Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 02-03/2024
Rai Calls for Reinforcing Farmers’ Attachment to the Land
Beirut Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi Calls for Unity and Reform Amidst Lebanon’s Challenges
South Lebanon: Alarming Surge in Violence Continues Unabated
Hezbollah drone falls in northern Israeli city, no injuries, Israel's military says
Israeli airstrike in Bint Jbeil causes one injury and significant damage
Two Lebanese shepherds killed amid ongoing escalation along Lebanon-Israel border
Two brothers killed in Israeli raids on southern Lebanon
Acting Iranian Foreign Minister to Visit Lebanon Tomorrow
Democratic Gathering to Propose Presidential Election Initiative Amid Political Stalemate
Alternative Payment Methods: A Global Rise
ICC fiasco highlights Lebanon’s lack of accountability/Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/June 02, 2024
Can Israel resolve the Hezbollah front without war?/Yonah Jeremy Bob/Jerusalem Post/June 02/2024

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 02-03/2024
At least 12 people were killed as a result of an Israeli strike on the Aleppo countryside in northern Syria
Several killed in Israeli attack in Syria, state media reports
The failure of the tripartite meeting in Cairo... and a high-ranking Egyptian source: We adhere to Israel’s withdrawal from the Rafah crossing to resume its operation.
Frankly Speaking: How close are we to a ‘historic’ US-Saudi deal?
US Expects Israel to Accept Plan to End Gaza War if Hamas Agrees
Netanyahu Aide: Biden's Gaza Plan 'Not a Good Deal' but Israel Accepts it
Two Palestinian teens killed by Israeli gunfire in West Bank, Palestinian officials say
‘Give us back our loved ones’, say families of hostages held by Hamas
The Israeli army says it investigates itself. Where do those investigations stand?
Israel seeks a 'governing alternative' to Hamas in Gaza. It's been tried and failed before
Netanyahu's Address to Congress: A Diplomatic Balancing Act
Netanyahu Faces Political Turmoil Over Israeli Proposal for Hostages Exchange and Gaza War End
Israeli Defense Minister: We are exploring alternatives to Hamas in governing Gaza
Egypt insists on necessity of Israel's withdrawal from Rafah crossing before its operation
Israelis attack Palestinian athletes at East Jerusalem stadium
Nearly 9,000 Palestinians have been arrested in West Bank
Condemnations mount over Israeli proposal to label UN aid agency a terrorist group
Gallant Says ‘Assessing Alternative’ to Hamas Rule in Gaza
Parade for Israel in NYC focuses on solidarity this year as Gaza war casts a grim shadow
Chile joins developing nations rallying behind genocide case against Israel at international court
US Forces Destroy Houthi Drone, Ballistic Missiles in Red Sea
Pentagon chief extends deployment of aircraft carrier, ships in the Red Sea as Houthi attacks go on
Iran's foreign ministry summons Chinese ambassador in Tehran over Gulf Islands
Iran's hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad registers for June 28 presidential election
Energy shutdowns hit Ukraine after Russian attacks target infrastructure
Trump says potential house arrest in hush money conviction would be ‘tough for public to take’
Security Council Renews Measures to Implement Arms Embargo Against Libya
Profile of new Kuwaiti crown prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah

Titles For The Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on June 02-03/2024
Israelis: The Heroes of Our Time/Nils A. Haug/Gatestone Institute/June 2, 2024
Open the Borders and Fight!/Mohammed al-Rumaihi/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
The ‘Parachute’ Plan/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
Iran: The Turban and The Military Cap/Amir Taheri/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
What would the ceasefire mean for future national security and Gaza?/YONAH JEREMY BOB/Jerusalem Post/June 02/2024
Erdogan caught between a rock and a hard place/Yasar Yakis/Arab News/June 02, 2024
Stoking division to win India’s elections comes at a cost/Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/June 03, 2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 02-03/2024
Rai Calls for Reinforcing Farmers’ Attachment to the Land
This Is Beirut/June 02/2024
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai called for reinforcing people’s attachment to the land by supporting farmers and the agricultural industry. In his Sunday sermon, Rai stressed that “the land forms an essential part of the national identity,” and that farmers should be supported to remain in the land. He praised the efforts of the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture in this regard, calling on the state “to help farmers enhance agricultural production efficiency and improve adaptation to climate change.”Rai also urged the Lebanese diaspora to market local produce and food industries, as this would bring foreign currency into Lebanon. The patriarch’s mass was dedicated to prayers for the recovery of Karam Bou Chaaya, who has been in a coma for a year due to a car accident. Lebanese army soldiers had “accidentally” fired at Bou Chaaya’s car one year ago today in Baalbeck. His friends, who were also in the car, were able to dodge the bullets, but a bullet to the spinal cord hit Karam. Regarding the political situation, the Maronite Patriarch stressed that Lebanese politicians should “free themselves from their personal interests and work for the common good.”
He asked “how any politician could perform his duty without turning to the Holy Spirit,” noting that if they did, they would have elected a president committed to national principles.

Beirut Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi Calls for Unity and Reform Amidst Lebanon’s Challenges
This Is Beirut/June 02/2024
Beirut Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi urged unity and reform amidst Lebanon’s turbulent times. Reflecting on Lebanon’s socio-political landscape, Audi emphasized the need for ethical leadership and collective responsibility. “Our problem in Lebanon is that every leader or official, every party or group, and every human being only wants what suits their interest and feeds their pride, thirst for power, and greed for money,” he said, highlighting the urgent need for integrity and solidarity. He called upon leaders to prioritize the common good and work towards resolving pressing issues, including economic collapse and institutional paralysis. “The situation is no longer bearable and everyone must catch up,” he stated, adding that parliamentarians have “a historic responsibility to apply the constitution without equivocation and elect a president as soon as possible.” He also urged swift action to restore trust in institutions and address the needs of the people.

South Lebanon: Alarming Surge in Violence Continues Unabated
This Is Beirut/June 02/2024
An alarming surge in fire exchanges between Hezbollah and the Israeli army was observed on Sunday, with violence continuing unabated. Late Sunday afternoon, Hezbollah announced that it had shelled the occupied Golan Heights for the second time in the space of a few hours. Hezbollah fighters “shelled (…) the headquarters of the 210th Golan Division in the Nafah barracks with dozens of Katyusha rockets,” the Iranian-backed group said in a statement, adding that this was “a response to the enemy’s aggression against the Bekaa region” which took place on Saturday. Earlier Sunday, Hezbollah said it had carried out a drone attack on the Yarden barracks in the Golan Heights, targeting the Iron Dome radar and the location of Israeli officers and soldiers. This led to the destruction of the radar and resulted in deaths and injuries, according to the statement, which also claimed to have targeted the Israeli position of al-Marj. Also, “Two Hezbollah fighters were wounded,” said a source from the pro-Iranian group, according to AFP.
Phosphorus Bombs
Also on the ground, intense phosphorus bombardment targeted the town of Khiam at the end of the day. At the same time, Israeli warplanes flew over the Jezzine region, breaking the sound barrier on two occasions, as well as in and around Tyre. Thermal balloons were also launched over Marjayoun and the eastern sector. In the morning, sporadic bombing raids hit the outskirts of Naqoura, Dhayra and Yarbin, as well as the pine hill between Hamames and Khiam, setting off a fire. Several interceptor missiles also exploded over Mays al-Jabal, Hula and Odaisseh, targeting the Hamamir neighborhood. An interceptor missile exploded in the air over the Israeli settlement of Metula after alarm sirens sounded in the settlements opposite the eastern sector.
Two Shepherds Killed in Hula Strike
Earlier, two civilians were killed in a strike targeting the town of Hula. According to AFP, which quoted local sources, the two killed were “two brothers, shepherds whose homes were destroyed.”Today’s surge comes on the heels of a particularly violent day (Saturday) during which Israel targeted territory deep into Lebanon, in the Baalbeck area. A civilian was also reportedly injured in a strike at around 2:30 AM on a house and store on Nabiya Square in the Bint Jbeil shopping center. Israeli media announced that “more than 15 rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards the Upper Galilee.” The Margaliot moshav witnessed violent explosions following the firing of a salvo of rockets from Lebanon. “The fire that broke out following a rocket launched from Lebanon at Kibbutz Yiftah threatened an electrical transformer to the north of the kibbutz and agricultural areas,” according to Israeli media.

Hezbollah drone falls in northern Israeli city, no injuries, Israel's military says
Reuters/Sun, June 2, 2024
A drone launched by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fell in the Israeli coastal city of Nahariya on Sunday, causing a fire but no injuries, Israel's military and local media reported. Air raid sirens had sent the city's roughly 75,000 residents running for shelter, after a day of continuous rocket fire from Lebanon at northern Israel. Israel's military said throughout the day it had responded by striking Hezbollah targets. Nahariya is about seven kilometers (4.4 miles) from the Lebanese border. Israel's military said in a statement that it tried unsuccessfully to intercept the drone. There was no immediate claim of launching the drone by Hezbollah. Amateur footage of a drone falling from the sky and landing in an area surrounded by trees was published by leading news website Ynet and Channel 12 TV. The Mediterranean sea was visible in the background. "The fire was caused as a result of the drone fall, which landed in Nahariya," the military said. Reuters TV footage showed Israeli security forces later removing an object from the area of the blaze, which was along a roadside in the city. Iranian-backed Hezbollah started firing at northern Israel shortly after Palestinian group Hamas' Oct. 7 shock attack in the south of the country. The two sides have been exchanging fire since, but have refrained from pushing the conflict into all-out war.

Israeli airstrike in Bint Jbeil causes one injury and significant damage
LBCI/June 02/2024
The Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike on the Buniyah Market in the old city of Bint Jbeil at dawn on Sunday, resulting in the injury of a citizen and causing significant material damage. The airstrike sparked a fire in a dry grass area and inflicted extensive damage on the old buildings of Bint Jbeil market, as well as the shops and houses. Many cars in the area were also damaged. Civil defense teams, in coordination with the municipality of Bint Jbeil, transported the injured person to one of the region's hospitals, while a fire truck rushed to extinguish the burning flames. Additionally, bulldozers and civil defense teams worked to clear the debris and rubble from the market square, which had also blocked the road. The area was cleaned, and the road to and from the market was reopened.

Two Lebanese shepherds killed amid ongoing escalation along Lebanon-Israel border
BEIRUT (AP)/June 2, 2024
Two Lebanese shepherds were killed in an Israeli strike that hit their house in the town of Houla near the Lebanon-Israel border on Sunday, state media reported. Lebanon’s National News agency said the men were civilians who used to sell sheep milk to neighboring villages. Lebanese Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan said in a statement that a separate Israeli strike Sunday morning had damaged his ministry’s office in the town of Bint Jbeil, as well as the city’s commercial market and local government headquarters. Also Sunday, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah claimed a drone attack on an Israeli military facility in the Golan Heights. It said the strike had hit a radar system for Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, as well as forces operating it. The Israeli military did not confirm damage to the radar system but said that two drones “were identified falling in open areas” and “as a result of one of them, a fire broke out adjacent to Katzrin in the Golan Heights and was extinguished shortly afterward.” It said no injuries were reported. Clashes between Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which have taken place near-daily since October, have escalated in recent weeks. Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 people in Lebanon, most of them militants with Hezbollah and allied groups but also including more than 70 civilians. Strikes coming from Lebanon have killed at least 10 civilians and 15 soldiers in Israel. Western countries, in particular the U.S. and France, have come forward with a series of proposals for a cessation of hostilities on the Lebanon-Israel border. Hezbollah has refused to enter into an agreement until a cease-fire is implemented in Gaza.

Two brothers killed in Israeli raids on southern Lebanon
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/June 02, 2024
BEIRUT: Two Lebanese civilians were killed in an Israeli strike on their home near the Lebanon-Israel border as fighting between the two sides continued on Sunday. Hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli army reached Acre, Nahariya, Kiryat Shmona and the settlements of the occupied northern Golan. Hezbollah said it attacked the headquarters of the Military Gathering Battalion in Yarden barracks in the occupied Golan Heights with a squadron of drones. The attack targeted the Iron Dome radar and military positions, resulting in heavy damage and casualties among Israeli officers and soldiers, the group said.In another statement, the group said it bombed the headquarters of the 210th Golan Division at Nafah barracks with two salvos of dozens of Katyusha rockets. Israeli media outlets said four rockets fired from Lebanon landed in open areas in Katzrin in southern Golan, causing several fires to break out. Israeli Channel 12 said about 10 rockets were launched from Lebanon toward northern Golan without triggering the sirens. The Israeli army radio station said sirens sounded in Acre and Nahariya and “several unidentified flying objects coming from Lebanon were detected.”It also said two drones exploded in Nahariya and Acre, as the Israeli army was unable to intercept them. Social media posts urged residents to remain in shelters. Israeli media outlets criticized the army’s “failure to intercept two drones that violated the Kiryat Shmona airspace,” describing the act as a “big challenge for the military.” Ali Qasim, 40, and his brother Mustafa Qasim, 43, were killed after returning to their house in Houla because they had failed to find suitable corrals for their livestock in the areas they had been displaced to. A resident of Houla told Arab News that the two men did not want to sell their livestock, as their colleagues had done in Kfar Shuba, Aitaroun and Majdal Zoun. The deaths took the total number of casualties in the recent Israeli attacks in Houla to 14. Israeli warplanes conducted a second strike on Mays Al-Jabal within 18 hours, but no casualties were found during the debris removal operation. The first Israeli airstrike on Mays Al-Jabal on Saturday targeted part of the old city market, resulting in one person being injured and significant material damage to shops, houses and cars. Israeli warplanes on Saturday night attacked villages in Beit Mshiek, Baalbek, 80 km north of the Lebanon-Israel border. The Israeli army said it “targeted a military compound used by Hezbollah in the Western Mountain Range with two missiles in response to Hezbollah shooting down an Israeli Hermes 900 drone.”It said the target in Bint Jbeil was “another military headquarters for Hezbollah.”The army conducted an attack on the southern town of Hanawiyeh on Saturday evening. Several children were injured and taken to hospital after a school playground was hit. The army also targeted a house in the town of Baraashit. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 10 attacks against Israeli army positions on Saturday. Israeli media said more than 15 missiles were launched from southern Lebanon toward Upper Galilee. Moshav Margaliot experienced intense explosions after a barrage of missiles was launched from Lebanon. A fire broke out due to the missile attack on Kibbutz Yiftah.

Acting Iranian Foreign Minister to Visit Lebanon Tomorrow
This Is Beirut/June 02/2024
Acting Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Bagheri Kani, will visit Lebanon tomorrow, Monday, according to LBCI.Kani was appointed following the death of former Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in a helicopter crash on May 19.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was also killed in the crash.

