LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
June 25/17

Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For Today
Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10/21-24/:"At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’

Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are discerned spiritually
First Letter to the Corinthians 02/11-16/:"For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual. Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are discerned spiritually. Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny. ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ."


Question: "How does God distribute spiritual gifts?"
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=56537
*GotQuestions.org/Answer: Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians chapter 12 make it clear that each Christian is given spiritual gifts according to the Lord’s choice. Spiritual gifts are given for the edification of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7, 14:12). The exact timing of the giving of these gifts is not specifically mentioned. Most assume that spiritual gifts are given at the time of spiritual birth (the moment of salvation). However, there are some verses that may indicate God gives spiritual gifts later as well. Both 1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6 refer to a gift that Timothy had received at the time of his ordination “by prophecy.” This likely indicates that one of the elders at Timothy’s ordination spoke about a spiritual gift that Timothy would have to enable his future ministry.
We are also told in 1 Corinthians 12:28-31 and in 1 Corinthians 14:12-13 that it is God (not us) who chooses the gifts. These passages also indicate that not everyone will have a particular gift. Paul tells the Corinthian believers that if they are going to covet or long after spiritual gifts, they should strive after the more edifying gifts, such as prophesying (speaking forth the word of God for the building up of others). Now, why would Paul tell them to strongly desire the “greater” gifts if they already had been given all they would be given, and there was no further opportunity of gaining these greater gifts? It may lead one to believe that even as Solomon sought wisdom from God in order to be a good ruler over God’s people, so God will grant to us those gifts we need in order to be of greater benefit to His church.
Having said this, it still remains that these gifts are distributed according to God’s choosing, not our own. If every Corinthian strongly desired a particular gift, such as prophesying, God would not give everyone that gift simply because they strongly desired it. If He did, then who would serve in all of the other functions of the body of Christ?
There is one thing that is abundantly clear—God’s command is God’s enablement. If God commands us to do something (such as witness, love the unlovely, disciple the nations, etc.), He will enable us to do it. Some may not be as gifted at evangelism as others, but God commands all Christians to witness and disciple (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). We are all called to evangelize whether or not we have the spiritual gift of evangelism. A determined Christian who strives to learn the Word and develop his teaching ability may become a better teacher than one who may have the spiritual gift of teaching, but who neglects the gift.
Are spiritual gifts given to us when we receive Christ, or are they cultivated through our walk with God? The answer is both. Normally, spiritual gifts are given at salvation, but also need to be cultivated through spiritual growth. Can a desire in your heart be pursued and developed into your spiritual gift? Can you seek after certain spiritual gifts? First Corinthians 12:31 seems to indicate that this is possible: “earnestly desire the best gifts.” You can seek a spiritual gift from God and be zealous after it by seeking to develop that area. At the same time, if it is not God’s will, you will not receive a certain spiritual gift no matter how strongly you seek after it. God is infinitely wise, and He knows through which gifts you will be most productive for His kingdom.
No matter how much we have been gifted with one gift or another, we are all called upon to develop a number of areas mentioned in the lists of spiritual gifts: to be hospitable, to show acts of mercy, to serve one another, to evangelize, etc. As we seek to serve God out of love for the purpose of building up others for His glory, He will bring glory to His name, grow His church, and reward us (1 Corinthians 3:5-8, 12:31–14:1). God promises that as we make Him our delight, He will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4-5). This would surely include preparing us to serve Him in a way that will bring us purpose and satisfaction.

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 24-25/17
The GCC crisis: Draconian demands and juvenile politics/Rami G Khouri/AlJazeera/June 24/17
Europe Surrenders to Radical Islam/Guy Millière/Gatestone Institute/June 24/17
Baghdad and its growing slum problem/Adnan Hussein/Al Arabiya/June 24/17
GCC-EU: Beyond the oil relationship/Dr. Ibrahim Al-Othaimin/Al Arabiya/June 24/17

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on June 24-25/17
Israel Accuses ‘Hezbollah’ of Manufacturing Weapons in Lebanon, Yemen
Mustaqbal: Lebanon Will Not Remain an Iranian Platform to Target Saudi Arabia
Geagea Criticizes Nasrallah's Rhetoric, Says 'Campaign Against Gulf Unacceptable'
Hariri Denounces Terror Plot against Saudi Arabia's Mecca
Hizbullah Condemns 'Shameful Attempt' to Target Saudi Arabia's Mecca Mosque
Geagea congrtulates Emir Mohammed Bin Nayef on new post
Bou Assi reiterates keenness on public money
Riachi: Electoral law battle is to correct Christian representation
Hariri congratulates Lebanese on Fitr Feast, apologizes for not receiving well wishers
Four Palestinians injured in a bomb explosion in Ain alHilweh
Guinness: Beirut's Cultural Festival screen the largest in the world
Suspect in Maroun Nohra Homicide Case Arrested in Bekaa
Jumblat Meets Lavrov, Says Safe Zones in Syria May Settle File of Refugees in Lebanon


Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 24-25/17
Saudi Says Attack on Grand Mosque Foiled as 11 Hurt in Blast Nearby
Iran, Qatar Voice Support for Saudi after Mecca Bombing
Arab States Denounce Attempted Attack against Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia
World reacts to foiled terrorist attack at Mecca’s Grand Mosque
After Demands Aired, Solution to Qatar Crisis Seems Far Off
Weeks after the boycott, no positive signs from Qatar
Gulf Accuses Qatar of Thwarting Mediation through Leaking List of Demands
Qatar naturalizing Bahraini citizens among key Gulf rift concerns
UAE, Saudi, Bahrain envoys meet with Turkish FM official on Qatar
At Least Three Killed in Mosul Suicide Attacks
Journalist with French TV Dies of Wounds from Mosul Blast
Second N. Korean Soldier Defects to S. Korea in a Month
Egypt’s Sisi ratifies agreement transferring Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia
Ankara Asks Washington for ‘Joint Mechanism’ to Disarm Kurds of US Arms
ISIS Regroups in Kirkuk as Questions Surround Iran’s Plans
Pentagon: ‘Political Vacuum Enabled Qaeda to Expand in Yemen’
Iranian Militias Enter Deir Ezzor, Expand Control on Borders with Iraq
Gripping Tales Lure War-Weary Syrians to Damascus Cafe
US Wanted Terror Leader May Have Fled Philippine City, Army Says
Extremist Groups Come Out of Shadows in Quebec
China landslide leaves at least 140 missing in Sichuan
Statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs on National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism

Latest Lebanese Related News published on June 24-25/17
Israel Accuses ‘Hezbollah’ of Manufacturing Weapons in Lebanon, Yemen
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 24/17/Tel Aviv – In an unprecedented statement, head of Israeli military intelligence Herzl Halevi announced that Lebanon’s “Hezbollah” has developed its military capabilities along Israel’s northern neighbor with the help of Iranian technology and industry. The party is now capable of manufacturing weapons itself in both Lebanon and Yemen thanks to Iran’s great expertise in this field, he added. He made his remarks at a national security conference in the Israeli city of Herzliya. He explained that Iran has also set up weapons manufacturing factoring in Iraq, but it is relying on “Hezbollah” to produce arms in Lebanon and Yemen. Tehran is supplying the party with the necessary funds, raw material and technology. Iran, “Hezbollah” and Syria are now the main threat in the entire region and the main threat against Israel as well. Iran’s danger is not limited to its nuclear capabilities, but it is dangerous due to its influence in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, stressed Halevi. Even though the nuclear deal that Iran struck with the West prevents it from making certain types of weapons, it does have the ability to manufacture others. The Israeli official demonstrated Iran’s threat, by noting its “Zalzal” missile, whose range allows it to reach 20 countries in the region and beyond. Halevi noted however that the chances of a military escalation taking place are “still weak.” “Our enemies who are seeking to destroy Israel will cause a war to be declared against them. These days, wars start and finish in different ways. Wars against organization do not start with a decision, but they begin with a gradual deterioration of ties,” he said, adding that these wars do not end with a clear decisive military victory. The people of the Middle East make up 5 percent of the world population, but they constitute 30 percent of the victims of terror and 60 percent of global refugees, said the Israeli military intelligence chief.

Mustaqbal: Lebanon Will Not Remain an Iranian Platform to Target Saudi Arabia
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 24/17/Lebanon’s Mustaqbal Movement, headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, condemned on Saturday the latest speech of “Hezbollah” chief Hassan Nasrallah during which he attacked Saudi Arabia. The Movement stressed in a statement that the “Lebanese people will not allow Lebanon to remain an Iranian platform to target Saudi Arabia and Arab countries.”Nasrallah delivered a speech on Friday on the occasion of “Quds Day,” which is marked in Iran by anti-Israel and anti-US rallies. The Mustaqbal statement described Nasrallah’s speech as “renewed yelling against the Kingdom that reflects the pain that the Iranian agenda is suffering from in the Arab region.” The suffering has “pushed it to insanity and playing on the edge of the abyss.”The Lebanese movement noted that Saudi Arabia’s policies have exposed the goals of Iran’s “disruptive agenda. It has also become clear that Iran and the Israeli enemy are two faces of the same coin.”They are both enemies of Arabs and “Iran in particular has outdone Israel because it is directly responsible for the plights of some Arab countries.”It lamented how “some sides are insistent on sabotaging Lebanon’s ties with its Arab brothers, starting with Saudi Arabia. They have sought diligently to target it as part of efforts to improve the image of Iran, from which the Lebanese have only seen destruction, division and implication in its disruptive wars.”The Mustaqbal Movement therefore said that all sides should assume their responsibilities, saying that the Lebanese people will not allow their country to remain an Iranian platform to attack Arab countries, starting with Saudi Arabia, whenever Tehran’s interests demand it. “We are concerned first and foremost with Lebanon’s interest, which we place above all else,” stressed the statement. It highlighted Saudi Arabia’s leading role in fighting terrorism, whether in the form of ISIS or Iran, and it is one of the primary defenders of the dignified life of the Arab and Muslim nation. The Mustaqbal Movement also condemned the “cowardly” terrorist attack that was thwarted in Mecca on Friday, saying that it was aimed at undermining Saudi Arabia’s pioneering role in the region under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.It noted that the plot came in wake of Yemen’s Houthi militia’s attempt to strike Mecca with Iranian rockets only a few months ago. Friday’s failed attack comes to complement the Houthi plot, said the movement, noting that it is a “dangerous sign” that Iran is beginning to employ terrorism in its battle to destroy Saudi Arabia after it used such a tactic in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain and Lebanon.

