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Bible Quotations For Today
You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men
Bible Quotation for today/: "Metthew 5/11-20: “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven".

Report: Hariri Makes Franjieh's Nomination Official on Feb 14
Naharnet/January 31/16/Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri will make official the nomination of Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for the presidential post during the February 14 commemoration ceremony expected to be held at BIEL, Ad-Diyar daily reported on Sunday. The daily added that Franjieh still adheres to his nomination and will not withdraw from the presidential race. An initiative emerged late last year when Hariri of the March 14 camp suggested the nomination of Franjieh of March 8 for the presidency. But the nomination has not been officially declared yet. In a similar stance, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea who is himself a candidate of March 14 endorsed the nomination of his long time rival, founder of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun. Observers saw the naming as a response to Hariri's nomination of Franjieh. On February 14 each year, Mustaqbal movement commemorates former PM Rafik Hariri who was killed in a massive bombing in Beirut.

Beirut Airport Head Says Security not 'Exposed', French Ambassador No Flights Cancelled
Naharnet/January 31/16/Head of the Beirut airport Fadi al-Hassan assured on Sunday that the security at the Rafic Hariri International Airport is not vulnerable as circulated in media reports stressing that the facility is still up to the international safety standards. “The security at Beirut airport is not exposed and we are still within the international standards. Reports that were circulated in the media were only minor issues dealing with the equipment that need updating,” al-Hassan told pan-Arab al-Hayat daily. He explained that “one of the issues raised by the technical committee of the British Airways and Air France is related to the unity of coordination between departments, and the second addresses the need to increase the staff of the security apparatus in addition to matters linked to technical safety.” His comments follow reports published lately by British Airways and Air France about the administrative, technical and security course of action at the airport stirring concerns about its conformity with the international aviation safety standards. It also said that France and Britain are considering boycotting Beirut's RHIA due to safety concerns. Furthermore, European, Arab and Gulf airlines had earlier informed the airport's administration of threats received that can affect the safety of its aircraft in various countries and not specifically in Beirut, prompting the facility's management to take additional safety measures, according to Hassan. Hassan added that in light of the said concerns, Air France “was comfortable with the response of relevant authorities to maintain safety at the airport.” For his part, French ambassador to Lebanon Emmanuel Bonne told al-Hayat: “It is impossible to cancel our flights to Beirut airport.” He asserted that “the authorities in charge of maintaining the terminal's security have responded to our concerns. We are working with Lebanese officials to ensure that the trips to France are in accordance with the corresponding safety conditions.”Late last year, the European Union sent a memo to the government informing it of a decision to stop transporting goods from Beirut airport after Lebanon failed to meet EU standards for air transportation safety. British Airways became the first to implement the EU's decision and banned cargo flights from Beirut on March 1.

Israeli Troops on Alert in Zebdine and Bastra
Naharnet/January 31/16/Israeli troops brought in military reinforcements in the two areas of Zebdine and Bastra that lie in the Shebaa farms, the National News Agency reported on Sunday. The step came after residents of the region of Arqoub crossed 20 meters inside the border line in protest to Israel bulldozing acres of land in the said areas.Moreover, Israeli warplanes and a reconnaissance aircraft hovered over the region. Residents of Arqoub including MP Qassem Hashem crossed 20 meters inside the border line on the Zebdine axis protesting the Israeli demolitions of acres of plantation and uprooting hundreds of olive trees. Israel and Lebanon are technically at war and the UNIFIL peacekeepers monitor their disputed border. The Shebaa Farms have been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Middle East war. Lebanon says the area is Lebanese territory, while the U.N. says it was annexed from Syria.

Fire Razes Dormitory of Employees in Jbeil
Naharnet/January 31/16/Immense material damages were reported when a fire razed a dormitory of employees of Roadster diner in the city of Jbeil. A huge fire erupted at dawn in the living quarters of the employees at the entrance of the northern city of Jbeil, the National News Agency reported on Sunday. No casualties were reported. Firefighters and Civil Defense rescue teams were able to extinguish the fire that left major material damages in the restaurant. Investigations were opened into the case.

Clashes Renew Overnight between Extremist Groups near Arsal
Naharnet/January 31/16/Clashes have renewed overnight between extremist groups of al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal and the Zamrani crossing in the outskirts of al-Jarajir in Qalamoun, the Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) reported on Sunday. The IS had launched an attack at the al-Malahi area in a bid to control the last bastion of al-Nusra. Violent confrontations took place and heavy weapons were used in areas close to the encampments of Syrian refugees who supplied al-Nusra with additional fighters to face the IS. Clashes had erupted between the two extremist groups recently, but military sources have downplayed their threat on Lebanon saying the clashes were over positions in the area. Some reports said that the clashes are an attempt by the IS to create an emirate that extends from the eastern Bekaa region to the sea. The violent fighting left several militants dead and wounded from both sides. The clashes spread to most areas in Arsal's outskirts and in Syria's Qalamoun where al-Nusra and IS have posts. The militants of al-Nusra and the IS clash with the army occasionally, but a major confrontation erupted in August 2014 when the two groups overran Arsal.

Franjieh: I'll Withdraw My Nomination if Hariri Decides to Back Aoun
Naharnet/January 31/16/Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh noted Sunday that he would only pull out of the presidential race should al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri decide to back Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun's nomination. “When ex-PM Hariri decides to back General Aoun, I will withdraw my nomination,” said Franjieh in remarks to NBN television. “I will not concede to Aoun unless the possibility of him winning the presidency becomes guaranteed,” he added, stressing that he is not willing to risk losing his own nomination. As for the Paris meeting between him and Hariri, Franjieh revealed that he had told Hizbullah that he would “tear up” any paper of understanding between him and the ex-PM should Hizbullah reject it. “Hariri asked me about Hizbullah's weapons and I told him that 'there is no need to discuss this issue',” al-Jadeed television quoted Franjieh as telling reporters. “Hariri did not propose that he become prime minister during the Paris meeting,” Franjieh noted. He also revealed that Culture Minister Rony Araiji of the Marada Movement had written down “minutes of meeting” during the Paris talks. Separately, Franjieh emphasized that he would not attend any electoral session boycotted by Hizbullah. His remarks come two days after Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah announced that his party is not willing to give up its support for Aoun in favor of Franjieh. “We have an ethical and political commitment to support General Aoun's nomination,” said Nasrallah. “Even if another dear friend is nominated, it will not push me to renounce my ethical commitment to General Aoun, and this does not mean that Franjieh does not deserve to become president,” Nasrallah added. Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of successor. The blocs of Aoun and Hizbullah and some of their allies have been boycotting the electoral sessions. Hariri launched late in 2015 a proposal to nominate Franjieh as president. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Hariri's ally in the March 14 camp, was a presidential candidate at the time and some observers have said that the LF leader has recently nominated Aoun for the presidency as a “reaction” to Hariri's proposal, a claim Geagea has denied. On Sunday, Franjieh revealed that the LF had proposed to back his presidential nomination in the past “in return for some demands, including that it be granted the interior ministry portfolio and guarantees that Chamel Roukoz” would not assume any post.

