LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
November 30/16
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
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Bible Quotations For Today
Follow me,
and I will make you fish for people
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 04/18-23/:"As he
walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter,
and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake for they were fishermen.
And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’
Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he
saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat
with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately
they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout
Let the one who boasts, boast
in the Lord
First Letter to the Corinthians 01/26-31/:"Consider your own call, not
many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were
of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;
God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low
and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things
that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source
of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the
one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’"
Titles For Latest
LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
November 29-30/16
Lebanese Cabinet debate grows as Lebanon speaker decries 'unjust'
treatment/The Daily Star/ November 29/16
Does Lebanon want to build a wall to separate refugees/Yara al-Wazir/Al
Arabiya/November 29/16
Iraq’s People’s Mobilization Units (PMU), Hezbollah and the Iranian
design/Diana Moukalled/Arab News/November 29/16
In praise of Professor Walid Phares/Yair Ravid/Jerusalem Post/November 29/16
Hezbollah to play lead role in new Syria regime force: report/Now
Lebanon/November 29/16
What would the fall of Aleppo mean/ Alex Rowell/Now Lebanon/November 29/16
Iran’s Project – Becoming a Big Naval Police Force/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq
Al Awsat/November 29/16
The ‘New World Dis-Order/Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/November 29/16
What About the Cultural Imbalance/Nonie Darwish/Gatestone Institute/November
29/16
France's Politician Dhimmis/Yves Mamou/Gatestone Institute/November 29/16
The Middle East and Donald Trump/Hussein Shobokshi/Al Arabiya/November 29/16
Legalizing Iraq’s Shiite mobilization forces/Mshari Al Thaydi/Al Arabiya/November
29/16
Will Fatah seal its transfer to non-violent resistance/Daoud Kuttab/Al
Arabiya/November 29/16
Advent: A Time To Reflect On Judgement And Hope/David Robertson/Today
Christian/28 November 2016
The Houris: Islam’s ‘Sexual Superwomen/Raymond Ibrahim/FrontPage
Magazine/November 29/16
Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on on
November 29-30/16
Lebanese Cabinet debate grows as Lebanon speaker decries 'unjust'
treatment
Berri: Forming a Cabinet Before the Holidays an 'Accomplishment'
Rahi visits French Holy Family School in Jounieh
Hariri Says Government Must Improve Employment Opportunities for the Youth
Hizbullah, Mustaqbal Call for 'Benefiting from Positive Atmosphere' to Form
Govt.
Report: Aspirations of Some to Get Veto Power Impeding Cabinet Formation
Mustaqbal Warns against Wasting Momentum of New Presidential Tenure
Hizbullah Minister Says 'Not Impossible' to Form 'Inclusive Govt.'
Geagea Says New Govt. Bickering a 'Veiled Attempt to Target LF-FPM Alliance'
Police Arrest Gang Tied to Car Thefts in Southern Beirut Suburb
Lebanon: Fears from Long Government Vacuum
Does Lebanon want to build a wall to separate refugees?
Iraq’s People’s Mobilization Units (PMU), Hezbollah and the Iranian design
In praise of Professor Walid Phares
Hezbollah to play lead role in new
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on on November 29-30/16
Brazil in Mourning as Plane Carrying Football Players Crashes in
Colombia
Plane carrying Brazil soccer team crashes in Colombia, 76 dead
Iranian vessel points weapon at U.S. helicopter: officials
U.N. Security Council to Hold Meeting on Aleppo Crisis
Syrian rebels battle Assad forces in Aleppo
Rebels’ hold on eastern Aleppo collapses as troops move in
Woman loses unborn baby in Aleppo bombing
Errors led to coalition strike on Syria forces: Pentagon
Iraqi forces liberate ISIS-held Nineveh Plain
Ali Khamenei criticizes Rowhani: We rushed in the nuclear deal
Dutch parliament votes to ban burqas, niqabs in some public places
A prominent Egyptian rights leader banned from travel
Trump: ‘Very impressed’ with Petraeus as he weighs top diplomat job
Gulf states denounce Houthis forming cabinet
1,400 saved in med as Italy sees record migrant arrivals
Safa Al Hashem: Kuwait’s lone women’s voice in parliament
Abbas Re-Elected Party Leader as Fatah Opens Rare Congress
Links From Jihad
Watch Site for on November 29-30/16
Islamic
State claims responsibility for Ohio State University jihad attack.
Catholic
Charities helped Ohio State University jihadi resettle in U.S.
German
left planning to disarm “right-wing extremists,” “Brexiteers,” Trump supporters.
OSU
jihadi one of 98,799 Somali Muslim refugees admitted to US since 9/11.
FBI
can’t confirm that hate letters sent to mosques actually came from outside
Muslim community.
Columbus
Somali Muslim leader on OSU jihad attack: “The timing is not good”.
Ohio
Muslim leaders: No “radicalization” in Columbus, worried about girls in hijabs
getting stared at.
NPR:
“Muslim Community Fears Backlash After Ohio State
Attack”.
Fox
News: Ohio State University jihad attacker’s “motive remains unclear”.
CNN’s
Alisyn Camerota: Americans should wear headscarves in solidarity with Muslims.
Robert
Spencer in FrontPage: Muslim Refugee Brings Jihad Terror to Ohio State.
UK: Islamic
State woman receives $163,868 in legal aid.
Germany:
Court determines “Sharia Patrol” is legal.
Why Mitt
Romney’s “establishment” position on Islam/Mideast should disqualify him from
Trump’s team.
Links From Christian Today Site for on
November 29-30/16
Signs
Of Hope: Ancient Relics Found In Monastery Destroyed By ISIS.
Fear
And Exhaustion In Aleppo As Brutal Siege Continues.
Does
Your Church Need To Think Differently About Mission?
Government
Ministers See Religion As 'Essentially A Problem' - Labour Faith Envoy.
By
God, we will break your cross': ISIS' Harrowing Vow To
Christians In Iraq.
Billy
Graham: Don't Celebrate Christmas Like A Secular Holiday.
This
Megachurch Is Offering To Pay Your Rent If You Turn Up On New Year's Day.
Scotland
Could Offer Free Abortions To Northern Irish Women.
'God
Be With Our Athletes': 76 Dead In Colombia Plane Crash.
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on November 29-30/16
Lebanese Cabinet debate
grows as Lebanon speaker decries 'unjust' treatment
The Daily Star/ November 29, 2016
BEIRUT: The deadlock over Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri's Cabinet
lineup continued Tuesday with Speaker Nabih Berri saying he refuses to be
treated unjustly.
Berri's visitors quoted him as saying that he hoped he wasn’t “doing
anyone wrong,” adding that his Amal Movement “will not allow anyone to be
partial with us,” in remarks published by Al-Joumhouria newspaper Tuesday.
The speaker's statement comes one day after Hariri said that he
"stands by Speaker Berri whether he is right or wrong."
The Prime-Minister designate’s attempts to form a new Cabinet, which he
hoped to finish before
"We are only asking [rivals] to facilitate the Cabinet formation ...
talks are focusing on the formation of a national unity government, which
requires the representation of everyone without any exclusion," Berri
reportedly told his visitors.
He reiterated that the current gridlock over Cabinet formation reduces
the possibility of adopting a new electoral law.
Tensions emerged between Berri and Hariri last week over the delay in the
government formation. However, the two leaders appeared to have settled their
differences when they met together with Aoun for Independence Day celebrations.
Since Hariri’s appointment as prime minister, Berri has insisted that his
party retains control of both the Public Works and Finance ministries, and
demanded that the Marada Movement be given a key portfolio. The Lebanese Forces
are also demanding the Public Works Ministry as well as other portfolios.
Meanwhile, Hariri insists that the Telecommunications Ministry is
allocated to his Future bloc and the Free Patriotic Movement wants to retain
control of the Energy Ministry.
However, the Marada Movement, led by MP Sleiman Frangieh, who ran against
Aoun in the presidential race, is demanding one of the three key portfolios –
Telecommunications, Energy or Public Works – as a condition for its
participation in the government.
Hariri met with President Michel Aoun Monday and said that he was
addressing the issues holding up the completion of a new government.
Later on Tuesday, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt
commented on the stalemate by tweeting "Enough already!"
Berri: Forming a Cabinet
Before the Holidays an 'Accomplishment'
Naharnet/November 29/16/In a sign that efforts to line up a new government may
not succeed before the end of the year, Speaker Nabih Berri said that it would
be an “accomplishment” for Lebanon to form one before the holidays, media
reports said Tuesday.
