English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May 22/2023
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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15 آذار/2023
Bible Quotations For today
Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth
and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit
John 12/20-25: “Among those who went up to worship
at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in
Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told
Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, ‘The
hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless
a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain;
but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and
those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on May 21-22/2023
Video Link of the mass
presided by Patriarch Al Raei, Sunday, Today May 21, 2023, in Bkerke with the
text of his sermon and the text of the sermon delivered today by Bishop Aoudi at
St. George's Cathedral in Beirut.
Maronite Patriarch Mar Beshara Boutros Al-Rahi: It is a pity that we do not have
a single representative who would dare by force of conscience to object to the
non-election of the President
Archbishop Aoudi: The people revolted and rejected the actions of the officials,
but elected the same ones who were the cause of his calamities, and plunged
himself into a deeper abyss
Amer Fakhoury Foundation: We must unite to free Lebanon from this terrorist
group.
Hezbollah stages wargames for media, asserts readiness to confront Israel
Arab Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Assad, Mikati Held Cordial Meeting
Bahrain to resume diplomatic relations with Lebanon
Mikati talks to Assad on sidelines of Arab Summit
Gebran Bassil and the French proposal for Central Bank Governor selection
Paris asks Bassil to back Franjieh in return for 'naming Salameh successor'
FPM MP: Talks with LF hit dead end, page turned on Azour
Abu Faour: To cease the illusion of waiting for the outside regarding our
national entitlements
Choucair: What happened on Sidon beach constitutes an infringement on freedoms
Minister Amin Salam highlights GCC's vital role in supporting Lebanon
MP Mark Daou stands for constitutional rights in public places
Tourism Minister calls for responsible behavior and cultural respect on Sidon
beach
Arab countries lead the way in tourism while Lebanon stalls
French delegation visits Jbeil district, Reserves of Bentael and Arz Jaj
Australian Ambassador, UN Coordinator visit Chouf Association for Development in
Iqlim Al-Kharroub Archbishops Ammar and Haddad in Marj - Barga in...
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 21-22/2023
Pope urges Sudan's warring sides to
lay down arms as new cease-fire looms
Saudi Arabia, US Say Warring Factions in Sudan Agree to Temporary Ceasefire
Sudan ceasefire deal raises hopes for relief in Khartoum
Six Iranian border guards killed in clash in southeast
Iranian media says Tehran summons Swiss envoy for Twitter post showing protest
icon, Mahsa Amini
Iran Says Group Linked to Israel Has Been Arrested
Iran Threatens to Attack Opposition in Kurdistan's Iraq
Israel Says Will Continue to Attack Syria Despite Return to Arab League
Ben-Gvir Visits Sensitive Jerusalem Holy Site
Far-right minister says Israel 'in charge' during visit to Jerusalem holy site
Zelensky Says ‘Nothing’ Remains of Bakhmut
Russia calls G7 summit incubator for anti-Russian and anti-Chinese 'hysteria'
Biden Unveils New US Military Package for Ukraine
Wagner Group fighters implicated in the killing of hundreds of unarmed civilians
in West African village: UN report
The EU owes Ukraine an apology
Peace, food and fertilizer: African leaders' challenge heading to talks with
Moscow, Kyiv
Secret Chinese police stations ‘funnel Canadian public funds’
Titles For
The Latest
English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on May 21-22/2023
Christianity 'Must be Eliminated': The Persecution of Christians, April
2023/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute./May 21, 2023
Jeddah and Reviving the Arab League/Jebril Elabidi/ Asharq Al Awsat/May 21/2023
The Jeddah Declaration shows Saudi Arabia’s seriousness/Daoud Kuttab/Arab
News/May 21, 2023
Turkiye’s ambivalent relationship with Daesh/Yasar Yakis/Arab News/May 21, 2023
Protection of Sudanese civilians must be international community’s priority/Dr.
Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/May 21, 2023
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on May 21-22/2023
Video Link of the
mass presided by Patriarch Al Raei, Sunday, Today May 21, 2023, in Bkerke with
the text of his sermon and the text of the sermon delivered today by Bishop
Aoudi at St. George's Cathedral in Beirut.
Maronite Patriarch Mar Beshara Boutros Al-Rahi: It is a pity that we do not have
a single representative who would dare by force of conscience to object to the
non-election of the President
Archbishop Aoudi: The people revolted and rejected the actions of the officials,
but elected the same ones who were the cause of his calamities, and plunged
himself into a deeper abyss
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/118399/118399/
Maronite Patriarch Mar Beshara
Boutros Al-Rahi: It is a pity that we do not have a single representative who
would dare by force of conscience to object to the non-election of the President
NNA/May 21/2023
Maronite Patriarch Mar Beshara Boutros Al-Rahi asked in his sermon at the Divine
Liturgy in Bkerke, where is the political practice in Lebanon in terms of its
message and respect for human beings and their rights? Where is citizen
development? Where is the provision of peace, justice and security stability?
Where are you party officials and what is your loyalty to the citizen in the
youth of the country? Al-Rahi considered: "It is unfortunate that we do not have
a single representative who strongly dares to object to the non-election of the
President of the Republic." On the other hand, the shepherd called on "Catholic
schools to continue their mission and pursue their work in the service of
youth."
Archbishop Aoudi: The people revolted and
rejected the actions of the officials, but elected the same ones who were the
cause of his calamities, and plunged himself into a deeper abyss
LCCC/May 21/2023
Bishop Elias Aoudi in his Today's sermon he said, "It would be preferable if our
officials follow the example of the two holy kings, who built their country
instead of destroying it, and cared about the interests of the people
spiritually and worldly, helping the needy, ruling with justice, and fighting
against idolatry. In our country, we still find those who worship idols
represented by leaders or material interests and power that they gnaw at."
Corruption mites We find them spreading sin in the souls, instead of returning
to God, ruling with His guidance, being filled with His Spirit, and washing away
the sins they caused towards a people suffering from oppression, poverty,
humiliation and loss.This people were revolting, angry, and rejecting the
actions of officials, but they returned and elected those who were the cause His
calamities and pains and the loss of his resources and savings plunged
themselves into a deeper abyss. May what the people are going through be a
lesson in bearing responsibility, in good discrimination and in taking good
positions.Choosing representatives of the people is not by surrendering to them
and turning a blind eye to their mistakes, but by appointing them and holding
them accountable.Likewise, choosing a president for the country is not according
to His proximity or distance from the parties, but according to his program,
vision, integrity and experience, and according to his loyalty to this country
and his trust to God and Lebanon. Where did the promises made a year ago go?
When will our officials reach a degree of awareness, patriotism, maturity and
democracy, so they do not ignore any entitlement and duty? And when will the
House of Representatives open to elect a president? Is it appropriate for
Lebanon that its president not participate in the Arab league summit And he
continued, "We hope that we will have a president as soon as possible, and that
faith will be one of the advantages that those looking for a president for the
republic, because if the ruler is not for God, then the blindness of greed and
corruption will strike everyone again, and the people will not reach the light
of the desired resurrection for this country."He concluded: "We are called today
to believe in the Lord, and to declare our faith in Him without fear, because by
that we do the fruits of the Holy Spirit that were sown in us on the day of
baptism. Christ calls us to purify and wash away sins, so do we respond to his
call? The important thing is not to forget that our bodies are temples of the
Holy Spirit, We must shoulder this responsibility diligently and diligently."
Amer Fakhoury Foundation: We must unite to free Lebanon
from this terrorist group.
May 21/2023
The Iranian backed Hezbollah militia displaying its arsenal and missiles in the
south today and terrorizing the Lebanese people. They prove once again that they
are a state within a state utilizing their arms to control Lebanon and its
government.
We must unite to free Lebanon from this terrorist group.
Hezbollah stages wargames for media, asserts readiness to
confront Israel
AARAMTA, Lebanon (AP)/Sun, May 21, 2023
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah put on a show of force Sunday, extending a
rare media invitation to one of its training sites in southern Lebanon, where
its forces staged a simulated military exercise. Masked fighters jumped through
flaming hoops, fired from the backs of motorcycles, and blew up Israeli flags
posted in the hills above and a wall simulating the one at the border between
Lebanon and Israel. The exercise came ahead of “Liberation Day,” the annual
celebration of the withdrawal of Israeli forces from south Lebanon on May 25,
2000, and in the wake of a recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
in Gaza. Militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza, has long had ties with
Hezbollah. The recent heightened tensions also come months after Lebanon and
Israel signed a landmark U.S.-brokered maritime border agreement, which many
analysts predicted would lower the risk of a future military confrontation
between the two countries. The Israeli military declined to comment on the
Hezbollah exercise.
Senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine said in a speech Sunday that the
exercise was meant to “confirm our complete readiness to confront any
aggression” by Israel. On the other side of the border, Israeli forces have also
occasionally invited journalists to watch exercises simulating a war with
Hezbollah. Officials from both sides frequently allude to their readiness for
conflict in public statements. On the ground, however, the conflict has been
largely frozen since the two sides fought a brutal and inconclusive one-month
war in 2006.
Israel regularly strikes targets related to Hezbollah and its backer, Iran, in
neighboring Syria. In Lebanon, while Israel and Hezbollah, as well as armed
Palestinian groups, have exchanged periodic strikes in the years since 2006,
they have largely avoided casualties on either side.
Most recently, Israel launched rare strikes on southern Lebanon last month after
militants fired nearly three dozen rockets from there, wounding two people in
Israel and causing some property damage. The Israeli military said it targeted
installations of Hamas, which it blamed for the rocket fire, in southern
Lebanon. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah derided the claim, saying the Israeli
strikes had only hit “banana groves” and a water irrigation channel.
Safieddine in his speech Sunday alluded to the group’s possession of
precision-guided missiles, which were not on display but which he said Israel
would see “later.”Elias Farhat, a retired Lebanese army general who is currently
a researcher in military affairs, said Hezbollah’s “symbolic show of strength”
on Sunday appeared to be in response to the recent escalation in Gaza. He said
it could also be a response to a demonstration Thursday in Jerusalem by
thousands of Jewish nationalists, some of whom chanted “Death to Arabs” and
other racist slogans, in celebration of “Jerusalem Day.” The day marks Israel’s
capture of the Old City 56 years ago. Mohanad Hage Ali, a senior fellow at the
Carnegie Middle East Center who researches Hezbollah, said that in the past when
there was an escalation in the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Lebanese armed
group would sometimes fire off rockets or allow a Palestinian faction in Lebanon
to do so. But he said Sunday’s military exercise was a lower-risk way to show
force. Given that Friday marked the return of Syria — an ally of Hezbollah and
Iran — to the Arab League, Hage Ali said, Hezbollah may not have wanted a clash
on the border with Israel to distract from the Arab reconciliation. While the
military exercise “is showing how strong they are and sending a message to the
Israelis, it also demonstrates that this time around, they don’t want to
escalate,” he said.
*Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed.
Arab Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Assad, Mikati
Held Cordial Meeting
Beirut : Thaer Abbas/Asharq Al-Awsat/21 May 2023
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Najib
Mikati have had a cordial encounter on the sidelines of the Arab League’s Jeddah
summit, Arab sources who were present at the gathering told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Prior to entering the conference hall, Assad and Mikati had a meeting where they
discussed “common issues.”Sources, who requested anonymity, highlighted the
friendly and positive atmosphere of the meeting, which sets a solid groundwork
for future interactions. This meeting represents a notable milestone in the
series of high-level meetings between the neighboring countries since the start
of the Syrian crisis in 2011. Lebanese government sources also conveyed Mikati’s
strong satisfaction with the summit’s atmosphere. They underscored Lebanon’s
unwavering position on the significance of strengthening relations with the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stating that Mikati will diligently follow the summit’s
decisions concerning Lebanon in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. On
Saturday, Mikati expressed his gratitude for the influential role played by the
Arab summit in Jeddah, emphasizing its ability to unite Arabs based on shared
interests and collective concerns. Additionally, he conveyed his confidence in
“Saudi Arabia's approach, which fosters stability across the entire region.”
In an interview with Al-Hadath channel, the day after delivering Lebanon’s
speech at the Arab summit in Jeddah, Mikati said: “Through my observations, I
have noticed rapid and organized efforts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the
train has set off towards resolving all issues with Arab countries and
neighboring nations.”“The foundation lies in human development, stability, and
economic progress,” he added. Mikati appealed to brotherly Arab nations to
sponsor a form of intra-Lebanese dialogue to achieve stability in the country
and elect a president.
He also urged for assistance to help Lebanon overcome the suffocating economic
and social crisis it is facing. Describing the Jeddah summit as a “healing
wounds” gathering, Mikati highlighted its significance considering the preceding
agreement to mend relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Furthermore, the summit marked the reintegration of Syria, a fellow nation, in
assuming its full role within the Arab League.
Mikati pointed out that the prolonged duration of the Syrian crisis, its stalled
resolution, and the significant increase in the number of displaced persons have
made the displacement crisis a tremendous burden for Lebanon to bear.
