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Bible Quotation For Today/Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 24/32-44: '‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Bible Quotation For Today/The Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Book of Revelation 07/09-17: "After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, singing, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on October 05-06/15
From Aoun to Trump to Corbin/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Now Lebanon/October 05/15
With Russia’s Dep. Army Chief due in Israel, Moscow posts 64 S-300 ship-to-air missiles off Syria, N. Israel/DEBKAfile/October 05/15
Sexual Slavery: "Nothing to do with Islam"/Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/October 05/15
Analysis: Palestinian rebellion underway/YOSSI MELMAN /J.Post/October 05/15
'We are not neutral': Angela Merkel on Israeli-German relations/Eldad Beck/Ynetnews/October 05/15
U.S. enforcement of Iran arms embargo slipped during nuclear talks: sources/Reuters/Yeganeh Torbati/October 05/15
Russian airstrikes and selective outrage over Syria/Sharif Nashashibi/Al Arabiya/October 05/15
A Russian-American Tango in Syrian skies/Mohamed Chebarro/Al Arabiya/October 05/15
Wake up world, Afghanistan could be the next ISIS hotbed/Camelia Entekhabi-Fard/Al Arabiya/October 05/15
Russian intervention imposes a fait accompli on all sides/Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya/October 05/15
Saudi Arabia’s labor sponsorship system must go/Khaled Almaeena//Al Arabiya/October 05/15

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin for Lebanese Related News published on October 05-06/15
No Injuries as Roadside Bomb Targets Hizbullah Van in Chtaura
Bekaa roadside bomb targets Hezbollah bus
Scuffle Breaks out between Mustaqbal, FPM MPs during Meeting on Electricity File
Shehayyeb: No Backing Down on Garbage Plan
SCC Calls for General Strike on Oct. 20, 26 and Nov. 4
Report: New Settlement on Army Promotions Crisis in the Making
Berri Says National Dialogue is 'Oxygen' amid Fears of Aoun Boycott
Two Dead as Baalbek Personal Dispute Erupts into Gunfire
From Aoun to Trump to Corbin

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on October 05-06/15
With Russia’s Dep. Army Chief due in Israel, Moscow posts 64 S-300 ship-to-air missiles off Syria, N. Israel
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report October 5, 2015
Islamic Jihad threatens to renew suicide bombings against Israelis
Israeli aircraft strike Hamas terror targets in Gaza after rocket fire
'ISIS militants blow up ancient Arch of Triumph in Palmyra'
Turkey says Russia has escalated Syrian conflict with violation of its airspace
13- year-old Palestinian killed in clashes with security forces
Palestinian rebellion underway

No Injuries as Roadside Bomb Targets Hizbullah Van in Chtaura
Naharnet/October 05/15/A roadside bomb targeted on Monday a Hizbullah passenger van from Lebanon to Syria, reported LBCI television. It said that the explosive was placed in an alley behind the Customs building in the Bekaa town of Chtaura. The bomb went off, but no one was injured in the attack. The army later announced that the bomb was rigged with four kilograms of explosives. The military has since cordoned off the area, discovering a second bomb in the process. A security source later denied to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) the existence of a second bomb, adding that security forces did not halt the van that was targeted. Ever since taking part in fighting alongside the Syrian regime against the country's uprising, Hizbullah has become a target of attacks by armed groups that support the rebels. A number of bombings have struck Hizbullah strongholds in Beirut's southern suburbs and in the Bekaa region in recent years.

Bekaa roadside bomb targets Hezbollah bus
Now Lebanon/October 05/15/BEIRUT – An Improvised Explosive Device was detonated Monday as bus a reportedly belonging to Hezbollah passed by in the border town of Chtoura. Lebanon’s state National News Agency reported that an IED had “exploded in Chtoura behind the customs building.”
According to the agency’s correspondent, initial information suggested the bomb had “targeted a small passenger bus and no-one was hurt.”Local broadcaster Al-Jadeed TV gave a more detailed account of the bombing, saying that the bus was owned by Hezbollah and had been travelling on a small road behind the customs building at the time of the explosion. Contrary to the NNA’s report, Al-Jadeed said that one of the passengers had been injured in the attack, however, the station did not say whether the casualty’s wounds were critical. Shortly afterwards, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV said that the Lebanese Armed Forces was defusing a second IED that had been found in the area. The LAF later followed up with its own statement in which it said that no-one had been killed. “On today’s date at 12:00, a 4 kilogram IED made of TNT exploded on the side of the Chtoura-Jedita Road as a small passenger bus was passing,” the statement read. “No deaths were recorded.”“An LAF patrol headed to the location immediately and imposed a security cordon.”

Scuffle Breaks out between Mustaqbal, FPM MPs during Meeting on Electricity File
Naharnet/October 05/15/A scuffle erupted on Monday between Mustaqbal Movement and Change and Reform MPs during a meeting of the parliamentary Public Works Committee while it was discussing the contentious electricity file. Video footage from the session showed Mustaqbal MPs voicing their reservations over issues that were discussed at the committee, said LBCI television. Change and Reform MP Hikmat Deeb had protested to MP Mohammed Qabbani's labeling of the Energy Ministry as “Ali Baba's cave and the 40 advisors,” reported Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5). This led to a verbal dispute between the Mustaqbal and Change and Reform MPs. The quarrel then escalated into a scuffle between Mustaqbal MP Jamal al-Jarrah and Change and Reform MP Ziad al-Aswad. Change and Reform MP Fadi al-Awar told LBCI after the meeting: “The scuffle was a result of historic accumulation of disputes at the committee.” Addressing Qabbani's comment, he said: “Those whose houses are of glass should not make such remarks.”“Officials and other figures, including Qabbani, who do not pay their electricity bills should be held accountable,” he declared before reporters at parliament. He rejected accusations by the Mustaqbal MPs of corruption at the Energy Ministry. “There is great dysfunction at the Public Works Committee,” he added. For his part, Deeb said: “We demand that this committee be allowed to take its right course in order to hold those responsible accountable and for us to perform our duties at parliament.”Later, Qabbani told reporters at parliament: “A certain movement attempted when the media entered the meeting to create a dispute similar to what happened at cabinet a few months ago.”“It is shameful to see such barbarism in communication at parliament. I challenge any of those MPs to present any electricity bill that I have not paid,” he stated. “Insults were directed against us as soon as the media came into the room. I hope that Speaker Nabih Berri would make our meetings open to the media,” Qabbani added. “We suspended today's session because it took a shameful turn as shown on camera,” he explained.The meeting was then suspended.

Shehayyeb: No Backing Down on Garbage Plan
Naharnet/October 05/15/Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayyeb stated on Monday that the garbage crisis cannot tolerate any more delay, stressing that preparations to gear up the Srar landfill to meet scientific standards and reopen the Naameh landfill continue. “The trash crisis does no tolerate political luxury. Everyone must know that if we failed to solve the garbage crisis then nothing else will be solved in the country,” Shehayyeb told An Nahar daily. “Preparing the Srar dumpster in Akkar to become a landfill that meets the scientific standards continue and at the same time to reopen the Naameh for seven days only,” he added, assuring that efforts are ongoing to address the civil society's refusal to establish one in the eastern al-Masnaa area. He concluded by saying: “We will not back down on the suggested plan which met the scientific requirements,” expressing regret that some civil society members and local residents did not approve it. The minister's proposal calls for the reopening of the Naameh landfill whose closure on July 17 sparked the country's unprecedented garbage crisis.It also envisions converting two existing dumps, in Srar and al-Masnaa, into “sanitary landfills” capable of receiving trash for more than a year. After he announced his plan earlier this month, the civil society and local residents of Akkar, Naameh, Majdal Anjar, and Bourj Hammoud protested against the step. Experts have urged the government to devise a comprehensive waste management solution that would include more recycling and composting to reduce the amount of trash going into landfills. Environmentalists fear the crisis could soon degenerate to the point where garbage as well as sewage will simply overflow into the sea from riverbeds as winter rains return.

SCC Calls for General Strike on Oct. 20, 26 and Nov. 4
Naharnet/October 05/15/The Syndicate Coordination Committee announced on Monday dates for general strikes in protest against the corruption of the political class and in demand of the adoption of the new wage scale. The SCC declared during a press conference that the strikes will be held at public institutions and schools on October 20 and 26 and November 4. “The ruling class is working on obstructing the constitutional system through illegal means,” it added. “The smallest corrupt figure is being protected by a greater corrupt system,” it noted. “The political class has become adept at turning a deaf ear to our demands and we have reached an unprecedented level of fragmentation at state institutions,” continued the SCC. “Should this paralysis persist, then we will resort to the same policies of the officials, and obstruct institutions,” they stressed. The SCC, which is a coalition of private and public school teachers and public, has for years been demanding the adoption of the new wage hike, which was endorsed by the government of then Prime Minister Najib Miqati in 2012. Several parliamentary blocs had refused to approve the draft-law over fears that it would have devastating effects on the economy.

