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Bible Quotations For Today

But if you had known what this means, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice", you would not have condemned the guiltless.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 12/01-14: "At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath.’He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests.Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice", you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’ He left that place and entered their synagogue; a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, ‘Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath? ’ so that they might accuse him. He said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out?How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.’Then he said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him."

But they will not make much progress, because, as in the case of those two men, their folly will become plain to everyone
Second Letter to Timothy 03/01-09: "You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them! For among them are those who make their way into households and captivate silly women, overwhelmed by their sins and swayed by all kinds of desires, who are always being instructed and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth. As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people, of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith, also oppose the truth. But they will not make much progress, because, as in the case of those two men, their folly will become plain to everyone."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on February 27/16
Saudi envoy hints flag carrier might stop flights to Beirut/Now Lebanon/February 26/16
The Promise of the Free is a Debt/Ahmad El-Assaad/LOP General Chancellor./February 25, 2016
Hezbollah must prove it is Lebanese/Nayla Tueni/Al Arabiya/February 26/16
Standing by Lebanon and feeling bitter/Mohammed Fahad al-Harthi/Al Arabiya/February 26/16
Hatred! Who wants to face it/Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/February 26/16
The fallacy, hype and oversimplification of Iran elections/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya/February 26/16
Fundamentalists and Revolutionary Guards steal Iran’s elections/DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis February 26, 2016
Obama’s Problem with the Middle East Tango/Eyad Abu Shakra/Al Sharq Al Awsat/February 26/16

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on February 27/16
Saudi envoy hints flag carrier might stop flights to Beirut
Report: Salam Drops Gulf Tour Plan
Saudi Piles Pressure on Lebanon after Declining Influence
Czechs Allow Extradition of Lebanese to U.S., Fayad's Fate Depends on Cabinet
Riyadh Seeking Arab Support for Anti-Hizbullah Resolution
Asiri: Relations Must not be Sacrificed, No Measures Against Lebanese Expats
Saudi Arabia Blacklists Companies, Individuals over Hizbullah Ties
U.N. Calls for Continued Support for Lebanese Army after Saudi Aid Cut
Families of IS-held Servicemen Warn Won't 'Remain Peaceful', Urge Tasking Ibrahim with Case
Hariri Performs Friday Prayers in Tariq al-Jedideh: I Have Returned and Will Remain with You
The Promise of the Free is a Debt
Key Hizbullah Commander Killed in Syria's Aleppo
Qassem Says 'Saudi Must Apologize': Lebanon Will Remain Country of Freedoms
Fadel Shaker Sentenced to 5 Years in Jail for 'Harming Lebanese Ties with Fraternal Arab Country'
Strict Security Measures in Dahieh over Reports of Booby-Trapped Car
Hezbollah must prove it is Lebanese
Standing by Lebanon and feeling bitter

Saudi envoy hints flag carrier might stop flights to Beirut
Now Lebanon/February 26/16/"
“If there are no Saudis traveling on Saudi planes in large numbers to Beirut, BEIRUT – Saudi Arabia’s envoy to Lebanon hinted that his country’s flag carrier might halt flights to Beirut as Riyadh continues to ramp up pressure on Lebanon in anger over Hezbollah’s actions. Ambassador Ali Awad Assiri said Friday morning that although Riyadh has issued no official instructions to stop Saudi Arabian Airlines flights to Lebanon’s capital, economic matters might force the national carrier to discontinue the route. “If there are no Saudis traveling on Saudi planes in large numbers to Beirut, perhaps the company will decided to halt flights,” the envoy said in an interview on OTV. However, he stressed that he “hopes [the flights] will not stop.”Assir’s comments come a week after Riyadh cut its $4 billion line of credit to Lebanon’s army and security institutions, arguing that Beirut had taken “regrettable and unjustified” positions against Saudi Arabia in two recent diplomatic summits. The Desert Kingdom also accused Hezbollah of “confiscating Lebanon’s will.”Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil—the president of the Free Patriotic Movement allied with Hezbollah—last month refused to sign onto a statement formulated in a January 10 meeting of Arab foreign ministers condemning Iran for the mob violence against the Saudi diplomatic missions at the beginning of the year. Bassil also failed to support the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s January 22 statement condemning “Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of Bahrain, Yemen and Syria and its support for terrorism.” The foreign minister has insisted he is following Lebanon’s stated policy of neutrality in foreign affairs, while March 14 figures have accused Bassil as supporting Iran and needlessly angering Riyadh. Saudi Arabia’s decision to halt the military aid sparked a political crisis in Lebanon, forcing bickering ministers to formulate a vaguely-worded statement of support for Saudi Arabia in a crunch government meeting on Monday. Despite the statement, Riyadh has continued to take punitive actions against Lebanon, issuing a travel warning Tuesday night after which 90 Lebanese nationals working in Saudi Arabia were reportedly laid off. Lebanon’s beleaguered economy is buttressed by the tourism sector—which relies on high-spending visitors from the Gulf—as well as remittances sent back to the country by Lebanese expatriates working in the Gulf states. Ambassador Assiri on Thursday night demanded that the parties “responsible for the diplomatic rift” apologize, an implicit reference to Hezbollah. However, Hezbollah politicians have ruled out an apology amid the deepening crisis.
**NOW’s English news desk editor Albin Szakola (@AlbinSzakola) wrote this report. Ullin Hope (@UllinHope) translated the Arabic-language source material.

Report: Salam Drops Gulf Tour Plan
Naharnet/February 26/16/Prime Minister Tammam Salam has dropped a plan to go on a Gulf tour following a Saudi decision to cut off billions of dollars of aid to the Lebanese army and security forces, al-Joumhouria daily reported Friday. Salam decided instead to carry out contacts with several Gulf countries through their ambassadors in Beirut, said the newspaper. But al-Joumhouria quoted sources close to Salam as saying that the PM was still waiting for an answer on a message he sent to Saudi King Salman to decide on his next move.Salam said on Monday that he will head a ministerial delegation to visit Gulf states in the near future after Saudi Arabia halted security assistance deals worth $4 billion. The Saudi move came after Lebanon failed to back the Sunni kingdom in its spat with Shiite powerhouse Iran, the leading backer of Hizbullah. In a statement, the premier insisted Beirut stands by Arab countries. But his appeal was not met with positive reactions from the Gulf. Saudi Arabia called on its citizens not to travel to Lebanon for safety reasons and ordered those staying there to leave. Its Gulf allies Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar predictably followed suit, issuing similar warnings. The United Arab Emirates also banned its citizens from traveling to Lebanon and withdrew a number of diplomats from the country. There have also been reports that the Gulf states would start evicting thousands of Lebanese who work in the oil-rich region, a move that would have a devastating effect on Lebanon's crumbling economy.

Saudi Piles Pressure on Lebanon after Declining Influence
Associated Press/Naharnet/February 26/16/Saudi Arabia has lashed out at Lebanon, cutting off billions of dollars of aid and telling its citizens to leave the country, after Beirut sided with Iran in the fallout over the execution of a Saudi Shiite cleric, in a diplomatic dispute that threatens Lebanon's struggling economy.
The tension reflects the worsening Sunni-Shiite conflict in the Middle East, which is driven by regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Iran, who are fighting proxy wars in Syria, Yemen and, to a lesser extent, in Iraq. Saudi's punitive measures against Lebanon began last week after Foreign Ministerr Jebran Bassil, an ally of the Iranian-backed Hizbullah, declined to support Saudi resolutions against Iran during two meetings of Arab and Muslim foreign The resolution sought to condemn Iran over attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions following Riyadh's execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr in early January. Riyadh announced Friday it was halting $4 billion in aid grants due to what it described as stances taken by Lebanese officials which "were not in harmony with the ties between the two countries." This week, Saudi Arabia called on its citizens not to travel to Lebanon for safety reasons and ordered those staying there to leave. Its Gulf allies Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar predictably followed suit, issuing similar warnings. The United Arab Emirates also banned its citizens from traveling to Lebanon and withdrew a number of diplomats from the country.
Lebanon's political elite is deeply divided between two powerful Saudi and Iran-backed coalitions. The spat has exacerbated divisions among Lebanon's notoriously fractious politicians, who traded accusations over the billions of dollars lost. Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 and parliament has failed to elect a new head of state because of lack of a quorum. Concerns have been sparked that further steps could be taken by Saudi Arabia and its neighbors, such as gulf airlines halting flights to Beirut or the eviction of thousands of Lebanese who work in the oil-rich region, a move that would have a devastating effect on Lebanon's crumbling economy. There are some half a million Lebanese living in the gulf. They transfer billions of dollars to their home country in remittances, giving a boost to Lebanon's economy, which has among the highest debts in the world — currently standing at $70 billion or 145 per cent of GDP. Lebanese economist Louis Hobeika said the eviction of Lebanese migrant workers in the gulf would be the most damaging move Saudi could make. Yet, he suggested that such retaliation would be mutually harmful. "Lebanese hold key positions in companies and it is not very easy to replace them," he said. Some analysts say Saudi Arabia is going to deport some foreign workers anyway as projects in the kingdom are canceled due to falling oil prices. Speaking to reporters on Thursday before a Cabinet meeting, Economy Minister Alain Hakim urged calm. He said Lebanese should not "panic before any measures by Gulf states because such fears harm our economy."Local media reports say some worried citizens were changing their accounts in Lebanese pounds to U.S. dollars but officials say people should not worry about the pound since the Central Bank can defend it with its $40 billion foreign currency reserves. Central Bank governor Riad Salameh told the daily al-Akhbar that "markets did not show any fears and were very normal this week."
Saudi officials say they want Lebanon to "fix the mistakes" but did not say how they can be fixed.
"Mistakes were made in two international arenas," said Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri. "What is wanted now is for the side that made the mistake to fix it."Some local media reports in Lebanon have argued that the Saudis may be applying pressure to secure the release of a member of the royal family held in Lebanon since October on drug charges.Abdul-Mohsen al-Waleed Al Saud , was detained in Beirut after authorities seized two tons of amphetamine Captagon pills before they were loaded onto his private plane. On Wednesday, a Lebanese prosecutor indicted Al Saud of dealing and using drugs. Other analysts suggest Saudi Arabia may be seeking to compensate for its declining hold over Lebanon. Saudi Arabia's influence has been dwindling in Lebanon since early 2011, when former Prime Minister Saad Hariri was ousted by Hizbullah and its allies. For the past two years, the Saudi-backed March 14 coalition has failed to see one of their leaders elected president. Now they are nominating legislator Suleiman Franjieh, a friend of Syrian President Bashar Assad and a close ally of Hizbullah, for the country's top job. Meanwhile, Hizbullah, which has sent thousands of fighters to back Assad's forces, is benefiting from recent victories against Saudi-backed insurgents in Syria. "Saudi Arabia (is) feeling for a good reason that its influence in Lebanon is on the decline," said Ayham Kamel, a Middle East expert with the political risk and consulting firm, Eurasia Group. "The Saudi message is don't think you can translate victories in Syria and control the system in Lebanon. We have plenty of leverage through our economic muscles," Kamel said.

