LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 06/2019
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God
Second Letter to the Corinthians 12/21.13,01-05/:”I fear that when I come again, my God may humble me before you, and that I may have to mourn over many who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practised. This is the third time I am coming to you. ‘Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ’I warned those who sinned previously and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again, I will not be lenient. since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God. Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? unless, indeed, you fail to pass the test!”/

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on May 05-06/19
Lebanon: Central Bank Employees Announce Open Strike
Berri Meets PSP, Hizbullah in Reconciliation Effort
Lawsuits Against Journalists as Attempt to Rein in Free Media
Rizk Condemns Campaign Against Journalists
Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel: There Is No Country that Assigns Defense Mission to a Militia
Bassil Says World Wants to 'Weaken, Subjugate' Lebanon through Economy
Foreign Domestic Workers in Lebanon Protest Abuses
Ostacles Await 2nd Round of Budget Debate Sessions
Banks Have 'No Problem' in Hiking Tax on Deposits Interest
Bassil: Political Subordination Prevents Preservation of Lebanon Economy
Geagea calls for taking significant steps in terms of budget
AlRiyadi Beirut regains its title as Lebanese Basketball Champion
Shehayeb in a solidarity meeting in Ain Dara: We fear no one!
Jreissati: No intention to undermine Central Bank's independence
Raad says reducing deficit will not be at the expense of limited income citizens

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 05-06/19
Amidror: Iran Behind The Gaza Escalation
Netanyahu Calls for 'Massive Strikes' on Gaza, OIC Condemns Israeli Aggression
Amid Israel-Gaza Flare Up, Egypt Presses For Calm
Qatari Official Refers to Egyptians as 'Enemies'
Tehran to Continue Enriching Uranium, Rouhani Warns Against Internal Divisions
UN Says Regained Access to Key Wheat Silos in Hodeidah
Tunisia Announces Killing Three ISIS Militants
Political, Military Pressures Tighten Noose Around Turkey’s Behavior
Algeria Military Judge Orders Arrest of Bouteflika’s Brother
Pope Arrives in Bulgaria
Turkey to Buy Russian Missiles despite U.S. 'Threats'

Litles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on May 05-06/19
Amidror: Iran Behind The Gaza Escalation/Jerusalem Post/May 05/2019
Isolation Strangles Turkey/Salman Al-dossary/Asharq Al Awsat/May 05/2019
Iranian Foreign Minister’s Magic Act Falls Flat/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/May 05/2019
The Western Allies Need More Eyes on the World/James Stavridis/Bloomberg/May 05/2019
Iran's 'Terror Factory' Targeting Christians/Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/May 05/2019
Does Sudan’s road ahead lead to democracy or anarchy/Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/May 05/2019
Maximum pressure on Iran is driving internal change/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/May 05/2019

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on May 05-06/19
Lebanon: Central Bank Employees Announce Open Strike
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 5 May, 2019/The syndicate of the employees of Banque du Liban (BDL) has announced an “open strike to protest against amendments to their salaries” in the budget currently studied by the Cabinet. This comes as an escalating step, knowing that the institution has its own internal systems and its own budget and is not subject to the state budget. Amid rumors about an attempt to change the legal relationship between the BDL and the Ministry of Finance, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil tweeted on Saturday: “All talk about a project to change the legal relationship between the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank is purely fabrication. The campaign is aimed at pumping false and suspicious information to hamper the adoption of the budget.”The BDL staff convened on Saturday and announced their intention to escalate their moves to prevent any attempt to jeopardize their institution. “Our position is united and the Central Bank will not be harmed. The political forces must assume responsibility for the unjust decisions they have taken,” a statement read. The decision “has nothing to do with the governor of BDL,” it added, noting that “Governor Riad Salameh does not support the strike,” but acknowledged the staff’s legitimate right to call for their demands. During its series of budget session to discuss an austere 2019 state budget, the Cabinet on Friday discussed several articles including ones related to reduction in salaries for BDL employees.

Berri Meets PSP, Hizbullah in Reconciliation Effort
Naharnet/May 05/2019/Speaker Nabih Berri met Sunday afternoon with officials from Hizbullah and the Progressive Socialist Party in an attempt to mend ties between the parties. The National News Agency said the Ain el-Tineh meeting was attended by the MPs Wael Abu Faour and Ghazi Aridi of the PSP and Hizbullah officials Hussein al-Khalil and Wafiq Safa. Berri's advisor Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and the Speaker's aide Ahmed Baalbaki also attended the talks. "The discussion session was frank, tackled all issues and will be continued with a positive spirit," Khalil said after the meeting. "As for the Shebaa Farms, they are Lebanese, and this issue is totally undebatable," he added. Ties had deteriorated between Hizbullah and the PSP in recent weeks after Industry Minister Abu Faour revoked a cement factory license issued by his predecessor Hussein al-Hajj Hassan of Hizbullah. The factory in the Ain Dara area is owned by Pierre Fattoush, the brother of ex-MP Nicolas Fattoush. Abu Faour has cited environmental concerns while PSP leader Walid Jumblat has warned that Syrian general Maher al-Assad is a partner in the factory. Hizbullah was also infuriated after Jumblat argued that the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms are not Lebanese.

Lawsuits Against Journalists as Attempt to Rein in Free Media
Kataeb.org/May 05/2019/Kataeb's Media Council condemned attempts to dash the freedom of expression in Lebanon, deeming the lawsuit filed by the Lebanese University President Fouad Ayyoub against Voice of Lebanon radio host Nawal Lichaa Abboud as a desperate bid to rein in the media.
“It is a failed attempt to subdue free media and free journalists to succumb in order to marginalize the other's opinion and continue imposing a new identity for Lebanon," the council said in a statement. "The Kataeb party will stand against any repressive or eliminatory approach,” it affirmed. Voice of Lebanon radio presenter Nawal Lichaa Abboud has been referred to the Publications Court based on a lawsuit filed by the Lebanese University president over an episode she had hosted to discuss the conditions of the state-run academic establishment.
The Council also denounced a previous lawsuit pressed against Kataeb website writer Sonia Rizk over an article she had written, and posted on the Kataeb.org website, about the corrupt behavior of a minister's adviser. “The Kataeb party assures that it will follow up on this case, and any other similar ones, to preserve public freedoms and to safeguard the dignity of free journalists," the statement stressed. "The party will remain, as it has always been, at the vanguard of those who advocate the cases of justice, righteousness, and freedom."

Rizk Condemns Campaign Against Journalists
Kataeb.org/May 05/2019/As Lebanon's journalists and media figures are being targeted by a suppression campaign whose latest victims are Voice of Lebanon radio host Nawal Lichaa Abboud and Kataeb website writer Sonia Rizk, the latter wondered if the journalist nowadays becomes immediately subject to prosecution just by relaying somebody else's positions. Rizk was summoned before the ISF's Cybercrimes Unit over an article she had written, and posted on the Kataeb.org website, about the corrupt behavior of a minister's adviser “My case has been referred to the Public Prosecution. What wrongdoing did I commit in simply conveying my source’s statement and information? Does the messenger have to be punished?” she said in a report aired on Voice of Lebanon radio station.

Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel: There Is No Country that Assigns Defense Mission to a Militia
Kataeb.org/May 05/2019/Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel said that the Lebanese no longer have a free decision-making power due to Hezbollah's control over their country, adding that Lebanon's sovereignty has been brushed aside by dragging the country into the Iranian-Syrian axis. "In 2015, a settlement was sealed in Lebanon; one that allowed Hezbollah to consolidate its grip over the country's decision-making," Gemayel said in an interview on Al-Arabiya channel. "We have opposed this settlement, starting with the presidential election and all the way through the formation of governments as well as the approval of a new electoral law."The Kataeb chief deplored the fact that Lebanon's strategic and defensive decision-making is now in the hands of Hezbollah, deeming the current situation as the result of a collective surrender to non-state arms. Gemayel explained that there were still political forces that stood against Hezbollah's hegemony until 2016 when a president who is a key ally of the group was elected. "Following the election of a pro-Hezbollah president, the win of the majority of the Parliament's seats by Hezbollah and its allies, and the formation of a government based on the conditions of Hezbollah which has 18 out of 30 ministerial portfolios, Lebanon's state institutions have become under the control of Hezbollah," he explained. The Kataeb leader said that Lebanon has skidded off its policy of dissociation towards regional conflicts, adding that the country has now been dragged into a biased position. "We reject this reality. We had to choose between being false witnesses inside a Hezbollah-controlled government, or joining the opposition ranks in order to give the Lebanese an alternative option and preserve our country's democratic system," he stressed. Gemayel stressed the need for free political forces that are able to stand up and speak the truth, taking pride in the fact that the Kataeb party is the only opposition force in the Parliament. "The international community must know that Lebanon is subject to hegemony and the Lebanese people's decision-making is not free." "During the upcoming phase, our goal would be to gather a larger national and popular opposition which includes a group of independents and the political forces which are not involved in the presidential settlement." Gemayel said that the army's role in any sovereign country is to defend the border, adding that nowhere in the world a state assigns this mission to a militia.
"The problem with Hezbollah is that it's using arms to alter internal political balances to topple governments, and already used its weapons internally on several occasions," he said. Asked about the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, Gemayel said that Lebanon's foreign ministry has failed to set out a strategy to resettle the refugees in countries that are able to host them. "After seven years, it is time for the international community to find a way to return the refugees back to Syria or for other countries to bear the burden which transcends Lebanon's capacity," he said.

Bassil Says World Wants to 'Weaken, Subjugate' Lebanon through Economy
Naharnet/May 05/2019/Free Patriotic Movement chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil warned Sunday that the world wants to "weaken and subjugate" Lebanon through the economy.
"We passed through difficult days and we persevered and it will not be difficult to us to resolve an economic crisis," Bassil said during a visit to the Keserwan town of Ghazir. "The economic crisis will not be stronger than us, despite all the bad intentions that are accompanying it domestically and externally," Bassil added. Warning that some Lebanese parties have intentions linked to "corruption and hegemony over the state's assets," Bassil cautioned that foreign forces want to "confine Lebanon and its debt to certain projects and deals with the aim of weakening and subjugating us."

Foreign Domestic Workers in Lebanon Protest Abuses
Naharnet/May 05/2019/Hundreds of foreign domestic workers demonstrated in the Lebanese capital Sunday to demand the scrapping of a sponsorship system that they complain leaves them open to abuse from employers. Lebanon hosts more than 250,000 registered domestic workers, the vast majority of them women, from countries including Ethiopia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. They are excluded from the labor law, and instead obtain legal residency though their employers' sponsorship under the so-called "kafala" system.
The protesters marching in Beirut held up placards reading "No to slavery and yes to justice" and "Stop kafala". "We want the cancelation of this system. There are employees imprisoned in houses and they need to have days off," Dozossissane, a 29-year-old Ethiopian, told the AFP news agency. Lebanon's labor ministry introduced a standard contract for domestic workers in 2009, but the forms are often written in Arabic, a language many cannot read. Activists regularly accuse the authorities of failing to take claims of abuse seriously, with maids, nannies and carers left at the mercy of employers.
Amnesty International last month urged Lebanon to end what it called the "inherently abusive" migration sponsorship system and change the labor law to offer domestic workers more protection. A report from the rights group that surveyed 32 domestic workers revealed "alarming patterns of abuse," including physical punishments, humiliating treatment and food deprivation.

Ostacles Await 2nd Round of Budget Debate Sessions
Naharnet/May 05/2019/Major hurdles are expected to mar the second round of the Cabinet's budget debate sessions, political sources said. "These sessions will tackle 'burning' items that have sparked street protests, which are related to public sector salaries, including the armed forces, the retirement system, compensations and social aid, in addition to hiking the tax on bank deposits and other issues," the sources said in remarks published Sunday by Kuwait's al-Rai newspaper. The sources also warned over the repercussions of the open-ended strike that has been declared by the employees of the central bank.

Banks Have 'No Problem' in Hiking Tax on Deposits Interest
Naharnet/May 05/2019/Lebanon's banks have no problem in seeing the tax on deposits interest rise from 7% to 10%, as proposed in the draft state budget, ministerial sources said. "Banks have never hesitated to back the Lebanese economy... but it is unacceptable to blame them for everything, as if they are alone responsible for providing solutions to the economic crisis," the sources added in remarks to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, in response to Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's call that banks contribute to the needed solutions."He should have raised what is needed from the government parties, which should shoulder the responsibility of slashing expenditure," the sources went on to say.

Bassil: Political Subordination Prevents Preservation of Lebanon Economy
Naharnet/May 05/2019/Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil kicked a visit to the district of Jbeil on Saturday and said during a meeting with industrialists that Lebanon is unable to protect its economy because of “political subordination to the outside.”“What prevents us from protecting our economy and products is political subordination to the outside, this needs to be liberalized through an economic policy,” he said. He said Lebanon was heading towards a solution for the economic crisis because it is afraid of an economic collapse. Lebanon “is facing an exceptional opportunity for economic reform in the country because of the difficult situation and the fear that exists," said Bassil. “Because we are afraid of financial and economic collapse, we are heading towards a solution," he added. The Minister said that one of the conditions of the Free Patriotic Movement to approve the budget is a political commitment to some of the steps required to address the imbalance in the trade balance. “Political commitment to specific steps to address the imbalance in the trade balance is one of the conditions to approve a budget,” he said.

Geagea calls for taking significant steps in terms of budget
Sun 05 May 2019/NNA - Lebanese Forces Party Leader, Samir Geagea, said on Sunday his party continued to press for the settlement of the issue of missing persons and prisoners in Syria by asking Arab and international bodies to determine their fate. Speaking at a dinner for LF partisans in Zahle, Geagea noted that his party was against imposing new taxes on citizens, but "supports taking essential steps regarding the annual state budget, such as banking cooperation, combating tax evasion and illegal border crossings before reducing the salaries of citizens."
Commenting on the electricity plan, Geagea said that the important thing in this case was "the implementation of the plan, which was adopted after introducing necessary amendments to it."

AlRiyadi Beirut regains its title as Lebanese Basketball Champion
Sun 05 May 2019/NNA - The Beirut sports team, Al Riyadi, has regained its leading position in the Lebanese Basketball Championship for first-class men's clubs, raising its record number of wins in the championship to 28, after exceeding its opponent, Beirut, by six points (89-83) in the sixth game held this afternoon at Saeb Salam Hall in Al-Manara-Beirut. Al-Riyadi, the fourth regular league player, had already won the Lebanon Cup this season, beating the Homenetmen Beirut team, champion of the last season.

Shehayeb in a solidarity meeting in Ain Dara: We fear no one!
Sun 05 May 2019/NNA - MPs George Adwan and Anis Nassar organized Sunday a solidarity meeting with the residents of the town of Ain Dara, at in the town's municipality center, to protest the project of establishing a cement factory in the Mountain of Ain Dara, which was attended by Education Minister Akram Shehayeb and Deputies Jean Talouzian and Ziad Hawat, former Deputy Fadi Karam and representatives of the Lebanese Forces and Progressive Socialist Party. "The issue belongs not to the people of Ain Dara or its surroundings or the Mountain region alone, nor is it a mere political issue but rather a national cause par excellence, with distinctive human and environmental dimensions," Shehayeb emphasized. He vowed that the protest campaign against the project shall be pursued, "fearing no one"."We count on the Environment Minister who has an honest environmental sense. We count on him to stop this decision," Shehayeb added.

