English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For November 14/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son
John 14/08-14: “Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on November 13-14/2024
Elias Bejjani: Self-Deception and Deception of Others with Illusory Victories from Ahmed Said and Al-Sahhaf to Hezbollah’s Media Relations Official Muhammad Afif
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: Heavenly Justice Takes Vengeance on Hezbollah’s Terrorist Mastermind, the Criminal Salim Ayyash
Israel says it has expanded its military ground operation in Lebanon
Israel assassinated three high-ranking Hezbollah field commanders
Hezbollah says launched drone attack on Israel military HQ
Israeli airstrikes alter landscape of Beirut’s southern suburbs
'No ceasefire': Israel defense minister vows no let-up in war on Hezbollah
Israeli strike in Aramoun kills at least six, wounds 15
Hochstein says 'there is a shot' of ceasefire in Lebanon soon
Israeli Airstrikes Kill 8 in Lebanon as Beirut Awaits Truce Ideas
Report: Only one point unresolved in ceasefire negotiations
Fadlallah: Netanyahu won't take through politics what he couldn't through war
Egypt FM says any settlement must 'guarantee Lebanon's sovereignty'
Hezbollah launches drone attack on Israel defense ministry in Tel Aviv
Report: Israeli cabinet to approve US ceasefire plan for Lebanon
Berri says only 1701 on table, 'rejects German and British role'
European Council adopts second assistance measure in support of Lebanese Army
Hezbollah says ties with Lebanese army remain ‘strong and solid’
Arab Tourism Organization Condemns Israeli Attacks on Lebanese Archaeological Sites
Russia Denies its Hmeimim Base in Syria Is Being Used to Supply Hezbollah with Weapons from Iran
23rd Saudi Relief Plane Arrives in Lebanon
‘Exploding pagers were purchased by Hezbollah,’ injured Iranian ambassador admits
IDF strikes Hezbollah launchers in Lebanon, Hamas sites in Gaza following attacks on Israel
Rmeish, A Christian Border Town in Lebanon is in the Crosshairs, Again/Alberto M. Fernandez/National Catholic Register/November 13/2024
It is a false (and dangerous) idea.”/Mohamad Chatah, published August 2012
Saint John Chrysostom/Saint Of The Dat site/November 13/2024

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 13-14/2024
Trump Meets Biden at White House to Discuss Power Transfer
Trump picks Jewish real estate tycoon Steven Witkoff for Mideast envoy
Trump says he will nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to be attorney general
Trump names Musk, Ramaswamy to lead newly formed Department of Government Efficiency
Israeli Attack Targets Syria’s Homs Countryside, Syrian State Media Says
The Eighth Anniversary Of Kurdish Soldiers’ Liberation Of Christian Towns In The Kurdistan Region Of Iraq From ISIS
Blinken: US Wants Real, Extended Pauses in Fighting in Gaza
Israeli Forces Kill 14 People in Gaza, Force New Displacement in the North
Russia asks Israel to avoid air strikes near Syrian base
Israel questions ICC judge's impartiality in Netanyahu arrest case
Why is only limited aid getting to Palestinians inside Gaza?
Iranian President: We Must Manage Relationship and Confrontation with the US Ourselves
European powers pushing for resolution against Iran at IAEA, diplomats say
US Says Will Not Limit Israel Arms Transfers after Some Improvements in Flow of Aid to Gaza
UN Says 70% of Those Killed in Gaza Were Children and Women, Deplores ‘Daily Cruelty’
Saudi Arabia Warns against Israeli Statements on West Bank Sovereignty
Netanyahu hints he would hit Iranian oil fields if Tehran attacks
Annexation vs. security: Israel’s strategic choice in a tense moment – editorial
Hamas not engaging in hostage deal, so Qatar asked it leave Doha, Blinken says
Court rejects PM Netanyahu's request to delay trial testimony
Bill to revoke tax-exempt status of terror-supporting NGOs fails to pass US House
Iran executes in public a serial rapist convicted in dozens of cases

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on November 13-14/2024
Will Iran respond to Israel's attack? The answer may surprise you/Salem Alketbi/Jerusalem Post/November 13/2024
The Draghi Report 'To Save Europe': Late, Confused but with Important Findings/Drieu Godefridi/Gatestone Institute./November 13, 2024
The Three Pillars of Trump’s Middle East Policy/Nadim Koteich/Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
Iran and Trump… Dialogue or Escalation/Tariq Al-HomayedAsharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
Trump’s influence looms large over the world/Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/November 13, 2024
‘Celebrity Endorsements’ and the Death of Democracy/Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/November 13, 2024

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on November 12-13/2024
Elias Bejjani: Self-Deception and Deception of Others with Illusory Victories from Ahmed Said and Al-Sahhaf to Hezbollah’s Media Relations Official Muhammad Afif
Elias Bejjani/November 12/ 2024
The greatest catastrophe afflicting Arab nations lies in the decline of the culture and standards of victory and defeat standards among their leaders, intellectuals, political elites, and clerics. These figures live in a world of myths and legends, forcing these deceptive believes onto their people, where ignorance and a complete detachment from reality prevail, along with a fondness for living in fantasies, hallucinations, and daydreams.
Since the establishment of the State of Israel in the mid-1940s, sickening hallucinations, delusions and illusions have dominated the minds of many Arab leaders—be they civilian, military, or religious—who have willfully failed to understand that the world is changing and the days of sword and shield wars are gone, and victory and defeat can no longer be defined by mere wishes, desires, or dreams that do not align with real power dynamics and capacities.
This rotten, insular, and diseased mentality has led to an accumulation of continuous, ongoing chapters of losses, defeats, disasters, and catastrophes, which are misleadingly portrayed as victories.
In the 1967 war, the Arabs suffered a crushing defeat under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who had previously threatened to "throw Israel into the sea", and boasted of possessing great destructive power and capabilities, only to end up defeated. During that war, which ended in Egypt's resounding defeat, the broadcaster Ahmed Said, contrary to all realities on the ground, was announcing news of victory, deceiving the Egyptian people.
Similarly, the Iraqi  Al-Sahhaf under Saddam Hussein’s rule, propagated lies, claiming victory over the "American invaders" while the Iraqi army was disintegrating and suffering enormous losses as American tanks entered Saddam’s palace.
Today, in Lebanon, after the years of defeats of Abdel Nasser, Saddam Hussein, Arafat, and Gaddafi, history repeats itself with Muhammad Afif, Hezbollah’s media official, who promotes defeats as if they were victories.
In a press conference yesterday, Afif shamelessly and arrogantly claimed that Hezbollah is the victor, asserting that Israel failed to occupy even a single village in southern Lebanon. According to his deceitful logic, this means Israel failed to achieve its goals. Afif conveniently ignored the immense destruction inflicted by Israel’s army on Shiite towns and cities in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs, as well as the displacement, casualties, injuries, and living hardships endured by over a million Lebanese, most of whom belong to the Shiite community, who is badly suffering in all domains due to Hezbollah's delusions and Iran’s ambitions and schemes.
It is truly sad that the deceitful approach adopted by leaders like Abdel Nasser, Saddam Hussein, Iran’s ruling mullahs, and Hezbollah serves only to deceive the Arab people, obscure the truth, and claim imaginary victories that conceal disasters and defeats.
In conclusion, Hezbollah, the terrorist and jihadi organization wholly subordinate to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, is defeated, broken, and has lost the war it waged against the State of Israel. Thus, it must accept this reality, surrender, and hand over its weapons, ammunition, and all its military equipment to the Lebanese Army, the sole legitimate authority mandated to protect Lebanon and its citizens.

Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: Heavenly Justice Takes Vengeance on Hezbollah’s Terrorist Mastermind, the Criminal Salim Ayyash
Elias Bejjani, November 11, 2024
Isaiah 33/01/Woe to you destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you betrayer, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying you will be betrayed.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/11/136707/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p_aitt-Cv8
Isaiah 33/01/Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you, betrayer, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betrayingyou will be betrayed.
In an act of divine justice, Hezbollah security leader Salim Ayyash—convicted for the assassination of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri along with multiple Lebanese MPs, journalists, and security figures—was reportedly killed by an Israeli airstrike in the town of Qusayr, Syria. Alongside three bodyguards, Ayyash met his fate, fulfilling the adage, “The killer will be killed, even if delayed.” This reflects the concept that God grants time but does not neglect justice. Such outcomes bear testimony to divine intervention in eradicating high-ranking Hezbollah terrorists, figures steeped in the corruption and heresy that Hezbollah’s Iranian-driven mission has wrought on Lebanon and beyond. Yesterday, Israeli Channel 12 announced the airstrike, marking the end of Ayyash’s long, murderous career, which inflicted terror on opponents of Hezbollah’s occupation and malign objectives.
***
Lebanese journalist, Jean Faghali, commented aptly in Nidaa Al-Watan newspaper today is an admonishing critics to refrain from disparaging the Lebanese Army, which he defended by contrasting Hezbollah’s failure to protect its own, leading to the assassinations of its key figures like Imad Mughniyeh, Qassem Soleimani, Mustafa Badreddine, and others—most of whom perished in Israeli strikes with no Hezbollah reprisal demanded against Syria or Iran.
He writes: “Raise your voices against Hezbollah’s shortcomings, not the Lebanese Army.”
In his piece, Jean Faghali draws attention to the series of high-profile Hezbollah figures who have been assassinated, often under puzzling circumstances.
He highlights the lack of accountability within Hezbollah for the repeated breaches in security that allowed these targeted killings. Figures like Imad Mughniyeh, who was assassinated in Syria within a tightly secured diplomatic zone managed by Syrian intelligence, raise serious questions. How did Israel’s Mossad penetrate such highly secured areas to eliminate Mughniyeh? Faghali asks why Hezbollah never issued a statement demanding Syria to account for this security breach.
He continues, noting similar cases, such as the assassination of Mustafa Badreddine, also in Syria, and others like Hajj Hassan Nasrallah and top Hezbollah operatives who were struck within Hezbollah-controlled territories in Lebanon, including the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Faghali criticizes Hezbollah for its failure to demand explanations or accept responsibility for these losses. Instead, he argues, critics fixate on perceived flaws within the Lebanese Army while overlooking the severe lapses in Hezbollah’s own security network.
He emphasizes that Hezbollah’s critics only focus on “the splinter in the eye” of the Lebanese Army, while ignoring “the plank in the eyes” of those responsible for guarding Hezbollah’s operatives. Even regarding recent incidents, such as the kidnapping in Batroun, Faghali raises questions: if the kidnapped individual was not affiliated with Hezbollah, why did Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s deputy secretary-general, take a significant interest in the matter? And if he was indeed affiliated, why did Hezbollah fail to protect him?
Faghali concludes that Hezbollah, by refusing coordination with the Lebanese Army and acting unilaterally, has no grounds to question or challenge the Army’s stance.
He asserts that the Lebanese Army remains the entity with the authority to ask questions—not Hezbollah. As he firmly states, “Raise your voices away from the Army.”

Israel says it has expanded its military ground operation in Lebanon
Mohammed Tawfeeq and Lauren Izso, CNN/November 13, 2024
Israel’s military ground operation in southern Lebanon has been expanded, the country’s defense minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday. Katz did not clarify when the decision to expand operations was taken and did not offer any details on what the expansion entails. Israel launched what it described as a “limited ground operation” to expel Hezbollah from southern Lebanon early last month. “We have expanded the ground maneuver in southern Lebanon and we are operating against Hezbollah targets in the Dahiyeh district in Beirut and wherever necessary,” Katz told soldiers during his first visit to Israel’s Northern Command. There were nearly 20 Israeli airstrikes against what the Israeli military described as Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Beirut on Tuesday and Wednesday.The newly appointed defense minister maintained that Israel will not agree to “any ceasefires.”
“We will not take our foot off the pedal,” Katz said, adding that Israel will not “agree to any deal that does not ensure the disarmament of Hezbollah and its withdrawal across the Litani River – and especially Israel’s right to enforce … and act against any terrorist activity and organization.”
The Litani river is some 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Israel’s northern border. Despite the Israeli ground operation into southern Lebanon, Hezbollah has maintained a daily barrage of rockets against parts of northern Israel and continues to launch drones against Israeli cities. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said around 50 projectiles were fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon into Israel on Wednesday.Hezbollah on Wednesday said it had carried out at least 20 attacks against Israel and its troops in Lebanon with drones, missiles, and rockets, saying its actions were “in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip … and in defense of Lebanon and its people.”Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Wednesday praised the militant group’s fighters for their support in a handwritten letter published online. The letter comes after the group’s members expressed support over the weekend for his leadership. Qassem was named the group’s new leader in late October, a month after his predecessor Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike.
Growing toll on civilians
Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon continues to exact a heavy toll on civilians. Airstrikes on several towns across Lebanon have killed at least 20 children since Sunday, according to the Lebanese health ministry. In the town of Joun in southern Lebanon, at least eight children were killed on Tuesday, the ministry said. A separate attack on Tuesday killed at two children in Baalchmay, southeast of Beirut. On Wednesday, an Israeli attack in the village of Dawhet Aramoun, south of Beirut, left three children dead. On Sunday, an Israeli strike in the village of Aalmat, north of Beirut, left seven children dead. CNN has reached out to the IDF for comment on the strikes. The number of children killed in Lebanon over the past 50 days now accounts for 80% of all children killed in the past year, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said Wednesday in a post on X. “Children in Lebanon are enduring the deadliest phase of this war,” he added. As of Tuesday, at least 2,683 people had been killed and 12,144 injured in Lebanon since mid-September when Israel stepped up its campaign against Hezbollah, according to a CNN tally of health ministry figures. The health ministry numbers do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Katz’s announcement about expanding Israel’s ground operation also comes as the military confirmed the death of six Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. This marks one of the deadliest days for Israeli troops in Lebanon since the start of the ground incursion on October 1. The deadliest day so far was on October 2, when eight soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. Those killed on Wednesday were all from the Golani brigade – regarded as an elite infantry unit – and included a platoon commander, a squad commander, a squad sergeant, and three soldiers, the IDF said. At least 41 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon since the start of Israel’s ground incursion on October 1, according to a CNN tally of the IDF figures. At least 792 Israeli soldiers have been killed, including 373 killed inside the Gaza Strip, since Hamas’s deadly attacks on the country on October 7, 2023, according to the IDF.
CNN’s Jomana Karadsheh and Nechirvan Mando contributed to this report

Israel assassinated three high-ranking Hezbollah field commanders
Agencies/November 13/2024
Israel assassinated three high-ranking Hezbollah field commanders:
Mohammad Musa: The operations commander in the Khiyam region.
Ayman Nabulsi: The commander of the anti-tank missile unit in the Nasr and Hajj Yusuf units.
Hajj Ali Yusuf Saleh: The Hezbollah commander in the Tabnit region.
IDF Statement: The IDF has reiterated its commitment to targeting Hezbollah's leadership, citing the killing of the Khiyam sector commander and other key figures. Specific Operations: The IDF provided details of airstrikes in October and the current week, highlighting the elimination of key individuals responsible for numerous rocket attacks on Israel. Impact: These operations are seen as a significant blow to Hezbollah's capabilities and a deterrent to future attacks on Israel. Analysis of the Statements
Propaganda War: Both Israel and Hezbollah are engaged in a propaganda war, using these statements to bolster their domestic and international support.
Targeted Killings: The IDF's strategy involves targeting key Hezbollah commanders to disrupt the organization's operations and deter future attacks.
Escalation of Tensions: These actions could further escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah and potentially lead to a broader conflict.

