Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 05-06/2024
Hamas briefs Hezbollah on proposal for ceasefire, Hezbollah welcomes step, sources say
Hezbollah's warning: Unprecedented rocket attack on Israeli targets in response to assassinations
Renewal Bloc calls for urgent measures to protect Lebanon from Israeli war threat: Statement
Calm after the storm: Clashes level off after violent days on Lebanon-Israel border
Geagea is against Hezbollah but says in case of war he'd be on Lebanon's side
Qassem: No war on Lebanon in near future
Cost of Living: Lebanon Ranks 6th Among Arab Countries
Israeli Attack Injures One Person in Markaba
South Lebanon: Civilians Injured in Yohmor
Brief notice on the elections in the United Kingdom
Dr Fares Souaid is an authentic Lebanese patriot
Iran’s Foreign Minister Threatens Israel With ‘Hell’ if War with Hezbollah Escalates
Amid International Calls for Peace, Lebanon’s Christians Gird for Potential Israeli Invasion/Joe Bukuras/National Catholic Register/July 5, 2024

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 05-06/2024
Pope Excommunicates Trump-Loving Ultra-Conservative
Israeli team led by spy chief Barnea meets Qatari mediators on Gaza deal
Seven killed in Israeli West Bank raid: Palestinian health ministry
Doha negotiations: Israeli Cabinet faces internal strife over Gaza strategy
Hamas official says expects quick Israeli response to ceasefire ‘ideas’
Fuel shortages ‘catastrophic’ for devastated health services in Gaza: WHO
Israel unblocks some frozen funds for Palestinian Authority
Released Gaza detainees allege torture by Israel amid war
ICC prosecutor opted for warrants over visit to Gaza
Saudi FM calls for sanctions on Israeli officials amid Gaza war
A look at how settlements have grown in the West Bank over the years
Saudi crown prince, world leaders react to Labour’s sweeping victory in UK election
Iran holds runoff presidential vote pitting hard-liner against reformist after record low turnout
Close adviser of Syrian president dies after car crash: Presidency
IS jihadists kill eight in Syria desert

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on July 05-06/2024
Egypt ‘Intensifying Preaching Activities’ in Thousands of Newly Built Mosques/Raymond Ibrahim/Coptic Solidarity/July 05, 2024
Diagnosing the strengths and ills of AI in healthcare/Abeer Alamrani/Arab News/July 05, 2024
Reconciling the fossil fuel industry with climate goals/Rodrigo Tavares/Arab News/July 05, 2024
UK: Keir Starmer Elected Prime Minister, Conservatives Crushed/Ali A. Hamadé/This Is Beirut/July 05/2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 05-06/2024
Hamas briefs Hezbollah on proposal for ceasefire, Hezbollah welcomes step, sources say
Laila Bassam/BEIRUT (Reuters)/July 5, 2024
The Palestinian militant group Hamas informed its ally Hezbollah it had agreed to a proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the leader of the powerful Lebanese group welcomed the step, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.
A Hamas delegation headed by the group's deputy leader Khalil Al-Hayya briefed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah about the latest developments at a meeting in Beirut, the sources said. Iran-backed Hezbollah said in a statement earlier that Nasrallah and Hayya had discussed the latest developments in negotiations aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah and Israel have been trading fire for nearly nine months in hostilities that have played out in parallel to the Gaza conflict, raising fears of an all-out war between the heavily armed adversaries.Hezbollah has said its campaign of rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel has aimed to support Palestinians under Israeli bombardment in Gaza. One of the sources, a Hezbollah official, told Reuters that the group would cease fire as soon as any Gaza ceasefire agreement takes effect, echoing previous statements from the group. "If there is a Gaza agreement, then from zero hour there will be a ceasefire in Lebanon," the official said. The Hezbollah statement said Nasrallah received Hamas deputy chief Hayya for the meeting, which reviewed "the latest security and political developments" in the Gaza Strip. "They also discussed the latest developments in the ongoing negotiations these days, their atmosphere, and the proposals presented to reach an end to the treacherous aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip," the statement said. A senior U.S. administration official said on Thursday that Hamas had made a pretty significant adjustment in its position over a potential hostage release deal with Israel, expressing hope that it would lead to a pact that would be a step to a permanent ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday he would send a delegation to resume negotiations, and an Israeli official said his country's team would be led by the head of the Mossad intelligence agency.

Hezbollah's warning: Unprecedented rocket attack on Israeli targets in response to assassinations
LBCC/July 05/2024
In a dramatic escalation ahead of its tenth month of war, Hezbollah unleashed its fiercest rocket barrage yet since October 2023. The attack, a response to the Israeli assassination of Mohammad Nehme Nasser, Aziz Unit commander and a senior field leader in the south, saw approximately 250 rockets and 20 drones simultaneously launched from various points. Targets included military barracks, command headquarters, and military and intelligence bases. Rockets and drones struck Israeli bases from the occupied Shebaa Farms to the western shores near Tiberias, reaching an unprecedented depth of 35 kilometers.
Hezbollah acknowledges Nasser was at risk but justifies its forceful response as a deterrent against Israel's policy of targeted killings, warning of stronger reprisals with each assassination. The retaliation for Nasser's assassination was notably more severe than previous responses, including that for the killing of Hezbollah's Nasr Unit commander, Talib Abdallah. The nature of Hezbollah's retaliation resonated deeply within Israel, prompting fears of Hezbollah's capability to dominate the Galilee region from the farms to the sea. Informed sources underlined that the July 4th assault foreshadowed a scenario much smaller than what could unfold in a full-scale war. The political message was clear: a warning against war or even limited engagements, as such operations may start predictably but end unpredictably. The intensity and scale of Thursday's attack were intended as a deterrent, akin to the dissemination of detailed "Hudhud" video picturing Haifa, meticulously recorded during Hezbollah's drone flights, without launching an actual attack. These scenarios and assaults serve as reminders that Hezbollah holds many cards yet to be played. Despite their reluctance to war, they do not shy away from engagement under controlled conditions.

Renewal Bloc calls for urgent measures to protect Lebanon from Israeli war threat: Statement
LBCI/July 05/2024
In a statement, the Renewal Bloc urged the need to protect Lebanon from the risk of an Israeli war, considering that avoiding the dangers of war is still possible through the implementation of international decisions, primarily Resolution 1701, which must be fully and equally enforced, along with other resolutions ensuring the restoration of the country's sovereignty. As emphasized by opposition forces, this requires the exclusive deployment of the army along Lebanese borders, with Syria, and along the Blue Line, tasking it with protecting Lebanon and maintaining stability, the bloc affirmed. The Renewal Bloc's statement emphasized that their proposals safeguard Lebanese interests, restore Lebanon's decision-making and sovereignty, and prevent its destruction by avoiding its use as a "bargaining chip" in international and regional negotiations. It also enhances its unity and ability to support various causes, foremost among them the Palestinian cause. The bloc commended the ongoing international and Arab initiatives to shield Lebanon from conflict, viewing the Quintet Committee's efforts to elect a president as a sincere demonstration of the commitment to resolve Lebanon's crisis. The Renewal Bloc also hoped the Quintet Committee to "exercise their diplomatic capabilities to help break the presidential deadlock and restore the constitutional process through the formation of a reform and rescue government." The bloc addressed "the group obstructing presidential elections and the country," warning that their continuous obstructions are causing significant national and economic damage to Lebanon, which will be hard to repair.

Calm after the storm: Clashes level off after violent days on Lebanon-Israel border
Associated Press/July 05/2024
Hezbollah targeted Friday several Israeli posts while the Israeli army bombed several towns in south Lebanon. Israeli artillery shelled the outskirts of al-Hebbarieh and Rashaya al-Fokhar and warplanes raided the southern border town of Markaba injuring one person and the al-Rihan mountain in Iqlim al-Tuffah far away from the border. Hezbollah said it attacked the Ramtha and al-Semmaqa posts in the occupied Kfarshouba hills and the Ramia post in northern Israel. Israeli warplanes had struck overnight the outskirts of Tayr Harfa. Hezbollah on Thursday launched over 200 rockets at several military bases in Israel and the Golan Heights in retaliation for a strike that killed one of its senior commanders. The attack, one of the largest in the monthslong conflict along the Lebanon-Israel border, killed an Israeli soldier. Hashem Safieddine, head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, vowed that the group will continue its retaliatory attacks, “targeting new sites they never imagined would be hit.”“The enemy sometimes acknowledges these hits and sometimes does not, but it is certain that there have been many casualties,” he said at the commander's funeral. The U.S. and France are continuing to scramble to prevent the skirmishes from spiraling into an all-out war, which they fear could spillover across the region. Washington in its shuttle diplomatic efforts initially hoped for calm along the Lebanon-Israel border in a deal that is not linked to the war in Gaza. However, since the U.S. has called for Hamas to agree to a cease-fire proposal presented by President Joe Biden, it has said that an end to the war in Gaza would lead to calm in Lebanon and northern Israel as well. The relatively low-level conflict erupted shortly after the outbreak of the war in Gaza. Hezbollah says it is striking Israel in solidarity with Gaza. The group's leadership says it will stop its attacks once there is a cease-fire in Gaza, and that while it does not want war, it is ready for one. Israeli officials, meanwhile, say they could decide to go to war in Lebanon if efforts for a diplomatic solution fail. The fighting has displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border. In northern Israel, 16 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed. In Lebanon, more than 450 people — mostly fighters but also dozens of civilians — have been killed. Israel sees Hezbollah as its most direct threat and estimates that it has an arsenal of 150,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided missiles. In 2006, Israel and Hezbollah fought a monthlong war that ended in a draw.

Geagea is against Hezbollah but says in case of war he'd be on Lebanon's side
Naharnet/July 05/2024 
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has again criticized Hezbollah for starting a war with Israel, at the expense of the Lebanese. "There are 22 Arab states, why is Lebanon alone paying the price of what is happening in the region," Geagea asked in a televised interview on Thursday evening, adding that Hezbollah is hijacking the state's decisions. "Hezbollah is in Lebanon but its heart is with Iran," Geagea charged. The LF leader also criticized caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. "If I were in his place, I wouldn't have accepted this task," he said, adding that Mikati behaves according to his cabinet's mood and that Hezbollah, its allies, and the FPM are the main players in the cabinet. Geagea said his party will present a petition to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri urging him to call for a parliamentary session over the clashes in south Lebanon. But despite his opposition to Hezbollah's unilateral decision, Geagea said he'd support Lebanon, in the event of war."In the event of a full-scale war, we will definitely be on Lebanon's side.”

