English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For August 17/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t
disregard† his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes,
and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple
Luke 14/25-35/:"Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to
them, “If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard† his own father, mother,
wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be
my disciple. Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my
disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down
and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Or perhaps, when he
has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to
mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build, and wasn’t able to finish.’ Or what
king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and
consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him
with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends
an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace. So therefore whoever of you who
doesn’t renounce all that he has, he can’t be my disciple. Salt is good, but if
the salt becomes flat and tasteless, with what do you season it? It is fit
neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown out. He who has ears
to hear, let him hear.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on August 16-17/2024
Health Ministry: 6 killed in Israeli raid in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon
Hezbollah threatens Israel in video revealing massive underground tunnel network
Hezbollah's tunnel video shows just the tip of the iceberg - analysis
'Imad 4': Hezbollah video shows huge underground missile launching facility
Almost 400 Hezbollah members killed in 10 months of Israel clashes
Egypt FM affirms Arab support for Lebanese security in Beirut talks
Lebanon's PM Mikati receives Egyptian FM: Reaffirms commitment to UN Resolution
1701, urges pressure on Israel to end aggression
In Beirut, Egyptian FM says Gaza truce needed to prevent wider war
Egyptian FM: We support extension of UNIFIL and implementation of Resolution
1701
South Lebanon: One Dead in Aitaroun
Hezbollah: No to Opening a Second Airport
Support for Lebanese Army: G7 discussions focus on boosting Lebanese military
Lebanon's tourism and air travel: Flights to Beirut see partial recovery
Public Health Ministry: No new cases of Mpox have been recorded in Lebanon since
March
Geagea accuses govt of 'high treason' over south
Mikati Denies Geagea’s ‘High Treason’ Claims
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on August 16-17/2024
US warns Iran faces ‘cataclysmic’
consequences if it strikes Israel
Israel FM says expects allies to attack Iran if it strikes
Prisoner deal negotiations: Israeli settler attacks and protests fuel internal
dispute in Israel
Blinken to head to Israel as Gaza ceasefire talks paused with resumption planned
next week
17,000 terrorists killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, IDF says, up 3,000 since May
Israel's advanced intelligence network: A pillar of its military strategy
Gaza records first polio case in 25 years as UN urges vaccinations
Activists prepare to defy Israeli naval blockade of Gaza
Abbas visit to Turkish parliament linked to several geopolitical dynamics
Palestinian village in shock after attack by Israeli settlers
Ceasefire process 'in the end game': Biden official says talks could conclude
end of next week
France involved in multilateral diplomacy to prevent Iran from attacking Israel
Coptic Christian: “There are too many lies about Israel!”
Ukrainian forces left a path of destruction in the Kursk operation. AP visited a
seized Russian town
Ukraine army chief says Kursk offensive ‘has advanced’
US honors Qatari security chief: What is the George Tenet Medal?
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on August 16-17/2024
A Borderline Election/Lawrence Kadish/Gatestone Institute/August 16, 2024
Editor's Notes: Why Harris’s golden boy should alarm every friend of Israel/ZVIKA
KLEIN/Jerusalem Post/August 16/2024
Christian Man Blindfolded, Beat, and Sentenced to Three Years’ Imprisonment for
‘Blasphemy’ in Egypt/Raymond Ibrahim/Coptic Solidarity/August 16/2024
Four big challenges from Turkiye’s aging population/Sinem Cengiz/Arab
News/August 16, 2024
Countries should listen when people vote with their feet/Nadim Shehadi/Arab
News/August 16, 2024
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on August 16-17/2024
Health Ministry: 6 killed in Israeli raid in
Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon
Agencies/August 17, 2024
Cairo: The Lebanese Health Ministry said early Saturday that six people were
killed and three wounded in an Israeli raid on a residential building in the
southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh. Tensions have been rising in the region in
recent weeks after Israel killed a senior Hezbollah leader in the suburbs of
Beirut. Hezbollah has also vowed to retaliate against Israel, as Iran has done,
over the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of
the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Tehran.
Hezbollah threatens Israel in video
revealing massive underground tunnel network
Jerusalem Post/August 16/2024
The space within the tunnels seen in the video is vast and contains enough room
for several trucks and motorcycles to pass.
The terror group Hezbollah published a video to threaten Israel on Friday
showcasing a giant network of underground tunnels from which missiles can be
launched, the official Telegram of Al Mayadeen news channel showed. Tunnels seen
show many terrorists operating inside them. The tunnels appear to be part of an
underground network that, along with missiles, contains lighting, technology,
and computers. Furthermore, the space within the tunnels is vast and contains
enough room for several trucks and motorcycles to pass.Hezbollah terrorists can
be seen speeding through them as they ride on their motorcycles. The text of the
video threatened Israel, stating that "Israel will face a destiny and reality it
didn't expect any day. War with us [Hezbollah] extends across all of Palestine
from the Lebanese border to the Jordanian border. To the Red Sea, to Kiryat
Shmona, to Eilat."
Video published as tension remains high
"These targets are in our possession, and these missiles are placed, deployed,
and focused on targets in perfect security," the video noted. The video comes as
tensions remain high between Israel and Hezbollah after Israel killed head
commander Fuad Shukr, and the terror group vowed to retaliate, possibly in a
joint initiative with Hamas.
Hezbollah's tunnel video shows just the tip of the iceberg - analysis
SETH J. FRANTZMAN/Jerusalem Post/August 16/2024
The more Hezbollah wants to “show” its capabilities, the less likely it may be
to use them. This is therefore a message and a shot in this long war, but it may
not yet be a battle.
The Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah released a new video on August 16
showcasing what appears to be a large tunnel complex where it keeps missiles.
The video was released two weeks after Hezbollah vowed to increase its attacks
against Israel in response to the killing of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in
late July. The new video shows a tunnel complex called Imad 4. It is not clear
where the complex is located and Hezbollah claims the place is secret and has
not been detected by any “foreign” intelligence agency.
The pro-Iranian media Al-Mayadeen describes the site as a “sophisticated
underground facility and an extensive tunnel network, complete with missile
launchpads.” The tunnels are so large that trucks and vehicles can move through
them. There are blast doors. The pro-Iranian report calls this a
“state-of-the-art technical system and a secure communication network that links
it to the outside world, allowing it to receive launch orders within minutes,
adding that the network's communications are said to be highly encrypted for
added security.” Why reveal the arsenal now?
Hezbollah is releasing this video now in the context of its threats to increase
attacks on Israel. The group has already launched 7,500 rockets and 200 drone
attacks on Israel since October 2023. It is not as if Hezbollah has not already
revealed a part of its capabilities. However, Hezbollah is playing the cards
close to its chest. It is revealing its capabilities slowly and only showing a
part of what it has. This is the point of the video. It is a shot across
Israel’s bow. Israel has preferred to conduct precision and proportional
responses to Hezbollah’s attacks over 10 months of conflict. Israel has
evacuated some 60,000 people, including 14,000 children, from northern Israel.
In response to the Hezbollah attacks around 410 Hezbollah members have been
killed. This is in contrast to estimates of 17,000 Hamas members killed in Gaza.
Hezbollah claims the new underground facility it revealed has dedicated
construction, security, and backup launch teams. “These teams operate based on
pre-determined coordinates for launching operations. In addition, the facility,
according to exclusive sources, is outfitted with a field hospital and enough
supplies to sustain its occupants for a period ranging from eight months to a
year,” claims Al-Mayadeen. Hezbollah supposedly has other facilities like this
housing larger rockets. It also has precision guided munitions. The overall
point Hezbollah is making is that it has these capabilities and this is only the
tip of the iceberg. Iran has showcased similar underground missile and drone
sites in the past. Clearly, Iran advises Hezbollah on how to construct these
sites and Iran and Hezbollah share details they have learned. Hezbollah has
already learned a lot in ten months of low-level conflict with Israel. The group
believes it is winning, in the sense that it dictates the time and place of
attacks and the tempo of operations. For instance, Hezbollah claimed it targeted
the Israeli community of Shamir on August 15 in a new escalation of the range of
its attacks. It’s worth noting that the recent round of escalation began when
Hezbollah murdered 12 civilians in a rocket attack on Majdal Shams. Hezbollah is
the one driving this conflict. However, the group’s decision to showcase this
underground complex may actually represent a climb down in rhetoric after two
weeks. The more Hezbollah wants to “show” its capabilities, the less likely it
may be to use them. This is therefore a message and a shot in this long war, but
it may not yet be a battle.
'Imad 4': Hezbollah video shows huge underground missile
launching facility
Agence France Presse/Associated Press
Hezbollah on Friday released a video showing what appeared to be underground
tunnels and large missile launchers, amid fears of all-out war between the
Iran-backed group and Israel. The release comes as negotiators seeking a Gaza
ceasefire were to meet for a second day in Qatar, and amid intensified
diplomatic activity in Lebanon seeking to avert a broader conflict. The
polished, four-and-a-half minute video shows what appear to be Hezbollah
operatives moving through wide, illuminated tunnels hewn into rock, with
motorbikes and other vehicles, including a convoy of trucks. Some trucks appear
to be transporting missiles through the facility, which bears a sign reading "Imad
4", an apparent reference to top Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh, who was
killed in a 2008 Damascus car bombing the group blamed on Israel. Titled "Our
mountains are our storehouses", the video shows a trapdoor opening and a missile
launcher directed skyward. A Hezbollah official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity because he was speaking about military affairs, said the missiles in
the video have a range of about 140 kilometers (86 miles), capable of reaching
deep inside Israel. Hezbollah "possesses precision and non-precision missiles
along with weapons capabilities so that if Israel imposes a war on Lebanon,
Israel will face a destiny and reality it didn't expect any day," its chief
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is heard saying in the video -- an excerpt from a 2018
speech. The group has traded near daily fire with the Israeli army in support of
ally Hamas since the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack on Israel
sparked the Gaza war. But the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran
late last month, blamed on Israel, and an Israeli strike that killed a top
Hezbollah commander in Lebanon, has sent diplomats scrambling to avert a wider
conflict, after Iran and Hezbollah vowed to retaliate. "Targets are in our
possession and the coordinates are in our hands, and these missiles are placed,
deployed and focused on targets and in perfect secrecy," Nasrallah says in
further audio excerpts subtitled in English and Hebrew. Hezbollah's weapons,
personnel, experience, and determination are "stronger than at any time since
its launch in the region," he adds. Hezbollah has expanded the size and quality
of its arsenal since it last fought an all-out war with Israel in 2006. Experts
say the group has a wide range of unguided heavy artillery rockets, ballistic
missiles, as well as anti-aircraft, anti-tank and anti-ship missiles. They have
also said Hezbollah likely has an extensive network of underground tunnels in
south Lebanon, as well as in the eastern Bekaa valley near the border with
Syria. Mughniyeh is credited with developing Hezbollah's military capabilities,
and the group considers him the architect of its "victory" over Israel in 2006.