Hezbollah says launched drone attack on Israel military HQ
AFP/November 13, 2024
BEIRUT: Hezbollah said it launched a drone attack targeting Israel’s military headquarters and ministry of defense in the city of Tel Aviv on Wednesday. In a statement, the Lebanese militant group said it conducted an “aerial attack with a squadron of exploding drones” on the site housing Israel’s main defense institutions in the commercial hub. The Israeli military said in two statements that it intercepted two drones and 40 projectiles launched from Lebanon, and that the attack had caused no injuries. The statements did not specify what sites had been targeted

Israeli airstrikes alter landscape of Beirut’s southern suburbs
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/November 13, 2024
BEIRUT: The Israeli army expanded its airstrikes on neighborhoods in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Wednesday, as part of a relentless campaign that has continued day and night over the past 48 hours. Israel’s policy of maximum pressure against Hezbollah, targeting displaced individuals from the south and the Bekaa Valley, has increasingly resulted in mass fatalities. Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdel Atti, said during a visit to Beirut on Wednesday that “the current priority is to achieve a ceasefire and halt the Israeli aggression.”He stressed “the importance of preserving Lebanese state institutions, particularly the presidency, and the necessity of selecting a consensus president for Lebanon, one who is supported by all Lebanese sects and the entire Lebanese populace.”The office of president has been vacant since Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022, as rival political factions have been unable to agree on a successor. Abdel Atti said: “The resolution of the presidential vacancy should not be a precondition for the cessation of hostilities. It must be a national issue (dealt with by) the Lebanese people.”During his visit, the minister held long talks with Lebanese officials, the commander of the Lebanese Army, and the grand mufti. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on the suburbs of Beirut on Tuesday night and throughout the day on Wednesday caused significant damage that reportedly altered the very landscape of several neighborhoods. The most recent attacks struck several suburban areas of the city, including Ghobeiry, Haret Hreik, Bir Al-Abed, and Lailaki. A medical center in Haret Hreik that contained clinics and laboratories was among the buildings completely destroyed. Even cemeteries serving both the Sunni and Shiite communities have been hit, and the Musharrafieh area was targeted for the first time. The Tayouneh roundabout, marking the border between Beirut and Shiyah, has become an impromptu refugee camp. Residents gather there after being forced from homes they had only recently reluctantly returned to after previous Israeli attacks. Many have exhausted their life savings on temporary accommodation after finding government shelters filled to capacity.Throughout the day on Wednesday, evacuation warnings issued by Israeli military spokesperson Avichai Adraei sent families fleeing. The realities of the escalating humanitarian crisis were revealed in the resulting scenes: mothers pushing young children in strollers to safety; young men carrying disabled siblings; and entire families seeking refuge in grassy areas where the Lebanese Civil Defense has established emergency shelters. People endure hours of waiting in fear as the ground and buildings shake from airstrikes, and the pressure waves caused by the explosions spread panic. There have also been reports of strange chemical odors causing respiratory distress. “Although the Israeli maps (for military action) do not include my house or its vicinity, who can trust the enemy’s plans?” said Fatima, who fled her home in Shiyah and went to the roundabout camp with elderly neighbors. “Staying home under these Israeli missiles, which exceed human endurance, is madness.”This feeling of distrust in Israeli evacuation orders appears justified, as some strikes reportedly hit areas considered safe, including locations outside the southern suburbs, with no warning.
A dawn raid on Wednesday struck Aramoun in Aley district, a densely populated area in which numerous displaced families were sheltering. The attack, which destroyed the first and second floors of a residential building, left eight people dead and 18 wounded, some of them critically. Civil Defense and Red Cross teams worked throughout the day to rescue survivors and recover the remains of the dead from the rubble and a nearby valley. Several children were reported missing. Earlier, an airstrike on a residential building in Joun, in Chouf region, killed 16 civilians, including eight women and four children, and injured 12. Civil Defense teams later recovered a child’s body and the unidentifiable remains of two other people from the rubble. Israeli raids also targeted several towns in the deep south of Lebanon, destroying houses, shops and other buildings, and the surrounding areas. Meanwhile, Hezbollah continues to target Israeli settlements in northern Israel. Humanitarian flights carrying aid from Arab nations for displaced people continue to arrive at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport. They included the 23rd delivery of aid from Saudi Arabia, which contained food and medical supplies. A similar cargo arrived on an Egyptian plane, which also brought the country’s foreign minister, Abdel Atti, for his meetings with officials in the capital. The Israeli army said on Wednesday it had intercepted “two drones that infiltrated into northern Israel from Lebanon.”Israeli media reported “a tragedy in Lebanon, as seven soldiers of the Golani Brigade were killed following the collapse of a building in a village in southern Lebanon.”

'No ceasefire': Israel defense minister vows no let-up in war on Hezbollah
Agence France Presse/November 13, 2024
Israel's new defense minister told senior commanders Wednesday that there would be no easing-up in the war against Hezbollah as he toured the northern border with Lebanon. "We will make no ceasefires, we will not take our foot off the pedal, and we will not allow any arrangement that does not include the achievement of our war objectives," Defense Minister Israel Katz said. "We will continue to strike Hezbollah everywhere."

Israeli strike in Aramoun kills at least six, wounds 15
Naharnet/November 13, 2024
Lebanon’s health ministry said an Israeli strike killed at least six people on Wednesday in a densely-packed area south of the capital Beirut, outside Hezbollah’s traditional strongholds. "The Israeli enemy strike on Aramoun killed six people" and wounded 15 others, the ministry said giving a preliminary toll, adding that "body parts were recovered from the site and their identities are being verified." The strike hit an apartment building in the town of Aramoun, just south of Beirut. The state-run National News Agency reported that there were children missing after the strike and it wasn't clear if they are under the rubble or were transferred to a hospital. There was no warning issued before the strike, and it was not clear what the target was. There was no immediate statement from the Israeli military. Also Wednesday morning, the Israeli military struck several sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs, after issuing evacuation warnings. It said the strikes were targeting “Hezbollah facilities and interests.” There were no immediate reports of casualties. Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have been clashing since Oct. 8, 2023, when Hezbollah began launching rockets across the border in support of its ally, Hamas, in Gaza. The conflict escalated beginning in mid-September. Israel has launched a widespread aerial bombardment of Lebanon and a ground invasion that it said is intended to push Hezbollah back from the border. Hezbollah says the Israeli military has been unable to occupy even a single village in Lebanon since launching its cross-border ground operations.

Israel restrikes Dahieh after wave of overnight raids
Agence France Presse/November 13, 2024
Israeli warplanes started bombarding Beirut's southern suburbs around noon Wednesday after fresh evacuation warnings were issued by Israel for six areas in Haret Hreik and Ghobeiri. TV footage showed a plume of black smoke rising over the area after a strike, about an hour after Israel’s army told residents to leave, in the third such warning in 24 hours. "You are located near facilities and interests affiliated with Hezbollah, against which the Israel Defense Forces (military) will act in the near future," army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X. Airstrikes had hit Beirut's southern suburbs overnight, as images of fire and smoke emerged from the area. The evacuation order posted on X by Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee warned people living in houses close to buildings "linked to Hezbollah" to move out, warning of imminent heavy strikes.
The strikes followed a wave of rare daytime raids on the area.

Hochstein says 'there is a shot' of ceasefire in Lebanon soon
Naharnet/November 13, 2024
U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein said he believes "there is a shot" of securing a ceasefire deal in Lebanon soon, telling U.S. news portal Axios: "I am hopeful we can get it." U.S. officials said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had indicated to the Biden administration that he wanted to end the war in Lebanon within weeks. Israeli minister for strategic affairs Ron Dermer met on Monday evening with Hochstein and Brett McGurk, another key Biden adviser, and discussed the efforts to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon, presenting Israel's position. On Tuesday morning, Dermer met with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan to continue the discussions. A U.S. official said the meetings with Dermer were productive and closed many of the remaining gaps between the U.S. and Israel regarding the text of the ceasefire agreement and a side letter Israel has requested. The letter would include a U.S. commitment allowing Israel to take military action in Lebanon if the Lebanese Army and U.N. peacekeepers don't prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing military activity near the border, or from smuggling heavy weapons into Lebanon, U.S. officials said. "It is not quite a done deal, but close to it," one U.S. official said. After the talks with Dermer, the U.S. must receive a response from the Lebanese government and from Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, who negotiates on behalf of Hezbollah, Hochstein said. Hochstein also emphasized that there will be no involvement of Russia in the cease-fire agreement in Lebanon or in the supervision of its implementation.

Israeli Airstrikes Kill 8 in Lebanon as Beirut Awaits Truce Ideas
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13, 2024
Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs for a second consecutive day on Wednesday, as Lebanon waited to hear Washington's latest ceasefire proposals after a US official expressed hope a truce could be reached. More than seven weeks since Israel went on the offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah, midmorning airstrikes levelled half a dozen buildings in the Beirut suburb known as Dahiyeh and killed eight people in Dawhit Aramoun, a village south of the capital. The dead included three women and three children, Lebanon's health ministry said.
"They used to hit Dahiyeh at night, now they are doing it in daytime. Things are intensifying day after day," said Hassan Moussa, 40, speaking in Beirut, adding that Israeli airstrikes had also widened to areas such as Aramoun. Israel launched a major air and ground offensive against the heavily armed Hezbollah in late September after nearly a year of cross-border conflict fought in parallel with the Gaza war. The Israeli military said its air force had destroyed nine Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and command centers in strikes in the Beirut area, and that Hezbollah fired 40 projectiles into Israel on Wednesday. It said later that a heavy barrage of rockets was fired from Lebanon at Israel, where sirens sounded in the central areas. There were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties. White House envoy Amos Hochstein, the US official who has led several fruitless attempts to broker a ceasefire over the last year, told Axios that he thought "there is a shot" at a truce in Lebanon soon. "I am hopeful we can get it." His comments point to a last-ditch bid by the outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden to secure a Lebanon ceasefire as diplomacy to end the Gaza war appears adrift, with mediator Qatar having suspended its role. The United States and other world powers say a ceasefire in Lebanon must be based on UN Security Council resolution 1701 which ended a war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. The resolution demands that the areas of south Lebanon near the Israeli border be free of any weapons other than those of the Lebanese state. Israel long complained it was never implemented, pointing to Hezbollah weapons and fighters at the border. Lebanon in turn accused Israel of violating the resolution, with Israeli warplanes regularly violating its airspace. Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a political ally of Hezbollah and endorsed by it to negotiate, was quoted as saying that Lebanon was awaiting concrete ceasefire proposals and had not been informed officially of any new ideas. "What is on the table is only Resolution 1701 and its provisions, which must be implemented and adhered to by both sides, not by the Lebanese side alone," Berri, who helped negotiate the 2006 truce, told Asharq Al-Awsat. Israel wants the right to intervene itself to enforce any ceasefire if it deems it necessary, noting the presence of UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon had not stopped Hezbollah from building forces in the area.
ISRAELI WARNING
There were no immediate reports of casualties in Wednesday's Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, which residents have been largely evacuated. The Israeli military earlier issued a statement on social media saying it would act soon against targets in the area, warning residents they were located near Hezbollah facilities. Tuesday's Israeli airstrikes, also carried out midmorning, flattened around a dozen buildings in Dahiyeh. Hezbollah said it used drones to attack Tel Aviv's Hakirya military base for the first time. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on Hezbollah's statement and no sirens were reported by the military in Tel Aviv. On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there had been "a certain progress" in ceasefire talks over Lebanon, though the main challenge would be enforcement. Israel's defense minister said on Wednesday he would not agree to any Lebanon ceasefire that does not ensure a disarmed Hezbollah withdraws north of Lebanon's Litani River or allow the residents of northern Israel to return to their homes. "We will not make any cease-fires, we will not take our foot off the pedal, and we will not allow any arrangement that does not include the achievement of the war's objectives - and above all Israel's right to enforce and act on its own against any terrorist activity," the minister, Israel Katz, said during his first visit to the Northern Command with the Chief of Staff. "Terrorist infrastructure is collapsing in Beirut - we will continue to hurt Hezbollah everywhere."
Since hostilities erupted a year ago, Israeli attacks have killed at least 3,365 people in Lebanon, the majority in the last seven weeks, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Hezbollah attacks have killed about 100 civilians and soldiers in northern Israel, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and southern Lebanon over the last year, according to Israel. A Hezbollah attack on Tuesday killed two people in the city of Nahariya in northern Israel. Hezbollah later claimed responsibility for a drone attack that it said was aimed at a military base east of Nahariya.

Report: Only one point unresolved in ceasefire negotiations
Naharnet/November 13, 2024 
Despite the military escalation that Lebanon witnessed over the past hours, it seems that “signs of hope are looming on the horizon,” the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television reported on Wednesday. “The latest Israeli escalation in several areas proves that something’s cooking regarding the ceasefire negotiations,” informed sources told Al-Arabiya. Both Hezbollah and Israel have confirmed that there are indeed negotiations, the sources noted. “Most terms have been nearly resolved pending the final touches,” the sources added, noting that only one point remains pending, related to the committee that will oversee the agreement’s implementation. “The problem regarding this point is the absence of a clear mechanism for implementing it until now, but the U.S. side is working on resolving it,” the sources said. The sources added that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday “will decide how things will go and whether U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein will obtain approval for continuing his mission and finalizing the settlement or that it will be currently frozen.” “Things will become clearer over this weekend and it will become known whether Lebanon is headed for a truce or escalation,” the sources added, noting that “we are before an international momentum for halting the war.”“We either seize this chance and the war ends, or we lose it and the war continues for months to come,” the sources warned.

Fadlallah: Netanyahu won't take through politics what he couldn't through war
Naharnet/November 13, 2024
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said Wednesday that the second phase of Israel’s ground operation in south Lebanon “will not give it the victory image it is seeking” after “its failure in the first ground campaign.” “Despite the magnitude of the huge loss at the civilian and urban levels, our people have no choice but to continue the resistance and resilience in the face of the Israeli brutalism, and (Israeli PM Benjamin) Netanyahu will not take through politics what he couldn’t through war,” Fadlallah added, in a speech marking 40 days since the assassination of senior Hezbollah official Sayyed Hashem Safieddine. “Our country will not submit to the enemy’s conditions,” Fadlallah stressed.

Egypt FM says any settlement must 'guarantee Lebanon's sovereignty'
Naharnet/November 13, 2024 
Any settlement that “does not guarantee Lebanon's sovereignty” cannot be accepted, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said after meeting Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut. “We are communicating with (U.S. Secretary of State Antony) Blinken and (U.S. mediator Amos) Hochstein to speed up the ceasefire in Lebanon,” Abdelatty added. Saying he carried a message of support to Lebanon from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Egyptian minister said he stressed to Berri that Egypt’s priority is “achieving a ceasefire without any conditions.”“We condemn the aggression and we are continuing our contacts to stop it,” Abdelatty went on to say. He also called for the election of a “consensual president” without “foreign diktats,” adding that “ending the presidential vacuum crisis should not be linked to the ceasefire.” Abdelatty also met with Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, who emphasized that the army is ready to implement Resolution 1701 and to immediately deploy in the south to enforce it.

Hezbollah launches drone attack on Israel defense ministry in Tel Aviv
Agence France Presse/November 13, 2024
Hezbollah said it launched a drone attack targeting Israel's military headquarters and ministry of defense in the city of Tel Aviv on Wednesday. In a statement, the Lebanese militant group said it conducted an "aerial attack with a squadron of exploding drones" on the site housing Israel's main defense institutions in the commercial hub. Air raid sirens were later activated across central and northern Israel as the Israeli army said it intercepted projectiles fired from Lebanon. "Following the sirens sounded a short while ago in a number of areas in central Israel and in the Carmel area, approximately five projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Some of the projectiles were intercepted by the IAF (Israel Air Force)," Israel's army said in a statement.

Report: Israeli cabinet to approve US ceasefire plan for Lebanon
Naharnet /November 13, 2024
The Israeli political-security cabinet will approve the U.S. initiative regarding Lebanon and the U.S. arrangements have reached the final stages of drafting, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported on Wednesday. "Israel has alternative operational plans if Lebanon rejects the U.S. proposal," the report said. "Harm to Bashar Assad's regime could happen if weapons transfers to Lebanon continue," the report added, noting that the U.S.-brokered agreement with Lebanon prevents weapons transfers from syria. "The arrangements include Hezbollah's withdrawal to north of the Litani River and the deployment of the Lebanese Army," the report said, adding that Washington will "support Israel in preventing any attempts by Hezbollah to rearm."The report also mentions that the agreement includes "a document granting Israel the freedom to act in case of any violations."

Berri says only 1701 on table, 'rejects German and British role'
Naharnet/November 13, 2024 
Speaker Nabih Berri has stressed that only U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) should be present on the table of negotiations, adding that “both sides should work on implementing its stipulations and commit to them, not only the Lebanese side.”Commenting on the flurry of optimistic Israeli media reports in recent days, Berri told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Lebanon has not been officially informed of any new suggestion. “Lebanon is waiting for tangible proposals to be submitted in order to act accordingly,” the Speaker added. Western diplomatic sources meanwhile told the daily that “Berri has objected against one of the most important elements of the proposed solution,” noting that “there are efforts to resolve Berri’s objection against German and British participation in a mechanism that is being suggested to implement Resolution 1701, which also comprises the U.S. and France.”

