English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 01/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible
Quotations For today
An hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they
are offering worship to God
John 16/01-04: “‘I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling.
They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when
those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to
God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. But
I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may
remember that I told you about them. ‘I did not say these things to you from
the beginning, because I was with you.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese
Related News & Editorials published on May 31- June 01/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: The UN Undermines Its Values and Principles
by Honoring Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi
Elias Bejjani/Texet & Video: Understanding the Risks of Hamas's Victory in Gaza
Video link/A Conversation with Senior Advisor to the President for Energy and
Investment, Amos Hochstein
Ambulance strike kills paramedic in southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon: Three Killed in an Israeli Raid on Naqoura, Yaroun and Adloun
Paramedic killed by an Israeli strike in South Lebanon
Hezbollah's Nasrallah: This is an existential battle, crucial for both Palestine
and Lebanon's future
Nasrallah Strives to Defend His Involvement in the Gaza War
Amos Hochstein's proposed roadmap: Reducing tensions between Lebanon and Israel
Security concerns: Lebanon enhances mobile line verification to curb illegal
Syrian migration
Lebanon Files Complaint Against Israel Over Targeting School Bus
Lebanese Army Arrests Eight Supporters of Daesh
Yassin Urges Removal of Chemicals From Zouk Power Plant
Industrialists Propose Measures to Boukhari to Lift Lebanese Products Boycott
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on
May 31- June 01/2024
Biden details a 3-phase hostage deal aimed at winding down the Israel-Hamas war
Hamas says it ‘positively’ views Gaza Biden ceasefire proposal; EU chief also
finds it to be ‘realistic'
Gaza aid not reaching the population: UN
WFP warns of ‘apocalyptic’ scenes in southern Gaza
UNRWA chief says Israel ‘must stop its campaign’ against agency
Israel's firm stand: No pause in Gaza fighting without hostage agreement
Israel's Gantz at the crossroads over challenge to Netanyahu
IDF leaves Jablia, over 100 Hamas fighters killed as 1,000 homes destroyed
Iran denies using Swedish gangs to target Israel
Houthis claim attack on US aircraft carrier in retaliation for deadly strikes
UN mission in Iraq to end after two decades
EU sanctions Iran’s defense minister, IRGC over drones and missiles
Former Iran parliament speaker registers for presidential vote after Raisi death
Turkish drone strikes in Syria kill 4 U.S.-backed fighters, wound 11 civilians,
Kurdish group says
Trump says he will appeal historic conviction
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources on May 31- June 01/2024
Embracing new realities benefits Turkiye’s foreign policy/Sinem Cengiz/Arab
News/May 31/2024
Now all eyes are on Rafah and Washington/Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/May
31/2024
World is a shameful spectator to injustice/Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama/Arab
News/May 31/2024
The Iraq-Turkey Reset/Soner Cagaptay, Selin Uysal, Bilal Wahab/The Washington
Institute/May 31/2024
How New Wars Have Brought Back Old American Divisions/The New York Times/Asharq
Al-Awsat/June 01/2024
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese
Related News & Editorials published
on May 31- June 01/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: The UN Undermines Its Values and
Principles by Honoring Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi
Elias Bejjani/May 30, 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/130233/130233/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y23GL7V3llA&t=2s
It is sad, unfortunate, and infuriating that the United Nations is set to hold a
memorial for the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday, May 31, 2024,
who died on May 20, 2024, in a helicopter crash along with several high-ranking
Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abdollahian.
In response to this scandalous act, numerous protests have erupted across many
countries that respect human rights principles. Reports on these protests
against the UN’s decision to honor Raisi highlight a wave of anger and
resentment among the Iranian community and the international society.
Ebrahim Raisi, who is held accountable for crimes against humanity, including
the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran, should not be honored by the
United Nations. Raisi was a member of the “Death Committee,” which sentenced
thousands of Iranian political prisoners, including members of the People’s
Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), to execution. This massacre, which
resulted in the deaths of more than 30,000 people, is one of the most horrific
crimes in the history of the Islamic Republic. Additionally, Raisi played a
significant role in suppressing popular uprisings, committing murders, arbitrary
arrests, and torturing protesters, especially women and girls.
Holding a memorial for Raisi, known as “the butcher,” by the United Nations
raises several serious concerns, including:
1-Undermining the Credibility of the United Nations:
Honoring a person accused of crimes against humanity contradicts the principles
and charter of the United Nations, which focus on human rights and justice. This
action may undermine the credibility of the international organization and
weaken global confidence in it.
2-Encouraging Impunity:
Honoring Raisi sends a negative message that crimes against humanity can go
unpunished, encouraging other authoritarian leaders to continue violating human
rights without fear of accountability.
3-Hurting Victims of the Regime:
Honoring Raisi is an insult to the victims and their families, reopening their
psychological wounds. These victims suffer from the loss of their loved ones,
and the honor appears to justify the crimes committed against them.
4-Encouraging Repression:
Honoring Raisi will embolden the Iranian regime to continue its repressive
policies against dissidents and increase its campaigns of oppression and
violence against protesters and human rights defenders in Iran.
5-Endorsing the Crimes of Iranian Proxies:
Honoring this criminal implies that the United Nations endorses the criminal
activities of Iranian terrorist and fundamentalist proxies in Iraq, Syria,
Yemen, Lebanon, and Gaza, as well as the terrorist acts committed by the Iranian
regime in dozens of countries worldwide.
There is way, but to compare this condemned and unacceptable honoring
celebration, to hypothetical honoring criminal figures such as Hitler,
Mussolini, Saddam Hussein, Gaddafi and many others, who committed genocide and
mass atrocities.
In conclusion, this unethical, illegal, and inhumane memorial celebration, which
contradicts the laws and principles of the United Nations itself, undermines and
weakens international efforts to promote human rights and achieve global justice
for victims of terrorism, racism, and wars. Therefore, the United Nations must
review its decision and take steps to cancel Raisi’s honoring event, reaffirming
its commitment to human rights and justice principles.
**The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: [email protected]
Author’s Website:
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com
Elias Bejjani/Texet & Video: Understanding the Risks of Hamas's Victory in Gaza
Elias Bejjani/May 28, 2024
Elias Bejjani/Understanding
the Risks of Hamas's Victory in Gaza - Elias Bejjani News
The ongoing conflict between the State of Israel and the terrorist organization
Hamas has resulted in immense suffering for people in the Middle East. The
devastating war has caused loss of innocent lives, and the destruction of homes
and communities demands global sympathy for the victims on both sides. However,
it is crucial for global and regional powers to understand the true nature and
goals of Hamas and the risks associated with its continued dominance in Gaza.
Promoting wars and targeting innocent civilians, whether Palestinian or Israeli,
is neither acceptable nor justified by any moral or humanitarian standards. The
Palestinian people are suffering immensely due to unprecedented Israeli military
actions, while Hamas leaders remain indifferent, hiding in tunnels and using
civilians as human shields. This organization prioritizes its jihadist agenda
against Israel over the lives of defenseless Palestinian civilians.
The loss of innocent Palestinian lives is tragic and must be condemned. Hamas
bears full responsibility for the suffering of its people, and its actions
provide justification for Israel's military response. While it is essential to
condemn Israeli actions that harm civilians, it is equally important to
recognize the dangers of a Hamas victory.
Allowing Hamas to win in Gaza would strengthen it militarily, promote violent
ideologies, and keep the Palestinian people under its oppressive rule. A Hamas
victory would destabilize moderate Arab countries and empower other jihadist and
terrorist organizations, potentially exporting terrorism to Europe, America, and
beyond.
To defeat Hamas and free the Palestinian people from its tyranny, the
international community must address the root causes of the conflict. This
involves isolating Hamas, dismantling its infrastructure, and supporting the
establishment of peaceful, democratic self-rule in Gaza and the West Bank. A
future Palestinian state should be one that is reconciled with Israel and the
broader international community.
Arab countries, many of which classify Hamas as a terrorist organization, must
take clear and decisive stances against it. Hamas is closely aligned with the
Muslim Brotherhood and other extremist groups, as well as with the Iranian
Mullahs' regime posing a significant threat to regional stability.
The free world must distinguish between legitimate self-defense and terrorism.
Groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Boko Haram, the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces,
the Houthis in Yemen, and others, often supported by the Iranian regime, are
enemies of peace. Equating their actions with legitimate self-defense undermines
justice and destabilizes global security.
Sympathy for the Palestinian people, who are held hostage by Hamas, is
necessary. However, the international community must not overlook the dangers
posed by allowing terrorist organizations to prevail. Defeating Hamas is crucial
for achieving peace in the Middle East and beyond. This peace can only be
realized through dialogue, reconciliation, mutual respect, and the right of all
peoples to self-determination.
In conclusion, supporting the people of Gaza in their quest for a future free of
terrorism and the domination of Hamas is a humanitarian duty. The forces of
peace and justice must triumph over hatred and violence to ensure a stable and
secure world.
Video link/A Conversation with Senior Advisor to the
President for Energy and Investment, Amos Hochstein
Carnegie Endowment/June 01/2024
As the Israel-Hamas war drags on, the potential for spillover effects increase.
Three conflict areas have emerged that carry serious risk of escalation: first,
growing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah along the Israeli-Lebanese border,
and attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis against international shipping in the Red
Sea, threatening global supply chains and freedom of navigation, and the danger
of another direct clash between Israel and Iran. What are the prospects for
regional escalation? Is there a diplomatic pathway in Lebanon? And how have
these conflicts affected the international economy, supply chains, and the
global trade of hydrocarbons? Aaron David Miller will discuss these and other
issues with Amos Hochstein, deputy assistant to the president and senior advisor
for energy and investment at the White House. Prior to serving at the White
House, Hochstein served as the U.S.-appointed mediator of the Lebanese-Israeli
negotiations that resulted in a maritime border agreement between the two
nations.
Ambulance strike kills paramedic in southern Lebanon
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/May 31, 2024
BEIRUT: A series of attacks by Hezbollah on Friday targeted multiple Israeli
military sites with heavy Burkan missiles and suicide drones. The strikes
followed Israeli raids on Aitaroun, Houla, and the pro-Hezbollah border village
of Maroun Al-Ras overnight on Thursday and into the early hours. As aerial
attacks on Lebanese targets continued, two Hezbollah members were killed. A
military drone in Naqoura deliberately struck an ambulance, killing a paramedic
and injuring one other person. While ambulances and ambulatory units in Odaisseh,
Blida, and Hanin have previously been targeted by artillery shelling, this is
the first time an Israeli drone has targeted a medical vehicle. In separate
statements, Hezbollah said it struck the Branit barracks — headquarters of the
Israeli army’s 91st division — with heavy Burkan missiles, “hitting it directly
and destroying part of it.”The group also targeted “the Baghdadi outpost with
heavy Burkan missiles, hitting it directly,” as well as “a building used by the
enemy’s soldiers in the Al-Manara settlement.” Hezbollah said it also attacked
Iron Dome launchpads in the Al-Zaoura bunker and a building used by Israeli
soldiers in the Shomera settlement.
