar Saghiyeh was summoned to appear before the syndicate council.
Beirut Bar Association President Nader Kaspar responded during a press
conference to what he called baseless accusations against the syndicate,
confirming that the syndicate's decision came to regulate the chaos occurring in
the media appearances of lawyers and that some individuals exploit these
appearances for self-promotion. At a time when freedoms are advancing worldwide,
they are receding in Beirut through judicial rulings.
Cash-strapped Lebanese soldiers moonlight as mechanics,
waiters
Agence France Presse/May 12/2023
A crushing economic crisis in Lebanon has impelled members of the security
forces to take on side hustles to get by, raising concerns about security in the
eastern Mediterranean country. Soldiers in Lebanon have seen their salaries
diminish to around an eighth of their value in dollar terms since the country's
economy began tanking in late 2019. To make ends meet, 28-year-old soldier Samer
says he works three days a week with his uncle at a garage in the northern port
city of Tripoli. "Almost all of my army friends have a second job," he said,
standing near an open car bonnet, his hands dirty with grease and oil. In
regular times, moonlighting while serving in the military can be punishable by
imprisonment. But now "the army turns a blind eye because if not, everybody
would quit," said Samer, whose name has been changed as he is not allowed to
talk to the media. The devastating economic crisis -- which the World Bank says
is one of the planet's worst in modern times -- has plunged more than 80 percent
of the Lebanese population into poverty. On average, a soldier used to earn
about $800 a month before the crisis, but the value of the Lebanese currency,
the pound, has since crashed and salaries are now worth around just $100.
Working at the garage, Samer says he earns double what he does as a soldier --
but still struggles to survive, with nappies and milk to buy for his young son.
Since June last year, Qatar and the United States have announced millions to
help prop up security force salaries -- particularly for the army, seen as a key
pillar of Lebanon's stability.
'Penniless' -
"Even with the $100 extra from the Qataris every 45 days, it's still not
enough," Samer told AFP. "At the end of the month, I'm penniless."
Around 80,000 Lebanese serve in the army, while almost 25,000 police
serve in Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF), according to official
sources.
The army declined to respond to an AFP request for comment on the issue of
soldiers taking up second jobs. Ahmad, 29, chose to desert after 10 years of
service, preferring instead to work full time as a waiter. "I realized that
staying was hopeless," he told AFP, also using a pseudonym. He quit early last
year and said others from his barracks had also left the army. "I was raised to
love the uniform. I still do, but we are suffocating," he said. Lebanon's
cash-strapped military struggles to even maintain its own equipment. After the
economic meltdown began, the army cut down on meat in meals for on-duty
soldiers, while in 2021 it introduced helicopter joyrides for tourists in a bid
to boost its coffers.
Security concerns -
Ahmad said he worried about being arrested for deserting. "But at least I earn
seven times the amount from before -- and have enough to eat." Dina Arakji from
Control Risks consultancy said morale in the security forces "has decreased as a
result of the crisis." Unofficially allowing soldiers to work other jobs has
jeopardized "the forces' ability to effectively cover and respond to the
country's domestic security needs," she told AFP. Police who serve in Lebanon's
ISF say their financial woes are even tougher. "Our situation is pitiful," Elie,
a 37-year-old police officer, told AFP at a protest demanding pension increases
for armed forces members in March. The father of three said his salary was worth
around $50 and that he worked with his father, a farmer, to help feed his
family. "The ISF turns a blind eye to those moonlighting as there are no other
solutions," a security official told AFP. The official, requesting anonymity as
they were not authorized to talk to the media, said health budgets for the armed
forces had also collapsed. The army provides its own hospital for its forces,
but the ISF has no such facilities. "The worst thing is that if you are injured
on the job, you have to pay your own hospital bills," police officer Elie said.
Concern as Beirut Civil Defense chief detained
by Syrian intelligence
Najia Houssari/Arab News/May 12, 2023
BEIRUT: Syrian intelligence on Friday detained Beirut’s Civil Defense chief for
four hours after he crossed overland into the country en route to Egypt.
Walid Hashash, 57, director-general of the Civil Defense in the Lebanese
capital, was detained and interrogated by the Palestine Branch of Syria’s
intelligence service.It is the first time such an incident has taken place since
the resumption of Lebanese movement into Syria at the end of 2021. In March
2020, the Syrian regime prevented Lebanese from entering Syria as a
precautionary measure against COVID-19. Youssef Mallah, one of the most
prominent volunteers in the Civil Defense in Beirut, told Arab News that Hashash
had set out on a motorcycle trip to Egypt via Jordan, passing through Syria. He
was with a group of 20 friends. He had also obtained 15 days of holiday leave
for the trip, said Mallah, who added that Hashash was arrested when the group
crossed a Syrian security checkpoint. The circumstances of the arrest are
unknown, but it was later suggested that it was a case of misidentification,
Mallah said.
One of Hashash’s relatives, who was part of the group, informed concerned
parties in Lebanon of the incident. Reports on social media said that official
contact took place with Syrian authorities to secure the release of Hashash, who
was freed hours after his arrest and returned to Beirut. Hashash’s friends said
that the Beirut Civil Defense chief has no political or partisan
affiliations.The Hashash family spent hours fearfully waiting for his return
amid fears that he may have been mistreated while under interrogation. Arrests
and detentions by the Palestine Branch have come under scrutiny, with the unit
having links to a series of disappearances in Syrian territory since the 1980s.
Lebanese Civil Defense Director General Brig. Gen. Raymond Khattar and
Caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi handled the communication to secure
Hashash’s release. Hashash told Arab News after his return to Beirut that he is
in good condition and was treated with respect by the Syrian authorities.
The head of the Sanad Party, MP Ashraf Rifi, said: “Hashash is a sportsman and
has a hobby of riding motorcycles and often makes trips with the group that was
accompanying him to Egypt.” The incident comes amid growing calls for the
restoration of Lebanese relations with Syria, said the MP.
“We have no details about the reasons for Hashash’s arrest. Most of the
information we have indicates that he has nothing to do with politics.”
Rifi added that the Syrian regime was “still adopting the same old methods”
despite the positive atmosphere prevailing in the region.
Lebanon voted to suspend Syria from the Arab League in 2011, despite Hezbollah
and its allies rejecting the move. However, as Syrian ties with countries in the
region improve, Beirut has yet to take any official action to resume relations
with Damascus, except for security coordination, which had been uninterrupted by
the civil war. The Amal Movement, Hezbollah’s ally, said several days ago that
the resumption of Syrian membership in the Arab League is an opportunity to
straighten Lebanese-Syrian relations through communication, and overcome
“imaginary obstacles” to resolve several issues, most prominently the issue of
Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari
continued a political tour of the country, meeting the interior minister on
Friday. The minister described Bukhari’s mediation efforts as a catalyst for
speeding up the election of a new Lebanese president. Bukhari also met MPs of
the Tajaddod bloc, among whose members is the opposition presidential candidate
MP Michel Moawad. The meeting came a day after Bukhari met Suleiman Frangieh —
Hezbollah’s candidate and a close friend of Syria. After the meeting, Moawad
said that Saudi Arabia’s position had become clear. “It believes that the
presidential election is a Lebanese sovereign decision and that the Lebanese
must choose any path they want and therefore bear responsibility for their
choice.”The MP added: “Saudi Arabia seeks to set rules for this region on the
basis of the sovereignty of states, and all the developments in the region
solidify our insistence that Lebanon should not be outside this momentum, growth
and stability.”Moawad said that his bloc will confront “with all our strength,
any candidate imposed by the opposition project that brought us to our current
situation; the battle is between two projects, not between two people.”
Protests at Palestinian refugee camps in support of Gaza
Agence France Presse/Associated Press/May 12/2023
In Lebanon, rallies were held Friday in solidarity with Gaza in multiple refugee
camps hosting Palestinians. Israel and Gaza militants traded heavy fire Friday
that has been met with international calls for de-escalation. Violence broke out
Tuesday when Israel killed three top members of the Islamic Jihad militant
group, while subsequent strikes have killed two other senior figures.
"Resisters, strike Tel Aviv," protesters chanted in Saida, home to the country's
largest refugee camp. This week's escalation is the worst since August, when 49
Gazans were killed in three days of fighting between Islamic Jihad and Israel.
At least 19 of those fatalities were children, according to the United Nations,
while rocket fire wounded three people in Israel. That conflict followed
multiple wars fought between Israel and Hamas since the group took control of
Gaza in 2007. An Israeli blockade imposed since then has made it impossible for
the vast majority of 2.3 million residents to leave Gaza, where poverty and
unemployment are rife. Protesters also gathered at the Burj al-Barajneh
Palestinian refugee camp, south of Beirut, after Friday prayers. They shouted
slogans against Israel and in support of people in the Gaza Strip.
AFC Asian Cup 2023 groups revealed: Lebanon placed in Group
1
LBCI/May 12/2023
On Thursday, the draw for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, which will be held in Qatar
from January 12 to February 10, took place. The teams were divided into six
groups, and Lebanon was placed in Group 1, considered a challenging group.
Lebanon will face Tajikistan, China, and the host country Qatar, which
previously hosted the FIFA World Cup and lost in the group stage. Group 2
includes Australia, the 2015 AFC Asian Cup champions, competing against India,
Syria, and Uzbekistan. The three-time title holders Iran found themselves in
Group 3 alongside Hong Kong, Palestine, and the United Arab Emirates. Japan, the
highest-ranked team in Asia, will face Indonesia, Iraq, and Vietnam in Group 4.
Group 5, the penultimate group, consists of Malaysia, Bahrain, Jordan, and South
Korea. Saudi Arabia, known for its impressive performance in the World Cup and
for conquering champions Argentina, is in the relatively easier Group 6,
alongside Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, and Oman. We hope the Qatari grounds will bring
good fortune to our national team, and we wish the Lebanese national football
team the best of luck.
Lebanon's Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Production Earns
International Acclaim "Bustan El Zeitoun" Bestowed with 3 Global Awards,
Showcasing Unparalleled...
NNA/May 12/2023
Lebanon's Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Production Earns International Acclaim
"Bustan El Zeitoun" Bestowed with 3 Global Awards, Showcasing Unparalleled
Quality and Leadership
Once again, 2023 witnessed Lebanon standing proudly among the world's top
producers of extra-virgin olive oil, with "Bustan El Zeitoun" garnering three
international awards and solidifying its position among the top 100 players in
the industry.
Nestled in Abra - Saida, a small town of Southern Lebanon, "Bustan El Zeitoun"
breathes new life into a national industry that had long been in disarray.
Drawing inspiration from the rich history, culture, and heritage of his
hometown, Abra - Saida in Southern Lebanon, where olive trees have been
preserved for generations, founder of “Bustan El Zeitoun”, Walid Mushantaf
combined his will and passion to produce internationally award-winning extra
virgin olive oil. What seemed like a distant fiction became reality through his
commitment, knowledge, and respect for the environment and the land.