Czechs Allow Extradition of Lebanese to U.S., Fayad's Fate Depends on Cabinet
Associated Press/Naharnet/February 26/16/Czech Justice Minister Robert Pelikan has agreed to extradite an Ivory Coast national of Lebanese origin to the United States to face weapons charges although another alleged accomplice remains in Lebanese custody. The Czech Justice Ministry spokeswoman, Tereza Schejbalova, confirmed the decision Thursday. Faozi Abdul Menhem Jaber was one from a group of three who were arrested in Prague 2014 while allegedly trying to sell weapons to undercover U.S. law enforcement agents who pretended to be from a Colombian terrorist group. But Pelikan refused to allow the extradition of the other two, Lebanon's Ali Taan Fayad and Ivory Coast citizen Khaled el-Merebi, who also holds the Lebanese nationality, drawing a strong criticism from the U.S. The Feb. 4 move came on the same day that five Czech citizens who went missing in Lebanon in July returned home in a swap deal struck by the Czech government for their release. Fayad was arrested at the Rafik Hariri International Airport upon his arrival to Beirut. According to al-Akbhar daily published on Friday, Lebanon's Justice Ministry has received the extradition file of Fayad in order to study it. General Prosecutor Samir Hammoud will review the file and task a judge to interrogate Fayad before referring a report to acting Justice Minister Alice Shabtini, said the newspaper. But the decision to extradite the suspect should be taken by the Lebanese government, added al-Akhbar.

Riyadh Seeking Arab Support for Anti-Hizbullah Resolution
Naharnet/February 26/16/Saudi Arabia has launched consultations to hold an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers for the purpose of issuing a decision that condemns Hizbullah, reports said Friday. According to the reports, Riyadh is seeking to clinch an Arab support for a draft resolution that condemns Hizbullah over its role in Syria and Yemen. On Wednesday, Qatar and Kuwait joined Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in issuing travel warnings for Lebanon. Riyadh, which supports the Syrian opposition, has halted a $4-billion military and police funding programs for Beirut in response to what it said were "hostile" positions linked to Hizbullah. Hizbullah has sent its members to Syria to fight alongside troops loyal to President Bashar Assad against rebels seeking to topple him. Yemen's embattled government accused Hizbullah on Wednesday of sending fighters to support Iran-backed Huthi rebels controlling parts of the war-ravaged country, including the capital.The reports also said that several consuls held a meeting in Jeddah this week to discuss the measures that could be taken against Lebanon.

Asiri: Relations Must not be Sacrificed, No Measures Against Lebanese Expats
Naharnet/February 26/16/Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri stressed on Friday that he has no knowledge of measures taken by his country against Lebanese expats working in the Kingdom and assured that the relations between the two countries must not be scarified in favor of another state's will.
“Until this moment I have no knowledge about measures taken against Lebanese expatriates. Reports that around 90 were deported because they were not given residency permits stemmed from Lebanon,” Asiri said in a televised interview on OTV. On Thursday, reports said that dozens of Lebanese employees have been fired from their jobs in Saudi Arabia, amid an unprecedented rift in the Saudi-Lebanese relations. Expressing appreciation for Lebanese figures who visited the embassy in Beirut in a position of solidarity with the Kingdom, he said: “Two successive errors were made against the Kingdom in two Arab forums. We hope this fault is addressed wisely and courageously.”Saudi Arabia halted last week a $4 billion grant to the Lebanese military to review its diplomatic relations with Lebanon. The stance came after Lebanon's foreign ministry declined to vote in favor of Saudi-backed resolutions against Iran during two meetings of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers. Asiri declined to comment on the position of Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil at the two said meetings and that his it was perfectly coordinated with PM Tammam Salam adhering to the ministerial statement, he said: “I will not go into details about what goes on between Lebanese politicians, this in not my responsibility. All I can say is that the stances were not clear. My job here is to seek and preserve the best relations.” On the calls of Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq for the need to file an apology, Asiri said: “I will not comment on that. I only analyze and leave the solution for others to find. Lebanese politicians are qualified to analyze the problem and find an appropriate solution because the relations between the two countries are worth a sacrifice to move forward.”He pointed out that he relayed a message by PM Tammam Salam to Saudi King Salman and that the reply will probably be announced by the end of the week. On reports that Saudi Airlines has stopped its flights to Lebanon, the Ambassador said: “We have no instructions to stop the flights. But there is an economic outlook to that. The company itself might stop its trips to Beirut if there were no Saudis traveling. But there are no official directions on that.”On Tuesday, the kingdom advised its citizens against travel to Lebanon and urged those already in the country to leave it, citing “safety” concerns. The rest of the Arab Gulf countries except for Oman followed suit on Tuesday and Wednesday, issuing similar travel warnings.
Asked whether the Lebanese army was being punished for what happened, he said: “We should not be surprised by the reply. The Kingdom has a record of continued support to the institutions, the State and the army and has been met with public denial in Arab forums. “I myself ask why, and all of Lebanon must ask as well. Why? To satisfy who? Taking a position in support of a non-Arab country with no common interests with the Lebanese? We have to conduct a comparison here.”“If we look at the Arab belonging and the mutual interests between the Kingdom, Gulf states, Lebanon and the interests of the Lebanese themselves, I ask here if the other party is practicing the same generosity and relations with this country? How many Lebanese are there in that country that you are trying to please? All of this made the Saudi anger grow even bigger and needs to be rectified. “We and Lebanon are brethren countries with a long historic path that we are honored by. It is not right to sacrifice the relationship for a country which is no way comparable. The comparison is zero,” he concluded.

Saudi Arabia Blacklists Companies, Individuals over Hizbullah Ties
Naharnet/February 26/16/Saudi Arabia upped its pressure on Lebanon and Hizbullah on Friday by blacklisting several companies and individuals over their alleged ties with the Shiite party. The Saudi authorities designated four companies and three individuals as "terrorists." The Interior Ministry identified the firms as Vatech SARL, Le-Hua Electronic Field Co. Limited, Aero Skyone Co. Limited and Labico SAL Offshore. It said in a statement that the three men are Fadi Hussein Sarhan, Adel Mohammed Sherri and Ali Hussein Zoaiter. All of them were blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury in November last year. “Hizbullah spreads chaos and instability, launches terrorist attacks and practices criminal activities across the world,” said the ministry. The new move came a week after Riyadh announced a halt to $4 billion in aid grants due to what it described as stances taken by Lebanese officials which "were not in harmony with the ties between the two countries."On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia called on its citizens not to travel to Lebanon for safety reasons and ordered those staying there to leave. Its Gulf allies Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar predictably followed suit, issuing similar warnings. The United Arab Emirates also banned its citizens from traveling to Lebanon and withdrew a number of diplomats from the country. There have also been reports that Riyadh is carrying out consultations to call for a meeting of Arab foreign ministers to put more pressure on Hizbullah. The reports said Saudi Arabia is trying to receive the backing of the Arab states on a draft resolution aimed at condemning Hizbullah's role in Syria and Yemen. Hizbullah has sent its members to Syria to fight alongside troops loyal to President Bashar Assad against rebels seeking to topple him. Yemen's embattled government also accuses the party of sending fighters to support Iran-backed Huthi rebels controlling parts of the war-ravaged country, including the capital.