European Council adopts second assistance measure in support of Lebanese Army
Naharnet/November 13, 2024 
The European Council has adopted an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility (EPF) worth €15 million to the benefit of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), the EU Delegation to Lebanon said. The assistance measure is aimed to strengthen the capacities of the LAF, by enhancing its capacities for the military medical operations, as well as the engineering and the logistics operations. This decision “highlights that the EU-Lebanon partnership remains high on the EU’s agenda, in the highly volatile and unpredictable regional security situation,” the EU Delegation said in a statement. In the European Council conclusions adopted on April 18, the EU had stressed its commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and its willingness to support state institutions and the LAF. The European Peace Facility was established in March 2021 for the financing of actions under the common foreign and security policy to prevent conflicts, preserve peace and strengthen international security and stability. In particular, the EPF allows the EU to finance actions designed to strengthen the capacities of third states and regional and international organizations relating to military and defence matters. A first EPF measure was adopted in 2022 in favor of Lebanon, for an amount of €6 million.

Hezbollah says ties with Lebanese army remain ‘strong and solid’
AP/November 13, 2024
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels saw multiple explosions strike near a vessel traveling through the Red Sea on Tuesday, though no damage was immediately reported by the ship, authorities said. The attack comes as the rebels continue their monthslong assault targeting shipping through a waterway that typically sees $1 trillion in goods pass through it a year over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon. The Houthis have insisted that the attacks will continue as long as the wars go on, and the assaults already have halved shipping through the region. Meanwhile, a UN panel of experts now allege that the Houthis may be shaking down some shippers for about $180 million a month for safe passage through the area. A vessel in the southern reaches of the Red Sea, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of the rebel-held port city of Hodeida, reported the attack, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said.No one was wounded on board in the blasts, and the ship was continuing on its journey, the UKMTO added. The Houthis didn’t immediately claim the attack. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days before they acknowledge one of their assaults. The Houthis have targeted more than 90 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October 2023. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign, which also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have included Western military vessels as well. The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.The Houthis have shot down multiple American MQ-9 Reaper drones as well. The last Houthi maritime attack came Oct. 28 and targeted the Liberian-flagged bulk tanker Motaro. Before that, an Oct. 10 attack targeted the Liberian-flagged chemical tanker Olympic Spirit. It’s unclear why the Houthis’ attacks have dropped, though they have launched multiple missiles toward Israel as well. On Oct. 17, the US military unleashed B-2 stealth bombers to target underground bunkers used by the rebels. US airstrikes also have been targeting Houthi positions in recent days as well. Meanwhile, a report by UN experts from October says “the Houthis allegedly collected illegal fees from a few shipping agencies to allow their ships to sail through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden without being attacked.” It put the money generated a month at around $180 million, though it stressed it hadn’t been able to corroborate the information provided by sources to the panel. The Houthis haven’t directly responded to the allegation. However, the report did include two threatening emails the Houthis sent to shippers, with one of those vessels later coming under attack by the rebels.

Arab Tourism Organization Condemns Israeli Attacks on Lebanese Archaeological Sites
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
The Arab Tourism Organization condemned on Wednesday Israeli attacks on Lebanese heritage and archaeological sites, urging the international community to prevent the loss of Lebanon's cultural heritage. In a statement, it called on the international community and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to take urgent measures to protect Roman archaeological sites in Baalbek and other heritage areas from Israeli raids. "The ongoing war and repeated attacks pose an imminent danger to these sites, leading to irreparable losses and undermining security and stability, which contradicts fundamental human and religious values," it warned. Arab Tourism Organization President Dr. Bandar Al-Fuhaid said the organization and the Arab tourism community are committed to supporting Lebanon in preserving its heritage.

Russia Denies its Hmeimim Base in Syria Is Being Used to Supply Hezbollah with Weapons from Iran
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
Russia has asked Israel to avoid launching aerial strikes as part of its war against Lebanon’s Hezbollah near one of Moscow’s bases in Syria, a top official said Wednesday. Syrian state media in mid-October claimed that Israel had struck the port city of Latakia, a stronghold of President Bashar Assad, who is supported by Russia and in turn backs Hezbollah. Latakia, and in particular its airport, is close to the town of Hmeimim that hosts a Russian air base. “Israel actually carried out an air strike in the immediate vicinity of Hmeimim,” Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy in the Near East, told the RIA Novosti press agency. “Our military has of course notified Israeli authorities that such acts that put Russian military lives in danger over there are unacceptable,” he added. “That is why we hope that this incident in October will not be repeated.”Israel has carried out intensive bombing of Syria but rarely targets Latakia, to the northwest of Damascus. Israel accuses Hezbollah of transporting weapons through Syria. The two warring parties have been in open conflict since September after Israel’s year-long Gaza war with Hamas — a Hezbollah ally — escalated to a new front. Lavrentiev said that Russia’s air base was not being used to supply Hezbollah with weapons. Israel stepped up strikes on Syria at the same time as targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon. Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syrian government forces and groups supported by its arch-foe Iran, notably Hezbollah fighters that have been deployed to assist Assad’s regime. Israel rarely comments on its strikes but has said it will not allow Iran to extend its presence to Syria.

23rd Saudi Relief Plane Arrives in Lebanon
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
The 23rd Saudi relief plane, operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), landed on Wednesday at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport. The flight delivered critical aid, including food, shelter materials, and medical supplies, to support those in need, the Saudi Press Agency said. The assistance is in keeping with Saudi Arabia's historic role in supporting the brotherly Lebanese people in times of crisis.

‘Exploding pagers were purchased by Hezbollah,’ injured Iranian ambassador admits
Jerusalem Post/November 13/2024
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-828887
Mojtaba Amani, the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to Lebanon, himself badly injured by the pager incident, justified the purchase by quoting the ‘weakness of the Lebanese state’.
Mojtaba Amani, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon who was injured during the pager detonation incident of September, admitted that Hezbollah was the one who purchased the pagers in the first place. During an interview with Islamic Republic outlet ISNA, Amani alleged that the pagers were not used for military purposes, accusing that their detonation constituted a war crime. He also testified that prior to the detonation, a “special beep” sounded. Then a message appeared reading, “You have an important message,” triggering the detonation upon pushing a button to read it.
This confession comes following months of pro-Hezbollah outlets claiming that the pagers were not limited to Hezbollah members alone, despite Hezbollah themselves admitting that they were held by their members in the days following the incident. Attempting to explain Hezbollah’s necessity for the pagers, Amani accused that Lebanon ‘does not have a very strong government,’ adding that the country “does not have a president, and the prime minister is temporary.”According to Amani, these facts led to Hezbollah’s purchasing of the pagers in an attempt to provide warnings from Israeli air raids. He also noted that since the incident, pagers have not been used, and Hezbollah members have warned each other by shooting into the air and by relying on Israel’s preemptive warnings. Amani did not provide any context for his own holding of such a communications device purchased and used by the terrorist organization.
‘His injuries are proof of terrorist's activity’
Amani appeared in public earlier this week for the first time since his injury during the pager attack. He could be seen with injuries in his face around the eyes and in his hands, with pro-Islamic Republic accounts cheering on him and adding commending quotes such as “in memory of all those who gave their eyes to Iran”. Likewise, other supporting tweets quoted Amani as saying: “This injury is an honor for me because I was with the oppressed Lebanese people in this war crime.”
However, others saw in Amani’s injury proof for his involvement with Hezbollah’s pro-Iranian and anti-Lebanese endeavors.
Ghassan Bou Diab, a Lebanese-born peace activist who opposes Hezbollah, tweeted on his X account: “After it was proven that ⁧‫the Mullah’s ambassador was injured in the pager explosion, which necessarily means that he was involved in terrorist and criminal acts that threaten Lebanese national security and cause huge losses in Lebanon and undermine its inner stability - this should strip him of any diplomatic immunity. It is the right of the Lebanese and the duty of the foreign minister to expel the terrorist Mujtaba Amani and shut down the the den of conspiracies called ‘the Iranian Embassy Once the new administration takes over, we will file a lawsuit before the American courts and demand the confiscation of the assets and properties of the Iranian mullahs to pay compensation to the Lebanese whose homes were destroyed by the terrorist militias, the IRGC and Ali Khamenei!”
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly claimed responsibility for the pager attack for the first time, accusing other cabinet members of opposing it. The attack, which was reportedly considered to be activated in the first days following the October 7 Massacre but was then postponed, led to the injury of an estimated 4,000 Hezbollah terrorists and the death of at least 59, according to different reports.
On Tuesday, he said, an Iranian attack on Israel “would rob you of many more billions of dollars.” The kind of economic devastation he described would be akin to what could happen if Israel did target the Iranian oil fields. Netanyahu issued his statement just as President Isaac Herzog was set to meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House, his third such visit since 2022. Biden has hosted Netanyahu only once. Herzog’s visit comes amid a transition of power in both Washington and Jerusalem, with Trump set to re-enter the White House in January and Israel Katz, replacing Yoav Gallant as defense minster. Gideon Sa’ar has stepped into Katz’s former role as foreign minister. In an appeal to the Iranian people to work together with Israel for a better regional future, Netanyahu said, “I know that you don’t want this war. I don’t want this war either. The people of Israel don’t want this war. There is one force putting your family in grave danger: the tyrants of Tehran. That’s it.”The Islamic Republic’s last attack on Israel, he said, cost the country “$2.3 billion,” he said, adding “I’m not guessing.” Herzog highlighted the danger of Iran in his meeting with Biden, as he stressed the importance of a deal to ensure the return of the remaining 101 hostages in Gaza. “It all starts in Tehran. It all starts in the empire of evil, where Tehran with its proxies, they’re doing whatever they can to erase stability and security and peace, calling for the annihilation of the State of Israel and seeking nuclear weapons.”
He spoke as Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer was in Washington for talks on a potential deal between the IDF and Hezbollah along Israel’s northern front. Israel and the United States have been hopeful that a deal could be in the offing with Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy group, but despite an intense flurry of diplomatic activity, no deal has been reached. Dermer and Blinken discussed such efforts when the two men met on Monday. After his White House meeting on Tuesday, Herzog hinted that there could be progress soon in speaking with reporters. Defense Minister Katz, however, wrote on X that “there will be no ceasefire in Lebanon and no respite. We will continue to hit Hezbollah with full force until the goals of the war are achieved. “Israel will not agree to any arrangement that does not guarantee Israel’s right to enforce and prevent terrorism on its own, and meeting the goals of the war in Lebanon, disarming Hezbollah and withdrawing them beyond the Litani River and returning the residents of the north safely to their homes,” Katz said.

IDF strikes Hezbollah launchers in Lebanon, Hamas sites in Gaza following attacks on Israel
Jerusalem Post/November 13/2024
IDF and Shin Bet (ISA) continue targeted Gaza operations against October 7 attackers
The IDF struck dozens of Hezbollah launchers in Lebanon after the terror group launched multiple projectiles into Israel over the last day, the IDF announced on Wednesday. Hezbollah projectiles were launched at the Nahariya region on Tuesday, killing two. Sirens also sounded in the Tel Aviv and Gush Dan region, but no injuries were reported. The IDF has been conducting targeted operations in southern Lebanon to dismantle additional Hezbollah terror sites. These defensive and offensive operations have eliminated terrorists, located weapons, and dismantled infrastructure, including underground hideouts and storage. Additionally, Overnight, the IAF conducted intelligence-based strikes on Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and command centers in the Dahieh area, a key Hezbollah terrorist stronghold in Beirut, where Hezbollah systematically embedded its terrorist infrastructure behind the Lebanese civilian population. Prior to the strikes, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk to civilians, including issuing advance warnings to the population in the area. These strikes were a part of the IDF's ongoing efforts to dismantle and degrade Hezbollah's military capabilities, and the IDF is continuing to strike Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites in the Dahieh area.
Eliminating October 7 terrorists
In Gaza, with Israel Security Agency (ISA) intelligence, the IDF targeted a Shejaiya terrorist cell. Among those struck was Yasser Ghandi, identified as one of the attackers who breached Israeli territory and participated in the October 7 massacre. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) hit over 120 Hamas and Hezbollah sites in Gaza and Lebanon in the past 24 hours.

Rmeish, A Christian Border Town in Lebanon is in the Crosshairs, Again
By: Alberto M. Fernandez/National Catholic Register/November 13/2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/11/136778/
COMMENTARY: The greatest hope of the people of Rmeish is to live in peace. Israel and Hezbollah have other priorities.
View of Southern Lebanon villages and Metula (in Israel) as seen from Mitzpe Benya lookout, located at the foot of Misgav Am in Upper Israel. (photo: MoLarjung / Shutterstock)
Sometimes small things vividly illustrate and reveal larger truths. Rmeish is a small town in southern Lebanon close to the Israeli border. It is a mostly Christian town, with about 99% of the entire population being Maronite Catholics, one of a handful of Christian villages in a region dominated by the Shiite Muslim majority in Lebanon’s South.
The greatest hope of the people of Rmeish is to live in peace. But being so close to the border has meant that it has been a close observer and unwilling bystander to wars, including the war launched on Oct. 8, 2023 by the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah against Israel. While Hezbollah has used much of the border region to strike Israel, prompting heavy Israeli return fire, Rmeish has managed — just barely — to stay above the fray.
In March 2024, locals discovered that Hezbollah militants were trying to set up a rocket launcher in the town, a step that would have provoked a harsh Israeli response. According to Beirut’s L’Orient Le Jour, “The situation escalated to the point where the Hezbollah members started firing bullets into the air while the residents rang the bell of a church in the village.” The locals succeeded in protecting their town that day and received expressions of solidarity from Lebanese Christian leaders in Beirut. Hezbollah’s intimidation of Christians in the South, even up to outright murder, is not uncommon and has happened for decades.
The war has continued, however, and in early October 2024 the Israeli Army entered Lebanon’s border region to push back Hezbollah forces. The Israeli operation, targeting a dense network of infrastructure, weapons and tunnels honeycombed in and under Shiite Muslim villages and used by Hezbollah to launch more than 9,000 rockets against Israel, has been extremely destructive.
Rmeish has stood apart. It has been able to prevent itself from becoming a combat zone or a missile launching pad and has not been destroyed. That fact alone has made the town the target of a Hezbollah propaganda blitz on social media, accusing the town’s inhabitants of being traitors for not participating in Hezbollah’s war.
One large pro-Hezbollah X account, @WarMonitors, with more than 1 million followers, on Oct. 18 warned the inhabitants of the town against “making any mistakes,” presumably mistakes in even thinking of collaborating with the Israelis in any way. Hezbollah relies on front organizations and local proxies to apply the pressure and intimidation. Lebanese law is draconian on such matters and there is a pattern of the Lebanese government investigating individuals for even the merest suspicion of any contact with Israelis.
While some locals have fled to Beirut, many inhabitants have remained in their ancestral village. Indeed, they have welcomed hundreds of displaced Lebanese, both Shiite Muslims and Christians, from other villages in the region as “guests of Rmeish” and housed them in a local monastery. Others were sheltered in the homes of the people of Rmeish. Many came from Ain Ebel, a village that the Israelis had ordered evacuated.
With the war raging all around them, food has grown increasingly short. At one point in late October, there was no flour left to make bread. Contact with the outside world is intermittent. A humanitarian convoy was able to evacuate the villagers of Ain Ebel but the roads are dangerous and the sound of fighting and bombing between Hezbollah and Israel can often be heard easily in the town. The inhabitants that remain long for the permanent deployment of the Lebanese Army and Police and the departure of both Hezbollah and the Israelis.
The pattern of Christians caught between two fires in the Middle East is tragically a common one. Palestinian gunmen in 2002 fleeing the Israelis holed up for 39 days in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, the holy place marking the site of the manger where the Lord Jesus was born.
In Egypt, rural Christians have to tread carefully in the face of threats from both Muslim extremists and from the security forces that combat them. The decades-long war between the Turkish Army and PKK Kurdish insurgents was a direct cause in the depopulation of the Syriac Christian villagers in the Tur Abdin, “the Mountain of the Worshippers of God,” an ancient and, until 50 years ago, majority Christian refuge in southern Anatolia. In northern Iraq, Christian villages faced the depredations of Sunni Muslim jihadists a decade ago and then the continued intimidation of the Shiite Muslim militias today that had helped push the Jihadists out. As the war in Lebanon rages, and innocents are killed both north and south of the Lebanon-Israel border, we should remember and pray for the Christians of Rmeish, our brothers and sisters who have shown great steadfastness and hospitality in this current calamity. The dangers they face are not only the destruction of war drawing dangerously close but the threat of being scapegoated or demonized by others for rejecting a war not of their choosing.
*Alberto M. Fernandez Alberto M. Fernandez is a former U.S. diplomat and a contributor at EWTN News.

