English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese
Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 04/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
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Bible Quotations For today
I will prepare a place for you and then come back to take
you to be with me
John 14/01-06: “”‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in
God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If
it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to
myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the
place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are
going. How can we know the way?’Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 03-04/2020
Lebanon Records 14 New Coronavirus Cases
Hassan chairs Coronavirus Committee meeting: No local epidemic spread
Aoun chairs meeting to discuss UNIFIL mandate renewal attended by Ambassadors of
permanent Security Council members, Kubis
Aoun, Diab Stress Keenness on UNIFIL Role in Talks with Ambassadors
Diab welcomes LU delegation
Diab meets with MP Edgar Traboulsi
June 6 Demo to Reportedly Raise Voice against Hizbullah Arms
Israel ‘successfully’ tests two ballistic missiles amid tensions with Iran,
Hezbollah
Lebanon's unprecedented crisis, challenges and paths forward
Wazni talks financial, economic issues with UN’s Kubis
Bassil tackles current developments with Alawi, Foucher
Rahi, Bassil address need for concerted efforts to evade crisis
Akar holds diplomatic meetings dwelling on support and cooperation
Bukhari meets Popular bloc head
Mortada tackles cultural, agricultural cooperation with ambassadors of Oman,
Spain
Choueifat Industrialists Hold Important Meeting with Hoballah
6 ways to debunk fake news amid the COVID-19 pandemic/Dr. Maria Bou Zeid/Annahar/June
03/2020
AUB researchers honored by World Economic Forum in recognition of their
contributions to cutting-edge research
Lebanese Army Chief visits units deployed in South
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
June 03-04/2020
Russia strikes northwest Syria for first time in three months: Monitor
Iranian professor jailed in US for stealing trade secrets returns home to Iran
Basra’s hopes are pinned on Kadhimi to fight corruption, provide clean water
Can PM Netanyahu move on sovereignty without the Trump peace plan?
Defying UN, Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia with explosives from Iran: White
House
Retired army general sworn in as Sudan new defense minister
Khamenei Says Floyd Killing Shows 'True Face' of U.S.
Pentagon Chief Opposes Use of Army to Quell Unrest
Pope, Protests and Football Players: World Reacts to U.S. Demos
UK Support to Lebanon's COVID-19 Well Over $2 Million So Far
Italy Thirsts for Tourists as Country Reopens to Europe
Gulf Crisis Sees New 'Fake News' Flurry Online
Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published on June 03-04/2020
Erdoğan's Libya Campaign: Another Neo-Ottoman Design/Burak Bekdil/Gatestone
Institute/June 03/2020
Why Western Media is Biased Against Israel/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/June
03/2020
Why Erdogan Won’t Ask the IMF for Help/Aykan Erdemir/John Lechner/Foreign Policy
Cautious optimism over prospects of Libya ceasefire talks/Mona El-Mahrouki/The
Arab Weekly/June 03/2020
Subversion of the truth provokes attacks on journalists/Alistair Burt/Arab
News/June 03, 2020
US riots to bolster support for Trump/Ray Hanania/Arab News/June 03/2020
Radical agendas, Riots and Political Backlashing/Charles Elias Chartouni/June
03/2020
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News &
Editorials published on June 03-04/2020
Lebanon Records 14 New Coronavirus
Cases
Naharnet/June 03/2020
Lebanon on Wednesday recorded 14 more COVID-19 coronavirus cases, the Health
Ministry said. Eight of those who tested positive for the virus are repatriated
Lebanese expats and the other six are residents who came in contact with
identified infected individuals, the Ministry said in its daily statement.The
new cases raise the country's tally to 1,256. According to the Ministry, 2,066
PCR tests were carried out over the past 24 hours. Lebanon has started the
fourth phase of a plan to reopen the economy and only educational institutions,
nightclubs, cinemas, theaters, gyms, sport clubs and the airport remain closed.
Hassan chairs Coronavirus Committee meeting: No local
epidemic spread
NNA/June 03/2020
Minister of Public Health, Hamad Hassan, chaired a meeting of the Coronavirus
Committee to discuss the steps supposed to be taken in the next stage, in light
of the epidemiological survey that was conducted in various Lebanese regions,
the results of which having showed that there is no local outbreak of the
epidemic so far. The Committee stressed "the importance of preserving this
outcome and not declining towards a possible outbreak," underscoring "the
importance of the citizens' continued response to the specific measures imposed
by the various ministries."The Committee touched on "the fourth stage of
repatriation, expected to start on the June 11," discussing the prospects of
re-opening the airport at a later stage and the measures to be implemented to
keep the pandemic contained and prevent risk to the safety of the local
community.
Aoun chairs meeting to discuss UNIFIL mandate renewal
attended by Ambassadors of permanent Security Council members, Kubis
NNA/June 03/2020
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, affirmed Lebanon’s adherence to
international forces operating in South Lebanon, UNIFIL, and the positive role
played by these forces, noting that the Cabinet took a decision to request an
extension of their missions for an additional year without modifying its mandate
and the concept of operations and rules of engagement. “Our adherence to it is
only surpassed by our attachment to public freedoms and full Lebanese
sovereignty” President Aoun asserted.
Moreover, the President stressed the importance of continuing and strengthening
partnership between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army, and the role these forces play
in monitoring Israel’s daily air, land and sea violations, and its continuous
violation of 170, in addition to its breaching Lebanese airspace to bomb Syrian
land. “The Lebanese Army provides all the necessary facilities to UNIFIL, as
required, in order to properly carry out its tasks” the President said.
For his part, Prime Minister Dr. Hassan Diab indicated that stability in
southern Lebanon is fixed by a Lebanese decision stating to invoke international
legitimacy in imposing its prestige and preventing aggression against Lebanese
sovereignty.
“Without this decision, daily Israeli violations would have caused permanent
tension on the borders. Lebanon looks forward to reaffirming the commitment of
the United Nations and the UN Security Council to maintain stability on its
southern border, and to impose the implementation of Resolution 1701 on Israel”
PM Diab added. The Prime Minister also noted that “The continuation of UNFIL’s
mission, in southern Lebanon, is an international need before beingLebanese
demand”, stressing that “The presence of these forces, according to the agency
given to them, and the role assigned to them, without any modification in their
missions, is today a necessity to prevent tension and redress any danger looming
at the border as a result of escalating Israeli violations of Resolution 1701”.
Stances of the President and Prime Minister, came during a meeting, today at
Baabda Palace, chaired by President Aoun and attended by Foreign Affairs and
Emigrants Minister, Nassif Hitti and Ambassadors of the five permanent Security
Council members: Russian Ambassador, Alexander Zasbekin, Chinese Ambassador,
Wang Kijian, French Ambassador, Bruno Foucher, British Ambassador, Christopher
Maxwell Rampling, US Ambassador, Dorothy Shea, and the UN Secretary-General
representative, Jan Kubis.
meeting, which was devoted to discuss the UNIFIL mandate extension, was also
attended by former Minister Salim Jreissati, Director General of the Presidency
of the Republic, Dr. Antoine Choucair, and advisers to the President of the
Republic, Brigadier General, Paul Matar, Ambassador, Charbel Wahba, Mr. Rafic
Chelala and Osama Khashab.
President Aoun’s Speech:
Remarks by His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic General Michel
Aoun during his meeting with the Ambassadors of the five permanent members of
the Security Council and the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon
Baabda, June 3, 2020
“Mr. Prime Minister, Your Excellences,
For forty-two years, there has been a real partnership between Lebanon and the
United nations through the presence of the United Nations Interim Force for
Lebanon (UNIFIL), with its officers and troops coming from 45 friendly
countries. Their contribution therein is highly appreciated, whereas the Force
accompanies and supports the Lebanese Armed forces through their deployment in
the four corners of the South, and assists as well the Lebanese government, upon
the latter’s request, in securing its Southern borders. We remember today tens
of martyrs from this Force who fell in various circumstances on Lebanese soil,
serving its noble mission aimed at restoring international peace and security.
This partnership is embodied in a close and permanent cooperation between the
Lebanese army and all the components of the UNIFIL, since its inception in 1978
and to date. Indeed, apart from the daily joint patrols, there are demining
operations and joint military drills; and since 2006, the UNIFIL Maritime Task
Force – the first of a kind in the history of the United Nations’ missions –
undertakes joint exercises with the Lebanese Navy, and helps the Lebanese Army
develop its capabilities and equip its naval forces as well as the model
regiment, in implementation of Resolution 1701. Moreover, in collaboration with
the municipalities, the UNIFIL carries out local social, educational, cultural
and health projects that benefit the residents of the region.
The UNIFIL also undertakes another important task, namely following up the
demarcation of the Blue Line. Its Command hosts military meetings within the
tripartite mechanism which contributes to defusing tensions and addressing any
urgent matters on the borders.
Thanks to this existing partnership between the Lebanese Army and the UNIFIL,
the South has been enjoying, for fourteen years, a unique calm in a region that
is rife with conflicts and wars. The UNIFIL is considered one of the exemplary
missions that serve as a role model among international peacekeeping forces. In
its Ministerial Declaration, our Government has affirmed Lebanon’s commitment to
Resolution 1701 and support for the international emergency forces in the South.
Against this background, I stress the importance of pursuing and promoting the
partnership between the UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army, the role of the UNIFIL in
monitoring the daily Israeli violations by air, land and sea, and reporting
detailed data about them to the UN Security Council to demonstrate Israel’s
persistent infringement of Resolution 1701, and its violation of the Lebanese
airspace to bombard Syrian territories.
Your Excellencies,
The Lebanese Constitution stipulates that private properties must be respected
and that accessing them requires prior authorization and escort from the
concerned Lebanese authorities. As I stress that preserving stability in the
South remains the responsibility of the Lebanese Government and the Lebanese
Army, I point out that the Army offers all the necessary facilities requested by
the UNIFIL to ensure the good performance of its duties.
As for the limited incidents that occurred between UNIFIL groups and a number of
citizens in some villages, they do not reflect any negative climate against the
UNIFIL, whereas the rate of these incidents remains very low (0.03%) and their
reasons are well known. Further incidents may be avoided by promoting
cooperation between the international Force and the Lebanese Army, and by
respecting the coordination and liaison mechanism between them.
Your Excellencies,
Today, there is a growing need for the continuation of the UNIFIL mission to
assist the Lebanese Army which carries out its duties on all the Lebanese
territories under the critical circumstances that the country is currently going
through and the multiple crises that are afflicting it, namely the unprecedented
economic and financial crisis, the new coronavirus pandemic, the persistence of
the terrorist threat in the region, and the crises of the Syrian displaced and
Palestinian refugees.
While Lebanon hopes to be able, soon, to recover the Shebaa Farms and the
Northern part of the Ghajar village, to reach a solution for the Blue Line
points of reservation and to delineate the maritime borders, it currently holds
on to the UNIFIL and its positive role. In this context, the Council of
Ministers has adopted in its last session held last Friday May 29, 2020 a
decision to file a request to the Security Council asking for the extension of
the UNIFIL mission for an additional year as of August 31, 2020, without
amending its mandate, the concept of its operations and its special engagement
rules, in view of empowering it to pursue its vital role which represents a
regional, rather an international need.
In conclusion, I would like to express Lebanon’s appreciation for the efforts of
the United Nations, the friendly States and the Command and troops of the UNIFIL,
and its commitment to Resolution 1701 and to continued calm and stability in the
South. I wish to confirm as well that our keenness on the international force
and on its paramount role is only outweighed by our attachment to the public
freedoms consecrated by the Lebanese Constitution, and to Lebanon’s full
sovereignty on all its territories, waters and airspace”.
PM Diab’s Speech:
Speech of Prime Minister, Dr. Hassan Diab, during his meeting with Ambassadors-
Baabda- June 3, 2020.
“Good morning,
Since the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1701, Lebanon remains committed
to implementing this resolution, and has been cooperating with the United
Nations to maintain calm and stability on the Southern border.
On the other hand, the Security Council resolution, as well as previous
resolutions, were exposed to continuous and daily violations, on land, sea and
air, by the Israeli occupation, which was not stipulated in Resolution 1701,
especially in terms of its continued occupation of Shebaa Farms, and Kfar Shuba
Hills, and a part of Ghajar town, in addition to several other border areas and
attacks on exclusive economic sea zones, and the aggression against Lebanese
sovereignty by daily aircraft violations in the Lebanese sky.
During year 2019, Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty numbered 2551 as
follows:
178 land violations.
1373 air violations.
739 sea violations.
261 land provocations.
In year 2020, the total number of violations reached 374 on land and 386 at sea,
during a period of only five months, in addition to 250 air violations through
four months.
Over the past 14 years, since the implementation of Resolution 1701, the UN
Forces have spotted tens of thousands of Israeli attacks on Lebanon. In
addition, UNIFIL witnesses the highest degree of Lebanese commitment to this
decision, despite some mistakes made due to the lack of coordination with the
Lebanese Army. Resolution 1701 achieved stability on the Southern Lebanese
borders, thanks to the efforts exerted by UNIFIL Forces, in accordance with
their current missions, because these tasks reassure the people of the South
that there are no hidden intentions against them, or that the UN is taking
double standards, and that UNIFIL want to target Lebanese citizens.
A strong relationship and positive interaction has developed between UNIFIL
officers and soldiers and the people of the South, and this has contributed to
reducing congestion and even to increasing the effectiveness of UNIFIL work.
Stability in Southern Lebanon is fixed by a Lebanese decision to invoke
international legitimacy in imposing its prestige and preventing aggression
against Lebanese sovereignty. Without this decision, daily Israeli violations
would have caused permanent tension on the borders. Hence, Lebanon looks forward
to affirm commitment of the UN and UN Security Council to maintain stability on
the Southern Borders, and to impose Israel to implement Resolution 1701.