Jreissati: No intention to undermine Central Bank's independence
Sun 05 May 2019/NNA - "It is not the government's intention whatsoever to encroach on the independence of the Central Bank, which is one of the pillars of our liberal economic system and at the core of the preamble to our Constitution and Taef Accord principles," State Minister for Presidential Affairs, Selim Jreisati, assured via his Twitter account on Sunday.

Raad says reducing deficit will not be at the expense of limited income citizens
Sun 05 May 2019/NNA - "Loyalty to the Resistance" Parliamentary Bloc Head, MP Mohammad Raad, confirmed Sunday that his Bloc "will not agree to any reduction of salaries for limited income classes," reassuring employees that "their salaries will not be touched."Speaking during a memorial ceremony held in the town of Yohmor El-Shqif earlier today, Raad asserted that "addressing the budget deficit would be through revising the methods and mechanisms of expenditure."He stressed that approving the budget is essential for activating the economic cycle and overcoming the state of stagnation prevailing in the country. "We are optimistic that we can take steps to alleviate the economic recession and push those responsible to seriously acknowledge that citizens' daily living and the country's sound economy can no longer be undermined," the MP concluded.

Latest LCCC English Miscellaneous Reports & News published on May 05-06/19
Amidror: Iran Behind The Gaza Escalation
**Amidror, a former head of Military intelligence’s Research Department and currently a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for STRATEGY AND SECURITY
Jerusalem Post/May 05/2019
“Why did the Islamic Jihad do this?” former national security adviser asks. “The answer is again and again and again - Iran.”ran, through Islamic Jihad - its proxy in Gaza - is behind the current escalation in the South, former national security advisor Yaakov Amidror said on Sunday. Amidror, in a conversation with The Israel Project, traced the current round of massive rocket fire on Israel to Friday, when AN Islamic Jihad SNIPER fired on Israeli soldiers patrolling the Gaza border, wounding two officers. Israel responded and killed two Hamas men, and then the rocket barrage began from Gaza. What made Friday's shooting on the IDF patrol interesting, Amidror said, was that it took place precisely when Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders were in Cairo putting the finishing touches on an agreement drawn up by Egypt that was designed to ease the tension in the South. But while its leaders were in Cairo, Islamic Jihad fired on the soldiers. At first, the organization tried to deny responsibility for the attack. “Why did the Islamic Jihad do this?” Amidror asked. “The answer is again and again and again - Iran.” Islamic Jihad, unlike Hamas, is a completely owned and operated Iranian subsidiary, Amidror said. “It was established by Iran, financed by Iran, and does what Iran wants it to do. Iran's interest, Amidror said, is for Israel to embark on another major operation in Gaza, freeing up Tehran to do what it wants unhindered in Syria. The Iranian idea, he said, is that “Israel will be busy focusing on Gaza and not have enough energy to deal with the building up of an independent war machine in Syria.”Iranian pressure, Amidror hinted, is the only explanation for why Islamic Jihad would fire on an IDF patrol while its leaders were in Cairo talking about an arrangement with Israel. Hamas, Amidror said, was “dragged” into the current escalation by Islamic Jihad. He added that whatever is agreed upon in Cairo -whatever arrangements are reached regarding fishing rights, the economy and the transfer of Qatari funds - “at the end of the day, it will be destroyed by Islamic Jihad if Hamas does not take control and do what it should as an organization that is in control of the Gaza Strip.”
Amidror, a former head of Military intelligence’s Research Department and currently a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for STRATEGY AND SECURITY (JISS) , said that Islamic Jihad miscalculated in thinking that Israel would not retaliate during the week of Remembrance Day and Independence Day – and with the Eurovision song contest to be held in Tel Aviv a week from Tuesday until the following Saturday night.

Netanyahu Calls for 'Massive Strikes' on Gaza, OIC Condemns Israeli Aggression
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 5 May, 2019/Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he ordered the military to continue “massive strikes” on Gaza in response to rocket fire from the Strip. “This morning I instructed the Israel forces to continue with massive strikes against terrorists in the Gaza Strip and I also instructed that forces around the Gaza Strip be stepped up with tank, artillery and infantry forces,” Netanyahu said. Rockets were fired from Gaza early Sunday in an escalation that has seen Israel respond with waves of strikes, amid fears of further escalation. Israel claimed that 450 rockets had been fired from Gaza since Saturday, saying its air defenses intercepted many of them. Meanwhile, six Palestinians, including a pregnant mother and her baby, were killed. The Israeli army denied being involved in the incident and held Hamas responsible for the death of the woman and her baby. For its part, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip which led to a number of deaths, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The organization considered this military escalation as a continuation of Israel's crimes and violations of international laws, charters and conventions. OIC also called on effective parties of the international community to provide international protection to the Palestinian people and pressure Israel to stop its unjust aggression and respect the international law.

Amid Israel-Gaza Flare Up, Egypt Presses For Calm
Ramallah – Kifah Zboun/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 5 May 2019/Cairo moved to weigh in on stabilizing the armistice in Gaza after a series of mutual attacks between Israel and Palestinian factions threatened further escalation of violence. Tensions had erupted after rocket barrage was exchanged by both warring sides. Egypt has summoned senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad members to Cairo for talks following a flare-up in tensions between the IDF and Hamas, sources, speaking under the conditions of anonymity told Asharq Al-Awsat. The Islamic Jihad’s military wing commander Bahaa Abu al-Atta has already left to meet with Egyptian officials, the sources revealed. Hamas had also said on Thursday that its Gaza chief, Yeyha Sinwar, traveled to Cairo for talks on efforts to maintain calm along the border and alleviate hardship in the enclave. "Egypt has stepped up its efforts with Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and Israel, but there is no conclusion yet," said a Palestinian official familiar with Cairo's mediation efforts. The latest tensions began on Wednesday when Hamas launched incendiary balloons over the Eshkol region in Israel's south, causing fires. The Israeli Air Force responded with air strikes on a series of targets in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Defense Forces Spokesperson Avichay Adraee then confirmed that Israeli raids targeted two multi-storey buildings in Gaza City. One which housed Hamas's intelligence and security offices and the other housed Islamic Jihad facilities. The Israeli army said its tanks and planes had hit some 200 targets in Gaza and warned that it will continue to carry out operations as needed. Israel had also shelled tunnels and sites for the factions in the Gaza Strip, announcing the closure of all border crossings for Gaza as well as designated fishing areas as a response to the factions’ rocket fire. Israel’s announcement is a de facto total blockade. Palestinian factions, for their part, had attacked several settlements with rockets. At least 150 shells and rockets were fired from Gaza at Israeli settlements. Sirens had gone off, sending Israelis running to shelters as blasts of rocket interceptions sounded overhead. The Islamic Jihad, in a statement, had rejected Israeli accusations, stressing that “Palestinian resistance performs according to its duty on protecting Palestinians. It also asserted its willingness to carry on with the retaliatory attacks.

Qatari Official Refers to Egyptians as 'Enemies'
London - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 5 May, 2019/Secretary-General of Qatar National Tourism Council Akbar al-Baker said Qatar would not grant visas to those it considers “enemies,” in reference to Egyptians seeking to enter the country.
Baker's statements came in reply to a question on whether Egyptians would be given visas during Qatar's 2019 tourism campaign. “The visa will not be open for our enemies - it will be open for our friends.” “When you open your arms to Qatar, Qatar will open its arms even bigger for you. But if you become an adversary of Qatar, then we will also treat you as an adversary,” Baker said. “Are visas open for us to go there? No. So why should we open it for them? Everything is reciprocal,” he noted. Baker's statements were criticized and denounced by social media users who demanded an official apology for the term used by the official.

