LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 29/15
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletins05/english.july29.15.htm
Bible Quotation For Today/You
cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice
as much a child of hell as yourselves
Matthew 23/13-15: "‘But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you
lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and
when others are going in, you stop them. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make
the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves."
Bible Quotation For Today/Paul:
What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be
bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts of the Apostles 21/01-14: "When we had parted from them and set sail, we
came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to
Patara. When we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail.
We came in sight of Cyprus; and leaving it on our left, we sailed to Syria and
landed at Tyre, because the ship was to unload its cargo there. We looked up the
disciples and stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not
to go on to Jerusalem. When our days there were ended, we left and proceeded on
our journey; and all of them, with wives and children, escorted us outside the
city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed and said farewell to one
another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we
greeted the believers and stayed with them for one day. The next day we left and
came to Caesarea; and we went into the house of Philip the evangelist, one of
the seven, and stayed with him.
He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy. While we were
staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He
came to us and took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said,
‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, "This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the
man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." ’ When we heard
this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul
answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not
only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’
Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, ‘The Lord’s
will be done.’"
Bible Quotation For Today/Woe
to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith
Matthew 23/23-26: "‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe
mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law:
justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practised without
neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a
camel! ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside
of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and
self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that
the outside also may become clean."
Bible Quotation For Today/Persecution & Harassment Of Paul
Acts of the Apostles 21/27-28.30b-40a.: "When the seven days were almost
completed, the Jews from Asia, who had seen him in the temple, stirred up the
whole crowd. They seized him, shouting, ‘Fellow-Israelites, help! This is the
man who is teaching everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this
place; more than that, he has actually brought Greeks into the temple and has
defiled this holy place.’ Then all the city was aroused, and the people rushed
together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately
the doors were shut. While they were trying to kill him, word came to the
tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Immediately he took
soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. When they saw the tribune and the
soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the tribune came, arrested him, and
ordered him to be bound with two chains; he inquired who he was and what he had
done. Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another; and as he could not
learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the
barracks. When Paul came to the steps, the violence of the mob was so great that
he had to be carried by the soldiers. The crowd that followed kept shouting,
‘Away with him!’Just as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said
to the tribune, ‘May I say something to you?’ The tribune replied, ‘Do you know
Greek? Then you are not the Egyptian who recently stirred up a revolt and led
the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?’Paul replied, ‘I am a Jew,
from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city; I beg you, let me speak
to the people.’When he had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and
motioned to the people for silence; and when there was a great hush, he
addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:"
LCCC
Latest analysis, editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 28-29/15
Iran Deal: $150 Billion to Fund Obama's War/George Phillips/Gatestone
Institute./July 28/15
Obama's Gamble with Iran's Theocratic Regime/Robert D. Onley/Gatestone
Institute/July 28/15
Israel's Developing Relationship with Cyprus/Simon Henderson/Washington
Institute/July 28/15
Is Washington engaging critically with Cairo/H.A. Hellyer/Al Arabiya/28 July/15
The GCC’s options in responding to Obama/Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya/28 July/15
Saudi Arabia needs clear-cut laws on harassment/Khaled Almaeena/Al Arabiya/28
July/15
Reem Sahwil, a victim of European policy/Diana Moukalled/Al Arabiya/28 July/15
Does Saudi Arabia Have Hawks and Doves/Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al Awsat/Monday,
27 Jul, 2015
LCCC Bulletin titles for the
Lebanese Related News published on
July 28-29/15
Report: Nasrallah beefs security over ISIS threats
Salam Postpones Cabinet Session to Prevent its Possible Collapse
Hollande Voices Support for Salam during Phone Talks
Trash Collection Resumes in Beirut as Ministerial Panel Reaches 'Solution'
Cars Go Up in Flames as Protesters Continue Burning Waste in Beirut
'You Stink' Campaigners Back to the Streets of Beirut
Hizbullah Appeases Salam after Trash Thrown Near his Residence
Report: Aoun Rejects Offer Made by Moqbel on Roukoz
Moqbel Meets Geagea, Gemayel, Says Army Chief Name to be Discussed in September
2 Dead, 2 Hurt as Jund al-Sham and Fatah Clash in Ain el-Hilweh
Ain Dara Residents Block Dahr al-Baydar Road over Waste Transfer Reports
Mustaqbal Urges 'Partnership' in Resolving Waste Crisis, Voices 'Full Support'
for Salam
Lebanon on U.S. Watch List over Human Trafficking
LCCC Bulletin Miscellaneous Reports And
News published on
July 28-29/15
Kerry tells US House Foreign Affairs C'tee that Iran deal makes Israel safer
Republican candidate: Obama marching Israel 'to door of the oven'
U.N. Aid Chief Calls for Greater Syria Access
Senior Hamas official: No more military assistance from Iran
Iran a 'Formidable' Danger to Europe, Says Netanyahu
Toronto Jewish community on alert after threats by hooded men taking photos of
synagogue
“Toronto Jewish community on alert after threats by hooded men taking photos of
synagogue,” by Toby Trompeter, National Post,
Pope Francis appeals for release of two bishops and priest abducted by Muslims
in Syria
“Pope Francis calls for release of priest and bishops abducted in Syria,”
Egypt Police Kill Two Suspected Jihadists in Cairo Raid
Cairo Furniture Factory Fire Kills 19 Workers
Jail for Jordanians Convicted of Recruiting for Hamas
Libya Court Sentences Gadhafi Son to Death
Buildings Damaged, Teenager Missing in Indonesian Earthquake
Syria Army, Kurds Push IS out of Hasakeh City
Ministry: Two Bahrain Police Killed in 'Terror' Blast
Saudi-Led Air Raids, Clashes Shatter Yemen Truce
Second Saudi Execution after Ramadan Pause
Saudi King Backs Turkish Military Action
Blast suspends transport of gas on Iran-Turkey pipeline
NATO: We stand with Turkey against ‘terrorism’
HRW Says Saudi-Led Yemen Raid 'Apparent War Crime'
Canada's FM, Mr. Minister Nicholson to Attend Anti-ISIS Coalition Political
Directors Meeting
Jihad Watch Latest links for Reports And News
Pope Francis appeals for release of two bishops and priest abducted by Muslims
in Syria
Jihadi John” flees the Islamic State
Toronto Jewish community on alert after threats by hooded men taking photos of
synagogue
Obama’s 50 “moderates” trained in $500 million program to fight the Islamic
State have disappeared in Syria
Raymond Ibrahim: U.S. State Dept. Bars Christians from Testifying about
Persecution
Florida Muslim arrested in Islamic State WND plot; wanted to “destroy America”
and “cook American[s]…in cages”
AFDI’s free speech suit against MBTA heads to the Supreme Court
Fierce fighting between Chadian army and Islamic State in West Africa
Somali jihad-martyrdom bomber held German citizenship
Robert Spencer in FrontPage: Muslim Moderates Rally Against Terror in Ireland!
Preach hate against UK and it’s fine – attack halal meat and end up in court”
Miami Muslim wanted to shoot people in stadium to create chaos in city
Report: Nasrallah beefs security over ISIS threats
Roi Kais/Ynetnews/Published:07.28.15/ Israel News/150 strong group of 'Royal
Guards' protect Hezbollah's leader in system of tunnels beneath Beirut with
direct access to the city's international airport. Hezbollah leader Hassan
Nasrallah has beefed up his security detail in response to a growing number of
threats on his life from the Islamic State and al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front,
reported the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi on Tuesday.
According to the report, Nasrallah makes use of Iran's Revolutionary Guards for
his personal security needs. Only six men are reportedly allowed in the bunker
where Nasrallah lives, including Mustafa Badr Al Din, Hezbollah's military
leader and Nasrallah's deputy, Naim Qassem. Al-Quds also claimed that Nasrallah
is capable of movement through a network of tunnels in southern Beirut that has
an entrance/exit point into the international airport of Beirut. Nasrallah also
reportedly gets his meals imported from Tehran, directly into the tunnels in
Beirut. According to Al-Quds, the team that guards Nasrallah had earned the
title of "Royal Guard" and includes 150 combat-ready troops including the
personal bodyguards of Hezbollah's internal security chief who was trained in
Iran and North Korea. The central team of guards surrounding Nasrallah is said
to be made of 20 men led by Abu Ali Jawad. Nasrallah spoke publically through
massive screens erected throughout Lebanon on Tuesday, laying out his stance on
the Palestinian issue. According to the Hezbollah leader, in order to bring the
plight of the Palestinians to the forefront, Arab governments and peoples must
be reminded of Israel's aggressive and terrorist nature - a "monster lying on
Palestinian ground."
Salam Postpones Cabinet Session to Prevent its Possible
Collapse
Naharnet/28 July/15/Prime Minister Tammam Salam postponed a cabinet session that
was set to take place on Tuesday to pave way for more consultations and to avoid
a further confrontation on its controversial decision-making mechanism. A
statement issued by the premiership said Salam set Thursday as a new date for
the cabinet to convene. Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party
chief MP Walid Jumblat had urged him to postpone the session. They wanted the
consultations carried out by the different parties to pave way for agreements to
facilitate the work of the government. Sources close to Salam told al-Mustaqbal
newspaper that his resignation is still an option. The prime minister prefers to
have a caretaker government rather than keeping a cabinet that does not
function, they said. The premier has recently come under huge pressure by the
Free Patriotic Movement, which is backed by Hizbullah, to review the
government's decision-making mechanism that has been adopted in the absence of a
president. The FPM accuses Salam of infringing on the Christian president's
powers and says its ministers have the right to take decisions inside the
cabinet because they represent the head of state. The cabinet failed last week
to agree on the mechanism and adjourned the issue to Tuesday. But it is unlikely
to reach any decision this week amid a waste management crisis that is also
threatening the government. The crisis erupted when the Naameh landfill that
lies south of Beirut, and which receives the waste of the capital and Mount
Lebanon, was closed on July 17. Garbage continued to pile up in dumpsters
because the authorities had failed to find an alternative. A ministerial
committee headed by Salam announced on Monday that garbage collector Sukleen
started collecting waste. But it failed to mention the areas where a “balanced
distribution of garbage” would be made. The committee's decision is temporary
amid a failure to establish new landfills.
Hollande Voices Support for Salam during Phone Talks
Naharnet/28 July/15/French President Francois Hollande has telephoned Prime
Minister Tammam Salam and expressed to him France's support for Lebanon and its
state institutions, state-run National News Agency said Monday. he talks tackled
the current cabinet crisis in Lebanon and its repercussions on the country, NNA
said. The French president expressed his regret over “the continued presidential
vacuum and the Lebanese political forces' failure to agree on the election of a
new president,” the agency added. Hollande lauded Salam's “wisdom,” stressing
“his full support for him in the efforts aimed at preventing the spread of
paralysis to the council of ministers institution,” NNA said. The French leader
also emphasized that France “will continue the plan of equipping the army and
security forces in Lebanon that was endorsed as part of the Saudi grant.”On
Sunday, Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, who is close to Salam, announced
that the embattled premier will “announce his decision at the right time,” amid
reports that the PM is on the brink of resignation over the growing cabinet
crisis. “What we're seeing on the streets is an inevitable result of the cabinet
paralysis,” the minister added, referring to the accumulation of garbage on the
streets and street protests over the government's failure to address the waste
management crisis.
Trash Collection Resumes in Beirut as Ministerial Panel
Reaches 'Solution'
Naharnet/28 July/15/Trash collection resumed in Beirut on Monday evening after
the waste management ministerial committee managed to agree on a preliminary
solution to the garbage crisis. The solution involves the “immediate resumption”
of waste collection in Beirut, a “balanced distribution” of Beirut and Mount
Lebanon's garbage to new locations and financial “incentives” to municipalities,
Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq announced after an emergency meeting
at the Grand Serail. Authorities would also continue to evaluate the tenders
submitted by contractors and the Council for Reconstruction and Development will
establish an “operations room” to follow up on the plan's implementation,
Mashnouq added. He said thermal decomposition centers will be set up for waste
management. LBCI television meanwhile said the agreement involves finding
locations for three new landfills. Earlier, Industry Minister Hussein al-Hajj
Hassan announced that a “non-temporary solution” was reached for the crisis. “We
reached a solution and it's not temporary,” Hajj Hassan told reporters prior to
the Grand Serail talks. “It will be discussed today and agreed on and will be
followed up through recommendations,” he added. Education Minister Elias Bou
Saab had noted that a “vision” for a possible solution was discussed during the
committee's morning meeting. The panel's agreement comes on the eve of a cabinet
session that will be held Tuesday morning at the Grand Serail. The crisis that
erupted on July 17 has seen streets overflowing with waste and the air filled
with the smell of rotting and burning garbage. The problem erupted after the
central Naameh landfill was closed in accordance with a government decision
taken earlier this year. The landfill opened in 1997. It was meant to receive
trash from the capital and Mount Lebanon for only a few years until a
comprehensive solution was devised. But the government kept extending the
deadlines for its closure. The current crisis has prompted citizens to stage
angry road-blocking protests in several regions and civil society activists have
called for a sit-in outside the Grand Serail that will coincide with Tuesday's
cabinet session.