The latest recognitions, which are nothing short of outstanding, include three
gold medals respectively won at the renowned "NYIOOC" World Olive Oil Quality
Competition 2023 held in New York, USA; the esteemed "EVOOLEUM" competition 2023
in Cordoba, Spain, which showcases the finest 100 extra-virgin olive oils in the
world; and the prestigious "Olive Japan International Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Competition" 2023 in Tokyo. This success story reasserts Lebanon's flagship
position in a highly competitive industry and establishes the small country as a
prominent player and force to be reckoned with on the global stage of
exceptional extra-virgin olive oil production.
Spanning 500,000 square meters, their orchard boasts twelve Italian varieties
alongside local cultivars. For more than a decade, "Bustan El Zeitoun" has
adopted and embraced modern, sustainable, and eco-friendly farming techniques,
thus combining best-in-class practices with global expertise to ensure the best
care is given to their planted olive trees. These trees are specifically chosen,
taking into consideration the soil and weather conditions of Lebanon in order to
preserve the unique and harmonious taste and flavor that characterizes Lebanese
olives and olive oil.
The selection process for the three competitions is carried out by a panel of
distinguished worldwide experts who are internationally recognized for their
expertise in olive oil tasting. Beyond the selection itself, the evaluation
stage is a key component of the rigorous process as it follows extremely precise
criteria and standards. These experts meticulously evaluate the olive oil
samples, subjecting them to rigorous physical, chemical, and sensory tests to
assess their quality, acidity level, flavor, taste, and the distinctiveness of
their bouquet of flavors and aromas.
At "Bustan El Zeitoun", quality takes precedence over quantity. As such,
production follows a thorough and meticulous management process. Harvesting
begins during the green phase of the olives, using early morning hand-picked
techniques to preserve quality and optimize productivity. Within a mere four
hours after the harvest, the olives are methodically cleaned and sorted, with
each cultivar being processed separately at the on-site olive oil mill. This
critical stage guarantees the freshness, health benefits, and nutritional
properties of the olives are preserved all the while preventing oxidation and
sustaining low acidity levels. Throughout the production process of their
extra-virgin olive oil, "Bustan El Zeitoun" employs state-of-the-art equipment,
procured in full compliance with international food safety and quality
standards. The oil then undergoes extensive laboratory and sensory testing
before filtration and storage, to ensure compliance with international quality
and food safety norms. Thus far, it is passion,
respect for the land, and the adoption of good Agricultural practices that have
paved the way of "Bustan El Zeitoun" towards international recognition, allowing
it to amass over 20 prestigious awards in various countries including the United
States, Italy, Japan, Greece, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, the United
Arab Emirates, and Lebanon. Among these accolades, the NYIOOC award particularly
stands out, as it is the fourth time since 2018 that "Bustan El Zeitoun"
receives this esteemed honor. The EVOOLEUM competition is also notable, as it is
known as a definitive guide to the top 100 extra-virgin olive oil worldwide, and
has awarded "Bustan El Zeitoun" a score of 91/1000. This will result in the
Lebanese brand being included in the EVOOLEUM 2024 guide published by Spain’s
Mercacei magazine, which specializes in olive tree farming and the olive oil
industry at global scale. Additionally, the Gold Medal awarded to “Bustan El
Zeitoun" at the Olive Japan International Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Competition
2023 speaks volumes as this competition is internationally recognized as one of
the most important events in the olive oil industry.
"Since we embarked on this journey in 2008, we have accumulated invaluable
experience and expertise in producing a truly unique extra-virgin olive oil,"
says Walid Mushantaf, founder of "Bustan El Zeitoun". "We have hugely benefited
from the support of dedicated local and international consultants and product
specialists. Through such projects and acknowledgements, Lebanese entrepreneurs
showcase their ability to demonstrate excellence in the food industry, thus
reenforcing the sector's capacity to compete on the global map." Mushantaf adds,
"Olive and olive oil production originated from Lebanon and the Eastern
Mediterranean with the Phoenicians, who played a significant role in introducing
it to the rest of the world. For me, the olive tree, with its sanctity,
firmness, resilience, and generosity, symbolizes perseverance, challenge, and a
strong attachment to the land."
About "Bustan El Zeitoun": The story of "Bustan El
Zeitoun" dates back to 2008 when its founder, Walid Mushantaf, embarked on a
journey to turn his dream into reality. Born and raised in Abra, Mushantaf spent
15 years in the Gulf before returning to Lebanon in 2008, a time of rapid
urbanization in the country’s history. He chose to align himself with nature,
planting 500 hectares of olive trees alongside other fruit-bearing trees. By
doing so, Mushantaf crystalized his strong belief in the reciprocity that stems
from giving back to Mother Nature.
"When you give to mother nature, it honors you back." His exceptional production
of the finest types of internationally recognized extra-virgin olive oil serves
as a testament to the truth of this belief.
Today, "Bustan El Zeitoun" is a well-established, highly acclaimed Lebanese
brand. Its commitment to preserving an ancestral tradition, by weaving the
threads of Lebanese heritage with cutting-edge modern techniques, sets it apart
from the competition and results in its unique signature – one that is
recognized by internationally acclaimed judges.
Oil prices edge lower in Lebanon
NNA/May 12/2023
Oil prices in Lebanon have dropped on Friday. Consequently, the new prices are
as follows:
95 octanes: LBP 1,635,000
98 octanes: LBP 1,677,000
Diesel: LBP 1,399,000
Gas: LBP 913,000
Sayyed Nasrallah Says Hezbollah Won’t Hesitate
to Act in Support of Gaza: “We’ll See”
Marwa Haidar/Al-Manar English Website/May 12, 2023
Revealing that Hezbollah has been in constant contact with Palestinian
resistance in Gaza, Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah affirmed that the
Lebanese resistance party “won’t hesitate to take actions as duty forces some
moves.” The Hezbollah leader concluded this statement
by: “We’ll see,” in a clear threat to the Zionist entity and its premier
Benjamin Netanyahu who has been in the last few days boasting of the brutal
Israeli aggression on Gaza. Sayyed Nasrallah remarks were during a ceremony
marking the seventh martyrdom anniversary of Hezbollah senior commander Mustafa
Badreddine – known with his nom du guerre “Sayyed Zulfiqar”. His eminence hailed
the Palestinian resistance for heroically confronting the Israeli aggression on
Gaza, today on its fourth day. In this context he
stressed that the united stance of the resistance factions foiled the goals of
the Israeli occupation which has been trying to single out the Islamic Jihad and
to sow discord between resistance groups in Gaza. Sayyed Nasrallah, meanwhile,
described the Arab League (AL) invitation to Syria as an important step, calling
on Lebanese government to restore ties with the Arab country.
On the local affairs, the Hezbollah S.G. said there have been positive
developments in the issue of Lebanese presidential elections, but stressed that
until a new president is elected the caretaker government must continue to
assume its responsibilities.
“Sayyed Zulfiqar”
Talking about the occasion, Sayyed Nasrallah hailed “Sayyed Zulfiqar” as an
insightful commander who had deep knowledge and strategic mind.
“Sayyed Zulfiar attained all honorable medals a resistance fighter could
get. First, he obtained the medal of a fighter who was present in battlefields.
Sayyed Zulfiqar also obtained the medal of an injured fighter and the medal of a
prisoner. He took then the medal of a commander who secured achievements and
victories. Finally, Sayyed Zulfiqar came by the most sublime medal,
martyrdom.”“Martyr Sayyed Zulfiqar and his companions, by their insight and
mindful performance, managed to secure great achievements,” Sayyed Nasrallah
addressed the ceremony in Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahiyeh).
“Sayyed Zulfiqar, who came up with the slogan of ‘United Banner Till
Victory’, manifests, along with great martyr Hajj Qassem Suleimani, unity among
powers in the Axis of Resistance,” the Hezbollah leader said, referring to the
former commander of the Quds Force, of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC), who was martyred in a US strike near Baghdad airport in January 2020.
Full Support for Gaza
On the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza, Sayyed Nasrallah said all know that
‘Israel’ is the one who initiated the attack by assassinating three senior
Islamic Jihad commanders last Tuesday (May 9). He lashed out at Israeli Premier
Benjamin Netanyahu, saying his motives behind the offensive were to restore the
Israeli deterrence and to find a way out of the internal impasse the Zionist
entity have been observing for months. “Netanyahu, through the aggression, seeks
to restore the Israeli deterrence and to handle the split of the Israeli
governmental coalition as well as to bolster his popularity.”
Sayyed Nasrallah quotes
Image prepared by Al-Manar that displays quotes by Sayyed Nasrallah
Meanwhile, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that the Islamic Jihad is in powerful
position, voicing confidence that the resistance group is capable to
rehabilitate its organizational structure despite the assassinations that
targeted its senior commanders. In this context, his eminence praised the
Gaza-based group’s calm performance in the battle, stressing that the united
stance of the resistance groups foiled the Israeli goals. “The Islamic Jihad
acted wisely in a way that confused the Israeli enemy. The resistance stance was
united through the Joint Operations Room of the Resistance Factions.” “Netanyahu
has failed in his scheme to single out the Islamic Jihad and to sow discord
between the Palestinian resistance factions.” Sayyed Nasrallah revealed that
Hezbollah leadership has been in contact with Palestinian resistance factions,
voicing full readiness to offer all forms of support to Palestine. “We are in
constant contact with the Palestinian factions’ commanders. We keep a close eye
on the situation and its developments thanks to our brothers. In addition, we
offer, within certain limits, feasible assistance.” “But, I must emphasize, when
duty forces specific actions or scenarios on us, we won’t hesitate to take an
action, God willing. I will stop by this sentence… and we’ll see!”The video*
below shows Sayyed Nasrallah addressing the Israeli aggression on Gaza:
Syria Back to the Arab League
Sayyed Nasrallah welcomed an invitation by the Arab League to Syria, saying the
move is of high significance. “Syria has neither changed its stance nor its
strategy,” his eminence said, stressing: “We recall Sayyed Zulfiqar whenever
Syria achieves a political or military victory.”In this context, the Hezbollah
leader called on the Lebanese government to follow suit of the Arab countries
and restore ties with Syria. “Lebanon is called to restore ties with Syria, what
are we waiting for? Restoring ties serves Lebanon’s national
interest.”Meanwhile, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that handling the issue of Syrian
refugees requires dispatching Lebanese ministerial delegation to Damascus and a
national stance that doesn’t yield to foreign pressures in this regard.
Lebanese Presidential Elections
He noted, on the other hand, that are positive developments in the Lebanese
presidential elections. The Lebanese resistance leader said that Hezbollah has
announced his nominee for the presidential post, stressing that his party has
not imposed him on any Lebanese side. Sayyed Nasrallah affirmed the need for the
caretaker government to assume its responsibilities as long as no president is
elected. His eminence called, in this context, to utilize from the positive
regional developments, referring to the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi
Arabia.
Sayyed Nasrallah concluded his speech by renewing allegiance to martyr “Sayyed
Zulfiqar” and other martyrs. “We will follow the suit. We will stick to the
resistance path.” *Video subtitled by Areej Fatima Al-Husseini.
Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And
News published
on May 12-13/2023
‘I want to live in peace like
the rest of the world’s children’: Palestinian teen’s plea to Pope Francis
Arab News/May 12, 2023
LONDON: Pope Francis received a moving letter from a young Palestinian refugee
when Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the UN Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, visited the pontiff at the Vatican on
Thursday. During their meeting, Lazzarini detailed the unprecedented challenges
Palestine refugees continue to face, particularly in light of the lack of any
prospect of a solution to their plight. “As we approach the 75th anniversary of
UNRWA, support for the human rights of Palestine Refugees and the work of UNRWA
is more vital than ever to help them achieve a dignified life,” Lazzarini said.
“The serious financial crisis that the agency continues to face risks undoing
the human development gains of Palestine refugees.” Lazzarini shared with the
pope firsthand testimonies gathered from refugees during recent visits to Syria
and Lebanon in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that hit parts in
Syria and Turkiye in February. He also presented Pope Francis with a letter
written by a 15-year-old girl called Leen, a UNRWA student parliamentarian who
lives in the Dheisheh refugee camp near the occupied West Bank city of
Bethlehem. She wrote: “Like other children in the camp, I want to complete my
education so I can build a good future for myself and help my family and the
people in the camp improve their lives. “As a Palestine refugee, I want to live
in peace like the rest of the world’s children. We want our rights, we want to
live in freedom, peace and security, and we want to go to school in peace and
without fear.” Lazzarini also briefed the pope on the vital work carried out by
UNRWA, including education projects in more than 700 schools serving more than
half a million young refugees. The education program is the single largest
program the agency operates and is, it says, shaped by the values of peace and
tolerance. Lazzarini asked the Pope for his help in ensuring that the plight of
5.9 million Palestinian refugees is not forgotten and their right to live in
peace and dignity is protected.
Israel kills senior Gaza commanders as Egypt
tries to mediate conflict/Five senior Islamic Jihad figures killed since
Tuesday.
Nidal al-Mughrabi and Rami Amichay/The Arab Weekly/May 12/2023
Israel killed two more senior Islamic Jihad commanders, pressing an operation
that has cost 28 lives in the Gaza Strip including women and children, while
Palestinian cross-border rocket salvoes inflicted a first fatality in Israel on
Thursday. Signalling no imminent let-up after three days of strikes, Israeli
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said operations were proceeding at full pace.
“Whoever comes to harm us, his blood is forfeit,” he said in a videotaped
statement issued during a visit to an air base. As the firing continued, Egypt
hosted senior Islamic Jihad official Mohammad al-Hindi in Cairo to try to
mediate an end to the flare-up, two faction officials and a foreign diplomat
told Reuters. However there was no sign of an immediate breakthrough.
“Egypt’s efforts to calm things down and resume the political process
have not yet borne fruit,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told
reporters in Berlin. The deaths of Ali Ghali, head of Islamic Jihad’s rocket
force, and of Ahmed Abu Daqqa, a senior commander of its armed wing, brought to
five the number of senior figures from the faction killed since Israel began
striking Gaza on Tuesday. Two gunmen from a splinter group died in a separate
strike on Thursday. Four women and six children have also been killed. The
military said Ghali and Abu Daqqa helped oversee rocket launches towards Israel
over recent days as well as in previous fighting with Islamic Jihad, an
Iranian-backed group allied with Hamas, which rules the densely-populated
coastal territory.
Sirens sent residents to shelters in Israeli towns around Gaza as Iron Dome
interceptors shot down some incoming rockets. In Rehovot, a city south of Tel
Aviv, a direct hit on a four-storey building killed one person and wounded five,
medics said. “Our people must be proud of this blessed response,” Islamic Jihad
said in a statement. The death was the first fatality in this round of fighting
in Israel, whose Iron Dome and David’s Sling rocket interceptors have had a 96%
shoot-down rate, the military says. Israeli strikes hit 158 targets in Gaza as
of Thursday morning, the military said. At least 523 rockets were launched, 380
of which crossed into Israel. As the strikes continued, they hit other targets
including a mortar post and a command room for anti-tank missile attacks as well
as rocket launchers. The military said over 100 rockets, many of them
improvised, had misfired and fallen short, killing four Palestinians, including
a ten-year-old girl. Islamic Jihad denied that. “Once again Israel tries to
escape its responsibility for the killing of civilians through fabrications and
lies,” faction spokesman Dawoud Shehab said. After more than a year of resurgent
Israeli-Palestinian violence that has killed more than 140 Palestinians and at
least 19 Israelis and foreigners since January, the latest escalation drew
international calls for a ceasefire.
“Peace-sponsoring countries”. Meeting Jordanian,
French and German counterparts in Berlin, Shoukry urged “peace-sponsoring
countries to intervene and stop the attacks” and said Israel must “stop the
unilateral measures that aim to destroy the future of the Palestinian
state.”Islamic Jihad spurns coexistence with Israel and preaches its
destruction. Among terms for a truce, it wants an end to Israeli strikes against
its leaders. Israel has rejected that. “We are not willing to accept delusional
demands from Islamic Jihad,” said Yuli Edelstein, head of parliament’s Foreign
Affairs and Defence Committee, on Kan radio. “Every now and then, we have to
initiate action.” Both in blockaded Gaza, where residents have been experiencing
decades of a worsening humanitarian crisis, and in surrounding Israeli towns,
schools and businesses remained shut. “We can’t sleep at night because we worry
about bombardment,” said Mohammad Abu el-Subbah, 24, outside a bakery in Gaza
City. “People have no clue what will happen next, whether there will be a truce
or whether the war will continue.” At least 80 people were wounded in the air
strikes that destroyed five buildings and damaged more than 300 apartments, said
Salama Marouf, chairman of the Hamas media office.
Israel has kept crossings for the movement of people and goods closed since
Tuesday. Israeli authorities estimated that between 30% and 60% of communities
around Gaza have evacuated as a precaution. On Wednesday, sirens sounded as far
as the commercial capital Tel Aviv, 60 kilometres north of Gaza. As the firing
continued in Gaza, the military said it had arrested 25 people in the occupied
West Bank associated with Islamic Jihad. In the West Bank town of Tulkarm, the
Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces shot dead a 66-year-old man. The
military said troops returned fire after one of them was shot and wounded by
gunmen. Israel captured Gaza and the West Bank, areas Palestinians want for an
independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in a 1967 war. Israeli
forces and settlers withdrew from Gaza in 2005. Statehood talks have been frozen
since 2014.
Fierce Gaza-Israel fighting renews as truce
hopes fade
Associated Press/May 12, 2023
Israel and Gaza militants traded heavy fire Friday as hopes faded of securing a
truce to end days of fighting that have killed dozens, all but one of them
Palestinian. The violence has been met with international calls for
de-escalation, with the European Union pushing Thursday for an "immediate
comprehensive ceasefire."Israel announced it was "striking Islamic Jihad
targets" in the densely populated Palestinian territory, while AFP journalists
saw airstrikes hit Gaza City. Sirens warning of incoming fire meanwhile rang out
in Israeli communities close to the border with the Gaza Strip, as well as
blaring in an Israeli settlement near Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank.
Violence broke out Tuesday when Israel killed three top members of the Islamic
Jihad militant group, while subsequent strikes have killed two other senior
figures. Islamic Jihad said the latest rocket fire, seen by AFP journalists, was
a "response to the assassinations and the continued aggression against the
Palestinian people". It came hours after a rocket
killed one civilian in the central Israeli city of Rehovot on Thursday evening.
At least 31 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's health ministry,
including militants and several civilians as well as children. Daily life in the
coastal territory, ruled by the Hamas militant group, has largely come to a
standstill, while Israel has told its citizens near Gaza to stay close to bomb
shelters. In Gaza's central Deir al-Balah area, farmer Belal Basher stood beside
the ruins of the home he said was hit by multiple Israeli strikes. "Our
situation is the same as that of any Palestinian citizen whose house is targeted
and whose dream, built over the years, is destroyed," the 33-year-old told AFP.
Earlier Friday there had been cautious optimism a truce may be nearing, with an
Islamic Jihad source telling AFP a deal drawn up by Cairo had been circulated
among the group's leadership. "Israel must commit to stopping the assassinations
in Gaza and the West Bank," a second source within Islamic Jihad said, detailing
the group's key condition for a ceasefire. Home
'seriously shaking' -The decision to renew air strikes on Gaza this week was
authorized by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who returned to power
in December alongside extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies. The
violence has left more than 90 people wounded in Gaza, according to the latest
health ministry toll. Israel's Magen David Adom emergency services has treated
five people hit by shrapnel, glass or suffered blast injuries from the rocket
fire. In Rehovot, 82-year-old resident Ran Lev said he was heading to the bomb
shelter when the rocket hit which killed his neighbor. "The entire apartment was
seriously shaking. All the photo frames fell," he said.
The United States, which along with Brussels has blacklisted Islamic Jihad and
Hamas, urged that steps be "taken to ensure that violence is reduced".
The Israeli military said it has hit 170 Islamic Jihad targets this week,
while more than 860 rockets have been fired from Gaza. Israel said a quarter of
the rockets fell inside Gaza and killed four, including three children, an
accusation Islamic Jihad and Hamas did not respond to when approached by AFP.
This week's escalation is the worst since August, when 49 Gazans were killed in
three days of fighting between Islamic Jihad and Israel.
At least 19 of those fatalities were children, according to the United
Nations, while rocket fire wounded three people in Israel. That conflict
followed multiple wars fought between Israel and Hamas since the group took
control of Gaza in 2007. An Israeli blockade imposed since then has made it
impossible for the vast majority of 2.3 million residents to leave Gaza, where
poverty and unemployment are rife.
Jerusalem in Islamic Jihad crosshairs as Gaza fighting
continues
Arab News/May 12, 2023
Following the firing of rockets toward Jerusalem, the Israeli media reported
that Israel had informed Egypt to stop the cease-fire talks. For the first time
since the start of the current round of fighting, Islamic Jihad fired shells
toward Jerusalem. They were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system
Gaza City: Fighting between the Palestinian resistance group Islamic Jihad and
Israeli forces continued for a fourth day on Friday, with no signs of an
imminent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. For the first time since the start of the
current round of fighting, Islamic Jihad fired shells toward Jerusalem. They
were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system. Al-Quds Brigades, Islamic
Jihad’s military wing, said the Palestinian resistance launched “a focused
missile strike in two phases toward occupied Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and enemy
cities in response to the assassinations and the continued aggression against
the Palestinian people.” It added: “We fulfilled our
promise, there are no red lines,” referring to the firing of rockets toward
Jerusalem for the first time. “The firing of rockets towards Jerusalem is an
important message for everyone to understand that what is happening in Jerusalem
is not separate from Gaza.”
