LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
December 25/16
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletin16/english.december25.16.htm
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Bible Quotations For Today
Do not be
afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to
you is born this day in the city of
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 02/01-20/:"In those
days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be
registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of
While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave
birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a
manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there
were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone
around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of
great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a
Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will
find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and
saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those
whom he favours!’When the angels had left them and
gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made
known to us.’So they went with haste and found Mary
and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made
known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were
amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and
pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
He is the reflection of God’s
glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by
his powerful word.
Letter to the Hebrews 01/01-12/:"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in
many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to
us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created
the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s
very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made
purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more
excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my
Son; today I have begotten you’? Or again, ‘I will be his Father, and he will
be my Son’? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’Of the angels he
says, ‘He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.’But of the Son he says,
‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever, and the righteous sceptre is the
sceptre of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’And, ‘In the beginning, Lord, you founded the
earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you
remain; they will all wear out like clothing; like a cloak you will roll them
up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your
years will never end.’".
Titles For Latest
LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
December 24-25/16
Prayers & Wishes On The Christmas Holy /Elias Bejjani/December
25/16
Hariri cabinet capitulates to Hezbollah demand/Joseph A. Kechichian/Gulf
News/December 24/16
Thousands of faithful celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem/ Ynetnews/AP/AFP/December
25/16
Palestinians: The Nightmare of Christians/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/December 24/16
Fighting over the mind of Donald Trump/Abdulrahman
al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/December
24/16
Good riddance to a calamitous year/Hisham Melhem/Al Arabiya/December 24/16
Terrorism has no face/Abdullah Hamidaddin/Al Arabiya/December 24/16
Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on on December 24-25/16
Prayers & Wishes On The Christmas Holy Day
Jesus Christ. Jesus is them and me too I am them.
Hariri cabinet capitulates to Hezbollah demand
Iranian Official in Beirut to Inform Leaders about Russian-Turkish-Iranian
Meeting
Rahi in Christmas Message Calls on New Presidential
Term to Face Existing 'Challenges'
Cabinet Approves Policy Statement Amid LF Reservations on 'Resistance' Clause
Berri Calls Parliament to Convene Next Week to
Discuss Policy Statement
Bou Assi Says LF Has
Restrictions on 'Resistance' Clause, Stresses Adherence to Hybrid Law
Report: LF Rejects 'Resistance' Clause Ahead of Cabinet Meeting to Discuss
Policy Statement
Pharaon calls for agreement on defense
strategy
Bassil lauds proper representation of Christians in
Cabinet
LF denies rumors of endorsing 60's law
Assassination of Fateh official in Ain alHilweh, clashes renew
Abu Arab: Killing of Abu Nemr an accident and not
planned
Syrian arrested in Bziza for terrorist links
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on on
December 24-25/16
Thousands of faithful celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem
Damascus water supply cut after rebels pollute it
Turkey-backed rebels kill 68 ISIS fighters near Syria’s al-Bab
Iran, world powers make restricted nuke deal documents public
Yemen forces recapture Nihm district in Sanaa
Revealed: Libyan hijackers used fake weapons
Americans warned against Egypt and Jordan travel
Tunisia arrests nephew of Berlin attack suspect
Human Rights Watch urges protection for Libya civilians
Israel rejects UN settler vote, lashes out at Obama
Israel on Defensive after Landmark UN Vote
Ukraine Govt Troops, Rebels Claims Cease-Fire Violations
FBI warns of possible ISIS-inspired attacks in US
Maryam Rajavi’s Christmas
and New Year’s Greetings
Iran Regime's Fear of the UN Commissioning Investigation of War Crimes in Syria
Iran: Foreign Minister Must Admit His Mistakes on JCPOA in Front of the Cameras
Links From Jihad Watch Site for on on December 24-25/16
Australia:
Islamic Centre in Melbourne linked to Christmas jihad terror plot
Hugh
Fitzgerald: Al-Beavis and Al-Butthead, Or, A Plane Is Not a Comedy Club
Heightened
security for Midnight Mass at the Vatican due to Islamic State threats
Philippines:
Muslims throw grenade at church during Christmas eve mass, injure 16
Austria:
Police arrest two Muslim migrants brandishing knives outside synagogue
Man
dresses as jihadi with fake gun and Islamic State
flag, walks easily through German border controls
Trump
team seeks names of officials working to counter “violent extremism”
Putin:
“I would prefer Islam not to be mentioned in vain alongside terrorism”
Sympathy
for the devil: AP says “troubled” Berlin jihad killer came to Europe “in hopes
of a better life”
High
security in cities all over Europe and North America as jihad killers target
Christmas
Berlin
jihadi’s family says he shouldn’t have been killed as
his nephew is arrested as part of jihad cell
Turkish
police: “Our path is the path of Allah. And our army is the army of the
Prophet.”
Denmark:
Imam convicted of violating racism laws for calling Jews “children of apes and
pigs”
Daniel
Greenfield Moment: Do Only Muslim Lives Matter?
Phoenix:
Muslim arrested, plotted jihad massacre at midnight Mass
Trump:
Berlin terrorist issued a “purely religious threat”
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on on on December
24-25/16
Prayers & Wishes On The
Christmas Holy Day
Elias Bejjani/December 25/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/24/elias-bejjani-prayers-wishes-on-the-christmas-holy-day/
Thinking of the great fatherhood love that Almighty God carries for us helps in
appreciating and understanding the actual meanings of Christmas.
God for the sake of our salvation and freedom from the original sin, He sent
His only son, Jesus Christ, to be incarnated, live on earth like each one of
us, endure all kinds of torture, pain, humiliation and to be crucified.
Jesus made us His own and called us to carry His holy message and preach it.
Hand in hand with all those who believe in righteousness and in the ultimate
prevalence of good over evil, let us ask Jesus Christ, the incarnated God, to
grant peace and stability to the whole world, and to shower all the oppressed
with the graces of faith, perseverance, patience, and to bestow them the power
of endurance to face the hardships inflicted on them by Evil of Axis, the
Syrian-Iranian occupation..
As far as oppressed
History always repeats itself, and victory shall inevitably be for those
Lebanese who courageously and faithfully carry
All wishes to everyone of you, in occupied
Our great happiness as patriotic Lebanese will reach its prime when, and only
when, our beloved Lebanon, home and land of our great fathers and ancestors reclaims
its confiscated independence, redeems its marginalized sovereignty, restores
its oppressed freedoms, and regains its hijacked free decision-making process.
Our joy and happiness in celebrating Christmas will be at peak the day:
When hundreds of our country’s arbitrarily held detainees are released from the
fascist Syrian jails and horrible detention centers, where they have been
deprived for many years of all their basic human rights.
When our free and patriotic comrades, individuals, leaders and dignitaries are
no longer prisoners of conscience inside
When our exiled people from South Lebanon who are
taking refugee in
When
When our factories are re-opened, productive, and run only by Lebanese hands.
When our borders are patrolled solely by the Lebanese army and security forces,
When all militias, Lebanese and non-Lebanese, are disarmed and dismantled,
When the law of the land and the legitimate authority of a sovereign Lebanese
people are fully and independently applied and enforced on all Lebanon’s soil.
When conscientious and patriotic Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected freely
by the people who deserve MPs who, in turn, understand that they have the
obligation and the privilege to represent the people’s hopes, aspirations and
wishes.
When
When
When Lebanese identity is honored and hailed by all
the Lebanese communities, and is placed above all other political, regional,
ethnic and religious affiliations.
Then, and only then, we can rest our case for the struggle.
Let us all pray that the birth of Our Lord Jesus will coincide this year with
the re-birth of a new
On the Holy Christmas Day, Let us pray for Peace, tranquility, Love,
Forgiveness and prosperity all over the world .
Best wishes for A Merry Christmas & A Happy New
Year.
*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com
& http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Tweets on https://twitter.com/phoeniciaelias
Face Book https://www.facebook.com/groups/128479277182033
& https://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani
Jesus Christ. Jesus is them and me too
I am them.
Kalil Helou/Face
Book/December 25/16/Tonight we will celebrate the coming of the Lord, in the
joy of course, but this does not prevent me from thinking:
1) to Syrian refugees, who live in the freezing cold slums in Lebanon and
Syria, and who beg at the crossroads of Beirut, they are suffering and needy,
not only of material goods, but also of their human dignity. Jesus didn't he
say that we should confuse him with them? Them it's him and it's
them. 2) to children and babies syrians
who suffer from malnutrition in their camps of
Tonight I'll be thinking about those because they are my brothers, and tomorrow
I'll keep the loud to denounce those who inflicted all these trespasses, who
are of the trespasses on the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is them and me too I am
them.
Hariri cabinet capitulates to Hezbollah
demand
Joseph A. Kechichian/Gulf News/December 24/16
Decision to back clause on ‘confronting terrorism’ shows how the Iran-backed
group has the upper hand
Beirut: The first draft policy statement that defined Prime Minister Sa’ad Hariri’s government was approved by the full cabinet
meeting at Baabda Palace on Saturday, although
Lebanese Forces ministers along with Michel Pharaon,
the independent but pro-March 14 State Minister for Planning Affairs, rejected
the clause that empowered Hezbollah. The statement, which included the slogan
Al Jaysh, Al Sha‘ab, Al Muqawamah (army, people, resistance), will now be referred
to Speaker Nabih Berri and
consequently to parliament, which will debate its contents and, presumably,
vote in favour of the government in a “confidence session”. According to press
reports, the Cabinet endorsed the same clause that was used in the policy
statement of Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s 2014-2016
government regarding the so-called army-people-resistance equation. Hezbollah
representatives insisted that the statement include the clause about
“confronting terrorism in a pre-emptive and deterrent manner”, which is what
occurred, in what was yet another example of Hariri accommodating the
Iran-backed March 8 agenda. According to the LF, it would have been much better
to replace the clause that read the “right of the people for resistance”, with
the “right of the
On Friday, the committee chaired by Hariri and attended by ministers Marwan Hamadeh (PSP), Mohammad Fneish (Hezbollah), Ali Hassan Khalil
(AMAL), Nouhad Al Mashnouq
(Future), Salim Jreissati
(FPM), Yousuf Fenianos (Marada) and Pierre Bou Assi (LF), settled on the draft. Aoun
had earlier announced that the statement would be derived from his oath of
office, “whose content has been approved by all parties”, though March 8
pressure was apparently too strong for Aoun to insist
on his pledges.
In his October 31 oath of office declaration, Aoun
promised to endorse an “independent foreign policy” and to protect Lebanon from
“the fires burning across the region”.He did not
mention the ‘army, people, resistance’ triptych, but he did say: “We will spare
no effort or resistance to liberate any Lebanese territory that is still under
occupation or to protect our country from an enemy that still has ambitions
regarding our land, water and national resources”.
http://gulfnews.com/news/mena/lebanon/hariri-cabinet-capitulates-to-hezbollah-demand-1.1950973
Iranian Official in Beirut to Inform
Leaders about Russian-Turkish-Iranian Meeting
Asharq Al-Awsat/December
24/16
Beirut – The file of the Russian-Iranian-Turkish meeting was present during the
visit of Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari to Beirut, where he met on Friday with President
Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih
Berri. Ansari, who had
arrived here on Thursday, conveyed to Aoun a verbal
message from president Hassan Rouhani confirming
Iranian-Lebanese ties and the need to develop them at all levels, particularly
after the election of the president. According to
“Political understanding and harmony alone can secure the desired and rapid
solution to all regional files,” Ansari said
following his meeting with Berri. “The visit takes
place in light of many positive political developments on the ground in the
region, particularly in
Rahi in Christmas Message Calls on New Presidential Term
to Face Existing 'Challenges'
Naharnet/December 24/16/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi raised prayers on
Saturday for the new presidential term under President Michel Aoun to be able to confront the challenges in the country
mainly achieving national reconciliation among the different political parties
and devising a new electoral law that ensures balanced representation. “We pray
that the new presidential term is capable of confronting the challenges mainly
the achievement of national reconciliation and an electoral law that guarantees
proper representation,” said al-Rahi in his Christmas
message. Turning to the regional situation, the Patriarch urged the
international community to put an end for terrorism “that is killing and
displacing families and depriving them of their rights and dignities,” he said.
“We call upon the Security Council to work seriously to find political
solutions to the wars, aimed at bringing comprehensive and lasting peace and
the repatriation of refugees back to their homelands,” concluded Rahi.
Cabinet Approves Policy Statement Amid LF Reservations on 'Resistance' Clause
Naharnet/December 24/16/The cabinet held a meeting at
the Presidential Palace in Baabda on Saturday and
approved a draft of the government's policy statement amid reservations
expressed by Lebanese Forces ministers on the “role of the resistance” clause,
the National News Agency said. The cabinet approved the statement but the LF
and State Minister Michel Pharaon expressed
reservations as for the clause on the “role of the resistance,” NNA added.Speaker Nabih Berri has called the parliament for three consecutive
meetings starting Tuesday to discuss the ministerial statement. The statement
will be referred to Berri and consequently to
parliament for debate and confidence sessions. A ministerial committee tasked
with drafting the new government's policy statement finalized the draft on
Friday evening after a second meeting at the Grand Serail.
Reports said the conferees endorsed the same clause that was used in the policy
statement of Tammam Salam's government regarding the
so-called army-people-resistance equation. But the LF representative “asked for
some time to study the draft policy statement, specifically the clause related
to the resistance” against
Berri Calls Parliament to Convene Next Week to Discuss
Policy Statement
Naharnet/December 24/16/Speaker Nabih
Berri called the parliament on Saturday to convene
next week in order to discuss the government policy statement, the National
News Agency reported. Berri called the lawmakers for
meetings over three consecutive days starting Tuesday through Thursday where
the meetings will begin at 11:00 a.m. The cabinet will be subject to a vote of
confidence after the policy statement was approved by the council of ministers Saturday.
The statement was approved amid some reservations expressed by the Lebanese
Forces and State Minister Michel Pharaon over a
clause on the so called “role of the resistance” in confronting
Bou Assi Says LF Has
Restrictions on 'Resistance' Clause, Stresses Adherence to Hybrid Law
Naharnet/December 24/16/Minister of Social Affairs
Pierre Bou Assi stressed on
Saturday that some issues in the government's policy statement require more
discussions, as he assured that the LF is seeking a hybrid election law in the
upcoming parliamentary elections, the National News Agency reported. “There are
still some pending issues in the ministerial statement which require more
discussions and positions,” NNA quoted Bou Assi in an interview to Free Lebanon radio. A ministerial
committee tasked with drafting the new government's policy statement finalized
the draft on Friday, but the LF representative, Bou Assi, said the party needs more time to discuss a clause
related to the “resistance against
Replying to Hizbullah media reports claiming
that the Lebanese Forces is in favor of keeping the
1960 elections law in order to increase the number of its lawmakers, Bou Assi said: “No one has
exerted the same efforts that the LF has in order to approve a new electoral
law.
“The efforts we made and still do, together with the Progressive
Socialist Party and al-Mustaqbal Movement, to reach a
hybrid law are immense.”
Mustaqbal, the Lebanese Forces and the
Progressive Socialist Party have proposed a hybrid electoral law that mixes the
proportional representation and the winner-takes-all systems. Speaker Nabih Berri has also proposed a
hybrid law.
Hizbullah on the other hand has repeatedly
called for an electoral law based on proportional representation but other
political parties, especially al-Mustaqbal, have
rejected the proposal and argued that the party's controversial arsenal of arms
would prevent serious competition in regions where the Iran-backed party is
influential. The country has not voted for a parliament since 2009, with the
legislature instead twice extending its own mandate. The 2009 polls were held
under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and the next elections are
scheduled for May 2017.
Report: LF Rejects 'Resistance' Clause Ahead of Cabinet Meeting to Discuss
Policy Statement
Naharnet/December 24/16/The Lebanese Forces has
“strongly rejected" a clause in the government's policy statement related
to the “role of the Resistance” and has therefore demanded a replacement and
for some time to study the policy before the cabinet convenes, al-Joumhouria daily reported Saturday. “The Lebanese Forces
has strongly disapproved a clause in the policy statement that read the “right
of the people for resistance,” asking for replacing it with a clause that reads
“right of the Lebanese State for resistance,”” LF source told the LF has
justified that the first version “initiates chaos, opens up the Lebanese
situation to the unknown and completely ignores the existence of the Lebanese
state.” While the second version, which the LF has insisted to adopt,
“emphasizes reference to the Lebanese state, reference to the constitution and
applicable laws.”They emphasized that insistence to
adopt the first version means “insisting on undermining the state.”The
sources called on the “government to cancel the clause during Saturday's
meeting otherwise it would be an indicator of obstruction intentions.”A
ministerial committee tasked with drafting the new government's policy
statement finalized the draft on Friday evening after a second meeting at the
Grand Serail. Media reports said the conferees
endorsed the same clause that was used in the policy statement of Tammam Salam's government regarding the so-called
army-people-resistance equation. According to reports, during
Friday's meeting the Lebanese Forces' representative “asked for some time to
study the draft policy statement, specifically the clause related to the
resistance” against
Pharaon calls for agreement on defense
strategy
Sat 24 Dec 2016/NNA - Minister of State for Planning Affairs, Michel Pharaon, on Saturday called for an agreement between
political parties on a defense strategy and on the
delineation of the border. Following the Cabinet session in
Bassil lauds proper representation of Christians in Cabinet
Sat 24 Dec 2016/NNA - Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Gibran Bassil, said during the inauguration of a municipal
building in Faraya on Saturday that now that the
Christians have regained their power, more work can be done, advising everyone
to" get used" to the new shape of government. Bassil
promised long-term plans for the country's water, electricity, energy resources
and economy. "We fully realize the importance of the economy, starting
from municipalities all the way to ministries.""This
is the first time since 1990 that we see a chartered Cabinet where Christians
are properly represented," he said. "We have restored the proper
representation to the presidency; and representation would be even better in
the Cabinet and parliament." The Minister noted that he was open to all
electoral laws as long as they provided proper representation for all Lebanese
away from narrow interests.
LF denies rumors
of endorsing 60's law
Sat 24 Dec 2016/NNA - The media department at the Lebanese Forces (LF) issued a
statement on Saturday denying rumors dispersed by
certain media outlets stating that Mehrab prefers
holding legislative elections under the sixty's law. "The LF confirms that
it will not spare an effort to bring down this law, which is unfair and
unrepresentative [of voters]. And the LF will endeavor
to decree a new law that embodies the Lebanese charter, which was hit hard when
the Lebanese Taef was replaced with a Syrian
one." The statement reminded of the efforts exerted by the LF to decree a
new mixed law, which married between the majoritarian
and proportional ones. The LF wished upon all media outlets to be careful and
factual in their dissemination of news.
Assassination of Fateh
official in Ain alHilweh, clashes renew
Sat 24 Dec 2016/NNA - One of Fateh Movement's senior
officials, Sleiman Abu Nemr,
was assassinated on Saturday in a booby-trap that went off inside Ain el-Hilweh Refugee Camp, following which clashes broke out
again along Safsaf-Braxat Axis, causing many to leave
their homes in the region, NNA correspondent reported.
Abu Arab: Killing of Abu Nemr an accident and not planned
Sat 24 Dec 2016/NNA - Sidon - Palestinian National Security Brigade
Commander Subhi Abu Arab considered, on Saturday,
that the killing of Fateh Military Unit Commander Sleiman Abu Nemr occurred by
accident, whereby a bomb he had kept at his home went off by mistake. He added
that the clashes that broke out following Abu Nemr's
death were due to the belief that he was targeted.
Syrian arrested in Bziza for terrorist links
Sat 24 Dec 2016/NNA - The General Security Directorate arrested in Bziza village a Syrian national identified as Abdallah Darwich, for suspicions
of belonging to a terrorist group, National News Agency correspondent reported
on Saturday.
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on on on December 24-25/16
Thousands of faithful
celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem
Ynetnews/AP/AFP/December 25/16
Christians celebrate Christmas Eve in Jesus' birthplace with a massive
decorated tree, holiday songs in Arabic, parades and of course, the midnight
mass at the Church of the Nativity; thousands expect to arrive in the Holy Land
for the holiday, with Bethlehem hotels fully booked.
Thousands of pilgrims and tourists from around the world together with
locals began Christmas Eve celebrations in Jesus' traditional birthplace of
The faithful braved the chilly weather outside
Elated tourists and local Christians alike wandered around the square
illuminated by festive red and golden lights and a large Christmas tree, visiting
souvenir shops and restaurants.
"It's very unique, I've never seen anything like it," said
Rodrigo Reis, 23, who came from
Christian clergymen welcomed the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy
Land inside the
Christmas tourism
Beyond that, tens of thousands of tourists are
expected to visit sites including
There is more optimism this year in
Holiday spirit at the birthplace of Jesus
Every year the city of
Palestinian officials say Christmas celebrations are a chance to show the world
that the Palestinians can govern themselves and to encourage them to support a
two-state solution for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
“Of course it is in our interest to have a two-state solution,” Issa Kassissieh, the Palestinian
Ambassador to the Holy See, told The Media Line. “Here in
According to Kassissieh, promoting and strengthening
the religion, however, is one of the top priorities of the Palestinian
Authority, he said.
Given the current political instability in the Middle East with the ongoing
civil war in
“Politics here are so multilayered,” Ian Knowles, a Christian icon painter and
the director of the Icon school in
“
Aside from promoting Christianity through religiously motivated artistic endeavors, the city has also generated both financial and
political support from the international community in restoring and renovating
the
Built in the fourth century, in the year 332, the church, which Christians
believe is the actual birthplace of Jesus Christ, was falling apart, especially
with bad leaks in the roof.
In 2009, after lengthy negotiations with the Greek Orthodox Church, the
The Palestinian government raised money to cover some of the expenses of the
renovations; however, the work could not have been accomplished without
financial support from many European and other Middle Eastern churches and
countries.
“We are supporting the Christian presence here in Palestine and in the
holy land not only by preserving the Palestinian Christians but also by
preserving and renovating their churches,” Minister Ziad
Al-Bandak, the adviser to Abbas,
told The Media Line.
**Katie Beiter, a student journalist with The Media
Line, contributed to this report.
Reuters,
Turkey-backed rebels kill 68 ISIS fighters near Syria’s al-Bab
Reuters Saturday, 24 December 2016/Syrian rebels backed by Turkish warplanes
killed 68 ISIS militants in northern Syria overnight, the Turkish military said
on Saturday, as intense fighting around the town of al-Bab
continued. Rebels supported by Turkish troops have laid siege to the ISIS-held
town for weeks under the “Euphrates Shield” operation launched by
Iran, world powers make restricted nuke
deal documents public
The Associated Press, Vienna Saturday, 24 December 2016/In an unusual move,
Iran and six world powers on Friday released previously restricted documents
about their nuclear deal to enforce their view that Tehran is not circumventing
limits on its limit of enriched uranium, which could be used to make nuclear
weapons. Some of the documents are dated Jan.6, 2016, shortly before the pact
was implemented. But they were not made public until Friday, when they were
posted on the public website of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The
IAEA is monitoring the nuclear deal, which Iran reached with Germany and the
five permanent U.N. Security Council members — the United States, Russia,
China, France and Britain. The agreement stipulates that
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Saturday, 24
December 2016/Yemen’s armed and resistance forces were able to recapture
several key areas within a district in the capital Sanaa.
Several areas including Telti al-Hamra,
al-Madfoun and al-Talal
from the Nihm district of Sanaa
were liberated after more than a year of being held by Houthi
militias and forces loyal to ousted former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Nihm has been subjected to
fierce fighting from both sides attempting to control the district located east
of the capital. Meanwhile in Taiz, armed forces of
the legitimate government of Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi were able to
recapture a military hospital in a battle where Houthi
militias incurred losses. Among them was key militia leader named Abu Assem. The advancements come a day after Saudi forces were
able to carry out a night-time operation in Jizan and
Najran, after spotting Houthi
and Saleh militias near the Saudi border, leading to
the death of 30 Houthis.
Revealed: Libyan hijackers used fake
weapons
Agencies Saturday, 24 December 2016/The weapons used
on Friday in the hijack of a jet from
The man, who gave his name as Moussa Shaha, told
All the passengers were released from the the
Libyan hijacked plane.The Airbus A320 was flying
inside Libya for state-owned airline Afriqiyah
Airways with 118 people aboard, the reports said. The two hijackers had
threatened to blow the plane up, outlets including the Times of Malta reported.
Al Arabiya sources said one deputy from the Libyan
House of Representatives is on board of the hijacked plane. Maltese Prime
Minister Joseph Muscat tweeted: “Informed of potential hijack situation of a #
Americans warned against Egypt and Jordan
travel
Agencies Saturday, 24 December 2016/The US State Department on Friday warned
Americans traveling to Egypt and Jordan of threats from terrorist groups and
noted that several bombing incidents had occurred this month, including a
Coptic cathedral attack in Cairo that killed at least 25 people. The department
said that while
In
AFP,
Human Rights Watch urges protection
for Libya civilians
AFP Saturday, 24 December 2016/Human Rights Watch on Saturday urged the
Libyan government to protect civilians who were detained after fleeing former
ISIS group stronghold Sirte. “Libyan authorities
should ensure the safety of and urgently provide medical care for more than 120
women and children being held in a Misrata prison” on
suspicion of extremist links, it said. Forces allied with
The extremists had seized Sirte, the hometown
of slain dictator Muammar Qaddafi, in June 2015 amid the chaos following
Qaddafi’s downfall in 2011. After evacuating the city, Libyan authorities
detained a number of civilians suspected of
It cited a prison official who said none of the women had identification
documents and another who said some of the women appeared to have been abducted
by
Israel rejects UN settler vote, lashes out at Obama
AFP,
“
Naharnet/December 24/FP/16/Israel scrambled Saturday
to contain the fallout from the UN Security Council vote to halt settlements in
Palestinian territory after lashing out at US President Barack Obama over the
"shameful" resolution. The council passed the measure Friday after
the
They are also worried it could encourage some countries to impose sanctions
against Israeli settlers and products produced in the settlements. Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the resolution and criticised Obama in
especially harsh language. "
It is
But the Obama administration has grown increasingly frustrated with settlement
building in the West Bank, which
"We cannot stand in the way of this resolution as we seek to preserve a
chance of attaining our longstanding objective of two states living side by
side in peace and security," said Samantha Power, the
Trump has signalled he is likely to be far more favourable to
Some 430,000 Israeli settlers currently live in the West Bank and a further
200,000 Israelis live in annexed east
Friday's vote was scheduled at the request of
The move was "an international and unanimous condemnation of settlements
and strong support for the two-state solution," Nabil
Abu Rudeina said. Saeb Erekat, a former peace negotiator and the number two in the
Palestine Liberation Organisation, spoke of a "historic day".
Ukraine Govt Troops, Rebels Claims
Cease-Fire Violations
Associated Press/Naharnet/December 24/16/Both the
Ukrainian government and Russia-backed rebels in the east of the country say a
new cease-fire has been violated. Separatist mouthpiece Donetsk News Agency
said on Saturday government troops had opened fire at least 140 times since
midnight on Friday, the time both parties had agreed to cease fire in the
conflict that began in 2014 and has claimed more than 9,600 lives. The
Ukrainian government's initially reported no
violations across the front line, but its operational headquarters later said
the rebels opened fire four times at three different locations. At least eight
Ukrainian troops have died in fighting in the past seven days, pushing the
government and the separatists to agree on the cease-fire deal on Wednesday.
The presidents of
FBI warns of
possible ISIS-inspired attacks in US
Reuters Saturday, 24 December 2016/US federal authorities cautioned local law enforcement
on Friday to be aware that supporters of ISIS have been calling for their
sympathizers to attack holiday gatherings in the
Maryam Rajavi’s Christmas and New Year’s Greetings
NCRI Statements/Friday, 23 December 2016/Christmas is the day when the world
was blessed to see the birth of God's great prophet. Merry
Christmas to all Christians in
We also admire the Virgin Mary on this day, who
inspires all women, particularly the oppressed women of the world. Jesus said,
"Love your neighbor as yourself." This is
why many Christians from all across the world support the Iranian Resistance.
Inspired by his message, the Iranian resistance wants to establish a society
based on freedom, equality and separation of religion and In the future
May 2017 be a year of freedom for my country
Iran Regime's Fear of the UN Commissioning
Investigation of War Crimes in Syria
Saturday, 24 December 2016/NCRI - The Iranian regime’s ambassador to the
UN and Khamenei’s advisor on international affairs, Gholam Hossein Dehghani, expressed Iran regime’s fear of the new
resolution adopted by the United Nations to form an investigation commission on
war crimes in Syria. He claimed that the resolution proposed by Lichtenstein
and
Iran: Foreign Minister Must Admit His
Mistakes on JCPOA in Front of the Cameras
Saturday, 24 December 2016 10:54 /NCRI - On Thursday, December
22, head of Khamenei’s club-wielding agents, Saeed Qassemi, pointing out Javad Zarif (Iran regime Foreign
Minister) admitting his mistakes on The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
(JCPOA) in the regime’s parliament, said: “As the diplomacy of smile, diplomacy
of Email, diplomacy of giving the famous and delicate Farshchian
carpet which has a thousand texture to Wendy Sherman and John Kerry, and
diplomacy of balcony in Palais Coburg
in Vienna were public, admitting mistakes must also be official and public and
the Foreign Minister must publicly admit his wrong doings in front of the
cameras not in a parliament that signed and approved the JCPOA after 20 minutes
discussion.”While moaning for the nuclear deal and
with sighs and groans about (Khamenei) drinking the
poison of chalice in the nuclear case and the regime filling up the heart of
Arak nuclear reactor with concrete, Qassemi said:
“This issue has postponed (taken back) the revolution current 20 years and we
should give this (nuclear negotiation) team a Hammer and Spike to dig out and
remove the concrete from the heart of Arak nuclear reactor before the end of
their term in order to set an example for everyone else.”
He ridiculed Rouhani’s statements on Citizens
Rights and said: “Thanks God, until yesterday we did not know anything about
our ‘Citizens Rights’ and we thought we were slums and excluded from the
society and now this government granted us our citizen’s rights.”
Head of Khamenei’s club-wielding agents added:
“Nation of Hezbollah (meaning Basiji &
club-wielding agents and plainclothes) will not be satisfied with anything less
that (the government) officially admit their mistakes trusting the
“We, representing a nation that fosters martyrs, tell the parliament’s
deputy speaker, who has developed Alzheimer saying it was wrong to deal with
(Ahmad) Montazeri [for publishing Ayatollah Montazeri’s (his father’s) audio file on the 1988 massacre
of 30,000 political prisoners in Iran] and we should caress and sympathize with
Mojahedin families, we tell him where were you during
the 8 years Iran-Iraq war that today (you dare to) drag any issue and problem
that comes up,” Pasdar Qassemi
continued.
“The crime of this current is creating hope in the heart of the enemies,
creating despair and hopelessness in the heart of those who love the revolution
and playing off dirty win-win game with Iranian people. Therefore, they should
officially be prosecuted and tried in court and the officials of JCPOA and
their particular supporters should be given Mallet and Chisel to dig out
“We want our country’ nuclear industry to spin and Ahmadi
Roshan and all the friends that were fired or laid
off from their jobs (nuclear program) return to work,” he said.
Latest
LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
on on December 24-25/16
Palestinians: The Nightmare of Christians
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone
Institute/December 24/16
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9634/palestinian-christians
For the past four decades, Samir Qumsieh,
who hails from a large and well-respected Christian family in the town of
He regularly receives death threats, and he has been the target of a petrol
bomb attack.
"The solution to extremism starts with the kindergarten, with elementary
school. It begins with the churches, with the mosques and the school curricula.
Curricula are very important – Jewish, Christian and Muslim ones. They should
concentrate on accepting the 'other.' If this idea is adopted, the future
generation will be liberal and open-minded." — Samir
Qumsieh.
"Every day we hear and see some radical Muslim clerics speaking strongly
against Christians. Just recently, one of the sheiks was saying that Christian
Copts should be slaughtered like sheep. Where is the Egyptian security? If I
were in charge of Egyptian security, I would have this sheikh arrested
immediately, and have him rot in a dark underground cell." — Samir Qumsieh.
"To understand the severity of the situation is, let us recall that in the
1950s about 86% of the population of the
"I fear the day will come when our churches will become museums. is my nightmare." — Samir Qumsieh.
Without question, Samir Qumsieh
is one of the most courageous Christian leaders in the
For the past four decades, Samir Qumsieh,
who hails from a large and well-respected Christian family in the town of
The plight of the Christians living under the Palestinian Authority and Hamas
is a subject truly taboo. Yet Qumsieh perseveres –
and pays the price. He regularly receives death threats, and he has been the
target of a petrol bomb attack. Muslim extremists have also distributed
leaflets in the
However, the campaign of intimidation has not deterred Qumsieh
from defending them.
In an exclusive interview with Gatestone Institute,
the prominent Christian figure, who founded the private Nativity TV Station in
Bet Sahour, accuses the Obama Administration of
failing to combat ISIS and radical Islam. Qumsieh
says he is convinced that President-elect Trump will "terminate"
Qumsieh discloses that a "Muslim mafia" has
been stealing Christian-owned lands in the
As a prominent Palestinian Christian figure in the living in the Middle East,
how would you assess the Obama Administration's role in the war on
President Obama is the spiritual father of
How do you explain Obama's refusal to use the term radical Islam?
If you ask me, I will tell you the truth: I doubt that Obama is a Christian.
Really, I doubt it. During his term,
Do you believe that President-elect Donald Trump will endorse a different
stance toward
Absolutely. Trump will obliterate
I have a friend who is a painter. He paints portraits of presidents. He is a
Muslim, by the way. We sent portraits to King Abdullah, to Mahmoud
Abbas and the Pope. He painted a portrait of Obama in
front of the
Are you saying that Obama has not done anything to help Christians in the
Nothing at all. As I said, I think he was not serious
about fighting
In your opinion, what is the best way to fight religious extremism?
I have always said that the solution to extremism is not through the military
or security. The solution to extremism starts with the kindergarten, with
elementary school. It begins with the churches, with the mosques and the school
curricula. Curricula are very important – Jewish, Christian and Muslim ones.
They should concentrate on accepting the 'other.' If this idea is adopted, the
future generation will be liberal and open-minded.
But isn't the turmoil and violence in the
The current conflict in the entire region is a religious and sectarian war.
How do you feel as a Christian when you see what is happening to Christians in
the Middle East, especially the recent bombing of a church in Egypt?
What is happening is extremely sad, especially the bombing of a church. I think
the Egyptian authorities should act decisively. Every day we hear and see some
radical Muslim clerics speaking strongly against Christians. Just recently, one
of the sheiks was saying that Christian Copts should be slaughtered like sheep.
Where is the Egyptian security? If I was in charge of Egyptian security, I
would have this sheikh arrested immediately, and have him rot in a dark
underground cell.
Are you aware of Palestinian Muslim clerics who also speak out against
Christians?
Yes. This past Friday, one of the sheikhs at a mosque was speaking in a
threatening way about Christians. He said that Muslim youths should not imitate
Christian youths, and should not wish them well at Christmas. He also said that
Muslims should not be doing business with Christians. The sheikh said some
highly intimidating things about Christians.
Did the Christians protest against this incitement by the sheikh?
My cousin, who is a retired officer with the Palestinian Authority Intelligence
Security Department, published something about the Friday sermon on Facebook. The following day he had to delete the post
because it seems he received threats or something like that. When I told my
cousin that I will talk with the Palestinian Authority attorney-general about
it, he asked me not to talk to anyone. My cousin said, 'Please don't talk about
this matter because we are 40 Christian families in that area (where the sheikh
lives). It is clear to me that my cousin did receive threats, although he would
not admit to it.
How would you describe relations between Christians and Muslims in the
Objectively speaking, there are millions of Muslims who are good people. I have
many close Muslim friends whom I consider as my brothers. The problem is not
Muslims. The real problem is radical Islam. In the Quran, there are various
kinds of statements, and every Muslim, depending on his belief and attitude,
selects what suits him. Some verses call for peace and describe Christians as
the 'People of the Book' and good people. There are also verses that describe
us as infidels and sinful folks. Everyone chooses what appeals to him.
According to my humble knowledge, these verses are undated. I think that if
they were dated, the fresh ones would supersede the old ones.
My understanding is that you have personally been the target of threats and
violent attacks. Can you elaborate?
Yes, I have faced a great deal of harassment, and in 2006 I was even attacked
with Molotov cocktails. Also, fliers that spoke against me have been
distributed.
What is the main accusation against you? Why are some Muslims angry with you?
When I saw that there was encroachment on Christian-owned land here, I
protested against it.
Is it true that Muslims have been illegally laying their hands on Christian
property in
We have a mafia here that is seizing Christian-owned lands. I protested against
this Muslim mafia, and I even called a large gathering. I invited 80 people to
my home. They included the elite of society – Muslims and Christians. They all
joined my protest. That same night, fliers were distributed in
What has the Palestinian Authority done to help against you fight this mafia?
There are still many unresolved cases with regards to land encroachment. These
cases are in the courts, but our judicial system is very slow. If you go to
court, you have to wait 15-20 years. Recently, we have noticed that the
encroachments decreased immensely because we have been talking to the
Palestinian Authority and pressing them about the problem. Today, there are
only a few cases like this taking place. We want all these cases to be solved.
Is there discrimination against Christians living under the Palestinian
Authority?
One cannot say that there is official discrimination. President Abbas attends Christmas midnight mass, his prime minister
attends the lighting of the Christmas tree. Still, I can simply say that among
our people you will find some who harbor radical
extremist thoughts.
Do you believe that Christian leaders are doing enough to defend the interests
of their people?
Frankly, I do not want the day to come when the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Church of the Nativity are turned into
museums. Rather, I wish to seize this opportunity hope that it will encourage
our leaders to tackle the problem and find a solution. Any Christian
businessman who is interested in the general issue of Christians should come
and invest here. We want them to build projects, including housing projects. We
are also hoping that these projects will provide jobs for young Christians. The
biggest problem we are facing is Christian emigration. Some Christians are
helping, but this is being done on a very limited scale. But I cannot say that
Christian patriarchates are doing their best. Some of them are far from the
congregation and do not even care about us. We want wealthy Christians to come
here and create project initiatives. It is not enough to say 'I love the Christians
and I care about them.' This love should be demonstrated through deeds.
Are you worried about the growing number of Christians who are leaving the
Once, 5,000 Christians lived in the Gaza Strip. When Hamas took over the Gaza Strip
in 2006, Christians began to be harassed and discriminated against. Today, only
1,100 Christians live there. In the
**Khaled Abu Toameh, an
award-winning journalist, is based in
© 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.
Fighting over the mind of Donald Trump
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/December 24/16
Since American President-elect Donald Trump does not have a political record
that clearly shows his stances about what’s happening in the world, different
parties are trying to bring their positions closer to the general opinions he
previously declared.
This is an academic test that won’t be easy. For instance, he said that he
considers
Trump’s stance may ring true if he considers that fighting terrorist
organizations, like
The problem with Barack Obama’s administration is that it separated between the
cause and the effect. Obama said that his only task in the region was to fight
terrorist organizations and he thus let chaos, murder, displacement and
destruction spread in conflict zones - such as
Once Trump sees the connection between chaos and terrorism, it will not be
difficult for his administration to adopt a policy that’s more decisive and
braver
Although Trump’s orientations in the region are unannounced and unclear, it’s
not difficult for the region’s countries to find common ground with him when it
comes to fighting terrorism which is a dangerous disease that requires major superpowers
to take a decisive stance against chaos. Terrorism is present in
In
In
These issues are related to terrorism which Trump pledged to wipe from the face
of the earth, although implementing this promise seems almost impossible.
However, once he sees the connection between chaos and terrorism, it will not
be difficult for his administration to adopt a policy that’s more decisive and
braver and the majority of countries in the region and the world will be
willing to support it.
Good riddance to a calamitous year
Hisham Melhem/Al Arabiya/December 24/16
Whether we call it “annus horribilis,” a calamitous year, or the year of the lurking
snake, 2016 was a year to be forgotten. It was the year the American people
gambled on randomness and ended up electing Donald Trump, the most accidental,
most intemperate president imaginable. The people of
The calamitous year brought us the presidency of Donald Trump with a bang and
ended the presidency of Barack Obama with a whimper. But 2016 was a year of
plenty for a third president; Vladimir Putin. While presiding over an aging
empire with a third rate economy producing mostly oil, gas and arms, Putin
still managed to hover over a cowering and leaderless Europe and all but
eliminated
The year of the autocrat
It was the year of autocrats like Putin, and would be
autocrats like Trump, and the potential for a larger European confederacy of
autocrats. What is most frightening about 2016 as the annus
horribilis is that it demonstrated in bold relief how
thin the veneer of civilization is in the US and Europe. The election of Trump
in
Some observers have claimed that Trump is a “disruptor” of traditional
political norms when they explain or try to rationalize his erratic, self-indulgent
and reckless pronouncements and actions. But, Trump is a populist who adores
being adored by the wildly cheering “fans.” He alternates between the populist
and the agent-provocateur. Watch the way he works the crowds and tries to turn
them willfully into a potentially malleable mob. Look
at how he stokes the passions of his supporters against their mostly imagined
enemies and the wild conspiracy theories that he peddles against mere critics.
During the primaries, he even engaged in outright incitement of violence
against the occasional protestor. Trump who talks incessantly about the Second
Amendment of the Constitution (the right of the people to keep and bear arms,
shall not be infringed) but he truly holds the First Amendment in contempt (the
freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to assemble
peaceably). Hence his dangerous attacks on the media, how he tries to turn the
public against reporters and his own direct threats and boycotts against
journalists who dare to criticize him forcefully. In the 1830s an obscure but
bold 28 year old legislator named Abraham Lincoln, warned the country to remain
vigilant against what he called the “mobocratic
spirit” and the dangers of demagogues manipulating “wild and furious passions.”
The prescient
Even before he set foot in the White House, Trump’s reckless governing by
tweets, has created confusion domestically and caused unnecessarily tension
with major powers like
A continent in retreat
President Putin’s rise can only be realized at the expense of a diminished
The destruction of
Even on minor issues such as the decision of the
Italian government to cover naked or semi-naked statutes in
The legacy of 2016 in the Middle East
In the Middle East, 2016 was the year many people there became more convinced
than before that the US under President Obama was gradually withdrawing from
the region, even though on the surface America was being forced to dispatch
more special forces and advisors to combat ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The Obama
administration’s greatest moral and political failing was the gaping wound
gushing rivers of blood named
The destruction of a significant part of
Terrorism has no face
Abdullah Hamidaddin/Al Arabiya/December
24/16
The tragic death of the Russian ambassador to
A lot of the analysis on the murder was about its political fallouts. Some went
as far as comparing it with the murder of Archduke Ferdinand. There will be
consequences of course, but nothing even close to a World War.
Almost as much analysis was about the image of the murderer. For so many people
this simply did not look like a terrorist act, and the murderer did not look
like a terrorist. As the images of the murderer came out, I found so many
comments expressing surprise. One of the popular ones said: “this image
contains more than what Kafka’s mind could digest… a white wall, works of art,
a gun, and a man standing over a dead body with his finger pointing towards
God.”
Another comment, written by a well-known film critic, said that if we did not
know the news behind the image we would have thought this was a poster for a
film… the whole scene, including the words uttered, might
have well been part of a Shakespearean play. The image was “too clean: and the
scene was too white to fit into our set conceptions of how a terrorist killing
should look like. We’ve gotten used to bearded men, making statements behind
cameras, in front of walls decorated with slogans. This is not good!
An urgent psychological need
Giving terrorism a specific face serves an urgent
psychological need. It gives us a sense of security, albeit false one, when
mingling with other people. It makes us divide faces into safe ones with whom
we can interact with little fear, and dangerous faces whom
we must be careful from. But giving terrorism a face also has serious and
painful consequences. It had led to hate acts against those whose complexions
are similar to that of the terrorist.
Giving terrorism a specific face serves an urgent psychological need. It gives
us a sense of security, albeit false one, when mingling with other people
One of many incidents was an assault on a Sikh on the
basis of him being a potential terrorist. He was wearing a turban which, in the
mind of the attacker, qualified him to fit the image of the terrorist.
Moreover, it can make us less suspicious of those who don’t fit the image even
if they do a suspicious act. A white clean shaven man forgetting his bag on a
train would not attract the same attention as a bearded man wearing traditional
Arab garb doing the same thing. It also draws our attention away from state
sponsored terrorism, or internet terrorism all perpetrated by people who also
don’t fit that classic image.
Terrorism, of course, has no face. Terrorists do not belong to one specific
cultural or ethnic group. The image of the terrorist should not be a matter of
discussion and analysis. It should not distract us from the act itself. There
is one lesson I can draw from the reactions to the image of this clean shaven
terrorist, and that is when thinking of combating terrorism we should also be
thinking about combating stereotypical images of terrorists.