It is a false (and dangerous) idea.”
By Mohamad Chatah, published August 2012
Posted on x by: Ronnie Chatah
“Hezbollah’s arguments in favor of maintaining an independent military status parallel to that of the state have been made very clear. Setting aside broader regional and ideological motivations, which most observers believe are intrinsic to Hezbollah’s regional ties and strategic agenda, the group and its supporters have articulated ‘Lebanese’ reasons for maintaining a separate military force as follows:
The Lebanese system is fraught with sectarianism and corruption. The state and its armed forces are too indecisive and too weak to perform their responsibilities in defending the country and deterring Israel. Hezbollah can do it better because it is able to decide and act independently, and therefore more efficiently, on such matters.
The Lebanese people should be thankful instead of being worried about this. They should accept the status quo happily and take comfort in that Hezbollah is not interested in taking over Lebanon, or in pursuing sectarian domination. When Lebanon reaches a point where a strong and just state and a non-sectarian political system and constitution are in place, we can then discuss Hezbollah’s self-assigned role as an independent liberation-deterrence-defense force.
To some, and probably many, these arguments sound sensible. They seem to hang together well. But in reality they don't serve Lebanon's purpose or interest.
It is simply impossible to protect Lebanon and deter Israel by assigning those sovereign functions to a separate military organization parallel to the Lebanese Army. It would inevitably make the state weaker and compound Lebanon’s inherent fragilities and structural fault lines. Even in the best of circumstances, and irrespective of what Hezbollah says or even does, the status quo contributes to the country’s downward slide far more than its alleged contribution to Lebanon's strength.
The only credible approach to addressing the issue of Hezbollah’s autonomous military force within any ‘Defense Strategy’ inside or outside the ‘National Dialogue’, is to agree on a credible and realistic transition plan to a point where Hezbollah’s military capability is subsumed under the authority of the state, while safeguarding Lebanon’s defense capability during and after the transition. If you think this is difficult, and it is, the alternative (i.e. maintaining the status quo) is a lot worse.
Even if we dismiss the danger to Lebanon of being a theater for regional conflicts, including especially the looming confrontation between Iran and its many adversaries, and even if you manage to convince the world that Lebanon is not part of any regional alliance, Hezbollah’s false logic will continue to present a serious danger.
Here is why:
If we accept Hezbollah’s military autonomy on the basis that the state is not capable enough to be entrusted with the country’s defense, it is not a huge leap for some (individuals or groups) to take the law into their own hand on the grounds that the state justice system is not good enough; or for others to stop paying their taxes on the grounds that the state’s tax system is not fair enough; or for yet others to establish their own local security outfits because the state’s police and security agencies are unable to provide adequate protection to all citizens, communalities and neighborhoods; you get the point. That would be dangerous. Very dangerous.
Hezbollah can continue to claim that Lebanon’s problems precede its existence. To a large extent that is true.
What is false however is the notion that Hezbollah’s insistence on remaining as a separate and independent military entity is not compounding those problems, or that we can embark on a national effort to fix them while leaving Hezbollah’s status, as is, indefinitely. The protection of Lebanon and the interest of the Lebanese people do not revolve around Hezbollah’s weapons.
It is a false (and dangerous) idea.”

Saint John Chrysostom
Saint Of The Dat site/November 13/2024
The ambiguity and intrigue surrounding John, the great preacher (his name means “golden-mouthed”) from Antioch, are characteristic of the life of any great man in a capital city. Brought to Constantinople after a dozen years of priestly service in Syria, John found himself the reluctant victim of an imperial ruse to make him bishop in the greatest city of the empire. Ascetic, unimposing but dignified, and troubled by stomach ailments from his desert days as a monk, John became a bishop under the cloud of imperial politics.
If his body was weak, his tongue was powerful. The content of his sermons, his exegesis of Scripture, were never without a point. Sometimes the point stung the high and mighty. Some sermons lasted up to two hours.His lifestyle at the imperial court was not appreciated by many courtiers. He offered a modest table to episcopal sycophants hanging around for imperial and ecclesiastical favors. John deplored the court protocol that accorded him precedence before the highest state officials. He would not be a kept man. His zeal led him to decisive action. Bishops who bribed their way into office were deposed. Many of his sermons called for concrete steps to share wealth with the poor. The rich did not appreciate hearing from John that private property existed because of Adam’s fall from grace any more than married men liked to hear that they were bound to marital fidelity just as much as their wives were. When it came to justice and charity, John acknowledged no double standards. Aloof, energetic, outspoken, especially when he became excited in the pulpit, John was a sure target for criticism and personal trouble. He was accused of gorging himself secretly on rich wines and fine foods. His faithfulness as spiritual director to the rich widow, Olympia, provoked much gossip attempting to prove him a hypocrite where wealth and chastity were concerned. His actions taken against unworthy bishops in Asia Minor were viewed by other ecclesiastics as a greedy, uncanonical extension of his authority. Theophilus, archbishop of Alexandria, and Empress Eudoxia were determined to discredit John. Theophilus feared the growth in importance of the Bishop of Constantinople and took occasion to charge John with fostering heresy. Theophilus and other angered bishops were supported by Eudoxia. The empress resented his sermons contrasting gospel values with the excesses of imperial court life. Whether intended or not, sermons mentioning the lurid Jezebel and impious Herodias were associated with the empress, who finally did manage to have John exiled. He died in exile in 407.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 13-14/2024
Trump Meets Biden at White House to Discuss Power Transfer
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump returned to the White House on Wednesday for the first time since winning last week's election and sat down for talks about the looming transfer of power with longtime political rival President Joe Biden. "Welcome, welcome back," Biden told Trump at the start of their meeting in front of a roaring fireplace. He promised Trump a smooth transition of power and to do all he could "to make sure you're accommodated.""It'll be as smooth as it can get," Trump said. It was a sharp contrast to the criticism the two men have hurled at each other for years. Their respective teams hold vastly different positions on policies from climate change to Russia to trade. Biden, 81, has portrayed Trump as a threat to democracy, while Trump, 78, has portrayed Biden as incompetent. Trump made false claims of widespread fraud after losing the 2020 election to Biden.
Trump's motorcade rolled through the heavily guarded White House gate and the former and future Republican president was greeted in the Oval Office by Biden, a Democrat who defeated him in the 2020 election. Outside on the White House driveway, a massive crowd of journalists gathered in anticipation of the big event. Trump celebrated his victory earlier in the day with Republicans in the House of Representatives who have a good chance of maintaining control of the chamber as Nov. 5 election results trickle in. "Isn't it nice to win? It's nice to win. It's always nice to win," Trump said. "The House did very well."Biden, who initially ran against Trump in the 2024 election before stepping aside and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, will welcome the former and future president into the Oval Office, a traditional courtesy by outgoing presidents that Trump, a Republican, did not extend when Biden won in 2020. "He believes in the norms, he believes in our institution, he believes in the peaceful transfer of power," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said of Biden's decision to invite Trump. She spoke at a briefing for reporters on Tuesday.
Outside the White House gates, signs of the impending power transfer were evident with construction already under way for the stands for VIP guests to sit during the parade that will take place after Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20. Although Biden intends to use the meeting to show continuity, the transition itself is partially stalled. Trump’s team, which has already announced some members of the incoming president's cabinet, has yet to sign agreements that would lead to office space and government equipment as well as access to government officials, facilities and information, according to the White House. “The Trump-Vance transition lawyers continue to constructively engage with the Biden-Harris Administration lawyers regarding all agreements contemplated by the Presidential Transition Act," said Brian Vance, a spokesperson for the Trump transition, referring to the law that governs the transfer of power. Valerie Smith Boyd, director of the Partnership for Public Service’s Center for Presidential Transition, a non-profit that advises incoming administrations, said the agreement underscores that the United States only has one president at a time and includes pledges to sign ethics pacts not to profit off information provided in the transition. “That needs to be signed for interaction to begin with federal agencies,” she said. “Everything is hinging on that.”Meetings with federal agencies aside, Biden and Trump will likely discuss a myriad of topics, including foreign policy. The outgoing president may urge Trump to back Ukraine in its war with Russia. US support for Kyiv is in question following Trump's victory over Harris last week, and Trump has pledged to end the war quickly without explaining how. Jean-Pierre declined to outline discussion points between the two men ahead of their meeting. The meeting will be the first since the two men's debate in June. Biden's poor performance then heightened concerns about his age among fellow Democrats and led to his departure from the race. Harris became the Democratic nominee instead, running a truncated campaign that ended in her loss.

Trump picks Jewish real estate tycoon Steven Witkoff for Mideast envoy
Jerusalem Post/November 13/2024
Trump also said he will nominate Fox News Channel host Pete Hegseth to be secretary of defense.
US President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had picked Jewish real estate investor and campaign donor Steve Witkoff to be his special envoy to the Middle East. As a pro-Israel donor and fundraiser for Trump’s presidential campaign, Trump said in a statement that Witkoff is a "tireless voice for peace."In an interview with The Bulwark in May, Witkoff explained that he secured “six-figure and seven-figure donations” for the Trump campaign from Jewish donors following Biden’s announcement he’d be pausing weapons shipments to Israel. In July, Witkoff attended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech address to Congress, telling Fox News that it “was strong and it was epic to be in that room.”“It felt spiritual,” he added.
No experience required
Witkoff has no known experience with diplomacy or the Middle East. Trump also said he will nominate Fox News Channel host Pete Hegseth to be secretary of defense. "Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First," Trump said in a statement. "With Pete at the helm, America's enemies are on notice - Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down," he added. Hegseth is an Army National Guard veteran and according to his website served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Trump says he will nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to be attorney general
Michelle L. Price, Adriana Gomez Licon, Jill Colvin And Zeke Miller/WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) /November 13, 2024
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state on Wednesday, setting up a onetime critic who evolved into one of the president-elect’s fiercest defenders to become the nation’s top diplomat.
The conservative lawmaker is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump’s running mate this summer. On Capitol Hill, Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has pushed for taking a harder line against China and has targeted social media app TikTok because its parent company is Chinese. He and other lawmakers contend that Beijing could demand access to the data of users whenever it wants. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. Trump made the announcement while flying back back to Florida from Washington after meeting with President Joe Biden. The selection is the culmination of a long, complicated history between the two men. During their tense competition for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, Rubio was especially blunt in his criticism of Trump, calling him a “con artist” and “the most vulgar person to ever aspire to the presidency.”He tried to match Trump’s often-crude attacks by joking about the size of Trump’s hands in a reference to his manhood. Trump responded by branding Rubio as “little Marco,” a nickname that stuck with the senator for years. But like many Republicans who sought to maintain their relevance in the Trump era, Rubio shifted his rhetoric. As speculation intensified that Trump might pick him as his running mate, Rubio sought to play down the tension from 2016, suggesting the heated tone simply reflected the intensity of a campaign. “That is like asking a boxer why they punched somebody in the face in the third round,” Rubio told CNN when asked about his previous comments. “It’s because they were boxing.”
Rubio was first elected to the Senate in 2010 as part of the tea party wave of Republicans who swept into Washington. He quickly gained a reputation as someone who could embody a more diverse, welcoming Republican Party. He was a key member of a group that worked on a 2013 immigration bill that included a path to citizenship for millions of people in the country illegally.
But that legislation stalled in the House, where more conservative Republicans were in control, signaling the sharp turn to the right that the party — and Rubio — would soon embrace. Now, Rubio says he supports Trump’s plan to deploy the U.S. military to deport those in the country illegally. “We are going to have to do something, unfortunately, we’re going to have to do something dramatic,” Rubio said in a May interview with NBC. He also echoes many of Trump’s attacks on his opponents as well as his false or unproven theories about voter fraud. After Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts in what New York prosecutors charged was a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election, Rubio wrote a column for Newsweek saying Trump had “been held hostage” in court for “a sham political show trial like the ones Communists used against their political opponents in Cuba and the Soviet Union.”
Trump, meanwhile, has backed off his insistence while president that TikTok be banned in the United States, and he recently opened his own account on the platform. A bill that would require the Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in the United States was supported by Rubio even as Trump voiced opposition to the effort. Rubio's Democratic counterpart on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Chairman Mark Warner of Virginia, praised the pick. “I have worked with Marco Rubio for more than a decade on the Intelligence Committee, particularly closely in the last couple of years in his role as Vice Chairman, and while we don’t always agree, he is smart, talented, and will be a strong voice for American interests around the globe," Warner said in a statement. Earlier Wednesday, Trump announced that longtime aide Dan Scavino will serve as a deputy without giving a specific portfolio, campaign political director James Blair as deputy for legislative, political and public affairs, and Taylor Budowich as deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel. All will have the rank of assistant to the president.
Trump also formally announced Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, will be deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser. That had previously been confirmed by Vice President-elect JD Vance on Monday.
Blair was the political director for Trump’s campaign and, once Trump became the presumptive GOP nominee, the political director for the Republican National Committee. He previously worked on Trump's 2020 campaign in Florida and was a top aide for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Scavino was a senior adviser on Trump’s campaign and, in his first term in the White House, he worked as a social media director. He began working for Trump as a caddy at one of Trump’s golf courses, and was part of the small group of staffers who traveled with the president across the country for the entirety of the campaign. He frequently posts memes and videos of Trump's campaign travel online, cataloguing the campaign from the inside on social media.
Before joining the campaign, Budowich worked for the pro-Trump Super PAC, Maga Inc., and after Trump left office, Budowich served as his spokesman while working for Trump's political action committee, Save America. “Dan, Stephen, James, and Taylor were ‘best in class’ advisors on my winning campaign, and I know they will honorably serve the American people in the White House,” Trump said in a statement. “They will continue to work hard to Make America Great Again in their respective new roles.” Miller is one of Trump’s longest-serving aides, dating back to his first campaign for the White House. He was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, particularly on immigration, including Trump’s move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018.

Trump names Musk, Ramaswamy to lead newly formed Department of Government Efficiency
Reuters/November 13/2024
Trump said their work would conclude by July 4, 2026, adding that a smaller government would be a "gift" to the country on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. US President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. Musk and Ramaswamy "will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies," Trump said in a statement. Trump said their work would conclude by July 4, 2026, adding that a smaller and more efficient government would be a "gift" to the country on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The appointments reward two Trump supporters from the private sector.
Their entrepreneurial backgrounds. Musk leads electric car company Tesla, social media platform X and rocket company SpaceX, while Ramaswamy is the founder of a pharmaceutical company who ran for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump and then threw his support behind the former president after dropping out. Musk gave millions of dollars to support Trump's presidential campaign and made public appearances with him. Trump had said he would offer Musk, the world's richest person, a role in his administration promoting government efficiency. The acronym of the new department - DOGE - coincides with the name of the cryptocurrency Dogecoin that Musk promotes. "This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people!" Musk said, according to Trump's statement, which called the new government initiative "potentially 'The Manhattan Project' of our time," referring to the US plan to build the atomic bomb that helped end World War Two.

Israeli Attack Targets Syria’s Homs Countryside, Syrian State Media Says
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13, 2024
An Israeli attack targeted the area of Qusayr in the southern countryside of Homs province in central Syria, Syria's state media said on Wednesday. Israel says it has been carrying out strikes to reduce the transfer of weapons from Iran through Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon, which it said had spread to the town of Al-Qusayr, near the Syrian-Lebanese border.Syrian media said that air defenses intercepted "hostile" targets over the Homs countryside.The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel has been carrying out strikes against Iran-linked targets in Syria for years but has ramped up such raids since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by armed group Hamas on Israel.

The Eighth Anniversary Of Kurdish Soldiers’ Liberation Of Christian Towns In The Kurdistan Region Of Iraq From ISIS
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/11/136799/
Himdad Mustafa/Iraq | MEMRI Daily Brief No. 676/November 13, 2024
In November 2016, after liberating the town of Bashiqa in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a group of Kurdish soldiers decided to restore the town’s church cross and bell despite many bombs having been planted inside the church. Bashiqa is a Yezidi and Christian town that ISIS jihadists controlled for two years.[1] One of the soldiers, Arkan Saeed, carried a large cross on his back and risked his life twice attempting to restore the cross as ISIS snipers shot at him. Later, he told the English-language online news outlet Kurdistan Chronicle, which also publishes a monthly print magazine: “This is a day that I will forever be proud of.”[2] Another soldier, Ahmad Hussein, said that amid all the danger they raised the cross to preserve the dignity of the Christians.[3]
‘Kurdistan: A Beacon Of Coexistence
Religious tolerance is one of the defining features of the autonomous Kurdish region. The majority of Iraqi Christians have found refuge in the Kurdistan Region, fleeing violence from ISIS and Iran-backed Iraqi militias. The Iraq section of the U.S. State Department’s 2023 International Religious Freedom Report concluded that “Restrictions on freedom of religion remained widespread outside the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.”[4]
Bashar Matti Warda, the Head of Bishops in the Chaldean Church, said earlier this year: “There is a long history between Kurds and Christians, Christians are flourishing and growing in Erbil, we ask all the parties to invest in the land, and we thank God for Christians living in peace, flourishing and in prosperous state in Kurdistan Region,” he added, “We have churches, Catholic establishments, schools, universities, and hospitals in the Kurdistan Region, that means we have a good future in Kurdistan.”[5]
In January 2023, Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, laid the foundation stone of a new church in Erbil. He remarked: “This is one of the few places in the Middle East where people of various religious backgrounds live together peacefully. I wish that the government of Kurdistan could infect the hearts of all the nations around them because this is a very unique place and people come from other areas of the Middle East for safety and for peace here in Kurdistan. I am very grateful to the government of Kurdistan for opening this area for all people of all faiths.”[6]
*Himdad Mustafa is a Kurdish scholar and expert on Kurdish, Iranian and Turkish affairs.