U.N. Calls for Continued Support for Lebanese Army after Saudi Aid Cut
Naharnet/February 26/16/The United Nations has called for continued support by the international community for the Lebanese army and security forces following a Saudi decision to cut off billions of dollars of aid. “It is important that there be continued international support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and for the stability of Lebanon, as stated by the Security Council,” said U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric. “Saudi Arabia is free to do what it wants with its money, but we hope that others will step in and help fund and support the Lebanese Armed Forces to ensure the political stability in Lebanon,” he told reporters in his briefing on Thursday. Dujarric said the U.N. has been “following very closely the current tensions that exist between Lebanon and a number of the Gulf countries.”Riyadh announced Friday it was halting $4 billion in aid grants due to what it described as stances taken by Lebanese officials which "were not in harmony with the ties between the two countries."This week, Saudi Arabia called on its citizens not to travel to Lebanon for safety reasons and ordered those staying there to leave. Its Gulf allies Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar predictably followed suit, issuing similar warnings. The United Arab Emirates also banned its citizens from traveling to Lebanon and withdrew a number of diplomats from the country. U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag “always stress the importance of ensuring the political stability in Lebanon and also to shield Lebanon from the current regional tensions,” said Dujarric in response to a question. “The U.N. support continues to reinforce Lebanon's stability at all levels, including for the Lebanese army, as called for by the Security Council, and the international community also continues to stress the need, obviously, to fill the presidential vacancy,” he said. Dujarric added that Kaag has been holding regular meetings, not only with the Lebanese authorities, but with the diplomatic core in Lebanon to send a clear message that the region's countries should “ensure not to do anything that may destabilize Lebanon.”Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 and parliament has failed to elect a new head of state because of lack of a quorum.

Families of IS-held Servicemen Warn Won't 'Remain Peaceful', Urge Tasking Ibrahim with Case
Naharnet/February 26/16/The families of the Islamic State-held servicemen warned Friday that their protests “will not remain peaceful,” slamming Lebanese authorities over “negligence” in the case of their loved ones. “Our protests will not remain peaceful like before and it is unacceptable to subject our cause to negligence and personal interests,” said a spokesman for the families at a sit-in they held outside Casino du Liban. “We must be given an answer about their fate. We might turn into beasts because we have lost our patience,” another relative warned. The spokesman called for granting General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim “full authorization to act and resolve the case and to put the families in the picture.”Ibrahim had played a key role in the release of 16 other servicemen from the captivity of the Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front. “We ask the prime minister: what is the reason behind the ambiguity” in this case, the spokesman added. The servicemen were taken hostage during 2014 deadly battles between the Lebanese army and the IS and al-Nusra groups in the northeastern border town of Arsal. The IS has executed two servicemen and nine remain in its captivity. Al-Nusra for its part had executed two servicemen before releasing the other sixteen in a swap deal with the Lebanese state.

Hariri Performs Friday Prayers in Tariq al-Jedideh: I Have Returned and Will Remain with You
Naharnet/February 26/16/Head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri performed Friday prayers at the Beirut neighborhood of Tariq al-Jedideh, declaring afterwards that he will remain loyal to the legacy of his father, slain former Premier Rafik Hariri. He said to the masses of supporters that welcomed him after the prayers: “I have returned to Lebanon and I will remain with you.” “Should I travel, then I will not be gone for long,” he added. “I realize we are passing through a very critical phase, but we are not weak,” he stressed. “We are strong and patient... patience is key, but we know how to make our way through to our goal,” remarked the lawmaker. “Our mission is Lebanon and achieving justice. Our mission is Rafik Hariri and to see Muslims and Christians living together under the authority of the state,” Hariri said. The lawmaker returned to Lebanon on February 13 to mark the 11th anniversary of his father's assassination. He had last visited Beirut in February 2015. He had initially left the country in 2011 over alleged security concerns.

The Promise of the Free is a Debt
Ahmad El-Assaad/LOP General Chancellor./February 25, 2016
The measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries towards Lebanon, starting with canceling the donation to arm the Lebanese Armed Forces, have caused much despair to all of the Lebanese people. Even if they realize the extent of Hezbollah’s hegemony over all of the government’s institutions, including the LAF, and even if the KSA’s concern in this regard are justified. The Lebanese people would have understood the decision to cancel the donation if it had been taken since the beginning. At the end of the day, it is true that we need an army that is completely independent from Hezbollah, but the KSA’s decision to fund the LAF with 3 million dollars was taken last year. Ever since that promise, made by the late King Abdallah Bin Abdul-Aziz, nothing has changed. Hezbollah was fighting in Syria then, and it is still fighting there now. Hezbollah was fighting in Yemen with the Houthis, and it still is now. Hezbollah was building its cells in the Gulf countries now, and it is still building those terrorist cells now. The only thing that has changed since the late King made that promise to fund the LAF, is the King himself. It is clear that the new King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz has a different view on things. But whatever the situation, King Salman must honor King Abdallah’s promise to the LAF, even if he thinks it is a wrong promise. KSA’s credibility is on the line, as well as the weight of its promises. Despite everything, a nation should always honor its commitments, even if there was a rotation of power, because the promise of the free is a debt. Therefore, whatever King Salman’s views were on the promise made by King Abdallah, even if what he says is true, as far as Hezbollah controlling the LAF, he should have honored his late brother’s promise. Most importantly, his decision to go back out on this promise was not only wrong in principle, but it also provided Hezbollah and all its entourage with the ammunition they needed to target the KSA’s credibility, and doubt it. Which is what pushes Lebanon further and further in the mouth of the Iranian beast.
LOP General Chancellor.

Key Hizbullah Commander Killed in Syria's Aleppo
Naharnet/February 26/16/A senior Hizbullah military commander has been killed in battles in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo, media reports said on Friday. Ali Fayyad, aka “Alaa of Bosnia”, has been killed in the ongoing clashes with Syrian rebels on the Athrayya-Khanasser road in rural Aleppo, the reports said. Fayyad was known to have “planned, overseen and led” a key part of the siege that is imposed on the rebels in Damascus' Eastern Ghouta region, according to the reports. He also played a key role in the capture of the strategic Syrian town of Shebaa that lies on the road to the Damascus international airport. “Fayyad also led a military operation to besiege the Syrian rebel groups and isolate them in the south of the Syrian capital after having pushed them away from the area of the Sayyida Zeinab (Shiite) shrine,” the reports said. His military tactics also played an important role in “halting the Syrian rebels' advance towards the Syrian coast.”Hizbullah has deployed at least 6,000 militants to fight alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces against Islamist-led rebels and jihadists and around 1,000 Hizbullah members have been killed in Syria since the start of the conflict. The party argues that its intervention, which is controversial in Lebanon, was necessary to protect the country from extremist groups and to prevent the fall of Syria into the hands of hostile forces.

Qassem Says 'Saudi Must Apologize': Lebanon Will Remain Country of Freedoms
Naharnet/February 26/16/Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem hit back at Saudi Arabia on Friday, saying it must “apologize to Lebanon” over the events of last week. “Some were surprised when Saudi Arabia decided to call off the several billions' (military) grant to Lebanon, but in fact it was a chance for them (Saudis) to attack Lebanon and Hizbullah,” said Qassem during a memorial service in Ghobeiri. “Let it be known: for us Lebanon is the country of freedoms and it will remain so and it will never be subservient to any country on the face of Earth,” he stressed. “As Lebanese citizens, we want Lebanon for all the Lebanese and we want them to remain free with their heads held up high, not followers of any state. Lebanon will never become a Saudi emirate or an emirate for any country,” Qassem underlined. Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia extended sanctions on Hizbullah, freezing the assets of three Lebanese nationals and four companies over alleged ties to the party. Riyadh has taken a series of measures against in recent days in response to verbal attacks from Hizbullah over the wars in Syria and Yemen as well as recent diplomatic stances by Lebanon's foreign ministry.
The measures started last Friday when the Saudi foreign ministry announced that the kingdom was halting around $4 billion in military aid to the Lebanese army and security forces. On Tuesday, the kingdom advised its citizens against travel to Lebanon and urged those already in the country to leave it, citing “safety” concerns. And on Thursday, media reports said around 90 Lebanese citizens have been fired from their jobs in Saudi Arabia. Announcing the Saudi aid halt on Friday, an official said the kingdom had noticed "hostile Lebanese positions resulting from the stranglehold of Hizbullah on the state," while also accusing the party of "terrorist acts against Arab and Muslim nations." “Thank God we have enough wisdom, strength, resistance, respect and vision that make others respect our will in being independent, not followers,” said Qassem on Friday. “We will express this stance no matter what the price might be, because we are defending righteousness and because those who want freedom and dignity do not accept any injustice,” Hizbullah number two added. “What happened during the last week requires Saudi Arabia to apologize to Lebanon, because it has insulted the Lebanese and those who exerted strenuous efforts to liberate their land and achieve their independence,” Qassem went on to say. The Saudi measures have sparked a storm of criticism in Lebanon against Hizbullah and its allies, amid demands for an apology from the Lebanese government. But Qassem emphasized Friday that “it was Saudi Arabia that aggressed against us.”“We did not aggress against it and we did not do anything that violates logic and the freedom of expression,” Qassem added. “All we did was that we described Saudi Arabia's actions. What can we say about Yemen? Are we supposed to say that the Saudi warplanes are firing missiles in order to feed the infants in their homes? Are we supposed to say that the artillery shells are entering hospitals to give oxygen to the patients?” Qassem wondered. He added: “Saudi Arabia is killing children, women, men and the elderly in Yemen. It is destroying medical centers and committing the biggest crime of the century.” And although Qassem accused Saudi Arabia and its Lebanese allies of launching baseless accusations against his party, he expressed “utmost keenness” on “extending hands for reconciliation, cooperation and understanding.”“We will extend the hand to those who want to reevaluate their calculations for the sake of national action and for the sake of standing against Israel, the takfiris and all the conspiracies that are being plotted against Lebanon,” added Qassem.

