English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese,
Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For November 22/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews19/english.november22.20.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
The angel Gabriel Delivers the Godly Message
To Virgin Mary
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint
Luke 01/26-38/:”In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town
in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph,
of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said,
‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by
his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to
her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you
will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will
be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will
give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of
Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’Mary said to the angel,
‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit
will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And
now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this
is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be
impossible with God.’Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it
be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on November 21-22/2020
Health Ministry: 1628 new cases of Corona,
16 deaths
US dollar exchange rate: Buying price at LBP 3850, selling price at LBP 3900
President Aoun's address to the nation on eve of Lebanon's 77th Independence Day
Sami Gemayel: Time has come for accountability and change, we decided to move
the confrontation to a new stage
Five prisoners die in accident after nearly 70 escape Lebanese jail: report
Over 60 Prisoners Escape from Baabda Prison, 5 Killed in Police Chase
Municipality Advises Caution as Inmates Remain at Large
Aoun, Fahmy discuss escape of detainees from Baabda prison
Report: France 'Asked' Hizbullah to Help Ease Bassil’s Position
Qassem Says Audit into Central Bank Accounts 'Must Not be Ignored'
Aoun’s remarks reflect Lebanon-Israel differences in border talks
Hariri in memory of Martyr Pierre Gemayel: I remember a friend and a struggle
comrade
Geagea commemorating Martyr Pierre Gemayel: You remain in the memory of a
nation's revolution
Launching of global support initiative to rebuild Beirut's cultural façade
Akar on Independence Day: To fortify our unity through more wisdom, vigilance
Alain Aoun: Lebanese have a right to financial recovery plan, accountability for
the past
Kanaan to propose project law to remove obstacles in way of permanent audit of
all state accounts
Abdel Samad commends all Lebanese TV Channels
Ibrahim: Eyes remain on the security institutions to ensure peace
Beirut begins clearance of port containers, probe drags on
US sanctions further complicate Lebanon’s political deadlock/Samar Kadi/The Arab
News/November 21/2020
Is Hezbollah's Ammonium Nitrate Linked to Plot against Jews in Argentina?/Seth
Frantzman/The Jerusalem Post/November 16/ 2020
America Must Stand with the Lebanese People/Tony Breidy/November 21/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
November 21-22/2020
Pope Francis urges youth to build new economy with poor after coronavirus
pandemic
Saudi Arabia confident Biden's administration will pursue regional stability: FM
G20 countries to give out 2 bln coronavirus vaccines worldwide, invested $21 bln
Biden Could Announce Cabinet Picks as Soon as Next Week
G20 Pumps USD 5 Trillion in Global Health Efforts to Combat Covid-19
Erdogan, Saudi King Agree to Enhance Ties
Erdogan Urges Dialogue With EU, Warns against Enmity with Turkey
Le Drian Says France Respects Islam, Muslims Part of the Country
Turkey Extends Seismic Survey Work in Disputed Mediterranean Area to Nov. 29
Netanyahu: Convicted Spy Pollard Expected in Israel Soon
US Extends Iraq Sanctions Waiver until before Biden Inauguration
Protests in Brazil after Security Guards Beat Black Man to Death
Titles For The Latest LCCC English
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 21-22/2020
US Urgently Needs to Challenge China's Chokehold on
Rare Earth Materials/Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute/November 21, 2020
G20 Summit… Economic Recovery and Global Reassurance/Zuhair Al-Harthi/Asharq Al
Awsat/November 21/2020
The G20 at the Extraordinary Riyadh Summit/Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al Awsat/November
21/2020
Palestinians suffer from isolation of their own making/Farouk Yousef/The Arab
News/November 21/2020
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on November 21-22/2020
Health Ministry: 1628 new cases of Corona, 16 deaths
NNA/November 21/2020
The Ministry of Public Health announced, on Saturday, the registration of 1628
new Corona cases, thus raising the cumulative number of confirmed cases to-date
to 115,242. It also indicated that 16 death cases were also registered during
the past 24 hours.
US dollar exchange rate: Buying price at LBP 3850, selling
price at LBP 3900
NNA/November 21/2020
The Money Changers Syndicate announced in a statement addressed to money
changing companies and institutions, Saturday’s USD exchange rate against the
Lebanese pound as follows:
Buying price at a minimum of LBP 3850
Selling price at a maximum of LBP 3900
President Aoun's address to the nation on eve of
Lebanon's 77th Independence Day
NNA/November 21/2020
On the eve of Lebanon's 77th Independence Day, President of the Republic,
General Michel Aoun, delivered the following address to the nation:
"My fellow Lebanese ladies and gentlemen,
It is the seventy-seventh year of Lebanon's independence, and unfortunately,
this year has been packed with all sorts of crises and hardships that have
reflected adversely on the lives of all the Lebanese, whether on their
livelihoods, their lifetime savings or the future of their children. Some were
affected even more cruelly, having lost loved ones in the worst disaster that
has struck the heart of our capital, or due to a pandemic that has invaded the
world and is still reaping victims.
Yes, our reality today is not promising; but being aware of the reality does not
mean accepting it or giving in to it, for our people are made of resistance to
guarantee their right to existence. I am keeping my promise to dig in the rock,
no matter how solid it gets, in order to open the road to salvation for the
nation.
My fellow Lebanese,
Independence, as per the general concept, means political independence and the
country's emancipation from occupation, mandate, foreign trusteeship, political
dependence...but the Lebanese experience states that all of this is not enough
for a nation to be independent, because there are many restrictions that turn us
into prisoners.
Today, our country is the prisoner of a system of political, financial and
administrative corruption, covered by all kinds of legalized confessional,
sectarian and social shields, to the extent that corruption has become a culture
and a philosophy, having its own preachers, justifiers and defenders.
Our country is the prisoner of a system that forbids accountability, jointly and
severally, and provides the necessary pretexts and innovations to bypass laws
and obstruct their implementation.
Our country is the prisoner of a rentier economy that has killed production and
oriented it towards indebtedness, placing it forcibly in a state of dependence
to meet its needs, and in subordination to creditors.
Our country is the prisoner of a Judiciary which is shackled by politics and by
the predominance of the powerful.
Our country is the prisoner of obstructive vexatious policies that prevent any
progress or achievement.
Our country is the prisoner of grudges and demonizing instigation that almost
turns its youth into siblings-enemies.
Our country is the prisoner of external dictations and attractions and internal
subordinations that make independence, sovereignty and democracy empty words.
My fellow Lebanese,
The shackling constraints are many, but breaking them is not impossible if we
truly want to build the nation and achieve effective emancipation and
independence. Out of obligation of frankness, I hereby tell you that reform and
Statehood are subject to your will, express it!
If we want Statehood, it is inevitable to fight corruption because no powerful
and active State can stand tall in light of corruption, and this begins by
imposing the forensic financial audit, then by passing in Parliament draft and
propositions of laws on reform, accountability and financial regulation, on top
of which the restoration of looted funds, the special tribunal for financial
crimes, the automatic investigation into the financial status of people
undertaking a public service...and at least adopting laws that preserve and
protect human dignity, most notably the Old-Age Security law.
If we want Statehood, the need is pressing to concentrate efforts on ensuring
economic self-sufficiency, granting the required importance to production and
its needs, which is the cornerstone in building a national and independent
economy; and it goes without saying that there is no real independence for a
country whose economy is externally ridden.
If we want Statehood, it is indispensable to free the State institutions from
the influence of politicians and poles of reference, so that decisions and
appointments would be based on competence, integrity, merit, productivity and
unified criteria, which are all available in all confessions.
Last but not least, Statehood, in its most basic components, needs an active and
efficient government. Hasn't the time come yet, under all the current pressing
circumstances, to liberate the process of the formation of the government-to-be
from attractions and from hiding behind rescue initiatives to deviate from the
unified rules and criteria that must be respected and implemented on everyone in
order to straighten the formation and functioning of the executive branch?
Especially that this government has ahead of it missions that are labeled as
immediate, urgent and rescue-oriented, most notably launching the workshop of
pressing structural reforms, rebuilding Beirut and healing its wounds,
developing the financial recovery plan and embodying it in laws and implementing
decrees.
My fellow Lebanese,
Three months and a half have gone by since the disaster of the Beirut Port
blast, and Lebanon and the world are still waiting for the outcome of the
investigation. With all due respect to the confidentiality of the probe which is
imposed by law and to the independence of the Judiciary, I - from my position -
call for its acceleration, with no rush, because the Lebanese, and in particular
those who were directly hit by the calamity, notably the wounded, the parents of
the victims and the right holders, are entitled to know the results: first to
unveil the truth, criminalize the culprit and exonerate the wrongfully accused,
and second to free the rights of the affected.
Evidently, the investigation should include all the aspects of the disaster and
not be merely confined to administrative responsibilities.
My fellow Lebanese,
Amid the challenges that we are faced with and that surround our country, it is
imperative to affirm that Lebanon holds on to its full sovereign borders, and
hopes that negotiations on the demarcation of the Southern maritime borders will
bear fruit, whereas Lebanon will recover all its rights, pursuant to
international pacts, and the Blue Line will be corrected to fit the delineated,
fixed and internationally-recognized land borders.
As for what is going on around us and in the world in terms of drastic
international and regional changes and transformations, what is striking therein
is the recognition of Israel by many Arab States which marched towards full
normalization with it; and this implies, unfortunately, a tacit acceptance of
the loss of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the Golan, along with an increased frequency
of American pressure before the new administration takes office, and a renewed
involvement of Russia in the file of the displaced.
These changes will undoubtedly have important repercussions on Lebanon, and it
is not up to any official or government to decide solely the policies that ought
to be adopted regarding the new reality that requires great solidarity,
especially that we are on the verge of deadlines that may change the face of the
region.
It is therefore a must to launch a national dialogue to discuss the changes
imposed in all political, security and defense sectors, in order to be able to
keep up with this phase, whereas all differences are put aside and wills
converge to come up, together, with a unified position that fortifies Lebanon
and does not allow it to be the sacrifice and scapegoat of greater
understandings.
Here I wish to address the Armed Forces...
Dear Soldiers,
We have an oath in common: for me, the oath of preserving the Constitution, the
laws and the country's independence and territorial integrity, and for you, the
oath of defending and protecting the nation. At this stage, your role is
pivotal, not only to protect and defend the borders, but also to safeguard the
national unity that many are seeking to undermine. This is your main mission
today, and I am fully confident that you will carry it out with utmost
faithfulness and commitment.
In turn, I promise you that I will not relinquish any of Lebanon's rights, nor
will I sign any project that does not serve its interest.