This burden is evident in terms of its infrastructure, social repercussions, and
political implications domestically. Furthermore, Mikati emphasized the natural
right of these displaced individuals to return to their cities and villages.
Mikati confirmed Lebanon's adherence to international decisions from the UN
Security Council and Arab League resolutions. He stressed respect for the
interests and sovereignty of sister nations, along with efforts to combat
illicit trafficking that threatens their stability.
The Lebanese premier expressed a strong commitment driven by a sense of
responsibility and a genuine desire for the security and purity of fraternal
relations. Mikati praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for leading Saudi
Arabia to prominent and innovative positions and turning it into a productive
nation. He expressed hope for the Kingdom’s fraternal support and attention to
Lebanon.
Bahrain to resume diplomatic relations with Lebanon
Agence France Presse/May 21, 2023
Bahrain has said it would restore full diplomatic relations with Lebanon after a
year and a half, following a row over the Saudi-led military intervention in
Yemen. Bahrain and other Gulf countries followed Saudi Arabia in recalling their
diplomats towards the end of 2021 after a Lebanese minister criticized Riyadh's
military intervention in the war in Yemen. Manama -- a staunch ally of Riyadh --
also called on its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country. But the tiny Gulf
kingdom said Saturday that it was bringing an end to the impasse, a move
welcomed by Beirut. "The Kingdom of Bahrain has decided to restore diplomatic
representation" at ambassador level in Lebanon, the Bahraini foreign ministry
said, adding that this would "strengthen the fraternal relations between the two
countries." Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the country
"appreciated this decision and welcomes it." A diplomatic crisis erupted in
October 2021 after the then-information minister was quoted criticizing the
Saudi role in Yemen, where a grinding war has produced what the U.N. describes
as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. George Kordahi, who has since
resigned, said in a television interview that the Huthi rebels fighting Yemen's
internationally recognized government were "defending themselves... against an
external aggression." In response, Riyadh recalled its ambassador and ordered
Lebanon's envoy to leave the kingdom. Its Gulf allies the United Arab Emirates,
Bahrain and Kuwait followed suit, expelling Lebanon's envoys. Saudi Arabia
returned its envoy to Lebanon in April last year. The Bahraini decision comes
the day after the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia against a backdrop of
unexpected rapprochement between Riyadh and Tehran, brokered by Beijing. The
warming of relations between the region's two great rivals has paved the way for
a major diplomatic reshuffle in the Arab world.
Mikati talks to Assad on sidelines of Arab Summit
Naharnet/May 21, 2023
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
on the sidelines of the 32nd Arab Summit that was held Friday in Jeddah, Arab
sources confirmed. “Assad and Mikati met for some time before entering the
conference hall and the discussions tackled common issues,” the sources told
Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in remarks published Sunday, noting that “the
meeting’s atmosphere was cordial and positive and can be capitalized on in the
future.”Lebanese ministerial sources who took part in the Arab Summit meanwhile
told al-Jadeed TV that the meeting was not an official one. “Assad and Mikati
met in an ordinary way and they were standing ahead of entering the Arab Summit
hall,” the sources said.
“The conversation was limited to general matters, an exchange of greetings and
hopes to work on the common issues, without delving into the details of files
such as the displaced Syrians,” the sources added. The meeting is the
highest-level one between the two countries since the eruption of the Syrian
conflict in 2011.
Gebran Bassil and the French proposal for Central Bank
Governor selection
LBCI/May 21, 2023
French diplomacy remains in constant contact with Gebran Bassil, and the latest
offer presented to him is to have him choose the new governor of the Central
Bank of Lebanon after removing Riad Salameh in exchange for supporting the
nomination of Sleiman Frangieh. This article was originally published in and
translated from the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Anbaa.
Sources believe that the political aspect, in light of the pursuit of Governor
Salameh by the French judiciary, takes into account the response to the desires
of the governor's opponents, led by Gebran Bassil. However, Bassil rejects any
candidate imposed by the opposition who does not have the approval or acceptance
of Hezbollah.
Paris asks Bassil to back Franjieh in return for 'naming
Salameh successor'
Naharnet/May 21, 2023
French diplomacy is in constant communication with Free Patriotic Movement
leader Jebran Bassil, informed sources said. In the latest proposal made to him
by France, Bassil has been offered to pick the successor of Central Bank chief
Riad Salameh in return for endorsing the Shiite Duo’s presidential candidate
Suleiman Franjieh, the sources told Kuwait’s al-Anbaa newspaper in remarks
published Sunday.
FPM MP: Talks with LF hit dead end, page turned on Azour
Naharnet/May 21, 2023
The latest negotiations between the parties that oppose Suleiman Franjieh’s
presidential nomination have failed to reach any result, ad-Diyar newspaper
quoted “trusted sources” as saying. “The reported progress towards nominating
ex-minister Jihad Azour as a candidate who would run against Franjieh has
vanished and things returned to square one due to the dispute that surfaced in
the last stage of the contacts and negotiations between the Lebanese Forces and
the Free Patriotic Movement,” the sources said. “A fundamental dispute surfaced
between the two parties, which is the the LF wanted Azour to be a confrontation
candidate in the face of Franjieh, whereas the FPM did not want to adopt this
approach, especially after it sensed and confirmed that the (Shiite) Duo is
opposed to Azour and to moving to the so-called Plan B,” the sources added. MP
Alain Aoun of the FPM confirmed to ad-Diyar this atmosphere, noting that “the
contacts have achieved nothing.” “The page has been turned on ex-minister Jihad
Azour after no agreement was reached on him and because he personally does not
want to be a confrontation candidate,” Aoun said. “I can say that we have
returned to square one,” he added.
Abu Faour: To cease the illusion of waiting for the outside
regarding our national entitlements
NNA/May 21, 2023
Member of the "Democratic Gathering" bloc, MP Wael Abu Faour, affirmed that
"preserving the sacrifices that have been made historically requires
accelerating the pace in order to fulfill the constitutional entitlements
locally without waiting for the outside, which does not seem preoccupied with
Lebanon as some think...""This presupposes shortening the time and agreeing on a
conciliatory president capable of managing the Lebanese contradictions and
drawing the path of economic and social salvation," he said.
Abu Faour's words came while patronizing a reception held in Rashaya by the
Progressive Socialist Party in its Southern Bekaa branch to honor party
comrades.
Choucair: What happened on Sidon beach constitutes an
infringement on freedoms
NNA/May 21, 2023
"Kulluna Li Beirut" gathering head, former minister Muhammad Choucair, regretted
the protest movements that took place on the beach of the port of Sidon this
morning, saying in a statement that "some people's insistence on imposing
restrictions and conditions on beachgoers is a confiscation of people's freedom
in contradiction with Lebanese laws."
He stressed that "in the event of any violation of the law or offensive
behavior, the responsibility for addressing and preventing it belongs to the
state and the security services and not to the municipality or clerics."He
added: "Attempts to incite and mobilize for a protest demonstration against the
dresscode of beach goers is contrary to the law and constitutes an infringement
on pulic liberties, especially since the beach is the property of the general
public of all groups and not the property of a specific group."Choucair, thus,
called on the state to "take the initiative and set standards that respect the
right of citizens to practice their hobbies within the controls guaranteed by
the law without the interference of any party."
Minister Amin Salam highlights GCC's vital role in
supporting Lebanon
LBCI/May 21, 2023
Economy and Trade Minister, Amin Salam, emphasized the significant and
unwavering role of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in supporting
Lebanon during his meetings with Bahraini and Emirati ministers. These meetings
occurred during his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he participated
in the Arab Summit. Salam met with Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif Al-Zayani
and Bahraini Finance Minister Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa. He also met
with his Emirati counterpart, Dr. Abdullah bin Touq. Furthermore, he met with
the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi.
During these meetings, Salam emphasized "the historical and unquestionable role
of the GCC countries in supporting Lebanon on all levels." "Lebanon takes pride
in its Arab affiliation and is committed to maintaining the best relations with
the Gulf countries, which have always been and will continue to be our strong
support." Salam expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the Kingdom of
Bahrain for the decision to resume diplomatic representation at the
ambassadorial level with Lebanon to strengthen the fraternal relations between
the two countries and their people, as well as to promote mutual respect.
MP Mark Daou stands for constitutional rights in public
places
LBCI/May 21, 2023
MP Mark Daou announced from Sidon his support for the constitutional principle
that states public places, freedom of expression, and freedom of belief are
rights for all people. Following the recent incident on Sidon beach regarding
beachwear, he stated, "Lebanese citizens have the right to go to public places
as they see fit."
Tourism Minister calls for responsible behavior and
cultural respect on Sidon beach
LBCI/May 21, 2023
Tourism Minister, Walid Nassar, expressed his condemnation of the recent events
that took place on the famous Sidon beach. On Sunday morning, after a clash
between two opposing demonstrations, one advocating for beachwear freedom and
the other demanding modest dress code enforcement on the beach. "Cultures and
freedoms must be respected, and we aspire to achieve a civil state. The beach is
public property, and I will engage with fellow ministers to find a solution. I
urge the people of Sidon to act responsibly," Nassar stated. On LBCI's "Nharkom
Said" TV show, he added, "access to the beach is a right, and women did not
appear nude. Sidon is an esteemed city known for its civilization and
diversity."
Arab countries lead the way in tourism while Lebanon stalls
LBCI/May 21, 2023
In 2023, some have decided to regress instead of supporting tourism and openness
throughout Lebanon. While Arab countries have surpassed us by leaps and bounds
when discussing European and Western nations... Many resort beaches opened in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and a public beach recently opened to the public in
Jeddah. Although there are still some restrictions on attire in some regions of
Saudi Arabia kingdom, there are no restrictions in these two upcoming tourist
destinations that will be added to the 2030 Vision: The Red Sea and NEOM in
Saudi Arabia. Additionally, today in the United Arab Emirates, specifically in
Dubai, and without even mentioning private resorts, there are accessible public
beaches such as Kite Beach, where people from all nationalities gather, and
nobody talks to or interferes with anyone's clothing choices. In Egypt as well,
the many scenes of Egypt's beaches show no difference from the examples
mentioned above. Furthermore, in Tartus and Latakia in Syria, nobody interferes
with Syrian girls wearing swimsuits or bikinis there. In Jordan, no one has ever
told a tourist that wearing shorts or a swimsuit is prohibited on the Dead Sea
or in Aqaba. This is a small sample of predominantly Muslim countries, without
mentioning other countries such as Tunisia, Turkey, Albania, Indonesia, and the
Maldives.
Lebanon has historically been known for its openness and promotion of tourism.
But recent restrictions regarding beach attire contradict the spirit of
embracing different cultures and encouraging visitors worldwide.
French delegation visits Jbeil district, Reserves of Bentael and Arz Jaj
NNA/May 21, 2023
A delegation from the municipality of the French city of Poitier, including
Mayor Leonore Moncond Hui, and a number of members of its municipal council,
visited the Byblos district at the invitation of Dr. Christian El Khoury. The
delegation began its visit in the town of Hasrayel, where it was briefed on a
method used in storing rainwater by collecting it from the tents of the
protected crops. Then it moved to Bentael, where it visited the reserve and was
briefed by the head of the reserve committee, Raymond El-Khoury, on its
operation. Then, it headed to the town of Ehmej where it was welcomed by the
head of the municipality, Nazih Abi Semaan, and toured the water-collecting
ponds at the top of the town. Afterwards, the delegation moved to the town of
Jaj, where they examined its perennial oaks and visited the Jaj Cedar Reserve
accompanied by its committee members. The delegation expressed admiration for
the reserve and promised, after returning to France, to "do everything possible
to encourage the French to visit Jbeil, especially the Reserves of Bentael and
Cedars of Jaj." The delegation concluded its visit with a dinner held in its
honor by Dr. Khoury at his residence, which was attended by Jbeil MP Simon Abi
Ramia and Mayor Wissam Zaarour.
Australian Ambassador, UN Coordinator visit Chouf Association for Development in
Iqlim Al-Kharroub Archbishops Ammar and Haddad in Marj - Barga in...
NNA/May 21, 2023
Australian Ambassador to Lebanon, Andrew Barnes, accompanied by the United
Nations Coordinator for Women's Affairs in Lebanon, Gielan Elmessiri, visited
Sunday the Chouf Association for Development in the town of Barja - Ain Al-Assad
in Iqlim Al-Kharoub, where they were received by the President of the
Association, Daad Nassif Al-Kazi. Kazi gave a briefing on the establishment of
the association, and its activities in the service of citizens, in light of the
difficult economic and social conditions. Ambassador Barnes and Mrs. Elmessiri
toured the departments of the association, the Archbishop Maroun Al-Ammar Center
for Primary Health Care, and the Archbishop Elie Al-Haddad Center for Psycho-Kinematic
Treatments, where they learned about their work, the difficulties they face, and
the needs of the two centers.Barnes and Elmessiri expressed their admiration for
the valuable efforts made by the workers in the association and the two centers
in serving the people, and expressed their willingness to cooperate with the
association by providing the necessary support to advance its efforts in
promoting work and health. In turn, Kazi thanked the Australian Ambassador
and the United Nations Coordinator for Women's Affairs in Lebanon for this
valuable visit, stressing "the readiness for joint cooperation in everything
that serves the people of the region, according to the rules of transparent
professional work."
Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on May 21-22/2023
Pope urges Sudan's warring sides to lay down arms as new cease-fire looms
CAIRO (AP)/Sun, May 21, 2023
Pope Francis on Sunday called on Sudan's warring forces to lay down their arms,
expressing dismay about the ongoing fighting and worsening humanitarian
situation in the African country. The pope’s call comes a day after the Sudanese
army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces agreed to a seven-day cease-fire
due to take effect Monday evening. There have been numerous shorter cease-fire
deals since the conflict began on Apr. 15, and all have foundered. “It’s sad
that a month after the explosion of violence in Sudan, the situation continues
to be grave,’’ he told the faithful who'd gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his
weekly appearance. For over a month, the Sudanese army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah
Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, have been locked in a
violent power struggle that has killed more than 800 civilians, the Sudan
Doctor’s Union said. “Please, let’s not get used to conflicts and violence, and
let’s not get used to war, please,” Pope Francis said during his appeal.
According to a joint statement issued by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia — the brokers
of Saturday’s deal — the upcoming truce hopes to facilitate the “delivery of
emergency humanitarian assistance and restoration of essential services.” The
cease-fire could be extended if both sides agree. Unlike the previous
cease-fires, the week-long truce will be backed up by a "U.S.-Saudi and
international-supported cease-fire monitoring mechanism,” the statement said.
Few further details about the function or role of the mechanism were provided.
Over the past month, law and order and basic services have broken down across
much of the country. In Khartoum, several districts are without electricity and
running water. Looting is widespread. The U.N. and rights organizations have
accused both sides of human rights abuses, calling out the army for bombing
residential areas and hospitals, and condemning RSF troops for attacking
civilians and turning residential homes into operational bases. The violence has
been most acute in the capital, Khartoum, and the western region of Darfur.
Ongoing fighting that flared up Thursday between the army and the RSF in South
Darfur’s regional capital of Nyala has killed at least 25 civilians, the Darfur
Bar Association said, a legal group focusing on human rights. Last weekend, more
than 280 civilians were killed when RSF and other affiliated militias stormed
the city of Geneina, also in the Darfur region, and clashed with armed
residents, the Sudan Doctors Union said.
Saudi Arabia, US Say Warring Factions in Sudan
Agree to Temporary Ceasefire
Asharq Al Awsat/May 21/2023
Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces signed an agreement late on Saturday
for a seven-day ceasefire, the sponsors of the talks, Saudi Arabia and the
United States said in a joint statement. The ceasefire will take effect at 9:45
p.m. Khartoum time (1945 GMT) on Monday. This agreement that was signed in
Jeddah will be enforced by a Saudi-US and international-supported monitoring
mechanism, the statement said. The Monitoring and Coordination Committee is to
be made up of three representatives each from the US and Saudi Arabia and three
representatives from each party. “Both parties have conveyed to the Saudi and US
facilitators their commitment not to seek military advantage during the 48-hour
notification period after signing the agreement and prior to the start of the
ceasefire,” it said. The agreement also calls for distributing humanitarian
assistance, restoring essential services and withdrawing forces from hospitals
and essential public facilities.
Sudan ceasefire deal raises hopes for relief in Khartoum
KHARTOUM, May 21 (Reuters)/Sun, May 21, 2023
Sporadic fighting between Sudan's warring factions could be heard in the capital
Khartoum on Sunday, residents said, after a Saudi and U.S.-brokered deal for a
week-long ceasefire raised hopes of some let-up in the five-week conflict. The
ceasefire deal, signed by the army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support
Forces (RSF) after talks in the Saudi city of Jeddah, is due to come into effect
on Monday evening with an internationally supported monitoring mechanism. It
also allows for the delivery of humanitarian aid. Repeated ceasefire
announcements since the conflict started on April 15 have failed to stop the
fighting, but the Jeddah deal marks the first time the sides have signed a truce
agreement after negotiations. Analysts say it is unclear whether army chief
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan or RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti,
are able to enforce a ceasefire on the ground. Both have previously indicated
they are seeking victory in the war, and neither of them travelled to Jeddah.
The war has seen 1.1 million people flee their homes, moving either within Sudan
or to neighbouring countries, fuelling a humanitarian crisis that threatens to
destabilise the region. It has left those still in Khartoum struggling to
survive amid mass looting, a collapse in health services, and dwindling supplies
of food, fuel, power and water. Witnesses reported the sound of clashes in
central and southern Khartoum on Sunday. Safaa Ibrahim, a 35-year-old Khartoum
resident, told Reuters by phone that she hoped the deal could bring an end to
the conflict. "We're tired of this war. We've been chased away from our homes,
and the family has scattered between towns in Sudan and Egypt," she said. "We
want to return to normal life and safety. Al-Burhan and Hemedti have to respect
people's desire for life."
'WAITING FOR THE TRUCE'
The war erupted in Khartoum over plans for the generals who seized full power in
a 2021 coup to sign up to a transition towards elections under a civilian
government. Burhan and Hemedti had held the top positions on Sudan's ruling
council since former leader Omar al-Bashir was overthrown during a 2019 popular
uprising. The Jeddah talks have been focused on allowing in aid and restoring
essential services. Mediators say further talks would be needed to seek the
removal of forces from urban areas to broker a permanent peace deal with
civilian involvement. "The people of Khartoum are waiting for the truce and the
opening of humanitarian corridors," said Mohamed Hamed, an activist in the
capital. "The health situation is getting worse day after day."Senior army
general Yassir al-Atta told Sudan state TV that the army had been trying to
remove the RSF from homes, schools and hospitals. Millions of civilians have
been trapped as the army has used air strikes and shelling to target the RSF
forces that embedded themselves in residential areas early in the fighting.
Asked about calls from some tribal leaders for civilians to be armed, Atta said
this was not currently required but residents being attacked in their homes
should be able to act in self-defence. "Let them arm themselves to protect
themselves, that is a natural right," he said. Since the conflict began, unrest
has flared in other parts of Sudan, especially the western region of Darfur.
Some 705 people have been killed and at least 5,287 injured, according to the
World Health Organization, though the true death toll is believed to be much
higher.
Six Iranian border guards killed in clash in
southeast
AFP/May 21, 2023
TEHRAN: Six Iranian border guards were killed Sunday during clashes with an
armed group in the restive southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, local
media reported. The guards were killed in Saravan, near Iran’s border with
Pakistan, the judiciary’s Mizan Online website quoted local prosecutor Mehdi
Shamsabadi as saying. Poverty-stricken Sistan-Baluchistan, which also borders
Afghanistan, is a flashpoint for clashes with drug smuggling gangs as well as
rebels from the Baluchi minority and Sunni Muslim extremist groups.
Sunday’s attack was carried out by “a terrorist group that was seeking to
infiltrate the country” but “fled across the border after the clash,” Fars news
agency reported. The attack was one of the deadliest in the province in recent
months. On March 11, two policemen were shot dead during clashes with
“criminals” in the same region, the state news agency IRNA reported at the time.
Iranian media says Tehran summons Swiss envoy for
Twitter post showing protest icon, Mahsa Amini
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)/Sun, May 21, 2023
Iran’s foreign ministry has summoned Switzerland's envoy in Tehran for a social
media post showing Iranian protest icon Mahsa Amini, local reports said on
Sunday. Months of anti-government protests were sparked by the death of
22-year-old Amini in September, after Iranian morality police detained her for
allegedly violating the country’s strict Islamic dress code. A website
affiliated with Iran’s state television called YJC.ir reported that the Swiss
ambassador, Nadine Lozano, was summoned after a Twitter account affiliated with
the embassy in Tehran published a photo featuring Amini. The Twitter account
linked with the Swiss embassy in Tehran also posted an image of Iran's
pre-revolutionary flag before its current theocracy came to power. The post
added that the Swiss foreign ministry strongly condemned the recent execution of
three Iranian protesters.
Iran announced Friday the executions of Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed
Yaghoubi, without saying how the deaths were carried out. Authorities alleged
they have killed a police officer and two members of the paramilitary Basij
group in the city of Isfahan in November during the demonstrations. Iranian
authorities have repeatedly accused Western powers of fomenting the unrest,
without providing evidence.
Iran Says Group Linked to Israel Has Been
Arrested
London: Asharq Al Awsat/21 May 2023
Iran's intelligence minister said a "terrorist" group linked to Israel was
arrested on the western borders of Iran on Sunday, according to the
semi-official Nour News agency. "A terrorist group associated with the Zionist
regime which entered the country from the western borders was arrested," said
Esmail Khatib.
Iran Threatens to Attack Opposition in Kurdistan's Iraq
AFP/21 May 2023
Iran's Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)-Ground Force warned that its strikes
against the terrorist groups in the Kurdistan region would resume if the Iraqi
government failed to meet its commitment to disarm and evict the terrorists. The
Commander of the Ground Force, Brigadier General Mohammed Pakpour, said the
Iraqi government has pledged to disarm terrorist groups and expel them. Speaking
in Iran's western city of Sanandaj, Pakpour warned: "We are waiting for the
government of Iraq to honor its commitments and offer them an opportunity (to
flush out the terrorists). Otherwise, the IRGC's attacks will continue if
nothing happens."Pakpour also said the security situation at the shared borders
is "good and stable" throughout the country, especially in the border areas, and
"we do not have any problems." Last year, the IRGC bombed several sites in the
Kurdistan region of Iraq after Tehran accused the Kurdish opposition parties of
being behind the protests that erupted after the death of the young Kurdish
woman, Mahsa Amini, last September. Earlier, the Iraqi National Security
Adviser, Qassem al-Araji, visited Erbil, where he discussed the security
measures between Iraq and Iran.
The media office of the National Security Adviser said that Araij visited Erbil
following the directives of Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, noting that
the commander of the border forces presented the measures taken by the Ministry
of the Interior to secure the Iraqi Iranian border.
The Minister of the Interior of the region, Rebar Ahmed, presented the
procedures taken by his Ministry regarding the provisions of the security record
between Iraq and Iran. Last March, Baghdad and Tehran signed a security
memorandum regarding protecting the shared borders and consolidating cooperation
in several security fields. In this context, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)
leader, Mahmoud Khoshnaw, asserted that Iraq and Iran signed a comprehensive
security agreement, including border control. Khoshnaw told Asharq Al-Awsat that
many obstacles remain to form joint brigades from the army and the Peshmerga
forces, especially in the rugged ground zero, which contains anti-Iran armed
groups. He noted that the groups hostile to Iran do not fall within the region's
authority, and it is well known that the Iraqi Iranian-Turkish border is
difficult to control. Khoshnaw added that there is no Iraqi presence in the
ground zero areas, noting that armed organizations, whether anti-Iranian or
anti-Turkey, are present in these areas, where attacks against the two countries
are launched. The deployment of the armed forces on the border is complex, and
therefore it is preferable to resort to rational solutions to this crisis
through discussions between the various parties, asserted the official. Khoshnaw
stressed that the Peshmerga forces have limited abilities, making it difficult
for them to reach those areas, especially ground zero. Meanwhile, a source told
Asharq Al-Awsat that based on a series of meetings in Baghdad, Sulaymaniyah, and
Erbil, officials are formulating a suggestion on dealing with the repeated
Iranian attacks that violate Iraq's sovereignty. He indicated that Araji
presented a proposal to Prime Minister Prior before his visit to Tehran,
containing a series of Iraqi commitments towards Iran, and in turn, Tehran
should pledge not to launch any attacks. The source noted that the idea has
already been proposed, and discussions have begun to reach the final agreed
draft through direct coordination between Tehran, Baghdad, and the Kurdistan
region. The document of the joint security agreement, which includes commitments
to end Iranian opposition activity inside the region, has been completed with
Iran's total commitment to the sovereignty of Iraq. It also contained a road map
to gradually disarm the forces within a time frame because the Iraqi
constitution prevents Iraqi territory from being a corridor, headquarters, or
starting point for groups that threaten neighboring countries. According to the
source, the proposals ended with the agreement signed in Baghdad between Araji
and Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary, Ali Shamkhani, in the
presence of the Iraqi Prime Minister.
Israel Says Will Continue to Attack Syria
Despite Return to Arab League
Ramallah: Asharq Al Awsat/21 May 2023
Syria's return to the Arab League will not affect Israel's action inside Syrian
territory, according to an Israeli official. The official confirmed that his
government had conveyed clear messages to the international community, stating
that Syria's legitimacy would not prevent Tel Aviv from attacking it and would
not affect Israel's actions. The Israeli security establishment expressed
concerns about Syria's readmission into the Arab League after 12 years of
suspension. Ynet Hebrew website reported that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met
with senior security officials last week to assess Syria's return to the Arab
League.
