LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 10/2019
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews19/english.july10.19.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour
and hate your enemy.”But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 05/43-48:”‘You have heard
that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy. ”But I say
to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may
be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and
on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you
love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors
do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you
doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore,
as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese
& Lebanese Related News published on July 09-10/2019
Hariri: I will not call for a Cabinet meeting before everyone calms down
Hariri tackles overall situation with Ibrahim, Rampling
Ibrahim, Pederson Tackle Issue of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
Jumblat: Unlike Others, PSP Prioritizes Country’s Interests
Khalil: Country not on verge of collapse, but situation challenging
Japan supports Mine clearance activities in Bint Jbeil Caza
Jreissati after bloc meeting: State has final say
Future bloc after weekly meeting voices commitment to dialogue
Bassil Says Not behind Cabinet Suspension, Urges Jumblat to 'Hand Over
Fugitives'
Iran Puts Pressure on the Druze of Lebanon
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on July 09-10/2019
Macron's Top Adviser in Iran as EU Urges it to Uphold Nuclear Deal
Iran: Britain’s Impounding of Oil Tanker Will Not Go Unanswered
Netanyahu confers with Air Force chiefs, warns F-35s can reach Iran
Netanyahu Warns Israel's Jets 'Can Reach' Iran
Anger at Syrians Erupts in Istanbul
At Least 3 Killed in ISIS Attack in N. Iraq
Sudanese Anxiously Await Signing of Power-Sharing Agreement
Saudi Ambassador to US Submits Credentials to Trump
Oil Prices Drop as Trade Disputes Outweigh Supply Concerns
Egypt Warns Turkey of 'Escalation' over Drilling Off Cyprus
Trump Calls British Ambassador to U.S. 'a Very Stupid Guy'
Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published
on July 09-10/2019
US Treasury sanctions three key Hizbullah figures: Amin Sherri, Muhammad Hasan
Ra'd, and Wafiq Safa/NNA /Tuesday 09 July/2019
Iran Puts Pressure on the Druze of Lebanon/Hussain Abdul Hussain/Syndication
Bureau/July 09/2019
Netanyahu confers with Air Force chiefs, warns F-35s can reach Iran/DEBKAfile/09
July/2019
Iran's New Global Terrorist Network/Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/July
09/2019
Even Trade War Winners Can Lose/Daniel Moss/Bloomberg View//July 09/2019
We must work hard to negate conspiracy theories/Nidhal Guessoum/Arab News/July
09, 2019
Barak’s return a sad reflection of state of Israeli left/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab
News/July 09, 2019
Sudan celebrates crucial deal but many challenges lie in wait/Osama
Al-Sharif/Arab News/July 09, 2019
People of Hong Kong fear impending Chinese oppression/Ellen R. Wald/Arab
News/July 09, 2019
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News published on July 09-10/2019
US Treasury sanctions three key Hizbullah figures: Amin Sherri, Muhammad Hasan
Ra'd, and Wafiq Safa
NNA /Tuesday 09 July/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/76513/%d9%88%d8%b2%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ae%d8%b2%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%b1%d9%83%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%b6%d8%b9-3-%d9%85%d9%86-%d9%82%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%aa/
In a statement by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets
Control (OFAC), it said "OFAC designated key Hizballah political and security
figures leveraging their privileged positions to facilitate Hizballah's malign
agenda and do Iran's bidding. Specifically, OFAC designated Hizballah Members of
Parliament Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan Ra'd, and Hizballah security official
Wafiq Safa, for acting for or on behalf of Hizballah. These individuals were
designated under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and
those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
"Hizballah uses its operatives in Lebanon's parliament to manipulate
institutions in support of the terrorist group's financial and security
interests, and to bolster Iran's malign activities" said Sigal Mandelker,
Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. "Hizballah
threatens the economic stability and security of Lebanon and the wider region,
all at a cost to the Lebanese people. The United States will continue to support
efforts of the Lebanese government to protect its institutions from exploitation
by Iran and its terrorist proxies, and to secure a more peaceful and prosperous
future for Lebanon."
This action highlights how Hizballah uses its political power to corrupt and
exploit Lebanon's financial and security elements, taking advantage of the
country's democratic system and values. Today's designations also underscore
that there is no distinction between Hizballah's political and violent
activities. Hizballah itself makes no distinction between its military and
political wings, as Hizballah's own leaders have acknowledged publicly,
including Muhammad Hasan Ra'd, who said in 2001, "Hizballah is a military
resistance party... There is no separation between politics and resistance."
Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan Ra'd are Hizballah members of the Lebanese
Parliament. As a Hizballah Member of Parliament, Sherri exploits his political
office to advance Hizballah's objectives, which often run counter to the benefit
of the Lebanese people and government. His efforts to threaten Lebanese
financial institutions on behalf of Hizballah, as noted below, demonstrate the
extreme steps he takes to advocate for Hizballah's agenda of intimidation and
violence, at the cost of a legitimate sector that is the backbone of the
Lebanese economy. Sherri's behavior threatening bank employees and their family
members is unacceptable for a Member of Parliament whose office should advance
the interests of the Lebanese people.
Ra'd is both a Member of Parliament and a member of Hizballah's Shura Council,
which directs Hizballah units to carry out overseas military and terrorist
attacks. As Hizballah's "highest command," the Shura Council is responsible for
deciding religious and strategic matters, and has overall administrative,
planning, and policy-making powers. Rather than advocating for political
decisions that would address the economic plight of the communities he
represents, he continues to prioritize Hizballah's activities and hold Lebanon's
prosperity hostage. The designation of Ra'd who heads Hizballah's Parliamentary
Council, one of the Shura Council's five subordinate councils, builds upon
previous actions targeting Hizballah's Shura Council.[1]
The third individual designated today, Wafiq Safa, serves as a Hizballah
interlocutor to the Lebanese security forces. As the head of Hizballah's
security apparatus, which is directly linked to Secretary General Hassan
Nasrallah, Safa has exploited Lebanon's ports and border crossings to smuggle
contraband and facilitate travel on behalf of Hizballah, undermining the
security and safety of the Lebanese people, while also draining valuable import
duties and revenue away from the Lebanese government.
Hizballah was designated by the Department of State as a Foreign Terrorist
Organization in October 1997 and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT)
pursuant to E.O. 13224 in October 2001. It was listed in January 1995 in the
Annex to E.O. 12947, which targets terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle
East peace process, and also designated in August 2012 pursuant to E.O. 13582,
which targets the Government of Syria and its supporters.
Amin Sherri
Amin Sherri (Sherri) was designated for acting for or on behalf of Hizballah.
As a Hizballah Member of Parliament, Sherri serves as an interlocutor for
Hizballah's interests within the Lebanese community and has used the weight of
his representative role within Hizballah to influence decision making and
pressure financial institutions to assist Hizballah in limiting the impact of
U.S. sanctions. For example, Sherri, on behalf of Hizballah, threatened Lebanese
bank officials and their family members after the bank froze the accounts of
U.S.-designated Hizballah member, whom OFAC designated as an SDGT for assisting
in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for,
or financial or other services to or in support of, Hizballah.
Sherri's illicit activities are also apparent in his extensive ties to other
Hizballah associates and financiers. Sherri has maintained a close relationship
with Adham Tabaja, a Hizballah financier, whom OFAC designated as an SDGT in
June 2015 for providing support and services to Hizballah. Sherri and Tabaja
have continued to do business together despite the latter's designation. Sherri
and Tabaja, among others, founded and were involved in a Lebanon-based company.
Sherri also facilitated Tabaja's access to Lebanese banks and was directed by
Hizballah Secretary General Nasrallah to settle issues related to his
designation. Underscoring the lack of distinction between Hizballah's political
and military activities, Sherri also appears publically with Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) Commander Qasem Soleimani, whom
OFAC designated in October 2011, for acting for or on behalf of the IRGC-QF (see
photo below).
MUHAMMAD HASAN RA'D
Muhammad Hasan Ra'd (Ra'd) was designated for acting for or on behalf of
Hizballah. Ra'd was elected to Hizballah's Shura Council in 2009 and is part of
Hizballah Secretary General Nasrallah's inner circle. Ra'd also is the head of
Hizballah's Parliamentary Council, which consists of Hizballah Members of
Parliament, and oversees how the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc operates.
Additionally, this council ensures that parliamentary representatives, such as
Ra'd and Sherri, carry out Shura Council decisions and policies, and conform to
the party's agenda. Ra'd also has ties to Hizballah associates and financiers.
In 2017, Ra'd met with Hizballah businessmen Adham Tabaja and Husayn Ali Fa'ur
to ensure Hizballah's funding mechanisms would remain open despite sanctions.
OFAC designated Husayn Ali Fa'ur as an SDGT in June 2015 for providing support
and services to Hizballah. Additionally, Ra'd and Wafiq Safa maintained a list
of a hundred Hizballah members who were to acquire foreign citizenship. With
these passports, these individuals would be sent by Hizballah on long-term
missions to Arab and Western countries.
WAFIQ SAFA
Wafiq Safa (Safa) was designated for acting for or on behalf of Hizballah.
Safa is in charge of Hizballah's Liaison and Coordination Unit and is
responsible for Hizballah's coordination with the international community and
with Lebanese security agencies. Safa was appointed by Hizballah Secretary
General Nasrallah in 1987 as the head of the Security Committee, which was later
renamed the Liaison and Coordination Unit. As one of Hizballah's prominent
leaders, Safa is a part of Hizballah Secretary General Nasrallah's inner circle.
As the head of Hizballah's security apparatus, Safa has exploited Lebanon's
ports and border crossings to smuggle contraband and facilitate travel on behalf
of Hizballah. For example, Hizballah leveraged Safa to facilitate the passage of
items, including illegal drugs and weapons, into the port of Beirut, Lebanon.
Hizballah specifically routed certain shipments through Safa to avoid scrutiny.
Additionally, as of 2018, Hizballah facilitated favors at the Beirut airport.
Safa also facilitated travel for Hizballah associates through a border crossing.
Safa also has ties to Hizballah associates and financiers. Safa maintained a
close relationship with Hizballah financier Adham Tabaja. Additionally, Safa and
Ra'd maintained a list of a hundred Hizballah members who were to acquire
foreign citizenship. With these passports, these individuals would be sent by
Hizballah on long-term missions to Arab and Western countries. In 2010, there
were internal Hizballah accusations of corruption involving Safa; however,
Hizballah has since continued to allow him to maintain a prominent role in the
organization. Safa was accused of smuggling, other crimes, and immoral behavior.
Sanctions Implications
The Treasury Department continues to prioritize disruption of the full range of
Hizballah's illicit financial activity, and with this action has designated 50
Hizballah-affiliated individuals and entities since 2017. As a result of today's
action, all property and interests in property of these targets that are in the
United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked
and reported to OFAC. OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S.
persons or within the United States (including transactions transiting the
United States) that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or
designated persons. In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions
with the individuals and entities designated today may themselves be exposed to
sanctions or subject to an enforcement action.Furthermore, the three individuals
designated today are subject to secondary sanctions pursuant to the Hizballah
Financial Sanctions Regulations, which implements the Hizballah International
Financing Prevention Act of 2015, as amended by the Hizballah International
Financing Prevention Amendments Act of 2018. Pursuant to this authority, OFAC
can prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the
United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a
foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant
transaction for Hizballah, or a person acting on behalf of or at the direction
of, or owned or controlled by, Hizballah."
Hizbullah Slams U.S. Sanctions on MPs as 'Humiliation' for Lebanese
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/2019
A Hizbullah lawmaker on Tuesday slammed the U.S. move to place two of the
group's parliamentarians on its sanctions blacklist as "humiliation" for
Lebanon. The U.S. decision "is a humiliation for the Lebanese people," Ali
Fayyad told Lebanon's MTV news channel, according to its website, and called on
parliament and the government to issue a formal condemnation.
Hariri Envoy Meets Aoun but No Cabinet Session Expected This Week
Naharnet/July 09/2019
Prime Minister Saad Hariri's political adviser Ghattas Khoury on Tuesday held
talks with President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace. Khoury left without
making a statement but the National News Agency said he relayed to the president
a “verbal message” from Hariri about “the latest developments.”LBCI television
meanwhile obtained information indicating that there will be no cabinet session
this week. Hariri had adjourned a session held in the wake of the Qabrshmoun
incident to avert a possible clash in cabinet. The cabinet has not convened
since that session amid ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis.
Two bodyguards of State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib were killed
and a third was wounded in a clash with Progressive Socialist Party supporters
in Qabrshmoun. The minister escaped unharmed as a PSP supporter was injured. The
two parties have traded blame over the incident, with Gharib and his Lebanese
Democratic Party describing it as an ambush and an assassination attempt and the
PSP accusing the minister's bodyguards of forcing their way and opening fire on
protesters. The LDP and its allies have insisted that the case should be
referred to the Judicial Council, a demand that has been so far rejected by
other political forces.
Kedanian Says Tension Strikes Lebanon at a
Time of Tourism Recovery
Naharnet/July 09/2019
Tourism Minister Avedis Kedanian met with President Michel Aoun on Tuesday and
relayed the “security” concerns of tourists bound to visit Lebanon in the wake
of the Mountain incident, noting that Aoun has appeased these fears. Kedanian
said tension has struck Lebanon at a time when its tourism has shown recovery
signals. “Tourism has grown despite the concerns of tourists who arrived in
Lebanon after the (Mountain) incident. But President Michel Aoun has assured
that things are on the right track now,” said Kedanian from the Presidential
Palace. “In the past two days, I have been sickened by what was happening on the
ground because the tourism sector is already suffering and if politicians stop
“flogging” themselves, only then we will be able to overcome the crisis,” he
said, lamenting how political rhetoric escalated in the past weeks against the
backdrop of the deadly Qabrshmoun incident. Late in June, two bodyguards of a
state minister for refugee affairs were killed and two others were badly injured
in armed clashes in Qabrshmoun. On growth of tourism in Lebanon, the Minister
said: “There is a remarkable growth in the number of tourists from European
countries by 30% more than the previous year, and a noticeable increase, but not
enough, for the number of tourists coming from Russia.”He said the number of
tourists from Saudi Arabia has doubled compared to 2018, “we have received
44,000 Saudi tourists in the first half of 2019 compared to 22,000 last year.”
Strong Lebanon to PSP: State to Have Upper Hand in Crisis
Naharnet/July 09/2019
The Free Patriotic Movement-led Strong Lebanon bloc on Tuesday lashed out at the
Progressive Socialist Party, saying the “sobbing” of some of its ministers and
MPs “will not deceive anyone.” “It will not prevent the State from having the
upper hand in all of the crisis' junctures,” said the bloc in a statement issued
after its weekly meeting, referring to the political crisis sparked by the
deadly Qabrshmoun incident. As for the controversial issue of referring the case
to the Judicial Council, the bloc said the decision should be taken by Cabinet,
noting that the incident had “endangered the life of a minister.”
In another jab at the PSP, the bloc said the 2018 electoral law that was based
on proportional representation has “dissolved the exclusiveness of the regions,”
stressing that “regional and sectarian protectorates contradict with the project
of the State.”Two bodyguards of State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib
-- an FPM ally -- were killed and a third was wounded in a clash with PSP
supporters in Qabrshmoun. The minister escaped unharmed as a PSP supporter was
injured. The two parties have traded blame over the incident, with Gharib and
his Lebanese Democratic Party describing it as an ambush and an assassination
attempt and the PSP accusing the minister's bodyguards of forcing their way and
opening fire on protesters. The protesters were blocking roads to prevent FPM
chief MP Jebran Bassil from touring the region. The LDP and its allies have
insisted that the case should be referred to the Judicial Council, a demand that
has been so far rejected by other political forces.
MP Says Hariri Keen on Appeasement, His Resignation Not
Probable
Naharnet/July 09/2019
Member of al-Mustaqbal Movement MP Mohamed al-Hajjar said on Tuesday that Prime
Minister Saad Hariri’s efforts for appeasement against the backdrop of
Qabrshmoun incident are ongoing, and that he has been holding talks with
officials in order to schedule a Cabinet meeting “on the right time.”“There are
ongoing political contacts for appeasement by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, he
does have some remarks on the political rhetoric we have all been hearing, but
he has been holding consultations with officials to take the appropriate
decision in time for the meeting of the Council of Ministers, it should be clear
today,” said Hajjar in an interview with VDL 100.5 radio station. On reports
that the PM and ministers of the Progressive Socialist Party could resign from
the government, Hajjar ruled out that. "I do not think that the resignation of
Hariri (leader of Mustaqbal) or any other party is possible in these
circumstances, because the resignation means evading responsibility,” he said,
adding "the country is paralyzed. Awareness and appeasement are required to
spare the government from the repercussions of congestion.”“Hariri has been
holding consultations with President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and the
related authorities. He will take the decision he deems appropriate on the
government session,” added Hajjar.
Hariri: I will not call for a Cabinet meeting before
everyone calms down
NNA/Tuesday 09 July/2019
The President of the Council of Ministers Saad Hariri said that he will not call
for a meeting of the Council of Ministers before everyone calms down, adding:
"Let them take it easy on the people and the country." Prime Minister Hariri's
words came in response to a question from a journalist, following his patronage
this evening at the Grand Serail of the signing of a "contract of
rehabilitation, maintenance, operation, management and training" of the
Technical Hospitality Institute in Mina-Tripoli, between the Ministry of
Education represented by Minister Akram Chehayeb and "North Investment Company
SAL" represented by its Chairman, Pierre Ashkar. Hariri said: "I thank everyone
for their cooperation. There are many other projects we are working on for this
city. The importance of this project is that it is based on a partnership
between the private and public sectors. The role of the state is not to operate
public facilities but to accelerate their establishment and the private sector
should be a real partner for the development of Lebanon. When I discovered that
this building was established many years ago without being operated, I said that
we must work to activate it. It has become a reality, thanks to the Ministry of
Education, Mr. Pierre Ashkar and all those who believe that the partnership
between the private and public sectors is essential. This project will be an
example of many projects in the future, because the private sector operates
facilities better and with a different mentality than the public sector. The
public sector also operates some fields successfully, like the Tobacco
Administration, but we see more successes in the private sector." He continued:
"I am optimistic despite all the non-optimistic atmosphere you see. It is a
passing cloud, like so many clouds passing over us. There are social, economic
and humanitarian matters that we have to deal with and unfortunately, we waste
time on political matters. We should focus on the needs of this Lebanese
citizen, who is frustrated by what he sees today. I tell him that this is what
some people want, to frustrate the citizen, but the Lebanese is resilient. We
will continue the path together". During the ceremony, attended by a large
number of officials, Minister Chehayeb, Ashkar, Mina Municipality President
Abdelkader Alameddine and Hariri’s advisor for development issues explained the
importance of the project.
Hariri tackles overall situation with Ibrahim, Rampling
NNA/Tuesday 09 July/2019
Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, received this evening at the Grand Serail General
Security chief, Abbas Ibrahim, with whom he discussed the overall situation in
the country. Premier Hariri also met with British Ambassador to Lebanon, Chris
Rampling, in the presence of former Minister Dr. Ghattas Khoury.
Discussions reportedly touched on most recent developments and the bilateral
relations between the two countries.
Ibrahim, Pederson Tackle Issue of Syrian Refugees in
Lebanon
Naharnet/July 09/2019
General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim on Tuesday held talks at his office with UN
Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, accompanied by his deputy Khawla Matar,
the National News Agency reported.
NNA said discussions focused on the general situation and the issue of displaced
Syrian persons in Lebanon. Lebanon hosts the highest concentration of refugees
per capita in the world — 1 million amid a Lebanese population of nearly 5
million — putting pressure on the country's crumbling infrastructure.
Jumblat: Unlike Others, PSP Prioritizes Country’s Interests
Naharnet/July 09/2019
Progressive Socialist Party ex-MP Walid Jumblat on Tuesday said his party is
keen on “prioritizing” decisions that fall in the country’s interest, unlike
others who seek “personal” gains. “The PSP is not an astronaut, unlike others
who seek to only save themselves at all costs. The PSP places the country’s
interest above all and it is open to all pathways,” said Jumblat in a tweet. The
PSP is “reassured and comfortable, but demands minimum respect for the minds and
an end to meager bidding,” he added.
Khalil: Country not on verge of collapse, but situation
challenging
NNA/Tuesday 09 July/2019
Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said "Regardless of the report of the
International Monetary Fund, we need to take structural reform steps to
rationalize public spending in the sectors of electricity, tax evasion and
customs, and to impose reform measures on the administration."
"The 2019 budget is not enough to achieve all the reforms, but it is a good
first step," Khalil said in a TV interview. He pointed out that "there was no
issues with the army topic, but a difference of views which will be resolved in
the last session. (...) I confirm that we are not a bankrupt country, and that
there is a clear intention to join ranks to manage the financial and banking
situation in cooperation with the Central Bank. We are able to withstand and
continue, but this does not exempt the House of Representatives and the
government from taking reform measures starting with the budget of 2019.
Political stability remains essential to maintain investors' confidence.""We are
not on the verge of collapse, even if we are in a difficult situation. The
budget is a watershed for a bigger reform project. We are confident of our
ability to continue," the Finance Minister confirmed. "Sanctions concern all the
Lebanese, even if they are under Hezbollah's name. The measures taken by Lebanon
and the laws issued by international bodies, make these sanctions unjustified
and detrimental to financial stability. We are committed to all the legal
standards related to this issue. Lebanon and its banks are committed to all
legislations, and there is no justification whatsoever to amplifying these
sanctions," he stressed.
Japan supports Mine clearance activities in Bint Jbeil Caza
NNA/Tuesday 09 July/2019
In a press release by Japan's Embassy in Beirut, it said: "As part of its
ongoing support of Lebanon's security and stability, the Government of Japan
extended a $450,000 grant to the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), through the Grant
Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Program, to support mine clearance
activities in the village of Rmeich, part of the Caza of Bint Jbeil. On the
occasion of the project completion, on July 9 2019, Mr. Yoshitake Naraoka,
Counsellor at the Embassy of Japan to Lebanon, attended a handover ceremony
organized by NPA, during which the previously contaminated lands were handed
over to their owners, following successful mine clearance works. The Japanese
grant helped provide advanced demining equipment to NPA, and covered the
operational cost of a mine action team. Its main aim was to limit human
casualties and reduce incidents caused by scattered mines and explosives, as
well as restore stability to the region. During the ceremony, Naraoka
highlighted the importance of the project in helping citizens retrieve their
properties, and exploit them for potential agricultural and developmental
purposes. He also stressed Japan's support to Lebanon's prosperity, through
funding projects that enhance the security and the economy, and contribute to
the creation of a safer environment for both the residents and the refugees. For
their part, The Director of LMAC, General Jihad Bechelany, NPA's Project
Manager, Mr. Craig McDiarmid, and Head of the Municipality of Rmeich Mr. Albert
El Hajj, all expressed their gratitude for the Japanese grant that aimed to
improve the livelihoods of the people of the region, hoping that Lebanon will
become free of mines in the near future. Japan has been a constant supporter of
mine action operations in Lebanon since 2001. In the past 4 years, the Japanese
Government provided more than $5 million to local and international NGOs working
on mine and cluster munitions clearance activities across Lebanon."
Jreissati after bloc meeting: State has final say
NNA/Tuesday 09 July/2019
"He who works for his people and not for his popularity is worthy of shouldering
such responsibility," said Minister of State Salim Jreissati in the wake of the
Strong Lebanon bloc meeting. "Communication between Foreign Minister Gebran
Bassil and Prime Minister Saad Hariri is still ongoing, because the rule of the
mighty and the biggest settlement are our responsibility together." "The State
has the final say," Jreissati assured. "We hold on tight to the loyal
proponents, so we can all stand together and resolve the economic crisis we are
suffering from. The issue of the Judicial Council belongs to the Council of
Ministers concerned with the referral decree which describes the bloody and
dangerous security event which put the life of a minister at risk, and
jeopardized security," he said. "The so-called specificities of regions have
vanished with the proportionality representation. Sectarian, regional and
vocational 'reserves' are contrary to the State project," he assured on behalf
of the bloc.
Future bloc after weekly meeting voices commitment to
dialogue
NNA/Tuesday 09 July/2019
Future bloc on Tuesday convened at the Center House under the chairmanship of MP
Bahia Hariri, to tackle the overall situation in the country and the latest
developments. In a statement issued in the wake of the periodic meeting and read
out by MP Rola Tabsh, the bloc expressed concerns about the current political
developments and the mounting polemic, at a time the country is in dire need of
a sensible and prudent approach to tackle the ramifications of the recent Aley
region's incidents. The bloc underlined the need to place the nation's supreme
interests above any partisan or sectarian considerations, in order to avoid
falling into the abyss of divisions and sedition. Future bloc also regretted the
negative impact of the recent incidents on government work, and underlined its
commitment to the track adopted by Prime Minister Saad Hariri in addressing the
recent incidents and his adherence to political dialogue in this regard. The
bloc also stressed that Premier Hariri is the one entitled constitutionally to
summon the Cabinet for a meeting.
Bassil Says Not behind Cabinet Suspension, Urges Jumblat to
'Hand Over Fugitives'
Naharnet/July 09/2019
Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil said Monday that the
repercussions of the deadly Qabrshmoun incident will not end before the
Progressive Socialist Party hands over the “fugitives.”Reminding of PSP chief
Walid Jumblat's announcement that his party is not “above the law,” Bassil
called on Jumblat to prove that the PSP is “under the law.”“Why are they
rejecting the referral of the case to the Judicial Council?” Bassil said in an
interview on NBN television, reminding that cases that shook the Druze community
such as the murder of Ziad Ghandour and Ziad Qabalan and the assassination of
Saleh Aridi had been referred to the council. “They are depicting the issue as
if gunmen from the two sides opened fire, whereas in fact preparations were made
to attack a convoy and there was a planned ambush, and if anything happened in
response it was self defense,” Bassil added. “Someone prepared a systematic
attack and the signs emerged two days before the incident,” the FPM chief said.
“Jumblat is saying you either deal with me differently in politics or there
would be a (security) problem in the country,” Bassil suggested. “I am peaceful
but they should not use this to scare us, seeing as the army protects us when
needed,” Bassil added. Asked whether the FPM and its allies are behind the
suspension of cabinet sessions, Bassil said they are not to blame for the
interruption although they have “the right to do so.”“The prime minister opted
for postponement to prevent an explosion in the session,” he explained, noting
that the FPM has “expressed solidarity” with State Minister for Refugee Affairs
Saleh al-Gharib whose convoy came under gunfire in Qabrshmoun. “Two of his
bodyguards were killed and 16 gunshots hit his car, some of which struck his
seat's headrest,” Bassil explained. “I have asked PM Saad Hariri twice about the
date of the upcoming cabinet session and of course we're in contact, though some
are trying to give the impression that there is a dispute,” the FPM chief said.
As for his “presidential” ambitions, Bassil said “he who wants to become
president would not fight with everyone like I'm doing.”“May God prolong the
life of President (Michel) Aoun and it would be shameful for me to think of the
presidency today,” he added.
Iran Puts Pressure on the Druze of Lebanon
Hussain Abdul Hussain/Syndication Bureau/July 09/2019
https://syndicationbureau.com/en/iran-is-now-putting-pressure-on-the-druze-of-lebanon/
On June 30, Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, a Christian, set out on a
tour of predominantly Druze communities in Mount Lebanon, escorted by Saleh Al-Gharib,
minister of state for refugee affairs and a Druze. The history between Druze and
Christians in Mount Lebanon is brutal. During the 1975-1990 civil war in
Lebanon, the area saw vicious fighting, in which the Druze drove out most of the
sizeable Christian minority. As Al-Gharib’s motorcade arrived in what is
believed to be the village of Bsateen, an argument broke out and two people were
killed. Whether they were officials accompanying the politicians or local
townsfolk who objected to their presence has yet to be determined.
Local media coverage reported the incident as a battle between two political
dynasties – Bassil aiming to succeed his father-in-law, Michel Aoun, as
president of Lebanon and supporters of Druze patriarch Walid Jumblatt seeking to
ensure the succession for his son, Teymour. Al-Gharib is a known opponent of
Jumblatt whereas the Mount Lebanon villages are pro-Jumblatt. But that
interpretation of the event would be an over-simplification. The more likely
truth is that the incident was part of a bigger regional conflict.
When war broke out in Syria in 2011, President Bashar Al-Assad had to withdraw
manpower from southern Syria, which borders Lebanon. Into the void stepped
Lebanese Hezbollah and its Iranian backers. Having ejected armed Syrian
opposition factions and taken control, Iran began building military
infrastructure in southwest Syria, the region closest to Israel, with the
intention of southern Syria replacing south Lebanon (a frozen frontline since
2006) as the stage for a war against Israel.
Easier said than done. For a start, Israel’s mighty air force has been hitting
every Iranian and Hezbollah asset it can find in southern Syria. Second, for
Iran to replicate its southern Lebanon experience, it needs friendly locals.
Southern Syria is predominantly Sunni and has suffered grievously at the hands
of Hezbollah and Shiite Iran. This leaves only one available alternative – the
Druze, who are spread across Lebanon, southern Syria and northern Israel and
have been led since at least the 1700s by the Jumblatt clan.
Like all minorities, the Druze have their own ways, developed over the last
millennium. They pledge allegiance to whoever is the strongest man or party.
When two strong, evenly-matched parties vie for supremacy and it is unclear who
will win, the Druze stay on the fence and hunker down in their villages, keeping
intruders away in a bid to preserve their neutrality. Jumblatt has been neutral
since he abandoned the Lebanese anti-Hezbollah March 14 Alliance in May 2008 and
though he openly opposes Al-Assad, he has worked hard to keep the Druze out of
the Syrian war.
Iran and Hezbollah, however, see Jumblatt’s policy as an obstacle to their own
ambitions. For their military infrastructure project to work in southern Syria,
they have to make the Druze join the “alliance of minorities,” which includes
Shias, Alawites and Christians of Lebanon and Syria. Since Jumblatt refuses to
budge, Hezbollah has been trying hard to dislodge him, mainly by circumventing
his leadership in Lebanon and Syria and propping up his opponents.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah has supervised the reconstruction of the state under the
auspices of Bassil and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who is Sunni. The duo have
cut Jumblatt from state resources that he needs to maintain his network of
loyalists. They have also been harassing his followers and civil servants,
pursuing some of them through the courts on bogus charges. Meanwhile, Hezbollah
and its allies have rewarded Jumblatt’s Druze opponents with state largesse and
a cabinet seat, while trying – but failing – to shake his sweeping popularity
among the Druze during the 2018 election.
Hezbollah also used Samir Qontar, a Druze who spent three decades in Israeli
prisons and was freed in a prisoner swap with Hezbollah in 2006. He was sent to
southern Syria to rally the Druze to Iran’s side and was killed by an Israeli
air strike.
In southern Syria, Iran has hunted down the Druze who insist on neutrality,
often assassinating activists and leaders, such as Sheikh Walid Balous in 2015.
In 2018, Al-Assad’s forces withdrew from positions in the south and soon after
ISIS kidnapped 14 Druze women. While there is scant evidence to prove Druze
claims of collusion between the Syrian regime and ISIS, there is no denying the
sequence of events: Al-Assad’s forces departed and the path was left clear for
the terrorists. Nor can it be denied that Al-Assad refused to offer protection
unless the Druze pledged support for him and sent their men to enlist in his
army.
The real stand-off that took place a few days ago in that Mount Lebanon village
was between Iran, which wants the Druze onside and securely within the
Iranian-led alliance of minorities, and an ever-defiant Jumblatt. They can play
it down as domestic Lebanese politics, but it is certainly much, much more than
that.
*Hussain Abdul-Hussain is the Washington bureau chief of Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai
and a former visiting fellow at Chatham House in London.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
July 09-10/2019
Macron's Top Adviser in Iran as EU Urges it to Uphold Nuclear Deal
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 9 July, 2019
The European Union on Tuesday urged Iran to reverse its scaled up uranium
enrichment that breaches a nuclear arms control deal it agreed with world powers
in 2015. "We continue to urge Iran not take further measures that undermine the
nuclear deal to stop and to reverse all activities that are inconsistent with
the JCPOA, including the production of low-enriched uranium," an EU spokeswoman
told reporters, referring to the deal's formal name, the Joint Comprehensive
Plan of Action. Iran has said it will boost its uranium enrichment in a few
hours above a cap set by the nuclear deal, a move that could mean the return of
all economic sanctions on Tehran. French President Emmanuel Macron's top
diplomatic adviser is spending two days in Tehran as part of an urgent bid to
deescalate rising tensions with Iran over the nuclear deal. An Elysee Palace
official said that adviser Emmanuel Bonne left for Tehran on Tuesday, seeking
ways to restart dialogue. The official wasn't authorized to speak publicly on
the matter and asked for anonymity. Macron and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
agreed in a weekend conversation to set a July 15 deadline to solve the current
impasse, and ultimately save the 2015 accord that the US pulled out of last
year. Macron spoke with President Donald Trump on Monday — the day Iran began
enriching uranium beyond the accord's 3
Iran: Britain’s Impounding of Oil Tanker Will Not Go Unanswered
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 9 July, 2019
Iran said on Tuesday that Britain’s impounding of an Iranian oil tanker off
Gibraltar will not go “unanswered,” reported the semi-official Tasnim news
agency. “Capture of the Iranian oil tanker based on fabricated excuses ... will
not be unanswered and when necessary Tehran will give appropriate answer,” said
Iranian armed forces chief of staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri. Royal
Marines impounded the tanker in Gibraltar on Thursday on suspicion it was
carrying oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions. Iran denies the
vessel was headed to Syria, where the regime of Bashar Assad is an ally of
Tehran. Iran has demanded the immediate release of the tanker, while an Iranian
Revolutionary Guards commander threatened on Friday to seize a British ship in
retaliation. The tanker was not headed to Syria, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister
Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday, without specifying the final destination of the
vessel. The vessel was likely carrying just over 2 million barrels of Iranian
crude oil, the data firm Refinitv said. Tracking data showed it made a slow trip
around the southern tip of Africa before reaching the Mediterranean, it said.
Netanyahu confers with Air Force chiefs, warns F-35s can
reach Iran
DEBKAfile/09 July/2019
Binyamin Netanyahu, PM and Defense Minister, sat down on Tuesday, July 9, with
Israel’s Air Force chiefs for an unusual security conference, during his tour of
the F-35 stealth fighter squadron at the Nevatim air base in the Negev. The
conference, at which Chief of Staff. Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, was also present,
took place with IAF commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin and the Air Force
Commanders’ Forum. Indicating the subject of their discussion Netanyahu later
stated: “I am seeing all our weapons systems and our planes, and here behind me
are the F-35s, the Adir. Iran recently threatened to destroy Israel. It would be
advised to remember that these planes can reach anywhere in the Middle East,
including Iran as well as Syria.”DEBKAfile’s military sources report that the
prime minister’s visit to the F-36 squadron and its publicity were his response
to Iran having returned to upgrading uranium enrichment to levels approaching
weapons grade; as well as the proliferating reports that Tehran has completed
preparations for a military strike on Israel from Syria. According to different
sources. Hizballah and a pro-Iranian Iraqi Shiite militia are involved in these
war preparations. The rendezvous taking place between Syrian and Iraqi army
forces at meeting-points on their common border, that were first revealed on
Monday, are also causing deep concern in Israel. It is feared that these
Syrian-Iraqi meeting points will provide Iran with open doors for the rapid
transfer of personnel and weapons into Syria and into the hands of its Lebanese
and Iraqi proxies. Netanyahu therefore pointedly included Syria in his warning
to Iran.
Netanyahu Warns Israel's Jets 'Can Reach' Iran
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/2019
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tuesday that Israel's fighter
jets "can reach anywhere in the Middle East, including Iran," in his latest
comments directed at his country's arch-foe. While visiting an air force base
where he inspected F-35 jets made by U.S. firm Lockheed Martin, Netanyahu issued
a video with one of the planes behind him. "Recently, Iran has been threatening
the destruction of Israel," he said at the Nevatim air base in southern Israel.
"It would do well to remember that these planes can reach anywhere in the Middle
East, including Iran and certainly Syria." Netanyahu has issued a series of
statements against Iran in recent weeks. They follow the Islamic republic's
decision to begin breaching some commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal with
world powers and attacks in the Gulf that Israel and the United States blame on
Iran. On Sunday, Netanyahu called an announcement by Iran that it would exceed
the uranium enrichment cap set by the troubled accord a "very dangerous step."He
urged European countries to sanction Iran in response. On Monday, Iran breached
the enrichment cap as it seeks to press other parties into keeping their side of
the bargain under the nuclear deal.
Netanyahu opposed the accord and urged U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw
from it, which he eventually did. Despite having opposed the deal, Netanyahu is
now calling on European nations to enforce its parameters as he and the United
States seek to further pressure Iran. Israel has also carried out hundreds of
strikes in neighboring Syria against what it says are Iranian and Hizbullah
military targets. It has vowed to keep Iran, which has backed Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad in his country's civil war, from entrenching itself militarily
there. In May 2018, Israel's military said it had become the first country to
use F-35s in combat.
Anger at Syrians Erupts in Istanbul
Istanbul- Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 9 July, 2019
At 2 am one Saturday night, Syrian brothers Mustafa and Ahmed were at home
hunched over a screen watching live black and white security camera footage of
men destroying their clothes shop. They watched as a small group of Turkish men
broke their glass storefront, ripped up Arabic leaflets and signs and set them
alight. A few men stood back and stared up at the camera, before a hand flashed
in front of it and destroyed it, and the screen went black. Mustafa, 22, and
Ahmed, 21, frantically called a Turkish grocer who runs the store next door, to
tell him they were on their way to the shop to stop it being burnt down. "He
told us: Don't come, they want to kill you," said Ahmed. Their store and other
Syrian properties were targeted in the Kucukcekmece district of western Istanbul
on the night of Saturday June 29, one of the occasional bouts of violence which
Syrians say erupt against them in Turkey's largest city. Such large-scale
clashes are rare, with only one other big attack happening this year, also in
western Istanbul, in February. Small incidents are more frequently shared by
Syrians on social media, and some fear tensions are on the rise. Police used
tear gas and water cannon to disperse the Kucukcekmece attackers, but not before
they destroyed many of the district's Syrian stores and tore down Arabic signs.
The area has one of the higher concentrations of Syrians in the city, and Arabic
signs are commonplace for shops' local Syrian customers.
Mustafa and Ahmed waited until the crowd thinned out, and then went back. "We
couldn't go until 5 or 6 in the morning. We emptied out half the merchandise,
and waited a couple of days until things calmed down."Turkey hosts more than 3.6
million Syrians, the largest population of Syrians displaced by the 8-year civil
war, and Istanbul province alone has over half a million, according to Turkey's
interior ministry. Turkey's own stumbling economy and rising unemployment has
fueled anger against their presence, and many are resented by Turks as cheap
labor taking over jobs and using services.
That has led President Tayyip Erdogan's government, which opened its borders to
Syrians when the conflict first erupted in 2011, to increasingly highlight the
number of Syrians it says have returned to northern Syrian areas now controlled
by Turkish troops and their Syrian rebel allies. Last week, state-owned Anadolu
Agency said nearly 80,000 Syrians returned in the first half of 2019. That
number is still only a small fraction of the refugee population in Turkey, many
of whom aim to build a new life in Turkey. Erdogan's political opponents have
criticized him for allowing in so many refugees, and even the new opposition
mayor of Istanbul - who campaigned on a ticket of inclusiveness - has said Turks
are suffering because of the Syrian influx. "We will make an effort to create a
basis for Syrian migrants to return to their homeland, their free homeland,"
Ekrem Imamoglu told Reuters last month. "Otherwise, we will have some security
concerns that would really trouble us all, and there would be street clashes."On
the night that Imamoglu won the mayoralty, a hashtag spread across social media
- "Suriyeliler Defoluyor", roughly meaning "Syrians, Get Out".
BROKEN SIGNS, DOORS, AND CAMERAS
On June 30, a few blocks away from the brothers' shop, two Syrians who work next
door to each other at a gold store and an electronics shop heard that a mob was
attacking Syrian shops.
"We packed up quickly and left," one of the electronics shop employees, who
asked for his name not be used, told Reuters a few days after the incident.
Speaking Arabic with an Aleppo accent, he waved his hand at the empty glass case
in front of him. "I usually have phones displayed here, but until now we're a
bit afraid. We're not showcasing our merchandise because the situation isn't
stable."The mob destroyed the gold store's glass storefront, despite the metal
shutters that were drawn down. The electronics shop's security camera, signs,
and lights were smashed. Days later, the signs remained broken. The shopkeepers
plan to put up new signs in Turkish, both to protect themselves and because
Istanbul's governor announced last week that shops must ensure at least 75% of
signage is in Turkish, not Arabic. Following the Kucukcekmece attack, Istanbul's
police headquarters said they captured five suspects linked to social media
accounts that put out the hashtags "Syrians Get Out" and "I Don't Want Syrians
in My Country". Police also said an investigation found a messaging group with
58 members was responsible for inciting the clashes in Kucukcekmece, and 11
members have been detained as investigations continue. Syrians expressed relief
that police were acting. "We are staying, we can't give up or anything," said
Mustafa. "We can't close up, how would we live?"Most shopkeepers said they hoped
that things will not get worse and that changing their signs to Turkish will
ease tension. Some said the clashes were occasional waves of anger which did not
represent how most Turks feel towards Syrians. "Here it's like a volcano: every
five or six months we have an explosion," said one customer.
At Least 3 Killed in ISIS Attack in N. Iraq
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 9 July, 2019
At least three people were killed in northern Iraq on Tuesday in what
authorities said was an attack by ISIS militants. Four people were wounded when
three mortar bombs hit the town of Shirqat, police officials and hospital
sources said. Police in the area said ISIS was involved in the attack and the
mortars were fired from a nearby mountainous area were militants are still
active. "ISIS fighters are hiding in (the) Makhoul mountains area and use it as
a launchpad for their attacks," said Shirqat police colonel Khalil Sahan,
according to Reuters. ISIS has recently mounted a series of hit-and-run attacks
aimed at undermining the government. Iraq declared victory over the group, which
once held large swathes of the country, in December 2017. But after they were
defeated and driven out of areas they controlled for years, the militants have
adapted their tactics to insurgent-style attacks.
Sudanese Anxiously Await Signing of Power-Sharing Agreement
Khartoum – Asharq al-Awsat/Tuesday, 9 July, 2019
The Sudanese people are anxiously waiting on the Transitional Military Council (TMC)
and Forces of Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (FDFC) to draft the
power-sharing agreement they reached last week. The drafting committee will
submit the final version of the deal Tuesday and consultations will be completed
before it is signed on Thursday, a source from the FDFC told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The deal, reached in the early hours of Friday after two days of hard-won talks
brokered by Ethiopian and African Union mediators, provides for the interim
governing body to have a rotating presidency, as a compromise between the
positions of the generals and the protesters. The blueprint proposes that a
general hold the presidency for the first 18 months of a three-year transition,
with a civilian taking over for the rest. The final agreement was supposed to be
signed within 48 hours of its unveiling, but has been delayed to this week.
Utmost secrecy has surrounded the names of potential civilian and military
candidates of the sovereign council. UN economic expert Abdalla Hamdok was seen
as the strongest and most prominent candidate for the position of prime
minister, however, political circles have proposed head of the Sudanese Congress
Party Omar al-Dukair to the post, along with Hashim Mohammed al-Fadl, a resident
doctor in Britain. Dukair is being considered despite his membership in a
political party, which contradicts the provisions of the agreement that demand
the formation of a government of non-partisan figures. It remains to be seen
whether he will resign his party post if he is appointed as premier or if the
partisan condition will be waived in favor of professional competence. The
sources reported to Asharq Al-Awsat that the names of candidates for the
membership of the council, both civilian and military, remained mostly
unchanged. Fadwa Abdel Rahman Ali Taha, Muntasir El-Tayeb and prominent protest
leader, Babikir Faisal are front runners. The sources did not disclose the
remaining eight names, five of which must be chosen for membership of the
sovereign council by a committee in the Freedom and Change Forces. A “leadership
office” of political party leaders will then sort out the nominations and
approve the representatives of the Freedom and Change in the council, choose the
prime minister and submit a list of at least 30 candidates, 17 of whom will be
appointed ministers.
A crucial meeting is expected to be held within 24 hours to reach a final
agreement on the candidates before the power-sharing deal is signed on Thursday
and the PM and sovereign council are revealed. Meanwhile, head of the TMC
political committee Shamseddine Kabbashi said a meeting was held with the FDFC
to unify media discourse. The meeting authorized a joint delegation to promote
the deal across Sudan. In other news, TMC chief Abdul Fattah al-Burhan met at
the Republican Palace on Monday with an Arab Parliament delegation chaired by
speaker Meshaal Fahim al-Salami. He was briefed on the latest developments in
the country. Salami asserted the Arab Parliament’s solidarity with Sudan's
leadership and its people and lauded the agreement between the TMC and FDFC.
Media reports indicated that the speaker reiterated that the Arab Parliament
will continue its efforts in urging the US Administration and Congress to remove
Sudan's name from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
Saudi Ambassador to US Submits Credentials to Trump
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 9 July, 2019
US President Donald Trump received at the White House on Monday Saudi Ambassador
to Washington Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan, who submitted her
credentials as envoy of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin
Abdulaziz. She relayed to Trump the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. She
described as “historic” and “strategic” relations between Saudi Arabia and the
United States, saying they are based on close cooperation and joint interests.
She stressed that she was keen on exerting all efforts to bolster this
cooperation on all levels. Speaking to the Saudi Press Agency, the ambassador
hoped that the strategic Saudi-American ties would serve interests between the
two countries and overcome common regional and international challenges. US
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday congratulated Princess Reema on being
the first woman to be appointed ambassador of Saudi Arabia. “I look forward to
working with you in your new role as Ambassador to the US, as we build upon the
strong, US-Saudi partnership and tackle shared challenges,” he tweeted. The
ambassador responded: “Saudi-US relations are a cornerstone of global stability,
and I look forward to working with you on overcoming mutual challenges and
strengthening our historical partnership for the benefit of both our nations.”
Oil Prices Drop as Trade Disputes Outweigh Supply Concerns
Tokyo- Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 9 July, 2019
Oil prices dipped on Tuesday on demand concerns following the latest signs the
US-China trade war is dragging on the global economy, although the potential for
conflicts in the Middle East offered support. Brent crude futures were down 14
cents, or 0.2%, at $63.97 a barrel by 0524 GMT. They fell 12 cents on Monday. US
West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 20 cents, or 0.4%, at $57.46 a
barrel. They rose 15 cents in the previous session. Oil prices are being
pressured by worries about demand as the US-China trade war, heading into its
second year, dampens prospects for global economic growth, which affects oil
demand. The countries are the world’s two largest oil consumers. Japan’s core
machinery orders fell by the most in eight months, data showed on Monday, in a
sign the global trade tensions are taking a toll on corporate investment.
Japanese government figures on Tuesday also showed that real wages in the
country fell for a fifth straight month. The country is the world’s
fourth-largest user of crude. “The weaker global economic outlook is keeping oil
prices under downward pressure, but tensions in the Middle East are enhancing
awareness to possible supply risk and should keep a floor under oil in the
medium term,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at Vanguard Markets in
Bangkok. Hedge funds sold more Brent futures and options last week as concerns
about the global economy trumped the decision by the Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies to extend output cuts. Iran
on Monday threatened to restart deactivated centrifuges and step up its
enrichment of uranium to 20% in a move that further threatens the 2015 nuclear
agreement that Washington abandoned last year. Washington has imposed sanctions
that eliminate benefits Iran was meant to receive in return for agreeing to
curbs on its nuclear program under the 2015 deal with world powers. The
confrontation has brought the United States and Iran close to conflict. Last
month, US President Donald Trump called off airstrikes at the last minute in
retaliation for Iran shooting down a US drone over the Gulf.
Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs said growth in US shale production was likely to
outpace that of global demand at least through 2020, limiting gains in oil
prices despite output curbs led by OPEC. Industry and government data for
release later on Tuesday and on Wednesday is expected to show that US crude
stockpiles fell for a fourth consecutive week, dropping 3.6 million barrels,
according to a preliminary Reuters poll.
Egypt Warns Turkey of 'Escalation' over Drilling Off Cyprus
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/2019
Egypt on Tuesday warned Turkey against escalating tensions in the eastern
Mediterranean over its attempt to drill for oil and gas in the waters off
Cyprus. A foreign ministry statement "stressed the importance of non-escalation
and commitment to respecting and implementing international law." The discovery
of huge gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean has set off a race to tap
underwater resources, sparking a dispute between Turkey and EU member Cyprus.
Cairo expressed its concern over Turkey's "insistence to continue with
unilateral measures that would increase tensions in the eastern Mediterranean
region."
Ankara's Fatih vessel entered Cyprus' exclusive economic zone in the west in May
and has started drilling, while a second ship -- the Yavuz -- was deployed last
month to search for oil and gas in the east. The European Union said Monday the
latest move by Turkey was an "unacceptable escalation", having warned Ankara to
stop its "illegal" activities or face sanctions. Cyprus is divided between the
internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and a breakaway state set up after
the 1974 Turkish invasion, following a coup sponsored by the military junta then
ruling Greece. Turkey insists that its actions abide by international law as it
is in the territorial waters of the Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus. Earlier
this month Cyprus said it has launched legal proceedings against three firms
that it accuses of supporting illegal Turkish oil and gas exploration in its
waters. It also issued arrest warrants for Fatih's crew, accusing the ship of
breaching the republic's sovereign territory.
Trump Calls British Ambassador to U.S. 'a Very Stupid Guy'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/2019
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday called the British ambassador to the
United States "a very stupid guy," one day after declaring he would cut contact
with the diplomat following a leak of cables describing Trump as "inept.""I
don’t know the Ambassador but have been told he is a pompous fool," Trump wrote
in a series of early morning tweets doubling down on British envoy Kim Darroch.
"The wacky Ambassador that the U.K. foisted upon the United States is not
someone we are thrilled with, a very stupid guy," Trump added. London has been
scrambling to stem the damage caused by the release of confidential cables from
Darroch, which in addition to describing Trump as inept also called his White
House "uniquely dysfunctional." The U.S. president's early morning wrath was not
solely reserved for Darroch, however. Trump also doubled down in attacking
British Prime Minister Theresa May regarding Brexit, saying she "went her own
foolish way-was unable to get it done. A disaster!" Trump said Darroch should
"speak to his country, and Prime Minister May, about their failed Brexit
negotiation, and not be upset with my criticism of how badly it was handled."
The release of the British cables came just a month after a state visit by Trump
that included a 41-gun salute welcome at Buckingham Palace and a banquet dinner
with the queen. Trump concluded his tweets by demanding that someone tell
Darroch "the USA now has the best Economy & Military anywhere in the World, by
far and they are both only getting bigger, better and stronger.....Thank you,
Mr. President!" The leaked cables threaten to complicate London's efforts to
strike a new trade agreement with the United States, to mitigate potential
damage from Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. May's government,
meanwhile, has reiterated its "full support" for its ambassador to Washington.
Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published
on July 09-10/2019
Iran's New Global Terrorist Network
كون كوغلن/معهد كايتستون: شبكة إيران الدولية الجديدة للإرهاب
Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/July 09/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/76498/%d9%83%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%83%d9%88%d8%ba%d9%84%d9%86-%d9%85%d8%b9%d9%87%d8%af-%d9%83%d8%a7%d9%8a%d8%aa%d8%b3%d8%aa%d9%88%d9%86-%d8%b4%d8%a8%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%a5%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%af/
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14517/iran-new-terrorist-network
US, British, French and other Western bases in the region are the most likely
targets for future terrorist attacks, and a number of Western governments are
understood to have responded by ordering their military and diplomatic missions
in the region to upgrade security arrangements.
The discovery of the African network follows recent revelations of Iran's
attempts to expand its terror network in Europe, as well as other parts of the
globe including Latin America and the Middle East.
The Iranian cells are said to be active in a number of African countries
including Sudan, Chad, Ghana, Niger, Gambia and the Central African Republic.
Last month, The Jerusalem Post, quoting from an intelligence report from the
German state of Hesse, claimed that Iran was one of the main state actors
involved in espionage in Germany. It said Iran was involved in the illicit
procurement of technology for weapons of mass destruction.
Western intelligence officials say a new Iranian terror network has been
established in Africa on the orders of Qassem Suleimani, the head of the Quds
Force, the elite section of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that
has responsibility for overseas operations. Pictured: Members of Iran's IRGC
"Ground Force Commandos".
As Iran intensifies its efforts to establish a global terror network, new
evidence has emerged that highlights the regime's attempts to establish a
terrorist infrastructure in Africa.
Western security officials claim the Iranian initiative in Africa has been
launched in response to the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the
controversial nuclear deal signed between Tehran and the world's leading powers
in 2015.
The objective of the African-based terror network, Western security officials
say, is to establish a group of so-called "sleeper cells" that can be activated
to attack Western targets if tensions between Iran and the West result in a
serious escalation in hostilities. US, British, French and other Western bases
in the region are the most likely targets for future terrorist attacks, and a
number of Western governments are understood to have responded by ordering their
military and diplomatic missions in the region to upgrade security arrangements.
The discovery of the African network follows recent revelations of Iran's
attempts to expand its terror network in Europe, as well as other parts of the
globe including Latin America and the Middle East.
Intelligence officials say the new terror network has been established on the
orders of Qassem Suleimani, the head of the Quds Force, the elite section of
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that has responsibility for overseas
operations.
The Iranian cells are said to be active in a number of African countries
including Sudan, Chad, Ghana, Niger, Gambia and the Central African Republic.
As one senior Western security source recently told me, "Iran is setting up a
new terrorist infrastructure in Africa with the aim of attacking Western
targets. It is all part of Tehran's attempts to expand its terrorist operations
across the globe."
Intelligence officials say Iran has been working on the new terror network for
the past three years since signing the nuclear deal on freezing its uranium
enrichment activities with the US and other major world powers in 2015.
The operation is being organised by Unit 400, a highly specialised section of
the Quds Force which is run by Hamed Abdollahi, a veteran Revolutionary Guard
officer who, in 2012, was designated by the US as supporting terrorist activity.
Overall command of the African cell is said to be run by Ali Parhoon, another
senior Iranian officer in Unit 400.
Details of the terror cell's existence were uncovered following a series of
arrests in Chad in April. Investigators found that Iran was behind the
recruitment and training of men between the ages of 25-35 with the aim of
committing terror attacks against Western targets on the continent.
There are estimated to be around 300 militants who have been recruited by the
Revolutionary Guard and have undergone rigorous training at Iranian-run training
camps in Syria and Iraq. The last batch of recruits were trained at an Iranian
base in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf.
Iran's attempts to establish a new terror operation in Africa follow recent
revelations that British security officials caught terrorists linked to Iran
stockpiling tonnes of explosives on the outskirts of London. The British
authorities believe this cell was also set up in 2015 after Iran signed the
nuclear deal.
Last month, The Jerusalem Post, quoting from an intelligence report from the
German state of Hesse, claimed that Iran was one of the main state actors
involved in espionage in Germany. It said Iran was involved in the illicit
procurement of technology for weapons of mass destruction.
The revelation that Iran is setting up a new terror network in Africa comes at a
time of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, and Iran's decision to
resume work on enriching uranium, a key material in the production of nuclear
weapons. Tehran also has been accused of stoking tensions in the Gulf after
Revolutionary Guard commanders confirmed that they were responsible for shooting
down a US military drone operating close to the Strait of Hormuz. In addition,
Iran has been blamed for carrying out attacks on a number of oil tankers
operating in the Gulf that were damaged by mines.
*Con Coughlin is the Telegraph's Defence Editor and a Distinguished Senior
Fellow at Gatestone Institute. He is the author of "Khomeini's Ghost".
© 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.
Even Trade War Winners Can Lose
Daniel Moss/Bloomberg View//July 09/2019
In war, even the winners pay a price.
Vietnam's portrayal as a clear beneficiary of the US-China trade conflict was
overdue for a reality check. President Donald Trump provided one, trash talking
the country with the kind of language he once reserved for China and Mexico.
Vietnam is “almost the single worst abuser of everybody,” he declared to Fox
Business Network last week. That's a turnabout from earlier in the year when
Trump praised Vietnam and said it was a model North Korea would be well advised
to follow. The Communist state has an industrial policy, cheap factory wages and
a burgeoning trade surplus that resemble the China of years past, as I wrote
here in May. In Vietnam's favor, it’s small relative to China and has had
amicable relations with America in recent years. Still, playing the
trade-conflict game has costs as well as benefits. Positioning yourself as a key
part of the export chain leaves you vulnerable when global demand weakens. A
rush to expand manufacturing can create internal tensions, such as the
clustering of factories in relatively small areas, large-scale domestic
migration and strains on infrastructure. And pay doesn’t tend to stay low
forever.
If Trump's disparaging remarks got lost amid the bonhomie between him and
Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the Department of Commerce grabbed Vietnam's
attention Tuesday. A preliminary ruling imposes an excise of more than 400% on
steel imports from the country. The contention is that businesses in South Korea
and Taiwan are avoiding higher duties by routing steel through Vietnam, where it
undergoes some cosmetic nips and tucks before being shipped to the US. Commerce
has hit on Vietnam’s key vulnerability. A lot of stuff is flowing from China to
Vietnam as firms increase purchases and ramp up production there to avoid
tariffs. In part, Chinese-made goods arrive for final assembly before heading to
ultimate destinations in America.
That's the supply chain world. Everything is linked. It's possible Trump's
definition of “made in China” could evolve, and then Vietnam will really find
itself under the spotlight. Vietnam boosters should be careful what they wish
for. Much of the increase in the country’s trade surplus with the US in the past
year has been associated with goods subject to tariffs – if they come from
China. Vietnam's share of US imports is up, relative to China, in many
categories. The big ones are phones and parts, textile fibers, furniture, wood
products and footwear.
Vietnam's turn in the sun has coincided with a slackening of global growth
that's wounded manufacturing. The country's total exports probably grew around
6.5 percent in the first four months of 2019. That’s not bad, but is well down
from the 13.2 percent clocked last year, according to a World Bank report
released this week. Phones, the largest single export and about 20 percent of
the total, declined. Footwear, garments and computers gained, but less rapidly
as a result of waning global demand. The lesson is you can bulk up as an export
powerhouse all you want, but the power has to be present for the idea to work.
Then there are the internal strains. As the World Bank notes, the export machine
is concentrated in about 10 of Vietnam's 63 provinces, such as the economic
centers around Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The lopsided geography of development
creates bottlenecks and other logistics challenges, not least the need to manage
a surge in internal migration.
This all sounds like China, doesn't it? Malaysia certainly looks at Vietnam and
sees something that looks like the rising manufacturing giant of the late 1980s
and early 1990s. This came up, unprompted, in a couple of meetings with current
and former officials in Kuala Lumpur and Penang last month.
On Penang Island just off the northwest coast of the Malaysian peninsula, the
government set up an industrial zone in the early 1970s and attracted
manufacturers such as Intel Corp. and Dell. They’re still there, along with a
who’s who of electronics and technology including Agilent Technologies Inc.
Malaysia has been trumpeting its own prowess in attracting foreign direct
investment this year, even going so far as to declare itself a winner. If anyone
understands the threat from Vietnam, it’s Southeast Asian neighbors such as
Malaysia .
In the arena of trade victors and vanquished, it’s a good idea to look over your
shoulder.
We must work hard to negate conspiracy theories
Nidhal Guessoum/Arab News/July 09, 2019
We do not have any surveys on this subject in the Arab world, but if we judge by
the opinions expressed on social media, the number of Arabs who doubt that
American astronauts walked on the moon between 1969 and 1972 has been growing
alarmingly.
The first time I encountered this issue was in 2001, after Fox TV broadcast a
documentary titled “Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?” and I started
receiving emails asking me whether I agreed with that, and if not what were my
counterarguments. I then started giving a talk titled “Did NASA fake the moon
landing — or are we miserably failing to educate the public?” so I had a chance
to witness the impact of the “moon landing hoax” claim on people. They were
really impressed with the arguments that the US flag could not be waving on the
moon (due to the absence of air) as it seemed to be doing in the photos, the
absence of stars in the pictures, the impossibility of traveling through the
lethal (Van Allen) radiation belts, and others. The good news back then was the
fact we didn’t have social media.
A few years ago, I set up a YouTube channel, “Ta’ammal Ma’I” (“Reflect with
me”), and one of the first videos I posted was titled “The proofs of human moon
landing.” Indeed, I had again been receiving an increasing numbers of queries
and straight-up attacks about NASA’s moon landing claims. So I explained again
how one can easily explain the above issues, and I added two solid proofs of the
moon landing: The existence of close to 400 kilograms of moon rocks that have
been analyzed and shown to be from the moon, and the analysis of images of the
trajectory that we see the dust taking when kicked up by the moon rover’s
wheels. Indeed, the trajectory that a particle takes in an environment of low
gravity and no air resistance is noticeably different from the trajectory in an
earthly environment.
And so I thought that I was done and would never need to come back to this
issue. But, as time passed, the ratio of “dislikes” on that video rose to more
than 20 percent, whereas the average of “dislikes” for the 150 videos in my
channel is less than 4 percent.
In the last year, the issue exploded again when the Arabic RT (Russia Today)
channel broadcast a five-part interview with Dr. Alexander Popov, who presented
new “proofs” that the Americans never walked on the moon. Over more than two
hours, this physicist (with no professional experience in space sciences)
presented his arguments. First, that the Saturn V rocket had many problems when
it was being developed, and then suddenly it could send a spacecraft to the
moon, only to be retired soon afterward. Second, top secret photos show the
Soviets recovering a rocket in their territorial waters, proving that the
American rockets carried no people and were not being sent to the moon, but
rather to the Azores archipelago (west of Portugal), where the US Navy had a big
base. Third, that the Americans only shared “moon rocks” with Canadian and
Australian scientists (“their friends”), never with the Soviets. And finally
that there has been a huge conspiracy operation, with some American officials
being retired and silenced, some astronauts getting killed, and the Soviet
leadership being bribed with luxury cars, investments (a Pepsi factory), etc.
The worrisome part is that one retired scientist making mostly risible claims
can be taken so seriously.
All these unbelievable claims can easily be rebutted, as I’ve recently done in a
new video on my channel. But the worrisome part is that one retired scientist
making mostly risible claims about such a momentous and historic event as
humanity reaching the moon can be taken so seriously by an important TV channel
(giving it over two hours of air time) and countless people (in less than a
year, that interview, despite its length, has been watched 1.3 million times and
has a “like” ratio of 83 percent).
Two months ago, I conducted a poll on Twitter asking people whether they agreed
or disagreed that American astronauts walked on the moon in the late 1960s and
early 1970s. A total of 3,174 people participated, and the results were: 30
percent were fully convinced that they did; 23 percent tended to agree with
that; 31 percent had doubts about its truth; and 16 percent were fully convinced
that it’s untrue. I am fully aware that this is not a scientific survey, indeed
I don’t know the demographics of the respondents, but I think this says
something about what people think.
The exchanges that followed the survey presented me with a host of reasons that
people cite as a basis of their doubts, such as why was the landing on the moon
not repeated? First, the landing was repeated five times, indeed 12 astronauts
from six missions walked on the moon, and, secondly, once the primary objective
was achieved, the high cost led to the decision to discontinue the program and
focus instead on satellites and space stations. Others asked whether NASA really
did have the technical capability to achieve that spectacular feat in 1969,
whether the moon rocks are really available for examination (yes, some are on
display in public places, such as the National Air and Space Museum in
Washington), and other such queries.
Indeed, one must ask why people believe in big conspiracy scenarios of this
sort. Studies have shown that the belief in conspiracies correlates with:
Doubting science; questioning authorities (especially the US government);
overestimating what the “powers” can do; and a sense of helplessness and
inability to influence the world — an unconscious feeling of “defeatedness.”
Let us, scientists, educators and the media, make a more resolute effort to
educate the public about scientific and technological achievements and work hard
to negate conspiracy theories and people’s tendency to indulge in them.
*Nidhal Guessoum is a professor of physics and astronomy at the American
University of Sharjah, UAE. Twitter: @NidhalGuessoum
Barak’s return a sad reflection of state of Israeli left
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/July 09, 2019
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a government back
in April, it was a certainty that the country’s political system would enter
into a frenzy in preparation for the next opportunity to receive a mandate in
the forthcoming September elections. It is impossible to penetrate Israel’s
complex political DNA without realizing that, beyond legitimate differences of
opinion and some less legitimate ones, there are many personal animosities often
derived from decades of existing in very close political and social proximity.
Moreover, Israeli politicians hardly ever retire — at best, they take a break
and then make a comeback — and their fluidity in moving between parties,
together with the intolerable ease with which they form new ones, makes the
system almost entirely incomprehensible and illogical.
One of the most bitter rivalries on show is that between former Prime Minister
Ehud Barak and the current PM, even though not so long ago Barak served as
defense minister in Netanyahu’s government. But then, as happens in Israeli
politics, and especially in any relations with Netanyahu, they fell out and
there was no way back.
It has been anticipated for several years now that Barak, a former military
chief of staff and the most decorated soldier in the country’s history, will
return to frontline politics. His premiership was short, less than two years
between 1999 and 2001, but nevertheless eventful. Most notably, he led the
Israeli peace negotiators at Camp David in the summer of 2000, in efforts that
failed spectacularly. The collapse of those negotiations with Palestinian
President Yasser Arafat, mediated by then-US President Bill Clinton, was not
only followed by an extremely violent Second Intifada, but also saw the
immediate end of Barak’s premiership, and since then he has never managed to
fully resurrect his political career. Instead he settled for serving in other
prime ministers’ governments, playing second fiddle.
There is no questioning Barak’s intelligence, intellect and incisive mind. He
has not only been a military man and a strategist for most of his adult life,
but is also a mathematician and a first-class pianist — all evidence of rare
analytical abilities. However, his emotional intelligence has always been
questionable and has led to difficult working relations with those who air
dissenting voices. Barak is a maverick who has never been a team player and, at
the age of 77, he can hardly represent the future of the left in Israel.
Moreover, it is a rather curious question as to what motivates him, at this
stage of his life, to take part in what promises to be an extremely toxic
election campaign, particularly since the odds are stacked against him becoming
prime minister, let alone doing well at the ballot box.
One of his reasons for taking part is his extreme contempt for Netanyahu and a
sense of responsibility to stop the latter from further damaging Israel’s
democracy, corrupting it and destroying the rule of law, while caving in to the
most extreme version of national-religious messianism and ultra-Orthodox
Judaism. There is also the fear that Barak shares with many of his former and
current senior colleagues in the security forces that an ultra-right-wing
coalition will jeopardize the long-term security, democratic nature and Jewish
nature of Israel, leading to an apartheid state living forever by the sword.
Barak is a maverick who has never been a team player and, at the age of 77, he
can hardly represent the future of the left in Israel.
It is not only Barak who is terrified that another term of Netanyahu at the helm
might change the country beyond recognition — this fear is felt by many former
senior security people. One of the new recruits to Barak’s party is former
Deputy Chief of General Staff Maj. Gen. Yair Golan, who was courageous enough to
draw parallels, while still serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), between
the “nauseating trends that took place in Europe in general, and in Germany
specifically,” back in the 1930s and similar trends in Israel today. In fact,
there is a higher concentration of generals positioned at the center of the
Israeli political spectrum than on the right, including four former IDF chiefs
of staff.
