Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 23-24/2024
Rai Worries About Consequences of Vacuum in Presidency and the Military School
Audi Accuses Politicians of Disintegrating the State
Iran increases use of Beirut airport as front for Hezbollah arms storage -report
Telegraph report alleges Hezbollah storing weapons: What is happening in Beirut's Rafic Hariri airport?
IATA refutes Telegraph article on Beirut Airport
Transport Minister Ali Hamie dismisses British Telegraph article as "ridiculous"
Israel Defense chief to discuss Gaza and Lebanon on US trip
Transport Minister Ali Hamie dismisses British Telegraph article as "ridiculous"
Thousands of Iran-backed fighters offer to join Hezbollah in its fight against Israel
Lebanon doesn’t want war: Online campaign against Hezbollah attempts to stop the war
South Lebanon: Two Hezbollah’s Drone Attacks Against Israel
Hezbollah targets Israeli barracks after Islamist commander’s death
King Abdullah II Met Joumblatt and Emphasized the Importance of Lebanon’s Stability
Hezbollah incites Lebanon toward Armageddon/Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/June 24/2024

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 23-24/2024
Frankly Speaking: Is the Biden plan still the best deal to stop Gaza bloodshed?
Netanyahu criticizes US administration: Israeli Defense Minister in Washington amid Hezbollah tensions
Islamists are no different than Hitler, 'Telegraph' op-ed argues
At least 6 dead, 12 wounded in shooting attack on Russian synagogue, Orthodox church
Netanyahu again claims the US is withholding arms shipments, days after Washington denies it
Bahrain and Iran agree to start talks on resuming political relations

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on June 23-24/2024
Why is Israel unable to defeat Hamas? - opinion/Nimrod Koren/Jerusalem Post/June 23/2024
For aid workers in South Sudan, no good deed goes unpunished/Hafed Al-Ghwell/Arab News/June 24/2024
NATO membership and Zelensky’s legitimacy crisis/Dr. Salem Alketbi/Arab News/June 24/2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 23-24/2024
Rai Worries About Consequences of Vacuum in Presidency and the Military School
This Is Beirut/This is Beirut/June 23/2024
The Maronite Patriarch, Bechara Rai once again warned against the danger of a presidential vacuum. In his opinion, failing to hold elections is a “national mistake that deals a fatal political blow to the consensus system upon which we rely.”In his Sunday homily, the Maronite Patriarch emphasized the importance of Lebanon having “a President of the Republic enjoying full constitutional powers” and capable of “negotiating the implementation of resolutions 1559 on the disarmament of militias, 1680 on the demarcation of the border with Syria and 1701 that would ensure the neutrality of South Lebanon.”“A president would ensure that Lebanon is no longer a launching pad for terrorist acts that compromise the security and stability of the region,” continued Rai, alluding to Hezbollah’s extraterritorial military operations and those of armed Palestinian factions on Lebanese soil. “A president would ensure the neutrality of Lebanon, transforming it from a political reality into a constitutional reality,” he added. The Patriarch specified that neutrality is inherent to the nature of the Lebanese entity and its political system. Bishop Rai also criticized another vacuum within the institutions, the one affecting the Military School. He explained that for the second consecutive year, students have not been admitted, “which compromises the continuity of all security institutions.”“How can we call on our young people to join the state institutions when their doors are closed to them,” Bishop Rai deplored, calling on those responsible and the government to find a solution to open the doors of the Military School “so as not to find ourselves facing a vacuum that can be as dangerous as that of the presidency.”

Audi Accuses Politicians of Disintegrating the State
This Is Beirut/This is Beirut/June 23/2024
Metropolitan Elias Audi emphasized the need for reforms “that start at the top of the state,” thus highlighting the importance of electing a president “whose sole concern is to save Lebanon” and who, “in collaboration with his government, will have to ensure the application of laws, hold accountable those who must answer for their actions, and materialize the concept of a strong and just state.”In his Sunday homily on the occasion of Pentecost, Metropolitan Audi specified that the Lebanese “aspire to a profound change” and criticized “politicians and parliamentarians who neglect the population and ignore their electorate by refraining from electing a President of the Republic.” He accused them of “all contributing to the destruction of the state, which cannot function without a leader and without a governing team whose primary mission must be to clean up the administration of all its faults and to develop a rescue plan based on a clear vision for building a modern, democratic, and just state in which no one will hold a monopoly, and the law will come first.”Bishop Audi then underlined that the presidential vacancy, which has lasted since October 31, 2022, has “contributed to the disintegration of the state,” before pleading for a “rehabilitation of the Constitution, a revitalization of democratic practice, and the development of reforms, particularly at the level of mentalities that have presided over the destinies of this country for years and of the vision that has led Lebanon to this deterioration.”He declared that the expectations are for a leadership that can “restore integrity and justice, thereby breaking the power of the corrupt who have weakened the country.” “Strong leadership, guided by unshakeable principles, is essential to leading the country towards a renaissance,” he insisted. For Bishop Audi, it is time to act with determination to restore Lebanon’s greatness by eliminating any tolerance for those who have betrayed the trust of the people.

An Israel offensive into Lebanon risks an Iranian military response, top US military leader says
AP/June 23, 2024
ESPARGOS, Cape Verde: The top US military officer said Sunday that an Israeli military offensive into Lebanon will risk an Iranian response in defense of Hezbollah, triggering a broader war that could put US forces in the region in danger. Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Iran “would be more inclined to support Hezbollah.” He added Tehran supports Hamas, but would give greater backing to Hezbollah “particularly if they felt that Hezbollah was being significantly threatened.”Brown spoke to reporters as he traveled to Botswana for a meeting of African defense ministers. Israeli officials have threatened a military offensive in Lebanon if there is no negotiated end to push Hezbollah away from the border. Just days ago, Israel’s military said it had “approved and validated” plans for an offensive in Lebanon, even as the US works to prevent the months of cross-border attacks from spiraling into a full-blown war. US officials have tried to broker a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The issue is expected to come up this week as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visits Washington for meetings with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other senior US officials. US President Joe Biden’s senior adviser Amos Hochstein met with officials in Lebanon and Israel last week in an effort to deescalate tensions. Hochstein told reporters in Beirut on Tuesday that it was a “very serious situation” and that a diplomatic solution to prevent a larger war was urgent. Brown also said the US won’t likely be able to help Israel defend itself against a broader Hezbollah war as well as it helped Israel fight off the Iranian barrage of missiles and drones in April. It is harder to fend off the shorter-range rockets that Hezbollah fires routinely across the border into Israel, he said.Pentagon officials have said that Austin has also raised concerns about a broader conflict when he spoke to Gallant in a recent phone call. “Given the amount of rocket fire we’ve seen going from both sides of the border, we’ve certainly been concerned about that situation, and both publicly and privately have been urging all parties to restore calm along that border, and again, to seek a diplomatic solution,” said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary last week. A war between the two heavily-armed foes could be devastating to both countries and incur mass civilian casualties. Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal is believed to be far more extensive than Hamas’.
Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah have exchanged fire across Lebanon’s border with northern Israel since fighters from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip staged a bloody assault on southern Israel in early October that set off the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The situation escalated this month after an Israeli airstrike killed a senior Hezbollah military commander in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah retaliated by firing hundreds of rockets and explosive drones into northern Israel and Israel responded with a heavy assault on the militant group. Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 people in Lebanon, including 70 civilians. On Israel’s side, 16 soldiers and 10 civilians have been killed. An escalation in the conflict could also trigger wider involvement by other Iran-backed militant groups in the region, leading to all-out war. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech last Wednesday that militant leaders from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other countries have previously offered to send tens of thousands of fighters to help Hezbollah, but he said the group already has more than 100,000 fighters.

Iran increases use of Beirut airport as front for Hezbollah arms storage -report
Jerusalem Post/June 23/2024
Iran has significantly increased supplying rockets to Hezbollah via Beirut's airport, causing concerns among employees about Hezbollah's influence and potential Israeli retaliation. The pace at which Iran is supplying powerful rockets to Hezbollah through Beirut’s Rafic Al Hariri International Airport has spiked, London’s Sunday Telegraph reported Sunday. Tehran has smuggled weapons to the Lebanese terrorist group by air in the past, and they were then stored in Lebanon’s only commercial airport. But the Telegraph report, based on anonymous airport employees who are seething at Hezbollah for mixing warfare with their civilian airport, makes a clear case that recent months have seen a significant increase in using the airport for storing strategic weapons. The idea of using the civilian airport as one of its major storage depots appears to be a lateral maneuver by Hezbollah after the 2020 disaster in which many of its strategic explosive weapons exploded inside their storage area at the Port of Beirut. The explosion destroyed large portions of Beirut, killed nearly 220 people, and turned much of the Lebanese public against Hezbollah for a period of time. Hezbollah was responsible for the disaster because it kept the explosive materials nearby civilian areas. Hezbollah managed to prevent a full investigation that could have proven it was at fault, however, and it appears that it merely moved its weapons storage to a different civilian location, the airport, so as to throw its accusers off its scent and activities.
Employees detail intimidation and sanctions evasion
“The cache allegedly includes Iranian-made Falaq unguided artillery rockets, Fateh-110 short-range missiles, road-mobile ballistic missiles and M-600 missiles with ranges of over 150 to 200 miles,” the report said. The airport contains “AT-14 Kornet, laser-guided anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), huge quantities of Burkan short-range ballistic missile and explosive RDX, a toxic white powder also known as cyclonite or hexagon,” it said. Further, the report quoted airport employees describing strange, extra-large boxes that started arriving at the airport since the Gaza war started. Despite sanctions, staff at the airport claim Wafiq Safa, Hezbollah’s second in command and the head of its security apparatus, has frequented the airport of late. “Wafiq Safa is always showing up at customs,” one whistle-blower claimed, citing close relationships with the customs managers. “I feel like if we don’t do what they say, our families will be in danger.”Lebanese airport employees described a situation in which they are practically held hostage by Hezbollah, which will kill anyone who gets in its way. Only international intervention could force Hezbollah to return the airport to its purely civilian status, they said.Until that time, the Lebanese employees said they were worried about the Israeli military attacking the airport because weapons stored there would be used against Israel in the ongoing war.

Telegraph report alleges Hezbollah storing weapons: What is happening in Beirut's Rafic Hariri airport?
LBCI/June 23/2024
A recent article published by the British newspaper The Telegraph has raised serious concerns by alleging that Hezbollah is storing large quantities of Iranian weapons, including missiles and explosives, at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport. According to the article, sources identified as airport workers reported that Hezbollah has been receiving substantial shipments of weapons from Iran. Notably, the article mentions specific missiles, including Falaq, Fateh 110, and M600. These reports claim that large, mysterious crates have been arriving on direct flights from Iran, with the frequency of these shipments increasing since November. The sources also pointed out a notable increase in visits to the airport by Wafic Safa, Hezbollah's security official, particularly to the customs department. Furthermore, The Telegraph cites an anonymous security source from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), who stated that the entry of weapons through the airport has been known for years, but there has been no international legal action to address it. In response to these allegations, Lebanon’s Public Works and Transport Minister, Ali Hamie, quickly issued a denial directly from the airport, saying that the matter is related to sovereignty. After reviewing the article, it became clear that the Telegraph had modified details, removed any position attributed to IATA, and returned to attributing its information to a security source in an international navigation agency. These claims are not new but noted the timing of this report is particularly significant given the recent escalations between Hezbollah and Israel, including mutual attacks. Hezbollah’s Secretary-General has previously stated on multiple occasions that the group does not use the airport for transporting weapons. The article’s claims have added tension to an already volatile situation, as the Israeli military continues to target Hezbollah convoys in Syria and along the Lebanon-Syria border, claiming these are Iranian weapon shipments intended for Hezbollah.

IATA refutes Telegraph article on Beirut Airport
LBCI/June 23/2024
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced on Sunday that a report published by the British newspaper The Telegraph included a quote attributed to an unnamed IATA source. In a statement, IATA clarified that the quote was entirely false, stating, "IATA has not and will not comment on the situation at Beirut Airport."The association emphasized that it does not involve itself in political or security matters in Lebanon and does not provide commentary on such issues. "We have contacted The Telegraph to correct this error," IATA said. The newspaper has responded and updated the report, titled "Hezbollah Stores Missiles and Explosives at Beirut Airport," by removing IATA's name from the article.

Transport Minister Ali Hamie dismisses British Telegraph article as "ridiculous"
LBCI/June 23/2024
Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamie dismissed a recent article by the British newspaper The Telegraph, labeling it as "ridiculous."In a press conference, Hamie called on the newspaper to consult the British Department of Transport, which had previously visited Beirut Airport. "This is the primary authority responsible for transportation matters at the airport," he stated. Hamie emphasized that customs, the official body overseeing shipments, should be the source for such claims. He asserted that customs represent the state in protecting Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport and should not be questioned. The minister further announced that he had contacted the Deputy Chairperson of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), who refuted the Telegraph’s report and categorically denied its contents. "Is it conceivable that a reputable newspaper would change its sources within an hour?" Hamie questioned. He invited the media and ambassadors to gather at the airport’s VIP lounge at 10:30 AM the next day for a tour of all airport facilities, asserting, "We have nothing to hide." Hamie also revealed plans to file a lawsuit against The Telegraph, with details to be disclosed soon.

Israel Defense chief to discuss Gaza and Lebanon on US trip
Reuters/June 23/2024
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant headed to Washington on Sunday to discuss the next phase of the Gaza war and escalating hostilities on the border with Lebanon, where exchanges of fire with Hezbollah have stoked fears of wider conflict. Iran-backed Hezbollah has been trading fire with Israel since the Gaza war erupted more than eight months ago. The group has said it will not stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. "We are prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon, and in more areas," Gallant said in a statement before setting off to Washington, where he said he will meet his counterpart Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "The transition to Phase C in Gaza is of great importance. I will discuss this transition with US officials, how it may enable additional things and I know that we will achieve close cooperation with the US on this issue as well," Gallant said.

Transport Minister Ali Hamie dismisses British Telegraph article as "ridiculous"
LBCI/June 23/2024
Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamie dismissed a recent article by the British newspaper The Telegraph, labeling it as "ridiculous."In a press conference, Hamie called on the newspaper to consult the British Department of Transport, which had previously visited Beirut Airport. "This is the primary authority responsible for transportation matters at the airport," he stated. Hamie emphasized that customs, the official body overseeing shipments, should be the source for such claims. He asserted that customs represent the state in protecting Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport and should not be questioned.
The minister further announced that he had contacted the Deputy Chairperson of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), who refuted the Telegraph’s report and categorically denied its contents. "Is it conceivable that a reputable newspaper would change its sources within an hour?" Hamie questioned. He invited the media and ambassadors to gather at the airport’s VIP lounge at 10:30 AM the next day for a tour of all airport facilities, asserting, "We have nothing to hide."Hamie also revealed plans to file a lawsuit against The Telegraph, with details to be disclosed soon.

Thousands of Iran-backed fighters offer to join Hezbollah in its fight against Israel
BEIRUT (AP)/June 23/2024
Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups in the Middle East are ready to come to Lebanon to join with the militant Hezbollah group in its battle with Israel if the simmering conflict escalates into a full-blown war, officials with Iran-backed factions and analysts say. Almost daily exchanges of fire have occurred along Lebanon's frontier with northern Israel since fighters from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip staged a bloody assault on southern Israel in early October that set off a war in Gaza. The situation to the north worsened this month after an Israeli airstrike killed a senior Hezbollah military commander in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah retaliated by firing hundreds of rockets and explosive drones into northern Israel. Israeli officials have threatened a military offensive in Lebanon if there is no negotiated end to push Hezbollah away from the border.
Over the past decade, Iran-backed fighters from Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan fought together in Syria’s 13-year conflict, helping tip the balance in favor of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Officials from Iran-backed groups say they could also join together again against Israel. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech Wednesday that militant leaders from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other countries have previously offered to send tens of thousands of fighters to help Hezbollah, but he said the group already has more than 100,000 fighters. “We told them, thank you, but we are overwhelmed by the numbers we have,” Nasrallah said. Nasrallah said the battle in its current form is using only a portion of Hezbollah's manpower, an apparent reference to the specialized fighters who fire missiles and drones. But that could change in the event of an all-out war. Nasrallah hinted at that possibility in a speech in 2017 in which he said fighters from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan “will be partners” of such a war. Officials from Lebanese and Iraqi groups backed by Iran say Iran-backed fighters from around the region will join in if war erupts on the the Lebanon-Israel border. Thousands of such fighters are already deployed in Syria and could easily slip through the porous and unmarked border. Some of the groups have already staged attacks on Israel and its allies since the Israel-Hamas war started Oct. 7. The groups from the so-called “axis of resistance” say they are using a “unity of arenas strategy” and they will only stop fighting when Israel ends its offensive in Gaza against their ally, Hamas. “We will be (fighting) shoulder to shoulder with Hezbollah” if an all-out war breaks out, one official with an Iran-backed group in Iraq told The Associated Press in Baghdad, insisting on speaking anonymously to discuss military matters. He refused to give further details.
The official, along with another from Iraq, said some advisers from Iraq are already in Lebanon.
An official with a Lebanese Iran-backed group, also insisting on anonymity, said fighters from Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, Afghanistan’s Fatimiyoun, Pakistan Zeinabiyoun and the Iran-backed rebel group in Yemen known as Houthis could come to Lebanon to take part in a war. Qassim Qassir, an expert on Hezbollah, agreed the current fighting is mostly based on high technology such as firing missiles and does not need a large number of fighters. But if a war broke out and lasted for a long period, Hezbollah might need support from outside Lebanon, he said. “Hinting to this matter could be (a message) that these are cards that could be used,” he said. Israel is also aware of the possible influx of foreign fighters. Eran Etzion, former head of policy planning for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a panel discussion hosted by the Washington-based Middle East Institute on Thursday that he sees “a high probability” of a “multi-front war.” He said there could be intervention by the Houthis and Iraqi militias and a “massive flow of jihadists from (places) including Afghanistan, Pakistan" into Lebanon and into Syrian areas bordering Israel. Daniel Hagari, Israel’s military spokesman, said in a televised statement this past week that since Hezbollah started its attacks on Israel on Oct. 8, it has fired more than 5,000 rockets, anti-tank missiles and drones toward Israel. “Hezbollah’s increasing aggression is bringing us to the brink of what could be a wider escalation, one that could have devastating consequences for Lebanon and the entire region,” Hagari said. “Israel will continue fighting against Iran’s axis of evil on all fronts.”Hezbollah officials have said they don’t want an all-out war with Israel but if it happens they are ready. “We have taken a decision that any expansion, no matter how limited it is, will be faced with an expansion that deters such a move and inflicts heavy Israeli losses,” Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Kassem, said in a speech this past week. The U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the commander of the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed along Lebanon’s southern border, Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro, said in a joint statement that “the danger of miscalculation leading to a sudden and wider conflict is very real.” The last large-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah occurred in the summer of 2006, when the two fought a 34-day war that killed about 1,200 people in Lebanon and 140 in Israel. Since the latest run of clashes began, more than 400 people have been killed in Lebanon, the vast majority of them fighters but including 70 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 16 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed. Tens of thousands have been displaced on both sides of the border. Qassir, the analyst, said that if foreign fighters did join in, it would help them that they fought together in Syria in the past. “There is a common military language between the forces of axis of resistance and this is very important in fighting a joint battle,” he said.

Lebanon doesn’t want war: Online campaign against Hezbollah attempts to stop the war
Ohad Merlin/Jerusalem Post/June 23/2024
Hashtags and social media campaigns led by Lebanese media personalities attempt to restrain Hezbollah from what they deem ‘destruction of the state.' As Israel and Hezbollah exchange deadly blows at the border and threats of an imminent war are sounded daily, some activists and media personalities in Lebanon who oppose the Iranian-backed terrorists of Hezbollah have come out with a series of videos and online campaigns in what appears to be a last-ditch effort to turn public opinion in the Land of Cedars against the prospects of war with Israel. One salient example of these efforts is the hashtag “Lebanon doesn’t want war,” which had almost 40,000 appearances over the last month alone, garnering roughly 100,000 engagements and a potential reach of almost 30 million users. The hashtag was also accompanied by a series of infographics and other hashtags, such as “Disarming Hezbollah is vital” and “Resolution 1701,” which were shared by a wide array of Lebanese activists on social media.
Some commentators directly addressed Hezbollah and its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Nancy Nessrine Lakiss, a Lebanese journalist from Elsharq press, posted a picture showing a white dove with the slogan “We shout for peace, not for war,” adding: “Hezbollah published a video from its military media provoking Israel, so Israel decided to threaten us with bombing the airport. Please have mercy on us! How can you bear this much blood and death? Who will build Lebanon again? And if it is built, who will live in the houses after all this destruction and killing?”In another viral post, Lakiss turned directly to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, demanding: “Mr. Nasrallah, you negotiate for the rights of the Palestinians, but have you forgotten their actions during our civil war, such as violating our women? Do you value the blood of the Lebanese in your decisions regarding the war? Justice must begin with our country first!
A Christian user named Chris shared a video showing the testimony of an elderly displaced lady who left her home in Southern Lebanon with her family, adding: “Do you want to liberate Jerusalem? You want to destroy Lebanon, displace its people, and kill them ... You are worse than the enemy ... You are the devil himself... Just let this people live … let these people raise their children in a country in peace and security!” Another user taunted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah: “Lebanon has gone underground...in the image of Nasrallah. From a country that is friendly and open to countries around the world: American, European, Arab, Gulf, and others, a Lebanon towering above the cedars of the mountains – It is now ruled from underground!”
Economic, social, and political repercussions
Other users focused on the economic, social, and political repercussions of a war between the Iranian-backed militia and Israel. Christian anti-Hezbollah activist and writer Raymond Hakim shared the hashtag alongside a graphic showing scenes of destruction, with the writing “A destroyed life – this is what wars bring upon Lebanon,” also adding, “When I see what is happening in our Arab capitals, I ask myself: why does Iran hate us so much?” A user named Joyce Saadeh posted a graphic from the popular Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar, reading “The militia of Hezbollah destroys the summer season,” adding: “You know the truth, and the truth will free you. Lebanon doesn’t want war”.Another user posted a graphic featuring a map of Lebanon reading “10,452 km2 don’t want war,” adding: “Pray for the Lebanese people to live in peace without senseless wars!”A journalist named Karen Boustany shared a headline by Al-Jazeera claiming that Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, the UK, Italy, and Spain called their ambassadors back home, adding: “If this news is true, then congratulations! Lebanon has officially become an integral part of the Islamic Republic!”Another graphic, uploaded by journalist and lecturer Aline, shows Lebanese citizens standing in the midst of rubble. The graphic claims “a nonexistent future,” adding: “Our university students are graduating while gazing toward the airport. This means we are gradually becoming an old country, and the goal may be to fill the void with foreign people.” Another user named Mohamad Alamin posted a graphic showing Cyprus being targeted by Hezbollah, adding: “Threatening nations of the world rips Lebanon’s relations apart.”Another journalist named Saeer Sabil uploaded a caricature showing Hezbollah’s weapons as a bull pulling a cart representing Lebanon straight into the mouth of an Iranian cleric, adding, “The party of Satan (a derogatory name for Hezbollah) seeks to grant Lebanon in its entirety to the Mullah regime.” Finally, a user named “The 2006 war will be remembered and shall not repeat” shared the hashtag alongside a graphic !” showing a Hezbollah drone claiming that it would “destroy Lebanon,” adding, “The south will be destroyed and, Lebanon will be destroyed – all in service of Iran and its ambitions and foreign policy. For the past not to repeat, international resolutions must be applied, and Hezbollah must be disarmed from its illegal weapons. Fueling the conflict will destroy everything we have rebuilt!”

South Lebanon: Two Hezbollah’s Drone Attacks Against Israel
This is Beirut/June 23/2024
A tense calm prevailed at the southern border on Sunday morning after a major escalation on Saturday. Hezbollah launched two drones’ attacks against Israeli towns in the Upper Galilee. According to Israeli media, around noon on Sunday, alerts sounded in northern Israel for “hostile aircraft intrusions”. According to the Israeli army, “a surveillance UAV was successfully intercepted. A second alarm sounded for missiles a few minutes later “due to the daner of falling shrapnel from the interception”. In response to an Israeli drone strike on a car in the Western Bekaa town of Al-Khayara on Saturday, which resulted in two fatalities, Hezbollah launched earlier on Sunday morning, a retaliatory air attack against Beit Hillel, in the Upper Galilee. The pro-iranian group claimed to have used a swooping drone to target the headquarters of the Sahel Battalion at the Beit Hillel barracks. According to Hezbollah, the air attack “targeted positions and settlements of Israeli officers and soldiers, resulting in injuries and fatalities.” The Israeli army confirmed Sunday morning’s attack, stating that “no injuries were reported” and that “an interceptor had been launched toward the UAV, triggering rocket and missile sirens due to potential falling shrapnel.” The army stated that “the incident was under review.”Concurrently, Hezbollah released a video overnight (shown below), warning Tel Aviv against a major attack against Lebanon and displaying sensitive Israeli military locations. According to Haaretz, the video captured satellite footage of key Israeli facilities, including “the Haifa oil refineries, Ben Gurion International Airport, and the Ashdod Port,” among others.The exchanges of fire continued intermittently throughout the day and into the evening. The Israeli army conducted raids on the villages of Khiam and Ramya, while Hezbollah repeatedly shelled the occupied part of Kfarchouba.

Hezbollah targets Israeli barracks after Islamist commander’s death
AFP/June 23, 2024
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group said Sunday it had targeted a military position in northern Israel with an armed drone in response to the killing of an Islamist commander. Israel and the powerful Iran-backed group, a Hamas ally, have exchanged near-daily cross-border fire since the Gaza war erupted on October 7. Hezbollah’s announcement came hours after it published a video excerpt purporting to show locations in Israel along with their coordinates, amid heightening fears of an all-out conflict between the two foes. On Saturday, the Jamaa Islamiya group announced the death of one of its commanders, Ayman Ghotmeh, saying he was killed “in a treacherous Zionist raid” in Khiara in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa area. Israel later confirmed it had carried out the strike, saying Ghotmeh was responsible for supplying the Fajr Forces, Jamaa Islamiya’s armed wing, and Hamas with weapons in the area. Hezbollah on Sunday said its fighters launched a strike “with an attack drone” on a military leadership position in the Beit Hillel barracks “in response to the assassination carried out by the Israeli enemy in the town of Khiara.”The Israeli military meanwhile said in a statement that a drone had “crossed from Lebanon and fell in the area of Beit Hillel,” adding that “no injuries were reported.”Cross-border tensions have surged over the past days, with Israel’s military announcing on Tuesday that a plan for an offensive in Lebanon had been “approved and validated.”Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah responded with threats that no part of Israel would be spared in the event of an all-out war. The Lebanese armed group on Saturday evening published a video showing Israeli positions and coordinates, along with an excerpt of Nasrallah’s speech in which he says “if war is imposed on Lebanon, the resistance will fight without restrictions or rules.” Days earlier, it had circulated a nine-minute video showing aerial footage purportedly taken by the movement over northern Israel, including what it said were sensitive military, defense and energy facilities and infrastructure in the city and port of Haifa. The cross-border violence has killed at least 480 people in Lebanon, most of them fighters but also 93 civilians, according to an AFP tally. Israeli authorities say at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed in the country’s north.

King Abdullah II Met Joumblatt and Emphasized the Importance of Lebanon’s Stability
This is Beirut/June 23/2024
King Abdullah II of Jordan received former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt at Al-Husseiniya Palace on Sunday for a meeting during which they discussed regional developments. According to the Jordanian royal, both men stressed the importance of an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza. King Abdullah also emphasized the “importance of continuing to deliver humanitarian aid to all areas to prevent the exacerbation of the humanitarian disaster.”He also highlighted the danger of expanding the circle of conflict, which could have devastating consequences for the entire region. As such, he stressed the importance of Lebanon’s stability and sustained security. In attendance at the meeting was also Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ayman Safadi.

Hezbollah incites Lebanon toward Armageddon
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/June 24/2024
In belligerent, warmongering language, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week threatened to attack the Mediterranean island of Cyprus — a European nation — if it opened its military bases to Israel.
The EU leapt to Cyprus’s defense, and warned that any threat to a member state was a threat against the whole bloc, while pro-Hezbollah media gloated that Nasrallah had provoked global panic about a regional war. Before his speech Israel said operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon had been approved, and Foreign Minister Israel Katz said an all-out war would lead to Hezbollah’s destruction. Meanwhile other reports quoted eyewitnesses as saying Hezbollah had been using Beirut airport to transport and store weapons. The airport was bombed in 2006, and before the latest conflict Israel had threatened to bomb it again if Hezbollah used it for arms smuggling. Many Lebanese panicked about being trapped in a war zone with no flights out, while airport staff voiced fears about Israeli airstrikes. The airport is in a densely populated part of the capital that includes Hezbollah strongholds, stoking fears that it would be on the front line of any conflict. There are rumors about Hezbollah weapons stockpiled elsewhere in the capital, including districts controlled by the militia’s Christian allies. This conjures up traumatic memories of the mass loss of life in the immensely destructive 2020 explosion at Beirut port, where Hezbollah had also been storing explosives. Nasrallah’s message to the Lebanese people is: “We are taking you to war, but it’s all going to be fine” — which fails to acknowledge the barbaric consequences of any such war. He may be correct in boasting about the massive post-2006 increase in Hezbollah’s military capacities, but the balance of firepower is still disproportionately tilted toward Israel and its allies. As UN Secretary-General Guterres warned: "One rash move, one miscalculation, could trigger a catastrophe … the people of the region and the people of the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.”
“Resistance” supporters have bought into this kamikaze rhetoric, but Lebanon — like Tehran’s other satellite states — is already a disintegrating, bankrupt nation in which people can barely survive. While many Lebanese would dearly love to give Israel a black eye, most are sufficiently grounded to realize where confronting the planet’s most powerful armies would take them — particularly after watching the genocide unfolding in Gaza. Everyone recalls what befell Lebanon in 2006. So no one can claim to be unaware of the savage manner in which Israel wages war — always seeking to inflict collective, indiscriminate vengeance 50 times as destructive as the original provocation.
Despite what Nasrallah claims, Palestinians themselves don’t desire to see Lebanon suicidally ravaged as part of some futile gesture of support. Hezbollah flaunted surveillance drone footage of sensitive military sites and population centers, and Nasrallah said no place in Israel would be safe from its missiles. Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi retorted that Israel’s enemies knew little about its capabilities, but would face them when the time was right. After Nasrallah’s speech, militants in Iraq threatened renewed attacks against US targets. On a visit to Baghdad, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani discussed scenarios for an expanded war, after which Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned that such a conflict would affect the entire region and not just Lebanon. Iraqi factions such as Kata’ib Hezbollah and Hezbollah Al-Nujaba are sait to have promised Kani that their “hands are on the trigger.” However, one Iraqi militant source remarked that Hezbollah would probably not welcome deployment of these forces “because they view them as unqualified, lacking in cohesion, and at best bad allies with countless problems in decision making.” Tehran also prefers distancing its Syrian and Iraqi factions from full-blown conflict to avoid disrupting its crucial trans-regional networks. In the words of one Iraqi official: “Iraq is the crown jewel of the Iranians, more than Hezbollah, and they will not risk it in the south Lebanon war.”Equally, Tehran has sought to insulate itself from conflict because it has no intention of playing any role in reconstruction — just as it did nothing to rebuild Lebanon after the 2006 war, apart from rearming Hezbollah. It was Arab states that invested billions in rebuilding Lebanon at that time, but Beirut should expect no such recompense again.
This vicious circle of escalatory provocation and rhetoric through which both sides arouse grassroots supporters into a frenzy risks straitjacketing the region into Armageddon. About 160,000 people have already been displaced from north Israel and south Lebanon. The cumulative damage to Lebanon is equivalent to that of a full-scale war, with hundreds dead and damage to at least 15,000 homes. The use of phosphorus bombs in agricultural regions furthermore seeks to render land there permanently barren, calculatedly decimating livelihoods and the national economy. All we request from Nasrallah and his ilk is that they start being honest with citizens: macho, warmongering rhetoric and gambling with Lebanese lives will reap only utter destruction, in a war Israel and Hezbollah are jointly complicit in inciting. Despite what Nasrallah claims, Palestinians themselves don’t desire to see Lebanon suicidally ravaged as part of some futile gesture of support. Even Hezbollah’s supporters fear such an outcome to their nation, which can bear no more self-inflicted harm. Lebanon until recently was the region’s capital of commerce, culture and intellectual endeavor: let’s not see it annihilated on a whim. It’s high time that Hezbollah started prioritizing its loyalty to Lebanon, and not to a far-off theocratic regime that harbors hostile intentions for the entire region.
• 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.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 23-24/2024
Frankly Speaking: Is the Biden plan still the best deal to stop Gaza bloodshed?
ARAB NEWS/June 23, 2024
DUBAI: The fact that Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are both uncomfortable with the Gaza peace plan presented by US President Joe Biden means that “the deal is a good one,” said Samuel Zbogar, Slovenia’s representative to the UN Security Council. On June 10, the council adopted Resolution 2735 — a ceasefire proposal to end the conflict in Gaza. However, according to reports, Hamas has refused to accept the plan without amendments, which Israel has rejected. Appearing on the Arab News current affairs program “Frankly Speaking,” Zbogar said the world should not lose hope in the Biden peace plan and should allow time for negotiators to help bring about a ceasefire. “I wouldn’t give up on the Biden plan yet,” he said. “We understand the talks are still ongoing, mediated by Qatar, by Egypt, and the US, of course. “I think the US put its authority behind this plan, so we hope that we will see it implemented. We want to give peace a chance. We haven’t been discussing in the council this week the situation in Gaza precisely to give negotiators time to finally come to a ceasefire.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not agree to a ceasefire without the destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities. Zbogar, however, believes compromises are required on both sides. “I believe that problems are on both sides,” he said. “I wouldn’t say that it’s one side that is rejecting the deal. I would think that both sides somehow are not comfortable, which means that the deal is a good one.
“We really hope that it’s implemented to stop this killing and suffering of civilians in Gaza.”Asked whether the Security Council could be applying more pressure on the Israeli government to halt its operation in Gaza, which threatens to spill over into Lebanon and other countries in the region, Zbogar said only a unified position would prove effective.
Appearing on the Arab News current affairs program “Frankly Speaking,” Samuel Zbogar said the world should not lose hope in the Biden peace plan and should allow time for negotiators to help bring about a ceasefire. “The Security Council is the most effective, or maybe the only time that it’s effective, really, is when it is completely united,” he said. “When we have 15 votes in favor, I think then, maybe, it will be a strong enough message to Israel and to Hamas that enough is enough. “But so far, in the last resolution, Russia abstained. In the previous resolutions the US abstained. And this is always a message to one or to the other side that, maybe, there is still room to maneuver.”Ignoring the protests of numerous governments, Israel mounted an offensive on May 6 against Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, where about 1.4 million Palestinian refugees had sought shelter having fled the bombardment in the north.
Asked whether institutions like the European Union could have done more to prevent the Rafah assault, Zbogar said it was another example of a failure of unity. “The Rafah assault is really something that will be haunting us, I think, as members of the council and as a human society in the future,” Zbogar told “Frankly Speaking” host Katie Jensen. “All council members in the chamber, as well as in consultations, were saying Rafah should not happen. I was warning Israel not to go against Rafah. And yet we witnessed that it happened. “This is something that is difficult to live with, to see the neverending suffering of people, of Palestinians, of Gazans.
“Couldn’t the EU do more? Yes, it could, it should. But unfortunately, we are not united. The EU is strong when it’s united. Then really we can be a strong player in international relations. On this topic, unfortunately, we have different views inside the EU. “There are a lot of countries inside who are supportive of the Palestinian cause and who recognize Palestine, but still we are not united.”Elaborating the point, Zbogar said: “As the Gaza crisis continued and deepened, there was more and more understanding on the European side that maybe supporting Israel and its right to self-defense, which we did at the beginning, was not appropriate anymore. So, we don’t hear that anymore from European leaders. Josep Borrell, the EU high representative for foreign and security affairs, took a very clear position all along the crisis. But, yes. Since the Israeli military launched its operation in Gaza in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, aid convoys sent to the embattled enclave have faced blockades and thorough inspections by Israeli authorities, delaying the relief response. Once inside the Gaza Strip, aid convoys have been mobbed by crowds of starving Palestinians and come under intense Israeli fire, despite assurances by Israeli forces they would be permitted to pass. Zbogar said only an end to the fighting would create the security conditions needed to help stricken communities. “I think it’s one word — a ceasefire,” he said. “Nothing less than a ceasefire would allow enough distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza. “It’s very difficult to distribute aid at this moment when rockets are flying, where Israel is rejecting more than half of the trucks because of the dual use (issue), where there is public disorder now in Gaza after so many months and the desperate situation that people are in.“We have seen so many times when the humanitarian workers had an approved road on which they could deliver the aid, and yet they were targeted.
“Like we were seeing with the World Central Kitchen a few weeks ago or months ago. How they had all the approvals, they were in touch with (the military coordinating unit) COGAT on the Israeli side, and yet they were targeted one after the other. “How can you expect humanitarian workers to go into this situation even if they have promises from Israel that today we will not target? How do you expect people to sacrifice their lives when they see that 200 of their colleagues distributing aid were killed? And that’s why the ceasefire is the only way we can distribute more aid inside Gaza.”
It was because of this carnage and suffering in Gaza that on June 4 this year Slovenia followed Ireland, Norway and Spain in recognizing a Palestinian state, citing the need for two equally sovereign parties to negotiate future relations.“We believe that after the destruction of Gaza, we see even more clearly that we need two equal parties,” he said.
“We need two sovereign, two parties that will be equally sovereign, Palestine and Israel, in order for them to be able to negotiate their future relations. Otherwise, as long as you have one party that is weaker, then it’s not a proper discussion. And that’s why that prevailed, then, in our reflection as well. We need a Palestine that is on the same level as Israel.”Zbogar said Slovenian recognition of a Palestinian state was intended to send a message to the Palestinians that they are not alone, while telling the Israeli government it is on the wrong course. “We are hoping for Palestine to open its embassy in Slovenia. And we already have a person on the ground in Ramallah who is representing Slovenia with the Palestinian Authority. So, officially we implemented the decision of the parliament,” he said. “We’ve been discussing in Slovenia for years about this recognition. There was always a political process that we were waiting for. Now, since things began happening in Gaza, we thought it’s time for us to send a message.
“This is a message for Palestinians. It’s not a message to Israel. It’s not a message to Hamas. Neither of them really care for their citizens. They’re using Palestinians and hostages as an instrument of pressure on each other. “This is, for us, a message to Palestinians that no matter how difficult it looks at the moment and that the world is abandoning them, that we do recognize their right to have a state, to live in their own state. And it’s time to do that.”He added: “We have been friends, and we continue to be friends, with Israel. And we think this is a message to them as well, that what they’re doing is not right. I think they’re on the wrong course. “But Israel is much more than the current government. And I believe that people in Israel will recognize that what we did was a good thing, to help bring peace to the region.”Asked whether the Security Council could be applying more pressure on the Israeli government to halt its operation in Gaza, Zbogar said only a unified position would prove effective. Zbogar is concerned that a failure to respond to the carnage in Gaza will result in the youth of the region turning against the international community. “You have the whole population in the region that might be turning against the international community, that we are not doing enough to stop the bloodshed in Gaza,” he said. “I think we might be losing the whole young population across the region. That’s the message we are getting from all the countries, all the special representatives there, that it’s for the future relations between the West and these countries that is a very dangerous situation.”Once the war ends in Gaza, the question will turn to who should govern the war-scarred territory — Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, Israel, an external power, or a multilateral agency. Zbogar believes Gaza will need a transitional period to guarantee its own and Israel’s security and to rebuild. But he does not believe this is something the Palestinian Authority can do on its own, calling instead for UN involvement. Indeed, a recent poll of Gaza and the West Bank by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed huge dissatisfaction with the Palestinian Authority, with more than 60 percent supporting its dissolution, and close to 90 percent wanting President Mahmoud Abbas to resign. “I don’t think it’s surprising — this dissatisfaction — because the Palestinian authorities don’t have power to deliver to their people. And that’s why people are disappointed,” Zbogar said. “They continue to see Israeli occupation. They continue to see what’s happening in Gaza. And, of course, they are disappointed that their authority is not protecting them and cannot do anything about it. “But they really cannot do anything about it if you are serious. So, who should run Palestine or Gaza? I think it’s for Palestinians to decide. I don’t think it should be foreigners to decide. They should decide who should govern. “Of course, there probably will be some transition period in Gaza after all this is over. There will need to be a transition period with regard to security, to re-establishment of security, to provide security to Israel. There will be a need to rebuild Gaza. There will be a lot of needs. “But I don’t think Palestinian authorities can do that on their own. I think probably the UN should be involved, should be helping them, coordinating all the assistance and all the support that was coming from abroad, in re-establishing Gaza as a place to live.”

Netanyahu criticizes US administration: Israeli Defense Minister in Washington amid Hezbollah tensions
LBCI/June 23/2024
As Israelis focus on Washington, where Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is expected to make progress in negotiations with the United States regarding arms shipments, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his criticism of the US administration, accusing it of not responding to Israel's repeated requests for weapons. In his weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu reiterated the points Washington aims to discuss with Gallant about ending the war in Gaza. He pre-empted the meetings by affirming his unwavering stance on achieving victory. Gallant, who left Israel amidst sirens in the north and Hezbollah's release of a new map outlining its targets across northern Israel, announced that his meetings in Washington would be crucial for the war in the north front. He asserted that the army was fully prepared and that Israel was ready for any military operation in Lebanon. Before his departure, Gallant emphasized that besides arms shipments, the most critical topic in his discussions would be the third phase of combat after Rafah. On the ground, security tensions continue on the northern front with Hezbollah, which launched rockets and drones towards several areas, including Karmiel and Haifa. The army admitted to a Hezbollah drone strike on the Sahl Battalion headquarters in Beit Hillel in the Galilee, with Israeli authorities keeping the damage under wraps. Additionally, the army acknowledged detecting a drone targeting the Rafael weapons manufacturing plant and another heading toward Krayot in the Haifa area. Meanwhile, internal government disputes are escalating. Verbal clashes occurred between Netanyahu and Negev and Galilee Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf after Netanyahu canceled the appointment of Avi Cohen as a project manager in the Northern Command, replacing him with former Air Force Commander, Reserve General Eliezer Marom. Wasserlauf considered the appointment a political and personal move. Voices were heard outside the meeting room, with reports of Netanyahu losing his temper and rejecting any minister's decision imposed on the prime minister, threatening Wasserlauf. Simultaneously, Netanyahu refused to set a date to discuss the Northern Command's plans for operations inside Lebanon and postponed the southern and Gaza appointments until after Rafah, pending the outcomes of Gallant's meetings with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other American officials.

Islamists are no different than Hitler, 'Telegraph' op-ed argues
Jerusalem Post/June 23/2024
Jake Wallis Simons refutes genocide claims against Israel in Gaza, citing misinformation and exaggerated casualties, highlighting antisemitism, and criticizing the global response. "In almost every abandoned house, an Arabic copy of Mein Kampf," wrote Jake Wallis Simons in a Telegraph op-ed, arguing that the accusations of genocide against Israel in Gaza were unfounded and driven by misinformation. He stated, "Every aspect has been either disproven or cast into irretrievable doubt."Simons, the editor-in-chief of The Jewish Chronicle, highlighted that the Al-Ahli hospital bombing was not by Israel but by Islamic Jihad, and the casualty figures were exaggerated. "The combatant-to-civilian casualty ratio now likely stands at about 1:1, a historically low figure," he noted. He also pointed out that the UN had downgraded the number of women and children casualties. He further tackled the claim of genocide, referencing the International Criminal Court president's clarification that Palestinians had a "plausible right to be protected from genocide," but not that genocide was occurring. "There is no case for ‘genocide,’” he emphasized. On the issue of mass starvation, Simons cited the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification’s Famine Review Committee, which found famine predictions implausible. The committee admitted, "It does not find the [famine prediction] analysis plausible given the uncertainty and lack of convergence of the supporting evidence." Simons criticized officials for ignoring private food deliveries to Gaza, which mitigated the crisis. Describing the harsh realities faced by Israeli soldiers, Simons recounted his conversation with a paratrooper officer who encountered Palestinians strapped with explosives and children armed with weapons. "Such is the nature of this conflict," he remarked. He described how soldiers found Arabic copies of Mein Kampf in almost every abandoned house, illustrating the dangerous and hostile environment.
Unveiling distorted narratives
Drawing parallels with historical propaganda, Simons quoted George Orwell on the Spanish Civil War: "I saw newspaper reports which did not bear any relation to the facts … Eager intellectuals building emotional superstructures over events that had never happened." He suggested that the current narrative surrounding Israel and Gaza is similarly distorted. "Antisemitism has always been based on falsehoods," Simons wrote, comparing the current situation to historical falsehoods used to justify hatred and violence. Simons criticized the global response to the conflict, arguing that the mobilization of the West in favor of Hamas was "as mendacious as it is shameful." He accused progressive elites of being guilty of the very racism they decry. "The modern Islamists and progressives wish to eliminate a supposedly malevolent country for the sake of regional peace," he asserted. Simons concluded by quoting Howard Jacobson - a British novelist and journalist - in a sentence that antisemites use: “I have nothing against Jews individually. I only hate them by the country.”

At least 6 dead, 12 wounded in shooting attack on Russian synagogue, Orthodox church
Jerusalem Post/June 23/2024
At least four police officers and two others were reportedly killed and 12 people wounded in an attack believed to have been carried out by ISIS. Unknown gunmen fired automatic weapons at a synagogue and Orthodox church in Dagestan, Russia, at 6 p.m. local time on Sunday, a Russian Interior Ministry official told the Russian News Agency TASS. Four police officers, a security guard, and a priest were killed in the attack, and 13 people were wounded, according to reports cited by Reuters. One of the officers was killed at the synagogue, while the other officer and six people were shot and wounded at a nearby traffic police post, RIA reported. There were reports that a priest and security guard were victims of the attack, although it was unclear whether this meant they were killed or wounded. The attack was believed to be carried out by ISIS, according to Israel’s N12 news site and Jewish community reports.
The gunmen fled the scene and were said to be driving a white Volkswagen Polo with a 921 license plate. The identities of the shooters had been established, RIA reported. Two of the attackers involved in a series of shootings were shot dead, Russian news agencies quoted the Interior Ministry as saying. A fire later broke out at the synagogue, and emergency services were reportedly attending to it. “At approximately 18:00 [Moscow time] in Derbent, unknown persons fired at a synagogue and a church with automatic weapons,” a ministry source told TASS. “According to preliminary information, one police officer was killed and one was wounded. The car in which the suspects fled was identified as a white Volkswagen Polo, license plate 921 The circumstances are being clarified. Information about the dead and wounded police officers is being clarified,”“In Makhachkala, unknown persons fired at a traffic police post on Ermoshkin Street,” the regional Internal Affairs Ministry reported. “The ‘Interception’ plan was announced. The identities of the attackers are being established.” Fighting was later reported in the streets of Makhachkala. Dagestan official Sergei Melikov said the shooting was an attempt to destabilize Russian society, RIA reported. An operational headquarters had been created, and all necessary decisions would be made in the interest of the safety of local residents, he said. The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that in Makhachkala, shooters had fired at two synagogue guards who were inside their car and then entered the synagogue hall. At the time of the shooting, worshipers were not present. A source in Dagestan’s Jewish community told The Jerusalem Post: “I spoke with the head of the Jewish community. It seems very serious… It’s an attack against a synagogue, the police, and a church. “They killed a guard and a policeman, and the synagogue is on fire. Firefighters are trying to extinguish it but haven’t succeeded yet. The riots are also against the police and the church. The terrorists have not been caught yet. Apparently, [there were] several cells at the same time. On the news, there’s different information every second. It seems to be a combined/rolling attack in several places simultaneously. On the streets, they shot at police officers; at least five [were] killed.”
Condemning the attack
The exiled Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, commented on X "We hear with great concern the developments in Dagestan and pray for the welfare of all the inhabitants impacted by this terror attack, including members of the Jewish and Russian Orthodox communities. "Reports that ISIS is responsible for this heinous attack is once again proof that Russian law enforcement authorities instead of using their resources to fight ISIS and terrorism, have abused their resources to repress and kill peaceful citizens who were against the war. "Our prayers are with the victims, their families, the injured and the hostages."
Jewish life in Dagestan
Last year, a crowd stormed the Dagestan airport in what was described as an attempted pogrom against Jewish travelers landing from Israel.
Russia has also been on high alert as ISIS has increased the number of attempted attacks on Russian soil. In April, Russia said it had successfully thwarted an attack on a Moscow synagogue. Also in April, Moscow was victim to a deadly concert shooting in which more than 100 people were killed by ISIS terrorists.

Netanyahu again claims the US is withholding arms shipments, days after Washington denies it
Tia Goldenberg/TEL AVIV, Israel (AP)/June 23, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that there had been a “dramatic drop” in U.S. weapons deliveries for Israel's war effort in Gaza, doubling down on a claim that the Biden administration has denied and underscoring the growing strains between the two allies. Netanyahu told his Cabinet that the drop had occurred four months ago, without specifying which weapons, saying only that “certain items arrived sporadically but the munitions at large remained behind." The spat highlights how high tensions have surged between Israel and Washington over the war in Gaza, particularly surrounding the Israeli military's conduct in the beleaguered territory and the harm to civilian life there. President Joe Biden has delayed delivering certain heavy bombs since May over those concerns, but his administration fought back last week against Netanyahu's charges that other shipments had also been affected. Netanyahu told the Cabinet that he was driven to release a video in English last week after weeks of unsuccessful pleas with American officials to speed up deliveries. He said a resolution appeared close. “In light of what I have heard over the past day, I hope and believe that this matter will be solved soon,” he said, without elaborating. Netanyahu's video last week sparked an uproar among critics in Israel and was met with denial and confusion from White House officials. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. was “perplexed” by Netanyahu’s claims. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We genuinely do not know what he’s talking about.”A White House official on Sunday said the administration has repeatedly stated its position on the matter, and declined to respond to Netanyahu's comments. The official, who requested anonymity to discuss a diplomatic issue, said U.S. officials were looking forward to “constructive consultations” this week in Washington with Israel's visiting defense minister, Yoav Gallant. Gallant, a rival of Netanyahu's inside the ruling Likud party, was traveling to Washington on Sunday. His office said he would discuss “maintaining Israel’s qualitative edge in the region” but made no mention of the weapons issue. The war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, has tested the U.S.-Israel relationship like never before. While the U.S. has staunchly supported Israel's aims of freeing hostages taken into Gaza and defeating Hamas, it has grown increasingly concerned over the rising Palestinian death toll and the humanitarian crisis created by the war.
Biden has felt pressure from progressive Democrats to take a tougher line against Israel, and he has sharpened his warnings to Netanyahu over military tactics in the Gaza Strip. But after threatening to impose a more sweeping ban on arms transfers over an assault on Rafah, the administration has avoided any suggestion that Israel's expanding push into the southern Gaza city has crossed a red line. During an election year, Biden is also facing critics on the right who say he has moderated his support for an essential Mideast ally. For Netanyahu, the growing daylight with the U.S. also poses political risks and opportunities. His critics see the public spats as the result of a leader prepared to wreck important alliances and tarnish Israel’s image in the world for political gain. But the rift grants the long-serving leader a chance to show his base that he isn't beholden to the U.S. and that he is putting Israel's interests first. This story has been corrected to reflect that White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We genuinely do not know what he’s talking about,” not “We generally do not know what he’s talking about,” in response to claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Biden administration was withholding U.S. weapons from Israel.

Bahrain and Iran agree to start talks on resuming political relations
ARAB NEWS/Arab News/June 23/2024
LONDON: Bahrain and Iran agreed on Sunday to start talks aimed at resuming political relations between the two countries, Bahrain News Agency reported. A joint statement was released after a meeting that brought together Bahrain’s minister of foreign affairs Abdullatif Al-Zayani and Iran’s acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani in Tehran. According to the statement carried by BNA, the discussions were held “within the framework of the historical fraternal relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the ties of religion, neighborhood, common history and mutual interests between them.”

Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on June 23-24/2024
Why is Israel unable to defeat Hamas? - opinion
Nimrod Koren/Jerusalem Post/June 23/2024
The organization populates the tunnels, maneuvers in them, maintains a chain of command, mobilizes armed forces, and holds hostages underground.
The most widespread public frustration regarding the war, after the October 7 failure, concerns Israel’s inability to defeat Hamas. Although Israel put boots on the ground in Gaza and carried out a massive military maneuver, almost unlimited in resources or time, Hamas is still standing on both feet. Even the extensive damage to terrorist infrastructure and militants, and the aerial, naval, and ground supremacy that the IDF achieved, did not lead to its collapse.
For years, Israel wrestled with what to do with Gaza. Among the options outlined by security officials (for example the INSS in 2020), the possibility of a military takeover was ranked as one of the last. The main reservations raised for the occupation of the Gaza Strip concerned the heavy cost of human lives, the chaos that will be created in Gaza, and the lack of international legitimacy for a large-scale operation. However, the possibility that the Hamas regime would not be overthrown was not considered.
Just as it was impossible to imagine the October 7 massacre before its occurrence, so it was impossible to imagine that the strongest military power in the region, which previously defeated several armies in six days, would not be able to defeat a local terrorist organization when forced to do so. Why then is Hamas undefeated?
The surprising answer, which was constantly under our eyes, is the tunnels – moreover, the underground supremacy gained by Hamas. All the other “relative advantages” gained by Hamas have already been deprived; its activity from inside civilian population centers – through the extensive evacuation, and its method of finding refuge in civilian sites (hospitals, schools, mosques, etc.) by denying their immunity and attacking them. However, precisely the pre-military characteristic of Hamas, its underground activity, was not significantly affected.
The organization populates the tunnels, maneuvers in them, maintains a chain of command, mobilizes armed forces, and holds hostages underground. At the same time, it uses the tunnels as a citadel and continues to excavate new tunnels while fighting. This is the source of its strength and the reason for its survival. Without the tunnels, the war would probably have ended already in October. Although Israel also operates in tunnels, on a significantly reduced scale, it does not permanently stay in them and does not strive to conquer the underground medium as a whole.
In addition, it rightly avoids bringing large forces inside them. Its underground operations are similar in relative scope to the operations carried out by Hamas above ground – targeted and small-scale operations. Hamas rises above the surface, fires anti-tank missiles, and quickly ducks down into the tunnel, and the IDF descends below the surface, destroys the enemy and the infrastructure, and returns to the surface.
The war reality in the Gaza Strip is less chaotic than it seems, and contrary to common thought, there is a border between the IDF and Hamas forces – only it is not where it used to be – west of the kibbutzim – now it stretches at the surface of the ground itself.
The area above the ground is controlled by Israel, and below the ground is occupied by Hamas. During the terrestrial entry at the end of October and the massive operation of the IDF, Hamas forces withdrew to the underground and established a defense line there. Since then, most of the time, there have been mutual combat operations in the enemy’s rear. While for Hamas, the enemy’s rear is now in Jabalya or Rafah, for Israel the tunnels beneath it are the enemy’s rear.
The disparaging statements that are heard in Israel that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar hides like a mouse in the burrows do not stem from the lack of respect that is involved in searching for him in the deep sands of Gaza, but mainly from the frustration and the (justified) fear that it is not possible with the existing means to go down to the depths of the tunnels and lay hands on senior Hamas officials entrenched in them. The IDF forces entering the depths of the tunnels were exposed to damage due to the trapping of the shafts and the lack of protection of the forces.
Israel has high-end military and security technological successes, however, it was not significantly prepared for underground warfare. Both in terms of dedicated weaponry and trained personnel and combat doctrine; it does not have underground APCs, a tunnel corps, a comprehensive combat doctrine, and other resources required to fight the main medium in which the Hamas enemy is located. The current war teaches us that just as it is impossible to imagine effective naval warfare without battleships, submarines, and naval personnel (or just with a bathing suit) – so it is not possible to defeat a force based underground without the necessary resources.
For this purpose, one must prepare for any combat medium (aerial, naval, and terrestrial), and to defeat by placing boots underground (and not boots on the ground). If the perception that the enemy cannot be defeated without a ground invasion is correct, then in the case of Hamas, it cannot be defeated without an underground invasion – this is the enemy’s territory and there one should maneuver, conquer, and defeat. Even the statement regarding the extent of the tunnels (which reaches 500 km.) does not provide a satisfactory explanation as to why they have not been conquered – there are thousands of kilometers of roads and tens of thousands of kilometers of built-up area in Gaza Strip, yet this did not prevent it from being conquered.
In the first days of the war, along with the shock at the barbarity of Hamas’s crimes, the thought that Hamas had committed suicide was widespread in Israel and the world. Many assumed that the massacre carried out by the organization sealed its fate and that its whole purpose after October 7 was to inflict maximum damage on Israel while being collapsed and destroyed. It seemed as if the “al-Aqsa flood” brought an end to the organization that Israel was willing to contain as long as its threat was limited to “trickling” rockets, sessions of combat once every few years, and launching explosive balloons on a routine basis.However, the survival of the organization and its senior members after such a powerful campaign of eight months requires re-examining this assumption regarding the martyrdom of the organization. Therefore, the question should be raised: Did Hamas think that Israel would declare an all-out war against it? The answer is probably yes. Did its leaders think they would be able to survive this type of war? Here too, the answer is probably yes.
Hamas knew that it had a strategic asset that it had developed over two decades, which would allow its survival even in the event of a complete occupation of the Gaza Strip by Israel – a terrestrial occupation, but not a sub-terrestrial one. It is possible that this understanding of having in his possession this technology, an underground iron dome, which guarantees an even higher survivability of most armies in the region, spurred it to launch the attack on October 7 and to make full use of this defensive asset, which until then was not being challenged. Knowing that Israel does not have the means to overcome it.
As long as Israel does not have these capabilities, it will probably not be able to defeat Hamas and will have to be content with besieging it and denying its establishment above ground. The recognition of this also stands in the background of the sharp change of attitude of the Biden administration, which at first clearly supported the dismantling of Hamas, but stopped doing so, when realized that, unfortunately, this goal was not practical with the existing capabilities. Despite the “mousey” and pre-modern image, the use that Hamas was able to make of the tunnels is groundbreaking, giving it technological supremacy in the underground battlefield. Like the Americans, Israel must also look at reality, however frustrating it may be, and strive for relevant change and intensification, but as long as it does not have the technology and resources necessary for a defeat, it must strive for a ceasefire and above all a deal for the return of the hostages. This continues to be the order of the day.
**The writer is a political adviser and a member of the researchers forum of the Elyashar Center at the Ben-Zvi Institute in Jerusalem.

For aid workers in South Sudan, no good deed goes unpunished
Hafed Al-Ghwell/Arab News/June 24/2024
Escalating violence against humanitarian workers, particularly local staff, represents one of the most acute, yet largely obscured, trends in fragile, conflict-prone regions. In 2023, a troubling uptick in such incidents led to the death toll doubling to almost 300 aid workers within a single year. This surge in targeted attacks is not dispersed evenly across the globe; instead, it has emerged in concentrated pockets, with South Sudan being the most potent in terms of risk and fatalities for humanitarian personnel.
Painstaking research and investigative reports have uncloaked an unsettling reality — local aid workers, integral in the distribution of critical assistance — face elevated risks that are not mitigated by current strategies. Due to their activities in environments where safeguards fall alarmingly short, these individuals become ensnared in a cycle of increasing danger.
UN resolutions and the mandates of international humanitarian law echo all the right notes and ethos about the need to protect aid workers, both local and foreign. However, despite the uncharacteristic harshness of prepared statements and calls for decisive action, attacks continue with near impunity. Kidnappings, injuries and assaults that often target female aid workers increase alongside brutal murders, layering psychological dimensions on top of already extensive humanitarian crises.
Differential access to justice, fear of reprisals and a lack of legal instruments worsen conditions on the ground and only heighten vulnerabilities. These gaps are most evident when considering the nationality of the worker; local staff endure barriers foreign colleagues are less likely to face. Recent analyses show that 94 percent of aid workers who have died violently in South Sudan were nationals. This statistic is not merely a reflection of the work’s inherent danger, but also signals the broader socioeconomic factors at play. Aid work in a country with minimal household incomes can inadvertently elevate individuals to a position of economic prominence, making them targets for conflict-driven retributive attacks.
These local workers encounter heightened threats emanating from the sociopolitical fabric of their own communities. Their work’s visibility makes them accessible targets and the localized dynamics of the conflict entangle them further. This situation is exacerbated by questionable employment practices within the humanitarian sector, which can contribute to existing tensions and, ultimately, violence. Moreover, retribution, an unevenly scaled access to recourse and deliberately obscured paths for seeking legal redress collectively feed into a climate where accountability will always remain elusive.
Compounding these issues is the limited action from the international community in curbing conflicts or securing aid operations. Local aid workers find themselves navigating through areas sometimes either besieged or controlled by hostile forces, with international stakeholders failing to provide adequate support or protection. The implications of these failures are profound, raising questions about the responsibility and efficacy of global humanitarian practices.
Recent analyses show that 94 percent of aid workers who have died violently in South Sudan were nationals.
Another issue that arises from the failure to secure aid operations is a potential complicity in enabling the conditions that perpetuate violence. As mentioned above, the skewed hiring practices and the differential treatment of local versus international staff, for instance, not only reflects inherent gaps within the humanitarian aid work, but also risks inflaming local tensions, sparking a cycle of unmitigable violence that undermines the very mission of humanitarian aid.
The global community must consider not only the direct implications of these failures, but also the broader questions they raise about the structure and intentions of international aid. This includes critical examinations of how the securitization of aid — viewing humanitarian operations through security and political dimensions — may ultimately detract from the altruistic goals of these missions.
Understanding and incorporating the perceptions and insights of local aid workers is a crucial, but often missed, “low-hanging fruit” when crafting policy and practices that ensure the holistic protection of all those involved in humanitarian operations. This necessitates a shift from the traditional top-down approach to one that centers on inclusivity, local partnership and credible dialogue. Such strategies should encompass not only physical protection measures, but also the economic and social well-being of aid workers, acknowledging their invaluable role within both the humanitarian ecosystem and their respective communities.
Systemic failures in safeguarding aid operations in South Sudan serve as a critical reminder of the need for a concerted, inclusive and reformed approach to humanitarian aid that is responsive to the complexities of modern conflicts, respectful of the local context and reflective of the principles of equity and justice. Without such introspection and action, the international community risks undermining the efficacy, integrity and, most importantly, the humanitarian spirit of aid work.
The South Sudan context positions its national aid workers as central, not merely as essential service providers but as actors entwined with the conflict’s economic and social dimensions. The lack of international mobilization shapes the narrative around their experiences and the fundamental challenges of delivering aid in conflict zones. The statistics present more than numerical values; they reflect the struggles of those who endeavor to maintain a lifeline to communities under siege. South Sudan thus serves as a pronounced example, but by no means an isolated one, where aid workers must balance being both conduits for critical support, while besieged by the very crises they aim to alleviate.
This harrowing contradiction calls for a recalibration of rigid support mechanisms and protective measures — a mandate that the global community cannot afford to ignore. The systematic unshielding of local humanitarian workers is a distressing signal and the inevitable fatalities must now catalyze comprehensive reforms in policy, practice and international cooperation.
In practice, such reforms to respond to the horrifying realities faced by national aid workers could, for instance, position South Sudanese professionals in vital leadership roles. This will leverage local expertise for more effective decision-making but also foster trust-building in community relationships, which are crucial for navigating fragile contexts.
Aid organizations can also utilize technological systems that allow for real-time monitoring to better manage threats and protect humanitarian work in conflict-prone areas. Alongside changes to how humanitarian organizations operate, reforms in policy and practice must be coordinated since no country, organization or group can unilaterally address the persistent vulnerabilities national aid workers face in volatile contexts — in South Sudan or elsewhere.
In sum, the experiences of South Sudan’s humanitarian personnel necessitate an urgent reexamination of aid strategies, both locally and internationally. The goal should be to both improve the safety of aid workers and enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian efforts in areas where access is continually compromised by conflict. This reframing should guide policy-level discussions toward better structures for support, engagement and protection that acknowledge the evolving roles and risks of aid workers in extremely volatile contexts.
*Hafed Al-Ghwell is a senior fellow and executive director of the North Africa Initiative at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC. X: @HafedAlGhwell

NATO membership and Zelensky’s legitimacy crisis
Dr. Salem Alketbi/Arab News/June 24/2024
The Ukraine crisis continues to escalate in complexity, both militarily and politically. On the political front, NATO is maintaining a calculated stance regarding Ukraine’s potential membership. NATO officials have confirmed that no invitation to join the alliance will be extended to Ukraine at the upcoming Washington summit, echoing statements made by US officials.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that alliance countries have not yet determined when Ukraine could join. He indicated that Kyiv must be helped to meet the necessary conditions, particularly NATO’s technical standards and operational compatibility.
Regarding membership, he said alliance leaders could give their agreement “at some stage.”
Ukraine’s NATO membership requires unanimous approval from all members — a prospect that seems distant given the current members’ positions. Kyiv’s request for expedited alliance membership, submitted in September 2022, is unlikely to materialize in the short term, if at all.
NATO’s position on Ukraine’s membership remains unchanged, linking it to the end of the current conflict with Russia. What is new, however, is a hardening within the alliance regarding the very fact of discussing the question of membership.
Complicating matters further is the question of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy. His presidential term ended on May 20, but Zelensky’s invocation of martial law means he can justify continuing in office until new elections can be held. The 2024 Ukrainian presidential election was canceled due to the state of martial law and general mobilization. At the time, Zelensky declared that it was “not the right time” for elections.
Western support for Zelensky’s mandate continues due to the lack of a realistic alternative, despite his declining popularity. The EU and UN have affirmed his legitimacy, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argues that Zelensky’s legitimacy expired on May 21. The debate over Zelensky’s legitimacy weakens his position, particularly in terms of national opposition. This is compounded by reports of his declining popularity, Western discontent with the appointment of Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as the new army commander-in-chief and deteriorating conditions on the ground.
The debate over Zelensky’s legitimacy weakens his position, particularly in terms of national opposition. In mid-May, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the capture of 12 towns, mainly in Kharkiv, within a week. It reported Russian losses of more than 1,000 soldiers on the Kharkiv axis, while Ukraine lost approximately 9,565 soldiers across all fronts.
Earlier, Zelensky had described his forces’ situation in Kharkiv as very difficult.
The deteriorating situation of Ukrainian forces on the ground after two years of fighting, and after significant military and financial support from the West, is putting increasing pressure on the Ukrainian president to reach a ceasefire agreement with Russia.
This is especially true as the US presidential election approaches and there are increasing chances that former President Donald Trump will win a new presidential term. If he is victorious in November, Trump is expected to push strongly for negotiations to end the Ukrainian crisis. It will be difficult for him to continue supporting Kyiv as the Biden administration does.
Even if negotiations are accepted, Russian President Vladimir Putin is now questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy. He recently stated: “But with whom to negotiate? This is not a trivial question ... Of course, we realize that the legitimacy of the incumbent head of state is over,” while indicating the importance of dealing with “legitimate authorities” that can guarantee the implementation of any agreement.
Russia suspects that last week’s peace conference in Switzerland aimed to affirm Zelensky’s legitimacy, viewing it as a political move unrelated to the legal aspect of his legitimacy.
Realistically, organizing a presidential election in wartime Ukraine is challenging. The Ukrainian constitution prohibits elections under martial law, which was declared as part of the country’s state of war. It stipulates that the incumbent president remains in office until a new one is elected. Zelensky’s position aligns with the constitution, but Russia insists on not signing an agreement with a president whose term has ended, as it does not wish to negotiate with Zelensky in the first place.
Both on the ground and politically, Ukraine’s situation is becoming more tense despite Putin’s recent expression of a willingness to negotiate, which is based on the reality favoring Russia — something the West rejects.
There are no signs of a breakthrough in the crisis on the horizon, leading to a wait for the outcome of the US presidential election, which could determine the next steps for Ukraine.
**Dr. Salem Alketbi is an Emirati political scientist and former candidate for the Federal National Council. X: @salemalketbieng