LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
September 09/17
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/newselias/english.september09.17.htm 

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Bible Quotations For Today
The Ancestor Of Jesus Christ Son Of David, Son of Ibrahim
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 03/23-38/:"Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work. He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph son of Heli, son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph, son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai, son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda, son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri, son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er, son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim, son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David, son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Sala, son of Nahshon, son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni, son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah,son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor, son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah, son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech, son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.

‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church.
Letter to the Ephesians 05/22-32/:"Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord.For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Saviour. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendour, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church,because we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 08-09/17
May Almighty God Bless The Souls Of Our Lebanese Army Martyrs/Elias Bejjani/September 09/17
Solutions For Hezbollah's Presence/Face Book Comments/Roger Bejjani/Face Book//September 08/17/
Syrian-Palestinian Philosopher: Iran, Hizbullah Use Slogan Of Resistance Against Israel As Cover For Their War On Sunni Arabs/MEMRI/September 08/17
North Korea: The Kims’ Cheat And Retreat Game/Amir Taheri/September 08/17
Germany Heading for Four More Years of Pro-EU, Open-Door Migration Policies/Soeren Kern/Gatestone Institute/September 08/17
The Latest Victim of the Campus Hate Industry/Bruce Bawer/Gatestone Institute/September 08/17
Would Qatari crisis last two years/Salman al-Dosary/Al Arabiya/September 08/17
Would Qatari crisis last two years/Salman al-Dosary/Al Arabiya/September 08/17
Banksy selling Palestinian history – why it matters/Yara al-Wazir/Al Arabiya/September 08/17
Omar al-Somah - between sports and politics/Mashari Althaydi/Al Arabiya/September 08/17

Titles For Latest LCCC Lebanese Related News published on September 08-09/17
Solutions For Hezbollah's Presence/Face Book Comments
Lebanon holds state funeral for slain soldiers
Lebanese army to deploy along entire eastern border: army chief
Lebanon Holds State Funeral for Slain Soldiers
Aoun: Blood of Servicemen Won't Go in Vain, Truth Will Emerge
Higher Defense Council Convenes after State Funeral for Slain Soldiers
Salam Hits Back at Aoun: Our Stance was Not Ambiguous on Captive Servicemen
IS 'Minister of War' Killed in Russian Airstrike, Says Moscow
Saudi Minister Launches New Tirade against Hizbullah
Army Besieges Abu Taqiyeh's Building in Arsal
US, Italian Embassies Salute Lebanese Army, Extend Condolences over Slain Soldiers
Qaouq: Lebanon Won't Heed Saudi Strife Calls
Israeli Airstrike Hits ‘Iranian Chemical Factory’
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin To Merkel: Hezbollah Is Forcing Israel To React

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 08-09/17
Arab Quartet Rejects Qatar’s Preconditions for Dialogue
King Salman to Visit Washington in Early 2018
Ghazi Hamad Criticizes Hamas, Calls for Performance Review
Saudi Foreign Ministry: Qatar News Agency's statement continued to distort facts
Nations Rush to Help Islands Devastated by Hurricane Irma
Damascus Dismisses U.N. Claims It Used Sarin Gas
Salam: To lift confidentiality off Ministerial Council's minutes, so that today's fabrications do not become yesterday's facts
Mansourieh residents meet with Bishop Mazloum in Bkirki
Aridi from Ain Teeneh: For a State capable of facing challenges away from sectarian calculations and lust for power
Anti-terror states: Military option was never suggested to resolve Qatar crisis

Latest Lebanese Related News published on September 08-09/17

May Almighty God Bless The Souls Of Our Lebanese Army Martyrs/
مراسيم ووقائع تأبين شهداء الجيش اللبناني في وزارة الدفاع ونبذة عن حياة هؤلاء الأبطال
Elias Bejjani/September 09/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=58549
Yesterday Lebanon buried its Army Martyrs with unanimous public participation sadness and anger. May Almighty God Bless the souls of our heroic Lebanese Army Martyrs. We must not as Lebanese ever forget that our beloved heroes were brutally kidnapped and killed by Terrorists with cold blood while they were in captivity. This savage act of Cowardice, and barbarism is totally condemned by all ways and means. Our Martyrs are a symbol of bravery and devotion.. We extend our Heartily felt condolences to their families and our prayers go for them.

Solutions For Hezbollah's Presence/Face Book Comments
Roger Bejjani/Face Book//September 08/17/
I see only 3 possible finales to the presence of Hezbollah in Lebanon. 2 of which are very gloomy whereas the 3rd one is over optimistic:
Scenario 1: A civil war in Lebanon that will entail an implosion of the Army and its fragmentation in 2 or more Armies. The only way to fight Hezbollah is to use Army's weapons and military (way superior to Hezbollah's). Probability 20%.
Scenario 2: A war with Israel breaks and Lebanon is taken to the dark ages as a result of that. Hezbollah's deterrence and obsolete missile fire power is a joke. Probability 70%.
Scenario 3: An implosion of Hezbollah, a change of leadership (assassination of Nasrallah) as a result of which willingness to de-weaponize and breaking ties with the Revolutionary Islamic Iranian Guard.
**Aoun is like a zombie guided by hypnotisme. For a former military man, he gives the impression that he is completely alien to the current ceremony.
**Le Roukoz is only able to organize trail races in the mountain only if it is assisted. Nothing more. No military prowess justifies le and a legend of legend. His ONLY 2 achievements were:
(a) His loyalty to a military who usurped power after the election of René Moawad.
(b) his marriage to the fille's daughter.
There is a deep lack of culture and an insult to the army that he claims to be aduler by adulant a terrorist organization that has usurped the monopoly of violence in the rule of law.
**What is to be expected from a government where on the one hand its Defense minister visits the very party that has assassinated a prime minister (Riad el Solh), mounted a military coup, tried stealing a Mirage from the Lebanese Air Force, has assassinated an elected President of the Republic (Bachir), has actively participated to the killing and looting of May 7, 2008 and last but not least repudiates in its bylaws the very existence of Lebanon as a sovereign state; while on the other hand his colleague the Justice minister is the lawyer of a party that defies the sovereignty of the rule of law and the constitution; the operatives of which are indicted by an international tribunal for the assassination of Rafic Hariri.

Lebanon holds state funeral for slain soldiers
The Associated Press/BEIRUT — Sep 8, 2017/Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. The bodies of the soldiers were recovered as part of a Hezbollah-brokered deal in late August which allowed the evacuation of the IS militants from the Lebanon-Syria border. Lebanon on Friday bid farewell in a state funeral to 10 of its soldiers who were captured and killed by the Islamic State group, amid a national day of mourning in honor of the servicemen. President Michel Aoun presided over the ceremony held at the Defense Ministry near Beirut, during which the soldiers were awarded Lebanon's highest posthumous medals. The bodies of the soldiers were recovered late last month following an army offensive to wipe out hundreds of IS militants who were occupying parts of the Lebanese-Syria border region since 2014. The soldiers were kidnapped by the militants during a border raid in 2014. Two of them were killed that same year, while the fate of the remaining eight was unknown until late July. That's when the militants, in a Hezbollah-negotiated deal, agreed to reveal their burial place in return for their evacuation from the border region to IS-held areas in Syria. Mourners threw rice and flowers at the procession as it passed later in downtown Beirut, where relatives of the soldiers had staged a sit-in in a tent for the past three years, demanding to know the fate of their loved ones.

Lebanese army to deploy along entire eastern border: army chief
Reuters Staff/September 08/17/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon’s army will deploy along the country’s entire eastern border with Syria and remain stationed there after recently recapturing areas from Islamic State militants, army chief General Joseph Aoun said on Friday. The remarks appeared to confirm comments by the Lebanese Shi‘ite group Hezbollah that it was handing over points it had controlled along the border to the military. “The army will deploy from now onwards along the extent of the eastern borders, to defend them,” Aoun said at a ceremony commemorating Lebanese soldiers killed by Islamic State.An army offensive last month ended with the militants withdrawing from their last foothold along the border under a ceasefire deal. The Syrian army and Hezbollah fought the jihadists separately on the Syrian side. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in July it would be ready to hand over territory it captured if the Lebanese army requested it. Hezbollah led a campaign in the same area that month to oust the Nusra Front jihadist group from their last foothold along the border. Security sources said Hezbollah had begun handing over points it controlled. Iran-backed Hezbollah has played a critical role in vanquishing Sunni Muslim jihadists in the border region during the six-year-long Syrian war, part of its military support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The group, an ally of Lebanese President Michel Aoun, was key to the defeat of militants in the Qalamoun area further south in 2015, and at the Syrian town of Qusair, in 2013. Lebanon’s southern border with Israel, a Hezbollah foe, is patrolled by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.*Reporting by Sarah Dadouch, editing by Larry King

Lebanon Holds State Funeral for Slain Soldiers
Associated Press/Naharnet/September 08/17/Lebanon bid farewell on Friday to ten of its soldiers captured and executed by the Islamic State extremist group, after DNA tests matched the identities of the servicemen who disappeared during battles with the group in 2014. A state funeral was held during a national day of mourning at the Defense Ministry. President Michel Aoun presided over the ceremony in honor of the martyrs at the Defense Ministry in Yarze. He delivered a speech on the occasion and awarded the soldiers Lebanon's highest posthumous medals. The ceremony was attended by Speaker Nabih Berri, PM Saad Hariri, Defense Minister Yaacouq al-Sarraf, military and security officials and families and relatives of the soldiers. Mourners threw rice and flowers at the procession as it passed later in downtown Beirut, where relatives of the soldiers had staged a sit-in in a tent for the past three years, demanding to know the fate of their loved ones.The coffins were later taken to the soldiers' hometowns for burial, where they received heroes' welcome. The bodies of the soldiers were recovered late last month following an army offensive to wipe out hundreds of IS militants who were occupying parts of the Lebanese-Syria border region since 2014. Families of the soldiers were informed Wednesday by Lebanese army commander Gen. Joseph Aoun of the results of the DNA testing. The soldiers were kidnapped by the militants during a border raid in 2014. Two of them were killed that same year, while the fate of the remaining 8 was unknown until late August when the militants agreed to reveal their burial place in return for their evacuation from the border region to IS-held areas in Syria.