The continued work of UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon is an international need,
before being a Lebanese demand. The presence of these forces, according to the
role assigned to them, is now necessary to prevent tension and redress any
danger looming at the borders as a result of Israeli violations.
Lebanon expects the international community to realize the dangers of any change
in the numerous missions and tasks of UNIFIL, especially in light of the
situation which Lebanon is experiencing economically, socially and financially.
Therefore, we are betting on the wisdom and awareness of those concerned in the
Security Council of the importance of the role which UNIFIL should play.
The Lebanese Government reiterates its thanks for the cooperation of the UN
Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Gutierrez, in securing the appropriate conditions
to maintain Resolution 1701 implementation.
Thank You!
Long Live Lebanon”.
Russian Ambassador:
After speeches of the President and Prime Minister, Ambassadors spoke. The
Russian Ambassador confirmed his country’s support for the Lebanese position,
expressing readiness to coordinate, appreciating UNIFIL’s positive role.
Zasbekin also stressed the importance of strengthening the partnership between
the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL and the need to stop Israeli violations of Lebanese
sovereignty, in addition to providing international support to Lebanon in these
difficult circumstances.
Chinese Ambassador:
For his side, the Ambassador of China thanked President Aoun for his initiative
in calling to this meeting and praised the role of UNIFIL forces in maintaining
stability along the Blue Line. The Chinese Ambassador also expressed his
country’s principled support for the extension of UNIFIL mandate, noting that
China will participate in the negotiations on the draft decision and will pay in
terms of increasing its effectiveness. Kijian then indicated that his country
will continue to participate in UNIFIL and cooperate with members of the
international community to contribute to stability and development in Lebanon.
French Ambassador:
The French Ambassador, in his turn, praised the role played by international
forces since starting their missions in South Lebanon, commemorating martyrs who
fell. Foucher pointed out that the area of international operations is equal to
1063 km2 and includes around 200 villages, noting that UNIFIL’s role is
acceptable to all the local population. Foucher added that the south region is
quiet and is one of the calmest regions of the Middle East. “The mission of
UNIFIL is basically successful and its activity is stable, and the total number
of its missions during 2019, numbered around 23,000, in cooperation with the
Lebanese Army” he added.
“France will work with security council member states in New York to extend the
mission mandate of UNIFIL for an additional year, and this mission will be
successful and a model for success” Foucher concluded.
British Ambassador:
The Ambassador of Britain expressed his country’s commitment to Resolution 1701,
and the role of UNIFIL in preserving the peace mission of the South, pointing
out that he had personally witnessed the importance of this role through his
visits to the region. Rampling said that his country supports the continuous
tasks of UNIFIL and increasing its effectiveness to achieve what the
international community wants, which is the implementation of 1701.
Ambassador Rampling then considered that there is a responsibility for everyone
to halt violation, and that UNIFIL should be able to carry out its tasks without
confronting any obstacles, pointing to Britain’s understanding of the Lebanese
stance. Finally, Rampling considered that discussions taking place in the
Security Council constitute a basis for any discussion of any possible
developments in work.
US Ambassador:
The US ambassador urged the Lebanese to take a stand of self-criticism, calling
to look at what is happening north of the Blue Line. She said that her country
appreciates the presence of the UNIFIL and its maritime component and the
tripartite mechanism, which she considered to be very important and helps to
reduce tension, noting that the UNIFIL soldiers are present in order to fully
implement Resolution 1701, “And I do not think we can say that the full
implementation of this resolution has taken place. Therefore, we need to
consider increasing the effectiveness of UNIFILto its maximum extent and if it
is not able to achieve its mandate fully, we must ask questions about whether
the current number is the best” Shea said.
Ambassador Shea then noted that the private property could not be implemented by
UNIFIL, considering that the issue should be addressed openly and without any
hesitation.
“We join others in encouraging the two parties to work to find a lasting
solution, including the issue of maritime and land borders, and the United
States is ready to assist in this issue” Sheaconcluded.
Jan Kubis:
Finally, Kubis delivered a speech where he confirmed UN readiness to assist and
support Lebanon. “As your Excellency (the President) have mentioned in your
speech, we will always monitor and report violations of 1701 and all other
relevant resolutions and we will mention them in our reports to the
Secretary-General, where we express our great commitment to implementing this
resolution. And other decision in close cooperation with your country and with
relevant Lebanese institutions and authorities” Kubis said.
While appreciating President Aoun’s invitation to this “important and unique”
meeting, he pointed out that “Lebanon asserted the great importance it attaches
to the work of the international forces operating in the south and the work of
the United Nations UNIFIL’s contribution to maintaining peace and security in
Lebanon and it is important to see that UNIFIL remains strong in its
capabilities and its continued contribution to maintaining stability along Blue
Line borders”.
Afterwards, Kubis stressed the consolidation and development of partnership
between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army, expressing appreciation for the
President’s recalling martyrs who fell in order to maintain Lebanese stability.
On the other hand, he asserted the importance of “Lebanon’s contribution and
active role in preparing the report related to the assessment that we submit to
the Secretary-General”, concluding that this would constitute a basis for
launching discussion regarding UNIFIL budget, its structure, number and
mandate.--Presidency Press Office
Aoun, Diab Stress Keenness on UNIFIL Role in Talks with
Ambassadors
Naharnet/June 03/2020
President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Wednesday underlined
Lebanon's keenness on the role of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
during a meeting with the ambassadors of the five permanent U.N. Security
Council member states.
Emphasizing that Lebanon is “keen on UNIFIL and on the positive role it is
playing,” Aoun said Cabinet has decided to ask the Security Council to extend
the U.N. force's mandate for another year without altering its missions and
rules of engagement to “enable it to continue performing its vital role, which
is a regional or rather international need.”“Our adherence to it is surpassed by
nothing other than our clinging to public freedoms and to Lebanon's full
sovereignty,” the president added. He also underscored “the importance of
continuing and strengthening partnership between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army,”
noting that the army is “offering all the necessary facilitations to UNIFIL as
it requests for the proper conduct of its missions.” PM Diab for his part
pointed out that UNIFIL's presence in south Lebanon is “an international need
before being a Lebanese demand.”
“The presence of these forces, under the mandate and role entrusted to them, is
a necessity to prevent tensions and foil any danger on the border resulting from
the escalating Israeli violations of Resolution 1701,” Diab added.
The meeting was attended by U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis and
the ambassadors of the U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China.
It tackled the issue of extending the mandate of UNIFIL in a Security Council
session that will be held soon. The Lebanese government had agreed on Friday to
extend the mandate of UNIFIL for another year. The extension of the peacekeeping
force comes as Israel is calling for major changes in the way the mission
operates on the ground in southern Lebanon. Israel is demanding that it have
access to all sites and freedom of movement and that it report back to the U.N.
Security Council if it is being blocked.
The decision to extend the term of UNIFIL also comes amid rising tensions along
the Lebanon-Israel border in recent weeks.
Israeli troops opened fire last week toward a shepherd on the edge of the
Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms.Earlier this month, Israeli troops shot and
wounded a shepherd in a nearby area, saying he crossed the border.
On Tuesday, tensions surged in the southern border area of Adaisseh after an
Israeli force advanced into an area claimed by Lebanon, prompting Lebanese
troops to take combat positions. PM Diab has recently visited UNIFIL's
headquarters where he described the presence of the force in the volatile area
as a necessity. The government's decision comes amid the backdrop of a war of
words between Israeli and Lebanese officials, including Lebanon's Hizbullah,
over the mandate of UNIFIL. The force has been deployed in southern Lebanon
since an Israeli invasion in 1978. The quibble over the UNIFIL mandate comes up
every year before the mandate is typically renewed in the summer.
Diab welcomes LU delegation
NNA/June 03/2020
Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, chaired a meeting with a delegation from the
Lebanese University, including the President of the University, Professor Fouad
Ayoub and the delegation of the University Council composed of deans of
faculties. First of all, Prime Minister Diab welcomed the attendees and stressed
the importance and distinctiveness of the Lebanese University. He also praised
the University's Times magazine ranking among the top 300 universities in the
world. PM Diab has valued the positive role played by the University during the
Coronavirus crisis, and specifically through the Faculty of Medicine, as part of
its effective contribution to Rafik Hariri University Hospital. For his part,
Prof. Fouad Ayoub pointed out to the University's success in bridging the large
financial deficit over the past three years, which amounted to 92 billion
Lebanese Pounds, through controlling fiscal spending. Prof. Ayoub exposed the
problems facing the university, as he stressed on the importance of approving
the full-time appointments of contractual professors, based on fair conditions,
while preserving the rights of professors who were excluded from such
appointments. -- Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Diab meets with MP Edgar Traboulsi
NNA/June 03/2020
Prime Minister, Dr. Hassan Diab, has met today with MP Edgard Traboulsi in the
presence of PM advisor Dr. Assaad Eid. The meeting touched on education, private
schools, promoting vocational education and the necessity of particularly
integrating school and vocational education support in the Cabinet’s economic
recovery plan. MP Traboulsi has brought before PM Diab the case of confiscated
property owners in the vicinity of Hamshari Hospital in Miyeh w Miyeh. --PM
Press Office
June 6 Demo to Reportedly Raise Voice against Hizbullah
Arms
Naharnet/June 03/2020
There are preparations to “openly voice slogans against illegal arms in
Saturday's demo,” MTV has quoted security reports as saying. “The protest will
not be limited to social demands, or known demands such as early parliamentary
polls, combating corruption or the government's resignation. A major slogan will
be its highlight, which is the rejection of Hizbullah's weapons and the call for
handing them over to the state,” the reports said. A “prominent political leader
allied to Hizbullah” meanwhile told MTV that Saturday's protest in downtown
Beirut is “coordinated with Lebanese figures who support the move from abroad,
specifically from the United States.”According to media reports, activists from
the October 17 uprising will take part in the demo in addition to others who
support the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb Party. Al-Mustaqbal Movement has
meanwhile distanced itself from the planned rally.
A number of activists had rallied outside the Justice Palace and voiced slogans
against Hizbullah's arms in recent days.
Israel ‘successfully’ tests two ballistic missiles amid
tensions with Iran, Hezbollah
AFP/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Israel on Tuesday said it has successfully tested two ballistic missiles in the
Mediterranean, amid tensions with Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah. The
state-run Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) said the “complex trial... was held
in the open sea” and involved two Long-Range Artillery Weapon Systems (LORA).
“The first scenario involved a short-range launch to 90 kilometers (55.8 miles)
and the second to a long range of 400 kilometers (248 miles),” IAI said in a
statement. “Under both scenarios, the missile was launched to its trajectory,
navigated its course to the target, and hit with utmost precision,” the
statement said. It said the test was carried out at an unspecified date during
the COVID-19 pandemic. “Both the weapon system and the missile successfully met
all of the trial’s objectives,” the statement added. “In its ground version, the
weapon system was deployed on a ship in the open sea to comply with the safety
requirements of trials of this type,” the IAI said. For all the latest headlines
follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the news. “In the midst of the war against
coronavirus, we continue to guarantee Israel’s security in both offensive and
defensive means,” the prime minister said. Israel and bitter foe Iran have long
been at loggerheads. Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to expand
its presence in war-wracked neighboring Syria to threaten Israel. Iran and its
ally the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah back the Syrian regime in the conflict
that started in 2011.Since then, Israel has launched hundreds of attacks in
Syria, targeting government troops, allied Iranian forces and fighters from
Hezbollah. Israel fought a war with Hezbollah in 2006. It considers the group,
which is represented in Lebanon’s parliament and government, as a terrorist
organization.
Lebanon's unprecedented crisis, challenges and paths
forward
Lauren Holtmeier, Al Arabiya English/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Lebanese activists and analysts agree that the country is going through an
unprecedented economic cum sociopolitical crisis. In a webinar, “Lebanon's
unprecedented crisis: Challenges and paths forward,” hosted by Al Arabiya
English, Alia Moubayed, Ziad Abdel Samad, Nasser Yassin and Albert Kostanian met
to discuss Lebanon’s challenges and what lies on the path ahead for the slowly
unraveling state. Moubayed, managing director at Jefferies, an American
multinational independent investment bank and financial services company, noted
the complicated geopolitical environment in which Lebanon must operate, and
acknowledged that the country faces concurrent debt, balance of payments and
banking crises. “You have the symptoms of a full-blown crisis,” she said. The
crisis could continue to deepen she said as the country’s ruling elite are yet
to take any concrete policy action to agree on a diagnosis of the country’s
problems or a path toward a solution. They also have yet to define a strategy
for negotiating with the International Monetary Fund and ensure that those in
charge of reform will be able to do so. Lebanon is currently in negotiations
with the IMF for financial assistance. The government passed an economic reform
plan in a bid to receive $10 billion from the IMF with an eye also to unlock $11
billion made available in soft loans at the 2018 Paris CEDRE conference on
condition of reforms that are yet to materialize. Samad, who is the co-founder
and executive director of the Beirut-based Arab NGO Network for Development,
said Lebanon approached the IMF only as a last resort, but the way negotiations
have gone so far with the IMF raises questions about the level of political will
in the country. Referencing the 2018 conference, he said “It was clear the
reforms that were suggested, and now we’re witnessing the same plan… This raises
real doubts about the political will.”“They’re directly ignoring the political
and social issues and focusing only on the economic [issues],” he said. While
Lebanon slides closer to a point of no return, Yassin, the interim director at
the American University of Beirut’s Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and
International Affairs, said Lebanon is experiencing a “low-intensity collapse.”
“[The political elite are] going to adapt to this and make us adapt; they are
going to continue to gather what they can from the collapsing state,” he said.