Polls taken in the immediate aftermath of Barak joining the political race are
not very flattering, suggesting he will win no more than a handful of seats in
the next Knesset. This is a sad reflection of the left and center-left in
Israel: That it can’t produce fresh faces and must rely on former security
chiefs to take the reins rather than a new generation who are a better
representation of civil society. Moreover, Barak presided over one of the worst
periods in the constant decline of the Labor Party and, by spreading the myth of
Camp David — that Israel offered the Palestinians everything they could have
dreamed of but they declined and replied with violence — he caused irreparable
damage to any future peace efforts.
Barak never retracted that claim, nor reflected on his own contribution to the
collapse of the peace talks all those years ago, and this puts a big question
mark against him becoming the champion of Israel’s dwindling peace camp. What he
most probably will do is further divide the left vote and push the Blue and
White alliance to the right in an attempt distinguish itself from him and
attract more votes from former Likud supporters. With the new old kid on the
block back in town, along with some of the quality people who have joined him,
including the granddaughter of assassinated prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, the
three leftist parties — Labor, Meretz and Barak’s newly formed Israel Democratic
Party — should seriously consider joining forces to give themselves a chance of
becoming a meaningful social-democratic political force, if not in the immediate
future, then certainly in the longer term.
*Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations at Regent’s University
London, where he is head of the International Relations and Social Sciences
Program. He is also an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. He
is a regular contributor to the international written and electronic media.
Twitter: @YMekelberg
Sudan celebrates crucial deal but many challenges lie in
wait
Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/July 09, 2019
Almost four months on from the dramatic toppling of Omar Al-Bashir’s 30-year
autocratic rule of Sudan, the military and a coalition of the country’s
opposition announced earlier this week that they had finally reached a
power-sharing deal. The deal, still to be signed by the two sides, involves
creating an 11-member ruling authority that will take over for a three-year
interim period until elections are held. The authority will be made up of five
members each from the opposition and the military, with a sixth civilian
appointed by agreement between the two sides. An army general will run Sudan for
the first 21 months of the transition, followed by a civilian for the next 18
months. The first step will be to appoint a technocrat government of experts.
The agreement comes one month after the military crushed a sit-in in front of
the Ministry of Defense that resulted in the death of more than 100 civilians.
While the head of the transitional military council, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan,
has blamed the violence on a third party, the opposition points the finger at
the commander of the notorious Rapid Support Forces, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo,
known as “Hemeti.”
The recent deal comes as a result of mediation efforts by the African Union,
supported by the US, UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It was welcomed by what looks
like a majority of the Sudanese people, who expressed hope and jubilation.
But is it too early to celebrate? There are a number of reasons why the deal may
still fall apart — especially considering the relatively long three-year
transitional period. What happened in Sudan in April was extraordinary: It was
both a popular uprising and a military coup, resulting in a stand-off, a lack of
trust and growing acrimony between the opposition and the military council.
One of the immediate challenges will be to restore trust and good faith between
the two sides. Al-Burhan is expected to be named as head of the new authority
for the first stage, but he is being challenged by Hemeti, whose forces are much
more organized, better equipped and battle-hardened, especially in Darfur.
Hemeti has been vocal in his criticism of the leaders of the Forces of Freedom
and Change (FFC) — the coalition that represents the opposition. And it is no
secret that he has influence inside the transitional military council.
With the military taking over the authority for the first two years of the
interim period, the fear that it will resist giving up power is genuine
Looking back at the post-independence history of Sudan, there is always the
specter of a military coup led by ambitious generals, who are driven by
ideology, a hunger for power or by outside parties. The transitional military
council announced a few weeks ago that it had foiled a coup attempt that led to
a number of arrests. With the military taking over the authority for the first
two years of the interim period, the fear that it will resist giving up power is
genuine.
Another challenge has to do with the FFC itself, whose long-term unity remains
questionable. There are conflicting reports that one member of the coalition,
Nida’a Al-Sudan, has voiced opposition to the deal and may withdraw from the FFC.
Certainly, when we approach the end of the three-year interim period, there will
be heated debates about the type of civilian government that will eventually
take shape and the role of political parties, the judiciary, the media and civil
society in the democratic process.
Regardless of the recently reached deal, the new authority will have to
negotiate with a number of separatists and armed rebel forces, especially in
Darfur. Only two of at least five rebel militias have joined the FFC, while the
others want to negotiate directly with the military or are vowing to fight the
central government.
Meanwhile, even if the new ruling authority overcomes the above challenges, it
will have to work to dismantle the so-called deep state that was created under
Bashir’s three-decade rule; chief among them being the National Congress Party.
While the party has lost its popular base and is blamed for the country’s
failures, prominent members remain powerful and influential and will do their
utmost to derail Sudan’s fresh march toward democracy.
And, finally, there is the most immediate challenge, which is the failing
economy that triggered the popular uprising in the first place. Here Sudan needs
the support of its neighbors and other nations that have a stake in the
country’s stability. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have stepped forward to support
Sudan’s ailing treasury and the US has given signs it will soon lift economic
sanctions. These are all important gestures but, for them to work, the
opposition and the army must respect the spirit of the deal and find ways to
maintain trust and commitment to its main goals.
**Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman.
Twitter: @plato010
People of Hong Kong fear impending Chinese oppression
Ellen R. Wald/Arab News/July 09, 2019
Hong Kong’s residents have engaged in increasingly large protests since March,
voicing their disapproval of a proposal to grant extradition power to mainland
China. On June 16, some reports indicated there were 2 million protesters on the
streets of Hong Kong. This is no ordinary political movement; it is the
desperate act of a people who are accustomed to liberty and defiantly refusing
to submit to imminent autocratic oppression.
In 1842, the British won control of the island of Hong Kong as part of the
treaty ending the First Opium War. In 1898, Britain signed a 99-year lease for
Hong Kong, at the end of which it would relinquish control to China. At that
time, no one could foresee what that would mean or what China — or Britain, for
that matter — would become.
Over the 99-year period of the British lease, Hong Kong became a financial hub,
the home of banks and uber-wealthy residents. It grew in size and in prominence.
Hong Kong residents also became accustomed to liberal freedoms, as Britain
itself became more and more focused on its own democracy. The people of Hong
Kong were cosmopolitan, international citizens — not Chinese but not British. At
the same time, China’s government transitioned from an empire to almost 40 years
of political turmoil and, ultimately, to a communist regime beginning in 1949.
In preparation for the momentous 1997 transfer of Hong Kong from British to
Chinese rule, the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping instituted the concept of “one
country, two systems.” Deng recognized that the people and businesses of Hong
Kong were accustomed to liberties not permitted in China, and he realized that
the system in Hong Kong had created great prosperity. Ironically, Deng and the
Chinese communists were desperate to perpetuate the capitalist wealth of Hong
Kong, so they agreed that the island should become part of China but operate
under its own, more liberal and democratic, system. The plan was to likely end
the one country, two systems policy in 50 years, in 2047. Today, 2047 does not
seem so far away.
The ongoing protests have come amid the looming transition to Chinese communist
rule in 28 years’ time. Young Hong Kong residents can expect to experience that
in their lifetimes. When the Hong Kong government proposed a new extradition
law, the people feared it would make them susceptible to Chinese oppression. The
current Hong Kong government, and particularly the chief executive, who is
appointed by China, has been accused of being too close to mainland China’s
communist rulers. The people feared that extradition power for China would mean
they would essentially lose their freedoms of speech and consciousness. China
would be able to persecute them for political violations, just as the communist
government does to Chinese who dare to challenge the system.
It is rare that a region ruled by a relatively liberal government comes to be
oppressed by authoritarianism, and it is rarer still that the people can foresee
the change years ahead
Protests against oppressive governance are nothing new. What sets these protests
apart is that they are the work of relatively free people living in a relatively
open society and governed by a relatively liberal government. They are
protesting what they see as encroaching oppression. This is the act of a people
who know and understand freedom and fear the impending oppression of a communist
authoritarian rule.
It is rare that a region ruled by a relatively liberal government comes to be
oppressed by authoritarianism, and it is rarer still that the people can foresee
the change years ahead.
The best example of a liberal democracy devolving to despotic and tyrannical
rule is that of Germany in the early 20th century. The Weimar Republic was the
state formed in Germany after the First World War. It had a parliamentary system
and guaranteed freedom of expression to its people. Ultimately, it was
overwhelmed by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, who used the peculiar powers granted
by the Weimar constitution to the executive in times of emergency to exert
complete control over the country. The democratic republic in Germany began in
1919, and it was effectively ended in 1933. It all happened so quickly that
Hitler gained enough control to quash opposition before it could even start.
What we see in Hong Kong is something altogether new in the world. It is a
people accustomed to liberty now faced with the imminent loss of that liberty.
It must be no coincidence that last month was the 30th anniversary of the
massacre at Tiananmen Square, when the Chinese government ordered the military
to open fire on thousands of unarmed young protesters in Beijing. China’s
economy has boomed in the past 20 years, but it is still as oppressive today as
it was 30 years ago. For example, more than a million Uighur Muslims are being
held in camps —or worse — in the province of Xinjiang. Political and religious
dissidents are regularly imprisoned. The truth is we don’t know the extent of
the oppression in China, but the people of Hong Kong fear oppression, no matter
how rich they are.
Summing up the desperation of Hong Kong protesters and a resulting spate of
suicides, a 21-year-old woman named Lo Hiu-yan reportedly killed herself in
June. Referencing her fellow protesters, she wrote before her death: “I hope to
exchange my life for the fulfillment of 2 million people’s wishes.”
*Ellen R. Wald, Ph.D. is a historian and author of “Saudi, Inc.” She is the
president of Transversal Consulting and also teaches Middle East history and
policy at Jacksonville University. Twitter: @EnergzdEconomy