Almost 400 Hezbollah members killed in 10 months of
Israel clashes
Agence France Presse/August 16, 2024
Ten months of cross-border violence between Hezbollah and Israeli forces has
killed senior commanders and several hundred fighters from the Iran-backed
group, causing destruction and displacing tens of thousands on both
sides.Hezbollah has seen more fighters killed since October than when it last
went to war with Israel in the summer of 2006.AFP looks at the mounting toll for
the group, which has been trading near-daily fire with the Israeli army in
support of Hamas since the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack on
Israel triggered the Gaza war.
Commanders killed
Israeli strikes have killed key Hezbollah commanders in recent months, the most
senior of them top operations chief in south Lebanon Fouad Shukur, who died in a
raid on Beirut's southern suburbs on July 30. Hezbollah has vowed to respond to
his killing. In January, a commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force, Wissam
Tawil, was killed in an Israeli strike on his vehicle in south Lebanon. Two out
of its three area commanders in south Lebanon have also been killed -- Mohammad
Nasser and Taleb Abdallah. Hezbollah divided its operations in south Lebanon
into three areas following the 2006 war, each with its own "military formation,
commander, personnel, weapons and capacities," the group's chief Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah said last month. He said south of the Litani river comprised two
areas: a western sector, covered by Hezbollah's Aziz unit, and an eastern sector
running to the contested Shebaa Farms manned by the group's Nasr unit, which
opened Hezbollah's cross-border attacks in October. The third sector, north of
the Litani river up to the coastal city of Sidon, is covered by the group's Badr
unit. Aziz unit commander Nasser was killed in an Israeli strike last month,
while Nasr unit commander Abdallah was killed in a raid the month before. Israel
has repeatedly said it has killed other Hezbollah fighters whom it has called
"commanders".
Dead fighters
The violence has killed some 570 people in Lebanon, most of them fighters from
Hezbollah but also including dozens from allied armed groups including Hamas,
according to an AFP tally, with at least 118 civilians among the dead. On the
Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, 22 soldiers and 26
civilians have been killed, according to military figures. Hezbollah has issued
statements announcing the deaths of more than 370 members who have been killed
in Lebanon, according to the AFP tally. The Lebanese group has mostly described
them as "martyred on the road to Jerusalem", the phrase it uses to refer to
those killed in Israeli strikes. Another 25 have been killed in neighboring
Syria, where Israel has for years carried out strikes on army positions and
pro-Iran fighters, also seeking to cut off Hezbollah supply lines to Lebanon
from Tehran. According to the statements, around 320 of the slain Hezbollah
fighters were from south Lebanon, with some 60 from the eastern Bekaa Valley,
which borders Syria. Several south Lebanon villages close to the Israeli border
each count around a dozen slain fighters, the statements have indicated. Around
70 percent of the more than 230 fighters killed since late January, when
Hezbollah began to provide the year of birth on its death statements, were aged
40 or under. At least six were aged 20 or under, with three born the same year
as the 2006 war or after it. A source close to Hezbollah, requesting anonymity,
told AFP that fewer than 300 fighters from the group were killed in the 2006
conflict.
Hezbollah operations -
Hezbollah has said it is seeking to tie up Israeli military resources in
Israel's north in support of ally Hamas. The escalating attacks have raised
fears of a broader conflict, and Lebanon has been on edge since Shukur's death.
Earlier this month, the heavily armed group said it had carried out 2,500
"military operations" against Israel since October. It claimed to have targeted
"border positions" 1,328 times and "military barracks" 391 times, using a
variety of weapons including artillery, rockets, "guided missiles" and "air
defense weapons." The group has also released three videos showing surveillance
drone footage taken by the group across the border, widely viewed as a potential
bank of targets in case of all-out war. The footage includes aerial images of
military positions in northern Israel and the annexed Golan Heights, as well as
sensitive areas in and around the port city of Haifa.
Egypt FM affirms Arab support for Lebanese security in
Beirut talks
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/August 16, 2024
BEIRUT: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said in Beirut on Friday that
Cairo will “make every possible effort to spare Lebanon and its brotherly people
the woes of any uncalculated escalation.”Abdelatty condemned “all provocative
policies, including the violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.” He repeated Egypt’s
rejection of “the Israeli aggression on Beirut’s southern suburb and the policy
of assassinations.”Abdelatty added that the security and stability of Lebanon
“is an Egyptian interest and an Arab interest that we are working on
maintaining.”His talks in Beirut came two days after visits by US mediator Amos
Hochstein and French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne.
FASTFACT
Prime Minister Najib Mikati repeated Lebanon’s commitment to ‘fully
implementing’ UN Resolution 1701. Hochstein and Sejourne had urged the need for
deescalation, in parallel with the Doha talks targeting a ceasefire in Gaza and
the exchange of hostages. Abdelatty — under the assignment and direction of
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi — met several Lebanese officials. The
talks were part of Arab and international efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza
between the Israeli army and Hamas, and deescalate the situation on the Lebanese
border between Israel and Hezbollah. Following his meeting with Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri, Abdelatty said that he delivered a “message of support and
solidarity from the Egyptian people to the Lebanese people.”Abdelatty
highlighted the importance of “stopping the escalation and not dragging the
region into a comprehensive regional war. “We are working to stop this
escalation, and we must act to the fullest extent and as quickly as possible to
reach an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and stop the Israeli aggression,”
he said. “The core of the conflict in this region is the persistence of the
Palestinian cause without a solution, and the continued failure of the
Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights, most importantly their
right to establish an independent state on the entire national territory on the
borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”According to his
media office, Berri said: “The success of the efforts exerted in Doha to reach a
ceasefire is the main gateway to restoring stability and solutions in the
region.”He praised the “great effort made by Egypt and President Abdel Fattah
El-Sisi to stop the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.”Abdelatty also met Caretaker
Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his ministerial counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib.
Mikati repeated his country’s commitment to “fully implementing” UN Resolution
1701. “Pressure must be exerted on Israel to implement the resolution and stop
its aggression against Lebanon,” he added. As diplomacy intensified to prevent a
wider regional conflict, Hezbollah again warned of a possible response to the
assassination of its senior military commander, Fouad Shukr, who was killed in
Beirut’s southern suburb in July. In a threatening message to Israel, the
militant group released a video on Friday containing footage of an underground
facility carved from rock. The site featured huge, illuminated tunnels
containing steel doors, motorbikes, missile launchers and trucks. Hezbollah’s
military media said in a statement on the video: “Western media talks a lot
about the tunnels.” The clip was titled “Our mountains are our strongholds” and
aimed to reveal Hezbollah’s extensive military capabilities. It included a clip
of a previous speech by Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s secretary-general. He
said: “The resistance now possesses precision and non-precision missiles, along
with its weapons capabilities, so that if Israel imposes a war on Lebanon,
Israel will face a destiny and reality it didn’t expect any day.” Hezbollah
sources told Lebanese media that the location, and entrances and exits, of the
tunnel facility, were secret. “It is unknown where this underground facility
begins, where our fighters are operating, where it ends and what it is connected
to,” they said.
“What we are revealing today is a small part of the real capabilities of the
resistance, especially in terms of precision missiles.”The video was accompanied
by a message from the Iranian Embassy, which commented on the video. The embassy
said: “We call underground missile installations within rocks and mountains
‘missile cities.’ They are spread throughout the geography of Iran, instilling
fear in the hearts of Iran’s enemies. If necessary, we can strike the enemy from
any point within Iran.”On Friday, Hezbollah launched a series of missile attacks
on Israeli military sites in the Upper Galilee. The party mourned one of its
fighters who was killed by an Israeli air-to-surface missile on the border town
of Aitaroun. He was identified as Ibrahim Shawqi Salameh from the town of Blida.
Israel again targeted the town of Kfar Kila and the outskirts of Rmeich, Ramia,
Beit Lif, Al-Qouzah, Naqoura and Mays Al-Jabal.
Also on Friday, the leader of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, said that
Hezbollah’s actions on the southern border “are not in support of Gaza, but
rather in support of Iran’s strategic interests in the region.”Addressing a
press conference, Geagea said: “Implementing Resolution 1701 would significantly
improve our situation.”He urged the government to “take a stance based on
Lebanon’s national interest, rather than echoing Hezbollah’s actions.” Former
Lebanese president Michel Aoun had “put us in one hell,” and now the Axis of
Resistance is “putting us in another hell and digging our hole even bigger,”
Geagea added.
Lebanon's PM Mikati receives Egyptian FM: Reaffirms commitment to UN Resolution
1701, urges pressure on Israel to end aggression
LBCI/August 16, 2024
Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati discussed with Egyptian Foreign
Minister Badr Abdelatty the relations between Lebanon and Egypt and the efforts
to ease tensions in the region. Mikati expressed his gratitude to Egypt for its
continuous support of Lebanon in all circumstances, expressing his appreciation
for President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's repeated initiatives to support Lebanon. He
emphasized that "Lebanon appreciates the international and Arab efforts being
made to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and to stop Israeli attacks on southern
Lebanon." He affirmed that Lebanon "reiterates its commitment to fully
implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701," considering that "pressure
must be exerted on Israel to enforce the resolution and to stop its aggression
against Lebanon." As for the Egyptian minister, he conveyed President El-Sisi's
greetings and appreciation to Prime Minister Mikati, noting that his visit is a
strong message of support for Lebanon and that efforts are ongoing to achieve a
ceasefire in Gaza to defuse tensions.
In Beirut, Egyptian FM says Gaza truce needed to prevent
wider war
Associated Press/August 16, 2024
Egypt’s foreign minister said Friday that an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza
Strip is needed to stop an escalation that could push the region into a wider
war. Badr Abdelaty’s comments in Beirut came as officials from Egypt, Qatar,
Israel and the U.S. are holding talks in the Qatari capital of Doha in an
attempt to end the war in Gaza. Tension has been rising in the Middle East
following the killing of the top military official of Hezbollah in an Israeli
strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs and of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in
Tehran. Iran and Hezbollah blamed Israel for Haniyeh's death and have vowed to
retaliate. “We confirm the importance of stopping the escalation and that the
region does not slide to a comprehensive regional war,” Abdelaty told reporters
after meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a key ally of
Hezbollah.“Egypt is exerting all possible efforts, as you know, to stop the
escalation and to work to reach as much as possible an immediate cease-fire in
the Gaza Strip,” Abdelaty said.Hezbollah and its allies in the region, mainly
Houthi rebels in Yemen, have said they will stop attacking Israel once it ends
its offensive in Gaza.
Egyptian FM: We support extension of UNIFIL and implementation of Resolution
1701
LBCI/August 16, 2024
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty expressed his concern that the regional
crises might adversely affect Lebanon's stability, noting that Lebanon's
stability is an Arab interest. He added that Egypt will do everything necessary
to prevent escalation or unprecedented turmoil in Lebanon. In a joint press
conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Abdelatty
condemned the aggression against the southern suburbs of Beirut and the practice
of targeted assassination, stating that such actions will only lead to further
escalation. He confirmed that Egypt supports the extension of the UNIFIL mission
for one year and backs the implementation of Resolution 1701. He pointed out,
"Egypt is making every effort to quickly reach a deal that leads to a ceasefire
and the exchange of hostages."