My Fellow Lebanese,
Lebanon was notified yesterday of the regrettable decision of the forensic
auditing firm Alvarez & Marsal to withdraw from the mission that was assigned to
it, because the Banque du Liban has not provided it with the required
information and documents which enable it to carry out its work according to the
applicable international standards, and because of uncertainty that it would
receive them during the remaining period.
The least that can be said under these circumstances is that this is a setback
for the logic of Statehood, disclosure, accountability, judgement and
transparency, because forensic audit is the gateway to every reform, for it is
capable of pointing out the locations of corruption and waste, and identifying
the causes of the present collapse and the people responsible for it; it had
also been decided that this audit would apply to all ministries, administrations
and institutions after the Central Bank, because without it, it would be vain to
fight corruption. Moreover, the audit is included in all reform papers,
especially the French initiative, and it is one of the prerequisites for getting
assistance programs from the International Monetary Fund, the States and the
donor funds...Nevertheless - or let's say therefore - the obstacles and bumps
that the audit encountered were numerous, and as it overcame a hurdle, another
one - harsher and harder - would emerge, and the interest-driven roadblocks
remained raised in its face with a masterful camouflage, till they finally
managed to strike this blow to it.
I hereby state it most clearly:
I will not pull out or part with my battle against the endemic corruption in our
institutions, although it is currently an unequal battle against a solid system
that has been holding the junctions of financial decisions for decades.
I will not back off in the issue of forensic financial audit, no matter what the
obstacles may be, and I will take the necessary measures to re-launch its
financial track.
I call on the deputies of the nation to fulfill their legislative duty on the
basis of which people granted them their confidence.
And I call on the media to fight this battle with utmost honesty and
transparency because here is the real battlefield for the fight against
corruption.
As for you, my fellow compatriots, I call on you to stand up together, to exert
pressure where needed and raise the voice in the right place in view of winning
this fight, because this is the fundamental battle to save Lebanon.
Long Live Lebanon!" --- [Presidency Press Office]
Sami Gemayel: Time has come for accountability and
change, we decided to move the confrontation to a new stage
NNA/November 21/2020
"Fate and history insist on confirming the link between the Kataeb Party's
history and the independence of Lebanon," said Kataeb Party Chief, resigned MP
Sami Gemayel, during an online Party meeting held today marking the anniversary
of its foundation and the martyrdom of former minister and MP Pierre
Gemayel.Gemayel stressed that the time has come for accountability and change.
"Lebanon is going through a most difficult phase and we are at crossroads, but
the time is not for us to think about surrender. There are many countries other
than Lebanon that have gone through economic and existential crises, solved
their problems and built their country again," he affirmed. Gemayel explained
that they have proposed a large part of the solutions required and put in place
economic action plans for the country's advancement; however, each solution
attempt is unfortunately faced with two major barriers: the weapons issue and
the corrupt ruling system. "To the leadership of Hezbollah, I say: You plunge
Lebanon into conflicts it has no interest in; isolating it and dragging it into
sanctions, preventing change, and protecting corruption through your rejection
of elections. Your weapons are the opposite of pluralism, economy and stability;
your weapons are divisive and keep the Lebanese away and render them
isolated...The Lebanese will not accept to coexist with your weapons that are
destructive to the present and the future," Gemayel underlined. He added: "To
the political system, I say: In 2016, through the presidential settlement, you
delivered the decision to Hezbollah, in solidarity and collaboration, in
exchange for bits of authority...You destroyed the economy, concluded deals,
disrupted the country, dragged it into complete collapse, and planted your
henchmen within administrations that you turned into hotbeds of corruption...The
Central Bank of Lebanon became your fund, and today you refuse investigation
into its accounts. Today you distribute roles, and in the end you fend for one
another." "The time has come for accountability and change, and we have decided
to move the confrontation to a new stage. Lebanon cannot tolerate more and
cannot continue to live in the temporary, and it is time for us to unite,"
Gemayel underscored. "No one will help us if we do not stand up and demand our
right to a decent living, and we will break down barriers and unify ranks for
the sake of confrontation," he assured. "The Kataeb is working with all callers
for change, sovereign strugglers and groups away from selfishness because
confrontation requires us to be a 'one heart' in order to achieve change," vowed
Gemayel. "The Kataeb project is not one of a resistance society that thrives on
war, destruction and weapons. Our project is a project of peace, openness,
culture and art based on human joy," he reassured. "The time has come to have a
break, to take a chance and build a country and a future for our children with
culture, development, openness and peace. It is our right to live in peace!"
accentuated Gemayel.
Five prisoners die in accident after nearly 70 escape
Lebanese jail: report
The Hill/November 21/2020
Five prisoners among the nearly 70 who escaped from a Lebanese detention center
Saturday were killed after a car they seized hit a tree, according to Reuters.
Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces (ISF) said in a statement that 69 prisoners
escaped from a prison facility outside the Lebanese capital of Beirut, although
the group did not say how the detainees managed to flee. Reuters reported that a
security source said the detention center in the Baabda district holds prisoners
awaiting trial. In its statement, the ISF said 15 of the prisoners have been
caught, and another four turned themselves in. Five of the prisoners died and
one was injured and taken to a hospital after a stolen car crashed into a tree,
ISF told Reuters. Lebanese President Michel Aoun has reportedly been
briefed on the situation and ordered an intensification of the search for the
other escaped prisoners.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that the prisoners escaped after
breaking open their cell doors. According to Reuters, riots have recently
erupted inside Lebanese jails, and some family members have organized protests
over the detainees’ safety amid the spread of COVID-19. Top GOP super PACs drop
$70 million on Georgia Senate runoffs. Rittenhouse released from Wisconsin jail
on bond. In September, The Associated Press reported that more than 200 of the
3,000 detainees at Roumieh Prison, Lebanon’s largest prison, had tested positive
for the virus. According to the AP, several of the prisoners had refused to take
preventive measures to protect themselves from the infection due to the belief
that contracting the virus would speed up their release. As of Saturday, Lebanon
has experienced a total of more than 113,000 coronavirus infections, with 884
deaths as a result of the virus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins
University.
Over 60 Prisoners Escape from Baabda Prison, 5 Killed in
Police Chase
Agence France Presse/November 21/2020
A mass escape from a detention center in Baabda took place on Saturday at dawn
where 69 people managed to flee, including five who later died in a car accident
on a nearby road, media reports said. The prisoners broke past tight security at
the facility near the presidential palace in Baabda, near Beirut, early in the
morning, according to a judicial source. Security forces cordoned off the area
and kicked off a large manhunt. According to Akhbar Alyawm news agency, the
prisoners escaped at dawn from the facility after breaking down the doors of
their cells, and beating a security officer who was on his way to collect the
trash. Reports said that the escapees overpowered officials, and managed to lock
some security guards in a cell before fleeing away. The source said that after
escaping the prison ground, fifteen have since been recaptured while five others
died after a car they hijacked swerved into a tree in slippery road conditions
near the Constitutional Council in Hadath area. Another four had handed
themselves back in, leaving 44 on the run. The state-run National News Agency
reported the breakout and crash but did not specify how many people had fled or
the accident toll.
Lebanon's Internal Security Forces were not immediately available for comment.
With the remaining detainees still at large, local authorities have called on
residents to be on alert, and security forces have deployed heavily to sweep the
area. Prosecutor Ghada Aoun has ordered an immediate investigation. Speaking to
AFP, she said she did not rule out the possibility of "collusion between the
detainees and security guards tasked with protecting their cell." The mass
escape comes as detainees across Lebanon have called on parliament to approve a
draft general amnesty law that would see thousands of them freed from
coronavirus-hit prisons. Lebanon has recorded over 113,000 Covid-19 cases
including 884 deaths since its outbreak first began in February. The country is
currently under lockdown until the end of the month to stem an uptick in
infections.
Municipality Advises Caution as Inmates Remain at Large
Agence France Presse/November 21/2020
Hadath municipality advised caution on Saturday warning local residents to be
alert after the mass escape of prisoners from a near Baabda prison. In a
statement the municipality said the security forces and army troops are on a
manhunt to capture prisoners who escaped Saturday at dawn.
The prisoners are believed to seek refuge in neighborhoods close to the prison
in Baabda, Hadath and other areas. The municipality said the escapees could be
dangerous, and urged residents to report to the police in case of suspicions.
Police hunted for 44 fugitive prisoners who escaped from a detention centre, on
the outskirts of Beirut, calling on local residents to be on alert. Despite
tight security, 69 people broke out of the facility near the presidential palace
in Baabda, east of Beirut, a police statement said. Five were killed in a car
accident, when they lost control of the stolen vehicle as they rushed away and
crashed into a tree. One other person was taken to hospital. By early afternoon
on Saturday, 15 had been recaptured, and another four had handed themselves back
in, leaving 44 on the run.
Aoun, Fahmy discuss escape of detainees from Baabda
prison
NNA/November 21/2020
President of the Republic, Michel Aoun, was briefed this morning on the details
of the escape of a number of detainees from Baabda Prison by Caretaker Minister
of Interior and Municipalities, Mohamed Fahmy, whereby he demanded that they be
tracked down and arrested, and that an investigation be initiated into the
circumstances of their escape.
Report: France 'Asked' Hizbullah to Help Ease Bassil’s
Position
Naharnet/November 21/2020
French envoy Patrick Durel reportedly asked Hizbullah to ease the strained
position of his ally, MP Jebran Bassil, encouraging him to facilitate the
government formation mission of PM-designate Saad Hariri, al-Joumhouria daily
reported on Saturday. The newspaper said that internal circles close to the
PM-designate encourage a rapprochement between Bassil and Hariri. But the
PM-designate seems to have an adverse position, supported by external parties
related to the US sanctions against Bassil, it said. Replying to the French
request, al-Joumhouria reported that Hizbullah indicated that its efforts are
underway in a bid to persuade “Bassil and Hariri” to expedite the formation
process. But Hizbullah also said it had “no knowledge of what Hariri was doing,”
it quoted reliable sources as saying. Hizbullah also clarified to “those
counting on the U.S. sanctions to weaken Bassil,” that their efforts will go in
vain. “Your request makes us draw attention to a very important issue. It is
delusional to believe that the sanctions imposed on Bassil have weakened, or may
weaken, him. Pressuring him in this case will make his position more rigid,” the
daily reported, quoting Hizbullah’s reply to the French request.
Qassem Says Audit into Central Bank Accounts 'Must Not be
Ignored'
Naharnet/November 21/2020
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem described as
“unacceptable” the reasons that compelled the withdrawal of Alvarez and Marsal
from running forensic audits into the central bank’s accounts.
