Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 31-April 01/2024
Resurrection: Life, Faith And Death…Halleluiah, Jesus Has Risen, Indeed He Has Risen./Elias Bejjani/March 31/2023
His Resurrection Is Inevitable/Etienne Sakr – Abu Arz/March 31/2024
UN chief condemns south Lebanon incident blamed on Israel
Lebanon in the Heart and Prayers of Pope Francis at Easter
Rai’s Easter Address: “We Are Makers of Peace, Not War”
Audi: Lebanon Is Sick and No One Is at Its Bedside
South Lebanon: One Dead in an Israeli Strike on Kounin
UNIFIL: Peacekeepers Targeted in the South Were Taken Off-Guard
Lebanese Naval Forces Detain Illegal Migrant Boat off Northern Coast
Israeli Military Says It Killed a ‘Significant’ Hezbollah Commander in Airstrike
Israel announces the assassination of the leader of the Radwan Force!
Jeep Carrying Illegal Syrian Migrants Overturns Near Border
Lebanon's precarious sectarian balance tipping amid Hezbollah-Israeli war/Maya Gebeily and Karamallah Daher/Reuters/March 31, 2024
Security Plan for Tripoli Enforced Since Saturday

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 31-April 01/2024
Two Israelis Stabbed in the Negev
Strikes hit Gaza as Egyptian TV says truce talks to resume
Fighting rages across Gaza amid revival of truce talks
An Israeli airstrike hits a Gaza hospital tent camp, killing 2 Palestinians and hurting journalists
Netanyahu to have hernia surgery under full anesthesia, deputy PM to temporarily step in
Israel central bank says ultra-Orthodox need to join military to help economy
Pompeo accuses Biden administration of having ‘soft spot’ for Iran amid Houthi attacks
Istanbul top prize as Turkiye votes in local polls
Trump, Republicans slam Biden 'assault' on Christianity

Titles For The Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 31-April 01/2024
'You Are an Infidel': The Persecution of Christians, February 2024/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute./March 31, 2024
Erdogan’s retirement announcement may not be final/Yasar Yakis/Arab News/March 31, 2024
US must remain vigilant as terrorism threat evolves/Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/March 31, 2024
Sudan war’s humanitarian cost demands a collective response/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/March 31, 2024
Washington and the ‘Grey Area’/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 31/2024
On Attaining a State, Not Losing States/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 31/2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 31-April 01/2024
Resurrection: Life, Faith And Death…Halleluiah, Jesus Has Risen, Indeed He Has Risen.
Elias Bejjani/March 31/2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/38553/elias-bejjani-resurrection-life-faith-and-death/
Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here (Mark 16/05)
Easter Sunday is a holy feast of love, humility, forgiveness, brotherhood, tolerance and repentance. Religiously and consciously we are not supposed to participate by any means in any of the feast prayers or make any offerings or receive the Holy Communion unless we are genuinely did replace hatred with love, grudges with forgiveness, rejection of others with tolerance, arrogance with humility, greed with contentment, deception with transparency, and evil with righteousness.
Do not be afraid, “Don’t be amazed”, with these reassuring and soothing words The Angel spoke to Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. They had came to the tomb on Sunday morning to mummify and anoint Jesus’ Body as the Jewish tradition required. They thought death had defeated Jesus and ended His life as it does to every human being. On their way, they were sadly thinking and wondering who will roll for them the stone away from the tomb’s entrance so they can get in and perform the mummifying and anointing process. While halfway from the tomb, they saw that the enormous stone had been rolled away. When they entered the tomb they found that Jesus’ body was not there. They found only the shrouds that His body was wrapped with on His burial after the crucifixion.
Saint Mark’s (16/01-13) Gospel describes thoroughly what has happened with these three loyal and faithful women: “When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. 16:2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back. Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.’” They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid. Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved. After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. They went away and told it to the rest. They didn’t believe them, either.”
Lord Jesus who died on the cross, had risen from the dead on the third day just as He has said while proclaiming His message. He triumphed over death, defeated the forces of darkness, overcame pain, abolished anguish and brought despair to an end. He rose from the tomb to be constantly with those faithful to Him throughout their lives, and to never abandon them. He shall empower forever those who believe in His message and observe His commandments with the spirit of truth, knowledge, wisdom and solidarity with His Father, Almighty God.
Christ is the Way, Christ is the Truth, and Christ is the actual eternal life that we long for. We strongly believe with full conviction that Christ dwells in His Holy Church, and exists in its Mysteries (Sacraments). He is always present in the Holy Eucharist that we receive during every mass. Christ at all times is ready, willing and delighted to help us in our burdens when we call on Him and ask for His mercy. “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew11:28)
The miracle of resurrection is the cornerstone of our Christian faith. This pivotal liturgical fact was strongly stressed by Saint Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians, (15/12-26): ” Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised. If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain. Yes, we are found false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn’t raise up, if it is so that the dead are not raised. For if the dead aren’t raised, neither has Christ been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming. Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death”.
Through Crucifixion and resurrection, Christ has overcome death, broke its thorn, and granted us His eternal forgiveness from the original sin. With His death and resurrection, death in its traditional earthly human concept has been abolished forever and Sin since then has become the actual death that leads the sinners to Gahanna into the unquenchable fire.
When our bodies die, we sleep in the hope of resurrection. On Jesus’ return on the Day of Judgment, the dead will be the first to rise and escort Him. “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed”, (Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 15 / 51-52).
Easter Sunday is a holy feast of love, humility, forgiveness, brotherhood, tolerance and repentance. Religiously we are not to participate in any of these feast prayers or make any offerings or receive the Holy Communion unless we replace hatred with love, grudges with forgiveness, rejection of others with tolerance, arrogance with humility, greed with contentment, deception with transparency, and evil with righteousness.
If we do not learn how to tame our selfishness, anger, hatred and forgive others for whatever evil deeds they commit against us and reconcile with them, than we do not qualify to be called Jesus’ followers. Our prayers will not be heard or responded to, if we do not practice the grace of forgiveness as did He who was crucified for our salvation.
“If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift”. (Matthew 5/23-24).
Meanwhile our true faith in Jesus and in His Sacrifices won’t be complete unless we adopt in our thinking, deeds and language the pure components of sacrifice, honesty, truth, self respect, meekness and decency. “Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4/29-32)
For our prayers to be looked upon and heard by Almighty God, we are required to reconcile with ourselves and with all others on whom we have inflicted pain and injustice, and treated with an evil manner. To please the Lord we are required to genuinely, heartily and overtly perform all required acts of repentance for all our mischievous conducts and wrongdoings. Mark 11/24-26: “Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions”
Almighty God has endowed us with His love talent, (minas) and expects us to faithfully invest it in helping others who are in need. He expect us to observe all the teaching of His Bible so that He will reward us on the Day of Judgment and put us on His Right Side.
On this Holy Day of Resurrection, we are ought to be aware that Jesus’ Holy blood was shed on the Cross for our sake. Remembrance of His death and resurrection is a Godly consignment that we are entrusted with. It’s up to us either to honour this trust or betray it. In regards to what is committed to us, Saint Paul conveyed to his disciple Timothy the following advice (6/20-21): “Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called; which some professing have erred concerning the faith”.
Halleluiah! Jesus has risen! Indeed He has risen.

His Resurrection Is Inevitable
Etienne Sakr – Abu Arz/March 31/2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/128327/128327/
While celebrating the glorious Easter, our political, economic, and social conditions are in constant decline. Lebanon is headless and led by a lame government.
Our south is bleeding in a senseless war that threatens expansion.
Our land is an open one in which various terrorist organizations roam and frolic, while refugees and displaced in our country are multiplying and reproducing in terrifying numbers.
However, despite of this current sad status, our faith in great Lebanon remains steadfast and firm. Its steadfastness, like its cedar, is unshakable, its resurrection is inevitable, and its unique heritage and long history are testimony to that.
Happy Easter to you and Lebanon.
Long Live Lebanon
Etienne Sakr – Abu Arz
(Free translated by Elias Bejjani)

UN chief condemns south Lebanon incident blamed on Israel
Associated Press/March 31, 2024
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the explosion that wounded three UNTSO military observers and a Lebanese interpreter in south Lebanon on Saturday, while expressing “grave concern” at the daily exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli forces. The U.N. chief said the clashes, in violation of the 2006 Security Council resolution that halted hostilities in a war between Israel and Hezbollah, have caused dozens of civilian fatalities, destroyed residential and agricultural areas, and displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Blue Line. “These hostile actions have not only disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of people, but they also pose a grave threat to the security and stability of Lebanon, Israel, and the region,” a U.N. spokesman quoted Guterres as saying. Guterres urges all actors to refrain from further violations of the 2006 cessation of hostilities “and to pursue a diplomatic solution to the crisis,” the spokesman said, adding that the U.N. chief stands ready to support such efforts. Local Lebanese media, citing security officials, said an Israeli drone strike targeted the observers in the Wadi Qatmoun area near the border town of Rmeish. The Israeli military said on social media platform X: “Contrary to the reports, the IDF did not strike a @UNIFIL —vehicle in the area of Rmeish this morning.” Tenenti said UNIFIL was “investigating the origin of the explosion” but it was difficult to put investigators on the ground immediately because of the ongoing exchange of fire. “The targeting of peacekeepers is unacceptable,” Tenenti told The Associated Press. “We repeat our call for all actors to cease the current heavy exchanges of fire before more people are unnecessarily hurt.”UNIFIL was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after Israel’s 1978 invasion. The U.N. expanded its mission following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border to help the Lebanese military extend its authority into the country’s south for the first time in decades.

Lebanon in the Heart and Prayers of Pope Francis at Easter
This Is Beirut/ 31 Mar 2024
During his Easter Mass at the Vatican on Sunday, Pope Francis recalled Lebanon in his prayers, stating, “My thoughts are with Lebanon, which has been affected by the disruption of institutions and the economic crisis, which was recently exacerbated by the events on the border.” “My thoughts are with the victims of conflicts around the world, from Palestine to Ukraine, and I call for respect for the principles of international law and urge the delivery of aid to Gaza, the release of detainees, and an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” the Pope added.

Rai’s Easter Address: “We Are Makers of Peace, Not War”
This Is Beirut/ 31 Mar 2024
In his Easter address on Sunday, the Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rai, emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive peace in the face of escalating regional tensions. Expressing concern over the potential escalation of conflicts, he asked, “How can we accept being lured into a war that affects the south and may extend its impact to other regions?” adding, “The Lord’s Resurrection is a call to remove fear from our souls and cultivate peace.”Additionally, denouncing the violence taking place in the war on Gaza, al-Rai stated, “Our culture is that of peacemaking and not war, so by what right do the rulers of countries invade houses, demolish them, kill their people, and displace their inhabitants?”“How can we accept this killing and systematic demolition in Gaza?” he added.In his closing remarks, the Maronite Patriarch also urged for a collective rejection of violence and war, emphasizing the need for “political, economic, social, and alimentary peace.”

