LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
December 05/16
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletin16/english.december05.16.htm
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Bible Quotations For Today
The child
grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he
appeared publicly to Israel
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 01/67-80/:"John's
father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
‘Blessed be the Lord God of
I am speaking the truth in Christ I am not lying; my
conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit
Letter to the Romans 09/01-05/:"I am speaking the truth in Christ I am not
lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit. I have great sorrow and
unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and
cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the
flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the
adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the
promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh,
comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen."
Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on December
04-05/16
Marada rebuffs Aoun’s overture to Frangieh
Al-Rahi Urges Political Blocs to 'Abide by
Constitution, Facilitate Govt. Formation'
Bassil Reassures Safa on
Ties as Hizbullah Vows to Facilitate Govt. Formation
AMAL Says 'Shiite Duo' Not Seeking to Confront FPM-LF Alliance
Jumblat Holds Talks with Canadian Foreign Minister
Young Man, Woman Found Killed in Hermel
2 Syrian Terror Suspects Arrested in Tariq al-Jedideh
Lebanese flight attendants banned from flights to Israel
'Yes Hizballah!' Russian fighters repeat Shia prayers in Aleppo
Jumblatt meets Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister in
Clemenceau
Aoun awards Barakat
National Cedar medal
Alain Aoun partakes in Mediterranean Dialogue
Conference in Rome: Lebanon cannot bear any Syrian refugee's settlement
Bazzi: Amal offers what is
appropriate to facilitate cabinet's birth
Michel Mouawad marking his late father's 27th
assassination commemoration: For turning the page on disputes, rallying around
new presidential mandate
Local mayor and two journalists are shot dead by a sniper
The hopes, fears and lost role of Lebanon’s Christians
Israeli warships being built in shipyard owned by Abu-Dhabi and Lebanese firm
Lebanese tycoon and UAE firm 'co-building Israeli military vessels'
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 03-04/16
Canadian veteran, Michael Kennedy, fighting ISIL has been arrested in
Iraq, his mother says: ‘Nobody knows the reasons’
Iran vows 'firm response' unless Obama stops sanctions renewal
Saudi Arabia Condemns Smuggling of Weapons by Iran Regime for the Houthi Militants
Dozens of Iran Regime Agents and Mercenaries Killed in Aleppo
Call for Immediate Release of Those Arrested in A Ceremony in Iran
Iran Regime's Parliament Codifies a Triple - Urgency Plan to Resume Nuclear
Activities
Yemen, Urges the International Community to Stop Transfer of Iranian Regime's
Weapons to Houthis
Suspected Russian Raids Kill 46 across Syria's Idlib
Fierce Fighting in Syria's Aleppo as Army Advances
Aleppo Gain No Victory for Assad, Putin, Says British FM
Bahrain Court Upholds Bomb Blast Death Sentences
Secret Weddings and Phone Calls in Mosul under IS
Kurdish Curbs Harm Recovery of Iraq Yazidis, Says HRW
Europe Holds Its Breath as Italy Votes for Change
New Controversy Hits Israel Sub Deal over Iran Link
Cuba Buries Castro, Entering Post-Fidel Era
Four Gazans Killed in 'Flooded' Tunnel to Egypt
Links From Jihad
Watch Site for on December 04-05/16
One year
after San Bernardino jihad massacre, city aims to prevent anti-Muslim hate
crimes
NR then:
Muslim immigration ban “religious scapegoating.” NR
now: “Time for Honest Talk about Muslim Immigration.”
UK bans
three bishops from Iraq and Syria from entering the country.
UK
Charity Commission ignores, downplays Islamic
charity’s ties to jihad terror.
Germany:
Muslim migrant rapes and murders daughter of top EU official.
CNN’s
Van Jones: Muslims turn to jihad “when people say stuff like Trump. Trump kind
of helps make people radical”.
UK:
Police hunting for veiled woman with knife after teenager stabbed to death.
International
Qur’anic Studies Association scholars: Qur’an only
describes violence, doesn’t command it.
UK:
72-year-old Muslim jailed for grooming, repeatedly raping nine-year-old girl.
Links From Christian Today Site for on December 04-05/16
Putin
Says Trump 'Clever', Will Understand New Responsibilities.
Mourners
Gather At Church To Remember Oakland Fire Victims.
Rebels
Say They Won't Leave Aleppo; Syrian Army Sees Operation Over In Weeks.
Why
We Need To Be More Like Children To Really Understand Advent And Christmas.
The
Calais Refugee 'Problem' Has Merely Been Displaced, Not Solved.
Patience
Is A Virtue: Here's Why It's Good To Wait For Something Important...
Latest
Lebanese Related News published on December 04-05/16
Marada rebuffs Aoun’s overture to Frangieh
Hussein Dakroub/The Daily Star/December 05/16
BEIRUT: The Marada Movement has apparently rebuffed
President Michel Aoun’s conciliatory gesture to party
chief MP Sleiman Frangieh
to meet to break the deadlock over the government formation, saying Sunday that
a formal invitation was needed before the two rival leaders can get together.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea met with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri Sunday night at the latter’s Downtown Beirut
residence to discuss current political developments, particularly the ongoing
contacts over the formation of a government, a statement issued by Hariri’s
media office said.
The Marada Movement’s tough stance casts doubts about
Aoun’s initiative being able to facilitate the
Cabinet formation, as Hariri is striving to satisfy conflicting demands by
rival blocs vying for key ministerial portfolios, namely Telecommunications,
Public Works and Energy.
“President Michel Aoun must send an invitation to Marada Movement leader MP Sleiman
Frangieh to visit
“There are negative accumulations [of problems] as a result of the competition
between Frangieh and President Aoun
over the presidency. There are also negative accumulations [of problems] as a
result of the bilateral Christian agreement between the Free Patriotic Movement
and the Lebanese Forces” he said.
Declaring Aoun’s election an achievement for the
Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance, the media officer rejected accusations that the
Marada Movement was to blame for the obstruction of
the Cabinet formation, more than a month after Hariri was designated to set up
a government. “We should not be asked about the obstruction. We are defending
ourselves. We are demanding a weighty ministry and we reject the logic of
veto,” Sleiman Frangieh
added.
MTV quoted FPM sources as saying that the party was pondering the idea of
sending FPM leader and caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran
Bassil to the northern town of
The Marada media chief’s remarks came two days after Aoun issued a statement urging anyone with concerns
relating to the Cabinet formation to meet with him to resolve any outstanding
issues. The presidential statement was viewed as an implicit invitation to Frangieh to visit
Sources close to the Cabinet formation process said that Aoun
has launched an initiative aimed at ending the government standoff and is still
waiting for the parties’ responses. “President Aoun
is waiting for answers from concerned politicians to his initiative to break
the deadlock over the government formation,” a source close to the Cabinet
formation process told The Daily Star Sunday night. “The president’s initiative
has provided an opportunity for the rival parties to resolve the crisis over
the Cabinet formation. The president is seeking to find a solution to the
Cabinet formation problem.”
Asked if Aoun’s initiative can now be considered
stillborn given the Marada Movement’s negative
response, the source said: “The president’s initiative came as a result of
high-level contacts and it should be given sufficient time before deciding its
fate.”