Cars Go Up in Flames as Protesters Continue Burning Waste in Beirut
Naharnet/28 July/15/Two cars went ablaze Monday evening in the Beirut area of
Karakol al-Druze and several citizens suffered suffocation after young men set
fire to trash dumpsters to protest the accumulation of garbage on the streets,
state-run National News Agency reported. A vehicle from the Beirut Fire Brigade
has since arrived at the scene to put out the flames, NNA said. Angry protesters
also blocked roads with burning trash dumpsters in the Salim Salam, Beshara al-Khoury
and Mar Elias districts. Outside Beirut, a number of young men tried to block
the eastern lane of the vital Damour highway with burning tires before being
dispersed several times by security forces, NNA said. The key highway connects
the capital Beirut to the South governorate. Earlier in the day, protesters
reopened the coastal highway in the Jiyeh area after receiving pledges from
officials that no garbage trucks would be sent to the Iqlim al-Kharroub region.
Several demonstrators and policemen were wounded in the morning during an
attempt by security forces to reopen the highway by force. Health Minister Wael
Abou Faour had urged citizens earlier on Monday not to burn the accumulating
garbage, citing several health hazards. Trash collection had partially resumed
in Beirut on Sunday but several streets are still overflowing with waste and the
air is filled with the smell of rotting garbage. The collection restarted after
a temporary deal was found to begin taking trash to several landfills in
undisclosed locations. The crisis started after residents living near the Naameh
landfill, the country's largest dumpsite, shut it down. The government pledged
last year that Naameh landfill would be closed on July 17 and an alternative
site be found. But the date came and went with no solution found and residents
began blocking the route to the site in the mountains outside Beirut. Initially,
Beirut's trash collector, the Sukleen firm, stored waste at its facilities, but
by July 20 they were at capacity and garbage began piling up in the streets.
Experts have urged Lebanon's government to devise a comprehensive waste
management solution that would include more recycling and composting to reduce
the amount of trash going into landfills.
'You Stink' Campaigners Back to the Streets of Beirut
Naharnet/28 July/15/Anti-trash activists blocked on Tuesday several roads in
Beirut to protest the authorities' failure to find a permanent solution to the
waste crisis. The demonstration was planned to coincide with a cabinet session
which Prime Minister Tammam Salam adjourned to pave way for more consultations.
Tuesday's protest by "You Stink" activists at Riad al-Solh square near the Grand
Serail was not the first. The same demonstrators held a sit-in in the area over
the weekend to protest the mountains of garbage that had piled up in Beirut and
its suburbs. The protesters then blocked the road near Mohammed al-Amin mosque
where the environment ministry is located, calling for the resignation of
Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq. They later moved to Beirut's Hamra thoroughfare
chanting slogans calling on the authorities to resolve the waste problem. At one
point, the demonstrators surrounded the vehicle of Social Affairs Minister
Rashid Derbas, who later severely criticized them, telling Voice of Lebanon
radio (93.3) that the protesters were on the verge of "smashing the car's
windows."They also threw trash bags near the Central Bank that lies in Hamra.
LBCI TV said the activists tracked dump trucks on Monday night and found out
that the trash was being thrown in Beirut River and a parking lot in Sin el-Fil.
The Facebook page of "You Stink" has so far garnered over 6,700 likes. Trash
collection resumed on Monday evening after the waste management ministerial
committee headed by Salam managed to agree on a preliminary solution to the
garbage crisis. The solution involves the “immediate resumption” of waste
collection in Beirut, a “balanced distribution” of Beirut and Mount Lebanon's
garbage to new locations and financial “incentives” to municipalities,
Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq said following the committee's
emergency meeting at the Grand Serail. The trash crisis erupted on July 17 when
the Naameh landfill south of Beirut was closed.
Hizbullah Appeases Salam after Trash Thrown Near his
Residence
Naharnet/28 July/15/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has sent an envoy
to inform Prime Minister Tammam Salam that the party is keen on the cabinet and
to distance itself from recent riots caused by the waste crisis near his
residence in Beirut, sources said Tuesday. The ministerial sources told al-Mustaqbal
daily that a Hizbullah minister visited Salam in Msaitbeh, carrying with him a
“personal message” from Nasrallah in which he stressed “the party's keenness on
the PM and his role.” In the message, Nasrallah distanced Hizbullah from chaos
when masked men burned trash and threw some of them near Salam's residence, said
the sources. Security sources told the newspaper that the men are members of the
Hizbullah-linked Resistance Brigades. They blocked several roads in Beirut on
Monday night, burned trash, threw some of them near Salam's home and stirred
disputes with passers-by, said the sources. Al-Joumhouria newspaper also said
that Salam expressed resentment at the incident during an emergency meeting for
the waste management ministerial committee that he chaired on Monday. “Is this a
message sent to me? Is there someone who wants to put pressure on me so that I
resign because of the waste file?” Salam reportedly asked. But Hizbullah
Minister Hussein al-Hajj Hassan and Amal Movement Minister Ali Hassan Khalil
sought to appease the premier. The ministers held phone talks with Speaker Nabih
Berri, who heads Amal, and Nasrallah to inform Salam that both parties reject
such acts, said al-Joumhouria. The ministers stressed that the men who caused
the rioting do not represent any side, it added.
Report: Aoun Rejects Offer Made by Moqbel on Roukoz
Naharnet/28 July/15/Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun has reportedly
told Defense Minister Samir Moqbel that he would continue to abide by the law
despite an offer to promote his son-in-law in the military institution. Sources
told An Nahar daily published on Tuesday that Moqbel suggested to Aoun that his
son-in-law Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, whose tenure ends
in October, be promoted. But Aoun rejected the idea outright. “How would we
accept the violation of the law and the constitution?” Aoun asked Moqbel during
a meeting they held in Rabieh on Monday. The lawmaker, who is also the head of
the Free Patriotic Movement, and the defense chief have been at loggerheads over
the extension of the terms of several high-ranking officials. The FPM says the
extensions are illegal. Aoun wants Roukoz to become army chief to replace Gen.
Jean Qahwaji whose term ends in September.
Moqbel Meets Geagea, Gemayel, Says Army Chief Name to be
Discussed in September
Naharnet/28 July/15/Defense Minister Samir Moqbel announced Tuesday that the
issue of appointing a new army chief will be discussed in September, the month
during which the extended term of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji will
expire. “The name of the army commander will remain pending until September and
will be discussed only one week prior to the juncture,” said Moqbel after
meeting Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Maarab. “The defense minister
will then take the necessary measures, in line with the laws,” he added. Moqbel
noted that he would propose “three or four names” for the cabinet to choose from
whenever there is a need to appoint a new military official. In the event of
lack of consensus, “the defense minister's jurisdiction allows him to postpone
the retirement of certain officers and he can also appoint reserve officers,” he
added. Moqbel also noted that the political leaders he met in recent days did
not suggest any candidates for the military posts. Earlier in the day, the
defense minister held talks with Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel in Saifi. On
Monday, he held talks with Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun in
Rabieh. Aoun and Moqbel had been at loggerheads after the FPM chief accused the
minister of extending the terms of several military officials in an "illegal"
manner. The cabinet sessions were recently suspended for more than three weeks
due to the dispute over the appointments. The bickering later escalated into a
thorny debate over the cabinet's decision-making mechanism in the absence of a
president, with the FPM accusing Prime Minister Tammam Salam of infringing on
the powers of the Christian head of state. Aoun has been lobbying for political
consensus on the appointment of Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz,
his son-in-law, as army chief as part of a package for the appointment of other
top security officers.
2 Dead, 2 Hurt as Jund al-Sham and Fatah Clash in Ain el-Hilweh
Naharnet/28 July/15/Two people were killed and two others were wounded Monday as
clashes erupted between the Islamist Jund al-Sham group and the secular Fatah
Movement in the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp. The violence erupted
after Jund al-Sham members Mohammed A. and Mahmoud A. were shot and wounded at
the hands of unknown gunmen, state-run National News Agency reported. It
identified the slain men as Palestinian national Diab M., a civilian, and Fatah
member T. M. “Some residents have fled, fearing a bigger deterioration,” NNA
said. Sidon MP Bahia Hariri of the al-Mustaqbal bloc meanwhile contacted senior
Fatah official Sobhi Abou Arab and Islamist leader Abou Sharif Aql, urging them
to seek a ceasefire and contain the tensions. She was told that efforts were
being exerted to that end. The camp had witnessed several similar incidents in
recent months. Ain el-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian camp in the country, is
home to about 50,000 refugees who live in dire conditions and is known to harbor
extremists and fugitives. By long-standing convention, the Lebanese army does
not enter the country's 12 refugee camps, leaving security inside to the
Palestinians themselves.
Ain Dara Residents Block Dahr al-Baydar Road over Waste
Transfer Reports
Naharnet/28 July/15/Residents of the Aley District town of Ain Dara blocked the
vital Dahr al-Baydar road Tuesday over reports that garbage from other areas
will be transferred to their region.“Ain Dara residents blocked the Dahr al-Baydar
road at Hammana's intersection in protest of waste transfer to their region,”
state-run National News Agency reported. The key highway links the Beirut, Mount
Lebanon and Bekaa regions. Earlier in the day, civil society activists from the
“You Stink” movement blocked most roads in downtown Beirut to protest the latest
garbage crisis and the government's approach towards it. On Monday, protesters
reopened the coastal Beirut-South highway in the Jiyeh area after receiving
pledges from officials that no garbage trucks would be sent to the Iqlim al-Kharroub
region. The vital road had been blocked for more than 24 hours. Several roads
were also blocked in the capital Beirut. Later on Monday, the waste management
ministerial committee announced reaching a “solution” that involves the
“immediate resumption” of waste collection in Beirut, a “balanced distribution”
of Beirut and Mount Lebanon's garbage to new locations and financial
“incentives” to municipalities. The trash crisis erupted on July 17 when the
Naameh landfill south of Beirut was closed following a campaign by residents and
environmental activists.
Mustaqbal Urges 'Partnership' in
Resolving Waste Crisis, Voices 'Full Support' for Salam
Naharnet/28 July/15/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday
called for “partnership and integration” to resolve the waste management crisis,
as it threw its support behind Prime Minister Tammam Salam. “The growing garbage
crisis is the problem of entire Lebanon and it is not limited to a certain
region without the others, as the dire consequences are affecting all Lebanese
regions, especially the capital Beirut, which lacks an appropriate location for
setting up a landfill,” said the bloc in a statement issued after its weekly
meeting. It hoped the government's efforts will lead to finding a “comprehensive
solution” on the basis of “partnership and integration among all citizens and
Lebanese regions.” Commenting on the agreement reached Monday in the waste
management ministerial committee, Mustaqbal hoped the provisional plan will pave
the ground for a solution based on “the resolutions that were issued by the
government in 2010, which were endorsed by the current government in January.”
In another stance related to the garbage crisis, the bloc accused members of the
Hizbullah-affiliaed Resistance Brigades of throwing trash outside PM Salam's
residence in Msaitbeh. It also condemned the interception of Social Affairs
Minister Rashid Derbas' car by anti-trash civil society protesters, urging
security forces to arrest them and refer them to the judiciary. Turning to the
crisis over the cabinet's decision-making mechanism, Mustaqbal voiced its “full
support” for Salam as he “shoulders his constitutional responsibilities in
preserving the Constitution's stipulations and the premiership's
jurisdiction.”“The real gateway to addressing all these complications is the
speedy election of a president, … as the continued obstruction of the state's
work and the insistence on paralyzing its institutions are the main and direct
reasons behind all the circumstances that the Lebanese are facing,” the bloc
added.
Lebanon on U.S. Watch List over Human Trafficking
Naharnet/28 July/15/The United States has said Lebanon falls in the category of
countries which could exert more efforts to combat modern-day slavery, placing
it on the “Tier 2 Watch List.”“Lebanon is a source and destination country for
women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and a transit
point for Eastern European women and children subjected to sex trafficking in
other Middle Eastern countries,” said an annual ranking compiled by the State
Department and announced by Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday. The
382-page report called for more “investigations, prosecutions, and convictions
of offenders under the anti-trafficking law, including officials complicit in
human trafficking.” It also urged Lebanese authorities to “increase training for
judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and diplomatic personnel about
the crime of trafficking and the anti-trafficking law” and “continue to
implement standard procedures to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable
populations, such as illegal migrants, women holding artiste visas, domestic
workers, and Syrian refugees.”The report is the State Department's key weapon
for combating human trafficking, and comes in an annual ranking in "tiers"— Tier
1 is best, 2 means more could be done, and 3 is a blacklist that can spark
sanctions. Countries in "Tier 3," the lowest category, are those whose
governments do not respect international norms or laws on trafficking and are
not making significant efforts to do so, according to the report. The
International Labor Organization says trafficking in persons represents a $150
billion-a-year industry, including $99 billion for the sex industry alone.
Washington estimates some 20 million people are victims. "Trafficking in persons
is an insult to human dignity and an assault on freedom," Kerry said in the
report's introduction as he called for a comprehensive "fight against modern
slavery.""It's a battle against money, it's a battle against evil," he said.
