English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For August 04/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Canaanite woman’s Daughter Healing Miracle/Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.
Matthew 15/21-28: “Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 03-04/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video:The Fourth Anniversary of the terrorist Hezbollah’s Explosion Of Beirut Port/Elias Bejjani/August 04/2024
Firing Alain Aoun from Aoun-Bassil Commercial Company/Hell, its Fire, and Worms Await the Demonic Son-in-Law Bassil and All of His Judas-Like Followers/Elias Bejjani/August 02, 2024
The Wounded of August 4th, Living Reminders of the Explosion
The Soulful Legacy of Beirut’s Volunteer Army
August 4 Memorial: Hennis-Plasschaert Meets Families of Victims
Southern Lebanon: Hezb Fighter Killed, Two Injured in Israeli Strike
An Afternoon of Heavy Clashes in South Lebanon
Israel strikes convoy of trucks entering Lebanon from Syria
Military sent to help embassies as Lammy tells UK citizens ‘leave Lebanon now’
Air France, Transavia halt Beirut flights until Tuesday
UK, US tell nationals in Lebanon to leave immediately
Kuwait suspends flights to Beirut indefinitely; Air France and Transavia to extend suspension
US, UK urge nationals to leave Lebanon, Air France halts flights
Iran says it expects Hezbollah to hit deeper inside Israel
Israeli Preparations Amid Fears of Multi-Front Conflict and Efforts for Hostages Exchange
Lebanon's Emergency Measures in Response to Escalating War Threats
Kamal Jomblat has allied with the PLO against the other Lebanese in 1975
Thousands throng dance show in Beirut despite soaring tensions with Israel
Lebanese village mourns Syrian family killed in Israeli strike
Lebanon Faces Decline in Childhood Vaccination Rates: Risks and Consequences
Europe’s Tourism Crisis: What Lebanon Can Learn

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 03-04/2024
The Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh and a History of Targeted Killings Linked to Israel
Mossad Reportedly Hired Iranian Agents to Plant Bombs in Haniyeh’s Residence
Iran Arrests Dozens in Search for Haniyeh Killing Suspects
Syria monitor says one killed in ‘Israeli drone strike’
Americans Warned to Leave Lebanon ASAP as Iran Vows Revenge
Air France, Transavia halt Beirut flights until Tuesday
Poland warns against travel to Lebanon, Israel and Iran
US to deploy more warships, fighter jets to Mideast
Iran says Hamas leader Haniyeh was killed by ‘short-range projectile’
Iran says a short-range projectile killed Hamas' Haniyeh and reiterates vows of retaliation
Israel says strikes in the West Bank kill 9 militants. Israeli delegation is in Cairo for Gaza talks
UAE provides 70 tons of aid to displaced families in Gaza
Hamas Military Commander killed in Israeli drone strike in occupied West Bank
Biden decision to quit made Netanyahu more ‘bold’ against Iran: Israeli official
Egypt concerned over escalating regional crisis
UAE uncovers ‘terror-linked’ organization formed by fugitives abroad
Somali police say 32 people died in an attack on a beach hotel. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.
Trump says he'll skip an ABC debate with Harris in September and wants them to face off on Fox News
Ukraine says it sank Russian submarine in Crimea

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on August 03-04/2024
UK’s new Labour govt and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/August 03, 2024
The world needs to do more to achieve sustainable aviation/Ranvir S. Nayar/Arab News/August 03, 2024
Biden’s exit opens door for Netanyahu's bolder stance on Iran, report says/Itamar Eichner/ynet news/August 03/2024
Prospects of War, Terrorism and Peace in the Middle East/Hanibaal Atheos/Lebanon Iznogood web site/Saturday, August 03/2024
Haniyeh is Sinwar’s Victim/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/August 03/2024
Ten Years After Yazidi Genocide: Justice Still Pending, Extremism Threats Persist/Dr. Barham Salih/Asharq Al Awsat/August 03/2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 03-04/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video:The Fourth Anniversary of the terrorist Hezbollah’s Explosion Of Beirut Port
Elias Bejjani/August 04/2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/08/132851/
On the fourth anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion, we sadly remember August 4, 2020, a day that marked one of the largest catastrophes in the history of Lebanon and the world. The explosion at the Beirut Port, classified as the largest non-nuclear explosion in history, resulted in the deaths of over 200 people, injuries to thousands, the displacement of hundreds of thousands, and the transformation of Lebanon’s capital into a scene of devastation and ruin.
The Beirut Port explosion, a terrorist and criminal act, was caused by the ignition of a massive quantity of ammonium nitrate stored at the port. These dangerous materials had been stored for years, and it is believed that Hezbollah and the Syrian Assad regime were using them to manufacture barrel bombs that claimed the lives of thousands of Syrians. Additionally, Hezbollah utilized these materials in its terrorist operations in various European countries. Authorities in Cyprus and Germany confirmed Hezbollah’s involvement with these materials and seized quantities of them.
Since the explosion, Hezbollah, an Iranian terrorist proxy occupying Lebanon, wreaking havoc, corruption, killing its people, displacing them, and impoverishing them, has obstructed judicial investigations by all criminal and illegal means available to it, including the use of excessive force, weapons, terrorism, assassinations, accusations, arrests, and the manipulation of the judiciary. Hezbollah officials threatened the judges assigned to the investigation, and several military and civilian officials who had information about the party’s and Assad’s Syria’s involvement in the explosion were assassinated. Among these victims were a banker, two officers who worked at the port (Mounier Abu rjaili and Joseph Skaf) and photographer Joe Bejjani, who was killed in his home in Kahaleh village.
The situation worsened when Wafic Safa, Hezbollah’s security chief, brazenly threatened Judge Tarek Bitar, the investigator assigned on the case, leading to the forced suspension of the investigations and preventing numerous implicated witnesses, including ministers, MPs, and security officials, from testifying.
Today, on August 4, the Families of the Victims Committee will hold a protests to mark the anniversary of the massacre, demanding justice for the victims and the injured. These families, who have lost loved ones and endured unimaginable physical and psychological trauma, call for uncovering the truth and holding those responsible accountable.
In conclusion, we must affirm that justice remains an urgent demand, and the investigation must continue until the truth is revealed and the perpetrators are punished.
It remains that building a safe and stable future for Lebanon is impossible without justice and accountability.
The Beirut Port explosion was not a mere accident but a crime that requires a thorough and impartial investigation to ensure the rights of the victims and restore hope to their families and all Lebanese.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website: http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com

Firing Alain Aoun from Aoun-Bassil Commercial Company/Hell, its Fire, and Worms Await the Demonic Son-in-Law Bassil and All of His Judas-Like Followers
Elias Bejjani/August 02, 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/08/132768/
Jebran Bassil, are you truly aware of the consequences of your evil actions, deviant stances, unpatriotic, and unfaithful piles of Nonsense?
If you still have even a grain of faith, remember that human life is a mere temporary gift, and when the Lord retrieves His gift, all that is earthly remains on the earth.
When human beings move to the afterlife, whoever they may be, will take nothing with them but their deeds.
Your deeds, as you are 100% aware, are merely heaps and sacks of sins, demonic acts, greed, lack of loyalty, narcissism, ingratitude, betrayal, and the worship of money and power.
We ask, how can you justify to your Lord on the day you stand before Him at the final judgment? And presently, to those of your followers who still have a grain of sense in their skulls, how can you justify standing alongside the enemies of Lebanon, its identity, its entity, its history, and the blood of the martyrs?
You and your uncle have reached the point of firing Alain Aoun from your crooked commercial company. It is truly a time of misery, drought, demons, and pseudo-men!!!
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website: http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com

The Wounded of August 4th, Living Reminders of the Explosion
Sami Erchoff /This is Beirut/August 03/2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79uwB8ubhlQ&t=7s
This is Beirut invites you to rewatch this report in commemoration of the fourth anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion on August 4, 2020. 235 people died in the Beirut port explosion, and 7,000 others were injured. Today, more than 150 people are living with a permanent disability – a figure that is largely underestimated in the absence of a reliable, unified database. As living memories of the explosion, they carry the after-effects of the disaster in their bodies and souls: the indifference and impunity of the political class and a sense of humiliation follow them daily.

The Soulful Legacy of Beirut’s Volunteer Army
Alissar Boulos /This is Beirut/August 03/2024
In the wake of the port of Beirut’s tragic explosion, a remarkable force emerged on the city streets—hundreds of young volunteers armed with determination and compassion. Their collective efforts to clean up and rebuild in the aftermath of devastation not only restored physical structures but also nurtured a sense of community and shared purpose. Now, four years later, as memories of that fateful event linger, these unsung heroes reflect on their experiences with a mix of gratitude and introspection in an interview with This is Beirut.
What Triggered the Decision to Volunteer
Most agree that the momentum was spontaneous. Social media was ablaze with tips and ideas on how to help. “We got the idea through word of mouth. We had been feeling so useless,” says Ignace Kairouz, who was 20 at the time.
Enzo Boustany, who was also 20, likes to think that he would have volunteered anyway. “Some of my friends were volunteers in NGOs, and thanks to them, I ended up on the streets. Some of my friends were also directly affected by the blast, so I felt a duty to help even more.”Mostly, these youngsters knew that if they did not take the initiative, no one else would. “We knew that our government would not lift a finger and that the only way to help was to do it ourselves. We brought gloves and shovels and waited for orders,” according to Youssef Khattar, who was in law school at the time of the explosion.
A Sense of Community
As they struggled to make sense of the horror surrounding them, these young cleaners also discovered feelings that were somehow new to them.
“We were acting robotically. We didn’t allow space for emotions to kick in,” says Farah Kabbani, 25 at the time, adding that solidarity was the major prompt.
However, the feeling that is most commonly reported is that of belonging. This impetus created a sense of community, belonging, and usefulness. “It was weird. We were in the middle of the apocalypse, yet there was a feeling of belonging mixed with horror. It was reassuring to see all these people, some coming in from as far as Akkar. It was a feeling of belonging to a community,” says Ignace Kairouz. Youssef Khattar adds that even the people who had lost their homes or been injured were always inquiring about their well-being, offering drinks and food (even though they didn’t have much to eat themselves). “Despite the trauma, volunteers and residents established a bond.”
Learning Experience
“There is common ground even beyond social class, and Lebanese people are welcoming even when they have lost everything,” says Youssef Khattar of his learning experience. “I learnt how to use tools and build things. More importantly, I learned the value of forming meaningful relationships with people outside my family,” continues Enzo Boustany. Superficially, this experience taught me how to build walls, use cement, etc. More importantly, it showed me what Lebanon is like outside of my “bubble,” adds Ignace Kairouz.
Impact and Feelings
For most members of the “cleaning up army,” there was a mix of emotions. “We were grateful to help, yet we knew that it was not normal to function in such circumstances. We should have been allowed to collapse, to not be okay,” shares Farah Kabbani. “It’s complicated to explain. I felt good because I was useful. It was also treacherous because I felt that I wasn’t allowed to feel good about what I was doing due to the magnitude of the destruction,” reports Enzo Boustany. The same feeling was decribed by Ignace Kairouz, who added that he felt selfish to feel good about what he was doing when he had a home to go back to and others didn’t.
Four Years Later…
Four years into the port explosion, Beirut’s volunteer cleaners reflect on their experiences, which, despite the horror and trauma, bring out feelings of selflessness and goodwill. “I feel grateful to have had such power and to have been able to act and help out in the moment,” shares Farah Kabbani. “However, once I was no longer on “automatic pilot”, I felt the need to leave Lebanon, and I did.”“We have selective amnesia, and four years later, it’s as if we cleaned up in order to forget not to get better. I will always be there to clean up, but it is not worth putting your life at risk for it. This is why I live abroad; it was not a choice; I (and others) were kicked out.”“Four years later, I can say that it was a positive experience because I interacted with Lebanese youth that stood up to help people instead of running away. To know that my people are good and united is extraordinary. It’s important to realize that national unity exists when we need it,” repeats Youssef Khattar, who completed his law degree in Beirut. “There was a sense of a job well done. When I saw people going back to their homes and putting books on shelves, it was very satisfying,” says Ignace Kairouz. “However, after that, I left Lebanon, and in hindsight, this led to a feeling of guilt.” Enzo Boustany also reflects on the satisfaction of a job well done and the chance to build relationships with people who remain in his life to this day. Four years after Beirut’s devastating explosion, the volunteer army’s selfless efforts resonate with gratitude and introspection. Despite the mixed emotions of guilt and accomplishment, these young heroes reflect on their impactful contributions with pride. As time passes, a blend of nostalgia and realism colors their memories, highlighting the enduring power of compassion in times of crisis.