The burst of rocket fire from Gaza sent warning sirens wailing as far north as
the contested capital of Jerusalem — about 77 kilometers from the Gaza border —
breaking a 12-hour lull in the fighting. There were no immediate reports of
casualties on either side on Friday. The fighting, which began on Tuesday
between Israel and Islamic Jihad — the second-largest militant group in Gaza
after the territory’s rulers, Hamas — has left 31 Palestinians in the strip
dead, including women and children. More than 100 have been wounded. A
high-ranking Islamic Jihad official told Al-Jazeera that his organization could
up the ante further, taking action that would surprise everyone, if Israel were
to continue to attack. He described the coming hours as critical in the effort
to reach a cease-fire agreement. Following the firing of rockets toward
Jerusalem, the Israeli media reported that Israel had informed Egypt to stop the
cease-fire talks.
The Israeli radio station Radio Kan reported: “The person who conveyed the
message to the Egyptian intelligence chiefs about suspending the mediation talks
for a cease-fire via a phone call is the coordinator of the Israeli government’s
operations in the territories, Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alayan.”
Egypt has been unsuccessfully trying to broker a cease-fire between the two
sides. The BBC website reported that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi,
Jordan’s King Abdullah, and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will discuss
the cease-fire talks over the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu. The BBC also reported that “the obstacle to achieving the
understanding” is the Islamic Jihad’s condition that Israel cease its
assassinations of Palestinian officials. Israel on Friday continued to bomb
areas of the Gaza Strip, most of which are agricultural lands and military sites
belonging to the Palestinian factions, most notably Islamic Jihad. Hamas
spokesman Hazem Qassem said: “The resistance is carrying out its duty in
defending our Palestinian people in the face of the continued aggression of the
occupation. “The occupation will not succeed in breaking the will of our
resistance or the steadfastness of our people by escalating its terrorism, and
all experiences have proven the impossibility of the occupation’s victory in the
battle of wills with our Palestinian people.” The
Israeli closure of the crossings has added to the suffering of Gazans in need of
medical treatment. Gaza’s power plant has been unable to supply adequate
electricity because of the absence of fuel. The government information office
said it may cease operations within 72 hours due to the lack of fuel.
“The depletion of fuel allocated to the power plant due to the closure of
the Kerem Shalom crossing will exacerbate the situation of the health system,”
the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network said in a statement.
“PNGO warns of the serious repercussions of the continued Israeli
aggression and the closure of the crossings on the lives of patients. It
exacerbates their health conditions and the ability of the health sector to deal
with them,” it added.
Palestinian reaction in West Bank to Israeli attacks on
Gaza ‘below expectations’
Arab News/May 12, 2023
RAMALLAH: The apparent lack of a strong reaction in the West Bank to the deadly
Israeli campaign targeting the Islamic Jihad movement in the Gaza Strip is
because the resistance group has set a new precedent by responding to the
aggression with rocket attacks rather than protests, according to a Fatah
leader. “The sound of Islamic Jihad’s missiles
launched toward Israel, and the sound of the bombs of Israeli warplanes, are
louder than any mass protests that could take place in the West Bank,” Taysir
Nasrallah, a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council in Nablus, told Arab News.
Islamic Jihad set a precedent by launching rockets toward Israel following the
assassination on May 10 of three commanders of the militant group, he said. The
perception was therefore that popular protests in solidarity with the victims
seemed useless, he added. However, the sacrifices made
by Islamic Jihad fighters are supposed to be linked to efforts to achieve the
political goals of the Palestinian people, Nasrallah said.
“Still, no one knows what the Islamic Jihad wants to achieve politically
for the Palestinian people — and I believe there is nothing,” he added.
Political analyst Riyad Qadriya told Arab News that demonstrations in the West
Bank of solidarity with Gazans had been below expectations, both publicly and
officially. “There are modest responses that do not
match the magnitude of the attack,” he told Arab News, referring to brief
official statements by the two most prominent armed groups in the northern West
Bank: Jenin Brigade in the Jenin camp, and Lions’ Den in the old city of Nablus.
“I expected stronger official and popular support to confuse Israel and prevent
it from concentrating on the Gaza Strip but I think that if the war continues
and there are more civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip, popular protests will
take place in the West Bank.”Prominent Palestinian political analyst Ghassan
Al-Khatib told Arab News that he believes the current aggression targeting
Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip “is a continuation of Israel’s war in the West
Bank against Islamic Jihad, which began more than a year ago and focused on
Jenin and Nablus in the northern West Bank.”He said Palestinians in the West
Bank “are exhausted after more than a year of being subjected to continuous
campaigns of Israeli oppression, whether by the Israeli army or
settlers.”However, “there are strong popular feelings of solidarity with the
Gaza Strip among the Palestinians in the West Bank,” he added. Social media has
been flooded with news and images of incidents in the Gaza Strip, with some
observing that displays of solidarity appear largely limited to online activity
rather than protests on the ground. Meanwhile, Palestinians in the city of Umm
Al-Fahm, inside Israel, staged a sit-in in solidarity with the people of Gaza on
Thursday night. The National and Islamic Action factions in Jenin camp also
organized a sit-in to condemn the Israeli aggression. Dozens of people
participated, calling on the international community to intervene and support
defenseless Palestinians who face the threats of attack and losing their
properties. On Friday, a Palestinian youth was injured during a settler attack
in Silwad, east of Ramallah. Local sources said settlers stormed the area,
resulting in clashes, and a settler fired on youths, wounding one. Israeli army
forces immediately arrived to protect the settlers, they added.
Israel is ‘colonial power’ violating international law: UN special rapporteur
Arab News/May 12, 2023
LONDON: Israel is carrying out a colonization policy toward Palestine, the UN
special rapporteur on human rights for the Occupied Territories has told The
Guardian. Francesca Albanese, an Italian lawyer and human rights academic, has
been the target of a campaign by pro-Israel groups to discredit her based on
accusations of bias and antisemitism. Israeli ministers have also called for her
resignation. Albanese described the criticism as “intimidation, no more, no
less,” adding that it amounted to “dogs barking at aeroplanes.”She told The
Guardian: “For me, apartheid is a symptom and a consequence of the territorial
ambitions Israel has for the land of what remains of an encircled Palestine.”She
added: “Israel is a colonial power maintaining the occupation in order to get as
much land as possible for Jewish-only people. And this is what leads to the
numerous violations of international law.”Discussing claims that she had equated
the Nakba with the Holocaust, Albanese said: “In as much as the Holocaust has
been a defining moment in the collective life of the Jewish people, so is the
Nakba, for the Palestinian people. “So I’ve not said
that they are the same, simply because they are not. Why would we compare two
tragedies?”The UN is marking the Nakba for the first time in its history on
Monday. Albanese has submitted her first report on Palestinian
self-determination to the UN General Assembly. It is set to be followed by a
report on Israel’s systemic arrest of Palestinians, which she says amounts to
deprivation of liberty. “If states are really
committed to the two-state solution, as the UK seems to be, rhetorically in my
view, like all other Western states, they should make sure that Israel’s conduct
is aligned with the possibility of having a Palestinian state, which means
sovereignty from a political, economic, cultural point of view. The right to
self-determination should be the starting point,” Albanese said.
“Member states need to stop commenting on violations here or there, or
escalation of violence, since violence in the occupied Palestinian territory is
cyclical, it is not something that accidentally explodes.
“There is only one way to fix it, and that is to make sure that Israel
complies with international law.” Albanese said Britain is failing to uphold
international law with regard to Israel’s actions, adding: “The responsibility
on the UK is higher considering the historical legacy of the UK in the area.
“The UK doesn’t seem to be active on this agenda, such as compliance with
international law. It is about time there is a paradigm change toward the
question of Palestine.”
New UK Special Representative to Syria
appointed
Naharnet/May 12, 2023
Ann Snow has been appointed UK Special Representative to Syria. She has taken up
the role in succession to Jonathan Hargreaves. Snow
joined the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in 2009.
She has served in Malaysia and worked on Iran, China and Counter Terrorism. She
takes up the role after 15 months of full-time Arabic-language training. Before
joining the FCDO, she worked for an international human rights organization, the
UK Parliament and as a Middle East analyst in the private sector. "The UK
Special Representative’s role is to lead the UK response to domestic and
international activity on Syria and the region, engaging with key actors and
partners in particular the Syrian opposition," an FCDO statement said. After
starting her work, the UK Syria representative said: “I am delighted to take up
this role at a vital, albeit difficult time for Syria, which has now entered its
13th year of conflict. Syria continues to face a humanitarian catastrophe as
injustice and instability ravage the country." "The UK will not give up on
Syria. Our aid and other assistance to the Syrian people now tops well over £3.8
billion to date, making the UK the third largest bilateral donor to the Syria
crisis; our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. We will stay
active in our support of U.N. efforts, as well as in pushing to hold the regime
and its backers accountable for the crimes they have committed against the
Syrian people. I look forward to working with Syrians and all our partners in
the region and internationally on all of these issues," Snow added. Syria
entered its 13th year of conflict this March, only one month after devastating
earthquakes struck the region, exacerbating an already devastated county.
UN must keep moving quake aid to Syria after deadline: Amnesty
AFP/May 12, 2023
BEIRUT: Amnesty International on Friday called on the United Nations to keep
delivering crucial aid to quake-stricken Syrians via two crossings in rebel-held
areas even if authorization from Damascus expires. On February 6, a devastating
earthquake hit Turkiye and Syria, killing more than 55,000 people across both
countries. The UN chief said on February 13 that Syrian President Bashar Assad
had agreed to open the Bab Al-Salama and Al-Rai crossings from Turkiye to allow
aid to enter for an initial period of three months. Damascus has yet to announce
an extension of the authorization. The UN “must continue to deliver aid” through
those two crossings after May 13 “regardless of whether the government renews”
its consent, Amnesty said in a statement. Before the disaster, almost all
crucial humanitarian aid for the more than four million people living in
rebel-controlled areas of north and northwest Syria was being delivered from
Turkiye through one conduit — the Bab Al-Hawa crossing. The number of
UN-approved crossings into Syria had shrunk from four in 2014, after years of
pressure from regime allies China and Russia at the UN Security Council. Three
days after the quake, the first UN aid convoy crossed into north and northwest
Syria and carried tents and other supplies that had been expected before the
disaster, sparking fierce criticism from local humanitarian groups and
activists. “The lives of more than four million people are at stake and
international law is clear that their rights must be paramount,” Amnesty’s
Sherine Tadros said in the statement. “The UN should take a clear stand against
the cruel political machinations that have hampered its humanitarian operations
in northern Syria for several years,” Tadros added. Turkish-backed rebels
operate the Bab Al-Salama and Al-Rai crossings in the northern Aleppo province,
while the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham controls Bab Al-Hawa in the Idlib
region. The UN estimated earlier this week that Syria needs almost $15 billion
to recover following the quake, and put total damages and losses for the country
at almost $9 billion.
UN envoy: Humanitarian deal between warring sides first step toward ceasefire in
Sudan
AP/May 12, 2023
KHARTOUM: The UN envoy for Sudan on Friday welcomed a deal between the country’s
warring generals promising safe passage to civilians fleeing the conflict and
protection for humanitarian operations in the East African nation.