Qassem: No war on Lebanon in near future
Naharnet/July 05/2024 
Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem has reassured that there will be no broad Israeli war on Lebanon in the near future.“The possibilities of expanding the war are absent in the near future,” Qassem said in an interview with Russia’s Sputnik radio station.“But Hezbollah is prepared for the worst scenarios and it does not build its military stance on political analyses but rather on information and the outcome of the battlefield,” Qassem added. Domestically, Hezbollah’s number two said that some in Lebanon are “dreaming of a war aimed at annoying or weakening Hezbollah.”“I believe that they will see annoying dreams, because reality is not affected by their visions and they don’t have any impact on the ground. There is a strong resistance that is confronting the Israeli enemy, it will triumph and they will be more annoyed,” Qassem went on to say.

Cost of Living: Lebanon Ranks 6th Among Arab Countries
This Is Beirut/July 05/2024
Lebanon has risen to 54th place globally and 6th among Arab countries in the mid-2024 global cost of living index, with a value of 41.78. In the report related to the global cost of living index, published by the statistics site Numbeo, 121 countries are ranked in comparison to figures from the United States. Four other indicators are also published, namely the rent price index, the groceries index, the restaurant price index, and the local purchasing power index in these countries. At the regional level, the United Arab Emirates is considered the most expensive Arab country, ranking 27th globally, followed by Bahrain, 34th globally, and then Qatar, 37th globally. Statistics indicate that Switzerland is the most expensive country in the world, with a cost of living index of 101.1.

Israeli Attack Injures One Person in Markaba
This Is Beirut/July 05/2024
Caution prevails on the southern border on Friday after the intensive clashes of the day before. In the latest developments, Israeli drone strikes targeted the outskirts of the town of Markaba before noon on Friday, injuring one person, according to primary reports.Israeli artillery shelling was also recorded on the outskirts of Hebbariyeh and Rachaya al-Foukhar in the Hasbaya district. During the night on Thursday, Israeli warplanes raided the outskirts of Tayr Harfa, causing extensive damage to property and infrastructure. Israeli warplanes also destroyed a residence in Jebbayn and targeted the area between Hebbariyeh, Kfar Hammam and Kfarchouba. Warplanes and MK reconnaissance aircraft continuously flew over the regions of Hasbaya, Shebaa Farms and Rashaya al-Wadi area in the Bekaa Valley until the early morning hours. The Israeli Army also announced that they were “carrying out strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.” For its part, Hezbollah announced that it targeted multiple Israeli positions in the upper Galilee settlements, including Metula and Misgav.

South Lebanon: Civilians Injured in Yohmor
This Is Beirut/July 05/2024
Incendiary and phosphorus shells struck the town of Yohmor for the first time on Friday, heading towards Qalaat Chaqif in South Lebanon. These bombs landed between houses in the area, injuring several civilians. The strikes also caused material damage and shattered the windows of many houses in various neighborhoods. Additional phosphorus bombings targeted the vicinity of the Lebanese army barracks in Nabatiyeh al-Faouqa, severely damaging a house but causing no injuries. The outskirts of Kfar Tibnit, a village about four kilometers southeast of Nabatiyeh, were also bombed with phosphorus. This led to fires in the forests of Ali al-Tahir, around the army barracks, and in the wheat fields in the Deir neighborhood. Civil Defense teams from the pro-Hezbollah Islamic Health Mission were dispatched to the sites and managed to extinguish the flames. Cases of panic and tension among the population were also reported. Scout teams from Imam al-Mahdi, who were camping in the same area, reported no casualties when shells fell nearby.
Continued Operations
On Friday evening, Israeli artillery bombed Ain al-Zarqa, the surroundings of Alma al-Shaab, Taybeh, and Naqoura. Earlier, Israeli warplanes conducted an airstrike on the heights of Ksarat al-Arouch in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area. The Israeli army also carried out a raid on Jabal al-Rafi’a in Jabal al-Rayhan in the Jezzine region, targeting the locality of Balat in the Marjayoun district. Israeli warplanes also attacked the outskirts of the town of Tayr Harfa, causing significant damage to houses and infrastructure. In the vicinity of the village of Markaba, subjected to Israeli air attacks on Friday morning, a rescuer was injured as the Israeli bombardments continued against South Lebanon’s border areas.
Naim Kassem: No “Expansion” of War in Lebanon “In the Short Term”
The deputy leader of Hezbollah, Naim Kassem, stated on Friday that there “will not be an expansion of the war in Lebanon in the near future.” In an interview with the Russian media Sputnik, he said that “it is not currently on the agenda in the short term, but Hezbollah is prepared for the worst-case scenario,” according to the Lebanese news agencies Al-Markazia and the National News Agency. Hezbollah claimed in a series of statements that it had targeted several Israeli positions, including Samaqa, Ramtha in the Kfarchouba hills, and the Shlomi settlement. The pro-Iranian party also fired artillery shells at the Israeli site of Ramya, located opposite the Lebanese village of Ramyeh in the Bint Jbeil district. Meanwhile, the Israeli army announced “strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.” There was no breaking of the sound barrier in Lebanese airspace on Friday, according to the An-Nahar newspaper.

Brief notice on the elections in the United Kingdom
Charles Elias Chartouni/July 05/2024
Keir Starmer brought back the antisemitic and extremist labor party under Jeremy Corbyn to the center to tentatively deal with the huge economic problems of the UK. Just the opposite of the enraged leftism and extreme antisemitic Wokism of Jean Luc Melénchon and the LFI. Both Corbyn and Mélenchon are extremists and antisemitic with one difference: the first is an archaic Bolshevik fanatic rabble rouser and Mélenchon is a motherfucker cheap demagogue. The approach to the Brexit issues, migration and economic governance are totally different. The philosophy of British labor has nothing to do with Marxism and the leftism of LFI has nothing to do with Proudhon and St. Simon, it’s Bolshevism at its best: ideological terrorism and political nihilism. Anyhow, it’s far away from Lebanon…. Let’s be for one time at a remove from the typical Lebanese navel gazing (Nombrilisme).

Dr Fares Souaid is an authentic Lebanese patriot
Antoine Courban/July 05/2024
Dr Fares Souaid is an authentic Lebanese patriot who doesn't accept that his country being kidnapped by Teheran's Mullahs. Dr Souaid is being threatened and anathematized as a traitor and as a Zionist agent. On the other hand, his Christian colleagues condemn him a a Dhimmi because he remains faithful to the model of Lebanon's living-together. They would like to enclose themselves in a ghetto and not in a free open-minded liberal country

Iran’s Foreign Minister Threatens Israel With ‘Hell’ if War with Hezbollah Escalates
FDD/July 05/2024
Latest Developments
Iran’s acting foreign minister threatened Israel with “a hell of no return” in Lebanon if the current conflict with its Hezbollah proxy escalates into an “all-out war,” Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported on July 3. “In Lebanon, the resistance has played a role as a vigorous actor that created deterrence both in the international field and in the field of diplomacy,” Ali Bagheri Kani said, referring to Hezbollah. Lebanon will be “definitely a hell with no return for the Zionists” in the event of a new war, he added. Speaking to reporters, Bagheri Kani praised Hezbollah for having played “a key role in the war equation that has created a deterrent power in the region.”
Expert Analysis
“Iran is marshaling resources and levying threats to prevent the destruction of the crown jewel of its proxy forces — Lebanese Hezbollah — from being actualized in the event of a new Lebanon war. Tehran’s unprecedented April 13 attack on Israel is underwriting the confident position from which these threats are coming. As with all terrorists, the prospect of greater conflict and chaos is being used to achieve political ends.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD Senior Fellow
“Iran is seeking to deter Israel from attacking Hezbollah by threatening Israel with a wider war in the region and boasting about Hezbollah’s capabilities. For Iran, Hezbollah is its foremost proxy in the region, in which it has invested heavily throughout the last decades. Iran views Hezbollah as such a valuable asset that it wants to prevent Hezbollah from suffering a setback in any escalation after Hezbollah carried out more than 5,000 attacks on Israel.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow
Increasing Iranian Focus on Lebanon and Proxy War on Israel
Bagheri Kani’s comments follow escalating attacks by Hezbollah on northern Israel. On July 3, following the elimination of the commander of Hezbollah’s Aziz Unit, Muhammad Nimah, in an Israeli strike on the city of Tyre, the Iran-backed terrorist proxy fired several rockets at Kiryat Shmona and other areas in the Galilee panhandle as well as at the northern Golan Heights.

Amid International Calls for Peace, Lebanon’s Christians Gird for Potential Israeli Invasion
Joe Bukuras/National Catholic Register/July 5, 2024
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Béchara Raï stated in a recent homily that the Lebanese faithful feel that their government has abandoned them.
Governments across the world are warning their citizens to evacuate Lebanon immediately in anticipation for what could be a major armed conflict on the country’s shared border with Israel.  Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite Muslim terrorist group, have been trading missile strikes along the border since last October, following the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.  More than 400 Lebanese have died from the conflict, and approximately 100,000 civilians have been displaced on both the Lebanese and Israeli sides. Hundreds of homes on both sides been damaged. St. George Catholic Church in Yaroun, Lebanon, was reportedly hit by a missile last November and took on severe damage.
The Israeli military said June 18 that plans for an “attack” on Lebanon were approved and that “decisions were made to continue accelerating the readiness of the forces in the field.” On June 21, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called for peace, stressing, “The people of the region and the people of the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.” “One rash move — one miscalculation — could trigger a catastrophe that goes far beyond the border and, frankly, beyond imagination,” he said.
At the conclusion of the Synod of Maronite Bishops in Lebanon on June 15, the prelates strongly condemned “what the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and southern Lebanon have been exposed to for more than eight months, in terms of killing, destruction and abuse affecting civilians, children and women before anyone else.”
The Eastern Catholic Maronites are the largest Christian denomination in Lebanon. 
The bishops called on “people of conscience in the world” to push for a “final cease-fire” so that a two-state solution may be instituted based on U.N. Security Council Resolution 181. That resolution also calls for Jerusalem to be overseen by a “Special International Regime” administered by the United Nations. 
‘Destruction for Lebanon’ The last time Israel invaded Lebanon was in 2006, during a 34-day military conflict that was set off by the kidnapping and killing of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah. According to the website “How Does Law Protect in War?,” more than 1,000 Lebanese died and thousands more injured in that conflict. Almost 1 million fled from their homes, tens of thousands of which were destroyed, and many who died were children. On the Israeli side, 43 civilians were killed, almost 1,000 injured, 300,000 were displaced, and 6,000 homes were affected, according to the international law organization. Israel and certain forces within Lebanon, acting independently of the state, have long been at odds, which has led to several violent conflicts, including a 22-year Israeli occupation of Lebanon from 1978 to 2000. However, the conflict has never been with a nominally Christian group inside Lebanon. Christians in the country don’t want another war, according to Charbel Bou Maroun, president of the Lebanese think tank Mechriq Center for Research and Studies, which works closely with the Catholic Church.
“War will mean destruction for Lebanon,” Bou Maroun told the Register June 28. 
The polling organization Statistics Lebanon reports that 70% of the country is Muslim and 30% Christian, reflecting statistics from the U.S. State Department. Maronites make up about half of all Christians, and Greek Orthodox make up 25%, while several other Catholic rites and Protestant denominations make up the rest, according to the polling group. The country’s constitution says that the president must be Maronite, the prime minister must be Sunni Muslim, and the National Assembly president must be a Shiite Muslim. The nation has been unable to elect a president since late 2022, adding to the country’s turmoil.
Bou Maroun, 38, of Beirut, called Lebanon’s current situation a “failed state,” citing the dire financial crisis, which would only be exacerbated by a war. The country has been in an economic disaster since 2019, with the inflation rate more than 200% and many citizens losing all their savings and being turned away by the local banks.  The World Bank called the financial collapse “the most devastating, multi-pronged crisis in its modern history.” That collapse was only worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the tragic Beirut explosion that devastated the city and killed more than 200 people in 2020.  Nongovernmental organizations and charitable groups have been helping to keep the country afloat, while its government is in disarray. Many families are relying on relatives outside the country to send money in order to meet their needs. “The situation in Lebanon is becoming worse and worse. So any war will cause us more damage. It will cause us more troubles,” he said. “Christians are against the war. They don’t want war. Hezbollah imposed the war. We didn’t want it.”
Bishops Want Peace
In January, the country’s Maronite bishops called on the international community to help implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006), which calls for peace between Israel and Lebanon and certain “security arrangements” to avoid the resumption of fighting. Part of the resolution’s security arrangements include a demilitarized area between the two countries, with an exception for official forces of the Lebanese government and the United Nations. The resolution also reiterates calls for all Lebanese militias, including Hezbollah, to disarm, as outlined in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559.
Hezbollah remains armed, and it has said that it will not stop attacking Israel until Israel agrees to a cease-fire in Gaza. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported in December that about 90% of those living in southern Lebanon’s Christian villages fled their homes amid the rocket strikes between Israel and Hezbollah.  However, in the 10 Maronite Catholic parishes near the Israeli border, 70% of parishioners who left have returned, citing a shortage of funds and an inability to be accommodated by family in the north, ACN reported in June. Toni Nissi, president of the committee for the U.N. Security Council resolutions for Lebanon, told the Register June 28 that he has a second home in the Maronite border village of Rmaych, where much of his family lives, and added, “The quality of life is very bad.” “We don’t have people who have been killed yet,” he said, citing no casualties in Rmaych currently, adding, “But it doesn’t mean that we are not in the middle of the war. We are in the middle of the war.”
Nissi, who has been lobbying government agencies to support Rmaych, has spent most of his time in his main residence in Beirut, but said that explosions are constantly heard by the residents in Rmaych.  Last year, Hezbollah attempted to build infrastructure inside Rmaych, but was forced out by the people in the village, Nissi said, which was close to being a “bloody engagement.” Since Oct. 8, Hezbollah has used the outskirts of Rmaych to fire at Israel, but Israel has not responded, he said.  In December, Xavier Stephen Bisits from Aid to the Church in Need said that “all priests and religious” have stayed in the border villages amid the conflict to minister to the people. He added that the Maronite Archeparch Charbel Abdallah of Tyre came to celebrate Mass in Rmaych “under the threat of bombs.”  Nissi said, as of July, priests and religious still remain in their villages serving the people. And for the churches in Rmaych, its business as usual, with the local St. George Maronite Church still offering daily Mass. Sunday liturgies are offered four times each week between the church and the village cathedral, the Church of Transfiguration, he said. “Rmaych is saying publicly that they are against the war, they don’t want the war, and they are sending a message of peace everywhere by the activities they are doing inside the village,” Nissi said.
Cardinal Raï: ‘It Must Be Stopped’
Earlier this year, Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Béchara Raï expressed frustration in a homily with the situation in southern Lebanon. “The people of the border villages in the south express to us their pain at the state’s abandonment of them and of its duties and responsibilities towards them,” Cardinal Raï said Jan. 28, according to The Jerusalem Post.  “They, both old and young, are living through the brunt of the war imposed on them and rejected by them, as they consider that Lebanon and the Lebanese have nothing to do with it,” he said. “[Southern residents] add, ‘Allow me to say it loud and clear — not as an abandonment of national or Arab issues, but rather out of my honesty with myself — I refuse to make myself and my family members hostages, human shields and sacrificial lambs for failed Lebanese policies, and for the culture of death that has brought nothing but imaginary victories and shameful defeats to our country.’” The outlet also reported that Cardinal Raï spoke against the possible expansion of the Israel Gaza war into Lebanon in December. “It must be stopped, and the Lebanese people, their homes and their livelihoods must be protected, as they have not yet emerged from the disastrous results of the Lebanese war,” he said. “We demand the removal of any rocket launcher planted between homes in southern towns that would require a devastating Israeli response.”
**Joe Bukuras Joseph Bukuras is a freelance writer and law student. He is a former journalist for Catholic News Agency.
https://www.ncregister.com/news/christians-in-lebanon-israeli-invasion

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 05-06/2024
Pope Excommunicates Trump-Loving Ultra-Conservative
Dan Ladden-Hall/The Daily Beast./July 5, 2024
The Vatican on Friday informed a Donald Trump-supporting archbishop that he is being excommunicated for refusing to recognize Pope Francis' authority after years of outspoken public attacks. Carlo Maria Vigano, an ultra-conservative who served as the Vatican’s diplomat to Washington, D.C. between 2011 and 2016, was formally accused last month of schism, which is one of the most serious offenses in canon law. Schism is “the refusal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him,” according to the Vatican.
“His public statements manifesting his refusal to recognize and submit to the Supreme Pontiff, his rejection of communion with the members of the Church subject to him, and of the legitimacy and magisterial authority of the Second Vatican Council are well known,” the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith said in a press release confirming that Vigano was found guilty and excommunicated. Vigano said in a lengthy statement last month that he considered it “an honor” to be accused. “On the day on which I was supposed to present myself to defend myself before the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith, I have decided to make public this declaration of mine, to which I add a denunciation of my accusers, their ‘council,’ and their ‘pope,’” he wrote. He also attacked Francis’ church for being “inclusive, immigrationist, eco-sustainable, and gay-friendly.” Expelling the cardinal is likely to increase tensions between Francis and conservative American Catholics, a group he as described as having “a very, strong, organized, reactionary attitude,” and whom he accused in 2023 of replacing faith with “ideologies.”Vigano has been increasingly hostile to Francis since making the explosive allegation in 2018 that the pope had known for years about claims of sexual misconduct against U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, but had “continued to cover” for him. Vigano called for Francis to resign, later accusing the pope of being a “servant of Satan.”Francis authorized an investigation into what was known about McCarrick’s behavior, with a report released in 2020 finding that many church officials including, Pope John Paul II, had been aware of the allegations against him. The report was also critical of Vigano for failing to look into new allegations against McCarrick and not enforcing Vatican restrictions on him when ordered to do so, according to the Associated Press.Vigano thereafter made increasingly baroque attacks on Francis while also drifting into conspiracy theories, backing bogus claims about COVID vaccines and making proclamations about the evils of the “deep state.” This week, he shared an X post from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in which the MAGA congresswoman asserted: “The Covid vaccines are killing people.”He’s also won the praise of Donald Trump. In 2020, Vigano wrote a letter to the then-president in which he linked COVID restrictions and Black Lives Matter protests as the work of “the children of darkness.” “It is quite clear that the use of street protests is instrumental to the purposes of those who would like to see someone elected in the upcoming presidential elections who embodies the goals of the deep state,” Vigano wrote. “So honored by Archbishop Vigano’s incredible letter to me,” Trump wrote in a tweet sharing a link to the crazed prose. “I hope everyone, religious or not, reads it!”

Israeli team led by spy chief Barnea meets Qatari mediators on Gaza deal
AFP/July 05, 2024
JERUSALEM: Israel’s spy chief held talks with Qatari mediators on Friday in the latest effort for a truce and hostage release deal for Gaza, almost nine months into the Israel-Hamas war. A source with knowledge of the negotiations said Mossad chief David Barnea and his delegation had left Doha straight after the meetings on the latest Hamas ideas for an agreement. No public statement was issued after the talks. The US, which has worked alongside Qatar and Egypt in trying to broker a deal, had talked up the significance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to send a delegation to Qatar. The US believes Israel and Hamas have a “pretty significant opening” to reach an agreement, a senior official said. The Gaza war — which has raised fears of a broader conflagration involving Lebanon — began with Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. The militants also seized hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza including 42 the military says are dead. In response, Israel has carried out a military offensive that has killed at least 38,011 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. US President Joe Biden announced a pathway to a truce deal in May that he said had been proposed by Israel. It included an initial six-week truce, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza population centers and the freeing of hostages by Palestinian militants. Talks subsequently stalled but the US official said on Thursday that the new proposal from Hamas “moves the process forward and may provide the basis for closing the deal,” though “significant work” remained. Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told AFP that the group expected a swift Israeli response — “likely today or tomorrow morning” — to its new “ideas.” He blamed Israel for the deadlock since Biden’s announcement. Hamdan said the ideas had been “conveyed by the mediators to the American side, which welcomed them and passed them on to the Israeli side. Now the ball is in the Israeli court.”
Hamdan said the Doha talks “will be a test for the US administration to see if it is willing to pressure the Zionist entity to accept these proposed ideas.” There has been no truce in the war since a one-week pause in November saw 80 Israeli hostages freed in return for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
The war has uprooted 90 percent of Gaza’s population, destroyed much of the territory’s housing and other infrastructure, and left almost 500,000 people enduring “catastrophic” hunger, UN agencies say. The main stumbling block to a truce deal has been Hamas’s demand for a permanent end to the fighting, which Netanyahu and his far-right coalition partners strongly reject. The Israeli leader has faced a well-organized protest movement demanding a deal to free the hostages, which took to the streets again on Thursday evening. Netanyahu insists the war will not end until Israel destroys Hamas and the hostages are freed. The head of the World Health Organization warned that “further disruption to health services is imminent in Gaza due to a severe lack of fuel.” Only 90,000 liters (20,000 gallons) of fuel entered Gaza on Wednesday, but the health sector alone needs 80,000 liters each day.
The WHO and its partners in Gaza were having “to make impossible choices” as a result, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. US officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have voiced hope that a ceasefire in Gaza could lead to an easing of violence on the Israel-Lebanon border as well. Since the war began, Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has exchanged near-daily cross-border fire with the Israeli army in support of its Palestinian ally. The exchanges have intensified over the past month after Israel killed senior Hezbollah commanders in targeted air strikes.Hezbollah said it fired more than 200 rockets and “explosive drones” at army positions in northern Israel and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights in its latest round of reprisals on Thursday. A military source said the rocket fire killed a soldier in northern Israel. Hamas said Friday that its foreign relations chief Khalil Al-Hayya had met Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to coordinate their “resistance efforts” and the upcoming truce negotiations.

Seven killed in Israeli West Bank raid: Palestinian health ministry
AFP/July 05, 2024
JENIN, Palestinian Territories: Israeli troops killed seven Palestinians -- with Hamas claiming five as members -- in a raid on Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Friday, officials said. At least 14 Palestinians have now been killed in Israeli operations this week in the West Bank, where the Gaza war has fuelled tensions October. The Israeli military said the raid was carried out to find militants behind an attack last week in which an Israeli captain was killed. Hamas said one of the latest seven dead was a "commander" in the group. An Israeli military statement said there was a gun battle in the Jenin refugee camp and then troops surrounded a building in which "terrorists barricaded themselves". The Wafa official Palestinian news agency said military vehicles surrounded a house and demands were made by loudspeaker for one occupant to surrender. Shoulder-launched missiles were fired and a drone used in the four-hour raid, it added. According to the military, two militants who took part in a bomb attack in which the captain died were killed. "In addition, during the counterterrorism activity, an armed terrorist cell that was identified in the area was eliminated" in an Israeli drone strike.The Palestinian Authority health ministry said the seven dead were aged from 19 to 54. A Hamas statement said five of the "martyrs" were members of the group that rules the Gaza Strip. One, Ahmed Mahmud al-Aridi, 30, was named as a Hamas "commander". Mounting violence has gripped the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war on October 7. Seven Palestinians were killed in military operations this week, before the latest deadly operation. A woman and child died in an Israeli raid in a refugee camp near Tulkarem on Monday, four men in a drone attack on the same Nur Shams camp on Tuesday and one man in Jenin on Wednesday, according to the health ministry. Fourteen people died in one two-day Israeli operation in Nur Shams in April, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. According to Palestinian figures, at least 568 Palestinians have died in the West Bank in military raids and violence with Israeli settlers since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7. At least 16 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed over the same period in the territory occupied by Israel since 1967, according to an AFP tally from official Israeli figures.

Doha negotiations: Israeli Cabinet faces internal strife over Gaza strategy
LBCI/July 05, 2024
The Israeli mini-security cabinet continues deliberating on the extent of the powers to be granted to the negotiating delegation that has returned to Doha, headed by Mossad Chief David Barnea.  Despite expectations of reaching an agreement within weeks, political analysts caution against high hopes for Barnea's efforts due to the firm stances of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government partners, who oppose any deal ending the war in Gaza. Barnea's arrival in Doha comes as a result of continuous American pressure, which expedited the negotiation session that Israeli officials expect CIA Director William Burns to play a significant role. The Israeli apprehension over the success of the negotiations stems from Netanyahu's repeated insistence on not ending the war until all its objectives are achieved, despite acknowledgments from multiple officials about the improbability of fully realizing these goals. According to Israelis, the negotiation difficulties center on the specifics of the prisoner exchange, particularly the number and identities of Palestinian prisoners to be swapped for each Israeli hostage. Simultaneously, security agencies have expressed their support for a near-term prisoner deal, acknowledging the challenges on the path to such an agreement. They also noted that a prompt deal would directly impact the northern front.  The army leadership emphasized that the most prudent step at this time was to end the fighting after the Rafah operation and recognize the impossibility of completely eliminating Hamas. Amid estimates and disagreements, the Hostage Forum has intensified its protests and pressure to accept the deal. The protest leadership enjoyed considerable public and political support following a large leftist rally under the slogan "The Time Has Come," which called for one million Israelis and one million Palestinians to protest and demand an end to the war.

Hamas official says expects quick Israeli response to ceasefire ‘ideas’
REUTERS/July 05, 2024
GAZA: A top Hamas official told AFP Friday the group expects a swift Israeli response — “likely today or tomorrow morning” — to its new “ideas” for halting the Gaza war and freeing hostages. As an Israeli ended a first round of new talks with mediators in Qatar, Osama Hamdan also insisted that the group’s military wing remains “in a good condition” to keep up the nine-month-old war. Hamdan said there were no new concrete proposals in a document sent to Israel this week but “some ideas were proposed to overcome” Israeli reticence about a ceasefire. “We are waiting to hear a response, likely today or tomorrow morning,” he said. “If the response is positive, then we will discuss these ideas in detail because we will enter into the implementation discussion of these ideas, which... will not take long.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to send the head of the Mossad intelligence service, David Barnea, to Doha for talks with Qatari mediators and his delegation was expected to arrive on Friday. Because of the devastation of the war, both sides face mounting international and domestic pressure to halt the conflict that started with the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7.
The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Hamas also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the army says are dead. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 38,011 people, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. “The goal of negotiations is to cease the aggression, withdraw forces and allow the Palestinian people to rebuild Gaza, including shelter, relief and other details,” Hamdan said. “Ultimately, a fair and suitable prisoner exchange deal must be completed.”
Netanyahu has said there can be no halt to hostilities until all hostages are freed. He has also insisted that Israel will not stop its campaign to destroy Hamas’s military and governance capabilities. US President Joe Biden announced a pathway to a truce deal in May which he said had been proposed by Israel. This included a six-week truce to allow for talks, the release of hostages and eventually a program to rebuild devastated Gaza. Hamdan blamed Israel for the deadlock since Biden’s announcement. “The Israeli side has made every effort to complicate matters and obstruct progress.”
The Hamas leadership is “not talking about a new proposal nor something new,” the official said. Talks would be on the existing proposals. “There are some ideas that have pushed things forward, and that is what has been discussed.” He said the ideas had been “conveyed by the mediators to the American side, which welcomed them and passed them on to the Israeli side. Now the ball is in the Israeli court.”He said the Doha talks “will be a test for the US administration to see if it is willing to pressure the Zionist entity to accept these proposed ideas.”The official said that if the talks fail, Hamas is ready to keep fighting. “I can say that, by the grace of God, the capabilities of the resistance remain in a good condition that allows it to continue.”In a separate statement, Hamas said it rejected any proposals “that support plans to bring foreign forces into the (Gaza) Strip under any name or justification.”
It added that Palestinian people “will not allow guardianship or the imposition of any external solutions” to the conflict. There have been calls, including from the Arab League, for UN peacekeepers to be deployed to Gaza.

Fuel shortages ‘catastrophic’ for devastated health services in Gaza: WHO
AFP/July 05, 2024
Gaza is completely sealed off and everything that enters it is controlled by the Israelis
Geneva: The World Health Organization chief has warned that a dire lack of fuel in the Gaza Strip could have a “catastrophic” impact on already devastated health services in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. Desperate fuel shortages have been a constant problem in the besieged Palestinian territory, facing intense Israeli bombardment since Hamas’s deadly October 7 attack inside Israel sparked the ongoing war. “Further disruption to health services is imminent in Gaza due to a severe lack of fuel,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said late Thursday on X, formerly Twitter.
The UN health agency cautioned that only 90,000 liters of fuel entered Gaza on Wednesday — even as the health sector alone needs 80,000 liters daily. This is forcing WHO and its partners working in Gaza “to make impossible choices,” Tedros said. Gaza is completely sealed off and everything that enters it is controlled by the Israelis. Fuel, which has been particularly difficult to get in amid Israeli fears it could benefit Hamas fighters, is vital to keep hospital generators running, as well as humanitarian and emergency vehicles. WHO said that its partners were currently directing limited fuel supplies to “key hospitals,” including the Nasser Medical Complex and Al Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis and the Kuwaiti hospital in Rafah. Fuel was also going to 21 ambulances run by the Palestinian Red Crescent “to prevent services from grinding to a halt,” Tedros said. He pointed out that the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Yunis had been out of service since Tuesday, and warned that “losing more hospitals in the Strip would be catastrophic.” Hamas’s October 7 attack that sparked Gaza’s deadliest war resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.Hamas militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza including 42 the army says are dead. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 38,011 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.

Israel unblocks some frozen funds for Palestinian Authority
Agence France Presse/July 05, 2024
Israel has approved a new payment of more than $140 million to the Palestinian Authority after announcing it had also unblocked some funds frozen because of the Gaza war, a finance ministry spokesperson told AFP on Thursday. Since the start of the war on Hamas, far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has withheld payments of customs and tax duties to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's administration. But Israeli officials said on Wednesday that the government had made a 435 million shekel ($116 million) payment for duties collected for April and May. A finance ministry spokeswoman said a further payment of about 530 million shekels for duties collected for June was approved. Israel collects tax and customs duties for the Palestinian Authority under a 1994 protocol, which granted sole control over the territories' borders to Israel. According to economists, the payments collected by Israel account for 60 percent of the cash-strapped authority's revenues. Palestinian Authority prime minister Mohammed Mustafa confirmed the 435 million shekel payment at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He said the money would be used for unpaid wages for tens of thousands of Palestinian civil servants and suppliers. Authority workers have been living on reduced wages for months and the PA has made repeated appeals for international aid. Mustafa added that Israel still owed the authority six billion shekels in back payments. Israel stopped making the payments after the October 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel, with Smotrich accusing the PA of backing the Islamist militants. Hamas is designated a "terrorist" organization by the United States, the European Union and other countries. It is distinct from the Palestinian Authority. Hamas took over Gaza in 2007 following a violent struggle with Abbas' Fatah faction, with the Palestinian Authority's influence limited to Palestinian-run parts of the occupied West Bank. According to Israeli media reports, Smotrich only agreed to make the new payments under a deal in which the government recognized five wildcat settlements in the West Bank. In June, he ordered the transfer of about $35 million of the funds collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority to help Israeli "victims of terrorism". The decision was condemned by the US government as "extraordinarily wrongheaded."

Released Gaza detainees allege torture by Israel amid war
Agence France Presse/July 05, 2024
Blindfolded, beaten and sometimes bitten by dogs, Gazans released from Israeli prisons allege being tortured amid the Israel-Hamas war, which rights groups say has worsened conditions for detainees. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, former director of Al-Shifa, Gaza's biggest hospital, is the latest to report mistreatment by Israel. Salmiya, one among dozens of detainees freed Monday, said "several inmates died in interrogation centers and were deprived of food and medicine." Israel's army and Shin Bet intelligence service have not responded to his account, though they have rejected past accusations.
While the United Nations and others have long raised concerns about conditions for Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, rights groups say legal changes since the Gaza war erupted have aggravated the situation. AFP interviewed some of the 50 prisoners taken to Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip after their release by Israel on June 11. "I was beaten day and night. Our eyes were blindfolded, our hands and feet shackled and they set dogs on us," Mahmud al-Zaanin, 37, recounted from his hospital bed, noting the beatings sometimes targeted his genitals.
Legs amputated -
"They asked me where (Hamas leader) Yahya Sinwar was, where Hamas was, where our prisoners were, and why I participated on October 7," he said. Zaanin said he did not take part in Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel that allegedly led to 1,195 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 38,011 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the territory.Zaanin said he was deprived of sleep and bathroom access and denied medical treatment. "We urinated in our clothes."Released inmate Othman al-Kafarneh told AFP his "hands were injured from electric torture" and described prisoners being blindfolded and moved, never knowing their locations. Kafarneh said he saw "more than 30 prisoners with amputated legs, some with both legs missing, and some with both eyes missing."In April, the Haaretz newspaper quoted a letter to Israel's defense ministry from a doctor at an Israeli army camp. "Prisoners from Gaza have had their legs amputated due to the effects of shackles, they defecate in diapers and are continuously restrained, which violates medical ethics and the law," it said. In May, AFP questioned released prisoners at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza, where Moussa Youssef Mansur recounted, "We slept for two hours, then they brought dogs and set them on us at night". "Some young men died from excess beatings and dog attacks," Mansur said, showing scars on his arms which he said were from dog bites.
Legal battle
The United Nations has called Israel's treatment of prisoners "unacceptable".
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN human rights commissioner, told AFP: "We have received reports of torture, mistreatment, handcuffing, deprivation of food, of water of medication, and these are very worrying reports. "We have raised them directly with the Israeli authorities and we have asked for a transparent investigation."Authorities did not respond to AFP questions. In May, the Israeli army said it "rejects outright" allegations in a US media report of stripping, sexually abusing and electrocuting detainees during interrogations. The army acknowledged there have been 36 deaths, attributing them to detainees who were sick or had been wounded in the war. It said the military adheres to Israeli and international law, emphasizing that detainees released to Gaza "are under the control of a terrorist organization that can force them to provide false information."After Hamas's attacks, Israel's parliament amended detention rules. Changes to the Unlawful Combatants Law in December have been used to detain Palestinians in special camps, including Sde Teiman in the Negev desert where Salmiya was held. Israel can now detain prisoners for 45 days without an administrative process, compared with 96 hours previously. Prisoners can be held for 75 days without a court hearing, up from 14 days, and this can be extended to 180 days. Judges can prevent a detainee from contacting a lawyer. "Some detainees have not been visited by a lawyer for more than eight months and are being tried via Zoom without being brought to court and without lawyers," said Tal Steiner, director of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel. Steiner's group knew of three camps where detainees were shackled 24 hours a day in open cages. "We believe in the law to help change these violations, so we have filed a petition," said Steiner.
The government has not issued a formal response. A state attorney told a supreme court hearing in May, however, that there were 2,000 Gazan detainees classified as "unlawful combatants" under permanent detention orders, meaning they have been held for over 45 days. Hundreds are awaiting indictment, the attorney added, while more than 1,500 have been released and returned to Gaza.

ICC prosecutor opted for warrants over visit to Gaza
REUTERS/July 05, 2024
THE HAGUE/WASHINGTON: On May 20, the same day International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan made a surprise request for warrants to arrest the leaders of Israel and Hamas involved in the Gaza conflict, he suddenly canceled a sensitive mission to collect evidence in the region, eight people with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Planning for the visit had been under way for months with US officials, four of the sources said. Khan’s decision to request the warrants upended the plans backed by Washington and London for the prosecutor and his team to visit Gaza and Israel. The court was set to gather on-site evidence of war crimes and offer Israeli leaders a first opportunity to present their position and any action they were taking to respond to the allegations of war crimes, five sources with direct knowledge of the exchanges told Reuters. Khan’s request for a warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — the court’s first attempt to detain a sitting, Western-backed head of state — also flew in the face of efforts the US and Britain were leading to prevent the court from prosecuting Israeli leaders, the sources said. The two states have said the court has no jurisdiction over Israel and that seeking warrants would not help resolve the conflict. Khan’s office told Reuters the decision to seek warrants was, in line with its approach in all cases, based on an assessment by the prosecutor that there was enough evidence to proceed, and the view that seeking arrest warrants immediately could prevent ongoing crimes. Reuters is the first to report in detail about the planned trip and the repercussions of its cancelation. Khan had for three years been working to improve relations with the US, which is not a member of the court. He had asked Washington to help put pressure on its ally Israel – also not a court member – to allow his team access, four sources said. His move has harmed operational cooperation with the US and angered Britain, a founding member of the court, the sources said. A senior US State Department official said Washington continued to work with the court on its investigations in Ukraine and Sudan, but three sources with direct knowledge of the US administration’s dealings with the court told Reuters cooperation has been damaged by Khan’s sudden action. They said problems have played out in preparations for new indictments of suspects in Sudan’s Darfur and the apprehension of fugitives. Two of the sources said one operation to detain a suspect, which they declined to describe in detail, did not go ahead as planned due to the loss of key US support. All the sources expressed concerns Khan’s action would jeopardize cooperation in other ongoing investigations. However, Khan’s sudden move has drawn support from other countries, exposing political differences between national powers over the conflict and the court. France, Belgium, Spain and Switzerland have made statements endorsing Khan’s decision; Canada and Germany have stated more simply that they respect the court’s independence.
The world’s war crimes court for prosecuting individuals, the ICC does not have a police force to detain suspects, so it relies on 124 countries that ratified the 1998 Rome treaty that founded it. Non-members China, Russia, the US and Israel sometimes work with the court on an ad hoc basis.
A few hours’ notice
Khan personally decided to cancel the visit to the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ramallah, which was due to begin on May 27, two of the sources said. Court and Israeli officials were due to meet on May 20 in Jerusalem to work out final details of the mission. Khan instead requested warrants that day for Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders — Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh. A UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that initial discussions had taken place regarding a visit to Gaza by Khan, covering security and transportation. Flight tickets and meetings between senior-level court and Israeli officials were canceled with just hours of notice, blindsiding some of Khan’s own staff, seven sources with direct and indirect knowledge of the decision said.
The US State Dept. official said that abandoning the May visit broke from the prosecution’s common practice of seeking engagement with states under investigation. Three US sources said, without providing details, that Khan’s motive to change course was not clearly explained and the about-face had hurt the court’s credibility in Washington. Khan’s office did not directly address those points but said he had spent the three previous years trying to improve dialogue with Israel and had not received any information that demonstrated “genuine action” at a domestic level from Israel to address the crimes alleged.
Khan “continues to welcome the opportunity to visit Gaza” and “remains open to engaging with all relevant actors,” his office said in an email. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters Hamas had no prior knowledge of Khan’s intentions to send a team of investigators into Gaza.
Netanyahu’s office and the Israeli Foreign Ministry declined to comment. The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage. Nearly 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ground and air campaign, Gaza’s health ministry says.
Washington blindsided
The ICC admitted “the State of Palestine” in 2015, and Khan says his office has jurisdiction over alleged atrocity crimes committed since Oct. 7 by Palestinians in Israel and by anyone in the Gaza Strip. Neither the US or Britain recognize the Palestinian state, so they dispute the court’s jurisdiction over the territory. Even though Washington and London argue that the court has no jurisdiction in this situation, they were talking to Israel to help prosecutor Khan arrange the visit, four sources close to their administrations told Reuters. The sources said they had been aware that Khan might seek warrants for Netanyahu and other high-level Israeli officials: Since at least March, Khan or members of his team had been informing the governments of the US, UK, Russia, France and China about the possibility of bringing charges against Israeli and Hamas leaders. A diplomatic source in a Western country said, without giving details, there was a diplomatic effort under the radar to try to convince the ICC not to take this path. “We worked hard to build a relationship of no surprises,” said one US source, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the case. Blinken on May 21 called Khan’s decision “profoundly wrong-headed,” saying it was out of line with the process he expected and would complicate prospects for a deal on freeing hostages or a ceasefire. He told a Senate appropriations committee he would work with Republicans to impose sanctions against ICC officials.On the same day, Cameron told parliament Kahn’s move was mistaken. In private, he responded furiously to the change of plan, calling it “crazy” because Khan’s team had not yet visited Israel and Gaza, and threatening in a phone call with Khan to pull Britain out of the court and cut financial support to it, three sources with direct knowledge of the discussion said. A foreign office official declined to comment on the phone call or on Britain’s relationship to the court. In June, the ICC allowed the UK to file a written submission outlining its legal arguments that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over the case. The issue of the court’s jurisdiction divides both members and non-members of the court. The US has a fraught relationship with the court. In 2020, under the former US President Donald Trump, Washington imposed sanctions against it, which were dropped under President Joe Biden. Khan’s office said he “has made significant efforts to engage with the United States in recent years in order to strengthen cooperation, and has been grateful for the concrete and important assistance provided by US authorities.”