Blinken: US Wants Real, Extended Pauses in Fighting in Gaza
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
The United States wants real and extended pauses in fighting in Gaza so assistance can get to people who need it, but the best way to help people would be to end the war, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. "Israel, by the standards it set itself, has accomplished the goals that it set for itself," Blinken told reporters during a visit to Brussels. "This should be a time to end the war." On Tuesday, after the expiry of a 30-day US deadline for Israel to take steps to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Washington said Israel was not blocking aid to Gaza and therefore not violating US law. Eight international aid groups said Israel had failed to meet the US demands to improve access for assistance. Food security experts have said it is likely that famine is imminent in parts of Gaza. Biden, whose term ends in January and who will be replaced with his predecessor Donald Trump, has strongly backed Israel since Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Since then, more than 43,500 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Gaza, with 2 million displaced people and much of the strip reduced to rubble. Trump, a staunch supporter of Israel, has strongly backed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's goal of destroying Hamas. He has promised to bring peace to the Middle East, but has not said how he would accomplish that.

Israeli Forces Kill 14 People in Gaza, Force New Displacement in the North
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
Israeli military strikes killed at least 14 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, as Israeli forces deepened their incursion into Beit Hanoun town in the north, forcing most remaining residents to leave. Residents said Israeli forces besieged shelters housing displaced families and the remaining population, which some estimated at a few thousand, ordering them to head south through a checkpoint separating two towns and a refugee camp in the north from Gaza City. Men were held for questioning, while women and children were allowed to continue towards Gaza City, residents and Palestinian medics said. Israel's campaign in the north of Gaza, and the evacuation of tens of thousands of Palestinians from the area, has fueled claims from Palestinians that it is clearing the area for use as a buffer zone and potentially for a return of Jewish settlers. "The scenes of the 1948 catastrophe are being repeated. Israel is repeating its massacres, displacement and destruction," said Saed, 48, a resident of Beit Lahiya, who arrived in Gaza City on Wednesday. "North Gaza is being turned into a large buffer zone, Israel is carrying out ethnic cleansing under the sight and hearing of the impotent world," he told Reuters via a chat app. Saed was referring to the 1948 Middle East Arab-Israeli war which gave birth to the state of Israel and saw the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their hometowns and villages in what is now Israel.
NO PLANS FOR SETTLERS' RETURN
The Israeli military has denied any such intention, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he does not want to reverse the 2005 withdrawal of settlers from Gaza. Hardliners in his government have talked openly about going back. It said forces have killed hundreds of Hamas fighters in Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun during its new military offensive, which began more than a month ago. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad armed wing claimed killing several Israeli soldiers during ambushes and anti-tank rocket fire. On Tuesday, the United States stressed at the United Nations that "there must be no forcible displacement, nor policy of starvation in Gaza" by Israel, warning such policies would have grave implications under US and international law. Medics said five people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit a group of people outside Kamal Adwan Hospital near Beit Lahiya, while five others were killed in two separate strikes in Nuseirat in central Gaza Strip where the army began a limited raid two days ago. In Rafah, near the border with Egypt, one man was killed and several others were wounded in an Israeli airstrike, while three Palestinians were killed in two separate Israeli airstrikes in Shejaia suburb of Gaza City, medics added. Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel last October, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. More than 43,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza over the past year, Palestinian health officials say, and Gaza has been reduced to a wasteland of wrecked buildings and piles of rubble, where more than 2 million Gazans are seeking shelter in makeshift tents and facing shortages of food and medicines.

Russia asks Israel to avoid air strikes near Syrian base
AFP/November 13, 2024
MOSCOW: Russia has asked Israel to avoid launching aerial strikes as part of its war against Lebanon’s Hezbollah near one of Moscow’s bases in Syria, a top official said Wednesday. Syrian state media in mid-October claimed that Israel had struck the port city of Latakia, a stronghold of President Bashar Assad, who is supported by Russia and in turn backs Hezbollah. Latakia, and in particular its airport, is close to the town of Hmeimim that hosts a Russian air base. “Israel actually carried out an air strike in the immediate vicinity of Hmeimim,” Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy in the Near East, told the RIA Novosti press agency. “Our military has of course notified Israeli authorities that such acts that put Russian military lives in danger over there are unacceptable,” he added. “That is why we hope that this incident in October will not be repeated.”Israel has carried out intensive bombing of Syria but rarely targets Latakia, to the northwest of Damascus. Israel accuses Hezbollah of transporting weapons through Syria. The two warring parties have been in open conflict since September after Israel’s year-long Gaza war with Hamas — a Hezbollah ally — escalated to a new front. Lavrentiev said that Russia’s air base was not being used to supply Hezbollah with weapons. Israel stepped up strikes on Syria at the same time as targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon. Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syrian government forces and groups supported by its arch-foe Iran, notably Hezbollah troops that have been deployed to assist Assad’s regime. Israel rarely comments on its strikes but has said it will not allow Iran to extend its presence to Syria..

Israel questions ICC judge's impartiality in Netanyahu arrest case
Reuters/Wed, November 13, 2024
Israel has questioned the impartiality of an International Criminal Court judge appointed to a panel deciding whether an arrest warrant should be issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The move could further delay a decision in the case, in which the ICC chief prosecutor filed a request in May for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Israel's then defence minister, Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders over the Gaza war. The request requires the approval of ICC judges but their decision has been delayed, partly because of several rounds of legal filings by Israel challenging the court's jurisdiction. In a further delay, Romanian magistrate Iulia Motoc, citing health grounds, asked last month to leave the three-judge panel that is reviewing the request for arrest warrants. She has been replaced by ICC Judge Beti Hohler, who is Slovenian. The Office of the Attorney-General of Israel said in a statement, dated Nov. 11 and seen by Reuters on Wednesday, that Hohler had worked for the Office of the Prosecutor before she was elected as an ICC judge last December. "Israel respectfully requests that judge Beti Hohler provide information to clarify whether there are (or are not) grounds to reasonably doubt her impartiality," it said. "Israel does not suggest that judge Hohler's previous employment with the OTP necessarily or automatically gives rise to a reasonable apprehension of a lack of impartiality," it said. "However, judges of this Court have acknowledged that previous duties within the OTP may, depending on the circumstances, give rise to a reasonable apprehension of bias." Filing the request for arrest warrants in May, the ICC's chief prosecutor said there were reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu, Gallant and the three Hamas leaders had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. All three Hamas leaders are now dead or believed to be dead. The court has no set deadlines, but has generally taken about three months to rule on requests for arrest warrants in previous cases.

Why is only limited aid getting to Palestinians inside Gaza?
Julia Frankel, Samy Magdy And Jack Jeffery/JERUSALEM (AP)/November 13, 2024
The United States decided not to punish Israel over the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip after giving it an ultimatum to increase aid entering the territory. But the flow of food, medicine and other supplies to Palestinians is still at nearly its lowest level of the entire 13-month-old war.
The White House last month gave Israel 30 days to improve conditions or risk losing military support. As the deadline expired Tuesday, leading international aid groups said Israel had fallen far short. But the U.S. State Department announced it would not take any punitive action, saying Israel has made limited progress. However, it called for more steps. Aid groups accuse the Israeli military of hindering and even blocking shipments in Gaza. Almost the entire population of around 2.3 million Palestinians relies on international aid for survival, and doctors and aid groups say malnutrition is rampant. Food security experts say famine may already be underway in hard-hit north Gaza. “It’s really frustrating because by almost every objective metric, all agencies say that the humanitarian situation has gotten worse in that time frame that the U.S. has specified,” Aseel Baidoun, a senior manager of the aid group Medical Aid for Palestinians, said Wednesday. “Even though we have provided all the evidence that there is a risk of famine ... still the U.S. miraculously finds Israel not violating the humanitarian aid law.” Israel, which controls all crossings into Gaza, says it is committed to delivering humanitarian assistance and has scrambled to ramp up aid. COGAT, the military body in charge of aid passage, said they had taken a number of steps over the past month to increase the amount entering the territory, including opening a fifth crossing — into central Gaza — this week. Israel says the U.N. and international aid groups need to do a better job of distributing supplies.
Where do aid levels stand?
Aid into Gaza is typically measured in terms of truckloads of food and supplies entering the territory. The U.S. has demanded 350 trucks daily — still below the 500 a day that entered before the war.
In October, aid entry plunged to its lowest level since the first month of the war. Israeli government figures show roughly 57 trucks a day entering on average. The average has risen to 100 a day so far in November, slightly lower than the same month last year. The U.N., however, says even less is entering. It reports receiving an average of 39 trucks daily since the beginning of October. This is largely because it says it cannot reach the main crossing point in the south to collect cargos due to Israeli military restrictions and lawlessness. The U.N. says virtually no food or other aid has reached the northernmost part of Gaza since the beginning of October. That’s when the Israeli military launched a major offensive against Hamas fighters in the area of Jabaliya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, cutting them off. Israel says October's drop in aid was because it closed crossings into Gaza during the Jewish high holidays. It said it couldn’t allow deliveries to the far north in October because of the fighting. Under international pressure, COGAT allowed two deliveries to the far north this month. But little of it got through. Last week, the World Food Program said troops on the ground ordered its trucks to unload their cargo before reaching their destination. In another planned shipment on Monday, the WFP could only deliver three out of 14 trucks because of delays in getting movement permits from the troops. When it tried to deliver the rest the next day, it said the military denied permission.
Denial of passage and entry
One reason for the large difference between Israel’s and the U.N.’s count of aid trucks entering Gaza: Hundreds of truckloads are piled up on the Gaza side of the main crossing in the south, uncollected by the U.N. for distribution. Israel accuses UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, of not doing enough to retrieve the cargos. The U.N. and aid groups say they often cannot reach the crossing because the Israeli military doesn’t always coordinate safe passage amid military operations in the area and widespread lawlessness. “If we are not provided a safe passage to go and collect it (aid), it’s not possible for us to have it. And it will not reach the people who need it,” said Louise Wateridge, an UNRWA spokesperson. UNRWA has been the main agency procuring and distributing aid in Gaza, and a feud between Israel and the agency, led Israel to take steps toward banning it last month. Israel says Hamas has infiltrated UNRWA -- a charge the agency denies. Aid groups also accuse the Israeli army of blocking aid trucks from reaching areas where fighting is most intense, including northern Gaza. During October, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that Israeli authorities rejected roughly 43% of all humanitarian movement requests and impeded a further 16%. Israeli authorities have also prohibited some vehicles and goods from entering the enclave, aid groups say, often without explanation. Rachel Morris, of the aid group Mercy Corps, said trucks carrying the group’s tent supplies have been turned away more than five times. Israel says it denies entry to supplies that could be weaponized by Hamas. “I witnessed during my visit to Gaza last week the deliberate starvation of almost 2 million civilians, whilst the bombardment continues,” said Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, a major relief provider. “There is barely any aid crossing into Gaza.”
Lawlessness along aid routes
Theft is also stymying distribution.
The military and aid agencies both acknowledge that criminal gangs – often based in local families – are robbing trucks. An Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under military briefing guidelines, estimated that on some days, up to 30% to 40% of aid supplies are stolen by criminals or Hamas. COGAT spokesperson Shani Sasson said that the Israeli army has tried to secure part of the route and find alternate routes for drivers but can’t accompany each aid truck and the criminal groups are always moving. Gaza's police stopped protecting trucks long ago, according to the U.N/., because Israel has targeted them, considering them part of Hamas. Baidoun, with MAP, said that drivers sometimes have to pay fees to move their aid from the crossing into Gaza.
He said that the Israeli military was “failing to provide an enabling environment to bring in sufficient humanitarian goods to Gaza.”

Iranian President: We Must Manage Relationship and Confrontation with the US Ourselves
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on Tuesday for the “management” of the tense relations between Tehran and Washington, emphasizing the need to “deal with enemies with patience.” This statement comes a week after Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.
According to official media, Pezeshkian told current and former senior officials in the diplomatic sector that Iran cannot ignore its longstanding adversary, the United States. “Whether we like it or not, we will have to engage with the United States on both regional and international fronts; therefore, it is better that we manage this relationship and confrontation ourselves,” he stated. Pezeshkian was speaking at an “advisory” meeting on foreign policy with former Iranian FMs and members of his administration, including Ali Akbar Velayati and Kamal Kharazi, the top advisors to the Supreme Leader on international affairs and foreign policy, along with former foreign minister and head of the Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi. The Iranian presidency’s website quoted Pezeshkian as saying that his administration’s approach to foreign policy would be “within the framework of a comprehensive strategy aligned with the directives of the governing system,” indirectly referencing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The reformist-backed president stated: “We must treat our friends generously and approach our enemies with patience,” underscoring the importance of managing foreign relations and addressing international tensions to solve internal issues and promote development. Several officials in Pezeshkian’s administration, along with pro-government newspapers, have hinted at discussions on the possibility of high-level negotiations with the Trump administration. Earlier on Tuesday, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani stated that Iran would pursue whatever serves its “interests,” in response to a question on potential direct talks with the Trump administration. “The government will strive to achieve whatever ensures the country’s interests and the values of the revolution,” she said, according to the government’s ISNA news agency.
She added that the final decision on negotiations rests with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Supreme National Security Council under his authority.

European powers pushing for resolution against Iran at IAEA, diplomats say
John Irish and Francois Murphy/PARIS/VIENNA (Reuters)/November 13, 2024
European powers are pushing for a new resolution against Iran by the U.N. atomic watchdog's board next week to pressure Tehran over its poor cooperation, as the world awaits the return of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, diplomats say. Such resolutions risk further diplomatic tension with Iran. It has retaliated to previous ones and other criticism at the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors by stepping up its nuclear activities and barring top IAEA inspectors, heightening Western concerns about its aims. The resolution would task the IAEA with issuing a so-called "comprehensive report" on Iran's nuclear activities in addition to its regular quarterly ones, which would describe in more detail and put further focus on problem areas like Iran's continued failure to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites. The aim is to force Iran back to the negotiating table to agree new restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief - both less far-reaching than those in a 2015 nuclear deal with major powers that Trump pulled the United States out of in 2018, prompting its collapse. That deal saw Iran agree to severe restrictions on its nuclear activities and tougher international inspections, as Western powers sought to ease the risk of conflict between Iran and its regional rivals by reducing its nuclear capabilities. "Our concerns about Iranian nuclear activity are well known. It feels a natural point to be asking the IAEA for a thorough report. That then provides a basis to deal with Iranian behaviour," a European diplomat said, one of five who said France, Britain and Germany are pushing for a resolution. Western efforts to hold negotiations with Iran in time for a new agreement before the 2015 deal's "termination day" in October of next year had been largely based on the assumption Trump's opponent Kamala Harris would win the presidential election, given Trump's aversion to negotiating with Iran. The United States has not been the driving force behind the resolution but is still expected to back it, as happened with the last resolution against Iran in June, diplomats said. The European powers seeking a resolution, known as the "E3", are discussing the draft with the outgoing U.S. administration. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has also not been keen on a comprehensive report since he is involved in delicate diplomacy aimed at obtaining more immediate explanations of the uranium traces from Iran and convincing it to expand his agency's oversight of its nuclear activities. "We are in real terms (already) providing this," Grossi told a news conference in September when asked about the possibility of a comprehensive report. "My approach is to try to solve issues now and not to have a perspective of a somehow punitive action at some point in the future. My idea is to try to make the cooperation work now."
TENSION
Grossi arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for talks and his first meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian since Pezeshkian took office in July, which Grossi hopes will help break the long-standing deadlock on key issues. Highlighting the tension between Grossi's aim of immediate concessions and Western powers' aim to pressure Iran into talks on nuclear restrictions next year, a senior Iranian official said: "Tehran's reaction to a resolution could be limitations on diplomatic and technical cooperation (with the IAEA)." Whether the incoming Trump administration would be open to negotiations on what some diplomats have called a "less for less" deal, compared with the 2015 one, is an open question. What concessions and promises Grossi obtains from Iran will be watched closely for indications of Iran's openness to talks. Pezeshkian said Tehran will not be able to ignore its arch-foe the United States and needs to "handle its enemies with forbearance", state media reported on Tuesday, a week after Trump won the U.S. presidential election. While there have been no reports the Trump administration plans to hold talks with Tehran after it takes office in January, the President-elect said during the campaign: "I don't want to do damage to Iran but they cannot have nuclear weapons."