Report: New Settlement on Army Promotions Crisis in the Making
Naharnet/October 05/15/Lebanese officials are reportedly working on a new settlement on the promotion of military officers after a previous one collapsed following rumors that the deal included a clause which infuriated Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun. Sources told al-Liwaa newspaper published on Monday that the negotiations on the promotions are underway. But they refused to divulge the details. Last week, Aoun threatened to boycott the national dialogue chaired by Speaker Nabih Berri following reports that the deal included the appointment of an Internal Security Forces leader. Several officials denied that the agreement on military promotions included an item on ISF appointments in an attempt to appease Aoun. Despite their efforts, the cabinet has not yet met to approve the promotion of three senior army officers – a Maronite, a Shiite and a Sunni - among them Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, who is Aoun’s son-in-law, to the rank of major general. According to al-Liwaa, the new deal aims at extending the term of Roukoz, who is set to retire on October 15. Aoun wants to keep Roukoz in the military institution in a bid to make him army commander. When asked what would happen if the officer's retirement date comes, sources close to Prime Minister Tammam Salam said: “We will see by then.” Salam has been procrastinating on calling for a cabinet session over fears that differences between its members would grow amid the absence of a deal on the promotion of officers and the working mechanism of the government. His sources said that the PM is “frustrated” but not “pessimistic.” They stressed that Salam will not call for a cabinet session this week pending the results of the all-party talks that are scheduled to be held for three consecutive days starting Tuesday.

Report: Pope Urged Christian Leaders to Unite, Elect President
Naharnet/October 05/15/Pope Francis has reportedly sent a letter to Christian Lebanese leaders appealing for unity to elect a new president and fill the vacuum at Baabda Palace. As Safir daily on Monday quoted high-ranking sources as saying that the pope sent the letter to the unidentified Maronite officials around ten days ago. He asked them to “unite for the sake of electing a Lebanese president,” said the sources. As Safir also quoted high-ranking French diplomatic sources as saying that President Francois Hollande's visit to Beirut, which was scheduled to take place in October, has been postponed indefinitely. “Hollande will not visit Lebanon before he makes sure that his trip would be beneficial and would result in a certain initiative that falls in favor of Lebanon and the Lebanese,” they said. “The visit would not lead to fruitful political results amid political differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran,” the sources told the newspaper. Lebanon's top Christian post has been vacant since the term of former President Michel Suleiman ended in May last year. Differences between the rival March 8 and 14 factions have caused the vacuum. Although the Vatican and French officials have on several occasions tried to mediate to resolve the presidential deadlock, no solution has been found yet. “French-Vatican coordination on the Lebanese presidential file is currently frozen because France has other priorities,” said other sources. Efforts exerted by Vatican officials to persuade Tehran into facilitating the election of a president have also been frozen, they added.

Berri Says National Dialogue is 'Oxygen' amid Fears of Aoun Boycott
Naharnet/October 05/15/Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated that the national dialogue would collapse in the absence of Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun, describing the talks as “Oxygen.”In remarks to his visitors, Berri said: “The obstruction of dialogue by any side is similar to blocking itself in a room.”“We only have the dialogue left. It's the oxygen we are breathing,” said Berri, whose remarks were published in local dailies on Monday. The speaker has set three days of all-party talks that start on Tuesday. He said a settlement reached between several officials on the military promotions had been paralyzed by some parties who claimed that the appointment of a new Internal Security Forces chief was among the items included in the deal. Aoun, who heads the Change and Reform bloc, threatened last week to boycott the national dialogue chaired by Berri following reports that the deal included the appointment of the ISF leader. But several officials denied that the agreement on military promotions included an item on ISF appointments in an attempt to appease Aoun. Despite their efforts, the cabinet has not yet met to approve the promotion of three senior army officers – a Maronite, a Shiite and a Sunni - among them Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, who is Aoun’s son-in-law, to the rank of major general. Amid Aoun's warning to boycott the all-party talks, ministerial sources told al-Akhbar daily that Berri and Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat have exerted exceptional measures over the weekend to stop him from taking any negative action. The result of the talks was fruitful, said the sources, and Education Minister Elias Bou Saab, who is one of the ministers representing Aoun in the cabinet, informed Berri that the lawmaker would attend the dialogue. The rival leaders attending the dialogue “made a breakthrough last week,” said Berri, adding that all the parties backed a waste management plan that has been proposed by Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayyeb. The speaker, who also heads the Amal movement, reiterated that he will not accept to discuss any issue before resolving the garbage crisis and the implementation of the plan, which was approved by the cabinet last month. “The authorities should put the plan into action even if there are objections to it because the garbage invaded Lebanon and winter is at our doorsteps,” he said.

Two Dead as Baalbek Personal Dispute Erupts into Gunfire
Naharnet/October 05/15/Two people were shot dead Sunday as a personal dispute escalated into gunfire in a market in the Bekaa city of Baalbek, state-run National News Agency reported. It identified the dead as Nader Yaghi and Hussein Tlais. “As Tlais was leaving al-Jana jewelery store which he owns in Baalbek's Serail Street, he was shot at the hands of A. N. Z.,” NNA said. The man was rushed in critical condition to the Dar al-Amal Hospital where he soon succumbed to his injuries. The shooting also resulted in the death of Nader Yaghi who was passing in the area, the agency added.Yaghi's corpse was transferred to Baalbek's state-run hospital, it said.

From Aoun to Trump to Corbin
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Now Lebanon/October 05/15
Shortly before the Iraq War in 2003, I ran into former British lawmaker George Galloway at a pub in Beirut where we engaged in a heated debate over the war. I wanted dictator Saddam Hussein removed. Galloway accused me of neo-conservatism. I told him I found it unsettling that I — partially raised in Baghdad and of Iraqi descent, with much higher stakes in that country than him — had to justify myself before a British MP who praised dictators from the comfort of his London office.
Shortly after Saddam’s downfall, the list of those on his payroll showed Galloway’s name as well as some Lebanese politicians, including former lawmaker Najah Wakim, in whose party I was one of the first and foremost activists.
Wakim’s tell-it-like-it-is attitude, his defiance of the establishment and his secularism were all characteristics that made him an attractive choice. In 1996, I joined his election campaign, the volunteers of which later started the People’s Movement. For the next two years, I was heavily involved in student politics at the American University of Beirut on Wakim’s behalf.
At the People’s Movement, we joined labor unions in protests against the government and in defiance of security forces. We opposed the ruling establishment — especially late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, whom we believed was the incarnation of a Zionist-Masonic-American conspiracy in Lebanon.
We made friends with groups that gravitated around other tell-it-like-it-is leaders, such as former Army General Michel Aoun. One time, Assad’s viceroy in Lebanon, Ghazi Kanaan, censored an interview that Maguy Farah was scheduled to conduct with Aoun from his exile in Paris. The Aounists rallied in Achrafieh’s Sassine Square to protest censorship as we, leftist students, joined them, only for the army to beat and disperse everyone.
Wakim attacked corruption. Aoun opposed the international arrangement that had divided Lebanon into spheres of influence between Israel and Assad. Galloway was the Westerner who had seen the light and fought on our side for a free Palestine. Like us, these politicians were the underdogs. Like us, I thought, they were sincere. Those were the days. Then came a day when other leftist groups tried to enlist us, the Wakim party, for a campaign on civil marriage. Despite our secularism, Wakim passed. Apparently, 7,000 of his constituents were Sunnis who would turn away if he supported civil marriage. I later discovered that Wakim was friends with Assem Qanso, the secretary general of Assad’s Baath Party in Lebanon. Wakim and Qanso had a weekly card-playing date. When Wakim wanted us to campaign in municipal elections for a ticket that included Charbel Nahhas — who would later become an Aounist minister and a leader of the recent anti-government movement — I realized that anti-establishment politicians were frauds.
I was right. Aoun, who had spent 25 years accusing Assad of targeting Lebanon’s Christians, in 2005 jumped at the opportunity Assad had given him to return from exile and atone for his past. Like magic, Aoun refocused his sectarian rage from Assad to Hariri. Like a herd of sheep, his partisans followed. Regardless of his political shift, Aoun maintained his signature twitchy behavior and populism as he continued going after journalists.
Today it seems populism is fashionable worldwide.
America’s presidential candidates, Republicans Donald Trump and Ted Cruz and the tentatively Democratic Bernie Sanders, are all presenting themselves as tell-it-like-it-is firebrands. Like Aoun, Trump attacks journalists and trashes national war heroes. And like Aoun, perhaps also because of his bullying behavior, Trump is leading in the polls. Meanwhile, Senator Ted Cruz publically called fellow Republican and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel a liar. Cruz, who can’t seem to get along with his own party’s senators, wants to run a country as vast and diverse as America. This wouldn’t be a concern expect that he is still alive in the polls. On the left side of the aisle, Bernie Sanders — who was never in the Democratic Party — now wants to win the party’s nomination for president. The senator from the fringe, who could not build consensus on anything during his time in Congress, now wants to change America. How? Middle class this, middle class that and bang, Bernie is turning into the leader of a cult that wants to bring down the temple.
Like Trump, Cruz, Sanders, Wakim, Nahhas, Aoun and Galloway, Britain’s John Corbin — a fringe personality — is now the chief of one of Britain’s two mainstream parties.

