LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 10/17

Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/newselias/english.july10.17.htm

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Bible Quotations For Today
Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12/06-10/:"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. ‘And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven."

God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline
Letter to the Hebrews 01/02,01-09L:"Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children ‘My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.’Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 09-10/17
Report: Iran arms factory in Lebanon fortified against Israeli airstrikes/Ynetnews/July 09/17
Netanyahu warns against Iranian move-in amid ceasefire in southwest Syria/Jerusalem Post/July 09/17
Where is the Qatar Crisis heading to next/Ahmad al-Farraj/Asharq Al Awsat/July 09/17
It’s goodbye, Qatar/Salman al-Dossary/Asharq Al Awsat/July 09/17
Is it still possible to coexist with the Tehran regime/Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/July 09/17
Only Saudi Arabia can stop Iran from dominating region/Huda al-Husseini/Asharq Al Awsat/July 09/17
A Reading into the US-Russia Meeting/David Ignatius/The Washington Post/July 09/17
Deadly Tale: Christian Converts from Islam/Majid Rafizadeh//Gatestone Institute/July 09/17
Europe's Mass Migration: The Leaders vs. the Public/Douglas Murray/Gatestone Institute/July 09/17

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on July 09-10/17
Report: Iran arms factory in Lebanon fortified against Israeli airstrikes
Netanyahu warns against Iranian move-in amid ceasefire in southwest Syria
Report: No Israeli War on Lebanon in Near Future
Syrian Warplanes Pound Arsal's Outskirts
Gen. Aoun 'Convinced 4 Detainees Died before Questioning', to Brief PM Monday
Jumblat Urges 'Consensual' Electoral List, Sees 'New Situation' in Ties with Hariri
Qaouq: Some Don't Want Ouster of IS, Nusra from Border Area over Electoral Calculations
Celebratory Gunfire Shooters Unmoved by Mashnouq's Ban
Syrian arrested in Bechtayel over affiliation to terror group
Merehbi discusses refugees' situation with Gerard, Finnish Ambassador
Bassil criticizes corruption, says it controls part of judiciary, media and politics
Kanaan says Army is a red line, return of refugees an end and not a means
Derian: Dar El Fatwa will not accept delaying Islamist detainees case
Lebanese delegation at UNESCO succeeds in including city of "Al Khalil" on World Heritage List
Armenian Diaspora Minister arrives in Lebanon

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 09-10/17
Iraq announces 'victory' over Islamic State in Mosul
Iraq PM Abadi announces ‘victory’ over ISIS in Mosul
Egypt refers 292 suspects to military court for plotting Sisi assassination
U.S./Russian ceasefire takes effect in southwest Syria
Trump Security Aide: Syria Ceasefire Zone a U.S. 'Priority'
Quiet as Southern Syria Ceasefire Begins ahead of Talks
Qatar Seeks 'Siege' Compensation for Firms, Citizens
A Crisis without End? Gulf States Settle in for Long-Haul
Exhausted and Mourning, Families Emerge from Mosul Ruins
N. Korea Warns of Nuclear 'Tipping Point' over U.S. Bomber Drill
Venezuela Opposition Leader Lopez Released to House Arrest
Libya Strongman in UAE for Talks on Military 'Cooperation'
Hamburg sees third night of clashes between police, protesters
Japan floods death toll rises to 18

Latest Lebanese Related News published on July 09-10/17
Report: Iran arms factory in Lebanon fortified against Israeli airstrikes
إيران تبني لحزب الله مصانع أسلحة في لبنان منهم واحد في الهرمل وآخر على الساحل بين صيدا وصور

Ynetnews/July 09/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=56907
French magazine Intelligence Online reports factory IRGC is building for Hezbollah will have two facilities—in Hermel area and on the coast between Tyre and Sidon—and be 50 meters underground to defend from Israeli attacks.
The weapons factory Iran is building for Hezbollah in Lebanon is reportedly going to be 50 meters (165 feet) below ground and fortified to defend against Israeli airstrikes, according to French magazine Intelligence Online.
According to the report, which was quoted by a Syrian opposition site and the Iranian news agency Fars on Sunday, there will be two facilities to the factory.
One facility at the Hermel area, which is in the eastern part of the Beqaa Valley, will manufacture Fateh-110 surface-to-surface missiles with a range of up to 300km and the capability to carry a 400kg warhead.
The second facility will be located on the Lebanese coast between the cities Tyre and Sidon.The factory will manufacture different parts of the missile, which will be later be put together in different factories at a later date, the French magazine reported.
An official from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is funding the arms factory, said in March that construction work had already begun.
According to the French report, which cites inside officials, layers upon layers of fortifications have been built over the facilities.
According to intelligence researchers Ronen Solomon from the Intellitimes blog, the locations of the facilities reported by the French magazine were likely fairly accurate. The Hermel area is on the logistics route used to supply Hezbollah with weapons, Solomon told Ynet.
Furthermore, it was also likely the second facility was in the coastal area, as it could be used as testing grounds for the missiles, similar to how Hamas is utilizing the coastal area in the Gaza Strip.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said last week that while Israel is aware of the weapons factory Iran is building in Lebanon, "we've opened a big gap with Hezbollah since 2006. There's no need for hysteria or euphoria on the topic."
IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot said several days later that the issue was "at the top of our list of priorities, but at the moment we're talking about a very limited capability. We're working against it using quiet measures to avoid a deterioration of the situation."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4986772,00.html

Netanyahu warns against Iranian move-in amid ceasefire in southwest Syria
Jerusalem Post/July 09/17
PM heeds caution in addressing the latest international attempt at peacemaking in the Syria's war.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday that a ceasefire plan that took effect at noon in southwestern Syria should not allow for a vacuum to be filled by Iran and its proxies in the area near the border with Israel.
Netanyahu added that Israel would welcome a genuine ceasefire in Syria, but heeded caution in addressing the latest international attempt at peacemaking in the Syrian conflict.
Cease-fire in Syrian region near Israel's Golan takes effect
The United States, Russia and Jordan reached the ceasefire and "de-escalation agreement" last week with the aim of paving the way for a broader, more robust truce.
"Last week I discussed the matter in in-depth discussions with US Secretary of State [Rex] Tillerson and Russian President Vladimir Putin," Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting shortly before the planned ceasefire took effect. "They both told me that they understand the positions of Israel and that they would honor our demands."
Iran seeking nuclear weapons technology, German intel says Iran seeking nuclear weapons technology, German intel says
The premier on Sunday underlined that Israel would continued to monitor the fighting over the border in the civil war in Syria that has been raging for more than six years.
He added that Israel would stand firm in its "red lines" on preventing the conflict from spilling over the border. Such efforts, he said, included "preventing Hezbollah from gaining force in Syria by means of acquiring advanced precision weapons, preventing Hezbollah from establishing a ground force presence near our [Israel's] border and preventing the establishment of an Iranian military presence throughout Syria."
Israeli officials were consulted on the ceasefire plan, negotiated over several months by Russia, the United States and Jordan with Amman’s security topping concerns. At the Israeli government’s request, Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke of the matter by phone on Thursday, “in the context of joint efforts against international terrorism ,” the Kremlin said.
Several ceasefires have crumbled since the onset of the conflict and it was not clear how much the combatants - Syrian government forces and the main rebels in the southwest - were committed to this latest effort.
With the help of Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias, Syrian President Bashar Assad's government has put rebels on the back foot over the last year. The wide array of mostly Sunni rebels include jihadist factions and other groups supported by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies.
Earlier talks between the US and Russia about a "de-escalation zone" in southwest Syria covered Deraa province on the border with Jordan and Quneitra, which borders the Israel's Golan Heights.
A senior State Department official involved in the talks said further discussions would be necessary to decide crucial aspects of the agreement, including who will monitor its enforcement.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the deal includes "securing humanitarian access and setting up contacts between the opposition in the region and a monitoring center that is being established in Jordan's capital."
The multi-sided Syrian conflict, which grew out of popular protests against Assad's rule in 2011, has killed hundreds of thousands of people and created the world's worst refugee crisis.
**Michael Wilner and Reuters contributed to this report.

Report: No Israeli War on Lebanon in Near Future
Naharnet/July 09/17/There are no “serious indications” about a possible Israeli war on Lebanon in the near future, diplomatic sources have said. “Israel is relieved over the ongoing 'wars' in Syria,” the unnamed sources added, in remarks published Sunday by al-Mustaqbal newspaper. “No one would benefit from that now,” the sources noted, ruling out a war between Israel and Hizbullah. Tensions have flared in recent weeks between the two sides amid threats and counter-threats. Israel has threatened to destroy an alleged “Iranian arms factory” in Lebanon while accusing Hizbullah of expanding observation posts along the border under the cover of an environmental NGO, in what it called a "dangerous provocation." Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has meanwhile warned Israel against attacking Lebanon or Syria, saying "hundreds of thousands" of Arab and Muslim fighters would be ready to strike back.
The head of Israel's air force has warned that the Israeli army would have "unimaginable" military power at hand in any future conflict with Hizbullah. "What the air force was able to do quantitatively in the... Lebanon war over the course of 34 days we can do today in 48-60 hours," Major General Amir Eshel said.

Syrian Warplanes Pound Arsal's Outskirts
Naharnet/July 09/17/At least ten Syrian airstrikes targeted the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal on Sunday, media reports said. The Syrian fighter jets bombed the al-Kassarat area, the reports said. Similar raids had targeted the area in recent days. The development comes amid reports that Hizbullah is preparing to launch a military campaign aimed at ousting the jihadist groups Islamic State and Fateh al-Sham Front from the area.