South Lebanon: One Dead in Aitaroun
This Is Beirut/August 16, 2024
A man was killed on Friday, and another was injured in a raid on Aitaroun, as
reported by the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Operations Center. Another
airstrike targeted Aitaroun, a little later on during the day, when two missiles
landed in an open area without any reported casualties. Additionally, a fire
broke out in Marjayoun due to Israeli flare launches. Kfar Kila was shelled four
times on Thursday night, and another time early Friday morning. Simultaneously,
the Israeli army announced the bombing of Hezbollah military targets in Kfar
Kila, Rmeish, and Ramya. Early in the morning, the Israeli army targeted the
outskirts of Ramya, Beit Lif, and al-Qouzah with a number of direct-fire
missiles. Thursday night, Israel carried out raids on Jabal al-Labbouneh and the
outskirts of Naqoura, while Israeli reconnaissance flights continued until this
morning.
Hezbollah: No to Opening a Second Airport
This Is Beirut/August 16, 2024
A delegation from the parliamentary Moderation Bloc raised the issue of
“operating” Rene Moawad Airport in Qlayaat with caretaker Prime Minister Najib
Mikati, to ensure Lebanon’s continued communication with the outside world in
case of disruptions at Beirut International Airport. The delegation argued that
Qlayaat Airport is already equipped with runways, a control tower, and completed
basic infrastructure. parliament Speaker Nabih Berri or directly with Hezbollah.
Consequently, they met with MP Muhammad Raad, head of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the
Resistance Bloc. Raad’s response was an absolute refusal to operate two airports
in Lebanon. The delegation tried, to no avail, to explain that most countries
operate multiple airports, citing Syria and Cyprus as examples. The project for
opening Qlayaat Airport to air traffic is lingering in the drawer of the
Minister of Public Works, Ali Hamiyeh, who will not release it without approval
from his pro-Hezbollah political authority.
Support for Lebanese Army: G7 discussions focus on boosting Lebanese military
LBCI/August 16, 2024
During the G7 (Group of Seven) summit, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and
US President Joe Biden discussed increasing support for the Lebanese Army to
enhance its capabilities, particularly in southern Lebanon, in line with UN
Security Council Resolution 1701. This issue was also raised by French President
Emmanuel Macron with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Paris
three months ago. Italy and France are the most enthusiastic supporters of the
proposed support plan. Both countries have advocated for a practical solution,
suggesting an international conference to fund the expansion of the Lebanese
Army. However, no concrete plans are currently in place until the
situation in southern Lebanon is resolved. During their visits, Lebanese
officials recently heard from foreign counterparts that while there is interest
in supporting Lebanon, concrete promises of aid remain elusive. The Lebanese
Army had previously prepared a plan to recruit 6,000 new soldiers in stages,
which includes training, individual equipment, and logistical support. The cost
of this initiative is estimated at $1 billion. Although the Defense and Finance
Ministries are expected to include the salaries for the first batch of 1,500
recruits in the 2025 budget, acquiring weapons and logistical needs remains
unattainable. Each new recruit requires equipment costing between $3,500 and
$4,000, which includes personal weapons, gear, and military uniforms. Government
sources acknowledge that while there is no firm commitment to funding, there is
a willingness to assist from at least three European countries, Italy, France,
the United Kingdom, and the United States. No Arab countries have yet expressed
a desire to contribute. All involved parties have indicated that any support
will be contingent on achieving a ceasefire and resolving the ongoing conflict
in the region. Once these conditions are met, an international conference will
be convened to raise the necessary funds outlined in the Lebanese Army’s plan.
Lebanon's tourism and air travel: Flights to Beirut see
partial recovery
LBCI/August 16, 2024
The period leading up to and following the assassination of Hezbollah official
Fouad Shokor on July 30, 2024, has significantly altered air travel and visitor
patterns to Lebanon. Before this date, air traffic was relatively normal,
resembling patterns from previous years with a steady influx of expatriates and
tourists. However, in the wake of Shokor's assassination, the situation changed
markedly. With rising security threats, seven airlines suspended flights to
Beirut entirely. Despite these disruptions, Lebanese expatriates remained
determined to visit. On August 11, the airline Sundair resumed its flights to
Lebanon. By August 14, Transavia and Air France also restarted services,
reflecting an improvement in the perceived security situation according to these
airlines.However, the return of some airlines and the slight improvement in air
traffic do not signify a complete return to normalcy. For instance, on August
15, 2024, Lebanon received 8,136 arrivals, a significant drop from the 12,964
arrivals on the same day the previous year. Despite the challenges, there is a
sense of optimism among those arriving at the airport. Families are eager to
reunite and celebrate together, even amidst the ongoing uncertainties.
Public Health Ministry: No new cases of Mpox have been
recorded in Lebanon since March
LBCI/August 16, 2024
The Public Health Ministry announced on Friday it is closely monitoring the
situation related to Monkeypox in collaboration with the World Health
Organization (WHO) and scientific committees. In a statement, the Ministry
reassured the public that no new cases of Mpox have been recorded in Lebanon
since last March, emphasizing its efforts to strengthen surveillance systems
through early detection and rapid diagnosis of potential cases. The Ministry
clarified that the WHO currently does not make specific recommendations for
implementing special measures at border crossings. The Ministry provided
information to remind the public about the disease, its symptoms, and preventive
measures. Mpox is a contagious disease caused by the Monkeypox virus. Most
people recover completely within two to four weeks. However, certain groups,
including individuals with immunodeficiency, those with chronic illnesses,
children, and pregnant women, may experience severe complications, sometimes
leading to death. The disease spreads through direct contact with infected
individuals through touching, kissing, or sexual contact; contact with
contaminated materials such as bedding, clothing, or needles; short-range
respiratory droplets from close and prolonged interactions with infected
individuals; transmission from a pregnant woman to her fetus, during childbirth,
or from a parent to their child through close contact; community settings like
tattoo or beauty salons; and contact with infected animals, particularly during
hunting, skinning, or cooking. Mpox symptoms can appear one to three weeks after
exposure and typically last two to four weeks, although they may persist longer
in individuals with immunodeficiency. Common symptoms include headache, fever,
sore throat, rash anywhere on the body, including the mouth or throat (which can
appear as a single lesion or multiple lesions), swollen lymph nodes, muscle
aches, back pain, and fatigue. The Ministry continues to encourage public
awareness and adherence to preventive measures to minimize the risk of
infection.
Geagea accuses govt of 'high treason' over south
Naharnet/August 16, 2024
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday accused the caretaker government
of committing “high treason” due to “what’s happening in the south.“It is
responsible for the Lebanese people, even if it is a caretaker government,”
Geagea said at a press conference. “U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein arrived carrying
proposals and met with a number of officials, but he takes the answer from
Hezbollah through mediators,” Geagea added. “We do not want a civil war but we
want to discuss the matters as they should be discussed,” the LF leader went on
to say, calling on the government to “take charge of things” in the south.
Geagea also called for the gradual implementation of Resolution 1701,
Hezbollah’s pullback from the border by 8 or 10 kilometers and the Lebanese
Army’s control of this area. “The government must take a patriotic decision,
seeing as it should not be a mere subordinate that says and does what Hezbollah
wants,” Geagea added.
Mikati Denies Geagea’s ‘High Treason’ Claims
This Is Beirut/August 16, 2024
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati responded to the recent accusations made
by Samir Geagea, the leader of the Lebanese Forces. In a press conference
earlier today, Geagea accused the government of “high treason” regarding recent
events on the country’s southern border. The statement, released by Mikati’s
office, denied the allegations, stating that while Geagea has the right to
express his “opinions and play the role of the opposition,” he has no right to
make “baseless judgments” and use legal and constitutional terms lightly. The
statement directly challenged Geagea’s claim, asking, “If he considers there is
an easy solution, why hasn’t it been executed, and why are long-pending issues
unresolved?” It further accused him of “theorizing from a distance” without
regard for the government’s delicate circumstances. “All political leaders, both
loyalists and opponents, must cooperate and support each other during these
difficult times,” the statement concluded, “instead of repeating positions and
making accusations that only widen the rift between the Lebanese people.”
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on August 16-17/2024
US warns Iran faces ‘cataclysmic’
consequences if it strikes Israel
AFP/August 16, 2024
WASHINGTON: A US official warned Friday that Iran would face “cataclysmic”
consequences and derail momentum toward a Gaza truce if it strikes Israel in
response to the killing of a top Hamas official. The United States “would
encourage the Iranians — and I know many are — not to move down that road,
because the consequences could be quite cataclysmic, particularly for Iran,” a
senior US official told reporters on customary condition of anonymity. President
Joe Biden earlier Friday said that a ceasefire in the 10-month Gaza war was
closer than ever after two days of talks in Qatar at which US mediators
presented a proposal to narrow gaps. “It was Hamas, a proxy of Iran, that
started this war on October 7, and it would be ironic if Iran was do something
to basically derail what we think is the best opportunity at a very
comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal that we have had in many
months,” the US official said. Iran has warned Israel of a response to the July
31 strike in Tehran that killed Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, for which
Israel is widely suspected but has not claimed responsibility. Israeli Foreign
Minister Israel Katz said earlier Friday in a joint meeting with his British and
French counterparts that he expected support in “attacking significant targets”
inside Iran if the Islamic republic strikes Israel. Asked about Katz’s comments,
the US official said only that the United States, with Britain and France, was
preparing for “every possible contingency.” “We are going to do everything that
is needed to defend Israel against any attacks from Iran,” he said.
Israel FM says expects allies to attack Iran if it
strikes
Agence France Presse/August 16, 2024
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz told his French and British counterparts
Friday that Israel expects support "in attacking" Iran if it strikes Israeli
territory. "If Iran attacks, we expect the coalition to join Israel not only in
defense but also in attacking significant targets in Iran," Katz told his French
and UK counterparts during their visit to Israel.
Prisoner deal negotiations: Israeli settler attacks and
protests fuel internal dispute in Israel
LBCI/August 16, 2024
As the Israeli negotiating delegation returned from Qatar's Doha with no
progress regarding the core problems, tensions escalated on two domestic fronts
for Israel. The most critical front is in the West Bank. Following Israel's
decision to intensify operations against Palestinians, the Israeli government
has been lenient with settlers who have ramped up their attacks, including
invasions of towns, killings, and acts of vandalism. The most notable of these
incidents occurred in the village of Jit, where over a hundred armed settlers
stormed the area, killing 23-year-old Rashid Abdul Kader, injuring dozens, and
causing extensive damage. This policy has opened a new front for Israel, with
repercussions that will impact various other fronts, according to security and
military officials. The second front involves the growing protests and
demonstrations, which have become more violent following the revelation of a
report presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The report detailed the
conditions of hostages in Gaza and emphasized the need for an immediate deal and
cessation of hostilities to preserve their lives. However, the leadership
remained silent on the matter. While Israelis await a glimmer of hope from Doha,
the leadership continues to highlight the so-called greater threat from Iran and
Lebanon. A senior official reported that Tel Aviv sent a warning to Iran through
a third country, threatening a severe military response if Iran were to launch
an attack on Israel, thereby disrupting the balance of power and deterrence. On
the diplomatic front, American and international pressures persist to prevent a
regional war. In a meeting with their Israeli counterpart Israel Katz in Tel
Aviv, the British and French foreign ministers warned of the consequences of
escalating violence and stressed the need for a deal to end the Gaza war.
