LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
December 10/16
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletin16/english.december09.16.htm
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Bible Quotations For Today
The works
that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing,
testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 05/31-36/:"‘If I
testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies
on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. You sent messengers
to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony,
but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining
lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a
testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to
complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father
has sent me."
For Christ is the end of the
law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Letter to the Romans 10/01-13/:"Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire
and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For,
being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to
establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness
for everyone who believes. Moses writes concerning the righteousness
that comes from the law, that ‘the person who does
these things will live by them.’ But the righteousness that comes from faith
says, ‘Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" ’
(that is, to bring Christ down) ‘or "Who will descend into the
abyss?" ’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it
say? ‘The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart’ (that is, the word
of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is
Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says,
‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction
between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who
call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of
the Lord shall be saved.’"
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 09-10/16
Lebanon’s Long Governmental Wait/Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/December
09/16
What Iran without Ayatollahs mean/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya/December
09/16
Amnesty International Attacks Democracies, Forgives Islamist Tyrannies/ Giulio Meotti/Gatestone
Institute/December 09/16
Saudi journalist, Abdulrahman Al-Rashed,
suggests ties with Israel improve if Israeli Arabs come work in Saudi Arabia/oi Kais/ Ynetnews/December 09/16
Reaction of Geert Wilders to His Conviction/ Geert Wilders/Gatestone
Institute/December 09/16
No “Trump” Sign on Obama’s Ziggurat/Amir Taheri/Asharq
Al Awsat/December 09/16
Distortion of historical facts by a Nobel /Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi/Al
Arabiya/December 09/16
Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News
published on December 09-10/16
Lebanon ‘closer to repealing’ controversial rape law
Israel Army Says Hizbullah Map was Just
'Illustration'
Hezbollah denies it promised Russia no attacks on Israel
Hezbollah’s Nasrallah: Lebanon must not await
regional developments
Hizbullah Says Made No Pledge not to Retaliate against
Israel
Report: Aoun, Berri Keeping
Mum on New Efforts to Help Cabinet Line-Up
Report: Aoun, Berri Keeping
Mum on New Efforts to Help Cabinet Line-Up
Hariri Says Berri 'Very Keen' on Govt. Formation,
Line-Up May be Announced 'Very Soon'
Mashnouq: Ministry Ready to Organize Parliamentary
Polls 'within Legal Deadlines'
Zahra: Aoun's Tenure an Opportunity to Implement Taef Accord
Plastic Surgeon Reported Missing Found Dead in Sidon
On International Human Rights Day Shorter Welcomes Human Rights Commission
Assad: Lebanon cannot continue with self-distancing policy
2 killed, 4 injured in car crash on Batroun highway
Labor Minister reveals international community
adamant about settling Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Lebanon’s Long Governmental Wait
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 09-10/16
Heavy Syrian army shelling hits rebel Aleppo'
Coalition Air Strike Destroys 168 IS Oil Trucks in Syria
Kerry Says U.S.-Russia Talks Saturday in Bid to 'Save' Aleppo from Destruction
U.N. Says Hundreds Reported Missing after Fleeing East Aleppo
IS Kills 15 Syria Regime Fighters near Palmyra
50,000 ISIS fighters killed’ since 2014
UN votes in favor of an immediate Syria ceasefire
Mursi’s son arrested as part of Rabaa
sit-in dispersal case
Explosion in Egypt’s Giza kills six policemen
Johnson Says Britain Committed to Gulf Security
Turkey Court Drops Case against Israelis over Ship Storming
S. Korea Parliament Impeaches Scandal Hit President
Links From Jihad Watch Site for on December 09-10/16
Hizballah top dog: “Christians and Muslims together oppose
the challenges presented to them by Israel and the infidels”.
Jihad
bombing near Pyramids, 6 Egyptian police killed.
Dutch
Secret Service investigated Geert Wilders over his
“ties to Israel and their possible influence on his loyalty”.
Wilders
found guilty of “hate speech,” tells judges “truth and liberty are stronger
than you”.
SPLC
includes Orlando jihad massacre among “radical-right
terrorist plots”.
Nigeria:
Two schoolgirl jihad-martyrdom suicide bombers murder 56 at crowded market.
Obama:
Rise of the Islamic State caught me by surprise.
Italy
deports Muslim who was planning jihad bombing in the Vatican.
Ellison
bolts New York Times interview to avoid questions about his ties to the Nation
of Islam.
UK:
Muslim migrant and serial rapist who dodged deportation after claiming to be a
child is jailed for 18 years.
UK
cops deny political correctness involved in missed opportunities to stop Muslim
rape gang.
Germany:
“100s of young Muslim men treated women as objects to hunt down….they’re
considered fair game and can be raped”.
Question
for Megyn Kelly: Is it “hateful” to stand for the
freedom of speech?.
Netherlands:
On day Wilders convicted of “hate speech,” Muslim arrested with loaded AK-47
and Islamic State flag.
Sharia Germany: Court says Muslim girls must take swimming
classes because “no binding rules in Islam” about swimwear.
“Go
ahead and cut my head off. It’s ok. Cut my head off. I’m not racist.”
Links From Christian Today
Site for on December 09-10/16
Refugees
From Syria Have Been Through Some Of Worst Suffering In World, Says Archbishop
Of Canterbury
British
Government Has Failed The Christians Of Syria And Iraq, Senior Clergy Say
Victory
In Sight For Syrian Army In Aleppo
Christian
Charity Compassion International Could Be Forced Out Of India
Apps
Of The Apostles: Do Millennials Read The Bible In The
Digital Age?