“If the formation of the government before Independence Day would have been a
miracle, forming it before the holidays would be an accomplishment,” said
Berri. Sources close to Berri said the Speaker insists on being given the
public works ministerial portfolio and on giving Marada leader MP Suleiman
Franjieh a key portfolio in the new cabinet.After the designation of Hariri on
October 3, he exerted efforts to form a new cabinet before Independence Day on
November 22. But the efforts have failed and aspirations now turn towards
forming it before the new year. Hariri is still facing obstacles bringing
together a line-up that balances
Rahi visits
Tue 29 Nov 2016/NNA - Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rahi on Tuesday visited
Hariri Says Government Must Improve Employment Opportunities for the Youth
Naharnet/November 29/16/Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said on Tuesday
that the Lebanese government must look into improving the employment
opportunities for the youth to build human capabilities, and to maintain
Lebanon's “special” position in the region and world. “I believe that one of
the most important responsibilities of the state now is to improve employment
opportunities for young men and women in Lebanon, and to create a climate of
confidence and hope for the younger generation, which is the future of our
country,” said Hariri at the opening of the Outreach and Leadership Academy
(OLA) in Beirut downtown. “Not just because Rafik Hariri loved them the most
and believed that our human capital is our greatest asset, but also because I
am convinced that learning and acquiring knowledge are the only ways to build
human capabilities, to achieve a significant leap in the great potential of our
economy and to maintain our preferential advantages in the region and the
world,” added Hariri. He went on to say: “This project gives the youth, at
their schools, universities, and professions the skills and abilities that
increase their chances in getting a job after graduation, or the chances to
succeed in the individual initiative in their profession, and at the same time,
it renews their hope to achieve their dreams and ambitions.” “I feel even more
proud today that the OLA Center is being launched in Beirut specifically,
because our goal is to restore the role of our capital as an incubator of the
ambition and creativity of its sons and daughters and all the Lebanese,”
concluded Hariri.
Hizbullah, Mustaqbal Call for
'Benefiting from Positive Atmosphere' to Form Govt.
Naharnet/November 29/16/Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal Movement on Tuesday called
for “benefiting from the positive atmosphere in the country” in order to “form
the government as soon as possible.” In a statement issued after their 37th
dialogue session in Ain el-Tineh, the two parties also called for devising a
new electoral law and for holding the parliamentary elections on time. Michel
Aoun's election as president and al-Mustaqbal leader Saad Hariri's appointment
as premier-designate have raised hopes that
Report: Aspirations of Some to Get Veto
Power Impeding Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/November 29/16/The wrangling among political parties over the distribution
of ministerial portfolios turns out to be over the so-called “blocking third”
or veto power, which sources following up closely on the cabinet formation
process said is the core of the differences among the conflicting sides,
al-Joumhouria daily reported Tuesday. Even though no one has openly mentioned
that the core of the difference lies in the aspiration of some parties to
obtain the majority of the cabinet seats which gives them veto power to pass or
obstruct future government decisions, but the problem actually lies there, the
sources said on condition of anonymity. Aspirations to have veto power in the
new cabinet can be detected in the share of the Lebanese Forces and the Free
Patriotic Movement. The share of the President (3 ministers) and the share of
the FPM (3 ministers) in addition to the share of the LF (3 ministers plus a
portfolio for minister Michel Pharaon) will pave way for the LF-Aouni alliance
to get 10 seats in a 24-minister cabinet, senior sources remarked. Despite
these reports, the LF and the FPM consider the “hypothesis” unrealistic, and
slammed any intentions to have an obstruction power in the future cabinet. Last
month, the parliament elected Michel Aoun, a former general, as president
ending a two-and-half-year deadlock that left
Mustaqbal Warns against Wasting Momentum
of New Presidential Tenure
Naharnet/November 29/16/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday urged the
political parties not to “weaken or waste” the momentum that was created by the
election of a new president, noting that the Lebanese people are pinning hopes
on the new presidential tenure. “Al-Mustaqbal bloc sees that there is an available
chance to achieve a correct beginning of the new presidential tenure and this
chance must not be weakened or wasted,” the bloc said in a statement issued
after its weekly meeting. “The Lebanese people are pinning hopes on the
possibility of achieving a breakthrough... during this pivotal and critical
period that
Hizbullah Minister Says 'Not Impossible'
to Form 'Inclusive Govt.'
Naharnet/November 29/16/Caretaker Industry Minister Hussein al-Hajj Hassan of
Hizbullah noted Tuesday that it is “not impossible” to form “a broad and
inclusive national government.”“Security and safety have been achieved through
the sacrifices of the Lebanese army and the resistance,” Hajj Hassan said
during the inauguration of a health center in the Bekaa town of
Geagea Says New Govt. Bickering a 'Veiled Attempt to Target LF-FPM Alliance'
Naharnet/November 29/16/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced Tuesday
that “the wrangling over shares and ministerial portfolios is a veiled attempt
to target the LF-Free Patriotic Movement alliance.”“Some parties do not want a
new presidential tenure, but rather a continuation of the previous presidential
tenures, especially those we witnessed during the (Syrian) tutelage era,”
Geagea said in an interview with the al-Markazia news agency. “We will spare no
effort to back this tenure so that it truly becomes a new tenure,” Geagea
added. “We realized from the very first moment that the issue goes beyond the
distribution of portfolios... but the State will only rise according to the Constitution,
which is very clear in this regard,” the LF leader went on to say, noting that
some parties “are confronting the new presidential tenure's policies through
obstruction.”And hoping to “expand the Baabda-Maarab-Center House axis to
include Ain el-Tineh, Dahieh and the Progressive Socialist Party,” Geagea noted
that “it is no longer acceptable or possible to maintain the rules that
governed the political game between 1990 and 2005.”He also denied that there is
an intention to “eliminate or exclude any political group.”“Anyone is welcome
to join the era of the constitution-governed State,” Geagea said. The LF leader
also said that the new cabinet will likely be formed soon, noting that “wasting
time is not in the dictionary of” President Michel Aoun and Prime
Minister-designate Saad Hariri. “Should no solutions loom on the horizon, the
constitutional solution exists, and there is an inclination to form a
constitutional government,” Geagea added, hinting that Aoun and Hariri might
impose a cabinet line-up on the political parties. Aoun's election and Hariri's
appointment as premier-designate have raised hopes that
Police Arrest Gang Tied to Car Thefts in
Southern Beirut Suburb
Naharnet/November 29/16/A gang comprised of three Lebanese nationals tied to a
rash of car thefts was arrested by law enforcement police in the southern
suburbs of
Lebanon: Fears from Long Government
Vacuum
Paula Astih/Asharq Al Awsat/November 29/16/Beirut- Prime Minister-designate
Saad Hariri’s busy schedule at his Future Movement’s general convention last
week and the trip of Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil to Brazil have dissipated
the momentum that accompanied the election of President Michel Aoun and the
nomination of Hariri to form the new cabinet. There is no sign that there
will be a breakthrough soon on the government lineup, which appears to be
hindered by a dispute on the Public Works Ministry, but in fact, is more linked
to an attempt by the leading political parties to enforce a new way in dealing
with the decision-making strategies that would last until after the spring
parliamentary elections and the government that would follow. A leading
official at the Future Movement told Asharq Al-Awsat that the delay in the
cabinet formation “was not linked to a portfolio, but is rather an attempt from
the Speaker and (Hezbollah) to revive the troika formula (a policy that was
implemented during the 1990’s to divide power between the president, the
speaker and the prime minister).” The official, who wished to remain
anonymous, said that Speaker Nabih Berri was trying to say that the government
should be formed based on a tripartite formula and on a decision taken by
Hariri and Aoun alone. It seems that none of the parties directly
concerned by the Public Works Ministry are ready to offer any concessions in
this regard. Officials at the Marada Movement told Asharq Al-Awsat that
the party was not ready to give up on its right to get one of the three
ministries: Energy, Telecommunications or Public Works. But, sources at the
Lebanese Forces said: “Some parties are trying to halt the cabinet lineup
formation and to exert pressure on President Aoun by delaying the start of his
term using the Public Works portfolio.” The sources added: “If each party
insists on keeping the ministerial share it had in the previous cabinet, then
why MP Suleiman Franjieh is not satisfied with keeping the Ministry of
Culture?”The sources said some parties are hiding behind the Marada Movement to
justify halting the formation of the cabinet. The so-called Hezbollah insists
on supporting Franjieh’s right to get an influential portfolio.” Meanwhile, a
meeting held on Monday between Aoun and Hariri at the Presidential Palace did
not signal any near announcement of a new cabinet. Following the talks,
Hariri confirmed his understanding with Aoun in all matters, indicating the
presence of some knots “which we are trying to untie” in the cabinet formation
process.
