LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
December 20/16
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletin16/english.december20.16.htm
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Bible Quotations For Today
Let anyone
among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to
Faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our
ancestors received approval.
Letter to the Hebrews 11/01-06/:"Faith is the assurance of things hoped
for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received
approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of
God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. By faith
Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he
received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he
died, but through his faith he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken so that
he did not experience death; and ‘he was not found, because God had taken him.’
For it was attested before he was taken away that ‘he had pleased God.’ And
without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him
must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 19-20/16
Aoun, Hariri sweep half of new Lebanese
cabinet/ Alex Rowell/Now Lebanon/December 19/16
It will be no picnic/By Ahmad El-Assaad/December 15,
2016
Aleppo’s mistakes/Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/December 19/16
Time to support young Saudi entrepreneurs/Khaled Almaeena/Al Arabiya/December
19/16
Decoding the effects of Russia’s cyber attacks during the US election/Dr.
Theodore Karasik/Al Arabiya/December
19/16
Iran-Backed Shiite Militias "Represent Enemies of a Stable, Secure, and
Inclusive Iraq/NCRI Iran New/ Monday, 19 December 2016
Palestinians: Welcome to the World of Western-Funded Terrorism/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone
Institute/December 19/2016
Sharia Councils: Taking Liberties/Robbie Travers/Gatestone Institute/December 19/16
Titles For Latest
Lebanese Related News published on December 19-20/16
Aoun, Hariri sweep half of new Lebanese
cabinet
Don't know if I laugh or weep
Bassil hands Sisi letter
from Aoun
It will be no picnic!
Is unity on the way for
Ban Ki-Moon Congratulates Lebanon on Cabinet
Formation
U.S. Ambassador Welcomes Formation of New Government
International Support Group For Lebanon Welcomes Cabinet Formation
Lebanon's Government Policy Statement Hinges on Oath of Office
Aoun Says Keen on Govt. 'Harmony, Solidarity', Laments
Kataeb Absence
Report: Newly Formed Cabinet to Devise Election Law 'Put to the Test'
Hariri, Miqati Trade Jabs after New Government Formed
Bassil Hands Sisi Letter
from Aoun, Inspects Bombed Church
Marouni: Kataeb Will Keep
an Eye on Government Performance
Army Receives Cessna Aircraft from United States
EU Lauds Lebanese for Forming Govt., Urges 'Continued Commitment' to U.N.
Resolutions
1 Hurt in Sidon as Gunfire Erupts in Ain el-Hilweh
over Russia Envoy Killing
Interior Minister contacts Russian Ambassador over Ankara shooting
Dutch Ambassador hopes new government will end vital crises, endorse new
election law
Royal Jordanian starts direct flights between Aqaba, Beirut
Lebanese Army: Ahmad Abdo Atrash
referred to court for belonging to Daesh
One wounded in gunfire inside Ain el Hilwe following
assassination of Russia ambassador in Ankara
Bekaa's Marada pays first
time visit to Kataeb in Zahle
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on on December 19-20/16
Aoun, Hariri sweep half of new Lebanese cabinet
Alex Rowell/Now Lebanon/December 19/16
New 30-member government announced Sunday will prioritize next year’s
elections, says Prime Minister Saad Hariri
BEIRUT - Of the thirty appointees in Lebanon’s new ‘national accord’
cabinet announced Sunday night, just over half (sixteen) are loyalists of
President Michel Aoun or Prime Minister Saad Hariri, giving the pair a commanding position in the
incoming administration.
Members of Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement were
given eight portfolios, including the key Foreign & Expatriates, Defense, Energy & Water, and Justice ministries.
Hariri’s Future Movement formally got seven ministries, most notably Interior
& Municipalities and Telecommunications. While nominally independent,
incoming Minister of State for Planning, Michel Pharaon,
is often seen as close to Hariri.
The remaining fourteen seats were distributed to officials representing
the Lebanese Forces and Amal Movement (three
ministries each); Hezbollah and the Progressive Socialist Party (two each); and
Marada, Tashnag, the
Lebanese Democratic Party, and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (one each). A
full list of the thirty ministers is provided at the bottom of this article.
While the pro-Western, anti-Damascus parties of what was once known as
the March 14 coalition – chiefly Future and the Lebanese Forces – appeared
numerically to do well, on balance the cabinet is weighted in favor of factions close to Damascus and Tehran. Of the four
so-called ‘sovereign’ portfolios, three went to such factions. The justice
ministry, formerly headed by retired police chief and March 14 hawk Ashraf Rifi, will now be handled
by Salim Jreissati, a
lawyer who has assisted the legal defense of
Hezbollah members currently on trial in absentia at The Hague on charges of
assassinating former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, the
father of PM Saad. The awarding of a portfolio to the
Syrian Social Nationalist Party, a staunch
Also of note was the creation of a number of new ministries, including a
Refugees’ Affairs portfolio, to be headed by Future’s Muin
al-Merebi. The appointment of a male, Jean Ogassapian, to the new post of Women’s Affairs minister was
quickly met with scorn on social media. Speaking shortly after the names were
announced Sunday night, Hariri said the cabinet would “immediately address the
issues that can be treated during the few months it will last, especially the
crises facing the citizens like the waste, electricity and water problems.”
It would also take up as its “first task” the formation of “a new
electoral law that takes into account proportional representation and proper
representation, to organize parliamentary elections on time in the middle of
next year.”
“In this sense, this government can be considered an elections
government.”
At the time of writing, the cabinet was not expected to convene until
Wednesday, due to several ministerial appointees not being present in the
country.
Lebanon’s incoming cabinet:
Prime Minister – Saad Hariri – Future Movement
Deputy Prime Minister & Health Minister – Ghassan
Hasbani – Lebanese Forces
Interior Minister – Nuhad al-Mashnuq – Future
Foreign & Expatriates Minister – Gebran Bassil – Free Patriotic Movement
Finance Minister – Ali Hassan Khalil – Amal Movement
Defense Minister – Yaqub
Sarraf – FPM
Energy & Water Minister – Cesar Abi Khalil – FPM
Telecommunications Minister – Jamal al-Jarrah –
Future
Justice Minister – Salim Jreissati
– FPM
Economy & Trade Minister – Raed Khoury – FPM
Public Works Minister – Yusuf Fenianos – Marada
Labor Minister – Muhammad Kabbara
– Future
Information Minister – Melhem Riachi – LF
Industry Minister – Hussein Hajj Hassan – Hezbollah
Education & Higher Learning Minister – Marwan
Hamade – Progressive Socialist Party
Agriculture Minister – Ghazi Zeaiter – Amal
Environment Minister – Tariq Khatib – FPM
Culture Minister – Ghattas Khoury
– Future
Tourism Minister – Avedis Kadanian
– Tashnag
Sports & Youth Minister – Muhammad Fneish –
Hezbollah
Displaced Persons Minister – Talal Arslan – Lebanese Democratic Party
Minister of Refugee Affairs – Muin al-Merebi – Future
Minister of Planning – Michel Pharaon –
Independent
Minister of Social Affairs – Pierre Bou Assi – LF
Minister of Women’s Affairs – Jean Ogassapian –
Future
Minister of Human Rights Affairs – Ayman Choucair – PSP
Minister of Presidential Affairs – Pierre Raffoul
– FPM
Minister of Parliamentary Council Affairs – Ali Qanso
– Syrian Social Nationalist Party
Minister of Administrative Development – Inaya Izz al-Din – Amal
Minister for Combating Corruption – Nicola Tueni
– FPM
Don't know if I laugh or weep
Khalil Helou/Face
Book/December 19/16
Don't know if I laugh or weep, anyway it's a free comedy show: Bashar Jaafari, Assad's UN man
claims that: "Syrian authorities gathered information saying many foreign
intelligence officers in east Aleppo are trying to exit" and precedes by
giving the names and nationalities of these alleged intel
officers in eastern Aleppo: Turkish, US, Israeli, Qatari, Saudi, Jordanian,
Moroccan. ... an international conspiracy against the
regime of Bashar.