Tehran to Continue Enriching Uranium, Rouhani Warns Against Internal Divisions
London- Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 5 May, 2019/As the US intensifies its pressure campaign aimed at curbing Tehran's ballistic missile program and its regional influence, the Iranian clerical-led regime reaffirmed its plans to resume enriching uranium, heavy (deuterium0-based) water and exporting oil. Speaker Ali Larijani said Tehran would continue to enrich uranium and produce heavy water, regardless of restrictions on shipping abroad. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, for his part, warned that the recent host of US economic sanctions, a part of Washington strategy to counter Iranian malicious behavior, risks stoking internal tensions. Reformists in Rouhani’s administration and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei loyalists have been at odds on Iran’s response policy to pressure. “Under the [nuclear accord] Iran can produce heavy water and this is not in violation of the agreement. Therefore, we will carry on with enrichment activity,” the semiofficial Iranian news agency, ISNA, quoted Parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani as saying on May 4. “We will enrich Uranium whether you move to buy it or not,” Larijani said. On May 3, the US President Donald Trump's administration slapped new restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities as it looks to force Tehran to stop producing low-enriched uranium and expanding its only nuclear power plant, intensifying a campaign aimed at halting Tehran's ballistic missile program and curbing its regional power. Despite increasing pressure on Iran, the United States on May 3 extended five sanction waivers that will allow Russian, China, and European countries to continue to work with Iran’s civilian nuclear program at Bushehr. But it said it may punish any activity that expands the site. At the same time, the State Department said it was ending two waivers related to Iranian exports of enriched uranium in what it called “the toughest sanctions ever on the Iranian regime.” All of the waivers were due to expire on May 4. The 45- to 90-day extensions were shorter than the 180 days granted previously but can be renewed. It was the third punitive action taken against Iran in as many weeks. Last week, it said it would grant no more sanctions waivers for countries buying Iranian oil, accelerating its plan to push Iran’s oil exports to zero. The Trump administration also took the unprecedented step of designating Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization. “The Trump administration continues to hold the Iranian regime accountable for activities that threaten the region's stability and harm the Iranian people. This includes denying Iran any pathway to a nuclear weapon," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said. The Trump administration pulled out of the nuclear accord a year ago and vowed "maximum pressure" aimed at curbing the regional role of Iran.”

UN Says Regained Access to Key Wheat Silos in Hodeidah
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 5 May, 2019/The UN food agency said it has regained access to major grain storage in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah for the first time since February. World Food Program (WFP) spokesman Herve Verhoosel says a technical team accessed the Red Sea mills facility Sunday, where some 51,000 metric tons of wheat — enough to feed 3.7 million people for a month — had been in storage when the site was rendered inaccessible in September, the Associated Press reported. Houthis previously blocked access, preventing WFP from crossing a front line into the government-controlled area where the silos are located. According to Reuters, the 51,000 tonnes of wheat were at risk of rotting. Meanwhile, a WFP technical team arrived in the eastern outskirts of Hodeidah on Sunday to start preparing and servicing equipment for milling grain. Verhoosel said its priority was to begin cleaning and servicing milling machinery and fumigating the wheat. The UN expects that process to take several weeks before starting to mill it into flour and distributing it to the Yemeni communities most in need, Reuters reported.

Tunisia Announces Killing Three ISIS Militants
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 5 May, 2019/A Tunisian security source revealed that the police killed three terrorist militants in the central city of Sidi Bouzid on Saturday. Police seized weapons in the operation, the source added, without giving details. The Interior Ministry said early on Saturday that the security forces foiled attacks planned in the holy month of Ramadan after they arrested “a dangerous terrorist” this week, Reuters reported. Tunisia suffered three major attacks in 2015, including two against tourists, one at a museum in Tunis and the second on a beach in Sousse. The third targeted presidential guards in the capital. All three attacks were claimed by ISIS.

Political, Military Pressures Tighten Noose Around Turkey’s Behavior
Ankara, Beirut, London – Asharq Al-Awsat, Saeed Abulrazzak/Sunday, 5 May, 2019/Ramping up political and military pressure against Ankara, different actors inside Syria and cross-border separatist Kurdish militias based in Iraq have attacked several Turkish army positions. Apart from battleground realities, international political opposition also signaled greater challenges heading Ankara’s way.Turkish soldiers, on different occasions, were killed by Kurdish fire and Syrian regime airstrikes in northern Syria. “Four Turkish soldiers were killed and two others wounded in two separate attacks by Kurdish militants on Saturday,” the Turkish defense ministry said. “One Turkish soldier was killed and another was wounded in an attack by the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in the mainly Kurdish-controlled northern Syrian region of Tel Rifaat,” the defense ministry added. Meanwhile, Syrian regime forces and their Russian allies pounded the rebel-held northwest, which includes Aleppo, Idlib and Hama of Syria with air strikes with artillery hitting a Turkish military position there. The ariel bombardment targeted de-escalation zones which were established by an agreement between regime-backer Moscow and Ankara, which supports opposition factions in the north. Turkey has set up about 10 military outposts around Idlib and has been reinforced by troops and equipment as part of an agreement with Russia to stabilize the area and reduce the escalation of violence in the province. Separately, three Turkish soldiers were killed and another wounded in the southeastern Turkish province of Hakkari, which borders northern Iraq after the Kurdistan Workers' Party militants carried out a cross-border shelling. As for Turkey’s ties with the world, the US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said that the Pentagon will halt manufacturing support for the F-35 fighter jets in Turkey if Ankara buys Russian S-400 missile defense system. The S-400 deal signed by Turkey and Russia in December 2017 has been an enduring source of tension between Ankara and Washington. More on international pressure against Turkey’s behavior was EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini urging Ankara to rethink its plans to start exploratory drilling for oil and gas off Cyprus. Mogherini had already condemned the drilling as illegal by the European Union (EU). "We express grave concern over Turkey's announced intention to carry out drilling activities within the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus," Mogherini said in a statement.

Algeria Military Judge Orders Arrest of Bouteflika’s Brother
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 5 May, 2019/The youngest brother of former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and two former intelligence chiefs were on Sunday placed in custody, state TV reported. Said Bouteflika and the two generals, Athmane Tartag and Mohamed Mediene, were arrested on Saturday, it said. The three are under investigation over "harming the army's authority and plotting against state authority," it said, quoting a statement from the prosecutor at the military court of Blida, south of Algiers. Said Bouteflika, who served as a top advisor to the presidency, acted as Algeria's de facto ruler after his brother suffered a stroke in 2013 that left him in a wheelchair. Mediene had been intelligence chief for 25 years until his dismissal by Bouteflika in 2015. Massive protests calling for a radical change to Bouteflika's government pushed the ailing president to resign on April 2. Demonstrators continue to demand the removal of all those linked to the former administration. Army chief of staff Ahmed Gaed Salah has promised to rid the country of corrupt politicians and military officials in order to restore confidence among the people.

Pope Arrives in Bulgaria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/May 05/2019/Pope Francis arrived in Bulgaria on Sunday, where he will meet members of the tiny Catholic community, but the main Orthodox Church has rejected the idea of holding joint prayers with the pontiff.
Prime Minister Boyko Borisov met Francis at the airport, with the government welcoming how the visit has put the former communist country, which joined the EU in 2007, and the Balkans in the international spotlight. The three-day tour, which also takes in North Macedonia, includes a visit to a refugee camp on the outskirts of Sofia and a commemoration of Mother Teresa, the most famous native of the Macedonian capital Skopje. Borisov has welcomed Francis' visit, saying it "reflects his interest in the peaceful economic development of the Balkans."It will also provide a welcome change for Borisov's administration which has seen several senior members mired in real estate scandals in recent weeks. Francis, whose papacy has been marred by a wave of child sex abuse allegations against clergy, has made improving interfaith dialogue a priority. But last month the Bulgarian Orthodox Church's Holy Synod rejected the idea of Orthodox priests participating in a joint "prayer for peace" with the pope in a Sofia square which had been planned for Monday. The Orthodox Church is instead sending a children's choir to the downgraded meeting which will be attended by at least one of Sofia's Muslim leaders, a Vatican source said.
One God'
"I'm an Orthodox Christian, but I admire the pope's openness and sensitivity. Why stay attached to medieval dogmas? There is only one God," said Dora Kraytcheva, 48, ahead of the pope's arrival. While the visit will be a particular highlight for the tiny Catholic communities in both countries -- 44,000 in Bulgaria and 20,000 in North Macedonia -- it is the interaction with their two Orthodox churches that will be most keenly watched. The Bulgarian church also made clear its opposition to any religious service when the pope visits Sofia's St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Sunday, after he meets with Borisov and President Rumen Radev. Bulgaria is the only Orthodox church not to participate in a commission fostering dialogue with the Roman Catholic church. Relations between Rome and other Orthodox churches have been warming, with February 2016 seeing the historic meeting between Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in Cuba. That was the first such encounter since the schism nearly 1,000 years ago that tore Christianity in two. The meeting was sharply criticized by conservative Russian nationalists -- the same tendency that has acted as a brake on any moves by Bulgaria's Patriarch Neophyte towards greater openness.
Hate speech
The Argentine pontiff's visit to Bulgaria and North Macedonia comes after the leaders of both countries extended an invitation to him following a traditional annual visit to the tomb of St Cyril in Rome. Borisov has since 2017 governed thanks to the support of nationalist groups whose members "resort to hate speech and aggressive behaviour towards the most vulnerable groups in society to ride on people's fears," according to the Bulgarian branch of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights.In April 2018, the Council of Europe voiced concern about Bulgarian efforts to integrate Middle Eastern refugees and the "generally negative public opinion" concerning refugees. Days before arriving in Sofia, the pope hit out at "conflictual nationalism" which "raises walls, even racism.""The way in which a nation welcomes migrants reveals its vision of human dignity," he said on Thursday. Currently Bulgaria's migrant reception centres have an occupancy rate of only 10 percent, while the entire 274-kilometer (170-mile) Bulgarian-Turkish border is equipped with a barbed-wire fence.

Turkey to Buy Russian Missiles despite U.S. 'Threats'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/May 05/2019/Turkey on Sunday dismissed U.S. threats of sanctions if it went ahead with a Russian missile purchase, saying it would not renege on a pledge to Moscow. Washington has warned its NATO ally for months that Ankara's adoption of Russian S-400 missile technology alongside U.S. F-35 fighters would pose a threat to the jets and endanger Western defence. The U.S. has said it will halt a joint F-35 programme with Turkey if it acquires the Russian missile defence system. A U.S. law furthermore provides for sanctions on any country concluding arms deals with Russian companies. "The U.S. threats of sanctions shows that they don't know Turkey," Vice President Fuat Oktay told Kanal 7 television. "The decision on the S-400 has been taken. Once a pact has been signed, one's word given, Turkey respects it," he said. The S-400 purchase is one dispute fuelling tensions between two nations also at odds over U.S. support for Syrian Kurdish militias which Ankara brands as terrorists and Turkish backing for U.S. foe Venezuela. Ankara said the first deliveries of the S-400 are scheduled for June or July. Last month, after repeated warnings, the United States said Turkey's decision to buy the S-400 system was incompatible with it remaining part of the emblematic F-35 jet programme.Turkey had planned to buy 100 F-35A fighter jets, with pilots already training in the United States. Washington has placed a freeze on the joint manufacturing operations with Turkey, and suggested Ankara might be able to obtain a U.S. missile defence system if it forgoes the one on offer from Moscow.

Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on May 05-06/19
Isolation Strangles Turkey
Salman Al-dossary/Asharq Al Awsat/May 05/2019
A quick review over Turkey's foreign relations throughout the past decade would clearly show how some countries lose their alliances, special relations and friends to suddenly find themselves alone.
Turkey’s relations started to deteriorate with Germany through the Netherlands, Greece, Austria, Cyprus, France, Sweden and Denmark, reaching Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and the United States of America.
Its reckless policies, based on a right-wing populist scheme led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have distanced its vast majority of former friends, except for Qatar and Iran, its closest allies. Notably, they both also suffer from isolation; as though these countries are meant to unite and be isolated together. It’s so easy to list Turkey’s political mistakes. For example, its unlimited support for the Muslim Brotherhood, which is classified as a terrorist organization by many countries around the world. It also allows a large number of displaced people and migrants from Syria, Iraq and other countries to travel illegally to Europe, in order to blackmail it. Not to mention its unjustified verbal attacks against Saudi Arabia and UAE, the establishment of a military base in Qatar - after the detestable exploitation of the Gulf crisis, the ugly and cheap political use of the case of Jamal Khashoggi, the outsmart act of combining its NATO membership and buying advanced weapons from Russia and its support for extremist groups in Syria.
Had not the article’s word count been limited, I wouldn’t have stopped counting more reckless Turkish foreign policies that led to its distressing isolation.
The result is that Turkey no longer has real friends nor allies in the Middle East and abroad. It has become alone, facing an augmenting political crisis on one hand and an economic one on the other hand. Erdogan’s greatest problem is that he wants to impose his vision all over his country’s features, causing the state to become politically fragile and in constant tension with others, since isolation is only one of the crisis’s consequences. Economically, however, the disaster is inevitable. The Turkish economy is currently suffering as it never did before. It has been in recession since the end of 2018, inflation has amounted to about 20 percent, food and medicine are becoming much more expensive, the lira is under intense pressure and its price fluctuates repeatedly with temporary losses of two percent per day.
Turkey also has to pay about $118 billion in foreign currency loans during the next 12 months. It has lost tourists from the GCC because they feel they are in danger in Turkish cities, according to official Turkish reports.
All this proves that Erdogan is neglecting the fact that his country is geographically diverse and politically complex for one person to decide its features, according to his own vision. Had the economic collapse brought Erdogan to power in 2002, perhaps a future economic collapse could mean the end of his rule.
Of course, Turkey’s isolation did not begin today. It is ineluctable to recall the failed coup d'état of July 15, 2016, after which Erdogan decided to choose a different path. He has become increasingly tyrannical in a gradual manner by playing the role of the “oppressive ruler,” as described by Soner Cagaptayin his book, “The New Sultan.” Erdogan did not only use the power of the state of emergency, which allowed him to prosecute the mass who were accused of organizing the coup, but also launched a much broader campaign against all opponents.
This path was at the internal level. On the foreign level, he used the conspiracy theory in his frequent speeches among his supporters, being the world's most prominent leader delivering speeches. The “Crusader” Europe, as Erdogan described it, is conspiring against his country, adding that the United States is also conspiring against it by hosting Fethullah Gulen, and he did not exclude Saudi Arabia, the UAE and his own people. Aren’t there currently about 260,000 detainees in Turkish prisons, including 44,000 accused of terrorism?!
While delivering his populist rhetoric, Erdogan found acceptance among his supporters, who only make up to 50 percent of the country's population. While the second 50 percent expressed their position during the last municipal elections in which the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost the country's three most important and big cities. The extent of his popularity also came to light in the referendum on amending the constitution in 2017 after only 51.5 percent agreed on this amendment, while the rest rejected it. This all sheds the light on an unfortunate fact that the country is already in a major crisis, and that isolation is only the tip of the iceberg. Turkey has become deeply divided between a right-wing conservative camp of pro-Erdogan Turkish nationalists and another group of anti-Erdogan secularists, leftists, liberals and Kurds. Erdogan, for his part, uses the conspiracy theory as a pretext to all the political, economic and social problems faced by his country. As isolation grows and further strangles the country, the whole world sees this fact except for one man who dreams to play the Sultan’s role, even if with a paper crown.

Iranian Foreign Minister’s Magic Act Falls Flat
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/May 05/2019
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was in New York on the pretext of attending UN meetings but used the opportunity to visit US media, intellectual and research institutions in an attempt to induce the elites there to agree with his country’s stance.
However, the truth is that Zarif needed this visit to fix his broken image inside Iran itself. The foreign minister wanted to prove that he is a “shrewd dealer” who can make the West buy anything — as he did with the EU and the Barack Obama administration in the past. But this time, and faced with strong Republican figures, he cannot succeed without making genuine concessions. From his numerous dialogues, I have chosen to discuss his speech at the Asia Society in New York and his YouTube interview. It is not difficult to discern the motives of his propaganda campaign in the US. Iran is going through a difficult stage in its history owing to harsh US economic sanctions, and growing internal protests over wars and poverty.
In a lengthy speech, Zarif claimed there was a conspiracy against Tehran by leaders he referred to as the B team — Mohammed bin Salman, Mohammed bin Zayed, Benjamin Netanyahu and John Bolton, Trump’s national security adviser. He claimed they were plotting something against his country before the US presidential election (maybe so that Trump would win). Zarif thinks that by spreading suspicion, he can divide the pro-Trump bloc. There is no doubt that Trump’s policy is in the interest of the US and the region’s countries because Washington’s announced goal is suitable for all, which is to force Iran to stop launching wars and supporting terrorism and turn into a peace-loving state.
Zarif wants to divert attention from discussing the core issue. He completely neglected discussing the Trump administration’s demands, the first of which is that Iran permanently — not temporarily, as Obama demanded — end uranium enrichment for military purposes. The second demand is that Iran ceases its aggressive and militaristic activities in the region.
Like a magician, Zarif wants to divert people’s attention to other matters. The real issue is Iran’s plan to dominate Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, the Arabian Gulf, and Yemen. The commander of the Iranian Quds Force runs the battles in Damascus and Beirut, and tens of thousands of fighters were sent there by Iran. Regional countries, as well as the international community, are worried about this terrible invasion.
Paradoxically, the nuclear agreement played an enabling role by lifting the trade embargo and ignoring the military expansion in the region, in addition to rewarding the regime with more than $100 billion. Zarif complained of a conspiracy, quoting the response of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when asked if there was a plot in Iran. Pompeo had said: “Even if we did, would I be telling you guys about it?”The Iranian foreign minister insisted that Pompeo’s response indicated that there was a conspiracy, as he said before, that the B team was plotting against Iran. He did not discuss the reasons that brought the situation to this dangerous stage, whether there was a conspiracy, a plot, or only a blockade. If his regime accepted only two conditions — the cancelation of the military enrichment project and the aggressive policy — the crisis would have ended.
Zarif knows his limitations in Tehran. He cannot and does not have any influence on strategic decisions within the Tehran regime. He is an employee who has been marginalized to the point that he was not included in meetings of senior leaders, such as receiving the Syrian president. His response was to resign through his Twitter account — when Twitter is banned in Iran except for the regime’s leaders — so that his resignation took on an international dimension, and the regime was forced to retreat.
There is more to the story.

The Western Allies Need More Eyes on the World
James Stavridis/Bloomberg/May 05/2019
Every challenge the US faces today — the rise of China, a resurgent Russia, the North Korean nuclear weapons program, Iranian adventurism throughout the Middle East, cyberthreats and many more — all have one thing in common: the need for high-grade, accurate intelligence. And as any intelligence expert will tell you, an accurate picture is not a sweeping oil painting, it is a mosaic. You build up that picture one small stone at a time until you can step back from what you have developed and have a full view of actionable intelligence. To do this in the fastest possible time, you need as many allies, partners and friends contributing stones as possible. No individual nation is as smart as all working together: Intelligence-sharing is the key to creating true security. Today one of the most effective collaborations globally is the so-called Five Eyes agreement to fully share intelligence between the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The founding agreements were initiated in the immediate post-World War II period. Again and again, Five Eyes has proven its worth, saving countless lives and helping win the Cold War. It maintained secrets so well that its very existence wasn’t known by the public until the mid-2000s.
When I was the NATO commander in Afghanistan, I was pleasantly surprised at how effectively our much smaller partners were able to contribute a key name, a precise geolocation, ascribe a motive, or a detailed timeline for a Taliban operation. Throughout my long career at sea, I constantly benefited from the maritime intelligence that flowed on Five Eyes circuits. The arrangement facilitates sharing of not only signals intelligence (listening to cell phones and other communications), but also human intelligence (gathered from operatives) and satellite intelligence. It’s also attuned to new threats: The intelligence chiefs of all five nations met in Scotland last month to discuss, among other things, the risk posed by the Chinese telecom giant Huawei.
But as we look at the effectiveness of the concept and the increasing number of global challenges, there is good reason to think about expanding from the original five allies to at least seven.
The instance Israel has a legendary intelligence service in the Mossad, and a deep pipeline into every country in the Middle East. The Israelis are motivated to share intelligence at elevated levels given the existential threats they face; have a long history of military cooperation with the US; and can bring one of the world’s best cyberforces to the table. For example, when NATO embarked on the Libyan operation in 2011, it was Israeli intelligence that assisted us in getting a complete picture of al-Qaeda terror cells operating in that very complicated battle space.
The other natural addition would be Japan. Just as Israel would provide coverage in the Middle East, Japan would be extraordinarily helpful in northeast Asia. Japan has excellent intelligence capabilities and a top-notch set of military and civilian intelligence leaders. The government of Prime Minster Shinzo Abe is determined to increase defense spending; and — like Israel — is highly motivated given the dangers in the neighborhood, including North Korean missiles, the maritime dispute with China over the Senkaku islands, and a growing Russian military presence in its far east. Japan also has a very strong sense of alliance with the US. During a recent trip there, I met with very senior government intelligence officials and came away impressed with the nuance and depth of the views about the region.
There are other strong candidates, including several European nations. Obviously, there is deep intelligence-sharing among the 29 nations of NATO, but not at the same full-access level of the Five Eyes. France, particularly, is very sophisticated and has strong links in nations across Africa. There were serious discussions about bringing France into Five Eyes some years ago, but both sides leaned back.
And other Asian allies such as South Korea and Singapore would also be natural fits.

Iran's 'Terror Factory' Targeting Christians
أوزاي بيولت/معهد جيتستون: مصنع الإرهاب الإيراني يستهدف المسيحيين
Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/May 05/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/74525/%d8%a3%d9%88%d8%b2%d8%a7%d9%8a-%d8%a8%d9%8a%d9%88%d9%84%d8%aa-%d9%85%d8%b9%d9%87%d8%af-%d8%ac%d9%8a%d8%aa%d8%b3%d8%aa%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%85%d8%b5%d9%86%d8%b9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b1%d9%87%d8%a7%d8%a8/
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14164/iran-targeting-christians
"In Iran, any practice that contradicts Islam is regarded as a national security threat, punished severely by the court system." — International Christian Concern, 2019.
"Revolutionary courts were created to guard against all threats to Islam. These courts have evolved into a well-oiled machine of oppres­sion that operates with impunity under state protection. The courts are closely intertwined with the Intelligence Ministry. Judges have at their disposal Revolutionary Guards (secret police) and a network of prisons used to torture and interrogate Christians." — International Christian Concern.
"If you recant and repent, you'll go to jail. And if you don't, you'll be killed." — Dr. Mike Ansari from Heart4Iran, an Iranian Christian minister, reported by International Christian Concern.
"Christians may be looking at large fines, detention, lengthy prison sentences, or even execution under Islamic Sharia law. The sentences of Christian converts are left up to the interpretation of the judge and may be founded on anything -- the judge's mood that day, what he had for breakfast, his interpretation of Sharia law, or his level of hatred toward Christianity." — International Christian Concern.
Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz, his wife Shamiram and their son Ramiel were arrested in Iran, held and interrogated at Evin Prison (known for its abuse and torture of dissidents), and sentenced to prison terms for "crimes" related to Christianity. Pictured: Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran.
The daughter of a former pastor in Iran -- Dabrina Bet-Tamraz -- recently described the persecution and suffering to which her family is being subjected after being sentenced to lengthy prison terms for "crimes" related to Christianity.
Speaking from the safety of refuge in Switzerland, where she managed to flee with the help of friends, Dabrina Bet-Tamraz, the daughter of Victor and Shamiram Bet-Tamraz, told Gatestone Institute:
"I was arrested many times in Iran. I was threatened, forced to cooperate with the government against pastors, Christian leaders and church members. I was kept in custody with no legal permit, with no female officer present and in male surroundings.
"I now feel safe in Switzerland, but when Iranian MOIS [intelligence agency] officers published an article on social media with my pictures and home address -- encouraging Iranian men living in Switzerland to 'pay me a visit' -- I had to move to another house."
It has been nearly a year since Dabrina appealed to the UN's Human Rights Council in Geneva to intervene to overturn the "false and baseless charges" imposed on her father, mother, brother and other Christians and Christian converts in Iran. The timeline of her family's arrests is as follows:
In 2014, Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz was arrested, along with two converts to Christianity from Islam, during a private Christmas gathering in his home in Tehran.
In 2016, Ramiel Bet-Tamraz, the pastor's son (Dabrina's brother), was arrested along with four of his friends, all Muslim converts to Christianity, during a picnic in Tehran. They were held and interrogated at Evin Prison, known for its abuse and torture of dissidents.
In 2017, Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz and two converts were convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison for "conducting evangelism" and carrying out "illegal church activities."
Meanwhile, the pastor's wife, Shamiram (Dabrina's mother), was summoned to the Office of the Prosecutor in Evin Prison and subsequently sentenced to 10 years in jail for "membership of a group with the purpose of disrupting national security" and for "gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national security."
Her family members have all appealed their convictions. While the appeals are pending, the family members are currently out on bail and awaiting further hearings.
Dabrina said that her family has been living in limbo -- something that is taking a psychological and financial toll on their lives and livelihood:
"They are trying to survive, not knowing what is going to happen next, not being able to make plans about their future. Their lives are just on hold.
"They are living with constant anxiety, powerless, not having security and safety even in their own home. They are fully aware of the dangers around them but are not able to do anything to protect themselves. They are watched, controlled and wiretapped; it is their everyday life. Every time they get a phone call, they are filled with fear: It might be Iranian intelligence officers calling them for an interrogation session or a court hearing.
"All my father's money has been frozen. He has no income now and is not allowed to have a government job. He is 65 years old and is living on a pension that is not even enough to pay for food.
"Also, my brother was constantly accused by his interrogators of carrying on my father's ministry -- of teaching and preaching the Bible, since my father is no longer able to do so."
The ministry, the Assyrian Pentecostal Church in Tehran, was shut down by the Iranian Interior Ministry in 2009, for offering services in the Persian language -- something that ethnic churches in Iran are not permitted to do. The church was only allowed to reopen after Bet-Tamraz was ousted and replaced with a different religious leader who conducted services in Assyrian.
Amnesty International launched a campaign to demand that the Iranian government "quash the convictions and sentences" of Bet-Tamraz, his wife, and the two other Christian defendants, and to "respect the right to freedom of thought, conscience and
The Assyrian Policy Institute sent a public letter to the head of the Iranian Judiciary and Tehran's Prosecutor General, requesting that they dismiss the charges against these Christians and "stop the harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention, and imprisonment of Christians, including converts, in Iran."
Last year, a group of United Nations "special rapporteurs" on human rights issued a joint statement calling on Iran to "ensure a fair and transparent final hearing" for Bet-Tamraz and the two Christian converts. The statement read, in part:
"We are aware of several other reported cases in which members of the Christian minority have received heavy sentences after being charged with 'threatening national security', either for converting people or for attending house churches.
"This shows a disturbing pattern of individuals being targeted because of their religion or beliefs, in this case a religious minority in the country.
"Members of the Christian minority in Iran, particularly those who have converted to the faith, are facing severe discrimination and religious persecution."
The story of the Bet-Tamraz family is part of what the human rights organization, International Christian Concern, has reported to be "Iran's Terror Factory" targeting Christians:
"In Iran, any practice that contradicts Islam is regarded as a national security threat, punished severely by the court system.
"Revolutionary courts were created to guard against all threats to Islam. These courts have evolved into a well-oiled machine of oppres­sion that operates with impunity under state protection. The courts are closely intertwined with the Intelligence Ministry. Judges have at their disposal Revolutionary Guards (secret police) and a network of prisons used to torture and interrogate Christians."
According to International Christian Concern, Dr. Mike Ansari from Heart4Iran, an Iranian Christian minister, said about victims of this court system: "If you recant and repent, you'll go to jail. And if you don't, you'll be killed."
The International Christian Concern report added:
"The penal code lacks guidance for the judiciary regarding Muslim converts. Christians may be looking at large fines, detention, lengthy prison sentences, or even execution under Islamic Sharia law. The sentences of Christian converts are left up to the interpretation of the judge and may be founded on anything -- the judge's mood that day, what he had for breakfast, his interpretation of Sharia law, or his level of hatred toward Christianity."
The above situation, Dabrina continued, is responsible for her family's plight.
"The judge has not even found enough evidence to sentence my mother. The case was not clear to him. He requested more information and documents from the interrogators. He will most likely take all the cases -- of my father, mother and brother -- together and call them all in for the next court hearing."
The trouble is, she said, no date for the next hearing has even been set.
*Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.
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Does Sudan’s road ahead lead to democracy or anarchy?
بارعة علم الدين: هل يتجه السودان إلى طريق الديموقراطية أم الدكتاتورية
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/May 05/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/74532/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%87%D9%84-%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%AC%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%8A/
Having spent time in Sudan, I was captivated by the elation felt by protesters at removing the widely loathed Omar Al-Bashir after 30 years in power — but I also felt a heavy sense of trepidation. Looking across the region, it is difficult to identify blueprints for successful transition, though there are numerous templates for failure.
These protesters, a significant proportion of whom are courageous young women, remain in the streets because they fear their revolution could be a mirage. Yes, we are told that Bashir and his henchmen are in jail, but they have been put there by many of the same military figures who had underpinned this regime. Will free and fair elections occur, and will people be given a genuine say in the nature of the new governing system? Will investigations into regime abuses be sufficiently rigorous? Will Bashir eventually be escorted to The Hague?
The Muslim Brotherhood neither inspired nor led the 2011 Cairo uprising, yet they hijacked it by being the best-organized entity. Sudan’s Islamists similarly enjoy organizational muscle thanks to periods of proximity to the regime. This makes them widely disliked by demonstrators who attacked meetings of Islamist organizations. However, in a devout society, Islamists could fare better than urban, middle-class movements associated with the protests, which lack common goals beyond removal of the regime.
A worst-case scenario would be following Libya and Yemen into inter-factional conflict. Given Sudan’s size, ongoing insurgencies, and the weakness of civil society, such a danger is genuine. This could be exacerbated by foreign interference: During the 1990s, Tehran and Osama bin Laden were among the few friends of the pariah Bashir regime. Sudan was a conduit for smuggled Iranian arms destined for African rebels, terrorists, rogue states and Palestinian militants. Qatar and Turkey recently sought to meddle in Sudan, and Sudanese Islamists view them as potential patrons. Russia and China will also act to protect and expand their interests.
The odds are thus stacked against a happy ending for Sudan, and also for Algeria which is undergoing its own parallel transition. The “Arab Spring” was catastrophic for regional stability, exacerbated by hostile powers such as Iran in Bahrain and Syria. Tunisia is endlessly cited as a success, but a close look reveals a highly dysfunctional situation of chronic political and economic crises, stalled reforms, corruption and non-existent public confidence.
Along Europe’s southern shores, Libya and Tunisia could have played out very differently. The West’s rush to disengage from Libya after Gaddafi’s death was one of the most disgustingly shortsighted pieces of statecraft I ever witnessed. The West helped rebels destroy the regime — they should have stayed to pick up the pieces.
Sudanese are among the most generous-spirited of peoples, but to enjoy the fruits of their revolution they will require infinitely more than good intentions.
Western political scientists are often unbelievably ignorant about how democracies are constructed. Figures such as the French intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy panglossianly propagated the criminally naïve impression that 2011 post-revolutionary states could sail off into blissful democratic futures. But cultivating institutions, civil society, democratic values, and enshrining checks and balances is a massively complex process. Economic turmoil and loss of investment and tourism revenue have fueled immense social volatility. Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Tunisia needed their own equivalent of the post-Second World War Marshall Plan; instead they were left to disintegrate.
The corrupt, brutal Gaddafi and Saleh regimes were truly repugnant, but we have painfully learned that even the worst governments are better than no government. When a governing system collapses into anarchy, it is impossibly tough to put the pieces back together — as the Americans found to their cost in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Despite glaring foreign policy failings, Barack Obama at least appeared to care about the consequences of his actions. His successor offers no such confidence, and Donald Trump’s private language reveals his contempt for, and incomprehension of, African and developing nations. European leaders follow his lead in shunning international responsibilities. Yet state collapse in Libya and Syria had extraordinarily destabilizing consequences for Europe, with panicked responses to refugee crises kicking open the door for the populist right’s ascendancy. Europe cannot afford to be passive observers and shoulder the cumulative ramifications of instability in Sudan, Algeria and Tunisia — combined with the extreme fragility of other sub-Saharan states such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, themselves plagued by extremist forces.
I will never forget traveling as a journalist with Bashir’s entourage as part of his 2010 election campaign and seeing the open contempt expressed toward voters: There were no realistic policies; just his usual belligerent rhetoric — and endless dancing. Bashir touted the International Criminal Court indictment as a war criminal as a badge of honor. Although independence for South Sudan was just months away, Bashir — as if in denial —never mentioned this when he rolled up in cities such as Juba and Malakal. South Sudan may remain in a protracted state of civil war, but at least Bashir is no longer around to stir the pot and bankroll insurgents.
Few protesters realize how precarious the road ahead of them will be and how desperately they require international support to prevent their revolution veering off course. GCC states have adopted a highly constructive approach to the uprising and already pledged $3bn; yet spiralling inflation, unaffordable subsidies and the virtual collapse of the banking system are just some of the structural crises a new leadership must address.
Sudanese are among the most generous-spirited of peoples, but to enjoy the fruits of their revolution they will require infinitely more than good intentions. They still have a mountain to climb in sidelining remnants of the Bashir regime, but it is then that the most difficult decisions begin. Nevertheless, we the international community have an historic opportunity to buck the region’s track record of failed revolutions and help make Sudan the glorious exception.
*Baria Alamuddin is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in the Middle East and the UK. She is editor of the Media Services Syndicate and has interviewed numerous heads of state.