Gen. Aoun 'Convinced 4 Detainees Died before Questioning', to Brief PM Monday
Naharnet/July 09/17/Army Commander General Joseph Aoun has stressed that he is “very convinced” that four Syrian detainees had died of pre-existing conditions before the army was able to question them, dismissing reports that they died “under torture.”Aoun cited “the reports of the Red Cross units that were present and were helping the army offer first aid to the detainees,” al-Mustaqbal newspaper quoted the army chief's visitors as saying in remarks published Sunday. “The Army Command has tasked the military institution's legal-humanitarian bureau with probing this file, granting it full jurisdiction and ultimate support to accomplish its mission,” the commander added. “We have been keen on clarifying the circumstances -- from the first moment of the raids in Arsal's encampments until the moment of the arrests that took place,” Aoun emphasized. He noted that he told the military bureau that is conducting the investigation that he is determined to “achieve a transparent probe,” pointing out that “the Army Command is at its disposal with the aim of reaching this goal.”And urging against “rushed conclusions” before the release of the investigation results, Aoun lamented the presence of a “systematic campaign against the army,” citing “the numerous fake videos that were published on social networking websites.”“They falsely claimed that the videos document the funerals of the four deceased detainees, while the bodies are still in hospital morgues until the moment,” the commander noted. Commenting on pictures that emerged in the wake of the arrests, showing shirtless detainees flat on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs, Aoun described the situation as a “precautionary security measure aimed at verifying that any detainee is not wearing a suicide vest under his shirt.” Ad-Diyar newspaper meanwhile reported that the army chief will brief Prime Minister Saad Hariri during their meeting on Monday on the investigations and that “the Army Command has taken disciplinary measures against a number of soldiers.”

Jumblat Urges 'Consensual' Electoral List, Sees 'New Situation' in Ties with Hariri
Naharnet/July 09/17/Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat has called for a “consensual” electoral list in the upcoming parliamentary elections in his stronghold, the Chouf-Aley district, while admitting that his relation with al-Mustaqbal Movement leader Prime Minister Saad Hariri needs “new foundations.”“I admit that I have failed to understand the preferential vote... and it would be better to have a consensual list in Chouf and Aley that would ensure partnership,” said Jumblat in an interview with al-Hayat newspaper, referring to the new electoral system that is based on proportional representation and 15 electoral districts. The “consensual” list would gather all the “main political parties” in Chouf and Aley, Jumblat noted. Asked about his deteriorating relation with Hariri and their latest rift over the electoral law, the Druze leader said “nothing is eternal in politics.”“There is a new relation with Saad Hariri. In the past, after the killing of ex-PM (Rafik) Hariri, everyone behaved emotionally. The martyr premier was assassinated 12 years ago and today there is a new situation. He (Saad Hariri) has his calculations and I have mine and each of us should know his real political weight,” Jumblat said. “I know my weight. I think that things can be restored but according to new foundations,” he added.

Qaouq: Some Don't Want Ouster of IS, Nusra from Border Area over Electoral Calculations
Naharnet/July 09/17/Hizbullah central council official Sheikh Nabil Qaouq on Sunday accused some Lebanese parties of seeking to prevent the ouster of the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front jihadist groups from the outskirts of the eastern border towns.
“The government's failure to approve a national strategy to liberate territory occupied by Daesh (IS) and al-Nusra, and the failure to address the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon, are due to the presence of a camp putting its electoral interests before the national interests,” Qaouq charged. “We will not tolerate the persistence of this crisis due to the fact that a certain camp wants to keep it confined to electoral calculations or Saudi diktats,” the senior Hizbullah official added. He stressed that the national interest requires the Lebanese “not to ignore the occupation of our land by Daesh and al-Nusra” and to “put the interest of the Lebanese ahead of electoral interests or foreign diktats.”“The crisis of the Syrian refugees is not the problem of a party, sect or region, but rather a crisis whose threats are affecting all Lebanese,” Qaouq warned.
He also cautioned that IS and al-Nusra are seeking to keep the outskirts of Arsal and Ras Baalbek a launchpad for “targeting the army, the people and the resistance” and that the border region contains “workshops for manufacturing car bombs, would-be suicide bombers, training camps and tunnels.”

Celebratory Gunfire Shooters Unmoved by Mashnouq's Ban
Naharnet/July 09/17/Heavy celebratory gunfire was heard in several Lebanese areas on Saturday after the announcement of Grade 12 official exams results, although Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq had urged people to restrain from firing and encouraged citizens to take to the streets and “revolt.” VDL (93.3) said gunfire was heard in the southern Palestinian Refugee Camp of Ain el-Hilweh in Sidon, in Baalbek, in the northern neighborhood of al-Beddawi in Tripoli, in Bebnine and Akkar. The announcement of official exams in Lebanon, wedding ceremonies and funerals are events often celebrated with gunfire. Late in June, people also celebrated the results of the Brevet official exams. A stray bullet has claimed the life of an elderly man in Baalbek. Before the Brevet results, Mashnouq banned celebratory gunfire and urged people to report any violation of the ban. Around 90 people were arrested after that, but at least 70 were released under political pressures.Early this week, Mashnouq had called on people to “revolt” if celebratory gunfire occurs during the Grade 12 results.

Syrian arrested in Bechtayel over affiliation to terror group
Sun 09 Jul 2017/NNA - The State Security apparatus apprehended on Sunday a Syrian national in Bechtayel in Donniyeh over charges of affiliation to a terrorist group, National News Agency field correspondent reported on Sunday.

Merehbi discusses refugees' situation with Gerard, Finnish Ambassador
Sun 09 Jul 2017/NNA - State Minister for Displaced Affairs, Mouin al-Merehbi, Sunday met with UNHCR Representative Mireille Gerard, with talks centering on the issue of Syrian refugees in general, and the challenges arising from the recent events in Arsal. The encounter was a chance to stress on the importance of protecting displaced civilians and preventing them from being exploited as "human shields and prey to terrorism."In this context, Merehbi called for "working with the law enforcement authorities to preserve the safety and dignity of the displaced," highlighting the need for "preventing the infiltration of terrorists among Syrian refugees and citizens of Arsal.""Our main concern is to protect the people of Arsal and our Syrian guests and to prevent the infiltration of terrorists among them. The army soldiers are our sons who are protecting the nation and its security," Merehbi said during a joint meeting with Gerard and a delegation from Arsal's municipality. In the same framework, the issue of displaced Syrians also featured high during Minister Merehbi's talks with Finnish Ambassador to Lebanon, Matti Lassila, earlier today. Emphasis was made on the need to help host communities and the displaced to relieve congestion. Talks also touched on the recent preemptive operation carried out by the Lebanese army in Arsal in the face of terrorism.

Bassil criticizes corruption, says it controls part of judiciary, media and politics
Sun 09 Jul 2017/NNA - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gibran Bassil, Sunday, blasted corruption in the country, saying "it controls part of the media, judiciary body and political authority.""Lebanese people should be liberated so they can live in dignity, and this could only be achieved when the State is ready to replace politicians, feudalists and militiamen," Bassil added during the opening of a new office for the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) in Chekka earlier today. "This country cannot rise and have a strong economy as long as corruption and corrupt people exist through the current monopoly in the State's administrations," Bassil went on. The minister stressed that "public money should be put in the treasury for the country’s interest.""The FPM will never be a party of services, for we provide public service and ensure the rights of citizens which is our duty towards them, especially when citizens are fulfilling their complete duties towards the State," Bassil concluded.

Kanaan says Army is a red line, return of refugees an end and not a means

Sun 09 Jul 2017/NNA - "Change and Reform" Parliamentary Bloc Secretary, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, deemed Sunday that "the Lebanese army is a red line not to be exceeded," while noting that "the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland is an end and not a means."Speaking in an interview to "Voice of Lebanon 93.3 FM" Radio Station, Kanaan referred to the Army's preemptive operation in Arsal saying, "I do not think anyone in Lebanon is against the army or the operation it carried out in Arsal," questioning whether the military institution is required to remain idle in the face of aggression and peril?!"If any side in Lebanon adopts an opposing approach to the army, we would be against it regardless of its affiliation," asserted Kanaan.
He continued to emphasize that the position of the government is clear in this respect, adding that "Prime Minister Saad Hariri always expresses his support for the military institution and the security forces."Over the return of Syrian refugees, Kanaan stressed that this issue ought to be one of "unanimous consensus."He, thus, called on officials to stay away from shallowness in approaching this dossier, and to study together the best way to reach the desired goal of ensuring their return to their homeland, especially in light of the huge political, security and economic price incurred by Lebanon in this respect.

Derian: Dar El Fatwa will not accept delaying Islamist detainees case
Sun 09 Jul 2017/NNA - Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, said on Sunday that Dar el-Fatwa will not allow any delays in concluding the Islamist detainees' file. "Dar el-Fatwa will not accept any further delay in the [Islamist detainees] dossier," Derian noted, calling for the adoption of the general amnesty law. Derian, whose words came during a graduation ceremony for students of al-Makassed Association, added that extremism was never a part of Islam, but a malignant disease and a crime against the religion, homeland and humanity.

Lebanese delegation at UNESCO succeeds in including city of "Al Khalil" on World Heritage L
ist
Sun 09 Jul 2017/NNA - Undertaken efforts by the Lebanese and other Arab delegations at the 41st round of UNESCO meetings held in Poland have led to a national accomplishment by including the city of al-Khalil (Hebron) on the World Heritage List, despite Israeli attempts to thwart the vote. The Lebanese delegation was comprised of Ambassador of Lebanon to UNESCO, Khalil Karam; Head of Beirut Order of Engineers, Jack Tabet, and General Director of the Directorate General of Antiquities, Sarkis el-Khoury.
Tabet succeeded in issuing a statement that was approved by the majority of voting members to place the ancient city of al-Quds and its walls under the international spotlight, in a bid to put an end to the abuses committed by the occupation forces to change the city's identity. Earlier, UNESCO voted twelve to three - with six abstentions - to give heritage status to Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Armenian Diaspora Minister arrives in Lebanon
Sun 09 Jul 2017/NNA - Armenian Minister of Diaspora, Hranush Hakobyan, arrived Sunday in Beirut on a one-week unofficial visit during which she will meet with members of the Armenian community, within the framework of strengthening bilateral ties with Armenia. Hacobyan was greeted at the airport by Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon, Samvel Mkrtchian.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 09-10/17
Iraq announces 'victory' over Islamic State in Mosul
Sun 09 Jul 2017/NNA - Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Sunday "victory" over Islamic State in the city of Mosul, his office said. "The commander in chief of the armed forces (Prime Minister) Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people for the great victory," said a statement from his office. ---REUTERS

Iraq PM Abadi announces ‘victory’ over ISIS in Mosul
Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Sunday “victory” over ISIS in the city of Mosul, his office said, after a gruelling nearly nine-month battle. “The commander in chief of the armed forces (Prime Minister) Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people for the great victory,” said a statement from his office. Abadi “arrives in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulates the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory,” his office said in a statement. The fighting did not seem to be completely over yet, with gunfire still audible in Mosul and air strikes hitting the city around the time the premier’s office released the statement. Iraqi forces launched the Mosul operation in October, first fighting their way to the city, retaking its east and then assaulting its western side, where some of the heaviest fighting occurred.
Heavy civilian toll
The battle has taken a heavy toll on civilians, pushing more than 900,000 people to flee their homes, only a fraction of home have returned, according to the United Nations. ISIS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes have since regained much of the territory they lost. The recapture of Mosul does not however mark the end of the threat posed by ISIS, which holds territory elsewhere in Iraq and is able to carry out frequent bombings in government-held areas. Earlier on Sunday, ISIS militants threw themselves into the River Tigris, trying to flee the battlefield in Mosul as they faced imminent defeat by Iraqi forces fighting to dislodge them from their last pocket in the city. A US-trained elite Iraqi force in the Old City of Mosul reached the Tigris riverside, state TV said. The militants have been driven from all but a patch of territory on the western bank of the Tigris bisecting Mosul, where they have staged a last stand in the narrow alleys of the Old City. An Iraqi woman, who fled the fighting between government forces and ISIS militants in the Old City of Mosul, reacts while embracing another in the city’s western industrial district as they wait to be relocated, on July 8, 2017. (AFP)
Plumes of smoke rose over the Old City on Sunday and the decaying corpses of ISIS fighters lay in the streets. Scattered bursts of gunfire could be heard and several airstrikes were carried out. Iraqi military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, told state TV earlier on Sunday that 30 militants had been killed attempting to get away by swimming across the Tigris.
Iraqi flag raised
Later, Iraqiya News ran and on-screen headline saying: ‘Forces from the Counter Terrorism Service raised the Iraqi flag on the Tigris river bank in the Old City of Mosul.” ISIS vowed on Saturday to “fight to the death” in Mosul. Cornered in a shrinking area of the city, the militants have resorted to sending women suicide bombers among the thousands of civilians who are emerging from the battlefield wounded, malnourished and fearful. The battle has also exacted a heavy toll on Iraq’s security forces. The Iraqi government does not reveal casualty figures, but a funding request from the US Department of Defense said the Counterterrorism Service, which has spearheaded the fight in Mosul, had suffered 40 percent losses. The United States leads an international coalition that is backing the campaign against ISIS in Mosul by conducting airstrikes against the militants and assisting troops on the ground. The Department of Defense has requested $1.269 billion in US budget funds for 2018 to continue supporting Iraqi forces. Without Mosul - by far the largest city to fall under militant control – ISIS’s dominion in Iraq will be reduced to mainly rural, desert areas west and south of the city where tens of thousands of people live.
It is almost exactly three years since the ultra-hardline group’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed a “caliphate” spanning Syria and Iraq from the pulpit of the medieval Grand al-Nuri mosque. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the end of ISIS’s “state of falsehood” a week ago, after security forces retook the mosque - although only after retreating militants blew it up.
Reconstruction cost
The United Nations predicts it will cost more than $1 billion to repair basic infrastructure in Mosul. In some of the worst-affected areas, almost no buildings appear to have escaped damage and Mosul’s dense construction means the extent of the devastation might be underestimated, UN officials said.
The militants are expected to revert to insurgent tactics as they lose territory.

Egypt refers 292 suspects to military court for plotting Sisi assassination
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSunday, 9 July 2017/Egypt’s public prosecutor has referred 292 defendants to a military trial for being accused of forming terrorist cells and involved in terrorist operations, including two attempts to assassinate the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. On November 20, 2016, Attorney General Nabil Sadiq transferred the case to the military prosecution, which in turn referred it to the military trial. In November last year, the Supreme State Security Prosecution revealed investigations with the accused of the terrorist acts inside and outside the country, most notably assassination attempts on President Sisi’s life, one during Umrah in Saudi Arabia and the other in Egypt. Investigations revealed that there are 292 defendants, including 151 who have been arrested who committed more than 17 terrorist attacks. According to investigations, the defendants tried to assassinate Sisi in Mecca by placing a large quantity of explosives at the Swiss Hotel, where the cell leader Ahmed Bayoumi was monitoring al-Sisi. He was working at the Clock Tower and admitted that he recruited a number of other defendants, including a suspect identified as Hussein Mohamed who was responsible for monitoring the operation. Investigations revealed that the defendants had bought explosives and placed them on the 34th floor of the hotel, thinking that Sisi would be staying there. Bayoumi admitted that his wife had offered to wear an explosive suicide belt to distract troops while the rest of the cell members focused on targeting Sisi. Investigations also revealed an attempt to target Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. A dentist, Ali Ibrahim Hassan, also admitted that Ahmed Bayoumi Tahawi and Mahmoud Jaber Mahmoud Ali were planning to target Sisi and Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, and that a woman called Dr. Mervat, Ahmed Bayoumi's wife, was planning on blowing herself up as women are not being monitored at the time.

U.S./Russian ceasefire takes effect in southwest Syria
Sun 09 Jul 2017 /NNA - A U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire for southwest Syria was holding hours after it took effect on Sunday, a monitor and two rebel officials said, in the latest international attempt at peace-making in the six-year war. The United States, Russia and Jordan reached a ceasefire and "de-escalation agreement" this week with the aim of paving the way for a broader, more robust truce. The announcement came after a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit of major economies in Germany. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitoring group, said "calm was prevailing" with no air strikes or clashes in the southwest since the truce began at noon (0900 GMT) on Sunday. "The situation is relatively calm," said Suhaib al-Ruhail, a spokesman for the Alwiyat al-Furqan rebel group in the Quneitra area.
Another rebel official, in Deraa city, said there had been no significant fighting. It was quiet on the main Manshiya front near the border with Jordan, which he said had been the site of some of the heaviest army bombing in recent weeks. There was no immediate comment from the Syrian army, however, silence from the Syrian government over a U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire deal for southwest Syria was a "sign of satisfaction", a government official told Reuters on Sunday. A witness in Deraa said he had not seen warplanes in the sky or heard any fighting since noon. Several ceasefires have crumbled since the onset of the conflict and it was not initially clear how much the combatants - Syrian government forces and the main rebels in the southwest - were committed to this latest effort. With the help of Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government has put rebels on the back foot over the last year. The wide array of mostly Sunni rebels include jihadist factions and other groups supported by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies. Earlier talks between the United States and Russia about a "de-escalation zone" in southwest Syria covered Deraa province on the border with Jordan, nearby Sweida and Quneitra which borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. A senior State Department official involved in the talks said further discussions would be necessary to decide crucial aspects of the agreement, including who will monitor its enforcement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the deal includes "securing humanitarian access and setting up contacts between the opposition in the region and a monitoring centre that is being established in Jordan's capital." The U.N. Deputy Special Envoy for Syria said on Saturday the deal was a "positive development" ahead of the latest round of U.N.-sponsored peace talks to begin in Geneva on Monday. Western-backed rebels control swathes of Deraa and Quneitra, which are home to tens of thousands of people and form a centre of the insurgency south of the Syrian capital Damascus. The multi-sided Syrian conflict, which grew out of popular protests against Assad's rule in 2011, has killed hundreds of thousands of people and created the world's worst refugee crisis. ---Reuters

Trump Security Aide: Syria Ceasefire Zone a U.S. 'Priority'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/17/A ceasefire set to take effect in southwest Syria on Sunday is a U.S. priority and an important step toward eventual peace throughout the war-torn country, President Donald Trump's national security adviser said. "At noon local time tomorrow, a de-escalation zone in southwest Syria will begin to take effect," HR McMaster said in a statement released Saturday. "Such zones are a priority for the United States, and we're encouraged by the progress made to reach this agreement," he said. "The United States remains committed to defeating ISIS, helping to end the conflict in Syria, reducing suffering, and enabling people to return to their homes. This agreement is an important step toward these common goals," he said. McMaster, who released his statement shortly after the U.S. president and other world leaders wrapped up the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, said Trump "discussed the agreement with many world leaders at the G20 Summit," including Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel. The decision to impose a ceasefire zone, announced Friday at the summit by Moscow's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, was reached with the U.S., Russia and Jordan. Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has been engaged in talks this year with Turkey and Iran over four so-called de-escalation zones in the war-torn country. Lavrov said the ceasefire would be supervised by Russian military police "in coordination with the Jordanians and Americans."Syria's conflict evolved from a bloody crackdown on protests in 2011 to a devastating war that has drawn in world powers, including Russia and the U.S.-led international coalition. More than 320,000 people are estimated to have been killed and millions have been displaced.

Quiet as Southern Syria Ceasefire Begins ahead of Talks
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/17/A ceasefire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan brought quiet Sunday to frontlines in southern Syria ahead of fresh U.N.-sponsored peace talks on the country's six-year conflict. A monitor said clashes and shelling had halted in the three southern provinces covered by the truce, Daraa, Quneitra, and Sweida, as it went into effect at noon local time. The ceasefire deal was announced Friday by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and comes as Syrian government and opposition delegations are due to attend a new round of talks in Geneva from Monday. "The main fronts in the three provinces between regime forces and opposition factions have seen a cessation of hostilities and shelling since this morning, with the exception of a few scattered shells fired on Daraa city before noon," said Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian regime had announced its own unilateral ceasefire on Monday but fighting had continued on frontlines in the three provinces. The ceasefire deal comes after regime allies Russia and Iran and rebel backer Turkey agreed during talks in May in the Kazakh capital Astana to set up four "de-escalation" zones in Syria. Implementation of that deal has been delayed as the three sides try to agree who will monitor the zones, one of which is located in southern Syria.
Rebels concerned
There has been no official comment from Syria's government on the announcement, and there was no mention of the ceasefire on state television's noon news bulletin. The al-Watan newspaper, which is close to the regime, quoted the head of Syria's parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee suggesting that the agreement was negotiated in consultation with Damascus. "No details on the agreement were presented, but the Syrian state has background on it," Boutros Marjana told the newspaper. "The final word on adding southern Syria to the 'de-escalation' zones belongs to the Syrian state, and there is coordination with Russia on that," he added. On Friday, before the ceasefire deal was announced, a delegation of rebel factions that attended talks in Astana expressed opposition to any ceasefire for just one part of the country. In a statement, the factions said they were concerned about "secret meetings and understandings between Russia, Jordan and America on a deal for the south of Syria, separate from the north." Such an agreement "would divide Syria, as well as the delegation and the opposition, in two."
'Suitable atmosphere for talks' -
The United States, which has largely stepped back from involvement in the Syrian conflict since President Donald Trump took office in January, praised the deal. "Such zones are a priority for the United States, and we're encouraged by the progress made to reach this agreement," Trump's national security adviser HR McMaster said Saturday. Washington involvement in the agreement has been interpreted as a sign it may be cautiously re-engaging with efforts to end the war, which has killed more than 320,000 people since it began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. Jordan borders the southern area covered by the truce and is a key supporter of the main moderate rebel faction there. Israel, which has occasionally launched what it describes as retaliatory fire against government positions in Quneitra province, welcomed the deal cautiously. "Israel will welcome a genuine ceasefire in Syria but this ceasefire must not enable the establishment of a military presence by Iran and its proxies in Syria in general and in southern Syria in particular," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday. A U.N. official said Saturday the deal created positive momentum ahead of the Geneva talks resuming. "It helps create a suitable atmosphere for the talks, and we will see that on Monday," said Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi, deputy to U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura. Expectations for the seventh round of U.N.-sponsored talks remain low however, with little prospect of a major breakthrough.

Qatar Seeks 'Siege' Compensation for Firms, Citizens

Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/17/Qatar on Sunday announced it was establishing a committee to pursue compensation claims potentially worth billions of dollars over the country's "blockade" by Gulf states. Attorney General Ali bin Fetais al-Marri said the Compensation Claims Committee would deal with cases including major companies, such as Qatar Airways, and individual Qatari students who have been expelled from the countries where they were studying. "This committee will receive all claims, whether from the public sector, private sector or individuals," Marri told journalists at a press conference in Doha. Potential plaintiffs such as Qatar Airways, banks or individuals will be able to file claims over what Doha has labeled a "siege" in courts at home and abroad, including in Paris and London, Marri said. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt announced they had cut all ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting Islamist extremists. The four countries pulled their diplomats from Qatar, suspended all flights to and from Doha and ordered all Qataris to repatriate within 14 days. Qatar has said thousands of its citizens have been affected by the isolation measures in what has emerged as the worst diplomatic crisis to hit the Gulf in recent years. Doha's National Human Rights Committee in June said the sanctions represented a violation of the rights of some 140 Qatari pupils studying in the UAE, Saudi and Bahrain. Qatar Airways has made Doha a global hub in just a few years, but experts say neighboring Gulf states barring it from their airspace threatens its position as a major transcontinental carrier. On June 22, the four Arab states issued a 13-point list of demands, including downgrading ties with Iran and shutting down broadcaster Al-Jazeera, as a prerequisite to lift the sanctions. Doha refused to comply with the demands and denies accusations of ties to extremist groups. The Compensation Claims Committee will be overseen by Marri, as well as officials from the ministry of foreign affairs and ministry of justice.

A Crisis without End? Gulf States Settle in for Long-Haul
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/17/More than a month since the start of the diplomatic crisis gripping the Gulf, hopes of a swift resolution seem as remote as a summer downpour in the desert. Both sides -- the group of Saudi-led allies against Qatar -- seem as entrenched in their positions as ever and as unlikely to find a face-saving solution for all as at any time since the conflict erupted on June 5. "I think that this crisis has a way to go still," said Kristian Ulrichsen, a Gulf analyst with the Baker Institute at the U.S.-based Rice University.
He is not alone.
A weary U.S. State Department this week signaled its belief that the row -- which has seen Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt sever ties with Qatar over claims it supports Islamist extremists -- will rumble on, at best, for some time. "We believe that this could potentially drag on for weeks. It could drag on for months," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on July 6. The first days of July had offered a tiny, hopeful glimpse of a resolution as the region awaited Qatar's response to the list of 13 onerous demands placed on Doha by the Saudi-led bloc. But a defiant Qatar, which denies the charges of supporting extremism, then called the demands -- such as closing broadcaster Al-Jazeera and the Turkish military base in Doha – "unrealistic." In return, Saudi and its allies threatened further sanctions, while Qatar hit back, labeling the four Arab states "siege countries."
"There will be no lifting of the sanctions any time soon, I can't see that happening," said Andreas Krieg of the Defense Studies Department at King's College London.
The crisis seems to be in deadlock.
Long, drawn-out row
"It appears that Saudi Arabia and the UAE underestimated Qatar's ability to very quickly bring on board major regional powers such as Turkey and Iran," Christopher Davidson, an expert on Middle East politics at Britain's Durham University, told AFP. "In this context, pushing forward with any form of cross-border intervention seems unlikely, with instead a long drawn out slow-bleed of Qatar's economy probably being the preferred Saudi-UAE strategy."
So what happens next?
On the diplomatic front, the push is coming from the West with the visit of British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson to the region this weekend, followed by the scheduled arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in regional mediator Kuwait on July 10. In Nauert's statement she also warned the conflict "could possibly even intensify."
This could manifest itself in two ways.
On the sanctions front, attention appears to be turning to regional political organizations and, more tentatively, trade. There has been much speculation that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain will seek to push Qatar out of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council either through suspension or expulsion.
Reports in the Saudi media have suggested this could be the next step in Qatar's isolation though it is unclear if there would be enough votes to carry this through. Krieg speculated that Saudi Arabia instead might maneuver to penalize Qatar through its membership of the Arab League. On trade there has been suggestions that Saudi Arabia and the UAE may present international companies with a choice of doing business with them or Qatar, not both. That though is far from a risk-free strategy, Ulrichsen said. "Such a move may rebound on Riyadh and Abu Dhabi if it calls into question the vulnerability of commercial decisions to political interference," he said. Krieg added that such a move could ultimately backfire on Saudi Arabia's own attempts to restructure its economy, in any post-oil world. It is also unlikely that international companies would cave in to such orders. Following a decision on July 4 by Qatar Petroleum to expand gas production by 30 percent, using joint ventures with international businesses, companies were reportedly already forming an orderly queue for contracts. One Saudi-based commentator, Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, though insisted recently that Qatar will "fold" but make concessions beyond the "spotlight".
It is unclear, however, what those might be. "There are no apparent areas of concession. This looks like it will go down to the wire," said Davidson.

Exhausted and Mourning, Families Emerge from Mosul Ruins
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/17/With the battle to retake Iraq's Mosul from the Islamic State group drawing to an end, dozens of women and their children emerge exhausted and grief-stricken from the ruins. Around 15 women and children huddle on a shaded pavement out of the scorching sun at the edge of the Old City, as automatic weapons fire and mortar rounds resound inside. Iraqi forces fighting IS have brought them from the al-Maidan area inside the city's historic centre, where jihadists are making a last stand ahead of an imminently expected defeat. A young mother in her 20s crouches silently against a wall, dressed in a black robe and light blue scarf.
Suddenly, she doubles up on the pavement, begging the nearest soldier to listen to her distress.Only an hour earlier, she lost her seven-year-old son in a bombardment, just as she and her family prepared to leave the Old City after months of hiding from the jihadists. "There was nothing I could do," she says, her face distorted with grief as her eldest daughter tries to wipe away her tears. "Don't cry, Mummy," says the 10-year-old, whose burgundy dress is drenched in her little brother's blood. Fatima, a woman in her 50s, bursts into tears recounting her and her family's ordeal over the past four months. They hid "almost without food or water" in a basement watched by the jihadists, she says, praying not to be hit in the fighting. They emerged when their street seemed to have been retaken by Iraqi forces, seeing the sky for the first time in weeks as they hurried out of the area towards freedom. But a sniper hit Fatima's brother as they fled, and she has had no news of him since he was taken away in an ambulance. Beside her, another woman cries, eyes lifted towards the sky and desperately chanting a man's name. Liqaa was forced to leave her brother's body behind after he too was shot down by a jihadist sniper.
'Whose child is this?'
Iraqi forces are fighting the last IS fighters inside Mosul, on the verge of retaking the city after three years of jihadist rule.Around 250 displaced people arrive from the Old City on Saturday alone, an employee of a local non-governmental organization says, asking to remain anonymous. "A quarter are wounded, mostly by mortar rounds or sniper fire from jihadists targeting fleeing civilians," the employee says. Among the women, some watch out for their men, several of whom are being screened by Iraqi fighters tasked with making sure no jihadist escapes among the fleeing civilians. But others, already widows, no longer have anyone to wait for.Soldiers and first aid workers hand out biscuits, water and orange juice to the children, who often arrive dehydrated. On the pavement, a tiny girl of around three years old, brown hair tousled and wearing a turquoise dress, stands alone, clutching a half empty plastic water bottle. "Whose child is this?" shouts a soldier. But around her, the women are too distraught to reply. Among the women who have fled their homes, those without relatives to stay with will be directed towards one of the camps for the displaced around the city. Around 915,000 residents have run from their homes since the start of the battle for Mosul in October, the United Nations said two days before, including 700,000 who have yet to return. Not far off, Samira, a mother in her 20s, holds close her two daughters, terrified and covered in dirt. She cradles her last born, a motionless baby with a gray complexion. IS "would beat us as soon as we tried to leave. And outside, there was bombardment. It was terrifying," Samira says.
Her infant suddenly starts crying, much to the relief of onlooking aid workers.

N. Korea Warns of Nuclear 'Tipping Point' over U.S. Bomber Drill
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/17/North Korea on Sunday lashed out at a live-fire drill the U.S. and South Korea staged in a show of force against Pyongyang, accusing Washington of pushing the peninsula to the "tipping point" of nuclear war. The allies held the rare live-fire drill as tensions grew over the peninsula following the North's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test held last week. The test sparked global alarm as it suggested North Korea now possessed an ICBM capable of reaching Alaska, a major milestone for the reclusive, nuclear-armed state. Saturday's drill, designed to "sternly respond" to potential missile launches by the North, saw two U.S. bombers destroy "enemy" missile batteries and South Korean jets mount precision strikes against underground command posts. The North's state-run Rodong newspaper accused Washington and Seoul of ratcheting up tensions with the drill, in an editorial titled "Don't play with fire on a powder keg." "The U.S., with its dangerous military provocation, is pushing the risk of a nuclear war on the peninsula to a tipping point," it said, describing the peninsula as the "world's biggest tinderbox."During Saturday's drill, long-range B-1B Lancer bombers reportedly flew close to the heavily-fortified border between two Koreas and dropped 2,000-pound (900 kilogram) bombs. Pyongyang described the joint drill as a "dangerous military gambit of warmongers who are trying to ignite the fuse of a nuclear war on the peninsula.""A small misjudgment or error can immediately lead to the beginning of a nuclear war, which will inevitably lead to another world war," it said. Tension has been high as the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump and the North's regime under leader Kim Jong-Un have exchanged hostile rhetoric for months. Tension further escalated after Tuesday's ICBM test, a milestone in the North's decades-long quest for weapons capable of reaching the U.S. The impoverished, isolated country has staged five nuclear tests -- including two last year -- and has made a significant progress in its missile capability under Kim, who took power in 2011.In another drill held after the ICBM test, U.S. and South Korean troops fired ballistic missiles simulating an attack on the North's leadership "as a strong message of warning," the South's military said at the time. The U.S. Missile Defense Agency said Friday it would soon test an anti-ballistic missile system in Alaska.

Venezuela Opposition Leader Lopez Released to House Arrest
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/17/Venezuela's most prominent political prisoner, Leopoldo Lopez, vowed Saturday to continue his fight for freedom after being released from jail and placed under house arrest. The surprise move came amid intensifying pressure on the embattled leftist government of Nicolas Maduro, with a rising toll of death and destruction from three months of non-stop street protests. Lopez, leader of the Voluntad Popular (Popular Will) party and a symbol of resistance to the Maduro government, emerged hours after his release from prison looking fit and happy. He pumped his fist in the air, unfurled the Venezuelan flag and told a crowd of supporters who had gathered outside: "Yes, we can!""I maintain my firm opposition to this regime," Lopez said in a statement read by a leader of his party. "I reiterate my commitment to fight until conquering Venezuela's freedom."President Nicolas Maduro, in televised remarks later Saturday, called for a message of "peace and rectification" from Lopez. Maduro said he hoped the statement from Lopez could provide the basis for reconciliation "because the nation wants peace." Lopez, a 46-year-old Harvard-trained politician, was held for more than three and a half years in a military prison outside Caracas for allegedly "inciting violence" by calling for anti-government protests. His release has been a key demand of Venezuela's opposition and the international community, amid an intensifying political confrontation aimed at forcing the unpopular Maduro to hold early elections. Attorney General Luisa Ortega -- the most senior figure to defy Maduro -- accused the government of using Lopez to "improve its image." "People deprived of liberty cannot be used as if they were hostages that can be objects of negotiation," she told the Chilean daily newspaper La Tercera. At least 91 people have died since April 1 in clashes between protesters and security forces over moves by the courts and the government to strip the National Assembly of power, delay elections and rewrite the constitution. The Supreme Court said it had ordered Lopez's move to house arrest for health reasons, calling it a "humanitarian measure."In Madrid, Javier Cremades, Lopez's Spanish lawyer, underscored that "all of Leopoldo Lopez's civil and political rights must still be restored.""What's more, there are still 300 political prisoners in the Bolivarian jails," he added. Foro Penal, an NGO, puts the number of political prisoners in Venezuela at 433. The government insists they are in jail for acts of violence. The U.S. State Department called the release of Lopez "a significant step in the right direction" -- but said many more such steps are needed. On Friday night, Lopez's wife Lilian Tintori spent an hour visiting her husband in his cell at Ramo Verde prison just outside Caracas.
Symbol of resistance
The former mayor of a Caracas municipality, Lopez was an early champion of street protests to force political change in Venezuela as the oil-rich country spiraled into a severe economic and political crisis after the death of Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez. The government blamed Lopez for a months-long outbreak of anti-government protests in 2014 that left 43 people dead in clashes with security forces. He was sentenced to nearly 14 years in prison on charges that his defense said were politically motivated and based on "manipulated" evidence. Since then the crisis has deepened, with more deaths and increasing levels of violence. On Wednesday, pro-government militants wielding sticks and pipes stormed the grounds of the opposition-held National Assembly and beat lawmakers, injuring at least five at the only state institution that the opposition nominally controls. Maduro condemned the violence and said he had ordered an investigation.
'Desperate and divided'
Cremades said the latest development "indicates how desperate and divided they are, it's a demonstration of the weakness of a cornered regime."Two other prominent opposition leaders jailed by the government on similar charges have since been moved to house arrest -- the former Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma and the former mayor of the western city of San Cristobal Daniel Ceballos. The country's Public Ministry -- which is still headed by Attorney General Ortega, though she faces suspension from office -- requested in a communique the "revision" of deprivation of freedom measures against opposition leaders including Ledezma. Late last year the government released some lesser-known detained activists at the behest of the Vatican. While in prison, Lopez was visited on several occasions by former Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, most recently on June 4 accompanied by then Venezuelan foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez and her brother, ruling party politician Jorge Rodriguez. On that occasion, Lopez called on Venezuelans to continue protesting in the streets. His wife denied that the meeting was to negotiate his house arrest in return for a defusing of the protests. "Leopoldo will never negotiate his liberty, first because it is the liberty of the entire country," she said at the time. "It's not the liberty of one man, but of all of Venezuela."

Libya Strongman in UAE for Talks on Military 'Cooperation'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 09/17/Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar has met with UAE leaders for talks on military cooperation, state media said Sunday, days after announcing the retaking of second city Benghazi from jihadists. Haftar, who has visited the United Arab Emirates regularly in recent months, held talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan Saturday on "joint cooperation between the two countries... in combating extremism and terrorist organizations," state news agency WAM said. The United Nations in June released a report accusing the UAE of supplying helicopters and other military aircraft to Haftar in violation of a U.N. arms embargo. Haftar, the head of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, on Wednesday announced the "total liberation" of Benghazi, three years after it was overrun by jihadists. Six years after the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, chaos continues to engulf Libya as militants fight for power and access to the country's vast oil reserves. The unrest has provided fertile ground for extremist groups, some with ties to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The UAE in May hosted a meeting between Haftar and rival Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), in a bid to mediate in the political conflict. Haftar does not recognize the authority of the Tripoli-based GNA, instead backing an alternate government based in the country's east.

Hamburg sees third night of clashes between police, protesters
Sun 09 Jul 2017/NNA - The protesters gathered after the close of the summit in the Schanzen district, a stronghold for extreme left radicals which has been the site of multiple confrontations since Thursday. Armed with glass bottles and targeting vehicles, many of which they set on fire, the protesters were pushed back by the police, using water cannon and tear gas, the police said on Twitter. The police said more officers had been injured, and more people arrested. According to the most recent figures given by the police, some 213 police officers have been injured since Thursday, and 143 people have been detained. No accurate number for protestors injured is available. On Thursday, a planned peaceful march by around 12,000 people protesting against globalisation turned violent. Friday's clashes occurred as leaders from the world's 20 biggest developed and emerging economies began the two-day meeting focusing on trade, terrorism, climate change and other key global issues. Hamburg, a vibrant port city, is a citadel of leftwing radicals and authorities had long been bracing for possible violence on the sidelines of the summit. The German police officers' union GdP on Friday hit out at anarchist groups called the Black Bloc, accusing them of "hijacking peaceful demonstrations by tens of thousands of people to deliberately attack" police. World leaders made concessions on trade and climate language to US President Donald Trump Saturday at the end of the most fractious and riot-hit G20 summit ever, in exchange for preserving a fragile unity of the club of major industrialised and emerging economies. ---PTI

Japan floods death toll rises to 18
Sun 09 Jul 2017 /NNA - The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Japan's south has risen to 18, officials said Sunday, as rescue teams continued their search for survivors. Swathes of Kyushu - the southernmost of Japan's four main islands - have been left devastated after overflowing rivers and torrential downpours swept away roads, houses and schools this week.Thousands of people have been evacuated to makeshift shelters in school gyms and public buildings, but many remain stranded, with emergency services battling through thick mud and rain to try to reach them. More than 500 people were still cut off by Sunday, public broadcaster NHK reported, with collapsed bridges and waterlogged ground on steep hillsides hampering rescue efforts. The government was doing its "utmost" to recover those missing or stranded, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a rare weekend press conference. Officials of Fukuoka and Oita prefectures said a total 18 people had been confirmed dead while 27 were missing or could not be reached. Five people were in critical condition, Suga said, with the government still trying to ascertain if their injuries were a result of the severe weather. Television footage showed rescue helicopters held up at a makeshift heliport -- unable to fly because of the downpours, while people prayed for the safety of their family members. More than 50 centimetres (20 inches) of rain deluged parts of Kyushu in 12 hours on Wednesday, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to warn of possible significant damage. Rains have continued intermittently since, with up to 22 centimetres recorded in Fukuoka in the past 72-hour period.
Japan's weather agency on Sunday warned of continued heavy rains and mudslides in northern Kyushu. ---AFP

Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 09-10/17
Where is the Qatar Crisis heading to next?

Ahmad al-Farraj/Asharq Al Awsat/July 09/17
As expected, the rulers of Qatar decided to carry on with their unreasonable contention, a behavior that best matches the Qatari contradictory policies for more than two decades now. Asking to extend the deadline was only a way to gain more time.
In a provocative move, Qatar’s rulers underestimated the Kuwaiti emir’s mediation efforts. A week ago, some tweeps known to be affiliated to the Qatari regime had shamelessly offended the Kuwaiti emir describing him as a carrier pigeon, and now the Qatari foreign minister intended to declare his country’s rejection to the demands of the boycotting countries, before the arrival of the Kuwaiti envoy!
What is going on is the continuation of the lamentation policy that was undertaken after the decision to boycott Qatar. Instead of dealing with the matter through altering its hostile policies and its support for terrorism, Qatar is still trying to play its anticipatable media game, relying on cheap media and rewarded journalists, especially in Western capitals.
It seems that the rulers of Qatar have enjoyed imitating the role of big powerful countries; powerful countries do not stir unrest and do not support terrorist organizations and leaders. They do not become the voice of those who lost the way and were ousted from their countries. Powerful leaders deal with others with wisdom, firmness and objectivity, not in provocative and hostile ways and they do not provoke neighboring peoples against their rulers. Qatar has been playing this fake role for a long time now, due to the bigger objectives of its neighbors, but it will not be able to carry on with it as it has understood that the dream of the Kingdom and its allies was a weakness, and that their silence was wrong. The Qatari rulers did not know that the Kingdom’s keenness on the Gulf unity and the interests of the Gulf countries, including Qatar, was the main reason for the postponement of the decision to impose long-awaited sanctions that were necessary, especially that Qatar’s rulers exceeded all limits.
The rulers of Qatar believe that they can deceive the world and mislead everyone by promoting that Al Jazeera is a platform for the freedom of expression. However, they are disregarding the most important of basic concepts: freedom of expression has nothing to do with spreading sedition, promoting terrorist leaders’ speeches, and supporting terrorist ideas. Even in Western countries, such acts are considered as inciting hatred and are a violation of national security. Nevertheless, who would waste time explaining this to the rulers of Qatar, who are still insisting on escalation? Doha is the only party will get hurt, as time is in favor of the boycotting countries and not in the favor of Qatar.

It’s goodbye, Qatar!
Salman al-Dossary/Asharq Al Awsat/July 09/17
The only surprise that didn’t happen on Wednesday was a positive Qatari response to Kuwaiti emir’s mediation that could have ended the current crisis. The negative response was nothing new; it was expected just like all other reactions that came from Qatar after Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt severed ties with it a month ago.
All that is needed from Qatar is to stop its aggressive policies and attitudes and become a rational state. What is requested from it is already applied by other states, this is the best response to Qatar’s repeated statements that the demands violate its sovereignty.
This is the truth said, a truth that is being manipulated by Doha to serve vanity.
It is important to mention that when the four countries decided to take this decisive and bold step, they were fully aware that the road to ending Qatar’s rashness and aggressive attitude will be long and bumpy.
Patience is what these four states have, unlike their rebellious neighbor. Qatar has been warned first then boycotted before being isolated – economic procedures were natural and a small part of a due bill that has accumulated with time – though late.
The upcoming stage will witness a quadruple insistence on the return of Qatar to normality and its persistence to stay out of line will no longer be an option.
Unfortunately, the main Qatari goal to shake Saudi’s stability and divide it should always be remembered – this was the dream of the former emir who has proven that Qatari leaders are following his path.
Destructive
Disregarding this destructive purpose, it wouldn’t be easy to analyze the Qatari attitude. Let go of attempts to simplify the dispute as if it is only related to the relations with Iran and Al Jazeera – these are only tools to a bigger project.
This shows that Qatar is incapable of getting rid of suspicious ties to which the regime has linked itself for two decades and that the next phase would be more difficult to Doha, as it won’t be able to benefit from free mutual interests and features anymore while it conspires against its neighbors.
All that is needed from Qatar is to stop its aggressive policies and attitudes and become a rational state.
Simple. You are posing a threat on my security and stability and planning to destroy my country. It is time to be faced with two options: you either come to your senses and rehabilitate your political dogma or endure consequences and pay a costly price.
One highly important point is that action taken against Doha doesn’t follow Qatar’s path. No support was given to terrorist groups to implement destructive activities in Qatar and no intelligence acts were conducted inside the country to undermine its national security.
This is part of what Qatar has been doing in the region for years. The only thing these states did was to practice their right in depriving Qatar of the interests it made use of for a long time. It is weird how Doha insists on its destructive policy in the region and at the same time wants to act as a brotherly country.
The steps taken against Qatar were smart and rational because they were carefully studied and no international law was violated – Qatar that has chosen to keep the current situation as it is and not resolve the dispute should anticipate more sanctions from the four states.
Soon, the cost of carrying out commercial activities in Qatar will increase especially among its international partners.
Since day one of the crisis the four states had a basic message: it is time to close the open door of evil with Qatar. The response stressed that Doha is capable of managing its affairs without the need of its neighboring and brotherly countries. Let Qatar walk alone and days will prove who can’t but return. Qatar will come back later on – whether it likes it or not – after the chaos created by its policies and destructive dogma is settled.

Is it still possible to coexist with the Tehran regime?
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/July 09/17
Over the weekend, the French capital Paris played host to a massive rally organized by the Iranian opposition and attended by many international political figures. The timing of this rally was particularly significant, given the historical and exceptional current state of affairs in the Middle East and the unprecedented tense relations between its countries.
As expected on an occasion like this, the main stress in most positions expressed by Iranian, Middle Eastern and Western speakers was that it was impossible for a regime with a “chemistry” like that of the Tehran regime to change, and that all attempts to make it moderate its stances are doomed to failure.
Indeed, gambling on the “rationality” of the Iranian leaders, and regarding them as “not suicidal” – to quote former President Barack Obama in his marketing pitch for the JCPOA – are proving meaningless every day. And despite the atrocities committed by ISIS and its systematic destruction wherever it moves “achieved” by the tacit cooperation of players benefiting from it, there are two clear realities:
First is that Iran’s sectarian militias, as well as those supported by Tehran through its “Revolutionary Guards” (IRGC) do not differ much from ISIS in terms of brutal exterminatory practices justified by alleged religious legitimacy.
Today, now that the Iranian leadership has exploited and benefited from ISIS’ destruction of several (Sunni) Syrian and Iraqi cities, one needs to ask a serious question: Is it possible to coexist with the Tehran regime?
Second is that there is not much difference either between diplomatically-clad extremism, as reflected in Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and his Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and the brazenly-militaristic and sectarian extremism, as expressed in the gung-ho speeches of IRGC leaders like Mohammad Ali Jaafari and Qasem Soleimani as well as their militia henchmen in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria. In fact, all traces of “difference” disappear when positions being explained pertain to the Gulf region, the Fertile Crescent and Yemen.
Islamic revolution
Sure enough, Iran’s ambition of achieving regional supremacy did not start with Khomeini’s Islamic Revolution of 1979 when it launched its campaign of “Exporting the Islamic Revolution,” followed soon by it diligent outbidding on the path of “Liberating Palestine.” As many remember under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran was in 1955 a founder member of the Baghdad Pact – along with the UK, Turkey, Pakistan and Iraq under the auspices of the US, before Iraq withdrew resulting in re-naming CENTO (Central Treaty Organization). Later, the Shah made no secret of his ambition that Iran become “The Policeman of the Gulf” since it was the most populous country sharing its coast.
However, there is a big difference between the ambition of a regional leader to enhance the influence of his nation based on his belief in its civilization and capabilities, and the aggressive insistence of a theocratic regime on “exporting” its political and religious “legitimacy” to its neighboring countries by force and conspiring to overthrow their governments throw intrigue and sectarian incitement.
Since 1979, “exporting” the revolution, along with the notion of “Vali e Faqih” has been one of the two cornerstones of the Khomeini regime, and now still followed by his successor Ali Khamenei. This “project” suffered a setback during the Iran – Iraq War, which was ended by the international community. Checking Iran’s ambitions at that time was temporary, and they were never really eradicated because Tehran continued to build subservient sectarian military organizations throughout the Middle East. The first has been Lebanon’s “Hezbollah” – initially, under the cloak of “Islamic Amal.” It was soon to be followed by Iraqi Shi’ite militias that had fought with the Iranian armed forces against the Iraqi army during the Iran – Iraq War. Many leaders of the latter today are the de facto leaders of Iraq.
Extending ties
Noteworthy here is the fact that the Hafez Al-Assad regime in Syria also sided with Iran during that war against Iraq. Actually, then Iranian ambassador to Damascus Ali Akbar Mohtashamipur (who later became Interior Minister in Iran) was the authority entrusted with founding “Hezbollah” in Lebanon. In fact, Tehran’s efforts were not limited to Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, but were later expanded to include Yemen through the Houthis, and Bahrain through “mullahs”, who had no qualms about Iranian historical claims over their country.
On the other hand, Iran did not concentrate its efforts solely on Shi’ite organizations, but achieved a breakthrough with the Sunnis, namely in the Palestinian occupied territories. This far-sighted strategy had two aims: The first, was that backing Sunni organization in Palestine would give credibility to its slogans about “liberating Palestine”. The second, it would allow to freely found, arm and support Shi’ite militias without being accused of practicing sectarian discrimination. Indeed, this is exactly what has happened and under the banners of “Islamic Unity,” Tehran has been bankrolling Shi’ite – Sunni groups that are acting as effective vehicles to its propaganda and defenders of its policies and adventures.
Last week Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of “Hezbollah”, said in a televised speech that “a war Israel launches against Lebanon and Syria will never be limited to these two arenas, but will open the door before thousands of fighters (Shi’ite of course) from Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries in the world to join Syria (i.e., Bashar al-Assad regime) and the Resistance (i.e.. ‘Hezbollah’)…”
What these words mean could not be clearer. The man is prepared to invite – if an invitation is ever needed – Iran’s IRGC to fight on Lebanese soil, without even bothering to consult with a government in which his pro-Tehran party is represented. Nasrallah’s declaration came after the “reassurances” made by Iranian Defense Minister Hussein Dehghan that “Iraq is now a part of Iran!”, and the infamous proclamation by Iran’s ex-Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi that “Iran now controls four Arab capital cities (Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut and Sana’a)…”
Sectarian cleansing
In the meantime, Iran has been busy, both, directly or through its militia henchmen, in justifying its war of sectarian “cleansing” and displacement that it has been fighting in Syria since the 2011 uprising, as well as in Iraq. Tehran and its henchmen’s justifications have been fighting against “Takfir” and “Takfiris”, including al-Qaeda, al-Nusra Front and ISIS.
However, the fact that there were old understandings and dealings between Iran and al-Qaeda is well known, which is why the terrorist group never attacked Iranian targets. More recently, ISIS rarely fought against Assad’s forces, choosing instead to attack its opponents, namely the “Free Syrian Army”. Moreover, Assad regime’s smuggling of extremist terrorists across the Iraqi border in order to hassle and harass American troops in Iraq is well documented by Iraqi authorities, as is the extremist fighters’ “escape” from Iraqi prisons to join ISIS in Syria.
Today, now that the Iranian leadership has exploited and benefited from ISIS’ destruction of several (Sunni) Syrian and Iraqi cities, one needs to ask a serious question: Is it possible to coexist with the Tehran regime?
In Paris, thousands of Iranians exiled by the regime answered the question loud and clear, and so did millions of Iranians before at home: No. No coexistence with this regime.
If this is what Iranians themselves believe, how can we the Arabs disagree?

Only Saudi Arabia can stop Iran from dominating region
Huda al-Husseini/Asharq Al Awsat/July 09/17
A country that does not take into consideration emotions but rather believes in the death penalty, chooses to play on emotions. A country that pays some of its people to shout “Death to America” on a daily basis, has now its foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, objecting on the decision to ban Iranian from travelling to the US and saying that this ban is aimed against Iranian grandmothers.
In this same country, if a grandchild decides to visit his grandmother in Iran, he will be put in prison for trying to overthrow the regime because he has an American citizenship. This country, which wants grandmothers to be able to travel to the US, arrested last week, 110 young men and women for participating in a mixed ceremony.
The Iranian leadership does not hesitate to exploit everything for its own benefit. The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi that “the Americans are against the Shiite Popular Mobilization because they want Iraq to lose its core power.”
Then, President Hassan Rouhani tells Abadi that “the liberation of Mosul is a victory for Iran, Iraq and Syria,” (Iran was listed first!).
Iran wants everything that relates to Arab matters. It created the Quds Day to reveal its expanding influence. On that day, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech on expanding the “axis of resistance” in the Levant. Nasrallah, who directly gets his orders from the Supreme Leader, threatened that the war between Israel, Lebanon and Syria would attract thousands of fighters from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen, although Lebanon can no longer put up with more foreigners.
What is interesting is that all the Iranian media affiliated to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard have completely deleted this section because they do not want more Iranians to participate in another war, especially after the Iranian military deployment in Syria sparked an internal controversy.
Justifying regional interference
The Iranian regime and Hezbollah are trying to justify their regional interference claiming that it is for supporting Palestinians against Israel, although at the beginning of the Iranian revolution, during the reign of Ayatollah Khomeini, they did not hesitate to get weapons from Israel to fight Iraq.
Iran did not talk about the ‘Takfiris’ during the US invasion of Iraq, the hub of al-Qaeda that created the ISIS, because it used to say that it is ready to fund all those fighting the Americans in Iraq. Thus, ever since the war in Syria, Iran has been focusing on foreign fighters who have joined al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Iran, which does not want to be seen as fighting the war in order to protect Bashar al-Assad’s regime, has supported and encouraged to put the Takfiris under the public eye, aiming to include anyone opposed to the Assad regime. On the other hand, little coverage is given to Shiite volunteers who formed militias to support the Assad regime in his battle against the Takfiris, and his most ferocious battle against the Syrian people who just sought change in Syria.
Iran has supported, created and encouraged these “volunteer” militias. It is estimated that nearly 3,000 Iranian Revolutionary Guards are participating in the battles inside Syria, and their role is not limited to training and structuring. According to an IRGC officer, Iran has recruited and trained hundreds of battalions to defend the Assad regime.
While the world is sorry about Yemen for the bombing by the coalition, the IRGC and Hezbollah disregarded the Houthis there. In his most recent speech, Nasrallah said: “Yemen is a very strategic and important region, and its importance lies in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.”
The focus is now on Syria, and what was initially a major battle against ISIS, has become a major global focus; Iran, Russia and Turkey are racing against time there.
Legitimacy disintegrating
It is important to note that the international legitimacy enjoyed by the mullahs since the nuclear agreement in 2015 has begun to disintegrate. The US Senate voted last month on imposing new sanctions on Iran for violating the terms of the nuclear agreement, such as using ballistic missiles and supporting terrorist groups. These political moves have always had a major economic impact. That is why Western banks continue to warn companies that may be tempted to invest in Iran. This does not bother the IRGC, and despite the attempts of the US media to convince itself and convince us that reformists are currently ruling Iran, headed by Rouhani and Zarif, the IRGC is the one determining policies and influence in Iran.
Now, after the defeat of ISIS, the Iranian parliament is considering a proposal to spend nearly $500 million to strengthen the security and expand the missile program, which will raise the IRGC budget to $8 billion dollars, in addition to the already approved five-year development plan, which will ask the government to allocate at least 5% of the budget for defense, mainly the development of the multi-dimensional missile systems.
The Arab region had almost become under the control of Iranian, Turkish and Israeli forces. Now, the main obstacle that Iran will face is not the US, but Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It is crucial for Arabs to affirm that they are the owners of the land and it is necessary for Saudi Arabia to carry on what it is already doing. With all due respect for all Arab countries, Saudi Arabia is the only country that can frighten Iran!
An Iranian military expert living outside Iran said “the extra money could probably be spent on the long-awaited missile (Ya Ali), delayed till now due to the lack of funds”. “The parliament’s rush to draft the project to speed the missile program reflects the level of insecurity felt by Tehran from its southern neighbors, with whom the administration of President Donald Trump is cooperating,” he added.
The United States considers the increased activity onthe Iranian missile program s a threat to regional stability.
The chairman of French oil company Total, Patrick Pouyanné, admitted last April that Iran’s unresolved banking challenges were an obstacle to Total’s investment. The reluctance of international banks to provide financing, or facilitate the repeated transactions that are necessary for the daily operations in the country, will push Total to make a special effort and find a “solution on its own.” Pouyanné revealed that Total is testing a new banking mechanism to transfer money from and into Iran in an appropriate way.
According to bankers, this means that a medium-sized French bank may have set up a channel for Total to transfer funds to Iran, without involving US personnel or US dollars, and thus avoided the so-called “United States Association” dealing with banks
This also means that Total is ready to work with the IRGC, which controls many sectors, most notably the oil sector. It is worth noting that Total decided to move forward because the company will not start receiving revenues before 2021 and it has committed itself to the first gas that will be distributed in the large domestic market in Iran. The first reaction from the radical Kayhan newspaper was that it was the government’s reward for French betrayal.
Rouhani has said recently: “At the time of Ahmadinejad, large portions of the economy were placed under the control of the military and security apparatuses under the pretext of privatization”; he was pointing at the IRGC and describing these entities as an “armed government,” admitting that the private sector could not compete with it. “We have handed over part of the economy controlled by the unarmed government to an armed government,” he said.
The Supreme leader’s followers had launched an attack against Rouhani saying: “We have the right now to consider that when the president says that military institutions should not have anything to do with politics and economy, he is coordinating with the enemy to impose sanctions on the IRGC.”
Domestic political differences
Political differences in Iran are increasing; Rouhani will face marginalization. The Revolutionary Guards are letting Rouhani drown since he has no power. The IRGC is controlling Iran’s economy and politics and is looking to build a 2000-mile corridor to the Mediterranean. The Iranian leadership aspires to restore the Persian Empire, but this corridor has many obstacles as it is surrounded by many Sunni Arabs who are opposed to Iran.
After striking Iraq and Syria, Iran felt that there is an opportunity. Hence, it waged a revolution against Saudi Arabia. The Arab region had almost become under the control of Iranian, Turkish and Israeli forces. Now, the main obstacle that Iran will face is not the US, but Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It is crucial for Arabs to affirm that they are the owners of the land and it is necessary for Saudi Arabia to carry on what it is already doing. With all due respect for all Arab countries, Saudi Arabia is the only country that can frighten Iran!

A Reading into the US-Russia Meeting
David Ignatius/The Washington Post/July 09/17
The self-proclaimed “deal maker” finally got the beginnings of what could be an important diplomatic agreement in Friday’s Russian-American summit in Hamburg. For a rookie, President Trump appears to have avoided big mishaps that sometimes plague such great-power talks.
The importance of the meeting between presidents Trump and Putin isn’t so much in the details, though the proposed cease-fire in Syria could save lives in that tragic conflict and lead to more “safe zones.” It’s more in the restoration of dialogue between the US and Russia after a long period in which relations had deteriorated to the danger point.
For Trump, the meeting marked the fulfillment of a controversial promise he made early in the 2016 campaign to seek an improvement in relations with Moscow. Trump may claim a “win,” but the greater beneficiary is probably Putin, who seized this opportunity to “come in from the cold” after the sanctions and diplomatic isolation that followed Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea.
Trump bought the Syria deal at relatively low cost. Sanctions against Russia remain in place; the Russian diplomatic compounds that were seized Dec. 29 haven’t been returned. It was widely suspected that Trump’s advisers had discussed a removal of sanctions after he won the presidency; if any such agreement exists, it hasn’t been disclosed.
Trump opened the meeting by raising the issue of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson; whether this was a fuzzy pro-forma statement or a real protest isn’t clear. Putin is said to have denied any such interference, but his response wouldn’t be credible, no matter what he said. Ex-spies aren’t believable on the subject of covert actions. The decisive evidence on this subject of Russian meddling will come from special counsel Robert S. Mueller when he completes his investigation.
The Syria agreement is the most important “deliverable” from Friday’s meeting. Tillerson has been working on the details for weeks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. The cease-fire in southwest Syria, negotiated with Jordan (and, unofficially, with Israel) was actually hatched about a week ago and kept on ice so that all sides could make sure it was being observed.
The stage is now set for other US-Russia efforts to de-escalate the Syria conflict and begin to stabilize the country. For the Syrian opposition, Friday’s most important development was Tillerson’s announcement that President Bashar al-Assad will eventually leave power and that there will be a political transition away from the Assad family. Assad will probably resist, as may Iran. But if the United States and Russia are co-guarantors of this transition, it’s likely to move ahead.
Friday’s summit meeting also produced some useful dialogue about North Korea. Tillerson said that Trump has discussed curbing North Korea’s weapons programs with both Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping. There’s no accord on how to pressure Pyongyang — and indeed, some obvious disagreements. But at least there’s a public recognition of the seriousness of the problem — and of the shared interest of the United States, Russia and China in dealing with it.
Summits can sometimes be dangerous. Western politicians can make unwise concessions to autocratic leaders, as happened at Munich in 1938 and Yalta in 1945, with tragic consequences. Apart from his still-mysterious exchange with Putin about Russian meddling, Trump, embattled and unpopular though he is, doesn’t appear to have made such mistakes at Hamburg. Instead, this was a summit meeting that reminded us of the benefits of diplomacy.