Canada welcomes launch of UN-led peace process to end Syrian conflict
January 31, 2016 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement welcoming the launch of a United Nations-led peace process to end the conflict in Syria:
“Canada welcomes the launch of the Syrian peace negotiations between the Syrian opposition and the Assad regime, convened under the auspices of Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy for Syria. These negotiations on a political transition process aim to bring an end to the conflict in Syria, in accordance with the 2012 Geneva Communiqué.
“After five years of violence, hundreds of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions, it is imperative that all sides work together to bring an end to the bloodshed. We commend the leadership and support of the United Nations and the International Syria Support Group to this end. This conflict cannot be resolved through military means alone.
“Building on the positive outcomes of the Syrian opposition’s gathering in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 18, 2015, Canada welcomes the Syrian High Negotiations Committee’s continued unity and engagement in this process. Canada stands ready to support the Syrian people in their efforts to secure a future that is peaceful, just, democratic and respectful of the rights of all of its citizens.
“To create a more favourable environment for peace talks, the targeting of civilians must come to an end. Canada calls for an end to indiscriminate bombing and an end to the use of starvation as a weapon of war.”
Related products
Backgrounder - Canada’s response to the Syrian crisis
Associated links
Canada welcomes outcome of Syrian opposition conference

Paris Says 'Major Risk' of IS Crossing to Europe with Libya Refugees
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Islamic State fighters hiding among refugees traveling from Libya to Italy pose a "major risk" to Europe, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday. Le Drian said there was an "urgent" need for a political solution to the crisis in Libya to help combat the spread of the Islamic State group (IS), which now has several thousand fighters in the North African country. "Daesh is installing itself," Le Drian told French TV, using the Arabic acronym for the IS group. "I have been very worried about Libya since September 2014. They are there, nearly 300 kilometers from the coast, and they are spreading."He said that put IS only 350 kilometers from the Italian island of Lampedusa, the arrival point for thousands of migrants and refugees leaving Libya for the European Union. "When good weather comes to the Mediterranean, there is the risk that (IS fighters) could make the crossing, mixing in with refugees. It's a major risk," said Le Drian. "Everyone is aware of the danger of transferring the conflict in the Levant (Syria and Iraq) where we are starting to see some positive elements, to a new conflict in Libya," he said, adding that a political solution was the "only way to eradicate" the problem. "There must be a government of national unity. There's a serious political process under way, supported by the U.N. Security Council. I think it's urgent." Libya has been in chaos since the 2011 ouster of longtime strongman Moammar Gadhafi. It now has two governments and parliaments, with the recognized authorities based in the eastern city of Tobruk and a militia-backed authority in Tripoli. U.N. envoy Martin Kobler expressed concerns Wednesday that Libya's political process is slower than the IS group's expansion, after the Tobruk government rejected a proposed unity government.

HRW Says Iraq Militia Attacks May Constitute War Crimes
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Iraqi Shiite militiamen abducted and killed civilians following bombings earlier this month, actions that may constitute war crimes, Human Rights Watch said on Sunday. Shiite paramilitary forces have been repeatedly accused of abuses including summary executions, kidnappings and destruction of property in the course of the war against the Islamic State jihadist group. Following January 11 bombings claimed by IS in Muqdadiyah, a town northeast of Baghdad, militiamen attacked "Sunnis as well as their homes and mosques, killing at least a dozen people and perhaps many more," HRW said, citing local residents. "Again civilians are paying the price for Iraq’s failure to rein in the out-of-control militias," Joe Stork, HRW's deputy Middle East director, said in a statement. Killing civilians, looting and unjustified destruction of property during an armed conflict "are serious violations of international humanitarian law" and "may amount to war crimes," the rights group said. Iraq turned to Shiite militia forces in 2014 to help counter an IS onslaught that overran large areas north and west of Baghdad, and they played a key role in halting the jihadist advance and later pushing them back. But they have also carried out repeated abuses during the conflict that ultimately feed mistrust of the government and are harmful to Baghdad's efforts to reassert and maintain control in recaptured areas.

Shooting Wounds 3 Israelis in West Bank, Attacker Killed
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/A Palestinian opened fire at a checkpoint near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank on Sunday, wounding three Israelis before being shot dead, officials said, the latest in four months of violence. The Israeli army said a shooting attack had occurred near the Beit El settlement, close to Ramallah. Israeli medics said two of the three wounded had serious injuries. "A gunman opened fire near Beit El, north of Jerusalem," the Israeli military said in a statement. "Forces at the scene responded to the attack and shot the assailant, resulting in his death. Three Israelis were wounded and are being evacuated for emergency medical treatment in hospital." An Agence France Presse journalist saw the body of the Palestinian man killed near the checkpoint. A silver car with Palestinian plates was next to the body. Palestinian ambulances sought to move toward the body, but were prevented from doing so by Israeli soldiers. A wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks erupted in October. Most of the attacks have been stabbings, though shootings have occasionally occurred. The violence has killed 25 Israelis, as well as an American and an Eritrean, according to an AFP count. At the same time, 160 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, most while carrying out attacks but others during clashes and demonstrations. Some analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israel's occupation of the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have helped feed the unrest. Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a main cause of the violence. Many of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own.

Netanyahu Criticizes French Threat to Recognize Palestinian State
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday criticized France's threat to recognize a Palestinian state if plans to renew peace efforts fail, arguing that it gives Palestinians no incentive to compromise. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Friday his country was working to quickly revive plans for an international conference to work toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Should efforts to breathe life into the moribund peace process fail, France would move to unilaterally recognize Palestine as a state, Fabius said.
"This will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting on Sunday. "The substance of negotiations is compromise and the French initiative, as it has been reported, in effect gives the Palestinians in advance reasons not to do so." The rightwing premier said "I believe that we will see a sobering up on this issue. In any case, we will work to bring this about and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter into direct negotiations without preconditions and without dictated conditions."Palestinian officials have welcomed the French initiative, having long argued for an international process to end the Israeli occupation and bring about the two-state solution. Peace talks collapsed in April 2014 and the situation has since deteriorated, with the prospects of fresh dialogue appearing increasingly remote. A wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks erupted in October, with 25 Israelis, an American and an Eritrean killed, according to an Agence France Presse count. At the same time, 160 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, most while carrying out attacks but others during clashes and demonstrations.

Saudi, Turkey back Syrian opposition irrespective of talks
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Sunday, 31 January 2016/Saudi Arabia’s and Turkey’s foreign ministers said on Sunday that their countries backed Syria’s opposition whether they continued with the Geneva peace talks or opted to discontinue negotiation in a press conference. Saudi Foreign Minister Aden al-Jubeir said the Syrian opposition went to Geneva to negotiate for transfer of power, new elections and a new Syria. Turkey’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Syrian opposition was free to leave Geneva talks anytime if terms are not met. “We share the same position which consists of supporting our Syrian brothers directly or when they take part in international meetings,” Jubeir said in Riyadh at a joint news conference with Cavusoglu. Turkey’s top diplomat echoed him, saying: “We back demands for a truce and for sending humanitarian aid” to besieged towns in Syria as requested by the opposition. The two countries are strong backs of the Syrian opposition in contrast with Russia and Iran, who are supporting regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Please read story: Syria’s warring sides exchange blame. Also read: Kerry urges both sides to ‘seize moment’ at Syria talks. In the press conference, Jubeir also said Riyadh supports Ankara’s right to defend itself.His support to Ankara comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Moscow Saturday that it would be forced to “endure the consequences” if its jets continue to violate Turkish airspace, after Ankara reported a new border infringement incident by a Russian plane.