Aoun: Blood of Servicemen Won't Go in Vain, Truth Will Emerge
Associated Press/Naharnet/September 08/17/During a state funeral on Friday held in honor of servicemen slain by the Islamic State extremist group, President Michel Aoun vowed that blood of the martyrs will never go in vain and that the truth will be unveiled in the end. “I vow to you that blood of your sons will not go in vain until the goals they died for are attained and until the truth is unveiled,” said Aoun addressing families of the servicemen. Aoun had bestowed the fallen servicemen posthumous medals. Aoun pointed out that the fallen soldiers have “stood at the forefront in 2014 to defend Lebanon and have faced danger with faith and resilience. They are a source of pride,” he stressed. Lebanon has held a state funeral for 10 of its soldiers captured and killed by the Islamic State group. President Michel Aoun presided over Friday's ceremony held at the Defense Ministry near Beirut. The bodies of the soldiers were recovered late last month following an army offensive to wipe out hundreds of IS militants who were occupying parts of the Lebanese-Syria border region since 2014. The soldiers were kidnapped by the militants during a border raid in 2014. Two of them were killed that same year, while the fate of the remaining 8 was unknown until late July when the militants agreed to reveal their burial place in return for their evacuation from the border region to IS-held areas in Syria

Higher Defense Council Convenes after State Funeral for Slain Soldiers
Naharnet/September 08/17/The Higher Defense Council convened at the Baabda Palace on Friday at the request of President Michel Aoun after a state funeral held in honor of soldiers abducted by the Islamic State extremists and later executed. The gatherers held a moment of silence in honor of the martyr servicemen. VDL (93.3) said the attendees will “evaluate the latest army battle against jihadists” on Lebanon's eastern border that led to ousting hundreds of Islamic State militants from the area. The council will also “discuss the post-liberation steps and a security plan,” it added. The meeting was held in presence of PM Saad Hariri and ministers of defense Yaaqoub al-Sarraf, foreign Jebran Bassil, finance Ali Hasssan Khalil, interior Nouhad al-Mashnouq and justice Salim Jreissati.Army command chief General Jospeh Aoun and leaders of the security apparatuses were also invited to the meeting.Aoun and Hariri held a closed-door meeting before the meeting began. As per regulations, the decisions of the higher Defense council are kept secret.

Salam Hits Back at Aoun: Our Stance was Not Ambiguous on Captive Servicemen
Naharnet/September 08/17/Ex-PM Tammam Salam stressed Friday that his stance was “not ambiguous” on the need to liberate the troops and policemen who were nabbed by jihadists during the 2014 clashes, in response to remarks by President Michel Aoun. “I join my voice to that of the president on the need to clarify all facts, and I call for launching an extensive probe and declassifying the meeting minutes of the cabinet sessions so that the Lebanese, topped by the martyrs' families, can look into them, and so that the fallacies of today do not appear as the facts of yesterday,” Salam said in a statement.
“Our stance in the government of national interest... was not ambiguous at all and was rather clear as the sun on the need to exert efforts to liberate the captive servicemen with all available means, while showing keenness on the lives of the residents of the dear town of Arsal, in order to preserve stability and protect civil peace – in the Bekaa in particular and in Lebanon in general,” the ex-PM added. He noted that the “ambiguity” that Aoun referred to can be used to “describe the stances and roles of the political forces who obstructed the cycle of life and citizens' interests for around three years, and who today are permitting what they had prohibited in the past, allowing themselves to launch accusations in all directions.”Salam added: “Lebanese citizens have the right to know who supported negotiations with the terrorist kidnappers and who rejected them. They have the right to know who foiled the efforts that were exerted by the Muslim Scholars Committee and other parties.”Aoun had on Thursday called on authorities to probe the 2014 abduction of around 30 troops and policemen during clashes that were fought in and around the eastern border town of Arsal. The president's move came after Lebanon recovered the bodies of nine troops who were kidnapped by IS in 2014 before being eventually executed. The fate of the soldiers was unveiled as part of a Hizbullah-led ceasefire agreement with IS that followed separate but simultaneous offensives by the Lebanese army and Hizbullah and the Syrian army on both sides of the Lebanon-Syria border. Hizbullah, the Free Patriotic Movement and some of their allies have pinned the blame for the abduction of the servicemen on Tammam Salam's 2014 government, former army chief General Jean Qahwaji and al-Mustaqbal Movement, accusing them of preventing the army from continuing a military operation against IS and al-Nusra Front.Hizbullah, meanwhile, has been accused of facilitating a smooth withdrawal “in air-conditioned buses” for the IS militants who surrendered during last month's border battles.

IS 'Minister of War' Killed in Russian Airstrike, Says Moscow
Associated Press/Naharnet/September 08/17/Russia claimed Friday to have killed several top commanders of the Islamic State group in an airstrike in Syria, including the so-called Emir of Deir Ezzor and the "Minister of War". "As a result of a precision airstrike of the Russian air forces in the vicinity of Deir Ezzor city, a command post, communication centre and some 40 ISIS fighters have been killed," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement on Facebook. "According to confirmed data, among the killed fighters are four influential field commanders including Deir Ezzor emir Abu Mohammed al-Shimali," the ministry said. Gulmurod Khalimov, a native of Tajikistan who is known as the IS group's Minister of War, suffered a "fatal injury", the ministry added. Khalimov headed the Tajik interior ministry's special forces unit before joining IS in 2015. Backed by Russia, Syrian troops on Tuesday broke through a years-long siege imposed by IS militants on tens of thousands of civilians in Deir Ezzor.

Saudi Minister Launches New Tirade against Hizbullah
Naharnet/September 08/17/Saudi State Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan on Friday launched a fresh tirade against Lebanon's Iran-backed Hizbullah. “Iran and its eldest child, Hizbul Shaitan (Party of Satan), are the cradle of terrorism and extremism in the world. The same as the world has dealt with Daesh (Islamic State group), it should also deal with its cradle. Our peoples need peace and security,” Sabhan said in a tweet. A previous tweet by the minister had created confusion in Lebanon about its real target and objectives. Accusing Hizbullah of committing “inhumane crimes in our nation that will definitely affect Lebanon,” Sabhan said “the Lebanese must choose whether they want to support or oppose (Hizbullah), seeing as the blood of Arabs is precious.” As politicians and journalists close to Hizbullah said the tweet was directed at Prime Minister Saad Hariri in connection with his stances on the latest military operations on the eastern border, al-Mustaqbal Movement described the tweet Thursday as a “warning message” over Hizbullah's actions.

Army Besieges Abu Taqiyeh's Building in Arsal
Naharnet/September 08/17/The army was on Friday encircling a building owned by fugitive Islamist cleric Mustafa al-Hujeiri, aka Abu Taqiyeh, in the eastern border town of Arsal. “In cooperation with the Lebanese Army's Airborne Regiment, the Counter-Sabotage Regiment has been besieging the building owned by Mustafa al-Hujeiri in Arsal since 8:00 pm,” the National News Agency reported on Friday afternoon. “The building consists of three floors: the first for the al-Rahma Dispensary, the second contains a mosque and third is his residence,” NNA said.“There are reports that Abu Taqiyeh is still hiding in the mosque,” the agency added. It had reported Thursday evening that Hujeiri's house was raided by an army patrol. He was not arrested seeing as he was not at the property at the time of the raid, media reports said. The raid followed confessions by his detained son, Obada, about his father's alleged involvement in the 2014 kidnap of around 30 Lebanese soldiers and policemen during clashes with jihadist groups, media reports said. The developments come amid a state funeral for ten soldiers kidnapped in 2014 and eventually executed by the terrorist Islamic State and al-Nusra Front groups. The bodies of the troops were recovered last month in the wake of an army offensive against the militants.

US, Italian Embassies Salute Lebanese Army, Extend Condolences over Slain Soldiers
Naharnet/September 08/17/The US and Italian Embassies in Beirut hailed the Lebanese army's sacrifices and saluted martyrs of the Lebanese army kidnapped and later executed by the Islamic State extremist organization. “We salute the Lebanese people’s resilience in confronting terrorism and the Lebanese army's sacrifices in making Lebanon safe for its citizens,” said a US embassy statement. The embassy extended its condolences to the families if the servicemen as it expressed support for the Lebanese army. On the other hand, the Italian embassy in Lebanon said on its Twitter account: “Italians are close to the Lebanese people in this day of mourning. Long live Lebanon, long live the LAF.”The embassy posted an image of the Lebanese flag with a black mourning ribbon. Lebanon held a state funeral for ten of its soldiers captured and executed by the Islamic State extremist group, after DNA tests matched the identities of the servicemen who disappeared during battles with the group in 2014. The funeral was held at the defense ministry in the presence of President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri, PM Saad Hariri, military and security officials, partisan leaders and families and relatives of the servicemen.