For decades, Lebanon has suffered from chronic mismanagement of state funds that
has led to a broad gap between the wealthy ruling elite and the poor at the
bottom of society. For Yassin, donors aren’t going to save Lebanon, but they’ll
“ease the collapse.”Lebanon’s political bedrock is shaky, built on a sectarian
power-sharing system that has contributed to years of looting and redistribution
that has finally caught up with the country. “This system was built around a
system of a central state where warlords give back to their people,” said Albert
Kostanian, television host and content producer for Lebanon’s LBCI “Vision 2030”
program. For Kostanian, what Lebanon faces is a meltdown of the current system
predicated on three myths, the first is that the country can function alone
through a strong private sector in the absence of a viable public sector.
“There’s not really a single sector that functions,” Kostanian said, referring
to the electricity, telecom, transportation and waste management sectors.
The second myth is that of Lebanon as a service economy.
“We don’t produce anything,” he said. “We just sell banking… to other Arab
states.”Lebanon for a long time attracted banking deposits from other Arab
states. Those deposits drying up in part helped spur the acute economic pain
felt now in the country. He noted there is a large gap between the potential of
the local agriculture sector and what it currently produces. The third myth he
said, is that the country can live with such a wide income gap that won’t pose a
threat to societal continuity. “But this has been proven wrong, because people
are angry and there’s no fiscal policy, no redistribution, no access to public
goods, like schools or hospitals,” he said. “The whole system has fallen apart,
and it will be a slow disintegration.” Finally, Kostanian pointed to the problem
of armed militias in the country. While he did not specifically name Hezbollah,
the Iran-backed group is the largest armed militia and political party in the
country and wields enormous amounts of political and military power. “We can’t
ignore that because there is no sovereignty,” he said. “This problem completely
hinders the future of Lebanon and the prospect for investment.”The US, and most
recently Germany, has designated Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization,
and many fear the group’s presence in the country will hinder Lebanon’s ability
to attract foreign aid. With talks ongoing with the IMF and no clear signs yet
of political will to make painful structural reforms, the country is at a
tipping point. “Lebanese are resilient, and they always find a way to emerge
from crisis, but this time will be pretty tough,” he concluded.
Wazni talks financial, economic issues with UN’s Kubis
NNA/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Finance Minister, Dr. Ghazi Wazni, received on Wednesday United Nations Special
Coordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis, with whom he discussed an array of financial
and economic issues, including the importance of the ongoing negotiations
between Lebanon and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The meeting stressed the need to carry out reforms for Lebanon to gain outside
confidence and assistance, as per a statement by the Ministry’s Press Office.
Minister Wazni also met with Chief of the Audit Bureau, Judge Mohammed Badran,
with talks reportedly touching on the issue of the Lebanese state’s accounts.
Bassil tackles current developments with Alawi, Foucher
NNA/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, on Wednesday received
Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Yasser Mohammed Alawi, with whom he discussed
the bilateral relations and the current situation in the Middle East.
Later, Minister Bassil met with French Ambassador to Lebanon, Bruno Foucher,
where they exchanged viewpoints on developments in Lebanon and across the world,
and the financial and economic crises.
Rahi, Bassil address need for concerted efforts to evade
crisis
NNA/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Rahi, welcomed this Wednesday
in Bkirki, head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil. The meeting
touched on local affairs and the latest developments at all levels, with an
affirmation of the "necessity of concerted efforts among all components to get
out of the stifling crisis that Lebanon is suffering from."
Akar holds diplomatic meetings dwelling on support and
cooperation
NNA/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Minister of National Defense, Zeina Akar, held this Wednesday a series of
diplomatic meetings, starting with the British Ambassador to Lebanon, Chris
Rampling, and his accompanying delegation. Talks featured a detailed
presentation of the British support to Lebanon, as part of the LAF land border
regiments training program. Akar then welcomed the Chargé d'Affairs at the Iraqi
Embassy in Lebanon, Amin Abdullah Al-Nasrawi, with whom she tackled the novel
Coronavirus crisis, the situation on the Lebanese arena, and bilateral
cooperation. The Minister of Defense also met the Mexican ambassador to Lebanon,
Jose Madrazo, and discussed with him bilateral relations, and ways to activate
cooperation and the exchange of experiences between the two countries. Akar
later received Italian Ambassador Nicoletta Bombardiere and an accompanying
delegation, whereby it was stressed the continuation of Italian support to
Lebanon, namely in the fields that constitute a priority to the country. Among
Akar's visitors was the Ambassador of Ukraine, Ihor Ostash, who tackled the
concluding of an agreement on technical military cooperation between Ukraine and
Lebanon. The Minister also convened with Hungary's Ambassador to Lebanon, Geza
Mihalyi, and discussed ways to bolster bilateral ties. Finally, Minister Akar
welcomed Armenian Ambassador Vahagn Atabekian, with talks touching on the
general situation in Lebanon and the region.
Bukhari meets Popular bloc head
NNA/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon, Waleed bin Abdullah Bukhari, on Wednesday welcomed
at his Yarzeh residence "Popular Bloc" head, Myriam Skaff, with whom he
discussed the latest developments on the regional and local arenas.
Mortada tackles cultural, agricultural cooperation with
ambassadors of Oman, Spain
NNA/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Minister of Culture and Agriculture, Abbas Mortada, received at his ministerial
office the Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman, Badr bin Muhammad bin Badr Al-Mundhiri,
with whom he discussed bilateral relations, especially in the field of culture,
most notably the House of Culture and Arts project and the Lebanese-Omani
Headquarters. In this context, Mortada underlined Lebanon's commitment "to
finalizing this cultural headquarters and providing the facilitations required
for the project to see the light, given the positive outcomes expected from it,
in the hopes that all of this will benefit the people of both countries."
In his turn, the Omani Ambassador expressed his country's willingness to support
the said project, and work for the activation of cultural exchange. Mortada also
met with Spanish ambassador Jose Maria Ferre, with talks touching on the means
to develop existing cooperation between Lebanon and Spain, especially at the
level of cinema, theater, cultural festivals and libraries. On the sidelines of
the meeting, the pair tackled the prospects of establishing cooperation between
the two countries in the agricultural field. The Spanish ambassador relayed his
country's desire to support agricultural production in Lebanon and uphold its
workers through in-kind assistance, "especially since Lebanon and Spain are
similar in interest in agriculture, both being Mediterranean countries."
Choueifat Industrialists Hold Important Meeting with
Hoballah
Naharnet/June 03/2020
The head and members of the Industrialists Association of Choueifat and Suburbs
on Tuesday held an “important meeting” with Industry Minister Imad Hoballah and
the Ministry's Director General Dany Jadoun, the Association said. “The
discussions tackled the demands of the industrialists of Choueifat and its
suburbs, who were led by Kamal al-Rifai,” the IACS said in a statement. Al-Rifai
submitted a memo calling for “re-imposing high customs fees to protect Lebanese
goods; supporting factories through tax and fee exemptions and the extension of
deadlines to obtain clearances from the National Social Security Fund;
addressing the financial situations of small and medium defaulting factories
through subsidized low-interest loans; and reevaluating foreign trade treaties
that are unfair to Lebanon,” the statement said. The memo also calls for a host
of other measures aimed at assisting the industry sector. “The talks touched on
the measures that the Industry Ministry has taken since the government's
formation to protect, develop and modernize industry; implement the principle of
reciprocity in commercial exchanges between Lebanon and foreign parties; and
slashing the cost of business,” the statement added.
Minister Hoballah for his part stressed the government's determination to
“control and prevent smuggling,” focusing on “industry's developmental role” and
its importance as to the creation of jobs, the statement said. He also noted
that an agreement has been reached between the Industry Ministry and the
Association of Banks in Lebanon with the aim of supporting the industry sector.
The head of the Industrialists Association of Choueifat and Suburbs, Kamal al-Rifai,
meanwhile lauded the agreement and thanked banks for the facilitations that they
will offer to the industry sector. “These new measures towards the productive
sectors are an essential pillar for mending the national economy and preserving
its resilience, the income of the Lebanese and the continuity of employees'
work,” al-Rifai added.
6 ways to debunk fake news amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Dr. Maria Bou Zeid/Annahar/June 03/2020
Allcott and Gentzkow’ (2017) define “fake news” as “news articles that are
intentionally and verifiably false and could mislead readers. Fake news has been
around since the beginnings of human culture, but with the emergence of social
media, this phenomenon is gaining more traction on international and national
scales. Lebanon is currently witnessing a wave of misinformation pertaining to
the COVID-19 pandemic, which risks overshadowing reputable sources of
information. To help readers navigate the social media landscape and minimize
the risk of misinformation, here are six tips to detect fake news:
1. Assess the quality of the writing standards: Poor writing styles are usually
reflected in grammar mistakes and typos or odd punctuation.
2. Evaluate the correctness of the story: In some cases, the info is not
fabricated but old or used in a different context.
3. Look carefully at the website’s name: In cases of disinformation, fake news
websites will often make their domain names look similar to established media
such as cmn.com instead of cnn.com or manar.co instead of manar.com etc.
a. If you want to dig a little deeper, look into the potential agenda of any
publisher by reading more about them such as with their mission statement and
identity.
4. Examine the author’s credibility: The writer should be an authority in the
field to provide the audience with unbiased and correct information.
5. Cross check the information with: In doubtful situations, it is important to
find the same data/facts/news on other websites or official platforms. If a news
site cannot provide these, or the facts do not line up with more established
media, it is more likely to be misinformation.
6. Refer to a fact checking website such as FactCheck.org or BBC fact checker:
The aim of such websites is to increase the level of media literacy among people
and to decrease the level of disinformation and misinformation resulting from
fake news.
*Dr. Maria Bou Zeid is an Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department
of Media Studies, Faculty of Humanities at Notre Dame University, and Executive
Director of the Arab Studies Institute (ASI) – Beirut Office.
AUB researchers honored by World Economic Forum in
recognition of their contributions to cutting-edge research
NNA/Wednesday 03 June 2020
The World Economic Forum announced its Class of 2020 Young Scientists,
recognizing 25 exceptional researchers from around the world, under the age of
40, who are at the forefront of scientific discovery. Among them are American
University of Beirut (AUB) researchers, Drs. Joseph Costantine and Joanna
Doummar.
“Very proud of two humble, brilliant and dedicated AUB scholars, Dr. Joseph
Costantine from the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and
Dr. Joanna Doummar from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, for their selection as
the only young scientists from the Middle East to be honored by the World
Economic Forum,” said Dr. Fadlo Khuri, AUB president, in his tweet commenting on
the news.
Dr. Joseph Costantine’s research leverages electromagnetism to design new
generations of communication systems that accommodate future wireless platforms,
novel sensors that tackle health monitoring challenges, and wirelessly powered
devices that harvest ambient electromagnetic fields. This research pushes for a
better quality of life through electromagnetism that is focused on
human-centered transformative technology. Such technology addresses life
challenges that extend from continuous non-invasive diabetes monitoring, to
charging remote sensors using drones, in addition to deploying agile
communication systems in areas without an existing infrastructure.
“Being part of this community of scientists enables me and my students to become
agents of change from my research lab here at AUB, to the whole world. Our
scientific arm is extended to reach forefront decision makers, through
scientific discussions, interactions and active involvement,” said Dr.
Costantine. “Our aim is to address grand challenges facing Lebanon, the region
and the world by pushing for scientifically evidenced policies and decisions.
This selection is beyond an honor and I am very humbled and excited to be part
of this journey that I am confident will be filled with plenty of endeavors.”
Dr. Joanna Doummar’s research entails the characterization of flow and transport
in complex groundwater systems through process based models and the
identification of contamination indicators. These models involve the acquisition
of high-resolution time series from poorly monitored sites equipped with
state-of-the-art instrumentation. This research aims at providing
decision-makers with support tools to overcome water quality and quantity
challenges under climate change conditions. It also helps tailor policies based
on science-supported evidence in semi-arid and Mediterranean regions at high
risk for water scarcity.
“I am so honored and excited to be among the WEF Young Scientists’ class of
2020! Being part of this exceptional community is an opportunity to enlarge my
scientific network beyond my field of expertise,” said Dr. Doummar. “I also
believe that successful integrated solutions require addressing current problems
from their different scientific, technological, socio-economic and legislative
perspectives, while making science accessible to local communities.”
The Young Scientists were nominated by leading research institutes according to
criteria including research excellence, leadership potential, and commitment to
serving society, according to the World Economic Forum’s announcement. They were
selected on the basis of their achievements in expanding the boundaries of
knowledge and practical applications of science in issues as diverse as child
psychology, chemical oceanography, and artificial intelligence.
“We are looking forward to working with the Class of 2020 Young Scientists to
help leaders from the public and private sector better engage with science and
in doing so, help young researchers become stronger ambassadors for science,
which the world needs now and will continue to need post-COVID-19,” said Alice
Hazelton, Programme Lead, Science and Society, World Economic Forum.—AUB
Lebanese Army Chief visits units deployed in South
NNA/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, inspected the First and Eighth Brigades and
the Second Intervention Regiment in the South, where he met with the commanders
of the deployed units, and was briefed on the situation in the region and the
field measures taken to maintain stability in their respective areas of
operation.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
June 03-04/2020
Russia strikes northwest Syria for first
time in three months: Monitor
AFPWednesday 03 June 2020
Russian air strikes have hit Syria's last major rebel bastion for the first time
since a March ceasefire came into force, a war monitor said on Wednesday. The
Russian strikes on Tuesday night and at dawn on Wednesday hit an area of the
northwest where the boundaries of Hama, Idlib and Latakia provinces meet, the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance, led
by Syria's former al-Qaeda affiliate, and its hardline allies enjoy a
significant presence in the area, the Britain-based monitoring group added. Home
to some three million people, the Idlib region of the northwest is controlled by
HTS and affiliated rebel groups. For all the latest headlines follow our Google
News channel online or via the app. A Russian-backed government offensive
between December and March displaced nearly a million people in the region. Some
840,000 of the nearly one million remain displaced, while some 120,000 have
returned to their home communities since the ceasefire went into force,
according to the United Nations. The truce, which coincided with the coronavirus
crisis, had put a stop to the relentless air strikes by government forces and
their Russian allies that killed at least 500 civilians in four months. Read
also: Syrian tycoon Rami Makhlouf says ‘coming days decisive’ amid ongoing spat
with regime. The Observatory said the latest strikes were intended to push
terrorists away from the key M4 highway in northern Syria, where Turkish and
Russian forces often conduct joint patrols as part of the truce agreement. They
were also intended to push HTS and its allies further away from the Sahl al-Ghab
area in the north of Hama province, where government and Russian forces are
present, it added. The air strikes triggered a fresh wave of displacement from
Sahl al-Ghab and the Jabal al-Zawiya district of neighboring Idlib, the
Observatory added. Nearly half of the three million people living in the Idlib
region have been displaced from other parts of Syria recaptured by the
government. After holding barely a fifth of the country five years ago, Russian
intervention has helped the government reclaim control of more than 70 percent
of Syria. In the northwest, HTS and its allies control around half of Idlib
province and slivers of territory in the neighboring provinces of Hama, Latakia
and Aleppo. The war in Syria has killed more than 380,000 people and displaced
nearly half of the country's pre-war population since it started in 2011.
Iranian professor jailed in US for stealing trade secrets
returns home to Iran
The Associated Press/Wednesday 03 June 2020
An Iranian scientist imprisoned in the US and acquitted in a federal trade
secrets case returned to his homeland on Wednesday morning, a semi-official
Iranian news agency reported. The report by the ISNA news agency included an
image of Sirous Asgari, wearing a face mask and being welcomed by relatives.
A professor at Iran’s Sharif University of Technology, Asgari was indicted in
April 2016, accused by US federal prosecutors of trying to steal secret research
from Case Western Reserve University. The Cleveland school had been working on a
project for the US Navy Office of Naval Research to create and produce
anti-corrosive stainless steel. Asgari was ultimately acquitted in November
after US District Judge James Gwin tossed out the case by the prosecutors. Ken
Cuccinelli, the acting deputy Homeland Security secretary, earlier told The
Associated Press that the DHS had started to try to deport Asgari last December,
following his acquittal. However, he said, Iran refused to recognize him as
legitimately Iranian and provide him with a valid passport until late February.
His return was then postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions
on international flights. Additionally, Asgari contracted the virus but was
later reported to have fully recovered. Iranian officials had associated
Asgari’s release with US prisoners held in Iran potentially being freed,
something Cuccinelli strongly disputed. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif first said in an Instagram post that Asgari was on his way
back to Iran. The ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, rejected speculation of a
prisoner swap. Last year, Iran freed US citizen Xiyue Wang, who had been held
for three years on spying charges, and the US released Iranian Massoud Soleimani,
who faced charges of violating US sanctions on Iran.
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has led Iran, the worst-hit country in the
region, to temporarily release some prisoners in a bid to curb the spread of
infections. In mid-March, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tehran was
considering freeing some US citizens as Michael White, a US navy veteran who has
been detained in Iran since 2018, was released from prison on medical furlough.
He remains in Iran.
Basra’s hopes are pinned on Kadhimi to fight
corruption, provide clean water
The Arab Weekly/June 03/2020
BASRA, IRAQ--The government of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi will soon
face a test that all governments since 2003 have failed: Bringing clean drinking
water to the people of Basra, Iraq’s wealthiest oil city.
Basra lies on Shatt Al-Arab, which stretches into the Arabian Gulf and is only
600km to the south of the capital. Even though it hosts four giant oil fields
and sits on 60% of Iraq’s oil wealth, it has shabby infrastructure and is full
of slums. The majority of Basra’s inhabitants live below the poverty line.
Despite the city’s oil fortune, people of Basra enjoy very few advantages.
Rather than benefiting the city, the oil wealth has turned into a curse for its
inhabitants.
During the protests that started in October last year, thousands of city
inhabitants assembled in front of the Basra Governorate Administration Building
and, like their fellow demonstrators in Tahrir Square in Baghdad, demanded that
the government provide basic services and reforms such as health care, reliable
electrical power supply and an end to chronic corruption, unemployment and
Iranian interference in their city’s affairs. Most of all, they insisted on
their basic human right to safe drinking water, which they have long been
without.
When Kadhimi was nominated for the premiership, Basra’s inhabitants defied the
coronavirus curfew and took to the streets on May 12 to protest against him.
Their disillusionment comes after years of failed promises from successive
government administrations.
Year after year of protests, the anger of the people of Basra against the
“government of thieves,” as they have referred to each Iraqi government, has
been met with a stream of unfulfilled promises, while the “thieves” of the
ruling elite have continued to plunder the country’s wealth and theirs. Each
successive government has made bold promises to urgently address the city’s
water and sanitation problems but none of them have come true.
Of course Basra’s inhabitants have always had the option of buying bottled water
or of filtering tank water but many households in the city cannot afford these
luxuries and have to instead rely on the city’s supply of highly polluted water.
In the words of journalist Azhar al-Rubaie, “local and central governments do
not unfortunately implement effective strategies to improve living conditions in
Basra, which is why the latter keep getting worse year after year.”
In a city that was once referred to as the “Venice of the Middle East,” Basra’s
canals and Shatt El-Arab have become covered with a layer of industrial,
agricultural and human waste. According to Human Rights Watch’s 2018 report,
“multiple government failures since the 1980s, including poor management of
upstream sources, inadequate regulation of pollution and sewage, and chronic
neglect and mismanagement of water infrastructure, have caused the quality of
these waterways to deteriorate.”
The report pointed to what it called a “full-blown crisis” in the summer of
2018, when nearly 120,000 people were hospitalised as a result of drinking water
contaminated with algal blooms, faecal matter and other pollutants. Symptoms
included diarrhoea, vomiting, rash and scabies. The crisis confused hospital
workers, who had to contend with a tremendous influx of patients with limited
medical supplies.
Nearly two years later, nothing has changed. The water remains heavily polluted.
Pictures taken by the Norwegian Refugee Council show Basra’s waterways clogged
with rubbish and debris. Shatt al-Arab too, which partly goes through Basra, is
seen filled with algae, oil waste and silt, essentially due to the stream of
waste coming from neighbouring Iran.
Basra’s inhabitants living next to the canals say the stench is so strong it
causes headaches and nausea. Basra residents are demanding an improvement in the
health system, which was already devastated by years of corruption and
mismanagement after Iran-backed militias took over infrastructure deals and
failed to complete them. Successive governments in Baghdad have failed to deal
with the health and water crisis, setting their priorities elsewhere. According
to data from the World Health Organisation, the government disbursed only 2.5%
of the state’s $106.5 billion budget to the Ministry of Health, while security
forces got 18% and the Ministry of Oil 13.5% in 2019.
With regard to budgets, unemployment in Basra remains a major problem, as is the
case in all parts of the country. Although the official rate is 7.9%, youth
unemployment reaches more than three times that level.
Compounding the injustice felt by the people of Basra, oil companies operating
in the area are supposed to mainly employ locals. But Rubaie said most employees
come from outside the city and the state. “University graduates from Basra
Governorate will only get jobs only if their parents have strong links with the
government,” he said.
Basrians are forced to live and deal with the high unemployment and difficult
economic conditions because of rampant government corruption. They expect
Kadhimi to move swiftly and adopt reforms and effective plans to tackle
corruption and bring guilty heads in state institutions and militias to justice.
If the battle against corruption moves forward, Basrians can hope to one day
have access to safe drinking water and sanitation. They also demand that
Kadhimi’s government focus on improving health care in Basra and award jobs
based on merit, not connections.
Can PM Netanyahu move on sovereignty without the Trump
peace plan?
DEBKAFile/June 03/2020
“The prime minister reiterates that he is committed to conducting negotiations
on the basis of the Trump plan, and at the same time will continue with his
sovereignty plan.” This statement was put out by Binyamin Netanyahu’s office on
Wednesday, June 2. On Tuesday, he met with Judea and Samaria settlement leaders
and other critics of the Trump Mid-East Peace plan over their concerns that its
acceptance incurs Israel’s recognition of Palestinian statehood. They are also
disturbed by the permanent freeze on building mandated in the plan and the
marooning of some 19 isolated settlements as enclaves in a future Palestinian
state – even after Israel extends sovereignty to parts of the West Bank. The
entire road network would have to be revamped in any case. Netanyahu has
publicly stressed his determination to embark on legislation for annexation from
July 1 as assured in his coalition deal with his partner Benny Gantz – although
Gantz stipulated that this process must obtain Washington’s blessing. While the
Palestinians and Jordan as well as France and other European countries have
condemned any Israeli steps to change the status of any part of the West Bank,
Netanyahu spends most of his time putting down the revolt in his right-wing
camp. Its leaders challenge his acceptance of the US formula that assigns 30pc
of the West Bank to Israeli sovereignty and 70pc, including such Biblical sites
as Hebron, to a future Palestinian state.
The Americans previously set up a committee to draw a map marking out the
eventual partition of the West Bank under the Trump plan. Their product has yet
to see the light of day.
Netanyahu is in a two-step dance around sovereignty. He is intent on making good
on a “one-time historic opportunity” under a sympathetic president to annex
parts of the West Bank to the Jewish State, while at the same time pulling back
from that same president’s peace plan. That plan commits Israel to entering into
final status negotiations with the Palestinians on a two-state solution of their
dispute – a formula which is anathema to many settlement and right-wing leaders.
“The support of the American government isn’t worth the risk of having a
terrorist state established, or the abandonment of tens of thousands of
residents in isolated towns to life-threatening dangers,” Samaria Regional
Council chief Yossi Dagan told the prime minister on Tuesday.
Netanyahu is struggling to appease these groups, who claim the entire West Bank
as the God-given Holy Land and are therefore staunchly against the Trump plan. A
realistic politician, the prime minister relied on these groups’ loyalty as the
political bedrock of his bid for the premiership. He also needs their votes in
the Knesset. Some have threatened to vote against his partial annexation plan.
But he is equally reluctant to put backs up in a uniquely friendly White House
by selective endorsement of sections of the Trump plan. For now, the problem is
mostly hypothetical so long as the Palestinians refuse to enter into talks with
Israel and boycott the Trump peace initiative. At the same time, his pledge to
go forward with annexation after July 1 has been meeting with waning enthusiasm
in Washington. Netanyahu may get around his quandary by the implementation of
sovereignty in widely spaced stages, while relegating the rest of the peace plan
to some time in the future.
Defying UN, Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia with explosives
from Iran: White House
Emily Judd, Al Arabiya EnglishWednesday 03 June 2020Text size A A A
The Iran-backed Houthi militia are “attacking Saudi Arabia with explosive UAVs
[unmanned aerial vehicles] provided by Iran,” instead of heeding UN calls for a
ceasefire in Yemen, the White House National Security Council said Wednesday.
“Instead of heeding UN calls for a ceasefire, the Houthis are attacking Saudi
Arabia with explosive UAVs provided by Iran,” the White House National Security
Council said in a tweet. On Monday the Saudi Arabian-led Arab Coalition
intercepted and downed two drones that were launched toward Saudi Arabia by the
Houthi militia in Yemen, according to coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki. The
drones were heading towards a civilian area, in an act that violates a ceasefire
effort that began in April, al-Maliki added. The Arab Coalition announced a
ceasefire in Yemen on April 24 to support efforts to contain the coronavirus
pandemic, but the Houthis have not accepted the ceasefire and have continued
attacks in several provinces in Yemen, as well as towards Saudi Arabia. Arab
Coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki displays the debris of a ballistic
missile launched by the Houthis towards the capital Riyadh, during a news
conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 29, 2020. (Reuters)
The Houthis have committed more than 4,455 violations of the ceasefire,
according to al-Maliki. The Coalition also reported it had intercepted and shot
down several drones launched by the Houthis on May 27 meant to target Saudi
Arabia’s southern city of Najran.
Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian efforts
The White House National Security Council said in another tweet that Saudi
Arabia is focused on spearheading donor conferences to help the people of Yemen
while the Houthis “continue to obstruct the delivery of vital humanitarian
assistance.” Saudi Arabia hosted a virtual UN conference on Tuesday that raised
$1.35 billion for humanitarian efforts in Yemen, where 80 percent of the
country’s population is reliant on humanitarian aid. Saudi Arabia, the top donor
for the WFP operations in Yemen over the past five years pledged $525 million.
Donors have cut funding to Houthi-held areas over concerns the group is
hindering aid delivery. United Nations food chief David Beasley said last year
the World Food Programme estimated at least 10 percent of the food aid provided
was being diverted in Houthi areas to help fund the conflict. The Saudi
Arabian-led Arab Coalition announced Tuesday it was facilitating a World Food
Programme-chartered shipment of medical equipment and food assistance to Yemen
that plans to arrive at the Houthi-controlled Port of Hodeidah on Wednesday. The
ship is bringing 1,869 metric tons of medical equipment and 8,867 metric tons of
food assistance under the World Food Programme’s humanitarian and relief efforts
in Yemen. A previous WFP chartered ship was unable to enter the Port of Hodeidah
due to coronavirus restrictions. Yemen has so far reported 327 coronavirus cases
and 81 related deaths.
Retired army general sworn in as Sudan new defense minister
AFP/Wednesday 03 June 2020
Yassin Ibrahim, a retired army general, was sworn in Tuesday as Sudan’s new
defense minister after his predecessor died in March, state media reported.
Ibrahim, 62, replaces General Jamaleldin Omar who died of an unspecified illness
while in neighboring South Sudan for peace talks with the country’s main rebel
groups. His appointment came a year after long-time autocrat Omar Bashir was
toppled in mass protests in April 2019. “We will work side by side doing our
best... to achieve the goals of the constitutional declaration,” the official
SUNA news agency quoted Ibrahim as saying after he was sworn in. For all the
latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Since
August last year a transitional government, comprised of civilians and military
officials, has taken over the reins of power in Sudan after political factions
adopted a constitutional declaration. The declaration paved the way for the new
government to steer the country to civilian rule during a three-year transition.
But the transition has been fragile with the government facing major challenges,
including soaring inflation, a huge public debt, tribal clashes and efforts to
forge peace with rebels.
Khamenei Says Floyd Killing Shows 'True Face' of U.S.
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 03/2020
The police killing of unarmed African-American George Floyd shows the "true
face" of the United States and its oppression of the peoples of the world,
including its own, Iran's supreme leader said Wednesday. "The fact that a
policeman has cold-bloodedly pressed his knee on the throat of a black man until
he died and that other policemen watched on without doing anything is nothing
knew," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech. "It is the true face
of America, it's what it has always done all over the world -- in Afghanistan,
Iraq, Syria and other countries, and before that in Vietnam. "It is the normal
course of action of the United States, it's the true face of their regime,"
Khamenei said. "These are realities that have always been camouflaged or hidden,
but they are not new," he said in a speech on the 31st anniversary of the death
of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Protests sparked by Floyd's killing by a white police officer in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, have raged across the United States for a week and President Donald
Trump has ordered the military to intervene. The once-in-a-generation unrest has
coincided with the world's deadliest coronavirus outbreak in the United States.
Epidemiologists have voiced concern that the thousands of people protesting at
close quarters, coughing violently when hit by police tear gas, will lead to a
new upsurge in infections. "Thank God, (U.S. leaders) have already been
discredited by their actions -- their handling of the coronavirus has
discredited and shamed them around the world," Khamenei said of the 106,000
deaths from COVID-19 already registered in the United States. Iran had itself
faced strong criticism from its arch-foe the United States when it was reeling
from one of the world's highest COVID-19 death tolls earlier this year. As of
Wednesday, Iran's health ministry declared a total of 8,012 deaths, although
that figure has been dismissed by some as underreported, including by
Washington. Tensions between Tehran and Washington escalated sharply in 2018,
after Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from a landmark nuclear agreement and
reimposed crippling sanctions.
Pentagon Chief Opposes Use of Army to Quell Unrest
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 03/2020
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday that he opposed invoking a
rarely used law to deploy U.S. military troops to quell nationwide protests over
police brutality against African Americans. "I do not support invoking the
Insurrection Act," Esper said, two days after President Donald Trump said he
could do so to call up the army to quash protests. "I've always believed and
continue to believe that the National Guard is best-suited for performing
domestic support to civil authorities in these situations," Esper said. "The
option to use active duty forces should only be used as a matter of last resort
and only in the most urgent and dire of situations," he told reporters in the
Pentagon. "We are not in one of those situations now."
Pope, Protests and Football Players: World Reacts to U.S.
Demos
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 03/2020
Sports stars, politicians and religious leaders have queued up to condemn the
death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man whose killing has touched
off once-in-a-generation protests across the U.S. Here is a round-up of global
reactions to his death and the demonstrations that have convulsed the United
States in the past week.
- 'Intolerable' racism -
The Pope decried racism over Floyd's killing -- along with "self-destructive and
self-defeating" violence protests that followed across the U.S. "We cannot
tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism," he said Wednesday of Floyd's killing.
He was not the only religious leader to speak out. Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
also chimed in -- with a more political message. "It is the true face of
America, it's what it has always done all over the world -- in Afghanistan,
Iraq, Syria and other countries, and before that in Vietnam."
- Global marches -
From Dublin to Wellington to Paris, thousands gathered for protests this week in
solidarity with the U.S. demonstrations. In the French capital, some 20,000
protesters were out on the streets Tuesday, marching against the 2016 death of a
black man, Adama Traore, in French police custody -- and galvanized by the U.S.
demos. "What is happening in the United States is an echo of what is happening
in France," said Traore's sister Assa at the marches, where police clashed with
protesters.
- #BlackOutTuesday -
What started out as a campaign among music industry executive quickly swept
across social media, with stars from Rihanna, Drake and Kylie Jenner posting a
stark black square to their Instagram feeds on Tuesday with the hashtag #BlackOutTuesday.
The campaign initially called for music industry employees to take a day off
work in solidarity with anti-racism protests, but mushroomed across the
internet.
- Journalists targeted -
Reporters have been the target of some protesters -- and police -- prompting
calls to protect journalists trying to do their jobs. Australian diplomats are
investigating after two reporters were assaulted live on air by police who
clubbed reporter Amelia Brace with a truncheon and hit cameraman Tim Myers with
a riot shield and punched him in the face. Russia also said one of its
journalists had been hurt in the protests, the foreign ministry demanding
"urgent measures to prevent journalists from becoming targets of police
impunity."
- U.N., EU unite in criticism -
Floyd's death, along with the coronavirus pandemic's impact on ethnic
minorities, have laid bare "endemic inequalities" in the United States, UN
rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Tuesday. The U.S. suffered from
"inequalities in health, education, employment and endemic racial
discrimination", she said.mEU High Representative Josep Borrell said Europe was
"shocked and appalled" by Floyd's death.
"This is an abuse of power and this has to be denounced, has to be combated, in
the States and everywhere," he added. And in Britain, Prime Minister Boris
Johnson joined the condemnation, saying: "I think what happened in the United
States was appalling, inexcusable."
- 'No fear' from Europe's footballers -
England international Jadon Sancho displayed a T-shirt with "Justice for George
Floyd" written on it on the weekend. "We shouldn't fear speaking out for what's
right," said the footballer. As similar gestures spread around Europe -- many
players "taking a knee" during training sessions -- officials were forced to
open probes because the international rulebook bans players from showing
political messages. But Gianni Infantino, president of world football's
governing body FIFA said: "For the avoidance of doubt, in a FIFA competition the
recent demonstrations of players in Bundesliga matches would deserve an applause
and not a punishment."Other sports stars were also keen to vent, F1 driver Lewis
Hamilton telling his fans on social media he was "completely overcome with rage
at the sight of such blatant disregard for the lives of our people."
UK Support to Lebanon's COVID-19 Well Over $2 Million So
Far
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 03/2020
The UK “continues to be at the forefront of responding to the Government of
Lebanon’s urgent needs in response to COVID-19 and will continue to stand
shoulder to shoulder with Lebanon in facing this crisis,” said British
Ambassador to Lebanon Chris Rampling during his announcement of UK support that
has reached well over $2 million so far. “In unprecedented times, this crisis
requires a joint effort from all of society, here and around the world,”
Rampling added. In a statement, the British embassy in Lebanon said: “Through
the World Health Organization Lebanon, the UK has provided over $400,000 for
specialist medical equipment to bolster public healthcare services. We are also
providing critical support totaling $500,000 to the Disaster Risk Management
Unit (DRM) in the Prime Minister’s office to ensure their operation at increased
capacity in supporting COVID-19 committee to coordinate with local governorates
through December 2020.” “Through our other programs, we are also supporting the
Palestinian Civil Defense providing $135,000 for preventative lifesaving work in
the camps raising awareness on disease prevention. We are also supporting the
Internal Security Forces with over $1 million to coordinate and implement the
Government of Lebanon’s response and keeping communities safe,” the embassy
added. “It remains critical that through UKaid we continue to focus our support
on containment and the most vulnerable households across Lebanon, refugees and
Lebanese, at this difficult time,” it said. Beyond Lebanon, the UK has so far
pledged over $900 million of UK aid to tackle the pandemic. British scientists
and researchers are at the forefront of the global race to find a coronavirus
vaccine to stop its spread, including within the UK. The UK has so far pledged
over $500 million of UK aid to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness
Innovation (CEPI), the largest single contribution by any country to this fund
to develop a coronavirus vaccine. On Thursday 4 June, the UK is hosting the
Global Vaccine Summit 2020 bringing together leaders from around the world at a
virtual event to pledge their support to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to protect
a further 300 million more children against infectious diseases like measles,
typhoid and polio. The Summit aims to raise at least US$7.4 billion to help Gavi
save up to 8 million lives over the next five years. “The UK is proud to be
Gavi’s leading donor and is at the forefront of efforts to drive unprecedented
global collaboration and resourcing for the development and delivery of new
vaccines, treatments and tests at the speed and scale required in the UK and
around the world, including in low income countries,” the British embassy
statement said.
Italy Thirsts for Tourists as Country Reopens to Europe
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 03/2020s from Europe on Wednesday, three
months after the country went into coronavirus lockdown, with all hopes pinned
on reviving the key tourism industry as the summer season begins. Gondolas were
ready to punt along Venice's canals, lovers will be able to act out "Romeo and
Juliet" on Verona's famed balcony, and gladiator fans can pose for selfies at
Rome's Colosseum. But there were fears many foreign tourists would be put off
coming to a country still shaking off a vicious pandemic. "We hoped to see some
movement from today, but have no foreign tourists booked in for this week or
next," said Alessandra Conti, a receptionist at the Albergo del Senato hotel
which overlooks the Pantheon in Rome. "We've got a few reservations from
mid-June... (but) are still getting lots of cancellations for this summer."
'Smoldering' virus -
Italy was the first European country to be hit hard by the coronavirus and has
officially reported more than 33,500 deaths -- the third highest toll in the
world. It imposed an economically crippling lockdown in early March and has
since seen its infection numbers drop off dramatically. With the country facing
its deepest recession since World War II, it needs foreign tourists to return,
and quickly. But it is still reporting hundreds of new cases a day, particularly
in the northern Lombardy region, and experts warn the government may be moving
too quickly in permitting travel between regions and abroad. Infectious diseases
expert Massimo Galli said it would have been better to wait until July to reopen
the borders. The virus "smolders under the ashes, and when it finds the ideal
conditions, it explodes. Even more so if we lower our guard," he said Wednesday.
- 'Like a leper' -
International flights into Milan, Rome and Naples increased, with a few also
coming into smaller, regional airports. There were concerns that those who
usually come in by car, train or ferry from neighboring countries would go
elsewhere on their holidays. Switzerland has warned its citizens that if they go
to Italy they will be subject to "health measures" on their return. The country
will open its borders with Germany, France and Austria on June 15, but not with
Italy. Austria is lifting restrictions in mid-June with Germany, Switzerland,
the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary -- but again, not Italy, described last
week by Vienna's health minister as "still a hotspot". Other countries, such as
Belgium and Britain, are still advising against, or forbidding, all
non-essential travel abroad. In response to perceived anti-Italian sentiment,
Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio has warned countries not to treat Italy "like a
leper."
He said Saturday he would be travelling to Germany, Slovenia and Greece to
persuade them Italy is safe for foreign tourists, and was set to meet his French
counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian later Wednesday in Rome. Arrivals in Italy from
Europe will not be required to self-isolate unless they have recently traveled
from another continent. At the border between the town of Ventimiglia in Italy
and Menton in France, more people were trying to enter France from Italy than
the other way round early Wednesday, and controls on the French side were very
strict.
- 'Scared' -
Italy's lockdown has had a particularly devastating effect on the tourism
sector, which amounts to some 13 percent of GDP. Only 40 of Rome's 1,200 hotels
have reopened, the Corriere della Sera newspaper said, and just a dozen in
Milan. Restaurants, cafes and beach establishments have slowly reopened over the
past two weeks -- although the government has said it reserves the right to
impose localized lockdowns if it sees contagion numbers rise. "Who's going to
come? No one from South America, China or the U.S. And the Europeans will be
scared," Mimmo Burgio, 62, owner of a cafe near Rome's Colosseum, told AFP.
"We're pinning all our hopes on Italian tourists, but... I'm afraid they'll go
to the seaside instead," he said.
Gulf Crisis Sees New 'Fake News' Flurry Online
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 03/2020
A tweet claiming to show the start of a coup in Qatar, with shaky footage of an
illuminated window and crackling gunfire, spread quickly after being posted
early last month. It came from an account with a profile picture of the Saudi
king but no followers. It has been viewed almost 300,000 times since May 4, with
experts saying it was boosted by automated "zombie" accounts ahead of Friday's
third anniversary of a diplomatic feud between the Gulf neighbors. The cyber
onslaught is the latest front in a dispute that erupted following an apparent
hack of Qatar's state news agency website in May 2017.
Back then, incendiary comments endorsing Islamist groups appeared, credited to
Qatar's ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, alongside criticism of U.S.
President Donald Trump. Doha scrambled to deny the posts, insisting the site had
been hacked, but regional media picked up the story and ran critical
articles.The hashtag "cut relations with Qatar" began to trend on Twitter. The
following month, Saudi Arabia along with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and
Egypt did cut ties, alleging Doha was too close to Iran and supported radical
Islamist movements, and issued a raft of demands. Despite firm Qatari denials
and promising signs of a breakthrough, including a round of shuttle diplomacy
and the restoration of some sporting links, reconciliation efforts have ground
to a stalemate.
'Social media hubbub'
In recent weeks, pro-Saudi Twitter accounts have been systematically spreading
rumors of unrest in Qatar, AFP analysis of hundreds of tweets and twitter
interactions shows. Many of the accounts amplifying the rumors had profile
images of the Saudi leadership, mentioned them in their handles and retweeted or
liked material featuring the royal family or gave their location as inside the
kingdom. Regional experts agree the facts indicate the campaigns originated from
within Saudi Arabia, although observers differ on the extent of top-level
involvement. Doha-based academic Marc Owen Jones, who has been studying
anti-Qatar disinformation since before the regional isolation effort began in
June 2017, puts the blame squarely at Riyadh's door. Many of the accounts
involved in spreading the unrest rumors in May proclaimed ties to Saudi Arabia.
"Anyone spreading this news is technically breaking Saudi law, it's illegal to
spread rumors," Owen Jones of Qatar's Hamad bin Khalifa University told AFP.
"In order to be high-profile and get away with it, then it has to have the tacit
approval of the regime." Officials in Riyadh have not commented on the fake coup
rumors. Saudi observers say the kingdom itself is a victim of fake news alleged
to originate from Qatar and its allies Turkey and Iran. The UAE, Saudi's
principal ally, has also been the target of online disinformation campaigns,
including one claiming Abu Dhabi's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed had been
assassinated, which Abu Dhabi blamed on Qatar. Doha-based Al Jazeera has been
repeatedly accused by critics of broadcasting anti-Riyadh propaganda to
destabilize the Saudi regime. Doha has refused to shut it down. The initial coup
claim in May was followed by tweets and news stories from pro-Saudi news sources
that Qatari dissidents were openly challenging the regime. But they were based
on falsehoods. "Hubbub on social media gives it the illusion that it's a
grassroots piece of campaigning, and then that's picked up by the legacy media,"
Jones said.
- 'Believable pretext' -
Jones said the publication of quotes falsely credited to Qatar's emir "gave a
believable pretext to launch the crisis and frame Qatar as a transgressor."His
three-dimensional visualizations of suspect posts and apparently automated
accounts highlight the vast scale of the current Twitter campaign against Qatar.
But some experts question just how high the involvement has gone in Saudi
Arabia, where de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is in the midst of
a campaign to consolidate his grip on power. "My conclusion is that someone
close to Mohammed bin Salman... just thought 'what shall I do today? I know:
I'll mess with Qatar'," said Michael Stephens, an associate fellow at the Royal
United Services Institute think-tank. David Patrikarakos, an expert on social
media in conflict, said that Riyadh was "becoming quite a big information
disinformation actor"."Given the issues between them, it's not surprising to see
them ramp up the disinformation campaign against Qatar," he said.
- 'Opaque system' -
The issue of fake news and disinformation has surged to the fore in recent years
with allegations of Russian interference in US politics. Coronavirus
misinformation and Twitter's tagging of a tweet by Trump as glorifying violence
has intensified the debate around tech companies' responsibility for content.
Jones said social media firms had developed "a very informal opaque system" for
countries facing campaigns like the one aimed at Qatar. The Qatari authorities
have responded cautiously, refraining so far from calling publicly for action
from the social media giants. "The first disinformation campaign back in 2017
was unprecedented -- nobody had expected such a coordinated disinformation
campaign in this way before," Qatar's Government Communications Office told AFP.
"But now, in Qatar and internationally, people have gotten used to these sort of
campaigns and no longer take this type of disinformation campaign
seriously."Such campaigns were "damaging the reputations of the governments"
orchestrating them, it added, stopping short of calling out any countries by
name.
The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published on June
03-04/2020
Erdoğan's Libya Campaign: Another Neo-Ottoman Design
Burak Bekdil/Gatestone Institute/June 03/2020
Erdoğan knows that every political adventure outside Turkish borders increases
his popularity, especially at a time when economic hardships could prune his
approval at home.
Further escalation may turn Libya into a second proxy for Turkey's war theater,
after Syria. There, Turkish and Russian interests remain deeply conflicting.
Turkey wants to overthrow President Assad and to replace his regime with Sunni
jihadists; Russia wants Assad in power and is fighting Sunni jihadists.
Libya is fast becoming another challenge for a man who loves military challenges
-- but tends to lose most of them.
A military confrontation between Turkey and Russia in Libya would be too risky a
venture even for a ruler who does not want to miss a single opportunity to
revive his country's once glorious imperial past -- especially at a time when
Russian President Vladimir Putin apparently wishes to seal his country's
imperial dream of having a permanent presence in the Mediterranean -- in Syria
and Libya.
For Turkey, the Libya campaign is part of a sectarian (pro-Sunni) war. Erdoğan
wants a loyal, Turkey-friendly regime in Libya, one that could be useful for
restoring to power in Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood, another Islamist Erdoğan
ally, like Hamas
Russia's Putin also appears keen to have his second permanent military presence
in the Mediterranean after Syria.
As hostilities between the two sides in the Libyan civil war escalated recently
in favor of Erdoğan's man in Tripoli, Turkey's proxy involvement has become less
covert. Pictured: Forces loyal to Libya's Government of National Accord parade a
Russian-made Pantsir air defense system in Tripoli on May 20, 2020, after it was
knocked out by armed Turkish drones and captured at al-Watiya airbase.
Ironically, even during the Ottoman era (from early 16th century to 1912) Libya
was divided into two parts: one linked to Tripoli in the west and the other
linked to Benghazi in the east. Even then, the country largely resembled today's
division between an internationally-recognized government in Tripoli and its
adversaries in the east.
More than a century after the last Ottoman soldiers left Libya following an
Italian invasion in 1911, Turkey's neo-Ottoman leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who
has apparently long harbored dreams of reviving the Ottoman Empire, at least
revived the Libyan war theater with Turkish soldiers fighting a proxy war in the
desert.
The Libyan war may still turn into direct clashes between Turkey and its nemesis
in Libya, General Khalifa Haftar, a 76-year-old warlord who has the support of
Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) against the Government of
National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli. Libya's warring groups and their proxy
sponsors looked like a slow-fuse time-bomb even at the turn of last year.
On December 10, Erdoğan said he could deploy troops in Libya to support GNA's
head, Fayez al-Sarraj. Turkey's subsequent talks with al-Sarraj produced two
strategic agreements: a memorandum of understanding on providing the GNA with
arms, military training and personnel; and a maritime agreement delineating
exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean waters, a deal that was
immediately condemned by Egypt, Greece and the European Union. On December 22,
as he inaugurated Turkey's first Type 214 Class submarine, the TCG Piri Reis,
Erdoğan sent a message to Libya: "We will evaluate every opportunity in land,
sea and air. If needed, we will increase military support in Libya". In
response, Haftar's forces pledged to "sink every Turkish ship approaching the
Libyan coast".
As hostilities between the two sides in Libya escalated recently in favor of
Erdoğan's man in Tripoli, Turkey's proxy involvement, too, has become less
covert.
In what looked like their most significant advance over the past year, the GNA
on May 18 took control of the al-Watiya air base from Haftar's forces in
southwest of Tripoli, after Turkish drones reportedly knocked out the
Russian-made Pantsir-S1 short-range air defense systems deployed at the base.
The GNA said it continued to target several Haftar positions, pushing his forces
to Tarhouna, the last Haftar stronghold near Tripoli.
Military observers agree that armed and unarmed Turkish drones and air defenses
appear to have played a key role in GNA advances in recent weeks. Turkey's
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on May 20: "The balance in Libya changed
significantly as a result of Turkish training and advice".
Ankara also signaled that its role in the Libyan war may evolve from proxy to
actual warring party. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy said: "In
the event Turkish interests in Libya are targeted, this will have very grave
consequences." That was Turkey's response to reports that Haftar's forces had
received eight Russian warplanes that would be used to target Turkish-based
positions with an air campaign. "In the next few hours, you will witness the
largest aerial campaign in Libya's history," Haftar's air force chief Saqr al-Joroushi
said on May 21. He added that all Turkish targets are "legitimate targets" for
his warplanes.
Although not officially confirmed by Moscow, Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA)
claimed it received six Russian-made MiG-29 fighters and two Su-24 attack
aircraft at the Al Jufra airbase in central Libya. The aircraft reportedly
departed from Russia's Hmeimim Airbase in Syria and were escorted at least part
of the way to Libya by two Russian Su-35 jet fighters. Also, the Russian Navy on
May 23 said that three ships from its Black Sea Fleet had begun crossing the
Bosporus and Dardanelles straits to join their naval group in the Mediterranean.
Russia's part in the Libyan proxy war has been to support Haftar's forces
through mercenaries from the Wagner Group, a private army with links to the
Kremlin. Russian warplanes flying over Libyan skies will be quite a radical
change from the "Wagner effect"
Further escalation may turn Libya into a second proxy for Turkey's war theater,
after Syria. There, Turkish and Russian interests remain deeply conflicting.
Turkey wants to overthrow President Assad and to replace his regime with Sunni
jihadists; Russia wants Assad in power and is fighting Sunni jihadists.
In February, Turkey lost 50 soldiers in an airstrike by the Syrian Air Force
supported by Russian forces. The overall result of a scenario in which
Russian-built warplanes fight Turkish drones will be anyone's guess. All the
same, a military confrontation between Turkey and Russia in Libya would be too
risky a venture even for a Turkish ruler who does not want to miss a single
opportunity to revive his country's once-glorious imperial past -- especially at
a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin apparently wishes to seal his
country's imperial dream of having a permanent presence in the Mediterranean --
in Syria and Libya.Russia's presence may work as a brake and push Erdoğan to
rethink the wisdom of his imperial dreams about Libya. Also, the likelihood of a
deepening post-Covid-19 economic crisis in Turkey, with fundamentally weakened
fiscal balances, could work as a deterrent. On the other hand, Erdoğan knows
that every political adventure outside Turkish borders increases his popularity,
especially at a time when economic hardships could prune his approval at home.
According to the independent pollster Metropoll, Erdoğan's approval rating rose
from 41.1% in February (no coronavirus cases yet detected in Turkey) to 55.8% in
March (when the pandemic there started to spread). Özer Sencar, president of
Metropoll, explains a general tendency to trust Erdoğan's crisis management:
"The people tend to unite behind strong leaders in times of national crisis like
war, terror, security threats, disasters or pandemic".
Libya is fast becoming another challenge for a man who loves military challenges
-- but tends to lose most of them.
The Libyan proxy war and its aftermath mean different geo-strategic gains and
losses for different players. For Moscow, it is imperative not to repeat the
mistake of 2011, when Russia left the shaping of Libya's near future to a NATO
air campaign. Putin also appears keen to have his second permanent military
presence in the Mediterranean after Syria.
For Turkey, the Libya campaign is part of a sectarian (pro-Sunni) war. Erdoğan
wants a loyal, Turkey-friendly regime in Libya, one that could be useful for
restoring to power in Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood, another Islamist Erdoğan
ally, like Hamas. In addition, Erdoğan's Libya campaign targets domestic
consumption, another overseas military venture that would appeal to the average
Turk's militaristic, neo-Ottoman nostalgia.
For the EU (via Italy) a future stable, pro-Western regime in Libya would help
Brussels and Rome more easily manage future flows of migrants from North Africa
-- who might permanently transform the continent.
*Burak Bekdil, one of Turkey's leading journalists, was recently fired from the
country's most noted newspaper after 29 years, for writing in Gatestone what is
taking place in Turkey. He is a Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
© 2020 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.
Why Western Media is Biased Against Israel
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/June 03/2020
Many foreign journalists seem to see the conflict along the lines of "good guys
(Palestinians) versus bad guys (Israel)." They wake up every morning and search
for any story that reflects badly on Israel. The foreign correspondents then
hire Palestinians to assist them in spreading lies about Israel.
What is particularly disturbing about the dismissal of Hamad is that the
Associated Press knew one of its Palestinian workers was engaged in anti-Israel
activities, but failed to stop him. Hamad even ignored repeated warnings from
his employers against pursuing political activities.
If Hamad had "repeatedly" violated AP policies by engaging in anti-Israel
political activities, why was he allowed to continue covering Palestinian
affairs even though his anti-Israel sentiments were known to his employers and
everyone else?
The incident also shows that international news organizations evidently have no
problem hiring anti-Israel activists as reporters and cameramen.
The AP evidently knew that Hamad was engaged in political activities. It
nevertheless chose to turn a blind eye because Hamad was directing his hate only
against Israel. As far as the AP is concerned, the moment Hamad spoke out
against the brutality and repressive measures of the Palestinian Authority
security forces, he crossed a red line. That is when he was informed of the
decision to terminate his employment.
The problem is, there are many more Palestinian journalists like Hamad working
for the international media in the Middle East. These journalists see themselves
as soldiers serving the Palestinian cause, and their as duty bashing Israel on a
daily basis. What is particularly disturbing about the dismissal of Eyad Hamad
is that the Associated Press knew one of its Palestinian workers was engaged in
anti-Israel activities, but failed to stop him. Hamad even ignored repeated
warnings from his employers against pursuing political activities. Pictured:
Hamad (center) following exposure to tear gas during a demonstration in support
of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails on May 4, 2017, in Bethlehem.
When Palestinian journalist Eyad Hamad criticized Israel, his employers at the
Associated Press (AP) summoned him for a hearing, which ended only with a
warning.
When Hamad criticized the Palestinian Authority, however, he received a letter
from the AP informing him that "your employment has been terminated."
The dismissal of the 63-year-old Hamad from the AP -- an act that enraged
Palestinian journalists as well as human rights and media groups in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip -- did not surprise those familiar with the way the foreign
media has been covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Many foreign journalists seem to see the conflict along the lines of "good guys
(Palestinians) versus bad guys (Israel)." They wake up every morning and search
for any story that reflects badly on Israel. The foreign correspondents then
hire Palestinians to assist them in spreading lies about Israel. Many of these
Palestinians are not real journalists, but political activists who serve as
propagandists for the PLO, Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups.
What is particularly disturbing about the dismissal of Hamad is that the AP knew
one of its Palestinian workers was engaged in anti-Israel activities, but failed
to stop him. Hamad even ignored repeated warnings from his employers against
pursuing political activities.
"We have been forced to take this action due to your repeated violations of our
policies governing social media, political activity and workplace conduct, even
after numerous warnings and despite your undertakings in the past not to repeat
such activities and violations," Josef Federman, News Director at the AP Bureau
in Jerusalem, wrote to the Palestinian cameraman on May 27.
In his letter, Federman pointed out that Hamad, a Palestinian, had participated
in anti-Israel protests while he was still working for AP.
"On November 17, 2019, you [Hamad] took part in a protest in support of a
colleague who was injured by Israeli troops and then gave an interview to Al-Arabiya
TV," the AP bureau chief wrote. "Neither the protest nor the interview was
authorized by us, and you did not seek our permission, violating the AP's
policies and previous undertakings."
The international news agency is openly admitting that one of its workers was
engaged in anti-Israel activities. What did AP do to stop the worker? Hamad
received several "warnings" -- which did not deter him from pursuing his
anti-Israel activities.
A few weeks after that, on December 12, 2019, Hamad was invited for another
meeting at the AP Jerusalem office and again warned that he had violated the
news agency's policies on political activity. When Hamad was told that senior
managers in New York would be involved, he insisted that he had done nothing
wrong. "I don't care," he said.
Despite Hamad's determination to pursue political activities, he was
nevertheless permitted to continue working for AP for 20 years. Palestinians are
proud of Hamad because he used the AP for many years as a platform to spread
lies about Israel.
Hamad's latest anti-Israel activities took place in November 2019, when he and
some of his Palestinian colleagues waged an anti-Israel campaign after a
Palestinian photographer was accidentally shot in the eye while covering clashes
between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian stone-throwers near the West Bank city
of Hebron.
During the campaign, Hamad was quoted in the Palestinian media as accusing
Israel of perpetrating "crimes" against Palestinians. In the interview he gave
to Al-Arabiya, Hamad claimed that the Israel Defense Forces had made a decision
to shoot at the Palestinian photographer. When Hamad incited the public against
Israel again on a popular Arab television show, his employers again only gave
him a "warning."
Back then, the AP (as Federman's letter shows) did not see a need to take a
serious action against Hamad, who appeared before tens of millions of viewers to
talk in general about Israeli "crimes." Hamad was only invited to the AP
Jerusalem office and told that he had "violated our policies on political
activity, the same policy you have violated in the past, repeatedly."
If Hamad had "repeatedly" violated AP policies by engaging in anti-Israel
political activities, why was he allowed to continue covering Palestinian
affairs even though his anti-Israel sentiments were known to his employers and
everyone else?
What does Hamad's continued employment by the AP (for two decades) tell us about
the stories, photos and videos he produced all those years?
Will the AP now launch an investigation into Hamad's work to see if he has been
misleading readers or staging events all these years? Will the AP management
launch an investigation to see why Hamad was allowed to continue working for the
agency although his employers were aware of his political activities?
What is even more worrying is that Hamad was eventually fired not because of his
anti-Israel activities, but for criticizing the Palestinian Authority.
The AP is now confirming that it fired Hamad after receiving a complaint from
the Palestinian Authority police.
"On May 21,2020, Palestinian police sent a complaint to the AP accusing you of
'incitement, abuse and the threat of violence,'" Federman wrote in his letter to
Hamad.
"The complaint was partly based on your threat to burn tires in front of a
courthouse. Meanwhile, recent posts on Facebook show you holding a protest
outside the [Palestinian] government building, accusing Palestinian officials of
corruption and hinting that they are collaborators [with Israel]."
The complaint was filed after Hamad and other Palestinian journalists
demonstrated against the Palestinian Authority security forces to protest the
arrest and beating of Anas Hawwari, a Palestinian journalist from the northern
West Bank who was arrested for allegedly insulting a Palestinian policeman.
The Palestinian Authority does not want to see journalists who criticize its
actions working for the international media. The Palestinian Authority does not
want to see Palestinian journalists airing the dirty laundry in public.
By firing Hamad immediately after receiving a complaint from the Palestinian
police, the AP is sending a message to all journalists that criticizing the
Palestinian Authority is far more serious than engaging in anti-Israel
activities. This is a message that says: "If a journalist speaks out against
Israel, he receives a warning; but if he criticizes the Palestinian Authority,
the journalist gets fired."
The incident also shows that international news organizations evidently have no
problem hiring anti-Israel activists as reporters and cameramen.
The AP evidently knew that Hamad was engaged in political activities. It
nevertheless chose to turn a blind eye because Hamad was directing his hate only
against Israel. As far as the AP is concerned, the moment Hamad spoke out
against the brutality and repressive measures of the Palestinian Authority
security forces, he crossed a red line. That is when he was informed of the
decision to terminate his employment.
The problem is that there are many Palestinian journalists like Hamad working
for the international media in the Middle East. These journalists see themselves
as soldiers serving the Palestinian cause, and their duty as bashing Israel on a
daily basis. That is at least one of the reasons why the Western mainstream
media remains biased against Israel.
The AP is now facing widespread condemnations from Palestinian journalists and
media groups for its decision to fire Hamad. They are accusing the AP of
"capitulation" to the pressure of the Palestinian Authority police. Some
journalists are calling for a boycott of the AP and the closure of its offices
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
It now remains to be seen whether other media organizations will wake up and
take a closer look at the political activities of their Palestinian employees.
Will those organizations allow these activists to continue to mislead them by
promoting fake anti-Israel propaganda?
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based on the Middle East.
© 2020 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.
Why Erdogan Won’t Ask the IMF for Help
Aykan Erdemir/John Lechner/Foreign Policy
Turkey's economy is a mess, but its president won't seek an IMF loan because the
conditions would mean giving up his extensive patronage network.
Turkey’s economy is a dam waiting to break. The lira has lost 90 percent of its
value against the dollar over the last three years, while Ankara, as of last
month, depleted its net international reserves (excluding swap lines) in an
ineffective defense of the currency. Turkey’s overleveraged nonfinancial
companies, already drowning in foreign exchange liabilities totaling some $300
billion, continue to pay the price. Yet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
is still unlikely to sign a bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), despite the country’s need for it.
That’s because Erdogan prefers quick fixes. One example of this is his recent
expansion of the lira-riyal swap line with Qatar—a temporary arrangement that
boosts Turkey’s Central Bank reserves on paper—from $5 billion to $15 billion
rather than negotiating what Turkey’s ailing economy desperately needs: a
Stand-By Arrangement or an Extended Fund Facility with the IMF, which would
provide the country with a medium-term low-interest loan in exchange for
committing to structural reforms.
Many pundits in Turkey and abroad argue the main impediment to an IMF program is
Erdogan’s ideology coupled with his fear of voter backlash to such a program.
They’re wrong. Rather, the obstacle for Turkey’s strongman president is IMF
conditionality and its potential to undermine his hypercentralized style of
governance.
The obstacle for Turkey’s strongman president isn’t ideology; it’s IMF
conditionality and its potential to undermine his hypercentralized style of
governance.
Within the last decade, Erdogan consolidated power with a political platform
built on unorthodox economic policies. Investors used to view the president’s
bizarre beliefs—interest rates leading to higher inflation or an “interest-rate
lobby” led by Jews aiming to tank Turkey’s economy—as embarrassing and annoying.
Those days are long gone. After the Central Bank lost its last semblance of
independence in 2019, those beliefs have become mainstream. To a large extent,
they now dictate Turkey’s monetary policy, which has led to an exodus from the
country’s bond and equity markets.
To make matters worse, the pointless defense of the Turkish currency’s exchange
rate, first at 6 and then 7 liras to the dollar, have proved catastrophic to
Central Bank reserves. Erdogan is particularly vulnerable here because those
efforts were mounted by his underqualified son-in-law, Finance and Treasury
Minister Berat Albayrak, who should never have held the position in the first
place.
It is true that Erdogan has proved himself to be pragmatic before, particularly
in the face of crisis. Interest rate hikes have occurred, even when he initially
opposed them. After the escalation of the crisis with Russia, he swallowed his
pride and reset ties. But these decisions did not entail a devolution of power.
In fact, given his near-total control over the media, Erdogan can make U-turns
far more easily than in a true democracy, as long as they do not require him to
reverse his 18 years of power consolidation.
Erdogan can make U-turns far more easily than in a true democracy, as long as
they do not require him to reverse his 18 years of power consolidation.
The real reason Erdogan cannot go to the IMF is that any Stand-By Arrangement or
Extended Fund Facility requires structural reform and, therefore, power-sharing
and good governance measures. The rule of Erdogan’s Islamic-rooted Justice and
Development Party (AKP) has benefited from a lack of transparency and
accountability.
Turkey’s sovereign wealth fund, which acts as the Turkish president’s parallel
budget, is not audited by parliament or the Court of Final Accounts. One private
auditor even said there is not enough data to conduct a proper assessment.
Economic data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute is also suspect. A
2017 report by Germany’s second-largest lender, Commerzbank, on Turkey’s dubious
growth figures was titled, “Turkey – Are you kidding me?
Erdogan’s economy thrives on off-balance-sheet arrangements for friends of the
AKP. One example: the Zafer Airport inaugurated in 2012 in western Turkey’s
Kutahya province and run by a construction magnate close to Erdogan who has
helped him acquire government media outlets. The government forecasted 7.6
million passengers during the first seven years of the airport’s operation; the
airport has had just 300,000 passengers so far. Under a government-guaranteed
revenue deal expiring in 2044, the company is estimated to receive 205 million
euros ($228 million) from the public purse for serving nonexistent flights at an
airport it built for over $55 million.
An IMF program, with its accompanying reforms, would likely eliminate such
outrageous revenue guarantees and countless other off-balance-sheet
arrangements. It would also demand competent technocrats, transparency,
accountability, independent regulatory agencies, and a Central Bank free from
political pressure. But with such reforms, Erdogan would effectively be asked to
forfeit control over all the shady deals he and his cronies have brokered over
time. In other words, an IMF deal is a direct threat to his rule and
accompanying patronage network.
Turkey’s previous IMF program, which started in 1999 and came to head in the
2001 crisis, brought greater transparency and accountability to the country.
That package came in response to unsustainable levels of government debt and
Turkish banks’ exposure to it. The IMF called for structural reforms to
strengthen public finances and fiscal transparency, and new management as a
requirement for lending. It worked. Turkey stabilized, attaining an average of 7
percent growth for the next six years.
And while an IMF program could yield similar benefits for Turkey today, Erdogan
is loath to submit to its conditions. The last time around, the IMF’s painful
austerity measures did deliver results, but not before Devlet Bahceli, the
ultranationalist partner of Turkey’s three-way coalition, forced early elections
in 2002, ousting all political parties represented in parliament, ruling and
opposition alike, and vaulting Erdogan, the former mayor of Istanbul, to
leadership. The same Bahceli, as unpredictable now as he was back then, is
Erdogan’s key coalition partner today.
Erdogan, who was the beneficiary of Bahceli’s fickleness in 2002, would hate to
become his latest victim ahead of the upcoming 2023 presidential elections,
especially since the current Istanbul mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu—an increasingly
popular figure who succeeded in uniting Turkey’s fractured opposition—has
emerged to be his biggest rival. Yet elections are in three years—a lifetime in
Turkish politics—and Erdogan needs to keep the spoils flowing not only to the
AKP’s patronage network but also to Bahceli and his clients today.
Erdogan, who was the beneficiary of Bahceli’s fickleness in 2002, would hate to
become his latest victim ahead of the upcoming 2023 presidential elections
It is for these reasons that the IMF will be the Turkish government’s absolute
last stop. If Turkey’s economic woes and its suffering citizens somehow force
Erdogan to the table, the IMF should not give him a free pass. The IMF must
demand fiscal transparency, an end to off-balance-sheet arrangements, hiring of
able technocrats instead of family members, and the imposition of stringent
anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering measures. Turkey’s large, young, and
dynamic population can be a driver of economic growth for both Europe and the
Middle East. They deserve to be given that chance.
*Aykan Erdemir is the senior director of the Turkey program at the Foundation
for Defense of Democracies. He was a member of the Turkish parliament
representing the Republican People’s Party (CHP) from 2011 to 2015. Twitter: @aykan_erdemir
*John A. Lechner is a graduate student at Georgetown University’s School of
Foreign Service. Twitter: @JohnLechner1
Cautious optimism over prospects of Libya ceasefire talks
Mona El-Mahrouki/The Arab Weekly/June 03/2020
TUNIS –The UN Support Mission in Libya’s (UNSMIL’s) announcement that rival
parties to the conflict agreed to return to the 5+5 talks in order to implement
a permanent ceasefire raised cautious optimism about the prospects of ending the
war. Ongoing military mobilisation by both sides, however, indicates that the
agreement could be just a manoeuvre to circumvent pressure from the
international community to steer the conflict away from Russian and Turkish
control.
The agreement by the Libyan rivals to return to ceasefire talks came after a
series of recent military setbacks suffered by the Libyan National Army (LNA),
the last of which was the loss of control of al-Watiya airbase and a number of
cities and towns on Libya’s western coast, following direct Turkish intervention
in support of the Government of National Accord (GNA) of Prime Minister Fayez
al-Sarraj.
Many Libyans hope that negotiations can successfully end the war, and that
recent developments have shown Libyan belligerents that there is no choice but a
political solution. Libyans also see continued fighting and mobilisation as an
attempt by both sides to improve conditions for negotiations, no more.
The negotiations of the 5+5 Committee started at the end of February, and two
rounds of negotiations took place before they stopped in March. The committee
was formed according to international understandings reached during the Berlin
conference held in January.
The committee, comprised of ten military leaders — five representing the LNA and
five from the GNA — is expected to continue discussion on a draft agreement
previously presented by the UN mission to rival parties.
The Islamist-led GNA is setting conditions described as “unachievable” to accept
a ceasefire, including the return of the LNA to its positions before April 4,
2019, and the exclusion of the army’s commander, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar,
from any expected settlement. The LNA, however, wants the GNA to resolve the
issue of expanding influence of militias and the proliferation of weapons. They
are also calling for Turkey to withdraw from the conflict and for the country to
have its wealth recovered from the Misrata Alliance and Islamists.
The West, led by the United States, is betting that negotiations could be
successful after it gave Turkey the green light to recapture parts of the
territory the GNA previously lost to the LNA. Turkey’s intervention restored
some balance to the conflict, which the West now hopes can persuade Haftar to
accept a settlement that does not meet the LNA’s conditions.
However, there are concerns that Russia, an ally of the LNA, could use Turkish
intervention as an excuse to establish a permanent presence in Libya.
These concerns were echoed by a recent US accusations that Moscow had sent
fighters and weapons, including MiG 29 and SU-24 fighter planes, to support the
LNA.
Recent developments in Libya highlighted European divisions and American
confusion, opening the door for Turkey and Russia to reproduce their strategies
in Syria in Libya.
Apart for US accusations and the presence of some Russian-made weapons in Libya,
there has so far been no evidence of Russian involvement in support of the
LNA.In the case of the GNA, however, there is strong evidence of foreign
meddling in its favour, including videos of pro-Ankara Syrian mercenaries and
extremists from ISIS and the Nusra Front, fighting in the ranks of the GNA
forces.
The UN mission’s statement June 1 carried indirect warnings to some countries
who would be tempted to try to thwart negotiations, which constitute a final
chance for western countries to revive their initiative in Libya.
In this regard, the UN mission expressed its hope that “all parties, Libyan and
international, will respect the wishes of Libyans for an end to the fighting.”
The UN mission also expressed doubts about the Libyan rivals’ commitment to
reaching a settlement, saying it is necessary for the two parties’ to commit
themselves “to fully delegating their representatives to the negotiations so as
to enable them to finalise the ceasefire agreement.”
A Libyan source said the upcoming talks were unlikely to be successful, and that
the competing sides were only participating to give the appearance that they are
flexible and open to a peaceful solution. The real aim, however, is to buy more
time to reverse the military situation on the ground by preparing for a major
battle as continuing military mobilisation shows. The source expected that there
will be a long battle in southern Tripoli due to LNA forces’ commitment to
thwarting GNA-backed militias and Turkey there. The LNA’s steadfastness will
spur it to prepare for a larger attack aimed at recapturing the city of Gharyan
and al-Watiya air base as well as well as clearing the west coast from militias
currently in control.
On May 1, the LNA regained control of the city of al-Asabaa, nearly two weeks
after GNA militias seized it. The LNA has also been trying to seize control of
the strategic city of Gharyan. If the LNA regains control of Gharyan, which it
lost about a year ago, it will be able to open major supply lines for the its
forces on key frontlines, especially at Tripoli Airport, Khallet Al Furjan,
Salahuddin, Ain Zara and Wadi Al-Rabi’.
*Mona El-Mahrouki is a Tunisian writer.
Subversion of the truth provokes attacks on journalists
Alistair Burt/Arab News/June 03, 2020
I do not think there was much surprise, as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
took a grip on the world, that certain states would be accused, fairly or
unfairly, of exploiting a useful opportunity to extend state supervision and
control for purposes beyond those of health care. From the Far East to Eastern
Europe, a collection of the usual suspects stood accused of using lockdown
measures or track and trace technology to inform rather more than the local
hospitals of people’s movements.
Nor was there much surprise at reports that one or two of those covering the
Chinese government’s attempts to control the virus in Wuhan had disappeared for
a while, at a time when Beijing was both dealing firmly with COVID-19 and
fending off claims about its origin and the need for an inquiry. But recent
events in countries that tend not to appear at the wrong end of the Press
Freedom Index illustrate a worrying trend, which — as we begin to consider what
life after the virus will look like — ought to command our attention.
Lockdown has accentuated other tensions in life, and the easing of lockdown is
releasing them. However, there is, in my mind, a growing confluence of the sort
of rise in political polarization we have been seeing in recent years,
particularly in Western democracies that take their freedoms for granted, and a
suspicion of the press and media fostered for political purposes.
In a number of countries, the easing of lockdown has inevitably sparked
questions as to what extent it was needed in the first place, not least from
businesses and small traders, which are desperately and rightly anxious to earn.
But this genuine concern and questioning is added to by a motley collection of
conspiracy theorists who are peddling the nonsense that the whole thing has been
“faked” as a means to control the population and prepare people for a forcible
vaccination campaign, allegedly engineered by pharma companies and individuals
standing to benefit financially from sales of the vaccine.
As people emerge from their isolation, it seems that, in too many places,
reporters are bearing the brunt of pent-up anger and annoyance. A recent
anti-lockdown event outside the parliament building in Berlin saw a camera crew
attacked, while in Ukraine reporters covering a protest were attacked by police.
The narrative that reporting, especially from established outlets that have now
been pejoratively characterized as “mainstream media” (MSN), is somehow either
“fake” or “against the people” seems to be behind the hashtag #mediascum, which
has taken root in the UK. It is impossible to detach this from the political
polarization of left and right, which has a firm grip on social media comment.
Women reporters from the BBC and Sky, in particular, are subject to significant
abuse and their reporting simply dismissed. It is extremely difficult to
disentangle this from politicians or campaigns in the UK that used such terms,
as a rising tide of aggressive comment shrinks the political space available for
moderate debate. The recent furor about whether or not a UK government adviser
had broken any lockdown rules, which dominated the British press for several
days, was notable for the determination with which #mediascum was attached to
complaints from the adviser’s supporters about how the matter was being
reported.
As people emerge from their isolation, it seems that, in too many places,
reporters are bearing the brunt of pent-up anger.
But it is now to the home of “fake news” and the “MSN” that attention is being
focused, as reporters in the US face arrest and assault as they cover the
protests resulting from the death of George Floyd. A black CNN reporter was
arrested on camera while working to report a demonstration and an Australian
cameraman was punched in the face by police after being hit with a riot shield,
again in full view of a watching world. Many on social media quickly showed
support for the attacks on what they are terming “political activists” and
“puppets” — not reporters.
It is impossible to separate such physical assaults from the verbal attacks
against the press by politicians globally when it suits them. This is a rising
tide, as we have seen such language used with impunity in recent years. It is
one thing to have an argument with the press when you believe you have been
unfairly targeted as a politician, and we have all been on the receiving end of
those newspapers that do not like us or our politics. But it is quite another
when the purpose of relentless attacks on the media is to subvert the truth so
that it becomes impossible for the public to recognize it. At this stage, your
supporters have been sufficiently prepared to believe anything you tell them.
And then they will do what you want, such as go on Twitter. Or vote.
*Alistair Burt is a former UK Member of Parliament who has twice held
ministerial positions in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office — as Parliamentary
Under Secretary of State from 2010 to 2013 and as Minister of State for the
Middle East from 2017 to 2019. Twitter: @AlistairBurtUK
US riots to bolster support for Trump
Ray Hanania/Arab News/June 03/2020
The past week has been a nightmare for most Americans who live in major cities,
as a wave of arson, violence and looting has swept across the country following
the killing of the African-American George Floyd by a white police officer.
Floyd’s Minneapolis death provoked protests from the local African-American
community, which rapidly expanded when the loosely organized international
movement known as Black Lives Matter (BLM) offered its support. Some of the
protests turned violent.
Floyd’s death was clearly the result of police officer Derek Chauvin’s wrongful
actions, but also the failure of three other police officers to intercede. Floyd
was protesting repeatedly that he couldn’t breathe as Chauvin held him down with
his knee for nearly 10 minutes. Chauvin and his three colleagues were fired and
Chauvin charged with third degree murder.
Despite the fact that the system responded to the killing with criminal charges,
BLM supporters still incited people around the country to take to the streets
and protest the perceived racism and injustice of Chauvin’s death. Minneapolis
subsequently exploded in arson, looting and violence. Some 170 businesses were
either destroyed or seriously damaged and forced to close. Countless employees
of those stores, who had nothing to do with the Floyd killing, were threatened
and in some cases injured.
The wave of arson, looting and violence quickly spread across America, driven
both by anger with the police and by liberal Democratic supporters, who have
sought to use the death as a political platform ahead of November’s presidential
election.
Thousands of innocent people have been affected, as stores in New York, Houston,
Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles, among other cities, were looted and/or burned
down. BLM has also been joined by an equally nebulous group known as Antifa.
Like many Americans, I spent most of this past weekend watching in horror as
protests turned into violent mobs. I feared for the safety of my own family and
neighbors. In most cases, the police seemed to be restrained, even though they
had the legal right to arrest any violent protesters and stop the looters.
Some of the demonstrators vandalized police vehicles. They taunted police
officers, calling them names and provoking them to take action. They
spray-painted graffiti on the walls of buildings that were later torched,
vandalized or looted.
Floyd’s family hired a lawyer, who will undoubtedly file a wrongful death
lawsuit against the Minneapolis police, seeking millions of dollars in
compensation.
Both sides — police and protesters — deserve criticism, but the primary blame
must fall on the shoulders of the protest leaders who called for the
demonstrations. Left-leaning sections of the national news media are fueling the
narrative of blaming the authorities, exploiting it for political reasons. They
use it to criticize President Donald Trump while pandering to African-American
voters, who historically vote overwhelmingly for the Democrats in national
elections.
However, I believe the looting and protests are backfiring on the Democrats.
These riots could bolster the support Trump needs to win re-election. Mainstream
voters fear the rioters and the reality of watching looters and arsonists go
unpunished.
Mainstream voters fear the rioters and the reality of watching looters and
arsonists go unpunished.
For a while this year, it looked like Trump’s base was collapsing thanks to his
handling of the coronavirus pandemic. But the riots have overshadowed the
pandemic and put the focus back on America’s racial imbalance, where blacks feel
discriminated against. Groups like Antifa see violence as a consequence of the
police doing their jobs, rather than as a result of criminal conduct by the
protesters, who are exploiting Floyd’s sad and tragic death, and that upsets
mainstream American voters.
When American voters look back on this violent episode when the presidential
election comes, fear will push them to demand tougher policies against the
Antifa supporters. The riots we are seeing will end, but not before casting a
heavy and dark haze over the memory of Floyd — a victim of one police officer’s
monumental failure.
*Ray Hanania is an award-winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter and
columnist. He can be reached on his personal website at www.Hanania.com.
Twitter: @RayHanania
Radical agendas, Riots and Political Backlashing
Charles Elias Chartouni/June 03/2020
“ Every time a riot develops, it helps George Wallace “.
Martin Luther King
The unfolding of unruly urban riots and their cortège of indiscriminate
vandalism, arson, and violent outbursts which question security and civil peace
are counterproductive and enhance the prevailing anxiety induced by the
pandemic, “ the physical damage inflicted on poor neighborhoods by rioting does
not have the compensating virtue of easing the way for more progressive
policies; instead it compounds the damage by promoting a regressive backlash “ (
J. Shait ). The Civil Rights framing of protests has been deliberately sabotaged
by the delusional radical “ Antifa “ politics and its acolytes, which ended up
stirring a countervailing radical rightist boomerang, strengthening political
cleavages, promoting cultural wars, and feeding extremism at both ends.
The wager on the political outcomes of this engineered violence, and on the
electoral realignments caused by a definite shift of the Afro-American vote
behind former Vice-President Biden, and the fracturing of the Republican
electoral base, is likely to be contained by the counterbalancing solidification
of votes behind President Trump, and the retrenchment behind conventional,
ideological and political divides at both ends. This implies the perpetuation of
the ongoing polarization and its incidence on political stability, and the
normative consensus which underpins political life in the US. The US cannot
condone a state of trivialized chaos at this stage, when it prepares itself for
a quick economic recovery, supported by the three trillion dollars committed by
the current administration to uphold American businesses, and the optimistic
financial projections made by Jerome Powell ( Head of the Federal Reserve ), and
the need to confront the challenges posed by the New Cold War nemeses ( China,
Russia) and rogue States ( North Korea, Iran, Venezuela), striving to cash on
the current travails.
Current Researches ( Masow/Chait, 2020, 2015 ) on the impact of violent and non
violent protests on citizens attitudes, established that non violent protests
against segregationist violence, increased support of Civil Rights, whereas,
violent protests tipped away public opinion from violent protesters, towards a
steady support for agendas emphasizing the priority of “ law and order” and
better social control ( the turbulence of 1968 tipped the votes from Hubert
Humphrey/ D to Richard Nixon/ R), and downscaled the priority of Civil Rights
claims. President Trump should demonstrate strategic acumen on where to draw the
line between a full ” law and order “ approach and an accommodating reformist
public agenda; and Vice President Biden, should show no complacency towards the
subversive agendas of the fascist left, and reformulate the ongoing security and
developmental issues raised by the current protests, from the very perspective
outlined by Dr. Martin Luther King six decades ago, the one of the Selma March,
and its sources: the Bible ethics, the non violent protest tradition of Mahtma
Ghandi and the Civil Rights template it initiated.