Does
Yara al-Wazir/Al Arabiya/November 29/16
While the world celebrated International Day for Solidarity with Palestinians
on Friday November 25, thousands of Palestinian refugees in
One must pay particular attention to the possible implications to how the
refugee community within
More importantly, what is the exact reasoning behind building the wall – are
Palestinians really seen as such a serious security threat that they must be
sidelined and collectively imprisoned with a concrete structure? How is this
wall being financed, and what benefit will it actually bring to either the
Palestinians in the camp, or those who live outside of the camp? The answers to
these questions are unclear, as very limited statements have been made about
the wall. However, what is known is that collective punishment of 70,000 people
will almost certainly provoke anger and frustration, and may well be the reason
why within days, the building of the wall was “paused.”
If the recent refugee crisis has taught the world anything it is that as human
beings, we are all vulnerable to changes in politics, the environment and
culture, and our lives can change within days
It is understandable that the Lebanese army is trying to maintain security
within the camp; after all it is their job. It is time that the authorities
stop using the word “security” as a scapegoat excuse for an active effort to
sideline the refugee community – building walls will not make the problems go
away, only building bridges can do that. Without an official statement to
explain the purpose of this wall, and without an official statement to explain
why the building was paused, whether or not it will resume, and if it will
resume, when, the Palestinians within Ain al-Hilweh camp and the other 11
refugee camps in the country cannot be blamed for feeling anxious, angry, and
alienated.
Putting politics aside– what will the world look like fore refugees in
2030? As the world transcends into the “sharing” economy, it seems that people
want to share services but not responsibilities.
Looking back just ten years, who would have guessed or estimated that there
would be more than 10 million Syrian refugees scattered around the world? If
the recent refugee crisis has taught the world anything it is that as human
beings, we are all vulnerable to changes in politics, the environment and
culture, and our lives can change within days. Be it refugees of war or
refugees of climate change, the struggle is real. Increasingly, it feels that
the host countries are treating individuals are threats, rather than
questioning the system that dehumanized them and made them refugees.
For the past week, I too have been anxious about the future of the Ain
al-Hilweh camp. When the very state acknowledges that it sees an entire
population of a camp as a potential security threat, one must wonder why it
hasn’t done anything to contain this threat before, what has made this part of
the population a security threat (70,000 people is an incredibly large number),
and that surely there must be more effective ways to deal with a security
threat rather than to build a wall. Perhaps getting to the root cause of
security threats, understanding motivations and driers, and providing education
and opportunities to distract from these drivers and offer a method to
positively contribute to the economy would go miles further in combatting
potential security threats than a concrete wall. Without getting to the root
cause of why people are angry and building walls of alienation, it will only
provoke people further and instigate further negative sentiments that will
impede development.
Iraq’s People’s Mobilization Units (PMU),
Hezbollah and the Iranian design
Diana Moukalled/Arab News/November 29/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/29/diana-moukalledarab-news-iraqs-peoples-mobilization-units-pmu-hezbollah-and-the-iranian-design/
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1017031/columns
It is no coincidence that there are strong parallels between Iraq’s People’s
Mobilization Units (PMU) and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia. Hezbollah’s ability
to weaken the central state and implement a policy that does not recognize
borders is a model that
The PMU has already committed war crimes and human rights violations, according
to reports issued by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Such
violations are documented in reports, photos and videos. This reminds us of the
beginnings of Hezbollah, which was formed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in
At that time, Hezbollah aka Islamic Jihad and Islamic Resistance, got involved
in a series of kidnappings and killings of foreign hostages as well as
assassinations. In addition, it also fought a fierce war against the Amal
Movement before gaining
The beginning of PMU’s existence in
The undeniable truth is that both the PMU and Hezbollah are sectarian militias.
The PMU is funded and officially sponsored by the Iraqi government, but it is
actually controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. The Hezbollah is, at
the same time, recognized by the Lebanese government but it is also under the
control of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Tehran sees the countries it has militarily, politically and socially
penetrated, such as Lebanon and Iraq, as hybrid fields lacking a specific
authority — with its main aim being to turn Shiite groups outside Iran into a
base of great influence.
Is
In fact,
• Diana Moukalled is a veteran journalist with extensive experience in both
traditional and new media. She is also a columnist and freelance documentary
producer. She can be reached on Twitter @dianamoukalled.
In praise of Professor Walid Phares
Yair Ravid/Jerusalem Post/November 29/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/29/yair-ravidjerusalem-post-in-praise-of-professor-walid-phares-2/
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/In-praise-of-Professor-Walid-Phares-473912
Ben Lynfield, writing on November 16 in The Jerusalem Post (“Who is Walid
Phares, Trump’s Mideast adviser?”), sets out a series of absurd accusations
against Dr. Walid Phares, who served as foreign policy adviser to presidential
candidate Donald Trump and as national security adviser for Republican
presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2011-2012.
Phares is a well-respected scholar and analyst in the US whose expertise in
Middle East affairs is widely recognized and well received in US defense,
intelligence and national security circles as well as in Congress, where he has
testified and advised for two decades, as public archives show. A forme chair
of the subcommittee on intelligence in the US House of Representatives
considers Phares one of the best strategic minds in the world on
We know who did what for 15 years. Unfortunately, none of his recent critics
have bothered to search the archives of the Lebanese press or interview those
who, like me, were actually there at the time.
Naturally attacks have poured in against Phares from the various foes of the
In general the attacks against Phares originate from a widely discredited hit
piece published by far-left blogger and
The sources of this charge are either Hezbollah- friendly or misquoted. One of
the quoted persons, Toni Nissi, has himself slammed the far-left media for
lying about him: “Regrettably Mother Jones selected three sentences from an
almost four-hour... conversation with Serwer about the Lebanese resistance
against Syrian occupation. Serwer maliciously distorted the form and core of
what was discussed in a cheap and repulsive attempt to attack Professor Walid
Phares and create an absurd and ludicrous connection between Professor Phares’
academic, political and intellectual roles [as a] contribution to educate the
high cadres of the Lebanese Christian resistance [is] deplorable and
unacceptable.”
A second unsubstantiated claim is that “Phares advocated that
Lynfield quoted far-left Mother Jones stating “that he was a close adviser of
Samir Geagea, a Lebanese- Christian warlord.” Toufic Hindi, a Lebanese
politician today, has already crippled this charge in an interview where he
wondered why Phares’ critics insist on this falsehood since Hindi himself was
the adviser to Geagea, not Phares. The source for this allegation is a young
woman who had a beef with Samir Geagea personally. A reminder of how the
Communists attacked Vaclav Havel, not by citing his work, but by referring to
an agent accusation against him.
The Post piece goes on to claim that in the 1990s, Phares tried “to lobby the
Israeli government to carve out a state for Christians in the security zone
Israel maintained in southern Lebanon, despite the fact that Israel had been
burned badly when it allied with Lebanese Christians in 1982, that most of
zone’s inhabitants were Shi’ite Muslims and that Israel already had its hands
full dealing with an insurgency by Hezbollah.”
This is utterly false.
At the time Phares, along with his NGO colleagues, lodged a demand at the
United Nations Security Council in
Phares’ views were prescient as another UN resolution, one he worked on later
in 2004 (UNSCR 1559), forced Assad to pull his troops out of
Lynfield also cites a 1997 article authored by Phares to intimate that he was
trying to drag the Israelis into
In fact, many on both sides of the border were watching Hezbollah and the
jihadists advancing and taking over in
Nevertheless, former Mossad director Efraim Halevy opines on Phares’
mischaracterized position: “To think in 1997 of creating a Christian enclave in
the South, an area of preponderant Shi’ite presence, is esoteric bordering on
the ridiculous.”
Yossi Alpher, former director of the
None of that was found in Phares’ arguments at the time. Precisely the
opposite: the Lebanese-American scholar argued that Israeli forces should
withdraw but surrender the area not to Hezbollah and Assad, but to local
municipalities’ forces protected by the UN. In fact his plans then are the same
as what is being discussed today for areas in
Alpher continues: “His association with the Lebanese Forces is very
problematic... He was a prominent ideologue indoctrinating people who went out
and murdered people and he has never accounted for that.”