Franklin
Graham Slams Time Magazine For Comparison Of Hillary Clinton To Moses
Donald
Trump Chooses Climate Sceptic and Committed Christian Scott Pruitt For Top
Environment Job
Christian
Politician Faces Controversial Blasphemy Trial In Indonesia
Muslims
Face 'A Lot' Of Discrimination In America - Pew
Churches
Report 'Dramatic' Loss In Confidence Over Youthwork
Orthodox
Christians In Russian Town Protest Against New Condom Factory
Musician
Convicted Of Child Abuse Beaten To Death In Church
Two
Critical After Pastor Gave Congregation 'Liquid Substance' To Drink
Life
In Your Twenties: Two Questions You Need To Ask
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on December 09-10/16
Lebanon ‘closer to
repealing’ controversial rape law
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Friday, 9 December
2016/After several campaigns by women’s rights activists, several members of
parliament in Lebanon have agreed to work to revoke a nearly 70-year-old law
allowing rapists to avoid prosecution if they marry their victim. Many Lebanese
women, dressed as brides in white wedding dresses stained with fake blood and
bandages, gathered last week outside government buildings in
Israel Army Says Hizbullah
Map was Just 'Illustration'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
09/16/The Israeli army acknowledged Friday that a "declassified map"
it released earlier this week showing alleged armed deployment by Hizbullah across southern Lebanon was merely an
illustration. The army said that the map, which Israeli media said was
circulated to foreign diplomats as evidence of alleged Hizbullah
hostile intentions, was not based on any new intelligence. The admission came
after the data it contained was picked apart by online activist Judge Dan.
Asked by AFP if the map was an illustration or based on specific information,
the army said it was "an illustration of Hizbullah's
intentional abuse of the civilians of
Hezbollah denies it promised
Jerusalem Post/December 09/16/Hezbollah said on Friday that there is no truth
to reports it assured
In April, Netanyahu admitted for the first time that the IDF had carried out
strikes in Syrian territory.
Anna Ahronheim and Ariel Whitman contributed to this
report.
Hezbollah’s Nasrallah:
Now Lebanon/09 December/16/
“Do not wait for regional developments for
The Hezbollah chief’s one-hour long speech focused solely on Lebanese politics
and made no mention of recent events in the region, including Israel’s reported
strikes on targets, including Hezbollah ones, in Syria in the past week. “The
region has reached a new stage, there are new projects that will be defeated,” Nasrallah hinted, but added that he would “not talk about
them now.”NOW's English news desk editor Albin Szakola (@AlbinSzakola) wrote
this report.
Nasrallah Says No One Obstructing Govt. Formation, Hails
'Excellent' Relation with Aoun
Naharnet/December 09/16/Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed
Friday that “no political party in Lebanon” is trying to block the formation of
the new government, while emphasizing that his party's relation with President
Michel Aoun is “excellent.”“Hizbullah
does not have media, political or parliamentary sources or sources close to the
party that speak to the press. Anything attributed to Hizbullah
sources is unreliable... We also do not depend on so-called March 8 sources,” Nasrallah said in a televised address, referring to recent
media reports about alleged tensions between Hizbullah
and Aoun. “We in Hizbullah
do not endorse the approach of sending messages through sources, journalists,
articles or embassies. We talk directly to our friends and allies. We do not
use this approach and this is to respond to what has been attributed to Hizbullah about alleged messages to the new presidential
tenure,” Nasrallah added. And underlining that Hizbullah's relation with Aoun
and the Free Patriotic Movement is “excellent and built on mutual respect and
deep trust,” Nasrallah noted that his party is “not
worried” by the rising FPM-Lebanese Forces alliance. “We communicate on
near-daily basis with President Aoun, FPM chief Jebran Bassil and the FPM's leadership... We might have different viewpoints over
some issues but this is positive in discussions,” Hizbullah's
supremo added. He emphasized that “it is not true
that Hizbullah has asked the FPM to renounce its
alliance with the LF or to choose between allying with Hizbullah
or allying with the LF.”
“Some are trying to give the impression that Hizbullah
is preoccupied with the issue of the LF's relation
with the FPM. This is not to underestimate the LF, which is an essential force
in
Moreover, Nasrallah denied that Hizbullah
is “dismayed” by the president's foreign relations or the latest visit to
Turning to the issue of the formation of the new government, Nasrallah stressed to the Lebanese that “no political party
in
As for the issue of the electoral law, Nasrallah said
he backs recent calls for “separating the issue of the electoral law from the
cabinet formation process.”He also reiterated his
party's stance that “the only law that can lead to building a State is one
fully based on proportional representation and on turning
Hizbullah Says Made No Pledge not to Retaliate against Israel
Naharnet/December 09/16/Hizbullah has slammed as
“baseless” reports alleging that the party has pledged not to retaliate against
Israeli strikes that hit inside Syria, LBCI reported Friday.
“Media reports quoted Israeli enemy alleging that Hizbullah
made a pledge to
Report: Aoun, Berri Keeping Mum on New Efforts to Help Cabinet Line-Up
Naharnet/December 09/16/Serious efforts to ease the
differences hampering the formation of a new cabinet are underway between
President Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih
Berri, media reports said on Friday. Sources
following up closely on the formation process, said the two sides have
committed to maintain silence as for this endeavor so
it won't be hampered, paving the way for its formation within ten-day limit.
Considering the formation of a 30-minister cabinet is very likely from Aoun's perspective, although Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri still adheres to a 24-minister cabinet, added
the sources. As for the share to be allotted to the Marada
Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh, discussions
continue between Berri and Hariri in that regard. Franjieh says he has the right to be represented in the
cabinet similar to other political parties. Aoun's
election as president and Hariri's appointment as premier-designate have raised
hopes that
But Aoun and Hariri are still struggling to put
together a new cabinet amid conflicting demands from the political forces that
are seeking to join the unity government. Horsetrading
is still revolving around the so-called services-related ministerial
portfolios, mainly public works and telecommunications. Speaker Nabih Berri, who is negotiating
on behalf of the Hizbullah-led March 8 camp, is
clinging to the finance and public works portfolios while also insisting that
the Marada Movement must get a key portfolio.
Berri: Preparations for Parliamentary Elections
Behind Time
Naharnet/December 09/16/In light of stalled efforts
to line-up a new cabinet, Speaker Nabih Berri warned that Lebanon is behind time as for the
preparations needed to hold the parliamentary elections as scheduled in June
2017, An Nahar daily reported Friday.
“The tenure of the current parliament ends on June 20, 2017, and the elections
must be staged two months ahead. The door closes on the nominations three
months before the parliament's tenure ends. The commission overlooking the
elections must be formed six months in advance, that is at
the beginning of the year,” Berri told his visitors.
“All these preparations need to be completed if the elections are to be staged
on the basis of the (controversial) 1960 electoral law. Lack of commitment puts
the elections at a challenge,” Berri has warned.
The Speaker noted that his words must not be marked as backing the thorny 1960
electoral law, but as a warning that the time factor is pressing. He added that
Caretaker Prime Minister Tammam Salam can implement
the tasks shall Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri
fail to line-up a new cabinet. Premier-designate Hariri is still facing
obstacles bringing together a line-up that balances
Hariri Says Berri
'Very Keen' on Govt. Formation, Line-Up May be Announced 'Very Soon'
Naharnet/December 09/16/Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri announced after talks with Speaker Nabih Berri on Friday evening
that the parliament speaker is “very keen” on a speedy formation of the new
government, noting that the line-up of the cabinet might be finalized “very soon.”“Speaker Berri is very keen
on speeding up the formation of the cabinet and resolving all obstacles. The
atmosphere is certainly positive and God willing things will move forward and
we will reach a happy ending very soon,” Hariri said after the meeting in Ain
el-Tineh. Asked whether the new Cabinet will be
formed before Christmas, Hariri said: “God willing.”“President
(Michel) Aoun is keen on the formation of the cabinet
and today we found Speaker Berri very keen on
finalizing the line-up and I hope everyone will facilitate the process... We
talked about everything and things are positive,” added Hariri. Asked whether Berri has agreed to give up a certain ministerial
portfolio, the PM-designate said he agreed with him that “everyone should cooperate.”“He was very positive,” Hariri added. Hariri was
accompanied by his adviser Nader Hariri and the meeting was held in the
presence of Berri's adviser, caretaker Finance
Minister Ali Hassan Khalil. Media reports have said
that Berri and Aoun have
launched efforts aimed at resolving the obstacles that are hindering the
formation of the new cabinet. Berri and Hariri were
expected to discuss the ministerial portfolio that will be offered to Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh,
“knowing that Hariri did not make any offer to the Marada
chief during their meeting two days ago,” the reports said. Franjieh's
demand to get a key ministerial portfolio is one of the main declared obstacles
that are delaying the formation of the new cabinet. Franjieh
has announced that Marada will not join the new
cabinet if it does not get one of three so-called important portfolios – public
works, energy or telecommunications. Berri, who is
negotiating on behalf of the Hizbullah-led March 8
forces, has backed Franjieh's demand and insisted
that Marada should be represented in the government
with an important portfolio.
Mashnouq: Ministry Ready to Organize Parliamentary Polls
'within Legal Deadlines'
Naharnet/December 09/16/Caretaker Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq announced
Friday that his ministry is ready to organize the 2017 parliamentary polls
within “the deadlines stipulated by law.”Mashnouq
voiced his remarks during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth
Richard. State-run National News Agency said Mashnouq
and Richard stressed the need to form the new government quickly to enable
Zahra: Aoun's
Tenure an
Naharnet/December 09/16/Lebanese Forces bloc MP
Antoine Zahra said on Friday his party has always carried the project of
building the State, noting that “the LF seeks partnership as stipulated by the Taef Accord.”In an interview on
LBCI, Zahra said his party saw in President Michel Aoun
a chance to re-implement the Taef agreement “as
originally drafted and not as previously applied.”“The
LF has participated in three governments and has never been accused of
suspicious behavior,” he argued, assuring that the
distribution of quotas is not his party's mission. “We demanded a sovereign
ministerial portfolio and the reply came that we only get the vice Premier
portfolio and three others, based on which we nominated our ministers.” “We are
interested in facilitating things, but we are not concerned with providing
concessions,” Zahra assured. “When we requested a key portfolio, we were told
that the situation is not suitable now,” since the upcoming government is
temporary and will live for six months until the parliamentary elections are
held, after which another government will be lined-up. On a different note,
Zahra said: “We will resist peacefully and politically, any attempt for Syrian
interference in
Plastic Surgeon Reported Missing Found Dead in
Naharnet/December 09/16/The body of a man who has
been reported missing 40 days ago was found in the southern city of
On International Human Rights Day Shorter
Welcomes Human Rights Commission
Naharnet/December 09/16/Ambassador Hugo Shorter has
welcomed the new Human Rights Commission, in a speech to civil society,
Lebanese officials and the international community. In the speech, which
Shorter delivered at a reception to mark Human Rights Day, the British
Ambassador also noted the importance of the upcoming elections to renew
Assad:
MEM/December 9, 2016/“
Speaking to Syria’s semi-official Al-Watan news
agency yesterday, Al-Assad remarked on the election of General Michel Aoun as president of Lebanon saying: “The ability to elect
a president is a victory for Lebanon and the election of someone who enjoys
consensus is also a victory for Lebanon.”“When there
is someone like General Michel Aoun
who knows the danger of terrorism on
2 killed, 4 injured in car crash on Batroun highway
Fri 09 Dec 2016/NNA - Two were killed and four were injured in a deadly
car accident that took place on the eastern side of Batroun
highway this evening, National News Agency correspondent reported on Friday.
