English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For September 12/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Values, practices, specifications and duties of the clergy, leaders and servants in the church
From the First Epistle of Saint Paul the Apostle to Timothy 03/01 to 13
Leaders in the Church/This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.  The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;  not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;  one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;  (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)  not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.  Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Servants in the Church/ Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,  holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.  Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.  Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.  Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.  For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on September 11-12/2024
The 9/11 Anniversary and the Willful Blindness to Its Perpetrators: Shia and Sunni Political Islam and Leftist Complicity/Elias Bejjani/September 11, 2024
A Reflection on the Trump-Harris Debate/Elias Bejjani/September 11/ 2024
Israeli strikes terrorize Lebanese in southern border towns
What does Hezbollah hope to achieve with its war of attrition? - analysis
US Sanctions Lebanese Network over Alleged Oil, LPG Smuggling for Hezbollah
Gallant tells troops to prepare for Lebanon ground operation
Report: Israel may invade Syria and Bekaa in bid to corner Hezbollah in South
Hezbollah attacks Israeli posts after intense overnight airstrikes
Southern Front: Two Killed in Raid on Mays al-Jabal
Northern front on hold with focus on West Bank: A war delayed or just beginning between Hezbollah and Israel?
Top Hezbollah official tells Israel continued war won't return north residents
Jumblat urges 'settlement' to protect Lebanon from open-ended war
Mikati’s media office claims protests aim to paralyze state, misrepresent government’s budget actions
Bou Habib concludes Cairo visit, discusses aggression on Lebanon with Jordanian, Syrian, and Libyan counterparts
Retired military personnel protest at Grand Serail and PM Mikati’s residence; tear gas deployed
US designates Lebanese businessmen in Hezbollah-related sanctions
Alaa Moussa Tours Lebanon Ahead of Quintet Meeting
Man detained over illegal lion cub possession
Borrell Meets Joumblatt in Clemenceau

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 11-12/2024
Israeli Airstrikes Hit UN School and Homes in Gaza, Killing at Least 34 People, Hospitals Say
Two soldiers die in helicopter crash in Gaza
Half of missiles during Iran’s attack on Israel failed en route
Hamas in Doha: Ready to implement ceasefire based on July deal
At Least 5 Reported Killed in West Bank Airstrike as Israeli Raids Continue
UN Palestinian refugee agency says six staffers killed in two airstrikes in Gaza
Arab League Meeting Sets Aside Regional Issues to Focus on Gaza
Soldier killed in West Bank ramming attack, Qatar and Egypt meet with Hamas in Doha
Explosion Reported at US Military Facility Near Baghdad Airport
Donald Trump Looks to Regain His Footing after a Rocky Debate
Iran President Visits Iraq on First Foreign Trip
Islamists resurgent in Jordanian election

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on September 11-12/2024
On These Religious Settlers!/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/September 11/2024
From the Supreme Leader to Sinwar/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/September 11/2024
Egypt Has Violated Its Peace Treaty With Israel. It Must Face Consequences/Jonathan Schanzer/Newsweek/September 11/2024
China's Weapons of Choice: First Wuhan Covid, now Fentanyl-Laced Drugs/Lawrence Kadish/ Gatestone Institute/September 11, 2024
China Casting the Decisive Vote in U.S. Election/ Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone Institute/September 11, 2024
Restating the obvious: Hamas isn’t negotiating/Ruthie Blum/Israel Today Staff / September 11/2024
When 9/11 Was a Day of Victory Against Jihad/Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream /September 11/2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on September 11-12/2024
The 9/11 Anniversary and the Willful Blindness to Its Perpetrators: Shia and Sunni Political Islam and Leftist Complicity
Elias Bejjani/September 11, 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/09/134323/
On September 11th, we remember one of the most harrowing moments in human history when Al-Qaeda executed a meticulously planned act of pure evil in the heart of the United States. This atrocity was not merely about destroying buildings and killing thousands of innocent people; it was a calculated attempt to terrorize the world and impose a radical Islamic agenda steeped in violence and terror. Al-Qaeda’s objective was unmistakable: to spread chaos, dismantle democratic systems, and replace them with a tyrannical Islamic rule that defies basic human values, legitimizing murder and the enslavement of Christians and other "infidels" worldwide.
Today, as we commemorate this tragedy, we are confronted with a disturbing reality. The current U.S. administration, under Democratic leadership, is taking steps that not only betray the spirit of the war on terror initiated after 9/11 but actively undermine it. Instead of intensifying the fight against terrorism in all its manifestations, we witness them extending support and aid to extremist Islamic factions, both Shia and Sunni. The Biden administration, following the perilous path charted by Obama, is empowering the terrorist Iranian regime—a regime that had a hand in the 9/11 attacks and is now on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons, posing an existential threat not just to Israel and the Arab countries, but to the entire civilized world.
As the U.S. administration turns a blind eye to Iran's escalating crimes and its terrorist proxies in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, it allows the Houthis to unleash chaos in the region, disrupting maritime transport without consequence. Simultaneously, we see a troubling alliance with Sunni political Islam, embodied by groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and Boko Haram—terrorist organizations determined to destabilize not just the Middle East, but the world, spreading chaos and destruction.
Even more concerning is the silent complicity with the Muslim Brotherhood both within and outside the United States, where they continue their extremist activities with minimal interference. On the contrary, these groups are granted the influence to shape U.S. policy from within, an alarming reality that cannot be ignored.
In conclusion, we must rise against these catastrophic policies. The Biden administration, much like Obama’s before it, stands as an adversary to the American people and global peace, bolstering terrorism in both its Sunni and Shia incarnations. Peace advocates must urgently work to remove Kamala Harris and any figure behind this destructive agenda. Concurrently, the U.S. must stand firmly with Israel in its efforts to neutralize Iran's nuclear ambitions and eliminate the terrorist threat posed by Hamas. Furthermore, a resolute stance must be taken against Hezbollah in Lebanon by enforcing international resolutions such as the Armistice Agreement and UNSC Resolutions 1559, 1680, and 1701.
The anniversary of September 11th must not pass without a clear and unyielding reminder of who the real enemies of peace and stability are: the political Islamists, both Shia and Sunni, and the radical left, epitomized by the Biden and Obama administrations.  Peace lovers must unite against this existential threat to ensure a secure and peaceful future for generations to come.
The intent of this piece is to spotlight the grave dangers posed by destructive leftist elements across all spectrums and the looming threats from both Sunni and Shia political Islamists. It also underscores the disastrous impact of certain political decisions on global stability, urging a steadfast stand against terrorism in all its forms and the critical need to prevent the Iranian Mullahs from obtaining nuclear capabilities.

A Reflection on the Trump-Harris Debate
Elias Bejjani/September 11/ 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/09/134293/
The debate that took place yesterday between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris served as a vivid and real-life example of the stark differences in style, substance, and credibility between the two candidates. The debate highlighted the clear contrasts between Trump, a leader exuding confidence and conviction, and Harris, who seemed to merely echo what she was told, offering nothing new or remarkable. This made her come across more like a parrot than a candidate for the presidency of the world’s most powerful nation.
Kamala Harris’s performance was, to be frank, disappointing. Her responses were superficial and lacked credibility. Instead of addressing the core issues at hand, she resorted to repeating the same worn-out phrases and personal stories that we’ve heard time and time again. She seemed to believe that by repeating her upbringing story, she could appear more authentic and relatable, but she failed. Rather than building a bridge of communication with the people, she appeared tense, insincere, and entirely unconvincing.
What is even more concerning is the way Harris used her personal background as a shield, attempting to manipulate the emotions of a segment of Americans by focusing on race and background instead of confronting the real issues that impact people’s lives. This strategy is not only insulting to the intelligence of voters, but it also raises serious questions about her sincerity and intentions. Her attempts to portray herself as a champion for the rights of people of color came across as mere theatric and fully devoid of any genuine commitment to change.
In contrast, Donald Trump displayed the confidence and clarity that have long defined his political career. Whether one agrees with his policies or not, it cannot be denied that Trump speaks with a certainty and clarity that leave little room for doubt. He does not hide behind polite facades or rely on catchy phrases; instead, he confronts issues head-on, with a straightforwardness that resonates with many Americans.
As the debate concluded, it became undeniably clear that Kamala Harris is not the right person to lead America and the world. If she wins the presidency, it will be nothing short of a disaster for the United States and the entire globe. Harris would be an even greater burden than Joe Biden, whose presidency has been marked by hesitation, decline, weak leadership, and confusion, allowing terrorist Iran to expand and strengthen with the billions it was permitted to acquire.
In these critical times, we must recognize the gravity of the situation. A Harris presidency would not only be ineffective and disastrous, but it would also lead America and the world down a perilous paths. Therefore, let us hope, for the sake of America and its future, and for the sake of all nations, that this dreadful scenario does not come to pass and that this weak, insincere, and fake politician does not reach the White House.

Israeli strikes terrorize Lebanese in southern border towns
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/September 11, 2024
BEIRUT: An Israeli combat drone on Wednesday targeted a motorcycle in the border town of Mays Al-Jabal, killing its rider, a Hezbollah member, and wounding another. Hostilities between the Israeli army and Hezbollah intensified after the attack. Throughout Tuesday night, the border area witnessed reciprocated strikes, which residents described as some of the most intense operations since the mobilization of the southern front around a year ago.The escalation coincided with the arrival in Beirut of Josep Borrell Fontelles, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
The border situation is expected to be high on the agenda during his meetings with Lebanese officials. At dawn, Israeli warplanes carried out more than 15 airstrikes that targeted the forested area and orchards between the outskirts of the towns of Zibqin and Qlaileh, creating a belt of fire. Video footage revealed the screams of children inside houses and the prayers of the elderly amid the earth-shattering explosions nearby. Israeli warplanes also raided the outskirts of the towns of Yater and Rashaya Al-Fakhar, the orchards and valleys near the towns of Qlaileh, Zibqin, Al-Ḥaniyya, Majdal Zoun and Tayr Harfa, and the outskirts of the towns of Deir Seryan and Zawtar Al-Charkieh. The warplanes also carried out a raid on Naqoura. Two Israeli drones exploded in the park of the village of Maroun Al-Ras, causing damages to facilities. The Israeli army spokesman announced that it “targeted in four different areas in southern Lebanon about 30 Hezbollah rocket launchers and military structures that posed a threat to the citizens of Israel.” Their forces also targeted the Dhayra area in southern Lebanon with artillery shells. The missile attacks raised questions about why Israel has been targeting the valleys daily for about two weeks. Political analyst Ali Amin told Arab News that “despite the Israeli army facing challenges in its conflict with Hezbollah, it appears to be preparing for a prolonged war. It (the Israeli army) previously revealed the mobilization of the Mountain Brigade and plans to sever the eastern and western (mountain) ranges from southern Lebanon.”Al-Amin, a resident of the border area, said: “The forested areas that have been bombed for two weeks are known to be off-limits to ordinary people and contain Hezbollah military bases, making it almost impossible to move around in them. “Israel, following the severance of technological communication between the party’s (Hezbollah) members and its leadership, is actively working to fragment the southern region and place it under constant surveillance.”He said that an increased level of shelling in forests and valleys, along with the failure to protect civilians in targeting Hezbollah, signaled a heightened risk. It underscored, he added, the necessity of not assuming that Israel would refrain from targeting civilians in its bombardment of the south.
“This escalation may represent a new phase in the war, which is nearing its first anniversary.”On Aug. 25, Israel targeted forested areas and valleys in the regions of Iqlim Al-Tuffah, Kunin, Zawtar, Rachaf, Deir Siriane, Chamaa, Rihan, Kfar Melki, Beit Yahoun, Ain Qana, Zebqin, Hadatha, and other villages, coinciding with Hezbollah’s response to the assassination of its military leader, Fuad Shukr. At that time, it claimed to have “thwarted Hezbollah’s retaliation by bombing 6,000 rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.”On Aug. 30, similar Israeli attacks were recorded on Majdal Zun, Al-Jabeen, Sheheen, Alma Al-Shaab, Hamoul, Wadi Hassan, and Naqoura. On Sept. 4, Israeli aircraft launched 14 raids on launch pads in Al-Jabeen, Zawtar El-Charkieh, and Ramya. On Sept. 6 and 7, Israeli warplanes carried out more than 20 raids on forested areas in Srifa, Froun, Al-Ghandouriya, Yater, Qabrikha, and Ainata. The Israeli army’s radio confirmed on Wednesday that “the military targeted Hezbollah positions and the air force destroyed approximately 25 rocket launch sites.”The Hezbollah member killed was Hani Ezzeddine, born in 2001, from the town of Deir Qanoun En Nahr in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah targeted “a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of Al-Raheb site with missile weapons,” as well as “the site of Rweizat Al-Qarn and the Zabdine barracks in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms.” It confirmed that there were casualties. Hezbollah said that it successfully struck a “bunker where enemy soldiers were positioned at the Al-Matala site using appropriate weaponry.”The Israeli military operations on Tuesday advanced deep into the southern region and the western Bekaa, reaching more than 30 km, into some of the targeted towns from the border.

