English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For August 30/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
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Bible Quotations For today
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 18/18-30/:”A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honour your father and mother.” ’ He replied, ‘I have kept all these since my youth.’When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’Those who heard it said, ‘Then who can be saved?’He replied, ‘What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.’Then Peter said, ‘Look, we have left our homes and followed you.’And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.’”.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 29-30/2024
An unprecedented phenomenon of disintegration is occurring within Aoun's movement, and the reasons lie internally, deeply rooted within the organization and at its highest levels/Etienne Saqr - Abu Arz/August 29/2024
Lebanese relief over decision to extend UNIFIL mandate without modifications
Hezbollah retaliates to Bekaa and Masnaa strikes, Israel strikes Rihan
Galant: Expanding the goals of the war on the Lebanese front is a matter of course
Report: US relieved as Israel-Hezbollah war becomes unlikely
Depositors start fire, smash facades of banks in Dora
Berlin to deport Islamic center head accused of ties to Hezbollah, Iran
Aoun backs Bassil over MPs firing, trusts Nasrallah and would be happy if Hezbollah won
The Blue Line: A Withdrawal Line, Not a Border/Sana Richa Choucair/This Is Beirut/August 29/2024
Israel-Hezbollah War: A Heavy Toll on Lebanon/Christiane Tager/This Is Beirut/August 29/2024
The Splitting of Nations: Divided by Conflict and Ideology/Salam Zaatari/This Is Beirut/August 29/2024
International Day of the Disappeared: ‘The Lebanese State Neglects the Issue’
Bassil Won’t Be Running in the Next General Elections
Retaliation in the Middle East: After Hezbollah, will Iran be next?/Ali Hamade/Arab News/August 29, 2024
Threat of War With Israel Redefines ‘Normal’ Life in Beirut/Dana Khraiche/Bloomberg/August 29, 2024
Bachir, returns to life to eradicate the Persian occupation/Doctor Abdel Hamid El-Ahdab/August 29/2024
Bachir, revient à la vie pour éradiquer l’occupation Perse/Par Docteur Abdel Hamid El-Ahdab/August 29/2024

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 29-30/2024
Israel, Hamas agree to limited pauses in Gaza fighting to allow for polio vaccinations
Israel kills prominent militant as it wages its deadliest West Bank raids since the Gaza war began
An Israeli freed from Gaza returns to a Bedouin village targeted for demolition
Fighting rages in Gaza as Palestinians hope for a pause for polio vaccinations
EU urged to rethink ties with Israel over Gaza and to impose sanctions against some ministers
From Gaza to Paris: Paralympian Fadi Deeb vows to show ‘Palestine is not dying’
Turkey hosts meeting with Iraq, Qatar and UAE on multibillion-dollar infrastructure hub
A gas leak in an Iranian Revolutionary Guard center kills 2 and injures 10
Iran's president orders investigation after activists alleged police tortured man to death
Ukraine F-16 crashes, pilot dies during Russian airstrikes, Kyiv says
Turkish drone shot down by Iraqi air defenses over northern city of Kirkuk
France's Macron to visit Serbia with a possible deal to sell French warplanes in a shift from Russia
Chinese leader Xi meets with US national security adviser Jake Sullivan in a bid to improve ties

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on August 29-30/2024
Iran is closing in on nuclear weaponization. America and Israel need a strategy/Eric R. Mandel, opinion contributor/The Hill/August 29, 2024
Tehran holds its fire ...Israel preventively strikes Hezbollah missiles and launch sites in Lebanon/Clifford D. May/ The Washington Times/August 29/2024
Hamas Diplomacy: From Haniyeh to Sinwar/Aaron Y. Zelin/The Washington Institute/Aug 29, 2024
Could Hamas Be Exiled?/Jonathan Schanzer and Emily Bornstein/Commentary/August 28, 2024
Hindus in Bangladesh Facing Genocide?/Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/August 29, 2024
Why Iran has not yet retaliated for Haniyeh’s death/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/August 29, 2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 29-30/2024
An unprecedented phenomenon of disintegration is occurring within Aoun's movement, and the reasons lie internally, deeply rooted within the organization and at its highest levels.
Etienne Saqr - Abu Arz/August 29/2024
For a major political movement to unravel and dissolve at such a record speed, under the very eyes of its founder who once ascended to the pinnacle of power and was afforded every opportunity for success, excellence, and continuity, is nothing short of an unprecedented astonishing phenomenon!
This collapse does not come as a surprise to us. We foresaw it many years ago when we recognized that this movement was built on empty slogans, false promises, incessant political hypocrisy, and an insatiable lust for power and wealth at the expense of the people's and the nation's interests. We bear witness to this truth. As for those attempting to justify this catastrophic failure by claiming victimhood or invoking conspiracy theories, these excuses fool only the naïve and the deluded. The problem is internal, emanating from within, and starts at the very top. "Everyone who builds his house on sand will fall," said the Lord. Blessed are those who heed this lesson, learn from it, and find their guidance.
Long Live Lebanon.
(Translated from Arabic by Elias Bejjani)

Lebanese relief over decision to extend UNIFIL mandate without modifications
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/August 29, 2024
BEIRUT: Lebanon on Thursday highlighted its commitment to supporting the UN peacekeeping mission, known as UNIFIL.In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed its “constant commitment to supporting UNIFIL’s mission and cooperating and coordinating with it to achieve sustainable stability on Lebanon’s southern borders.”It added: “The primary cornerstone of this is the implementation of UN Resolution 1701 and relevant international resolutions that support the preservation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, call on Israel to withdraw beyond internationally recognized borders and from all Lebanese territories it still occupies, and to stop its ongoing aggressions and violations against Lebanon.”The statement came after a UN Security Council resolution extended UNIFIL’s mandate for another year in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after a 1978 invasion and has been there ever since. Hostilities have been ongoing since October 2023 between the Israeli army and Hezbollah on the southern front, violating UN Resolution 1701 implemented by UNIFIL on the ground. All 15 members of the Security Council voted unanimously for the mandate extension without amending any UNIFIL mission, taking into account Lebanon’s demand.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati thanked the US “for its understanding of Lebanese specificities and its efforts to preserve UNIFIL missions, particularly in these critical circumstances.”Mikati similarly thanked “France for all the efforts it has made to secure consensus on this matter, and for all that it is exerting for Lebanon and its stability.” He also thanked “Algeria for leading the campaign to support the extension decision and for always standing by Lebanon in all areas.”Along with its decision, the Security Council urged “all relevant actors to implement immediate measures toward de-escalation, including those aimed at restoring calm, restraint, and stability across the Blue Line,” calling on everyone “to respect it.”Mikati renewed Lebanon’s “commitment to implementing relevant international resolutions, in particular Resolution 1701.”
The Charge d’Affaires of the Lebanese Mission to the UN Ambassador Hadi Hachem described the negotiation round leading to the extension decision as “very difficult, as Israel exerted great pressure to limit the extension to four or six months only. “However, with the consensus of the Security Council and the help of Lebanon’s friends, we were able to secure a one-year extension. The resolution also directly included the call for ‘cessation of hostilities’ and ‘de-escalation by all parties.’“The key issue we managed to include in the resolution was the reference to humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and children.”He said that “the unanimous vote by all 15 members on the resolution, in line with Lebanon’s wishes, is a testament to confidence in Lebanon and a clear message of the international community’s interest in its security.”Following the extension decision, the southern front remained subject to hostilities, which de-escalated relatively last Sunday.
The Israeli army announced on Thursday that it raided Hezbollah military buildings in the border village of Kfarkila and carried out artillery attacks against outposts in Yarine. Kfarkila witnessed four Israeli raids on Thursday morning that destroyed several houses and damaged the properties of displaced residents. Israeli raids targeted this afternoon the Kassaret Al-Oroush area in Al-Rihan Mountain. Israeli artillery shelling also reached the outskirts of Wazzani, Jebbayn, Yarine, Aita Al-Shaab, and Deir Mimas.
Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier over southern areas and Beirut’s suburbs. Hezbollah announced in several statements that it “launched an attack with swarms of assault drones on the command headquarters of the 210th Golan Division in the Nafah barracks, targeting the positions and quarters of its officers and soldiers and achieving accurate hits.”While no casualties were reported on Thursday, the Ministry of Health condemned the Israeli attack that Wednesday night targeted the vicinity of the Blida volunteer center of the civil defense, affiliated with the Hezbollah-linked Islamic Health Organization. Hezbollah noted in a statement that Israel “insists on targeting health facilities, the latest being the vicinity of the Blida volunteer center, which led to three firefighting and road-clearing vehicles going out of service. The paramedics survived by divine intervention.” The vicinity of the center was targeted by 155 mm artillery shells after volunteers and their vehicles returned from clearing a road in Mhaibib, following destructive shelling. Last week, Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling targeted the organization’s teams in Naqoura. The Ministry of Health said that “the health teams are performing their humanitarian duty, and targeting them and their facilities is a blatant violation of all conventions, norms, and international laws.”

Hezbollah retaliates to Bekaa and Masnaa strikes, Israel strikes Rihan
Naharnet/August 29/2024
Hezbollah attacked Thursday a base in the occupied Golan Heights with an array of suicide drones in response to Wednesday's strikes on the Bekaa and al-Masnaa. The Israeli army said that several drones have exploded in northern Golan, causing no casualties. Israeli warplanes had struck Wednesday the Taoumat Niha heights near the town of Ain al-Tineh in the Western Bekaa and a car in Syria near the border with Lebanon, killing a Hezbollah member and three members of the allied Palestinian Islamic Jihad group. Israeli warplanes raided Thursday the Rihan mountain in the Jezzine District deeper in the south while artillery shelled al-Khiam, Kfarkela, Borj al-Moulouk, Deir Mimas and Tayrharfa. Also on Thursday, warplanes broke the sound barrier over Beirut and the South. Hezbollah, for its part, targeted the Zar'it barracks, Kfar Yuval, Dovev and the al-Tayhat Hill in north Israel. Israel and Hezbollah pulled back after an exchange of heavy fire across the U.N.-drawn boundary between Lebanon and Israel over the weekend. But their decades-old conflict is far from over and regional tensions linked to the war in Gaza are still high. Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily cross-border fire with the Israeli army since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas’ surprise attack into Israel on Oct. 7. More than 500 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes since Oct. 8, most of them fighters with Hezbollah and other armed groups but also more than 100 civilians. In northern Israel, 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides of the tense border.Israel has vowed to bring quiet to the border to allow its citizens to return to their homes. It says it prefers to resolve the issue diplomatically through U.S. and other mediators but will use force if necessary. Hezbollah officials have said the group does not seek a wider war but is prepared for one.

Galant: Expanding the goals of the war on the Lebanese front is a matter of course
Al Makazia/August 29, 2024
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said after an assessment session with the Chief of Staff that the goals of the war on the northern front must be expanded, adding: "We still have the mission of the safe return of the residents of the north." Galant had announced that he had approved a plan for the army to be on full alert starting next week to tighten measures in the southern and northern settlements in preparation for the start of the school year, noting that we will increase the deployment of forces in the northern and southern settlements to secure the transportation of school students. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant called on Thursday to expand the declared goals of the war in the Gaza Strip to include enabling residents to return to their areas in northern Israel that were evacuated due to attacks by Hezbollah allied with Iran. He added: "Our mission on the northern front is clear, to ensure the return of the residents of the northern settlements to their homes in peace. In order to achieve this goal, we must expand the goals of the war and include the return of the residents of northern Israel to their homes in peace." "This will not diminish our absolute commitment to dismantling Hamas and returning the hostages," Galant said in a statement from his office. "The time has come to deal with the northern front," said Benny Gantz, head of the Blue and White camp. "Expanding the war objectives to the Lebanese front is self-evident and Prime Minister Netanyahu has emphasized this several times," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. The Israeli Security Cabinet, the political and security cabinet, is set to meet this evening, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Report: US relieved as Israel-Hezbollah war becomes unlikely
Naharnet/August 29/2024
Washington is opposed to an expansion of the confrontations and is exerting major pressures to contain the escalation in Gaza and the West Bank, a diplomatic source said. The U.S. administration is meanwhile relieved that the chances of a bigger Israel-Hezbollah war have diminished, the source told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Thursday.“This matter helps and contributes to boosting the chances of a diplomatic solution,” the source added.“Washington will continue its intensive efforts in this regard, while stressing that all parties should avoid making any escalatory step that would further worsen the situation and push to a broad war in which no party has an interest,” the source went on to say.

Depositors start fire, smash facades of banks in Dora
Naharnet/August 29/2024
A number of protesting depositors on Thursday torched the entrance of Banque Libano-Française (BLF) in the Dora area, trapping employees inside the bank. Several citizens meanwhile rushed to remove their cars from the area to avoid the spread of flames to them. The protesters also smashed the facades of several banks in Dora. The protest, organized by the Depositors Outcry group, was held to demand the recovery of trapped deposits and to call for finding a solution to depositors’ plight. Amid the country’s crippling economic crisis, a growing number of Lebanese depositors have in recent years opted to break into banks and forcefully withdraw their trapped savings, as Lebanon's cash-strapped banks have imposed informal limits on cash withdrawals. Other depositors have resorted to protests.Three-quarters of the population has plunged into poverty in an economic crisis that the World Bank describes as one of the worst in over a century. Meanwhile, the Lebanese pound has lost 90% of its value against the dollar, making it difficult for millions across the country to cope with skyrocketing prices.

Berlin to deport Islamic center head accused of ties to Hezbollah, Iran
Agence France Presse/August 29/2024
Germany is planning to deport the leader of an Islamic center it banned in July over alleged links to militant groups, an interior ministry spokeswoman said Thursday. Investigators swooped on the Hamburg Islamic Center five weeks ago after concluding it was an "Islamist extremist organization" with links to Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah. Mohammad Mofatteh, 57, the former director of the center, has been ordered to leave Germany within 14 days and faces deportation if he does not comply, the spokeswoman said. He will not be allowed to re-enter Germany and could face up to three years in prison if he does. Andy Grote, interior minister for the state of Hamburg, said Mofatteh's deportation was "the next logical step" against the Hamburg Islamic Center. "As a top religious representative of the inhumane regime in Tehran, his time in Germany has come to an end," he said. On banning the center in July, Germany's interior ministry accused it of being a "direct representative of Iran's supreme leader" and spreading Tehran's ideology "in an aggressive and militant manner." The ministry also accused the center of backing the "military and political dimension" of organizations like Hezbollah. Germany considers Hezbollah a "Shiite terrorist organization" and in 2020 banned Hezbollah from carrying out activities on its soil. Iran reacted angrily to the accusations and last week shut down a German language institute in Tehran in what appeared to be a tit-for-tat move. The move against Mofatteh comes with deportations high on the political agenda in Germany after a deadly knife attack in the western city of Solingen. Three people were killed and eight injured in the rampage, allegedly carried out by a Syrian asylum seeker and claimed by the Islamic State group. The attack has reignited a bitter debate about immigration in Germany, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz promising to "do everything we can to ensure that those who cannot and must not stay here in Germany are repatriated and deported."

