Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 27-28/2024
Israel Warns it Can Return Lebanon to 'Stone Age' But Does Not Want War With Hezbollah
US ambassador says Washington focused on 'finding diplomatic solution'
US officials insist efforts to calm Lebanon front aren't stalled
France 'extremely concerned' about Lebanon-Israel border violence
Addressing regional stability: Arab League and Hezbollah resume dialogue amid renewed ties
Bou Habib in Brussels to Prevent an Expanded War in Lebanon
Report: US asks Doha to send envoy to Beirut to urge de-escalation
Rafah operation winds down: Israel prioritizes northern front amid tensions with Hezbollah
Nasrallah: Fate of region hinges on developments in Iran
Israeli strike kills Hezbollah member in West Bekaa
Four Killed, Two Injured in Israeli Strikes in Bekaa and South
Israel-Hezbollah border clashes: Latest developments
US, Russian embassies reactivate warnings against Lebanon travel
Losing the North: Damage from Hezbollah slams employment, industry - interview
Hundreds of residents from Israel's North plead not be be evacuated from Jerusalem hotel
Gallant's US meetings expose Netanyahu's fraught relationship with own cabinet
US, Russia Issue Travel Advisories to Lebanon
Don’t Leave Lebanon Out of The Post-Gaza Negotiations/Huda al-Husseini/Asharq Al Awsat/June 27, 2024
An Eco-Confessional Labyrinth/Nicolas Sbeih/This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
Beirut’s Downtown Under Siege: Why Are the Concrete Barriers Still There?/Joanne Naoum/This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
Unveiling of Lebanon’s Mental Health Strategy 2024-2030/Alissar Boulos/This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
Stuck Between Israel and the Political Party Poopers/Salam Zaatari/This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
Eco-Friendly innovation: Lebanese University students win prestigious architecture contest in Finland - Insights shared with LBCI English/Karine Keuchkerian/LBCI/June 27, 2024
Hamieh Announces Sale of Metal Scrap From Beirut Port
Three Lebanese University students discover security gaps in major corporations

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 27-28/2024
UN Security Council demands Iran-backed Yemen rebels halt their attacks on ships in Mideast waters
Canada sanctions seven Israelis, five entities over West Bank violence
Gazans struggle to feed their children under Israeli campaign
Israeli anti-government protesters march on Netanyahu’s home
Israel storms Gaza City neighborhood, orders Palestinians to go south
One Israeli soldier killed, another severely wounded in West Bank raid
Israelis' lawsuit says UN agency helps Hamas by paying Gaza staff in dollars
She managed to flee Gaza after half her family was killed in an Israeli strike. She blames Israel and Hamas for what happened
US discussing release of suspended bomb shipment with Israel, official says
Palestinians flee Gaza City's Shejaiya area amid heavy bombardment
Girl dies of malnutrition in Gaza as Israel bombs north and south
ICC allows UK to submit arguments on jurisdiction over Israelis in Gaza case
Ship attacked in Red Sea in latest maritime assault carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels
US issues fresh sanctions against Iran over nuclear escalations
Russia considering downgrading relations with the West, the Kremlin says
Experts warns that 755,000 people at risk of famine in the coming months in war-torn Sudan
A leading human rights group calls on Iraq to halt deportations of Syrian refugees
French far-right chief Bardella vows won't let 'Russian imperialism' absorb Ukraine
Bolivia says 17 arrested with links to botched coup

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on June 27-28/2024
The World's Most Dangerous Delusion: Biden Thinks China Wants Stability/Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone Institute/June 27, 2024
Analysis: No matter who wins Iran's presidential election, much may hinge on the 'Great Satan' US/Jon Gambrell/DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)/June 27, 2024
Iranians go to the polls but policy shifts are unlikely/Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/June 27, 2024
Biden’s Phony Saudi-Israeli Peace Deal ....The point of the U.S. deal isn’t peace. It’s to prevent the two American allies from coming together, while subordinating them both to Iran./Lee Smith/The Tablet/June 27/2025
When their backs are to the wall, the French turn right/Ross Anderson/Arab News/June 27, 2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 27-28/2024
Israel Warns it Can Return Lebanon to 'Stone Age' But Does Not Want War With Hezbollah
Asharq Al Awsat/June 27/2024
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned during a visit to Washington that Israel's military is capable of taking Lebanon "back to the Stone Age" in any war with Hezbollah militants but insisted his government prefers a diplomatic solution on the Israel-Lebanon border. Speaking to reporters, Gallant also said he discussed with senior US officials his "day after" proposals for governance of post-war Gaza that would include local Palestinians, regional partners and the US, but that it would be "a long and complex process." Cross-border strains between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah have been escalating in recent weeks, stoking fears of an all-out Israel-Hezbollah war. More than eight months of cross-border fire between the two sides have left at least 481 people dead in Lebanon, mostly fighters, but also including 94 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

US ambassador says Washington focused on 'finding diplomatic solution'
Naharnet/June 27/2024
Marking the 248th Anniversary of the United States’ Independence Day, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut held a reception attended by MP Fadi Alameh, representing Speaker Nabih Berri, and caretaker Interior Minister Bassam al-Mawlawi, representing caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson noted in her remarks: “The United States has supported Lebanon and the Lebanese people since Lebanon’s birth as a nation. Our relationship is built on a common desire for a prosperous, free, and democratic world. The strength of our partnership is reflected in the numerous bonds connecting our two countries. We are bonded in strength.” She added: “This is also a critical moment in the wider region. Conflict has gone on long enough. From President Biden to every staff member of this embassy, we are focused on preventing further escalation and finding a diplomatic solution that ends the suffering on both sides of the border. We need to resolve these conflicts, both in Gaza and on the Blue Line – quickly and with diplomacy. As Amos Hochstein said in Beirut just last week, ‘This is both urgent and it is achievable.’” “The United States is proud to support the Lebanese Armed Forces. We recognize the key role the Army plays in Lebanon’s stability and security. We believe strongly in this partnership and are grateful for all the Lebanese Armed Forces do for Lebanon. USAID and the State Department provide assistance to people all across Lebanon. Our partnerships are with local communities – in fact, over 180 communities in Lebanon. We are addressing the needs that are expressed by Lebanese citizens themselves. And we will continue this engagement. We look with hope to Lebanon’s future by improving infrastructure and building capacities,” Johnson went on to say.

US officials insist efforts to calm Lebanon front aren't stalled
Naharnet/June 27/2024
U.S. officials have insisted that their diplomatic efforts to contain the confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah are not stalled. “We have a diplomatic process under way,” a senior administration official told reporters according to the Wall Street Journal. “We’re in fairly intensive consultations with the Israelis, Lebanese and others,” the official added. “We fully support Israel and the defense of its national security interests … against groups like Hezbollah,” the senior administration official went on to say. Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah are exchanging cross-border fire on a near-daily basis, and the Israeli army said last week that plans for an offensive in Lebanon were "approved and validated."Eight months of cross-border violence has killed at least 481 people in Lebanon, mostly fighters but also including 94 civilians, according to an AFP tally. Israeli authorities say at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed in Israel's north. The fighting has also displaced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border and Israel has repeatedly threatened a military campaign to push Hezbollah away.

France 'extremely concerned' about Lebanon-Israel border violence
AFP/June 27/2024
Paris is "extremely concerned" about fighting on Lebanon's border with Israel, France's foreign ministry said Thursday, calling "all sides to exercise the greatest restraint". "Violence on the border with Israel is intensifying dramatically," the ministry said in a statement, calling for "implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701" governing the border zone and vowing that France remains "fully committed to prevent any risk of escalation along the Blue Line" between the two countries.

Addressing regional stability: Arab League and Hezbollah resume dialogue amid renewed ties
LBCI/June 27/2024
In March 2016, the Arab League designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, a classification opposed by Lebanon and Iraq amidst significant Arab-Iranian tensions. Nine years later, communication between the Arab League and Hezbollah has resumed, driven by the situation in southern Lebanon. The Arab League's Assistant Secretary-General, Hossam Zaki, met with the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, Mohammad Raad, in a discussion that lasted around 90 minutes. The relations between Hezbollah and the Arab League coincide with broad improvements in Arab-Iranian ties, particularly with Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia.  During the meeting between Zaki and Raad, they discussed the ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel. Zaki emphasized the importance of avoiding further escalation, given the concerning situation, and stressed the necessity of electing a president for Lebanon. Simultaneously, French Ambassador Hervé Magro met with members of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Lebanese Parliament. He highlighted the gravity of the situation in southern Lebanon and the potential for the conflict to widen. Magro cautioned that anyone believing that escalation would bring the other party to the negotiating table is mistaken, warning that it could instead lead to a full-scale war. Ambassador Magro underscored the importance of de-escalation to begin resolving the conflict according to UN Resolution 1701, urging the election of a president to ensure Lebanon's representation in negotiations. Notably, the meeting revealed persistent parliamentary divisions. Opposition MPs called for the immediate implementation of Resolution 1701, while Hezbollah-affiliated MPs insisted there could be no discussion until a permanent ceasefire in Gaza is achieved.

Bou Habib in Brussels to Prevent an Expanded War in Lebanon
This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdallah Bou Habib, began his international tour in Brussels on Wednesday, where he met with several officials from the European Union (EU) to discuss ways to prevent a large-scale war in Lebanon and the region.
Within this context, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, hosted the caretaker minister for lunch, during which they extensively discussed the current situation. Borrell and Bou Habib discussed potential EU involvement to ease tensions in South Lebanon. This meeting was followed by a gathering between the Lebanese Foreign Minister and the Political and Security Committee (PSC), comprising ambassadors from the 27 EU countries. The agenda for this discussion included supporting Lebanon and its army and diplomatic initiatives to de-escalate tensions. Magdaléna Grono, the first advisor for foreign policy to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also talked with Bou Habib about possible solutions to the crisis and the EU’s stance regarding the situation in the Middle East.The caretaker minister’s visit concluded with a meeting with the European Commission’s Director-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Gert-Jan Koopman, who is expected in Beirut in July to discuss economic matters.
Bou Habib is continuing his tour by heading to the United States, where he will meet with American leaders in Washington and UN officials in New York. He will then go to Ottawa to confer with his Canadian counterpart.

Report: US asks Doha to send envoy to Beirut to urge de-escalation
Naharnet/June 27/2024
Qatari envoy Abou Fahad Jassem Al-Thani will soon visit Beirut on a trip aimed at discussing the security situation in the south, not the presidential file, a media report said. “The Qatari envoy will meet with Hezbollah, the Amal Movement and security chiefs to discuss with them the possibility of de-escalation on the southern front” with Israel, al-Akhbar newspaper quoted informed sources as saying. The visit will be “coordinated with the U.S. administration, which has asked Doha to exert efforts in this regard,” the sources said. “The U.S. administration is betting that the Qatari pressures on the Hamas Movement to accept U.S. President Joe Biden’s proposal for ending the war in the Gaza Strip, combined with a bigger Qatari intervention on the Lebanese arena, specifically with Hezbollah, could lead to a breakthrough that prevents an all-out war,” the sources added.

Rafah operation winds down: Israel prioritizes northern front amid tensions with Hezbollah
LBCI/June 27/2024
The Israeli military has prioritized the northern front after announcing the imminent conclusion of the Rafah operation, despite recent diplomatic efforts with Washington aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution between Lebanon and Israel.
Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi has been reviewing plans and scenarios for the northern region with the Northern Command. Military units, including reserve forces, have been relocated from Gaza to the northern border and are undergoing intensive training to prepare for any potential escalation on the Lebanon border. While the Israeli army awaits political instructions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu preempted the return of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant from Washington with a visit to the north, reaffirming the unity of the army in defending Israel, without specifically addressing the northern front. Recent days have seen a reduction in hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border. This de-escalation was discussed by Halevi and the military leadership, attributed by some security officials to the anticipation of the Rafah operation's end and a mutual lack of desire by Tel Aviv and Hezbollah to expand the conflict in a highly volatile area. The situation on the northern front and the potential political settlement with Lebanon, reportedly agreed upon in Washington, will be central topics at the upcoming Cabinet meeting on Thursday, which will include Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Additionally, these talks will likely address recent disagreements between Gallant and Netanyahu regarding US military support to Israel, especially in light of revelations contradicting Netanyahu’s statements about a decrease in arms shipments. Data revealed before Gallant's departure from Washington indicates that Israel has received $6.5 billion worth of arms from the US since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation. Current discussions with Washington involve a shipment that includes 1,800 precision bombs weighing 907 kilograms each, and 1,700 bombs weighing 226 kilograms each. The United States has hesitated to transfer these munitions due to concerns that they could be used in densely populated areas in Gaza or Lebanon if Israel decides to initiate a war there.

Nasrallah: Fate of region hinges on developments in Iran
LBCI/June 27/2024
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stated during the memorial for President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions' forty-day commemoration: "We pray that God guides the Iranian people, who are the true support for all the oppressed worldwide, to choose wisely in their elections and elect a capable president who can fulfill their hopes. The fate of the region's peoples, governments, and future hinges on developments in the Islamic Republic of Iran."He emphasized: "The Iranian people have demonstrated calm and stability while enemies anticipated disturbances in Iran. However, they witnessed Iran remaining calm, united, and cohesive despite all challenging circumstances.'' He added: ''The message was that the Islamic Republic of Iran is capable of continuity, perseverance, and preparation for presidential elections, presenting a distinguished model of overcoming difficulties and triumph."

Israeli strike kills Hezbollah member in West Bekaa
Associated Press/June 27/2024
Israel’s military said Thursday that it killed a Hezbollah member who was involved in firing explosive drones into Israel. The Israeli army posted a video of Thursday’s drone strike that killed the Hezbollah member while riding a motorcycle in the village of Sohmor in West Bekaa. Hezbollah earlier said one of its members, Ali Ahmad Alaeddine, was killed adding that his funeral will be held on Friday in Sohmor. The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing almost daily exchanges of fire since the Israel-Hamas war began in early October. Hezbollah says it will only stop fighting when Israel’s ends its offensive in the Gaza Strip. Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 people in Lebanon, most of them Hezbollah and other militants, but also over 80 civilians and non-combatants. In northern Israel, 16 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed by strikes launched from Lebanon.

Four Killed, Two Injured in Israeli Strikes in Bekaa and South
This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
As part of the escalating violence raging in south Lebanon, four people were killed, including a Hezbollah member, and two injured in Israeli strikes on Thursday in the Bekaa and south Lebanon. The pro-Iranian party announced the death of one of its combatants identified as Ali Ahmad Alaeddine, who was killed in an Israeli raid that targeted his motorcycle in the town of Sohmor in West Bekaa, Other Israeli raids targeted the southern villages of Haddatha and Ramya, killing three people and injuring two others. Hezbollah declared early evening that it unleashed tens of missiles at an Israeli military barrack in upper Galilee, which it said was in retaliation to the Israeli attacks on the market town of Nabatieh and on Sohmor. Israeli army Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said the raid targeted a member of Hezbollah’s air unit in charge of launching drones against Israel. Earlier Thursday, an Israeli aircraft targeted and completely destroyed a home in Aitaroun. Additionally, the towns of Hula and Naqoura were bombed by Israel, with surrounding areas also being targeted with phosphorus shells. Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier at low altitude over Nabatieh and Iqlim al-Tuffah, causing loud detonations that reverberated across the area. For its part, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the Israeli naval position at Ras al-Naqoura. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that he had discussed the “security situation” on the Israeli-Lebanese border with American officials during his meetings in Washington. He added that he also reviewed developments in the clashes between Israel and Hezbollah with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Israel-Hezbollah border clashes: Latest developments
Naharnet/June 27/2024
Israeli warplanes raided Thursday the southern border town of Aitaroun, as fears mounted that months of cross-border fire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah could turn into a full-fledged conflict. Israel and Hezbollah have traded near-daily cross-border fire since the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack on Israel sparked the war in the Gaza Strip. Tensions have been rising in recent days with growing exchanges of fire. Some 481 people have died in Lebanon as a result of the Israel-Hezbollah clashes since October 7, including 94 civilians, according to an AFP tally.
On the Israeli side, at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed, according to Israel.