Nonetheless, Katz reiterated that Israel would not remain silent in the face of
any attack and has enlisted coalition countries not only to defend against any
Iranian assault but also to participate in any Israeli retaliation. Meanwhile,
in the military scene, the Israeli army has intensified naval drills, simulating
scenarios of targeting strategic sites and breaching maritime borders. The
training took place in Haifa, the most dangerous and sensitive area and the most
threatened by Hezbollah.
Blinken to head to Israel as Gaza ceasefire talks paused
with resumption planned next week
Reuters/August 16, 2024
DOHA/CAIRO: Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha paused on Friday with negotiators to
meet again next week seeking an agreement to end fighting between Israel and
Hamas and free remaining hostages, as US President Joe Biden said “we’re not
there yet.”In a joint statement, the US, Qatar and Egypt said Washington had
presented a new proposal that built on points of agreement over the past week,
closing gaps in a way that could allow rapid implementation of a deal. Mediators
would keep working on the proposal, they said. “The path is now set for that
outcome, saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and de-escalating
regional tensions,” they said in the statement. The latest round in months of
talks to end the war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of
Palestinians, began between Israel and mediators on Thursday. Palestinian
militant group Hamas was not directly involved but was kept briefed on progress.
A senior Hamas official, Izzat Al-Rishq, told Reuters Israel “did not abide by
what was agreed upon” in earlier talks, citing what mediators had told them. In
Washington, Biden said a deal was “much, much closer” than before the talks
began. “I don’t want to jinx anything ... we may have something. But we’re not
there yet,” he said. Sticking points have included Israel’s insistence that
peace will only be possible if Hamas is destroyed, and Hamas saying it will only
accept a permanent, rather than temporary, ceasefire. Other difficulties have
included sequencing of a deal, the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners
to be released alongside Israeli hostages, control over the border between Gaza
and Egypt, and free movement for Palestinians inside Gaza. A senior Biden
administration official said the latest negotiations in Doha were the most
productive in months, and negotiators will reconvene next week in Cairo hoping
to conclude. The official added that Washington put forward on Friday a bridging
proposal closing most gaps between the parties. “It was consensus of all of the
participants over the past 48 hours that there’s really a new spirit here to
drive it to a conclusion,” the official told reporters on the condition of
anonymity. “The Israeli team that was here was empowered...We made a lot of
progress in the number of issues that we’ve been working on,” the official said.
An Israeli official said its delegation in Doha was heading home later on Friday
and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to meet US Secretary
of State Antony Blinken on Monday. Blinken will travel to Israel on Saturday “to
continue intensive diplomatic efforts to conclude the agreement for a ceasefire
and release of hostages and detainees,” State Department deputy spokesperson
Vedant Patel said in a statement. On Friday, Israeli forces pounded targets
across tiny, crowded Gaza and issued new orders for people to leave areas it had
previously designated as civilian safe zones, saying Hamas had used them to fire
mortars and rockets at Israel. As hundreds of families fled with salvaged
belongings, the United Nations called for a week-long pause in fighting for a
polio-vaccination campaign with disease spreading among the displaced. The
Palestinian health ministry said in a statement it has detected the first
confirmed case of polio in the Gaza strip in the city of Deir Al-Balah for a
10-month-old baby who had not received any polio vaccination dose. The conflict
began on Oct. 7 when Hamas fighters rampaged into Israel, killing around 1,200
people and seizing around 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s
military campaign has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and killed more than 40,000
Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Israel says it has eliminated 17,000 Hamas fighters.
REGIONAL FEARS
In a statement late on Thursday, Hamas politburo member Hossam Badran said
Israel’s continuing operations were an obstacle to progress on a ceasefire.
The Israeli delegation included spy chief David Barnea, head of the domestic
security service Ronen Bar and the military’s hostages chief Nitzan Alon,
defense officials said.
The White House sent CIA Director Bill Burns and US Middle East envoy Brett
McGurk. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and
Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel were also taking part.
Negotiations took place in the shadow of a feared regional escalation, with Iran
threatening to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader
Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. With US warships, submarines and warplanes
dispatched to the region to defend Israel and deter potential attackers,
Washington hopes a ceasefire agreement in Gaza can defuse the risk of a wider
war. Asked on Friday if Iran would continue to hold off on retaliating against
Israel now that the ceasefire talks had been extended, Iran’s mission to the UN
in New York said “We hope so.”The senior Biden administration official said
Washington warned Tehran against conducting a major missile attack against
Israel, “because the consequences could be quite cataclysmic, particularly for
Iran.”
17,000 terrorists killed in Gaza since Oct.
7, IDF says, up 3,000 since May
JNS/Israel Today Staff/August 16, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in May that the IDF had
eliminated some 14,000 Hamas terrorists.
Israel Defense Forces troops have killed more than 17,000 terrorists in the Gaza
Strip since the beginning of the war against Hamas on Oct. 7, IDF Spokesperson
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari revealed on Thursday night. “IDF forces continue to
fight in Gaza—maneuvering in Rafah, Khan Yunis, the central Strip and are
attacking everywhere,” Hagari told reporters at a briefing. “So far, we have
eliminated more than 17,000 terrorists. “The significant combat and the ensuing
high accomplishments impede Hamas’s ability to raise its head again and rebuild
itself, and we are determined to keep this up,” the military spokesman added.
IDF forces entered Gaza on Oct. 27 after weeks of airstrikes in response to the
Oct. 7 attacks, in which terrorists murdered some 1,200 people, wounded
thousands more and abducted more than 250 others to Gaza. On June 23, Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the intense combat in Gaza was winding
down and that the IDF would deploy more troops to the Lebanese border amid
attacks by Iran-backed Hezbollah. Last month, the IDF announced that its forces
had killed half of Hamas’s leadership in Gaza and killed or arrested around
14,000 of its fighters. That number was identical to a figure cited by Jerusalem
two months prior, when Netanyahu told a US podcast, “We’re facing 35,000 Hamas
terrorists. We’ve killed already about 14,000, wounded many others.” Avi Hyman,
a government spokesperson, said on May 13 that IDF forces had killed more than
14,000 terrorists and that some 16,000 civilians had been killed in Gaza since
Oct. 7 as a result of the ensuing war. Hyman said the Israeli army was setting
the gold standard for urban warfare with “the lowest civilian-to-combatant
casualty ratio in history.” On Thursday, the IDF announced that soldiers killed
20 terrorists and destroyed a structure concealing a tunnel entrance during
raids in the former Hamas stronghold of Rafah in southernmost Gaza. Over the
course of 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force attacked more than 30 Hamas terrorist
infrastructure sites, including structures rigged with explosives, underground
infrastructure and weapons storage facilities.The military also revealed on
Thursday that troops over the past month demolished no fewer than 50 terrorist
tunnels under the Philadelphi Corridor separating the Gaza Strip from Egypt’s
Sinai Peninsula. Israeli forces conquered the Philadelphi Corridor in May and
continue to operate in the border area to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons
and other materials into Gaza via a vast network of tunnels.
Israel's advanced intelligence network: A pillar of its
military strategy
LBCI/August 16, 2024
In the ongoing wars, Israel's technological superiority has provided its
intelligence agencies with invaluable data, which Tel Aviv considers a goldmine.
This information unveils key areas of conflict and the primary players involved.
Additionally, Israel has developed and enhanced a sophisticated network of
agents equipped with advanced technologies for gathering information and
carrying out covert operations.Israel has established one of the world's most
formidable intelligence infrastructures, enabling it to gather information,
conduct surveillance, and precisely target threats through multiple agencies.
Aman is primarily responsible for monitoring electronic espionage and
communications. Mossad handles foreign intelligence operations and carries out
assassinations deemed critical to Israel's security. Shin Bet (Israel Security
Agency) focuses on domestic security intelligence, including counter-terrorism
activities within Israel and the Palestinian territories. Lastly, unit 8200,
founded in 1952, has become one of the most crucial intelligence units within
the Israeli military. It collects and analyzes signal intelligence, conducts
cyber operations, intercepts communications, and uses drones for precise target
strikes. This advanced intelligence framework has evolved over the years,
increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence to analyze data and facilitate
rapid operational decisions. Since the 1980s, Israel has also focused on
developing satellite technology, with key assets including the Ofeq and TecSAR
satellites. These satellites monitor military activities, especially in the
Middle East, and capture high-resolution images in all weather conditions and
even at night. The technological progress achieved by Tel Aviv is complemented
by the vast reservoir of information gathered on Hezbollah, Hamas, and various
factions involved in the Syrian war. In addition to its military and
intelligence advancements in war, Israel has successfully formed
intelligence-sharing alliances with several countries to monitor activities in
Iran and Hezbollah. Key partners include the United States, Germany, the United
Kingdom, France, and some Arab nations.
Gaza records first polio case in 25 years as UN urges
vaccinations
AFP/August 16, 2024
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Gaza has recorded its first polio case in 25
years, the Palestinian health ministry said on Friday, after UN chief Antonio
Guterres called for pauses in the Israel-Hamas war to vaccinate hundreds of
thousands of children.
Tests in Jordan confirmed the disease in an unvaccinated 10-month-old from the
central Gaza Strip, the health ministry in Ramallah said. According to the
United Nations, Gaza, now in its 11th month of war, has not registered a polio
case for 25 years, although type 2 poliovirus was detected in samples collected
from the territory’s wastewater in June. “Doctors suspected the presence of
symptoms consistent with polio,” the health ministry said. “After conducting the
necessary tests in the Jordanian capital, Amman, the infection was confirmed.”
The case emerged shortly after Guterres called for two seven-day breaks in the
Gaza war to vaccinate more than 640,000 children. Poliovirus, most often spread
through sewage and contaminated water, is highly infectious. It can cause
deformities and paralysis, and is potentially fatal. It mainly affects children
under the age of five. The UN health and children’s agencies said they had made
detailed plans to reach children across the besieged Palestinian territory and
could start this month. But that would require pauses in the 10-month old war
between Israel and Hamas, they said. “Preventing and containing the spread of
polio will take a massive, coordinated and urgent effort,” Guterres told
reporters at UN headquarters in New York. “I am appealing to all parties to
provide concrete assurances right away guaranteeing humanitarian pauses for the
campaign.”The World Health Organization and UN children’s fund UNICEF said they
were planning two seven-day vaccination drives across the Gaza Strip, starting
in late August, against type 2 poliovirus (cVDPV2). Last month, it was announced
that type 2 poliovirus had been detected in samples collected in Gaza on June
23. “These pauses in fighting would allow children and families to safely reach
health facilities and community outreach workers to get to children who cannot
access health facilities for polio vaccination,” the agencies said in a
statement said. After 25 years without polio, its re-emergence in the Gaza Strip
would threaten neighboring countries, it added. “A ceasefire is the only way to
ensure public health security in the Gaza Strip and the region.”During each
round of the campaign, the health ministry in Gaza, alongside UN agencies, would
provide “two drops of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to more than
640,000 children under 10 years of age.”More than 1.6 million doses of nOPV2
were expected to transit through Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport “by the end of
August,” the statement added. The war was triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented
October 7 attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly
civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. On Thursday,
the toll from Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza passed 40,000,
according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which does not provide a
breakdown of civilian and militant casualties.