Geagea Criticizes Nasrallah's Rhetoric, Says 'Campaign Against Gulf Unacceptable'
Naharnet/June 24/17/Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea criticized Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's Friday remarks about Gulf countries, and pointed out that the cabinet is the eligible authority to tackle Israel's threats against Lebanon as he assured that Lebanon's border will not be opened for foreign fighters. Dubbing Nasrallah's speech as “escalatory”, Geagea said that any report about Israeli threats against Lebanon should have been discussed at a cabinet meeting. “Right action requires that if there is information about an Israeli threat, it should have been presented to the cabinet,” said Geagea in an interview to Free Lebanon radio on Saturday. The LF chief stressed that defending Lebanon from an Israeli aggression can't be waged through opening the border for foreign fighters. “If we want to defend our country against an Israeli aggression we will not open the border and bring in thousands of foreign fighters. The Lebanese army and people will defend the land,” stressed Geagea. The LF chief was replying to Nasrallah's remarks when he said that “hundreds of thousands of Arab and Muslim fighters would be ready to strike back against an Israeli attack."Nasrallah also said that Israel does not intend to wage a war on Lebanon in the near future but warned that “tens of thousands” of foreign fighters could fight alongside the “axis of resistance” in any future conflict. He said “Israel is refraining from waging wars on Lebanon and Gaza because it knows very well that such a move would be costly due to the resistance's capabilities.”Geagea also criticized Nasrallah's rhetoric against gulf countries and said: “Nasrallah's campaign against Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries is unacceptable. “These countries have done no harm to Lebanon. What has Saudi Arabia done for Lebanon? No one has the right to manipulate the interests of the Lebanese people.” In his speech, Nasrallah launched a campaign against SA and said “the Saudi regime is too weak and impotent to be able to wage a war on Iran.” He also accused Saudi Arabia of trying to isolate Iran. Turning to Nasrallah's remarks about Palestine, the LF leader said: “The Palestinian people have their own representative, authority and parties that speak on their behalf. Nasrallah may not place himself as their spokesman.”

Hariri Denounces Terror Plot against Saudi Arabia's Mecca
Naharnet/June 24/17/Prime Minister Saad Hariri condemned on Saturday the terror attempt to target the Mecca Mosque in Saudi Arabia describing it as a “crime against Islam and Muslims.”Hariri praised the Saudi security forces vigilance and ability to “thwart the operation and eliminate its branches distributed between Mecca and Jeddah.” He stressed that “Lebanon stands by Saudi Arabia in confronting terrorism.” On the other hand, al-Mustaqbal Movement said the “aggression against Saudi Arabia is a blatant aggression against us in Lebanon and against the Arab and Islamic countries,” warning that “Iran could exploit terrorism to undermine the Saudi Arabia.”On Friday, security forces in Saudi Arabia foiled a terror plot targeting the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Security forces said the operation was planned by three terrorist groups, two based in Mecca and the third in Jeddah. The foiled attack was targeted at worshipers at the mosque, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television quoted security forces as saying. The first operation was foiled in Mecca's Assila district, while the second was thwarted in Ajyad al-Masafi neighborhood. A suicide bomber, who was hiding in a house in the Ajyad neighborhood, opened fire on security forces and refused to comply with calls to turn himself in. He later blew himself up after being encircled, wounding six foreign residents and five members of the security forces, the security spokesperson said. Security forces arrested five suspects, including a woman, who are currently being interrogated.

Hizbullah Condemns 'Shameful Attempt' to Target Saudi Arabia's Mecca Mosque
Naharnet/June 24/17/Hizbullah on Saturday condemned what it described as a “shameful bid” to target the Mecca Mosque in Saudi Arabia, the party said in a statement. Hizbullah denounces the "disgraceful attempt to target the sacred Mosque in Mecca by a group belonging to takfiri and terror gangs which practice killing and shed blood without any hindrance,” read the statement. The statement considered the attempt “a link in a series of blood-filled crimes committed by these gangs in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds whose devastating effects have reached all parts of the world.”On Friday, security forces in Saudi Arabia foiled a terror plot targeting the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Security forces said the operation was planned by three terrorist groups, two based in Mecca and the third in Jeddah. The foiled attack was targeted at worshipers at the mosque, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television quoted security forces as saying. The first operation was foiled in Mecca's Assila district, while the second was thwarted in Ajyad al-Masafi neighborhood. A suicide bomber, who was hiding in a house in the Ajyad neighborhood, opened fire on security forces and refused to comply with calls to turn himself in. He later blew himself up after being encircled, wounding six foreign residents and five members of the security forces, the security spokesperson said. Security forces arrested five suspects, including a woman, who are currently being interrogated.

Geagea congrtulates Emir Mohammed Bin Nayef on new post
Sat 24 Jun 2017/NNA - Lebanese Forces Chief, Samir Geagea, Saturday contacted Prince Mohammad Bin Nayef, congratulating him on his new appointment as Saudi's Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister. In turn, the Crown Prince thanked Geagea for his profound feelings and honest wishes.

Bou Assi reiterates keenness on public money
Sat 24 Jun 2017/NNA - Social Affairs Minister Pierre Bou Assi said that the Lebanese Forces (LF) is loyal when dealing with people, adding that his party is keen on preserving public money.
Bou Assi, whose words came during a tour in Batroun on Saturday, added that the "aim of the Lebanese Forces is to be loyal to the youth's aspirations and sacrifices, and to all comrade martyrs who fell for the sake of Lebanon."The minister started his tour by visiting the Lebanese Forces' office in Batroun, where he was welcomed by LF North candidate Fady Saad.

Riachi: Electoral law battle is to correct Christian representation
Sat 24 Jun 2017/NNA - Information Minister Melhem Riachi deemed Saturday that "the battle of the election law is to correct Christian representation in power.""The spirit of the Taef Accord is based on the principle of equality which forms its foundation," added Riachi, supporting the undertaken steps for a revolutionary change. He also lauded the role of the President of the Republic and his insistence on a new electoral law, acknowledging the Lebanese Forces' role herein as well. Riachi declared "stability of alliance with the Free Patriotic Movement and the Future Movement," adding that "the formation of balloting lists will be on this basis." He also stressed that "the preferential vote provides justice for all parties."On the other hand, Riachi disclosed that "communication is ongoing with Hezbollah over dossiers that are of interest to Lebanon," noting, however, that "there are significant differences between us." The Minister's words came in an interview to "Voice of Lebanon 93.3" Radio Station.

Hariri congratulates Lebanese on Fitr Feast, apologizes for not receiving well wishers

Sat 24 Jun 2017/NNA - Prime Minister Saad Hariri congratulated all the Lebanese, Arabs and Muslims on the holy Fitr occasion, "asking Almighty God to bring to our nation goodness, peace and stability."Hariri apologized for not receiving well-wishers on Eid al-Fitr, in wake of the tragic circumstances witnessed in brotherly countries. "The holy month of Ramadan was an occasion to meet thousands of people and friends from all over Lebanon, allowing a distinctive chance for direct communication with all society's sectors and constituents," PM Hariri said in a communiqué on Saturday. In this connection, Hariri noted that he assigned a special team to follow-up on the daily living conditions and services issues, which featured high during his delivered speeches in various Lebanese regions thoughout this month.

Four Palestinians injured in a bomb explosion in Ain alHilweh
Sat 24 Jun 2017/NNA - A bomb went off on the lower street of al-Zib neighborhood inside Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp, wounding four Palestinians in an initial toll, NNA correspondent in Sidon reported on Saturday.

Guinness: Beirut's Cultural Festival screen the largest in the world

Sat 24 Jun 2017/NNA - Publisher of the "Guinness Book of Records" announced on Saturday that the "Beirut Cultural Festivals and Beirut Municipality" screen will officially be listed in the Guinness Book as the world's largest 3D display screen. Guinness Expert Ahmad Jabre, who conducted a field survey on site to confirm the screen measurements, said: "After applying all the Guinness standards, we found that the screen's measurements are a new record. The current figure is 1580.9 square meters in China. Today, we registered a new 2446 square meters record by the Beirut International Festivals and Municipality of Beirut, and the screen meets all the required conditions."Jabre handed the Guinness Certificate to the Beirut Cultural Festivals Association Secretary-General, Azza Koreitem, who congratulated Lebanon and Beirut on this record, thanking the Guinness Book of Records.
"This project has been a challenge for all of us and is the outcome of a large team's efforts. On behalf of the Beirut Cultural Festivals Society and the Municipality of Beirut, we thank all those who contributed and helped us in this great achievement," added Koreitem. "Journey Through Time" and "Colors of Beirut" will be on display during the second edition of the "Beirut Cultural Festivals and Municipality of Beirut" activities extending from June 28 to July 5, 2017.

Suspect in Maroun Nohra Homicide Case Arrested in Bekaa
Naharnet/June 24/17/A male suspect identified as Walid Obeid has been arrested on Saturday for the murder of Maroun Nohra who was killed in the southern town of Majdelyoun two days ago, the National News Agency reported on Saturday. Members from the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch arrested the suspect in the Bekaa valley, NNA said. Obeid is the lead suspect in the case after being caught on street surveillance cameras that filmed his crime. 47-year old Nohra was fatally shot and killed on Thursday in Majdelyoun east of Sidon. He was in his car when the assailant approached his vehicle's side window and shot him four times, twice in the chest and once in the face and shoulder. Video footage from a street surveillance camera caught the crime and helped identify the killer's identity. Mother of the assailant confessed that her son had recently discovered that she was in a relationship with the victim.