Fadel Shaker Sentenced to 5 Years in Jail for 'Harming Lebanese Ties with Fraternal Arab Country'
Naharnet/February 26/16/Pop star turned fugitive Fadel Shaker was sentenced on Friday to five years in prison on charges of sectarian incitement, reported the National News Agency. He was also charged with “harming Lebanon's ties with a fraternal Arab country” during an interview he conducted in the past few years. The name of the country was not disclosed. The singer was also ordered to pay a fine of LL500,000. He was stripped of his civil rights and a warrant has been issued for his arrest, added NNA. Responding to the sentence, Shaker said: “The fraternal country that was referred to is the same one whose president and head of intelligence sent an agent to bomb Lebanon.” He made his remark in a reference to former Minister Michel Samaha, who was arrested n 2012 after being caught red-handed while smuggling explosives from Syria to Lebanon to carry out attacks in the country. He was sentenced to four-and-half years in jail in May 2015, but in June the Cassation Court nullified the verdict and ordered a retrial. He was released on bail in January. Though he grew to become one of the Arab world's most famous singers, Shaker suffered through a miserable childhood of poverty, which a onetime musician friend says helped lead him down a dark path later in life. Around four years ago, he became affiliated with extremist Salafist movements linked to cleric Ahmed al-Asir, whose supporters waged deadly clashes with the army in the Abra area of the southern city of Sidon in 2013. Asir was arrested last year. Now in his mid-forties, Shaker was born to a Palestinian mother and Lebanese father. Born Fadel Shmandur, he began his career as a popular wedding singer who performed from the rooftops of the Ain el-Hilweh camp, an over-crowded and hopeless place. In his prime, Shaker sang love songs that were instant region-wide hits. He released his first album in the late nineties, and continued to perform until 2011.

Strict Security Measures in Dahieh over Reports of Booby-Trapped Car
Naharnet/February 26/16/Security measures were beefed up on Friday at the entrances of Beirut's southern suburbs after reports said a booby-trapped car may have entered the area. “Strict security measures have been taken at the checkpoints on Dahieh's entrances amid suspicions that a black bomb-laden Mercedes might have entered the region,” state-run National News Agency reported. It said the measures have created a severe traffic jam. Earlier in the day, MTV said security forces were searching for “a black booby-trapped Mercedes that was in Brital and is suspected of having entered Beirut's southern suburbs.”Meanwhile, security sources dismissed the reports as “rumors” in remarks to al-Jadeed television, noting that “there is no need for panic.”The southern suburbs are a Hizbullah stronghold and several deadly bombings claimed by extremist groups have rocked the region in recent years. A twin suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group killed 44 people and wounded around 240 others in Bourj al-Barajneh in November 2015.

Hezbollah must prove it is Lebanese
Nayla Tueni/Al Arabiya/February 26/16
In their brotherly relations, Gulf countries have asked nothing from Lebanon but unity of Arab opinion and positions while confronting the many challenges facing the Arab world. The biggest challenge is Israel. During all the times it attacked Lebanon, only Arab countries - such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - stood by us to rebuild what was destroyed. Iran also helped with reconstruction, but its efforts came late and were limited to areas that benefit its allies, connecting Shiite towns to one another to allow Hezbollah more freedom of movement and to transfer weapons.
Economic interests link Lebanon to Gulf countries, not to Iran. Thousands of Lebanese have been working in the Gulf since the 1960s, transferring billions of dollars that contribute to developing Lebanon’s economy. Lebanon has no interest in being hostile to Arab countries, as this would weaken and harm it.
Accountability
We cannot hold accountable any country that has decided to review its relations with Lebanon, but we can hold ourselves accountable, correct our mistakes and make up for our dereliction. We must not do so according to the logic of humiliation and submission, as some think, but according to the national spirit that maintains Lebanese interests. Lebanon has no interest in being hostile to Arab countries, as this would weaken and harm it. Doing otherwise would be to submit to schemes that serve the interests of the Iranian and Syrian regimes, not those of Lebanon. Such plans are obstructing presidential elections, ruining relations with brotherly countries, and pushing Lebanon to collapse. Correcting an error is a virtue. If Hezbollah abides by the orders of Iran, which has pushed it into the Syrian swamp and prevented it from facilitating the process of electing a president in Lebanon, does Christian leader Michel Aoun accept to share responsibility with Hezbollah for harming Lebanese interests and livelihoods? Does he bear responsibility for Christians’ decision not to return to Lebanon if they are expelled from the Gulf? The solution lies in Hezbollah returning to its senses and proving it is Lebanese, as it claims, in Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil’s resignation, and in decisive action by the prime minister, even if it leads to the cabinet’s resignation.

Standing by Lebanon and feeling bitter
Mohammed Fahad al-Harthi/Al Arabiya/February 26/16
Saudis have a trait which is an old and inherited Arab one of not pointing out the support they give to others lest it looks like bragging. Unfortunately, the political realities of international relations have caused this to change. Thus, Saudi Arabia was forced to disclose the amount of aid to Iraq during the war in Kuwait. The numbers led to shocked amazement in Baghdad even more than in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among the biggest funders of Arab and Islamic countries. Funds from the Gulf states are special in that the states do not impose any conditions or specific agendas; they are keen that aid reaches the people and achieves the goals it was meant for. In 2014, the Kingdom donated half-a-billion dollars to Iraq; it was described by a royal decree as humanitarian assistance to all Iraqis in painful times regardless of their sect, religion or ethnic group. The funds were delivered through the UN to the Iraqi people and that was the only condition. Saudi Arabia’s record is one of assistance to many countries. The Kingdom has supported both north and south Yemen; it built schools, hospitals and roads. Many Yemenis realize Saudi large-heartedness; hence, it was unjust when skepticism was voiced.
Saudi Arabia has no expansionist ambitions in Yemen; on the contrary, it granted significant concessions to achieve the border agreement in 2000 which aimed to build trust between the two countries. Its position, along with that of the Gulf states, of standing with the legitimate government of Yemen, is in fact for the good of Yemeni citizens whose country and civilization was almost snatched by regional forces that aim to arouse conflicts, and exploit whatever possible in order to achieve an expansionist agenda.
Historical ally
In Lebanon, Saudi Arabia has historically always been a close ally; it contributed by signing the Taif Accord that stopped the civil war in Lebanon. It has also contributed to the reconstruction of the country by offering both economic and developmental support. Saudi Arabia sent an important message of support for the sovereignty of Lebanon, rather than for specific sects or parties, when it gave $3 billion to arm the Lebanese army, and an additional billion dollars for the internal security forces. This policy is in keeping with Saudi political ideology. Otherwise, if Saudi Arabia wanted to intervene, it would have supported arming one side against the other so its position was decisive and clear. The army and internal security forces are supposed to represent the Lebanese state. Thus, these institutions are not up for grabs by parties that aim to seize power in Lebanon. Saudis now ask many questions about the aid that goes to other countries, and they say: “If you do not want to say thank you, then at least do not stab us in the back.”Many Saudis are disturbed by Lebanon’s anti-Saudi attitudes in such matters as not denouncing the attacks on the Saudi missions in Tehran and Mashhad. The Iranian themselves apologized and admitted that the attacks were a huge mistake. Despite all this, the Lebanese attitude was disappointing in the Arab League as well as in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Not only that, but Hezbollah led an open attack against Saudi Arabia while the UAE, Bahrain and the rest of the GCC supported the Saudi position. Why should a country provide political support and billions of dollars in aid when the recipients of that aid voice hostile statements? It is a folly to perceive the Saudis as so naive as to distribute money under such conditions. Wisdom and moderation do not mean that there are no limits to patience. It is vital to stake out a strong position. There is a popular Saudi saying: “Why should we be the side that gives the most? And why should we tolerate ingratitude?”
Media rhetoric
Observing the discussions in newspaper articles and on social media shows the frustration of Saudis as a result of these events. Any intelligent government is sensitive to the attitudes and feelings of its people. It is wrong to believe that rhetoric and old Arab customs can justify inaction on the part of Saudi Arabia when the situation was in no way normal. Some Arabs do not understand that careful decision-making is a Saudi trait; when needed, leaders take strong positions. The most outstanding example is Operation Decisive Storm which surprised everyone, with the Iranians anticipating that the Saudi reaction would be one of protest and condemnation. When Saudi Arabia took the decision to stop its funds, it confirmed once again that it would continue to support Lebanese citizens of all sects. The offending statements do not represent the Lebanese people. Saudis now ask many questions about the aid that goes to other countries, and they say: “If you do not want to say thank you, then at least do not stab us in the back.”

Air Strikes Batter Rebels ahead of Syria Ceasefire Deadline
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/Intense Russian air strikes battered rebel bastions across Syria on Friday, a monitor said, just hours before a midnight deadline for a landmark ceasefire in the country's five-year civil war. With the ceasefire due to take effect at 2200 GMT, U.S. President Barack Obama has warned Damascus and key ally Moscow that the "world will be watching". Both President Bashar al-Assad's regime and the main opposition body have agreed to the deal -- which allows fighting to continue against the Islamic State group and other jihadists. The agreement brokered by Russia and the United States marks the biggest diplomatic push yet to help end Syria's violence, but has been plagued by doubts after the failure of previous peace efforts. Members of the 17-nation group backing the process were to meet in Geneva on Friday to work out further details of the so-called "cessation of hostilities", which is then expected to be endorsed by the UN Security Council, diplomats said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said Russia and the regime had launched a wave of attacks on non-jihadist rebel areas ahead of the deadline. "It's more intense than usual," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. Russia launched air strikes in Syria last September saying it was targeting "terrorists" but critics have accused Moscow of hitting rebel forces in support of Assad, a longtime ally. - 'Complicated' peace process -The Observatory said there had been Russian strikes overnight on rebel bastions including the Eastern Ghouta region outside Damascus, the north of Homs province and the west of Aleppo province.
There were at least 26 air strikes on Eastern Ghouta including 10 on its main city of Douma which was facing heavy regime shelling, he said. One Douma resident told Agence France Presse that "the bombing is very heavy" while another described "very big explosions" in the city. Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted Moscow would continue targeting "terrorist groups". "The decisive fight against them will, without doubt, be continued," Putin said in televised remarks. "We understand fully and take into account that this will be a complicated, and maybe even contradictory process of reconciliation, but there is no other way," Putin said. The intensified attacks prompted Turkey, a key supporter of opposition forces, to express worries over the viability of the ceasefire. "We are seriously concerned over the future of the ceasefire because of the continuing Russian air raids and ground attacks by forces of Assad," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters in Ankara. The complexity of Syria's battlefields -- where moderate and Islamist rebel forces often fight alongside jihadist groups like the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra Front -- has raised serious doubts about the feasibility of a ceasefire.
Diplomats are reported to be working to define areas that will fall under the partial truce and to set up monitoring mechanisms. The UN's Syria envoy has said he hopes the agreement will lead to a resumption of peace talks which collapsed earlier this month in Geneva. Syria's top opposition grouping -- the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee (HNC) -- said Friday that 97 opposition factions had signed on "to respect a temporary truce" but reiterated that it was only agreeing to an initial period of two weeks.
Russia and the United States are on opposing sides of the conflict, with Moscow backing Assad and Washington supporting the opposition, but the two powers have been making a concerted push for the ceasefire to be respected. Iran, another key Assad ally, has said it is confident the regime will abide by the agreement. Huddling with his national security advisors in Washington on Thursday, Obama put the onus firmly on the regime and Russia. - Russia dismisses 'Plan B' - He said he was not "under any illusions" about possible pitfalls, but that the ceasefire could help bring about an end to the war. "A lot of that is going to depend on whether the Syrian regime, Russia, and their allies live up to their commitments," Obama said.
"The coming days will be critical, and the world will be watching."U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has been a major advocate of the ceasefire but others in Washington have been less optimistic about the chances of ending a conflict that has left more than 270,000 dead and forced millions from their homes.
"There's pessimism, not expectation, pessimism," a senior U.S. official told AFP, citing what he said was Russia's history of allegedly breaking ceasefire commitments in conflicts in Georgia and Ukraine. Kerry has warned that Washington is considering a "Plan B" to deal with Syria if the ongoing efforts fail.
He has not detailed the new strategy but officials suggest it could involve increased support and more advanced weaponry for moderate rebels. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that for the ceasefire to work, Washington should abstain from talk about "some sort of Plan B, about preparing a ground operation, about the creation of some sort of useless buffer zones".

Obama: U.S. will prevail in fight against ISIS
The Associated Press, Washington Friday, 26 February 2016/President Barack Obama directed his national security team Thursday to press the U.S.-led international campaign to destroy ISIS “on all fronts.” He also expressed hope that a proposed cease-fire in Syria will lead to a political settlement to end the civil war and allow a more intense focus on ISIS. Obama commented after a rare meeting at the State Department with some of his top national security advisers, who updated him on the parallel efforts to counter ISIS and bring peace to Syria after years of civil strife. “I have directed my team to continue accelerating this campaign on all fronts,” Obama said, flanked by Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Ash Carter, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and other top advisers. Obama said like-minded nations are stepping up and offering more assistance to defeat ISIS.
Since last summer militants haven’t launched a single successful operation in Syria or Iraq, where it controls large amounts of territory, he said. On Syria, Obama said he doesn’t expect a cease-fire that’s set to take effect on Saturday to immediately end hostilities after years of bloodshed between forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad and rebels who want to end his reign. Announced just this week, the cease-fire is a “test” of whether the parties are committed to broader negotiations over a political transition, a new constitution and holding free elections, Obama said. He said Syria’s future cannot include Assad as president, which is a chief point of contention with Russia and Iran, who support the Syrian leader. “We are certain that there will continue to be fighting,” Obama said, noting that ISIS, the Nusra Front and other groups aren’t part of the negotiations. Obama put the onus on Russia and its allies - including the Assad government - to live up to their commitments under the agreement. The elusive cease-fire deal was reached only after a months-long Russian air campaign that the U.S. says strengthened Assad’s hand and allowed his forces to retake territory, altering the balance of power in the Syrian civil war. “The world will be watching,” Obama said.

Red Cross Seeks Access to More Jails in Syria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/International Committee of the Red Cross chief Peter Maurer said in Damascus on Friday he had asked the Syrian authorities to allow ICRC visits to more detention centers."For the duration of the conflict, we have been talking with the Syrian authorities to have access to detention centers, and in the past we have visited the nine main prisons," Maurer told AFP. "We would like to visit other places of detention -- this was the purpose of the discussions I had with the authorities," he said at the end of a five-day visit to Syria. Asked about conditions in detention centers, he said the ICRC does not comment publicly on this. U.N. investigators accused the Syrian regime at the beginning of the month of "extermination" in its jails and detention centers. Thousands of detainees have been killed while being held by different sides in Syria's brutal conflict since the violence began nearly five years ago, the U.N. commission of inquiry on Syria said in its latest report. Maurer said he hoped the ceasefire due to take effect at 2200 GMT would open up to the ICRC regions that were previously inaccessible because of conflict. "The most urgent thing is to increase humanitarian aid... Humanitarian deliveries must not depend on political negotiations but must be allowed to continue and increase regardless of any truce or ceasefire," he said.

