English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese,
Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For February 10/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews21/english.february10.21.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against
all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of
possessions
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
12/13-21/:”Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide
the family inheritance with me.’But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a
judge or arbitrator over you?’And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard
against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of
possessions.’Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced
abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to
store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and
build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will
say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat,
drink, be merry.”But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is
being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So
it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards
God.’
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on February 09- 10/2021
Who was Saint Maroun That The Mronite Church Carries His
Name/Elias Bejjani/February 09/2021
Pope Urges Lebanese Politicians to Set Personal Interest Aside
Sister of late activist Lokman Slim: Lebanon’s assassination history repeats
itself
Ministry of Health: 2,879 new Corona cases, 60 deaths
Rahi presides over St. Maroun's Mass service in Bkerki
Aoun following his meeting with Qatari Foreign Minister: Qatar's support and
assistance to Lebanon confirm the distinguished relations between both countries
Al-Thani: Qatar is always ready to assist Lebanon
Presidency Information Office reiterates: Aoun has not asked for blocking third
Report: Qatari Foreign Minister Carries 'Lebanese Dialogue' Initiative in Doha
'Qatar Says Support for Lebanon Hinges on Govt Formation
Qatar ready to help Lebanon when new govt formed
Berri, Qatari Deputy Prime Minister convene at Ain El-Tineh
Ferzli after meeting al-Rahi: Lebanon is experiencing an almost existential
crisis
Civil Group Gives a Home Away from Home to Health Workers
Abiad Raises Vigilance over Covid Complacency
Kataeb calls on friendly countries to take the initiative to deter militia
practices against Lebanon
Aoun congratulates the UAE for the entrance of Emirati “Al-Amal” probe into
orbit around Mars
Geagea: UAE to Mars thanks to its rulers, Lebanon to Hell
Hariri: Every Arab is proud of sisterly Emirates’ reaching Mars
Diab, Rahme discuss security situation in the Bekaa, Corona outbreak in the
country
General Security: To resume receiving citizens' transactions, borders to open
for two days for Lebanese wishing to return from Syria
Medical supplies from Kuwait to ‘Siblin Governmental Hospital’
Hassan after meeting Diab: First batch of vaccinations to arrive Saturday
evening, vaccination campaign to be launched Sunday from the Grand Serail
Four training workshops on “Journalism during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic”,
in partnership between Information Ministry & UNESCO Office in Beirut
The Lebanese Information Center Calls for Justice and Accountability Following
the Assassination of Lokman Slim
Lebanon must be freed from Iranian tyranny/Maria Maalouf/Arab News/February
09/20210
Titles For The
Latest
English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on
February 09- 10/2021
Pope Francis' programme for Apostolic
Visit to Iraq announced
After Blinken remarks, Netanyahu says Golan will always be Israel’s
Yemeni Christian priest, Mushir Khalidi.detained, tortured by Houthis for four
years
Majority of US senators urge Biden to press Turkey on rights
Six Republicans who said Trump post-presidential impeachment trial is
constitutional
All Eyes on Washington as Trump Second Impeachment Trial Starts
U.N. human rights forum reforms should include 'disproportionate focus' on
Israel - State Department
Iran, N. Korea Resumed Missile Collaboration in 2020, UN Report Says
Iran has no interest in altering its behavior/AEIdeas/February 09/2021
U.S. may weigh baby steps to revive Iran nuclear deal/Arshad Mohammed, John
Irish/Reuters/February 09/2021
AQAP leader reportedly captured/Thomas Jodcelyn/FDD's Long War Journal/Febrauary
09/2021
UAE's 'Hope' Probe Successfully Enters Mars' Orbit
Navalny Aides Say Discussed New Russia Sanctions with EU
Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on February 09- 10/2021
Choreagraphies of Death: Yezidis Unearthed Yezidis
Buried/Charles Elias Chartouni/February 09/2021
Khamenei Sets Conditions for Iran to Resume Its Nuclear Commitments/Mehdi
Khalaji/The Washington Institute/February 09/2021
Iran and Turkey: Power dynamics in the South Caucasus/Alex Vatanka/MEI@75//February
09/2021
How new US envoy to Yemen can end the stalemate/Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab
News/February 09/2021
The crippled league of Arab states: has the time of disbandment arrived?/Rami
Rayess/Al Arabiya/February 09/2021
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on February 09- 10/2021
Who was Saint Maroun That The Mronite
Church Carries His Name
Elias Bejjani/February 09/2021
Fouad Afram Boustani, (1904- 1994), the Lebanese Maronite historian described
the Maronite denomination as, a faith of intelligence, an identification of
life, a solid belief in Catholicism, a love for others, an ongoing struggle for
righteousness, a mentality of openness on the whole world, and on its different
civilizations, and a vehicle for martyrdom. The Maronites established the state
of Lebanon and made it an oasis for the persecuted in the middle East. They
believed and practiced multiculturalism and pluralism. They created with the
help of other minorities in the Middle East the unique nation of Lebanon.
The Maronites made Lebanon their homeland since the 4th century after converting
its native inhabitants to Christianity. They were identified by it, and it was
identified by them, they were and still are one entity. The Maronite people were
always hopeful, faithful and strong believers in the Christian Catholic
doctrine. They made victories of defeats, joy of sorrow and hope of despair. The
Maronites successfully created with hard work and a great deal of faith and
sacrifices, the Maronite nation by fulfilling its four basic pillars, a land, a
people, a civilization and a politically independent entity. They constantly
fight for what was theirs, and never ever surrendered to despair.
On the ninth of February for the past 1600 years, Maronites in Lebanon and all
over the world have been celebrating the annual commemoration of St. Maroun, the
founder of their Christian Catholic denomination.
Every year, on the ninth of February, more than ten million Maronites from all
over the world celebrate St. Maroun’s day. On this day, they pay their respect
to the great founder of the Maronite Church, Maroun the priest, the hermit, the
father, the leader and the Saint. They remember what they have been exposed to,
since the 4th century, both good and bad times. They reminisce through the past,
examine the present and contemplate the future. They pray for peace, democracy
and freedom in Lebanon, their homeland, and all over the world.
Who was this Saint, how did he establish his church, where did he live, and who
are his people, the Maronites?
St. Maroun, according to the late great Lebanese philosopher and historian,
Fouad Afram Al-Bustani, was raised in the city of Kouroch. This city is located
northeast of Antioch (presently in Turkey), and to the northwest of Herapolos (Manbieg),
the capital of the third Syria (Al-Furatia). Kouroch is still presently in
existence in Turkey, it is located 15 kilometers to the northwest of Kalas city,
and about 70 kilometers to the north of the Syrian city, Aleppo.
As stated by the historians, Father Boutrous Daou and Fouad Fram Bustani, Maroun
chose a very high location at the Semaan Mountain (called in the past, Nabo
Mountain, after the pagan god, Nabo). Geographically, the Semaan Mountain is
located between Antioch and Aleppo. People had abandoned the mountain for years,
and the area was completely deserted.
The ruins of a historic pagan temple that existed on the mountain attracted
Maroun. Boustan stated that St. Maroun moved to this mountain and decided to
follow the life of a hermit. He made the ruined temple his residence after
excoriating it from devils, but used it only for masses and offerings of the
holy Eucharist. He used to spend all his time in the open air, praying, fasting
and depriving his body from all means of comfort. He became very famous in the
whole area for his faith, holiness and power of curing. Thousands of believers
came to him seeking help and advice.
St. Maroun, was an excellent knowledgeable preacher and a very stubborn believer
in Christ and in Christianity. He was a mystic who started a new
ascetic-spiritual method that attracted many people from all over the Antiochian
Empire. He was a zealous missionary with a passion to spread the message of
Christ by preaching it to others. He sought not only to cure the physical
ailments that people suffered, but had a great quest for nurturing and healing
the "lost souls" of both pagans and Christians of his time. Maroun’s holiness
and countless miracles drew attention throughout the Antiochian Empire. St. John
of Chrysostom sent him a letter around 405 AD expressing his great love and
respect asking St. Maroun to pray for him.
St. Maroun's way was deeply monastic with emphasis on the spiritual and ascetic
aspects of living. For him, all was connected to God and God was connected to
all. He did not separate the physical and spiritual world and actually used the
physical world to deepen his faith and spiritual experience with God. St. Maroun
embraced the quiet solitude of the Semaan Mountain life. He lived in the open
air exposed to the forces of nature such as sun, rain, hail and snow. His
extraordinary desire to come to know God’s presence in all things allowed him to
transcend such forces, and discover an intimate union with God. He was able to
free himself from the physical world by his passion and eagerness for prayer and
enter into a mystical relationship of love with the creator.
St. Maroun attracted hundreds of monks and priests who came to live with him and
become his disciples and loyal Christian followers. Maroun’s disciples preached
the Bible in the Antiochan Empire (known at the present time as Syria), Lebanon,
Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Israel, They built hundreds of Churches and abbeys as
well as schools and were known for their faith, devotion and perseverance.
At the age of seventy, in the year 410 AD, and after completing his holy
mission, St. Maroun died peacefully while surrounded by his disciples and
followers. His will was to be buried in the same grave with his beloved teacher,
the great monk, Zabena, in the town of Kena, next to Kouroch city, where a
temple was built in Zabena’s name. St. Maroun’s will was not fulfilled, because
the residents of a nearby town were able to take his body and bury him in their
town and build a huge church on his grave. This church was a shrine for
Christians for hundreds of years, and its ruins are still apparent in that town.
After Maroun’s death, his disciples built a huge monastery in honor of his name,
adjacent to the ornate spring, (Naher Al-Assi, located at the Syrian-Lebanese
border). The monastery served for hundreds of years as a pillar for faith,
education, martyrhood and holiness. It was destroyed at the beginning of the
tenth century that witnessed the worst Christian persecution era. During the
savage attack on the monastery more than 300 Maronite priests were killed. The
surviving priests moved to the mountains of Lebanon where with the Marada people
and the native Lebanese were successful in establishing the Maronite nation.
They converted the Lebanese mountains to a fortress of faith and a symbol for
martyrhood, endurance and perseverance.
Initially the Maronite movement reached Lebanon when St. Maroun's first disciple
Abraham of Cyrrhus, who was called the Apostle of Lebanon, realized that
paganism was thriving in Lebanon, so he set out to convert the pagans to
Christianity by introducing them to the way of St. Maroun. St. Maroun is
considered to be the Father of the spiritual and monastic movement now called
the Maronite Church. This movement had a profound influence on northern Syria,
Lebanon, Cyprus and on many other countries all over the world where the
Maronites currently live. The biggest Maronite community at the present time
lives in Brazil. More than six million Lebanese descendents made Brazil their
home after the massive emigration that took place from Lebanon in the beginning
of this century.
God Bless all those who struggle for freedom and liberty all over the world
Pope Urges Lebanese Politicians to Set
Personal Interest Aside
Naharnet/February 09/2021
Pope Francis urged Lebanese politicians to set their personal interests aside,
adding that Lebanon faces the risk of losing its identity. During his annual
address accredited to the Holy See on Monday, Pope Francis addressed diplomats
at the Vatican and “appealed for a renewed political commitment to fostering the
stability of Lebanon,” the Catholic News Agency said. He also said that Lebanon
“risks losing its identity and finding itself caught up even more in regional
tensions” due to its economic and political crisis, he was reported as saying.
“It is most necessary that the country maintain its unique identity, not least
to ensure a pluralistic, tolerant and diversified Middle East in which the
Christian community can make its proper contribution and not be reduced to a
minority in need of protection,” the Agency quoted him as saying. He raised
concerns that “a weakening of the Christian presence risks destroying internal
equilibrium and the very reality of Lebanon.” The Pope highlighted the need for
an “urgently needed process of economic recovery and reconstruction,” saying
“without it, the country risks bankruptcy, with the possible effect of a
dangerous drift towards fundamentalism.”
“It is therefore necessary for all political and religious leaders to set aside
their personal interests and to commit themselves to pursuing justice and
implementing real reforms for the good of their fellow citizens, acting
transparently and taking responsibility for their actions,” he was quoted as
saying.
Sister of late activist Lokman Slim:
Lebanon’s assassination history repeats itself
Rawad Taha, Al Arabiya English/February 09/2021
The sister of prominent Lebanese publisher and vocal critic of the Shia militant
Hezbollah group Lokman Slim who was found shot dead in his car on Thursday
morning, said Lebanon’s history of assassinations was repeating itself. “My
father was also the lawyer of journalist Kamel Mroueh who was assassinated. They
assassinated him in his office… History is repeated in this country,” she told
Al Arabiya English during an interview. Lokman’s mother said she refused to
leave the southern suburbs of Beirut, because her house is 150 years old and is
older than Hezbollah. “I have lived here for 60 years… This house is 150 years
old… I will stay in this house because this house is older than Hezbollah… I
will not leave,” she added. Slim’s sister Rasha al-Ameer had hinted days ago
that Hezbollah was behind the killing, without naming the group, adding that it
is known who controls the area where her brother was found dead. “Killing for
them is a habit," she said. Hezbollah and its allies dominate the area in
southern Lebanon. Hezbollah condemned Slim's killing, calling for a swift
investigation. It also urged security agencies to combat crimes it said have
spread around Lebanon and which have been “exploited politically and by the
media at the expense of security and domestic stability" — a jab at their
critics. Slim was born in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold,
where he lived all his life. He returned from abroad to the house, when most
people were leaving, during the 2006 war with Israel, when the suburbs were
being bombed.
He founded Umam, a research and film production house with a library documenting
Lebanon's and Shia history. His family owns a publishing house and Slim hosted
public debates and political forums and art shows, including exhibitions
documenting the civil war's missing. He and his wife worked on a film
documenting the atrocities of Syria's notorious Tadmor prison. In 2009, he and
his wife organized a private viewing at their center for an Oscar-nominated
anti-war Israeli cartoon about Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon and the rise of
the then-President Bachir Gemayel, in defiance of Hezbollah and Lebanese
authorities, which banned it. Slim also set up Haya Bina, or “Let's go," a group
that encouraged participation in 2005 parliamentary elections, called for
changes to Lebanon's sectarian-based system, and taught women English.
- With The Associated Press
Ministry of Health: 2,879 new Corona
cases, 60 deaths
NNA/February 09/2021
The Ministry of Public Health announced, on Tuesday, the registration of 2,879
new Corona infections, thus raising the cumulative number of confirmed cases
to-date to 324,859.
It also indicated that 60 deaths were recorded during the past 24 hours.
Rahi presides over St. Maroun's Mass
service in Bkerki
NNA/February 09/2021
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rahi, presided over
Saint Maroun's Mass service in Bkerki this morning. In his delivered sermon,
Patriarch Rahi prayed for Lebanon so that this country would emerge from its
serious political, social and economic crises, through the hands of those with
good intentions. Rahi underlined the necessity of restoring spiritual, moral and
humanitarian values to our societies and promoting the culture of brotherhood,
partnership and love. He hoped that the national and international political
commitment would be renwed in order to enhance the stability of Lebanon, which
is going through an internal crisis and is prone to losing its identity and
getting involved in regional tensions. The Prelate stressed that Lebanon can
only survive through a democratic system that respects pluralism, public
liberties and human rights. He also called for addressing the issue of the
Syrian and Palestinian refugees, in light of the deteriorating economic
conditions in Lebanon. Commenting on the impasse in forming the government, al-Rahi
considered that "officials are competing to disrupt internal solutions, which
leads us to look to the United Nations to help save Lebanon." He added: "The
United Nations Organization is not an international, regional, sectarian or
partisan group to resort to in the interest of one party over another. It is an
organization responsible for the fate of every member state, and it has the
responsibility to assist it in critical crises. Lebanon today needs a firm and
strict international role that implements previous decisions without exception
and partiality, even if the matter calls for issuing new decisions." Finally,
the Patriarch called on all the forces that believe in the unity, sovereignty
and neutrality of Lebanon in this East to cooperate with each other in order to
crystallize a national situation that will restore Lebanon and put it on a
renaissance path.
Aoun following his meeting with Qatari Foreign Minister: Qatar's support and
assistance to Lebanon confirm the distinguished relations between both countries
Al-Thani: Qatar is always ready to assist Lebanon
NNA/February 09/2021
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, expressed Lebanese appreciation,
by the President and people, for the support provided by the State of Qatar,
under the directives of Qatari Prince, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, to
Lebanon and the Lebanese, especially during the difficult circumstances which
Lebanon went through after the Beirut Port explosion through urgent social,
humanitarian and health aid that arrived and was placed at the disposal of the
affected Lebanese. The President also considered that this aid is an affirmation
of the distinguished relations between both brotherly states.
The positions of President Aoun came while receiving the Qatari Deputy Prime
Minister, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani,
today at Baabda Palace.
The Qatari Minister arrived in Beirut on a solidarity visit with Lebanon, which
is the second since his first visit on the 25th of August. President Aoun
asserted that the Qatari solidarity with Lebanon was translated on several
occasions, whether through financial and in-kind donations through the
participation of the Prince of Qatar in the Paris Conference to support Lebanon
which was organized by the French President Emmanuel Macron, or through the air
bridge which was established between Beirut and Doha to send medical and food
aid in addition to field hospitals each with a capacity of 500 beds.
In addition, President Aoun expressed his appreciation for the facilities
provided by Qatar to Lebanese citizens residing there, and the job opportunities
it provides to many Lebanese, especially in light of the difficult economic
conditions which Lebanese is passing through. Then, the President asked the
Qatari Foreign Affairs Ministers to convey to Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani,
the congratulations for the recent reconciliation which has normalized relations
between the Arab Gulf states, focusing on the importance of the unity of the
Arab stance, in these circumstances.
For his part, the Qatari Minister began the meeting by conveying the greetings
of the Qatari Prince to President Aoun, and his wishes for success, focusing on
the historical relations between Lebanon and Qatar, which have always been
characterized by brotherhood, friendship and cooperation, stressing that Qatar
stands by Lebanon in these delicate circumstances. In addition, Minister Al-Thani
expressed his country's readiness to continue providing urgent assistance of
various kinds to the Lebanese people, in addition to contributing to the
projects that Qatar had already started implementing in Lebanon. Al-Thani also
assured Qatar's readiness to assist in any issue that Lebanon might need
assistance in, hoping to quickly form a government to discuss various aspects of
support in light of the political stability which Qatar hopes to achieve.
The Qatari Foreign Minister also expressed hope to see President Aoun in Doha
"on a visit to his second country, Qatar".
On the Qatari side, the meeting was attended by: Qatari Ambassador to Lebanon,
Mohammed Hassan Jaber Al-Jaber, the Director of the Foreign Minister's office,
Ambassador Saad Al-Kharji, Ambassador Meshaal Al-Mazroui, and Mr. Abdullah Al-Sulaiti.
On the Lebanese side, the meeting was attended by: Foreign Affairs Minister,
Charbel Wehbe, former Minister, Salim Jreisatti, Presidency Director General,
Dr. Antoine Choucair, Protocol General Director, Dr. Nabil Chedid, and Advisors
Rafic Chelala and Osama Khashab.
Statement of the Qatari Foreign Minister:
"I was pleased to meet with His Excellency, President Michel Aoun, in a visit
which comes as a continuation of previous visits to the brotherly Lebanon,
especially after the Beirut Port explosion, and the humanitarian disaster which
befell the Lebanese people. We renew our support to our Lebanese brothers, and
the State of Qatar will always be present and proactive to support the Lebanese
people and help them to rise and overcome their crises.
Qatar provides assistance to Lebanon through projects which are currently being
followed-up, whether through field hospitals sent to Beirut, as well as through
the reconstruction and rehabilitation of some buildings, 55 public schools, 20
technical institutes and 80 university buildings, in addition to grants for 400
students at the American University in Beirut.
The State of Qatar will continue to support its Lebanese brothers and make its
efforts to complete reconstruction projects in devastated areas, in addition to
that we wish the brotherly Lebanese people success and the various political
events success also. We hope that the interest of the Lebanese people prevails,
and the Government is formed as soon as possible so that these projects are
completed.
We look at the future of Lebanon as a promising and positive future, but this
matter requires stability and requires a formed Government. Therefore, we wish
them all success in their consultations and that the Government will be formed
as soon as possible".
Questions & Answers:
Question: Will Qatar invest its good political relations with all parties in an
attempt to overcome the obstacles that prevent the formation of the Government?
And has there been an invitation to the Lebanese parties to Doha, similar to
what happened in 2008 to reach an agreement, at regional and international
levels, will Qatar play a role in an attempt to reach consensus that reached the
formation of the Government in Lebanon?
Answer: "Regarding the formation of the Government in Lebanon, this matter is
considered an internal issue, concerning the Lebanese and political parties in
Lebanon, and the State of Qatar has friendly and brotherly relations with all
politicians in Lebanon, and our message is always positive, so that cooperation
between them takes place and the national interest prevails over partisan or
political interests, and if the State of Qatar is asked by the parties to have a
role to facilitate any dialogues, then we are ready for that, but we are
confident that there is capability for the political parties in Lebanon
prioritize their national interest, and the State of Qatar will support in any
attempt to form a Government that creates political stability in Lebanon.
As for regional and international levels, we always have consultations with all
friendly countries interested in the Lebanese issue, and everyone agrees with
us, that the current stage is sensitive for Lebanon and a Government must be
formed soon as possible and we wish them success in doing so, and all the
countries that we are currently communicating with are heading in this
direction".
Question: The Lebanese public opinion is waiting and wondering, does Qatar
invite Lebanese politicians today to a conference in Doha, that is a Doha 2? And
today, you are in Baabda Palace and the PM Designate, Saad Hariri, is in Paris,
so did you come to destroy the French initiative and say that it is your role in
Lebanon?
Answer: "Never. The issue has nothing to do with destroying the French
initiative, but on the contrary, we are coming to complete international
efforts, and the presence of the PM Designate, Mr. Saad Hariri, outside the
country is a coincidence, because the process of scheduling the dates of the
visit was not done in a coordinated and advance manner".
In response to a question about if Prime Minister Hariri was in Beirut, will the
Qatari delegation hold a meeting with him? The Qatari Minister said: "Of course.
We look forward to meeting him, God willing, even if it is during future visits.
As for calling the parties to a conference in Doha, we confirm that the Lebanese
are welcome at any time, but there is currently no initiative on the table to
invite the parties to reach a solution in Doha, and we hope that the solution
will emerge from Beirut as soon as possible".
Question: What about financial aid? Will Qatar help Lebanon in this field,
especially as it is going through a bad economic crisis, or do you also
condition stopping corruption to help Lebanon?
Answer: "We are talking about an integrated economic program to support Lebanon,
and this program requires the presence of a Government, and also requires
adherence to certain standards. These are the same standards that the State of
Qatar follows with all countries that deal with it through economic programs,
and we are committed to this direction".
Question: Have you brought a specific message from the Emir of the State of
Qatar to His Excellency the President? Especially that there is a need for
communication at the level of Arab leaders in light of the Arab transformations
that we have seen during the past year? And is there a Qatari initiative to help
Lebanon to save the Lebanese monetary situation, especially as it suffers from a
financial crisis?
Answer: "Of course, we carried the message of His Highness the Emir to His
Excellency the President, which is a message of support and renewal of Qatar's
support for the brothers in Lebanon, in addition to urging and encouraging the
parties to give priority to the national interest over other political interests
in order to reach the formation of a Government and political stability.
As for the economic programs, as I mentioned. Qatar, and through the policy it
follows, does not provide its financial support in monetary terms, but this
support comes in the form of programs and through projects that will make a
difference in the state's economy and in the matter of the brotherly Lebanese
people, working and partnering with them through economic programs. When a
Government is formed, it is prepared to work with it through all options and to
reach an economic program that serves the brotherly Lebanese people and meets
the conditions that the State of Qatar follows on a permanent basis in helping
countries".
Question: You mentioned that you aim to solve the Lebanese crisis and establish
stability in Lebanon, so will you work through your website to communicate with
the various Lebanese parties after the visit? And with influential regional
parties, including Iran for example, or with others such as the US?
Answer: "Our message to Lebanon is a message of support, and a clear message to
the political parties that there must be a primacy of the national interest and
the formation of a Government, and this communication continues on a permanent
basis, whether through this visit or communication by other means. Our message
is the same for all regional countries and we hope for everyone's support in
this direction to end the current political consultations and come out with a
Government agreed upon by the political parties to bring stability in Lebanon".
--- Presidency Press Office
Presidency Information Office reiterates: Aoun has not
asked for blocking third
NNA/February 09/2021
The Information Office of the Presidency of the Republic clarified that some
politicians and media professionals use terms such as “concessions" that the
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, must present in the context of
talking about ways to form the future government. The correct view is that the
so-called "concessions" are in fact constitutional rights that the President is
keen to preserve and call for their realization based on his national,
constitutional and charter responsibilities. They are responsibilities that can
never be included in the dictionary of "concessions" because they are among the
constants that cannot be abandoned under any circumstances. The Presidency
Information Office reminds that the fact that some people continued to claim
President Aoun's demand for the "blocking third," despite repeated denials of
this, indicates the lack of objective arguments and the resort to unrealistic
and fabricated arguments on the basis of the saying "it is a goat even if it
flies."--- Presidency Press Office
Report: Qatari Foreign Minister
Carries 'Lebanese Dialogue' Initiative in Doha
Naharnet/February 09/2021
Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman will reportedly carry
during his scheduled visit to Beirut Tuesday, an initiative to bring the
Lebanese parties together at a dialogue table in Doha, the Kuwaiti al-Qabas
newspaper reported. According to unnamed sources, the Qatari side will not
announce its initiative until after all Lebanese parties agree to participate in
the dialogue. They noted that the Qatari side has received initial approval from
the majority of Lebanese political forces, especially Hizbullah and the team of
President Michel Aoun, added the daily.
The sources did not rule out discussions on providing financial support to
Lebanon. The Qatari embassy in Beirut announced that the Qatari Minister will
visit Lebanon Tuesday, where he will hold a press conference at the Presidential
Palace in Baabda after his meeting with Aoun.
'Qatar Says Support for Lebanon Hinges
on Govt Formation
Naharnet/February 09/2021
Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani met President
Michel Aoun at Baabda Palace on Tuesday, and called on political parties to
quickly form a new government, assuring that Qatar seeks not to torpedo the
French initiative. The Qatari official deemed that the formation of the
government is an internal matter, noting that Qatar maintains good relations
with all Lebanese parties. He also emphasized that his country supports any
process that leads to the formation of the Lebanese government, noting that
Qatar is not working to undermine the French initiative, but rather is working
to complete international efforts in favor of forming a government. On a
reported initiative by Qatar to invite Lebanese leaders for dialogue in Doha, he
said: “There is not such initiative at present. We hope the solution emerges
from Beirut. “Everyone awaits the formation of a government. Any economic
program to support Lebanon requires a government. Whenever a government is
formed, Qatar will be ready to study all the options to provide support,” he
concluded.
Qatar ready to help Lebanon when new
govt formed
AFP/February 10/2021
BEIRUT: Qatar’s foreign minister on Tuesday said his country was ready to help
kick-start Lebanon’s flailing economy, but only if its deeply divided political
class agreed on a new government. “Under our policy, we only provide financial
help through economic projects ... that will make a difference to the country’s
economy,” Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said
during a visit to Beirut. But “this demands there be an independent government
to work with,” he said at a press conference after meeting Lebanon’s president.
“As soon as a government is formed, Qatar will be ready to study all the
options” and only then discuss “a comprehensive economic program to support
Lebanon,” he said. mLebanon is locked in its worst economic crisis in decades
and desperately needs international aid, but donors have conditioned financial
help on an independent Cabinet enacting sweeping reforms. The country’s
politicians have failed to agree on a new government since the previous Cabinet
stepped down after a monster Aug. 4 blast at the Beirut port that killed more
than 200 people and ravaged large parts of the city.
Two visits to the country by French President Emmanuel Macron have failed to
bring the various sides together. Sunni politician Saad Hariri, who made a
comeback as premier-designate in October after stepping down under street
pressure almost a year earlier, has struggled to put together a lineup to suit
all sides. Qatar has maintained good ties with all sides of the
multi-confessional country’s political factions over the years, hosting them in
Doha in 2008 to ink a deal after tensions came to a boil in the Mediterranean
country.
Berri, Qatari Deputy Prime Minister
convene at Ain El-Tineh
NNA/February 09/2021
House Speaker Nabih Berri received this afternoon at Ain el-Tineh Palace,
visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of
Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, for a half an hour meeting
devoted to discussing the government issue, political developments in Lebanon
and the region, and bilateral relations between Lebanon and Qatar. According to
a statement by the Parliament Council, both Speaker Berri and the Qatari Foreign
Affairs Minister “share the same views regarding the need to expedite the
formation of the government as quickly as possible."
Following the visit, the Qatari Minister left Ain el-Tineh without making any
statement. On another level, the House Speaker reviewed today the general
situation prevailing in the country, particularly the political, social and
health conditions, during a meeting with former Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
The Speaker also broached legislative matters and educational affairs during his
meeting with Parliamentary Education and Culture Committee Head, MP Bahia
Hariri.
Ferzli after meeting al-Rahi: Lebanon is experiencing an
almost existential crisis
NNA/February 09/2021
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, met today with Deputy
House Speaker Elie Ferzli, in the presence of Mr. Jean Aziz. On emerging, Ferzli
referred to the prevailing difficult circumstances in the country, “a crisis
that is almost existential in the full meaning of the word.”
He added that his visit to the Patriarch was devoted to discussing current hour
issues, pointing to His Beatitude’s insistence that nothing is more important
than forming a government that will veer the state towards the path of
salvation, and address the basic needs of citizens and all the economic,
monetary, political and social problems at stake. “The Patriarch believes that
all constituents of Lebanese society will have their rights met once the
government is formed,” said Ferzli, adding that “what is required is to form a
government in order to bring the Lebanese together under Lebanon’s flag, and
under the administration of the Lebanese state and the leadership of a one
state."
Civil Group Gives a Home Away from Home to Health Workers
Associated Press/February 09/2021
In the middle of the destroyed Beirut neighborhood of Gemmayzeh, a small team in
masks and gloves were sanitizing and packing oxygen machines to be sent to those
in need. It's the latest venture of a Lebanese civil group that arose with the
coronavirus pandemic and has been finding new avenues to help as the country's
crises expand. "No one is exempt from COVID. Nobody. Nobody has super-power
immunity," said Melissa Fathallah, one of the founders of Baytna Baytak, Arabic
for Our Home is Your Home.
"We saw that our own relatives and our colleagues are suffering with this, we
decided, okay, we are going to start another fundraiser and to specifically
focus on the oxygen machines."Raising more than $27,000, they currently have
placed 48 machines with those who need it across the country.
Baytna Baytak, with 110 staffers, launched at the start of the pandemic with a
very different initiative: Finding a home away from home for front-line workers
who were worried about exposing their families to the virus. During Lebanon's
first lockdown in March, they housed 750 front-line workers in various
apartments. Chloe Ghosh, a 26-year-old medical resident at a government hospital
in Beirut, has been living in accommodations provided by the group since the
start of the pandemic.
Her family is from Tannourine, a small town 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of
Lebanon. For her, putting her family at risk was another burden she couldn't
fathom. "If I got COVID or anyone my age got COVID, we could survive," Ghosh
said. "But our families, no."
Her first accommodation with the group was wrecked when another disaster struck
Beirut, the massive Aug. 4 explosion at the city's port. The blast killed more
than 200 people, injured 6,000 others and destroyed thousands of homes.
Ghosh was unharmed. She moved to another place provided by Baytna Baytak across
town in Hamra street. She now shares a four-bedroom apartment with three other
medical workers who work in different hospitals around the city.
On a recent afternoon, Gosh and one her apartment mates, Issa Tannous, were
decompressing after a long day, sipping a cup of coffee in front of the lights
strung across the apartment's windows. It was a rare instance when they were
home at the same time. "At the end of the day, someone cared for us," said
Tannous, a 28-year-old medical resident at private hospital. "Someone
appreciated what you are going through and all that is going through our heads.
It gave us space not to be afraid, not to worry that we might actually hurt
someone."The apartment was donated to Baytna Baytak by a philanthropist to help
accommodate the front-line workers. The same donor gave several other properties
around Beirut for the same purpose.
After the port explosion, Baytna Baytak rushed to expand its efforts to help
those whose homes had been shattered. It placed them in temporary housing while
it helped raise funds to fix their homes. Within the first 24 hours of the call
for housing, they had six apartments donated.
Baytna Baytak grew out a lack of services provided for front-line workers in
Lebanon, Fathallah said. "As far as the government is concerned, we don't have a
government. Let's just get that out of the way," she said. "If we actually want
to acknowledge their existence, then they are a completely failed government in
every which way possible."Lebanon's health sector is overworked and stretched
thin, even more so after the explosion.
Doctors are working multiple shifts a day to cover for colleagues infected with
the virus. More than 2,300 Lebanese health care workers have been infected since
February, according to the Order of Physicians.
Lebanon has over 14,000 medical doctors and 17,000 nurses, but many doctors have
also left the country, reeling from a crippling economic crisis that preceded
the pandemic.
After the explosion, Lebanon saw a major surge in COVID-19 infections that only
worsened by the end of 2020, forcing Baytna Baytak to put some of its work on
hold. Donors also were fewer. Currently, they have 100 front-line workers placed
in six apartments, a few hotels and a Covent.
Still, the group has continued to work amid a 24-hour lockdown that started
mid-January. Even while distributing oxygen machines, the team was getting fined
for violating curfew. Fathallah is determined to keep going.
"We took it upon ourselves because of the greater good, because of the bigger
picture because of the country and the citizens. We took it upon ourselves."
Abiad Raises Vigilance over Covid
Complacency
Naharnet/February 09/2021
Firass Abiad, the Director at the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, raised
vigilance on Tuesday saying complacency with COVID raises the risk of developing
a Lebanese variant. “During last year, Lebanon was in the headlines for all the
wrong reasons. Will this year bring another: the Lebanon Covid variant? High
community transmission allow the virus the perfect environment to mutate and
adapt, and Covid has proven itself very good at that,” said Abiad on Twitter.
“In addition to a high community transmission, Lebanon has a loose border
control and a weak Covid virus genetic surveillance program. The conditions are
ripe, as other variants travel into the country, spread undetected, and have the
chance to mutate with every transmission,” he added. “New variants can mean
different things. The virus can become more contagious, less susceptible to
vaccines, or even more virulent. This can have dire consequences as health
authorities, and individuals being reinfected with Covid, are discovering in
Brazil and South Africa,” stated Abiad. He said that “ramifications will be far
reaching if it happens,” adding “the global spread of variants have shown that
no country is safe unless all countries are. It is therefore imperative that the
Ministry of Health gets the support it needs to control the transmission and
expand its surveillance program.”Abiad explained that “the aim of this tweet is
not to frighten, but to educate. The more we know about the virus, the more we
can plan and take the appropriate actions. With Covid, complacency have proven
to be very costly. So has wishful thinking. As they say, fortune favors the
prepared.”
Kataeb calls on friendly countries to take the initiative
to deter militia practices against Lebanon
NNA/February 09/2021
Lebanese Kataeb Party political bureau held its weekly meeting on Tuesday,
headed by Party Chief Sami Gemayel, devoted to tackling recent developments in
the country. In an issued statement following the meeting, the political bureau
said: “Lebanon is veering towards a dangerous slope, with the return of the
logic of assassinations, the most recent of which was the killing of Luqman Slim
with his free, revolutionary and sovereign intellect, and the attempt to silence
the liberal voices of change that refuse to submit to a militia that kidnaps the
country and subjects it to the logic of abolition and political blame, in order
to rob the Lebanese of their right to a decent life, free expression and the
right to self-determination.”The Kataeb politburo urged all those who claim not
to submit to such practices, and who acknowledge the need for change, to
associate their words with action by resigning from all sites that empower these
sides over the country, especially from the Parliament House which represents no
one but itself. “The political bureau of the Kataeb Party believes that it is
necessary for friendly countries, Arab and international organizations and
institutions to which Lebanon belongs or with which it is bound by treaties, to
ensure protection for the homeland and citizens, and to deter militia and mafia
practices taking place daily against them,” the statement underscored.
Aoun congratulates the UAE for the entrance of Emirati
“Al-Amal” probe into orbit around Mars
NNAFebruary 09/2021
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, congratulated the United Arab
Emirates for the entry of the Emirati “Al-Amal” probe this evening into its
orbit around Mars, to begin studying the lower layers of the atmosphere.
President Aoun wrote the following on Twitter: “Congratulations, to the
brotherly United Arab Emirates, for the historic achievement of the Emirati
‘Al-Amal’ probe entering its orbit around Mars.” --- {Presidency Press Office}
Geagea: UAE to Mars thanks to its rulers, Lebanon to Hell
NNA/February 09/2021
“The United Arab Emirates heads to Mars thanks to its rulers, and Lebanon to
Hell thanks to its rulers...Congratulations to the UAE on this huge scientific
achievement that is the pride of all Arab countries," said Lebanese Forces Party
Chief, Samir Geagea, via Twitter this evening, attaching to his tweet the
following hashtag #Hope_Probe.
Hariri: Every Arab is proud of sisterly Emirates’ reaching
Mars
NNA/February 09/2021
“Every Arab is proud of the sister country, United Arab Emirates’ reaching
Mars…Congratulations to all of our brothers in the Emirates, leadership and
people, for this achievement by ‘Al-Amal’ probe’s entering into orbit around
Mars. You really cultivate hope in all of us!" tweeted Prime Minister-designate,
Saad Hariri, on Tuesday.
Diab, Rahme discuss security situation in the Bekaa, Corona
outbreak in the country
NNA/February 09/2021
Caretaker Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, received "Tadamoun" (Solidarity) Party
chief, former MP Emile Rahme, in the presence of the PM Advisor, Khodor Taleb.
The meeting broached general developments in Lebanon and the need to form a
government as soon as possible. Premier Diab asserted that as much as he bears
responsibilities as a caretaker prime minister, out of his full commitment to
fulfill his national duty, as much as he insists on Cabinet formation the sooner
the better. The discussion was also centered on the security breakdown in the
Bekaa. In this regard, PM Diab indicated that all security services must be
constantly present in order to ensure security in the Baalbek-Hermel region that
is already suffering from social deprivation.
The meeting deliberated as well on the coronavirus outbreak in Lebanon,
especially in Deir al-Ahmar. MP Rahme expressed his appreciation for PM Diab's
interest in settling this issue by requesting relevant agencies to follow up on
the epidemiological situation in Deir Al-Ahmar and to help the people there.
Rahme also thanked Health Minister, Hamad Hassan, for his endeavors in various
Lebanese regions, especially his recent visit to Deir Al-Ahmar to sponsor the
opening of a center for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. The meeting also
covered the issue of subsidy rationing and ways to support the poorest and most
vulnerable families. --- {Presidency of the Council of Ministers Press Office}
General Security: To resume receiving citizens'
transactions, borders to open for two days for Lebanese wishing to return from
Syria
NNA/February 09/2021
The Public Security General Directorate announced in a statement today, it’s
resumption of the usual daily transactions of citizens at the Public Relations
Department, the General Secretariat and in the regional departments and centers
affiliated to it, provided that the necessary preventive measures are adhered
to, while maintaining social distancing and organizing citizens’ entry into the
various centers. The statement added that “Lebanese citizens and their family
members who are stuck in Syria and who wish to return to Lebanon through the
Masnaa and Aboudieh border centers, will be allowed to do so starting nine in
the morning until six in the evening, for two days on February 10 & 17, 2021,
provided that they have a negative PCR test dated not more than 96 hours from
Syria, and on condition that they undergo another PCR examination at the
Lebanese border by the Public Health Ministry teams.
Medical supplies from Kuwait to ‘Siblin Governmental
Hospital’
NNA/February 09/2021
The Kuwaiti “Faisal Abdul Wahab Al-Mutawa” Foundation provided 400 thousand
dollars worth of medical supplies to “Siblin Governmental Hospital”, through the
efforts of the Lebanese Consul to Kuwait, Bassil Oweidat, and in cooperation and
coordination with “Democratic Gathering” MP, Bilal Abdallah. The latter thanked
the Kuwaiti people, its government, leadership, and the Kuwaiti foundation "for
continuously supporting Lebanon and providing it with all needed assistance at
various levels."He also thanked "everyone who contributed to this initiative,
starting with the Presidency of the Republic, the Presidency of the Council of
Ministers, Kuwaiti and Lebanese Customs, Public Health Minister Hamad Hassan,
Director General Fadi Sinan, and MEA Board Chairman Mohammad al-Hout." Abdallah
thanked as well the Lebanese Women’s Council in the sisterly State of Kuwait for
their support in purchasing equipment and supplies required for the COVID
section at “Siblin Governmental Hospital”. He saluted the efforts undertaken by
Lebanon’s Consul in Kuwait who hails from the region of Siblin, while calling on
all capable Lebanese nationals, whether residing in Lebanon or abroad, to
support the steadfastness of the people in the face of the Corona pandemic.
Hassan after meeting Diab: First batch of vaccinations to
arrive Saturday evening, vaccination campaign to be launched Sunday from the
Grand Serail
NNA/February 09/2021
Caretaker Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, met Minister of Health, Hamad Hassan, in
the presence of PM Advisor, Khodor Taleb. Hassan informed Premier Diab that the
first batch of vaccines will arrive in Lebanon on Saturday evening. On Sunday,
the vaccination campaign will be launched from the Grand Serail. The meeting
took stock as well at coronavirus-related developments and the national
vaccination plan. – {Presidency of the Council of Ministers Press Office}
Diab, Kumar meet at the Grand Serail
NNAFebruary 09/2021
Caretaker Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, today received at the Grand Serail, the
Regional Director of the Mashreq Department at the World Bank Group, Saroj Kumar
Jha, in the presence of Ministers Zeina Akar and Ramzi Musharrafieh, in addition
to PCM Secretary General, Judge Mahmoud Makie.
The meeting deliberated on World Bank’s assistance to Lebanon, namely in terms
of securing vaccines and providing support to the neediest families. ---
{Presidency of the Council of Ministers Press Office}
Four training workshops on “Journalism during and after the
COVID-19 Pandemic”, in partnership between Information Ministry & UNESCO Office
in Beirut
NNA/February 09/2021
The Ministry of Information and the UNESCO Office in Beirut are organizing four
virtual training workshops for journalists, media students and media
professionals in the Ministry and State-run TV Station, Tele-Liban, on
“Journalism during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic” during the months of
February and March 2021. A group of regional and international experts will
participate in the workshops, which are all free of charge, extending from
February 16th until March 12th, between 3:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. The first workshop
is entitled, "Media Coverage in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic", and begins on
February 16 until February 18. The second workshop is devoted to tackling,
"Safety of Journalists and Mental Health", which starts on February 22 and
continues until February 25. As for the third workshop, it is under the
headline, "Confronting Hate Speech", and will run from 2 to 5 March.
The last workshop sheds light on the “Power to Distinguish between False News
and Actual News," and it runs from March 8 until March 12.
Interested journalists can choose to partake in one or more of the above
workshops, by registering their names through one of the following links:
In Arabic:
https://forms.gle/5abJuoeJmK6HaCQo8
In English:
https://forms.gle/KVXstU7pYBe7t8Zz6
Most of the workshops will be in the Arabic language.
However, interventions in the foreign language will be directly interpreted into
Arabic.
It is to note that, at the conclusion of the workshops, certificates will be
distributed to the participants by UNESCO and the Ministry of Information.
The Lebanese Information Center Calls for Justice and
Accountability Following the Assassination of Lokman Slim
LIC/February 09/2021
Washington, D.C. - The LIC was shocked and saddened to learn of the
assassination of Lebanese thinker and political activist Lokman Slim on February
3rd in southern Lebanon. The LIC extends its deepest condolences to Slim's
family and to all Lebanese citizens and Lebanese Americans grieving his
senseless death.“Lokman was a tireless and fearless defender of Lebanon's
sovereignty, democratic values, and freedom of expression,” said Dr. Joseph
Gebeily, President of the LIC and personal friend of Slim. “He was known for his
courage, persistence, and steadfast opposition to the rule of unlawful militias
and their corrupt allies in Lebanon's government. This heinous murder
extinguished a bright light that had given hope to many.”The LIC condemns this
barbaric crime in the strongest possible terms. We warn against a return to the
dark days of political assassinations, aimed at silencing those who take
principled stances against corruption, oppression, and violence, just as Slim
had done for years. We pledge to continue standing alongside Lebanon's free
thinkers and against those using illegal arms to hold the country hostage. It is
critical to protect citizens’ rights to free speech, to protest, to call for
change, and to voice opposing views. The assassination of Lokman Slim sends a
dangerous message and continues a trend of silencing dissident voices. The LIC
is committed to seeing that trend reversed. To that end, we have reached out to
President Biden’s Administration and our friends in the U.S. Congress to urge
them to take part in the getting to the truth and seeking justice for Slim.
Allowing this crime to go unpunished would be a devastating blow not only to
Lebanon's stability and rule of law, but also to U.S. interests in a free,
prosperous, and democratic Lebanon.
*The Lebanese Information Center in the U.S. is the largest grassroots
organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, committed to building a free,
sovereign, and democratic Lebanon for the good of the Lebanese people and in the
interest of the United States of America.
Lebanon must be freed from Iranian
tyranny
Maria Maalouf/Arab News/February 09/20210
The killing of political activist Luqman Salim last week epitomizes the agony of
Lebanon as it seeks to retain its sovereignty against the hostile forces
plotting to keep it in turmoil by perpetuating its never-ending political
crises.
Salim was a politician and a writer who sought to end the hardships of the
Lebanese by emphasizing their unity. He pictured Lebanon as a nation taken
hostage by the regional powers around it, especially Iran. Contrary to those who
push for reform in Lebanon by appealing for help from outside powers, and in
particular from Europe and the US, Salim established the responsibility of the
people of Lebanon to organize themselves and take action to help improve their
conditions.
This can be done by demonstrating publicly in an attempt by the people to
restore their political dignity and reclaim their fundamental rights as
citizens. Salim’s formula for change was to encourage the Lebanese to protest in
a manner similar to how they articulated their demands on Oct. 17, 2019, and for
a year afterward, when they denounced the many irregularities in Lebanese
politics and society.
A chorus of voices condemned his killing. The most intriguing were the
statements made by his sister, who accused Hezbollah of masterminding his
kidnapping and assassination. She revealed that he frightened the group with his
influential ideas. She added that her brother was an unarmed person fighting
against a group of people who were launching rockets and were the cause of the
explosion that devastated Beirut last year. She stated that her family has no
confidence in the Lebanese judiciary and instead called for an international
investigation to be conducted.
Hezbollah must certainly be reckoned with in terms of responsibility for the
killing of Salim, due to the fact that he received many death threats from the
group in the past. For the sake of avoiding similar actions, the whole world,
including the new American administration, has to be concerned about Iran,
Hezbollah and their agents executing their widespread terror.
The problem for Lebanon is not only the assassination of a prominent political
figure, but also the historical question of the suffering of all Lebanese
people, as they have become the subjects of Hezbollah’s brutality. The entire
discussion surrounding Salim’s killing is an elaboration of the idea of the
hegemony of Iran in the Arab world. It is an explanation of the integral part of
the strategy to turn Lebanon into a client state for the theocracy ruling Iran,
using violence to eliminate opponents and establish a zone of terror in Lebanon,
Syria and Iraq.
It is not clear at present whether the Biden administration will continue the
Donald Trump policy of singling out Iran and Hezbollah as political actors that
use terrorism. But the assassination of Salim could be an attempt to show the
new US president the evil of Iran and its allies in an effort to intimidate him
into ending the Trump policy of fighting Tehran and its terrorism.
The inability of American foreign policy to terminate Hezbollah and Iran’s
terrorism points to a deepening disorder in the Middle East that can disrupt
societies and throw nations into chaos.
The Biden administration still adheres to the incorrect belief that stability in
Lebanon requires positive contributions by Hezbollah. The reluctance of
President Joe Biden and his top foreign policy and national security assistants
to confront Hezbollah makes it a more potent force. By failing to take a tough
stand against the killers of Salim, the US under Biden is overlooking Tehran’s
ruinous vision for Lebanon and the entire Middle East.
Salim was an advocate for democracy and realized the need for unity among all
Lebanese if they are to solve the intricate and difficult problems of
denomination and social injustice in their country. His life story is that of a
brave man who had the tender conscience and practical sagacity to know who the
real enemies of his nation are. Let the truth he championed shine as a message
that Lebanon shall be free from the tyranny of Hezbollah and Iran.
*Maria Maalouf is a Lebanese journalist, broadcaster, publisher, and writer. She
holds an MA in Political Sociology from the University of Lyon. Twitter: @bilarakib
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on February 09- 10/2021
Pope Francis' programme for Apostolic
Visit to Iraq announced
NNA/February 09/2021
Pope Francis' Apostolic Visit to Iraq begins on Friday morning 5 March when he
departs from Rome and arrives at Baghdad International Airport in the afternoon.
Official Welcome and Visit with Civil Authorities
The official welcome ceremony will take place at the Presidential Palace in
Baghdad followed by a courtesy visit to the President. Pope Francis will also
meet with civil authorities and members of the Diplomatic Corps.
Meeting with Priests and Religious
As part of the schedule on Friday, the Pope will meet with Bishops, Priests,
Religious, Consecrated Persons, Seminarians and Catechists at the Syro-Catholic
Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad.
Visit to Najaf and Mass in Baghdad
On Saturday, 6 March, Pope Francis will depart Baghdad for Najaf. Following a
courtesy visit to the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Al-Husaymi Al-Sistani in Najaf,
Pope Francis will fly to Nassirya for an interreligious meeting at the Plain of
Ur. On his return to Baghdad in the afternoon, the Pope will celebrate Holy Mass
at the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Baghdad.
Erbil and Mosul
On Sunday morning, Pope Francis will depart for Erbil. On arrival at the
airport, he will be welcomed by religious and civil authorities from the region
of Iraqi Kurdistan before continuing his journey by helicopter to Mosul. While
there, he will recite a prayer of sufferage for the victims of war at Hosh al-Bieaa
(Church Square).
Meeting with community in Qaraqosh
The Pope will again take a helicopter to Qaraqosh where he will visit the
Qaraqosh community at the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
Holy Mass in Erbil
In the afternoon, Pope Francis will return to Erbil where he will celebrate Holy
Mass at the “Franso Hariri” stadium. Following the celebration, the Pope will
depart for Baghdad.
Departure
After a farewell ceremony on Monday morning, Pope Francis will depart for Rome.
He is expected to touch down at Rome’s Ciampino airport later in the day. ---
Vatican News
After Blinken remarks, Netanyahu says
Golan will always be Israel’s
Reuters 10/2021
JERUSALEM: Israel will keep the Golan Heights forever, Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said on Tuesday, after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced
remarks that stopped short of recognizing the claim. In 2019, then-US President
Donald Trump parted with other world powers by recognizing the Golan Heights as
Israeli. Israel occupied the strategic plateau in a 1967 war with Syria and
annexed it in 1981. Blinken said on Monday he saw control of the Golan, which
overlooks northern Israel and also borders Lebanon and Jordan, as being “of real
important to Israel’s security” but was circumspect about recognizing Israeli
sovereignty over the territory. “Legal questions are something else and over
time if the situation were to change in Syria, that’s something we look at, but
we are nowhere near that,” Blinken told CNN. Briefing reporters, Netanyahu said
in response: “Look, they said they are looking at it — but I have already looked
at it. As far as I am concerned, the Golan Heights will remain forever part of
the State of Israel, a sovereign part.”“What, should we return it to Syria?” he
added, noting the internal strife in Israel’s long-time enemy. “Should we return
the Golan to a situation where mass-slaughter is a danger?” Syria has long
demanded the return of the Golan, and Israel’s unilateral annexation of the area
was not recognized internationally. Former US President Donald Trump signed a
decree in March 2019 recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied part of
the Syrian Golan, annexed in 1981 in a move never recognized by the
international community. Syria described Trump’s decision at the time as a
“flagrant violation” of its sovereignty. Israel and Syria, which are still
technically at war, are separated by a de facto border at the Golan Heights,
which Israel has occupied since the end of the 1967 Six-Day War.
Yemeni Christian priest,
Mushir Khalidi.detained,
tortured by Houthis for four years
Asharq Al Awsat/February 09/2021
Group continues its persecution of religious minorities, including Jews and
Baha’i
The 50-year-old priest has been imprisoned by the group’s intelligence services
DUBAI: Yemeni Christians, alongside the country’s Baha’i adherents and what is
left of its Jewish community, face great oppression at the hands of the Houthi
militia, with no better example than the fate of Mushir Khalidi.
The 50-year-old priest has been imprisoned by the group’s intelligence services
for four years, as part of a campaign of arrests launched by the group agains
the estimated 2,000 Christians in territory it controls.
The presence of Yemen’s ancient Jewish community is all but over, with the
Houthis’ insistence on deporting the last two families left in Sana’a. The
militia has also deported the leaders of the Baha’i sect, while continuing to
prosecute 19 members, despite its claim last year that it would pardon them
after four years of detentions. Sources in the Sana’a told Asharq Al-Awsat daily
that the Houthi militia specifically targeted Yemeni Christians and arrested
many of them, including Khalidi, a convert, who was allegedly subjected to
torture in prison. Houthi intelligence continues to investigate others whose
religious beliefs have not yet been disclosed, especially since most of the
Yemeni converts to Christianity have already left the country. Khalidi’s family
have avoided talking about his imprisonment for fear of repercussions against
him, but one former prisoner, recently released from a Houthi jail, told Asharq
Al-Awsat that he met Khalidi and others in detention, and said that the priest
was arrested after the militia took control of Sana’a, saying his jailers kept
him in solitary confinement for weeks at a time. He added that other Christian
prisoners had been forced to recant their religious beliefs under torture.
Two of Khalidi’s friends told Asharq Al-Awsat, on condition of anonymity, that
he converted to Christianity in the mid-1990s, and that the Yemeni Christian
community, having previously performed religious rituals secretly in various
locations in Sana’a, Taiz and Ibb, and mostly fled to Lebanon, Cyprus and
elsewhere since the outbreak of war. According to these sources, the Khalidi’s
wife and his five children currently live in a rented apartment in Sana’a, and
they live in fear for their lives because of the Houthi’s intolerance of other
religions.
The sources say that a Houthi leader called Khaled Al-Madani handles the file of
what the group describes as “manifestations of Westernization,” and his duties
include, in addition to prosecuting followers of other religions, controlling
the nature of work women are permitted to carry out, the regulations on wearing
clothes, and gender-mixing in universities and institutes. The Baha’i
International Community issued a statement saying Houthi authorities continue to
harass the minority in Yemen, terrorizing them, endangering their lives and
seizing their property, citing the case of the 19 members of the sect currently
on trial. “What is happening to these 19 people is outrageous, but it has become
very familiar to us,” said Diane Alaei, the representative of the Baha’i
International Community to the UN in Geneva, referring to a previous case of six
Yemeni Bahai’s imprisoned between 2013 and 2017, who were freed after a
UN-backed campaign led to them being released, but then deported and classed as
“fugitives.”
Majority of US senators urge Biden to press Turkey on rights
Reuters/10 February ,2021
A bipartisan majority of the US Senate on Tuesday urged President Joe Biden's
administration to push Turkey to do more to protect human rights. Fifty-four of
the 100 senators signed the letter, which accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan of marginalizing domestic opposition, silencing critical media, jailing
journalists and purging independent judges. "We urge you to emphasize to
President Erdogan and his administration that they should immediately end their
crackdown on dissent at home and abroad, release political prisoners and
prisoners of conscience, and reverse their authoritarian course," the letter
said. NATO ally Turkey has said recently that it wants to improve relations with
the United States under Biden, after Washington last year imposed sanctions over
Turkey's purchase of a Russian air defence system. Biden is expected to be
tougher on Ankara over its record on human rights. Since a failed coup in 2016,
Erdogan's government has detained nearly 300,000 people and has suspended or
dismissed more than 150,000 civil servants. Hundreds of media outlets have been
shut and dozens of opposition lawmakers have been jailed.
Six Republicans who said Trump
post-presidential impeachment trial is constitutional
Reuters/ 10 February ,2021
Donald Trump's impeachment trial opened on Tuesday with a debate about whether
the U.S. Constitution allows a former president to face trial after he has left
office. A similar effort led by Republican Senator Rand Paul last month led to
45 out of 50 fellow Senate Republicans voting the trial was unconstitutional.
On Tuesday, one additional Republican senator voted the trial was allowable
under the Constitution. Here's a look at the six Republican senators who backed
that argument:
BEN SASSE
The Nebraska senator handily won reelection in 2020 and is considered a
potential contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. He publicly
denounced Trump's false claims of widespread electoral fraud and said there was
no basis to object to Democrat Joe Biden's Nov. 3 victory.
BILL CASSIDY
The Louisiana senator changed his vote from his earlier one, backing arguments
on Tuesday that the trial was constitutional. Cassidy told reporters after the
House impeachment managers presented their side that they had "a very good
opening."
LISA MURKOWSKI
Murkowski of Alaska became the first U.S. senator in 50 years to win an election
with a write-in campaign in 2010 after losing in the Republican primary. She
called for Trump to resign after his followers rioted at the U.S. Capitol on
Jan. 6 to disrupt the formal certification of the election by Congress.
MITT ROMNEY
Romney, a Utah senator and the 2012 Republican presidential candidate, has been
a vocal critic of Trump. In 2020, Romney was the only Republican senator to vote
for conviction during Trump's first impeachment trial.
PAT TOOMEY
The Pennsylvania senator announced in October 2020 he would not be seeking
re-election. He said in television interviews Trump committed "impeachable
offenses" and called on him to resign after the Jan. 6 attack.
SUSAN COLLINS
The Maine centrist was the only Republican senator re-elected in 2020 in a state
also won by Biden. She said Trump had incited the Jan. 6 riot.
All Eyes on Washington as Trump Second
Impeachment Trial Starts
Agence France Presse/February 09/2021
The US Senate gavels in Tuesday on Donald Trump's historic second impeachment
trial, with his defense team decrying it as a "brazen political act" of
retribution and Democratic prosecutors arguing that the ex-president willfully
incited a violent insurrection.
The House of Representatives impeached him last month over his role in the
deadly January 6 siege of the US Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, and his trial --
the first of a former president -- will feature the Senate's 100 members sitting
as jurors. Trump's legal team Monday denounced the case as unconstitutional,
calling it "absurd" to hold the former president responsible for the violence.
But in a preview of their prosecuting arguments, Democrats accused Trump Monday
of committing the "most grievous constitutional crime" in the 232-year history
of the American presidency by inciting his supporters to storm Congress.
The trial occurs with much of Capitol Hill still locked down under intense
security one month after the unrest. Amid continued fears of extremist attacks,
6,000 National Guard members remain deployed in Washington, adding to the
picture of a capital still on edge.
The proceedings kick off at 1:00 pm (1800 GMT). According to a bipartisan deal,
there first will be up to four hours of debate and a vote on the
constitutionality of trying an ex-president. Arguments will be heard beginning
Wednesday, with 16 hours provided over two days per side. Senators will then
pose questions to the two teams, and a majority vote will be needed if either
side wants to call witnesses. Trump has already declined an invitation to
testify.The trial is expected to extend into next week. Trump is a deeply
damaged political figure, in part because of his relentless false claims about
voter fraud. But he remains a powerful force in the Republican Party. Charged
with "incitement of insurrection," he is likely once again to avoid conviction
due to loyal support in the Senate, but his lawyers contended in their final
pre-trial filing that the Constitution does not give the chamber jurisdiction to
try a former president. "The Senate must summarily reject this brazen political
act" because "this is clearly not what the framers wanted or what the
Constitution allows," his attorneys Bruce Castor, David Schoen and Michael T.
van der Veen wrote. "Indulging House Democrats hunger for this political theater
is a danger to our Republic democracy and the rights that we hold dear."The
defense used blunt language in their 78-page brief, saying it was "simply
absurd" to argue that Trump conjured up a mob to commit violent crime, and that
those who attacked the Capitol did so on their own.
'Leave it to the Senate
President Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump on January 20, declined Monday to
address whether Trump should be found guilty or denied the right to hold future
political office. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki later told reporters that
Biden ran against Trump in 2020 "because he felt he was unfit for office," but
added that the president will "leave it to the Senate to see this impeachment
proceeding through."Should Trump be convicted, the Senate will then hold a
simple-majority vote on barring him from future public office. The congressional
Democrats prosecuting the trial, known as House impeachment managers, have
pushed back sternly against Trump's legal contentions, citing "overwhelming"
evidence. "His incitement of insurrection against the United States government
-- which disrupted the peaceful transfer of power -- is the most grievous
constitutional crime ever committed by a president," the managers, led by
congressman Jamie Raskin, said in a five-page brief.
Loyal conservatives
The proceedings will take place in the very Senate chamber that was raided by
rioters, threatening the lives of lawmakers in an effort to stop the ceremonial
certification of Biden's election victory. The impeachment managers argued in an
earlier brief that Trump, who rallied supporters in Washington shortly before
the mob assault, was "singularly responsible" for the unrest which left five
people dead. And they said acquitting Trump, who escaped conviction in his first
impeachment trial in 2020, could do severe damage to American democracy. But
convicting him would require the vote of more than two-thirds of the senators,
meaning 17 Republicans would need to break ranks and join all 50 Democrats --
seen as near impossible. Even though Trump retains a strong base of support,
public backing for a Trump conviction is stronger now than during his first
impeachment trial, according to a new Ipsos/ABC News poll.
U.N. human rights forum reforms should include
'disproportionate focus' on Israel - State Department
Reuters/February 09/2021
Reforms that would address the U.N. Human Rights Council’s “disproportionate
focus” on Israel are among changes the United States wants to see, State
Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday.The United States said earlier on
Monday it would return as an observer to the U.N. Human Rights Council, which it
quit under the Trump administration, while seeking reforms of the “flawed body.”
Iran, N. Korea Resumed Missile
Collaboration in 2020, UN Report Says
Agence France Presse/February 09/2021
North Korea and Iran resumed cooperation on the development of long-range
missiles in 2020, according to a UN report that also confirmed Pyongyang
continues to violate various nuclear resolutions. The annual report, produced by
an independent panel of UN experts, was submitted to the Security Council on
Monday and seen by AFP. It said Tehran denies any such missile cooperation with
North Korea. But according to an unnamed member state, North Korea and
Iran "have resumed cooperation on long-range missile development projects," the
report states. "This resumed cooperation is said to have included the transfer
of critical parts, with the most recent shipment associated with this
relationship taking place in 2020." The report's experts monitor the multiple
sanctions imposed on Pyongyang to attempt to force it to suspend its nuclear and
ballistic weapons programs. In a December 21 reply, Iran stated the "preliminary
review of the information provided to us by the (experts) indicates that false
information and fabricated data may have been used in investigations and
analyses." In their assessment of North Korea, the experts said Pyongyang
"maintained and developed its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, in
violation of UN Security Council resolutions."Pyongyang last year announced
preparation for testing and production of new ballistic missile warheads and
development of tactical nuclear weapons. "It produced fissile material,
maintained nuclear facilities and upgraded its ballistic missile infrastructure.
It continued to seek material and technology for these programs from overseas,"
the expert report states. The experts also investigated cases in which North
Korea acquired ships, sold fishing rights and continued to export coal in
violation of sanctions. North Korea's border closure due to the pandemic may
have hampered those shipments, however. The experts also found that North Korea
had continued to import more refined petroleum than is allowed under its
500,000-barrel limit, sometimes by using "elaborate subterfuge.""According to
imagery, data and calculations received from a member state covering the period
1 January to 30 September, in 2020 these illicit shipments exceeded the annual
aggregate 500,000-barrel cap by several times," the report states. Last year,
like the year before, the US presented satellite imagery and data to show North
Korea was surpassing its quotas. China and Russia, North Korea's main
supporters, have rejected the US claims and say petroleum imports are much
smaller.
Iran has no interest in altering its behavior
AEIdeas/February 09/2021
As speculation increases about the Biden administration’s intentions toward Iran
and the nuclear deal, Iran’s actions belie any willingness to compromise or
soften its stance against the US. On January 17, a few days before the
inauguration of then-President-elect Joe Biden, reports emerged that Tehran’s
Revolutionary Court had convicted Iranian-American businessman Emad Shargi of
espionage and sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment. Originally taken into
custody in December after his verdict was issued, Mr. Shargi has been held
incommunicado since his arrest.
Mr. Shargi’s detention seems to conform to a pattern in which the Iranian regime
arrests and imprisons foreigners under national security-related charges in
order to use them as pawns against their governments. This arrest may be part of
an effort by Tehran to build up leverage and test the limits of the Biden
administration. It is likely to complicate President Biden’s attempt to rejoin
to the Iran nuclear deal. The obvious question is: Why would the Islamic
Republic’s regime risk complications by taking another American hostage
(Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his father Bagher Namazi have
been detained by the regime for over five years) if Tehran hopes for a US return
to the nuclear deal? This paradox can be explained: The Iranian regime views
Western economic engagement as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the
Islamic Republic needs advocates in the West — in the US especially — who
support engagement and would influence the lifting of sanctions. On the other,
when advocates for engagement propose new ties with Iran, the regime regards it
a threat to the existing order. According to its own propaganda machine, the
regime perceives that better business relations with the West, when not
supervised, could easily lead to a liberalization that would weaken the regime’s
ideological foundation and its role in Iran’s economy. It would strengthen the
people at the expense of the state. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC)
and a number of prominent Iranian diaspora activists in the United States are
among the most fervent advocates for a rapprochement between the Islamic
Republic and the United States. Enjoying close ties with the so-called
“moderates” of the Iranian political spectrum — and active in Track II or
backchannel diplomacy — they promote the idea that US engagement incentivizes
the regime to change its malign behavior. President Obama was deeply committed
to the nuclear deal in part due to this conviction. Many in Iran’s business
community who were eager to rejoin the international economy sought to build
ties with the West under the auspices of the nuclear deal. But the regime was
quick to react to that. There were numerous arrests of pro-engagement activists
in Iran (the Namazis among them) while Obama was still president. Notably, the
regime never halted it provocations while the United States was still committed
to the nuclear deal prior to May 2018. Iran tested missiles just a few months
after the political agreement was concluded in 2015, it stepped up its
destabilization of the Middle East through proxies, and it intensified domestic
oppression as it was benefitting from the perks of the deal. The contradictions
of the regime’s intentions are likely to continue. What should be clear is that
while many in the West are ardent advocates of détente with Iran, the Islamic
Republic regime is only eager for the cash benefits that come with this
rapprochement — not for the détente itself. The regime has no interest in
altering its behavior: It recognizes that cash comes with risk, and it acts to
mitigate the risk with increased aggression. This is the conundrum that the
Biden team will face as well. They should walk in with their eyes open and be
aware that previous experience demonstrates that engagement with Iran produces
no incentive for the regime to improve its behavior.
U.S. may weigh baby steps to revive Iran nuclear deal
Arshad Mohammed, John Irish/Reuters/February 09/2021
The United States is weighing a wide array of ideas on how to revive the Iranian
nuclear deal, including an option where both sides would take small steps short
of full compliance to buy time, said three sources familiar with the matter.
Such a modest approach could slow the deterioration in relations since former
U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the deal in 2018 and freeze Iran’s
subsequent violations, which have brought it closer to enriching weapons-grade
uranium. This option could entail Washington allowing Tehran to get economic
benefits less valuable than the sanctions relief it received under the 2015 deal
in return for Iran stopping, or perhaps reversing, its own breaches of the
agreement. The sources stressed U.S. President Joe Biden has yet to decide his
policy. His stated position remains that Iran resume full compliance with the
pact before the United States will. “(They) are having a real think,” said one
source familiar with the U.S. review, saying ideas under consideration include a
straight return to the 2015 nuclear deal and what he called “less for less” as
an interim step.
Another source said if the Biden administration concluded it would take too long
to negotiate a full return to the deal, it could adopt a more modest approach.
“Should (they) at least try to give Iran some sanctions relief and get Iran to
agree to pause and maybe roll back some of its nuclear (steps)?” said this
source. The deal between Iran and six major powers limited Iran’s uranium
enrichment activity to make it harder for Tehran to develop nuclear arms - an
ambition Iran has long denied having - in return for the easing of U.S. and
other sanctions. When Trump left the deal in 2018, faulting it for failing to
curb Tehran’s ballistic missile program and backing for regional proxies, he
reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran’s economy. In response, Tehran has
breached the deal’s key limits, enriching uranium to 20% - above a 3.67% cap but
below the 90% needed for weapons - expanding its stockpile of low-enriched
uranium, and using advanced centrifuges for enrichment.
WHO MAKES FIRST MOVE?
A central problem in reviving the deal is who goes first. Iran has insisted the
United States ease sanctions before it resumes compliance; Washington wants the
reverse. In what may be posturing by both sides, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei on Sunday said Tehran’s “final and irreversible” decision was to
return to compliance only if Washington lifts sanctions, while Biden said he
would not lift sanctions just to get Iran back to the table. Republicans are
likely to criticize the Democrat Biden if he offers Iran any sanctions relief
without their full return to the agreement, arguing this would squander leverage
that Trump built up with the scores of sanctions imposed since 2018. “The Biden
admin has to recognize the realities of 2021, not 2015. That means no upfront
sanctions relief for a regime that’s only expanded its dangerous behavior,”
Trump’s former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
Washington could find other ways to ease Iran’s economic pain, smoothing the way
for the International Monetary Fund to lend to Tehran, making it easier for
humanitarian goods to get through, or embracing a European idea for a credit
facility.
A Western diplomat said an IMF loan “definitely could be in play” and described
the possibility of a European credit facility for Iran, which would require the
tacit acceptance of the United States, as “sensible and feasible.”The White
House declined comment beyond spokeswoman Jen Psaki’s statement that if Tehran
resumed compliance, Washington would do so and that “the ball’s in Iran’s
court.”A State Department spokeswoman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said
the Biden administration was still consulting Congress as well as allies and
partners. “We are exploring a range of ideas consistent with our stated policy
of being willing to return into compliance with the deal if Iran is,” she said,
without elaborating. It was unclear how soon the Biden administration may settle
on its approach. One deadline is Feb. 21, when an Iranian law obliges Tehran to
end the sweeping inspection powers given to the U.N. nuclear watchdog by the
2015 deal and limiting inspections to declared nuclear sites only. Three
European diplomats said even the window for an interim solution could close
rapidly before Iran’s June presidential election, which anti-U.S. security hawks
are expected to win. “It’s an urgent situation. If we can’t take advantage of
the window now, it’s very hard to think that we will be able to engage in
substantial negotiations before the autumn,” said one. “The current (nuclear)
trajectory could close a lot of doors.”
*Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and John Irish; Writing by Arshad Mohammed;
Editing by Howard Goller
AQAP leader reportedly captured
Thomas Jodcelyn/FDD's Long War Journal/Febrauary 09/2021
Khalid Batarfi, AQAP’s emir, was reportedly captured in Oct. 2020.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to note that FDD’s Long War Journal
has not independently confirmed that Batarfi was captured. This report will be
updated when more information becomes available one way or another, including if
AQAP denies or confirms the news.
Khalid Batarfi, a veteran jihadist who led Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP),
was reportedly captured late last year, according to a newly published report by
a panel of experts working for the United Nations Security Council. The capture
of Batarfi would be yet another blow to the al Qaeda branch, which has
“suffered” a string of “setbacks.”FDD’s Long War Journal has not confirmed
Batarfi’s capture. The UN’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team
says that Batarfi (a.k.a. Abu Miqdad al-Kindi), was “arrested during an
operation in Ghayda City, Al-Mahrah Governorate, in October” of 2020.CNN’s Paul
Cruickshank first reported on Batarfi’s purported capture, noting that it’s
possible the AQAP man was turned over to Saudi Arabia after being detained by
Yemeni forces.
Batarfi was appointed the emir of AQAP after his predecessor, Qasim al-Raymi,
was killed in a U.S. airstrike earlier in 2020. Raymi had succeeded Nasir al-Wuhayshi,
Osama bin Laden’s former aide-de-camp, who led the reconstituted AQAP from its
inception in 2009 until his death in 2015. All three men — Wuhayshi, Raymi, and
Batarfi — were veterans of al Qaeda’s training camps in pre-9/11 Afghanistan and
had established their credentials as respected figures within al Qaeda’s global
network. All three men were previously detained at one point or another inside
Yemen, only to escape or be freed to fight another day. Batarfi himself was
freed from a prison in Mukallah in 2015, after AQAP overran the port city. It is
not clear who is serving as AQAP’s emir in Batarfi’s absence, if he was
captured, as the group hasn’t confirmed or denied his detention. AQAP has been
releasing dated material recorded by Batarfi, but hadn’t produced new commentary
from him in some time. Earlier this year, Hurras al-Din (an al Qaeda-affiliated
group in Syria) included footage of Batarfi in one of its productions. In that
clip, Batarfi incited “individual jihadists” to take up arms on behalf of their
brethren. The Taliban also featured Batarfi in a 2016 video celebrating its
alliance with al Qaeda. AQAP has other significant problems on its hands,
according to the UN Monitoring Team. Saad Atef al-Awlaqi, AQAP’s “second in
command,” was reportedly killed during the “same operation” that netted Batarfi.
(FDD’s Long War Journal hasn’t confirmed Awlaqi’s fate either.) And another
influential AQAP leader in Abyan, Al-Khadr al-Walidi, “was killed in
November.”AQAP is also “suffering an erosion of its ranks” due to internal
dissent and “desertions.” The UN Monitoring Team says the defectors are “led
primarily by one of Batarfi’s ex-lieutenants,” a jihadist known as Abu Omar al-Nahdi.
Despite leadership losses and another significant disruptions, AQAP has still
been able to mount some significant attacks. But the group is clearly under
pressure.
Al Qaeda has lost a number of senior figures over the past year and a half. The
aforementioned Raymi was struck down in Jan. 2020. In June 2020, Abdulmalek
Droukdel, the longtime emir of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), was
killed in a French counterterrorism operation in Mali. In Aug. 2020, al Qaeda’s
deputy emir, Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was gunned down alongside his daughter by
Israeli assassins in a suburb of Tehran. Husam Abd-al-Ra’uf, a senior al Qaeda
leader also known as Abu Muhsin al-Masri, was killed by Afghan forces in Oct.
2020.
The UN Monitoring Team notes that al Qaeda has “endured a period of high
leadership attrition, “with multiple losses in Afghanistan, Mali, Somalia,
Yemen” and Idlib, Syria. There were rumors floated concerning Ayman al
Zawahiri’s own death last October, but “no [UN] Member State has been able to
confirm such reports to the Monitoring Team.”
*Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal.
UAE's 'Hope' Probe Successfully Enters
Mars' Orbit
Agence France Presse/February 09/2021
The United Arab Emirates' "Hope" probe on Tuesday successfully entered Mars'
orbit, mission officials said, becoming the first Arab country to reach the Red
Planet. "To the people of the UAE, to the Arab and Muslim nations, we announce
the succesful arrival to Mars orbit. Praise be to God," said Omran Sharaf, the
mission's project manager.
Navalny Aides Say Discussed New Russia Sanctions with EU
Agence France Presse/February 09/2021
Aides of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said they discussed possible
sanctions against prominent members of President Vladimir Putin's circle
including business tycoons to ramp up pressure on Russia. Leonid Volkov, the
head of Navalny's regional network and another associate Vladimir Ashurkov on
Monday discussed via video link with EU states the bloc's "next steps" on
Russia. The video call was hosted by Poland and included envoys from the United
States, Canada, Britain and Ukraine, Poland's mission in the EU said on Twitter.
Volkov wrote on the Telegram messenger late Monday that he and Ashurkov
discussed "personal sanctions" against billionaires Roman Abramovich and Alisher
Usmanov. He said they also named the head of Russian state bank VTB Andrey
Kostin and television executive Konstantin Ernst, among others. Volkov did not
say whether the meeting resulted in concrete agreements, but said Navalny's team
will promote personal sanctions against the Putin circle "in the coming weeks
and months." The video call took place at a time of heightened tensions between
the European Union and Russia, exacerbated by the arrest and jailing of Navalny.
Moscow on Friday expelled three European diplomats during the visit of EU
foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to Russia for allegedly taking part in
protests in support of Navalny. On Monday Germany, Sweden and Poland each
ordered the removal of a Russian diplomat in retaliation. EU foreign ministers
have said they will debate punitive measures and possible sanctions against the
Kremlin when they meet next on February 22.
The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources
published
on February 09-
10/2021
Choreagraphies of Death: Yezidis
Unearthed Yezidis Buried
Charles Elias Chartouni/February 09/2021
Minority groups in the Larger Middle East tend to fade into oblivion, make
themselves invisible, blend into the dominant mainstreams and the cruelty of its
mimetics, and have no sense of what Human dignity stands for in their case: it’s
better to disappear, or at best shelter in a fossilized sense of belonging which
locks you out of history and its meanders. The Yezidis were brought into life
when the world heard about Mount Sinjar massacres, massive sexual slavery and
the proliferation of mass graves in Northwestern Iraq (Nineveh province), and
re-entered the kingdom of death through official funeral processions and formal
graveyards. A cruel plot whose coordinates locate between two deaths, the one of
ethnic confinement and its netherworlds, and the interim worlds of nothingness.
Watching this sad procession, with its cascading caskets and the wailing of
bereft women recapitulates not only the horrors of the DAESH interlude with its
summary executions of young men, the abduction of young women, their gang
raping, the sexual slaves markets, the redeeming strategies, the expropriation
of communal lands by the Islamic Califate, and the trials taking place in
Germany, but the state of Human Rights (Cultural, Religious, Women and
lifestyles) in this part of the world, and the chances of redefining the scope
of political rights and practical governance towards a more humane, democratic
and inclusive understanding of power relationships and their incidence on the
nuts and bolts of politics and social relationships. The discriminatory ethos is
embedded in centuries of domination schemes ( tribal, patriarchal, sexist,
religious minorities and Islamic fossilized doxas) that were hardly touched by a
century of formal and institutional acculturation elicited by abrupt societal
and political modernization ( Formal and Constitutional Statehood, Societal and
Psychological reconfigurations molded by Human Rights and the critical
deconstruction of the normative and institutional pillars of systemic
domination).
The failure of Arab and Islamic modernity far from being restricted to the
abridgments of a culture based on power relationships sanctioned by reified
religious and societal narratives, owes mainly to the inability of these
societies to engage the intellectual and operational challenges of modernity,
their nomothetic framing, institutional and political dynamics. It’s a clash of
civilizations, time-frames and Weltanschauungen and their disarraying impact on
the very mundane issues of a world of dereliction, cruelty, moral callousness
and trivialized injustice. The spectacle of desolation evoked by this funeral
procession is a fiendish recall of the dire conditions of a region, where
humanistic yearnings and their enframing (Gestell), have not yet found their way
into the life and fundamentals of individuals and societies. In the meantime,
life continues its simulations between the limbos of death unearthed and its
macabre burial choreographies.
Khamenei Sets Conditions for Iran to
Resume Its Nuclear Commitments
Mehdi Khalaji/The Washington Institute/February 09/2021
By stating initial terms that he knows Washington will not meet right now, the
Supreme Leader is once again signaling his lack of interest in returning to full
JCPOA compliance—at least not before President Rouhani leaves office in August.
In one of his few in-person speeches since the beginning of the coronavirus
pandemic, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated on February 7 that Iran would not
pull its nuclear program back into compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan
of Action until “America lifts all sanctions.” Addressing an audience of air
force commanders, he laid out his stance in no uncertain terms: “If they want
Iran to return to its JCPOA commitments, America should lift the sanctions
entirely, in practice not in words. Then we verify it and see if sanctions are
properly lifted before we return to the JCPOA’s commitments...This is the
Islamic Republic’s irrevocable and definitive policy, and a matter of consensus
between the country’s officials.” He also responded to remarks that President
Biden gave to CBS News earlier in the day: “Americans and Europeans have no
right to stipulate and place conditions due to their violation of their JCPOA
commitments. The party that should rightfully place conditions is the Islamic
Republic, because it is committed to [the JCPOA].”
The speech was delivered on the forty-second anniversary of a key moment in the
1979 revolution: the defection of air force officers and other significant
military personnel to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s side, which was central to
the collapse of the shah’s government. Khamenei compared this development to the
current nuclear situation. Blaming the Carter administration for its “strange
miscalculation at that time in evaluating the situation of the country and
people,” he insisted on two points: (1) that the United States has never ceased
making major miscalculations about Iran in the four decades since then, and (2)
that these miscalculations were not limited to Republican administrations but
included Democrats as well.
Khamenei then offered historical “proof” for this continuity of supposed
American blundering. Referring to the Green Movement protests that followed
Iran’s rigged 2009 presidential election, he stated, “One of the examples of
such miscalculations was in the 2009 Sedition, when the U.S. Democratic
president fancied to end [the Islamic Republic] by officially supporting the
Sedition.” He also belittled the “unprecedented sanctions aimed at crippling
Iran” in more recent years, then mentioned a regime-change prediction that John
Bolton made in July 2017 just a few months before he was appointed as President
Trump’s national security advisor: “One of those first-class idiots said a
couple of years ago that ‘We will celebrate the 2019 new year’s eve in Tehran.’
Now that person is confined to the dustbin of history and his boss is discharged
from the White House by kicks while the Islamic Republic stands proudly due to
divine grace.”
In addition, the Supreme Leader counseled Iranian officials not to be
intimidated by “the enemy’s power,” singling out “those who have unrealistic
assessments about the capabilities of America” and certain other nations. In his
view, “the recent scandalous developments” in the United States clearly indicate
“the decline of America’s credibility, power, and social order.”
By firmly refusing to resume Iran’s JCPOA commitments until the United States
lifts sanctions “entirely,” Khamenei may surprise those optimistic observers who
expected him to welcome Trump’s replacement by President Biden, who has
previously pledged to return to the nuclear deal. The hope that Tehran would
change its attitude toward Washington and start a new round of negotiations was
also stoked by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, particularly following his
remarks on November 11: “Iran welcomes every opportunity for lifting U.S.
sanctions...We believe the environment has become more prepared for closer
relations and interactions [with the United States]. The problem with the
outgoing administration...was its lack of necessary knowledge about
international politics. [The Trump administration] was almost executing the
opinions of hardliners in America and in the Zionist regime.” Rouhani also
expressed his hope that the Biden administration would reduce the differences
between the two countries’ stances by moving closer to Iran’s position.
Implications for Iranian and U.S. Policy
Khamenei’s decision to state unfeasible prerequisites for Iran’s return to JCPOA
compliance can be explained in part by his reluctance to allow major progress in
bilateral relations before Rouhani leaves office in August. This mindset aligns
with his longstanding efforts to keep the country’s democratic institutions
weak, maintain control over elected leaders, and avoid the type of wider Western
socioeconomic encroachment that he deems the greatest threat to his regime.
Toward that end, he has repeatedly revealed his dissatisfaction and mistrust
toward Rouhani’s foreign policy team in general and its nuclear negotiators in
particular.
On the foreign policy front, Khamenei most recently displayed his lack of
confidence in Rouhani by sending parliamentary speaker Muhammad Baqer Qalibaf to
Moscow as his special envoy earlier this month to deliver a confidential message
to President Vladimir Putin. Although Putin refused to meet with Qalibaf, the
move still served one of Khamenei’s main goals: discrediting Iran’s outgoing
president and its potential next president. Rouhani is ineligible for another
term in the June election, and if Qalibaf runs and wins, Khamenei does not want
him to emerge as a strong executive—even if the Supreme Leader himself winds up
endorsing Qalibaf’s campaign.
On the nuclear front, Khamenei has been an outspoken critic of the JCPOA since
day one, heaping blame on its American and Iranian authors alike. He has also
given hardliners in parliament and elsewhere a green light to continually
discredit Rouhani’s nuclear record and downplay his achievements, including
through state radio and television outlets.
Given all these moves, the Supreme Leader apparently plans to prevent Rouhani
from playing a meaningful political role for the remainder of his term. This
stance suggests that Tehran will not engage in serious negotiations with the
United States until Rouhani’s successor takes office and forms a new nuclear
team—one that is totally loyal to Khamenei and determined to execute his
intentions and instructions. Accordingly, U.S. officials should not put much
stock in the frequent statements by Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad
Zarif that all of their past actions and recent optimistic statements were
preapproved by Khamenei. In an interview with Etemad newspaper, for example,
Zarif argued that his personal role in setting Iran’s foreign policy is “zero
percent.” As he explained it, “This is the situation in all countries. The
foreign ministers are executors of policies, not the ones who determine them...I
played more of a role in formulating the JCPOA policies and less of a role in
regional policies.” He also claimed that like any other diplomat, he sometimes
executes policies despite personally disagreeing with them.
Domestic political maneuvering aside, Khamenei likely also hopes that delaying
negotiations and/or JCPOA compliance with the Biden administration will increase
Tehran’s leverage, make the West more frustrated and anxious about Iran’s
nuclear progress, and dissuade U.S. officials from trying to add other issues to
the agenda for talks (e.g., the missile program). In other words, he seems to be
patiently preparing the ground on both sides: waiting for Rouhani’s eventual
successor to install a tougher negotiating team, and keeping U.S. negotiators on
edge until they become less demanding and more willing to make hasty
concessions.
*Mehdi Khalaji is the Libitzky Family Fellow at The Washington Institute.
Iran and Turkey: Power dynamics in the South Caucasus
Alex Vatanka/MEI@75//February 09/2021
Iran was caught off guard by the July 2020 round of conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. Tehran was even more alarmed by the proactive role Moscow and Ankara
played during and in the aftermath of the six-week war that ended with the
Russian-brokered ceasefire on November 10. In fear of being kept on the
sidelines, Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif embarked on a regional tour last
month to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Georgia and Turkey.
The visits were ostensibly aimed at keeping Iran at the table amidst heightened
uncertainty in the South Caucasus about the ramifications of the latest round of
war. As Zarif put it, his intention for the tour was to find ways regional
countries could “work together to help the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis [to come to
an end] and [improve] the situation of peace and stability.” That might very
well be, but there is also no doubt that Tehran clearly senses it has been too
neglectful of the significance of the South Caucasus for Iranian geostrategic,
including economic, interests.
Time will show if Tehran can recover any lost ground but its recently announced
pursuit of a “six-party union” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Russia, and
Turkey) is more a case of wishful thinking than a cogent strategy. The question
for Tehran is less about whether it can enter into agreements with Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Georgia. All three states already have fairly good working
relations with Tehran and will mostly hold back in developing these further
until US-Iran tensions subside and until the wrath of Washington can be avoided
when cooperating with Tehran. Instead, the Iranians should be far more attentive
to Russian and Turkish interests and whether they, despite what is publicly
said, would give Iran much room to maneuver in the South Caucasus. At the very
least, if relations with Turkey are anything to go by, Tehran can expect stiff
competition from the Turks.
Iran’s Turkish worries
During Zarif’s visit to Istanbul in late January 2021, Iran and Turkey
officially declared to be seeking common ground and solutions to a number of
policy challenges, including the future of Syria and stabilizing the South
Caucasus through a multilateral effort. The Turks also publicly urged Washington
to remove sanctions on Iran. It all appeared very convivial. This pledge of
cooperation followed a period in 2019-2020 where Iranian-Turkish relations
experienced many ups and downs and even turbulence in various fields.
Turkish trade with Iran is a case in point. Bilateral commerce declined sharply
between 2017 and 2020. US sanctions were not the only reason behind this drop.
For its part, Tehran certainly believed the Turks used American sanctions on
Iran as a pretext to reduce trade. Not even the argument that the coronavirus
crisis had reduced demand in Turkey for Iranian energy and goods had much
credence in Tehran. Thanks to border closures, land-based trade had come to a
halt for much of 2020 but Turkish actions preceding the pandemic were as, if not
more, telling for the Iranians.
When, in early 2020, reported Kurdish militants blew up a section of a gas
pipeline from Iran to Turkey, Tehran was quick to offer to jointly repair the
damaged pipeline. The Turks ignored this offer, leading Iran’s Oil Minister
Bijan Zangeneh to accuse Ankara of being an irresponsible partner. Zangeneh is
among the more diplomatic-minded senior officials in Tehran. His publicly
expressed anger spoke volumes about Iran’s state of indignation at Turkey. Not
only were the Turks refusing to repair the pipeline and restore natural gas
imports from Iran, they were at the same time increasing Liquified Natural Gas
(LNG) imports from the US.
The Turks could point to lower prices for American LNG supplies than the gas
that comes from Iran via the pipeline. To Iran, however, this was less about
commercial logic and more to do with Turkey simply looking to downgrade its
energy ties with Iran. There is also no indication Iran and Turkey will extend
the 25-year gas contract set to expire in 2026. Turkish energy imports from Iran
have been the bedrock of bilateral trade. The Turks might have very good reasons
to reconsider their energy trade with Iran, and it has to be remembered that
Ankara’s energy policy recalibration, aimed at energy security through
diversification, is not only impacting Iran. Turkish gas imports from Russia
have also declined.
Iranian-Turkish trade and economic cooperation is significant because, since
1979, it has been the all-important platform on which otherwise often tense
relations could survive on. With trade and economic ties weakening,
Iranian-Turkish geopolitical rivalry has the potential to sharply intensify.
That is true in Syria, Iraq, in the South Caucasus, and elsewhere.
Trade and transit routes
In September 2020, the presidents of Iran and Turkey recommitted to increasing
bilateral trade to $30 billion a year. Iranian-Turkish trade has sat at around
$10 billion a year for the past decade, so the mentioned goal would be a
significant leap. At the same time, in the last decade alone, many promises to
increase trade have been left unrealized. But this latest policy goal was
announced at a time when trade volumes were in fact fast declining. In the first
six months of 2020, trade between Iran and Turkey declined 73 percent to about
$1 billion.
In the second half of 2020, another reality jolted Iranian-Turkish relations.
Tehran was blindsided by the war in the South Caucasus. The Iranians appear also
to have been equally startled by the extent of Russian and Turkish involvement
during the fighting and in the aftermath of the ceasefire that was brokered by
Moscow but where Ankara was – unlike Iran – a party to the negotiations.
Over the last 20 years or so, fearing Russia’s reaction to an assertive Iranian
policy in the South Caucasus, Tehran has kept a relatively low profile in the
region. This was at a time when the Turks were busy recalibrating their approach
to the region. Most notably, the Turks increased cooperation with Azerbaijan in
military-to-military relations while working closely with Baku to establish
Turkey as Azerbaijan’s principal transit route for natural gas exports to
Europe.
On Dec. 31, 2020, Europe received its first natural gas shipment from Azerbaijan
via the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC). The 3,500km pipeline transports gas from
the Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan’s sector of the Caspian Sea via Georgia and
Turkey to Italy. Ankara supported this strategic energy pipeline project and
helped Baku to secure European political and financial support.
In contrast, the Turks have since the early 1990s stalled whenever Tehran has
requested Turkish cooperation in providing a pipeline transit route for Iranian
gas to Europe. At this point, Tehran has two options. The first is to give up on
the European gas market entirely and focus on markets in Asia. Alternatively,
Iran could reach an agreement with Baku and Ankara to feed Iranian gas into the
existing pipelines built by the Azerbaijanis that travel through Turkish
territory before arriving in Europe.
In the 1990s, Ankara successfully exploited US sanctions on Iran to sideline
Tehran from key regional infrastructure projects. Most notably, any proposals
for pipeline routes for Caspian oil and gas to go through Iran were effectively
vetoed by Washington. This is why the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline was built: to
take Azerbaijani oil to Turkey, even though the route through Iran to the
Persian Gulf and world markets was shorter and less expensive. An even greater
free-for-all geopolitical dynamic is at play today. The latest war in the South
Caucasus has created new possibilities for regional infrastructure projects.
Turkey wants to maintain its role as a transit hub for energy and trade. The
Iranians are deeply concerned about again being left out as they were in the
1990s.
**Alex Vatanka is director of MEI's Iran Program and senior fellow with Frontier
Europe Initiative. The views expressed here are his own.
How new US envoy to Yemen can end the
stalemate
Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/February 09/2021
US President Joe Biden’s decision last week to appoint Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State Timothy Lenderking as a special envoy to Yemen is an
important step toward resolving the conflict there. US leadership is key to
augmenting Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and UN efforts to bring peace to the
country. Lenderking is an excellent choice for the job. He is a cool-headed,
seasoned diplomat with an impeccable reputation and extensive experience in the
region. He is also a good listener. Here is a list of seven key elements that he
could consider.
Firstly, a cease-fire is essential. Last year, the government of Yemen and the
Arab coalition accepted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for a global
cease-fire. The Houthis did not, and have instead continued their attempts at a
military solution, making significant territorial gains. Recent Houthi
escalations on several fronts, including increased attacks on Saudi Arabia, are
probably intended to bolster the group’s position in the negotiations. However,
this reckless behavior should not be rewarded by, for example, removing the US’
Foreign Terrorist Organization designation prematurely. As Yemen’s cease-fires
tend to be ephemeral at times, securing them should not be allowed to hold up
the other elements of the solution.
Secondly, the Yemen conflict must be de-linked from the US-Iran standoff as much
as possible, avoiding entangling the country in an uncertain process that could
be lengthy. If allowed, Tehran will try to use its involvement in Yemen as a
bargaining chip so as to protect its other more valuable assets in Iraq, Syria
and Lebanon, or its nuclear program, but accepting such horse-trading will only
prolong Yemen’s misery. Yemen’s precarious humanitarian situation ought to
preclude such linkages.
Third is that international shipping through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait and Red
Sea should be protected and not used as a hostage during the conflict. A more
robust security presence is needed to secure maritime lanes and enforce the arms
embargo, as stipulated in UN Security Council Resolution 2216, among others.
Fourthly, a political solution must be articulated as the eventual aim of
intra-Yemeni talks. Yemenis have spoken clearly about the shape of that
solution: A democratic, secular and decentralized system with a special status
for the South. Yemen’s own National Dialogue Conference in 2013-2014 put a
considerable amount of flesh on that general concept. The outcomes of that
dialogue, where the Houthis were represented, should provide guidance for the
eventual shape of the Yemeni state. Presidential and parliamentary elections, as
stipulated in the GCC Initiative and its implementing mechanism, need to be
planned from now to reassure Yemenis of a future free of outdated ideas of
tribal and religious supremacy and a clerical elite’s attempts to rule the
country by divine right.
The fifth element is that humanitarian assistance is critical and should
continue unfettered. Fighting disease, including the coronavirus disease, and
providing food are priorities. The obstruction or diversion of aid, harassment
of aid workers, and looting of supplies or allowing them to rot in warehouses
should not be allowed. The new US envoy should make it very clear from the start
that aid may not be used as a tool for political bargaining, expediency or
self-enrichment.
Sixth is that longer-term development assistance should be resumed by all
donors, wherever possible. The GCC has continued to provide development
assistance to Yemen where security conditions permit. A GCC-Yemen joint
committee has been meeting for that purpose for some time and plans to meet
again in early March. Other international donors should do the same. The US
could lead by example by resuming large-scale development aid to Yemen. The
Friends of Yemen group, when it functioned between 2010 and 2014, was key to
coordinating international aid to the country and could be revived to perform
that function once again.
Seventh is that confidence-building measures should be explored but should not
divert attention from the larger goal of a grand political solution. They could
include implementing the remaining elements of the Stockholm agreement, turning
the management of Hodeidah port over to the UN, and resolving the Safer tanker
impasse, all of which the UN has been working on with little progress. They
could also include fixing the bifurcated financial and monetary system to stop
the downward slide of the Yemeni riyal and enable Yemeni expatriates to send
remittances home more easily. Streamlining welfare payments to needy families
and pensions to retired government employees everywhere should also be a
priority, as should resuming development aid to get the economy moving and
provide jobs. Regrouping the Friends of Yemen and relaunching similar
international meetings could reassure Yemenis of international support.
The most important factor is to listen to and empower local voices, especially
those from Yemen itself.
The most important factor in all these elements is to listen to and empower
local voices, especially those from Yemen itself. Yemenis have made their
opinions very clear about how to go about resolving the conflict and shaping the
future of their country. Some examples stand out as serious attempts to get
Yemeni voices heard and good results came out of them. There was the
10-month-long, wide-ranging national conference of 2013-14, the outcomes of
which have stood the test of time. In 2016, the UN envoy at the time held
moderated talks in Kuwait lasting five months and producing the best outline yet
for a solution to the conflict. The GCC Initiative itself was a direct result of
sustained talks throughout 2011 between different Yemeni political groups.
The organization of new large-scale, all-Yemeni gatherings needs to be explored
to update and build on those earlier successes. The aim should be to assist the
new special envoy by providing context and reality checks for his official talks
with various parties. Those gatherings could be hosted in neighboring countries
and could include an all-encompassing conference for political groups, another
for academics, writers, other influencers and think tanks, and a third for
Yemeni women from all regions.
*Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the GCC assistant secretary-general for political
affairs and negotiation, and a columnist for Arab News. The views expressed in
this piece are personal and do not necessarily represent GCC views. Twitter:
@abuhamad1
The crippled league of Arab states:
has the time of disbandment arrived?
Rami Rayess/Al Arabiya/February 09/2021
The Arab League must adapt to meet the economic challenges of the region, and
put politics to one side to do this. If it does not, the organization will
become irrelevant with its disbandment inevitable.
Egypt on Monday headed an emergency Arab League meeting with regional foreign
ministers to discuss regional unity and protecting the rights of Palestinians.
The meeting will focus on reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and
discussing the US’s policies on Palestine.
Business as usual, then.
The League of Arab States has not succeeded in creating seamless trade between
nations. Free flowing goods and people crossing borders has never happened.
Various impediments, and unconvinced member states have never considered that it
could be in their best interest to elevate the levels of cooperation to higher
levels. Political disputes always stand in the way.
Should the League be disbanded? Is the Arab idea futile in light of the failures
of earlier decades? As a result of the significant card shuffling that the
region is witnessing, and particularly after the Abraham Accords and the
consequent normalization of relations between Arab states and Israel, where is
Arabia now?
Despite all the failures and misgivings, the full disbandment of the League will
fracture further the current situation, and will offer space for non-Arab
regional players to fill the vacuum. Israel, Iran, and Turkey are all set, and
ready to indulge further in Arab affairs. Iran already has its arms extended to
Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
Disbandment is not the solution. Reconstructing to create a new pan-Arab project
that prioritizes the economic approach over all other perspectives is the way
forward.
This route may, or may not pave the way for inter-Arab cooperation, but even if
not, it would at least encourage reciprocal trade agreements. If other parts of
the globe can, then why not Arabia?
Consider this. Launched after World War II in 1951, The European Coal and Steel
Community, gradually evolved to become the European Union (EU), with a unified
currency, open frontiers and free transport of persons and goods. Despite Brexit,
and the difficulties that face the continent, it remains a model for confederal
cooperation.
The single market adopted by the EU has created freedom for of all member state
populations to work, study and live in any other country of their choosing
within the bloc. The EU has helped people enjoy high standards of living
wherever they live in Europe.
Arabia’s relations has followed a different road to Europe’s.
Established in 1945 the Arab League had the aim of increasing cooperation
between Arab states, and unifying their positions regarding the common
challenges or threats that they collectively confronted.
Common threats and difficulties were rarely confronted collectively. The League
members had different, rather contradictory agendas, linked to fierce wars and
other challenges. The most prominent example was the Arab-Israeli wars after the
State of Israel proclamation on Palestinian land in 1948. Promised their return
to their illegitimately confiscated homes within a week, Palestinians still have
the keys, but have never returned.
At the time of the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948, the League was only three
years old, and included a handful of members. Lebanon, Syria, Transjordan, Saudi
Arabia, Egypt and Iraq were the founding states, but the Arab armies that swept
into Palestine failed to achieve any military victory, and displaced
Palestinians never allowed to return.
Despite the many Arab summits convened over the years, in certain phases on a
regular annual basis, there is little development at any level.
The 1967 Arab-Israeli war left deep wounds across Arabia, and marked what seemed
unrepairable divisions. The Arab League also failed to trespass those divisions
between the member states. Crippled then, the league remains so today. In short,
the Arab League has failed to develop any project that would elevate the
economic cooperation between member states. It has failed to set up a line
separating political differences from economic considerations allowing it to
pursue economic development and prosperity regardless of political divisions.
Despite several institutions that function under the umbrella of the League,
little progress has happened in this regard. Some prominent institutions such as
the Arab Monetary Fund extended aid to several Arab countries to finance
developmental projects.
Countries across the Middle East are overlapping the goods they produce in
agriculture, industry and other commodities. They do not complement each other;
instead they compete. This is one reason inter-Arab trade is limited in
comparison to the total volume of Arab trade with other international partners.
Removing barriers from collective trade exchanges between Arab States have not
met their lofty ambitions. Neither has reforming legal and working restrictions
that hinder the flow of people and goods between the different states happened.
Could the Arab League have a prosperous future? Yes, if there is political will,
but it must follow the economic road.