US Says Will Not Limit Israel Arms Transfers after Some Improvements in Flow of Aid to Gaza
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
The Biden administration said Tuesday that Israel has made some good but limited progress in increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza and therefore it will not limit arms transfers to Israel as it had threatened to a month ago if the situation had not improved.
Relief groups say conditions are worse than at any point in the 13-month-old war. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters the progress to date must be supplemented and sustained but "we at this time have not made an assessment that the Israelis are in violation of US law." It requires recipients of military assistance to adhere to international humanitarian law and not impede the provision of such aid. "We are not giving Israel a pass," Patel said, adding that the steps Israel has taken have not yet made a significant enough difference. "We want to see the totality of the humanitarian situation improve, and we think some of these steps will allow the conditions for that to continue to progress."The decision from the US — Israel’s key ally and largest provider of arms — comes despite international aid organizations declaring that Israel has failed to meet US demands to allow greater humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip. Hunger experts have warned that the north may already be experiencing famine. The Biden administration last month set a deadline expiring Tuesday for Israel to "surge" more food and other emergency aid into the Palestinian territory or risk the possibility of scaled-back military support as Israel wages offensives against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The obstacles facing aid distribution were on display this week. Even after the Israeli military gave permission for a delivery to the northernmost part of Gaza — virtually cut off from food for more than a month by an Israeli siege — the United Nations said it couldn't deliver most of it because of turmoil and restrictions from Israeli troops on the ground. In the south, hundreds of truckloads of aid are sitting on the Gaza side of the border because the UN says it cannot reach them to distribute the aid — again because of the threat of lawlessness, theft and Israeli military restrictions. Israel has announced a series of steps — though their effect was unclear. On Tuesday, it opened a new crossing in central Gaza, outside the city of Deir al-Balah, for aid to enter. It also announced a small expansion of its coastal "humanitarian zone," where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering in tent camps. It connected electricity for a desalination plant in Deir al-Balah. Israel’s new foreign minister, Gideon Saar, appeared to downplay the deadline, telling reporters Monday he was confident "the issue would be solved." The Biden administration may have less leverage after Donald Trump won the presidential election — he was a staunch supporter of Israel in his first term. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest aide, Ron Dermer, in Washington on Monday to go over the steps that Israel has taken.
Blinken stressed "the importance of ensuring those changes lead to an actual improvement in the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza," the State Department said Tuesday.
President Joe Biden met Tuesday at the White House with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who said a "major objective" for the US should be reining in Iran and its proxies. Herzog also called for the return of the hostages taken from Israel in the Hamas attack that started the war, to which Biden said, "I agree."Eight international aid organizations, meanwhile, said in a report Tuesday that "Israel not only failed to meet the US criteria" but also took actions "that dramatically worsened the situation on the ground, particularly in Northern Gaza. … That situation is in an even more dire state today than a month ago."The report listed 19 measures of compliance with the US demands. It said Israel had failed to comply with 15 and only partially complied with four. The report was co-signed by Anera, Care, MedGlobal, Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, Refugees International and Save the Children.
In an Oct. 13 letter, the US gave Israel 30 days, among other things, to allow a minimum of 350 truckloads of goods into Gaza each day; open a fifth crossing; allow people in coastal tent camps to move inland before the winter; and ensure access for aid groups to northern Gaza. It also called on Israel to halt legislation that would hinder operations of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA. Aid levels remain far below the US benchmarks. Access to northern Gaza remains restricted, and Israel has pressed ahead with its laws against UNRWA.
Israel launched a major offensive last month in the north, where it says Hamas fighters had regrouped. The operation has killed hundreds of people and displaced tens of thousands. Through October and the first days of November, Israel allowed no food to enter the area, where tens of thousands of civilians have stayed despite evacuation orders.
Last week, Israel allowed 11 trucks to go to Beit Hanoun, one of the north’s hardest-hit towns. But the World Food Organization said troops at a checkpoint forced its trucks to unload their cargo before reaching shelters in the town. On Tuesday, COGAT — the Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza — announced it allowed a new delivery of food and water to Beit Hanoun a day earlier. Again, the WFP said that while it tried to send 14 trucks, only three made it to the town "due to delays in receiving authorization for movement and crowds along the route." When it tried to deliver the rest Tuesday, Israel denied it permission, it said. Aid into all of Gaza plummeted in October, when just 34,000 tons of food entered, only a third of the previous month, according to Israeli data. UN agencies say even less actually gets through because of Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and lawlessness that makes it difficult to collect and distribute aid on the Gaza side.
In October, 57 trucks a day entered Gaza on average, and 75 a day so far in November, according to Israel’s official figures. The UN says it only received 39 trucks daily since the beginning of October. COGAT said 900 truckloads of aid are sitting uncollected on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south. "Before the organizations give out grades, they should focus on distributing the aid that awaits them," COGAT said in response to the aid groups’ report. Louise Wateridge, a spokeswoman for UNRWA, said the miliary was not coordinating movements for aid trucks to reach the stacked-up cargos. "If we are not provided a safe passage to go and collect it ... it will not reach the people who need it," she said. COGAT blamed the drop in October on closures of the crossings for the Jewish high holidays and memorials marking the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the war.
The war began when Hamas-led gunmen stormed into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion have killed more than 43,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to local health authorities, who don’t say how many of those killed were fighters. Around 90% of the population of 2.3 million has been displaced, and hundreds of thousands are packed into squalid tent camps, with little food, water or hygiene facilities. The United States has rushed billions of dollars in military aid to Israel during the war, while pressing it to allow more aid into Gaza. Trump has promised to end the wars in the Middle East without saying how. He was a staunch defender of Israel during his previous term, and Netanyahu says they have spoken three times since Trump won the White House last week.

UN Says 70% of Those Killed in Gaza Were Children and Women, Deplores ‘Daily Cruelty’
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
The UN human rights office has verified that close to 70% of those killed in Gaza by airstrikes, shelling and other hostile actions were children and women, a senior UN rights official said. Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that "the age group most represented in verified fatalities was children from 5 to 9 years old." According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 100,000 injured since Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw some 250 taken hostage, about 100 of whom are still being held. The Gaza ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians but has said the majority of those killed are women and children. Kehris said monitoring by the Geneva-based office of the UN high commissioner for human rights indicates that the unprecedented level of killing and injury "is a direct consequence of the parties’ choices of methods and means of warfare, and their failure to comply with fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.""The pattern of strikes indicates that the Israeli Defense Forces have systematically violated fundamental principles of international humanitarian law: distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack," she said. "Palestinian armed groups have also conducted hostilities in ways that have likely contributed to harm to civilians."Kehris criticized Israel for destroying Gaza’s civilian infrastructure including hospitals, schools, electricity grids, water and sewage facilities, which are protected under international law. This "contributes directly to the famine risk," which hunger experts have warned is likely imminent in northern Gaza, she said, also citing the constant and continuing Israeli interference with the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid. Over the past five weeks, Kehris said, Israeli airstrikes have led to "massive civilian fatalities in northern Gaza," especially of women, children and older, sick and disabled people. Many were reportedly trapped by Israeli military restrictions and attacks on escape routes, she said.
The UN human rights office has warned Israel against targeting locations sheltering significant numbers of civilians, and also against attacking the three major hospitals "while unlawfully restricting the entry and distribution of humanitarian assistance to northern Gaza," Kehris said.
‘Daily cruelty’
Meanwhile, Joyce Msuya, the UN’s top humanitarian official, said "acts reminiscent of the gravest international crimes" are being committed in Gaza where Palestinians face increasing hunger, starvation and potential famine – putting most of the blame on Israel. Calling the situation in the territory after more than a year of war "catastrophic," Msuya told the Security Council that "the latest offensive that Israel started in North Gaza last month is an intensified, extreme and accelerated version of the horrors of the past year."She accused Israeli authorities of blocking aid from entering the northernmost part of Gaza, where she said around 75,000 people remain with dwindling food and water, and supplies have been cut off while people are being pushed south. Israel says it is battling Hamas fighters who have regrouped there. "Shelters, homes and schools have been burned and bombed to the ground," Msuya said. "Numerous families remain trapped under rubble because fuel for digging equipment is being blocked by the Israeli authorities and first responders have been blocked from reaching them." She said hospitals have been attacked and ambulances destroyed. Msuya stressed that "the daily cruelty we see in Gaza seems to have no limits," pointing to the town of Beit Hanoun in the north which Israel has besieged for a month and where the UN delivered the first food supplies and water on Monday. "But today, Israeli soldiers forcibly displaced people from those same areas," she said. "Conditions of life across Gaza are unfit for human survival," Msuya said, pointing to insufficient food and shelter items needed for the coming winter. She stressed that problems including the violent armed looting of UN convoys, driven by the collapse of law and order, can be solved "with the right political will." The Security Council meeting was called by Guyana, Switzerland, Algeria and Slovenia following last Friday’s report by hunger experts that called the humanitarian situation throughout Gaza "extremely grave and rapidly deteriorating" and warned that there is a strong likelihood of imminent famine in parts of the north. Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon called the report’s claims "baseless and slanderous," accusing the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification network, or IPC whose independent Famine Review Committee issued Friday’s alert, of prioritizing "smearing Israel over actually helping those in need." He told reporters before the council meeting that the situation in Gaza, including the north, has shown improvement since October. "Yet, instead of recognizing this, the IPC chooses to ignore facts, pushing a narrative detached from reality and hostile to the truth," he said.

Saudi Arabia Warns against Israeli Statements on West Bank Sovereignty
Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed on Tuesday the Kingdom stern warning regarding the extremist statements made by an Israeli cabinet official about imposing Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and expanding settlements. These statements “undermine peace efforts, including the two-state solution; encourage conflicts; and increase extremism, posing a greater threat to regional security and stability,” it stressed. Saudi Arabia considers these statements “a blatant violation of international laws and UN resolutions, reinforcing occupation and expansion by force, which sets a dangerous precedent.” The ministry said that the “continued international failure to address this issue threatens the legitimacy and credibility of the international system and its sustainability.”

Netanyahu hints he would hit Iranian oil fields if Tehran attacks
Jerusalem Post/November 13/2024
Netanyahu urged Iranians to imagine their free lives without 'the tyrants of Tehran' in an unusual English message. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted that the IDF would hit Iranian oil fields should Tehran make good on its threat to launch another ballistic missile attack on Israel. “Another attack on Israel would simply cripple Iran’s economy,” Netanyahu said in an unusual English-language message he directed at the Iranian people. His words, however, were also a sharply worded warning to the Islamic Republic, which is weighing a counterattack against Israel. The Biden administration had warned Israel prior to its October attack on Iran not to escalate the situation by hitting Iranian oil fields or its nuclear faculties. It is believed that President-elect Donald Trump would not oppose such a step. Netanyahu has already spoken three times with Trump since the incoming Republican president was elected last Tuesday. 'I know you don't want this war' “We see eye-to-eye on Iran,” Netanyahu said earlier this week in describing the conversations.

Annexation vs. security: Israel’s strategic choice in a tense moment – editorial
Jerusalem Post Editorial/November 13/2024
Israel faces a choice: Pursue diplomatically fradulent West Bank annexation or focus on Iran and regional security threats. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s recent call for West Bank annexation has put Israel at a decisive crossroads, one that invites scrutiny for the timing of his statements. Smotrich envisions a bold step toward Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, eyeing the incoming Trump administration as a potential ally. But amid rising regional threats – from Iran’s relentless drive for influence to the ongoing conflicts with Hezbollah and Hamas – Israel faces far more urgent priorities that demand focus. Smotrich said on Monday that he hoped Israel would extend sovereignty into the West Bank in 2025 and that he would push the government to engage the incoming administration to gain Washington’s support. Israel’s new foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, separately said that while no decision was made, the issue could come up in talks with the future US administration in Washington. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long used annexation as a political lever, and Smotrich’s remarks may very well serve as a trial balloon to gauge Washington’s stance under President-elect Donald Trump. But Israel’s national security interests would be far better served by focusing on de-escalating regional conflicts and working closely with the US on countering Iran. The man reportedly tapped by Trump to be his secretary of state, Senator Marco Rubio, is known for his assertive stance on Iran and aligns with Israel’s position on containing Iranian influence. With Rubio as a diplomatic ally, Israel could rally significant support from the US to counteract Iranian ambitions rather than risking a new front by pursuing annexation.
West Bank annexation fraught with risks
Israel’s push for sovereignty in Judea and Samaria is not a new idea; Smotrich’s faction has long advocated for annexation, claiming historical and security justifications. However, extending sovereignty over the West Bank – a region Palestinians envision as part of a future state – is fraught with risks, especially in the context of international law and global perception. Most world powers view the West Bank settlements as illegal, and a unilateral move to apply sovereignty could lead to severe diplomatic isolation for Israel. It could also threaten to isolate Israel from its Arab allies – including signatories of the previous Trump administration’s Abraham Accords – and Saudi Arabia, whose consideration of warmer ties with Israel appears to be doubtful after recent contact between the Saudis and Iranians and comments by Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Beyond the diplomatic consequences, annexation could lead to increased violence and unrest in the West Bank, triggering a potentially incomprehensible Third Intifada that Israel is ill-prepared to handle while already facing threats on multiple fronts.  The current wars with Hamas in Gaza and the persistent shadow of Hezbollah in Lebanon are complex enough without adding a new battleground. Until those wars are won, there should never be any thought of further adding fuel to the proverbial fire. It could also threaten to isolate Israel from its Arab allies – including signatories of the previous Trump administration’s Abraham Accords – and Saudi Arabia, whose consideration of warmer ties with Israel appears to be doubtful after recent contact between the Saudis and Iranians and comments by Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Beyond the diplomatic consequences, annexation could lead to increased violence and unrest in the West Bank, triggering a potentially incomprehensible Third Intifada that Israel is ill-prepared to handle while already facing threats on multiple fronts.  The current wars with Hamas in Gaza and the persistent shadow of Hezbollah in Lebanon are complex enough without adding a new battleground. Until those wars are won, there should never be any thought of further adding fuel to the proverbial fire. Netanyahu’s government must consider whether the pursuit of sovereignty in the West Bank aligns with Israel’s core national interests or serves more as a tool to appease certain factions within his coalition. With Iran’s influence seeping into Israel’s borders through its proxies, every resource, every diplomatic relationship, and every strategic decision must be oriented toward neutralizing these threats. By holding off on annexation, Israel could avoid stirring up unnecessary tensions, focusing instead on securing strong partnerships with the US and regional allies. This is a time to consolidate allies, not to alienate them by reigniting controversies that could spiral into new conflicts.

Hamas not engaging in hostage deal, so Qatar asked it leave Doha, Blinken says
Jerusalem Post/November 13/2024
“Hamas, tragically, has demonstrated that it's not going to engage on that despite the renewed efforts we've made in recent weeks,” Blinken stated. Hamas doesn’t want a hostage deal, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Brussels Wednesday, explaining that this is one of the reasons Qatar asked that the group leave Doha. “We've been working, as you know, on trying to get an agreement on a hostage and ceasefire deal,” Blinken said on the 404th day that the hostages have been in captivity. “Hamas, tragically, has demonstrated that it's not going to engage on that despite the renewed efforts we've made in recent weeks,” Blinken stated. “It's one of the reasons why Qatar has told them to leave Doha,” he said, confirming that Qatar did indeed tell Hamas it had to leave its country. Qatar had denied that it had issued such an order when it announced last Saturday that it had suspended its participation in the talks. It had blamed both Israel and Hamas for the absence of any progress, explaining that it would return to the talks only once Hamas and Israel showed they were serious about making a deal. Qatar and Egypt had been the main mediators for a deal, with the help of the United States.
Hostages running out of time
He spoke as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a video Wednesday of Russian-Israel hostage Alexander Troufanov, warning he and other captives were running out of time. Donald Trump's re-election to the US Presidency last week has given the Biden administration only some three months to finalize a deal. US President Joe Biden’s lame-duck status limits his ability to pressure Hamas into a deal.Biden discussed efforts toward a hostage deal with Israeli President Isaac Herzog when the two men met at the White House on Tuesday.