Kerry urges both sides to ‘seize moment’ at Syria talks
AFP, Washington Sunday, 31 January 2016/U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged Syria’s opposition and regime to play a full role in peace talks Sunday, while accusing Bashar al-Assad’s forces of starving civilians. “This morning, in light of what is at stake in these talks, I appeal to both sides to make the most of this moment,” he said, in an online statement broadcast from Washington. While the top U.S. diplomat aimed his remarks at both sides, his message was clearly aimed at the opposition, which has threatened to leave Geneva even before talks start. The opposition High Negotiations Committee has demanded that humanitarian aid be allowed to flow to besieged towns before even engaging in indirect talks with Assad’s envoys. Kerry urged them to drop their preconditions, but also had hard words for their foes, accusing Assad’s forces of deliberately starving the beleaguered cities. “The town of Madaya is just an hour’s drive from Damascus and yet its people have been reduced to eating grass and leaves,” Kerry said. “How have the regime and the militias that support it responded? By planting landmines and erecting barbed wire to keep relief workers out,” he said. Kerry added that Washington had received credible reports that another 16 people had starved to death in the rebel-held, regime-besieged community over the weekend.

Saudi to give citizens rewards if they foil attacks
By Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Sunday, 31 January 2016/The Saudi interior ministry on Sunday announced that will give citizens seven million Riyals ($1.8 million) as a reward if they help in foiling terrorist attacks in the kingdom, Al Arabiya News Channel reported. One million riyals will also be given to those who can contribute with information on the whereabouts of a terrorist. The announcement comes as the interior ministry reveals details of two cells of those who were behind the deadly attack on an Abha mosque. Fifteen people were killed on Aug. 6 last year when the mosque, which belonged to a special emergency force in the southwestern city, was attacked by a suicide bomber. The ministry also placed a five million riyals bounty for those who can help in finding the whereabouts of nine wanted people involved in the Abha deadly attack. The ministry also revealed identities of accomplices including a soldier named Salah al-Shahrani, who helped the suicide bomber with the attack. It described Shahrani, who had two other accomplices - Ali Fouad al-Dahwi and Saleh al-Dura’an – as a soldier “who betrayed his duties and colleagues.” A man named Fahad al-Harbi and his wife Abeer al-Harbi were arrested as they were accomplices when they helped the suicide bomber to reach Abha. The ministry said Abeer hid an explosive belt under her feet.

Saudi Police Arrest 9 American 'Terror' Suspects
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Saudi authorities have arrested nine American citizens among 33 "terror" suspects rounded up over the past days, the Saudi Gazette newspaper reported on Sunday. Four Americans were arrested on Monday and five others over the past four days, the paper reported citing an unidentified source. The arrests also included 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, an Emirati, a Kazakhstan national and a Palestinian, the paper said. It did not say if any of the "terror suspects" was linked to the Islamic State group, which has claimed several deadly attacks against security and Shiites in the kingdom in recent months. On Friday, a suicide bomber attacked a Shiite mosque in Eastern Province killing four people before worshippers disarmed and tied up his accomplice who had fired on them. IS, a radical Sunni group that considers Shiites heretics, did not claim that attack. The Saudi Gazette said some 532 IS suspects accused of plotting attacks in the kingdom are being questioned ahead of their trial at the criminal court in Riyadh. They are members of six cells arrested in "pre-emptive" raids across the kingdom and include a Saudi woman and a Filipina, the paper said.

22 Killed in Egypt as Heavy Fog Causes Road Crashes
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Bad weather including heavy fog caused two major traffic accidents in Egypt on Sunday that left at least 22 people dead, officials said. The deadlier accident saw 16 people killed and 21 wounded in multiple car crashes near Beni Sueif on the highway linking Cairo to Upper Egypt, police said. Two dozen vehicles were involved in the accident, police said, blaming thick early morning fog. Six people were killed and three others wounded when a truck ferrying workers crashed into a train at a railway crossing south of Cairo, police said. The driver of the truck was unable to see the closed railway crossing due to fog and crashed his vehicle into the train, police said. Egypt is notorious for traffic accidents due to its poorly maintained roads and little enforcement of traffic regulations. The World Health Organization says traffic accidents account for nearly 12,000 deaths annually in Egypt.

HRW Accuses Yemen Rebels of Confiscating Aid
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Human Rights Watch on Sunday accused Yemen's Huthi rebels of confiscating humanitarian aid sent into Taez, urging the Iran-backed insurgents to allow access into the besieged city. The Huthis and their allies have for months tightened the noose on forces backing President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in the centre of Yemen's third-largest city. The rebels "should immediately end the unlawful confiscation of goods intended for the civilian population and permit full access by aid agencies," HRW said in a statement. "Seizing property from civilians is already unlawful, but taking their food and medical supplies is simply cruel," its deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, Joe Stork, said. HRW said the population of the city had dropped from about 600,000 to no more than 200,000 civilians after many fled the fighting, according to UN figures. Since at least September, the rights watchdog said, rebel guards at checkpoints have confiscated water, food, cooking gas and medical supplies that residents tried to carry into besieged areas. International relief agencies are also facing difficulties bringing in food and medicine, HRW said. Doctors Without Borders said it delivered essential medical supplies to hospitals in the city in early January, in the first such "significant" shipment since August. That came several days after a Saudi charity said that aircraft of the Saudi-led coalition that is fighting the rebels had dropped 40 tonnes of medical equipment and food to Taez. The coalition has since March conducted air and ground operations in Yemen to support local forces against the rebels and their allies. More than 5,800 people have been killed in Yemen since March, about half of them civilians, according to the U.N.

50 Feared Killed in Boko Haram Attack in Nigeria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Around 50 people were feared killed when Boko Haram fighters armed with guns and explosives attacked a village in northeastern Nigeria, the army and local residents said Sunday. Suicide bombers also carried out deadly attacks on Sunday in the Lake Chad region, an area frequently targeted by Boko Haram, a local security official said. Nigeria's army said Boko Haram fighters struck Dalori, some 12 kilometers (seven miles) from the northern city of Maiduguri late Saturday, burning down the village and sending residents fleeing into the bush. Dalori is located near camps set up for people displaced by the seven-year Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast of Africa's most populous country. "During the incident lives were lost while some people sustained injuries," army spokesman Colonel Mustapha Anka said in a statement. Residents and an aid worker said at least 50 people were killed in the assault which took place after evening prayers in the mostly Muslim region. Anka said the assailants also tried to penetrate the Dalori camp, but they were repelled by the troops. Boko Haram has kept up a wave of attacks despite President Muhammadu Buhari declaring late last year that Nigeria had "technically" won the war against the group. In the Lake Chad region, which borders Nigeria as well as Chad, Cameroon and Niger, suicide bombers struck two Chadian villages killing three people, a local security official said. In the first attack in Guie, a bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up, killing one person and injuring 32, while the second attack in the village of Miterine left two dead and 24 wounded, the official said. Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon have formed a coalition along with Benin to fight Boko Haram and have marshaled a force of 8,700 soldiers, police and civilians. In retaliation, Boko Haram has launched cross-border attacks from northern Nigeria on the neighboring countries.
Entire village razed
In Nigeria, local residents told AFP they fled into the bush when the Boko Haram fighters descended on Dalori. "We were seated outside our home shortly after the Isha prayer when we heard gunshots and within a few minutes the invaders had arrived," Malam Masa Dalori, a community leader, told AFP. "They came in Golf saloon cars and began to shoot sporadically. Many people ran to the bush including myself," he said. "When we came back in the morning the entire community has been razed. At least 50 people were also killed, many others injured," he said. Mallam Hassan, another villager, gave a similar account. "I lost an uncle in the attack. But I thank God I escaped with my children," he said. An aid worker who did not want to be named, said the bodies of the victims had been evacuated to the hospital. "I think they should be more that 50, while several others were injured," he said. Boko Haram fighters have made several attempts to retake Maiduguri -- the birthplace of the jihadist movement -- since they were pushed out three years ago. The group which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria has killed some 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009.