With Russia’s Dep. Army Chief due in Israel, Moscow posts 64 S-300 ship-to-air missiles off Syria, N. Israel
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report October 5, 2015
Russia’s deputy chief of staff, Gen. Nikolay Bogdanovsky, accompanied by a large military delegation, arrives in Israel for a two-day visit on Tuesday, Oct. 6, to discuss increased coordination between the two militaries. However, Moscow seems to be sending Jerusalem an altogether different message: Friday, Oct. 2, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the surprise deployment of Navy cruiser, the Moskva, armed with 64 advanced anti-aircraft missiles S-300 ship-to-air missiles opposite the Syrian coastal town of Latakia. debkafile’s military sources point out that Russia, without saying so publicly, has thus created an effective no-fly zone over most of Syria, most of northern Israel, including the Golan, as well as southern Turkey, for US aircraft based there for air strikes in Syria; Cyprus, the site of British air force bases; and Jordan.
Since 2012, The Obama administration has been discussing the possibility of establishing no-fly zones in northern and southern Syria on a number of occasions, but has shelved the plan whenever a decision was imminent. Now, with one move, Moscow has imposed a no-fly zone over Syria.
The presence of the wide-ranging S-300s means that the Turkish, British, Israeli and Jordanian air forces will need to coordinate their aerial operations in Syrian or Lebanese airspace with Russia, or face the risk of their planes being shot down.
In the view of debkafile’s military sources, the only aircraft capable of evading those advanced missiles are stealth planes. Neither the Israeli, British, Jordanian or Turkish air forces, nor the US squadron in Turkey consisting of F-16 fighters, have such aircraft at their disposal.
The S-300 has a range of 150 kilometers and can shoot down any type of missile, including cruise missiles, as well as planes.
If US President Obama truly wanted to deal effectively with Moscow’s military moves in Syria, besides saying that Russia is bound to fail, he would have ordered the deployment of US stealth fighters to Turkey and Israel. However,may have been held back from this step by fear of antagonizing Iran, which has so far delayed sealing the nuclear agreement with the world powers by putting it to vote in parliament.
The presence of Moskva off the shores of Syria and close to northern Israel creates a new situation that will very likely be discussed in the talks that start Tuesday in Tel Aviv between Russia’s deputy chief of staff and his Israeli counterpart, IDF Gen. Yair Golan.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during their summit in Moscow on September 21 not to allow S-300 missiles reach the hands of the Syrian military, he made no promises about positioning them on a Russian warship in the Mediterranean facing Syria and northern Israel. .Our military sources point out that Russian air strikes have not been confined to any single area so far, but the injection of S-300s into the war arena widens the Russian air force's options.
In an interview with CNN on October 4, Prime Minister Netanyahu described how the Russian operation in Syria had affected relations with Moscow. "We don't want to go back to the days when, you know, Russia and Israel were in an adversarial position,” he said. “I think we've changed the relationship. And it's, on the whole, good.” He added that Israel’s close relations with the US were in a completely different and special category.
When asked whether he thought Russia’s intervention would cause instability in the region, he seemed to avoid giving a detailed response, only saying, “I don't know. I think time will tell”.
However, on the topic of the transfer of advanced weaponry to Hizballah, the prime minister was very clear. ”If anybody wants to use Syrian territory to transfer nuclear weapons to Hezbollah, we'll take action,” he said.
It marked the first time for an Israeli prime minister to speak publicly on the possibility that the terrorist organization could acquire atomic weapons.

Islamic Jihad threatens to renew suicide bombings against Israelis
JPOST.COM STAFF/10/05/2015/Amid an upsurge of violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank that has raised concerns over a possible Third Intifada, Palestinian terrorist group Islamic Jihad on Sunday threatened to renew suicide bombing attacks against Israeli citizens and soldiers.
A chilling video released by the group's armed al-Quds Brigades entitled "Letter number 1," shows a member of the group purportedly preparing for a suicide bombing - the gruesome act which claimed the lives of hundred of Israelis during the Second Intifada. In the professionally edited footage, which made rounds on social media on Sunday, sweeping views of the flashpoint Temple Mount compound and clips of turmoil are interspersed with frames of a terrorist assembling an explosive belt. The nearly minute-long video ends with the depicted terrorist, dressed in an IDF uniform with a large black backpack, approach a bus station and wait alongside Israeli soldiers as a bus approaches. The scene then fades out and the words "Al-Quds Brigades" and "Letter number 1" appear in bother Arabic and Hebrew, apparently as a seminal warning. The video was released after Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the killing of an off-duty IDF soldier and rabbi in the Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday. The Al-Quds Brigades labeled the attack as a "heroic attack."Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday announced a series of punitive measures aimed at deterring Palestinians from carrying out attacks similar to the spate of deadly assaults which killed four Israelis in the last week.

Israeli aircraft strike Hamas terror targets in Gaza after rocket fire
J.Post/10/05/2015 /After two rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel late on Sunday night, the Israeli Air Force responded by targeting terror infrastructure belonging to Hamas in the northern part of the coastal Palestinian territory, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said. "The IDF will not tolerate such attacks from terror organizations on Israeli territory and it will continue to act firmly against any attempt to breach the quiet in the communities in the South," an IDF statement read. The IDF said it held the Hamas terror organization responsible for the earlier rocket attacks. The Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade, a Salafist organization affiliated with Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the rocket attack on Israel. One of the rockets fired at Israel on Sunday exploded in an open area in Eshkol Regional Council, causing no injuries or damage, and the second failed to cross into Israel, though it triggered warning sirens. The rocket that failed to cross into Israel set off sirens in the Sha'ar Hanegev region, sending residents fleeing for cover. The rocket that did explode in Israel did not set off sirens as it was headed towards an unpopulated area, army sources said. This latest attack adds to the tensions that have risen to the surface in light of the Palestinian terrorist attacks that have claimed the lives of four Israelis in Jerusalem and the northern West Bank these past few days.Last month, the IAF struck targets in the Gaza Strip after a number of rockets were launched at western Negev towns.
**Noam Amir contributed to this report.

'ISIS militants blow up ancient Arch of Triumph in Palmyra'
Reuters/05/10/15/Islamic State militants have blown up the Arch of Triumph, a major monument in the 2,000-year-old Roman city of Palmyra, Syria's antiquities chief said on Sunday, after they destroyed two ancient temples at the central Syrian site in recent months.
Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters that sources in Palmyra had confirmed that the Arch of Triumph, a jewel in the exquisite collection of ruins in the oasis city, had been blown up. Islamic State militants have blown up temples at the Roman-era UNESCO World Heritage site, which it has controlled since capturing Palmyra from Syrian government forces in May and mined other monuments and historic buildings. The group considers the buildings sacrilegious. "It's as though there is a curse that has befallen this city and I expect only news that will shock us. If the city remains in their hands the city is doomed," Abdulkarim told Reuters. "It is now wanton destruction ... their acts of vengeance are no longer ideologically driven because they are now blowing up buildings with no religious meaning," he added. In August, the Sunni Muslim militants blew up the temple of Baal Shamin, then the Temple of Bel, one of the best preserved Roman-era sites. Earlier this month it was also confirmed the militants had destroyed some of the best preserved of Palmyra's funeral towers, sandstone constructions built to hold the remains of the ancient city's richest families. Palmyra was one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world, according to cultural agency UNESCO, which has described it as the crossroads of several civilizations. Islamic State has declared a caliphate in territory it holds across Syria and Iraq and has destroyed other monuments it says are pagan and sacrilegious. UNESCO has called such acts war crimes and says Islamic State seeks to wipe out evidence of Syria's diverse heritage. Before the capture of the city, Syrian officials said they had moved hundreds of ancient statues to safe locations.

Turkey says Russia has escalated Syrian conflict with violation of its airspace
REUTERS/10/05/2015/ Turkey said on Monday it had summoned Russia's ambassador to protest the violation of its airspace by one of its warplanes and was told it was a "mistake" that would not happen again.Turkey, which has the second-largest army in NATO, scrambled two F-16 jets on Saturday after a Russian warplane crossed into its airspace near the province of Hatay, which borders Syria, the foreign ministry said. In a second incident, the Turkish military said a MiG-29 fighter jet -- an aircraft used by both Russia and Syria -- had harassed two of its F-16s by locking its radar on to them on Sunday as they patrolled the border. Speaking in a live interview on HaberTurk TV, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu accused Moscow of escalating the Syrian crisis by entering the conflict. Russian air strikes in Syria, launched last week, have wrong-footed both the United States and its allies including Turkey, which says lasting peace can only be achieved with President Bashar al-Assad's removal. Moscow says its intervention aims to weaken Islamic State militants, but Ankara and Western powers see it as support for Assad. "What we have received from Russia this morning is that this was a mistake and that they respect Turkey's borders and this will not happen again," Davutoglu said of Saturday's airspace violation, making clear Turkey would respond if provoked. "Turkey's rules of engagement apply to all planes, be they Syrian, Russian or from elsewhere. Turkey's armed forces are very clearly instructed. Necessary steps would be taken against whoever violates Turkey's borders, even if it's a bird," he said in the interview. "For Russia, which long opposed foreign intervention in Syria and blocked UN Security Council resolutions, to be actively involved in Syria is both a contradiction and a move that has escalated the crisis."
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Washington was conferring with Turkey about the incursion. Speaking during a trip to Spain, he also compared Moscow's effort to bolster Assad to tethering itself to a sinking ship. "By taking military action in Syria against moderate groups targets, Russia has escalated the civil war," Carter said in a speech in Madrid. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has criticised Russia's actions as a "grave mistake"."Assad has committed state terrorism, and unfortunately you find Russia and Iran defending (him)," Erdogan was quoted by the Hurriyet newspaper as telling a crowd of supporters in Strasbourg, France, late on Sunday. "Those countries that collaborate with the regime will account for it in history," he said. The Turkish foreign ministry said it had summoned Moscow's ambassador to protest the violation and urged Russia against any repeat, warning that it would be held "responsible for any undesired incident that may occur."Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, as well as key NATO partners, the statement said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Russian ambassador had been summoned, telling reporters that "some facts were mentioned there which are to be checked". There was no emergency meeting planned between Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Peskov said. "(The) Russian incursion into Turkish airspace raises stakes in what is already a high risk situation," British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Twitter, calling on Moscow to desist.

13- year-old Palestinian killed in clashes with security forces
Ynetnews/Elior Levy, Yoav Zitun/Published: 10.05.15/Palestinians claim Abdel Rahman Abdullah shot in chest during intense clashes between security forces and Palestinian rioters, marking the second Palestinian death in clashes since Sunday night. A 13-year-old Palestinian was killed in clashes with security forces Monday at the Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem, marking the second Palestinian death in 24 hours of intense clashes.According to Palestinian sources Abdel Rahman Abdullah suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, and died soon thereafter at the nearby Beit Jala hospital. The IDF said in response that it was looking into reports that a Palestinian was killed by IDF gunfire, but mentioned that troops were actively attempting to suppress a violent and illegal protest in the area, during which rocks were thrown at security forces. The IDF was able to confirm that ruger rifle rounds had been used against a primary agitator, in addition to other non-lethal means. Military officials added that violent incidents have become a daily occurence in the area, including attacks perpetrated by Palestinians near Rachel's Tomb and the Aida refugee camp, which included the throwing of an improvised explosive device at border patrol troops on Sunday night. Abdel Rahman Abdullah in the hospital after clashes with Israeli security forces. Abdel Rahman Abdullah in the hospital after clashes with Israeli security forces. Clashes in general have intensified in the past 24 hours, with security forces responding to several incidents across the West Bank. The deaths follow several particularly severe security incidents including a Thursday night attack during which a Palestinian assailant murdered Na'ama and Eitam Henkin in their car, in front of their children. Another attack took place in Jerusalem on Saturday night, when a Palestinian killed two Israelis and wounded two others, including an infant. Later that night, a Palestinian man stabbed a 15-year-old Israeli in Jerusalem's Old City. Both assailants in the respective attacks were neutralized by security forces. The drastic decline in the security situation and increasing tensions over the temple mount during the Jewish holidays has lead many to speculate regarding a third Intifada, or Palestinian uprising. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday night that he had ordered new steps meant to prevent terrorism after a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Defense. The prime minister stated that, "We are waging a war to the death against Palestinian terrorism. I've ordered a series of additional steps in order to prevent terror and to deter and punish the attackers."