Kerry tells US House Foreign Affairs C'tee that Iran deal
makes Israel safer
JPOST.COM STAFF/07/28/2015/US Secretary of State John Kerry, US Secretary of the
Treasury Jack Lew and US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz were testifying on
Tuesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the nuclear agreement
reached in Vienna between Iran and the P5+1 nations earlier this month. Kerry
said that, while he understands Israel's fears regarding the nuclear deal signed
between world powers and Iran, the deal in fact makes Israel and the region
safer. Addressing concerns that Iran would continue to sponsor terrorism despite
the nuclear deal, Kerry said that the US would continue to "push back against
Iran's other activities." He said that it was "much easier to push back against
an Iran that doesn't have a nuclear weapon," which he argued that the agreement
will ensure.
Kerry said that Washington's current level of security cooperation with Israel
is unprecedented and the US will continue to maintain its "robust security
presence" in the region. Congress began a 60-day review period last week, during
which it may choose to vote to approve or disapprove of the deal. A resolution
of disapproval would have to come to a second vote with two-thirds support of
both chambers in order to overcome a presidential veto. Full House and Senate
debates and votes to approve or reject the nuclear agreement are expected in
September, after Congress returns from an August recess.
**Michael Wilner contributed to this report.
Republican candidate: Obama marching Israel 'to door of the
oven'
Associated Press/Ynetnews/Published: 07.27.15/ Israel News /Mike Huckabee in hot
water over comment comparing Iran nuclear deal to the extermination of Jews
during the Holocaust; Obama: 'This pattern of attacks by Republican candidates
would be considered ridiculous if it weren't so sad'.
WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has likened the
agreement on an Iranian nuclear deal to "marching the Israelis to the door of
the oven," a reference to the Holocaust. The former Arkansas governor made the
tweet Sunday, a day after first making the comparison when denouncing President
Barack Obama for his role in the agreement reached July 14 by the United States
and five other world powers with Tehran. Responding, Democratic National
Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Huckabee's statement was
"grossly irresponsible" and called on him to apologize.
Huckabee's controversial comments
But a Huckabee spokeswoman said Sunday his comments reflect a longstanding
position that "the Iran deal is a bad deal, bad for America and bad for Israel."
Huckabee's tweet called on Congress to reject the nuclear deal. "This
president's foreign policy is the most feckless in American history," Huckabee
said in an interview with Breitbart News broadcast on Sirius/XM radio Saturday.
"He's so naive he would trust the Iranians and he would take the Israelis and
basically march them to the door of the oven."Obama, asked about the comments at
a news conference in Addis Ababa, where he was meeting with Ethiopian officials,
said they were part of a pattern of attacks by 2016 Republican presidential
candidates that would be "considered ridiculous if it weren't so sad." He said
such issues as the Iran nuclear deal deserve serious debate, not outlandish
statements.
"It doesn't help inform the American people," Obama said. Obama responding to
Huckabee's remarks. Huckabee quickly responded, saying that "What's 'ridiculous
and sad' is that President Obama does not take Iran's repeated threats
seriously.""I will stand with our ally Israel to prevent the terrorists in
Tehran from achieving their own stated goal of another Holocaust," Huckabee said
in a statement his campaign emailed to reporters. In his initial remarks,
Huckabee said that "this Iran deal should be rejected by both Democrats and
Republicans.""We forget Iranians have never kept a deal in 36 years under the
ayatollah. There's no reason to think they will suddenly start doing
it."Huckabee said about the deal: "I read the entire thing. We gave away the
whole farm. It's got to be stopped."The Anti-Defamation League slammed
Huckabee's comments, saying "Whatever one’s views of the nuclear agreement with
Iran – and we have been critical of it – comments such as those by Mike Huckabee
suggesting the president is leading Israel to another Holocaust are completely
out of line and unacceptable.""To hear Mr. Huckabee invoke the Holocaust when
America is Israel’s greatest ally and when Israel is a strong nation capable of
defending itself is disheartening. The great tragedy of the Holocaust saw the
Jews of Europe without allies and without power at the worst possible moment,"
ADL National Director Jonathan A. Greenblatt went on to say in a statement
issued Monday. Huckabee's comments come as the Republican presidential
candidates struggle to break through with 16 presidential candidates already in
the Republican field, and one of those, New York businessman Donald Trump,
getting more attention than most.
**Ynetnews contributed to this story.
U.N. Aid Chief Calls for Greater Syria
Access
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/ U.N. aid chief Stephen O'Brien said
Tuesday that he hoped to secure better humanitarian access to Syrians most in
need during his maiden visit to Damascus next month. Speaking to the Security
Council he expressed hope that the visit "will provide an opportunity to
constructively engage with the government to address some of the significant
access challenges that seriously impede humanitarian operations." "Carving out
space to meet the humanitarian needs of Syria's people is today's imperative,"
said the British former MP, who replaced the outgoing Valerie Amos at the end of
May. O'Brien described the level of suffering for most Syrian civilians as
"gargantuan" with 12.2 million in need of humanitarian assistance. The United
Nations estimates that around 220,000 people have been killed since the conflict
began in March 2011.O'Brien said more than one million people have been
displaced so far this year, many for a second or third time, on top of 7.6
million displaced inside Syria at the end of 2014. This month, the number of
registered Syrian refugees reached four million, the largest refugee population
from a single conflict around the world in more than quarter of a century. "We
must have rapid, sustainable access to deliver essential humanitarian items to
all people in need, in all parts of the country, without delay or hindrance," he
said. O'Brien singled out attacks on medical facilities for particular
condemnation, saying there had been 14 such assaults recorded in June, 12 of
them air strikes. He also urged donors to step up their financial support for
U.N. humanitarian efforts, saying the response plan for the conflict is only 27
percent funded. But he acknowledged there were "no humanitarian solutions to
this crisis." "A political solution is more urgent than ever to end this futile,
hopeless cycle of brutality and violence," he said. U.N. special envoy Staffan
de Mistura is due to address the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday on several
months of consultations with parties to the conflict on relaunching peace talks.
Senior Hamas official: No more military assistance from
Iran
Elior Levy/Ynetnews/Published: 07.28.15 / Israel News
As the group's political wing moves closer to the Saudis, Abu Marzouk admits
Iran has withdrawn support; military wing reportedly attempting to mend
relations with Islamic Republic. Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk on
Monday repeated a statement voiced by leaders before, saying that Iran has
ceased providing most of its financial assistance to the group. "The aid has
stopped and it is still suspense – as was the military aid, whose absence is
difficult to deal with, and aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip," said Abu
Mazouk. Despite this, he emphasized that Hamas is working to retain close and
robust relations with the Islamic Republic. Abu Marzouk's declaration came amid
a crisis in Hamas-Iran relations, which began with the beginning of the Syrian
Civil War over four years ago, when Hamas backed the rebels while Iran and
Hezbollah supported Assad. Relations have continued to cool, especially after
Hamas began to improve relations with Iran's major regional rival, Saudi Arabia.
Hamas chief Khaled Mashal is a great supporter of becoming closer to the Saudi
axis, and most of the group's political leadership agrees. The opposition to
this process is led by Mohammed Deif and the group's military wing, which
desperately needs the financial assistance to rehabilitate and rearm itself
after Operation Protective Edge.
The military wing is also interested in Iranian military aid – both military
experts and attempts to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip. Deif has been
sending delegates to various countries in the region in the hopes of defrosting
relations with Iran and regaining the coveted assistance. Some in Israel are
well-aware of the internal divisions in Hamas about assistance from Iran. At the
beginning of July, the Southern Command's intelligence officer said that "the
military wing turned to Iran to get financial assistance to allow it to build up
ahead of the next campaign against Israel, in contrast to the general sentiment
in the movement that prefers the Saudi axis to the Iranian one. "These are sums
the military wing will not get from the organization's budget, and when there's
no alternative at home – they turn to the Iranians, who supply the money because
they are first of all interested in a foothold against Israel in every possible
sphere."
Iran a 'Formidable' Danger to Europe, Says Netanyahu
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said Tuesday that Iran posed a "formidable" threat to Europe, accusing
its proxy Hizbullah of operating cells across the continent. Just last month, a
member of the Lebanese group was jailed in Cyprus for plotting attacks on
Israeli targets on the Mediterranean island. Netanyahu, on an official visit to
Nicosia, said "Iran and Hizbullah organize a terrorist network that covers over
30 countries on five continents, including just about every country in
Europe."Iran and leading world powers signed a deal this month on Tehran's
controversial nuclear program, an accord the Israeli leader criticized as a
"stunning, historic mistake". Netanyahu said Israel and Cyprus were faced with
the dual dangers of Iran and the extremist attacks perpetrated by the Islamic
State group, which controls large parts of Iraq and Syria. "ISIS obviously
endangers European societies, Western societies, African societies, the whole
world," the premier said, using an alternative acronym for IS. "These are two
formidable dangers. They are expressed in many weapons, in many attacks, but the
most prevalent one that concerns Cyprus and Europe is of course the terrorism
that emanates from these areas," he added. Last month, a Cypriot court jailed a
Lebanese-Canadian man for six years after he pleaded guilty to terror charges
linked to 8.2 tonnes of potential bomb-making material found in his home.
Authorities said the man was a member of the military wing of Hizbullah and had
helped the group plan "terrorist attacks" on "Israeli interests in Cyprus".
Cyprus is not known for its militant activity despite its proximity to the
Middle East. But in 2013, a Cypriot court sentenced a Lebanon-born Swedish man
who admitted he was a Hizbullah member, to four years in jail after he was found
guilty of targeting Israelis on the island. A botched bomb attack on the Israeli
embassy in 1988 claimed the lives of three people. Israel has repeatedly
criticized the Iran nuclear deal and insists it is not bound to respect Tehran's
accord with the West. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said he and Netanyahu
had discussed the accord, adding that Cyprus expressed "hope that this deal will
help generate stability... and assist in addressing the security concerns of the
State of Israel". Tuesday's talks also focused on security, defense and the
exploration of oil and gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, according to
Anastasiades. The Aphrodite field, discovered off Cyprus' southeast coast in
2011, is estimated to contain between 3.6 trillion and 6 trillion cubic feet
(102 billion-170 billion cubic meters) of gas. Israel has found large reserves
off its own shoreline and the two countries are looking to cooperate on energy
issues such as exporting Israeli nature gas. "We think that by cooperating with
each other we think that we can take it (natural gas) out more easily and market
it better to the betterment of both our societies," Netanyahu said.
Toronto Jewish community on alert
after threats by hooded men taking photos of synagogue
July 28, 2015 9:32 am By Robert Spencer 5 Comments
Jihadis? Non-Muslim Leftists? No way to be sure at this point, but the scream of
“F–k Jews” suggests Islamic anti-Semitism more than just opposition to Israel.
However, the hatred of Jews that these men harbor almost certainly derives from
“Palestinian” jihad propaganda, which is rooted in the jihad imperative to
“drive them out from where they drove you out” (Qur’an 2:191) and destroy Israel
utterly.
“Toronto Jewish community on alert after threats by hooded
men taking photos of synagogue,” by Toby Trompeter, National Post,
July 28, 2015 (thanks to Stephen):
TORONTO — The greater Toronto Jewish community is disquieted and on the alert
after three hooded men took photos and yelled threats outside a Thornhill
synagogue. York Regional Police received a call from Beth Avraham Yoseph of
Toronto (BAYT) on Friday, according to Const. Laura Nicolle. That afternoon,
alerts went out via email and social media from synagogues across the GTA.“This
past Wednesday night, three men with concealed faces were observed taking photos
of BAYT,’’ read one alert posted to Facebook and viewed by more than 20,000
people. ‘‘When they were approached, they yelled “F— Jews. Watch!”, jumped into
their black Volkswagen Golf and drove off. The car’s licence plates were
covered. Unfortunately, they were out of range of the BAYT cameras. Please be
alert when walking, especially near our shul, and be on the look-out for such
vehicles and/or people.” Janice Savage, a BAYT member for three years, said the
synagogue has increased its security. ‘‘It’s incumbent on all shul members to be
vigilant — as the world we live in becomes more dangerous, the shul is
responding to our new reality.”Police cars were seen parked on Clark Avenue
outside the synagogue all Saturday, as well as patrolling nearby York Hill
Boulevard. “I’m feeling very vulnerable. It was very reassuring on the Sabbath
however to see the whole security task force of the BAYT in full swing. Members
of the trained security team were at the door checking visitors — as well as a
professional security guard,” said one BAYT neighbour who preferred to remain
anonymous. York region police said a BAYT security guard observed a car parked
by a stop sign on York Hill Blvd., with two men nearby, at around 8 p.m.
Wednesday. The guard believed they were possibly taking pictures of the security
cameras. “As security approached the men they got into the vehicle (and) fled
the area,” said York Constable Andy Pattenden. ‘‘As they were driving away the
guard believed he heard an offensive remark.”Const. Pattenden confirmed they
yelled “F— Jews,” but had nothing on record about the threat referred to in the
email alerts.