Aoun backs Bassil over MPs firing, trusts Nasrallah and would be happy if Hezbollah won
Naharnet/August 29/2024
Although former President Michel Aoun stands against Hezbollah’s clashes with Israel on Lebanon’s southern border, the former president is still keen on maintaining good relations with the Iran-backed group. Aoun told pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper, in remarks published Thursday, that he would be happy if Hezbollah won the war with Israel, although he opposes it. "I would celebrate with them if they won, and would be sad if, God forbid, they lost." Aoun explained that he opposes that tiny Lebanon participate in the Gaza war. "We have no common borders, no economic relations, and no joint defense agreement with Gaza," Aoun said, adding that although he does trust Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, he does not trust the Israelis. "Hezbollah's performance is rational, smart and politically correct and I have confidence in Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah," Aoun said, describing the FPM's relations with Hezbollah as "calm."On another note, Aoun defended FPM chief Jebran Bassil after four FPM members - Ibrahim Kanaan, Elias Bou Saab , Alain Aoun, and Simon Abi Ramia – resigned or were expelled from the FPM’s political council. "Bassil is not a dictator but a decision-maker, and they do not want that," Aoun said, adding that the four MPs have made mistakes, had new political inclinations and views, and took decisions without consulting the party. He also described Bou Saab of being "ungrateful". "The FPM is still the strongest Christian party," Aoun said. "It is correcting itself and there is nothing wrong with that."

The Blue Line: A Withdrawal Line, Not a Border
Sana Richa Choucair/This Is Beirut/August 29/2024
Since the outbreak of armed conflict in South Lebanon on October 8 between Hezbollah and Israel, the Blue Line has been a topic of constant discussion. There is a common misconception that this line represents the border between Lebanon and Israel. What exactly is the Blue Line? On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah established a “support front” in southern Lebanon for Hamas in its conflict with Israel, which had erupted the day before. Since then, various international and local key players, including the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), have called for a cessation of hostilities on both sides of the Blue Line and for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701. There is a common but incorrect assumption that this line represents the border between Lebanon and Israel. So, what exactly is the Blue Line?
A Withdrawal Line Established in 2000
In June 2000, the United Nations established the Blue Line, a 120-kilometer withdrawal line, to confirm the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory after 22 years of military occupation in southern Lebanon, which began with the 1978 invasion. According to a press release on UNIFIL’s official website, “This line does not constitute an international border and does not determine any future border agreements between Lebanon and Israel.”On May 22, 2000, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a report on the implementation of Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426 (1978). These resolutions call for Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory and appoint the UNIFIL. However, the presence of the Israeli state in Lebanon lasted for 22 years and included several military operations: Operation Litani (1978), Operation Peace for Galilee (1982), Operation Accountability (1993) and Operation Grapes of Wrath (1996). “On April 17, 2000, I formally received notification from the Israeli government of its intention to withdraw Israeli forces from Lebanon beginning in July 2000,” states Kofi Annan’s report. Following this notification, the Secretary-General took the necessary steps to oversee the Israeli withdrawal under UN supervision. In this context, the request was made to “determine the delineation of a line in accordance with Lebanon’s internationally recognized borders, using the best available information, including cartographic data,” as per the text.
The report references the international border between Israel and Lebanon, “established under the 1923 agreement between France and Great Britain,” and points out that this boundary “was reaffirmed in the Israel-Lebanon General Armistice Agreement signed on March 23, 1949.”As part of this initiative, on June 6, 2000, the UNIFIL Commander-in-Chief officially provided the concerned parties with a map of the withdrawal line, known as the Blue Line. A list of 198 coordinates defining the entire length of the Blue Line was separately sent to the parties on June 23. These two documents remain the only official reference for the withdrawal line. While Lebanon accepted both the map and the list of coordinates, Israel recognized only the map as the official reference. Both parties committed to fully respecting the line as defined by the United Nations, agreeing that UNIFIL would serve as the sole guardian of the Blue Line and the final arbiter in the event of any violations. However, both countries have expressed reservations about specific points along the withdrawal line. Lebanon disputes 13 areas, including the Shebaa Farms and the Kfarchouba Hills. Meanwhile, Israel has not provided details on the number or locations of its contested areas.
The Blue Line Uncovered
In the spring of 2007, UNIFIL initiated a project to visibly mark the withdrawal line on the ground in collaboration with the involved parties. The goal was to clearly define the line for both the public and military personnel, to prevent violations and accidental crossings.
UNIFIL estimated that more than 541 markers would be needed, with 4 markers placed per kilometer, to ensure the line is clearly visible along its 120-kilometer length. As of March 2023, 272 markers had already been installed. Each marker location is agreed upon by the parties before a marker is placed on site and made visible with a blue barrel.
The 1949 Armistice Line
The armistice agreement between Israel and Lebanon was signed in Ras al-Naqoura on March 23, 1949. This agreement is part of a series of bilateral accords finalized in 1949 under UN supervision, between Israel and four neighboring countries: Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. These agreements followed the first Arab-Israeli war, which erupted after the declaration of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. Referred to as the Palestine War (May 15–June 11, 1948), the conflict aimed to protect the Palestinian people from the newly established Israeli state. On January 7, 1949, a ceasefire ended the hostilities, and negotiations began on the Greek island of Rhodes on January 12. The 1949 Lebanese-Israeli armistice agreement established a demarcation line, which military forces are prohibited from crossing and within which military presence is to be purely defensive. This armistice line follows the international border between Lebanon and Palestine as defined in Article V of the Paulet-Newcomb Agreement of March 7, 1923. This agreement provided the first official delineation between the territories of Greater Lebanon and Palestine at that time. The 1923 demarcation line became the benchmark boundary, adapted with some modifications in subsequent agreements.The 1949 commission adopted the 38 separation points established by the Paulet-Newcombe Agreement and added new ones, bringing the total number of boundary points to 141.
The Official 1923 Border
The Paulet-Newcombe Agreement, dated March 7, 1923, establishes the boundary between French-mandate Syria and Lebanon and British-mandate Palestine. Lieutenant Colonels Paulet and Newcombe, representing France and Britain respectively, were responsible for mapping the borders and drafting the agreement. This agreement builds on the final report (drafted on February 3, 1922) of the French-British convention of December 23, 1920, which delineated the borders between Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. The agreement was then submitted to the League of Nations, the predecessor to the United Nations. Three maps are appended to this report, detailing the boundary lines as determined by the Commission. The convention identifies 38 reference points for the borders between Lebanon and Palestine. This agreement is part of the broader effort to delineate the mandate zones in the Middle East, a process that began with the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreements. After World War I and the fall of the Ottoman Empire, France and Britain delineated the borders to define the territories under their respective mandates.
The Blue Line in Resolution 1701
After the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1701 on August 11, 2006, asking for an immediate and complete ceasefire. The resolution calls for the Lebanese government to deploy its army in South Lebanon and reinforce the mandate of the UNIFIL. Resolution 1701 specifically calls for the establishment of a buffer zone, defining the area south of the Litani River as “demilitarized.” Under this resolution, Hezbollah and other militias, including Palestinian groups, are not allowed to maintain an armed presence in this area. The resolution also emphasizes respect for the Blue Line and affirms Lebanon’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence within its internationally recognized borders, “as stipulated by the armistice agreement of March 23, 1949.” Moreover, the Blue Line is described as “the best approximation of the 1923 borderline and the 1949 armistice demarcation line,” according to the UNIFIL press briefing.

Israel-Hezbollah War: A Heavy Toll on Lebanon
Christiane Tager/This Is Beirut/August 29/2024
Over ten months of violence between Hezbollah and the Israeli army have, as anticipated, resulted in hundreds of casualties in Lebanon, along with significant material and, most importantly, economic losses. The cost to Lebanon is staggering and unbearable for a country already on the brink. The damage caused by Israeli bombings in southern Lebanon since October 8 is estimated at $6 billion across all sectors, compounded by an evident economic downturn, according to several research and statistics institutes. While this war is concentrated in the south, its effects are being felt across the entire country. The cost is, unsurprisingly, far too high for a country on the verge of collapse. The war between Israel and Hezbollah has caused massive damage to infrastructure, estimated at over $500 million. Mostly affected are water pumping stations, electrical, telephone, and internet relay stations, not to mention major roadways. Although Israel claims to target Hezbollah’s infrastructure and positions, civilians have not been spared. Thousands of homes have been partially or totally destroyed. The Southern Council estimates that around “1,700 houses have been completely demolished and more than 14,000 homes damaged.” However, the bombings have mainly destroyed the residents’ livelihoods and a large portion of agricultural fields.
A Devastated Agricultural Sector
The agricultural sector has been the hardest hit by the bombings in southern Lebanon. This region, which enjoys optimal agro-climatic conditions, is highly productive and serves as the backbone of the sector—accounting for about 80% of southern Lebanon’s GDP and employing 65% of the region’s population.Sources at the Ministry of Agriculture report that losses in the agricultural sector are estimated at “over $2 billion.” However, they emphasize that this is a preliminary estimate, as the war continues and soil testing has yet to be carried out. There is concern that white phosphorus (used by Israel) may have caused even deeper and more severe damage. Undoubtedly, the destruction of crops and farmland, chemical pollution—particularly from phosphorus bombs—and the impact on livestock and beekeeping are severely threatening the local economy. According to sources, by August 27, 96 fires had completely devastated 7.2 million square meters of forests, farmland, olive groves, and other plantations. The figures are alarming: over 60,000 olive trees and more than 5,000 trees of various species (including oaks and over 55% of the pines) have been destroyed. Furthermore, 35% of fruit trees have been burned, and 10% of aromatic herbs (such as parsley, mint, and coriander) have been damaged, according to the same sources. In addition, this year, tobacco farmers will be unable to plant due to restricted access to their fields. Tobacco production, which amounts to approximately two million kilograms—55% of the national output—generates over $10 million in revenue. As for fruits and citrus, the southern region, which cultivates 7,500 hectares, generates 72% of the sector’s revenue ($16.25 million out of a total $22.5 million). The south produces 22% of Lebanon’s fruits and citrus and 38% of the country’s olives. It supplies 5,000 of the 25,000 tons of olive oil produced annually. Therefore, the bombings could impact up to one-fifth of Lebanon’s olive production profits, which amount to nearly $23 million. These crops generate vital income for the local population, especially for those in border villages. The destruction has not only impacted the crops but also the livestock, with over 23,000 head of cattle and 400,000 poultry killed. Additionally, 370 beehives have been destroyed and 3,000 abandoned due to the exodus of beekeepers. Twenty-four farms have been targeted, along with 600 square meters of storage facilities containing animal feed. Significant financial and technical investments will undoubtedly be necessary to restore the region’s full productivity.
A Severe Blow to the Tourism Sector
The war has also dealt a severe blow to the tourism industry, which constitutes 20% of the country’s GDP. Although some Lebanese expatriates came home this summer, many stayed away due to concerns about the conflict spreading and the potential closure of the airport. Meanwhile, foreign tourists largely stayed away. Initial estimates suggest that the war in southern Lebanon has caused over $3 billion in losses to the tourism sector. The hotel industry has been severely impacted, with occupancy rates plummeting below 20%, and restaurant revenues falling by around 50%. Similarly, beach resorts and car rental services have seen their revenues drop by more than 50%. Although economic activity may seem normal, the prolonged duration of the war will increase the overall cost. The losses include missed revenue, delayed investments, and a growing lack of confidence.

The Splitting of Nations: Divided by Conflict and Ideology
Salam Zaatari/This Is Beirut/August 29/2024
The rise of Hezbollah has significantly altered the landscape of Lebanese governance. As the formation consolidates its influence, many Lebanese Christians and a faction of politicians have begun to voice their concerns over the erosion of state authority and the marginalization of legitimate institutions.
This growing discontent has sparked discussions about the potential division of Lebanon, as some advocate for a reconfiguration of the state to better reflect the diverse identities and aspirations of its people. The call for a divided Lebanon stems from a deep-seated frustration with the current political dynamics, characterized by Hezbollah’s military arsenal, its loyalty to foreign powers, and the pervasive sense that the country is being hijacked by a faction that prioritizes its agenda over national unity.
As Lebanon stands on the brink of a critical juncture, the debate over its future — whether to pursue a path of division or seek a renewed commitment to a cohesive state — has never been more urgent. But is this scenario plausible?
Throughout history, several countries have experienced division, leading to the formation of separate nations. This phenomenon often arises from a combination of political, ethnic, and ideological conflicts. Notable examples include North and South Korea, Cyprus, and more recently, the division of Sudan. This article explores these cases, the reasons behind their splits, and the implications of such divisions.
The division of Korea into North and South is one of the most prominent examples of a split nation. Following Japan’s defeat in World War II in 1945, Korea was liberated from colonial rule but subsequently divided along the 38th parallel. The Soviet Union occupied the northern part, while the United States took control of the south. This division was initially intended to be temporary; however, ideological differences soon emerged. The North adopted a communist regime under Kim Il-sung, while the South established a capitalist government led by Syngman Rhee.
Tensions escalated into the Korean War (1950-1953), which solidified the division. The war resulted in millions of casualties and left the Korean Peninsula in a state of armistice rather than peace, creating a heavily militarized border known as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Today, North Korea remains a totalitarian state, while South Korea has developed into a democratic and economically prosperous nation. The ideological divide continues to fuel tensions, with both countries maintaining distinct national identities and political systems.
The island of Cyprus presents another case of division, rooted in ethnic conflict. Cyprus has a complex history involving Greek and Turkish communities. In 1960, Cyprus gained independence from British colonial rule, but tensions between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots escalated over the years. In 1974, a coup d’état by Greek nationalists aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece prompted Turkey to invade the northern part of the island, leading to the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is recognized only by Turkey.
The division of Cyprus has resulted in a long-standing conflict, with the island remaining split along the Green Line, an UN-patrolled buffer zone. Efforts for reunification have been ongoing, but political, territorial, and security concerns continue to hinder progress. The situation in Cyprus illustrates how ethnic and nationalistic tensions can lead to the permanent division of a country.
The division of Sudan into two separate nations in 2011 is another significant example of a country splitting due to conflict. Sudan’s history is marked by civil wars, primarily between the northern, predominantly Arab Muslim population and the southern, predominantly African-Christian, and animist populations. The roots of this conflict can be traced back to colonial rule, which exacerbated ethnic and religious divisions.
After gaining independence in 1956, Sudan faced ongoing tensions that culminated in two lengthy civil wars, the first from 1955 to 1972 and the second from 1983 to 2005. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005 ended the second civil war and paved the way for a referendum on independence for South Sudan.
In January 2011, the people of South Sudan overwhelmingly voted for independence, leading to the official creation of South Sudan on July 9, 2011. However, the split did not resolve underlying issues, as South Sudan has since faced its internal conflicts, including a civil war that erupted in 2013. The division of Sudan highlights how deep-rooted ethnic and religious disparities can lead to the formation of new nations, often accompanied by ongoing strife.
Several other countries have experienced similar divisions. For instance, the former Yugoslavia disintegrated in the 1990s into several independent states, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia, largely due to ethnic tensions and nationalist movements. The breakup was marked by violent conflicts, including the Bosnian War, which saw ethnic cleansing and significant loss of life.
Similarly, the division of Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993 was a more peaceful example of a split, driven by rising nationalist sentiments and differing political and economic priorities. The separation was amicable, often referred to as the “Velvet Divorce,” reflecting a mutual desire for independence while maintaining friendly relations. The splitting of nations often leads to complex geopolitical implications. New borders can create minority populations in both countries, leading to potential conflicts and humanitarian issues. Economically, divisions can disrupt trade and create challenges in resource distribution. Politically, newly formed nations may struggle with governance, national identity, and international recognition.
In the case of North and South Korea, the division has resulted in a heavily militarized border and ongoing tensions that affect regional stability. Cyprus remains divided, with a significant impact on its economy and international relations. The split of Sudan has led to ongoing violence and humanitarian crises in South Sudan, highlighting the challenges faced by newly independent nations.
While some countries’ split occurs through conflict and violence, others may arise from peaceful negotiations. The aftermath of these divisions often includes a struggle for identity, governance, and stability, as newly formed nations grapple with the legacies of their past.
The prospect of Lebanon’s split into separate entities is a deeply divisive and complex issue that carries significant implications for the Lebanese people. While some argue that division could provide communities with greater autonomy, reduce sectarian tensions, and offer a chance for regions to rebuild independently of the nation’s broader political paralysis, the reality is fraught with dangers. A split could exacerbate existing divisions, lead to economic isolation, and potentially trigger new conflicts over resources, borders, and governance. Furthermore, Lebanon’s unique cultural and social fabric, defined by its diversity and shared history, would be irreparably damaged by such a division.