Russia expects UN to back Syria ceasefire plan
Reuters, Moscow Friday, 26 February 2016/Russia expects the U.N. Security Council to back a resolution endorsing the planned ‘cessation of hostilities’ in Syria, but nobody can give a 100 percent guarantee that the ceasefire plan will be implemented, Russia’s foreign minister said on Friday. Sergei Lavrov also used a news briefing to call on the Unites States and its allies to avoid “ambiguity” about any “Plan B” for Syria and to give up any idea of conducting a land operation The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote today on a US-Russian draft resolution endorsing the Syria ceasefire, diplomats said. The 15-member council is set to meet as of 2000 GMT to hear a report from UN envoy Staffan de Mistura and could vote on the measure at that session. The draft text obtained by AFP welcomes the truce as “a step towards a lasting ceasefire” and endorses the U.S.-Russian agreement on the truce. It “demands the cessation of hostilities to begin at midnight (Damascus time)” and renews a call to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered. The measure urges all countries, in particular those involved in the Syrian peace process, to “use their influence with the parties to the cessation of hostilities to ensure fulfillment of those commitments.”De Mistura is due to report to the council, a few hours before the ceasefire is due to go into effect. Russia and the United States have set a deadline of midnight Damascus time (2200 GMT) Friday for “the cessation of hostilities” between President Bashar al-Assad's regime and rebel forces. The deal excludes ISIS and the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front, which control large swaths of territory in Syria.If the ceasefire takes holds, De Mistura hopes to convene a new round of peace talks next week, possibly on March 4. De Mistura suspended peace talks in early February as Syrian government forces, backed by Russian air powers, went on the offensive in northern Aleppo province. The truce will also help U.N. agencies scale up deliveries of humanitarian aid to hard-to-reach areas across Syria's many frontlines. Diplomats said the council members had until 11:00 am (1600 GMT) to provide comments on the draft resolution, with a view to prepare for a vote at the council meeting at 2000 GMT. Prospects for the ceasefire appear shaky, with diplomats saying the complex arrangements stand little chance of being implemented. U.S. President Barack Obama warned Russia and Syria that the “world will be watching” when the ceasefire goes into force. “Even under the best of circumstances, we don't expect the violence to end immediately,” Obama said. More than 260,000 people have died in Syria's conflict, which began in March 2011 with anti-government protests but has since imploded into a multi-sided proxy war. (With AFP)

Vast majority of Syria armed groups join truce
Reuters, Geneva Friday, 26 February 2016/The “vast majority” of armed groups eligible to take part in a cessation of hostilities in Syria have signaled that they will do so, a source close to the peace talks said on Friday. It was unclear if any groups had refused to sign up. Under the terms of the deal, armed groups had to confirm their commitment to the United States or Russia no later than 1200 Damascus time (1000 GMT). The cessation of hostilities will begin at midnight.

Al-Nusra Front Chief Urges Rejection of Syria Ceasefire
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/The head of Syria's powerful Al-Qaida branch on Friday urged opponents of President Bashar Assad to reject a ceasefire due to begin at midnight and instead intensify attacks on the regime. "Beware of this trick from the West and America because everyone is pushing you to go back under the thumb of the oppressive regime," Mohammad al-Jolani, the head of Al-Nusra Front, said in an audio message. "Fighters in Syria, willingly arm yourselves, intensify your attacks and have no fear of their troops and their aircraft," Jolani added. Describing the truce as "shameful", the jihadist chief said that "negotiations are the ones conducted on the battlefield". The ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia and the United States marks the biggest diplomatic push yet to help end Syria's violence, but has been plagued by doubts after the failure of previous peace efforts. Parties to the deal -- which allows fighting to continue against jihadists -- will have to deal with the complexity of Syria's battlefields where moderate and Islamist rebel forces often fight alongside extremists groups such as Al-Nusra. Russia carried out intense raids on rebel bastions across Syria Friday just hours before the truce was due to take effect, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syria's army said this week it would exclude Daraya, an important rebel town near Damascus from the cessation of hostilities because forces there including Al-Nusra fighters.

Turkey sees migrant crisis worsening unless attacks in Syria stopped
Reuters, Ankara Friday, 26 February 2016/Turkey sees the migrant crisis deepening unless attacks by Syrian government forces are stopped, a spokesman and aide to President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday. Ibrahim Kalin also told a news conference that Ankara has deported as many as 3,800 people in the fight against ISIS.

Putin Says Syria Peace Process 'Complicated' but no Other Options
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that the peace process in Syria would be "complicated" but that there were no other ways of ending the conflict, ahead of the scheduled start of a ceasefire. "We understand fully and take into account that this will be a complicated, and maybe even contradictory process of reconciliation, but there is no other way," Putin said in televised comments. The Russian leader, however, insisted that there would be no let-up in Moscow's bombing campaign against Islamic State (IS) jihadists, the Al-Nusra Front and other "terrorist groups" in Syria after the truce deal enters into force. "I want to underline again that Islamic State, Al-Nusra and other terrorist groups that have been designated as such by the United Nations Security Council are not included (in the ceasefire deal)," Putin said. "The decisive fight against them will, without doubt, be continued."The landmark "cessation of hostilities" pact brokered by Russia and the United States is due to take effect at 2200 GMT on Friday in a move that marks the biggest diplomatic push yet to help end Syria's violence. Both President Bashar Assad's regime and Syria's main opposition grouping have agreed to the deal -- which allows fighting to continue against IS and other jihadists. Putin said that Moscow was already receiving confirmation from the warring sides that they were willing to abide by the ceasefire and that it would go into effect as planned. As the clock ticked down towards the ceasefire deadline, Britain-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Russia was continuing to bombard rebel bastions across Syria, but Moscow insisted its targets were "terrorist organisations". Russia has been flying a bombing campaign in Syria since September in support of forces loyal to its long-standing ally Assad. Officials in the West have expressed fears that Moscow and Assad could use the fight against "terrorist groups" in Syria as a loophole to continue attacks against those battling the regime in Damascus.

Turkey Says 'Seriously Concerned' over Viability of Syria Ceasefire
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/Turkey on Friday expressed alarm over the viability of an upcoming ceasefire agreed between Syria's warring parties, as the Syrian regime and its ally Russia pressed ahead with an offensive. "We support the ceasefire in principle. Turkey has played an active role in the making of this decision," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters in Ankara. "But considering what has happened so far... we are seriously concerned over the future of the ceasefire because of the continuing Russian air raids and ground attacks by forces of (Syrian President Bashar) Assad," he said. The partial truce, brokered by Russia and the United States, is due to begin at midnight Friday. But the Kremlin confirmed Friday that Russian warplanes were continuing to bomb "terrorist organizations" in Syria hours before the deadline. "We want to see what becomes concrete on the ground," Kalin said."I hope the ceasefire due to begin at midnight will halt the conflict, stop civilian deaths and open the way for humanitarian aid urgently needed by Syrian people in different regions like Aleppo and Idlib."But he added: "Unfortunately, we have received the news that even now attacks are continuing in the north of Aleppo, in Azaz, Tal Rifaat, Idlib and the Turkmen mountain region."Kalin said Assad's regime has so far used similar peace initiatives to "buy time" and hoped it would be different this time. "The bad course of events on the ground is unfortunately not encouraging us to be optimistic on this issue," he said. The "cessation of hostilities" deal -- which excludes the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group and other extremists -- marks the biggest diplomatic push yet to help end Syria's violence, but has been plagued by doubts after the failure of previous peace efforts. Turkey said the ceasefire deal should have excluded Syrian Kurdish militia fighters branded as a "terror group" by Ankara and said the deal was not binding for Ankara if its national security was threatened. The Turkish military on successive days last week targeted Kurdish fighters inside Syria with artillery barrages, saying that the army was responding to incoming fire, and had repeatedly reserved the right to open fire again.

Saudi Jets Arrive in Turkey to Strike IS Hours before Truce
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/Saudi jets on Friday arrived at a Turkish base to join the air campaign against Islamic State jihadists in Syria only hours before a ceasefire is to take force, local media reported. Four F-15 jets landed at Incirlik air base in the Adana province in southern Turkey, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported.The base is already hosting U.S., British and French war planes taking part in the strikes against IS fighters in Syria. Saudi Arabia's air force had already sent ground personnel and equipment aboard C-130 Hercules military transport planes early this week. The partial truce to end hostilities in Syria, brokered by Russia and the United States, is due to begin at midnight Friday. The deal excludes the IS jihadist group and other extremists. Turkey on Friday expressed alarm over the viability of the ceasefire as the Syrian regime and its ally Russia pressed ahead with an offensive. The two overwhelming Sunni Muslim powers, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, both see the ousting of Syrian President Bashar Assad as essential to ending Syria's five-year civil war and are bitterly critical of Iran and Russia's support of the Syrian regime. Ankara has said it is in favor of a ground operation in Syria, but only if it is conducted in coordination with Saudi Arabia as well as Western and Gulf members of the anti-IS coalition. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Thursday said: "We have since the beginning argued for the necessity of ground operations and all kinds of strategic moves to be carried out in addition to the air campaign."

Gunman Kills 3 in Kansas Factory before Dying in Shootout
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/A gunman killed three people and wounded 14 others at a lawnmower factory in Kansas on Thursday before being gunned down by police in the latest mass shooting to rock the United States, according to officials. Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton said the gunman was an employee at Excel Industries, located in a tight-knit community north of Wichita. Walton said the first officer to arrive at the scene shot the gunman, saving "many, many lives.""This is a horrible situation, just terrible," Walton said, adding that his department received a congratulatory call from the White House after the incident. Walton said authorities had information on "some things that triggered this individual", but he would not elaborate. The carnage was the latest in a string of mass shootings in the United States, where such attacks have become commonplace. Walton said the gunman, who he declined to identify, first fired at two motorists from his car, and then stole a pickup truck from one of his victims before heading to the factory. He shot a woman in the parking lot with an assault rifle and then entered the facility unleashing a volley of bullets as people ran for their lives screaming "run, fire, fire," according to one witness.Local media identified the gunman as Cedric Ford, 38, who worked as a painter at the factory and had posted a picture of himself on Facebook with an assault rifle. Matt Jarrell, a painter at Excel, told CNN affiliate KSNW that "never in a million years" would he have expected Ford to do something like this before he saw him open fire."He was a mellow guy," Jarrell said. "He was somebody I could talk to about anything."Ford recently moved to the area from Miami, and had an extensive criminal record, including a history of prowling, loitering and illegal weapons possession, media reports said. Walton said police surrounded the gunman's home after the shooting but his male roommate refused to allow them in, resulting in a standoff. But officers later obtained a warrant and entered the home only to find it empty, KSNW reported.
- 'Wake up' -
The victims were taken to local hospitals, -- where five were deemed to be in critical condition -- as family members rushed to the factory for news of their loved ones. One man said his 21-year-old nephew had been shot four times. "I hear about these shootings at theatres and things, and it's just a mess... it's horrible," an eyewitness said, referring to other mass shootings across the country. "This guy had this planned."Several employees at the plant told local media they believed that the shooter had emotional and mental problems. "Someone said this guy got fired, got upset and just came back and shot people," Marty Pierce, an eyewitness who works at the plant, told KAKE television. Recent mass shootings in the United States include Saturday's rampage by an Uber driver that left six people dead in Michigan, the December terror attack in San Bernardino, California, that left 14 people dead, and the December 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre that killed 26, including 20 children. Gun violence claims the lives of about 30,000 Americans every year. In a grim irony, Walton said his department had held a meeting last week on how to deal with an active shooting situation. "Any place that thinks it can't happen here, wake up," he said. "Because it can happen.""This is a fairly peaceful community," he added. "And to have something like this happen is tragic."

Iran Votes in Vital Elections after Nuclear Deal
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/Iranians began voting across the country Friday in elections billed by the moderate president as vital to curbing conservative dominance in parliament and speeding up domestic reforms after a nuclear deal with world powers. A pro-government coalition called "The List of Hope" is representing President Hassan Rouhani's ambitions in the polls. Almost 55 million people are eligible to cast ballots that will ultimately elect 290 lawmakers. They will also vote in a second election to select the Assembly of Experts, a powerful committee of 88 clerics that monitors the work of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. While MPs are elected for four years the assembly will be granted an eight-year term. Should Khamenei, who is 76, die during that time its members would pick his successor. Voting started at 8am (0430 GMT) and will close at 6pm although officials say polling stations could stay open if there are queues and more time is needed to cast ballots. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cast his vote early Friday morning in a televised ceremony and urged everyone to do so "quickly, as it's both a duty and a right". "Everyone must vote, those who love Iran, those who like the Islamic Republic, those who love the grandeur and glory of Iran," he told a state television reporter after casting his vote.
"We have enemies. Elections should be such that make the enemy disappointed. We must vote with insight and open eyes."As Iran's ultimate authority, Khamenei's powers outrank those of Rouhani, but the president is looking for gains in parliament to allow him to build on the nuclear deal by bringing improvements at home. The economy has featured strongly during the election campaign as Iran faces a stubborn challenge to overcome the damage that almost a decade of sanctions caused. The elections will be a crucial indicator of the future direction Iranians want for their country. "I expect the situation of the country to improve through reforms," Atefeh Yousefi, 38, told AFP while waiting in line at a polling station in Tehran, adding that she regretted boycotting elections in the past.
Rouhani has played up the potential for foreign investment which he says will bring jobs, particularly for Iran's youth whose unemployment rate of 25 percent is two-and-a-half times the national average. However, conservatives say strong economic growth will only be possible if an emphasis is placed on domestic production under a "resistance economy" model more in tune with the ideals of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution. - Call for high turnout -Although he returned the economy to growth after inheriting a recession, the president remains vulnerable as the benefit of sanctions relief and a return of international business will take time. If voters support the pro-Rouhani list, a coalition of moderate and reformist candidates, the president could swing the balance of power in parliament, creating an opening for social and political reforms on which he has so far been blocked by lawmakers. But a one-week official campaign for the parliamentary election has been largely overshadowed by controversies over who was allowed to run for office. The exclusion of thousands of candidates -- reformists said they were worst hit, with the barring of their most prominent faces leaving them with untested hopefuls -- has raised concerns over turnout. A total of 4,844 candidates, about 10 percent of whom are women, are standing in the parliamentary election. Only 159 clerics -- a fifth of the applicants -- are seeking a place on the Assembly of Experts. On Wednesday, Rouhani sent a text message urging people to vote, saying participation was needed "to build the future of the country with plenty of hope," echoing the campaign message of his allies. The main conservative faction is headed by Gholam-Ali Hadad Adel, a former parliament speaker, whose daughter is married to one of supreme leader Khamenei's sons. Results from outside Tehran are expected within 24 hours but the vote tally in the capital, which has a population of 12 million and is electing 30 lawmakers, will take three days.

Voting Extended as Iranians Queue in Crucial Elections
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/Long lines formed and voting was extended Friday as Iranians cast ballots in an election test for moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who hopes to curb conservative dominance in parliament and deliver domestic reforms. With the polls coming just one month after sanctions were lifted under a nuclear deal between Rouhani's government and world powers, the outcome will be seen as a de-facto referendum on his administration. The Islamic republic's ultimate authority, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was among the first to vote and he urged the country's 55 million-strong electorate to follow suit, as "it's both a duty and a right". As well as picking 290 members of parliament, voters were also selecting the Assembly of Experts, a powerful committee of 88 clerics that monitors Khamenei's work and may choose his successor. There were big queues at polling stations in Tehran and state television showed similar scenes in other cities, with officials speaking of a high turnout, which is likely to benefit reformers. Polls opened at 8:00 am (0430 GMT) and with many still waiting in line when they were supposed to close at 6:00 pm, the interior ministry gave voters an extra three hours.
The right to vote remains contentious in Iran because although more time was given in a 2009 presidential election, whose outcome was disputed, many voters said polling station doors were closed while they were still queuing outside. After voting in Tehran, the country's 67-year-old president pledged to protect the integrity of the elections as "a mark of trust." On Friday, some voters said they would wait as long as it takes. "It's worth it," said Zahra Jamshidi, a 23-year-old student in east Tehran, who had been standing in line for 40 minutes. Turnout in parliamentary elections four years ago was 64 percent nationwide and 48 percent in Tehran. Higher participation would help Rouhani and his reformist allies, after many moderate voters stayed away in 2012 in protest at the re-election three years earlier of hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Known as the "diplomat sheikh" on account of his clerical credentials and willingness to negotiate, Rouhani was the driving force behind the nuclear deal, which he delivered despite political pressure at home.
'List of Hope'
The agreement with powers led by the United States, the Islamic republic's bete noire, raised hopes of recovery in Iran but although the economy exited a deep recession in 2014-2015, growth has stagnated in the past year. A pro-government coalition of moderate and reformist candidates called "The List of Hope" is representing the president's ambitions in the polls. Lawmakers are elected for four years but the assembly has eight-year terms. Should Khamenei, who is 76, die during that time its members would pick his replacement. Khamenei smiled warmly as he presented his identity documents to electoral officials before receiving his ballot paper which he posted in a sealed box. "Everyone must vote, those who love Iran, those who like the Islamic republic, those who love the grandeur and glory of Iran," said Khamenei, who backed Rouhani's nuclear talks but has continued to rail against U.S. influence. If voters support the pro-Rouhani list, the president could swing the balance of power among MPs and potentially pass economic, social and political legislation which have so far been blocked.
Results will take days
Many young Iranians -- 60 percent of Iran's 79 million population are aged under 30 -- posted selfies on social media as they waited to vote. "We need to open the doors of our country to the world," said Atefeh Jaberi, a 45-year-old writer, outside Hosseiniye Ershad, a religious institute in north Tehran, who was backing Rouhani's allies."We need fundamental reforms, we need to support the government." The run-up to polling day was largely overshadowed by controversies over who was allowed to run. Thousands of candidates were excluded. Reformists said they were worst hit, with the barring of their most prominent faces leaving them with untested hopefuls. A total of 4,844 candidates, about 10 percent of whom are women, stood in the parliamentary election. Only 159 clerics -- a fifth of the applicants -- were vying for the Assembly of Experts. The pro-Rouhani list is headed by Mohammad Reza Aref, a former vice president in the 1997-2005 two-term government of reformist president Mohammad Khatami. "If we win, the path becomes much smoother," Aref told AFP, saying a similar result as Rouhani's victory of 2013 -- in which he won in a first round with 51 percent of the vote -- could usher in prosperity. "Hopefully once we win a majority our first step will be an economic boom," he said. The main conservative faction in the parliamentary polls is headed by Gholam-Ali Hadad Adel, a former parliament speaker who said he was "optimistic" about the polls. Results from outside Tehran were expected within 24 hours but the vote tally in the capital, which has a population of 12 million and was electing 30 lawmakers, will take three days.