Jumblat Meets Lavrov, Says Safe Zones in Syria May Settle File of Refugees in Lebanon
Naharnet/June 24/17/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his visit to Moscow on Friday and said that the safe zones conducted by Russia in Syria may help Lebanon solve the issue of refugees, media reports said.
“It is possible that the success of creating safe zones will allow the return of some displaced people and Syrian refugees who currently live in our country, Jordan and Turkey. So, the problem of the Syrian refugees could be partially solved but a political solution for the crisis is necessary,” said Jumblat during his meeting with Lavrov, the first between the two men in two years. Jumblat added that Lebanon appreciates Russia's efforts to support the country's stability and unity, as well as Moscow's efforts aimed at a political settlement in Syria. For his part, Lavrov pointed out: “The situation in the Middle East has witnessed a lot of changes in the last phase, but stability is still far away.”However, he pointed out to some positive signs in Lebanon including the impact of a political agreement between political parties which led to the election of President Michel Aoun and the designation of PM Saad Hariri. Lavrov was pleased with Lebanon's progress in restoring stability, reports said. Russia and Iran, which back Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces in the war, and Turkey, a supporter of rebel forces, signed an agreement on May 4 on setting up four safe zones.
The next round of Syria peace talks in Kazakhstan's capital Astana has been scheduled for July 4-5.Moscow has spearheaded the Astana talks since the start of the year as it tries to turn its game-changing military intervention on the ground into a negotiated settlement. The six-year Syrian conflict has killed more than 320,000 people and seen nearly two thirds of Syrians forced from their homes.Many Syrians fled the war ravaging in their country and sought refuge in Lebanon which currently host more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees, a quarter of the country's population.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 24-25/17
Saudi Says Attack on Grand Mosque Foiled as 11 Hurt in Blast Nearby
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 24/17/Security forces in Saudi Arabia foiled a terror plot on Friday targeting the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the security spokesperson of the Saudi Interior Ministry, Mansour al-Turki, said. Security forces said the operation was planned by three terrorist groups, two based in Mecca and the third in Jeddah. The foiled attack was targeted at worshipers at the mosque, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television quoted security forces as saying.The first operation was foiled in Mecca's Assila district, while the second was thwarted in Ajyad al-Masafi neighborhood. A suicide bomber, who was hiding in a house in the Ajyad neighborhood, opened fire on security forces and refused to comply with calls to turn himself in. He later blew himself up after being encircled, wounding six foreign residents and five members of the security forces, the security spokesperson said. Security forces arrested five suspects, including a woman, who are currently being interrogated.

Iran, Qatar Voice Support for Saudi after Mecca Bombing
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 24/17/ Both Iran and Qatar on Saturday voiced support for Saudi Arabia over a suicide bombing near Islam's holiest site in Mecca despite their severed ties. "Iran... as always expresses its readiness to assist and cooperate with other countries to confront these criminals, who deal death and ignorantly spread hate," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi said. The Qatari foreign ministry expressed "solidarity with the brotherly kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Six foreign pilgrims were wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up near the Grand Mosque in Mecca, where hundreds of thousands of worshippers had gathered for prayers on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The Saudi interior ministry said a wider plot had been foiled with the arrest of five suspects earlier in the day. Since late 2014, the kingdom has faced periodic bombings and shootings claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia are locked in a bitter battle for regional influence and have had no diplomatic relations since January last year. Saudi Arabia and its allies severed all ties with Qatar earlier this month accusing it of supporting "terrorist groups" in the region, a charge Doha denies.

Arab States Denounce Attempted Attack against Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 24/17/Top judicial authorities and government spokesmen in each of Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan condemned the attempted lone wolf attack targeting one of Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, said the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The Egyptian Supreme Council of Culture strongly condemned the failed terrorist attempt to target the Grand Mosque which Saudi security forces successfully foiled. Council Secretary-General Dr. Hatem Rabie said in a statement on Saturday that the council condemned strongly the failed terrorist attempt, noting that terrorism has no religion. For its part, Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs denounced the sinful terrorist plot to target the Grand Mosque. The gulf country’s council stressed in a statement issued that “the attempt to target the Grand Mosque in the month of Ramadan reveals clearly that these terrorists are away from any religious, moral or humanitarian values “. On the other hand, Jordan denounced the terrorist attack with its media minister Mohammed Momani condemning the failed attack and expressing Jordan’s support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in its fight against terrorism. Momani, who is also the government spokesperson, reiterated Jordan’s call for united international efforts to fight terrorists and terror organizations.

World reacts to foiled terrorist attack at Mecca’s Grand Mosque
Staff writer, Al Arabiya / 24 June 2017/Global condemnations have poured in following a foiled terror attack on Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mosque in Mecca on Friday.
Security forces said the operation was planned by three terrorist groups, two based in Mecca and the thrid in Jeddah. The foiled attack targeted worshipers at the mosque. The first operation was foiled in Mecca in Assila district, while the second was thwarted in Ajyad al-Masafi neighborhood.
A suicide bomber, who was hiding in a house in the Ajyad neighborhood, opened fire on security forces and refusing to comply with calls to turn himself in. He later blew himself up after a crackdown on him. Six people were injured and five members of the security forces were lightly injured.
Security forces arrested five of the accused, including a woman, who are currently being investigated.
The UAE
The UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan said the attempted attack would only increase “our will” to encounter those who support terrorism. “This horrible crime shows how far terrorism has reached in scope and brutality. No sane person can give any justification or explanation for this,” he said.
The UAE minister hailed the Saudi security apparatus in foiling the attack.
Jordan
Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammed Momani condemned the failed attack and expressed Jordan's support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in its fight against terrorism.
Momani, who is also the government spokesperson, reiterated Jordan's call for united international efforts to fight terrorists and terror organizations.
Iraqi parliament
Iraqi parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri told Al Arabiya News Channel in an interview on Friday evening that “liberating minds from extremist ideology” is far more important than just freeing territories seized by ISIS.
Jabouri made his comments after Saudi forces foiled one planned terrorist attack, targeting the area surrounding Mecca’s Grand Mosque and worshipers. The Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the world and surrounds Islam’s holiest place, the Kaaba, in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
“We need a unified stance” to further support “moderate Islam” to tackle this ideology, Jabouri said, urging that Muslim youth needs to be a “invested” in.
He said this extremist ideology needs to be “fully eliminated” since “it can find another place” after areas are “liberated.”
Egypt’s Ministry of Awqaf
Egypt’s Awqaf (Religious Endowments) Minister ‎Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa condemned the attack and said his country “stands with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in their efforts against terrorism.”
Egypt’s government and Grand Mufti also condemned the attack.
Bahrain
Bahrain in a statement “expressed its sincere appreciation of the great role of Saudi Arabia under the wise leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in providing all the comforts and tranquility for worshippers, visitors and pilgrims.”
The statement added that Bahrain “lauded the outstanding efforts of the security men in thwarting the cowardly terror plot and affirmed that it stands fully with Saudi Arabia in its leadership role to consolidate and enhance security and peace in the region and across the world.”
Bahrain said that it also fully supports all the actions and measures by Saudi Arabia to eliminate terrorist organizations.
Muslim World League
Muslim World League Secretary General Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa condemned the attempted attack and said that terrorism presented a horrific face to those who are deluded in attributing their hostile acts to Islam.
Organization of Islamic Cooperation
Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation also heavily condemned the attack plot and lauded the Saudi security forces for their work.
Dr. Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen said that his organizations condemns terrorism in “all its forms.”
Palestine
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the terrorist plot and expressed the Palestinian people's full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of terrorism and extremism.
Kuwait
An official source at the Kuwaiti foreign ministry expressed strong condemnation of the “despicable terrorist plot.”
The source described the plot as a blatant aggression against Muslim sanctities.
Pakistan Ulema Council
The Pakistan Ulema (scholars) Council has also expressed its heavy condemnation of the terrorist plot targeting Mecca’s Grand Mosque.

After Demands Aired, Solution to Qatar Crisis Seems Far Off

Associated Press/Naharnet/June 24/17/Faced with a sweeping set of demands, Qatar insisted Friday it can indefinitely survive the economic and diplomatic steps its neighbors have taken to try to pressure it into compliance, even as a top Emirati official warned the tiny country to brace for a long-term economic squeeze.Given 10 days to make a decision, Qatar said it was reviewing the specific concessions demanded of the tiny Persian Gulf nation, which include shuttering Al-Jazeera and cutting ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. But Qatari officials didn't budge from their previous insistence that they won't sit down with Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations to negotiate an end to the crisis while under siege. "I can assure you that our situation today is very comfortable," Qatari Ambassador to the U.S. Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani told The Associated Press. "Qatar could continue forever like that with no problems." Asked whether Qatar felt pressure to resolve the crisis quickly, he said: "Not at all."As the United States stepped back from any central mediating role, all sides seemed to be settling in for a potentially protracted crisis. Qatar's neighbors insisted their 13-point list of demands was their bottom line, not a starting point for negotiations. If Qatar refuses to comply by the deadline, the Arab countries signaled, they'll continue to restrict its access to land, sea and air routes indefinitely, as economic pressure mounts on Qatar. "The measures that have been taken are there to stay until there is a long-term solution to the issue," Emirati Ambassador to the U.S. Yousef al-Otaiba said in an interview. Suggesting the penalties would only be economic and diplomatic, he said "there is no military element to this whatsoever."
Having urged Qatar's neighbors to come up with "reasonable and actionable" demands, the U.S. sought to distance itself from the crisis the day after the Arab countries issued a list that included several provisions Qatar had already declared it could not or would not accept. But the ultimatum was quickly rejected by Qatar's ally, Turkey, and blasted as an assault on free speech by Al-Jazeera, the Qatari broadcaster that the gas-rich country's neighbors are demanding be shut down. The demands from the Saudis, the Emiratis, the Egyptians and the Bahrainis amount to a call for a sweeping overhaul of Qatar's foreign policy and natural gas-funded influence peddling in the region. Complying would force Qatar to bring its policies in line with the regional vision of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East's biggest economy and gatekeeper of Qatar's only land border. "This reflects basically an attempt from these countries to suppress free media and also undermine our sovereignty," said Al Thani, the Qatari envoy. "They are trying to impose their views on how the issues need to be dealt with in the Middle East."
"They are bullies," he added.
The demands include shutting news outlets, including Al-Jazeera and its affiliates; curbing diplomatic relations with Iran; and severing all ties with Islamist groups including the Muslim Brotherhood. The United Arab Emirates said the list was intended to be confidential. The AP obtained a copy from one of the countries involved in the dispute. The four countries cut ties with Qatar earlier this month over allegations that it funds terrorism — an accusation President Donald Trump has echoed. Qatar vehemently denies funding or supporting extremism but acknowledges that it allows members of some extremist groups such as Hamas to live in Qatar, arguing that fostering dialogue is key to resolving global conflicts. The move by Qatar's neighbors has left it under a de facto blockade. Although residents made a run on the supermarket in the days after the crisis erupted, the situation has since calmed as Qatar secured alternative sources of imported food from Turkey and elsewhere.
Yet resisting the demands could prove difficult. "The four states can afford to wait, but Qatar cannot," said Fawaz Gerges, a Middle East expert at the London School of Economics. "This crisis could threaten the political stability of the ruling family in Qatar in the long term if it lasts."
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has tried to mediate and earlier this week called on the Arab nations to limit themselves to "reasonable and actionable" demands. That call appeared to have been roundly ignored, and it was the Kuwaitis — who also offered to mediate — who delivered the list Thursday to Qatar. "This is an Arab issue that requires an Arab solution," Otaiba said. "That's why the Kuwaitis will take the lead in the negotiation."That's just fine, the U.S. said. At the White House, spokesman Sean Spicer called it a "family issue" among Arab states and declined to say whether the newly articulated demands were legitimate."This is something that they want to and should work out for themselves," Spicer said. Thrust into the middle of the crisis, the head of Al-Jazeera's English language service said the network remained committed to continuing its broadcasts. "Any call to close to down or curtail Al-Jazeera is nothing but an attempt to muzzle a voice of democracy in the region and suppress freedom of expression," he said by phone.
Underscoring the growing seriousness of the crisis, state-run Qatar Petroleum acknowledged Friday that some critically important employees "may have been asked to postpone" trips abroad "for operational reasons" due to the embargo. It described the move as "a very limited measure that could take place in any oil and gas operating company" to ensure uninterrupted supplies to customers.
Qatar's neighbors are also demanding that it:
—Curb diplomatic ties with Iran, and limit trade and commerce.
—Stop funding other news outlets, including Arabi21, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and Middle East Eye.
—Hand over "terrorist figures" and wanted individuals from the four countries.
—Stop all means of funding for groups or people designated by foreign countries as terrorists.
—Pay an unspecified sum in reparations.
—Stop all contacts with the political opposition in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain.
Source

Weeks after the boycott, no positive signs from Qatar
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 24 June 2017/There are no positive signs from Qatar, weeks after the Gulf boycott. The Qatari attempts aim to put some pressure on its neighbors to end the boycott at times, and to push for a decision to re-open the Qatari airspace at other times.
Doha said that the list of demands of the the Gulf States - Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahraion – along with Egypt, is unreasonable and unrealistic. At the same time, it announced its intention to review the list and send an official response through the Foreign Ministry. This is what has prompted politicians to question the quality of the review that Qatar will undertake as it initially described the demands as unrealistic. For his part, Yousef al-Otaiba,the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the US, considered that it was better for Qatar to openly express its point of view instead of leaking news about the document, stressing that if Doha does not abide by those demands, things will not change.
UN offer
The escalation of the crisis between Qatar and its neighbors has prompted the United Nations to offer help in resolving the dispute. It is worth noting that Qatar attempted to end the boycott by going to the International Civil Aviation Organization of the United Nations, to request more routes to be added to its airspace, and therefore, the organization is scheduled to hold a special session next Friday to discuss the country’s demand. For its part, the United States, which is trying to mediate between the parties, asked in a statement issued by the White House, the three Gulf States and Egypt to resolve the crisis amicably, considering the crisis as a family issue.

Gulf Accuses Qatar of Thwarting Mediation through Leaking List of Demands
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 24/17/Al-Dammam, Abu Dhabi – The Gulf’s crisis with Qatar took a new turn after a list of Gulf and Arab demands delivered to the emirate was leaked to the media.
The list, compiled by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, was handed to Doha by Kuwait, which is playing a mediator role in the crisis. The four countries later accused Qatar of “leaking” the list to the media, which will lead to further escalation. In the most caustic response to the leak, the UAE warned that the development is tantamount to an announcement of the failure of the mediation efforts. UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash declared: “The leak is aimed at leading to the failure of the mediation in an immature step that we have grown accustomed to from our brother.”
“It was better off adopting a more mature approach and dealing with the demands of its neighbors seriously,” he added. “We can no longer accept the role of the ‘Trojan Horse’ from our brother against its Gulf environment,” he stated. It can no longer continue to fund extremism and act as political and media platform for it, the minister announced, stressing: “There are conditions to its return to the Gulf fold.”The 13-point list includes a demand on the closure of the al-Jazeera television station that is owned by Qatar. It also demanded that Doha limit its ties with Iran.
The demands, which were not officially declared, also call for the closure of the Turkish military base in Qatar, prompting an immediate refusal by Defense Minister Fikri Isik.
“Reassessing the military base agreement with Qatar is not open to debate,” he commented.
“The base is aimed at training Qatari soldiers and preserving Qatar and the region’s security. No one should be upset with this… Any demand for us to stop this collaboration will be interpreted as meddling in bilateral ties,” he explained. Qatar was urged to cut its ties with terrorist organizations, including the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS, al-Nusra Front, Fatah al-Sham and Lebanon’s “Hezbollah”. Doha must cease its backing of the terrorists and turn over internationally and regionally wanted suspects. The emirate has ten days to comply with these demands before they are rendered null and void. Doha was called on to hand over all terrorist fugitives it is harboring, stop the financing of terrorism and refrain from destabilizing the region. It must stop all media networks and end its meddling in the internal affairs of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.
Furthermore, the list of demands calls on Doha to stop naturalizing the citizens of these four countries. Qatar must pay compensations to these countries for any damage they incurred over the years due to Doha’s policies. The implementation of these demands should be monitored and monthly reports will be issued on the matter during the first year of their adoption and every three months in the next.
Sources in Cairo questioned the content of the leak, saying that it is inaccurate, because the reasons for the boycott of Qatar are much greater than what was cited.
“Doha does not abide by Arab consensus. It took part in the Islamic-Arab-US summit in Riyadh and yet it later ignored the Riyadh declaration. It refuses everything that will take it back to the Arab fold. It is also seeking to hinder the work of the Gulf Cooperation Council through undiplomatic practices.”
“The Kuwait mediation is just an attempt that will reveal in the coming days the extent to which Qatar has been receptive to it,” added the sources, who chose to remain anonymous.
Qatari officials have not commented on the demands of the four countries, but its Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani had on Monday announced that it will only carry out negotiations with them if they cease their measures against Doha.

Qatar naturalizing Bahraini citizens among key Gulf rift concerns

Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 24 June 2017/Qatar's naturalization of Gulf citizens, specifically those from Bahrain, has emerged as a key point of contention between Doha and several boycotting member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Several media outlets, including Al Arabiya, began to report in 2014 on the migration of several Bahraini families to Qatar, most of whom were Sunnis.At the time, such policy was viewed as unfriendly toward Bahrain from a sister Gulf emirate. During the same year, when Gulf states withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar, Manama accused Doha explicitly of naturalizing Bahrainis for reasons that seemed dangerous. Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa explained the matter clearly in a television interview at the time, saying that Bahrainis were being lured toward the Qatar nationality on grounds that they have a family affiliation in Doha, accusing Qatar of dealing with the issue on a sectarian basis as the latter was naturalizing Sunni Bahraini citizens, not Shiites. According to analysts, this was seen as a deliberate disruption of the country's social structure. The ambassadors’ crisis in 2014 came to an end when Gulf countries demanded Doha stop naturalizing Bahrainis, but Manama's concerns continued and has further increased in its accusations that Qatar supports extremist groups seeking to overthrow the Bahraini regime.

UAE, Saudi, Bahrain envoys meet with Turkish FM official on Qatar
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 24 June 2017/The Emirati, Saudi and Bahraini ambassadors to Turkey have met with a Turkish foreign ministry official on Friday to discuss Ankara’s stance on the Gulf states’ political dispute with Qatar. The three envoys stressed the position of their countries decision to cut ties with Qatar earlier this month, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism and destabilizing the region. They also stressed that what is happening is a boycott of Qatar and not a blockade, and that is motivated by the “desire of these countries to confront terrorism and preserve their national security.”Kuwait has handed over a list of demands to Qatar from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt, and has given Doha 10 days to implement them. The list of demands, according an Associated Press report, included shutting down Al Jazeera, cutting diplomatic ties with Iran and immediately halting the establishing of a Turkish military base in Qatar and ending any military cooperation with the NATO member.

At Least Three Killed in Mosul Suicide Attacks
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 24/17/Suicide bombers attacked a shopping district of east Mosul that was retaken from the jihadists months ago, killing at least three people, medical and security officials said Saturday. The attack struck the Muthanna neighbourhood late on Friday as residents shopped ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. "The first suicide bomber blew himself up as he was being stopped by a policeman, who died on the spot," a senior police officer said. A second bomber managed to enter a shopping arcade and blew himself up among civilians, killing at least two and wounding nine, according to the same officer and a medic at Al-Khansaa hospital. A third suicide bomber was killed by police before he could detonate his vest, the sources said. The attack was not the first but among the bloodiest since Iraqi forces retook the eastern side of Mosul in January as part of a massive offensive to wrest back the country's second city from IS. Residents in areas retaken from the jihadists have warned that sleeper cells remain a threat and that cursory screening has allowed many IS supporters to return to civilian life without facing justice. There had been growing calls in east Mosul before Friday night's attack for the families of IS members to be banished for 10 years, among other measures.

Journalist with French TV Dies of Wounds from Mosul Blast
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 24/17/Journalist Veronique Robert, wounded in the same landmine blast that killed two colleagues in the Iraqi city of Mosul earlier this week, has died, employers France Televisions announced Saturday. Robert had been operated on in Baghdad and then flown back for treatment in France overnight Thursday to Friday, but died of her wounds, the public broadcaster said in a statement. French colleague Stephan Villeneuve and Iraqi Kurdish reporter Bakhtiyar Addad were also killed in Monday's blast. All three were working for production company #5 Bis Productions on a programme for the French news programme Envoye Special, aired on public television channel France 2.A fourth journalist with them, Samuel Forey, suffered light injuries. Robert, 54, was an experienced war correspondent specialising in coverage of the Middle East, Iraq in particular, said the statement from France Televisions.  They were accompanying Iraqi special forces during the battle for the city, where jihadists from the Islamic State group entrenched in the narrow streets of the old town have set numerous booby traps. France Televisions and #5 Bis Productions paid tribute to Robert's work and offered their condolences to her family in the statement. Her producer Nicolas Jaillard wrote in a Facebook post that they had been hoping for better news. "The word sadness is not enough to describe how we feel," he added. Reporters without Borders (RSF), the Paris-based media rights watchdog, also saluted her.
In comments on his Twitter account RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire lamented the fact that too many foreign correspondents were being killed on the front line. According to RSF's own tally, her death brings to 29 the number of journalists killed in Iraq since 2014. On Tuesday, the French president's office announced that Villeneuve would be posthumously awarded the knight of the Legion of Honour, one of France's highest honours.

Second N. Korean Soldier Defects to S. Korea in a Month
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 24/17/A North Korean soldier defected to the South after crossing the heavily fortified border, a defense ministry spokesman said Saturday, the second soldier to defect this month. "A North Korean soldier defected to one of our Guard Posts at around 9:30 p.m. on Friday at the middle section of the border," the spokesman said, according to a report by the Yonhap news agency. "He has been taken into custody for questioning," he added. There was no exchange of fire between the two sides when the North Korean soldier, a private, smuggled himself across the border to the south, the Yonhap report said. His defection came after another North Korean soldier swam across a river to defect to South Korea on June 13, with styrofoam pieces strapped to both shoulders to stay afloat. Over the decades since the peninsula was divided, dozens of North Korean soldiers have fled to the South through the Demilitarised Zone, which extends for two kilometers either side of the actual border. A North Korean soldier defected to the South in September last year, and a teenage North Korean soldier defected in June 2015. In 2012 a North Korean soldier walked unchecked through rows of electrified fencing and surveillance cameras, prompting Seoul to sack three field commanders for a security lapse. More than 30,000 North Korean civilians have fled their homeland but it is very rare for them to cross the closely guarded inter-Korean border, which is fortified with minefields and barbed wire. Most flee across the porous frontier with neighboring China.

Egypt’s Sisi ratifies agreement transferring Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 24 June 2017/Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ratified a maritime demarcation agreement that sees his country cede sovereignty over two uninhabited Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, the government said in a statement on Saturday.
The Egyptian parliament approved last Wednesday the demarcation of the maritime border with Saudi Arabia, which includes handing over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir located in the Red Sea at the southern entrance of the Gulf of Aqaba to Saudi Arabia. Parliament Speaker Ali Abdelaal announced the parliament’s approval of the agreement after the vote.In April 2016, Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed their maritime border demarcation agreement, under which Saudi Arabia would have the right to sovereignty over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir in the Red Sea at the Straits of Tiran to the Gulf of Aqaba. The Egyptian Government has confirmed before parliament on Sunday that the islands of Tiran and Sanafir do in fact belong to Saudi Arabia, and Egypt has no sovereignty on them.

Ankara Asks Washington for ‘Joint Mechanism’ to Disarm Kurds of US Arms
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 24/17/Ankara – Turkey is seeking to establish a “joint mechanism” with the United States aimed at gathering the weapons that Washington recently sent to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). The arms were sent as part of the US support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Ankara is seeking to gather them as soon as Syria’s Raqqa city is liberated from the ISIS terrorist group. Turkey’s step came in wake of US Defense Secretary James Mattis’ written pledge to Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik to grant Ankara access to the list of weapons that were sent to the YPG. He pledged that they will be gathered as soon as ISIS is defeated in Raqqa so that Turkey’s security is safeguarded against any danger stemming from the armament of these units.He is also seeking for the liberation of the city to be carried out by a force that is 80 percent comprised of Arab troops. Isik said in an interview on Friday night that he will discuss this pledge with Mattis when they meet on the sidelines of the NATO defense ministers meeting scheduled for Brussels on June 28. He will also discuss with the US official the number of arms that were sent to the SDF seeing as there are discrepancies in the figures that Washington provided Ankara with and the ones that are published in the media. Isik deemed Mattis’ pledge as “positive” because it takes into account Turkey’s concerns over the YPG, which Ankara has labeled as terrorist. The YPG makes up the bulk of the SDF. “It was important that they make a written pledge,” he said of Mattis’ vow. It remains to be seen if the pledge will be fulfilled, added Isik, while warning that Turkey will “immediately” retaliate to any threat from the YPG. “We are assessing the threats that may emerge after the Raqqa operation. We will take the measures that will completely secure the borders. Turkey has the right to eliminate the terrorist threats there,” he added. The battle to liberate Raqqa from ISIS started two weeks ago and Washington is relying on the SDF alliance to achieve the goal. It has also rejected Turkish efforts to take part in the operation.

ISIS Regroups in Kirkuk as Questions Surround Iran’s Plans
Asharq Al-Awsat/June 24/17/Erbil – Although Iraqi forces are close to ending the battle to liberate Mosul and eliminating ISIS militarily in Iraq, some areas in the Kirkuk province, Hamrin Basin and the outskirts of the Tuz Khurmatu district have recently witnessed intense ISIS movements.
The terrorists’ numbers have increased dramatically despite the presence of Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) military bases not far from these areas, raising questions about Tehran’s plans in the region. “The Iranian regime wants to disrupt the referendum process on the independence of Kurdistan through ISIS’s control over Kirkuk,” Kurdish security sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The referendum is due to be held in September and the Kurdish leadership wants it to take place in disputed areas, like Kirkuk. Sources added that Iran wants Kirkuk to be controlled by the Popular Mobilization Forces under the pretext of liberating it from ISIS. They noted that Iranian ambassador to Iraq Irj Musjidi, who is one of the leaders of Guards’ Quds Force, is supervising the implementation of the plan. For his part, commander of the military wing of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) in Iran Hussein Yazdan Banna told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Iranian regime, through the IRGC and Musjidi, is overseeing the implementation of a plan by ISIS in the district of Hawija, a province of Kirkuk that is under the control of the terrorists. The plan, Banna said, is to launch a large-scale attack on Kirkuk and occupy it or occupying a strategic area close to it to give the Popular Mobilization Forces an excuse to mobilize and send large numbers of its armed forces to Kirkuk under the pretext of liberating and protecting it. This will achieve the Iranian goal of separating Kirkuk from Kurdistan, preventing it from participating in the referendum and disrupting the referendum altogether.
Banna pointed out that Hawija, Hamrin Basin and the Tuz Khurmatu district on the western and southern sides of the province of Kirkuk, have been witnessing intense movements by ISIS, which launched in the past weeks many attacks on Peshmerga forces positions.

Pentagon: ‘Political Vacuum Enabled Qaeda to Expand in Yemen’

Asharq Al-Awsat/June 24/17/Washington- Since al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the September 11, 2011 attacks on the United States and the US military campaigns did not stop, in an effort to stamp out the most dangerous terrorist organization. One of the most prominent US campaigns against the organization is the one in Yemen, where the Qaeda’s branch in the Arabian Peninsula has been under a series of attacks aimed at destroying its ability to coordinate foreign terrorist attacks and preventing it from seizing areas controlled by the legitimate Yemeni government. US Central Command spokesman Maj. Josh Jacques told Asharq Al-Awsat that US forces have intensified their attacks on Qaeda strongholds and have launched more than 80 raids in the past four months. Jacques stressed that they are keen to ensure the safety of innocent victims, pointing to “continuous coordination” with the legitimate government led by President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. The US military official said: “We have made progress, but we still have a lot to do. Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is a huge terrorist group that is still capable of attacking our country and the US citizens.”The Yemeni leadership is working with Arab allies to eliminate the Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula from its provinces,” he added. He pointed out that the United States has launched since 28 February more than 80 strikes on Qaeda militants, their infrastructure, combat sites and equipment. “US forces also eliminated dozens of Qaeda terrorists from the battlefield in the Arabian Peninsula, including Abu Khattab al Awlaqi, the chief of the terrorist organization in Shabwa,” Jacques said. “Awlaki was a senior commander in charge of planning terrorist attacks against civilians. He had significant influence in the organization, had connections with other senior leaders of the group and was involved in planning and leading efforts to exacerbate instability in southern Yemen,” he added.

Iranian Militias Enter Deir Ezzor, Expand Control on Borders with Iraq

Asharq Al-Awsat/June 24/17/Beirut- Syrian regime forces and Iranian-backed militias have entered the administrative borders of Deir Ezzor for the first time since the launch of the largest military operation to control the Syrian desert and expand on the borders with Iraq.
Members of Iraqi resistance movement “Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba” and pro-regime Syrian, Lebanese, Iranian, Afghani gunmen and regime forces entered the administrative borders of Deir Ezzor on Friday from its southeastern countryside near Iraq after clashes with ISIS militants in the desert few kilometers from the borders. Pro-regime forces managed to cross the administrative border of Deir Ezzor after controlling the areas of al-Waer, al-Washash and several other areas that were within the control areas of ISIS eastern Syria. This strategic advance by the regime forces allowed them to expand their control and presence on the Syrian-Iraqi border, reaching about 85 kilometers of control and presence on the border, about 12 kilometers from the T2 station southeast Deir Ezzor.
This progress comes as the regime forces seek to force ISIS militants to withdraw from the largest area of the desert and the Syrian territories. Meanwhile, violent clashes broke out between the regime forces and ISIS in several areas in the eastern countryside of Homs and the vicinity of Umm al-Tababir while the helicopters bombed areas on the road between the cities of Palmyra and al-Sakhana, amid heavy shelling by the regime forces on several areas in the eastern countryside of Homs.
On the battle line of Raqqa, clashes continued between the US-backed “Syrian Democratic Forces” on one hand, and ISIS on the other hand in several directions in Raqqa and its outskirts, in preparation for drawing a straight line that links the north of the city to the east in order to start the second phase of Raqqa battle soon.

Gripping Tales Lure War-Weary Syrians to Damascus Cafe
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 24/17/With a slender sword in one hand and an antique storybook in the other, Ahmad al-Lahham captivates a packed Damascus coffeehouse with tales of ancient kingdoms and brave conquerers. Every evening, the 58-year-old heads to the cosy Nawfara cafe in the Old City of Syria's war-torn capital to perform as a traditional Arabic storyteller or "hakawati". He sheds his furniture maker's outfit and dons a bright red Ottoman-style cap, or tarboosh, reading out handwritten stories from the curling, yellowing pages of an old book.
"This occupation is steadily going extinct. I am the only hakawati left in the Old City," he says. "If I stop, there will be no storytellers left."Lahham, who also goes by the stage name "Abu Sami", settles into an ornately-carved wooden chair on a raised platform overlooking the cafe, where young men sip tea and smoke on bubbling water pipes. Clearing his throat, he opens with a well-known tale of 13th-century ruler Baibars before moving on to the heroic antics of Antarah Ibn Shaddad, a pre-Islamic knight. He says such tales of courage and conquest have become much more popular, at the expense of traditional poems or romantic stories, since Syria's war erupted in 2011. "We went through a period where we wouldn't come out much, but the owner of this coffee shop insisted that hakawatis continue to tell stories -- even if he and I were the only ones left," Lahham says."But today, as you can see, the situation is much better, and dozens of people wait for me every night."
- 'We come to forget' -The storytelling nights usually happen once a week but during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends this weekend, the show is daily. Listeners pack the cafe in the shadow of the famed Ummayad mosque late in the evening after breaking their fast. Many stay until the early hours of the morning to enjoy some sustenance before the fast resumes at dawn. Damascus residents have grown accustomed to regular rocket and mortar fire from rebel-held districts on the edges of the capital, with occasional rounds even reaching the Old City. But those fronts have calmed since a May deal that saw opposition fighters withdraw from several neighbourhoods, along with a separate agreement on "de-escalation" zones -- including one in a rebel stronghold just outside the capital.
Even so, the war is never far away, and listeners at Nawfara say the hakawati nights help them escape it, even if just for a few hours. "We're living every little part of the crisis everywhere we go. Every media outlet broadcasts tragedies. So we come to the coffee shops to forget -- the hakawati's tales help us do that," 49-year-old Mohammad Duyub says. A regular at Nawfara for over 20 years, he occupies a prime seat in the corner of the cafe, a ribbon of smoke curling up from his water pipe as he watches the storyteller.
"His performance takes us back to the past to escape the reality we're living," he says. "The hakawati gives us space to breathe."- 'Preserving the tradition' -Mohammad Jaafar, 57, closes his eyes and focuses on Abu Sami's booming voice. "Since Ramadan started, I've made sure to follow the story of Sultan Baibars because it's exciting and beautiful. It reminds us of the powerful history that we're proud of -- compared to our current situation," he says. Nawfara's wood-panelled walls and ceiling are decorated with Damascene mosaics which, its owner says, date back to the 17th century.
One wall features rows of framed photographs of historical figures who feature in Abu Sami's tales -- as well as a simple portrait of an elderly man in a red tarboosh and white robe. The Arabic caption reads: "Abdelhamid al-Hawari, the first hakawati of Damascus, born 1885."But the art of public storytelling is on the decline, says Wassim Abdalhay. The 32-year-old was once a full-time hakawati but financial woes forced him to take a day job at a local power station. During Ramadan, he performs each evening at a luxurious downtown restaurant under the stage name Abu Shadi, sporting loose black pants, a white cap and his own thick storybook. "Before the crisis, there was a huge group of us who would travel to Gulf countries and perform Damascene folklore. But because of the situation, we weren't able to travel -- so we focused on preserving the tradition here," Abdalhay tells AFP. "We're currently suffering a hakawati shortage. I could count those that are left in the country on one hand."

US Wanted Terror Leader May Have Fled Philippine City, Army Says
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/June 24/17/One of America's most wanted terrorists may have escaped a five-week battle with Islamist militants in a southern Philippine city, which began with a raid to capture him, the military said Saturday. Isnilon Hapilon, a veteran Filipino militant said to be the leader of the Islamic State (IS) group in Southeast Asia, has not been seen in the battle zone in Marawi City, said Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez, head of the military's Western Mindanao Command.
An attempt by government troops to arrest Hapilon in Marawi on May 23 triggered a rampage by Islamist militants flying black IS flags and backed by some foreign fighters who seized parts of the mainly Muslim city. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in Marawi and the entire southern region of Mindanao, unleashing an offensive to crush what he said was an attempt by the jihadist group to establish a province in the area. "He (Hapilon) has not been seen in the area. We have some reports that he was already able to slip somewhere but as of now we are still confirming the reports," Galvez said in an interview with DZBB radio station.
Asked if Hapilon was on the run, he said: "Yes, yes because reportedly he suffered a lot of casualties. Majority of his group, more than half, were casualties." - $5 million bounty -Hapilon was indicted in Washington for his involvement in the 2001 kidnapping of three Americans in the Philippines, and has a $5-million bounty on his head from the US government, which has his name on its "most wanted" terror list. He leads a faction of the Philippine militant group Abu Sayyaf that has pledged allegiance to IS. Security analysts say he has been recognised by IS as its "amir", or leader, in Southeast Asia, a region where the group wants to establish a caliphate. The military says Hapilon's group had joined forces with another armed militancy, the Maute Group, to launch the Marawi siege, now on its second month. On Saturday, security forces continued intense air raids and artillery fire on pockets of Marawi still occupied by the militants, while troops fought house-to-house gunbattles on the ground.
"The operation is going on, the firefights are intense. We have gained substantial ground," said Galvez, the military commander. Nearly 300 militants and 67 government troops have been killed in the fighting, according to official figures. Galvez said there are "strong indications" that two or three of the Maute brothers -- among the key players in the siege -- had been killed, including Omarkhayam Maute, believed to be the group's top leader. Only one brother, Abdullah, has been visible in the fighting, Galvez added.
- Foreign fighters -Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in Manila the military is "validating an intelligence report" that Malaysian Mahmud bin Ahmad, who helped lead and finance the Marawi siege, died from wounds he had sustained in the early days of the fighting. Abella said he would not officially confirm the death unless government troops recovered the remains.When asked about Mahmud's reported death, Malaysia's Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar told AFP in a text message in Kuala Lumpur: "Not true. He is still alive." Abella said authorities were also verifying another intelligence report that 89 foreign fighters are in Mindanao, entering the region through the Philippines' porous maritime borders with Malaysia and Indonesia.Galvez said troops on Friday recovered two decomposing corpses that bore features of people from the Middle East.
Eight other militants, including those from Chechnya, Indonesia and Malaysia, had been killed earlier in the fighting, defence chief Delfin Lorenzana has said. Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines on June 19 launched joint patrols on their maritime borders to block the movement of the militants.
Australia said Friday it will send two high-tech spy planes to help Filipino troops fight the militants, joining the US which has also provided similar help.

Extremist Groups Come Out of Shadows in Quebec
Tattooed and wearing a black t-shirt emblazoned with a wolf paw, Patrick Beaudry admits being in the second year of a political movement "that is perhaps more radical" than others. La Meute, a far-right group in Quebec of which he is a founder, does not promote extremist or racist views, he insists, while confessing a liking for the French National Front of Marine Le Pen. His motivation, however, is unequivocal. "Our fight is with radical Islam," Beaudry told AFP. La Meute is not a lone actor in Quebec. Other groups seeking independence or opposing immigration include Soldiers of Oden and the Federation of Native Quebecers (FQS). They are all close or affiliated to the far-right. Engaged by issues such as secularism or the veiling of Muslim women, they are no longer shy to speak out to try and influence political debate. "What I hear from the National Front charms me," says Beaudry, who also agrees with the position of the FQS, which welcomed Le Pen's recent visit to Quebec, which proved fertile ground. About 20 percent of expatriates in the province voted for Le Pen in French presidential elections in April -- twice the rate of support of French citizens residing throughout Canada. Membership of groups such as La Meute -- some of which are interlaced and affiliated with international organizations -- range from a few dozen to thousands. Most are held together by the charisma of their leader."A group can disappear overnight because of an internal schism or a decision by its members to self-dissolve or go underground," said Aurelie Campana, a far-right specialist in Canada.But the movements are undoubtedly coming out of the woodwork. -
Refugee tensions -"Until very recently, these extreme right-wing groups refused to be part of political debates and public discourse," said the professor at Laval University in Quebec City. "Many associate the extreme right with racism and, to say racist is to be stigmatized. These groups want to seen as legitimate," Campana added. Tensions, however, have run high.
Last fall, 50 far right sympathizers protested outside the Quebec legislature waving placards that read: "Death to Terrorists, Islam out."And in March, nearly 200 demonstrated against a motion in Canada's parliament condemning Islamaphobia. The motion was adopted after a shooting rampage at a mosque in Quebec City killed six worshippers. The far right quickly distanced itself from the action of the young attacker seemingly inspired by their rhetoric who is now in custody awaiting prosecution.
A refugee group also noted that shooter Alexandre Bissonnette espoused in online posts positions taken by US President Donald Trump, Le Pen and a Quebec group that rejects multiculturalism.
But, like their brethren in Europe, the far-right groups in Canada have taken a firm stand against immigration, seizing on problems arising from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's welcoming of 40,000 Syrian refugees. "Extreme right-wing groups in Quebec have a number of objectives," said Maxime Fiset, a former FQS member. They are "anti-immigrant, ultra-nationalist or neo-fascist," and see secularism as a means to combat radical Islam, he said.
La Meute and its contemporaries hope to make a breakthrough in next year's elections in the French-speaking province where liberals now rule. Horizon Quebec Actuel, another party affiliated with France's National Front, contested a by-election in late May in Montreal. Its campaign posters featured the split image of a young woman wearing a blue bonnet on one side and a black veil (niqab) on the other. "We ask immigrants to adopt the customs of the people of Quebec, it has nothing to do with racism," said its leader Alexandre Cormier-Denis.

China landslide leaves at least 140 missing in Sichuan
Sat 24 Jun 2017/NNA - About 40 homes were destroyed in Xinmo village in Maoxian county, after the side of a mountain collapsed at about 06:00 local time (22:00 GMT Friday).
Rescue teams are frantically searching for survivors trapped beneath rocks. Pictures posted by the People's Daily newspaper show bulldozers moving earth and large boulders as the rescue effort continues.A couple and a baby were rescued and taken to hospital after teams of workers used ropes to move large rocks while dozens of others searched the rubble, AFP news agency reports, citing local authorities. The landslide blocked a two-kilometre (1.2-mile) stretch of a river, Xinhua news agency reports, citing local officials. Local police told state broadcaster CCTV the landslide had been triggered by recent heavy rains in the region and that the situation was made worse by a lack of vegetation in the area. "There are several tonnes of rock," police captain Chen Tiebo told the broadcaster, adding: "It's a seismic area here." Roads in the county were closed on Saturday to all traffic except emergency services, the news agency said. Landslides are a regular danger in mountainous regions of China, especially during heavy rains. ---BBC

Statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs on National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism
June 23, 2017 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:
“It was 32 years ago today that 329 people, most of them Canadians, were killed in the bombing of Air India Flight 182. As we remember the victims of that attack, we pledge to never cease in our efforts to prevent terrorism and to bring the perpetrators of such violence to justice.
“Terrorism attempts to assault tolerant, liberal democracies and the most fundamental rights of citizens: the right to life, liberty and security. It fails because those who commit such horrific acts think they can change our way of life and the values in which we believe, but in reality, their hate only strengthens our resolve to defeat the ideologies that fuel it.
“The outpouring of support following the attack on worshippers at a mosque in the city of Québec last winter is just one recent example of how, in the face of violent extremist behaviour, Canadians rally for peace and inclusion for everyone. While we will forever mourn these losses, and all others caused by similar hateful behaviour, we will not let our lives be governed by fear.
“On the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, we pay tribute to all those killed or harmed by acts of terror. In their name, we commit to doing whatever we can to make sure the values that define who we are and how we live always triumph over hate.”
Contacts
Media Relations Office/Global Affairs Canada

Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 24-25/17
The GCC crisis: Draconian demands and juvenile politics
Rami G Khouri/AlJazeera/June 24/17
The GCC's latest ultimatum to Qatar reflects regional fantasy, rather than reality.
The list of demands that Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries say Qatar must comply with in order to end the diplomatic and trade siege they imposed on the country two weeks ago is so draconian and broad that it mainly raises new questions about the efficacy, motivation, and desired outcome of the Saudi-Emirati-led isolation of Qatar.
The demands leaked on Friday are so extreme and unrealistic in their scope, severity, and credibility that, if they are indeed accurate, they may backfire and hurt the Saudi and Emirati governments that are at odds with political realities in the Middle East instead of Qatar.
In the 13-point list, the countries demand Qatar to shut down the Al Jazeera network and other media it sponsors, scale down ties with Iran, sever all alleged ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups like Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), and take other measures related to its relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Their most bizarre demand is to audit Qatar once a month for the first year after an agreement is reached, once per quarter in the second year, and then annually for another decade. This should be seen as a telltale sign that this is more of a Hollywood mafia hit list or a delinquent court's juvenile fancies than the terms of a serious diplomatic negotiation about credible concerns. And it will elicit chuckles rather than any serious response in the region.
These demands came very late in the crisis - over two weeks after the start of the blockade and they have a severe and unrealistic nature, which makes it impossible for Qatar to comply and also remain a sovereign state. The demands are based on widely unsubstantiated and exaggerated grievances against Qatar, which are more about differing political orientations and values than any alleged credible strategic threat.
The best that we can hope for is that this incident will push all concerned to focus more realistically on actual policy disagreements that can be resolved by reasonable compromises and concessions on both sides, rather than expressions of exaggerated fears in draconian punitive moves and threats.
Also, no major country in the world has so far lined up squarely behind the Saudi-Emirati siege of Qatar (those who did are countries hobbled by a severe dependency on GCC aid) while most governments have called for a negotiated and mediated resolution. Yet, the Saudi-Emirati leaders expect Qatar to submit to these "non-negotiable" demands, accept their permanent tutelage, and remain under surveillance, like a child being disciplined or a criminal being rehabilitated.
A few days ago the US State Department expressed puzzlement about the Saudi and Emirati leadership's reluctance to spell out their complaints about Qatar. It emphasised the necessity for these demands to be put forward so that serious mediation could kick into gear.
The US insisted that Qatar's neighbours should provide a list of "reasonable and actionable" demands - yet the list published on Friday does not seem to meet these criteria. The demands seek radical changes or total omissions of foreign and media policies that are central to Qatar's definition of its role in the region and the world, so they cannot possibly be met or even seriously considered in their current form.
The accusations that Qatar funds and promotes terrorism through a range of Arab and Iranian parties have not found serious support around the region or the world. Many political groups and analysts agree that Qatari-funded organisations, such as Al Jazeera Arabic, supported some of the populist Arab uprisings in 2010-11, but this consensus does not extend to accusations relating to "terrorism".
Doha's political relations with Iran, Hamas and other Islamists reflect the emirate's ideology of maintaining working relations with all principal political actors in the region, in order to enable conflict-resolution negotiations and other useful political contacts when possible. Consequently, Qatar's "crime" in the eyes of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates would seem to be that it seeks to engage with all the political and popular forces of the Middle East in order to maintain the balance of powers in the region.
This contrasts sharply with the Saudi-Emirati-Egyptian preference for asserting an old-fashioned paternalistic, top-heavy, security-anchored model of governance and public life that a majority of Arab people has tried to reject in the recent uprisings.
These demands and the sentiments behind them seem to be the consequence of two simultaneous attempts to assert power and self-confidence in the region. The first of these attempts was the dynamic moves by the Saudis and Emiratis in the past six years to use their military and financial muscle across the region (Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain) to beat back waves of citizen activism, free media, democratic populism, and rising Islamism that threatened their model of governance by welfare-state paternalism.
The second has been the assertion of political control in Saudi Arabia by the new crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman, who has little to show to date for the internal reforms he initiated, his Yemen war adventure and the move against Qatar.
How these dynamic, aggressive moves by Saudi-Emirati leaders will impact the region will be clarified in the coming weeks, when Qatar and others respond to these demands that clearly need to be revised and negotiated to come closer to political reality.
The biggest immediate threat from a continuation of the current standoff is to the integrity of the GCC. This standoff may jeopardise the stability of the Gulf region and other Arab states that depend on the cooperation for their economic wellbeing. As a result of the reconfiguration of the regional strategic balance, actors such as Iran, Turkey, Russia and Israel can also make bold moves and complicate things.
We should expect to see more of the same in the region - new tension, conflict, and disruptions in society and people's lives, as official and non-state forces show they are willing and able to resist the military and financial pressures by governments that take harsh and unrealistic measures to enforce unreasonable demands that are based on imprecise and non-credible analysis of realities of the region.
The best that we can hope for is that this incident will push all concerned to focus more realistically on actual policy disagreements that can be resolved by reasonable compromises and concessions on both sides, rather than expressions of exaggerated fears in draconian punitive moves and threats.
Rami G Khouri is senior public policy fellow and professor of journalism at the American University of Beirut, an internationally syndicated columnist, and a non-resident senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School.
**Rami G Khouri is a senior public policy fellow in the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut.