“The justifications cited to fail forensic audit into the financial statements
of the central bank are unacceptable. Ignoring the bank’s reality is only going
to bring more deterioration,” said Qassem. Qassem emphasized the importance of
having the bank’s accounts audited, “the investigation is necessary and a
priority, it is not beneficial to accept failure, and it is not beneficial to
trade the responsibilities.”New York-based Alvarez and Marsal has pulled out
from a forensic audit of Lebanon's central bank after failing to receive data it
needed for the mission. The International Monetary Fund and France are among
creditors demanding the audit as part of urgent reforms to unlock desperately
needed financial support. The international company contracted for the audit,
had extended a November 3 deadline by three months for Lebanese authorities to
hand over the necessary information after they failed to submit it on time.
But "finance minister Ghazi Wazni informed the president that he has received a
letter from Alvarez and Marsal, terminating the contract signed with the finance
ministry," the presidency said in a statement. "The company did not obtain the
information and documents required to start conducting its mission," the
presidency added, explaining the reason for the termination.
Aoun’s remarks reflect Lebanon-Israel differences in border
talks
The Arab News/November 21/2020
BEIRUT – Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun sparked this week a row with Israel, at
a time when talks to demarcate maritime borders have been proceeding on a bumpy
road, marred by stringent conditions on both sides, which could possibly impede
any future understandings.
Aoun on Thursday specified Lebanon’s starting point for demarcating its sea
border with Israel under US-mediated talks, in the first public confirmation of
a stance sources say increases the size of the disputed area.
Israel and Lebanon launched the negotiations last month with delegations from
the long-time foes convening at a UN base to try to agree on the border that has
held up hydrocarbon exploration in the potentially gas-rich area.
A presidency statement said Aoun instructed the Lebanese team that the
demarcation line should start from the land point of Ras Naqoura as defined
under a 1923 agreement and extend seaward in a trajectory that a security source
said extends the disputed area to some 2,300 square km (888 sq miles) from
around 860 sq km. The demarcation should be “according to the general principle
known as the median line, without taking into account any impact of the occupied
Palestinian coastal islands,” Aoun tweeted, referring to the Israeli coastline.
Israel’s energy minister, overseeing the talks with Lebanon, said Lebanon had
now changed its position seven times and was contradicting its own assertions.
“Whoever wants prosperity in our region and seeks to safely develop natural
resources must adhere to the principle of stability and settle the dispute along
the lines that were submitted by Israel and Lebanon at the United Nations,”
Yuval Steinitz said. Any deviation, Steinitz said, would lead to a “dead end.”
On Friday, the Lebanese Presidency dismissed the Israeli accusations of Lebanon
changing its position seven times as “unfounded.”“Lebanon’s stance is firm on
the maritime demarcation of the southern borders, in accordance with President
Aoun’s directives to the Lebanon delegation” at the talks, it said. Last month,
sources said the two sides presented contrasting maps for proposed borders. They
said the Lebanese proposal extended farther south than the border Lebanon had
years before presented to the United Nations and that the Israeli team pushed
the boundary farther north than Israel’s original position.
The talks, the culmination of three years of diplomacy by Washington, are due to
resume in December. Israel pumps gas from huge offshore fields but Lebanon,
which has yet to find commercial gas reserves in its own waters, is desperate
for cash from foreign donors as it faces the worst economic crisis since its
1975-1990 civil war.
Hariri in memory of Martyr Pierre Gemayel: I remember a
friend and a struggle comrade
NNA/November 21/2020
"On the anniversary of the assassination of Pierre Amine Gemayel, I recall a
friend and a comrade in the struggle for a free, democratic and independent
Lebanon. May God's mercy be upon him and upon all the fallen martyrs," tweeted
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri today.
Geagea commemorating Martyr Pierre Gemayel: You remain in
the memory of a nation's revolution
NNA/November 21/2020
Lebanese Forces Party Chief, Samir Geagea, paid tribute via Twitter today to the
memory of Martyr Pierre Gemayel, saying: "You remain alive in the memory of a
nation's revolution!" Geagea attached to his tweet a photo image of the late
Martyr Gemayel, which carried the same slogan.
Launching of global support initiative to rebuild Beirut's
cultural façade
NNA/November 21/2020
In wake of the Beirut Port explosion, UNESCO has launched a global support
initiative, "For Beirut", aimed at the reconstruction and restoration of the
capital's cultural facade. To achieve its goal, the UCCN Network of
Distinguished Cities encouraged its cities to participate in the initiative
through various activities. Zahle, classified within the network as "City of
Gastronomy", was the first to launch, through the campaign "Beirut in the Heart
of Zahle", an umbrella initiative for its associations through which it adopted
a damaged street in Beirut, taking it upon itself to restore the destroyed homes
and institutions, and to take care of residents' needs resulting from the blast.
This caught the attention of other cities within the network. Consequently,
Zahle was included in the global solidarity campaign launched by the UCCN
Network, in which it gathered the activities and initiatives of its cities to
support Beirut in a short video calling for more global solidarity to support
the Lebanese capital. According to the Mayor of Zahle - Muallaqa and Taanayel,
Asaad Zgheib, in this video, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network gives a clear
example through its work that "solidarity is creativity".
In this connection, Lebanon's permanent representative at the UNESCO, Ambassador
Sahar Baasiri, thanked UNESCO for taking a key role in the reconstruction of
Beirut.
Akar on Independence Day: To fortify our unity through more
wisdom, vigilance
NNA/November 21/2020
Marking Lebanon's 77th Independence Day, Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister,
Minister of Defense Zeina Akar, delivered a speech on Saturday, deeming it a day
that "embodies important milestones in the history of our country," and
stressing the need to "fortify national unity with more wisdom, vigilance and
high readiness, and to sacrifice for Lebanon's sake during the current critical
circumstances.""Today we celebrate the 77th anniversary of Independence Day
amidst many challenges that we are experiencing in Lebanon, especially after
August 4 - the date of the tragic Beirut Port explosion, and the Corona epidemic
outbreak, which made it impossible to mark this day in celebration as before,"
Akar said. "All of us, citizens, officials and responsible figures, of all sects
and political affiliations, have to cooperate in solidarity to confront the
dangers that threaten us at all levels, especially the economic, health and
educational levels," she added. "On Independence Day, we turn to the army,
commanders, officers, soldiers and individuals, with a salute of honor and
reverence, for the military institution is one of the main pillars, and it has
proven in more than one junction that it is up to the responsibility it
shoulders, in defending and preserving Lebanon, its security and stability,
especially since Lebanon is currently fighting the battle to defend the land and
rights, in negotiations to demarcate the maritime borders, and in light of the
daily and repeated Israeli violations," the Caretaker Defense Minister went on.
Addressing all Lebanese, Akar congratulated them on this historical day,
confirming "ongoing efforts to uphold the interest of Lebanon above all
considerations, preserve the sovereignty of the country and the citizen's
dignity, protect civil peace, and defend Lebanon's land, people and
institutions."
Alain Aoun: Lebanese have a right to financial recovery
plan, accountability for the past
NNA/November 21/2020
"The rights of the Lebanese people in wake of the financial collapse fall into
two parts: hope for the future through a financial recovery plan that saves
their bank deposits, and accountability for the past by knowing the truth,
determining responsibility, and exposing the perpetrators. The first requires a
rescue government the soonest possible, and the second requires saving the
forensic audit into all state institutions," confirmed MP Alain Aoun via Twitter
today.
Kanaan to propose project law to remove obstacles in way of
permanent audit of all state accounts
NNA/November 21/2020
Head of Finance and Budget Parliamentary Committee, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, disclosed
Saturday that a law proposal has been submitted for forensic audit of all state
accounts, including the Central Bank, ministries, administrations and public
institutions. In a TV interview with LBCI Channel, Kanaan explained that "the
proposal submitted earlier by MP George Adwan is good, but is related to the
audit of Alvarez Company, in which some materials are suspended for a period of
one year, while the current proposal allows for a permanent audit." "The absence
of political will is the basis for circumventing the previous and current audit
processes," affirmed Kanaan.
He added: "Those involved do not want to uncover the facts, while populists are
distracted by tasteless arguments."Kanaan stressed that what is really required
is to eliminate all the pretexts standing in the way of carrying out the
necessary audit.
Abdel Samad commends all Lebanese TV Channels
NNA/November 21/2020
"On World Television Day (November 21), and after more than 90 years of its
invention, it still remains an essential means of communicating information
thanks to its role in awareness and education and its influence on public
opinion and decision-making. The first integrated broadcast was in the 1950s and
'Tele-Liban' was one of its pioneers...The march continues and tribute goes to
all Lebanese TV Stations," tweeted Caretaker Information Minister, Dr. Manal
Abdel Samad Najd, today.
Ibrahim: Eyes remain on the security institutions to ensure
peace
NNA/November 21/2020
Director General of Public Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, delivered a
word Saturday on the occasion of Lebanon's seventy-seventh Independence Day,
indicating that "the 77th anniversary of Independence Day this year coincides
with the centenary of Greater Lebanon, which is facing advanced crises that have
left the Lebanese anxious and afraid for their fate, their future and their
country. Yet, despite all that, eyes remain pinned on the security institutions,
the symbol of independence, to ensure peace and stability, awaiting the crossing
from the current and exceptional situation in every sense of the word into a
modern and developed state.""Therefore, you are required to act according to the
inspiration of your oath, and in every work you do, embody the slogan of your
organization, which is based on two factors: sacrifice and service," Ibrahim
added in his address to the security officers. "Your security and administrative
duties within the framework of the Directorate's deployment at land, sea and air
borders, is a trust that you undertake in defense of Lebanon, in confrontation
of its enemies and in protection of its people against regional and
international changes that may alter the face of the region. Therefore, your
steadfastness, your values and your oath is a guarantee for the survival and
resurgence of Lebanon to take its place among the countries as the Lebanese
deserve," he went on. "The economic conditions and hardships that you suffer are
the same as those experienced by the people of your country, and this will not
compromise your determination or commitment in the highest standards of
transparency and professionalism. There is no corruption that can infiltrate or
afflict you, and any legal or behavioral violation will end with the perpetrator
appearing before the law," Ibrahim stressed. Finally, the Public Security Chief
called on the officers to exert more efforts and sacrifices in the service of
Lebanese citizens and the country's residents.
Beirut begins clearance of port containers, probe
drags on
The Arab News/November 21/2020
BEIRUT--Lebanon has signed a deal with a German company to dispose of 49
containers of flammable chemicals from Beirut’s port, months after a deadly and
devastating blast, officials said Thursday. Combi Lift, a German a heavy lift
transport company that was already working in the port, started clearing the
containers soon after the contract was signed on November 11, the prime
minister’s office said. The containers, which include corrosive acids, have been
stored in an open-air cargo zone for over a decade under the supervision of
Lebanon’s customs authority, a spokesperson said. Combi Lift will ship the
chemicals in special containers as part of a $3.6 million deal, with the port
authority reportedly to pay $2 million of that. Interim port chief Bassem al-Kaissi
said that removing the chemicals was a necessary “preemptive step,” warning that
if they caught fire “Beirut will be wiped out.”The containers sparked concern
after the mammoth August 4 disaster — Lebanon’s worst in peace-time — killed
more than 200 people, injured at least 6,500 others and ruined swathes of the
capital.
Complaints
Authorities say the blast was caused by a shipment of ammonium nitrate
fertiliser that caught fire, years after it was impounded at the port. In late
October, the Beirut Bar Association handed the public prosecutor almost 700
criminal complaints from victims of the August 4 port blast, Lebanon’s National
News Agency said. “We presented 679 complaints today, in the name of the
families of those killed, wounded and affected,” Bar Association head Melhem
Khalaf said, according to the NNA.
“We cannot stop until a verdict is pronounced,” Khalaf said, calling the blast
“a horrific catastrophe.”It was the first wave of complaints to be filed of
around 1,400 cases being compiled by the Bar Association. “We need to go deep
with the ongoing investigations,” Khalaf added. The blast, the country’s worst
peacetime disaster, reignited popular outrage against the political class, after
it emerged officials had known the ammonium nitrate had been stored unsafely at
the port for years. Lebanese officials have rejected an international probe,
despite demands both from home and abroad for an impartial investigation. A
local investigation has led to the arrest of at least 25 suspects, including the
chief of the port and its customs director. Experts from France and the US
Federal Bureau of Investigation took part in the preliminary investigation.
A judicial source said that Lebanon had received the report from the American
experts, and was expecting one from France. “Much hinges on the French report to
determine the causes of the explosion,” the source said.
According to Khalaf, the FBI report relies on information from the Lebanese
agencies, whereas the French one will draw on “the results of laboratory
tests.”Lebanon has complained it has yet to receive satellite images of the port
before, during and after the blast that it requested from France and Italy.
US sanctions further complicate Lebanon’s political
deadlock
Samar Kadi/The Arab News/November 21/2020
Beirut - A long-awaited government capable of introducing reforms and unblocking
badly needed foreign aid to shore up Lebanon’s collapsing economy appears to be
more unlikely than ever almost one month after Saad Hariri was asked to form it.
The spectre of US sanctions targeting more high-ranking Lebanese officials over
corruption and engagement with Iran-backed Hezbollah is unlikely to break the
political deadlock or speed up the government formation process, according to
political observers and analysts.
“So far there is no indication that the US sanctions are affecting the political
stalemate. The French actually believe that the sanctions are backlashing and
further complicating the situation,” a political source told The Arab Weekly on
condition of anonymity.
The US has recently blacklisted ex-ministers Gebran Bassil, head of the
Christian Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and son-in-law of President Michel Aoun,
Ali Hassan Khalil, an advisor to Amal Movement chief, Parliament Speaker Nabih
Berri and Youssef Fenianos from the Christian Marada Party.
“Blacklisting them did not scare Hezbollah’s allies, but had an opposite effect.
It actually hardened the stance of their parties. It made President Aoun even
bolder on naming the Christian ministers in the next cabinet and Berri more
resolute to name the next finance minister,” the source said.
Despite reported French advice to slow down or postpone the sanctions on
Lebanon’s politicians, Washington is set to include more names on its blacklist.
“More sanctions are forthcoming. The Trump Administration wants to tighten the
noose on those who support Hezbollah, including the wealthy Shia and non-Shia
supporters and make it difficult for any future administration to reverse the
sanctions or lighten them,” political analyst Johnny Munayer said, quoting
informed political sources.“The new blacklist will be more balanced and
diversified in the sense that it would include individuals from different
political parties and sects, not only those in the pro-Hezbollah camp, to make
it look non-partisan. Some are close to Saad Hariri and to (Druze leader of the
Progressive Socialist Party) Walid Jumblat,” Munayer said. Munayer maintained
that additional sanctions are unlikely to speed up the government’s formation.
“For one, Hezbollah sees no interest in facilitating a reformist government
while Trump’s outgoing administration is set on expanding the blacklist and two;
Trump is only interested in increasing pressure on Iran and its proxies. So
neither side is keen on having a functioning government in Lebanon for the time
being,” Munayer said.
“I don’t see a new government formed anytime soon or at least not before the end
of January. The French initiative is in the meantime suspended for the next
couple of months until a new administration enters the White House,” he added.
Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun meets with Patrick Durel, President Emmanuel
Macron’s advisor for the Middle East and North Africa, at the France’s
initiative, launched during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Beirut
following the devastating August 4 blast at Beirut port, calls for forming a
government of non-partisan specialists focused on carrying out urgent financial,
economic, judicial and administrative reforms. Based on the initiative, Lebanese
political parties will not participate in the government for a few months until
the reforms are implemented.
France also pledged to organise two Lebanon-related conferences, one on
reconstruction aid and the second to build international support for the reform
agenda in Lebanon. All of these plans might fail if the government is not formed
or if Lebanon’s political crisis deepens.
While there is speculation that Lebanon could fade from the international
community’s interest, the French will not let down its former protectorate,
according to a source who asked not to be named.
“There is a general understanding that Lebanon’s total collapse will have big
fallouts in the region and would cause chaos,” the source said.
“Under the present status quo France will scrap plans to hold a donor conference
for assisting Lebanon because it is conditioned on having a government that
would introduce reforms. But I believe the humanitarian assistance for
rebuilding the areas damaged by the port explosion will go through with the help
of the United Nations and the World Bank,” the source added. The source also
played down the possibility of the US alleviating sanctions after Trump’s
departure.
“Washington’s approach on sanctioning Lebanese officials won’t be affected,
because it is a matter about which there is full agreement between Democrats and
Republicans. The best one can hope for is that sanctions might slow down
depending on political developments,” the source said.
Is Hezbollah's Ammonium Nitrate Linked to Plot against
Jews in Argentina?
Seth Frantzman/The Jerusalem Post/November 16/ 2020
A massive cache of improperly stored ammonium nitrate, a chemical commonly used
for making bombs, exploded in Beirut on August 4, killing at least 204 people.
Argentina said over the weekend that it had increased security on its border
with Paraguay due to an "anonymous tip" to authorities that was passed on via
its embassy in the United Kingdom. There was a possibility of "bomb-making
materials entering across Argentina's northern border," the report by Reuters
noted. The specifics of the case raise questions about the possible involvement
of Hezbollah. The article noted on Saturday that the tip "warned of a person
seeking to ship ammonium nitrate from Paraguay to Argentina." The chemical would
then be used to make a bomb to target a "Jewish objective." The 1994 bomb
against the AMIA Jewish Center, which killed 86 people in Buenos Aires, has been
linked to Iran.
A 2006 report by Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman pointed to Iran and
Hezbollah as likely behind the attack. Nisman was killed in 2015. Allegations of
cover-ups and conspiracies have rocked the country since the bombing in the
1990s.
The Paraguay connection is interesting because it was believed that the 1994
attack may also have been linked to perpetrators who crossed over from Paraguay.
The porous borders of the area where the borders of Paraguay, Brazil and
Argentina meet have often been referenced by the US and other countries as a
safe haven for Islamist extremist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
After the August blast in Beirut was caused by ammonium nitrate there were many
reports about Hezbollah's use of the chemical. Ammonium nitrate is a
crystal-like chemical that is used for fertilizer and can also be used for
explosives. Hezbollah has used it for explosives.
Hezbollah used an ammonium nitrate-based device in the July 2012 bombing of an
airport bus in Burgas, Bulgaria, that killed five Israeli tourists, along with
their driver.
According to a US report in September, ammonium nitrate was linked to Hezbollah
caches that moved through Greece, Italy and Spain. The Foundation for Defense of
Democracies also warned about the threat of Hezbollah and its use of ammonium
nitrate. US coordinator for counterterrorism within the State Department Nathan
Sales highlighted the use of the chemical by Hezbollah. The chemical was also
linked to a 2015 raid in London. Other chemicals were found in Cyprus. Hezbollah
carried out a 2012 bombing in Burgas, Bulgaria, which killed several Israelis,
with an ammonium nitrate-based device.
The same chemical keeps appearing in reports linked to Hezbollah. For instance
in Germany, the Interior Ministry also mentioned seizing ammonium nitrate.
Diplomatic cables also say Hezbollah tried to import the same chemicals from
Syria to Lebanon. Hezbollah is keenly aware of the destructive power of the
chemical, having threatened to target its storage in Israel.
According to reports, Buenos Aires has begun an investigation into the
allegations that a terror attack may have been planned. The General Directorate
of the International Coordination of the Argentine Federal Police was involved
according to a report at i24.
Over the weekend, reports from The New York Times indicated Israel helped the US
eliminate al-Qaeda's second in command in Tehran. Reports subsequently said
al-Qaeda was seeking out Israeli and Jewish targets. Iran was hosting al-Qaeda,
and Iran backs Hezbollah. In 1992 the Israeli Embassy was also targeted in a
terror attack in Argentina. Hezbollah was blamed in that attack as well.
Allegations Hezbollah stockpiled several tons in London before a 2015 plot by
the group was foiled, are a link to the current rumors about the possible attack
aimed at Argentina, because the tip came from the UK. That plot was only
revealed in 2019.
In general some European countries have not been forthcoming about the extent of
Hezbollah plots uncovered on the continent or its trafficking in ammonium
nitrate. There has been pressure in recent years to list Hezbollah as a terror
group across the continent. Hezbollah regularly threatens Israel with its
150,000 rockets in Lebanon and its units in Syria. Iran also operates globally
targeting Israel and dissidents. Four Iranians are on trial in a plot to target
an anti-regime rally in France.
*Seth Frantzman is a Ginsburg-Milstein Writing Fellow at the Middle East Forum
and senior Middle East correspondent at The Jerusalem Post.
America Must Stand with the Lebanese People
Tony Breidy/November 21/2020
American - Lebanese lobbyist (from California) Tony Breidy wrote to Jabalna
Magazine:
Since first coming to America in the early 1900s, Lebanese have contributed to
the diversity, culture and economic prosperity of all sectors across AMERICA.
They have brought their tenacious work ethic and strong family foundations to
communities all across the nations. From opening up various businesses in
underserved areas to establishing schools, churches, scholarships and community
centers, Lebanese have embodied all the attributes of the American dream, and
have become one of America’s greatest success stories.
The United States and Lebanon have historically enjoyed a good relationship due
in part to cultural and religious ties; the democratic character of the state; a
large, Lebanese-American community in the United States; and the pro-western
orientation of Lebanon, particularly during the cold war. Current policy
priorities of the United States include strengthening the weak democratic
institutions of the state, limiting the influence of Iran, Syria, and others in
Lebanon’s political process.
Current U.S. policy toward Lebanon centers on containing Iran’s sphere of
influence while maintaining security and stability in the Levant. As regional
actors like Turky,Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Syria continue to compete for
influence in the region, Lebanon has become the staging ground for a proxy war
that exacerbates historic sectarian tensions and holds hostage the functions of
state institutions.
That is why, like many Americans, I am deeply concerned for the vulnerable
minorities in the Middle East who continue to face religious persecution for
their beliefs. For over 2,000 years, Lebanese have survived various Persian
wars, forced conversion attempts, aggression from the Ottoman Empire, and
countless ethnic conflicts. Their efforts to preserve their identity and culture
have been heroic. It’s become increasingly evident that these indigenous
minorities need America to stand with them.
To help the community’s relief efforts, I lead an effort in America to ensure
our locally based relief organizations are able to avoid government red tape and
be able to deliver their services quicker to those who need it most. With the,
bureaucratic slowdowns from Washington only compromise our ability to help as
many people as we can.
While the long-term goal should always be protected, our focus must remain on
the relief efforts and showing that America stands with the indigenous people of
LEBANON. This effort has been one of my priorities associating with US Congress
and I remain committed to pressing for solutions that help the Lebanese people.
I have seen firsthand how devastating international inaction can be. The
Armenians weren’t just targeted for their ethnicity, but like many of the
Christians in Iraq and Syria today, they were also targeted for their faith.
It’s crucial that the American people don’t forget the plight, persecution and
sacrifice of the Lebanese people.
We must continue to stand with the Lebanese people both here in America and in
their indigenous homeland. Our nation and our government cannot let their
oppression become unnoticed and forgotten. Like the great Coptic Pope Sphenoid
so famously said, we must “remember those who have no one to remember them.”
We believe in America the mother of all nations
Throughout history no nation has been so blessed with natural resources, the
freedoms we have and to have the opportunity to rise from nothing to be the
President of the United States. To take an idea and turn it into something take
changes the world. To take a service and revolutionize it and become the
greatest provider of that service in the world. No nation is as generous as the
United States of America, our people respond to strangers continents away when
we see the horror of war, natural disasters, AIDS, pandemic disease, hungry, and
the greatest thing is hope. That is why every year millions of people risk
everything to become a part of this nation. We believe there is greatness in
America, in her people, her industry, her communities and neighborhoods and that
the future is brighter can and will be better than our past.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR BELOVED LEBANON
*Tony Breidy is a Senior Advisor at the US Congress for the Middle East and
foreign affairs
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 21-22/2020
Pope Francis urges youth to build new economy with
poor after coronavirus pandemic
The Associated Press/Saturday, 21 November,
2020
Pope Francis urged young economists, entrepreneurs and business leaders Saturday
to promote post-pandemic development models that involve the poor. Francis, in a
videotaped message for a forum of young people in Assisi, Italy, said the worst
reaction once the coronavirus pandemic ends would be to "fall even more deeply
into feverish consumerism and forms of selfish self-protection.” Visit our
dedicated coronavirus site here for all the latest updates. Instead, Francis
said, the poor should be invited to participate in discussions about creating a
“different economic narrative” that he thinks is urgently needed. The pope
pressed young people to help change production systems and consumption patterns
to make them more sustainable. He said the future will be a “time that reminds
us that we are not condemned to economic models whose immediate interest is
limited to profit and promoting favorable public policies, unconcerned with
their human, social and environmental cost.”During the pandemic, Francis has
decried that the people on society's margins have been among those suffering the
most during the health crisis. In his message to the young people, Francis said
more must be done than “meeting the most essential needs of our brothers and
sisters. We need to accept structurally that the poor have sufficient dignity to
sit at our meetings, participate in our discussions and bring bread to their own
tables.”Such an approach goes beyond welfare, Francis said. “We are speaking of
a conversion and transformation of our priorities and of the place of others in
our policies and in the social order," the pope said. He says it’s time to shun
economic models focused immediately on profit.
Saudi Arabia confident Biden's administration will
pursue regional stability: FM
Reuters/November 22,2020
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Saturday he was confident that Democrat
Joe Biden's incoming US administration would pursue policies that help regional
stability and that any discussions with it would lead to strong cooperation.
"I'm confident that a Biden administration would continue to pursue policies
that are in the interest of regional stability," Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al
Saud told Reuters in a virtual interview on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders
Summit, which his country is hosting. The two countries have had good relations
for more than 75 years, he said, adding: "Any discussions we will have with the
future administration will lead to strong cooperation." Prince Faisal also said
it would be "entirely appropriate" for the United States to designate the
Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen as a foreign terrorist organization.
Washington sees the group as an extension of Iranian influence in the region.
President Donald Trump's administration has been threatening to blacklist the
group, sources have told Reuters, as part of its "maximum pressure" campaign
against Tehran.
G20 countries to give out 2 bln coronavirus vaccines
worldwide, invested $21 bln
Rawad Taha, Al Arabiya English/November 21/2020
G20 countries will distribute two billion doses of a vaccine against the
coronavirus worldwide, Germany's Angela Merkel announced on Saturday during the
G20 Riyadh Summit. The 20 biggest economies in the world (G20) contributed to
the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with over $21 billion since the
beginning of the crisis to support healthcare systems and in the development of
vaccines to combat the pandemic. Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz said
that the pandemic has proven that international cooperation and joint action is
the best way to overcome crises. King Salman considered the coronavirus pandemic
a substantial test for the global health system. “Saudi Arabia has provided half
a billion dollars to finding a vaccine and treatment to confront the virus,
Saudi Arabia has also participated in the launch of an initiative to accelerate
the creation of tools and technologies to battle the coronavirus,” the King
added. "During our presidency of the G20, we benefited from several key
initiatives to address gaps in global pandemic preparedness and response
systems. With the support of the group's countries, we proposed the launch of an
initiative to provide tools for combating pandemics, with the aim of ensuring
focus on preparedness and response to future pandemics in a sustainable manner,"
added King Salman. French President Emmanuel Macron said coronavirus vaccines
will be available before the end of the year, and France will ensure that the
vaccines reach all countries, especially the poor ones.
Calling for solidarity to face international challenges, Italian Prime Minister
Giuseppe Conte said that the G20 Riyadh Summit was an important event which
highlighted the G20's response to coronavirus pandemic. South Korean President
Moon Jae-in hoped that the G20 Riyadh summit would inspire the world, and added
that his nation had transparently reported its COVID-19 data to its people and
the world. The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, said that his country
looks to the G20 to help it cope with the pandemic's repercussions. President of
Argentina Alberto Fernández said that vaccines and treatments for coronavirus
must be available for all countries. The chairperson for the global vaccine
alliance (GAVI), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, cautioned that the COVID-19 virus was
winning."Only through adequate financing for a global exit strategy can economic
vitality be restored, and we can avert the catastrophe in the poorest
countries," she added.
G20 Riyadh Summit
Saudi Arabia holds the 2020 presidency of the G20, which rotates among members,
and is hosting the G20 summit across Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November
22. Due to the coronavirus, this year’s Riyadh summit is being held virtually,
with leaders and ministers attending via webcam. The build-up events, ranging
from Women 20 to Business 20, have also taken place virtually. Addressing the
fallout of the coronavirus pandemic is top of the agenda this year, as countries
try to rebuild from the devastating economic impact of the virus. The
environment has also featured, with the looming threat of climate change
ever-present on the agenda. This year’s agenda also has a sharper focus on
culture than previous years, with culture ministers pledging to support the $2.3
trillion cultural economy in a meeting on November 4.
Biden Could Announce Cabinet Picks as Soon as Next
Week
Associated Press/Saturday, 21 November,
2020
President-elect Joe Biden is moving quickly to fill out his administration and
could name top leaders for his Cabinet as early as next week.
Biden told reporters on Thursday that he's already decided on who will lead the
Treasury Department. That pick, along with his nominee for secretary of state,
may be announced before Thanksgiving, according to people close to the
transition who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to
discuss internal deliberations. The Cabinet announcements could be released in
tranches, with groups of nominees focused on a specific top area, like the
economy, national security or public health, being announced at once. Such a
move is intended to deliver the message that Biden is intent on preparing for
the presidency even as President Donald Trump refuses to concede and attempts to
subvert the election results in key states. Trump's roadblocks have undermined
core democratic principles such as the peaceful transfer of power and are
especially problematic because Biden will take office in January amid the worst
public health crisis in more than a century. "It's a huge impact. And each day
it gets worse, meaning a week ago, it wasn't that big of a deal. This week, it's
starting to get to be a bigger deal. Next week, it'll be bigger," said David
Marchick, director of the Center for Presidential Transition at the nonpartisan
Partnership for Public Service. "Every new day that's lost has a larger impact
than the day before."
Still, Biden's transition work is progressing, with the president-elect holding
frequent virtual meetings from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, and a music
venue downtown. At this point, Biden is deeply involved in choosing his Cabinet,
a process described by one person as similar to fitting puzzle pieces together.
In putting together the 15-person team, Biden is facing demands from multiple,
competing interests, as well as the political realities of navigating a closely
divided Senate. He'll have to find the right mix of nominees to appease
progressives demanding evidence he's committed to major reforms; fulfill his
promise to build the most diverse government in modern history; and pass through
a more difficult than expected nomination process with a slim margin of control
for either party, depending on the outcome of two Georgia Senate runoffs in
January. Those considerations appear to be already informing Biden's calculus
for secretary of state. Two finalists to be America's top diplomat include
Antony Blinken, a former deputy national security adviser and deputy secretary
of state, and Chris Coons, who holds Biden's former Senate seat from Delaware
and sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Blinken and Coons are close
to Biden, and both have privately and, in some cases, publicly, expressed
interest in the job. But with the balance of power in the Senate depending on
two runoffs in Georgia, Blinken may have the upper hand, according to people
close to the transition. The thinking, these people said, is that even if Coons
is tapped for the post and replaced with a Democrat by Delaware's Democratic
governor, the loss of his influence in the Senate may outweigh his value as
secretary of state. That Senate calculation also weighs heavily on perhaps
Biden's presumptive first choice, former ambassador to the United Nations and
national security adviser Susan Rice. Rice, who is also close to Biden, would
almost certainly face difficulty in a confirmation process with a
Republican-controlled Senate because of her past comments about the deadly 2012
attack on U.S. diplomatic compounds in Benghazi, Libya.
As Biden moves forward, his team won't have access to their counterparts at the
various federal agencies or tap funds and office space for the transition until
the General Services Administration ascertains that Biden is the winner.
Marchick noted that the delay in that process could ultimately undermine the
number of administration staff Biden is able to get in place on time. Candidates
must go through an ethics clearance process, file dozens of pages of forms, and
some positions require security clearances.
The lack of ascertainment is also putting somewhat of a cash crunch on the Biden
team. According to two donors familiar with the transition's efforts, they've
raised about $8 million for the transition already, hitting their original goal,
but without the roughly $6 million in federal funds afforded to Biden's
transition team, they've been forced to continue fundraising. In an email to
donors this week obtained by the AP, Chris Korge, the Democratic National
Committee's national finance chair, warned that the Biden transition didn't have
enough money to "totally fund" their efforts and told donors that "the American
people will be the big losers if we don't immediately step up and do something
about it." Speaking on a call with reporters Friday, Yohannes Abraham, an
adviser to Biden's transition, warned that the delay is affecting the
transition's planning. "This isn't a game," he said. "There's no replacing the
real-time information that can only come from the post-ascertainment environment
that we should be in right now."
G20 Pumps USD 5 Trillion in Global Health Efforts to
Combat Covid-19
Riyadh- Ohoud Mufreh/Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 21 November, 2020
Saudi Minister of Health, Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, said on Friday that the G20,
under Saudi chairmanship, assumed an important role in facing the Covid-19
pandemic, noting that more than USD 5 trillion were pumped into the global
economy as part of joint efforts to find a fair and comprehensive solution to
the distribution of the vaccine. In a session held on the sidelines of the G20
summit, Rabiah stated that the pandemic has had health effects on 50 million
people around the world amid a severe second wave.
In this regard, he pointed to the efforts of the Saudi presidency when it
chaired a virtual meeting to highlight the need to support international efforts
and provide more than USD 5 trillion to the global economy, in order to reach a
fair and comprehensive solution to the distribution of vaccines to international
organizations. At the national level, the minister stressed that the Kingdom
took unprecedented and proactive measures to protect the health of its citizens
as an utmost priority and to provide medical services and health care to all its
residents, regardless of their status. Saudi Arabia, in its presidency of the
G20, has pledged to overcome the pandemic and find comprehensive solutions to
curb its repercussions. “The G20 has adopted various measures to combat the
emerging coronavirus at the economic and social levels. It has laid down the
basic principles for international economic cooperation in the severely affected
regions,” said Abdulaziz Al-Rasheed, Assistant Minister of Finance for
International Financial Affairs and Policies.
Erdogan, Saudi King Agree to Enhance Ties
Agence France Presse/Saturday, 21 November, 2020
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed ways of enhancing ties with
King Salman of Saudi Arabia, in a rare phone call since the killing of
journalist Jamal Khashoggi, his office said. The phone call came on the eve of
the G20 leaders' summit hosted by Riyadh on Saturday and Sunday.
Erdogan and the Saudi king discussed bilateral relations during the phone call
and exchanged views on the G20 summit, the Turkish presidency said late on
Friday. The Turkish leader is due to address the summit via video link at 1300
GMT. "President Erdogan and King Salman agreed on keeping channels of dialogue
open in order for the bilateral relations to be enhanced and for issues to be
settled," it added. Turkey and Saudi Arabia have long competed for
supremacy in the Muslim world but the tensions between the two Sunni-Muslim
regional powers have intensified since the 2018 murder of Washington Post
contributor Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate. The case has sparked
an international outcry and tarnished the global reputation of Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman known as MBS. Khashoggi was strangled and his body cut into
pieces by a 15-man Saudi squad inside the consulate, according to Turkish
officials. His remains have not been found. Erdogan has said the order to murder
Khashoggi came from "the highest levels" of the Saudi government but has never
directly blamed Prince Mohammed. In September, a Saudi court overturned five
death sentences issued after a closed-door trial in Saudi Arabia that ended last
year, sentencing them to 20 years in prison instead.
Erdogan Urges Dialogue With EU, Warns against Enmity
with Turkey
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 21 November, 2020
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called on the European Union for
dialogue, warning the bloc not to become a tool for enmity during escalating
tensions over the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey's deployment of a vessel to
search for gas in waters claimed by Greece set off a fierce war of words with EU
member states, who early this month extended sanctions against Ankara for
another year. The measures included allowing visa bans and asset freezes against
individuals involved in contested gas exploration in the Mediterranean. "We
expect the EU to keep its promises, not to discriminate us or at least not to
become a tool to open enmities targeting our country," Erdogan said in a video
address to his ruling party congress. "We don't see ourselves elsewhere but in
Europe," he added. "We envisage building our future together with
Europe."Erdogan's message comes as EU leaders are to decide in a December summit
whether to impose further sanctions over Turkey's recent activity. Turkey's
exploration ship Oruc Reis remains at the center of the tensions and on
Saturday, Ankara extended its mission in the eastern Mediterranean until
November 29, despite protests from Athens.
In the same speech, Erdogan said Turkey wanted to "actively use its long and
close alliance relations with the United States for a solution to regional and
global problems". He was not among the first world leaders to congratulate
President-elect Joe Biden. And while he enjoyed warm ties with US President
Donald Trump, there have been tensions between the two countries over several
issues. Turkey's purchase of a high-tech Russian missile defense system angered
Washington, while Ankara has protested the US refusal to extradite a Muslim
cleric Erdogan blames for staging a failed 2016 coup.
Le Drian Says France Respects Islam, Muslims Part of the Country
Makkah - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 21 November, 2020
France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian affirmed Paris’ respect
for Islam, stressing that Muslims are part of the French Republic. Le Drian
statements came during two separate phone calls he held with the
secretary-generals of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC). The French FM also highlighted his country’s keenness to
support dialogue and cooperation with the OIC. The officials further discussed a
number of other issues of common interest. For his part, Othaimeen reaffirmed
OIC’s firm position in terms of rejecting extremism and terrorism, saying it has
no religion nor nationality. However, he also stressed that freedom of
expression doesn’t mean offending followers of religions or religious figures.
Turkey Extends Seismic Survey Work in Disputed
Mediterranean Area to Nov. 29
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 21 November, 2020
Turkey said it was extending the seismic survey work of its Oruc Reis ship in a
disputed area of the eastern Mediterranean until Nov. 29, in a move that could
add to tensions in the region. NATO members Turkey and Greece are locked in a
dispute over the extent of their continental shelves and conflicting claims to
hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean. The row erupted in August
when Turkey sent Oruc Reis into waters also claimed by Greece and Cyprus. Along
with two other ships, the Ataman and Cengiz Han, Oruc Reis will continue work in
an area west of Cyprus, a Turkish naval maritime notice said on Saturday.
Ankara pulled the vessel out in September to allow for diplomacy with Greece,
but then sent it back to the area, prompting an angry reaction from Greece,
France and Germany. The ship had been expected to finish its work by Nov. 23.
Netanyahu: Convicted Spy Pollard Expected in Israel Soon
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 21 November, 2020
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday welcomed the lifting of
parole restrictions on Jonathan Pollard, the former US Navy analyst convicted of
spying for Israel in the 1980s, and said he expects him to come to Israel soon.
In a statement issued Saturday evening, Netanyahu said he had worked for
Pollard's release for many years. He did not provide a firm date when Pollard
might arrive. “The prime minister expects to see Jonathan Pollard in Israel
soon, and together with all Israelis, extends his best wishes to him and his
wife Esther,” Netanyahu's office said. The US Justice Department announced
Friday that Pollard had completed his parole, freeing him to move to Israel.
Advocates have said that has long been Pollard's wish. Pollard, a civilian
intelligence analyst for the US Navy, sold military secrets to Israel while
working at the Pentagon in the 1980s. He was arrested in 1985 after trying
unsuccessfully to gain asylum at the Israeli Embassy in Washington and pleaded
guilty. The espionage affair embarrassed Israel and tarnished its relations with
the United States for years. Pollard was given a life sentence, and US defense
and intelligence officials consistently argued against releasing Pollard. But
after serving 30 years in federal prison, he was released on Nov. 20, 2015, and
placed on parole. At the time, his lawyers said he would be required to remain
in the United States for five years, though they called on then-President Barack
Obama to grant him clemency and permit him to move to Israel immediately. But
the White House quickly shot down that prospect, saying Pollard had committed
“very serious crimes.” Friday's decision marked the latest in a string of
gestures by the outgoing Trump administration toward Netanyahu's hardline
government. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week became the first senior US
official to visit an Israeli settlement in the West Bank and announced that
settlement products exported to the US could be labeled as “Made in Israel.” The
Trump administration also has recognized contested Jerusalem as Israel's capital
and released a Mideast plan that heavily favors Israel.
Israel granted Pollard citizenship in 1995, and Netanyahu had tried in the past
to bring him to Israel as part of diplomatic negotiations. In his statement,
Netanyahu thanked his ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer, for conducting talks
with the American government. In a statement Friday, the US Parole Commission
said it had ended Pollard’s parole conditions after five years after finding “no
evidence to conclude that he is likely to violate the law.” His lawyer, Eliot
Lauer, said Pollard’s parole conditions for the last five years have included a
curfew and a wrist monitor that tracks his whereabouts, as well as restrictions
on where he could work. “We are grateful and delighted that our client is
finally free of any restrictions, and is now a free man in all respects. We look
forward to seeing our client in Israel,” Lauer said.
US Extends Iraq Sanctions Waiver until before Biden
Inauguration
Agence France Presse/November 21, 2020
Washington has granted Iraq a shortened 45-day sanctions waiver to import
Iranian gas that will expire days before US President Donald Trump's term ends,
an Iraqi official said Saturday. Baghdad buys gas and electricity from its
neighbour Tehran to supply about a third of its power sector, worn down by years
of conflict and poor maintenance. The US blacklisted Iran's energy industry in
late 2018 but granted Baghdad a series of temporary waivers, hoping Iraq would
wean itself off Iranian energy by partnering with US firms.
The lengths of the exemptions have become a key tool in US policy towards Iraq,
demonstrating the level of satisfaction or frustration with Baghdad.
In May, Washington granted Iraq a four-month extension as a gesture of goodwill
towards Mustafa al-Kadhemi, who had just formed a cabinet seen as US-friendly.
But when it renewed the waiver in late September, the Trump administration gave
Iraq just 60 days. This time, it went even shorter: 45 days, a top Iraqi
official told AFP, expiring around a week before Trump is set to hand over the
White House to President-elect Joe Biden. "They (the Trump administration)
wanted a last opportunity to have a say," the official said.
The shorter waiver comes amid concern by Iraqi and Western officials that Trump
could use his final days in office to strike at Iran and its allies in Iraq.
The State Department is drawing up plans for a possible closure of the American
embassy in Baghdad, which has been targeted by dozens of rocket attacks in the
last year. And two Iraqi officials have said they expect a "bucket list of
sanctions" against Iranian interests in Iraq ahead of the White House handover.
Protests in Brazil after Security Guards Beat Black Man to
Death
Agence France Presse/November 21, 2020
The death of a black man beaten by white security guards at a supermarket
sparked protests across Brazil Friday as the country celebrated Black
Consciousness Day. A video of Thursday night's incident in the southern city of
Porto Alegre captured on a witness's mobile phone was broadcast on social
networks and Brazilian media. As the clip went viral, around 1,000 protesters in
Sao Paulo marched to a branch of the French-owned Carrefour supermarket chain
and stoned the glass storefront before storming the premises, trashing and
burning goods, according to an AFP photographer on the scene. "Carrefour's hands
are dirty with black blood," read one banner held up by demonstrators. Police in
Porto Alegre used tear gas and flash bang grenades to disperse a protest that
had formed in front of the supermarket where the death occurred, according to
local television.
Protests also broke out in the capital Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and Rio de
Janeiro, where a crowd picketed a Carrefour supermarket to prevent customers
from reaching the checkouts. "Carrefour can close, it has killed our brother, it
will not work!" chanted dozens of young people carrying banners and masks with
the slogan "Black Lives Matter". The video on social media shows 40-year-old
welder Joao Alberto Silveira Freitas repeatedly being punched in the face and
head by a security guard while he is being restrained by another at the
supermarket. A woman stands beside them, filming with her mobile phone. The
military police in Rio Grande do Sul state said the man had threatened a female
worker at the supermarket, who called security.Silveira Freitas lost
consciousness during the assault and died on the spot as medics tried to revive
him.
'Could not breathe'
A friend of the victim who witnessed the beating told G1 news that as the
security guards were hitting him, Silveira Freitas "screamed that he could not
breathe," a scene reminiscent of the death of George Floyd, a black man who
suffocated beneath the knee of a white US police in Minneapolis last May.
That killing sparked massive protests across the United States. Both the
supermarket security guards were arrested. One of them was identified as a
member of the military police who worked part-time at the supermarket.
In a statement, Carrefour's Brazilian subsidiary deplored the "brutal death" of
Silveira Freitas and promised to take "appropriate measures to hold accountable
those involved in this criminal case." Carrefour said it would cut ties with the
security company that employed the guards. In a series of tweets in Portuguese,
the French head of Carrefour, Alexandre Bompard, expressed his condolences and
said the images posted on social media were "unacceptable.""Internal measures
have immediately been implemented by the Carrefour Group Brazil, principally on
the question of security company contracts. These measures are insufficient. My
values, and the values of Carrefour, do not allow for racism and violence," he
wrote, calling for a complete review of employee training, diversity and
intolerance.
Structural racism
The killing sparked outrage on social networks and overshadowed Brazil's Black
Consciousness Day, a holiday in several states. "From one November 20 to
another, and every day, the racist structure of this country brings us brutality
as a rule," social activist Raull Santiago said on Twitter.
"It seems that we have no way out... not even on Black Consciousness Day,"
Brazil international footballer Richarlison said. "In fact, what conscience?
They killed a black man, beaten in front of the cameras. They beat him and
filmed. Decency and shame have been lost to violence and hatred," the Everton
player said on Twitter. In Brazil, the last country in the Americas to abolish
slavery -- in 1888 -- around 55 percent of the population of 212 million
identifies as black or mixed-race. Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro
had not commented directly on the death late Friday, but tweeted that the
country's problems "go beyond racial issues" and that the "great evil" of Brazil
continues to be "moral, social and political corruption." "As president, I am
colorblind: everyone is the same color. There is no one color [of skin] better
than the others. There are good men and bad men," added Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro's vice president Hamilton Mourao called the killing "regrettable."
Mourao said it was the work of "a security agent unprepared for the work" and
denied that it was a racist act. "For me, in Brazil, there is no racism. That is
something that they want to import here to Brazil. That does not exist here,"
said Mourao. Philosopher Djamila Ribeiro, one of the most influential voices in
the fight against racism in Brazil, told AFP that "the naturalization and
justification of the death of black people as a result of violence is present in
political, legal, business and media discourses."
The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 21-22/2020
US Urgently Needs to Challenge China's Chokehold on Rare
Earth Materials
Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute/November 21, 2020
The Chinese Communist Party's near monopoly on most of these 17 rare earth
materials (REM) is by now a US national security vulnerability of enormous
strategic importance.... China's October 13 decision to curtail the export of
these vitally needed rare earth materials should serve as an urgent warning to
the U.S. to begin developing an independent supply chain of these materials.
The Defense Department has not acted with the sense of urgency demanded by the
president.... Consequently, if US-China relations plummet to the point where
conflict appears imminent, America's military would be disadvantaged should the
Chinese decide to sever exports of REM to the US market.
The US would do well... by quickly decoupling its economy from dependency on
China for rare earth materials -- and if possible, from everything else.
One of China's most significant advantages in the race to dominate future
hi-tech industrial production, among just about everything else, is its
chokehold on "rare earth materials" (REM). These are materials -- and the raw
minerals from which they are extracted and processed -- vital to the
manufacture, for instance, of advanced weapons, fossil-free alternative energy
systems, communication devices, computer products, and microelectronic networks.
It is an area in which China has already established dominance . The Chinese
Communist Party's near monopoly on most of these 17 rare earth materials is by
now a US national security vulnerability of enormous strategic importance.
China's October 13 decision to curtail the export of these vitally needed rare
earth materials should serve as an urgent warning to the US to seriously begin
developing an independent supply chain of these materials.
The good news is that the Trump Administration had the foresight in 2017 to
issue an Executive Order to begin the process of decoupling the US from its
dependency on the Communist Chinese regime for REM. This Executive Order was
followed up in early October by a Presidential declaration of a national
emergency in mining, in an apparent effort to establish a US domestic REM
stockpile for military requirements. China's announced intent to ban the export
of strategic REM to foreign countries could spur the US quickly and fully to
implement President Trump's directive to establish an independent REM supply
chain. The Defense Department has not acted with the sense of urgency demanded
by the President. In short, the DOD is dragging its feet. Consequently, if
US-China relations plummet to the point where conflict appears imminent,
America's military would be disadvantaged should the Chinese decide to sever
exports of REM to the US.
Presently, the US Air Force's most advanced fighter jet, the F-35, requires
about 1,000 pounds of rare earth materials, most of which are presently acquired
from China. The US is also dependent on China for REM required for laser
guidance missiles, other advanced weapons systems and space satellites.
Many US quality-of-life domestic products -- many medical devices, such as
scanners, electric automobiles, and fluorescent lighting -- also rely on the
availability of the Chinese REM.
To decouple, the US could establish new supply lines with countries that have
unexploited deposits of REM. These include Australia, Afghanistan, India,
Russia, Brazil and countries in Central Asia. The US also could capitalize on
its considerable undersea technological expertise to extract REM deposits from
the ocean floor. US allies, such as NATO nations, could invest in independent
REM supply lines as well as create stockpiles of REM to lessen their own
vulnerability regarding China,
The US, to nurture a national and internationally competitive industry, could
also borrow a tactic from China by subsidizing domestic companies to invest in
REM extraction and processing enterprises. Current REM sites in the US that have
the potential to expand rapidly, particularly if the government provides
financial and tax-free incentives, include Elk Creek Mine in Nebraska, Bokan
Mine in Alaska, and Bear Lodge Mine in Wyoming. Presently, the most profitable
REM site in the US is Mountain Pass Mine in California. Potentially, the most
valuable US site is an area in West Texas which contains 16 of the 17 known rare
earth materials.
Some of these REM and their related end products include:
Barite - fracking process for natural gas extraction
Cerium - camera lenses for telescopes
Dysprosium - magnets in electric vehicles and wind turbines
Erbium - nuclear power plant rods
Europium - lasers
Gallium - semiconductors
Lanthanum - specialized lighting
Lithium - batteries
Praseodymium - jet airplane engines
Promethium - batteries for nuclear powered systems
Yttrium - laser-guided missiles and bombs.
In addition to these REM, there are other critical materials that the US no
longer produces. Consequently, industries are forced to import these items. An
additional benefit is that the natural gas extracted by fracking helps to keep
the US energy independent. Graphite, a necessary ingredient for smartphone
batteries, is another critical substance.
If the US were to decide that breaking China's monopolistic stranglehold on most
of these materials was a national priority, Washington could also build REM
processing plants and supply chains. Not only would these investments provide
jobs, but also only then could the US proceed to transform these critical REM
oxides into metallic alloys from which end products are created.
If the US remains dependent on China for REM, there may come a time when America
might be forced to sacrifice a foreign policy interest -- a dilemma experienced
by Japan, also heavily dependent on China for REM. When China and Japan became
involved in a maritime fishing dispute, Beijing cut off shipments of REM to its
neighbor. The dispute was settled only when Tokyo pleaded with China to resume
the export of REM and the Japanese Coast Guard in the East China Sea released
the captain of a Chinese trawler that had been fishing in disputed waters. The
US would do well to avoid a similar predicament by quickly decoupling its
economy from dependency on China for rare earth materials -- and if possible,
from everything else.
*Dr. Lawrence A. Franklin was the Iran Desk Officer for Secretary of Defense
Rumsfeld. He also served on active duty with the U.S. Army and as a Colonel in
the Air Force Reserve.
© 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.
G20 Summit… Economic Recovery and Global Reassurance
Zuhair Al-Harthi/Asharq Al Awsat/November 21/2020
Amid the global battle against the novel coronavirus, the world’s eyes are on
Saudi Arabia, which hosts today’s virtual Group of Twenty summit presided over
by King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Given the standing and weight of the member states
and the impact of their decisions on peoples’ lives, the summit’s outcome is
being closely followed, as the world hopes for reasons for optimism and
indications that things will return to normal.
The peoples of the world have been living in a state of despair, fear, and agony
over the past year, and it is clear that a strong sense of determination to find
effective solutions that can alleviate the world’s pains looms over the summit.
Peoples are in need of something to reassure them, infuse the spirit of serenity
into their lives, and build bridges of trust. The G20 is a momentous event, as
this is a critical stage and everyone is awaiting a statement that includes
serious commitments on the part of the members and pledges to move forward on
the basis of cooperation to achieve people’s aspirations.
These days coincide with the elapse of a year since the virus was discovered, so
there are fears of the situation’s persistence and fears for the global economy
in an uncertain future, despite the positive news we are receiving about trials
on a vaccine the world is impatiently waiting for. A G20 intervention to contain
the repercussions of the epidemic is demanded, this being at the heart of its
responsibilities since it seeks to make the world safer, more stable, and juster.