International Day of the Disappeared: ‘The Lebanese State Neglects the Issue’
This Is Beirut/August 29/2024
On the International Day of the Disappeared, observed on August 30, Ali Abu Dehn, head of the Association of Lebanese Detainees in Syrian Prisons, accused the Lebanese state of neglecting the issue. In an interview with “Voice of Lebanon” radio on Thursday, Abu Dehn pointed out that the state should have resorted to international courts and the United Nations to demand the release of its detainees. “The issue of detainees is paramount,” he said. “Sixteen mothers have died waiting for their sons who remain detained in Syrian prisons.” Wadad Halawani, head of the Committee of the Missing and Kidnapped, emphasized, “We will continue to demand the return of the missing as long as we have irresponsible officials. Instead of protecting the victims, the state protects the perpetrators.”She noted that there have been no new developments regarding the detainees and that the issue “will not die or be forgotten.”“The International Committee of the Red Cross mission in Lebanon is a key ally and supporter of the cause of the kidnapped and forcibly disappeared and has taken on the role that the Lebanese state should have fulfilled,” she added.

Bassil Won’t Be Running in the Next General Elections
This Is Beirut/August 29/2024
Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) chief Gebran Bassil will not run again in the next parliamentary elections, in line with new regulations he has introduced as part of a “corrective move” within the party, according to FPM circles.
The move is aimed at ensuring a smooth transition from the cult of the founder, Gebran’s father-in-law and former President Michel Aoun, to the institution. Bassil has set a series of principles and rules which party members are under the obligation to adhere to and respect, including to run for parliamentary elections a single time only. Accordingly, Bassil is not expected to compete for a parliament seat in the next polls. FPM circles reveal that Bassil has already began screening all constituencies in search for new parliamentary candidates to represent the party in the next elections.

Retaliation in the Middle East: After Hezbollah, will Iran be next?
Ali Hamade/Arab News/August 29, 2024
There is no denying that Hezbollah’s attack on Sunday in response to Israel’s assassination of its senior commander, Fouad Shukr, fell short of the expectations of its supporters and certainly the level of threats made by the leaders of the pro-Iranian party, including Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who had sworn to punish Israel for its assassination of the highest-ranking member of the militia. The attack seemed laughable compared to the propaganda that Hezbollah had launched on a massive scale, in Lebanon and the region, through the media and social networks. In the end, the promised response did not materialize and, in return, Israel did not start a bigger war against Hezbollah, since the confrontation caused virtually no casualties on either side. Therefore, the page has been turned. The revenge promised by Hezbollah’s chief of staff in the heart of Beirut’s southern suburb is now a thing of the past. Both parties have almost come out of this on the same level. This reminds us of the previous Iranian response, on the night of April 13-14, to the massacre at the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which claimed the lives of seven senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force. About 350 missiles were launched in both acts of retaliation and, in both cases, damage was limited to equipment. No sensitive economic or military facilities were seriously damaged. According to descriptions of the scenes by some observers, Iran in April and Hezbollah on Sunday launched two attacks aimed at being a display of force, not the use thereof.Certainly, both sides would not have refrained from causing further harm to Israel had they not realized that seriously responding to the two deadly Israeli attacks could provide Tel Aviv with the excuse it has been waiting for to launch a major attack on Iran, which would be likely to affect sensitive facilities related to its nuclear program, and also to launch a full-scale war against Hezbollah in an attempt to reverse the current equation on the Lebanese side of the border.
Iran in April and Hezbollah on Sunday launched two attacks aimed at being a display of force, not the use thereof.
In both cases, there were behind-the-scenes “deals” between Israel on the one hand and Iran and Hezbollah on the other to keep the confrontation to a minimum, in order to save face for the parties involved. Some described Iran’s response in April as spectacular, while others described Hezbollah’s response as disciplined and spectacular. Neither party claimed that their retaliation had changed anything in the equation. Iran’s retaliation in April did not prevent the assassination three months later of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh in the heart of Tehran. Nor will Hezbollah’s acknowledged military capabilities, or its retaliation last Sunday, prevent Israel from carrying out further assassinations. It is therefore estimated that Iran’s retaliation for the assassination of Haniyeh, if any, will be like the two previous retaliations. In other words, it will be more for the sake of image, TV channels and social media than for serious revenge. Above all, we must remember that the current Israeli government is desperate to launch a larger-scale war with Iran and Hezbollah. In return, taking advantage of the massive deployment of American and NATO military assets in the region, Washington and its allies aim to demonstrate a gigantic military force that would be sufficient to help Iran escape the trap of propaganda and threats into which it has fallen.This may even be what helped Hezbollah put an end to the propaganda it was feeding for 25 days following the assassination of Shukr. While we wait for the “Iranian revenge” that may or may not come, it is safe to say that careful calculations and cool heads will prevail. As for the hotheads and the rampaging masses, they can wait a long time.
*Ali Hamade is an editorial journalist at the Annahar newspaper in Lebanon. X: @AliNahar

Threat of War With Israel Redefines ‘Normal’ Life in Beirut
Dana Khraiche/Bloomberg/August 29, 2024
The glass panels shuddered as the two explosions reverberated through the shopping mall. A few people started running to the exit, but most stayed put. It was only Israeli planes breaking the sound barrier, they said to each other. Barely anyone reacted when there was a third.
“We thought this was it, the war had started,” Leila, who owns a beauty parlor next to the mall on the outskirts of Beirut, recalled as she filed the nails of a customer. But any dip in business would be short-lived, she said. “You’ll see, Lebanese people will be back out and everything will go back to normal.”
Beirut is used to living with the threat of war, and this was a couple of weeks ago. That threat is now getting more acute after Israel launched a preemptive attack on southern Lebanon. But for many in the city, recent events have just been the latest version of normality.Lebanon has been waiting for war since October, when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah began firing at Israel because of the war in Gaza, itself a response to Hamas’s assault on the Jewish state. The two sides have been trading fire along the border, exchanges that could spiral into a bigger, broader conflict involving global as well as regional powers. That prospect became more real last Sunday when Israel dispatched 100 warplanes to take out Hezbollah missile launchers and, officials said, thwart a planned assault by the group to avenge an earlier attack. Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs at the end of July and killed the military chief of Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organization by the US and UK. Hours later, Iran blamed Israel for killing Hamas’s political head Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Since the assassinations, the world has been bracing for the repercussions. Flights were suspended in and out of Lebanon and countries including the US, UK, France and Gulf states told their citizens to leave.
But for Leila and others in Beirut, it was a case of adding it all to the list of worries. Their economy is still reeling from a financial meltdown in 2019 and then a massive explosion at Beirut’s port a year later. The currency is shaky, unemployment hit almost 50% and infrastructure is crumbling. On Aug. 17, state-run power firm Électricité du Liban said it had run out of fuel. An ensuing blackout hit Beirut airport, ports and prisons.
Lebanese make fun of themselves and their definition of “normal” on social media. A meme circulating online summed up their way of living, showing the branded bottle of Absolut Vodka with the words “Absolut denial” instead.
You have to be in your 40s to have much memory of the civil war that made Beirut a byword for Middle East conflict, but the country remained a tinderbox. There was tension with Syria and regular exchanges with Israel, as well as the sporadic sectarian strife that has defined the country for decades. George Beshara, a contractor who lives in the district of Matn, dropped out of school during the civil war and also remembers dodging parts of the city in 2006 when Israel hit the airport and port in response to a Hezbollah attack over the border.“Lebanon has always been like that,” said Beshara. “If Israel goes for war, it’d be for a couple of days and then it’ll be over.”
That sanguine attitude, though, contrasts with people who had more of a choice. Days after the Israeli strike, barely anything changed as the Lebanese diaspora, one of the largest in the world, flocked for the summer season.
Tourist arrivals were up over 100% in June compared with the same month last year. The lights emanating from Sky Bar, one of the most popular nightclubs in the Middle East, lit up the Beirut night. Many others had to turn people away. Cars lined up to get into clubs a few kilometers down the coast from Beirut. Scheduled concerts went ahead.
Then the threat of all-out war and travel warnings snuffed out any hope that tourist income would exceed the $5 billion to $7 billion recorded last year, according to the minister responsible for the economy. “Welcome to the Lebanese expatriate, the backbone of the economy,” read posters glued to several buildings along a highway leading to downtown Beirut. Visitors would have passed them as they joined long queues at the airport, with stories of skyrocketing prices for tickets back to Europe and the US. Ali, a 50-year-old staunch supporter of Amal Movement, Hezbollah’s main ally, drives his taxi through Beirut’s southern suburbs, one of Hezbollah’s traditional strongholds.
When he passed through after the Israeli missiles hit, Ali saw barely any traffic for the first time in years. “People got scared and moved out,” he said. A picture of his brother in military fatigues is fixed on the blades of his car’s air conditioning. He died in an airstrike in southern Lebanon earlier this year. Israeli assaults on that region near the border and elsewhere have so far killed at least 500 people, mostly Hezbollah fighters, based on local estimates. Roughly 30 soldiers and 18 civilians have been killed by Hezbollah attacks, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Entering Beirut, a billboard shows an image of a child with torn clothes looking at a destroyed building and reads “Enough, we’re exhausted,” with a hashtag “Lebanon does not want war.”Bashir, a 43-year-old father of two, belongs to a significant portion of society that believes the problem is Hezbollah, which holds great sway over political life in Lebanon and is better armed than the Lebanese military. Leader Hassan Nasrallah said that his group, whose ultimate goal is to destroy Israel, has contained the conflict on the border for the sake of the Lebanese against calls from Palestinians to escalate further.
“Who is he to make a decision to go to war on my behalf?” said Bashir, who, like Leila, declined to be identified by his full name. “I didn’t ask for this.”Bashir still makes his way 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Beirut to south Lebanon every week to check on his house near the border. Many people in that area have grown used to the sounds of the strikes. They’re now normal, he said.

Bachir, returns to life to eradicate the Persian occupation
Doctor Abdel Hamid El-Ahdab/August 29/2024
Where is Bachir?
All the streets of Beirut were screaming yesterday, where is Bachir Gemayel?
Hezbollah occupies Lebanon with his army and with the so called Lebanese army!
People were looking for the hero ! they were looking for the leader who could face the 'Chiaa... Chiaa... Chiaa" via Ain El-Rimmeneh, who were killing families who spoke out because Hezbollah had made Beirut a "canal" for the latest nuclear weapons coming from Iran. Yasser Aarafat left and currently replaces Hassan Nasrollah!
Where are you Bachir so we can see the power built for Hassan Nasrollah, for Michel Aoun and his son-in-law Bassil, who gave Hezbollah the green light to commit such a carnage!
Sunnis committed atrocities during the civil war. Nevertheless, today they wave the slogan "Lebanon first" under which they lose their lives.
The Shiites are free to choose between the supporters of Hassan Nasrollah, who are our enemies and the Shiite heroes who are washing their hands of Hezbollah's crimes, who are our heroes.
The time has come. Shiite and non-Shiite supporters of Hezbollah should be deported to Iran, their Lebanese passports revoked and going to Iranian hell.
What happened to the Lebanese who followed Michel Aoun?
How they supported him, the one who is so versatile, the one who delivered Lebanon to Hezbollah. How could they support him?
It's time for accountability.
The day Bachir was elected, the state was organized and the sectarianism was abandoned by every Lebanese.
The country needs a hero, a leader with integrity, honest, patriotic and powerful.
Everyone loved you for your boldness, integrity, and loyalty!
We hit rock bottom on the day Kamel Al-Assaad's gap began. He who has taken this path has brought us to this bottom!
We can't legalize the forbidden nor forbid the illegal!
The time has come! Lebanon needs Bachir Gemayel and there are no doubt that in Lebanon there are heroes, honest and faithful men who will strengthen and protect it like Bachir Gemayal.
Gather Lebanese of all faiths and gather around Bachir, a new Bachir who has the morals, heritage, culture and Bachir's concept of defending the nation!
Boldness, Courage.
Where are you, honorable officers of the army, obeying the orders of Hezbollah, who gives orders to Michel Aoun!
Raise your swords and carry Bachir Gemayel's picture! And onward, to eliminate the last "Shiite" that Ali ibn Abi Talib and all the legacy and morals of Ali ibn abi Talib denies! To annihilate all of Hezbollah.
Palestine issue is no longer our problem, our cause is the liberation and dignity of Lebanon.
And anyone who doesn't want to abandon Hezbollah, should board a plane to Iran and hold the Iranian passport.
Thousands of Lebanese dead, blood to their knees and demolished houses, all for Iran!
Bachir, stand up and fight to free Lebanon from Iranian occupation.
On Tuesday, the atomic bomb that the Hezbollah had hidden in plain sight and with the blessing of Michel Aoun exploded, and the time of judgment has come.
Get up Bachir.
Stand up, O Lebanese, behind Bachir to free Lebanon from Iranian occupation, Iranian funds, their flights, their supporters and their slaves.
We are a free people.
The Iranian has to go to Iran and the Lebanese will stay firmly in Lebanon.
We grant you, slaves of Hezbollah, the open way to Iran, leave, and we will be watching you after today.
We are all Bachir Gemayel, let's get rid of Lebanon from the Persian occupation that spread corruption, and supported and taught politicians theft to support and come to its aid!
L’heure venue!
Get up Bachir.
Yasser Arafat's slaves killed "Joumana". Time has come to take revenge on slaves of Hassan Nasrallah and let Palestine go to hell.

Bachir, revient à la vie pour éradiquer l’occupation Perse
Par Docteur Abdel Hamid El-Ahdab/August 29/2024
Où est Bachir ?
Toutes les rues de Beyrouth criaient hier où est Bachir Gemayel ?
Hezbollah occupe le Liban par son armée ainsi que par ce qu’on appelait l’armée du Liban !
Les gens cherchaient le héros ! ils cherchaient le leader qui pouvait faire face au « Chiaa… Chiaa… Chiaa » via Ain El-Rimmeneh, qui tuaient les familles qui ont manifesté leur opinion car Hezbollah avait fait de Beyrouth un « canal » pour les dernières armes atomiques qui lui proviennent d’Iran. Yasser Aarafat est parti et le remplace actuellement Hassan Nasrollah !
Où est-tu Bachir pour qu’on puisse voir la potence dressée pour Hassan Nasrollah, pour Michel Aoun et son beau-fils Bassil, qui ont donné le feu vert à Hezbollah pour commettre un tel carnage !
Les « sunnites » ont commis des atrocités durant la guerre civile. Néanmoins, ils brandissent aujourd’hui le slogan « le Liban d’abord » sous lequel ils perdent leurs vies.
Les Chiites sont libres de choisir entre les partisans de Hassan Nasrollah, qui sont nos ennemis et les héros chiites qui se lavent les mains de la criminalité de Hezbollah, qui sont nos héros.
L’heure est venue. Les partisans chiites et non-chiites de Hezbollah devraient être expulsés en Iran, leur passeport libanais devrait être révoqué et qu’ils aillent à l’enfer iranien.
Qu’en est-il arrivé aux libanais qui ont suivi Michel Aoun ?
Comment ils l’ont soutenu, lui qui est si versatile, lui qui a livré le Liban à Hezbollah. Comment ils ont pu le soutenir ?
Le temps est venu de rendre les comptes.
Le jour où Bachir fut élu, l'Etat fut organisé et le confessionnalisme fut abandonné par chaque libanais.
Le pays nécessite un héros, un leader intègre, honnête, patriotique et puissant.
Tout le monde t’aimait pour ton audace, ton intégrité et ta fidélité !
Nous avons atteint le fond le jour où l’écartement de Kamel Al-Assaad a débuté. Celui qui a pris ce chemin nous a fait parvenir à ce fond !
On ne peut légaliser l'interdit ni prohiber le licite!
L’heure est venue ! le Liban a besoin de Bachir Gemayel et sans doute qu’au Liban existe des héros, des hommes honnêtes et fidèles qui le fortifieront et le protègeront à l’instar de Bachir Gemayel.
Rassemblez-vous Libanais de toutes les confessions et rassemblez-vous autour de Bachir, un nouveau Bachir qui a la morale, le patrimoine, la culture et le concept de Bachir de la défense de la nation!
Audace, Courage.
Où êtes-vous, honorables officiers de l'armée, obéissant aux ordres du Hezbollah, qui donne ses ordres à Michel Aoun!
Levez vos épées et portez la photo de Bachir Gemayel! Et en avant, pour éliminer le dernier «chiite» qu’Ali ibn Abi Talib et tout l'héritage et la morale d’Ali ibn Abi Talib renient ! Pour anéantir tout le Hezbollah.
La question de Palestine n'est plus notre problème, notre cause est la libération et la dignité du Liban.
Et quiconque ne veut pas abandonner le Hezbollah, qu’il monte dans l'avion pour l'Iran et qu’il détienne le passeport iranien.
Des milliers de Libanais morts, du sang jusqu’aux genoux et des maisons démolies, tout cela pour l'Iran!
Bachir, levez-vous et menez la bataille pour libérer le Liban de l'occupation iranienne.
Mardi, la bombe atomique que le Hezbollah avait cachée sous les yeux et avec la bénédiction de Michel Aoun a explosé, et l'heure du jugement est venue.
Lève-toi, Bachir.
Levez-vous, ô Libanais, derrière Bachir pour libérer le Liban de l’occupation iranienne, des fonds iraniens, de leurs vols, de leurs partisans et de leurs esclaves.
Nous sommes un peuple libre.
L'Iranien doit aller en Iran et le Libanais restera solidement au Liban.
Nous vous accordons, esclaves du Hezbollah, l’ouverture de la voie pour vous rendre en Iran, partez, et nous vous avons à l'œil après aujourd'hui.
Nous sommes tous Bachir Gemayel, débarrassons-nous le Liban de l'occupation perse qui a répandu la corruption, et soutenu et appris aux politiciens le vol pour qu’ils la soutiennent et lui viennent à l’appui!
L’heure venue!
Lève-toi, Bachir.
Les esclaves de Yasser Arafat ont tué "Joumana". Le moment est venu de se venger des esclaves de Hassan Nasrallah et de laisser la Palestine aller en enfer.
Bachir, returns to life to eradicate the Persian occupation
By Doctor Abdel Hamid El-Ahdab
Where is Bachir?
All the streets of Beirut were screaming yesterday, where is Bachir Gemayel?
Hezbollah occupies Lebanon with his army and with the so called Lebanese army!
People were looking for the hero ! they were looking for the leader who could face the 'Chiaa... Chiaa... Chiaa" via Ain El-Rimmeneh, who were killing families who spoke out because Hezbollah had made Beirut a "canal" for the latest nuclear weapons coming from Iran. Yasser Aarafat left and currently replaces Hassan Nasrollah!
Where are you Bachir so we can see the power built for Hassan Nasrollah, for Michel Aoun and his son-in-law Bassil, who gave Hezbollah the green light to commit such a carnage!
Sunnis committed atrocities during the civil war. Nevertheless, today they wave the slogan "Lebanon first" under which they lose their lives.
The Shiites are free to choose between the supporters of Hassan Nasrollah, who are our enemies and the Shiite heroes who are washing their hands of Hezbollah's crimes, who are our heroes.
The time has come. Shiite and non-Shiite supporters of Hezbollah should be deported to Iran, their Lebanese passports revoked and going to Iranian hell.
What happened to the Lebanese who followed Michel Aoun?
How they supported him, the one who is so versatile, the one who delivered Lebanon to Hezbollah. How could they support him?
It's time for accountability.
The day Bachir was elected, the state was organized and the sectarianism was abandoned by every Lebanese.
The country needs a hero, a leader with integrity, honest, patriotic and powerful.
Everyone loved you for your boldness, integrity, and loyalty!
We hit rock bottom on the day Kamel Al-Assaad's gap began. He who has taken this path has brought us to this bottom!
We can't legalize the forbidden nor forbid the illegal!
The time has come! Lebanon needs Bachir Gemayel and there are no doubt that in Lebanon there are heroes, honest and faithful men who will strengthen and protect it like Bachir Gemayal.
Gather Lebanese of all faiths and gather around Bachir, a new Bachir who has the morals, heritage, culture and Bachir's concept of defending the nation!
Boldness, Courage.
Where are you, honorable officers of the army, obeying the orders of Hezbollah, who gives orders to Michel Aoun!
Raise your swords and carry Bachir Gemayel's picture! And onward, to eliminate the last "Shiite" that Ali ibn Abi Talib and all the legacy and morals of Ali ibn abi Talib denies! To annihilate all of Hezbollah.
Palestine issue is no longer our problem, our cause is the liberation and dignity of Lebanon.
And anyone who doesn't want to abandon Hezbollah, should board a plane to Iran and hold the Iranian passport.
Thousands of Lebanese dead, blood to their knees and demolished houses, all for Iran!
Bachir, stand up and fight to free Lebanon from Iranian occupation.
On Tuesday, the atomic bomb that the Hezbollah had hidden in plain sight and with the blessing of Michel Aoun exploded, and the time of judgment has come.
Get up Bachir.
Stand up, O Lebanese, behind Bachir to free Lebanon from Iranian occupation, Iranian funds, their flights, their supporters and their slaves.
We are a free people.
The Iranian has to go to Iran and the Lebanese will stay firmly in Lebanon.
We grant you, slaves of Hezbollah, the open way to Iran, leave, and we will be watching you after today.
We are all Bachir Gemayel, let's get rid of Lebanon from the Persian occupation that spread corruption, and supported and taught politicians theft to support and come to its aid!
L’heure venue!
Get up Bachir.
Yasser Arafat's slaves killed "Joumana". Time has come to take revenge on slaves of Hassan Nasrallah and let Palestine go to hell.
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The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 29-30/2024
Israel, Hamas agree to limited pauses in Gaza fighting to allow for polio vaccinations
FRANCE 24 English/August 29, 2024
Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization's senior official for the Palestinian territories, said on Thursday that Israel had agreed to limited pauses in the fighting in Gaza to allow vaccinations against polio. Hamas said it is “ready to cooperate with international organisations to secure the campaign", according to a statement from Hamas’s political bureau. The urgent campaign comes after a 10-month-old Palestinian boy was partially paralyzed by a mutated strain of the virus, having missed the chance to be vaccinated because he was born just before the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants and Israel's ensuing offensive. The U.N. World Health Organization said Thursday it has reached an agreement with Israel for limited pauses in fighting in Gaza to allow for polio vaccinations for hundreds of thousands of children after a baby contracted the first confirmed case in 25 years in the Palestinian territory. Described as “humanitarian pauses” that will last three days in different areas of the war-ravaged territory, the vaccination campaign will start Sunday in central Gaza, said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories. That will be followed by another three-day pause in southern Gaza and then another in northern Gaza, he said, noting that the pauses will last eight or nine hours each day. He thinks that health workers — more than 2,000 — will take part among U.N. agencies and Gaza’s Health Ministry might need additional days to complete the vaccinations.

Israel kills prominent militant as it wages its deadliest West Bank raids since the Gaza war began
Majdi Mohammed And Melanie Lidman/TULKAREM, West Bank (AP) /August 29, 2024
The Israeli military said it killed five more militants, including a local commander, early Thursday in the West Bank as it pressed ahead with what appeared to be the deadliest military operation in the occupied territory since the start of the war in Gaza. Israel says the simultaneous raids across the northern West Bank — which have killed a total of 16 people, nearly all militants, since late Tuesday — are aimed at preventing attacks. The Palestinians see them as a widening of the Israel-Hamas war aimed at perpetuating Israel's decades-long military rule over the territory.The Islamic Jihad militant group confirmed that Mohammed Jaber, known as Abu Shujaa, was killed during a raid in the city of Tulkarem. He became a hero for many Palestinians earlier in the year when he was reported killed in an Israeli operation, only to make a surprise appearance at the funeral of other militants, where he was hoisted onto the shoulders of a cheering crowd. The military said he was killed early Thursday along with four other militants in a shootout with Israeli forces after the five had hidden inside a mosque. It said Abu Shujaa was linked to numerous attacks on Israelis, including a deadly shooting in June, and was planning more. The military said another militant was arrested in the operation in Tulkarem, and that a member of Israel's paramilitary Border Police was lightly wounded. Israel launched a large-scale operation in the West Bank overnight into Wednesday. Hamas said 10 of its fighters were killed in different locations, and the Palestinian Health Ministry reported an 11th death, without saying whether he was a fighter or a civilian. The overall toll of 16 killed in less than two days would make it the deadliest Israeli operation in the West Bank since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. The Palestinian Health Ministry says over 650 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the start of the war. Most appear to have been militants killed in gunbattles during Israeli operations like the one this week, but civilian bystanders and rock-throwing protesters have also been killed, and the territory saw a surge of settler violence. Israel says the operations are required to prevent attacks on its citizens, which have also risen since the start of the war. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, and the Palestinians want all three territories for their future state.
The 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under seemingly open-ended Israeli military rule, with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administering towns and cities. Over 500,000 Jewish settlers, who have Israeli citizenship, live in well over 100 settlements across the territory that most of the international community considers illegal. The raids have focused on refugee camps that date back to the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, in which around 700,000 Palestinians fled or were driven out of what is now Israel. Many of the camps are militant strongholds.
Hamas repeated its calls for Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up, calling the raids part of a larger plan to expand the war in Gaza. The militant group has called on security forces loyal to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which cooperate with Israel, to “join the sacred battle of our people.”Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has also condemned the Israeli raids, but his forces were not expected to get involved. The war in Gaza erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and rampaged through army bases and farming communities, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. The militants are still holding 108 hostages, around a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a November cease-fire. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were militants. Around 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, often multiple times, and Israeli bombardment and ground operations have caused vast destruction. The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent months trying to mediate a cease-fire that would see the remaining hostages released. But the talks have repeatedly bogged down as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed “total victory” over Hamas and the militant group has demanded a lasting cease-fire and a full withdrawal from the territory.

An Israeli freed from Gaza returns to a Bedouin village targeted for demolition
Melanie Lidman/KHIRBET KARKUR, Israel (AP)/August 29, 2024
An Israeli hostage rescued from Gaza returned to a hero’s welcome tinged with a bitter reality: Much of the small village he calls home, Khirbet Karkur, is targeted for demolition. Qaid Farhad Alkadi, 52, is one of Israel’s roughly 300,000 Bedouin Arabs, a poor and traditionally nomadic minority that has a complicated relationship with the government and often faces discrimination. While they are Israeli citizens and some serve in the army, about a third of Bedouins, including Alkadi, live in villages the government considers illegal and wants to tear down. Since November, about 70% of Khirbet Karkur residents have been told the government plans to raze their homes because they were built without permits in a “protected forest” not zoned for housing, according to a lawyer representing them. Alkadi’s family hasn’t received a notice, but the looming mass displacement of this close-knit community has cast a pall on what has otherwise been a joyous 24 hours. “It’s so exciting, we didn’t know if he’ll come back alive or not,” said Muhammad Abu Tailakh, the head of Khirbet Karkur’s local council and a public health lecturer at Ben Gurion University in nearby Beersheba. “But the good news is also a bit complicated, because of everything that’s going on.” Alkadi was greeted by dozens of well-wishers Wednesday – and a crush of media. He was released from the hospital and returned home a day after his dramatic rescue, which he recounted in appreciative phone calls with Israel’s prime minister and president.
Neighbors and family erected a huge tent in his honor, and served tea and coffee from the early morning as they eagerly awaited his arrival. When the clean-shaven but gaunt Alkadi arrived – seemingly overwhelmed by the attention after 326 days in captivity, some of it an underground tunnel – he spoke with reporters and pleaded with Israeli leaders to free all the hostages. “It does not matter if they are Arab or Jewish, all have a family waiting for them,” said Alkadi, a father of 11 who was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 while working as a security guard at a packing plant near the Gaza border.
“They also want to feel the joy,” he said. “I hope, I pray an end to this.” Alkadi was one of eight Bedouins abducted on Oct. 7, and three are believed to still be alive in captivity; two teenagers were released, one was accidentally killed by the Israeli army, and one declared dead is still in Gaza. On Oct. 7, many Bedouins rushed to help attendees of an Israeli music festival, saving hundreds of lives at a time when the army and police were in disarray. A spokesperson for the Israel Land Authority said that “in light of the situation” it would not serve a demolition notice to the Alkadi family. But it would not comment on the plight of his neighbors or their lawyers' efforts to save their homes.
On Wednesday, most family members and neighbors tried to focus on the good news, rather than legal fights that could drag on for years. “We need that this problem be resolved so that people here ... receive an appropriate solution that fits the needs of the Bedouins," said Nasser Amran, 59, a friend of Alkadi. "There is no electricity. For water, they bring a pipe from some community, and it arrives here, but it is still difficult to live in a village without water and electricity the way it should be.”Unrecognized villages are not connected to state water, sewage, or electricity infrastructure, and the roads to many, including Khirbet Karkur, are dusty and potholed. Khirbet Karkur is nestled in the shadow of a large dump, and the smell of rotting garbage drifts over the short, squat corrugated metal homes. Piles of construction debris and trash ring the small cluster of dwellings. Israel’s Supreme Court has previously deemed many of the unrecognized Bedouin villages illegal, and the government has said they are trying to bring order to a lawless area and give a better quality of life to the impoverished minority. For decades, Israel has been trying to convince scattered, off-the-grid Bedouin villagers that it is in their interest to move into government-designated Bedouin townships, where the government can provide them with water, electricity and schools. Bedouin leaders have rejected many proposals, saying they would destroy their lifestyle or send them to less desirable areas. There have been 1,325 Bedouin homes demolished in the first six months of 2024, a 51% increase over the same period in 2022, according to the Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality, which tracks demolitions in the Bedouin community. The increase in demolitions has coincided with the ascendance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and other members of his party have consistently championed the demolition of illegal Bedouin construction in the Negev desert and Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Ben-Gvir last year traveled to witness a demolition himself, expressing “kudos” and calling the destruction “sacred work.”
Abu Tailkha says he and his neighbors want to maintain their rural lifestyle, and the government should officially recognize their villages. He said residents of Khirbet Karkur, who were placed there in the 1950s by the government, would be open to moving to another rural area, but not a city. The government wants to move them north to Rahat, an urban Bedouin settlement of about 70,000, according to Netta Amar Shiff, a lawyer representing families who received demolition notices. She called it “disgusting cynicism” for the government to say it will not serve Alkadi's family with lawsuits.
“If there's a good reason for one person not to get the notice, there's a good reason for everyone,” she said. Regavim, a right-wing group that studies land issues in Israel and supports the government’s relocation plan for Bedouins, said the Bedouin are being offered an excellent deal with free land, and it is in their interest to move in order to receive services that every Israeli citizen is entitled to receive. “Israel can’t provide services to people who just build wherever they want,” said Naomi Kahn, the head of Regavim’s international division. The unrecognized villages do not have adequate bomb shelters or a warning system in the case of incoming rockets, and at least 11 Bedouin have been killed by rockets fired into Israel since the war began. “The entire country is in a war, and I also have to fight this demolition order,” said Abu Tailkha, the head of Khirbet Karkur's local council. “ Abu Tailkha said that while the country and its leaders were embracing Alkadi’s return, he isn’t optimistic real change will occur in their village. “I think in a bit they will forget about Farhan, and they will send another round of demolition orders,” he said.

Fighting rages in Gaza as Palestinians hope for a pause for polio vaccinations
Nidal al-Mughrabi and Mohammad Salem/CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters)/ August 29, 2024
Palestinians in Gaza were waiting on Thursday to see if there would be a pause in fighting to allow a polio vaccination campaign to begin, as the conflict raged across the besieged enclave, killing at least 20 people. The United Nations is preparing to vaccinate an estimated 640,000 children in Gaza, where the World Health Organization confirmed on Aug. 23 that at least one baby has been paralysed by the type 2 poliovirus, the first such case in the territory in 25 years. The UN, which called for a humanitarian truce earlier this month, hopes to begin the vaccination campaign on Sept. 1, said Juliette Touma, communications director of UNRWA, the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency. The World Health Organization named the baby as Abdul-Rahman Abu Al-Jidyan. He will turn one year old on Sept. 1. His mother Nivin Abu Al-Jidyan said she feared for her son after she was told by health officials they could do little to help him. "I was shocked that my son got this disease amid the war and the closure of border crossings, under these conditions and lack of medicine for him, it's a shock. Would he remain like this?" Abu Al-Jidyan told Reuters on Thursday. "He is my only baby boy. It's his right to travel and be treated; it's his right to walk, run and move like before...It is unfair that he stays thrown in the tent without care or attention," she said from a tent in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. At Nasser Hospital, in the southern city of Khan Younis, Umm Eliane Baker fears her 19-month-old daughter may be vulnerable to polio due to ill health brought on by malnutrition. She hopes her baby will be vaccinated soon, but said she is worried about moving safely in an area where there have been repeated Israeli strikes. "I cannot walk in the street and get bombed, or have something happen to my daughter, or have a targeted (attack). I need a truce, a ceasefire so I can give my daughter this injection (vaccine)," she told Reuters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week denied media reports Israel was preparing for a generalised humanitarian truce, saying that a more limited plan had been presented. "These are not pauses in the fighting to administer polio vaccines but only the allocation of certain places in the Gaza Strip," he said in a statement. Senior Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq reiterated the group's support for the UN and international organisations' initiative for an urgent humanitarian truce across the enclave to allow the polio vaccination campaign. He described Netanyahu's statement as an attempt to thwart the process by refusing the UN call.
FAMILY 'CONSUMED' BY FIRE
On Thursday, Israeli forces continued to bombard areas across the Gaza Strip in their battle against Hamas-led militants. Palestinian health officials said Israeli military strikes have so far killed at least 20 people. One strike on a house in Gaza City killed eight Palestinians, including children, they said, while three others were killed when an Israeli missile hit a motorcycle in Rafah, near the border with Egypt. A neighbour of the bombed Gaza City house said they had managed to lower a ladder into the building to rescue a family trapped inside, but had only managed to extract one young girl. "After that, the fire consumed them and we could not reach them," he said. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7 when Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent assault on the enclave has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, while also displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies.

EU urged to rethink ties with Israel over Gaza and to impose sanctions against some ministers
Lorne Cook/BRUSSELS (AP)/BRUSSELS (AP) /August 29, 2024
The European Union must rethink its relations with Israel as the death toll mounts in Gaza and the West Bank and impose sanctions on some Israeli government ministers accused of fomenting racial hatred, Ireland and the bloc’s top diplomat said Thursday.
At a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Ireland’s foreign minister accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians as well as Hamas militants with the military campaign it launched almost 11 months ago. “This is a war against Palestinians not just against Hamas. The level of civilian casualties and dead is unconscionable,” Micheal Martin told reporters. “It’s a war on the population. No point in trying to fudge this.”Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 people, according to local health officials, displaced 90% of the population and destroyed its main cities. Hamas has lost thousands of fighters and much of its militant infrastructure. Violence has also surged in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack inside southern Israel ignited the war there. Israel launched a large-scale operation in the West Bank this week, in which Hamas said 10 of its fighters were killed in different locations. Martin said a legal opinion issued by the International Court of Justice that Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank is unlawful obliges the EU to take action. The Palestinians have hailed it as “a watershed moment for Palestine, for justice and for international law.”“It cannot be business as usual,” Martin told reporters. “It is very clear to us that international humanitarian law has been broken.”Ties between the EU and Israel – which are major trading partners – are governed by a so-called Association Agreement. Ireland and Spain have been pressing their EU partners to examine whether Israel has broken the rules. The EU is the world’s top provider of aid to the Palestinians but holds little leverage over Israel, notably because the 27 member countries are deeply divided in their approach. Austria, Germany and Hungary are staunch backers of Israel, while Ireland and Spain are more vocal in their support for the Palestinians. Nonetheless, the bloc does have credibility as a European project founded on peace. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, with the backing of Ireland, urged the ministers to consider imposing sanctions on certain members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing cabinet over their remarks about the war in Gaza.
“Some Israeli ministers have been launching hateful messages, unacceptable hateful messages, against the Palestinians and proposing things that go clearly against international law and is an (incitement) to commit more crimes,” Borrell said.
Borrell did not name the ministers, but earlier this month he criticized Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for suggesting that the starvation of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million people “might be just and moral” until hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack are returned home. Borrell said there should be “no taboos” to prevent the EU from ensuring that international humanitarian law is respected. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock did not take a clear stand either way, saying only that things should be examined carefully on a case-by-case basis to assess “what are the allegations? Are these allegations enough to list to sanction?”She underlined that any decision to impose sanctions would require unanimous support.

From Gaza to Paris: Paralympian Fadi Deeb vows to show ‘Palestine is not dying’
Mariamne EVERETT/ FRANCE 24 English/August 29, 2024
Shot putter Fadi Deeb, the only member of the Palestinian Olympic delegation from Gaza and the only Paralympian athlete from Palestine, will take part in the Paris Paralympics on August 30. He speaks to FRANCE 24 about training with rocks and scrap metal in war-torn Gaza – and carrying his people’s hopes and dreams at the Paris Games. While Fadi Deeb, 39, has been diligently training in Paris in preparation for the Paralympic Games, the Gaza war is never far from his thoughts. “I am raising my flag here in Paris to show people that Palestine is not dying,” Deeb told FRANCE 24 in an interview. “We are still here, we are still fighting and we are still alive.” Deeb – who has lost over 15 members of his family, including his brother, in the Israel-Hamas war – is the only member of the Palestinian Olympic delegation from Gaza and the only Paralympic athlete from Palestine. His presence is significant, given that about 400 athletes and supporting staff have been killed since the October 7 Hamas attacks that triggered the Israel-Hamas war, and others have been unable to train or travel due to Israeli bombing or restrictions, according to the Palestine Olympic Committee (POC).

Turkey hosts meeting with Iraq, Qatar and UAE on multibillion-dollar infrastructure hub
ISTANBUL (AP)/August 29, 2024
Transport ministers from Turkey, Iraq, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are meeting in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss a multibillion-dollar regional transportation project designed to ease the movement of goods from Asia to Europe through Iraq. The proposed $20 billion Development Road Project is designed to facilitate the transport of goods from the Gulf to Europe via the Grand Faw Port in Basra in southern Iraq. The port would be linked to Turkey and subsequently to Europe through an extensive network of railways and highways. The initiative, which was unveiled last year, would turn Iraq into a pivotal transportation hub, enhancing the country's economic resurgence and boosting cooperation with its neighbors. “We will talk about the stage we are at and how we can move faster from now on,” Turkish Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu told HaberTurk television in an interview. "There are many issues on the table, from the project's financing to its construction and management model."Thursday’s meeting comes during efforts by Iraq and Turkey to improve ties that have been strained by a series of issues, including the presence of Kurdish militants in northern Iraq and Turkish military actions against the militants on Iraqi territory. In April, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made his first official visit to Baghdad in over a decade, seeking cooperation from Iraq in the battle against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has been engaged in an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s. The group is labeled a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. Erdogan’s visit resulted in the signing of numerous agreements in the areas of energy, trade and water sharing. Last month, the Iraqi government announced an official ban on the PKK, which has maintained bases in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Ankara has argued that PKK’s presence in Iraq threatens the planned construction the Iraq Development Road. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has said the centerpiece of the project will be the development of the Grand Faw Port and a “smart industrial city” adjacent to it.

A gas leak in an Iranian Revolutionary Guard center kills 2 and injures 10
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)/August 29, 2024
A gas leak caused the death of two people and injured 10 others at an Iranian Revolutionary Guard center, Iranian state television reported Thursday. The leak occurred Wednesday night at a workshop belonging to the Guard in Isfahan province, and the injured people were transferred to a hospital for treatment, it said. The Isfahan Provincial Guard identified the dead as Capt. Mojtaba Nazari and Lt. Col. Mokhtar Morshedi, the report said. The Guard’s statement did not say if the two senior officers died from being asphyxiated by gas or if the gas leak caused an explosion. It did not say how the people were injured or give other details.A number of deadly explosions at Revolutionary Guard facilities have in recent years. The most notable came in 2011, when a blast at a missile base near Tehran killed 17 people including Commander Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, who led the paramilitary force’s missile program. Initially, authorities described the blast as an accident, though a former prisoner later said the Guard interrogated him on suspicion that Israel caused the explosion. Tensions have remained high since Hamas’ top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed on July 31 in the Iranian capital. Iran accused Israel of killing Haniyeh, but Israel has not taken responsibility. Iranian top officials vowed to retaliate against Israel for the death of Haniyeh. Israeli officials rarely acknowledge operations carried out by the country’s secret military units or its Mossad intelligence agency. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long considered Iran to be the biggest threat his nation faces. In April, Iranian air defenses at a major air base and at a nuclear site near the central city of Isfahan were employed against an assault in retaliation for Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on Israel. In January 2023, bomb-carrying drones struck a defense factory in the central city of Isfahan, while in April 2023, the country’s air defense systems shot down a drone strike on an Isfahan defense factory. Tehran faces challenges as its nuclear program rapidly enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels since the collapse of its atomic accord with world powers. Iran’s central Isfahan province has been of interest to Israel because many of Iran’s nuclear facilities are located there. The underground Natanz nuclear facility, located in the province, is the country’s main uranium enrichment facility. There, centrifuges rapidly spin uranium hexafluoride gas to enrich uranium. Iran sees Israel as a prime suspect in launching a series of attacks on Iran, including an April 2021 assault on its underground Natanz nuclear facility that damaged its centrifuges. In 2020, Iran blamed Israel for a sophisticated attack that killed its top military nuclear scientist.

Iran's president orders investigation after activists alleged police tortured man to death
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) /August 29, 2024
Iran's president ordered an investigation Thursday into the death of a man in custody after activists alleged he had been tortured to death by police officers in the country's north, the latest such fatality to gain the nation's attention. The order came from reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, elected last month, who campaigned on a promise to halt such deaths in custody. In 2022, the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the morality police for allegedly not wearing her headscarf correctly, sparked nationwide protests. In the latest case, five police officers have already been temporarily detained as the investigation is ongoing. Activists identified the dead man as 36-year-old Mohammad Mir Mousavi from the city of Lahijan in Gilan province, near the Caspian Sea. They say he was arrested on Saturday following a street brawl and died on Tuesday. Police and the government offered few details on why the authorities chose to investigate Mousavi's death. However, the rights group Hengaw reported that Mousavi had been detained at a police station in the neighboring city of Langarud. There, they allege, Mousavi was “severely beaten and suffered from bleeding.” They published a blurred video of what they described as Mousavi's back after his death, soaked in blood and bearing wounds. They alleged he had been killed while his feet and hands were tied. Mousavi “was killed under torture in the detention center of the Special Unit of the Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran after being arrested,” Hengaw said. “The family of this young man has been pressured by Iranian security agencies to refrain from making this crime public.” Hengaw identified Mousavi as belonging to Iran's Gilak minority, who have their own language and live mainly in the northern provinces. Activists say Mousavi's death is likely to lead to a flare-up in inter-communal tensions both in Gilan and across the country. Deaths in security force custody have been repeatedly documented by human rights activists, particularly after years of mass demonstrations challenging the country's Shiite theocracy. In the case of Mahsa Amini, United Nations investigators found Iran responsible for the “physical violence” that led to her death in September 2022.

Ukraine F-16 crashes, pilot dies during Russian airstrikes, Kyiv says
Reuters/August 29, 2024
KYIV -An F-16 fighter jet used by Ukraine crashed on Monday, Kyiv's military said, the first such loss reported since the long-awaited arrival of the U.S.-made planes in the country was confirmed this month.The jet came down and its pilot died while it was approaching a target during a Russian airstrike, the Ukrainian General Staff said on Thursday in a statement on Facebook. The F-16s had "demonstrated high efficiency" and downed four Russian cruise missiles, it added. "Connection with one of the aircraft was lost while it was approaching the next target. As it turned out later, the plane crashed, the pilot died," the statement added. Ukraine has not given detail on the size of its new fleet, though the loss is likely to have left a significant dent. The Times of London has cited a source familiar with the matter as saying Ukraine had six of the jets. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed on Aug. 4 his pilots had started flying F-16s, hailing the moment as a major milestone in the fight against the invasion Russia launched 29 months ago. He said on Tuesday F-16s were used to repel a major Russian attack a day earlier of more than 200 missiles and drones, which targeted the energy sector. Monday's crash did not appear to be the result of Russian fire, and possible causes from pilot error to mechanical failure were still being investigated, a U.S. defense official told Reuters. Military analysts have said the arrival of the small number of planes, while significant, is unlikely to be a turning point in the conflict. Russia has had time to prepare defences to try to nullify the F-16s' impact, and Ukraine has had to survive with a depleted air force that is a fraction of the size and sophistication of its enemy's. Ukraine's Air Force Western command posted on Facebook an obituary of a pilot, Oleksiy Mes, saying he died while repelling Monday's attack, but did not say he was an F-16 pilot. CNN said Mes had a call sign Moonfish and reported in 2023 he was training for F-16 missions. Kyiv has been urging allies to supply modern jets since the start of Russia's invasion to bolster its small and old post-Soviet fleet.