Saudi FM calls for sanctions on Israeli officials amid Gaza war
ARAB NEWS/July 05, 2024
MADRID: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has urged European nations to impose sanctions on Israeli officials violating international human rights laws as he warned that Israel’s war on Gaza was affecting the entire Middle East, including southern Lebanon. “The situation in the Gaza Strip does not only affect the Palestinian issue but the entire region and contributes to further escalations, which is currently happening in southern Lebanon,” he said on Thursday. He was speaking at a panel discussion titled “Wars and shadow wars: What are Europe’s options in the Middle East?” at the European Council on Foreign Relations meeting in Madrid. Prince Faisal highlighted the international community’s silence on Israel’s continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank that undermine the peace process in Palestine. He said the least that European countries can do is condemn Israel’s failure to abide by its commitments. And they should take stricter steps such as imposing sanctions on those officials violating international human rights laws, the SPA reported. He said the Palestinian people have the right to self-determination and deserve an independent state recognized internationally. “The majority of the international community agrees that the permanent and just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the two-state solution, yet they stand idle in the face of matters that could undermine the two-state solution, such as Israel’s continued expansion of settlement activities.”
He praised those European countries that have recognized Palestine as a state, including Spain. This was “a very important move” that supports the peace process and the push toward a two-state solution, he said. Prince Faisal reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid to the besieged population.

A look at how settlements have grown in the West Bank over the years
AP/July 05, 2024
JERUSALEM: Israel has approved the largest seizure of land in the occupied West Bank in over three decades and advanced plans to build thousands of new settlement homes, according to Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlement monitoring group. They are the latest steps by Israel’s hard-line government meant to cement Israel’s control over the territory and prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. This map shows the expansion of settlements and outposts from 1967 until now.
Half a century of settlements
Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. Palestinians seek all three areas for their future state. In 56 years, Israel has built well over 100 settlements scattered across the West Bank. Settlers also have built scores of tiny unauthorized outposts that are tolerated or even encouraged by the government. Some are later legalized.
Dwindling two-state prospects
The international community considers the settlements illegal or illegitimate, and the Palestinians say they are the main barrier to a lasting peace agreement. But with more than 500,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank, it will be difficult – some say impossible – to partition the territory as part of a two-state solution.

Saudi crown prince, world leaders react to Labour’s sweeping victory in UK election
ARAB NEWS/July 05, 2024
LONDON: Keir Starmer has been appointed as Britain’s prime minister after his center-left Labour Party won a huge majority in Thursday’s parliamentary election, defeating Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives and ending their 14 years of often tumultuous rule. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Starmer on his appointment as prime minister on Friday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed wrote on X: “I extend my congratulations to Keir Starmer on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and I look forward to working together to further strengthen the long-standing partnership between our countries.”
Below are other world leaders’ reactions:
US PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN:
US President Joe Biden on Friday congratulated new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose center-left Labour party won a landslide general election victory.
“I look forward to our shared work in support of freedom and democracy around the world, and to further strengthening the special relationship between our two countries.” Biden said on X.
GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZ IN STATEMENT:
“I am delighted about the election victory of the leader of our sister party in the UK. I know Keir Starmer personally, we have often met and talked. He will be a very good, very successful prime minister... I also have the impression that we won’t have much trouble developing relations between Europe and the UK and between Germany and the UK.”
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI ON X:
“My congratulations to Keir Starmer on his election success. Relations between Italy and the United Kingdom are excellent and I’m sure we’ll continue to cultivate a relationship of strong and reliable cooperation between our great nations...
“I thank my friend Rishi Sunak for these years of intense cooperation and sincere friendship...”
NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG TO REPORTERS:
“I will congratulate Keir Starmer on his election. I look forward to welcoming him and meeting him at the NATO summit in Washington next week. I have met Keir Starmer here at the NATO headquarters and I know that he is a strong supporter of NATO, of the transatlantic alliance and also committed to ensuring that United Kingdom continues to be a strong and very committed NATO ally.”
INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI ON X:
“Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to @Keir_Starmer on the remarkable victory in the general elections. I look forward to our positive and constructive collaboration to further strengthen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all areas, fostering mutual growth and prosperity.”“Thank you @RishiSunak for your admirable leadership of the UK, and your active contribution to deepen the ties between India and the UK during your term in office.”
IRISH PRIME MINISTER SIMON HARRIS AT PRESS CONFERENCE:
“The relationship between an Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) and a British prime minister is vital... It is time for a great reset. This morning from Dublin, I want to send a message to London that I will match Keir Starmer’s commitment and energy to our peace process and to our future potential in so many areas.”
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY ON X:
“Congratulations to @Keir_Starmer and @UKLabour on their convincing election victory. Ukraine and the United Kingdom have been and will continue to be reliable allies through thick and thin. We will continue to defend and advance our common values of life, freedom, and a rules-based international order...
“I am grateful to my good friend @RishiSunak for the UK government’s steadfast support under his leadership. Challenger tanks, Storm Shadow missiles, F-16 training for our pilots, and the first bilateral security cooperation agreement are just a few of our shared achievements that Ukraine will never forget.”
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON ON X:
“Congratulations Sir @Keir_Starmer on your victory. Pleased with our first discussion. We will continue the work begun with the UK for our bilateral cooperation, for peace and security in Europe, for the climate and for AI.”
AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE TO REPORTERS:
“We have a strong relationship between our two countries, but in Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner and so many others who I am very familiar with in the British Labour Party, I look forward very much to working with them. They have very similar views to us on a range of issues. I’m sure we’ll work closely on AUKUS, where we worked very closely as well with the former government.”
CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU ON X:
“Congratulations, @Keir_Starmer, on a historic UK election victory. Lots of work ahead to build a more progressive, fair future for people on both sides of the Atlantic. Let’s get to it, my friend.”
* With Reuters

Iran holds runoff presidential vote pitting hard-liner against reformist after record low turnout
AFP/July 05, 2024
TEHRAN: Polls opened Friday for Iran’s runoff presidential election, the interior ministry said, pitting reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian against ultraconservative Saeed Jalili in the race to succeed Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a May helicopter crash.
The Islamic republic’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say in all state matters, cast his ballot when the polls opened at 08:00 am (0430 GMT), state TV showed. “We are starting the second round of the 14th presidential election to choose the future president from among the two candidates across 58,638 polling stations in the country and all stations abroad,” Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said, according to state TV. The vote comes against the backdrop of heightened regional tensions over the war in Gaza, Iran’s dispute with the West over its nuclear program and popular discontent at the state of the country’s sanctions-hit economy. In last week’s first round, Pezeshkian, who was the only reformist permitted to stand, won the largest number of ballots, around 42 percent, while the former nuclear negotiator Jalili came in second place with 39 percent, according to figures from Iran’s elections authority. Only 40 percent of Iran’s 61 million eligible voters cast their ballot — the lowest turnout in any presidential election since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. On Wednesday, Khamenei called for a higher turnout in the runoff. “The second round of the presidential election is very important,” he said in a video carried by state TV.
Low turnout
He said participation was “not as expected” in the first round but that it was not an act “against the system.”Last week’s vote saw the conservative parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf come in third place with 13.8 percent, while cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi garnered less than one percent. Iran’s presidential election was originally scheduled for 2025 but was brought forward by the death of ultraconservative president Raisi in a May helicopter crash. The rival candidates in the runoff have held two debates where they discussed Iran’s economic woes, international relations, the low voter turnout and Internet restrictions. Pezeshkian is a 69-year-old heart surgeon who has represented the northwestern city of Tabriz in parliament since 2008. He has earned the support of Iran’s main reformist coalition, with former reformist presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani declaring their backing for his bid. Jalili, 58, rallied a substantial base of hard-line supporters and received backing from Ghalibaf and two other ultraconservative candidates who dropped out of the race before the first round. In one recent debate, the rivals expressed dismay over turnout in the first round.On Tuesday, Pezeshkian said people were “fed up with their living conditions ... and dissatisfied with the government’s management of affairs.”
Voters speak
Ali, a 24-year-old university student who asked that only his first name be used, said the better choice is Pezeshkian, whom he believes would work on “opening the country to the rest of the world.”Pezeshkian has called for “constructive relations” with Washington and European countries in order to “get Iran out of its isolation.”Jalili, known for his uncompromising anti-West position, has insisted that Tehran does not need the 2015 nuclear deal with the United States and other world powers to make progress. The deal — which Jalili said violated all Iran’s “red lines” by allowing inspections of nuclear sites — had imposed curbs on Iran’s nuclear activity in return for sanctions relief. The accord has been hanging by a thread since 2018 when the US withdrew from it. At a campaign event late Wednesday, 40-year-old Maryam Naroui said she believed Jalili was “the best option for the country’s security.”Jalili has held several senior positions in the Islamic republic, including in Khamenei’s office in the early 2000s.He is currently one of Khamenei’s representatives in the Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s highest security body.Regardless of the result, Iran’s next president will be in charge of applying state policy outlined by the supreme leader, who wields ultimate authority in the country.

Close adviser of Syrian president dies after car crash: Presidency
ARAB NEWS/July 05, 2024
DAMASCUS: Luna Shibl, an adviser to Syrian president Bashar Assad, died on Friday three days after she was involved in a car accident, the office of the president said. “The presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic mourns the death of the adviser Luna Al-Shibl, who passed away today after a serious car accident,” it said in a statement. “She served in recent years as a director of the political and media office of the presidency and then as a special adviser to the presidency,” it added. State media reported on Tuesday that Shibl was involved in a traffic accident on Yaa’four Road in Damascus, suffering a “cerebral haemorrhage” after her car “veered off the road,” after which she was taken to a clinic near the crash site and then transferred to intensive care in Al-Shami Hospital in the Syrian capital. The 48-year-old rose to prominence for quitting a prestigious journalism career at Qatar-based broadcaster Al-Jazeera to become Assad’s media adviser. She carved out a place within Assad’s inner circle as she accompanied him to high-level meetings in Syria and on his rare visits abroad and played an important role during the most intense years of the Syrian civil war. She was part of the delegation to ultimately doomed peace talks in 2014. Britain-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported earlier this week that she had fallen out of official favor in recent months and her brother had been arrested. “There was growing dissatisfaction with her within the regime,” said Observatory director Rami Abdulrahman. “Accusations surfaced that she leaked minutes of closed meetings between Assad and Iranian officials,” Abdulrahman added. Syrian intelligence arrested her brother “on charges of communicating with a party hostile to Syria” after Israel struck the Iranian consulate in Damascus in April, the monitor said. In 2020, Washington sanctioned Shibl and her husband Ammar Saati, with the US Treasury saying at the time that “she has been instrumental in developing Assad’s false narrative that he maintains control of the country and that the Syrian people flourish under his leadership.”
* With AFP

IS jihadists kill eight in Syria desert
Agence France Presse/July 05, 2024
Islamic State group jihadists killed eight people, including two civilians, in an ambush on pro-government militiamen in Syria's Badia desert, a war monitor reported Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack occurred on Wednesday evening as the militiamen were en route to search for a shepherd who had been kidnapped and subsequently killed by the IS jihadists.The Observatory, a Britain-based monitor with sources in Syria, reported a death toll of eight, including "six members of the National Defense Forces and two sheep herders."IS overran large swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a so-called caliphate and launching a reign of terror. It was defeated territorially in Syria in 2019, but its remnants still carry out deadly attacks -- particularly in the Badia desert -- and mainly targeting government loyalists and Kurdish-led fighters. The desert runs from the outskirts of Damascus to the Iraqi border. Last month, the Observatory said IS fighters had killed nearly 4,100 people in Syria since its so-called caliphate fell in 2019 -- more than half of them in the Badia. The United Nations in January said IS's combined strength in Iraq and Syria was 3,000-5,000 fighters, with the Badia serving as a hub for the group in Syria.Syria's war has killed more than half a million people and displaced millions more since it erupted in March 2011 with Damascus's brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on July 05-06/2024
Egypt ‘Intensifying Preaching Activities’ in Thousands of Newly Built Mosques
Raymond Ibrahim/Coptic Solidarity/July 05, 2024
Egypt’s Ministry of Endowments has announced a new personal record: between September 2020 and June 2024, it has opened a total of 4,960 new mosques, and renovated, replaced, and/or augmented another 12,081 mosques. This pious project has cost the Third World nation a hefty 19 billion Egyptian pounds. Among other “reforms,” the ministry added that it is “intensifying preaching activities” in all mosques, as well as “improving the financial and living conditions of imams in unprecedented increases,” Shuruk newspaper reports.
Since Abdel Fateh al-Sisi became president in 2014, the total number of mosques to be opened, repaired, or replaced is now well over 10,000 (this in addition to the then more than 100,000 preexisting mosques and prayer halls).
(One can almost hear a resounding chorus of “Allahu akbars!”)
What about the religious places of worship that, for centuries before Egypt’s conquest by Muslim Arabs, littered that nation’s landscape—namely, Christian churches? How fare they? As is well known, when it comes to any question concerning the indigenous Christians of Egypt, the Copts, and their churches, accurate information—especially by way of numbers—is difficult to ascertain from the official channels.
As such, I contacted and spoke with one of the most astute analysts on the so-called “Coptic question,” the Egyptian-born Magdi Khalil, an author and public debater (appearing in approximately 1,500 televised debates, including on Al Jazeera) who specializes in citizenship rights, civil society, and the situation of minorities in the Middle East. During our phone conversation, Khalil offered up the best known figures he has been able to ascertain, after making clear that, “as you know, there are no absolutely accurate numbers from Egypt that aren’t politicized.”
He said there are a total of approximately 5,200 Christian institutions in Egypt, including all churches, their dependencies and monasteries from every denomination. As for Islamic institutions, there are 120,000 mosques and over one million prayer halls in Egypt. This disparity alone underscores the extreme discrimination Christians face in Egypt. Considering that Copts of all denominations make up, 10-15 percent of Egypt’s population of more than 100 million, there is about one mosque or prayer hall for every 83 Muslims, but less than one church for every 2,000 Christians.
In 2016, a new Egyptian law was touted as “easing” restrictions on and helping many more churches to open. Since its implementation, however, human rights groups have noted that it has only marginally helped. Khalil agreed, and said that, at best, the 2016 law has made a “5-10 percent improvement.” But, by applying only to churches, as opposed to being a universal law for all religious places of worship, the new law has also formalized the Egyptian government’s divisive—or in Khalil’s words, “racist”—approach to its citizens. He is not alone in making this charge; even Human Rights Watch says that the new law ultimately “discriminates against the Christian minority in Egypt.”
Along with the ease Egypt grants to the building of mosques, often overlooked is the fact that the government also completely subsidizes a great many, if not most, of Egypt’s mosques. (Over 4 billion Egyptian pounds are paid annually by the state to subsidize the Ministry of Islamic Endowments alone, which is charged with affairs related to mosques and Islamic da‘wa, or propaganda). The Shuruk report referred to above adds that the Ministry of Endowments has implemented massive salary increases to all mosque preachers and employees.
Moreover, 22 billion Egyptian pounds are annually paid to Al Azhar, which has a parallel educational system, or madrasa, from KG to university, with 2.8 million pupils and students.) This is to say nothing of the exorbitant costs associated with the brand new “Islamic Mission City” being constructed in New Cairo.
Conversely, not only does Egypt make it immensely hard for Christians to open or maintain churches, but the government does not contribute a “single penny” to their survival, said Khalil. Churches are even required to pay their utility bills, which no mosque in Egypt does, as the government happily picks up the bills of the “true believers.”Aside from the obvious discrimination and legal obstacles the government of Egypt has set up against churches, Khalil and I also spoke a bit about the Muslim mob violence that sporadically rises up against churches. According to Khalil, “close to one thousand churches have been attacked or torched by mobs in the last five decades [since the 1970s] in Egypt.” This is a spectacularly larger number than is commonly assumed. Khalil closed by saying, “The persecution of Egypt’s Christian Copts is the longest ongoing persecution in the history of mankind, from 642, to today, 2022. Through all this time, maybe 70 years under British occupation were relatively more peaceful. Then [during the colonial era and the three decades that followed] there was much more diversity in the government, including some Coptic ministers, etc. But the overwhelming majority of the time witnessed the Copts’ persecution.”“I know of no group,” concluded Khalil, “that has been persecuted for nearly 1400 years—with still no light at the end of the tunnel.”

Diagnosing the strengths and ills of AI in healthcare
Abeer Alamrani/Arab News/July 05, 2024
One of the main advantages of artificial intelligence-supported diagnostics is the exceptional speed and accuracy it offers. AI systems can analyze vast amounts of medical data, including patient records, images and lab results, at a pace far exceeding human capabilities.
Speed can be crucial in emergencies, enabling faster decision-making and potentially life-saving interventions. Additionally, AI has proven its accuracy in diagnosing diseases, from common conditions to rare disorders, detecting anomalies that humans might miss.
Diagnostic errors are a persistent concern in healthcare. AI systems, when properly trained and validated, can significantly reduce these errors, as the elements of fatigue or cognitive bias do not exist in this equation, enhancing the overall quality of medical decisions. By integrating patient information with extensive medical databases and clinical guidelines, AI can help identify potential issues and ensure no aspect is overlooked. This leads to more reliable diagnostics and treatment plans.
AI-supported diagnostics also facilitate the transition to personalized medicine. They can analyze a patient’s genetic makeup, lifestyle, and medical history to create personalized treatment plans. This personalization ensures patients receive the most effective treatments with fewer side effects. It also improves medication management and dosage. AI has been applied in the fields of radiology and medical imaging, including X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. Radiologists can benefit from AI assistance in detecting abnormalities, even in complex cases.
It is important to emphasize that AI is not intended to replace healthcare professionals. Instead, it should be viewed as a supportive tool. AI assists doctors and radiologists by providing data-driven insights, enabling them to make more informed decisions.
Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in AI-assisted diagnostics technology. Its “Eyenai” project is a collaborative effort involving the Saudi Data and AI Authority, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Lean Business Services, and the Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence. Developed by Saudi engineers and AI specialists, the project represents a pioneering solution in the field of ocular healthcare, using AI to accurately identify diabetic retinopathy. It relies on advanced analytics and smart algorithms to streamline and accelerate screening processes, overcoming challenges such as limited resources, examination time, and high costs. Dr. Adi Al-Owaifeer, an ophthalmology consultant and head of the administrative committee for the Eyenai project, said that the initiative embodies the spirit of innovation and collaboration in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system.
He also highlighted the importance of developing this solution to facilitate screening processes, increase accuracy, and treat as many individuals as possible.
The healthcare industry must work collaboratively with AI developers, regulators and policymakers to overcome these hurdles and pave the way for a more efficient, patient-centric system. Microsoft recently introduced a suite of AI tools designed to help healthcare organizations access and enhance learning from data. In addition, Google has announced the development of an AI-powered tool to make it easier for professionals to search for health information.
Although AI can improve patient outcomes, increase efficiency, and reduce costs, integrating it into healthcare is not without its challenges. First, AI systems require access to a vast number of patient records, raising concerns about privacy and security. Healthcare institutions must therefore implement robust measures to protect patient information from data breaches and cyberattacks. Second, AI relies on high-quality, organized data for training and decision-making purposes. However, healthcare data can be unstructured, fragmented, or inconsistent, making it difficult for AI algorithms to derive meaningful insights.
Third, AI algorithms can inherit biases present in training data, which may lead to inaccurate decisions. Developing methods to identify and mitigate bias remains an ongoing challenge in AI ethics.
Fourth, obtaining regulatory approvals for AI-based medical devices and solutions can be a lengthy and complex process. Balancing innovation with regulatory compliance is a major challenge that healthcare companies must address.
Fifth, AI applications raise ethical questions, particularly regarding patient privacy, consent and transparency. Patients must be informed about how their data will be used and should have the right to opt out, and ethical guidelines should be developed.
Sixth, gaining the trust of healthcare professionals and patients is a significant challenge. AI systems must undergo strict clinical validation to prove their safety and efficacy, which can be a long and resource-intensive process. Seventh, AI in healthcare requires substantial investments in technology, training and staffing. Healthcare providers must allocate resources for AI adoption and ongoing maintenance. In conclusion, AI has the potential to bring about transformative changes to healthcare. However, addressing these challenges is essential to fully harness its benefits while ensuring patient safety, data security and ethical use. The healthcare industry must work collaboratively with AI developers, regulators and policymakers to overcome these hurdles and pave the way for a more efficient, patient-centric system.
• Abeer Alamrani is a machine learning, data analysis, and AI implementation consultant who helps organizations leverage AI to optimize operations, enhance decision-making, and achieve business goals.

Reconciling the fossil fuel industry with climate goals
Rodrigo Tavares/Arab News/July 05, 2024
Responding to the threat of climate change and continuing to produce fossil fuels seem like opposing and irreconcilable poles.
Those who advocate for sustainability are often labeled ideologues, while those who defend the production of fossil fuels are seen as complicit in environmental degradation. However, neither extreme will lead us to success. As we transition to net zero, the world will need to run two energy systems in parallel. Decarbonization will undoubtedly take time, similar to the time it took to build our dependence on fossil fuels. The key is to ensure a balanced approach that prioritizes sustainability, affordability, and security, all within the context of economic responsibility and fairness for developing nations.
While the adoption of renewable energy sources is rapidly gaining momentum, oil and natural gas still account for 54.8 percent of global energy consumption, according to the 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy. The oil and gas industry plays a pivotal role, both in providing the energy that drives today’s economy and in enabling energy transition for the future. I would even go further and say that the technical expertise, required capital, extensive value chain, experience in capital optimization, familiarity with complex operations and markets, and mastery of the technology necessary to achieve the transition to a low-carbon economy can all be found in oil companies. Keeping oil companies profitable and leveraging their strengths will be crucial to accelerating the energy transition. While some oil companies aiming for net zero are making strides in certain areas, they are falling short when it comes to developing low-emission fossil fuels, which refers to the extraction, processing and use of oil and gas in ways that minimize environmental impact.
This contrasts with recent advancements in other heavy industries, where innovations like green cement, iron, and steel production are demonstrating the feasibility of reducing emissions, even at a premium. The oil and gas industry needs to catch up.
“There is some value in this ‘green oil’ label. In general it is welcome to have fossil fuels with low or zero production emissions as they represent 12 percent of the total equivalent CO2 emissions,” Andy Brown, Shell’s former upstream director and executive committee member, who also served as CEO of Galp, told me. Since 2019, companies like BP, Lundin Energy, Occidental Petroleum, Petronas, Eni, Total, and Shell have offered “carbon neutral” oil and liquefied natural gas, some of them with a price premium and reputational gains.
Keeping oil companies profitable and leveraging their strengths will be crucial to accelerating the energy transition.
But transparency is key when branding these products as “green oil.” For the term to be accurate, clear regulations defining what constitutes carbon-neutral crude oil are needed. This would include a universal methodology for calculating emissions throughout the industry. Additionally, certification for carbon neutrality should be consistent, and oil majors would need to address emissions across their products’ entire life cycle.
Most importantly, achieving it could not rely solely on the purchase and retirement of carbon credits to compensate for the calculated lifecycle CO2e emissions of the product. “Offsets have increasingly been discredited as a way to claim abatement,” said Brown. Priority should be given to switching to lower operational greenhouse gas emissions. Tellingly, just a couple of months ago, staff at the UN-backed Science Based Targets initiative, which certifies whether a company is on track to help limit global warming to under 1.5 C, expressed concern after plans were announced to allow companies to meet their climate targets with carbon offsets. As we are still far from reaching this scenario, existing carbon crediting organizations like Verra lack the necessary standards for oil companies to generate carbon credits based on emission reductions.
But while “green oil” is difficult to attain, that should not preclude oil companies from pursuing product carbon reductions, aiming at positive impact and economic upsides.
But how can firms maximize returns on investment and minimize emissions per barrel?
Scaling up electrification, especially through renewable electricity, investing in energy efficiency, reducing fugitive methane emissions, venting and routine flaring, and improving geological surveying and digital technologies to decrease the number of dry holes are all viable options. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage is another avenue. Aramco is currently developing one of the largest CCUS hubs in the world at Jubail Industrial City.
Through the 2023 Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter, the 2015 “Zero Routine Flaring by 2030” Initiative, and the 2014 Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, oil majors pledge to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adopt targets for reducing carbon dioxide and methane emissions. And all leading oil companies have established net zero targets. These are important steps. The future may see carbon intensity become as important a factor in valuing crude oil as American Petroleum Institute gravity and sulfur content are today, directly impacting its price. International energy and sustainability organizations should establish clear methodologies, criteria, and standards for oil and gas to be classified as “low carbon” — a more achievable target than “green” or “carbon neutral.”
Only then can a price premium be realistically introduced into market dynamics. Potential buyers include environmentally conscious refiners, who can leverage low-carbon oil to market cleaner fuels and sustainable products. Airlines and shipping companies, facing increasing pressure to reduce emissions, are also potential customers, as many have adopted ambitious carbon neutrality pledges. One should note that governments worldwide are implementing mandatory carbon pricing schemes where polluters pay for their emissions, making low-carbon oil even more attractive. While low carbon oil shows promise, it is just one step. We must prioritize replacing fossil fuels altogether with renewable sources.
• Rodrigo Tavares is an invited full professor of sustainable finance at Nova School of Business and Economics, founder and CEO of the Granito Group, and former head of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Sao Paulo state government.

UK: Keir Starmer Elected Prime Minister, Conservatives Crushed
Ali A. Hamadé/This Is Beirut/July 05/2024
The annihilation of the Conservative Party and the overwhelming victory of the Labour Party have indeed taken place. As expected, Sir Keir Starmer was appointed British Prime Minister by King Charles III. In these times of political alternation, the British people hope to regain faith in change after fourteen years of Conservative government. So, how should one interpret such results? How can one explain the electoral behaviors that led to this rout? What will Starmer’s first hundred days in power look like?
With the results of two constituencies not yet finalized, the new parliamentary composition of Westminster is as follows: 412 seats for Labour, 121 for the Conservatives, 71 for the Liberal Democrats, 9 for the Scottish National Party (SNP), 4 for the Greens, 4 for Reform UK, and others were distributed among various groups.
Out of a total of 648 constituencies with official results, Labour has a majority of 86 MPs, marking the second-largest Labour parliamentary majority since Tony Blair in 1997. As for the Tories, they recorded their worst result ever and the smallest number of parliamentary seats since the party’s inception. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats emerged victorious from this election, having multiplied their number of seats sevenfold, achieving their best score in over a hundred years. Conversely, the SNP suffered a crushing defeat, reducing their number of seats by four. Finally, Reform UK, a dissident party from the far-right wing of the Conservative Party led by Nigel Farage, though only winning four seats, managed to attract a large number of Conservative votes, coming in second place in 98 constituencies.
However, this result should not be seen as an unconditional endorsement of all the Labour Party’s proposals. The tumultuous and fluctuating political dynamics reflect a versatile electorate determined, above all, to sanction the incumbent governments in each region of Great Britain. Everywhere, voters express their disapproval of existing governments — Conservative at Westminster, SNP in Scotland, or Labour in Wales — all recording significant declines in support. It is undoubtedly a vote of sanction.
The Labour victory rests on only 35% of the vote, a rise of 1.4 percentage points compared to 2019, and five points less than under Jeremy Corbyn in 2017. How can this be explained, especially since Labour suffered its greatest defeat in 2019? Perhaps through the diversity of parties and the more variable distribution of votes. Also, the considerable decrease in support from the Muslim community — normally attributed to them — due to Starmer’s stance on Gaza. In any case, in England, Labour’s share of the vote remains unchanged, while in Wales, it decreased by four points, only increasing overall due to strong progress in Scotland, where it grew by more than 17 points.
It is rather the collapse of the Conservatives and the rise of Reform UK that, in many cases, allowed Labour to prevail in regions where they had never performed well in the past. Indeed, it is very likely that Reform UK capitalized on the disappointment of the Conservatives and took votes normally attributed to the outgoing Prime Minister. This election offered the British an opportunity to express their dismay at the country’s management after fourteen years of Conservative government at Downing Street.
The British public thus indicated to Rishi Sunak that, electorally speaking, he is the worst Tory leader in history. The party could only mobilize 22% of the electorate, recording the largest drop in vote share ever observed compared to Boris Johnson’s victory in 2019. So far, 11 ministers have lost their seats — the previous record being seven in 1997 — with notable figures such as Grant Shapps and Penny Mordaunt. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss, known for her tumultuous 44-day tenure, also lost to Labour in her constituency by about 650 votes.
The first hundred days of Sir Keir Starmer at Downing Street promise to be extremely busy. After the official announcement of his appointment as Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace on July 5, Starmer will need to focus on forming a new government in the name of His Majesty the King. He is likely to rely on his shadow cabinet to form the official cabinet.
On July 9, the new Prime Minister will attend an international NATO summit in Washington with US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The new executive could use these first days to repeal certain legislations of the previous Conservative parliament, notably the highly controversial “Rwanda Bill.” It is conceivable, though unlikely, that Starmer and the potential Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, will call for an emergency budget to introduce new economic reforms and adjust the level of taxation.
On July 17, Starmer will also need to focus on drafting the King’s annual speech for the official opening ceremony of Westminster, where His Majesty will outline the government’s priorities. On July 18, Sir Keir Starmer will participate in the European Political Community summit in Oxfordshire, UK. Finally, after the summer parliamentary recess, the budget will be introduced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in October, formalizing certain economic and financial reforms, such as tax increases.
The recent election marks a decisive turning point in the political history of the United Kingdom. Sir Keir Starmer is now stepping into Downing Street, ending fourteen years of Conservative dominance. This overwhelming Labour victory, with the largest parliamentary majority since Tony Blair in 1997, symbolizes a profound desire for change within the British electorate. The results reflect an unequivocal rejection of Conservative policies and a collective aspiration for political and economic renewal.
The transition will not be without challenges, however, as Starmer inherits a country marked by internal divisions and multiple crises. The early days of his tenure will be crucial in defining the direction of his government and establishing confidence in his ability to deliver effective and sustainable solutions. Expectations are immense, both nationally and internationally, with eyes turned towards the new Prime Minister and his approach to global issues. This election is far more than a simple change of guard; it represents a historic opportunity to redefine national priorities and set the UK back on a path of progress and stability. Starmer and his team now stand at a crossroads, with the responsibility to turn the hopes of millions of Britons into tangible realities.