LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 27/2019
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews19/english.july27.19.htm

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Bible Quotations For today
Spirit of truth will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 16/12-15:”‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on July 26-27/2019
Machrouh Lyla Band Challenge is A Leftist-Agnostic Riot Against Lebanon’s Culture & Faith
Lebanon secures release of American citizen from Syria
President Aoun receives invitation to visit Paraguay
President Aoun returns two laws to Parliament
Presidency Says ‘Confusion’ over Budget Article Delays Aoun’s Signature
President Aoun visits Zahle to inaugurate newly renovated Municipal Palace, sponsor Lebanese Arak Day
Nasrallah Renews Support for Arslan, Says He's Not 'Tool' against Jumblat
Sayyed Nasrallah delivers speech on 31st anniversary of the founding of 'Jihad Al Binaa'
Berri Praises Jumblat’s Qabrshmoun Proposal, Says Govt. Paralysis Must End
Bassil Warns over 'National Accord, Partnership' after 'Article 80' Controversy
Jumblat Warns Judge of 'Fattoush's Rockets'
Bassil Says Has No Intention to Hamper Government
Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel Blasts Officials' Irresponsibility, Warns It Is Jeopardizing Freedoms in Lebanon
Lebanon Mourns Tunisian President
What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?
Tel Aviv Says Israel, Hezbollah Exchanged Messages on Easing Tension
Hizbullah Deputy Leader Sheikh Naim Qassem: U.S.- Iran War Would Set The Region Ablaze; Israel Is Vulnerable To Our Weapons No Matter What It Does; Hizbullah-Hamas Relations 'Have Been Restored' And 'Are Even Better' Than Ever

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 26-27/2019
Pompeo Says he'd Go to Iran if Needed
Iran Frees 9 Indian Crew from Seized Tanker
Iran says India given consular access to 18 crew of detained UK-flagged tanker
Flags of Inconvenience: Noose Tightens around Iranian Shipping
Shin Bet Breaks Up Iranian Espionage Network in Israel
Denmark Backs European-led Naval Mission to Hormuz Strait
Erdogan: Turkey May Turn Elsewhere for Jets if US Won’t Sell it F-35s
Turkey ‘neutralizes’ instigator of Erbil attack: Anadolu
Damascus rejects Turkey-US talks on Syria buffer zone
UN says Syria air strikes killed at least 100 civilians in past 10 days
UN: More than 400,000 people displaced in 3 months in northwest Syria
Azerbaijan rescues nine from Iranian vessel in distress in Caspian Sea
Libyan National Army Downs Another Turkish Drone
EU Partners Warn Johnson against Brexit Provocation

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 26-27/2019
Machrouh Lyla Band Challenge is A Leftist-Agnostic Riot Against Lebanon’s Culture & FaithظElias Bejjani/July 25/2019
What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah/gotquestions.org/July 25/2019
Hizbullah Deputy Leader Sheikh Naim Qassem: U.S.- Iran War Would Set The Region Ablaze; Israel Is Vulnerable To Our Weapons No Matter What It Does; Hizbullah-Hamas Relations 'Have Been Restored' And 'Are Even Better' Than Ever/MEMRI/July 26/2019
An English Misunderstanding of Iran/Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/July 26/2019
Radicalization of Kids: A Global Threat/Raheel Raza/Gatestone Institute/July 26/2019
How Tehran Tries to Drown the Fish/Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/July 26/2019
Iran Fell in the Trap/Salman Al-dossary/Asharq Al Awsat/July 26/2019
Is Kushner's latest Mideast trip a waste of time?/Ynetnews/The Media Line/July 26/2019
Can ‘Ottoman grandson’ and new British PM boost Turkey-UK ties?/Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/July 26/2019

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on July 26-27/2019
Machrouh Lyla Band Challenge is A Leftist-Agnostic Riot Against Lebanon’s Culture & Faith
Elias Bejjani/July 25/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/76977/elias-bejjani-machrouh-lyla-band-challenge-is-a-leftist-agnostic-riot-against-lebanons-culture-faith/
Freedom has nothing to do with the on going leftist-agnostic charade of the “Machrouh Lyla Band” phenomena at all.
This kind of blatant Freedom is not what the majority of the Lebanese people, from all religious faiths want, accept or even can keep a blind eye on without an angry loud and straightforward “NO”.
What is going on is a mere leftist-agnostic media shameless riot against the actual core and essence of freedom.
What is going on is actually blemishing freedom, because Freedom does not mean at all to advocate in Lebanon openly for sexual deviations or choices without any kind of restrictions, limits, or respect for the majority of the Lebanese peoples’ social norms.
Freedom is not at all a means of instigation of hatred or grudges against ethical and social norms in our Lebanese deeply, established society norms of living and worshiping.
Freedom is not a means of humiliating or insulting Christianity or any other religion and their holy figures.
Freedom is not a means of Free and rude advocacy for LG or any other sexual, life style or social deviations-choices.
Freedom is not is not by any means a venomous media or art tool for the destruction of the Lebanese social and human norms and solid faith convictions.
In conclusion, People are free to be odd or to adopt any odd of life style in any social or faith domains, as long as they do not harm others or break the laws of the country, but they are not free and must not be allowed to advocate openly and freely for their odd life choices.
It is worth mentioning that shame is a biological and Godly gift and privilege that is merely owned and enjoyed only by Human beings.
Accordingly those who kills this godly gift in their lives voluntarily alienate themselves from all that is human in all domains and fields.
Meanwhile, shame definitely is a grace, and a blessing .. Lucky are those who appreciate its privileges, values and virtues.
In this regard we thank Almighty God that the shame gift is still vibrant, active and alive among the majority of our Lebanese multi-cultural and faith Mosaic communities.

Lebanon secures release of American citizen from Syria
Reuters, Beirut/Friday, 26 July 2019
Syrian authorities have released a US citizen and he has been handed back to his family, thanks to the mediation of Lebanon, a Lebanese security official said on Friday. nThe security official did not reveal the name of the released American, but said it was not Austin Tice, a journalist who disappeared in Syria in 2012. The official said that Lebanon’s security chief Abbas Ibrahim had conducted the mediation. “Lebanon has worked on mediating through General Abbas Ibrahim to release an American and he was handed over to his family already. The American is not Tice because it is not known where he is,” the security official said. Several US citizens have been held in Syria since the war began there in 2011, including people held by militant groups such as the ISIS. The United States has declined to say who it believes is holding Tice, but has said it believes he is alive and has sought the help of the Syrian government’s close ally Russia to free him. Last year the family of another American, Majd Kamalmaz, told the New York Times that he had disappeared at a government checkpoint in Damascus in 2017. Last month Ibrahim flew to Iran to complete the release and repatriation of Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese citizen with permanent residency in the United States who was detained there in 2015.

President Aoun receives invitation to visit Paraguay
NNA - Fri 26 Jul 2019
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, on Friday received Paraguayan Foreign Minister, Luis Alberto Castiglione, on top of an official delegation, with talks reportedly touching on bilateral relations and means to bolster ties in all fields. Minister Castiglione handed President Aoun a written letter from his Paraguayan counterpart, of Lebanese origin, Mario Abdo Ben?tez, bearing on his desire to bolster the historic bilateral relations between Lebanon and Paraguay and the peoples of both countries. President Bentez extended an invitation to President Aoun to visit Paraguay, "which will be the first official visit to be paid by the president of Lebanon to Paraguay, a country that has welcomed thousands of Lebanese as their second homeland," the letter read.
He also hoped that he would have the opportunity to visit Lebanon "the land of my ancestors."Talks also featured high on the role of the Lebanese Diaspora and Paraguayans of Lebanese origin. On the other hand, Aoun met at the Presidential Palace in Baabda the President of the ruling party in Quebec, Alice Abou Khalil, with talks reportedly touching on the Lebanese-Canadian relations and with the Province of Quebec, in particular.
The current situation of the Lebanese community members in Quebec and means of cooperation also featured high on their talks.
The Head of State also welcomed the Honorary Lebanese Consul General to the Republic of Panama, lawyer Mohammed Al-Hajj, with whom he discussed relations between the two countries.
Aoun also met with received the leader of the Movement of Independence, MP Michel Mouawad, with whom he tackled an array of national affairs, as well as the latest political developments.
On the other hand, President Aoun dispatched the Presidency's Director General, Dr. Antoine Choucair, to the Embassy of the Republic of Tunisia, to offer condolences on the passing away of Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.
"The absence of President Essebsi
is a loss for Tunisia and the Arab world as a Statesman who worked tirelessly for the principles of justice, human values and respect for the diversity of civilizations and cultures," Dr Choucair wrote down in the condolence register at the Tunisian Embassy, in the name of President Aoun. In mourning of the Tunisian President who passed away Thursday, the Lebanese flag mounted over the Presidential Palace in Baabda has been ordered to fly at half-staff, as per the decree issued by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the NNA correspondent said.

President Aoun returns two laws to Parliament
NNA - Fri 26 Jul 2019
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, has sent back to Parliament, in accordance with Decree 5271 dated 25 July 2019, a law approved on 27 June, on "the exemption of children of Lebanese women married to foreigners and those holding courtesy residence from obtaining a work permit" for review. President Aoun also sent back to the Parliament, in accordance with the Decree #5272 dated 25 July 2019, the law approved last June 27, on the fight against corruption in the public sector and the creation of the National Anti-Corruption Authority.
President Aoun listed the reasons for sending the two aforementioned laws back to Parliament.

Presidency Says ‘Confusion’ over Budget Article Delays Aoun’s Signature
Naharnet/July 26/2019
The Lebanese Presidency office issued a statement on Friday saying there has been some confusion over a budget article related to state hires delaying President Michel Aoun from signing off the 2019 state budget.
The statement said the office of the President has "received the state budget Wednesday evening and the related circles began studying it before referring it to the President." “There seemed to be a confusion regarding Article 80 of the budget requiring clarification,” said the statement.
According to reports, Article 80 calls for the employment of Civil Service Council applicants who have passed their tests but their employment remains pending because of sectarian disputes. Lebanon's 2019 budget needs the President's signature before it is put into effect. It was signed by Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

President Aoun visits Zahle to inaugurate newly renovated Municipal Palace, sponsor Lebanese Arak Day
NNA - Fri 26 Jul 2019
President of the Republic, Michel Aoun, visited this Friday the city of Zahle, to inaugurate the newly-renovated Municipal Palace and sponsor the opening of the "Lebanese Arak Day" and "Tasting Day" organized by the Ministry of Agriculture. Welcoming the President at the municipal palace had been Foreign Affairs Minister Gebran Bassil, Interior Minister Rayya El-Hassan, Bekaa Commissioner, Kamal Abu Jaoudeh, and Zahle Municipality head Assaad Zgheib. In her delivered word, Minister Hassan thanked President Aoun for his interest in all what contributes to strengthening administrative decentralization and local development. She also indicated that all the Lebanese rally around the head of state. The Minister then shone light on the importance of municipalities as the key catalyst for local development. "This is why municipalities are receiving support from the international community and donor parties to build their capacities and enable them to address the challenges of development, on one hand, and the burden of Syrian refugees, on the other hand," concluded the minister.

Nasrallah Renews Support for Arslan, Says He's Not 'Tool' against Jumblat
Naharnet/July 26/2019
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday reiterated support for Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan in the standoff over the Qabrshmoun incident, as he denied that Syria and Hizbullah are waging a political war on Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat.
“We support MP Talal Arslan in anything he decides as to the Qabrshmoun incident and we're with convening the cabinet as soon as possible to discuss the issue,” Nasrallah said in a televised address.
“Hizbullah does not hide behind an ally or a friend. We are not weak or cowards and we have the full courage to confront anyone directly,” Nasrallah added. “Claims that a certain leader is being targeted and that MP Arslan is a tool for Hizbullah in the war on this person are shameful and false,” he went on to say, referring to Jumblat. “Our ally is aggrieved and the incident truly would have undermined civil peace and his demand is rightful. Hizbullah has announced that it stands by MP Arslan on this issue and we have not pressured anyone,” Nasrallah added. Reiterating that Hizbullah respects its allies and does not “impose anything” on them, the Hizbullah leader decried that it is shameful to say that Hizbullah is “using its Druze allies in the Druze arena.”“Some claim that Hizbullah is ruling Lebanon and controlling the government and parliament... This is the biggest lie. Hizbullah is not ruling Lebanon and what's happening in Lebanon is against its will and desires. If Hizbullah was Lebanon’s ruler, we would have referred the Qabrshmoun incident to the Judicial Council from the very first day,” Nasrallah said. Separately, Nasrallah said he “categorically” denies the claims by Israel's U.N. envoy that Hizbullah is “using Beirut's port to ship arms into Lebanon,” warning of an attempt to “impose tutelage” over Lebanon’s airport and port.

Sayyed Nasrallah delivers speech on 31st anniversary of the founding of 'Jihad Al Binaa'
NNA - Fri 26 Jul 2019
Hezbollah Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, delivered a speech on Friday marking the 31st anniversary of the founding of Jihad Al-Binaa Association, saluting its fallen martyrs and hailing its work in the service of people. "The achievements of the Association are the result of the efforts of generations of brothers and sisters who have assumed responsibility," Sayyed Nasrallah said, wishing "Jihad Al-Binaa" success in its efforts to provide great services to the people. Sayyed Nasrallah said that "Jihad Al Binaa has always been part of the resistance and we are proud of it."
Nasrallah added that in addition to fighting against the Israeli enemy, Hezbollah has worked on various aspects, whether political, cultural, media, people's steadfastness, and the rapid restoration of destroyed homes. The Sayyed also noted that the Association provided great services for the restoration of destroyed homes, adding that "From the embrace of Jihad Al-Binaa Association, Wa'ed Foundation was launched."
Sayyed Nasrallah also pointed out that after the year 2006, Jihad Al
Binaa has turned its efforts towards the agricultural, environmental and cooperatives' fields, including training programs to improve people's vocational and professional skills as well as spreading the culture of forestation. Nasrallah also stressed that Lebanon is capable of owning a good agricultural sector, "yet the problem lies in the absence of a vision by the state and government to advance, support and enhance this sector," Nasrallah corroborated. He stressed the need for productive sectors. The Sayyed called for "supporting and encouraging the agricultural sector and farmers through providing government assistance, securing markets and devising an inclusive serious plan," stressing the need to strengthen rural areas, in a way that secure job opportunities in the agricultural domain.
Turning to the recently approved state budget 2019, Nasrallah pointed out that "Loyalty and the Resistance" bloc has voted in favor of the state budget given the gravity of the economic situation and the need for cooperation to face this simmering situation.
On the recent Palestinian employment issue, Nasrallah stressed that this topic must be resolved ethically, humanely and quietly. He regretted that some tend to politicize all topics in Lebanon, calling for resolving this dossier in a scientific manner away from outbidding.
On the other hand, the Sayyed categorically denied the Israeli allegations that Hezbollah was using the Beirut port to transfer arms and aiming to control the port, airport and borders. Turning to the Aley's Qabr Shmoun's incident, Nasrallah said his Party did not intervene in this issue, saying "We respect our allies and we do not pressure them; their decision is independent." However, he said he supports the position of MP Talal Arslan in this regard. The Secretary General deplored claims by some that Hezbollah dominates the government, parliament and other administrations, saying "the truth is that Hezbollah does not rule Lebanon. What happens is against its will." He added: "If Hezbollah was the one ruling Lebanon, it would have referred the Qabr Shmoun's case to the Judicial Council since the first day," Nasrallah maintained, adding that those making these claims want to blame the Party for all the flaws and incite people against it. He hoped that the leaders of the Druze community would reach agreement, calling for discussing the Qabr Shmoun case in the government. On the other hand, Nasrallah hailed the decision of the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas to stop implementing the agreements signed with the Israeli enemy.

Berri Praises Jumblat’s Qabrshmoun Proposal, Says Govt. Paralysis Must End
Naharnet/July 26/2019
Speaker Nabih Berri said that adjoining the controversial cases of Qabrshmoun and Choueifat incidents is a “real chance” to overcome the political crisis, as he called for ending the government paralysis, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday. “It is a good and viable opportunity that can be approved in the Cabinet followed by a comprehensive reconciliation meeting at the Baabda Palace to bring the matter back to the pre-Choueifat incident,” said Berri in remarks he made to the daily. Progressive Socialist Party leader ex-MP Walid Jumblat has proposed adjoining the cases of the Qabrshmoun and Choueifat incidents and referring them together to the Judicial Council. “This opportunity serves everyone’s favor and it must be grasped because things can get worse,” said the Speaker. Controversy over referring the deadly Qabrshmoun incident to the Judicial Council has suspended the government meetings since July 2. The incident on June 30 between Progressive Socialist Party supporters of Jumblat, and the convoy of State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib left two of the latter’s guards dead and a third wounded. Gharib and his Lebanese Democratic Party, of Druze MP Talal Arslan, have described the incident as an ambush and an assassination attempt while the PSP has accused the minister’s bodyguards of forcing their way and firing on protesters. Gharib’s party has insisted that the case should be referred to the Judicial Council, a demand opposed by the PSP and its allies. The case has forced the suspension of cabinet sessions since July 2. Regarding the suspension of Cabinet meetings, Berri said “All this economic growth will be meaningless if the government paralysis remains as it is. Therefore, it is necessary to remedy this crisis and to return to launching the government's work immediately.”

Bassil Warns over 'National Accord, Partnership' after 'Article 80' Controversy
Naharnet/July 26/2019
Free Patriotic Movement chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil on Friday described parliament’s controversial approval of Article 80 of the state budget as a blow to “national accord” and “partnership.”“What happened with us regarding Article 80 of the state budget is not something minor in terms of the violation of balances, understandings and agreements,” Bassil said in a speech in Zahle. “Article 80 should be dropped and such norms that encroach on the powers of the president, the prime minister and the minister should not be established,” he added.
“I don’t know where the interest is in awaking (sectarian) fears that we thought have become behind us,” Bassil decried, accusing some political parties of disregarding “the requirements of national accord and partnership.”The article in question preserves the employment right of those who succeeded in Civil Service Council exams for a period of six years. The FPM says an agreement had been reached on dropping the article seeing as there would be no “sectarian balance” should those who passed the exams be appointed as civil servants. There are conflicting reports on whether or not the article was officially dropped during parliament’s sessions on the state budget.

Jumblat Warns Judge of 'Fattoush's Rockets'
Naharnet/July 26/2019
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Friday warned Mount Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun of what he called the “rockets” of Pierre Fattoush, the owner of a controversial cement factory in the Ain Dara region. “I congratulate Judge Ghada Aoun on her decision to shut down the Ain Dara stone crushing plants in order to preserve environment and Ain Dara’s properties,” Jumblat tweeted. “This is a long-awaited demand but I fear that she might be accused by the Axis of Defiance that this decision is part of the imperialist-Zionist conspiracy, that’s why I urged her to take all the precautions in the face of Fattoush’s rockets,” Jumblat added. The so-called Axis of Defiance comprises Iran, Syria, Hizbullah and their allies in Lebanon and the region.

Bassil Says Has No Intention to Hamper Government
Naharnet/July 26/2019
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and head of the Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc, voiced calls in a press conference on Friday for “solidarity between politicians and civilians alike in order to end the current crisis,” in Lebanon. Bassil’s conference came after chairing a meeting with his bloc. On a looming trash crisis after the closure of Costa Brava landfill, he said: “It is time to begin the implementation of a comprehensive national plan. We must all join efforts to end this crisis.”The Minister refrained from making any comment regarding the “confusion” over Article 80 in the state budget. The Lebanese Presidency said Friday that President Michel Aoun has postponed the signing of the budget until confusion over the article is settled. Bassil said: “I will comment on this in the presence of Aoun during my (scheduled) speech in Zahle.”On another note, Bassil stressed the need to restore stolen public funds. He said: “We are working on an integrated legal system to combat corruption, including draft laws to lift banking secrecy and lift the immunity off employees and return stolen state funds.”
“We have no intention to obstruct the government. We are waiting for PM Hariri to call for a Cabinet meeting,” he concluded.

Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel Blasts Officials' Irresponsibility, Warns It Is Jeopardizing Freedoms in Lebanon
Kataeb.org/July 26/2019
Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel on Friday considered that the Lebanese crisis is a result of State officials’ irresponsibility, noting that the economic situation is in complete decline and it requires consecutive government closed sessions to work out a solution to dodge this disaster. “The Cabinet hasn’t been meeting for 4 weeks and that demonstrates a lack of responsibility by the State’s officials in the face of the looming dangers in all aspects be it social, monetary or economic,” Gemayel said during an interview with Al-Hurra TV channel as he addressed the Cabinet’s deadlock caused by the Qabr Shamoun fallout. “Everyone should know that after 7 years of hosting Syrian refugees on its land and with all the repercussions entailed on the infrastructure, economic and living conditions, Lebanon can no longer tolerate this number of refugees,” Gemayel explained. “It is normal that the Lebanese demand that this problem be solved in any means possible because the Syrian refugees make up around one quarter of the Lebanese population reaching 1.5 million,” Gemayel called for the international community to hold responsibility by the Lebanese people’s side. “Our only crime is that we share borders with Syria. We have provided them with different types of services and we have welcomed them but with the passing of time, tensions started arising and that is neither the Lebanese nor the Syrians’ fault,” Gemayel pointed out. “The United Nations must take this tragic situation into consideration and to help Lebanon endure this burden,” Gemayel requested, mentioning that Lebanon has been listed third among the most populated countries in the world. The Kataeb leader vilified the presence of Hezbollah as it is at odds with the law, the Lebanese Constitution and the International Regulations, renewing his call to conditioning Hezbollah’s arms under the Lebanese army’s control to end this deviant state within the state. “This militia is taking over the political decision-making power in the country aside its allies in the government and the presidency,” Gemayel warned. He indicated that the Kataeb party wants to expose this complicity raging among all government factions, which aims at relinquishing the political decision-making power in Lebanon.
“Tensions wouldn’t exist had there wasn’t a militia that drags institutions and the Lebanese into a conflict that they have nothing to do with,” Gemayel condemned, renouncing this haul whose consequences the country cannot handle.
“Our opposition stands in the face of all the system that chose to relinquish the country to Hezbollah and positioned its state institutions as a shield to its regional conflicts,” Gemayel lambasted. Gemayel cautioned this is might be the last legislative session before Lebanon reaches a critical stage. “Let the government officials take this as a warning sign. It is not right that fundamental and substantial reforms be missing from the budget; that displays a lack of awareness of the gravity of the situation,” he added. He deplored the negligence in taking radical measures, expressing fears over Lebanon’s incapacity to endure monetary collapse until the Parliament convenes again. “We believe in the necessary presence of a strong opposition in Lebanon as we are its backbone,” he emphasized, urging the Lebanese to consolidate their position with the Kataeb to establish a counter front so as to reach corrective reforms. “We believe that saving the country occurs with structural change that is set in motion when the people hold the political power into account by electing people with a vision,” he elaborated.
The Kataeb leader condemned attempts to dash the freedom of expression in Lebanon in reference to the attempt of banning the Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila from performing in Jbeil. “We believe in respecting religions and beliefs and at the same time to preserve our sacred freedoms which Lebanon cannot exist without,” he concluded.

Lebanon Mourns Tunisian President
Naharnet/July 26/2019
Lebanon mourns Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi who passed away Thursday with flags ordered to fly at half-staff on the Presidential Palace in Baabda and the Grand Serail. A three-day period of mourning has been decreed by Prime Minister Saad on Thursday. Flags on state departments and institutions and all municipalities will be lowered to half-staff starting today and until Saturday inclusive, said a memorandum from the Premier’s office. Essebsi, the country's first leader elected in nationwide polls, died at the age of 92 on Thursday, triggering political uncertainty ahead of planned elections. Essebsi's death comes amid a debate over who will be able to run in the next presidential elections.

What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?
ماذا كانت خطيئة مدينتي سدوم وعمورة؟
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/77006/%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b0%d8%a7-%d9%83%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%aa-%d8%ae%d8%b7%d9%8a%d8%a6%d8%a9-%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%aa%d9%8a-%d8%b3%d8%af%d9%88%d9%85-%d9%88%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b1%d8%a9%d8%9f-what-was-the-s/
Answer: The biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah is recorded in Genesis chapters 18-19. Genesis chapter 18 records the Lord and two angels coming to speak with Abraham. The Lord informed Abraham that "the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous" (Genesis 18:20). Verses 22-33 record Abraham pleading with the Lord to have mercy on Sodom and Gomorrah because Abraham's nephew, Lot, and his family lived in Sodom.
Genesis chapter 19 records the two angels, disguised as human men, visiting Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot met the angels in the city square and urged them to stay at his house. The angels agreed. The Bible then informs us, "Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom — both young and old — surrounded the house. They called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them'" (Genesis 19:4–5). The angels then proceed to blind all the men of Sodom and Gomorrah and urge Lot and his family to flee from the cities to escape the wrath that God was about to deliver. Lot and his family flee the city, and then "the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah — from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities..." (Genesis 19:24).
In light of the passage, the most common response to the question "What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?" is that it was homosexuality. That is how the term "sodomy" came to be used to refer to anal sex between two men, whether consensual or forced. Clearly, homosexuality was part of why God destroyed the two cities. The men of Sodom and Gomorrah wanted to perform homosexual gang rape on the two angels (who were disguised as men). At the same time, it is not biblical to say that homosexuality was the exclusive reason why God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were definitely not exclusive in terms of the sins in which they indulged.
Ezekiel 16:49-50 declares, "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me..." The Hebrew word translated "detestable" refers to something that is morally disgusting and is the exact same word used in Leviticus 18:22 that refers to homosexuality as an "abomination." Similarly, Jude 7 declares, "...Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion." So, again, while homosexuality was not the only sin in which the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah indulged, it does appear to be the primary reason for the destruction of the cities.
Those who attempt to explain away the biblical condemnations of homosexuality claim that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was inhospitality. The men of Sodom and Gomorrah were certainly being inhospitable. There is probably nothing more inhospitable than homosexual gang rape. But to say God completely destroyed two cities and all their inhabitants for being inhospitable clearly misses the point. While Sodom and Gomorrah were guilty of many other horrendous sins, homosexuality was the principle reason God poured fiery sulfur on the cities, completely destroying them and all of their inhabitants. To this day, the area where Sodom and Gomorrah were located remains a desolate wasteland. Sodom and Gomorrah serve as a powerful example of how God feels about sin in general, and homosexuality specifically.
https://www.gotquestions.org/Sodom-and-Gomorrah.html

Tel Aviv Says Israel, Hezbollah Exchanged Messages on Easing Tension
Tel Aviv - Nazir Magally/Friday, 26 July, 2019
Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged messages in which they stressed that they were not seeking an escalation, political sources in Tel Aviv said on Thursday. The report came after a series of events, including threats by the Israeli army about targeting the airports of Beirut and Damascus, raids carried out by Israel on Syrian territory, and the assassination of a senior Hezbollah official. The sources noted that while tension was stoked by Israel and Hezbollah, both were setting limits to their hostility over fears of possible war. Even Iran, troubled by Israeli strikes, has not yet decided on a military confrontation between its militias and Israel. Israeli daily Maariv quoted a senior official in Tel Aviv as saying that although the Israeli army was attacking Hezbollah positions, it refrained from harming party officers and focused its operations against designated terrorist bases.
The escalation began with the bombing of a site near Daraa, at dawn on Wednesday, which turned out to be a Syrian military intelligence base controlled by Iranian militias. Israel said that it allowed the Syrian army to control the site upon an understanding with the Russians, provided that no Iranians remained at the base. So Hezbollah members began infiltrating it through its Syrian affiliates in the Golan Heights. Leading those members was Mash’hour Zidan, who was assassinated on Wednesday, when a guided missile targeted his vehicle. Israel has been blamed for the assassination. While Tel Aviv did not claim responsibility for the two operations, military sources leaked to the Israeli media said that the assassination was a direct Israeli interest. They noted that Zidan was the successor of Samir Qantar, and was in charge of preparing for the next war in the Golan between Hezbollah and Israel.
“Hezbollah is working with the support and funding of Iran and the Syrian regime, along the border between Israel and Syria, and between Israel and Lebanon,” the sources also said. Meanwhile, Israeli army’s spokesman in Arabic, Avichai Adrai, hinted that Damascus airport and Beirut’s airports and ports were possible targets for bombardment, claiming that they were “crossings used by Iran to transfer its weapons to the Lebanese Hezbollah.” In a tweet, he urged the Lebanese authorities to deal with the situation, addressing Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and Minister of Works and Transport Youssef Fenianos, saying: “Till when will you keep your eyes closed?”

Hizbullah Deputy Leader Sheikh Naim Qassem: U.S.- Iran War Would Set The Region Ablaze; Israel Is Vulnerable To Our Weapons No Matter What It Does; Hizbullah-Hamas Relations 'Have Been Restored' And 'Are Even Better' Than Ever
MEMRI/July 26/2019
Sheikh Naim Qassem, the Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah, said in a July 22, 2019 interview on Mayadeen TV that Israel and its important sites are vulnerable to Hizbullah's weapons no matter how much it fortifies them. He said Hizbullah would target sites throughout Israel in a conflict and that Hizbullah has increased its preparedness and the quality of its equipment such that no measures can effectively protect Israel's domestic front from it. He explained that a war between the U.S. and Iran would spread to the entire region and that the entire Middle East would be "ablaze" with conflict between the pro-American block and the pro-Iran block. Commenting on Argentina's designation of Hizbullah as a terrorist organization, Sheikh Qassem said that this is a result of pressure exerted by the U.S. on the countries of the world to aid in its plan of "besieging" Hizbullah. He also denied any connection between Hizbullah and the explosions that have taken place in Argentina. In addition, Sheikh Qassem said that though relations between Hamas and Hizbullah had been a bit cold during the height of the Syrian crisis, their relations have since been restored to an even better state than they had been in before.
Sheikh Naim Qassem: "When Israel fortifies 20 sites that it considers to be important, it does not mean that these sites are out of range for the resistance missiles and their impact. At the end of the day, every fortification can be affected by something. In addition, there will be many sites in Israel that will be targeted, and they will be throughout the land. So they take their precautions but the resistance also amasses power, improves the precision of its missiles, and intensifies its already-existing preparedness. This has been our way since 2006. We have amassed many times more the power that we had then. Our force is much more significant in number and quality, so we can confront the Israeli enemy and all its self-protection measures. Today, everybody knows that no measures can effectively protect the domestic front of the Israeli entity.
"When a war is waged against Iran, we don't expect it to remain limited in scope. We expect the war to spread to the entire region. Some parties will be on the side of America and some on the side of Iran. So the entire region will be ablaze because of the war America might force upon Iran.
"The resistance front will act like one block, just like the opposing side will constitute a block. Therefore, Israel will be part of the war waged by the U.S. against Iran, and we will also be interested, when the fire reaches the border of the resistance axis, because it is all on big story – not different chapters.
"Argentina's designation of Hizbullah as a terrorist organization is a political position that is connected to the pressure exerted on several countries by America. Everybody knows the scope of pressure exerted on the Europeans to designate Hizbullah as a terrorist group, both in the military and political aspects. The Argentinian measure constitutes a political position connected with America's plan to besiege us throughout the world. Hizbullah does not have money, assets, banks, or anything that merits such a measure. We have nothing to do with the explosions that took place in Argentina.
"Even at the height of the Syrian crisis, when we had differences of opinion regarding Syria, we were in contact with Hamas. We did not cut off our relations, and neither did they, although there was some coldness. Now I can say that the relations between Hizbullah and Hamas have been restored to what they had been in the past, and they are even better than that."

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 26-27/2019
Pompeo Says he'd Go to Iran if Needed
Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 26 July, 2019
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday he would "happily" go to Tehran to address tensions between the two countries over US sanctions on Iran. Pompeo explained in an interview with Bloomberg he would willingly appear on Iranian television to explain US reasoning behind the sanctions. "I would welcome the chance to speak directly to the Iranian people... about what it is their leadership has done and how it has harmed Iran," he said. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have soared since President Donald Trump pulled the US out of a deal with Iran last year that was aimed at curbing its nuclear program, and imposed punishing sanctions. The US has said it brought down one and possibly two Iranian drones last week, and has blamed Iran for a series of mysterious attacks on tanker ships in strategic Gulf waters.Tehran shot down an unmanned US aircraft in June, after which Trump announced that he had called off retaliatory air strikes at the last minute because the resulting death toll would have been too high. Iran's top diplomat renewed accusations during a visit to the United Nations last week that the US was using the sanctions to wage "economic terrorism." Iranians are "subjected to the most brutal form of 'economic terrorism' -- deliberately targeting innocent civilians to achieve illegitimate political objectives," said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Pompeo brushed the accusations aside Thursday, saying Zarif was no more in charge of the Iranian government than "the man in the moon."
"At the end of the day, this is driven by the ayatollah," said Pompeo. He said the US goal is to "create as much stability in the Middle East as we could.""So we broke out of the deal, we stopped giving them money, we put pressure on the Iranian regime, and we're forcing them to make tough decisions about how they're going to behave," Pompeo said.  "We want change in behavior from the Iranian leadership so that the Iranian people can ultimately get what it is they deserve,” he added. In a separate interview broadcast by Fox News, Pompeo said that Washington had already asked Japan, France, Germany, South Korea, Australia and other nations to join a planned maritime security initiative in the Middle East. “Every country that has an interest in ensuring that those waterways are open and crude oil and other products can flow through the Strait of Hormuz needs to participate,” Pompeo said.

Iran Frees 9 Indian Crew from Seized Tanker
Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 26 July, 2019
Iran has freed nine of 12 Indian crew from a Panama-flagged tanker seized on July 14, India's foreign ministry said Friday. Iran had accused the MT Riah ship of smuggling contraband fuel when it was detained, amid mounting tensions between the Iranian government and Britain and the US over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The TankerTrackers online oil shipment website reported that the MT Riah crossed into Iranian waters on July 14 and stopped transmitting signals shortly after. India's foreign ministry did not give details of the release of the nine men. It left 21 other Indians in Iranian detention however, including three others from the MT Riah and 18 from the British-flagged Stena Impero tanker which was captured by Iranian forces last week. The Stena Impero and its 23 crew have been impounded at the southern port of Bandar Abbas for allegedly breaking "international maritime rules". The vessel is at the heart of the showdown between Iran and Britain. Apart from the 18 Indians, there are three Russians, a Latvian and a Filipino on the ship. India announced on Thursday that its diplomats in Iran had been given access to Stena Impero crew. "All 18 Indian crew members on board are safe and doing fine. Will continue to push for their early release," junior foreign minister V Muraleedharan said on Twitter.

Iran says India given consular access to 18 crew of detained UK-flagged tanker
Reuters, London/Friday, 26 July 2019
Iran granted India consular access to 18 Indian crew members of the detained British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, the Iranian ambassador to Britain said. “Indian Embassy in Tehran was granted consular access to meet the 18 Indian crew of the detained British ship Stena Impero,” Hamid Baeidinejad said. “Similar access is underway to other 5 crew from other nationalities. Indian embassy has reported to find the crew being very calm with no sense of panic.”Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the British-flagged tanker last Friday.

Flags of Inconvenience: Noose Tightens around Iranian Shipping
Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 26 July, 2019
Somewhere on its journey from the waters off Iran, around Africa’s southern tip and into the Mediterranean, the Grace 1 oil tanker lost the flag under which it sailed and ceased to be registered to Panama, reported Reuters. Iran later claimed it as its own. The ship carrying 2 million barrels of Iranian crude was seized by British Royal Marines off Gibraltar, raising tensions in the Gulf where Iran detained a UK-flagged ship in retaliation. Grace 1 remains impounded, not because of its flag but because it was suspected of taking oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions, an allegation that Iran denies. Yet Panama’s move on May 29 to strike it from its register mid-voyage was part of a global squeeze on Iranian shipping. Nations that register vessels under so-called “flags of convenience” allowing them to sail legally have de-listed dozens of tankers owned by Iran in recent months, tightening the economic noose around it.
In the biggest cull, Panama, the world’s most important flag state, removed 59 tankers linked to Iran and Syria earlier this year, a decision welcomed by the United States which wants to cut off Tehran’s vital oil exports. Panama and some other key flag states are looking more closely at the thousands of ships on their registers to ensure they comply with US sanctions that were re-imposed against Iran last year and tightened further since. A Reuters analysis of shipping registry data shows that Panama has de-listed around 55 Iranian tankers since January, Togo has de-listed at least three and Sierra Leone one.
That represents the majority of its operational fleet of tankers, the lifeblood of the oil-dominated economy, although Iran may have re-registered some ships under new flag states. When a vessel loses its flag, it typically loses insurance cover if it does not immediately find an alternative, and may be barred from calling at ports. Flags of convenience also provide a layer of cover for a vessel’s ultimate owner. International registries charge fees to ship owners to use their flags and offer tax incentives to attract business.
Iran said it still had plenty of options. “There are so many shipping companies that we can use. In spite of US pressure, many friendly countries are happy to help us and have offered to help us regarding this issue,” said an Iranian shipping official, when asked about tankers being de-listed. Some nations have expressed caution, however. The world’s third biggest shipping registry, Liberia, said its database automatically identified vessels with Iranian ownership or other connections to the country. “Thus, any potential request to register a vessel with Iranian connection triggers an alert and gets carefully vetted by the Registry’s compliance and management personnel,” the registry said. Liberia said it was working closely with US authorities to prevent what it called “malign activity” in maritime trade.
Iranian flag
In many cases Iran has re-listed ships under its own flag, complicating efforts to move oil and other goods to and from the dwindling number of countries willing to do business with it. Some shipping specialists said the Iranian flag was problematic because individuals working for the registry in Iran could be designated under US sanctions, and so present a risk for anyone dealing with vessels listed by them. “Most insurance companies or banks will not be able to deal with the Iranian flag as it is in effect dealing with the Iranian state,” said Mike Salthouse, deputy global director with ship insurer the North of England P&I, according to Reuters. Customs officials may also sit up and take notice. “One of the problems with an Iranian-flagged ship is that there is a 50 percent chance that a customs officer will undertake a search, which means the cargo will be delayed,” said a UN sanctions investigator, who declined to be named. “These all add to the costs.”A former US diplomat said Washington was often in contact with Panama and other flag states to keep vessel registries “clean”. “We are continuing to disrupt the Quds Force’s illicit shipments of oil, which benefit terrorist groups like Hezbollah as well as the Assad regime (in Syria),” said a spokesman at the US State Department. Quds Force refers to a unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps that is in charge of the Guards’ overseas operations, and Hezbollah is an Iran-backed, armed party that forms part of Lebanon’s coalition government. “Nearly 80 tankers involved in sanctionable activity have been denied the flags they need to sail,” the spokesman added.
False flags
De-flagging Iranian ships is just one way the international community can squeeze Iran. US sanctions on oil exports aim to reduce Iran’s sales to zero. Iran has vowed to continue exporting. In the first three weeks of June, Iran exported around 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), a fraction of the 2.5 million bpd that Iran shipped before President Donald Trump’s exit in May last year from the 2015 nuclear deal with major powers. Egypt could also complicate life for Tehran if it denies passage to tankers heading to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. The alternative route around Africa, taken by Grace 1 before its seizure, is far longer. Refinitiv shipping data showed the Masal, an Iranian-flagged oil tanker, anchored in the Suez Canal’s waiting zone on July 6. It stayed there until July 12, when it began to sail south. It exited the Red Sea on July 17 and docked at Larak Island, Iran on July 23.
The Suez Canal Authority’s spokesman said Egypt did not bar vessels from crossing the canal except in times of war, in accordance with the Constantinople Convention. He declined to comment further. Britain tightened the screw when it seized the Grace 1 supertanker on July 4, accusing it of violating sanctions against Syria. Two Iranian-flagged ships have been stranded for weeks at Brazilian ports due to a lack of fuel, which state-run oil firm Petrobras refuses to sell them due to US sanctions. Two more Iranian ships in Brazil could also be left without enough fuel to sail home. A recent incident off Pakistan’s coast last month points to the lengths Iran has gone to in order to keep trading. The Iranian cargo carrier Hayan left from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on June 3 and set sail for Karachi on Pakistan’s coast, according to ship tracking data from maritime risk analysts Windward. On June 7, it changed its name to Mehri II and its flag to that of Samoa, the data showed, as it made its way toward Karachi port. Six days later, the vessel conducted a ship-to-ship transfer of its unknown cargo further up Pakistan’s coast. The ship then returned home, changing its flag back to Iran and its name back to Hayan.Imran Ul Haq, spokesman for the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, said they had no information, when asked about the Iranian ship’s activity. Iran has frequently used ship-to-ship transfers to move oil and oil products since US sanctions were reimposed. Shipping data also show that a separate Iranian-owned cargo ship, the Ya Haydar, has been sailing around the Gulf and reporting its flag as that of Samoa.Samoa denies allowing Iran to register any ships under its flag. “The said vessels Hayan or Ya Haydar are not, and have never been listed, nor registered on the Samoa’s registry of vessels,” said Anastacia Amoa-Stowers of the Maritime department at Samoa’s Ministry of Works, Transport & Infrastructure. “Given there are currently no Iranian ships listed on Samoa’s registry, there is no action to de-list a vessel. Additionally, there has never been any Iranian ships listed on Samoa’s vessel registry – previously and at present.”
Amoa-Stowers said Samoa was a closed registry, meaning that any foreign vessel flying its flag was doing so illegally. A senior Iranian government official involved in shipping declined to comment when asked about the two vessels. A spokeswoman with the International Maritime Organization said the UN’s shipping agency had received information from Samoa which has been circulated to member states.

Shin Bet Breaks Up Iranian Espionage Network in Israel
Tel Aviv - Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 25 July, 2019
The Shin Bet intelligence agency said Wednesday that it busted an Iranian espionage network that aimed to recruit operatives in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip "for the benefit of Iranian intelligence."The Shin Bet cooperated with Israeli police, the army and other security bodies in this regard. According to a statement issued by the agency, the network was based in Syria under Iranian guidance and was led by a Syrian operative nicknamed ‘Abu Jihad.’ It attempted to recruit people via preliminary contacts based on fictitious Facebook profiles and later messaging apps.
“Using social networks to recruit people is a method known to intelligence elements including those affiliated with terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah. The affair joins other recent events in which terrorist elements (including those from Hamas and Hezbollah) have established contacts with Israeli Arabs and Palestinians over the internet in order to recruit them for intelligence gathering and terrorist activity,” revealed the statement. The Shin Bet added that those who have been recruited were asked to collect information on military bases, sensitive security installations, VIPs, police stations and hospitals, in order to prepare targets for terrorist attacks in Israel at the behest of Iran. The statement went on, “The internet activity was identified and monitored by the Israeli intelligence community at the outset by closely monitoring both the handlers abroad and people in Israel and West Bank who expressed willingness to cooperate with them. Beginning in April 2019, an extensive operation was launched against operatives in Israel and the West Bank including several Israeli citizens who are suspected of having been in contact with Iranian operatives. The Shin Bet said that the investigation revealed the connection with the Syria-based handlers developed to the level of passing information and directives to carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli targets, both civilian and military. However, “the operations have shown that the absolute majority of Israeli citizens refused to cooperate with those who contacted them,” the Shin Bet added.

Denmark Backs European-led Naval Mission to Hormuz Strait
Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 26 July, 2019
Denmark welcomed on Friday a British government proposal for a European-led naval mission to the Strait of Hormuz aimed at ensuring the safety of shipping in the strategic waterway. “The Danish government looks positively toward a possible contribution to such initiative,” Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said in a statement. “The initiative will have a strong European footprint”. Britain has sought to assemble the mission in Hormuz, used by tankers carrying about a fifth of the world’s oil, following Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged ship in what London said was an act of “state piracy”. The initiative won initial support from Denmark, France and Italy, three senior diplomats said on Tuesday. EU-member Denmark is among the world’s biggest seafaring nations and home to the world’s biggest container shipping firm A.P. Moller-Maersk, which sails in the high-tension area. “The Royal Danish Navy is strong and capable and would be able to contribute actively and effectively to this type of engagement,” said Danish Defense Minister Trine Bramsen. A final decision would still need to be discussed in parliament. On Thursday, the UK government said it was offering British-flagged ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz a Royal Navy escort.
The Department for Transport said that if ships give advance notice of their plans they will be escorted by frigate HMS Montrose, either individually or in groups. The escort is not compulsory, and Britain has limited naval resources in the region. On Friday the Montrose arrived too late to prevent the tanker Stena Impero from being seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guard forces. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani suggested Wednesday that Stena Impero could be released if the UK takes similar steps to hand back an Iranian oil tanker seized by the Royal Navy off Gibraltar earlier this month.

Erdogan: Turkey May Turn Elsewhere for Jets if US Won’t Sell it F-35s
Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 26 July, 2019
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday Turkey would turn elsewhere for fighter jets if the United States will not sell it the F-35 jets, adding that Ankara planned to start using the Russian S-400 missile defense system in April 2020. The United States said last week it was removing NATO ally Turkey from the F-35 program, as long threatened, after Ankara purchased and received delivery of the S-400 system that Washington sees as a threat. Washington has also threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey, though Ankara has dismissed the warnings. It has instead put its trust in sympathetic comments from US President Donald Trump, who has said that Turkey was treated "unfairly". However, Trump has not ruled out sanctions on Turkey. Erdogan, speaking publicly about the strained US ties for the first time in 11 days, said he hoped US officials would be "reasonable" on the question of sanctions, adding that Turkey may also reconsider its purchase of advanced Boeing aircraft from the United States. "Are you not giving us the F-35s? Okay, then excuse us but we will once again have to take measures on that matter as well and we will turn elsewhere," Erdogan told members of his ruling AK Party.
"Even if we're not getting F-35s, we are buying 100 advanced Boeing aircraft, the agreement is signed... At the moment, one of the Boeing planes has arrived and we are making the payments, we are good customers," he said. "But, if things continue like this, we will have to reconsider this."
"In the coming spring, God willing in April 2020, we will be able to start using this system," he added. "I hope the US will act with good sense regarding the S-400," Erdogan stated. Russia's Rostec state conglomerate said Russia would be ready to supply its SU-35 jets to Turkey if Ankara requested them. But, Turkish officials said on Thursday there were no talks with Moscow on alternatives to the F-35 jets for now. Ties between Ankara and Washington have been strained over a host of issues. Turkey has also been infuriated with US support for the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria, a main US ally in the region that Ankara sees as a terrorist organization. Ankara has warned that it would launch a military operation in northern Syria to wipe out the YPG if it could not agree with Washington on the planned safe zone in the region, saying it had run "out of patience."
However, Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey is determined to destroy the "terror corridor" east of the Euphrates river in Syria no matter how talks on the safe zone conclude, as Ankara ramped up its threats of an offensive.

Turkey ‘neutralizes’ instigator of Erbil attack: Anadolu
Reuters, Istanbul/Friday, 26 July 2019
Turkey’s military and intelligence agency has “neutralized” the instigator of an attack that killed a Turkish diplomat in Erbil, northern Iraq, state-owned Anadolu news agency said on Friday. The diplomat and at least one other person were shot dead on July 17 when a gunman opened fire in a restaurant in the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Anadolu said the instigator of the attack, identified as Erdogan Unal, a Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) official, was “neutralized” on Wednesday. Turkish authorities commonly use that term to denote deaths but it can also refer to those wounded or captured.
The operation was conducted in Iraq’s Qandil region, north of Erbil, where PKK fighters are based, Anadolu said, without giving further details. The PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has led an insurgency against the Turkish state since the 1980s. A security source said on Thursday that Turkey had carried out two separate airstrikes in northern Iraq, killing the planners of the attack. Security services in Iraq’s Kurdish region said on Saturday they had arrested the brother of a Turkish lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) on suspicion of planning the killing. The HDP has condemned the attack. The shooting of the diplomat took place weeks after Turkey launched a new military offensive against Kurdish separatist militants based in northern Iraq. Turkey and the ruling Kurdish party in Erbil, the KDP, have blamed the PKK for other incidents in northern Iraq including the storming of a Turkish military camp earlier this year.

Damascus rejects Turkey-US talks on Syria buffer zone
AFP, Damascus/Friday, 26 July 2019
Damascus said Friday it would reject any agreement between Turkey and the US to establish a “security zone” in northern Syria as tantamount to a violation of the country's sovereignty. “Syria reiterates its categorical rejection of any American-Turkish agreement,” a foreign ministry source told state news agency SANA. Such a deal would “constitute a blatant attack on the sovereignty and unity of the country”, the source added. Turkey and the US began talks on Tuesday to establish a “security zone” in northern Syria aimed at creating a buffer between Kurdish fighters and the Turkish border. The idea was first mooted by US President Donald Trump in January, in a call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at a moment when Turkey was threatening to launch an offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria. But Turkey said Wednesday it was not satisfied with the buffer zone solutions offered by the US. “The latest US proposals are not satisfactory,” said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.“We should say things clearly: we have the impression that (the United States) is trying to buy time,” he added. The US has provided extensive support to the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in Syria. The YPG has led the fight against the ISIS group in Syria, but Ankara sees it as a terrorist offshoot of Kurdish militants inside Turkey. Turkey has launched two previous offensives into Syria against IS and the YPG, in 2016 and 2018.

UN says Syria air strikes killed at least 100 civilians in past 10 days
Reuters, Geneva/Beirut Friday, 26 July 2019
Air strikes by the Syrian government and its allies on schools, hospitals, markets and bakeries have killed at least 103 civilians in the past 10 days, including 26 children, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Friday. “These are civilian objects, and it seems highly unlikely, given the persistent pattern of such attacks, that they are all being hit by accident,” Bachelet said, adding that the rising toll had been met with “apparent international indifference.”The government began its offensive against the rebel enclave in northwest Syria, the last area of active insurgent opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, at the end of April, saying it was responding to violations of a truce. Idlib and surrounding areas of the northwest were included in a “de-escalation” deal last year between Assad's main ally Russia and Turkey, which backs some rebel groups, to reduce warfare and bombardment. Over the past three months, the offensive has driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes or temporary shelters to seek refuge near the border with Turkey and has killed hundreds of civilians, according to war monitoring groups. Both the Syrian government and its Russian ally, whose air power has been critical to Damascus' military gains in recent years, deny targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure.

UN: More than 400,000 people displaced in 3 months in northwest Syria
AFP, Beirut/Friday, 26 July 2019
More than 400,000 people have been displaced in northwestern Syria over the past three months, the UN said on Friday, as the government presses an intensified bombardment of the opposition-held region. “More than 400,000 people have been displaced since the end of April,” said David Swanson of the United Nations humanitarian affairs agency OCHA. The region under attack is home to some three million people, nearly half of them already displaced from other parts of the country. It covers nearly all of Idlib and parts of neighboring Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia provinces. Most of the displacement is from southern Idlib and northern Hama, the two areas that have been hit hardest by the flare-up, OCHA said. “The majority of those fleeing have displaced within Idlib governorate while a smaller number have moved into northern Aleppo governorate. “Roughly two-thirds of people displaced are staying outside camps,” it said. The region is controlled by extremist alliance Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led by Al-Qaeda’s former Syria affiliate. Since late April, more than 730 civilians have been killed in aerial bombardment and shelling of the region by the Syrian government and its allies, according to Britain-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. OCHA said that since the end of April it had documented 39 attacks against health facilities or medical workers in the region. At least 50 schools have been damaged by the air strikes and shelling, it added. A September accord struck between Moscow and Ankara was supposed to spare the region the bloodshed of a government assault, but it was never fully implemented after extremists refused to withdraw from a planned buffer zone. Instead, the bombardment has increased in intensity in recent weeks. Air strikes by the government and its Russian ally killed 12 civilians in the region on Thursday, according to the Observatory. Another 50 civilians were killed in strikes on Monday alone - the majority on a busy market. OCHA described Monday as one of the “deadliest days” in the region since the start of the flare-up. The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

Azerbaijan rescues nine from Iranian vessel in distress in Caspian Sea
Reuters, Baku/Friday, 26 July 2019
Azerbaijan rescued nine people from an Iranian cargo vessel after it sent a distress signal when it was in the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan’s state maritime agency said on Friday. Two helicopters and a border patrol vessel have been sent to the site of the accident, the agency said. The agency gave no details about what the vessel, the SHABAHANG, was carrying, the nature of the incident, or where it was heading.

Libyan National Army Downs Another Turkish Drone
Cairo - Khaled Mahmoud/Asharq Al Awsat/July 26/2019
The Libyan National Army (LNA) announced Thursday the downing of another Turkish drone. This was the seventh aircraft to be downed since LNA commander Khalifa Haftar launched his operation to cleanse Tripoli of terrorist and criminal gangs on April 4. LNA media said the army’s defenses shot down the drone that was flown by terrorist militias and attempting to target the military in al-Jafra region, some 650 kilometers southeast of the capital. The aircraft was flown from the north and was fired down after it approached the LNA position. Meanwhile, head of the parliamentary defense and national security committee Talal al-Mayhoub was in Washington for talks with American officials. He hoped to Asharq Al-Awsat that the strong ties Haftar enjoys with the US administration would be crowned by a visit to Washington soon. The United States support the LNA’s war on terror and backs its forces, he stressed.
He revealed that he had presented to American officials evidence that prove the crimes of the Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar and Turkey in Libya. He also demanded that Washington sever ties with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj. “We spoke at length about the grip the militias have over him and his government,” Mayhoub stated. Local Libyan media reports, meanwhile, said former oil minister Abdulbari al-Arousi, a Muslim Brotherhood loyalist, was kidnapped by unknown assailants in Tripoli. On the ground, the Misrata joint security force announced that it had carried out a raid during which it arrested terrorist fugitives that are wanted by the international community. It identified the detainees as al-Qaeda leaders, who are also wanted by Libyan authorities. The operation was carried out in Tripoli and the detainees include an Algerian and two Libyans. Weapons, hand grenades and ammunition were seized during the raid.

EU Partners Warn Johnson against Brexit Provocation
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 26/2019
European partners Friday warned Boris Johnson that his hardline Brexit stance was putting the UK on a "collision course" with the EU and called on the new British premier to avoid "provocations." Johnson plans for meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the next few weeks, officials said Friday, as the British premier insists he will renegotiate the UK's divorce accord with the European Union. Macron, who has said he is happy to be considered the "bad guy" in the Brexit negotiations, is set to be a key figure during the tricky and potentially bad-tempered talks in the months ahead. He extended the invitation to Johnson in a call late Thursday from his official summer vacation residence in the south of France, where he is expected to stay for the next three weeks, said an aide.
But in a sign of wariness about Johnson's anti-EU rhetoric, France's Europe Minister Amelie de Montchalin urged Britain's new leader to create a working relationship with his partners on the continent. "From our side, we need to be responsible," she told France 2 television. "That means being clear, predictable and it means on the other side that we need to create a working relationship, that there aren't games, posturing, provocations." The timing of the meeting between Macron and Johnson was unclear. The British prime minister is due in France to attend the G7 meeting of developed nations in Biarritz on August 24-26. "In any case, we want to work with him... and we need to," Montchalin said. Ireland's foreign minister was also quoted as saying on Friday that Johnson has deliberately set Britain on a "collision course" with the EU over Brexit negotiations. "He seems to have made a deliberate decision to set Britain on a collision course with the European Union and with Ireland in relation to the Brexit negotiations," Simon Coveney was quoted by Irish state broadcaster RTE as saying in Belfast. In his maiden parliamentary speech as prime minister on Thursday Johnson promised to press ahead with plans to reopen the deal agreed with the EU -- despite firm pushback from other EU leaders. Merkel's office said Johnson had accepted an invitation from the 65-year-old German Chancellor for "an early visit" to Berlin. No date was given. Merkel "congratulated" Johnson by phone on Friday and "the main topics were Britain's withdrawal from the European Union and deepening of bilateral relations," said a spokeswoman.
'Combative' Johnson
Last year, Macron broke away from his time off to host then British prime minister Theresa May as she sought new concessions in her ultimately doomed bid to bring Britain out of the European Union. In their conversation, Macron congratulated Johnson on becoming prime minister and emphasized his desire for close Franco-British ties, the presidential official said, reflecting his hope for a strong defense and economic relationship post-Brexit. But they largely steered clear of the vexed subject of Britain's departure from the bloc, the aide added, agreeing that the issue would be discussed in more detail in the next few weeks. "The purpose of the call was to congratulate the prime minister. They did discuss Brexit," said Johnson's spokesman. Macron, a devoted Europhile who is seeking to deepen links between EU members, views Brexit as an act of self-harm by Britain and he has been highly critical of Johnson personally in the past. Johnson insists he wants to renegotiate a divorce deal which was drafted by his predecessor May over the last two years, only to see it rejected by British MPs three times in parliament.
But the EU has already said it will not reopen the negotiations on the terms of Britain's departure. Johnson has staked his reputation on bringing Britain out of the EU by the current October 31 deadline, meaning that if new negotiations are refused the UK would crash out without a deal in place.
Both Britain and the European Union are now set to accelerate preparations for this scenario, which economists say would have major economic repercussions. "No deal will never be the EU's choice, but we all have to be ready for all scenarios," the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, wrote in an email sent to EU ambassadors on Thursday. Barnier also noted the "combative" tone of Johnson's first speech as premier in parliament. "In this negotiation, if we want to force Boris Johnson's hand, we need to prepare for no-deal and show that we're not scared," a European diplomat said on condition of anonymity on Thursday. "He needs to know that we are ready for a no-deal."Johnson on Thursday told British lawmakers that the current deal on the table was "unacceptable" and he urged the EU to "rethink" its opposition to renegotiating it. The former foreign secretary has also threatened to withhold the £39 billion ($49 billion) divorce bill that Britain has previously said it owes the European Union and spend it instead on preparing for a no-deal outcome.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 26-27/2019
An English Misunderstanding of Iran
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/July 26/2019
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14585/the-english-job-jack-straw
Jack Straw's misunderstanding, perhaps caused by his "absolute infatuation" with his imaginary Iran, has three aspects.
The first is that he thinks that because Iran is an ancient civilization -- and has produced great poets, weaves exquisite carpets and offers one of the world's hautes cuisines -- it deserves indulgence for its weird activities in other domains such as hostage-taking, hate-mongering, human rights violations and the export of terror in the name of revolution. It is like granting Stalin indulgence because one appreciates Pushkin and Tchaikovsky and enjoys a dish of borscht with a glass of "little water" on the side.
The trouble is that Straw is unable to cite a single reform proposed, let alone carried out, by his "reformist" faction in Tehran. Worse still, he forgets that there have been more executions and political arrests under Khatami and Rouhani than during the presidency of the supposedly "hardline" Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Straw offers no evidence than any deal made with the Islamic Republic in the past 40 years has had a long-lasting impact on the Khomeinist strategy and behavior. The Khomeinist rulers of Iran have perfected the art of diplomatic cheat-retreat-advance. Whenever their bones began to creak, they offered some concessions, which were subsequently withdrawn once the crushing of the bones ceased. More importantly, perhaps, Straw fails to realize that his "moderates" including Rouhani and Khatami, lack the popular support base needed to marginalize Khamenei let alone get rid of him.
Former UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's new book, The English Job, which promises to help the reader in "understanding Iran," may best be described as a misunderstanding of Iran today -- a misunderstanding that has prevented Britain, along with other Western powers, from developing a realistic Iran policy.
The English Job
Understanding Iran and Why It Distrusts Britain
By Jack Straw
390 pages; published by Biteback Books, London 2019.
The subtitle of Jack Straw's new book promises to help the reader in "understanding Iran".
However, what one gets in 390 pages may best be described as a misunderstanding of Iran today -- a misunderstanding that has prevented Britain, along with other Western powers, from developing a realistic Iran policy and has helped prolong the crisis caused by the Islamic Republic's unorthodox behavior in the international arena.
Straw's misunderstanding, perhaps caused by his "absolute infatuation" with his imaginary Iran, has three aspects.
The first is that he thinks that because Iran, as he reminds the reader, is an ancient civilization -- and has produced great poets, weaves exquisite carpets and offers one of the world's hautes cuisines -- it deserves indulgence for its weird activities in other domains such as hostage-taking, hate-mongering, human rights violations and the export of terror in the name of revolution. It is like granting Stalin indulgence because one appreciates Pushkin and Tchaikovsky and enjoys a dish of borscht with a glass of "little water" on the side. In another register, what would you say if we gave Hitler a pass because we like Schiller, Beethoven and potato salad? That Cyrus the Great was a great king and, arguably, even the founder of human rights, as Straw suggests, does not justify, to cite just one example, the mass murder of Syrians by a mercenary army led by the Iranian mullahs.
The second "misunderstanding" concerns Straw's strange belief that the Khomeinist ruling elite includes a "reformist" faction that desires close relations with Western democracies, and must, therefore, be supported to weaken and eventually get rid of the "hardline" faction led by "Supreme Guide" Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But, who are the "reformists" Straw claims to have discovered in Tehran? He cites a number of names among them former Presidents Ali-Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Muhammad Khatami, the current President Hassan Rouhani, former presidential candidates Mir-Hussein Mussavi and Mehdi Karrubi -- both under house arrest -- and lower rank current or former officials such as Muhammad-Javad Zarif, Kamal Kharrazi whom Straw calls " my old friend", and Mostafa Tajzadeh.
The trouble is that Straw is unable to cite a single reform proposed, let alone carried out, by his "reformist" faction in Tehran. Worse still, he forgets that there have been more executions and political arrests under Khatami and Rouhani than during the presidency of the supposedly "hardline" Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The third misunderstanding is that in dealing with the Islamic Republic, all choice is limited to just two options: swallowing whatever Iran does or launching a full-scale war against it.
Straw was one of the most zealous advocates of war to destroy Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, asserting that the Ba'athist regime was beyond reform.
However, when it comes to the Islamic Republic, the former British Foreign Secretary becomes a dyed-in-wool peacenik. He claims that the only sane way is to use diplomacy to change Tehran's behavior. In an elliptic manner, Straw claims some credit for what we now know as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the "Iran nuclear deal" concocted by the Obama administration. Straw first sold the idea to President George W. Bush's Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 2006 just before his boss, Prime Minister Tony Blair, moved him to another post.
In the past two decades, Straw has visited Iran seven times, five as Foreign Secretary. In one visit, he was part of a British parliamentary delegation with former Chancellor of the Exchequer Lord Lamont and the current Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who was then working for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Press TV channel. In one private visit, he and his wife, along with a couple of friends, were harassed and in the end hounded out of Iran by one of the nine security agencies operating in the Islamic Republic.
Straw is critical of President Donald J. Trump for rejecting secret diplomacy while Tehran's leaders see any public attempt at rapprochement as humiliating for their regime. He claims that the "nuclear deal" might have been complemented with further secret talks about other issues of interest to Western powers, including the Islamic Republic's intrusion in the internal affairs of Arab countries. The first JCPOA could have been followed by other JCPOAs, even dealing with human rights issues, with the ultimate aim of marginalizing and eventually clipping the wings of the "Supreme Guide".
Nevertheless, Straw offers no evidence than any deal made with the Islamic Republic in the past 40 years has had a long-lasting impact on the Khomeinist strategy and behavior. The Khomeinist rulers of Iran have perfected the art of diplomatic cheat-retreat-advance. Whenever their bones began to creak, they offered some concessions, which were subsequently withdrawn once the crushing of the bones ceased. More importantly, perhaps, Straw fails to realize that his "moderates" including Rouhani and Khatami, lack the popular support base needed to marginalize Khamenei let alone get rid of him.
Straw has adopted a number of erroneous assumptions, commonplace among so-called "Iran analysts", including the division of authorities in the Khomeinist system between elected and un-elected officials. In that context we are invited to believe that Khamenei, supposedly un-elected, enjoys less legitimacy than, say Rouhani, who is elected. However, the fact is that the Assembly of Experts, itself elected by popular vote, elects Khamenei. At the same time, Rouhani, like his predecessors, could not become president without an edict (hukm tanfizi) from the "Supreme Guide". In other words, it matters not one farthing who is or isn't elected in a system in which all elections must either be regarded of equal value or rejected as fake from the start.
Straw is also wrong in believing that the Islamic Majlis, which he wrongly calls "The Iranian Consultative Assembly", is subordinate to the Council of the Guardians which he calls, again wrongly, as solely "a creature of the Supreme Guide".
To buttress his assumption that the mullahs have an almost natural claim to ruling Iran, Straw exaggerates the role played by Shi'ite clerics in Iranian politics over the past five centuries. A fatwa issued by an obscure ayatollah to forbid smoking tobacco is blown out of proportion as an earth-shaking event. Clerics did play a role in the Constitutional Revolution of 1906, but only as second fiddle. The mullahs also supported the Shah in dismissing Prime Minister Muhammad Mussadeq in 1953, an event that Straw dubs a "coup d'état" plotted by British Intelligence and the CIA. The fact that the Shah had already appointed and dismissed Mussadeq as prime minister on two previous occasions without anyone talking of coup d'état is conveniently ignored.
Straw hates the Pahlavi Shahs and tries hard to present them in as bad a light as possible, perhaps to justify the mullahs' revolt in 1979.
Straw also exaggerates the role the British played in Iran. Iran's own corrupt ruling elite, especially in the final decades of Qajar rule, used intervention by Britain and Russia, the two imperialist enemies of Iran at the time, as an excuse to explain away their own corruption and ineptitude.
No foreign power could impose its will on even the weakest nations without the assistance of at least some elements in that nation's ruling elite. True, the Persian expression "It's all the work of the English!" reflects abiding resentment about the role played by Britain in Iranian affairs for over a century. However, the expression is more often used as a joke rather than a serious comment on history. There was never a major British human presence in Iran. Few Iranians ever saw even a single specimen of the vilified "Inglisi". The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company was operating in less than one per cent of Iranian territory, and at its peak employed fewer than 200 non-Iranians, most of them Sikh guards and drivers from Punjab. Also, Britain never featured among Iran's top five trading partners and couldn't compete with France and Germany, and from the 1960's onwards with the United States, as poles of attraction for Iranians seeking higher education abroad. In the 1960s when I was a student in London, there were under 200 Iranian students in Great Britain. At the same time, Iranian students in West Germany numbered 3,000 and in the United States 8,000.
The British did invade Iran, in conjunction with the Soviets, in 1941, not 1942 as Straw says, but did not "occupy the whole of Iran" as he seems to believe. In fact, the British Expeditionary Force, largely consisting of recruits from colonial India, were stationed in five localities in Iran and from 1943 onwards were under US command until total withdrawal two years later. The myth of "the English Job", like its French equivalent "perfide Albion", is designed to perpetuate enmity between two nations that, when all is said and done, experienced the attraction-revulsion that marks many human relations in history.
The popular novel Dear Uncle Napoleon by Iraj Pezeshkzad uses the "this is an English job" cliché as a joke. Incidentally, it was written in 1970, not in the 1940s as Straw asserts.
Straw's book, an enjoyable read, includes too many factual errors and dicey speculations to be cited here. I doubt if Ayatollah Khamenei's second son Mujtaba has any chance of succeeding him as "Supreme Guide", even if the regime survives. Straw also exaggerates the status of Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi and Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, who now heads the Expediency Council. Straw admires Larijani because he speaks "fluent English" but the fact is that he lacks a genuine status within the Shi'ite clergy.
Khamenei's mother tongue is not "Turkic", a non-existent language, but Persian as his mother hailed from Isfahan and claimed descent from the poet Kamaleddin Ismail. Khamenei's father was from Azerbaijan and spoke Azeri, an Altaic language with a heavy dose of Persian vocabulary.
The late Ayatollah Khomeini couldn't have extensive knowledge of Greek philosophy, as most works by the Greeks, including Plato and Aristotle cited by Straw, are still not translated into Persian or any other languages of the Muslim world.
Some of Straw's assertions are too weird to merit comment. For example, he says: "Iran is the most secular of societies, people laugh at what the mullahs have to say."
And, yet, he believes that mullahs are bound to rule Iran seemingly forever. But even then, he is not sure of his analysis. He writes: "Just below the surface, Iran is far from calm. The regime is going one way; the majority of the population the other."
From an apologist for the Islamic Republic, this is something!
*Amir Taheri was the executive editor-in-chief of the daily Kayhan in Iran from 1972 to 1979. He has worked at or written for innumerable publications, published eleven books, and has been a columnist for Asharq Al-Awsat since 1987. He is the Chairman of Gatestone Europe.
© 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.

Radicalization of Kids: A Global Threat
Raheel Raza/Gatestone Institute/July 26/2019
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14586/radicalization-children-threat
The issue of child radicalization has become a global horror-show....very few people are willing to speak about the dangers of the radicalization of youths.
Radicalization is now easy for the extremists, thanks to technology, the new weapon being brandished by Islamist terrorists....
As people who care deeply about human rights, we are extremely concerned about the way these children are being subverted and abused, as well as about the future of our next generation, and creating awareness is of utmost importance.
On July 12, a 13-year-old boy blew himself up in a suicide bombing at a wedding in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, killing five people and injuring 40, local officials said.
The issue of child radicalization has become a global horror-show.
Radicalization is now easy for the extremists, thanks to technology, the new weapon being brandished by Islamist terrorists in accordance with the mandate of the Muslim Brotherhood to "weaken the West from within".
Kids today, as early as three years old, are on YouTube watching videos. Unfortunately, it has never been easier for extremists -- from white supremacists to radical Islamists -- to target vulnerable children and penetrate a child's consciousness.
According to the UN, there are more than 250,000 child soldiers fighting around the world in more than 20 different conflicts. The Combating Terrorism Center reports that ISIS had more than 1,500 kids on the front lines and trained 1,000 kids to become suicide bombers in the first six months of 2015.
This problem has spilled over into North America. CNN reported last year that about 1,000 investigations of connections with ISIS were open in all 50 states.
In August 2018, 11 children were found in a compound in New Mexico being trained by an American radical Islamist to commit school shootings
In Minneapolis, 45 boys and young men have left the local Somali community to join al-Shabab or ISIS. Dozens more were stopped in 2018 from traveling.
In June 2019, a 22-year-old Bangladeshi living in New York was arrested for plotting an attack on Times Square
These are only a part of the statistics that tell us we are facing a huge crisis; very few people are willing to speak about the dangers of the radicalization of youths.
On July 18, leaders and experts with the Clarion Project gathered in Washington DC to hold an exclusive pre-release Congressional screening of the new documentary, "Kids Chasing Paradise" (currently in post-production). The organization flew in key experts and other leaders fighting against radical extremism and who are affiliated with the film to educate Congress, hold media briefings and present its program to Prevent Violent Extremism at the National Press Club.
Kids Chasing Paradise tells the incredible story of ordinary people that have been directly affected by this radicalization and are now trying to prevent it from happening to others.
Apart from some in-depth coverage of youths being taught hate, violence and radicalization, the film features:
Christianne Boudreau, a Canadian mother who was personally affected by the impact of the violent radicalization process; her son, Damian, was killed while fighting for ISIS. She now coordinates the Mothers for Life Network, which brings together mothers of radicalized jihadis to support one another and combat radicalization.
Tania Joya, a former extremist who is now working out of Texas on deradicalization. Tania Joya's ex-husband was radicalized in Texas as a teenager and became ISIS' main propagandist in Syria. Originally British, Tania Joya and her four children now live in Texas. Tania used to want her children to grow up to be jihadists. Now she embraces human rights and Western values.
Nicola Benyahia is a British woman who founded Families for Life, a nonprofit organization focused on deradicalization and support for families of young extremists. When Nicola's son, Rasheed, unexpectedly joined ISIS, she found Christianne and they started both a professional collaboration and personal friendship
The movie is accompanied by a workshop called Preventing Violent Extremism, based on the concept that no one is born a terrorist or extremist. Individuals are manipulated into being radicalized. Therefore, we feel that prevention is possible. The workshop is a way of understanding the path to youth radicalization and suggestions on how to prevent it before it happens.
As people who care deeply about human rights, we are extremely concerned about the way these children are being subverted and abused, as well as about the future of our next generation, and creating awareness is of utmost importance.
*Raheel Raza is President of The Council for Muslims Facing Tomorrow, and co-founder of the Muslim Reform Movement. She is a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Gatestone Institute.
© 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.

How Tehran Tries to Drown the Fish
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/July 26/2019
Is the Islamic Republic collecting fresh “assets” with which to enter into a possible dialogue with the American “Great Satan”? The pattern of news related to Iran in the past few weeks may make “yes” a plausible answer. Tehran has already carried out a series of attacks on oil tankers in Fujairah and close to the Iranian Jask Peninsula. Its surrogates in Iraq have fired a number of rockets at targets connected with the US presence in that country. Tehran’s Yemeni surrogates, the Houthi militia, have fired a number of missiles to raise the tension without affecting the overall military situation. Last week the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized two British-flagged oil tankers, releasing one after a demonstration of force coupled with a stern warning.
Regarding the seized British tanker, Tehran has offered conflicting narratives. The Islamic Majlis (ersatz parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani says the tanker was seized in Gibraltar in retaliation for the Brits seizing an Iranian tanker trying to break European Union sanctions against Syria. However, President Hassan Rouhani’s spokesman says the two cases are not related and that the British tanker was seized for infringing the law of the sea, whatever that means.
In another register, Tehran has ordered the Lebanese branch of Hezbollah to “reinforce” its positions close to the ceasefire lines with Israel in both Lebanon and Syria. Moreover, on Monday Ali Khamenei, the “Supreme Guide” of the regime, received a high-ranking delegation of Hamas, the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood to evoke the possibility of one day praying together in the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. He also reassured the Hamas leaders that, despite Iran’s cash-flow problems caused by American sanctions, Tehran’s financial support to the group will continue.
To reinforce the impression that American sanctions have not forced Tehran to modify its behavior as the Trump administration demands, the Islamic Ministry of Security with the sensational news that it had “smashed” a network of CIA agents who had infiltrated the Islamic Republic’s government structures and private sector outfits connected with it. The fact that the ministry’s account was full of holes and contradictions may indicate that the cloth yarn was woven to contribute to the tough image Tehran wishes to project just before it succumbs to pressure.
Initially, the ministry spoke of a network (shabakeh in Persian) supposedly controlled by the CIA from an unknown location. The ministry also claimed that the “network” was part of fresh efforts by Gina Haspel, named as CIA Director by President Donald Trump. Also according to the initial account, the agents in the “network” had received high level training in espionage techniques and equipped with “the most advanced” machines for transmitting information.
In later accounts, however, the ministry insisted that the 17 “agents” acted individually and had absolutely no contact with one another and thus, could not be regarded as a “network”. More importantly, the ministry claimed that most “agents” had been “fished” by the CIA with promises of US visas and work permits in America. In other words, they could not have been highly trained spies by any standards. Worse still, the ministry, forgetting its initial claim that Ms. Haspel had been the Mata Hari behind the Persian “network”, claimed that the agents had been recruited six years ago, long before Trump was in the White House and Haspel in Langley.
Thus, the 17 individuals involved could be regarded as hostages, adding to the 41 foreign and dual-national hostages that the Islamic Republic already holds.
A tougher profile, attack on tankers and other soft targets, gesticulations by Hezbollah and Hamas, and more hostages are one aspect of the scheme that Tehran is currently working on. The other is a desperate attempt at appearing ready to enter into “constructive talks”. That yarn is marketed by Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is still retained to play Foreign Minister in Western forums and TV studios. Passing through New York, Zarif met Republican Senator Rand Paul to balance a meeting that he had held with Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein in an earlier visit. According to good sources, Zarif also held two long meetings with two American businesspersons “interested in Iranian affairs.” All those who met Zarif must have obtained at least a nod and a wink from the White House.
As noted in a previous column, Tehran is already complying with several of the demands spelled out by the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in his famous 12-point desiderata. In New York, Zarif added the promise of addressing another demand, that the so-called “nuke deal” be rehashed to make limits on Iran’s nuclear program permanent rather than limited to 10, 15 or 25 years. That could be done, at least in part, by Tehran signing the Additional Protocols of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), something that the Islamic Republic had promised to do during Obama’s presidency but didn’t.
The Tehran game is based on a strategy that the French call “drowning the fish”. By creating or highlighting numerous issues, Tehran would avoid giving the impression of abject surrender. Some hostages could be released as a sign of goodwill. The seized British tanker could be returned as part of confidence building measures. The supposed CIA spies may benefit from leniency rather than being summarily executed.
Trumps sanctions, which cost the US nothing, are placing the Islamic Republic under a degree of pressure it has never known. This is why Khamenei, his huffing-and-puffing notwithstanding, is ready to do what he is told provided he can save a minimum of face. His chief aim at present is to survive the rough patch crated for him by Trump. That could be done if he is allowed to sell even a million barrels of oil a day to finance his pet projects and surrogates at home and abroad. Will Trump be tempted to declare victory and let the Islamic Republic off the hook at a time it is reeling under pressure?
We may know the answer early next month when the waivers issued by Trump to seven nations for nuclear cooperation with the Islamic republic expires. If Trump refuses to renew the waivers, he would show that he is not prepared to accept a partial victory. At the same time, however, he would make it impossible for Iran to fully comply with the moribund “nuke deal”. A week after that will come the G7 summit in France where the US and its closest allies will have to decide whether to let the Islamic Republic off the hook yet again, and as always, in exchange for partial and largely cosmetic concessions.

Iran Fell in the Trap
Salman Al-dossary/Asharq Al Awsat/July 26/2019
When Iran posted a video of five masked Revolutionary Guards troops landing from a helicopter on the surface of British-flagged tanker Stena Impero, seizing the ship, forcing it to head to the port of Bandar Abbas and raising the Iranian flag on it, it did so proudly to assert its influence on the Strait of Hormuz and its ability to control between 30 and 40 percent of sea-transported oil worldwide. It also did so in retaliation for Britain’s detention of an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar.
However, the Iranian regime, without knowing, fell into the trap that was set for it. The dangerous behavior of seizing the British tanker, as pirates do in the Horn of Africa, turned the European compass, which has long been neutral in the battle between the United States and Iran, towards an alignment with the US stance.
Britain immediately announced the formation of a maritime protection force led by Europe to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and London is working to urge the European Union and the United Nations to re-impose sanctions on Tehran, which were suspended in 2016. That in addition to the freezing of Iranian assets in the United Kingdom.
Thus, the international position against Iran is being reshaped and is no longer seen as a US-Iranian conflict with Europe on the sidelines. The European countries have gradually entered the battle after watching from afar.
After the fall of Iran into the trap, Europe and the United States are now almost on the same bank. The only difference lies in their handling of the crisis. While Washington is strict and preparing the punishment, European capitals are against escalation or any action that causes war in the region.
The truth is that all are against this war, in which everyone will lose. But Iran’s loss will be catastrophic. Undoubtedly, the engagement of European countries, through maritime alliances, to face Iranian provocations, will put them in direct confrontation with Tehran’s aggressive behavior and make them unable to release statements on “self-constraint”.
If the United States and its allies in the region, led by Saudi Arabia, are directly opposing Iran and its tyranny, the circle has recently expanded with the accession of European capitals, which in turn will not remain silent as Tehran makes more provocations through tanker wars and disruption of oil supplies through a vital artery such as the Strait of Hormuz.
After Iran faced the world with a contradictory message that tension in the Gulf was due to its direct confrontation with Washington and Riyadh, the number of countries opposing it increased after the joining of major world powers against it.
In the coming days, the circle is expected to expand to put Iran in a corner from which it has been fighting to get out. Today, it faces two bitter choices: either to surrender to the severe sanctions, leading it to negotiations in which it will accept harsh conditions that would return it to the international community and stop its nuclear project; or to continue its provocations, but this time it will be confronted by the entire international community.
As the crisis moves to option B - the military action - the conflict will not be limited to the United States and Saudi Arabia against Iran, but will extend to the whole world against Iran. This will weaken Tehran’s position militarily and diplomatically and drive it towards the unknown.
In 1987, Operation Earnest Will was launched to protect oil tankers in the waters of the Gulf, in response to an escalation by Iran, when the Revolutionary Guards confronted Western naval forces in the waters of the Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war. This decision, however, had a terrible backlash against the Iranian regime, giving Western governments the pretext to ally against it.
The Iranian ship attacks left little impact on tankers, oil supplies or oil prices, but escalated the confrontation with Western military forces, culminating in a large Iranian naval defeat by the US Navy in 1988, and certainly the final result this time will not differ greatly.

Is Kushner's latest Mideast trip a waste of time?
هل جولة كوشنير الأخيرة للشرق الأوسط هي مضيعة للوقت؟
Ynetnews/The Media Line/July 26/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/77010/%d9%87%d9%84-%d8%ac%d9%88%d9%84%d8%a9-%d9%83%d9%88%d8%b4%d9%86%d9%8a%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d8%ae%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d9%84%d9%84%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%88%d8%b3%d8%b7-%d9%87%d9%8a/
Israeli and Palestinian analysts say Trump team on regional peace trying to keep momentum going in wake of lackluster Bahrain conference, while it is clear that the 'deal of the century' is struggling to come to fruition
US President Donald Trump’s Mideast team is headed to the region next week for another visit to promote the administration’s controversial plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
The team will be led by President Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and include lead negotiator Jason Greenblatt as well as Brian Hook, the White House’s point man on Iranian affairs.
“The visit will build on the understandings of the Bahrain economic workshop, and start the process of finalizing the plan," says a White House official who asked not to be named as he was not authorized to speak on the matter.
But it appears the plan has not resonated at all with the Palestinian side. Based upon numerous interviews, the Americans have been unable to alter the perception of pro-Israel bias too great to be considered “honest brokers.”
Kushner and his team will be touching down in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The trip will come around a month after a U.S.-led economic conference in Manama, Bahrain, that promised the Palestinians and other Arab states $50 billion in investments, loans and mega-financial projects.
Kushner, the plan’s main engineer, is looking to garner support for his proposal with the visit.
Hani Abu Aker, a political analyst who contributes to numerous regional journals, tells The Media Line from Gaza City that the Bahrain workshop failed to yield the results Kushner was hoping for, and the upcoming visit could be an attempt to keep whatever momentum the presidential adviser thinks he has going.
“I believe the purpose of Kushner’s visit is to continue contact with Israel and other key regional governments regarding the economic plan, and to discuss ways to collect money for it,” Aker says, adding that the U.S. administration is desperate to show that its plan is succeeding and has gained international acceptance.
“Kushner will work to raise more money from the Gulf states, which will show that they are committed to his vision,” he says.
The Palestinians boycotted the Bahrain conference and harshly criticized President Trump’s approach to the conflict, saying that achieving a final resolution to the conflict must first come through addressing the political track.
Fatah leader Rafaat Elyan says that the US administration had no credibility and was “incapable” of conducting any mediations between the Israelis and Palestinians.
“The American administration,” Elyan says, “is trying to please (Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu and give him what he wants at any price.”
Israeli defense and government analyst Amir Oren says that the White House was in a bind and trying to show that the plan was headed in the right direction.
“Nothing is expected to come out of this mission, as (with) all others in this futile effort,” Oren says. ‘The only purpose is to show motion – even if without movement – and score political points with Donald Trump’s Evangelical base.”
At the end of 2017, Trump took a major, yet controversial, step of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, later moving the American embassy to the city. These steps were welcomed by Netanyahu and conmdened by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
With the Palestinians now choosing not to communicate with Washington, and Israel busy with a repeat parliamentary election in September, there is growing speculation among pundits that the so-called U.S. "deal of the century" might not see the light of day.
**Article written by Mohammad Al-Kassim. Reprinted with permission from The Media Line

Can ‘Ottoman grandson’ and new British PM boost Turkey-UK ties?
Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/July 26/2019
We Turks, like any other nationality in the Middle East, value familial bonds highly and tend to exaggerate things with the use of superlative adjectives.
Former Mayor of London and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s election as the new prime minister of the UK is a case in point.
Soon after news of his election broke, Turkish media were running headlines such as “Boris the Turk,” “Ottoman grandson becomes prime minister,” and “For England, a prime minister with roots in Cankiri,” a province in central Turkey where Johnson’s great-grandfather Ali Kemal Bey (Bey is a Turkish title used for bureaucrats and leaders in the Ottoman times) is from.
Turkish journalists flocked to the village of Kalfat, located in Cankiri, to interview residents who were overjoyed by Johnson’s success. Referring to Johnson’s family as “Sarioglangiller” or “the sons of those with blonde hair,” locals were proud that the 55-year-old politician had become the UK’s premier.
Johnson’s great-grandfather was an Ottoman journalist and politician who briefly served as the Ottoman education and internal affairs minister in 1919.
When Ali Kemal came into conflict with the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), he fled into exile and married Winifred Brun, a Swiss-Brit, in London. Brun died giving birth to their second child, Osman Wilfred Kemal.
After returning from exile, Ali Kemal married Sabiha Hanim with whom he had one son, Zeki Kuneralp, who later became the Turkish ambassador to the UK.
Meanwhile, Ali Kemal’s children from Brun, Selma and Osman, took on their maternal grandmother’s maiden name of Johnson. Osman Wilfred Johnson later married Irene Williams, with whom he had a son Stanley Johnson, a former Conservative politician and father to the current Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Thus, after his election, a Turkish novel from the 1960s started to circulate on social media in Turkey. According to “Wolf Law,” written by author Kemal Tahir, Johnson’s Ottoman great-grandfather was a Freemason, a belief held at that time in Turkey. As an outspoken opponent of the CUP, Ali Kemal was later assassinated.
Many in Turkey started to refer to the character in the novel that depicted the rise of Ali Kemal’s grandsons to power, such as diplomats Zeki and Selim Kuneralp and now PM Johnson.
Johnson’s great-grandfather was an Ottoman journalist and politician who briefly served as the Ottoman education and internal affairs minister in 1919.
So, what will Johnson’s premiership bring to world politics in general and Turkish-UK relations in particular?
Ankara has welcomed his success and said his premiership could strengthen ties with London.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Johnson and wished him success as prime minister. “I congratulate @BorisJohnson, who became the UK’s 77th prime minister, and wish him success in his new position. I believe Turkish-United Kingdom relations will develop further in this new era,” he tweeted on July 23.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also welcomed the appointment, sharing a video of Turkish reporters asking Johnson about his roots in Cankiri during a 2016 visit to the Turkish capital.
While Johnson once advocated for Turkey to join the EU, during the Brexit Leave campaign in 2016, he also took on anti-Turkey rhetoric despite a generally supportive state policy by the UK, warning that Turkish membership would mean millions of Turks migrating to Britain.
However, he later denied his remarks about Turkey and even paid a post-referendum visit to Ankara in his official capacity as foreign secretary and praised Turkey-UK relations.
Thus, the incoming UK prime minister’s previous remarks about Turkey on the EU makes it difficult to understand the future of Ankara-London relations.
However, in the aftermath of the Brexit vote, the UK and Turkey sought to boost cooperation on matters related to Syria, irregular migration and security threats. It was Johnson who said last year that, “Turkey is right to want to keep its borders secure,” and expressed that the UK would continue to support Turkey on Syria.
Part of the Treaty of Guarantee signed in 1960 for Cyprus, along with Turkey and Greece, a British stance in the recent tension over the island would also be significant.
Only time will show what impact the “Ottoman grandson” will have on world politics and Turkish-British relations.
*Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkey’s relations with the Middle East. Twitter: @SinemCngz
Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point-of-view