LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
September 19/2019
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For today
Do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12/22-31/:”Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”


Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on September 18-19/2019
Arrest Warrant for Lebanese-American Who Worked for Israel
Aoun to Travel to New York for General Assembly Meeting
Lebanon Dollar Bonds Jump after Saudi Arabia Pledges Financial Support
Lebanese economic growth zero if not negative, acknowledges Finance Minister Khalil
ESCWA Road Opens to Public Friday
Hariri Meets CESE Head, Italian Ambassador
Lebanese Army Chief: No Illegal Crossings on the Border
Relative of Assad’s Wife Disappears in Lebanon
Explosions heard from occupied Shebaa Farms resulting from enemy army exercises
Lebanese Cabinet approves 14 articles of the 2020 budget
Jumblatt, Najari tackle outcome of Egypt visit
Finance Minister: Budget 2020 does not include new taxes as people can no longer tolerate any
Rampling's 1 year anniversary blog 'Twelve months in Lebanon: It can sometimes be hard to stay optimistic... but here's why I do'
Berri: Sanctions against Lebanon affect all Lebanese
Hariri announces suspension of work at Future TV: Difficult decision due to financial reasons

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 18-19/2019
Netanyahu, Gantz Deadlocked after Israeli Polls
Reports: Netanyahu Wanted War in Gaza but Israeli Military Refused
Soleimani in Baghdad confers with Shiite proxies on strikes against US forces in Iraq, also Israel
Pompeo meets with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for talks on Aramco attacks
Saudi to Unveil 'Evidence' Linking Iran to Attacks as US Weighs Response
Source: 'High Probability' Saudi Attack Launched from Iran Base
US Hopes for UN Action over Aramco Attacks
Saudi Crown Prince: Attack on Aramco Facilities Dangerous Escalation Against Int’l Community
153,000 Syrians Exited Jordan within a Year
Turkey, Iran, Russia Discussed Four Issues at Summit
Suicide Bomber Detonates Inside Govt Building in East Afghanistan

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 18-19/2019
Soleimani in Baghdad confers with Shiite proxies on strikes against US forces in Iraq, also Israel/DEBKAfile/September 18/2019
Trump Clearly Wants Rapprochement With Iran. Israel Can’t Let That Happen/
Yossi Mansharof and Jason M. Brodsky/Haaretz/September 18/2019
Next for Turkey? Nuclear Weapons/Burak Bekdil/Gatestone Institute/September 18/2019
"Jack... Is a Really Kind, Funny Kid... Totally Non-violent."/Andrew Ash/Gatestone Institute/September 18/2019
Reconstruction may be underway but Syria remains unstable/Kerry Boyd Anderson/Arab News/September 18, 2019
Netanyahu's era is over, Israel is on a new path/Sima Kadmon|/Ynetnews/September 18/2019

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on September 18-19/2019
Arrest Warrant for Lebanese-American Who Worked for Israel
Associated Press/Naharnet/September 18/2019
A Lebanese judge issued an arrest warrant Tuesday for a Lebanese American who confessed he'd worked for Israel during its occupation of Lebanon for nearly two decades, Lebanese judicial officials said. The officials said acting military investigative judge Najat Abu Shakra postponed the questioning of Amer Fakhoury at the Military Court in Beirut pending permission from Lebanon's Bar Association for an American lawyer to attend. The officials said Fakhoury told the judge he wants the American lawyer to be present and since she had no permission from the Bar Association, the judge decided to postpone the questioning. No date has been set for the next session, said the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Fakhoury was detained after returning to his native Lebanon from the U.S. earlier this month. He had worked as a senior warden at the Khiam Prison in southern Lebanon that was run by an Israeli-backed militia, known as the South Lebanon Army, until Israel ended an 18-year occupation of the area in 2000. "The Department of State does not comment on cases involving American citizens due to privacy considerations," a State Department official said. Outside the court, scores of people gathered, including former Khiam prison detainees, some of whom demanded the death penalty for Fakhoury. "First of all we want the military court to deliver the death sentence by hanging for Amer Fakhoury and all those like him, whether they are inside Lebanon or outside, who are trying to erase their history and to return to Lebanon," said Firyal Hammoud, former inmate of Khiam prison. "We do not accept less than a public death sentence."Lebanon and Israel have been officially at war since Israel's creation in 1948. Human rights groups have said in the past that Khiam prison was a site of torture and detention without trial before it was abandoned in 2000. Israel denies the allegations. Hundreds of former Lebanese members of the militia had fled to Israel, fearing reprisals if they remained in Lebanon. Others stayed and faced trial, receiving lenient sentences. Fakhoury was living in Dover, New Hampshire and local media reported that the family owns a restaurant there. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu once met them at a grape leaves-making contest and talked about their shared Lebanese heritage, according to local media.

Aoun to Travel to New York for General Assembly Meeting
Naharnet/September 18/2019
President Michel Aoun is scheduled to deliver Lebanon’s speech at the annual meetings of the United General Assembly held between September 23-27 in New York. The President will be leading Lebanon’s delegation to NY, where he will meet with several Arab and foreign heads of states on the sidelines of the meeting. Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil will join the delegation later on, after chairing the 2019 Lebanese Diaspora Energy conference (LDE) in the United States.

Lebanon Dollar Bonds Jump after Saudi Arabia Pledges Financial Support

Naharnet/September 18/2019
Lebanon's dollar-dominated government bonds rose on Wednesday after Saudi Arabian pledges to provide financial support for the Mediterranean country. Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan reportedly said the kingdom was in talks with the Lebanese government to provide financial support for Lebanon, media reports said. The 2037 issue rose 1.9 cents to 64.88 cents in the dollar, while 2029 due bonds rose 1.8 cents to 64 cents in the dollar, according to Tradeweb data.

Lebanese economic growth zero if not negative, acknowledges Finance Minister Khalil
Arab News/September 18, 2019
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s economic growth is zero if not negative, leading to pressure on the central bank’s foreign currency reserves, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said on Wednesday. Khalil also said Lebanon will “very soon” start measures to issue about $2 billion of foreign currency bonds.
In response to questions about difficulties some Lebanese have faced in obtaining dollars, Khalil said that “there was not much liquidity in people’s hands” but that this had “no impact” and that banks were maintaining the pegged exchange rate. Khalil was giving details at a news conference of the 2020 draft state budget, which is aimed at reducing the deficit. The new budget would include no new taxes or fees, he said. “The level of growth went back to zero, if not negative, and therefore this matter led to an increase in the pressure on (the central bank) reserve in foreign currencies, (and) the accumulation of the deficit in the treasury,” Khalil said. The cost of debt servicing had also moved higher with increased interest rates, he said. One of the world’s most heavily indebted states, Lebanon is aiming to drive through long-postponed reforms to put the public finances on a sustainable path. The impetus has grown due to a stagnant economy and a slowdown in inflows of hard currency from Lebanese abroad, which has long been a key source of financing for the state and its current account deficit. The Lebanese pound has been pegged at its current level against the US dollar for more than two decades and the government has vowed it will be kept there. Some Lebanese importers say they have found it harder or more expensive to acquire dollars in recent weeks. “The economic situation is tough but we are not a collapsing country at the financial level ... and we still have the ability to meet needs,” Khalil said. “Yes, there is not much liquidity in foreign currencies in people’s hands in the market, but the dollar exchange rate is still maintained in the banks. “What we are feeling is that small cash in people’s hands is not available, outside the framework of (bank) transactions ... but we want to say that this has no impact,” he added.

ESCWA Road Opens to Public Friday
Naharnet/September 18/2019
Major roads near a U.N. building in Downtown Beirut, ESCWA, will soon be open 24/7 after an eight year closure imposed in 2011 as part of security measures to protect the building. Minister of Interior and Municipalities Raya al-Hassan and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti held a joint press conference on Tuesday, announcing the opening of the road linking Downtown Beirut to Blvd. Salim Salam. In 2011, roads leading to the U.N. Economic and Social Committee for Western Asia (ESCWA) headquarters in Downtown Beirut were closed. The move drew criticism then as it affected the traffic given that the roads near ESCWA are vital for commuters. Dashti commended Hasan for “the great efforts she is making not only at the level of Lebanon, but also at the regional level." "She is an honorable model for Arab women," she said. "We have prioritized solutions that ensure the safety and security of United Nations personnel, all the while preventing burdens on the commercial center of the country," Dashti added. "As some may already know, the roads have been closed under certain security conditions that Lebanon was going through. The conditions have changed and the security situation has stabilized, and we, like ESCWA, support the stability and economic and social development of this country." "Today, we are sending a message to the international community and foreign investors that Lebanon is stable and secure. We hope that the actions of the United Nations, in all its organs, will help Lebanon improve its economy, better its living conditions and create jobs for young people," she added. For her part, Hasan said: "When I assumed my duties as Minister of Interior, I took it upon myself to take certain steps, albeit small, to improve the lives of citizens and facilitate their affairs."Hasan said the road linking Downtown to Salim Salam tunnel would be open by Friday, while the opposite lane will be opened after one month. “We hope to have made a simple step to improve the people's daily lives," the minister said.

Hariri Meets CESE Head, Italian Ambassador
Naharnet/September 18/2019
Prime Minister Saad Hariri met at the Grand Serail on Tuesday with President of the French Economic, Social and Environmental Council CESE, Patrick Bernasconi, accompanied by the French Ambassador Bruno Foucher, in the presence of President of the Economic and Social Council CES Charles Arbid. The visit has tackled several issues including the PM’s visit to France to help implement CEDRE decisions. After the meeting, Bernasconi said: “It is with great pleasure that I met with the Prime Minister, in an important visit dedicated to the signing of an agreement between the Lebanese CES at the invitation of Charles Arbid and the French CESE. We spoke about civil society, the role it can play within the institutions and what positive contribution it can make. “We also mentioned a number of more economic topics like the place of French companies here in Lebanon. We also talked about his trip next Friday, September 20, to France, during which he will meet with the French President and some large French companies. These meetings are important because they will allow to start a project on which we base much hope, the CEDRE project. France is very attached to this project as a tool to revitalize the economy and bring some positive solutions to the difficulties encountered. These are positive signs and I hope they will be considered as such by all stakeholders”. Hariri then received Italian Ambassador to Lebanon Massimo Marotti who said after the meeting: “I met with the PM and we discussed the bilateral relations, focusing on the follow up of Rome Conference and the preparation of the CEDRE conference follow up mechanism. We are working on financial facilities for joint ventures between Lebanese and Italian companies that will be finalized soon.”

Lebanese Army Chief: No Illegal Crossings on the Border
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 18 September, 2019
Lebanon’s Army Chief General Joseph Aoun has said that the crossings on the Lebanese border with Syria are in better condition than they were years ago.
“There are no illegal crossings, but some loopholes that need to be shut," he said on Tuesday. Aoun's remarks came during a joint tactical exercise carried out by the 1st Land Border Regiment in al-Arida border area of Akkar. Units from the General Directorate of General Security, the General Directorate of Internal Security Forces, Lebanese Red Cross, and the General Directorate of Civil Defense participated in the drill. The exercise simulates thwarting the infiltration of terrorist groups that carried out a suicide bombing at Arida crossing point. Aoun praised the performance of the soldiers who participated in the exercise, noting that the drill comes in line with the integrated strategy for border management, which is expected to be approved by the government so that it comes into force. The army and the rest of the security forces prepare to implement the strategy through joint training and exercises, said Aoun.He indicated that the drill revealed professionalism in coordination between the army and various security apparatuses during a terrorist attack, which takes place for the first time at the border. This asserts that security of border crossings are “the responsibility of all the security forces, not just the army,” according to the General. He addressed the units saying that the crossings are in better condition now thanks to their efforts in maintaining security and control of the border. He added that there are no illegal crossings, but some gaps that needed to be closed. The army commander stressed the importance of the border regiments, pointing out that the leadership provides them with all the equipment and training to facilitate their task in controlling the border and prevent smuggling, which is a top priority.

Relative of Assad’s Wife Disappears in Lebanon
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 18 September, 2019
Reports said Tuesday that Merhef Akhras, the cousin of Syrian first lady Asma Assad, was “kidnapped” in Beirut last week. The Lebanese National News Agency said that Akhras, the son of prominent businessmen Tarif Akhras, disappeared last Thursday under suspicious circumstances on the road between Aley and Chtaura while traveling to Damascus. The man’s father is the cousin of Fawaz al-Akhras, the father of Asma Assad. A local radio station reported that Akhras’ wife received a telephone call from the area of east Bekaa from her husband’s Syrian number, asking that she pay $2 million for his release.
Akhras’ car was found parked in Aley. Local LBC television said that Akhras, who is in his 40s, had moved to Lebanon three years ago. According to Syrian opposition figures, Tarif owns several food factories, including rice and sugar in Homs. One opposition source said that Tarif acts on behalf of Asma in several investment projects in the banking, real estate and food industries. In 2014, Britain’s High Court ordered a 12 month jail term for Tarif due to breach of contract in a deal with Archer Daniels Midland for food imports to Syria. Akhras had failed to pay $26 million to ADM for corn and soybeans supplied by the commodities house for import to Syria in 2011. EU and Swiss sanctions were imposed on Akhras for giving support to Syrian authorities.

Explosions heard from occupied Shebaa Farms resulting from enemy army exercises

NNA -Wed 18 Sep 2019
Explosions have been heard from the occupied Shebaa Farms, resonating in the villages of Hasbaya and Arqoub, resulting from military exercises carried out by the Israeli enemy army, extending to the Golan Heights, amid reconnaissance flights over the occupied Shebaa Farms, the NNA correspondent reported.

Lebanese Cabinet approves 14 articles of the 2020 budget

NNA -Wed 18 Sep 2019
Following the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the Grand Serail, Acting Minister of Information Wael Abu Faour read the following official information:
"The cabinet held a meeting at the Grand Serail chaired by Prime Minister Hariri to continue the discussion that began yesterday at the Presidential Palace during the budget session.
At the beginning of the meeting, Premier Hariri stressed the importance of this discussion and invited everyone to shoulder their responsibilities. He added that we could use the discussion on the 2019 budget as a basis for discussion, but he asked us to go further in the reform measures. He warned against returning to the endless discussions that took place during the previous budget debate. He also called for intensive and successive sessions to approve the budget and meet constitutional deadlines, and even to be ahead of constitutional deadlines to give the necessary positive impression.
He assured that if the Minister of Finance has set a percentage of the deficit, we must strive to reduce it further. According to the President of the Council, all the political forces gathered in the Council of Ministers bear a great responsibility in these difficult economic and financial conditions, but he hoped that the discussion on the budget, the reform measures and the launching of major projects will lead to resolve the economic and financial situation.
Then the Minister of Finance gave a more detailed explanation than the one he presented yesterday. He said he started reading the proposals submitted by the parliamentary blocs. Yesterday, a proposal from the block Strong Lebanon began to be examined.
Other political forces also said they have suggestions and ideas that would be presented in writing, including the Lebanese Forces. It was agreed that the basis of the discussion would be in accordance with the document presented by the Minister of Finance, who is authorized to submit the budget to the Council of Ministers.
The Minister of Finance will review other ideas positively and submit them to the Council of Ministers for discussion to take advantage of new ideas.
The debate focused on the budget articles and 14 of the 32 articles were approved. We reached Article 15. Prime Minister Hariri asked us to have a more in-depth discussion on Monday during the Cabinet meeting at 4 pm, and ministers will of course be invited by the secretariat of the Council of Ministers. Article 16 was discussed in a preliminary way and was not approved.
Question: Was the electricity article discussed?
Abu Faour: It was discussed and the proposal was to ask for 1.5 trillion as an advance from treasury, but some ministers felt that we might need a bigger advance. When we finished the budget discussion, we discussed the quarries plan agreed yesterday.
What I can confirm about the atmosphere in the Council of Ministers is that everyone is aware of the economic and financial reality and acts with positive logic.
The discussions that took place were positive. This time, I can confirm that we benefited from the discussions that took place in previous budget sessions, and things are encouraging and reassuring.
Question: Has the gasoline crisis been discussed?
Abu Faour: No, this question has not been discussed yet. But on the quarries master plan, the Minister of the Environment has been very positive in today's debate. The basic logic is to preserve the environment, so we agree with him on this point.
Question: Does this mean that you overcame the tension with Minister Ghassan Atallah?
Abu Faour: It was not a topic of discussion.

Jumblatt, Najari tackle outcome of Egypt visit
NNA - Wed 18 Sep 2019
Chairman of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, met at his residence in Clemenceau with Egyptian Ambassador Nazih Najari, in the presence of former Minister Ghazi Aridi, with talks touching on the latest developments. It was an occasion to review the outcomes of Jumblatt's recent visit to Egypt and his meeting with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

Finance Minister: Budget 2020 does not include new taxes as people can no longer tolerate any
NNA - Wed 18 Sep 2019
Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil tackled in a press conference the draft budget 2020, saying "the 2020 budget does not include any new taxes because people can no longer tolerate that. The State must continue to work, and there should be a follow-up on laws and decrees complementary to the general budget.""We are continuing the same approach adopted in the 2019 budget, in a bid to reduce deficit, or at least maintain what has been achieved, without overestimating the reduction of expenditures, and while working to secure additional resources," the minister said. "Therefore, the figures presented in the 2020 budget are realistic, provided that there is no additions in the budget, so it could pass smoothly in the House of Representatives," Khalil went on to say, stressing that "the pressure on our economy is immense, and growth has returned to zero if not negative. This has doubled the pressure on the Central Bank."
Assuring that the 2019 Budget was praised by International parties, Khalil stressed that "we will proceed from the current deficit rate and will try to maintain it in the budget of 2020."
Khalil said "our aim is to increase the confidence of the Lebanese in the State through achieving an acceptable growth rate. This requires a return to the law and good management of public finances. Regulators are highly concerned with this matter. We must also restore State rights by restoring the management of public utilities.”

Rampling's 1 year anniversary blog 'Twelve months in Lebanon: It can sometimes be hard to stay optimistic... but here's why I do'
NNA -Wed 18 Sep 2019
In his one year anniversary blog, entitled "12 months in Lebanon: 'It can sometimes be hard to stay optimistic... but here's why I do', British Ambasador to Lebanon, Chris Rampling wrote: "This time last year was one of the highlights of my career - presenting Queen Elizabeth's letter to President Aoun that nominated me as Ambassador. The anniversary has allowed reflection on the year: for Lebanon, and for the UK.
My first 12 months in Lebanon has been remarkable. Rolls Royce and MEA signed our largest ever bilateral trade deal. I met the 10,000th Lebanese soldier trained by the UK, and one of the UK's most modern naval frigates came to Beirut. We hosted the first official visit by a British Royal, and partnered with the National Library for a stunning celebration of the UK in Lebanon. I have seen the results of our sustained work with women in Parliament, on community policing in Beirut, and in the education sector. And I have been lucky enough to visit every Governorate, meeting incredible people, with remarkable and inspiring stories. After we changed our Travel Advice, I became the first British Ambassador in 10 years to attend the Baalbek Festival.
Lebanon
But supporting Lebanon has not been a walk along the corniche. Efforts to stabilise the economy have been the main theme. The UK supports the Government's programme and CEDRE: economic reform will be painful, but it is not optional and it is urgent. Debt must come down, the books be better balanced, and domestic and international confidence rekindled. Only then can Lebanon fulfil its enormous potential. There are plenty of opportunities for more Trade and Investment, and we have a new UK Trade Envoy. But this will not come just because we wish it. If things do not change, the economy will not recover.
The effects of the Syrian crisis have also been a theme. I have opened UK-funded community centres in the Bekaa, the fishing port in Jiyeh, and seen a new apple factory in Jezzine. Listened to Syrian children in schools, and adults in communities. We will continue to support Lebanon, and to look for new areas in which we can work together. Standing with both host communities and the refugees themselves.
The last thing Lebanon needs is more insecurity, and the isolated attack in Tripoli on LAF and ISF officers was deeply saddening. Your security services - of whom we remain proud partners - do critical work, in difficult environments.
But other security concerns are also serious. Just after I arrived, there were the tunnels to Israel, and in recent weeks the tension between Hizballah and Israel. The region is uncertain. Furthermore, the UK recognised in February that it was no longer tenable to distinguish between the military and political wings of Hizballah and proscribed the latter. We continue to call for calm and full respect by all for UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the Baabda Declaration. I believe passionately that Lebanon's security and that of its people can and will only be served by respect by all of these commitments.
UK
And obviously, I cannot reflect on the last 12 months without thinking about the UK. We have this year seen a change in Prime Minister and a number of changes in the legal date for our departure from the European Union. Brexit dominates the headlines about my country, and the perceptions of some.
But I know this is not the overwhelming feeling of most Lebanese. Many recall our world-leading Education (4 of the top 15 universities in the world). Or our strong economy, with record low unemployment and high skills base. Our cutting-edge financial, legal, arbitration, and technology services (with a perfectly-timed Forum in London this week. Some of the most exhilarating, diverse, cities in the world. A stunning culture and sport offering. And so on. It is easy to stay positive about the UK's future.
The Future
As it is with Lebanon. I have lived in 6 countries outside the UK, and the Lebanese are the most creative, entrepreneurial and agile. You look all around the compass, and have what you need for success. Times are tougher now, but education, languages, technology, and openness to the world are the keys to the future. Lebanon has all. And, as I felt when we said goodbye last week to the latest group of UK Government Chevening scholars, through much of your history, your people have led the way.
Building a successful future is at the heart of the UK/Lebanon Year of Education that is almost upon us. Through that, our economic, security and service programmes, my team and I plan to spend more time around the country in the coming year, whether in Nabatieh, Saida, Tripoli, Baalbek, Zahle, Byblos, the Chouf or elsewhere. Everywhere we go, we will see how the UK can invest today, for a better tomorrow.
So, despite the current challenges this wonderful country faces, I remain positive. I hope you can too."

Berri: Sanctions against Lebanon affect all Lebanese
NNA - Wed 18 Sep 2019
House Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday stressed that the blockade and economic sanctions imposed on Lebanon do not affect individuals or a specific party, but rather affect all the Lebanese.
Speaker Berri's words came during his weekly meeting with deputies within the framework of "Wednesday Gathering." Berri considered that filling vacancies and accomplishing appointments in the judiciary and the Auditing Department should facilitate the approval of the "closure of accounts", to be transferred to Parliament, before budget approval. On the electricity dossier, the head of the Legislative authority stressed the need to accelerate the appointment of the board of directors of the EDL and the regulatory authority of the sector. This afternoon, Berri chaired a meeting of the Parliament's Bureau, to discuss the bills of motion on the agenda of the Parliament's General Assembly on 24 September.

Hariri announces suspension of work at Future TV: Difficult decision due to financial reasons

NNA - Wed 18 Sep 2019
The President of the Council of Ministers Saad Hariri issued the following statement:
"It is with a sad heart that I announce today the decision to suspend the work at Future TV and settle the rights of the workers, for the same financial reasons that led to the closing of Al-Mustaqbal newspaper. The decision is not easy for me and for the public of the Future movement, nor for the generation of founders, workers and millions of Lebanese and Arab viewers, who accompanied the station for more than a quarter of a century and witnessed a distinguished media experience that devoted effort, potential and competencies to serve Lebanon and the Arab causes. Martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri wanted the Future TV to be at the image of the Lebanese citizens, their diversity, their coexistence and their passion for culture, freedom, openness and joy. He called it "Future TV" so it could be a bridge to the Arab conscience, with all its national, civilized, social and cultural meanings. Future TV could not have witnessed these continuous chapters of success, development and proliferation, and overcome the series of security and political dangers and financial and administrative difficulties, if there had not been a real family that provided the factors of resilience in the most difficult circumstances, and was the example of goodness, good performance, sacrifice and noble loyalty. These will preciously remain entrusted in my heart and I ask God Almighty to help me fulfill the obligations, despite the difficult conditions that you all know. It is important that Future TV employees and all Lebanese and Arab brothers know that the screen will not be turned off. The station is not taking the decision to stop work in order to become part of the past. Rather, it is announcing the end of a period in its journey, to be able to address the accumulated material burdens. It is preparing for a new phase in which it aspires to return in the coming months, in a way that shines on Lebanon and the Arabs, with a media and news format that matches the available resources and reflects the national, economic, social and developmental concerns of the Lebanese. I express my appreciation, gratitude and apologies to all the employees of Future TV and their colleagues in Al-Mustaqbal Newspaper, who spent their lives in these institutions before the circumstances put us together in the face of the difficult decision to suspend the work. I pledge to follow up their rights and wish them all the best in their choices and job opportunities."

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 18-19/2019
Netanyahu, Gantz Deadlocked after Israeli Polls
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 18/2019
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main challenger Benny Gantz were deadlocked Wednesday after an Israeli general election, reports said, raising the possibility of a unity government or even the end of the premier's long rule. Various Israeli media reported that Netanyahu's right-wing Likud and Gantz's Blue and White had 32 seats each of parliament's 120 with more than 90 percent of the vote counted. The reports were citing sources with the elections committee, as that level of results had not been officially posted yet and were not expected before Wednesday afternoon. The results gave no obvious path for either to form a majority coalition, raising the possibility of negotiations towards a unity government. If the results hold, it will be a major setback for Netanyahu, who hoped to form a right-wing coalition similar to his current one as he faces the possibility of corruption charges in the weeks ahead. With a hoarse voice and appearing haggard after days of intense campaigning, Netanyahu spoke before supporters in the early hours of Wednesday and said he was prepared for negotiations to form a "strong Zionist government." He seemed to hint at openness to forming a national unity government, but did not specifically say so. In his speech to supporters in Tel Aviv, Gantz called for a "broad unity government" but cautioned that he was waiting for final results. "We will act to form a broad unity government that will express the will of the people," the former armed forces chief said. "We will begin negotiations and I will speak with everyone." On Wednesday morning when journalists approached him as he was on his way for a run, Gantz said "we'll wait for the final results ... and wish Israel a good unity government." Netanyahu had not spoken in public since his early morning speech.
Arab turnout
Ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman could prove to be kingmaker, with the reported results showing his nationalist Yisrael Beitenu with nine seats. The mainly Arab Joint List alliance was set to become the third-largest bloc in parliament with 12 seats, the reports said. That could put the Arab parties in a position to block Netanyahu from continuing as prime minister if they decide to break with precedent and endorse Gantz for the job. Israel's Arab parties have traditionally not endorsed anyone for prime minister. "The main difference in this vote is the turnout among Arab citizens," Joint List leader Ayman Odeh told journalists outside his home in the northern city of Haifa on Wednesday. "There's no doubt that this is what made the difference. Without that, Netanyahu would already be prime minister." After exit polls were released on Tuesday night, Lieberman called for a unity government with his party, Likud and Blue and White, saying the country was facing an "emergency." The election was the second in five months for Israel, and President Reuven Rivlin, who must choose someone to form the next government, said there was a "need to avoid a third". Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, suffered one of the biggest defeats of his political career after the previous elections in April. His Likud along with its right-wing and religious allies won a majority, but he failed to form a coalition and opted for a second election rather than risk having Rivlin choose someone else to try.
'Normal again'
The stakes could not be much higher for the 69-year-old Netanyahu, who many believe will seek immunity from prosecution in parliament should be survive as prime minister. He spent election day warning he was on the verge of losing if his supporters did not turn out to vote, including in appearances at Jerusalem's main market and its central bus station, wielding a megaphone to exhort the crowds. He repeatedly warned, as he has in previous elections, that left-wing and Arab voters were showing up in large numbers to vote him out, appearing on Facebook live to do so. A campaign by Lieberman to "make Israel normal again" appeared to have resonated with voters. The staunch secularist has long campaigned against what he sees as the undue clout of ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, which he accuses of seeking to impose Jewish religious law on Israel's secular population. Lieberman has demanded legislation to make military service mandatory for the ultra-Orthodox as for other Jewish Israelis -- a demand he refused to drop after April polls, eventually blocking Netanyahu's efforts to form a coalition.

Reports: Netanyahu Wanted War in Gaza but Israeli Military Refused
Tel Aviv /Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 18 September, 2019
In new information released in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, political and military sources confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was seriously working this month on forcing the military to go to war in the Gaza Strip, which would have postponed the general elections. Hebrew newspapers wrote that the PM sent National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat to meet with Central Elections Committee head Hana Melcer to prepare for the possibility of delaying the general election due to war. Netanyahu said he needed to respond to a rocket attack that appeared to target one of his rallies. Last week, two rockets were fired toward the coastal city of Ashdod, situated between the Palestinian enclave and Tel Aviv, and nearby Ashkelon, while the prime minister was speaking to voters at the time, and was therefore forced to leave the stage for a bomb shelter. Netanyahu then discussed the issue with top military commanders at the Defense Ministry, where he raised the possibility of a “far-reaching” military operation. The reports said that the PM was almost about to order the military to go to war in the Gaza Strip. However, Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit persuaded the PM to back off, citing a 2018 law that prohibits the prime minister and defense minister from declaring war or authorizing significant military operations without cabinet approval. The KAN Israeli public broadcaster reported that Israel was closer to a wide-range military operation against the Gaza Strip more than anytime before. It quoted Israeli security officials as saying that the rocket fired toward Ashdod does not require an Israeli response in the size suggested by Netanyahu.

Soleimani in Baghdad confers with Shiite proxies on strikes against US forces in Iraq, also Israel
DEBKAfile/September 18/2019
Exclusive: Al Qods chief Qassem Soleimani arrived in Baghdad on Monday, Sept. 16, two days after Iran’s cruise-missile drone attack on Saudi oil, DEBKAfile’s military and intelligence sources report. Accompanied by his operational staff, the IRGC general was quickly closeted with three heads of pro-Iranian Iraqi Shiite militias and former Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki. Our sources reveal their two subjects of discussion:
The Iraqi militias’ response in the event of a US and/or Saudi assault on Iran in retaliation for its attacks on major Saudi oil facilities on Saturday.
The military action the Iraqi militias would take against Israel as payback for its constant air and missile strikes against Iran’s bases in Syria and Iraq.
Our sources name the militia leaders in talks with Soleimani as Hadi al-Amiri, former chief of the Badr Brigades, Falah al-Fayyad, supreme commander of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) and his deputy Abu Mahdi Muhandis. Al Maliki, a highly influential figure in Iraq’s Shiite south, warned Israel in late August that of “a strong response” if it continued to attack Iranian targets.
Soleimani’s consultations in Baghdad continue at present. They run parallel to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s talks in Jeddah with Saudi royal leaders on how to respond to the crippling attacks on their oil infrastructure.

Pompeo meets with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for talks on Aramco attacks
Arab News/September 18, 2019
JEDDAH: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday described strikes on key Saudi oil installations as an “act of war” as he landed in Jeddah to meet with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Pompeo described the drone and cruise missile strikes on Saturday as an “Iranian attack”. He said it had not come from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants and that there was no evidence the attacks had been launched from Iraq. "This is an attack of a scale we've just not seen before," he added. Pompeo was met at Jeddah airport by Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf. Pompeo's visit comes as President Donald Trump said on Wednesday there were many options short of war with Iran after Saudi Arabia's display of remnants of drones and missiles it said were used in the I that was "unquestionably sponsored" by Tehran. "There are many options. There's the ultimate option and there are options that are a lot less than that. And we'll see," Trump told reporters in Los Angeles. "I'm saying the ultimate option meaning go in — war." Trump, who earlier said on Twitter that he had ordered the US Treasury to "substantially increase" sanctions on Iran, told reporters the unspecified, punitive economic measures would be unveiled within 48 hours. Trump's tweet followed repeated US assertions that the Islamic Republic was behind Saturday's attack on Aramco facilities and came hours after Saudi Arabia said the strike was a "test of global will." Earlier on Wednesday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had spoken with US President Donald Trump about the Aramco attack, and agreed that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. Also on Wednesday, Kuwait's army released a statement announcing it was raising its preparedness level for some units, given the tensions in the Middle East region.

Saudi to Unveil 'Evidence' Linking Iran to Attacks as US Weighs Response
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 18/2019
Saudi Arabia said it will unveil evidence on Wednesday linking regional foe Iran to attacks on key oil installations, as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo heads to the kingdom to discuss possible retaliation. Riyadh, which is bogged down in a five-year war against Tehran-aligned rebels in neighbouring Yemen, has said that the weapons used in the strikes were Iranian-made, but has so far not directly blamed its arch rival. However, the Saudi defence ministry said its spokesman would present evidence from the site of the weekend attacks that halved Saudi oil production, sending global energy markets into a tailspin.
He "will announce the final results of the investigation and present material evidence and Iranian weapons proving the Iranian regime's involvement in the terrorist attack," the ministry said. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, on Wednesday said the attack on the heart of the kingdom's oil industry was a "real test" of global will, while urging the international community to take a "firm stance", state media reported. Late Tuesday, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said international investigators, including from the UN, were joining the probe, having announced that output would return to normal by the end of the month. The kingdom wants "proof based on professionalism and internationally recognised standards," he said.
The Saudis will present the evidence ahead of Pompeo's arrival.
The US chief diplomat is set to meet with Prince Mohammed to discuss how to respond to the strikes, which the US says originated in Iran. "As the president said, we don't want war with anybody, but the United States is prepared," Vice President Mike Pence said in a speech in Washington on Tuesday. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the administration has concluded that the attack involved cruise missiles from Iran and that evidence would be presented at the UN General Assembly next week.
Prefer not to meet
The apparent hardening of the US position came as Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled out negotiations with Washington "at any level".
This appeared to nix remaining hopes for a dramatic meeting between President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the United Nations next week. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One over California, Trump said he too had cooled on what had always seemed to be a diplomatic longshot.
"I never rule anything out, but I prefer not meeting him," Trump said.
Yemen's Huthi rebels claimed responsibility for Saturday's oil installation attacks, which took out six percent of global supplies. But a senior US administration official cast doubt on that claim, saying that while the Huthis said they used 10 drones, one Saudi oil facility was hit "at least 17 times," and another twice by "precision-guided munitions." Additionally, neither the type of drone "nor the cruise missiles employed in the attack can reach the facilities from Yemen. It's not possible," the official said. Observers say the torrid experience in Yemen, where despite their vast firepower, the Saudis have failed to subdue the ragtag but highly motivated militia, has made Riyadh circumspect about wading into another conflict. "I certainly hope we're not (going to have another war)," Riyadh's ambassador to London Prince Khalid bin Bandar told the BBC in an interview. "Almost certainly it's Iranian-backed, but we are trying not to react too quickly because the last thing we need is more conflict in the region," he said. Iran has stuck with its account that the Huthi rebels are responsible, with Rouhani saying Wednesday that they carried out the strike as a "warning" about a possible wider war in response to the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen.
State media said Tehran had written to Washington through the Swiss embassy on Monday denying any role in attacks on Saudi oil installations and warning it would respond to any action.The message "emphasised that if any actions are taken against Iran, that action will face an immediate response from Iran and its scope will not be limited to just a threat," the official IRNA news agency said.
Support for war?
The increasingly complex conflict dovetails with the Trump administration's attempt to curb Iranian power through a "maximum pressure" campaign of crippling economic sanctions. Trump began that campaign after unilaterally pulling out of a 2015 international deal meant to reward Iran for allowing restrictions on its nuclear industry. The new stage of the long-running US-Iranian standoff has raised speculation over whether it will lead to conflict. Trump called off a retaliatory missile attack on Iran in June after the Iranians shot down a spy drone. He said he did not want to kill what generals told him could be up to 150 people. Trump's administration is considering responses to the latest attack, including a cyber attack or a physical strike on Iranian oil infrastructure or its Revolutionary Guards, NBC News reported, citing unnamed US officials. Oil prices have see-sawed since the attacks, with record gains Monday followed by a tumble Tuesday as the Saudi assurances on supply soothed the markets.

Source: 'High Probability' Saudi Attack Launched from Iran Base
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 18 September, 2019
Saudi Arabia and the US have determined "with very high probability" that the attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities was launched from an Iranian base in Iran close to the border with Iraq, a source familiar with the investigation told CNN.
The missiles, according to the investigators' current assessment, flew over southern Iraq and through Kuwaiti airspace before reaching their targets. The Saudi Defense Ministry said it will hold a news conference on Wednesday to present "material evidence and Iranian weapons proving the Iranian regime's involvement in the terrorist attack.”But Iran's Defense minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said Tehran had no involvement in the attacks, Tasnim news agency reported. Yemen's Houthi militias, who are backed by Iran, have claimed responsibility for the attacks. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the Houthis attacked the Saudi oil facilities as a "warning.”He said the US accusations that Iran was behind the attacks were aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran. "While exerting psychological and economic pressure on the Iranian people (through sanctions), they want to impose maximum ... pressure on Iran through slander," Rouhani said according to state broadcaster IRIB. "Meanwhile, no one believes these accusations."

US Hopes for UN Action over Aramco Attacks
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 18 September, 2019
Washington hopes that the UN Security Council would respond to the attacks on Saudi Aramco’s oil facilities, a senior US official said Tuesday. The official said that Saudi Arabia, as the target of the weekend blasts, needed to take the lead in seeking action by the Security Council but that the United States first needed to prepare information for release. "We do see a role for the UN Security Council to play," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. "Saudi Arabia has been attacked, which has global consequences. The UN Security Council was created to address threats to international peace and security, and this attack meets that criteria," he said. He did not specify what action he would seek at the Security Council, where Russia and China wield veto power and have been critical of President Donald Trump's unilateral sanctions against Iran. European powers have also distanced themselves from Trump's hawkish line on Iran and sought to preserve the 2015 deal on Tehran's nuclear program, from which he withdrew. US officials say that the attacks that hit Abqaiq, one of the world's largest oil facilities, and the Khurais oil field, originated in southwestern Iran. The Houthi militias in Yemen have claimed responsibility.

Saudi Crown Prince: Attack on Aramco Facilities Dangerous Escalation Against Int’l Community
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 18 September, 2019
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, has received a phone call from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The British PM expressed his condemnation of the sabotage attack on Saudi Aramco facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais and the UK’s full solidarity with the Kingdom, SPA said. He praised the wisdom of the Saudi leadership in dealing with these attacks and demanding a firm international stand towards such criminal acts that should not go unpunished, it said. The Crown Prince explained that this sabotage attack is a dangerous escalation not only against the Kingdom but the entire world. Also Tuesday, the Crown Prince received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron, who condemned the attacks and expressed France’s support to the security and stability of the Kingdom, SPA said.
Macron said his country was willing to be part of a team of international experts to investigate the source of the attacks. The Crown Prince told the French president that the sabotage attacks were aimed at creating instability in the region and harm the global economy. On Wednesday, the Crown Prince received a phone call from South Korean President Moon Jae-in. During the conversation, the President condemned the attacks on the oil facilities, calling on the international community to take a firm stance from such sabotage attacks. For his part, the Crown Prince said the attacks are a test to international determination in confronting sabotage acts that threaten international security and stability.

153,000 Syrians Exited Jordan within a Year
Amman, London - Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 18 September, 2019
Some 153,000 Syrians, including 33,000 who are registered as refugees with the UNHCR, have left Jordan to Syria since the Jaber-Nasib border crossing was reopened in mid-October of last year, the Jordanian Interior Ministry said.
In a statement from the ministry’s Syrian Refugees Affairs Directorate, the ministry reaffirmed the Kingdom's commitment to the principle of voluntary return of Syrian refugees and taking the necessary measures to facilitate their departure should they choose it. The statement also underscored Jordan's commitment to adhering to the related international treaties and conventions in dealing with Syrian refugees, as well as continuing with the provision of basic services and needs, referring to past humanitarian and operational decisions to organize their entry and residence in the Kingdom. A recent UNHCR survey showed that 75.2% of Syrian refugees in regional countries expressed their wish of voluntary repatriation. Jordan and its northern neighbor reopened the Jaber-Nasib border crossing on October 15, 2018, after passenger and cargo traffic was halted for more than three years as a result of the escalating violence in the Syrian town of Nasib, just across the border station, some 80 km north of Amman.

Turkey, Iran, Russia Discussed Four Issues at Summit
London - Ibrahim Hamidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 18 September, 2019
During the fifth round of the Russia-Turkey-Iran summit on Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sought after gaining support for establishing a “safe zone” in north Syria to ensure that Kurdish separatists and terrorists are contained and that Syrian refugees can return. Turkey had agreed, along with the United States, to set up a corridor along the border with the northeastern area under the sway of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Ankara considers the SDF a "terrorist" group with ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin succeeded in getting Erdogan to lower the political benchmark on creating a new Syria constitutional committee. As for Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, he looked for the sixth round of the summit to be held in Iran. The leaders tackled four main issues at the summit: forming a new constitutional committee, Idlib and de-escalation zones, northeastern Syria and creating a 910-km long and 30-km deep safe zone. The constitutional committee: The final list of members of the new committee, tasked with carrying out constitutional reforms and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, was approved after Ankara withdrew its objection to Daham Jarba, who Damascus had nominated among four of the six disputed candidates. Therefore, the leaders of Russia, Turkey and Iran achieved a single breakthrough by approving Jarba and agreeing on the total 150 names. Idlib and the de-esclation zone: A verbal understanding was achieved on postponing a full-scale offensive by Syrian regime forces on Idlib, Tehran keeping its militias stationed west of Aleppo away from the offensive, and Russian ground forces stationed north of Hama stopping their military advancements, all of which means a temporary extension of the ceasefire. Russia, for its part, insisted on rapidly mobilizing to fight off terrorists in Idlib. After holding collective and bilateral consultations, Putin, Erdogan and Rouhani agreed on the importance of maintaining battlefield calm by fully implementing deals related to Idlib, especially the Sochi agreement reached on September 17, 2018. Northeast Syria: The three leaders, their discussions, and the final summit statement focused on the situation east of the Euphrates. This comes a few days after Washington and Ankara launched implementation of joint military arrangements, namely patrols, in the region. Turkey had wanted to establish a safe zone with an infrastructure that would allow for the return of refugees, the establishment of local council areas and the withdrawal of heavy weapons for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) backed by the Washington-led international coalition. But instead, the US offered a joint security mechanism.

Suicide Bomber Detonates Inside Govt Building in East Afghanistan
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 18/2019
A suicide bomber has detonated inside a government building in eastern Afghanistan, a provincial official said Wednesday, with casualties feared in the latest violence to hit the war-torn country. "Security forces are in the area to rescue the staff" at the electronic identification registration centre in Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar province, said provincial spokesman Ataullah Khogyani.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 18-19/2019
Opinion/Trump Clearly Wants Rapprochement With Iran. Israel Can’t Let That Happen
يوسي مانشاروف وجيسون برودسكي/هآرتس: من الواضح أن ترامب يريد التقارب مع إيران ولكن إسرائيل لن تدع ذلك يحدث
Yossi Mansharof and Jason M. Brodsky/Haaretz/September 18/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/78601/%d9%8a%d9%88%d8%b3%d9%8a-%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%b4%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%88%d9%81-%d9%88%d8%ac%d9%8a%d8%b3%d9%88%d9%86-%d8%a8%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%af%d8%b3%d9%83%d9%8a-%d9%87%d8%a2%d8%b1%d8%aa%d8%b3-%d9%85%d9%86/
Despite Iran’s role in the Saudi attack, there’s still speculation that presidents Trump and Rohani may meet. Even a tentative rapprochement would severely strain Israel’s close ties with the White House
As the opening of the United Nations General Assembly approaches this week, there's speculation about a grand summit featuring the presidents of Iran and the United States.
The logic is there’s an alignment in the policy clocks in Washington and Tehran: President Donald Trump wants a diplomatic achievement ahead of a reelection in 2020, and the Iranian leadership is anxious to resuscitate its cratering economy.
But deadlock won’t transform into détente so easily. Four inconvenient realities will loom large in the negotiating room, namely presidential disproportion; nuclear distrust; increased regional discord; and stakeholder dissent.
And Israel, prime target of both Iran’s nuclear program and its precision-missile equipped proxy, Hezbollah, may have to risk its close relations with the Trump White House to obstruct any rapprochement.
First, it would be a dramatic tête-à-tête between Donald Trump and Hassan Rohani, featuring two fundamentally different actors.
Trump came to power as the ultimate political outsider, from the world of real estate and reality television. But Rohani ascended to the presidency as the ultimate political insider, a member of parliament turned secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and chief nuclear negotiator.
There’s an asymmetry in power as well. Where Trump is constitutionally empowered to close a deal as the commander-in-chief, Rohani is constitutionally disempowered, being subordinate to the Supreme Leader who wields a powerful veto.
Stylistic differences will also predominate. Trump is brash, pushing the envelope on assertions of executive authority in Washington. Rohani is deferential in Tehran, with parliamentarians recently accusing him of being too meek in the face of attempts by the Supreme Leader to encroach on his office.
Second, further complicating this leadership incongruity will be heightened mutual suspicion. A meeting would come amid the disclosure that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reportedly found traces of uranium, the fuel for nuclear weapons, at an undisclosed atomic warehouse in Turquzabad, for which Iran hasn’t provided answers.
While there hasn’t been a conclusive determination as to the provenance of the uranium, such a finding only underscores IAEA’s premature closure of possible military dimensions (PMD) file on Iran’s nuclear program and the deep distrust that exists over this issue.
That’s not to mention the disclosure by Israel’s prime minister that Iran had allegedly been conducting experiments for nuclear weapons at a secret site near the city of Abadeh. He indicated that Iran had destroyed the area only after it learned Israel had discovered its existence. Back in 2012, news reports indicated that Iran was constructing a new $300 million anti-aircraft missile base near Abadeh. This may have been a hint of questionable activity in the area.
There’s also a deep wariness of the United States in Tehran - especially after Washington withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and the U.S. maximum pressure campaign, which Iran’s leadership claims is aimed at regime change. Such a circular firing squad of recriminations will only toxify an already toxic atmosphere.
Third, regional discord is increasing as a result of the increased coordination among Iran’s proxies. Iran’s Minister of Intelligence Mahmoud Alavi held important meetings in recent months to bolster this unified front across multiple theaters - for example, meeting with a delegation of Palestinian factions in Damascus in April and with a Hamas delegation in Beirut in June.
After the April meeting, the groups stressed "the interlinked role of all axis of resistance forces and countries in the region to fight threats and schemes targeting Iran, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon."
The Houthis are a part of this nexus. Speaking with the Iranian media around the time of attack, IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh publicly and unprecedentedly admitted Tehran assists the Houthis, declaring that "[w]e definitely assist the Palestinians, we definitely assist the Lebanese, we definitely assist Yemenis… we defend the oppressed and they have now become a coalition."
Just a few hours after the September 14 attacks on Saudi Arabia, Iran’s al-Alaam TV network described the Houthis as a "fundamental component of the Iran-led Resistance Axis," adding that "the coordination between the components of this axis is being held at the highest operational levels."
Iran’s supreme leader himself reinforced the Houthis’ importance in Iranian strategy by welcoming a high-level Houthi delegation in Tehran, the first such public meeting. At the gathering, the Houthis actually pledged allegiance to Khamenei.
We’ve seen this integrated network in action recently. After the Houthis in Yemen first claimed credit for a drone attack in May against Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure, U.S. officials later concluded that the drone originated from southern Iraq, not Yemen. In other words, the Houthis were potentially covering for Iranian-backed militants based in Iraq.
We’re seeing a similar pattern after the September 14 onslaught against Saudi Aramco, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggesting the strikes didn’t originate in Yemen and U.S. government satellite imagery showing the attacks perhaps came from Iranian territory, only after the Houthis proudly took responsibility.
Fourth, the Netanyahu government has publicly been wary of a meeting between Presidents Trump and Rohani because the French credit line initiative risks boosting Hezbollah’s financial balance sheet, which was damaged following the U.S. sanctions. Its secretary-general has publicly acknowledged that the maximum pressure campaign has strained Hezbollah’s finances.
Israel has exposed the precision missile project of Hezbollah and Quds Force for this very reason, in order to pressure the international community to hold Hezbollah accountable for the threat to Israel.
This situation has become so dire for Israel that according to Haaretz, it has reportedly re-ranked the security threats it faces to allocate resources more efficiently.
For years, the Iranian nuclear program was first, followed by Iran’s regional entrenchment, with Hezbollah third on the most pressing threats list. But five months ago, this equation changed, and Hezbollah’s precision missile project graduated to the second-most critical priority.
A French credit line would risk funding the very activity Israel is trying to prevent - potentially forcing the Israelis to strike Hezbollah and thwarting any possibility for a potential U.S.-Iranian rapprochement in the near future.
Indeed, the attack on the Aramco oil facilities also serves Israeli interests, since it fits into Israel’s narrative of the need to more forcefully pushback against Iranian provocations.
While such a dynamic could strain Israel’s relationship with the White House, as President Trump seeks a diplomatic achievement, a strong U.S.-Israeli alliance remains a core domestic political priority for his administration. In the end, this is a moment of testing for the Trump-Netanyahu relationship, with Israeli interests remaining a wild card.
The prospect of Trump meeting with Rohani is already looking dim due to the extremely high price the Supreme Leader set for it: halting U.S. sanctions. Additionally, if U.S. assessments are accurate - that the attack was launched from Iranian territory, Ayatollah Khamenei would have likely had to approve such an extraordinary escalation, signaling his skepticism of talks.
Thus, deadlock between Washington and Tehran won’t easily turn into détente even if Trump and Rohani do find a way to meet in New York. And one step forward can quickly turn into two steps back if the U.S. government prematurely lifts sanctions.
*Jason M. Brodsky is the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). Twitter: @JasonMBrodsky
*Dr. Yossi Mansharof is a researcher at The Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and a research associate at the Ezri Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies. Twitter: @Yossi_Mansharof

Next for Turkey? Nuclear Weapons!
Burak Bekdil/Gatestone Institute/September 18/2019
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14896/turkey-erdogan-nuclear-weapons
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan now wants to make Turkey a rogue state with nuclear weapons.
For several decades, Turkey, being a staunch NATO ally, was viewed as the trusted custodian of some of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. In the early 1960s, the U.S. started stockpiling nuclear warheads at the Turkish military's four main airbases
Presently, the nuclear warheads in Turkey at Incirlik airbase still remain at the disposal of the U.S. military under a special U.S.-Turkish treaty. That treaty makes Turkey the host of U.S. nuclear weapons. According to the launch protocol, however, both Washington and Ankara need to give consent to any use of the nuclear weapons deployed at Incirlik.
"Countries that oppose Iran's nuclear weapons should not have nuclear weapons themselves." — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Hürriyet, 2008.
If Turkey overtly or covertly launched a nuclear weapons program -- as Erdoğan apparently wishes -- the move could well have a domino effect on the region. Turkey's regional adversaries would be alarmed, and Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Greece might be tempted to launch their own nuclear weapons programs. Erdoğan should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.
During the 17 years he has ruled NATO-member Turkey, the country's Islamist strongman, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has rarely missed an opportunity stealthily to convert Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's secular, pro-Western establishment into a rogue state hostile to Western interests. Erdoğan now wants to make it a rogue state with nuclear weapons.
"They say we can't have nuclear-tipped missiles, though some have them. This, I can't accept," Erdoğan said in a September 4 speech, while conveniently forgetting that Turkey has signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1980. In other words, Turkey's elected leader publicly declares that he intends to breach an international treaty signed by his country. Turkey is also a signatory to the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which bans all nuclear detonations, for any purpose.
For several decades, Turkey, being a staunch NATO ally, was viewed as the trusted custodian of some of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. In the early 1960s, the U.S. started stockpiling nuclear warheads at the Turkish military's four main airbases (Ankara Mürted, Malatya Erhaç, Eskişehir and Balıkesir). If ordered, Turkish air force pilots were tasked with hitting designated Warsaw Pact targets.
Squadrons of jets designated for carrying nuclear bombs were kept at each airbase (first F-100s, followed by F-104s and finally by F-4s) on a round-the-clock basis. Each base housed a small U.S. military unit in charge of the nuclear stockpile. In addition, a Turkish-U.S. military base in Incirlik in southern Turkey kept nuclear warheads to be operated by U.S. military. "With that role Turkey significantly added to NATO's deterrence in Cold War years," said Yusuf Kanlı, a prominent columnist and president of the Ankara-based think tank, Sigma Turkey, in a private interview on September 9.
After the end of the Cold War, the nuclear weapons in Turkish possession (at the four airbases, except Incirlik) were gradually removed, while nuclear guardianship came to a halt. Presently, the nuclear warheads at Incirlik still remain at the disposal of the U.S. military under a special U.S.-Turkish treaty. That treaty makes Turkey the host of U.S. nuclear weapons. According to the usage protocol, however, both Washington and Ankara need to give consent to any use of the nuclear weapons deployed at Incirlik.
This is not, in fact, the first time Erdoğan has voiced an eagerness to make Turkey a nuclear-armed state. As early as 2008 -- when he was the poster child of naïve Western statesmen and intellectuals who believed he was a reformist democrat -- Erdoğan said: "Countries that oppose Iran's nuclear weapons should not have nuclear weapons themselves." Despite his use of the plural "countries," Erdoğan was apparently pointing his finger at the country he hates the most: Israel, not the United States.
In a 2010 speech, Erdoğan described Israel as "the principal threat to peace" in the Middle East. In that speech, he repeated his skepticism about whether Iran intended to use its nuclear-fuel program to build nuclear weapons, and said there was no such uncertainty concerning Israel's undeclared arsenal.
If Turkey overtly or covertly launched a nuclear weapons program -- as Erdoğan apparently wishes -- the move could well have a domino effect on the region. Turkey's regional adversaries would be alarmed, and Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Greece might be tempted to launch their own nuclear weapons programs. Erdoğan should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.
*Burak Bekdil, one of Turkey's leading journalists, was recently fired from the country's most noted newspaper after 29 years, for writing in Gatestone what is taking place in Turkey. He is a Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
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"Jack... Is a Really Kind, Funny Kid... Totally Non-violent."
Andrew Ash/Gatestone Institute/September 18/2019
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14838/jihadi-jack-letts-isis
"He [Jack] is a very humane person and he wanted to do something to help." Mr Letts said about his son, then adding, "He is a really kind, funny kid who is very gentle. He is totally non-violent."
As with so much of the mitigating rhetoric that follows the imprisonment of captured British Muslims, Mr Letts's words sit very much at odds with his son's previous murderous statements. How mystifying then, that such a peacenik should end up in the bloody killing-fields of Raqqa.
A far bigger problem than what to do with the likes of Jack Letts and Shamima Begum is the possibility of missing British ISIS fighters returning and making their presence felt.
No matter how heartfelt a plea their parents might make on their behalf after they are captured, their children's real inclinations might best be measured by their actions while they were free to do as they wished.
"This power [to remove citizenship] is one way we can counter the terrorist threat posed by some of the most dangerous individuals and keep our country safe." — UK Home Office spokesperson, August 2019.
Jack Letts, dubbed "Jihadi Jack", the British convert to Islam who travelled to Syria in 2014 to join ISIS, has been stripped of his British citizenship. The former dual-national, whose British mother and Canadian father stand by their son, exchanged his picturesque hometown of Oxford for Raqqa, to join the ranks of ISIS. He is currently awaiting his fate in the custody of Kurdish forces.
Letts, who had previously claimed to be an "enemy of Britain" and had posted on social media messages, such as "his threat to behead a group of young British soldiers on Facebook", now says that he regrets his past misdeeds, and the pain he has caused his parents. "I feel guilty, because I am the reason (my parents) are going through this." He told a Sky News reporter in June, evidently oblivious to the fact that his actions caused a lot more harm than merely upsetting his parents -- both of whom received a suspended prison sentence for -- "making money available for a terrorist purpose".
Separately, Shamima Begum, one of three British schoolgirls who hatched and executed a plan to escape their family homes in East London and head for Syria in 2015, suffered a similar fate in February. Begum, after also having had her citizenship revoked, now languishes in a Syrian refugee camp.
A refugee camp might not have been the outcome Begum or her family desired, but is no doubt preferable to the fate of her school friends and accomplices, Kadiza Sultana, and Amira Abase, both of whom are now dead. Abase was reportedly killed during a Russian airstrike; Sultana, while trying to flee ISIS in an unsuccessful attempt to escape, having apparently had a change of heart.
Both Letts and the three girls cited the suffering of their fellow Muslims at the hands of Syrian President Bashar Assad as the catalyst behind their life-changing decisions to de-camp to the Middle East.
As is the situation with so many British Muslim converts, interfering in other nations' affairs for the sake of the Ummah (worldwide Muslim community), seems an irresistible motive, however badly thought out.
Equally predictable is the repentant U-turn and familial words of defence -- after being captured.
"He [Jack] is a very humane person and he wanted to do something to help." Mr Letts said about his son, then adding, "He is a really kind, funny kid who is very gentle. He is totally non-violent..."
As with so much of the mitigating rhetoric that follows the imprisonment of captured British Muslims, Mr Letts's words sit very much at odds with his son's previous murderous statements. How mystifying then, that such a peacenik should end up in the bloody killing-fields of Raqqa.
A far bigger problem than what to do with the likes of Jack Letts and Shamima Begum is the possibility of missing British ISIS fighters returning and making their presence felt. No matter how heartfelt a plea their parents might make on their behalf after they are captured, their children's real inclinations might best be measured by their actions while they were free to do as they wished.
*Andrew Ash is based in the United Kingdom
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Reconstruction may be underway but Syria remains unstable
Kerry Boyd Anderson/Arab News/September 18, 2019
Syria’s fifth Reconstruction Exhibition kicked off in Damascus this week. Although fighting continues in some areas, primarily in Idlib, many Syrians and international observers are turning their eyes toward the future and reconstruction has started. This period of transition from years of intense civil war to whatever is next raises a key question: Are any of the root causes of Syria’s civil war being addressed?
A complex mix of political, social, economic and environmental drivers led to the civil war. Politically, Syrians had experienced decades of a repressive, unrepresentative regime. Syria had a very large youth population, but its regime was unwilling to adapt in ways that might have allowed the country’s youth space to express itself and find creative ways of contributing to the country. Those young Syrians then watched as their counterparts in Tunisia and Egypt rose in protest and forced long-ruling leaders from power. When young Syrians began their own peaceful protests, they were met with harshly violent responses from their regime, which soon tipped the country into civil war.
Social drivers included the demographics of a young population as well as the country’s long-simmering sectarian and ethnic tensions. These tensions often existed beneath the surface, as Alawites, Christians, Sunnis and other groups lived and worked together. Yet the tensions were there and a situation in which a minority group rules over a majority is seldom tenable without the use of regular violence.
Economic elements were also important. Unemployment, especially among the youth, was a widespread problem. The Syrian economy was suffering. Inequality sharpened potential fault lines in society, while corruption stymied economic growth and eroded trust in the government and elites.
Environmental problems contributed to an increasingly unstable environment. From 2007 to 2010, Syria experienced the area’s worst drought on record. According to several studies, climate change made the drought much more severe and longer-lasting. The drought led to extensive internal migration — a 2017 Atlantic Council report said that more than 1.5 million people in Syria “moved from rural or urban areas” during the drought, contributing to a significant drop in Syria’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. The influx to cities increased pressure on urban areas and likely contributed to the protests that began in 2011. Once the war began, other drivers came into play and further fueled violence. Extremist groups found a new battlefield, with both foreign and Syrian fighters joining groups such as Jabhat Al-Nusra and Daesh. Outside powers pursuing their own interests intervened on various sides. As in any war, a war economy developed with actors who had a financial interest in the continuation of fighting.
As the dust clears, with the Assad regime still in charge of most of a badly damaged, impoverished country, it is an important time to ask whether anything is being done to address the causes of the war and ensure a long-term peace.
In terms of Syrian political drivers, the situation has worsened dramatically. The Assad regime has killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians, and even used chemical weapons against its own people. Frightening a population into submission sometimes works in the short term but risks constant instability, especially for a minority group ruler. Any hope of rebuilding trust between most Syrians and the Assad government is now impossible. In a post-Arab spring regional environment, Syrians may find less regional encouragement to oppose their government, and the war has graphically demonstrated the risks of opposition. Nonetheless, the political root causes of instability in Syria are worse now than they were in 2011.
Similarly, the war has vastly worsened the social root causes. Sectarian tensions that posed a risk in 2011 have deepened into a divide soaked in blood. Reconciliation between social groups that have engaged in horrific violence against each other is extremely difficult — and likely impossible without a leadership that genuinely wants to promote healing. Meanwhile, the Kurds have had a taste of self-government and are unlikely to easily accept a return to living under the Assad regime, though geopolitical realities will pressure them.
The war has largely destroyed the economy. Overall poverty rates were above 90 percent in late 2017, according to the Syrian Center for Policy Research. The World Bank reportsthat, “from 2011 to 2016, cumulative GDP loss is estimated at $226 billion.” Furthermore, multiple reports demonstrate that the Assad regime is using reconstruction to reward its domestic and foreign allies and punish the communities that it sees as disloyal. “By hardening social inequalities and collectively punishing a largely poor segment of the country’s population he has accused of treason, Assad may be sowing the seeds for future conflict,” Joseph Daher warned in a recent Carnegie Middle East Center article.
Any hope of rebuilding trust between most Syrians and the Assad government is now impossible.
While it may not be possible to forecast whether Syria will soon face another extreme drought, climate change will only increase environmental risks, while the war’s destruction of infrastructure diminishes the population’s resilience to environmental shifts.
If a war that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions is nearly at its end, it can be difficult to look ahead and suggest that more war might lie in wait in the future. Unfortunately, the root causes of the Syrian civil war are not only unaddressed, many of them have worsened. The war may end — for now — but Syria will likely remain a source of instability and potentially renewed warfare.
*Kerry Boyd Anderson is a writer and political risk consultant with more than 14 years’ experience as a professional analyst of international security issues and Middle East political and business risk. Twitter: @KBAresearch

Netanyahu's era is over, Israel is on a new path
سيما كادمون/يديعوت أحرونوت : انتهاء حقبة نيتنياهو وإسرائيل في مسار جديد
Sima Kadmon|/Ynetnews/September 18/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/78614/%d8%b3%d9%8a%d9%85%d8%a7-%d9%83%d8%a7%d8%af%d9%85%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%8a%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%aa-%d8%a3%d8%ad%d8%b1%d9%88%d9%86%d9%88%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%a7%d8%a1-%d8%ad%d9%82%d8%a8/

Opinion: The prime minister has lost his allies and his touch, and the future identity of the state now rests on kingmaker Avigdor Liberman, Benny Gantz's determination, and the Likud's willingness to boot its long-term leader from its midst
Benjamin Netanyahu is in a tight spot, and it will be a few more days until we can determine the exact make up of the next Knesset.
But until then, we can safely say that in the decade of Netanyahu's rule, his situation has never been worse than it was on Tuesday. And it's not because the magic suddenly dissipated.
Netanyahu failed in the April vote as well. He couldn't form a coalition then and so he dragged the people of Israel back into another round of elections.
Despite Israelis' long experience with sudden political upheaval, one can safely say that the latest elections were a heavy blow not just for Netanyahu, but for the whole of the Likud and the entire right-wing.
According to the results still being counted, it's hard to see how Netanyahu can escape a situation where Blue and White outstrips the Likud.
The right-wing is smaller than the central-left, and Netanyahu needs a miracle to be able to form a government. These days, Netanyahu is not a man of miracles, not anymore.
The choices Netanyahu has made lately, including in the week before the elections, are the choices of a frightened and weak man, who's willing to do anything - including going to war against the advice of the entire Israeli security forces - to keep his seat and not face the wrath of the justice system.
The election results are proof that the people are fed up with Netanyahu.
Benny Gantz may not be viewed as the ultimate leader, but he is viewed as a viable alternative to Netanyahu, and an alternative is what Israel wants.
That’s why Netanyahu cannot consolidate an obstructive bloc, failed to shove Lieberman under the election threshold, and miscalculated the might of Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power).
All of these are grave failures for a man with the abilities Netanyahu once possessed.
If there had been someone in the April elections who could have stepped forward and usurped the leadership, like Ariel Sharon once did to the Likud, Israel wouldn’t have had to have a second round of elections.
The problem is that, even now, we're dependent on people who haven't shown a sliver of leadership skills, and it's hard to imagine any of them showing any today.
But now, we have someone who stepped up, and he was the one who brought the revolution we witnessed on Tuesday.
Avigdor Liberman is not only the winner of these elections, he's also the one who gets to choose the identity of the next government.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that if the election's actual results are similar to the surveys, the chairman of Yisrael Beytenu could very well change the face of the country. And now the Likud, whose members signed a declaration of eternal loyalty to Netanyahu, needs to act. It's not easy turning your back on a leader, especially in a party like the Likud, but it's inevitable.
If the Likud doesn't pull itself together, we could find ourselves on a slippery slope to a third round of elections.
On Tuesday, we heard some voices in the party declaring Netanyahu as the Likud's sole leader. Allow me to scoff, we'll all see how fast things are going to change over there. So maybe the Likud is the one who's going to build the next government, it's hard to see how Benny Gantz can form a coalition without uniting with the Likud, but whatever it might be, it won’t be Netanyahu's Likud anymore. Gantz has a massive mission to undertake, let's hope he can rise to the challenge.