Sources said Israel is waiting to assess the situation, but its policy would not
change. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad participated in the 32nd Arab summit
held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday after the Arab League announced the
participation of Syrian delegations in its meetings and affiliated bodies and
organizations as of May 7. Israel regularly raids Syrian territories and targets
Iranian sites in Syria. Syrian media accused Israel about two weeks ago of an
attack in Aleppo, killing a Syrian soldier and injuring several others,
including civilians. Last Thursday, Israeli warplanes dropped leaflets over the
Quneitra area, warning Syrian army commanders to cooperate with Hezbollah. The
flyers warned the Syrian regime against cooperating with the Iranian-backed
group, saying that regime forces procure security passes at checkpoints for
Hezbollah elements threatening Israel.
Israel also called on the regime to change its policy of tolerating Hezbollah's
presence in the region. Earlier, the Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian
Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, praised the remarkable defense
progress of Hezbollah, which now possesses advanced technologies.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran is preparing for possible new attacks
against Israel. The report said that the commander of the al-Quds Force, Esmail
Qaani, held a series of meetings in recent weeks with leaders of armed groups
across the region, including groups fighting in Syria and Iraq.
Qaani urged them to take quick action, adding that Iran would provide the
necessary tools to carry out attacks to deter Israel from making its strikes.
Israel says it is ready for a multi-front confrontation.
Ben-Gvir Visits Sensitive Jerusalem Holy Site
Ramallah: Asharq Al Awsat/21 May 2023
Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited a sensitive
Jerusalem holy site on Sunday at a time of heightened tensions with the
Palestinians. “I am happy to come up to the Temple Mount, the most important
place for the Israeli people,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement following the visit.
He praised the police presence at the site, saying it “proves who is in charge
in Jerusalem.”It’s his second known visit since becoming a member of Israel’s
most right-leaning government ever. The visit by the extremist minister comes
days after Israelis marked Jerusalem Day, which celebrates Israel’s capturing of
east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. Flag-waving nationalists marched through
the main Palestinian thoroughfare in Jerusalem’s Old City, some singing racist
anti-Arab chants, while hundreds of Jews visited the sensitive hilltop shrine.
The hilltop site is the holiest in Judaism, known to Jews as the Temple Mount
and home to the ancient biblical Temples. Today, it houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque,
the third-holiest site in Islam. Since Israel captured the site in 1967, Jews
have been allowed to visit but not pray there. Ben-Gvir, along with a growing
movement of activists, has long called for greater Jewish access to the holy
site. Palestinians consider the mosque a national symbol and view such visits as
provocative and as a potential precursor to Israel seizing control over the
compound. Most rabbis forbid Jews from praying at the site, but there has been a
growing movement in recent years of Jews who support worship there. Violence
between Israel and Palestinians in the West Bank has spiked in the last year, as
Israel launched near-nightly raids in response to a spate of Palestinian
attacks. More than 250 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the
spring of 2022. About 50 people have been killed in Palestinian attacks against
Israelis.
Far-right minister says Israel 'in charge' during
visit to Jerusalem holy site
JERUSALEM (Reuters)/Sun, May 21, 2023
Israel's hard-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited a site in
Jerusalem holy to both Muslims and Jews on Sunday and declared Israel was "in
charge", drawing condemnation from Palestinians after months of escalating
tension and violence. The comments, during an early morning visit to the Al-Aqsa
mosque compound, sacred to both Muslims and Jews, who know it as Temple Mount,
came days after groups of Jewish youths scuffled with Palestinians and chanted
racist slogans during a nationalist march through the Old City. "I'm happy to
ascend the Temple Mount, the most important place for the people of Israel,"
Ben-Gvir said during his visit to the compound, the most sensitive point between
Muslims and Jews in Jerusalem and the site of repeated confrontations. In 2021,
tensions around Al-Aqsa contributed to setting off a 10-day war with the
Islamist Hamas movement that controls the Gaza Strip. Hamas has warned
repeatedly that it would react to what it sees as Jewish incursions on the site,
which stands in Jordanian custodianship under a longstanding "status quo"
arrangement put in place to contain tensions. "All the threats from Hamas will
not help, we are in charge here in Jerusalem and all of the Land of Israel,"
Ben-Gvir said. For Jews, Temple Mount is the holiest place, where the biblical
King Solomon built the first Temple 3,000 years ago and where a second Temple
was razed by the Romans. Today, the hillside site is the third holiest in Islam,
holding Al-Aqsa mosque with the Dome of the Rock, believed to be where the
Prophet Mohammad ascended to heaven. Under the status quo arrangements,
non-Muslims may visit the site in the heart of the Old City but are not allowed
to pray. However Jewish visitors have been increasingly defying the ban, more or
less openly. Palestinians consider defiance of the ban on prayer as a
provocation and fear that Israel intends to take over the site. A spokesman for
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Ben-Gvir's "incursion at an early hour,
like thieves, into the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards will not change the reality and
will not impose Israeli sovereignty over it." A Hamas spokesman said Israel
would bear the consequences for Ben-Gvir's "savage assault" on the mosque and it
called on Palestinians to step up their visits and "stand as a rampart in the
face of all attempts to defile it and make it Jewish." Israel captured the Old
City of Jerusalem, which includes Al-Aqsa and the adjacent Western Wall, a
sacred place of prayer for Jews, during the 1967 Middle Eastern war. Israel has
since annexed East Jerusalem, in a move not recognized by the international
community, and regards the entire city as its eternal and undivided capital.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.
Zelensky Says ‘Nothing’ Remains of Bakhmut
Reuters/21 May 2023
Volodymyr Zelenskiy appeared to confirm the loss of the city of Bakhmut to
Russia, when asked if it remained in Kyiv's control. The Ukrainian president,
attending the G7 summit in Japan, said on Sunday that there was "nothing" left
of Bakhmut, and that the city is "in our hearts".
"I think no," he said ahead of a meeting with US President Joe Biden in Japan.
"For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts." Russia claimed on Saturday to have
fully captured the smashed eastern Ukrainian city, which if true would mark an
end to the longest and bloodiest battle of the 15-month war. "It is tragedy,"
Zelenskiy said. The assault on the largely levelled city was led by troops from
the Wagner Group of mercenaries, whose leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said earlier in
the day that his troops had finally pushed the Ukrainians out of the last
built-up area inside the city, Reuters reported. Kyiv had previously denied
Prigozhin's claim. Also, Zelenskiy told G7 leaders in his address that Kyiv's
plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine is "an obvious expression of rationality".
"We're united by one more principle – rationality," he said in the address,
which was posted to the president's website. "We always act practically
protecting our values. And the Ukrainian Peace Formula is an obvious expression
of rationality. I thank you for supporting our Formula."
Russia calls G7 summit incubator for
anti-Russian and anti-Chinese 'hysteria'
MOSCOW (Reuters)/Sun, May 21, 2023
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Sunday dismissed the G7 summit in Japan's Hiroshima
as a "politicised" event that it said had pumped out anti-Russian and
anti-Chinese statements and accused the forum of undermining global stability.
Moscow lashed out after the leaders of the world's richest democracies said they
would not back down from supporting Ukraine, in a warning to Russian President
Vladimir Putin as he claimed to have taken the eastern city of Bakhmut,
something Kyiv denied. In a statement posted on Telegram, the Russian Foreign
Ministry said that the G7 had "irreversibly deteriorated" and that the forum had
become "an 'incubator' where, under the leadership of the Anglo-Saxons,
destructive initiatives that undermine global stability are prepared". The
statement accused the G7 of fanning anti-Russian and anti-Chinese "hysteria".
Russia used to be a member of the G7 club of industrialised democracies, which
was previously known as the G8, until Moscow was excluded after its the
annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014. Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskiy was present at the Hiroshima summit as a guest, an opportunity he used
to encourage member nations to maintain arms supplies and diplomatic support for
Kyiv amid its war with Russia, something Moscow still calls "a special military
operation." The summit gave Zelenskiy a chance to lobby for support from other
attendees, like Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazil's Brazilian
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who have remained uncommitted.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, in the same statement, accused the G7 of
"flirting" with non-Western states in an effort to stymie the development of
their ties with Moscow and Beijing. It said it was convinced though that the
forum was incapable of reflecting the interests of the Asia-Pacific region,
South Asia, the Middle East, Africa or Latin America.
Biden Unveils New US Military Package for Ukraine
AFP/21 May 2023
US President Joe Biden announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine on
Sunday and told President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a meeting in Japan that the
United States was doing all it could to strengthen Ukraine's defense for the war
with Russia. Biden, meeting with the Ukrainian leader on the sidelines of the G7
summit of world leaders, said the military aid package included ammunition,
artillery and armored vehicles. The aid announcement came as Russia’s defense
ministry said early Sunday that forces of the Wagner private army, with the
support of Russian troops, seized the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. The ministry
statement on the Telegram channel came about eight hours after a similar claim
by Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin. The eight-month battle for the city in eastern
Ukraine is the longest and probably bloodiest of the conflict in Ukraine.
Analysts have said Bakhmut’s fall would be a blow to Ukraine and give some
tactical advantages to Russia but wouldn’t prove decisive to the outcome of the
war. Russian forces still face the enormous task of seizing the rest of the
Donetsk region under Ukrainian control, including several heavily fortified
areas. The provinces of Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk make up the Donbas,
Ukraine’s industrial heartland where a separatist uprising began in 2014 and
which Moscow illegally annexed in September.
Wagner Group fighters implicated in the killing of hundreds of unarmed civilians
in West African village: UN report
Isobel van Hagen/Business Insider/Sun, May 21, 2023T
The Wagner Group is linked to a massacre of 500 people in a village in Mali, a
UN report found. The vast majority of those who were killed were unarmed
civilians, The Guardian reported. The Russian paramilitary organization has a
long-standing presence across Africa. The Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary
organization, is linked to the massacre of 500 people in a village in Mali, a
recent UN report found. In March of 2022, government forces descended on the
village of Moura in the Mopti region of Mali, ordering men into the center of
the town and shooting those who tried to escape, according to an in-depth
analysis of the UN report by The Guardian's Africa correspondent Jason Burke.
Most of those killed were unarmed civilians and a dozen alleged members of an
al-Qaida-affiliated Islamist group. Over five days, hundreds of people were
killed in the village during the atrocity. The UN report, published last week
after months of research, found evidence that 500 people were killed by the
Malian military and foreign Russian troops, underscoring the extent of the human
rights abuses at the time. Outside the war in Ukraine, the event is the worst
atrocity associated with the Wagner Group, The Guardian reported.
According to the UN report, witnesses of the tragedy said they saw "armed white
men" speaking a foreign language working with the Malian military. A Malian
government spokesperson called the report "biased" and "based on a fictional
account." The spokesperson said a Malian investigation found only "armed
terrorists" and "not a single civilian in Moura" were killed during the military
operation, per The Guardian. The Russian mercenary troops, founded by Yevgeny
Prigozhin, have supported Putin's military invasion of Ukraine. But the military
group also has various ties to African countries, according to the Associated
Press, and has been accused of supporting other violent military operations in
the region, per The Guardian. While in many cases, it is difficult to
categorically link the private Russian troops' involvement in these operations,
there is exhaustive evidence in the UN report providing an hour-by-hour account
of how Wagner Group soldiers were behind the March 2022 attack, per The
Guardian. "These are extremely disturbing findings," said Volker Türk, the UN
high commissioner for human rights, according to The Guardian. "Summary
executions, rape and torture during armed conflict amount to war crimes and
could, depending on the circumstances, amount to crimes against humanity." In
the past few years, Russia has had a commanding presence in multiple African
countries, with the assistance of the Wagner Group, to advance its global power.
More than a year ago, the Kremlin-linked military contractor group began working
with Malian armed forces to quell Islamic extremism in the country, per the AP.
Since the Russian soldiers arrived, violence against civilians and human rights
abuses have only grown.
The EU owes Ukraine an apology
Michael Fallon/The Telegraph/Sun, May 21, 2023
“I need ammunition, not a ride” replied President Zelensky to the American offer
to evacuate him as the Russians invaded. He still does. His forces are being
out-shelled three-to-one every day. He has been touring Europe’s capitals and
the G7 over a year later, with the same desperate requests for more ammunition
alongside new drones and missiles. Why? Week after week military support from
the West seems to have been drip-fed – first, some shells, then missiles, then
more powerful missiles, then some armoured vehicles, then handfuls of tanks, and
now possibly some fighter jets.