US, Russian embassies reactivate warnings against Lebanon travel
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/June 27, 2024
BEIRUT: Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati discussed “the situation in southern Lebanon and the region” in a phone call on Thursday with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. The talks took place as several embassies in Lebanon reissued warnings to their citizens to neither stay in nor travel to Lebanon amid ongoing threats to expand the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah. Schallenberg addressed “international efforts aimed at stopping the Israeli attacks on Lebanon,” according to Mikati’s media office. The Israeli military last week announced “plans for a broader attack in Lebanon.” Mikati chaired a crucial meeting on Thursday which focused on “ways to support displaced persons and residents in the villages located behind the area exposed to Israeli attacks and how to respond to any emergency if it occurs,” according to Mikati’s office. Interior, health, environment, and social affairs ministers, governors of the South and Nabatieh, the secretary-general of the Supreme Defense Council, the National Council for Scientific Research, and a representative from the Ministry of Education attended the talks. The US Embassy warned its citizens in a statement on social media “against traveling to Lebanon due to the dangerous security situation,” adding that “conditions may change dramatically and rapidly.”The Russian Embassy advised its citizens “to refrain from traveling to Lebanon until the situation in the southern part of the country calms down.”The statement “is an old version of last year and is still ongoing,” said Russian Ambassador Alexander Rudakov. “We advise our citizens not to come to Lebanon before the south settles down, and to the citizens there, we have left them the option of staying or leaving.” European countries have also warned their nationals against heading to Lebanon, while the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry has evacuated its citizens. Israeli Channel 12 quoted a source in the Israeli military as saying that Tel Aviv might be forced to take a highly offensive step in Lebanon. It said the army had begun training soldiers transferred north in preparation for “combat in a complex environment and populated areas.”
The Israeli source confirmed “a decision to transfer forces from the Gaza Strip to the north,” noting that “officials are aware that tensions in the north are escalating.”
The US had previously expressed concern “about the outbreak of a comprehensive war with Lebanon.”Despite diplomatic efforts, confrontations have intensified between Hezbollah and Israel after the assassination of a senior Hezbollah field commander, Taleb Abdullah, two weeks ago. Israeli warplanes struck Aitaroun at noon, destroying a house. No injuries were reported. The area — abandoned by its residents — is subjected to daily Israeli strikes. Another raid was carried out on the border town of Houla. An Israeli combat drone targeted and killed a motorcyclist on the road to Sohmor in western Beqaa.
Israeli aircraft flew at a low altitude over the Nabatieh and Iqlim Al-Tuffah regions, creating a loud sonic boom by breaking the sound barrier in two waves. An Israeli drone targeted a residential building in Nabatieh, injuring over 20 residents in the Mashaa neighborhood. Members of a displaced family from the border town of Taybeh were among the wounded. The raid, the first in the area in eight months, caused panic, shattering the doors and windows of nearby houses. Mohammed Mehdi, a local resident, told Arab News on Thursday that the neighborhood had been turned into a war zone after the raid, which damaged many houses, buildings, roads, and cars. Mehdi said the exploded missiles caused holes and cracks in the walls of houses and balconies in nearby neighborhoods. The emergency department at Sheikh Ragheb Harb Hospital in Toul treated about 22 people for moderate and minor injuries sustained during the raid. Most left the hospital, while two patients were kept in for follow-up checks, said the hospital’s public relations official, Raif Dia. Sirens sounded in Ras Al-Naqoura and towns in Western Galilee “after a suspected infiltration of a drone from Lebanon.” Israeli media later reported that “the drone launched from southern Lebanon fell without being intercepted in the area of the Shlomi settlement.”

Losing the North: Damage from Hezbollah slams employment, industry - interview
Eva Young/Jerusalem Post/June 27/2024
Polls have shown that some 40% of those evacuated are considering not returning to the North, said Bezek. Months of rocket and drone attacks and escalation in Israel's North could have a lasting impact on employment in the area, according to Inbar Bezek, former MK and current CEO of the Galilee Economic Company. The attacks, which have led to the evacuation of all residents living up to 3.5 km. from the border, could continue to drive and keep people away even after the war, Bezek said. A significant proportion of the area's residents are employed in four branches - all of which have been badly harmed by the conflict in the north: tourism, construction, agriculture, and traditional industry. Major challenges ahead. The largest of these is industry in which around 20% of the area's residents are employed, Bezek explained. Many of the factories in the north are partially or fully owned by foreigners, said Bezek, who explained that this means many may leave, taking jobs with them. "When the owners are not Israeli they start asking themselves: 'why do I need this headache?" she said, adding that factories are already exploring options to relocate. In the better case they will stay in Israel, but in the worse case, many may leave the country. These companies and factories are facing three big challenges: many of their workers are evacuated and not working, suppliers are having a hard time delivering raw materials to factories near the border, and many workers are not coming to work in areas where they do not feel safe, even if they have not been formally evacuated.  This problem is made worse by the government's treatment of the evacuation line as the compensation line, said Bezek. "The Defense Ministry decided to evacuate people up until 3.5 KM from the border, so the finance ministry said 'ok I will compensate whoever was evacuated, and for whoever was not evacuated, it is business as usual.'"
"It is a mistake to look at it this way," she said, offering for example the situation in which an employee lives 5KM from the border but is employed in an evacuated town where businesses are shuttered.
"As far as the state is concerned, you aren't eligible for anything, but your workplace is closed," said Bezek, explaining that these workers were offered unemployment benefits in the framework of unpaid leave, a solution offered to all Israelis during the war, with no special solution for residents of the north.
The opposite problem is also true, Bezek explained, saying that for companies who are not in evacuated areas, but employ many people who have been evacuated, it is difficult to keep their business running. These evacuees can not be fired, but the government has not yet paid the companies that employ them back for the wages that are still being paid to them, said Bezek.
This is not the only government funding that has been late in coming, said Bezek. Grants that were meant to help cover the months of January and February were dealt with in May, and grants for March and April were discussed in the Knesset in June, said Bezek.
"I hear heartbreaking stories," she said, mentioning a widowed mother with a small business who told her that the grants she gets go right into the minus in her bank account, and that her account has almost been closed a number of times.
Bezek's understanding is that this policy of late payments is determined by the Finance Minister who wants to avoid businesses who know the criteria "cheating" or "playing the system.""This is nonsense, because logically speaking, the criteria [for who is eligible] will not be changed each month," she said, adding that the government needs to give people the security and peace of mind that they will be taken care of when their employment or business is hurt by the war.
Businesses up until 9 km. away from the border were offered some financial help, but individuals outside of the evacuation zone were not, and many businesses just outside the 9 km. area are unable to function due to the war, said Bezek. A rafting business located on the Jordan River some 11 km. away from the border is not eligible, she mentioned as an example, but absolutely no one is going rafting that far north she explained.
It is critical not only to support employment in Israel's north, but to support hi-quality employment and high quality jobs in order to ensure that young people and stronger populations stay in the region, she said.
Due in part to the incredibly diverse climate in the area which enables research, the north has the potential to be a hub for food and agro tech, said Bezek, saying that much has been invested in this in the past eight years.
After October 7 over 90% of the 81 food and agro tech companies have left the area, she said. If these companies do not return or are not replaced by tech companies or others offering quality jobs the north will be cast 10 years back in terms of employment options and attractiveness to young people, she explained. Polls have shown that some 40% of those evacuated are considering not returning to the north, said Bezek who explained that those who do not return are likely to be those with the option to relocate, leaving the socioeconomically weaker populations in the north and exacerbating existing inequality.
The North and its wellbeing are central to Israel, Bezek said, "The fields of Metulla that separate the town's houses from Lebanon, the fields of Misgav Am that separate the border from the houses, they are the border."

Hundreds of residents from Israel's North plead not be be evacuated from Jerusalem hotel
Jerusalem Post/June 27/2024
"This coming Sunday, we are all supposed to leave the Yehuda Hotel, and we have nowhere to go," Nassimi explained.
15 families, totaling over 200 people, from different communities in Israel's North, have been told that they must vacate the rooms they have been staying in at the Yehuda Hotel in Jerusalem by July 1, the FIRM Organization said on Wednesday, calling on the government for assistance. The families staying at the hotel have been there since the start of the Israel-Hamas war and were told that they should return to the settlements they came from, located near Lebanon's border. The communities that the families are from include Avdon, Manot, Elkosh, and the Ma'ale Yosef Regional Council. FIRM is a non-profit organization based in Jerusalem with a mission to assist Israel. The organization operates in the spirit of God's love and aims to connect Christian champions of Israel worldwide to come here, help, and contribute to the people of Israel," the organization said.  According to FIRM, the Israeli government is obligated to fund their stay but has avoided responsibility in doing so for months by claiming that the settlement Avdon is 3.7 km from the border, not 3.5 as required by the government’s 975 decision to allow for funding. However, surveyors appointed by the Defense Ministry determined that the settlement is indeed 3.5 km from the Lebanese border, as the residents claim.  The evacuees, represented by attorney Dkia Nassimi, petitioned the High Court of Justice regarding the matter back in February when the government refused to fund their stay. Yet, no ruling has been made regarding the matter. "This coming Sunday, we are all supposed to leave the Yehuda Hotel, and we have nowhere to go," Nassimi explained.  "Avdon is an abandoned settlement next to the Lebanese border. It’s an army camp. We have no reinforced rooms in our homes, and there is constant fire from drones and mortars. We will be canon fodder and sitting ducks there, and our biggest fear is being kidnapped," she continued. "I am pleading on behalf of the residents, some of whom are elderly, disabled, and have many traumatized children. The government must provide us with a solution and allow us to continue staying here at the hotel. I am a single mother to a disabled infant. Where will I go?" Nassimi asked. Who has been funding the evacuees? Instead of government funding, since the start of the war, the FIRM organization has funded the evacuees' stay at the Yehuda Hotel. Donations were raised from hundreds of Christian communities in 80 countries worldwide, especially from the USA and Canada. "When someone you love needs help, you immediately step up to help them," explained Michael Mistretta, head of the delegation and CEO of the FIRM organization. "We are part of thousands of Christians who love Israel and provide support, especially during wartime, saying to the people of Israel, 'We are with you and beside you.'"

Gallant's US meetings expose Netanyahu's fraught relationship with own cabinet
Hannah Sarisohn/Jerusalem Post/June 27/2024
Gallant has publicly aired subtle complaints towards Netanyahu for releasing a video last week accusing the Biden administration of withholding support from Israel.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant addressed reporters on Tuesday evening after a whirlwind of meetings across Washington, further revealing a fundamental rift between himself and Benjamin Netanyahu over the prime minister’s public airing of grievances regarding a shipment of weapons the Biden administration paused due to concerns over the IDF’s operation in Rafah. Over the course of three days, Gallant met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, CIA Director Bill Burns, Special Advisors Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein and Congress members from across the aisle. Discussions ranged from Lebanon to Gaza, Iran, the hostages, and the transition to the next phase in Gaza and its impact on the region. Gallant refused to discuss the specifics of his conversations regarding the withheld weapons shipment or Netanyahu’s claims that other arms and munitions have been withheld. “Our relationship, the atmosphere, and the frank way in which we speak, are very important,” Gallant said of his meetings with the Biden administration. “Any obstacles that exist are discussed in closed rooms. I think that this is the way to work between friends and allies.” Gallant said he believes that significant progress was made in his meetings this week. “Obstacles were removed, and bottlenecks were addressed, in order to advance a variety of issues and more specifically the topic of force build-up and supply of munition,” he said. Since speaking with reporters on Tuesday night, Gallant has since publicly aired subtle complaints towards Netanyahu for releasing a video last week accusing the Biden administration of withholding support from Israel. “Our ties with the United States are the second most important element for Israel’s security, after the IDF,” he said. “We need American diplomatic and political support, power projection, supply of munition, and more.”
Hamas and Gaza
Of the war effort in Gaza, Gallant said Hamas as a military formation has mostly been dismantled with the IDF now fighting pockets of resistance. Troops have destroyed tunnels 40 and 50 meters deep, he said, adding that hundreds of kilometers of tunnels with main junctions are destroyed. “Hamas is a shell with no muscles. It’s time for them to give us the hostages and to create a new life for us and the population,” the defense minister said. The IDF is also operating to block supply chains to Hamas. Gallant outlined his goals for the next phases of the operation in Gaza, with the first being the return of the hostages. “We are committed to bringing all the hostages home – with no exception,” Gallant said. In another clear distinction from Netanyahu, Gallant said the State of Israel and the defense establishment are committed to and firmly backing Biden’s deal. Biden has taken to calling the proposal Netanyahu’s deal, revealing another jab Gallant has taken at Netanyahu. “Hamas must accept it or bear the consequences,” Gallant said. “We stand together with the rest of the world on this issue.”The following phase is to destroy Hamas as a military framework and ensure they no longer pose a threat to Israel. Phase “C” will enable a governing alternative in Gaza “by local Palestinians. It cannot be Israel and cannot be Hamas,” he said. Gallant said he’s personally been in touch with senior UN officials regarding the present issues of Gaza aid distribution due to security challenges with aid workers who are at risk due to looting and gang activity. According to Gallant, bringing aid into Gaza was accelerated after his first visit to the US in February. Gallant said he discussed “day-after” planning with Blinken and other senior officials. Following phase “D,” residents of Northern Israel will return to their communities. The final phase is deterring Iran and its proxies.
Iran and Lebanon
Gallant described Iran as the head of the octopus with tentacles in Hezbollah, the Houthis, Syrian, Iraqi militias, and others. “Now is the time to stop Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon,” he said. “Time is running out.”Israel has eliminated over 400 Hezbollah terrorists over the past months, Gallant said, and understands very well that the IDF can inflict massive damage in Lebanon if a war is launched. Israel will not accept Hezbollah troops and military formations on the Northern border with Israel, he said. “We do not want war, but Hezbollah is playing a dangerous game and we will not tolerate attacks on our citizens, and tens of thousands of Israelis displaced from their homes,” Gallant said. “The goal is to bring our citizens back home safely. We prefer to do it via understandings, but we are preparing for every possible scenario.”

US, Russia Issue Travel Advisories to Lebanon
Asharq Al Awsat/June 27, 2024
The US embassy in Beirut issued a travel advisory on Thursday urging “US citizens to strongly reconsider travel to Lebanon”, citing a “complex security environment”. “We remind US citizens to strongly reconsider travel to Lebanon. The security environment remains complex and can change quickly”, the embassy said on its website. Russia’s embassy in Beirut has also called on its citizens to refrain from traveling to Lebanon until the situation settles down in the southern part of the country. Earlier, several Arab and Western countries issued travel advisories calling on their citizens to refrain from traveling to the Mediterranean country. Israel and Hezbollah have traded near-daily cross-border fire since the Hamas October 7 attack on Israel sparked the war in the Gaza Strip. Tensions have been rising in recent days with growing exchanges of fire.

