English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For August 21/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
His master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for
the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation
than are the children of light.”
Luke 16/01-08: “The Lord Jesus said to the disciples: ‘There was
a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was
squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, “What is this that
I hear about you? Give me an account of your management, because you cannot be
my manager any longer.” Then the manager said to himself, “What will I do, now
that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to
dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am
dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.”So, summoning his
master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, “How much do you owe my
master?” He answered, “A hundred jugs of olive oil.” He said to him, “Take your
bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.”Then he asked another, “And how much
do you owe?” He replied, “A hundred containers of wheat.” He said to him, “Take
your bill and make it eighty.”And his master commended the dishonest manager
because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in
dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on August 20-21/2024
Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 4 as
Hezbollah unleashes rockets, drones
Hezbollah rains down rockets on Israeli barracks in response to airstrikes deep
in Bekaa Valley
'Situation is critical': Ex-IDF general speaks on violent settlers, Iran,
Hezbollah, and Gaza
One Killed and Twenty Wounded in Israeli Airstrikes on the Bekaa
Hezb Retaliates After Tense Night
Southern Lebanon: 20 New Rockets Launched on the Western Galilee
Report: Hezbollah's response against Israel has become imminent
Hezbollah retaliates to Bekaa, Deir Qanoun strikes
Rockets from Lebanon ignite fires in northern Israel
Hezbollah says fired 'intense rocket barrages' at Israeli positions
Rules of engagement: Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah's retaliation in Bekaa and
Golan Heights
Three paramedics injured in Israeli drone strike near Lebanon's Naqoura
Israel Develops Gas Fields While Lebanon Awaits: An Energy Divide Amid Conflict
Lebanon complains to UN over Israeli sonic booms
Public prosecutor to question key electricity sector figures amid recent crisis
Electricity: Political and Financial Corruption/Bassam Abou Zeid/This Is
Beirut/August 20/2024
Regional Conflict: Iran and Hezbollah Placing Retaliation on Hold
Unless/Philippe Abi-Akl/This Is Beirut/August 20/2024
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on August 20-21/2024
Blinken wraps up Mideast tour with Gaza truce plea
US disputes report of Netanyahu, Blinken talk on Israeli troops on Gaza border
Hamas says Biden remarks 'green light' for Israel to continue war
Netanyahu tells hostage families 'not sure there will be a deal'
After US talks, Egypt urges Gaza ceasefire, warns of regional war
Israel recovers bodies of six hostages from Gaza Strip
Hamas says Joe Biden remark about group backing away from Gaza truce deal
‘misleading’
Egypt’s El-Sisi meets with US Secretary of State Blinken
US flouting Arms Trade Treaty with weapons exports to Israel: Amnesty
Death ‘the only certainty’ for Gazans, says UN official
Wait for Iran’s retaliation against Israel ‘could be long’, Revolutionary Guards
spokesperson says
EU Red Sea mission escorts 300 vessels in region
Iran shuts down last language institute recognized by German Embassy
Modi's strong message to Netanyahu: India backs Israel against Hamas - opinion
Crossing between a government and opposition-held area in Syria closes after
violence
Blinken hopes Sudan humanitarian progress brings broader deal
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on August 20-21/2024
'The Black Day': A Decade of Displacement for Iraqi Christians/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone
Institute/August 20, 2024
IRGC founder to ‘Post’: Iran unable to sustain long-term war with Israel/ALEX
WINSTON/Jerusalem Post/August 20/2024
Kazakhstan calls for a new security system for Central Asia/Dr. Abdel Aziz
Aluwaisheg/Arab News/August 20, 2024
Social media’s incitement problem can no longer be masked/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab
News/August 20, 2024
The Democrats’ national convention begins … Their worry is Musk’s support for
Trump/Eyad Abu Shakra/ Asharq Al-Awsat./August 20, 2024
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on August 20-21/2024
Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 4 as Hezbollah unleashes rockets, drones
AFP/August 21, 2024
BEIRUT, Lebanon: Lebanon’s health ministry said four people were killed Tuesday
in Israeli strikes in the country’s south, while Hezbollah said its militants
launched barrages of rockets and drones at Israeli troops. The Iran-backed
Hezbollah, an ally of Palestinian armed group Hamas, has traded near daily
cross-border fire with Israeli forces since the Gaza war began in October. But
fears of a major escalation have grown in recent weeks after the Israeli killing
of a top Hezbollah commander. On Tuesday, Lebanon’s health ministry said
“Israeli enemy strikes on the village of Dhayra” killed four people and wounded
two others, after earlier reporting three dead. It did not say whether the
casualties were civilians or fighters. Hezbollah claimed a string of attacks on
Israeli troops and positions, including sending barrages of Katyusha rockets at
several north Israel military positions in stated retaliation for Israeli
strikes, including in Dhayra. The Shiite Muslim movement also said it launched
“squadrons of explosive laden drones” and “intense rocket barrages” at several
Israeli positions in the annexed Golan Heights in response to Israeli strikes
deep in east Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley a day earlier. The Israeli military in
separate statements said a total of around 115 “projectiles” were identified
crossing from Lebanon. It also said that “numerous suspicious aerial targets
were identified crossing from Lebanon,” with air defenses intercepting some of
them. No injuries were reported, though the military said the incidents sparked
fires in some areas. The military also said air forces struck projectile
launchers and several “Hezbollah military” structures in south Lebanon.
Lebanon’s health ministry said three emergency personnel from the
Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee were hurt when the Israeli
military “targeted them” in south Lebanon, causing “significant damage to the
ambulance they were traveling in.” The ministry “condemned in the strongest
terms the repeated targeting of health workers in south Lebanon.”Several
militant groups in Lebanon operate health centers and emergency response
operations, with at least 21 rescue workers killed since October, according to
an AFP tally. The violence has largely been restricted to the Lebanon-Israel
border area, but fears of a major escalation have mounted since Hezbollah and
Iran vowed to respond to twin killings blamed on Israel late last month. An
Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs killed a top Hezbollah commander,
Fuad Shukr, shortly before an attack in Tehran blamed on Israel killed Hamas
political leader Ismail Haniyeh. The cross-border violence has killed some 589
people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also including at least 128
civilians, according to AFP’s tally. On the Israeli side, including in the
annexed Golan Heights, 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, according
to army figures.
Hezbollah rains down rockets on Israeli barracks in
response to airstrikes deep in Bekaa Valley
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/August 20, 2024
anese front will remain active as long as Israel’s aggression against Gaza
continues
BEIRUT: Hezbollah responded on Tuesday to intense Israeli attacks that targeted
its weapon depots in the Bekaa Valley on Monday night by launching dozens of
rockets at Israeli military sites. The group said it attacked “the headquarters
of the 210th Golan Division in the Nafah barracks, as well as the Artillery
Battalion and the Armored Brigade of the 210th Division in the Yarden barracks,
with intense rocket barrages,” and bombarded “the 146th Division headquarters in
Ga’aton with salvos of Katyusha rockets.” Sirens sounded in Kabri, Eilon, Avdon,
Manot, Neve Ziv and Shtula in Western Galilee on Tuesday. Israeli media reported
“the launch of 80 rockets from Lebanon toward the north (of Israel) since the
morning, with several rockets landing in the Kabri area east of Nahariya.”The
Israeli army said it had detected “the launch of 55 rockets from southern
Lebanon, some of which were intercepted, while the rest landed in open areas.”
It added that “firefighting forces are battling several fires that broke out due
to the latest rocket barrage on northern Israel.”Upper Galilee Regional Council
urged residents of settlements that were evacuated to remain in protected areas,
amid fears of further “heavy shelling targeting unusual locations in the north
following Monday’s airstrikes in Lebanon.” The areas targeted by Israeli forces
on Monday included the Qsarnaba plain, Tamnine El-Tahta, Sar’in and Al-Nabi
Sheet. Images posted on social media of the scene of the attack in Tamnine El-Tahta
showed a massive fire and burning objects flying in all directions for several
minutes after the airstrike, and people were advised to avoid the area. Eleven
people were injured by the airstrikes in the northern Bekaa region, the Lebanese
Ministry of Health said, including a Syrian woman and two Syrian girls, one of
them 5 years old and the other 15. Also on Monday night, Israel carried out
strikes on Mashaa Al-Mansouri in southern Lebanon. Two Palestinian refugees,
ages 17 and 18, reportedly were injured in the attack and taken to the
Lebanese-Italian Hospital. And shelling of Lebanese villages close to the border
with Israel, including the town of Khiam, resulted in “injuries to a young
Syrian national, who was treated at the governmental hospital in Marjeyoun,” the
Public Health Emergency Operations Center in Lebanon said. Hostilities between
the Israeli military and Hezbollah have continued to intensify in recent days
amid reports of difficulties during negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a
ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners. Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah
said on Tuesday that “the front of Lebanon remains active as long as the
(Israeli) aggression continues against Gaza.”He added that “everyone today is
waiting for the results of the outcome of the negotiations concerning the
ceasefire in Gaza. What concerns us in Lebanon, and Hezbollah, is that the
(Israeli) aggression on Gaza stops. From the outset, we have maintained that our
position in Lebanon serves as a supportive front aimed at exerting pressure on
the enemy to halt its attacks on Gaza.”
'Situation is critical': Ex-IDF general speaks on
violent settlers, Iran, Hezbollah, and Gaza
WALLA/Jerusalem Post/August 20/2024
Former IDF General: "The 'hilltop youth' need to be treated like terrorists. We
need a hostage deal and to focus on the north, and we must control the
Philadelphi corridor in one way or another."Former Brigadier-General of the Gaza
Division, Major-General (ret) Gadi Shamni, spoke about the regional tension in
light of threats from Iran and Hezbollah of attacking Israel, about control of
the Philadelphi corridor and the riots in the village of Jit, in Judea and
Samaria, in an interview with radio station 103FM in August. “The situation now
is critical,” said Shamni about the riots in Jit. “‘A handful’ is bullshit; this
is not a handful. There are large groups of these people. They have
representation in the Knesset and the government. There is no option other than
to make a change in the issue. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has to
enter fields that it is not currently involved in. We cannot continue to call
them ‘hilltop youth.’ These are armed gangs. The Shin Bet has to deal with them
as they would with terrorists,” he added. Shamni spoke about the possibility of
escalation leading to a regional war in the Eastern Mediterranean. “Until now,
the statement that both sides are not interested in an all-out war and an
escalation of the current war is still true," he said. "However," Shamni
continued, "I do not doubt that if it were not for the significant American
preparation and American deterrence against Hezbollah and Iran, we would already
be experiencing a much more serious deterioration. Because we understand that
when there is such an intensity of exchanges of fire and mutual vulnerability,
the chance of slipping into an uncontrolled escalation is high.”Regarding
Hezbollah and Iran, Shamni said that "they understand that there is something
else here. That the Americans actually care and protect their own interests
first; they do not want a conflict with Iran and a regional war." "There is a
determination to defend the State of Israel and considerable Israeli
capabilities. This entire story manages to keep a lid on this pressure cooker,
but that doesn't mean it can't very quickly degenerate into a full-scale war,"
he continued.Shamni added, concerning the continuation of the war, “I think that
for far too long, this situation should have been different. We have been
fighting in the South for over ten months, and Gaza is defined as the main
effort, which is a very problematic reality that does not allow the IDF to
change its focus and concentrate its effort in the North. We understand that the
IDF has been significantly reduced in recent years; it does not know how to
respond offensively in two arenas simultaneously, and we are currently dealing
with more than two arenas."Shamni added: "It was right to push as quickly as
possible for a pacification in the South, a cessation of hostilities, an effort
to reach a hostage deal, to make Gaza a secondary effort and to concentrate
efforts in the North.”
Israel cannot stand alone
"We understand, unfortunately, that all the talk we’ve heard from the Israeli
leadership that Israel will defend itself alone - there is a huge problem with
this. We need the support of this coalition. The Iranian dream is not only the
story of nuclear weapons; they understand that they can destroy Israel in a
conventional way," he continued. Regarding the Philadelphi corridor, Shamni, the
former Brigadier-General of the Gaza Division, stated that “Israel must control
the corridor and influence the traffic there. Either we need to be physically
present or find an alternative way."
"If we can find a suitable solution with US involvement, it will create a
situation where we can allow ourselves to leave the corridor for several months
to do what I have said about Philadelphi, in the North, in the fight against
Iran, which is becoming worse," he added. “We are in a direct confrontation with
Iran, unlike ever before. To achieve such a thing, we need a strategic shift.
There is one thing that if we don’t achieve, we won’t get to a turning point,
and that is a hostage deal.”
One Killed and Twenty Wounded in Israeli Airstrikes on
the Bekaa
This Is Beirut/August 20, 2024
Lebanon’s health ministry said early Wednesday that Israeli strikes in the
country’s east killed one person and wounded 20 others, hours after it said four
people were killed in the south. The strikes came more than 24 hours after
Israel carried out similar raids deep inside east Lebanon and as tensions
mounted in the wake of the Israeli killing of a top Hezbollah commander.
“Israeli enemy strikes on the Bekaa” valley killed one person “and wounded 20
others”, the health ministry said in an updated toll. The statement said one
person was in critical condition, while “eight children and a pregnant woman
were moderately wounded”. A Hezbollah source, requesting anonymity, said several
strikes hit east Lebanon near the city of Baalbek, including the village of Nabi
Sheet, without specifying what was targeted. A source from a local hospital told
AFP that five children no older than 10, all from the same family, were among
the wounded. The strikes around midnight came after similar raids in the Bekaa
region on Monday evening that Israel said targeted “Hezbollah weapons storage
facilities”. They also came as Hezbollah said four of its fighters had been
killed, after the health ministry said Tuesday that four people died in Israeli
strikes in the southern border village of Dhayra. With AFP
Hezb Retaliates After Tense Night
RABIH DAHER/ AFP/This Is Beirut/August 20, 2024
A new round of escalation began after an intense night of Israeli airstrikes
that hit deep inside Lebanon. Hezbollah launched several rocket salvos at
Israeli army positions in the annexed Golan Heights on Tuesday “in response” to
Israeli strikes on Lebanon the previous day. Hezbollah fighters launched
“intense rocket barrages” at two Israeli army positions in the occupied Golan
Heights “in response to the Israeli enemy’s attack Monday night on the Bekaa”
Valley – which a source close to Hezbollah said targeted weapons depots in the
eastern region, according to AFP.
According to Israeli media, 55 rockets were launched from southern Lebanon. Some
of them were intercepted, while others fell in open areas. The media also
mentioned that several fires broke out. In a statement, the pro-Iranian group
claimed responsibility for “firing a heavy barrage of rockets at the
headquarters of the 210th Golan Division in the Nafah barracks and the
headquarters of the artillery regiment and the armored brigade of the 210th
Division in the Yarden barracks.”For its part, the Israeli army shelled Khiam,
where one injury was reported, and the town of Talloussa in the Marjayoun
district was targeted. Artillery shelling was also reported in the outskirts of
Kfarchouba. The areas of Mansuri and Taybeh were also targeted on Tuesday
morning, the Israeli army announced they had struck two Hezbollah launchers.The
number of injuries from Monday’s Bekaa airstrikes rose to a total of 11, in
addition to two injuries resulting from the raids at Al-Mansouri, in the caza of
Tyre. According to the Public Health Emergency Department, 11 people were
admitted to the hospital, three of which are Syrian nationals. Additionally, two
young Palestinian women, aged 17 and 18, were treated at the Lebanese-Italian
Hospital.
Southern Lebanon: 20 New Rockets Launched on the Western
Galilee
This Is Beirut/August 20, 2024
Tensions continued unabated on Tuesday afternoon between Hezbollah and Israel,
as Israeli media reported the launch of “20 new rockets from southern Lebanon
towards the western Galilee,” after a very turbulent morning between the two
sides in which Hezbollah had already fired 55 rockets in retaliation for
Israel’s nighttime strikes. Hezbollah also announced targeting “the headquarters
of the 146th division in Ja’toun with dozens of Katyusha rockets,” causing
numerous fires in the western Galilee. The pro-Iranian formation also targeted
the Branit barracks “with appropriate weapons and struck them directly.” On the
other hand, the Public Health Emergency Department stated that “a total of 11
people were injured” from Monday’s Bekaa and South Lebanon airstrikes, all of
whom were treated in the emergency room. As the daily Israeli bombardment of
southern towns and villages continued, Tallusa and Marjayoun were targeted by
heavy artillery shelling, while Israeli warplanes raided Aita al-Shaab. Earlier
today, Hezbollah launched several rocket salvos at Israeli army positions in the
annexed Golan Heights “in response” to Israeli strikes on Lebanon the previous
day. Hezbollah fighters launched “intense rocket barrages” at two Israeli army
positions in the occupied Golan Heights “in response to the Israeli enemy’s
attack Monday night on the Bekaa” Valley, which a source close to Hezbollah said
targeted weapons depots in the eastern region, according to AFP. The Israeli
military later announced that “an Air Force aircraft struck one of the platforms
from which the rockets that landed in the Golan this morning were
fired.”According to Israeli media, 55 rockets were launched from southern
Lebanon. Some of them were intercepted, while others fell in open areas. The
media also mentioned that several fires broke out. In a statement, the
pro-Iranian group claimed responsibility for “firing a heavy barrage of rockets
at the headquarters of the 210th Golan Division in the Nafah barracks and the
headquarters of the artillery regiment and the armored brigade of the 210th
Division in the Yarden barracks.”For its part, the Israeli army shelled Khiam,
where one injury was reported. Artillery shelling was also reported on the
outskirts of Kfarchouba, on Mansouri and on Taybeh. The Israeli army announced
it had struck two Hezbollah launchers.
Report: Hezbollah's response against Israel has become imminent
Naharnet/August 20, 2024
Hezbollah’s “powerful” response to the Dahieh airstrike that killed its military
chief Fouad Shukur and six other people “has become imminent, after mediators
exhausted the chance to reach a ceasefire and exchange of captives in Gaza,” a
Lebanese political leader said. “Hezbollah refrained from carrying out the
decided strike over the past period to allow the mediators to finalize a
settlement based on U.S. President Joe Biden’s initiative and Egypt and Qatar’s
proposals, but Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s intransigence and his insistence
on obstructing the negotiations … prevented the success of the Doha talks last
week, and will also destroy the last chance to stop the war and return the
captives during the Cairo discussions tomorrow,” the political leader told al-Joumhouria
newspaper. The Israel-Hezbollah clashes have killed 585 people in Lebanon since
October 8, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also including at least 128 civilians,
according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan
Heights, 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, according to army
figures. Fears of an escalation have mounted since Hezbollah and Iran vowed to
respond after an Israeli strike on Beirut last month killed Hezbollah commander
Shukur, shortly before an attack in Tehran blamed on Israel killed Hamas
political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Hezbollah retaliates to Bekaa, Deir Qanoun strikes
Naharnet/August 20, 2024
Hezbollah launched Tuesday several rocket salvos at a command center in north
Israel, in response to an Israeli strike that targeted a car in Deir Qanoun in
the Tyre district the previous day, killing a Hezbollah fighter. Hezbollah said
in a statement it targeted a command center in Ga'aton "in response to the
assassination in Deir Qanoun."Hezbollah had announced the death of one of its
fighters "on the road to Jerusalem". The fighter was killed in the Deir Qanoun
strike. Earlier on Tuesday, Hezbollah targeted the Biranit barracks in northern
Israel, and launched several rocket salvos at Israeli army positions in the
annexed Golan Heights "in response" to Israeli strikes on eastern Lebanon the
previous day. The strike Monday on the Bekaa wounded eleven Lebanese and Syrian
civilians, while another strike on al-Mansouri late on Monday injured two
Palestinian women.
Israel’s military said that a barrage of 55 rockets from Lebanon has ignited
fires in northern Israel. It said only some of the projectiles were intercepted
by Israel’s air defense systems, while others fell in open areas. Firefighters
were working to contain the blazes. On Tuesday, Israeli warplanes raided the
southern town of Aita al-Shaab while artillery shelled al-Khiam, wounding a
Syrian worker, and the outskirts of Tallousa, Kfarshouba, al-Naqoura and Hamoul.
The Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah "rocket launcher" in Beit Leef
and a building used by Hezbollah in Aita al-Shaab.
Later during the day, Hezbollah targeted the al-Marj post in northern Israel and
surveillance equipment in the Jal al-Alam post. Israeli warplanes had struck
overnight the southern village of al-Taybeh, and earlier on Monday Israeli
artillery shelled the southern towns of Houla, Markaba, Qabrikha, Tallousa and
Wadi Slouqi. Three civilians were hospitalized due to asphyxiation from inhaling
white phosphorus in Qabrikha, the National News Agency said. Israel and
Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since Oct. 8, causing widespread damage on
both sides of the border and killing civilians and combatants on both sides.
Fears have increased in recent weeks of a larger escalation, with Hezbollah
vowing retaliation for an Israeli strike last month in Beirut that killed one of
its top commanders. The violence has killed 586 people in Lebanon, mostly
Hezbollah fighters but also including at least 128 civilians, according to an
AFP tally. On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, 23
soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, according to army figures.
Rockets from Lebanon ignite fires in northern Israel
Associated Press/August 20, 2024
Israel’s military said that a barrage of 55 rockets from Lebanon has ignited
fires in northern Israel. The military said Tuesday that only some of the
projectiles were intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems, while others fell
in open areas. Firefighters were working to contain the blazes. Hezbollah said
it fired “intense barrages of missiles” at military positions in Israel’s north.
Israel said it struck the areas where the missiles were launched in Lebanon.
Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since Oct. 8, causing widespread
damage on both sides of the border and killing civilians and combatants on both
sides. Fears have increased in recent weeks of a larger escalation, with
Hezbollah vowing retaliation for an Israeli strike last month in Beirut that
killed one of its top commanders.
Hezbollah says fired 'intense rocket barrages' at Israeli
positions
Agence France Presse/August 20, 2024
Hezbollah said it launched several rocket salvos at Israeli army positions in
the annexed Golan Heights on Tuesday "in response" to Israeli strikes on eastern
Lebanon the previous day. Hezbollah fighters launched "intense rocket barrages"
at two Israeli army positions in the occupied Golan Heights "in response to the
Israeli enemy's attack on the Bekaa" Valley -- which a source close to Hezbollah
said targeted weapons depots in the eastern region. The Israeli military
confirmed that around 55 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanese
territory. "Some of the projectiles were intercepted, and the rest fell in open
areas. No injuries were reported," the military said in a statement, adding that
some of the rockets had ignited fires. The military said its forces struck one
of the launchers from which the rockets were launched. The latest salvos from
Hezbollah came after Israel said it struck weapons depots deep inside eastern
Lebanon on Monday. That Israeli strike came after a soldier in northern Israel
was killed by Hezbollah fire, the latest death in 10 months of cross-border
exchanges between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. The violence has killed 585
people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also including at least 128
civilians, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, including in the
annexed Golan Heights, 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, according
to army figures. Fears of an escalation have mounted since Hezbollah and Iran
vowed to respond after an Israeli strike on Beirut last month killed a top
Hezbollah commander, Fouad Shukur, shortly before an attack in Tehran blamed on
Israel killed Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Rules of engagement: Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah's retaliation in Bekaa and
Golan Heights
LBCI/August 20, 2024
Three Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah depots in three locations within
Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on Monday evening. The strikes hit storage facilities in
Nabi Sheet, Qasr Naba Temnine, and near Saraain, igniting fires in the Temnine
area and leaving 11 people injured. After more than ten months of ongoing war,
Hezbollah has evacuated many of its positions and storage sites, redistributing
its forces while leaving some locations either empty or holding limited supplies
and munitions.
The Israeli airstrikes on Bekaa provoked a swift response from Hezbollah, which
launched rockets at key Israeli military installations, including the Golan
Brigade 210 headquarters, the artillery regiment, and the armored brigade at
Yarden base in the Golan Heights. The events of Monday and Hezbollah's
retaliatory strikes on Tuesday morning highlight the evolving rules of
engagement that have emerged throughout the war. The latest Israeli assault on
the Bekaa Valley came in response to Hezbollah's successful drone strikes on the
Yaara base and, for the first time, the Sant Jin base, located about 16.5
kilometers from the Lebanese border and north of Acre. These strikes resulted in
Israel acknowledging the death of a sergeant and injuries to other soldiers at
Yaara. This marks the eighth time the Israeli military has targeted Bekaa during
the escalations, excluding various assassinations carried out by drones.
When Hezbollah's drones penetrate deep into Israeli territory, targeting
military bases and causing casualties, or when Israeli drones are shot down, the
Bekaa Valley becomes a focal point for Israeli retaliation, followed by
Hezbollah's strikes on sites in the occupied Golan Heights. For instance, when
Hezbollah shot down an Israeli Hermes 450 drone with a surface-to-air missile,
Israel launched its first airstrike on Bekaa, specifically around Baalbek, on
February 26. Similarly, after Hezbollah successfully targeted the aerial
surveillance unit at Meron with drones and rockets, Israeli warplanes bombed
Hermel, the deepest target struck during the conflict, approximately 135
kilometers from the Lebanese border. The war has effectively dismantled old
rules of engagement and established new ones without formal negotiations or
dialogue. While these rules shape the trajectory of war, will they try to
prevent the conflict from escalating into a full-scale war?
Three paramedics injured in Israeli drone strike near
Lebanon's Naqoura
LBCI/August 20, 2024
Three paramedics from the Islamic Health Organization's Civil Defense unit
sustained minor injuries as a result of an Israeli drone strike. The strike
targeted the area around the ambulance they were in, as they were transporting
wounded individuals from the Hamoul area in Naqoura.
Israel Develops Gas Fields While Lebanon Awaits: An Energy Divide Amid Conflict
LBCI/August 20, 2024
More than ten months into the Israeli war in Gaza, Israel continues its attacks
on one front while advancing its gas and oil sector on another. Recently,
Energean, the company exploring gas in Israeli fields, announced in mid-July
that it would invest approximately $1.2 billion to develop the "Katlan" field,
located between the Karish and Tanin fields off the coast of Israel. Gas
production from this field is expected to begin in the first half of 2027, with
confirmed and potential reserves estimated at 1.10 trillion cubic feet.
However, these developments are unfolding against the backdrop of ongoing
threats to Israel's economic waters, especially after the Israeli army shot down
several drones launched from Lebanon, which were reportedly headed towards the
Karish field.
Hezbollah, however, did not claim responsibility for these drones. Despite this,
a spokesperson for Energean confirmed to LBCI that the company's operations in
Israel continue unaffected. While Israel pushes forward, Lebanon lags behind in
its own gas exploration efforts. The country is still awaiting a report from
TotalEnergies regarding the results of drilling in Block 9, which was initially
expected in March. TotalEnergies has cited delays in completing the report,
while a ministerial source told LBCI that the Lebanese government is reluctant
to press the French company on the matter. Hezbollah officials, on the other
hand, accuse the US of obstructing Lebanon's gas exploration efforts. In this
context, during recent visits by US envoy Amos Hochstein to Lebanon, he
indicated that if a ceasefire is reached on the Lebanese front, progress could
be made on Lebanon's oil and gas file.Ultimately, while Israel extracts and
invests in its gas reserves, Lebanon remains a spectator, waiting for its turn.
Lebanon complains to UN over Israeli sonic booms
Naharnet/August 20, 2024
Lebanon’s permanent mission to the U.N. has filed a complaint to the Security
Council over the repeated breaking of the sound barrier over the Lebanese
regions by Israeli warplanes, including over the capital Beirut. The complaint
comes at the instructions of caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib.
“These violations represent a flagrant breach of Lebanon’s sovereignty and
airspace and of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006),” the complaint
says. The mock raids and sonic booms “also violate several stipulations of
international humanitarian law, which prohibits all forms of collective
punishment and intimidation practiced by Israel through terrorizing civilians
and sowing panic among them,” the complaint adds, noting that such practices
“especially affect the most vulnerable segments of society, such as
children.”Israeli warplanes have regularly broken the sound barrier over south
Lebanon since the beginning of the current Israel-Hezbollah conflict in October
2023, but the sonic booms have become more frequent over Beirut and its suburbs
in recent weeks, amid soaring tensions between Israel and Hezbollah over the
assassination of top military commander Fouad Shukur.
Public prosecutor to question key electricity sector figures amid recent crisis
LBCI/August 20, 2024
Sources confirmed to LBCI that the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation,
Jamal al-Hajjar, will start hearings from key figures in the electricity sector
on Wednesday, in response to the recent crisis in Lebanon. Judge al-Hajjar's
action follows a referral from caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, which also
included a referral to the Central Inspection and involved the Chairman of the
Board of Directors and General Manager at Electricité du Liban (EDL), Kamal
Hayek. It is also reported that Hayek is preparing a file consisting of hundreds
of pages detailing the actions taken by the board to prevent the recent crisis.
The file includes correspondence addressed to PM Mikati and the Ministry of
Energy, asserting that the crisis was not a result of recent days but rather a
culmination of issues that the government has not addressed for up to four
months.
Electricity: Political and Financial Corruption
Bassam Abou Zeid/This Is Beirut/August 20/2024
The claims made by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati during his recent visit
to Iraq—that Iraqi fuel would easily resume its flow to Lebanon’s power
plants—do not match the current reality in the electricity sector. The power
plants in Deir Ammar and Zahrani have ceased production, and it has become clear
that the Iraqis remain dissatisfied with the Lebanese authorities, as they have
not transferred the funds owed from the extension of the Iraqi oil purchase and
exchange agreement, which has exceeded $200 million. Additionally, the platform
tasked to IDAL to provide Iraq with Lebanese goods and services in exchange for
fuel has not yet been launched. This situation has led to the recent crisis. All
proposed solutions to prevent the complete blackout, which particularly affects
vital facilities such as the airport and water pumps, were dismissed in the
Cabinet. One such solution was the procurement of a ship loaded with 30,000 tons
of gas oil through a spot cargo tender. Ironically, Prime Minister Mikati, who
was at the forefront of opposing this measure due to suspicions of corruption,
later strongly advocated for it during the current crisis and managed to impose
his opinion within the Board of Directors of Électricité du Liban (EDL). The
chairman of the board, Kamal Hayek, had requested a written letter from Mikati
approving the procurement of this ship, considering that Mikati had vehemently
opposed this tender in the Cabinet, and his stance was well-documented.
Therefore, EDL could not proceed contrary to what was stated in the Cabinet
without written authorization, especially since it would pay for the ship’s
cargo from its own cash reserves.
EDL had repeatedly warned, through numerous letters and communications sent to
the Prime Minister’s office and the Ministry of Energy, that the power plants
might shut down if fuel supplies were not secured in time. Reports indicate that
these officials only realized the gravity of the situation on the eve of Kamal
Hayek’s vacation, which he had obtained through proper procedures and informed
the Prime Minister about, appointing Director Ibrahim Moussa to act in his
place. The Board of Directors could have convened at the invitation of the
oldest member, Samer Salim. However, political infighting within the board
prevented the meeting, with reports suggesting that Karim Saba, who is
affiliated with the Free Patriotic Movement, obstructed the meeting in question,
while other reports indicated that his refusal was due to him not being invited
to attend. Kamal Hayek’s referral to the inspection committee has further
complicated the electricity issue, intensifying the blame and accusations of
negligence between political parties, particularly as the FPM, which has
monopolized the Ministry of Energy, bears the brunt of the responsibility for
the collapse of this sector. The struggle for control over the Ministry of
Energy and the electricity file seems poised to escalate, as raising tariffs and
increasing collections have brought in more than $100 million for EDL so far.
There are expectations that these figures will rise significantly with increased
electricity supply hours, which has piqued the interest of political parties
seeking to capture these funds for personal and political gain. In this context,
some parties are trying to exploit Algeria’s recent gesture of providing Lebanon
with fuel for EDL by pressuring the company to drop the lawsuit against
Sonatrach over the fraudulent fuel scandal. This would pave the way for a new
fuel purchase agreement with Algeria, allowing favored companies to benefit from
the fresh dollars flowing into EDL, potentially the same parties who profit from
the lack of electricity in favor of neighborhood generators and diesel fuel,
whose annual costs exceed $2 billion.
Regional Conflict: Iran and Hezbollah Placing Retaliation on Hold Unless…
Philippe Abi-Akl/This Is Beirut/August 20/2024
On his ninth visit to the region since the Al-Aqsa Flood operation and the
subsequent war and massacres in Gaza, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
arrived in Israel on Sunday to deliver a message from the American
administration to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
US efforts to secure a ceasefire through the Doha and Cairo negotiations extend
beyond Secretary Blinken’s visits. President Joe Biden has been actively
involved, beefing up his ceasefire initiative for Gaza with several key actions
such as Resolution 2735 on May 31, 2024. Ahead of the resumption of talks in
Doha, Biden convened a meeting with top White House advisors, then dispatched
his special envoy Amos Hochstein to Lebanon, CIA Director of the Central
Intelligence Agency William Burns with a security delegation to Doha, and his
Middle East advisor Brett McGurk to Cairo. Additionally, Biden bolstered US
military presence with warships, aircraft carriers and F-22 fighter jets, while
enhancing air capabilities with advanced warplanes. The aim is to deter Iran and
Hezbollah—the so-called “Al-Moumanaa Axis”—from retaliating against Israel in
response to the assassinations of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in
Tehran, and Hezbollah military commander Fouad Shokr in Beirut’s southern
suburbs, by threatening a strong Israeli response.
In addition to the increased American diplomatic and military presence in the
region, the White House issued a statement on August 8, co-signed by President
Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim
bin Hamad Al Thani, highlighting the urgent need to finalize a ceasefire
agreement and release hostages and detainees. “With our teams we have developed
a framework agreement that only requires minor adjustments. Time is running out,
and we are ready, as mediators, to present a final proposal to bridge the gap.
We have called on the parties to resume discussions on August 15,” the statement
said.
In another significant move, a joint statement was released on August 2 by
France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, emphasizing
full support for efforts to de-escalate tensions, achieve a ceasefire and secure
the release of hostages and detainees in Gaza. It also endorsed the joint call
by the US, Egypt and Qatar to resume negotiations. “There’s no more time to
waste, and we affirm our support for defending Israel against Iranian aggression
and attacks by Iran-backed terrorist groups. Moreover, we called on Iran to end
its ongoing threats of military action against Israel and assessed the severe
consequences for regional security if such an attack were to occur,” it said. In
light of recent developments, Lebanon had prepared a document outlining “rules
for achieving sustainable stability,” which was delivered by its diplomatic
missions to the governments of the countries where they are accredited. The US,
France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy also coordinated their diplomatic
efforts with the Americans and Egyptians to prevent war, enforce a ceasefire in
Gaza and southern Lebanon and separate Lebanon’s crisis from the Gaza war. They
stressed the need to address Lebanon’s presidential vacancy, independently of
regional crises, to allow Lebanon to participate in negotiations for a
settlement and ensure it is not excluded from these talks. Representing Lebanon
is the exclusive responsibility of the President of the Republic, neither the
Prime Minister nor the Speaker of Parliament. As stated in Article 49 of the
Constitution, the President is “the head of State and a symbol of national
unity,” and according to Article 52, is responsible for negotiating treaties.
According to diplomatic sources, Western messages to Lebanon included a warning,
particularly directed at Hezbollah through Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri,
urging Hezbollah to avoid exceeding the limits in retaliation for Shokr’s
assassination. Instead, it emphasized the importance of focusing on political
solutions to the conflict with Israel, irrespective of the outcomes of the
ceasefire negotiations in Gaza. At the same time, US communications with Iran,
conducted through meetings in Oman, stressed that Iran should refrain from
retaliating to Haniyeh’s assassination, since Israel did not claim it, thus not
constituting a breach of Iranian sovereignty.
An Arab official observes that all parties involved—Washington, Tehran, Tel
Aviv, Hezbollah and Hamas—are perplexed and anxious, each for its own reasons.
The US administration is against war during election time. Iran, which is
negotiating with Biden’s team over nuclear issues, does not want to jeopardize
the chances of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, whom it favors
over Trump, hoping to negotiate a deal with her in the future. That is why Iran
is delaying its response to Haniyeh’s slaying until after the US elections,
while restraining Hezbollah.
This strategy aims to thwart Benjamin Netanyahu’s push for war, which would
boost the chances of his ally, Republican candidate Donald Trump. Ultimately,
the regional conflict reflects a clash between those seeking war to benefit
Trump and those advocating for stability and a truce to support Harris’
presidential campaign. Following the meetings in Doha, President Biden announced
that “an agreement is now within reach, with only technical details left to
finalize.” Meanwhile, diplomatic sources reveal that the Israeli military
establishment has advised the political leadership to accept Biden’s proposal
and relax their conditions. As per the same sources, a solution in the region
only hinges on Israel’s recognition of the Palestinian State, which is
considered fundamental. Moreover, the sources highlighted Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas’ recent statement from Moscow, where he announced his
initiative to visit Gaza. Will war break out, or will the contained conflict
continue? Will the “Al-Moumanaa Axis” postpone its response until after the US
elections, provided that no unexpected incidents lead to a confrontation that
would force the Biden administration to intervene forcefully to restore
stability and enforce a truce
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on August 20-21/2024
Blinken wraps up Mideast tour with Gaza truce plea
Reuters/August 20, 2024
DOHA: Top US diplomat Antony Blinken said Tuesday that “time is of the essence”
to secure a Gaza truce as he wrapped up a Middle East tour with a plea for a
deal. The US secretary of state, on his ninth regional visit since the
10-month-old Israel-Hamas war began, made a brief stop in mediator Qatar but was
unable to meet its emir. Speaking on the tarmac in Doha before heading back to
Washington, Blinken reiterated his call for Hamas to accept a “bridging
proposal” for a deal, which he said Israel had accepted, and asked both parties
to work toward finalizing it. “This needs to get done, and it needs to get done
in the days ahead, and we will do everything possible to get it across the
finish line,” he said. Palestinian militant group Hamas, whose October 7 attack
triggered the war, said it was “keen to reach a ceasefire” agreement but
protested “new conditions” from Israel in the latest US proposal. Earlier
Tuesday, Blinken flew from Israel to Egypt for talks with President Abdel Fattah
El-Sisi, who told him that “the time has come to end the ongoing war,” according
to an official Egyptian statement. El-Sisi warned of the consequences of “the
conflict expanding regionally,” it said.
Blinken then traveled to Doha to meet with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani,
though a US official said the Qatari ruler was feeling unwell and the two will
instead talk on the phone soon.
Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, minister of state at the Qatari
foreign ministry, met with Blinken to discuss “joint mediation efforts to end
the war,” Doha said. Both Egypt and Qatar are working alongside the United
States to broker a truce, which diplomats say would help avert a wider
conflagration that could draw in Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel and Hamas
have blamed each other for delays in reaching an accord that would stop the
fighting, free Israeli hostages and allow vital humanitarian aid into the
besieged Palestinian territory. Medics and civil defense rescuers in the Hamas-ruled
Gaza Strip said Israeli bombardment on Tuesday killed more than two dozen
people, and Israel announced it had recovered the bodies of six hostages.
Mediators met last week with Israeli negotiators in Doha, and more truce talks
are expected in Egypt this week. One of the main sticking points has been
Hamas’s long-standing demand for a “complete” withdrawal of Israeli troops from
all parts of Gaza, which Israel has rejected. Israeli media quoted Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying Israel would insist on maintaining control
of a strategic strip on the Gaza-Egypt border, known as the Philadelphi
corridor. A US official traveling with Blinken, speaking on condition of
anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that “maximalist statements like
this are not constructive to getting a ceasefire deal across the finish line.”
In Doha, Blinken said Washington opposes “any long-term occupation of Gaza by
Israel.”Fears of a regional escalation have mounted since Hezbollah and Iran
vowed to respond after an attack last month, blamed on Israel, killed Hamas
political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, shortly after an Israeli strike on
Beirut killed a top Hezbollah commander. Lebanon’s health ministry said four
people were killed in Israeli strikes on Tuesday and Hezbollah claimed a string
of attacks on Israeli troops, in the latest of the cross-border exchanges which
have raged almost daily since the Gaza war began.
Hamas had called on the mediators to implement a framework set out by US
President Joe Biden in late May, rather than hold more negotiations.
The Biden plan would freeze fighting for an initial six weeks while Israeli
hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and
humanitarian aid enters Gaza. Hamas said on Sunday that the current US proposal,
which Washington had put forward after two days of meetings in Doha, “responds
to Netanyahu’s conditions.” And on Monday, in response to comments by Biden that
it was “backing away” from a deal, the Iran-backed group said the “misleading
claims... do not reflect the true position of the movement, which is keen to
reach a ceasefire.” Hamas officials as well as some analysts and critics in
Israel have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political gain. The
October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,199 people,
mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 40,173 people,
according to the territory’s health ministry, which does not give details of
civilian and militant deaths.
Most of the dead are women and children, according to the UN human rights
office. Out of 251 hostages seized during the attack, 105 are still held in
Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israeli army operations
in Gaza have continued throughout the truce talks. An Israeli strike on Tuesday
hit a school in Gaza City where the civil defense agency said at least 12
Palestinians were killed and the military said a Hamas command center was based.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians had sought refuge in the facility, civil
defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal said. AFP photos showed the Mustafa Hafiz school
partly reduced to rubble, with Palestinians fleeing. Elsewhere in Gaza, Bassal
and medical sources reported at least 17 killed in four separate strikes. The
Israeli military said forces had retrieved the bodies of six hostages from a
tunnel in the southern Gaza district of Khan Yunis. The United Nations said
parts of a north-south Gaza road that is “a crucial passage for humanitarian
missions were included in the latest evacuation order” issued by the Israeli
military on Saturday. “This has made it nearly impossible for aid workers to
move along this key route,” a UN statement said, preventing “critical supplies
and services, such as water trucking” from reaching those in need.
US disputes report of Netanyahu, Blinken talk on Israeli
troops on Gaza border
Reuters/ August 20, 2024
DOHA (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday disputed a report that cited
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying he might have convinced U.S.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel should keep troops on a border
strip between Gaza and Egypt. According to an X post by an Axios journalist,
Netanyahu told a gathering that Israel would not withdraw forces from the
Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt as it was a strategic military asset
and he told Blinken this during a meeting in Israel on Monday. Netanyahu said he
might have managed to convince the top U.S. diplomat on the issue, Axios added.
"The only thing Secretary Blinken and the United States are convinced of is the
need for getting a ceasefire proposal across the finish line," a senior
administration official told reporters en route to Doha. "Maximalist statements
like this are not constructive to getting a ceasefire deal across the finish
line and they certainly risk the ability of implementing ... working level,
technical talks to be able to move forward," the official said.
Hamas says Biden remarks 'green light' for Israel to
continue war
Agence France Presse/August 20, 2024
Hamas on Tuesday condemned claims by U.S. President Joe Biden that it was
backing away from a Gaza truce deal, calling his remarks a "green light" for
Israel to continue the war. The "misleading claims... do not reflect the true
position of the movement, which is keen to reach a ceasefire" agreement, Hamas
said in a statement, calling Biden's remarks an "American green light for the
Zionist extremist government to commit more crimes against defenseless
civilians".
Netanyahu tells hostage families 'not sure there will be a deal'
Naharnet/August 20, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he’s "not sure there will
be a deal," The Times of Israel reported. The Israeli online newspaper quoted a
father of an Israeli hostage who met Netanyahu Tuesday as saying that his
impression was that Netanyahu "doesn’t believe there will be a deal." Families
of the hostages said Netanyahu told them during a meeting that should a deal end
up being sealed, it would "safeguard Israel’s interests."They said Netanyahu has
told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in their meeting yesterday that
"Israel won’t leave the Philadelphi and the Netzarim corridors under any
circumstances."
After US talks, Egypt urges Gaza ceasefire, warns of regional war
Associated Press/August 20, 2024
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Egypt on Tuesday as part of
his latest Middle East tour to push forward talks aiming to end the 10-month
Gaza war. Blinken held talks with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in the coastal city of El Alamein following a
visit to Israel, where he met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Al-Sisi called
for a Gaza ceasefire and warned of a regional war, after he met with Blinken.
"The time has come to end the ongoing war, and to resort to wisdom, and to
uphold the language of peace and diplomacy," he said in a statement, adding all
parties must be wary of the "danger of the conflict expanding regionally".
Israel recovers bodies of six hostages from Gaza Strip
GADI ZAIG, YAEL HALFON/Jerusalem Post/August 20/2024
The bodies of hostages Nadav Popplewell, Yagev Buchshtab, Yoram Metzger, Haim
Peri, Alexander Dancyg and Avraham Munder were recovered from Gaza. Israel
recovered the bodies of hostages Nadav Popplewell, Yagev Buchshtab, Yoram
Metzger, Haim Peri, Alexander Dancyg, and Avraham Munder from the Khan Yunis
area in Gaza, who were murdered in Hamas captivity, the IDF announced on
Tuesday. The rescue operation was conducted by the IDF's 98th Division and
carried out by the Paratroopers Brigade, 'Yahalom' Unit, and the 75th Battalion,
along with ISA forces. The operation was done under military intelligence, ISA,
and the IDF Intelligence Directorate Hostage Headquarters. It was
announced by Kibbutz Nirim earlier that the bodies of Popplewell and Buchshtab
were retrieved from Gaza. Similarly, Kibbutz Nir Oz announced earlier that
morning that the bodies of Peri, Metzger, and Dancyg were also retrieved. Munder
was believed to be alive until Kibbutz Nir Oz announced his death while in Gaza
captivity. The National Institute of Forensic Medicine, Israel Police, and the
IDF Manpower Directorate's Hostage Team conducted an identification procedure of
the bodies and notified their families and communities. The Hostages and Missing
Families Forum stressed that the only way to return the 109 hostages is through
a negotiated deal.
Nadav Popplewell
Popplewell, 51 years old, was kidnapped from Nirim on October 7. In June, the
IDF announced he had been killed in Hamas captivity.
Kibbutz Nirim said that he loved books and science fiction.
Popplewell was taken hostage along with his mother, Channah Peri, who was
released in the November hostage deal following 49 days in Gaza captivity. Both
were taken from their home's safe room. Popplewell's brother Roi, aged 54, was
murdered on October 7.
Yagev Buchshtab
Buchshtab, 35 years old, was seized from Kibbutz Nirim on October 7 along with
his wife Rimon Kirsht Buchshtab, 36, who was released on November 28, as part of
the hostage deal. In July, the IDF announced he had been killed in Gaza
captivity. Buchshtab was a sound technician and had a passion for music. Yoram
Metzger
Metzger, 80 years old, was seized from Nir Oz on October 7. In June, the IDF
announced he had been killed while in Hamas captivity. He is survived by his
wife, Tamar, who was kidnapped along with him and released in the November
hostage deal, three children, and seven grandchildren. At the kibbutz, Yoram
worked in the Nirlat factory and as a kibbutz mechanic.
Haim Peri
Peri, 79, was kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. In June, the IDF
announced he had been killed in Hamas captivity. "On the day of the massacre in
the kibbutz, Haim managed to save his wife Asnat before being kidnapped himself.
He survived in inhumane conditions in the Hamas tunnels for months, until he was
brutally murdered in captivity," the kibbutz wrote in a statement on Tuesday.
Peri was a father of five, a grandfather to 13, a peace activist, and founder of
an art gallery. He also taught at Sapir College.
Alexander Dancyg
Dancyg, 76 years old, was kidnapped from Nir Oz on October 7. In July, the IDF
announced he had been killed in Gaza captivity. Born to Holocaust survivors,
Dancyg was an educator and historian who worked at Yad Vashem for nearly 30
years. He was one of the founders of educational delegations to Poland and led
many of them.
Avraham Munder
Munder was kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. On Tuesday, kibbutz Nir
Oz announced he had been killed in Gaza captivity. Munder fought and was wounded
in the Six-Day War, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
Munder's nephew told KAN Reshet Bet earlier that his uncle's body had been
recovered from Gaza and that "it's sad that a person who participated in
liberating Jerusalem and answered the call to develop communities in the Negev
had his life ended by being thrown aside in a tunnel in Khan Yunis."He lived in
Kibbutz Nir Oz for more than 50 years and took part in the Eshkol choir. He was
kidnapped to the Gaza Strip on October 7 along with his wife Ruti, his daughter
Keren, and his nine-year-old grandson Ohad, who were released in the November
hostage deal following 49 days in captivity.
*Eve Young and Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
Hamas says Joe Biden remark about group backing away
from Gaza truce deal ‘misleading’
Reuters/August 20, 2024
DUBAI: Hamas said on Tuesday that US President Joe Biden’s comment that the
Palestinian group was backing away from a Gaza ceasefire agreement with Israel
was “misleading.”Biden, responding to questions on a ceasefire deal, said:
“Israel says they can work it out, they’re prepared. But I was told Hamas is now
backing off.”While boarding a plane after giving a speech at the Democratic
National Convention in Chicago on Monday, he added: “It remains to be seen.
We’re going to keep pushing.”Hamas said Biden’s statements do not reflect the
true position of the movement, which says it has been keen to reach a cessation
of hostilities. “The proposal recently presented to us goes against what the
parties had agreed on July 2, this is considered an American response and
acquiescence to the terrorist Netanyahu’s new conditions and his criminal plans
toward the Gaza Strip,” Hamas added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on his ninth
trip to the region since the war began, expressed optimism after meeting Israeli
officials on Monday. On Tuesday, Blinken was in Cairo pushing for areas of
possible progress on a ceasefire and hostage release deal in talks planned for
later this week, with major areas of dispute still unresolved. The US had put
forward bridging proposals that the mediating countries — Qatar, the United
States and Egypt — believe would close gaps between Israel and Hamas and end the
hostilities that have destabilized the entire region.
Egypt’s El-Sisi meets with US Secretary of State Blinken
Gobran Mohamed/Arab News/August 20, 2024
CAIRO: President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has met with US Secretary of
State Antony Blinken, underlining the robust strategic partnership between their
two nations.
Their discussions also reaffirmed a commitment to advancing joint efforts to
restore security and stability in the region. The two sides reviewed the
Egyptian-American-Qatari mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and
bring about an exchange of hostages. El-Sisi and Blinken exchanged views on the
results of the latest negotiations, held last week in the Qatari capital, Doha,
and on ways to achieve progress.
Blinken briefed El-Sisi on the outcome of his visit to Israel, stressing the US
commitment to calming the situation and reaching an agreement. He expressed huge
appreciation for Egypt’s role and constructive efforts. El-Sisi emphasized that
it was time to end the ongoing war, resort to the voice of reason and wisdom,
and uphold the language of peace and diplomacy. He warned of the dangers of the
conflict expanding regionally and confirmed that saving lives should be a major
driving force for all parties.
A ceasefire in Gaza must be the beginning of broader international recognition
of an independent Palestinian state and the enforcement of the two-state
solution, he said, adding this would be the fundamental guarantor for stability
in the region.
The meeting was also attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and
Director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel, as well
as US Ambassador Herro Mustafa Garg. The war in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when
Hamas gunmen stormed into Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and
abducting about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s retaliatory
military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 40,000 people since October
according to Palestinian health authorities, and of the remaining hostages being
held there.
On Tuesday, Israel’s military said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages
from southern Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, 109 hostages now remain in
the Palestinian territory, of whom around a third are believed to be dead.
In Gaza, Israeli forces battled Hamas-led militants in central and southern
areas, and Palestinian health authorities said at least 21 people had been
killed early on Tuesday in Israeli strikes, including on a school housing
displaced people.
Israel’s military said it had struck Hamas militants embedded in the school.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said on Tuesday it was still waiting for polio
vaccines to arrive after the disease was discovered in the territory, where most
people now live in tents or shelters without proper sanitation. It echoed a call
by the UN last week for a ceasefire to allow the vaccination campaign.
US flouting Arms Trade Treaty with weapons exports to
Israel: Amnesty
Arab News/August 20, 2024
LONDON: The US is continuing to violate a significant arms treaty by selling
weapons to Israel, Amnesty International has warned. The NGO said the flouting
of the Arms Trade Treaty is leading to “devastating loss of life” in the
Occupied Territories, in particular Gaza. In 2013, 155 states worldwide adopted
the treaty, which established new regulations on the sale of weapons in a bid to
prevent “unlawful arms transfers that facilitate grave abuses.”But despite being
a signatory, the US has continued to provide Israel with weapons that have been
used in unlawful airstrikes, Amnesty reported. Last October, American JDAM bombs
were launched by Israel on homes in Gaza, killing 43 civilians, including 19
children. In January, Israel used a US-built GBU-39 guided bomb to target a
family home in Rafah, killing 18 civilians, including 10 children.Patrick
Wilcken, the NGO’s researcher on military, security and policing, said: “Amnesty
International has long been calling for a comprehensive arms embargo on both
Israel and Palestinian armed groups because of longstanding patterns of serious
violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, including war
crimes, leading to horrific impacts on civilians, including women and children.
“States parties and signatories, including the US — the largest provider of arms
to Israel — continue to license arms transfers to Israel in spite of
overwhelming evidence of war crimes committed by Israeli forces.” Amnesty
described the continued sale of weapons to Israel by the US as a “stark example
of failure … to fully comply” with the treaty. The NGO is calling for an end to
weapons sales to Israel at the 10th Conference of States Parties to the Arms
Trade Treaty, which began on Monday. The treaty “is the first of its kind to set
global standards to govern the international trade in conventional arms and
munitions. The legality of an arms transfer is now explicitly linked to
international human rights and humanitarian law rules,” said Wilcken. “Although
progress has been achieved, numerous governments continue to brazenly flout the
rules, leading to a huge loss of life in conflict zones. “It is time for state
parties to live up to their legal obligations and fully implement the Arms Trade
Treaty, to prohibit the flow of arms to countries when it is known they would be
used for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or if it could be used to
commit or facilitate serious violations of international human rights or
humanitarian law.”
Death ‘the only certainty’ for Gazans, says UN official
AFP/August 20, 2024
JERUSALEM: In war-ravaged Gaza, death appears to be the “only certainty” for 2.4
million Palestinians with no way to escape Israel’s relentless bombardment, a UN
official said Tuesday, recounting the growing desperation across the territory.
“It does feel like people are waiting for death. Death seems to be the only
certainty in this situation,” Louise Wateridge, a spokeswoman for the UN agency
for Palestinian refugees, also known as UNRWA, told AFP from Gaza. For the past
two weeks, Wateridge has been in the Gaza Strip, witnessing the humanitarian
crisis, fear of death and spread of disease as the war rages on.“Nowhere in the
Gaza Strip is safe, absolutely nowhere is safe. It’s absolutely devastating,”
Wateridge said from the Nuseirat area of central Gaza — a regular target of
Israel’s aerial assaults. Since fighting broke out in October, Israeli forces
have pounded the besieged territory from the air, land and sea, reducing much of
it to rubble. Now in its eleventh month, the war has created an acute
humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people, most of whom have
been displaced several times, running out of basic food and clean drinking
water. “We are facing unprecedented challenges when it comes to the spread of
disease, when it comes to hygiene. Part of this is because of the Israeli
imposed siege on the Gaza Strip,” Wateridge said. The war began with Palestinian
militant group Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7,
which resulted in the deaths of 1,199 people, mostly civilians, according to an
AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Since then, Israel’s retaliatory
military campaign has killed at least 40,173 people, according to the health
ministry in the Hamas-run territory, which does not provide details of civilian
and militant deaths. Most of the dead in Gaza are women and children, according
to the UN human rights office.
Tens of thousands of people have taken refuge in schools across the Gaza Strip,
an increasingly regular target of Israeli missiles. Israel’s military says these
schools have been used as command and control centers by Hamas, a charge the
group denies. “Even a school is not anymore a safe place,” said Wateridge.
“It feels like you’re never more than a few blocks away from the front line
now.”Tired of reacting to the Israeli military’s “continuous” evacuation orders,
more and more Gazans are reluctant to keep moving from place to place, Wateridge
said. “They feel like they’re being chased around in circles... It’s quite a lot
to move in terms of the heat, young children, elderly, disabled,” she said. Many
Gazans AFP has interviewed say they no longer want to move their families, their
tents and the few belongings they are still left with. They have criticized what
they describe as a lack of clarity in Israeli evacuation orders — including maps
dropped from planes — and communications challenges given Gaza’s lack of regular
Internet access, electricity and telecommunications coverage. Those who are
still moving say that wherever they go “there are rats, there are mice, there
are scorpions, there are cockroaches,” Wateridge said, adding that insects
“spread disease from shelter to shelter.” Last week the Gaza health ministry
said the territory had recorded its first polio case in 25 years. Wateridge said
that the UN was waiting for Israel’s green light to go from tent to tent and
vaccinate children to prevent polio from spreading. Though talks have been
deadlocked for months, Wateridge said Gazans “always hope for a ceasefire” and
“keep a close eye on the negotiations.” In the coming days, international
mediators the United States, Qatar and Egypt will hold a new round of talks in
Cairo to again try to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Wait for Iran’s retaliation against Israel ‘could be long’, Revolutionary Guards
spokesperson says
Arab News/August 20, 2024
DUBAI: There could be a long wait for Iranian retaliation against Israel, Iran’s
Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Alimohammad Naini said on Tuesday.
The Middle East has been bracing for Iran’s avowed retaliation over the killing
of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. Israel has neither
confirmed nor denied that it was behind the killing. “Time is in our favor and
the waiting period for this response could be long,” Naini said, referring to
potential retaliation against Israel.He said “the enemy” should wait for a
calculated and accurate response. Iranian leaders were weighing the
circumstances and the Islamic Republic’s response might not be a repeat of
previous operations, he added, according to Iranian state media. Iran and Hamas
have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh hours after
he attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president Masoud Pezeshkian. The
United States has asked allies that have ties with Iran to persuade it to
de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
is in the region to push for progress toward a Gaza ceasefire. Naini said that
Tehran supported any move that led to an end to the war in Gaza and helped its
people, but added: “We do not consider the US actions sincere. We consider the
US to be a party to the (Gaza) war.”
EU Red Sea mission escorts 300 vessels in region
Saeed Al-Batati/Arab News/August 20, 2024
AL-MUKALLA: The EU naval mission in the Red Sea has said that its warships have
provided security to 300 ships while traveling in commerce routes off Yemen and
have destroyed 22 drones, drone boats, and ballistic missiles launched by the
Yemeni militia during the past six months. No new assaults on ships have been
claimed by the Houthis in the last two weeks, indicating another pause in their
campaign. On Monday the EU naval mission, known as EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, said in a
post on X: “As we reach the six-month milestone since the initiation of the
operation, we remain committed to our mission and the core values of the
European Union.” The EU announced it was launching a naval mission based in the
Red Sea on Feb. 19 to safeguard ships traveling through the important maritime
channel from Houthi drone, missile, and drone boat strikes. Since November, the
Houthis have seized one commercial ship, sunk two others, and fired hundreds of
drones, ballistic missiles, and remotely controlled boats at ships in the Red
Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean in a campaign that the Yemeni militia claims
is intended to put pressure on Israel to end its war in the Gaza Strip. Despite
the Houthis’ continuous threats of vengeance, assaults on ships have
significantly decreased since July 20, when Israel launched airstrikes on Houthi
targets in Yemen’s western province of Hodeidah for the first time. Houthi
military spokesman Yahya Sarea has not claimed credit for fresh assaults on any
ships since Aug. 7. The Yemeni militia claimed that they postponed their
response to the Israeli operation in Hodeidah in order to make it “more
effective.” This comes as Rashad Al-Alimi, head of the internationally
recognized Yemeni government’s Presidential Leadership Council, accused the
Houthis on Tuesday of undermining efforts to end the war on the country and
attempting to bankrupt his government. Speaking in the southern city of Aden
after accepting foreign ambassador-designate credentials to Yemen, Al-Alimi
urged the international community to punish the Houthis for attacking ships in
the Red Sea and elsewhere, cracking down on civil society and aid organizations,
and impeding peace talks. “The peace process has remained stalled because of the
militia’s intransigence and its preference of the interests of its supporters
over the interests of the Yemeni people,” he said. Meanwhile, 14 people were
killed by lightning in Yemen’s northern province of Hajjah, as the National
Center of Meteorology warned on Tuesday of severe weather in the following 24
hours. According to the Houthi-run Saba news agency, lightning killed three
people in Abbes, three more in Kuhlan Affar, and eight more in other regions of
Hajjah over the past several days. Heavy rains caused flash floods in Hodeidah,
Ibb, Hajjah, Sanaa, Marib, and other Yemen provinces, killing over 100 people
and displacing hundreds more since late last month.
Iran shuts down last language institute recognized by
German Embassy
AP/August 20, 2024
TEHRAN: Iranian authorities on Tuesday closed down the last language institute
certified by the German Embassy, local media said, in retaliation for the
shuttering of Islamic centers in the European country. A report by Nournews.ir,
believed to be close to Iran’s security bodies, published a photo of police
forces taking down the sign showcasing the establishment’s name. The Institute
For Teaching German Language was established in the capital in 1995, according
to the embassy. Mizanonline.ir, a news website affiliated with the country’s
judiciary, said judicial authorities ordered the closure of the institute’s two
posts, located in separate Tehran neighborhoods, calling them “illegal centers
affiliated with the German government” that “breached Iran’s law, committed
various illegal actions and extensive financial violations.” The report also
said authorities would investigate possible infractions by other
German-affiliated centers, without elaborating. Its closure came after German
authorities shut down The Islamic Center Hamburg, and five sub-organizations, in
July, accusing it of being an “outpost” of Iran’s theocracy, promoting the
ideology of its leadership and supporting Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group.
German police also raided 53 properties around the country. Imam Ali Mosque in
Hamburg, the militant group’s most prominent facility, was among the properties
raided. Hezbollah and Israel have been trading near-daily exchanges of fire
across the Lebanon-Israel border since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza broke out in
October. Iran does not recognize Israel and supports anti-Israeli militant
groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. In 1995, Iranian authorities shut down Tehran’s
Goethe International Institute, which was part of over 100 sites around the
world promoting German culture, language and education.
Modi's strong message to Netanyahu: India backs Israel
against Hamas - opinion
HRIDAY SARMA/Jerusalem Post/August 20/2024
In a post-Independence Day call, Modi's firm stance with Netanyahu highlights
India's growing support for Israel, signaling a major shift in its foreign
policy and security approach. On August 16, the day following India’s 78th
Independence Day, an important phone call took place between Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Modi, in a firm
tone, re-emphasized the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held
by Hamas. This conversation, set against the backdrop of escalating violence
within Israel and in the areas surrounding its national borders, signals a clear
and decisive shift in India’s foreign policy and military approach, both
internationally and domestically. For decades, India maintained a delicate
balance in its engagement with Israel and Palestine. While India established
diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, it also remained a strong supporter of
the Palestinian cause, often advocating for a two-state solution and maintaining
cautious neutrality in the Israel-Palestine. This policy was shaped by India’s
non-aligned movement roots, its large Muslim population, and broader
geopolitical considerations. However, recent events suggest that this
long-standing policy is undergoing a profound transformation.
India’s open and unequivocal support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas and
Iranian-backed proxies, notably Hezbollah, marks a significant departure from
its traditional approach. The strategic partnership between India and Israel has
grown considerably in recent years, with deepening ties in defense, agriculture,
and technology. The relationship has moved from being covert to overt, and the
solidarity expressed by Modi during his conversation with Netanyahu underscores
a new era in India’s diplomatic and military posture – one characterized by
assertive alignment with key international allies and a decisive stance on
issues of global and regional security. The abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu
and Kashmir in August 2019 was a watershed moment in India’s internal security
policy. The revocation of the region’s special status was justified by the
Indian government as a necessary step to combat terrorism and promote
development. However, the reality on the ground has been more complex. Recent
militant attacks in the Jammu region, such as the ambush on an Indian army
convoy in Kathua and the assault on a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in the Reasi
district, illustrate that the insurgency has not been subdued. Instead, it has
shifted geographically, resembling the evolving patterns of violence observed in
Israel’s conflict with Hamas.
India changes strategy
India’s changing military strategy is evident in its increasingly aggressive
posture toward cross-border terrorism. The surgical strikes conducted by Indian
forces against terrorist camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir in 2016,
followed by airstrikes in Balakot in 2019, were clear indicators of a more
proactive and preemptive approach. This mirrors Israel’s long-standing policy of
targeted strikes against militant groups that pose an imminent threat to its
national security. Moreover, the introduction of new legal frameworks, such as
the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS),
which emphasize stringent measures against threats to national security,
reflects India’s commitment to a no-tolerance policy toward extremism, both
domestically and at its borders. These laws, coupled with the government’s push
to arm local villagers in border areas like Jammu as a countermeasure against
insurgent attacks, demonstrate a resolve to fortify internal defenses – a
strategy not dissimilar to Israel’s own policies of civilian defense. Critics
may argue that India’s open support for Israel could jeopardize its ties with
important Middle Eastern countries, especially those with large Palestinian
sympathies. However, given the evolving geopolitical landscape, where strategic
and economic objectives outweigh ideological alignments, it appears that India
is adjusting its foreign policy to better suit its national interest
imperatives.
India’s vocal support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah can
also be interpreted as a signal to both domestic and international audiences
that it will not shy away from taking clear and decisive stances on cross-border
threats and strategic alliances. This new posture reflects a convergence of
diplomatic support and military pragmatism, underscoring India’s commitment to
securing its borders, protecting its citizens, and advancing broader regional
interests. As India continues to navigate its complex regional dynamics, this
shift toward a more assertive and less ambiguous stance in its foreign and
domestic policies could redefine its role on the global stage. The phone call
between Modi and Netanyahu on India’s Independence Day may very well be
remembered as a pivotal moment in India’s diplomatic and military evolution.
*The writer is an India-based lawyer specializing in cross-border trade and
investments and a fellow with the South Asia Democratic Forum in Brussels.
Crossing between a government and opposition-held area
in Syria closes after violence
AP/August 21, 2024
IDLIB, Syria: A key crossing inside Syria between an area held by the government
and one held by the opposition was closed again on Tuesday after violence
followed its brief reopening this week. A local activist and a war monitor said
that opposition groups protested the reopening of the Abu Al-Zandin crossing in
Aleppo province, which had been closed since 2020, and that it was twice hit by
artillery shelling. A few trucks on Sunday moved through the crossing in what
appeared to be a trial reopening. The move was met by protests and the crossing
was hit by artillery shelling from an unknown source on Monday and again on
Tuesday. Reports of an initial planned reopening in June were met with angry
protests by residents of the opposition-controlled area who saw the move as a
step toward normalization with the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Sunday’s trial reopening was followed again by protests and a sit-in at a tent
erected by local activists. The Britain-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights reported the shelling. It was not clear who fired. The monitor also
said that gunmen opposed to the opening of the crossing “forced a number of
trucks to return” as they were headed into government-held territory. An
official with the Turkish-backed opposition government confirmed plans to reopen
the crossing but denied it represented a step toward normalizing relations with
Damascus. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not
authorized to comment publicly. “The opening of crossings, whether commercial or
humanitarian ... is not linked to reconciliation,” he said and also gave the
example of function crossings in Syria between areas that Ankara controls and
areas that are under the control of Syrian Kurdish local authorities. The
official declined to elaborate or comment on the shelling. The anti-government
uprising turned civil war in Syria, now in its 14th year, has killed nearly half
a million people, displaced half of its prewar population of 23 million and
crippled infrastructure in both government and opposition-held areas. The
conflict today is largely frozen. In June, Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and Assad both signalled that they are interested in restoring
diplomatic ties that have been ruptured for more than a decade. Several previous
reconciliation attempts did not succeed.
Blinken hopes Sudan humanitarian progress brings broader
deal
AFP/August 21, 2024
DOHA: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced hope Tuesday that an emerging
humanitarian agreement in Sudan would build momentum for a broader deal to end
the country’s devastating war. Blinken, on visits to Egypt and Qatar mostly
focused on bringing a ceasefire in the Gaza war, said he also consulted on the
US-brokered talks on Sudan underway in Switzerland. “With everything else going
on in the world, the worst humanitarian situation in the world right now is in
Sudan,” Blinken told reporters as he left Doha. “There are more people in Sudan
who are suffering from fighting, from violence, from lack of access to food and
basic humanitarian assistance,” Blinken said. The United States said Monday that
the talks in Switzerland were finalizing ways to open three humanitarian routes
for badly needed food, including a critical crossing from Chad. “We obviously
need to see that move forward, but that’s critical in bringing life-essential
assistance to people who desperately need it,” Blinken said. “As we’re doing
that, of course, we’re working on trying to get a broader agreement on a
cessation of hostilities,” he said. The US point man on Sudan who is leading
negotiations, Tom Perriello, joined Blinken for his talks earlier Tuesday with
the Egyptian leadership in the coastal city of El Alamein. Perriello said he
would also meet with a Sudanese government delegation in his latest bid to
persuade Sudan’s army to take part in the talks. War broke out in April last
year between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF),
devastating what was already one of the world’s poorest nations. More than 25
million people — over half of Sudan’s population — face acute hunger, according
to UN agencies, with famine declared in a displacement camp in Darfur, which
borders Chad. The RSF has sent a delegation to Switzerland but the army has
refused to join. Perriello has consulted with the army remotely and Blinken has
twice called army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan to press him to participate.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on August 20-21/2024
'The Black Day': A Decade of Displacement for Iraqi Christians
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/August 20, 2024
August 6 marked the tenth anniversary of "the Black Day," a day indelible to
Iraqi Christians as the start of the unrelenting atrocities to which they were
subjected on August 6, 2014, ten years ago.
On that day, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) unleashed a jihadi
massacre of unprecedented terror, brutally attacking ancient Christian
communities across northern Iraq. Villages were overrun, homes and churches
looted and destroyed, and countless lives shattered. Christians were murdered,
raped and sold into slavery.
Even though ISIS has largely been neutralized, the remaining 154,000 Christians
[in Iraq] face "very high" levels of persecution.
"We stayed in Mosul for 39 days under ISIS control because they initially
offered us safety. But then they declared that as Christians and People of the
Book, we were infidels. They demanded we either pay the jizya, convert to Islam
or face execution." — Saadallah, an elderly Iraqi refugee from Mosul, recalling
August 6, 2014.
"There are very few NGOs left that focus on our displacement and who continue to
provide assistance for Iraqi Refugees; but American FRRME is still on the ground
and actively helping." — Nate Breeding, Executive Director of the American
Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East, interview with
Gatestone, August 5, 2024.
On August 6, 2014, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) unleashed a jihadi
massacre of unprecedented terror, brutally attacking ancient Christian
communities across northern Iraq. Villages were overrun, homes and churches
looted and destroyed, and countless lives shattered. Christians were murdered,
raped and sold into slavery.
August 6 marked the tenth anniversary of "the Black Day," a day indelible to
Iraqi Christians as the start of the unrelenting atrocities to which they were
subjected on August 6, 2014, ten years ago.
On that day, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) unleashed a jihadi
massacre of unprecedented terror, brutally attacking ancient Christian
communities across northern Iraq. Villages were overrun, homes and churches
looted and destroyed, and countless lives shattered. Christians were murdered,
raped and sold into slavery. Those who survived were forced to flee, leaving
behind everything they held dear.
Bassam from Qaraqosh, Iraq, recalled the horror:
"We were abruptly warned at 12:30 AM by neighbors that ISIS was closing in.
Imagine being securely at home when suddenly a stranger bursts in, giving you
only minutes to escape. You're forced to abandon everything—your life,
belongings and future—under the threat of imminent danger."
A decade later, the impact of that day remains profound. The Christian
population in Iraq has been decimated: once estimated to be 1.5 million, it is
now about 154,000. Since then, many Iraqi Christians fled their homeland to seek
in neighboring countries, as well as in the West.
Despite some progress, Iraq is still ranked 16th by Open Doors among the most
dangerous countries for Christians. Even though ISIS has largely been
neutralized, the remaining 154,000 Christians face "very high" levels of
persecution. The overall security situation remains unstable. According to Open
Doors:
"The Christian community continues to rebuild and restore as it heals from the
horrors of the Islamic State group. Plus, Turkish and Iranian airstrikes
continue in some parts of Iraq, impacting Christian communities.
"The historic Christian communities in Iraq also face issues with persecution
and discrimination, particularly from Islamic militant groups and non-Christian
leaders. In places where they are the significant minority, like central and
southern Iraq, Christians often do not publicly display Christian symbols, as it
can lead to harassment or mistreatment at checkpoints, universities, workplaces
or governmental offices. Christians from both historic and newer denominations
can face discrimination from the government. Any outspoken Christian group can
also be accused of blasphemy if it is deemed it is sharing the gospel with
Muslims.
"Finally, anyone who converts from Islam will likely face intense pressure from
their families and communities. They can be threatened, abused, lose family
members, pressured or even killed. Conversion can have practical consequences as
well, including loss of inheritance and lack of opportunity."
The slow pace of rebuilding and persistent security concerns has rendered the
dream of returning home elusive for many.
Nate Breeding, Executive Director of the American Foundation for Relief and
Reconciliation in the Middle East ("American FRRME"), highlighted the challenges
in an interview with Gatestone:
"Iraqi Christians continue to flee to Jordan due to ongoing instability, threats
from extremist groups and a lack of security in their homeland. Even though ISIS
has been defeated, the violence, sectarian tensions and slow rebuilding efforts
have made it impossible for many to return. They have been forced to seek safety
elsewhere, uncertain if their communities will ever be secure again."
Despite it all, ten years later, the few surviving members of these ancient
Christian communities have demonstrated remarkable courage and fortitude, said
Breeding. They have held onto their faith, culture and heritage, even in the
midst of great hardship and displacement. Their stories of survival and the
ongoing efforts to rebuild their lives serve as a powerful source of
inspiration.
Hundreds of Iraqi refugees, for instance, recently came together at American
FRRME's Olive Tree Center in Madaba, Jordan, to mark the ten-year anniversary of
the Black Day. The gathering was a poignant tribute, featuring prayer,
traditional Iraqi dabke dancing, music and food. The commemoration event honored
and remembered families and friends who lost their lives or were displaced
during the ISIS invasion.
Saadallah, an elderly Iraqi refugee from Mosul, who attended the event, shared a
memory concerning the Black Day:
"We stayed in Mosul for 39 days under ISIS control because they initially
offered us safety. But then they declared that as Christians and People of the
Book, we were infidels. They demanded we either pay the jizya, convert to Islam
or face execution. This ultimatum forced us to flee Mosul in August 2014. Ten
years later, the memory of The Black Day remains a painful and haunting tragedy
for us. It still generates deep fear and anxiety about our future, which remains
uncertain and unknown."
Breeding went on to say:
"A decade after the horrors inflicted by ISIS, the deep scars left on these
communities remain ever-present. Many Iraqi refugees are still paralyzed by
fear, unable to return home. The critical shortage of funding and aid from other
NGOs, both in Jordan and Iraq, only deepens their suffering, leaving them
exposed and vulnerable in a region still plagued by violence and instability."
Despite some positive developments in Nineveh, the situation remains dire for
many, and the Christian community continues to face significant challenges,
including by remnants of ISIS — or perhaps merely ISIS-minded Muslims. Although
recent years have seen a reduction in reported violence against Christians, the
overall security situation remains unstable. While there is cautious optimism
about gradual improvements in safety and support for minority groups, ongoing
instability and persecution continue to create major obstacles for Iraq's
Christian community.
There is, however, a glimmer of hope amid the continued challenges, according to
Breeding. The resilience of the Iraqi Christian community and the ongoing
efforts of organizations like American FRRME offer a beacon of optimism, he
said, adding that, despite the ongoing difficulties, there are signs of progress
and recovery. He quoted Ban, a young Christian woman in her twenties when ISIS
invaded her hometown of Qaraqosh in 2014:
"On this 10th anniversary of The Black Day, I want to share a message of hope
and resilience with the world. Despite the immense challenges and hardships we
have faced, we have found strength in each other and in the support of
organizations and individuals who have stood by us. Our journey has been
difficult, but we have not lost our spirit or our sense of community... Since
the events of 2014, organizations like American FRRME have had a significant
impact on our lives. There are very few NGOs left that focus on our displacement
and who continue to provide assistance for Iraqi Refugees; but American FRRME is
still on the ground and actively helping."
This article is based on an interview Gatestone Institute conducted with
American Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East and its
Iraqi Christian associates.
**Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West, Sword and Scimitar,
Crucified Again, and The Al Qaeda Reader, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman
Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the
Middle East Forum.
*Follow Raymond Ibrahim on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook
© 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.
**Picture Enclosed/On August 6, 2014, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
unleashed a jihadi massacre of unprecedented terror, brutally attacking ancient
Christian communities across northern Iraq. Villages were overrun, homes and
churches looted and destroyed, and countless lives shattered. Christians were
murdered, raped and sold into slavery. Pictured: The remains of a church that
was attacked by ISIS in Mosul, Iraq, photographed in 2018. (Photo by Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP
via Getty Images)
IRGC founder to ‘Post’: Iran unable to sustain long-term
war with Israel - exclusive
ALEX WINSTON/Jerusalem Post/August 20/2024
Mohsen Sazegara: "Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, in the heart of Tehran, was a
humiliation for Iran's intelligence organizations.”
Iran is in no position to fight a long-term war with Israel and even asked the
US to intervene to prevent a possible large-scale Israeli retaliation to any
Iranian attack, according to Mohsen Sazegara, founder of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in an exclusive interview with The Jerusalem
Post.
The IRGC was founded shortly after the 1979 revolution in Iran to protect the
Islamic Republic’s religious control over the country, and to act as a
counterbalance to the regular Iranian Army, many of whose officers were still
loyal to the Shah of Iran, and therefore could not be trusted by the
revolutionary regime.
Since 1979, its authority and influence has spread throughout the world and it
is considered one of the leading sponsors of Islamic terror globally. The group
is now designated a terrorist organization by the United States.Speaking from
the US, where he is now based after leaving Iran more than 20 years ago,
Sazegara also touched upon internal conflicts within the Islamic Republic and
the problems facing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “What Israel did, I
mean the alleged assassination of [Hamas Chief] Ismail Haniyeh, in the heart of
Tehran, in one of the most protected places, was a humiliation for the
intelligence organizations of Iran,” Sazegara stated. “This has created a
problem for Khamenei among his main powerbase – the intelligence services.”
“[Khamenei’s] first reaction was that we retaliate and don’t stop. But when he
referred to his military commanders and the experts in the IRGC, and they should
present the options of what to do, they told him that Iran is not in a position
to fight Israel. They don’t have any strategic balance. They can send missiles
toward Israel, especially hypersonic missiles that can reach Israel in six to
eight minutes.‘ But when Israel retaliates, then we can’t defend the country,
especially air defense,’ Khamenei’s commanders told him.
They told him that “Iran is not in a position to fight Israel,” Sazegara added.
“They emphasized that ‘even if we launch an attack, we should immediately
consider a ceasefire with international mediators.’” In a wide-ranging interview
with the Post, the former revolutionary-turned-politician discussed his role in
the revolution, his relationship with its leader Ayatollah Khomeini, the
founding of the IRGC, and how his political views evolved against the
State-Religion axis that rules in the Islamic Republic, which led to being
barred from the 2001 Iranian presidential elections. Sazegara was managing
director of the National Radio of Iran between 1979–1981, before serving in a
multitude of political roles in the 80s. He served as political deputy in the
prime minister’s office, deputy minister of heavy industries, chairman of the
Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran, and vice minister of
planning and budget.
SPEAKING ABOUT the US role in the growing conflict between Israel and Iran,
Sazegara stated that, “As far as I know, Iran, behind the scenes, negotiated
with the US and the Biden administration and asked them to talk to Israel,
stating that Iran would attack somewhere in Israel, and promise nobody will be
killed, but Israel should not retaliate.
“Iran asked the US to put pressure on Israel not to retaliate enough to
escalate. But this time, the US did not agree and told them that we can’t
prevent Israel.” What challenges does Khamenei face in attacking Israel?
For Sazegara, Khamenei faces multiple challenges in considering any military
action against Israel. First, a limited attack risks provoking a significant
Israeli retaliation, which could lead to the defeat of Iran’s armed forces. Such
a defeat could threaten Khamenei’s power, as historically, humiliated armed
forces can often bite the hand that feeds them.
Secondly, Iran’s economy is fragile, struggling with issues like energy
production, inflation, unemployment, and daily strikes. This economic
instability further complicates the prospect of engaging in war.
Lastly, Khamenei lacks the support of the Iranian people for a war with Israel.
Intelligence gathered indicates that the majority of Iranians oppose any
conflict with Israel, leaving Khamenei potentially isolated if he chooses to
pursue military action, although knowing the forcefulness with which the regime
cracks down on dissent, that thought may be far from the ayatollah’s mind. Three
senior Iranian officials told Reuters last week that only a ceasefire deal in
Gaza could prevent Iran from directly retaliating against Israel for Haniyeh’s
assassination. Diplomatic envoys have been working tirelessly behind the scenes
to de-escalate the situation. This is a face-saving measure to allow the regime
to fall back and present the people with some form of a pyrrhic victory,
according to Sazegara.
“I’m sure that in Iran, the propaganda will say that ‘Israel was actually afraid
of us and accepted the ceasefire,’” should a deal be agreed, he told the Post.
“They have to do something to say to their followers that this was a show of
power, that [Israel] accepted a ceasefire.
“And if these [Israel-Hamas] negotiations go nowhere and there is no ceasefire,
I don’t know what Khamenei will do, but I guess that he would consider using
Iran’s proxy groups to retaliate against Israel.”
The full interview with Mohsen Sazegara will be published in Friday’s Jerusalem
Post.
Kazakhstan calls for a new security system for Central Asia
Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/August 20, 2024
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev last week called for increased defense
cooperation among the Central Asian countries known collectively as the C5 —
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — potentially
leading to a regional security architecture. This is a part of new efforts to
reverse the old trend of the region having stronger relationships with external
countries, such as Russia, than those within the region.
The new vision also reflects an anxiety Tokayev and other Central Asian leaders
have expressed over polarization in international relations and a desire to
remain neutral and positive while working with all sides, especially similarly
independent midsize players such as the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, with
which the C5 established strategic cooperation last year.
In an op-ed published last week, Tokayev pointed out the complex and persistent
military-political challenges surrounding Central Asia and called for closer
defense collaboration among the region’s states. He stressed: “The creation of a
regional security architecture is becoming especially urgent, including through
the development of a catalog of security risks for Central Asia and measures to
prevent them.” He added: “As a responsible participant in the world community,
Kazakhstan advocates strict adherence to the principles of international law,
respect for sovereignty and the inviolability of borders.”
Tokayev outlined several priorities, including the formation of an indivisible
regional security space, “comprehensive” approaches to traditional and emerging
threats and the development of effective response and prevention strategies,
while actively engaging with the UN and other international and regional
organizations to enhance regional security.
Tokayev’s proposal came about a month after the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization held its summit in Astana, where Chinese President Xi Jinping and
Russia’s Vladimir Putin pressed the case for closer security, political and
economic cooperation between the countries of the vast Eurasian region as a
counterweight to Western alliances.
“SCO members should consolidate unity and jointly oppose external interference
in the face of the real challenges of interference and division,” the Chinese
leader said, while warning against a “Cold War mentality.”
President Putin reiterated Russia’s call for a “new architecture of cooperation,
indivisible security and development in Eurasia, designed to replace the
outdated Eurocentric and Euro-Atlantic models, which gave unilateral advantages
only to certain states.” He said that the proposed new Eurasian security pact
should be open to all countries across the region, including current NATO
members. But the aim, he said, should be to gradually remove all external
military presences from Eurasia.
In February, Putin launched the proposed Eurasian security system, stressing the
need to form a “new contour of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia.” He
said that Russia was ready for a substantive conversation on this topic with
interested parties and associations. At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Summit in Astana, he said: “The multipolar world has become reality. More and
more countries support a fair world order and are ready to vigorously defend
their legal rights and traditional values.”
That Tokayev presented his new vision just a month later reflects a desire to
chart an independent path toward security, notwithstanding what was said at the
Astana summit. He is clearly concerned about instability and security threats in
the region, which he believes require a coordinated response that is independent
of superpower rivalry.
Central Asian countries gained political independence in 1991 after about 150
years of Russian and then Soviet rule. Since gaining independence, they have
sought to preserve their security and independence while promoting trade and
investment. As landlocked countries, they lie thousands of miles away from any
body of water other than the isolated Caspian Sea. As such, they need to build
working relationships with their neighbors to secure supply routes and access to
the sea.
Russia remained the Central Asia countries’ main trade partner even after
independence. They all joined the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent
States, an economic integration organization, and some of them joined the
Eurasian Economic Union. However, the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions have
made it difficult for Russia to maintain its economic dominance in this region.
In 2023, China became Central Asia’s top trade partner, pushing Russia into
second.
The US has increased its engagement with the Central Asia countries ever since
their independence, but especially since the outbreak of the Ukraine war. Last
year, the US and the Central Asian states held their first ever summit.
Kazakhstan is America’s top economic partner in the region, with bilateral trade
of $4 billion in 2023. This is small compared to its trade with China and
Russia, but it is growing. US direct investments in Kazakhstan reached $5
billion in 2022, with a total figure since independence of more than $62
billion. Besides its geostrategic location, Central Asia has abundant resources,
including oil, gas, uranium and rare earth elements that are essential for
high-tech industries and electric cars.
Competition between superpowers has seen them living cheek by jowl in these
countries to try to woo them to one pole or the other, but the new security
architecture proposed by Kazakhstan shows that Central Asia would like to stay
neutral, friends of all and enemy of none. For example, they have not taken
sides in the Ukraine war, with Tokayev publicly disagreeing with Putin during
the 2022 St. Petersburg Economic Forum. The new security architecture proposed
by Kazakhstan shows that Central Asia would like to stay neutral.
The main impetus toward closer cooperation in Central Asia has come from
Uzbekistan, the region’s most populous country, especially since Shavkat
Mirziyoyev came to power in 2016 and saw fresh opportunities for trade and
political unity. In an article published last week, former Uzbek foreign
minister and presidential adviser on foreign policy Abdulaziz Kamilov wrote that
Uzbekistan “had assumed a special responsibility for the future of Central Asia”
by “completely abandoning outdated approaches to establishing relations with
neighbors,” meaning replacing animosities and suspicion with trust and
cooperation. So, it is natural that Uzbekistan would support Kazakhstan’s
proposal.
Azerbaijan, although not part of Central Asia, has also supported the proposal,
emphasizing its collective defense aspects.
The only negative commentary on the proposal has come from outside Central Asia,
dismissing it as a Western ploy.
As Central Asia and GCC ties grow, and as the two blocs prepare for their next
summit in Samarkand next year, there will be plenty of exchanges on the idea of
collective security. In March, the GCC released its first regional security
vision, which also stressed collective defense and its central role in
maintaining regional security, while avoiding polarization and confrontation and
offering to support like-minded nations such as those in Central Asia.
*Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the Gulf Cooperation Council assistant
secretary-general for political affairs and negotiation. The views expressed
here are personal and do not necessarily represent the GCC. X: @abuhamad1
Social media’s incitement problem can no longer be masked
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/August 20, 2024
One way to advance social and political agitation on social media and avoid
being suspended from a platform appears to be to own it. When former US
President Donald Trump’s Twitter account was suspended in 2021, he started his
own platform, Truth Social. Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, later
bought Twitter, renamed it X and welcomed back almost everyone. It now seems to
be a case of the more incitement and hate speech they supply, the better.
In both cases, the owners of these social media platforms are active and zestful
contributors to the spread of fake news and reckless opinions. In the case of
Musk, his unwelcome interventions, through his tweets, in the recent racist
riots in the UK led a former Twitter executive to suggest that Musk should face
“personal sanctions” and even the threat of an “arrest warrant” if found to be
stirring up public disorder on his social media platform.
The days of innocence, when we all thought that social media would serve as the
“glocal” town square for deliberating social and political matters in the most
inclusive and civilized manner, are long gone. Nevertheless, these platforms’
intentional toxicity is unexpected and has resulted in a distorted social
discourse, the spread of untruths and the misrepresentation of reality on an
industrial scale.
As we witnessed during the recent racist-xenophobic riots in the UK, social
media was both a platform for spreading malicious incitement against minorities
and migrants and a tool for organizing the many violent attacks against innocent
members of the public and the police.
Social media has now existed for more than a quarter of a century and the era of
trial and error and of it becoming the wild west of mass communication, promoted
disingenuously in the name of freedom of speech and where everything is
permissible, must come to an end.
Too much of it, because of the wealth and resultant political power accumulated
by its owners, is allowed to spread incitement, malice and libelous claims
without any accountability, neither social nor legal. This is not a call to
suppress freedom of speech or to abandon social media, as it is here to stay,
but it cannot be allowed to operate above the law, especially as it has become a
force of disruption and it undermines social order by deliberately distorting
reality and putting lives at risk in the process.
Social media must either change voluntarily or it becomes the duty of
legislators to protect the public from it. To be sure, for quite some time,
major advertisers and many users have been abandoning X, even before Musk’s
antitrust lawsuit against brands that have boycotted it and his controversial
activity on the platform during the recent UK riots. It is crucial to understand
that freedom of expression is not an absolute freedom, as it carries with it a
duty of responsibility.
Freedom of expression is not an absolute freedom, as it carries with it a duty
of responsibility.
It took devious cynicism melded with extremism — at a time when a community was
grieving over the fatal stabbing of three young girls, as was the case earlier
this month in the northern English town of Southport — for far-right agitators
to take to social media and spread misinformation and hateful anti-migrant and
anti-Muslim narratives with the sole aim of fueling hatred and violence.
Posts appeared on X sharing the fake name of the perpetrator and were viewed by
millions, contributing to one of the worst outbursts of mob violence in the
country’s history. The role of moderators on social media, people responsible
for managing and regulating user-generated content on digital platforms and in
online communities, was created specifically to prevent such instances.
When these platforms are used to incite and organize criminal activities that
target innocent people and those who serve to protect the public, they must not
be allowed to host such criminals with impunity. Proper and effective sanctions
must be applied not only against the users that spread hate and disinformation,
but also on those who run these social media companies and make a fortune from
them.
It gets worse when the owners of these platforms weigh in with their two cents,
or 280 characters, or allow those with many thousands and sometimes millions of
followers to amplify the initial fake claims of those with much more modest
audiences.
And it was Musk who welcomed such people back to X. Allowing the presence of
characters such as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson, and Andrew Tate to
have a presence on social media despite their previous antics is as good as
endorsing their views. If one wanted to be kind to Musk, one could simply accuse
him of being extremely naive in his belief in absolute freedom of speech, but
more likely he is simply exploiting such characters to enhance his brand and his
public profile, just as they use him to disseminate their social poison.
In the case of Musk, it is not only that he provided facilitation services to
the organizers of the riots, but also that he weighed in recklessly in the most
damaging manner, with interventions that some have suggested are worthy of
criminal investigation. When the riots erupted, Musk, who has some 195 million
followers, took to his X account and suggested that “civil war is inevitable.”
When, sadly, too many people see social media accounts — and especially the
users with huge followings — as modern-day oracles, the damage is bound to be
immense.
Musk also shared with his followers a fake Daily Telegraph article claiming that
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was considering sending far-right rioters to
“emergency detainment camps” in the Falkland Islands, a claim that originated
from the co-leader of the far-right group Britain First. Doing this during the
most volatile period of the riots and calling the prime minister “two-tier Keir,”
thereby advancing another baseless conspiracy theory that police are treating
white far-right “protesters” more harshly than minority groups, was a deliberate
case of adding fuel to the fire with potentially catastrophic consequences.
This irresponsible behavior unsurprisingly led to suggestions that the new
Labour government was considering toughening up internet safety regulations in
the UK, through legislation that would require tech giants to prevent the spread
of illegal and harmful content on their platforms. If the social media companies
will not put their house in order, it is the duty of legislators to enter the
fray with much more determination. Moreover, the education system must also play
its part and coach children from a very young age the responsible use of social
media. Then it can perhaps do what it was intended to do in the first place:
give a voice to everyone in society and not present a mere Punch and Judy show.
*Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations and an associate fellow
of the MENA Program at Chatham House. X: @YMekelberg
The Democrats’ national convention begins … Their worry is
Musk’s support for Trump
Eyad Abu Shakra/ Asharq Al-Awsat./August 20, 2024
The Democratic National Convention kicked off on Monday in Chicago, before the
echoes of former US president and current candidate Donald Trump’s “chat” with
his new billionaire “friend,” X owner Elon Musk, had gone quiet (will they
ever?). Under ordinary circumstances, the national convention of the president’s
party is considered the most significant in the lead-up to the US presidential
election. However, who said that these are ordinary circumstances? It is not
normal for the Democrats to push their presidential candidate and current
president (Joe Biden) out of the race, after he had effectively been confirmed
as the party’s nominee, due to concerns around his health. Hastily resolving the
issue of Biden’s replacement, with his Vice President Kamala Harris nominated
even before the party’s delegates headed to Chicago, is not normal either.
Moreover, it is not normal, at least for the Democrats, to present a unified
front despite the presence of several wings, including Bernie Sanders’
progressive wing.
Nor is it normal to postpone discussing a series of prominent contentious issues
or to supposedly keep the electorate in the dark with regard to the Democrats’
position on the war in Ukraine, the displacement war on Gaza and the unrest in
US universities. These are all matters that concern Democratic Party activists,
especially youths and minorities. With all of that in mind, there can be no
doubt about what brings the party together: the situation at the opposite end of
the political spectrum. True, the Republicans have once again placed their trust
in Trump, despite all the legal issues that have threatened to derail his
campaign. However, some say that the borderline consensus he had enjoyed until
very recently can no longer be taken for granted. For the first time in a while,
historically significant and influential Republican Party figures are
questioning Trump’s supposed infallibility and challenging his firm “Make
America Great Again” base. Among them are former Vice President Mike Pence,
former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, former President George W.
Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz Cheney, who used
to be a party leader. Moreover, some are closely monitoring trends within a
prominent and influential voting bloc of the American right, one that the
Republicans have heavily relied on since the days of Ronald Reagan: evangelical
Christians. Although the vast majority of evangelicals remain loyal to Trump,
some projections indicate that we will see small shifts within certain
conservative circles that are more focused on personal behavior than the
theological dogma that has historically fueled evangelical votes for the
Republican Party. Despite the media buzz that the Democratic National Convention
is expected to generate, which could improve Harris’ standing in the polls, Musk
and X’s entry into the ring in support of Trump could cancel out all the points
the Democrats have scored. The Democrats received a reasonable bump in support,
as several swing state polls demonstrate, after Biden withdrew from the race
following his disastrous debate with Trump. These modest gains were reaffirmed
after a consensus around naming Harris emerged smoothly. No such consensus
emerged around Hillary Clinton, who lost the votes of many of Sanders’
supporters.
Finally, Harris’ choosing of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate was
seen as a positive step by voters who consider themselves to be part of the
traditional base of the Democratic Party. This bloc includes low-income rural
farmers and small landowners, as well as the unskilled working class in the Rust
Belt, who have been hit hard as a result of the decline in manufacturing and
mining. Musk and X’s entry into the ring in support of Trump could cancel out
all the points the Democrats have scored. In fact, Walz’s first speech, in which
he proudly highlighted his humble family background and hard work, struck a
chord with many poor and lower-middle-class Democratic voters. This bloc had
abandoned the Democratic Party during the rise of Reagan in the 1980s, being
known as “Reagan Democrats” since then. Anyone familiar with modern American
history knows that this segment of the electorate (Reagan Democrats), along with
the evangelical religious right and the economic (fiscal) right, is the
Republican base. Trump’s current base is also made up of this trio, alongside
the isolationist and nationalist MAGA movement. However, the decisive factor
this November will be the extent to which Trump benefits from Musk’s support and
explicit opposition to the Democratic ticket.Musk’s position and the degree of
influence he can exert are two very important factors in this battle.
*Eyad Abu Shakra is managing editor of Asharq Al-Awsat. X: @eyad1949 This
article first appeared in Asharq Al-Awsat.