Alpher’s ignorance is abysmal. Walid Phares was never a combatant and never
headed a Lebanese Forces military command.
He wrote books and articles and offered lectures. Sadly, Hezbollah propaganda
has now been able to manipulate Israeli expertise.
Neither the young Phares nor any other Lebanese person at the time was
responsible for
The critical article also quotes anti-Israel Abed Ayoub, the national legal and
policy director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, libeling
Phares: “If you look at his history, he was a warmonger and he shouldn’t be
near the White House.
He was part of a militia that committed war crimes and, if anything, he should
be tried for war crimes.”
Ayoub and his group are the ones who should answer for backing the murdering
jihadists who really do commit war crimes, not an author of 14 books on
pluralism and democracy.
There is an assertion that “Phares appeared to flirt with the idea that
It quotes Phares as saying, “The only military strategic option remaining to
the Jewish state in the medium and long term, if it is to maintain its balance
of power with the northern threat, is obviously the nuclear deterrent. But
Lebanese and Israelis alike know all too well the consequences of a blast
anywhere in
These were parts of conversations that anyone in the field of defense and
military studies has had, but to use a discussion about Iran’s military advance
in the region, select half a sentence and paint Phares as developing a nuclear
doctrine is not just silly, but low.
No one knows the Arab world and
After he ended his patriotic efforts for his motherland and emigrated, these
were ideas he advanced to resolve the conflict, not to create more tensions. He
was proven right in every single prediction he made for
He was faithful to his ancestral home
What concerns me in The Jerusalem Post piece is historical veracity. We cannot
as Israelis rewrite the history of our northern neighbor to please the
terrorist network that dominates it at this point in time. Phares is a public
figure in the
It is unfortunate that a segment of our own academic and media elite has fallen
for the games of Iranian and Islamist propagandists.
Most of those who were associated with smearing Phares have no real
understanding of
I do so as the person that was in charge of the ties between our country and
these communities.
What we know and what we saw are very different from the vapid and erroneous
writing of critics and the comments they quoted. When it comes to history let’s
be serious and not reproduce chimeric tales concocted by
**The author is a veteran Israeli intelligence officer and served as head of
the Mossad’s operational branch in
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/In-praise-of-Professor-Walid-Phares-473912
Hezbollah to play lead role in new
Now Lebanon/November 29/16
As-Safir reported that top Hezbollah commanders will embed in the Fifth Corps,
which is expected to include elite fighters form the Lebanese militant group.
Hezbollah and
As-Safir reported Monday that top Hezbollah commanders known for their “high
leadership quality” will embed with the Fifth Corps, which was formed last week
by the Syrian regime.
“It is expected that some Hezbollah military leaders will have a major role in
leading some of the fighting groups that will join the Fifth Corps,” the
pro-Assad Lebanese daily claimed.
It went on to say that “a new force of elite troops within Hezbollah” will
either operate under the banner of the Fifth Corps or directly coordinate with
the new unit, without going into further details on the matter.Officially
dubbed a “storming force” by Syria’s army command, the Fifth Corps publicly
stated mission is to “work alongside the Syrian army and allied troops” to
“eradicate terrorism.”Syrian state media has broadcast calls for volunteers to
join the new unit, prompting reports in some opposition outlets that the Fifth
Corps is another regime attempt to bolster its fighting manpower. However,
As-Safir’s report indicates that
“Field trials and battles… revealed some errors and insufficient levels of
coordination,” As-Safir said of the Fourth Assault Corps, which brought
together fighters from the Syrian Social Nationalist Party and Baath Party’s
militias in the Latakia province.
“All of these errors are subject to examination… which will be reflected in the
entry of the Fifth Corps.”
NOW's English news desk editor Albin Szakola (@AlbinSzakola) wrote this report.
Amin Nasr translated Arabic-language source material.
As-Safir published a report Monday on the role Hezbollah will play in the
Syrian army's new Fifth Corps. (image via
Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous
Reports And News published on on November 29-30/16
Brazil in Mourning as Plane
Carrying Football Players Crashes in Colombia
Asharq Al Awsat/November 29/16/Brazil declared a mourning period after a
charter plane carrying members of Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense and several
journalists crashed in the mountains in Colombia late Monday, killing 76
people, officials said. According to the officials, five survived the disaster.
The LAMIA airlines charter declared an emergency at around 10 pm local time”
0300 GMT Tuesday, reporting it had suffered “electrical failures,” and crashed
a short time later near the city of Medellin, officials said. In all, there
were 72 passengers and nine crew on board. “We were able to rescue six people
alive but one of them died on the way to the hospital,” Jose Gerardo Acevedo, a
police commander, told reporters. One of the survivors was Alan Ruschel, a
27-year-old defender for the Brazilian team, the head of
Plane carrying Brazil soccer team
crashes in Colombia, 76 dead
Reuters, Bogota Tuesday, 29 November 2016/Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense,
heading for the biggest game in their history, were on board a plane carrying
81 people that crashed in Colombia killing 76 people, police said on Tuesday.
Chapecoense, from
Tributes
The crash evoked memories of
The club has built its success on a frugal spending policy that eschewed big
money signings and instead concentrated on blending young talent and
experienced journeymen. Their best-known player was Cleber Santana, a
midfielder who best years were spent in
Iranian vessel points weapon at
Reuters/Nov 29, 2016 /A small Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard vessel
pointed its weapon at a
U.N. Security Council to Hold Meeting
on Aleppo Crisis
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/November 29/16/The U.N. Security Council will
hold an emergency meeting Tuesday or Wednesday on the dire humanitarian crisis
unfolding in Aleppo, diplomats said.
Syrian rebels battle Assad forces in
Reuters,
Jabha Shamiya is one of the main rebel groups in
Up to 16,000 displaced
Up to 16,000 people have been displaced in
The area had no functioning hospitals left, food stocks were nearly exhausted
and it was likely that thousands more people would flee their homes if fighting
persisted in the coming days, he said in an emailed statement. “The situation
is very bad. There’s intense fear of collective annihilation,” said a medic who
lives in the area and gave his name as Abu al-Abbas. “This week I’ve changed
locations three times,” he added, speaking on Monday using a social networking
site. “In the shelter, we had dead people who we couldn’t take out because the
bombardment was so intense.”The Syrian army and its allies made a sweeping
advance across the northern part of besieged eastern
Rebels’ hold on eastern
The Associated Press Beirut Tuesday, 29 November 2016/Syrian government forces
captured more than a third of opposition-held eastern
“Aleppo city itself has also been a consistent base of moderate opposition
activity, so its collapse spells what could be an existential blow to the
moderate opposition from which it’ll likely struggle to recover,” he said. Ever
since it joined the uprising four years ago, eastern
Woman loses unborn baby in
Monday, 28 November 2016/A pregnant mother in eastern
Errors led to coalition strike on Syria
forces: Pentagon
AFP, Washington Tuesday, 29 November 2016/The Pentagon said Tuesday that
intelligence errors resulted in a US-led coalition air strike in Syria in
September that reportedly killed around 90 Syrian government forces. There were
"errors in the development of intelligence, as well as missed
opportunities for coalition members on duty to recognize and voice contrary
evidence to decision-makers," the
The US-led coalition is focused on attacking the ISIS group in
Further complicating matters, the troops were not wearing recognizable military
uniforms or carrying identifying flags, the Pentagon said. Perhaps most
significantly, a critical miscommunication occurred when Russian forces called
the coalition to tell them the strike was hitting Syrian regime troops. That
call, which came in on a special hotline between the coalition and Russians,
was subject to a 27-minute delay because the officer with whom the Russians
normally spoke was not immediately available. During that window, almost half
of the 32 separate strikes making up the larger assault occurred. As soon as
the Russians were able to speak to their regular point of contact, the strike
was called off. No coalition forces are being charged in the incident. "In
my opinion, these were a number of people all doing their best to do a good
job," Coe said. "The decision to strike these targets was made in
accordance with the law of armed conflict and the applicable rules of
engagement."
The strike was conducted by F-16 and FA-18 fighters, A-10 ground-attack craft
and drones.