The men wore hoodies that shielded their faces, and the licence plate covered
with tinted plastic, rendering the guard unable to get the number….
Pope Francis appeals for release of
two bishops and priest abducted by Muslims in Syria
July 28, 2015 9:13 am By Robert Spencer
The Pope has said that “authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are
opposed to every form of violence,” so why doesn’t he go to Syria himself and
initiate a “dialogue” with the Islamic State, during which he can explain to
them how they are misunderstanding the Qur’an and Islam? That will fix
everything: not only will the Islamic State forthwith release the bishops and
the priest, but they will lay down their arms and distribute flowers to all the
little children!
As he prepares for that “dialogue” trip, however, the Pope may face resistance
from his own bishops. The holy and God-loving bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts
two years ago summed up the prevailing view of the U.S. Catholic bishops: “Talk
about extreme, militant Islamists and the atrocities that they have perpetrated
globally might undercut the positive achievements that we Catholics have
attained in our inter-religious dialogue with devout Muslims.” — Robert McManus,
Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts, February 8, 2013
So what is Pope Francis doing talking about these abducted clerics? He should
keep quiet about such matters, so as to preserve the “dialogue”! Will McManus
and the other American bishops call him on the carpet, and “oppose him to his
face, because he stood condemned,” as St. Paul did to Francis’ first
predecessor, St. Peter?
The contemporary Catholic Church, especially in the West, has confused niceness
with charity. It may be nice to avoid unpleasant matters and enjoy delicious
hummus and pita down at the mosque, but it is not charitable to confirm Muslims
in their bullying and supremacism by kowtowing to their wishes and keeping
silent about the atrocities they commit in the name of their religion and in
accord with its teachings. The contemporary Catholic Church is heading its
people to a disaster for which they might have been fortified and prepared had
not their leaders lulled them into complacency and deliberately kept them in
ignorance by silencing voices who spoke honestly about the looming threat.
Ironic that the preachers of “Be Not Afraid” are the very ones cowering in fear
of Islamic jihadists.
“Pope Francis calls for release of priest and bishops
abducted in Syria,”
by Philip Pullella, Reuters, July 26, 2015:/Pope Francis on Sunday appealed for
the release of an Italian Jesuit priest and two Orthodox bishops kidnapped in
Syria two years ago, asking leaders to work for the freedom of all those
abducted there. Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, a Jesuit priest who worked in Syria for
more than 30 years and who supported the uprising against President Bashar
al-Assad, disappeared on July 29, 2013 in the city of Raqqa, now a stronghold of
militant group Islamic State. Dall’Oglio was well known in the Middle East and
Europe for his work promoting Christian-Muslim dialogue. He was restoring an
ancient monastery in the desert and had refused to leave the country for his own
safety after the civil war started four years ago. Several months earlier, two
Orthodox bishops were kidnapped in an area near the Turkish border where they
had gone to negotiate the release of two abducted priests. Francis, speaking to
tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square for his weekly prayer and
message, called for a “renewed commitment” by local and international
authorities “so these brothers of ours can regain their freedom soon.”…
Egypt Police Kill Two Suspected Jihadists in Cairo Raid
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/Egyptian police killed two alleged
jihadists suspected of involvement in the recent bombing of the Italian
consulate in Cairo in a raid Monday on an apartment in the capital, security
officials said. The two men were killed in a gunfight when a police team went to
arrest them, the officials said. "The two jihadists belonged to Ajnad Misr
(Soldiers of Egypt) and investigations reveal that they could be involved in the
bombing of the Italian consulate," one official said, adding they were also
wanted "for their role in assassinating policemen". The Islamic State group had
claimed the July 11 bombing of the consulate -- the first such attack on a
foreign mission in Egypt since jihadists launched a campaign against the
country's security forces two years ago following a crackdown on Islamists. A
civilian was killed and nine others were wounded in the attack. Ajnad Misr has
previously claimed several deadly attacks in Cairo, particularly targeting
policemen, and have planted bombs outside key buildings such as the presidential
palace and Cairo University. In April, the group's leader Hammam Mohamed Attiyah
was shot dead in a gunfight with police at a Cairo apartment. Police say Attiya
previously belonged to Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the Egyptian branch of the Islamic
State group, and that he broke away in 2013 to found Ajnad Misr, a group
operating mainly in Cairo. On July 1, nine militants, including senior Muslim
Brotherhood leader Nasser al-Houfia, were killed in a similar police raid on an
apartment in Cairo. The Muslim Brotherhood said the nine were leaders of the
movement, which was designated a "terrorist group" after the military toppled
Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
Cairo Furniture Factory Fire Kills 19 Workers
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/At least 19 workers died in a fire that
gutted an Egyptian furniture factory north of Cairo on Tuesday, security and
health officials said. Twenty-two more workers suffered from burns and smoke
inhalation in the blaze in the al-Helw factory on the outskirts of the capital.
Security officials said the fire raged through the three-story factory and its
warehouse after a gas cylinder exploded. Video footage posted on social networks
showed thick smoke billowing from the factory as rescuers crowded to help the
victims. Such accidents are relatively common in Egypt, given the dilapidated
state of many buildings and failure to adhere to industrial safety norms. In
September 2014, six people died and 22 were injured when a textile dyeing
factory collapsed in Cairo in an accident blamed on poor construction.
Jail for Jordanians Convicted of Recruiting for Hamas
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/Twelve Jordanians were sentenced on
Tuesday to jail terms of up to 15 years for their involvement in a cell
recruiting members for the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. Of 16
defendants, "four were acquitted and 12 convicted of terrorist offenses", a
judicial source said. "Four were sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison,
while three detainees got five years," the source said. One was sentenced to
three years and four to one year. All were found guilty of manufacturing
explosives, carrying out acts to disturb the peace and "recruiting people on
behalf of armed groups".Ties between Jordan and Hamas, the de facto power in the
Gaza Strip, have been strained since 1999 when the kingdom expelled the
Palestinian movement's chief Khaled Meshaal. Two years previously, Meshaal had
survived an attempt by the Israeli secret service Mossad to kill kim. Relations
between Jordan and Hamas worsened further in 2006 when Amman accused the group
of arms trafficking from Syria.
Libya Court Sentences Gadhafi Son to Death
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/ A Libyan court Tuesday sentenced a son
and eight aides of slain dictator Moammar Gadhafi to death for crimes during the
2011 uprising, in a verdict strongly criticized by rights campaigners. Seif
al-Islam, the strongman's one-time heir apparent who is also wanted by the
International Criminal Court, was tried in his absence because he is held by
militia opposed to the Tripoli authorities. Former intelligence chief Abdullah
Senussi and Gadhafi's last prime minister Al-Baghdadi al-Mahmudi were also
sentenced to death, although they can appeal to the supreme court. The 37
defendants were charged with crimes including murder and complicity in
incitement to rape during the 2011 revolution.
Libya has been wracked by conflict since Gadhafi's overthrow, with rival
governments and powerful militias battling for control of key cities and the
country's oil riches. The trial, which opened in the Libyan capital in April
last year, has been dogged by criticism from human rights watchdogs and an
unresolved dispute with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague over
jurisdiction in the case of the Gadhafi son. Rights groups say the trial was
deeply flawed and missed an opportunity to expose the crimes of the Gadhafi
regime. Amnesty International called the death sentences "appalling". "Instead
of helping to establish the truth and ensuring accountability for serious
violations during the 2011 armed conflict, this trial exposes the weakness of a
criminal justice system which is hanging on by a thread in a war-torn country
with no central authority," Amnesty's Philip Luther said. Human Rights Watch's
Joe Stork said the trial was "plagued by persistent, credible allegations of
fair trial breaches that warrant independent and impartial judicial review".
The militia holding Seif al-Islam in the southwestern hill town of Zintan is
aligned with the internationally recognized government which fled to the remote
east last August when a rival militia alliance seized the capital and set up its
own administration. Prosecutor general Siddick al-Sour acknowledged that there
was no prospect of Seif al-Islam facing the court's sentence any time soon but
said that was a matter for politicians.
"The court pronounced sentence and has nothing to do with the political
conflict," Sour said. Seif al-Islam's sole appearances before the court were by
video link and there had been none since May last year. The U.N. Security
Council referred the conflict in Libya to the ICC in February 2011 amid
Gadhafi's repression of the popular uprising against his decades-old regime.
Seif al-Islam is wanted by the Hague-based court on charges of war crimes and
crimes against humanity. ICC prosecutors say that as part of his father's "inner
circle", he "conceived and orchestrated a plan to deter and quell, by all means,
the civilian demonstrations against Gadhafi's regime". Moammar Gadhafi, who
ruled Libya for four decades, was captured and killed by rebels in October 2011.
Three of his sons died in the 2011 uprising. Another, Saadi, was extradited to
Libya from Niger in March 2014. Seif al-Islam has been held in Zintan since his
capture in November the same year despite repeated ICC demands for Libya to hand
him over for trial. Twenty-nine other defendants, including Senussi and Mahmudi,
appeared in court for Tuesday's sentencing. They were brought into the black
cage in blue prison uniforms, some with their heads shaved. Most sat impassively
in the dock. Senussi has been in custody since September 2012 when he was handed
over by Mauritania, where he had sought refuge after the regime's overthrow. "He
has from day one had no effective legal representation, no access to his family
and the outside world, and no ability to prepare any defense against the
charges," his international legal team said. His 17-year-old daughter Salma said
her father had been denied a fair trial. "Even if my father did something wrong,
I would ask them to put him in a real court in a place with rule of law," she
told AFP from her home in Britain. The court sentenced eight other defendants to
life in prison, seven to 12 years, four to 10, three to six and one to five.
Four were acquitted and one was ordered confined to a psychiatric hospital.
Buildings Damaged, Teenager Missing in Indonesian Earthquake
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/A powerful earthquake
rocked remote eastern Indonesia on Tuesday, damaging several buildings and
leaving a teenage boy missing after he fell into a river. The 7.0-magnitude
quake struck inland in a mountainous area of Papua in the early hours, almost
250 kilometers (150 miles) west of the province's capital Jayapura at a depth of
52 kilometers, the U.S. Geological Survey said. "The quake was felt very
strongly for four seconds," said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
"Residents panicked and rushed out of their homes." Rescuers were still trying
to reach the area closest to the epicenter in Memberamo district, which would
take several hours, Nugroho added. An AFP reporter in Jayapura said weak shaking
was felt in the city for a few seconds. One house collapsed and another was
partially damaged in Kasonaweja city, not far from the epicenter, while patients
were evacuated from a hospital after its walls cracked, said local disaster
agency official Yonas Taudufu. A 15-year-old boy who was fishing in a river fell
into the water when the quake hit and remains missing, he said. A 50-meter
(160-foot) crack also appeared in a road. Both Indonesian authorities and the
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of any tsunami waves
from the quake. Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic
plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity. A huge undersea
quake in 2004 triggered a tsunami that engulfed Aceh province, on western
Sumatra island, killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia and tens of
thousands more in other countries with coasts on the Indian Ocean.
Syria Army, Kurds Push IS out of Hasakeh City
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/Syrian troops and Kurdish fighters
ousted the Islamic State group from Hasakeh Tuesday, more than a month after the
jihadists launch an assault on the northeastern city, a monitoring group said.
Government troops and Kurdish forces, who share control of the city, had been
battling since June 25 to push IS forces out of the city, which is the capital
of Hasakeh province. IS "was expelled by the army from Zuhur, the last district
in which it was present in Hasakeh, and its fighters have been pushed to the
southern outskirts of the city," said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
director Rami Abdel Rahman. At least 287 IS fighters, among them 26 minors, had
been killed in the fight for Hasakeh, as well as strikes by the U.S.-led
coalition outside the city, he said. Another 120 soldiers and pro-regime
militiamen and several dozen Kurdish forces were also killed. State news agency
SANA said Syria's armed forces "dealt great blows to the Daesh (IS)
terrorists... in Zuhur" Tuesday, but did not say the jihadists had been pushed
out of the city. "Army units advanced again into Zuhur, where they executed a
special operation against the terrorist hotbeds", it reported. IS has attacked
Hasakeh city several times, but the latest assault was the most serious yet. Its
forces initially seized several districts in the southern part of the city, with
Kurdish fighters and regime troops mobilizing against them. The Observatory said
IS had used at least 21 car bombs and several suicide bombers during the
month-long campaign.
Ministry: Two Bahrain Police Killed in 'Terror' Blast
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/A bomb blast killed two Bahrain
policemen and wounded six others Tuesday in an area often shaken by clashes
between security forces and Shiite Muslim protesters, the interior ministry
said. Bahrain has seen frequent unrest since the minority Sunni rulers of the
small Gulf kingdom crushed a Shiite-led uprising four years ago. The blast in
Sitra island outside the capital Manama comes days after the Bahraini
authorities announced they had foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons from Iran.