Audi: Lebanon Is Sick and No One Is at Its Bedside
This Is Beirut/ 31 Mar 2024
For the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Archbishop of Beirut, Elias Audi, Lebanon “is ill and divided due to the sins of its rulers, leaders, and party and tribal chiefs, and it has no one to carry it towards healing.”During his Sunday sermon, Audi denounced the harmful actions of the country’s leaders, who “exploit the state and its institutions, circumvent the laws, and ignore the provisions of the Constitution.”Archbishop Audi referred to those who decide on war and peace at the expense of an “absent, incapable, and confused” state. “Some violate borders and the will of the people, serving their interests, undermining the authority and sovereignty of the state, and obstructing the election of a president,” he said, referring to Hezbollah without naming it. “Lebanon has no one who believes in it and the possibility of its recovery,” he also lamented, denouncing the lack of “planning, clear vision, intention, or will” to change things. He then reminded leaders of their role when “the fate of the country is in danger.” “It is the duty of influential people to disregard their interests, affiliations, and sects in order to establish the foundations of the state, fortify its institutions, protect its borders, and impose its laws on everyone,” he added. “We ask God, in this Holy Lent, to bless the efforts of all those who work for the good of Lebanon and seek its salvation,” concluded Archbishop Audi.

South Lebanon: One Dead in an Israeli Strike on Kounin
This Is Beirut/ 31 Mar 2024
Violence resumed on Sunday afternoon on the southern front between Hezbollah and Israel when a car in the town of Kounin in the area of Bint Jbeil was targeted by an Israeli drone strike. The attack resulted in the death of the driver and left one person wounded, according to certain media.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5LluK_ssdY/
The Israeli army claimed responsibility for the attack and pointed out that “it was a Hezbollah commander, Ismail al-Zein, who was killed in the strike on Kounin.” It said that “the targeted person worked as a computer specialist in Hezbollah’s communication services.” Israeli bombardments also targeted Mays al-Jabal, the western outskirts of Wazzani, Hamames hill, Kfar Kila, Khiam, Wadi el-Salouki and the locality of Rab al-Thalatheen, where a house was completely razed to the ground. For its part, Hezbollah announced that one of its senior members was killed in the raid on Kounin. It also claimed in statements to have targeted several Israeli positions, including Malkiya and Zebdin in the Shebaa farms, Rouwaisat el-Alam in the Kfarchouba hills, the Ramim barracks, the new Bakhta artillery position and a gathering of soldiers near the Shebaa farms, inflicting direct casualties.
In addition, Hezbollah announced that it had “targeted and destroyed spy equipment at the Al-Jarda point with appropriate weapons.”In the morning, the outskirts of Alma al-Shaab, in the western sector, were also bombed. A state of cautious calm prevailed in the border area in the eastern sector of South Lebanon this morning, from the Majidiyeh plain, Ghajar and the town of al-Mari in the Hasbaya district, to the Arqoub area, Hasbaya and the occupied Shebaa Farms. The volatile calm was disrupted from midnight until dawn on Sunday by Israeli spy planes flying reconnaissance flights over the Hasbaya-Arqoub region and up to the Aramta al-Rayhan and al-Ahmadiyah hills in the Western Bekaa.

UNIFIL: Peacekeepers Targeted in the South Were Taken Off-Guard
This Is Beirut/ 31 Mar 2024
UNIFIL spokesperson in Lebanon Andrea Tenenti revealed that “the peacekeepers who were wounded in the shelling (in South Lebanon) had no warning and were taken off-guard,” noting that “currently, there is no direct information available” to determine the source of the fire or make accusations. “We are investigating the origin of the fire,” he said. Speaking to Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat, Tenenti said that despite one individual sustaining severe injuries, all the wounded were in a stable condition. Tenenti noted that the local Lebanese translator and the two observers have received treatment and have been discharged from the hospital. A UNIFIL vehicle was hit on the outskirts of Rmeish on Saturday, injuring three military observers and one civilian. One Australian, one Norwegian and one Chilean were in the vehicle, as well as the Lebanese translator.

Lebanese Naval Forces Detain Illegal Migrant Boat off Northern Coast
This Is Beirut/31 Mar 2024
The Lebanese naval forces towed a boat off the coast of Minieh in the north with several migrants who were attempting to leave Lebanon illegally on Saturday evening. Some 70 people, the majority of whom are Syrian nationals, including women and children, were on board the vessel. Following their rescue, the passengers were detained and taken for investigation. In recent years, attempts to emigrate illegally have surged, following Lebanon’s slide into a severe economic and financial crisis in 2019.

Israeli Military Says It Killed a ‘Significant’ Hezbollah Commander in Airstrike
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 31/2024
The Israeli military said it killed a Hezbollah commander in an airstrike on a vehicle in Lebanon on Sunday, identifying him as Ismail Al-Zin, a commander in the anti-tank missile unit of Hezbollah's Radwan Forces. "Al-Zin was a significant source of knowledge regarding anti-tank missiles and was responsible for dozens of anti-tank missile attacks against Israeli civilians, communities and security forces," the Israeli military said. A source close to Hezbollah said Al-Zin was not a senior figure but confirmed he was in its elite Radwan unit. Israel has now killed around 25 members of the unit, including at least three commanders, such as Wissma Tawil, a senior Hezbollah officer who played a leading role in directing its operations in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah began launching rockets from hilltops and villages in southern Lebanon at Israel on Oct. 8 in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas, which carried out a cross-border attack into Israel the previous day that triggered a fierce Israeli land, air and sea offensive on the Gaza Strip. Israel's shelling of Lebanon has killed nearly 270 Hezbollah fighters, but has also killed around 50 civilians - including children, medics and journalists - and hit both UNIFIL and the Lebanese army. The US and other countries have sought to secure a diplomatic resolution to the exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah said it will not halt fire before a ceasefire is implemented in Gaza.

Israel announces the assassination of the leader of the Radwan Force!
Janoubia/March 31, 2024
Today, Sunday, the Islamic Resistance - “Hezbollah” issued a statement in which it said: “In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Among the believers are men who have been true to what they covenanted with God. Among them are those whose lives have passed away, and among them are those who wait, and they have not changed their promise. An alternative - God Almighty has spoken the truth.” The statement added, “With greater pride and pride, the Islamic Resistance brings to life the martyr, the Mujahid Ismail Ali Al-Zein “Ragheb,” born in 1980 from the town of Qabrikha in southern Lebanon, who rose as a martyr on the road to Jerusalem.” For its part, the Israeli army claimed that “we eliminated Ismail al-Zein, a leader in the anti-tank missile unit of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force.”

Jeep Carrying Illegal Syrian Migrants Overturns Near Border
This Is Beirut/31 Mar 2024
In an incident near the Lebanese border, a Jeep carrying Syrian families overturned on the Bodai-Baalbeck road, resulting in multiple injuries. The families, consisting of 15 Syrian passengers, had entered Lebanon clandestinely, with the help of armed individuals. Upon the arrival of military intelligence at the scene of the accident, a confrontation occurred with the gunmen, who managed to flee. An investigation is underway to identify the gunmen. The injured individuals have been detained and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Lebanon's precarious sectarian balance tipping amid Hezbollah-Israeli war
Maya Gebeily and Karamallah Daher/Reuters/March 31, 2024
As the Lebanese Christian village of Rmeish marks its first Easter since the Gaza war erupted, residents say a parallel confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel is dragging them into a conflict they did not choose. Like many Christians elsewhere in southern Lebanon, residents are angry and fearful their homes could be caught in the cross-fire and their families forced to flee -- permanently -- from their ancestral villages near the Lebanon-Israel border. Earlier this week, a Rmeish resident confronted a group of armed men trying to launch rockets at Israel from within the village. Some villagers rang church bells to sound the alarm, and the armed men moved off to fire rockets from another neighbourhood, according to mayor Milad al-Alam and Rmeish residents. "What we've been saying for the last six months is: among our own homes, keep us neutral. Any strike in return would have brought huge losses," Alam told Reuters.
Hezbollah began launching rockets from hilltops and villages in southern Lebanon at Israel on Oct. 8 in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas, which carried out a cross-border attack into Israel the previous day that triggered a fierce Israeli land, air and sea offensive on the Gaza Strip. The villagers' resentment reflects criticism from Christian clerics and politicians opposed to Hezbollah, who have long accused the group of undermining the state through its possession of a controversial arsenal that outguns the national army, and of monopolising decisions of war and peace.
"We have nothing to do with this war. Do they (Hezbollah) want to displace us?" said a 40-year-old resident of Rmeish who asked not to be identified, fearing that criticizing Hezbollah could bring reprisals. Iran-backed Hezbollah, which holds sway over much of the Lebanese state, denied its fighters had tried to launch rockets from Rmeish. More than a dozen sects coexist in a precarious balancing act in tiny Lebanon, reflected in a power-sharing system that reserves government posts by religion. The presidency and central bank governor – two top posts reserved for Maronite Christians – have been vacant since Oct. 2022 and July 2023 respectively due to divisions over choosing successors.
'NO SAY' IN SYSTEM
Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have been displaced both internally and to foreign countries by conflict and hardship over the last century, with the 15-year civil war seeing killings and kidnappings according to sect. Some 90,000 people have been displaced from southern Lebanon since the conflict broke out in October. Christian lawmaker Ghada Ayoub, who represents a constituency in the south and hails from the anti-Hezbollah Lebanese Forces party, told Reuters that Christians were standing up to Hezbollah "because it is encroaching on their presence," and that the war was deepening fissures in Lebanese politics. "The question is now: are there even any shared points left that we can carry on with – that we can build a state with?" she said. The area most impacted by the shelling is the border strip, home to about a dozen Christian villages including Rmeish. They are nestled in rolling hills of olive groves, pine trees and tobacco fields -- now too dangerous to plant or harvest due to shelling. "The areas around us were really affected – there have been strikes 500, 600 meters away. Our harvests have been ruined," said Joseph Salameh, a local official in the town of Klayaa, about four km (2.5 miles) from Lebanon's southern border. Lebanon was already hit hard by a financial meltdown that began in 2019. With tourists staying away due to bombing, shops closed and schools shuttered or sheltering thousands displaced by the fighting, villages across the predominantly Shi'ite Muslim south have been dealt another severe economic blow, prompting fears among locals of a Christian exodus. "Now the war has added to it and is encouraging our children to leave… Christians are no longer able to take on more than others because the problems of this country have become too many," Salameh said. Lebanon's top Christian clerics have also sounded the alarm in weekly sermons. Maronite Patriarch Boutros al-Rai called early on in the Gaza war for Lebanon to stay on the sidelines and more recently said war had been "imposed" on Christians.
MOUNTING OUTCRY
Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut Elias Audi asked earlier this month if it was fair for "one faction of Lebanese to decide on behalf of everyone, and take unilateral decisions that not all Lebanese agree on". With outcry mounting, Hezbollah's main Christian ally the Free Patriotic Movement has even ramped up criticism, saying its nearly two-decade alliance with Hezbollah had been "shaken". "The main problem that arose recently was crossing the limits of defending Lebanon and getting involved in a conflict in which we cannot make decisions," FPM head Gebran Bassil said. Their alliance had provided Hezbollah with supporters from a religious community outside its traditional base, but the pair have split over several issues in the last two years – including who should be Lebanon's next president. Michael Young at the Carnegie Middle East Center said Bassil's comments were an attempt to gain some leverage over Hezbollah by signalling a rift – but also reflected Christian unease with the status quo. "The mood among the Christian community is almost a psychological divorce from the system. They don't feel that they have a say in the system and in a way it's true -- Hezbollah is in control of much of the system," Young told Reuters.