Democratic Gathering to Propose Presidential Election Initiative Amid Political Stalemate
LBCI/June 02/2024
Based on its centrist position and good relations with various political forces, the Democratic Gathering will attempt to propose ideas that may not amount to a comprehensive initiative on the presidential election issue, aiming to stir stagnant waters despite recognizing the difficulty of the matter. Former leader of the Socialist Progressive Party, Walid Jumblatt, heard from French President Emmanuel Macron and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad during meetings with them, encouragement to undertake such an initiative. French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian, who got lost in the Lebanese labyrinth of those who support dialogue versus consultation, and who should lead the dialogue—whether it should be Speaker Nabih Berri or someone else, and whether it should be held in Lebanon or abroad—further motivated him. There is also the matter of those who accept a third option versus those steadfast in supporting their candidate.
Le Drian sensed a glimmer of hope from MP Mohammad Raad’s statement, emphasizing the separation of the presidential issue from events in Gaza and south Lebanon. Consequently, he encouraged the Democratic Gathering to take initiative and attempt to mediate. Starting Tuesday, the Democratic Gathering will begin its rounds to include all parliamentary blocs. Former leader Walid Jumblatt will also play a role in this, given his special relationship with Speaker Nabih Berri. Jumblatt Sr. will participate in some meetings, while MP Taymour Jumblatt will lead the delegation in other meetings. The Democratic Gathering's Secretary, MP Hadi Aboul Hosn, told LBCI that the gathering felt a sense of urgency from Le Drian’s statement about the end of political Lebanon if a president is not elected within two months. Therefore, they were more encouraged to pursue the initiative, which will have its frameworks set in the coming hours. The essence of the initiative is to sit together to produce a solution without delving into details, and then move to constitutional mechanisms later. Will Hezbollah, Amal, and their allies agree to abandon the Frangieh option and grant the 51 votes he received to a third candidate? Or will the Strong Lebanon Bloc or the Lebanese Forces Bloc agree to vote for Frangieh and bring him to the Baabda Presidential Palace? These are legitimate questions, with answers already known in advance: rejection, at least in the foreseeable future. The question remains whether the Democratic Gathering will succeed where the quintet committee, the Moderate Bloc, and the French envoy failed. Perhaps the honor of trying remains worthwhile, even though much is not expected from it. The important thing is to keep communication lines open until the time comes for everyone to go to Parliament to elect a president.

Alternative Payment Methods: A Global Rise
Liliane Mokbel/This Is Beirut/June 02/2024
Card payments are no longer the only and main consumers’ option. Bank cards are steadily giving way to alternative payment methods. This is a global trend, and Lebanon is no exception; for instance, electronic wallets are gaining significant popularity. The range of options keeps growing.
In the coming years, there will be less cash and fewer ATMs globally, as well as fewer physical payment cards. Alternative payments are gaining momentum. Amid the ongoing growth of e-commerce, consumers are moving away from traditional card networks (and cash on delivery in emerging economies) in favor of local alternative payment methods, such as digital wallets, account-to-account (A2A) payments (instant payments and bank transfers) like PIX in Brazil, UPI in India, or iDEAL in the Netherlands, carrier billing, and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options.
Boku 2024 Report
According to a report published by Boku, the global network of localized payment solutions, titled “2024 Global Ecommerce: The Changing World of Payments,” card payments will account for only 19% of the value of e-commerce transactions by 2028 (down from 31% in 2023) and 30% in terms of volume (down from 41% in 2023). Furthermore, by 2028, local alternative payment methods will represent 58% of the value of e-commerce transactions (up from 47% in 2023), for the first time, constituting the majority of online transaction value. Boku’s report highlights that by 2028, account-to-account (A2A) instant payments and non-card digital wallets will account for more than 50% of the value of global e-commerce transactions. Europe, in particular, will experience a dramatic decline in card transactions, with the proportion of e-commerce transactions made with cards dropping from 53% in 2023 to only 30% in 2028. Account-to-account (A2A) payments will see significant growth, rising from 16% of transaction volume in 2023 to 25% in 2028. In its study on global payment preferences and consumer behaviors, Boku relied on responses from a sample of 10,500 consumers across thirty-seven major markets worldwide.
Payments via Mobile Phone
Today’s tech-savvy generations, quick to adopt new communication technologies, favor convenient, seamless and transparent payment methods. They show little preference for card networks, particularly in an era of embedded finance, where everything is managed through connected devices around the clock. According to Boku’s report, by 2028, nearly $10 trillion in payments will be made via mobile phones.
Interchange Rates
However, the four-party model, the basis of the credit card industry, raises concerns about interchange fees deemed excessive. These fees encompass the charges and costs imposed by each participant in these pillars, including the payment card network provider, the bank (issuer) and the merchant. This issue has spurred debate in both the United States and Europe for the past decade, with the ultimate aim of imposing limits and caps on interchange fees.
Lebanon and e-Wallets
As for Lebanon, the Lebanese Central Bank (BDL) is promoting the development of electronic wallets to somewhat curb cash transactions. It has already issued operating licenses to eighteen electronic wallet providers, including two one month ago, while other applications are currently under review. According to Intermediate Circular 588, BDL allows all Lebanese citizens to access an electronic wallet, irrespective of whether they have a bank account or not. These wallets can be denominated in Lebanese pounds or foreign currencies. In the future, cards and cash may become scarce, but there will always be card issuers and acquirers supporting finance integrated into the Internet of Things (IoT). This emerging trend in finance involves integrating financial services directly into applications and platforms. While physical bank cards may disappear, they will remain functional. Retailers are recognizing that the key to their future growth and global success lies in offering consumers a broader range of payment options. Alternative payments are definitely on the rise.

ICC fiasco highlights Lebanon’s lack of accountability
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/June 02, 2024
Lebanon last week backtracked on its decision to authorize the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes in the country. Israel has been accused of committing several war crimes in Lebanon. It deliberately killed a journalist. It has unlawfully used white phosphorus in south Lebanon. However, Lebanon is willingly missing an opportunity to hold Israel accountable. To an outsider, this is mind-boggling, but in the context of Lebanon it is not. Since Israel’s latest war on Gaza started, there have been skirmishes between Hezbollah and Israel. Tel Aviv has carried out several assassinations in Lebanon and the latter has been continuously filing complaints to the UN. However, no decisions have come from the UN Security Council in this regard. Now, Lebanon has retracted its previous decision to allow the ICC to investigate. Since neither Lebanon nor Israel are members of the court, it needs special permission to conduct any investigation. A member of parliament close to Speaker Nabih Berri, who is in Hezbollah’s orbit, demanded this revision. Though an ICC investigation would be an opportunity to hold Israel accountable, from Hezbollah’s perspective, it entails a risk. There is a risk that the investigation might somehow lead to the issuing of arrest warrants against Hezbollah members.
Basically, the interests of a few individuals have been put above the interest of the country. This is not far from previous positions taken by the Lebanese government. In September 2019, Amer Fakhoury, nicknamed the “Butcher of Khiam” — Khiam being the notorious Israeli prison in south Lebanon — was arrested soon after returning to the country. Fakhoury gained his nickname due to his alleged torture of detainees on behalf of Israel. The Israeli agent was released a few months later despite the public anger of the people of south Lebanon, who had suffered so much from his brutality. A deal was said to have been sealed between Gebran Bassil and the US. Bassil apparently wanted to court the Americans to avoid sanctions. The same thing is happening today. The dignity and interests of the Lebanese people are being traded for the interests of a few powerful people. How can this be possible? It is because there is no system of accountability in Lebanon. The Lebanese government has stated that it will look for other venues to seek justice. However, this does not trump the fact that the government has traded the interests of the nation to protect a few privileged people.Though an ICC investigation would be an opportunity to hold Israel accountable, from Hezbollah’s perspective, it entails a risk.
The initial request for the ICC to investigate came from one pro-change MP, Halima Kaakour. She holds a doctorate in international law. Lebanon has been filing Israel’s transgressions ever since the war started, but nothing has happened. With the ICC, things might have turned out differently. They also have a precedent. The ICC prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Hence, the ICC has shown that it is seeking to hold Israel accountable. However, the Lebanese Cabinet that gave approval to involve the ICC in April has changed its mind. Kaakour, as well as anyone else, knows that the UN will not issue any binding resolutions on Lebanon.
However, this is an issue the change members of parliament like Kaakour need to cling on to. Demanding accountability from Israel is an issue on which there is a general consensus. Once they raise it in the public sphere and once the idea circulates, the Lebanese will be reminded that they need to ask for accountability. Not only from Israel, but from everyone who hurt them, including the corrupt political class and its subordinate corrupt bankers. Unfortunately, at this moment, nothing can be done regarding the ICC investigation into Israeli crimes in Lebanon. According to judge Choucri Sader, the former president of the Lebanese State Council, the law is not a zipper that can be zipped and unzipped. If a plaintiff retracts his demands, the case is nixed. He added that such a decision from the political class was expected. Those who brought the country to its knees will not accept any accountability. They cannot risk any sort of investigation whatsoever.
Chibli Mallat, a law professor and lawyer who won a case against Ariel Sharon in the Belgian courts over the latter’s role in the Sabra and Shatila massacre, told me that, although nothing can now be done in legal terms, it should be a wake-up call for the Lebanese. They need to realize that there is no accountability in this country anymore. This offers an opportunity to push for a president that respects the rule of law and believes in accountability. The Lebanese should demand that the next president will join the ICC. Only a president can constitutionally agree to join a treaty. This way, the trade-off whereby the interests of the country are sacrificed to cover for a few individuals will not happen again. This is an opportunity for change MPs like Kaakour to galvanize the people. These lawmakers have been something of a disappointment to the average citizen. Expectations were high but they have brought little in the way of change. This is not totally their fault. The political configuration is iron-clad. Many members of parliament, even if they have good intentions, cannot create significant change. However, this is an issue around which they could create important clout. This is a salient issue, through which the change movement can regain its legitimacy. It will garner internal appeal. It is also an issue around which change MPs could get endorsement from several human right organizations. They could use it to remind people that Lebanon needs accountability and, as Mallat said, push for the election of a president that respects the law and believes in accountability.
*Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.

Can Israel resolve the Hezbollah front without war? - analysis
Yonah Jeremy Bob/Jerusalem Post/June 02/2024
The IDF appears to prepare for an inevitable escalation, while the Israeli government seems to believe that calm can be reached without demilitarization.
With the Biden administration’s latest ceasefire proposal for Israel and Hamas, Jerusalem and Beirut may also be closer than ever before to a ceasefire. From November 23-30, Hezbollah scrupulously observed the Israel-Hamas ceasefire unilaterally even as Israel said it might consider still attacking the Lebanese terror group (it didn’t in the end.) Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah has been clear throughout the war, and the November example seems like concrete evidence, that the moment Israel and Hamas reach a ceasefire, he will also stop firing, as he just wanted to support the Gaza terror group.
And yet, even if a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas does not go into effect imminently, the chances of a major war between the Jewish state and Nasrallah may be much further off than how things look because of a major disagreement between the defense establishment and the government.
For several months, many Israelis have been predicting an imminent mega war in the North which would put the Gaza War to shame in terms of the harm Nasrallah could cause to the Israeli home front. This is because Nasrallah has more than 150,000 rockets, around 10 times what Hamas had on October 7, and much higher quality rockets.
Within the IDF, many have grown impatient about finally being given the opportunity to teach Hezbollah a lesson and to facilitate returning the northern residents to their homes with an exclamation point. National Unity Party leader (and possibly about to be outgoing war minister) Benny Gantz is closer to the same wavelength at this point to the IDF. He might have wanted them to hold off earlier in 2024, but he has now set September 1, the start of the school year, as the time period when he believes Israel should set an ultimatum for Hezbollah, and be potentially ready to go to war if a deal is not reached to demilitarize southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back hard against this.
Netanyahu stays vague on Lebanon
The prime minister has scrupulously avoided committing to any date by which southern Lebanon must be demilitarized or when the northern residents will be able to return to their homes securely. With some exceptions, he has even avoided many meetings with northern resident leaders, clearly knowing that his unwillingness to give them a reliable horizon for returning to the North soon would produce either awkward or negative headlines. At a basic level, Netanyahu is unlikely to risk a large war with Hezbollah if there is already a ceasefire in place. This will be true now or in a few months from now if it takes longer to reach a hostage deal-ceasefire with Hamas. It is doubly true given that around 90% of Hezbollah’s Radwan forces have been out of southern Lebanon for months and given the huge reinforcements that the IDf has had on the border since October. One dirty truth is that almost the entire political and defense establishment now regret that they evacuated so many tens of thousands of northern residents at the start of the war, and did not try to keep the evacuation limited to a much smaller number of thousands. In real time, there was panic of a potential Hezbollah invasion which the IDF might not be able to immediately fully stop. But subsequently, when Hezbollah did not invade, the vast tens of thousands of evacuees have put profound internal pressure on the government and the IDF to act, even when the policy deciders may prefer strategic patience. Netanyahu would rather indefinitely put off a bigger war in the North, and have it occur only if there is some new larger provocation.
The IDF would rather take advantage of its heightened readiness and the weakened defensive position it has put Hezbollah in to fight what it views as an inevitable war, even if the battle could be postponed a few more years. Part of the disagreement also relates to the likelihood of an in between scenario. Netanyahu and much of the government believe that any escalation much above where things currently stand will spiral out of control into Israel’s entire home front being hit with 150,000 Hezbollah rockets. Some top IDF officials believe a much shorter escalation of weeks with limited targets and goals could get Hezbollah to demilitarize in southern Lebanon without the need for a huge war. But the government, not the IDF, makes the final decision. This means that even as IDF officials continue to think a bigger war is more inevitable than ever and soon, the political officials, led by Netanyahu may find a way to end the current battle in the North without a major escalation, without a 100% demilitarization of southern Lebanon, and with telling northern residents to return to their homes based on an improved security situation – but one far short of what they were promised when they evacuated.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 02-03/2024
At least 12 people were killed as a result of an Israeli strike on the Aleppo countryside in northern Syria
AFP/June 03/2024
Beirut: At least 12 people were killed and others were injured as a result of an Israeli missile bombardment that targeted the town of Hayyan in the western countryside of Aleppo after midnight on Sunday/Monday, according to what the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. The Observatory said, “Israeli air strikes targeted a site in the town of Hayyan in the northern countryside of Aleppo, where the targeting resulted in successive explosions in the copper factory in the area,” which is controlled by Iranian groups, which led to the death of 12 members of pro-Iranian groups, according to an initial toll.

Several killed in Israeli attack in Syria, state media reports
Reuters/June 2, 2024
A number of people were killed in an Israeli air attack targeting sites in the vicinity of the Syrian city of Aleppo on Monday, Syrian state media said citing a military source, the second reported attack on the country in less than a week. The strikes at around 12:20 a.m. (2120 GMT on Sunday) "led to a number of fatalties and some material damage", the source said, without elaborating. Israel launched air attacks on May 29 on Syria's central region as well as the coastal city of Baniyas,killing a child and injuring ten civilians, according to Syrian state media. For years Israel has been carrying out attacks against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war that started in 2011. In April, Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel after a presumed Israeli strike that destroyed a building in Iran's embassy compound in Damascus and killed several Iranian officers including a top general.

The failure of the tripartite meeting in Cairo... and a high-ranking Egyptian source: We adhere to Israel’s withdrawal from the Rafah crossing to resume its operation.
Cairo - Al-Quds Al-Arabi / June 3, 2024
The tripartite meeting hosted by Cairo today, which included Egyptian, American, and Israeli security delegations, failed to agree on reopening the Rafah crossing. A high-level security source said that Egypt adhered to its firm position regarding the necessity of Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing until it resumes its operation again.The source added, in statements to the Cairo News Channel, which is owned by the Egyptian Intelligence Service, that the Egyptian security delegation confirmed Israel’s full responsibility for the non-entry of relief materials and humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. He continued: The Egyptian delegation adhered to the necessity of immediate action to bring at least 350 aid trucks into the sector daily, including all necessary materials, whether food, medical, or fuel. The Rafah crossing has been closed since the Israeli occupation army stormed the border axis and the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side on May 7, and Egypt announced its refusal to coordinate with Tel Aviv regarding the crossing, and stopped the entry of aid until the occupation forces withdrew from it. Egypt had reached an agreement under American sponsorship, days after the start of the aggression, stipulating that aid trucks would go to the Al-Auja crossing to undergo inspection by the occupation forces before returning and entering from the Rafah land crossing. Over the past months, the trucks were subject to disruption during inspections, and the occupation allowed the passage of unlimited quantities of aid. It is enough for the people of the Gaza Strip, before it invades the border axis, occupies the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, and completely stops the movement of aid. Egyptian opposition parties demanded freezing the peace agreement known in the media as “Camp David,” and said that the agreement had already fallen after the occupation forces invaded the border axis, “Area D,” in which the agreement prohibited the presence of military vehicles and forces.

Frankly Speaking: How close are we to a ‘historic’ US-Saudi deal?
ARAB NEWS/June 02, 2024
DUBAI: Michael Ratney, the US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, has said that a “historic” security deal currently under negotiation between the two countries has the potential to fundamentally change the landscape of the Middle East for the better. Appearing on the Arab News current-affairs show “Frankly Speaking,” Ratney was optimistic the deal would both clarify and cement the decades-old relationship — based at present on verbal agreements — between Saudi Arabia and the US. “We overuse that word ‘historic’ but it would be a historic agreement and it could fundamentally change the landscape in the Middle East for the better,” he said. “Political cooperation, security cooperation, economic integration.”US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently said the deal, which would see Saudi Arabia agreeing to normalize ties with Israel in exchange for closer US integration and recognition of a Palestinian state, could be just weeks away. Despite the mutual enthusiasm for the deal, Ratney would not be drawn on the exact timeline for its conclusion, warning there were many moving parts, in particular the willingness of Israel to hold up its end of the bargain. “I don’t think there’s anybody involved in these negotiations that wouldn’t like to have it finished tomorrow,” Ratney told Katie Jensen, the host of “Frankly Speaking.” “But since all of that is a part of this agreement and these are extraordinarily complex and detailed discussions, I don’t think I could put a timeline for it. “There ar also other elements of it including a US Senate role and obviously the situation in Israel weighs on this as well.
“So as much as we would like to get this done tomorrow, we are going to proceed as quickly as we can, as seriously as we can. And we’re going to get this done as soon as all of the pieces fall into place.”What makes the deal so significant is that it clearly sets out the parameters of the Saudi-US relationship and safeguards them against the political whims and particularities of future US administrations, lending the partnership a degree of certainty. “That’s why it’s an agreement that would involve US Senate ratification,” said Ratney. “US Senate ratification means it is a formal agreement that doesn’t depend on a particular administration. “It would be an enduring agreement not between an administration or a government but between two countries. And in that, that brings certainty. It brings certainty to us. It would bring certainty to the Saudis as well.”Commentators have drawn parallels between the proposed Saudi-US deal and the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the US and Japan, signed in 1960. Asked whether these assessments were accurate, Ratney said he could not go into specifics. “I’m really reluctant to get into those sorts of details,” he said. “Those are exactly the kinds of things that are subject to negotiations at the highest level of our government and the highest level of the Saudi government.”He did, however, say the deal would include upgrades to the security partnership and economic relations, while also taking steps toward meeting Saudi Arabia’s demand for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. “Let’s just say this would be a historic agreement that would upgrade the security partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia. It would upgrade the economic relationship. It would bring Israel and Saudi Arabia essentially into the same region. And it would bring benefits and a path to statehood for the Palestinians.
“So, that’s a lot. It’s a complex set of discussions. And I’m really reluctant to get into the details of things, some of which are still yet to be negotiated.” The success of the deal hinges to a significant degree on Israel’s cooperation. However, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, which has two powerful far-right ministers, has been reluctant to give way on Palestinian statehood and end the war in Gaza. Ratney, who previously served as a diplomat in Israel, said there was much to be gained for the region. “I would say all the elements that we have discussed are of extraordinary value. The real value is taking it all together,” he said. “All of those elements that have been under discussion, all of the US-Saudi pieces and the Israel and the Palestinian pieces taken together could fundamentally change the landscape of this Middle East.
“And that is the lens through which we see it and it’s certainly the lens through which the US Senate sees it and they ultimately would have a vote to ratify it.”
However, US lawmakers have been reluctant to pressure Israel to accept a ceasefire in Gaza. Asked whether Washington’s decisions could radicalize a generation of Arab and Muslim youth and create a Hamas 2.0, Ratney said careful diplomacy was required to achieve a lasting peace. “It’s impossible for anyone who watches these scenes on a daily basis, and it’s certainly impossible for anyone that knows friends and family who have been engulfed in this conflict, not to be moved by it, and not to be motivated to find a solution as soon as possible, to find an end to the violence in Gaza, to find an end to the threats to Israeli security, to find a path to statehood, so that this sort of, for Palestinians, to ensure that this sort of conflict doesn’t resume,” he said. “The diplomacy involved with that is extraordinarily complex, and there’s areas that we pursue, and there’s positions that we take that sometimes aren’t popular, but they’re based on our sense of the most expeditious, the most effective way of pursuing it.”
Ratney was further challenged by Jensen, who asked him whether the whole world could be wrong on Israel and why the US appears reluctant to listen to its closest allies and apply firmer pressure on its ally. In response he said: “I think it’s safe to say that both President Biden, Secretary Blinken, all of our senior officials, have been heavily involved. This has been a major preoccupation of theirs since the outbreak of violence on Oct. 7. “They have been in the region steadily. Secretary Blinken has been here six times since October 7, our national security adviser as well. In almost every case, that involves visits to Israel as well, where they have, sometimes, very difficult and very direct conversations. “We have an important relationship with Israel, we have an important partnership with Israel, and we utilize that relationship and partnership to find a decent end to this conflict.”
Saudi Arabia and the US had differences of opinion on regional issues after the Biden administration took office in 2020. However, after President Biden visited the Kingdom in 2022, the differences have made way for greater convergence of opinions. Ratney, who has been ambassador to Saudi Arabia for a year, said the bilateral relationship was already better when he took up his posting, and that there was potential for even stronger ties. “When I got here a little over a year ago, the relationship felt like it was in a good place. And I do think that’s the case. And I think over the last year, it has gotten better and better as our partnership has diversified, as we’ve delved into negotiations over a potential historical agreement between our countries. “So, if I look ahead a year, two years, three years, what I’d like is that trajectory and the speed of that diversification and partnership to continue.”Ratney said he has been impressed by the pace and scale of change in the Kingdom in recent years, particularly the empowerment of women — least of all the lifting of the ban on women driving. “Women driving is really the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “The big change, the big innovation — and it has fundamentally changed the face of this country — is the fact that women are involved in every aspect of the economy, in every aspect of society. “And that’s as simple as me going into meetings with senior government officials and seeing women are full participants in these discussions.
“And they’re not there as symbols. They’re highly educated, in many cases, as well-educated or better educated than their male counterparts, often at US universities. And it’s an extraordinary thing to see.” Turning to areas of cooperation and opportunities between the US and Saudi Arabia, Ratney said there was now scope for trade and exchange in high technology and the creative industries. “We work heavily with US companies that become intrigued by this market, to export to this market, to partner with Saudis here and invest here, and we see it in areas like not just healthcare, but infrastructure,” he said.
“Obviously, this country is making huge investments in infrastructure and US companies bring real value there. In high tech, Saudi Arabia has ambitions to become a hub for innovation and technological development. “That in many ways is a US brand, and so US companies, whether Amazon or Google or others, are here, are interested, are involved, and are becoming partners with Saudis in those efforts.
“In the past, there was never much of a film industry here. Now we see US film and television companies interested in partnering with Saudi’s nascent film industry. That’s just extraordinary as well. So across the whole economy, we see opportunities for the US.”Some commentators have suggested that the US has lost business to China in the scramble for contracts in the Kingdom, particularly in relation to technology and communications. “Are there competitors: Europeans, Chinese? Sure,” Ratney said. “But I have to say, where China might bring low price to the table, what the US brings is value and it brings innovation and it brings partnership, in a way that very few competitors can match.” Another area of future cooperation is the space sector.“To listen to the Saudi leadership talk about it, I think, quite rightly, a space sector, a commercial space sector, is becoming increasingly a normal part of any big healthy economy,” Ratney said. “It was Axiom Space, a US company, that put two Saudi astronauts last year to the International Space Station — an air force pilot and a microbiologist. The Saudis clearly have further ambitions there as well, and we want to be a part of that.” He added: “Space, commercial space in particular, is the future, and it is an extraordinarily lucrative and extraordinarily ambitious future.”
Although he is only a year into his posting as US ambassador to the Kingdom, Ratney is already looking ahead to the legacy he wants to leave. “As Saudi’s ambitions expand, whether it’s expanding and reforming their educational sector, building a larger media sector, the space exploration that we talked about, building a high-tech industry, a whole range of areas where the US and Saudi are natural partners, I would like to see a few years from that for everybody to know about that and for Saudi to be succeeding in its ambitions and for the US to be seen as its number one partner as it does so.”

US Expects Israel to Accept Plan to End Gaza War if Hamas Agrees
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Sunday that if Hamas agrees to the deal to end the Gaza war, the US expects Israel to also accept the plan. "This was an Israeli proposal. We have every expectation that if Hamas agrees to the proposal — as was transmitted to them, an Israeli proposal — then Israel would say yes," Kirby said in an interview on ABC News' "This Week" program. An aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that Israel had accepted a framework deal for winding down the Gaza war now being advanced by US President Joe Biden, though he described it as flawed and in need of much more work. In an interview with Britain's Sunday Times, Ophir Falk, chief foreign policy advisor to Netanyahu, said Biden's proposal was "a deal we agreed to — it's not a good deal but we dearly want the hostages released, all of them".

Netanyahu Aide: Biden's Gaza Plan 'Not a Good Deal' but Israel Accepts it
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
An aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that Israel had accepted a framework deal for winding down the Gaza war now being advanced by US President Joe Biden, though he described it as flawed and in need of much more work. In an interview with Britain's Sunday Times, Ophir Falk, chief foreign policy advisor to Netanyahu, said Biden's proposal was "a deal we agreed to — it's not a good deal but we dearly want the hostages released, all of them". "There are a lot of details to be worked out," he said, adding that Israeli conditions, including "the release of the hostages and the destruction of Hamas as a genocidal terrorist organization" have not changed. Biden, whose initial lockstep support for Israel's offensive has given way to open censure of the operation's high civilian death toll, on Friday aired what he described as a three-phase plan submitted by the Netanyahu government to end the war. The first phase entails a truce and the return of some hostages held by Hamas, after which the sides would negotiate on an open-ended cessation of hostilities for a second phase in which remaining live captives would go free, Biden said. That sequencing appears to imply that Hamas would continue to play a role in incremental arrangements mediated by Egypt and Qatar - a potential clash with Israel's determination to resume the campaign to eliminate the group. Biden has hailed several ceasefire proposals over the past several months, each with similar frameworks to the one he outlined on Friday, all of which collapsed. In February he said Israel had agreed to halt fighting by Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that began on March 10. No such truce materialized. The primary sticking point has been Israel's insistence that it would discuss only temporary pauses to fighting until Hamas is destroyed. Hamas, which shows no sign of stepping aside, says it will free hostages only under a path to a permanent end to the war. In his speech, Biden said his latest proposal "creates a better 'day after' in Gaza without Hamas in power". He did not elaborate on how this would be achieved, and acknowledged that "there are a number of details to negotiate to move from phase one to phase two". Falk reiterated Netanyahu's position that "there will not be a permanent ceasefire until all our objectives are met".

Two Palestinian teens killed by Israeli gunfire in West Bank, Palestinian officials say
Ali Sawafta/JERUSALEM (Reuters)/June 2, 2024
Two Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli gunfire in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said on Sunday. The Israeli military did not confirm the deaths but said two suspects hurled explosives towards a local community, endangering civilians, and troops responded with live fire. "Hits were identified," the military said in a statement. The Palestinian health ministry said a 16- and a 17-year-old were killed west of Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, near the West Bank city of Jericho. Palestinian media said medicals teams were prevented from reaching one of the wounded and the other succumbed to his wounds on Sunday in a hospital in Jerusalem. One teen was shot in the head and the other in his chest, the Palestinian health ministry said. The occupied West Bank, which Palestinians want as the core of a future independent state along with Gaza, has seen a surge in violence since the start of the war in Gaza last year, and a major crackdown by Israeli security forces which have made thousands of arrests.

‘Give us back our loved ones’, say families of hostages held by Hamas
William Warnes,PA Media: UK News/June 2, 2024
The families of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas have called for all parties to act fast to “bring our loved ones home”. Thousands of people marched from Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn, to Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, to demand the immediate release of hostages held in Gaza. A total of 121 people remain unaccounted for after being kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 last year. At least 37 of them are presumed dead. According to Israel, 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken during the attacks. Osnat and Menachem Getz are the auntie and uncle of Omer Neutra, a 22-year-old tank commander from in the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) who was taken by Hamas. Osnat told the PA news agency: “Omer was born and raised in Long Island, New York, but has dual citizenship with Israel. When he finished high school he decided to have a gap year and came to Israel to learn about his family routes.
“He became very friendly with his peers and decided it was his obligation to do service in the army and became a tank commander. “On October 7 he was on the border defending a kibbutz and villages. Unfortunately he found himself being attacked and then Hamas released a video showing Omer and his group being taken hostage. “Since that day, we have heard nothing. There has been no sign of Omer. It’s devastating and no family should go through such horrible days.” President Joe Biden has urged Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement to release about 100 remaining hostages, along with the bodies of around 30 more, for an extended ceasefire.Talks stopped last month after a push by the US and other mediators to secure a deal in the hope of averting a full-scale Israeli invasion of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah. Israel says the Rafah operation is key to uprooting Hamas fighters responsible for the October 7 attack. But the families have warned time is running out for their loved ones. Osnat said: “We still have hope. But every day is crucial, every day is critical. “Every day we hear about another hostage killed by Hamas, and there is no time.
“We need countries to unit and pressure Hamas to say yes to a deal and bring our beloved ones back home as soon as possible.”Menachem added: “(World leaders) must be brave. They must be strong and get a deal done. Finish it. “Don’t forget Hamas is a terrorist organisation. It is not a democratic country. So we need all countries to put immense pressure on them. Everybody needs to take part, not just the US administration, to put their own pressure and putting this pressure will resolve this issue. “We are family. We need our beloved ones back home. We are not politicians. But we really believe that this is the primary aim for all the region.”The rally on Friday was organised by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK. People had travelled from as far as Australia and the US to attend, with speakers including the families of hostages, Lord Polak CBE, a member of the House of Lords, and Professor Daniel Shek, Ambassador and veteran of the Israeli foreign service.
Also in attendance were Merav and Amir Daniel, whose 19-year-old son, Oz, was a member of the IDF and killed on October 7.
But the family had initially believed he had been taken hostage and only found out about his death four and a half months after the attacks. Amir told the PA news agency: “Oz was abducted from Israeli territory while defending southern communities. He did not commit any wrongdoing against civilian population or innocent individuals. “After four and a half months of hope, we received the worst news of all. Oz was shot to death by the terrorists on October 7.”The couple said they had seen Oz alive on a video shared by Hamas. They held onto the hope that he would be returned safely for 142 days. Amir said: “It’s not easy for us. It’s very hard for us to travel the world and to speak to people. But we cannot just sit at home and cry. “It is very important to us and for all the world, not just Israelis and Jewish people, because Hamas and all the terrorist activities in the world want to be in every place. They are not only against Israelis and Jewish. They are against all democracies.”
Three months after his death, the family said are still yet to get Oz’s body back. Amir added: “We ask the whole world to return our Oz, our son, with the other hostages. “Oz has a twin sister, Hadar, and they are the fruit of our love. Now they are divided. One part in Israel and one part in Gaza. “We need our son to be returned so that they can be united again. We are not political people and we do not deal with politics. The issue of the hostages and their immediate and unconditional release is not a political matter, but a humanitarian matter that should concern every human being around the world. “We are almost eight months away from the barbaric and unprovoked attack on Israel by Hamas. We will not rest until all hostages are returned back home. That is the main issue. The first thing everyone has to do, including (Benjamin) Netanyahu, is to bring his children home.“The time is critical. The hostages have no time left. Bring them home.” Hamas’ attack on October 7 killed around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250. More than 36,370 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israel’s campaign of bombardment and offensives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The Israeli army says it investigates itself. Where do those investigations stand?
Julia Frankel And Jack Jeffery/JERUSALEM (AP)/June 2, 2024
Throughout its grinding seven-month war against Hamas, Israel has pledged to investigate a series of deadly events in which its military forces are suspected of wrongdoing. The commitment comes in the face of mounting claims — from human rights groups and the International Criminal Court 's chief prosecutor — that the country's leaders are committing war crimes in Hamas-ruled Gaza. In one of the highest-profile cases, an attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy that killed five foreign aid workers, the Israeli army promptly published its findings, acknowledged misconduct by its forces and dismissed two soldiers. But other investigations remain open, and admissions of guilt are rare. Israel’s Military Advocate General, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, said this week that the military is investigating about 70 cases of alleged wrongdoing. She gave few details. The military refused to disclose the full list of investigations and told The Associated Press it could only respond to queries about specific probes.
A look at some of the investigations that have been publicly announced:
A DEADLY STRIKE ON A TENT CAMP KILLS DISPLACED FAMILIES
On Tuesday, Israel revealed the preliminary results of an investigation into a deadly strike on a tent camp sheltering displaced families in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Sunday's strike killed at least 45 people and caused widespread destruction. Most of the victims were women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between the deaths of civilians and Hamas militants. The military's chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said a preliminary investigation found that the Israeli munitions used that day in efforts to eliminate two Hamas militants were too small to be the source of a fire that broke out. Hagari said the destruction may have been caused by secondary explosions, possibly from Palestinian militants’ weapons in the area. Hamas did not respond to that explanation, but a member of the militants' political bureau remarked Tuesday that Israel “believes that it is deceiving the world, with its false claim that it did not intend to kill and burn children and women, and its claim to investigate its crimes.” The Israeli military said in a statement that the investigation had been turned over to a fact-finding group that operates independently outside the army’s chain of command. Those findings are then handed to the military advocate general, who decides if there should be disciplinary measures. It's not clear how long the probe will last.
SCORES OF CIVILIANS ARE SHOT DEAD AROUND A FLOUR CONVOY
In February, witnesses said Israeli troops fired on a crowd of Palestinians waiting for aid in Gaza City. At least 104 people were killed and 760 were wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which described it as a massacre. Army officials initially said that dozens of Palestinians were killed in a stampede when huge crowds tried to grab supplies off the pre-dawn convoy of 30 army trucks carrying flour toward hard-hit northern Gaza. But the military’s preliminary investigation, released a week later, appeared to back off that, saying only that the stampede caused “incidents of significant harm to civilians.”The investigation found that troops opened fire at some who approached them and posed a threat to them and that a tank also fired warning shots to disperse “suspects.” But it did not directly address how the people were killed.
The military said the case is also being investigated by the fact-finding group.
AL-AHLI HOSPITAL EXPLOSION SETS OFF DEADLY INFERNO
An explosion in October in the courtyard of the Al-Ahli hospital, where thousands of Palestinians had sought shelter or medical treatment, set off an inferno that burned men, women and children alive. There are still conflicting claims over what happened.
Officials in Gaza quickly said an Israeli airstrike had hit the hospital, killing at least 500 people. Images of the aftermath ignited protests across the region. Within hours, Israeli officials said they had conducted an investigation and determined that they had not been involved. They released live video, audio and other evidence that it said showed the blast was caused by a rocket misfired by Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian militant group.
Islamic Jihad denied responsibility.
An AP investigation, along with U.S. and French intelligence assessments, concluded a misfired rocket likely caused the explosion.
A PALESTINIAN MAN IS SHOT WHILE WALKING WITH OTHERS
In January, the Israeli government announced it was investigating the death of a Palestinian man who was fatally shot while walking with four others. Video footage shows one of the men holding a white flag — the international symbol of surrender — and the others behind him holding their hands in the air. They then scramble backward as several shots ring out. In a second clip, one of the men is lying on the ground. The shooter is not visible in the video but before the shots are fired, the camera pans, showing what looks to be an Israeli tank positioned nearby. Ahmed Hijazi, a citizen journalist who filmed the episode, told The Associated Press that an Israeli tank fired on the group. The army said it conducted an in-depth investigation and found the tank did not fire at the men. It also said it was “not possible to determine with certainty” whether the man was killed by Israeli fire.
FOUR PALESTINIANS ARE SHOT ON A DIRT ROAD
On March 22, Israel’s military launched an investigation after footage emerged appearing to show the bombing of five Palestinians near the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. Aerial footage circulating on social media shows four men walking along a dirt road before a strike hits them, killing all four instantly. Another man farther along the road tries to run away before he is hit and killed. The origin of the footage remains unclear. The military said the investigation had been turned over to the independent fact-finding group.
A GAZA SURGEON DIES IN AN ISRAELI PRISON
Famed Gaza surgeon Adnan al-Bursh died in an Israeli prison after he was rounded up in an arrest raid on Al Awda hospital in mid-April, according to the United Nations. Bursh led the orthopedic department at Al-Shifa Hospital. At the time of his arrest in December, he was reportedly in good health and operating on patients, the U.N. said. But those who saw Bursh in detention reported that he looked depleted and bore signs of violence, according to Physicians for Human Rights-Israel. Israel's military and police did not respond to requests for comment. Palestinian detainees who have returned from Israeli detention have reported beatings, harsh interrogations and neglect while in Israeli custody. Israel has denied the reports. Bursh was transferred to Israel's Ofer military prison in the West Bank, where he died. Israeli police will conduct an autopsy of Bursh’s body with a doctor from Physicians for Human Rights-Israel present, the group said, noting it had filed a petition on behalf of Bursh’s family. It's unclear when the autopsy will be conducted. Authorities have released no information on the cause of death and it is unclear who is investigating. Israel's military and police referred questions to Israel's Prison Service, which referred questions back to the military.

Israel seeks a 'governing alternative' to Hamas in Gaza. It's been tried and failed before
Melanie Lidman/JERUSALEM (AP)/June 2, 2024
Israel is looking into an alternative local governing body for Gaza, the defense minister said Sunday, proposing a future beyond Hamas but giving no idea who those challengers might be. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s comments came at a time of new uncertainty in the eight-month war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under growing pressure from many Israelis to accept a new cease-fire deal proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden, while far-right allies threaten to collapse his government if he does. Gallant, part of Israel’s three-member War Cabinet who recently urged the government to have a detailed postwar plan for Gaza, said in a briefing that “we seek a governing alternative to Hamas. The framework for this includes isolating areas, removing Hamas operatives in these areas and bringing in other forces that will enable the formation of a governing alternative.”
That will achieve Israel’s goals of removing Hamas’ military and governing authority in Gaza and returning home the remaining hostages taken in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war, Gallant said. He stressed that “we will not accept the rule of Hamas at any stage in any process aimed at ending the war.”
In response to questions, an Israeli defense official told The Associated Press that Gallant hopes to enable isolated, Hamas-free areas in Gaza to become “hubs of local government” and identify forces that can enable a longer-term formation of a government.
Israel is looking for “local non-hostile actors,” the official said, adding that Gallant believes that “Palestinians should be governing Palestinians.” Israel would facilitate surges of aid to the areas, and the local forces would be responsible for distributing it to strengthen their authority. But that approach is challenging and has failed before, one expert said. “I haven’t heard of any local players that are brave enough to present themselves as an alternative to Hamas,” said Michael Milshtein, an Israeli analyst of Palestinian affairs at Tel Aviv University and a former military intelligence officer.
Milshtein said Gallant’s “wishful thinking” would amount to a suicidal mission for any local leader. Hamas has threatened anyone cooperating with Israel’s government.
“Although Hamas suffered severe damage over the past eight months, their impact on the public is still very strong,” he said. Milshtein noted that Israel has tried this approach in the past. In the 1970s and ’80s, Israel tried to establish “village leagues,” empowering local Palestinian leaders. “They were considered in the eyes of Palestinians as collaborators, and it ended in a very tragic manner,” he said. Unless Israel maintains a constant presence in Gaza, any “alternative forces” they try to install will be too fragile, he added. Netanyahu has said Israel will maintain security control over Gaza but delegate civilian administration to local Palestinians unaffiliated with Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank. He has ruled out a path to Palestinian statehood. Top ally the U.S. has proposed that a reformed Palestinian Authority would govern Gaza with the assistance of Arab and Muslim nations. The Hamas attack on Oct. 7 in southern Israel killed around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250. About 100 hostages remain in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more. Over 36,430 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israel’s offensive, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Its count doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israel blames Hamas for civilian deaths, accusing it of operating from dense residential areas. The United States continued to press Israel on the cease-fire proposal outlined by Biden, who said Friday it’s time for the war to end. Many of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced and shelter with few supplies, large parts of the territory have been destroyed and the United Nations has warned of “full-blown” famine. The deal's first phase would last six weeks and include a “full and complete cease-fire,” a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all densely populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages, including women, older people and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Biden acknowledged that moving into the next phase of the deal would require more negotiations.
“This was an Israeli proposal. We have every expectation that if Hamas agrees to the proposal – as was transmitted to them, an Israeli proposal – then Israel would say yes,” White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told ABC.
Also Sunday, officials from Egypt, Israel and the U.S. ended a meeting in Cairo without any apparent agreement to reopen the crucial Rafah crossing into Gaza, which has been closed since Israel took over the Palestinian side of it in early May, Egypt’s state-run television channel Al-Qahera News reported.
Israel's military continues to press into Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, in search of what's been described as Hamas' last stronghold even as the militants regroup elsewhere in the territory. Citing an unnamed official, Al-Qahera News said Egypt affirmed that Israel must withdraw its forces from the Palestinian side of the crossing before it can reopen. The report said Egypt accused Israel of blocking the delivery of badly needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, which Israel denies.

Netanyahu's Address to Congress: A Diplomatic Balancing Act
LBCI/June 2, 2024
In a move reflecting US support for Israel amid the war on Gaza, the leadership of the US Congress invited the Israeli Prime Minister to deliver a speech before a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives, at a time when the latter faces widespread criticism internationally and domestically due to the escalation in Gaza. What does this invitation mean? It is a diplomatic tradition reflecting the strategic alliance between the two countries. The invitation is usually extended by the leadership of Congress from both parties to leaders of allied countries to Washington, whether the President, Prime Minister, or ruler of the country, whether king, sultan, or otherwise. It has become a custom of leaders of countries to visit Congress since 1945, and the most invited leader was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who addressed Congress three times, equaling Netanyahu's three speeches as well, with the fourth on the way. However, in this context, the invitation also serves as a strong message of solidarity with Israel in facing its surrounding security challenges. The invitation came with the signatures of the Speaker of the House and the leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties in Congress. What will Netanyahu say before the US Senate and House of Representatives? Analysts predict that the Israeli Prime Minister will advocate for the concept of "just war" waged by Israel against those threatening its existence, referring to Hamas. From the US podium, he will express appreciation for the continuous support from Washington and will attempt to gather more political, financial, and military support for Israel, which faces increasing international and US anger day by day. As the US public is divided on the issue of Israel, so too are the US political parties. Republicans, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, are eager to show their unconditional support for Netanyahu and his government. In contrast, Democratic President Joe Biden and his administration have expressed reservations about Netanyahu's invitation, amidst disagreements over how to manage the conflict in Gaza and concerns about the impact of this visit on US relations with Arab and Islamic countries. The division is not only between the White House and Congress but also extends within the Democratic Party itself. Many Democrats, including Senator Bernie Sanders and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, have announced that they will boycott Netanyahu's speech. Hosting Netanyahu before Congress, therefore, carries many political and diplomatic messages, not only for Israel but also for theUS domestic scene, which is gearing up for sensitive US elections in a few months.

Netanyahu Faces Political Turmoil Over Israeli Proposal for Hostages Exchange and Gaza War End
LBCI/June 2, 2024
Since US President Joe Biden revealed the Israeli proposal for hostage exchange negotiations, urging its implementation to end the war in Gaza, the Israeli political arena has been witnessing a conflict between parties that reject the proposal and those that want to implement it. In this context, far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have threatened to withdraw from the government if the proposal is approved, while War Cabinet member Benny Gantz hinted that he would retract his threat to leave the government if the proposal is implemented. This division has placed Netanyahu in a state of confusion, described by some as a trap. Netanyahu, who has not backed down from his position of not ending the war without achieving its objectives, whether against Hamas or regarding the hostages, faces various potential scenarios. If he agrees to the proposal, War Cabinet members Benny Gantz and Gadi Eizenkot will retract their decision to withdraw from the government, which means moving forward together towards a near deal. On the other hand, this approval would lead to the withdrawal of ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich from the government without dissolving it, especially after opposition leader Yair Lapid announced the possibility of joining the government coalition. If Gantz follows through with his threat to withdraw, the 64-member coalition supporting the war and rejecting the proposal for early parliamentary elections will stand united. Meanwhile, the opposition will seek to escalate its protests to dissolve the government and bring forward the election date. In this case, it is expected that military and security officials will resign while the war continues. Netanyahu thus faces two options: either proceed with the deal, bringing Israel out of international isolation and into the center of a regional alliance, or continue to stall, attempting to shift the blame to Hamas by pushing it to reject the proposal, thereby securing the cards that ensure the continuation of his government and the ongoing war as planned.

Israeli Defense Minister: We are exploring alternatives to Hamas in governing Gaza
Reuters/June 2, 2024
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday that Israel will not accept the continued rule of Hamas in Gaza at any stage during the war-ending process, and they are considering alternatives to the Palestinian group. Gallant added in a statement, "While we carry out our important military operations, the defense establishment is simultaneously studying alternatives to Hamas in governing Gaza." He continued, "We will not accept Hamas' rule in Gaza at any stage of any operation aimed at ending the war."

Egypt insists on necessity of Israel's withdrawal from Rafah crossing before its operation
Reuters/June 2, 2024
Al Qahera news channel reported on Sunday, citing a high-level source, that "the tripartite meeting in Cairo, which included the Egyptian security delegation, and delegations from the United States and Israel," has concluded.The source affirmed that "Egypt has maintained its steadfast position regarding the necessity of Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing before its operation can resume."

Israelis attack Palestinian athletes at East Jerusalem stadium
Adam Schrader/UPI/June 2, 2024
Gangs of illegal Israeli settlers rampaged across the West Bank and East Jerusalem on Sunday, allegedly attacking Palestinian athletes at a soccer stadium, hurling rocks at cars near Ramallah and setting fire to Palestinian land near the West Bank village of Duma.
Players and coaches were at the stadium in the At-Tur neighborhood when Israelis, under police protection, stormed the facilities, the Palestinian News Agency reported. Also known as Wafa, it is the official state-run news agency of the Palestinian National Authority. Illegal Israeli settlers on Sunday also set fire to the lands of the village of Duma, south of Nablus, a day after illegal settlers set fire to a major market in Ramallah. The fire was consuming olive fields and crops, said Suleiman Dawabsha, the head of the Duma Village Council. He said attempts to control the fire are still underway because crews were unable to access it facing obstruction by Israeli forces. And in Ramallah, illegal Israeli settlers threw stones at cars driven by Palestinians near the Rawabi roundabout. Only one car was damaged. Meanwhile, police could be seen manhandling orthodox Jews protesting against mandatory conscription into Israel's military.
Videos shared by Israeli Police on social media showed authorities forcefully grabbing and throwing protesters blocking a roadway. "The road was opened to traffic in both directions," Israeli Police said in a statement. "Ten disorderly persons were arrested, among them a protester who attacked a policeman."

Nearly 9,000 Palestinians have been arrested in West Bank
Adam Schrader/United Press International/June 2, 2024
As Israel continues to seek the return of about 125 hostages taken by the Palestinian militia Hamas on Oct. 7, thousands of people have been arrested in the West Bank by Israeli forces as their homes were destroyed. The Palestinian Prisoner's Society, a nonprofit based in Ramallah, said Sunday on social media that a child was among ten people arrested during raids Saturday causing the number of people arrested by Israel to rise to 8,985. "This number includes those who were detained from homes, through military barriers, those who were forced to surrender under pressure, and those who were held hostage," the nonprofit said in its statement. The human rights group Amnesty International said in November that after the war broke out, Israeli authorities "dramatically increased their use of administrative detention" without charges. Amnesty International has documented cases of Israeli soldiers torturing Palestinian detainees, including "severe beatings" and "humiliation." The human rights group said that such torture had been occurring "for decades" before Hamas' attack Oct. 7. And, Israeli forces have detained journalists and more than a dozen healthcare workers in Gaza, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said in March.
"The occupation authorities continue to escalate from the policy of detaining journalists to threats and field assaults, detention and persecution, in light of the continuing war of genocide against our people in Gaza," the Palestinian Prisoner's Society said.
The nonprofit said that about 80 journalists have been arrested and about 49 remain in custody. Among the arrested journalists, three women -- Ikhlas Saleha, Bushra Tallawil and Asma Harish -- are under administrative detention. The journalist Rola Husnain remains under house arrest. "Journalists arrested in occupation prisons and its camps face all the vengeful and punitive measures imposed on prisoners and detainees in general, alongside torture and humiliation, the policy of starvation and systematic medical crimes," the group said. Meanwhile, human rights experts with the United Nations have expressed alarm about the treatment of women and girls in Gaza who were subject to extrajudicial executions by the Israeli military. Sexual violence by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian women has been documented since before the war began. Since the war, at least two Palestinian detainees have said they were raped while others were threatened with rape and sexual violence. And throughout the war, videos and pictures purporting to show Israeli soldiers going through Palestinian women's underwear in Gaza have gone viral.

Condemnations mount over Israeli proposal to label UN aid agency a terrorist group
Tia Goldenberg/TEL AVIV, Israel (AP)/June 2, 2024
Qatar and Saudi Arabia on Sunday condemned an Israeli parliamentary bill that seeks to label UNRWA, the main provider of aid for Palestinians in Gaza, a terrorist group, joining a growing number of nations opposed to the proposal.
The bill, which passed a preliminary vote in parliament last week, is the product of increasingly tense relations between Israel and the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees. Israel has accused the agency of militant links, claiming that hundreds of its employees are members of militant groups, including some who allegedly participated in the Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel. Those allegations led to a freeze in funding by many donors to the agency at a time when Gaza has been buckling under a humanitarian crisis triggered by the war. UNRWA says it took swift action against those accused and an independent review of the agency’s neutrality found that Israel did not raise previously concerns about the workers and did not provide evidence backing its claims. The bill moving through parliament seeks to brand the agency a “terror group,” saying that the employees’ alleged involvement in the Hamas assault shows that “it is a terror organization that is no different from the Hamas terror organization.” The bill also seeks to cut diplomatic ties between Israel and the agency. The bill passed the initial vote 42-6 and must go through committees and three other votes before becoming law. Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s director of communications, said the bill was part of Israel's ongoing “systematic campaign” to dismantle the U.S. agency. She said it was too early to predict how the bill might affect the agency, but said it is “very dangerous and risky to the lives of our staff.”UNRWA has operations in east Jerusalem, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza and it must go through Israeli crossings in order to deliver aid and supplies into Gaza. In response to the bill, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the attempt to brand UNRWA a terrorist organization is “an extension of the systematic campaign aimed at dismantling the agency at a time when the need for its humanitarian services is dire due to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.” Saudi Arabia also condemned the move, saying UNRWA employees “are doing their duty to alleviate the severity of the humanitarian catastrophe that the Palestinian people are going through.”“The kingdom stresses that Israel, as an occupying state, must abide by international law and international humanitarian law and stop obstructing the work of international organizations,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said. The European Union, which along with its member states is the biggest donor to UNRWA, also condemned the move on Friday. It pointed to the “crucial and irreplaceable” role of UNRWA in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Belgium, an EU member, put out its own condemnations. UNRWA, employs thousands of staffers and provides vital aid and services to millions of people across the Middle East. In Gaza, it has been the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians during the Israel-Hamas war. Israel has long railed against the agency, accusing it of tolerating or even collaborating with Hamas and of perpetuating the 76-year-old Palestinian refugee crisis. UNRWA denies the charges, saying it adheres to U.N. standards of neutrality. The Israeli government has accused Hamas and other militant groups of siphoning off aid and using U.N. facilities for military purposes.

Gallant Says ‘Assessing Alternative’ to Hamas Rule in Gaza
AFP/This Is Beirut / June 02/2024
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Sunday that Israel was “assessing a governing alternative” to Hamas in the Gaza Strip after its war against the Palestinian militant group ends. Gallant had previously said he opposed Israeli military rule in Gaza, where Hamas seized power from the Palestinian Authority in 2007.
“While we conduct our important military actions, the defense establishment is simultaneously assessing a governing alternative to Hamas,” Gallant said, according to a statement from his office. Meeting troops near the Gaza border on Sunday, the minister described a “framework” that includes “isolating areas” of Gaza and clearing them of Hamas militants, “and bringing in other forces that will enable the formation of a governing alternative.”Gallant last month said “the day after Hamas” would see “Palestinian entities taking control of Gaza, accompanied by international actors.”On May 15, he slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the lack of a post-war plan for the Palestinian territory, which between 1967 and 2005 was under direct Israeli rule. He also urged Netanyahu “to make a decision and declare that Israel will not establish civilian control over the Gaza Strip.”Gallant on Sunday said that “the military operation on one hand and creating the potential for a governing alternative on the other will enable us to achieve two of the goals of this war: the removal of Hamas as a governing and military authority in Gaza, and the return of the hostages.”“We will not accept the rule of Hamas in Gaza at any stage in any process aimed at ending the war,” he said. Meanwhile according to Gallant, the military operation in Rafah, launched in early May, was “progressing above and below the ground.”
Israel has said its forces were targeting tunnels in the Rafah area, which it alleges Hamas uses to smuggle weapons into Gaza.

Parade for Israel in NYC focuses on solidarity this year as Gaza war casts a grim shadow
NEW YORK (AP)/June 2, 2024
An annual New York City parade for Israel that draws thousands of people is scheduled to hit the streets Sunday with heightened security and a focus on solidarity during the war in Gaza. The parade comes almost eight months after the unprecedented Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, the deadliest in Israel's history. The parade in the past was dubbed “Celebrate Israel,” but organizers said the exuberant atmosphere would be paused this year given the war and Israeli hostages still being held in captivity, as well as outbursts of antisemitism worldwide. The parade, now called “Israel Day on Fifth” because of the route along Fifth Avenue from 57th Street to 74th Street in Manhattan, will instead focus on solidarity, strength and resilience, said Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council. “This is not a mood of confetti and music,” Treyger said. “This is more of a mood of unwavering, ironclad solidarity with hostages to bring them home, and also our unwavering love and pride in our Jewish identity.” The parade, which is in its 59th year, kicks off at about 11:30 a.m. Sunday and is expected to draw more than 40,000 participants, including Israeli dignitaries, celebrities and some of the hostages' families. There was never a thought of cancelling the parade this year, Treyger said, despite what he termed an astronomical rise in antisemitism. “This is a moment that we have to meet,” he said. But there will be significant security. New York Police Department officials said Friday they plan to implement measures typically used for high-profile events such as New Year's Eve and July 4. That includes drones, K-9 units, bike patrols, fencing and barriers and designated entry points for spectators all along the parade route. Backpacks, large bags and coolers will be prohibited. Spectators will have to pass through metal detectors and only be allowed to line the east side of Fifth Avenue, with police blocking off the west side. City officials stressed Friday there were no specific or credible threats to either the parade or the city and any protestors have the right to demonstrate so long as its done peacefully. “We're not going to allow any unlawfulness and any disruption of any celebration of one’s heritage in this city,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said at a security briefing. The parade represents the first large-scale Jewish event in the city since the war started, although there have been roughly 2,800 protests in the city, with about 1,300 of them related to the conflict, the Democrat said. Israel faces 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.

Chile joins developing nations rallying behind genocide case against Israel at international court
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP)/June 02/2024
Chile has joined a group of nations supporting a genocide case against Israel filed last year at the International Court of Justice. President Gabriel Boric said in a speech to lawmakers Saturday that he was appalled by the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, especially against women and children. He accused the Israeli army of using "indiscriminate and disproportional" force. “These acts demand a firm and permanent response of the international community,” the president said. South Africa last year accused Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention. Israel has strongly rejected the claim and has argued that the war in Gaza is a legitimate defense against Hamas militants for their Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. Chile is home to the largest Palestinian community outside the Middle East, with a population of around 500,000, many of them descendants of Christian Arab immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries. They took root in the South American country as small retail traders but have since gained prominence in business and politics. One of the country's most popular soccer teams is Palestino, whose white, black, green and red uniforms match the colors of the Palestinian flag. Chile joins a group of mostly developing countries including Mexico, Brazil and Indonesia that has rallied behind South Africa's petition. Boric, a leftist former student leader, has balanced condemnation of Hamas' attack with fierce criticism of Israel's military offensive, which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.

US Forces Destroy Houthi Drone, Ballistic Missiles in Red Sea
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
US forces on Saturday destroyed one Iran-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial system in the southern Red Sea and saw two others crash into the sea, US Central Command said. The Central Command forces also destroyed two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles fired in direction of the USS Gravely, it said. No injuries or damage were reported by US, coalition or commercial ships, it added. The Houthi militias have attacked ships off Yemen’s coast for months, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza. Their drone and missile strikes have been aimed at the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden.

Pentagon chief extends deployment of aircraft carrier, ships in the Red Sea as Houthi attacks go on
Lolita C. Baldor/WASHINGTON (AP)/June 02/2024
The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike group that for months has launched crucial strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen to protect military and commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden will remain in the region for at least another month, according to U.S. officials. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed the order last week to extend the four ships' deployment for a second time, rather than bring the carrier, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhowe r, and its three warships home. The other ships in the strike group are the USS Philippine Sea, a cruiser, and two destroyers, the USS Gravely and the USS Mason. All together they include about 6,000 sailors. The decision means the sailors and the carrier's Air Wing won't be home until the middle of the summer, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision not made public. The officials declined to provide exact dates. A normal ship deployment lasts for about seven months, and the ships left their homeport of Norfolk, Virginia, in October. Austin approved the first order to extend their deployment about four weeks ago. Austin had weighed the decision for a further extension for some time. Navy leaders routinely press to bring ships home in order to maintain a repair schedule and give sailors a needed break. But U.S. Central Command leaders have long argued that having a carrier in the region is critical for international security, including as a deterrent to Iran. In recent months, the ships have played a critical role in protecting commercial and military vessels from a dramatic surge in attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. And officials say that a significant U.S. naval commitment to the region sends a strong signal to the commercial shipping industry that vessels can get protection as they travel the crucial transit route through the Red Sea, from the Suez Canal to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. About 12% of the world’s trade typically passes through the waterway that separates Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, including oil, natural gas, grain and everything from toys to electronics. The Houthis have attacked ships since November, saying they want to force Israel to end its offensive in the Gaza Strip against Hamas. But the ships targeted by the Houthis have largely had little or no connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted. The Eisenhower and its strike group have been involved in routine operations against the Houthis all year. They also have participated in five major joint missions with British forces to target dozens of the militant group’s drones, missile launchers and other facilities and targets.The ships are also spearheading Operation Prosperity Guardian, which was announced by Austin in December as a multinational mission to ensure security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. On Thursday, for example, F/A-18 fighter jets off the Eisenhower struck an array of targets in Yemen, in response to a recent increase in attacks by the group. And other ships in the strike group also launched missiles as part of the operation. Any decision to bring the carrier home would leave the region without the ship-based fighter jets, and commanders would have to rely more heavily on land-based aircraft or other warships, which don't have fighter jets, to take out Houthi drones or other munitions that are preparing to launch. According to Lt. Cmdr. Lauren Chatmas, the strike group's aircraft have flown more than 12,100 sorties, totaling over 27,200 flight hours, and they've launched more than 350 air-to-surface weapons and more than 50 air-to-air missiles. The warships have each traveled more than 55,000 miles, and they've launched more than 100 Standard and Tomahawk missiles. In all, the strike group has gone after about 430 either pre-planned or dynamic targets in its mission to defend U.S., coalition and merchant ships.