Still, the world remains under the effects of the shock induced by the figures
of the ongoing second wave. Thus, it is hoped that this formidable forum’s
statement will raise morale, confront the coronavirus’s repercussions, and
safeguard the global economy with its measures, procedures, and plans.
Under Saudi leadership, this year’s G20 Presidential Agenda is focused on
“realizing the opportunities of the 21st century for all by empowering people,
safeguarding the planet, and shaping new frontiers”. It should be noted that the
G20’s work is split into two tracks. One is the Finance Track, which includes
meetings that deal with economic and financial issues and are held several times
a year. The other is the Sherpa Track, which deals with social and economic
issues.
We should not forget to commend the Engagement Groups and The Private Sector
Alliance for the Empowerment and Progression of Women’s Economic Representation
for their outstanding efforts and the recommendations they raised. Nor should we
forget that the G20 Sherpa Meetings’ discussion on the Leaders’ Declaration
draft focuses on restoring growth, creating jobs, and the value of collaboration
to overcome the pandemic’s repercussions.
The accelerating and crushing crisis reflects the scale of the threat facing the
world and the efforts to avert the horrific humanitarian, economic, and social
consequences it entails. This is why Saudi Arabia affirmed that the summit would
discuss policies and initiatives that have the potential to address the
pandemic’s repercussions to protect lives, restore growth and jobs, and “pave
the way to a more inclusive, more sustainable, and more resilient economic
recovery.”
In all fairness, Saudi Arabia has made an extraordinary effort this year, during
which it witnessed more than 180 meetings, most of which were scheduled within
the framework of the group’s agenda, 16 high-level ministerial meetings, two
Leaders Summits, an extraordinary summit was held in March and a regular summit
that will be held today and tomorrow. Saudi Arabia’s leadership of the summit is
an ordinary occasion, as it demonstrates the kingdom’s place on the
international map and the world’s esteem for its role in framing economic
decisions that have a global impact.
Capitalism, as an economic system, is suffering gravely after the global economy
declined, as shown by the successive crises that have shaken countries’
economies. This has thrown plans for its future up in the air and pushed some to
question whether political democracy has failed to achieve economic reform that
benefits peoples.
Immense challenges are confronting the world, and an array of dangers put its
stability and security in danger, especially since were are seeing the return of
the bi-polar cold war, to say nothing about the escalating conflict between
Washington and Beijing. At the end of the day, any summit’s success is typically
contingent upon the will of the leaders of states, and its primary objective is
to achieve economic growth, move past differences and build the society of the
future. The G20’s role should be to ensure financial and international stability
and enhance understanding and dialogue between industrialized and developing
countries in such a way that serves sustainable development across the world and
wards off economic declines and sudden disruptions like the ones before today.
Nevertheless, a divergence in viewpoints is expected within the G20. However,
the solution does not necessarily imply a separation between Europe and America
or China or a push toward a new economic order. Instead, members should commit
to dialogue and coordination aimed at maintaining the world’s growth and
prosperity.
The worried world desperately needs to be reassured and relaxed, and the summit
is expected to rise to challenges posed by the sensitivity of the situation at
this critical phase by proposing workable solutions. The steps Saudi Arabia is
taking are translating into successive achievements, and it is aware that its
actions are as far as can be from fleeting bursts of emotion and media
commotion. The Kingdom is mindful of the role of its influence and engagement
with novel developments and economic challenges.
The G20 at the Extraordinary Riyadh Summit
Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al Awsat/November 21/2020
The G20 Summit will kick off in Riyadh on Saturday, under the chairmanship of
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, with the whole of
humanity at a dangerous crossroads and before unprecedented challenges.
It is the crossroads of responsibility to protect lives and restore growth
through confronting the pandemic that has shaken the world and whose
repercussions are still reverberating. This places the G20 before the
responsibility of coming up with a strategy to address the raging economic
crises and the weaknesses that have emerged in order to lay down the foundations
that can protect life on earth.
The people of the world are therefore looking expectantly at the globe’s most
important international cooperation summit that brings together influential
countries. The world’s top economies will meet at the event. Combined, they make
up 85 percent of the global economy, more than 80 percent of global trade and
two thirds of the world’s population. All of these countries have suffered from
the pandemic and have consequently entered into unforeseen recession. This has,
in turn, sparked change in several economic and living trends, which was caused
by the sudden lack of or drop in growth. The result was a rise in unemployment,
drop in income and more burdens on countries throughout the world, especially
the poor. The pandemic has hit hard countries that are witnessing political and
security upheaval, as well as the Middle East.
Based on the above, the G20 is faced with the challenge of partnering up with
poor countries in combating the pandemic. The outbreak has weighed heavily on
these nations that lack the basic means to fight the disease. The developments
in recent months have demonstrated that the majority of these countries lack the
ability to adapt to the massive pressure given their poor health systems and
inability to secure the basic needs of their people amid lockdowns. This
therefore demands that urgent international programs be implemented to provide
them with support and include them in the distribution of vaccines.
The timing of the G20 Summit can be described as extraordinary in every sense.
The summit is always the world’s top event because it brings together its most
important potential and natural wealth. It also has the responsibility to
overcome the recession and draw up international strategies that can push
forward production and growth. Significantly, the summit is being held as
breakthroughs in the development of vaccines are beginning to emerge, which will
strongly change the course of events imposed by the pandemic.
Another significant note is that the 2020 summit nearly coincides with a year
since the news of the virus first emerged in China and ten months since it broke
out globally. The virus has infected 55 million people the world over and the
numbers are growing as the second wave hits. Deaths have climbed to 1.3 million.
The G20 has pumped more than 21 billion dollars in the fight against the
pandemic, including the development of vaccines. Once available, the vaccine
will help restore normal economic growth, making economic recovery one of the
most important issues at hand at the G20 Summit.
We mentioned above that the pandemic has caused several changes in economic
trends. The disease has struck at the middle and poor classes, which are the
most productive in any economy and guarantees for its security. Entire economic
sectors rely on these classes. Countless small and medium enterprises have been
forced to close due to the pandemic and many influential sectors have been dealt
a heavy blow and need support to survive. Tourism has been hit particularly
hard, as have the recreation and real estate sectors. There is no doubt that the
G20 Summit will address these issues.
The current reality had made it necessary to hold the summit virtually, which
means no bilateral meetings will be held. However, the tireless work witnessed
in Saudi Arabia and the race against time to prepare for the summit have
provided the firm ground to launch the recovery phase on all levels, coupled
with the united global determination to head in that direction. This only
underlines Saudi Arabia’s current standing on the global scene.
The G20, with Saudi Arabia at the helm, is being held for the first time in the
Arab region. This demonstrates the ability of the leadership of the Kingdom in
forging strong ties with influential countries in the world. As president of the
G20, it is rightfully representing the Arab and Muslim worlds and it has been
entrusted in voicing the messages and interests of these countries.
Palestinians suffer from isolation of their own making
Farouk Yousef/The Arab News/November 21/2020
The Palestinians are now all alone. They have never been as isolated as they are
today. And they won’t be able to break that isolation as long as it remains of
their own making, while Israel remains the real beneficiary of that isolation.
Were they so passive over the past years to the point that no one wants to
continue standing by them after they turned their just national cause into a set
of fragmented lost causes that simply waste any kind of external support?
Pessimism had prevented them from seeing the fact that the world around them was
changing, and that what they had to do was keep up with time and not just stand
around waiting at a station no longer serviced, without realising it. Their
cause is no longer what it used to be, and their enemy, too, has acquired new
rights at their expense that no one can any longer force it to give up.
What is even more tragic is the reality that if, at some previous time, this
enemy was willing and in need of dialoguing with them in order to convince the
world of its good intentions, today it is no longer interested in doing so after
losing some of its ability to convince the world of its desire for a peace based
on mutual rights. The capital of world sympathy that the Palestinians
accumulated during decades of struggle, they have dilapidated over the recent
years of internal divisions, as they chose to give priority to their internal
differences over their national cause, since it is precisely having a unified
position that would make dealing with them easy for international parties that
sympathise with them and seek to bear with them the heavy burden of their cause.
Their worst mistake was believing that the position of others regarding their
cause would be unwavering and will not change regardless of the damage they
themselves inflicted on that cause through the fluctuation of their own
political positions and their hopping from one camp to the next, in search of
narrow and faltering benefits, leading them into useless mazes and exposing
their cause to unfair questioning of its legitimacy.
Long-time Palestinian activist Hanan Ashrawi said once something like “our
internal divisions are of no concern to others” but she forgot to indicate that
it is actually those divisions that have scattered the Palestinians over the
various camps of the region’s conflicts and prevented them from standing on the
same ground that would guard them from falling into the pitfalls of those
conflicts.
Hamas’s wanderings from one financial backer to the next is a stark example of
that dispersion, but it is not alone in this respect as the other Palestinian
parties behaved just as badly. The internal Palestinian disagreements were
reflected in the performance of all Palestinian parties; confusion and ambiguity
prevailed. It has gotten to the point that it was no longer possible to pin
point what these parties wanted on the level of the cause that is supposed to
bring them together rather than divide them. Dealing with one party and not the
other became embarrassing and even raised many suspicions. Therefore, many
sympathisers of the Palestinian cause preferred not to get involved. Thus, I can
say that the Palestinians have created a difficult situation that is not
attractive to the forces sympathetic to them. These forces also have their own
problems; not to mention the state of despair that afflicted everyone due to the
decline of the initiative spirit on the part of the Palestinian side, which has
succumbed to the endless cycle of fruitless negotiations whose contents were
kept so secret as if they were part of the secrets of the mother cause.
In the meantime, the reality on the ground was shocking.
The Palestinian policy has so far been based on knee-jerk reactions rather than
initiatives, and the Palestinian political system continued to fall apart from
the inside. The old slogans are no longer useful in presenting a clear picture
of the cause like the one that existed before the Oslo Agreement. And even
though that picture was far from being ideal, it was at least close enough to
the cause of a people seeking to obtain their legitimate rights in their
homeland. Today, as the Palestinians denounce what others are doing, they do not
pay attention to what they have done themselves and how much damage they caused
to their cause, perhaps more severe than the harm caused by others. This is a
problem that the Palestinians may not give it the attention it deserves, but it
is nevertheless an obstacle that prevents others from returning to their
previous commitment. Time has moved on while the Palestinians are still standing
in their same old spot, a spot out of everyone’s field of vision because it has
nothing to do with the political present. That spot is part of a bygone past.
*Farouk Yousef is an Iraqi writer. His article was translated and adapted from
the Arabic. It was initially published by the London-based Al Arab newspaper.