What does Hezbollah hope to achieve with its war of attrition? - analysis
Seth J. Frantzman/Jerusalem Post/September 11/2024
Hezbollah has to continue its attacks because it cannot be seen to be abandoning Hamas. This week, just like the last few weeks, Hezbollah continued its attacks. The Iranian-backed terrorist group knows that it must keep up the pressure because Iran is closely monitoring the Gaza front and other fronts. Hezbollah launched unprovoked attacks on Israel on October 8, helping Hamas in its war. It continued them because it cannot be seen to be abandoning Hamas, putting it in a complex bind: holding up its end of the bargain dictates its tempo of attacks. This is a big shift from when Hezbollah was its own terrorist group and an Iranian proxy, the senior partner of any other proxy. But now, the others are growing. The Houthis have taken control of parts of the Red Sea, the Iraqi militias are growing stronger and threatening US troops and Israel. Hezbollah works with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, but since October 8, it has seen its independent choices curtailed and bookended by the Gaza war.
Hezbollah's expectations
The question arises: Did Hezbollah expect a long war of attrition? It is clear that war is not in Israel’s interest – but it is in Hezbollah’s? However, the organization has become so strong in Lebanon in the last decade that it is not too big to fail. Thus, it has to continue to show that it can hold up its end of the attacks; it can’t slack off. This is why, every day, Hezbollah tries to show that it is doing something, trying to alternate the sectors it attacks and increase and decrease the tempo of attacks, as well as the mix of rockets, missiles, and drones it uses. On Wednesday, it claimed to have carried out a number of attacks on various sites. It claimed it targeted IDF soldiers in one site it called “Matla” and then claimed that it “targeted a gathering of occupation soldiers around the ‘Al-Raheb’ site, the ‘Ruwaisat Al-Qarn’ sites, and the ‘Zabdin’ barracks, in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms, with rocket weapons, and achieved direct hits,” according to pro-Iran Al-Mayadeen. One of the network’s journalists claimed to confirm a Hezbollah attack targeting Metulla in northern Israel. Hezbollah also claimed it targeted Shtula and Arab el-Aramsha, two other villages on the northern border. Shtula has been evacuated, but Arab el-Aramsha, a Bedouin Arab village, has not. The IDF carried out airstrikes and artillery shelling in Lebanon in response to the attacks, and Al-Mayadeen reported that “The Lebanese Ministry of Health confirmed the death of a martyr, in a preliminary toll from the Israeli raid on the town of Mays al-Jabal.” Hezbollah published a photo of one of its members who it said was “martyred on the road to Jerusalem,” the term used for Hezbollah members who have fallen in the last 11 months of clashes. The tally is above 400 now.As it continues to rise, the group must be asking itself what comes next. Will the fighting expand, and if so is that in Hezbollah’s interests? Or is a ceasefire in Gaza more in Hezbollah’s interests so it can catch its breath after eleven months of war? Hezbollah has achieved much in its war by forcing 60,000 Israelis to evacuate the border. It is unclear what Hezbollah hopes to achieve at the moment. The war of attrition in the North does not appear to benefit either Israel, Lebanon, or even Hezbollah at that. However, it does benefit Iran and it may benefit Hamas. However, it’s not clear how many more casualties Hezbollah wants to lose just to further Hamas’s ambitions.

US Sanctions Lebanese Network over Alleged Oil, LPG Smuggling for Hezbollah
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/September 11/2024
The Biden administration on Wednesday issued sanctions on a Lebanese network it accused of smuggling oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to help fund the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The sanctions target three people, five companies and two vessels that the US Treasury Department said were overseen by a senior leader of Hezbollah's finance team and used profits from illicit LPG shipments to Syria to aid generate revenue for the Iran-backed party. Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley Smith, in a statement, said Hezbollah "continues to launch rockets into Israel and fuel regional instability, choosing to prioritize funding violence over taking care of the people it claims to care about, including the tens of thousands displaced in southern Lebanon."

Gallant tells troops to prepare for Lebanon ground operation
Naharnet/September 11/2024
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant oversaw military exercises in northern Israel, where he asked troops to prepare for an allegedly impending ground operation in Lebanon. The exercises involved simulating ground combat in Lebanese territory. "I’m impressed by the determination and professionalism I’ve witnessed over nearly a year, both in the North and the South," Gallant remarked. "The center of gravity is shifting to the north. While we are wrapping up our missions in the South, an important task remains in the North: to restore security and allow residents to return to their homes," he said.
Gallant continued: "In the South, I gave the order to proceed after three weeks. The same will happen here, and you must be ready to execute that mission when the time comes.""This arrow is ready to be fired, and we will know when to release it," he said. "Use this time wisely to prepare." Gallant noted that some troops fighting in the South had assumed an entry into Gaza was just talk; however, within a week, he allegedly met with these same troops on the battlefield. "We will know when to activate you," he warned before concluding that the troops "have everything" they need to "complete the mission."

Report: Israel may invade Syria and Bekaa in bid to corner Hezbollah in South
Naharnet/September 11/2024
The Israeli army might invade parts of Syria and Lebanon’s Bekaa in any upcoming war against Hezbollah, a media report said. Quoting “various sources concerned with the developments in our region,” the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar daily reported Wednesday that the Israeli army “has been deliberately sending signals that it might be obliged at the start of any military operation to sever the routes of any ground supplies that Hezbollah might need from Syria or Iraq.”“It will also seek to sever the routes linking the Bekaa to the South,” the daily added. “To achieve that, it is planning a ground military operation during which it would enter Syria’s south and southwest before advancing east towards Lebanon’s depth in order to sever the routes between the Bekaa and the South,” the newspaper said, quoting its sources. “The enemy is also seeking to exploit any advance inside Syrian territory to deal a major military blow to the Syrian army, which would paralyze its abilities to help Hezbollah on the one side, and would encourage the Syrian opposition forces in the south and the north to resume their battles against the regime in several regions,” the sources added. The sources also claimed that “well-known” members of an anti-Hezbollah Lebanese party have met in Germany, Turkey and other countries with members of the Syrian opposition to “ask about the stance of the displaced Syrians should war erupt.”“The Lebanese political party tasked a senior official known for his special ties to U.S. intelligence agencies to carry out this communication,” the sources added, noting that the alleged official had spent a long time of his life in the United States.

Hezbollah attacks Israeli posts after intense overnight airstrikes
Naharnet/September 11/2024
Hezbollah on Wednesday announced four attacks with missiles and “appropriate weapons” on four Israeli military posts in northern Israel and the occupied Shebaa Farms. Israeli warplanes had at dawn carried out more than 15 strikes on forests and groves on the outskirts of the Tyre district towns of Zibqin, al-Shaaitiyeh, al-Qlayleh, al-Hinniyeh, Majdal Zoun and Tayr Harfa, causing extensive damage to crops, properties and buildings in the groves of al-Qlayleh. Hezbollah meanwhile announced the death of its fighter Hani Ezzeddine, saying he hailed from the Tyre district town of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr. An airstrike later targeted a motorbike in the southern border town of Mays al-Jabal, killing one person and wounding another. And as an airstrike hit the outskirts of the town of Yater, artillery shelling hit Naqoura’s peripheries and two Israeli explosive drones targeted the public park of the border town of Maroun al-Ras, causing material damage. Hezbollah had on Tuesday launched an array of suicide drones at an Israeli military base in Ami'ad, near Lake Tiberias, deep in northern Israel, in response to attacks on southern towns and the assassination of a Hezbollah Radwan force commander in West Bekaa.
The cross-border violence since October 8 has killed some 617 people in Lebanon, mostly fighters but also including 138 civilians. On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, authorities have announced the deaths of at least 24 soldiers and 26 civilians. The fighting has also displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese and Israeli residents on both sides of the border and Israel has repeatedly vowed to act to return its citizens through war or diplomatic action.

Southern Front: Two Killed in Raid on Mays al-Jabal
This Is Beirut/September 11/2024
Two people were killed in an Israeli raid on a motorcycle on the Bayada road, near the town of Naqoura on the southern front, on Wednesday evening. The victims were Ishac and Hussein Alyan, “two brothers aged 12 and 17 who succumbed to their injuries”, according to preliminary information obtained by This is Beirut. This strike follows heightened tensions that persisted throughout Wednesday afternoon, during which Israeli bombardments targeted several localities, including the outskirts of Umm al-Tout, Marwahin, Al-Bustan and Aïta al-Shaab in the Bint Jbeil caza. In Dhayra and Alma al-Shaab, artillery fire caused a blaze in the targeted area.
Phosphorus Asphyxiation and Hezbollah Retaliation
Earlier, phosphorus shells hit Khiam. According to the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Operations Center, one citizen suffered asphyxiation as a result of this phosphorus bombardment and was admitted to the Marjayoun government hospital for treatment. For its part, Hezbollah announced that it had targeted a military checkpoint in the Israeli settlement of Dan, “in retaliation for the attack on Nabatiye”, as well as the Zaoura checkpoint, “in response to the targeting of Khiam and Aita al-Shaab”. The pro-Iranian group also announced the death of two of its fighters, Hani Hussein Ezzeddine and Ali Hassan Abd Ali. According to the latest information, “a Hezbollah member was killed this morning in an Israeli strike against a motorcycle in Mays al-Jabal”, which also left one person wounded.

Northern front on hold with focus on West Bank: A war delayed or just beginning between Hezbollah and Israel?
LBCI/September 11/2024
Despite Israel's northern area turning into ghost towns, Tel Aviv's political leadership has not prioritized this front in the ongoing battles. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's recent threats of an imminent war with Lebanon do not reflect the actual military and political situation, according to Israeli analysts. While Gallant is well aware of the reality on the ground, discussions within the Cabinet and security agencies reveal a different narrative he publicly contradicts. The situation reveals several critical facts. First, Gallant's address to soldiers of the 9th Brigade, following their training for a potential war with Lebanon, was directed at a reserve unit. This Brigade will not be part of the primary forces on the frontlines if war breaks out. The three leading battalions assigned to this front, two of which are still deployed in Gaza, are the 162nd Battalion and the 98th Battalion. Many soldiers, exhausted from the prolonged fighting in Gaza, have been sent on leave, with plans to return to continue operations in the northern part of the Gaza Strip for an undetermined period. While the Gaza front remains active, Israel's greatest concern has shifted to the West Bank, where the army is recruiting more combat units to bring a swift end to the ongoing "Summer Camp" operation in the refugee camps. In addition, an entire military unit has been reassigned to patrol the long border with Jordan after the recent incident at the Allenby Bridge crossing. A recent Israeli military report has highlighted significant challenges, including a shortage of at least 10,000 soldiers and a growing number of reserve troops refusing to serve. Will Israel abandon the northern front for now or postpone war with Hezbollah until after it resolves the situation in Gaza and the West Bank and secures the release of hostages? Thus, the northern front faces two potential outcomes: a political solution that averts war, at least for the time being, or a military solution that Israel will only pursue once fully prepared.

Top Hezbollah official tells Israel continued war won't return north residents
Naharnet/September 11/2024
Senior Hezbollah official Sayyed Hashem Safieddine has addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “his army” by saying that “through the current way that they’re following, they won’t be able to restore security and serenity for their northern settlers to enable them to return.” “Accordingly, the only way which we had announced from the very beginning would be halting the killing, destruction and massacres in Gaza, so that the front here in south Lebanon could be deactivated,” Safieddine, who is the head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, added. He was speaking at a ceremony marking 40 days since Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah military chief Fouad Shukur, who was killed in a brazen Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Hezbollah retaliated on August 25 by firing over 320 rockets at northern Israel and a swarm of suicide drones at central Israel. “After Sayyed Fouad’s martyrdom, the resistance proved through its actions that it became fiercer, stronger and more willing to sacrifice and act,” Safieddine added. “The assassination of martyr leader Sayyed Fouad Shukur made targeting Tel Aviv on the agenda of the resistance’s operations, and this is what it wanted to prove through targeting Unit 8200 in the Glilot area,” the Hezbollah official said. He added: “All these attacks and killing will not stop the resistance or make it retreat or weaken. God willing it will be stronger.”

Jumblat urges 'settlement' to protect Lebanon from open-ended war
Naharnet/September 11/2024
Druze leader Walid Jumblat has warned that current war between Israel and the Palestinians “will not end,” calling for a “settlement” in Lebanon to protect the country. “According to all expectations, it seems that the war will not end and that we are only at its beginning,” Jumblat said in an X post. “It also seems that the Zionist project will not stop at the attempt to eradicate Gaza, but will also continue in the West Bank in continuation of the Balfour Declaration and the biblical vision,” Jumblat added. “That’s why protecting Jordan is a necessity … while in Lebanon a settlement would be the solution,” Jumblat went on to say.

Mikati’s media office claims protests aim to paralyze state, misrepresent government’s budget actions
LBCI/September 11/2024
The media office of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed concern that "organized groups, now operating under the guise of 'demanding retirees' rights,' appear to be shifting towards a coup attempt against the state and the Cabinet, with the aim of bringing the country to a complete standstill." In a statement, the media office noted that PM Mikati is perplexed by the current developments on the ground. The statement added: "It appears that those protesting have deliberately ignored the position announced by Mikati at the start of the session, which stated: When we begin reviewing the budget items, we will take necessary steps and decisions related to the rights of public sector employees.""The proposed salary increases for current and retired civilians and military personnel are included in the budget draft. We are also implementing temporary measures to provide social assistance to public sector employees until the budget is approved by the Parliament. This measure was previously adopted and applied to both active and retired military personnel," the statement said. It added: "Prime Minister Mikati, in line with his constitutional duties, has called for a regular session on Wednesday afternoon to review and approve the agenda, which was distributed according to regulations and within the deadlines set by the Cabinet’s internal rules."The statement concluded: "These sessions will continue as scheduled, with the timing determined by the Prime Minister, to advance the discussion of the 2025 General Budget Bill. The Cabinet had already listened to the Finance Minister’s report and declared the sessions open."

Bou Habib concludes Cairo visit, discusses aggression on Lebanon with Jordanian, Syrian, and Libyan counterparts
LBCI/September 11/2024
The caretaker Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, concluded his visit to Cairo on Wednesday, where he participated in the 162nd session of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level. On the sidelines of the meeting, Bou Habib held discussions with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, and Libya's acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Taher Al-Baour. The discussions focused on developments concerning Israel's aggression against Lebanon. Bou Habib emphasized the importance of implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 to achieve lasting stability and prevent the escalation of a regional conflict.

Retired military personnel protest at Grand Serail and PM Mikati’s residence; tear gas deployed
LBCI/September 11/2024
Retired military personnel staged protests on Wednesday in front of the Grand Serail and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati's residence, coinciding with the Cabinet session.
Additionally, tear gas has been reportedly fired in front of PM Mikati’s residence to disperse the protesters.

US designates Lebanese businessmen in Hezbollah-related sanctions
LBCI/September 11/2024
On Wednesday, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on three individuals, five companies, and two vessels involved in smuggling oil and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) to generate revenue for Hezbollah. The network, which is comprised of Lebanese businessmen and companies and overseen by a key leader of Hezbollah’s finance team, has enabled dozens of LPG shipments to the Government of Syria and channeled the profits to the group, said a Treasury Department press release. "Illicit oil and LPG smuggling operations generate hundreds of millions of dollars for Hezbollah and support the group’s activities," it added. Hezbollah official Muhammad Ibrahim Habib al-Sayyid, Lebanese businessman Ali Nayef Zgheib, and Lebanese businessman Boutros Georges Obeid are being designated pursuant to EO 13224 "for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hezbollah ." Additionally, the US imposed sanctions on Zgheib and Obeid business networks, including Heavy Oil Distribution Company SAL (HODICO), Heavy Industrial Fuels SAL HIF (HIF SAL), Heavy Oil Distribution Company SAL Offshore (HODICO Offshore), and OHG Holding SAL. Furthermore, the European Lebanese International Trade SARL (ELIT) is designated among the list. Meanwhile, LPG tankers ALPHA GAS and MARINA "are being identified as property in which Hezbollah has an interest."

Alaa Moussa Tours Lebanon Ahead of Quintet Meeting
This Is Beirut/September 11/2024
Regarding the Quintet meeting scheduled for September 14, it seems that the Lebanese should not expect any major changes regarding the presidential issue. At least, this is the impression emanating from political circles, particularly within the Lebanese Forces (LF), whose leader, Samir Geagea, met on Tuesday with the Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa. As part of a tour of political leaders that he has been conducting for about a week, ahead of the upcoming Quintet meeting — which includes Saudi Arabia, the United States, France, Qatar, and Egypt — Moussa stressed from Meerab, the seat of LF leader Samir Geagea, the need for the main political forces in power “to interact to get Lebanon out of the presidential deadlock.”He noted that he had observed several “positive points” during his tour, “though a few, could lead to unlocking the presidential issue.” According to him, “consultation and dialogue are the basis of any political process,” and “the mechanisms of consultation and dialogue are essential elements that must be agreed upon to enable the election of a new head of state.”It should be noted that Lebanon has been without a president since former President Michel Aoun’s term ended on October 31, 2022.
“It is precisely these consultation mechanisms that need to be focused on,” Richard Kouyoumjian, former minister and head of external relations of the LF, and Charles Jabbour, head of communications for the party, explained to This is Beirut.
“We reiterated our stance during our meeting with the Egyptian ambassador. We will not, under any circumstances, accept the call for dialogue in the form proposed by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri,” they insisted, considering that this approach goes against the Constitution. The head of the legislature continues to hold on to his position: a dialogue he would chair prior to any call for a parliamentary session aimed at electing a president. “We do not oppose dialogue or consultations. However, according to the texts provided by the Constitution, Berri should call for a new parliamentary electoral session, after which we declare ourselves ready to participate in consultation meetings,” stated Kouyoumjian, who fears that conditioning the election on holding a dialogue could set a precedent. “We are still, unfortunately, at square one, which prevents us from hoping for any breakthrough on this front,” he added.
However, according to the Egyptian ambassador, “to move things forward and create a positive environment through which we can make progress, it is necessary not to focus on the obstructive elements, but rather to emphasize the common points.” He added that he is convinced that “dialogue and consultation will inevitably lead to a result that allows us to overcome many obstacles and present the name of one, two, or three candidates capable of leading the country.”During his recent visits to Lebanon, French presidential envoy, Jean-Yves Le Drian, managed to promote the idea of choosing a compromise figure who could be acceptable to all parties. This idea was proposed to break the deadlock, as Hezbollah and the Amal movement remain steadfast in their choice of their candidate, the head of the Marada party, Sleiman Frangieh.
Regarding the Quintet’s role, Moussa noted that the group “has never stopped working to achieve a breakthrough, but recently, efforts have been more focused on calming the situation in the region and avoiding an expansion of the conflict.” “Now that we are witnessing a relative return to calm, we can again focus our efforts on the presidential issue,” he continued, hoping that the parties in Lebanon share this conviction, “especially since the impact of the war in Gaza must be separated from the process of electing a president in Lebanon.”
Moussa at the Grand Serail
The Egyptian ambassador also met on Wednesday with Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. He plans to visit Berri on Friday after he met last week the head of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad. Having informed the caretaker prime minister of the “measures that the Quintet intends to take starting next week to provide a solution to the presidential issue,” Moussa indicated that over the past few months, “the situation in southern Lebanon has been a priority, but it is now urgent to focus on the presidential issue.” In this regard, he announced that “more initiatives from the Quintet and Lebanese political forces should soon emerge.” The overall evolution of negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the role played by Egypt and various mediators, were also discussed during the meeting. Today, the entire debate revolves around the mechanisms to be adopted for holding the election: a dialogue preceding the call for an electoral session or vice versa? While the Quintet refrains from getting bogged down in such “formalities,” at a time when the laws are clear, attention is turning to southern Lebanon, where danger looms following growing threats from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Hezbollah.

Man detained over illegal lion cub possession
LBCI/September 11/2024
Following an investigation by LBCI and the mobilization of animal welfare organizations against the illegal possession of a lion cub, authorities have arrested the individual seen roaming public and private areas with the animal. The Environmental Prosecutor's Office intervened, leading to the man's detention and his case being transferred to the Public Prosecutor's Office in Bekaa. The lion cub was safely returned to Animals Lebanon, where it is currently being cared for. Plans are underway to transfer the cub to a sanctuary in South Africa by late October, pending the necessary permits.

Borrell Meets Joumblatt in Clemenceau
This Is Beirut/September 11/2024
European Commission’s Vice President Josep Borrell arrived on Wednesday in Clemenceau to meet with former Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Joumblatt. Following the meeting, Joumblatt remarked: “Borrell has distinguished himself within the European Union in response to the severe human rights violations in Gaza, alongside UNRWA General Commissioner Philippe Lazzarini and UN Chief António Guterres. We hope to see similar figures emerge in the Arab world or on the international stage.”Sources present at the meeting informed local TV channel MTV that significant and intensive efforts are underway regarding Hezbollah’s acceptance of Resolution 1701. Borrell and Joumblatt discussed the need for full implementation of the resolution, highlighting ongoing international efforts to achieve this goal. Borrell arrived Wednesday afternoon at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut at the head of a delegation from the Commission.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 11-12/2024
Israeli Airstrikes Hit UN School and Homes in Gaza, Killing at Least 34 People, Hospitals Say
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/September 11/2024
Israeli airstrikes across Gaza overnight and Wednesday hit a UN school sheltering displaced Palestinian families as well as two homes, killing at least 34 people, including 19 women and children, hospital officials said. The deadliest strike came Wednesday afternoon, targeting the UN’s Al-Jaouni Preparatory Boys School in central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp. The Israeli military said it was targeting Hamas militants planning attacks from inside the school. The claim could not be independently confirmed. At least 14 dead from the strike, including two children and a woman, were brought to Awda and al-Aqsa Martyrs hospitals nearby, officials from the facilities said. At least 18 people were wounded in the strike, they said. One of the children killed was the daughter of Momin Selmi, a member of Gaza’s civil defense agency, which works rescuing wounded and bodies after strikes, the agency said in a statement. Selmi hadn’t seen his daughter for 10 months, since he remained in north Gaza to keep working while his family fled south, the agency said. Tens of thousands of Palestinians driven from their homes by Israeli offensives and evacuation orders are living in Gaza’s schools. The al-Jaouni school, one of many in Gaza run by the UN agency for Palestinians UNWRA, has been hit by multiple strikes over the course of the war. Israel frequently bombs schools, saying they are being used by Hamas. It blames Hamas for civilian casualties from its strikes, saying its fighters base themselves and operate within dense residential neighborhoods. More than 90% of Gaza’s school buildings have been severely or partially damaged in strikes, and more than half the schools housing displaced people have been hit, according to a survey in July by the Education Cluster, a collection of aid groups led by UNICEF and Save the Children. Israel’s 11-month-old campaign in Gaza has killed at least 41,084 Palestinians and wounded another 95,029, the territory’s Health Ministry said Wednesday. Israel launched its campaign vowing to destroy Hamas after the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, in which militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted 250 others. Earlier Wednesday, a strike hit a home near the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, killing 11 people, including six brothers and sisters from the same family ranging in age from 21 months to 21 years old, according to the European Hospital, which received the casualties. A strike late Tuesday on a home in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza killed nine people, including six women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and the civil defense. The civil defense said the home belonged to Akram al-Najjar, a professor at the al-Quds Open University, who survived the strike.

Two soldiers die in helicopter crash in Gaza
Israel Today Staff / September 11/2024
Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed and eight were wounded, half of them seriously, when an Air Force helicopter crashed in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday night. According to a preliminary military probe, the UH-60 Black Hawk crashed en route to Rafah to bring a medical team to evacuate a seriously wounded soldier. “It appears that the crash was not caused by enemy fire, and the cause is still being investigated,” the IDF said. The names of the soldiers who died will be made public at a later date, added the military. The death toll among Israeli troops since the start of the IDF ground incursion in Gaza on Oct. 27 now stands at 340, and at 706 on all fronts since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre, according to official military data. Additionally, Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, a member of the Border Police’s Yamam National Counter-Terrorism Unit, was fatally wounded during a hostage-rescue mission in Gaza in June, and civilian defense contractor Liron Yitzhak was mortally wounded in May.

Half of missiles during Iran’s attack on Israel failed en route
Ariel Kahana /Israel Today Staff / September 11/2024
Tehran now conducting tests before any new attack due to the massive failure rate in April.. Iran conducted missile launch tests in August as part of its preparations to attack Israel in response to the targeted killing in Tehran of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. This was revealed on Tuesday by a Western security source involved in efforts to block the Islamic Republic’s revenge plans. Iran decided to perform the tests before the attack itself, due to the high failure rates of the missiles launched in the major attack on Israel during the night of April 13-14, the Western source explained. The senior source, who is not Israeli, confirmed reports from news agencies that about half of the missiles Iran fired that night failed to reach Israel. “In the days following the attack, the Iranians believed Israel was lying and didn’t believe that, aside from minor damage to the Nevatim Airbase [near Beersheva], they had failed to hit Israel at all, and that their attack had essentially failed,” said the Western source. He added, “It took them some time to understand what actually happened that night, and since then they have been in a learning process. After the elimination of Ismail Haniyeh, as part of their preparations for the new attack they wanted to launch against Israel, they conducted missile tests on their territory to assess their functionality and locate the issues.” He continued: “They are not the only ones learning from past mistakes. The US, Israel, and other coalition countries that thwarted the April attack are also assessing where they can improve and how to counter any future attack. The extensive American deployment in the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers, is part of this process.”The Western source shared his experiences from that night at his country’s central command post, saying, “What we saw on the radar that night was an incredible sight. Like science fiction. At first, the drones were launched and were dealt with accordingly. “But then, a few hours later, the ballistic missiles went up. At that moment, I asked myself if all the efforts put in by many actors to thwart such an attack, and all the preparations made in the weeks leading up to it, would pay off. And that’s exactly what happened. Within minutes, you saw ‘poof, poof, poof,’ the missiles disappeared from the radar. It was unbelievable.”

Hamas in Doha: Ready to implement ceasefire based on July deal
Walla/Jerusalem Post/September 11/2024
The meeting was intended to try to get Hamas to ease its new demands on the release of additional Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israel.
Hamas's negotiating delegation claimed that the terror group is ready to implement a ceasefire agreement based on President Biden's original plan laid out in July but rejects any new conditions, according to their Telegram on Wednesday night.
Hamas said they were "ready immediately to implement the ceasefire agreement based on President Biden's previous announcement and Security Council Resolution No. 2735 and what was previously agreed upon, especially the agreements of July 2, without setting any new demands, and its rejection of any new conditions on this agreement by any party."However, Hamas said it welcomed continuing negotiations in an effort to reach a ceasefire, the withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners.The delegation, was headed by Qatar's Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman al-Thani, and the head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamal, met with the Hamas negotiation team on Wednesday evening in Doha. The meeting was headed by the deputy head of the political bureau, Khalil al-Hiya. The purpose of the meeting was to try to break the deadlock in talks about the hostage deal and the ceasefire in Gaza, according to three sources who commented on the meeting details. The meeting was intended to try to get Hamas to give up its new demands regarding the release of additional Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israel, the sources said. Senior American officials said that these new demands from Hamas are the main obstacle in the current negotiations. A senior Israeli official said the negotiations are at a complete impasse and estimated that even the meeting in Doha would not lead to a breakthrough. The US, Egypt, and Qatar are still working on a new and updated mediation proposal to present to Israel and Hamas. During the last two weeks, according to senior American officials, the White House has become very skeptical about the possibility of reaching a deal in the immediate time frame due to the new demands of Hamas. The White House is re-examining its strategy for the release of the hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza, and President Biden's top aides are debating whether there is any point in presenting a new proposal, as Hamas and Israel have further hardened their positions in the negotiations.
Updated proposals
The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, and the head of the CIA, Will Burns, said that the US may present a new and updated proposal in the coming days. Still, senior White House officials say such a move is not expected in the coming days. Biden's advisers spoke with senior officials in Qatar and Egypt several times this week. They made it clear to them that Hamas's demand to release more prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons is excessive, according to senior American officials. Senior Israeli and American officials say that Hamas is demanding the release of 100 more prisoners in addition to the 150 prisoners that the parties have already agreed on. American officials say that this new demand is the reason for the stagnation in the talks. The sources added that the US asked Egypt and Qatar to increase the pressure on Hamas to withdraw from its new demands. White House spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday that the US, Egypt, and Qatar were still trying to reach a proposal that both Israel and Hamas could agree on. "What is not clear to us is whether we will succeed in reaching this and whether Hamas will agree to come to the negotiating table honestly and sign something," said Kirby.

At Least 5 Reported Killed in West Bank Airstrike as Israeli Raids Continue
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 11/2024
An Israeli airstrike killed at least five people in the West Bank city of Tubas on Wednesday, Palestinian emergency services said, as Israeli security forces continued an extended operation that the military said targeted Iranian-backed militant groups. The Palestinian Red Crescent said rescue crews had recovered five bodies at the site and had transferred them to hospital. The Israeli military confirmed the strike, which it said had hit an armed group, but gave no details. "As part of the counter-terrorism activity, an IAF (Israeli Air Force) aircraft struck an armed terrorist cell a short while ago in the area of Tubas", it said in a statement. Entrances and exits from Tubas were sealed off and Israeli military vehicles, including road diggers and armored personnel carriers, could be seen moving through the city, close to the border with Jordan at the northern end of the West Bank. Israeli forces have been conducting a series of operations in the northern West Bank for the past two weeks, with extended raids in Tubas, Jenin and Tulkarm. All three cities have a heavy presence of armed factions including Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah. Heavy clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters have been reported, while streets and infrastructure in all three cities have suffered extensive damage as Israeli forces have dug up roads and targeted militant bases. On Tuesday, a Palestinian man and woman were killed during an Israeli raid on Tulkarm, Palestinian health authorities said. Violence has surged in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, with almost daily sweeps by Israeli forces that have made thousands of arrests and regular gunbattles between security forces and Palestinian fighters. More than 680 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7 last year, including both fighters and unarmed civilians, according to the Palestinian health authorities. In the same period, about 40 Israeli troops and civilians have been killed in attacks by Palestinians or in clashes with fighters, according to Israel's domestic security agency. On Wednesday, the military reported a car ramming attack east of Ramallah in the West Bank, in which an Israeli man was injured.

UN Palestinian refugee agency says six staffers killed in two airstrikes in Gaza
Reuters/September 12, 2024
CAIRO: The UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said six staffers were killed after two airstrikes hit a school in central Gaza on Wednesday, marking what it said was the highest death toll among its staff in a single incident. “Among those killed was the manager of the UNRWA shelter and other team members providing assistance to displaced people,” UNRWA said on X. Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli army said in a statement that it conducted a strike on a command and control center in Nuseirat in central Gaza, which it said was operated by Palestinian militant faction Hamas.
“This school has been hit five times since the war began. It is home to around 12,000 displaced people, mainly women and children,” UNRWA added. The Hamas-run government media office said the Israeli strike killed at least 18 people, including the UNRWA staff members.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Reuters on Wednesday that a lack of accountability for the killing of United Nations staff and humanitarian aid workers in Gaza was “totally unacceptable.” The Israeli military says it takes steps to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and that at least a third of the Palestinian fatalities in Gaza are militants. It accuses Hamas of using Palestinian civilians as human shields, which Hamas denies. The war was triggered on Oct. 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s subsequent assault on Gaza has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave’s health ministry.

Arab League Meeting Sets Aside Regional Issues to Focus on Gaza
Cairo: Fathiya al-Dakhakhni/Asharq Al-Awsat/September 11/2024
The 162nd Ministerial Meeting of the Arab League Council set aside on Tuesday regional issues to focus solely on the war on Gaza. The foreign ministers of the Arab League met in Cairo to offer support to Palestine. Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit told a press conference that issues related to Somalia and the Renaissance dam have not been forgotten, but the participants opted to focus on the conflict in the Palestinian territories. Other regional issues will be tackled on March 21, “but priority today will be given to Palestine”, he added. The gatherers issued a resolution on the “developments in the Palestinian cause and Arab-Israeli conflict.”The resolution places importance on the International Court of Justice’s landmark ruling on July 19 that declared as unlawful Israel's occupation of the Gaza strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The resolution called on the international community to act on the ICJ ruling. It condemned Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza, its forced displacement of Palestinians in violation of international law and its “declaration of war and violation of Arab national security.”It warned that these actions will only undermine peace efforts and deepen the conflict in the region. The resolution expressed its solidarity with Lebanon and its territorial integrity. It tasked the Arab group in New York to kick off steps to suspend Israel’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly by submitting a request to that end. Moreover, the resolution rejected Israel’s post-war on Gaza plans to seize control of the coastal enclave, calling for reopening the Rafah border crossing. It also rejected Israel’s claims about the Philadelphi Corridor, saying it was attempting to hamper ceasefire efforts. Speaking at the opening of the Arab League meeting, Aboul Gheit underlined the organization's support for Egypt’s stance that opposes the deployment of Israeli forces along the Corridor. He noted that the past year has witnessed the international community’s “inability to stop the massacre in Gaza. Rather, some western powers have provided cover for the criminal activities and killings to continues.” “The major powers of the world either don’t want to apply pressure on Israel or they are incapable of stopping this barbarism,” he remarked.
“A ceasefire is no longer an Arab demand, but a global one. It is a humanitarian and moral necessity and strategic goal to avert the spillover of the conflict into the region,” Aboul Gheit added. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hailed Egypt’s role in organizing aid deliveries to Gaza. He also praised Cairo and Doha’s mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire. He lauded Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's visit to Türkiye last week where he met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “We want to consolidate relations with Arab countries,” he stressed, while noting that Israel was exploiting the divisions. “We must be more united, whether as Islamic states or members of the UN,” he added, while highlighting Ankara’s decision to suspend trade with Israel until the end of the conflict in Gaza. Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad walked out of the conference hall as Fidan started his speech. He returned when it was over.
Speaking at the conference, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said: “Not only is there no pause in the war in Gaza. But what looms on the horizon is the extension of the conflict to the West Bank, where radical members of the Israeli government - Netanyahu’s government - try to make impossible to create a future Palestinian state.”“A new front is being opened with a clear objective: to turn the West Bank into a new Gaza – in rising violence, delegitimizing the Palestinian Authority and stimulating provocations to react forcefully, and not shying away from saying to the face of the world that the only way to reach a peaceful settlement is to annex the West Bank and Gaza. Yes, without action, the West Bank will become a new Gaza. And Gaza will become a new West Bank, as settler’s movements are preparing new settlements,” he warned. “Against this backdrop, it is clear that the prospect of a two-state solution – which we have been ritually repeating – is receding ever further whilst the international community deplores, feels, and condemns, but finds it hard to act,” he added. On the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, Borrell said: “Some may say, ‘it is too old, it was 20 years ago and has not been implemented’.”“In fact, many have forgotten about the Arab Peace Initiative. But I think that you could accelerate the slow - certainly too slow - changing perception of the Israel/Palestinian conflict by reaffirming the Arab Peace Initiative and by making it better known all over the world,” he continued. On the Gaza conflict, he stated: “The situation is catastrophic both from a humanitarian and political point of view with no positive outlook in sight. Everything has been said about the situation: facts and figures are there.”“The EU has given full support to the ongoing efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States. But the ceasefire agreement, prior to the implementation of the Biden plan, has still not been signed and does not seem likely to be signed in the near future,” he lamented.

Soldier killed in West Bank ramming attack, Qatar and Egypt meet with Hamas in Doha
Jerusalem Post/September 11/2024
Israel offers Sinwar safe passage out of Gaza in exchange for hostages • IDF kills Hamas Tel Al Sultan Battalion commanders
Hamas's negotiating delegation claimed that the terror group is ready to implement a ceasefire agreement based on President Biden's original plan laid out in July but rejects any new conditions, according to their Telegram on Wednesday night. Hamas said they were "ready immediately to implement the ceasefire agreement based on President Biden's previous announcement and Security Council Resolution No. 2735 and what was previously agreed upon, especially the agreements of July 2, without setting any new demands, and its rejection of any new conditions on this agreement by any party." However, Hamas said it welcomed continuing negotiations in an effort to reach a ceasefire, the withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners. The delegation, was headed by Qatar's Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman al-Thani, and the head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamal, met with the Hamas negotiation team on Wednesday evening in Doha. The meeting was headed by the deputy head of the political bureau, Khalil al-Hiya. The purpose of the meeting was to try to break the deadlock in talks about the hostage deal and the ceasefire in Gaza, according to three sources who commented on the meeting details. The meeting was intended to try to get Hamas to give up its new demands regarding the release of additional Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israel, the sources said. Senior American officials said that these new demands from Hamas are the main obstacle in the current negotiations. A senior Israeli official said the negotiations are at a complete impasse and estimated that even the meeting in Doha would not lead to a breakthrough. The US, Egypt, and Qatar are still working on a new and updated mediation proposal to present to Israel and Hamas. During the last two weeks, according to senior American officials, the White House has become very skeptical about the possibility of reaching a deal in the immediate time frame due to the new demands of Hamas. The White House is re-examining its strategy for the release of the hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza, and President Biden's top aides are debating whether there is any point in presenting a new proposal, as Hamas and Israel have further hardened their positions in the negotiations.
Updated proposals
The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, and the head of the CIA, Will Burns, said that the US may present a new and updated proposal in the coming days. Still, senior White House officials say such a move is not expected in the coming days. Biden's advisers spoke with senior officials in Qatar and Egypt several times this week. They made it clear to them that Hamas's demand to release more prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons is excessive, according to senior American officials. Senior Israeli and American officials say that Hamas is demanding the release of 100 more prisoners in addition to the 150 prisoners that the parties have already agreed on. American officials say that this new demand is the reason for the stagnation in the talks. The sources added that the US asked Egypt and Qatar to increase the pressure on Hamas to withdraw from its new demands. White House spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday that the US, Egypt, and Qatar were still trying to reach a proposal that both Israel and Hamas could agree on."What is not clear to us is whether we will succeed in reaching this and whether Hamas will agree to come to the negotiating table honestly and sign something," said Kirby.

Explosion Reported at US Military Facility Near Baghdad Airport
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 11/2024
Iraqi security officials said an explosion targeted a site used by the US military next to Baghdad airport late Tuesday, one day before an expected visit by Iran's president. The expected visit by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Baghdad Wednesday would be his first official trip abroad since taking office. Iraq’s security media cell said in a statement that an explosion was heard at 11 p.m. at the airport, in an area used by advisers to the US-led international coalition. The statement said Iraqi security forces were unable to determine the "type or causes of the explosion, and no party has claimed responsibility for it." It added that the incident was under investigation and civilian air traffic continued as normal. There was no immediate information on damage or casualties. US officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. An Iraqi security official at the airport, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, said that officials who were at the airport preparing for Pezeshkian’s visit heard "the sound of two strong strikes," which apparently targeted a logistics support site for the coalition. Over the past 11 months, Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have periodically targeted bases housing US forces in Iraq and have said that the strikes were in retaliation for Washington’s support of Israel in the war in Gaza. One of those militias, Kataib Hezbollah, appeared to be trying to distance itself from Tuesday night’s strike. Jaafar al-Husseini, the group’s spokesperson, said in a statement that the targeting of the airport was "carried out by suspicious hands, and its aim is to disrupt the Iranian president’s visit to Baghdad."

Donald Trump Looks to Regain His Footing after a Rocky Debate
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 11/2024
Donald Trump emerged Wednesday from a rocky debate against Kamala Harris looking to regain his footing with 54 days until Election Day, the first ballots already going out in Alabama and other states on the cusp of early voting. Not even three months ago, Trump stepped off the debate stage in Atlanta having watched President Joe Biden deliver a disjointed, whispery performance that eventually led the 81-year-old Democrat to end his reelection bid and endorse Harris, his vice president. By the end of Tuesday night, it was the 78-year-old Trump on the defensive after the 59-year-old Harris controlled much of the debate, repeatedly baiting the Republican former president into agitated answers replete with exaggerations and mistruths. “We’ll see what the polls say going forward, but I don’t know how anybody can spin this other than a pretty decisive defeat for Trump,” former Rep. Charlie Dent, a Pennsylvania Republican who has long been critical of Trump, said Wednesday on CNN. Trump and Harris were together briefly Wednesday in New York, where they joined President Biden and other dignitaries to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. They shook hands for a second time the morning after Harris approached Trump on the debate stage to introduce herself, the first sign of the aggressive approach she would take during the event. The former president, who flouted convention with a surprise appearance late Tuesday in the post-debate spin room, continued Wednesday morning to insist he had won the night, though he also blasted ABC moderators as unfair – a tacit acknowledgement that he did not accomplish what he wanted against Harris. Trump and some of his allies in online posts speculated about punishing ABC by taking away its broadcast license — the network doesn't need a license to operate but individual stations do — or denying access to its reporters in the future. “We had a great night. We won the debate. We had a terrible, a terrible network,” Trump said Wednesday on Fox News. “They should be embarrassed. I mean they kept correcting me and what I said was largely right or I hope it was right.” Trump’s framing of the debate results does not square with the broad consensus of political commentators, strategists on both sides of the political aisle and some immediate assessments by voters who watched Tuesday night. But there is also evidence that the debate did not immediately yield broad shifts among people who watched.
About 6 in 10 debate-watchers said that Harris outperformed Trump, while about 4 in 10 said that Trump did a better job, according to a flash poll conducted by CNN. Before the debate, the same voters were evenly split on whether Trump or Harris would win. The vast majority of debate-watchers — who, importantly, do not reflect the views of the full voting public — also said that the event wouldn’t affect their votes in the election. Perceptions of the two candidates remain largely unchanged.Harris was jubilant late Tuesday, telling late-night rallygoers in Philadelphia that it was a “great night,” even as she repeated that she sees Democrats as “underdogs” against Trump. She garnered the endorsement of music and cultural icon Taylor Swift, an intensely popular figure. Harris' campaign immediately pitched the idea of a second debate. Fox News has proposed an October matchup but with moderators that Trump has indicated he does not prefer. Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire was more charitable to Trump than some, allowing that Harris won by traditional debate standards but fell short in convincing swing voters focused on their economic conditions. “The majority of those swing voters are still results driven,” Sununu said on CNN, adding that Trump still has opportunities to sway voters on the economy, immigration and, especially, foreign policy. Perhaps Sununu's most revealing assessment, though, came not when he talked about Trump but about another Republican the governor originally supported in the 2024 primaries: former Ambassador Nikki Haley, who was the last GOP candidate standing against Trump and continued garnering support in primaries weeks after she dropped out of the race. "Imagine what Nikki would have done in that debate,” Sununu said. “It would have been great.”

Iran President Visits Iraq on First Foreign Trip
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 11/2024
Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, began a visit to Iraq on Wednesday, aiming to deepen already close ties with the neighboring country on his first trip abroad since taking office. The three-day trip comes amid turmoil in the Middle East sparked by the war in Gaza, which has drawn in Iran-backed armed groups around the region and complicated Iraq's relations with the United States. "Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani welcomes the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian," the Iraqi premier's office said in a brief statement alongside a picture of the two men shaking hands on the tarmac at Baghdad airport. Pezeshkian has vowed to make relations with neighboring countries a priority as he seeks to ease Iran's international isolation and mitigate the impact of US-led sanctions on its economy. His visit comes after Western powers on Tuesday announced fresh sanctions on Iran for supplying Russia with short-range missiles for use against Ukraine.  Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani warned Britain, France and Germany that they "will face the appropriate and proportionate action" for the "hostile" move.  Hours before Pezeshkian's arrival, an explosion rocked a base at the airport used by the US-led international coalition, Iraqi security officials said. A spokesperson for the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq said Tuesday night's "attack" aimed to "disrupt the Iranian president's visit". Ties between Iran and Iraq have grown closer since the US-led invasion of 2003 toppled Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein. "Iraq is one of our friends, brothers and Muslim countries," Pezeshkian said before leaving Iran, according to footage aired on Iranian state television. "And for this reason, we will go to this country as the first trip," he added. Pezeshkian, who took office in July after an early election following the death of his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, has previously linked shoring up ties to sanctions pressure. "Relations with neighboring countries... can neutralize a significant amount of pressure of the sanctions," he said last month. Iran has suffered years of crippling Western sanctions, especially after its arch-foe the United States, under then-president Donald Trump, unilaterally abandoned a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers in 2018. Pezeshkian has made the top diplomat who negotiated the 2015 deal, Mohammad Javad Zarif, his vice president for strategic affairs as part of his bid for a more open Iran.
Key trade partners
Iran has become one of Iraq's leading trade partners, and wields considerable political influence in Baghdad, where its Iraqi allies dominate parliament and the current government. Non-oil trade between Iran and Iraq stood at nearly $5 billion over the five months from March 2024, Iranian media reported. Iran also exports millions of cubic meters of gas a day to Iraq to fuel its power plants, under a regularly renewed waiver from US sanctions. Iraq is billions of dollars in arrears on its payments for the imports, which cover 30 percent of its electricity needs. Political scientist Ali al-Baidar said expanding trade ties was a major goal of Pezeshkian's visit. "Iran needs the Iraqi market for its exports, just as it needs Iraq's energy imports," the Iraqi analyst said.
US troop drawdown
Washington still has around 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria as part of an international coalition against the ISIS extremist group. Last winter, US-led coalition forces in both Iraq and Syria were targeted dozens of times with drones and rocket fire as violence related to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has drawn in Iran-backed armed groups across the Middle East. The barrage of attacks triggered retaliatory US air strikes in both countries. On Sunday, Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbassi told pan-Arab television channel Al-Hadath that the US-led coalition would pull out of most of Iraq by September 2025 and the Kurdish autonomous region by September 2026.  Despite months of talks, the target dates have yet to be agreed between Baghdad and Washington. Pezeshkian will also travel to the Kurdish regional capital Erbil for talks with Kurdish officials, Iran's official IRNA news agency said. In March last year, Tehran signed a security agreement with the federal government in Baghdad after launching air strikes against bases of Iranian Kurdish rebel groups in the autonomous region. They have since agreed to disarm the rebels and remove them from border areas.

Islamists resurgent in Jordanian election
Arab News/September 11, 2024
AMMAN: Jordan’s leading Islamist opposition party has won 31 out of 138 seats in parliament, according to official election results released on Wednesday. The Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, tripled its representation in the house after Tuesday’s election and will be the largest single party. “The Jordanian people have given us their trust by voting for us. This new phase will increase the burden of responsibility for the party toward the nation and our citizens,” party leader Wael Al-Saqqa said. The Muslim Brotherhood chief in Jordan, Murad Adailah, said: “The elections reflect the desire for change. Those who voted for us were not necessarily all Islamists, but wanting change, and had become fed up with the old ways.”The Muslim Brotherhood is outlawed in much of the Middle East has been permitted to operate in Jordan since 1946. Islamic Action Front supports Hamas and wants Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel to be scrapped. Most of the party’s electoral support is in densely populated cities inhabited mostly by Jordanians of Palestinian descent, but the voting system favors more sparsely populated tribal and provincial regions. Under Jordan’s constitution, most powers still rest with the king, who appoints governments and can dissolve parliament. The assembly can force a Cabinet to resign by a vote of no confidence.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on September 11-12/2024
On These Religious Settlers!
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/September 11/2024
Not all settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are believers. Some are motivated by practical considerations; among them are those seeking low rents, nature enthusiasts, those trying to escape the burdens of the world, and those pursuing what they consider an optimal environment for raising their children... They are just as implicated in land theft and the oppression of Palestinians as the believers. With that, the believers have a "cause" that, although the outcomes of their actions are no less devastating than those undertaken by the religious settlers, the others driven by an unscrupulous, cynical selfishness do not.
The religious ones are waging another war in the West Bank. Although it is shaded by the war on Gaza, from which it has begun to derive some of its fodder, this war retains for itself elements that highlight its independence. In the first place, it precedes the Gaza war, and it is justified almost exclusively on binding religious grounds. Moreover, this religious war does not factor politics into its considerations in the slightest. It is indifferent to the impact of settlement activities on Israel's relationships with its Western backers and on its image in a world that increasingly rejects settlements; nor is it concerned with how its actions undermine the country's position in the Middle East or the implications of their actions for building or upending peace with its neighbors. While the Zionist settlement of the past was governed by the effort to establish a state, contemporary settlement requires that the state be governed by the requirements for safeguarding settlement. As for regional maps being reshuffled as a result of displacement, starting with Jordan, and the bloody ramifications that come with it, that does not factor into the settlers' considerations either.
Even the prospect of an explosion in the West Bank, which Israel does not have the forces to handle, does not concern them. Incidents like the Allenby Bridge attack, which rang alarm bells around the world, are part of the routine, just like their leaders and activists being hit with international sanctions.
Thus, the religious settlers are not only seen as demented or unhinged because of the outdated beliefs they derive from divine scripture. This perception can also be attributed to their engaging with the contemporary world as though it had not become what it is. To them, what hasn't been allowed to happen is precisely the correct and proper course of action, not what has happened.
As for war, it is rendered apocalyptic, ending only with annihilation and nothingness. It draws its strength from an era that is behind us, making the settlers deserve their frequent qualification as a flock or herd that represents a section of our primordial nature that has been forgotten in contemporary civilization.
Their "strangeness" is amplified by their ambiguous status according to the criteria of states and borders. They are Israeli citizens living in the West Bank, which is not supposed to be part of Israel; with that, however, the "Green Line" of a ceasefire separates the territory from the country, not an international border.Paradoxically, the settlers' rupture with everything supposedly associated with statehood, politics, and diplomatic considerations, is protected by the Israeli state, even if it occasionally makes pretends to disapproval. Besides their representation in the current government through ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, the army supplies them with arms, grants them construction permits, and turns a blind eye to their human rights violations.
Here, the scandalous aspect of the state's behavior appears, or rather the scandalous aspect of one of the origins of Zionism itself. The actions of the settlers bring to mind what it would be preferable to be forgotten: the original Zionist project began as a settlement enterprise. However, unlike the settlement of the past, which was not state-sponsored, despite the partial and conditional sympathy of the British, contemporary settlement is.
Unlike the old colonial and expansionist movements around the world, which, albeit mendaciously, addressed the other - as exemplified by Kipling's poem "The White Man's Burden" - this settlement is a pure monologue. As for "Israel being part of the democratic West," it is also scandalized by this settlement, even beyond the land theft and the abuse of the West Bank’s inhabitants. At a time when nationalism was ascending, Zionism used to strive to demonstrate that the national took precedence over the religious. Now, we find the settlers saying the opposite, reminding us that like-minded believers from Russia played a decisive role in making Palestine, not Argentina or Uganda, the location chosen for their desired state. It is worth noting that Netanyahu and the Jabotinskist tradition lie somewhere between secular Zionism and the religious settlers. This is not because they are religious - they are not - but because they are political and nationalist fundamentalists who trace the conflict back to its supposed foundational roots that leave nothing on the horizon but pure violence. Accordingly, they are the hidden spirit of Zionism, trailing behind and completing it, rendering the past something that never passes. With obnoxiousness exclusive to revolutionaries, the theft of land, which should be considered a disgraceful crime, is rendered into a divine command. This phenomenon, which emerged from a rusty skull shortly following the 1967 war, has given rise to a society that grows with each war, and the rust within it grows too. It was reared by lovers of war and despisers of politics who share its myths, albeit an inverted form of these myths. Among them are those who, after October 7, promised us the liberation of Palestine, and are warning against the displacement of West Bank residents today!

From the Supreme Leader to Sinwar
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/September 11/2024
After a Jordanian truck driver killed three Israelis at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing in the occupied West Bank last Sunday, Sami Abu Zuhri, the head of Hamas’ foreign political bureau, praised the attack and framed it as a response to the Israeli assault on Gaza. According to Reuters, he commented saying: “This heroic operation is a natural response to Israel’s genocidal war against the people of Gaza, and it is a new way to get involved in the confrontation.” Hamas has long tried to involve Jordan in this war, but that is not the point I am trying to make here. Hamas stated yesterday that unless a ceasefire deal is concluded, the Israeli hostages will not see the light of day. One could say that this was predictable; what else could be demanded of Hamas, given the Israeli prime minister's obstinance? What is demanded is for Hamas to simply follow Hezbollah’s example. The latter seems to have found a solution for seeking a truce with Israel and avoiding war: implementing what Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said about tactical retreats before the enemy being acceptable. Iran’s Mehr News Agency quoted the Supreme Leader affirming that there is no harm in "tactical retreat" before the enemy, whether militarily or politically. He also asserted that inflating their image and instilling fear is foundational to the enemy’s psychological warfare. He added: "When such a psychological warfare technique is used by the enemy in the military domain, the result is fear and retreat," stressing that tactical retreat and advance are both valid options and that there is no harm in either.
Now, the Lebanese government has announced that it seeks to engage in indirect negotiations with Israel to avoid war, and we all know that this could not have happened without the approval of Hezbollah, which clearly wants to avoid a conflict. The other matter is how Iran has dealt with the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. Here Tehran is, avoiding military retaliation, and the Europeans have even announced that they have received indications of Tehran's willingness to negotiate. Sending these signals is the second step of Iran's announcement that it wants to negotiate with the West. The first was taken when the Iranian Supreme Leader released a statement just over a week ago that there is no harm in negotiating Iran’s nuclear program with Washington. Accordingly, we ask: why is Hamas seeking to open a Jordanian front, which poses a real threat to the West Bank, as well as Jordanian and Arab national security, and an existential threat to the Palestinian cause, as Iran and Hezbollah pursue negotiations? Why doesn't Hamas demand that Sinwar respond by calling for Iranian military intervention either from the country or through Hezbollah, instead of making demands of Jordan or other Arab countries? Indeed, Hamas is constantly singing praises of Iran’s support. Why doesn't Sinwar follow Hezbollah's example and heed the advice of the Iranian Supreme Leader, thereby protecting what remains of the Palestinian cause, not just Gaza? Why is it acceptable for Iran to make a "tactical retreat" before the enemy, but not for the people of Gaza? Is there an answer?

Egypt Has Violated Its Peace Treaty With Israel. It Must Face Consequences
Jonathan Schanzer/Newsweek/September 11/2024
Is Egypt in violation of its 1979 peace treaty with Israel? It would appear so.
In 1979, Egypt made history as the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, building on a set of two foundational documents widely referred to as the Camp David Accords. For decades, the peace between the two countries has been a cold one. Anti-Israel rhetoric has remained alarmingly high in Egypt, while people-to-people connections have been abysmally low. Nevertheless, the peace has held.
Recently, however, the war in Gaza has put this peace to the test. Revelations about dozens of Hamas tunnels—some of them quite large—are raising questions about Egypt’s adherence to the agreement that has yielded Cairo billions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer funds. The tunnels, stretching from Gaza into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, are believed to have served as military supply lines for the terrorist group. In addition to likely facilitating the import of hard currency to pay Hamas fighters, the tunnels played a role in allowing the group’s leaders and fighters to rotate in and out of the enclave for training and guidance from its patrons. The 1979 peace treaty outlined a series of obligations for both countries to avoid conflict and ensure mutual security. The pact was “intended to constitute a basis for peace not only between Egypt and Israel but also between Israel and each of its other Arab neighbors which is prepared to negotiate peace with it on this basis.”Article III, subsection two of the peace agreement’s preamble explicitly requires both parties “to ensure that that acts or threats of belligerency, hostility, or violence do not originate from and are not committed from within its territory.” This clause also mandates both parties to hold accountable any perpetrators of such acts. So much for that. Recent Israeli operations along the Philadelphi Corridor, the narrow strip of land bordering Egypt and Gaza, have uncovered multiple tunnels and access points used by Hamas—some in plain sight of Egyptian guard towers. While it could be argued that Egypt has lacked the capacity to tackle this problem, it is equally plausible that it lacks the will.
Either way, it’s a serious problem.
According to the Israeli military’s chief spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the Philadelphi Corridor has served as “the oxygen line of Hamas,” enabling regular weapons smuggling into Gaza. Following Israel’s takeover of the corridor, Israeli forces reported discovering at least 20 tunnels. On August 4, an unusually large tunnel, ten feet high, was found. Unconfirmed reports suggest that one tunnel may stretch beneath Egypt’s Rafah airport, to allow for the direct provision of weapons to Hamas from regional flights landing in the Sinai Peninsula.
The tunnel problem is not new. Hamas tunnels have been crisscrossing the Egypt-Gaza border since the early 2000s. In 2006, Yuval Diskin, then director of the Shin Bet, said that “the Egyptians know who the smugglers are and don’t deal with them … They received intelligence on this from us and didn’t use it.” In 2007, The New York Times reported that Israeli officials had sent videotapes to American officials showing Egyptian border guards aiding the smuggling.
Then, after the regime of Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi took control of Egypt in 2014, the Egyptians destroyed many of the tunnels, due to a policy stemming from the new regime’s belief that Hamas was inextricably linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, which Cairo viewed as an existential threat. But by 2018, the tunnels began to operate again.
Why the Israelis didn’t sound the alarm is not clear. The Israeli government needs to explain itself. But so does Egypt, which allowed Hamas to operate the tunnels in violation of its treaty obligations. Was Egypt motivated by money, amidst a steep and protracted economic decline in recent years? Did Cairo get paid off by Hamas, or its wealthy patron, Qatar? Did the Iranians play a role? Was Egypt threatened with violence and unrest by the Sinai’s Bedouin Union of Tribes, who are the primary profiteers of smuggling, if it did not allow the tunnels to operate? Or did the Sisi regime take part in this operation because of an ideological hatred of Israel?
These are important questions to answer. But Cairo’s culpability is by now crystal clear. This should have broader implications beyond its bilateral relationship with Israel. Egypt appears to have directly undermined American diplomatic and strategic interests in the Middle East. A debate is now raging in Israel about the Philadelphi Corridor. Some say Israel should give up control to ensure the release of hostages in pursuit of a ceasefire deal. Others say Israel can never leave the corridor to permanently stymie Hamas smuggling. This is a false binary. If anything, Israel must work with Washington to make sure that Egypt installs an Israeli-engineered underground security system that would prevent Hamas from exploiting the border in the future.
This is a directive that only Washington can issue. For reasons unclear, the Biden administration has failed to call out Egypt, let alone demand answers. Nobody wants this important peace to unravel. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore the problem. The U.S. Congress should consider conditioning aid until Egypt upholds its obligations. In the meantime, Cairo must begin to acknowledge the security problems that have only grown over the years, contributing to the October 7 attacks and the regional war that followed.
**Jonathan Schanzer is the Senior Vice President for Research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Follow him on X @JSchanzer. Mariam Wahba is a research analyst at the FDD. Follow her on X @themariamwahba.
https://www.newsweek.com/egypt-has-violated-its-peace-treaty-israel-it-must-face-consequences-opinion-1951320

China's Weapons of Choice: First Wuhan Covid, now Fentanyl-Laced Drugs
Lawrence Kadish/ Gatestone Institute/September 11, 2024
Donald Trump should declare that he will make the war on Chinese-fueled fentanyl central to his plan to not only make America great again, but an America safe from attack by a foreign power who is using an insidious lethal drug as the weapon of choice.
We can debate the economy, decry the border mocked by illegal immigrants, and step around the criminally deranged allowed to stagger through our streets, but it is the deliberate and calculated effort to destabilize our nation through fentanyl that is the dagger thrust toward the heart of America.
In a national survey conducted by the respected polling company McLaughlin & Associates, it was revealed that a third of those voters asked acknowledged they know of someone who has been harmed by fentanyl. Consider that number: over 100 million people have seen the devastating impact of this drug. It reflects a crisis that makes the past plagues of heroin and cocaine a side show.
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram acknowledged as much earlier this year when she stated:
"The shift from plant-based drugs, like heroin and cocaine, to synthetic, chemical-based drugs, like fentanyl and methamphetamine, has resulted in the most dangerous and deadly drug crisis the United States has ever faced."
As presidential candidate Donald Trump connects with the American people on issues vital to our shared future, he needs to pledge as central to his next administration the defeat of the fentanyl scourge stalking our land. To do so will require him to confront the global supplier of that poison: China.
That nation's despots know just how insidious a role drugs can play in unraveling a society. The introduction of opium to the Chinese in the mid-1800s created a mass of stupefied addicts. According to historians, some 40 million Chinese would become addicted to the drug, or some 10% of their population. There is little debate that it contributed to the collapse of China's imperial rule and what their leadership now calls a century of humiliation, as Western powers supplied the opium, followed by harsh trading treaties to a weakened China.
The DEA acknowledges that China is not only a manufacturing center for the chemicals needed to make fentanyl, but it also serves as the illicit banker that allows Mexico-based distributors of the drug to launder and manage their profits.
In a nation that rigidly controls its internet, prevents free speech, bans public demonstrations and jails anyone who questions the wisdom of its leader, China has clearly made a strategic decision to allow their fentanyl operations to continue. They have obviously determined that it may be a far more cost-effective way to harm the United States than the trillions of yuan spent to greatly expand their military forces. Without a shot being fired at our nation, the Chinese believe they have found a way of reducing America to a second-rate nation. They may well be embracing the edict, "Do to them as was done to us" – poison America with drugs.
The McLaughlin poll further revealed that this strategy is not being lost on American voters. Over half of those responding believe the manufacturing of fentanyl ingredients is a conscious decision by China. In addition, more than half believe the status of our diplomat relations with Beijing should be based on the Chinese shutting down those fentanyl mills.
As a president who never allowed our friends or foes to be confused about where he stood, Donald Trump should declare that he will make the war on Chinese-fueled fentanyl central to his plan to not only make America great again, but an America safe from attack by a foreign power who is using an insidious lethal drug as the weapon of choice.
*Lawrence Kadish serves on the Board of Governors of Gatestone Institute.
© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20932/china-weapons-fentanyl

China Casting the Decisive Vote in U.S. Election
 Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone Institute/September 11, 2024
[W]hat about similar efforts of the far larger People's Republic of China?
Attorney General Merrick Garland mentioned China in passing in remarks on the 4th — he promised to be "relentlessly aggressive" against foreign powers interfering in American elections and undermining democracy — but there were no indictments or other actions by his department, Treasury, or State against the Chinese regime for election-interference offenses. It is clear that China, at this moment, is doing the same things as Russia, only on a larger scale.
"China's trolls are conducting one of the world's largest covert online influence operations. Its attack element is the group called 'Spamouflage,' and it is impersonating U.S. voters to denigrate U.S. politicians and push divisive messages ahead of the November 5 election." — Kerry Gershaneck, former U.S. counterintelligence official, to Gatestone, September 2024.
The operation, reported Jack Stubbs, Graphika's chief intelligence officer, was attempting "to portray the U.S. as this declining global power with weak political leadership and a failing system of governance." The effort was comprehensive. As Stubbs said, this operation was run by "Chinese state-linked actors."
This election cycle, Spamouflage achieved its greatest success on TikTok. That is probably not a coincidence, as the Wall Street Journal "found TikTok pushing thousands of videos with political lies and hyperbole to its users."
So, what are federal authorities doing about China now? Said Canfield: "Nothing, zero, zilch, nada."
It is good that the Biden administration is going after Russian attempts to disrupt the United States and surreptitiously influence elections, but what about similar efforts of the far larger People's Republic of China? (Images source: iStock/Getty Images)
The U.S. Department of Justice on September 4 announced it was seizing 32 internet domains "used in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns colloquially referred to as 'Doppelganger.'" DOJ also announced criminal charges against two Russian media executives.
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control at the same time designated 10 individuals and two entities "as part of a coordinated U.S. government response to Moscow's malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 U.S. presidential election." The State Department also took actions against Russian parties for such conduct. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on said on September 4th, "Today's announcement highlights the lengths some foreign governments go to undermine American democratic institutions."
Yes, it is good that the Biden administration is going after Russian attempts to disrupt the United States and surreptitiously influence elections, but what about similar efforts of the far larger People's Republic of China?
Attorney General Merrick Garland mentioned China in passing in remarks on the 4th — he promised to be "relentlessly aggressive" against foreign powers interfering in American elections and undermining democracy — but there were no indictments or other actions by his department, Treasury, or State against the Chinese regime for election-interference offenses. "How could he target China with Beijing's man Walz on the Dem ticket?" asked Roger Canfield, author of What Red China Got for the Money, in comments to Gatestone.
It is clear that China, at this moment, is doing the same things as Russia, only on a larger scale. There are reasons for Beijing's focus on America. "As the Communist Party's 'main enemy,' the U.S. is its top-priority election interference target," Kerry Gershaneck, a former U.S. counterintelligence official, told Gatestone.
"There are always new twists in their tactics," reports Gershaneck, author of Political Warfare: Strategies for Combatting China's Plan to "Win Without Fighting". "On the Social Media Warfare front, for example, China's trolls are conducting one of the world's largest covert online influence operations. Its attack element is the group called 'Spamouflage,' and it is impersonating U.S. voters to denigrate U.S. politicians and push divisive messages ahead of the November 5 election."
The Spamouflage operation, according to research firm Graphika, was this year posting on social media as U.S. voters and soldiers on topics including reproductive rights and homelessness and geopolitical issues such as America's backing for Ukraine and Israel. The posts of the Chinese operation also targeted President Joe Biden and both of the major party candidates now running for his job.
Spamouflage, which has been tracked as far back as 2019, has been using artificial intelligence to create postings. This year, it had accounts, now closed, on X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
The operation, reported Graphika's chief intelligence officer Jack Stubbs, was attempting "to portray the U.S. as this declining global power with weak political leadership and a failing system of governance." The effort was comprehensive. As Stubbs said, this operation was run by "Chinese state-linked actors."
This election cycle, Spamouflage achieved its greatest success on TikTok. That is probably not a coincidence, as the Wall Street Journal "found TikTok pushing thousands of videos with political lies and hyperbole to its users."
Agencies in the U.S. intelligence community this summer shared assessments that China was not trying to change the outcomes in the presidential contest. If these assessments are accurate, it would signal a change in China's goals because the trend of Beijing propaganda showed that it was trying to help Joe Biden over Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic Party primaries and help Biden over President Donald Trump in the general election.
In mid-March 2020, according to U.S. officials cited by the New York Times, Chinese operatives spread text messages and social media postings propagating false rumors that Trump was about to invoke the Stafford Act to lock down the entire United States. American officials believe Beijing operatives gave orders, in the words of the paper, to "engage in a global disinformation campaign around the virus."
Whatever it may or may not be doing in the presidential contest this year, China has been trying to change outcomes in New York State elections. Queens State Assemblyman Ron Kim, for instance, charges that China tried to defeat him in the June Democratic Party primary. "There were clear patterns of foreign influence trying to dictate the outcome of the election—groups with ties to mainland China and the CCP," Kim said to the New York Post. "It's a very layered operation. We're entering dangerous territory."
"There is a new wave of organizations tied to the CCP that are not loyal to our way of life," Kim said. His comments come as there were new revelations of China's penetration of the Democratic Party in New York. Federal authorities have charged Linda Sun, an aide to both Governor Kathy Hochul and predecessor Andrew Cuomo, with various crimes. She has pled not guilty.
Beijing's apparent success in infiltrating New York is perhaps a factor in its showing a new boldness. "All of China's traditional election-influence strategies are likely in play against America for the 2024 campaign: campaign financing both legal and illegal, coercion, elite capture, and exploitation of news media," says Gershaneck. So, what are federal authorities doing about China now? Said Canfield: "Nothing, zero, zilch, nada."
*Gordon G. Chang is the author of The Coming Collapse of China and the upcoming Plan Red: China's Project to Destroy America, a Gatestone Institute distinguished senior fellow, and a member of its Advisory Board.
© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20930/china-us-election-interference

Restating the obvious: Hamas isn’t negotiating
Ruthie Blum/Israel Today Staff / September 11/2024
“Unfortunately, many people repeat the narrative that in fact we are the ones preventing a deal,” said Gal Hirsch. “But this is a lie.”
Protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Beersheva, Netanya and other locations across Israel on Saturday night in what is being reported as one of the largest demonstrations in the state’s history. According to some figures, there were some 500,000 people at the main rally in the White City and an additional 250,000 spread out elsewhere. Whether or not these numbers are accurate, anybody observing the crowds in person or on TV could see that they were massive. The explanation for the exceptional turnout was twofold. First, the entire country was reeling from the recovery the previous weekend of the bodies of six hostages who had been executed in cold blood by their Hamas captors a mere two days or so before they were discovered by Israel Defense Forces troops. The victims of the barbarians who abducted them 11 months ago were identified as 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 25; Alexander Lobanov, 32; Carmel Gat, 40; and IDF Master Sgt. Ori Danino, 25.
It was believed by the families of these and other hostages that the first stage of a rumored deal for their release would have seen at least three of the above on the list to return home The second reason for the increase in participants in the otherwise waning anti-government protests—the key goal of which all along has been to topple Prime Minister Benjamin (“Bibi”) Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition—is the looming one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre.
Not a single Israeli is apathetic to the terrifying plight of the 101 remaining captives, and all can only imagine with horror what the spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings and children of the captives are going through every minute of every hour of every day.
To make matters worse, the war against terrorists in Gaza is continuing and claiming the lives of heroic soldiers, while the north is being bombarded by Hezbollah rockets and drones.
IDF Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the captives and missing, set two records straight on Sunday at the Middle East-America Dialogue (MEAD) summit at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC.
“Unfortunately, many people repeat the narrative that … we [Israelis] are the ones preventing a deal,” he told Israel Hayom senior diplomatic correspondent Ariel Kahana, who interviewed him on stage at the event. “But this is not the truth. It is a lie. We have never stopped a deal that was on the table.”
That was one necessary restating of the obvious. Another related to domestic protests and foreign treatment of the Jewish state.
“Hamas learns what is happening in Israeli society and wants to divide it by using the issue of the hostages,” Hirsch said. “And I have to put it on the table; for them, this is an achievement. There is a direct connection between the international pressure on Israel and the desire of Hamas to be part of the negotiations. When [it sees] that Israel is under enormous pressure from our best allies, or from the United Nations or Great Britain, or decisions by some and others in the international courts, they say to themselves that they are in no hurry.”
He pointed out that “since November, there have been virtually no negotiations, and they don’t seem to want a deal. Since December, Hamas is not really in the picture. In March, they came for a few days to negotiations in Doha and then disappeared.”
That Hirsch was forthcoming with such an unpopular view among those Israelis whose desperation has blinded them to reality was welcome. Yet it wasn’t actually surprising coming from him.
Far more jaw-dropping—and irresponsibly late in coming—was a similar admission from Benny Gantz, of all people. The former IDF chief of staff, defense minister and War Cabinet member who resigned from the emergency unity government when he saw polls that indicated he might beat Netanyahu in a non-existent election, has been putting stokes in the wheels of the effort to defeat Hamas by siding with the “anybody but Bibi” crew’s claims that the prime minister isn’t doing enough to “bring the hostages back home.”
Furthermore, Gantz is a member of the choir claiming that Netanyahu’s political considerations are causing him to cater to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—going as far as to use the inexcusable expression that he’s “held hostage” by the extremist elements in his coalition. Still, after attending and addressing the MEAD summit, he wrote a post on X indicating his realization that all his maneuvering hasn’t gone over well with the bulk of the Israeli public. “I met today with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington,” Gantz tweeted on Monday. “I thanked him for the administration’s deep involvement in efforts to return the hostages, and noted that the proposal for their return [to] the table has broad support both in the Knesset and among the Israeli public, and that Netanyahu will also have a political safety net to advance it.”
He followed this expression of gratitude with the following uncharacteristic punchline: “At the same time, I emphasized that after months of Hamas not accepting the proposal, the world is expected to support Israel in increasing civilian and military pressure on Gaza—this is what led to the first hostage deal, and it is also what will expedite Hamas’s decision.”It’s probably too much to ask of Hirsch or Gantz to make their declarations to the throngs at Hostage Square on Saturday night. But their doing so would send a message to Hamas’s Gaza chief, Yahya Sinwar, that his ploys are failing and that his end is near.

When 9/11 Was a Day of Victory Against Jihad
Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream /September 11/2024
Although today’s date will forever be associated with the jihadist massacre of some 3,000 Americans, for centuries earlier, September 11 was celebrated as the day when a small band of Christian knights defeated a massive Muslim horde. Far from a day of defeat and mourning, it was a day of victory and celebration. That story is worth recounting. After the Islamic empire of the Ottoman Turks declared jihad on Malta in the spring of 1565, 30,000 Turks, armed to the teeth and with all sorts of heavy artillery, descended on the tiny Mediterranean island. There, they confronted a few thousand shabbily armed Maltese men, under the leadership of the Knights of Saint John (or Knights Hospitallers). Enter Jean Parisot de Valette (1494–1568), the Grand Master of the Knights: “His disposition is rather sad,” wrote a contemporary, but “for his age [seventy-one], he is very robust” and “very devout.” As the vast Islamic armada approached, he told his men what was at stake. “A formidable army composed of audacious barbarians is descending on this island,” he said. “These persons, my brothers, are the enemies of Jesus Christ. Today it is a question of the defense of our Faith as to whether the book of the Evangelist [the Gospel] is to be superseded by that of the Koran? God on this occasion demands of us our lives, already vowed to His service. Happy will those be who first consummate this sacrifice.”From their humble beginnings in the Holy Land, ever Hospitaller, like every Knight Templar, had vowed to fight to the death against “the enemies of Jesus Christ” (aka, Saracens, Turks, Moors — in a word, Muslims).
Return to Sender
Once the Turks arrived, they subjected Malta to what was then the heaviest nonstop bombardment of any locale in history. “With the roar of the artillery and the arquebuses,” a chronicler wrote, “the hair-raising screams, the smoke and fire and flame, it seemed that the whole world was at the point of exploding.”
The vastly outnumbered and soon wearied defenders, who were ordered to “fight bravely and sell their lives to the barbarians as dearly as possible,” did just that. And for every Christian killed defending the fort, numerous Muslim besiegers fell. After storming the fort of St. Elmo and reducing it to rubble, the Turks sadistically slaughtered all 1,500 of its defenders: the Knights of Saint John “were hung upside down from iron rings . . . and had their heads split, their chests open, and their hearts torn out.” The Muslim commander, Mustafa, ordered their mutilated corpses (along with one Maltese priest) nailed to wooden crosses and set adrift to deride and demoralize the other defenders looking on from their forts. The terror tactic failed. The 71-year-old Valette delivered a thundering and defiant speech before the huddled Christians. And then, fighting fire with fire, he beheaded all the Muslim prisoners, and fired their heads from cannon at the Turkish besiegers.
The Final Battle
The Ottomans continued to subject the rest of the island to a sustained bombardment; some 130,000 cannonballs were fired in total. “I don’t know if the image of hell can describe the appalling battle,” wrote a contemporary: “the fire, the heat, the continuous flames from the flamethrowers and fire hoops; the thick smoke, the stench, the disemboweled and mutilated corpses, the clash of arms, the groans, shouts, and cries, the roar of the guns . . . men wounding, killing, scrabbling, throwing one another back, falling and firing.” Although the rest of the forts were reduced to rubble, much Muslim blood was spilled for each inch gained; for “when they got within arms’ reach the scimitar was no match for the long two-handed sword of the Christians.” Desperate fighting spilled into the streets, where even Maltese women and children participated. By late August the island still had not been taken. That, and mass Muslim casualties, led to mass demoralization in the Ottoman camp. Embarrassed talk of lifting the siege had already begun when a Sicilian relief force finally arrived with nearly 10,000 soldiers at St. Paul’s Bay, the place where the famed apostle was once shipwrecked. There, the final scene of this Armageddon played out as the fresh newcomers routed the retreating Ottomans. The Muslims finally fled, and Malta was liberated on September 11, a day which for many years thereafter was celebrated all throughout Christendom — until 2001.
*Raymond Ibrahim is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum. Portions of this article were excerpted from his book, Sword and Scimitar.