Bahrain's main Shiite opposition al-Wefaq condemned the bombing, insisting that
it "categorically rejected" violence. Police blocked routes leading to the
island following the explosion -- the latest in a series of blasts targeting
police in Shiite villages, witnesses said. "The explosives used in the terrorist
incident are of the same quality of explosives seized recently while being
smuggled from Iran," the BNA state news agency reported. The interior ministry
described the blast as a "terror" attack. Footage of the aftermath of the
explosion showed a shrapnel-riddled police bus with shattered windows. Since the
Arab Spring-inspired 2011 uprising, protesters demanding political reforms have
clashed frequently with security forces in Shiite villages outside Manama.Human
rights groups say at least 89 people have been killed. Prominent opposition
figures have been jailed, including the leader of the Shiite opposition Ali
Salman, who was sentenced in June to four years in prison for inciting
disobedience and hatred. Al-Wefaq, which is headed by Salman, condemned the
bombing.
"Such incidents have nothing to do with the peaceful (opposition) movement...
that demands democratic change in Bahrain," it said in a statement. In March
2014, three policemen were killed in the kingdom's deadliest attack against
security forces. They included an Emirati officer from the Saudi-dominated Gulf
force that rolled into Bahrain in March 2011 to boost the security forces.
Bahrain, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and other Sunni-ruled Gulf kingdoms
accuse Shiite Iran of inciting unrest across the Middle East. Manama recalled
its ambassador from Tehran over the weekend in protest at "hostile" comments by
Iranian leaders. On Sunday, Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh
Afkham accused Bahrain of making "unfounded allegations" aimed at creating
"tension in the region."Saudi Arabia, a strong backer of Bahrain, denounced the
Iranian statements on Bahrain as "aggressive."Bahrain summoned Iran's acting
charge d'affaires earlier this month to protest after the Islamic republic's
supreme leader Ali Khamenei voiced support for "oppressed people" across the
Middle East, including in Bahrain.
Saudi-Led Air Raids, Clashes Shatter Yemen Truce
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/A humanitarian truce in Yemen has
failed to take hold after Saudi-led warplanes resumed Tuesday strikes against
Yemen rebels whose clashes with loyalists persisted, military sources said. The
five-day truce that began Monday was unilaterally declared by the pro-government
Arab coalition to allow the delivery of desperately needed relief supplies. The
coalition, which mounted an air campaign against the Shiite Huthi rebels and
their allies in late March, had reserved the right to hit any military movement
by the insurgents. Air strikes targeted rebels north of Aden, Yemen's second
city, which was mostly recaptured by loyalists last week after four months of
ferocious fighting, military sources said. Raids also struck rebels in nearby
Lahj province, where forces loyal to exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi
have tightened the noose on insurgents in the strategic Al-Anad airbase. Three
air raids targeted a rebel convoy near Sabr, north of Aden, where loyalists had
advanced over the past days, military sources said. Other raids hit a building
occupied by insurgents in Jaawala -- also north of Aden. An overnight air strike
hit rebels in Marib, east of Sanaa, witnesses said. Fighting around Aden has
left 28 dead since Monday, including 22 rebels, two civilians and two pro-Hadi
southern fighters, said city health chief Al-Khader Laswar. On Monday, coalition
warplanes hit positions of pro-government forces in Lahj by mistake, killing 12
people and wounding 30 others, military sources and witnesses said. U.N. chief
Ban Ki-moon on Sunday made a plea for all sides to "agree to and maintain the
humanitarian pause for the sake of all the Yemeni people". The rebels said they
were not consulted about the ceasefire.
Second Saudi Execution after Ramadan Pause
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its
citizens for drug trafficking on Tuesday, in the second execution after a pause
for Ramadan. Saif al-Hadissane was found guilty of smuggling a large amount of
hashish. He was executed in the Al-Ahsa region of eastern Saudi Arabia, the
interior ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press
Agency. SPA had reported no executions during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan
and the Eid al-Fitr holiday which followed it from July 17. The latest beheading
brings to 104 the number of executions in the kingdom this year, a sharp
increase on the 87 recorded during the whole of 2014, according to AFP tallies.
This year's figure is still below the record 192 which human rights group
Amnesty International said took place in 1995. Human Rights Watch has accused
Saudi authorities of waging a "campaign of death" by executing more people in
the first six months of this year than in all of last year. Echoing the concerns
of other activists, the New York-based group said it had documented "due process
violations" in Saudi Arabia's legal system that make it difficult for defendants
to get fair trials even in capital cases. Under the conservative kingdom's
strict Islamic sharia legal code, drug trafficking, rape, murder, armed robbery
and apostasy are all punishable by death. The interior ministry has cited
deterrence as a reason for carrying out the punishment. It has also talked of
"the physical and social harm" caused by drugs.
Saudi King Backs Turkish Military Action
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/Saudi King Salman has expressed support
for Turkey after it launched air strikes against the Islamic State group in
Syria and Kurdish militants in Iraq, state media reported on Tuesday. The king
told President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday that he backed Turkey's right to
self-defense, the official Saudi Press Agency said. Erdogan had telephoned
Salman to brief him on the air strikes it launched last week after a deadly
bombing inside Turkey blamed on IS and a reprisal killing of police by Kurdish
militants. The king condemned the attacks and said he "supports Turkey's right
to defend itself and protect its citizens from terrorist acts" which pose a
threat to the security of the region and the world, SPA said. Saudi Arabia is
part of a U.S.-led coalition that has been carrying out air strikes against IS
in Syria since last September. But Turkey had previously stood aloof, prompting
accusations -- strongly denied by Ankara -- of complicity with the jihadists.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia have had strained relations since 2013 when Riyadh
supported the overthrow by the Egyptian army of Ankara-backed Islamist president
Mohamed Morsi. But SPA said the two leaders "emphasized the excellent relations"
between their countries in their telephone call.
Blast suspends transport of gas on Iran-Turkey pipeline
By AFP | Istanbul/Tuesday, 28 July 2015/An explosion overnight on Monday
suspended the transport of gas along a pipeline connecting Turkey and Iran in
the eastern Turkish province of Agri, Ankara’s energy minister said. “The
explosion caused a fire. But we managed to put it out quickly. The
transportation of gas will resume when the pipeline is repaired,” Taner Yildiz
said in a statement, according to state-run news agency Anatolia. There was no
immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, but Turkish media pointed the
finger at the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK has fought a
decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey, and is regarded as a terrorist
organization by both Ankara and Washington. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu on Monday promised to press ahead with military operations against the
PKK until the group disarmed. The separatist group has claimed or been blamed
for a series of attacks in recent weeks. Gunmen shot dead a paramilitary police
commander late on Monday in a predominantly Kurdish part of eastern Turkey. No
one claimed responsibility for the assault, but suspicion fell on the PKK. On
Sunday, the PKK’s military wing claimed the killing of two Turkish soldiers in a
car bombing in Diyarbakir province. And last week, two Turkish policemen were
shot dead in their beds in the southeast, killings claimed by the PKK. The PKK
has said a truce between the government and the militants that has largely held
since 2013, while peace talks were ongoing, has been rendered meaningless by
Turkey’s air strikes against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.
NATO: We stand with Turkey against ‘terrorism’
By AFP, Reuters/Tuesday, 28 July 2015/NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
said the military alliance stood in strong solidarity with its ally Turkey,
which requested an emergency Meeting to discuss instability at its borders with
Syria and Iraq. “Our condolences go to the Turkish government and the families
of the victims touched by these terrible acts of terror. Terrorism in all its
forms can never be tolerated or justified,” Stoltenberg said as he opened the
NATO meeting in Brussels. “It is right and timely that we hold this meeting
today to address the instability on Turkey’s doorstep and on NATO’s border. NATO
is following developments very closely and we stand in strong solidarity with
our ally Turkey.” Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had said earlier on Tuesday
that he expected NATO to support his country in its fight against terrorism "No
steps back will be taken in our fight against terrorism, this is a process and
it will continue with the same determination," Erdogan told a news conference
ahead of his departure on an official visit to China. Separately, Erdogan also
said on Tuesday it was impossible to continue a peace process with Kurdish
militants and that politicians with links to “terrorist groups” should be
stripped of their immunity from prosecution. “It is not possible for us to
continue the peace process with those who threaten our national unity and
brotherhood,” Erdogan told a news conference ahead of his departure on an
official visit to China. Erdogan also said a “secure zone” in northern Syria,
which Turkey and the United States are in talks about establishing, would pave
the way for the return of 1.7 million Syria refugees currently being sheltered
in Turkey.
HRW Says Saudi-Led Yemen Raid 'Apparent War Crime'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/28 July/15/Human Rights Watch condemned as an
"apparent war crime" on Tuesday a Saudi-led air raid in Yemen last week that it
said killed at least 65 civilians in residential compounds. The New York-based
watchdog charged that the Saudi-led coalition had failed to investigate alleged
breaches of the rules of war during the bombing campaign it launched against
Shiite rebels in March and called for a U.N. probe. It said that 10 children
were among the dead in Friday's strikes in the Red Sea port of Mokha. Coalition
warplanes repeatedly struck two compounds housing the families of workers at the
Mokha Steam Power Plant, it added. "With no evident military target, this attack
appears to be a war crime," said the watchdog's senior emergencies researcher,
Ole Solvang. HRW called for a U.N. probe into allegations against all parties to
the conflict, including the coalition, loyalists of the exiled government it is
seeking to restore, and the rebels and their allies. "The failure of Saudi
Arabia and other coalition members to investigate apparently unlawful air
strikes in Yemen demonstrates the need for the United Nations Human Rights
Council to create a commission of inquiry," it said. The United Nations says the
conflict has killed more than 3,640 people, around half of them civilians, since
late March. On Monday, the coalition began a five-day pause in its bombing
campaign to allow delivery of desperately needed relief supplies. But the
International Committee of the Red Cross has warned that five days are not
enough to cover the needs.
Canada's FM, Mr. Minister Nicholson to Attend Anti-ISIS
Coalition Political Directors Meeting
July 28, 2015 - Ottawa, Ontario - Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, today announced that he will travel to Québec City for a July
30, 2015, meeting of the political directors of the Small Group of the Global
Coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). ISIS continues to
present a serious threat to regional and global security, including a direct
threat to Canadian citizens at home and abroad. Canada stands at the forefront
of international efforts to address the significant security and political
challenges resulting from ISIS’s terrorist campaign. Canada is taking action to
counter ISIS’s barbaric activities and expansionist agenda by participating in
Coalition military air strikes and by working with its partners to stem the flow
of foreign fighters, disrupt ISIS’s funding sources and counter terrorist
narratives. Canada is also actively supporting humanitarian relief efforts to
respond to the needs of civilians affected by the conflict. Canada remains fully
committed to these international efforts. To that end, on July 30, 2015, Canada,
the United States and Iraq will co-chair a meeting in Québec City of anti-ISIS
Coalition political directors to review the progress of Coalition efforts to
date.
Quick Facts
Since 2013, ISIS has been carrying out a campaign of unspeakable atrocities
against children, women and men, including members of religious and ethnic
communities in Syria and Iraq. ISIS is a terror group whose goal is the
establishment of a single, transnational Islamic state based on an extremist
ideology and is willing to forcibly convert or brutally kill those who oppose
it. On March 30, 2015, the Parliament of Canada passed a motion to renew
Canada’s mission to counter ISIS for an additional 12 months and to expand the
mission’s scope to include air strikes in Syria. Canada has committed to funding
a range of humanitarian, development, stabilization and security programming to
support the countries in the region. Canada’s financial support is helping to
meet the urgent protection, food, shelter, health and education needs of
thousands of affected civilians. Canada is also working with its partners to
help strengthen the resilience of affected countries so that their longer-term
development, stability and prosperity can be secured.
One of Canada’s priorities is to support women and girls who have been the
targeted victims of sexual violence by providing financial assistance to local
grassroots non-governmental organizations as well as to international
organizations. Canada also supports the documentation and investigation of
international crimes committed in conflict-affected areas as well as the
prosecution of the perpetrators to ensure they are held to account.
Quotes
"ISIS continues to present a serious threat to regional and global security,
including a direct threat to Canadian citizens at home and abroad. It has
committed acts of gruesome violence in the name of an extremist ideology that
espouses the forced conversion, enslavement or elimination of all non-believers.
Minorities and the women and girls targeted by ISIS are not incidental victims
of terror but are deliberately selected by ISIS and are even used to recruit,
encourage and reward its fighters."
- The Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Associated Links
Countering ISIS
Contacts
Johanna Quinney
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
343-203-1851
johanna.quinney@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
Iran Deal: $150 Billion to Fund Obama's War
George Phillips/Gatestone Institute./July 28, 2015
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/6225/iran-150-billion-dollars
The Iran deal does not prevent a nuclear Iran. At best, it only delays it a few
years. Under the disastrous Iran nuclear deal, $150 billion would go to a single
regime that has been a state sponsor of terrorism for the entire 36 years of its
existence. The Iran deal, in five years, will actually lift a ban on sending
Iran conventional weapons, including (in eight years) intercontinental ballistic
missiles capable of hitting the United States. But Iran is already wasting no
time buying weapons and producing weapons on its own. When Obama leaves office,
he may think that any catastrophe the Iran deal causes will not "technically" be
his, but the next president's. But it is his. It's as if someone is lighting a
long fuse and will then say he was not near the dynamite when it went off. Any
explosions that result from this huge military and financial payday to Iran
will, and should, be known as "Obama's war."
