English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese,
Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For April 13/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews21/english.april13.21.htm
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2006
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Bible Quotations For today
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have
seen the Lord’
“Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John
20/11-18: “Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to
look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of
Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to
her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my
Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’When she had said this, she
turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was
Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you
looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have
carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him
away.’Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’
(which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have
not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am
ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’Mary Magdalene
went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them
that he had said these things to her.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on April 12-13/2021
Elias Bejjani/Visit My LCCC Web site/All That you need to know on Lebanese unfolding news and events in Arabic and English/http://eliasbejjaninews.com/
Lebanon Remembers Today The 46 Years Bloody Incident that
is known by the Ain Al Remani Buss Incident/Elias Bejjani/April 13/2021
Ain el-Rammaneh incident/en.wikipedia.org
Health Ministry: 1008 new Corona cases, 42 deaths
Ministers of Information, Health announce Sinopharm vaccination campaign to
start Monday
Abiad Expects Covid Cases Surge during Ramadan
Aoun Stresses 'National Unity' in Govt. Formation Crisis
Report: U.S. Relays ‘Strict’ Message to Lebanon on Maritime Talks
Israel Warns of Counter-Steps after Lebanon Extends Disputed Sea Area
Lebanon Extends Area Claimed in Border dispute with Israel
Najjar signs decree no. 6433 on delineation of Lebanon's EEZ boundaries
Council of Ministers’ General Secretariat refers to Republic Presidency Diab’s
proposal and approval of draft decree on amendment of Decree No. 6433
Report: Hale Expected on Wednesday in Beirut
Hizbullah, Amal Say Berri's Initiative a 'Feasible Solution'
Egypt, Lebanon Announce Ramadan to Start Tuesday
Jumblatt, UK Chargé d'Affaires discuss political developments
Titles For The
Latest
English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
April 12-13/2021
Iran blames Israel for nuclear plant attack, tensions
escalate
Iran’s Zarif blames Israel for Natanz attack, vows revenge
Iranian Nuclear Chief Ali-Akbar Salehi One Day Before Natanz Nuclear Facility
Blast: We Have Activated A Full IR-6 Centrifuge Chain; We Have Enrichment
Capacity Of 16,500 SWU – More Than Before The JCPOA
Striking Natanz facility planned long before Vienna talks - sources
Pentagon chief stresses commitment to Israel amid strategic shifts
Iran Suspends Cooperation with EU in Various Fields over Sanctions
Iran Says Natanz was Hit by 'Small Explosion', Quickly Repairable
U.S. Says 'Not Involved' in Iran Nuclear Site Incident
US Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin avoids Iran talk on Israel visit
Inside Iran's efforts to lure Israelis abroad with 'honey traps'
PM Netanyahu: 'Iran is working towards Israel's annihilation'
Statement from Minister Garneau to announce the cancellation of export permits
to Turkey
In Egypt, Russian top diplomat discusses trade, regional issues
Public trial looms for Prince Hamzah on charges of conspiring against the king
Turkey, Libya Renew Commitment to 2019 Maritime Deal
Germany Demands Syria be Held Accountable over Chemical Arms
Yemen's Huthi Rebels Claim Strikes on Saudi Oil Plants
Russian Prison Threatens to Force-Feed Navalny
One killed, police officer hurt in shooting at Knoxville, Tennessee high school
Canada cancels military export permits for Turkey after illegal transfers abroad
Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 12-13/2021
U.S. willing to lift sanctions imposed on Iran by Trump
that are ‘inconsistent’
Karen DeYoung, Loveday Morris, Simon Denyer and Kareem Fahim/The Washington
Post/April 12/2021
How Republicans Can Stop Biden from Lifting Iran Sanctions/Richard Goldberg/
National Review..FDD/April 12/2021
After Mossad report, Gantz calls for investigation into security leaks/Udi
Shaham/Jerusalem Post/April 12/2021
Indoctrinated in Hate: ‘This Is the Start of the New Caliphate’/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone
Institute/April 12/2021
Palestinian Elections: What the Biden Administration Does Not Want to Know/Khaled
Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/April 12, 2021
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 12-13/2021
Lebanon Remembers Today The 46 Years Bloody Incident that is known by the Ain Al Remani Buss Incident
Elias Bejjani/April 13/2021
For the passed 46 years the Lebanese in general and the Lebanese Christians in particular remember on April 13th the bloody incident of the Ain Al Remani terrorist Palestinian attack. The attack targeted a church in the Ain Al Rumani Mount Lebanon Al Maten Suburb where Late Kataab leader Pierre Gemayel was attending a holy mass. Below a report on the incident.
Ain el-Rammaneh incident
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Bus_massacre
The Bus Massacre, also known as the ‘Ain el-Rammaneh incident’ (or 'massacre'),
was the collective name given to a short series of armed clashes involving
Lebanese Christian and Palestinian elements in the streets of central Beirut,
which is commonly presented as the spark that set off the Lebanese Civil War in
the mid-1970s.
Background
Early in the morning of April 13, 1975, outside the Church of Notre Dame de la
Delivrance at the predominantly Christian district of Ain el-Rammaneh in East
Beirut, occurred an altercation between half a dozen armed Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO) guerrillas (Arabic: Fedayyn) on a passing vehicle performing
the customary waving and firing their automatic rifles into the air (Arabic:
Baroud)[1] and a squad of uniformed militiamen belonging to the Phalangist
Party’ Kataeb Regulatory Forces (KRF) militia who were diverting the traffic at
the front of the newly consecrated temple where a family baptism was taking
place. As the Palestinian militias refused to be diverted from their route, the
Phalangists tried to halt their progress by force and a scuffle quickly ensued,
which resulted in the death of the PLO driver of the vehicle after being shot.
At 10:30 am, when the congregation was concentrated outside the front door of
the temple upon the conclusion of the ceremony, a group of unidentified gunmen
approached in two civilian cars – rigged with posters and bumper stickers
belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a PLO
faction – and suddenly opened fire, killing four Phalangist militants:[2][3][4]
Joseph Abu Assi, a Phalange militant and father of the baptized child and his
three bodyguards – Antoine Husseini, Dib Assaf and Selman Ibrahim Abou – shot
while attempting to return fire on the assailants.[citation needed] They
belonged to the personal entourage of the Maronite Zaim Pierre Gemayel, the
powerful leader of the right-wing Phalangist Party, who was lightly wounded in
the head. The attackers fled the scene under fire from the surviving bodyguards
and KRF militiamen on duty at the time.
The Bus attack
In the commotion that followed, armed Phalangist KRF and NLP Tigers militiamen
took the streets, and began to set up roadblocks at Ain el-Rammaneh and other
Christian-populated eastern districts of the Lebanese Capital, stopping vehicles
and checked identities,[5] while in the mainly Muslim western sectors the
Palestinian factions did likewise.
Assuming the perpetrators were Palestinian guerrillas who carried out the attack
and outraged by the audacity of the attempt on the life of their historical
leader, the Phalangists planned an immediate response. Shortly after mid-day, a
PLO bus carrying Palestinian refugees,[6] of whom some were armed, returning
from a political rally at Tel el-Zaatar held by the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP-GC) passed through Ain el-Rammaneh
on its way to Sabra refugee camp. The bus drove through the narrow
street-alleys, where there was an armed Phalangist presence due to the earlier
incident. Upon seeing it pass, the Phalangist militants opened fire on the bus,
killing 27, and wounding 19. According to sociologist Samir Khalaf all 28
passengers were killed.[7]
Consequences
This bloody incident, which became known as the “Bus massacre”, incited
long-standing sectarian hatred and mistrust, and sparked heavy fighting
throughout the country between Kataeb Regulatory Forces militiamen and the
Palestinian Fedayyn and their leftist-Muslim allies of the Lebanese National
Movement (LNM) alliance, resulting in over 300 dead in just three days.[8]
The recently appointed Lebanese Prime-Minister, the Sunni Rashid al-Sulh, tried
vainly to defuse the situation as quickly as possible by sending in the evening
of the day following the massacre a Gendarmerie detachment from the Lebanese
Internal Security Forces (ISF) to Ain el-Rammaneh, which detained a number of
suspects. In addition, Prime-Minister Sulh tried to pressure Phalangist Party’
President Pierre Gemayel to hand over to the authorities the Phalangist KRF
militiamen responsible for the death of the Palestinian driver. Gemayel publicly
refused however, hinting that he and his Party would no longer abide by the
authority of the government due to the influx of the Palestinians and PLO.[9]
He later sent a Phalangist delegation on a mission to secure the release of the
previously detained suspects held in custody by Lebanese authorities, stating
that the individuals involved in the incident were just defending themselves and
that no charges could be pressed against them.
As news of the murders spread, armed clashes between PLO guerilla factions and
other Christian militias erupted throughout the Lebanese Capital. Soon Lebanese
National Movement (LNM) militias entered the fray alongside the Palestinians.
Numerous ceasefires and political talks held through international mediation
proved fruitless. Sporadic violence escalated into a full-fledged civil war over
the next two years, known as the 1975-76 phase of the Lebanese Civil War, in
which 80,000 people lost their lives and split Lebanon along factional and
sectarian lines for another 16 years.
Controversy
The chain of events that led to the Ain el-Rammaneh PLO driver incident and the
subsequent “Bus massacre” in April 1975 have been the subject of intense
speculation and passionate debate in Lebanon since the end of the Civil War in
1990. There are two conflicting versions of what happened that day, with the
Phalangists describing it as an act of self-defense by insisting that the bus
carried armed ALF guerrilla reinforcements firing weapons, hurrying along to
avenge their dead driver. The Phalangists anticipated such a reaction by waiting
in ambush, and in the ensuing shoot-out they claimed to have killed 14
Palestinian Fedayin.[citation needed]
Although most PLO accounts deny this version of the event, describing the bus
passengers as civilian families, victims of an unprovoked attack, and not fully
armed guerrillas, Abd al-Rahim Ahmad of the ALF did confirm years later that
some of them were off-duty members of his faction.[10] Another high-rank PLO
official, Abu Iyad, later suggested that the incident was not the responsibility
of the Phalange, but rather a deliberate provocation engineered by the National
Liberal Party (NLP), a predominately Christian conservative Party led by former
President Camille Chamoun.[11]
As for the SSNP gunmen involved in the April 1975 drive-by shooting, they were
never apprehended and apparently disappeared without a trace. Some unconfirmed
reports suggest that they were later killed in action.[citation needed]
The bus was found and exhibited in mid-2011.[12]
References
1-O'Ballance, Civil War in Lebanon (1998), p. 1.
2-Gordon, The Gemayels (1988), p. 48.
3-Katz, Russel & Volstad, Armies in Lebanon (1985), p. 4.
4-Hirst, David (2010). Beware of small states: Lebanon, battleground of the
Middle East. Nation Books. p. 99.
5-Katz, Russel & Volstad, Armies in Lebanon (1985), p. 5.
6-Hirst, David (2010). Beware of small states: Lebanon, battleground of the
Middle East. Nation Books. p. 99.
7-Khalaf, Samir (2002): Civil and Uncivil Violence in Lebanon: A History of the
Internationalization of Human Contact; New York: Columbia University Press; p.
228f
8-Harris, Faces of Lebanon (1997), p. 161.
9-O'Ballance, Civil War in Lebanon (1998), p. 2.
10-ersonal interview with Rex Brynen in Amman, Jordan, December 28, 1986
11-Abu Iyad, My Home, My Land (1981), p. 164.
Health Ministry: 1008 new Corona cases, 42 deaths
NNA/April 12/2021
The Ministry of Public Health announced, on Monday, the registration of 1008 new
Corona infections, thus raising the cumulative number of confirmed cases to-date
to 497,854.
It also indicated that 42 deaths were recorded during the past 24 hours.
Ministers of Information, Health announce Sinopharm
vaccination campaign to start Monday
NNA /April 12/2021
Caretaker Ministers Manal Abdel Samad of Information and Hamad Hassan of Public
Health on Monday held a joint press conference at the Public Health Ministry in
Jnah, during which they announced the details of the vaccination campaign for
the media body, security corps, and public sector employees, which is expected
to start upcoming Monday. The Lebanese University headquarters in Hadath has
been assigned as the vaccination center for the targeted sectors set to receive
the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, granted by the state of China to the Ministry
of Public Health. 10 clinics have been set up for this purpose at the University
premises. The press conference was attended by the President of the Lebanese
University (LU), Professor Fouad Ayyoub, ,and a number of representatives of the
targeted sectors in this campaign. Ministers Hassan and Abdel Samad declared
during the press conference that "text messages will be sent out within 10 days
from now to all concerned sectors’ employees registered on the Covax platform to
choose the appointment date for vaccination."Minister Hassan said at the press
conference that out of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines received by the Ministry
of Public Health as a donation from China, ten thousand vaccines have been
allocated to the army command, with forty thousand vaccines remaining. In turn,
Minister Abdel Samad said: "18 percent of media professionals have contracted
the infection since the start of the pandemic, which is a huge number compared
to the general infection rate, which is 7 percent." "This high rate confirms the
righteousness of our demand to include media professionals among the
priorities,” the Minister said. Abdel Samad stressed that "all vaccines approved
by the Ministry of Health are safe and meet the specified conditions, and as
such favoring between one vaccine and another is dropped." Prior to the press
conference, Abdel Samad handed Minister Hassan, the mechanism devised by the
Ministry of Information for the vaccination of media professionals.
Abiad Expects Covid Cases Surge during Ramadan
Naharnet/April 12/2021
Director of the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Firass Abiad, said on Monday
that the number of covid-19 cases are expected to rise during the holy month of
Ramadan due to the ritual gatherings practiced during the month of fasting.
n“With the start of the holy month, mobility and contact will be on the rise.
Whether at homes, restaurants, or places of worship, people will gather to do
what people on this occasion do. Many will have masks on, though it will be
difficult to keep them on while eating,” said Abiad in a tweet. He said the
virus will surely spread further with the new more contagious variants. “Some
will observe the distancing restrictions, though as we now know, more contagious
virus variants circulating through the air render many of the old measures less
effective. With more than 2000 new cases reported daily and many more flying in,
the virus will surely spread further,” he tweeted. Abiad urged people to be more
vigilant, and wished “strength” for the healthcare workers on the front lines
providing care to patients with and without the virus.
Aoun Stresses 'National Unity' in Govt. Formation Crisis
Naharnet/April 12/2021
President Michel Aoun on Monday stressed that “national unity” should be
preserved in the approach towards the formation of the new government. “I sensed
from His Excellency the President his insistence on honoring the principle of
national unity in his dealing with the government formation crisis,” Central
Council of the Maronite Societies chief Wadih al-Khazen said after meeting Aoun
in Baabda. “He rejected the ‘guaranteeing’ or ‘blocking one-third’ claims,
warning against allowing the growing crisis to impact the country’s future and
expressing concern over the fate of the promised aid,” Khazen added. “The
President will carry on with the consultations that he is making in order to
produce a quick solution leading to the formation of a rescue and mission-driven
government that would oversee the proper implementation of the forensic audit,
which has been launched and will target all state sectors,” the ex-minister went
on to say.
Report: U.S. Relays ‘Strict’ Message to Lebanon on Maritime
Talks
Naharnet/April 12/2021
The United States reportedly relayed a “strict” message to Lebanon through the
US Ambassador to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea, regarding the indirect maritime
demarcation talks between Lebanon and Israel, media reports said on Monday.
According to private news portal, Lebanon Debate, Lebanese authorities received
a firm message from Shea stipulating that Israel will withdraw completely from
the demarcation negotiations with Lebanon, and will start exploration in the
disputed area, if the maritime boundary decree is amended and Line 29 is
approved. The first round of indirect negotiations to demarcate the maritime
border between Lebanon and Israel began on October 14, under a US mediation and
the auspices of the United Nations. The talks aim to resolve a dispute over
their maritime borders, which has hindered oil and gas exploration in the
potentially gas-rich region. The latest session of talks between Israel and
Lebanon was put off after Israel accused Lebanon of inconsistency. The two sides
have been negotiating based on a map registered with the United Nations in 2011,
which shows an 860-square-kilometer patch of sea as being disputed. But Lebanon
considers that map to have been based on wrong estimates and now demands an
additional 1,430 square kilometers of sea farther south, which includes part of
Israel's Karish gas field, according to Lebanese energy expert Laury Haytayan.
Israel Warns of Counter-Steps after Lebanon Extends
Disputed Sea Area
Naharnet/April 12/2021
Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz on Monday warned that any “unilateral”
Lebanese steps regarding the sea border demarcation will be met by “Israeli
counter-steps,” shortly after a Lebanese minister said he had signed a decree
that would increase the area claimed by Lebanon.
“It seems that Lebanon prefers to torpedo the negotiations instead of making an
attempt to reach solutions,” Steinitz said, according to Russia’s RT Arabic
television. “This is not the first time in the past 20 years that the Lebanese
have changed their maritime maps for propaganda purposes and to express a
‘patriotic stance’, and by this they are obstructing themselves one time after
another,” the Israeli minister added.“At a time other countries in the region
such as Israel, Egypt and Cyprus have been developing their natural gas fields
for several years to provide prosperity to their citizens, the Lebanese are
staying behind and launching fiery statements that will achieve nothing,”
Steinitz added.
Lebanon Extends Area Claimed in Border dispute with Israel
Associated Press/April 12/2021
Outgoing minister of public works Michel Najjar said Monday that he has signed a
decree that would increase the area claimed by the Mediterranean country in a
maritime border dispute with Israel. Najjar told reporters that he has signed an
amendment of the decree that would formally extend Lebanon's claims by 1,430
square kilometers (550 square miles). The unilateral move by Lebanon is likely
to anger Israel and the U.S. who are not expected to recognize Beirut's
extension of the disputed area. Lebanon and Israel began indirect talks with
U.S. mediation in October to reach a deal over the disputed area that is
believed to be rich with oil and natural gas deposits. The meetings that stopped
few weeks later were being held at a U.N. post along the border of the two
nations that remain technically in a state of war. The negotiations were the
first non-security talks to be held between the two countries, which have no
diplomatic relations following decades of conflict. Resolving the border issue
could pave the way for lucrative oil and gas deals on both sides. In late
October, the Lebanese delegation to the talks — a mix of army generals and
professionals — offered a new map that pushes for an additional 1,430 square
kilometers (550 square miles). This area is to be included in Lebanese territory
on top of the already disputed 860 square kilometer- (330 square mile-) area of
the Mediterranean Sea that each side claims is within their own exclusive
economic zones. Najjar said, however, that the decree still required the
signatures of the defense minister, prime minister and president to go into
effect. Later in the day, the decree was signed by caretaker PM Hassan Diab and
caretaker Deputy PM and Defense Minister Zeina Akar. The announcement came as
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale was expected in
Lebanon later this weeks to meet Lebanese officials. Lebanon is passing through
its worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history and had plans to
start drilling in search for oil and gas in the disputed area this year. Israel
has already developed offshore natural gas rigs, producing enough for domestic
consumption and export abroad. Lebanon hopes that its own oil and gas
discoveries will help alleviate its long-running economic troubles. It was not
immediately how the U.S. and Israel would respond to the Lebanese decision.
Najjar signs decree no. 6433 on delineation of Lebanon's EEZ boundaries
NNA/April 12/2021
Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transportation, Michel Najjar, announced
Monday that he had signed decree no. 6433 on the delineation of the boundaries
of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Lebanon. "The decree is now in the hands of
the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers," Najjar
told a news conference. "Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that he would
sign," he added.
Council of Ministers’ General Secretariat refers to
Republic Presidency Diab’s proposal and approval of draft decree on amendment of
Decree No. 6433
NNA/April 12/2021
The Press Office of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers issued the
following statement: The General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers
referred to the Presidency of the Republic the proposal and approval of
caretaker prime minister, Hassan Diab, on the draft decree relating to the
amendment of Decree No. 6433, dated October 1, 2011, after it was signed by
Ministers of Defense, Zeina Akar and Public Works and Transport, Michel Najjar,
in order to obtain the exceptional approval by the President of the Republic for
issuance in accordance with the due process followed for all files that need to
be brought to the attention of the Council of Ministers. The relevant approval
by the Council of Ministers shall be replaced by the exceptional approval of the
President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, provided that the issue is
subsequently presented before the Council of Ministers for settlement.--
Caretaker PM Press office
Report: Hale Expected on Wednesday in Beirut
Naharnet/April 12/2021
As part of the international mobility towards Lebanon, the U.S. Under Secretary
of State for Middle East Affairs David Hale will arrive in Beirut on Wednesday
to meet senior Lebanese officials, media reports said Monday. Hale’s visit is
his last to Lebanon and the region before leaving his post at the end of this
month. Lebanon was officially informed of Hale’s visit to Beirut that extends
for several days as part of a tour to a number of countries in the region.
According to media reports, Hale --one of the first to manage the file
demarcating the maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel-- aims to reactivate
the indirect maritime border talks in Naqoura between the two countries. Hale
arrives in Lebanon at a "sensitive" internal and regional political moment. No
doubt that he will have an opinion and position on the Lebanese crisis in
general, specifically with regard to the formation of the government and the
financial, economic and monetary collapse, said al-Akhbar daily.
Hizbullah, Amal Say Berri's Initiative a 'Feasible
Solution'
Naharnet/April 12/2021
Hizbullah and the Amal Movement held a consultative meeting Monday and discussed
the various political files, topped by the file of the formation of a new
government, a joint statement said. The conferees stressed “the need to finalize
the cabinet line-up as soon as possible,” adding that the formation of the new
government would allow authorities to “address citizens’ issues and
concerns.”They accordingly called for “supporting all the efforts that are being
exerted in this regard, especially Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s initiative,”
describing it as “a feasible solution that can satisfy all components.”Earlier
in the day, Amal had warned that “delaying, or rather obstructing, the
government’s formation is tantamount to treason against the Lebanese.”
Egypt, Lebanon Announce Ramadan to Start Tuesday
Agence France Presse/April 12/2021
The Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan will begin on Tuesday April 13 in Egypt
and Lebanon, religious authorities in the two countries announced Sunday. "April
13 will be the first day of Ramadan," said Egypt's Dar al-Ifta, the institution
that issues religious edicts in the Arab world's most populous country. In
Lebanon, top Sunni Muslim cleric Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdellatif Deryan also
confirmed the holy month would begin on Tuesday. The start of Ramadan is set by
both lunar calculations and physical sightings that determine when one month
ends and another begins. Saudi Arabia, custodian of Islam's two holiest sites,
said the crescent moon, which is used to establish the beginning of the month,
was not visible Sunday and that observation committees would meet again on
Monday night. Ramadan fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. Observant
Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, and traditionally
gather with family and friends to break their fast in the evening. It is also a
time of prayers, during which Muslims typically converge in large numbers at
mosques, especially at night. But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many
Muslim-majority countries have imposed restrictions on worshippers including
night-time curfews, and called for prayers to be performed at home.
Jumblatt, UK Chargé d'Affaires discuss political
developments
NNA/April 12/2021
Progressive Socialist Party Chief, Walid Jumblatt, on Monday welcomed, at
Clemenceau, the UK Chargé d'Affaires in Lebanon, Dr. Martin Longden, with talks
reportedly touching on the latest political developments.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 12-13/2021
Iran blames Israel for nuclear plant attack, tensions
escalate
The Arab Weekly/April 12/2021
TEHRAN/ LONDON - Iran has blamed regional arch-foe Israel for a sabotage
incident at its key Natanz nuclear site and threatened to exact revenge, in what
appeared to be latest episode in a long-running covert war. Iran’s semi-official
Nournews website said the person who caused an electricity outage in one of the
production halls at the underground uranium enrichment plant had been
identified. “Necessary measures are being taken to arrest this person,” the
website reported, without giving details about the person. The incident occurred
amid diplomatic efforts by Iran and the United States to revive Tehran’s 2015
nuclear deal with major powers, an accord Israel fiercely opposed, after former
US President Donald Trump abandoned it three years ago. Last week, Iran and the
global powers held what they described as “constructive” talks to salvage the
deal, which has unravelled as Iran has breached its limits on sensitive uranium
enrichment since Trump reimposed harsh sanctions on Tehran. Iranian authorities
described the incident a day earlier as an act of “nuclear terrorism” and said
Tehran reserved the right to take action against the perpetrators. On Monday,
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif explicitly blamed Israel. “The Zionists
want to take revenge because of our progress in the way to lift sanctions…They
have publicly said that they will not allow this. But we will take our revenge
against the Zionists,” Zarif was quoted by state TV as saying. Multiple Israeli
media outlets have quoted unnamed intelligence sources as saying the country’s
Mossad spy service carried out a successful sabotage operation at the
underground Natanz complex, potentially setting back enrichment work there by
months. Israel has not formally commented on the incident.
Enrichment moves
The incident took place a day after Tehran, which has insisted it wants only
peaceful nuclear energy not nuclear weapons, started new advanced enrichment
centrifuges at Natanz. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told
a news conference on Monday that the incident could be deemed an “act against
humanity”, adding it had caused “no contamination or casualties” at the site.
“Our nuclear experts are assessing the damage but I can assure you that Iran
will replace damaged uranium enrichment centrifuges in Natanz with advanced
ones,” Khatibzadeh said. “The answer for Natanz is to take revenge against
Israel,” Khatibzadeh said. “Israel will receive its answer through its own
path.” He did not elaborate. Khatibzadeh acknowledged that IR-1 centrifuges, the
first-generation workhorse of Iran’s uranium enrichment, had been damaged in the
attack, but did not elaborate. State television has yet to show images from the
facility.
— US visit —
The incident also coincided with a visit to Israel by US. Secretary of Defence
Lloyd Austin, who pledged the Biden administration’s support for its Middle East
ally. “I’m committed to continuing our close consultations on threats posed by
Iran and to strengthening Israel’s security,” Austin tweeted late on Sunday. A
senior US administration official said Washington had no involvement in the
incident. “We have nothing to add to speculation about the causes,” the official
said. At a ceremony on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made no
direct reference to Natanz, though said: “The fight against Iran’s
nuclearisation…is a massive task.”There have been sporadic incidents of sabotage
and outages at Iranian nuclear installations for over a decade, for which Tehran
has blamed Israel, which regards the Iranian nuclear programme as a menace to
its existence. In 2010, the Stuxnet computer virus, widely believed to have been
developed by the United States and Israel, was discovered after it was used to
attack Natanz, causing damaging breakdowns of centrifuge cascades that refine
uranium. In July last year, a fire broke out at Natanz that Iran said was an
attempt to sabotage its enrichment activity. Iran also blamed Israel for last
November’s assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was seen by Western
intelligence services as the mastermind of a covert Iranian nuclear weapons
programme. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the
killing.
Iran’s Zarif blames Israel for Natanz attack, vows revenge
Jerusalem Post/April 12/2021
The foreign minister’s comments on Monday morning
appear to be building to a crescendo that could indicate Iran intends to
retaliate. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Monday blamed Israel for
Sunday’s incident at the Natanz nuclear facility. An increasing number of
Iranian officials have described the incident as sabotage or terrorism. Zarif’s
comments appeared on state television Monday morning. “The Zionists want to take
revenge because of our progress on the way to lift sanctions... they have
publicly said they will not allow this,” he said. “But we will take our revenge
on the Zionists.” An act of “nuclear terrorism” had taken place, Iranian nuclear
chief Ali Akbar Salehi said Sunday afternoon. The attack was carried out by
“opponents of the country’s industrial and political progress, who aim to
prevent development of a thriving nuclear industry,” he was quoted as saying.
Zarif’s comments on Monday appeared to indicate that Iran intends to retaliate.
In the 24 hours after the damage was first reported, and was first ascribed to a
failed electrical grid, increasing details have emerged about a major setback to
Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran boasted on Saturday about using new advanced
centrifuges at Natanz. Last week, an Iranian ship was allegedly attacked in the
Red Sea, which The New York Times ascribed to Israel. Iranian media outlets have
been quieter about the incident at Natanz. It was not front-page news on Tasnim
News Agency, the semi-official Fars News Agency and some other Iranian channels.
This may be because Tehran wants to message one thing to the international
community, complaining about sabotage and Israel, while messaging something else
at home. It has boasted about its successes at Natanz, a facility that was
sabotaged last July. Tehran has said the facility is more secure, which makes
Sunday’s incident embarrassing. Iran wants to feed information to its pro-Iran
lobby in the West, where it pretends to be a victim and where Iranian
“moderates” are portrayed as embattled and in need of support via a new Iran
deal. Iran tries to present Israel as sabotaging that deal. It also uses
narratives about a possible conflict in the region to threaten Western
countries.
Iranian Nuclear Chief Ali-Akbar Salehi One Day Before
Natanz Nuclear Facility Blast: We Have Activated A Full IR-6 Centrifuge Chain;
We Have Enrichment Capacity Of 16,500 SWU – More Than Before The JCPOA
MEMRI/April 12, 2021
Ali-Akbar Salehi, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said that Iran
has activated a full chain of 164 IR-6 centrifuges in the Natanz nuclear
facility. Salehi's remarks were made in an interview that aired on channel 1
(Iran) on April 10, 2021, one day before the Natanz facility suffered a major
explosion. He said that this chain was originally planned to be activated in
seven or eight years. Salehi described nuclear progress in the Fordow facility,
and said that Iran now has an enrichment capacity of 16,500 SWU, while it only
had a capacity of 13,000 SWU before the JCPOA was signed in 2013. He said that
it has been announced that the hall, in which the centrifuges are assembled at
the Natanz facility has been restored and is back in operation, after it was
damaged and put out of use in a 2020 explosion.
Salehi went on to say that the current facility in Natanz is scheduled to move
deep into the mountains of Natanz by the end of the year. He added that Iran has
surpassed a "technological threshold" and can now design centrifuges on its own,
without resorting to reverse engineering. Salehi said that Iran is capable of
producing 190,000 SWU using IR-6 centrifuges within two or three years, but it
does not want to do so, but rather it prefers to proceed at a pace of "natural
growth."
To view the clip of Iranian nuclear chief Ali-Akbar Salehi on MEMRI TV, click
here or below.
"We [Have] Activated A Full Chain Of IR-6 Centrifuges... Soon, Another Cascade
Will Be Activated In Fordow"
Ali-Akbar Salehi: "Today, we activated a full chain of IR-6 centrifuges, and not
a test chain. This full chain of IR-6 centrifuges was meant to be activated in
7-8 years.
"Obviously, according to the law passed by the Majles, we must produce and
install 1,000 IR-6 centrifuges within a year. Today, we activated [in Natanz] a
chain of 164 centrifuges. Soon, another cascade will be activated in Fordow. Two
cascades are supposed to be activated in Fordow.
"Now We Have 16,500 SWU," More Than Before The JCPOA, "And This Capacity Is
Constantly Growing"
"In the past three months, we have activated 1,000 IR-2M centrifuges. We have
installed two IR-4 chains, these are full chains, not test chains. We now have
enrichment capacity of 16,500 SWU. Our maximal enrichment capacity before the
JCPOA - before 2013 - was 13,000 SWU. Now we have 16,500 SWU and this capacity
is constantly growing. All of this is without using the IR-1 centrifuges that we
pulled out as part of the JCPOA. If we added those, our capacity would have
surpassed 25,000 SWU. However, we are taking slow and calculated steps forward.
"We [Have] Managed To Build A Hall Instead Of The One That Was Lost [In The July
2020 Explosion]; We Are Working 24/7 To Move All Our Sensitive Halls Into The
Heart Of The Mountain Near Natanz"
"Unfortunately, about 10 months ago, the enemy blew up the hall, in which our
centrifuges are assembled. But we did not stop. Today, it was announced that we
had managed to build a hall instead of the one that was lost. This is temporary,
of course. Currently, we are working 24/7 to move all our sensitive halls into
the heart of the mountain near Natanz. We hope that these halls in the heart of
the mountain will be ready by next year, so we can move these facilities to
them. With regard to enrichment, I can tell you that Iran has reached the
technological threshold, and we no longer have any problems. We are designing
our own [centrifuges], and no longer in need of reverse engineering.
"If The Goal Is To Produce 1900,000 SWU Using IR-6 Centrifuges – We Can Do It In
2-3 Years, But We Don't Want To"
"The IR-9 centrifuge is about 5-meter long. It is a real monster. It has a large
diameter and is very tall. It has 5 bellows. You cannot build a 5-meter rotor,
because it could cause problems once it starts rotating. The rotors are divided
to parts that connect to one another. The parts that connect the rotors are
called the bellows. So this centrifuge has five bellows. So what are we doing?
In order to test this centrifuge, our engineers do it at first with one
sub-critical rotor. Then they install two rotors, one on top of the other, and
so on. It takes 10 years to pass through all these phases and bring the IR-9
centrifuges to industrial production. Today we unveiled the sub-critical and
one-bellow centrifuges. We already built the 5-bellow centrifuge and started it,
but we must begin from the no-bellow phase and proceed in the natural technical
stages.
"If the goal is to produce 1900,000 SWU using IR-6 centrifuges - we can do it in
2-3 years, but we don't want to. We want to proceed according to the natural
growth, and this requires another discussion."
Striking Natanz facility planned long before Vienna talks -
sources
Jerusalem Post/April 12/2021
At the time the operation was planned, it was still unclear exactly when and if
the US and Iran would return to serious negotiations regarding a return to the
2015 nuclear deal. The strike on Iran’s key Natanz nuclear facility was prepared
long before the ongoing Vienna nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers,
The Jerusalem Post has learned. Although it is quite possible that the exact
timing of the attack, which is being widely attributed to Israel either as a
physical or cyberattack, was eventually given a final green light to set the
Islamic Republic back at the negotiating table, the operation itself was in the
works long before. At the time the operation was planned, it was still unclear
exactly when and if the US and Iran would return to serious negotiations
regarding a return to the 2015 nuclear deal, though it has been known for a long
time that this was the professed intention of US President Joe Biden.
Previously, the Post has reported that planning of the now legendary Mossad
January 2018 raid of Iran’s nuclear secrets started from the beginning of Mossad
Director Yossi Cohen in early 2016. Whether an operation is physical or cyber
can also impact how long the planning takes since there are large differences in
terms of how many operatives might be required on the ground. With the New York
Times report that the latest strike has brought down the Natanz electrical
system for as many as nine months, there could be a major impact on the strength
of Tehran’s negotiating position in Vienna.
Despite the importance to the specific negotiations, the impression given to the
Post is that the covert war against Iran is ongoing and constant and focused on
preventing it from getting close to the nuclear threshold regardless of the
world powers’ specific policy on the issue at any given moment. Though early
Sunday Iran had tried to play down the Natanz event as an "accident," by
mid-morning the Post had reported the event was intentional and far graver than
the Islamic Republic was admitting. Later Sunday, other outlets and the Iranians
started to report additional details about the severity of the event.
Pentagon chief stresses commitment to Israel amid strategic
shifts
The Arab Weekly/April 12/2021
TEL AVIV - US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday declared an “enduring and
ironclad” American commitment to Israel, reinforcing support at a tense time in
Israeli politics and amid questions about the Biden administration’s efforts to
revive nuclear negotiations with Israel’s archenemy, Iran.
Austin’s first talks in Israel since he became Pentagon chief in January come as
the United States seeks to leverage Middle East diplomatic progress made by the
Trump administration, which brokered a deal normalising relations between Israel
and several Arab states.
After meeting Defence Minister Benny Gantz in Tel Aviv, Austin said he had
reaffirmed “our commitment to Israel is enduring and ironclad.” Austin made no
mention of Iran. Gantz, in his own remarks while standing beside Austin, said
his country views the United States as a “full partner” against threats, “not
the least, Iran.” Neither official took questions from reporters.
“The Tehran of today presents a strategic threat to international security, the
entire Middle East and to the state of Israel,” Gantz said in his prepared
statement. “We will work closely with our American allies to ensure that any new
agreement with Iran will secure the vital interests of the world and of the
United States, prevent a dangerous arms race in our region and protect the state
of Israel.”Yoel Guzansky, a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security
Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank, said Austin’s visit is important in part because
it is the first by a member of President Joe Biden’s cabinet.
“They want to show that they did come here with clean hands and they want to
listen,” Guzansky said. “They want to listen to Israel’s worries and perhaps
other partners’ worries about the negotiation about Iran.” Austin is steeped in
the finer points of Middle East defence and security issues. He served four
years as head of US Central Command, capping a 41-year Army career that included
commanding US forces in Iraq. Flying overnight from Washington, Austin arrived
in Tel Aviv in the tense aftermath of the country’s fourth inconclusive election
in the past two years. Israeli president Reuven Rivlin last week gave embattled
prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu the difficult task of trying to form a new
government. The key backdrop to Austin’s visit is the Israeli government’s
concern about the Biden administration’s attempt to work out an arrangement to
reenter the Iran nuclear deal, which in Israel’s view is fatally flawed.
Netanyahu has for years described Iran as an existential threat to his nation
due to Iran’s alleged pursuit of a nuclear weapon and its support for militant
groups like Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Netanyahu, leading a state with its own secret
nuclear weapons programme, has accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons to use
with its ballistic missiles. Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is
peaceful. Netanyahu has also kept up his criticism of the Iran nuclear deal,
which, if followed, strictly limits Tehran’s ability to enrich and stockpile
uranium, blocking it from being able to make a weapon.
“History has taught us that deals like this, with extremist regimes like this,
are worth nothing,” Netanyahu said last week.
By coincidence or not, Austin’s arrived as Iran reported that its underground
Natanz nuclear facility lost power Sunday just hours after starting up new
advanced centrifuges capable of enriching uranium faster. Israel’s likely
involvement in the incident will further heightens tensions between Iran and
Israel, already engaged in a shadow conflict across the wider Middle East that
includes Israeli naval attacks in the waters of the region and air strikes in
Syria. Last week, an Iranian ship said to be acting as a Revolutionary Guard
base off the coast of Yemen was struck by an explosion. Iran blamed Israel for
the blast. In addition to repeated assurances by Republican and Democratic
administrations that the United States will endeavuor to preserve Israel’s
qualitative military edge over its regional adversaries, Washington for years
has invested heavily in helping Israel develop missile defense technologies.
Iron Dome is one of the most-touted successes in Israel missile defence. It is a
mobile anti-rocket system developed to intercept short-range unguided rockets.
It has shot down more than 2,000 projectiles fired from the Gaza Strip since it
was deployed a decade ago. The US Army recently bought two Iron Dome batteries
at the request of Congress to counter cruise missiles. There are questions in
Israel about US intentions in shifting military priorities away from the Middle
East in order to focus more intensively on China and Russia as more significant
threats to US security.
Iran is the central source of concern for Israel and for Israeli support groups
in the United States. The Jewish Institute for National Security of America, or
JINSA, argued in a report last week that such a shift in US priorities would
“send the wrong” signal as the Biden administration begins indirect talks with
Iran on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal with international powers. President
Donald Trump withdrew from it in 2018. “With reduced defensive capabilities and
perceived American retrenchment from the region, Tehran and its proxies will
only be incentivised to pursue even more dangerous actions to destabilise its
neighbours,” the JINSA report said. Michael Makovsky, the president of JINSA and
a former Pentagon official, said Austin’s visit is especially timely, given the
Biden administration’s moves toward engaging Iran on its nuclear programme.
“Embracing and strengthening Israel sends a pointed signal to Iran, which will
only enhance a credible military option against Iran and US leverage in the
talks,” Makovsky said in a statement.
Iran Suspends Cooperation with EU in Various Fields over
Sanctions
Agence France Presse/April 12/2021
Iran's foreign ministry said Monday it is suspending cooperation with the
European Union in various fields following the bloc's decision to blacklist
several Iranian security officials over a 2019 protest crackdown. Foreign
ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh "strongly condemned" the sanctions and said
Iran is "suspending all human rights talks and cooperation resulting from these
talks with the EU, especially in (the fields of) terrorism, drugs and refugees."
He said Iran rejects "such actions from those falsely claiming to champion human
rights", adding Tehran is considering reciprocal sanctions. The EU added eight
Iranian security officials, including the commander of the Islamic republic's
Revolutionary Guards, and three prisons to its sanctions blacklist, effective
immediately with publication in the bloc's official journal. The listing said
Guards commander Hossein Salami "bears responsibility for serious human rights
violations." Also hit with sanctions is the head of the Basij paramilitary
force, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards' ground forces and Iran's
police chief. In November 2019, a surprise fuel price hike sparked a wave of
protests across Iran, before they were put down amid a near-total internet
shutdown. At least 304 people died in the unrest, according to London-based
Amnesty International, while some authorities in Iran have announced 230 deaths
during what they called "riots". The move to impose asset freezes and visa bans
comes at a sensitive time, as Brussels mediates efforts to revive a troubled
nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran. The U.S. withdrew from the accord
in 2018 and reimposed punishing sanctions on Iran that had been lifted in
exchange for limits on its nuclear program. Negotiations in Vienna are currently
focused on trying to persuade Washington to drop sanctions and Tehran to roll
back breaches of the agreement made in retaliation. Khatibzadeh accused the bloc
of having "stayed silent in the face of" Washington's sanctions and only
"expressing regret," while "cooperating" with the U.S. Iran's President Hassan
Rouhani had on several occasions threatened to cease all cooperation with Europe
on drug trafficking and refugee flows if the bloc did not help the Islamic
republic circumvent U.S. sanctions. The United Nations has praised Iran for
hosting millions of refugees fleeing conflict in Afghanistan, which is also a
major producer of illicit drugs. Iran regularly announces large-scale seizures
of opioids from the neighboring country.
Iran Says Natanz was Hit by 'Small Explosion', Quickly
Repairable
Agence France Presse/April 12/2021
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said Monday its Natanz plant was hit by a
"small explosion" the previous day, after the government labelled it an Israeli
act of "sabotage.""The incident occurred at the electricity distribution center.
There was a small explosion," AEOI spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told the Tasnim
news agency, adding that the "damaged sectors can be quickly repaired."
U.S. Says 'Not Involved' in Iran Nuclear Site Incident
Agence France Presse/April 12/2021
The White House on Monday said the United States had nothing to do with what
Iran says was a sabotage attack on its Natanz uranium enrichment plant. "The
U.S. was not involved in any manner," Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.
"We have nothing to add on speculation about the causes or the impacts."
US Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin avoids Iran talk on Israel
visit
Jerusalem Post/April 12/2021
Austin’s visit took place less than 100 days into the Biden administration, and
was the first for a Biden cabinet member.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin studiously avoided any mention of Iran and
its nuclear ambitions in his public statements on a two-day visit to Israel,
even when his interlocutors highlighted the issue. Austin’s visit took place
less than 100 days into the Biden administration, and was the first for a Biden
cabinet member. It came as the US was engaged in indirect talks with Iran to
return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the full name of the 2015
nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers, and following recent attacks
on an Iranian intelligence base at sea and its Natanz underground nuclear
facility, attributed to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following
a meeting with Austin on Tuesday that, “in the Middle East, there is no threat
more serious or dangerous or pressing than that [of] the fanatical regime in
Iran.
“Iran continues to support terrorists around the world…and has never given up
its quest for nuclear weapons and missiles. Iran consistently and outrageously
calls for Israel’s annihilation,” he said, and referring to Holocaust
Remembrance Day last week, added: “When we say it could never happen again, we
mean we will never let it happen again.”
Netanyahu said that he “will never allow Iran to obtain the nuclear capability
to attain the genocidal goal of destroying Israel,” adding that the US and
Israel agree that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons. Austin’s remarks were
about the robust US-Israel defense relationship, more generally.
“I reaffirm the administration’s strong commitment to Israel and the Israeli
people,” he said. “I thought it was important that we meet face-to-face to
express our earnest desire for close consultations with Israel as we address
shared challenges in the region.” Biden administration officials, including
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have said they will consult with Israel and
other allies in the Middle East about nuclear talks with Iran. Austin pledged to
strengthen Israel’s security and ensure its qualitative military edge, and
expressed support for efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Arab-
and Muslim-majority countries. “As we advance shared defense priorities and
maintain close cooperation between the US and Israel, I am confident that
together we can chart a path toward enduring peace in the reason,” he stated.
The US secretary of defense also spoke of being moved by his visit to Yad Vashem
on Tuesday, and said that the memory of the victims and survivors of the
Holocaust must “always be a solemn reminder of our duty to be ever-vigilant
against mass atrocities.” Austin did not mention Iran in his remarks after a
meeting with Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Sunday. Gantz said that “the Tehran
of today poses a strategic threat to international security, to the entire
Middle East and to the State of Israel, and we will work closely with our
American allies to ensure that any new agreement with Iran will secure the vital
interests of the world, of the US, prevent a dangerous arms race in our region
and protect the State of Israel.”Austin did, however, mention Iran in a tweet
hours after his meeting with Gantz. "Thank you [Minister of Defense] Gantz for
today’s important discussions on the regional threat environment and ways to
deepen U.S.-Israel defense cooperation. I’m committed to continuing our close
consultations on threats posed by Iran and to strengthening Israel’s security,"
he wrote.
Ahead of Austin’s visit, senior Israeli officials said Iran would be a top item
on the agenda for his meetings.
Inside Iran's efforts to lure Israelis abroad with 'honey
traps'
Arutz Sheva/April 12/2021
Israeli authorities reveal Iran's techniques for trying to lure Israelis into
ambushes abroad using fictitious female profiles as lures. Israel’s Mossad and
Shin Bet agencies said Monday afternoon that the Iranian military is working to
lure Israelis abroad, with the intention of ambushing or kidnapping them.
According to the two Israeli security agencies, Iranian intelligence units are
using an adaptation of the ‘honey trap’ technique to lure Israeli citizens
overseas. In this case, Iranian teams looking to harm or kidnap Israeli
nationals use fictitious social media accounts on outlets such as Instagram,
posing as young women who work in the travel or tourism industries.The Iranian
teams use the fake accounts to make contact with Israelis and eventually to lure
them into either business meetings or romantic encounters abroad. The Shin Bet
and Mossad said that such efforts were being conducted not only directly from
Iran, but also from other countries including a number of Arab states, Turkey,
Caucasus states, several African states, and a number of European countries.
This tactic, the Israeli intelligence agencies said, has been used by Iranian
forces in the past, including against critics of the Islamic regime within Iran.
Now, Iran’s focus has shifted towards Israeli citizens, in particular
businessmen who often travel abroad in connection with their work.
PM Netanyahu: 'Iran is working towards Israel's
annihilation'
Arutz Sheva/April 12/2021
Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the
Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
met Monday with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Prime Minister's
Office in Jerusalem. Secretary Austin is the first senior official from the
Biden administration to visit Israel. The two discussed a number of issues,
including continuing military trade between the two countries, maintaining
Israel's qualitative military edge, and deepening intelligence cooperation in
the region. Other issues discussed include the US presence in the Middle East,
the nuclear agreement with Iran and the Iranian aggression in the Middle East,
and strengthening regional cooperation, such as relations with Jordan, Egypt and
other Gulf states. Earlier on Monday, Austin met with Israeli Defense Minister
Benny Gantz (Blue and White) and toured the Nevatim Air Force base in southern
Israel. After their meeting, Netanyahu and Austin gave a joint press briefing.
Netanyahu warned that Iran is continuing its efforts to achieve nuclear weapons
- and to annihilate Israel. “You just said a moment ago in our meeting that
we’re not just allies, we’re family. We call that ‘mishpacha’," said Netanyahu.
"There is so much truth in that statement that our peoples instinctively
understand.” “As you know the US-Israel defense partnership has continually
expanded over successive administrations. Our cooperation is crucial for dealing
with the many threats confronting the United States and Israel – threats that
you are very familiar with by your service in Iraq.” “In the Middle East, there
is no threat that is more serious, more dangerous, more pressing than that posed
by the fanatical regime in Iran. Iran continues to support terrorists around the
world on five continents, threatening civilians everywhere. Iran has never given
up its quest for nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them. And Iran
consistently and outrageously calls for Israel’s annihilation and works towards
that goal.”“We both know the importance of preventing war, and we both know that
Iran must never possess nuclear weapons.”“I will never allow Iran to obtain the
nuclear capability of carrying out its genocidal goal of eliminating Israel.
Israel will continue to defend itself against Iran’s aggression and terrorism.”
After Netanyahu's comments, Secretary of Defense Austin "reaffirmed America's
strong commitment to Israel," saying he had pushed for an in-person meeting with
Netanyahu early in the Biden administration's term. "I also want to underscore
my personal pledge to strengthening Israel's security and ensuring Israel's
qualitative military edge. The close and strong ties that we enjoy with Israel
are central to regional security in the Middle East.""We discussed ways to
deepen and expand our long-standing defense relationship in the face of regional
threats and other security challenges."
Statement from Minister Garneau to announce the
cancellation of export permits to Turkey
April 12, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs today issued the
following statement:
“Last fall, in line with our robust export control regime, the Government of
Canada suspended export permits for military goods and technology to Turkey
pending the results of an investigation into allegations that Canadian
technology was being used by Azerbaijan in the military conflict in
Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Those suspensions followed the decision to suspend the issuance of new export
permits to Turkey in the fall of 2019, following its military incursion into
northeastern Syria.
“Global Affairs Canada, in consultation with the Department of National Defence,
has since conducted a thorough review of all suspended and valid export permits
for all military goods and technology destined to Turkey.
“Following this review, which found credible evidence that Canadian technology
exported to Turkey was used in Nagorno-Karabakh, today I am announcing the
cancellation of permits that were suspended in the fall of 2020.
“This use was not consistent with Canadian foreign policy, nor end-use
assurances given by Turkey.
“This morning, I spoke with Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs, to reiterate Canada’s concern and to initiate a dialogue mechanism
between Canadian and Turkish officials to build mutual confidence and greater
cooperation on export permits to ensure consistency with end-use assurances
before any further permits for military goods and technology (Group 2) are
issued.
“Turkey is an important NATO ally and applications related to NATO cooperation
programs will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.“
Associated link
Final Report – Review of Export Permits to Turkey
Contacts
Syrine Khoury
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Syrine.Khoury@international.gc.ca
In Egypt, Russian top diplomat discusses trade, regional
issues
The Arab Weekly/April 12/2021
CAIRO--The foreign ministers of Egypt and Russia discussed trade and other ties
between the two nations Monday, with Egypt’s top diplomat urging Moscow to help
settle Egypt’s dispute with Ethiopia over a massive dam project. Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Cairo on Sunday for a two-day visit. He met
Monday with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi before his talks with Foreign
Minister Sameh Shoukry. In a joint news conference with Shoukry, Lavrov said
they discussed the implementation of joint mega projects, the most important of
them a four-reactor power plant that a Russian firm is building in Egypt and a
Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal area. The two ministers said they also
discussed regional conflicts in Libya, Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian cause
along with the political stalemate in Lebanon. They discussed a massive dam
Ethiopia is building on the Nile River’s main tributary, which Egypt and Sudan
deem a major threat if it is filled and operated without a legally binding
agreement. “We also rely on Russia … to push parties to refrain from unilateral
actions,” Shoukry said, referring to Ethiopia’s plans to start a second crucial
stage of the dam’s filling during this year’s rainy season.
Lavrov said Russia was not invited to engage in the talks between Egypt, Sudan
and Ethiopia, but has supported an African Union-led settlement to the
years-long dispute. The Russian minister did not speak about when Moscow would
resume direct flights to Egypt’s Red Sea resorts. However, he told Egypt’s
state-run Ahram daily in an interview published Monday that he expected the
flights would be resumed “soon.”
Air links were suspended when the Islamic State group downed a Russian airliner
over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula in 2015, killing all 224 people on board. Egypt has
since spent millions of dollars to upgrade security at its airports and
undergone numerous checks by Russian experts. The suspension of Russian flights
dealt a devastating blow to Egypt’s vital tourism industry, which had already
been badly hit by the turmoil following a 2011 uprising. Russia-Egypt ties have
deepened in recent years. Cairo’s relations with the US suffered a blow in 2013
when the Obama administration criticised the military overthrow of Egypt’s first
freely-elected leader amid mass protests against his rule. In 2017, Egypt and
Russia struck deals that allowed Cairo to buy billions of dollars’ worth of
Russian weapons, including fighter jets and assault helicopters. They also
signed a deal to have a Russian company build a nuclear reactor after Cairo
agreed in principle to borrow $25 billion, or roughly 80% of the reactor’s cost,
from Russia.
Public trial looms for Prince Hamzah on charges of conspiring against the king
The Arab Weekly/April 12/2021
AMMAN – New signs have emerged signalling that Jordan’s King Abdullah II is
pushing towards a public trial for his half-brother Prince Hamzah on charges of
“conspiracy” to topple the regime. These come more than a week after the most
recent statements by the former crown prince.
The dispute between the king and the prince sparked a crisis that quickly came
into the open. It included criticism by the prince of royal “misrule”, followed
by news of “family reconciliation”, then by a message from the Jordanian monarch
to his citizens, four days ago, in which he said that “Hamzah is in his palace
and under my care.”Since then, it has been presumed that Prince Hamzah was under
house arrest, in the light of the concerns expressed by his mother, Queen Noor
Al-Hussein, about the conditions of his residence and statements by the United
Nations that the prince could be under “de facto home arrest.”
Prince Hamzah is widely popular among the tribes and the outlying provinces. His
criticisms have found an echo within the Jordanian protest movement, as it
clamours for radical political reforms and an end to corruption. On Sunday,
however, government circles indicated that Prince Hamzah had intentionally
sought to overthrow the ruling system and that his trial and perhaps his
imprisonment is only a matter of time.
Jordanian writer Fahad Al-Khaitan, who is close to the ruling establishment,
published an article in which he wrote, “It was initially believed that the
symbols of sedition worked to use the prince to achieve their goals, but
intelligence gathered during a period of months has clearly indicated a
different role for the prince, and his full involvement in preparations for Zero
Hour”. The article which appeared in Al-Ghad daily newspaper on Sunday was
couched in an unusually hostile tone against a member of the Hashemite family.
Khaitan said, “Illusions reached a level of insanity as the prince listed his
taking command of the army and supervision of the security services as his
conditions to stop his anti-government activities, in blatant defiance of clear
and explicit constitutional provisions”. Khaitan’s article coincided with
information published by The New York Times, which quoted its own sources as
confirming the prince’s demand, which was rejected by the king. Khaitan, who is
the chairman of the government-financed Kingdom TV, said that Prince Hamzah, ”
was keen on sending the audio recording outside the country, immediately after
the meeting, hence showing little respect for his own Hashemite stature, or for
being a former officer of the Arab Army.”The particular aspect of the
“conspiracy” that raised most questions among the public was the supposed and
hitherto improbable relationship between Prince Hamzah and the former head of
the royal court, Basem Awadallah.
In this regard, Khaitan commented, “The facts will reveal how interests,
ambitions and illusions can bring the two parties together.”Prince Hamzah and
Awadallah have divergent views about various issues, such as the role of the
government in the economy, the influence of clans in the system of government,
the Palestinian issue and the consequences of the settlement of this issue on
Jordan. Although Prince Hamzah appeared on Sunday in pictures with the royal
family during a visit to the Hashemite shrines marking the 100th anniversary of
the founding of Jordan, the government has not commented on questions that have
arisen since last week about his current treatment. On Friday, the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations described the
accusations against the prince as “broad,” expressing “concern at the lack of
transparency around these arrests and detentions.”,” which affected 16 people,
including some who are close to Prince Hamzah.
A spokesperson for the UN office said: “We are aware that there is an ongoing
investigation but still it’s not clear to us if following the mediation on April
5, Prince Hamzah is still under de facto house arrest or not.” The office was
referring to the reconciliation bid carried out by Prince Hassan bin Talal
within the palace after a letter of loyalty to the king was signed by Prince
Hamzah and before the royal address to the Jordanians, where the king offered
his first comments on the crisis and said that ,“the next steps will be
determined by the standard that governs all our decisions; the interest of the
homeland and the interest of our loyal people”.But current talk about a “zero
hour” for a coup against the regime means that army officers were involved in
the supposed plot, which the government had denied from the beginning, saying
that there were no soldiers among the detainees. If Prince Hamzah is to be tried
on charges of planning a coup, this will require full disclosure of the facts
including clarification of the nature of the plot to seize power and the
relationships between those involved in the conspiracy. Queen Noor, who lives in
the United States, criticised the government statements. She described the
accusations directed against her son and the detainees as “wicked slander” and
shared the hashtag #Where_is_Prince_Hamzah, which was widely shared on Jordanian
social media. On her Twitter page, the widow of the late King Hussein bin Talal
posted on Friday the statements of the Commissioner for Human Rights about the
detainees, and she tweeted the same day that the suppression of protests in
Myanmar is “a practice that seems to be common these days.” The protest movement
that resurfaced in Jordan last month was dispersed by security forces as soon as
it erupted in major cities. The upheaval took on greater momentum after the
publication of accusations against Prince Hamzah, who enjoys wide popularity
within the movement. Sources and local media accounts said that Prince Hamzah’s
name was chanted in some of the protests. Hamzah, who was crown prince for five
years that ended in 2004, has in one of his videos called for an end to
“corruption” and “devastation” in the kingdom. The removal of Prince Hamzah as
crown prince is seen as one of the main drivers of the current crisis.
Turkey, Libya Renew Commitment to 2019 Maritime Deal
Agence France Presse/April 12/2021
Turkey and Libya on Monday renewed their commitment to a controversial maritime
deal signed in 2019, as Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah paid his first
official visit to Ankara. Dbeibah was selected earlier this year through a
U.N.-backed inter-Libyan dialogue to lead the country to national elections in
December 2021. His government replaces two rival administrations based in
Tripoli and the country's east, the latter loyal to military strongman Khalifa
Hafter, whose forces tried but failed to seize the capital in a 2019-20
offensive. Under the 2019 deal agreed by Ankara and the Tripoli-based Government
of National Accord (GNA), Turkey claimed greater rights over vast areas of the
Mediterranean but was challenged by other countries including Greece. "Regarding
the agreements signed by our countries, especially the maritime deal, we
reaffirm that those agreements are valid," Dbeibah said after talks with Erdogan.
The Turkish leader said the 2019 deal "secured the national interests and future
of the two countries". "Today we reaffirmed our commitment to this matter,"
Erdogan said. The two leaders also signed a series of agreements before a press
conference in the capital. The Libyan premier said Turkish companies would play
"an important role in Libya's reconstruction given their long experience when it
comes to working in Libya". Dbeibah added that the two countries will soon work
towards "a free trade agreement". Turkey and the GNA had signed a military
agreement alongside the maritime boundary deal which gave Ankara more rights to
explore energy in the Mediterranean in November 2019. Ankara's military backing
to the GNA during an offensive by Haftar helped turn the tide of the war in
favor of Tripoli. Erdogan said Monday that Turkey would strengthen "solidarity
and cooperation" with Libya. "We will continue to give all kinds of support to
the Government of National Accord as we did for the previous legitimate
government," the Turkish leader added. He said that from Tuesday, Turkey would
provide Libya with 150,000 coronavirus vaccine doses, without offering further
details. Libya has been mired in conflict since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising
that toppled and killed veteran dictator Moammar Gadhafi. But in October last
year the two sides signed a truce before a U.N.-led process saw a new
transitional government installed in February.
Germany Demands Syria be Held Accountable over Chemical
Arms
Agence France Presse/April 12/2021
Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Monday demanded Syria's government be
held accountable after an investigation from a global watchdog said the regime
used the chemical weapon chlorine in a 2018 attack. "For us, it is clear that
such an obvious violation of international law cannot remain without
consequences," Maas said in a statement following the release of the report by
the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). "Those
responsible must be held accountable." The watchdog accused the Syrian regime of
using chlorine in an attack on the town of Saraqib. It is the second report by
an investigations team set up by the OPCW, which has the new power to apportion
blame for attacks. OPCW investigators interviewed 30 witnesses, analyzed samples
collected at the scene, reviewed symptoms reported by victims and medical staff
and examined satellite imagery to reach their conclusions, the Hague-based
organization said. OPCW states will vote later this month on whether to impose
sanctions on Syria, including the suspension of its voting rights in the
organization, over its failure to comply with its rules. "All OPCW member states
are now called to respond to these continuing violations by Syria of the
Chemical Weapons Convention," Maas said, urging governments to "use the
available means within the framework of the Convention to enforce its respect".
Syria has continued to deny the use of chemical weapons and insists it has
handed over its weapons stockpiles under a 2013 agreement.
Yemen's Huthi Rebels Claim Strikes on Saudi Oil Plants
Agence France Presse/April 12/2021
Yemen's Huthis claimed Monday to have launched drone strikes against Saudi
energy giant Aramco's facilities, amid an upsurge in fighting between the
insurgents and the Riyadh-backed government in northern Yemen. Neither Aramco or
Saudi authorities immediately reported any attack.
Huthi spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement carried by the rebels' Al-Masirah
television that the strikes took place overnight, in retaliation for the
six-year military campaign led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. He said the Huthis had
targeted Aramco refineries in the western Saudi city of Jeddah and in Jubail in
the east, with 10 drones launched at dawn. He also said the Huthis hit
"sensitive military areas" in the southern cities of Khamis Mushait and Jizan,
with five drones and two ballistic missiles. On Sunday, the coalition said it
had intercepted and destroyed Huthi drones targeting Khamis Mushait and Jizan.
The Iran-aligned rebels have struck Aramco facilities in the past, underscoring
the vulnerability of Saudi Arabia's expensive and strategically vital oil
infrastructure. Last November, the rebels hit an Aramco plant in Jeddah with a
Quds-2 missile, tearing a hole in an oil tank and triggering an explosion and
fire, the company said. The rebels' latest claim comes a day after at least 70
pro-government and Huthi fighters were killed in fierce fighting for Yemen's
strategic northern city of Marib. The Huthis have been trying to seize Marib,
the capital of an oil-rich region and the government's last significant pocket
of territory in the north, since February. Yemen's civil war pits the
Iran-backed rebels against an internationally recognized government backed by a
Saudi-led military coalition. The grinding conflict has claimed tens of
thousands of lives and displaced millions, according to international
organizations, sparking what the U.N. calls the world's worst humanitarian
crisis.
Russian Prison Threatens to Force-Feed Navalny
Agence France Presse/April 12/2021
Russian prison officials are threatening to start force-feeding jailed Kremlin
critic Alexei Navalny, his team said Monday, after he lost eight kilograms (18
pounds) since starting a hunger strike. "Seeing the seriousness of the hunger
strike, the administration is threatening every day to start force-feeding,"
Navalny's team said in a post on his Twitter account. It reported that Navalny,
who last week said he had a cough and fever, had been transferred back to the
prison barracks from its infirmary. "They are still not allowing a doctor to see
him," it said. The 44-year-old opposition politician now weighs just 77
kilograms (169 pounds), it said, down from 85 kilograms (187 pounds) when he
started the hunger strike on March 31. Navalny, who is 189 centimeters (six feet
two inches) tall, had already lost significant weight in prison before launching
the hunger strike. He weighed 93 kilograms (205 pounds) when he entered the
facility in February. The anti-corruption campaigner, who barely survived
a poisoning with nerve agent Novichok last August, began refusing food in
protest at what he said was a lack of proper medical treatment in prison for
severe back pain and numbness in his legs. President Vladimir Putin's best-known
opponent, Navalny was arrested in mid-January when he returned to Russia from
Germany, where he had been treated for the poisoning, and was sentenced to two
and a half years in prison on old embezzlement charges in February. Members of
his defense team, who visited him in his penal colony in the town of Pokrov 100
kilometers (60 miles) east of Moscow last week, said he was also losing
sensation in his hands. Lawyer Olga Mikhailova said that an MRT scan had shown
that Navalny has two herniated discs in his back, as well as a bulging disc.
'Innocent man tortured'-
On Monday, as Russians across the country were celebrating the 60th anniversary
of Yuri Gagarin's historic first spaceflight, Navalny's team urged Russians not
to forget the opposition politician's plight despite the large-scale
commemorations. "Yes, Cosmonautics Day is cool, of course," ally Lyubov Sobol
tweeted. "But an innocent man is being tortured in front of the whole country
right now." Navalny's lawyers and allies are demanding that he be transferred to
a regular hospital. The Kremlin has said that Navalny is not entitled to any
special treatment. Navalny has been a thorn in the Kremlin's side for a decade
by probing corruption among officials and leading large protests throughout
Russia supported by a regional network. His team has launched a new campaign
seeking his release and announced plans to stage what they said would be "modern
Russia's biggest protest." The team said they would set a date for the protest
once 500,000 supporters had registered with a website. As of Monday, nearly
420,000 people had signed up. The team, which faces regular searches and arrests
by law enforcement, also opened a new office in the North Caucasus republic of
Dagestan on Sunday. But on Monday, the head of the regional network, Leonid
Volkov, wrote on Twitter that "both of its employees have gone missing".
Meanwhile, Navalny's personal doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva was fined 180,000
rubles ($2,325) for violating public order, lawyers from the Agora rights group
representing her said Monday. Vasilyeva, who heads the Alliance of Doctors
medical trade union which is critical of the government, had travelled to
Navalny's penal colony last week to demand he receive proper medical treatment.
She and eight other protesters were detained by police and last week a court
handed week-long prison sentences to four of them.
One killed, police officer hurt in shooting at Knoxville,
Tennessee high school
Reuters/April 12, 2021
One person was killed at a Knoxville, Tennessee high school on Monday and a
police officer was wounded when police confronted an armed suspect. The
shooting, which unfolded at about 3:15 p.m. local time at Austin-East Magnet
School on the east side of Knoxville was the latest episode of gun violence in
the United States since mid-March. Knoxville police said the officer struck by
gunfire was expected to survive. “He is conscious and in good spirts. ... He’s
going to be OK. I thanked him for putting his life on the line to protect
sutdents and staff at the school. He said he’d rather be hurt than anybody
else,” Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon told CBS News. Investigators did not
immediately identify the suspect or slain victim except to say that they were
both male. It was not immediately clear if either victim attended Austin-East
Magnet School. “Based on the preliminary investigation, Knoxville Police
Department officers responded to Austin-East Magnet High School on the report of
a male subject who was possibly armed in the school,” the police department said
on Facebook.“Upon approach of the subject, shots were fired. A KPD officer was
struck at least one time and transported to the (University of Tennessee)
Medical Center with injuries that are not expected to be life-threatening. One
male was pronounced deceased at the scene, while another was detained for
further investigation.” The police department had initially reported “multiple
gunshot victims” in the attack.“Knox County Schools is responding to a shooting
that occurred this afternoon at Austin-East Magnet High School. We are gathering
information about this tragic situation and will provide additional information
as soon as possible,” Knoxville schools superintendent Bob Thomas said on
Twitter. “The school building has been secured and students who were not
involved in the incident have been released to their families,” Thomas said.
Agents from the US Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms were en route to the
scene to assist other law enforcement agencies, the bureau’s Nashville office
said on Twitter.Police established a reunification site for families of the
students at the baseball field behind the high school. One mother who had been
separated from her daughter was waiting elsewhere near the school and was
relieved to receive a text message from her that she was safe. In other
shootings since mid-March, a man opened fire at the cabinet-making plant in
Texas where he worked last week, killing one person and wounding six others
before he was arrested. Eight people were slain at Atlanta-area spas, 10 people
at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, and four people, including a 9-year-old
boy at a real estate office in Orange, California.
Canada cancels military export permits for Turkey after
illegal transfers abroad
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/Published: 12 April ,2021
Canada ordered the cancellation of all permits that allowed exporting military
goods to Turkey on Monday after a review found that Ankara illegally transferred
Canadian technology to Azerbaijan during last year’s Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The announcement was made by Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau, who said
that the Canadian technology exported to Turkey was “not consistent with
Canadian foreign policy, nor end-use assurances given by Turkey.”“Following this
review, which found credible evidence that Canadian technology exported to
Turkey was used in Nagorno-Karabakh, today I am announcing the cancellation of
permits that were suspended in the fall of 2020,” Garneau said. The Canadian
official said he spoke with his Turkish counterpart on Monday morning to
reiterate Canada’s concerns. Garneau said there needed to be mutual confidence
and greater cooperation on export permits to “ensure consistency with end-use
assurances before any further permits for military goods and technology are
issued.” A report from the Canadian government said that new export permits to
Turkey were temporarily suspended in October 2019 after concerns that a Turkish
military incursion in northeastern Syria would roll back progress in the fight
against ISIS. And from October to December 2020, Canada reviewed all of its
suspended and valid export permits with Turkey. The review found that certain
Canadian military goods and technology exported to Turkey were used in
Nagorno-Karabakh, Libya and Syria. Drones, most notably the Bayraktar TB2 UAVs,
were used against Armenia during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the review said.
These drones were equipped with Canadian sensors. Al Arabiya English previously
reported that Israel was also equipping Azerbaijan with drones to fight Armenia
during the conflict that pitted a predominantly Muslim Azerbaijan against
Christian Armenia. Canada also asked Turkey to provide information on
allegations that Canadian technology was used in Nagorno-Karabakh. “Turkey did
not provide any such information,” Canada’s review of Turkey licenses read.
Separately, the Canadian government said Turkey had an “evolving relationship
with the terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls, militarily
and administratively, the majority of the Idlib pocket that remains outside of
[the Syrian] regime control.”
The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published
on April 12-13/2021
U.S. willing to lift sanctions imposed on Iran by Trump
that are ‘inconsistent’
Karen DeYoung, Loveday Morris, Simon Denyer and Kareem Fahim/The
Washington Post/April 12/2021
The Biden administration has opened the door to lifting Trump-imposed sanctions
against Iran that are "inconsistent" with the 2015 nuclear deal, and also those
that prevent Iran from accessing broader economic benefits under the agreement,
according to a senior State Department official.
The formulation, offered after a first round of indirect talks between Iran and
the United States this week, is designed to break a roadblock between what Iran
has demanded and what the administration is prepared to give for both to return
to compliance with the accord.
The official described the talks as "businesslike" and the atmosphere as "very
constructive." Discussions are expected to resume in the middle of next week.
At Iran's insistence, there was no direct communication between the Iranians and
the U.S. delegation headed by special envoy Robert Malley. Messages were carried
back and forth by other participants in the nuclear deal — Britain, Germany and
France, as well as Russia and China.
"If they don't want to sit down with us, too bad for them," the official said.
"It's just going to be harder for them to get what they want." The official
briefed reporters on the talks on the condition of anonymity, under rules set by
the State Department.
Iranian vessel was struck by explosion in Red Sea as nuclear talks began, Iran
says
The official described the negotiations as "complicated," and said the initial
round had centered on the specifics of what each side is prepared to do to
return to compliance with the agreement, from which President Donald Trump
withdrew three years ago.
"We did not submit a list. We exchanged ideas about the principles that would
guide any sanctions on the U.S. side. Iran did not submit a list either," the
official said. Since the U.S. withdrawal, Iran has increased the quantity and
quality of its enriched uranium, far exceeding the limits imposed by the 2015
agreement. It has activated more-sophisticated centrifuges, all of which would
have to be decommissioned and placed under verifiable seal.
But the situation is far more complicated for the United States.
While the original text lifted specific sanctions that had been imposed related
to Iran's nuclear activity, it also broadly invited Iran back into the
international economic community, so that it could trade and seek foreign
investment without worry that the United States would threaten or impose
sanctions on those conducting business with it.
Sanctions related to other aspects of Iran's behavior — alleged terrorism
sponsorship, support of proxy wars and development of ballistic missiles — were
not lifted by the original agreement, and not prohibited in the future.
But when Trump withdrew from the agreement, he not only reimposed all the
sanctions that had originally been lifted but also added over 1,500 more. Many
were not labeled as nuclear-related but as punishment for terrorism or other
activities.
Included among them were Iran's Central Bank and other financial institutions,
which were called terrorist entities. Trump administration officials were fairly
open at the time that this was done to make it harder for a successor
administration to simply return to the agreement by lifting "nuclear" sanctions.
"The United States retains the right to impose sanctions for nonnuclear
reasons," the official said. "We've made clear, publicly, to the Iranians
indirectly, our view is that all sanctions inconsistent with the [deal] and
benefits that Iran expects" from the agreement, "we are prepared to lift if Iran
comes back into compliance."
"That doesn't mean all of them," the official said of the existing sanctions,
adding that "some" are "legitimate." But "our position is . . . consistent with
plain language and any fair interpretation of the deal."
Talks on reviving Iran nuclear deal begin on ‘right track,’ Tehran envoy says
The administration has undergone what the official said was a "painstaking
effort to determine which need to be lifted. . . . The label itself doesn't
always give the answer. We have to keep in mind that there was a purposeful and
self-avowed effort" by the previous administration "precisely with the political
intent to make it hard for any successor that wanted to go back in to do so."
Iran's position heading into the new talks is that "all" sanctions imposed by
Trump must be lifted before it will return to compliance. "If Iran sticks to the
position that every sanction since 2017" must be removed, the talks will remain
at an "impasse," the official said.
"All Trump sanctions were anti-JCPOA" and "must be removed," Iranian Foreign
Minister Javad Zarif tweeted Friday, using the initials for the nuclear pact.
Iran also said Friday that it had released a South Korean ship seized three
months ago and released its captain, easing at least one source of tension
between Tehran and Washington.
Iranian forces intercepted the South Korean tanker in the Persian Gulf in
January, alleging it was captured for “technical” reasons related to
environmental pollution, while also complaining that Seoul had frozen $7 billion
of its assets to comply with U.S. sanctions.
Iran denies its seizure of South Korean tanker is hostage-taking
It was unclear to what extent Iran’s move was linked to the talks in Vienna. But
Iran’s demand for access to its frozen funds is part of broader negotiations
over the revival of the nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers.
Iran has in the past strongly hinted that access to its funds in South Korea
might be the kind of goodwill gesture that would break the deadlock with the
United States. The money would pass through Switzerland and be restricted to
purchases of humanitarian goods such as medical devices, Iranian officials have
said. A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said Friday that “we firmly
expressed our willpower to solve issues related to the frozen funds.” The
official, who was not authorized to be named, said South Korea’s “efforts were
communicated to Iran and could have positively influenced the final decision to
release the seized vessel.”
But the State Department, while saying it was “pleased” with release of the
ship, said in a statement that “the United States has not authorized the release
of the Iranian funds frozen under sanctions and being held in South Korean
banks.”
The European Union, which is hosting the talks, said in a statement that Iran
and the other signatories to the deal — excluding the United States — held
formal meetings Friday that “took stock of the discussions held at various
levels” over the past days. It said that European coordinators would continue
separate contacts with all participants until they reconvene next week.
Morris reported from Berlin, Denyer from Tokyo and Fahim from Istanbul. Michael
Birnbaum in St. Louis contributed to this report.
How Republicans Can Stop Biden from Lifting Iran Sanctions
Richard Goldberg/ National Review..FDD/April 12/2021
Instead of diluting their principles, congressional Republicans should use every
available procedural tool to force tough votes.
President Joe Biden sent his negotiators to Vienna this week with a singular
mission: Offer Iran billions of dollars as part of a first step toward rejoining
a dangerous nuclear deal that Tehran cheated on from the very beginning. The
only question now is what Congress plans to do to defend the sanctions
architecture it has built over many years.
For weeks, Republicans and centrist Democrats in Washington held out hope that
Biden would utilize the historic sanctions leverage he inherited from his
predecessor to negotiate a better, more comprehensive deal with Iran. Biden had
said that his goal was to “tighten and lengthen Iran’s nuclear constraints, as
well as address the missile program.” Secretary of State Tony Blinken told the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee that it would not be in the U.S. interest to
lift terrorism sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran or the National Iranian Oil
Company — institutions that were originally provided sanctions relief under the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as the 2015 nuclear deal is formally
known.
Under the Biden administration’s reported offer, however, the U.S. would lift
terrorism sanctions on Iran up front without requiring any halt to the regime’s
state sponsorship of terrorism. Iran would gain access to billions of dollars
through its central bank and national oil company — both of which are subject to
sanctions because of their ties to terrorism and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC), which itself is correctly designated as a terrorist entity. When
asked this week if terrorism sanctions were, in fact, on the table in Vienna,
State Department spokesperson Ned Price all but admitted it.
Under the arrangement being discussed, the Islamic Republic would gain tacit
approval to sponsor terrorism, hold Americans hostage, enrich uranium on its own
soil, test nuclear-capable missiles and engage in human-rights abuses against
the Iranian people. More shockingly, a so-called nuclear deal to limit Iran’s
ability to develop nuclear weapons would not require Tehran to account for its
secret nuclear-weapons archive or clandestine nuclear sites, materials and
activities currently under investigation by the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA). Recall that Iran lied to the IAEA in 2015 to gain access to
sanctions relief. Its continued deception should be at the heart of any
negotiation over its nuclear program.
Effectively, Biden is offering to subsidize the IRGC and reward Iranian nuclear
deceit if the mullahs merely stop enriching uranium at higher levels and stop
testing advanced centrifuges — neither of which are truly concessions since the
JCPOA allows Iran to do both over time. Moreover, the offer of
terrorism-sanctions relief constitutes a material breach of trust by the
secretary of state, who led senators to believe that would never happen if they
voted to confirm him.
On a bipartisan basis, Congress should demand a vote on any agreement reached in
Vienna before sanctions are lifted; indeed, the law requires nothing less. Under
the Iran Nuclear Agreement and Review Act of 2015, the president must submit to
Congress the text of any agreement reached with Iran over its nuclear program
and allow Congress time to review and potentially vote to reject it.
Senators of both parties should also consider responding to Secretary Blinken’s
broken commitment on terrorism sanctions by pushing legislation to prohibit any
sanctions relief — waivers, licenses, or delistings — that directly or
indirectly benefits entities subject to U.S. sanctions as of January 20, 2021,
because of their connections to terrorism and the IRGC. Any terrorism sanctions
suspended before the law takes effect should be reinstated as well. Such
legislation could get tacked on as an amendment to the annual defense
authorization bill, setting up a tough political vote for Democrats who voted
for Iran terrorism sanctions four years ago — while the Trump administration was
still in the Iran deal.
Another potential amendment: no sanctions relief for Iran until all American
hostages are released and Iran fully accounts for its undeclared nuclear
activities. Who supports rewarding Tehran for taking Americans hostage? Who will
defend a nuclear deal that lets Iran continue hiding nuclear sites, materials,
and activities — contradicting the entire premise of the agreement? Forcing
votes on must-pass legislation that exposes the fallacies of the Biden
administration’s Iran policy will dramatically turn up the pressure.
For those who think it’s hopeless, think again. The Obama administration opposed
sanctions targeting the Central Bank of Iran back in 2011. Yet Republicans —
then in the Senate minority — used Senate procedure to force a vote on those
sanctions anyway, and they passed 100–0. The lesson learned for Republicans:
Instead of diluting their principles on Iran, they should use every available
procedural tool to force tough votes.
Finally, Republicans should make clear that they will swiftly reimpose any
sanctions relief provided to Iran by the Biden administration if they retake
control of Congress in 2022 or the White House in 2024. Representative Mike
Gallagher (R.,Wisc.) and Senator Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) introduced resolutions in
the House and Senate opposing any lifting of Iran sanctions. These resolutions
send a message to companies and banks around the world that they will once again
find themselves subject to U.S. sanctions in the future if they wade back into
Iran at the Biden administration’s behest.
Republicans should stop President Biden from relieving sanctions on Iran. They
should also give the private sector second thoughts about rushing to do business
with the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism — especially since any
sanctions relief is certain to be temporary.
*Richard Goldberg is a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies. He was the lead Senate Republican negotiator for three rounds of
sanctions against Iran and served as director for Countering Iranian Weapons of
Mass Destruction on the National Security Council. Follow him on Twitter @rich_goldberg.
FDD is a nonpartisan think tank focused on foreign policy and national security
issues.
After Mossad report, Gantz calls for investigation into
security leaks
Udi Shaham/Jerusalem Post/April 12/2021
"It harms our troops, our security, and the interest of the State of Israel, and
I think that there should be a thorough investigation.”
Defense Minister Benny Gantz called on Monday for the immediate opening of an
investigation to uncover who in Israel has been leaking classified details on
Israeli operations to the media. Gantz sent the request to Attorney-General
Avichai Mandelblit.
“I am not talking about a specific operation, but I do want to talk about the
chatter issue,” Gantz told reporters on Monday. “It is a serious issue and I
turned to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the IDF’s Information
Security Department to open an investigation into it. We can’t operate when
everyone is babbling. We can’t accept these winkings and these ‘Western sources’
stories,” he said.
“It harms our troops, our security, and the interest of the State of Israel, and
I think that there should be a thorough investigation,” Gantz said. The Defense
Ministry later said that Gantz also sent the request to Mandelblit.
Gantz’s call for a probe came a day after “Western sources” – widely assumed to
be Israeli – were quoted in the media saying that the Mossad was behind the
cyberattack at Natanz, which caused extensive damage to Iran’s main uranium
enrichment facility. It was also less than a week after reports that the Israeli
Navy was behind an attack against Iran’s IRGC Saviz vessel in the Red Sea.
Asked if the cabinet changed Israel’s policy of ambiguity regarding top-secret
operations, Gantz said that “there was no discussion about it. I think that it
is irresponsible behavior – and if it comes from personal or political
interests, it is even worse.
“I don’t know where it comes from,” he added, “but I know where it is not coming
from. I know that the prime minister has great experience in the
diplomatic-security field, and am not belittling it. I think that all other
consideration should be pushed aside, and I hope that this is what he is doing.”
On Monday Gantz and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Nevatim Air Force
Base – the home of the IAF’s F35 squadrons – and the secretary was briefed by
IAF commander Maj.-Gen. Amikam Norkin.
The secretary was presented with new developments, cutting edge technologies and
systems, including new innovations on the F35, the Iron Dome missile defense
system recently acquired by the United States, the Arrow anti-ballistic missile,
David’s Sling and the Trophy military active protection system, among others.
Gantz later said that the visit should not be taken for granted, and that it
illustrated the deep friendship between the two countries. “I have a years-long
acquaintance with Secretary Austin, and his visit also shows the importance of
the security relations of the countries, and how the Biden administration sees
them.”The defense minister said that the duo discussed Israel’s strategic
challenges, including the JCPOA, the Iranian entrenchment efforts throughout the
Middle East, normalization with Arab countries, the conflict with the
Palestinians, the need to strengthen ties with Jordan and Egypt, and Chinese
activity in the region.“We talked about how we see the right nuclear agreement,
and the way it should be treated,” Gantz said. “We believe that the old
agreement isn’t good enough, and the pressure on Iran should be kept. And that
an agreement – without an expiration date and with the proper ability to oversee
it – should be reached. “We found a listening ear, and there’s an American
commitment to cooperate, even if we don’t always agree 100% on all different
topics,” he added.
Gantz also said that Austin received a presentation on the way Hezbollah and
Hamas build their power and their combat doctrine – and that one of its
essential foundations is operating from densely populated areas.
“[We talked about] the implications of this topic on the ICC trial,” Gantz said.
“The Americans support us on this issue.”
Indoctrinated in Hate: ‘This Is the Start of the New
Caliphate’
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/April 12/2021
While boys in the West are all but indoctrinated into becoming girls—if not
surgically mutilated, at least spiritually emasculated—boys in the Muslim world
are increasingly indoctrinated into becoming super jihadis: ISIS 2.0.
The news is coming in fast from a variety of sources.
A documentary filmmaker, Alan Duncan, for instance, recently made a brief video
of his visit to al-Hawl refugee camp in northeastern Syria, run by the
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Although 80% of the camp consists of women
and (27,000) children, many of whom had fled ISIS, the camp is known as the
“Womb of ISIS.” In the video, highlighted in a February 2021 report, eight to
ten year old boys appear raising one finger—symbolic of jihad. When asked about
the gesture, one boy responded: “This means the Islamic State remains.” On being
asked if they want to be doctors or teachers when they grow up, one boy says,
“We don’t want to be a doctor. We want to be a brother fighter. We want to fight
the apostates.” Then a woman, dressed in a black burka, declares that she wants
the children to become “mujahidin who fight in the way Allah”—who “fight the
infidels.” According to Duncan, the reason for all this indoctrination is that
There are already training camps in there—they are training the ISIS ideologies
to the kids. They are not teaching them A, B and C—they are teaching them to
hate. To hate the West …. They are training them for future jihad…. The children
are victims of ISIS and their parents. They are within an extremist
Islamic-controlled camp. They are not being told how to become doctors and
nurses—the little girls are there to serve and breed. The boys are there to be
the future fighters and the future suicide bombers…. This is the start of the
new caliphate. I am certain of it. You can sense the fear in there of the
religious police. They are trying to keep the structure of caliphate in
there—the laws, the punishment. It’s like walking in the caliphate. It’s like
walking into another world.
A camp official agreed, adding that “The women and children are radicalized—the
vehicles of the humanitarian workers are even attacked with stones. The guards
do feel unsafe while patrolling the camp. However, they are armed and trained.”
Similarly, in Nigeria, Islamic terrorists released a 17-minute video of children
undergoing “religious education and indoctrination sessions.” According to a
February 28, 2021 report,
The dreaded Boko Haram terrorists have released a video where children as young
as 10-years-old were seen being trained in the art of combat and insurgency in
what it tagged ‘Next Generation Fighters’. In the alleged training video, the
child soldiers are seen being trained with sophisticated weapons like AK-47
rifles and Zastava M21, a very powerful weapon… The images from the video show
the relatively young children dressed in combat-style clothing and balaclava
participating in martial arts training, weapon handling training and religious
education class….
Hate-filled indoctrination and training in violence is not limited to the
“schools” of ISIS or Boko Haram. Public schools all around the Muslim world
share elements of this indoctrination. Most recently, a March 2021 study exposed
how the school curriculum of Turkey—for decades one of the Muslim world’s most
secular nations—is also increasingly full of jihadi propaganda. Some of the
report’s “main findings” follow:
The Turkish curriculum has been significantly radicalized in recent years. Jihad
war is introduced as a central value; martyrdom in battle is glorified. Islam is
depicted as political, using science and technology to advance its goals. An
ethno-nationalist religious vision combining neo-Ottomanism and pan-Turkism is
taught. Concepts such as “Turkish World Domination” and Turkish or Ottoman
“Ideal of the World Order” are emphasized. The curriculum adopts an
anti-American stance and displays sympathy toward the motivations of ISIS and
Al-Qaeda. There are anti-Armenian and pro-Azerbaijani stances. … Subtle
anti-democratic messaging is conveyed (e.g., Gezi Park protests). Christians and
Jews are characterized as infidels instead of People of the Book. The curriculum
demonizes Zionism and verges on anti-Semitic…
Even in the West, Muslim children are being “virtually” indoctrinated online,
including during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a March 4, 2021 report
(updated Mar. 10), “Children are being exposed to ISIS terrorism online during
lockdown, raising fears of brainwashing, the British foreign secretary said.”
Dominic Raab told Parliament that this rise “of violent internet indoctrination”
is occurring at a “critical moment,” when there has been a 7 percent increase in
the amount of terrorist propaganda appearing last year.
“This is because terrorists have digital access to those who are probably the
most susceptible to extremist narratives,” Raab added. “And we can see a
worrying rise in the proportion of children and teenagers that are now being
arrested for terrorism offences.” He referred to the mixture of “bored youths
stuck indoors during lockdown,” where they are “subjected to extremist
propaganda online,” as the “perfect storm.”
There is another factor to add into the mix: all of this unprecedented
radicalization of Muslim youth in jihadi hate and violence is occurring at a
time when boys in the West are being unprecedentedly indoctrinated into
renouncing masculinity and embracing effeminacy. What will happen in a few
decades when all these boys—those raised on absolute hate and violence and those
raised on absolute tolerance and nonviolence—become the world’s decision makers?
Palestinian Elections: What the Biden Administration Does
Not Want to Know
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/April 12, 2021
Hamas and the PFLP have rejected all the agreements signed between Israel and
the PLO, including the Oslo Accords. Yet, these terrorist groups have no problem
running in an election held under the umbrella of the Oslo Accords.
[I]t is already evident that some of them have no intention of complying with
the wishes of the State Department about "renouncing violence and terrorism" or
accepting the "two-state solution."
Representatives of some of the lists running in the election, in fact, are
promising the exact opposite. They are saying that they are committed to
continuing the fight against Israel and have absolutely no intention of
recognizing Israel's right to exist.
These Palestinians oppose any recognition of Israel's right to exist; they
oppose any form of normalization with Israel; they oppose any peace talks with
Israel and have repeatedly denounced any peace process with Israel as an act of
treason.
Abu Zuhri and the Hamas leadership are sending the following message to the
State Department spokesman: If you think Hamas will renounce violence and
terrorism or accept the so-called two-state solution, you are sadly deluding
yourself.
This dangerous exploitation of the Oslo Accords, however, does not seem to
bother the US administration or the European Union when they talk about the need
for the Palestinians to have free and democratic elections.
Like Hamas, the PFLP also vowed to pursue the fight against Israel "until the
liberation of all of Palestine" -- in other words, all of Israel.
Under the current circumstances, it seems that Palestinians who support
terrorism and do not accept the "two-state solution" are headed toward
dominating the next Palestinian parliament and government.
Now that the Hamas and the PFLP candidates have been approved by the Central
Elections Commission, the US or the rest of the international community can
prevent this plot from materializing by making it clear that they will not
recognize any future Palestinian government with terrorists. This demand should
be made before, not after the elections.
Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine have rejected all
the agreements signed between Israel and the PLO, including the Oslo Accords.
Yet, these terrorist groups have no problem running in an election held under
the umbrella of the Oslo Accords. Pictured: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh votes in
the Palestinian legislative election on January 25, 2006, in Gaza City.
During a press briefing on April 1, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price
talked about the upcoming Palestinian elections and the "two-state solution." On
the elections, the first in 15 years, Price said:
"The exercise of democratic elections is a matter for the Palestinian people to
determine. We note that the US and other key partners in the international
community have long been clear about the importance of participants in that
democratic process, renouncing violence and renouncing terrorism, recognizing
Israel's right to exist."
On recognizing Israel's right to exist, Price said:
"The two-state solution is precisely what will allow Israelis and Palestinians
to live side by side in dignity and security, securing the interests – in the
interests of Israelis, in the interests of Palestinians together. That's
precisely why are we are supporting this two-state solution, just as previous
administrations of both political stripes have."
Two days later, the Palestinian Central Elections Commission announced that 36
lists have submitted electoral slates for the parliamentary elections, scheduled
for May 22.
Although the candidates have still not announced their political platforms, it
is already evident that some of them have no intention of complying with the
wishes of the State Department about "renouncing violence and terrorism" or
accepting the "two-state solution."
Representatives of some of the lists running in the election, in fact, are
promising the exact opposite. They are saying that they are committed to
continuing the fight against Israel and have absolutely no intention of
recognizing Israel's right to exist.
Two of those lists belong to Hamas, the Islamist movement ruling the Gaza Strip,
and the PLO's Marxist-Leninist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
The Hamas list, named "Jerusalem is Our Destiny," has been approved by the
Palestinian Central Elections Commission, although the leaders of the Islamist
movement say they do not recognize the Oslo Accord signed in 1993 between Israel
and the PLO.
It is worth noting that the elections are being held in accordance with the 1995
Israel-Palestinian Interim Agreement (Oslo II), in which the two sides
reaffirmed "their desire to achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace
settlement and historic reconciliation."
Hamas and the PFLP have rejected all the agreements signed between Israel and
the PLO, including the Oslo Accords. Yet, these terrorist groups have no problem
running in an election held under the umbrella of the Oslo Accords.
In fact, Hamas and the PFLP seem to be using the Oslo Accords as a Trojan horse
to try and take over the Palestinian parliament and government. The two groups
are strongly opposed to any peace agreement with Israel and do not recognize
Israel's right to exist. Hamas and the PFLP, however, have no problem using the
Oslo Accords as a tool for participating in the elections.
The enemies of peace, in other words, are using a peace agreement to advance
their goal of destroying the prospects of a peace process between the
Palestinians and Israel.
The Palestinians who oppose peace with Israel have long demanded that the
Palestinian leadership revoke all the agreements it signed with Israel.
These Palestinians oppose any recognition of Israel's right to exist; they
oppose any form of normalization with Israel; they oppose any peace talks with
Israel and have repeatedly denounced any peace process with Israel as an act of
treason.
This dangerous exploitation of the Oslo Accords, however, does not seem to
bother the US administration or the European Union when they talk about the need
for the Palestinians to have free and democratic elections.
The leaders of Hamas and PFLP, meanwhile, are unambiguous about their
intentions.
Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesperson for Hamas, said that his group chose the name
"Jerusalem is Our Destiny" to drive home the point that the officially
designated terrorist group to which he belongs has not changed its policies
toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially the refusal to accept
Israel's right to exist and the desire to replace it with an Islamic state.
"This list proves that Hamas's convictions and policies have not changed," Abu
Zuhri said. "Hamas fully believes that its true destination is toward Jerusalem
and that soon there will be a decisive battle to defeat [Israel] and it expel it
from our land."
According to Abu Zuhri, Hamas is running in the election to "prepare, with all
strength, for the battle of Jerusalem."
When Abu Zuhri talks about "expelling Israel from our land," he is reaffirming
Hamas's commitment to its charter, which states:
"... the land of Palestine has been an Islamic Waqf throughout the generations
and until the Day of Resurrection; no one can renounce it or part of it. There
is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad [holy war]. We must
spread the spirit of Jihad among the Islamic Umma, clash with the enemies and
join the ranks of the Jihad fighters."
The Hamas official is openly admitting that his group is running in the election
partly to wage war on Israel.
Needless to say, Abu Zuhri and the Hamas leadership are sending the following
message to the State Department spokesman: If you think Hamas will renounce
violence and terrorism or accept the so-called two-state solution, you are sadly
deluding yourself.
Palestinian researcher Walid Khaled has pointed out that the Hamas electoral
list includes several terrorists who are "heroic prisoners and symbols of Jihad
for this great people."
The Hamas terrorists held in Israeli prisons, Khaled announced, "are the model
that generations adore, and families raise their children to emulate and follow
them."
As to why Hamas chose to name its electoral list after Jerusalem, Khaled said:
"Jerusalem is our destiny because there are no half-solutions with this entity
[Israel]; it is neither a neighbor nor a partner, but an enemy."
Another Hamas official, Fawzi Barhoum, also acknowledged that his group was in
the election to launch a war on Israel: "We will continue our struggle and
resistance until the liberation of Palestine, Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque."
Similarly, the PFLP, whose representatives are running in the election under the
slogan "Beat of the People," has also made it clear that it is planning to use
the Oslo Accords as a Trojan horse to destroy the same accords. Explaining its
decision to contest the elections, the PFLP said:
"The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine continues its categorical
rejection of the Oslo Accords and demands that the Palestinian Authority cancel
this agreement and sever its relations with [Israel]. We categorically refuse to
recognize the Zionist entity."
Like Hamas, the PFLP also vowed to pursue the fight against Israel "until the
liberation of all of Palestine" -- in other words, all of Israel.
In light of the schism and internal squabbling in Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas's ruling Fatah faction, which is running in the election
under three different lists, groups such as Hamas and the PFLP, if and when the
vote takes place, are short-listed to gain numerous seats in the Palestinian
parliament. Such a victory would easily enable the two groups to become part of
a new government coalition.
Under the current circumstances, it seems that Palestinians who support
terrorism and do not accept the "two-state solution" are headed toward
dominating the next Palestinian parliament and government.
The US and the rest of the international community are still capable of making
one important move in this dangerous sequence of events: consider how their
turning a blind eye to the participation of extremist anti-peace groups in the
election contributed to the emerging nightmare scenario.
Now that the Hamas and the PFLP candidates have been approved by the Central
Elections Commission, the US or the rest of the international community can
prevent this plot from materializing by making it clear that they will not
recognize any future Palestinian government with terrorists. This demand should
be made before, not after the elections.
*Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
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