Turkish drone shot down by Iraqi air defenses over northern city of Kirkuk
Stella Martany/IRBIL, Iraq (AP)/ August 29, 2024
Iraqi air defenses shot down a Turkish drone Thursday morning over the northern city of Kirkuk, Iraqi military officials said. The incident came as the two countries have been attempting to develop closer economic and security ties, raising concerns amid the already volatile security situation in the region. Brig. Gen. Abdul Salam, deputy commander of air defense, told reporters that the drone came from the direction of Sulaymaniyah and crossed into Iraqi airspace. He said it was a Turkish drone and was shot down by the Iraqi air force in the Chiman area of Kirkuk. The Iraqi air force said in a statement that the drone was issued a warning “according to protocol” and was then shot down by air defenses. It said the drone fell on a civilian house, causing “only material losses.” “Based on the inspection of the wreckage parts of the drone, it was found to be of the Turkish type,” it said. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Oncu Keceli said Turkish and Iraqi authorities were in “coordination” to shed light on the incident and reiterated Turkey’s determination to “fight against terrorism.” Witnesses reported seeing the drone spiraling out of control before it crashed on the outskirts of the city. Security forces cordoned off the site.
The drone landed next to a civilian house, but no casualties or significant property damage were immediately reported. Kirkuk is a strategically significant city with a diverse religious and ethnic population that has been the focus of political and ethnic issues and the site of military operations against remnants of the Islamic State extremist group. Turkey often launches strikes against targets in Syria and Iraq that it believes to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a Kurdish separatist group that has waged an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s and is banned there and in Iraq.
The PKK has maintained bases in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. In recent months, Turkey has built up its troops in northern Iraq and has threatened an offensive to clear PKK forces from the border area. In a statement posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Keceli also noted the strengthening cooperation between Turkey and Iraq against “terrorism,” including Iraq’s decision to list the PKK as a banned organization. “Both countries are determined for this cooperation to yield concrete results on the field and for the coordination between the competent authorities to be increased,” Keceli wrote. Baghdad has complained that the strikes are a breach of its sovereignty but has also taken a tougher stance against the PKK in recent months. Last week, two female journalists with a local Kurdish outlet were killed in a reported Turkish airstrike that hit their car in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, sparking protests.

France's Macron to visit Serbia with a possible deal to sell French warplanes in a shift from Russia
Dusan Stojanovic/BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) /August 29, 2024
French President Emmanuel Macron starts a two-day state visit to Serbia on Thursday with the focus on the possible sale of 12 Rafale multi-purpose fighter jets to the country, which has maintained close ties to Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. Macron is to meet populist President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Thursday evening, when the deal reportedly worth 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) is expected to be announced. An official in Macron’s office, who was not authorized to be identified according to French presidential policy, said the warplane talks are part of larger strategy of ″bringing Serbia closer to the EU.″Serbia needs to upgrade its fleet and the Rafale is a ″strategic choice″ for Belgrade, which could choose to rely only on Russian equipment instead, the official said. Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership, but under Vucic’s increasingly autocratic rule it has made little progress in the fields of rule of law and democratic reforms, which are the main preconditions for membership in the 27-nation bloc. In a letter to the Serbian public published in the local media on Thursday, Macron sought to encourage the Balkan nation to pursue its EU future but noted that “the perspective of joining the European Union does not seem to be as attractive as it should.” He cited “concerns and fatigue over the rhythm of accession talks but also sometimes a sort of resentment, even mistrust” of the EU. “I come here to Serbia again today with a simple message: The European Union and its nations need to have a strong and democratic Serbia in their ranks, and Serbia needs a strong and sovereign European Union to defend and promote its interests with respect of its identity,” Macron said in the letter, published in the liberal Danas newspaper. Macron also warned that after Russia attacked Ukraine, Serbia’s “balancing game” between the world powers is an “illusion.” He said Serbia will only be able to protect its interests and preserve its identity as part of the EU. Serbia has been considering the purchase of the new Rafale jets for more than two years, since neighboring Balkan rival Croatia purchased 12 used fighter jets of the same type for about 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion). The potential acquisition of Rafale jets would allow Serbia to modernize its air force, which consists mainly of Soviet-made MiG-29 fighters and aging Yugoslav combat aircraft. Russia has been a traditional supplier of military aircraft, including combat helicopters, to Serbia, which has refused to join international sanctions against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. The rapid arming by the Serbian military has worried some of its neighbors following the bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Serbia is almost completely surrounded by NATO member countries. Selling Rafales to Russian ally Serbia, which has occasionally expressed an aggressive stance toward its Balkan neighbors, has raised some concerns, one of which is how France plans to prevent sophisticated Rafale technology from being shared with Russia.
Asked if there would be a clause restricting the use of the Rafales, the French official said ″in any contract there are clauses that set a framework for the use of such material." Macron's talks with Vucic will include simmering tensions in the Balkans, especially in the former Serbian province of Kosovo which declared independence in 2008. Macron’s itinerary also includes a visit to a museum and an economic forum on artificial intelligence in the northern town of Novi Sad on Friday. Also on the agenda is a possible agreement with French energy provider EDF on cooperation in the field of nuclear power plant technology.

Chinese leader Xi meets with US national security adviser Jake Sullivan in a bid to improve ties
Ken Moritsugu And Huizhong Wu/BEIJING (AP)/August 29, 2024
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday in Beijing, on a visit with the stated aim of keeping communications open between the two powers, as the relationship between China and the United States has become increasingly tense in recent years.
Sullivan, on his first trip to China in his capacity as the main adviser to President Joe Biden on U.S. national security issues, has met with senior Chinese officials including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a senior general of the Central Military Commission. China and the U.S. have become increasingly at odds over various issues, starting with a trade war dating back to 2018, and which now encompasses global security matters, such as China's claims over the South China Sea, and industrial policy on things like automobile and solar panel manufacturing. Sullivan's trip this week is meant to keep the tensions from growing further. “We believe that competition with China does not have to lead to conflict or confrontation. The key is responsible management through diplomacy,” he told reporters as he made ready to depart Beijing on Thursday evening. Both sides said Thursday that they remain committed to managing the relationship. Xi and Biden met in San Francisco last November in an effort to improve ties. “Although the situations of the two countries and China-U.S. relations have changed greatly, China’s goal of being committed to the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations has not changed,” Xi said.
“President Biden is committed to responsibly managing this consequential relationship to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict or confrontation, and to work together where our interests align,” Sullivan said. Beijing and Washington will also plan for a phone call in the coming weeks between Xi and Biden, the White House said Wednesday. The White House statement said that both sides would keep lines of communication open. Xi said that he is willing to continue communications with Biden, according to CCTV. Sullivan said the two leaders might meet in person before Biden leaves the Oval Office, possibly at the next Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting.
Xi and Sullivan's meeting also touched on the issues of American citizens detained in China; Taiwan; and the clashes between the Chinese and Filipino coast guards in the South China Sea.The two also discussed China's support for Russia, as a recent U.S. assessment found that the country was exporting technology that Russia uses to manufacture missiles, tanks and other weaponry. They also discussed efforts to end the Ukraine war, but Sullivan said they did not make any progress on that issue.
Sullivan said that the two sides planned to hold a military theater commander phone call in the near future. China has rapidly expanded its military, and there are concerns that Taiwan and the South China Sea are becoming flashpoints, underscoring the importance of military-to-military communications that were previously broken off, but were reinstated after the Xi-Biden summit last November. A decades old-issue, Taiwan in recent years has re-emerged as a critical issue as the island's ties with China became increasingly strained over Chinese claims that Taiwan is part of China.
Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that split from authoritarian communist China in 1949, has rejected Beijing’s demands that it accept unification with the mainland by peace or by force. The U.S. is obligated under a domestic law to provide the island with sufficient hardware and technology to deter invasion. Sullivan also met China’s vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia, on Thursday morning, in a rare meeting to discuss communication between the world's two biggest militaries. Zhang raised the issue of Taiwan, saying it was a critical issue.“China demands that the United States stop military collusion between the U.S. and Taiwan, stop arming Taiwan and stop spreading false narratives about Taiwan,” according to a Chinese Defense Ministry statement of the meeting. Zhang has spoken in the past of Beijing’s determination to take control of Taiwan. At an international naval gathering earlier this year in northeast China, Zhang said China would strike back with force if its interests came under threat. He said that China’s territorial sovereignty “brooks no infringement and its core interests cannot be challenged. We do not provoke trouble, but we will never flinch in face of provocation. The Chinese military will resolutely defend the reunification and interest of the motherland.”The White House statement said Sullivan “underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.” Beijing also warned Washington “not to support or indulge the Philippines to infringe” upon China's rights and interests in the South China Sea. China and the Philippines have clashed over the Second Thomas Shoal, and lately the Sabina Shoal. The U.S. military has pushed back against China’s claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, saying this week that it would be open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed sea amid a spike in hostilities between Beijing and Manila on the issue. Sullivan said Thursday that they have made clear the U.S.' “longstanding commitment” to the Philippines, as well as concerns about the Chinese Coast Guard ramming Filipino vessels in recent days. The Philippines has called for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to do more. The 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc includes the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which have South China Sea claims that overlap with each other as well as China’s and Taiwan’s. The U.S. has shifted its policy with China from engagement to competition. The Biden administration has made it a priority to prevent the competition from spiraling out of control, while seeking to collaborate with China in areas such as climate change, artificial intelligence and enforcement against illicit drugs. John Podesta, the senior adviser to the president for international climate policy, will travel to China, and Sullivan and Wang discussed “next steps to reduce the flow of illicit synthetic drugs” and “continue repatriation of undocumented migrants," the White House said. In July, the U.S. Border Patrol made 1,851 arrests of Chinese immigrants on the border with Mexico, down from the December high of 5,951. The two sides also agreed to hold a second round of dialogue over artificial intelligence, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on August 29-30/2024
Opinion - Iran is closing in on nuclear weaponization. America and Israel need a strategy
Eric R. Mandel, opinion contributor/The Hill/August 29, 2024
America and Israel have no Iran strategy.
This is my conclusion after meeting with members of Congress and their staff, State Department workers, and Israeli political, intelligence, defense and think tank leaders this month. The U.S. cannot deal with the gravity of the threat, and Israel has been waiting for the U.S. to take the lead.
America needs an Iran strategy because a nuclear Iran will lead to a regional nuclear arms race, in which every nation — from the Muslim Brotherhood oriented Turks to Saudi Arabia to Egypt to Iranian-controlled Iraq — will want and find a way to get apocalyptic weapons. And the U.S. will definitely be drawn into any resulting war. If one of those weapons falls into the hands of a terrorist organization, it will be used to intimidate American political leaders. Terrorists do not need a ballistic missiles. They can put nukes on container ships headed for the port of Baltimore, New York, New Orleans, Seattle, Miami or Los Angeles, then set them off it in international waters, shutting down the electrical grid for months (to say nothing of the supply chain) and terrorizing the whole country.
Perhaps this is an overreaction, but it is a genuine possibility. Yet we choose to ignore the zealotry of jihadists in Tehran, in bunkers in Gaza, in Beirut, and in the hideouts of al-Qaeda and ISIS leaders in Syria, Iraq and Pakistan.
Iran is on the verge of weaponizing a nuclear device. The U.S. director of National Intelligence could not confirm in her most recent report that Iran is not working on a nuclear weapon, a significant change from years of previous reporting to Congress. If not for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) forcing intelligence agencies to make the information public, Americans would still be in the dark about this.
To the average American, the idea the U.S. or Israel does not have a national strategy to confront the Islamic Republic’s ambitions seems inconceivably negligent, especially with Iran constantly in the headlines. But political leaders talking about Iran without an effective strategy for their nefarious activities throughout the Middle East and support of radical proxies that have killed many American and Israeli civilians and soldiers for decades is insufficient. The Iranian strategy is to chase America out of the Middle East, which for isolationists and pro-Hamas protesters is just fine. However, they ignore that the Iranian goal over time is not just to wipe Israel off the map, but also expand their jihadist ideology to our shores once they are able. The American mind cannot fathom in the 21st century that there are people so driven with Islamist revolutionary zeal that they would even contemplate using nuclear weapons in the name of Islam.
America needs to support the Iranian people, which means allowing them to take charge of their lives, ending rape in their notorious Evin prison for dissidents, ending the misogyny endemic in their society and the routine hanging and persecution of gay Iranians. We need to support the Iranian people who have taken to the streets in the hundreds of thousands over the last 15 years to change their government.
Which brings us to developing a strategy to deal with Iran. Iran is a weak and vulnerable nation despite its bravado and aggressiveness. It is happy to fight until the last drop of its Arab proxy blood. According to Mark Dubowitz and Orde Kittre, the U.S. should use the Reagan playbook that fostered the collapse of the Soviet Union. “Economic warfare…strengthening the pro-democracy forces in Iran…and an all-out offensive against the regime’s ideological legitimacy…[as it is] susceptible to collapse.”
This means enforcing our sanctions on the books that the Biden administration has ignored. We need to demand snapback sanctions in the U.N. Security Council under UNSCR 2231, which do not require Chinese or Russian assent. The ability to reinstate snapback sanctions ends in October 2025.
We need to institute and enforce secondary sanctions against nations who ignore primary sanctions, like America’s nemesis China, and end any waivers for Iraqi electricity payments of billions of dollars a year to Iran. Starving the regime will help create the conditions for the Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands.
Perhaps Elon Musk can give his Starlink system to dissidents so they can communicate and coordinate their opposition. Is this provocative? Not when you consider that Iranian-directed militias in Syria and Iraq have targeted our soldiers for years, leaving numerous deaths and traumatic brain injuries.
Importantly, this does not mean American boots on the ground. Iran’s Supreme Leader and his terrorist henchmen in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps should never get a nuclear weapon, but they are on the threshold of doing so. Iranians oriented toward peaceful coexistence can be trusted with safeguards for a civilian nuclear program, if they desire.
What does Iran’s current weaponization entail? It involves creating the uranium metals for an atomic warhead, developing the neutron initiators to ignite the bomb, and doing the computer modeling for it all to work. The bombs they are developing dwarf the power of those used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But time is short. Iran is on the cusp of an irreversible nuclear weaponization program, and America and Israel lack a joint strategy.
Eric R. Mandel is the director of the Middle East Political Information Network and senior security editor for the Jerusalem Post‘s Jerusalem Report.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Tehran holds its fire ...Israel preventively strikes Hezbollah missiles and launch sites in Lebanon
Clifford D. May/ The Washington Times/August 29/2024
For weeks, Israelis have been “bracing” themselves – as headline writers like to put it – for a new wave of attacks from Iran’s rulers. Following the July 31 assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a well-guarded government guesthouse in Tehran, the theocrats had threatened “severe” revenge.
As I write this, that dog hasn’t barked – or, more precisely, hasn’t bitten. Why not? We can only speculate. And I intend to.
First, let me remind you that Mr. Haniyeh’s demise did not happen in a vacuum (to coin a phrase).It was one untimely death among thousands resulting from a war his terrorist organization initiated with its invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and its barbarous pogrom.
Hamas leaders in Gaza then retreated into the subterranean fortress they had constructed with funds from the “international donor community,” leaving Gazan civilians to serve as their human shields and public relations pawns in neighborhoods above.
As for Hamas multimillionaire leaders in Qatar and Turkey, they continued dining in elegant restaurants. One possible explanation for Tehran’s restraint over recent weeks is that the Biden administration, to its credit, has strengthened the U.S. military posture in the region.
American forces are now on hand to prevent Iranian missiles and drones from reaching their intended victims, as they did on April 13 when more than 300 were fired at Israel.
Of course, American forces could do more. They could respond to additional acts of aggression by Iran’s rulers by destroying Iranian missile and drone factories, and the ports from which these weapons are being shipped to Houthis and Russians, not to mention the facilities in which Iran’s rulers are developing nuclear weapons.
Decision-makers in Tehran probably regard such responses as unlikely. But they may be plausible enough to cause concern.
When I say decision-makers, I really mean Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He may worry, too, that the Israelis have capabilities – kinetic, cyber, covert – that they are reluctant to use preemptively but might unleash in response to an attack.
Factor in that Mr. Khamenei knows his threats of escalation will impel the Americans to put additional pressure on Jerusalem to agree to additional concessions in the indirect, U.S.-mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Mr. Biden’s envoys recently came up with a “bridging proposal” – a compromise under which Israel would cease firing on terrorists and Hamas would release some of the hostages it is holding and torturing. Israel accepted the proposal. Hamas rejected it.
When I say Hamas, I really mean Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the Oct. 7 attacks. Following the funeral for Mr. Haniyeh, he was named the organization’s supreme leader – commander of both its “political” and “military” wings.
Why did Mr. Sinwar say no deal? Likely because his interests would be best served were Mr. Khamenei to widen the multifront and avowedly genocidal war against Israel.
Which brings us to what happened beginning around 5 AM local time Sunday. In response to intelligence indicating that Hezbollah was imminently preparing to fire from Lebanon as many as 6,000 long-range missiles at Tel Aviv and other targets, 100 Israeli fighter jets struck 40 Hezbollah missile launch sites.
Since the day following the Hamas invasion, Hezbollah has fired close to 8,000 rockets, missiles, and drones at Israeli communities, killing soldiers and civilians, burning towns, farms, and forests, and causing more than 80,000 Israelis to abandon their homes.
In retaliation, Israel has carried out precision strikes inside Lebanon, including, on July 30, killing the group’s senior military commander, Fuad Shukr.
Mr. Shukr, you should know, has long been wanted by the U.S. for his role in the killing of 241 American servicemen in the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut. Our State Department posted a $5 million bounty for information on his location.
Hezbollah still has thousands of missiles left, all emplaced in southern Lebanon in flagrant violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 which was intended to bring the Iranian proxy’s 2006 war with Israel to a halt.
Another all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel would undoubtedly cause significant death and damage in Israel. But it would almost certainly decimate Hezbollah, and destroy what is left of Lebanon, a formerly vibrant nation that has become a failing state since Hezbollah seized power.
Mr. Khamenei understands the importance of strategic patience. He demonstrated that in 2015, when he agreed to President Obama’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) because it gave him a patient pathway into the nuclear weapons club, along with tens of billions of dollars.
That same year, Mr. Khamenei spoke of 2040 as the date by which Israel is to be exterminated. To that end, he has been waging a war of attrition, death by a thousand cuts, most of those cuts made by Arabs whom he is only too happy to martyr in pursuit of his imperial ambitions. Mr. Sinwar is fine with that. He has said that Gazan civilians are “necessary sacrifices.” But would it surprise you if he’d rather not be among them?
Late last week, a senior Egyptian official told an Israeli reporter that Mr. Sinwar wants a guarantee that he won’t be assassinated. I don’t think Israeli leaders will make that promise. But I can imagine them giving Mr. Sinwar safe passage to another country, say Turkey (incongruously both a NATO member and Hamas/Muslim Brotherhood supporter), in exchange for the release of however many hostages have not yet been brutally murdered.
This may be a long shot, but nothing would be lost if Mr. Biden’s envoys were to suggest such a deal, conveying to Mr. Sinwar that it is the only way he will ever see light at the end of his tunnel.
**Clifford D. May is founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a columnist for the Washington Times.