The two Hezbollah members who died were named as Samer Kamel Yassin, aged 42,
and 54-year-old Hussein Mohammed Atwi, both from Houla.
Israeli media said two missiles landed in western Galilee without triggering
sirens and claimed a building in Metula was hit when an anti-armor missile
launched from Lebanon landed in the area. Sirens sounded in several northern
settlements warning of possible drone infiltration. The explosion of air
interception rockets was heard over the Marjayoun Valley in southern Lebanon and
Israel launched shells toward Al-Wazzani and raided Naqoura. Israeli army
spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X: “Israeli military raids targeted four
Hezbollah military buildings in Aitaroun and Markaba in southern Lebanon.”
The Israeli airstrikes, which have been ongoing for 237 days, have caused
extensive damage to homes and buildings in the border towns, leaving the areas
90 percent uninhabited. The number of displaced people who have relocated to
Beirut’s southern suburbs has reached around 100,000.
The Cabinet has approved $1 million (93 billion Lebanese pounds) in compensation
for civilian victims and aid for the displaced. However, the decision has
sparked political protests. Critics have condemned the government for spending
so much public money on compensation for a war the Lebanese people did not
choose while it struggles to pay public sector and military salaries. They said
Hezbollah “decided on its own to launch its rockets at Israel on Oct. 8 from the
south, dragging Lebanon into the war.” Objections came from the head of the
Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, the head of the Lebanese Kataeb Party, MP
Sami Gemayel, MP Nadim Gemayel, and other figures. Caretaker Prime Minister
Najib Mikati has repeatedly stated that Lebanon, suffering from an economic
crisis, cannot bear the burdens of the southern war.
Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri expressed his deep concern weeks ago about
“the extent of the destruction along the southern border, with initial estimates
indicating massive losses.”He noted: “The conditions for rebuilding what was
destroyed by the Israeli attacks accompanying the 2006 war may not be the same
today.”On Thursday, Amos Hochstein, senior adviser for energy and investment to
the US president, said in an interview with Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace that he did not expect everlasting peace between Hezbollah and Israel.
“A land border agreement between Israel and Lebanon implemented in phases, by
removing some of the motivations for conflict, and establishing recognized
borders for the first time between the two countries, could dampen the simmering
and deadly conflict between the two countries,” he said.
Southern Lebanon: Three Killed in an Israeli Raid on
Naqoura, Yaroun and Adloun
This Is Beirut/31 May 2024
Tensions rose in the evening at the southern front between Hezbollah and the
Israeli army, which carried out a series of raids on several areas in south
Lebanon, killing two men in Naqoura and Yaroun, and one woman in Adloun. In the
evening, Israeli aircraft raided a home in Adloun, killing the woman and
wounding others. Late in the afternoon, Israeli aircraft targeted a motorcycle
in Yaroun, killing a Hezbollah fighter, Abbas Haydar Boussi, and injuring
others. Earlier, Haidar Jahir, alias Amir, a paramedic with Hezbollah’s Islamic
Health Committee, was killed in an Israeli drone strike on an ambulance in
Naqoura. Another was wounded. Rescue workers were extinguishing a fire caused by
Israeli bombardment of the outskirts of Naqoura at the time of the strike.In
retaliation, Hezbollah shelled the settlements of Gaaton, Ein Yaakov and Yehiam.
It again targeted Israeli settlements in the evening to avenge the death of its
fighter in Yaroun, wounding three Israelis. Hezbollah launched 100 missiles
against non-evacuated settlements in the western Galilee, Israeli media
reported, noting that Israeli air defenses intercepted six missiles launched
from southern Lebanon towards Peqi’in in the Upper Galilee. The pro-Iranian
group reported that it had destroyed the Iron Dome platforms in the Zaoura
district. It also targeted the Ramtha, Baghdadi and Ma’yan Baruch sites. The
Israeli army then targeted the outskirts of the villages of Dhaira, Aitaroun,
Adloun and the area between Houmine el-Fawka and Aïn Qana.
Paramedic killed by an Israeli strike in South Lebanon
LBCI/May 31, 2024
A paramedic was killed and another was wounded in an Israeli strike on Friday
that targeted an ambulance from the Islamic Health Organization, affiliated with
Hezbollah, in southern Lebanon, a source from the organization's operations room
told AFP.
Hezbollah's Nasrallah: This is an existential battle, crucial for both Palestine
and Lebanon's future
LBCI/May 31, 2024
In a speech during a memorial service for Sheikh Ali Kourani at the Imam al-Mujtaba
complex in the southern suburbs, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah highlighted the ongoing significance of the southern front. He
stressed that it is part of a broader struggle that will shape the future of
Palestine, Lebanon, and the region. "This is an existential battle, crucial for
Palestine and Lebanon's future, resources, and sovereignty," Nasrallah stated.
He also addressed the ongoing war in Gaza, pointing out that the fighting
continues unabated. He criticized the international community's inaction due to
the US veto power, remarking that some still naively rely on international
bodies for deterrence and protection. He further condemned Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration, labeling their actions in
Gaza and Palestine as genocidal. "Despite the silence of nations and leaders,
thankfully, these crimes are awakening the world," Nasrallah concluded.
Nasrallah Strives to Defend His Involvement in the Gaza
War
This Is Beirut/June 01 2024
The leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, asserted that his organization does
not link the presidential election to the war in Gaza. For Hezbollah’s
Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, any occasion is good to try to convince the
Lebanese people of the “opportunity” of the unnecessary and destructive war he
has led in southern Lebanon. On Friday, it was the commemoration of the death of
an Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ali Mohammad Kourani, that provided Hassan Nasrallah
with the pretext for yet another speech. In it, he once again attempted, with
pompous slogans and, of course, half-truths, to outline all the supposed
benefits that Lebanon will gain, according to him, from a new “divine victory”
against Israel. Needless to say, he once again completely ignored the price that
Lebanon and its population, especially in the South, pay for his military
adventures that benefit only his sole Iranian sponsor. While he brags about
hypothetical future “victories,” southern Lebanon is in turmoil, its population
displaced and distressed, its property destroyed, and the Lebanese economy
increasingly weakened. But for Hassan Nasrallah, all these are mere details not
worth mentioning.
What enrages him, however, is that some Lebanese dare to openly question the
validity of his “strategy-that-will-lead-to-a-new-divine-victory-and-inflict-a-crushing-defeat-on-the-Zionist-enemy,”
even if it means fighting Israel to the last Lebanese. Hassan Nasrallah knows
very well that their criticisms are valid, contrary to his reasoning, which he
tries — in his increasingly frequent speeches — to solidify with slogans and
threats that ultimately only highlight the weakness of his argument. Mastering
the art of manipulation and populism and starting from the principle that attack
is the best defense, the Hezbollah leader addressed two audiences on Friday: his
supporters and his critics, whom he barely mentioned in his previous speeches.
The fact that he dedicated a significant part of his remarks to responding to
all those who firmly believe that Lebanon has nothing to do with the war between
Israel and Hamas and who refuse to see its southern part destroyed due to the
calculations of a group that has arrogated the power of war and peace shows how
much these criticisms disturb him.
What Majority?
To his supporters, he “explained” once again why “the front supporting Hamas,”
which southern Lebanon has become, is important. “The war we are waging will
shape the strategic fate of Palestine and Lebanon, which will be able to regain
its sovereignty and benefit from its water and oil resources that it cannot
currently enjoy. It will have positive repercussions for the entire region,” he
claimed. It is tempting to respond, “That’s great, but could you be a bit more
specific?” Hassan Nasrallah obviously did not elaborate on his thoughts, perhaps
judging that the Lebanese will not grasp all the subtleties of the long-term
effects of the war they care little about and which is taking place on their
soil. He merely called on his audience to “not listen to those who preach out of
ignorance and engage in analyses that do not correspond to reality,” which is,
however, as clear as can be for those willing to see.
Hassan Nasrallah then castigated “the Lebanese who believe that Israel has done
nothing to Lebanon since 1948,” recalling the Israeli attacks and occupation of
the country, but of course failing to mention the Palestinian and Hezbollah
factors, which have been decisive at this level, as they have given Tel Aviv the
pretext to carry out all kinds of military operations against the country. Still
in a failed attempt at defense, he mocked those who think that “a majority of
Lebanese are opposed to reopening the southern front and consider that Lebanon
has nothing to do with the war between Israel and Hamas,” challenging them to
prove that they form a majority. “Those who died in the south, are they not
Lebanese? Are their families not Lebanese? I feel compelled, in light of what is
being said, to also talk about a majority. We are the ones with the largest
party and the most preferential votes. Let those who claim to represent the
majority conduct a census. They will know their weight and see what the majority
of Lebanese think,” he said. Nasrallah harshly criticized the United States,
which he believes is “responsible for the suffering of the Lebanese, as
evidenced by the leaks about a deal according to which offshore gas exploration
can begin if the clashes in southern Lebanon cease.” Following his logic, “it is
the United States that is the cause of Lebanon’s electricity problems” and not
the disastrous management of this sector by his more or less allied Christian
party, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).
Hassan Nasrallah also reacted to statements made by the American envoy, Amos
Hochstein, on Thursday about a possible Lebanese-Israeli agreement, one aspect
of which would involve resolving the border conflict. “The southern border is
delineated, but there are disputed points from which Israel must withdraw,” he
said.
Presidential Election and Vetoes
Addressing the presidential issue, the Hezbollah leader rejected accusations
that his camp is blocking the election of a new head of state because it ties
Lebanon’s issue to the war in Gaza. Recalling that the deadlock has persisted
since the end of former President Michel Aoun’s term in October 2022, he
emphasized that he has repeatedly stated since the beginning of the war in Gaza
and the opening of the southern front that “the two issues are not linked.” He
also rejected accusations that his party is seeking to gain political leverage,
particularly regarding the presidency, through the war in the south of the
country. “What prevents the election of a president are internal and
international vetoes,” he accused, alluding especially to the United States and
Saudi Arabia, which oppose the accession to the presidency of a candidate close
to the pro-Iranian block. “Without these vetoes, many deputies would have voted
for certain candidates,” Hassan Nasrallah added, referring to his candidate, the
head of the Marada Movement, Sleiman Frangieh. He emphasized his commitment to
resolving the deadlock and insisted that it would not be possible without
dialogue. “If there is a solution other than through dialogue, tell us,” he
said.
Amos Hochstein's proposed roadmap: Reducing tensions
between Lebanon and Israel
LBCI/May 31, 2024
Once again, Amos Hochstein has presented a roadmap aimed at bringing the ongoing
escalation between Lebanon and Israel to a calmer state.
However, this time, the senior advisor to the US president on energy issues has
delved into more detailed American proposals, which are divided into three
phases.
- The initial phase involves allowing residents of northern Israeli communities
and southern Lebanese communities to return to their homes. This step requires
strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces through recruitment, training, and
equipping, according to Hochstein, who did not specify how it would be
accomplished.
- The second phase includes an economic package for Lebanon designed to
demonstrate international support for the Lebanese people. Among the proposed
economic aid is a solution to the electricity crisis. Hochstein stated that the
US has developed a package that could provide electricity to the Lebanese people
for 12 hours a day in a short period.
- The final phase involves reaching an agreement on the land border demarcation
between Lebanon and Israel. The US envoy considers this a crucial factor in
reducing Iran's influence in Lebanon and diminishing the impact of external
forces on the small country.
From the Lebanese side, the Lebanese Army has neither confirmed nor denied
receiving such a plan.
Nevertheless, political sources following the matter told LBCI that Hochstein’s
proposals were part of the ideas he has been presenting during his frequent
visits to Lebanon since October 7.
He plans to continue discussing these ideas during his upcoming visit to
Lebanon, which he has linked to a ceasefire in Gaza.
As for Hezbollah, which had conditioned any agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza,
the party’s sources have asserted that Hochstein’s talk is still far from
achievable. They argue that any agreement requires both parties’ consent.
Security concerns: Lebanon enhances mobile line
verification to curb illegal Syrian migration
LBCI/May 31, 2024
Recently, discussions began between security officials, the Telecommunications
Ministry, and mobile companies Alfa and Touch about the necessity of securing a
system to verify the authenticity of documents submitted by Lebanese and
foreigners to obtain mobile lines, ensuring they are free from forgery.
Following a parliamentary recommendation to regulate Syrian migration,
complemented by a similar government plan, the Telecommunications Ministry
decided to accelerate its efforts to ensure national security.
Minister Johnny Corm convened with security and technical officials to agree on
purchasing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. This AI-powered program
will be integrated with mobile companies to verify the authenticity of documents
submitted for obtaining mobile lines.
In Lebanon, there are approximately 828,000 active mobile lines held by resident
Syrians, distributed as follows:
- 441,932 lines on Alfa
- 386,164 lines on Touch
These represent about 20% of the lines on the network.
So, what Will Happen?
Within two months of purchasing the software (a tender prepared by the
Telecommunications Ministry is expected to be finalized soon), Syrians will
receive SMS messages on their lines requesting them to present the documents
based on which they obtained these lines.
If they do not comply, their lines will be cut off. Those found to have
submitted forged documents will also have their lines cut. If there are errors
or missing documents, they will be asked to complete them, and failure to do so
will result in disconnection if their residency status is found to be illegal.
Minister Johnny Corm presented this issue at the latest Cabinet meeting and
received approval from the Prime Minister to proceed. He told LBCI that
this measure would facilitate the implementation of plans to regulate the
presence of illegal Syrian residents in Lebanon, urging each minister to work
within their jurisdiction to address this issue.
Lebanon Files Complaint Against Israel Over Targeting
School Bus
This Is Beirut/31 May 2024
The Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations, based on the
instructions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, filed a complaint
to the Security Council regarding an “Israeli strike that targeted a car
carrying a Lebanese citizen, resulting in his death. The same raid also damaged
a school bus transporting students to Shoukin School, injuring three
students.”This incident occurred while the bus was passing on the
Shoukin-Kfardajal road, located southwest of Nabatiyeh. “Given that
international humanitarian law, based on Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva
Convention of 1949, guarantees the protection of civilians and civilian
facilities, Israel’s deliberate bombing of a civilian car and a school bus
carrying minor students heading to their school constitutes a violation of
international humanitarian law and a war crime,” the complaint read. It noted
that “protecting children in wartime is a principle enshrined in international
humanitarian law and binding on states, based on Article 16 of the
aforementioned convention, which states that these groups are ‘entitled to
special protection and respect’.”According to the statement, Lebanon has
requested that the Security Council ask Israel to respect international
humanitarian law and children’s rights, “urging them to avoid targeting
civilians.” Additionally, it called on the Security Council to “condemn Israel’s
direct, deliberate, and repeated attacks on civilians and to ensure that Israel
does not evade punishment for these crimes.”It emphasized that “the failure of
Council members to condemn these Israeli crimes would give Israel a free hand to
continue targeting civilians without any deterrence.”
Lebanese Army Arrests Eight Supporters of Daesh
This Is Beirut/31 May 2024
The Lebanese Army announced on Friday that it had arrested “eight individuals
who confessed to being supporters of the terrorist organization Daesh (ISIS).”
“The suspects admitted to committing acts of theft to finance their terrorist
projects and to firing at shops and at the vehicle of an officer of the Internal
Security Forces as part of a series of security incidents that occurred in the
regions of Jabal Baddaoui and Wadi el-Nahleh in North Lebanon,” according to a
statement from the Lebanese Army. They also confessed to “taking a photo of a
Lebanese Army post that they intended to attack,” the statement added. The Army
also seized weapons and equipment used by the suspects in their operations. The
confiscated items were handed over to the competent authorities, and a judicial
investigation has been opened.
Yassin Urges Removal of Chemicals From Zouk Power Plant
This Is Beirut/31 May 2024
“The chemicals from the Zouk power plant should be promptly transferred to
countries that will treat them appropriately,” declared caretaker Minister of
the Environment Nasser Yassin on Friday. In an interview with the radio station
Voice of Lebanon, Yassin stated that the chemicals in the Zouk power plant were
“flammable and not explosive.”The Mayor of Zouk Mikael, Elie Beaino, assigned a
delegation from the municipality to accompany members of the Intelligence
services to inspect the materials in the factory, determine their nature and
obtain preliminary information about their potential danger.
Suspicions that ammonium nitrate was stored in the Zouk power plant aroused fear
among the inhabitants of Zouk Mikael of a possible occurrence of an explosion.
Caretaker Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi confirmed those suspicions in
2022, warning against explosive materials in the power plant, while Beaino told
This is Beirut on May 30 that there was “no ammonium nitrate in the
facility.”Hazardous Materials in Zouk’s Thermal Plant: Another Ticking Bomb?
However, he admitted the presence of several materials that could be dangerous
if kept close to each other. Beaino estimated that the storage amounts to 60
tons, posing a risk of explosion due to sabotage, warfare or heat. On March 23,
the Director-General of Electricité du Liban (EDL) received a notice from the
Public Prosecution to ship the explosive chemicals out of the Zouk power plant.
Notice for Immediate Shipment of Explosive Material from Zouk Power Plant
Nonetheless, the materials remain there. Zouk Mikael residents planned a
demonstration on Friday, May 31 at 6:00 PM, to demand the immediate removal of
all dangerous chemicals.
Industrialists Propose Measures to Boukhari to Lift
Lebanese Products Boycott
This Is Beirut/ 31 May 2024
The Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Boukhari, received MP Nadim
Gemayel on Friday, accompanied by a delegation of industrialists. They presented
him with proposals for lifting the Saudi boycott of Lebanese products. The
document presented to the ambassador includes several proposals in this regard:
— Impose, with the help of Saudi customs, preemptive control over exports by
land, sea or air to Saudi Arabia. This control could be carried out by
international specialized companies, as is the case in many countries.
— Grant joint authorization to companies and institutions that adhere to safe
transport conditions for goods to prevent potential threats to Saudi Arabia’s
security.
The industrialists also assessed the volume of trade in pharmaceutical products.
They pointed out that 175 Saudi medicines are registered in Lebanon, compared to
16 Lebanese medicines listed in Saudi Arabia. They emphasized that the Saudi
boycott of Lebanese products results in losses in the pharmaceutical sector
amounting to “more than 15 million US dollars per year.”In this context, Gemayel
stressed the importance of Lebanese-Saudi cooperation and the urgent need for
Riyadh’s support for the Lebanese industry. In November 2021, Saudi Arabia
announced the suspension of imports of Lebanese products, which affected the
country’s economy as, according to 2020 figures, Riyadh was the third-largest
market for Lebanese exports.
Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on May 31- June 01/2024
Biden details a 3-phase hostage deal aimed at winding down
the Israel-Hamas war
AP/May 31, 2024
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden on Friday detailed a three-phase deal proposed
by Israel to Hamas militants that he says would lead to the release of the
remaining hostages in Gaza and could end the grinding, nearly 8-month-old
Mideast war. Biden added that Hamas is “no longer capable” of carrying out
another large-scale attack on Israel as he urged Israelis and Hamas to come to a
deal to release the remaining hostages for an extended ceasefire. The Democratic
president in remarks from the White House called the proposal “a road map to an
enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages.”Biden said the first phase
of the proposed deal would would last for six weeks and would include a “full
and complete ceasefire,” a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas
of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly
and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian
prisoners. American hostages would be released at this stage, and remains of
hostages who have been killed would be returned to their families. Humanitarian
assistance would surge during the first phase, with 600 trucks being allowed
into Gaza each day.
The second phase would include the release of all remaining living hostages,
including male soldiers, and Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza.“And as
long as Hamas lives up to its commitments, the temporary ceasefire would become,
in the words of the Israeli proposals, ‘the cessation of hostilities
permanently,’” Biden said. The third phase calls for the start of a major
reconstruction of Gaza, which faces decades of rebuilding from devastation
caused by the war. But Biden acknowledged that keeping the deal on track would
be difficult, saying there are a number of “details to negotiate” to move from
the first phase to the second.Biden’s remarks came as the Israeli military
confirmed that its forces are now operating in central parts of Rafah in its
expanding offensive in the southern Gaza city. Biden called it “a truly a
decisive moment.” He added that Hamas said it wants a ceasefire and that an
Israeli-phased deal is an opportunity to prove “whether they really mean it.”
Israel has faced growing international criticism for its strategy of systematic
destruction in Gaza, at a huge cost in civilian lives. Israeli bombardments and
ground offensives in the besieged territory have killed more than 36,000
Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish
between combatants and civilians. Israel launched its war in Gaza after Hamas’
Oct. 7 attack in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200
people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250. Israel says around 100
hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more.
Ceasefire talks ground to a halt at the beginning of the month after a major
push by the US and other mediators to secure a deal, in hopes of averting a
planned Israeli invasion of the southern city of Rafah. The talks were stymied
by a central sticking point: Hamas demands guarantees that the war will end and
Israeli troops will withdraw from Gaza completely in return for a release of all
the hostages, a demand Israel rejects.
Hamas says it ‘positively’ views Gaza Biden ceasefire
proposal; EU chief also finds it to be ‘realistic'
REUTERS/June 01, 2024
GAZA: Hamas on Friday said it had a positive view of the contents of a
three-phase ceasefire proposal announced by US President Joe Biden for a
permanent ceasefire in Gaza. “Hamas confirms its readiness to deal positively
and in a constructive manner with any proposal that is based on the permanent
ceasefire and the full withdrawal (of Israeli forces) from the Gaza Strip, the
reconstruction (of Gaza), and the return of the displaced to their places, along
with the fulfillment of a genuine prisoner swap deal if the occupation clearly
announces commitment to such deal,” the group said in a statement.
Hamas’ position signals a change in attitude from the group, which in recent
months had accused the US of siding with Israel and obstructing attempts for a
ceasefire. “Hamas sees Biden’s position now more focused on pressuring Israel to
return to negotiations with a different attitude, or they (Israel) could risk
clashing with the Americans,” a Palestinian official close to the mediation
efforts told Reuters. Rifts between Biden and Netanyahu over red lines in Gaza
has set up a potential showdown between the two leaders, raising questions about
whether the US might restrict military aid if Israel continues its offensive in
the now-devastated enclave. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that
Israel had authorized negotiators to present a Gaza truce deal after Biden
revealed details of the ceasefire plan. Palestinian health authorities estimate
more than 36,280 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel attacked the
enclave in response to an Oct. 7 Hamas assault in southern Israel. The Hamas
attack killed around 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. European Union
chief Ursula von der Leyen also welcomed the Israeli roadmap toward a ceasefire
in Gaza announced by US President Joe Biden as a “significant opportunity” to
bring the war to an end. “I wholeheartedly agree with Biden that the latest
proposal is a significant opportunity to move toward an end to war and civilian
suffering in Gaza. This three-step approach is balanced and realistic. It now
needs support from all parties,” the European Commission president said on
social media.
Gaza aid not reaching the population: UN
AFP/May 31, 2024
GENEVA: The humanitarian aid allowed into the Gaza Strip is not getting to
civilians in need, the United Nations said Friday, urging Israel to fulfil its
legal obligations. “The aid that is getting in is not getting to the people, and
that’s a major problem,” Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency
OCHA, told a media briefing in Geneva. He highlighted the role of the Israeli
authorities at their Kerem Shalom crossing, the main entry point for aid into
the besieged Palestinian territory since the Rafah crossing between Egypt and
Gaza was closed by the Israeli military on May 7.
“We continue to insist that Israeli authorities’ obligation under the law to
facilitate delivery of aid does not stop at the border,” said Laerke. “It does
not stop when you drop off just a few meters across the border and then drive
away, and then leave it to humanitarians to drive through active combat zones —
which they cannot do — to pick it up,” he said. “We need that safe and unimpeded
access to get to the drop-off point so we can pick it up and get it to people.
“We want all parties to live up to their obligations under the law.”The
bloodiest-ever Gaza war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern
Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,189 people, mostly civilians,
according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Militants also took
252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the army says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,224 people in Gaza, mostly
civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
WFP warns of ‘apocalyptic’ scenes in southern Gaza
AFP/May 31, 2024
ROME: Daily life has become “apocalyptic” in parts of southern Gaza since Israel
moved into the city of Rafah, though the situation in the north is improving,
the UN’s food agency said Friday. “The exodus that we’ve seen in the past 20
days or so out of Rafah has been an awesome and horrific experience for many,
many people,” Matthew Hollingworth, the World Food Programme (WFP) director for
the Palestinian territories. They have fled the fighting to areas where there
was not enough water, health care or fuel, where food was limited,
telecommunications had stopped and there was not enough space to dig pit
latrines, Hollingworth told an online briefing. The public health situation was
“beyond crisis levels,” he said, adding: “The sounds and smells of everyday life
are horrific and apocalyptic.” People “sleep to the sounds of war... and they
wake to the same sounds,” he said. The WFP was able to provide “ever decreasing
amounts of assistance,” with all of its bakeries in Rafah closed due to a lack
of fuel and supplies, he said. From May 7 — when Israeli tanks and troops
entered Rafah’s east — to May 20, “not a single WFP truck crossed from the
southern corridors from Egypt,” Hollingworth said. The WFP also lost access to
its main warehouse in the south of the Gaza Strip because it was in an
evacuation zone, with 2,700 tons of food either looted or destroyed in fighting.
Hollingworth said the WFP was serving around 27,000 people with hot meals in
Rafah — “but that’s not enough.”
In central areas of the Gaza Strip, where many people fled, the WFP is providing
around 400,000 hot meals a day, and has kept six bakeries functioning.
Commercial food is also getting in, he said, but many people have no money, with
some even resorting to trading their identity cards — which they need if they
want to register for aid. Hollingworth said aid trucks from Egypt had begun
entering the Gaza Strip through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing.
“Since May 20, we have started to get a trickle of assistance in,” he said,
though he warned the security situation was still slowing down the deliveries.
“That has to turn into a flood of assistance if we’re going to ensure we don’t
start seeing the most acute forms of hunger becoming more common,” he said. In
the north of the Palestinian territory, by contrast, where UN agencies warned of
imminent famine in March, Hollingworth said the situation was improving.
With the opening of crossings, around 12,000 tons of inter-agency assistance,
mostly food, had been delivered since May 1. “There has been a step change in
terms of availability of food,” he said, though problems of health care, clean
water supply and sewage remained.
The United States has built a temporary pier into Gaza, but it was damaged in
poor weather, suspending deliveries. During the two weeks it was open, about
1,000 tons of inter-agency aid moved through the pier, Hollingworth said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his government is doing
everything to avoid famine in Gaza, and noted a study saying that calorie
consumption in the territory was 3,200 a day — more than enough. “I have not
seen anybody, aid workers alike who live off protein bars, eat 3,000 calories or
more in Gaza,” Hollingworth said. The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7
attack on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,189 people, mostly
civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Militants also took 252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the
army says are dead. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,284
people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health
ministry.
UNRWA chief says Israel ‘must stop its campaign’ against
agency
AFP/May 31, 2024
JERUSALEM: UN Palestinian refugee agency chief Philippe Lazzarini said on Friday
that Israel “must stop its campaign against UNRWA” in an opinion article
published by the New York Times. “The war in Gaza has produced a blatant
disregard for the mission of the UN, including outrageous attacks on (UNRWA)
employees, facilities and operations,” agency chief Lazzarini said. “These
attacks must stop and the world must act to hold the perpetrators
accountable.”UNRWA, which coordinates nearly all aid to Gaza, has been in crisis
since January, when Israel accused about a dozen of its 13,000 Gaza employees of
being involved in the Oct. 7 attack. That prompted many governments, including
top donor the US, to abruptly suspend funding to the agency, threatening its
efforts to deliver aid in Gaza, although several have since resumed payments. An
independent review of UNRWA, led by French former Foreign Minister Catherine
Colonna, found some “neutrality-related issues” but said Israel had yet to
provide evidence for its leading allegations. “Israeli officials are not only
threatening the work of our staff and mission, they are also delegitimizing
UNRWA by effectively characterizing it as a terrorist organization that fosters
extremism and labelling UN leaders as terrorists who collude with Hamas,”
Lazzarini said. He said the “assault on UNRWA has spread to (Israeli-annexed)
East Jerusalem”, where demonstrations outside the agency’s compound have become
common in recent months, and “increasingly dangerous, with at least two arson
attacks.” UNRWA last week suspended food distribution in southern Gaza,
including Rafah, after Israel launched an offensive in the city and seized the
Rafah border crossing with Egypt. The war was sparked by Hamas’s attack on
southern Israel. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,284
people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s Health
Ministry.
Israel's firm stand: No pause in Gaza fighting without
hostage agreement
LBCI/May 31, 2024
Following Hamas' announcement of its readiness to agree on a deal to exchange
Israeli-Palestinian prisoners, provided that Israel halts its operations in
Gaza, the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has
decisively rejected the proposal. The government declared its intention to
continue the military offensive in Gaza. This stance was bolstered by a senior
security official who stated that there would be no truce or cessation of
fighting unless it included a comprehensive agreement for the release of the
hostages. In a meeting with the families of the hostages, National Security
Council Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi emphasized that even if the first phase of the
prisoner exchange, known as the humanitarian phase, which includes women, the
elderly, and the sick, is completed, Israel would not commit to the second and
final phase involving soldiers and bodies until Hamas is eradicated. The
contentious meeting underlined the complexities surrounding the deal, placing
the negotiations at a critical juncture. This stance comes amid a deepening
internal crisis in Israel, exacerbated by the increasing number of officers,
reservists, along active-duty officers opposing the continuation of the Gaza
offensive. Internal military reports indicate that only 42% of active-duty
officers support ongoing combat operations. The soldiers' opposition to the
continued fighting aligns with the call from Labor Party leader Yair Golan, who
has urged reservists to rebel and refuse to fight. In a bid to alleviate
mounting international pressure, Tel Aviv and Cairo have reached an agreement to
reopen the Rafah border crossing, which will be managed by Palestinian
authorities unaffiliated with Hamas—a goal that Israel is actively pursuing.
Concurrently, Washington is working to facilitate a trilateral meeting in Cairo
to secure an agreement regarding the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphi
Corridor, which borders Egypt.
Israel's Gantz at the crossroads over challenge to
Netanyahu
James Mackenzie/JERUSALEM (Reuters)/May 31, 2024
Former general Benny Gantz faces a reckoning next week over his revolt against
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been gaining ground in the
opinion polls almost nine months into the war in Gaza. On Thursday, Gantz's
centrist party proposed a bill to dissolve parliament, days after he said he
would quit Netanyahu's wartime unity government unless the prime minister came
up with a clear day-after strategy for Gaza.But with the latest opinion poll
showing a noticeable swing towards Netanyahu, who received wide support in
Israel after International Criminal Court prosecutors said they had requested an
arrest warrant against the prime minister, the way ahead has become more
complicated. The poll for Israel's Channel 12 television published this week
showed 36% considered Netanyahu better suited to be prime minister over 30% who
favoured Gantz in a two way choice between them. The same poll showed the lead
held by Gantz's National Unity Party narrowing, giving it 25 seats in parliament
if elections were held now against 21 for Netanyahu's Likud party. Gantz, a
former army commander and defence minister in the previous government has held a
clear lead over Netanyahu in the polls for months as the prime minister's image
as a security hawk was shattered by the devastating attack on Israel by Hamas-led
gunmen on Oct. 7. He joined a unity government soon after the Hamas-led attack
on Israel on Oct. 7, saying he was putting aside political considerations in the
national interest. But, along with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Gadi
Eisenkot, another centrist former general, he has clashed repeatedly with the
religious nationalist members of Netanyahu's government, who have remained
adamantly opposed to any political settlement with the Palestinians. Earlier
this month, the frustrations of the generals broke into the open, when first
Gallant, then Gantz demanded a clear strategy for what to do in Gaza when the
fighting ends. But the demand may have come too late for the increasing number
on the left who were unhappy that Gantz's presence in the government was
providing cover to Netanyahu. "In some ways, Gantz has cornered himself because
he cannot retreat, he cannot back off from the ultimatum," said Aviv Bushinski,
a former communications advisor to Netanyahu, who noted that within an hour of
Gantz's statement, Netanyahu had dismissed his demand. "So he is stuck there but
everybody knows that nothing will happen, so why doesn't he exercise the
ultimatum?" he said.
QUIT THE GOVERNMENT
Gantz's departure from government would not, on its own, endanger Netanyahu,
whose coalition with a clutch of right-wing nationalist religious parties gives
him a solid majority in parliament, and elections do not have to be held until
2026. Whether it triggers a wider shakeup would have to be seen but Israeli
media questioned the timing of Gantz's decision and fierce criticism of the
government by Eisenkot in a separate speech on Wednesday. "What's going on? Did
you suddenly see a poll showing a dramatic drop in support for your party that
woke you up?" wrote Sima Kadmon, a commentator in Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel's
top-selling tabloid newspaper. Almost nine months into the war in Gaza, Israel
has become increasingly isolated internationally as the Palestinian death toll
has risen among a 2.3 million population that aid agencies say faces a severe
humanitarian crisis. More than 36,000 Palestinians, including both armed
fighters and civilians, have been killed since the start of the Israeli assault,
according to figures from Palestinian health authorities. Much of the coastal
enclave has been reduced to rubble and most of the population has been
displaced. As well as a ruling from the International Court of Justice in the
Hague ordering it to halt its operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah,
prosecutors from the International Criminal Court are also seeking arrest
warrants against both Netanyahu and Gallant. Increasing numbers of European
countries have either recognised a Palestinian state, or are poised to do so,
and even Israel's closest ally, the United States, has become increasingly
frustrated at the attitude of Netanyahu's government. Gantz himself, as hawkish
an enemy of Hamas as any other Israeli leader, would do little to end that
isolation because his policy for conducting the war would differ little from
Netanyahu's.
His differences with Netanyahu have centered more on issues such as the
possibility of opening a path towards a political settlement with the
Palestinians and doing more to ensure Orthodox Jewish Israelis serve in the
military, both policies fiercely opposed by Netanyahu's allies on the right. "I
think an Israeli government headed by anybody else would have exactly the same
policy in Rafah," said Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to the United
States. "Israelis understand that. People outside don't seem to understand that
very much."
IDF leaves Jablia, over 100 Hamas fighters killed as 1,000 homes destroyed
Doug Cunningham/United Press International/May 31, 2024
The IDF said more than 100 Hamas fighters were killed and the bodies of seven
hostages were retrieved in the 20-day operation."Our forces also eliminated
hundreds of terrorists in intense close-quarters combat and located hundreds of
weapons, rocket launching compounds and launchers and over 10km of tunnels --
all of which were neutralized," the IDF said on X. Jabalia civil defense
spokesman Mahmoud Basal said over 1,000 homes were destroyed in the fighting.
Tens of thousands of civilians fled the area during Israel's assault. At least
36,224 Palestinians have been killed and 81,777 injured since Oct. 7, according
to the Gaza Ministry of Health. U.N. agency said about 18,500 pregnant
Palestinian women have fled the city of Rafah's "unrelenting nightmare."Israel's
military invaded Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed at
least 1,139 while dozens of Israeli hostages taken in that attack are still held
by Hamas. Israeli 155 self-propelled Howitzer fires from southern Israeli into
Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 7, 2024. Israel entered Rafah and took
over the Keren Shalom crossing May 6 in what appeared to be a "limited" ground
offensive against Hamas. Israeli 155 self-propelled Howitzer fires from southern
Israeli into Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 7, 2024. Israel entered
Rafah and took over the Keren Shalom crossing May 6 in what appeared to be a
"limited" ground offensive against Hamas. According to the IDF, Hamas turned
Jabalia into a fortified combat complex, firing at Israeli troops from schools
and other locations where civilians were sheltering while using tunnel networks
built under civilian buildings. The IDF said two Israeli troops were killed in
the Jabaliya operation bringing the total number of troops killed in Gaza to
294. Hamas said Thursday it won't negotiate in cease-fire talks "in light of
[Israel's] aggression, killing, siege, starvation and genocide of our people."
A key aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that the
Gaza war could continue for the rest of the year.
Iran denies using Swedish gangs to target Israel
AFP/May 31, 2024
STOCKHOLM: Iran’s Embassy in Stockholm has denied accusations it was recruiting
criminal gang members, some of them children, as proxies to commit “acts of
violence” against Israeli interests in Sweden. “Paying attention to the source
of this information clearly shows that it is false,” the embassy said in a
statement on its website, adding that media coverage based on documents from
Israel’s secret services was “false and baseless.” Tensions have flared between
Israel and Iran since the start of the war in Gaza on Oct. 7, and the two states
have fought a shadow war of killings and sabotage attacks for years. On
Thursday, Sweden’s intelligence agency said Iran was “using criminal networks in
Sweden to carry out acts of violence against other states, groups or people in
Sweden that it considers a threat.” The service, commonly known as Sapo, said
these were particularly aimed at “Israeli and Jewish interests, targets and
operations in Sweden.” Several hours before Sapo’s announcement, Swedish
newspaper Dagens Nyheter or DN cited documents from Israel’s intelligence agency
Mossad as saying that the heads of two Swedish gangs had both been recruited by
the Iranian regime.
“Unfortunately, some Swedish media have quoted the false and baseless claims of
media and institutions affiliated with this brutal regime (Israel) and published
false and fabricated reports against Iran,” the Iranian Embassy’s statement
added.
The embassy said it “expects the Swedish media not to trust the claims and
reports published by the Israeli regime” and to work for “an end to the crimes
of the Zionist regime in Palestine.”The diplomatic spat comes two weeks after
night-time gunfire was reported outside Israel’s embassy in Stockholm, and three
months after police found a live grenade lying on the grounds of the Israeli
compound.
Houthis claim attack on US aircraft carrier in retaliation
for deadly strikes
SAEED AL-BATATI/Arab News/May 31, 2024
AL-MUKALLA: Yemen’s Houthi militia said on Friday that it fired a salvo of
ballistic missiles toward the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the Red Sea in
revenge for the US and UK airstrikes on Thursday, which it claims killed and
injured 58 people. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said that 16 persons
were killed and 41 injured in the last wave of US and UK missile attacks on the
Red Sea province of Hodeidah alone on Thursday, which targeted Hodeidah Radio, a
coast guard facility on Al-Saleef port. Other US and UK strikes hit the capital
Sanaa, Sanaa province, Houthi-controlled sections of Taiz province, and two
mansions in Hodeidah owned by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and former
Vice President Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmer, injuring another person. “This is an obvious
targeting of civilian targets, a flagrant breach of all international law, and a
full-fledged war crime,” the Houthi spokesperson said in a televised statement.
In reprisal for the strikes, Sarea said that its navy and missile forces jointly
fired a number of ballistic missiles at the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in
the Red Sea, pledging to continue striking ships in international seas in
support of the Palestinian people.People in the targeted Houthi locations,
mostly in Hodeidah, described hearing enormous explosions and witnessing massive
balls of flames pouring from the targets. The Houthi military spokesperson’s
statement came hours after the US Central Command said its forces, together with
UK forces, carried out preemptive attacks against 13 Houthi targets in Yemen
under their control on Thursday, without mentioning the areas targeted. Also on
Thursday, US Central Command troops destroyed eight drones launched from Houthi-controlled
parts of Yemen over the Red Sea, according to the US military. Since January,
the US and UK have carried out dozens of strikes in Sanaa, Saada, Hodeidah, and
other Houthi-controlled Yemeni provinces, targeting what the two countries say
are missile and drone launchers, as well as explosive-laden drone boats
preparing to launch at international shipping in the Red Sea. On Thursday,
Houthi leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi said that his forces had attacked 129 ships
in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean, and, most recently, the
Mediterranean, as well as shot down six US military MQ-9 Reaper drones since the
start of their operations against ships in November and that they would cease
attacks once Israel’s war in Gaza ended.
UN mission in Iraq to end after two decades
AFP/May 31, 2024
NEW YORK: At the request of Baghdad, the UN Security Council unanimously decided
Friday that the United Nations political mission in Iraq will leave the country
at the end of 2025 after more than 20 years. Earlier this month, in a letter to
the council, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani called for the United
Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) to be closed. Al-Sudani said UNAMI
had overcome “great and varied challenges” and that “the grounds for having a
political mission in Iraq” no longer exist. The UNSC resolution adopted on
Friday extended the mission’s mandate for “a final 19-month period until 31
December 2025 after which UNAMI will cease all work and operations.” Farhad
Alaaldin, the Iraq prime minister’s adviser for foreign affairs, welcomed the
move, expressing on X his “thanks to UNAMI for all their work during the past
two decades.”
The mission was established by a UN Security Council resolution in 2003 at the
request of the Iraqi government after the US-led invasion and fall of Saddam
Hussein. It has about 700 staff, with key tasks including advising the
government on political dialogue and reconciliation, as well as helping with
elections and security sector reform. During the mission’s previous renewal in
May 2023, the Council asked the secretary-general to launch a strategic review,
which was overseen by German diplomat Volker Perthes. In a report issued in
March, Perthes signaled that the closing schedule would reassure reluctant
Iraqis that the transition “will not lead to a reversal of democratic gains or
threaten peace and security.”Given that UN missions can only operate with the
host nation’s consent, Russia, China, Britain and France this month all voiced
support for a transition in the United Nations role in Iraq. “The people of Iraq
are now ready to assume full responsibility for the country’s political future,”
said Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Anna Evstigneeva. “We express our firm
support for Iraq sovereignty and oppose any interference in the country’s
internal affairs.”The United States drafted the resolution, after initially
being more wary. “We all recognize that Iraq has changed dramatically in recent
years, and UNAMI’s mission needed to be realigned as part of our commitment to
fostering a secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq,” deputy US ambassador to the UN
Robert Wood said on Friday. Analysts say that the prime minister was seeking a
political win, and that the UN was not pulling out of Iraq. “This does not mean
they want to end UN programs,” Renad Mansour, senior research fellow at Chatham
House, said. “This is all part of Prime Minister Sudani’s attempts to show Iraq
as a country entering a new phase, one he hopes can be defined by
sovereignty.”He added UNAMI had some limited successes but had struggled “to
ensure accountability and create the space for a thriving and independent civil
society.” The UN has been facing hostility in recent years, in Africa in
particular. Several countries have forced UN missions to depart — in Mali, for
example, where MINUSMA pulled out last year. December also saw the Security
Council end the political mission to Sudan at the request of authorities.
“Council members now seem resigned to the fact that many states which have
hosted UN missions for a long time want them gone,” Richard Gowan of the
International Crisis Group told AFP. “For a long time, the Council’s default
position was to keep UN missions in place indefinitely. Now the new default is
to let them go quietly.”
EU sanctions Iran’s defense minister, IRGC over drones and
missiles
AFP/May 31, 2024
BRUSSELS: The European Union on Friday imposed sanctions on Iran’s defense
minister, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, and the country’s Revolutionary Guards for
sending missiles and drones being used against Israel and Ukraine and in the Red
Sea.
The high-profile measures also targeted the leader of the Guard’s Qods force for
his role in transferring missiles used by Iran’s Hezbollah proxy militia against
Israel, and by Houthis firing from Yemen. A key armed forces command center and
an electronics company were also sanctioned. Also on Friday, the US issued fresh
Iran-related sanctions, according to a posting on a Treasury Department website.
The sanctions target one individual linked to Iran Aviation Industries
Organization and four entities, it said.
Former Iran parliament speaker registers for presidential
vote after Raisi death
REUTERS/May 31, 2024
DUBAI: Former Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, a prominent
conservative, was among candidates registering on Friday for an early election
next month following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash,
state media reported. Larijani, an adviser and ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, told reporters that he would focus on fixing the economic problems
facing Iranians and “resolving (US) sanctions,” while maintaining a strong
defense. Larijani was barred from standing in the 2021 presidential race by the
clerical-led Guardian Council which vets candidates. But an Iranian insider told
Reuters that Larijani decided to run after he was assured by top officials that
he would not be disqualified by the hard-line council. No reason was given for
the change. Abdolnaser Hemmati, a former central bank governor, was among other
hopefuls who registered on Friday. Hemmati, a low-key moderate, also ran in the
2021 presidential election. Iran on Thursday started the registration of
candidates for the June 28 election. Once seen as a possible successor to
Khamenei, Iran’s ultimate decision-maker, Raisi’s sudden death has triggered a
race among hard-liners to influence the selection of the country’s next leader.
After a five-day registration period, the Guardian Council will vet candidates
running for the presidency. Moderate politicians have accused the 12-member body
of disqualifying rivals to hard-line candidates, who are expected to dominate
the race. Turnout may be hit by restricted choice on the ballot and rising
discontent over an array of political, social and economic crises. Within Iran’s
complex mix of clerical rulers and elected officials, Khamenei has the final say
on all state matters such as nuclear and foreign policies. But the elected
president will be in charge of tackling worsening economic hardship.
Saeed Jalili, a former chief nuclear negotiator who two decades ago ran
Khamenei’s office for four years, was the first heavyweight hard-liner to
register for the election on Thursday. Jalili had made an unsuccessful bid in
2013 for the presidency and withdrew from the 2021 race to support Raisi.
Parviz Fattah, a former Revolutionary Guards member who heads an investment fund
linked to the leader, could also register as a candidate. Interim President
Mohammad Mokhber has also been mentioned in Iranian media as a possible
candidate.
Several low-key moderate politicians are also likely to enter the race.
Turkish drone strikes in Syria kill 4 U.S.-backed
fighters, wound 11 civilians, Kurdish group says
Hogir Al Abdo/QAMISHLI, Syria (AP)/May 31, 2024
— Turkish drone strikes in northeastern Syria on Friday evening killed four
U.S.-backed fighters and wounded 11 civilians, the Kurdish-led force said. The
strikes on areas held by the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic
Forces came a day after Turkey’s president said his government won’t hesitate to
act against Kurdish-led groups in northern Syria if they proceed with plans to
hold local elections. It accuses the groups of having links to outlawed Kurdish
militants in Turkey. The SDF said drone strikes hit its positions eight times as
well as civilian homes and vehicles in and near the northern city of Qamishli.
Such Turkish strikes are not uncommon in northeastern Syria.The Kurdish Red
Crescent said that as its paramedics were trying to reach the attacked areas, a
Turkish strike hit one of its ambulances, putting it out of service. It said the
attack occurred near the town of Amouda, west of Qamishli.
There was no immediate comment from Turkey. The Kurdish-led autonomous
administration that controls northern and eastern parts of Syria has announced
plans to hold municipal elections June 11. The vote to choose mayors will be
held in the provinces of Hassakeh, Raqqa, Deir el-Zour and the eastern part of
Aleppo province. On Friday, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel posted on
X that “we don’t think that the conditions for such elections are in place in NE
Syria in present time.”The comments appeared to be a message to Kurdish-led
authorities not to hold the elections. Turkey, which has conducted military
operations in Syria in the past, considers the move a step by Syrian Kurdish
militants toward the creation of an independent Kurdish entity across its
border. It has described the planned polls as a threat to the territorial
integrity of both Syria and Turkey.
“We are closely following the aggressive actions by the terrorist organization
against the territorial integrity of our country and of Syria under the pretext
of an election,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday. Turkey considers
the Kurdish militia group, known as the People’s Protection Units, as a
terrorist group linked to an outlawed Kurdish group that has led an insurgency
in Turkey since 1984. That conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party has killed
tens of thousands of people. The People's Protection Units provide the backbone
of the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is a key U.S. ally in the fight against
the Islamic State group. American support for the SDF has infuriated Turkey and
remains a major source of friction in their relations.
Trump says he will appeal historic conviction
Reuters/May 31, 2024
Donald Trump said on Friday he would appeal the guilty verdict that made him the
first US president convicted of a crime, though he will have to wait until after
his sentencing on July 11 before taking that step. In rambling remarks at the
Trump Tower lobby in Manhattan where he announced his first presidential run in
2015, Trump repeated his complaints that the trial was an attempt to hobble his
comeback White House bid and warned that it showed no American was safe from
politically motivated prosecution. "If they can do this to me, they can do this
to anyone," Trump said in an unscripted 33-minute speech. Applauded by
supporters, Trump, the Republican candidate in the 2024 election took no
questions from reporters. Thursday's guilty verdict catapults the United States
into unexplored territory ahead of the Nov. 5 vote, when Trump, 77, will try to
win back the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden, 81. The charge he
was convicted of, falsifying business records, carries a maximum sentence of
four years in prison. Others convicted of that crime often receive shorter
sentences, fines or probation, but the judge in the case said during jury
selection that Trump faces a potential jail sentence. Incarceration would not
prevent Trump from campaigning, or taking office if he were to win. Trump will
not be jailed ahead of his sentencing, which comes just days before the
Republican Party is due to formally nominate him as its presidential candidate
at its convention in Milwaukee. After two days of deliberation, a jury of New
Yorkers found Trump guilty of all 34 criminal counts he faced for falsifying
documents to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in the
final days of his successful 2016 campaign. Trump still faces three other
criminal prosecutions - two for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat
- but the New York verdict could be the only one handed down before Americans
vote as the other cases have been tied up in legal wrangling. Trump has pleaded
not guilty in all four cases, which he says are politically motivated. A source
familiar with his campaign's inner workings said the verdict was expected to
prompt him to intensify deliberations on picking a woman as his vice
presidential running mate.
Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources on May 31- June 01/2024
Embracing new realities benefits Turkiye’s foreign policy
Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/May 31/2024
In the past two decades Turkiye has pursued an increasingly proactive and
interventionist foreign policy in line with the geopolitical transformations and
structural challenges of regional conflicts.
With fewer domestic constraints, Turkish policymaking apparatus has had ample
room for maneuver and flexibility to formulate an ambitious foreign policy,
which at times has strained relations with both global and regional actors.
Ibrahim Kalin, who was chief foreign policy adviser to Recep Tayyip Erdogan when
he was prime minister and is now intelligence chief, introduced the term
“precious loneliness” to international relations literature to justify Turkiye’s
Middle East policy, which was very much criticized during that era. When he
first used this term, a serious diplomatic row had broken out between Ankara and
Cairo. Turkiye, which already had strained relations with Syria and Israel, had
also started to see difficulties with some Gulf states. Every effort made to
restore Turkiye’s ties with Egypt, Israel and the Gulf states failed to yield
serious fruits for at least a decade. With new structural challenges, a new era
has opened in Turkiye’s relations with states that it was previously at odds
with, and Turkiye has been gradually building on this new era with all tools
that it can employ, politically, economically, and socially.
The obvious recalibration in Turkish foreign policy has been closely observed by
the region. Both internal and external factors have contributed to the shift.
Internal factors include domestic political developments (two recent elections),
economic challenges, and public opinion. External factors include shifts in the
global power dynamics (post-American era in the Middle East), regional conflicts
(Israeli war in Gaza), and the diplomatic pressure of being part of the broader
reconciliation climate in the region which started with the AlUla declaration of
2021.
These factors have led Ankara to adopt a foreign policy characterized by greater
pragmatism and restraint. Turkiye’s newfound momentum in relations with the US,
Egypt, and Iraq have been instrumental in this transformation. Ankara’s
relations with Washington entered a new chapter when the Turkish parliament
signed off on Sweden’s NATO membership and the US Congress approved the sale of
F-16 fighter jets to Turkiye. Erdogan’s visit to Egypt marked a new era in that
strategic partnership. The Egyptian president’s imminent visit to Ankara will
add to that. The Turkiye-Iraq security summit in Baghdad in mid-March was a
forward leap in relations. The two governments took joint steps to combat the
PKK, and discussed the creation of a security corridor along their land border
and expediting the Development Road project.
Turkiye’s current foreign policy echoes the era before 2010, in which
cooperation with regional actors was a key aspect of the strategy
In the domestic realm, three significant developments shaped Turkish foreign
policy transformation: May 2023 elections, followed by March 2024 elections, and
a reshuffle of the foreign policy apparatus. The appointment of Hakan Fidan,
former intelligence chief, as the head of foreign affairs gave a new momentum in
Turkish foreign policy. Although this shift suggested a policy in which
intelligence and diplomacy are now in close cooperation, in the end, it is
Erdogan who determines the parameters of foreign policy. But it is noteworthy
that when heading the national intelligence service Fidan had a significant
influence in the shaping and implementation of foreign policy, especially toward
Syria, and was the main architect of Turkiye’s efforts to normalize relations
with the Middle Eastern countries Ankara alienated over the course of the past
decade. This is certainly showing its impact in the new, calmer and more
pragmatic foreign policy approach. Fidan is known for his calm and silent
diplomacy, closely reading the changing dynamics in the region and navigating
the foreign policy landscape accordingly.
Past elections have prompted a reflection on “what went wrong,” resulting in a
recalibration in foreign policy. Despite no change in government or leadership,
it appears that election outcomes have notably influenced the priorities of
Turkish foreign policymakers, and as a result the direction of the country's
foreign policy. Turkiye’s current foreign policy echoes the era before 2010, in
which cooperation with regional actors was a key aspect of the strategy.
Economic considerations are currently taking precedence over ideological factors
in shaping foreign policy decisions. In a world order characterized by uncertain
multipolarity, Turkiye, like other regional powers, believes that it has a wide
space for maneuver in its foreign policy in the pursuit of “strategic autonomy.”
This approach, however, aligns with cooperation among regional actors. As can be
seen in regional crises, Turkiye refrains from making unilateral moves, as it
used to, and seeks to move in coordination with regional and global actors.
Although some may interpret this as passive, Turkiye’s new foreign policy
approach reflects rationality and caution, especially when the regional
environment is restrictive. As it continues to carefully read new regional
realities while also engaging with regional actors, Turkiye's role in the region
is likely to be embraced.
• Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s
relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz.
Now all eyes are on Rafah and Washington
Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/May 31/2024
An Israeli attack in southern Gaza last week ignited a fire in a camp for the
displaced at Tel Al-Sultan in western Rafah that killed at least 45
Palestinians, many burned alive, and injured hundreds more, adding to at least
36,000 killed and more than 100,000 injured since the start of the conflict.
Many of the victims had fled to Rafah on the orders of Israeli forces who were
bombarding other parts of Gaza. When Israel invaded Rafah three weeks ago and
ordered the evacuation of its eastern districts, many refugees were forced to
flee west, to destinations including Tel Al-Sultan. A week before the bombing,
Israel had designated the neighborhood a “safe zone” and dropped leaflets urging
Palestinians to move there. The attack hit a tent encampment known as the Kuwait
Peace Camp, the location of which had to be known to Israel. Thus the
responsibility for this war crime falls squarely on Israel.
The attack came in defiance of the International Court of Justice, which just
two days earlier had ordered Israel to halt the Rafah offensive: Israel
disregarded the order, confirming its rogue-state status.
Despite the horror of last week’s attack, the US has yet to call for a stop to
Israel’s Rafah operation. Earlier, President Joe Biden had said he would limit
weapons supplies to Israel if it entered Rafah’s “population centers,” which
clearly it has. But the US has taken no action, and has instead continued to
support Israel materially and diplomatically. The administration’s spokesmen
have failed to call out Israel for crossing Biden’s red line, and its UN
diplomats are thwarting efforts for the UN Security Council to order a halt to
Israel’s Rafah operations.
This attack was the second mass killing Israel has committed in Rafah in this
war. Its forces launched an assault on the city in February, killing over 83
people. Airstrikes destroyed several homes, killing most or all of their
occupants, another textbook war crime.
To many Palestinian refugees in Gaza, most of whom are descendants of refugees
in earlier waves going back to 1948, these massacres bring to mind the 1956
massacre by Israeli forces in a Rafah refugee camp, and repeated in other parts
of Gaza, during Israel’s brief occupation of the Strip. Hundreds of refugees
were killed in cold blood. Those killings stopped only when Israel was forced to
withdraw in early 1957, following a threat of action by US President Dwight
Eisenhower.
Only when faced with such decisive moves by the US has Israel in the past curbed
its appetite for Palestinian blood and land. So far in this war, the US has
chosen not to do so, but has emboldened Israel by continuing military support,
including weapons used in the Gaza war, and shielding it from Security Council
censure. If Benjamin Netanyahu is left to his base instincts, he will drag his
people, the entire region and possibly the US to the abyss with him.
The US administration has also failed to persuade Israel to provide humanitarian
aid to the Palestinians in Gaza, as required of an occupying power under
international humanitarian law; to stop obstructing aid from other counties; and
to open more crossings for the delivery of aid to Gaza. The US attempt to help
by building a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza has fallen apart, as did the
pier — which took months to build at great cost to US taxpayers, but was never
able to provide the assistance it had promised. The whole effort was undertaken
because the US did not want to pressure Israel to allow sufficient aid through
the closed land crossings, including the Rafah border crossing, which already
existed and would have been more than sufficient to allow sufficient aid in. The
result has been an increasing number of Palestinians dying of starvation and
malnutrition.
In addition to the colossal humanitarian toll of its Rafah incursions, Israel
has now taken over the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza. This has had
severe implications. For one, Israel has effectively cut off the main
humanitarian access to Gaza and prevented the delivery of acutely needed aid.
For another, Israel is trying to force its own vision for the future of Gaza,
precluding the possibility of restoring control of the Strip by the Palestinian
Authority, which the US and others have proposed, and reunifying Gaza with the
West Bank as a prelude for an independent and viable Palestinian state.
Richard Peeperkorn, World Health Organization representative in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories, said in February: “All eyes are on Rafah,” warning
against Israeli forces attacking the city. He feared “unimaginable disaster” if
the Israeli army made a large-scale incursion into the city, which at the time
it was threatening to invade.
Since last week’s attack there has been widespread international condemnation.
Officials and activists have been repeating Peeperkorn's phrase to express their
concern and opposition to Israel’s military operation in Rafah. His words
superimposed on an image of tent camps for displaced Palestinians have been
widely shared on social media, about 50 million times on Instagram alone.
The image is moving, despite its simplicity and the absence of pictures of dead
bodies, blood, real people, names or distressing scenes. Its widespread use
indicates how abhorrent most of the world, including most Americans, view the
carnage in Rafah and all of Gaza.
All eyes are on Rafah, but also on Washington: Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza
has continued mainly because the US has failed to take action to stop it. If
Benjamin Netanyahu is left to his base instincts, he will drag his people, the
entire region and possibly the US to the abyss with him.
As the 19th-century British philosopher John Stuart Mill observed: “Bad men need
nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do
nothing.” The “good men” of the US government have so far chosen to do nothing.
• Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the Gulf Cooperation Council assistant
secretary-general for political affairs and negotiation. The views expressed
here are personal and do not necessarily represent the GCC. X: @abuhamad1
World is a shameful spectator to injustice
Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama/Arab News/May 31/2024
The war on Gaza that Israel launched last October, killing nearly 40,000
Palestinians, mostly women and children, and destroying cities and
infrastructure, reaffirms the pressing need for global and regional solidarity,
and the highest state of alert to intensify efforts toward achieving lasting
peace and security in this sensitive region. There are immense human and
material losses caused by the war, which continues to have painful negative
impacts as the entire world stands powerless before it, and the adverse effects
are clearly reflected on global peace and stability.
The war has exposed the ugliness and brutality of the Israeli occupation,
disproving Israel’s claims to be an oasis of democracy in a disparate
environment. This falsehood was highlighted by protests in many cities and
universities worldwide, expressing outrage over the mass killing of unarmed
civilians in Gaza.
It is shameful that the international community remains a mere spectator to this
injustice, brutal destruction, and barbaric killing that defies international
laws. While we condemn the global silence, we must commend the positive steps
taken by Spain, Norway, and Ireland to recognize the state of Palestine. The
decision by these three European countries is a significant stride toward
achieving global peace and security, as the Palestinian cause is one of the most
significant causes worldwide. Its exacerbation over decades has been a major
cause of many crises in the world and the region due to the occupation and
displacement of the Palestinian people. We should also appreciate the efforts by
the Arab-Islamic committee established during the Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh
last November, chaired by the Saudi minister of foreign affairs. Its efforts aim
to achieve a ceasefire, the release of hostages, the delivery of aid and UN
recognition of the state of Palestine based on 1967 borders.
The Israeli government opposes any peace plans that acknowledge Palestinian
rights. This means no progress will be achieved unless Israeli political forces
become convinced of the need to abandon the notion of hegemony and the
imposition of force. The events in Gaza, notwithstanding the staggering number
of casualties, have proved that military force will not provide the desired
solution sough by the Israeli right wing.
Today, more than ever, it is imperative to join hands at various levels to find
a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause based on the two-state
solution. The use of violence and excessive force has proved that there can be
no rest or stability without sustainable peace. It is crucial that the
Palestinians take sincere and serious steps to consolidate their ranks and
strengthen their united movement toward this goal.
No progress will be achieved unless Israeli political forces become convinced of
the need to abandon the notion of hegemony and the imposition of force
Resolving the Palestinian issue and achieving peace in the Middle East require
strong political will and sustained efforts by all parties. This represents a
significant challenge, but it is not impossible if sincere intentions and a
commitment to justice and equality are present. Peace is the only way to achieve
stability and prosperity in this sensitive region of the world.
In this regard, we can draw on the experiences of countries with a history of
sponsoring peace, such as Saudi Arabia, which enjoys unparalleled acceptance in
the Islamic world and has sponsored many peace talks to resolve crises in the
Middle East.
The Kingdom actively sought solutions to the Arab-Israeli conflict, presenting
two key initiatives in 1981 and in 2002. It also participated in the Madrid
Conference in 1991 and endorsed King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz’s peace initiative
approved by the Arab summit conference in Beirut in 2002. It is fair and just to
acknowledge that from the era of King Abdulaziz to the reign of King Salman and
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has stood by the Palestinian
people since the onset of their plight. A notable example of this support is
King Saud, who offered Ahmed Shaqiri, the representative of the Palestine
Liberation Organization, the Saudi seat at the UN, allowing him to defend his
country’s cause not only as a Palestinian representative but also from his
position as a representative of Saudi Arabia.
My own country, Djibouti, it is renowned for its pioneering role in peace and
reconciliation efforts in the Horn of Africa, and for hosting refugees fleeing
conflicts in neighboring countries. Since gaining its independence in 1977,
Djibouti has defended it, and continues to do so, in various international and
regional forums. Everyone must understand that Israel will not enjoy peace
unless it recognizes the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The
continuation of the Arab Peace Initiative is contingent upon Israel’s beginning
to fulfill its commitments within the framework of international references to
achieve peace in the region. The starting point must be an immediate and
unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners and hostages, as a
prelude to finding a just and comprehensive solution that ends the suffering of
the oppressed Palestinian people by declaring their independent state recognized
by the UN with East Jerusalem as its capital.I call on all countries that have
not yet recognized the state of Palestine to do so. This will encourage peace,
contribute to achieving stability and development, and put an end to the
decades-long suffering of the Palestinian people.
• Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama is the ambassador of Djibouti to Saudi Arabia. X: @dya_bamakhrama
The Iraq-Turkey Reset
Soner Cagaptay, Selin Uysal, Bilal Wahab/The Washington Institute/May 31/2024
From water rights to PKK violence, a recent summit seemed to remove several
long-festering thorns from the bilateral relationship, creating potential
challenges and benefits alike for U.S. interests in Iraq and beyond.
On April 22, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Baghdad to meet
with Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, marking his first visit there
in thirteen years. The trip produced several significant bilateral agreements on
energy, water, security, trade, and transportation, signaling a mutual desire to
improve relations. Given the tumultuous nature of Iraqi-Turkish ties since the
1950s, this development could represent a historic turning point. Why are Ankara
and Baghdad patching up their ties now, and what implications does this reset
hold for the broader Middle East and U.S. policy?
A Relationship in Free Fall for Decades
Ties between the two countries fell into disarray following the 1958 coup
against Iraq’s King Faisal II. The putsch and subsequent rise of a socialist
Baath regime in Baghdad pitted Iraq and NATO member Turkey against each other
during the Cold War. Various bilateral disagreements emerged as well, including
over water rights in the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, where Turkey holds
upstream control. Relations continued to suffer after the Cold War in the 1990s,
when Iraq’s mountainous north became a haven for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK),
a U.S.-designated terrorist organization that had been waging war against the
Turkish government since the 1980s.
The end of Saddam Hussein’s rule in 2003 did not mend the relationship. Turkey’s
refusal to participate in the U.S.-led coalition and Iran’s growing influence
after the war prevented Ankara from establishing any clout in Baghdad. Turkish
influence remained limited to Iraq’s small Turkmen community, the Sunni Arab
bastion in Mosul province, and the Kurdistan Region in the north. For its part,
Baghdad was preoccupied with internal strife and the challenge of balancing
relations with Iran and the United States, leaving it with little bandwidth to
develop a coherent Turkey policy.
Why the Summit May Change Everything
By directly addressing several perennial issues between the two countries, the
Erdogan-Sudani summit promises to upgrade the relationship substantially while
advancing Turkish influence in Baghdad.
Water management. Ever since Turkey began constructing large hydroelectric dams
on the Tigris and Euphrates in the 1970s, Iraq and Syria have expressed deep
concerns over Ankara potentially weaponizing water against them (Iraq is
downstream for both rivers, and Syria for the Euphrates). In 1983, the three
countries formed a Joint Technical Committee to discuss management of the
rivers, but they never reached a trilateral settlement despite inking bilateral
arrangements. In 1987, for instance, Ankara signed a treaty with Damascus to
release 500 cubic meters of water per second from the Euphrates; three years
later, Damascus signed an agreement with Baghdad promising 58 percent of that
water to Iraq. An Iraq-Turkey agreement remains the missing link.
Moreover, Ankara has at times decreased or cut off the flow of both rivers when
collecting water for its large dams, such as Keban, Karakaya, and Ataturk on the
Euphrates and Ilisu on the Tigris. It has also done so for geopolitical reasons,
such as when it blocked the Euphrates in 1990 after Iraq invaded Kuwait (at the
time, Turkey had no major dams that would have allowed it to block the Tigris).
Such moves have made Baghdad and Damascus feel vulnerable about their water
security, spurring them to push back against Turkey in other ways, from
strengthening ties with the Soviet Union during the Cold War to sheltering the
PKK.
During last month’s summit, Turkey and Iraq signed a cooperation framework
agreement and various memorandums of understanding aimed at “fairly and equally
allocating cross-border waters and establishing a goal for the efficient and
sensible use of water.” Ankara has also committed to providing technical
assistance on water management, including modern irrigation systems and
techniques. The real test lies in whether Turkish companies can implement
agribusiness projects on Iraqi soil amid a chronic local governance deficit and
potential threats of violence from the PKK and Iran-backed militias.
Pressuring the PKK. In the 1990s, the PKK built numerous camps along Iraq’s
mountainous border areas with Iran and Turkey, taking advantage of the power
vacuum and eventual U.S.-enforced no-fly zone in the north. Both before and
after Saddam’s ouster, Ankara frequently ordered military incursions to target
these camps, spurring harsh criticism from Baghdad for violating its
sovereignty. Today, Turkey maintains nearly forty military outposts inside Iraq
and has intensified pressure on the PKK using drones and seasonal military
campaigns. Ankara is also concerned that the PKK-affiliated Sinjar Resistance
Units (YBS) are receiving Iraqi government funds as part of the Popular
Mobilization Forces (PMF).
This issue underwent a sea change shortly before Erdogan’s visit, with Iraq
formally designating the PKK as a "banned organization." Hence, Turkey’s next
military incursion, unfolding with Baghdad’s blessing, could conceivably result
in a permanent Turkish cordon sanitaire inside Iraqi territory. Erdogan has
vowed to establish such a zone in order to defend the border against PKK
infiltration. In return, Baghdad gets a water deal and a share in the so-called
“Development Road,” as discussed below.
Development Road and economic integration. The summit witnessed concrete
planning for the proposed Development Road trade route connecting the Indian
Ocean with Europe. Part of the route will run from Iraq’s planned al-Faw port
overland to Turkey’s Mediterranean ports. The accelerated planning was spurred
by the recently announced, U.S.-supported India-Middle East-Europe Economic
Corridor (IMEC), a route that was formally announced last September and would
bypass Turkey and Iraq if implemented. The Development Road proposal has become
more viable since then due to the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel war, which has
been accompanied by attacks on Red Sea shipping and other challenges to the
U.S.-proposed corridor. During the summit, Erdogan promised Sudani that Ankara
will invest in the Development Road, which has also garnered financial backing
from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
If implemented, the project would create more economic interdependence between
Turkey and Iraq, forcing them to hash out their differences instead of
repeatedly escalating tensions. Companies from Turkey’s robust construction
sector would likely build much of the highway and railway infrastructure across
Iraq. And militias seem more inclined to take a slice of the resultant revenue
rather than sabotage the project.
The Kurdistan Region’s role in this initiative remains unclear. Many in the
dominant Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) worry that the Development Road will
bypass their territory and weaken their monopoly over cross-border trade with
Turkey. In the meantime, Ankara has moved against the KDP’s rival, the Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan (PUK), accusing it of harboring the PKK. For example, Turkish
Airlines has stopped flights from Ankara to the PUK stronghold of Sulaymaniyah,
further isolating the group.
Iraqi re-centralization. In the bigger picture, Ankara wants to boost the
re-centralization dynamics that have guided many of Baghdad’s actions in recent
years. In 2017, Ankara worked with Baghdad (and Tehran) to halt the Kurdistan
Region’s independence bid. More recently, the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline has been shut
down since early 2023. Although the situation arose from an Iraqi complaint
against Turkey at the International Chamber of Commerce, the outcome served
their shared goal of re-centralization—that is, the Kurds can no longer export
oil independently and must turn back to Baghdad for a viable solution.
The continued pipeline freeze suggests that Ankara will back Sudani as he
reasserts central authority, without sacrificing Turkish leverage over the
increasingly divided Kurdistan Region. On the latter count, Erdogan met with KDP
leader Masoud Barzani during his April visit for the first time since 2017,
indicating that he will continue cultivating good ties with the group, improving
relations with Baghdad, and showing no leniency toward the PUK.
Implications for U.S. Policy
Turkey’s renewed focus on Iraq presents challenges and opportunities for the
United States, especially given Washington’s frequently strained relationship
with Ankara. For one, the shift is primarily motivated by Turkey’s anticipation
of an eventual U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. Furthermore, as the Middle East has
become an arena for growing U.S. economic competition with China, Turkey aims to
play a role in reshaping global trade routes, in part through cooperation with
Iraq. The vacuum left by a U.S. withdrawal might also strengthen Turkey’s
entente cordiale with Iran. Although Tehran’s stance on this possibility remains
unclear, it seems to be cautiously tolerating Ankara’s economic and military
initiatives in Iraq.
At the same time, Turkey’s interest in Iraq could wind up aligning with certain
U.S. priorities. Strengthening Baghdad’s ties with a different neighbor could
serve as a useful counterweight to Iran’s influence. More broadly, Ankara aims
to establish a north-south axis of Turkish influence stretching across Iraq to
the Persian Gulf, perhaps impeding Tehran’s long-sought “land bridge” to the
Mediterranean.
For now, Washington should continue its wait-and-see approach, cautiously
allowing Turkey to deepen relations with Iraq while leaving the door open to
potential trilateral and multilateral synergies, including between IMEC and the
Development Road. The same goes for the European Union, which may favor the
Development Road’s potential benefits through the existing EU-Turkey Customs
Union. Yet any EU support for Ankara’s projects in Iraq will depend on a
Turkish-European reset that has yet to materialize.
*Soner Cagaptay is the Beyer Family Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute
and director of its Turkish Research Program. Selin Uysal is a visiting fellow
at the Institute, in residence from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign
Affairs. Bilal Wahab is the Institute’s Wagner Senior Fellow and author of its
recent study “Family Rule in Iraq and the Challenge to State and Democracy.”
How New Wars Have Brought Back Old American Divisions
The New York Times/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 01/2024
For all the ways that our political coalitions have changed over the last few
generations — Southern Democrats joining the G.O.P., Northeastern Republicans
turning Democrat, “Reagan Democrats” moving right, suburban Republicans voting
for Joe Biden — there are patterns that persist across the generations.
That’s what we’re seeing in foreign policy right now, where Democrats and
Republicans are dividing over Israel-Palestine and Ukraine-Russia, respectively,
in ways that would have been familiar to the version of each party that existed
50 or even 75 years ago.
The Democrats, first, are replaying their Vietnam-era divisions in the split
between the Biden administration and the pro-Palestine left. Again you have an
aging Democratic president struggling to modulate a conflict with no certain
endgame. Again his left-wing critics represent his party’s younger generation,
their influence concentrated on college campuses, their power expressed
primarily through disruptive protest tactics.
The language of the protesters is similar across the two eras, albeit with
“settler colonialism” replacing “imperialism” as the favored epithet.
So is the internal dilemma of the left — namely, to what extent is it possible
to oppose a military campaign against an insurgent force embedded in a civilian
population without becoming dupes for the insurgency’s authoritarian (in
Vietnam) or theocratic (in Gaza) politics?
While the Democrats replay the 1960s, the Republican split over Ukraine funding
has revived debates that would have been familiar to anyone watching the G.O.P.
from the 1930s through the early 1950s. Now as then, we have noninterventionists
pitted against hawks, Jacksonian populists against internationalists, an updated
version of the party’s old Robert Taft wing against the contemporary equivalents
of Wendell Willkie and Thomas Dewey.
The fact that Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, the most prominent spokesman for the
populist side, represents the same state as Taft is a nice little historical
brushstroke. If you wanted to push the analogy further, you could even say that
the recent shift by the embattled speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, from
skeptic of Ukraine spending to supporter of a big aid package, resembles the
switch that the leading Republican senator, Arthur Vandenberg, made across the
1940s, from isolationist to Cold Warrior.
Of course history doesn’t repeat that neatly, especially when you move from
America’s internal divides to the actual foreign policy challenges. Putin’s
Russia isn’t Hitler’s Germany or Stalin’s Soviet Union, Israel isn’t at all like
South Vietnam and American troops are not committed to either conflict yet.
Moreover, seeing continuities across different eras doesn’t tell you who’s
correct in this one, or reveal how today’s crises will ultimately end.
Especially when the crises are concurrent, and others loom ahead. One
interesting aspect of the current situation is that each intraparty debate feels
somewhat separate from the other. You could imagine right-wing
non-interventionism undermining Republican support for Israel as well as for
Ukraine, but so far right-wing critics of Israel like Tucker Carlson and Candace
Owens don’t have a big constituency in Congress. Likewise, you could imagine
antiwar activism on Israel-Palestine encouraging a left-wing case for making
peace with Russia. (If Israel is expected to bargain with Hamas, why not Kyiv
with Moscow?) But those arguments aren’t a big part of Democratic politics at
the moment.
Perhaps there will be more cross-pollination if the two conflicts drag on. Or
maybe current debates will be transformed and superseded by events in Asia. For
now, anxiety about our position vis-à-vis China offers potential common ground
for the Republican factions, with Vance and his hawkish foes at least notionally
agreeing that we need to be doing more to deter Beijing. In the Democratic
coalition, meanwhile, the China question isn’t getting much attention at all.
But that could change quickly, especially if you believe that the current period
of global conflict is only “hardening” the Chinese regime’s “intent to execute
an act of aggression similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine” (to quote a new
analysis from Mike Studeman, a former commander of the Office of Naval
Intelligence). In that case China will go from occupying a second-order role in
our debates to rewriting them entirely — maybe by discrediting both left-wing
and right-wing skepticism about American overseas commitments, the way
isolationism was abandoned when the simmering crises of the 1930s gave way to
World War II. Or maybe by heightening and shaking up today’s divisions, so they
feel less like reruns and more like the new debates of an era when the American
empire may be fighting for its life.