The deceased were identified as Maher Abdul Qader
Obeid and Yehia Khalil.
Labor Minister reveals international community adamant
about settling Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Fri 09 Dec 2016/NNA - Caretaker Minister of Labor, Sejaan Azzi, revealed on Friday
that the international community was determined to settling over one million
displaced Syrians as refugees in Lebanon. "The recent visits to Lebanon by
international [officials] only confirmed the international community's
determination to settle the Syrian displaced; this is what drove the President
of the republic and the Foreign Minister to take their national stance against
that headway," Azzi told a news conference at
his office.
Accordingly, he suggested establishing residential areas inside
"The international community and organizations, as well as influential
states, must provide protection to those areas.""Unfortunately,
the entire international community and all visitors to Lebanon did propose that
Syrians stay in Lebanon until the war ends and a settlement takes place next
door," he revealed. "
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/December 09/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/09/eyad-abu-shakraasharq-al-awsat-lebanons-long-governmental-wait/
Against the background of
Yet,
Thus,
When Hezbollah nominated Aoun, head of the Free
Patriotic Movement, as
Initially, before the February 2006 ‘agreement’ between the two sides,
Hezbollah was not a great fan of Aoun, and neither
did the hard-line Christian Maronite leader believe
much in Hezbollah’s policies of ‘Resistance’. Later, however, both decided to
bury the hatchet and enter a ‘marriage of convenience’ against the anti-Tehran
and anti-Damascus ‘14 of March’ loose coalition, born in the aftermath of the
assassination of the former Prime Minister Rafic
Al-Hariri in February 2005 against what was described as the ‘Lebanese-Syrian
Security Regime’, and Hezbollah’s open support of the Al-Assad regime- then
widely accused of carrying out the assassination.
Since February 2006, Aoun has been providing
almost full backing to Hezbollah’s policies and actions, inside and outside
Lebanon; while the latter has turned its ‘agreement’ with Aoun
into a blueprint of its dealings with Lebanon’s religious sects. Hezbollah
through its leaders and mouthpieces has been citing its ‘respect of the
powerbase’s wishes’ within the Christian communities for Aoun
to justify its all-out support for him; and thus regarding Aoun
as the ‘most popular Christian Lebanese leader’ the Shi’ite
powerful militia claimed it was abiding with the spirit of the country’s
unwritten ‘National Pact’.
This however, has been rarely practiced by Hezbollah toward other sects,
namely the Sunnis and Druze. The pro-Iran powerful militia brought down the
national unity cabinet headed by the leading Sunni Saad
Al-Hariri in January 2011, and formed an alternative cabinet with poor Sunni
cover. On the Druze front, it not only pushed to ‘neutralise’ the supreme Druze
leader Walid Jumblatt, but
also ‘invented’ alternatives even to his traditional competitor Emir Talal Arslan, in case Arslan decided to side with Jumblatt
on issues vital to their small community.
The Syrian Uprising, then civil war and international intervention, were
bound to profoundly affect the Lebanese. As the weak independent capabilities
of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime became clear for all to
see,
In such a scenario,
Furthermore, the crippling of political activity entwined with economic
collapse and acute Shi’i – Sunni polarization, both
inside and outside
Hence,
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 09-10/16
Heavy Syrian army shelling
hits rebel Aleppo
AFP, Beirut Friday, 9 December 2016/Syrian government artillery bombarded the
fast-shrinking rebel enclave in the heart of Aleppo on Friday despite its ally
Russia’s announcement of a new humanitarian pause, a monitor said. Air strikes
halted on Thursday evening following
“There was heavy shelling of several besieged districts and fierce fighting,
particularly in Bustan al-Qasr,”
one of the biggest districts still in rebel hands after the army’s blistering
three-week offensive, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. After talks with US Secretary of State
John Kerry in the German city of
The Kremlin said on Friday a
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a
conference call that such a scenario, if it came to pass, would pose a threat
to the Middle East and to Russian forces in
Coalition Air Strike Destroys 168 IS
Oil Trucks in Syria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
09/16/A U.S.-led coalition air strike destroyed a fleet of 168 oil tankers
being used by the Islamic State group to ferry illicit fuel in Syria, the
coalition said Friday. Thursday's strike occurred near the ancient desert city
of
Kerry Says U.S.-Russia Talks Saturday in
Bid to 'Save' Aleppo from Destruction
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
09/16/U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that U.S. and Russian officials
would meet on Saturday in a bid to stop the Syrian city of Aleppo "being
absolutely, completely destroyed."Kerry arrived
in
U.N. Says Hundreds Reported Missing after
Fleeing East Aleppo
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
09/16/Hundreds of men may have gone missing after fleeing into
government-controlled parts of Aleppo, the U.N. warned Friday, saying armed
groups were reportedly blocking civilians from leaving the shrinking areas
under their control. As Syrian government artillery pummeled
the rebel territory in
He said the men were between the ages of 30 and 50, and their family members
said they had lost contact with them after they fled opposition-controlled
areas of
The army has recaptured 85 percent of the eastern sector of the city which the
rebels had held since summer 2012. More than 400 civilians, including 45
children, have been killed in eastern
Colville said Friday that more than 100,000 people were believed to remain
inside the areas controlled by the opposition in east
- Civilians used 'as pawns' -
He said armed Syrian opposition groups were reportedly blocking civilians from
leaving their shrinking enclave, and had allegedly abducted and killed people
who protested their presence. "Civilians are being used as pawns and
prevented from leaving, in blatant violation of the obligation to take all
feasible precautions to protect civilians from the effects of attack,"
IS Kills 15
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
09/16/Islamic State group jihadists killed 15 Syrian soldiers and allied
fighters near
50,000 ISIS fighters killed’ since 2014
AFP, Washington Friday, 9 December 2016/At least 50,000 ISIS militants have
been killed by the US-led coalition since it began operations in Iraq and Syria
in late 2014, a senior US military official said Thursday. A relentless
operation using planes and drones from a dozen or so members of the anti-ISIS
coalition since August 2014 has conducted some 16,000 air strikes against the
militants in
In addition, the coalition has provided training and weapons to local forces
fighting
“I am not into morbid counts but that kind of volume matters, that kind of
impact on the enemy,” the official said, calling the 50,000 number a
conservative estimate.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the air campaign had
been the "most pristine" ever in terms of avoiding civilian
casualties, with almost all the bombs dropped so far being smart weapons that
can be steered to a precise target. The coalition tally of civilians killed in
the operations is 173 - though critics say the real figure is far higher.