Maximum pressure on Iran is driving internal change
د.ماجد رافيزادا: ضغط الدرجة القصوى على إيران يؤدي إلى تغيير داخلي
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/May 05/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/74530/%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%AF-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%B6%D8%BA%D8%B7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%89-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A5/
Only two weeks after designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist organization, the Trump administration also announced that it would no longer allow waivers for the purchase of Iranian oil after the current ones expire in May.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo even said there would be no grace period for compliance by the eight countries (China, India, Greece, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey and South Korea) that were previously granted limited access to Iran’s vital export. Fortunately, at least two of those countries have reportedly already reduced their imports to zero. The other six will have to follow suit immediately or face serious economic consequences.
These back-to-back initiatives demonstrate that the White House is moving quickly to implement its strategy of “maximum pressure” on the Iranian regime. The hope is that that pressure will bring its global oil exports as close to zero as possible, thereby forcing it back to the negotiating table and convincing it to, in Pompeo’s words, “behave like a normal country.”
The IRGC terror designation was a crucial and long-overdue gesture in support of that goal. Many Iran experts recognize that a change in the regime’s behavior is virtually unattainable as long as the IRGC continues to exert such outsized influence over the country’s security apparatus and civil society.
That influence has steadily grown over the years, especially under the nearly-30-year tenure of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. After taking over the theocratic regime from its founder, Khamenei employed the IRGC as a personal army, and made it the primary beneficiary of a privatization project in exchange.
Today, the IRGC has a hand in every major Iranian industry, and exerts control over the judiciary virtually any time it chooses to. According to the intelligence network associated with the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), the IRGC controls the vast majority of the nation’s gross domestic product.
If not for the newfound pressures originating in Washington, the IRGC’s consolidation of power would surely have continued or escalated.
If not for the newfound pressures originating in Washington, the IRGC’s consolidation of power would surely have continued or escalated. For this reason, Iranian opposition groups have eagerly embraced the terror designation. They have even urged the White House to extend that designation to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
Now that the taboo on sanctioning foreign government entities has been broken, this should be a fairly easy sell. After all, it seems that the ministry is primarily responsible for the planning of terrorist attacks that have been thwarted on Western soil in the past year. It is just as culpable for actual and potential deaths in terrorist incidents as the IRGC and its militant proxies such as Hezbollah.
Last June, multiple European authorities stopped the bombing of a pro-democracy rally organized outside Paris by the PMOI’s parent coalition, the NCRI. Had the plot succeeded, it might have killed any number of the dozens of American and European policymakers and activists in attendance. But the main victims would have been the same as those of most IRGC activities over the past 40 years: The Iranian people.
This goes to show that the interests of the people and of Tehran’s Western adversaries are generally one and the same. Though many critics of the Trump administration’s foreign policy would have us believe that Iran’s population stands to suffer from increased sanctions, the reality is that they will suffer much more if the country’s repressive authorities remain unconstrained.
Iran is ready for change. If this was not previously evident, it became clear at the beginning of last year when the country was rocked by nationwide anti-government protests. The leader of the PMOI and NCRI, Maryam Rajavi, predicted that it would lead to the people’s “final victory” over the clerical dictatorship. But she and other staunch opponents of the regime understand that this victory will not occur in isolation.
Maximum pressure is therefore the correct strategy for dealing with Tehran, and specific policy initiatives should continue to push aggressively in that direction, as they have clearly done in the past few weeks. The White House and its allies must avoid being discouraged by the pushback that they will no doubt receive from Tehran. Its open defiance is only a sign of its desperation in the face of dual pressures from its people and beyond Iran’s borders.
The regime’s intransigence only provides the people of Iran with greater motivation to rise up and demand change, which they will be well-positioned to secure when the IRGC’s power falters.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. He is a leading expert on Iran and US foreign policy, a businessman, and president of the International American Council. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh