LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
December 23/2019
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For today
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it
First Letter to the Corinthians 10/01-13/:”I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.’ We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on December 22-23/2019
Report: Govt. May be Formed before Year's End
Diab Vows 'Govt. of Independents', Says It Won't be 'Hizbullah's Govt.'
Thousands protest against new PM, close roads in Lebanon
Thousands protest against new PM, close roads in Lebanon
US envoy David Hale meets Lebanese leaders amid protests at new prime minister
Protesters Denounce Diab's Meeting with 'Civil Society Figures'
Qaouq: Diab's Designation Puts End to American Exploitation Attempt
Scuffles after Army Stops Buses Carrying Protesters from Tripoli
AMAL Bloc MP Says Diab Nomination was 'Plan B'
Al-Rahi Urges No Roadblocks, Calls for 'Cooperation' with Diab
Rahi presides over Mass service in Bkirki
'Revolution Fist' raised at Zahle's main roundabout
Italian Foreign Minister visits Beirut on Monday
Nawaf Salam: I was subjected to a defamation campaign to which I found no reason to respond, and I was touched by the confidence that many Lebanese accorded me
Army: What happened at the Madfoun Bridge checkpoint today was merely a 'strict inspection'
Molotov Hurled at Christmas Tree in Dinniyeh
Lebanon's new prime minister must stand up to Hezbollah

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 22-23/2019
Syrian state media says Israel is firing missiles into Syria
Israel reverses ban, Gaza Christians can visit Christmas sites
US sanctions against Iran are a ‘reckless addiction’: Iran foreign minister
Iraqi official: President signaled resignation if pressured to appoint al-Suhail
Thousands protest in Iraq as deadline for new PM looms
Syria Violence Uproots Displaced Families Again
Erdogan says Turkey cannot handle a new migrant wave from Syria
Why Does Turkey Seek a Greater Role in War-Torn Libya?
Canada deeply concerned with veto on humanitarian assistance in Syria
Libyan Strongman Haftar's Forces Seize Turkish Ship
Afghanistan's Ghani on Track for Second Term

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 22-23/2019
What doesn’t kill Lebanon’s revolution only makes it stronger/Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/December 22/2019
Downtown Beirut now feels different/Perla Kantarjian/Annahar 22/2019
Bankrupt and exposed, Hezbollah has no answers for Lebanese/Eli Fawaz/December 22/2019
Naming of prime minister-designate adds to Lebanon unrest/Simon Speakman Cordall/The Arab Weekly/December 22/2019
Hezbollah-backed PM-designate faces backlash from Sunnis/Samar Kadi/The Arab Weekly/December 22/2019
Beirut Christmas carolling comes with a revolutionary twist/Samar Kadi/The Arab Weekly/December 22/2019
*"Silent Night": Persecuted Palestinian Christians Kept Out of Sight/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/December 22/2019
UAE Foreign Minister Tweets Article about Israel–Arab Alliance/Seth Frantzman/The Jerusalem Post/December 22/2019
Denmark: Why Integration Fails/Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/December 22/2019
Failure of Malaysia’s Muslim summit is only the tip of the iceberg/Mohammed Alyahya/December 23/2019
Empty Gestures on Climate Change/Bjørn Lomborg/Al Arabiya/December 22/2019
The gift of giving during Christmas is much more rewarding than receiving/Justin Thomas/The National/December 22/2019
Reform or perish — the brutal choice facing Iran’s regime/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/December 22/2019
Turkey steps into East Mediterranean oil and gas rush/Yasar Yakis/Arab News/December 22/2019
 

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on December 22-23/2019
Report: Govt. May be Formed before Year's End
Naharnet/December 22/2019
Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab might form his government before the end of 2019, informed ministerial sources said. “The efforts are focused on saving time as much as possible in order to form the government before the beginning of the new year, which means within a week or 10 days, unless an obstacle arises,” the sources told An-Nahar newspaper in remarks published Sunday. “There is a greenlight for Diab to carry on with his plan, which he wants it to be a salvation plan, and all circumstances will be provided for his success, because any setback will undermine what’s left of the new presidential tenure,” the sources added. “Should a setback happen, it will be some sort of conspiracy which some inside and outside the country are seeking in order to stir chaos in the country,” the sources added. An-Nahar also reported that countries concerned with the Lebanese situation are awaiting the PM-designate’s first steps and the standards he will rely on in the formation of the government in order to voice stances.

Diab Vows 'Govt. of Independents', Says It Won't be 'Hizbullah's Govt.'
Associated Press/Naharnet/December 22/2019
Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab held consultations Saturday with parliamentary blocs in which they discussed the shape of the future government and said afterward that legislators all had one concern: To get the country out of its "strangling" economic crisis. Diab, a university professor and former education minister, will have to steer Lebanon out of its worst economic and financial crisis in decades. He's also taking office against the backdrop of ongoing nationwide protests against the country's ruling elite.
"Lebanon is in the intensive care unit and needs efforts" by all sides, from political groups to protesters, Diab said. Consultations began a day after scuffles broke out in Beirut and other areas between supporters of outgoing prime minister Saad Hariri and Lebanese troops and riot police. The ex-premier's supporters were protesting Diab's nomination. At least seven soldiers were injured. Diab told reporters later that all members of parliament encouraged him to form a Cabinet "as soon as possible." Cabinets usually take months to form in Lebanon because of bargaining between rival groups. Diab said he hopes to form a government of about 20 ministers made up of independents and technocrats within few weeks. "It's time to work and we ask God to make us successful."He added that the situation in Lebanon cannot stand any delays amid its worst economic and financial crisis since the end of the 1975-90 civil war.
Lebanese banks have imposed unprecedented capital controls in recent weeks. Thousands have lost their jobs and the economy is expected to contract in 2020. Diab began his meetings Saturday at Parliament with Speaker Nabih Berri, then held talks with former prime ministers, including caretaker premier Hariri. He later met with blocs at the legislature.
Hizbullah and its allies had previously insisted that a new government consist of politicians and experts but on Saturday, Diab said "all parties agree with me regarding a government made up of independents and experts, including Hizbullah."
Legislator Paula Yacoubian, who backs the protest movement, said Diab told her "the government will be fully made up of independents and that he will step down if there is going to be members of the state's political parties."She added: "I heard very nice talk similar to what the people have been demanding."The protesters have been demanding a government that does not include members of political parties whom they blame for widespread corruption. Media reports said that Diab will meet with representatives of the protest movement on Sunday.
Earlier on Saturday, Hariri cautioned supporters after meeting Diab against violent protests, saying: "The army is ours and police forces are for all Lebanese."Shortly before sunset Saturday, scores of protesters including Hariri supporters, closed two major intersections in Beirut demanding that Diab step aside, saying he failed to win wide support from Sunni legislators. Saturday's protests were peaceful unlike those of the night before when stones and firecrackers were hurled at security forces.
The new prime minister won a majority of lawmakers' votes after receiving backing from powerful Hizbullah and its allies, which have a majority of seats in parliament. However, he lacks the support of major Sunni figures, including the largest Sunni party headed by Hariri. That's particularly problematic for Diab, who, as a Sunni, doesn't have the backing of his own community.
The head of Hizbullah's 12-member bloc, Mohammed Raad, said the group wants a government that preserves what the Lebanese have achieved in "victories during the confrontation with the Israeli enemy and to maintain our national sovereignty, our maritime (oil and gas) wealth and land and to prevent the enemy from undermining its sovereignty and the national dignity."A lawmaker from the bloc led by Speaker Nabih Berri said the incoming government should focus on fighting corruption. "It should be an emergency government that works on solving the economic, financial, social and banking crisis," said Anwar al-Khalil after the meeting with Diab. Samir al-Jisr of Hariri's bloc said they will not take part in Diab's government. Hizbullah's ally, Jebran Bassil, who heads the largest bloc in parliament, said the future government "is not Hizbullah's Cabinet but of all Lebanese and it is not against anyone."Michel Mouawad, a harsh critic of Hizbullah, said Diab told him the new government will not be controlled by "Hizbullah and will not be confrontational." Hizbullah had backed Hariri for prime minister from the start, but the group differed with him over the shape of the new government. Lebanon's sustained, leaderless protests erupted in mid-October, and forced Hariri's resignation within days. But politicians were later unable to agree on a new prime minister. The ongoing protests and paralysis have worsened the economic crisis.

Thousands protest against new PM, close roads in Lebanon
Associated Press/December 22/2019
The protesters, many of whom came from northern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley, also gathered in Beirut’s central Martyrs Square
BEIRUT: Thousands of protesters demonstrated in central Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon on Sunday against the country’s new prime minister, saying he should abandon the post because he is a member of the ruling elite. After sunset, protesters closed several roads and highways in Beirut and other parts of the country to rally against the nomination of Hassan Diab, who was backed by the militant Hezbollah group and its allies and failed to win the backing of the main Sunni Muslim groups. The protesters, many of whom came from northern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley, also gathered in Beirut’s central Martyrs Square, one of the key places of the protests which have been underway for more than two months. They later marched toward the parliament building guarded by scores of riot police. Unlike last week, when scuffles were reported between protesters and policemen outside the parliament, there was no violence on Sunday. Prime Minister-designate Diab, a university professor and former education minister, will have the task of steering Lebanon out of its worst economic and financial crisis in decades. He’s also taking office against the backdrop of ongoing nationwide protests against the country’s ruling elite that the protesters blame for widespread corruption and mismanagement. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the head of the largest Sunni group in Lebanon, resigned on Oct. 29, meeting a key demand of the protesters. According to Lebanon’s power-sharing system, the prime minister has to be a Sunni. “We are not convinced by their choice,” protester Hanaa Saleh said about Diab’s nomination. “We don’t believe this movie.” Diab has vowed his government will not include politicians and will only consist of independents and experts. In Washington, a State Department spokesperson said that U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale had encouraged Lebanese leaders during his two-day visit last week “to put aside partisan interests and support formation of a government committed to and capable of undertaking meaningful, sustained reforms.”Hale “reaffirmed America’s longstanding partnership and enduring commitment to a secure, stable, and prosperous Lebanon,” said Morgan Ortagus.

Thousands protest against new PM, close roads in Lebanon
Arab News/December 22/2019
A small crowd of protesters rallied outside Diab’s house and slammed visitors who claimed to represent the country’s leaderless movement
The few who heeded Diab’s calls for talks included largely unknown individuals not recognized as representatives of the protest movement
BEIRUT: Thousands of protesters demonstrated in central Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon on Sunday against the country’s new prime minister, saying he should abandon the post because he is a member of the ruling elite.
After sunset, protesters closed several roads and highways in Beirut and other parts of the country to rally against the nomination of Hassan Diab, who was backed by the militant Hezbollah group and its allies and failed to win the backing of the main Sunni Muslim groups.
The protesters, many of whom came from northern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley, also gathered in Beirut’s central Martyrs Square, one of the key places of the protests which have been underway for more than two months.
They later marched toward the parliament building guarded by scores of riot police. Unlike last week, when scuffles were reported between protesters and policemen outside the parliament, there was no violence on Sunday.
Prime Minister-designate Diab, a university professor and former education minister, will have the task of steering Lebanon out of its worst economic and financial crisis in decades. He’s also taking office against the backdrop of ongoing nationwide protests against the country’s ruling elite that the protesters blame for widespread corruption and mismanagement. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the head of the largest Sunni group in Lebanon, resigned on Oct. 29, meeting a key demand of the protesters. According to Lebanon’s power-sharing system, the prime minister has to be a Sunni.
“We are not convinced by their choice,” protester Hanaa Saleh said about Diab’s nomination. “We don’t believe this movie.”
Diab has vowed his government will not include politicians and will only consist of independents and experts. In Washington, a State Department spokesperson said that US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale had encouraged Lebanese leaders during his two-day visit last week “to put aside partisan interests and support formation of a government committed to and capable of undertaking meaningful, sustained reforms.”
Hale “reaffirmed America’s longstanding partnership and enduring commitment to a secure, stable, and prosperous Lebanon,” said Morgan Ortagus.
Morgan Ortagus's twitter
@statedeptspox
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale concluded a two-day trip to #Lebanon. He met with government officials and encouraged Lebanese leaders to put aside partisan interests to form a government that is committed to meaningful, sustained reforms.

US envoy David Hale meets Lebanese leaders amid protests at new prime minister
The National/December 22/2019
Protesters angered by his appointment gathered outside the Beirut home of prime minister-designate Hassan Diab
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale met Lebanon’s political leaders through the weekend as protests on the streets continued in the wake of Hassan Diab being named prime minister-designate. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the Beirut home of Mr Diab, an academic at the American University of Beirut and former education minister. Security forces moved in quickly after his appointment last week to secure the apartment building and surrounding street. Many have denounced the appointment of Mr Diab, calling instead for a true technocrat to lead the next administration despite the new appointee saying he will priorities experts over political candidates. Mr Diab was propelled to the post on Thursday by Lebanon’s March 8 bloc – led by the backing of Hezbollah, Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement. Lebanon has been rocked by two months of anti-government protest with thousands taking to the streets to denounce years of corruption, ineffectual leadership, crumbling public services and the worst financial crisis since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. Meanwhile, Mr Hale, who previously served as US ambassador to Beirut, met Progressive Socialist leader Walid Jumblatt, who described the conversation it in a tweet afterwards as “friendly and honest.” He also met Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and caretaker foreign minister Gibran Bassil, who is also head of the PFP. Mr Hale met on Friday with President Michel Aoun and caretaker prime minister Saad Hariri.
In a press briefing from Baabda, Mr Hale said he was in Lebanon at the request of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss the situation. “I’m here to encourage Lebanon’s political leaders to commit to and undertake meaningful, sustained reforms that can lead to a stable, prosperous and secure Lebanon. And that was the content of the conversation I just had with President Aoun. It is time to put aside the partisan interest for the national interest advancing reforms and forming a government that is committed to and capable of doing so.
He said the US has no role in saying who should and who should comprise any cabinet but added that “the unified nonsectarian and largely peaceful protests over the last 65 days … [shows] the Lebanese people’s longstanding and quite frankly legitimate demand for economic and institutional reform, better governance and an end to endemic corruption.”He urged the security forces to continue to protect the right of protesters and added that “violence has no place in civil discourse.” A statement released by the US government after the meetings said Mr Hale had called on the government, army, and security services to continue to guarantee the rights and safety of protesters.

Protesters Denounce Diab's Meeting with 'Civil Society Figures'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December 22/2019
Anti-government protesters on Sunday rallied outside the house of PM-designate Hassan Diab to denounce his meeting with a number of figures claiming to represent the protest movement that emerged after October 17.
The head of the so-called Lebanese Media Bank, Mohammed Noun, said he met with Diab in his personal capacity, calling for “cooperation and dialogue with the PM-designate in order to rescue the situation” and describing Diab as an “independent figure.”Noun also called on Diab to “pay attention to the Bekaa region and benefit from its resources, especially the Assi River,” decrying the “deprivation” of the Bekaa and Baalbek regions. Verbal clashes meanwhile ensued between Noun and a number of protesters outside Diab’s house in Tallet al-Khayyat. LBCI TV said Diab did not meet with any “influential groups” from the protest movement but rather with some individuals who said that they do not “represent the revolution.”The TV network identified the figures as Mohammed Noun, Walid Itani, the journalist Waad Hashem and a person from the al-Hajjar family. Protesters outside Diab’s house stressed that the aforementioned figures do not represent the protest movement. "Not a single group actually active on the ground met today with the prime minister-designate because they are not convinced" he can form a government of technocrats, said Wassef Harakeh, a prominent activist. "They want us to get mired in this game of consultations," he told AFP. In the protest camp in central Beirut, crowds began gathering in the afternoon. "The people that visited the prime minister-designate today do not represent the revolution," said Ali Haidar, a resident of Beirut's southern suburbs. "These talks were a failure," he told AFP from the protest camp. The area outside Diab’s residence also witnessed a sit-in by a group that supports caretaker PM Saad Hariri. Diab had announced that he would meet with representatives of the protest movement as part of his consultations to form a new government.

Qaouq: Diab's Designation Puts End to American Exploitation Attempt
Naharnet/December 22/2019
The appointment of ex-minister Hassan Diab as premier-designate has put an end to Washington’s perceived attempt to “exploit” the crisis and the protests in Lebanon, a senior Hizbullah official said on Sunday.
Warning that “some are seeking to ignite strife,” Hizbullah central council member Sheikh Nabil Qaouq said “America has failed, because betting on exploiting the domestic crisis and investing in it has reached a dead end, after it tried to take advantage of the crisis to achieve political gains.” “PM-designate Diab’s appointment came to put an end to the American exploitation,” he added. Noting that there is “a real chance to form a government to rescue Lebanon from a worse situation,” Qaouq said Diab’s designation represents “a real chance for the Lebanese to rescue what can be rescued.”The Hizbullah official also urged all political forces to “show a responsible patriotic stance by giving a chance to the PM-designate to form a reformist salvation government, not a government aimed at confronting anyone, a government that would listen to the voices of all people, whether those present in the squares or in their homes.”
The new government should “seek to block strife and regain the confidence of those inside the country before that of those outside the country,” Qaouq urged. As for Hizbullah’s stance, he added: “We have not demanded or sought posts nor a government of confrontation and elimination and we are demanding the broadest participation.”

Scuffles after Army Stops Buses Carrying Protesters from Tripoli
Naharnet/December 22/2019
Scuffles erupted Sunday after army troops at the al-Madfoun checkpoint stopped buses carrying protesters from the northern city of Tripoli. The protesters were heading to a central demo in Beirut dubbed “Sunday of Rejection”, which comes after Hassan Diab was named PM-designate. Media reports said the altercation broke out after protesters rejected to be subject to security measures at the checkpoint. The issue was resolved and the buses were allowed to continue their journey after the passengers accepted to undergo the security measures, the reports said. Several passengers were meanwhile arrested and the reasons remain unclear. On December 14 and 15, central Beirut witnessed two of the most violent episodes of violence since nationwide anti-government demonstrations began more than two months ago. Security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse protesters after powerful firecrackers were hurled at riot police guarding Nejmeh Square. Protesters who came from Tripoli and Akkar took part in the demos last weekend. Caretaker Interior Minister Raya al-Hassan meanwhile blamed the violence on “infiltrators.”

AMAL Bloc MP Says Diab Nomination was 'Plan B'
Naharnet/December 22/2019
The nomination of Hassab Diab for the PM post was “plan B” after all efforts to secure the return of caretaker PM Saad Hariri failed, an MP of Speaker Nabih Berri’s bloc said on Sunday. “Most of the protest movement’s groups have decided to give the PM-designate a chance to form his government in a manner that satisfies protesters on the streets,” MP Fadi Alameh of the Development and Liberation bloc said in a radio interview. Alameh called for forming “an inclusive emergency government that takes into consideration the sizes of the elected parliamentary blocs and the street protests that have been raging since more than two months.”He also said that the new government should “include everyone and should be composed of experts, even if they have political orientations.”Alameh also stressed that Berri has played a “facilitating” role.

Al-Rahi Urges No Roadblocks, Calls for 'Cooperation' with Diab
Naharnet/December 22/2019
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday urged protesters in all regions not to block the main roads during the holiday season. “What we witnessed two days ago, when the Lebanese Army and security forces were pelted with stones during a protest, violates the dignity of the army and the dignity of citizens who believe in the Lebanese state,” al-Rahi lamented in his Sunday Mass sermon, referring to a protest by al-Mustaqbal Movement supporters against the appointment of Hassan Diab as PM-designate. “We rather call for respect and cooperation. And on the eve of Christmas, we plead to all protesters not to block the main roads in all regions, so that citizens can move easily and celebrate joyfully. Do not deprive them of joy,” he added. Turning to the political developments, al-Rahi warned that “Lebanon, with its current state of paralysis and poverty, cannot withstand any delay or obstruction of the formation of the new government.”“We urged all political forces to cooperate with the premier-designate and facilitate the formation process,” the patriarch added.

Rahi presides over Mass service in Bkirki
NNA/December 22/2019
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutors Rahi presided over Sunday Mass service in Bkirki. Speaking to a number of believers, Rahi blamed the practices of Lebanese politicians that led to the deterioration of the economic, social and financial conditions in the country. "The political officials who brought the country to an economic, financial and social meltdown did so because they neglected God's voice in their conscience," he said. Rahi also stressed the importance of forming an emergency, neutral, non-partisan cabinet to tend to the pending economic and financial dossiers. The Prelate denounced the hostilities against the Lebanese army and security forces in one of the protest demonstrations, saying: "Such behavior violates the dignity of the army and the dignity of the citizens who believe in the Lebanese state."Finally, he called on "protestors not to cut off the main roads in all areas, so that citizens can move easily and enjoy the Christmas and New Year holidays."

'Revolution Fist' raised at Zahle's main roundabout
NNA/December 22/2019
The civil movement in Zahle raised this afternoon an embodiment of the "Revolution Fist" at the city's main roundabout, during a popular celebration in which crowds from the towns of Saadnayel, Taalabaya, al-Marj, Bar Elias, Jdita and other neighboring areas participated, as national songs and Christmas carols echoed in the background. The celebration ended with the distribution of gifts marking the festive season to the participating children, while the women of the movement offered homemade sweets to those partaking in the popular ceremony.

Italian Foreign Minister visits Beirut on Monday
NNA/December 22/2019
In a press release by the Italian Embassy in Beirut today, it announced the visit of the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, to Lebanon on Monday, December 23rd, 2019. Minister Di Maio will meet his Lebanese counterpart, caretaker Minister Gebran Bassil, and pay a visit to UNIFIL headquarters and to the Italian contingent operating within UNIFIL in South Lebanon.

Nawaf Salam: I was subjected to a defamation campaign to which I found no reason to respond, and I was touched by the confidence that many Lebanese accorded me
NNA/December 22/2019
In an issued statement by the Lebanese Judge at the International Court of Justice, Lebanon's former ambassador to the United Nations, Nawaf Salam, he indicated that he was subjected to a "defamation campaign" to which he found no reason to respond "because it was not based on any evidence."
He added: "I was deeply touched by the confidence that was shown to me by many of the young women and men of my country and the people of free opinion and noble stances in it, especially those who seek the establishment of a true democratic state."
Salam said he remains committed to the principle of reservation, in light of his current role as a judge in the International Court of Justice. "What further confirms the groundless slanders directed against me is that the hundreds of stances I took and the addresses I made in defense of Lebanon, and the issues of the Arabs and Palestine, are fully documented," he said, noting that "in none of them nor in any of my books and published articles can a single utterance be found that could be considered a base for any of these slanders.""What saddens me here is the belief by these individuals that they can continue to underestimate people's minds, and work on the assumption that it would suffice to repeat the lie in order for it to become a reality," added Salam. He concluded by stressing that what's most important, in the end, is how deeply moved he felt by the trust invested in him by many Lebanese young men and women, "those who seek to have a true democratic state, a state of inclusive citizenship and social justice, a civil state that is based on the rule of law and which upholds the principle of accountability."
"They have all my appreciation and a thousand greetings. Perhaps in this confidence, too, is the best response to this defamation campaign," Salam underlined.

Army: What happened at the Madfoun Bridge checkpoint today was merely a 'strict inspection'
NNA/December 22/2019
In a statement issued by the Lebanese Army Command's Orientation Directorate this evening, it indicated that "contrary to what has been reported through some media outlets and social media platforms, the Army leadership clarifies that what happened at the Madfoun Bridge today was merely a strict inspection that falls within the framework of the security measures adopted by the army units."The statement categorically denied that any of the buses were prevented from crossing. It also indicated that a number of individuals tried to object to the search operation, refusing to comply with the army checkpoint instructions and orders, and hence were briefly detained and then released. It added that several sticks and masks were found inside the buses.

Molotov Hurled at Christmas Tree in Dinniyeh
Naharnet/December 22/2019
Unknown assailants hurled a Molotov cocktail overnight at a Christmas tree that is being set up on the main street of the northern town of Sir al-Dinniyeh, the National News Agency reported on Sunday.
The attack burned the tree as the attackers fled to an unknown destination, NNA said. “This morning, organizers repaired the damages and are preparing the tree to be ready before Christmas Eve, which will be marked Tuesday,” the agency added. Security forces have since launched an investigation to arrest the suspects. A similar attack had targeted a Christmas tree in Tripoli in recent days. The perpetrators of that incident were eventually arrested.

Lebanon's new prime minister must stand up to Hezbollah
The National/December 22/2019
The terror group's backing helped Hassan Diab get the top job – now he must confront its influence
After nearly two months without a leader or a government while a major financial crisis looms on the horizon, Lebanese politicians have chosen a prime minister expected to lead the nation out of its current deadlock.
Hassan Diab is not officially a member of any political party but he is backed by Hezbollah and its allies. He is a relatively unknown politician and was working as a professor and vice president at the American University of Beirut, when he was assigned the job on Thursday. Mr Diab has been tasked with an almost impossible mission: to save a country on the verge of economic collapse, one which has been rocked by nationwide protests since October 17. But little is known about Mr Diab’s political ideas and his tangible achievements, aside from the abundance of academic papers, biographical details and inspirational quotes he has previously shared with the world via his website. His tenure as minister of education from 2011 to 2013 as part of former prime minister Najib Mikati’s Hezbollah-leaning government – the only cabinet position he has ever held prior to his nomination as prime minister – was marked by the renaming of a public school after his late mother, as well as publishing books costing the ministry an estimated $50,000 on what appears to be Mr Diab’s favourite topic: his life, aspirations and accolades. They included a 1,000-page publication titled Documentary of Events During Minister Hassan Diab’s Term at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, detailing all the events he attended and speeches he gave as minister.
Protesters have queried whether these credentials and others cited on his 134-page curriculum vitae, available online, qualify him for the toughest job in Lebanon. In a section on his website entitled My Vision, he includes inspirational quotes by renowned men of letters, from Confucius to Ralph Waldo Emerson, whose words of wisdom are interspersed with citations from his own speeches. He writes, for example, that what he envisages “is nothing less than changing the world but I realise that the first step is to change oneself” – a laudable, if aspirational, intention and one that Lebanese citizens will no doubt be holding him to account for in the coming weeks.
So far, his profile has yet to convince Lebanese protesters to go home, or that the president has finally found the right person to end endemic corruption and mismanagement of government funds, and reform the country’s political system. Demonstrations continued over the weekend after Mr Diab’s nomination failed to secure Sunni support, even from Mr Mikati and his bloc, under which he had served. The only members of parliament who backed his nomination belong to Hezbollah and its allies Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement – a worrying sign of the group’s attempts to subvert the delicate balance of Lebanese politics. That Mr Diab comes with the backing of the likes of caretaker foreign minister Gebran Bassil – a man whose polarising rhetoric has stigmatised Syrian and Palestinian refugees – is deeply disconcerting. This does not bode well for the future of Lebanon as a Hezbollah-backed prime minister could attract more US sanctions and steer the country further away from the international community and its historic allies in the Arab world, at a time when Beirut needs them most. He has yet to convince Lebanese protesters to go home, or that the president has finally found the right person to end endemic corruption and mismanagement. Mr Diab has denied the claim that he is beholden to Hezbollah and insists he is the technocrat the protesters have been calling for to head a government of experts without political affiliations, one of the key demands of the uprising. He says he will prioritise winning support from US and western allies. Hezbollah and its affiliated groups oppose the idea of a government composed solely of technocrats and have been lobbying for a cabinet that includes sectarian politicians. Whether Mr Diab will manage to nominate a more neutral government and stand up to the very leaders who have made his political career so far remains to be seen. For the sake of Lebanon, one can only hope he will stick to his declaration to make his country – if not the world – a better place.

What doesn’t kill Lebanon’s revolution only makes it stronger
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/December 22/2019
Protesters rail at Iranian interference, while foreign donors refuse to bankroll a militant-dominated regime — so the authorities nominate a Hezbollah-favored candidate to be prime minister.
Lebanese warn that their nation is held hostage by violent and unaccountable paramilitaries — so these same paramilitaries prove these claims true by escalating their attacks on peaceful rallies.
People demand abolishment of the corrupt, sectarian system — so the president stubbornly aims to force through a Cabinet apparently chosen to alienate ordinary Lebanese even more than its predecessors did.
In what some commentators are describing as a “counter-revolution” against the protest movement, Sunni politician Hassan Diab has been nominated as prime minister, having been wined and dined by Gebran Bassil at the presidential palace. Given the expected boycott by the main Sunni, Druze and Christian factions, the resulting Cabinet is likely to be a bizarre mixture of nonentities and Hezbollah acolytes. After two months of protests, citizens won’t be placated or deceived by such desperate, self-serving maneuvers.
Despite Hezbollah having murdered his father, Saad Hariri justified participation in previous Hezbollah-sponsored governments as the price to be paid for civil peace. Yet peace for its own sake, while Iran-aligned factions bankrupted the nation — financially, politically and morally — ultimately proved worthless.
Lebanon’s economy is in freefall. Over 10 percent of Lebanese companies went out of business in 2019, a further 22 percent cut staff by over 60 percent, and the collapse of several major corporations is just around the corner. Those lucky enough to retain their jobs have had their salaries slashed.
This is precisely why protesters must not back down now. If they return meekly to their homes, this painful process will simply reignite in the future — over and over again. Protests are about forcing the state to embark on emergency surgery, cutting away decades of accumulated cancerous tissue to save the patient’s life. If Lebanon is simply put to bed with an aspirin and a warm drink, the only possible prognosis is a slow and painful death.
Lebanon’s entrenched political class in its entirety (“kilon yanni kilon,” or “all of them means all of them,” as the protesters chant) has bled Lebanon white. In one decade it plunged from 63rd to 143rd place on the global Corruption Perceptions Index, and is thus among the most corrupt kleptocracies on the planet. One percent of the population hoards an estimated 25 percent of the nation’s wealth, forcing penniless citizens to shoulder a debt-to-GDP ratio of 150 percent, rendering debt-servicing an intolerable burden.
Bassil and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah blame protesters for damaging the economy, but the protests were the straw that broke the camel’s back after their criminal enterprises left the coffers empty. Even before the demonstrations, GDP growth averaged 0-0.3 percent and in recent weeks the currency has lost 30 percent of its value.
Despite Hezbollah having murdered his father, Saad Hariri justified participation in previous Hezbollah-sponsored governments as the price to be paid for civil peace.
The economy has been cannibalized by entities hostile to Lebanon’s existence. The smuggling to Syria of over $1.7 billion in hard currency, and the exploitation of Lebanon’s financial networks to launder funds for Tehran, have crippled the banking system. International sanctions resulting from these abuses, and the reluctance of Gulf investors to risk their wealth in this morass of criminality, have worsened the plight of this erstwhile regional banking hub.
Lebanon’s modest population during peak tourist seasons is habitually dwarfed by the influx of millions of Khaleejis, Westerners, and Lebanon’s own vast diaspora. Yet how can tourism flourish when Beirut’s streets are teeming with theocratic militants noisily jostling for war with Israel? Panicking hotel owners report a collapse in occupancy from approaching 100 percent to below 10 percent. Everything inherently precious has been trampled underfoot by the thugs and terrorists who have labored to turn Lebanon into a pariah state.
A veteran Western diplomat commented to me that one of the best hopes for Lebanon emerging from the current stand-off was if France and its allies assertively intervened. Yet he feared that such multilateral diplomatic action via the EU and UN would be forthcoming only if there were widespread bloodletting perpetrated by Hezbollah against Christian and minority communities.
The endgame may be some distance away, but in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, Iran’s hegemonic project can end only in failure. Recent events have burnt away the last vestiges of support for Tehran’s proxies. In Iraq, Ayatollah Sistani’s call for fresh Iraqi elections (if free and fair) would produce a collapse in support for paramilitary elements who have spent the past two months massacring their own Shiite grassroots constituents. Hezbollah’s Lebanese supporters are either in demoralized denial, or have already begun to re-evaluate their allegiances.
What of Hezbollah’s manufactured outrage over a spurious critical social media post? They went on the rampage in Tripoli, attacked the home of a Sunni cleric, and firebombed a Christmas tree; do they believe such cartoonish gangsterism will endear them to citizens? Of course not. This is Tehran’s “axis of resistance” in its death throes, willing to countenance dragging Lebanon back toward sectarian strife in a final, desperate throw of the dice to cling on to power.
Lebanese genuinely fear a return to civil war, or Hezbollah returning to its favored tactic of political assassinations, particularly following reports that the Quds Force commander Qassim Soleimani threatened to assassinate Iraqi cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr if he continued to back protesters.
However, if people remain steadfastly united, determined and focused on their objectives, they can ultimately defeat these malevolent attempts to terrorize, brutalize and humiliate them; whether through threats, violence or political maneuvering, each new attempt to kill off the revolution has only made protesters more determined. This is merely the darkness before the dawn if citizens succeed in taking that final leap of faith; abolishing the last vestiges of a hated and predatory sectarian system that for too long has created only misery, poverty and national isolation.
• Baria Alamuddin is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in the Middle East and the UK. She is editor of the Media Services Syndicate and has interviewed numerous heads of state.

Downtown Beirut now feels different
Perla Kantarjian/Annahar 22/2019
The tone of its streets is no longer strictly plush and exclusive, but inclusive and reflective of the diversity that weaves Lebanon’s copious social fabric.
BEIRUT: For years, the feelings of detachment and disinterest have accompanied my visits to the Beirut Central District. “I am out of place here,” I used to think. “This is where the café society and the country club set people are let loose.” However, that’s not the case anymore.
Ever since Lebanon’s October revolution, Beirut Central District has captured a special spot in my heart. I now intentionally pass through the core of Beirut, whether by foot or car, only to get a whiff of the air of revolution encircling and enveloping Martyrs’ Square, Riad El Solh square, and all the spots that gladly carried the weight of the thousands of protesters, along with their built-up rage and flaming persistence.
When I think of being on the streets of Beirut Central District before October 17, I clearly recall the depthless dialogues I used to overhear that acted as accelerating fuels for my walking speed. I remember how there, the atmosphere was heavily brimmed with the scent of 6$ croissants and dizzying perfumes.
Nonetheless, I also remember how the imagery I used to experience there, despite being displeasing, had always felt like an innate representation of Beirut’s business district. After all, things had been that way since the very first time I set foot there as a little girl.
For the last 64 days, however, the entire terrain of that area has regained the yearning and the admiration of thousands of Lebanese who deemed it “unwelcoming,” including myself.
These days, I enter Beirut Central District having already parked my car miles away to traipse through its now-responsive trails and experience the new rush of emotions that area has been stimulating in me ever since the dawn of the revolution.
The tone of its streets is no longer strictly plush and exclusive, but inclusive and reflective of the diversity that weaves Lebanon’s copious social fabric.
Now, walking around in the central district of Beirut feels venturous.
There, the revolutionaries have found a way to remind everyone of their resolute presence upon those streets. The words “REVOLUTION” and “reLOVEution” are sketched over its walls. Slogans like “TO HELL WITH CORRUPTION” and “ALL OF THEM MEANS ALL OF THEM” are spray-painted on shop fronts and fences. Now, the dialogues I overhear in Downtown Beirut are no longer concerning high-end fashion or first-rate travel destinations, but about how to use the central district of Beirut as a platform to express the Lebanese voice: their demands to overthrow a corrupt regime and bring back a Lebanon in which life doesn’t feel like a fatal struggle.
I look at the structural elements of Downtown Beirut and smile now; it’s where millions of Lebanese have cried, danced, sang, screamed, and revolted together for days and days. It’s where the “revolution fist” rose like a phoenix in a matter of a few hours, despite being burnt down to ashes by people who opposed what it represented.Lebanon’s October revolution took root on October 17 in the sacred grounds of Martyrs’ Square in Downtown Beirut, and like a domino effect, spread around and sprouted up its buds in countless areas in the country, marking this event the largest revolution Lebanon has ever witnessed.May the seed of the revolution grow peacefully and bear its desired fruit.

Bankrupt and exposed, Hezbollah has no answers for Lebanese
Eli Fawaz/December 22/2019
The protests in Lebanon, which erupted in October over a proposal to tax calls on the WhatsApp service, are, in contrast to the so-called Cedar Revolution of 2005, primarily economic in nature. But the economic grievance has channeled the people’s anger at Lebanon’s political system. For the first time, the Lebanese are blaming the sectarian system for the social, financial and economic crises they are experiencing.
The protest slogan “all of them means all of them” — a reference to Lebanon’s sectarian political leaders — expresses people’s distrust in and exasperation with the political class. For thirty years, the Lebanese have been deprived of basic services like electricity and clean water, waste management, reliable infrastructure, and a sound economy. Instead they find themselves broke, impoverished and ripped off by a corrupt, predatory political class that was using state funds to enrich itself and solidify its narrow support base.
This cross-sectarian, cross-regional disaffection with the sectarian system sounded the alarm for the most powerful actor in that system: Hezbollah. In fact, following the withdrawal of Syrian forces in 2005, Hezbollah has come to dominate the Lebanese political system. It quickly understood that the protests against the system posed a direct threat to its control.
Hezbollah’s control of Lebanese politics is attributable to certain key factors. First is the group’s military power, which it employs throughout the region, namely in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. It has leveraged this military power in Lebanon as well. On May 7, 2008, for example, Hezbollah fighters captured sections of west Beirut and attacked its domestic rivals in clashes that killed 62 people across the country. The fighting ended with a Qatari-negotiated agreement that gave Hezbollah veto power in a new national-unity government.
Hezbollah’s military supremacy in Lebanon is evident first and foremost in that it alone holds the decision to wage war against Israel. To that end, it has dug several cross-border attack tunnels from southern Lebanon into Israel. It has also allegedly established several facilities to assemble precision-guided missiles with Iranian supervision. In addition, it freely transports heavy equipment and fighters from Lebanon across the border to prosecute its wars in Syria and beyond.
The second factor is economic and financial. US sanctions on Hezbollah’s illicit financial activity have had an impact on Lebanon in that they revealed that the bubble Lebanon enjoyed for some years was largely the result of money laundering by Hezbollah and its business associates. We now know that Hezbollah was laundering up to two hundred million dollars a month through the Lebanese Canadian Bank, which the US Treasury Department sanctioned in 2011. This money laundering scheme spurred the construction boom of luxury residential towers in Beirut, with unjustified square meter prices rivaling those in New York. This scheme helped increase the gains of the banking sector by billions of dollars a year. Even though the result was a dramatic slowdown in growth, this artificial economy based on money laundering activities gave Hezbollah unmatched economic power.
This economic power extended to the micro-level. Because of the protection they enjoyed from the party, Hezbollah business associates were able to bring in to the country products, from home appliances to cellular phones and construction materials, without paying taxes and fees. This allowed them to sell below market price, making it almost impossible to compete with them.
The government and its agencies were not simply unable but also unwilling to stop Hezbollah from conducting these illicit activities. Rather, they were complicit. Everyone was benefiting one way or another from the Hezbollah-controlled status quo.
Today, Hezbollah is at an impasse. US sanctions targeting Hezbollah’s criminal and illicit financial empire from Latin America to Africa, coupled with a maximum pressure campaign on Iran, are taking a heavy toll on the group’s purse. The Lebanese economy has effectively collapsed because it has always counted on the artificial bubble created by Hezbollah’s illegal activities, for which Lebanon serves as a center. The state has no more funds and the world is watching as everything crumbles, demanding serious reforms before considering any financial aid.
According to some local statistics, 160,000 employees have either lost their jobs or are being paid half salary since the start of the crisis. Inflation has risen considerably, and the Lebanese pound has so far lost a third of its value to the dollar. Remittances, a main sources of capital inflow, have dropped significantly due to lack of confidence in the banking sector. The number of protesters is expected to grow in the coming months.
If it has been relatively easy for Hezbollah to control the Lebanese state and political system, it might prove much harder for it to control the street and the protesters. Resorting to violence, although an option, will most likely increase the possibility of civil war, something the party probably wants to avoid, as it will weaken its geopolitical position considerably. Meanwhile, accepting the terms of the protesters in imposing transparency, accountability, an end to corruption and the recovery of funds stolen by politicians would mean an end of the political system as it exists, and which Hezbollah controls.
The future is uncertain for Lebanon. But one thing is certain: the Lebanon that emerges from this tunnel will be different.

Naming of prime minister-designate adds to Lebanon unrest
Simon Speakman Cordall/The Arab Weekly/December 22/2019
TUNIS - With unrest continuing across Lebanon, the naming of not widely known former minister Hassan Diab as prime minister-designate could open a new chapter in the fraught relations between the government and the country’s increasingly agitated population.
Anti-government demonstrators poured into central Beirut, protesting Diab being chosen for the post soon after the decision was announced. Across Lebanon, the Daily Star reported, roads were blocked as protesters rejected the former education minister’s selection.
For several weeks, protesters called for replacing Lebanon’s confessional system of government with a technocratic one. This would preclude parties representing the countries’ various sects from government.
While those demands were echoed among many senior politicians, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), the Amal Movement and Iran-backed Hezbollah were insistent that any government include a mix of technocrats and politicians.
Popular anger was initially triggered by a series of small events, including a proposed tax on the WhatsApp messaging service, it “morphed quickly into protesters demanding a drastic overhaul of the country’s political system,” said Emily Hawthorne, a MENA analyst at risk consultancy Stratfor.
“That is much easier said than done in Lebanon, where a complicated confessional system of governance in some ways predates even the modern country’s founding and was reinforced after the civil war’s end in 1990. The entrenched system is trying to defend itself against political reforms that risk eroding their power with sectarian constituencies,” she said.
Diab’s backing by the Shia Hezbollah and Amal, as well as their largest Christian ally, the FPM, could prove problematic. His lack of support from Lebanon’s main Sunni bloc is unlikely to help him form a new government or secure the Western backing that Lebanon desperately needs.
The severity of Lebanon’s financial circumstances is difficult to overstate. The confessional system of government, in which roles and ministries are allocated by sect, has become overwhelmed by corruption and little of the country’s infrastructure is functional.
The Lebanese pound has fallen to one-third of its official rate while banks impose tight capital controls. Across Lebanon, companies are cutting jobs and squeezing salaries.
“A government with a Hezbollah-backed prime minister would be even less likely to secure support from the Gulf countries… and might also potentially reduce the chances of Lebanon getting support from the [International Monetary Fund] if the US raises concerns,” Jason Tuvey, a senior emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, told Reuters.
The increasingly sectarian nature of the violence in the streets continues, something Diab’s appointment is unlikely to ease.
On December 16, hundreds of men on motorbikes crowded Beirut’s streets, carrying flags of Shia groups as they chanted, “Shia, Shia,” setting tyres on fire, throwing stones at security forces and setting cars ablaze, witnesses said.
The men, reportedly incensed by a video criticising Amal officials, including parliament Speaker Nabih Berry and religious symbols such as Imam Ali, attempted to break through a security cordon around a makeshift campsite erected by anti-government protesters. Security services used tear gas to push them back. The latest violence came after an especially brutal mid-December weekend in which 40 people were injured after police intervened to separate Amal and Hezbollah supporters from attacking protesters in central Beirut. Violence, however, escalated and police resorted to rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to regain control of Beirut’s city centre. “From the start, there has always been a concern that the protests could either turn sectarian, violent or both,” said Mouna Yacoubian, a senior adviser at the United States Institute of Peace.
“Indeed, the fact that the protests have still remained relatively peaceful is remarkable in and of itself given Lebanon’s history of civil war and conflict,” Yacoubian said. “The current unrest is largely the result of sectarian actors instigating greater violence by attempting to inject a sectarian element into the protests and by resorting to more aggressive tactics, e.g. throwing stones, in confrontation with security forces.”Little of the violence appears to be directed by any of the parties’ leadership. While Amal and Hezbollah were initially critical of the anti-government protests, their position has become more accommodating, raising questions about the motivations behind the violence. “What is more concerning is the prospect that some of the violence is being generated from the grass roots and that party and religious leaders have less control over these elements,” Yacoubian said.

Hezbollah-backed PM-designate faces backlash from Sunnis
Samar Kadi/The Arab Weekly/December 22/2019
BEIRUT - The nomination of Hezbollah-backed Hassan Diab as prime minister-designate to form Lebanon’s so-called “salvation government” will unlikely help the debt-ridden country to overcome its worst socio-economic and financial crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.
Diab’s designation, which came after caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri pulled out of the race, was endorsed by a weak majority in parliament comprising Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies, Shia Amal Movement and President Michel Aoun’s Christian Free Patriotic Movement.
Hariri’s Future Movement bloc did not nominate a candidate in the much-delayed consultations with the president. Other blocs nominated former Ambassador to the United Nations Nawaf Salam.
Analysts said Diab’s failure to secure a consensus, especially from his Sunni community at exceptionally difficult times, makes it more complicated for him to form an inclusive government.
“Today we have a mobilisation of the Sunni community,” said political analyst Johnny Mounayar. “Whether they like Saad Hariri or not, the Sunnis feel that they have been humiliated and marginalised by Diab’s appointment. The mood is very tense and might be a prelude to Sunni-Shia friction.”Under Lebanon’s sectarian-based political system the prime minister should come from the Sunni community and is usually backed by the community’s main leaders.
“Diab has been stamped in the Western media as Hezbollah’s candidate and his government, regardless of how many ‘technocrats’ it will include, will be regarded as a Hezbollah-dominated administration,” Mounayar said. “A government dominated by Hezbollah, which has been targeted by increasingly biting US sanctions, is unlikely to secure billions of dollars in frozen aid for which Lebanon is in bad need.”
“We are obviously heading towards a polarised government which will not gain any international support because the US-Iran talks have not matured yet and Lebanon will be part of any US-Iran deal. The West wants to make Iran pay a price in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria,” Mounayar added.
Diab, a 60-year-old professor at American University of Beirut largely unknown to the public, served as minister of education from 2011-14 in a government formed after Hezbollah brought down a previous Hariri cabinet.
Following Diab’s appointment, protesters gathered in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, the epicentre of the protests, and cut off roads. They rejected Diab and cast him as part of the old class of politicians they are revolting against.
“I see the country is going to waste. With this kind of government, no one will deal with it, no Arab, no Europe and no US,” Saeb Hujrat, a protester in the square, told the Associated Press.
In his first public address, Diab, who described himself as an “independent,” said he would work quickly to form a government in consultations with all political parties and representatives of the protest movement.
He said he is committed to a reform plan and described the current situation as “critical and sensitive” requiring exceptional efforts and collaboration.
A daunting task awaits Diab and his efforts to form a government will almost certainly hit snags in the deeply divided country, even if Hezbollah and its allies sought to facilitate his mission, journalist Amin Kammourieh said.
“His (Diab’s) appointment could be a test,” Kammourieh said. “If (economic and political) pressures at home and from the international community exacerbated, Hezbollah and its allies might reconsider Diab’s eligibility or they would go for a unilateral government and take all the challenges that come with it.”
Visiting US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale encouraged Lebanese politicians to commit to the necessary reforms that can lead to a stable, prosperous and secure country.
“It’s time to put aside partisan interests and act in the national interest,” Hale said, adding the 2-month-old anti-government protests reflected the Lebanese people’s “longstanding and legitimate demands for economic and institutional reform, better governance and an end to endemic corruption.”
Demonstrators of all sectarian backgrounds have been in the streets every day since October 17 to demand the removal of the entire political leadership, seen as corrupt and incompetent.
Pierre Issa, secretary-general of the National Bloc party, which is participating in the protest movement, said protesters are mostly unhappy with Diab’s appointment and would continue demonstrating.
“We fear Diab might form a cosmetic cabinet of experts who are effectively controlled by political parties and this won’t solve the crisis,” Issa said.

Beirut Christmas carolling comes with a revolutionary twist
Samar Kadi/The Arab Weekly/December 22/2019
BEIRUT - While the drums of the popular anti-government rebellion were beating in Beirut’s streets during violent clashes in recent days, Christmas carols and Muslim Sufi hymns were sung in churches for the annual Beirut Chants Festival. The pre-Christmas event, with 28 free concerts over December 1-23, offered the public a much-needed break from the pressures of the political and socio-economic crisis gripping Lebanon as attendees indulged in peaceful and spiritual, yet revolutionary, musical performances. “We believe that music should be free for all, as we believe in tolerance and coexistence among different cultures and religions because we believe in unity,” said Micheline Abi Samra, founder of Beirut Chants Festival. “Definitely the intercultural Islamic-Christian aspect is always present in the festival, and every year it is more pronounced and more sophisticated. Quranic chants are being chanted in churches at the same time as Christmas carols to encourage tolerance and mutual acceptance and understanding and to get to know each other better,” Abi Samra said.
Since the festival was founded 12 years ago, Lebanon has united each December for concerts in that very spirit, using culture and music to spread a message of hope for the country. This year it is even more pronounced with the anti-government rebellion that united protesters across Lebanon’s religions and regions.
The concerts draw thousands of people to churches around Beirut every night for one or two hours of music — some classical, some religious and some unexpected, such as the revolutionary and nationalistic songs that marked some of this year’s concerts.
“This year, it is a miracle that we are still going on. I myself cannot believe it when I look at the churches and I see that every single night crowds are more numerous with different ages, different backgrounds and yet they are one when they listen to beautiful music,” Abi Samra said.
Beirut Chants is not just about bringing culture to the masses and bonding over beautiful music; it is also about voicing a powerful message.
One of the most acclaimed concerts was a religious event that combined Quranic singing by Muslim cleric Sheikh Ahmad Hawili and soprano Ghada Shbeir at the Saint Joseph Church in downtown Beirut.
Sheikh Hawili, a Lebanese Sufi singer, and Shbeir, who has a doctorate in Syriac chants, the oldest form of Christian singing, enchanted the audience. “I found it unique and mesmerising,” said audience member Randa Imad. “The fact that there are a cleric and a vocalist singing lyrics from the Quran and the Bible, sometimes as a duo or alternately, was fascinating. The church was packed. The atmosphere was great. They even placed seats in the alleys to accommodate the crowd.”
Beirut Chants began in 2007 when Abi Samra said she wanted to make use of the beautifully renovated churches in Beirut and thought to bring life to those spaces to “feel that the community is participating and living the Christmas spirit in a beautiful way.”
The revolutionary mood prevailing in Lebanon affected this year’s festival, intertwining with the Christmas spirit.
Members of the rebellious young generation seeking change while expressing their attachment to Lebanon were well-served by Lebanese musician, composer and pianist Guy Manoukian, accompanying al Fayha choir, a group of 100 singers from all denominations. National and patriotic songs inflamed the Assembly Hall at the American University of Beirut (AUB), where the concert took place. “What I lived in that particular concert I haven’t lived for 12 years since Beirut Chants started. The national mood and the ambiance were already there… Emotions were high. People sang along and cried,” Abi Samra said. The performance by an ensemble from the Balamand University Choir and soprano Reem Deeb at the Assembly Hall was another highlight of the festival. Deeb presented a surprise song that sounded as a perfect contribution to the revolutionary situation. Some of the lyrics translate as follows: “In times of pain and poverty, Beirut cries for people’s hunger and people’s eyes weep for people’s thirst, yet, the Christmas spirit gives people back their dignity and faith.”
An AUB student who attended the performance said the surprise anthem was “a beautiful addition to the festival, especially in times of hopelessness.”
The people who gave standing ovations at the concerts understood the message of love and tolerance and the big hope that the differences in the Lebanese society are its strengths, Abi Samra said.
“We should work on more projects that make us all one nation,” she added. Lebanon has been rocked by unprecedented popular protests over official mismanagement and corruption since October 17.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 22-23/2019
Syrian state media says Israel is firing missiles into Syria
Al Arabiya English/The Associated Press/Monday, 23 December 2019
Syrian air defenses opened fire Sunday night on missiles fired from inside Israel, state media reported. Missiles above the capital Damascus and drones above the Hama Military Airport have been intercepted, according to state media. Syrian state TV gave no further details but residents of Damascus said explosions could be heard near the capital.
There was no immediate comment from Israel. Last month, Israel said it struck dozens of Iranian targets in Syria in a “wide-scale” operation in response to rocket fire on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights the day before. Israel has repeatedly struck Iran-linked targets in Syria in recent years and has warned against any permanent Iranian presence on the frontier. In November, Israel killed a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an Iran-backed group in the Gaza Strip, setting off two days of heavy fighting. A separate airstrike targeted but failed to kill an Islamic Jihad leader in Damascus, underscoring the risk of escalation at various pressure points across the volatile region.

Israel reverses ban, Gaza Christians can visit Christmas sites
Reuters, Jerusalem/Monday, 23 December 2019
Christians in the Gaza Strip will be allowed to visit holy cities such as Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas, Israel authorities said on Sunday, reversing a decision not to issue them permits. Israel tightly restricts movements out of the Gaza Strip, territory controlled by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that it considers a terrorist organization. In a break from its usual Christmas holiday policy, Israel’s military liaison to the Palestinians said on December 12 that in accordance with “security orders”, Gaza Christians would be allowed to travel abroad but none would be permitted to go to Israel or the occupied West Bank. On Sunday, the liaison office, known as COGAT, announced on Twitter that its director has “extended the travel facilitations for the Christian population of Gaza for the Christmas holiday.”As a result, COGAT said, “entry permits for Jerusalem and for the West Bank will be issued in accordance with security assessments and without regard to age.”Gaza has only around 1,000 Christians, most of them Greek Orthodox, in a population of 2 million in the narrow coastal strip. Last year, Israel granted permits for close to 700 Gaza Christians to travel to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and other holy cities that draw thousands of pilgrims each holiday season. Christian leaders in Jerusalem had condemned the initial entry ban and said they would appeal to Israeli authorities to lift it.

US sanctions against Iran are a ‘reckless addiction’: Iran foreign minister
Reuters, Geneva/Sunday, 22 December 2019
US sanctions against Iran are a “reckless addiction” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Sunday. “The US’ approach to sanctions betrays a pathological and reckless addiction – a condition that renders no bounds or boundary to what the US may or may not do,” Zarif wrote. “And this addictive behavior affects friends and foes alike, unless collectively pushed back.”Friction between Tehran and Washington has increased since last year when US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six nations and re-imposed sanctions on the country, crippling its economy.

Iraqi official: President signaled resignation if pressured to appoint al-Suhail
Leen Alfaisal, Al Arabiya English/Sunday, 22 December 2019
An Iraqi official said on Sunday that President Barham Saleh signaled he might resign if pressure continued to appoint a prime minister candidate whom Iraqis do not approve of. Sunday marks the latest deadline – already pushed back twice by the president – for parliament to choose a new premier to replace Adel Abdel Mahdi, who tendered his administration’s resignation last month. Officials say neighbor Iran, a key player in Iraqi politics, wants to install Qusay al-Suhail, who served as education minister in the government of Abdel Mahdi. But protesters categorically reject his candidacy, along with anyone from the wider political establishment that has been in place since dictator Saddam Hussein was deposed in 2003.With AFP.

Thousands protest in Iraq as deadline for new PM looms
AFP, Diwaniyah/Sunday, 22 December 2019
Thousands of protesters blocked roads and public buildings in southern Iraq Sunday, as the latest deadline for choosing a new prime minister loomed. Anti-government rallies have rocked Baghdad and the Shia-majority south since October 1, with demonstrators calling for a complete overhaul of a regime they deem corrupt and inefficient. “The revolution continues!” shouted one demonstrator at a protest encampment in central Diwaniyah. Protesters blocked off public buildings one by one in the southern Iraqi city, and put up banners reading “The country is under construction -- please excuse the disruption.”Overnight, protesters in Diwaniyah and Basra, another southern city, had declared a “general strike.” Sunday marks the latest deadline - already pushed back twice by President Barham Saleh - for parliament to choose a new premier to replace Adel Abdel Mahdi, who tendered his administration's resignation last month. Officials say neighbor Iran, a key player in Iraqi politics, wants to install Qusay al-Suhail, who served as education minister in the government of Abdel Mahdi. But protesters categorically reject his candidacy, along with anyone from the wider political establishment that has been in place since dictator Saddam Hussein was deposed in 2003. The protest movement has lost momentum in recent weeks as it has been hit by intimidation, including assassinations perpetrated by militias, according to the UN. Around 460 people have been killed since the protests began nearly three months ago, and some 25,000 have been wounded. But the movement appeared to regain some confidence on Sunday. Dozens of protesters blocked roads linking southern cities to Baghdad with burning tyres, an AFP correspondent said. In Karbala and Najaf, two Shia holy cities, striking students closed schools and gathered in their thousands, AFP correspondents said. In Nasiriyah, protesters blocked bridges and several roads while all public buildings remained closed. Protesters are demanding the fall of Saleh and parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbussi, accusing them of procrastinating.

Thousands Protest in Iraq as Deadline for New PM Looms
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December 22/2019
Thousands of protesters blocked roads and public buildings in southern Iraq Sunday, as the latest deadline for choosing a new prime minister loomed. Anti-government rallies have rocked Baghdad and the Shiite-majority south since October 1, with demonstrators calling for a complete overhaul of a regime they deem corrupt and inefficient. "The revolution continues!" shouted one demonstrator at a protest encampment in central Diwaniyah. Protesters blocked off public buildings one by one in the southern Iraqi city, and put up banners reading "The country is under construction -- please excuse the disruption". Overnight, protesters in Diwaniyah and Basra, another southern city, had declared a "general strike". Sunday marks the latest deadline -- already pushed back twice by President Barham Saleh -- for parliament to choose a new premier to replace Adel Abdel Mahdi, who tendered his administration's resignation last month. Officials say neighbor Iran, a key player in Iraqi politics, wants to install Qusay al-Suhail, who served as education minister in the government of Abdel Mahdi. But protesters categorically reject his candidacy, along with anyone from the wider political establishment that has been in place since dictator Saddam Hussein was deposed in 2003. The protest movement has lost momentum in recent weeks as it has been hit by intimidation, including assassinations perpetrated by militias, according to the UN. Around 460 people have been killed since the protests began nearly three months ago, and some 25,000 have been wounded. But the movement appeared to regain some confidence on Sunday. Dozens of protesters blocked roads linking southern cities to Baghdad with burning tires, an AFP correspondent said. In Karbala and Najaf, two Shiite holy cities, striking students closed schools and gathered in their thousands, AFP correspondents said. In Nasiriyah, protesters blocked bridges and several roads while all public buildings remained closed. Protesters are demanding the fall of Saleh and parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbussi, accusing them of procrastinating.

Syria Violence Uproots Displaced Families Again
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December 22/2019
Thin mattresses, children's toys, a gas heater: Abu Ismail packed a pick-up truck with scant belongings before fleeing a northwest Syria town nearly emptied of residents by recent regime attacks. "I don't know where I am going, if I will find a house for my family, or what will happen to us," the 42-year-old father of seven told AFP, plumes of smoke rising around him. Tens of thousands of people like Abu Ismail have fled the Maaret al-Numan region, located in jihadist-held Idlib province, since December 16, following a rise in air strikes, according to the United Nations. Thousands more are still trying to leave violence-plagued southern Idlib towards safer areas further north, but steady bombing has made the exit both dangerous and difficult, the UN says. "I don't even wish this on our enemies," Abu Ismail said of the air strikes pummeling his hometown. The Damascus government, which controls nearly 70 per cent of Syria, has repeatedly vowed to take back Idlib from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadist alliance led by Syria's former al-Qaida affiliate. Despite a ceasefire announced in August, it has intensified attacks in recent weeks and more than 280 civilians have been killed -- over 40 just in recent days.
Ground clashes with jihadists and allied rebels have also flared, leaving more than 170 dead on both sides. The escalation has left Maaret al-Numan in ruins, with mangled metal rods, shattered glass and chunks of rubble strewn across the ground.Bombed-out storefronts and crumbling buildings spill onto empty sidewalks. Several health facilities have shut down, bakeries have closed and schools have mostly been suspended since late November, according to the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA.
'Happening all over again'
The Idlib region hosts some three million people, more than half of whom have been displaced by years of violence in other parts of Syria.
Abu Ossama is one of them. The 29-year-old arrived in Maaret al-Numan around two years ago after fleeing Homs province, now under the control of government forces. Along with his wife and four children, he is once again throwing furniture, clothes and appliances into a pick-up truck. "The same sequence is happening all over again," he told AFP. "We are heading towards the unknown, with no house, no shelter and no assistance."He spoke to AFP as rescue workers known as the White Helmets helped him empty his apartment in Maaret al-Numan. The rescue group had also arranged a vehicle to drive the man and his family to safety. "We are leaving today under shelling, fearing the warplanes that never leave the sky," Abu Ossama said. "We don't know what danger is waiting for us on the road." Many of those fleeing Maaret al-Numan are heading to over-stretched camps further north, near the border with Turkey. Others are taking shelter in schools, reception halls and mosques in Idlib city and other urban centers far away from the fighting, according to OCHA. The mass displacement could not come at a worse time of year, as heavy winter rains flood squalid camps for the displaced.
'Die of hunger'
Russia and China on Friday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have extended for a year cross-border aid deliveries to four million Syrians, many of them in the Idlib region.  The move, slammed by the United States and aid groups, raised fears that UN-funded assistance could stop entering opposition-held parts of Syria from January unless an alternative agreement is found. Four million Syrians, including many in Idlib, directly benefit from the deliveries, among a total of 11 million receiving international aid inside the country eight years into its devastating war. "We only eat and drink when we receive help," said Hassan Abu Wael who has been living in a displacement camp in northern Idlib since he fled Maaret al-Numan two months ago. "If aid stops reaching us because of Russia, while we live inside flooded camps, then we will bid farewell to this world."Nearby, 60-year-old Umm Abdo expressed a similar concern."You want the people to die of hunger?" she asked rhetorically.

Erdogan says Turkey cannot handle a new migrant wave from Syria
Reuters, Ankara/Sunday, 22 December 2019
Turkey cannot handle a fresh migrant wave from Syria, President RecepTayyip Erdogan said on Sunday, adding that European nations will feel the impact of such an influx if violence in Syria’s Idlib region is not stopped. Speaking at an awards ceremony in Istanbul, Erdogan said more than 80,000 people were currently on the move from Idlib to Turkey due to Russian and Syrian bombardments in the region. He said it was inevitable for Europe to see conditions like those in the 2015 migrant crisis unless it helped stop violence in the region. Erdogan also said Turkey was doing everything possible with Russia for the bombardments in Idlib to stop. He said a Turkish delegation would go to Moscow to discuss developments in Syria on Monday, and that Turkey will determine what steps to take after those talks.

Why Does Turkey Seek a Greater Role in War-Torn Libya?
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December 22/2019
Turkey's parliament approved a security and military cooperation deal with Libya's U.N.-recognized unity government based in Tripoli on Saturday. Oil-rich Libya has been mired in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Moammar Gadhafi eight years ago.
The North African country has since become split between bitterly opposed administrations in the east and west -- each backed by outside powers. While Tripoli's Government of National Accord (GNA) in the west is supported by Turkey and Qatar, eastern-based strongman Khalifa Haftar has the backing of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Ankara is ready to send troops into Libya if requested by Tripoli, but the current agreement would not allow Turkish combatant forces to go to Libya. It would however allow military and police exchanges for training purposes and closer cooperation in fields including intelligence, counter-terrorism and defense exports. While the GNA is desperate to repel Haftar's forces from the outskirts of Tripoli, analysts say Ankara has other geopolitical interests. Here are three questions and answers on the situation.
Why has the GNA called for help?
The GNA, with the support of armed groups from Misrata, 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Tripoli, has managed to hold off Haftar's troops, who have been trying to seize the capital since April. But while frontlines are stalemated, Haftar has dominated the skies with Chinese-made Wing Loong drones supplied by his main backer the UAE, according to the United Nations and analysts. Turkey has sent the GNA Bayraktar drones to counter those of Haftar's forces, but these were low-cost in comparison and many were destroyed, said defense analyst Arnaud Delalande. Reports say that on the ground, pro-Haftar forces have recently received support from contractors with Wagner -- a private military group believed to be controlled by an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin. Russia has denied sending mercenaries to fight in Libya. "The GNA has started to see the risk" that Haftar is gaining the advantage, Delalande said.
What aid will Turkey give?
Turkey is likely to send the GNA air defense systems, including drone-jamming technology, Delalande said, alongside advisers and more modern drones. Such support could "rebalance forces" on a battlefield where Wagner has reportedly deployed anti-drone systems that have brought down an American drone and an Italian one, Delalande said. But Ankara is unlikely to deploy troops or send fighter jets to carry out strikes, Delalande said. Turkey does not have an air base close enough to Libya to carry out strikes discreetly, as Delalande said the UAE does from Egypt. Nonetheless, according to Libya expert Emad Badi, Turkish support for the GNA could be a "game-changer, depending on the form of military aid".
What's in it for Ankara? -
"Turkey's alignment with the GNA is dictated by a mix of factors" both geopolitical and ideological, said Badi, an analyst with the Middle East Institute. Turkey is primarily interested in countering the influence of its regional rivals the UAE and Egypt, who support Haftar and oppose Islamist movements close to Ankara. But it also has economic and strategic interests in supporting the GNA. Tripoli recently signed a maritime agreement with Ankara, expanding Turkey's claims over a large area of the Mediterranean. The discovery in recent years of vast gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean has put Turkey at odds with littoral states Greece, Egypt, Israel and Cyprus. While the European Union has threatened Ankara with sanctions for illegally drilling off the coast of Cyprus, Turkey hopes its accord with Tripoli will help legitimate its exploration.
Turkey, which has occupied the northern part of Cyprus since 1974, recently sent a military drone to the island, and has warned that it will block all gas exploration it does not approve of.

Canada deeply concerned with veto on humanitarian assistance in Syria
December 22, 2019 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development, today released the following statement:
“Canada is deeply disappointed by the veto of a UN resolution to continue vital cross-border humanitarian aid to Syria by Russia and China. This decision will prevent millions of Syrians from receiving aid they urgently require.
“We are particularly concerned about the situation in Idlib, where the population faces increased violence, including air strikes by the Syrian regime and Russia.
“Canada has committed over $1 billion in humanitarian, development and security assistance in response to the Syria crisis. We call on all parties to allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to populations in need.”

Libyan Strongman Haftar's Forces Seize Turkish Ship
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December 22/2019
Forces loyal to Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar have seized a Turkish ship to search its cargo, hours after the Turkish parliament approved a security and military cooperation deal with Libya.
Ankara signed the agreement with the U.N.-recognized Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) just weeks after concluding a controversial deal on maritime jurisdiction. Haftar launched an offensive in April to seize Tripoli from fighters loyal to the GNA, the latest unrest in the North Africa country since a NATO-backed uprising ousted and killed dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The Turkish ship, registered in Grenada, was taken to the port of Ras al-Helal near the eastern city of Derna "to search and verify its cargo," Ahmed al-Mesmari, the spokesman for Haftar's forces, said in a statement.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Ankara is ready to send troops into Libya if requested by Tripoli. Ankara supports the GNA led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. The latest Turkey-Libya memorandum of understanding also covers increased cooperation in the fields of intelligence, terrorism, the defense industry and migration. Haftar had in June threatened to attack Turkish interests in Libya, accusing Ankara of backing its rivals.

Afghanistan's Ghani on Track for Second Term
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December 22/2019
Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani appeared to have won a second term Sunday, narrowly scoring an outright win in preliminary polling results, but his main rival immediately vowed to challenge the tally. After months of political limbo and bitter allegations of fraud and corruption in the September 28 poll, Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) said Ghani had won 50.64 percent of the vote. If it holds, the result is enough for Ghani to avoid a run-off. He easily beat his top challenger, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who scored 39.52 percent. Candidates now have three days to file any complaints they may have before final results are announced, probably within a few weeks. As soon as results were announced, Abdullah's office said in a statement he would contest them. "We would like to make it clear once again to our people, supporters, election commission and our international allies that our team will not accept the result of this fraudulent vote unless our legitimate demands are addressed," the statement read. Abdullah lost to Ghani in 2014 in a divisive election that saw the U.S. intervene to broker an awkward power-sharing deal between the two rivals. Ghani's office did not immediately comment, but the president was due to give an address at 5:00 pm (1230 GMT). US ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass said it was vital the full electoral process plays out.
"It's important for all Afghans to remember: these results are preliminary. Many steps remain before final election results are certified, to ensure the Afghan people have confidence in the results," Bass wrote on Twitter.
Preliminary results were originally due October 19 but were repeatedly delayed amid technical issues and allegations of fraud from various candidates, particularly Abdullah. "We, with honesty, loyalty, responsibility and faithfulness completed our duty," IEC chairwoman Hawa Alam Nuristani said. "We respected every single vote because we wanted democracy to endure."
Complaints procedure
The protracted limbo between the vote and the preliminary result heaped additional uncertainty on Afghans who already are anxiously awaiting the outcome of talks between the US and the Taliban. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which provided support to electoral authorities, welcomed the announcement of preliminary results and called on the Electoral Complaints Commission to listen carefully to any grievances. "The ECC has an obligation to adjudicate any complaints it receives transparently and thoroughly so the election process may conclude in a credible manner," UNAMA head Tadamichi Yamamoto said. The election was meant to be the cleanest yet in Afghanistan's young democracy, with a German firm supplying biometric machines to stop people from voting more than once. But problems immediately emerged, with allegations of vote stuffing, illegal voting and other fraud coming almost as soon as the polls had closed. Nearly one million of the initial 2.7 million votes were purged owing to irregularities, meaning the election saw by far the lowest turnout of any Afghan poll. Ultimately, only 1.8 million votes were counted, a tiny number considering Afghanistan's estimated population of 37 million and a total of 9.6 million registered voters. Many people stayed away amid Taliban vows to attack polling stations, compounded by voter apathy and despair that any politician can ever improve the lot of the average Afghan. Thirty-one percent of votes were cast by women, the IEC said. Abdullah has repeatedly cried foul over 300,000 votes the IEC counted even though his team claims many of these ballots were fake or had been cast outside of polling hours. His apparent loss to Ghani makes Abdullah a three-time loser and his future in government is uncertain as he has ruled out another power-sharing deal with Ghani.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 22-23/2019
"Silent Night": Persecuted Palestinian Christians Kept Out of Sight
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/December 22/2019
In short, Palestinian Christians are suffering from the same patterns of persecution — including church attacks, kidnappings and forced conversion — that their coreligionists suffer in other Muslim nations. The difference, however, is that the persecution of Palestinian Christians has "received no coverage in the Palestinian media."
"The only thing that interests the PA [Palestinian Authority] is that events of this kind not be leaked to the media. Fatah regularly exerts heavy pressure on Christians not to report the acts of violence and vandalism from which they frequently suffer, as such publicity could damage the PA's image..... Even less does the PA want to be depicted as a radical entity that persecutes religious minorities. That image could have negative repercussions for the massive international, and particularly European, aid the PA receives." — Dr. Edy Cohen, "The Persecution of Christians in the Palestinian Authority", Begin-Sadat Center, May 27, 2019.
The bread and butter of the PA and its supporters, particularly in the media, is to portray the Palestinians as victims of unjust aggression and discrimination from Israel. This narrative would be jeopardized if the international community learned that Palestinians are themselves persecuting fellow Palestinians — solely on account of religion.
"The systematic persecution of Christian Arabs living in Palestinian areas is being met with nearly total silence by the international community, human rights activists, the media and NGOs..." — Justus Reid Weiner, attorney, "Palestinian Christians: The plight of believers under Palestinian rule", International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem.
Christianity is on the verge of disappearing in the place of its birth, including Bethlehem (pictured). According to lawyer and scholar Justus Reid Weiner, "The systematic persecution of Christian Arabs living in Palestinian areas is being met with nearly total silence by the international community, human rights activists, the media and NGOs... In a society where Arab Christians have no voice and no protection it is no surprise that they are leaving."
"The moment they [Hamas] took control [of the Gaza Strip], they started persecuting us, ruining our churches and forcing Christians to convert to Islam."
Such are the recollections, reported recently, of Kamal Tarazi, a 60-year-old Christian man from Gaza, now living in the streets of Nazareth. Before fleeing, he tried to resist the Islamist takeover, including by calling on Muslims and Christians to unite against Hamas. As a result, "I was jailed several times. Do you know what a Hamas prison is? It is pure torture."
The report adds that "the Islamic group decided to keep him alive to avoid depicting themselves as persecutors of the local Christian population, something that could potentially anger the international community." Tarazi was eventually released, fled the region, returned, got imprisoned again, and fled again, permanently. "I am sure there are no more than 500 Christians left in Gaza," he offers, "and it is just part of the general trend."
His account is a reminder that, while reports on the persecution of Christians emerge regularly from other Muslim majority regions around the world, little is mentioned of those Christians living under the rule of Hamas in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
This is not because they experience significantly less persecution than their coreligionists. Open Doors, a human rights group that follows the persecution of Christians, notes in its most recent report that Palestinian Christians suffer from a "high" level of persecution, the source of which is, in its words, "Islamic Oppression":
"Those who convert to Christianity from Islam, however, face the worst Christian persecution and it is difficult for them to safely participate in existing churches. In the West Bank they are threatened and put under great pressure, in Gaza their situation is so dangerous that they live their Christian faith in utmost secrecy... The influence of radical Islamic ideology is rising, and historical churches have to be diplomatic in their approach towards Muslims."
It seems that the unique situation of Palestinian Christians — living in a hotly contested arena with much political and media wrangling in the balance — best explains the lack of news from that area.
"The Persecution of Christians in the Palestinian Authority," a report by Dr. Edy Cohen, published by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies earlier this year, goes a long way in validating this supposition.
First, it documents three anecdotes of persecution of Christians, all of which were back-to-back, and none of which was reported by the so-called "mainstream media." Summaries include:
April 25: "[T]he terrified residents of the Christian village of Jifna near Ramallah ... were attacked by Muslim gunmen ... after a woman from the village submitted a complaint to the police that the son of a prominent, Fatah-affiliated leader had attacked her family. In response, dozens of Fatah gunmen came to the village, fired hundreds of bullets in the air, threw petrol bombs while shouting curses, and caused severe damage to public property. It was a miracle that there were no dead or wounded."
May 13: "Vandals broke into a church of the Maronite community in the center of Bethlehem, desecrated it, and stole expensive equipment belonging to the church, including the security cameras.... [T]his is the sixth time the Maronite church in Bethlehem has been subjected to acts of vandalism and theft, including an arson attack in 2015 that caused considerable damage and forced the church to close for a lengthy period."
May 16: "[I]t was the turn of the Anglican church in the village of Aboud, west of Ramallah. Vandals cut through the fence, broke the windows of the church, and broke in. They desecrated it, looked for valuable items, and stole a great deal of equipment."
These three attacks, which occurred in the span of three weeks, fit the same pattern of abuse that Christians in other Muslim majority regions habitually experience. While the desecration and plundering of churches is prevalent, so too are Muslim mobs rising against Christian minorities, whenever the latter — perceived as dhimmis, or third-class, tolerated "citizens" who are often expected to be grateful they are tolerated at all — dare speak up for their rights, as occurred the Christian village of Jifna on April 25:
"[T]he rioters called on the [Christian] residents to pay jizya—a head tax that was levied throughout history on non-Muslim minorities under Islamic rule. The most recent victims of the jizya were the Christian communities of Iraq and Syria under ISIS rule."
Moreover, as often happens when Muslims attack Christians in Islamic nations, "Despite the [Christian] residents' cries for help" in Jifna, "the PA police did not intervene during the hours of mayhem. They have not arrested any suspects." Similarly, "no suspects were arrested" in the two church attacks.
Palestinian Christians, in short, are suffering from the same patterns of persecution — including church attacks, kidnappings and forced conversion — as their co-religionists in dozens of Muslim nations. The difference, however, is that the persecution of Palestinian Christians has "received no coverage in the Palestinian media." In fact, Cohen explains, "a full gag order was imposed in many cases":
"The only thing that interests the PA is that events of this kind not be leaked to the media. Fatah regularly exerts heavy pressure on Christians not to report the acts of violence and vandalism from which they frequently suffer, as such publicity could damage the PA's image as an actor capable of protecting the lives and property of the Christian minority under its rule. Even less does the PA want to be depicted as a radical entity that persecutes religious minorities. That image could have negative repercussions for the massive international, and particularly European, aid the PA receives."
Considered another way, the bread and butter of the Palestinian Authority and its supporters, particularly in the media, is to portray the Palestinians as victims of unjust aggression and discrimination from Israel. This narrative would be jeopardized if the international community learned that Palestinians are themselves persecuting fellow Palestinians — solely on account of religion. It might be hard to muster sympathy for a supposedly oppressed people when one realizes that they themselves are doing the oppressing of the minorities in their midst, and for no other reason than religious bigotry.
Because they are so sensitive to this potential difficulty, "PA officials exert pressure on local Christian to not report such incidents, which threaten to unmask the Palestinian Authority as yet another Middle East regime beholden to a radical Islamic ideology," Cohen writes in another report.
"Far more important to the Palestinian Authority than arresting those who assault Christian sites is keeping such incidents out of the mainstream media. And they are very successful in this regard. Indeed, only a handful of smaller local outlets bothered to report on these latest break-ins. The mainstream international media ignored them altogether."
Notably, a similar dynamic sometimes exists concerning Muslim refugees. Although West European politicians and media present them as persecuted and oppressed, in need of a welcoming hand, some Muslim migrants themselves persecute and oppress Christian minorities among them — whether by terrorizing them in refugee camps, or drowning them in the Mediterranean.
Objective numbers confirm that Christians living under Hamas and the PA are experiencing some unpleasantry that Muslims are not: there were approximately 3,500 Christians in the Gaza Strip in 2007; now, there are now reportedly no more than 500-1,300.
As Justus Reid Weiner, a lawyer and scholar well-acquainted with the region, explains:
"The systematic persecution of Christian Arabs living in Palestinian areas is being met with nearly total silence by the international community, human rights activists, the media and NGOs... In a society where Arab Christians have no voice and no protection it is no surprise that they are leaving."
By all counts, Christianity is on the verge of disappearing in the place of its birth, including the scene of the Nativity -- Bethlehem.
*Raymond Ibrahim, author of the new book, Sword and Scimitar, Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, and a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
© 2019 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.

UAE Foreign Minister Tweets Article about Israel–Arab Alliance
Seth Frantzman/The Jerusalem Post/December 22/2019
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for the United Arab Emirates, tweeted an article supporting an emerging alliance of Arab states with Israel. He tweeted from his personal account to his 4.6 million followers. The tweet repeated the headline of the article: "Islam's reformation, an Arab-Israeli alliance is taking shape in the Middle East."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded that he welcomed closer readings between Israel and many Arab states. "The time has come for normalization and peace."
"A new narrative is emerging in the Middle East," wrote Ed Husain in an article on Saturday in The Spectator arguing that an Arab-Israeli alliance is taking shape in the Middle East. "Sunni Arab neighbors are changing course," he wrote, contrasting this year with the 1960s when Israel's neighbors sought to destroy the country. "Islamist leaders are losing their appeal, at a time when Iran, with its brand of theological fascism, poses a threat to Israel and the Arab world alike."
The article argued that polls show that while religious extremism is falling in the region, young people are open to new ideas. They want prosperity and some are open to build new alliances, including with Israel. The author of the article is currently on a visit to Israel, and tweeted photos from Tel Aviv on Friday. "In Tel Aviv today with Ibn Sina, Maimonides and Aquinas," he wrote, referencing historic Jewish, Islamic and Christian philosophers. Husain has worked at influential think tanks, including Civitas and the Wilson Center's Middle East program. He is an author and advisor.
By retweeting the article, the UAE's influential minister gave wind to it and spotlighted it to his four million followers. Many of the comments were positive. The UAE has been a key ally of Saudi Arabia in recent years and has also been leading the region to confront extremism, including the Muslim Brotherhood and Tehran's regime. However, the UAE is also in a complex position because it wants to support tolerance but knows that Iran is a neighbor across the Gulf. The US has Al Dhafra air base in the UAE and the French are basing a force to help with maritime security in the wake of Iranian attacks on tankers in May and June this year. The UAE has generally been seen as having shared interests with Israel in recent years.
Husain's article noted that Abu Dhabi is pushing for coexistence in the region. "In Dubai, Jews have been worshiping at a synagogue for several years now. Rabbis from Israel, America, Australia and Europe have been attending annual international Muslim peace conferences." There has been talk about a US-supported non-aggression pact between Israel, the UAE and several other states in the region. Israel will participate in an expo in Dubai in 2020. Israeli Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar attended an interfaith gathering in Bahrain recently. Israeli minister for Culture Miri Regev went to the UAE in 2018 during the same period that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to Oman. "King Hamad of Bahrain has also led a path towards more open relations between Islam and Judaism," Husain wrote.
There are signs of a "religious glasnost" with Saudi Arabia as well. "Several Saudi bloggers, Youtubers and Twitter personalities have been praising Israel in Arabic." Husain said he has noticed a change in mood in the region. Part of this is shared interests against Iran's threat and heavy hand in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria. "Israel is being seen by moderate Arab governments as a trade and security partner." Israel and many Arab states were united in an uproar over the Obama administration's Iran deal. He even notes that an Arab prince recently asked, "Who else will fly in joint missions against Iranian targets with us?" Husain argued that now is the time for a rebirth of tolerance after seven decades of antisemitism in the region. He says that the Quran can also point the way because of respect for Jews in Islam. "There are enough historical and scriptural narratives of Muslim-Jewish fraternity to form the basis for rapprochement." It can lead to decades of peace.
For Israel, the Gulf and neighbors such as Jordan and Egypt, there are many shared interests. For instance, concerns about energy in the Mediterranean are drawing Israel and Egypt closer. The UAE recently met with Greek officials to express concern about Turkey's role, and also the Libya crisis. Israel, Greece, Egypt and Cyprus have shared interests in energy and natural gas issues off their coasts.
*Seth Frantzman, a Middle East Forum writing fellow, is the author of After ISIS: America, Iran and the Struggle for the Middle East (2019), op-ed editor of The Jerusalem Post, and founder of the Middle East Center for Reporting & Analysis.

Denmark: Why Integration Fails
Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/December 22/2019
"Here my point is that Islam has never fully assimilated into any society and that Muslims have never fully adapted into non-Muslim cultures. With an increasing number of Muslims in the West, this will end in conflict." — Ahmed Akkari in his new report, "The loyalty conflict in the West – why Muslims are hard to integrate."
"As Islamists influence Western Muslim circles, Western political parties engage with them to win more votes, thus making unfortunate alliances with forces that really... condemn the established system...The dilemma is that by seeking Islamist votes they allow those who wish... Denmark to become Islamized to be strengthened... the same sort of dilemma as if one sought the votes of a neo-Nazi, fascist or Stalinist group." — Ahmed Akkari in his new report, "The loyalty conflict in the West – why Muslims are hard to integrate."
"Many mosques were formed to be a spiritual and religious space for believers, and not as places where violence, hatred and political agendas should dominate. Nevertheless, the leading mosques in Denmark are characterized exactly by a pseudo-Islamic influence under the control of small strong elites of Islamic leaders. In that world, influence, not numbers, counts, and therefore it is not possible to say that Islamism is weak, just because it only exists in one quarter of all mosques, which I estimate." — Ahmed Akkari in his new report, "The loyalty conflict in the West – why Muslims are hard to integrate."
Akkari's warning holds true not only for Denmark, but for most Western European countries. Is anyone listening?
In a recent survey conducted by the Danish Ministry of Foreigners and Integration (Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet), 48% of descendants of non-Western immigrants in Denmark said that they think it should be forbidden to criticize religion, according to Kristeligt Dagblad. Forty-two percent of immigrants who had lived in Denmark for three years agreed with the statement, while only 20% of ethnic Danes agreed with it.
The results of the survey came around the same time that a Danish think-tank, UNITOS -- where Danish politician Naser Khader is a board member -- published a report by former Islamist imam Ahmed Akkari, "The loyalty conflict in the West – why Muslims are hard to integrate."
A few months after Jyllands-Posten's publication of the Mohammed cartoons in 2005, Ahmed Akkari and a group of other Danish imams traveled to the Middle East to stir up local protests, which escalated and resulted in the Mohammed cartoon crisis. Akkari subsequently left the Islamist environment that he had been a part of and in 2014 published a book in Danish about Islamism, My Goodbye to Islamism.
In the new report, Akkari (quoting Aarhus University professor of political science Mehdi Mozzafari) defines Islamism as the "religiously based ideology, which contains a totalitarian interpretation of Islam that seeks to conquer the world." Akkari suggests that traditionalist interpretations of Islam wield a monopoly of power over Muslims. This monopoly prevents them from integrating into Western societies, because it prevents them from thinking and acting freely concerning Islam. Akkari writes:
"Here my point is that Islam has never fully assimilated into any society and that Muslims have never fully adapted into non-Muslim cultures. With an increasing number of Muslims in the West, this will end in conflict.
"Most conflicts result from Islamism's control of the definition of 'what it means to be Muslim'... Many Muslims do not really use the mosques in their daily lives and do not listen... to the imam's advice and guidance. These are Muslims of culture and of background. Although they are many, they are unable to influence understanding or interpretation because cultural Muslims are not legitimate...
"Islamism works against cohesion with the West -- also when it preaches understanding and democracy -- and it produces a counter-pressure that shows itself in terrorism, gangs and politicized groups. It shows itself in cynical speculation of influencing political power, not because it accepts democratic life, but because it thereby attempts to become strong enough to overcome it...
"The problem with the Muslim minority in the West... is that it dare not be independent, when it comes to religious issues... because the strong religious and cultural elite governs... and posits itself as self-elected representatives of Muslims".
The other challenge, writes Akkari, is that:
"As Islamists influence Western Muslim circles, Western political parties engage with them to win more votes, and therefore make unfortunate alliances with forces that really... reject the established system...The dilemma is that by seeking Islamist votes they allow those who wish... Denmark to become Islamized to be strengthened... the same sort of dilemma as if one sought the votes of a neo-Nazi, fascist or Stalinist group".
Akkari blames Islamism for the failure of Muslims to integrate into Western societies.
"Islamism works against integration of Muslims with its active proselytizing and because Islamism with its palette of more or less fanatical and extremist groups creates a tumor in public society".
Akkari stresses that Islamism should not be confused with Islam or Muslims in general. He names Islamist mosques in Denmark as a significant problem that works against integration.
"Many mosques were formed to be a spiritual and religious space for believers, and not as places where violence, hatred and political agendas should dominate. Nevertheless, the leading mosques in Denmark are characterized exactly by a pseudo-Islamic influence under the control of small strong elites of Islamic leaders. In that world, influence, not numbers, counts, and therefore it is not possible to say that Islamism is weak, just because it only exists in one quarter of all mosques, which I estimate".
Akkari writes that the Islamic cultural and religious elite in Denmark, "... Uses its influence over Muslims to negotiate with typically the left-wing... "
"They use the support of the left to strengthen the grip on Muslims' choices. They do so by standing as their representatives (often without having asked them for legitimacy of the representation)... The left supports the positions and representatives of the [Muslim, ed.] elite by helping them to stand for election or to have dialogue and cooperation with them during and after the elections. The left... shows good will for dialogue with the [Muslim, ed.] power elite. They increase their political votes with this relationship and use it actively..."
Akkari writes that up to one quarter of all Muslims in Denmark listen to the agendas of the Islamists in Denmark to some extent and that the latest election proved this, as the number of votes for the far-left Enhedslisten and the center-left Det Radikale Venstre went up significantly in areas with a concentration of Muslims.
According to a report in Jyllands Posten, in the last elections, which took place on June 5, Muslim voters were organized in certain urban areas listed by the government as ghettos. In Gellerup, in western Aarhus, an electoral group was set up, which, in co-operation with a mosque and various other associations, recommended that people vote for the far-left Enhedslisten and the center-left Det Radikale Venstre. As a result, in Gellerup, Det Radikale Venstre went from receiving 5.1% of the vote in 2015, to 34.2% in 2019. The same trend could be seen in other ghetto-areas, such as Vollsmose, Tingbjerg and in Nørrebro, where Enhedslisten was also popular. Both parties have a pro-immigration stance. Det Radikale Venstre, for instance, wants to make it easier for refugees to gain permanent residence in Denmark. The parties gained 8.6% and 6.9% of the votes respectively, corresponding to 16 and 13 seats in parliament.
Akkari writes that extremists, "Thrive on laxity and lack of consistency" and that "establishing and supporting official representatives of the Sharia... is a form of legitimization of an alternative justice system..."
"... the identification of special laws for Muslims, such as halal meat at all institutions, special rules for swimming and socializing with other people, special exceptions from current law on divorce, women's rights... etc... will weaken the state's sovereign enforcement of the law. There must be no appeasement when it comes to these cases, because it is about more than respect for a minority. [These concessions] are perceived as a victory for the messages of Islamism, and it will bring more Muslims into a serious dilemma between the norms of Danish society and the norms of the minority community. That dilemma does not serve anyone well – least of all the Muslims themselves. There needs to be clarity... for everyone to function on roughly the same terms in accordance with the Constitution and the prevailing cultural norms".
Akkari continues:
"...The biggest problem in Western societies today appears to be that they do not have a common understanding of how to deal with these issues. It is largely left to political trends and coalitions that then change direction after every other election... the demographic changes in the West are being taken too lightly as a result of especially the growth of Muslim cultures and the resistance of Muslim cultures to dissolution in the indigenous cultures. Even the United States, which is the forerunner of the melting pot theory, has seen a rise in visible Muslim cultures and where jihadists became visible after the famous and tragic September 11, 2001".
Akkari's warning holds true not only for Denmark, but for most Western European countries. Is anyone listening?
*Judith Bergman, a columnist, lawyer and political analyst, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
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Failure of Malaysia’s Muslim summit is only the tip of the iceberg
Mohammed Alyahya/December 23/2019
Malaysia’s attempt to unite Muslim powers in a summit held last week in Kuala Lumpur failed to attract heads of state from 53 Muslim countries.
Only three embattled heads of state – Iran, Turkey and Qatar – showed up for the micro-summit, all of whom are fighting increasingly desperate struggles to reinvent an outdated vision for Islam that is fundamentally hostile to the West and, indeed, hostile to the dreams and aspirations of their own people.
In a phone call with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman stressed the importance of joint Islamic action through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to achieve unity in discussing issues of concern to Islamic powers.
Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the Muslim world has seen a fundamental realignment between those nations who continue to advocate hostility to the West and those who embraced the reality of a budding post-ideological Middle East.
The fault lines are no longer – and perhaps have never been – between Islam and the West, but between a backwards-looking “political Islam” represented by Iran and its Muslim Brotherhood friends Qatar and Turkey, and Arab powers who realize the danger and obsolescence of these archaic ideologies in the face of an increasingly educated and globalized youth bulge in the Middle East.
The embattled leaders who rallied to the call of the Malaysian leader last week are concerned that the influence of political Islam is waning in the OIC, which continues to be the pre-eminent international body for Islamic power, and therefore a new body would be required to promote their obsolete revolutionary thinking. In its report on the summit, one presenter on the Qatari-funded Al Jazeera channel attempted to make a virtue out of the fact that only three of the 56 invitees chose to attend.
“Beginning small in this initiative is helpful because when you have all the leaders in the Islamic world it can only create more divisions and create inaction, so they think that they should start small and if they have something to present, maybe they can take it to the OIC in the future,” he said.
What they fail to consider is that their vision for an Islamic world is waning among the growing ranks of young people in the Middle East and North Africa. Young Arabs have become tired of conflict and revolutionary rhetoric; they can see through the gimmickry of political Islam, especially when it is used as a substitute for meaningful economic reform or to suppress productive integration with, and openness to, the world economy, from East to West.
Countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt realize that a fundamental change in demographics and sensibilities in the Arab world have made ideological mobilization and manipulation obsolete.
Waddah Khanfar, a veteran media executive who has led several pro-Muslim Brotherhood media outlets funded by Qatar, was quoted by Al Jazeera English as saying that the OIC was dominated by Saudi Arabia and therefore “not the right mechanism to handle the crisis that the Islamic world is going through.”
What he failed to point out was that their crisis is of their own making. The crisis is rooted in a redundant ideology that was born in the 1979 Iranian revolution and continues to thrive through the revolutionary ideals embraced by the Muslim Brotherhood, an extremist network hosted by Turkey and funded by Qatar. As only three Muslim heads of state showed up to an Islamic summit that extended invitations to 56 Islamic countries, the summit ended in political failure. But that political failure is only the tip of the iceberg.
The post-ideological Middle East is already a reality. Young people embracing massive social and economic change in Saudi Arabia, and young people rejecting sectarian and economically dysfunctional systems in Iraq and Lebanon represent an irreversible paradigm shift in the region’s political psyche.

Empty Gestures on Climate Change
Bjørn Lomborg/Al Arabiya/December 22/2019
MALMÖ – Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs, wash your clothes in cold water, eat less meat, recycle more, and buy an electric car: we are being bombarded with instructions from climate campaigners, environmentalists, and the media about the everyday steps we all must take to tackle climate change. Unfortunately, these appeals trivialize the challenge of global warming, and divert our attention from the huge technological and policy changes that are needed to combat it.
For example, the British nature-documentary presenter and environmental campaigner David Attenborough was once asked what he as an individual would do to fight climate change. He promised to unplug his phone charger when it was not in use.
Attenborough’s heart is no doubt in the right place. But even if he consistently unplugs his charger for a year, the resulting reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions will be equivalent to less than one-half of one-thousandth of the average person’s annual CO2 emissions in the United Kingdom. Moreover, charging accounts for less than 1 percent of a phone’s energy needs; the other 99 percent is required to manufacture the handset and operate data centers and cell towers. Almost everywhere, these processes are heavily reliant on fossil fuels.
Attenborough is far from alone in believing that small gestures can have a meaningful impact on the climate. In fact, even much larger-sounding commitments deliver only limited reductions in CO2 emissions. For example, environmental activists emphasize the need to give up eating meat and driving fossil-fuel-powered cars. But, although I am a vegetarian and do not own a car, I believe we need to be honest about what such choices can achieve.
Going vegetarian actually is quite difficult: one large US survey indicates that 84 percent of people fail, most of them in less than a year. But a systematic peer-reviewed study has shown that even if they succeed, a vegetarian diet reduces individual CO2 emissions by the equivalent of 540 kilograms – or just 4.3 percent of the emissions of the average inhabitant of a developed country. Furthermore, there is a “rebound effect,” as money saved on cheaper vegetarian food is spent on goods and services that cause additional greenhouse-gas emissions. Once we account for this, going entirely vegetarian reduces a person’s total emissions by only 2 percent.
Likewise, electric cars are branded as environmentally friendly, but generating the electricity they require almost always involves burning fossil fuels. Moreover, producing energy-intensive batteries for these cars invariably generates significant CO2 emissions. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), an electric car with a range of 400 kilometers (249 miles) has a huge carbon deficit when it hits the road, and will start saving emissions only after being driven 60,000 kilometers. Yet, almost everywhere, people use an electric car as a second car, and drive it shorter distances than equivalent gasoline vehicles.
Despite subsidies of about $10,000 per car, battery-powered electric cars represent less than one-third of 1 percent of the world’s one billion vehicles. The IEA estimates that with sustained political pressure and subsidies, electric cars could account for 15 percent of the much larger global fleet in 2040, but notes that this increase in share will reduce global CO2 emissions by just 1 percent.
As IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol has said, “If you think you can save the climate with electric cars, you’re completely wrong.” In 2018, electric cars saved 40 million tons of CO2 worldwide, equivalent to reducing global temperatures by just 0.000018°C – or a little more than a hundred-thousandth of a degree Celsius – by the end of the century.Individual actions to tackle climate change, even when added together, achieve so little because cheap and reliable energy underpins human prosperity. Fossil fuels currently meet 81 percent of our global energy needs. And even if every promised climate policy in the 2015 Paris climate agreement is achieved by 2040, they will still deliver 74 percent of the total.
We already spend $129 billion per year subsidizing solar and wind energy to try to entice more people to use today’s inefficient technology, yet these sources meet just 1.1 percent of our global energy needs. The IEA estimates that by 2040 – after we have spent a whopping $3.5 trillion on additional subsidies – solar and wind will still meet less than 5 percent of our needs. That’s pitiful. Significantly cutting CO2 emissions without reducing economic growth will require far more than individual actions. It is absurd for middle-class citizens in advanced economies to tell themselves that eating less steak or commuting in a Toyota Prius will rein in rising temperatures. To tackle global warming, we must make collective changes on an unprecedented scale.
By all means, anyone who wants to go vegetarian or buy an electric car should do so, for sound reasons such as killing fewer animals or reducing household energy bills. But such decisions will not solve the problem of global warming.
The one individual action that citizens could take that would make a difference would be to demand a vast increase in spending on green-energy research and development, so that these energy sources eventually become cheap enough to outcompete fossil fuels. That is the real way to help fight climate change.
*Bjørn Lomborg, a visiting professor at the Copenhagen Business School, is Director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center.

The gift of giving during Christmas is much more rewarding than receiving
Justin Thomas/The National/December 22/2019
Research suggests that generosity is linked to mental and physical wellbeing – and the relationship is a two-way street
As a child, I loved Christmas. Early on Christmas Eve, I would try and will myself to sleep, naively believing Santa Claus would boycott my bedroom if I stayed up too late. At first light, my younger sister and I would explode out of our bedroom, heading downstairs to attack the mountain of gifts beneath the blinged-out pine tree. Christmas as a child was amazing. Beyond the toys – which often lay broken or abandoned by Boxing Day – the real magic of the occasion was that everyone seemed to be happy, or at least happier than usual.
As an adult, I have come to believe that happiness associated with festive occasions – be it Christmas, Eid, Hanukkah or Diwali – has a lot more to do with giving gifts than receiving them. Sure, receiving a nice present generally increases our happiness for a while, especially if it is something we want and the item has been decoratively wrapped. However, for every gift recipient, there is at least one giver. This generous individual also gets a shot of happiness and may well receive a more enduring uplift in wellbeing too.
In recent decades, we have come to refer to three brain chemicals – dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin – as the happiness trifecta – the neurochemical happy trinity. We know that when people give gifts, all three of these chemicals can get released within the brain. These chemicals are associated with the pleasant emotions that we might variously term euphoria, happiness and contentment.
A review published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology last year looked at 27 studies exploring the links between generosity and happiness. The report concluded that overall, there is a significant link between the two. But beyond short-lived emotional states, the act of giving – whether it is things or time – also seems to be associated with improved physical and mental health. In a review of research done in this field titled Is volunteering a public health intervention?, the authors concluded in the affirmative. Giving one's time to help others was associated with better overall health outcomes. In his book Why Good Things Happen to Good People, Stephen Post, a professor of preventive medicine, suggests that giving is as important for health as avoiding tobacco and obesity.
But does being generous increase our wellbeing or, instead, does prior wellbeing give rise to increased generosity? It is easy to see how happier, healthier and more purposeful individuals might have more energy and physical capacity to act generously. However, research suggests the relationship is a two-way street. Wellbeing facilitates generosity and vice versa. This type of relationship can easily lead to a virtuous cycle: the more we give, the more we can give.
Just as giving is good for us at the personal level, it is also good at the societal level. Generosity can strengthen social bonds and ultimately help reduce inequality.
The UAE is no stranger to giving and is widely celebrated as a humanitarian nation. Relative to its national income, the UAE regularly tops the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's list of the world's largest donors of development aid. After being awarded the accolade for the fifth year running in 2018, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said on Twitter: "We share our good fortune with all humanity."
In addition to giving aid, the government also actively promotes a culture of corporate and community giving. The year 2017 was designated "The Year of Giving". Unsurprisingly, many of the early recipients of the UAE's long-term, golden visa scheme are notable philanthropists. Furthermore, volunteering opportunities abound in the UAE and volunteers are never in short supply. Two years ago, the UAE was ranked the ninth-most generous out of 139 nations on the Charities Aid Foundation World Giving Index. Ranking on this list is based on grassroots observations of three specific giving behaviours: helping a stranger, donating money and giving up time to volunteer.
When I first came to the UAE, I remember an Emirati elder standing outside my local mosque on the morning of Eid with a massive stack of Dh10 notes. He dished the banknotes out to every passing child as though feeding the birds – some cheeky children even went back for seconds and thirds. It was a beautiful sight to see and I wonder how he felt doing it.
Although giving makes us feel good and promotes wellbeing, these things are byproducts. For many people, giving goes much deeper than health and happiness, touching the very core of what it means to be a human being. I suspect that if we start giving with the sole intention of lifting our moods and prolonging our lives, we will be missing an essential piece of the puzzle.
Christmas is a time of giving – and of unconditional generosity. Like many holidays, however, the occasion has become heavily commercialised and gifts are now almost synonymous with products bought from shops. However, a smile, a concerned phone call or a kind word could all be considered gifts or acts of generosity. Furthermore, like the Emirati elder with his stack of Dh10 notes, smiles, sincere concern and kind words can be spread around a lot of people.
*Justin Thomas is a psychology professor at Zayed University

Reform or perish — the brutal choice facing Iran’s regime
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/December 22/2019
As Iran’s theocratic regime enters its fourth decade of rule, internal divisions within its own government institutions are growing at an unprecedented rate.
In the first decade of the Islamic Republic, government organizations and entities, including the legislative branch, the President (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei), the Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini), the military, the judiciary and the Etela’at intelligence unit, spoke with one voice.
This was not only because the regime’s major objective was to consolidate power and eliminate domestic opposition groups as quickly as possible, but also because Khomeini, the republic’s founding father, was capable of coalescing state apparatuses through his charismatic character and iron fist.
In the second decade of rule, government institutions still maintained a united front under the presidency of the late Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who took the pragmatic approach of developing the economy after eight years of devastating war with Iraq.
However, in the following decade, internal divisions began to appear within the establishment, particularly between the office of the president, and the offices of the supreme leader, the Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the judiciary. Tensions between former Iranian president Mohammed Khatami and the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei became evident as the latter attempted to derail and sideline Khatami’s domestic and foreign policies.
Although Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was considered a hard-liner like Khamenei, he also clashed with the supreme leader, who was angered by his attempts to increase subsidies and social welfare programs for ordinary people. Nevertheless, the Parliament stood by the Supreme Leader. When Ahmadinejad pushed for a reduction in gas prices for some villages, Khamenei applauded Parliament for rejecting the move.
Now it is becoming clear that it is not only the presidential office that is clashing with the office of the supreme leader and other hard-line institutions, but other government organizations are also jousting with each other.
Iran’s Parliament has been coming into increasing conflict with major decisions-makers such as Khamenei and the senior cadre of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. After the Iranian legislature recently ratified the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Guardian Council immediately rejected the parliamentary bill. The council enjoys oversight of the Parliament; six of the 12 members of the council are appointed directly by the supreme leader, while the remainder are nominated by the head of judiciary, who, in return, is appointed by the supreme leader.
The case has been sent to the Expediency Council, Iran’s highest political arbitration body. When there is a disagreement between the Guardian Council and Parliament, the Expediency Council makes the final decision. The council is made up mainly of hard-line clerics and functions as an advisory institution to the supreme leader.
Now it is becoming clear that it is not only the presidential office that is clashing with the office of the supreme leader and other hard-line institutions, but other government organizations are also jousting with each other.
Intriguingly, the Expediency Council has already hinted that it will oppose the parliamentary bill to comply with FATF.
Gholamreza Mesbahi-Moghadam, a council member, has said: “In a situation in which the country is under the most severe sanctions, joining such conventions is synonymous with self-inflicted sanctions. In the situation in which the US seeks to limit the country’s financial relations, it is not beneficial to join institutions like FATF.”
Iran President Hassan Rouhani has also clashed with the Expediency Council, warning that if it does not approve the bill, “this will hurt our country.” Rouhani also said: “It is our pride that we fight terrorists and counter corruption, therefore we should not allow allegations of money laundering to be made against our banking system.”
Another example of internal division came with Parliament’s opposition to a decision increase gas prices almost a month ago.
Khamenei was aware that Parliament would oppose his plan to hike gas prices. In May 2019, Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani said that it would oppose any rise in gas prices, adding: “Most MPs believe that the only way to reduce the amount of fuel smuggled out of Iran is by rationing the product.”
As a result, Iran’s supreme leader set up a committee, labeled the economic war room, in order to bypass Parliament and give him the power to enact any economic legislation he wished.
In a nutshell, not only is the population’s dissatisfaction with the Iranian regime growing, but internal schisms within the theocratic establishment are deepening as well. If the republic does not fundamentally reform itself then sooner or later these forces will bring the regime to its knees.
• Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated, Iranian-American political scientist. He is a leading expert on Iran and US foreign policy, a businessman and president of the International American Council. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh

Turkey steps into East Mediterranean oil and gas rush
Yasar Yakis/Arab News/December 22/2019
Turkey was eager to be part of the oil and gas rush in the Eastern Mediterranean for decades, but was sluggish in taking concrete action. It was slow in delineating maritime boundaries, because it had problems with almost all of its neighbors, and does not recognize the Cypriot government. It is practically at war with Syria. Relations with Egypt are at their lowest point. And it has multi-layered problems with Greece.
Two memoranda of understanding (MoU), signed last month between Turkey and Libya, have changed the landscape in the region: One for military cooperation, the other, importantly, on the delineation of the maritime boundaries.
Previous agreements signed between Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus and Greece had already partitioned the Eastern Mediterranean among themselves without taking Ankara into consideration. What was left to Turkey was confined to the northern half of the narrow strip of sea between its Mediterranean shorelines and Cyprus.
Turkey persistently supported the school of thought that the islands should not have a continental shelf. This is important because the Anatolian mainland is surrounded by islands that belong to Greece. If islands are allowed to have their continental shelf, Turkey will be deprived of most of the natural resources that it believes belong to it.
In 1995, when the Greek parliament authorized the government to extend the width of territorial waters from six to twelve miles, the Turkish parliament took immediate action to consider such a move a reason to declare war. If Greece took such action, all Turkish harbors on the Aegean Sea would be sealed off from the world by the Greek territorial waters.
Bearing this background in mind, Turkey signed the MoU with Libya based on its approach that the islands’ maritime boundaries should be confined to their territorial waters. The sea space beyond that should be considered the continuation of the Anatolian continental shelf.
There is a tiny Greek island called Kastellorizo, with an area of 7.3 square kilometers, off the southern coast of Turkey, opposite the Kas district of Turkey’s Antalya province. It is 2.1 miles off the Anatolian mainland and 600 miles to the Greek mainland. It is inhabited by 500 people. Many maps do not show this island because of its small size. If we assume that this tiny island has a continental shelf, it will acquire a maritime area in the Mediterranean Sea, 2,000 times wider than its own surface. Turkey believes that this is inconsistent with the principle of equity.
The Turkish-Libyan agreement is based on the grounds that an island cannot have a continental shelf.
The same criterion applies, on a different scale, to other Greek islands in the Eastern Mediterranean such as Crete, Rhodes and Karpathos.
The Turkish-Libyan agreement is based on the grounds that an island cannot have a continental shelf. It divides into two the sea area claimed by Egypt, Cyprus, Greece and Israel, and creates a 94 mile wide corridor between the two parts. This approach changes several paradigms of the partition of the oil and gas exploration parcels agreed previously between these countries.
The Turkey-Libya agreement is formulated as follows: If you take as reference the easternmost point of the territorial waters of three Greek islands in the Eastern Mediterranean, namely Rhodes, Karpathos and Crete, and draw a line from the Turkish coasts to the Libyan Exclusive Economic Zone, this line constitutes the western border of the corridor. When you draw another line 94 miles to the east of the first line, there emerges a corridor that drives a wedge between the Greek maritime boundaries and that of Egypt, Israel and Cyprus. If these countries want to carry their gas to Europe by pipeline, they will have to cross a corridor under Turkey’s jurisdiction.
The Turkish-Libyan initiative increases, as a by-product, the Egyptian maritime area, because the median line between Egypt and Cyprus will now move northward since Cyprus will not have a continental shelf. The median line between Egypt and Cyprus will be drawn by taking as the reference point the southern limits of the island’s territorial waters instead of its continental shelf.
Cyprus has signed a $9.3 billion contract with a group of oil and gas companies — Noble, Shell and Delek, from the US, the Netherlands and Israel respectively. These nations will seek ways to force Turkey and Libya to step back from this initiative.
Turkey says, if necessary, it will use military force to defend its rights. If this happens, it will be the worst case scenario, because it will have to face several stakeholders at the same time.
• Yasar Yakis is a former foreign minister of Turkey, and founding member of the ruling AK Party. Twitter: @yakis_yasar.