August 4 Memorial: Hennis-Plasschaert Meets Families of Victims
This Is Beirut/ August 03/2024
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert affirmed that “the tragedy of the Beirut Port explosion reverberated throughout the world,” emphasizing that it is “deeply moving to hear the testimonies of the families and bear witness to this painful anniversary.”While meeting the families of victims of the Beirut Port blast on Saturday, she indicated that “it is also agonizing to see them re-victimized by the failure to deliver justice thus far.”“Frankly, the complete lack of accountability for such a manmade disaster is staggering” she said, adding, “one would expect the concerned authorities to work tirelessly to lift all barriers – structural or political – but the opposite is happening.”Hennis-Plasschaert reiterated the call of the UN Secretary-General for an impartial, thorough, and transparent investigation to deliver truth, justice, and accountability. For their part, the families shared their stories of this unprecedented tragedy that decimated lives, families and homes, recounting their pursuit of truth, justice, and accountability.

Southern Lebanon: Hezb Fighter Killed, Two Injured in Israeli Strike
This Is Beirut/August 03/2024
Unabated confrontations continued on Saturday between Israel and Hezbollah, with an Israeli drone attack targeting a car on the Wadi Gilo Road near Bazouriye in southern Lebanon. The attack resulted in the death of one person and the injury of two others. Hezbollah later announced the killing of one of its fighters identified as, Ali Abdul Ali, code-named “John”, in the attack. For their part, the Israeli army said the target was in charge of Hezbollah’s southern front describing him as a “precious catch.”A paramedic from the Islamic Health Authority, who was helping to retrieve the casualties from the targeted car, found out that the dead was his brother. In addition, Israeli artillery targeted the western neighborhood of Mays al-Jabal. Earlier this morning, the Israeli Army announced “targeting two Hezbollah operatives inside a military base in Blida.”Late Friday night, the Israeli media reported “an unusual incident in Leman settlement, in the upper Galilee, where an unidentified man tried to infiltrate into Lebanon.”

An Afternoon of Heavy Clashes in South Lebanon
This Is Beirut/August 03/2024
The clashes in South Lebanon escalated on Saturday afternoon after Hezbollah reactivated the support front following a 48-hour pause imposed by the assassination of commander Fouad Shokr in an Israeli strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut. According to a statement by the Ministry of Health, an Israeli drone targeted the town of Deir Seryan on Saturday evening, resulting in the death of a 17-year-old boy and injuring six civilians. Two Israeli raids targeted the town of Tayr Harfa, injuring one person. Meanwhile, two other raids targeted the areas of Aita al-Shaab and al-Marj in the southern outskirts of Hula. In the same context, the Israeli army declared that it had bombed infrastructure and military sites belonging to Hezbollah in Tayr Harfa and Kfar Kila. The Israelis fired an incendiary shell on the outskirts of Chihine, causing a fire. Additionally, they bombarded the areas near Alma al-Shaab and Naqoura, as well as the mountains of Labbouneh and al-Alam. Finally, Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier twice over Chouf and Aley. In response, Hezbollah announced that it had targeted the al-Aasi and Hadab Yaroun sites with artillery shells, also stating that “in response to the aggression against the resistant villages of the South and civilian homes, especially in the town of Aita al-Shaab, Hezbollah targeted a building used by Israeli soldiers in the settlement of Metula with gunfire.”In retaliation for the aggression against Kfar Kila, Hezbollah fired on buildings used by Israeli soldiers in the Avivim settlement. It also struck buildings in Shlomi and the sites of Roueissat al-Alam and Samaqa in the Kfarchouba hills. Furthermore, Israeli Channel 12 reported that two rockets fired from Lebanon fell in open areas in Baram, in the northern Galilee. Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli army stated that it had targeted two Hezbollah members inside a military installation in Blida. An Israeli drone also targeted a car on a road between Wadi Jilo and Bazourieh, resulting in one death and two injuries. Another drone struck the town of Rab Thalathin, but no casualties were reported. Hezbollah subsequently announced that one of its fighters, identified as Ali Abdel Ali, was killed in the attack on the car.

Israel strikes convoy of trucks entering Lebanon from Syria
Agence France Presse/August 3, 2024
A source close to Hezbollah said late Friday that Israel carried out strikes on a convoy of trucks entering Lebanon from Syria. "Three Israeli strikes targeted a convoy of tanker trucks on the Syrian-Lebanese border in the Hawsh el-Sayyed Ali area, injuring one Syrian driver," the source told AFP. It was the latest in a series of Israeli strikes in the border area, the source added. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor also reported Israeli strikes inside Syria near the border with Lebanon, without mentioning any casualties. The strikes targeted an area near a border crossing "used by Hezbollah to move trucks and group members" between Lebanon and Syria, said the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria. "One of the strikes targeted a truck convoy," while another targeted "a farm on the outskirts of Qusayr in Homs province," the Observatory said on Saturday. Iran-backed Hezbollah has a strong presence on both sides of the eastern stretch of the Lebanese-Syria border, where it supports the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The group has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israeli forces since its Palestinian ally Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, sparking war in Gaza. Hezbollah had muted its attacks following the killing of its military chief Fouad Shukur in Beirut on Tuesday and Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday. The Lebanese group claimed responsibility for five attacks on Israeli military positions near the border on Friday. Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, addressing Shukur's funeral this week, warned that Israel and "those who are behind it must await our inevitable response" to the twin killings. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah since October has killed at least 542 people on the Lebanese side, most of them fighters but also including 114 civilians, according to an AFP tally. At least 22 soldiers and 25 civilians have been killed on the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, according to army figures.

Military sent to help embassies as Lammy tells UK citizens ‘leave Lebanon now’
Nina Lloyd, PA Political Correspondent/PA Media: UK News/August 3, 2024
Military personnel and consular experts have been deployed to the Middle East to help British nationals in the region as ministers warned the “situation could deteriorate rapidly”. Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Saturday repeated calls for UK citizens in Lebanon to “leave now” amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Armed forces personnel are heading to the region to provide embassies with operational support to help British nationals and Border Force has sent officers who stand ready to aid consular operations, the Foreign Office said. Meanwhile, consular experts have been drafted in to assist with planning and responding to queries from UK citizens. This is alongside the Royal Air Force having put transport helicopters on stand-by and landing ship RFA Cardigan Bay and HMS Duncan already being in the Mediterranean to help allies with humanitarian efforts. Mr Lammy said: “Tensions are high and the situation could deteriorate rapidly. While we are working round the clock to strengthen our consular presence in Lebanon, my message to British nationals there is clear – leave now. “A widening of this conflict is in nobody’s interest – the consequences could be catastrophic. That’s (why) we continue to call for de-escalation and a diplomatic solution.” The Government is preparing for “a range of possible conflict scenarios”, the Foreign Office said. Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Our armed forces will always step up to support British citizens around the world and reinforce regional stability with their professionalism and bravery. “As I told leaders in the Middle East this week, de-escalation must be the primary focus in the region and we are urging all to dial down tensions. There must be an end to the fighting, an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and a diplomatic path to peace and security.” The appeal follows visits by Mr Healey and Mr Lammy to Qatar and Lebanon earlier this week, with the two men urging a ceasefire, the release of hostages and an increase in aid to Palestine. The ministers’ tour comes in the wake of the death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in an air strike on the Iranian capital Tehran that has been attributed to Israel. Tensions have also increased on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon after 12 children and teenagers were killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack in the Golan Heights. That was followed by an Israeli air strike on a suburb of Lebanese capital Beirut, which Tel Aviv said was targeting the Hezbollah commander responsible.

Air France, Transavia halt Beirut flights until Tuesday
AFP/August 03, 2024
PARIS: Flights to Beirut by Air France and low-cost carrier Transavia France will remain suspended until at least Tuesday due to “security” concerns in the region, parent company Air France-KLM said. The two French airlines first stopped servicing the route on Monday, a day after Israel vowed to retaliate following rocket fire from Lebanon that killed 12 people in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. “Any resumption of operation will be subject to a renewed evaluation on the ground,” a spokesman said Saturday, adding that passengers with reservations could rebook at no extra cost. Flights to Tel Aviv will continue as normal, he added. The rocket attack on the Golan Heights sparked fears that fighting between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel would escalate. When those fears subsided somewhat the airlines announced on Tuesday that flights would resume on Wednesday. But Israel then struck a Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut on Tuesday evening, targeting a senior commander it blamed for the rocket strike on the Golan Heights. This development sparked an extension of the flight suspension until Saturday, which has now been prolonged again. Iran said earlier on Saturday it expects Hezbollah to hit deeper inside Israel and no longer be confined to military targets. Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israeli forces. German carrier Lufthansa has suspended flights until August 12.

UK, US tell nationals in Lebanon to leave immediately
AFP/August 03, 2024
LONDON: The UK government on Saturday urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately, amid fears of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah and a broader regional conflict. In a statement, the foreign ministry said British nationals should depart the Middle Eastern country “now while commercial options remain available.”“Tensions are high, and the situation could deteriorate rapidly,” said Foreign Minister David Lammy. “While we are working round the clock to strengthen our consular presence in Lebanon, my message to British nationals there is clear — leave now.” The Foreign Office said it was “strengthening” its support for Britons in the country by deploying “border force, consular officials and military personnel to the region.”The officials will offer “additional support” to embassy staff while the military personnel will provide embassies with “operational support to help British nationals,” the ministry said. “This is alongside Landing ship RFA Cardigan Bay and HMS Duncan already being in the eastern Mediterranean to support allies with humanitarian requirements, with the Royal Air Force also putting transport helicopters on standby,” the statement added. “With the potential for exit routes out of Lebanon — including roads — being affected, limited, or closed, due to events escalating with little warning, teams will continue to urge British nationals to leave while commercial options remain available.”The US embassy in Lebanon also urged its citizens Saturday to leave Lebanon on “any ticket available.”
Despite flight suspensions and cancelations, “commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon remain available,” the embassy statement said. “We encourage those who wish to depart Lebanon to book any ticket available to them, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow their first-choice route.”

Kuwait suspends flights to Beirut indefinitely; Air France and Transavia to extend suspension
LBCI/August 3, 2024
Kuwait Airways announced the suspension of its flights to and from Beirut, starting next Monday until further notice, amid growing concerns about the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. In a statement, the Kuwaiti company said it will operate "its last flight from Beirut to Kuwait on Sunday, August 4, for passengers wishing to return," without specifying the duration of the suspension. It explained that "passengers will be accepted starting four hours before the flight's departure or can modify their booking times through Kuwait Airways' ticket booking channels or by contacting via WhatsApp."
On the other hand, Air France and Transavia France have decided to extend the suspension of their flights to Beirut until at least August 6 "due to the security situation," according to their parent company, Air France-KLM. The two companies suspended their services to the Lebanese capital on July 29, amid fears of a military escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. A spokesperson for Air France told AFP that flights to Tel Aviv "continue as normal."

US, UK urge nationals to leave Lebanon, Air France halts flights
RFI/August 3, 2024
Both the US and UK governments on Saturday urged their citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately, amid fears of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah and a broader regional conflict. Flights to Beirut by Air France and low-cost carrier Transavia France will remain suspended until at least Tuesday. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said British nationals should depart the Middle Eastern country "now while commercial options remain available". "Tensions are high, and the situation could deteriorate rapidly," said Foreign Minister David Lammy. "While we are working round the clock to strengthen our consular presence in Lebanon, my message to British nationals there is clear – leave now."Fears of a regional Middle East war grew on Saturday after the assassination of Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh, blamed on Israel, triggered vows of vengeance from Iran-backed Middle East groups.
Israel, which has declined to comment on Haniyeh's killing, had earlier this week struck a Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut. That strike killed a senior commander of the Lebanese militant group it blamed for a deadly weekend rocket strike on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The killings are the latest of several major incidents that have inflamed regional tensions during the Gaza war, which has drawn in Iran-backed militant groups in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. The US embassy in Lebanon also urged its citizens Saturday to leave Lebanon on "any ticket available".

Iran says it expects Hezbollah to hit deeper inside Israel
AFP/August 03, 2024
TEHRAN: Iran said on Saturday it expects Lebanon’s Tehran-backed Hezbollah group to hit deeper inside Israel and no longer be confined to military targets after Israel killed the Hezbollah military commander. Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israeli forces, saying it is targeting military positions over the border, since its Palestinian ally Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, sparking war in Gaza. But a strike claimed by Israel in an overcrowded residential area of South Beirut changed the calculus, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said. “We expect... Hezbollah to choose more targets and (strike) deeper in its response,” said the mission quoted by the official IRNA news agency. “Secondly, that it will not limit its response to military targets.” The strike on Tuesday killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, five civilians — three women and two children — also died. Israel said Shukr was responsible for rocket fire that killed 12 youths in the annexed Golan Heights, and had directed Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel since the Gaza war began. “Hezbollah and the (Israeli) regime had observed certain lines,” including limiting strikes to border areas and military targets, Iran’s mission said. The Beirut strike crossed that line, it added. Hours after Shukr’s killing, the political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in a pre-dawn “hit” on his accommodation in Tehran, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said. Israel has declined to comment. On Thursday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said Israel and “those who are behind it must await our inevitable response” to the killings of both Shukr and Haniyeh. Iran and Hamas have also vowed to retaliate.

Israeli Preparations Amid Fears of Multi-Front Conflict and Efforts for Hostages Exchange
LBCI/August 03, 2024
“Who reaches Fouad Shokor reaches Nasrallah.” With these words, former head of Israeli military intelligence Amos Yadlin tried to reassure Israeli citizens on Saturday morning, in an interview with the Army Radio, amid a prevailing state of panic, anxiety, fear, and even chaos.
Simultaneously, home front rescue drills continued, and Israel reached peak preparedness across various levels, including coordination with the regional alliance. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant communicated with his British counterpart and the British Army Chief of Staff to ensure air defense against multi-front attacks. He also intensified coordination with Washington and other countries in the region, while Israel still considers the northern front to be the biggest and most dangerous challenge. As part of preparing for various scenarios, security agencies introduced new defense systems, and the Navy tested the Safe Lightning system, via a Sa'ar ship, to counter medium and long-range missiles included in Israel's scenarios for targeting different areas. Meanwhile, the army canceled soldiers' leaves, called up the reserves, and faced issues in recruiting them, protesting the continuation of the war and the exhaustion felt by thousands of soldiers, as the war nears the end of its tenth month. This led the Chief of Staff to meet with reserve soldiers and prepare them for the possibility of the war expanding. At the peak of preparations for a potential multi-front attack, Israel intensified its fighting in Gaza, believing that pressure there would contribute to advancing a hostage exchange deal. Its negotiating delegation, led by Mossad chief David Barnea, headed to Cairo in an attempt to reach understandings on the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah crossing that would be acceptable to Hamas, hoping to soon return to a deal that would prevent escalation into a full-scale war.

Lebanon's Emergency Measures in Response to Escalating War Threats
LBCI/August 03, 2024
The state has been preparing for the worst not just due to today's escalating threats of a large-scale war. Ever since Hezbollah entered the conflict to support Gaza from the south, both the public and private sectors have implemented emergency measures. These measures have encompassed various vital sectors. Director General of the Ministry of Economy, Mohammad Abou Haidar, assured LBCI that the stockpile of food supplies, including both basic and luxury items, is sufficient for at least three months. Furthermore, the Ministry of Economy has been informed by supermarket owners across all branches that there is no rush to buy food and supplies; rather, the situation remains normal. "The movement is not almost normal, but very normal in supermarkets," confirmed Abou Haidar. However, in anticipation of any emergency, especially following recent developments, and in coordination with the ministry, food importers have distributed stored food supplies evenly across different warehouses in various regions. This has been done to ensure the needs of all regions are met if war breaks out. The essential food commodity is wheat, which is also available in storage for at least two months with the General Directorate of Grains, while the private sector imports large quantities without subsidies. It is true that petroleum derivatives, especially fuel oil, are not stored. However, the movement of fuel oil tankers is normal to this day, and shipments are being unloaded as usual. On the other hand, domestic gas is available for at least a month with companies, in addition to the gas already stored in homes. It is noteworthy that oil import companies have been granted permits to maintain a strategic reserve, usually designated for emergencies, for the Red Cross, hospitals, factories, and essential transportation. Meanwhile, since the day following the war, the Ministry of Health has taken measures encompassing hospitals, medical supplies, and pharmaceuticals. The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Health to make agreements by mutual consent to purchase medicines, secure diesel, and take any necessary measures to ensure the availability of medical supplies. At the same time, hospitals have put themselves on standby to face any scenario. Additionally, the government has authorized the Minister of Public Works to resort to agreements by mutual consent in case Beirut Airport, seaports, or infrastructure are bombed, to repair them quickly without going through administrative routines.

Kamal Jomblat has allied with the PLO against the other Lebanese in 1975
Roger Bejjani/Face Book/August 03, 2024
Fact: Kamal Jomblat has allied with the PLO against the other Lebanese in 1975; which caused the Lebanese civil war.
Fact:
Walid Jomblat allied with the Syrians who killed his father, against the Lebanese government and has helped the Syrians to sink down the May 17 accord of 1983, which gave Syria and mainly later Hezbollah free hand in Lebanon.
Fact:
Walid Jomblat deserted March 14 coalition in order to preserve himself against the assassins of Hariri and the ones who tried to assassinate Marwan Hamade.
Fact:
Walid Jomblat adopted the denial of HZB regarding the Falak I missile shot on Majdl Shams and is supporting HZB in the destruction of Lebanon.
Fact: both Kamal and Walid Jomblat were motivated respectively by power and survival and hence have contributed actively in the destruction of Lebanon.

Thousands throng dance show in Beirut despite soaring tensions with Israel
Agence France Presse/August 03, 2024
As Hezbollah's leader threatened Israel with crushing retaliation for killing their top commander, thousands in Beirut flocked to a dance extravaganza in a stark illustration of Lebanon's deep divisions. In the capital's southern suburbs -- a Hezbollah stronghold -- tens of thousands of black-clad women and men in military uniform joined Thursday's funeral procession for slain commander Fouad Shukur. Across the city on the Beirut waterfront, nearly 8,000 people attended a spectacular dance show that evening by the Mayyas troupe that won the "America's Got Talent" television contest in 2022. "I am sad people are dying in southern Lebanon and Gaza, but resistance is not just about carrying a gun and fighting," said 45-year-old Olga Farhat. "Joy, art and celebrating life is also a form of resistance," the human rights activist told AFP. Fireworks opened the dance show, hours after Hezbollah buried Shukur, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in the southern suburbs on Tuesday. The show entitled 'Qoumi' -- rise up in Arabic -- was an ode to the Lebanese capital that has endured decades of conflict, upheaval and a years-long economic crisis. "There is a split in the country between those who don't care for war and feel that... Hezbollah wants to impose its collective identity on them, while the other group is fighting," Farhat said. "I understand both points of view, but we are tired of wars and crises, we want to enjoy life."
'We love life'
In the southern suburbs, thousands of Hezbollah supporters chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". Across the city, dozens of Mayyas dancers performed a moving tribute to war-battered south Lebanon, from where Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily cross-border fire with the Israel army since the Gaza war began on October 7."I grew up during Lebanon's (1975-1990) civil war and I was raised to believe in the Palestinian cause," Farhat said. "But today I say 'Lebanon first.'"The raid that killed Shukur and an Iranian military adviser also cost the lives of three women and two young siblings, authorities said. In a video clip circulating online, their bereaved mother said their lives were a "sacrifice for you, Sayyed (Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah)."Speaking from the southern suburbs, Hussein Nasreddine, 36, said: "We love life like everyone else... but if Israel drags us into war, it is our duty to die as martyrs."
The cross-border violence since October has killed at least 542 people in Lebanon, most of them fighters but also including 114 civilians, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, the army reports 47 soldiers and civilians dead, including on the annexed Golan Heights.
'Exact copy'
In June, the head of the Hezbollah bloc in the Lebanese parliament, Mohammad Raad, who lost a son in the border clashes, lambasted Lebanese "who want to go to night clubs... beaches, and enjoy their lives" as war rages in the south. This week, independent lawmaker Mark Daou angered Hezbollah supporters by posting a photograph of Thursday night's show with the comment: "The strongest response to Israel is the culture of life and beauty."Daou, who was elected after mass protests against the political leadership responsible for the country's slide into economic crisis, told AFP he refused to "reduce Lebanon to a battlefield." Many politicians, especially from Lebanon's Christian community, have criticized Hezbollah for risking war with Israel. Peace-building expert Sonia Nakad said "the bigger the tragedy, the greater the division" in Lebanon. In Lebanon, power is shared according to sectarian quotas, with communities so divided about the country's past that events following 1943 are missing from official history books. Each party "wants the other to be an exact copy of them to be able to co-exist, while they are opposites in everything," she said. "The Lebanese have yet to renounce using violence against each other, no matter how big their disagreements," she said. Foreign airlines have suspended or canceled flights to Beirut but many Lebanese expatriates are still pouring in, although some have cut their holidays short. Rabab Abu Hamdan said she planned to go back to the Gulf after feeling "very stressed in the past few days."
"Despite the difficult circumstances, Lebanon remains the best vacation destination," she said.

Lebanese village mourns Syrian family killed in Israeli strike
Associated Press/August 03, 2024
Dozens of people gathered Friday in the village of Shamaa in southern Lebanon to mourn a Syrian refugee family killed in an Israeli strike that hit their house the day before. The Lebanese health ministry said five Lebanese citizens were also injured in the strike, which killed a Syrian widow and her three sons — two children and one young adult. Haidar Haidar, the oldest son’s employer in a factory for construction materials, said the family was originally from Idlib in northern Syria. “They are people who escaped war in Syria and they met their fate here,” he said. Since October, Hezbollah and Israeli forces have exchanged strikes near-daily over the Lebanon-Israel border, killing more than 500 people in Lebanon — including about 100 civilians — and 22 soldiers and 25 civilians in Israel. Israel on Tuesday killed a top Hezbollah commander in a rare strike in Beirut's southern suburbs for which Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate, triggering fears that the conflict could spiral out of control.

Lebanon Faces Decline in Childhood Vaccination Rates: Risks and Consequences
LBCIAugust 03, 2024
Every year, around 25,000 children in Lebanon, some just months old, are at risk of paralysis, permanent disability, or even death. The reason? A decline in vaccination rates. In 2023, childhood vaccination rates dropped by 28% compared to 2019.How serious is this? When we talk about vaccinating children, we're referring to giving individuals aged 0 to 18 multiple doses of a substance that protects them from chronic diseases by stimulating their immune systems to recognize and combat germs. It is crucial to emphasize that one dose of a vaccine is not enough. Over time, its effectiveness wanes, which highlights the importance of booster shots (Rappel) to re-stimulate the immune system and prepare it to fight infections. In Lebanon, vaccination rates for diseases like mumps (Oreon) and measles (Rougeole) were over 98% but dropped to 90% last year. Meanwhile, polio vaccination rates fell to 85%. According to the Ministry of Health, Lebanon has been free of polio for 20 years. However, this status could change if vaccination rates continue to decline. In Lebanon, financial constraints should not be a barrier to receiving essential vaccines. These vaccines are available for free at 312 health centers across the country and in some pediatric clinics.Not vaccinating your children is dangerous not only for their health but also for their education. According to a directive between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, schools are prohibited from enrolling students until their vaccinations are up to date, particularly against measles, polio, and hepatitis.In conclusion, the message is clear. Vaccines are available, free, and accessible regardless of your background. So why jeopardize your children's health and carry the burden of their potential health deterioration on your conscience?

Europe’s Tourism Crisis: What Lebanon Can Learn
LBCI/August 03, 2024
If you're considering a trip to Spain, you might not be very welcome. If you're determined, be warned about potential water fights or road closures! Thousands of Spaniards have recently been protesting in various tourist cities and islands against the massive influx of tourists, which is driving up prices and increasing living costs for locals. Like Spain, residents of other European areas are struggling with a surge in tourism that is putting pressure on infrastructure, healthcare services, waste management, and the environment. This reality has prompted some authorities to take measures to mitigate the impacts of mass tourism. For example, Venice, Italy, has introduced a €5 fee for anyone wishing to visit its canals. Meanwhile, Amsterdam, Netherlands, has opted to increase the tourist tax and Barcelona has decided to reduce the number of licenses for tourist rental apartments and convert them back to residential use. These measures against tourism coincide with the effects of climate change, which are affecting Southern and Eastern Europe, leading to fluctuating weather conditions that deter tourists due to high temperatures and heavy rain. Given this tourism crisis facing Europe, we must ask: What could Lebanon do to benefit, especially since it boasts favorable weather and competitive tourist attractions? Lebanon can ensure security and political stability, begin infrastructure reforms, implement price controls in the market and intensify tourism campaigns with attractive packages for foreign visitors. The road is certainly long, and this represents another missed opportunity added to the list of lost chances.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 03-04/2024
The Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh and a History of Targeted Killings Linked to Israel
LBCI/August 03, 2024
In an apartment, Israel, specifically the Mossad, assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, the political bureau chief of Hamas. On the fourth day after the assassination, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps clarified the findings of the investigation conducted by the authorities. Their conclusion was that Ismail Haniyeh was killed by the launch of a short-range missile, equipped with a warhead weighing about seven kilograms, accompanied by a powerful explosion from outside his room. The statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards accused the "Zionist regime" of planning and executing the operation, with support from the US government, which they described as criminal, and promised a decisive response to the crime at the appropriate time and place, and in the suitable manner. The Revolutionary Guards' account came to put an end to the information circulated by media around the world that spoke about Haniyeh's assassination by an explosive device planted by the Mossad in his room at his residence in Tehran, using Iranian agents. Whatever the nature of the operation, what happened in Tehran at dawn on Wednesday was part of a long series of assassinations attributed to Israel against Iranian officials and leaders on Iranian soil, most of which the Israeli state did not acknowledge.
What are the most prominent of these?
On November 27, 2020, Israel assassinated the prominent nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, near the capital, Tehran. In 2022, Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei was killed in front of his home in Tehran after being shot by armed men on a motorcycle. Before that, specifically in 2010, Majid Shahriari, founder of the Iranian Nuclear Society, was assassinated by a bomb attached to his car. A year later, scientist Dariush Rezaeinejad was killed by unknown gunmen on a motorcycle in Tehran. In the same year, Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, who played a role in developing Iran's ballistic missile capabilities, was killed. In 2012, scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, who worked at the Natanz nuclear site, was killed in a car bomb explosion in Tehran. Although Israel did not announce its responsibility for all these attacks, it is the prime suspect according to Tehran, and it has succeeded several times in penetrating Iran's security.
The question remains, why?
By carrying out these assassinations, Israel aims to weaken Iran's strategic and defensive capabilities, particularly its nuclear program, which Tel Aviv considers a threat to its national security, explaining the targeting of scientists over the years.

Mossad Reportedly Hired Iranian Agents to Plant Bombs in Haniyeh’s Residence
London: Asharq Al Awsat/August 03/2024
Israel’s intelligence agency, the Mossad, hired Iranian security agents to plant explosives in three separate rooms of a building where Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was staying, Britain’s the Telegraph reported. The original plan was to assassinate Haniyeh in May when he attended the funeral of Iran’s former president Ebrahim Raisi, it said. The operation didn’t go ahead due to the large crowds inside the building and the high possibility of its failure, two Iranian officials told The Telegraph. Instead, the two agents placed explosive devices in three rooms of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) guesthouse in north Tehran where Haniyeh might stay. The agents were seen moving stealthily as they entered and exited multiple rooms within minutes, according to the officials who have CCTV footage of the building. The operatives are then said to have snuck out of the country but had a source still in Iran. At 2am on Wednesday, they detonated the explosives from abroad in the room where Haniyeh was staying. The explosion killed Haniyeh, who was in Tehran for the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian. “They are now certain that Mossad hired agents from the Ansar al-Mahdi protection unit,” an official within the IRGC told the Telegraph from Tehran, referring to an IRGC unit responsible for the safety of high-ranking officials. He said: “Upon further investigation, they discovered additional explosive devices in two other rooms.” A second official within the elite military forces of the IRGC told the Telegraph: “This is a humiliation for Iran and a huge security breach.” Haniyeh's death was one in a series of killings of senior Hamas figures as the war in Gaza between the Palestinian militants and Israel nears its 11th month and concern grows that the conflict is spreading across the Middle East.
Hamas and Iran have both accused Israel of carrying out the assassination and have pledged to retaliate against their foe. Israel has neither claimed nor denied responsibility for the death.

Iran Arrests Dozens in Search for Haniyeh Killing Suspects
Washington: Asharq Al Awsat/August 03/2024
Iran has arrested more than two dozen people, including senior intelligence officers, military officials and staff workers at a military-run guesthouse in Tehran after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, according to two Iranians familiar with the investigation. Haniyeh was visiting Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s new president and staying at a guesthouse in northern Tehran when he was killed. “The fervor of the response to the killing of Haniyeh underscores what a devastating security failure this was for Iran’s leadership, with the assassination occurring at a heavily guarded compound in the country’s capital within hours of the swearing-in ceremony of the country’s new president,” the New York Times reported. Israel’s intelligence agency, the Mossad, hired Iranian security agents to plant explosives in three separate rooms of the building where Haniyeh was staying, Britain’s the Telegraph reported.
Iranian officials and Hamas said Wednesday that Israel was responsible for the assassination. But Israel has not acknowledged that it was responsible for planting the bomb. “The perception that Iran can neither protect its homeland nor its key allies could be fatal for the Iranian regime, because it basically signals to its foes that if they can’t topple the Islamic Republic, they can decapitate it,” said Ali Vaez, the Iran director for the International Crisis Group. The Revolutionary Guards Corps’ specialized intelligence unit for espionage has taken over the investigation and is hunting down suspects that it hopes will lead it to members of the assassin team that planned, aided and carried out the killing, according to the two Iranian officials, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the investigations. The news of the sweeping arrests came after the Revolutionary Guards announced in a statement that “the scope and details of this incident are under investigation and will be announced in due course.” After the attack, Iranian security agents raided the guesthouse compound, The New York Times reported. The agents placed all the guesthouse’s staff members under quarantine, arrested some, and confiscated all electronic devices, including personal phones, according to the two Iranians. A separate team of agents interrogated senior military and intelligence officials with roles in safeguarding the capital. It placed a number of them under arrest until investigations are completed, according to the two Iranians.
When the security agents raided the guesthouse compound, they combed through every inch of it, inspecting surveillance cameras dating back months as well as guest lists. They also were examining the comings and goings of staff members, who are strictly vetted before employment and drawn from the rank and file of the Guards as well as from the Basij, its paramilitary volunteer task force, the two Iranian officials said. The investigation also focused on Tehran’s international and domestic airports, where agents have been stationed, looking through months of footage on cameras from the arrival and departure lounges and examining flight lists, the two Iranians said. They said that Iran believes members of Mossad’s assassin team are still in the country and their goal is to arrest them. An Iranian member of the Revolutionary Guards, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak, said he was not aware of the arrests, but said that security protocols had been completely overhauled in the past two days for senior officials. The security details for senior officials were changed, and electronic equipment such as mobile phones swapped. He said some senior officials had been moved to a different location.

Syria monitor says one killed in ‘Israeli drone strike’
AFP/August 03, 2024
BEIRUT: A monitor of Syria’s war said one person was killed Saturday in an Israeli strike on a vehicle, after reporting overnight raids on a truck convoy entering Lebanon from neighboring Syria. “An Israeli drone targeted a car on the Damascus-Beirut road near the Zabadani area... leading to the death of a person who was inside,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. There were no reports of an Israeli strike on Syrian state media, and the identity of the person killed was not immediately clear. Since Syria’s civil war erupted in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in the country, mainly targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters, including from Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The raids intensified after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel sparked war in the Gaza Strip, then eased after an April 1 strike blamed on Israel hit the Iranian consular building in Damascus. But tensions soared again this week after the assassination of Hamas’s political leader in an attack in Tehran blamed on Israel, and after an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs killed Hezbollah’s top military commander. Late Friday, a source close to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said Israel carried out strikes on a convoy of trucks entering Lebanon from Syria. “Three Israeli strikes targeted a convoy of tanker trucks on the Syrian-Lebanese border in the Hawsh el-Sayyed Ali area, injuring one Syrian driver,” the source told AFP. It was the latest in a series of Israeli strikes in the border area, the source added. The Observatory also reported overnight Israeli strikes inside Syria near the border with Lebanon, without mentioning any casualties. The strikes targeted an area near a border crossing “used by Hezbollah to move trucks and group members” between Lebanon and Syria, said the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria. “One of the strikes targeted a truck convoy,” while another targeted “a farm on the outskirts of Qusayr in Homs province,” the Observatory said. Hezbollah has a strong presence in east Lebanon’s Bekaa valley, which borders Syria, and in south Lebanon, where it has been launching near daily attacks on Israeli positions since October in support of Palestinian ally Hamas. The Iran-backed Hezbollah for years has been fighting in Syria in support of President Bashar Assad in his country’s civil war. Israeli authorities rarely comment on individual strikes in Syria, but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence there. Israeli raids also seek to cut off Hezbollah supply routes to Lebanon.

Americans Warned to Leave Lebanon ASAP as Iran Vows Revenge
Owen Lavine/The Daily Beast./August 3, 2024
The U.S. State Department is urging all Americans in Lebanon “to book any ticket available to them” and get out of the country as tensions boil over in the region. “We updated the Travel Advisory for Lebanon to Level 4: Do Not Travel for the entire country,” the consulate said in a Wednesday statement. Level 4 is the highest travel advisory issued by the agency. “If you are in Lebanon, be prepared to shelter in place should the situation deteriorate,” the statement added. “The U.S. Embassy strongly encourages U.S. citizens who are already in Southern Lebanon, near the borders with Syria, and/or in refugee settlements to depart.” Furthermore, the State Department warned that “there is no guarantee the U.S. government will evacuate private U.S. citizens and their family members in a crisis situation.” A demonstrator holds up a poster of assassinated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh outside the United Nations offices in Sanaa, Yemen.
A demonstrator holds up a poster of assassinated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh outside the United Nations offices in Sanaa, Yemen. The last time the U.S. evacuated citizens from Lebanon was in 2006 during the Lebanese Civil War. Iranian-Israeli relations went into a tail-spin earlier this week when Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, in Tehran. Iran claims that Israel killed Haniyeh with a “short-range projectile,” but Israel claims it smuggled a bomb in Haniyeh’s residence. The day before, Israel conducted an air strike in Lebanon that killed Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander. The assassinations set off a week of retaliatory threats from Iran and its regional allies. Iranian proxy forces have already begun repositioning in Syria “with the aim of targeting the International Coalition bases in Al-Hasakah Governorate,” according to the Institute for the Study of War. ISW also warned that “Iran is likely considering its ability to maintain nuclear deterrence against Israel.”Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters on July 19 that Iran could produce fissile material within “one or two weeks.”Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech Friday that they “consider it our duty to take vengeance” for Haniyeh’s death, according to The Washington Post. U.S. officials fear that Iran may launch a combined drone and missile attack on Israel, akin to to their April attack, according to Axios. “If Israel is attacked, we certainly will help,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told reporters Wednesday. The U.S. has deployed additional carrier groups and fighter jets with anti-ballistic missile capabilities, according to officials who spoke with Air & Space Forces Magazine. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh confirmed in a statement Friday, “Secretary Austin has ordered adjustments to U.S. military posture designed to improve U.S. force protection, to increase support for the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to various contingencies.” Meanwhile, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday that, “Our priority continues to be to promote diplomatic solutions for a more peaceful, secure, and integrated region. And that, of course, includes continuing to engage and work very hard to close the remaining gaps as it relates to a ceasefire in Gaza.”

Air France, Transavia halt Beirut flights until Tuesday
Agence France Presse/August 3/2024
Flights to Beirut by Air France and low-cost carrier Transavia France will remain suspended until at least Tuesday due to "security" concerns in the region, parent company Air France-KLM said on Saturday. The two French airlines first stopped servicing the route on Monday, a day after Israel vowed to retaliate after accusing Hezbollah of being behind rocket fire that killed 12 people in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. "Any resumption of operation will be subject to a renewed evaluation on the ground," a spokesman said, adding that passengers with reservations could rebook at no extra cost. Flights to Tel Aviv will continue as normal, the spokesman told AFP.

Poland warns against travel to Lebanon, Israel and Iran
Reuters/August 3/2024
Amid fears of wider Middle East conflict, Poland has advised its citizens against travelling to Lebanon, Israel and Iran, according to updated guidance published on Friday. "In connection with a growing number of Polish tourists visiting Lebanon, Israel and Iran, we want to repeat that we have long advised against any kind of travel to this region," the Ministryof Foreign Affairs said on the social media platform X. "The unstable security situation makes it possible to believe that it will be more and more difficult to leave the three countries," the ministry added. Earlier on Friday, Polish airline LOT said it cancelled eight flights to Lebanon and Israel because of the security situation, PAP news agency reported. Airlines are avoiding Iranian and Lebanese airspace and cancelling flights to Israel and Lebanon, as concerns grow over a possible regional conflict after the killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah this week.

US to deploy more warships, fighter jets to Mideast
Agence France Presse/August 03, 2024
The United States will bolster its military presence in the Middle East, deploying additional warships and fighter jets to protect U.S. personnel and defend Israel amid soaring tensions in the region, the Pentagon said. The announcement comes after Iran and its regional allies vowed retaliation for the killings of a Hamas leader in Tehran and a Hezbollah commander in Beirut, fueling fears of a broader Middle East conflict. "The Department of Defense continues to take steps to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or Iran's partners and proxies," deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said in a statement. "Since the horrific Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Secretary of Defense has reiterated that the United States will protect our personnel and interests in the region, including our ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel," the secretary added. The aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln will replace one helmed by the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the region, Singh said. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has also ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the Middle East and areas under U.S. European Command, as well as a new fighter squadron to the Middle East. Israel killed Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday, a move it said was a response to deadly rocket fire last week on the annexed Golan Heights. Hours later, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in the Iranian capital -- an attack on which Israel has not yet commented. A source close to Hezbollah told AFP that Iranian officials met in Tehran on Wednesday with representatives of the so-called "axis of resistance," a loose alliance of Tehran-backed groups hostile to Israel, to discuss their next steps. "Two scenarios were discussed: a simultaneous response from Iran and its allies or a staggered response from each party," said the source, who had been briefed on the meeting, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. In April, Iran carried out its first direct attack on Israeli soil, firing a barrage of drones and missiles after a strike blamed on Israel killed Revolutionary Guards at Tehran's consulate in Damascus. American forces helped defend Israel against the attack. "As we have demonstrated since October and again in April, the United States' global defense is dynamic and the Department of Defense retains the capability to deploy on short notice to meet evolving national security threats," Singh said. "The United States also remains intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the region and pushing for a ceasefire as part of a hostage deal to bring the hostages home and end the war in Gaza."

Iran says Hamas leader Haniyeh was killed by ‘short-range projectile’
Reuters/August 03, 2024
TEHRN: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Saturday that Israel killed Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh using a “short-range projectile” launched from outside of his accommodation in Tehran. “This terrorist operation was carried out by firing a short-range projectile with a warhead of about 7 kilograms — causing a strong explosion — from outside the accommodation area,” the Guards said in a statement. It added that Israel was “supported by the United States” in the attack. Haniyeh was killed early Wednesday in the Iranian capital where he was attending the swearing-in of the new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran and Hamas have vowed to retaliate. The Guards repeated their insistence that Haniyeh would be avenged and that Israel would receive “a severe punishment at the appropriate time, place and manner.”Israel, which has declined to comment on Haniyeh’s killing, had earlier struck a Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut. That strike killed a senior commander of the Lebanese militant group it blamed for a deadly weekend rocket strike on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The killings are the latest of several major incidents that have inflamed regional tensions during the Gaza war, which has drawn in Iran-backed militant groups in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. In Iran, the voices clamouring for revenge have intensified since Haniyeh’s killing. On Saturday, the ultraconservative Kayhan daily said retaliatory operations were expected to be “more diverse, more dispersed and impossible to intercept.”“This time, areas such as Tel Aviv and Haifa and the strategic centers and especially residences of some officials involved in the recent crimes are among the targets,” the newspaper said in an opinion piece.

Iran says a short-range projectile killed Hamas' Haniyeh and reiterates vows of retaliation
The Assocaited Press/August 3, 2024
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said a short-range projectile was behind the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh and accused the United States of supporting the attack which it blamed on Israel, state TV reported Saturday. The televised statement, which reiterated a call for retaliation, said a rocket with a seven-kilogram (about 15-pound) warhead was used to target the residence of Hamas' political leader in the capital Tehran on Wednesday, adding it caused heavy devastation. It didn't share details of the residence's location. Haniyeh was in Iran to attend the inauguration of newly elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. “The action was designed and carried out by the Zionist regime and supported by the U.S.,” said the Guard's statement. It added that “the warmongering and terrorist Zionist regime will receive harsh punishment in the suitable time, place, and capacity.”Israel has not confirmed or denied its role in the killing of Haniyeh, but Israel earlier pledged to kill him and other Hamas leaders over the group’s Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that sparked the war in Gaza. The assassination has sparked fears of a wider regional conflict and of a direct confrontation between Israel and Iran if Tehran retaliates. In April, Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, which said it intercepted 99%. The barrage came less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria killed two Iranian generals, and it marked the first time Iran had launched a direct military assault on Israel despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran does not recognize Israel and supports anti-Israeli militant groups including Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Israel says strikes in the West Bank kill 9 militants. Israeli delegation is in Cairo for Gaza talks
Aref Tufaha And Jack Jeffery/ZEITA, West Bank/AP/August 3, 2024
Two Israeli airstrikes in the West Bank killed nine Palestinian militants on Saturday, Israel's army said, as violence flared again in the Israeli-occupied territory with tensions high over the war in Gaza. Cease-fire discussions on Gaza were set to continue, with an Israeli delegation led by the Mossad chief arriving in Cairo, an Egyptian official said. The U.S. has urged Israel to seize the chance for a cease-fire after the shock killing of Hamas' political leader in Iran, which Tehran blames on Israel. In the northern West Bank, the Israeli army said its forces first struck a vehicle in a rural area outside the city of Tulkarem early morning, killing the five occupants. The army said they were on their way to carry out an attack. Hamas identified all five as militants with the group, including a local commander. According to an Associated Press journalist and witnesses, the blast took place along a road connecting the Palestinian villages of Zeita and Qaffin. “We came to the site and found a young man martyred here on the street and half of his face was missing.,” said Taiser Abdullah, a Zeita resident. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said four bodies were “burned and charred beyond recognition."Later Saturday, Israel's military said it killed four other Palestinian militants in the Tulkarem area shortly after they opened fire on Israeli troops. No further information was immediately available. Over 590 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war began in Gaza in October, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Most have been killed during Israeli raids and violent protests. The dead also include bystanders and Palestinians killed in attacks by Jewish settlers. The northern West Bank has seen some of the territory's worst violence. Tulkarem is regularly raided by Israeli forces, and Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, are active there. Concerns about a full-fledged regional war are high after the assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran early Wednesday and top Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Beirut the evening before. Iran and its proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, vowed to retaliate against Israel, which said it killed Shukur but has not confirmed or denied its role in Haniyeh's death. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said a short-range projectile was behind the killing and accused the United States of supporting the attack.
The Pentagon said late Friday that the U.S. military will move a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East and maintain an aircraft carrier in the region. The U.S. Embassy in Beirut encouraged citizens who wish to leave Lebanon “to book any ticket available to them," noting that several airlines have suspended or canceled flights. The previous day, President Joe Biden said he had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seize the chance for a cease-fire with Hamas, adding that Haniyeh’s killing had “not helped” efforts to negotiate an end to the war. Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas' military and governing capabilities. Saturday midday, an Israeli delegation led by Mossad chief David Barnea arrived in Cairo, an Egyptian official said. The delegation, which also includes Ronan Bar, chief of Israel's internal security agency Shin Bet, will meet with Abbas Kamel, head of Egypt’s General Intelligence Service, for talks focusing on the Philadelphi corridor along the border with Egypt and the Rafah crossing point, the official said. The Egyptian official, who has direct knowledge of the Gaza cease-fire negotiations, spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to brief reporters. There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials. Netanyahu's office late Friday said he ordered the negotiation delegation to leave for Cairo on Saturday or Sunday. The death toll inside Gaza is nearing 40,000. At least 39,550 Palestinians have been killed in the nearly 10 months since Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 attack on Israel triggered their latest war. That's according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count. Israel has accused Hamas of embedding in the civilian population and putting it at risk. Most of Gaza's population of about 2.3 million is displaced, many people multiple times, as Israel's military returns to areas where it says Hamas militants have regrouped. Health services and sanitation have largely collapsed across the territory as hunger grows.

UAE provides 70 tons of aid to displaced families in Gaza
Arab News/August 03, 2024
DUBAI: UAE’s ‘Chivalrous Knight 3’ aid mission in Gaza provided 70 tons of aid to families in Gaza, reported state news agency WAM on Friday.  The aid included dozens of shelter tents to house families who have been displaced by the ongoing fighting. The volunteers also distributed food boxes to displaced Palestinian families in shelter camps to help them cope with food shortages. Operation ‘Chivalrous Knight 3’ aims to provide food and essential aid for families and children in Gaza amid the fierce fighting that killed over 39,000 Palestinians.

Hamas Military Commander killed in Israeli drone strike in occupied West Bank
Euronews/August 3, 2024
Hamas Military Commander killed in Israeli drone strike in occupied West Bank
An Israeli drone strike on a car in the occupied West Bank has killed a Hamas military commander, according to local media outlets. At least four other Palestinians also died in the strike, which took place along a road connecting the Palestinian villages of Zeita and Qaffin near the city of Tulkarem. The Israeli army says the occupants of the vehicle were on their way to carry out an attack. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said the bodies of the five Palestinians were taken to a nearby hospital, and that four of the bodies were “burned and charred beyond recognition.”The Palestinian health ministry has not commented on the deaths. Over 590 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in Gaza last October according to the Palestinians Health Ministry, which tracks the deaths. Most have been killed during Israeli raids and violent protests, but the dead also include bystanders and Palestinians killed in attacks by Jewish settlers. The northern West Bank has seen some of the territory's worst violence over the past 10 months. Tulkarem, and its two refugee camps, has become one of the territory's main flashpoints, and is regularly raided by Israeli forces. Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, are active in the city. Tensions have been escalating in the region after both the leader of Hamas and a Hezbollah commander were killed one day after the other. Iran and its proxies, including Hezbollah, have vowed to retaliate and major airlines have cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Israel, and Beirut, Lebanon. It comes as the Pentagon announced that the US military will move a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East and maintain an aircraft carrier in the region. President Joe Biden has said he's urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seize the chance for a cease-fire with Hamas, adding that Haniyeh’s killing in Iran had “not helped” efforts to negotiate an end to the war.

Biden decision to quit made Netanyahu more ‘bold’ against Iran: Israeli official
Arab News/August 03, 2024
LONDON: An Israeli official has said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been encouraged to take stronger action against Iran because Joe Biden has quit the US presidential race. The official told the Daily Telegraph that Biden had tried to “restrain” Netanyahu while he was still running for a second term in the White House. “He told him not to respond too harshly to Iran’s attacks. And Iran knew this, which is why they exploited the situation to attack Israel,” the official said. He added that now he was free of the constraints of having to balance party politics, Biden would be more inclined to support Israel, and that his decision would be a “big game changer” for the region. “His true agenda is to support Israel fully. And he has done so for decades. Netanyahu knows this, which is why he’s being more bold and feels confident that he can attack Israel’s enemies and still have the full support of the US,” the official said. It comes after a series of assassinations rocked the Middle East, including of senior Hamas figure Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Israel, which also conducted strikes in Lebanon and Syria, is anticipating a significant military response from Iran. Washington too is preparing for an escalation, increasing military support for Israel by sending aircraft and aircraft carriers to the region in preparation for a drone or missile attack by Iran and its proxies. However, another Israeli official told the Daily Telegraph that relations between Biden and Netanyahu had not been made any easier following former’s decision to drop out. “Biden wants to get a ceasefire. That is how he wants to leave his term. The conversation they held two days ago was tense,” the official said. Dan Arbell, a scholar-in-residence at the Center for Israeli Studies at American University, told the Daily Telegraph that he does not believe Biden dropping out of the race was the reason for the assassinations earlier this week. “Biden being a lame duck could play a small role, but I don’t think that’s the ultimate consideration,” he said, adding that the outgoing president was also not going to give Netanyahu “carte blanche to do whatever” he wants. “I think that any move by him (Biden) to support Israel, he has to take into consideration how that impacts (new Democratic presidential nominee Kamala) Harris in public,” Arbell said.

Egypt concerned over escalating regional crisis
Reuters/August 03, 2024
CAIRO: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty expressed on Saturday to his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib his country’s “deep concern over the dangerously increasing pace of escalation” in the region.
Abdelatty affirmed, in a phone call with Bou Habib, Egypt’s support to Lebanon in confronting the threats surrounding it, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

UAE uncovers ‘terror-linked’ organization formed by fugitives abroad
Arab News/August 03, 2024
ABU DHABI: The UAE said that prosecutors had uncovered a new secret organization formed by fugitives from a terrorist group operating against the state from abroad, a statement on WAM said. Investigations conducted by the Public Prosecution have revealed that the fugitives from the organization called the “Reform Call,” previously classified as a terrorist organization within the country, have formed a new secret group abroad. The Reform Call was slated for dissolution in 2013, but the new organization aimed to revive the previous group and pursue similar objectives, WAM reported. The confessions of an arrested member of the organization detailed the group’s structure and activities, and the roles of its members in threatening stability in the UAE, the statement said. The UAE State Security Department has been monitoring fugitives from various emirates who were sentenced in absentia in 2013. It said that the surveillance found two groups of the organization’s members who convened abroad and recruited others to form a new organization. The investigations further revealed that some of these members received funding from sources within the UAE and from “other terrorist groups and organizations outside the country.”Authorities said that the organization had established alliances with other terrorist groups to strengthen ties, secure funding, maintain the organization’s presence, enhance protection mechanisms abroad, and achieve its objectives, the WAM statement said. In one country, the group is reportedly associated with several fronts posing as charitable or intellectual organizations and television channels, the most notable being the Cordoba Foundation, or TCF, which has also been classified as a terrorist organization in the country since 2014. TCF presents itself as a Middle Eastern “think tank” institution and is led by Anas Altikriti, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood living abroad, who played a significant role in organizing demonstrations in front of UAE embassies and international organizations. The fugitive members communicated in secret meetings via Internet applications and through mutual visits between the two groups. These activities included “leading smear campaigns, promoting hate speech, questioning the state’s achievements, spreading discord among the populace, financing terrorism, engaging in money laundering, and cooperating with foreign intelligence services to destabilize state security.” They also “incited actions against official institutions, targeted the UAE on human rights issues, sought to weaken confidence in the government, and stirred public opinion through fake online pages and accounts.”Some members engaged directly with international human rights organizations, providing false information about state authorities in the UAE, WAM said.
The Public Prosecution is expected to release details of the terrorist organization and its crimes after the completion of the investigations.

Somali police say 32 people died in an attack on a beach hotel. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.
Omar Faruk/MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP)/August 3, 2024
Police in Somalia said Saturday that 32 people died and 63 others were wounded in an attack on a beach hotel in the capital, Mogadishu, the previous evening. Al-Qaida’s East Africa affiliate, al-Shabab, said through its radio station that its fighters carried out the attack. Police spokesperson Maj. Abdifatah Adan Hassan told journalists that one soldier was killed and another wounded, while the rest of the dead were civilians. Witnesses reported an explosion followed by gunfire. Lido Beach, a popular area in Mogadishu, is bustling on Friday nights as Somalis enjoy their weekend. A witness, Mohamud Moalim, told The Associated Press that he saw an attacker wearing an explosive vest moments before the man “blew himself up next to the beach-view hotel.”Moalim said some of his friends who were with him at the hotel were killed and others were wounded. Another witness, Abdisalam Adam, told the AP that he “saw many people lying on the ground” and had helped take some wounded people to the hospital. The Lido Beach area has in the past been targeted by militants allied to al-Shabab. The most recent attack last year killed nine people. In a separate attack on Saturday, state media reported that seven people died after a passenger vehicle hit a roadside bomb some 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the capital. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud last year declared a “total war” on the militants as the country started taking charge of its own security. Al-Shabab still controls parts of southern and central Somalia and continues to carry out attacks in Mogadishu and other areas while extorting millions of dollars a year from residents and businesses in its quest to impose an Islamic state. Friday's attack came a month after Somalia started the third phase of the drawdown of peacekeeping troops under the African Union Transition Mission. The U.N Secretary-General’s Acting Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan, on Saturday expressed support and solidarity for Somalia “in its efforts to ensure peace, security, and stability.” He said Lido Beach is frequented by families and that “targeting this location is an abhorrent act that warrants the firmest condemnation.”

Trump says he'll skip an ABC debate with Harris in September and wants them to face off on Fox News
Meg Kinnard/CHAPIN, S.C. (AP) /Sat, August 3, 2024
Donald Trump says he is pulling out of a scheduled September debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on ABC and wants them to face off on Fox News, making it increasingly unlikely that the candidates will confront each other on stage before the November election. In a series of Truth Social posts late Friday, the Republican nominee and former president said his agreement to a Sept. 10 debate on ABC “has been terminated" because he will no longer face Democratic President Joe Biden, who ended his campaign last month after a disastrous performance in their first debate. Trump now says he will appear on Fox News on Sept. 4 in Pennsylvania with rules that he called “similar” to his debate with Biden, but with a full audience instead of a mostly empty studio. Trump said that if Harris, the likely Democratic nominee, does not agree to the new network and date, he will do a “major Town Hall” with Fox News.
Michael Tyler, a Harris spokesperson, said Trump “is running scared and trying to back out of the debate he already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to bail him out.”It was not immediately clear whether ABC would turn its Sept. 10 event into a Harris town hall in Trump's absence. Tyler said Harris is committed to the time slot and would appear “one way or the other to take the opportunity to speak to a prime time national audience.”In a subsequent Truth Social post on Saturday afternoon, Trump said of Harris, “I’ll see her on September 4th or, I won’t see her at all.” Trump has gone back and forth on debating with Harris since she entered the presidential race. He had told reporters he felt an obligation to debate but also said in a recent Fox News interview that he thought Americans “already know everything” about both candidates Harris has pressed Trump to keep the commitment he made when Biden was in the race. Noting Trump's criticisms of her, Harris dared him recently to “say it to my face.” In his Truth Social posts, Trump also cited his litigation against ABC News as “a conflict of interest” in his participation in the network’s debate. Trump sued the network in March following an assertion by anchor George Stephanopoulos that Trump had been found “liable for rape." A New York jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll but rejected her claim that she was raped. But Trump agreed, two months after filing his lawsuit, to the Sept. 10 debate on ABC, as well as the June 27 debate on CNN that helped knock Biden out of the race. David Muir and Linsey Davis, not Stephanopoulos, are set to be ABC's debate moderators. Trump has skipped debates before, including all the 2024 Republican presidential primary debates.

Ukraine says it sank Russian submarine in Crimea
Matt Murphy - BBC News/August 3, 2024
Ukraine's military says it attacked and destroyed a Russian submarine while it was anchored at a port in the occupied Crimean peninsula. The Rostov-on-Don, a kilo-class attack submarine launched in 2014, sank after it was struck in a missile attack on the port city of Sevastopol on Friday, Ukraine's general staff said in a statement. It was reportedly one of four submarines operated by Russia's Black Sea fleet capable of launching Kalibr cruise missiles. The Russian defence ministry has not commented. Officials in Kyiv said the attack also destroyed four S-400 air defence systems protecting the peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Intelligence officials in the UK noted last September that the Rostov-on-Don "likely suffered catastrophic damage" in a missile strike while undergoing maintenance at a Sevastopol shipyard. Ukraine's military said Russia subsequently repaired the vessel and it was recently testing its capabilities near Sevastopol. The vessel was worth $300m (£233m), they added. "The destruction of Rostov-on-Don once again proves that there is no safe place for the Russian fleet in the Ukrainian territorial waters of the Black Sea," the general staff in Kyiv said in a statement on Saturday. It marks the latest attack on Russian naval forces in Sevastopol in recent months. In March alone, Ukraine said it hit two landing ships and a patrol vessel in the port city. Since Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 it has suffered several major naval setbacks. Ukraine says it has seriously damaged or sunk at least 15 warships, including the Black Sea fleet's flagship, the Moskva. Last week Ukraine's military said Moscow had been forced to withdraw all of its naval assets from the Sea of Azov - a body of water connected to the Black Sea - due to repeated strikes on its vessels. And Russia's internal security service, the FSB, recently said it foiled a Ukrainian plot to destroy its last remaining aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov. The ship, launched in 1985, has been undergoing repairs since 2018. Meanwhile, officials in Kyiv said Ukrainian drones targeted a major airfield and oil depots in Russia. The attack targeted the Morozovsk airfield, where guided bombs which have recently wrecked havoc on Ukrainian cities, are stored. Online footage said to be from the base showed powerful explosions and huge fires, after what appears to be several hits on fuel or ammunition depots. Russia said many of the drones used were shot down, but local authorities have declared a state of emergency around the air base. Oil storage facilities were also targeted in the Rostov, Kursk and Belgorod regions. The attacks come after Russia launched more than 600 guided air bombs towards Ukraine in a week, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. He said that it was crucial that Ukraine stopped Russian aircraft from launching the munitions and said that attacking airfields in Russia to do so was "quite fair".Ukraine's allies have previously been reluctant to allow it to strike within Russia using Western weapons, though the US has recently granted Kyiv permission to attack some targets along the border. Earlier this week Lithuania's foreign minister said the first deliveries of F-16 fighter jets had arrived in Ukraine. Long promised by Kyiv's Nato allies, President Zelenky views the planes as central to his country's air defence plans. The Times newspaper reported that six jets donated by the Netherlands had arrived in the country, but Dutch defence officials declined to comment when approached by the BBC earlier this week. Officials in Kyiv will also hope that the jets can help arrest Russian momentum on the frontlines. Moscow's forces have been making incremental gains in the east of the country for several weeks.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on August 03-04/2024
UK’s new Labour govt and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/August 03, 2024
A month after sweeping to power in the general election on July 4, the UK’s new Labour government has its hands full dealing with the mess it inherited from the previous Conservative government. This includes the UK’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the deadliest manifestation of which has been raging for the past 10 months. While he was opposition leader, Prime Minister Keir Starmer adopted a very cautious approach to the issue, which was an extremely sensitive one as Labour emerged from the damaging era of his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn.
At the heart of Starmer’s approach at that time was a reluctance to stray too far from the Conservative government’s policies on the issue, for fear of being accused of perpetuating the antisemitism his party had been tainted by under Corbyn’s leadership. Labour fell into the trap, typically set by right-wing governments in Israel, of viewing any criticism of Israel as amounting to antisemitism.
While still in opposition, it took Starmer’s Labour party many — too many — months and many Palestinian lives before it finally called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Since assuming power a month ago, there has been a change both in Labour’s tone and its actual policies on a number of critical issues related to Israel and the war in Gaza. These changes represent a departure from its previous stance in the political, legal, and humanitarian spheres.Certainly, though in the first few months after the brutal Oct. 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas the Labour Party opposed any calls for a ceasefire, and maintained this position for months even as the bodies of innocent Gazans were piling up. It did gradually begin to alter its position when it became obvious that the conflict was evolving into an open-ended war with no political way to peace. In the legal sphere, one of the first signals of change after Labour took power was the appointment of Richard Hermer as the new government’s attorney general. Hermer, a friend and former colleague of Starmer, is a leading expert on international law and a human rights jurist. Moreover, he was one of a group of leading Jewish lawyers who wrote an open letter in the Financial Times in October last year calling for Israeli authorities to be guided by the rule of law in their response to the Hamas attacks.
Soon after he was appointed to his new role last month he flew to Israel, ahead of the government’s decision on July 26 to withdraw the UK’s challenge to the right of the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The UK’s decision upset and worried the Israeli government and also sent a signal to the US that the new British government is prepared, on this issue at least, to stand at odds with the Biden administration and closer to some of its European allies in adhering to international legal obligations.
In the humanitarian sphere, one of the most immediate, practical and welcome changes implemented by Labour was the announcement by the new foreign secretary, David Lammy, that the UK will resume its funding of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which will help ensure aid reaches those in Gaza who need it as quickly as possible.
The apparent change of course in British policy on Israel and the war in Gaza is significant. This is a “moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe,” Lammy said. As he released £21 million ($27 million) to support the lifesaving work of the agency in Gaza and the provision of basic services in the region, he stressed that “UNRWA is absolutely central to these efforts. No other agency can get aid into Gaza at the scale needed.”It was a sober assessment of the key role the agency plays in providing essential and urgent humanitarian aid in Gaza, while also recognizing its essential work elsewhere in the region in support of Palestinian refugees. This was not a case of turning a blind eye to the fact that a number of UNRWA employees were accused of involvement in the horrific attacks on Oct. 7. Instead there must be recognition of the fact that an entire organization cannot be blamed for the crimes of a small number among its ranks, some of whom were killed during the attacks while the rest were sacked, and that millions of refugees in their most desperate time of need should not suffer as a result. A trickier issue for the government to address is the calls for it to suspend arms sales to Israel, which is something it is reportedly considering. Lammy said he has requested an assessment of the legal situation regarding the use of weapons in Gaza, and he hopes to be able to communicate any subsequent decision with “full accountability and transparency.”
While at the beginning of the war the shock caused by the Hamas attack resulted in natural, instinctive support for Israel, it was a short-sighted reaction. It revealed a lack of understanding of the fact that handing carte blanche to an Israeli government — especially the current one, which has no brakes nor any strategic vision, and whose leader willingly and regularly caves in to the whims of ultranationalists in an attempt to guarantee his own political survival — was a grave misjudgment that led to a disproportionate use of force.To be fair, it was not only most of the UK Parliament that misread the situation and failed to look a few steps ahead but those in other countries, too, though this is hardly a convincing excuse. This apparent change of course in British policy on Israel and the war in Gaza is significant but hardly surprising, as it will allow the UK to meet its obligations under international law, restore its moral credibility by signaling a refusal to tolerate the suffering of so many innocent civilians as punishment for the crimes committed by others, and to position itself as a political player that could help mediate and resolve the conflict rather than fuel it. There was little sense behind Labour’s previous approach other than the belief that it might help the party win the general election. But there is little evidence that this was the case — in fact the opposite might be true, because several opponents of that more cautious policy on Gaza were elected to Parliament based on that very issue. Starmer’s position at the time, considering his legal background and especially his previous work on human rights issues, was therefore discouraging. Now that Labour is in power, Prime Minister Starmer and Foreign Secretary Lammy have been at pains to clarify that while their friendship with Israel and their commitment to its security are unwavering — and there is no reason to doubt this is true — they are also setting some red lines for Israel.The onus is now on Israel to change course and prove that it is prepared to end the war, resolve the conflict with the Palestinians, and protect its own democracy. Then it will find in the UK, as ever, a close and trusted friend.
*Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. X: @YMekelberg

The world needs to do more to achieve sustainable aviation
Ranvir S. Nayar/Arab News/August 03, 2024
This week, national carrier Air New Zealand became the latest airline to step back from its target for reductions in carbon emissions by 2030. The airline blamed its decision on the poor availability of sustainable aviation fuel, delays in the delivery of new, more fuel-efficient aircraft, and a challenging regulatory framework.It was a dramatic turnaround from as recently as 2022, when the company heralded the fact that it was the second carrier in the world to have its plans validated by the UN’s Science Based Targets initiative aviation framework. At the time, Air New Zealand pledged to reduce missions by 28.9 percent by 2030. The airline is not the first carrier to abandon its plans to curb emissions. It joins a list that includes some of the biggest airlines in the world, most notably United Airlines, Lufthansa, Japan Airlines, LATAM Airlines Chile, and Easyjet.
As 2030 approaches, the number of airlines reversing commitments or failing to meet targets is only going to increase dramatically as they come up against the same hurdles that Air New Zealand listed. In fact, it is likely that many of them have already privately accepted the near impossibility of their missions but are reluctant to say so publicly for the fear of the negative publicity and backlash such a move is likely to draw from travelers and ecologists worldwide. To be fair to the aviation industry, the challenges are indeed immense and certainly not all of them are within its control. In fact, at the moment it looks like the airlines have little control over any of the steps they need to take to start cutting carbon emissions. They are fully dependent on third parties and so are more victims than villains of the piece. Take sustainable aviation fuel for starters. Leaving aside the fact that it is not really sustainable — it only reduces emissions and is far from being emissions-free — the production of sustainable aviation fuel is managed by oil companies, big and small, and none of the producers currently has the capacity to meet demand. This year, the total capacity for production of sustainable aviation fuel worldwide will increase to 1.6 billion liters. This represents threefold growth compared with the capacity in 2023, but it is still only a measly 0.53 percent of all fuel burned by airlines. Producers will therefore continue to struggle to meet the demand for sustainable aviation fuel for the foreseeable future.
The other major hurdle airlines face in efforts to cut emissions is the state of the aircraft-manufacturing industry, in which companies are struggling to deliver new, more fuel efficient models on schedule.
At the moment it looks like the airlines have little control over any of the steps they need to take to start cutting carbon emissions. They are fully dependent on third parties and so are more victims than villains of the piece. Over the past six years, for example, Boeing has been going through the worst period in the company’s history, with repeated crashes and other safety-related incidents forcing it to go back to the drawing board, thereby delaying the production and delivery of new aircraft. As if Boeing’s woes were not enough, European rival Airbus has also faced challenges in meeting its delivery schedules, resulting in a severe shortage of new aircraft that is forcing carriers to continue using older planes, many of which are immense fuel guzzlers. The seriousness of the situation has so far largely remained under the radar, as governments, aviation regulators, and even climate change negotiators have failed to treat the issue with the seriousness it deserves. Aviation accounts for 2.5 percent of all carbon emissions and is by far the most polluting mode of transport. The industry is growing rapidly and could be four times bigger by 2050, which would further increase the share of emissions it contributes to the global total.
Such a disastrous scenario calls for concerted and serious action by several stakeholders. Firstly, governments around the world need to wake up to the impending crisis and provide incentives, or simply oblige, fuel producers not only to significantly ramp up production of sustainable aviation fuel but also to make it available at a price that is more affordable for airlines; currently it is almost three times as expensive as traditional jet fuel.
Resolving the issues related to the manufacture and delivery of new aircraft is more tricky but governments and aviation regulators can help by encouraging greater competition, for example by creating better conditions that might give newcomers, such as Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC, the opportunity to break the duopoly that Airbus and Boeing have enjoyed for decades. But all such efforts will require concerted actions at a global level, and for individual countries, most notably the US and China, to set aside bilateral tensions.
The UN Climate Change Conference in Azerbaijan in November presents the perfect opportunity to open serious discussions on the issue. The alternative to taking proactive and concerted global action is not something that the world should be keen to discover.
• Ranvir S. Nayar is the managing editor of Media India Group and founder-director of the Europe India Foundation for Excellence.

Biden’s exit opens door for Netanyahu's bolder stance on Iran, report says
Itamar Eichner/ynet news/August 03/2024
With Biden not seeking re-election, Netanyahu reportedly taking more assertive approach toward Tehran, backed by increased US military support; analysts say while Biden backs Israel, he isn’t giving free rein for military actions as he hopes to secure cease-fire before leaving office.
With U.S. President Joe Biden’s recent announcement not to seek re-election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly seizing the opportunity to adopt a more assertive posture against Iran, the Telegraph reported on Saturday, citing a senior Israeli official. Previously, President Biden had urged Netanyahu to moderate his responses to Iranian provocations, influencing Israel's strategic decisions. “He told him not to respond too harshly to Iran’s attacks. And Iran knew this, which is why they exploited the situation to attack Israel,” the official said, noting that Biden now feels freer to act according to his longstanding support for Israel without the constraints of an upcoming election. The official described Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race as a “big game changer” in the Middle East, suggesting that Iran had been leveraging Biden’s campaign concerns to escalate tensions.
Heightened military readiness
Israel is currently bracing for potential Iranian retaliation following the targeted killing of Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Measures include bolstering security at critical sites and expanding hospital capacities. Concurrently, the U.S. has enhanced its military assistance to Israel, aiming to bolster defenses against potential missile and drone strikes from Iran and its regional proxies. Speaking to the Telegraph, Dan Arbell, a scholar-in-residence at the Center for Israeli Studies at American University, expressed skepticism that Biden's status as a "lame duck" president was the primary motivator for Netanyahu’s recent actions, which included targeting a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut. Arbell pointed to evolving public sentiment and the necessity for strategic recalibration as more significant factors driving Israeli military decisions.
“Biden being a lame duck could play a small role, but I don’t think that’s the ultimate consideration,” Arbell remarked, emphasizing that while Biden has intensified support for Israel, he has not given carte blanche for unrestricted military operations. Arbell also suggested that any U.S. military aid would consider its impact on Vice President Kamala Harris’s political standing. Another Israeli official indicated that Biden’s goal is to broker a ceasefire as a legacy of his presidency, though recent communications between Biden and Netanyahu were reportedly tense, reflecting differing views on how to manage the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has deployed at least 12 warships to the Middle East, including the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, amphibious assault teams and over 4,000 Marines and sailors, in response to escalating tensions in the region following the assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military chief Fuad Shukr, the Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing a Pentagon official.  According to the report, destroyers have been positioned in both the Persian Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean. The U.S. has redirected its warships from the Red Sea, where it combats Houthi missile and drone attacks in Yemen to protect commercial ships and support Israel.

Prospects of War, Terrorism and Peace in the Middle East
Hanibaal Atheos/Lebanon Iznogood web site/Saturday, August 03/2024
To digest the events of the past few weeks in the Palestine-Israel conflict, a retrospective on how the Palestinians themselves have journeyed since their ethnic cleansing from their homes, villages and cities and into refugee camps in 1948.
I'll note first that we no longer refer to the Palestine tragedy as the "Arab-Israeli" conflict because Arab countries have finally lined up behind the Zionist-American "peace" plan and have swallowed the bitter pill of the existence of Israel. We now call it more correctly as the Palestine-Israel conflict, one between two peoples fighting over the same territory. Thie reason behind the earlier nomenclature of "Arab-Israel" has to do with both the Zionist control of language and vintage Arab testosteronic hubris: Back in the 1940s, the Turkish Ottoman colonization had come to an end and specific national identities were still in the making. Arab regions were becoming Arab states and many Arabs states considered Palestine as an Arab region belonging to them. Hence, Arabs felt that Palestine was being stolen from them by the European Zionist colonial settlers. National identities hadn't yet gelled out of the broader and vague Muslim realm of the Ottoman empire, borders were still worked on, and nation-states were only beginning to emerge. For the Zionists, this was a golden opportunity: Referring to the Palestinians as Arabs and part of the broader ethnic community of Arabs, the Zionists were able to deny the Palestinians a specific national identity, claim that those "Arabs" of Palestine that they ethnically cleansed could settle anywhere else in the Arab world, and that there was "no such thing as a Palestinian people" according to then-Israel's prime minister Golda Meir.
As a result, Arab states waged war against colonial Israel, not necessarily to grant Palestine independence as a nation state but to retrieve the Palestinian region into the Arab fold. Had they succeeded, Palestine could easily have become part of Egypt, Jordan or Syria. Having failed repeatedly to achieve any success against Israel, the Arab countries gradually came to terms with the existence of Israel, and eventually signed peace treaties with it (primarily Egypt and Jordan but also other Arab countries far and wide like Morocco, Sudan and the Gulf States in more recent times) or agreed reluctantly to pacify their borders with it (Syria).
Lebanon is an outlier. Though it has borders with Israel, it never saw itself really as an enemy of Israel because the Christian consitutent of its demographics saw itself too as a non-Muslim minority under threat. I remember as a child when the 1967 war broke out, our neighborhood in Beirut used to cheer Israel and mock the lies of the Syrian radio which was yelling victory as Syria was losing the war. Lebanon fought one little battle in 1948 when it conducted a quick incursion into the Galilee only to withdraw oalmost immediately. Lebanon and Israel are theoretically still bound by the 1949 truce agreement following the 1948 war. I also have photos of the Lebanese UN ambassador Charles Malik congratulating the recently admitted Israeli envoy. Malik was the youngest delegate and secretary of the Human Rights Commission led by Eleanor Roosevelt, and one of the co-authors of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
From a pro-western Arab country, when all other Arab countries were anti-western, Lebanon will over the next few decades decline from a prosperous, open, diverse and liberal country in which the Christians set the tone, into the cesspool of poverty, decline, backwardness and endless wars that the Muslims engineered as they gradually evinced the Christians out of effective power. For Lebanon's Muslims, the country was an anomaly since it was the only Arab country to be ruled by a non-Muslim and whose constitution did not include Sharia Law as the source of law. So they worked on destroying what the Christians had built, using every crisis, every war, every coup and every revolution around them to claw themselves into power and push the Christians aside.
In the 1950s, the Lebanese Muslims rode over the wave of Arabism (العروبة) and sided with Gamal abdel-Nasser of Egypt who wanted to force Lebanon into the short-lived failed union between Egypt and Syria.
In the 1960s, the Syrian ultra-nationslists of the SSNP (Syrian Socialist National Party, a Fascist party born the same year as the Nazi party and whose ethos was cloned off the German Nazi party. For details see: https://lebanoniznogood.blogspot.com/2022/06/dying-nazis-of-near-east.html) attempted a failed coup in 1961 that aimed at unifying Lebanon and Syria. Then in the mid-1960s, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was founded by Yasser Arafat. Having been evicted from Jordan during the bloody Black September in 1970 by King Hussein, the PLO headquartered itself in Beirut. Lebanon's Muslims rode the wave of the Palestinian Revolution and used the armed Palestinians as a militia to overturn the dominant Christians, leading to the 1975-1990 war. The Muslims, the Sunnis in particular, sealed their victory in the Taef Agreement of 1989 (thanks to Saudi Arabia and its American poodles) with the transfer of the executive power from the Christian president to the Sunni Prime Minister. Having served to bring the Lebanese Sunnis to power, the Palestinians went back into their refugee camps.
Finally, in the early 1980s, and soon after the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, the Lebanese Shiites decided it was their turn. They hated both the Christians and the Sunni Muslims. Hezbollah was fashioned by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley and began undermining everything the Christians had built and everything the Sunni Muslims were beginning to retreive from the Christians. As will be discussed below, the Shiites now saw the crushed Palestinian cause as their ticket to power. With the help of the perfidious Assad regime in Damascus and the Tehran Ayatollahs Hezbollah violently evicted all remaining western presence from Lebanon and slowly took over the reins of power, not through constitutional changes or agreements or elections, but by military coercion. As you probably know by now, Hezbollah today is a more powerful army than the Lebanese army and has monopoly over decisions of war and peace. And this is how we are today where we are: On the verge of a major blowup between Israel and the pro-Iranian elements in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq.
But what about the Palestinians whose cause remains the incandescent fire across the region? Soon after the 1947 creation of the Zionist colony in Palestine, the ethnically cleansed Palestinians first saw themselves as temporary refugees who will soon go back to their homes. After all, there were several UN resolutions calling for their return and a special UN agency had been created specifically for the Palestinians - UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency). But with the Zionists refusing to let the refugees back, the failure to implement these UN resolutions, and the failure of Arab countries at ensuring their return, the Palestinians realized they had to assert their specific identity as Palestinians, and not just as some random Arabs. In the mid 1960s, they initiated their own liberation movements with the PLO as the federating entity grouping them all under one command structrue.
With no one in the international community paying attention to the Palestinian refugees and the Palestinian cause, like many other liberation movements against colonialism, they first resorted to violence and terrorism. Between the late 1960s and the early 1980s, the Palestinians conducted endless acts of international terrorism (hijackings, assassinations of diplomats and representatives of Israel abroad, etc.). In contrast, there were very few such acts inside Israel or occupied Palestine proper.
Ironically, the terrorism campaign paid off: By the late 1980s, the PLO had gained recognition as the sole representative of the Palestinian people and negotiations with Israel led to the signing of the Oslo accords in which occupied Palestine was granted some autonomy. It now had its own governing body, the Palestinian Authority, and cooperation with the Israeli occcupation was supposed to lead to independence at some time in the future. With Israel maintaining a tight grip inside the autonomous Palestinian territories, the Palestinians realized that this autonomy was a lure and that the Zionists had lied. By continuing its illegal settlements inside the autonomous Palestinian territories, Israel signaled that it wasn't really interested in granting independence to the Palestinians.
The disgruntled Palestinians reverted back to violence as a means to expose the Zionist treachery. Two uprisings (Intifada) took place: The first began in December 1987 and ended in September 1993 with the signing of the first Oslo Accords, which provided a framework for peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The second intifada began in September 2000 and ended in late 2005.
By the mid-2000s, it became clear that the Zionists had whatsoever no desire to see an independent Palestine alongside their Jewish-only Israel. They wanted to take all the land from the Jordan to the Mediterranean, evict and kill as many Palestinians as they can, and keep the rest chained as second-class bonded citizens to work the menial jobs that the superior Israelis do not want to do. The two-state solution that everyone keeps talking about will never materialize because the Zionists do not want an independent Palestine. Period.
Therefore we are condemned to a situation in which:
- The indigenous Palestinians will be maintained in a form of captivity by foreign settlers of the land whose main argument is that some toilet paper from the Bronze Age known as the Torah says so.
- Those Palestinians who refuse that fate will continue to resort of terrorism, since a negotiated settlement is impossible with the rabid ultra-religious Zionists. Israel is condemned to living in a state of war and fear.
- As a result, Israel will always seek the military advantage by making up pretexts for war, like ensuring its security. Right now, Netanyahu has realized that Israel has lost the media war with his barbarity in Gaza. He will seek war to continue justifying Israel's savagery against the indigenous Palestinians. The argument of his prolonging the war for his own personal political survival is in fact secondary to the grander scheme of seeking pretexts to expand colonial Israel beyond any recognized borders. Israel does not have a constitution because having one requires it to declare its borders. Since it seeks expansion beyond what it already has, it will not declare its borders yet. Beyond the Golan, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, it is eyeing southern Lebanon.
Netanyahu is trying to drag the US and the West into a war with Iran. Iran has worked with the West on a nuclear agreement (JCPOA), but the imbecile Trump was led by the collar by the Zionists to withdraw from that agreement, thus precipitating the region toward an inevitable war. The Americans don't want another war in the region because they are more likely to lose than win them (e.g. Afghanistan, Iraq). But the Zionists will use their victim-blackmail instruement to force the Americans into a war against their will. This instrument has worked like a magic wand with westerners since WWII, but it is increasingly losing its edge. It doesn't work as well with the newer generation, despite the continous brainwashing by the media and Hollywood, because of the exposure of the younger generation to alternative sources of information long occulted by the Zionist narrative.
Will the Americans fall in Netanyahu's trap? Perhaps in an initial phase during which the Americans will try to force a solution to Palestine on Netanyahu. But on the long term, the specter of a major Arab reversal against the West is not to be discounted, for the current love affair between the West and the Gulf states is mainly driven by fear from Iran. Once the Iran stalemate is broken, that fear will evaporate and the West will be openly labeled an enemy.

Haniyeh is Sinwar’s Victim
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/August 03/2024
Ismail Haniyeh was aware that he was on the top of the Mossad’s hit list, even though Israel knew he had no connection to the October 7 attack. For years, Haniyeh had been at odds with Yahya Sinwar and the current leadership of Hamas. He was ousted from the leadership of the movement, which he had headed from 2006 until 2017. Sinwar, who came from Israeli prisons after serving twenty years, gained the trust of the military wing of the organization. Through them, he took control of the leadership and won the elections, working to sideline Haniyeh and his men, accusing him of cowardice, favoring political solutions, and yielding to regional pressures. This does not place Haniyeh in the history of the cause as a dove or a peace advocate, but he was known to be more pragmatic and less adventurous. Even in the Doha negotiations in recent months to find a solution to end the Gaza war, Haniyeh tried but failed to pressure Sinwar, who undermined all that Haniyeh had worked on and achieved in months of difficult negotiations.
So why did the Israelis assassinate Haniyeh?
He was assassinated because he was the head of Hamas and its most famous leader. If Haniyeh had succeeded a few months ago in stopping the war according to the agreement the negotiators were seeking, he might have saved the lives of thousands of Palestinians, including his own.
Eliminating him serves the extremists within Hamas, and of course, Netanyahu’s government, which achieved one of its most important promises: eliminating Hamas leaders, even if they couldn’t capture Sinwar.
Netanyahu and Sinwar destroyed the future of Hamas, and the movement, along with Gaza, became a victim of extremist calculations, joined by Tehran, which decided late last year to try to change the rules of the Palestinian game and prevent regional reconciliation efforts. The price was costly for both Israel and Iran, with the highest price paid by the Palestinians, of whom Haniyeh was one of the nearly forty thousand so far. Some might be surprised that we are mourning Haniyeh after we had been accusing him, and this is right and what we feared happened. Haniyeh and Hamas’s supporters continued to bet that Tehran and its political project would achieve their goal of a Palestinian state through the military pressure policy that Tehran pursues via its extensive network of proxies. This mirage has only brought more terrifying losses and setbacks in favor of Israel. Yet we know that Haniyeh, unlike Sinwar, due to his political experience, was capable of changing the course of the movement and using the crisis to reach a solution, possibly beyond a ceasefire and even beyond Gaza itself. This political failure, the missed opportunities, and the innocent lives lost cannot be justified. We can only pray for mercy for Haniyeh and hope that the Palestinians are compensated with wise leadership that can save them from Israeli tyranny, Arab chaos, and regional exploitation.

Ten Years After Yazidi Genocide: Justice Still Pending, Extremism Threats Persist
Dr. Barham Salih/Asharq Al Awsat/August 03/2024
A Yazidi girl saw her ISIS rapist roaming the streets of Germany, evading justice. Meanwhile, thousands of displaced Yazidis continue to live in refugee camps far from their homes, and the fate of about 2,000 Yazidis remains unknown. Sinjar, on the other hand, is struggling on a long road to stability, reconstruction, and development.
A decade after the catastrophe, this situation highlights the slow progress in transitional justice and the recognition of the rights of a peaceful and indigenous Iraqi community.
It serves as an urgent reminder for us all to take serious and effective action to address the situation. We must unite to do the right thing, and it is unacceptable to neglect the needs of the Yazidi people in Sinjar.
On the tenth anniversary of the Yazidi genocide in Sinjar, we remember with sorrow the tragic events that caused thousands of Yazidi deaths, enslavement, and the abduction of women and children. On this day, ISIS occupied Sinjar and committed horrific crimes that shocked the world.
The terrorists aimed to erase the Yazidis, but the resilience of our people, the sacrifices of our security forces, and international support thwarted their plans. These extremists used a distorted interpretation of religious and human values, rooted in racism and criminality, that resurfaces in societies lagging in progress and modernity, oppressing those who are different or weaker.
We must not forget that this crime occurred amid the complicity of certain forces and states with terrorism and extremism, as well as the failure and negligence of the security apparatus and state in those areas. Their failure to defend Yazidi villages, even minimally, during the ISIS attack left unarmed civilians, including women, girls, and children, to face the brutal invaders alone.
This anniversary serves as a reminder of past failings and the ongoing challenges faced by the Yazidis. It also highlights the need for a prosperous future based on our actions today. The Yazidis deserve lasting peace, stability, and equal opportunities to rebuild their lives, communities, and future.
The scale of this tragedy, witnessed by the world, compelled me and many activists and humanitarian organizations to address some of these wounds during and after my tenure as President of Iraq. The horrific crime, involving the abduction and brutal treatment of Yazidi girls, demanded urgent action.
We passed the Yazidi Survivors Law, which also includes Sebek, Turkmen, and Christian victims. The law provides compensation, psychological and social rehabilitation, housing, education, employment opportunities, recognition of the genocide, prosecution of the perpetrators, search for the missing, and a national day of remembrance on August 3 each year.
No compensation or recognition can fully make up for the suffering of the Yazidi community. We hope this is just the beginning of a process that goes beyond Iraq's state compensation. It's a moral duty to our people.
We also call for serious international action. Those who supported ISIS should be held accountable and required to compensate the victims, particularly the Yazidis who endured immense suffering.
A decade after the tragedy, it is essential to address political, administrative, and security obstacles preventing justice for the victims’ families.
We need to quickly organize administration in Sinjar, ensure constitutional and legal protections for Yazidis, and enhance security and stability in their regions. This includes providing essential services and supporting the return of displaced persons to their homes, with voluntary returns already beginning.
We also urge support for international efforts to investigate and document ISIS crimes, including uncovering mass graves with hundreds of victims. We commend the UN Investigative Team (UNITAD) for their work in holding ISIS accountable.
We commend the important decision to grant Yazidis in Sinjar ownership of their homes, which they were denied for decades due to oppressive policies.
The needs of the victims and their families should be prioritized over political concerns. We must unite to support Yazidis and all ISIS victims. It is unacceptable to delay or ignore their needs.
Yazidis are a vital part of our land's cultural diversity. We remember the tragedies faced by our people, including the victims of mass graves, the Anfal campaign, the chemical bombing in Halabja, and other acts of terrorism, as we honor the fight for freedom and democracy.
We must all agree on the need for justice for the victims and support their return to their homes. Implementing security measures to protect our citizens is essential. We cannot allow ISIS or similar groups to terrorize and harm our people.
As we reflect on this painful anniversary, we recognize that ISIS ideology still poses a serious threat. We need to challenge extremist distortions within our religious institutions and uphold a civil state that respects diversity and rejects using religion for political gain.
Religion should not be used by politicians to further their own agendas. The Iraqi Constitution is designed for a democratic and civil state that respects the diversity of its people and values all religions.
Despite ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and extremism, the harsh reality is that the situation remains dire. In Syria, extremist groups numbering over 20,000 pose a significant threat, while the dangerous challenge of the al-Hol camp, housing tens of thousands, represents an urgent security issue that cannot be ignored. ISIS and its variants are far from finished, and we must prepare for a serious and challenging situation, especially given the complex and volatile regional landscape filled with conflicts and rivalries.
The region must take urgent action. Recent terrorist attacks by ISIS in Russia and Iran, along with ongoing armed clashes with ISIS remnants in Iraq, serve as a warning that demands regional and international mobilization to prevent a looming security catastrophe.
We need to learn from these lessons in Iraq. Achieving success in these efforts is a national and humanitarian obligation, crucial to preventing a repeat of the tragedies that have afflicted Iraq and the region over the past five decades due to the collapse of the regional system.
This has turned the Middle East into a crisis zone impacting global peace and security. We must establish a cooperative regional framework—political, security, and economic—to address contemporary challenges. The people of the region are eager to break free from this cycle and join the global community.