In 1947, U.S. President Truman made history by launching the Marshall Plan,
sending $13 billion (about $140 billion in today's dollars) to help rebuild
post-war Europe, in order to prevent Western Europe from falling to Communist
expansion. Today President Obama is trying to make history through an Iranian
nuclear deal that will give an astounding $150 billion of sanctions relief to a
regime that was in 2014 considered by the U.S. Department of State, along with
Sudan and Syria, one of the world's leading sponsors of terrorism. The Marshall
Plan was spread out over 17 countries that were U.S. allies and considered
critical in the long struggle that would put Soviet communism on the "ash-heap
of history," in the words of President Ronald Reagan.
Under the President Obama's disastrous Iran nuclear deal, $150 billion would go
to a single regime that has been a state sponsor of terrorism for the entire 36
years of its existence. $150 billion is an enormous amount of money to the
Iranian regime, whose failed statist economic policies, ongoing expansionism and
internal mismanagement -- not even to speak of its horrifying human rights
record in imprisonments, torture, and widespread executions -- have led to a
stagnant economy.
How might Iran spend the $150 billion?
Iran has brutally cracked down on dissent in its own country. It brutally
imprisoned, tortured, and murdered those in the Green Movement, whose peaceful
demonstrations, begun in 2009, had brought together up to three million
protesters, and which threatened to topple the regime. With the new inflow of
money, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will have many more
resources at its disposal to crush dissent and tighten its grip on power, making
regime change -- which should be our urgent and ultimate goal, rather than a
fleeting nuclear deal -- all the more unlikely. Iran has backed the Assad regime
in Syria, helping it keep control in a brutal civil war that has cost over
210,000 lives. Assad even wrote a congratulatory letter to Iran's Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei about the deal, probably in the likely assumption that he
will get a substantial boost from this $150 billion boom.
A flush $150 billion in the hands of the Iranian regime will also likely give a
boost to the Iranian-sponsored Houthi rebels trying to take over Yemen.
Iran has in the past used its Shia militias to kill an estimated 500 Americans
in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the Iraqi Shia militias may be fighting ISIS now,
they almost certainly will be fighting and killing more moderate Sunnis in Iraq,
who worked with the U.S. government and are willing to work for a peaceful Iraq.
Iran has long backed Hezbollah, Hamas and other terrorist groups trying to
destroy Israel.
Iran is already sending millions of dollars to Hamas to build and repair tunnels
for use in kidnapping and murdering Israelis, and to rebuild Hamas's missile
supply. Iran's Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, already has an estimated 100,000
missiles it could use to attack Israel. With $150 billion, Iran can fund a
massive new war against Israel through its terrorist proxies -- using
conventional weapons -- to try to obliterate Israel even before Iran gets
nuclear weapons.
The fact that Iran pushed to have the UN arms embargo lifted as part of the
nuclear deal shows its intentions for where to spend this $150 billion.
The Iran deal, in five years, will actually lift a ban on sending Iran
conventional weapons, including (in eight years) intercontinental ballistic
missiles capable of hitting the United States. But Iran is already wasting no
time buying weapons and producing weapons on its own. Russia recently finalized
the sale to Iran of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system -- in violation of
the existing embargo. Although there may still be an official UN arms embargo on
Iran, there is no ban the transfer of raw materials that they could use to make
arms domestically. Iran already has an advanced weapons manufacturing industry.
If the Iran nuclear deal goes through, the mullahs will have to decide how much
of the $150 billion will be used to boost their own arms manufacturing efforts
and shore up their domestic reign of terror, and how much will be shared with
their totalitarian and terrorist allies? The Iran deal does not prevent a
nuclear Iran. At best, it only delays it a few years.
Iran has brazenly vowed not to change its current policies and will continue to
finance war, through its terrorist partners, against Israel and Sunni Muslim
states. With ICBMs, Iran will not only threaten Middle East neighbors, but also
the United States and Europe. Why is Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad
Zarif so happy? Zarif is shown hugging French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius at
the close of nuclear talks in Geneva, Nov. 23, 2014. (Image source: ISNA)
When President Obama leaves office, he may think that any catastrophe caused by
the Iran deal will not "technically" be his, but the next president's. But it is
his. It's as if someone is lighting a long fuse and will then say he was not
near the dynamite when it detonated. Any explosions that result from this huge
military and financial payday to Iran will, and should, be known as "Obama's
war." Members of the U.S. Congress should move swiftly and boldly to vote this
terrible deal down and try to stop the $150 billion from going to boost tyranny
and terrorism and spread war throughout a region already on fire.
**George Phillips served as an aide to Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey,
working on human rights issues.
Obama's Gamble with Iran's Theocratic Regime
Robert D. Onley/Gatestone Institute/July 28, 2015
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/6237/obama-iran-gamble
Obama's Iran deal is a direct manifestation of the President's fundamentally
misguided worldview, one that wishes away danger and then believes in the
wishes.
Even more concerning is that the Iran deal may directly conflict with U.S.
obligations as a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Iran deal may be
unconstitutional, violate international law and feature commitments that
President Obama could not otherwise lawfully make. By seeking approval of the
deal under the UN Security Council, Obama has bound the U.S. under international
law without Senate consent.
The gravest consequence of Obama's Iran deal is that the world bestowed
ideological legitimacy on the Islamic Republic's radical theocracy, and in so
doing has consigned the people of Iran to near permanent rule under the iron
fist of Shi'a Islamism.
A total reversal of the Iranian regime's behavior should have been, and still
can be, a precondition for the removal of any sanctions related to Iran's
nuclear program. An end to Iran's financial and material support for terrorist
forces such as Hezbollah and Hamas must be demanded, along with the return of
the four American hostages Iran is holding.
There is still time for a better deal that can be had.
As President Obama and Secretary Kerry dominated the airwaves with rounds of
media interviews to defend the Iran deal last week, German Vice Chancellor and
Economic Minister Sigmar Gabriel flew straight to Tehran for the first of what
are certain to be countless meetings by P5+1 leaders to capitalize on new
business opportunities in Iran.
In Europe, it seems, there is no debate to be had over the Iran deal; rather, it
is a fait accompli.
But in the United States, the domestic debate is heating up, fueled by a
Presidential primary campaign and increasingly justified bipartisan anxiety over
the bill.
Independent of these political realities, however, the immediacy and tenacity of
the White House's defense of the Iran deal (which now has its own @TheIranDeal
Twitter account, no less), betrays an acute unspoken discomfort by many
Democrats with the practical flaws and global security dangers that the deal
presents.
Obama's Iran deal is a direct manifestation of the President's fundamentally
misguided worldview, one that wishes away danger and then believes in the
wishes.
Haunted by his electorally-motivated premature withdrawal from Iraq in 2011; his
refusal in 2013 to confront Syria's Bashar Assad when he used chemical weapons
on his own people; his betrayal by Russia's Vladimir Putin to whom he had
offered a reset button, and his impotence in failing to respond to the
aggressive expansionist moves of Russia, ISIS, Iran and China, the President and
Democrat Party, in signing the Iran deal, seem to be trying to absolve the
United States of its role at the forefront of the global fight against Islamic
radicalism and other threats.
Citing the failed EU-led negotiations with Iran in 2005, which resulted in
Iran's massive expansion of centrifuge production, defenders of the deal, such
as Fareed Zakaria, have painted a bleak and zero-sum counterfactual argument. It
is claimed that the result of Congress's opposition will be an international
community that forges ahead on renewed trade relations with Iran, while leaving
the United States outside the prevailing global reconciliation and supposed
love-in with the Islamic Republic.
There are several serious problems with this defense, and similarly with the
White House's blitzkrieg public relations campaign to fend off detractors of the
Iran deal, with Secretary of State John Kerry commanding the preemptive, and
often totally inaccurate, strikes against Congress. In consideration of the
colossal failure represented by the North Korea nuclear precedent, let us
consider the issues unique to Iran.
Foremost, opponents of the Iran deal are not universally suggesting the Iran
deal be killed outright or immediately resort to "war." This is simply
disingenuous. Instead, the opponents' fundamental premise is that a better deal
was left on the table, and thus remains available. The very fact that the
Iranian regime was at the negotiating table was indeed a sign of Iran's
weakness; any timelines for the P5+1 to "close" the deal were artificial
constraints that surely erased further achievable concessions.
Second, much ink has already been spilled about the technical weaknesses of the
Iran deal. Namely: that Iran's vast nuclear infrastructure remains in place;
that the most important restrictions expire in 10 years (a mere blip for
humanity); that Iran's uncivilized domestic and regional behavior was a naughty
unmentionable; and finally, that the deal undoubtedly initiated a regional
nuclear arms race while supercharging the Iranian regime's finances.
Third, the gravest consequence of Obama's Iran deal, and the most damning of its
continued defense, is that the world bestowed ideological legitimacy on the
Islamic Republic's radical theocracy, and in so doing has consigned the people
of Iran to near permanent rule under the iron fist of Twelver Shi'a Islamism.
This capitulation occurred precisely at a time when the West and the broader
Middle East are facing off against the Islamic State -- a terrorist force which,
when stripped of its social media allure, is ultimately a Sunni-branded spin-off
of the extremist Shi'a Islamism that has ruled in Iran since 1979.
The Iranians may be convenient allies as enemies of our enemies today, but not
for one second have Iran's rulers suggested their ultimate intent is anything
other than the all too familiar "Death to America" and "Death to Israel"
propaganda seen for the past 36 years. In what is objectively and wholly a
strange deadly obsession, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, has
been rousing crowds with calls for the destruction of two nation-states both
during and after nuclear negotiations.
In spite of this public malice, defenders of the deal suggest that "the [Obama]
administration is making a calculated bet that Iran will be constrained by
international pressure." Why exactly then is Khamenei making clear the opposite?
President Obama's willingness to concede Iran's new-found normalized membership
in the community of nations on the basis of this nuclear deal is an affront to
the liberal, free, democratic principles that have stood against the forces of
tyranny throughout American history.
It is also an affront the American political system and to the members of both
parties who are now being cornered by the President into supporting, or not
supporting, such an intrinsically dangerous and needlessly flawed bargain with
an avowed enemy.
Even more concerning is that the Iran deal may directly conflict with U.S.
obligations as a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). As a number of
critics have pointed out, the Iran deal may be unconstitutional, violate
international law and feature commitments that President Obama could not
otherwise lawfully make.
By seeking approval of the deal under the UN Security Council, President Obama
has bound the United States under international law without Senate consent.
If the United States is to remain the vanguard of human liberty, President Obama
must distinguish between the vain pursuit of his legacy, and the civilized
world's deepest need at this consequential hour for the American President to
defend comprehensively the fundamental principles that underpin the modern
order. Unless his desired legacy is actually to destroy it.
As opponents of the Iran deal have noted, there is still time for a better deal
that can be had.
To start, a total reversal of the Iranian regime's behavior should have been,
and still can be, a precondition for the removal of any sanctions related to
Iran's nuclear program. Congress can lobby for this change, and should maintain
American sanctions and applicable provisions in the U.S. Treasury Department's
SWIFT terrorist tracking finance program.
Next, while Iran's regional malignancy may run deep in the regime's veins
(through the many twisted arms of Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps),
an end to Iran's financial and material support for terrorist forces such as
Hezbollah and Hamas must be demanded, along with the return of the four American
hostages Iran is holding.
Third, those who argue that Iran's human rights record was not "on the table" in
Geneva have needlessly abdicated the West's moral and intellectual high ground
to the forces of barbarism and hate that are now waging war across the region.
Respect for international humanitarian norms should never be discarded in such
negotiations.
At the end of the day, the deeper questions for Obama and the entire P5+1 are
this: By whose standards were negotiations conducted? And whose worldview will
rule the 21st century?
In defense of Obama's approach, the deal's supporters point out that the
Iranians are a "proud, nationalistic people," which is undoubtedly true, but
irrelevant, just as it was for the leadership of Germany's Third Reich.
The Iranian regime, by virtue of its radical religious nature, weak economy and
political experiment with theocracy, should have borne the burden of coming to
the negotiating table with the most to lose. Instead, President Obama, on behalf
of the free world, is allowing this pariah state to guarantee its place among
the nations, lavishly rewarded for having violated the Non-Proliferation Treaty,
and in all its about-to-be-well-funded lethality.
**Robert D. Onley is a lawyer in Ottawa, Co-Founder of the Young Diplomats of
Canada and a "Global Shaper" in the World Economic Forum.