Hamas Diplomacy: From Haniyeh to Sinwar
Aaron Y. Zelin/The Washington Institute/Aug 29, 2024
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/hamas-diplomacy-haniyeh-sinwar
The group has sought to build legitimacy and prepare for a postwar role in Gaza by engaging with various countries since October, but the death of Ismail Haniyeh will complicate those efforts.
After conducting the world’s largest terrorist attack since 9/11 and sparking a tragically destructive war in Gaza, Hamas has spent months conducting a diplomatic campaign to garner support and gain political cover on the world stage. These efforts increase the chances that the group will remain a key actor in the Palestinian arena after the war, potentially undermining Israel’s pledge to eradicate or at least defang it. Yet the recent assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh—who took part in nearly three-fourths of its diplomatic engagements during the war—will likely complicate its future charm offensives.
Open imageiconInfographic on Hamas diplomatic meetings during the Gaza war.
Who Is Meeting with Hamas?
Since the October 7 attack, Hamas has regularly promoted its diplomatic meetings with foreign officials, political parties, local NGOs, and other groups via its official Telegram channels and website. As of August 28, it had engaged in 128 such meetings either in person or via phone (or 134 if one includes each country’s presence at a multilateral engagement). Twenty-three countries were involved in these meetings, whether in the form of government officials, political parties, or nonstate actors that operate within their borders. In contrast, Hamas had only 37 diplomatic engagements in the year prior to the October 7 attacks, meaning it is on pace for a fivefold annual increase.
All of Hamas’ encounters served various purposes: congratulating Hamas for the October 7 attack, publicly supporting its claims, as well as calling for an end to Israel’s military campaign, greater humanitarian access to Gaza, and a ceasefire agreement. In other cases, Hamas appeared to avoid heavily publicizing certain engagements due to apparent political sensitivities—for example, when it opened a political office in Iraq in June or met with the Pakistani terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba in August.
Unsurprisingly, the meetings also show that Iran is the group’s biggest diplomatic backer, not just its main military patron. The Islamic Republic was the first country to congratulate Hamas on the October 7 attack and has steadfastly supported it via numerous phone conversations and in-person meetings in Tehran and Qatar. Among other issues, the two allies have discussed broad strategic matters and specific responses to Israel’s actions in Gaza and regionally.
Elsewhere, Qatar and Turkey have served as key venues for supporting Hamas diplomacy. Doha also provides a safe space for the group to meet with other Palestinian militants fighting Israel, most recently hosting talks between members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad on August 22. Egypt has played an important role in Hamas diplomacy as well—but as an intermediary in negotiations with Israel, not as an ally of the group.
In other countries, Hamas has often met with a range of actors, from elected officials and groups that have representation in the government to designated terrorist groups (in some cases, all of these labels apply). For example, meetings in Iraq and Lebanon have included the Badr Organization, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Kataib Hezbollah, Kataib al-Imam Ali, Lebanese Hezbollah, and the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood (notably, most of these groups are backed by Iran). In Jordan and Morocco, Hamas did not meet with royal officials, just members of local Muslim Brotherhood branches (which hold parliamentary seats). In Pakistan and Yemen, it only engaged with Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Houthis, respectively.
Beyond its traditional allies, Hamas has also engaged politicians and civil society actors in various parts of Africa to garner greater international support:
During a week-long diplomatic marathon in Algiers this February, Hamas described meeting with “thirty political parties and ten associations, and holding meetings with media outlets and Algerian notables.”
In Tunis, Hamas participated in group forums in January and May while meeting with political actors and unions across the spectrum, from leftists to Islamist factions like Ennahda.
In Mauritania, Hamas leader Khaled Mashal gave a speech at a November festival in support of the Palestinian cause.
In Nigeria, Hamas conducted a four-day visit in February that included meeting with political officials and religious actors to explain the situation in Gaza.
In South Africa, Hamas officials conducted multiple trips to Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, and Johannesburg, meeting with various political actors (e.g., the African National Congress), local NGOs, and religious figures. The aim of these visits was twofold: to share details on the Gaza war, and to link the group’s cause to South Africa’s experience under apartheid. In April, Haniyeh met with Nelson Mandela’s grandson—Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela, a convert to Islam—in Istanbul to further link their causes.
Notably, a large proportion of the group’s diplomatic meetings in recent years have been conducted by phone rather than in person (e.g., 40 percent during the war, 33 percent the previous year). Although the restrictions on travel to or from Gaza may partially explain this trend (especially during wartime), it also suggests that questions persist about the group’s legitimacy. Despite its claims to the contrary, Hamas is not the officially recognized leader of the Palestinian national movement; that role still belongs to Fatah via the Palestinian Authority. In contrast, another nationally focused jihadist actor—the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate—conducts most of its diplomacy in person and inside its territory, despite lacking formal UN recognition as the government of Afghanistan. The differences are clear: the Taliban controls all of Afghanistan, has a monopoly over national politics, and is not restricted by a de facto blockade on its territory.
Thus, even as Hamas measurably expands its diplomatic activity during the war, there remains a ceiling on how far this engagement can potentially go for now. Haniyeh’s death will likely lower this ceiling, and quite literally—his role as head of the Hamas Political Bureau has been taken over by military commander Yahya al-Sinwar, who continues to prosecute the war from bunkers and tunnels beneath Gaza.
Public Diplomacy
In addition to meetings abroad, Hamas has sought to sway public opinion about the October 7 attack in writing, most prominently with a January publication it titled “This Is Our Narrative: Why al-Aqsa Flood?” This document attempts to justify the group’s mass murder of civilians and underplay its involvement in rape and other war crimes. To make sure the message reached as large an audience as possible, Hamas promptly translated the document from Arabic to English, French, Farsi, Russian, Malay, Urdu, Chinese, Turkish, and Spanish.
The group has also attempted to situate itself as the sole voice on Palestine, in part by praising countries for taking actions it perceives as beneficial to the Palestinian cause. For example, Hamas has:
Thanked the African Union and Arab League for backing its struggle;
Thanked Armenia, the Bahamas, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, and Trinidad and Tobago for recognizing a Palestinian state post-October 7;
Praised Bolivia, Brazil, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, South Africa, and Turkey for breaking ties with Israel post-October 7;
Congratulated South Africa for opening a “genocide” case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and praised Egypt, Libya, Spain, and Turkey for subsequently joining the case.
After Haniyeh
In the months after the October 7 attack, Haniyeh took part in 73 percent of Hamas’s publicly announced diplomatic engagements. How will the group fill this gap now that he is gone? Of course, at least some Hamas engagements are likely conducted out of the public view, so Haniyeh’s outsize role may not represent the full picture. As noted above, however, naming Sinwar as his successor will necessarily complicate the group’s diplomatic activities—meeting with the commander in person will likely be impossible even if officials wanted to take that risk, and speaking with him by phone is likely difficult as well because it could reveal where he is hiding. Some diplomacy could plausibly be done via couriers, but that is no substitute for the in-person legitimacy that Haniyeh was seemingly helping Hamas rebuild with certain constituencies.
Policy Recommendations
The Biden administration can and should continue pushing for a Gaza ceasefire regardless of who is representing Hamas. Yet the group’s decision to situate its political and military power in one person could impede such efforts, making the war more likely to drag on.
Washington should also do more to curb the major increase in Hamas diplomatic engagement on the world stage—otherwise, the group could wind up being legitimized as the sole voice of Palestine despite starting a destructive war and losing much of its infrastructure in Gaza. For example, the State Department could exert far more pressure on U.S. allies and partners that host or meet with Hamas. If private conversations or official demarches do not have the desired effect, the administration may need to call these countries out publicly.
**Aaron Zelin is the Levy Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Could Hamas Be Exiled?
Jonathan Schanzer and Emily Bornstein/Commentary/August 28, 2024
https://www.commentary.org/jonathan-schanzer/could-hamas-be-exiled/
Israel has two objectives in Gaza, and they haven’t changed since 10/7. One is the destruction of Hamas. The other is the return of all the remaining hostages. Thus far, Israel has largely achieved its first objective. Hamas is losing the war. However, despite significant achievements on the battlefield, Israel has failed to achieve its second objective.
Israel’s leaders understand that it may be impossible to secure the release of the hostages without some kind of compromise. Hamas’s remaining leaders understand that, within the current dynamic, the group has little hope for survival. Amidst the frantic US efforts to secure a ceasefire, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has issued demands for a deal that would keep him alive, regardless of the other terms.
With a regional war looming and time running out for the hostages, the Israeli government and the Biden Administration might consider taking a page out of President Ronald Reagan’s playbook. Indeed, lessons can be gleaned from the 1982 ouster of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) forces from Beirut.
The parallels between the First Lebanon War and the current Gaza war are several. The Lebanon War in 1982 was triggered by high-profile PLO terrorist attacks out of Lebanon, much like the current war was triggered by the October 7 attack out of Gaza. Israeli forces invaded Lebanon with the stated goals of securing Israel’s border and defeating the terror group that had provoked a war. The same can be said about Israel’s goals in Gaza. Similar to what we have seen in Gaza, the Lebanon War resulted in significant casualties, as well as mass displacement of civilians. This contributed to a shift in public perception against Israel, which put pressure on the Jewish state to embrace alternatives to conflict. Today, Israel faces remarkably similar pressure.
Here’s what happened back in 1982: Amid international calls for a ceasefire, a deal was brokered under the direction of the Reagan administration. It allowed PLO forces, including chairman Yasser Arafat, and approximately 14,000 fighters, to leave Lebanon for Tunisia. While Israel did not totally eradicate the PLO, this compromise removed the PLO from Lebanon, secured the border, and ended the war.
The current dynamic presents a similar window for strategic compromise. If Israel continues to pursue the complete destruction of Hamas, it would be justified. However, the intense public pressure both from inside and outside Israel is likely going to continue, and the lives of the remaining hostages will continue to hang in the balance. The way out is a deal that would allow for the exile of the vestiges of Hamas to a distant country. Turkey, Algeria, and Malaysia are three countries that are likely amenable to hosting the group.
Since February, Israel has suggested a willingness to entertain such a compromise. And while there are undoubtedly downsides, such an arrangement might yield Israel the best shot at achieving its two war aims.
Exile of Hamas from Gaza will appeal to a wide range of actors involved in this conflict. For Israel, it would not only enable a deal that would return the hostages. It would allow for an end to the war in Gaza, which has taken a financial and societal toll on Israel after nearly eleven months of fighting. Ending the war would also allow the Israelis to begin to rebuild the country’s public image after a withering public relations war mounted by Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood, and other malign actors.
For the United States, this would also have great benefits. Ahead of the 2024 election, there is significant pressure on Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden Administration to end the hostilities in Gaza. A Reagan-style deal could minimize (though certainly not eliminate) the risk of a wider war with the Islamic Republic of Iran and its many foreign fighting forces. Indeed, the regime and its proxies have indicated a tentative willingness to stop their war if there is a ceasefire in Gaza. Economically, there is also a clear virtue to this approach. The Pentagon has dispatched significant military assets to the region on several occasions. And the cost of doing so is not small. Importantly, there are also eight American hostages that our government has an obligation to return home.
Finally, a deal would also be in the interest of Palestinians in Gaza, who are desperate for a ceasefire. After eleven months, the Gazans would finally have the opportunity to rebuild—and under a deradicalized government. The Sunni Arab world would also welcome this, and some of the Gulf states may be inclined to support Gaza’s reconstruction once Hamas is officially in exile.
Admittedly, a deal does not come without drawbacks. Hamas would continue to exist. The group would likely work overtime from abroad to stoke unrest in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and beyond. In other words, Israel’s fight against Hamas would continue. But this will likely be the case regardless.
There is also the risk of normalizing Hamas. That turned out to be the fatal flaw in the Reagan plan. In 1982, the PLO was widely viewed as a villainous organization. But after only nine years of exile in Tunisia, Arafat returned to Gaza in 1993 in triumph as part of the Oslo Accords. His PLO was made the backbone of the newly created Palestinian Authority. Despite his efforts to convince the world that he and his organization had turned a new leaf, the old terrorist returned to violence with the Second Intifada of 2000.
Israel and the United States should make it clear that Hamas will never have a future in Palestinian politics. Other countries should be called upon to support this, as well.
Finally, there is the question of Yahya Sinwar himself. Israel will almost certainly refuse to offer the architect of the October 7 attacks a lifeline. Sinwar may be able to negotiate a life sentence in an Israeli jail. While the Hamas leader may not love this idea, it’s a better alternative to the certain death that currently awaits him should he continue to try and fight Israel from within the tunnels of Gaza.
The Biden Administration’s repeated ceasefire initiatives have tanked, primarily because they lack creativity. Each failed proposal has closely resembled the previous ones. Taking a page out of the Gipper’s foreign policy playbook could be a chance to break that cycle.