Qaouq: Lebanon Won't Heed Saudi Strife Calls
Naharnet/September 08/17/Lebanon will not be “dragged into the internal strife that Saudi Arabia is betting on,” senior Hizbullah official Sheikh Nabil Qaouq stressed Friday, the same day a Saudi minister posted a new anti-Hizbullah tweet. “Saudi Arabia is trying to push the Lebanese to a new domestic rift,” Qaouq charged, voicing relief that “all Lebanese officials have refused to heed the Saudi calls for strife.”“This has dealt Saudi Arabia a new defeat and a new failure,” Qaouq, who is a member of Hizbullah's Central Council, added. Saudi State Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan on Friday tweeted anew against Hizbullah. “Iran and its eldest child, Hizbul Shaitan (Party of Satan), are the cradle of terrorism and extremism in the world. The same as the world has dealt with Daesh (Islamic State group), it should also deal with its cradle. Our peoples need peace and security,” Sabhan said. A previous tweet by the minister had created confusion in Lebanon about its real target and objectives. Accusing Hizbullah of committing “inhumane crimes in our nation that will definitely affect Lebanon,” Sabhan said “the Lebanese must choose whether they want to support or oppose (Hizbullah), seeing as the blood of Arabs is precious.”As politicians and journalists close to Hizbullah said the tweet was directed at Prime Minister Saad Hariri in connection with his stances on the latest military operations on the eastern border, al-Mustaqbal Movement described the tweet Thursday as a “warning message” over Hizbullah's actions.

Israeli Airstrike Hits ‘Iranian Chemical Factory’
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 08/17/Ramallah, Beirut- Israeli Minister of Army Avigdor Lieberman hinted on Thursday that Tel Aviv was behind the attack that hit a military site in Hama in central Syria on Thursday, saying that Israel “is determined to prevent enemies from crossing the red lines.”
His comments came amid questions about the position of Moscow, which owns S-400 missiles only 80 kilometers from the site that was targeted on Thursday. Sources said that the strike hit a factory that produces chemical weapons near Masyaf, which is 80 kilometers from the Hmeimim air base and incudes Iranian trainers. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin indirectly defended the attack by saying after a meeting with German’s Chancellor Angela Merkel Thursday that Hezbollah is building “weapons infrastructure” that “will force Israel to react.”The Israeli attack came in light of a US-Russian agreement on the new situation in Syria. An Israeli source said that the attack send a message to both sides that Israel will not allow any future deal in Syria without guarantying its security and ousting Iran and its militias from Golan. Amos Yadlin, the former head of Israeli military intelligence, tweeted that “Israel wanted to send a message that the country intends to enforce its red lines when it comes to protecting itself (and) the presence of Russian air defense will not hinder Israeli attacks.”Meanwhile, the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee criticized on Thursday UN’s Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura after he urged the group to be ‘realistic’ and said it had not won the country’s six-year war. “These statements are, to say the very least, shocking and disappointing,’ said head of the HNC Nasr al-Hariri during a press conference in Istanbul. Also on Thursday, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Alexei Borodavkin said that de Mistura’s mediation between the government and the opposition should continue in line with UNSC Resolution 2254.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin To Merkel: Hezbollah Is Forcing Israel To React
Jerusalem Post/September 08/17/Israeli President Reuven Rivlin urges German Chancellor Angela Merkel to recognize the threat posed by Hezbollah on Israel's northern border. President Reuven Rivlin discussed the dangers of Hezbollah in his meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Thursday, telling Merkel that "Hezbollah's weapons infrastructure will force Israel to react."Rivlin's bold statement comes after Israel reportedly targeted a regime weapons manufacturing facility in Syria, and Israeli security experts have said that it is highly probable that Israel was forced to launch an attack on the chemical plant due to Hezbollah plans to overtake it. Security dominated the discussion as Rivlin spoke of the intensified threat against Israel in light of the Iranian presence in Syria, and the spread of its influence throughout the Middle East. This could have a disastrous effect on the region and the world, he warned, and could bring the whole region to the brink of war. In discussing the Syrian situation with Merkel, Rivlin emphasized the humanitarian aid that Israel is giving to injured Syrians, regardless of which side of the civil war they are on. Rivlin also spoke of the dangers of Hezbollah, and its effect on the Lebanese population with the backing of Iran. He underscored that Hezbollah constantly ignores and undermines the decisions taken by the UN Security Council. Constant bombardment of Israel by Hezbollah, Rivlin told Merkel, leaves Israel with no option but to respond in kind. The two leaders also spoke of global Jihad, ISIS and other terrorist movements and organizations which threaten world stability. Rivlin pledged that Israel was ready to participate in all efforts by other countries to eradicate terror. The two leaders also spoke of the need to bring the close relations between their countries even closer than they are already. Rivlin thanked Merkel for Germany’s ongoing commitment to Israel’s security under her administration. He added that he hopes that this will continue regardless of which administration is in power, as Merkel is in the final stages of campaigning for a fourth term in office. Rivlin also thanked Germany for the sale of submarines to Israel, which he said were a vital component in Israel’s security measures, especially in the face of Iran’s support of terror from the air, on land and at sea. Before leaving Munich for Berlin, Rivlin on Wednesday visited the Dachau death camp together with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Rivlin laid a wreath and recited the mourners’ Kaddish.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 08-09/17
Arab Quartet Rejects Qatar’s Preconditions for Dialogue
Heba al-Qodsi and Asharq Al-Awsat/September 08/17/Washington, Riyadh- The four anti-terror Arab States, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, rejected on Thursday that Qatar sets preconditions for a dialogue on the implementation of the 13 demands. The Arab Quartet’s response came after Qatari Foreign Minister announced that his country rejects dialogue unless the four countries lift the boycott measures, which were taken to protect their interests legally and politically. On Thursday, Kuwait’s Amir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah said from Washington that Qatar was ready to negotiate 13 demands set forth by the three Gulf countries and Egypt. However, an anti-terror Quartet statement said later that the comments of Qatar’s foreign minister in setting preconditions for dialogue confirms Doha’s lack of seriousness in dialogue, combating and financing terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of countries. “The four countries declare that they appreciate the mediation of the Amir of Kuwait and his commendable efforts to restore the Qatari authority to the right path and his declaration that Qatar is willing to recognize the 13 demands and negotiate them. However, the four countries regret what was said by the Amir of Kuwait on the success of mediation in stopping military intervention; stressing that the military option has not been and will not be considered in any case, and that the crisis with Qatar is not only a Gulf dispute but with many of the Arab and Islamic countries, which announced their position on the Qatari interventions and support for terrorism, and many other countries in the world were unable to declare their position due to the Qatari penetration of their internal affairs, which made them fear the consequences, especially with the Qatari precedents in support of coups, and embracing and financing terrorism and extremist thought and hate speech,” their statement said. The four countries also appreciated the position of US President Donald Trump in his firm assertion that the only way to resolve the crisis is the need to stop the support and financing of terrorism and his unwillingness to resolve the crisis unless this is achieved. At a joint press conference with Trump at the Oval Office on Thursday, the Kuwaiti Amir said “It’s not in the interest of Qatar to remain outside the flock. Rather, it should join its brothers in the GCC.”For his part, Trump called on GCC and Egyptian allies to focus on the commitments reached at that Saudi Arabia summit “to continue our joint efforts to drive out and defeat terrorists.”

King Salman to Visit Washington in Early 2018
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 08/17/Washington- US President Donald Trump will receive Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz early next year, the White House announced on Wednesday. They will hold an American-Saudi summit on enhancing security and prosperity in the Middle East.In the statement, the White House said that Trump had a phone call with Salman and they agreed that King Salman would visit the White House in the beginning of 2018 – they also discussed efforts to halt terrorism funding and fight extremist ideologies as well as the importance of following up Riyadh Summit obligations.Anthony H. Cordesman, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that “Saudi Arabia is a significant ally to the US, and the visit of Trump to Riyadh in May was to assure Gulf partners and to take a defensive stance against Iranian and terrorist threats so that Trump would restore trust between Washington and Riyadh, knowing that ties were tense in the end of US former President Barack Obama’s term.”Saudi Arabia was the first destination of Trump, last May. Cordesman expected the Qatari crisis to be a major part of the talks in addition to Iran’s attempts to expand its dominance in the region and Trump’s administration stance towards the nuclear agreement. He added that talks will also cover fighting terrorism and the military advancing against ISIS in addition to regional cases such as the situation in Syria, the crisis in Yemen, the US stance towards Palestinian cause and efforts to resume Palestinian-Israeli negotiation and the two-state solution. The military cooperation between Riyadh and Washington will also be a leading part in the discussions, especially that Trump’s visit to the kingdom witnessed signing militarily agreements that exceed USD110 billion as the kingdom moves forward in implementing Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify economy and attract foreign investments.

Ghazi Hamad Criticizes Hamas, Calls for Performance Review
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 08/17/Gaza- Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad criticized the Gaza Strip-ruling party for its political decisions saying that all Palestinian people, across the spectrum, must be given equal rights and importance. He said that Hamas should extend its limited coverage of Palestinians and re-embrace the idea of diversity and a uniting and greater national identity. In a long article published on his blog, Hamad says that Hamas has stalled for overbearing decades, failing to present a comprehensive political policy. He said that the party’s decisions are hardly keeping up with the pace of accelerated regional events. “For 30 years, Hamas has not succeeded in crystallizing or adopting a mature strategic policy to attract the various components of society, missing golden opportunities that could strengthen its presence among the people,” wrote Hamad, who held several positions within the controversial movement and is close to Yahya al-Sinwar, Gaza’s newly elected prime minister. Sinwar also is the contentious military leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza. Hamad believes that the movement’s preoccupation with local governance came at the cost of its regional role—making way for Fatah to seize the opportunity of taking on a greater role in controlling the Palestinian political movement in Arab and internal arenas.He pointed out that Hamas could have been a strong partner in the Palestine Liberation Organization and that it would have an influential decision in the Palestinian decision-making processes only if it first succeeds in settling its differences with Fatah. Hamad considered that the basic problem facing Hamas since its inception is its failure to carry out real and practical reviews, and a comprehensive evaluation of its performance and practices in politics and governance. This is what makes the evaluation process vulnerable to exposure or detracting from it. He said that the movement is calculated to maintain its strength, attract young people, build a military force and a solid base of charitable work, and repel attempts to liquidate the case and adhere to the constants. “Hamas needs a revolutionary development to alter its rhetoric, especially in terms of political awareness– which is a great factor in the failure of Islamic movements that failed in the experience of governance,” Hamad said. Hamas-affiliated political analyst Ibrahim al-Madhoun criticized the movement saying it is unfair to subject the people to a crisis-making policy. The political analyst from the West Bank, Essam Shawar, who is close to Hamas, said Hamad’s article was not about criticism, but about secularism.

Saudi Foreign Ministry: Qatar News Agency's statement continued to distort facts
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 9 September 2017/Saudi Foreign Ministry said that Qatar News Agency's statement continued to distort facts. Saudi Arabia announced in a statement that it will not agree on starting a dialogue with Qatar until the release of an official statement clarifying its position. A Saudi official in the Foreign Ministry said that what Qatar News Agency published does not have any relevance to the truth, and that its statement is a continuation of the distortion of facts by the Qatari authority. This clearly shows that Qatar’s authority has not yet understood that Saudi Arabia does not have any tolerance to altering truths and breaking of agreements. The content of the call received by Saudi Crown Prince from the Emir of Qatar was changed minutes after it was over. The communication was at the request of Qatar to start a dialogue with the four countries regarding their demands. This proves that the authority in Qatar is not serious about a resolution and is continuing the same policies, the official added. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia declares that no dialogue or communication will take place with Qatar authorities until a clear statement confirming its position is made public, and that Qatar's statements are in agreement with its obligations. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a telephone call today from Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, reported Saudi News agency (SPA). The Emir of Qatar expressed his interest to discuss the demands of the four countries towards ensuring the best interest of all states involved. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed Sheikh Tamim’s will to sit and initiate talks towards a resolution to Qatar crisis. Saudi Arabia affirms that the failure of the Qatari policy does not reflect the confidence needed for starting a dialogue.

Nations Rush to Help Islands Devastated by Hurricane Irma
Associated Press/Naharnet/September 08/17/French, British and Dutch military authorities rushed aid to a devastated string of Caribbean islands Thursday after Hurricane Irma left at least 11 people dead and thousands homeless as it spun toward Florida for what could be a catastrophic blow this weekend. Warships and planes were dispatched with food, water and troops after the fearsome Category 5 storm smashed homes, schools and roads, laying waste to some of the world's most beautiful and exclusive tourist destinations.
Hundreds of miles to the west, Florida braced for the onslaught, with forecasters warning that Irma could slam headlong into the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people, punish the entire length of the state's Atlantic coast and move into Georgia and South Carolina.
More than a half-million people in Miami-Dade County were ordered to leave as Irma closed in with winds of 165 mph (270 kph)."Take it seriously, because this is the real deal," said Maj. Jeremy DeHart, a U.S. Air Force Reserve weather officer who flew through the eye of Irma at 10,000 feet (3,048 meters). The first islands hit by the storm were scenes of terrible destruction.
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said four people were confirmed dead and about 50 injured on the French side of St. Martin, an island split between Dutch and French control, where homes were splintered and road signs scattered by the fierce winds. The cafes and clothing shops of the picturesque seaside village of Marigot were submerged in brown floodwaters. The toll could rise because rescue teams had yet to get a complete look at the damage.
The U.S. Consulate General in Curaçao said it believes about 6,000 Americans are stranded on St. Martin and is collecting their names and locations. It said it was working with the U.S. and other governments to try to figure out how to get the Americans off the island either by air or boat. Frantic Americans were calling home to relatives to try to get them off the island, especially because Hurricane Jose threatened a second blow to the tourist Mecca.
At least four people were killed in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and officials said they expected to find more bodies. Authorities described the damage as catastrophic and said crews were struggling to reopen roads and restore power.
Three more deaths were reported on the British island of Anguilla, as well as Barbuda and the Dutch side of St. Martin. Irma also slammed the French island of St. Barts, tearing off roofs and knocking out electricity in the high-end tourist destination. French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said 100,000 food rations were sent to St. Barts and St. Martin, the equivalent of four days of supplies.
"It's a tragedy. We'll need to rebuild both islands," he said. "Most of the schools have been destroyed."Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the storm "caused wide-scale destruction of infrastructure, houses and businesses.""There is no power, no gasoline, no running water. Houses are under water, cars are floating through the streets, inhabitants are sitting in the dark in ruined houses and are cut off from the outside world," he said.
The hurricane was still north of the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Thursday evening, sweeping the neighboring nations on Hispaniola island with high winds and rain while battering the Turks and Caicos islands on its other side.
Big waves smashed a dozen homes into rubble in the Dominican fishing community of Nagua, but work crews said all the residents had left before the storm. Officials said 11,200 people in all had evacuated vulnerable areas, while 55,000 soldiers had been deployed to help the cleanup.
In Haiti, two people were injured by a falling tree, a national roadway was blocked by debris and roofs were torn from houses along the northern coast but there were no immediate reports of deaths. Officials warned that could change as Irma continued to lash Haiti, where deforested hillsides are prone to devastating mudslides that have wiped out entire neighborhoods of precariously built homes in flood zones."We are vulnerable. We don't have any equipment to help the population," Josue Alusma, mayor of the northern city of Port de Paix, said on Radio Zenith FM.
About a million people were without power in Puerto Rico after Irma sideswiped the island overnight, and nearly half the territory's hospitals were relying on generators. No injuries were reported.
In the U.S. Virgin Islands, Gov. Kenneth Mapp said the U.S. military was sending troops to aid relief efforts. The primary focus for now is "making sure people have meals, water and shelter," Mapp said. "An event of this magnitude is very chilling." The territory's two islands were battered by 150 mph (241 kph) winds for four hours. Two fire stations, two fire police stations and the hospital on St. Thomas were destroyed. A curfew was ordered for St. John and St. Thomas that also covered about 5,000 tourists who were unable to leave before the storm.
Farther out in the Atlantic, Hurricane Jose strengthened into a Category 3 storm with 120 mph (195 kph) winds and posed a potential threat for Saturday to some of the same islands ravaged by Irma.
Irma, the most potent Atlantic Ocean hurricane ever recorded, appeared increasingly likely to rip into heavily populated South Florida on Sunday afternoon after threatening parts of the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas on Thursday night and Friday and sweeping along Cuba's northern coast on Saturday. People in Florida rushed to board up their homes, take their boats out of the water and gas up their cars. With gasoline running out and tensions rising, the Florida Highway Patrol escorted tanker trucks sent to replenish gas stations.
"It is wider than our entire state and could cause major and life-threatening impacts from coast to coast. Regardless of which coast you live on, be prepared to evacuate," Gov. Rick Scott said.
French President Emmanuel Macron's office said he would go to the islands as soon as the weather permits it. Saying he was "grief-stricken," Macron called for concerted efforts to tackle global warming to prevent similar natural disasters.
Two Dutch navy ships were in St. Martin with vital supplies. And two Dutch military aircraft were being sent to the island of Curacao and on to St. Martin to deliver food and water intended to last the population of 40,000 five days. The aircraft were carrying 100 extra troops to deliver aid, repair infrastructure and restore order. Britain was sending hundreds of troops and the Royal Navy flagship HMS Ocean to Anguilla, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands.
In Anguilla, officials reported extensive damage to the airport, hospitals, shelters and schools and said 90 percent of roads were impassable.
On Barbuda, nearly every building was damaged when the hurricane's core crossed almost directly over the island early Wednesday. About 60 percent of its roughly 1,400 residents were left homeless, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said. He said roads and telecommunications systems were wrecked and recovery will take months, if not years. "It is just really a horrendous situation," Browne said.

Damascus Dismisses U.N. Claims It Used Sarin Gas
Associated Press/Naharnet/September 08/17/Syria has pushed back against the U.N., saying the report accusing its air force of using sarin gas to attack civilians is politically motivated and baseless. In a statement published Friday on its official news agency, the Syrian government said it possesses no chemical weapons and considers using them "a moral crime that can only be condemned."The U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria said it has "reasonable grounds" to believe the Syrian government is responsible for the April attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun, which killed at least 83 civilians. The commission based its report on information collected from satellite images, video, photos, medical records, and over 300 interviews. The government questioned the report's findings, saying they are based on information from "terrorists or their agents in the region."It said it rejects the commission's report.

Salam: To lift confidentiality off Ministerial Council's minutes, so that today's fabrications do not become yesterday's facts
Fri 08 Sep 2017 /NNA - Former Prime Minister Tammam Salam joined Friday President Michel Aoun in highlighting the need for "clarifying all the facts in the soldier martyrs' case by launching a thorough investigation, and lifting confidentiality off the Council of Ministers' minutes of meeting, so that the fabrications of today do not become the facts of yesterday." In an issued statement by his media bureau this afternoon, former PM Salam asserted that "our position within the government of national interest, which I had the honor of presiding over during the period of presidential vacuum witnessed by Lebanon, was not at all ambiguous. It was crystal clear in stressing that the kidnapped soldiers should be freed by all possible means, while preserving the lives of Arsal's dear citizens and maintaining stability and civil peace in the Bekaa region, and in Lebanon as a whole." "The ambiguity which the President has made reference to in his speech is true in describing the positions and roles of the political forces, which have obstructed the life cycle and disrupted the people's interests for nearly three years," Salam explained in his issued statement. "The negative atmosphere within the Council of Ministers at that time did not affect the military and security forces at all, for they had always been fully operational and never failed to exert any effort in the battle against terrorism, whether in the interior or along the borders, and in striving to release of the kidnapped soldiers," the statement went on. Former PM Salam concluded by reiterating the President of the Republic's call for "strengthening national unity and rejecting narrow interests, in order to realize the dreams of our youth who refuse all divisions and political disputes."

Mansourieh residents meet with Bishop Mazloum in Bkirki
ri 08 Sep 2017/NNA - The residents of Mansourieh are currently meeting with Bishop Samir Mazloum, explaining their protest against the decision to build a high-voltage power line in their town.

Aridi from Ain Teeneh: For a State capable of facing challenges away from sectarian calculations and lust for power
Fri 08 Sep 2017/NNA - House Speaker, Nabih Berri, met Friday with MP Ghazi Aridi at Ain el-Teeneh, who called on emerging for "a State that is capable of facing all challenges away from narrow sectarian calculations and desire for power." "On this day, the national mourning day for the Lebanese Army Martyrs who were killed by terrorists, a day in which all of Lebanon gathered in unity to bid their soldier martyrs farewell, we hope that they remain unified in the following days to come," said Aridi. "Let us build on what has been achieved in one national position, based on which we can emphasize our call to rally around the State and all its institutions in a unified stand, just as we have stood in support of our national Army," Aridi went on. The MP praised the speech delivered by the President of the Republic marking this national day of mourning, and for his "wise national political stands, reflecting his keen concern for the State and its institutions, and for balance, moderation and partnership in the country." "It is time to respect the people, their dignity and their minds...to be loyal and faithful to the level of responsibility required in the management of people's affairs," Aridi concluded. Earlier, the House Speaker also met with French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette, with talks touching on current developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as on bilateral Lebanese-French relations.

Anti-terror states: Military option was never suggested to resolve Qatar crisis
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishFriday, 8 September 2017 /The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Arab Republic of Egypt issued an official statement on Friday September 08, 2017, asserting that they appreciate the mediation of His Highness Amir of Kuwait and his commendable efforts to restore Qatari authority to the right path. Kuwait’s Emir Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah declared Qatar's willingness to recognize the 13 demands and to prepare for negotiations durring a joint press conference with US president Trump in Washington, on Thursday.
However, they stress that the dialogue on the implementation of the demands should not be preceded by any conditions. The four countries also regret what the Emir of Kuwait said about the success of the mediation by stopping military intervention; stressing that the military option was not and will not be a resolution for the Qatar crisis. The anti-terror states added in their statement that the crisis is not only a Gulf dispute, but with many Arab and Islamic countries that declared their stand from Qatar. Other countries around the world have been unable to declare their position because of Qatar’s deep penetration in their affairs and for fear of the consequences, especially with Qatar’s previous support of coups, financing of terrorism, and hate speech. The statements of Qatar's Foreign Minister after the Amir's statement confirm Qatar's rejection of the dialogue without lifting the boycott measures taken by the four countries to protect their interests legally and politically and setting preconditions for dialogue confirms Qatar's lack of seriousness in dialogue, combating and financing terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of countries. The four countries appreciated the position of US President Donald Trump in his firm assertion that the only way to resolve the crisis is the need to stop the support and financing of terrorism and his unwillingness to resolve the crisis unless this is achieved.

Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 08-09/17
Syrian-Palestinian Philosopher: Iran, Hizbullah Use Slogan Of Resistance Against Israel As Cover For Their War On Sunni Arabs
MEMRI/September 08/17
https://www.memri.org/reports/syrian-palestinian-philosopher-iran-hizbullah-use-slogan-resistance-against-israel-cover
In an article published in the UAE paper Al-Bayan, Dr. Ahmad Barqawi, a philosopher of Syrian-Palestinian origin and the former head of the Philosophy Department at the University of Damascus, who currently resides in Dubai, came out against Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas. He said that they exploit the slogan of resistance against Israel to win the support of Arabs and cover for their actions, which are detrimental to Sunnis and to the Arab countries at large. He also criticized Arabs who fall for this ploy, while noting that most do not: they judge Hizbullah and Iran based on their actions against Arabs, not based on their empty slogans. He added that this exploitation of the resistance against Israel only harms the Palestinian cause by making people loath rhetoric related to Palestine.
Ahmad Barqawi
The following are excerpts from the article.[1]
"It is only natural that the Arabs, as individuals and as a collective, take a hostile position towards Israel and support the Palestinians in their struggle for freedom and honor and for the liberation of their land. This position does not confer any privileges upon anyone [because it is perfectly obvious]. It is the opposite position [i.e., Arab support for Israel] that arouses puzzlement and provokes condemnation... [But] hostility towards Israel does not entitle anyone to harm others, and it is neither reasonable, nor necessary, nor realistic, nor moral [to regard] hostility towards Israel as a certificate of good character that entitles anyone to attack societies, nations or people [in general].
"Every time anyone criticizes Hizbullah – which is one of the sectarian parties in Lebanon – certain writers immediately jump up and say: 'but Hizbullah is an enemy of Israel and an emblem of resistance.' Those who make this claim undoubtedly espouse a knee-jerk way of thinking, for they use a single criterion as a yardstick to understand and assess various phenomena and form an opinion about them. Even if we assume, for the sake of the argument, that there is a measure of truth in this claim [that Hizbullah opposes Israel], do these people think that hostility towards Israel is a sufficient reason to support [Hizbullah]?
"[There are many people who will never support it]. For example, a resident of the city of Al-Qusayr [in western Syria] who was expelled from the city after Hizbullah took over it will hate Hizbullah even if [this organization] liberates Palestine. He will base his opinion upon his own tragedy, which Hizbullah caused, and he is justified in regarding Hizbullah as responsible for a criminal act. [Likewise,] Hizbullah, which supported the tyrannical [Syrian] regime that has killed 60,000 prisoners,[2] will receive nothing but absolute contempt from the families of [those] victims. The South Lebanese murdered by Hizbullah – that same Hizbullah that murdered [former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq] Al-Hariri and [liberal journalist and academic] Samir Kassir and others in Lebanon – will never defend Hizbullah to Lebanon's Sunnis. Nor will Hizbullah, which took over Beirut like an invading force, ever win the love of the people of western Beirut with slogans of resistance. And so on and so forth.
"A Houthi [in Yemen] hangs up a poster saying 'Death to Israel' and then occupies the cities of Al-Hudayda, Aden and Sanaa. So what is the meaning of the slogan 'Death to Israel' if in practice [this Houthi only] sows destruction in Yemen? And what is the point of Hamas's declarations of hostility towards Israel and its support for the complete liberation [of Palestine] if in practice it [only] makes Gaza impossible to live in? What is the point of a country like Iran declaring hostility towards Israel and then adopting a policy of destabilizing its Arab neighbors using militias that oppose the [very] notion of the state and by exporting its fake revolution?
"The principles of freedom, liberation, stability and justice cannot be divided, and neither can the position that man has a right to live in honor. If you support the Palestinian people and its freedom, this means that you must support the Syrian people's noble struggle for freedom, liberation and honor. If you are hostile towards Israel, this means that you support Yemen, Iraq and Syria against the militant sectarian forces and their allies [i.e., Iran, Hizbullah, Al-Hashd Al-Sha'bi and the Houthis]. If you are against Israel, you cannot support terror in some other country.
"In fact, turning hostility to Israel into a slogan in order to harm others is reprehensible behavior, and not only politically. It is blatantly immoral. Moreover, its effect on the Palestinian cause is very negative, because this morally flawed [approach] creates a kind of loathing towards any rhetoric related to Palestine, and can [cause the Palestinian issue] to lose its seriousness and its place in [pubic] awareness."
[1] Albayan.ae, August 9, 2017.
[2] According to a May 2016 report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 60,000 prisoners have died in the regime's prisons since the beginning of the civil war. See Reuters.com, May 22, 2017).

North Korea: The Kims’ Cheat And Retreat Game
Amir Taheri/September 08/17
It is too early to guess how the latest storm triggered by North Korea’s behavior might end. Will this lead to a “surgical” strike on North Korean nuclear sites by the United States? Or will it cause “a global catastrophe” as Vladimir Putin, never shy of hyperbole, warns?
If past experience is an indicator the latest crisis is likely to fade away as did the previous six crises triggered by North Korea since the 1970s. Under the Kim dynasty, North Korea, in an established pattern of behavior, has been an irritant for the US, not to mention near and not-so-near neighbors such as South Korea, Japan, and even China and Russia.
By one reading, that pattern, otherwise known as “cheat-and-retreat” could be laughed as a sign of weakness disguised as strength.
However, if only because nuclear weapons are involved, one would have to take the provocation seriously. The Kim dynasty has relied on that ambiguity as part of its survival strategy for decades.
The strategy has worked because the Kims did not overreach, sticking to strict rules of brinkmanship.
Contemplating their situation, the Kims know that they had few good options.
One option is to embark on a genuine path to the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula. But in that case, the Kim regime would be doomed. That is what happened to Communist East Germany when it was swallowed by the German Federal Republic.
At 52 million, the population of South Korea is twice that of North Korea. As the world’s 13th largest economy with a Gross National Product of almost $2 trillion, it is also far wealthier than its northern neighbor. South Korea’s annual income per head is close to $40,000 compared to North Korea’s $1700 which makes the land of the Kims poorer than even Yemen and South Sudan, in 213th place out of 220 nations.
The other option is for North Korea to invade the South, to impose unification under its own system. That, too, is not a realistic option. Even without the US “defense umbrella” South Korea is no pushover. Barring nuclear weapons, the South has an arsenal of modern weapons that the North could only dream of. The South could mobilize an army of over 800,000, three times larger than that of the North.
The North, of course, has the advantage of nuclear weapons. But it won’t be easy to use such weapons against the South without contaminating the North as well. Almost 70 per cent of the peninsula’s estimated 80 million people live in less than 15 per cent of its total area of around 200,000 square kilometers which are precisely where nuclear weapons would presumably be used.
In other words, the Kims cannot rule over the whole of the Peninsula either through peaceful means or by force.
The other option the Kims have is to keep quiet and steer clear of provocations.
But that, too, is a high-risk option. For it would mean peaceful coexistence with the South which, in turn, could lead to an exchange of visits and growing trade, and investment by the South. In such a situation the South Korea’s wealth, freedom and seductive lifestyle would be a permanent challenge to the austere lifestyle that the Kims offer.
Again, the East German experience after Willy Brandt launched his Ostpolitik for normalization with the Communist bloc in Europe comes to mind.
But how could the Kims claim legitimacy and persuade North Koreans to ignore the attraction of the model presented by the South?
One way is to wave the banner of independence through the so-called “Self-Reliance” (Juche) doctrine which says that while those in the South have bread those in the North have pride because the South is a “slave house of the Americans” while the North challenges American “hegemony”.
The Kims know that by picking up a quarrel with the US they upgrade their regime. However, such a quarrel must not go beyond certain limits and force the US to hit back.
Thus in every crisis provoked by the Kims since the 1970s, North Korea has never gone beyond certain limits. And each time it has obtained concessions and favors from the US in exchange for cooling down the artificial crisis.
The pattern started under Jimmy Carter and reached its peak under President Bill Clinton who sent his Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on a pilgrimage to Pyongyang and offered to build two nuclear reactors for the Kims.
One overlooked fact is that during the past four decades the US has helped save North Korea from three major famines.
Upgrading yourself by picking up a quarrel with the US is not an art practiced by the Kims only. The Soviets did it from the 1960s onwards. The Cuban missile crisis was one example; it helped create the image of the USSR as a superpower later symbolized by “summits”.
In the 1960s and early 1970s Communist China, regarding the US as a paper tiger, did the same by occasional attacks on Quemoy and Matsu and saber-rattling against Taiwan.
The Khomeinists in Tehran upgraded their ramshackle regime by raiding the US Embassy in Tehran which kept them on American TV for 444 days.
The Kims’ strategy has worked because successive American administrations have played the role written for them in Pyongyang, pretending outrage but ending up offering concessions.
Clinton had a beautiful analysis: “I ask myself: can I kill these people tomorrow? If, yes, why do it today?”
The Kims have banked on that analysis and have been proven right. Regardless of what North Korea does, the US will not try to do today what it thinks it can do tomorrow.
The Kim-generated crisis also suits China which does not want a united Korea which could become another Japan, an economic powerhouse and a potential military obstacle to Beijing’s regional ambitions.
Russia, too, is happy to see the Kims’ shindig diverting world attention from Putin’s shenanigans while exposing the US as weak and indecisive.
And what if the Kim-scripted crisis also suits President Trump by providing weeks of diversion from other problems?
The Kims didn’t invent governance by the crisis but have proven to be among its most ardent practitioners.
I know journalists aren’t supposed to predict the future. But let us infringe the rule by guessing that the latest Kim-scripted crisis will fizzle out in time for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (Peyong Chang 2018) next February in South Korea.
Kim has achieved his objective of upgrading his regime and cheated on his nuclear arsenal without suffering serious consequences. He has no interest in pushing things beyond the edge.

Germany Heading for Four More Years of Pro-EU, Open-Door Migration Policies
Soeren Kern/Gatestone Institute/September 08/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10942/germany-election-merkel-schulz
The policy positions of Merkel and Schulz on key issues are virtually identical: Both candidates are committed to strengthening the European Union, maintaining open-door immigration policies, pursuing multiculturalism and quashing dissent from the so-called far right.
Merkel and Schulz both agree that there should be no upper limit on the number of migrants entering Germany.
Merkel's grand coalition backed a law that would penalize social media giants, including Facebook, Google and Twitter, with fines of €50 million ($60 million) if they fail to remove offending content from their platforms within 24 hours. Observers say the law is aimed at silencing critics of Merkel's open-door migration policy.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is on track win a fourth term in office after polls confirmed she won the first and only televised debate with her main election opponent, Martin Schulz, leader of the Social Democratic Union Party (SDP).
A survey for the public broadcaster ARD showed that 55% of viewers thought Merkel was the "more convincing" candidate during the debate, which took place on September 3; only 35% said Schulz came out ahead.
Many observers agreed that Schulz failed to leverage the debate to revive his flagging campaign, while others noted that Schulz's positions on many issues are virtually indistinguishable from those held by Merkel.
Rainald Becker, an ARD commentator, described the debate as, "More a duet than a duel."
"Merkel came out as sure, Schulz was hardly able to land a punch," wrote Heribert Prantl, a commentator at Süddeutsche Zeitung. "The candidate is an honorable man. But being honorable alone will not make him chancellor."
Christian Lindner, leader of the classical liberal Free Democrats, compared the debate to "scenes from a long marriage, where there is the occasional quarrel, but both sides know that they have to stick together in the future, too."
Television presenter Günther Jauch, writing in Bild, said he had hoped to "at least understand what differentiates Merkel and Schulz in political terms. Instead, it was just a conversation between two political professionals who you suspect could both work pretty seamlessly in the same government."
Radio and television host Thomas Gottschalk said that the two candidates agreed with each other too often: "They were both always nodding their heads when the other was speaking."
Germany's general election is scheduled for September 24. If voters went to the polls now, Merkel's CDU, together with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), would win 39%, according to a September 4 Politbarometer survey conducted for the public broadcaster ZDF.
Coming in second, Schulz's SDP would win 22%; the classical liberal Free Democrats (FDP) 10%; the far-left Linke 9%; the Greens 8% and the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) 8%.
The poll also found that 57% of respondents said they preferred that Merkel serve another term; only 28% favored Schulz to become the next chancellor. Nevertheless, half of Germany's 60 million voters are said to be undecided, and some pollsters believe that the country's huge non-voting population may determine the outcome.
As Merkel's CDU/CSU is unlikely to emerge from the election with an absolute majority, the 2017 vote effectively revolves around the issue of coalition-building. If current polling holds, Merkel, who has vowed to serve a full four years if re-elected, will have two main options.
Merkel could form another so-called grand coalition, an alliance of Germany's two biggest parties, namely the CDU/CSU and the SPD. Merkel currently governs with a grand coalition and has done so during two of her three terms in office.
Both the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats have said they hope to end the grand coalition and lead the government with smaller partners after the September election. After the debate, however, many observers believe a grand coalition between Merkel and Schulz is more probable than not.
Merkel's second option would be to form a three-way coalition with the Greens and the FDP, which served as junior coalition partner to the CDU/CSU for almost half of Germany's post-war history. Merkel has already ruled out forming a coalition with either the Linke or the AfD.
In any event, the policy positions of Merkel and Schulz on key issues are virtually identical: Both candidates are committed to strengthening the European Union, maintaining open-door immigration policies, pursuing multiculturalism and quashing dissent from the so-called far right.
Merkel and Schulz are ardent Europhiles and both are committed to more European federalism. During an August 12 campaign speech in Dortmund, for example, Merkel described the European Union as the "greatest peace project" in history and vowed that she would never turn her back on this "wonderful project."
Previously, Merkel said:
"We need more Europe, we need not only a monetary union, but we also need a so-called fiscal union, in other words more joint budget policy. And we need most of all a political union — that means we need to gradually give competencies to Europe and give Europe control."
Merkel has also endorsed the idea of a European Monetary Fund to deal with sovereign defaults by eurozone countries:
"It could make us even more stable and allow us to show the world that we have all the mechanisms in our own portfolio of the euro zone to be able to react well to unexpected situations."
Schulz has argued that the EU must be preserved at any cost:
"We are at a historical juncture: A growing number of people are declaring what has been achieved over the past decades in Europe to be wrong. They want to return to the nation-state. Sometimes there is even a blood and soil rhetoric that for me is starkly reminiscent of the interwar years of the past century, whose demons we are still all too familiar with. We brought these demons under control through European structures, but if we destroy those structures, the demons will return. We cannot allow this to happen."
Schulz has opposed the idea of holding national referendums on leaving the EU:
"Referendums have always posed a threat when it comes to EU policy, because EU policy is complicated. They are an opportunity for those from all political camps who like to oversimplify things."
Schulz has also voiced optimism that the British decision to leave the European Union would facilitate the creation of a European Army:
"In the fields of security and defense policy, although the EU loses a key member state, paradoxically such a separation could give the necessary impulse for a closer integration of the remaining member states."
During the September 3 debate, Schulz declared that he would end Turkey's accession talks to join the European Union because of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's authoritarianism. Merkel initially said she opposed such a move but then suddenly changed her mind. Unexpectedly, Merkel said: "The fact is clear that Turkey should not become an EU member."
On the issue of migration, Schulz and Merkel differ on procedure, not principle. During the debate, for example, Schulz accused Merkel of failing to involve the European Union in her 2015 decision to open German borders to more than a million migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Merkel said that although some mistakes had been made, she would take the same decision again.
In fact, Merkel and Schulz both agree that there should be no upper limit on the number of migrants entering Germany: "On the issue of an upper limit, my position is clear," Merkel told ARD television. "I won't accept one."
Schulz has said:
"A numerical cap is not a response to the refugee issue, even if it is agreed upon in a European context. What do we do with the first refugee who comes to the European frontier and has no quota available? Do we send him back to perhaps a sure death? As long as this question is not resolved, such a discussion makes no sense."
Schulz believes the European Union should have a greater role in migration policymaking:
"What we need is a European right of immigration and asylum. The refugee crisis shows us clearly that we cannot give a national response to a global phenomenon such as the refugee movements. This is only possible in a European context."
Merkel has criticized Hungary for failing to show "solidarity" in aiding refugees. She has also vowed to punish Poland for its refusal to take in more migrants from the Muslim world:
"As much as I wish for good relations with Poland — they are our neighbor and I will always strive for this given the importance of our ties — we can't simply keep our mouth shut in order to keep the peace. This goes to the very foundations of our cooperation within the European Union."
Schulz vowed that, if elected chancellor, he would push for the EU to cut subsidies to countries that do not take in refugees: "With me as chancellor, we won't accept that solidarity as a principle is questioned."
Meanwhile, Merkel's grand coalition backed a law that would penalize social media giants, including Facebook, Google and Twitter, with fines of €50 million ($60 million) if they fail to remove offending content from their platforms within 24 hours. Observers say the law is aimed at silencing critics of Merkel's open-door migration policy.
Like Merkel, Schulz has reserved his worst vitriol for the anti-immigration AfD, whose leaders he has described as "rat catchers" (Rattenfänger) who are "trying to profit from the plight of refugees." He has also called them "shameful and repulsive."
In an August 22 interview with Bild, Merkel answered critics of her desire to continue in power by saying that the longer she rules, the better she gets: "I've decided to run for another four years and believe that the mix of experience and curiosity and joy that I have could make the next four years good ones."
**Soeren Kern is a Senior Fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute.
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

The Latest Victim of the Campus Hate Industry
Bruce Bawer/Gatestone Institute/September 08/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10973/robbie-travers-hate-speech
"All men are trash." — Esme Allman.
Allman is a young woman who, although a student at one of the finest universities on earth, considers herself to be a multiply oppressed victim and who sees the world around her as swarming with oppressors. She has been so well-schooled in the idea that whites are always the oppressors and dark-skinned people always the victims that when she sees a fellow British subject rooting for his own nation's side in a war against jihadists, her first and only thought is to brand him an "Islamophobe" -- this, even though the enemy in that war are men who would force her into a burka or consider her, as an infidel, deserving of rape and/or death.
So it is that Robbie Travers, whose only offense is believing in freedom and opposing a totalitarian ideology, has found himself in hot water -- a real victim of a mentality that is all about power and dogma even as its pretends to be devoted to "dignity and respect" for all.
Robbie Travers is a 21-year-old law student at the University of Edinburgh and an articulate, insightful contributor to Gatestone as well as other websites. In his essays, he has illuminated the topsy-turvy values that dominate contemporary British political discourse – as exemplified by the refusal of the Speaker of the House of Commons to invite President Trump to address Parliament and the refusal of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to ban Al Qaeda from Britain as a terrorist organization.
Now, Travers has become the victim of the very forces about which he has written. In April, after the US Air Force carried out a successful anti-ISIS action, he posted a comment on Facebook:
"Excellent news that the US administration and Trump ordered an accurate strike on an Isis network of tunnels in Afghanistan. I'm glad we could bring these barbarians a step closer to collecting their 72 virgins."
It was no different from a British subject during World War II celebrating the invasion of Normandy. But Travers's comment offended first-year history student Esme Allman, who filed a complaint with the university. In it, she charged that Travers had violated the student code of conduct and accused him of "blatant Islamaphobia [sic]" and of putting "minority students at risk and in a state of panic and fear."
As a result of Allman's complaint, the university is now investigating Travers on "hate crime" charges. A spokesman for the university explained that it is "committed to providing an environment in which all members of the university community treat each other with dignity and respect." Travers, for his part, has described Allman's complaint as retaliation for a social-media posting in which he had drawn attention to a comment by Allman that "all men are trash."
Who is Esme Allman? A member of Edinburgh University's Black and Minority Ethnic Liberation Group, she was a candidate this year for the position of Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) Officer at the university's Student Association (EUSA). Not only did she not win; for whatever reason, her name doesn't even appear on the final list of candidates.
But the university's website does include the text of her candidacy statement, in which she describes herself as a "feminist and womanist from inner-city London" who has "a strong interest in intersectionality" and who values "inclusivity as well as building and preserving safe spaces for us." It has been important to her, Allman writes, to run "a truly intersectional campaign" for the post of BME Officer; if elected, she promises, her "first job will be to work alongside the other liberation groups to ensure EUSA are fully representative of our views."
Allman goes on to list several "manifesto points," including this: "I will continue to engage in the discussions started with academics on the WhyIsMyCurriculumWhite campaign." What is this campaign? Begun at University College London, it is a self-described effort to "decolonis[e] the academy" and "uprising against the 'Whiteness', Eurocentric domination and lack of diversity in the curricula." Allman also says that she "will continue to work with the StudentsNotSuspects Campaign to protect student groups from the enforcement of the Prevent strategy."
What is the Prevent strategy? It is part of the British government's anti-terrorism program; its objective is to prevent Islamic radicalization, which in that country often takes place at universities.
To most sane people in the West, it seems like a laudable goal to keep college students from becoming jihadist murderers. But to certain radical types in the British academy, the very idea of such a policy reeks of Islamophobia. Hence the StudentsNotSuspects Campaign, the name of which gives a pretty good idea of what it is all about.
We don't know much about Allman. But her candidacy statement makes one thing clear. Although only a first-year student, she has certainly learned the language of identity-group grievance and victimization. "Womanist", if you didn't know, is a word coined by the novelist Alice Walker to describe feminists of color and to indicate a focus not only on sexism but on racism. "Intersectionality," coined by activist Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, refers to the idea that persons belonging to more than one oppressed group experience a form of oppression that is greater than the sum of its parts. Allman's use of the term "safe spaces" suggests that she considers much of her university campus, and presumably much of the U.K. generally, to be an "unsafe space"; from her membership in to a "liberation group," we must assume that she considers herself, in some sense, imprisoned or tyrannized. At Edinburgh University, she is "colonized" because of her race and is oppressed by a "white" curriculum.
Given all this, Allman's complaint about Travers is not only unsurprising, but predictable. This is a young woman who, although a student at one of the finest universities on earth (it came in at #27 in Times Higher Education 's latest international rankings), considers herself to be a multiply oppressed victim and who sees the world around her as swarming with oppressors. She has been so well-schooled in the idea that whites are always the oppressors and dark-skinned people always the victims that when she sees a fellow British subject rooting for his own nation's side in a war against jihadists, her first and only thought is to brand him an "Islamophobe" -- this, even though the enemy in that war are patriarchal monsters who would force her into a burka or consider her, as an infidel, deserving of rape and/or death.
Such perverse thinking, of course, is commonplace today among college students in the English-speaking countries. Instead of taking full advantage of the precious opportunity that a university education affords them, they prefer to spend much of their student years finding examples of oppression -- real or imagined -- to denounce. So it is that Robbie Travers, whose only offense is believing in freedom and opposing a totalitarian ideology, has found himself in hot water -- a real victim of a mentality that is all about power and dogma even as its pretends to be devoted to "dignity and respect" for all.
**Bruce Bawer is the author of the new novel The Alhambra (Swamp Fox Editions). His book While Europe Slept (2006) was a New York Times bestseller and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist.
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Would Qatari crisis last two years?
Salman al-Dosary/Al Arabiya/September 08/17
Those who were betting on a short-lived Qatari crisis have lost. Everyone who thought that Qatar’s efforts for international pressure would be fruitful, was proven wrong. Three months on, the four states’ stance hasn’t changed, and is as firm as it was on June 5. Since day one, the ball has been put in Qatar’s court. The message has been clear: If Qatar wants to restore ties, end the boycott and open the border, all it should do is implement what was handwritten by Qatar’s emir in the Riyadh Agreement in 2014. However, it is up to Doha if it decides to face the boycott and lose its interests with the four states.
Qatar chose confrontation, intransigence, escalation and the failure to implement what was requested from it out of its assumption that the crisis would soon end even if it disregarded its pledges. Yet this didn’t happen and time wasn’t in Doha’s favor. As three months passed without achieving its goals, maybe a year or two would also pass and Qatar would discover that it has become the only isolated state and all its bets are gone with the wind. “It is okay if the Qatari crisis lasted two years,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. The boycotting states decided to cease the harmful Qatari policies only after they geared themselves for a long-term boycott out of their conviction that Doha’s attitude won’t be easily straightened and it won’t meet its pledges overnight. As it has so far skilfully done, Doha will continue to procrastinate. Only time will reveal where Qatari interests will lie. Did Turkey and Iran really compensate the Gulf loss? Did Doha benefit from marketing itself in a trivial way among western capitals to urge them to pressure for lifting the boycott? Qatar chose confrontation, intransigence, escalation and the failure to implement what was requested from it out of its assumption that the crisis would soon end
100-day mark
The answer is clear, as the crisis nears the 100-day mark, Qatar continues to see it as its main political, economic and social cause. In contrast, the four states haven’t lost anything from crisis but consider the Qatari file to be among a dozen others put on their agenda. Qatar is more than welcome to step back, but if it holds onto its stance and rejects to abide by its commitments, then it is free to do so. We can say that the world has forgotten the Qatari crisis. It appeared in the headlines for some time, then states resumed their businesses by looking after their interests. The foreign ministers of US, France, UK and Germany toured the region to carry out diplomatic missions with allied states, then they left. Nothing more was done. Gradually, Qatar woke up on an ugly truth that it is facing a real crisis unilaterally. It has plenty of solutions, but procrastination or resorting for Western help are not among them. Pursuits to strike alliances with Turkey and Iran didn’t compensate its stalled interests. Even the “blockage” lie didn’t work out. It rather unveiled Qatar’s naivety – here you see Qatar bragging that 35 percent of Middle Eastern trade goes through the state’s “besieged” port. Amidst the current Qatari regime policy, it seems there is no hope in resolving the crisis soon. Let Qatar stick to its stance and let there be a protracted crisis. Sometimes, only time is capable of resolving complex issues. Qatar is the only damaged party – its losses are increasing but only these losses will urge Doha to meet its obligations.

Banksy selling Palestinian history – why it matters
Yara al-Wazir/Al Arabiya/September 08/17
Elusive British graffiti artist Banksy opened the Walled Off Hotel, just a stone’s throw away from the divisive 700km long, 8m high apartheid wall that runs through Palestine via Jesus’s birth spot in Bethlehem. Since the opening of the hotel earlier this summer, the business has been met with mixed feelings.
These mixed feelings were further heightened this week as the hotel announced the opening of a gift shop adjacent to the hotel. The gift shop will sell ornaments that look like the apartheid wall of separation, signed canvases, and limited-edition crucifix’s. Early versions of the products are available on the hotel’s website. On one hand, Palestinians are relieved that an international artist is bringing their situation, plight, and reality to life to tourists who may be attracted to the idea of staying in a hotel room with real-life Banksy artwork. On the other hand, some Palestinians are concerned that Banksy is profiteering from the Palestinian struggle, putting other neighboring hotels out of business, and arguably trivializing the situation.In a sense, Banksy is seen to promote tourism based on cultural appropriation, where people ‘live a day in the life of a Palestinian’, whose sunshine is blocked by the 8 meter high wall. Banksy did not invent the wheel of allowing tourists to experience a day in the life of Palestinians; he merely built a wheel that has the ability to be cast into the international spotlight
Reinventing the wheel
It is important to recognize that Banksy did not invent the wheel of allowing tourists to experience a day in the life of Palestinians; he merely built a wheel that has the ability to be cast into the international spotlight. Opening a hotel with the glorious view of the apartheid wall is not something new. Local residents opened Anastasa’s house in 2007; the guesthouse has received great reviews on the travel website TripAdvisor. However, there is no denying that a local guesthouse run by local people does not have the international backing or reputation to gain worldwide news. The local residents of Palestine have been making souvenirs such as the kuffiyeh and the “key” keychain for decades since the war started over 60 years ago. While traditional souvenirs represent a political symbol of resistance, they tell the same story: 60 years ago, 700,000 Palestinians were forced to flee their homes when their land was taken from them. Banksy tells the continuation of the story: those who remained continue to suffer, generations and decades later.
Art does not trivialize war
While painting murals of a girl holding a balloon, a dove with a flag, or various slogans on the wall can be seen to trivialize the situation in Palestine, the reality is that this art can break through language barriers. For decades, artists such as Xavier Pick, Linda Kitson, and more have used their medium to communicate conflict. Even throughout history, art pieces have lived through the wars they were painted to represent. Tactful art does not trivialize the struggle; rather it brings the situation to light. Banksy’s following of fans is international, many of who are not aware of the Palestinian cause, or even the existence of the apartheid wall.
Also read: The fight for Jerusalem: Palestinians will not be subdued
Additionally, the gift shop is providing aid to the local community. The Walled Off Hotel’s website states that a $1000 deposit is taken to ensure that the art is not tampered with as it is seen as a donation to the local community. The items in the gift shop have been “painted by local cartspeople”.
Those who work at the hotel are also local Palestinians. Not only has this hotel helped bring the situation to light, it has also helped the local community, which is the key condition to accepting any form of cultural or historical appropriation. The future of the hotel is uncertain. If Banksy stays true to his own history, it is likely for the pieces to hotel to be taken down, and for the pieces to be sold to raise funds for the local community.
Hotel to the rest of the world
The reality of the situation is that the Israeli government bars hundreds of people from entering the border every year due to their political affiliations. Searches through mobile phone, e-mail, and social-media are almost considered to be part of the ‘standard procedure’ when flying into Tel Aviv airport. As such, there are people who are unable to see the struggle at all. The Walled Off Hotel tells the story of a struggle by thousands of people in Palestine every day. The hotel needs to target foreigners, particularly in the Western world, who aren’t aware of the ongoing atrocities in Palestine.
If anything, a pop-up version of the hotel should be built in the West to truly depict the conflict, along with the 8 meter high wall that can be seen from the windows. Only then will Banksy’s work truly reach the target audience and be able to garner enough attention to create change in the region.

Omar al-Somah - between sports and politics
Mashari Althaydi/Al Arabiya/September 08/17
There are intertwining wars in the region, all the way from Iraq to Syria through Lebanon. This is in addition to wars in Libya and Yemen. These wars include other conflicts related to sects, parties and tribes and national, regional and international interests. The Syrian war has been on for more than six years. No one expected this at the beginning as it was thought that Bashar al-Assad’s fate will be like Bin Ali in Tunisia or Mubarak in Egypt. However, this was not the case. Assad’s fate was not even like that of Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh. Saleh’s fate has complicated the entire Yemeni case as after a political exit was secured for him, he continued to look for a way to retake the reins of power. Russia and Iran both have interests to serve through Bashar al-Assad’s regime and they have done so by killing the Syrian opposition. This opposition was peaceful at the beginning but it militarized at the hands of al-Nusra and al-Qaeda after around six months from the regime’s brutal crackdown and amid Nasrallah’s and Khamenei’s justifications, Putin’s procrastination and Obama’s empty speeches.
Social harmony
I will not discuss this much but will rather address the repercussions of this war on Syrian social harmony and how non-politicized social categories are interacting with it. Not everyone in Syria is a symbol of political opposition and not everyone is a minister, a warlord or a militia leader as there are people who have nothing to do with politics and some of them are public figures, such as artists and athletes like Omar Al Somah, the Syrian football player who plays for Al Ahli in the Saudi Professional League, and is the star of the Syrian national team. Not everyone in Syria is a symbol of political opposition and not everyone is a minister, a warlord or a militia leader as there are people who have nothing to do with politics and some of them are public figures, such as artists and athletes like Omar Al Somah, the Syrian football player who plays for Al Ahli in the Saudi Professional League, and is the star of the Syrian national team. Somah, who scored for the Syrian team in their recent game, played a significant role in qualifying his team against Iran in the World Cup qualifying rounds. After the game, he thanked the Syrian people and mentioned Bashar al-Assad in particular.
People’s anger 
Just mentioning the name of Bashar sparked people’s anger, as how can he the son of Deir al-Zour, commend the head of the regime which caused the loss of his town and the displacement and murder of its people?
Meanwhile, the Iranian media complained of how ferocious the Syrian footballers were during the games played with its national team. Iranian agencies published an interview with Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun in which he attacked the Syrian team players and said: “I do not know why they say Syria is a brotherly country. They’ve insulted us in both matches.”The point of narrating this is to excuse Somah and other non-politicized athletes or artists if they say a word here and there, as the Syrian disaster has escalated and pledges have not been fulfilled. The scene is more complicated than it seems as there are complaints against the Syrian football team from Iran and others. May God have mercy on Syria and its people.