The envoy, Volker Perthes, said the agreement was an important first step
toward a cease-fire to the fighting which is about to enter its fourth week.
The Sudanese military and the country’s paramilitary, the Rapid Support
Forces, or RSF, signed a pact late Thursday vowing to alleviate humanitarian
suffering across the country, although a truce remains elusive.
Both sides also agreed to refrain from attacks likely to harm civilians. The
violence has already killed over 600 people, including civilians, according to
the UN healthy agency. “The most important element is that both sides commit to
continue talks,” Perthes said during an online UN news conference from his
office in Port Sudan. International efforts to turn the deal into a cease-fire
have already started, he added. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the
agreement, which outlines a series of shared pledges and promises to “facilitate
humanitarian action in order to meet the needs of civilians.”
The deal signing-ceremony, brokered by the United Sates and Saudi Arabia,
was aired by Saudi state media in the early hours of Friday morning. Neither the
military nor the RSF immediately issued statements acknowledging Thursday’s
pact. It does not provide any detail on how the agreed-on humanitarian promises
would be upheld by troops on the ground. Previously, both sides agreed to
several short cease-fires, since the fighting broke out on April 15, but all
have been violated. In a post on Twitter, Amjad Farid, a Sudan analyst and
former aid to the country’s prime minister, said the deal is unlikely to bring
any real change on the ground. Other commentators expressed similar skepticism.
It is “composed of texts that are already in the international
humanitarian law and treaties related to the treatment of civilians in times of
war,” Farid wrote.
Despite the signing, residents in Khartoum said fighting continued throughout
Friday morning. “I woke up to an airstrike (landing) nearby,” said Waleed Adam,
a resident living in the east of the capital. Over the past weeks, the fighting
has turned the capital Khartoum into an urban battlefield, and triggered deadly
ethnic clashes in the western Darfur region. Around 200,000 people have fled the
country, said UNHCR spokeswoman Olga Sarrado, who was also present at Friday’s
news conference. The US State Department late Thursday said talks in Jeddah will
now focus on arranging “an effective cease-fire of up to approximately 10 days.”
The UN and several rights groups have accused both sides — the military, led by
Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Gen.
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo — of numerous human rights violations. The army has been
accused of indiscriminately bombing civilian areas, while the RSF has been
condemned for widespread looting, abusing residents, and turning civilian homes
into operational bases. Both continue to level blame at each other for the
violations. Perthes, who has received death threats and calls to resign, said he
is committed to staying in Port Sudan and overseeing the humanitarian effort
taking place in the coastal city. He described those who threatened him as
marginal “extremists” and said that there is a wide appreciation of UN efforts
in Sudan.
Sudanese factions fight on after failing to agree on truce
Reuters/May 12, 2023
KHARTOUM: Airstrikes and artillery pounded Khartoum on Friday after Sudan’s
warring army and Rapid Support Forces paramilitary failed to agree to a
ceasefire despite committing to protect civilians and allow humanitarian access.
A so-called declaration of principles was signed in Saudi Arabia late on
Thursday after nearly a week of talks between the two factions, which had shared
power before falling out over a transition to civilian rule. RSF adviser Moussa
Khadam told Sky News Arabia the group would abide by the principles agreed to
and aimed to reach a complete cease-fire. But there was no letup in violence and
the army has not commented on the agreement. Since clashing suddenly on April 15
the rival military factions have shown little sign they are ready to end deadly
fighting that has uprooted hundreds of thousands of people and could pitch Sudan
into a full-blown civil war. The conflict has
paralyzed Sudan’s economy and strangled its trade, aggravating a ballooning
humanitarian crisis with the UN saying on Friday that 200,000 people have now
fled into neighboring states.
However, UN Sudan envoy Volker Perthes said he expected ceasefire talks to start
again on Friday or Saturday and that while previous truces broke down because
both sides thought they could win, neither now believes that victory would be
quick. His upbeat assessment contrasted with disappointment among many in the
capital. “We were expecting that the agreement would calm down the war, but we
woke up to artillery fire and airstrikes,” said Mohamed Abdallah, 39, living in
Khartoum, as blasts were also heard in neighboring Bahri. In Darfur in the west,
fighting between local militias that killed 450 people last month flared again
in the city of Geneina as one group attacked another, rattling neighborhoods
with gunfire and artillery after two weeks of comparative calm. In other parts
of Darfur, where a war has simmered since 2003 killing 300,000 people and
displacing 2.5 million, locally arranged ceasefires between the army and RSF
appeared to hold. In Port Sudan on the Red Sea, Al-Taj Al-Tayyib said he hoped
Thursday’s agreement represented a start toward peace. “Our country doesn’t need
all these crises. I swear this country doesn’t need that,” he said. Many UN and
other aid agencies have suspended aid to Sudan and in particular Khartoum,
awaiting guarantees their stores and staff will be safe.
Disinformation adds dark note to pivotal Turkish election
AFP/May 12, 2023
ISTANBUL: The clip lasted 14 seconds, presented by Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan as proof that his rival in Sunday’s election was running “hand in
hand” with outlawed Kurdish militants. Aired at a huge rally and beamed live on
TV, the video showed opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu trying to rally his
supporters to the tune of his campaign song. In the next sequence, members of
Turkiye’s banned PKK group echoed that call while clapping their hands to the
beat of Kilicdaroglu’s election jingle. The message Erdogan was trying to
project was clear: the secular opposition leader had formed a union with
“terrorists.”Only it was a montage, one of the latest pieces of disinformation
to pollute the campaign of one of Turkiye’s closest and most important elections
in generations. “How can a person sitting in the president’s chair stoop this
low,” Kilicdaroglu, whose campaign has been endorsed by Turkiye’s main
pro-Kurdish party, fumed on Tuesday. Running
neck-and-neck with Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu claims that “foreign hackers” recruited
by Erdogan’s team are preparing deepfakes — manipulated videos and soundbites —
aimed at discrediting rivals days before the election.
“Dear Russian friends,” he added on Twitter on Thursday.
“You are behind the montages, conspiracies, deepfake content and tapes that were
exposed in this country,” he said without explaining why he was blaming Russia.
“If you want our friendship after May 15, get your hands off the Turkish
state.”Erdogan has responded in kind, alleging that “an army of trolls” was
working for his rival. “You are using lies and misinformation. You are devising
schemes that even the devil would not have thought of,” Erdogan told the
opposition leader on television. Turkiye’s social media became a political
battlefield last October, when parliament adopted a law making the spread of
“fake news” punishable by up to three years in prison.Weeks later, Kilicdaroglu
became one of the first to be prosecuted under the law for alleging that
Erdogan’s Islamic-rooted government was responsible for a “methamphetamine
epidemic” in Turkiye. Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for
human rights, warned in May that the law’s “extensive use” was having a
“chilling effect on journalists and critical voices.”Suncem Kocer, a
disinformation specialist at Istanbul’s Koc University, said such charges and
counter-charges had never featured to this extent in past Turkish elections.
“Everybody is trying to define what disinformation is,” Kocer said. “It has
turned into a weapon to kind of criminalize the opposite candidate or party.
This is something new.” But the actual methods of spreading disinformation
remain the same, said Gulin Cavus, co-founder of Turkiye’s Teyit fact checking
site.
They appear “on social networks, but also during meetings,” in images that are
either cropped or taken out of context. In one example earlier this week,
Erdogan showed an excerpt of a newspaper article on a big screen suggesting that
Kilicdaroglu had been found guilty of fraud in 1996. In the original article,
quickly unearthed by journalists from Teyit, Kilicdaroglu had actually denounced
fraud committed by people who took advantage of Turkiye’s social security
agency, which he then headed. “These videos can make a
real impact on people with little training in media and with digital tools,”
Cavus said. Some of the disinformation relies on more tried and tested methods
such as fake campaign literature. One leaflet claiming to come from
Kilicdaroglu’s team promises to withdraw Turkiye’s troops from Syria and halt
all military operations against the PKK. Kocer said all this disinformation was
unlikely to sway Sunday’s outcome, where turnout among Turkiye’s 64 million
voters is likely to be high. “But disinformation certainly works toward
increasing the polarized atmosphere, which is the real danger,” Kocer said.
Erdogan rival accuses Russia of ‘deep fake’ campaign ahead
of Sunday vote
Arab News/May 12, 2023
ANKARA: As Turks go to the polls on Sunday to elect their new parliament and
president, the country is at a critical crossroads, with fresh allegations about
foreign meddling in the elections. In a startling tweet on Thursday night,
Turkiye’s opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu accused Russia of interfering
with the Turkish elections, saying that Russians are behind the “deep fake” and
defamatory material that has been circulating for the past few days on social
media. “Dear Russian friends, you are behind the montages, conspiracies, deep
fake content and recordings that were exposed in this country yesterday. If you
want our friendship to continue after May 15, get your hands off the Turkish
state. We still side by cooperation and friendship,” he said in Turkish, and
tweeted it also in Russian. However, Moscow rejected
Kilicdaroglu’s accusations, with the Kremlin saying in a statement: “If someone
gave him such information, they are liars.”Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, Ankara office
director of the German Marshall Fund of the US, told Arab News: “Russia has the
capability and track record of using disinformation to influence, to impact
politics in other countries. Russian malign influence in the US and Germany
during elections is well documented. “It is also not a
secret that Russia takes sides in Turkish domestic politics. Therefore, it would
come as no surprise if Russia conducted malign influence operations in Turkiye
as well,” he claimed. Russia has been accused of
interfering with the US presidential election in 2016 and in the French
presidential campaign and German elections in 2017.
“Turkiye today is highly polarized, mainstream media has been eliminated, and
Turkish citizens live in echo chambers and deeply distrust each other. As a
result, Turkiye is highly exposed to malign foreign influence,” Unluhisarcikli
said.
Kilicdaroglu’s claim came after Muharrem Ince, one of the four presidential
candidates, announced on Thursday his decision to withdraw his candidacy after
being targeted by a series of smear campaigns that included fabricated
pornographic images taken from an Israeli site. In other documents, he was also
accused of taking bribes from officials to divide the opposition’s votes.
Although his withdrawal may help Kilicdaroglu’s election chances in the first
round, it is still unclear whether this will be enough to secure him more than
50 percent of the votes required to win the presidential race on May 14.
“There are fears of various undemocratic interventions in Turkiye’s
elections. These are substantiated by the government’s past behavior and other
examples in the world, and include various manipulative actions and outright
rigging by partisan government officials as well as Russian meddling,” Murat
Somer, a political science professor at Koc University in Istanbul, told Arab
News. “But none of this is an easy task in this
country of over 190,000 ballot boxes, a long legacy of institutionalized
democracy and elections, highly mobilized opposition/civil society, and a
bureaucracy obsessed with documenting everything.” To
do it, he added, one has to ensure the compliance of literally hundreds of
thousands of people in one way or another. For Somer,
the way to preempt and prevent such interventions is to sway the votes and
public opinion to such an extent that the dominant expectation is an imminent
opposition victory, and people hesitate to do things they can be held
accountable for under a new government.