The official said the coalition had diminished ISIS's
ranks to such a level that the simultaneous attacks being waged on Mosul in
Iraq and Raqa in Syria - the ISIS last remaining
major power centers - have been possible. Coalition spokesman Colonel John Dorrian said earlier that in
“It doesn't mean that it's not still an extraordinarily dangerous situation.
They are not going to go quietly, but they are going to go.”The
coalition has previously said it "does not use a casualty count as a
measure of effectiveness in the campaign to ultimately defeat (ISIS) in
Airwars, a London-based collective of journalists and
researchers, uses local sources, photographs and media accounts to keep a
detailed list of every known coalition air strike.
They have praised Pentagon efforts at accountability compared with other actors
in
UN votes in favor
of an immediate Syria ceasefire
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Friday, 9 December
2016/The UN General Assembly has voted in favor of an
an immediate ceasefire in Syria and access for
humanitarian aid during a session on Friday. The voting came after many
speeches from key players in the Syrian conflict with 122 members voting in favor of the resolution, 13 against while 36 members
abstained from voting either way.
Speaking from
Mursi’s son arrested as part of Rabaa
sit-in dispersal case
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Friday, 9 December
2016/Security forces arrested Osama Mursi, the son of
ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, at his home
on Thursday.
Mursi has been named as one of 739 defendants in the Rabaa sit-in dispersal case, which dates back to August
2013 and includes other senior Brotherhood members.The
prosecution charged the defendants with “unauthorized assembly, the use of
force, premeditated murder, and the possession of weapons and explosives”
during the violent sit-in protest for the over throwing of former president Mursi. A source to the Arabic site of Al Arabiya News Channel said charges against him include, incitement
against the state and the army, advocating organizations to commit acts of
violence and riots after the overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Explosion in
Ashraf Abdelhamid,
AlArabiya.net Friday, 9 December 2016/An explosion on
a main
A security source confirmed to Al Arabiya that that militants targeted the police in front of the Salam
Mosque at the
Johnson Says
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
09/16/Britain "is back" in the Gulf region and stepping up its
security commitment, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson told regional policymakers
on Friday. "
Turkey Court Drops Case against Israelis
over Ship Storming
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
09/16/An Istanbul court on Friday dropped a case against four top former
Israeli commanders who were being tried in absentia over the 2010 deadly
storming of a Turkish ship bound for Gaza that caused an over half-decade
crisis in ties.Ten Turkish citizens lost their lives
as a result of the raid that saw Israeli commandos storm the Mavi Marmara ship. But dropping the charges was a key
pillar of a deal agreed between
The deal had been keenly supported by
'Trampling on the law'
Under the terms of the deal, both sides also agreed individual Israeli citizens
or those acting on behalf of the Israeli government would not be held liable --
either criminally or financially -- for the raid. "Political
considerations are outside the scope of this case. To decide based on political
motives amounts to trampling on the law," said Mehmet
Sari, head of the Turkish lawyers' association. One of the final key elements
of returning to normal relations was the exchange of ambassadors.
S. Korea Parliament Impeaches Scandal Hit
President
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
09/16/South Korean lawmakers on Friday passed an impeachment motion against
President Park Geun-Hye, stripping away her sweeping
executive powers over a corruption scandal that paralysed her administration
and triggered massive street protests. The National Assembly ballot transfers
Park's authority to the prime minister, pending a decision by the
"I declare that the bill to impeach President Park Geun-Hye
has just been approved," announced speaker Chung Se-Kyun.
"Whether you support or oppose it, all lawmakers and South Korean people
who are watching this grave situation unfold must feel so miserable and heavy
at heart," he added. "I deeply wish that such tragedy in our
constitutional history will not be repeated ever again."The
anonymous paper ballot was conducted against the background din of hundreds of
slogan-chanting protesters outside the assembly building, screaming "
The result marked a startling fall from grace for a politician who had run for
the Blue House as an incorruptible candidate, declaring herself beholden to
nobody and "married to the nation".
- Fall from grace -After just under four years in power, she now faces the
prospect of going down in history as the first democratically-elected South
Korean president to be kicked out of office. The impeachment motion had accused
Park of constitutional and criminal violations ranging from a failure to
protect people's lives to bribery and abuse of power. Supported by all 171
opposition and independent lawmakers, its adoption was made possible by an
anti-Park faction within the president's Saenuri
party.
The entire opposition had threatened to resign their seats immediately if the
motion was defeated. The push for impeachment was driven by massive protests
that have seen millions take to the streets of
The scandal that has engulfed the president and paralysed her administration
has focused on her friendship with long-time confidante Choi
Soon-Sil. Choi has been
charged with meddling in state affairs and using her Blue House connections to
force dozens of conglomerates to donate around $70 million to two foundations
she controlled.
In a first for a sitting South Korean president, Park has been named a
"suspect" by prosecutors investigating the case. - History of
corruption -High-level corruption has long been a stain on
Their cases often involved family members who were able to leverage links to
the president in a society where political influence has traditionally had a
very close and unhealthy rapport with business success. Park, the daughter of
military strongman Park Chung-Hee who led the country
from 1961 to 1979, was meant to be different. Both her parents were
assassinated and, estranged from her two siblings, unmarried and childless, she promoted herself as invulnerable to nepotism.
"I have no family to look after nor children to inherit
my property ... I want to devote myself to the nation and the people," she
said in a speech during the 2012 presidential campaign. The image of duty and
self-sacrifice played well with the conservative base of her ruling Saenuri Party, especially older voters who saw her as a
virtuous survivor of personal tragedy. All the more shocking then were the
revelations of the extraordinary influence Choi
wielded over the president -- from selecting her wardrobe to vetting the
appointment of top officials.
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 09-10/16
What
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya/December 09/16
On Iran’s Student Day, students from various universities from all over the
country took to the streets to protest. Disenchantment with the ruling Shiite
clerics in the Islamic Republic is high.
This means the majority of the population was born after the Islamic Revolution
of 1979. Many are highly-educated, technologically savvy, secular, Westernized, as well as disaffected and disenchanted with
the current cleric political establishment in the Islamic Republic.
They have aspirations for a representative, inclusive and democratic system of
government where the Shiite cleric establishment plays no role in the destiny,
major decision-making and political affairs of their nation. Many Iranians
argue that a democratic system of governance will significantly improve their
living standards, social justice, human rights, rule of law, and their global
image.
This issue begs the question, what does an
Better ties between
Any successful and fundamental shift in Iran’s political system would heavily
reverberate across the region and the world; it would affect Iran-Arab,
Iran-Israel, Iran-US, and Iran-Asia relationships. It would influence the
regional and global balance of power.
Middle East:
When it comes to its policies towards other Arab nations and the Muslim world,
The interactions between these six pillars explain the heightened tensions
between
In an Iranian government where the clerics do not control the political
establishment, two major pillars of
When sectarianism and revolutionary principles are taken out of the foreign
policy equation, tensions between
That would mean less interference in the domestic affairs of other countries in
the region and less instigation of Shiite communities in
In addition,
When it comes to Iran-Israel relationships, one of the key ideals of the ruling
clerics’ revolutionary principles is opposition to
One of the key foreign policy, religious and revolutionary
pillars of
Without this crucial pillar of the Ayatollahs’ foreign policy- and considering
the fact that
Better ties between
These factors will influence the current close ties between Iran-Russia and it
will impact the Iranian-Russian-Chinese axis. In other words,
An Assad without
An
Amnesty
International Attacks Democracies, Forgives Islamist Tyrannies
Giulio Meotti/Gatestone
Institute/December 09/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/09/giulio-meottigatestone-institute-amnesty-international-attacks-democracies-forgives-islamist-tyrannies/
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9342/amnesty-international-tyrannies
"Morally bankrupt." — Salman Rushdie,
author with a $600,000 bounty from
Amnesty sponsored a rally in
It seems that Amnesty turned its back on the battle of human rights in favor of a grotesque anti-Western bias. The Economist
accused Amnesty of "reserving more pages to human rights abuses in
Amnesty's secretary general compared Soviet forced-labor
camps, where millions died of hunger, cold and executions, to a
"
Alan Dershowitz summarizes Amnesty's definition
of
A report by NGO Monitor detailed Amnesty's "systematic flaws in the
reporting of human rights abuses; limited understanding of armed conflict
leading to erroneous claims and incorrect analysis; and violation of the
universality of human rights, including a consistent institutionalized bias
against Israel through double-standards." There are even Amnesty's
officials who called the Jewish State "a scum state."
According to Amnesty International, the centers that host migrants
arriving in
The report validates Salman Rushdie's
accusation against Amnesty International: "Morally bankrupt." The
Wall Street Journal added two more charges against the famous Western
non-governmental organization (NGO): "Anti-American fervor
and intellectual confusion".
In the new Amnesty International report, a "witness," under the
name of only "Adam," speaks of "a kind of clamp with three
ends" by which Italian policemen allegedly grabbed his testicles. Evidence? Medical reports attesting to
this violence? The version of the Italian police?
Not in the wonderful world of Amnesty International, where a Western democracy
can be safely accused of "torture" with flimsy, sub-standard,
unverifiable "evidence" -- the same as Amnesty's many spurious
charges against Israel. The Italian police and Interior Ministry denied all the
charges, calling them ridiculous.
Already in February 2016, Antonio Marchesi,
president of the Italian section of Amnesty, said: "Those in
The world owes a debt of gratitude to Amnesty -- it fought hard to free
political prisoners held by Communist regimes during the Cold War, and those
held by
In 2005, Irene Khan, then secretary general of Amnesty, described the
American detention center in
It seems that Amnesty International abandoned the battle of human rights
in favor of a grotesque anti-Western bias. This shift
is why the British weekly, The Economist, accused Amnesty International of
"reserving more pages to human rights abuses in
If
The NGO has also accused
In the name of "protecting human rights," Amnesty International
has even excused Islamic extremism. The secretary general of Amnesty, Claudio Cordone, said that "defensive jihad" is not
"antithetical" to the struggle for human rights. He said this in
response to a petition on Amnesty's relationship with CAGE (formerly CagePrisoners), the NGO founded by
Islamic extremist Moazzam Begg
that campaigns for the release of acclaimed jihadists.
One prominent leader of Amnesty, Karima Bennoune, author of the book Your Fatwa Does Not Apply
Here, wrote:
"During my years at Amnesty I shared the concerns about torture in
She is not the first Amnesty official who has flung criticism at her own
organization. Amnesty suspended one of its senior officers, Gita
Sahgal, for having expressed some concerns. "To
be appearing on platforms with
There was a time when Amnesty International defended the victims of
ideological repression, such as the wife of Soviet writer Boris Pasternak, Olga
Ivinskaya, who spent years under arrest and
persecuted for her husband's refusal to bow down to the Kremlin. Now, the Times
of London has documented links between Amnesty International officials and
Islamists.
Today, Amnesty evidently considers freedom of expression something to use
with "responsibility," as Amnesty claimed during the Mohammed
cartoons crisis. Is freedom of speech the right to say whatever you like, about
any topic, whenever you want? Not according to Amnesty International, the watchdog
group that today would apparently have lectured the great Soviet dissidents to
write with "responsibility."
Amnesty International sponsored a rally in
Given Amnesty International's embarrassing record, it is at least
doubtful that the Italian police and authorities are "torturing"
migrants whom they have so generously been rescuing at sea for more than two years.
Some in the Western "human rights establishment" have crossed
the red line that separates the defense of human
rights, even for terrorists, from complicity and collusion with repressive
totalitarian ideas.
Giulio Meotti,
Cultural Editor for Il Foglio, is an Italian
journalist and author.
© 2016 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.
Saudi journalist, Abdulrahman
Al-Rashed, suggests ties with Israel improve if
Israeli Arabs come work in Saudi Arabia
oi Kais/ Ynetnews/December
09/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/09/roi-kaisynetnews-saudi-journalist-abdulrahman-al-rashed-suggests-ties-with-israel-improve-if-israeli-arabs-come-work-in-saudi-arabia/
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4890656,00.html
Top Saudi journalist Abdulrahman Al-Rashed is interviewed by Jewish journalist Joseph Braude in the US Hudson Institute, suggesting that an
initial step could be made to allow Israeli Arabs to work in Arab countries,
beginning in Saudi Arabia; 'Without resolving the Palestinian-Israeli issue,
it’s not possible to address this problem substantively,' warns Al-Rashed. However, when discussing Arab Israeli employment,
he adds that 'From a Saudi perspective, the case for doing so can be made
openly in terms of the virtue of empowering all Palestinians, on either side of
the Green Line.'In an interview with US conservative
think tank the Hudson Institute, journalist Joseph Braude
interviewed Saudi journalist Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, who suggested that hiring Israeli Arabs in Arab
countries could be a positive step toward establishing official relations
between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Al-Rashed was the
editor of London-based Arab paper Asharq al-Awsat and had previously run Saudi-owned, pan-Arab
television news channel Al Arabiya. In his interview,
he spoke about how
"To begin with, without resolving the Palestinian-Israeli issue, it’s not
possible to address this problem substantively. I see the brunt of the issue as
political and not religious: Before Jews and Israelis were our obsession, there was anti-Portuguese sentiment in the
eighteenth century, anti-Turkish sentiment in the nineteenth century, and anti-British
sentiment in the twentieth century. As the underlying conflicts were resolved
politically, the cultural clashes subsided," said Al-Rashed.
Al-Rashed also said that "Without a solution to
the Israeli-Palestinian issue, prospects to do so are severely constrained. A
resolution of that conflict, whether along the lines of the “Arab Peace
Initiative” presented by the late King Abdullah or some other approach, will
make it much easier to improve relations among Saudis, other Arabs, Jews
generally, and Israelis.
Reflecting on how to progress relations between
"Normalization with Arab Israelis should be initiated by the Arab League
in
The interview has already garnered interest from certain bodies in
Reaction of Geert
Wilders to His Conviction
Geert Wilders/Gatestone
Institute/December 09/16
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9530/geert-wilders-conviction
Dear friends, I still cannot believe it, but I have just been convicted. Because I asked a question about Moroccans. While the day
before yesterday, scores of Moroccan asylum-seekers terrorized buses in Emmen and did not even had to pay a fine, a politician who asks
a question about fewer Moroccans is sentenced. The
And to people at home I say: Freedom of speech is our pride. And this
will remain so. For centuries, we Dutch have been speaking the unvarnished
truth. Free speech is our most important possession. We will never let them
take away our freedom of speech. Because the flame of freedom
burns within us and cannot be extinguished. Millions of Dutch are sick
and tired of political correctness. Sick and tired of the elite which only
cares about itself and ignores the ordinary Dutchman. And
sells out our country. People no longer feel represented by all these
disconnected politicians, judges and journalists, who have been harming our
people for so long, and make our country weaker instead of stronger. But I will
keep fighting for you, and I tell all of you: thank you so much. Thank you so
much for all your support. It is really overwhelming; I am immensely grateful
to you. Thanks to your massive and heartfelt support, I know that I am not
alone. That you back me, and are with me, and unwaveringly
stand for freedom of expression.
Today, I was convicted in a political trial, which, shortly before the
elections, attempts to neutralize the leader of the largest and most popular
opposition party. But they will not succeed. Not even with this verdict. Because I speak on behalf of millions of Dutch. And the
And this conviction only makes me stronger. This is a shameful sentence,
which, of course, I will appeal. But I can tell you, I am now more vigorous
than ever. And I know: together, we aim for victory.
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder, we are strong enough to change the
To allow our children to grow up in a country they can be proud of.
In a
Where everybody can safely walk the streets again.
Where we are in charge of our own country again.
And that is what we stand for. For freedom and for our
beautiful
**Geert Wilders is a member of the Dutch
Parliament and leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV).
© 2016 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.
No “Trump” Sign on Obama’s Ziggurat
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/December
09/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/09/amir-taheriasharq-al-awsat-no-trump-sign-on-obamas-ziggurat/
An old Persian proverb says: If the first brick is
badly laid, the whole wall will rise to the heavens slanted. This is what is
happening with the so-called nuclear deal that President Barack Obama claims he
has concluded with the mullahs of
This means that the so-called “Iranian nuclear problem” which began over a
decade ago remains intact, still begging for a solution. Obama and his Sancho Panza, John Kerry, are
trying desperately to foment a fog of confusion under which they could head for
the exit still claiming a great diplomatic victory, leaving their successors
with the task of defusing what is a ticking bomb. For their part,
Just as Rouhani is trying to implicate Khamenei, who has also been deceived by him and his “New
York Boys”, Obama is trying to put a “Trump” sign on his ziggurat.
In his meeting with the President-elect last month, Obama spent half of the
time trying to sell the so-called “nuke deal” to Trump.
Obama made that clear in a long interview published on 28 November by the New
Yorker Magazine. In it he admitted that the “deal” had not changed “some of the
more obnoxious behavior of
The first reason that Obama cited was what he claimed was “over a year of
proof” without specifying of what nature and in what context. He cannot have
meant any “proof” furnished by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
which only last month reported that
In any case, the IAEA isn’t in a position to certify
Iranian officials repeatedly assert that the Obama” deal” has made absolutely
no difference to the nuclear project. “All we did was to agree not to do what
we did not want to do, weren’t doing and couldn’t do any way,” says Ali-Akbar Salehi the head of
Rouhani, for his part, lied to the Iranians by
telling them that “all sanctions will be lifted” on the day that the “deal”
starts. The truth is that no sanction has been lifted, although some have been
suspended by Obama’s presidential decree. The second “proof” Obama cited was
the “Israeli military and intelligence community” supposedly “acknowledging
that the deal has worked.”
This is rich coming from a man who has been claiming for years that the
Israelis were trying to “mislead opinion” about
Finally, Obama claims that his “deal” means that
Having woven that cobweb of deception, Obama makes a sales pitch worthy of any
peddler of snake oil. He says “So, given that proof, I don’t think that it is
inconceivable that Republican leaders look and say: ‘Obama is no longer in
office. This is not something that our base is hankering to undo, and we may
quietly leave it in place’.”
In other words, Republicans, especially President Trump might endorse the
fiction that Obama composed and imposed on the world, becoming his partners in
deception.
Rather than fudging the
The first step in that direction is to accept that the problem remains intact
and that the “deal” Obama is so desperately trying to sell to Trump does not
exist except in his imagination.
The second step is to expose the full-scale of the deception and the fact that
the P5+1 group that supposedly negotiated the deal with Tehran has no legal
existence and no authority to make any deal and are answerable to no one.
The third step is to make it clear that no one has signed anything and that the
so-called Comprehensive Joint Plan of Action (CJPOA), a press release issued
last year in
The fourth step is to publish all the secret and confidential memos and
additional notes associated with the murky deal, something that President-elect
Trump has promised to do.
Once Obama’s ziggurat is pulled down, one could initiate a process based on
transparency, goodwill and international law. The seven resolutions of the
Security Council provide an excellent framework for such a process. They demand
that
Trump should avoid falling into the trap of making this a problem between
**Amir Taheri was the executive editor-in-chief of
the daily Kayhan in
Distortion of historical facts by a Nobel
Laureate
Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi/Al Arabiya/December
09/16
Elie Wiesel, who died on 2 July 2016, was an American
Zionist writer, professor, Nobel Laureate and
Holocaust survivor. He was infamous for distorting facts and falsifying history
and was adept in transforming the victim into a criminal and vice versa.
The best example for this was a statement he issued against Palestinians in
which the observations were totally unacceptable, unreasonable and unfair. Sara
Roy, a senior research scholar at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies,
I think it is appropriate and relevant to republish her reaction, titled ‘A
Response to Elie Wiesel,’ which exposes the real
situation and the extent of distortion and fabrication made by the Zionist
academic who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
I present to the readers Roy’s reply to Wiesel without any addition or
deletion.
Mr. Wiesel,
I read your statement about Palestinians, which appeared in The New York Times
on August 4, 2014. I cannot help feeling that your attack against Hamas and
stunning accusations of child sacrifice are really an attack, carefully veiled
but unmistakable, against all Palestinians, their children included. As a child
of Holocaust survivors—both my parents survived
Unlike you, Mr. Wiesel, I have spent a great deal of time in
There is a story I want to tell you, Mr. Wiesel, for I have carried it inside
of me for many years and have only written about it once a very long time ago.
I was in a refugee camp in
Now, I know what you must be thinking: this was the act of a few misguided men.
But I do not agree because I have seen so many acts of dehumanization since,
among which I must now include yours. Mr. Wiesel, how can you defend the
slaughter of over 500 innocent children by arguing that Hamas uses them as
human shields? Let us say for the sake of argument that Hamas does use children
in this way; does this then justify or vindicate their murder in your eyes? How
can any ethical human being make such a grotesque argument? In doing so, Mr.
Wiesel, I see no difference between you and the Israeli soldiers who used the
baby as a soccer ball. Your manner may differ from theirs—perhaps you could
never bring yourself to treat a Palestinian child as an inanimate object—but
the effect of your words is the same: to dehumanize and objectify Palestinians
to the point where the death of Arab children, some murdered inside their own
homes, no longer affects you. All that truly concerns you is that Jews not be
blamed for the children’s savage destruction.
Despite your eloquence, it is clear that you believe only Jews are capable of
loving and protecting their children and possess a humanity that Palestinians
do not. If this is so, Mr. Wiesel, how would you explain the very public
satisfaction among many Israelis over the carnage in
You see us as you want us to be and not as many of us actually are. We are not
all insensate to the suffering we inflict, acceding to cruelty with ease and
calm. And because of you, Mr. Wiesel, because of your words—which deny
Palestinians their humanity and deprive them of their victimhood—too many can
embrace our lack of mercy as if it were something noble, which it is not.
Rather, it is something monstrous.
**This article first appeared in the Saudi Gazette on December 7, 2016