Over 10,000 Migrant Children Missing in Europe
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Over 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children have disappeared in Europe, the EU police agency Europol said on Sunday, adding that it fears many have been whisked away into sex trafficking rings. Europol's press office confirmed to AFP the figures published in British newspaper The Observer. The agency's chief of staff Brian Donald told the newspaper that the figures are for children who disappeared from the system after registering with state authorities following their arrival in Europe. "It’s not unreasonable to say that we’re looking at 10,000-plus children," Donald said, adding that 5,000 had disappeared in Italy alone. "Not all of them will be criminally exploited; some might have been passed on to family members. We just don’t know where they are, what they’re doing or whom they are with."Over one million migrants and refugees, many fleeing the conflict in Syria, crossed into Europe last year. Europol estimates that 27 percent of them are children, the Observer said. "Whether they are registered or not, we’re talking about 270,000 children," Donald told the paper. "Not all of those are unaccompanied, but we also have evidence that a large proportion might be,” he said, adding that the 10,000 is likely to be a conservative estimate.

63 Dead, Dozens Hurt in IS Bombings near Damascus Shiite Shrine
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Bombings claimed by the Islamic State group killed at least 63 people and wounded dozens on Sunday near a revered Shiite shrine outside the Syrian capital Damascus. The blasts, which came as the U.N.'s Syria envoy struggled to convene fresh peace talks in Geneva, tore a massive crater in the road, overturning and mangling cars and a bus and shattering windows. Syrian state media said more than 50 people had been killed in three blasts near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, with some 100 people wounded. Official news agency SANA said the first blast was caused by a car bomb that detonated at a bus station near the shrine.It said two suicide bombers then set off their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene. An AFP photographer said the explosions damaged the facade of a nearby building, scorching all of its six floors. Sayyida Zeinab, south of Damascus, contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has continued to attract pilgrims from Syria and beyond, particularly Shiites from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, throughout the nearly five-year war. Sunni Muslim extremist groups such as IS consider Shiites to be heretics and have frequently targeted them in attacks. In the aftermath of Sunday morning's attack, smoke rose from the twisted carcasses of more than a dozen cars and a bus, as ambulances ferried away the wounded and firefighters worked to put out blazes.
In a statement circulated on social media, IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying two of its members had detonated suicide bombs. "Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120," it said.
The area around the shrine has been targeted in previous bomb attacks, including in February 2015 when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint. Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by al-Qaida affiliate al-Nusra Front. The area around the shrine is heavily secured with regime checkpoints set up hundreds of meters away to prevent vehicles from getting close. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, members of Lebanon's Hizbullah are among those deployed at the checkpoints. Hizbullah is a staunch ally of Syria's President Bashar Assad and has dispatched fighters to bolster his troops against the uprising that began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. Early on, the group justified its intervention in Syria by citing the threat to Sayyida Zeinab.
The Britain-based Observatory said 63 people were killed in Sunday's blasts, among them 29 civilians, including five children. It also said 25 non-Syrian Shiite militants were among the dead, without specifying their nationalities. More than 260,000 people have been killed in Syria's conflict, which has also displaced upwards of half the country's population internally and abroad. It has evolved into a complex, multi-front war involving rebels, jihadists, regime and allied forces, Kurds and air strikes by both government ally Russia and a U.S.-led coalition battling against IS.

Cameron Meets EU President for Crunch Brexit Talks
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Prime Minister David Cameron was to meet EU president Donald Tusk at Downing Street on Sunday as negotiations reach a decisive point ahead of a referendum on whether Britain should leave the bloc. The working dinner comes with Tusk expected to publish draft proposals early this week on how to reform Britain's relationship with the EU, which Cameron can then use to campaign against a so-called "Brexit". British officials hope that a final deal can be nailed down at a Brussels summit being held on February 18 and 19. That could then open the door to a referendum in June. But Cameron insists he is willing to hold out for as long as it takes to secure the right package of reforms, if necessary delaying the referendum until September or even next year. Opinion polls currently suggest that Britons would vote to leave the EU by a small margin. Tusk's visit comes after Cameron held a hastily-arranged meeting with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday to try to resolve the British leader's main concern -- reducing the number of EU migrants coming to Britain. Tusk arrived in London on Sunday afternoon accompanied by his full negotiation team, an EU source told AFP. "I don't expect Tusk to offer future treaty change on free movement" of people, the source said.
'Thin gruel'
Cameron wants to be able to use an "emergency brake" to curb the amount of benefits payments which migrants can claim. "The Prime Minister will tell Tusk tonight that an emergency brake on in-work benefits would have to apply immediately," said a senior British government source. "What form an emergency brake takes is set to be the main issue at tonight's dinner. "The Prime Minister intends to leave Tusk in no doubt that he will not do a deal at any price," added the source. Cameron emerged from the talks with Juncker saying that, while there had been "progress", the proposal on the table was "not good enough." He will add that the current "emergency brake" proposal does not go far enough and that it should only be a stop gap to a more permanent mechanism. Cameron has set out four areas in which he wants reform -- migrant benefits, safeguards against more political integration in the EU, protection of countries such as Britain which do not use the euro currency and boosting economic competitiveness.The main sticking point has been Cameron's insistence that EU migrants employed in Britain must wait four years before claiming certain welfare payments, which could require a treaty change. Cameron is under increasing pressure from his own center-right Conservative party, which has a strong euroskeptic contingent, to come back with a robust deal. The right-wing Daily Telegraph newspaper called what was currently on offer "pretty thin gruel" in an editorial Saturday. "If Europe does not give more ground, then Mr Cameron will be taking back a deal to Britain that some may judge is full of empty gestures, jeopardizing the pro-EU campaign," it added.

De Mistura 'Optimistic' after Meeting Opposition in Geneva as Damascus Says HNC 'Not Serious'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 31/16/Syrian peace talks ran into trouble Sunday with the government delegation denouncing opposition negotiators as "not serious" as Washington urged both sides to seize the moment to end five years of bloodshed. But despite the standoff in Geneva, where key players have gathered for indirect talks to end the nearly five-year war, the United Nations' chief Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura insisted he remained "optimistic and determined." The talks began in Switzerland on January 29 although the main umbrella opposition group, the Higher Negotiations Committee (HNC), only showed up on Saturday night when it outlined a host of conditions before it would agree to join the so-called proximity talks. Among its demands are that humanitarian aid be allowed to reach besieged towns, a halt to the bombing of civilians and the release of hundreds of prisoners. "We only came to Geneva after written commitments on the fact that there would be serious progress on the humanitarian issues," HNC spokeswoman Basma Kodmani told reporters as the delegation held informal talks with de Mistura on Sunday. "We are here for political negotiations but we cannot start those until we have those gestures." But U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged both sides to play a full role in the talks, while accusing Bashar Assad's forces of starving civilians. "In light of what is at stake in these talks, I appeal to both sides to make the most of this moment," he said, in an online statement broadcast from Washington. While the top U.S. diplomat aimed his remarks at both sides, his message was clearly aimed at the opposition, which has threatened to leave Geneva even before talks start if Assad's regime does not halt its "crimes." Kerry urged the opposition to drop their preconditions, but also had hard words for their foes, accusing Assad's forces of deliberately starving the beleaguered cities in a reference to news of another 16 deaths from starvation in the besieged city of Madaya. Speaking earlier on Sunday, Damascus's chief negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari denounced the opposition as "not serious."
"We do not know who is the other side. They don't even have a final list," he told a packed news conference. "Those who set pre-conditions are violating the preparatory agreement from the U.N.," he said, insisting that his government -- which has made gains on the ground since Russia began air strikes in September -- "wants to put an end to the bloodshed."
More starvation deaths
Highlighting the dire humanitarian situation, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Saturday said 16 more people had starved to death in Madaya, one of more than a dozen towns under blockade by regime or rebel forces. The latest deaths brought to 46 the total number of people who have died of starvation since December, with MSF warning dozens more were at risk in the town where many have reportedly been surviving on boiled grass. They are among more than 4.5 million people with "immense humanitarian needs" who are living in areas extremely hard to access because of fighting, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said.
'Siege soup'
The Geneva talks are scheduled to continue for six months, and on Friday demonstrators gathered in the city to highlight the plight of ordinary Syrians with a "siege soup" of grass and leaves. More than quarter of a million people have been killed since the conflict began in 2011, with the bloodshed drawing in a wide range of actors from Turkey, Iran and the Gulf states to Western nations and Russia. The chaos in Syria has allowed IS militants to overrun swathes of the country and also in neighboring Iraq, giving it a launchpad for a series of deadly attacks across the globe including the Paris massacres on November 13 which left 130 dead. Half of Syria's population have fled their homes, forcing millions to seek refuge in neighboring countries and also in Europe, where the influx has sparked a major political and social crisis. The Syrian peace talks, should the all the parties agree to engage, are part of an ambitious roadmap agreed by top diplomats in Vienna last year, that envisages negotiations followed by a transitional government, a new constitution and elections within 18 months. But it leaves the question of Assad's future unresolved. Another thorny issue is which rebel groups will be involved in the talks, although all sides agree on the exclusion of extremists from IS and al-Nusra Front, which is allied to al-Qaida. The powerful Army of Islam rebel group is part of HNC's delegation to Geneva, but chief negotiator and Army of Islam member Mohammed Alloush has yet to arrive, an HNC spokesman said.

Mideast Christian Suffering, U.S. Denial
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/January 31/16
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/7325/mideast-christian-suffering
Escaped eyewitnesses have reported that ISIS places Iraqi and Syrian Christians in cages or coffins and sets them on fire.
ISIS persecution of Christians "fits the definition of ethnic cleansing." — Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial.
When a 1,400-year-old Iraqi Christian monastery was destroyed by the Islamic State (ISIS) most of the world condemned the demolition -- except for spokesman for the U.S. military's Operation Inherent Resolve, Col. Steve Warren.
"Thousands [of Iraqi Christians] have been killed, hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee," said CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an interview with Col. Warren the other week. "There is legitimate fear -- you're there in Baghdad -- that the long history of Christians living peacefully, productively in Iraq, is coming to an end. How worried should we be about the Christian community in Iraq?"
Col. Warren's response: "Wolf, ISIL doesn't care if you're a Christian ... We've seen no specific evidence of a specific targeting towards Christians."
Except that roughly two-thirds of Iraq's 1.5 million Christian citizens have been killed or forced to flee the country by ISIS and its jihadi predecessors over the past decade. This has nothing to do with their religious identity?
In Iraq and everywhere else it has conquered, ISIS has, at a minimum, rigorously enforced on pain of death Islam's dhimmi laws, which require Christians to pay extortion money (jizya) for "protection," and agree to live by a set of degrading rules.
Often, ISIS fighters skip these formalities and simply torture to death Christians who refuse to convert to Islam. ISIS then releases the footage online for propaganda purposes. Most notable are two videotaped mass executions of 21 Egyptians and 30 Ethiopians in Libya last spring, but there have been many lesser-known instances. When, in 2014, a group of Iraqi Christian children refused to renounce Christ and said, "No, we love Jesus," ISIS decapitated [them] and mangled their bodies.
Also, last summer in Aleppo, Syria, ISIS tortured, mutilated, publicly raped, beheaded and crucified 12 Christians for refusing to convert. Escaped eyewitnesses have reported that ISIS places Iraqi and Syrian Christians in cages or coffins and sets them on fire.
ISIS kidnaps Christians and demands ransom payments for their release. It forces female captives into sexual slavery. A 12-year-old girl, raped by an Islamic State fighter, was told that "what he was about to do was not a sin" because she "practiced a religion other than Islam."
ISIS has sent operatives disguised as refugees into U.N. refugee camps in Jordan to kidnap young Christian girls to sell or use as slaves.
The Islamic State seems committed to expunging all physical traces of Christianity in areas it conquers. It has demolished dozens of ancient churches -- up to 400 churches have been destroyed during the war in Syria alone -- not to mention countless crucifixes, statues, graves, and other relics. The Islamic State has ordered the University of Mosul to burn all books written by Christians, and decreed that the names be changed of all Christian schools in Mosul and the Nineveh Plain. Some schools have been there since the 1700s.
ISIS's destruction of a 1,400-year-old monastery is nothing new. Last summer, ISIS set fire to a 1,800 year-old church in Mosul and bulldozed a 1,600-year-old monastery in Homs as a response to "worshipping a God other than Allah."
The Syriac Orthodox Church of St. Ephrem in Mosul, Iraq, before if the captured by the Islamic State (left), and after.
In short, Christians are absolutely experiencing "specific targeting" by the Islamic State. ISIS also kills Muslims who get in its way, but only non-Muslims -- chief among them Christians -- are enslaved, raped, and sometimes forced to convert to Islam on pain of death. Although Islamic law, or Sharia, legitimizes the killing, enslavement, and rape of non-Muslims, it prohibits treating fellow Muslims that way, unless they are deemed takfir [excommunicated] or apostates.
Few informed observers dispute that the Iraqi Christian community is severely threatened by ISIS. According to the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial, ISIS persecution of Christians "fits the definition of ethnic cleansing." David Saperstein, the United States ambassador at large for religious freedom, also acknowledges that it is "primarily Christians" being persecuted for their faith in Iraq.
For the official spokesman of the U.S. military's fight against ISIS to make such remark is deeply disconcerting. But what if Col. Warren is not to blame -- what if he is just a military man doing his best to comply with demands from politicians up at the top not to acknowledge the suffering of Middle East Christians?
**Raymond Ibrahim, author of Crucified Again: Exposing Islam's New War on Christians (a Gatestone publication published by Regnery, 2013), is Shillman fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and Judith Friedman Rosen fellow at the Middle East Forum.
© 2016 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. 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.

Will Democracies Combat Terror?
Jagdish N. Singh/ Gatestone Institute/January 31/16
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/7308/democracies-combat-terror
Many extremist Islamic groups are still shielded by states such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran. These countries have so far not severed their links, overt or covert, with these outfits.
The United States and other members of the free world need to take corrective measures not only against terrorist groups but also against the states that sponsor them.
Washington, in its relationship with Tehran and Islamabad, among others, is on the wrong track. Its approach towards a rogue Iran is not likely to "bring it in from the cold," but to embolden it even further in its various terror activities the world over.
Sadly, major world powers, including the United Nations, have not appeared serious about fighting terrorism or the Islamic State (ISIS, IS) or similar terrorist groups.
UN Security Council Resolution 2170 (August 15, 2014) called on member-states to take "national measures to prevent fighters from traveling from their soil to join the IS and deny it any arms or financial support. The resolution also "expressed readiness to consider putting on the sanctions list those who facilitated the recruitment and travel of foreign fighters."
The continued growth of the Islamic State, however, shows that the UN's member states have done little to fight it. According to an intelligence estimate more than 20,000 fighters have arrived in Syria and Iraq to fight for the IS. Of these, about a quarter hail from North America, Australia and Europe. Clearly, such a movement of IS fighters would not have been possible if the member states had been conscientious about implementing the UN resolution.
Sadly, the conduct of the UN Security Council does not seem any different today. Of late, four of the five permanent members of the Security Council -- the United States, France, Russia and Britain -- have been bombing IS locations, but the major powers seem to have divergent objectives in their war on ISIS.
Washington's policy in the Middle East has been among the major reasons for the rise of the Islamic State. But today it is not clear what the United States wants, except for the next president to clean up the mess being made by this one.
Beijing, for its part, continues to back Syrian President Bashar Assad. In the past, China extended support to the Assad regime: even in the midst of allegations of chemical weapons attacks and slaughtering tens of thousands of civilians, China, together with Russia, repeatedly blocked sanctions attempts against the Syrian regime. Russia, one of Syria's biggest arms suppliers, seems to have as a key goal blocking American efforts to shape the region. China appears more concerned with its financial ties with Syria.
Today, the presidents of Russia and Syria "have bound themselves together in an alliance that reflects not only the urgent priority of salvaging the crumbling central government in Syria, but also each man's eroded standing on the international stage." And possibly at home. If you are a dictator and feel your popularity slipping, it might seem better to start a war.
The main fight against the Islamic State probably needs to be waged with "boots on the ground." Saudi Arabia and its allies do not seem to be serious about targeting the Islamic State. The Saudis seem opposed to IS only to the extent that it has been a threat to them in their internal struggle for power. The Saudis would probably prefer IS to be "part of the Sunni forces that are fighting Shia forces in this regional sectarian conflict."
The Sunni states seem to perceive themselves to be "in an existential battle" with both the Iranian and Syrian regimes. Syrian rebel groups do not appear either united or strong enough to resist. In the recent past, some have chosen to flee, leaving behind whatever arms and ammunition they had been provided with to fight IS.
Turkey has also allegedly been complicit with IS in facilitating its trade in oil. Turkey has "failed to seal its border, thereby facilitating ISIS oil exports" and "profit[ing] at stages of the supply chain." The Kurds have fought hard against IS on the ground. But Turkey has been bombing the Kurdish rebels on its Syrian border.
One wonders why India is downplaying the threat that the Islamic State currently poses. Recently, India's Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, said at a ceremony in Lucknow, India, "Presently the world confronts the challenge of ISIS, but in India there is no threat from it. Because the high values of life refrain our youths from joining this organization."
Given the ideology, agenda and notorious terrorism of the Islamic State, it is a threat to all of modern civilization, including India. According to a report supposedly based on the information from India's intelligence agencies, more than 150 Indian youths may already have been influenced by the Islamic State's ideology. About two dozen Indians are now fighting in Syria, and many more have been intercepted trying to reach IS-held territory.
Given recent reported activities, such as the appearance of IS flags in India's troubled province of Jammu and Kashmir, the actual number of the Islamic State's supporters may be far greater than current official estimates. New Delhi would do well to take steps to prevent the spread of ISIS before it arrives in full force. India needs to strengthen its own internal intelligence and security mechanisms, and also see to it that no Indian citizen who goes abroad to fight for the Islamic State is allowed back in. India has already banned the Islamic State under its Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Now New Delhi needs to implement that Act.
In 2014, this photo of Muslim ISIS supporters in India's Tamil Nadu state went viral on Twitter.
The nations of the free world might benefit by coming together and fighting the war against the Islamic State and similar terrorist groups wholeheartedly. Otherwise, even if IS is taken down, other extremist Muslim groups will rise up to take its place. Will democratic countries realize that in this war against the Islamic State, it is preserving values of individual liberty that is at stake?
Other dangerous, "asymmetric," Islamist threats that need addressing include Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Nusra Front, Islamic Jihad and the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East; Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram and like-minded groups in Africa; and the Tablighi Jamaat, Ahle Hadith, Jamaat-e-Islami and allied terror outfits in Pakistan. The ultimate objective of these groups has been effectively the same as that of the Islamic State -- the destruction of modern pluralistic civilization and its replacement by an extremist Muslim entity. Some groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, seem to have as their goal, as recommended by Hassan al Banna, of infiltrating the West. Through infiltration, they often attract a following that is even greater and a penetration in the West even more successful than IS.
Many extremist Islamic groups are still shielded by states such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran. These countries have so far not severed their links, overt or covert, with these outfits. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force has been behind terror militias such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Houthis in Yemen and others.
Unfortunately, the West -- especially the U.S. and Europe -- is cultivating Iran. The U.S. has led the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) into a surrender to Iran's nuclear weapons program. They are even rewarding Iran's repeated violations of its commitments not to build nuclear weapons under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by handing Iran up to $150 billion.
The United States and other countries of the free world urgently need to take corrective measures not only against terrorist groups but also against the states that sponsor them.
Washington, in its relationship with Tehran and Islamabad, among others, is on the wrong track. Its approach towards a rogue Iran is not likely to "bring it in from the cold," but to embolden it even further in its various terror activities the world over.
As for Pakistan, Washington might at least try to use whatever influence it has to see how the top brass in the Islamabad establishment could rein in those elements within the Pakistani Army and military-operated Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) who seem to have been aligned with the radical Islamist groups and terror outfits in the country.
Reining in Pakistan-based Islamist schools and their India-specific terror groups would be very much in the world's best interest. The Pakistani terror outfits are hostile not only India but to the United States and its close allies as well: Pakistan's ISI chief at the time, General Mahmoud Ahmed, wired $100,000 to the lead 9/11 hijacker Mohammed Atta.
When will Washington and the world's democracies start to grasp that to win any victory over terrorism today, the threat by radical Islamists of all stripes -- including Wahhabi-Salafism, Khomeinism, al-Qaeda, and the Islamic State -- has to be combated. These groups may superficially clash with each other but they all share a common ideology and goal: to roll back modern civilization and its shared values. The expansion of any of these proponents of radical Islam is detrimental to humanity.
**Jagdish N. Singh is a senior Indian journalist based in New Delhi.
© 2016 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. 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.

ISIS supporters in the delivery room!
Turki Al-Dakhil/Al Arabiya/January 31/16
We should be thankful that the Friday’s terrorist attack on Imam Rida mosque – located in the Mahasen neighborhood of al-Ahsa region in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia – failed to achieve what it was intended for. If the attack had gone according to plan, the loss of lives and damages would have been far worse. The Board of Senior Ulema condemned the attack and said that remaining silent in the wake of such heinous crimes is not an option. The late King Abdullah once said: “He who remains silent over these (terrorist) people’s acts is one of them.” Some of those who remain silent are in fact supporters of ISIS and are waiting to be born. ISIS is trying to incite strife between Shiites and Sunnis in Saudi Arabia. ISIS wants to force Shiites in Saudi Arabia away from their homeland by targeting them and pushing them to join certain elements outside of the country. However, it will not succeed at doing so. It will not succeed because the Saudi Arabia will defend its land by standing against the enemy and its organizations. In 2001, the al-Qaeda strategy was to exploit Saudis and use them for marginal roles in the Sept. 11 terror attacks with the aim of harming Saudi-American relations.
Creating the divide
Today, the ISIS is doing the same by trying to incite strife between Shiite and Sunni Saudis. They are trying to create rift between Shiites and the Saudi state. When Juhayman al-Otaybi’s group stormed the Grand Mosque in 1979, Islamic scholar Mohammad Nasiruddin al-Albani condemned the attack against worshippers. “This is a crime even if carried out in the desert, let alone in the house of God.”In the year 1994, Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, the intellectual godfather of al-Qaeda, authorized for terror groups to target mosques and worshipers. In other words, they have targeted everything Islam seeks to protect, the self, faith, dignity, intelligence and resources. What caliphate do they speak of? Which doctrine do they defend? “May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?”