'We are not neutral': Angela Merkel on Israeli-German relations
Eldad Beck/Ynetnews/Published:10.03.15
The world's most powerful woman sits down for an interview ahead of annual meeting with Netanyahu and the 50th anniversary of Israeli-German relations.
Angela Merkel is going through some tough times. The enthusiasm that swept Germany after its Chancellor decided to open the country’s gates to hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria, Iraq, and other conflict zones has quickly dissipated, giving room to some heavy criticism.
QUICK WATCH | 01:06
The most powerful woman in the world, who just last week was portrayed on the cover of famous magazine Der Spiegel as heir to Mother Teresa, now finds herself isolated in the European Union, attacked by members of her own party (the Christian Democratic Union of Germany), and with a long-unseen decline in her popularity among the public.
This crisis comes at a symbolic time. Ten years ago, on September 18, 2005, Merkel won the elections and made German history: She became the first woman, and the first former East German politician, to head the government in Berlin. In the past decade, Merkel has cemented her public standing so strongly that it’s hard to think of anyone who could replace her as chancellor.
Her effect on Germany is so great that youngsters today are considered part of the “Merkel generation”. Her governing style – making decisions after long deliberations, usually ending at the last moment – has brought about a new German verb: “Merkeln”.
In the past summer, rumors arose about the chancellor’s intentions to run for a fourth straight term in the 2017 Bundestag elections. Merkel’s opponents from the Social-Democratic Party announced in advance that they have no chance of defeating her. But that could change.
The ultra-conservative wing of Merkel’s party is fuming at her generous refugee and immigration policies, as well as her declarations about Islam having a place in Germany. There were talks of political dealings meant to remove the chancellor, or at least teach her a lesson, but right now the conservatives know they don’t have a true alternative to Merkel.
Merkel has a bigger cause for concern right now: The growing popular protests against her refugee policies. A few weeks ago, when she visited an absorption center in Heidenau, Saxony, a town known for its large concentration of extreme right-wing and neo-Nazi activity, refugees happily surrounded her, hoping for an opportunity to take a photo. But the reception outside the center was a bit colder: Local residents called Merkel a traitor, and shouted for her to “get out!” Her advisers said the atmosphere was reminiscent of lynchings.
Just a year ago, Germany was rocked by a popular protest movement called PEGIDA, which came out of Saxony and swept across the nation. In weekly rallies, which attracted huge crowds of both supporters and detractors, slogans were shouted decrying Muslims and Immigrants. But more than that – PEGIDA rallies also lambasted the political establishment in Germany, with Merkel as its largest target.
“If we need to start apologizing for presenting a friendly face to the world, then this isn’t my country,” Merkel said in response. She also gave a hint of a threat there: Going home of her own accord if her conscientious, humane policies were not supported.
For the time being, Merkel continues to manage the many inner and outer crises: Refugees, Greece, the Euro, Russia, ISIS. She left the European Union leaders’ summit in Brussels this week and flew over to the world leaders’ summit in New York, which was held in conjunction with the annual UN General Assembly meeting and dealt with long-term global development. Next week, she’s set to host Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as several Israeli ministers and deputy ministers, for their yearly consultation meeting.
These meetings were initiated by the chancellor in 2008, as a way of improving relations between the two countries and ensuring their future development. This year’s meeting is expected to have a powerful symbolic aura, since it marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Germany.
Research into the status of relations ahead of the half-century mark reveals a troubled reality. Israelis are mostly accepting of Germany, even with the looming shadow of the Holocaust. Germans, though, aren’t really at peace with Israel. Many of them tend to make comparisons between it and Germany under the Nazis.
Chancellor Merkel, a true friend of Israel, feels that it’s important to talk about the two countries’ relationship. And so, despite her busy schedule, and despite the fact that she’s giving very few interviews to foreign press sources at this time, she agreed to give one to Yedioth Ahronoth ahead of the yearly government meeting and the 50th anniversary.
A meeting at the washing machine
We meet in Merkel’s office, which is located on the seventh floor of the Chancellor’s Office building in Berlin. The building is concrete and square-shaped, with a large glass circle at the front, a look that has earned it the nickname of “government washing machine”.
You don’t see the tension of recent events on Merkel’s face, or the effect of long work hours, full of meetings and discussions. She has a welcoming, smiling presence that lacks the usual arrogance of politicians and statesmen, especially those in positions as high as hers. Her humane attitude and unassuming manner are a main reason for her popularity with the public up to now.
On May 12, 1965, the day diplomatic relations were established between West Germany and Israel, you yourself were 11 years old, living in East Germany. Did you feel something of the historical value of that day? How would you judge that historical development today?
“At the age of about 11, and as a former resident of East Germany, I did not yet take note of the establishment of diplomatic relations. At a later age, it became clear to me that East Germany, unlike West Germany, didn’t have relations with Israel. When I was working as a physicist I suffered from it, because I couldn’t order publications by Israeli scientists directly.
“We in the East didn’t have access to copy machines, so I asked an American scientist to send me copies of Israeli colleagues’ work. I was glad that after the wall fell the East German parliament, which was freely elected, chose to establish relations with Israel in 1990.”
On May 12, 2015, 50 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between Germany and Israel, German pundits wrote of “a friendship in danger”, “German-Israeli a-symmetry”, and “the disappearance of German understanding of Israel”. Even German President Joachim Gauck expressed concern for the fact that nearly half of the German population holds a negative opinion of Israel. Do you share this concern? Do you feel danger as well? What can be done about it?
“Good relations require constant care; you have to speak with one another all the time, especially if there’s a difference of opinion. At the start of my term, I initiated the inter-governmental talks between Germany and Israel, which will take place next week for the sixth time. It’s an opportunity to talk in a very concrete way about wide aspects of our relations: For instance, the cooperation on scientific issues, the joint cultural work, the youth exchanges, and the development initiatives we’re implementing together in several countries.
“We are doing this out of an awareness for Germany’s constant responsibility for the fracturing of civilization in the time of the Holocaust and an awareness for the shared values and interests. Israel is a world leader in many areas, as an example I’ll mention the start-up culture, or the research area I’ve already mentioned – where a very tight cooperation exists with the German scientific world.”
“German-Israeli relations keep developing. Every time, we learn all over again that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. That’s the crucial point – even if we’re split on a few issues that have to do with the settlement policies, and even if we would have liked there to be a negotiation toward a two-state solution.”
Where exactly do you see the things Germany and Israel have in common?
“First and foremost, the values that Germany and Israel represent in the world unite us: Freedom, democracy, and human dignity – which apply to every man and woman. I see things in common with a lot of ventures, as well as the cooperation we have in the field of defense policy. However, the most important thing that unites us is of course the basic understanding of the individual’s dignity and his right to self-actualization. That’s what determines things to me.”
A number of polls show that between 40 percent and over 60 percent of Germans compare Israel’s actions regarding the Palestinians to the Nazis’ treatment of the Jews. How did we reach this situation, and what do you think of that comparison?
“The Holocaust as a systematic attempt to wipe out the Jews is a unique crime. This kind of comparison is totally wrong and incomprehensible.”
Where do you think the line that separates legitimate criticism of some of Israel’s actions and anti-Semitism?
“The lines are crossed where a criticism is used to delegitimize an entire people or group. I oppose – even in other contexts and in principle – generalizations that attribute certain character traits, usually bad ones, to entire peoples. Every person is unique. Every place has good and bad people, smart and dumb, nice and not nice, but each individual has a position and the right to respect, which is not to be touched.”
In Europe, but in America as well, there’s a movement that’s calling more and more loudly for a boycott on Israel. The American government passed an anti-boycott law last summer. Should there be anti-boycott laws in Germany and the European Union as well?
“In questions of trade, the European Union usually determines the direction of actions. If we want to change something, we have to get a majority for that. So, for example, there are questions of consumer protection at the European Union level that require labeling of products from certain places. That has nothing to do with a boycott. In principle, I’m not impressed at all by calls for boycotts.”
The German-Israeli committee for school textbook research recently published a study that says Israel’s image in German textbooks is very negative. The committee wrote that “The amazing thing is that since the first German-Israeli committee’s findings were published in 1985 – nothing has changed.” How can we change this situation?
"First of all, it's good thing we have the Israeli-German textbook review committee, which pays attention to such things. If the study's findings are correct, we can change something through co-writing text for schoolbooks, so they also give the Israeli perspective. We have very good experience with German-French history textbooks – it took a long time until we managed to arrive at an understanding about a shared perspective on historical events. It was a very instructive process; maybe we should think about outlining a similar process between our two countries."
In your speech before the Knesset in 2008, you declared that "historical responsibility is part of my country's raison d'être. For me as German Chancellor, therefore, Israel's security will never be open to negotiation." What does this mean on a practical level, and what will happen the day you stop serving as chancellor?
"Israel's security was and Is a very important matter for every German chancellor – and so it will be in the future, too. My statement must be understood in a very comprehensive way. It is frequently reduced to the military aspect, but it refers to an entirely fundamental commitment to Israel's security. We are certainly not neutral. I am working on instilling this recognition in the next generation of young people. I am similarly working to make the future generation's young people to be aware of it."
Does your statement have a military component?
It applies to Israel's security in general. It cannot be reduced to only one area – but it's impossible to skip any area.
A number of Israeli politicians compared the Vienna agreement with Iran to the Munich agreement of 1938. Are you insulted by this or do you understand such criticism? How can you reassure Israelis about Iran's growing power in the region, while it still officially discusses Israel's destruction?
"Iran's stance towards Israel is unacceptable. We will say this again and again, loudly and clearly. The decisive question for us was whether signing the agreement would help regional security more than a situation without an agreement. At this point there are different assessments. Iran's nuclear capabilities have considerably grown since 2005. We reached the conclusion that the development could be stopped for now – for a relatively long amount of time. For this reason, the agreement looked like a better option than rejecting it – and instead allowing Iran to continue developing a nuclear capability.
"I am mindful of Israel's sensitivity about this topic and its lack of faith in Iran. After all, it is Israel that is directly threatened – but really all of us, the free world, are threatened by Iran arming itself with nuclear weapons. And anyway, regarding the agreement that was signed, I have a different assessment from that of the Israeli prime minister. I am interested in continuing to talk to one another but the advantages and disadvantages of the agreement. Even if I, like other partners, reached the conclusion that the pros outweigh the cone – I still cannot ignore the criticism leveled at the agreement. We do not have absolute certainty that Iran will truly take the path of transparency. In the event that Iran does not adhere to its commitment, the agreement allows for us to reinstate the sanctions."
Do you see any possibility whatsoever for Germany to become a bridge between Iran and Israel?
"Iran must change its unacceptable stance towards Israel. I hope one day politicians who rule in Tehran will reach this conclusion. Until then, I see it as the German government's duty to repeat this demand again and again. Beyond that I'm not interested in overstating Germany's goal and abilities. And what's more important is that we are not neutral, as I said.
Hundreds of thousands of refugees are streaming from the Middle East into Europe, and particularly into Germany. You are interested in combating the root of the problem. Will you also do this through military intervention?
"In everything involving Syria, the first thing that must be found is a political framework to reach a solution. We have repeatedly learned in the past that military intervention without an accompanying political concept does not lead to success. For such a political framework, we need all the regional powers in addition to the United States and Russia. Germany will do its share according to its abilities. In the fight against ISIS< we have supplied weapons to the Kurdish Peshmerga – for the first time to an area where there is an active conflict. In addition, we are training soldiers in Iraq against ISIS.
The meaning of this is that we are already taking part militarily as part of the large coalition against ISIS terrorists.
What will you say to people, including those in Israel, who are concerned that the massive wave of refugees will cause the Islamization of Germany and Europe?
"In Germany, we see the refugees first and foremost as people who fled the horror of the Syrian Civil War. It is our duty to give them protection, as the German basic law and UN treaties on refugees require. Furthermore, Germany has freedom of religion. We will do everything we can to integrate those who will be allowed to stay into our country, our basic law, and our civil laws – with their values of freedom. The refugees must learn our language as quickly as possible, as everything will depend on this later. We will work against any form of religious fundamentalism with determination."
In Israel, you are considered the most popular foreign politician. No other German or European politician has gained so much trust in Israel. How do you explain this, and what does mean for you personally?
"I am just happy that there are good, friendly relations between Germany and Israel. I act according to my oath as part of my role on behalf of the German people – and I will add that I also work for a strong Europe. Regarding everything involving Israel, there is a broad consensus between us and the Israeli government and people, but there are points of disagreements. And despite that, we have always managed to express these disagreements without damaging the basis of our relations."
A year ago Israeli protesters made a public request for you to open your country's gates to hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Israel, because the cost of living is so high in Israel, unlike in Germany. Did you hear about this and what do you think about this initiative?
"I am grateful that today in Germany there is such varied and rich Jewish life again. I am completely aware that this is not a given considering out history. I am also glad that many Israelis visit Germany – and especially here in Berlin, you can meet so many young people from Israel who are drawn to Germany's capital. And conversely, I am also interested in German people discovering Israel."

U.S. enforcement of Iran arms embargo slipped during nuclear talks: sources
WASHINGTON | By Yeganeh Torbati/October 05/15
Addressing concerns that a landmark nuclear deal reached this year could boost Iran's military power, the Obama administration reassured critics that it would maintain and enforce its remaining tough sanctions against the country.
Yet the U.S. government has pursued far fewer violations of a long-standing arms embargo against Iran in the past year compared to recent years, according to a review of court records and interviews with two senior officials involved in sanctions enforcement.
The sharp fall in new prosecutions did not reflect fewer attempts by Iran to break the embargo, the officials said. Rather, uncertainty among prosecutors and agents on how the terms of the deal would affect cases made them reluctant to commit already scarce resources with the same vigor as in previous years, the officials said.
The more relaxed enforcement raises questions over how strictly the arms embargo and other remaining sanctions will be applied in future, since the nuclear deal still needs to be implemented and Iran will likely remain sensitive to a tough sanctions regime.
In the 2014-15 fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 30, U.S. law enforcement officials filed fresh charges just twice against those suspected of attempting to smuggle weapons and related technology from the United States to Iran, according to court records.
Eight such cases were brought in 2013-14. By comparison, around 10 to 12 such cases were brought in each of the preceding six years.
"There's been a precipitous drop-off," said one of the senior U.S. officials, who declined to be identified. "The facts are the facts – there's no other explanation."
The official added there was already a "reticence" in some agencies and U.S. federal prosecutors' offices to pursue the cases because they are so tough to build and time-consuming.
"And if we're going to normalize things with Iran soon, people are asking, 'Is it worth it?'"
The nuclear deal, reached in July after two years of concerted negotiations, tasks Iran with dismantling much of its nuclear infrastructure in return for the removal of many of the international sanctions placed on it over the past five years.
The U.S. sanctions being lifted are largely nuclear-related measures that barred other countries from dealing with Iran's banking and oil sectors.
U.S. sanctions for Iran's alleged human rights violations and support for militant groups remain in place, as do measures barring U.S. persons from most trade with Iran. A United Nations embargo on conventional weapons will be lifted in five years, and a U.N. embargo on ballistic missiles in eight.
Multiple U.S. laws and regulations still bar the export of U.S. goods and technology to Iran, especially anything related to defense.
Obama administration officials say they continued to aggressively enforce sanctions against Iran throughout the negotiations, are still doing so, and will strictly enforce the remaining sanctions after the deal is implemented.
"The Justice Department continues to pursue criminal prosecutions against those that seek to circumvent U.S. sanctions involving Iran and other export controls," said Marc Raimondi, a spokesman for the department, adding there were numerous ongoing cases.
A senior Commerce Department official said its Office of Export Enforcement "continues to vigorously enforce sanctions on Iran" and that Iran cases make up the bulk of its current file.
A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a Department of Homeland Security agency, did not respond to a request for comment.
Elizabeth Bourassa, a spokeswoman for the Treasury Department's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said the department had enforced sanctions at the same pace since a framework deal was announced with Iran in April as it did in the preceding year and a half.
Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) enforces a wide variety of sanctions beyond non-proliferation, including financial, terrorism, and oil measures.
"Since the start of the negotiating period, OFAC imposed sanctions on more than 100 Iran-related individuals and entities, concluded more than 20 Iran-related enforcement actions, and assessed approximately $525 million in penalties for violations of Iran-related sanctions," Bourassa said.
VIOLATIONS
In the past decade, individuals have attempted to export a range of U.S. goods with military applications to Iran, such as aircraft parts, night-vision goggles, and a horizontal lathe used to make high-grade steel, according to court documents.
In one of the cases in the most recent fiscal year, U.S. officials charged several members of what they called an "Iranian procurement network" for illegally exporting $24 million worth of goods to Iran, including high-tech U.S.-origin electronics.
In the other case, an Oklahoma City man was charged in October 2014 with smuggling firearm shell casings to Iran.
The second senior law enforcement official told Reuters that as a deal with Iran grew closer in the past year, front-line agents and prosecutors who enforce Iran sanctions followed the situation closely, carefully weighing whether it was worth it to open new investigations.
Iran arms embargo cases can be highly complex, specialized, time-consuming and sometimes involve high-risk undercover operations, the official said.
Some prosecutors and agents were wary of investing years of time and money in cases that might suddenly become moot, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"No one distributed a memo saying, 'Don't work these cases' – no one is that stupid," the official said. "But with this deal coming, everything was thrown up in the air, everyone was looking for guidance."
There are also indications that this summer, as negotiations with Iran reached a critical point, Obama administration officials were concerned with how sanctions enforcement could affect the talks.
In a June 2015 email seen by Reuters, a Treasury official contacted an official from New York's Department of Financial Services expressing alarm about an Iran-related investigation.
"Any actions that are taken in connection with sanctions violations pertaining to Iran may have serious impacts on the ongoing negotiations and U.S. foreign policy goals and objectives," wrote the official, whose name was redacted in the email.
Representative Patrick Meehan, a Republican critic of the Iran deal and a former federal prosecutor, said the drop in prosecutions and the letter from Treasury indicated that the Obama administration relaxed sanctions to protect the negotiations.
"There should have been clear signals sent from the administration that there is to be no interruption, that the law is clear and unambiguous," Meehan said. He authored a bill that would prevent sanctions relief for Iran until it pays restitution to victims of Iranian-backed attacks, prompting the White House to say Obama would veto any legislation that prevents implementation of the deal.
"There's a subtle way of simply chilling out the willingness of investigators to pursue the cases in the first place," Meehan said. "I look at the pattern and that's what disturbs me."
(Additional reporting by Brett Wolf in St. Louis and Jeff Mason in Washington; editing by Stuart Grudgings)

Russian airstrikes and selective outrage over Syria
Sharif Nashashibi/Al Arabiya/October 05/15
Many people who are against the U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria have also condemned those carried out by Russia since last week. Putting aside arguments for or against foreign intervention, this indicates a stance that is based on a specific principle and applied universally. For example, the Stop the War Coalition said in a statement last week that just as it “has criticized U.S. bombing, and the possibility of British intervention, in Syria, so too we cannot support Russian military action. It remains our view, supported by long history and experience, that external interference has no part to play in resolving the problems in Syria or elsewhere in the Middle East.”However, reaction on social media since the start of Russia's bombing campaign shows that far too many people who have condemned U.S.-led airstrikes are perfectly happy to cheer on Moscow. In the process, they are contradicting many of the reasons they cited for opposing the U.S.-led coalition. It seems, then, that the issue these people have is not that Syria and its people are being bombed, but who is doing the bombing.
Civilians
One of the objections raised over the U.S.-led campaign was that there would be civilian casualties. Sure enough, from the start civilians have been killed and injured, and civilian infrastructure destroyed and damaged. However, the same is true of Russia’s air campaign. Since it began just a few days ago, dozens of civilians, including children, have reportedly been killed, and many more injured. In addition, civilian targets so far have included homes, a field hospital and a mosque. Activists on the ground say most of the targets hit have been civilian. The response from the Syrian regime’s apologists is to claim that these are all lies, that the sources are suspect, that photographic or video evidence is fake, and that media is bias - basically a big conspiracy. People who will readily (and often rightly) accuse the Americans of disregard for civilian life are now suspending belief when it comes to the Russians, as if they could not possibly behave in such a way.The Chechens would beg to differ. So too would the Afghans, who - like the Syrians now - have the dubious distinction of having American and Russian bombs dropped on them.
Propaganda
The willing suspension of belief extends beyond civilian casualties to the very fundamentals of military and propaganda warfare. It is as if deception during conflict is a uniquely Western phenomenon. Far too many people who have condemned U.S.-led airstrikes are perfectly happy to cheer on Moscow. In the process, they are contradicting many of the reasons they cited for opposing the U.S.-led coalition. For example, when I posted a BBC article on Facebook about Russian airstrikes killing civilians and hitting Syrian rebels opposed to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), people responded that U.S. officials - who were among the sources, which included Syrians on the ground - could not be trusted. However, this was not simply a healthy skepticism of officialdom, whose job it is to deceive during conflict. The problem seems to be not that they were officials, but that they were American, because the doubters are all too willing to trust the denials and claims of Russian officials. They would not possibly be dishonest, particularly while their employer wages war! “Do you believe this Western article?” someone asked me. “I just don’t believe what the Americans say.” Because only they are worthy of suspicion, apparently. The next day, Moscow admitted that its targets extended beyond ISIS, even though it had initially billed its campaign as being against the jihadist group. It turns out that so far, most of its airstrikes have focused on rebels opposed to both ISIS and the regime.
Intervention
Remember all the condemnation of U.S-led airstrikes as foreign meddling? Are the Russians any less foreign? Or Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, whose fighters have been propping up the Syrian regime since at least 2012? Or Iran, which has reportedly sent hundreds of troops to take part in a major upcoming ground campaign with Russian air support? Regime apologists respond that these parties’ involvement is legitimate because it is at the Syrian government’s request. Those who make such an argument - many of whom I know personally - will rightfully condemn U.S. military assistance to Israeli governments, or Western assistance to various autocracies. The irony is lost on them. One also wonders how people square their support for Moscow’s intervention with their rejection of the U.S.-led campaign on the grounds that it would further militarize the conflict. What do they think is being dropped from Russian warplanes, flowers and chocolate? Similarly, many supporters of Moscow’s air campaign were quick to point out the lack of a U.N. mandate for the U.S.-led campaign. They are, however, silent about the fact that Moscow does not have a U.N. mandate either. There is also silence over the powerful Russian Orthodox Church’s deeply irresponsible description of the campaign as a “holy war.” That silence is particularly deafening considering the justified outcry over former U.S. President George W Bush’s reference to a “crusade” against terrorism. While some have opposed both air campaigns as a matter of principle, others have been exposed for their selective outrage in supporting Moscow’s aerial bombardments by contradicting their reasons for opposing the U.S.-led campaign. In the current climate in Syria and the wider region, the damage being caused by selective outrage cannot be overestimated, because the resulting hypocrisy provides cover for justifying the unjustifiable.

A Russian-American Tango in Syrian skies
Mohamed Chebarro/Al Arabiya/October 05/15
It is too early to fairly assess Moscow's endeavors in Syria after it deployed dozens of fighter jets to begin an air campaign in Syria. Though the targets hit are not believed to be solely ISIS positions, it will be sometime before a clear assessment emerges from the field. My guess is that it will not be long before the world stands witness to Russian brutality which surpasses that of the Syrian regime and its Iranian allies that helped over the past four years keep Bashar al-Assad in power. But the real story does not lie here. At the crux of the matter is the fact that after a year of the U.S.-led air campaign fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the organization trying to build a Caliphate in the Middle East and elsewhere is still intact despite its many bruises. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is suspicious of Russia’s intervention in Syria and has challenged the Kremlin, perhaps prematurely, to put match its actions to its words, roll up its sleeves, and join the world’s fight against ISIS. The Russians were not caught bluffing; they may be fighting ISIS - but their actions have stoked further the fire in Syria, where civilians of all religions and sects are paying the price. It is not a surprise to see them fleeing their homeland in all directions across the world.
The Russians have gone into Syria with their eyes also on other stalemates with the U.S. and Europe, mainly over Ukraine. I believe Moscow’s attacks are aimed mainly at propping up Assad's wounded regime, not fighting ISIS or terrorism as they claim. Now, the world will watch a Russian-American Tango in Syrian skies, and this time it’s Putin who is leading the dance, not Obama. Russia's role in Syria has been, from the onset of the crisis, to side with Assad against his people and therefore it cannot be a neutral broker for a potential peace plan that Moscow claims it is trying to execute. Putin and his outspoken foreign minister Sergei Lavrov never disguise the fact they are supporting, and arming, Assad, and they consider all opposition forces to be terrorists attacking the state of Syria. A location in Baghdad has been established as a Russian intelligence, liaison and coordination center, established with support from Iraqi, Iranian and Syrian intelligence. It seems this group is intent on further dividing the world’s resolve (if we are to be naive and trust that there is one) between two camps; one led by Russia and the other by the U.S. If anything, the above complicates an already complicated scene.
Defining terrorism
Russian intervention in Syria comes after almost five years of failure by the U.N. to define the conflict, let alone or find an end to it. The role of Moscow was central in obstructing several Security Council resolutions aimed at putting an end to the violence. By and large, President Barack Obama decided to ignore the conflict and decided to work on a bigger cause; hoping to tame Iran's nuclear ambitions. But the latest U.N. fringe meeting between the Russian and American presidents showed once again how diametrically opposed the views of both countries and their allies are regarding the Syria and the refugee crisis in Europe. All the above was narrowed down once again to a vague statement agreeing to keep working together to fight terrorism – but we all know both parties have different perspectives on terror; is it ISIS or the Syrian opposition fighters rebelling against Assad?
Caught by surprise
Days after that meeting, it became clear the Obama Administration was caught by surprise and sent mixed messages in its reaction to the Russian attacks on targets in three Syrian provinces, reportedly using banned cluster bombs - some of which allegedly targeted moderate Syrian rebels trained by the CIA, we were told. Clearly Putin's Russia has outmaneuvered the U.S. If anything, the burning questions that remain are how best to fight ISIS, how to contain the Syrian war, how to defeat Isis in Iraq, how to curb Iranian meddling in Lebanon, Bahrain and Yemen. If anything, Moscow's latest call for the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition to leave the airspace in its area of operation presents a new political and operational challenges. On a political level, it is another blow to Obama and the West and their non-policy on Syria. So now the Russians are showing more boldness in filling the void. On an operational level, I sat down to scribble over a map of Syria to see where fighter jets from opposing coalitions could strike. So far, the Russians are attacking targets north of the country, mainly in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo. ISIS forces are mainly in Raqqa, Deir Ezzor further east and Palmyra. It will be an operational nightmare to divide the airspace and provide corridors for each coalition’s air force. That said, Assad's airforce continued its strikes on Syrian cities for the past 12 months in parallel to strikes and air sorties carried out by U.S. in Syria without any known major air space incidents. So maybe the Russians, the Americans and their allies will opt out for odd and even days for each coalition to operate in. The "odd and even days" were invented by municipalities around the world to allow cars with Odd or Even plate registration into congested city centers to limit pollution and or traffic jams. Now, the world will watch a Russian-American Tango in Syrian skies, and this time it’s Putin who is leading the dance, not Obama.

Wake up world, Afghanistan could be the next ISIS hotbed
Camelia Entekhabi-Fard/Al Arabiya/October 05/15
Dealing with disasters in Afghanistan is one of those challenges which from time to time makes headlines and makes us think about whether this state has been lost for good? Billions of dollars and thousands of lives have been lost since 2001 in Afghanistan with the aim of routing out terrorism and bringing stability and prosperity to this part of world, which has been identified by officials and experts as a safe haven for terrorism. What we refer to today as terrorism was initially born in Pakistan and has stretched to neighbor Afghanistan.Without any strong central government, and amid the competition between different ethnic backgrounds, this country became a source of international terrorism when the Taliban and al-Qaeda were born. Yes, the Taliban government was overthrown by the U.S.-led coalition forces in 2001 and yes, al-Qaeda’s Osama Bin Laden was hunted down by the U.S. years later, but their ideology hasn’t dried out. This is coupled with the fact that the Taliban is now claiming stronghold bases in areas between the north and south of Afghanistan. The international community has cause to worry, knowing that Afghan militants are being influenced by ISIS and other extremists in the Middle East.
The fall of Kunduz
Still, it came as a surprise when more than a week ago Taliban fighters captured the northern Afghan provincial capital of Kunduz, as Afghan forces retreated. This was the first time the militant group succeeded in seizing a major city since 2001. The international community has cause to worry, knowing that Afghan militants are being influenced by ISIS. Coincidently or intentionally, the date of the capture marked the first anniversary of the National Unity Government of Afghanistan as well as the opening day of the 70th U.N. General Assembly in New York.
While the whole world is focusing on the crises in Syria and the fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, Afghanistan has again called for backup support from NATO forces to take the city back and confront the Taliban. The National Unity Government, which has been presented by Ashraf Ghani as the president and Abdullah Abdullah as the Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan, has still not succeeded in having a defense minister, let alone a security strategy. So much chaos in the government over power sharing and corruption not only reflects a failure in governing, but also security matters. The number of the attacks against civilians have largely increased in the past year. In the absence of coalition forces fighting against the insurgency, the number of the suicide attacks has increased and the debility of the Afghan forces shows a need for international troops on the ground again.Less than year ago, American troops handed over full security responsibility to the Afghans and 10,000 American forces remained, mainly engaged in training and supporting the Afghan army. But the fall of Kunduz mainly showed the NUG’s inability to govern the country and the difficulties the two leaders have working together as a major problem for this nation. After five days of intense battles in Kunduz, the city is not yet entirely under the control of the central government, and a catastrophic airstrike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital there on Saturday that killed 22 people, including 12 staff members. Among the challenges facing the international community is now the collapse of the National Unity Government which turns not being capable working together. Some former Mujahidin commanders from different parts of Afghanistan have threatened to act individually against the Taliban if the government cannot do the job itself. Some elder former Mujahidins are not only worried about Taliban and al-Qaeda, but also whether these groups may merge with ISIS. A report recently published by the United Nations has revealed that ISIS is gaining ground in Afghanistan and their members are active in 24 of the country's 34 provinces and recruiting fighters. The Afghan government rejects the reports and claims it has a strategy to counter ISIS with special trained forces. Hearing such a claim while a city like Kunduz falls to the Taliban is a joke. Perhaps soon, more attention will be drawn to Afghanistan when security becomes shakier and the current government breaks up.
Afghanistan could be the next ISIS hotbed if the world doesn’t take the fall of Kunduz and the incapacity of the NUG seriously.

Russian intervention imposes a fait accompli on all sides
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya/October 05/15
Russian President Vladimir Putin has imposed on the United States, Europe, and the Arab nations a fait accompli, which they have no choice but to accept. Yet at the same time, Putin might have just backed himself into a corner. U.S. President Barack Obama is determined not to be dragged to Syria. He has no solutions to tackle the situation; if Putin believes he has a solution, then Obama’s stance is so be it with best wishes for success. If Putin pulls it off, Washington would be able to say it had contributed to the success. If he fails, Syria will be Putin’s quagmire and own Afghanistan. In New York over this past week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov held four rounds of talks. If anything, this suggests that the two sides have common ground as well as differences. Indeed, the two powers are engaged in military and intelligence coordination, at the very least for “de-confliction” in Syria where their air forces are operating simultaneously. Nevertheless, Washington and Moscow’s essential difference is over the role of Bashar al-Assad in political arrangements, and this is where the main obstacle lies, the so-called Assad Knot. Washington wants to convince Russia of abandoning Assad, if not at the start of the transition then at the end. Moscow wants Washington to stop wasting time on this issue because Assad is Russia’s man in Syria and it would not sacrifice him.
The Assad problem is papered over
Washington is embarrassed because its Arab allies are not willing to approve understandings whereby the Assad problem is papered over. They want clarity and they want commitments and guarantees that Assad would not still be in power at the end of the political transition, should they agree to relax their demand that Assad must step down as a condition to start a political process.
Moscow wants to tell Washington that its position is key and that its Arab allies would ultimately cave in and agree to U.S.-Russian understandings, because they have no other option. Cracks have begun to appear in the Arab ranks, and some are saying that there is no choice but to accept what Russia has imposed on the United States and the U.S. administration. Others are categorically refusing to be part of a U.S.-Russian equation that practically entails partnership with Bashar al-Assad in crushing the armed Syrian opposition, and not just ISIS and similar groups. There are some who buy into the U.S. proposal of luring Putin into becoming implicated in Syria, and become caught in a war similar to the Afghanistan war that led to the collapse of the entire Soviet Union.
Either Russia wakes up to the dangers of clinging on to one man and sacrificing an entire country, or wake up one day trapped in a corner of their own making
Indeed, the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan at the time led to the mujahidin war against “Communist atheism”, with U.S. and Arab support and incitement that helped create fundamentalist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS. Therefore, the Afghanization of Syria will not spare anyone, mainly Russia which is lodging itself in the Syrian corner today as a direct party to a civil war and as the leader of the war on fundamentalism and terrorism.
John Kerry has been on marathon shuttle meetings over the Syrian issue. A number of ministers felt that Kerry had brought to them an implicit agreement between him and Lavrov, and that he wanted to get it passed despite states U.S. positions against Assad, voiced by Obama himself.
Remember the chemical weapons agreement?
When Kerry was met with that resistance, he felt that he had to adapt a little so as not to appear as if imposing a U.S.-Russian agreement with the flavor of the previous bilateral agreement on chemical weapons. That agreement culminated with Obama’s U-turn on his infamous “red lines”.
Public statements by the United States and Britain escalated then de-escalated. As the British Foreign Secretary clarified, London is willing to alter the interpretation of the Geneva-1 communique and the Geneva-2 mechanism to accept a role for Assad in the transition. This is contrary to previous positions. At the same time, Britain stepped up its verbal tone, saying Assad has lost legitimacy and must step down, and that there could be no return to the status quo before the Syrian revolution by rehabilitating a man who helped kill 300,000 of his people and dispossess millions.
The senior pillars of the Syrian regime are extremely reassured by the Russian positions and their implications for U.S. and British positions. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said U.S. and European statements are like a “fan” and are not reliable, changing between night and day. He said they had no choice but the Russian option, if they were serious about fighting ISIS.
It is clear that a priority for the United States and Russia now is to reach an agreement over a communication mechanism to avoid any clashes in Syria, with Russian and international airstrikes taking place at the same time in Syria. This is what Kerry and Lavrov jointly declared following their third meeting.
Russia is adamant that its airstrikes in Syria follow a request by the Syrian government, which it considers the legitimate sovereign government in Syria. Russia cites the request made by the Iraqi government to the coalition forces, which it says is equivalent.
Politically, Kerry and Lavrov have agreed that they want a united, democratic, and secular Syria, but they are in disagreement over how to get there. They agreed on “almost specific steps,” in Lavrov’s words, to be undertaken with other countries and the United Nations, to create the suitable conditions to promote a political solution. The two men also agreed to be in “permanent” contact over Syria. According to Kerry, an agreement was reached to take a number of steps that could push forward a political solution and rapidly, given the refugee crisis in Syria that has taken its toll on Europe.
Moscow has decided to intervene directly in Syria in support of the regime in Damascus. It is clear the target of Russian airstrikes will not be limited to ISIS. The change in the Russian strategy is not minor. Russia today speaks the language of “Russian national security” as being a cause for its military escalation in Syria. The Russians are proclaiming that they do not want or accept for Syria to become another Libya – as though the situation in Syria is any better than Libya. The Russians are saying there is no alternative to partnership with the Syrian regime, because it is the only force on the ground that can defeat ISIS. They are saying anyone who has an alternative to Assad should present it, and are saying: Come with us, because you have no other option but us. We are the headline in Syria, and you are not prepared to engage to begin with.
Caving in
Moscow is betting on the United States, Britain, and France caving in to the fait accompli imposed by Russian strategy in Syria, because Washington does not want to engage on this difficult issue and because Europe is keen to stop the flow of migrants to its borders.Washington does not mind Russia leading in Syria against ISIS and similar groups. But it does not want to officially bless the attacks on the armed Syrian opposition or take part in rehabilitating Assad. Washington does not want to appear to its Arab friends or Turkey as though it is colluding with Moscow, and has become an ally to Moscow, Iran, Hezbollah, and the regime in Damascus in the Syrian war.Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir explained in an interview I conducted two days ago the main points of the position on the proposals regarding Syria and Assad. Jubeir said there are no differences when it comes to the principle of preserving the civilian and military institutions in Syria to prevent total collapse.He also said that there is a general agreement that Assad would have no role in Syria’s future, stressing that the solution does not depend on Russia, which opposes this general agreement. In other words, disagreements continue regarding the fate of Assad after the transitional phase, and not just during it.
The endgame
Jubeir said that discussions are currently looking into whether the Syrian president would step down at the start of the transitional phase, or whether he would remain in Syria without any powers or privileges. Saudi Arabia, he said, is determined to know the endgame of the political process, saying that the Geneva principles would be meaningless if there is no agreement over Assad stepping down in Syria. The Russian response is clear in rejecting calls for Assad to step down. Interpreting the Geneva communique as calling for Assad’s departure is wrong, according to Russia. Moscow will not abandon Bashar al-Assad, whether at the beginning or at the end of any political process. In short, Moscow rejects making prior commitments regarding Assad’s fate and rejects any preconditions in this regard. Moscow is saying that the political process and elections dictate Assad’s fate. But Moscow is saying this while fighting directly in Syria alongside Assad under the banner of defeating ISIS, and while recognizing only “healthy” Syrian opposition figures and groups that suit it as alternatives to the National Coalition and the armed opposition. John Kerry has warned both Russia and Iran of the consequences of clinging to Assad and linking the fate of Syria to one man. He said that Moscow must understand the consequences of supporting rule by the Alawite minority in a sea of 65 million Sunnis between Baghdad and the Turkish borders, who reject Assad as their legitimate ruler. Kerry said that Russia must be more concerned about going it alone against ISIS, because this would make Russia a target and together with Assad a magnet for jihadists. The gist of the U.S. position on Moscow’s proposals is that the decision is in Russia’s hands: either Russia wakes up to the dangers of clinging on to one man and sacrificing an entire country, or wake up one day trapped in a corner of their own making.

Saudi Arabia’s labor sponsorship system must go
Khaled Almaeena//Al Arabiya/October 05/15
Over the past few years there have been growing criticism over the treatment of foreign workers in the Gulf States. Accusations were hurled by International Labor Organization (ILO) and human rights activists, which for years were ignored. However, in the past few years Gulf States have been taking steps to alleviate the miserable conditions of the workers. There have been some steps taken but by and large the problem persisted because the foreign worker, whether labors or white-collared office workers, remained under the total mercy of the sponsors or “Kafeels”. I had written several articles over the past few years outlining the situation and even writing to concerned officials but to no avail. The large influx of workers to the GCC States, especially Saudi Arabia, have created a big “visa market” Only my last letter to the new Saudi minister of labor evoked a quick response and action and I must thank the minister and his staff who viewed the humanitarian case of a doctor who could not travel for 19 months due to a bureaucratic error. The problem lies not in the laws but in implementation. Also workers, who mainly are non-Arabic speakers, are rarely given a sympathetic hearing and in most cases victimized as the sponsors go and report them as runaways — registering “huroob” cases against them.
Qatar and the UAE
Apart from the Kingdom streamlining and reforming its labor laws, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are also in the process of reforming their sponsorship laws. The UAE is introducing labor reforms that aim to tighten oversight of employment agreements for the millions of migrant workers and they will take effect on Jan. 1. 2016. They focus on improving transparency of job terms and employment contracts, spell out how contracts can be broken and could make it easier for workers to switch employers. The UAE Minister of Labor Saqr Ghobash has taken the GCC lead by initiating reforms that will better protect foreign workers. Now workers can change employers and also be saved from substitution “contract”, which forces them to sign another document on arrival. “These rules will take the labor market to a new stage based on a strong and balanced relationship between all parties and on agreement and transparency in contracting to guarantee the rights of all parties,” Ghobash was reported as saying while announcing the date of implementation.
Green light
Long-awaited changes to Qatar’s kafala sponsorship system have been green-lighted by the Cabinet, bringing reforms one step closer to becoming enshrined in the law. However, the new rules still require final approval from the Qatari Emir and are unlikely to come into force until late 2016 at the earliest.
The large influx of workers to the GCC States, especially Saudi Arabia, created a big “visa market” and many nationals and recruitment agencies abroad made millions of riyals. Today in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia too, the Ministry of Labor has clamped down on heartless “visa traders” and has pushed for reforms. A media campaign should be conducted and people, both the workers and the employees, should be made aware of their rights and obligations. Contracts should be lodged with the Ministry of Labor rather than with employers. And the Kafala system must go.

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