Hindus in Bangladesh Facing Genocide?
Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/August 29, 2024
The protests that started against the former Bangladeshi government have since descended into rampant violence against the Hindu community.
" Jamaat-e-Islami has made a list of Hindu houses and businesses, and they are systematically targeting Hindus. I am also being told that JeI has blocked several roads with mobs walking around with guns. The network is also intermittently down and they are hardly able to contact each other. Essentially, the Hindus are boxed in a situation where they are not being allowed to communicate with each other and form groups to help each other. The situation, according to them is extremely dire. There is also news of at least 3 Hindu girls being abducted by the Muslims. There are probably far more..." — Nupur J Sharma, a journalist in Delhi, X, August 7, 2024.
"That Bangladesh has violently toppled a democratically elected government and is going in the direction of Afghanistan is not news anymore.... The victims have no one to turn to, as global organizations such as the United Nations sold their souls to their Islamic masters long ago.... Bangladesh has descended into a true Islamic abyss. There are mutilated, naked, dead bodies suspended from giant structures in full public view. Islamic apologists in India have done everything in their power to whitewash the Islamic onslaught on Hindus in Bangladesh.... Leftists dub the anarchy in Bangladesh as a victory of democracy...." — Ashlyn Davis, political analyst, jihadwatch.org, August 6, 2024.
Ironically, the land that is now called Bangladesh was majority-Hindu before its Islamization, which occurred after Islamic armies invaded and conquered the Indian subcontinent beginning in the eighth century. So was Pakistan.
"[T]here has been a long history of violence and repression against Hindus in Bangladesh including genocide of an estimated two million then East Pakistani citizens (mostly Hindu), the ethnic cleansing of 10 million ethnic Bengalis (mostly Hindus) who fled to India, and the rape of 200,000 women (also mostly Hindu) in camps set up for the sole purpose of raping and terrorizing." — The Hindu American Foundation.
Terrifying videos of riots, lynchings, and arsonists setting fire to houses and offices are being shared on social media platforms. Will the United Nations or anyone intervene and stop the atrocities? Or will the world once again see and ignore yet more crimes against humanity with no accountability for those Islamists who perpetrate them?
Hindus in Bangladesh are under attack. Islamists who have sabotaged the students' anti-government protests have been rioting and hunting down defenseless Hindus across the country since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee to India on August 5.
According to reports and social media posts from the region, Hindu homes have been burned, shops looted, and temples vandalized. Muslim mobs are wreaking havoc on the Hindu minority. Countless Hindus have been victimized by the rampaging Islamists.
A list of 54 attacks that targeted temples, homes and establishments that belong to the Hindu community in the country was released by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, also on August 5. According to the X account of Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus, these attacks happened within five hours.
Hundreds of people were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations that began as protests against job quotas and swelled into a movement demanding Hasina's ouster. The Bangladesh military is reportedly forming an interim government.
The protests that started against the former Bangladeshi government have since descended into rampant violence against the Hindu community.
Monindra Kumar Nath, senior joint general secretary of the Oikya Parishad, told the newspaper Daily Star:
"There are no areas or districts left where communal attacks have not taken place. We're continuously getting reports from different parts of the country about attacks on houses and business establishments ...
"They're crying, saying they are being beaten up, and their houses and businesses are being looted. What is our fault? Is it our fault that we are citizens of the country?"
Adding the Hindus in the country are fearing more attacks, Monindra asked, 'Where would we go if such attacks continue here? How can we console the members of the Hindu community?'"
Islamists "vandalized and set ablaze" the houses of the Hindus in Raujan Upazila of Chattragram district. They attacked and burned down a Hindu village, Jayganj. Many shops belonging to Hindus have also been reduced to ashes
A video depicting Islamists breaking new benchmarks for savagery and hatred towards Hindus has gone viral. An Indian news outlet reported:
"In the video, Islamists can be seen encircling a dead victim lying on the ground. There's a pool of blood beneath the deceased man's broken head, and his hands are bound in handcuffs. Many men are gathered around him. With the aid of a stick, one man, whose face cannot be seen in the video, strips the deceased person naked and checks the victim's private part for circumcision. Shouting 'Hindu, Hindu' over the corpse, the crowd hovering over the dead body laughs, realizing that the man is a Hindu because he is not circumcised."
More violent incidents can be seen on X handles such as Hindu Voice, Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus, and others.
Nupur J Sharma, a journalist based in Delhi, posted on X:
"I just spoke to Bangladeshi Hindus. Jamaat-e-Islami has made a list of Hindu houses and businesses, and they are systematically targeting Hindus. I am also being told that JeI has blocked several roads with mobs walking around with guns. The network is also intermittently down and they are hardly able to contact each other. Essentially, the Hindus are boxed in a situation where they are not being allowed to communicate with each other and form groups to help each other. The situation, according to them is extremely dire. There is also news of at least 3 Hindu girls being abducted by the Muslims. There are probably far more, however, the Hindus are not even being able to collate a list of the atrocities being committed because their movement is severely restricted, due to the mobs on the streets patrolling Hindus.
"The situation is likely to get much worse for Hindus in Bangladesh"
Political analyst Ashlyn Davis writes:
"That Bangladesh has violently toppled a democratically elected government and is going in the direction of Afghanistan is not news anymore. What started in a facade of a "student movement" has culminated in countrywide mayhem, arson, bloodbaths, and more. But that is not a shock, either. Anyone aware of the current power dynamics in the South Asian Islamic countries has seen this coming...
"The religious minority in Bangladesh is going through unimaginable suffering, and this could continue until the fanatical Muslim mob has finished off the last non-Muslim in Bangladesh. The victims have no one to turn to, as global organizations such as the United Nations sold their souls to their Islamic masters long ago."Bangladesh has descended into a true Islamic abyss. There are mutilated, naked, dead bodies suspended from giant structures in full public view. Islamic apologists in India have done everything in their power to whitewash the Islamic onslaught on Hindus in Bangladesh. Indian Muslims are eyeing a similar insurgency in India; they are not even discreet about it anymore. Leftists dub the anarchy in Bangladesh as a victory of democracy, a triumph of the students' movement, and a revolution of sorts. What students march into a former prime minister's residence and loot furniture, clothes, eatables, home appliances, plants, animals, and birds? What student loots the underwear of an older woman from her house and flashes it to his fellow students as a sign of victory? A jihadi does."
Islamists in Bangladesh have a long history of massacring Hindus and other non-Muslim minorities in Bangladesh. Hindus have suffered from the violence of Islamist groups, such as Jamaat-e-Islami, as well as political parties and wider Muslim society, since the country's founding in 1971.
The Pakistani army and its Islamist allies committed a 10-month campaign of genocide in 1971 against the Bengali and Hindu communities in Bangladesh, then East Pakistan.
Approximately 3 million people were killed and at least 200,000 women raped. Most of the victims were Hindus. The genocide ended when the Indian army intervened and defeated the Pakistani army. The war also led to the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
Jamaat-e-Islami participated in the 1971 genocide on the side of Pakistan. In 2016, Motiur Rahman Nizami, head of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was hanged after a Bangladeshi special tribunal sentenced him to death for genocide, rape and orchestrating the massacre of intellectuals during the genocide. Jamaat-e-Islami is now attacking Hindus in Bangladesh.
Hindus in the country have for decades been subject to summary executions, mob violence, rapes, desecrations of their temples, and other human rights abuses by Islamists.
Hence, since the partition of India in 1947, the Hindu population in Bangladesh (former East Pakistan) has drastically declined from 31% to 10% (less than 9% according to some estimates) today.
Hasina, who was forced out of her country, was friendly to Hindus, and tried to promote a peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Hindus -- a concept foreign to radical Islam. Now that she is gone from the country and the Islamist opposition is emboldened, Hindus are in even greater danger.
Ironically, the land that is now called Bangladesh was majority-Hindu before its Islamization, which occurred after Islamic armies invaded and conquered the Indian subcontinent beginning in the eighth century. So was Pakistan. Afghanistan also used to have a sizable Hindu population before Islamization.
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) notes:
"From rampant institutionalized and social discrimination, and widespread restrictions on religious freedom to bonded labor, kidnappings, forced conversions, rape, rampant violence, land grabs, and destruction of religious sites, religious minorities and ethnic minorities live as second-class citizens in these neighboring countries [Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan] with no improvement of conditions in sight. For those who were able to flee, India has been their only hope for freedom and survival...
"A bitter fact in today's Bangladesh is that the Hindu population is dying out...
"In light of systematic human rights violations and discrimination that has incrementally worsened, the Hindu population has been rapidly leaving Bangladesh at an alarming rate and more than that of any other time.
"Discrimination towards the Hindu community in Bangladesh is both visible and hidden. The state's bias in the Constitution and its reluctance to address human rights violations against minorities makes this discrimination evident. Moreover, there has been a long history of violence and repression against Hindus in Bangladesh including genocide of an estimated two million then East Pakistani citizens (mostly Hindu), the ethnic cleansing of 10 million ethnic Bengalis (mostly Hindus) who fled to India, and the rape of 200,000 women (also mostly Hindu) in camps set up for the sole purpose of raping and terrorizing. This infamous history consists of many barbaric episodes of violence over the years, including attacks on Bangladeshi Hindus in retaliation for the tearing down of the Babri Mosque in India in the 1990s, the 2001 post-election violence, and the vast appropriation of land under the Vested Property Act."
The indigenous Hindu population in Pakistan has also collapsed because of decades-long persecution.
At the time of the partition of India in 1947, the Hindu population in Pakistan (the area formerly comprising West Pakistan) was approximately 26%, but millions of Hindus and Sikhs fled violence and riots for the safety of India. Today, Hindus are less than 2%.
As Hindus in Bangladesh are under relentless, unprovoked attacks at the hands of Islamists, defenseless Hindus are facing a serious threat of genocide, as in 1971. Terrifying videos of riots, lynchings, and arsonists setting fire to houses and offices are being shared on social media platforms. Will the United Nations or anyone intervene and stop the atrocities? Or will the world once again see and ignore yet more crimes against humanity with no accountability for those Islamists who perpetrate them?
*Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
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Why Iran has not yet retaliated for Haniyeh’s death
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/August 29, 2024
Many analysts anticipated a swift and forceful reaction from Iran following last month’s assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran by Israeli forces. The expectation was that Iran would retaliate by launching a direct attack on Israel, but the situation appears to have taken a different turn, with a spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps last week stating that it would not take “hasty action.” So, what has changed? And what internal dynamics are influencing this restraint?
In the immediate aftermath of Haniyeh’s assassination, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued directives for Iran’s retaliation against Israel. This move seemed to align with the expectations of many, including Western officials, who early this month believed that a response was imminent. The US military was even put on high alert in preparation for a potential Iranian strike. On Aug. 4, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned that an Iranian attack on Israel could commence within 24 to 48 hours.
The global community, particularly those familiar with Iran’s previous actions, was on edge, anticipating an immediate and severe response. This expectation was partly rooted in Iran’s history, especially following the events of April 13. On that day, Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Israel, fulfilling its vow to retaliate for an Israeli airstrike on its consulate in Damascus on April 1, which resulted in the deaths of seven IRGC officers, including high-ranking commanders. Given that Iran had responded similarly before, and with Khamenei himself endorsing the retaliation, the world was braced for a swift escalation.
However, Iran’s initial rhetoric promising a quick strike might have been a heat-of-the-moment reaction and cooler heads may have prevailed as the political landscape evolved. Some speculate that diplomatic efforts from global leaders may have played a role in persuading Iran to delay or reconsider its response. Nevertheless, this restraint contrasts sharply with Iran’s actions in April, raising questions about a shift in Tehran’s strategy.
This restraint contrasts sharply with Iran’s actions in April, raising questions about a shift in Tehran’s strategy
Another theory, as suggested to Reuters by three senior Iranian officials, was that Tehran might have been holding off on its attack while a ceasefire agreement in Gaza appeared feasible. However, this strategy seems inconsistent with Iran’s actions in April, when no such considerations were made.
The change in Iran’s political calculus might be driven by the fear of falling into an Israeli trap. Tehran might perceive that Tel Aviv is attempting to provoke a direct conflict with Iran, bypassing its usual proxy battles. Such a conflict could easily draw in the US, which would likely side with Israel, tilting the military balance decisively against Iran. This scenario presents a significant risk for Tehran, which might explain its hesitation to engage directly.
In addition, the current geopolitical environment differs from that of April. Back then, the Biden administration exerted considerable pressure on Israel to avoid escalating the conflict after Iran’s attack. This time, however, there has been an absence of such diplomatic pressure. Furthermore, President Joe Biden’s recent decision not to seek reelection and instead endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his potential successor may have altered the political dynamics, potentially emboldening Israel and influencing Iran’s decision-making. Furthermore, the Iranian government is likely taking a hard look at the implications of engaging in an all-out war with Israel — a scenario that offers a multitude of serious challenges. On the domestic front, Iran is grappling with significant economic difficulties that have left the country in a vulnerable state. A prolonged military conflict with Israel would only exacerbate these economic woes, stretching Iran’s already limited resources even thinner and potentially leading to widespread financial instability. The government is also well aware that such economic strain could further inflame public dissatisfaction and unrest.
The Iranian government is likely taking a hard look at the implications of engaging in an all-out war with Israel
Adding to these challenges is the notable decline in public support for the government, as seen in the low turnout in the recent presidential and parliamentary elections. This low engagement reflects a growing disenchantment among the Iranian populace, who are increasingly frustrated with the government’s inability to address domestic problems, including economic hardship, unemployment and sociopolitical issues. The leadership in Tehran understands that entering into a war with Israel, especially under these circumstances, could push public discontent to breaking point.
From a military perspective, Iran is acutely aware of the significant power imbalance it would face in a direct conflict with Israel, particularly if the US were to become involved. Despite Iran’s substantial investments in its military and its development of proxy forces throughout the region, the combined military capabilities of Israel and the US are far superior.
The assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran was a significant blow to the Iranian government, both in terms of prestige and perceived security. For the Iranian leadership, especially the supreme leader, failing to follow through on threats of retaliation could be seen as a sign of weakness, further damaging the regime’s credibility. Thus, Iran finds itself in a position where it must justify its inaction, despite its earlier promises of swift revenge.
Nevertheless, it is likely to keep the option of retaliation on the table as a strategic leverage point. By maintaining the threat of future attacks, Iran can keep Israel and its allies on edge, using the possibility of escalation as a bargaining chip to advance its broader geopolitical objectives.
In conclusion, Iran’s decision to refrain from launching an immediate and direct attack on Israel appears to be the result of complex political calculations aimed at avoiding a potentially catastrophic conflict that could involve the US and threaten the Tehran regime’s hold on power. However, the ongoing threat of retaliation remains a key element of Iran’s strategy, serving as a tool for maintaining pressure on Israel and securing its demands in the regional and international arenas.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian American political scientist. X: @Dr_Rafizadeh