Europe Surrenders to Radical Islam
Guy Millière/Gatestone Institute/June 24/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=56534
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10574/europe-radical-islam
In spite of three attacks in three months, Britain does not seem to be choosing the path of vigilance and determination. June is not even over but the media barely talk about terrorism any more.
Then, in the early hours of June 19, a man who acted alone drove a van into a crowd of Muslims leaving Finsbury Park Mosque in London: the main "threat" to the British right now was soon presented in several newspapers as "Islamophobia".
Decolonization added the idea that the Europeans had oppressed other peoples and were guilty of crimes they now had to redeem. There was no mention of how, throughout history, recruits to Islam had colonized the great Christian Byzantine Empire, Greece, Sicily, Corsica, North Africa and the Middle East, most of the Balkans and eastern Europe, Hungary, northern Cyprus and Spain.
While most jihadist movements were banned by the British government, more discreet organizations have emerged and demurely sent the same message. The Islamic Forum for Europe, for example, depicts itself as "peaceful", but many of those it invites to speak are anything but that. The Islamic Human Rights Commission uses the language of defending human rights to disseminate violent statements against the Jews and the West.
London, June 5, 2017. A minute of silence is held at Potters Field Park, next to the City Hall, to pay tribute to the victims of the London Bridge jihadist attack three days before. Those who came have brought flowers, candles and signs bearing the usual words: "unity", "peace" and "love". Faces are sad but no trace of anger is visible. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, a Muslim, gives a speech emphasizing against all evidence that the killers' ideas have nothing to do with Islam.
A few hours after the attack, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May also refuses to incriminate Islam, but dares to speak of "Islamic extremism". She was immediately accused of "dividing" the country. On election day, June 8, her Conservative party lost the majority in the House of Commons. Jeremy Corbyn, a pro-terrorist, "democratic socialist", who demands the end of British participation in the campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS), led the Labour party to thirty more seats than it had earlier. In spite of three attacks in three months, Britain does not seem to choose the path of vigilance and determination. June is not even over but the media barely talk about terrorism any more. A devastating fire destroyed a building in North Kensington, killing scores of residents. Mourning the victims seems to have completely erased all memory of those killed in the terrorist attacks.
Then, in the early hours of June 19, a man who acted alone drove a van into a crowd of Muslims leaving Finsbury Park Mosque in London: the main "threat" to the British right now was soon presented in several newspapers as "Islamophobia".
The United Kingdom is not the main Muslim country in Europe, but it is the country where, for decades, Islamists could comfortably call for jihad and murder. Although most jihadist movements were banned by the British government, more discreet organizations have emerged and demurely spread the same message. The Islamic Forum for Europe, for example, depicts itself as "peaceful", but many of those it invites to speak are anything but that. One was Anwar al-Awlaki, who for years planned al-Qaeda operations until he was killed in Yemen in 2011 in an American drone strike. The Islamic Human Rights Commission uses the language of defending human rights to disseminate violent statements against Jews and the West.
The most flamboyant radical preachers have all but disappeared. The most famous among them, Anjem Choudary, was recently sentenced to five years and six months in prison for his open support of the Islamic State, but hundreds of imams throughout the country continue similar work. No-go zones, forbidden to the "infidels", continue to grow in big cities, and sharia courts continue to dispense a form of justice parallel to, but different from, the national one. Khuram Shazad Butt, one of the three London Bridge terrorists, could raise the Islamic State flag in front of cameras, be the main character of a documentary on jihad in Britain and still be considered "low priority" by the police. Salman Abedi, the Manchester killer, travelled to Libya and Syria for training before he decided to act; he could easily cross borders without being stopped.
The most famous of Britain's radical Islamic preachers, Anjem Choudary (pictured holding the microphone), was recently sentenced to five years and six months in prison for his open support of the Islamic State, but hundreds of imams throughout the country continue similar work. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Attempts to sound an alarm are rare, and quickly dismissed. Left-wing British politicians long ago chose to look the other way and indulge in complicity. Conservatives did not do much to help, either: after the uproar sparked by Enoch Powell's "Rivers of Blood" speech in 1968, British conservatives avoided the subject and became almost as complacent as their political opponents. In 2002, while portraying Islamism as the "new Bolshevism", Margaret Thatcher noted that "most Muslims deplore" terrorism. She described the "jihadist danger" without saying a single word on radical Muslims spreading Islamism in her own country.
In 2015, David Cameron said, "We need far more Muslim men and women at the head of British companies, more Muslim soldiers at the highest command posts, more Muslims in parliament, Muslims in a position of leadership and authority". He did not mention those who were joining jihad in London even as he was speaking.
When he was at the head of Britain's UKIP party, Nigel Farage said that there is a Muslim "fifth column" in the country. He was ferociously criticized for these words. Paul Weston, chairman of the GB Liberty party, was arrested by the police in 2014 for reading in public a text on Islam written by Winston Churchill. One wonders how Churchill would be regarded today.
Britain -- in spite of the Brexit referendum and even though it is more undermined by Islamization than most other European countries -- is fully imbued with a European, defeatist state of mind that corrodes its existence and is present throughout Europe.
At the end of World War II, Europe was exhausted and largely destroyed. The idea that prevailed among politicians was that it was necessary to make a clean sweep of the past. Nazism was described as the rotten fruit of nationalism and military power, and the only war that seemed to have to be waged was a war against war itself. Decolonization added the idea that the Europeans had oppressed other peoples and were guilty of crimes they now had to redeem. There was no mention of how, throughout history, recruits to Islam had colonized the great Christian Byzantine Empire, Greece, Sicily, Corsica, North Africa and the Middle East, most of the Balkans and eastern Europe, Hungary, northern Cyprus and Spain. Cultural relativism gained ground. The anti-Western revision of history gradually gained ground in media, culture, politics and education.
Immigrants from the Muslim world arrived in increasing numbers. They were not encouraged to integrate or respect the countries to which they came. In school, their children were told that European powers had misbehaved towards the Muslim world and that Muslim culture was at least as respectable as the Western one, maybe even more
Muslim districts emerged. Radical Islam spread. Whole neighborhoods came under the control of gangs and imams.
When violence erupted and riots took place, European politicians chose to placate them. European populations sometimes tried to resist, but they were constantly told that criticism of immigration and Islam is "racist". They were intimidated, pushed to shut up.
What is happening now in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe is merely a continuation.
European political leaders all know that radical Islam has swept throughout the continent, that hundreds of Muslim areas are under Islamic control, that thousands of potential jihadists are there, hidden among the immigrants and ready to murder, and that the police are overwhelmed.
They know that radical Islam has declared war on the Western world and that it is a real war. They see that they are prisoners of a situation they no longer control and that reversing the course of events would involve drastic actions they are not ready to take, such as closing thousands of mosques, taking back lost territories by force, arresting thousands of suspects, and deporting foreign jihadists.
They are aware that an apparently unstoppable replacement of population is underway in Europe and that there will be more attacks. They speak as if to limit the damage, not prevent it.
European populations also see what is happening. They watch as entire areas of European cities become foreign zones on European soil; they view the attacks, the wounded, the corpses. It seems as if they have simply lost the will to fight. They seem to have chosen preemptive surrender.
British political commentator Douglas Murray writes in his important new book, The Strange Death of Europe: "Europe is committing suicide. Or at least its leaders have decided to commit suicide". He then wonders if the Europeans will agree to go along with what is happening. For the moment, it seems, the answer is yes.
**Dr. Guy Millière, a professor at the University of Paris, is the author of 27 books on France and Europe.
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Baghdad and its growing slum problem
Adnan Hussein/Al Arabiya/June 24/17
Ten years from now, it’s very possible for Baghdad to turn into a city of slums. This will be the case as long as no one in the state wants to act or do anything to end these frequent violations.
According to a report published on Sunday by Al-Mada newspaper, the number of people who live in slums in Baghdad is currently over 2.6 million. The number is most probably much bigger as the data provided by Al-Mada is just an estimate and it’s not based on accurate statistics.
If we assume that the number is around 3 million, then in around 10 years, the number will increase by a million; the newborns of the people who currently live in the slums.
Iraq’s annual percentage growth rate is 3% and it’s one of the highest rates in the world. It’s also probable that another 1 million who arrived from other provinces will live in these slums. Nothing can prevent violations, even in the heart of the capital.
There’s no hope that they may even do anything to address this phenomenon’s security threats. Slums usually form a friendly environment for terrorism and organized crime
Slums and terrorism
In all cases, one cannot hope that Baghdad’s municipality or Baghdad’s province or that Baghdad’s operations command and other security apparatuses will work to confront this dangerous phenomenon. There’s no hope that they may even do anything to address this phenomenon’s security threats. Slums usually form a friendly environment for terrorism and organized crime.
Many slums in Baghdad and other cities are in fact protected by influential political parties or by armed groups. This makes it difficult for relevant apparatuses to prevent the growth of slums which do not only violate property but also violate public services through the illegal use of power, water and sanitation. It’s true that the serious housing crisis in the country is a major reason behind the expansion of slums and violations of public and private property. However the state’s absence is also another major reason. The state operates according to the law and there are apparatuses and institutions to impose this law.
Law violations
However, there’s a clear absence of law in the country! For example, no one abides by traffic regulations in the street. Taking a look at streets tells a lot about the state and tests its prestige. The driver who violates traffic laws and the shop owner who occupies the space in front of his shop to sell his merchandise will not hesitate to violate other laws and ignore the state.
In that Al-Mada report, a member of Baghdad’s council said “there is coordination with the government to launch a national campaign to eliminate slums and have the federal government compensate the people who live there and build residential units for them.”
We will continue to hear about this campaign for the next ten years and no results will be achieved. We will eventually realize that we need a national campaign to make this government impose the state’s prestige and rule of law.

GCC-EU: Beyond the oil relationship
Dr. Ibrahim Al-Othaimin/Al Arabiya/June 24/17
The General Secretariat of the GCC in Riyadh recently hosted a joint meeting with members of the EU Political and Security Committee (PSC). This high-ranking committee includes ambassadors of the EU member states in Brussels and representatives of the European External Action Service.
It is concerned with the formulation of EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CSFP), and the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP). The importance of such meetings can be described in the following points:
Firstly, the GCC is a stabilizing factor in the region as indicated by Ambassador Walter Stevens, chairman of the EU (PSC) who stated: “Partnership with the GCC is crucial to the EU. Visits to Kuwait and Riyadh come within the framework of improvement of relations with the GCC, a key stabilizing factor in the region”.
Terrorism is a common threat to the GCC and the EU that needs greater cooperation to multiply efforts with a view to defeating all terrorist organizations and to combatting extremist ideology
GCC stability
Hence, the GCC is not merely an oil market; rather, it significantly contributes to the proliferation of peace, security and stability. This was also emphasized by the secretary general of the GCC, who said: “the GCC does not only export oil, it also exports peace and security to the world”.
He added that the Middle East has not advanced a single step since the outbreak of the so-called Arab Spring, and described terrorism and illegal immigration as issues which are closely tied to the region’s stability, and real challenges facing the EU.
Secondly, the GCC is a key partner of the EU. Despite the lengthy period of negotiations around Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and the GCC, the volume of trade between the two blocs hit 155 billion euros in 2015. The EU is the number one business partner to the GCC, while the GCC is ranked 5th in the EU’s business relations with other blocs and countries. Thus, the GCC’s regional stability is a common interest. The two sides are expected to discuss many economic initiatives in the upcoming EU-GCC business forum in Riyadh.
The revolts and terrorism
Thirdly, terrorism is the focal issue concerning all countries of the world. There are close links between the uprisings that swept across the region and the increase in the terrorist groups. This is due to the lack of political stability, slackness of the security and military institutions, and the failure to protect borders in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen, which is a major threat to international peace and security.
Terrorism is a common threat to the GCC and the EU that needs greater cooperation to multiply efforts with a view to defeating all terrorist organizations and to combatting extremist ideology.
Finally, common interests and shared views on many issues between the GCC and the EU could serve as a solid ground on which to build strong strategic relations that will result in a balanced and equitable relationship.