Syria talks are a failure, but attending is important
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/January 31/16
The Syrian opposition delegation, which arrived in Geneva to join U.N.-mediated peace talks, seems to be solid despite the losses inflicted on it due to recent Russian shelling and which most recently led to the loss of the Sheikh Miskeen town to the regime forces. The delegation consists of 17 opposition figures and is headed by Riad Hijab who is respected by most factions. Hijab was appointed by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as prime minister in June 2012, after chaos had erupted. However, he defected three months later to Jordan with the help of the opposition Free Syrian Army. During the past three years, he has chosen to work politically with opposition forces without getting involved in their disputes. This is why his name was agreed upon as head of the delegation of opposition factions and forces. By attending the negotiations, the opposition will have made the first step in a long process in Geneva - a process which the U.N. estimates will require six months to finalize given its major points are clear but details aren’t. Initial estimates predicted the opposition’s failure to reach an agreement over its delegation. However, the agreement was indeed reached and Hijab was chosen to head its delegation.
Geneva talks and the U.N. cannot impose what the Syrian majority rejects. The preliminary requirements imposed on it, which also appear reasonable, has indeed been met. The delegation’s policy is not to give an opportunity to the Syrian regime and its allies, Iran and Russia, to sit with the international community represented by the U.N. and its envoy Staffan de Mistura. The opposition is aware that six months are enough to examine political intents and plans and in the end they can reject these negotiations and resume besieging the Syrian regime.
Meeting demands? Are major and urgent demands, such as ceasefire, possible to achieve? It will be easy for the opposition to accept such demands if it is allowed to manage the areas it controls. The opposition will also not be responsible for the activities taking place in zones controlled by terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Nusra Front. Can negotiators impose the same conditions on the Assad regime, the Iranians and the Russians and have them stop military operations? This is the challenge confronting the U.N. team and sponsoring countries. Reports of Russian air force shelling refugee camps north of Latakia yesterday and the destruction of refugees’ tents forcing thousands to flee across the border point to the nature of the challenge they face.
Russia, Iran and Hezbollah’s operations targeting the Syrian people must be protested and they must be a priority at the Geneva talks. Russians and Iranians must not view these negotiations as a chance to resume ethnic cleansing and to pursue military progress on ground. Amid agreeing on truce and opening passages, limiting conflict zones, agreeing on exchange of prisoners and delivering aid, some time will indeed pass before the future of governance in Syria is discussed. This is, in fact, the reason behind the war and the objective behind holding the Geneva conference. Truth be told, no one is optimistic that the Geneva conference will finalize the dispute as this is a political conference which has different and undeclared aims. The U.S. administration wants to spend the rest of this year performing diplomatic activity so it is not accused of carelessness while dealing with the most dangerous conflict which affects peace in the world today. Meanwhile, all what the Europeans care about is curbing the influx of refugees who are heading towards their countries. As for the Russians, they think they can impose a political solution that forces the opposition to surrender to Assad’s governance while granting it (the opposition) marginal seats in a symbolic government. So why is the opposition taking part in these talks? First of all, it will not lose anything by attending it. If the opposition stays away from talks, it will somehow restore international legitimacy to the Assad regime. So it is attending to challenge the Syrian regime. The previous Geneva conference was held almost two years ago. On that occasion, the Assad regime said it will eliminate the opposition within a year. However, it failed to do so despite help from Iranians and then the Russians. Therefore the Geneva talks and the U.N. cannot impose what the Syrian majority rejects. The war which is consuming Iran and Russia’s capabilities will go on while the Syrian regime will not recover regardless of how hard its allies support it because it has become paralyzed after losing most of its military and security forces.

Western powers shamefully kowtow to Iran
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor/Al Arabiya/January 31/16
Iran’s treasury is overflowing. President Hassan Rowhani, touring European capitals on a shopping spree, is being treated like royalty. Italy was so keen not to offend the sensitivities of their guest that white panels were placed around ancient statues in a museum and was rewarded for its hospitality with deals totalling over $18 billion. French government welcomed Rowhani promising a new beginning in relations prior to the mutual signing of 20 lucrative agreements worth billions. They say money talks. This time it is shouting out loud, trumping Europe’s so-called values and its tried and trusted friends. Forgotten is Iran’s shocking human rights record along with its proxies, aggression towards Saudi Arabia and Gulf states; concerns regarding its partnership with the Syrian regime conveniently shelved. Ignored are the Ayatollah Khamenei’s chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”. Glossed over are its repression of the Iranian people and its relegation of minorities, such as the Ahwazi Arabs, to third class citizen status. It was left to ordinary citizens who took to the streets of Paris and Rome as well as children in the bombed-out Syrian city of Aleppo to vent their anger at Rowhani’s grand European tour. “Ask Iran to stop killing us in our country” read the children’s posters. But Italy and France had more important priorities. This was not the moment for finger-wagging in their view when the Iranian President was poised to sign on a whole host of dollar illuminated dotted lines.
Parallel universe
It is as if we have woken up to find ourselves in a parallel universe where everything we hold dear has been reversed. Iran signed up to abandoning a nuclear weapons program it had binned in 2009 according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, and is promptly welcomed into the international community fold like a long lost favorite son flush with a bonanza of up to $100 billion and the opening of doors to oil, gas and trade deals. As if the sight of European heads of state curry favoring the representative of a country considered enemy state few months ago is not humiliating enough, the United States is accepting Iran’s retorts with a virtual “Thank you, Sir!” Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have robbed the American people of their pride. First we hear that Iran detained 10 U.S. naval personnel whose vessel “accidentally” strayed into Iranian waters. They were made to kneel with their hands behind their heads on the deck of their own ship before being paraded on Iranian State TV to offer apologies. Quite a propaganda coup for Iranian authorities and the hordes of anti-Western hard liners! And even as Iran was milking their captives’ humiliation for all its worth, the White House assured Americans thus: “We do not see this as hostile intent. They have been well treated.”
And now we read the headlines. “Iran warned U.S. warship to leave waters near the Strait of Hormuz” is followed by a report beginning, “Iran navy warned a U.S. warship on Wednesday to leave waters in the Sea of Oman near an area where the Islamic Republic was performing military drills.” The U.S. vessel beat a hasty retreat even though it was in international waters and was later accused by Iran’s fleet commander of spying on Iran’s activities. The question now for Saudi Arabia and Gulf states, which have been assured by President Barack Obama that their security is paramount, is how can the U.S. cooperate with us against Iranian designs when its own navy appears all at sea and its Commander-in-Chief hails the new détente and makes excuses for Iran’s behavior? How much pride is the most powerful country, with the strongest military on earth, willing to swallow and why is Obama doing his utmost to keep the ayatollahs pleased? It is hard to believe that the U.S. that has always flexed its muscles to save a single American citizen is now making prisoner swap deals to release seven dual nationals.
A top Iranian commander reportedly disclosed that an amount of $1.7 billion was paid in exchange for their freedom. The State Department issued a statement to the effect the amount was paid in relation to a pre-1979 case related to a sale of military equipment plus $1.3 billion in negotiated interest. That is a pretext to cover America’s long-held policy of not paying rogue states or terrorists to avoid encouraging further trouble. But when the payment was purportedly due in the 1970s, only a simpleton would forget to ask “why now?” It is little wonder Rowhani’s smile is wide these days when billions are pouring in courtesy of the Obama administration that initiated the sanctions-lifting and the unfreezing of Iranian assets, a hefty portion of which will be spent on bolstering Iran’s military capability and militias on Arab lands. Iran’s policies towards the West and its meddling in the affairs of Arab states remain unchanged. Its leaders’ rhetoric may have softened temporarily as they are desperate to revitalize their country’s aviation industry with new airplanes and spare parts, not to mention securing buyers for its oil and other commodities. They must be chuckling seeing the haste with which major European states are racing to re-open their embassies in Tehran while showering the Iranians with praise and invitations for state visits.
The upper hand
Let us face it, Iran has gained the upper hand merely because it has agreed to more intrusive IAEA monitoring for a 10-year period and has put a percentage of its centrifuges to bed. Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have robbed the American people of their pride. They have diminished the international standing of their great nation that not so long ago inspired respect and instilled fear in the hearts of its enemies. Obama has been widely accused of leading from behind on foreign policy. Not so today! He is the one who is being led and if GCC member states fail to recognize how the Obama administration is wittingly or unwittingly altering the regional order, I am afraid we may be being led toward disaster. It seems an age ago since the Muslim world was excited hearing Obama’s promises made during a visit to Cairo University in 2009. He called for a new beginning between the United States and Muslims. He pledged to give Iraq to the Iraqis whereas it is a de facto province of Iran. He pledged to pursue a Palestinian state with patience and dedication, which has now been scrubbed off his “to-do” list. He later stepped back from rescuing the Syrian people and played his part in toppling of Muammar Qaddafi before abandoning that country to armed militias and terrorists. He is now complicit in furthering Iran’s territorial and ideological ambitions. I can only respectfully ask GCC heads of states to take a long hard look at the big picture and take decisions accordingly. If America continues to bend to Tehran’s diktats perhaps it is time to re-evaluate our relationship with Washington. A friend who plays both sides is no friend at all.