Hezbollah, which is allied to both Aoun and Frangieh, is apparently trying to iron out differences over
the Cabinet formation. Aoun’s initiative came a day
after Bassil met with Hezbollah’s senior security
official Wafiq Safa to
discuss ways to bring Frangieh on board.
The Marada Movement’s insistence on being represented
in the new government with one of the three key ministerial posts – Telecommunications,
Energy or Public Works – is posing a major obstacle, holding up the formation
of a new government. It has already rejected offers of the Education or Culture
ministries, insisting on acquiring a public service portfolio.
Another hurdle delaying the Cabinet formation is the dispute between Speaker Nabih Berri and the LF over who
should get the Public Works Ministry. Berri has long
insisted on retaining control of both the Finance and Public Works ministries,
while the LF, which is allied with the FPM and Hariri’s Future Movement, is
also demanding the Public Works Ministry, in addition to other portfolios.
Berri has thrown his weight behind Frangieh, pledging that his Amal
Movement will not join a new government if the Marada
Movement is not represented in it with a key ministerial post. Hezbollah has
also warned that no government would be formed without the Marada
Movement being allocated a key ministerial post.
Berri stressed Sunday that the quick formation of a
new government was crucial for the passing of a new electoral law to replace
the controversial 1960 majoritarian law ahead of next
year’s parliamentary elections.
“We are in race against time with regard to an electoral law. Therefore, this
matter [electoral law] must not be faced with inactivity, but by concentrating
on drafting an electoral law. There is no excuse for anyone to delay this
matter,” Berri was quoted as saying by visitors at
his Ain al-Tineh residence.
In what appeared to be a response to caretaker Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk, who said last
week that parliamentary elections must either be based on the 1960 law or be
postponed because a new voting system would require more time to prepare, Berri said: “There is no need to use any deadline as a
pretext [to avoid a new electoral law]. Parliament, in discussing a draft
electoral law, can find an appropriate solution to these deadlines. Hence comes the role of the government and the Parliament speaker.
But what’s more important is the formation of the government.”
He vowed not to give up his efforts toward producing a new voting system, while
reiterating his rejection of a new extension of Parliament’s mandate, which has
been extended twice, as well as the 1960 electoral law.
Despite recent breakthroughs in the presidential election and the Cabinet
designation, political powers remain at odds over drafting an electoral law to
govern parliamentary elections scheduled for May 2017.
Berri, responding to claims that the Shiite community
is being targeted in the new presidential era, was quoted as saying: “I have
said I will not be an oppressor and I will not be oppressed. No one can isolate
us in case he is capable of isolating us. Also, no one can isolate anyone. I am
working and I’ll work and fight for the sake of the country.”
Al-Rahi Urges
Political Blocs to 'Abide by Constitution, Facilitate Govt. Formation'
Naharnet/December 04/16/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday called
on the country's politicians to “abide by the constitution” and facilitate the
formation of the new cabinet. The government must be “inclusive and competent
in line with the National Pact and the constitution,” al-Rahi
said in his Sunday Mass sermon. And calling on politicians to rise above
“personal and partisan interests,” the patriarch urged the political and
parliamentary blocs to “abide by the constitution and the Taef
Accord and to facilitate the formation of the government.”He
also called on them to seek “the country's welfare and the rise of the state of
law and institutions.”
Bassil Reassures Safa on Ties as Hizbullah Vows to Facilitate Govt. Formation
Naharnet/December 04/16/Head of Hizbullah's
Liaison and Coordination Committee Wafiq Safa has expressed the party's concerns regarding the new
presidential tenure during a meeting with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil,
a media report has said. “Safa raised Hizbullah's concerns regarding a possible change in Rabieh's stances, commitments and choices as Bassil reassured him that Rabieh
has not changed its policies,” al-Markazia news agency
reported. Bassil, however, told the Hizbullah official that “the president cannot be a party
but rather a president for all Lebanese.”“The two
parties also stressed that the cabinet must be formed as soon as possible in
order to preserve the momentum with which the new presidential tenure has
started,” the agency added. “Bassil urged Safa to exert all efforts possible in this regard,
especially that the obstacle is only revolving around one ministerial
portfolio, and the latter promised cooperation,” al-Markazia
said.
AMAL Says 'Shiite Duo' Not Seeking to
Confront FPM-LF
Naharnet/December 04/16/A senior official of Speaker Nabih Berri's AMAL Movement
announced Sunday that AMAL and Hizbullah are not
seeking a confrontation with the rising Lebanese Forces-Free Patriotic Movement
alliance. “Let no one bet that AMAL Movement and Hizbullah
will form a Shiite duo to confront a Christian duo represented in the FPM and
the LF. We support the unity of Christians, the unity of Muslims and the unity
of the country,” Sheikh Hassan al-Masri, the deputy
head of AMAL's politburo, said. “What we share with
President (Michel) Aoun is a lot bigger than our
differences,” Masri noted, downplaying the latest
tensions between Aoun and Berri.
“We share the same vision regarding
Jumblat Holds Talks with Canadian Foreign Minister
Naharnet/December 04/16/Progressive Socialist Party
leader MP Walid Jumblat on
Sunday discussed the latest political developments with visiting Canadian
Foreign Minister Stéphane Dion. The meeting in
Clemenceau was attended by senior Canadian foreign ministry officials, Canadian
Ambassador to Lebanon Michelle Cameron, caretaker Health Minister Wael Abu Faour, MP Ghazi Aridi and PSP officials Dureid Yaghi, Zafer Nasser, Zaher Raad and Rami al-Rayyes, the National News
Agency said. Dion, who arrived in
Young Man, Woman Found Killed in Hermel
Naharnet/December 04/16/A young man and a young woman
were found killed Sunday in the Bekaa region of Hermel, state-run National News Agency reported. “The young
man A. A. and an unidentified young woman were found killed with multiple
gunshot wounds on their bodies in the al-Nabi Ismail
area in Hermel's suburbs,” NNA said. “Detectives from
the Criminal Evidence department lifted the fingerprints as the Lebanese Red
Cross transferred the two bodies to Hermel's state-run
hospital,” the agency added.
2 Syrian Terror Suspects Arrested in Tariq al-Jedideh
Naharnet/December 04/16/Two Syrians were
arrested Sunday in
Lebanese flight attendants banned from flights to
The New Arab/December, 04/16/The civil aviation authority in
'Yes Hizballah!'
Russian fighters repeat Shia
prayers in
The New Arab/December, 04/16/A video has emerged of Russian soldiers relaxing
with a Hizballah fighter as they recite Muslim
prayers. A video has emerged of three Russian soldiers reciting Muslim prayers
with a Hizballah fighter in
Jumblatt meets Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister in Clemenceau
Sun 04 Dec 2016/NNA - Democratic Gathering Party leader, Deputy Walid Jumblatt, met on Sunday in
Clemenceau with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephan Dion, accompanied by
Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon, Michelle Cameron, over current political
developments.
Aoun awards Barakat National
Cedar medal
Sun 04 Dec 2016/NNA - Lebanese President, Michel Aoun,
awarded on Sunday posthumously renowned singer Melhem
Barakat the insignia of the National Order of the
Cedar. A mass was held in Kfarchima marking the 40th
Day commemoration of Barakat’s death, in presence of
Caretaker Economy and Trade Minister, Alain Hakim, representing the President.
Hakim presented the award on behalf of the President.
Alain Aoun
partakes in Mediterranean Dialogue Conference in
Sun 04 Dec 2016/NNA - MP Alain Aoun stressed, on
Sunday, that "
Aoun said: "Lebanon's good management of the
displaced Syrians' crisis, despite the weakness in showing solidarity with the
Lebanese State in terms of sharing the burden, does not actually relieve the
international community and regional powers from thinking and working on the
future of Syria.""There can be no radical
solution to the crisis of Syrian refugees unless if convenient conditions were
secured for them after hostilities end," Aoun
underscored. He added: "Accordingly, any simplistic thinking that once the
war ends, all displaced Syrians will return automatically to their homeland, is groundless."Aoun
emphasized that "appropriate efforts to secure the conditions for the
success of such return ought to be exerted beforehand, not only at the security
and military levels, but also at the social, economic and national
levels."
Bazzi: Amal offers what is
appropriate to facilitate cabinet's birth
Sun 04 Dec 2016/NNA - "Amal Movement is
providing whatever it takes to facilitate the birth of the government,"
Deputy Ali Bazzi said on Sunday during a funeral
ceremony in South Lebanon. Deputy Bazzi rejected the
notion of holding Amal Movement responsible for
hampering the formation of the Lebanese government. "Our movement (Amal) was always keen on preserving the work of the
Institutions and at the forefront the work of the government," Bazzi went on. He underscored that the priority of the new
cabinet is to issue a new electoral law based on proportionality which provides
an equitable representation to all Lebanese components.
Michel Mouawad
marking his late father's 27th assassination commemoration: For turning the
page on disputes, rallying around new presidential mandate
Sun 04 Dec 2016 /NNA - Head of the Independence Movement, Michel Mouawad, called on Sunday for "turning the page on all
differences and rallying around the new presidential mandate since no side can
be eliminated or overlooked in the country.""The
nation is enough to accommodate all parties and sides," said Mouawad, quoting the words of his late father, President
Rene Mouawad. His words came during the 27th
commemoration of Martyr President Mouawad's
assassination, which was held at
Local mayor and two journalists are shot
dead by a sniper
Sun 04 Dec 2016/NNA - Local mayor and two journalists are assassinated by a
SNIPER who blasted them with a rifle as they left a restaurant in
The hopes, fears and lost role of
Lebanon’s Christians
Dalal Saoud//The Arab
Weekly/December 04/16
Absorbed by their own fears, Christians have probably missed golden opportunity
to try reconcile
Beirut - Now that strong Christian leader Michel Aoun
is settled in the presidential palace, a general feeling of hope has engulfed
Lebanon’s Christians for he is the one who has long promised to restore their
rights and end their growing frustration for having been marginalised since the
end of the 1975-90 civil war.
The Christians have seen their presence, influence and role decline in the
tiny multi-confessional country. Their political dominance came to an end with
the 1989 Taif accords, the national reconciliation agreement
that ended the country’s civil war and established equal power-sharing between
Christians and Muslims.
The redistribution of powers under the Saudi-brokered Taif
accords put in place a fairer formula by introducing constitutional reforms
long demanded by the Muslims. But that left the Christians bitter. With such a
political confessional system, no sect would be eternally happy and each one
would attempt to tilt the balance of power once gaining enough strength.
The Lebanese suffered a long and destructive war but failed to get rid of their
sectarian system and establish a civil state. As late prime
minister Rafik Hariri told this reporter
shortly before he took power in 1992: “Look around you (the Arab region), this
is the best we could achieve.” He was referring to the Taif
agreement, which is seen by some today as a good model to stop the raging wars
in
“We stopped counting,” Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, then said and kept repeating
until he was killed in a massive explosion that targeted his convoy in Beirut
on February 14th, 2005. By that, he meant whatever demographic changes would
occur; the Christians and Muslims would keep on having an equal share of power.
Hariri’s assassination and popular demonstrations that broke out forced Syria
to pull its troops out of Lebanon on April 26th, 2005, ending 29 years of
heavy-handed control of the country. Shortly afterwards, Christian strongmen
made a long-awaited comeback, with Aoun returning to
the country from 15 years in exile and Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces militia, pardoned
and released from prison after spending 11 years in solitary confinement.
With Syria’s influence almost out of the equation, the Lebanese found
themselves trapped in a struggle over who would rule the country and how to do
so, being divided between the emerging pro-Syria/Iran March 8 and pro-Saudi/US
March 14 alliances.
“From 1990 till 2005, one cannot speak of power sharing in
Salloukh explained that although both March 8 and
March 14 were multi-sectarian alliances, the struggle was in reality between
“the two most powerful actors” in these two coalitions: Shia
Hezbollah and the Sunni Future Movement.
Aoun sided with Hezbollah and Geagea
with Hariri’s Future Movement before they recently joined hands to create what
they described as the strongest Christian force that led — when Hariri finally
endorsed him — to Aoun’s election as president. Such
a new emerging Christian force and a possible Christian- Sunni alliance seem
to unnerve the powerful Shia Hezbollah-Amal bloc.
Despite their dwindling numbers, the Christians maintained their privileges,
preserving the posts of president of the republic, army commander, Central Bank
governor and army intelligence chief, in addition to their 50% quota of parliamentary
seats. According to various unofficial statistics, the Christians constitute
30-40% of
“The Christians are over-represented given their demographics but this is not
the issue,” said Salloukh. He referred to the
electoral laws under which “around 50% of Christian MPs are elected in Muslim-majority
electoral districts”. With the increased sectarian tension, “that has
exacerbated feelings among the Christian political elites of being increasingly
marginalised and one has to understand this,” Salloukh
said. “You have to give the Christians some kind of credibility in the system.
It is not just about numbers.”
Any attempt by the Christians to return to the pre-Taif
times “is impossible”, said Fares Souaid, March 14
secretary-general, himself a Christian. He pointed to the Lebanese
constitution, which “is the only such constitution in the Arab world where
Muslims and Christians share power” and to the Muslim-Christian coexistence,
which “is a message to the West that Islam is able to coexist with
non-Muslims”. The Christians of Lebanon, he said, can play a positive role if
they drop their fears and “return to their nationalistic speech” and “read
well what’s going on in the region”. “If they act as frightened minorities
looking for outside protection and minority alliances, I think they will lose
the battle sooner or later,” Souaid said.
Absorbed by their own fears, divisions and interests, the Christians have
probably missed a golden opportunity to try reconcile
**Dalal Saoud is the Deputy
Editor-in-Chief of The Arab Weekly. She is based in
Israeli warships being built in shipyard owned by Abu-Dhabi and Lebanese firm
Jerusalem Post/December 04/16
The Defense Ministry said Sunday the construction of
four Israel Navy corvettes at a shipyard owned by an Abu Dhabi-based company
does not jeopardize any classified information because all combat and internal
systems will be installed in Israel.
The contract to buy protective ships was signed with the German company, with
direct involvement of the German government, which is funding a third of the
cost of the deal,” the Defense Ministry said in a
statement to The Jerusalem Post. “Prior to the signing of the contracts, the defense establishment’s director of security carried out
checks with German government officials to confirm that no classified material
from the project will be transferred to any unauthorized body that has not been
approved as such. “It is important to note that the German shipyard builds only
the body of the ships, all of the systems will be installed in
The ministry was responding to a report by Yediot Aharonot on Sunday that the German shipyard where the new
vessels are being constructed is operated by Abu Dhabi MAR and owned by Iskandar Safa, a French businessman
of Lebanese descent.
Safa’s Beirut-based Privinvest
shipbuilding group owns 30% stake of MAR, while the Abu Dhabi-based Al Ain
International Group owns the remaining 70%.
The construction of the four “Saar-6” class warships, which are due to arrive
in Israel by 2020 to defend Israel’s offshore natural gas reserves, was agreed
to in a €430 million deal between Israel and the German company ThyssenKrupp in
2015. ThyssenKrupp reportedly sub-contracted the work to German Naval Yards
Kiel, which was sold to
German Naval Yards Kiel told Yediot Aharonot it is the secondary contractor of ThyssenKrupp
Marine System and that its role in the deal with the Israel Navy is to
contribute to the engineering of the vessel and build it in the
The report comes just two days after it was revealed that an Iranian government
firm owns a 4.5% stake in ThyssenKrupp, which also is supplying
In January 2010,
Four years later, then energy minister Silvan Shalom
led an official Israeli delegation to
In-depth : Lebanese tycoon and UAE firm 'co-building Israeli military vessels'
Lebanese tycoon and UAE firm 'co-building Israeli military vessels' Open in fullscreen
The New Arab/December, 04/16
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/indepth/2016/12/4/lebanese-tycoon-and-uae-firm-co-building-israeli-military-vessels
A Lebanese-French shipbuilding mogul and his Emirati partners have been accused
of being connected to the construction of Israeli navy corvettes in Germany,
Israeli press reports have revealed.
A Franco-Lebanese mogul and his Emirati partners have been accused of being
connected to the construction of Israeli navy corvettes in
Iskandar Safa, a multi-millionnaire shipbuilder co-owns
This was said to be in exchange for the release of French hostages during the
Lebanese civil war. Hizballah fought an on-off war
with
Safa (R) with French president Hollande
(L) during a visit to
According to a 2015 report in pro-Hizballah Lebanese
newspaper al-Akhbar, Safa
is a relative of current Lebanese Defence Minister Samir
Mouqbel.
His name recently came up in the Panama Papers leaks as the alleged owner of
offshore accounts. He has since defended his offshore activities as legitimate.
Safa also co-owns Valeurs Actuelles, a French publication that has been described as
"Islamophobic".
A total of four
The corvettes
The ships were ordered by Tel Aviv to defend off-shore
gas fields which are exploited by
The order was agreed in a 2015 deal between
Tgis company was formerly known as
The contract, signed in 2015, is worth $480 million. Under the contract,
It will also finance approximately one-third of the cost of the deal with a
special grant of $122 million. The ships are slightly bigger than
This and other deals with the same
In response to inquiries from Yedioth, German Naval
Yards Kiel said it is a secondary contractor of ThyssenKrupp Sea Systems and
that it contributes to the engineering of sailing vessels and to their
construction in the
The company noted that all contact between the shipyard and Israeli officials
was via ThyssenKrupp. The Arab involvement in the construction of military
vessels for Israel could be embarrassing for all sides
Embarrasing revelations
The Arab involvement in the construction of military vessels for Israel could
be embarrassing for all sides.
For its part, the Israel Defence Ministry told Yedioth
in a statement that there was an investigation into the alleged Lebanese links.
"Before the contracts were signed, the Director of Security of the Defence
Establishment conducted checks with German government officials in order to
confirm that no classified material from the project will be transferred to an
unauthorised body that has not been approved as such. It is important to note
that the German shipyard builds only the body of the ships, all of the systems
will be installed in
The revelation, Yedioth's report added, came on the
heels of reports that an Iranian government company owns 4.5 percent of
ThyssenKrupp.
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 04-05/16
Canadian veteran, Michael
Kennedy, fighting ISIL has been arrested in Iraq, his mother says: ‘Nobody
knows the reasons’
Stewart Bell/National Post/December 04/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/04/canadian-veteran-michael-kennedy-fighting-isil-has-been-arrested-in-iraq-his-mother-says-nobody-knows-the-reasons/
TORONTO — A Canadian military veteran who has spent the past six months
fighting ISIL alongside Kurdish forces has been arrested in northern Iraq, his
mother said in an interview Sunday. Michael Kennedy, 32, was on his to Sulaymaniyah, trying to make it home to Newfoundland for
Christmas, when he was taken into custody by Iraqi Kurdish authorities, said
his mother Kay Kennedy. “All I know is he’s been arrested and he’s in Erbil,” she said from
He has been held since Tuesday in
It is not unusual for the Kurdistan regional government of Masoud Barzani to arrest Western volunteer
fighters as they are leaving
Several dozen Canadians, many of them military
veterans, are among the hundreds of foreign volunteers assisting Kurdish
militias on the frontlines against the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Iran vows 'firm response' unless Obama
stops sanctions renewal
Ynetnews/Reuters/December 04/16/Iranian President Rouhani denounces legislation passed by the US Congress to
extend the Iran Sanctions Act for 10 years as a violation of nuclear agreement;
Tehran lawmakers call for counter measures.
Saudi Arabia Condemns Smuggling of Weapons
by Iran Regime for the Houthi Militants
Sunday, 04 December 2016/NCRI - Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry condemned the
smuggling of weapons by the regime in Iran for the Houthi
and Ali Abdollah Saleh
militants and announced that Tehran regime prolongs the war (in Yemen) by
smuggling weapons.
Saudi’s Okaz newspaper published the news on Saturday
December 3 and added: “The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia in a statement
published by Yemen’s ‘Sabae’ news agency said the
report by Weapons Research Institute confirms and strengthen the statements by
Yemen’s legal government and Arab Coalition member states that the regime in
Iran has violated international resolutions and continues to arm Houthi militants. This has prolonged the war which
increases the suffering of Yemeni people further. In addition, the conductors
of coup (Houthis) show obstinacy against the will of
the international community and defy international resolutions, especially the
UN Security Council Resolution 2216.”The Institute’s report provides further
evidence of the Iranian regime’s involvement to disrupt security in
Dozens of Iran Regime Agents and
Mercenaries Killed in Aleppo
Sunday, 04 December 2016/NCRI - The Syrian opposition combatants were
able to stop the Iranian regime's militants efforts to attack the besieged neighborhoods in eastern Aleppo, Orient TV reported on
December 2. “More than 30 Assad troops and Iranian regime’s militants were
killed during confrontation with combatants after they tried to attack ‘Bostan al-Qasr and Karan al-Tarab and al-Sheikh Saeed’ neighborhoods in
Call for Immediate Release of Those Arrested in A Ceremony in Iran
Sunday, 04 December 2016/NCRI - On Saturday, December 3, Amnesty International
condemned the raid by Security Forces and Police on commemoration ceremony of
the victims of serial killings in Iran and demanded immediate and unconditional
release of those arrested. In its statement, the international human rights
organization called for a fast and independent investigation on the attack on this
ceremony. Amnesty International, citing eyewitness reports, condemned the
repressive treatment of the participants in the event by security forces and
demanded the release of four detained people. On November 3, the Iranian
regime’s intelligence agents stormed the memorial ceremony of Mohammad Mokhtari and Mohammad Jafar Pouyandeh, two victims of the serial killing in Imamzadeh Taher in
According to witnesses, the agents prevented entry of the participants to the
graveyard (where ceremony was held) and attacked and arrested a number of them.
Mohammad Mokhtari and Mohammad Jafar
Pouyandeh had been murdered by the agents of
notorious Intelligence Ministry during the serial killings in
The following is full text of the Call:
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC STATEMENT
MDE 13/5267/2016
3 December 2016
Iran: Detainees arrested at commemoration for murdered writers must be
released
The Iranian authorities should release immediately and unconditionally
four individuals arrested yesterday as security forces quashed heavy-handedly a
peaceful gathering to mark the 18th anniversary of the extrajudicial killings
of two prominent intellectuals and writers, said Amnesty International.
The four detainees – Baktash Abtin, Fatemeh Sarhadizadeh, Mohammad Mehdipour
and Mazdak
Zarafshan – are being held in an undisclosed
detention centre following their violent arrest yesterday.
They were among a crowd of some 100 people seeking to gather peacefully
in
Eyewitnesses said they saw seven or eight intelligence officers beating Mazdak Zarafshan until his face
was covered in blood. They also described how the officials shoved his elderly
father, Naser Zarafshan, a
prominent lawyer and human rights defender, to the ground and beat him on his
legs and chest when he attempted to intervene to persuade the intelligence
forces to stop. The officials then bundled the father and son into a car and
took them away. Naser Zarafshan
was separated from his son and released several hours later. Mazdak Zarafshan, however,
remains in custody and the authorities have not provided his family with any
information about his legal status or whereabouts.
Eyewitnesses told Amnesty International that individuals who held mobile
phones in their hands were particularly targeted by plain-clothes intelligence
officers, in an apparent effort to stop them filming or photographing incidents
of police brutality. It appears that Fatemeh Sarhadizadeh, a 75-year-old woman, was arrested after
several officials saw her taking out her phone to answer a call and snatched
the phone from her hand while hitting her. Two other individuals present, Baktash Abtin and Mohammad Mehdipour, were arrested at around the same time. Like in
the case of Mazdak Zarafshan,
the authorities have not released any information about the legal status or
whereabouts of these three individuals.
Amnesty International is calling on the Iranian authorities to ensure
that prompt, independent investigations are conducted into the violent events
of yesterday at
Amnesty International is also urging the authorities to release Baktash Abtin, Fatemeh Sarhadizadeh, Mohammad Mehdipour and Mazdak Zarafshan immediately and unconditionally as, according to
the organization’s information, they have been detained merely for peacefully
exercising their right to peaceful assembly. The organization appeals to the
authorities to shift its approach radically so that it focuses on remedying
past crimes, such as the murders of writers and opposition figures in 1998, by
ensuring that all those involved are brought to justice in fair trials rather
than violating the rights of those seeking to pay homage to the memory of the
victims.
Background
In 1999, about 23 employees of the Ministry of Intelligence in
Sunday, 04 December 2016/NCRI - A board member of the regime's Majlis (parliament) threatened to resume nuclear activities
In response to the renewal of the
Sunday, 04 December 2016/NCRI - Foreign Ministry of Yemen urged the
international community to condemn continued arming of the conductors of coup (Houthis) in the country by
Suspected Russian Raids Kill 46 across
Syria's Idlib
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December
04/16/At least 46 people were killed in suspected Russian air strikes on
several areas of Idlib province in northwest
Fierce Fighting in Syria's Aleppo as Army
Advances
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December
04/16/Fierce fighting shook east Aleppo on Sunday as Syrian government forces
pressed an assault that has seen them retake control of more than half of the
former rebel stronghold. President Bashar Assad's
army is nearly three weeks into an operation to recapture all
of
Exodus of civilians
On Saturday, several hundred people took advantage of the resumption of
government buses from west to east to check on homes long abandoned in
territory formerly held by rebels. But the level of destruction in many places
meant people were able to do little more than check whether any possessions could
be retrieved from ravaged homes. "This is all we found, this photo of my
niece. It is precious to us, and we found a copy of the Koran, so we brought
that too," said Um Yayha, 55. The army began its
assault on the east in mid-November, pounding rebel-held neighborhoods
with air strikes, barrel bomb attacks and artillery fire. The assault has
killed at least 311 civilians, including 42 children, according to the
Observatory. Rebel fire on the government-held west of
Strike kills 21 civilians
Last month,
Aleppo Gain No Victory for Assad, Putin, Says British FM
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December
04/16/The Syrian regime's advances in war-torn east Aleppo do not represent a
"victory for Assad" or his Russian ally Vladimir Putin, British
foreign minister Boris Johnson said Sunday. "I really think that it's a
mistake to think whatever happens in
Bahrain Court Upholds Bomb Blast Death
Sentences
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December
04/16/A Bahraini court Sunday upheld three death sentences and seven life terms
against a group convicted of killing police including an Emirati officer in a
bomb attack, a judicial source said. The same appeals court adjourned to
December 12 the trial of Bahrain's Shiite opposition chief, cleric Ali Salman, after the court of cassation overturned in October
a nine-year jail term for allegedly inciting hatred and calling for regime
change by force. The court of cassation had ordered a retrial in the case of
the 10 defendants found guilty of planting a bomb in March 2014 in a Shiite
village west of
Secret Weddings and Phone Calls in Mosul
under IS
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December 04/16/To celebrate her wedding in Mosul, Shaimaa covered herself in black to hide her dress and
make-up from the jihadists on her way to the groom's house. During the more
than two years they spent under the control of the Islamic State group, many
residents of the Iraqi city often defied the strict rules of the
"caliphate" in the secrecy of their homes. Shaimaa,
20, married Ali, 24, four months ago.
In the Hasansham displacement camp where they now
live with thousands of other people who fled their homes since Iraqi forces
launched a broad offensive to retake
Smoking, dominoes, television
Communication with relatives living outside the "caliphate" IS
proclaimed over parts of
Kurdish Curbs Harm Recovery of Iraq Yazidis, Says HRW
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December
04/16/Kurdish restrictions on the movement of goods are harming the recovery of
Europe Holds Its Breath as
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December
04/16/Italians went to the polls Sunday in a constitutional referendum on which
reformist Prime Minister Matteo Renzi
has staked his future. Whatever the outcome of a vote being anxiously watched
in capitals across
The populist factor
Italians appear to realize how much is at stake. Voters, who have been known to
head to the beach rather than the ballot box when less important referendums
have fallen on a sunny day, have spent weeks passionately embracing the pros
and cons of the proposed reforms.
A bumper turnout looks like the only prediction anyone can make with any certainty,
as polls have been banned since November 18. Up until then the "No"
camp was leading comfortably -- but with a quarter of the electorate undecided,
Renzi is counting on a silent majority of shy
reformers to pull off a surprise turnaround. After the Brexit
and Donald Trump victories, populism has been a factor, and the Five Star
Movement led by comic Beppe Grillo
would see a "No" vote as its stepping stone
to government. But the campaign has also sent many voters back to their high
school textbooks to reconsider the merits of a much-loved constitution,
producing an invigorating national discussion that has recalled Scotland's 2014
independence referendum more than the rhetorically-charged Brexit
or U.S. presidential debates. Renzi wants to
drastically scale back the size and powers of the parliamentary second chamber,
the Senate. Under his proposed reform, a body of 315 directly-elected and five
lifetime lawmakers will become one with only 100 members, mostly nominated by
the regions. The body would also be stripped of most of its powers to block and
revise legislation, and to unseat governments. Other envisioned changes involve
transferring some regional powers to the national government, making it easier
to get major infrastructural works approved, and abolition of a costly policy
agency in
A referendum on Renzi
Inevitably in light of his pledge to stand down should he lose, the vote has
also become something of a referendum on Renzi's
personality and record after just over 1,000 days in office."I'm
voting Yes because I want
Polls opened at 7am (0600 GMT) and were scheduled to close at 2200 GMT, with a
reliable result not expected until the early hours of Monday.
New Controversy Hits Israel Sub Deal over
Iran Link
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December
04/16/Israel was embroiled in fresh controversy on Sunday over its purchase of
submarines from German company ThyssenKrupp after reports that the country's
arch-enemy Iran holds a stake in the firm. The attorney general had already
ordered police to look into allegations of improper conduct in the planned
purchase of the submarines, and reports of
Cuba Buries Castro, Entering Post-Fidel
Era
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December
04/16/Fidel Castro's ashes were buried alongside national heroes in the cradle
of his revolution on Sunday, as
'Second god'
His burial ends a nine-day period of mourning during which Cubans, often
encouraged by the government, flooded the streets to pay tribute to Castro,
chanting "I am Fidel!" as his ashes were taken across the Caribbean
country. Many held an all-night vigil at
Fidel's long shadow
While U.S. President Barack Obama has chipped away at the
"Given his outsized impact on
Four Gazans
Killed in 'Flooded' Tunnel to Egypt
Naharnet/Agence France Presse/December
04/16/Four Palestinians have been found dead in a smuggling tunnel linking the
Gaza Strip to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, local officials said Sunday, accusing
the Egyptian military of flooding it. The four men aged 22 to 45 "were
found dead after the tunnel they were working in was flooded nine days ago by
the Egyptian army," local authorities in the Gazan
city of
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 04-05/16
Question: "What does
it mean to not be ashamed of the Gospel (Romans 1:16)?"
GotQuestions.org
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/03/what-does-it-mean-to-not-be-ashamed-of-the-gospel-romans-116/
Answer: In Romans 1, Paul addresses the Gentile believers at
The word translated “ashamed” means “disgraced” or “personally humiliated.” A
person “ashamed” in this way is like someone singled out for misplacing his
confidence—he trusted in something, and that something let him down. The word
can refer to being dishonored because of forming the
wrong alliances. So, when Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel, he is
saying his confidence in the gospel is not misplaced. There is no disgrace in
declaring it. Paul had given his life to proclaiming the truths that Jesus
Himself had revealed to him (Acts 9:3–6; 2 Corinthians 12:2–4). He explained to
the Romans why he did not believe that he had wrongly identified with Jesus and
why proclaiming Jesus’ message was his life’s work.
The application can extend to us as well. Just as Paul placed his confidence in
the gospel of Christ, so can we. We can proclaim with boldness the truths that
God has revealed in His Word, with no fear that our confidence is misplaced.
“Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11; cf.
Isaiah 28:16). We can rest in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit who inspired
the writing of Scripture never changes (2 Peter 1:21; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews
13:8). What was true thousands of years ago is still true. The offer of
salvation that was presented to people of the first century is still open to us
(Acts 2:39; John 17:20).
To live unashamed of the gospel means we proclaim it, but it also means we
apply it to our lives and show we believe it. Paul’s life choices supported his
message. He did not preach one thing and live another. We are “ashamed of the
gospel” when we allow sin in our lives to go unchecked (Matthew 3:8). When we
indulge in worldliness and carnal desires or blatantly disobey scriptural
standards, we indicate that we lack confidence in our own message (1
Corinthians 3:3; 1 Peter 2:11). When we “walk in the counsel of the ungodly,
stand in the path of sinners, and sit in the seat of scoffers” (Psalm 1:1), we
are being ashamed of the gospel. We are not allowing its truth to penetrate our
lives so that others see its changing power. To live unashamed of the gospel
means that we, like Paul, allow it to dominate our lives to the extent that
everyone within our sphere of influence can see that we have “been with Jesus”
(Acts 4:13).
The new Fatah has nothing to do with
the old one
Khairallah Khairallah/The
Arab Weekly/December 04/16
Are Fatah’s circumstances reason enough for new Fatah composed only of pro-Abbas figures?
Two important aspects of the Fatah congress are worth noting. The first was the
absence of any figure opposing Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas. The second resided in the choice of the
representatives of Palestinians abroad; they were all figures from the West
Bank and
We all probably agree that Abu Mazen — Abbas’s nom de guerre — is the last among the historic
founders of Fatah movement, with the exception, of course, of Farouq Qaddoumi, who refuses to
return to the Palestinian territories and who no longer has a role to play,
given his age (85).
For a long time, Abbas remained at the second row in
the Palestinian leadership. He undoubtedly played a major role in determining
the leadership’s foreign relations and especially the relationship with
Thanks to his experience in diplomacy, Abbas acquired
a fine knowledge of the various regional and international balances of power.
He used his expertise during negotiations leading to the
We leave it to history to judge whether Arafat knew how to take advantage of
that opportunity. As for
Arafat, the historic leader of the Palestinians, remained at the head of Fatah
party for almost half a century. Fatah was, right from the beginning, open to a
variety of orientations and opinions. This diversity was a source of strength
and a source of problems and divisions. Arafat was successful most of the time
in controlling the crises.
So, with the exception of its beginnings, Fatah was never a single body. Splits
and divisions appeared, especially when Fatah was based in
During the civil war in
Under Arafat, Fatah fought many unnecessary conflicts with Hafez Assad’s regime
in
On Arafat’s death in November 2004, only Abbas
remained standing. Abbas was completely different
from Arafat. He was a realist first and foremost. He inherited all of Arafat’s
roles and titles, including president of the state of
Abbas does not tolerate in his entourage any person
with a strong personality. There is no room for discussion with him on any
subject. Arafat knew how to use money to achieve his goals. Money was just
another weapon at his disposal. Abbas’s attitude
towards money was different. In addition, Abbas did
not surround himself with people who can competently deal with the media. For
him, information was not a weapon.
The questions remain: Are Fatah’s circumstances reason enough for a new Fatah
composed only of pro-Abbas figures? Are they reason
enough to set aside Arafat’s heritage with both its good and bad aspects?
*Khairallah Khairallah is a
Lebanese writer. The commentary was translated and adapted from the Arabic. It
was initially published in middle-east-online.com.
UK: Another Massive Charity Commission
Whitewash
Samuel Westrop/Gatestone
Institute/December 04/16
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9483/iera-whitewash
In its report, the Charity Commission makes note of the iERA's
promotion of hate preachers, but treats the charity as a victim of such
extremism, rather than an instigator.
According to the Commission, bureaucracy is the solution -- the iERA's extremism will be solved by more "adequate procedures...
to prevent abuse of the charity, its status, facilities or assets."
Those more familiar with the iERA will know that
asking this Salafist charity to produce and follow
its own counter-extremism plan is akin to demanding that the Ku Klux Klan introduce
affirmative action hiring processes.
Extremist charities are not private institutions: charitable status affords
extraordinary legal and financial benefits, including the opportunity for
radical Islamist organisations to claim government subsidies. But no government
should allow extremist networks to exploit charitable status. Shut these charities down, and ban those Islamist activists from
ever again becoming trustees of a charitable organisation.
On November 4, the British charity regulator, the Charity Commission, published
a report of its inquiry into the Islamic Education and
More than a dozen pieces have been written for the Gatestone
Institute examining the iERA's links to extremism, as
well as the failure of government, media and even Jewish organisations to
tackle this fast-growing Salafist group. In 2014, one
of these articles exclusively revealed that the "Portsmouth Five," a
notorious group of ISIS recruits from southern England, were all members of an iERA youth group.
In 2014, the Council of Ex-Muslims of
There was no shortage of evidence. The head of the iERA,
Abdur Raheem Green, is a
former jihadist who warns Muslims of a Jewish "stench," encourages
the death penalty as a "suitable and effective" punishment for
homosexuality and adultery, and has ruled that wife-beating "is
allowed."
The head of the Islamic Education and
Other iERA officials have included Zakir Naik, an Islamic preacher whose NGO has just been raided and designated
"unlawful" by Indian law enforcement; and Abdullah Hakim Quick, who
has called upon God to "clean and purify al-Aqsa
from the filth of the Yahood [Jews]" and "clean
all of the lands from the filth of the Kuffar
[non-believers]."
In its report, the Charity Commission makes note of the iERA's
promotion of hate preachers, but -- as it has done in the past -- treats the
charity as a victim of such extremism, rather than an instigator. According to
the Commission, bureaucracy is the solution: the iERA's
extremism will be solved by more "adequate procedures... to prevent abuse
of the charity, its status, facilities or assets." External speakers, the
Charity Commission advises, should "sign the charity's Anti-Extremism,
Data Protection and Equal Opportunities disclaimers." The iERA, concludes the Charity Commission, should produce
"risk assessments" for all events and put in place an effective
"counter-extremism policy."
Those more familiar with the iERA will know that
asking this Salafist charity to produce and follow
its own counter-extremism plan is akin to demanding that the Ku Klux Klan
introduce affirmative action hiring processes. But such demands make sense to
civil servants in
Counter-extremism analysts have seen such blindness from the Charity Commission
before. In 2013, the Charity Commission reported on the offices of an unnamed
charity:
"We visited the charity's premises and saw images of the leader of the
group that is a proscribed terrorist organisation were displayed on the walls
of the charity's offices. We also identified that the charity had organised
marches at which supporters of the proscribed organisation were present."
Was this charity, evidently dedicated to the support of a banned terrorist
organisation, shut down? No. Instead, the Charity Commission decided to
"instruct the trustees to develop and implement robust controls to manage
the charity's activities and the use of its premises."
Also in 2013, the Charity Commission opened an investigation into International
Islamic Link, a taxpayer-funded Shi'ite charity that
previously described itself as "the office of ... Ayatullah
Nasir Makarem Shirazi." Aytollah Shirazi is one of the Iranian's regime most hardline clerics. He is known for issuing a fatwa for the
murder of Iranian pro-democracy activist Roozbeh Farahanipour. He is also known for his unwavering
commitment to Holocaust denial and his support for killing adulterers and
homosexuals.
Once the Charity Commission opened an investigation into International Islamic
Link, the organisation told the Charity Commission that they had no link with
this Iranian cleric. Nevertheless, the Charity Commission, despite clear
evidence to the contrary, declared that they were "satisfied" with
the charity's response.
The Charity Commission treats the claims made by trustees of extremist
charities as irrevocable truth, and responds to evidence of extremism merely by
urging more stringent bureaucratic oversight.
In 2014, Gatestone Institute published information
about the Islamic Network. This extremist group's website advocated the murder
of apostates, encouraged Muslims to hate non-Muslims and claimed "The Jews
scheme and crave after possessing the Muslim lands, as well as the lands of
others." After investigating the charity, the Charity Commission decided
to give the Islamic Network booklets titled, "How to manage risks in your
charity."
The recent Charity Commission whitewash into the iERA
is just one more example of a weak, ineffective charity regulator. Extremist
charities are not private institutions: charitable status affords extraordinary
legal and financial benefits, including the opportunity for radical Islamist
organisations to claim government subsidies through a "tax-back"
scheme named Gift Aid. Although the iERA's accounts
do not mention the amount if receives from the Gift Aid program, the group
encourages donors to "consent yes to gift aid."
If a private organisation wishes to promote non-violent, bigoted Islamist
ideology, then a free society should allow them to do so. But no government
should allow extremist networks to exploit charitable status. Shut these charities down, and ban those Islamist activists from
ever again becoming trustees of a charitable organisation.
© 2016 Gatestone Institute. All rights
reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the
Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced,
copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone
Institute.
Will Mahmoud Abbas Pay Salaries to the Arsonists?
Itamar Marcus/Gatestone
Institute/December 04/16
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9482/israel-palestinian-arsonists
While Palestinian Authority (PA) leader Mahmoud Abbas was accepting praise for sending Palestinian
firefighters to help put out fires in Israel, the PA Finance Ministry was busy
doing the paper work to start paying salaries to the Palestinian arsonists who
were arrested for setting many of those same fires. So far
Of course, it is not only arson-terrorists who receive a PA salary. All
Palestinian, Israeli Arab and Arab terrorists from any country who are
imprisoned are rewarded with high salaries from the PA. (See PMW Special Report)
According to PA law and practice, "resisting the occupation" includes
any Arab imprisoned for attacking Israelis by any means, including throwing a
stone at a car, driving a car into people at bus stops, building bombs for
suicide bombers to blow up at cafes, or shooting and stabbing civilians to
death in their sleep. Since the PA automatically includes anyone who attacked
Israelis or their possessions as "fighters" who are "resisting
the occupation," there is no justification under Palestinian law and practice
not to include last week's arsonists among the Palestinian "heroes"
who receive monthly salaries.
Significantly, these salaries for terrorists rise the
longer terrorists are in jail. Terrorists convicted of murder and serving life
sentences will reach a high salary of
The PA has already paid the five Hamas terrorists who murdered Eitam and Naama Henkin in front of their four children last October in
total
Today there are approximately 7,000 Palestinian prisoners on the PA payroll.
The PA rewards them every month for terrorism, and this generous arrangement
will cost the PA NIS 488 million in 2016 alone, according to the PA's publicized budget.
If Abbas was ever serious about stopping the PA's ongoing support for terrorism, he now has the perfect
opportunity to make a difference. Instead of merely enjoying complimentary
headlines and nice photo ops of Palestinian firemen with Israelis, Abbas should decree that the arsonists will not receive PA
salaries.
Even though this is contrary to current Palestinian law and
practice.
Should Abbas insist on adding the imprisoned
arsonists to the PA payroll, his hypocrisy in sending a few fire engines to
Should Abbas decide to deny salaries to the arsonists
this may indicate the beginning of a fundamental change in the PA attitude
toward terrorism. However, if Abbas cancels salaries
only to the arsonists, it will not be enough. If he says to the world that the
PA will not pay salaries those who burned trees, rocks and homes while it
continues to pay salaries to murderers of men, women and children, his values
and behavior, which cause many to see him as a terrorist
leader, will remain unchanged.
If Abbas' act of sending fire trucks to help
Right now while he has the world's attention, having made this small gesture in
the direction of peace, let him take a serious step. Abbas
should announce that not only will the arsonists not be rewarded with PA
salaries, but he is changing Palestinian law and canceling
the payments to all imprisoned terrorists altogether.
And what better opportunity than now to announce this, during
Fatah's Seventh General Conference.
If Abbas continues to pay salaries to murderers and
arsonists, his gesture of sending fire trucks to
**Itamar Marcus is director of Palestinian Media
Watch.
© 2016 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The
articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of
Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced,
copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone
Institute.
Angela Merkel: False Prophet of Europe
Vijeta Uniyal/Gatestone
Institute/December 04/16
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9466/merkel-false-prophet
With his initiative for tighter gun laws, to prevent weapons getting into
"the wrong hands," Justice Minister Maas does not mean to target the
Islamists who pose an existential threat to Germany, but an obscure German
group called the "Reichsbürger."
As the German newspaper Bild describes the law
proposed by
Justice Minister Maas evidently cares more about "gender image" than
he cares about truly oppressed women and vulnerable children. In a recently drafted new law by his ministry, Mass refused to ban
child marriage.
With both
In her first message to President-elect Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela
Merkel lectured him on gender, racial and religious equality. As the New York Times put it, Merkel "named a price" for
If this was anything more than political posturing, and Chancellor Merkel truly
cared about "human dignity" or the rights of those most vulnerable,
she might have started closer at home.
After a year-long investigation into the mass-sexual attacks in
Last week, the Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Ralf Jäger, confirmed this outcome when he said that "most
of the cases [of rape and sexual assault in
Merkel, who lectured Trump on gender, did not even bother to visit the women
who were raped and assaulted in
As New Year's Eve approaches again, Merkel's "Multikulti"
paradise looks more and more like a police state. According to leaked,
confidential police reports published by
While the Merkel government arms the police, efforts are underway to tighten
gun laws for the citizenry. As the German state-run broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported on November 28: "Justice Minister Heiko Maas called for tighter weapons laws to prevent guns
from falling in to the wrong hands." With this latest initiative, Minister
Maas does not mean to target the Islamists who pose an existential threat to
The Justice Minister apparently shares Merkel's skewed worldview. After the New
Year's Eve sexual assaults in
The aim of the proposal - which is reportedly in response to the sexual assaults
in
Justice Minister Maas evidently cares more about "gender image" than
he cares about truly oppressed women and vulnerable children. In a recently drafted new law by his ministry, Mass refused to ban
child marriage. Official German statistics estimate the number of
married children in
As the German newspaper Bild describes the law
proposed by
"a 13-year-old child bride would have to testify against her husband,
saying that her well-being as a child is under threat. If neither the child nor
the Child Welfare Service lodges a complaint, for all practical purposes the
marriage would be declared legitimate."
This law clearly does not take into account the possibility of private coercion
against a child, let alone the blinding likelihood of outright threats.
In Merkel's
Following the electoral victory of Donald Trump, liberals all over are pinning
all their hopes on Merkel. The "orphaned" liberals, in essence
actually authoritarian, are probably looking for a new leader behind whom to
rally. Many in the mainstream in the West are already calling the German
Chancellor the "Leader of the Free World." Following
As Merkel seeks re-election to a fourth term in the autumn of 2017, she is
counting on extremely favourable media coverage and glowing celebrity
endorsements to enable her to win again.
After Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's presidential bid went south,
President Barack Obama flew to
Next year's German elections will be first and foremost a referendum on
Merkel's open-border policy. It was her suspension of border controls -- or the
Dublin Protocol -- in September 2015 that opened the floodgates for Arab and
Muslim mass-migration in the first place.
If Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) emerge as the
largest party and she manages to head the next ruling coalition, it will be
sold by the media and the elites as a vindication of her "Refugees
Welcome" policy.
An upset defeat for Merkel, however, could spell doom not only for her policy
of mass-migration but for the entire Brussels-based "European
project" -- a German "Brexit" ("Dexit"?).
With both
*Vijeta Uniyal is an Indian
current affairs analyst based in
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Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya/December 04/16
According to sources close to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, next year will be
However, the supposedly cozy relationship between Trump and Putin, as suggested
by Trump’s campaign remarks, will have a definitive impact on US policy in the
Middle East including in the Gulf, the sources argue. They are convinced the
biggest winner will be
Turning a blind eye
Likewise,
This week, an event held by the Körber-Stiftung
Institute in
Despite hearing evidence of
Top priority
The top priority in
Meanwhile, there is no indication Arab – especially Gulf – governments are
thinking about influencing policies being drafted ahead of Trump’s
inauguration, be they
The elephant in the room is Donald Trump. Everyone is waiting for the message
he will send through his key appointments, led by the state department and the
national security advisor posts. Some believe the appointments would determine
the trends of Trumps policies. But others believe Trump will personally set the
tone for
For its part,
This article was first published in al-Hayat on Dec.
2, 2016 and translated by Karim Traboulsi.
Obama’s legacy for the GCC in the Middle East
Dr. Theodore Karasik/Al Arabiya/December
04/16
In the past eight years, GCC strategic thinking has
experienced geopolitical earthquakes brought on by the Obama Administration’s
Middle East policy that bodes ill for the 44th
When Obama started his tenure of
A new round of damage to GCC interests occurred during the
last two years of the Obama Administration and are continuing to bring
disorder.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA): The GCC states see that
The Obama Administration empowered the GCC states to step out on their own by
forcing them to defend themselves from state and non-state threats
Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA):
Under Obama’s watch, the US Congress passed JASTA which opens up the door to
years of litigation while Americans can sue
Legacy or not?
There are other problems that affect Obama’s legacy - notably the
Let’s remember that Obama bequests this legacy to his successor President-Elect
Donald Trump who, given his transition team’s smart appointments at the US
Department of Defense and the US State Department,
leads us to believe that an opening to boost GCC views in the Middle East is
forthcoming. Honest, straight talk between the GCC and the Trump Administration
will produce necessary dividends in the
Gulf Arabs have looked to