Israel's Developing Relationship with Cyprus
Simon Henderson/Washington Institute/July 27, 2015
President Anastasiades will likely use this week's summit to build momentum
toward the development of offshore gas reserves, with Iran and other issues
making the agenda well. On July 28, Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu
will visit Cyprus for discussions concentrating on natural gas, among other key
topics such as Iran, counterterrorism, and the Palestinian peace process. The
importance of the talks is evident in their timing: the meeting comes just six
weeks after Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades visited Jerusalem, and it will
be Netanyahu's first trip abroad since his March reelection. Although the
Cypriot media has indicated that no formal agreements are expected to be signed,
the agenda will likely include development of the Aphrodite offshore gas field,
which lies mainly in the island's exclusive economic zone but also overlaps
Israel's EEZ. A map on the website of Noble Energy -- the Houston-based company
that discovered the field as well as various Israeli offshore reserves --
indicates that a tiny fraction of Aphrodite, said to be 1-3 percent, extends
into Israeli waters. But even this small amount will eventually require a
"unitization agreement" so that there is no dispute over revenues from sale of
the gas. Progress on developing the island's gas resources contrasts with the
situation in Israel, where authorities are stalemated over the regulatory
framework for expansion of the already producing Tamar field and the yet to be
developed Leviathan field. (Licenses for these fields and Aphrodite are owned by
Noble and a consortium of Israeli companies led by Delek.) More broadly,
Netanyahu's visit reflects the Israeli government's good relationship with
Nicosia. It may even provide an example for possible future agreements with
Lebanon on maritime borders and shared hydrocarbon reserves. Yet the talks are
also likely to infuriate Turkey, which does not recognize the government in
Nicosia or the EEZ agreement between Cyprus and Israel. Turkish commentators
suggest that the best use of the Aphrodite gas would be to send it by seabed
pipeline to the Turkish mainland. Currently, Noble is examining a more likely
alternative: sending the gas via pipeline to Egypt, where it could be used
domestically or converted into liquefied natural gas (LNG) for export. In the
past, the Turkish navy and air force have harassed drilling activities in the
Cyprus EEZ. But discussions on the Egypt option are more advanced than any
Turkish proposals, and Cyprus/Noble/Delek will likely go on ignoring Ankara's
opposition. Other issues likely to be discussed include the threat posed by Iran
-- Cypriot police recently discovered a cache of explosives linked to Tehran's
main terrorist proxy, Hezbollah. The subject of Israeli peace talks with the
Palestinians will probably surface as well, since President Anastasiades has
been anxious to breathe life back into the negotiations. But the gas issue will
be at the core of the discussions, and from Nicosia's perspective, Israel's
status as a counterweight to Turkey will be crucial to setting a tone for
Cypriot development efforts.
**Simon Henderson is the Baker Fellow and director of the Gulf and Energy Policy
Program at The Washington Institute.
Is Washington engaging critically with Cairo?
H.A. Hellyer/Al Arabiya/Tuesday, 28 July 2015
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will soon be in Cairo with other senior
American officials to liaise with Egyptian counterparts in a wide-ranging
bi-lateral strategic dialogue between the two countries. There is a lot to be
potentially gained from such a high-level interchange. However, that will
require a lot of hard questions to be asked, both of Egypt and the United
States, in terms of Egypt’s overall direction, and DC’s commitment to Egypt.
None of that is particularly likely. The last time this dialogue was held was in
late 2009. A little over a year later, the revolutionary uprising of the January
25 took place. During that year, as well as subsequently in 2012, and for a part
of 2013, the Arab Republic of Egypt’s progress was of supreme interest in the
policy establishment of the American capital. Within the Beltway during 2011 to
2013, Egypt was regarded as deeply important foreign policy issue. Against the
backdrop of the then still fresh “Arab Spring,” which inspired optimism and
promise, there was a certain amount of commitment and investment, even if just
in attention and interest. Egypt, in a fashion, has to ‘compete’ for attention
due to other issues as other parts of the Arab revolutionary uprisings have yet
to result in sustainable transitions to more progressive rule. None of that is
quite the same anymore in Washington. Almost unanimously, American policy
networks, inside and outside of government, regard the Egyptian military’s
choice to forcibly remove then President Mohammad Mursi in the summer of 2013 as
the ending of the tenuous democratic experiment that began in 2011.
Dipping interest
Subsequent interest in the workings of the country, particularly following
widely reported and serious human rights violations, dropped tremendously. Egypt
is often compared, quite unfavorably, to Tunisia – where the latter is perceived
as holding to the democratic experiment, even if it is rather messy. That has a
cost in terms of holding the short-term attention span of the American policy
community. At the same time, Egypt, in a fashion, has to ‘compete’ for attention
due to other issues, as other parts of the Arab revolutionary uprisings have yet
to result in sustainable transitions to more progressive rule. While Egypt is
arguably incredibly important in the region from a purely objective analytical
lens, there are quite a few other immediate and disturbing concerns. The rise of
ISIS, referred to as “ISIL” and then the “so-called Islamic State” by some from
2013 onwards, has occupied a lot of attention in Washington that might otherwise
be dedicated to engaging on the Egypt file. With the issue of terrorism becoming
even more prescient, and the countries of Iraq, Syria, and Libya becoming
embroiled in that discussion, the priority level of Egypt’s own internal issues,
particularly with regards to governance, in Washington has dropped even more.
There is little expectation that the current political dispensation in Cairo is
on its last legs or about to hemorrhage – the political alliances and
arrangements in Egypt itself make that unlikely in the short term. In the medium
term, there are a number of issues to address, whether political or economic –
and few in Washington identify Cairo’s policy directions as succeeding in
tackling those critical issues.
Security issue
But more immediate is the security issue, and this will likely dominate a great
deal of the discussion in Cairo. It’s proven, however, to be a difficult
discussion to have. On the one hand, American officials, in addition to a vast
array of European counterparts, recognize that Egypt is facing a serious set of
security threats – different ones in different parts of the country. There is
the Sinai, where Cairo is battling with a radical Islamist group that has sworn
allegiance to ISIS, or the “so-called Islamic State” but there are also other
violent groups that are keen to see Cairo’s government crumble. Senior Western
officials from a slew of countries have been clear that they expect the
situation to escalate in terms of violence and in that fight, they’re certainly
not on the side of the militants in any shape or form.
But herein lies the rub. The security of Sinai in particular, and Egyptian
security in general in so far as it impinges of Egyptian stability whether in
terms of militant groups across the territory or fallout from Egypt’s western
border with Libya, is of concern in Washington. However, senior officials from
the U.S. and a number of European countries, including those who are quite
friendly with Cairo, regularly, albeit privately, express concerns about Cairo’s
tactics and strategies in dealing with the security threats domestically and in
the region. Increasingly, the impression in Europe and North America is that not
only is Cairo’s security solution not delivering the needed results for Egypt,
but it may inadvertently be setting into motion a scenario where radical
extremism finds it easier to recruit among the wider Egyptian population.
Frustrations
At the same time, no foreign actor has put such frustrations on a priority level
which makes it difficult to envisage that Cairo is going to take those
frustrations particularly seriously, even though it should. Some in Washington
and elsewhere would be sympathetic to the argument that without a critical
restructuring of Egypt’s security apparatus and judiciary, along with governance
reforms, Cairo will be unable to comprehensively tackle political violence
within its borders. Nevertheless, without serious commitment to that argument in
Washington and elsewhere, it won’t be taken seriously in Cairo – or during this
upcoming strategic dialogue. Herein lies the key question for the United States:
is Egypt really that important? Because if it is, it deserves a lot more
attention than it is getting now and coming up with ways to advance the human
security agenda. If it isn’t that important, then short-term, and short-sighted
assessments will win out, every time. The last time there was a strategic
dialogue, it was, as mentioned, in 2009. Then, the Faustian bargain had been
struck with another Egyptian political dispensation. A year later, Tunisia’s
deposed President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was fleeing his capital, and a month
after that, Tahrir Square and other protests broke out in Egypt. None of that
kind of upset seems likely anytime soon in Egypt but neither should one forget
that a sustainable Egypt polity is best built on recognizing the endemic
problems within and setting out a genuine plan for reform in order to address
them. That will make Egypt more resilient in the midst of the plethora of crises
that have emerged and will emerge in the months ahead. Washington should remind
Cairo of all of that during the strategic dialogue. Alas, it probably won’t,
which is fundamentally not strategic at all.
The GCC’s options in responding to Obama
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya/Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Now that President Barack Obama has sealed his historic legacy with the nuclear
deal with the Islamic Republic, and by reviving a bilateral relationship based
on strategic partnership between Washington and Tehran, the countries of the
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have limited options, but not all of them are bad
or negative. This is not the time for regret or remorse. The United States has
made it clear that its language is the language of interests, and that being
accused of betraying its allies is the least of its concerns. It is now clear
that Iranian diplomacy engaged in skillful “strategic patience” while U.S.
diplomacy resorted to it as a tactic to achieve a paradigm shift in the
relationship with Tehran.
The implications of this shift include U.S.-Iranian security partnership much
sought by Iran, which is portraying itself as a reliable partner to defeat ISIS
and similar Sunni extremist terror groups, and presenting itself as an
alternative to the GCC for safeguarding U.S. interests. It is not enough for GCC
countries to raise their voices in protest or rush to threaten here or double
down there. Rather, the matter at hand requires a new strategic approach that
would include willingness to abandon proud and uncompromising “fixed positions.”
There is nothing wrong in adapting with new facts produced by “strategic
patience” - not necessarily meaning giving in to them, but recognizing them and
factoring them in. Especially so when sitting at the strategy drafting board, as
part of a comprehensive approach based on self-examination and admitting
mistakes, in order to restore self-confidence and the power of initiative. There
is no point begging the United States and its partners in the P5+1 framework to
influence Tehran and curb its regional appetite in Yemen and its plan to seize
Syria
Barack Obama put the White House seal on his historical legacy and will not back
down. Congress might succeed in keeping U.S. sanctions on Iran, but it is likely
to be tempted as it sees officials and businesspeople alike flocking to Iran
from France, Russia, China, and Britain to benefit from the détente and the
unlocking of the oil and arms markets. Reaping the fruits. The ink had yet not
dried on the text of the Security Council resolution that turned the deal
between Iran and the P5+1 countries into an international agreement when the
German Vice Chancellor and Minister of the Economy and Energy Sigmar Gabriel
flew to Tehran to reap the fruits of Germany’s investments in the Islamic
Republic. Germany sees Iran just like it sees Israel when it comes to relations
with the Arabs. Germany seems to believe that Iran has not assaulted any of its
Arab neighbors just like Israel has not, as Berlin believes. Thus, to Berlin,
the aggressors in both cases are the Arabs, regardless of Iranian intervention
in Syria or Lebanon via Hezbollah. Germany could “sympathize” with the Lebanese
in this regard, but it is practically allied to the Islamic Republic of Iran
where its economic interests lie.
Sigmar Gabriel tried to polish Germany’s reputation by raising in Tehran issues
like human rights and women’s conditions, but was told this was not his or his
country’s business. It did not occur to him raising the issue of Iran’s regional
roles, which Germany had agreed not to discuss during the nuclear negotiations
as Tehran’s request. He did not object to the Iranian military intervention in
Syria like all the other five powers, which decided to accept Iranian
intervention in Syria and Iraq as part of the efforts to defeat ISIS and
terrorism. The five countries entrusted with guaranteeing respect for Security
Council resolutions chose to turn a blind eye to Iran’s violations of two
resolutions issued under the binding Chapter VII, which prevent Iran from
exporting weapons and personnel.
Even the French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who was one of the strictest
ministers regarding the text of the nuclear agreement, scrambled to Tehran in
what was the first visit by a French foreign minister to Iran in more than 12
years. Fabius was very candid, telling a French radio that French companies
should not be punished, and pointing out that French companies had an important
presence in Iran and experience in many areas.
Taking advantage
Britain is poised to take advantage of the détente and normalization with Iran.
China, as usual, is ready to reap the fruits, especially oil ones, and access
Iranian markets. Russia is considered Iran’s closest ally, especially when it
comes to Syria, regional policies, and the war on Sunni terrorism. Moscow is
ready to tap into Iran’s military markets, and cooperate on peaceful nuclear
technology. The United States appears to be one of the parties that will benefit
the least from the nuclear deal with Iran, but the U.S. worked strongly on a
deal based on its rejection of military confrontation and to prevent Israel from
dragging the United States into a war with Iran. The military in the United
States will benefit because the United States will seek to reassure the GCC
countries that the alliance with them continues through arms sales and possibly
a “security umbrella”, which will require huge Gulf investments in the U.S.
military and defense industries. Certainly, Israel will benefit too, no matter
how strongly it pretends to be above the U.S. offer of stepping up military
support carried by U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter this week. The Israeli
Prime Minister Netanyahu is pretending to be categorically opposed to the
nuclear deal, but in reality, his protests have been weak from the outset.
Today, there are leaks suggesting Netanyahu intends to change his approach based
on inciting Congress to reject the nuclear deal. He will reportedly pursue a new
strategy: While he could continue his fiery political rhetoric, Netanyahu is
very reassured by the historical deal’s implications in terms of recognizing the
legitimacy of the Islamic Republic and of imposing religion on the state. This
is what he is seeking, and he will press ahead with his quest to obtain
international recognition of Israel as a Jewish state with the useful Iranian
precedent in mind. Following his visit to Israel, Carter held consultations in
Saudi Arabia and Jordan, bringing bilateral security reassurances to the two
kingdoms. For his part, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is heading to Doha
next week to hold talks with and provide political reassurances to GCC
countries. The GCC countries must prepare themselves with new creative
strategies. The East and the West are used to typical Gulf policies, and the two
now factor this in little because of this.