Stop the Assad killing machine before Syria talks
Brooklyn Middleton/Al Arabiya/January 31/16
The key demand made by the High Negotiations Committee of the Syrian Opposition (HNC) ahead of peace talks in Geneva is at once utterly basic and deeply important: Stop killing our people before we even think about sitting down with you. The opposition’s demands are predicated on forcing Bashar al-Assad’s barbaric regime to uphold already passed UNSC resolutions and begin respecting fundamental humanitarian principles. While deadly starvation remains rampant and civilian safe zones are non-existent, prioritizing the halting of bloodshed is pivotal in the immediate term. As I have written previously, the notion that there can be agreements made over the most complex issues of the conflict, while war crimes remain ongoing, is not rooted in reality. Meanwhile, the United States should fully and publicly back the opposition’s demands. If the Assad regime fails to indicate it is finally serious about halting the war crimes it carries out and allows Russia to execute on its behalf, HNC’s pulling out of talks is justifiable. Continued negotiations and paper victories abroad - that have no impact on the ground in Syria – serve only the regime and its backers.
Reports indicate the HNC has demanded that the Assad regime stops targeting civilians, lift all sieges and release several thousand women and children being held as prisoners. In an interview with the Guardian, opposition adviser Farah Atassi noted that women with newborn babies are the detainees’ whose release they are prioritizing first. “Then we will move to the next list,” she said. No reports of progress on that demand were immediately made public. The second demand regarding the lifting of sieges in opposition-held areas should be non-negotiable. According to Doctors without Borders (MSF), at least 16 more people have been starved to death in Madaya since humanitarian aid was finally transferred to the town on Jan. 11, after months of being choked off by the regime.
Human cost
MSF cited the fact that “the Syrian government-led coalition blocks life-saving medical supplies” as one of the reasons the death toll continues to rise. The final demand regarding the halting of attacks on civilians is one that should finally be addressed in a meaningful manner. The rise of nefarious militant groups, including ISIS, has often distracted attention from Assad’s own barbarity. Nonetheless, the regime has killed far more than ISIS and with total impunity. The international community cannot wait another day to address Assad’s crimes and it should fully back this HNC demand, which is simply a request to uphold international law. Parties must demonstrate they will begin to uphold the agreements they have already entered into – including resolution 2,254 – which was implemented in December 2015 and then violated continuously ever since. The United States must support the opposition’s demands publicly and emphatically. The HNC’s unwillingness to negotiate with representatives of a criminal regime until their people see a shift on the ground is the natural response to years of Assad’s butchery. No party can sincerely assess any long term solution can be facilitated until the outlined demands are met. The US must acknowledge this. If the opposition proves successful at pressuring the regime to respond to its demands, it will mark a major victory. If they do not, it will further underscore Assad’s total disregard for both the humanitarian crisis and for ending this bloody conflict.

Time to end the stigmatization of refugees
Yara al-Wazir/Al Arabiya/January 31/16
Europe is facing its biggest migrant crisis since the Second World War, yet sadly, it seems that little has changed. Denmark’s controversial law on refugees makes provision for confiscating non-essential items worth more than £1000, as long as they hold no sentimental value to their owners. The most obvious thing to confiscate is jewellery, which is reminiscent of the treatment of Jews by the Nazis. Refugees flee conflict zone for fear of life and naturally attempt to take every item they can fit into their bags before setting off on their journeys, either by sea, land, or air. If a refugee has a large amount of cash on them, or some jewellery, it doesn’t mean that they are wealthy; it means that they are desperate. When the issue of refugees is outsourced to private firms it is inevitable that the refugees will be treated like a commodity
Ultimately, the cash that a refugee holds would have been spent in the host country, and the jewellery a refugee possesses would have probably been eventually sold to make some money on the side. Both of these actions would have contributed to the host economy. So what exactly is Denmark trying to achieve by confiscating the possessions of refugees when they are most vulnerable, at the time of arrival?
Breach of family law
As well as confiscation of possessions is concerned, the law amends the waiting time for a refugee family to join them from one to three years. In itself, this can be seen as a breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to family life without state’s interference. With the addition of this clause to the new bill, Denmark may appear to be promoting human trafficking. In the current situation, many of those crossing the sea to Europe do so through an intricate web of people smugglers. Once in Denmark, they apply for their family to join them hoping that they will reach safely by flying in within a year of the application. Now that the waiting time has been tripled to three years, it is more likely that entire families will attempt to cross through a smuggling network.There is no logical reason for keeping families apart for such a long time. The only possibility over a three-year period is the family becoming the victim of conflict in their home country. Perhaps this is Denmark’s own way of keeping refugees out of the country.
Stigmatization
While Demark decided to take a step backwards and repeat history, the UK has realized that it was toying with history, taking very dangerous cues from it. In Middlesbrough, a small town in the North of England, the doors of asylum seekers had been painted red, making the houses easily identifiable and therefore susceptible to hate crimes. In Cardiff, a city in Wales, asylum seekers were made to wear red wristbands to ensure they received meals. While both of these policies have been dropped, the fundamental issue remains constant.
When the issue of refugees is outsourced by a government to private firms, it is inevitable that these private firms will treat refugees as if they are a commodity, a service, or a product, rather than as the human beings that they are. This leads to their stigmatization and a lack of respect for the issues they go through on a day-to-day basis. The first step toward addressing the refugee crisis is to see refugees as assets to the host economy, as human beings, and as contributors. No one willingly chooses to leave their home country at the risk of being treated like anything less than a human unless they are desperate – it’s about time the world realizes that fact.

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