Court rejects PM Netanyahu's request to delay trial testimony
Jerusalem Post/November 13/2024
"We set December 2, 2024, as the start date for the defense stage, having considered all relevant factors, including the state of war," the court judges said. The Jerusalem District Court judges on Wednesday rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request to reschedule his testimony, set to begin on December 2. “The starting point for this discussion,” the judges noted, “is that in our decision on July 9, 2024, we set December 2, 2024, as the start date for the defense stage, having considered all relevant factors, including the state of war.”They added, “While certain events during the war, some detailed in this request, have occurred, others were already known at the time of the decision. We are not convinced of any material change in circumstances that would justify altering the scheduled date.” The judges also reminded the defense that “five months were allocated for preparation in our July 9 decision. This decision considered both the time previously allotted and the remaining time, around three weeks before the defense stage begins, which should be sufficient for the necessary preparations. We trust that the defense and Defendant 1 will be ready for the hearing as scheduled.”The only remaining option for the Prime Minister is to file a petition with the High Court of Justice challenging this decision, as there is no right to appeal such decisions in criminal proceedings. However, previous High Court rulings have generally shown reluctance to intervene in scheduling matters for criminal testimonies. Additionally, the court stated that there is no security assessment preventing the Prime Minister from testifying. “No evidentiary basis has been presented to us,” the court stated, indicating that no security opinion suggests Netanyahu cannot testify at the Jerusalem District Court. Yesterday, the State Prosecutor’s Office opposed the request. The hearing began in open court but later moved to closed doors as the judges discussed security concerns related to the Prime Minister’s testimony. Defense claims not enough prep time. Netanyahu’s attorney, Amit Hadad, argued, “We’re not asking for celebrity privileges, but we’re also not asking for celebrity disadvantages. This request was submitted out of necessity.” He continued, “Since the last decision, there have been developments, so we reviewed the calendar carefully and concluded that national priorities should come before Netanyahu’s personal concerns. The state’s needs take precedence, and he has prioritized them above his own.” Hadad previously argued that recent security developments, including the assassination of Mohammed Deif, and the Hezbollah rocket that killed 12 children in Majdal Shams, have interfered with the defense team's preparations.
Hadad emphasized that the defense’s request “does not dramatically extend the trial; it’s the minimum of minimums.” He added, “The State’s response was extremely disappointing... If the Prime Minister were a reservist, he’d have been granted this request. So if the Prime Minister is managing an entire war and cannot always be available, we can’t just ignore that.” He went on, “The Prime Minister has decided that the needs of the state come before anything else for him. What exactly did we ask for?” Deputy State Attorney Yehudit Tirosh countered, telling the judges, “If it’s unclear, I’ll make it clear: the court already considered that we are at war. We hear from the defense that they can’t commit to the situation ten weeks from now, but we don’t think a defendant, even if he’s the Prime Minister, can dictate the trial’s schedule—especially when we can’t predict what will happen in ten weeks.”
Hadad responded, “The Prime Minister is not ready to testify—not even close. These are the facts, not speculation. We had reason to believe the Prosecutor’s Office would accept our request.” He continued, “We expected this request would be met with cooperation from the State Prosecutor’s Office, especially given that the Attorney General is aware of the situation’s intensity. She attends cabinet meetings; she knows the demands. The Prime Minister is unprepared. This is not a performance; it’s reality. We’re talking about someone who has complete faith in his innocence.

Bill to revoke tax-exempt status of terror-supporting NGOs fails to pass US House
Jerusalem Post/November 13/2024
Opponents of the bill claimed it would have targeted pro-Palestinian organizations that facilitate aid to Gaza. A bill that would have granted the US Treasury the power to revoke the tax-exempt status of non-profit terror-supporting groups failed to pass the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
The bipartisan 'Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act' (HR9495) did not meet the required two-thirds majority to pass. 256 voted yes, and 145 voted no, meaning the bill was 9 votes short of passing. Of the yes votes, 52 were from Democrats, and 204 from Republicans. The failure to pass was met by jubilation from opponents of the bill, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) who called it a "significant victory." CAIR had renamed the bill the 'Non-Profit Killer Bill.' Bill H29495 was sponsored by Rep. Claudia Tenney and cosponsored by two Republican representatives (Rep. David Kustoff and Rep Nicole Malliotakis) and two Democratic Representatives (Rep. Bradley Scheider and Rep. Dina Titus). The first part of the bill would postpone tax filing deadlines for US nationals and their spouses who are unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad. The second would terminate the tax-exempt status of terrorist supporting organizations. Organizations would be considered "terrorist supporting" if they had provided material support to terrorist organizations (as defined in U.S. Code Title 18, section 2339B) within the last three years, beyond a minimal amount. The bill would have allowed the organization 90 days after being notified with details of its alleged support to either disprove the claim or demonstrate efforts to reclaim any material support given. Should the organization be designated, its tax-exempt status would be suspended from the date of designation until rescinded Rep. Kustoff said the bill was aimed at "dismantling the financial networks of terrorist organizations, including Hamas".In November, Congressman Jason Smith said that "Tax-exempt charities operating in the United States are providing support, encouragement, and potential financing to Hamas and Hamas-affiliated groups."
Opposition to the bill
The bill was strongly opposed by various individuals and organizations, which claimed that the bill would target pro-Palestinian groups in the US that were facilitating aid into Gaza. A CAIR-led coalition of over 120 groups signed a letter to the House urging lawmakers against passing the bill, which they claimed would "grant the executive branch extraordinary power to investigate, harass, and effectively dismantle any nonprofit organization - including news outlets, universities, and civil liberties organizations like ours". In a statement sent to the House on Tuesday, Robert McCaw, the government affairs director of CAIR, said "This bill dangerously weaponizes the Treasury against nonprofit organizations and houses of worship - Christian, Jewish, or Muslim - that dare to support Palestinian and Lebanese human rights or criticize Israel’s genocidal actions."
However, Congresswoman Cori Bush said the bill would have been a "dangerous threat to democracy" and would have given Donald Trump "unprecedented power to shut down any nonprofit or group that he disagrees with." Rep Jamaal Bowman and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, like Bush, members of the so called anti-Israel 'Squad,' also said the bill would have led to "dictatorial authoritarianism."

Iran executes in public a serial rapist convicted in dozens of cases
EHRAN, Iran (AP)/Wed, November 13, 2024
The Associated Press
T — An Iranian man convicted of raping dozens of women over the past two decades has been executed in public, the country's state media reported on Wednesday. The state-owned IRAN newspaper said Mohammad Ali Salamat was hanged after Iran’s Supreme Court confirmed his death sentence earlier in October. He was put to death at dawn Tuesday in a cemetery in the western city of Hamedan. Some 200 women had accused Salamat, a 43-year old who ran a pharmacy and a gym in the city, of rape. He is said to have committed the crimes over the past 20 years. Reports by Iranian media said that in many of the cases, Salamat raped his victims after proposing marriage or dating them. He allegedly provided some with abortion pills, which are illegal in Iran. He was arrested in January in what was the biggest number of rape case ever attributed to a single offender in Iran. Following his arrest, hundreds of people gathered at the city’s justice department, demanding capital punishment for Salamat. U.N. experts said in September that Iran is among the world’s top countries that carry out executions. Increasing number of executions in Iran has prompted an outcry by human rights groups. Rape and adultery are among offences in Iran punishable by death. In 2005, Iran publicly hanged a 24-year-old man who raped and killed 20 children. In 1997, authorities hanged a 28-year-old man for kidnapping, raping and killing nine girls and women in Tehran.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on November 13-14/2024
Will Iran respond to Israel's attack? The answer may surprise you - opinion
Salem Alketbi/Jerusalem Post/November 13/2024
The limited scope of the Israeli attack, which targeted only a few military bases and weapons storage facilities without causing widespread damage, does not necessitate an Iranian response.
The most pressing question following Israel’s recent attack on Iran is: Will Iran respond, and if so, how?
The likely answer is that Iran will not respond, for several objective reasons. Primary among these is evidence suggesting extensive prior arrangements were made before the Israeli attack, with Iran being informed of the attack and its intended targets, according to informed American sources speaking to Axios.
These arrangements contradicted Israeli intentions, as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had sought a “lethal, precise, and surprising” attack. The American role in these arrangements is evident, making them part of an implicit agreement under which Iran refrains from retaliation. The critical factor in maintaining these arrangements lies in Israel’s adherence to the pre-communicated target list. The Iranian losses appear to have been limited to military facilities, which spares the Iranian regime any embarrassment should it choose not to respond.
This situation allows both sides to claim the achievement of their objectives and declare psychological victory. This is further evidenced by the notable media blackout from both parties, with information being released so selectively that the nature of the strikes remains unclear – whether they were conducted by aircraft or missiles, and whether they were launched from within or outside Iranian airspace.
This attack has effectively restored the balance of power and rules of engagement that have historically governed their conflict. While this strategic position may not align with current Israeli government objectives – indeed, it represents a missed opportunity to confront Iran at its weakest regional and international position – Netanyahu’s government appears to have settled for constraining Iran’s regional proxies by eliminating terror leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas. In doing so, Israel has maintained its strong alliance with the United States, which had strongly opposed igniting any regional war on the eve of US presidential elections. Israel is now expected to pivot toward cyber warfare or hybrid warfare as more effective and less costly strategies to counter Iranian threats.
Israelis on a perpetual state of alertness
Despite Israel’s qualitative superiority in missile and air capabilities, Netanyahu’s government recognizes the domestic sensitivity and the challenge of keeping Israelis in a perpetual state of alertness due to ongoing Iranian threats.
Additional factors suggest Iran will not respond. Tehran recognizes that the limited Israeli attack may be attempting to provoke a response that would justify expanding the conflict. The Iranian regime’s strategy in such situations is to avoid entrapment, particularly since the Israeli attack was proportional to Iran’s previous actions and caused no major damage to Iranian military facilities. Furthermore, Iran’s fundamental strategy relies on proxy warfare rather than direct confrontation, meaning it retains the option to respond through its proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. The Iranian regime prioritizes preserving its network of regional proxies, focusing on de-escalation and avoiding their total loss, rather than matching Israel’s pattern of strikes and counterstrikes.
A crucial domestic consideration is Iranian public opinion. The Israeli attack was imperceptible to the Iranian people and caused no visible losses. Consequently, the hardline regime’s stature remains intact, preserved by the limited nature of what was effectively Israel’s first acknowledged direct attack on Iran.
Testing Iranian air defense capabilities
The attack primarily tested Iranian air defense capabilities without directly engaging them, allowing the Iranian regime to claim success in deterring a larger Israeli assault. Conversely, Israel can claim success in penetrating Iranian territory with aircraft, missiles, and drones despite Gulf Cooperation Council states’ refusal to allow use of their airspace. Israel can also argue that the attack has broken a long-standing psychological barrier between the two countries, making future operations more feasible.
In conclusion, the attack has maintained the strategic equilibrium between Iran and Israel, allowing both sides to respite and claim victory. This makes an Iranian response highly unlikely, if not impossible.
However, psychological warfare, propaganda statements, and mutual threats will likely continue, as such verbal confrontation falls within acceptable parameters of their relationship. Despite preemptive statements from Iranian officials – including Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baqai’s assertion that “Any aggression by the Israeli regime against Iran will be met with full force,” and The New York Times’ report that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered military planning for potential responses – these fall within Iran’s acceptable retreat parameters.
The limited scope of the Israeli attack, which targeted only a few military bases and weapons storage facilities without causing widespread damage or casualties, does not necessitate an Iranian response. Indeed, such a response would likely give Israel the opportunity it originally sought to destroy strategic targets – an action the United States had previously prevented.
**The writer is a UAE political analyst and former Federal National Council candidate.

The Draghi Report 'To Save Europe': Late, Confused but with Important Findings
Drieu Godefridi/Gatestone Institute./November 13, 2024
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen... postponed publication of [Mario] Draghi's report until the day after her reappointment -- yet another illustration of the intractably anti-democratic nature of the unelected, untransparent, unaccountable and unable-to-be-removed European institutions.
The remedies proposed by Draghi are... a "targeted" industrial policy, tax cuts here and administrative simplification there. And extra EU spending of "only" €800 billion ($857 billion) a year!
European businesses are regressing because they are being slashed by taxes, tormented by a thousand constantly changing regulations, and are paying between two and ten times more for energy than their global competitors -- fatal for 100% of European industry...
[F]orcing businesses and families to opt for more expensive energy sources... does not create any "opportunities", apart from... "windfall effects" for the recipients of public subsidies. They only create a further worsening of the overall economic situation.
[I]n another report published recently under the aegis of the same European Commission, it was acknowledged that the EU's starry-eyed energy transition objectives -- "zero carbon" by 2050 -- would require a whopping €1.5 trillion a year for 20 years. Whatever the verbal packaging, this bagatelle has a cost that will put a strain on European businesses and impoverish European households.
If we stick to the findings of Draghi's report, however, getting the EU out of its rut is possible, but presupposes the following measures: 1) a drastic reduction in the overall tax burden on businesses (and households), 2) a drastic simplification of European law, which ultimately paralyses and kills initiative, 3) abandoning the authoritarian energy transition in favor of voluntary diversification of the energy mix, and 4) giving innovative entrepreneurs enticing incentives: fighting not their national neighbors but their global competitors.
Draghi's report proposes an initiative which, while not new, should be implemented without delay: the creation of a European legal vehicle enabling European entrepreneurs to tackle the entire European market head-on, such as introducing a new EU-wide statute for innovative ventures... This simple measure, coupled with administrative simplification, would be consistent with the founding spirit of the European Economic Community, which is the EU common market.
On the whole, Draghi's report seems worth more for the accuracy of its findings than for the practicality of its recommendations.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen postponed publication of Mario Draghi's report until the day after her reappointment -- yet another illustration of the intractably anti-democratic nature of the unelected, untransparent, unaccountable and unable-to-be-removed European institutions. Pictured: Draghi and von der Leyen hold a press conference to promote Draghi's report on the future of European competitiveness at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on September 9, 2024. (Photo by Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images)
"The future of European competitiveness," a report by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi published by the European Commission on September 9 "to save the European economy," has been unanimously welcomed by the European media, as likely to propel the European Union out of the nasty rut it has been in for 20 years.
Let us humbly offer a dissenting opinion: it does not seem that Draghi's report, even if implemented -- which is doubtful -- will solve anything on a European macroeconomic scale. The problem seems that Draghi refuses to take leave of the Germano-environmentalist myth of a zero-carbon Europe.
Let us start by pointing out that here was a set of objective diagnoses and figures on the European economic disaster, which was typically likely to fuel the democratic debate preceding the European elections on June 6-9, 2024, but also the reappointment of one of the main architects of this European economic catastrophe: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Energy prices in Europe have exploded since 2022 due to the end of cheap Russian gas, but first and foremost due to the "energy transition"-- wanted by... von der Leyen. According to Prof. Samuele Furfari:
"Wind and solar power are inherently intermittent and variable sources of energy -- two words absent from the [Draghi] report -- which heavily penalize the cost of electricity due to the need for sub-optimal operation of the power system. Far from providing 'safe and inexpensive' energy, a power system dominated by renewables requires costly infrastructure for back-up generation, storage and transmission, which in turn increases system costs."
"De-industrialization is happening as we speak," Marco Mensink, the director general of the European Chemical Industry Council, remarked last month. "The clock is ticking; we have roughly until 2030 before it becomes irreversible." The European Union was built on the backbone of heavy industry, stemming from the European Coal and Steel Community formed in 1951. The notable downturn in this sector observed since Ursula von der Leyen took the helm of the European Commission has impacted its core symbolic and economic underpinnings. One EU diplomat, speaking under the condition of anonymity to Politico, expressed concern:
"Budget shortfalls are skyrocketing across various economies. If we fail to lower energy costs, the welfare system, as well as our military and defense strengths, could be compromised."
Instead, von der Leyen postponed publication of Draghi's report until the day after her reappointment -- yet another illustration of the intractably anti-democratic nature of the unelected, untransparent, unaccountable and unable-to-be-removed European institutions.
We should be delighted that the economic and ultimately social backwardness of the EU is finally being recognized by those who are responsible for it, namely the EU's "elites", of whom Draghi is one of the most accomplished figures. Draghi's findings are implacable: the average income of Europeans is falling behind that of Americans, European industry is collapsing, and Europe's share of the economy of tomorrow -- the technology sector -- is derisory.
The remedies proposed by Draghi are not a surprise: a "targeted" industrial policy, tax cuts here and administrative simplification there. And extra EU spending of "only" €800 billion ($857 billion) a year!
None of this is new; it has already been the subject of numerous "white papers", recommendations and reports -- including those of the European Court of Auditors. Above all, Draghi takes no account of the failure of comparable measures, such as the post-COVID European borrowing and spending, which was a massive fiasco. Yet, Draghi repeatedly and quite rightly points out that European businesses are regressing because they are being slashed by taxes, tormented by a thousand constantly changing regulations, and are paying between two and ten times more for energy than their global competitors -- fatal for 100% of European industry, starting with chemicals.
His recommendations, however, are hardly convincing. What, in essence, is Draghi proposing? A massive new round of borrowing and spending, which is nothing more than a new tax -- the repayment of which will contribute to a further deterioration in the competitive position of European businesses.
Next, Draghi suggests forcing the pace of the energy transition. Here again, let us go back to basics: forcing businesses and families to opt for more expensive energy sources -- more expensive in themselves, or in their distribution and intermittency -- does not create any "opportunities", apart from what are known in economics as "windfall effects" for the recipients of public subsidies. They only create a further worsening of the overall economic situation.
Draghi is aware of the problem: "there is a risk that decarbonisation could run contrary to competitiveness and growth," he acknowledges on page 2 of his report's Foreword. Indeed, in another report published recently under the aegis of the same European Commission, it was acknowledged that the EU's starry-eyed energy transition objectives -- "zero carbon" by 2050 -- would require a whopping €1.5 trillion a year for 20 years. Whatever the verbal packaging, this bagatelle has a cost that will put a strain on European businesses and impoverish European households.
If we stick to the findings of Draghi's report, however, getting the EU out of its rut is possible, but presupposes the following measures: 1) a drastic reduction in the overall tax burden on businesses (and households), 2) a drastic simplification of European law, which ultimately paralyses and kills initiative, 3) abandoning the authoritarian energy transition in favor of voluntary diversification of the energy mix, and 4) giving innovative entrepreneurs enticing incentives: fighting not their national neighbors but their global competitors.
From this point of view, Draghi's report proposes an initiative which, while not new, should be implemented without delay: the creation of a European legal vehicle enabling European entrepreneurs to tackle the entire European market head-on, such as introducing a new EU-wide statute for innovative ventures ("Innovative European Company", page 247, part B of the report). This simple measure, coupled with administrative simplification, would be consistent with the founding spirit of the European Economic Community, which is the EU common market.
On the whole, Draghi's report seems worth more for the accuracy of its findings than for the practicality of its recommendations. **Drieu Godefridi is a jurist (University Saint-Louis, University of Louvain), philosopher (University Saint-Louis, University of Louvain) and PhD in legal theory (Paris IV-Sorbonne). He is an entrepreneur, CEO of a European private education group and director of PAN Medias Group. He is the author of The Green Reich (2020).
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The Three Pillars of Trump’s Middle East Policy
Nadim Koteich/Asharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
Three documents offer the only window that grants us a glimpse into what the Middle East policy of President-elect Donald Trump's administration could look like. "The Trump Peace Plan" (also known as the "Deal of the Century") for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the "Abraham Accords" that allowed for Arab-Israeli normalization, and the "nuclear deal" with Iran that President Barack Obama's administration and the other members of the "P5+1" concluded in the summer of 2015, which "the first Trump" withdrew from in the spring of 2018, claiming to have a vision for a stronger and better alternative agreement. The Deal of the Century: The peace plan proposed by Trump that its architect and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, named "Deal of the Century". sought to leave the possibility of a two-state solution, the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, open. The plan imposed significant restrictions on this Palestinian state, which the Palestinians saw as nothing more than a fragmented and demilitarized state. Meanwhile, it granted Israel the right to annex large parts of the West Bank and maintain full security control over the Palestinian state, including its borders.
Although the plan was preceded by unilateral American recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the proposal seemed to disregard, despite including a $50 billion economic incentive package, every other historical peace plan, as well as the requisites for Palestinian sovereignty and the fulfillment of Palestinians’ aspirations for national independence. Indeed, the emphasis of Trump’s plan on economic incentives and security guarantees, instead of taking traditional paths toward peace, made drawing Arab and international support for the deal impossible.
In the first call between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and President-elect Trump, the latter said he was committed to ending the war and achieving peace, meaning that the priority of the US, the goal that the president wants to invest his effort and time into achieving, will be ending the war.
Trump spoke, on several occasions during the campaign, of his deep skepticism about the feasibility of the two-state solution, indicating that he was more inclined to support alternative frameworks to contain the conflict by focusing on stability and development. Due to the catastrophic results of the war, there seems to be fertile ground for a solution founded on "prosperity for peace." This prospect seems more plausible than many might expect, in light of the setbacks suffered by the Palestinian national project and the catastrophic costs of pursuing the resistance project.
The Abraham Accords: This second pillar also encompasses non-traditional frameworks for resolving the Palestinian question. To the president-elect, broadening the scope of peace is crucial for creating a new strategic framework in the Middle East that reshapes the region's economic and political landscape.
At the core of this vision is Trump's push for a comprehensive peace effort led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The way Trump sees it, this development, if it occurs, would help create a climate that allows for major economic shifts crucial to shaping the future of the Middle East and the world. Trump is betting that the "peace for prosperity" framework will allow him to hit two birds with one stone: first, enhancing the economic situation in the Palestinian territories through massive investments in infrastructure, employment, healthcare and education; second, creating frameworks that ensure interest-based cooperation and Israel’s integration into the political, economic and social fabric of the region.
The nuclear deal: Trump’s Iran policy is not expected to be radically different from the one he adopted in his first term, which balanced severe economic sanctions with direct surgical military pressure, such as the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, and avoiding direct and open warfare. Nonetheless, Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018 and the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran through the "maximum pressure" campaign should not blind us to the fact that the president-elect is open to negotiating a new agreement with Tehran - a stronger and more comprehensive agreement with his name on it. If Trump remains determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities, and since Iran has not publicly said it seeks to produce a bomb, there is ample room for compromise between the two sides, especially given the decline in Iran’s regional influence following the severe blows suffered by its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah. These three agreements outline the broad framework of Trump’s Middle East policy, and he will not deviate from it significantly. At its core are: first, growing skepticism that the two-state solution is the sole framework for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict; second, achieving comprehensive peace in the Middle East through the prioritization of mutual economic gain; and third, a strong stance on Iran’s behavior that also keeps the door open to a political understanding with Tehran that serves regional security and US interests. While critics have called him temperamental and unpredictable, Trump's Middle East policy has been consistent and coherent. It is rooted in explicit pragmatism and practical American national interests rather than ideological or ethical commitments. This could present the Middle East with an unprecedented opportunity.

Iran and Trump… Dialogue or Escalation
Tariq Al-HomayedAsharq Al Awsat/November 13/2024
Some in our region are more eager to coordinate and engage in dialogue than President Trump. For example, Netanyahu says that he has spoken with the president-elect three times since November 5, adding in a statement: “We see eye to eye on the Iranian threat in all aspects and the danger it poses,” referring to himself and Trump.
Well, what about this "dialogue?” It is clear that there is a group of Iranian elites, be it those dubbed the "New York Gang" (led by Mohammad Javad Zarif) in Tehran or the hardliners closer to the Supreme Leader and the IRGC, see Trump's return to the presidency as an opportunity for dialogue with him.
Yesterday, The New York Times reported that "despite a charged history" between Tehran and Trump, many former officials, analysts, and newspaper editors in Iran have publicly called on the government to engage with Trump.
The American newspaper cited an editorial that the Iranian reformist newspaper "Shargh" published on its front page: “The new, more moderate Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, must avoid past mistakes and adopt a multidimensional pragmatic policy.”
The New York Times, citing five Iranian officials who refused to be named, “many in Pezeshkian’s government” agree with this view, as “Trump likes making deals where others have failed.”
These sources add that Trump’s “dominance in the Republican Party could make any potential agreement more durable, arguing that this could provide a chance for a type of lasting deal with the United States.” So, is a dialogue that is followed by an agreement possible?
Seven months ago, a former Arab official, who still has influence in the global arena, told me: “If Trump wins, you can’t rule anything out, and remember that the man who shook hands with Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, could shake hands with the Iranian Supreme Leader.”
This analysis is understandable, given Trump’s own claims about his deal-making skills, which seem to have convinced everyone- or is being echoed for pragmatic reasons, including some US media outlets, as well as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Accordingly, the question becomes whether Iranian dialogue with Trump is possible despite the leaks published by The Wall Street Journal last week, which indicate that Trump’s new administration will begin maximum pressure on Tehran the day he enters the White House.
Iranian officials cannot be blamed if they believe these leaks, especially given the figures that seem set to occupy positions in Trump’s new administration, including the proposed National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, as well as the return of Brian Hook, Trump’s former envoy for Iran affairs to the spotlight. So, is dialogue possible?
For Trump, yes. He brags about his ability to make a deal with any party, but can Iran? Will the Iranian Supreme Leader agree to this, especially at this stage of his life? Would the IRGC agree to it? What concessions can Iran offer? The nuclear project or Hezbollah and, by extension, its regional influence?
These are all difficult and costly options. It is hard to see the Supreme Leader conceding because it would not mean a more moderate Iran, but a metamorphosis that would cost the regime. But who knows, Tehran doesn’t have any easy options, whether it opts for change or confrontation, especially with Netanyahu ready to pounce.

Trump’s influence looms large over the world
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/November 13, 2024
The Palestinians could lose Gaza for good and possibly the West Bank too, as settlers exacerbate the plight of the Palestinians unhindered and unsanctioned by the new US administration, while Lebanon’s destruction continues, with the country teetering on the brink of implosion. Ukraine’s fate will be to prepare to capitulate, according to a peace plan hastily drafted in Washington but guided by the Kremlin. The prospect of electing a Black woman maybe did not cut it for the heavily polarized Americans, despite Kamala Harris’ offer of hope and message of a sunnier future, preferring instead a twice-impeached convicted felon. Maybe this was due to an innate prejudice against women, the travails of dark forces, foreign interference or the tech realm and its manipulation of public opinion. Trump in power, I am led to believe, is likely to magnify and further inflame the stark divide between two Americas. On top of this, he will have full control of Congress, a blank check from the Supreme Court and a renewed faith in his supremacy and in his ability to pander to his supporters’ most basic instincts and prejudices.
Trump in power, I am led to believe, is likely to magnify and further inflame the stark divide between two Americas
His first victim is likely to be Ukraine, despite President Volodymyr Zelensky rushing to send his carefully crafted best wishes, in which he praised the president-elect for his “peace through strength” approach. This is despite knowing all too well that Ukraine is likely to be left in the cold, before the Trump administration forces on Kyiv a peace plan tabled by Washington but penned in the Kremlin that will be just short of total capitulation.
Biden and his Western allies’ support for Ukraine initially stemmed from the need to defend the post-Second World War order, but Trump has disregarded that all along, expressing unhidden admiration for President Vladimir Putin and having a long-held belief that “Ukraine must be part of Russia,” according to one former aide. During his campaign, he often boasted how he could end the Ukraine war “in a day” and blamed Zelensky for the conflict. Here, I do not need to remind everyone how, over the past two years, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has spared no efforts to vote down and interrupt crucial US government deliveries of weapons and aid to Ukraine. As for the Palestinian question, Arab and Muslim Americans were maybe right to mobilize against the Democrats over the Biden-Harris administration’s inability to find a way to preserve Palestinian lives in Gaza and to hold it responsible for the continued Israeli onslaught. But through backing Trump, the best friend of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they have helped sow the seeds of a potential total loss of any faint hope for a just solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
His first victim is likely to be Ukraine, despite President Zelensky rushing to send his carefully crafted best wishes
Netanyahu, who many believe has blocked all efforts that could have led to a cessation of the violence in Gaza over the past few months, was maybe part of a strategy to embarrass the Biden administration and expose its international weakness. Netanyahu, who sacked his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant while the counting of votes was underway in the US, has shifted his war Cabinet further right, expecting the new president to free him from any restraints. And he continues his scorched-earth policies in Gaza and elsewhere that could send the Palestinians further into despair and the political wilderness for at least the next generation or two. Lebanon is unlikely to fare any better, despite Trump’s so-called promises to end the war between Hezbollah and Israel. Trump’s old rhetoric about his previous record of squeezing Iran with sanctions, while deterring war, is set to be tested, as Tehran claims that it is readying another list of Israeli targets to strike after Tel Aviv’s attack on its air defenses and missile plants last month. Trump’s reelection was the result of a complex web of dark forces and the culmination of events that were built on exploiting fears. He has convinced people that his power will earn them salvation, meaning they endorsed his unique approach that could hurt democracy gradually or even sooner come Jan. 20, 2025.
**Mohamed Chebaro is a British Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy. He is also a media consultant and trainer.

‘Celebrity Endorsements’ and the Death of Democracy
Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/November 13, 2024
Now that the dust of the 2024 presidential election is settling, I’d like to take a moment to discuss what I found to be one of its most distasteful aspects — one that, when closely analyzed, suggests that the “democracy” we’re all supposed to be trying to “preserve” has apparently already gone the way of the dodo.I’m referring to so-called “celebrity endorsements.” We’ve all seen and heard of this phenomenon: this political analyst or that news host gushing about how this or that actor is endorsing this or that presidential nominee (with the majority, of course — certainly the most annoying — coming out for Kamala Harris).
Celebrity endorsements represent three serious problems concerning the state of democracy in America.
The Original Hypocrites
The first should be obvious enough: Why should any American base his or her vote on the endorsement of a mere “celebrity,” whose claim to fame revolves around their acting skills? Put bluntly, who cares what Robert de Niro or any other actor thinks?
Incidentally, here’s a little known but very relevant “fun fact”: As with many modern English words, our word hypocrite comes from Greek: hypokritēs (ὑποκριτής). Care to take a guess what that word — which today means “two-faced deceiver” — meant to the Greeks? According to Liddell and Scott’s authoritative Greek-English Lexicon, a hypokritēs is “one who plays a part on the stage; a player, actor.” In other words, the original — and much more appropriate — word for “actor” is hypocrite; to be an actor is to be, quite literally, a hypocrite. Makes sense, no?
Think about it: All actors who are famous are so because, unlike you or me, they excel at pretending to be what they are not. Indeed, they’re so good at their fraud that most of them have become multimillionaires. They are not particularly intelligent or wise, moral or ethical; they do not necessarily know the first thing about politics or economics — and they most certainly cannot find Ukraine on a map.
Yet, because they are so good at getting you to believe they are something that they’re not, and because they are the literal and quintessential definition of the word hypocrite — as when they preach about the environment while polluting the air with their private jets — they now wield enormous influence on politics and elections.
We the Sheeple
The second problem posed by “celebrity endorsements” is that people are actually that stupid. One need not know the all too telling origins of the word hypocrite to instinctively understand that actors are the very last people to whom voters should look for guidance. Yet here we are. What more can be said of the abysmal intelligence level of a person who decides to vote for this or that candidate “because an actor I like told me to”?
The third and most subtle problem is that no one seems to have a problem with any of this — neither the undue influence of actors on politics and elections, nor the vacuity of the sheeple. Rather, they openly and eagerly talk about how best to harness the power of celebrity to continue manipulating the masses.
A couple of weeks before the election, for example, well-known pollster Frank Luntz, breathlessly said on CNN:
So what I’m waiting to see is whether Taylor Swift comes out and does a concert [to endorse Kamala Harris]. I think that is a big deal. She is as popular today as Oprah Winfrey was when she endorsed Barack Obama. And Oprah’s support, active support, made a difference in his race…. Tayler Swift could make a difference in this race.
To summarize: 1) people with zero credentials but who have a talent to deceive wield much undue influence on politics and elections; and that’s because 2) all too many voters are just plain dumb. Meanwhile, 3) no one on either side of the political spectrum seems to have a problem with any of this. It’s just a normal and accepted part of the political landscape.
This latter point is especially worth reflecting on. We’re always being preached to about the need to “preserve democracy,” but if the three aforementioned points about celebrity endorsements are true (and they are) hasn’t “democracy” already been utterly compromised?
Celebrity endorsements may not have won the election for Kamala Harris, but there is no doubt that they garnered her more votes than she otherwise would have gotten, and could have been decisive — just as they may be decisive in future elections.
At that point, democracy will have given way to mob rule manipulated by the few — an ochlocracy controlled by an oligarchy — which is far, far from what was envisioned by the Founders (who no doubt are forever rolling in their graves).
*Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West and Sword and Scimitar, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.