Security Plan for Tripoli Enforced Since Saturday
This Is Beirut/31 Mar 2024
In a statement released by the office of caretaker Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi on Sunday, it was announced that “the units of the Internal Security Forces have started implementing a security plan in Tripoli since yesterday.”
The statement said, “The Regional Gendarmerie Unit in the North began patrolling the streets of Tripoli, setting up mobile checkpoints and temporary roadblocks, especially inside markets and commercial areas.”“The motorized patrols were backed by essential forces to suppress crimes and incidents of shooting, arrest those involved and hand them over to the concerned unit for legal action,” the statement said, adding that the measures are being executed in cooperation and coordination with the army and the General Directorate of State Security. Mawlawi is overseeing the plan’s implementation by coordinating with the security commanders, officers and units in charge on the ground. Rampant insecurity and a surge in criminality in the impoverished northern city in recent months caused the tightening of security measures ahead of Easter celebrations and upcoming Eid el Fitr which marks the end of the fasting holy month of Ramadan.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 31-April 01/2024
Two Israelis Stabbed in the Negev
This Is Beirut/31 Mar 2024
Israeli police said a man was shot dead Sunday after stabbing an Israeli soldier at bus station in the southern city of Beersheva. Another soldier was wounded in the attack, police said, and the Israeli army said one of its troops then “neutralised the terrorist”. The Israeli military said an “IDF officer was lightly injured as a result of a stabbing attack” as police said the attacker was killed by gunfire. Israeli media said the attacker was a young Israeli citizen whose Bedouin clan hails from the Negev desert region of which Beersheva is the largest city. Police said that “we know his identity and are working to understand the motives”. “He had a long criminal record, and he was supposed to start serving a community service sentence in about two weeks following drug and property crimes,” police said. Medics said they treated a 20-year-old soldier at the scene “with a stab wound to his body” before he was taken to hospital.
*With AFP

Strikes hit Gaza as Egyptian TV says truce talks to resume
Agence France Presse/March 31, 2024
Deadly airstrikes pounded the Gaza Strip overnight as talks towards a truce between Israel and Hamas were set to resume in Cairo Sunday, according to Egyptian state television. Heavy fighting raged on in the besieged Palestinian territory, including around several hospitals, in the nearly six-month-old war sparked by Hamas' October 7 attack. As an Israel siege amid the war has deepened the humanitarian crisis, an aid delivery inside Gaza descended into deadly chaos on Saturday with shots fired and a stampede. At least five people died, according to a Red Crescent paramedic, while the Israeli army said it had "no record of the incident described." Witnesses told AFP that shots were fired, both by Gazans overseeing the delivery and Israeli troops nearby, and that panicked lorry drivers sped off and hit several people. To help alleviate the suffering of Gaza's 2.4 million people, another aid ship was sailing from the Mediterranean island-nation of Cyprus to bring 400 tonnes of food relief, as part of a small flotilla. Foreign powers have ramped up aid airdrops, although UN agencies and charities warn this falls far short of the dire need. Several people have died in stampedes or drowned trying to retrieve packages from the sea. At least 75 people were killed overnight in new Israeli bombardment and ground combat, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. The fighting has raged on unabated despite a UN Security Council resolution last Monday that demanded an "immediate ceasefire" and the release of all hostages held by militants. Tensions have risen over the spiralling civilian death toll between Israel and its chief backer the United States, especially over Israeli threats to push ground forces into Gaza's crowded far-southern city of Rafah. Washington has nonetheless approved billions of dollars worth of bombs and fighter jets for Israel in recent days, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed officials.
Mass protests in Tel Aviv
The war began with Hamas' October 7 attack that allegedly resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 32,705 people, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry. Palestinian militants also seized some 250 hostages. Israel believes about 130 remain in Gaza, including 34 who are presumed dead. Under intense pressure to bring the captives home, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday approved a new round of ceasefire talks to take place in Doha and Cairo. Egyptian TV station Al-Qahera, which is close to the country's intelligence services, said that the talks would resume in Cairo on Sunday. An anchor said on Saturday that "an Egyptian security source confirmed to Al-Qahera News the resumption of negotiations on a truce between Israel and Hamas in the Egyptian capital Cairo tomorrow". Netanyahu is under pressure from the captives' relatives and supporters, including at mass rallies Saturday night in Tel Aviv where police used water cannon against protesters who lit fires and blocked highways. One of the demonstrators, Hamas captivity survivor Raz Ben Ami, demanded that negotiators strike a deal to win their freedom. "Prime minister, on behalf of the hostage men and women, on behalf of the people of Israel, give the negotiators in Qatar the order: Do not return without a deal."
Battles near hospitals -
In Gaza, vast areas of which have been reduced to a rubble-strewn wasteland, heavy fighting has rocked areas around several Gaza hospitals. Israel accuses Palestinian militants of hiding inside and in tunnels beneath the medical facilities, and of using patients and medical staff as cover, charges which the groups deny. The army said Saturday that it had "continued to eliminate" militants around the largest hospital, Al-Shifa in Gaza City, with around 200 reported killed after 13 days of fighting. The Gaza health ministry said 107 patients remained inside Al-Shifa, including 30 with disabilities, and that the army had stopped attempts to evacuate them. Israeli military operations were also ongoing at two hospitals in the southern city of Khan Yunis -- at Nasser hospital, according to the Hamas government press office, and at Al-Amal hospital, according to the Red Crescent. The U.N. World Health Organization warned that Gaza now has just 10 "minimally functioning" hospitals, down from 36 before the war. Its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said 9,000 patients need to leave Gaza for "lifesaving health services, including treatment for cancer, injuries from bombardments, kidney dialysis and other chronic conditions."

Fighting rages across Gaza amid revival of truce talks
REUTERS/March 31, 2024
CAIRO: Israeli military strikes killed dozens of Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, health officials said, as Egypt hosted an Israeli delegation for a new round of talks in a bid to secure a truce with Gaza’s Hamas rulers.The warring sides have stepped up negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, on a six-week suspension of Israel’s offensive in return for the proposed release of 40 of 130 hostages still held by Hamas militants in Gaza after their Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. Hamas has sought to parlay any deal into an end to the fighting and withdrawal of Israeli forces. Israel has ruled this out, saying it would eventually resume efforts to dismantle the governing and military capabilities of Hamas. Hamas would not be present at the talks in Cairo, an official told Reuters on Sunday, as it waited to hear from mediators on whether a new Israeli offer was on the table. In the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Israeli forces continued to blockade the two main hospitals, and tanks shelled areas in the middle and eastern areas of the territory.Palestinian health officials said an Israeli air strike killed nine people in Bani Suhaila near Khan Younis, while another air strike killed four people in Al-Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip. In Deir Al-Balah, health officials and Hamas media said an Israeli air strike hit several tents inside Shuhada Al-Aqsa Hospital, killing four people and wounding several, including some journalists. In Gaza City, Israeli forces continued to operate inside Al Shifa Hospital, the territory’s health ministry said. Residents living nearby said residential districts had been destroyed by Israeli forces near Al Shifa. “I went out looking to buy some medicine from a pharmacy and what I saw was heart-breaking. Complete streets with buildings that used to stand there had been destroyed,” said Abu Mustafa, 49. .”..This is not war, this is genocide,” he told Reuters over the phone from Gaza City. Like the rest of the 2.3 million population of Gaza, Abu Mustafa, a father of six, is struggling to provide his family with food in the north of the enclave, where the United Nations warned famine was imminent. “We’ve had enough, we sleep and wake up dreaming of a ceasefire that will end the war and preserve the lives of whoever remains in Gaza,” he said, refusing to give a name fearing Israeli reprisals. The Israeli military (IAF) said forces operating in Al Shifa killed gunmen barricading the area and had found weapons. “Several compounds used to launch anti-tank missiles and where snipers operated were struck by IAF aircraft” in the Rimal neighborhood near Shifa, the military said. It added that forces killed 15 gunmen in the central Gaza Strip and several in Khan Younis, including near Al-Amal hospital. Israel said it killed and detained hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad gunmen at Al Shifa during a raid. Hamas and medical staff deny any armed presence inside medical facilities, accusing Israel of killing and arresting civilians. In the peace talks, Hamas also wants hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were displaced from Gaza City and surrounding areas southward during the first stage of the war to be allowed back north. More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, according to health authorities in the territory. The war erupted after Hamas militants broke through the border and rampaged through communities in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The World Court on Thursday unanimously ordered Israel, accused by South Africa of genocide in Gaza, to take all necessary and effective action to ensure basic food supplies to the population.