The activation of some cyberattacks in Turkiye has been predictable.
Last week, Kilicdaroglu also claimed that the opposition bloc might be targeted
with fake videos or voice recordings on social media, based on the intelligence
reports his party received. During a campaign rally
last weekend, Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also played an alleged
deep fake video where militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK
declared their support for his rival Kilicdaroglu. But the video that aimed to
associate the opposition with terror groups was then proved to be fabricated.
Publicly, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s administration is not
picking sides in the Turkish elections. But it is no secret that Turkish-Russian
relations have thrived under Erdogan’s rule with a close personal relationship
between the two leaders. Erdogan and Putin recently inaugurated Turkiye’s first
nuclear plant in a virtual ceremony.
Another economic bonus from the Kremlin to the incumbent Turkish government is
that Russian energy giant Gazprom recently agreed to defer a portion of
Turkiye’s gas payments.
Although he is expected to take a more pro-Western position, a Kilicdaroglu win
is not expected to completely ruin Russia-Turkiye relations, as Russian ties are
especially important for Turkiye’s energy imports and trade. Russia is among
Turkiye’s biggest trade partners. In their memorandum,
the six-party opposition coalition defined their relations with Russia as
follows: “We will maintain relations with the Russian Federation with an
understanding that both parties are equal and strengthened by balanced and
constructive dialogue at the institutional level.”
Somer said: “Similarly, Putin may figure that he may have to interact with a new
government he does not want to alienate. Hence, Kilicdaroglu reiterated his
interest in good relations conditional upon Russian non-interference.”
Somer expects that the Turkish-Russian mutually beneficial relations
would continue in a Kilicdaroglu win scenario, but that Turkiye would be more
firmly anchored in Western democratic values, institutions and alliances.
In an interview with Russia’s RT Network, Kilicdaroglu’s top foreign
policy chief and former ambassador Unal Cevikoz said there would not be any
serious change in Turkiye’s foreign policy with regard to Russia if Kilicdaroglu
won.
“I believe Kilicdaroglu as the new president will have good relations with
Putin,” he said.
Iranian Dissident Put Under Police Protection
in UKuring an interview with The Associated Press/Friday, Sept. 23, 2022
Leading Iranian dissident based in the US, Masih Alinejad, has been put under
24-hour police protection in the UK after the Metropolitan police received
credible threats to her life. Alinejad has become one
of the main amplifiers of the protests inside Iran, appearing at the UN and
meeting European leaders such as France’s Emmanuel Macron and the Netherland’s
Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Alinejad said the police
told her “because of the level of the threats we are going to be with you and
protect you everywhere you go. So give us your schedules, we have to know
everything in advance to prepare for close protection.”
She said the protection was “quite shocking, because I know that the
British are a little bit relaxed when it comes to death threats. Now, I believe
that the level of the threat is very intense, and it’s very serious. That shows
that Iran is actually challenging the UK government on UK soil.” British police
met with Alinejad at her hotel room this week. Alinejad told The Guardian, “I’m
not as scared for my life, I survived kidnapping plots.”She added: “I survived
an assassination plot so I am not scared for my life at all. I dedicate my life
to giving voice to voiceless people. This is my goal. But this is scary. This is
scary that the free world is allowing the terrorist regime of Iran to make its
decisions.”Alinejad left Iran in 2009 and has been living in the US since 2014.
She became an international figure when she launched a Facebook page inviting
Iranian women to post pictures of themselves without a hijab.
With a social media following of more than 8 million, she describes herself “a
channel for the voiceless”. She is in the UK until Saturday to meet lawmakers
and make the case for the proscription of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps
as a terrorist organization. Alinejad criticized European leaders who think
there is any purpose in negotiating with Iran on a nuclear deal and sent out a
warning that they are being watched by the women of Iran.
She said the scale of the repression had been stepped up, including a
spate of executions. Alinejad also said street by street the women of Iran were
challenging the authorities trying to force them to wear the hijab.
“I always compare the compulsory hijab to the Berlin Wall, but it is not
about me now. It is about teenagers. There is the line in Margaret Atwood’s
Handmaid’s Tale: ‘They should have never given us uniforms if they didn’t want
us to be an army.’ The women of Iran are taking off the uniform and telling the
mullahs we are ending this gender apartheid. The teenagers are like teenagers
everywhere – they are not going to be told by barbaric mullahs what music to
hear and what to wear,” she noted. Asked about the state of the sometimes
viciously divided external opposition, Alinejad said that “dictators were really
good at dividing their own opposition, it’s not just us. Look at the Russian
opposition, the Venezuelan opposition.”
Iran Frees Two French Citizens, Says Macron
Asharq Al-Awsat/May 12/2023
Two French citizens, Bernard Phelan and Benjamin Briere, have been freed from
detention in Iran, President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday, calling it "a
relief". French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna
said in a separate statement that both men were now on their way to France,
adding that she spoke to her Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian, on
Friday morning. "Benjamin Briere and Bernard Phelan
will be reunited with their loved ones. This is a relief," Macron said on
Twitter. Iran's foreign ministry said the releases were carried out "as a
humanitarian act in line with relevant laws and regulations", state media
reported. Relations between France and Iran have deteriorated in recent months
with Tehran detaining seven French nationals in what Paris has described as
arbitrary arrests equivalent to state hostage-taking. A Franco-Irish citizen,
Phelan was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison in March for "providing information
to another country", despite his poor health, his family had said. The tourism
consultant was arrested as anti-government protests spread following the death
last year of a young Iranian Kurdish woman, Masha Amini, while in the custody of
Iran's morality police. Briere had been held in Iran since his May 2020 arrest
for flying a remote-controlled mini helicopter used to obtain aerial or motion
images near the Turkmenistan-Iran border. An Iranian court sentenced him to
eight years in prison on spying charges in early 2022.
Acquitted on appeal in February, Briere was nevertheless detained until his
release on Friday. At least four other French nationals are still imprisoned in
Iran. "We will continue to work towards the return of
our fellow nationals who are still detained in Iran," Macron added. Iran has
arrested dozens of foreigners and dual nationals in recent years, mostly on
espionage and security-related accusations. Rights groups call that a tactic to
win concessions from abroad by inventing charges, an accusation Tehran denies.
Lenderking: Iran Still Smuggling Weapons,
Narcotics to Yemen
Asharq Al-Awsat/May 12/2023
US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking said on Thursday that several
challenges remain despite the huge progress in the peace process in Yemen.
Lenderking told reporters in an online briefing on his latest visit to
the region that Iran is still supplying arms and drugs that help fuel the war.
"The Iranians have continued to smuggle weaponry and narcotics toward this
conflict and we are very concerned.”"Despite the fact that we welcomed an
agreement between the Saudis and the Iranians, I remain concerned about Iran's
role," he said. He was referring to the Chinese-brokered accord reached in
March. He contended that Tehran has trained Houthi fighters and equipped them
"to fight and attack Saudi Arabia."The United States will not reopen its embassy
in Sanaa until it is confident the war is over and a "very firm and
irreversible" peace process is underway, Lenderking said.
German-Iranian Charged with Arson Attempt Near
Synagogue
Asharq Al-Awsat/May 12/2023
German prosecutors on Thursday charged a German-Iranian dual national for an
attempted arson attack near a synagogue on the orders of the government in
Tehran. Babak J. was instructed by an intermediary “acting on behalf of unknown
Iranian state agencies” in November 2022 to carry out an arson attack on a
synagogue in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia, the federal prosecutor’s
office said in a statement. Subsequently, the accused is said to have sought to
convince an acquaintance to set fire to a synagogue in Dortmund using a Molotov
cocktail but was refused, AFP reported. Babak J.’s handler later named another
synagogue -- in the city of Bochum rather than in Dortmund -- as a target,
prosecutors said. “The accused refrained from attacking the well-monitored
synagogue in Bochum itself for fear of discovery,” they said.
Instead, the suspect tried to set fire to a school building adjoining the
synagogue in the western German city, according to prosecutors.
Russia Acknowledges Retreat North of Bakhmut;
Mercenary Boss Calls It a ‘Rout’
Reuters/May 12/2023
Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of Ukraine's
battlefield city of Bakhmut after a new Ukrainian offensive, in a retreat that
the head of Russia's Wagner private army called a rout.
The setback for Russia, which follows similar reports of Ukrainian
advances south of the city, suggests a coordinated push by Kyiv to encircle
Russian forces in Bakhmut, Moscow's main objective for months during the war's
bloodiest fighting. It means both sides are now reporting the biggest Ukrainian
gains in six months, although Ukraine has given few details and played down
suggestions a huge, long-planned counteroffensive had officially begun.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Ukraine had
launched an assault north of Bakhmut with more than 1,000 troops and up to 40
tanks, a scale that if confirmed would amount to the biggest Ukrainian offensive
since November. The Russians had repelled 26 attacks but troops in one area had
fallen back to regroup in more favorable positions near the Berkhivka reservoir
northwest of Bakhmut, Konashenkov said. Yevgeny
Prigozhin, head of the Wagner forces that have led the campaign in the city,
said in an audio message: "What Konashenkov described, unfortunately, is called
'a rout' and not a regrouping". In a separate video message, Prigozhin said the
Ukrainians had seized high ground overlooking Bakhmut and opened the main
highway leading into the city from the West. "The loss of the Berkhivka
reservoir - the loss of this territory they gave up - that's 5 sq km, just
today," Prigozhin said. "The enemy has completely
freed up the Chasiv Yar-Bakhmut road which we had blocked. The enemy is now able
to use this road, and secondly they have taken tactical high round under which
Bakhmut is located," said Prigozhin, who has repeatedly denounced Russia's
regular military over the past week for failing to supply his men in Bakhmut.
Reuters was not able to independently verify the situation in the area. Ukraine
typically withholds comment on its operations while they are under way, and the
military command has said only that its troops have pushed forward about 2 km
near Bakhmut. A Ukrainian unit said two days ago it had defeated a Russian
brigade southwest of the city recapturing a swathe of land, and Prigozhin also
said the Russian brigade there had fled. Prigozhin, whose troops have been
fighting to push Ukrainian forces out of Bakhmut's Western outskirts, has said
the north and south flanks, guarded by regular Russian troops, were crumbling.
Russia's defense ministry denies this.
Turning point
The 15-month-old war in Ukraine is at a turning point, after six months during
which Kyiv kept its troops on the defensive while Russia mounted a winter
campaign that brought the bloodiest ground combat in Europe since World War Two
but yielded scant gains. Since the start of this year, Kyiv has received
hundreds of new Western tanks and armored vehicles, holding them back in
preparation for a long-awaited counteroffensive to recapture occupied territory.
Ukrainian officials have played down the suggestion that their offensive
is already under way: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview this
week Kyiv needed more time for equipment to arrive. Prigozhin called that
deceptive and said the Bakhmut advances amounted to the start of Kyiv's
campaign. Moscow has been preparing since last autumn
for an expected onslaught and has built lines of anti-tank fortifications along
hundreds of miles of front.
It has begun evacuating civilians who have been living near the conflict zone in
Ukraine's partially occupied Zaporizhzhia province.
"We used to go out and watch (the shelling). Especially at night, you could see
the flashes as they launch," said Lyudmila, a 22-year-old from
Kamianka-Dniprovska now in makeshift accommodation in the Russian-controlled
Ukrainian port of Berdyansk. "We've had shells land nearby and when it landed
the entire sky was red," she said. In comments published on Friday, the
commander of Russia's Black Sea Fleet said its defenses were also being
tightened amid a flurry of Ukrainian drone strikes targeting its home base, the
Crimean port of Sevastopol. Zelenskiy, who has been
rallying his country for the planned offensive, said in a social media post that
"our path ahead is not easy", but Ukraine was "much stronger now than last year
or in any other year of this war for freedom and independence of our country".
He spoke on Friday with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, thanking him for a
promise of long-range cruise missiles. Britain announced the missiles on
Thursday, breaking one of the last big Western taboos over weaponry previously
deemed to carry too great a risk of provoking Russia.
The Latest LCCC English analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on May 12-13/2023
Iran:
Replacing Khomeini with Clinton
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 12/2023
Is Bill Clinton replacing Ayatollah Ruhallah Khomeini as the “Source of
Emulation” (Marja’a taqlid) of the leadership in Tehran? Posed by an Iranian
satirist the question cannot be dismissed as a tongue-in-cheek quip on the new
discourse developed by the Khomeinist establishment.
In July 1980 the late ayatollah who founded the Islamic Republic told a group of
university professors that the new revolutionary regime should not waste time on
economic issues. “We didn’t give so much blood for economic reasons,” he
boasted. “Economics is of interest only to asses.”
These days, however, it is Bill Clinton’s first campaign slogan “It’s the
economy, stupide!” that is bandied around in Tehran’s ruling circles in various
forms.
Supreme Guide Ali Khamenei has led the chorus by designating the current Iranian
year (ending in March 2024) as “The Year of Production”, insisting that
achieving economic growth is his highest priority.
“We must focus on the economic challenge we face,” he told a recent gathering of
the top decision-makers.
In an editorial last Monday, Kayhan, believed to reflect the views of the
“Supreme Guide”, claimed that now that the Islamic Republic has defeated the
American “Great Satan” in the Middle East, it must deal with hyperinflation as
“the greatest threat to our revolution.”
The new tune may be partly prompted by a desire to cast the current nationwide
protests as rooted in economic grievances rather than a rejection of the system
as a whole.
However, it may also be seen as admission by Khamenei that his campaign for a
“resistance economy”, launched 10 years ago, has failed. That campaign had been
inspired by North Korea’s “Juche” (self-sufficiency) doctrine developed by Kim
Il-sung in the 1960s.
Having registered four consecutive years of negative growth combined with a
dramatic fall in the value of the national currency, the Iranian economy
resembles a half broken ship in a stormy sea with no captain in charge. Last
“Black Monday” the Tehran Stock Exchange registered an all-time historic
collapse in share values, wiping out part of the savings of an estimated 2.5
million small and medium investors.
Earlier, official statistics showed a small drop in the annual rate of
inflation, hovering close to 50 percent. And yet some economists, including
Hashem Pesaran, a veteran analyst of the Iranian economy, warn that Iran may be
heading towards hyperinflation of the kind experienced by Argentina, Venezuela
and Zimbabwe. Latest figures provide other reasons for concern. While the
overall rate of inflation seems to have stabilized prices of mass consumer
goods, notably food continue to rise faster than the average.
Negative growth means growing shortages on the supply side, the root cause of
inflation. Right now over 5,000 public and private sector projects are in “pause
position” for lack of funds or skilled workers. At the same time the overall
economy is estimated to be losing an average of over 1,000 jobs each day. Part
of this is due to a bilateral trade agreement with China under which Beijing
buys Iranian oil at a 44 percent discount per barrel and pays the price in Yuans
which means massive imports from China, imports that destroy local industries
producing similar goods.
At the same time China adamantly refuses to invest in the Iranian economy. An
investment package of a paltry $37 million in building a gas pipeline in
northeast Iran was withdrawn last week for “further studies.” Another “big
project” slated to attract a $200 million investment package by Oman has been
veiled and unveiled a number of times. The official media now muse over possible
“massive investments” from Saudi Arabia.
A seminar organized by economists close to the establishment last month warned
that unless the current trend is reversed Iran may face bread riots of the kind
associated with less developed “Third World” nations.
Over the past two to three months the authorities have organized or supported
numerous seminars in the hope of finding a miracle solution.
Leaving aside the top echelon of economic decision-making that consists of
regime cronies, Iran has many learned economists. They produce countless
studies, research papers and policy guidelines that decision-makers either
refuse to read or if they read won’t understand.
Even then, knowingly or not, our learned economists are influenced by methods
that were in vogue until the 1980s. One such method was the Marxian one
according to which the economy represents a society’s infrastructure while
politics provide the superstructure. The other method is known as “political
economy” advocated by the American economist John Kenneth Galbraith, author of
the “Affluent Society”, among others, according to which economics must be in
the service of “progressive” political aims.
The problem with both methods is that, each for a reason of its own, ignores the
status of economics as an independent science with its own inner logic. Thus,
they prevent the development of policy recommendations offering strictly
economic measures which, acknowledging the primacy of politics, political
decision makers may accept, reject or modify. In Iran, we have an added
complication, the adjective “Islamic” that is used to modify every noun. Thus
just as we have “Islamic physics” and “Islamic medicine” we also have “Islamic”
economics.
Since the root cause of Iran’s prolonged crisis is political trying to deal with
its economic effects in isolation is at best a futile pursuit and at worst and
exercise in deception. The present system makes meaningful economic
decision-making difficult if not impossible. This is because what goes for
government in Iran is, in fact, a patchwork of authorities controlling different
parts of the economy. A prominent Iranian economist, Hassan Mansoor, says that
in Iran the government is “one of several players” in the economic field each
pursuing its own agenda and protecting its own interests.”
Some of these players peddle different utopias, thus adding to confusion. In
recent months some of those utopias have been on the retreat while still wearing
their deceptive smiles. However, it isn’t clear whether that retreat is anything
but a tactical move to negotiate a bad patch on the road to Khamenei’s “Great
New Islamic Civilization.” I still think both Khomeini and Clinton were wrong.
Economics is not for asses, and it isn’t the economy, stupide! Economic failure
is caused by bad politics not the other way round.
The Post-American Regional Order
Huda al-Husseini/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 12/2023
While they may have been minimal, US President Joe Biden’s visit last year did
yield some positive results. In October, the United States brokered a landmark
agreement that settled the longstanding maritime border dispute between Israel
and Lebanon. The Biden administration has also sought to enhance regional
integration through the establishment of the Negev Forum, which includes
Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and the United
States. It has also launched initiatives to encourage defense cooperation
between Israel and Washington’s other Middle Eastern partners.
These steps point to Washington’s priorities in the region: Israel’s integration
into the broader Middle East, de-escalation of regional conflicts, and
containment of Iran. The first thing Biden thought of was Iran. Despite the
ongoing women-led protest movement in Iran, Tehran has managed to break free of
its regional and international isolation, normalizing relations with its Gulf
Arab neighbors - first the UAE and then, more significantly, with Saudi Arabia.
While Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman have been working to facilitate this
rapprochement for years, hosting several pivotal and profound talks between
Saudi Arabia and Iran, the prominent role played by the Chinese in pushing their
reconciliation over the line surprised many last March.
China’s role has fueled the already prevalent narrative that US influence in the
Middle East is waning. Meanwhile, Iran continues to develop its nuclear program
as hopes of reviving the Iran nuclear deal - a top priority of the Biden
administration - have been all but dashed. Making matters worse, Moscow Russia’s
deepening ties to Tehran amid the Ukraine war have undermined its role in the
negotiations for a nuclear deal.
Perhaps more worryingly for the US, Russian oil exports continue to reach
Washington’s closest regional partners, including some Gulf states. These Gulf
partners have put discounted Russian oil to domestic use, leaving them with more
of their own to export as prices rise. Although their aim is to maximize profit,
these purchases undercut the impact of Western sanctions against Moscow. Other
Arab partners of the US also do business with Russia despite Western objections.
Indeed, leaked US intelligence reports indicate that Russia has been trying to
purchase ammunition and equipment from some Arab countries.
All of this undoubtedly raises concerns for policymakers in Washington.
In turn, the Israeli government’s policies have triggered one of the most
tumultuous periods in Israeli history, raising doubts about the viability of its
future as a democracy.
As the country continues to suffer from unrest at home, what looks like a
revolution has broken out in the West Bank and along Israel’s northern and
southern borders. Notably, we recently saw one of the largest rocket attacks on
Israel from Lebanon since its 2006 war with Hezbollah. The provocative measures
that the Israeli government has taken in Jerusalem could further inflame
regional tensions, potentially undermining Israel’s ties to the Arab countries
that have normalized relations with it.
After everything, the Biden administration has voiced its support for efforts to
de-escalate military tensions in the Middle East. It has publicly spoken
positively about the ongoing talks between Riyadh and Tehran, which could end
the conflicts wreaking havoc on countries like Yemen. In fact, while China has
to account for the burden of ensuring that the two sides respect the commitments
they have made as part of the agreement, the United States has little to lose.
As a matter of fact, it could perhaps have much to gain, as Middle Eastern
stability could allow Washington to channel its energy and resources to
top-priority theaters, particularly the Indo-Pacific region and the war in
Ukraine. Washington’s regional partnerships - the cornerstone of the Biden
administration’s strategy - are under great strain. Relations with Saudi Arabia
remain particularly rigid, as the latter’s interests dictate policies that have
impacted OPEC - an international organization of oil-producing countries that
includes Russia - outputs, to say nothing about the Kingdom’s overtures to
Tehran.
Last weekend, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Prince
Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister; UAE National Security
Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan; and India’s National Security
Adviser Ajit Doval in Jeddah. They discussed ways to fortify their shared vision
for a more secure and prosperous Middle East that has stronger ties with India
and the world. In his press statement, Sullivan thanked the Saudi Crown Prince
for the Kingdom’s help in evacuating US citizens from Sudan.
Finally, Syria is another point of contention, as Washington opposes the recent
regional initiatives taken with regard to Syria.
As for Israel, Washington’s most crucial partner in the region, Biden has warned
that it “cannot continue on this path,” referring to the anti-democratic
legislation proposed by the Netanyahu government, as well as its inflammatory
anti-Arab rhetoric and policies. Moreover, the White House has yet to invite
Netanyahu to make a state visit to Washington since his return to power.
For its part, Abu Dhabi has also voiced its frustration with the current Israeli
government, and it too has refused to invite Netanyahu to the UAE since he won
elections last year.
Israel’s actions have also been an impediment to great regional integration,
including at the Negev Forum, and the Biden administration’s attempt to
reinforce the Abraham Accords by expanding the scope of cooperation among
Washington’s regional partners in critical areas, like economic development,
climate change, food and water security, education, and health care. However, a
ministerial meeting that had been scheduled to be held in Morocco in March fell
through amid escalating violence in the West Bank and Gaza.
Although working-level meetings are still being held at the Negev Forum,
meetings among the top brass are becoming increasingly rare. Furthermore, Saudi
Arabia has stressed that it remains committed to the Arab Peace Initiative it
had put forward in 2002, which stipulates that resolving the Palestinian
conflict is a prerequisite for regional peace. The United States has maintained
a strong military presence in the region, and its partners are keen on
cooperating with Washington to enhance their missile defense systems and
maritime security. Nonetheless, these regional partners simply do not believe
they have to choose from competing global power centers, as they are reaping the
rewards of exploiting these international rivalries to further their interests.
Thus, it might be wiser for US policymakers to look into the new approaches
being taken in the region, as well as reassess Washington’s current regional
priorities and partnerships. Indeed, for many observers, China hosting the
normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran was only the latest
indication that a “post-American regional order” has emerged.
Chinese Embrace Brazil as "Global Strategic
Partner" as Brazilian President Visits China
Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute./May 12, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping also apparently persuaded Lula to support the use
of China's yuan to replace the dollar as the global standard currency.... China
also might want Brazil to grant permission to purchase additional farmland.
China already owns more than 200,000 hectares of Brazilian land.
The Brazilian leader's fifth visit to China on April 14 was a stark contrast to
his cool visit to the US this past February.
Brazil's warming ties to China also have an economic purpose. China is Brazil's
largest trading partner, and Brazil exports a great deal of agricultural produce
to China. Brazil appears hopeful for increased Chinese investment to modernize
its industrial plants as well as technology transfer for its semiconductor
production.
Above all, Lula has praised China's rhetoric favoring the establishment of a
new, non-US led international order based on multipolarity. China has
acknowledged Lula's support by emphasizing Brazil's prominent role in the
multinational "BRICS" alliance consisting of Brazil. Russia, India, China, and
South Africa.
The Chinese triumph, however, may prove short-lived. Bolsonaro -- who condemned
China as a "predator" and infuriated the CCP by visiting Taiwan in February 2018
when he was campaigning for the presidency -- remains popular and may run
against Lula in Brazil's next presidential election.
The recent visit to China of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
(Lula) is an apparent triumph for the Chinese Communist Party in its effort to
broaden its influence in Latin America. Chinese President Xi Jinping signaled
the significance of Lula's visit by upgrading its bilateral relations with
Brazil to a "Global Strategic Relationship." Pictured: Xi and Lula at a signing
ceremony in Beijing on April 14, 2023. (Photo by Ken Ishii/Pool/AFP via Getty
Images)
The mid-April visit to China of newly inaugurated Brazilian President Luiz
Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) is an apparent triumph for the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) in its effort to broaden its influence in Latin America. The visit
also seems to have served Lula's legacy dream of being perceived as a moral
beacon and advocate for the impoverished "Global South."
Lula, now 76, is serving his third term as Brazil's president, after barely
defeating the pro-US and conservative nationalist former President Jair
Bolsonaro. Lula has long been an advocate of a socialist model of economic
development. He once expressed his respect for the CCP, on an earlier visit to
China, "for having created this grand miracle." According to Wang Yi , CCP
Director of Foreign Affairs, Lula also expressed admiration for China's having
brought millions out of poverty and hunger.
Chinese President Xi Jinping signaled the significance of Lula's visit by
upgrading its bilateral relations with Brazil to a "Global Strategic
Relationship," as he urged Brazil to celebrate next year's 50th anniversary of
bilateral relations by increasing support for China's "Belt and Road
Initiative." Xi also apparently persuaded Lula to support the use of China's
yuan to replace the dollar as the global standard currency.
Professor Wang You-ming of China's Institute of International Relations
describes this transition as passing from an "Economically Hot/Politically Cold
Relationship to a Hot/Political and Hot Economic" status. China also might want
Brazil to grant permission to purchase additional farmland. China already owns
more than 200,000 hectares of Brazilian land. During Lula's visit to China, 15
bilateral agreements were signed covering broad issues.
The Brazilian leader's fifth visit to China on April 14 was a stark contrast to
his cool visit to the US this past February. There were no new agreements during
the Lula-Biden tête-à-tête. This lack of positive developments is magnified by
the continuing trend of US companies drawing down on their investment footprint
in Brazil. Ford Motor Company, for instance, began to pull up stakes in Brazil
in 2021 and is now in negotiations with a Chinese company to sell its remaining
plant in Brazil's Bahia State.
Since Lula's election, he has made his foreign policy quite clear. Lula, for
example, is opposed to sanctions on Moscow after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
He intimated that US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky are partially responsible for Moscow's invasion. Lula even counseled
that the US and Europe were prolonging the war by sending arms to Ukraine, and
that China, Turkey and Brazil were best suited to help Russia and the Ukraine
agree on negotiations. Lula also has also long supported the creation of a
Palestinian state. Brazil's Palestinian community likely lent their electoral
support to Lula, whose views on Israel are in stark contrast to Bolsonaro's
pro-Israel stance.
Brazil's warming ties to China also have an economic purpose. China is Brazil's
largest trading partner, and Brazil exports a great deal of agricultural produce
to China. Brazil appears hopeful for increased Chinese investment to modernize
its industrial plants as well as technology transfer for its semiconductor
production. China has expressed its desire to revolutionize traditional
bilateral commerce with Brazil, and shift to increased orientation toward newer
technologies, such as digitalization and e-commerce. Wang Yi, appealing to
Lula's proclivity to support environment projects, such as protecting the Amazon
rain forest, predicted that future bilateral exchanges will include
environmental cooperation.
Above all, Lula has praised China's rhetoric favoring the establishment of a
new, non-US led international order based on multipolarity. China has
acknowledged Lula's support by emphasizing Brazil's prominent role in the
multinational "BRICS" alliance consisting of Brazil. Russia, India, China, and
South Africa. BRICS is part of China's quest to displace the US as global
leader. The close links between China and Brazil are likely to become
increasingly apparent. Several Chinese provinces have developed economic and
investment partnerships with almost all of Brazil's state governments, which
flourished even in the Bolsonaro years.
The Chinese triumph, however, may prove short-lived. Bolsonaro -- who condemned
China as a "predator" and infuriated the CCP by visiting Taiwan in February 2018
when he was campaigning for the presidency -- remains popular and may run
against Lula in Brazil's next presidential election.
*Dr. Lawrence A. Franklin was the Iran Desk Officer for Secretary of Defense
Rumsfeld. He also served on active duty with the U.S. Army and as a Colonel in
the Air Force Reserve.
© 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.
On the ballot in Turkey: trust and the democratic spirit
Alexandra de Cramer/The Arab Weekly/May 12/2023
Turkey heads to the polls on Sunday for one of the most important elections in
the country’s recent history. The stakes are high, for the average Turk, and for
the elite who have governed for more than two decades.
Despite what has felt like an iron grip on national politics, President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) are
vulnerable. Amid staggering inflation, record low wages and a tightening of
personal freedoms, the party that came to power in 2002 could finally be on its
way out. Either way, security and transparency will be essential if the results
are to be respected. For all of Turkey’s economic and
political woes, Turks believe in the democratic process and take elections
seriously. Since the 1990s, Turkey’s voter turnout has averaged 78.5 percent and
exceeded 86 percent in 2018. Both are higher than many Western democracies,
including the United States (turnout for the 2020 presidential election was 66.8
percent, the highest of the twenty-first century) and France, where 72 percent
of the electorate voted in last year’s presidential race. Thousands of Turks
have already queued outside their embassies around the world to vote early.
But while Turks may exercise their voting rights, they do not always
accept the results. It is a downward spiral of trust that the AKP has presided
over. In 2007, roughly 75 percent of the country believed elections were fair.
By 2015, that had shrunk to around half, and today, electoral trust is as low as
it has ever been.
Several factors have contributed to this crisis. For starters, an election
cannot be considered “free” and “fair” if it is held under the restrictions of a
state of emergency (which is how the 2018 general elections were conducted). And
yet, areas hit hardest by February’s earthquakes have been under a state of
emergency for months. Second, the media landscape heavily favours the incumbent
party, which hurts the opposition’s campaigning. A 2018 post-election analysis
by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) found that
opposition candidates could not get airtime, in part because the news media is
“dominated by outlets whose owners are considered affiliated with the government
or depend on public contracts.” Five years ago, opposition candidates received a
fraction of the news coverage afforded to Erdogan and his party, the OSCE found.
These dynamics remain in place. In the run-up to this election, public
broadcaster TRT gave Erdogan nearly 33 hours of airtime between April 1 and May
1, while opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu received just 32 minutes.
Third, election results have a way of being manipulated by those in
power. In June 2015, after suffering parliamentary losses that made it
impossible to form a government, Erdogan called for “repeat” elections five
months later. This time, AKP came out on top. Then, in March 2019, after losing
the mayoral race in Istanbul, the AKP cried foul and demanded a re-run. Turkey’s
electoral board agreed. The AKP’s candidate lost the second election, too, but
that did not stop supporters from playing dirty. After Istanbul Mayor Ekrem
Imamoglu declared that “those calling off the first round of elections were
foolish,” defamation charges were brought. He has since been sentenced to more
than two years in jail for “publicly insulting” the elections committee.
Given past transgressions by the ruling party, election monitors are planning a
heavy presence this weekend. For instance, Oy ve Otesi (Vote and Beyond), a
domestic monitoring organisation founded after the Gezi Park protests of 2013,
has trained more than 220,000 citizens to ensure that elections are transparent,
independent and fair. International monitors are also scheduled to observe the
voting, though Ankara has taken steps in recent days to restrict access to
European monitors. Media clampdowns have also been reported ahead of the vote.
Elections observers hope that by raising concerns when issues arise, systemic
corruption can be avoided. This will be easier in large cities like Ankara,
Izmir and Istanbul. Harder will be tracking discrepancies in areas hit by the
earthquakes, where nearly two million eligible voters, out of nine million, have
been displaced. One local initiative, TULOV, has begun a campaign to bring
earthquake victims to the polls, but so far, only a few thousand have been
helped so far. Against the odds, this has become one of Turkey’s most
competitive races in years. Opposition candidates are testing Erdogan and the
AKP, empowered by an angry, frustrated electorate. The election could go very
wrong. Or, with thousands of trained volunteers committed to spending hours
guarding ballot boxes throughout the country, Sunday could be a much-needed
reminder that Turkey’s democratic spirit is alive and well.
*Alexandra de Cramer is a journalist based in Istanbul. She reported on the Arab
Spring from Beirut as a Middle East correspondent for Milliyet newspaper. Her
work ranges from current affairs to culture, and has been featured in Monocle,
Courier Magazine, Maison Francaise, and Istanbul Art News.
Syndication Bureau/
www.syndicationbureau.com