Iraqi forces liberate ISIS-held Nineveh
Plain
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 29 November 2016/The “We Are Coming,
Nineveh” Operation said on Monday that it liberated the Nineveh Plain area from
ISIS. Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Yar Allah, commander of the operations of the Mosul
battle which was launched on October 17, said security forces will resume their
operations until they purge all of Mosul from ISIS.In the east front,
commanders in the counter-terrorism force said the countdown to restore the
left coast from ISIS has begun. This comes after the counter-terrorism force
liberated 20 neighborhoods from the east coast. Lt. Gen. Abdul-Ghani al-Assadi,
commander of the counter-terrorism force in east
Mosul’s poor struggling to get food
Meanwhile, the United Nations said on Tuesday there were indications that
poorer families in Mosul are struggling to feed themselves as food prices
increase.
“Key informants are telling us that poor families are struggling to put
sufficient food on their tables,” UN Humanitarian Coordinator in
Ali Khamenei criticizes Rowhani: We rushed
in the nuclear deal
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 29 November 2016/Iran’s supreme
leader, Ali Khamenei criticized the opening-up policy pursued by the president,
Hassan Rowhani, about the nuclear file stating that: “The west side is not
committed to this agreement, while some Iranian officials rushed to sign
it.”According to Tasnim news agency; during a meeting with the Iranian Army
Navy leaders on Sunday, Khamenei commented on the decision of the US House of
Representatives to extend the sanctions for ten other years on Iran, saying
that “despite the negotiations on the lifting of sanctions, the US Congress has
chosen to extend it, under the pretext that is only a continuation of the
previous ban and not a new one.” He added: “There is no difference between
imposing a new ban or resuming one that has lapsed, the second is an explicit
negation of what has been agreed upon previously by the Americans.”In the light
of the recent decision of the
Dutch parliament votes to ban burqas,
niqabs in some public places
Reuters, Amsterdam Tuesday, 29 November 2016/The Dutch Parliament’s lower house
voted on Tuesday to ban the wearing of face-covering clothes - such as burqas
and niqabs - in some public places, making the Netherlands the latest European
country to restrict garments worn by some Muslim women. The legislation, which
still needs to be passed by the senate, bans the veils in settings where
identifying the wearer is considered essential, such as in government buildings,
on public transport, at schools and in hospitals. Few women in the
A prominent Egyptian rights leader banned
from travel
The Associated Press,
Trump: ‘Very impressed’ with Petraeus as
he weighs top diplomat job
Reuters, New York Tuesday, 29 November 2016/President-elect Donald Trump
stepped up his search on Monday for a new US secretary of state, with the focus
on David Petraeus, a former US military commander in Iraq whose mishandling of
classified information led to his resignation as CIA chief in 2012. “Just met
with General Petraeus--was very impressed!” Trump said on Twitter shortly after
Petraeus, a retired general, left an hour-long meeting with the Republican
winner of the Nov. 8 election at
Petraeus troubles
Petraeus’ past mishandling of classified documents is unlikely to be an
obstacle to Trump offering him a top government post, said a source who has
advised the transition team on national security. That is despite Trump harshly
criticizing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton during the election campaign for
using a private email server while she was secretary of state. Trump often compared
the prosecution of Petraeus with the lack of legal action against Clinton, who
was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation but never charged with
any offense. “Just based on his public statements, I think (Trump) sees
Petraeus as a good man who made a mistake, who did a fraction of what other
people have done and received a lot more punishment,” said a source who has
advised the transition team on national security.
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 29 November 2016/The Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) on Tuesday has denounced Iran-backed Houthi militias forming a
government in
1,400 saved in med as
AFP,
At least 4,690 migrants are confirmed to have died or disappeared in the
Safa Al Hashem:
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 29 November 2016/Fourteen women put
their names forth and campaigned for Kuwaitis to elect them into the upcoming
parliament, but only woman – Safa Al Hashem – prevailed. She came fifth in the
third electoral district with 3,273 votes. By winning her seat, Al Hashem
became the ninth woman to be elected to
Abbas Re-Elected Party Leader as Fatah
Opens Rare Congress
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/November 29/16/Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas' Fatah re-elected him party head Tuesday as the movement opened its first
congress since 2009 with talk mounting of who will eventually succeed the
81-year-old. Abbas was re-elected by consensus, party spokesman Mahmoud Abu
al-Hija said, and was due to address the congress at 6:00 pm (1600 GMT). Some
1,400 delegates were attending. The election of members of Fatah's parliament
and its central committee over the five-day conference will signal the
direction the oldest Palestinian party will take at a time when Abbas is
weakened by his own unpopularity and internal dissent. While the aging leader
has said he has no intention of stepping aside anytime soon, talk of who will
eventually succeed him as Palestinian president has intensified. He has not
publicly designated a successor. Some analysts see the congress as an attempt
by Abbas to marginalize political opponents, including longtime rival Mohammed
Dahlan, currently in exile in the
Stalled peace efforts
But the congress also comes at a difficult time for the push to create a
Palestinian state, with the cause overshadowed by other crises in the region.
The incoming Donald Trump administration in the
In an op-ed published in the New York Times on Tuesday, former
Israeli authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 29-30/16
What would the fall of
Alex Rowell/Now Lebanon/November 29/16
While undoubtedly a symbolic blow, the fall of rebel-held Aleppo may not
change much militarily at the nationwide level
Syrian pro-regime forces stand on top of a building overlooking Aleppo in
the city
The stunning loss by rebels of 40% of the territory they held in Syria’s
largest city in a matter of mere hours over the weekend has understandably
dropped jaws around the world, and raised the inevitable question as to whether
the armed rebellion is now on its last legs, not only in Aleppo, but
nationwide.
That Aleppo’s remaining rebel-held neighborhoods will also fall soon is
widely seen as a foregone conclusion, given the torrential bombardment showered
upon them by the combined air forces of the regime and Russia, in conjunction
with the suffocating ‘starve-or-surrender’ siege imposed at ground level by the
regime and Iranian-backed allies like Hezbollah.
In fact, the rebel districts south of the Airport Road, which marks the
new frontline, may be trickier to take, both because rebel defenses are
stronger, and because they include the historic Old Town, whose priceless
heritage even a regime as cold-blooded as Assad’s may be reluctant to
obliterate. Nonetheless, with the rebels’ foreign backers evidently willing to
tolerate the city’s loss –
Morale-crushing as that moment would undoubtedly be for the rebels, it’s
unclear how much it would change militarily at the countrywide level. To see
why, first recall that
The fight, in other words, will carry on. And while the rebels’ regional
allies may have conceded
Which is not, of course, to say the situation is rosy for the opposition. With
But then, that’s already where things stood before the loss of the first
eastern
Iran’s Project – Becoming a Big Naval
Police Force
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/November 29/16
After having fought multiple wars in Iraq and Syria directly, and ones in Yemen
and Lebanon indirectly, it seems that the Iranian leadership has discovered the
magic of military influence and its importance in imposing its foreign policy,
both regionally and internationally. This is what has been indicated by recent
statements made by Iranian officials. The most recent of these statements was
made by the Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces of Iran Mohammad Bagheri.
He said: “We have relinquished our nuclear power and we are making up for this
by building a naval power that will give us greater value. We will have a
military fleet in the
Although I do not believe that
The Iranian Chief of Staff’s statement does not correlate with his justification
that the objective of the military naval project is to combat piracy in these
seas because Iran’s maritime trade is very limited compared to other countries
such as India, the Gulf, Egypt and other countries that use these naval
corridors outside Gulf waters.
In addition to this, piracy does not exist in the
Talk of an Iranian military base in the
In the case that
Although
The ‘New World Dis-Order’
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/November 29/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/29/eyad-abu-shakraasharq-al-awsat-the-new-world-dis-order/
Rumors were rife during the past few days about
Marine LePen, the leader of France’s extremist anti-Muslim and
anti-immigrant ‘National Front’ was ecstatic in commenting that now, following
the UK’s exit from the European Union and Donald Trump’s victory in America,
her ‘alt-Right’ lot are on their way up.
True to form, Bernard-Henri Levy, widely regarded in the Arab world as
the ‘Arab Spring philosopher’ expressed his belief that given recent
developments in Europe and globally, there was now a good chance that Ms LePen
would win the French presidential race!