An Israeli airstrike hits a Gaza hospital tent camp, killing 2 Palestinians and hurting journalists
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)/March 31, 2024
An Israeli airstrike hit a tent camp in the courtyard of a crowded hospital in central Gaza on Sunday, killing two Palestinians and wounding another 15, including journalists working nearby. An Associated Press reporter filmed the strike and aftermath at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where thousands of people have sheltered after fleeing their homes elsewhere in the war-ravaged territory. People including women and children scattered and cried out. The Israeli military said it struck a command center of the Islamic Jihad militant group and claimed the hospital's functioning was not affected. Tens of thousands of people have sought shelter in Gaza's hospitals since the start of the war nearly six months ago, viewing them as relatively safe from airstrikes. Israel accuses Hamas and other militants of operating in and around medical facilities, and troops have raided a number of hospitals. Israeli troops have been raiding Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest, for nearly two weeks and say they have fought heavy battles with militants in and around the medical compound. The military says it has killed scores of fighters, including senior Hamas operatives. It said Sunday it had found numerous weapons hidden there. Only a third of Gaza's hospitals are even partially functioning, while Israeli strikes kill and wound scores of people every day. Doctors say they are often forced to treat patients on hospital floors because all the beds are taken, and to operate without anesthetic and other crucial medical supplies.
Those wounded in Sunday's strike lay on the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital floor and gasped while being treated, one clutching at the underside of a stretcher that held someone else. An international team of doctors who recently visited the hospital said they were horrified by the war's gruesome impact on Palestinian children. The World Health Organization director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says around 9,000 patients urgently need to be evacuated abroad for lifesaving care. Not far from Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, dozens of Palestinian Christians gathered at the Holy Family Church to celebrate Easter, with incense wafting through the rare building that appeared untouched by war. “We are here with sadness,” attendee Winnie Tarazi said. About 600 people shelter in the compound.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border on Oct. 7 and rampaged across southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages back to Gaza. Over 100 captives were freed last year in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israel responded to the assault with one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history, one that has driven around 80% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million from their homes. More than half of the population is now sheltering in the southern city of Rafah, where Israel plans a ground offensive despite warnings of catastrophe from allies and humanitarian groups.The United Nations and partners have warned that famine could occur in devastated, largely isolated northern Gaza as early as this month. Humanitarian officials say deliveries by sea and air are not enough and that Israel must allow far more aid by road. Egypt has said thousands of trucks are waiting. The top U.N. court has ordered Israel to open more land crossings and take other measures to address the crisis.
The head of the World Food Program, Cindy McCain, told CBS on Sunday that WFP was able to get just nine trucks into Gaza on Saturday. “That’s nothing. We just cannot continue this way,” she said, calling for unrestricted access. “People are going to die otherwise, and they already are dying.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry said Sunday that at least 32,782 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, including 77 whose bodies were brought to hospitals over the last 24 hours. The ministry's count does not differentiate between civilians and fighters, but it has said that women and children make up around two-thirds of those killed. Israel says over one-third of the dead are militants, though it has not provided evidence to support that, and it blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the group operates in residential areas. Gaza health officials have repeatedly denied Israeli claims that militants operate in hospitals. The United States, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to broker another cease-fire and hostage release since January. The cease-fire talks resumed in Cairo on Sunday, with little expectation of any breakthrough. Hamas is demanding that any such agreement lead to an end to the war and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected those demands and says Israel will keep fighting until it has destroyed Hamas' military and governing capabilities. But he is under growing pressure to reach a deal from families of the hostages, some of whom have joined mass demonstrations calling for early elections to replace him. On Saturday night, families of hostages said weekly protests would take to the streets of Israel from now on.

Netanyahu to have hernia surgery under full anesthesia, deputy PM to temporarily step in
Tamar Michaelis, Benjamin Brown and Jessie Gretener, CNN/March 31, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have surgery under full anesthesia for a hernia, his office said in a statement. Netanyahu, 74, was diagnosed with a hernia during a routine examination on Saturday and is scheduled to undergo the surgery at the end of business on Sunday, the statement read. The surgery means Israel’s leader will be temporarily out of action with the nation at war with Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 attacks. Israel’s deputy prime minister and justice minister, Yariv Levin, will step in for Netanyahu while he is incapacitated. The operation will take place amid renewed talks between Israel and Hamas in Cairo, according to a report in Egyptian media. The negotiations to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held by the militant group in exchange for a ceasefire in the conflict that has seen more than 32,000 Gazans killed had reached an impasse last week. This is Netanyahu’s second surgery since returning to the premiership in late 2022. A health scare last summer ended with the Israeli leader being fitted for a pacemaker to fix a transient heart block. Netanyahu previously had a hernia in 2013 that also required surgery. A hernia is a gap in the abdominal muscular wall that allows something inside the abdomen to protrude outward, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Israel central bank says ultra-Orthodox need to join military to help economy
JERUSALEM (Reuters)/March 31, 2024
The Bank of Israel on Sunday warned of economic damage if more ultra-Orthodox Jewish men do not join the country's military, weighing in on a contentious issue that has caused a rift in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wartime government.
In its 2023 annual report, the central bank said Israel's war against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza that began on Oct. 7 had highlighted the personnel needs of the military and has added a burden to the economy due to the sharply increased amount of service days that will be required for both conscripts and reserve soldiers. This, it said, impairs the soldiers' economic output as well as the spouse's employment. "As the burden of military service is divided among a higher number of soldiers ... the economic impact on each of them declines, as does the aggregate impact on the economy," the Bank of Israel said.
"Expanding the circle of military personnel to include the ultra-Orthodox population....will therefore make it possible to answer the increasing defence needs while moderating the impact to personnel and to the economy."
Netanyahu's government said in February that it would seek a way to end exemptions to military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews, which date to the foundation of Israel in 1948, to spread the wartime burden across society more fairly. But the decision met with a backlash from ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and created a rift in the coalition. Sunday had been the deadline for the government to come up with legislation to resolve the issue but Netanyahu filed a last-minute application to the Supreme Court for a 30-day deferment. The Bank of Israel said that the fast growing ultra-Orthodox sector is now 7% of the economy but will be 25% in 40 years time. Only 55% of ultra-Orthodox men work and if this trend continues, Israel will lose six percentage points of gross domestic product by 2065, while the tax burden will jump. Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron also said that to maintain fiscal discipline, the plan to boost annual defence spending must be met with cuts to civilian spending - although doing so also has an economist cost. "It is important that if there is an additional increase in that budget, beyond what was already decided, it should be accompanied by fiscal adjustments that will at least prevent an enduring increase in the public debt to GDP ratio," Yaron said in a letter to cabinet ministers and parliament members. Lawmakers this month approved an amended 2024 state budget that added tens of billions of shekels to fund the war, while Israel intends to add some 20 billion shekels ($5.4 billion) of spending towards defence a year going forward.

Pompeo accuses Biden administration of having ‘soft spot’ for Iran amid Houthi attacks
Filip Timotija/The Hill/March 31, 2024
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused the Biden administration of having a “soft spot” for Iran amid the Houthi rebels attacking merchant vessels in the Red Sea. Pompeo, who has been critical of President Biden’s foreign policy course, said the current administration’s approach towards Tehran stems from the Obama administration and that it is not possible to negotiate with the Middle Eastern country. “The Biden administration has this soft spot for Iran,” Pompeo said Sunday in an interview with radio talk show host John Catsimatidis on WABC 770 AM’s “Cats Roundtable.” “Since the very beginning. It’s something that came from the Obama team.”Pompeo highlighted the current administration lifting the terrorist designation for Houthis in Yemen and further lamented that, in his view, it is not possible to negotiate with Tehran. “The Trump administration designated the Houthis as terrorists,” Pompeo said. “They lifted that terrorist designation. They simply don’t understand that you can’t negotiate with the Iranians. There is no possibility to negotiate with the regime in Iran … As long as the Biden administration won’t confront the problem — the head of the snake — we are likely to see continued high prices here in the United States, and risk to our service members that are serving in the region as well.”The current administration removed the label in 2021 and weighed reimposing the Houthis in Yemen as a foreign terrorist organization in January, a response following months-long attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis have been attacking and disrupting trade routes in the region in protest against Israel’s siege in the Gaza Strip. The attacks have drawn forceful responses from the U.S. military and its allies. Since the attacks started, some shipping companies have redirected their vessels to alternate routes, avoiding the Gulf of Aden and taking a longer path, which costs more money. “It’s unexplainable to me how we have allowed these knuckleheads, these rebels, call them what you will, they go by the tribal name of Houthis – why we haven’t gone in there and destroyed their capacity to… control not only the flow of oil, but all the products that move through [the Red Sea],” Pompeo said. “We saw the tragedy this past week in Baltimore. We know what happens when ports get shut down, and how it affects the economy.”

Istanbul top prize as Turkiye votes in local polls
AFP/March 31, 2024
ISTANBUL: Turks were voting on Sunday in municipal elections, with all eyes on Istanbul, the national “jewel” that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes to pry away from the opposition. But there appeared no excess of enthusiasm at polling stations, AFP correspondents reported, to a backdrop of raging inflation and massive devaluation. “Everyone is worried about the day to day,” said Guler Kaya, admitting she had had to stop going out. “The crisis is swallowing up the middle class, we have had to change all our habits,” said the 43-year-old. “If Erdogan wins, it will get even worse,” she added. In the capital Ankara, Meliha Sonmez sounded a warning as she prepared to vote: “This election is not just municipal.”“If Erdogan loses the ballot, he will be weakened,” said the retired woman in her 60s who lost 32 relatives in the devastating February 2023 earthquake in Hatay. Erdogan may not be a candidate in the municipal vote, but his name has dominated from campaigning to voting day. His road to power in Turkiye began in Istanbul when he was elected mayor of the mythic city straddling Europe and Asia in 1994. His allies held the city until Ekrem Imamoglu of the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) wrested control five years ago, generating international headlines. As soon as Erdogan clinched re-election as president last May — he has held the position since 2014 — he launched the battle to reclaim the city of 16 million people. “Istanbul is the jewel, the treasure and the apple of our country’s eye,” the 70-year-old leader said at a recent rally in the city. “Whoever wins Istanbul, wins Turkiye,” Erman Bakirci, a pollster from Konda Research and Consultancy, recalled Erdogan once saying. Armed clashes were reported from a village in Turkiye’s Kurdish-majority southeast with voting underway, leaving one dead and 12 wounded, a local official told AFP. The Turkish president has named former environment minister Murat Kurum as his candidate. Polls gave Imamoglu a slight lead, but analysts caution that opinion polls in Turkiye have been wrong before and that the outcome is far from certain.
The 2019 vote was controversially annulled, but Imamoglu won the re-run vote by an even greater margin, which turned him into an instant hero for Turkiye’s notoriously fractured opposition and a formidable foe for Erdogan. If Imamoglu manages to retain the Istanbul mayor’s seat, he’ll likely be the main challenger to the ruling party in the next presidential elections, set for 2028. The election is being held with inflation at a whopping 67 percent and with a massive devaluation of the lira, which slid from 19 to a dollar to 31 to a dollar in one year. Analysts say this could work in favor of the opposition.
Erdogan threw all his energy into campaigning for his candidate. On Saturday, he appeared at three campaign rallies in Istanbul, pressing his message that Imamoglu, whose name he never mentions, is a “part-time mayor” consumed by presidential ambitions. “Istanbul has been left to its own devices these past five years. We hope to save it from disaster,” he said. Imamoglu focused his campaign on local issues and defended his achievements in office. “Every vote you give to the CHP will mean more metros, creches, green spaces, social benefits and investment,” he has promised. Some 61 million voters are picking mayors across Turkiye’s 81 provinces, as well as provincial council members and other local officials.The opposition has been fractured ahead of the polls, in contrast with the local elections five years ago. This time around the main opposition party, the social democrat CHP, has failed to rally support behind a single candidate. And the pro-Kurdish DEM party, the third largest in the 600-seat parliament, is fielding two candidates for Istanbul mayor, whereas in the 2019 race it agreed to stay out of the vote to implicitly support the opposition. Polls opened at 0400 GMT in the east of the country and were due to close at 1400 GMT in the west, including Istanbul. The first estimates are expected to be released late on.