That Ukraine isn’t a member of Nato isn’t relevant. Any country has the right
both to defend itself and to ask its friends for help. Some have stepped up
promptly – with the US, ourselves and Poland leading the way. But why has the
rest of Europe been so slow? Last Sunday, President von der Leyen told the
Charlemagne prize-giving that “Ukraine’s forces are also fighting for our
freedom and our values”. Yet the EU’s response has been shocking. A couple of
weeks ago, member states finally approved what it laughably called a
“fast-track” scheme to purchase and supply ammunition to Ukraine by 1 October,
19 months after the invasion. They’re still arguing about whether procurement
should be handled via the European Defence Agency or by individual countries;
some even want purchasing restricted to EU suppliers. The defence firms are
ready to step up. They need a more flexible pipeline of orders that can be
accelerated or decelerated to match Ukraine’s demands. The allies should be
pooling orders, encouraging purchasing by smaller consortia, and sharing
information about forward requirements to incentivise investment in new
production. We should also change the narrative around inventories. Ample levels
of unused stocks are not profligate: like our nuclear submarines they are part
of deterrence, in use every day. And the City of London can do more. Defence
companies should not be shunned by investment advisers in terms of ESG
compliance: keeping us all safe is a prerequisite to keeping us green or
diverse. Defence equipment also needs a more sophisticated market: it shouldn’t
be impossible to devise forward purchasing arrangements along the lines we have
developed for investment in new energy. Nato, too, should do better. The
alliance has common procurement machinery but simply isn’t using it. The
forthcoming summit in Vilnius should review the commitment at the Wales summit
in 2014 to spend a minimum of 2 per cent of GDP on defence by next year. Only
seven of 30 members do so; worse still, 12 of the rest, by no means the poorest,
don’t even spend 1.5 per cent.
A minimum of 2.5 per cent should be the new target. Here in the UK we spend
under 2.2 per cent. Our ambition, not even a “target”, is to reach 2.5 per cent
by 2030. But at the start of this century, we were spending 2.7 per cent. In the
long run weakness in defence isn’t just risky: it’s expensive. Putin wasn’t
deterred from invading Ukraine. So what the West failed to spend on defence, we
now spend on energy subsidies, on housing refugees, and coping with slower
growth. When the war ends, we will have to spend more again on the
reconstruction of Ukraine. This is our war, too. If Putin wins in Ukraine, no
democracy is safe: he can go on to win in Moldova and Georgia, and threaten the
Baltic states. He badly underestimated Ukrainian resistance and courage. But he
may not be underestimating the political will of the West. Nine years in which
only seven countries meet the Nato defence spending target? Nineteen months for
the EU just to organise an ammunition tender? Every day of those 19 months
Ukrainian soldiers have been fighting and dying. Zelensky deserves an apology as
much as the Charlemagne prize. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British
journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9
with our US-exclusive offer.
Peace, food and fertilizer: African leaders' challenge heading to talks with
Moscow, Kyiv
Associated Press/GERALD IMRAY/Sun, May 21, 2023
A delegation of six African leaders set to hold talks with Kyiv and Moscow aim
to “initiate a peace process," but also broach the thorny issue of how a
heavily-sanctioned Russia can be paid for the fertilizer exports Africa
desperately needs, a key mediator who helped broker the talks said in an
interview with The Associated Press. Jean-Yves Ollivier, an international
negotiator who has been working for six months to put the talks together, said
the African leaders would also discuss the related issue of easing the passage
of more grain shipments out of Ukraine amid the war and the possibility of more
prisoner swaps when they travel to both countries on what they’ve characterized
as a peace mission.
The talks will likely be next month, Ollivier said.
He arrived in Moscow on Sunday and will also go to Kyiv for meetings with
high-level officials to work out "logistics" for the upcoming talks. For one,
the six African presidents would likely have to travel to Kyiv by night train
from Poland amid the fighting, he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin and
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have both agreed to separately host the
delegation of presidents from South Africa, Senegal, Egypt, Republic of Congo,
Uganda and Zambia. The talks also have the approval of the United States, the
European Union, the United Nations, the African Union and China, Ollivier said
in a video call with the AP on Friday. Neither side in the war appears ready to
stop fighting, though. The talks were announced last week by President Cyril
Ramaphosa of South Africa just as Russia launched an intense air attack on Kyiv.
On Sunday, Russia claimed to have taken the key eastern Ukrainian city of
Bakhmut after fierce fighting, a claim denied by Ukraine. “We are not dreamers,”
Ollivier said on the chances the African leaders will achieve an immediate
breakthrough with regard to stopping the 15-month conflict. “Unless something
happens, I don’t think we are going to finish our first mission with a
ceasefire.”The aim was to make a start, said Ollivier, a 78-year-old Frenchman
who brought opposing sides together in high-stakes negotiations in the late
1980s that helped end apartheid in South Africa. “It starts with signs. It
starts with dialogue. And this is what we are going to try to do," Ollivier
said. “No guarantee that we are going to succeed but, for the time being, Russia
and Ukraine have accepted ... a delegation coming specifically to their
countries to talk about peace.” A key starting point for Africa is grain and
fertilizers. The war has severely restricted the export of grain from Ukraine
and fertilizers from Russia, exacerbating global food insecurity and hunger.
Africa has been one of the hardest-hit continents. Last week, Russia agreed to a
two-month extension of a deal brokered by Turkey and the U.N. that allows
Ukraine to ship grain through the Black Sea and out to the world, and the six
African presidents would like to see that extended further. But they also need
to broach ways of making it easier for African nations to receive shipments and
pay Russia for fertilizers, Ollivier said. Russian fertilizer is not under
international sanctions but the U.S. and some Western nations have targeted
Russian cargo ships for sanctions. Russia’s access to the SWIFT global financial
transaction system also has been restricted by the sanctions, leaving African
nations struggling to order and pay for critical fertilizers. “We will need to
have a window whereby SWIFT will be authorized for this specific point,”
Ollivier said. “That will be on the table and we hope that in that case we will
gain the support of the Russians for the grains from Ukraine, and we will gain
the support of the Ukrainians to find payments and shipments possible for the
Russian fertilizer.” The African mission is not the only mediation effort. China
offered its own peace proposal in February and a Chinese envoy has been in
discussions with Ukrainian officials. But China's plan has largely been
dismissed by Ukraine's Western allies and is clouded by Beijing's political
support for Moscow. Ukraine and Russia are far apart in terms of any agreements
that might form the base of a peace deal. The African delegation still had a
wide cross-section of backing, Ollivier said, after China also “came to us and
offered support” on the basis it would be a “parallel effort” to Beijing's plan.
“More support, more weight will be put on the negotiation (with Moscow and
Kyiv)," said Ollivier, the founding chairman of the London-based Brazzaville
Foundation, an organization that deals with conflict resolution. “If one party
says no, they will consider to who they are saying no. Are they saying no only
to Jean-Yves Ollivier? To the Brazzaville Foundation? To the six (African) heads
of state?” “Or are they saying no to the United Nations, or to the Chinese, or
to the Americans. To the British? To the European Union?"
Secret Chinese police stations ‘funnel Canadian public funds’
David Millward/The Telegraph/Sun, May 21, 2023
A Quebec charity suspected of hosting two secret Chinese “overseas police
stations” has received more than $4.45 million (£2.65 million) from the Canadian
government over the last three years. According to the Montreal Gazette, the
Service à la Famille Chinoise du Grand Montréal (SFCGM), which purports to
provide support to the Chinese community, is really used by Beijing to monitor
and intimidate its citizens in Canada. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
believe this is one of two secret police stations in Quebec, which has nearly
92,000 people of Chinese origin. There has been growing anxiety about the
network of secret Chinese police stations across the world, which are accused of
routinely harassing exiles on behalf of Beijing’s authoritarian regime.
Canada halts contacts with charity
The discovery that public money has been funnelled into Beijing’s outposts in
Canada will be embarrassing for Justin Trudeau, the country’s Liberal prime
minister. Kelly McCauley, a Canadian Conservative MP, said he was “stunned” that
no attempt had been made to recoup the money.
Most of the cash came from Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and
Integration, with the money ostensibly paying for French courses for the Chinese
community. The ministry has since halted all remaining contracts with the group.
Official records in Canada also show there were five contributions from
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to the group. An ESDC spokesman
said it had given $25,000 to the New Horizons project, which helped elderly
Chinese people to use the internet to keep in touch with their families. Other
donations included cash from the government’s Canada Summer Jobs programme,
which provided employment for students. Benjamin Fung, spokesman for the
pro-democracy group Action Free Hong Kong Montreal, said these schemes were
typical of those used by Beijing to keep an eye on its citizens overseas. “If
this is really a police station from China, they can use the funds to expand
their network and their connections,” he said. “This is also one way to monitor
the many international Chinese students that are here.”Tasha Adams, a police
spokesman, said the RCMP was investigating the SFCGM as part of a larger
investigation intended to “detect and perturb criminal activities supported by a
foreign state that can threaten the safety of people living in Canada”. However,
SFCGM criticised the Canadian police in a statement on its website, warning that
the inquiry could cause “serious and potentially irreparable harm to the
community”.
Network of secret police stations
It is believed Beijing has established a network of dozens of stations abroad,
including in Canada, the UK and the Netherlands. Last month, it emerged that
RuiYou Lin, a 40-year-old businessman who was allegedly connected to a secret
Chinese police station in Croydon, south London, was also a prominent fundraiser
for the Conservative Party. Mr RuiYou is vice-chairman of the Chinese Group for
the local Conservative association in the Cities of London and Westminster
constituency. He has been pictured with Boris Johnson, Theresa May and Sajid
David. Labour MPs demanded an explanation after it emerged he had also
reportedly attended Chinese Communist Party conferences and was connected with
the United Front Work Department (UFWD), an agency that gathers intelligence on
people and organisations inside and outside the country. When asked about his
involvement, Mr RuiYou said he had been “set up” by a rival company. Last month
in the US, the FBI arrested two Chinese Communist Party agents who were
allegedly operating two such stations in the heart of New York City. According
to New York prosecutors, the Chinese National Police directed one of those
arrested, who was a US citizen, to locate a pro-democracy activist living in
California. The two men have been charged with obstruction of justice and
accused of destroying evidence, as well as conspiring to act as agents of the
People’s Republic of China. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British
journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9
with our US-exclusive offer.
The Latest LCCC English analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on May 21-22/2023
Raymond
Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/Christianity 'Must be Eliminated': The Persecution
of Christians, April
ريموند إبراهيم من مؤسسة كايتستون: قائمة بأحداث اضطهاد المسيحيين في العالم خلال
شهر نيسان لهذه السنة
Christianity 'Must be Eliminated': The Persecution of
Christians, April 2023
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute./May 21, 2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/118411/118411/
"The Taliban are offering money for Afghans to turn in any Christians they know.
And Afghans are desperate, further heightening the security risk [to]
Christians." — mnnonline, April 3, 2023, Afghanistan.
[P]olice raided a large group of Christians, mostly college students, as they
"gathered to sing and record video clips for social media." One-hundred-and
three of them, "mainly students," were arrested and sent to prison. "This latest
arrest puts the number of Christian prisoners detained indefinitely without
trial in Eritrea to more than 500.... Mai Serwa [prison]...is ... known for its
use of torture and other forms of mistreatment, including beatings, starvation,
and denial of medical care. The Eritrean government detains individuals without
charge or trial and has held many in detention for years without access to legal
representation or the due process of law." — International Christian Concern,
persecution.org, April 24, 2023, Eritrea.
[I]n one night of unfathomable horror ... men, women, and children were
slaughtered like chicken...." -- persecution.org, April 28, 2023 — Democratic
Republic of Congo.
The "pure genocide" of Christians, as it has been characterized by several
international observers, reached new levels, according to an Apr. 10 report,
which found that since 2009, 52,250 Christians in Nigeria "have been butchered
or hacked to death." – Nigeria.
"Political Islam replaces the laws or interprets them differently so that they
restrict the practice of other religions. It also works to change the culture of
society — which puts it under great pressure — so that it becomes more radical
and extreme, not only toward other religions but also toward other Islamic
sects." — catholicnewsagency.com, 2023, Libya.
[P]olice arrested two illiterate cleaners—a Christian widow and a Muslim
gardener—on the accusation that they had intentionally burned pages from the
Koran, thereby committing "blasphemy." — morningstarnews.org, April 24, 2023,
Pakistan.
"Don't tell me that if you entered a church your faith would waver. Every other
person of a different religion here hears the [Islamic] call to prayer five
times a day [and their faith doesn't waver]." — Syed Saddiq, Malaysian
politician, christiantoday.com, April 7, 2023, Malaysia.
"Indonesia's Joint Ministerial Decree of 2006 (SKB) makes requirements for
obtaining permits nearly impossible for most new churches. Even when small, new
churches are able to meet the requirement of obtaining 90 signatures of approval
from congregation members and 60 from area households of different religions,
they are often met with delays or lack of response from officials.
Well-organized radical Muslims secretly mobilize outside people to intimidate
and pressure members of minority faiths." — morningstarnews.org, April 6, 2023,
Indonesia.
Official intelligence reports concerning two separate terrorist attacks that
occurred on Jan. 25, 2023, when a Muslim man from Morocco wounded a priest and
slaughtered a Christian sacristan in Algeciras, Spain, were released in April
and shed more light on the nature of the crime. Pictured: The scene of the
murder of Diego Valencia, the sacristan, in Algeciras. (Photo by Stringer/AFP
via Getty Images)
The following are among the murders and abuses inflicted on Christians by
Muslims throughout the month of April, 2023:
Generic Muslim Abuses against Christians
Afghanistan: According to a brief Apr. 3 report, "Taliban puts bounty on Afghan
Christians":
"The Taliban are offering money for Afghans to turn in any Christians they know.