Bassil hands Sisi letter
from Aoun
Daily Star/December 19/16/BEIRUT: Lebanon's foreign minister handed Egyptian
President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi a letter Monday from
Lebanese President Michel Aoun urging increased
bilateral ties between the two countries, state media reported. Foreign
Minister Gebran Bassil
handed the letter to Sisi during a meeting at the
presidential palace in
It will be no picnic!
By Ahmad El-Assaad/December 15, 2016
Even if the pace of what PM Saad Hariri called
‘further consultations’ picked up, and the awaited Cabinet saw the light in the
near future, the governmental book can still be judged by its cover: the 8
March camp will make sure that Saad Hariri’s job will
be no picnic; and that President Michel Aoun’s
performance will remain under control, by exercising a fierce opposition like a
sword constantly aimed at the presidency. What we’ve witnessed during the
formation of this Cabinet constantly predicts the obstructive practices that
will always be paralyzing the government, and keeping it from accomplishing
anything whatsoever. And the hindrance of the formation might be repeated in
future occasions, and perhaps at every major event in
this Cabinet’s life. Maybe even at every session. Some old allies will most
probably not come to aid the administration, and will not allow it to easily
succeed. On the contrary, they will use every means to keep it under their
mercy. They not only opposed Aoun’s election, they
will also set up a front against him. We fear that some might be wasting yet
another golden opportunity for
Lebanon: A Government to Boost Security,
Revive Economy
Asharq Al-Awsat/December
19/16/Beirut – Lebanon announced on Sunday the first government operating under
the era of President Michel Aoun although Prime
Minister Saad Hariri refused to pin much hopes by
describing it as a “cabinet of elections,” in reference to the upcoming
parliamentary elections expected next spring. Hariri gave his government other
titles – mainly saying it would boost internal security and revive national
economy that has suffered from the repercussions of the presidential vacuum
that lasted two and a half years. In his new 30-member cabinet, Hariri was
forced to name 6 ministers of states without portfolios. After the announcement
of the decree forming the new government, Hariri said his cabinet would
immediately address the issues that can be treated during the few months it
will last, especially the crises facing the citizens like the waste,
electricity and water problems. “In politics, the first task of this government
will be, in cooperation with Parliament, to reach a new electoral law that
takes into account proportional representation and right representation, to
organize parliamentary elections on time. In this sense, this government can be
considered an elections government,” Hariri said. Hariri also said his new
government aims to maintain the security and stability enjoyed by
In return, Jumblatt received the Education
Ministry and he appointed MP Marwan Hamade as the minister. As for the Agriculture Ministry, it
was given to Speaker Nabih Berri
in exchange of allocating the Health Ministry to the Lebanese Forces.
The new government includes 15 new ministers and one woman from the share
of Berri.
Is unity on the way for
National Editorial/December 19, 2016
After years of turmoil and uncertainty,
Ban Ki-Moon
Congratulates
Naharnet/December 19/16/The United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed on Monday the
formation of the new cabinet and congratulated Prime Minister Saad Hariri on the swift process and national accord in
U.S. Ambassador Welcomes Formation
of New Government
Naharnet/December 19/16/U.S. Ambassador to
Lebanon Elizabeth Richard welcomed on Monday the formation of a new government
in
International Support Group For
Naharnet/December 19/16/The members of the
International Support Group for
Lebanon's Government Policy Statement
Hinges on Oath of Office
Naharnet/December 19/16/After lining a cabinet 45
days after the designation of PM Saad Hariri, Lebanon
faces devising a government policy statement which reports say it will not be
time-consuming and will be based on the oath of office of President Michel Aoun, As Safir daily reported
Monday. “Drafting a ministerial statement will not be a difficult task and will
not take long to complete,” well-informed sources told the daily on condition
of anonymity. The main concepts in the oath of office will form the basis for
the structure of the statement which has been agreed upon between President
Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and PM Saad Hariri.
President Michel Aoun pledged on his election on
October 31 that “corruption will be eradicated” during his presidential tenure,
stressing that he will not allow any politician to violate the constitution as
part of his vision for a “strong State.” The elected president also pledged to
“strengthen the army and boost its capabilities to enable it to repel all kinds
of attacks on our country and so that it protects its homeland and its
independence and sovereignty.”On Sunday after an
announcement that saw the formation of
Aoun Says Keen on Govt. 'Harmony, Solidarity',
Laments Kataeb Absence
Naharnet/December 19/16/In his first remarks after
the formation of the new government, President Michel Aoun
said he is keen on the presence of “a harmonious Cabinet,” hoping its members
will show “solidarity” among each other. “There is no time to waste, especially
that the Lebanese are looking forward to having an effective government that
rises to the level of their expectations,” Aoun told
his visitors on Monday. “It is true that the current government's mission is to
organize the parliamentary polls on time, but this does not mean that it should
be lax in addressing the pressing social issues and the citizens' affairs,
especially the resumption of the suspended developmental projects,” the
president added. Referring to Kataeb Party's absence
from the Cabinet line-up, Aoun said: “I was hoping
that all the main parties will be represented, because as I have always said,
the new tenure has a place for everyone except for those who dissociate
themselves.”
Report: Newly Formed Cabinet to Devise
Election Law 'Put to the Test'
Naharnet/December 19/16/The first cabinet under the
tenure of President Michel Aoun was formed on Sunday,
45 days after the designation of PM Saad Hariri for
the task with the aim of approving a new election law to hold the upcoming
parliamentary election slated in May 2017 on time. The new government did not
take a lot of time to be shaped, although the formation process witnessed some
delay, compared to other governments which took from 6 to 11 months to form,
media reports said. The main task for the newly formed cabinet is to devise a
new electoral law to stage the parliamentary elections on time. “The success of
the cabinet depends primarily on the approval of a new electoral law. If it fails,
the country will face a dead horizon. All the positions and indicators point to
the impossibility of holding the elections based on the 1960 election law and
the infeasibility of a new extension of the parliament term,
” unnamed sources told al-Joumhouria daily.
The sources added that the responsibility now lies on President Aoun who vowed in his oath of office to approve a new law
for the parliamentary elections, and on the PM who will have to accept the
challenge and make his cabinet succeed in its mission. The line-up of a
30-minister cabinet was announced on Sunday at the
Hariri, Miqati
Trade Jabs after New Government Formed
Naharnet/December 19/16/Prime Minister Saad Hariri and ex-PM Najib Miqati exchanged tirades on Monday in connection with the
formation of a new 30-minister government led by Hariri. “Here we are again
before a totally inharmonious government, the thing that will deepen political
polarization in Cabinet and make its mission harder, especially in tackling the
numerous controversial issues,” Miqati told his
visitors, according to a statement distributed by his office. “We ask the prime
minister about the soundness of the stances that he had declared -- whether
personally or through MPs and close aides -- to justify the political shift
that he made before the (presidential) vote,” Miqati
added. “We also ask PM Hariri whether he is still truly committed to the
political slogans that he had continuously repeated throughout the past years
and over which he waged fierce wars, topped by the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal
for Lebanon,” the ex-PM went on to say. Hariri snapped back swiftly via
Twitter. “You know more than anyone else that we did not wage any wars and that
we were the ones who faced wars, assassinations and treachery,” Hariri said. Miqati also criticized Hariri's decision to represent
Bassil Hands Sisi Letter from Aoun,
Naharnet/December 19/16/Foreign Minister and Free
Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil
on Monday handed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
a letter from President Michel Aoun during a meeting
at the presidential palace in
Marouni: Kataeb Will Keep an Eye on
Government Performance
Kataeb party MP Elie Marouni said on Monday that the party will always stand by
President Michel Aoun and at the parliament as a
safety valve against corruption bids, the state-run National News Agency
reported on Monday. “From the beginning, Kataeb has
refrained from engaging in the distribution of shares because it only cares
about what serves
Army Receives Cessna Aircraft from
Naharnet/December 19/16/The Lebanese Armed Forces
received on Monday an armed Cessna aircraft from the
EU Lauds Lebanese for Forming Govt., Urges
'Continued Commitment' to U.N. Resolutions
Naharnet/December 19/16/EU High
Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on
Monday congratulated Prime Minister Saad Hariri on
“announcing the members of the new Lebanese Council of Ministers,” describing
it as “another key moment towards the full functioning of State institutions in
Lebanon.”The formation of the cabinet “reflects the
responsibility and openness for compromise shared by all parties... which are
hallmarks of
She said the new government will have the task of “ensuring a smooth and
transparent process that strengthens further the democratic legitimacy of the
country's institutions.”“The European Union will
continue to stand alongside
1 Hurt in Sidon as Gunfire Erupts in Ain el-Hilweh
over Russia Envoy Killing
Naharnet/December 19/16/One person was wounded
Monday in the southern city of Sidon after gunfire erupted in the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in the wake of the assassination
of Russia's ambassador in Turkey's Ankara, Lebanon's National News Agency
reported. NNA said a man was wounded in
Interior Minister contacts Russian
Ambassador over Ankara shooting
Mon 19 Dec 2016/NNA - Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Nohad Mashnouq, contacted on
Monday Russian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Zasypkin,
to whom he conveyed the Lebanese government's condolences on the killing of
Moscow's representative in Ankara, Andrei Karlov.
During the phone call, Mashnouq sternly condemned
"the terrorist attacks" in the Turkish capital.
Dutch Ambassador hopes new government will
end vital crises, endorse new election law
Mon 19 Dec 2016/NNA - Dutch Ambassador to
Royal Jordanian starts direct flights
between Aqaba,
Mon 19 Dec 2016/NNA - Royal Jordanian Airlines announced that direct flights
between al-Aqaba and
Lebanese Army: Ahmad Abdo
Atrash referred to court for belonging to Daesh
Mon 19 Dec 2016/NNA - Intelligence Directorate referred today Ahmad Abdo Atrash to the competent
court for belonging to terrorist Daesh organization
as well as involvement in attack on military outposts, a communiqué by the
Lebanese army indicated on Monday.
One wounded in gunfire inside Ain el Hilwe following assassination of Russia ambassador in
Ankara
Mon 19 Dec 2016/NNA - RPGs and intense
gunfire were heard inside the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain-el-Hilwe and one was wounded following news on the
assassination of the Russian ambassador in Ankara this evening, National News
Agency correspondent reported on Monday. Palestinian factions are holding
contacts to cease fire.
Bekaa's Marada pays first
time visit to Kataeb in Zahle
Mon 19 Dec 2016/NNA - A delegation of Marada
Movement in Bekaa, headed by Tareq
Harmouche, paid today a first-time visit to Kataeb Party in Zahle, and met
with MP Elie Marouni over
latest developments and the relations between both sides, a statement by Kataeb Party in Zahle indicated
on Monday. "Kataeb is open to cooperation with
all of the Lebanese parties," the lawmaker said during the meeting.
"When many tried to isolate Kataeb, they only
isolated themselves, and the people gathered around Kataeb,"
he reminded. "Let the new betters know that days will prove Kataeb's deep-rooting in the nation," he concluded.
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on on December
19-20/16
U.N.: Syria Talks to Resume
February 8 in Geneva
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
19/16/The U.N.'s Syria envoy said Monday he has planned peace talks for
February in Geneva, as the U.N. Security Council voted to deploy observers to
war-ravaged Aleppo. Staffan de Mistura
"wishes to announce that it is the intention of the United Nations to
convene those negotiations in
Around 3,000 leave
AFP,
The departure of the remaining buses had reportedly been delayed until hundreds
of people could be evacuated from two northwestern
villages under siege by the rebels. The Britain-based Observatory said an
estimated 500 people were bussed out of Fuaa and Kafraya early on Monday. "Ten buses carrying about 500
people have left Fuaa and Kafraya
and are on their way to government-controlled territory in
UN Security Council vote
The UN Security Council will vote Monday on a new draft resolution on sending
observers to
At Least 20 Syrian Regime Forces Killed by
IS near Palmyra
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
19/16/Attacks by Islamic State group jihadists on Monday near Palmyra in
central Syria killed at least 20 members of the regime's forces, a monitor
said. "At least 20 regime forces and pro-government fighters were killed
in an IS attack on Tayfur airport in
9 Dead, at Least 50 Hurt as Truck Runs
into Berlin Market
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
19/16/A lorry plowed into a busy Christmas market in
Berlin on Monday, killing at least nine people and wounding 50 more in what
police said was a possible terror attack. Ambulances and police rushed to the
area after the driver drove up the pavement of the market in a central square
popular with tourists, in scenes reminiscent of the deadly truck attack in the
French city of
In another case, a 16-year-old German-Moroccan girl in February stabbed a
police officer in the neck with a kitchen knife, wounding him badly, allegedly
on IS orders.
Attacks rock France
The arrival of 890,000 refugees last year has polarized Germany and misgivings
run particularly deep in the ex-communist east, even more so since IS-linked
attacks in July carried out by Syrian asylum-seekers. The attack in
Russian Ambassador Assassinated by Turkish
Policeman 'in Revenge for Aleppo'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
19/16/A Turkish policeman crying "Aleppo" and "Allahu Akbar" shot dead Russia's ambassador to Turkey
at an art exhibition in Ankara on Monday, in what Moscow branded a
"terrorist act" that would be punished. Andrei Karlov
died of his wounds after the shooting, which occurred on the eve of a key
meeting between the Russian, Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers on the
Baying for blood
The incident came after days of protests in
'Crucial meeting'
Protesters in Turkey have held Moscow responsible for human rights violations
in Aleppo with thousands turning out for protests outside the Russian consulate
in Istanbul.
Putin Says Envoy Killing Aimed at
Russia-Turkey Ties, Syria Peace Efforts
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
19/16//President Vladimir Putin on Monday called the killing of Russia's
ambassador in Turkey a "provocation" aimed at sabotaging warming ties
between Moscow and Ankara and efforts to resolve the conflict in Syria.
"The crime that was committed is without doubt a provocation aimed at
disrupting the normalization of Russian-Turkish relations and disrupting the
peace process in
Who is the Russian ambassador who was killed in
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English
Monday, 19 December 2016
The Russian ambassador to Ankara was shot in the back and killed while giving a
speech at an art gallery on Monday. The gunman was Mevlut
Mert Aydintas, who worked
for
The gunman was a policeman who was off duty entered the hall using a policeman
ID. (Al Arabiya)
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Monday, 19 December
2016/A gunman shot dead
Russian envoy killing widely condemned
Reuters, AFP, United Nations, Washington, Ankara Monday, 19 December 2016/The
killing of Russian ambassador in Ankara on Monday was widely condemned
immediately after the attack, leading with the United Nations. The United
Nations condemned an attack on the Russian ambassador to
In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
told reporters on Monday while confirming the death of the country’s envoy
said: “We regard this as a terrorist act.”Zakharova
said
Talks to go ahead
Talks in Moscow about the future of Syria involving Russia, Iran and Turkey
will go ahead on Tuesday despite the murder of the Russian ambassador to
Ankara, the Interfax news agency cited Leonid Slutsky,
a senior parliamentarian, as saying. The foreign and defence ministers of
PMUs: Optimistic despite
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Monday, 19 December
2016/The leader of the Popular Mobilization Units
(PUM), also known as al-Hashd al-Shaabi,
said although he had predicted that the battle against ISIS would drag, he is
optimistic about liberating
Advanced
Forces from
Popular Mobilization Forces commander Hadi al-Amiri speaks to journalists in Nbaie
(20 kilometers) of
100,000 displaced
More than 100,000 people have been displaced as a result of the massive
operation to recapture
Middle Eastern Christians Facing
'Tragedy', Church Says
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
19/16/A leading church figure in the
Asiri: Coalition has stopped use of cluster munition
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Monday, 19 December
2016/Arab coalition spokesman Ahmed Asiri has
announced that the use of cluster munition has now
been stopped and clarified that its use was only against legitimate military
targets to prevent civilian casualties in
“Some states have undertaken a commitment to refrain from using cluster
munitions by becoming party to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Neither Saudi Arabia nor its Coalition partners are States Parties to the 2008
Convention, and accordingly, the Coalition’s use of cluster munitions does not
violate the obligations of these States under international law,” Asiri said in a statement. According to the spokesman, the
Coalition has conducted an inquiry into the use of cluster munitions in
Iran officer killed in car bomb on
Pakistan border
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Monday, 19 December
2016/An IRGC officer was killed and another wounded in car bomb following
clashes with Baloch insurgents near the border with
Pakistan, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps announced (IRGC).In a statement,
IRGC stated that the car bomb was detonated remotely whilst the soldiers were
returning from pursuing Balochi armed insurgents in
the Saravan region, East Baluchistan. The militants
have fled back across the border, according to YJC of IRNA. Lieutenant Hassan Jazini was killed and another soldier was critically
injured in the blast. Last week, two IRGC elements were injured when improvised
explosive device IED went off in Saravan city, in Sistan-Baluchistan province, southeast
Egypt Policeman, Militant Killed in
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
19/16/A suspected leader of a newly-emerged militant group, the Hassam
Movement, and a policeman were killed during a police raid in the Egyptian
capital, the interior ministry said Monday. Security forces raided a group
hideout, where members "held organisational meetings and made explosive
devices to be used in a series of hostile operations",
in the October 6 district of western Cairo.Hassam claimed
responsibility for the December 11 bomb attack inside a
Maryam Rajavi: The Mullahs'
"Moderate" President Shamelessly Calls for the Killing of Besieged
People of Aleppo by Using Terrorist Label
NCRI Statements/ Monday, 19 December 2016/
Rouhani, the so-called “moderate” President of the
religious fascism ruling Iran, in a gathering of a number of regime paid agents
and mercenaries, called for continuation of killing people of Aleppo and
criticized that some "Islamic states" had expressed concerns about
the success "of the people and the army" of Syria, saying some
"Islamic governments are concerned about the fate of the terrorists and
want their safe exit from Aleppo" (State-run media - December 17, 2016).
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi,
President-elect of the Iranian resistance, described the comments of Rouhani, the so-called moderate President of the clerical
regime who shamelessly calls for the mass killing of people of
Meanwhile, mullah Mohammadi Golpayegani, head of Khamenei’s
office said: "The fate of the war in
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
December 19, 2016
Iran: Street Children Sent to Garbage
Carts to Collect Trash
Monday, 19 December 2016 /NCRI - In an article titled ‘the pathology of
eliminating child labor from the streets’, the state
run newspaper Jahan-e Sanat
reports on Thursday December 15 on the issue of street children being abused by
regime’s organizations, writing “after municipality’s attempts to simply ignore
the causes giving rise to the presence of homeless, street peddlers, beggars,
etc., it is now the working children’s turn. Apparently, the city officials
have got used to decorating the urban furniture with such shortcuts, turning to
improper, harmful measures instead of resolving the problem.”The
newspaper then points to
Monday, 19 December 2016/NCRI - On Saturday December 17th 2016, state run Tasnim News Agency, reported that the head of Atomic Energy
Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi in a
television program threatened that the nuclear activities will be resumed.
Regarding the required amount of time to resume nuclear activities, Salehi stated, he could not say this clearly and openly but
the bridges to success have not yet been burned.Salehi
also responded to the question, whether the new sanctions will slow down the
nuclear activities or not? By saying: “we are doing our job
in the technical aspect. The sanctions brought us problems in the
banking transactions, nevertheless 70 percent of the
pledged framework has been established."These
are the most recent official statements which accuse the West and especially
the
Iran Regime's Hostile Statements Rejected
by the Arab Parliament
NCRI Iran News/Monday, 19 December 2016/Speaker of Arab Parliament calls on
international community to do more to reign in Iran as statements threaten
security of Arab world, according to Gulf News in an article by bureau chief Mr
Habib Touami on December
19, 2016. The following is the full text:
Al Sulami added that the international community
should condemn and reject
On Wednesday, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the
Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s second-in-command, in reports carried
by Iranian media, threatened to launch further “wars of conquest” in countries
of the region.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has earlier rejected the Iranian statements
against the Gulf alliance and other countries in the region, saying they were
violations of diplomatic norms and the United Nations principles of good neighborliness and non-interference in the internal affairs
of other states. “The Iranian accusations and abuses reflect the character of
the negative political positions pursued by Iran, and Tehran’s interfere in the
internal affairs of the GCC and regional countries, including Saudi Arabia,
Bahrain, Qatar and Yemen,” Abdul Lateef Al Zayani, the GCC Secretary-General, said. “The threats by
some Iranian officials against the GCC countries and the countries in the
region indicate
“While the Arab Parliament expresses support for the 37th GCC Summit resolutions,
it emphasises that
Canadian FM, statement regarding death
of Andrey Karlov, Russia’s
Ambassador to Turkey
December 19, 2016 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of Foreign
Affairs, today issued the following statement regarding the death of Andrey Karlov, Russia’s
Ambassador to Turkey:
“Canada condemns in the strongest possible terms the assassination of Russia’s
Ambassador Andrey Karlov.
“On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my most sincere condolences to Ambassador Karlov’s family and friends and to the people of
Canada: Much-needed humanitarian access
and monitoring resolution for Syria passes at UN
December 19, 2016 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of Foreign
Affairs, today issued the following statement related to the adoption of the
United Nations Security Council Resolution on the evacuations of Syrians from,
humanitarian access to, and monitoring in Aleppo, Syria:
“It is imperative that this long-awaited decision from the UN Security Council
in relation to the Syrian tragedy be turned into action so that desperate
families get the medical and humanitarian relief they so desperately need.
Syrians in
“While we continue to call for an urgent political resolution to the conflict,
the merciless suffering imposed on civilians trapped in
“
“
Quick facts
On October 20, 2016,
On December 9, 2016,
Over 6 million children in
On February 8, 2016, the Government of Canada announced that it will be
contributing $1.6 billion over the next three years in a comprehensive and
integrated regional response to the crises in
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on on
December 19-20/16
Aleppo’s mistakes
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/December 19/16
What’s happening in Syria is war and when it comes to wars, we may know how
they begin but no one can assert how they will end.
Things started to deteriorate in Syria’s largest city Aleppo with the people’s
uprising and ended with the city’s fall at the hands of the Iranian and
Russian-backed Damascus regime in the past few days. However, war has not ended
as around half of Syrian territories are still not controlled by the regime.
Thus no one must rush to the conclusion on how the end will eventually look
like.
The battle for
During the past four years the city has not witnessed a single calm night. The
regime continued its efforts to control the city as it was aware that
Armed extremist groups parallel to the opposition were formed. The Islamic
State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is certainly an expansion of al-Qaeda. The
Syrian regime used its experience from the days of sponsoring the Iraqi
opposition, particularly of extremist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda.
The regime continued its efforts to control the city as it was aware that
Aleppo may become the center of an opposition government and mark the beginning
of an alternative state
Other extremist organizations came into being later. The most prominent one is
al-Nusra Front which is also an expansion of
al-Qaeda. It was not affiliated with the Syrian regime and unfortunately it
received the support of regional parties that allowed its members to pass
through. The group also received media support. It was definite that allowing
armed extremist religious groups to enter
The Syrian opposition allies were divided into two, a camp in support of the
Free Syrian Army (FSA), which represents the national opposition, and a camp in
support of extremist organizations as many thought they were stronger and they
will achieve results faster.
Regional tussle
Those who supported al-Nusra Front and other
extremist groups practically supported the Syrian regime and made it easy for
For five years, the war in
The regime’s supposed alliance with
Unfortunately, and due to all these circumstances, even the FSA’s allies
regionally restrained its activity. As terrorist groups emerged, western
countries found an excuse to justify their refusal to supply the opposition
with advanced weapons. This helped the regime to brutally shell, murder and
displace people from cities.
These mistakes are not the only reason behind
Yet, the current formula cannot sustain as the majority still opposes the
regime despite its success in displacing five million from the country. This
also doesn’t the regional balance is opposed to Iranian expansion in
This article was first published in Asharq al-Awsat on December 19, 2016.
Time to support young Saudi entrepreneurs
Khaled Almaeena/Al Arabiya/December 19/16
A graph in a local newspaper outlined the following statistics:
• 1.9 million visas issued last year.
• 1.7 million employed Saudis.
• 12.1 percent unemployment rate.
• 33 percent unemployment rate for women.
• 10.5 million expatriates.
• 700,000 jobless Saudis.
• 54 colleges providing technical and vocational education.
I am sure that these are the latest figures and they come at a time when Deputy
Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, second deputy
premier and minister of defense, has called for an
integrated strategy to link education and training with the job market.
According to Saudi Vision 2030, the rate of unemployment should come down to
seven percent.
Now, of course, there are writers who in order to exhibit patriotism will shout
about the need to replace expatriates. They cannot accept the fact that there
are 700,000 jobless Saudis while there are 10.5 million expatriates in the
Kingdom, even though the majority of them work in menial jobs that a Saudi
would not do even if he was dying of hunger.
And then, of course, 54 colleges providing technical and vocational education
should be thoroughly audited by an impartial task force to confirm whether or
not they have been effective in turning out graduates who are qualified
technicians, electricians and industrial workers.
We have to be bold and frank enough to admit that many years have been wasted.
Now we have to rise to the occasion and incorporate all of our ideas and
efforts to make Saudi Vision 2030 a success.
We have to be bold and frank enough to admit that many years have been wasted.
Now we have to rise to the occasion and incorporate all of our ideas and
efforts to make Saudi Vision 2030 a success
Creating jobs
Saudization by itself will
not solve the problem of unemployment; the key element is the creation of new
jobs. But how can you do that without a strong and vibrant small- and
middle-enterprise economy?
And this is not at all possible because of a major stumbling block – a
heartless and obstinate bureaucracy! And while Dr. Ghassan
al-Sulaiman the newly appointed Governor of the
General Authority For Small And Medium Enterprises has
soothing words, yet I a born optimist remain skeptical.
Dr. Al-Sulaiman is a determined and sincere person
and comes from the business class, but unless ministries fall in line and shape
up, his organization will not succeed.
The creation of jobs is vital for societal development and this should be our
topmost priority and security concern. Let us not scream about Saudization. Instead, let us assist those Saudis who are
willing to labor in order to achieve success in their
own enterprise. The Ministry of Commerce, SAGIA and others should make it clear
that they support young Saudi entrepreneurs. Banks and wealthy people should
help by being assets in “startups”.
And the bureaucracy should be told that hindrances and obstacles will no longer
be tolerated. The young in our country have had enough.
**This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on December 18, 2016.
Decoding the effects of Russia’s cyber attacks during the US election
Dr. Theodore Karasik/Al Arabiya/December
19/16
Whatever the truth of the cyber-hacking and the resulting ongoing volatile
debate in the United States regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s cyber
campaign to influence the November election outcome in Donald Trump’s favor is part of a larger cyberwar
Moscow has been nurturing for the past decade. Offensive cyberwarfare
is now out in the open after a ten year build-up of minor but significant
attacks. The implications of this new stage of cyberwarfare has implications for MENA.
There are some notable instances of Russian offensive cyber-attacks. In 2006,
for example, Russian hackers, angered by the removal of a Soviet war memorial,
launched a sustained denial of service attack (DDoS)
on government and business websites in
The implications are significant for MENA. If Putin planned to put Trump in the
White House, then the Kremlin calculated that a Trump presidency would help
Moscow in the Middle East
Then, in the early 2010s, Russian security elites formulated a new Russian
security and foreign policy doctrine based on the need to identify and alert
the world to America and Europe’s desire to upend the international order to
their liking to capture key states for geopolitical expansionism. The Russians
announced their intent to counter this activity by conducting additional
research and analysis, ultimately devising an assertive form of information
warfare.
In the past few years, Russian Defense Ministry
conferences pointed out that
The Russian offensive cyber doctrine sees information as a strategic resource.
As a tactical weapon, cyber intrusions capture information without the agency
or individual knowing about the information capture until it is released on
social media or in the press. As a militarized weapon, the Russian cyberattack means disrupting the information and
communications systems of social and political culture, which an adversary
relies on to “know” itself (who it is, where it is, what it can do when, why it
is fighting, which threats to counter first etc.). It means trying to know all
about an adversary while keeping it from knowing much about oneself and turning
the “balance of information and knowledge” in one’s favor.
The implications are significant for MENA. If Putin planned to put Trump in the
White House, then the Kremlin calculated that a Trump presidency would help
Understanding the cultural and social drivers behind Russia’s cyber offensive
is paramount.
Iran-Backed Shiite Militias
"Represent Enemies of a Stable, Secure, and Inclusive Iraq
المليشيات
الشيعية
المدعومة من
إيران هي عدوة
الإستقرار
في
العراق
NCRI Iran New/ Monday, 19 December 2016
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/19/ncri-iran-new-iran-backed-shiite-militias-represent-enemies-of-a-stable-secure-and-inclusive-iraq%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%b4%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b4%d9%8a%d8%b9%d9%8a%d8%a9/
What is Iran’s ‘national treasure’ in Iraq?
Introducing another Iran regime’s fabricated mercenary force in the region and
this time in Iraq
Heshmat Alavi’s, Special to
Al Arabiya English Monday, 19 December 2016 is a must
read, here is the full text of the article.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei recently
described
This entire entity is believed to be comprised of mercenaries with bloody pasts
of atrocious crimes, especially targeting the Sunni communities of
“
Iranian offspring
It is worth noting that the PMU is an offspring of the
Iranian regime’s mentality and financial support. While first dubbed as a
“short-term” fix to back the Iraqi military, the PMU refused to disband after Daesh suffered setbacks in central
Composition
The PMU is no grass-root organization, consisting of an alliance of numerous
Iran-backed Shiite militia groups each with a horrific history of unspeakable
crimes. The Badr Organization, Asaib
al-Haq and Kata’ib
Hezbollah are militias with deep ideological relations with
Killings in
Back in June 2014, Iran-backed Shiite militias mass-executed over 250
prisoners, including minors. Amnesty International issued a report
detailing Shiite militias’ extrajudicial summary executions on a regular basis.
Reports even indicate Sunni inmates were murdered in government facilities.The Asaib al-Haq is an active Iranian proxy group in
Kataib Hezbollah militia is responsible for some of
the most lethal attacks against US and coalition forces throughout the war.
Both Asaib and Kataib have
also been busy committing atrocities against the Sunnis, as such have long
complained about Shiite fighters kidnapping and killing civilians, Reuters
reported. Ironically, the
Shoring Assad in
The PMU also has plans to take part in the atrocities against Syrian civilians
to shore up Levant dictator Bashar Assad, following
their push against Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) in
"We have no clear battlefield, but, from time to time, we carry out raids
with the army on the sites of the Free Syrian Army,” said another member,
proving
The rise of such Iran-backed Shiite militias proves
Palestinians: Welcome to
the World of Western-Funded Terrorism
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone
Institute/December 19/2016
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9601/palestinians-western-funded-terrorism
Palestinians and their families are being financially rewarded by the West for
taking part in terror attacks against Jews. It does not take a brain surgeon to
figure out that this promotes terrorism.
Palestinian terrorists released from prison have far higher chances of getting
a job with the Palestinian Authority (PA) government than people who went to
university, because by carrying out an attack against Jews they become heroes,
entitled to a superior job and salary.
The more time you spend in an Israeli prison, the more prestigious the job you
will receive. Graduating from an Israeli prison is better than graduating from
an Ivy League university.
These people have not been imprisoned for running a red light. Most of them are
behind bars because they have masterminded suicide bombings and other terror
attacks that have killed and maimed hundreds of innocent civilians during the
past few decades.
So, when you hear that it is the PLO, not the PA, that pays the terrorists'
salaries, you might want to mention that this statement is a sleight of hand
designed to dupe unsuspecting and well-intentioned American and European
donors.
It is time to tell Abbas and his associates, in terms
that they understand, that the West will no longer fund terrorists. This
message, above all others, will discourage terrorism -- and perhaps even
encourage peace.
Killing Jews has become a profitable business. Palestinians who think of
launching a terror attack against Jews can rest assured that their well-being
and that of their family will be guaranteed while they are in Israeli prison.
Here is how it works:
The Western-funded Palestinian Authority (PA) government, through its various
institutions, provides a monthly salary and different financial benefits to
jailed Palestinian terrorists and their families. Upon their release, they will
continue to receive financial aid, and are given top priority when it comes to
employment in the public sector. Their chances of getting a job with the PA
government are higher than those who went to university, because by carrying
out an attack against Jews they become heroes, entitled to a superior job and
salary.
For the record, these people have not been imprisoned for running a red light.
Most of them are behind bars because they have masterminded suicide bombings
and other terror attacks that have killed and maimed hundreds of innocent
civilians during the past few decades. In the
Ready for a dose of linguistic reality? In addition to
his title as president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud
Abbas is also chairman of the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO). So it makes no difference at all whether the PA or the PLO
is paying salaries to the terrorists: the same man is authorizing the funds. In
reality, the PA and the PLO are one and the same.
So, when you hear that it is the PLO, not the PA, that pays the terrorists'
salaries, you might want to mention that this statement is a sleight of hand
designed to dupe unsuspecting and well-intentioned American and European
donors.
Let us look beyond the smoke and mirrors: Palestinians and their families are
being financially rewarded by the West for taking part in terror attacks
against Jews. It does not take a brain surgeon to figure out that this promotes
terrorism. A Palestinian who kills or wounds a Jew can lie comfortably in his
prison cell, secure in the knowledge that his future and that of his wife and
children taken care of.
Welcome to the world of President Abbas and his
government. By providing financial and other aid to those involved in terrorism
against
Let us get specific. The more time you spend in an Israeli prison, the more
prestigious the job you will receive. If, for example, you spent more than 15
years in an Israeli prison, and you are affiliated in one way or another with Abbas's ruling Fatah faction, you will most likely be
offered the rank of Colonel or Lieutenant General in one of the Western-funded
PA security services.
If, by chance, you masterminded a series of terror attacks that resulted in the
deaths of multiple Jews, and your name is Marwan Barghouti, your chances of becoming the next Palestinian
president are very high. Barghouti, who is serving
five life terms in an Israeli prison for his role in a series of terror attacks
that killed at least five Jews, is so popular that he won the first slot in the
Fatah "primaries" that were held in Ramallah in late October.
Issa Qaraqi, the head of
the Palestinian National Commission for Prisoners and Detainees Affairs,
described the election of Barghouti as a
"victory for the prisoners and their sacrifices." In other words, the
terrorists should be happy because a bright future awaits them.
Qaraqi's description is accurate. Like many
Palestinians, he too believes that a terrorist who was responsible for the
killing of Jews should be honored and offered the
finest privileges. Palestinian public opinion polls indicate that Barghouti's chances of succeeding Abbas
as the next PA president are very strong. According to these polls, Barghouti, who has been imprisoned for 15 years, is the
Palestinians' front-runner for the presidency.
These polling results should come as no surprise whatsoever. Palestinians
regularly rise to power on the fact of having killed or wounded a Jew. These
are, shall we say, optimum credentials for leadership. "Graduating"
from an Israeli prison is better than graduating from an Ivy League university.
Moreover, the payments made to the prisoners and their families are far from
"humanitarian" in nature. Many of those who receive the benefits are,
in fact, not in need of the money: they own their own houses and their families
own agricultural lands and farms. In addition, the Palestinian tribal system,
where the clan rallies behind one of its members, allows for the prisoners and
their families to benefit from financial and moral support. The family bond is
very strong in these instances, and it is the duty of each member of the clan
to help in accordance with his or her abilities.
Instead, the payments have a political and national goal, as Palestinian
leaders themselves remind us again and again. The declared goal is to support
the "steadfastness" of the prisoners and their families,
"alleviate their suffering," and pave the way for their
"rehabilitation and reintegration" into Palestinian society.
The Palestinian leadership and many Palestinians consider the terrorist
prisoners "heroes" -- "soldiers" in the fight against
Maher Hashlamoun (center), a Palestinian from
The terrorist had good reason to laugh in the face of the judge. He knows that Abbas, the Palestinian Authority, or some other entity will
look after his family and him while he is sitting in prison. He knows that
thanks to Western donations to the Palestinians, his family and he will enjoy
monthly payments. The family will even be exempt from paying school and
university tuition, as well as their electric and water bills, which will be
fully covered by the PA government, directly or indirectly. He also knows that
if and when he is released from prison, his chances of finding a job in the
public sector are much higher than those of someone who did not kill a Jew or
spend time in an Israeli prison.
Until a few years ago, the PA government was dealing with the Palestinian
prisoners held in
The ministry aims, among other things, to "ensure a decent life for
prisoners and care for their children and their families." Its mission
also includes the "rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-detainees into
Palestinian society."
In 2014, the Palestinian Authority, under pressure from Western donors,
abolished the ministry and replaced it with a new body called the Higher
National Commission for Prisoners and Detainees Affairs. The decision to
abolish the ministry and turn it into a PLO-associated commission was seen as
an attempt by Abbas to appease
But Abbas's move was nothing but another dirty
deception. The so-called Higher National Commission for Prisoners and Detainees
Affairs is actually the same abolished ministry, but under a different name.
The commission is directly linked to the Palestinian Authority government and
appears as one of its institutions on its official website. The website
declares that the Commission provides the prisoners and their families with
"legal and material services," as well as professional training,
health insurance, loans, grants and university scholarships for ex-prisoners.
While many in the international community have fallen for Abbas's
trickery concerning the support of convicted terrorists who are imprisoned by
But the world according to the PA is still not the world according to the
international community. Taxpayers have the right to know if their money is
covering the dental expenses of a terrorist and his family. It is time to tell Abbas and his associates, in terms that they understand,
that the West will no longer fund terrorists. This message, above all others,
will discourage terrorism -- and perhaps even encourage peace.
*Bassam Tawil is based in
the
© 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.
Sharia Councils: Taking Liberties
Robbie Travers/Gatestone Institute/December 19/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/19/robbie-traversgatestone-institute-sharia-councils-taking-liberties/
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9587/uk-sharia-councils
A report by Machteld Zee, a Dutch Academic raised the
issue that sharia councils "frustrate women in
their requests [for divorce], especially if the husband is unwilling to
co-operate," and she also suggested that women are treated as
"second-class citizens."
Sharia councils, however, can demand that the parties
involved in a dispute sign contracts beforehand, demanding that women agree to
the results of the arbitration. To force a woman, who has been denied rights to
any legal representation, to agree to an illegal or wrongful contract before
trial, is a travesty that the British justice system cannot allow to continue.
As Dr Taj Hargey, Imam of
the Oxford Islamic Congregation argues, "Sharia
is not divine law, it is just medieval opinion."
Is
This ruling actually reveals to the husband the process required to have his
wife stoned to death. It arguably even encouraging men to have their wives
taken abroad and have them murdered. The court has therefore condemned someone
to murder solely the words of her husband without allowing her a chance to
speak.
How can these groups that not only fail to protect the rights of women but
actually undermine them, be considered charitable organisations, funded by
British taxpayers?
It is considered a fundamental principle in liberal democracies that individuals
should have equality under the law, with equal access to justice, despite race,
gender, or religious belief and that the same laws of a single legal system
should apply equally to everyone.
To have two simultaneously functioning rules of law, applied on differing
judicial bases, would create a challenge of which precedents to follow, or why
individuals from different groups should be treated differently. How long
before people form one group would claim to be from a different group to be
exempt from the first group's laws? Such a system invites abuse.
Dealing with minorities by differing legal systems rather than creating a more
pluralist utopia simply leads to a divided society in which minorities and
majorities have justified mutual distrust.
Sadly, these principles which have sculpted a strong judicial system in the
In
There are valid reasons why sharia councils and sharia itself should not be given any legitimacy under
British law.
First, these alternative judicial systems can mislead Muslim women to believe
that sharia, and the fatwas
pronounced by clerics, are binding and that such a marriage is recognised under
Islamic women also might be misled into believing that they have more marital
rights than they actually have - a cruel deception that must end. And they
further seem misled into believing they are compelled to approach a sharia council, rather than a
Second, these sharia councils often offer themselves
as "an alternative," to people seeking a civil law judgement, but the
elders who hold the proceedings do not use juridical standards compatible with
existing British legal ones. In cases arbitrated by sharia
councils, as opposed to British law, for example, women lack the legal ability
to initiate any divorce proceedings without the explicit agreement of her
husband, and often women have no legal representation at these trials.
With little ability even to mount a legal defence, there is always the
probability that Muslim women are not receiving equal justice under the law.
A report by Machteld Zee, a Dutch Academic raised the
issue that sharia councils "frustrate women in
their requests [for divorce], especially if the husband is unwilling to
co-operate" and she also suggested that women are treated as
"second-class citizens."
sharia councils can also
fundamentally attack the rights of women in arbitration, a device meant to be
facilitate resolving issues. sharia
councils, however, can demand that the parties involved in a dispute sign
contracts beforehand, demanding that women agree to the results of the
arbitration. To force a woman, who has been denied rights to any legal
representation, to agree to an illegal or wrongful contract before trial, is a
travesty that the British justice system cannot allow to continue.
Is it really acceptable that these sharia councils
are granted authority under the Arbitration Act of 1996 when they treat women
in such a way?
Dr Taj Hargey, Imam of the
Oxford Islamic Congregation argues, "Sharia is
not divine law, it is just medieval opinion."
The right of a woman to be free from abuse should be a paramount consideration.
Therefore, a parallel legal system that declines to recognise the law of the
land on the abuse of women is fundamentally incompatible with our legal system.
Third, which law? A trial can be considered just in terms of sharia law might well not be considered just under another
form of law. Even if women are allowed to attend sharia
councils in
Fourth, a recent report compiled by Dame Louise Casey suggests that the growth
of sharia councils in
What if a woman wishes to appeal the verdict? There is no right to appeal. What
if she feels there was irregularity or corruption in the process? As there exists no regulator, Muslim women seem trapped in a system
the outcome of which they have to accept, even when there may not even be
fleeting chance of justice.
Read this ruling from a British sharia council:
1) Adultery is one of the most heinous crimes in Islamic law, the punishment
for which is death by stoning. But as
This is cause for concern. This ruling actually reveals to the husband the
process required to have his wife stoned to death. It arguably even encouraging
men to have their wives taken abroad and have them murdered.
Is
The judgement continues to state that, "Allah will punish her for her
immorality." This presumes that the wife is guilty without even hearing
her testimony. The court has therefore condemned someone to murder solely the
words of her husband without allowing her a chance to speak. This sort of trial
has no place in a modern democracy.
It is also hard to hold sharia councils accountable:
they do not record their judgements, or transparently display a record of council
rulings. Why would an organisation wish not to make its rulings publicly
available unless it I trying to hide something?
If cases are arbitrated on any basis that that withhold full transparency or
that promotes inequality for women, it is the duty of the state not only to
criticise these trials, but to withdraw any legislation that gives these laws
legitimacy.
Sharia councils have been known completely to
disregard the decrees of civil British courts; some councils
are even suggesting that women comply with abusive husbands. More dangerously, sharia councils have even made private statements,
supposedly hidden by court decree, concerning individuals in abusive
relationships, public. Sharia councils have put these
statements on court documents and sent them to the abuser – a practice that has
led to death threats, children kidnapped, and even to women being violently
raped in retaliation for seeking justice.
Haitham al-Haddad is a British shari'a
council judge, and sits on the board of advisors for the Islamic Sharia Council. Regarding the handling of domestic violence
cases, he stated in an interview, "A man should not be questioned why he
hit his wife, because this is something between them. Leave them alone. They
can sort their matters among themselves." (Image source: Channel 4 News
video screenshot)
To add insult to injury, these unaccountable courts that offer judgements which
sometimes incite violence and often disadvantage women, are often registered
charities that charge around £800 for a divorce. How can these groups that not
only fail to protect the rights of women but actually undermine them be
considered charitable organisations, funded by British taxpayers?
Even more problematic is this excessive fee, when Islamic women often coming
from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and who perhaps have been
discouraged from earning a living outside the home and may
therefore have no funds to buy her freedom? Muslim women within abusive
marriages can therefore be imprisoned by a process that is unattainable. One
might even deduce that perhaps that is the purpose of the fee?
Elham Manea, author of the
book Women and Sharia Law, argues that the first Sharia councils were established by Islamists. She also
notes that Sharia councils have "been working with
a kind of a tacit approval of British establishment. There is a certain kind of
hesitancy from British institutions to interfere in what they consider is
internal affair to the Muslim community."
We can no longer be afraid to speak out against a legal system that
disadvantages women because of the religion of those who run it, or that
criticism may be perceived as hateful.
More alarming is that views on Sharia amongst the
What aspects of the Sharia do they support? How you
can support only "aspects" of Sharia, when Sharia is designed to be followed in its entirety, without
concession. Even then, which aspects do they support? Those
that instruct that "women are restricted in leaving their homes and
driving cars"? Or that "a man may coerce his wife to have
sex"? Or the "recommendation of severe punishments
for homosexuals?"
48% of the respondents said they would not turn someone they know with links to
terrorism in
As Denis MacEoin illustrates, Sharia
even justifies jihad:
In Sharia Law or One Law for All, I drew attention to
another level of sharia rulings that provide fatwas for numbers of British Muslims, in particular of the
younger generation. These are online sites: "fatwa banks."
Individuals or couples send questions to the muftis who run the sites, and
receive answers in the form of fatwas that are
considered authoritative. The questions and answers are preserved in galleries
of rulings, which can be browsed by anyone seeking advice. The sites are by no
means consistent, differing from one scholar to another. But they do provide an
insight into the kinds of rulings that may be given in the sharia
councils.
Among the rulings MacEoin details is that
"fighting the Americans and British is a religious duty." Such a
ruling, sadly, could be delivered on British soil.
Sharia councils and Sharia
both clearly restrict the rights of women, homosexuals, Christians and Jews,
and are therefore incompatible with a diverse and tolerant society. They should
be granted no legitimacy by the state.
The cessation of Sharia councils in the
**Robbie Travers, a political commentator and consultant, is Executive Director
of Agora, former media manager at the Human Security Centre, and a law student
at the
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