Trump, Republicans slam Biden 'assault' on Christianity
Agence France Presse/March 31, 2024
Donald Trump and fellow Republicans assailed President Joe Biden on Saturday for what they called an assault on Christianity, after the US leader highlighted the Transgender Day of Visibility that this year coincides with Easter. It was the latest skirmish in the culture war shaping the White House race, as Trump seeks support from religious conservatives while Biden stakes his claim as the standard-bearer for an inclusive America. Biden on Friday issued a proclamation recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility, falling every year on March 31, which this time is also Easter Sunday. In a statement slamming Biden's "blasphemous" declaration, Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the move was part of "the Biden Administration's years-long assault on the Christian faith." "We call on Joe Biden's failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only -- the resurrection of Jesus Christ."Republican House speaker Mike Johnson said on X it was "outrageous and abhorrent" to proclaim "Easter Sunday as 'Transgender Day.'""The American people are taking note," he added. The White House snapped back with a statement pointing out that Biden, a devout Catholic, "stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American." "Sadly, it's unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful and dishonest rhetoric," spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement. "President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit," he added, an apparent dig at Trump who this week urged his supporters to buy the $59.99 "God Bless the USA Bible." Trump and Republicans are seizing on conservatives' discomfort over transgender rights, as some states restrict gender-affirming care for minors and prohibit people from using bathrooms not in alignment with their sex at birth. "We will ban men from participating in women's sports," Trump has declared at campaign rallies, as he highlights policy priorities for a second White House term. The Easter kerfuffle came after Trump drew criticism for a video on his Truth Social platform that featured an image of Biden hog-tied, as if he were being kidnapped. The video, posted Friday, shows two pickup trucks driving down a highway, each displaying pro-Trump signs and flags. On the tailgate of the second truck is an image of a prone Biden tied with his hands behind him. "This image from Donald Trump is the type of crap you post when you're calling for a bloodbath or when you tell the Proud Boys to 'stand back and stand by,' Biden spokesman Michael Tyler told AFP, referring to the far-right militia involved in the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol by Trump supporters. He went on: "Trump is regularly inciting political violence and it's time people take him seriously -- just ask the Capitol police officers who were attacked protecting our democracy on January 6."
The Trump campaign was unapologetic.
"Democrats and crazed lunatics have not only called for despicable violence against President Trump and his family, they are actually weaponizing the justice system against him," spokesman Steven Cheung said. Trump has a long history of using dark and combative language and posting provocative images. Trump in December accused migrants of "poisoning the blood" of Americans. In November, he lashed into his political rivals, vowing to "root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country."
That drew a response from Biden, who said Trump was using "language you heard in Nazi Germany."

Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on March 31-April 01/2024
'You Are an Infidel': The Persecution of Christians, February 2024
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute./March 31, 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/128321/128321/
Her family immediately went to police, who told them not to go public, and that they would help return Irene.... In early February, however, the family finally did go public -- and hinted that the authorities were complicit in the abduction and know exactly where she is. — copticsolidarity.org, February 292, 2024 - Egypt.
Muslim terrorists launched raids on several Christian villages. They murdered 23 people—six were burned alive—wounded 10 and abducted five more, along with setting 28 homes on fire. — persecution.org, February 21, 2024 - Nigeria.
[A] Nigerian cleric asserted that, because Nigeria's First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, is Christian, she should be put to death. — naijanews.com, February 22, 2024 - Nigeria.
"[One of the Muslims] shouted that no Christian in the area should be left alive." — morningstarnews.org, February 6, 2024 - Pakistan.
"...[T]hese pernicious laws... are deeply entrenched in Islamic Sharia law, and the determination to abolish them is lacking in a radicalized nation." — Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee for the British Asian Christian Association, britishasianchristians.org, February 26, 2024 - Pakistan.
"He replied to me that he was acting in the name of Allah because it was not normal to have statues and that he had come to correct that." — charentelibre.fr, February 2, 2024 - France.
On February 9 — a Friday, when Muslims assemble at mosques and get riled against "infidels" — Islamic State militants torched several churches and Christian homes in Cabo Delgado Province. Pictured: Burned and damaged huts in the village of Aldeia da Paz outside Macomia, Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique on August 24, 2019. On August 1, 2019, the village was attacked by an Islamist group. (Photo by Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images)
The following are among the abuses and murders inflicted on Christians by Muslims throughout the month of February 2024.
The Abduction, Rape, and Forced Conversion of Christian Girls
Egypt: On Jan. 22, Irene Ibrahim Shehata, a 21-year-old medical student at Asyut National University, disappeared between midterm exams. Her family immediately went to police, who told them not to go public, and that they would help return Irene; the family complied. In early February, however, the family finally did go public -- and hinted that the authorities were complicit in the abduction and know exactly where she is. Their fears appeared confirmed: in late February, her family learned that the religion field on Irene's ID had been electronically changed from Christian to Muslim. Weeks before that, Irene had managed to make a desperate, tearful call to her brother, before a man seized the phone and said, "Okay, you heard her voice and know she's okay, right? Now go to hell!" and slammed down the phone. According to one source familiar with the case (name withheld for fear of reprisals),
"Her brother heard her screaming, someone was yelling at her, and then the call ended. It seems that she used his phone without his permission. This was a great piece of evidence that she was kidnapped."
The family then began its own investigation, but when they contacted police with the information they had gathered, "The police officers threatened to arrest the family if they tried to rescue her and warned them that the kidnappers are armed." As of mid-February, authorities "concluded" that Irene was never abducted but had rather run off with a Muslim man and had willingly converted to Islam. As her father said in an interview, though: if Irene had intended to run off, why would she do it in between exams, while carrying medical supplies as opposed to travel gear? The family's experiences with the authorities, the unnamed source concluded, are "Another way to mislead families." He added:
"The Muslim Brotherhood Sharia Association in the Asyut Governorate, under security cover from Asyut and Sohaj cities, coordinated the kidnapping of Christian college student Irene Shehata."
The abduction and Islamization of Christian girls in Egypt and is well-documented in a 2020 report by Coptic Solidary, "Jihad of the Womb": Trafficking of Coptic Women & Girls in Egypt, which documents "the widespread practice of abduction and trafficking" of Coptic girls.
Pakistan: On Feb. 12, four Muslim men kidnapped a 10-year-old Christian girl. Since then, Laiba Suhail was apparently compelled to convert to Islam. The man behind the child's abduction, Shaukat Shah, "is well-known in the area for forcibly converting children to Islam under duress, coercing them to file court statements that they willfully converted and later taking them from shelter homes on the pretext of giving them religious education." According to the child's handicapped father,
"This is Shah's modus operandi. No one knows what happens to his victims after they are handed to him. We fear that he and his accomplices are involved in sex trafficking, and they sell these minor girls when they see that the families are in no position to pursue the matter further in courts."
Police, arguing that the 10-year-old "willingly" converted, have refused to help the father recover his child:
"On Feb. 15, police informed us that an application had been filed by Laiba in the court of a magistrate in which she had claimed that she had converted to Islam of her own free will 'after being impressed with Islamic teachings.' We immediately went to the court where we saw our minor daughter surrounded by several policemen. We were not allowed to talk to her despite our repeated requests. The police later presented her before the magistrate where she reportedly repeated the contents of the application. She also sought to be sent to the Dar Ul Aman [women's shelter], which the magistrate admitted...
"It is a blatant lie that my daughter has changed her faith willingly. Whatever little religious education she has is from the church's Sunday school. She has had no interaction with Muslims, because she used to stay at home all day long to take care of me and her mother."
According to the family's attorney,
"Laiba's case is yet another example of how sharia [Islamic law] is invoked to undermine the age of a minor. In her statement before the magistrate, the girl claimed that she's an adult, but her official birth document states her age is 10 years and two months."
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Nigeria: Between Feb. 16 and 19, Muslim terrorists launched raids on several Christian villages. They murdered 23 people — six were burned alive — wounded 10 and abducted five more, along with setting 28 homes on fire. A resident from one of the affected villages in Kajuru county said that "The attackers were on many motorcycles, shouting 'Allah Akbar [Allah is greater].'" Another resident said "We are killed because of our faith in Jesus."
On Sunday, Feb. 18, Muslim Fulani tribesmen ambushed six Christians as they were returning home from church. One man was killed, three sustained gunshot wounds, and a woman was raped.
On Feb. 28, Muslims terrorized a Christian village. According to local resident, Patience Ali,
"The attackers, who we know to be Muslim bandits terrorizing Christians in Kaduna state, attacked the Angwan Auta area of Gonin Gora and killed two Christians. They also broke into about 10 houses belonging to Christians and kidnapped dozens of members from these households."
According to a Feb. 15 report, Muslims killed about 200 Christians during raids on several villages in January, and then renamed the "conquered" villages with Muslim names.
On Feb. 14, while discussing this unaddressed genocide, Nigeria Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Diocese of Makurdi said,
"The violent persecution and massacres in my diocese have increased exponentially since I was appointed as bishop in 2014 and continue to increase ... What is occurring in Benue State and elsewhere in Nigeria is an organized, systematic and brutal cleansing of Christians. Between November 2023 and January 2024, Nigeria has lost over 1,000 lives to these bandits, to these Fulani terrorists, and no arrests [have been made]."
Also in February, a Nigerian cleric asserted that, because Nigeria's First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, is Christian, she should be put to death. In a video, he could be heard saying,
"Now, Tinubu, his wife, is an infidel (Christian). As an infidel, she is a leader among the infidels. Allah's judgement says she must be killed. She's a pastor... a leader of infidels (Christians); Allah says they must be killed..."
Burkina Faso: On Sunday, Feb. 25, Muslim gunmen stormed into a Catholic church during service. They opened fire and murdered 15 Christian worshippers (12 immediately, three died later from their wounds). The report adds:
"This is just the latest in a series of atrocities blamed on terrorist groups active in the region, some of which have targeted Christian churches while others have involved the abduction of clergy."
Uganda: Two months after a former Muslim couple had put their faith in Christ, the parents of four young children were "slashed to death." On Feb. 2, according to the neighbor of Twaha, 38, and his 27-year-old wife, Nadiimu,
"I heard people talking and conversing loudly in Arabic and the Lugwere language, saying that Twaha is to reap the fruits of leaving Islam. After a few minutes, I heard loud wailing coming out of Twaha's house."
The neighbor contacted police; when they arrived, they found the married couple's corpses "with deep cuts." The husband also had "a swollen neck, possibly indicating strangulation." Several long Somali swords, knives, and an axe were left at the scene of the murder, presumably "as a warning to other Muslims considering conversion to Christianity." The slain couple leave behind four children, aged two, three, five, and seven.
Pakistan: On Feb. 5, six Muslim gunmen opened fire on a group of Christians at a marketplace. A 14-year-old Christian boy, Sunil Masih, was killed. According to the boy's uncle, who was with him at the time,
"We were talking to each other when suddenly Zaman Butt and his accomplices ... came there on motorcycles... [One of the Muslims] shouted that no Christian in the area should be left alive, after which Zaman opened fire on Sunil with his pistol, hitting him in the chest.... The other assailants also opened fire on us with their weapons, but we managed to save ourselves by taking cover of a wall."
Another Christian youth was also shot but the bullet only grazed him. The murderers fled the scene "while hurling threats at the Christians and so far have not been arrested."
A day earlier, on Feb. 4, this same Zaman Butt, at the head of a group of intoxicated Muslims,
"attempted to kidnap Sharoon Masih, also 15 years old, for sexual assault at gunpoint. When Sharoon bravely resisted, he was subjected to a brutal beating that rendered him unconscious. To intimidate the community and deter any intervention, the assailants fired shots into the air."
It was to "avenge" himself on Sharoon's family, who had dared to contact police, that Butt, the following day, launched his fatal marketplace attack on random Christians, killing Sunil. Discussing this latest murder, Asif Masih, a local church pastor, said,
"The perpetrators were known for their consistent pattern of harassing and assaulting young Christian men in the community. They are part of a growing local paedophile ring that is known to the police but being ignored. Their vile depredations target the weak Christian community because authorities ignore our pleas for help."
Juliet Chowdhry, of the British Asian Christian Association, said,
"The tragic murder of an innocent Christian teenager could have been prevented. Fearful families, following a previous shooting incident [on a Christian wedding and church], opted to accept a peace deal ... fearing that the police would not provide adequate protection if they pursued justice through the courts. It is a damning indictment of the Pakistani law enforcement and justice system that the perpetrators of last year's shooting incident have escalated their violence to the extent of cold-bloodedly killing a 15-year-old. What is even more distressing is the fact that, to date, not a single arrest has been made."
This latest murder in the Punjab is the second in three months. On Nov. 9, 2023, a 20-year-old Christian medical technician student, Farhan Ul Qamar, was shot to death by a Muslim who reportdly hates Christians.
Separately, on Feb. 23, Asif Masih, a 38-year-old Christian man, was discovered in a water pond with his throat slit. The family eventually learned that Asif's Muslim employer had killed him and dumped his body in the water a month earlier, when the slain man's family first started frantically searching for him, with virtually no help from police. According to Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee for the British Asian Christian Association,
"The murder and disposal of Mr. Masih's body in such a cold and calculated manner by an employer or anyone with a vendetta against non-Muslims is sadly not a new occurrence. Wealthy Muslims have long exploited the horrific Qisas and Diyat Ordinance, a law that has fostered one of the most despicable mindsets among sections of Pakistan's populace. Pakistani human rights activists have tirelessly campaigned for the removal of these pernicious laws, but they are deeply entrenched in Islamic Sharia law, and the determination to abolish them is lacking in a radicalized nation."
Iran: On Feb. 20, a Muslim convert to Christianity, who was exiled and imprisoned, was "found" dead at the age of 37. Authorities claimed natural causes, namely, a heart attack. During the Christian man's funeral, eulogist Mansour Borji, said:
"Ebrahim's untimely death is devastating. We have followed his case since he was arrested by the Iranian regime for going to a house-church and for being in possession of Bibles. The Islamic Republic of Iran had sentenced Ebrahim for 'acting against national security', but nothing could have been further from the truth. The freedom for everyone to have access to and possess a Bible was central to Ebrahim's life and ministry. It was the reason he was initially arrested and served almost seven years in prison for."
Ebrahim's experiences in Iran are not uncommon. The headline of a separate report from Feb. 19 says, "At Least 166 Christians Arrested in Iran Last Year for Their Faith."
Muslim Attacks on Freedom: Apostates, Blasphemers, and Preachers
Pakistan: A Muslim judge sentenced a Christian man to life in prison for allegedly committing "blasphemy" against Muhammad on social media. According to a Feb. 9 report,
"Fanson Shahid, 56, had been beaten in his home in Lahore when arrested in March 2022 and tortured into confessing after he was accused of posting a derogatory remark about the prophet of Islam in a comment on a post that another Christian had shared, his wife said. The phone on which the Facebook comment was made had been stolen from him in 2019, she said."
The report adds that it is only on a technicality that the accused "lucked out" and was not handed a death sentence:
"Fanson Shahid was convicted under Section 295-C of Pakistan's blasphemy statutes, which calls for a mandatory death sentence for derogatory comments about Muhammad, but [Justice] Chadhar cited as a 'mitigating circumstance' that the comment was posted 'only once.'"
Uganda: Muslims beat and torched the home of Philemon Shuha, a 34-year-old Christian father of three, due to his evangelical work. According to his colleague, Titus, Muslims approached them on Jan. 30 and said,
"Why did you give out Christian literature to our people? Have you come to kill Islam by converting our people? Today you can't go unpunished."
Titus fled, but they managed to grab Philemon. After mobilizing a group of Christians for assistance, Titus returned:
"[W]e arrived at the scene of the incident, and the attackers fled in different directions. We found Shuha almost lifeless and unconscious and lying in a pool of blood. He had a deep cut on the right side of the head near the ear and blood coming from his right hand. He could not open his eyes."
They rushed him to a hospital. Later that night, sometime after 10:30 p.m., Titus received a phone call from Shuha's wife saying that an arson attack on her home was in progress:
"The church members who were with me in the hospital urgently rushed to the home of Shuha using the church van, but upon arrival the house was on fire. We tried to put out the fire, but unfortunately a big portion of the house had been destroyed."
South Sudan: A Muslim man beat and abandoned his wife, a mother of seven children, for converting to Christianity during their stay at a displaced persons refugee camp bordering Sudan. "My husband told me, 'Why did you believe in Issa [Jesus]? You are an infidel," before thrashing her, Hawa Abdalla, 44, said. According to the Feb. 14 report, 2,000 of the 9,000 refugees she lives with have also been persecuted for their Christian faith:
"The Christians who are fleeing the war in Sudan are facing persecution from Muslim refugees in both Darfur and the Wedwiel camp in South Sudan... [T]he 2,000 refugees and internally displaced people in Sudan who have converted to Christianity from Islam all face the threat of persecution."
Muslim Attacks on Churches and Crosses
Mozambique: On Feb. 9 — a Friday, when Muslims assemble at mosques and get riled against "infidels" — Islamic State militants torched several churches and Christian homes in Cabo Delgado Province. The report adds that, "although insurgents do not usually distinguish between Muslims and Christians, they have carried out attacks against specifically Christian communities, including cases where they separated people based on their religion, and executed Christians."
Another report states that on Feb. 12, Islamic State militants torched a Catholic mission in the town of Mazeze. According to its priest, who managed to escape, the Muslim terrorists,
"attacked and destroyed the mission buildings, particularly the presbytery, the church and the parish office, some of which were recently built, but without causing human casualties. Everything was machine-gunned, everything was razed, not even a single item of clothing remained."
Malawi: On Feb. 9 — the same Friday — Muslims in Machinga went on a "rampage ... burning to ashes a church and a house of a church minister. The Muslims claim Islam is under threat after Living Waters Church converted a number of Muslims to Christianity and joined the church." The report adds that "some church members were severely beaten up and undressed..."
France: On Feb. 2 — another Friday — a Muslim man desecrated the St. John the Baptist Church in La Couronne. He removed a large cross from the altar and repeatedly swung it at a large statue of St. John. It was completely destroyed and the cross badly damaged. Police arrested the man at the scene. The parish priest, Fr. Sylvain, arrived and questioned the man as to his actions:
"I told him what he did really hurt. He replied to me that he was acting in the name of Allah because it was not normal to have statues and that he had come to correct that."
The priest added:
"This act has spread a lot of violence, it is extremely painful. We feel sadness and revolt, but also a very strong feeling of insecurity and we hope that justice will do its job to prevent the irreparable from being committed."
The man was soon thereafter released — although he may need to undergo psychiatric treatment.
On Feb. 14, another Muslim man who had also been arrested for threatening a church and "glorifying terrorism," fled the hospital in which he was being treated but was rearrested on a train platform in Paris. According to witnesses, he was heard crying "Dirty Christians, I'm going to kill you all! The first one who comes, I'll kill him; the first who speaks, I'll kill him!"
Separately, in Dordogne, four large public crucifixes (cavalries) spread out in separate towns were defaced with references to Islam. One cross, built in the 1800s in a village of 146 people, had the word "Islam" and a crescent moon sprawled on it. Another had "Allah." Yet another was spray-painted with, "Today is the land of infidels, tomorrow the land of Islam." Responding to this latest act of anti-Christianism and Islamic supremacism, Quentin Marty, a Catholic farmer on whose land one of these crosses was desecrated, said,
"It's despicable, sickening, childish... And it's a reflection of today's society. Everyone makes fun of everything. I am ignoring the sacrilege and I am not going to engage in hateful speech, but those who wrote this are imbeciles who do not respect the religion of our ancestors."
Thierry Niquot, a priest and administrator of an affected parish, said "There is no need to add fuel to the fire," and that accusing Muslims "must be avoided at all costs."
Several other churches and statues were attacked and desecrated in France throughout February (such as here and here).
Germany: Soon after 5,000 "leftist" Germans demonstrated against the AfD, an anti-immigration political party, in the city of Hamm, the Church of Hamm was spray-painted with the Arabic words "Allahu akbar." ("Allah is greatest"). As the Feb. 21 report points out, such is the "gratitude" the Germans received for marching against "anti-Islam" and "racism."
There were many other attacks, including arson, and desecration of churches in Germany throughout February (for instance: here, here, here, here, and here).
Italy: On Feb. 26, the Church of the Madonna in Vasto was broken into, vandalized, and plundered. According to a report,
"The perpetrators furthermore left human excrement on the floor of the church. The parish priest expressed his shock and disgust about this gesture of degradation and disrespect.
"It is not the first time that the churches of Vasto have been the target of vandals and petty thieves."
It is also not the first time a European church in an area with a large Muslim presence has been smeared with feces.
Lebanon: Three people, two of whom are Syrian "refugees," were arrested for vandalizing and plundering ten churches in Mount Lebanon and Beirut. After adding that "These arrests come after several crimes were reported at the start of the year," the report cites that in just nine days, between Jan. 15 and 24, six churches were attacked.
Artsakh: Despite claiming that it will not desecrate ancient Christian heritage sites in Artsakh, Azerbaijan continue to deface churches. According to a Feb. 6 report,
"Vankasar Church, a world-renowned historical and cultural monument, stands proudly in the ancient cradle of Artsakh, a region marked by deep history and rich heritage....
"With deep concern, we learned about the recent malicious actions of Azerbaijani vandals who attacked the Vankasar church. Shocking footage has surfaced revealing that the sacred cross, a symbol of faith and spirituality, has been removed, leaving a heartbreaking void in the integrity of this revered relic....
"This act of vandalism represents not just an attack on stones and mortars, but a deliberate attack on the soul and heritage of a nation.
"It is imperative that the international community mobilizes to condemn these barbaric acts and urge Azerbaijan to respect international conventions protecting cultural and religious sites."
Turkey: After transforming the Hagia Sophia — originally one of Eastern Christianity's oldest and grandest cathedrals — into a mosque, authorities have targeted yet another iconic Christian monument, the Chora Church, for transformation into a mosque. According to a Feb. 6 report,
"The conversion of Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a powerful symbol for the world's Orthodox Christians, sparked an international outcry and caused an additional strain in tense ties between Athens and Ankara. Chora Church, or Church of the Holy Savior, is another emblematic monument listed among the masterpieces of UNESCO's World Heritage List.... Chora Church was the first to be looted when the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453 and was converted into a mosque under Sultan Bayezid II in the early 16th century, when it was renamed Kariye Camii and a minaret was added to the structure. The building was designated a museum by the Turkish government in 1945."
Chora Church is set to open as Kariya Mosque for Muslim worshippers by May 2024.
**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.
© 2024 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/20526/persecution-of-christians-february

Erdogan’s retirement announcement may not be final
Yasar Yakis/Arab News/March 31, 2024
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in March announced that this would be his final term in office and he would not seek reelection in 2028. However, there will be people around him persuading him to run.
To avoid confusion, we have to underline that Erdogan’s decision is not connected with the local elections held on Sunday. He was referring to the presidential and parliamentary elections that will be held in 2028. If he keeps his word, this will be an important step forward in Turkiye’s democracy.
According to the Turkish constitution, presidents are allowed only two terms of office. Despite this rule, Erdogan managed to be elected for a third time last year. This was made possible by stretching the provisions of the constitution. The argument used to justify his reelection was that Turkiye had in 2017 moved from a parliamentary system to an executive presidency. Therefore, Erdogan did not count the term when he served as the president of the republic under the parliamentary system. He considered that the beginning of the executive presidency was a new era; therefore, everything had to be started from scratch. Many scholars and high court judges opposed such an interpretation of the constitution, but it did not change the outcome.
Erdogan and Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the right-wing Nationalist Movement Party, are two leaders who need each other very much. Without Bahceli’s support, Erdogan would not have been elected in 2018 or in 2023. On the other hand, without Erdogan’s support, Bahceli would not have served as chairman of his party for such a long period.
Erdogan also wants to use his performance in the local elections to pave the way for a new constitution.
Political life in Turkiye is dominated by Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, known as the AKP. I was one of the founding members. After we established this party, the first elections in which we participated took place in 2002. We won 34.5 percent of the votes and, thanks to the fractured nature of the opposition, we got two-thirds of the seats in parliament.
As time went by, the party needed the support of one of the opposition parties. Erdogan chose to cooperate with the Nationalist Movement Party, known as the MHP. This party was established in 1969 and is well organized, especially in central Anatolian provinces. With the creation of Meral Aksener’s Good Party in 2017, the MHP lost a considerable segment of its support, but those that remain on the side of MHP still suffice to make up for the ruling party’s shortfall in parliament.
Erdogan wants to use his performance in the local elections to pave the way for a new constitution.
At one stage, Erdogan took the lead in solving Turkiye’s perennial Kurdish problem. A series of meetings were scheduled to be held in the historic Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul. High-level members of the AKP made all the arrangements for the first meeting, including which participant would be seated in which chair. However, all of a sudden, Erdogan disowned the idea, asking: “Who told you that I agreed to holding such a meeting?” Therefore, a golden opportunity to seriously negotiate on Turkiye’s Kurdish problem was shattered. If this question was handled as it was initially intended, the Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party could have become Erdogan’s coalition partner and Turkiye’s Kurdish problem would have been eased to a considerable extent.
One of the most moderate leaders of this Kurdish party, Selahattin Demirtas, has been kept in jail for more than seven years despite the European Court of Justice in 2020 ruling that Turkiye should release him immediately.
Ahead of the general elections of 2018, six opposition parties decided to form a coalition, but they could not achieve their goal. In the 2023 campaign, Meral Aksener’s Good Party attempted to change horses midrace. Though she stepped back within days, her hesitation caused a meltdown in her party. Following this bitter experience, we are yet to see how the opposition parties will again put their forces together.
When Erdogan needed help during last year’s election campaign, Bahceli’s MHP again became a savior for him. Addressing Erdogan publicly following his recent announcement, Bahceli enthusiastically said: “You cannot leave the leadership of the party. You cannot leave the Turkish nation without a leader. We want to see you as our savior.”
It was only a few years ago that Bahceli did not spare any unkind words about Erdogan. Some of the aggressive language he used included the following: “Erdogan, you are a prisoner of US policy,” “You are a dirty copy of Bashar Assad,” and “You are the enemy of Turkishness.” All these insults are still circulating in the Turkish media with Bahceli’s original voice.
As the ruling AKP cannot form a government without the MHP’s support, this makes for a marriage of convenience. Erdogan may still come up with new ideas when we approach the date of the next elections.
Erdogan is on the record as saying, in the 1990s, that democracy was only a tram that you use to arrive at your destination, meaning that once you have arrived at your destination you do not need democracy any longer. This Machiavellianism is now regarded as mockery. Democracy is not a concept that you use when you need it and ignore when you need it no longer.
Sunday’s local elections may pave the way for the constitutional amendment that Erdogan is very much eager to carry out. There are two ways Erdogan might again extend his rule. One is if the parliament, toward the end of its current mandate, decides — according to Article 116 of the constitution — to call for new elections. This could allow Erdogan to be elected again because his current term would not have been completed. The second is to draft a new constitution that would provide a lifetime presidency for Erdogan.
**Yasar Yakis is a former foreign minister of Turkiye and founding member of the ruling AK Party. X: @yakis_yasar

US must remain vigilant as terrorism threat evolves
Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/March 31, 2024
Russia was struck by an unparalleled tragedy on March 22, as gunmen launched a brutal assault on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, resulting in the loss of more than 140 lives. The events of that fateful day — the deadliest attack on Russian soil in decades — plunged the nation into mourning and shock.
In a chilling display of violence, militants armed with guns and incendiary devices stormed the venue just moments before a concert was due to begin, indiscriminately firing bullets at unsuspecting concertgoers. The carnage that ensued highlighted the sheer brutality of the attack, bringing back the horror of international terrorism. Amid the chaos and devastation, the specter of terrorism loomed large, as Daesh’s Khorasan Province claimed responsibility for the heinous act, further compounding the anguish of those affected.
The release of footage from the attack served as a stark reminder of the pervasive threat posed by extremist ideologies and underscored the urgent need for collective action to combat the forces of hatred and division. This attack offered a stark reminder of the danger of the Daesh terrorist organization and the transformation of the geographical areas of its operations.
The Moscow operation starkly highlighted the adaptability of Daesh and its ability to perpetrate acts of terror beyond its traditional geographic boundaries. Despite facing significant setbacks, including the loss of crucial territories, it continues to pose a formidable challenge to global security.
Just two weeks prior to the attack, American officials had both publicly and privately informed Russia about “extremists” with “imminent plans” for such an assault. This vital intelligence exchange fell under a guiding principle within the US intelligence community known as the duty to warn. This principle dictates that the American intelligence agencies should prioritize sharing critical information about imminent threats whenever feasible. This commitment holds true regardless of whether the potential targets are considered allies, adversaries or something in between.
The terrorist attack sounded an alarm in the US, as echoed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who issued a sobering reminder of the ongoing threat posed by Daesh. Despite significant efforts to combat this menace over the years, Blinken emphasized that the Moscow attack serves as a stark indication of the group’s enduring potential for violence.
Speaking from the State Department, he expressed his condolences for the tragic loss of innocent lives and underscored the imperative for sustained efforts to prevent Daesh from regaining strength and carrying out further acts of terror. Blinken’s remarks serve as a call to action, highlighting the ongoing necessity to confront and neutralize the threat posed by radical groups to ensure the safety and security of communities worldwide.
Despite facing significant setbacks in the Middle East, Daesh continues to pose a formidable challenge to global security.
This event has ignited a crucial debate, prompting us to ponder a fundamental question: If a nation like Russia, which is known for its stringent border controls and meticulous monitoring of crossings, can still find itself vulnerable to terrorist attacks, what does this imply for the US?
Under the Biden administration, the nation has witnessed a significant influx of illegal immigrants crossing its borders without restriction, condition or vetting. This surge, occurring amid a complex landscape of immigration policies and enforcement challenges, raises legitimate concerns about America’s ability to defend itself against the looming threat of extremism.
Can the US effectively shield itself from the dangers posed by extremist elements, particularly when it has such porous borders? This question strikes at the heart of national security discourse and demands a nuanced examination of policy frameworks and their implications for safeguarding the country from potential threats. In recent testimony, a military general and the director of national intelligence sounded a clarion call regarding the significant threat posed by Daesh and its affiliates, emphasizing their assessment of potential attacks within the country. However, according to the Department of the Treasury’s 2024 National Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment, the primary terrorist threat to the homeland currently emanates from individuals residing within the country. These individuals, influenced by ideologies associated with groups like Al-Qaeda and Daesh or domestic violent extremism, are motivated to carry out deadly attacks independently, without direct orders from any terrorist organization.
This assessment underscores the evolving nature of terrorism, particularly the growing influence of online radicalization via social media platforms. These platforms serve as virtual breeding grounds for individuals susceptible to extremist ideologies, providing them with a means to connect, radicalize and coordinate attacks with limited detection. Consequently, the homeland security landscape has become increasingly complex, necessitating a multifaceted approach to counterterrorism efforts.
A similar report from the Department of Homeland Security highlighted that terrorism, whether originating from foreign or domestic sources, remains a significant threat to the safety and security of the US in 2024. However, the threat landscape is evolving, with new challenges emerging alongside traditional ones. Looking ahead, the Department of Homeland Security assesses that the risk of violence stemming from individuals radicalized within the country will persist at a high level. This threat is characterized by lone actors or small groups carrying out attacks with minimal advance warning, posing significant challenges for law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The report highlighted that foreign terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and Daesh are actively seeking to rebuild their capabilities abroad. These groups maintain extensive global networks of supporters, raising concerns about their potential to target the US.
As such, vigilance and proactive measures are essential to counter the multifaceted nature of modern terrorism. And as the US navigates this ever-evolving threat landscape, policymakers, law enforcement agencies and the broader community must address the root causes of extremism. This includes robust efforts to counter online radicalization, enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms and strengthen community resilience against extremist influences.
By adopting a comprehensive approach that addresses both the symptoms and underlying drivers of terrorism, US administrations can better safeguard the country and mitigate the risk of future attacks.
***Dalia Al-Aqidi is executive director at the American Center for Counter Extremism.