Deadly Tale: Christian Converts from Islam
Majid Rafizadeh//Gatestone Institute/July 09/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=56909
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10560/christian-converts-from-islam
Most of all, the Islamist leaders fear that as a former Muslim, you have true knowledge of what Islam actually is, and you may disclose that information to others.
"Not only has [Maryam Naghash Zargaran] been detained unjustly because of her Christian faith, but the Iranian authorities have denied her urgently needed medical care." — U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
"For more than four years, Maryam Naghash Zargaran has suffered in an Iranian prison, falsely charged with 'propagating against the Islamic regime and collusion intended to harm national security.' The Iranian government must cease its targeting of Christians and release Maryam and other religious prisoners of conscience." — Clifford D. May, Commissioner, USCIRF.
It is currently being spouted through all forms of media -- impossible to ignore -- you will hear claims over and over again by many radical Imams, Muslim scholars, and preachers that Islam is a religion of inclusiveness, that anyone can become a Muslim just by muttering a few words. It seems quite simple, right?
This is not new. I grew up hearing all these claims in Iran, under Islamic laws. To uninformed ears, this can sound almost magical. What is important, however, are the many more significant requirements the imams conveniently leave out. Above all, once you become a Muslim, there is no way to turn back. Your faith is under the control of the extremist imams, sheikhs, governments, or simply the community. You cannot just decide to abandon Islam and go back to how you were living. The penalty of attempting this is death.
Additionally, those imams and sheikhs who will have you believe how easy it is to join Islam, claim that Islam accepts Christianity and Judaism ("people of the book"), and that there is absolutely no difference between the Abrahamic religions. Sounds nice to most ears. But it is absolutely false. Let us take a quick look at some people who left Islam for other "Abrahamic" religions, particularly Christianity.
Maryam Naghash Zargaran, a 38 year-old Christian convert from Islam, is currently facing serious health issues in one of the world's most vicious jails; Evin prison in Tehran. A former children's music teacher, Zargaran became acquainted with teachings of Christianity at young age. Even though she grew up in a Muslim family and under Sharia, she found Christianity to be her true faith. She made a decision to convert, and dedicated her life to helping children, and ended up at an orphanage. She did her best to care for the children, and provide them with the stability and love they had been missing.
What harm was Zargaran doing to the society? She was contributing the society doing charity work and privately practicing her faith. But, if you live under Islamic laws, your faith is neither private nor personal. Your faith is directly controlled by Islamist authorities or the state.
At age 33, she was arrested for converting to Christianity. According to Iran Human Rights: "She was initially held for five days in the Vozara Detention Center in Tehran under unsanitary conditions along with ordinary criminals, including drug addicts."
On March 9, 2013, Judge Mohammad Moghisseh of Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Courts sentenced her to four years in prison for vague charges such as "propagating against the Islamic regime and collusion intended to harm national security". She was not allowed to have access to an attorney.
When you become a Muslim and then leave Islam, even for another religion that is supposedly "accepted" by Islamists, you are considered a serious danger. The Islamist authorities desire to control every aspect of your faith. Most of all, the Islamist leaders fear that as a former Muslim, you have true knowledge of what Islam actually is, and you may disclose that information to others.
Zargaran began her journey into Evin prison the same time as the president of the Islamist state of Iran pledged that "All ethnicities, all religions, even religious minorities, must feel justice." Did she hear those words as the prison door slammed shut? Does she hear them now? What in his view is "justice"? Under his presidency, despite his silky words, the targeting of Christian converts has only been increasing.
Kept in intolerable conditions, Zargaran had a heart attack a few months after her imprisonment. She was not provided with appropriate medical treatment, despite her serious condition. She engaged in multiple hunger strikes. On July 15, 2016, she went on an indefinite hunger strike. The authorities, even with confirmation of her grave medical condition, still refused to address it. When she was finally allowed a medical leave with a heavy bond, when she was returned to the prison, her sentence was extended to cover the time she was hospitalized.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has strongly urged the Iranian government to release Maryam Naghash Zargaran from prison. It recently stated:
"Not only has she been detained unjustly because of her Christian faith, but the Iranian authorities have denied her urgently needed medical care. On this day last year, Maryam launched a hunger strike, sadly one of many, to protest the authorities' disregard of her medical needs and refusal to grant her conditional release or medical leave."
USCIRF Commissioner Clifford D. May pointed to the targeting of Christians by stating: "For more than four years, Maryam Naghash Zargaran has suffered in an Iranian prison, falsely charged with 'propagating against the Islamic regime and collusion intended to harm national security'. The Iranian government must cease its targeting of Christians and release Maryam and other religious prisoners of conscience. They should be honored for their contributions to society rather than penalized for who they are or what they believe."
According to the USCIRF:
"Ms. Zargaran suffers from a severe heart condition, ASD (atrial septal defect), which required surgery prior to her arrest. Her condition has required ongoing monitoring and follow-up with a cardiologist, but since her detention, she has not had regular access to such care. Ms. Zargaran also suffers from diabetes, high cholesterol, and arthritis."
Muslim countries that treat Christians and other religious minorities unjustly, and violate their religious freedoms, should be designated as a "country of particular concern" by the U.S. State Department.
International pressure should also be applied to push the Islamist state of Iran to release Zargaran or at the very least provide medical treatment to her.
If you live, study, work, or have grown up under Islamist laws, as I have, what you learn first-hand is that to the Islamists, radical imams, and sheikhs -- despite all their nice claims and preaching -- all religions, even the "Abrahamic" ones, are absolutely inferior to Islam. Any other impression given by Islamic leaders should be greeted with the utmost skepticism. Perhaps, if you were to listen to their words, see the lies they propagate, through the eyes of a woman, once Muslim, then Christian, now a prisoner of a faith that allows no leniency, the truth would be clear. Or perhaps reality can be discovered through the eyes of the abandoned, neglected orphans, whose lives she attempted to make whole, before she was detained for her belief in what is seen as the "wrong" deity.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He is a Harvard-educated and world-renowned Iranian-American political scientist, businessman, and author of "Peaceful Reformation in Iran's Islam". He can be reached at Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu.
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Europe's Mass Migration: The Leaders vs. the Public
Douglas Murray/Gatestone Institute/July 09/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10639/europe-migration-bill-gates
"[T]he more generous you are, the more word gets around about this -- which in turn motivates more people to leave Africa. Germany cannot possibly take in the huge number of people who are wanting to make their way to Europe." — Bill Gates.
The annual survey of EU citizens, recently carried out by Project 28, found a unanimity on the issue of migration almost unequalled across an entire continent. The survey found that 76% of the public across the EU believe that the EU's handling of the migration crisis of recent years has been "poor". There is not one country in the EU in which the majority of the public differs from that consensus.
At the same time as the public has known that what the politicians are doing is unsustainable, there has been a vast effort to control what the European publics have been allowed to say. German Chancellor Angela Merkel went so far as to urge Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to limit posts on social media that were critical of her policies.
Is Bill Gates a Nazi, racist, "Islamophobe" or fascist? As PG Wodehouse's most famous butler would have said, "The eventuality would appear to be a remote one". So far nobody in any position of influence has made such claims about the world's largest philanthropist. Possibly -- just possibly -- something is changing in Europe.
In an interview published July 2 in the German paper Welt Am Sonntag, the co-founder of Microsoft addressed the ongoing European migration crisis. What he said was surprising:
"On the one hand you want to demonstrate generosity and take in refugees. But the more generous you are, the more word gets around about this -- which in turn motivates more people to leave Africa. Germany cannot possibly take in the huge number of people who are wanting to make their way to Europe."
These words would be uncontroversial to the average citizen of Europe. The annual survey of EU citizens recently carried out by Project 28 found a unanimity on the issue of migration almost unequalled across an entire continent. The survey found, for instance, that 76% of the public across the EU believe that the EU's handling of the migration crisis of recent years has been "poor". There is not one country in the EU in which the majority of the public differs from this consensus. In countries such as Italy and Greece, which have been on the frontline of the crisis of recent years, that figure rockets up. In these countries, nine out of ten citizens think that the EU has handled the migrant crisis poorly.
How could they think otherwise? The German government's 2015 announcement that normal asylum and border procedures were no longer in operation exacerbated an already disastrous situation. The populations of Germany and Sweden increased by 2% in one year alone because of that influx of migrants. These are monumental changes to happen at such a speed to any society.
Philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently said in an interview: "...you want to demonstrate generosity and take in refugees. But the more generous you are, the more word gets around about this -- which in turn motivates more people to leave Africa. Germany cannot possibly take in the huge number of people who are wanting to make their way to Europe."
At the same time as the public has known that what the politicians are doing is unsustainable, there has been a vast effort to control what the European publics have been allowed to say. Chancellor Merkel went so far as to urge Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to limit posts on social media that were critical of her policies. This was just one example of a much wider trend. Across the continent, any private or public figure who dared to warn that importing so many people in such a disorganised manner was the origin of a catastrophe found themselves impugned with the darkest imaginable motives.
Even after the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, and the discovery that members of the terror-cell had slipped in and out of Europe using the migrant routes, European leaders dismissed public concerns about the migration crisis. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker berated the public and the few politicians who opposed Merkel after the Paris attacks:
"I would invite those in Europe who try to change the migration agenda we have adopted - I would like to remind them to be serious about this and not to give in to these base reactions that I do not like."
It is understandable that some humanitarian impulse might prevail during a period in which thousands of people were crossing the Mediterranean and many were drowning. Back then in 2015, at the height of the crisis, Bill Gates himself urged America to take in migrants at the levels that Germany was taking them in. Since then, however, Gates has noticed what most people who live in Europe have noticed -- which is that while opening your country's borders may have a short-term moral appeal, it causes a whole variety of long-term societal concerns.
It is these concerns -- which the European public can see all around them, as well as on their newspapers' front-pages -- which lead the majority of the public across Europe to want the flow of migrants to be reduced. In his recent German newspaper interview, Bill Gates also expressed this sentiment -- and starkly -- saying, "Europe must make it more difficult for Africans to reach the continent via the current transit routes."
All this is, of course, true. It is not possible for Europe to become the home for everyone and anyone in Africa, the Middle East or Far East who manages to cross a fairly narrow stretch of water. The people of Europe have known this for a long time. Some people -- heavily criticised by the mainstream media and the political class -- have even expressed this. But perhaps now that a measured and surely non-Nazi philanthropist such as Bill Gates has noticed it, something will change. It is probably too much to hope for that the Western European political class might actually listen to his advice. But might they at least rein in their disdain for the reasonable concerns of the general public?
***Douglas Murray, British author, commentator and public affairs analyst, is based in London, England.
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.