And Afghans are desperate, further heightening the security risk [to]
Christians."
Eritrea: Sometime in April, police raided a large group of Christians, mostly
college students, as they "gathered to sing and record video clips for social
media." One-hundred-and three of them, "mainly students," were arrested and sent
to prison. According to the Apr. 24 report:
"This latest arrest puts the number of Christian prisoners detained indefinitely
without trial in Eritrea to more than 500.... Mai Serwa prison [where the
Christians were sent] is notorious for its harsh conditions and mistreatment of
inmates, many of whom are political prisoners. According to the United Nations,
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Mai Serwa has a reputation for
overcrowding, with prisoners often held in small, cramped cells for extended
periods of time. The prison is also known for its use of torture and other forms
of mistreatment, including beatings, starvation, and denial of medical care. The
Eritrean government detains individuals without charge or trial and has held
many in detention for years without access to legal representation or the due
process of law."
Eritrea is roughly half Muslim and half Christian, and, according to Open Doors,
one of its main sources of persecution is "Islamic oppression."
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Democratic Republic of Congo: According to an Apr. 28 report, over the course of
ten days, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF, an Islamic terror group connected
to ISIS), slaughtered over 80 Christians, and "has vowed to kill more Christians
to please Allah." In a statement, the Vicar of Babwisi Parish, where "dozens of
Christians have been killed," said:
"April has turned out to be a month of bloodshed [which is] ironical of the
expectation of having peace after celebrating the death and the resurrection of
Christ Jesus. From the 7th to the 18th, the killings of Christians were
numerous.... [I]n one night of unfathomable horror ... men, women, and children
were slaughtered like chicken.... We [also] lost one of our evangelists together
with his wife. His name is Emmanuel Kambale. The parish is devastated. In
addition, over 30 people were abducted and their whereabouts are unknown."
Nigeria: The "pure genocide" of Christians, as it has been characterized by
several international observers, reached new levels, according to an Apr. 10
report, which found that since 2009, 52,250 Christians in Nigeria "have been
butchered or hacked to death." In just the first 100 days of this year, "no
fewer than 1,041 defenseless Christians" were butchered "by Nigeria's Jihadists
... [from] 1st Jan to 10th April 2023." For an in-depth analysis of the
situation—and how both the Nigerian and American governments are contributing to
it—click here.
Uganda: Late at night on Apr. 8, Muslims "stabbed to death" another Christian
evangelist for leading Muslims to Christ. An engineer, Herbert, 42, was on his
way home from work. According to an area pastor:
"Herbert was very effective in evangelistic activities... His acts of supporting
and helping preachers were seen in Muslim circles as misleading many Muslims who
left Islam and joined Christianity, especially young men and women."
A witness who was with the pastor described what he saw on the night of the
murder:
"I switched on the full lights of my car and saw about five men beside the
roadside dressed in Islamic capes and tunic clothes hitting a man who made a
loud alarm asking for help, but I feared for my life as one of the attackers was
shouting to him about damaging the Islamic religion,"
The eyewitness sped away. On the following morning, Apr. 9, he and the pastor
(both unnamed for security reasons) led police to the same location. There they
found Herbert's body, "lying in a pool of blood with deep cuts on his head, back
and hands."
Spain: Official intelligence reports concerning two separate terrorist attacks
that occurred on Jan. 25, 2023, when a Muslim man from Morocco wounded a priest
and slaughtered a Christian sacristan in Algeciras, were released in April and
shed more light on the nature of the crime. It includes the testimony of Father
Antonio Rodríguez Lucena, who was wounded in the attack. He said there was no
provocation for the attack: "Nobody did anything that could bother him." The
priest also said that the Muslim had told a parishioner that "the Christian
faith is negative and must be eliminated," before he "vehemently" declared that
"the only religion to follow is the Islamic religion."
Reports further reveal that "the attacker took a Bible that was there and
started hitting the seating with it," and that, prior to the attack on the
priest, "the faithful who were attending Mass could hear him shouting in
Arabic," before he barged into the church, "carrying a large machete in his
hand" and "suddenly attacked the priest causing serious injuries." The Muslim
was dressed in black, and the weapon he used was described as "a large blue
machete" or as "a kind of katana," a curved Japanese sword.
After this first attack, the Muslim went to another nearby church, where he
slaughtered Diego Valencia, a sacristan. After a few initial swings with his
blade, eyewitnesses were quoted as saying, the Christian tried to flee, but was
chased and knocked down by the Muslim, who then "gripped the katana with both
hands" and "raising his gaze to the sky and shouting a few words in Arabic,
among which was heard 'Allah,' dealt him one last fatal blow."
Pakistan: On Apr. 1, Muslims shot and murdered a Christian man. Kashif Maseeh
was on his way home from work when a group of motorcyclists "opened fire and
killed him on the spot." According to the report:
"Police officials say Saturday's deadly attack was the second incident of target
killing of minorities in the last 24 hours.... A day earlier, a Sikh shopkeeper
was gunned down in Peshawar in a similar manner. There have been no
responsibility claims for the attacks."
After describing the killings as acts "of miscreants to derail interfaith
harmony," one local official "urged them [police] to ensure the protection of
minority communities in the province...."
Muslim Attacks on Christian Freedom:
Apostates, Blasphemers, and Evangelists
Libya: According to an Apr. 18 report:
"Last week Libya's Internal Security Agency launched a campaign in the city of
Tripoli to arrest Libyan citizens and foreigners accused of apostasy from Islam
and preaching Christianity. The security agency did not specify the number of
those arrested and refrained from publishing their names, stating only their
initials. The agency released a video of six Libyans — including a girl — as
well as a Pakistani and two Americans with their faces blocked out in which they
confess to the charges."
The two Americans worked at an international school in Tripoli specializing in
teaching the English language. Libya's Internal Security Agency accused the two
Americans, and the wife of one of them, of "secretly turning the school into a
center for preaching the Christian religion" and "seducing Libyans in various
ways" to deviate from Islam. In its official press release, the agency stated
that,
"[It] is keen to monitor suspicious activities and appeals that threaten the
Islamic identity of our society, including the crime of apostasy and incitement
to it.... Attacking our true religion [by, in this case, talking about
Christianity] is no different from acts of extremism and terrorism..."
The Christian population of Libya is estimated to be 0.5% of the nation's
otherwise Muslim population. During the year between October 2021 and September
2022, the report says that:
"200 Christians were subjected to physical and psychological violence... 19
Christians were kidnapped, and another 15 were arrested. Eight Christian
installations, including churches, were attacked either directly or in their
environs.... Political Islam replaces the laws or interprets them differently so
that they restrict the practice of other religions. It also works to change the
culture of society — which puts it under great pressure — so that it becomes
more radical and extreme, not only toward other religions but also toward other
Islamic sects."
Pakistan: On Apr. 23, a Christian man who had earlier converted to Islam to
marry a Muslim woman, was publicly "beaten and insulted," after it was learned
that he was still a Christian. In a video clip of the incident, "an irate Muslim
man named Muhammad" can be heard shouting abuses and beating a kneeling
Christian man with his hands tied behind his back. The Apr. 27 report adds:
"Converting from Islam is not a crime in Pakistan, but local authorities have
taken no action against any of the men who tied the Christian up and beat him
publicly. A large mob of Muslims watched unflinching[ly] as the perpetrator of
the beating to the Christian hit his back [multiple times] with a chapple
(sandal) as forcefully as possible.
According to an insider:
"Sikander William (25 yrs) eloped ... with a Muslim woman who was also 25 yrs
old three months ago. To get married he ostensibly converted to Islam; then he
returned home a month later. At some point he openly acknowledged he was still a
Christian and local Muslims found out. On 23rd April a number of Muslims
ambushed [him] while he was walking home on his road. A man named Muhammed
Ismail coordinated the attack, oversaw Sikander being tied up and began
physically and verbally abusing him."
For pressing charges against the culprits, "the family of Mr. William are facing
severe threats from the whole of the local Muslim community and police are
taking little interest in developing their case, despite strong evidence."
In a separate incident, police arrested two illiterate cleaners—a Christian
widow and a Muslim gardener—on the accusation that they had intentionally burned
pages from the Koran, thereby committing "blasphemy." According to attorney
Javed Sahotra, the two employees, Mussarat Bibi, 46, and Muhammad Sarmad, were
cleaning the storeroom of a girls' school:
"Both workers were told to clean the storeroom that was filled with paper and
other scrapped items. It has been alleged that they gathered the wasted paper
and other scrap in a corner of the school and set them on fire. Some students
later noticed that the burnt items also contained holy pages."
The school conducted an investigation and determined that the two employees had
not burned the Koranic pages intentionally (under Pakistan's blasphemy laws,
intent must be proven). Nonetheless, several teachers and students protested,
and, on Apr. 19:\
"a local Muslim named Kashif Nadeem called a police helpline and accused the
Christian woman of committing blasphemy by burning koranic pages at the girls'
school. Nadeem named only the Christian woman, but police found the gardener was
also involved in setting the pages on fire."
Lawyer Sahotra continues,
"The complainant also gathered a mob outside the school and started protesting
against the incident. Even though the school principal and other teachers told
the police that Mussarat and Sarmad had not burned the pages intentionally, as
both were illiterate, the police arrested them to avoid unrest by the
protesters."
Both workers were and sent to jail and charged under Section 295-B of Pakistan's
penal code, which states:
"Whoever willfully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Koran or of an
extract therefrom or uses it in any derogatory manner or for any unlawful
purpose shall be punishable with imprisonment for life."
According to the Christian woman's lawyer, Lazar Allah Rakha,
"Mussarat is innocent as she had no knowledge that the scrap material she and
the gardener were destroying contained holy pages.... It is unfortunate that
despite knowing the fact that both workers were illiterate and had not committed
the act intentionally, the police still arrested and charged them with
blasphemy."
Malaysia: Selangor, the most populous state of the Muslim majority nation, "has
issued a fatwa banning Muslims from entering churches and other non-Muslim
places of worship." A report from Apr. 7 adds that "Islam is Malaysia's state
religion. The constitution also allows some restrictions on the proselytisation
of Muslims." Some Muslims criticized the fatwa, including for suggesting that
Muslim faith is so weak as to be shaken by entering a church. Speaking in a
video posted on social media, Syed Saddiq, a politician, said:
"How do we want our children to live in a harmonious society when they cannot
understand the religion and culture of their own peers? What is the need to
gatekeep Muslims in Selangor? Don't tell me that if you entered a church your
faith would waver. Every other person of a different religion here hears the
[Islamic] call to prayer five times a day [and their faith doesn't waver]."
Discussing this development, a spokesperson for an Open Doors partner charity in
Malaysia said,
"It is alarming to see the rise in incidents like this, giving more and more
control to the Islamic authority and restricting the rights of the minorities."
Sweden: On Apr. 22, Muslims disturbed a public Christian gathering in
Gothenburg. According to the report, a "group of youths" surrounded the
Christian evangelists and repeatedly chanted "Allahu Akbar"—which denotes "Allah
is the greatest" and connotes jihad (video here). One of the preachers said that
"They have done this several times. There is probably a connection between their
holiday [Ramadan] and their actions." According to several Muslim clerics,
"Ramadan is a Month of Jihad," to quote the title of one recent Arabic article—a
time to "prepare for martyrdom and self-sacrifice."
Muslim Attacks on Christian Churches
Pakistan: On Sunday, Apr. 16, an armed Muslim mob stormed and opened fire on a
church. The assault on the Voice of Jesus Church in Khokhar town, Islamabad,
occurred during evening worship. The mob, which reportedly consisted of about 40
men, also hurled bricks at the church. According to the report:
"The outer wall of the church carried three bullet marks while the gates and
windows were damaged. The area houses nine churches and fear has gripped the
local Christians."
The church's pastor, Younas Masih, said that the attack came after his son and
brother stood up for his young daughter, who was being followed and harassed by
a group of Muslims. The report adds that "Christian women in the neighborhood
are often harassed by groups of men while on their way for prayers." Discussing
this incident, Shahzad Sohatra, president of the Islamabad-based Christian
Awakening Movement Pakistan, said:
"Our church has been desecrated. We shall fight for the honor of our daughters.
The morality of our society has collapsed. They don't care about the
sensitivities of other religions. We are not left alone even during [the Islamic
holy month of] Ramadan."
Uganda: On Apr. 7, Muslims bombed a church during Good Friday evening service.
The explosion damaged portions of the Pentecostal church building and several
parked vehicles. According to a local:
"While members were praying, there was a loud explosion of fire that caught part
of the front church with the petrol explosion while the faithful were conducting
a night prayer meeting."
Church security managed to apprehend one of six suspects and hand him to police:
"The police interrogated Bwambale, 28, who confessed that he carried out a jihad
activity for jannah [paradise] in this holy month of Ramadan as a way of serving
Allah and that he will reward him in paradise."
Indonesia: On Apr. 1, local officials shut down and sealed off a church building
in West Java Province, two weeks after a Muslim mob had invaded the church
during worship and insisted that it be dissolved. During that Mar. 19
confrontation, church leaders had refused to submit to demands that they shut
down, though now that officials have sided with the Muslim complainants, it has
little choice in the matter. Officials cited the church's failure to obtain a
permit of approval—which the report says are "almost impossible to obtain in
[Muslim-majority] Indonesia"—but according to Krisdian Saragih, a leading
Christian of the Elders Council, the building was closed without due process of
law:
"It was a saddening event for us, all the congregation, because it took place
right before Easter Holy Week. The church sealing is also unfair because it was
made without prior official notice to us as the building owner. It was made in
our absence; no congregation member or church elders were present.... The
government should tell us what requirements we should fulfill; we are of course
willing to deal with the locals around our church. We want to be part of the
local community. We really want to know what they expect from us."
The report adds:
"The church had never had any conflict with area residents until the disruption
of the church service on March 19... Requirements for obtaining permission to
build houses of worship in Indonesia are onerous and hamper the establishment of
such buildings for Christians and other faiths, rights advocates say.
Indonesia's Joint Ministerial Decree of 2006 (SKB) makes requirements for
obtaining permits nearly impossible for most new churches. Even when small, new
churches are able to meet the requirement of obtaining 90 signatures of approval
from congregation members and 60 from area households of different religions,
they are often met with delays or lack of response from officials.
Well-organized radical Muslims secretly mobilize outside people to intimidate
and pressure members of minority faiths."
Egypt: On Apr. 13, an Arabic language report documented the difficulties that
the nation's Christians continue to experience in their attempts to reopen many
of their governmentally-closed churches, including one that has been sealed up
for more than two decades, since 2002. Most of these are the only churches in
their respective regions—meaning local Christians are denied a place to worship,
even though one is readily available. For many years now, Christian leadership
has been formally petitioning the Minister of Interior to reopen these churches,
to no avail. The report concludes by saying:
"Copts are hoping that there will be a breakthrough regarding these churches
that have been closed for years, and an end to their suffering, allowing them
their right to practice religious ceremonies [worship, baptisms, weddings,
funerals, etc.] that have been suspended due to security reasons."
The reason all of these churches are closed—"security reasons"—is a reference to
a well-known pattern: whenever local Muslims do not want a church near
them—which they show by rioting and committing acts of violence—authorities
respond, not by punishing the rioters and defending the church's right to exist,
but by shutting down the church on the claim that it poses a "security threat."
In December, 2022, for instance, Muslims attacked a church and its congregants
after authorities had given them permission to fix the church's roof, which had
collapsed and hurt several worshippers. On the following day, the Muslim
governor responded to the violence by rescinding the church's permit to fix its
crumbling roof, forcing Christians to hold Christmas mass in the rain.
Separately, on Apr. 29, the Church of the Virgin in Assyut was consumed by
flames. According to an official statement:
"The fire occurred around 4 a.m. and completely consumed the church and its
appurtenances, as it was built of wood, as well as the ancient church, which
consists of walls and a wooden ceiling."
Before any professional investigations or forensic analysis were performed, the
fire was immediately and officially attributed to a "leaky gas bottle."
Considering, however, that one thousand Coptic churches have been intentionally
bombed or set on fire in Egypt since the 1970s, discounting arson completely is
naïve. Moreover, "accidental" fires in churches are becoming commonplace. The
most lethal one occurred in August 2022, when at least 41 Christians—18 of whom
were children—were killed in the flames. Minutes after the fire broke out,
officials also attributed it to faulty wires. Arson was, without any real
investigation, ruled out.
There have been many other such examples—indeed, a total of 10 other Coptic
churches "caught fire" in just that same month (August 2022). Most recently, on
Feb. 19, 2023, a fire broke out in and "devoured" a church in the Giza
Governorate. It was blamed on a small candle left on a votary stand. However,
images from surveillance cameras clearly show that "the candle ignited suddenly
and in an unusual way."
Even if all of these fires are truly accidental, products of leaky gas bottles
and faulty wires, the government of Egypt and its discriminatory practices
against Christianity are still largely to blame. Severe restrictions, based on
sharia stipulations, have made it next to impossible for Christians not only to
build but to repair churches. As even the New York Times once reported:
"The Copts have long complained about being the victims of discrimination on the
basis of their religion. One aspect of that discrimination are government
restrictions on the construction, renovation and repair of churches in the
largely Muslim country. These restrictions have left many of the buildings in
disrepair and made them fire hazards."
**Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West, Sword and Scimitar,
Crucified Again, and The Al Qaeda Reader, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman
Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the
Middle East Forum.
About this Series
**While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians
by extremists is growing. The report posits that such persecution is not random
but rather systematic, and takes place irrespective of language, ethnicity, or
location. It includes incidents that take place during, or are reported on, any
given month.
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/19659/persecution-of-christians-april
Jeddah and Reviving the Arab League
Jebril Elabidi/ Asharq Al Awsat/May 21/2023
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia played a leading role at the Arab League Summit in
Jeddah as part of its efforts to enhance intra-Arab cooperation and safeguard
the Arab world’s shared destiny in a rapidly changing region and world. Crises
and conflicts are shaping the political climate in the world and the region, but
the wisdom and savvy of Saudi diplomacy have nonetheless strongly contributed to
fortifying consensus among the Arabs.
This Summit brought the Arabs together in Jeddah, where they sat at the same
table and came out with a unified stance regarding these changes. Saudi
diplomacy also succeeded in bringing Syria back to its seat at the Arab League,
paving the way for major intra-Arab settlements.
Indeed, the thirty-second Arab League Summit was held under exceptional
circumstances. Through its proactive diplomacy, Saudi Arabia has been seeking to
develop mechanisms for joint Arab action, reform the Arab League, and modernize
its mechanisms for political coordination at the Summit. Indeed, the Arab League
has been politically stagnant for years because of complacency in making
reforms.
Although the Arab League (which was founded before the United Nations) is among
the oldest multinational organizations in the world, it has largely remained
stagnant. However, the Jeddah Summit changes things. The Kingdom prepared for it
well. We could even say that it solved the Arab League’s most pressing problem
by bringing all parties together. Thus, this Summit will pave the way for a new
start for the Arab League. Rather, it has breathed new life into the
organization by developing it to make it effective amid complex and difficult
global circumstances.
The Jeddah Summit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was distinguished by its
forthrightness, clarity, and accurate assessment of the problems plaguing the
Arab world, especially the crises in Syria, Libya, and Yemen, the war in Sudan,
and the crisis in Lebanon. The fact is that Saudi diplomacy can be credited with
building an Arab consensus - something we haven’t seen in years. This has
granted the Kingdom in prime position to lead the Arab world and will resolve
many crises weighing on a region that is veering toward developing solutions and
ending all disputes.
Until very recently, the Arab League was plagued by political stagnation and
complacency. Today, in contrast, we see that the Arab League can make pivotal
contributions and pave the way to serious and vital collaboration, especially
after the emergence of a consensus on all issues that left all Arab leaders
voicing their reassurance with regard to regional matters.
The Arab League can now be a part of the solution to Arab crises from Libya to
Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. At first, the parties to what became known as
the Arab League disagreed on the name to give the organization. Syria wanted it
to be the “Arab Alliance,” while Iraq preferred an “Arab Union.” Nonetheless,
the Arab League is the only Arab institution to have survived, outliving several
other major bodies that have either been altered or even left to rot or
disappear. Among the latter are the League of Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement,
the Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia.
Thus, the steadfastness of the Arab League as an Arab political organization,
despite phases of frailty and stagnation, has allowed it to remain viable to
this day. As a result, decades after it was established, this institution is as
vigorous as any other international institution or organization. Rather, the
Arab League has become a reliable body that achieves results. Indeed, we can
expect white smoke to come out of its chimney and announce that its leaders have
come to an agreement. This is now possible because different viewpoints have
converged, and an Arab consensus looms large.
The Arab League certainly must address daunting tasks on the international level
over the next few days. Achieving these tasks is necessary for resolving both
Arab and international issues, as well as building peace and solidarity.
The Jeddah Summit was broadly attended. The proactive diplomacy led by the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will doubtlessly engender viable and sustainable
outcomes, especially in terms of joint Arab action and developing the Arab
League’s mechanisms. The Jeddah Summit has introduced a period of rejuvenation
and granted the Arab League the capacity to create solutions. The fact that
Ukraine’s President Zelensky attended the Summit in person, taking a French
plane that took off from Poland, attests to its importance. Indeed, Zelensky
decided that it was worth the risks that came with making the trip,
demonstrating the impact of the Jeddah Summit on global questions, especially
given that he could have addressed the attendees via satellite.
The Jeddah Summit and Restoring the Glow
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/May 21/2023
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia succeeded in restoring the glow of the Arab summits,
not in terms of Arab attention, but by imposing itself on global news through
stances, and not necessarily decisions.
Amid a tumultuous international scene represented by the war in Ukraine, and in
the Arab world, by the military confrontations in Sudan, the complications in
Libya, as well as the presidential crisis in Lebanon and the situation in Syria,
the Arab summit needed clear stances, not words.
The most important positions that emerged at the Jeddah summit, and with Saudi
political and diplomatic perceptiveness, is the address of Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke to the world from Saudi Arabia, in the presence of
Arab leaders who sympathize with Ukraine, others who are biased towards Russia,
those who really need neutrality, and a few leaders who do not care at all.
The value and importance of the Saudi role can be summed up in several points.
Riyadh had the last say on whether to invite Zelensky or Bashar al-Assad, both
of whom sit on opposite sides, but their presence indicated that politics was
about communication, interaction and search for solutions.
In the Ukrainian case, Saudi Arabia demonstrated - by inviting Zelensky - its
support for peace, stability, territorial integrity, and respect for
international covenants.
The Kingdom gave the Ukrainian president an opportunity to address all Arabs
from the Great Arab House, Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh also proved, through this invitation, and by previously hosting American,
Chinese, Gulf and Arab summits, that it is a major capital with international
dimensions. Its role is not limited to raising mere slogans. It created
partnership opportunities to enhance its Vision 2030, and wanted the Arabs to
share this goal through the Jeddah summit.
As for the Syrian file, experience tells us that there are no magic solutions.
It is a Saudi attempt to turn the page of past differences, by providing new
openings based on the Kingdom’s focus on development and the promotion of
investment opportunities.
Therefore, I consider the Saudi position towards Syria as an attempt to
establish an argument, and to enhance Arab opportunities, based on the words of
Prince Faisal bin Farhan. In response to a question about whether the political
settlement in Syria will precede economic steps, he said: “Nothing will precede
anything. It is a step-by-step matter.”
It is true that the Jeddah Summit involved a lot of good intentions, but it was
a relentless endeavor in search of promising prospects to solve crises, create
opportunities, and pave the way for development. This is the main Saudi concern,
internally and externally.
Therefore, the Crown Prince’s speech was not devoid of talk about development,
investment and stability, which was echoed by the Saudi Foreign Minister in his
press conference. This is also the rhetoric of Saudi Arabia, since the launch of
Vision 2030.
The Jeddah Summit constituted a chance for those who want to catch up with the
Saudi train of Arab progress, modernization and development, and a clear message
to the West that Saudi Arabia is in the battle of searching for Arab and
international growth opportunities, not conflicts.
Thus, the world seized the message of the summit. This was evident in the
release of the picture of the arrival of the Ukrainian president to the city of
Jeddah. It was not a propaganda shot, but rather a blatant message that Riyadh
owns the decision, and it wants the Arabs to do so.
This is what has been achieved, and that is why Saudi Arabia restored the glow
of the Arab Summit.
The Jeddah Declaration shows Saudi Arabia’s seriousness
Daoud Kuttab/Arab News/May 21, 2023
I tend to believe that words have meanings, and therefore I did a numerical
analysis of the words and phrases repeated in the Jeddah Declaration of the 32nd
Arab League Summit to understand more fully the official Arab positions.
There is no doubt that anyone who analyzes the final statement in Jeddah and
compares it, for example, to the Algiers Declaration of the 31st Arab League
Summit will notice a vast difference. The differences include initiatives and
concerns that were not mentioned in any previous Arab summit statement. Of
course, the key to the matter remains the level of follow-up and adherence to
the words that the Arab leaders committed to.
The seriousness and attention to detail that one can clearly observe will lead
to the feeling that Saudi Arabia’s chairmanship in 2023 will differ from those
of the Kingdom and most other Arab countries that preceded it when hosting Arab
League summits.
It is normal for the words Arab and Arabs to be mentioned 28 times in a
statement of the Arab League, while it is good that Palestine/Palestinian was
mentioned seven times, equal to the number of mentions of Sudan. Jerusalem was
mentioned six times, while Syria, whose president’s presence was important news,
was mentioned only three times.
However, the key difference in the Jeddah Declaration was in the nonpolitical
areas. For example, while initiative or initiatives were used eight times, only
twice was this regarding political matters, namely support for the Arab Peace
Initiative and the GCC Initiative on Yemen, while the rest were economic or
cultural in nature.
The word “economic” was mentioned seven times, the phrase “sustainable
development” six times and culture/cultural four times, including focusing on
the importance of the Arabic language (twice) and the need to teach Arabic to
non-Arabs.
The initiatives that the Saudi government will work on during the 12-month
period in which it will preside over the Arab grouping are impressive. They
include, for example, an interest in green culture by supporting environmentally
friendly cultural practices and employing them in support of the creative
economy in Arab countries and in ensuring Arab food security. Initiatives
mentioned in the final communique included an interest in water desalination and
the establishment of intellectual incubators/think tanks to deal with the
pressing problems facing Arabs.
The initiatives that the Saudi government will work on during the 12-month
period in which it will preside over the Arab grouping are impressive.
As the Saudi foreign minister noted in his post-summit press conference, the key
to the success of Arabs is in using their own resources and the powerful
purchasing power they have. An interest in joint Arab action in addressing
various challenges may be one of the most important things that came in the
final statement. For example, the statement reflected what the declaration said
in its seventh clause: “We stress that sustainable development, security,
stability, and peace are inherent rights for all Arab citizens. These will only
be achieved through concerted efforts and through firmly fighting crime and
corruption at all levels. We also stress the need to mobilize potentials and
capabilities to create a future that is based on creativity and innovation and
that keeps abreast of various developments in a way that serves and enhances
security, stability, and the well-being of our people.”
While the final communique of the 32nd Arab League Summit dealt with a wide
range of topics, it gave the issue of Palestine and Jerusalem top billing,
listing it in the opening of the statement and giving the issue of Jerusalem
particularly special attention. The Palestinian cause was declared in strong
terms, with the leaders present affirming “the centrality of the Palestinian
issue to our countries as one of the key factors of stability in the region.”
The statement’s opening clause on Palestine and Jerusalem included 249 words,
meaning the issue received about 15 percent of the entire statement, which was
made up of 1,713 words. More than half of that first clause (135 words) focused
on Jerusalem, support for the Hashemite custodianship of Christian and Muslim
holy places, and the need to protect the status quo in the holy city.
The statement also spoke of the need to support the resilience of Palestinians
in Jerusalem. Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Fadi Al-Hidmi had
presented to the Arab League a full study of the status of East Jerusalem and
the needs of all different sectors to support the steadfastness of Jerusalem and
the Jerusalemites. Promises to support Jerusalem are not new, so the key for
Jerusalemites will be in seeing this support on the ground and not simply in the
final communique.
The decision-makers in Saudi Arabia have taken the idea of chairing the Arab
League during the coming year very seriously. For people who have been to Saudi
Arabia recently and have seen the major changes enacted there, it is clear that
the Kingdom is moving in many directions with resolve and seriousness. While
they can control what happens within their borders, Saudi Arabia’s leaders will
have a much bigger challenge when it comes to other Arab countries. Everyone
will now be looking to see whether Riyadh will be able to ensure that the
promises the Arab leaders have made are fulfilled, especially the challenges
that Saudi Arabia has taken upon itself.
The Arab countries that signed the Jeddah Declaration may have begun the journey
of thousands of miles of Arab Renaissance with steady steps. The big test will
be in the implementation of these promises.
• Daoud Kuttab is a former professor at Princeton University and the founder and
former director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al-Quds University in
Ramallah.
Twitter: @daoudkuttab
Turkiye’s ambivalent relationship with Daesh
Yasar Yakis/Arab News/May 21, 2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month announced that Abu Hussein Al-Quraishi,
the leader of the terrorist organization Daesh, was “neutralized” by Turkiye’s
National Intelligence Organization, MIT. This news did not make headlines in
Turkiye because of the country’s heavy election agenda.
He was the fourth Daesh leader killed in the last four years. The first was Abu
Bakr Al-Baghdadi. He blew himself up in the north of Syria in October 2019, when
he was cornered by US forces in the village of Barisha in Idlib, very close to
the Turkish border. He was the one who had proclaimed the Daesh “caliphate.”
A second Daesh leader, Abu Ibrahim Al-Hashimi Al-Quraishi, was killed on Feb. 3,
2022, again in the north of Syria in a place 1 km from the Turkish border and
just a few hundred meters from a Turkish-controlled checkpoint. He came from a
Turkmen family, though the US classified him as Arab in a 2008 census. His
father was a muezzin in Tal Afar in the north of Iraq. One of his brothers, Amer,
had served as the head of the Turkmen Students Union. Official Daesh sources
classified him as belonging to the “Turkified” branch of the Quraish tribe,
whatever that means. He completed his master’s degree in Mosul and was appointed
in 2007 as Al-Qaeda’s general religious judge and later the deputy emir for
Mosul.
There was a third Daesh leader, Abu Al-Hassan Al-Hashimi Al-Quraishi, who was
killed on Oct. 15, 2022, in Deraa by US forces. He is the exception among these
Daesh leaders as he was killed in the south of Syria, not at the Turkish border.
The fourth Daesh leader was Abu Hussein Al-Quraishi. Erdogan announced that he
was killed on April 29. When Erdogan announced his death, he expected gratitude
from the international community as, when terrorists are caught or killed by the
US, they announce it with great fanfare. But the international press gave only
lip service to the news about Turkiye’s performance on this subject. The US said
it was not able to confirm the killing, thus casting doubt on Erdogan’s
statement.
Abu Hussein Al-Quraishi was killed in Jindires, near Afrin in northwest Syria,
in a place controlled by Turkiye and its Syrian auxiliaries that was only 6 km
from the Turkish border. He detonated his suicide vest to avoid being captured.
The locations where many of these Daesh leaders were killed offer telling
evidence of another aspect of the story. With the exception of one, they were
all killed in Syria in a place extremely close to the Turkish border. Most of
these areas are controlled by the Turkish army or its auxiliaries. This is an
indication that Daesh does not want to give up its interest in remaining close
to Turkiye. It considers that Turkiye’s conservative government offers it a
suitable atmosphere for its activities. Though it nestles in areas close to
Turkiye, it avoids committing terror acts there because it considers this an
environment where it may stay in security and consolidate its structure.
The locations where many of these Daesh leaders were killed offer telling
evidence of another aspect of the story.
On the other hand, Turkiye is a member of the Global Coalition Against Daesh
that was formed in 2014. However, it has been accused of financially and
militarily supporting Daesh, according to a report by a former UN adviser. This
is a claim that Ankara persistently denies.
Kasim Guler, codenamed Abu Usama Al-Turki, was listed as one of the most wanted
members of Daesh in Turkiye. He was arrested in Syria on June 15, 2021, by the
Turkish security services and judged in Ankara. He was punished with a 30-year
prison sentence because he was planning to move Daesh activities to Turkiye by
buying farmhouses and storing weapons and ammunition, burying them in the
gardens. In other words, Ankara was keeping Daesh at arm’s length.
There has been further evidence of ambivalent relations between Turkiye and
Daesh. It started with Ankara opening its borders with Syria and making Turkiye
a highway for Daesh terrorists. Daesh benefited a lot from Turkiye’s tolerance.
The group has transferred weapons, money and terrorists from Turkiye to Syria.
It also organized blasts in various Turkish cities, in which hundreds of Turkish
citizens perished.
Turkiye facilitated the illicit transfer of oil from Northern Iraq to
Mediterranean harbors in cooperation with Daesh, despite the strong opposition
of the Iraqi central authorities.
After Daesh lost its domination of vast swaths of land in Syria and Iraq, it
focused its attention on Turkiye.
A new scandal broke out last month, when a retired Turkish colonel, Umit Ozturk,
released a video online. During a visit to Germany, he was interrogated at the
airport for about 45 minutes by the German and American authorities. The reason
for this was that he was holding a Turkish service passport, which are documents
issued to a select group of public officials, allowing them to visit many
countries without a visa. When Ozturk asked the reason for his interrogation,
the German authorities told him that several service passports had been found
with Turkmen and Uzbek fighters trained by Turkiye in Syria.
The background of this investigation is also revealing. A Yazidi woman
identified in a restaurant in Germany a man who had kidnapped and sexually
abused her when they were in Syria. This man turned out to be the holder of a
Turkish service passport. When the German authorities dug further into the
affair, it turned out that there were other Turkish service passport holders in
Germany. Ozturk investigated and found out that these were not fake, but were
passports issued by the Turkish authorities. This incident shows where all these
unorthodox practices lead.
Briefly, Ankara uses Daesh fighters to the extent that they serve its purpose.
• Yasar Yakis is a former foreign minister of Turkiye and founding member of the
ruling AK Party.
Twitter: @yakis_yasar
Protection of Sudanese civilians must be international
community’s priority
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/May 21, 2023
The humanitarian aspect of the conflict continues to be alarming. So far, as a
result of the battle for power between the country’s military, the Sudanese
Armed Forces, and the Rapid Support Forces, an independent armed militia,
thousands of people have been injured and more than a thousand people have been
killed. One of the consequences of the conflict is the deprivation and hunger it
has brought upon people of all ages. A group of independent UN-appointed human
rights experts this month released a statement deploring the human rights abuses
that are being committed, which include “sexual assault and gender-based
violence, and shortages of food, water and healthcare.” They also “expressed
alarm at the shelling of a shelter for girls with disability in Khartoum, as
well as other attacks on healthcare, on humanitarian workers and on human rights
defenders.”
The second issue is the massive displacement that such a conflict can cause. So
far, more than 1 million people have fled their homes to seek safety, mostly
elsewhere within Sudan, but a significant number have also left the country as
refugees. In other words, the escalation of the conflict in Sudan could have
severe repercussions not only for the Sudanese people, but also for the
stability and security of several other nations in the region.
It is important to point out that such a large number of refugees is going to
have a massive impact on many countries in the region and beyond. The first
impact is usually felt by the countries that share borders with the
conflict-ridden state; in this case, Libya, Egypt, Chad, the Central African
Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Unfortunately, the countries receiving the Sudanese refugees are generally not
fully prepared for such an influx and are already struggling with their own
socioeconomic challenges. It is worth noting that refugees can have a
significant impact on the social, economic, political and even environmental
landscapes of host countries. The hosts tend to face more political and economic
strain if not prepared for the situation.
As Patrick Youssef, the regional director for Africa at the International
Committee for the Red Cross, pointed out this month: “The humanitarian situation
in this region is complicated. It can be difficult for communities from Sudan’s
neighbors to welcome people seeking refuge if those communities themselves are
already in a vulnerable situation. That means it’s even more vital that
humanitarian assistance reaches those now fleeing Sudan.”
This means that any crisis in the region will only be exacerbated as refugees
from Sudan continue to pour into neighboring countries that do not have the
resources to deal with this tragic situation.
Sudan has unfortunately been prone to domestic wars. And since the conflict
there is multifaceted and complex and it will take time to find a permanent
resolution.
Sudan has unfortunately been prone to domestic wars. And since the conflict
there is multifaceted and complex and it will take time to find a permanent
resolution to the crisis, the international community first ought to chart a
path toward a temporary cessation of hostilities. It can then go on to find a
sustainable mechanism that will lead to a permanent resolution.
The benefit of a temporary resolution is that it will open humanitarian
corridors to allow humanitarian and medical assistance to enter the affected
areas and permit the evacuation of civilians from the conflict zone.
Unfortunately, without a temporary resolution, the continuation of the conflict
could cause the total collapse of the healthcare system in Sudan. Less than 20
percent of hospitals are currently functional in the capital Khartoum and many
doctors are risking their lives to save patients’ lives and treat various kinds
of medical issues, including bullet wounds, injuries and people giving birth.
One doctor, Houida El-Hassan, said: “We just took the risk and went out to do
this job. People are dying every day, and they need our help. We haven’t left
the hospital since (the third day of fighting). We are extremely tired,
exhausted, we don’t know if we can continue like this. Sometimes I say I’d
prefer to die from a rocket strike rather than failing to help a patient who
dies due to lack of access to medicines.”
In addition, the international community ought to concentrate on creating a
ceasefire monitoring mechanism that primarily focuses on protecting civilians.
One of the critical initiatives launched in response to the humanitarian
disaster in Sudan is the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the
Civilians of Sudan. Saudi Arabia has been playing a key role as mediator.
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that protecting civilians was a
first step and “other steps will follow … The most important thing is to adhere
to what was agreed upon, and the Kingdom will work until security and stability
return to Sudan and its brotherly people.”
The importance of the Jeddah Declaration is that it is anchored in international
human rights law, which focuses on making a distinction between civilians and
combatants, ensuring the safe passage of civilians, protecting medical
personnel, allowing humanitarian relief to reach the population, and preventing
the recruitment of children as soldiers in the war.
In a nutshell, it is necessary for the international community to prioritize the
humanitarian situation in Sudan by setting up a ceasefire monitoring mechanism
that will primarily ensure the safety of civilians. A permanent solution to
Sudan’s multifaceted conflict can follow later.
• Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political
scientist.
Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh