A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For 02-03/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 109th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
February 03/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on February 02-03/2020
Al Raei Is The Wrong Man In The Wrong Position/Elias Bejjani/February 03/2020
Drunk Driver Runs Over Lebanese Children in Sydney, Kills Four
Diab expresses deep sympathy over Sydney road crash tragedy
Najm on Australia’s tragedy: I pledge to follow up on investigations
Ministerial Panel to Finalize Policy Statement Monday
Protest in front of American Embassy against US Middle East Plan
Skirmishes as Protesters Rally in Awkar against Trump Plan
Protesters Outside US Embassy in Lebanon Reject Trump’s Plan
Protesters March in Beirut, Tripoli to Reject New Govt.
Lebanon’s Salameh Seeks to Legitimize Banks’ Measures to Prevent Prosecution
Protesters March in Lebanon to Reject New Government
Lebanon protesters renew rallies rejecting new government
Rahi criticizes “Deal of the Century”
Several artists partake in Lebanon’s “Creativity Day” in Martyrs Square
Lebanese Cultural League offers condolences over Australian accident victims
Mortada says no poultry problem, necessary tests will be performed tomorrow
Details Of The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorial published on February 02-03/2020
Al Raei Is The Wrong Man In The Wrong Position
Elias Bejjani/February 02/2020
Alraei sadly has no specialised and neutral educated advisers and accordingly all his stances and rhetoric unstudied statements are impulsive, very superficial, questionable and lacks all that is common sense, wisdom and a vision to secure the interstates of Lebanon as a free and independent state. He is detached from all that is logic and reason. I strongly believe that he is the wrong man in the wrong position… He has a very poor vision and apparently his tongue always is distanced from his mind.
Drunk Driver Runs Over Lebanese Children in Sydney, Kills Four
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
A drunk driver ran his four-wheel driver over a group of Lebanese children in Sydney killing four of them. Two sisters, their brother and a cousin were killed while three others were seriously injured, Australian and Lebanese authorities said on Sunday. The 29-year-old driver who was not named should stand trial on Sunday facing 20 charges, including manslaughter and high-range drink driving following the incident late Saturday in the Oatlands suburb of western Sydney, according to AFP. The children were on a footpath when the four-wheel drive struck them. Three girls aged 8 to 12 and a 13-year-old boy died at the scene, while two other girls and a boy were injured and taken to hospital, where they were in a stable condition on Sunday, police said. The dead included two sisters and their brother. Daniel and Leila Abdallah has lost 3 of their children in this tragedy. “Yesterday I lost three of my children. I had a cousin, Bridget, she lost her daughter as well,” Daniel Abdallah told reporters on Sunday morning. “I’m numb, probably that’s how I feel at the moment,” he stressed. “All I just want to say is, please, drivers be careful. These kids were just walking innocently, enjoying each others’ company and this morning I woke up, I have lost three kids.”
Diab expresses deep sympathy over Sydney road crash tragedy
NNA/February 02/2020
Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, expressed his deep sorrow for the four Lebanese children who died in a tragic car accident in Oatlands, Sydney, and said through his Twitter account: “The tragedy our people in Australia suffered with the loss of 4 Lebanese children, including 3 brothers, has pained us a lot and it is a catastrophe that has struck Lebanon and not just the families of the victims.He added: “All of Lebanon is in pain….May the Lord have mercy on the victims and grant their families solace and patience to endure.”
Najm on Australia’s tragedy: I pledge to follow up on investigations
NNA/February 02/2020
Justice Minister Marie-Claude Najm tweeted Sunday on the tragic car accident that led to the death of 4 Lebanese children in Australia, saying: “As a mother, I share the sorrow and pain of the bereaved Abdullah family over the loss of the four children who were run over by a car in Australia…As Minister of Justice, I pledge to follow-up, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, on the investigations carried out by the competent judicial authorities until the truth is unveiled.”
Ministerial Panel to Finalize Policy Statement Monday
Naharnet/February 02/2020
The ministerial panel drafting the new government’s Policy Statement will hold a “final reading” session on Monday after the draft was distributed to all ministers, media reports said. “After the finalization of the draft in Monday’s meeting, a cabinet session will be scheduled to be held at the Baabda Palace under President Michel Aoun to approve the statement in its final version,” An-Nahar newspaper reported on Sunday. As for the content, the panel has opted to use the same clauses contained in the statement of Saad Hariri’s government regarding “the sensitive political topics related to the resistance and the dissociation policy,” the daily added. The bulk of the statement will meanwhile be dedicated to the financial and economic crises. “The government will commit itself to a three-stage integrated economic and reformist vision with timeframes ranging from a 100-day short-term stage to mid- and long-term stages that would be implemented over several years with each entailing specific steps and measures,” An-Nahar said. It also noted that parliament is not expected to hold a session to debate the statement before February 10.
Protest in front of American Embassy against US Middle East Plan
NNA/February 02/2020
A number of protesters are currently observing a sit-in outside the U.S. Embassy in Awkar against the Middle East ‘peace plan’ announced by US President Donald Trump, amid strict security measures, National News Agency correspondent in Metn reported on Sunday.
The correspondent added that the number of demonstrators within the Embassy’s vicinity increased with the morning hours, and some of them managed to bypass the barbed wire and reach the iron door blocking the way to the Embassy, on which they banged using stones amid tight security measures by the riot police squad. Some protesters threw stones at the security forces, who in turn responded by using pepper spraying materials that led to cases of fainting and suffocation among the demonstrators.
Protesters outside US Embassy in Lebanon decry Trump plan
Associated Press/February 02/2020
Protesters waving Palestinian flags gathered on a road leading to the embassy northeast of Beirut amid tight security by Lebanese troops and riot policemen.
BEIRUT: Hundreds of Lebanese and Palestinians held a protest Sunday near the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon against a White House plan for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Protesters waving Palestinian flags gathered on a road leading to the embassy northeast of Beirut amid tight security by Lebanese troops and riot policemen. “Death to America! Death to Israel! We will die and Palestine survive,” some of the demonstrators chanted. The U.S. plan would grant the Palestinians limited self-rule in parts of the occupied West Bank, while allowing Israel to annex all its settlements there and keep nearly all of east Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Around noon the protesters removed the barbed wire and reached a metal fence set up by security forces. Police used what appeared to be pepper spray to hold back some of the demonstrators, with at least three protesters being carried away. On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas threatened to cut security ties with both Israel and the U.S. in a speech at an Arab League meeting in response to the U.S. plan. Arab foreign ministers there joined in blasting the plan and calling it a setback to Mideast peace efforts.
Lebanon is home to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants. There have been protests in the country’s 12 refugee camps since U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled the proposal in Washington.
Skirmishes as Protesters Rally in Awkar against Trump Plan
Associated Press/Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 02/2020
Several protesters were injured Sunday as security forces used pepper spray against stone-throwing demonstrators rallying against U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mideast peace plan near the U.S. embassy in Awkar. The protesters were treated for fainting and suffocation injuries. The demo, organized by mainly leftist Lebanese and Palestinian groups, was held under the slogan “Down with the Deal of Shame”. Security forces had deployed heavily in the area and installed security barriers hundreds of meters away from the embassy premises. A force from the army’s Commando Regiment meanwhile deployed on balconies around the demo site. “Death to America! Death to Israel! We will die and Palestine survive,” some of the demonstrators chanted. The U.S. plan would grant the Palestinians limited self-rule in parts of the occupied West Bank, while allowing Israel to annex all its settlements there and keep nearly all of east Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Around noon the protesters removed the barbed wire and reached a metal fence set up by security forces. Police used pepper spray to hold back some of the demonstrators, with at least three protesters being carried away. “I came here to defend my rights and those of my children as Palestinians,” said Etab, a Palestinian refugee living in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. “We will not accept handing over our land,” she told AFP. Abdullah Mahmoud, an 18-year-old Palestinian, criticized the “failed” plan. “It won’t pass as long as the Palestinian people are still standing,” he said. “The right to return is an individual and collective right,” another protest sign read. Later in the day, the protesters dispersed from the area without any serious clashes. On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas threatened to cut security ties with both Israel and the U.S. in a speech at an Arab League meeting in response to the U.S. plan. Arab foreign ministers there joined in blasting the plan and calling it a setback to Mideast peace efforts. Lebanon is home to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants. There have been protests in the country’s 12 refugee camps since Trump unveiled the proposal in Washington.
Protesters Outside US Embassy in Lebanon Reject Trump’s Plan
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
Hundreds of Lebanese and Palestinians protested Sunday near the US Embassy in Lebanon against a US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian flags were waved amid tight security by Lebanese security forces and riot policemen. Around noon the protesters removed the barbed wire and reached a metal fence set up by security forces. Police used what appeared to be pepper spray to hold back some of the demonstrators, with at least three protesters being carried away. On Saturday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas threatened to cut security ties with both Israel and the US in a speech he delivered at an Arab League meeting in response to the US plan. Trump’s deal would grant the Palestinians limited self-rule in parts of the occupied West Bank, while allowing Israel to annex all its settlements there and keep nearly all of east Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Lebanon is home to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants, the Associated Press reported.
Protesters March in Beirut, Tripoli to Reject New Govt.
Associated Press/Naharnet/February 02/2020
Hundreds of Lebanese marched on Saturday through the streets of the capital and the main northern city to reject a new government named to deal with an economic crisis, which they say lacks a popular mandate. The new government named in January came after weeks of political stalemate and amid nationwide protests while Lebanon grappled with an unprecedented economic crisis. Backed by the two main blocs in parliament, the government is awaiting a vote of confidence, which it is likely to get. But protesters say the government is an extension of traditional political parties they have denounced as corrupt. “We are here today and every day … to say no confidence,” a protester who read a joint statement for the rallies said. It said the protesters won’t give another chance “to those who robbed them of their dreams, impoverished them, forced them to migrate, and humiliated them.” They vowed to keep up the pressure against a ruling class “that controls decision-making and resources.” Lebanon’s nationwide protests broke out Oct. 17 after a summer of discontent over a slumping economy and an austerity budget. The protests, sparked by proposals for new taxes, snowballed into demands for the ruling elite to step aside. Lebanon’s ruling class has been in power since the end of the 1975-90 civil war, including some of its warlords. Protesters accuse them of mismanaging Lebanon’s wealth and of widespread corruption. The new 20-member government of Prime Minister Hassan Diab was announced in late January but protests continued. In recent weeks, demonstrations have turned violent as frustration rose. Security forces and protesters clashed outside the country’s parliament and the central bank in pitched street battles that left hundreds injured. Rights groups denounced the security forces’ use of rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Over the last week, security forces erected blast walls around parliament and other government buildings, sealing them off from protesters and turning central Beirut into a fortified security zone. On Saturday, protesters marched through the streets of Beirut and Tripoli, in the north, carrying banners against corruption and declaring “no confidence” in the new government. They stopped at the central bank, the Finance Ministry and the Banks Association before reaching central Beirut. The protesters gathered by the blast walls outside the parliament and the government building before dispersing peacefully. Lebanon has one of the world’s highest public debts, standing at more than 150% of gross domestic product. Growth has plummeted and the budget deficit reached 11% of GDP in 2 018 as economic activities slowed and remittances from Lebanese living abroad shrank. The national currency, which has been pegged to the dollar since 1997, lost about 60% of its value in recent weeks, sparking a run on banks which responded with limits on cash withdrawals and transfers.
Lebanon’s Salameh Seeks to Legitimize Banks’ Measures to Prevent Prosecution
Beirut – Mohammad Shoukair/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh and Chairman of Association of Banks Salim Sfeir failed to quell the fears of Lebanese depositors amid an escalating liquidity crunch facing the Middle Eastern country. Unless Lebanon receives international financial support that would push towards the restoration of its financial and banking institutions the country will continue to suffer. Salameh, for his part, is currently seeking to “legitimize” coercive measures that banks resorted to and which inflicted prejudice and injustice on depositors. Asharq Al-Awsat learned from banking and judicial sources that the lack of “legalization” of these measures would open the door to prosecution of banks due to their violation of the monetary and credit laws. More so, many banks did not comply with the circular issued by Salameh regarding the right of depositors to obtain cash on transfers received from abroad after October 17. Salameh said that the circular related to regulating relationships between banks and their customers at the current phase was submitted to Diab and Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni ten days ago.
Salameh also noted that “if they agreed on it, it will be issued in the usual way and will not include any exceptional measures.”
“Operations will continue in the banks as usual,” he added.
Salameh concluded by saying that the aim was finding an “equal and fair treatment among all customers.”It is noteworthy that the expected circular will provide banks with protection to prevent their prosecution with a retroactive effect. According to sources, Salameh intends to take some “important” measures in agreement with local banks, and under a political cover, within the exceptional powers granted to him by the Monetary and Credit Law / Article 174.
Protesters March in Lebanon to Reject New Government
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
Hundreds of Lebanese marched on Saturday through the streets of the capital and the main northern city to reject a new government named to deal with an economic crisis, which they say lacks a popular mandate.
The new government named in January came after weeks of political stalemate and amid nationwide protests while Lebanon grappled with an unprecedented economic crisis. Backed by the two main blocs in parliament, the government is awaiting a vote of confidence, which it is likely to get. But protesters say the government is an extension of traditional political parties they have denounced as corrupt. “We are here today and every day … to say no confidence,” a protester who read a joint statement for the rallies said, according to The Associated Press. It said the protesters will not give another chance “to those who robbed them of their dreams, impoverished them, forced them to migrate and humiliated them.” They vowed to keep up the pressure against a ruling class “that controls decision-making and resources.”Lebanon’s nationwide protests broke out October 17 after a summer of discontent over a slumping economy and an austerity budget. The protests, sparked by proposals for new taxes, snowballed into demands for the ruling elite to step aside. Lebanon’s ruling class has been in power since the end of the 1975-90 civil war, including some of its warlords. Protesters accuse them of mismanaging Lebanon’s wealth and of widespread corruption. The new 20-member government of Prime Minister Hassan Diab was announced in late January but protests continued.
In recent weeks, demonstrations have turned violent as frustration rose. Security forces and protesters clashed outside the country’s parliament and the central bank in pitched street battles that left hundreds injured. Rights groups denounced the security forces’ use of rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Over the last week, security forces erected blast walls around parliament and other government buildings, sealing them off from protesters and turning central Beirut into a fortified security zone. On Saturday, protesters marched through the streets of Beirut and Tripoli, in the north, carrying banners against corruption and declaring “no confidence” in the new government. They stopped at the central bank, the Finance Ministry and the Banks Association before reaching central Beirut. The protesters gathered by the blast walls outside the parliament and the government building before dispersing peacefully.
Lebanon has one of the world’s highest public debts, standing at more than 150% of gross domestic product. Growth has plummeted and the budget deficit reached 11% of GDP in 2 018 as economic activities slowed and remittances from Lebanese living abroad shrank. The national currency, which has been pegged to the dollar since 1997, lost about 60% of its value in recent weeks, sparking a run on banks which responded with limits on cash withdrawals and transfers.
Lebanon protesters renew rallies rejecting new government
The New Arab & agencies/February 02/2020
Hundreds marched on Saturday through the streets of the Lebanese capital and the northern city of Tripoli to reject a new cabinet tasked with dealing with an economic crisis, claiming it lacks a popular mandate.
The new set of ministers were named in January after an unprecedented economic crisis and weeks of political stalemate sparked by months of nationwide protests. Backed by the two main blocs in parliament, the government is awaiting a vote of confidence, which it is likely to get. But protesters say the government is an extension of traditional political parties they have denounced as corrupt. “We are here today and every day … to say no confidence,” a protester who read a joint statement for the rallies said. It said the protesters won’t give another chance “to those who robbed them of their dreams, impoverished them, forced them to migrate, and humiliated them.”They vowed to keep up the pressure against a ruling class ”that controls
Lebanon’s nationwide protests broke out on 17 October after a summer of discontent over a slumping economy and an austerity budget. The protests, sparked by proposals for new taxes, snowballed into demands for the ruling elite to step aside.
Lebanon’s ruling class has been in power since the end of the 1975-90 civil war, including some of its warlords. Protesters accuse them of mismanaging Lebanon’s wealth and of widespread corruption.
The new 20-member cabinet of Prime Minister Hassan Diab was announced in late January but protests continued.
In recent weeks, demonstrations have turned violent as frustration rose. Security forces cracked down on protesters outside the country’s parliament and the central bank, leaving hundreds injured. Rights groups denounced the security forces’ use of rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Over the last week, security forces erected blast walls around parliament and other government buildings, sealing them off from protesters and turning central Beirut into a fortified security zon. On Saturday, protesters marched through the streets of Beirut and Tripoli, in the north, carrying banners against corruption and declaring “no confidence” in the new government. They stopped at the central bank, the Finance Ministry and the Banks Association before reaching central Beirut. The protesters gathered by the blast walls outside the parliament and the government building before dispersing peacefully.
Lebanon has one of the world’s highest public debts, standing at more than 150% of gross domestic product. Growth has plummeted and the budget deficit reached 11% of GDP in 2 018 as economic activities slowed and remittances from Lebanese living abroad shrank.
The national currency, which has been pegged to the dollar since 1997, lost about 60% of its value in recent weeks, sparking a run on banks which responded with limits on cash withdrawals and transfers.
Rahi criticizes “Deal of the Century”
NNA/February 02, 2020
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rahi, criticized on Sunday Donald Trump’s peace plan saying: “The deal of the century is a slap in the face of the Palestinian cause and international resolutions since 1948.”
Rahi, who presided over Sunday Mass in Bkirki this morning, also indicated that the Lebanese authorities have no right to confront peaceful and popular demands by violence. He deemed as well that the protesters had no right to bypass constitutional rules.
Several artists partake in Lebanon’s “Creativity Day” in Martyrs Square
NNA /February 02/2020
A number of artists from different regions participated in the “Lebanese Creativity Day”, which was held today at Martyrs’ Square in Central Beirut.
The works of art included paintings sketched with a national theme and in support of the people’s movement, in addition to crafts and sculptures that symbolize the uprising and its goals. Lebanese folklore dances to traditional music also took place with the participation of a significant number of citizens, who showed great enthusiasm in supporting these artworks that embody their aspirations “towards an advanced Lebanon, free from corruption and thieves.”
Lebanese Cultural League offers condolences over Australian accident victims
NNA/February 02/2020
In an issued statement Sunday following the tragic accident that occurred in Australia and led to the death of four innocent Lebanese children, the Lebanese Cultural League in the World expressed its sincere condolences and deepest regret for their loss. “A very painful accident has shaken the Lebanese entity, and added to the huge costs paid by our families living abroad in every corner of the vast world,” the statement said. The League expressed its sorrow for this huge loss, offering deepest condolences in the name of its President Abbas Fawaz, its governing body, councils and branches to the bereaved Abdullah and Geagea families, asking the Lord Almighty to grant them patience, comfort and solace. The League also appreciated the rapid movement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, by asking Lebanon’s Ambassador in Australia to follow up on the sorrowful incident and provide all possible assistance to the families of the victims.
Mortada says no poultry problem, necessary tests will be performed tomorrow
NNA/February 02/2020
Agriculture and Culture Minister, Abbas Mortada, commented Sunday on the recent article published by a newsdaily on farmers injecting chicken with “cholestine”, saying: “We are very keen on consumer and food safety…and we assure all citizens that there is nothing certain about this subject.”“We called for an emergency meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Monday at the Ministry’s office, in the presence of all concerned sides, after which committees of specialists and veterinarians will set out to take samples from most farms, and carry out the necessary laboratory tests,” Mortada asserted.
The Minister reassured the Lebanese on this matter so that things are not blown out of proportion, urging the media to exercise caution when publishing news and calling on anyone with information to inform the Agriculture Ministry for proper verification. Mortada’s words came during his meeting today with Baalbek and Deir Al-Ahmar’s Maronite Archbishop Hanna Rahmeh, who visited him at his residence in the town of Temnine Tahta on the head of a delegation from the region.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on February 02-03/2020
Report: Militants bomb gas pipeline between Israel, Egypt in northern Sinai
Ynetnews/February 02, 2020
Al-Jazeera reports attack carried out on pipeline; Egyptian authorities confirm at least 6 militants involved in attack; energy ministry, pipeline’s owners deny
Unknown militants have bombed a part of the gas pipeline between Israel to Egypt, located in the Bir al-Abd region in the northern Sinai Peninsula, Al-Jazeera reported on Sunday. The energy ministry issued a statement shortly after reports of the attack emerged, saying that the flow of natural gas in the pipeline currently continues undisturbed. The ministry examines the reports of the attack in cooperation with the pertinent sources. A statement released by the pipeline’s owner-companies denied any reports of an attack and said that the flow of natural gas in the pipeline to Egypt continues as usual. This is not the first time such an attack is carried out on a gas pipeline between the two countries. A gas pipeline transferring natural gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan had been bombed at least 15 times between the years 2011-2012 in protest of a gas deal inked by then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israel. The pipeline was only launched last month after the two countries carried a new deal into effect, transferring gas from Israel’s Leviathan natural gas field to its southern neighbor. This marked the first time natural gas was transported from Israel to Egypt and not vice versa. Last year, Israel’s Delek Group and the American company Noble Energy – which together own 85% of the Leviathan field – completed the purchase of 39% of the Egyptian gas pipeline in partnership. The purchase was carried out in conjunction with Egypt’s state-owned company EGAS for about $520 million.
EU top diplomat Josep Borrell due in Tehran for nuclear talks
AFP/February 02, 2020
DECEMBER: Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell is expected in Tehran Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry announced a day ahead of the visit, amid new tensions over the Iranian nuclear issue. Borrell “will visit Iran tomorrow for the first time since taking office (in early December). He is set to meet the foreign minister (Mohammad Javad Zarif) and other Iranian senior officials for consultations,” foreign ministry spokesperson Abbas Moussavi said in a statement. Moussavi gave no details on when Borrell would arrive or how long he would remain in the country. His visit comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the West over the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. On January 24, Borrell called for a meeting of remaining states party to the 2015 nuclear deal in February in an effort to preserve the agreement, which has been crumbling since the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018. All parties “have reaffirmed their determination to preserve the accord, which is in everyone’s interest,” he said at the time. In 2015, Iran agreed to drastically reduce its nuclear program in exchange for a partial lifting of international sanctions. But the withdrawal of the US from the deal and its reimposition of biting sanctions deprived Iran of expected economic benefits and prompted Tehran to announce a series of steps away from its commitments under the deal. The European parties to the agreement triggered a complaint mechanism in January in an attempt to urge Tehran to return to the full implementation of its commitments.
Haniyeh Settles in Qatar, Has No Plans to Return to Gaza
Ramallah – Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
Head of Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniyeh has decided to settle outside Gaza for a long period, extending to late 2020 or 2021, according to Hamas officials. Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that this decision is related to internal arrangements within Hamas and others related to complications on his movement from and to the Strip. They denied claims that Egypt might have prevented Haniyeh from returning to Gaza, saying he didn’t have such plans. According to the sources, Haniyeh has decided to settle in Qatar for the time being and it is not yet known whether his family will join him or not.
Hamas’s affirmation that Haniyeh will remain abroad comes in light of leaks about Egyptian dissatisfaction with his visit to Iran. He has drawn Egypt’s fire by traveling to Iran to take part in the funeral ceremonies for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani, who was assassinated by US raid in Baghdad on Jan. 3, Israeli media reported. Palestinian sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Egypt was not okay with this visit but matters were eventually settled. Meanwhile, Hamas political bureau member Khalil al-Hayya said Haniyeh’s Iranian visit had caused tensions with Egypt. “Our brothers in Egypt rebuked us for visiting Iran, but [Hamas] has its independent stance,” Hayya said. During his visit to Iran, Haniyeh delivered a speech in which he called Soleimani “the martyr of Jerusalem.”Hamas justified the visit as recognition of Soleimani’s role in supporting the “resistance.”Haniyeh started a foreign tour on December 2 with a visit to Cairo. This is his first tour since he assumed Hamas’ leadership in May 2017. Earlier, he visited Turkey, Qatar, Oman, Iran, and Malaysia. Haniyeh seeks to visit other countries, such as Russia, Lebanon, Mauritania, and Kuwait. “Haniyeh will remain abroad and continue to run Hamas until he has completed all the tasks and all the goals of his foreign tour,” Hamas reported.
Who Is Iraq’s Newly Appointed Prime Minister?
Baghdad – Hamza Mustapha/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
Iraq’s newly-assigned prime minister Mohammad Tawfiq Allawi, 65, dubbed Abu Hadi, is often described as a quiet and patient man who is very religious. He belongs to Shiite aristocracy and his cousins were prime ministers, Iyad Hashem Allawi, and Ali Abdul Amir Allawi.
The prime minister-designate earned an engineering degree from the American University of Beirut in the 1980s and began his political career after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq that toppled the longtime regime of Saddam Hussein. He became a member of the parliament in 2006 and was assigned as Minister of Communications. Former Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi also belongs to the aristocratic Shiite community, and his father, Abdul-Mahdi al-Muntafiki, was one of the education ministers between 1921 – 1958. Leader of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), Ahmed Chalabi, is also their relative and one of the most prominent leaders of the Iraqi opposition before the overthrow of the former regime. Despite his qualifications, Chalabi seemed to be the only one who did not take his chance after the regime’s change. Allawi now heads the government after Abdul Mahdi, whose government failed to complete its mission and protests erupted against it. Allawi, who is praised by his opponents for his authenticity, must create his luck through which he can modify the current situation in Iraq. The popular movement, during which over 600 were killed and more than 23,000 wounded, remains unconvinced by the new figure or any other Iraqi politicians. Iraqis say they have granted the political class 16 years of governance which turned into a complete failure. However, Allawi addresses protesters and told them that he doesn’t carry a magic wand, but, if anyone intervened in his work, he will inform protesters before the political blocs.
Iraq: Sadr Urges Followers to End Sit-ins After Allawi’s Appointment
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called on his followers on Sunday to help clear roads blocked during months of sit-in protests, calling for things to get back to normal following the appointment of a new prime minister. Sadr urged his supporters known as “blue hats” to also work with authorities to ensure schools and businesses can operate normally again. “I advise the security forces to stop anyone from cutting off roads and the ministry of education should punish those who obstruct regular working hours, be they students, teachers or others,” Sadr tweeted. According to Reuters, some of his supporters appeared to have helped already to clear out protest areas in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square overnight. Protesters demanding the removal of Iraq’s ruling elite and the creation of better jobs and services have regularly blocked main roads in Baghdad and southern Iraq since demonstrations erupted in October.
However, anti-government protests continued across Iraq’s south on Sunday, despite the previous evening’s appointment of new Prime Minister Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi. “Mohammad Allawi is rejected, by order of the people!” read a new sign hung in the city of Najaf on Sunday, AFP reported.
Demonstrators demanded a politically independent successor who had not served in government and for them, ex-communications minister Allawi doesn’t meet the condition. Main highways leading out of Najaf and streets within the city were still blocked off with smouldering tyres on Sunday morning. More than 480 people have died and nearly 30,000 have been wounded since the rallies began in October. Only few have been held accountable for the bloodshed.
Washington: Iraq Needs Government That Meets the Needs of Its People
Baghdad – Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
Washington confirmed support for the newly appointed Iraqi PM Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi on Saturday and said that they will work with the new government. “Current conditions in Iraq and the region require an independent and honest government committed to addressing the needs of the Iraqi people. The nomination of Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi as a new Prime Minister must be followed up with efforts to accomplish that objective,” the US embassy said on its official page on Facebook. “The US regards the security of Iraq as vital and will work with the new government once formed to foster conditions for Iraq’s stability, prosperity, and sovereignty.”Earlier on Saturday, the President of the Republic, Barham Salih appointed Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi as new Prime Minister on Saturday. Allawi comes to power with the essential support of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose political bloc is one of the biggest in parliament. Sadr said in a tweet on Saturday that Salih’s appointment of Allawi as Iraq’s new prime minister could draw the support of people who have been demanding change in the way the country is governed. “I hope the president’s appointment of Allawi is acceptable to the people and that they have patience,” read part of Sadr’s Arabic statement on Twitter, adding, “This is a good step”. Allawi’s appointment came two months after former prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned in the face of mounting unrest and protest against corruption in Iraq. The Iraqi parliament, where Sadr’s bloc is the largest, had been supposed to name a new premier but the deadline expired on Saturday, prompting Salih to appoint Allawi.
Iraqi Protesters Dig in Heels despite new PM-Designate
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 02/2020
Furious anti-government youth held their ground in protest squares across Iraq’s south on Sunday, despite the previous evening’s appointment of a prime minister who insists he is an independent. Mohammad Allawi announced his own nomination as premier on Saturday, which marked exactly four months since the anti-government movement erupted and two months since outgoing prime minister Adel Abdel Mahdi resigned under growing pressure. Demonstrators had demanded a politically independent successor who had not served in government and for them, ex-communications minister Allawi did not make the cut. “Mohammad Allawi is rejected, by order of the people!” read a new sign hung in the holy city of Najaf on Sunday. Young men with their faces wrapped in checkered scarves had spent the night torching car tires in anger at Allawi’s nomination, an AFP reporter in the city said. Main highways leading out of Najaf and streets within the city were still blocked off with smoldering tires on Sunday morning. Kut, about 170 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad, saw hundreds hit the streets chanting, “If it’s been tried before, it shouldn’t be tried again!” In Diwaniyah, further south, protesters marched into government buildings to demand they close for the day, while students began sit-ins at schools and universities. Protesters in Hillah blocked off all roads leading into the city and chanted, “Allawi is not the people’s choice!” Allawi, named as a consensus candidate after months of political paralysis, now has a month to pull together his cabinet, which will be subject to a vote by parliament. In his first formal address, he pledged to form a representative government, hold early parliamentary elections and ensure justice for protest-related violence — all key demands of demonstrators. More than 480 people have died and nearly 30,000 have been wounded since the rallies began on October 1, but few have been held accountable for the bloodshed. The protests first demanded an end to corruption, better services and jobs for unemployed youth, but they quickly spiraled to calls for a total government overhaul.
Fierce Clashes Near Aleppo as Turkey Sends Border Reinforcements
Ankara, London – Saeed Abdul Razzak, Asharq al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
The Turkish army pushed more military reinforcements to boost its units’ presence on the Syrian border amid escalations in northeastern Aleppo between pro-Turkish factions and regime forces. On Saturday, armored vehicles arrived at the border state of Gaziantep and headed to the military units stationed at the border in the southern province of Hatay, at the nearest point to Aleppo and Idlib. The Turkish army sent a convoy of 15 vehicles of various military units across the country to Kirikhan, where it will head the military units on the Syrian border. Syrian armed factions loyal to Turkey launched a new front by attacking regime sites in the northeast of Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and sources in the Syrian opposition reported that the attack focused on an area near al-Bab, which is controlled by Turkey and the Syrian opposition factions loyal to it since 2017.
Syrian official media did not report any attack and armed opposition factions said that the Turkish forces did not participate in the attack. Backed by Russia, the regime forces advanced in Idlib and took control over the city of Maarat al-Numan, the second-largest city in the governorate. The forces continue to advance towards the strategic town of Saraqib, within the regime’s attempt to regain control of another major stronghold north of the country. The Observatory reported that Russian jets targeted, with several airstrikes, al-Huda hospital in Hor village in western rural Aleppo, putting the facility out of service. Violent clashes continued between opposition factions and regime forces and their affiliates in eastern and southeastern rural Idlib. Meanwhile, Russian jets flew over the al-Bab city and the clashes left casualties on both sides, with at least seven members of the regime loyal militia and four fighters of the national army factions getting killed. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to launch a Turkish military operation in Idlib unless the fighting stopped. Over the past few days, Erdogan repeatedly criticized Russia saying it did not abide by Astana or Sochi, adding: “the Astana process has fallen into silence now.”However, the Turkish president indicated that Turkey, Russia, and Iran should seek a way to revive it. Ankara fears a new wave of displacement from Idlib towards its southern borders, and Erdogan said his country is not ready to receive more displaced people, given that it has 3.6 million Syrians living on its soil. Erdogan announced last week a plan to establish 10,000 houses near the Turkish border with an area ranging between 20 and 25 square meters per house to accommodate the displaced inside Idlib.
Egypt Prepares to Issue Death Sentences Against 37 Facing Terror Charges
Cairo – Mohammed Nabil Helmi/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
An Egyptian court referred the cases of 37 defendants who received death sentences, including former special forces officer Hisham al-Ashmawy, to Egypt’s top religious authority for a non-binding opinion on whether they can be executed on terrorism-related charges.
Customarily all death sentences in Egypt are sent to the Grand Mufti for his office’s advice on whether the ruling is consistent with religious law. They are among more than 200 defendants accused of carrying out more than 50 militant attacks that included killing high-ranking police officers and bombings that targeted the Egyptian capital’s police headquarters. The charges also include a 2013 assassination attempt on the Egyptian interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim. The ruling on the sentencing is set for March 2. The presiding judge may decide independently of the Mufti.
Ashmawy, a former Egyptian special forces officer, was apprehended in the Libyan city of Derna late in 2018 by forces loyal to Libyan National Army Commander Marshal Khalifa Haftar. A military court sentenced him to death in November for his participation in scores of attacks on government targets.
He has been long sought by Cairo on charges of orchestrating a deadly desert ambush on police and other high-profile attacks. Egyptian authorities say Ashmawy heads the Ansar al-Islam network, which claimed responsibility for an ambush against police in Egypt’s the Western Desert in 2017.
Ashmawy has been convicted in absentia to death for attacks in Egypt, including a 2014 raid in which 22 Egyptian military border guards were killed near the frontier with Libya. Before fleeing to Libya, he helped found Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, a terrorist organization based in northern Sinai.
His military expertise had helped transform the tiny group into a well-organized guerrilla band that later inflicted painful blows against security forces in Sinai. He was transferred to Egypt from eastern Libya in a military aircraft in May along with two other wanted militants.
France to Send Hundreds of Troops to Fight Sahel Terrorists
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
French Defense Minister Florence Parly said Sunday his country would deploy up to 600 additional soldiers in the African Sahel region to combat extremists. This step would bring the French troops in that area to 5,100 soldiers. Parly said most of the reinforcements to the Barkhane force will be deployed in the three borders zone between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. “Another part of these reinforcements will be directly engaged within the G5 Sahel forces to accompany them in combat,” she said, the Associated Press reported. Parly added that Chad “should soon deploy an additional battalion” within the joint force of the G5 Sahel, which brings together Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad in the three borders zone, PArly added. “The reinforcement … should allow us to increase the pressure against the ISIS-GS… We will leave no space for those who want to destabilize the Sahel.”
Japanese Warship Departs for Gulf of Oman to Protect Oil Tankers
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
A Japanese warship left its port near Tokyo on Sunday on a mission to protect merchant ships and oil tankers passing through the Gulf of Oman that supply 90% of Japan’s oil amid tension in the Middle East. “Thousands of Japanese ships ply those waters every year including vessels carrying nine tenths of our oil. It is Japan’s lifeline,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the crew at Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo, before they cast off. There were up to 500 family members and representatives from the US, European nations and Middle East present at the event.Abe’s government has said it is prepared to authorize force to protect ships in danger, a controversial decision because Japan’s war-renouncing constitution forbids the use of military force in international disputes, Reuters reported. Tension in the Middle East has heightened as ties between Iran and the US got more strained following Washington’s decision to pull the US out of a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran and re-impose sanctions on it. The US has also blamed Tehran for several attacks on international merchant vessels, including a Japanese-owned tanker, the Kokuka Courageous. Iran, however, denies the accusation. The Takanami, which will be joined by two maritime patrol planes will operate independently. It will patrol the northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, but will not enter the Strait of Hormuz.
Algeria Seeks Sending African Military Troops to Enforce Libya Ceasefire
Algeria – Boualem Goumrassa Algeria – Boualem Goumrassa/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 2 February, 2020
Diplomatic sources in Algeria revealed that authorities have been urging members of the African Union AU to send forces to Libya to enforce a ceasefire. The aim of the endeavor is to limit Turkey’s direct interference in the Libyan issue, both politically and militarily. Sources accredited both Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad and Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum for working extensively on the issue, especially during the AU High Level Committee on Libya meetings, which were held in capital of the Republic of the Congo, Brazzaville. African countries, in principal, voiced their agreement to the proposal. Sources explained that the next step for Algerian diplomacy would be to lay out the proposal to conflict parties in Libya, but suggested that Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the leader of the Libyan National Army, would reject it because of his lukewarm relationship with Algeria.
Haftar considers Algeria a “biased regional power” which backs his rival in Libya, prime minister of the Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources confirmed that Algeria is working on two prominent goals in Libya: ending the interference of foreign countries in the region, and accelerating a comprehensive political solution to the crisis. To achieve the two goals, Algeria believes that the dispatch of an African military force under the cover of the United Nations is the best mechanism to stop the escalation of military action in Libya. More so, Algeria had offered to host a reconciliation forum on Libya during a meeting of African leaders discussing ways to end the long drawn-out conflict. An AU statement said it “has taken note of the Algerian offer to host a forum of national reconciliation” and underscored the pressing need for “an inclusive dialogue uniting all the Libyan parties… to find a Libyan solution to the crisis.”
Man Shot by Police after ‘Terrorist-Related’ London Stabbing
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 02/2020
British police on Sunday said they had shot a man in Streatham in south London after several people were stabbed in a suspected “terrorist-related” incident. “A man has been shot by armed officers in #Streatham. At this stage it is believed a number of people have been stabbed,” London’s Metropolitan Police said on Twitter. “The circumstances are being assessed; the incident has been declared as terrorist-related.”
Chinese Army to Oversee Virus Hospital
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 02/2020
China’s army on Sunday was given control of a nearly-finished field hospital that will treat patients at the epicenter of a deadly virus epidemic that has severely strained medical facilities. Some 1,400 military medics will treat patients at the 1,000-bed hospital, dubbed “Fire God Mountain”, which will receive its first patients on Monday — just 10 days after construction began, according to state media. The official Xinhua news agency said many of the staff were involved in the fight against another coronavirus, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed some 650 people in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003. It is one of two makeshift medical facilities that the authorities decided to build in order to relieve hospitals swamped with patients in Wuhan, the central city at the epicenter of the national health emergency. People in the city of 11 million people, which has been under quarantine for more than a week, have complained of waiting hours in line to see a doctor. The new coronavirus, which is believed to have originated at a wild animal market in Wuhan, has killed more than 300 people and infected another 14,000. The second field hospital, “Thunder God Mountain”, is set to start admitting patients on Thursday, with 1,600 beds — 300 more than originally planned.
New Chinese City Locked Down over Virus, First Foreign Death
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 02/2020
China imposed a lockdown Sunday on a major city far away from the epicenter of a coronavirus epidemic, as its death toll from the disease soared to 304 and the first foreign fatality was reported in the Philippines. The events added to deepening concerns about the potential for the virus to spread, as more governments around the world closed their borders to people from China. Since emerging out of the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, the coronavirus has infected nearly 14,500 people across China and reached 24 countries. Many of the infections overseas have been of people who had traveled from Wuhan, an industrial hub of 11 million people, or surrounding areas of Hubei province. The person who died in the Philippines was a 44-year-old man from Wuhan, according to the World Health Organization, which has declared the epidemic a global health emergency. China has embarked on unprecedented efforts to contain the virus, which is believed to have jumped to humans from a Wuhan animal market and can be transmitted among people in a similar fashion to the flu.
– Lockdowns –
Those efforts have included extraordinary quarantines in Wuhan and surrounding cities, with all transport routes out banned, effectively sealing of more than 50 million people. But 10 days after locking down Wuhan, authorities on Sunday announced similar draconian curbs on people movement in Wenzhou, 800 kilometers (500 miles) away). Wenzhou is a coastal city of nine million people in Zhejiang province, part of the eastern industrial heartland that has powered China’s economic rise over recent decades. Only one resident per household is allowed to go out every two days to buy necessities, and 46 highway toll stations have been closed, authorities announced. The city had previously closed public places such as cinemas and museums and suspended public transport. Zhejiang has 661 confirmed infections, with 265 of those in Wenzhou, according to the government.This is the highest tally for any province in China after ground-zero Hebei.
– Closing borders –
Internationally, governments continued their efforts to erect virtual borders against the disease. The United States, Australia, New Zealand and Israel have banned foreign nationals from visiting if they had been in China recently, and warned their own citizens from travelling there. Mongolia, Russia and Nepal closed their land borders, while Papua New Guinea went as far as to ban anyone arriving from ports or airports across Asia. The news of the man’s death in Manila on Sunday was released shortly after the Philippines said it would immediately halt the arrivals of any foreign travelers from China.
The number of countries reporting infections rose to 24 after Britain, Russia and Sweden this weekend confirmed their first cases.
– More deaths –
The death toll in China climbed to 304 on Sunday after authorities reporting 45 new deaths from the previous day. There were 2,590 new confirmed cases in China, bringing the total to nearly 14,500. The number of confirmed infections in China is far higher than the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak of 2002-03. SARS, which is caused by a pathogen similar to the new coronavirus and also originated in China, killed 774 people worldwide — most of them in mainland China and Hong Kong.
– Holiday ending –
The emergence of the virus came at the worst time for China, coinciding with the Lunar New Year Holiday when hundreds of millions travel across the country in planes, trains and buses for family reunions. China had also cut long-distance bus routes and postponed thousands of trains trips to reduce travel across the country. The holiday was scheduled to end on Friday, then extended by three days to give authorities more time to try and deal with the crisis. With many people due back at work on Monday, people were starting to return on planes and trains over the weekend wearing face masks.
Custom authorities had ordered temperature checks at all exit-entry points in Beijing, according to state media. Returning travelers were being checked and registered at residential compounds, while fever checks were in place in subway stations, offices and cafes. One 22-year-old arriving at a Beijing train station from northeastern China said her family had urged her to delay her return. “But I was worried it would affect my job,” she said. Security guard Du Guiliang, 47, said he would be starting back at work in Beijing on Sunday, after returning from northeast Liaoning province. “Many colleagues (from Hubei) couldn’t come back. Now, those who work the day shift at our company have to do the night shift as well,” he said. But many businesses were to remain closed for at least another week, while some major cities including Shanghai had also extended the holiday. With the Chinese economy suffering, the central bank announced it would release 1.2 trillion yuan ($173 billion) on Monday to maintain liquidity in the banking system — the day markets reopen after the holiday.