Activists prepare to defy Israeli naval blockade of Gaza
Reuters/August 16, 2024
VALLETTA: Peace activists from several countries are setting out on a converted
trawler to defy an Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians
in the Gaza Strip. “The purpose of this mission is to send a message that civil
society is not OK with what’s happening in Gaza,” said Fellipe Lopes, the
Portuguese media coordinator of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition on board the ship
Handala during a stopover in Malta. It will be a trip fraught with danger.
Another coalition ship on a similar mission to Gaza in 2010 was stopped and
boarded by Israeli troops, and nine activists died. Other ships were similarly
stopped and boarded, without loss of life. “We expect to encounter resistance
throughout our mission,” said Australian activist Michael Coleman. “Ours is not
an illegal activity in any shape or form. The International Court of Justice has
asked them to grant unfettered access to aid into Gaza and I implore them to let
us and other aids through immediately,” he said. The Handala was visited in
Malta by 78-year-old retired US Army Col. and diplomat Ann Wright, who was on
board another coalition ship boarded by Israeli troops in 2010, in the incident
in which nine activists died. “These people are very brave, because we don’t
know what’s going to happen. If the Israelis stop them, we know it’ll be
brutal,” Wright said. The brightly colored Handala carries activists from Italy,
France, Norway, Australia, the Netherlands, Syria and a number of Palestinians.
It has made several port calls around Scandinavia and the Mediterranean to raise
awareness about the situation in Gaza. Its hull carries slogans reading: “Free
Palestine,” “Gaza you are not alone” and “Stop the Genocide,” while its
humanitarian aid cargo consists mostly of medicines. The trip along the Eastern
Mediterranean to Gaza will take a week but organizers said they might stop over
in another harbor on the way.
Abbas visit to Turkish parliament linked to several
geopolitical dynamics
MENEKSE TOKYAY/Arab News/August 16, 2024
ANKARA: After meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Mahmoud Abbas
visited Ankara and gave key messages about efforts for Palestinian unity and a
ceasefire at a tense time during the Israel-Hamas war. Abbas heads the Fatah
Palestinian movement, a rival to Hamas, and has a more distant relationship with
the Turkish government. However, Turkiye’s invitation to Abbas was strategic as
it came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the
US Congress on July 25, which Ankara condemned. “We will show that Mr. Abbas has
the right to speak in our parliament, just as Netanyahu has the right to speak
in the US Congress,” Erdogan told members of his ruling Justice and Development
Party on Wednesday, before meeting Abbas in Ankara on Wednesday. A staunch
supporter of Hamas, President Erdogan said that Turkiye had also planned to
invite Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh before he was assassinated in
Tehran. Abbas was addressing an extraordinary session of the Turkish parliament
on Thursday, decorated with photographs of Haniyeh, who frequently visited
Turkiye and had close ties with Erdogan. The parliament’s presidency said that
the special session for Abbas aimed to “demonstrate strong support for the
Palestinian people and their cause and ensure that the voice of the oppressed
Palestinian people is heard worldwide.”
During his speech, which was interrupted several times by applause, Abbas —
based in Ramallah in the West Bank — said that he would visit the besieged Gaza
Strip to protest Israel’s war on the enclave, adding that the conflict could not
end until Israel withdrew from occupied Palestinian land. Abbas has not gone to
Gaza since Hamas took power in 2007. He also said that he would stand by the
Palestinian people “even at the cost of his life” and added: “There cannot be a
Palestinian state without Gaza.”The last time Abbas visited Turkiye was on March
5. But this time the visit coincides with a tense geopolitical situation and
speculation about retaliation against Israel by Iran and Hezbollah. Ankara,
meanwhile, is also grappling with its position on Hamas following the
appointment of Yahya Sinwar, who is seen as closer to Iran, after Haniyeh’s
assassination. Turkiye recently imposed a temporary one-week block on Instagram
after the social media platform blocked condolence posts on the killing of
Haniyeh. Betul Dogan-Akkas, assistant professor of international relations at
Ankara University’s department of international relations, believes that Abbas’s
visit to the Turkish parliament is linked to several dynamics in regional and
global politics.“Turkiye is known for its social and political support for the
Palestinian cause, but in the last decade it has become more and more involved
with Hamas,” she told Arab News.
“However, Ankara’s support for Palestine goes beyond its ties with Hamas or
Fatah,” Dogan-Akkas said. “Inviting Abbas to deliver a speech in parliament
shows Turkiye’s current efforts to adopt a comprehensive approach to the
resistance without differentiating between the West Bank and Gaza.”
Dogan-Akkas believes that the visit was also significant for Middle East
politics in the wake of Haniyeh’s assassination. “Abbas can speak safely in
Turkiye, and Turkiye is happy to host him to pave the way for the unification of
the Palestinian resistance,” she said. He had also dedicated an important part
of his speech to the resistance in Gaza. “Having the opportunity to speak on
behalf of Palestine, his discourse was inclusive and representative of both the
West Bank and Gaza, despite the ongoing fragility of Palestinian domestic
politics.”Abbas “is an important figure in the Middle East, and hosting him in
the Turkish parliament means that Turkiye is keeping channels of communication
open with various powers in the Middle East, especially in Palestine,”
Dogan-Akkas said. “However, his visit is more oriented to the international
community as Turkiye has recently submitted a request to join South Africa’s
case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide,” she
said.
Galip Dalay, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, thinks that the
significance of the visit is largely symbolic. “Politically, the Palestinian
Authority, despite its international legitimacy, has no influence in Gaza and
limited one in West Bank, where its popularity is quite low,” he told Arab News.
“Turkiye’s most important role in the Palestinian cause at present lies in its
ability to promote a common framework of governance and leadership within
Palestine, contributing to the creation of a reformed and unified Palestinian
leadership,” Dalay said.
“This includes restructuring the Palestine Liberation Organization to ensure
broader representation of all Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah
elements. In addition, Turkiye envisages the emergence of a new government that
is not linked to any existing organization.”
According to Dalay, this approach also applies to Turkiye’s relationship with
Fatah and aims to contribute to the internal Palestinian dialogue. “Turkiye is
trying to internationalize the Palestinian issue by involving Arab and non-Arab,
Western and non-Western actors as well as international institutions,” he said.
Many experts believe that Turkiye’s increased engagement with the Palestinian
issue is for domestic consumption, as one of the ruling government’s rivals, the
New Welfare Party, with a strong Islamist tendency, has criticized Ankara for
not being active enough on the Palestinian issue, creating significant domestic
pressure on the issue. Mehmet Akif Koc, a researcher on Middle East politics,
considers Abbas’s visit to Turkiye significant for three main reasons. “His stop
in Ankara after Beijing and Moscow underscores Turkiye’s role in global
diplomacy,” he told Arab News.
The visit comes as Turkiye “seeks to normalize relations with Syria and increase
its influence in Iraq, positioning itself to take more initiative in the Middle
East,” Koc said. According to Koc, in the aftermath of the Gaza massacre on Oct.
7 and Haniyeh’s assassination, Turkish public opinion has leaned strongly toward
Hamas.“For the flexibility and maneuverability capacity of Turkish foreign
policy, balancing the Fatah aspect is important, particularly from a state
perspective,” he said. Koc said that the visit helped to balance the pressure on
Mahmoud Abbas from Israel and encouraged a more supportive approach to Gaza and
Hamas under difficult conditions. Abbas “had not indicated plans to visit Gaza
for the last 11 months since the beginning of the massacre, and it is evident
that he chose Ankara as the place to announce this. “It is not difficult to
speculate that Ankara may have pressured Abbas for this significant move, making
this visit a crucial step toward fostering Palestinian unity,” he said.
Palestinian village in shock after attack by Israeli
settlers
AFP/August 17, 2024
CCTV footage released by one resident showed masked men in black hoodies
emerging from a field, setting fire to a car and breaking into a home, then
setting upon a villager when he tried to chase them away. JIT, Palestinian
Territories: The Israeli settlers who attacked Hassan Arman’s village of Jit in
the occupied West Bank had a simple aim, he says: “To burn, kill, or destroy” —
all of which took place that night. Residents hid in fear while dozens of
settlers ransacked their northern village late on Thursday, burning homes and
cars, until eventually a young Palestinian man was shot dead. Arman, whose car
was destroyed by fire during the attack, said he had “never seen anything like
it” in Jit as he opened the charred door of his vehicle. Inside, everything had
melted, leaving just a skeleton of twisted metal. When the Jewish settlers
reached his house, they were “in full uniform, armed with knives, a machine gun,
and a silencer,” he said. A few houses down, Muawiya Al-Sada struggled for words
as he stood in the scorched remains of his living room. Only the burnt wooden
frame of his sofa remained after the cushions and fabric went up in flames.
“After they burned the house there, they came to this house, broke the windows,
and threw firebombs — Molotov cocktails — inside,” he told AFP, while shards of
glass from his window panes crunched under the weight of his boots. Sada and his
neighbors then heard gunshots which they later learned caused the death of
Rashid Sada, 23, who was said to have been shot in the back.
After that, “there was a brief period of calm, and then the army entered (the
village).” Crowds gathered for the funeral on Friday where the young man’s body,
wrapped in a Palestinian flag, was borne aloft by mourners and carried through
the streets. At the funeral, his uncle Muhannad Sada told AFP: “A bullet came
from behind him and exited the other side, and he was martyred.” “It was not the
army who fired the bullets, but the settlers,” he added. CCTV footage released
by one resident showed masked men in black hoodies emerging from a field,
setting fire to a car and breaking into a home, then setting upon a villager
when he tried to chase them away.The army said it dispersed the settlers from
Jit, detaining one Israeli civilian. The Palestinian Authority, which rules the
West Bank from Ramallah, called the attack “organized state terrorism.” Israel’s
president and prime minister both denounced the attack, which drew condemnation
from around the globe. The White House, Germany and France all called the attack
“unacceptable,” while Britain’s foreign minister described it as “abhorrent” and
the United Nations termed it “horrific.”EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said he
would propose sanctions against Israeli government “enablers” of settler
violence. The incident came at a tense time for the region, as negotiators try
to hammer out a Gaza war ceasefire that could also douse threats by Iran and its
proxies to attack Israel. “Any action that could jeopardize the negotiation
process toward a ceasefire deal is unacceptable,” French Foreign Minister
Stephane Sejourne said in Jerusalem. Violence in the West Bank, a Palestinian
territory occupied by Israel since 1967 and separated from the Gaza Strip by
Israeli territory, has surged during the Gaza war. Israeli settlement of the
occupied land — considered illegal under international law — has also hit new
records since the war began on October 7. Since then, at least 633 Palestinians
have been killed in violence with settlers or Israeli troops, according to the
Palestinian authorities. At least 18 Israelis, including soldiers, have been
killed in attacks involving Palestinians, according to official Israeli figures.
Ceasefire process 'in the end game': Biden official says
talks could conclude end of next week
Jerusalem Post/August 16/2024
On points of contention from Doha, such as the IDF remaining in control of the
Philadelphi corridor, an official said the issue is "moving the right way."