Don’t Leave Lebanon Out of The Post-Gaza Negotiations!
Huda al-Husseini/Asharq Al Awsat/June 27, 2024
Journalists traveling with US Presidential Envoy Amos Hochstein have reported that he did not want to come to Beirut during his recent trip to the region. He felt certain that nothing new would come of the visit, but senior White House and State Department advisers told him that he should make a brief stop to Lebanon nonetheless. They did not argue that he could make any progress on bringing the clashes in southern Lebanon to an end. Rather, they maintained that it was important to keep lines of communication open, contain the conflict within its current parameters until the Gaza war ends, and sit at the negotiating table to redraw the region and conclude an agreement among influential states on how to distribute influence. A Lebanese friend of the US Envoy has said that the latter is convinced Lebanon will inevitably be left out of these negotiations, which will inevitably be held sooner or later and could see influential countries decide the country's fate and future on behalf of its people, because Hezbollah is linking the clashes with Israel to the war in Gaza and disrupting the presidential elections, along with other political process.
During his recent visit to Lebanon, Hochstein made Hezbollah an offer through Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri. He suggested that the party act as a mediator in talks with Hamas and push the Palestinian group to accept US President Joe Biden's ceasefire proposal; in return, the United States would pressure the Israeli military to avoid escalation in Lebanon. Berri rejected the offer, despite the fact that it would mean the US implicitly recognizing Hezbollah. Berri is very well aware that this decision ultimately lies with Iran, and that Tehran would necessarily be involved in any mediation efforts with Hamas.
Berri told Hochstein that if there is anyone the United States should pressure, it is Israel, which should be compelled to end its operations, and that in this event, there would be no need for mediation with Hamas. In turn, Hochstein replied that this was the response he had expected and that he regrets the escalation to come, which will not be in Lebanon's interest.
As soon as the US envoy's plane took off from Beirut Airport, Israeli drones bombed the outskirts of Tyre, Aita al-Shaab, and Deir Mimas, leaving several casualties and injuries and burning agricultural land. Citizens in the South cried out for help to extinguish fires that broke out in olive groves that had been planted centuries ago. Hezbollah retaliated to Israel’s brutality by leaking a video, allegedly taken by its Hudhud drone, depicting the port of Haifa and other areas identified as critical military centers, which media outlets tied to the party claimed are highly sensitive targets.
In the eulogy that Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah gave during a recent speech for a senior Hezbollah commander (Abu Talib), who had been assassinated by Israel along with his entourage in the southern town of Jwaya, he claimed that “the footage captured by the Hudhud depicts targets with party's range." He also threatened Cyprus, stressing that it would face dire consequences if it facilitated any hostile Israeli action against Lebanon.
Cyprus and the European Union condemned his threat, aggravating Lebanon's isolation on the global stage as it is undergoing the most severe economic and financial crisis in its history. This is a time for openness and cooperation with the world, not seclusion, but Nasrallah, with this outburst, has taken another step toward pariah status.It is no longer a secret that Lebanon has become an Iranian playground. The latter can do what it likes, exploiting its free reign to score points against the United States. It is fine if the Lebanese pay the price with their lives, land, and money, or if this small country is isolated from the international community; what matters is Iran's interests.But what if a war breaks out? Of course, the losses would be catastrophic, especially since the country is already in a perilous situation financially. Indeed, a recent report published by the Policy Initiative, a research center based in Beirut, warned that, although its economy's GDP has shrunk to $16 billion, a war would cost Lebanon about $7.7 billion annually. Hezbollah’s escalation is pushing Lebanon to the brink of what could be a broader conflict that would have devastating consequences for Lebanon and the entire region. Israel knows that it has a duty to defend its people, but the question remains: who would defend the people of Lebanon?
As for Hochstein and his efforts, the Israeli press has reported that he seems "more worried" about the prospect that the daily exchanges could lead to a full-fledged war that would lead to enormous destruction on both sides of the border. Speaking in Beirut, he said, “The conflict... between Israel and Hezbollah has gone on for long enough,” adding that “it’s in everyone’s interest to resolve it quickly and diplomatically- that is both achievable and urgent.”
Thus, intensive diplomatic efforts could apply enough pressure on Hezbollah to agree to a ceasefire, especially if the fighting in Gaza ends. However, South Lebanon will only know peace when Hezbollah and its Iranian backers are out of the country.

An Eco-Confessional Labyrinth
Nicolas Sbeih/This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
“They are everywhere, they buy everything, they show up with wads of cash in Ashrafieh and Metn, in Batroun, where they acquire luxury items, apartments, land and stores.” An invasion so extensive that some mayors have established administrative barriers. “They” are the Shia, and the above statements reflect popular convictions, lacking verified statistics, the “word on the street.” So, what is happening in this taboo sphere of sectarian communalism with economic undertones? The pattern can be woven with some realities to create the national economic fabric.
1- It is undeniable, first, that supporters of Nabih Berri and Hassan Nasrallah, among others, have benefited and continue to benefit from lucrative illegal activities, currency exchange operations and subsidies from Hassan Diab and Raoul Nehme. “Smuggling to Syria is an act of resistance,” said Naim Qassem.
Hence the popular saying that “everything is cheaper in Dahyeh,” because everything is illegal. Hence also the wads of cash that accumulate there and reappear in the market arenas throughout the country. And all this without paying taxes, as in any black economy.
2- However, this flashy visual is somewhat reductive. If you are not connected, dear Shia compatriot, to one of your jurassic leaders, you are likely to beg for a poorly paid job here or there, preferably outside the public sector (as in the past) because it is no longer profitable. Or you might go join your cousin in Africa. Or serve as cannon fodder just because you live in Aita al-Shaab, hoping that your family will inherit a subsidy once you succumb to the madness of an endless war. Otherwise, your livelihood of olive groves will evaporate with all things phosphorus. That’s because Hezbollah, seeing that its population was not miserable enough, decided to add another layer of misery. The economic disparity was already evident, between the center (Beirut and Mount Lebanon), which accounts for two-thirds of the country’s wealth, and the peripheral areas. But again, the local militias are to blame. No one dares to invest significantly in regions that are lawless and where a percentage of the income seems to be expected by the local zaim. The worst part is that, apart from your financial destitution, you have caught the bad reputation which has closed the doors of the Gulf and other countries to you, in addition to some of your compatriots, “as a precaution.” In short, you are a suspect until proven otherwise. So much so that one tends to address a respectable bourgeois with, “Oh, you are Shia?! It doesn’t show.”
3- But to return to the wealthy Shia, where do their easily acquired dollars end up? It is known that the most expensive real estate, apart from Beirut, is in Christian areas. And most legal economic sectors are dominated by Christians and Sunnis.
This is a proven fact that goes back a long way. Christians received advanced education and international exposure earlier than others, thanks to missionary schools, USJ and the French mandate. They have had exclusive commercial representation for decades, covering several countries in the region.
The Sunnis caught up later in many fields, mainly due to their urbanization, AUB and cultural and religious proximity to the Gulf countries.
The Shia came late to the competition for wealth sources and found only Africa to make a fortune… before some began tapping into local mafia sources thanks to militia dominance.
4- Once this scheme is outlined, let’s see… schematically how the money circulates. A nouveau riche Shia will acquire real estate, a car, jewelry, luxury items and consumer products. And there is a high chance that the money spent will end up in the hands of the Christian or Sunni agent, which is normal: a small country like Lebanon cannot erect borders between communities. The moral of the story? What a sad era that makes such an eco-confessional dimension so devastating. And what a rotten time that, by ricochet, leads us to discuss the religion of a buyer and a seller.

Beirut’s Downtown Under Siege: Why Are the Concrete Barriers Still There?
Joanne Naoum/This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
Walking through Beirut’s downtown ghost town feels surreal. Sieged from every angle, what was once a vibrant city, now resembles a prison.
Yet, Downtown Beirut is reviving. New boutiques, cafes, and hotels are emerging, defying all odds, particularly in the shadow of an all-out war looming between Hezbollah and Israel. Some say this is what Lebanon is about. This resilience is seen as quintessentially Lebanese.
Since 2006, downtown Beirut has endured numerous security events: Hezbollah’s and allies’ everlasting sit-ins in 2006, the 2019 anti-government protests, the worst economic collapse since the 19th century, the coronavirus pandemic, and the devastating 2020 Beirut port explosion. At the event of the 2019 protests, massive concrete barricades were erected around parliament and Nejmeh square blocking all access. However, 5 years later, why are the concrete barriers still there?
Sources at the Internal Security Forces (ISF) told This is Beirut that the matter is within the legislative’s authority and the decision needs to be made from the person who ordered to put the roadblocks in the first place. “We have no information that these barriers will be lift up”, the sources added.
Contacted by This is Beirut, sources at Parliament said that the matter does not fall in their jurisdiction but rather the State’s security, and that they have no knowledge of any intention of these barriers being lift anytime soon. “The matter is political” the source added. To that effect, a security source told This is Beirut that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Internal Security Forces, but it is certain that the barriers should not be permanent. “They can be placed temporarily if necessary for important security reasons,” the source added. The security source explains that when these barriers were placed, it was for the purpose of maintaining security and order, and the operation was carried out by the Internal Security Forces, with permission from local authorities, either the governor or at the direction of the Minister of Interior. In response to a question about whether there is any information on the removal of the barriers, the security source says that if shop owners submit a request, it will be taken into consideration and the barriers will definitely be removed.
Previous tenants
“It’s as if they want the heart of Beirut to stop beating”, a previous tenant in Downtown Beirut told TIB. He described the state of the entrapped buildings as “decayed” and “sad to the eye.” “Even if we want to rent offices, we can’t. We cannot expect clients to make impossible turns to get to their meeting; it is a hassle for them in winter and in summer alike”. He emphasized the government’s actions as “absurd”, stating that the buildings, shops, restaurants and offices are abandoned. The tenant lamented the fact that these barriers are put in place for “so-called security for parliament.” “Why don’t they move the Parliament building or move their sessions elsewhere and open all roads?”, the tenant asked.
A mystery?
For his part, Change MP Waddah Sadek told This is Beirut that the area around the Parliament was closed because of the ongoing events in the vicinity. “Despite the election of a new Parliament and the lack of current movement (riots) on the ground, I don’t think this is the real reason for these barriers”. Sadek explained that upon his election, he submitted a lawsuit to that effect. As a response, the Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri obliged but only partially. Thus, a part of the wall (which citizens called wall of shame) was broken. “The fact remains that the area is still closed and people cannot circulate as they please”, Sadek assured.
“I believe it’s a deliberate attempt to stifle the life at the capital. We suggested many solutions along with shop owners and business people in Beirut,” Sadek said, adding: “These people do not want the country to thrive; this is how they want it to be.”
He recalled that, once, the area was very vibrant, but since the closure of the capital, many have lost their livelihoods and their jobs. “Every time they promise to open it fully, they go back on their word. We are trying to push, but obviously, they don’t hear what the people want, so it remains a mystery that we are unable to solve,” he concluded.
Biggest retail companies are back
Since 2006, the city’s central area has turned into a deserted zone due to prolonged political instability and security measures. The protests during that time have cost the Lebanese economy approximately $70 million per day, totaling $560 million. Businesses in Beirut were severely affected, with many closing their doors to this day. The tourism sector also suffered. However, 144 brands will return to the Souks of Beirut by November 2024. “Mouftah el Chark” boutique is opening a branch in Beirut Souks (Beirut Souks, a major commercial district in Beirut Central District next to Parliament). Asked about what encouraged them to open amidst all crises and the siege in the capital, the operator manager Zeina Nassif told This is Beirut that one of the biggest retail companies is opening its doors which stimulated them to do the same. “On the new year, Beirut Souks will go back to what it was before,” she said joyously.

Unveiling of Lebanon’s Mental Health Strategy 2024-2030
Alissar Boulos/This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
The National Mental Health Program (NMHP), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Lebanon and with support from the French Development Agency (AFD), officially launched Lebanon’s National Mental Health Strategy for 2024-2030 on Thursday. The event was held at ESA Business School in Beirut.
The first national mental health strategy in Lebanon was launched in 2015, however, since then, the Lebanese people have experienced a series of increasingly difficult events. Dr. Rabih Chammay, head of NMHP in Lebanon, delivered a detailed overview of the strategy and its key pillars currently in execution.
The strategy was developed with the aim of leveraging past achievements, addressing the initial strategy’s shortcomings, and prioritizing future actions where they are most critical. However, it faces two challenges for optimal implementation. The first is financial, particularly in terms of continuity, and the second is practical, since Parliament is expected to enact the law concerning the national mental health policy.
In any event, the experiences gained from responding to emergencies such as the Syrian migrant crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Beirut Port double explosion provide valuable lessons to enhance preparedness for future emergencies, supporting mental health and psychosocial well-being.
Both are essential, given that mental health costs Lebanon $528 million annually.
Areas of Action and Objectives
The 2024-2030 program is organized into four key areas of action.
The first area focuses on strengthening leadership and governance, aiming to establish effective mechanisms and tools aligned with mental health bill. This is a crucial element of the envisaged strategy, contingent on parliamentary support and long-term funding.
The French Development Agency funds €6.4 million for patient care in secondary health facilities and reinforces community-level awareness and prevention endeavors in Lebanon. However, this amount appears inadequate to fully cover, for the moment, the implementation costs of the strategy. According to the WHO office interviewed by This is Beirut, “While Lebanon has made progress in updating the mental health law, it has not yet been officially adopted, and securing sufficient and sustainable funding for the law implementation and the national mental health strategy remains a challenge.”
Interviewed by This is Beirut, Dr. Chammay confirms this sentiment. While the French Development Agency funding supports specific projects, it falls short of covering the entire strategy. “We need additional financing over longer, predictable periods to plan and implement the measures outlined in the strategy. We are not the sole performer but rather the conductor,” he clarifies. According to French Development Agency’s Director, Catherine Bonnaud, interviewed by This is Beirut, the agency typically operates by providing loans. However, given the situation in Lebanon, the French State has requested it to subsidize the project instead.
“Since AFD has initiated this program, demand has been steadily increasing. This trend is not solely attributed to the current situation but also because we are successfully conveying to people that seeking treatment is not a stigma,” explains Bonnaud.
Nonetheless, AFD’s allocated funding will first be directed to areas with pressing needs. This includes, in particular, enhancing local mental health services to improve their availability and accessibility in community settings, especially within public hospitals, aiming to reduce reliance on institutional care. This constitutes the program’s second key focus area. According to Catherine Bonnaud, AFD’s decision to allocate funding to Beirut, Tripoli and the Beqaa region, was based on existing requests from institutions already established in these areas.In an interview with This is Beirut, Director of Nursing at Tripoli Governmental Hospital, Roula Hajj, pointed out that the primary challenge is the unaffordability of healthcare access. She noted that at Tripoli Hospital, these services are supported by associations funded by international organizations, ensuring continuous coverage of costs.
The third area of action focuses on promotion and prevention. Its goal is to increase protective factors and promote mental health at individual, social, and structural levels, while also mitigating the impact of risk factors. One key objective is to foster changes in behavior and attitudes through national awareness campaigns.
For instance, Tripoli Governmental Hospital organizes community-level awareness and prevention training sessions. “We’ve noticed that these training sessions have a positive impact on the community,” emphasizes Roula Hajj. She notes that the number of cases has increased due to the economic challenges. “When individuals seek treatment, we aim to provide an average of ten therapy sessions, despite our psychotherapists being currently overwhelmed,” she explains. The final area of action focuses on information and research. It aims to increase the availability of evidence-based knowledge in order to facilitate the implementation of mental health policies. Another objective is to enhance program planning and transparency by regularly publishing progress reports based on available data. The WHO office in Lebanon underscores that “one of the major challenges in Lebanon is the scarcity of mental health data, which impedes a comprehensive understanding of the scope of related issues, optimal trend tracking, and assessment of intervention effectiveness.”
Substantial Costs
In terms of figures, mental health conditions impose a significant economic burden of $528 million annually on the Lebanese economy, which amounts to 1% of GDP (2019 figures). This amount could be even higher due to the persistent economic crisis in the country since 2019. According to a study presented at the launch, the burden of mental illnesses can be likened to an iceberg, where the visible tip represents the direct costs—specifically, the amount allocated by the government to mental health care.
In Lebanon, there is no official budget specifically designated for mental health, yet the estimated costs amount to $13 million. In 2015, the expenditures of the Ministry of Health on these pathologies constituted 5% of its total costs. The lower part of the iceberg represents indirect costs, such as productivity losses from absenteeism, loss of productivity, and premature deaths. These hidden costs account for the majority of expenses, primarily attributed to absenteeism. With growing treatment access within the population, there would be a notable increase in the number of healthy life years gained between 2022 and 2042, based on this strategy. For further information regarding the National Mental Health Strategy in Lebanon (2024-2030) and to explore available services and resources, please visit le site officiel du ministère de la Santé.

Stuck Between Israel and the Political Party Poopers
Salam Zaatari/This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
Lebanon finds itself amidst an unwelcome war, a “resigned” government vacancy, and a leadership void with no imminent presidential election in sight. Speaker Nabih Berry, the second chairman, has effectively taken control of Parliament, obstructing presidential elections. Berry acts as a de facto president, engaging in negotiations with Amos Hochstein, an Israeli American businessman and former lobbyist – currently the senior advisor of United States President Joe Biden. Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah assumes the role of “Murshid” (guide) of the state, disregarding the views and governance rights of other political parties and Lebanese citizens. If this isn’t a clear case of government usurpation, then what is?
Hezbollah’s threat to retaliate against Cyprus if it helps Israel attack Lebanon has caught the Cypriot government by surprise. This threat came after The Israel Air Force (IAF) reportedly conducted a drill on many occasions, simulating the scenario of an Iranian attack or the invasion of Lebanon. These drills were held in cooperation with Cyprus and the US forces, and some of them were made on British Military bases in Cyprus. Britain has two “Sovereign Base Areas” situated on th island of Cyprus – Akrotiri in the west and Dhekelia in the east – which are large, highly secretive military and intelligence facilities comprising 2.5 percent of the island’s land area. In 2022, the Israel Defense Forces conducted a major military exercise in Cyprus, simulating a military ground offensive deep inside Lebanon in a potential war against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. After Nasrallah’s threat, the British newspaper The Telegraph published an article that cited anonymous “whistleblowers” working at the airport, saying that Hezbollah had stored a large cache of Iranian weapons at said airport. Everyone knows that the Beirut International Airport is under Hezbollah’s influence. And yes, they might be using this pathway to smuggle weapons, but they are not naive enough to store missiles underneath the airport. The article’s basis is weak, and sure enough, it looked like it was a response to Nasrallah’s threat to Cyprus. The primary objective was to lay the groundwork for a possible bombing of the airport, tarnish its reputation, and sow fear among tourists and summer vacationers. The article appeared to be a piece in the ongoing psychological warfare between Israel and Hezbollah.
However, it also prompts numerous questions about the Beirut port explosion on August 4th, including Hezbollah’s opposition to investigations and lack of effort in uncovering the truth. They have dismissed significant evidence and refrained from accusing Israel of potential involvement even once.
In the following days, the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad, sparked controversy with a statement where he criticized some Lebanese people for wanting to relax and live their lives, refusing war.
In a video that was circulated on social media, Raad said, “Some of the rumors that have been circulating during these past two weeks about withdrawing ambassadors, threats of preparations for an attack on Beirut airport… Unfortunately, some deviants among the Lebanese want to relax, go to amusement parks and beaches, and want to live their lives. This selfish individualism that destroys the interests of nations and societies is behind these waves and doses of lies, fabrications and rumors that fill social media.” I bet he never saw the video of Southerners at the beach in Tyre flipping the finger to Israel. Lebanese from all sects are inherently resilient; resistance runs deep in their veins, and they live life with passion.
What does Raad expect from us? After enduring four tumultuous years, they now unveil plans for war and tell us to “deal with it.” Are we not allowed to live peacefully, build a future for our children, and enjoy time with our families? Must we confine our children at home and tell them to wait through the summer? “Sorry kids, no more malls, no more fun; you must wait.” Wait for what? We’ve waited decades for a normal state and a normal life, yet you continually disrupt it under the guise of defending Lebanon. But what Lebanon are you defending? Why are we excluded from shaping its future? Why do you consistently thwart our aspirations?
It appears that Israel and your actions share the goal of Lebanon’s destruction. This discourse has brought out our worst, causing us to betray our emotions and logic. Why can’t we defend our country on our terms? Why can’t we express support for Palestinians in our own way, especially when Lebanon has paid such a high price for that cause? Yet, it’s never enough; they also seek to dictate how we do so. If we express a different opinion, we’re branded as “Zionists.”Did you notice the shift from being a beloved resistance group with a just cause to slowly assuming power and acting like tyrants?
Certainly, Hezbollah’s status as an armed political entity poses a significant challenge to the country’s future, as does the approach of the current opposition. Between Hezbollah and co. and the weak opposition, normal Lebanese citizens are doomed. Yet again we find ourselves “waiting” for the region’s major developments, especially following the US presidential elections and negotiations regarding the Russia-Ukraine war. Until then, keep praying and enjoy life!

Eco-Friendly innovation: Lebanese University students win prestigious architecture contest in Finland - Insights shared with LBCI English
Karine Keuchkerian/LBCI/June 27, 2024
In a recent win to Lebanon, Lebanese University students won the Student Prize for their eco-friendly project during the 19th edition of the Architecture Student Contest, where more than 224 universities from 29 countries participated.  The Lebanon project, titled "Eco-Habitat: Greenhouse Dorms and Urban Microclimate," stood out among other winning projects from Portugal, Poland, South Korea, and Malaysia. The 2024 competition, which is organized by Saint-Gobain in collaboration with the University and City of Helsinki, Finland, asked competing students to deliver building ideas and solutions for four different zones in a plot located in Viikki, a northeastern district of Helsinki.  In the details, students Reem Lichaa Khoury, Ralph Sayah, and Mohamad Ali Faour, along with assistant professor Salim Abou Rizk, created a concept combining Helsinki's farmhouse heritage with contemporary urban elements, including traditional shapes and a central greenhouse courtyard for passive solar heating.  Their project aims to construct a cozy microclimate for citizens as a self-sustaining city model, with residential blocks, aquaponics, gardens, and waste management, and to form a closed-loop system, which includes luxuries such as a library and birdwatch tower. Speaking with LBCI English, one of the winning students, Mohamad Ali Faour, confirmed that in each country, a national stage is held, where a project gets selected.
Then one project from each country competes on the international stage.
He stated that the competition's main goal is to strive for sustainability.
This year, the project took place in Helsinki, Finland. The task was to create an academic residency, with the main goal of each project focusing on long-term eco-friendliness, self-sufficiency, and sustainability. "We worked on the project from January through April, winning the national stage, and then continued our efforts until May," he affirmed. Faour stated that there are three prize categories. The jury, consisting of architects from various countries and universities, selects the first, second, and third-prize winners. "Then, all participating students vote to select a winning project. Following that, the participating doctors also vote for a winning project. We won the Student Prize and were the students' choice," he expressed. Talking with LBCI English, he provided details about the project, stating that since they were working in a cold climate, "We worked on something called 'greenhouse architecture,' where people can live."
"We developed a system consisting of units, each designed as a greenhouse with a glass structure. Half an hour of sunlight is enough to warm up the greenhouse and create a microclimate, that can be 30 to 40 degrees warmer than outside. Inside this greenhouse, we created residential units, where people can live," he revealed.  He indicated that the project's main goal was to eliminate the need for heating, which is both costly and causes high carbon emissions in cold climates.  Furthermore, the three students focused on using eco-friendly materials, sourcing them locally, and conducting a "Life Cycle Assessment" to study the project's carbon emissions. Their project emitted 65 percent less carbon than concrete constructions because they used wood. As a result, "We won," concluded Faour.

Hamieh Announces Sale of Metal Scrap From Beirut Port
This Is Beirut/June 27/2024
Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamieh announced Thursday during a press conference at the Beirut port the beginning of the clearing and sale of metal and scrap waste resulting from the explosion of August 4, 2020. He explained that a call for tenders had been launched for this purpose and that the sale would generate additional revenue for the Treasury and clear an area of more than 150,000 square meters of portland. “This will open the door to investments,” he added, before revealing that public auctions will also be organized soon to sell the used cars (about 1,100) piled up within the port premises, which will clear additional space. He indicated that a specification document has been prepared to examine the soil of all the docks and to survey the portland to report encroachments on land belonging to the port.

Three Lebanese University students discover security gaps in major corporations
LBCI/June 27/2024
Three students from the Lebanese University uncovered security vulnerabilities in several major global companies such as Yahoo, TeamViewer, and Société Générale Bank, the university reported on its website. The students are Hasan Sheet, a second-year Business Administration student; Oussama Barbar, a fourth-year Telecommunications Engineering student; and Ahmad Zein el-Dine, a Civil Engineering graduate. HackerOne, the platform the students use to report security vulnerabilities, rewarded them with a monetary prize and listed them on its honor roll at both the local and global levels. Moreover, Hasan Sheet ranked first in Lebanon and thirty-ninth globally, the Lebanese University added.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 27-28/2024
UN Security Council demands Iran-backed Yemen rebels halt their attacks on ships in Mideast waters
Edith M. Lederer/UNITED NATIONS (AP)/June 27, 2024
The U.N. Security Council on Thursday approved a resolution demanding Yemen’s Houthi rebels halt all attacks on ships and urged that the disruption to maritime security in a critical Middle East waterway be urgently addressed. The resolution made no mention that the Iran-backed rebels claim they are staging the attacks because of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The resolution, which also extended the requirement that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres report monthly on the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, was approved by a 12-0 vote, with Russia, China and Algeria abstaining. Shipping has reduced drastically through the route crucial to Asian, Middle East and European markets in a campaign the Houthis say will continue as long as the war rages in the Gaza Strip. The resolution condemns the Houthis’ continuing attacks, which the rebels say are aimed at ending the war in Gaza, now in its ninth month — emphasizing the need to address root causes, “including the conflicts contributing to regional tensions and the disruption to maritime security."Sparked by Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct. 7 in which the militants stormed into southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage, the war has so far killed over 37,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.The Houthis have targeted more than 60 vessels in the waterway, firing missiles and drones. Four sailors have been killed, one vessel was seized and two others have been sunk in Rebel attacks since November. The Houthis maintain they target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the vessels attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war — including some bound for Iran. In response, a U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, including a series of strikes on May 30 that killed at least 16 people and wounded 42, according to the rebels. Yemen has been engulfed in civil war since 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen and forced he internationally recognized government to flee from the capital, Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in support of government forces, and in time the conflict turned into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Though fighting has decreased considerably since a six-month truce in 2022, the war has devastated the Arab region’s poorest country and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
Thursday's resolution, which was a follow-up resolution to one adopted Jan. 10 that condemned and demanded an immediate halt to Houthi attacks, “urges caution and restraint to avoid further escalation of the situation in the Red Sea and the broader region.” Speaking on behalf of the United States and Japan, which sponsored the resolution, U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood said after Thursday's vote that the Houthi attacks “threaten international peace and security” and that they are “a global challenge” that "necessitates a global solution." "With this resolution the council once again sends a clear message to the Houthis: Cease these attacks immediately,” he said. He stressed the need to deprive the Houthis of weapons, noting that the resolution reiterates all countries are required to implement a 2015 U.N. arms embargo on Houthis and others undermining Yemen’s stability. Russia’s deputy ambassador Anna Evstigneeva said Moscow supports the safety of navigation in the Red Sea and other waters adjacent to Yemen, but she accused the “so-called U.S. coalition” of using the January resolution to justify its attacks on the Houthis. “We urge all participants in the coalition to immediately halt illegal attacks and to transition to political and diplomatic means to reduce tensions in the waters adjacent to Yemen,” Evstigneeva said. China’s deputy U.N. ambassador Geng Shuang said Beijing has repeatedly called on the Houthis to end their attacks on commercial ships but abstained as it did in January because some key elements in the resolution “could have negative consequences and lead to further escalation of regional tensions.” He pointed to actions by “certain countries” against Yemen that have not only killed civilians and damaged infrastructure, “but also heightened security risks in the Red Sea waters.” An immediate and lasting cease-fire in Gaza “will help cool down the situation in Yemen and the Red Sea,” Geng said.
Edith M. Lederer, The Associated Press

Canada sanctions seven Israelis, five entities over West Bank violence
Reuters/June 27, 2024
OTTAWA/Canada on Thursday imposed sanctions on seven Israeli settlers it said had taken part in extremist violence in the West Bank, the second time in just over a month Ottawa has taken such a step. The foreign ministry said it had also imposed punitive measures on five entities, including settler organizations. "We remain deeply concerned by extremist settler violence in the West Bank and condemn such acts, not only for the significant impact they have on Palestinian lives, but also for the corrosive impact they have on prospects for lasting peace," Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement. Violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank was already at a more than 15-year high in 2023 and surged further after Israel's war in the separate enclave of Gaza in response to the Palestinian militant group Hamas' attack on Oct. 7. Those Canada targeted include Ben-Zion Gopstein, founder and leader of the right-wing group Lehava, which opposes Jewish assimilation with non-Jews. Also listed are Elisha Yered, who has justified killing Palestinians on religious grounds, and Shalom Zicherman, who the U.S. State Department this year said had assaulted Israeli activists and their vehicles in the West Bank. Canada's sanctions follow similar measures by allies including the United States and Britain. The measures prohibit dealings related to the individuals and render them inadmissible to Canada, the foreign ministry said. Ottawa imposed sanctions on four settlers last month.

Gazans struggle to feed their children under Israeli campaign
REUTERS/June 27, 2024
KHAN YOUNIS: Famine approaches slowly for Gazans, who spend hours in queues for a few ladles of cooked food and the chance to fill plastic containers with drinkable water after nearly nine months of Israel’s military campaign in the enclave. Sometimes, there is nothing to queue for in the shattered streets and crowded schools that have been turned into shelters for the vast majority of Palestinians displaced by bombardment. In a UN-run school in Khan Younis that has been turned into a shelter for displaced people, Umm Feisal Abu Nqera sat on the floor between mattresses, preparing a small meal for herself and her six children. She cut tomatoes into a bowl, stirred a small pan of beans, and crushed ingredients in a mortar and pestle. Her young daughters lay nearby, playing listlessly. Her husband fed a baby liquefied lentils from a bottle. “If the charity kitchen did not come here for one day, we would wonder what we would eat that day,” she said. The beans came from the kitchen. Food prices in Gaza are very high, and her family has had no income since the war began. “We are living the worst days of our lives in terms of famine and deprivation,” she said. “Today, your son looks at you, and you bleed from within because you cannot provide him with his most basic rights and the simplest needs for his life,” she said.

Israeli anti-government protesters march on Netanyahu’s home
REUTERS/June 27, 2024
JERUSALEM: Anti-government protesters gathered in Jerusalem on Thursday and converged on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home, lighting a bonfire on the street outside and calling for his resignation. “We’ve been abandoned — Elections now!” read one sign that rose above the crowd. Demonstrators yelled through megaphones, waved flags and banged on snare drums while police officers stood at barricades. Such demonstrations have grown more frequent as the war against Hamas in Gaza rages on and fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon threatens to escalate, but they have not reached the fever pitch of a year ago when Netanyahu’s government tried to overhaul Israel’s justice system. Many in the crowd, which appeared to number in the thousands, also chanted their support for reaching a deal to free some 120 Israeli hostages being held by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza. As the sun began to set, protesters blocked traffic and lit a large bonfire on the central Jerusalem street. But there were no reports of major scuffles and police did not use a water cannon to control the crowd, as they have during more rowdy demonstrations. The protest movement has yet to change the political landscape, and Netanyahu still controls a stable majority in parliament.

Israel storms Gaza City neighborhood, orders Palestinians to go south
REUTERS/June 27, 2024
Israel stormed a neighborhood in Gaza City on Thursday, telling Palestinians as the tanks moved in that they must move south, and bombed the southern city of Rafah in what it says are the final stages of an operation against Hamas militants there. Residents of the Shejaia neighborhood in Gaza City said they were taken by surprise by tanks rolling in and firing in the early afternoon, with drones also attacking after overnight bombing. “It sounded as if the war is restarting, a series of bombings that destroyed several houses in our area and shook the buildings,” Mohammad Jamal, 25, a resident of Gaza City, told Reuters via a chat app. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said there were reports of people killed and wounded in Shejaia but their teams were unable to reach them because of the ongoing offensive. Three people were reported killed there in the earlier bombing, with five killed in the Sabra neighborhood. The armed wing of Hamas ally Islamic Jihad said it had detonated a pre-planted explosive device against an Israeli tank east of Shejaia. Israel accuses the militants of hiding among civilians and says it warns displaced people to get out of the way of its operations against the fighters. “To all residents and displaced people in the Shujaiya area and the new neighborhoods ... For your safety, you must evacuate immediately south on Salah Al-Din Street to the humanitarian zone,” army spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X. Residents and Hamas media said the tanks had rolled in before the post and that people from the eastern suburb were running westward under fire as Israel had blocked the road south. There was no other immediate comment from the Israeli military. More than eight months into Israel’s war on Gaza triggered by the Hamas-led cross border attack on Oct. 7, aid officials say the enclave remains at high risk of famine, with almost half a million people facing “catastrophic” food insecurity. “We are being starved in Gaza City, and are being hunted by tanks and planes with no hope that this war is ever ending,” Jamal said.
Another child dies of malnutrition
The death of another girl in Kamal Adwan Hospital late on Wednesday raised the number of children who have died of malnutrition and dehydration to at least 31, a Gaza health official said, adding that the war made recording such cases difficult. Israel denies accusations it has created the famine conditions, blaming aid agencies for distribution problems and accusing Hamas of diverting aid, allegations the militants deny. In southern Gaza, drone footage on social media, which Reuters could not immediately authenticate, showed dozens of houses destroyed in parts of Rafah, with the Swedeya village on the western side of the city completely wiped out. There was no immediate Israeli military comment on the overnight military action. International mediation backed by the US has failed to yield a ceasefire agreement although talks are continuing amid intense Western pressure for Gaza to receive more aid. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Wednesday that he had discussed his proposals for governance of post-war Gaza that would include local Palestinians, regional partners and the US but that it would be “a long and complex process.” Senior US officials told Gallant, who was visiting Washington, that the US would maintain a pause on a shipment of heavy munitions for Israel while the issue is under review. The shipment was paused in early May over concerns the weapons could cause more Palestinian deaths in Gaza. Hamas says any deal must bring an end to the war and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel says it will accept only temporary pauses in fighting until Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, is eradicated. When Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, they killed around 1,200 people and seized more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The Israeli offensive in retaliation has so far killed 37,658 people, the Gaza health ministry said on Tuesday, and has left the tiny, heavily built-up Gaza Strip in ruins. The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, but officials say most of those killed have been civilians. Israel has lost 314 soldiers in Gaza and says at least a third of the Palestinian dead are fighters.

One Israeli soldier killed, another severely wounded in West Bank raid
REUTERS/June 27, 2024
JERUSALEM: One Israeli soldier was killed and one severely injured during a military raid in the Israeli occupied West Bank, the military said in a statement. The soldier “fell during operational activity in the area of Jenin,” the statement said. Palestinian media said that Israeli forces raided a pharmacy near Jenin Governmental Hospital, on the outskirts of Jenin refugee camp, and arrested people inside it, transferring them to an unknown destination. A resident said Israeli bulldozers destroyed infrastructure inside the camp and in the city of Jenin. The Palestinian prisoners’ association said Israeli forces arrested 28 people, nine of them from Jenin. The Israeli military did not confirm the arrests or provide further details on the raid. Violence in the West Bank, already on the rise before the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, has escalated since then with frequent army raids on militant groups, rampages by Jewish settlers in Palestinian villages, and deadly Palestinian street attacks.

Israelis' lawsuit says UN agency helps Hamas by paying Gaza staff in dollars
NEW YORK (AP) /JENNIFER PELTZ and SARAH EL DEEB/June 27, 2024
Israelis who were taken hostage or lost loved ones during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack are suing the United Nations agency that aids Palestinians, claiming it has helped finance the militants by paying agency staffers in U.S. dollars and thereby funneling them to money-changers in Gaza who allegedly give a cut to Hamas. But the agency, known as UNWRA, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the staffers were paid in dollars by their own choice. Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank don’t have their own national currency, and primarily use Israeli shekels. The lawsuit, filed Monday in a U.S. federal court in New York, marks the latest challenge to the beleaguered U.N. agency, which has been the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians during the Israel-Hamas war. The Israeli government has long assailed the over 70-year-old agency, and scrutiny has intensified during the eight-month-long war, prompting UNRWA to defend itself while grappling with a spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“UNRWA’s staff, facilities and ability to truck cash U.S. dollars into Gaza formed a potent pillar of Hamas’ plan to undertake the Oct. 7 attack,” the lawsuit says, asserting that the U.N. agency “systematically and deliberately aided and abetted Hamas and its goals.”UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said Tuesday that he learned of the case only through the media. “I don’t know what the status of this lawsuit is all about, but for the time being, I see this as an additional way to put pressure on the agency,” he said at a press briefing in Geneva. UNRWA has denied that it knowingly aids Hamas or any other militant group. Israel invaded Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted about 250. The war has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t say how many were civilians or fighters.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of scores of Israelis including Oct. 7 attack survivors, victims' relatives, and rescued captives. It echoes some complaints their government has raised, ranging from claims that UNRWA employs Hamas operatives to complaints about the content of textbooks in UNRWA-run schools. But the suit also focuses on the agency's practice of paying its 13,000 Gaza staffers in U.S. dollars. The money is wired from a bank in New York and trucked into Gaza, according to the legal complaint, which says the payroll totaled at least $20 million a month from 2018 until last September.
UNRWA employees use local money-changers to convert their dollars to Israeli shekels, the complaint says. Some Palestinians also use dollars or Jordanian dinars, viewing them as stable and trusted currencies. The suit claims that Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, “runs the majority” of the currency exchangers and extracts a 10% to 25% fee from the rest, “ensuring that a predictable percentage of UNRWA’s payroll went to Hamas" in dollars useful for black-market weapons deals.
“Hamas’ ability to carry out the Oct. 7 attack would have been significantly and possibly fatally weakened without that UNRWA-provided cash,” the complaint says.
The complaint points to an UNRWA-commissioned 2018 report about delivering aid in cash that noted risks of misappropriation, fraud or other diversion away from the intended purpose. UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma said in a message to the AP that Gaza staffers asked that “they are paid in US$ because Gaza does not have an official national currency.” Touma said the U.N., including UNRWA, and their officials are immune from lawsuits. She declined to comment further on the suit in question, saying the agency hadn’t officially been served with it. One of the plaintiffs' lead lawyers, Gavi Mairone, said in a statement Tuesday that they didn't believe the U.N. and officials named in the suit had immunity, “and certainly not from these claims.”Formally called the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA was established to help the estimated 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel during the 1948 war surrounding the country’s creation. Their descendants now number nearly 6 million.
The agency operates schools, health clinics, infrastructure projects and aid programs in refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Since the war began in Gaza, over 1.7 million people have taken shelter in UNRWA facilities. At least 500 displaced people have been killed when such facilities came under attack, according to UNWRA statistics released Friday. The agency has lost nearly 200 staffers. Two U.N. officials said Tuesday that the world body warned Israel that Gaza aid operations would be suspended unless protections for humanitarian workers improve. Israel has accused UNRWA of letting Hamas exploit its aid and facilities, and Israel claimed this winter that a dozen UNRWA employees participated in the Oct. 7 attacks. The allegations prompted the U.S. and more than a dozen other countries to suspend hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions to the agency, though all but the U.S. and Britain have resumed their funding. Lazzarini said Tuesday that new donors also have come on board, but the agency still faces a year-end shortfall of up to $140 million.

She managed to flee Gaza after half her family was killed in an Israeli strike. She blames Israel and Hamas for what happened
Ivana Kottasová, Jomana Karadsheh, Sarah Sirgany, Abeer Salman and Mick Krever, CNN/June 27, 2024
Roba Abu Jibba looked shocked as the doctor delivered his news: She couldn’t have the operation she desperately wanted. She nervously scrunched the fabric of her dress, fighting off the tears that began flooding her one remaining eye. The 19-year-old Palestinian woman had pinned all her hopes on getting a prosthetic eye after suffering life-changing injuries in an Israeli strike in Gaza. She was brought to Doha for treatment by the Qatari government.
But once again, her dreams were shattered.
“I came here, and now they said I won’t be able to get a prosthetic,” she told CNN between sobs. “Why am I here? I knew I wouldn’t be able to see with it but it’s good and my eyes will look the same.”Abu Jibba lost her right eye and the surrounding part of her face in early January when an Israeli bomb hit the warehouse in central Gaza where she and her family had been sheltering for months. Three of her brothers and two of her sisters were killed. Her wounded mother and three surviving siblings tried to get help and left her behind, later believing she was dead. She spent more than three days surrounded by the bodies of her siblings before making it to a hospital – only to find out there were no doctors there to treat her because most of the medical staff had fled the fighting in the area. A weeks-long CNN investigation into the circumstances of the strike found that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), without any advance warning, attacked an industrial area housing dozens of civilians using a heavy munition, the aftermath of which was consistent with a 2,000-pound bomb, according to weapons experts.
The Israeli military told CNN they carried out “a precise strike” after their troops came under fire from that location. Survivors told CNN in January that there were no militants in the warehouse that was hit but did report hearing “resistance fire” in the area.
Looking back at that night, Abu Jibba told CNN that she blamed both Israel and Palestinian militants for what happened to her family. She said she believed Hamas or other militants fired a mortar from a nearby area. “I blame the people…,” she said, thinking about her words. “And Hamas – and this situation. Because we were living normally in the warehouse for a month… If it weren’t for those who fired the mortar, the incident wouldn’t have happened. We didn’t even want to stay in the warehouse, but the (Israelis) made us stay there,” she told CNN, using a pejorative to refer to Israeli troops. “I blame (the Israelis) for killing the children. They spared no one,” she added.
Deep wounds
Abu Jibba had once been gregarious and outgoing. After seeing her siblings killed in front of her, she became quiet and deeply depressed. Her aunt who accompanied her to Qatar told CNN the young woman now prefers solitude, and rarely goes outside. She spends most of her time looking at photos of her family taken before the war – the few that she still has. She said her one source of happiness was Mohammed, a friend of her brother. The two met after her family was displaced from their home in Gaza City and became close after the attack in January. When Abu Jibba and her family were separated, and she was hospitalized, Mohammed offered desperately needed emotional support. She said they were going to get engaged and married. “He didn’t care about what people were saying about my appearance, when people would say, ‘How could you marry her after she was injured in her eye and body?’ He would say, ‘I don’t care about her body, I care about what’s in her heart,’” she told CNN. Seven days before Abu Jibba left Gaza for treatment, Mohammed was killed by an artillery shell while collecting firewood in Rafah, she said, adding that her cousin who was with Mohammed was injured in the attack and lost his leg. Abu Jibba said she doesn’t even have a photo of Mohammed, having lost her phone in the carnage.
Difficult choices
Abu Jibba’s injuries were so severe that Gaza’s Ministry of Health put her on a list of people who needed treatment abroad. Three days after CNN’s report on Abu Jibba aired in February, she was cleared for medical evacuation. After weeks of waiting, she was able to cross into Egypt and was then flown to Qatar for treatment. Most of the 2.2 million Palestinians who live in Gaza have never left the strip. Before the war, some 18,000 Gazans had work permits that allowed them to work in Israel. But after Hamas launched its deadly terror attack from Gaza on October 7, Israel shut the borders, in general only allowing foreigners and a few hundred of the most seriously wounded to leave.“It’s hard leaving your family especially at a time of war and in a difficult situation,” she said. “I’m worried something else (could) happen to them and I can’t bring them with me.”Abu Jibba told CNN she decided to leave because she believed that doctors could surgically restore her vision. In Egypt, she was told that wouldn’t be possible because her entire eye had been removed but was offered further treatment by the Qatari government. But her stay in Doha has turned into yet another traumatic experience. The doctor told her that Qatar did not offer orbital prosthetic implants and said that her issue was just “cosmetic.”Research has long shown that ocular prosthesis leads to significant improvements in the patient’s physical and psychological health. The prosthetic consists of an artificial eye, eyelids, and any part of the eye socket or the surrounding area missing. It’s a cost-effective and less complicated alternative to reconstructive surgery and is performed routinely across the world. As Abu Jibba left the doctor’s office, the weight of the moment crushed her. She shook and gasped. Panic set in, and she looked like she was reliving the worst moment of her life. She squeezed her hands against her ears, leaning against the wall. Nurses eased her onto a stretcher. She curled up into a ball and hid under a blanket. She is keeping the news away from her mother, fearing the shock might cause her even more pain. “She pushed me to leave to get the surgery. I don’t want to go back to her with this patch,” she said. “I (need this) so my mother doesn’t see me like this and be depressed.” Later that day, Abu Jibba told CNN that what she wanted more than anything was to go back to Gaza. “Yes, there’s a war in Gaza but at least you are with your family and loved ones,” she said. “I just hope to God this war is over… but even if there is war I want to go back.”

US discussing release of suspended bomb shipment with Israel, official says
Reuters/June 27, 2024
The United States is discussing with Israel the release of a shipment of 500-pound bombs that was suspended in May over worries about the military operation in Rafah, a U.S. official said on Thursday. The matter was discussed this week during a visit to Washington by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the official said. Axios, citing a U.S. and an Israeli official, earlier said the United States was preparing to deliver the bombs. Top aides to President Joe Biden told Gallant that Washington was maintaining a pause on a shipment of heavy bombs for Israel while the issue is under review, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday. Biden paused the single shipment in May over concerns they could cause more Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza.

Palestinians flee Gaza City's Shejaiya area amid heavy bombardment
David Gritten - BBC News/June 27, 2024
The Israeli military has ordered Shejaiya to evacuate and head southwards [Reuters]
Palestinians have been fleeing Gaza City's eastern Shejaiya district amid intense Israeli bombardment and a reported incursion by ground forces. One Gaza City resident said it had "sounded as if the war is restarting", while Hamas-run authorities said air strikes had killed at least seven people. Palestinian armed groups said they had targeted a tank and a bulldozer east of Shejaiya, where there were fierce battles during an Israeli operation at the end of last year. The Israeli military has not commented on the reports, but it did order residents to evacuate and head southwards. It comes days after Israel’s prime minister said that "the intense phase" of the fighting against Hamas was "about to end". The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. More than 37,760 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
Shejaiya residents and Hamas-affiliated Palestinian media reported a series of Israeli air strikes, artillery shelling and helicopter fire on Thursday morning. Later, they said Israeli ground forces had advanced into eastern areas of the district, which is not far from the Gaza-Israel perimeter fence. A video posted on social media by activist Hema al-Khalili showed people running for cover after what he said was an air strike on a multi-storey building. Other footage appeared to show hundreds of civilians fleeing the area on foot, many of them carrying their belongings, and several injured children being treated at a field hospital. One person told the AFP news agency that the situation in Shejaiya was "very difficult and frightening"."Residents are running through the streets in terror... a number of wounded and martyrs lie in the streets," they added.
Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence force reported strikes on several houses and said its rescue teams had recovered three bodies from the home of one family. Later, it said the death toll in Shejaiya had risen to seven and that more casualties were feared to be under the rubble of destroyed buildings. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not put out a statement about Shejaiya. However, it has mounted similar operations in northern Gaza in recent months in response to what it says is intelligence that Hamas fighters have regrouped there. The IDF’s Arabic spokesman posted a message on social media telling residents to leave Shejaiya after the first strikes had been reported. "For your safety, you must evacuate immediately south on Salah al-Din Street to the humanitarian zone," Lt Col Avichay Adraee said, referring to the north-south road used in the early weeks of the war by the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled Gaza City when it was the initial focus of Israel's offensive against Hamas. An attached map featured an arrow pointing south, but it was not clear whether Shejaiya residents were being instructed to head towards the "al-Mawasi humanitarian area" running along the coast in southern and central Gaza. That would entail crossing the east-west Israeli military zone south of Gaza City that effectively cuts the territory in half. The al-Mawasi humanitarian area was expanded seven weeks ago, when Israeli ground forces began what they called "precise" operations in the southernmost city of Rafah, which they believe is Hamas’s last stronghold. More than a million displaced people have fled Rafah since then, according to the UN, while the nearby Rafah border crossing with Egypt has been closed since Israeli troops seized control of the Palestinian side. The UN says the crossing's closure has contributed to a significant reduction in the amount of aid reaching southern Gaza. It has also prevented the medical evacuations of critically injured and sick Palestinians who require specialist treatment abroad. On Thursday, 21 children with cancer were reportedly allowed to leave Gaza through the Kerem Shalom goods crossing with Israel for the first time, an Egyptian medical source told AFP. There was no immediate confirmation from Israeli authorities, nor was it clear where they would receive treatment.

Girl dies of malnutrition in Gaza as Israel bombs north and south
Nidal al-Mughrabi/CAIRO (Reuters)/June 27, 2024
Another child died of malnutrition in northern Gaza overnight and six people were killed and several wounded in renewed Israeli bombing of residential areas of Gaza City, Palestinian health officials said on Thursday. In the southern city of Rafah, a one-time place of refuge where Israel says it is close to completing an almost month-long operation against Hamas fighters, residents said the military had flattened several districts over the past few days. More than eight months into Israel's war on Gaza triggered by the Hamas-led cross border attack on Oct. 7, aid officials say the enclave remains at high risk of famine, with almost half a million people facing "catastrophic" food insecurity. "We are being starved in Gaza City, and are being hunted by tanks and planes with no hope that this war is ever ending," Mohammad Jamal, 25, a resident of Gaza City, told Reuters via a chat app. The death of another girl in Kamal Adwan Hospital late on Wednesday raised the number of children who have died of malnutrition and dehydration to at least 31, a health official said, adding that the war made recording such cases difficult. Israel denies accusations it has created the famine conditions, blaming aid agencies for distribution problems and accusing Hamas of diverting aid, allegations the militants deny. Palestinian health officials said three people had been killed when Israeli planes bombed five residential buildings in the Sabra neighbourhood in Gaza City. Rescue teams are searching for others trapped under the rubble, while three other people were killed in the nearby Shejaia neighbourhood. "It sounded as if the war is restarting, a series of bombings that destroyed several houses in our area and shook the buildings," resident Jamal said. Drone footage on social media, which Reuters could not immediately authenticate, showed dozens of houses destroyed in parts of Rafah, which borders Egypt, with the Swedeya village on the western side of the city completely wiped out. There was no immediate Israeli military comment on the overnight military action.
US AND ISRAEL DISCUSS POST-WAR PLAN FOR GAZA
International mediation backed by the U.S. has failed to yield a ceasefire agreement although talks are continuing amid intense Western pressure for Gaza to receive more aid. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Wednesday that he had discussed his proposals for governance of post-war Gaza that would include local Palestinians, regional partners and the U.S. but that it would be "a long and complex process". Senior U.S. officials told Gallant, who was visiting Washington, that the U.S. would maintain a pause on a shipment of heavy munitions for Israel while the issue is under review. The shipment was paused in early May over concerns the weapons could cause more Palestinian deaths in Gaza. Hamas says any deal must bring an end to the war and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel says it will accept only temporary pauses in fighting until Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, is eradicated.
When Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, they killed around 1,200 people and seized more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The Israeli offensive in retaliation has so far killed 37,658 people, the Gaza health ministry said on Tuesday, and has left the tiny, heavily built-up Gaza Strip in ruins. The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, but officials say most of those killed have been civilians. Israel has lost 314 soldiers in Gaza and says at least a third of the Palestinian dead are fighters. Along with food shortages that mean most of Gaza's 2.3 million population goes hungry, a lack of clean water and sanitation is spreading disease. An Israeli security official and a Western official told Reuters on Wednesday that Israel is preparing to boost electricity to a desalination plant so it can produce more water for Gaza. The Western official said the plan would alleviate the problem but solving it would require repairs.

ICC allows UK to submit arguments on jurisdiction over Israelis in Gaza case
Reuters/June 27, 2024
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled on Thursday that the United Kingdom can submit legal arguments to judges mulling the prosecution's request for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Court documents made public on Thursday showed that the UK, an ICC member state, filed a request with the court earlier this month to provide written observations on whether "the court can exercise jurisdiction over Israeli nationals, in circumstances where Palestine cannot exercise criminal jurisdiction over Israeli nationals (under) the Oslo Accords". The judges said the court would also accept submissions from other interested parties on the legal issue, but set a July 12 deadline for filings. Granting the UK's request might delay the judges' pending decision on arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over Israel's war in Gaza, as ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had requested in May. The ICC has had an ongoing investigation into any alleged crimes within its jurisdiction committed on Palestinian territory and by Palestinians on the territory of Israel since 2021. In that year, ICC judges ruled that the court has jurisdiction after the Palestinian authorities signed up to the court in 2015, after being granted United Nations observer state status. The decision, however, left a ruling on the interpretation of the 1993 Oslo Accords regarding Palestinian jurisdiction over Israeli nationals for a later stage in the proceedings. The UK's argument is that the Palestinian authorities cannot have jurisdiction over Israeli nationals under the Oslo Accords, and so it cannot transfer that jurisdiction over to the ICC to prosecute Israelis.

Ship attacked in Red Sea in latest maritime assault carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels
Jon Gambrell/DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)/June 27, 2024
A ship traveling through the Red Sea on Thursday reported being hit in an attack carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels, authorities said, the latest in the campaign targeting shipping over the Israel-Hamas war. The ship issued a radio call off the coast of the rebel-held port city of Hodeida saying it had been struck, the private security firm Ambrey first reported. A warship in the area was responding to the attack, Ambrey said. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center later also confirmed the attack. “The nature of the attack is reported as a waterborne improvised explosive device,” the UKMTO said. “The vessel and crew are reported as safe and the vessel is proceeding to their next port of call.”The UKMTO did not elaborate, but Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree in a prerecorded message released Thursday night said the rebels used a drone boat in the attack on the vessel. He identified the ship as the Seajoy, a Malta-flagged bulk carrier. The rebels have targeted more than 60 vessels by firing missiles and drones in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They seized one vessel and sank two since November. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes on May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say. The Houthis maintain that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war — including some bound for Iran. Late on Tuesday, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group was responsible for an attack Monday on the Liberian-flagged, Greek-managed container ship MSC Sarah V. On Wednesday, the Houthis claimed they used a new hypersonic ballistic missile in the assault, which targeted a ship farther away than nearly all of the previous assaults they’ve launched in the Gulf of Aden. The U.S. military’s Central Command also said it destroyed a Houthi radar site. Another attack Wednesday in the Gulf of Aden was suspected to have been carried out by the Houthis, though they have yet to claim it. Meanwhile on Thursday, the U.N. Security Council again demanded that the Houthi rebels immediately halt all attacks on ships in the region and called for the conflicts disrupting maritime security to be addressed — without naming the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The resolution, which also extends the requirement that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres report monthly on Houthi attacks, was approved Thursday by a vote of 12-0 with Russia, China and Algeria abstaining.

US issues fresh sanctions against Iran over nuclear escalations
Reuters/June 27, 2024
The United States on Thursday issued fresh sanctions targeting Iran in response to "continued nuclear escalations," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. "Over the past month, Iran has announced steps to further expand its nuclear program in ways that have no credible peaceful purpose," Blinken said. "We remain committed to never letting Iran obtain a nuclear weapon, and we are prepared to use all elements of national power to ensure that outcome." Thursday's action imposes sanctions on three companies based in the United Arab Emirates the U.S. accused of being involved in the transport of Iranian petroleum or petrochemical products, as well as 11 associated vessels. Earlier this month, the Group of Seven rich nations warned Iran against advancing its nuclear enrichment program and said they would be ready to enforce new measures if Tehran were to transfer ballistic missiles to Russia.

Russia considering downgrading relations with the West, the Kremlin says
Reuters/June 27, 2024
MOSCOW - The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia is considering a possible downgrading of diplomatic relations with the West due to the deeper involvement of the United States and its allies in the Ukraine war, though no decision has yet been made.
"The issue of lowering the level of diplomatic relations is a standard practice for states that face unfriendly or hostile manifestations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the possibility of such a move. "Due to the growing involvement of the West in the conflict over Ukraine, the Russian Federation cannot but consider various options for responding to such hostile Western intervention in the Ukrainian crisis." Peskov said that no decision had yet been made on the matter and that Russia was considering different ways to respond to the West.

Experts warns that 755,000 people at risk of famine in the coming months in war-torn Sudan
Samy Magdy/CAIRO (AP)/June 27, 2024
International experts portrayed a grim picture for war-torn Sudan, warning in a report Thursday that 755,000 are facing famine in the coming months, amid relentless clashes between rival generals. The latest findings come from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, an initiative first set up in 2004 during the famine in Somalia that now includes more than a dozen U.N. agencies, aid groups, governments and other bodies. The report said that 8.5 million people are facing extreme food shortages after 14 months of conflict in Sudan.
The northeastern African country descended into chaos in April last year when simmering tensions between the country’s military, led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and a notorious paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere in the country. The devastating conflict has killed more than 14,000 people and wounded 33,000 others, according to the United Nations, but rights activists say the toll could be much higher. The conflict created the world’s largest displacement crisis with more than 11 million people forced to flee their homes. Human rights experts working for the United Nations said that both warring sides used food and starvation as a war weapon.
The report on hunger said people facing the highest level of starvation in the coming months are in 10 provinces, including Khartoum; the Darfur and Kordofan regions; and the provinces of Blue Nile and Jazira. The number was zero in June 2023 and it surged to 755,000 over the past year, it said. “The conflict has not only triggered mass displacement and disruption of supply routes, market systems and agricultural production, it has also severely limited access to essential humanitarian assistance, exacerbating an already dire situation,” the report said.
Another 8.5 million people are classified in the second worst level of starvation, or Phase 4, meaning that the risk of hunger-related death is rapidly increasing, the IPC report said. Those people are facing extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition and excessively high disease levels, it added. Overall, 25.6 million people, more than half of the country’s 47 million population, face “crisis or worse conditions” between June and September. It warned about a risk of famine in 14 areas “if the conflict escalates further, including through increased mobilization of local militias.”
“The situation is especially critical for populations trapped in areas affected by direct conflict and/or insecurity and lack of protection,” the report said. It referred to Darfur, Kordofan, Khatoum and Jazira where fighting raged for months. The conflict has been marked by atrocities, including rape, gang rape and ethnic-motivated attacks, which rights groups say amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. In recent months, the fighting has expanded to new areas, including agricultural centers such as Jazira province, which the RSF seized last year. Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, chief executive of nongovernmental organization Mercy Corps, said that the expansion of fighting has devastated food production, and caused severe malnutrition among children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, the chronically ill and older people.
“Sudan has become one of the world’s largest and most ignored man-made tragedies,” McKenna said. “This crisis demands urgent diplomatic efforts to ensure the rapid and safe delivery of humanitarian aid and protection of civilians.”
Samy Magdy, The Associated Press

A leading human rights group calls on Iraq to halt deportations of Syrian refugees
AP/June 27, 2024
BAGHDAD: Iraqi authorities in Baghdad and the administration in the semi-autonomous northern Iraqi Kurdish region have been arbitrarily detaining and deporting Syrian refugees to their country, a leading international rights group said Thursday. The New York-based Human Rights Watch said it has documented cases in which Iraqi authorities deported Syrians even though they had legal residency or were registered with the UN refugee agency. The Syrians reported being arrested in raids at their workplace or on the streets, and, in two cases, at residency offices while trying to renew their permits.
According to UNHCR, Iraq hosts at least 260,000 Syrian refugees, with about 90 percent of them living in the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. About 60 percent live in urban areas, while the rest are in refugee camps. Human Rights Watch spoke to seven Syrians in Irbil and Baghdad between April 19 and April 26 who were being deported — including four at the airport in Irbil waiting to be put on a flight, the statement said. Sarah Sanbar, Iraq researcher with HRW, said the watchdog was unable to determine the total number of Syrians deported. The group said the deportations have left Syrians in Iraq living in fear. “By forcibly returning asylum seekers to Syria, Iraq is knowingly placing them in harm’s way,” Sanbar said. An Iraqi government spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. Iraqi authorities have also made it increasingly difficult for Syrians to stay legally in the country. The Iraqi Kurdish regional government in the north has — at Baghdad’s request — suspended visa entry for Syrian citizens as part of broader efforts to regulate foreign labor in Iraq, restricting the Syrians’ ability to enter the Kurdish region for work or refuge. Many companies in Iraq employ Syrian workers without legally registering them, making them work long hours for low pay. New rules in the Iraqi Kurdish region require companies to register Syrian workers and pay social security contributions for them. However, some companies make the employees pay half of the social security fees from their salaries. A Syrian worker in the Kurdish region told the AP that on-arrival fees for a one-month visa for Syrians used to cost $150. Those visas could be extended for up to a year. She spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing she could be deported.
Now, Syrians must be registered with a social security number showing their employer pays taxes on them, he said, otherwise they cannot renew their visas. In Baghdad, a one-year work visa that comes with a social security number costs $2,000. Host countries that have sheltered Syrian refugees have increasingly pushed for their return home, where the country’s war, now in its 14th year, is mostly frozen along the former front lines. The United Nations and rights groups say Syria remains unsafe for returns. Human Rights Watch said that in July 2023, returnees from Iraq were reportedly tortured in Syrian military intelligence custody and conscripted into military service.

French far-right chief Bardella vows won't let 'Russian imperialism' absorb Ukraine
AFP/June 27, 2024
The French far-right National Rally (RN) will not allow Russia to absorb Ukraine if it comes to power in legislative elections, party leader Jordan Bardella said Thursday. "I will not let Russian imperialism absorb an allied state like Ukraine," Bardella said in a televised debate, pledging both "support for Ukraine and avoiding an escalation with Russia."

Bolivia says 17 arrested with links to botched coup
AFP/June 27, 2024
Bolivia's government said Thursday that 17 people, including active and retired military personnel and civilians, have been arrested over a failed coup against President Luis Arce."A total of 17 people have been arrested for having attempted to carry out a coup within the national territory," Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo told a press conference.

Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on June 27-28/2024
The World's Most Dangerous Delusion: Biden Thinks China Wants Stability
Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone Institute/June 27, 2024
Americans may think they are at peace with China, but China's ruling organization has already announced otherwise.
[I]n May 2019, People's Daily... carried a landmark editorial declaring a "people's war" on America.
This phrase sounds like meaningless propaganda to American ears, but it has special significance to the Party. "A people's war is a total war, and its strategy and tactics require the overall mobilization of political, economic, cultural, diplomatic, military, and other power resources, the integrated use of multiple forms of struggle and combat methods," declared a column carried in April 2023 by PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the People's Liberation Army.
China has in fact weaponized just about everything. In 1999, two Chinese air force colonels, Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, in Unrestricted Warfare, listed 24 methods of warfare and advocated the use of all of them against the United States.
[U]nrestricted warfare contemplates the turning of everything into a weapon, from business interactions to tourism to terrorism to illegal drugs to disease.
All of these incidents are in defiance of about a dozen written and oral warnings, from the Biden State Department and President Biden himself, that the U.S. was prepared to use force against China to discharge America's obligations to Manila pursuant to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty
The American political class—both Democrats and Republicans—refuse to see Chinese hostility and act appropriately against it. The Communist Party, therefore, did not have to deceive Americans because Americans were determined to deceive themselves.
Xi Jinping has made it clear that his goal is to bring down the international system, to "crack skulls and spill blood" as he announced in a landmark speech on July 1, 2021.
Americans may think they are at peace with China, but China's ruling organization has already announced otherwise. (Image source: iStock/Getty Images)
"It's very hard for China to take certain steps without harming its own economy," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said on June 12. "And I think we now understand that economic performance is central right now to what is important to President Xi."
"Campbell," Reuters reported, "told Washington's Stimson Center think tank China needed to reassure investors and others that it has a plan for its economy and would not be looking to create frictions that could escalate in unpredictable and dangerous ways."
The Communist Party of China, according to the Biden administration, wants stability. That is a dangerous self-delusion. Moreover, it is a view that is indefensible in light of Beijing's actions, some recent.
Americans may think they are at peace with China, but China's ruling organization has already announced otherwise. Most fundamentally, in May 2019 People's Daily, the Communist Party's self-described "mouthpiece" and therefore the most authoritative publication in China, carried a landmark editorial declaring a "people's war" on America.
This phrase sounds like meaningless propaganda to American ears, but it has special significance to the Party. "A people's war is a total war, and its strategy and tactics require the overall mobilization of political, economic, cultural, diplomatic, military, and other power resources, the integrated use of multiple forms of struggle and combat methods," declared a column carried in April 2023 by PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the People's Liberation Army.
"The concept of people's war fits neatly into the CCP's Everything is War mindset," Kerry Gershaneck, author of Political Warfare: Strategies for Combating China's Plan to "Win Without Fighting," told Gatestone.
"The Chinese Communist Party seeks to destroy nations it targets through a seemingly endless array of what it calls 'warfares,'" he noted. "The Party's fascination with weaponizing almost every aspect of normal human interaction and calling it a 'warfare' is, on the surface, morbidly amusing, but this mentality presents an existential threat to those under attack. The CCP has developed a massive array of vocabulary and capabilities to support its many warfares and has achieved remarkable success employing them."
China has in fact weaponized just about everything. In 1999, two Chinese air force colonels, Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, in Unrestricted Warfare, listed 24 methods of warfare and advocated the use of all of them against the United States. As Gershaneck, who has advised the U.S. government and NATO on hybrid threats, explains, unrestricted warfare contemplates the turning of everything into a weapon, from business interactions to tourism to terrorism to illegal drugs to disease.
The Communist Party's Unrestricted Warfare campaign, as a practical matter, cannot work without deception, which is the core of China's interactions with the world. The most famous Communist comment on this topic came from Deng Xiaoping, Mao Zedong's wily successor, who said the Chinese should "tao guang yang hui," often translated as "hide your strength and bide your time."
That advice came from China's Warring States period, an era that produced proverbs, stories, and maxims about deception. The Chinese are fascinated by a treatise of misdirection, cunning, and deception of that time: The Thirty-Six Stratagems. "All of these stratagems," the Heritage Foundation's Michael Pillsbury writes in The Hundred-Year Marathon: China's Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower, "are designed to defeat a more powerful opponent by using the opponent's own strength against him, without his knowing he is even in a contest."
"We don't know we are losing the game," Pillsbury believes. "In fact, we don't even know that the game has begun."
All this brings us back to the State Department's Campbell. Campbell undoubtedly knows the Chinese do not crave stability. If they did, they would not have seized two Philippine craft at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on June 17. That is when China's forces also rammed a boat and wounded at least eight Filipino sailors, one seriously. This is the third time China injured Philippine personnel at that shoal since March.
All of these incidents are in defiance of about a dozen written and oral warnings, from the Biden State Department and President Biden himself, that the U.S. was prepared to use force against China to discharge America's obligations to Manila pursuant to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
Moreover, if China wanted stability and good relations with America, it would not, among other things, poison Americans with fentanyl, steal hundreds of billions of dollars of American intellectual property each year, foment violence on American streets, counterfeit U.S. currency, maintain a secret biological weapons facility in California, or issue daily diatribes against Washington. Moreover, China would not at this moment be fighting proxy wars on three continents or trying to annex large portions of India, Japanese islands, and all of Taiwan.
The American political class—both Democrats and Republicans—refuse to see Chinese hostility and act appropriately against it. The Communist Party, therefore, did not have to deceive Americans because Americans were determined to deceive themselves. At the end of the Cold War, it was perhaps understandable for Washington officials to believe that the Chinese Communist state would eventually become a "responsible stakeholder" in the international system, as the State Department's Robert Zoellick famously said in 2005.
Now, however, it is no longer possible to believe that the Communist Party will do so. Xi Jinping has made it clear that his goal is to bring down the international system, to "crack skulls and spill blood" as he announced in a landmark speech on July 1, 2021.
Campbell's words this month can only be interpreted as an attempt to put China in a good light, which will result, at an extraordinarily consequential time, in Americans letting down their guard.
Nothing good ever happens when democracies let down their guard.
*Gordon G. Chang is the author of The Coming Collapse of China and China Is Going to War, a Gatestone Institute distinguished senior fellow, and a member of its Advisory Board.
© 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.

Analysis: No matter who wins Iran's presidential election, much may hinge on the 'Great Satan' US
Jon Gambrell/DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)/June 27, 2024
In the waning moments of Iran's final televised presidential debate, one of the top candidates to replace the late hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi invoked the name of the one person who perhaps has done more than anyone to change the trajectory of the Islamic Republic's relationship with the wider world in recent years.The next president could be "forced to either sell Iran to (Donald) Trump or spark a dangerous tension in the country” if economic problems aren't solved, warned Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and a candidate in Friday’s election. President Trump's decision in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw America from the Iran nuclear deal saw crushing sanctions reimposed and largely cut Tehran out of the world's economy. That worsened the political climate within Iran, already beset by mass protests over economic problems and women's rights. An escalating series of attacks on land and at sea followed, while Tehran also began enriching uranium at near weapons-grade levels. Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israel's subsequent war on the militants in the Gaza Strip only added jet fuel to a fire now threatening to burn nearly every corner of the wider Middle East. Iran's support of an array of militias, including Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi rebels, and its unprecedented direct attack on Israel during the war, has made it a direct belligerent in the conflict.
What happens in both the war and with Iran's future may hinge directly on the United States, denounced by the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as the “Great Satan” in the 1979 Islamic Revolution and still cursed at major events, such as a speech this week by the 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Despite the vitriol, the U.S. has come up again and again in the campaign. Khamenei warned this week against supporting candidates who “think that all ways to progress pass through America," a thinly veiled criticism of the only reformist running in the race, Masoud Pezeshkian, who has fully embraced a return to the 2015 nuclear deal. Among the six initial presidential contenders — two of whom had dropped out by Thursday — Trump has repeatedly emerged as a theme. One of them, former hard-line candidate Amirhossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, contended that if Trump wins the U.S. presidential election, “we can negotiate with Trump and impose our demands on him.”That wasn't an opinion shared by Shiite cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi, who warned Iran should take part in talks now with the U.S. before a second possible Trump presidency. However, his campaign also printed a side-by-side poster showing the cleric and Trump in profile, declaring: “I am the one who can stand against Trump!”
Hard-line candidate Saeed Jalili also mocked his competitors as being “scared” of Trump, vowing to fight him. For his part, Trump has brought up Iran while campaigning in recent days. Speaking to the “All In" podcast, Trump repeated that he had wanted to “make a fair deal with Iran” — while also trying to claim Iran's theocratic government that long has called for Israel's destruction would somehow have made a diplomatic recognition deal with Israel like the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain did during his presidency. “A child could have made a deal with them — and (Joe) Biden did nothing,” Trump asserted. Interestingly, President Biden's name hasn't been mentioned during the Iranian election debates. Before Raisi's death in a May helicopter crash, the U.S. under Biden had several rounds of indirect talks with Iranian officials.
While broadly criticizing Iran, particularly in the wake of the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini and the women's rights protests that followed, the Biden administration has opened the door to Iran accessing some frozen assets abroad. That includes a deal that saw a prisoner swap between the countries in September, less than a month before the Israel-Hamas war began. Then there are Iran's oil sales. While technically sanctioned, Iran recently reported selling 2.5 million barrels a day — with the lion's share likely going to China, possibly at a discount. Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who struck the nuclear deal under the relatively moderate President Hassan Rouhani and now supports the reformist candidate Pezeshkian, directly attributed those sales to the Biden administration's policies. “That the crude sales have gone up was not a work by our friends, but when Biden came power they had a policy to loosen the bolt of sanctions," said Zarif, obliquely referring to hard-liners. "Let Trump come and find out what our friends will do.”
While wider talks in Vienna with world powers to restart the nuclear deal collapsed, Biden may be trying to replicate a strategy from when he was vice president under Barack Obama — quietly working indirectly with the Iranians toward a deal that later can be brought to the table. But much of whatever U.S. policy the Biden administration planned for the Middle East — including a possible Saudi security deal that could see Riyadh diplomatically recognize Israel — has been upended by the Israel-Hamas war. Meanwhile, the real wildcard for Iran comes on Nov. 5, when the U.S. holds its presidential election. Biden's reelection likely would see a continuation of the carrot-stick approach wielded so far during his term. If Trump is reelected, it could portend more discussions about a deal while also carrying risks. Trump in 2020 launched a drone strike that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad while still insisting he wanted a deal with Tehran. A war between Israel and Lebanon — or Yemen's Houthis potentially having one of their missiles strike an American warship amid their campaign — also could drastically upend calculations in both Tehran and Washington. For now though, Iran and the U.S. remain intertwined in tensions, much like they have for decades.

Iranians go to the polls but policy shifts are unlikely
Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/June 27, 2024
Iran’s presidential election is scheduled to take place on Friday. Currently, no specific timeline has been established for the counting of votes and the subsequent announcement of the result. There is a strong possibility that the elections will proceed to a second round. In the event that no candidate achieves a majority — defined as 50 percent of the votes plus one — there will be a runoff election. This runoff will feature the two candidates who received the highest number of votes in the initial round. The tentative date for this runoff election is set for a week’s time, July 5.
The presidential candidates have taken part in several debates, with discussions primarily centered on the economy, foreign policy and various cultural issues. Among the most contentious topics were the government’s treatment of women and the country’s stringent internet restrictions. Candidates engaged in heated exchanges over these issues, particularly focusing on the brutal crackdown on women who defy the mandatory hijab laws and the severe limitations imposed on internet freedom.
Nazanin, 28, a teacher from Tehran, pointed out: “I did not see a major difference between the candidates’ views. Even the so-called reformist (Masoud Pezeshkian) believes that mandatory hijab should be in place. All these candidates come from within the political establishment. They are not going to change anything. So I, like many Iranians, are not going to vote to show our dissatisfaction.”
Pezeshkian stands out in the political landscape as the only candidate advocating for improved relations with the West
Three candidates appear to be leading the polls: Pezeshkian, Saeed Jalili and Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf. Qalibaf, who is the speaker of parliament, has an extensive background, having held multiple senior command positions within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Jalili has had a long political career, with experience in various high-profile roles, including positions in the Office of the Supreme Leader, the Foreign Ministry and the Supreme National Security Council. Meanwhile, Pezeshkian stands out as the sole so-called reformist candidate allowed to run in this election. A heart surgeon by training, Pezeshkian previously served as health minister in the administration of former President Mohammed Khatami. The Guardian Council permitted one reformist candidate to participate in the election, likely with the strategic aim of boosting voter turnout and demonstrating the government’s legitimacy and popularity.
Pezeshkian stands out in the political landscape as the only candidate advocating for improved relations with the West. His inclusion in the election also offers a semblance of political diversity and a reformist perspective, which might appeal to a broader segment of the electorate. Pezeshkian’s platform, emphasizing the need for better diplomatic and economic ties with the West, contrasts with the more conservative positions of his rivals, potentially attracting voters who are dissatisfied with the current state of foreign relations and are eager for a shift in policy.
Nevertheless, the history of the Islamic Republic has demonstrated that, even when a reformist president is elected, significant policy changes do not often materialize. A prime example is the election of Khatami in 1997, which inspired considerable hope among young Iranians. Khatami secured nearly 70 percent of the vote, with turnout reaching an impressive 80 percent, one of the highest in the country’s electoral history.
The combined influence of the supreme leader and the IRGC creates a formidable structure of control
He campaigned on a platform that promised freedom of expression, tolerance and the development of civil society. Additionally, Khatami advocated for constructive diplomatic relations with other nations, including those in Asia and the EU, and supported an economic policy favoring a free market and foreign investment. Despite these progressive and hopeful promises, the expected policy changes largely failed to materialize, illustrating the challenges reformists face within the Islamic Republic’s political system. This historical context serves as a reminder of the complexities and limitations that reformist candidates encounter even after achieving electoral success.
In fact, the election of a reformist often triggers a counter-reaction from hard-liners, who intensify their crackdowns on society. This response serves as a message to the public that the hard-liners remain firmly in control and that any attempts to empower reformist elements will be met with increased repression.
Iran's domestic and foreign policies are primarily dictated by two powerful entities. The first is Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who holds the ultimate authority and has the final say in all major policy decisions. The second influential entity is the senior cadre of the IRGC. The IRGC is far more than just a military institution; it exerts significant influence across nearly every sector of Iranian society, including the economy, telecommunications, manufacturing and shipping. This extensive reach allows the IRGC to play a pivotal role in shaping and enforcing both domestic and foreign policies, further consolidating its power and ensuring that its interests are deeply embedded in the fabric of Iranian governance. The combined influence of the supreme leader and the IRGC creates a formidable structure of control that significantly impacts the direction of the country’s policies and its interactions with the rest of the world.
In essence, the president’s role predominantly involves shaping the national and international agenda, providing a framework within which the supreme leader and the senior cadre of the IRGC can execute their policies. It is crucial to note that the president operates within strict boundaries defined by these influential figures; he must navigate them carefully to avoid crossing any established limits or red lines.
In conclusion, historical precedent and Iran’s entrenched power structures suggest that substantive policy shifts are unlikely, no matter who wins the presidential election.
**Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian American political scientist. X: @Dr_Rafizadeh

Biden’s Phony Saudi-Israeli Peace Deal ....The point of the U.S. deal isn’t peace. It’s to prevent the two American allies from coming together, while subordinating them both to Iran.
Lee Smith/The Tablet/June 27/2025
For more than a year the Joe Biden administration has been parading what it calls a “historic agreement” in front of longtime U.S. regional allies Israel and Saudi Arabia. If it seems odd that a president who called Saudi a “pariah” state, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an “asshole” now sees Jerusalem and Riyadh as the ingredients for a major foreign policy win in an election year, that’s because the agreement on offer is not a Middle East peace deal. Rather, it’s an instrument to consolidate the Democratic Party’s control of U.S. foreign policy while formally subordinating its two longtime Middle Eastern allies to Iran.
The Biden administration’s regional policy is charged with completing the project initiated by Barack Obama. The endgame is to fold traditional U.S. partners into a new Middle East hierarchy dominated by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its terror proxies, including Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen. The new American-backed, Iranian-led regional order requires breaking Israeli sovereignty and getting Saudi to accept revisions to its 80-year-old relationship with Washington. While Netanyahu is resisting the yoke, the Saudis seem to be willing to submit in the hope that it won’t be too late to revise their status again when, or if, Trump returns.
“The deal buys time,” says a Riyadh-based senior Gulf affairs analyst who asked not to be named. “A year or two gives the Crown Prince time to work on his agenda for Saudi Arabia.” And in the meantime, says the analyst, “if you can reach a deal with the Democrats, you take it. The Republicans are already Saudi allies. But to make a deal with them means the Democrats will give you a hard time. The thinking here is that if you want to do a deal with the U.S., you have to do it with the Democrats.”
To realize Obama’s dream of regional realignment, the Biden team first zeroed in on the Trump-brokered normalization agreements between Israel and four majority Muslim states (Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Sudan) known as the Abraham Accords. The Trump team had reversed Obama’s pro-Iran policies and isolated the terror regime, while freezing out its Palestinian proxies. Plus, Trump eliminated Iranian terror masters like Qassem Soleimani who had targeted U.S. troops, diplomats, and allied nations in a decadeslong campaign of bombings and assassinations.
The new boss is renegotiating the old agreement. The Saudi deal is no longer with America, it’s with Obama and his faction, the New America.
Trump’s approach brought an unprecedented degree of peace and cooperation to the modern Middle East after the upheavals of the Arab Spring, the Syrian war, the civil war in Yemen, Hamas attacks on Israel, sectarian warfare in Iraq, and other bloody events fueled by Obama’s revisionist policies. Yet a regional order based on isolating Iran was anathema to the Biden team, many of them former Obama aides who returned to the White House eager to restore the Iranians and Palestinians to center stage, and push the Saudis and Israelis to the wings.
That’s where the idea of the Saudi-Israel deal came in. Contrary to what Biden media validators claim, it was never meant to expand the Abraham Accords, but rather to collapse them, for the purpose of making Iran first.
The prospective Saudi-Israeli deal that Biden is purporting to broker is usually portrayed as something like a three-way trade, with everyone walking away with something they want: If Israel agrees to a Palestinian state, it gets a normalization agreement with the Saudis, who win a defense and security compact with the White House, whose occupant enjoys a big election-year foreign policy win. And best of all, say Biden officials, the deal checks Iran.
But that’s not true. A closer look shows that the point of the deal is to advance Iranian and Palestinian interests, while collapsing Netanyahu’s governing coalition and convincing the Saudis that the only power that can protect them from Iran is the very same U.S. political faction that legalized Iran’s nuclear weapons program, Obama’s faction.
Saudi interest in expanding its ties to Israel is founded on the idea that Israel was the only regional power strong enough to stand up to Iran and hopefully eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat. It rested on a shared Saudi and Israeli view that Iran was a serious threat and that a nuclear Iran would be an even greater threat—and that both countries had a vital interest in mitigating, or eradicating, the Iranian threat.
But the Biden White House, in line with Obama’s preferences, had the opposite goal: to gain Saudi acquiescence to Iranian primacy. To do that, Team Biden replaced the very real Iranian threat with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The purpose was to rearrange the place settings and put the Saudis and Israelis on opposite ends of the table.
Using the Palestinians as a spoiler is nothing new, of course: That has been their role in the region since they rejected partition in 1948. During the Cold War, anti-U.S. revisionist powers regularly used the Palestinian cause to undermine Riyadh, the oil-producing cornerstone of the Pax Americana, and thus by extension America itself. The Saudis, according to the anti-U.S. regimes, are nothing but quislings, Zionist stooges. So, within Arab company, the Saudis must at least pay lip service to Palestinian statehood, especially when the American president publicly links them for the first time in history to the Palestinians’ hated enemy. By using the Palestinians as a spoiler, the Biden team took a page out of the anti-U.S. regime handbook, thereby strengthening the Iranians’ position and knocking the Saudis off balance.
At the same time, the administration was also preparing a noose for Netanyahu. Maybe he really wanted the deal with Saudi, though it’s still not clear what Riyadh can offer Jerusalem except photo ops, water desalination joint venture projects, and unfulfillable vows to steer the global umma toward perhaps maybe tolerating a Jewish state in the middle of a Muslim-majority region. But since Netanyahu’s coalition partners reject any negotiations regarding a Palestinian state, it was clear that accepting the Biden administration’s conditions would collapse his government. The administration turned up the pressure by promoting his rivals Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz and fueling a hostile U.S.-Israel media campaign to corner Bibi.
But the administration miscalculated. There is little support in post-Oct. 7 Israel for treating with a terror enclave whose civilian population mobilized to rape, torture, and murder Israeli families. No one in Israel thinks responding to Oct. 7 by leaving Hamas in control of the Gaza Strip—let alone the West Bank—is a sensible idea. Gantz’s recent withdrawal from the government after a stunningly bold Israeli operation to rescue four hostages, and his subsequent drop in public opinion polls, underscores the failure of the Biden administration’s ongoing campaign to unseat Netanyahu.
Still, the White House will doubtless continue to find other mechanisms to cripple the Israelis and rescue Hamas. Whether the Biden team had foreknowledge of Hamas’ operation, as increasingly seems to be the case, the fact is that in the aftermath it very quickly saw the carnage as an opportunity not to rethink its destructive policies but to double down on them.
The mass murder of civilians, including foreign workers, showcased what might happen, or continue to happen, to U.S. partners if they didn’t agree to be absorbed into Obama’s pro-Iran realignment policy. After Iran’s missile and drone strike on Israel in April, the White House strictly limited Israel’s ability to retaliate. And if Netanyahu and his war cabinet colored outside the lines, Biden officials threatened, maybe the air defense systems that swatted away Iran’s barrage wouldn’t work so well next time.
While the administration’s antics don’t seem to have changed Israeli thinking, they do appear to have made an impression on the Saudis, who seem as willing as ever to have the White House’s performative promises of protection.
“If anything happens to Saudi there are now guarantees,” says the Gulf analyst, even as he admits no one in Riyadh really knows what the deal means in practice. Most likely, what’s on offer from Washington more or less resembles what Obama offered in 2015 as he was closing the Iran deal—a big arms sale and vague assurances to protect the Saudis from the regime whose nuclear program Obama legalized. The crucial point—in fact, the tell—is that what Obama offered Riyadh a decade ago, and Biden is now, is what the Saudis already have.
Since the start of the U.S.-Saudi relationship, going back to the tail end of WWII, Washington’s role has been to protect Saudi while the kingdom pumps cheap oil to keep global energy markets stable, thereby ensuring America’s peace and prosperity. Even with the Cold War ended, George H.W. Bush kept America’s promise and dispatched U.S. forces to push Saddam out of Kuwait and defend Saudi oil fields.
It’s not lost on the Saudis that Biden, like Obama before him, has conspicuously failed to uphold the American side of the bargain. Instead, the White House has turned a blind eye to Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists firing on Red Sea shipping. “No one trusts Biden,” says the Gulf analyst. But the White House wants the Saudis to scream uncle and ante up. For starters, Saudi can expect to be billed for reconstructing the ruins of Gaza, and southern Lebanon.
The White House isn’t just reselling the Saudis the same carpet they’ve already owned for the last 80 years. No, the new boss is renegotiating the old agreement. The Saudi deal is no longer with America, it’s with Obama and his faction, the New America, different, better, progressive. It’s Obama’s carpet now.
The White House’s obsessive attention to detail in restructuring the Middle East suggests that the Iran realignment strategy wasn’t devised to facilitate America’s military exit from the region, leaving Tehran as the strong horse to curate U.S. interests there. No, it means more empire not less. Thus, U.S. troops are in Iraq and Syria to protect Iranian allies and proxies—Iranian “equities,” as Obama put it.
Realignment is the diplomatic instrument ensuring the rise of America’s new progressive empire. In the progressive imperial vision, Saudi, the world’s gas station, is climate change’s ground zero. Israel is the ur settler-colonial ethno-nationalist state, run by Jews. Both need to be integrated into Obama’s new regional architecture. By giving Iran an American badge, realignment is a road map for regionwide conflagration, and a projection of the ongoing efforts to transform America at home.
**Lee Smith is the author of The Permanent Coup: How Enemies Foreign and Domestic Targeted the American President (2020).
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/biden-phony-saudi-israel-peace-deal

When their backs are to the wall, the French turn right
Ross Anderson/Arab News/June 27, 2024
DEFCON 1, the Brits convene a meeting of the COBRA emergency committee and the French raise their national alert level from “surrender” to “collaborate.” That is perhaps unfair: in the darkest days of the 1940s, with most of Western Europe under the Nazi jackboot, the brave men and women of the French Resistance shouldered the burden of defiance almost alone. What is true, however, is that when their backs are to the wall, the instinctive French reaction is to execute a sharp political turn to the right. In November 1799, with the revolutionary First Republic financially bankrupt and widespread discontent on the streets, the Corsican general Napoleon Bonaparte led a coup and had himself appointed first consul — and, eventually, emperor. Napoleon is, of course, best known for his military genius, conquering most of Europe until he met his Waterloo, but domestically he was very much a man of authoritarian bent. He concentrated power in his own hands, introduced censorship, closed all opposition publications and brutally repressed dissent in a regime that the American historian David A. Bell has described as “soft despotism.”
Napoleon concentrated power in his own hands, introduced censorship and brutally repressed dissent
A century and a half later, the French were at it again. While the Resistance enjoys and deserves our enduring respect, it was in 1940 that the “collaborator” jibe was first deployed. The collaborator-in-chief was Marshal Philippe Petain, a mentor of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco with political views two goose-steps to the right of Attila the Hun. Conveniently for Hitler, who lacked the resources to subdue all of France, Petain set up a government in the town of Vichy and offered to do it for him. The Vichy regime was authoritarian and repressive and reversed the liberal policies that had made Paris the avant-garde capital of European arts and culture. Moreover, if there were any Jews, communists or other “undesirables” to be rounded up and carted off in cattle trucks to the death camps of Eastern Europe, Petain was the man for the task: with his enthusiastic help, the Nazis murdered at least 72,500 French Jews.
You would think by now that the French would have learned a lesson, but evidently not. They vote on Sunday in the first round of National Assembly elections and, if the polls are accurate, then a majority of its 577 members will belong to National Rally, the far-right party led in the assembly by Marine Le Pen.
To be fair to Le Pen (and we are fair to everyone here), she has done much to sanitize the legacy of her father Jean-Marie, who founded the party as the National Front in 1978. A rare combination of antisemite and Islamophobe, he was repeatedly convicted of assault when he was a law student. He was president of a student association whose members specialized in street brawls with anyone they suspected of being a communist, and he even managed to have himself thrown out of that. The old boy is also a serial loser: he served with the French Foreign Legion in Indochina (defeat) and Suez (humiliation) and five times he has tried and failed to become French president. He turned 96 last week, so he is probably past all that now, although he could try a bid for the White House — his relative youth might be a bonus.
The daughter is an altogether smarter operator, who knows a liability when she sees one. She deposed her old man as party leader in 2011, threw him out entirely in 2015 and changed the party name to National Rally in 2018. Gone, too, is the vile, racist rhetoric demonizing migrants, minorities, Jews, Muslims and even France’s European partners. In its place are emollient words about tolerance and cooperation.
And in place of anyone called Le Pen as overall chief, National Rally’s candidate to be prime minister is the fresh-faced and squeaky-clean party president Jordan Bardella — who, at 28, is barely out of short trousers and does not exactly bestride the world stage like a colossus. You would pay to be a fly on the wall at his first encounter with a genuine major player such as Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin.
The Muslims fleeing France are young, educated, professional people who have simply had enough of intolerance.
It may be that Marine Le Pen’s conversion to the voice of sweet reason is genuine, with electoral gain the motive, but there remains a problem that she shares with her fellow populist in the UK, Nigel Farage: with so many of their parties’ candidates running for office, some of them will not have got the memo. You can never tell when some far-right dipstick will accidentally and instinctively execute a straight-arm Nazi salute without being fully aware of what he is doing. One of the candidates for Farage’s Reform UK party at next month’s British parliamentary election has declared that the UK should have stayed neutral in the war against Hitler, that women were spongers and not entitled to healthcare, and that Winston Churchill was an “abysmal leader.” It is only a matter of time before similar sentiments emerge from the darker recesses of National Rally.
Already, those most likely to be affected by an epidemic of xenophobia in France’s governance have begun voting with their feet. A remarkable book out this year, “La France, Tu l’Aimes Mais Tu La Quittes,” has just been published in English as “France, Loving It But Leaving It.” In it, a succession of disillusioned and disenchanted Muslims tell the authors why they no longer feel safe, welcome or at home in the country of their birth and have decided to move elsewhere.
And these are not the usual suspects, the deprived denizens of the banlieues, the largely lawless suburbs of Paris where the police go only with a bulletproof vest and weapons drawn. The Muslims fleeing France are young, educated, professional people who have simply had enough of intolerance.
A typical example is Aminata Sylla, 25, who is studying at the Sorbonne for a master’s degree in international relations but cannot wait to quit the country. “It’s been a build-up of all the negative experiences I’ve had,” she told the authors. “When it’s not that I’m Black, it’s that I’m Muslim, then it’s that I wear a headscarf. I feel like I can’t breathe sometimes.”
The book’s authors believe matters will only deteriorate with the electoral rise of the far right. “In the next few months, we will see a growing disinhibition of Islamophobic words and behavior,” said one of them, Olivier Esteves. “We wrote about women who are spat on for wearing the hijab — that kind of thing is only going to get worse.”
We can only hope he is wrong — but don’t hold your breath.
**Ross Anderson is associate editor of Arab News.