Contrary to many self-proclaimed ‘Leftists’ and ‘Revolutionaries’, Russia’s
Vladimir Putin is a right-wing nationalist who has nothing to do with Soviet
legacy except his links with the KGB (the salient symbol of the USSR’s police
state) and Moscow’s everlasting ‘Superpower’ ambitions. The latter simply
metamorphosed in tactics but not in substance from ‘Tzarist Imperialism’ to the
Bolsheviks’ ‘International Scientific Socialism’ and ‘Anti-Colonial
Emancipation’.
Technically, Putin is a 2016 model ‘Tzar’! He is a KGB-trained and
German-fluent ‘Tzar’ who completed his apprenticeship in the German theatre of
intelligence operations; and like many of his generation, is a firm believer
that Germany is the source of existential threat to Russia from the west. He
also knows that
However, what is noteworthy today too is that Putin’s disruptive – indeed,
destructive – attempts are not limited to the
As for the Muslim world, there isn’t much to say actually, in the light of
Therefore, Putin’s attempts to weaken and blackmail Western democracies through
supporting its most extreme and racist political forces, and joining Moscow and
western capitals with ‘security pacts’ against ‘political Sunni Islam’ as a
common enemy, would achieve several goals in one go.
The first goal is weakening liberal, democratic and progressive groups in the
West against the onslaught of the extreme Right, which would exacerbate
internal instability, frighten immigrant communities, alienate minorities, and
encourage secessionist movements as we see today in
The second is eliminating the issue of ‘human rights’ as a political tool often
used by the West against the excesses of the Kremlin, whether inside Russia or
in the former satellites of the defunct USSR; since the ‘new’ Western extremist
political elites are as intolerant and as abusive. In other words, those who
persecute minorities and immigrants, bar asylum seekers, build walls, and
discriminate against people based on color, religion and language, are not
entitled to lecture others about tolerance.
The third, in connection with two above, leave
The fourth and last, is making Russia a full political and security partner in
drawing the future Euro-American strategy in a world going through rapid
political and demographic changes, to the extent that the White, Christian,
European powers (be they Germanic, Latin or Slavic) are not guaranteed future
world supremacy. This is the case given the economic, population and
educational growth in many parts of the world, especially, in
The four aforementioned goals, and there may be many others, tell us that that
all that was said about since the fall of the ‘Berlin Wall’ in 1989, and the
emergence of the ‘New World Order’ under America’s unipolar dominance, may have
either been premature or incomplete.
Those who have hailed the great victory of Western Liberalism over Socialism –
although, some softened their stances – it looks now that there was indeed some
kind of a ‘New World Order’ born after the collapse of the USSR, in 1991, but
has not been solid and well-defined. Within less than two decades the
‘victorious’ Liberal capitalist West was shaken and devastated by the financial
crisis of 2008, which was a proof that if Soviet-style Socialism had failed,
capitalism was not doing well either. In fact it has been suffering from
debilitating structural problems no denial or political obstinacy can hide.
Furthermore, in addition to denial and obstinacy, and in vain attempts to
defend their own ‘legitimacy’, American and European capitalisms, began to look
for scapegoats which were soon found to be the following:
1.Globalization, i.e. the freedom of movement of people, goods and services, and
the resulting racist and xenophobic hostility towards migrant workers willing
to accept lower wages, and less secure working conditions.
2. Technology, whereby technological advances in the fields of computer
science, communications and robotics have made several manual jobs redundant
and old techniques obsolete.
As a result, it may time we talked about the ‘New World Dis-Order’.
What About the Cultural Imbalance?
Nonie Darwish/Gatestone Institute/November 29/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/29/nonie-darwishgatestone-institute-what-about-the-cultural-imbalance/
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9379/cultural-imbalance
If we do not demand equal cultural access, such a cultural imbalance will
result in one side absorbing the values of the other, while keeping the Islamic
nation "pure" and free of any outside influence. This one-sided
cultural tyranny is forcing us, the American citizen, into tolerating
intolerance while never expecting anything more aligned to Western values from
the Muslim world.
As soon as Muslims form a small community inside a Western nation, they
immediately deny access to any kind of Biblical preaching or education inside
their community, but at the same time apparently feel entitled to demand access
to preach the Koran in American prisons and spread Islamic culture and values
in American schools.
If Muslims finance Islamic Studies departments on American campuses and teach
Islam in our public schools, the same rights must be awarded to Americans. It
is true there are a few American schools in the Middle East, such as the
If Muslim governments and citizens have full access to build mosques in
If such one-sided access of Islam into the West continues, while other
religions in Muslim communities and countries are considered by them illegal
"hate crimes," Western culture and the values of free will and
religious freedom will atrophy and die. Islamists are counting on Western
inertia to win.
Similar to the often-mentioned trade imbalance, there is a large imbalance
Western nations and Muslim nations that is hardly ever mentioned: the cultural
imbalance.
Muslims have access to build mosques in the West, yet give no access to the
West to build churches or synagogues in Muslim countries. Muslim governments
finance "Islamic Studies" and "Middle East Studies"
departments in almost all major American universities, but will not allow
Christian Studies or Judaic Studies departments at any university in the Muslim
world. They freely preach Islam everywhere and consider it their right. But not
one Muslim country legally permits Christian missionary work, and those few
missionaries who dare to try are harshly punished, imprisoned or killed.
As soon as Muslims form a small community inside a Western nation, they immediately
deny access to any kind of Biblical preaching or education inside their
community, but at the same time apparently feel entitled to demand access to
preach the Koran in American prisons and spread Islamic culture and values in
American schools.
Evangelical ministers have often been expelled from Arab and Islamic
communities. This happened at an Arab festival in
It was also reported by the Telegraph that two Christian ministers in the
If such one-sided access of Islam into the West continues, while access to
other religions in Muslim communities and countries is considered by them an
illegal "hate crime," Western culture and the values of free will and
religious freedom will atrophy and die. Western values will be the loser in
this equation. Islamists are counting on Western inertia to win.
If Muslim governments and citizens have full access to build mosques in
If Muslim countries have the right to proselytize in
The Coptic Christians of Egypt have no access to any services from the Egyptian
government to study the Bible. While every school in
If we do not demand equal cultural access, American Christians and Jews who
live in majority Muslim neighborhoods could one day be forbidden from studying
the Bible. Such a cultural imbalance will result in one side absorbing the
values of the other while keeping the Islamic nation "pure" and free
of any outside influence. This one-sided cultural tyranny is forcing us, the
American citizen, into tolerating intolerance while never expecting anything
more aligned to Western values from the Muslim world.
For many decades,
But reciprocation in kind, as planned by the do-gooders in the West, was not
given. As Donald Trump said, we give them the money and the jobs and they give
us the drugs and unemployment.
Trump's statement struck a nerve among the suffering and hard-working American
middle class. No other American politician in recent history has said such a
long-awaited comforting statement to the American people, even after 9/11.
It is also time to treat US citizens, culture and values as number one again.
Culture matters, and it is time to acknowledge the importance of values,
sovereign law, and Western freedoms. The multiculturalists have for too long
trampled over American pride, traditional values and Judeo-Christian ethics. The
damage done to American national pride and dignity has been profound.
The American and European public has been suffering in silence for too long and
getting the short end of the stick from those who were elected to look after
their own citizens first. It is time for Western politicians and leaders, from
the left and right, to treat their citizens as number one again inside their
own countries.
*Nonie Darwish, a Middle East Expert born and raised in
© 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.
France's Politician Dhimmis
Yves Mamou/Gatestone Institute/November 29/16
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9443/france-politician-dhimmis
"Moreover, it is puzzling and disturbing that France adopts a double
standard in relation to Israel, while ignoring 200 territorial conflicts
currently taking place around the world, including those taking place right on
its doorstep." — Response of
In the
Ironically, and sadly, the people most negatively affected by the French and EU
regulations will be the 25,000 Palestinians employed by Israelis in the
In just one year, 2016, France and its socialist president have made multiple
hostile gestures towards Israel, which reveal more about raw anti-Semitism
posing as anti-Israelism in France than about its unjustly solitary target.
The Muslim vote is now an important factor in French politicians' decisions. In
2012, socialist President François Hollande was elected with 93% of the Muslim
vote. That is how diplomacy is made conducted in
In
On November 24, the Official Gazette of the French Republic (JORF) published
Regulation No 1169/2011, ordering "economic operators" to inform
consumers about "the origin of goods from the territories occupied by
This French regulation is an application of the interpretive notice issued by
the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ), on November 12, 2015. The
notice states that the EU "does not recognise Israel's sovereignty over
the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, namely the Golan Heights,
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and does not
consider them to be part of Israel's territory" and claims it is
responding to "a demand for clarity from consumers, economic operators and
national authorities".
The European Commission allowed member states to arrange their own national
implementation of this European regulation, with financial penalties.
The French adoption of this EU policy insists on labeling Israeli products with
the greatest precision possible.
A limited reference to "originating from the Golan Heights" or
"product originating in the
Apparently, "precision" in the French regulation is not associated
with financial penalties. It is a kind of "moral recommendation."
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a tough response to the French decision,
stating:
"The Israeli government condemns the French government's decision...
"We regret that
Labeling food and cosmetic products is a compromised position. Like dhimmi
nations, moved by a strong desire to comply to the wishes of the Organization
of Islamic Cooperation (a bloc of 56 Islamic countries and
"Palestine"), many countries in the European Union, with France as
usual foremost among them, were advocating even tougher measures against (only)
Israel -- a move that reveals more about raw anti-Semitism posing as anti-Israelism
in France than about its unjustly solitary target.
Economic impact: If all EU member states adopt this labeling regulation,
Israel's Ministry of the Economic estimates that the negative impact would be
about $50 million a year, and affect fresh produce such as grapes, dates, wine,
poultry, honey, olive oil and cosmetics (Dead Sea products). But this $50
million would represent only one-fifth of the $200-$300 million worth of goods
produced in settlements each year -- and a drop in the ocean compared to the
$13 billion in goods and $4 billion in services
Ironically, and sadly, the people most negatively affected by the French and EU
regulations will be the 25,000 Palestinians employed by Israelis in the
Political and diplomatic impact. EU officials have insisted that the labeling
is not a boycott of Israeli products in general, but the singling out of
In just one year, 2016, France and its socialist president have made multiple
hostile gestures towards Israel.
On January 27, 2016, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Hassan Rouhani,
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran -- a regime that denies the fact that
the Holocaust took place and does not hide its intention to commit still
another one -- was received in
The day after Rouhani's visit in Paris, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius
(who has since resigned) announced that
On April 15, 2016,
On October 13,
**Yves Mamou is a journalist and author based in
© 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.
The Middle East and Donald Trump
Hussein Shobokshi/Al Arabiya/November 29/16
Now that the dust has settled, the world is coming to terms with the shocking
outcome of the
How will the Arab world be affected by the arrival of Donald Trump to the White
House? Of course this is the big question, which comes naturally to people’s
mind in the
Trump, known for his hostility and distrust toward the political Islamic
groups, has a clear anti-Iran stance regarding the building of any positive
relationship with the Islamic Republic as he seems to regard it as the major
sponsor of terrorism in the region.
Trump will launch a very harsh and cruel military policy against all extremist
groups that raise religious slogans and he wants to eliminate them immediately
Trump will launch a very harsh and cruel military policy against all extremist
groups that raise religious slogans and he wants to eliminate them immediately.
His position will be clearer on
Trump’s energy policy will be to rely mainly on
The man’s policy regarding
He will maintain a respectful relationship with
Of course it is too early to judge about his proposed policies against
immigrants and minorities, especially Muslims and relations with the Islamic
world as these policies have to be first implemented officially. But needless
to say that the Muslim world is holding its breath in anticipation. Donald
Trump’s reign will be a complete change from the era of Barack Obama. People
who were not happy with Barack Obama’s policies will heave a sigh of relief
with the new administration, while those who benefited from his policies will
be very disappointed.
The world has to deal with this choice!
**This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on November 28. 2016.
Legalizing
Mshari Al Thaydi/Al Arabiya/November 29/16
The Iraqi parliament has recently legalized the Popular Mobilization Units.
With that,
The Popular Mobilization - and without any exaggerations or intimidation - is a
structure that's deeply into Khomeini ideals, sectarianism and financial
corruption. It wants to follow the example of its counterpart, the
Revolutionary Guard, or the guards of Khomeini revolution in
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi would have gained glory and won the
Iraqis' support and love if he had rejected this law legalizing the Popular
Mobilization Units.
Unfortunately, he did not reject it but only minded it a little bit requesting
them to be patient before approving it and transfering the law to the cabinet.
However Shiite parties did not listen to him and the law was passed amid Sunni
MPs and other MPs' boycotted the session. The law passed support from the MPs
of Maliki's, Ammar al-Hakim's, Muqtada al-Sadr's and other Shiite leaders'
blocs, and Abadi therefore giving their blessing for the move.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi would have gained glory and won the
Iraqis' support and love if he had rejected this law legalizing the Popular
Mobilization Units
All proposals to postpone passing the law were rejected and all suggestions to
amend it were prohibited. Some Sunni MPs' suggestions proposed allotting 40
percent of the units' fighters to Sunni tribes.
Relentless attempts
Saleh al-Mutlaq, former deputy prime minister and leader of Al-Arabiya
Coalition, said passing the law "ends the dream of the civil state which
the Iraqis dream of." The law is dangerous and it seriously tampers with
the structure of the Iraqi state and paves way for continuous strife that may
conclude with dividing Iraq or sustaining tensions and civil war as it creates
a perfect atmosphere for sectarianism and transform Iraq into a Shiite state
where others, mainly Sunni Arabs live under mercy and tutelage of others - that
is if they live at all.
There are relentless attempts to fortify the criminal sectarian mobilization
forces from being legally pursued after its involvement in bloodshed and
violent practices which resemble
Shiite Al-Fadila bloc MP Hassan al-Shammari had requested providing legal
immunity to the Popular Mobilization forces if they fight against
This law "destroys national partnership" like Sunni powers and other
powers in
Peace be upon
**This article was first published in Asharq al-Awsat on November 28, 2016.
Will Fatah seal its transfer to
non-violent resistance?
Daoud Kuttab/Al Arabiya/November 29/16
When the Palestinian National Liberation movement known by the name FATAH was
established in
As 1,500 delegates set on November 29, 2016 to start the Fatah’s seventh
congress in occupied Ramallah, the movement has changed a whole lot since those
days. The change will be obvious both in its political rhetoric, it approved
liberation tactics, base of operations and its leadership profile.
The January 1, 1960 attack that was launched from South Lebanon against
northern
Led by a charismatic leader, Yasser Arafat, the movement would continue its
attacks and move even into higher gear after the Israeli occupation in 1967 as
it quickly became the leading Palestinian guerrilla movement.
‘The gun has long disappeared’
Over the years Fatah (which took over the PLO in the late 1960s) would become a
national movement that would energize and unite Palestinians as it moved into
the political realm that was climaxed 42 years ago with Arafat’s olive branch
and gun speech at the UN speech in November 1974.
The gun has long disappeared from the Palestinian movement’s rhetoric and
actions as the PLO moved into the political and negotiations mode. During the
last decade Fatah has basically been trying to be involved in state building
(even under occupation) and has dabbled part time with negotiations. Fatah’s
current leader and Arafat’s successor, Mahmoud Abbas has defended security
coordination with
The newly elected leaders of Fatah will be entrusted with the role of keeping
the liberation struggle alive and leading the Palestinian people and will
provide Abbas an honorable way to exit the political scene.
Since the Israeli occupation has not ended, settlements activities have not
stopped and the siege of
When Abbas led the sixth congress in 2009 in
A changing Fatah?
On the eve of the seventh congress, Fatah activists have introduced a new
concept namely “smart popular resistance.” According to Fatah central committee
leader Mohammad Shtieh who has been assigned to present a paper on the issue,
the smart popular struggle will attempt to use some of the successes of the
first intifada and try to apply them to the current struggle.
The seventh congress of Fatah which will be held on the International Day for
Solidarity with the Palestinian people, will have the fewest Palestinians
living internationally.
The majority (73 percent) of the delegates (1,100) have been born and raised
under occupation a far cry from previous Fatah congresses in which the majority
represented Palestinians who had left Palestine during the 1948 and 1967 wars
and were based in the diaspora.
Another feature of the upcoming congress that will be the profile diversity and
age of the delegates attending the congress in President Abbas’s muqata’a
headquarters in Ramallah. 167 (11%) delegates are women and 33 delegates (2%)
are Christians. One delegate, Uri Davis an Israel Jew was elected to the
Revolutionary Council in the sixth congress in 2009. The list of delegates
includes 151 military cadres (50 of them retired) 44 members of Palestinian
diplomatic missions and 66 are prisoners (among them 50 prisoners come from the
But the most important category of delegates will be the youth. Nearly 312 (21
percent) delegates (200 West Bank and 112 from
Fatah has come a long way since it launched its first attack against
The seventh congress will most probably be the last major Fatah event that
Abbas will preside over. The newly elected leaders of the movement will be
entrusted with the role of keeping the liberation struggle alive and leading
the Palestinian people and will provide Abbas an honorable way to exit the
political scene. Many are looking to this congress to see what kind of post
Abbas direction in policy and personnel it will yield.
Advent: A Time To Reflect On Judgement And
Hope
David Robertson/Today Christian/28 November 2016
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/29/david-robertsontoday-christian-advent-a-time-to-reflect-on-judgement-and-hope/
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/advent.a.time.to.reflect.on.judgement.and.hope/102308.htm
It's
Advent. As a Scots Highland Presbyterian I was vaguely aware of the word but
didn't really know what it meant – and it certainly meant nothing in my church.
In fact it may come as a shock to those who regard Christmas as the heart of
Christianity, but my parents grew up in an era when many people did not really
celebrate Christmas – it was just another ordinary day. For them Advent was
meaningless.
Even those who follow what is called the 'church year' seem to have lost much
of the meaning of Advent. And that is why this week's passage from Revelation
(chapter 6) is so amazingly appropriate for us to grasp the truth that Advent
celebrates – a truth that the church needs to recover.
The term Advent comes from the Latin Adventus, meaning 'coming'. From about the
5th Century it was used in the Church to refer not to the coming of Christ as
the baby in the manger, but his coming in judgement at the end of time. In the
Middle Ages it was again linked to the first coming of Christ. Today it refers
to the four Sundays before Christmas – so we are now in Advent.
Dr John Hall, the dean of Westminster, told The Spectator this week that the
themes of Advent are death, judgement, heaven and hell. "A lot of people
in the church have abandoned the idea of hell, but I can't do that. There's a
popular belief that it will be all right. What we're missing, perhaps, is the
sense of humanity under judgement." Hall is right. And ironically it seems
to me that many evangelical churches are guilty of the very thing he critiques.
We have contributed to the mushiness of Christianity. The tinsel Jesus, the
cute child in the warm stable is as much the staple diet of our Christmas as
Marks & Spencer adverts are for most people. The irony is that it is the
more liturgical churches who through their music and readings remind us of the
harsher aspects of judgement – even if some of these are hidden in Latin terms!
Revelation 6 is probably not going to be one of your Christmas Day readings in
church. It seems far better suited to the Clint Eastwood classic film Pale
Rider, where death, justice and revenge are the themes, than the cute cozy
Merry Christmas Yuletide services we offer.
The rider on the horse is thought by some people to be Christ. Others say it is
the gospel. But Eastwood's exegesis is better – each of the four riders is a
judgement.
The white horse represents a strong army. The fiery red one, civil strife,
perhaps civil wars where 'men slay each other'. "When you hear of wars and
rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is
still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the
beginning of birth pains." (Mark 13:7)
The black horse is famine. A quart of wheat is a man's daily ration but that
leaves nothing for his family. What does 'do not damage the oil and wine' mean?
Just before Revelation was written, in the year AD 92, there was a grain
shortage in the Roman Empire. The emperor Domitian ordered the restriction of
wine cultivation and an increase of corn growing. An order that had to be
abandoned. Perhaps this is what is being referred to. This is a world where the
poor starve and the rich feast.
The pale horse is death. More especially Pestilence. All of these 'riders' are
curses from the Old Testament. There are numerous texts especially in the
prophets which refer to these. For example Ezekiel 4:16: "He then said to
me: 'Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people
will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, for food
and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and
will waste away because of their sin.'"
Hades following afterwards reminds us that death is not the end.
The fifth seal moves from the judgements of the horses, to the subject of
sacrifice. The Jews thought that to be buried in Israel was to be buried under
the altar. It was something to be desired. Paul refers to this in Philippians
2:17: "But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the
sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of
you."
The sixth seal takes a series of images from Isaiah, Hosea, Ezekiel, and Joel
to talk about the great judgement coming on the earth. The sun turning black,
the rolling up of the sky like a scroll and the great earthquake "In my
zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great
earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky,
the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all
the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains
will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the
ground." (Ezekiel 38:19-20).
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It's a great judgement coming. In the words of the late great Johnny Cash,
"God's gonna cut you down". The Pale Rider is coming, whoever you
are. Verses 15-17 describe different classes of human beings. This is coming to
all.
What is the solution? If Christ is coming in judgement, to deal with all the
injustices, sins and evil in the world, where do we fit into the picture? If
you go back to the fifth seal you see a great hint for our hope. The Lord's
people are dressed in white robes. What does that represent? It is what the
theologians call their justification. In a world of injustice, the just one
comes. But before he comes in judgement, he has come as the baby in the manger.
He has come as the perfect teacher who lived a perfect life and demonstrated
the power of God through his miracles. He has come as the One who was to die,
not for his own sins, but for the sins of his people. The message of Christmas
is the message of the one who was born to die. A few years ago I edited a
church magazine and our Christmas edition cover caused a bit of controversy. I
still think it symbolizes the clash between the glitter of Christmas and the
purpose of Christmas:
He has taken our filthy rags and given us his white robes. He gives us beauty
for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the Spirit of praise for the garment of
heaviness.
That's why it's good for us today, in our 21st Century confused and confusing
world, to remember Advent. To think of the coming judgement and then remember
the one who came in weakness and mercy. It is why for me the hymn of Advent is
also the greatest Christmas carol:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
**David Robertson is minister of St Peter's Free Church, Dundee and associate
director of Solas CPC. Follow him on Twitter @theweeflea
The Houris: Islam’s ‘Sexual Superwomen’
Raymond Ibrahim/FrontPage Magazine/November 29/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/29/raymond-ibrahimfrontpage-magazine-the-houris-islams-sexual-superwomen/
Last month, when the battle for Mosul began, Islamic State “caliph” Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi reportedly promised four extra Houris (supernatural, celestial
women designed for sexual purposes)—atop the other 72 promised by prophet Muhammad—to
all jihadis who die (are “martyred”) fighting the infidel forces, according to
Arabic media accounts.
Al-Baghdadi did this during an extra “fiery sermon” wherein he recounted 15
hadiths and three stories dealing with the Houris in the context of the
original Muslim conquest of
While it is easy to dismiss this report as a hoax (among other things, it
doesn’t explain why al-Baghdadi thinks they will get four more heavenly
concubines), the problem is that Islam—from its history and doctrines, to the
exhortation of its leaders, from Muhammad to al-Baghdadi—is full of stories and
enticements concerning the Houris.
Here, for instance, is an authentic hadith—a statement attributed to Muhammad
that mainstream Islam acknowledges as true—which all jihadi organizations
(including ISIS) regularly invoke:
The martyr is special to Allah. He is forgiven from the first drop of blood
[that he sheds]. He sees his throne in paradise…. He will wed the Houris
[[a.k.a. “voluptuous women”] and will not know the torments of the grave and
safeguards against the greater horror [hell]. Fixed atop his head will be a
crown of honor, a ruby that is greater than the world and all it contains. And
he will copulate with seventy-two Houris. (Source: The Al Qaeda Reader, p.143).
The histories of the conquest of Mesopotamia and
As one Muslim captain searched for his nephew, Suwayed, in a field of Muslim
corpses, he found him dying on the ground. When the man came into the vision of
the fallen youth, Suwayed began to cry. He explained that, after being speared
by a Byzantine, “something amazing began to happen to me: the Houris are
standing beside me, awaiting my soul’s departure.”
A jihadi reported that he came upon a fallen comrade in a strange posture: “I
saw him smitten on the ground, and I watched as he lifted his fingers to the
sky. I understood he was rejoicing, for he saw the Houris.”
While waving his standard, another Muslim battalion leader told his men that a
furious rush against the “Christian dogs” is synonymous with a “rush to the
embraces of the Houris.”
Obsession over the Houris is not limited to arcane Islamic texts or
All this is a reminder that the Muslim mindset and the motivations behind the
jihad are many and multifaceted—and even include those that disbelieve in Allah
and the afterlife altogether. As such, Western secular minds would do well to
stop projecting their own materialistic paradigms onto jihadis—such as when the
Obama administration said that people join ISIS for “a lack of opportunity for
jobs”—and start understanding Islam’s paradigms and motivations on their own
terms.