Ceasefire negotiators in Doha are coming off of what a senior Biden
administration official is calling the "most constructive 48 hours of the
negotiation process in months" with the final bridging proposal in place which
mediators are hopeful can be agreed upon with talks concluding in Cairo next
week.
"It was a consensus of all the participants here over the last 48 hours that
there's really a new spirit here to drive this to a conclusion," said the
official, speaking from Doha. The official laid out the timeline of the
terms of the deal in place, saying Israel put down a proposal on May 27 that was
the basis of the President's speech on May 3. On July 3, Hamas came back with a
response to that, with a number of changes, many of which were not acceptable,
according to the official, but many of which were a basis for further
discussion. On July 27, Israel issued some clarification to the text.
"Basically, what we've done is taken the gaps that remain and have bridged those
in a way that we think is a deal that is now ready to close, implement and move
forward," the official said, adding there is still more work to do. On points of
contention from Doha, such as the IDF remaining in control of the Philadelphi
corridor, the official said the issue is "moving the right way" and consistent
with the May 27 version of the deal in which Israel remains in control of the
area bordering Egypt and Gaza. "Is stipulated in the deal that
particularly people going from South to North, displaced persons meeting
civilians without arms, that is a core provision of the deal," according to the
official. "And obviously, the Israelis want to make sure that that provision is
followed through. We believe, as do the other mediators, that that is a material
principle of the deal, and that if anyone is carrying arms from South to North,
that would be a violation of the deal." Additional meetings in Doha and Cairo
will talk about the implementation process of the deal, notably the extensive
humanitarian provisions and ensuring their rapid implementation once the deal is
concluded. The official noted the significant humanitarian provisions of
the deal in not just the amount of aid that's needed in Gaza but also the
clearing of rubble, rehabilitation of medical services and electricity. Meetings
will also focus on the actual exchange of detainees and hostages, as well as
other areas of the deal the official said requires some monitoring to make sure
that there's compliance. Exchanging terrorists for hostages. The official
acknowledged what he called the "uncomfortable" parts of the deal, noting the
"difficult" element of exchanging Palestinian prisoners for hostages. "That will
be ongoing through the week, and then again in Cairo, before the end of next
week, we will gather again at this level with an aim to conclude this. That is
the goal," the official said. "That is something that President al Sisi and Emir
Tamim just confirmed with [Biden], and that is something we'll be driving
toward." Though he added he didn't want to underscore how difficult the coming
week will be. "There's a lot of work to do here, but we are fully behind it," he
said. "We're going to do all we can to bring this to conclusion, because the
lives of the hostages really can't wait anymore, and we are quite confident at
what this deal does."
France involved in multilateral diplomacy to prevent
Iran from attacking Israel
RFI/August 16/2024
Iran's threat of retaliation against Israel over the assassination of Hamas
official Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, drew France and other major world
powers into a high-wire act of diplomacy this week. The fear of Iran striking
back and provoking an unprecedented escalation of violence in the Middle East
has prompted a flurry of diplomacy in the region. Major western powers on Monday
urged Iran and its allies to “refrain from attacks that would further escalate
regional tensions and jeopardise the opportunity to agree [to] a ceasefire
[between Israel and Hamas] and the release of hostages". In a joint statement
France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy expressed
support for the defence of Israel against Iranian aggression and against attacks
by Iran-backed terrorist groups. They also told Iran to "stand down its ongoing
threats of a military attack against Israel and discussed the serious
consequences for regional security should such an attack take place".Following
up, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned Iran's new reformist President
Masoud Pezeshkian in a telephone call that there was “a serious risk of
miscalculation and now was the time for calm and careful consideration”.
Pezeshkian rebuffed the message. "A punitive response to an aggressor is a right
of nations and a solution for stopping crimes and aggression,” Pezeshkian said.
Tensions have risen to a boiling point after Haniyeh's assassination.
Coptic Christian: “There are too many lies about
Israel!”
Aviel Schneider/Israel Today/ Aug 16, 2024
Even at a young age, Boutros (not his real name) felt a calling from God. “I’ve
been following this call since I finished my studies,” the Coptic Christian told
me. He has lived in Israel for many years, residing and working in a challenging
neighborhood in Jerusalem. A few weeks ago, we met for breakfast at a local
café. Boutros speaking favorably about Israel can put him at risk, so I have
changed his name for his safety. Boutros is a pleasant conversationalist, always
smiling. He recounts how, after studying in Egypt, he wanted to live in a
monastery in the desert. “I visited monasteries all over Egypt, but there I felt
at home. The abbot told me to come back in a year if I was sure I wanted to be a
monk.” Boutros asks how I view Israel, whether I see it as an organic part of
the Middle East. I respond that while Israel is part of the Middle East, it is
not a typical country for the Arab region. Mentally and spiritually, Israel is
an outsider among the Arab nations. Boutros nods. “I see it that way too. People
don’t really understand Israel,” he says. “Once, when I flew from Tel Aviv to
Egypt, the ground staff at Cairo airport were outraged because I had come from
Israel. They said the Israelis are our enemies, how can you have been there? I
showed them on their monitor that I had flown from Tel Aviv to Cairo with
Egyptair. If TLV is on your screen,...
Ukrainian forces left a path of destruction in the Kursk
operation. AP visited a seized Russian town
SUDZHA, Russia (AP)/August 16, 2024
A trail of destruction lies in the path that Ukrainian forces carved on their
risky incursion into Russia, blasting through the border and eventually into the
town of Sudzha, where Associated Press journalists traveled Friday on a
Ukrainian government-organized trip. Artillery fire has blown chunks out of a
statue of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin that stands in a central square of the
Russian town, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday was
fully under his troops' control. The windows of an administrative building are
blasted out, and its bright yellow facade is scorched and pockmarked with bullet
holes. Ukrainian forces have overrun one Russian settlement after another in the
surprise operation that Kyiv hopes will change the dynamic of the 2 1/2-year-old
conflict. Russia’s military has so far struggled to mount an effective response
to the attack on its Kursk region, the largest on the country since World War
II. Sudzha, which is 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border, is the biggest
town to fall to Ukraine’s troops since the incursion began Aug. 6. Evidence of
Ukraine's lightning march lines the roads to the town. On grass littered with
debris lies a sign blasted with bullets that has arrows in two directions:
Ukraine to the left and Russia to right. A burned-out tank stands by the side of
a road. The photos and video the AP chose to publish were reviewed by the
Ukrainian Defense Ministry, as is standard procedure on such trips. The
incursion has reframed the conflict, leading to the evacuation of more than
120,000 civilians, according to Russian authorities, and the capture of at least
100 Russian troops, according to Kyiv. It is widely seen as a major morale boost
for a country and an army struggling to fend off steady Russian advances more
than two years after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine. But, so far, it has not
dented Russia’s overall strategic advantage. The full scope of the Kursk
operation remains unclear, including how long Ukraine is willing to hold Russian
territory and to what end. Will Sudzha be a bargaining chip for a future
cease-fire negotiation? And if so, will Ukraine assume the role of an occupier
in a country that, in turn, controls a fifth of its own territory?
Ukrainian officials and soldiers have said diverting Russian reserves from the
main battlegrounds in eastern Ukraine is a minimum aim of the Kursk offensive,
but Moscow has shown no signs of withdrawing significant numbers of troops from
battles there or slowing their tempo. Zelenskyy has said Ukraine will establish
a command office in Sudzha to coordinate aid and military affairs. That suggests
Ukraine may plan to remain in the Kursk region long-term – or at least wants to
signal to Moscow that it might. Ukraine’s Western backers have remained largely
silent about the surprise operation, though U.S. President Joe Biden said that
he’s been kept abreast of developments. Sudzha, which had a population of just
5,000 before the conflict began, holds some strategic importance. From the town,
troops can access main roads to continue with their operation in Russia. Natural
gas flowing from West Siberian gas fields to Central Europe via Ukraine passes
through a metering station in the Sudzha district. However, Ukraine can also cut
this gas flow from its own territory. In the Russian town on Friday, residents
huddled in a school basement. As they wondered about their fate, Ukrainian
forces pushed their advance in Kursk. Fighting continued south of Korenevo, a
town similar in size to Sudzha that would be an important tactical gain.
Ukraine army chief says Kursk offensive ‘has advanced’
AFP/August 16, 2024
KYIV: The head of the Ukrainian military Oleksandr Syrsky said Friday that the
offensive in Russia’s Kursk region had advanced further. “The troops of the
offensive group continue to fight and have advanced in some areas from one to
three kilometers toward the enemy,” Syrsky told President Volodymyr Zelensky in
a video posted on social media. Syrsky said that fighting continued along the
entire front line and that he hoped to take “many prisoners” from a battle
ongoing in the village of Mala Loknya, about 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the
border. Ukraine launched a surprise offensive across the border 10 days ago and
Kyiv claims to have taken control of more than 80 settlements.
US honors Qatari security chief: What is the George
Tenet Medal?
LBCI/August 16, 2024
As Washington and its ally Doha work towards a ceasefire agreement between
Israel and Hamas, the US honored Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Khulaifi, a key Qatari
figure in this process, with the George Tenet Medal. The award was presented by
CIA Director Bill Burns.
Who is Al Khulaifi?
Al Khulaifi is one of Qatar's key security figures, currently serving as the
head of the State Security Bureau. He played significant roles in various
political crises, including the Afghan crisis with the Taliban, where Qatar
acted as a primary mediator in talks between Kabul and Washington, leading to
the signing of the Doha Agreement in 2020. Additionally, he has been
instrumental in efforts to release hostages held by Hamas, further solidifying
Qatar's position as a crucial mediator in regional conflicts and enhancing its
strategic relations with the United States. Al Khulaifi is the second Arab
figure to receive this medal, following former Saudi Crown Prince and
ex-Minister of Interior Mohammed bin Nayef, awarded in 2017 for his efforts in
counterterrorism and strengthening security cooperation with the United States.
What is the George Tenet Medal?
The George Tenet Medal was established in 2005 and is awarded to individuals who
contribute significantly to security and intelligence. Named after former CIA
Director George Tenet, who played a pivotal role in counterterrorism during his
tenure from 1997 to 2004, the medal is typically awarded to senior security and
intelligence officials from US allied countries who provide exceptional support
in counterterrorism and intelligence efforts.However, the identities of all
recipients are not always disclosed due to the secretive nature of intelligence
work. So, why were the names of these Arab honorees made public? Analysts
attribute the public revelation of these Arab figures receiving the George Tenet
Medal to the political and diplomatic circumstances surrounding the awards and
the US desire to highlight its close cooperation with regional allies in
counterterrorism. Announcing these awards can serve multiple diplomatic
purposes, such as sending political messages to other nations or emphasizing a
particular leadership role in combating terrorism and extremism. Therefore, the
disclosure of these recipients serves strategic goals beyond personal
recognition.Is the medal merely a tribute to Al Khulaifi, or is it an American
boost for Qatari mediation to continue with greater vigor?
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on August 16-17/2024
A Borderline Election
Lawrence Kadish/Gatestone Institute/August 16, 2024
We need to appreciate that the potential for voter fraud, the accelerated nature
of accepting new citizens and a chilling border crisis are all emerging forces
during a presidential election year. They have the means to alter the course of
democracy, our global standing, and our shared future as Americans.