Predictable reactions
Frankly, some GCC countries have been the cause of this, with their reactions
being all too predictable between grumbling and resentment to choosing courses
of action that are limited in scope. This harms Gulf and Arab interests, so it
is a good time now to mobilize on the basis of initiative-taking. First, it is
not in the Arab interest to see the deal with Iran as a defeat for the Arabs.
This would be harmful, costly, and superfluous. Iran has definitely won in the
nuclear deal that will lift the sanctions on Tehran, remove it from isolation,
designate it as a strategic partner, and preparing it to play an important
regional role. However, this does not mean automatically that an Iranian victory
must equate to Arab defeat. Second, the Arab nations must come up with solutions
to the conflicts in the Arab countries, and make earnest plans for the future of
the Middle East 10 years from now, when the nuclear deal with Iran expires and
the international community is no longer supervising its nuclear program.
This means that Arab decision makers particularly those in the Gulf must resolve
to find a radical solution to the conflict in Yemen, either by escalating and
settling the war, or reaching a political solution possibly involving painful
compromises. In both cases, there is no option but to take the initiative and
implement a plan for salvation and development that puts an end to the
humanitarian tragedy in Yemen.
In other words, there is no need to wait for signs of good faith or otherwise
from Iran in the wake of the nuclear deal. There is no point begging the United
States and its partners in the P5+1 framework to influence Tehran and curb its
regional appetite in Yemen and its plan to seize Syria – or part thereof after
its partitioning – to be its strategic conduit to Israel via Hezbollah in
Lebanon. Gulf countries have gained a certain reputation during the war in
Syria, which is being exploited by Tehran today as it forges a strategic
partnership with the United Sates under the banner of defeating ISIS. Tehran
wants to designate all components of the armed Syrian opposition as terrorists
in Syria. Tehran also wants to build an American-Iranian security partnership in
Iraq in preparation for alternative security arrangements that would sidestep
the GCC. Meanwhile, the Arab countries traditionally engage in strategic
reaction instead of strategic perseverance and taking advantage of the momentum
of the initiative.
Developing a strategy
In details, if Syria’s fate is partitioning, then let it be done quickly instead
of more killing and displacement meant to complete the ethnic cleansing
necessary for sectarian partitioning. If the rejection of the partitioning is
serious, then the Arab countries concerned must develop a strategy for
escalation, though it is most likely neither willing nor capable of doing so.
The leaders concerned must therefore make new decisions either to fully engage
Tehran politically, no matter how painful this is, or militarily. In details, if
the GCC countries are determined to prevent the disintegration of the GCC, which
is part of Tehran’s bid to build a new security system, it is crucial for them
to take into account the Gulf and Arab component in the regional balance of
power and what this requires as far as Egypt is concerned. At the same time,
this bid must study the possibility of benefiting from proposals for a new
security system comprising Iran, Iraq, Egypt, and Turkey in addition to the GCC.
Finally, there are two views concerning the nuclear deal. One warns that Iran is
being set off against the Arab countries, and another that believes the deal
heralds an era of safe and cooperative relations between moderate Iran and the
Arab countries after hardliners are sidelined on both sides and among Sunnis and
Shiites. Both possibilities require new thinking and actions, other than
traditional ones. An earthquake has taken place in regional and international
equations, and this requires more than mere reactions. It requires a qualitative
shift in the Arab thinking and strategy.
Saudi Arabia needs clear-cut laws on harassment
Khaled Almaeena/Al Arabiya/Tuesday, 28 July 2015
The arrest of several youth who were filmed harassing two young girls in the
Corniche area of Jeddah during the Eid holidays should be an eye opener for all.
The authorities should have stricter laws to put a stop to such unruly and
indecent behavior in the region.Harassment is now becoming a social menace. I
have personally witnessed women, even elderly, being accosted by youth, some
young enough to be their sons, in broad daylight in Tahlia Street of Jeddah.
They think it is amusing and are very brazen about it. Unfortunately, cultural
barriers that segregate the men from the women within the family do not allow
the youth to interact with their sisters, aunts or female cousins. It is time we
seriously address this shameful behavior and question the reasons behind such
uncivilized acts that are common among the youth. Obviously it has to do with
upbringing. Young men in this society are not brought up to respect women in
their own homes.
Disappearing piety
Secondly in schools while religious studies form a major part of their
curriculum the focus is more on rituals and worship rather than right and wrong.
I am sure these youth that harassed the young girls must have fasted and also
gone to the mosque in Ramadan. But all that so called “piety” disappeared on Eid
day.Many of these young men come from outside Jeddah where it is not the norm to
see young girls or women out by themselves. To them it’s a strange phenomena —
which by the way should be a normal one!!
So they go on the rampage!!Unfortunately, cultural barriers that segregate the
men from the women within the family do not allow the youth to interact with
their sisters, aunts or female cousins. The youth grow up with little respect
for women.
It is this mentality that influences their behavior. Their women folk are
usually subservient, they can’t make any decisions or take any action without
the consent of the male guardian. They cannot even leave the house without a
male guardian and if they do then they are asking for trouble. Coming from such
an environment can we blame them for adopting such a negative attitude towards
women.
Bitter truth
We have to face the bitter truth. Our sisters, daughters and wives are more safe
going to restaurants, shopping or the movies alone in adjoining states than they
are in Jeddah. And here is where the anti-harassment laws can be helpful. And
while Shoura Council members debate and delay such uncivilized acts continue
spoiling the social fabric and creating an unhealthy environment. Enough of the
absurd justifications and blaming the women for not being accompanied by a male
guardian or demanding for more Haia (Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and
the Prevention of Vice) patrols. We need action. We need clear-cut laws that
should be implemented immediately. We need judges and courts that are not anti
women and have empathy for their plight. We need a media that not only focuses
on the incidents of harassments but also highlights the dangers of their acts
that could lead to rape and murder. Anti-harassment laws should be made very
clear and be a public knowledge. Above all we need a religious curriculum that
also teaches our youth the essence of decency and good behavior. PS: I read that
Jeddah seek Guinness entry as “city of festivals”. Well it should also try to be
a city of no-harassment. That is our wish and prayer from about 80 km distance
from Makkah the holiest spot in Islam.
Reem Sahwil, a victim of European policy
Diana Moukalled/Al Arabiya/Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Reem Sahwil, the young Palestinian girl who was reduced to tears in front of
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the leader that she doesn’t know what her
own future looks like as long as her stay in Europe remains unknown. In a
televised session, she told the leader that she would like to go on to college
and that it was difficult to watch others make something of their lives while
she was not able to due to her status as a refugee. It was a moment of appeal, a
moment that history will certainly document.Who cannot sympathize with someone
as honest and transparent as Reem, the 14-year-old Palestinian girl, as she
narrated her and her family’s suffering in Germany, in fluent German, and spoke
of her fears of the possibility of being deporting before she broke down into
tears. Reem, who made news headlines in several German dailies and websites,
seemed to represent the face of Europe’s oppressed newcomers.
An unenviable position
Within seconds, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who’s seen as a strong woman
and who prior to this incident was accused of humiliating the Greek prime
minister in negotiations over his country’s financial crisis, found herself in
an unenviable position. However, Reem’s tears put Merkel and her government in
an embarrassing position especially as the incident raised serious questions
about the humanitarian dilemma of those fleeing to Europe from the Middle East.
This is what actually made German political elites rush to act in order to alter
laws concerning refugees. The incident took place during a show about living in
Germany which Merkel has taken part in before, however the discussion was novel.
For 11 minutes during the forum, Reem explained her story beginning from living
in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon where complications her mother suffered
from as she gave birth to her affected her health and made her incapable of
walking normally. She continued to narrate the long and complicated process her
parents went through in order to attain a visa to go to Germany for treatment
five years ago, adding that ever since they’ve lived on hopes that she will heal
and that their asylum application will be approved so they can stay in Germany.
However, weeks prior to the forum, their application was rejected. Most
probably, Reem, who mastered the German language, was excited to attend the
forum to narrate her ordeal to Merkel, and this is exactly what happened.
However, what Reem did not expect is that her discussion with Merkel would spark
such concern and interest among the German and European public.
Failing to comfort
The German chancellor failed at comforting the girl, although she patted her on
the shoulder. Merkel’s statement that not all those who seek refuge in Germany
can stay and that politics is sometimes hard resulted in a wave of reactions
against her. Merkel was criticized after she responded to Reem’s questions in
such a manner. It’s true that she was frank and clear but the issue of refugees
is not a collective issue but rather the issue of individuals where each
individual must narrate his/her own story exactly as Reem did. This discussion
began to surface in Germany and Europe as the uproar stirred by Merkel’s
confrontation with Reem opened people’s eyes to the fears of thousands of
refugees who face the threat of forcible deportation. Reem has succeeded at
altering the path of her life following this incident as officials there said
she will not be deported and she and her family will stay in Germany. But what
would have happened if Reem hadn’t cried and if we hadn’t seen her moving tears?
Someone ended up helping Reem who really deserves to achieve what she aspires,
but who will help the others? Perhaps the discussion and concern resulting from
this incident will pave the way for those who have not had the chance to narrate
their suffering on television.
Does Saudi Arabia Have Hawks and Doves?
Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al Awsat/Monday, 27 Jul, 2015
Coinciding with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s visit to Kuwait
on Sunday, Iran launched a clearly organized media campaign aimed at other
countries in the region, whether friend or foe. Some of this was carried out by
Iran’s allies—Hassan Nasrallah, Bashar Al-Assad, Nuri Al-Maliki—but the most
interesting comments came from Tehran itself, and specifically its Deputy
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. In comments carried by the official
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Abdollahian presented Tehran’s reading of
the regional situation following its nuclear deal with world powers, focusing
especially on Iran’s stance towards Saudi Arabia. Abdollahian’s comments
contained numerous errors and he spoke in triumphant tones regarding the reality
of the region following the deal—perhaps to gloss over the numerous concessions
Iran had to make in order to seal the agreement. The deputy foreign minister
also repeated recent comments made by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei that Tehran supports “oppressed peoples” throughout the region via
Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Bashar Al-Assad. He also spoke
of how, allegedly, Saudi Arabia had attempted to forestall the nuclear deal.
“The security of the region, including that of Saudi Arabia, is part of Iran’s
security,” Abdollahian said. “However, the policies of some extreme voices
inside Saudi Arabia today are pushing the region towards conflict and shaking
its security and stability. Proof of this is Saudi Arabia’s behavior in Bahrain
and Yemen and its negative role in several of the region’s important issues,
such as in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. For this reason, I can confirm that we
welcome dialogue with Saudi Arabia and we hope that it will in the nearest time
possible dispense with its hawkish policies.”
A question arises immediately after reading these comments: Since when, Mr.
Abdollahian, has Saudi Arabia had hawks, as you put it, or even doves? The facts
show that since the 1979 Khomeinist revolution Saudi Arabia’s policies towards
Iran have been very clear and decisive. All the Kingdom’s monarchs since 1979
have tried to assume good intentions on Tehran’s part, while at the same time
taking a decisive stance regarding national security and the non-interference in
the affairs of other countries, whether coming from Iran or anyone else. It is
well-known that Saudi Arabia does not have, and has never had, hawks or doves in
its administration. What it does have is a state, solid and proud, manned by
accomplished statesmen, and possessing a clear, rational approach to domestic
and international affairs. Unlike Iran, Saudi Arabia has never recruited
sectarian militias in Iraq, Lebanon, or Yemen. Unlike Iran, Saudi Arabia does
not support a criminal who continues to butcher his own people in Syria. Neither
is Saudi Arabia a state sponsor of terrorism, as Iran is.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia did not support a coup in Yemen against a legitimate and
internationally recognized president; instead it helped bring about a UN
Security Council resolution, supported by the international community, to
protect political legitimacy in the country. As for Bahrain, Saudi Arabia’s
intervention there is motivated solely by the desire to protect the country and
its security, something it also did when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990.
Iran, meanwhile, seeks to undermine the security of numerous countries around
the region. Saudi Arabia has not responded to Iranian-sponsored terror attacks
with similar attacks on Iranian soil. It has not funded Iranian operatives or
terrorists, or fanned the flames of sectarianism in Iran. Nor does Saudi Arabia
host and protect members of Al-Qaeda.
Iran does not respect its agreements. It has not abided by the terms of what was
known as the Naif–Rouhani agreement, nor an official security agreement signed
with Riyadh in 2001. So, how, after all this, can Mr. Abdollahian say with a
straight face that Saudi Arabia’s security is part of Iran’s security? Or that
Saudi Arabia has hawks and doves? And, may I ask, what could possibly be the
point, after all these recent comments, for Foreign Minister Zarif’s visits to
Kuwait, Qatar, and Iraq, especially considering the recent news coming out of
Bahrain regarding an Iranian-trained cell attempting to carry out terror attacks
in the country?
It is clear that Iran is not just good at spinning rugs; it can spin a fine,
fantastical tale too.