Iran's foreign ministry summons Chinese ambassador in Tehran over Gulf Islands
Reuters/June 2, 2024
Iran's foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tehran to protest about a China-UAE statement related to Iran's sovereignty over three Islands also claimed by the UAE, Iranian state media reported on Sunday. The islands - Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb - are claimed by both countries but have been held by Iran since 1971, shortly before the seven Gulf emirates gained full independence from Britain and formed the UAE, which is now allied with Washington. "Iran's objection to the Chinese support of baseless claims in a shared UAE-China statement has been expressed to the Chinese ambassador in Tehran," state media said. China has been one of Iran's biggest trading partners for the past decade. "Iran's foreign ministry emphasises that the three Islands are an eternal part of the country's soil and we expect China to mend its position on the issue", state media added.

Iran's hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad registers for June 28 presidential election
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)/June 2, 2024
Iran's hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad registered Sunday as a possible candidate for the presidential election, seeking to regain the country's top political position after a helicopter crash killed the nation's president. The populist former leader's registration puts pressure on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In office, Ahmadinejad openly challenged the 85-year-old cleric, and his attempt to run in 2021 was barred by authorities. The firebrand, Holocaust-questioning politician’s return comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, its arming of Russia in its war on Ukraine and its wide-reaching crackdowns on dissent. Associated Press journalists in Tehran saw Ahmadinejad arrive at the Interior Ministry and begin the registration process. Before his arrival, his supporters chanted and waved Iranian flags. An election is planned June 28 to replace Khamenei’s hard-line protégé President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May along with seven other people. Ahmadinejad previously served two four-year terms from 2005 to 2013. Under Iranian law, he became eligible to run again after four years out of office, but he remains a polarizing figure even among fellow hard-liners. His disputed re-election in 2009 sparked massive “Green Movement” protests and a sweeping crackdown in which thousands of people were detained and dozens were killed. Abroad, he became a caricature of Western perceptions of the Islamic Republic’s worst attribute, questioning the Holocaust, insisting Iran had no gay or lesbian citizens and hinting Iran could build a nuclear weapon if it chose to do so. But Ahmadinejad remains popular among the poor for his populist efforts and home-building programs. Since leaving office, he’s raised his profile via social media and written widely publicized letters to world leaders. He’s also criticized government corruption, though his own administration faced graft allegations and two of his former vice presidents were jailed. Khamenei warned Ahmadinejad in 2017 that his standing for office again would be a “polarized situation” that would be “harmful for the county.” Khamenei said nothing during Ahmadinejad’s 2021 attempt, when his candidacy was rejected by the 12-member Guardian Council, a panel of clerics and jurists ultimately overseen by Khamenei. That panel has never accepted a woman or anyone calling for radical change to the country’s governance. That panel could reject Ahmadinejad again. However, the race to replace Raisi has yet to draw a candidate with clear, overwhelming support from Khamenei.

Energy shutdowns hit Ukraine after Russian attacks target infrastructure
Samya Kullab And Elise Morton/KYIV, Ukraine (AP)/June 2, 2024
Ukraine imposed emergency power shutdowns in most of the country on Sunday, a day after Russia unleashed large-scale attacks on energy infrastructure and claimed it made gains in the eastern Donetsk province. The shutdowns were in place in all but three regions of Ukraine following Saturday's drone and missile attack on energy targets that injured at least 19 people. Ukraine’s state-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo said the shutdowns affected both industrial and household consumers. Sustained Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid in recent weeks have forced the government to institute nationwide rolling blackouts. Without adequate air defenses to counter assaults and allow for repairs, though, the shortages could still worsen as need spikes in late summer and the bitter-cold winter. Among the most significant recent strikes were an April barrage that damaged Kyiv’s largest thermal power plant and a massive attack on May 8 that targeted power generation and transmission facilities in several regions. Following Saturday's barrage, Ukraine’s air force said Sunday that air defenses had shot down all 25 drones launched overnight. Russia claimed Sunday that it had taken control of the village of Umanske in the partially Russian-occupied Donetsk region. Russia’s coordinated new offensive has centered on Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, but seems to include testing Ukrainian defenses in Donetsk farther south, while also launching incursions in the northern Sumy and Chernihiv regions. In Russia, six people were injured in shelling in the city of Shebekino in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said Sunday. He also said that a local official, the deputy head of the Korochansky district, had been killed by “detonation of ammunition." He gave no details.
In the neighboring Kursk region, three people were injured Sunday when an explosive device was dropped from a drone, according to acting regional head Alexey Smirnov. Speaking at Asia’s premier security conference in Singapore, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused China on Sunday of helping Russia to disrupt an upcoming Swiss-organized peace conference on the war in Ukraine. Also on Sunday, White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby confirmed President Joe Biden agreed to allowing Ukraine to use some U.S.-provided weapons to strike inside Russia to relieve “incredible downward pressure” that Russia has put on Kharkiv. Earlier this week, four U.S. officials, who requested anonymity, said President Joe Biden had given Ukraine the go-ahead to use American weaponry to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv. Ukraine asked for permission to use the U.S.-provided weapons to strike against “imminent threats just across the border,” Kirby said Sunday on ABC’s This Week With George Stephanopoulos. “We’re talking about military emplacements, gun positions, that kind of thing. Logistics staging bases that the Russians were using to create some sort of buffer zone so that they could continue to pound Kharkiv.” Kirby said the permission is “limited to the Kharkiv region and it is limited with respect to the kinds of targets they can hit, and how far back they can go.”

Trump says potential house arrest in hush money conviction would be ‘tough for public to take’
Miranda Nazzaro/The Hill./June 2, 2024
Former President Trump suggested being placed on house arrest for his hush money conviction could be a “breaking point” for Americans, whom he claimed, “would not stand for it.”“I’m not sure the public would stand for it,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News’s “Will Cain, Pete Hegseth and Rachel Campos-Duffy that aired Sunday. “I think it’d be tough for the public to take. At a certain point, there’s a breaking point.”Trump last week convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in New York, becoming the first former U.S. president to become a convicted felon. The charges centered around reimbursements made to Trump’s onetime fixer and attorney, Michael Cohen, for a hush money payment made to adult porn actress Stormy Daniels. Judge Juan Merchan set Trump’s sentencing date for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump’s legal team has vowed to appeal the case, though proceedings will meanwhile move forward as scheduled. Trump’s team has already suggested they do not believe the former president should be incarcerated, which would be a rare punishment for a first-time offender convicted of Trump’s charges in New York. The former president repeated his argument that the trial and conviction were “unfair.”“But I did absolutely nothing wrong, I mean, absolutely. Think of it, you know, I hate when they say bookkeeping, this and that. It’s not. It’s called, think of it, expense. I used the word expense, legal expense,” he said. “I pay a lawyer — he wasn’t a fixer. He was a lawyer at the time. I pay a lawyer. And he’s a lawyer. It’s called a legal expense.”Trump touted his continued standing in the national polls, in which he holds a razor-thin lead of 1.5 points as the presumptive GOP nominee over President Biden, according to a polling index by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ.

Security Council Renews Measures to Implement Arms Embargo Against Libya
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
The Security Council has decided to renew measures designed to implement the arms embargo against Libya for another year, the UN said in a statement. The measures include authorizing Member States — acting nationally or through regional organizations — to inspect vessels on the high seas off Libya’s coast believed to be in violation of the arms embargo imposed on that country. Adopting Resolution 2733 (2024) by a recorded vote of 9 in favor to none against, with 6 abstentions, the Council extended the authorizations set out in its Resolution 2684 (2023) for a further 12 months, the statement said late Friday.

Profile of new Kuwaiti crown prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah
ARAB NEWS/June 02, 2024
On November 2019, the emir signed an order appointing Sheikh Sabah Khaled as Prime Minister
The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah signed an order on Saturday nominating Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as Crown Prince. Born in 1953, Sheikh Sabah Khaled obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Kuwait University in 1977. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1978 as a diplomatic attaché, serving in the Arab Affairs Department from 1978-1983, and later joined Kuwait's Permanent Mission at the UN from 1982-1989. Sheikh Sabah Khaled served as Kuwait's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Permanent Representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation from 1995-1998, participating in GCC ministerial meetings during this period. He was appointed head of the Kuwait National Security Bureau at the rank of minister in 1998.  He was named Minister of Social Affairs and Labor in July 2006 and in March 2007, and served as Information Minister between May 2008 and January 2009. Sheikh Sabah Khaled was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2011 and later named Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs in February 2012. In December 2012, he was named Prime Deputy Minister and Foreign Minister. In January 2014, Sheikh Sabah Khaled was named First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, retaining the post in December 2016 and again in December 2017. On November 2019, the emir signed an order appointing Sheikh Sabah Khaled as Prime Minister and another order to address him as Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. On December 14, 2020, Kuwait's late emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah assigned Sheikh Sabah Khaled to form his second government and assigned him to form his third government on March 2, 2021. The late emir accepted Sheikh Sabah Khaled's resignation on November 18, 2021. The late emir then signed a decree assigning Sheikh Sabah Khaled to form the country's 39th government and his fourth. Sheikh Sabah Khaled has received several prestigious awards: Saudi Arabia's late King Fahad awarded him the King Abdulaziz Order of the first class in 1998; former Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir awarded him the Two Niles Order in 2012; Senegalese President Macky Sall awarded him the National Order of the Lion in 2015; and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas awarded him the Al-Quds Star Order in

Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on June 02-03/2024
Israelis: The Heroes of Our Time
Nils A. Haug/Gatestone Institute/June 2, 2024
The people of Israel are peace-loving. They do not eagerly seek to join battles, they do not desire to destroy and kill. Even so, they once again find themselves forced to defend their homeland, their faith, and their right to live in peace. Perturbingly, they are besieged by those who deny their right to exist. Terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and ISIS, in contrast, appear to be driven by aggression, at times even a lust for violence, believed by many to be divinely sanctioned.
At this time, however, Israelis seem to be alone in their task, and continually faced with obstacles their so-called allies place in the way of swift victory.
Apart from constantly negotiating the complex and vacillating policies of the current US administration, Israel's efforts to fight on behalf of Western values are being seriously hampered by possibly well-meaning but naive politicians such as the leaders of Ireland, Norway, China and Spain, all of which last month recognized Palestinian State with no borders and governed by genocidal terrorists
Is Spain really ready to recognize an independent state of Catlonia?
Ireland, even at the height of its "Troubles" never suggested ridding its neighbour of the Scots, the British and the Welsh, and replacing them with Irish Catholics. Since October 7, racism in Ireland since has reportedly become exponentially worse.
Is China really about to officially recognize the independence of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet or the Uyghurs?
The defenders of Israel are courageously overcoming challenges to their nation, their land and their faith. Israel is the only country in that part of the world embodying the institutions of democracy, individual freedom and human rights. Israel, like Ukraine and Taiwan, is worth fighting for. The citizens of Israel are sacrificing their lives so that we will not have to. The least we can do is get out of the way and be of help. They are heroes. They deserve our gratitude and support.
The people of Israel are peace-loving. They do not eagerly seek to join battles, they do not desire to destroy and kill. Even so, they once again find themselves forced to defend their homeland, their faith, and their right to live in peace.
At this time of war in northern Europe and the Middle East, with global escalation looming once again, it is heartening to recall the brave spirit of those who fought for our country and confronted malevolent actors aiming to overwhelm the values of individual freedom in West and the extravagance of peace.
The current era seems typified more by narcissism and relativistic moral-ethics than by courage or protecting the nation. It is a period in which many members of society seek a superficial identity through ethnic or political promotors while disparaging bigger issues of patriotism and the obligation to protect the nation. Many ideologues belittle the traditional concept of a family where one can thrive; for some, even home is no longer regarded as a fundamental necessity.
Throughout civilization, the heart of society has come from the family unit, with its home and heart -- a haven where members can enjoy love, warmth and comfort. It is a sanctuary. "We do not seek to defend Christianity in any religious sense but as a traditional way of life, as a traditional sense of home," noted Alexander Gauland, leader of Germany's much criticised political party, Alternative für Deutschland.
The idea of a home is pivotal to everyone. For the Jewish people, it is their common faith and the ideal of a home that has enabled them, although often scattered among alien cultures, to maintain their identity and heritage, individually and as a group. That is why the concept of Zion never perished through the many years of diaspora. The cry of "Next year in Jerusalem" (L'Shana Haba'ah B'Yerushalayim) has for centuries been engraved in Jewish hearts.
In a sense, the concept of home is a form of nationalism for which deep allegiance is required. The people of Israel well understand the necessity of this ideal of a home and refer to it as Zionism, which is simply an attempt to establish a home of their own in a hostile world.
The wish to secure a way iof life based on ling-standing Judeo-Christian values especially applies to the visionary founders and leaders of the State of Israel, including, among other notables, Theodor Herzl, David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, Menachem Begin and Benjamin Netanyahu, called by Andrew Roberts "The Churchill of the Middle East," These are all great men and women who, despite intense criticism, never wavered from their vision for the peace and security of their beloved homeland.
Despite often misplaced global outrage they motivated their people to defend all that is theirs not only for themselves but for future generations,
The people of Israel are peace-loving. They do not eagerly seek to join battles, they do not desire to destroy and kill. Even so, they once again find themselves forced to defend their homeland, their faith, and their right to live in peace. Perturbingly, they are besieged by those who deny their right to exist. Terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and ISIS, in contrast, appear to be driven by aggression, at times even a lust for violence, believed by many to be divinely sanctioned.
Notwithstanding immense peril to themselves personally, and their unprecedented commitment not to endanger anyone's life unnecessarily, Israeli soldiers defend not only their ancestral place but also the core freedoms and the right to a home that frames Western civilization itself. At this time, however, Israelis seem to be alone in their task, and continually faced with obstacles their so-called allies place in the way of swift victory.
Apart from constantly negotiating the complex and vacillating policies of the current US administration, Israel's efforts to fight on behalf of Western values are being seriously hampered by possibly well-meaning but naive politicians such as the leaders of Ireland, Norway, China and Spain, all of which recognized Palestinian State with no borders and governed by genocidal terrorists.
China, Ireland and Spain all have a long history of racist attitudes, and Norway, despite impressive resistance in World War II, sent its Jews to Auschwitz.
Is Spain really ready to recognize an independent state of Catlonia?
Ireland, even at the height of its "Troubles" never suggested ridding its neighbour of the Scots, the British and the Welsh, and replacing them with Irish Catholics. Since October 7, racism in Ireland since has reportedly become exponentially worse.
Is China really about to officially recognize the independence of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet or the Uyghurs? China has tried to exterminate the Tibetans, has persecuted Buddhists, Muslims, and Christians, and is currently undertaking a "Uyghur genocide."
Spain, of course, home of the Inquisition, expelled all Jews in 1492. In the 1937 Spanish Civil War, General Francisco Franco "built his regime vilifying the Jews and then tried to cover it up." Even a decade ago, Spain was called "The Most Anti-semitic Country in Europe." Since October 7, Spain has seen a "truly terrifying rise in Jew-hate." Not Israelis, Jews.
These duplicitous nations, along with Qatar -- called the "Trojan Horse in Washington D.C.," and which is still the main sponsor, protector and megaphone of Islamist terrorism – say they will recognize a state that will inevitably become a terrorist haven, again threatening Israel's rights to its ancestral homeland. Hamas has vowed as much, in the words of a headline from MEMRI:
"Hamas Official Ghazi Hamad: We Will Repeat The October 7 Attack, Time And Again, Until Israel Is Annihilated; We Are Victims – Everything We Do Is Justified"
Even as adverse political moves are made against Israel by various Western nations, Israel has also been facing illegitimate prosecutions by the UN and its agencies. While the United Nations organization itself, and its many agencies, have a history of bigotry against Israel, the International Court of Justice exceeds its purview by having no mandate to legitimately adjudicate charges brought by South Africa against Israel. To add insult to injury, ill-founded Warrants of Arrest have been issued against Israel's Prime Minister and Minister of Defence by the International Criminal Court (here and here).
As clouds of war are again emerging over the globe, Iran is seeking to become the dominant power in the Middle East, and advancing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles program.
In Eastern Europe, Russia, having seized part of Georgia in 2008 and all of Crimea in 2014, appears poised to take as much of Ukraine as it can. Russia -- with the assistance of China, North Korea, and Iran --will likely carry on from there, trying to extend its influence by force. China, meanwhile, is not only circling Taiwan and the Philippines, but also strategically positioning itself to confront Japan, Australia, India and other targets in the Indo-Pacific.
In the US, more than 10 million illegal immigrants have entered in the last few years, including an estimated 1.7 "gotaways," who evaded detection and about whom nothing is known. Among those who have entered illegally are roughly 40,000 Chinese, many of whom arrive in groups of young men of military age as potential saboteurs. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has suggested that China's Communist Party is "inside the gates," surreptitiously awaiting orders from Beijing. Further evidence was discovered in a Chinese-run laboratory by accident last year in Reedley, California. More than a thousand mice had been genetically engineered with deadly pathogens, potentially to be released as tiny bioweapons across the US. In addition, China has been buying more than 340,000 acres f US farmland, often near military installations, and sent a spy balloon over America's most "sensitive military sites." China has also stolen untold quantities of sensitive US intellectual property, to the detriment of the West's technological superiority.
In the crucial battle for global leadership, the stakes could not be higher. In Germany this April, more than 1,000 demonstrators called for a Caliphate under sharia law.
There can be only one winner.
"We win, they lose," former US President Ronald Reagan stated. This needs to be the attitude of the West if it wishes to succeed against the malevolent global actors seeking its downfall. Yet, the US and many allied nations are facing internal social conflicts in addition to external threats. Smaller nations such as Israel, Ukraine Taiwan, the Philippines, the "canaries in the coalmine," depend upon the support of the larger Western powers if Western powers do not wish to fall.
The defenders of Israel are courageously overcoming challenges to their nation, their land and their faith. Israel is the only country in that part of the world embodying the institutions of democracy, individual freedom and human rights. Israel, like Ukraine and Taiwan, is worth fighting for. The citizens of Israel are sacrificing their lives so that we will not have to. The least we can do is get out of the way and be of help. They are heroes. They deserve our gratitude and support.
Nils A. Haug is an author and columnist. A Lawyer by profession, he is member of the International Bar Association, the National Association of Scholars, the Academy of Philosophy and Letters. Retired from law, his particular field of interest is the intersection of Western culture with political theory, philosophy, theology, ethics, and law. He holds various degrees including M.A. (cum laude) in Biblical Studies and Ph.D. in Theology (Apologetics). Dr. Haug is author of 'Politics, Law, and Disorder in the Garden of Eden – the Quest for Identity'; and' Enemies of the Innocent – Life, Truth, and Meaning in a Dark Age.' His work has been published by Quadrant, First Things Journal, The American Mind, Gatestone Institute, National Association of Scholars, Anglican Mainstream, Jewish News Syndicate, Israel Hayom, and others.
© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Open the Borders and Fight!
Mohammed al-Rumaihi/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
Since the barbaric war on the people of Gaza has dragged on, some have been crying out: "Open the borders and fight." This demand is directed at the Palestinians’ Arab neighbors, especially Egypt and Jordan. As for the other states, particularly oil-producing states, they are asked to stop exporting oil. All of this is engendered by strong emotion, which can often eclipse reason, perhaps fully.
Those making these demands manage to persuade some, that is, the emotional thinkers. Many support them in a political-cultural space weighed down by illusions. Foremost among these illusions is the belief that previous experiences can be repeated, or that a cause being just suffices to ensure victory.
Let’s contemplate this realistic political scene. It can teach us many lessons about how states think. It is December 1968, President Lyndon Johnson’s presidential term is near its end, and Richard Nixon has been named President-elect. Just over a year earlier, the catastrophic war of June 1967 had broken out. This conflict cost Arab states large swaths of territory, and we continue to feel the repercussions of this calamity to this day.
A prominent Arab politician meets Johnson and his aides during those dark days. He was a sentimental Arab nationalist, as was typical of the men of that era. During the discussion, the minister reproached the president, arguing that the United States provides Israel with boundless support although it is the aggressor.
After taking a hard, long look at the man, Johnson replied: "We saved the Arabs from a war launched by three of our allies in 1956, namely Britain, France, and Israel. The three armies withdrew in mid-1957. However, their withdrawal was conditional on several agreements overseen by the Security Council. Among the provisions was that the Aqaba Strait remain open to Israeli shipping, and that UN forces be stationed at the border with Israel. All of this was torn apart overnight. The pleas of the UN Secretary-General were ignored at the time, and the agreement was thrown to the wind.”
“Those who tear up international agreements cannot be trusted!" Johnson said. The historic meeting ended with a message: succumbing to the drive to outbid rivals opens the door to the unknown, especially in global politics.
Today, similar demands are being made, and they are motivated by this same drive to outbid rivals. They can be summed up in the calls to tear up international agreements and instigate costly wars that would exact an unimaginable toll, especially given Israel’s advanced military technology and the unlimited support it enjoys from the West, particularly the United States. That much is obvious and indisputable. The sympathy we are seeing from segments of the Western public could shift to the other side, as the Zionist machine knows how to push propaganda.
Outbidding rivals is an inherent feature of the Arab political mindset, for the most part. Despite all of the blood and sacrifices that the people of Gaza have offered, Khaled Meshaal - from his safe haven - has stressed that his movement opposes the two-state solution. His aim is to thwart the efforts of Arab diplomats. He refuses to build upon their work, even after prominent countries have come to see it as the only feasible solution for ending the conflict.
The Israeli right wing rejoices at such statements, but it is fundamentally opposed to even discussing this matter. The irony is that the demands of the Israeli right align with the ideas put forward by Mr. Khaled, who is far from the graves in which Palestinians are buried every hour in Gaza!
This affliction known as outbidding has drained much of the region’s energy, money, and precious time, and it continues to do so. It has been able to do so because it finds an audience that delights in hearing triumphant songs on the radio and reading about the defeat of enemies on paper, ignoring that this is a ruthless world where only force is recognized and respected. Today, strength does not come from eloquent speeches but from adopting a rational approach to both political and social matters.
The current outbidding seeks to plunge the parts of the Arab world that have not been plagued by conflicts, into the unknown. This would broaden poverty and destitution, which can already be seen in countries like Sudan, Yemen, Syria, or Lebanon, and possibly other countries where statehood has lost all meaning and states have been replaced by extremist militias.
In conclusion: most Palestinian leaders have historically failed to put Palestinians’ national ambitions ahead of personal ambitions!

The ‘Parachute’ Plan
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/130326/130326/
US President Joe Biden announced a three-stage peace plan for a ceasefire in Gaza, and said it was an Israeli plan. However, there is something unclear about the proposal, its timing, and the method of presenting it.
President Biden said that the plan is Israeli, and Netanyahu’s office says that he “authorized” it. But in a statement on Saturday, Netanyahu declared that a ceasefire in Gaza cannot be achieved until the military and leadership capabilities of Hamas are eliminated. Netanyahu said: “Israel’s conditions for ending the war have not changed: the destruction of Hamas’ military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.”
He continued: “Under the proposal, Israel will continue to insist these conditions are met before a permanent ceasefire is put in place. The idea that Israel will agree to a permanent ceasefire before these conditions are met is not on the table.”
These statements indicate that there was no earlier agreement on the plan, as presented by Biden. Netanyahu’s words may be aimed at strengthening his internal position, as the pressures on him are coming from the outside and the inside, whether from the opposition, or Netanyahu’s allies on the extreme right.
The matter does not stop there, as the plan proposed by Biden, which extends over four and a half pages, includes a roadmap without clear details on how to go through the three junctures. The details are important.
Anyone who looks at the plan will find that the first stage includes a ceasefire, the release of a limited number of hostages, and an Israeli withdrawal, with talks with Hamas to reach the next stage.
The second phase includes the release of all hostages and complete Israeli withdrawal, which Biden called the “permanent end to hostilities” phase. This requires negotiations that may take more than six weeks, as he put it.
In the third phase, according to Biden, “the major reconstruction plan in Gaza will begin, and any last remains of the hostages who were killed will be returned to their families.” There are definitely more questions than answers here. Among them are the following: Who will manage Gaza throughout the implementation of these stages?
Although Hamas said that it viewed Biden’s plan positively, and as the US president noted that the proposal is similar to what Hamas agreed to earlier... Will Israel accept the return of Hamas to rule the Gaza Strip? Netanyahu says no.
Would Hamas accept giving up Gaza so easily? Of course not. If the goal is for Gaza to be governed by the Palestinian Authority, and this is what is supposed to be, is the Authority among the negotiating teams, according to the plan announced by Biden?
The other matter, according to Biden’s announcement, is that achieving these three stages requires serious and painstaking negotiations. Is Washington ready for that? Obviously not, all Biden wants now is a ceasefire and to focus on his election campaign, and the rest for him are just details.
Accordingly, it is clear that the plan was sent by “parachute” and was not the product of a previous agreement and commitment between all parties. I hope I am wrong, but things are not that easy, especially if we remember that the two negotiators, in the end, are Sinwar and Netanyahu.

Iran: The Turban and The Military Cap
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 02/2024
While conspiracy theorists offer endless versions of the theory that Islamic President Ibrahim Raisi’s sudden death in a helicopter crash was planned by Tehran’s “deep state” a more realistic approach might show that it has, in fact, created a problem that may not be so easy to solve.
From “Supreme Guide” Ali Khamenei’s view, Raisi, as we noted in another column, was the ideal choice.
He was the only President of the Islamic Republic to have led one of the judiciary one of three pillars of the state. He had also been a member of the Assembly of Experts that has the task of choosing a successor to the “Supreme Guide”. Raisi was also a cleric but not too highly placed in the religious hierarchy to put the “Supreme Guide” in the shade. More importantly, Raisi, hailing from the second generation of Islamic revolutionaries, assumed his lack of charisma almost with pride and missed no opportunity to pay homage to the “Supreme Guide” as a gift to mankind.
Looking closely at the 100 or so “personalities” that form the Khomeinist elite in Tehran one would have difficulty finding anyone to match Raisi’s qualifications.
This is perhaps why Raisi’s death has revived many old ideas of reforming a system that may have lost its capacity to cope with new challenges.
Once again there is talk of switching from the current fake presidential system to a parliamentary one with a prime minister in charge of the executive.
Arguing that the one-and-only Khamenei cannot be replaced there are also murmurs about replacing the “Supreme Guide” with a committee of three or five clerics.
At the same time, there are small but active groups calling on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard to seize power name one of its own as president, and manage the dicey transition to a post-Khamenei arrangement.
It was perhaps to silence those voices that last week the so-called Election Organization Committee came out with 12 new conditions for registering demands for candidature. One key condition is that no officer of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ranking below major-general would be allowed to register as a candidate. Thus the three most-talked-about wannabes from the IRGC are excluded from the start. One is 1-star general Muhammad Baqer Qalibaf who was an unsuccessful candidate in three previous presidential elections. Qalibaf has just been re-elected Speaker of the Islamic Majlis for a year.
Another is 1-star general Hussein Dehghan, a former Defense Minister and a champion of normalization with the United States.
The third IRGC contender is 1-star general Sa’id Muhammad who had hoped to throw his casket in the ring this time.
There are 11 major generals in the Islamic Republic. Of these Mohsen Rezai, aged 71, has been a presidential candidate for decades and may be allowed to run again if only to amuse the gallery. Four of the top generals hail from the regular army and are presumably not as interested in a political career as their IRGC counterparts may be. Two former IRGC chiefs, Gen. Rahim Yahya Safavi and Gen. Aziz-Jaafari are members of Khamenei’s inner sanctum but are reported to be in declining health and thus unlikely to seek a relaunch of their career in politics.
Theoretically, IRGC chief Gen. Hussein Salami could also qualify. The problem, however, is that he is held in low esteem by both military and political elites. The same elites hold the Chief of Staff Gen. Muhammad Hussein Baqeri in high esteem. But that is because he has tried to remain a professional soldier and not get involved in the rough-and-tumble of politics.
Finally, we have Gen. Ali Shamkhani who resigned as Secretary of the High Council of National Defense a year ago to supervise his multiple business interests. A former Commander of the Navy and Defense Minister Shamkhani is the only senior officer to have demanded to be switched from the IRGC to the regular army. His sudden reappearance after Raisi’s death has led to speculation that he may try to throw his cap in the ring.
However, the “Supreme Guide” may wish to go for a turban rather than a military cap.
He would find that difficult as none of the 500 or so clerics who hold official posts could claim a support base among the 200,000 or so mullahs who form the Shi’ite clerical hierarchy. Even in 88-member Assembly of Experts, the highest clerical organ of the regime includes only one that is acceptable as a genuine theologian. Clerics close to the “Supreme Guide” are too sullied by politics or too old to embark on a new career as president of the Islamic Republic. Ahmad Jannati Head of the Council of Guardians, who must approve all candidates, is aged 98, and the Assembly of Experts is led by 93-year-old Ali-Muhammad Movahedi Kermani. To make this look like a regular election, Khamenei needs the participation of the so-called “reformist “faction. However prominent members of the faction may prefer to wait for a better occasion, presumably after Khamenei has entered history.
The most likely scenario is to field four candidates, a mullah, a military, a technocrat, and a “reformist” in the hope of attracting at least half of those eligible to vote to go to the polls. The election that propelled Raisi into the presidency failed to do that. In fact, Raisi ended up elected by just over 35 percent of those eligible to vote. To create some interest in the exercise within the next three weeks or so a number of testimonial candidacies may be put under the limelight even if none is approved by the Council of Guardians. Two former presidents, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hassan Rouhani have already indicated an interest in what is in effect an act of presence while they know they won’t pass Ayatollah Jannati’s toll-post.
Having said all that, the magician may yet bring a surprise rabbit out of the top hat. There are numerous younger figures from the second generation of Khomeinists who hope to see the elders fade away and allow them to try different policies. That, however, remains a remote possibility at a time when the entire system faces the biggest challenge in its existence.

What would the ceasefire mean for future national security and Gaza? - analysis
YONAH JEREMY BOB/Jerusalem Post/June 02/2024
as problematic as the deal appears, given the government’s inability to decide about replacing Hamas with some other party, it is unclear what other options Israel has. The ceasefire proposed by the Biden administration splits the difference between Hamas and Israel on the critical issues facing the national security of Israel and Gaza in the future. It also leaves a variety of secondary, but still crucial issues up in the air and open to being heavily influenced in one direction or another by the relevant parties. First, Israel has beaten Hamas as a national military organization in all parts of Gaza – and that is an established fact. In October, Hamas hoped that it would retain all of its military power and control over Gaza and receive thousands of Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for the return of the Israeli hostages. Hamas believed that Israel was weak, queasy around the blood of its soldiers, distracted by internal dissension, and afraid of global criticism. With its taking operational control of most of the Rafah area (while so far not entering deep into certain extremely densely populated areas), Israel has completed taking apart essentially all 24 of Hamas’s battalions. There were 10 in northern Gaza which fell quickly, four in Khan Yunis and four in central Gaza, which fell by February, and four more in Rafah which disintegrated over the last month. Destruction of Hamas
Even if there is no ceasefire, top IDF officials have suggested that by around late June or early July – and possibly already - there will be no consistently organized national military Hamas group left to fight.There are still many thousands and maybe as many as 10,000 Hamas fighters who have fled, faded into the civilian population, and are spread throughout the Strip in no particularly coherent or organized fashion. But if IDF forces at any point this week entered Gaza City, Khan Yunis, central Gaza, or Rafah, there would no longer be any capable organized resistance. As IDF sources have put it, if at the start of the war, several thousand or tens of thousands of troops were needed to break into different parts of Gaza, taking weeks to do so, now a few hundred soldiers could penetrate anywhere in Gaza within under an hour. What is left of Hamas is smaller guerilla and terrorist cells. These cells can quickly reunite and consolidate into somewhat larger groups if a vacuum is left, but they are no longer a safe and secure standing army. In that sense, the IDF has pretty much done all the “warring” there was to do. So ending the war now is not really the gift to Hamas that it would have been in October before invading northern Gaza, in December before invading Khan Yunis, or April, before the invasion of Rafah. But Hamas has not been defeated as the political ruler of Gaza. Israel had from around February until now to propose or accept a proposal for replacing Hamas: whether it be Arab allies, the US/NATO, the Palestinian Authority, or some hybrid, and it never did. Biden’s deal, which vaguely guarantees in “Phase Three” rebuilding Gaza without Hamas rearming or remaining in control, provides no way to ensure this. Hamas has shown it is at its strongest when wrestling for internal control. For a few days, Israel tried to get some local Gazan sheikhs to work with it against Hamas. The terror group had them assassinated. There is no reason to think that anyone else who tries to replace Hamas, without the wrath of the IDF backing them up, will survive much longer.
Alternatively, in a slightly better scenario, Hamas might go with the Hezbollah formula.
It could finally allow there to be a Gaza government and military which are formally independent of it, but ensure that they remain weaker in terms of military power, such that it will control war and peace issues in Gaza the way Hezbollah is the behind-the-scenes puppet master of Beirut.
Allowing all Gazans to return anywhere in the Strip, including the North, loses Israel’s largest bargaining chip over Hamas, and could make it harder for the IDF to make the easy penetrations that it can now make. Will Israel keep its security zone strip around Gaza? Will Israel hold on to the Philadelphi Corridor?
Israel’s original war and peace plans included holding onto a security strip around Gaza, even if it did not enter Rafah. Would Israel now give up a major security component that the US was ready for it to keep had it ended the war back in November? The Jewish state mainly entered Rafah, taking massive legitimacy hits: the US threatening to cease offensive weapons transfers, the International Court of Justice ordering an end to Rafah operations, and the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for top Israeli leaders – in order to cut off Hamas from rearming via Egypt.
Will Israel now remain with all of the legitimacy losses while giving up this key strategic stranglehold on Hamas’s ability to rearm?
Number of hostages matter
Numbers of hostages matter too.
Originally, Israel was going to get around 40 hostages in “Phase One” of the ceasefire, before it withdrew from all of Gaza. Under the latest deal, it may only get 15-20 hostages in “Phase One,” leaving much more leverage (remaining hostages) for Hamas to use to play games in later stages of negotiation and potentially leaving the terror group immune to some future attacks. There was also a point where Israel hoped to let Hamas survive by being expelled, in exchange for release of all of the hostages. This option now would seem like ancient history. So Israel has reduced the Hamas military threat in the short and medium term, but its legitimacy has been the most badly damaged in around 50 years. Also, it is giving up its leverage or leaving open questions on issues which collectively make it more likely than not that Hamas will eventually make a comeback.
However, as problematic as the deal appears, given the government’s inability to decide about replacing Hamas with some other party even when it held all of the strongest cards for several months, it is unclear what other options Israel has beyond an endless war and more permanent harm to the Jewish state’s legitimacy.

Erdogan caught between a rock and a hard place
Yasar Yakis/Arab News/June 02, 2024
One portion of Turkiye’s public opinion is in favor of holding early elections, meaning earlier than the scheduled year of 2028. This is partly because the last general election, held in 2023, and this year’s municipal elections gave signals that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, known as the AKP, is bruised after 22 years of uninterrupted rule. However, whether Erdogan or his party should run again in 2028 or sooner has to be assessed separately because, when we take into account Erdogan’s experience, we have to bear in mind that he was also a successful mayor of a big metropolis like Istanbul. He enriched his experience by serving as prime minister and then as president of the republic. All this experience is, of course, a plus in his favor. The period when Erdogan served as mayor of Istanbul was tumultuous in Turkiye’s domestic policy. At that time, the existing political parties could not produce a stable government. A fatal road accident that took place in 1996 highlighted many signs of decay, involving politicians, police and the underworld. This incident is quoted as being among the important deficiencies of the state apparatus in Turkiye. Abdullah Catli, a man who was wanted by Interpol, turned out to be cooperating with the state. Catli was wanted for facilitating the escape from jail of Mehmet Ali Agca, who went on to attempt to kill Pope Jean Paul II. A former deputy director of security and a young woman were among the victims of the same road accident.
Because of the strong pressure from public opinion, a “Clean Hands” operation — named after a similar anticorruption movement in Italy — was launched and Interior Minister Mehmet Agar had to resign from his post and serve a prison sentence of one year and four days. Ultimately, the Clean Hands operation could not advance as much as it did in Italy.
Erdogan’s AKP went on to establish itself and was running the country properly. Up until the early years of the second decade of the 20th century, there was little opposition to the policies followed by his party. For several years, the AKP did everything to gain the favor of public opinion. It continued to maintain the support of the electorate, albeit with a reduced performance. The party was losing support, but it was able to stay in power partly thanks to the support extended to it by the far-right Nationalist Movement Party. However, in each new election, the AKP lost support.
The complicated atmosphere of the second half of the 1990s helped the so-called reformist movement led by Erdogan to establish the AKP and, because of the splintered nature of the opposition, this new party secured an absolute majority of seats in 2002 — the first elections in which it had participated.
The AKP also performed fairly well in its next two elections. After its third successive electoral victory, the party must have grown arrogant — or some members of the party must have thought they were entitled to enjoy the benefits of being in power.
Despite the disadvantages, Erdogan remains a strong political leader. He may still turn many elements to his advantage.
Other dynamics in political life also played a role. The desire of public opinion to see another political party in power is one of them. When the AKP was established in 2002, there was a dusty atmosphere. The author of this article was one of the founders of the AKP. I remember that Erdogan was distinguished as a political leader. He did many things better than any other political figure. When we were debating various policy options, I thought that we should leave the choice to Erdogan because his proposals were frequently better than all other options.
However, from the early years of the third decade of the 20th century, support for the AKP started to slow down and it lost the majority of the seats in the municipal councils. The main opposition Republican People’s Party won most of the metropolitan municipalities. This may be a precursor to an AKP failure in the next general election, but in politics we have to be ready for all surprises, whether bad or good.
As of the second decade of the AKP, corruption — which had always been widespread in the country — continued to grow. Several gang leaders made their way into the bureaucratic, security and political elites.
Erdogan fought valiantly against the weaknesses of the party, but those who were benefiting from the advantages of being in power changed the balance to their advantage and the downward trend in public opinion became difficult to control.
The president has wider visions. He has introduced many grandiose projects. But some of them are fiercely opposed by another segment of Turkiye’s opinion.
Erdogan’s entanglement is conservatism. The Turkish electorate is also predominantly conservative, but this conservatism is slightly different from that of other Middle Eastern countries. The Kemalist reforms of the early 1920s made Turkiye a slightly different country. It is still fighting the effects of these reforms.
However, the younger generation has started to question many conservative values. Erdogan is therefore squeezed between a rock and a hard place. Will he be able to regain the support that he lost from part of the conservative audience?
Despite the disadvantages, Erdogan remains a strong political leader. He may still turn many elements to his advantage.
*Yasar Yakis is a former foreign minister of Turkiye and founding member of the ruling AK Party. X: @yakis_yasar

Stoking division to win India’s elections comes at a cost
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/June 03, 2024
India’s lengthy voting process, one of the most polarizing and divisive rounds of elections in modern times, will come to an end with the declaration of results on Tuesday. Polls indicate that the issues concerning voters include soaring youth unemployment at nearly 50 percent and a vast wealth gap. But with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party fearing a dip in turnout, populist Hindu nationalist politicians have instead focused on demonizing and disenfranchising minorities as a means of juicing the vote.
Some of the most blatant abuses have been in BJP-governed states with substantial minority populations. Non-Hindu communities have suffered from “bulldozer justice,” with entire districts demolished for allegedly lacking proper permits, and have found themselves inexplicably removed from voter rolls.
In several locations in Uttar Pradesh, the police attacked and dispersed non-Hindus who turned up to vote. Violence against voters was even more blatant in Kashmir, where the 2019 law revoking the region’s special autonomous status has motivated higher anti-BJP voter turnout. Oppositionists accused the police of detaining and intimidating party workers and deliberately suppressing the vote.
In Assam state, a gerrymandering process known as “delimitation” has required some non-Hindu communities to travel over 100 kilometers to their nearest voting center. Opposition parties warn that delimitation has “ensured no Muslim candidate can win in the future.”The BJP has also aggressively gone after opposition groups, with the Congress party’s bank accounts frozen in February over tax payments and senior oppositionists jailed on a variety of flimsy charges, and there has been a purge of media outlets perceived to be insufficiently favorable, including the BBC. Meanwhile, a phalanx of supportive media institutions have been dedicated to promoting the prime minister and the BJP. These elections could also set records for the avalanche of AI deep-fake content and online misinformation unleashed by all sides.
India’s foreign policy is riven with contradictions: Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a long time looked to China as a key economic partner, until Xi’s Jinping’s own expansionist nationalism became too conspicuously detrimental to India’s sovereign interests. In the Biden administration’s desperation to cultivate India as an ally against the likes of China, Russia and Iran, there has been a tendency to turn a blind eye to the country’s democratic shortcomings. India has furthermore sought to have it both ways on Ukraine and other global threats, particularly given India’s dependence on oil from Russia and Iran. India has sought to cultivate stronger ties with GCC states, but Modi is also one of few world leaders who have pursued closer ties with Israel since the Gaza war. BJP-aligned right-wing organizations have enjoyed impunity for embarking on bouts of communal violence, and lynching non-Hindus accused of smuggling beef.
Much attention has been focused on divisive and inflammatory comments made by the prime minister himself, with Modi telling one rally: “When they were last in power, the Congress said that Muslims have the first right to the nation’s resources. What does that mean? If they come to power, that means they will collect all the wealth. And who will they give it to? Those who have more children. To infiltrators.”
Along with the demonisation of Indian Muslims as “infiltrators” and the ubiquitous slur that their families are having more children in order to displace Hindus in India, political speeches and election propaganda have repeatedly emphasized the mantra of “Love Jihad” — the myth of Hindu women being seduced and forcibly converted. Evoking this specter, BJP state governments have introduced anti-conversion legislation and encouraged police crackdowns on interfaith couples. A recent Bollywood film, “Kerala Story,” which was promoted by BJP politicians, claimed that 32,000 women in Kerala state had been forcibly converted to Islam before being recruited into the ranks of Daesh. This is one of a flood of recent propagandistic Bollywood films that have demonised non-Hindu demographics.
Although extremist Hindu nationalists have gone after secularists, Sikhs, Christians and others, India’s more than 200 million Muslims are viewed by the BJP as the primary threat to their monolithic vision of Hindu supremacy, and consequently face growing discrimination in employment and education, along with increasingly systematic barriers to social advancement.
Modi’s India is often portrayed as an economic miracle, with its massive infrastructure projects and widening citizens’ access to technology, banking and consumer goods. Although the proportion of those living in extreme poverty has fallen, from 18.7 percent in 2015 to 12 percent in 2021, social inequalities have dangerously widened, with the top 10 percent of the population holding 77 percent of national wealth. India’s 2019 citizenship law wields the power to make millions stateless.
BJP-aligned right-wing organizations have enjoyed impunity for embarking on bouts of communal violence, and lynching non-Hindus accused of smuggling beef. BJP politicians openly celebrate notorious Hindu vigilantes accused of murderous attacks on minorities. Hate speech has soared, with one research group finding that 75 percent of recent instances occurred in BJP-ruled states.
Throughout Europe, the US, and elsewhere in the world, we also see populists and fascists whipping up communal and religious hatreds as the surest route to political power. I had the bittersweet pleasure of interviewing Indira Gandhi in 1984, just hours before the prime minister was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguard. Gandhi told me of her love of hiking in Kashmir’s mountains, and extolled the importance of her nation’s inherent diversity: India must be a state for all its peoples, she told me, not a democracy for only one segment of the population.
Few doubt that the BJP’s tactics for maximising turnout among the Hindu majority will prevail, but when victory carries such dangerously high costs, all segments of society risk losing from the resulting social turmoil.
• Baria Alamuddin is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in the Middle East and the UK. She is editor of the Media Services Syndicate and has interviewed numerous heads of state.