Sudan war’s humanitarian cost demands a collective response
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/March 31, 2024
The humanitarian crisis gripping Sudan has surged to unprecedented levels, drawing urgent appeals for help from aid organizations and top UN officials alike. This crisis, labeled as one of the gravest humanitarian catastrophes in recent memory, has catapulted Sudan into a nightmarish scenario — and it has the potential to reverberate across the region, triggering a hunger and famine crisis of unparalleled proportions.
Unfortunately, the power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces militia continues to take a devastating toll, leaving a trail of destruction and despair in its wake. Reports of appalling violence and atrocities perpetrated against civilians, including brutal killings and acts of rape, serve as grim reminders of the human cost of war. The harrowing testimonies of survivors paint a chilling portrait of the horrors endured by those caught in the crossfire. Families torn apart, communities shattered and futures extinguished; the toll of this conflict is immeasurable, leaving behind scars that may never fully heal. As famine looms ominously over Sudan, urgent international action is required to mitigate the suffering and prevent any further escalation of the crisis. The specter of mass starvation looms large, casting a dark shadow over Sudan’s already precarious humanitarian landscape. Amid the chaos and despair, humanitarian aid access remains severely restricted, exacerbating the plight of vulnerable populations.
The conflict has ravaged Sudan’s fragile public infrastructure, including its healthcare system, exacerbating the strain on essential services such as basic healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene. Hospitals and medical facilities, which once offered hope for the sick and injured, now stand as mere shells, unable to cope with the overwhelming influx of patients.
The displacement of civilians has placed an additional strain on stretched resources, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
In turn, the ripple effects of Sudan’s crisis have been felt far beyond its borders, casting a long shadow over the stability and prosperity of the entire region. The influx of refugees fleeing violence and persecution has placed immense strain on neighboring countries, overwhelming their capacity to provide humanitarian assistance and support. Countries such as Ethiopia, Chad and South Sudan, already grappling with their own internal challenges, have been forced to contend with the additional burden of hosting displaced Sudanese populations. This sudden influx of refugees has stretched limited resources to breaking point, escalating social tensions and economic disparities within host communities.
Looking ahead, the situation is expected to deteriorate further, with the increasing violence driving additional displacement and heightening risks across the region. The protracted nature of the conflict, compounded by political stalemates and competing interests, threatens to plunge Sudan into a state of perpetual instability, with far-reaching implications for regional security and stability.
The conflict has ravaged Sudan’s fragile public infrastructure, including its healthcare system.
In the face of such daunting challenges, a comprehensive and sustainable solution is urgently required to address the crisis and alleviate the suffering of millions of Sudanese civilians. Sponsored mediation efforts, backed by the UN and the African Union, offer a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape. The recent talks led by Saudi Arabia and the US in Jeddah aimed at brokering a truce between Sudan's army and the paramilitary RSF also represented a step in the right direction.
However, sustained diplomatic engagement and multilateral cooperation are essential to build trust between the warring parties and pave the way for a durable peace agreement. The involvement of regional and international actors is also crucial in supporting efforts to promote dialogue, reconciliation and national unity in Sudan.
In addition to diplomatic initiatives, it is critical to prioritize the protection of civilians and ensure unhindered humanitarian access to affected populations. International actors must exert pressure on all the parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and respect the rights of civilians. Furthermore, sustained funding and investment in humanitarian assistance and development programs is essential to address the immediate needs of vulnerable communities.
As Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the supervisor general of the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, correctly pointed out: “Finding solutions for the humanitarian crisis in Sudan includes securing full and safe access for aid and workers, increasing international funding, and supporting sustainable peace initiatives. Millions of refugees and (internally displaced persons) are in need of urgent emergency assistance in Sudan and in neighboring countries, and host countries also need our support to care for the influx of those fleeing from the violence. With every day that passes, more and more people are at risk but, working together, we can make a positive difference in the lives of Sudan’s most vulnerable. It is our shared responsibility to do everything we can to alleviate suffering and work towards peace and stability in Sudan.”
In a nutshell, the crisis in Sudan demands a sustained and coordinated effort by the international community and regional and local actors. By galvanizing political will, mobilizing resources and prioritizing the needs of affected populations, the international community can work toward a future where the people of Sudan can live in peace, security and dignity. The stakes are too high to ignore — the lives and futures of millions of Sudanese civilians hang in the balance. Now is the time for decisive action, before more lives are lost and irreparable damage is done.
**Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian American political scientist. X: @Dr_Rafizadeh

Washington and the ‘Grey Area’
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 31/2024
Since Joe Biden began his term as president, his administration's only strategy for the Middle East has been not to have a clear strategy. While it was said that its strategy was to withdraw from the region, it has no clear strategy for doing so, and the proof is the manner in which the US pulled out of Afghanistan.
The Biden administration had no clear strategy for dealing with allies, Iran, or the Houthis. Indeed, it has committed one blunder after another in Yemen and has no clear vision for resolving the conflict in the Middle East, showing no enthusiasm for the Abraham Accords because they were orchestrated by the previous president, Donald Trump. However, clashing with OPEC+ and visiting Jeddah following the firm stance taken by Saudi Arabia, the administration began to reconsider. Then came the events of October 7, which showed the administration that its approach was comparable to that of a student hoping to pass an exam by cramming the night before after having wasted the entire school year.
Brian Hook shared an accurate assessment of this administration, which is now entering election mode. In an interview with my colleague Rana Abtar for this newspaper, the former US Special Envoy for Iran said that it is in a "gray area."
The truth is that the administration is responsible for the position it finds itself in, which is the result of its lack of a clear strategy or vision. Hook accused the Biden administration of not devising a strategy in this "inflamed" region. "These flames are fanned in the United States," he added.
It has fanned the flames by marginalizing its partners in the region, creating a vacuum that Iran and ISIS have exploited. He also accused Washington of losing its capacity to deter Tehran because it plays "by Iran's rules," and committing several mistakes, including the decision to remove the Houthis from its terror list. Removing the Houthis from the list epitomizes Washington's confusion. The administration then returned to Yemen, not as a peacekeeper, but to bomb the Houthis because of their attacks on maritime navigation and disruption of global supply lines, which have hurt the global economy.
Hook also criticized the administration for failing to present a clear plan for peace in the Middle East. The US Secretary of State now says that Washington has a peace plan, but we haven't seen the details or the vision behind this plan.
Hook accused the Biden administration of straining relations with Benjamin Netanyahu because of "personal" tensions, saying that the Biden team "dislikes" Netanyahu. "We have made our foreign policy disputes personal," and this is not only true for Netanyahu, as the administration has approached many other places in the region. Ironically, the Biden administration, along with the Democrats, has a better relationship with Saudi Arabia today. It has relied on Riyadh to ensure stability in the region after lengthy campaigns. Meanwhile, there are real tensions between them and Israel, especially Netanyahu, who was shaken by the Hamas operation of October 7. This state of affairs demonstrates that the US administration does not know how to deal with allies or adversaries like Iran, as it has no strategy or vision, and this has left the entire region in a "gray area."
In conclusion, as explosive crises wreak havoc on the region, they also create opportunities. So, is there enough time? Can Washington end the Gaza war, restrain Netanyahu, and set the peace process in motion? I doubt it, but anything is possible.

On Attaining a State, Not Losing States
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 31/2024
Every student of political science knows that politics, whether we call it a science or an art, is about the state: it revolves around state affairs and examines its possibilities, weaknesses, and strengths, as well as proposing alternatives when conditions deteriorate, or thinking about how to develop it in a manner that allows for better representation of its citizens' aspirations and interests.
Thus, there can be no politics or political thought without a state. Many other things would not be possible either, foremost among them the preservation of individual life and the prosperity of communities.
The Moroccans probably provided the most precise Arabic terminology for this when they introduced the notions of “Makhzen” and “Siba.” The Makhzen is where the state’s money is stored; it is the seat of politics, governership, administration, and defense. Meanwhile, the Siba is where no taxes are paid, no state is established, and there is no security force to safeguard people’s lives and property and protect them from gangs and bandits. Linguistically, siba means abandonment, negligence, and taking a misguided course or rushing forward impulsively.
This universal rule also applies to the Palestinians. Their national action ultimately amounts to the pursuit of a state that takes the population from the Siba to the Makhzen. That is their right, just as it is for every other people in the world. They have struggled and continue to struggle for this right, regardless of the broad banner under which they have sought to achieve this end at this or that stage.
The demand for a state and that this state be independent once it is established, has defined national Arab politics since the dawn of the 20th century. This probably began with the 1919 revolution led by the Wafd Party and Saad Zaghloul in Egypt, before spreading to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, and other countries. We could argue that if the Arab world had managed, between 1948 and the present, to establish just states that respect their citizens and are respected by the world, it would have done far more to help the Palestinians and their cause than it has with the wars that have been waged and the armed groups formed in the name of Palestine that precipitated inta-Arab civil wars.
Respectable states would have negated the need for Palestinians to solicit support, their cause would not have been exploited to compensate for regimes' lack of legitimacy, and these states would have presented an encouraging model to the world to seek a replica in Palestine.
No one knows this better than Benjamin Netanyahu, who has always been extremely hostile to the establishment of a Palestinian state that would harmonize the history of Palestine and that of the world, especially the surrounding Arab region. As has become well known, this explains many of his policies aimed at entrenching the rift between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, as well as reinforcing the sentiment of some Gazans that they could do without the West Bank. To that end, he funded their wish, represented by Hamas to dispense with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank or turned a blind eye to the funds being sent to them.
However, the past decades of Levantine history have witnessed a coup against the course that was taken in Egypt in 1919. This period did not see the development of respectable states that ensure justice for their population, one of whose achievements would have strengthened the Palestinians’ negotiating position, and there has thus been no progress towards a Palestinian state. Instead, what happened is that states were hollowed out from the inside over a long time, and the quasi-state established in Palestine in 1993 did not escape this fate.
That is how despotism, corruption, Iranian encroachment on national sovereignty, the explosion of sectarian identities, and subjection to occupations converged, with the rise of militias - with their arms, parallel economies, ethic, their transnational expansion, and total negation of states - becoming the most overarching theme of this process.
This decay and degeneracy always found reinforcement in a populist and nihilistic culture that claims to replace the state with the "umma" (nation), which is actually a certain community that is not at all keen on the unity of society and is extremely keen on maintaining its dominance through foreign powers, or presenting the state as a mere tool in the hands of one class that uses it to oppress the others.
As a result of this shift, the deep meaning of the Palestinian cause is no longer attaining a state. Rather, a totally antithetical conception has prevailed. The trajectory that is currently on the rise, which is accompanied by countless forms of populist interpretations, is the exploitation of this cause to push profoundly imbalanced and fractured existing states to dissolution and erasure. In one way or another, we see something of the sort in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and possibly also Iraq and Jordan. The peoples of these countries also now need states, albeit states of a different type than those of the ones they currently have, which participated to the demise of statehood.
The state is not made to be worshiped, nor is it a dragon that devours individual freedoms and rights in exchange for the provision of security, nor is it the pinnacle of human development or the ultimate manifestation of reason and freedom, nor is an eternal gift that can never be surpassed in the future. It is not Hobbes' Leviathan nor the highest stage of the Hegelian Geist on which history will settle. Nevertheless, Palestine and other countries of ours need a state - a state whose existence can allow for its reform and perhaps transcendence. Although we are burdened by a surplus of authority and security, we in the Arab world, especially the Levant, do not have a surplus of statehood. What we do have is a horrific lack that threatens, in the name of obtaining a new state, to overthrow the existing ones.