In this presidential election year, it is time to do the math.
Not the traditional math of counting electors, calculating swing states voters,
or debating polling data. No. It's time to do the math regarding the profound
and stunning increase in the number of new citizens who will be eligible to vote
in this year's exercise in democracy.
According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) the
fiscal year 2022 saw one million new citizens sworn in, citing it as the highest
number of naturalizations in nearly 15 years. The government agency says this
number reflects the Biden Administration's effort to address the backlog of
applications that had grown during the COVID pandemic.
The FY 2023 statistics saw 878,500 new citizens participate in naturalization
ceremonies that make them eligible to vote. By doing the math, we find that
naturalizations in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 made up nearly a quarter of all
naturalizations over the past decade.
It is as if Washington seeks to consciously create a demographic sea change as
to who will now be able to go to the polls in 2024.
There is a Pew study breakdown of where these new voters are coming from.
Their report reveals that Mexico is the top country of birth for U.S.
immigrants. It states that in 2022, over 10 million immigrants living in the
U.S. were born there, or 23% of all immigrants. India, with the second-largest
share, was far behind at 6%, followed by China came at five percent, the
Philippines at four percent, and the Latin American nation of El Salvador stood
at three percent.
What these various numbers mean is that the nation's electoral base has changed
over the last four years, either through a deliberate political calculation or
by happenstance. For those of us who don't believe in coincidences, it
potentially represents a subtle, even unscrupulous, strategy to change the
outcome on Election Day.
Then of course there is the not insignificant matter of the border crisis. How
many of the illegal aliens who have crossed into the United States during recent
years might be sworn in as citizens, further contributing to the election night
vote tally? When viewing a report from Capitol Hill, the math is staggering:
millions.
We need to appreciate that the potential for voter fraud, the accelerated nature
of accepting new citizens and a chilling border crisis are all emerging forces
during a presidential election year. They have the means to alter the course of
democracy, our global standing, and our shared future as Americans. Our
understanding starts by doing the math.
*Lawrence Kadish serves on the Board of Governors of Gatestone Institute.
© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
Editor's Notes: Why Harris’s golden boy should alarm every friend of Israel
ZVIKA KLEIN/Jerusalem Post/August 16/2024
If these are the kinds of voices Harris is elevating, we have every reason to be
deeply concerned about what this means for the future of US-Israel relations –
and the security of the Jewish people.
It’s the kind of brisk Washington morning where the air feels heavy with
history, the sort of day when policy decisions made behind closed doors ripple
out to every corner of the globe. In one of those polished offices, Ilan
Goldenberg, a man with a formidable resume and set of opinions, steps into his
new role as Kamala Harris’s Jewish community liaison.
To those who don’t follow Middle East policy closely, his name might not ring
any bells. But for those of us who do, his appointment is a warning – a sign
that the Biden administration might be ready to gamble with the security of
Israel and, by extension, the stability of the entire region.
As specified at depth and length by The Jerusalem Post’s diaspora correspondent
Michael Starr on Friday, Goldenberg’s career has been built on a specific
ideological foundation: a deep, almost dogmatic, belief in the power of
diplomacy, even with the most duplicitous of regimes, and a marked skepticism
toward any show of strength by Israel. He’s the kind of man who, when faced with
a roaring fire, would argue for a drop of water rather than a fire hose, fearing
that the latter might cause too much of a splash. Take, for instance, his
unwavering defense of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),
better known as the Iran nuclear deal. To Goldenberg, this agreement was a
masterpiece of diplomacy – a carefully crafted shield against the specter of a
nuclear-armed Iran. “The deal would deter Iran from ever pursuing a bomb because
it knows that if it started to dash, it would be caught quickly and attacked,”
he once argued with the confidence of someone who has never had to face the
terrifying consequences of being wrong.
But the reality is far less rosy. The JCPOA did not dismantle Iran’s nuclear
capabilities; it merely pressed pause on them. Worse, it unfroze billions of
dollars that Iran swiftly funneled to its network of proxies – terrorist groups
that have spilled Israeli blood and sown chaos across the Middle East.
Goldenberg’s belief that the deal was the “best of bad options” reveals a fatal
flaw in his thinking: he is willing to settle for a temporary Band-Aid rather
than pursue a more complex, but ultimately more effective, cure. For Israel,
surrounded by enemies who dream of its destruction, such half-measures are not
just inadequate – they’re dangerous. The October 7 massacre occurred as a result
of Iran becoming almost untouchable by the West, and the country’s support of
its proxies on all fronts. Let’s face it: the JCPOA failed.
Goldenberg’s ideology doesn’t stop at his misguided approach to Iran. Starr also
highlighted how he has been a relentless critic of Israeli settlement activity,
viewing this as the primary obstacle to peace in the region. In Goldenberg’s
world, the construction of homes in Judea and Samaria is a sin so grave that it
warrants “strong measures” from the United States to deter Israel from
continuing.
Never mind that these settlements are often used as a convenient scapegoat by
Palestinian leaders to avoid promoting a long-lasting peace agreement, as they
have no genuine interest in negotiating peace. Because the real issue isn’t a
few apartment buildings, but rather the refusal of these same leaders to
acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.
Goldberg's criticism extends to some of the most significant decisions in recent
US-Israel relations
Goldenberg’s criticism extends to some of the boldest and most symbolically
significant decisions in recent US-Israel relations. He opposed former president
Trump’s bipartisan decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, arguing that it
“threatened to stir the pot by not acknowledging Palestinian claims and inciting
religious tensions.” In saying this, Goldenberg revealed a troubling tendency to
prioritize the feelings of Israel’s adversaries over the rights and realities of
the Jewish people. Jerusalem is, and always has been, the heart of Jewish
identity. Recognizing it as Israel’s capital was not only the right thing to do;
it was a necessary correction of a longstanding wrong. So many presidential
candidates from both parties have promised to move the US embassy, only that it
so happened that the president who did, came from Goldenberg’s opposing party.
But perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Goldenberg’s ideology is his defense
of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the face of overwhelming evidence that it
continues to fund terrorism. He was a vocal critic of the Taylor Force Act,
legislation designed to stop US economic aid to the PA until it ceased paying
stipends to terrorists. Goldenberg likened the act to a “sledgehammer” and
argued that it would destabilize the PA, pushing it toward collapse. But let’s
be clear: the PA has long used American taxpayer dollars to reward those who
murder Israeli civilians. If the PA’s survival depends on its ability to
continue this “abominable practice,” as Starr underlined, then perhaps it’s time
to question whether it deserves to survive at all.
Goldenberg’s broader vision for the Middle East is no less flawed. Starr quoted
his views, which called for a decreased American footprint in the region and
which argued that the US can achieve its goals without relying on military
force. This might sound appealing to those weary of endless wars, but it’s
dangerously naive. The Middle East is not a region where power vacuums remain
empty for long. If the US steps back, Iran, Russia, and extremist groups will
rush in with catastrophic consequences for Israel and American interests
alike.In the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, it’s clear that the Middle
East is more volatile than ever. The rise of Iran-backed militias, the
resurgence of Hamas, and the ongoing civil wars in Syria and Yemen all point to
a region teetering on the edge of chaos. In this context, Goldenberg’s ideology
is not only irrelevant but dangerously out of touch with reality. His calls for
a return to the JCPOA, his criticism of Israeli policies, and his advocacy for a
reduced US presence in the region all reflect a worldview that is divorced from
the current threats facing Israel and the Middle East.
Just a few months ago in April, the US along with the UK, shot down hundreds of
Iranian missiles and UAVs together with Israel’s Air Force. How can we, the US,
leave the region while its closest ally is on the brink of an existential
threat?
Harris’s selection of Goldenberg as her Jewish community liaison is not just a
one-off misstep – it’s part of a broader pattern that should alarm anyone who
cares about Israel and the Jewish community. This isn’t the first time Harris
has chosen someone with deeply contentious views to play a crucial role in her
campaign. Take Nasrina Bargzie, who was appointed her Muslim outreach leader
earlier this week. Bargzie has a track record that raises serious concerns:
she’s dismissed Jewish students’ fears of antisemitism as “organized legal
bullying” and has gone out of her way to defend extreme pro-Palestinian activism
on college campuses.
She argued that even calls for the destruction of Israel are simply expressions
of political speech, not hate. This kind of rhetoric, which brushes aside the
real threats facing Jewish students and Israel, mirrors Goldenberg’s dangerous
downplaying of the Iranian threat and the actions of the Palestinian Authority.
Moreover, these appointments aren’t coincidental – they’re a clear indication of
a troubling trend within Harris’s campaign. By aligning herself with individuals
who hold extreme, out-of-touch views, Harris is signaling that she’s more
interested in appeasing the far left than standing up for America’s most
reliable ally in the Middle East. Goldenberg’s push for a return to the flawed
Iran deal, coupled with Bargzie’s defense of radical campus activism, paints a
picture of a campaign drifting dangerously away from the principles that have
long guided US policy in the region.
If these are the kinds of voices Harris is elevating, we have every reason to be
deeply concerned about what this means for the future of US-Israel relations –
and the security of the Jewish people worldwide.
Christian Man Blindfolded, Beat, and Sentenced to Three
Years’ Imprisonment for ‘Blasphemy’ in Egypt
Raymond Ibrahim/Coptic Solidarity/August 16/2024
On Sunday, July 28, 2024, a military court sentenced a Coptic Christian
conscript to three years in prison for “blasphemy” against Islam. According to
court documents, Yusuf Sa‘d Hanin was charged with “committing behavior that is
harmful to discipline, order, and military requirements,” after he exchanged,
what prosecution called, “statements offensive to Islam” in a private
conversation via Messenger. These “offensive” statements were made last May,
2024, while Yusuf was on leave from compulsory military service, and celebrating
Easter with his family in his residence in Beni Suef governorate. During this
time, Yusuf got into a verbal altercation and exchanged insults with a Muslim
man via text. The Muslim man immediately broadcast what the Christian said,
which were private, personal exchanges. This, as is often the case, instantly
provoked unrest among the Muslim populace of his village. Local officials,
however, managed to quell the nascent uprising by assuring Muslims that the
Christian would pay. On the next day, Yusuf returned to the Central Security
camp, to resume his military training. He was seized and taken blindfolded to a
National Security headquarter, where he was savagely beaten, insulted, and
interrogated, including on whether he was following any Christian preachers or
involved in any Coptic organizations, all of which he denied.
Soon thereafter he was sent to and sentenced by a military court to three years’
imprisonment. Yusuf Sa‘d Hanin’s case is hardly unique. According to a Nov. 19,
2021 report, “An Egyptian court sentenced an 80-year-old-intellectual … to five
years in prison over his remarks on the early Islamic conquests.” Dr. Ahmed Abdu‘
Maher, a high-profile lawyer, expert on Islam, and author of 14 books on Islamic
history and jurisprudence, was found guilty of “contempt of Islam, stirring up
sectarian strife and posing a threat to the national unity.”His “crime” was to
have written an honest history concerning Islam’s spread—which, according to
Arabic sources, was replete with violence, atrocities, slavery, and the rest.
Perhaps one of the most notorious cases occurred in 2015. Then, three Christian
teenagers were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for “blasphemy.” A fourth
defendant, 15, was handed a juvenile detention for an indefinite period. Earlier
they were detained for 45 days and, like Yusuf, subjected to “ill-treatment.”Their
crime was to have made a 20-second video on a mobile phone mocking the Islamic
State — an act which was, rather tellingly, interpreted as mocking Islam. In the
video, the boys appear laughing and joking, as they pretend to be ISIS members
praying and slitting throats. The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms,
an independent rights group, confirmed that the four teenagers were performing
scenes “imitating slaughter carried out by terrorist groups.” Even so, according
to their defense lawyer, Maher Naguib, the Christian youths “have been sentenced
for contempt of Islam and inciting sectarian strife…. The judge didn’t show any
mercy. He handed down the maximum punishment.” Considering that even Egypt’s Al
Azhar — the Islamic world’s most prestigious university —refuses to denounce the
Islamic State as being un-Islamic, it is not surprising that mockery of ISIS is
seen as synonymous with mockery of Islam. One can go on and on with examples of
Christians being punished and imprisoned for blasphemy in Egypt. One young
Christian man was sentenced to six years for “liking” an Arabic-language
Facebook page administered by Muslim converts to Christianity. A female
Christian teacher was imprisoned for six months after Muslim parents accused her
of insulting Islam and evangelizing. Bishoy Armia Boulous, a Muslim convert to
Christianity, was imprisoned on trumped up charges of blasphemy, according to
his lawyer. Although Egypt is not as well-known as other Muslim nations for its
blasphemy codes—Pakistan chief among them—here, then, is a reminder that
censorship of and punishment for anything that might be deemed unflattering to
Islam is alive and well in the Land of the Nile
Four big challenges from Turkiye’s aging population
Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/August 16, 2024
As the global population ages, Turkiye, once proud of its people’s youth, is
also facing a significant aging population issue that is gradually undermining
its economy.
Population aging is a critical issue for developed countries around the world,
many of which are experiencing severe declines in their populations. Developed
countries such as China, Japan, Germany and other European nations are
addressing this challenge through socio-economic programs, as an aging
population profoundly affects both social life and the economy. Developing
countries like Turkiye are also beginning to face this issue. While Turkiye is
still categorized as having a young population, its demographic advantage is
diminishing day by day, as the country rapidly heads toward the aging crisis
experienced by all developed countries. Turkiye was previously reliant on its
youthful demographic during its bid for EU membership, with this segment of the
population being a key factor in its stability. However, this advantage has
started to fade.
According to population projections, the proportion of young people in Turkiye’s
population could fall below 10 percent between 2050 and 2100. Currently, with a
young population rate of 15.1 percent, Turkiye is slightly below the global
average of 15.5 percent. According to 2023 statistics, the fertility rate
(number of children per woman) was 1.51, down from 1.63 the previous year. To
maintain a stable population, this ratio must be above 2.1. Since 2001, when the
fertility rate was 2.38, there has been a sharp decline. The current rate of
1.51 is even lower than the US rate of 1.61. So, why and how did Turkiye, which
had a youth advantage, reach this point?
While Turkiye is still categorized as having a young population, its demographic
advantage is diminishing day by day. Several factors contribute to this trend.
First, economic conditions play a major role in declining fertility rate as
young people avoid having children due to financial uncertainty and the high
cost of living, including education and child-rearing. Almost one-third of
Turkiye’s population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to a
recent report published by the Turkish Statistical Institute.
Second, brain drain, which also is related to economic issues, exacerbates the
situation. Turkiye, unfortunately, has failed to fully capitalize on its
youthful demographic. Economic instability, limited job opportunities and
political uncertainties have driven many young, qualified individuals to seek
better opportunities abroad, which negatively affects the local labor market,
contributing to a decrease in the youth population.
Third, changing societal attitudes toward family life are also a factor. Modern
society’s shift toward individualism, higher costs and lifestyle changes have
led to smaller family sizes. There are also problems such as living costs, but
the main issue concerns personal preferences of individuals delaying having
children for career or personal reasons, leading to a shrinking youth
population. Fourth, some families are reluctant to have children in a society
experiencing high levels of immigration, which is believed to create an insecure
environment for raising children. The sensitivity of Turkish society toward
immigration issues has become increasingly apparent in recent years.
Since the 2000s, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly urged
Turkish families to have at least three children, highlighting that a nation’s
strength lies in its families and their size. While many leaders view this as a
serious issue, such calls must be supported by effective programs to have a real
impact, or else will fall on deaf ears. Promoting family-friendly policies, such
as extended parental leave, childcare support and housing benefits, is crucial.
In 2015, the Turkish government initiated the Program on Protection of Family
and Dynamic Population Structure to provide further incentives for working women
to have children. The program was launched as part of labor law reforms. This
year, the Ministry of Family and Social Services, in collaboration with the
Ministry of Treasury and Finance, has begun work on proposals to extend
maternity leave, provide financial aid for childcare and offer housing support,
among other benefits.Modern society’s shift toward individualism, higher costs
and lifestyle changes have led to smaller family sizes
Supporting youth employment is also essential to encourage young people to stay
in Turkiye and start families. Brain drain will continue to affect fertility
rates and human capital formation in Turkiye. Furthermore, the approach to
working women should be reassessed. There is a stigma in Turkiye that childless
women are “deficient” or “incomplete.” Instead, policies that help women that
want to be mothers balance work and family life could yield positive results. On
existing trends, Turkiye may face challenges similar to those experienced by
Europe in the coming decades. According to the main scenario, Turkiye’s young
population is expected to number about 9.1 million by 2050. The proportion of
young people among the total population is anticipated to decrease to 9.66
percent during this period.
There are several challenges for Turkiye in the future that are likely to impact
various aspects of society and the economy. The first is the decline in economic
growth and productivity due to the shrinking working-age population. The second
is demographic imbalance; the decreasing fertility rate could potentially lead
to Turks becoming a minority in their own country within the next generation.
The demographic imbalance is also related to the balance between the old and
young population. Third, a smaller population will impact military power, as
military service relies on a young population. Last, the decline in population
will contribute to an increase in loneliness and produce adverse psychological
effects within society. The aging population presents challenges and potential
consequences. Addressing this issue should be a top priority, with effective
strategies.
• Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s
relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz
Countries should listen when people vote with their feet
Nadim Shehadi/Arab News/August 16, 2024
At crunch time, people vote with their feet. Mass migration can tell us as much
about our world as the most sophisticated geopolitical analysis. Continuous
movements of populations, over centuries and millennia, have shaped history and
will influence the future. This is as good an indication as any of where things
are going, involving millions of individual and collective decisions.
There is a buildup of excitement as we approach the 16th BRICS Summit in the
Russian city of Kazan during the last week of August. In times like these, when
change is in the air, we are told that a new world order will emerge. Countries
in BRICS — an association of states initiated by Brazil, Russia, India, China
and South Africa — are on the rise, while the old-world order dominated by the
US and the West is on the decline.
This is not hard to believe, and we are given overwhelming evidence by
economists, political scientists and masses of analysts. We are warned that we
will witness “gigantic geopolitical shifts” as imminently as the coming year.
But if that is the case, why are people and money moving in the opposite
direction to the change? Do we trust what people think, what they say or what
they do? The three are not necessarily the same.
It is a bit like choosing a restaurant in Chinatown — I pick the busiest one
that has the most people. I can never match the amount of information that has
been processed by the dozens of people who end up filling the restaurant.
Waiting a few minutes for a table beats having to browse through endless reviews
and guides. If enough people voted with their feet and chose that very
restaurant, this is good enough reason for me to pick it. Even if you cannot
compare countries to a restaurant or the choice of a meal, the decision to
emigrate is more significant and involves more skin in the game. The choice to
uproot oneself and family, and move to a strange land, may be far more
indicative, and carries a strong message.
Before the 20th century travel was harder, more time consuming and expensive.
But there were fewer borders and regulations. We now live in nation states that
have far more barriers even if travel is easier, faster and cheaper. Migration
has also become one of the most burning issues in the Western world.
The decision to emigrate is a complex one taken by millions. The process
involves economic, political, psychological and emotional elements. It can be
based on something as irrational as a spirit of adventure or a difficult choice
involving both push and pull factors, but there are also many intangible
elements.
In the jargon of international organizations like the World Bank, we are at a
phase of “disorderly migration.” What this translates to is a massive movement
of populations, tragedies of epic proportions, across seas and through jungles,
with migrants exploited by people smugglers, starved, robbed, raped, drowned and
arrested. In plain language it is people voting with their feet in search of a
better life.
The world will be a different place for the next generation due to demographic
change. If it were true that the West was in decline and the East and South were
rising, the direction of emigration would be from the US and Europe to India,
China, Iran and Brazil. When was the last time anyone you know emigrated to
Russia, the land of opportunity?
Modern-day migration can be risky; barriers set up by nation states try to slow
it down but in the end push people toward illegal journeys, through a surging
industry of people smuggling. According to the International Organization for
Migration data portal, 2023 was the deadliest year in migration routes
worldwide, with 8,000 recorded fatalities, double the annual average of the
previous 10 years. There are plenty of videos posted by migrants walking through
jungles with horror stories of exploitation, abuse, illness and families being
separated. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery; the numbers are
significant and they are also a measure of desperation by people who want to
move to the West at any cost.
One interesting example close to home is the migration of Hezbollah supporters
from south Lebanon. They listen to speeches by Hassan Nasrallah about the
greatness of Iran and its allies, and how they are going to defeat the West and
its Arab allies in the Gulf States at the same time as they emigrate en masse to
these countries. Instead of emigrating to Russia and Iran, we see them moving to
the US, Western Europe and the Gulf states. Again, what they do is probably
different from what they think and what they say.
Even more significant is the movement of capital — millionaires and their money,
commonly referred to as high-net-worth individuals. Observing the movement of
HNWIs across the globe is important. According to the Henley Private Wealth
Migration report, a significant proportion of HNWIs are entrepreneurs,
especially the multi-millionaires or billionaires among them, and countries that
attract HWNIs from other parts of the world may see powerful benefits like job
creation and investment.
Mapping of such HNWI movement forecasts that the UAE will attract the most
millionaires in 2024, while China and the UK are expected to lose the largest
number.
What is more significant for our purpose is that the BRICS countries that are
supposed to be on the rise are among the biggest losers of millionaires. HNWIs
are escaping Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa mainly for Canada and
the US, but also to countries in Europe such as Switzerland, Greece, Italy and
Portugal, while in the Far East the attraction is Singapore.
The BRICS Summit is being held in Russia this year for a good reason. At the
2023 meeting in Johannesburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin had to dial in
and appear via video conference in order to avoid embarrassing the South African
hosts. The International Criminal Court had issued a warrant for his arrest and
the South Africans would have been obliged to arrest him.
At the end of August, while reading and listening to news from the BRICS Summit
and the claims of coming geopolitical shifts, we have to bear in mind that
populations, both rich and poor, are moving in the opposite direction.
• Nadim Shehadi is an economist and political adviser. X: @Confusezeus