Palestinian journalist ends hunger strike in Israel jail: NGO
AFP, Jerusalem Friday, 26 February 2016/A Palestinian journalist in Israeli jail without trial, Mohammed al-Qiq, agreed Friday to end his 94-day hunger strike under a deal for his release in May, an NGO announced. "An agreement has been reached under which his administrative detention will end on May 21 and will not be renewed," the Palestinian Prisoners' Club said, referring to Qiq's imprisonment without trial. Israeli authorities contacted by AFP did not immediately confirm or deny such an agreement. The 33-year-old television reporter started his fast on November 25 in protest at the "torture and ill treatment that he was subjected to during interrogation", according to Addameer, a Palestinian rights organization. Qiq has occasionally taken minerals and vitamins but mainly ingests only tap water, say doctors who have visited him in hospital in the northern Israeli town of Afula. The Supreme Court officially suspended the internment order against Qiq on February 4, but refused his demand for transfer to a hospital in the West Bank city of Ramallah, which is under Palestinian Authority jurisdiction. The United Nations has expressed concern about his fate and the International Committee of the Red Cross described his condition as critical. Israel's Shin Bet domestic security service says Qiq was detained for "terror activity" on behalf of the Islamist group Hamas, which controls Gaza, a charge he denies. Israel's controversial administrative detention law allows the state to hold suspects without trial for periods of six months renewable indefinitely.

Palestinian Killed after Trying to Stab Israeli Soldiers
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/A Palestinian tried to stab Israeli soldiers on Friday at a checkpoint near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and was shot dead, the Israeli army said. The army "thwarted the attack, firing towards the assailant, resulting in his death," it said in a statement. The Palestinian authorities did not immediately announce the identity of the attacker. Israeli media said the attack took place near the Beit El settlement outside Ramallah. A wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming assaults that erupted in October has claimed the lives of 28 Israelis, as well as an American, a Sudanese and an Eritrean. The violence has also seen 177 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, most while carrying out attacks but others during clashes and demonstrations.

Palestinian Wanted by Israel Found Dead in Bulgaria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 26/16/A Palestinian activist wanted by Israel over the killing of a Jewish settler 30 years ago was found dead Friday in Bulgaria, local police and the Palestinian Authority said. Omar Nayef Zayed, 51, was discovered in the courtyard of the Palestinian embassy in Sofia, police said. Bulgarian radio reported that he had fallen from the fourth floor. A senior Palestinian Authority official said that Nayef "was discovered with serious torso injuries and died before emergency services arrived," official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. The leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), of which Nayef was a member, cited in a statement his family as calling his death an "assassination." It said that Nayef, originally from Jenin in the West Bank, had sought refuge in the Palestinian embassy in Sofia two months ago and had "received threats."He was convicted in 1986 over a murder case but escaped in 1990 during a visit to a Bethlehem hospital. He fled to Bulgaria in 1994 and married a local woman with whom he had three children. Late last year Bulgarian authorities agreed to examine an Israeli extradition request but a December 14 hearing was postponed because Nayef was not at his address, the Bulgarian interior ministry said. His death came a day after Prime Minister Boyko Borisov returned from a trip to Israel. Borisov said he discussed Nayef with both Israeli and Palestinian officials during the visit. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has announced the formation of a special commission of inquiry to look into his death, Wafa said. There was no official Israeli comment but Israeli public radio quoted "a security source" as saying that "Israel has no interest in striking at an elderly terrorist, especially if it involves danger or committing resources."

Hatred! Who wants to face it?
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/February 26/16
Facing the growing hatred against Arabs and Muslims around the world is a very difficult task, especially for those already powerless. No government or party considers tackling this issue directly despite the damage that is being inflicted on Arabs and Muslims, including governments and groups.
They do not take up the challenge because they follow multiple governments or are in a situation that may not allow them to do so. So is the case with the non-governmental organizations that do not engage in tasks of awareness projects and confront racism. The problem is similar to those who are of African origin and are Latinos and Hispanics are facing in the United States. Some NGOs might be striving to defend their cases and rights and encourage greater attention to the legal political work to serve their communities, and express their needs. However, these organizations’ efforts were in vain. As for Jews in the West, and specifically in the United States, they are not in large numbers, and at the same time, their awareness regarding the importance of teamwork is really advanced. Israel considers itself a partner that is responsible for defending their rights, and vice-versa, some of them are indeed defending Israel’s needs.
Despite the growing campaign against Arabs and Muslims, only few individuals work with limited and provisional legal support to confront the media and aren’t in a position to deal with it on a bigger scale. The situation may become more difficult due to the presence of associations and centers, especially Islamic ones that are engaged in such efforts. Organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood are not only seen with suspicion in the West but are also rejected by a number of Islamic governments. The feeling of hatred against Arabs and Muslims arises from the acts of terrorist organizations, such as al-Qaeda and ISIS. It is the outcome of a long series of acts attributed to Arabs and Muslims who believe in extremist ideology and express their positions through the media and social networking websites. On the other hand, there are hardly institutions that react to organizations and individuals who promote hate speech against Arabs and Muslims.
Who are the victims?
Due to the lack of political and general awareness, it is common for verbal confrontation and intellectual debate to widen between extremists from both sides. The victim of this divide are peaceful Arabs and Muslims who believe in coexistence and respect. The resulting damage is not just distortion of image or mere public insults; the greater damage inflicts the governments and individuals, which impact tourism, hampers exports and harm relations. We can see how violence is increasing in Europe and the United States. I do not know much about the size of the damage done to the Arab and Muslim image and reputation in countries such as South Korea, China, Japan, and South America. But I can imagine that the situation is similar because the problem is still prevalent and the wide reach of social networking means it can reach almost each and every household. This is the problem and solving it wouldn’t be easy unless specific initiatives are taken by governments and institutions to work on improving the Arab and Muslim reputation abroad. This also includes Arabs and Muslims in Western countries who can play a positive role in enhancing bilateral and multilateral relations on mutual issues and grounds. Work can be focused first on the Arabs and Muslims living in Europe, then on those living in the United States and the rest of the countries. Efforts will have to be made to raise their awareness regarding the importance of co-existence and respect for different cultures and to cooperate with them in order to end extremism. Then, the focus can shift toward spreading the true image of Islam that gave birth to a wonderful ancient civilization known for its tolerant ideology, diverse cultures, architecture, arts and sciences.

The fallacy, hype and oversimplification of Iran elections
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya/February 26/16
The media, primarily the Western mainstream outlets, have been carried away with their characterization of Iran’s elections. Vital, crucial, the most significant, dynamic, critical, and decisive are some example of words being used to characterize Iran’s elections for the parliament (Majlis) and the Assembly of Experts. Depicting the outcome of the current Iranian elections as the dominant and controlling factor in shaping and determining Iran’s leadership, domestic and foreign policies, not only fails to grasp the complexities and nuances of Iran’s social, political, and economic establishments, but also point to the predominant misconceptions, oversimplifications, hype and lack of knowledge about Iran.
The Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts consists of 86 clerics who are elected by the people. Nevertheless, before anyone is permitted to run, they are vetted by the hardline organization; the Council of Guardians. The 12 members of Guardian Council, are appointed directly (six members) and indirectly (nominated by the head of Judiciary) which, in return, is appointed by the supreme leader. Without a doubt, the 12 members of the Guardian Council owe their position to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, represent the agenda of Khamenei, and disqualify any one whose viewpoints are not in alignment with Khamenei. For example, the Guardian Council even banned the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Hossein Khomeini, from running for a seat in the Assembly of Experts. Furthermore, the responsibility of the Assembly of Experts is to appoint Iran’s supreme leader. In other words, for the last 28 years this political body has been sitting idly by waiting for the time that Khamenei dies. But the question is, do they really appoint the next supreme leader? In the last 35 years, Iran’s parliament have always been looking for the supreme leader’s approval or disapproval in order to pass or reject significant bills.
When Khamenei came to power, he sidelined the powerful clerics who had a high level of religious authority. The Guardian Council, Khamenei’s political tool, allows low level hard line clergy who have shown their loyalty to Khamenei, and the senior cadre of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps to run for the Assembly of Experts. The 86 members, which owe their position and salary to Khamenei, have never questioned him.
The only time that the Assembly of Experts had to appoint a Supreme Leader was in 1989 when Khomeini died. According to Rafsanjani’s writings, it took the 86 members only couple of hours to appoint Khamenei. But Khamenei was being prepared by IRGC leaders and Khomeinei to become the next supreme leader long before this, after they removed Ayatollah Hoosein Ali Montazeri, the designated successor, because he had a falling-out with Khomenei and because he criticized the Islamic Republic for marrying religion with politics. Since Khamenei was not a "marja", the IRGC even removed an article in the constitution which requires the Supreme Leader to be"marja". The Assembly of Experts approved Khamenei because he was already picked by IRGC and Khomenei. When Khamenei dies, the next supreme leader will also be the one who is chosen by the leaders of Revolutionary Guards.
Elections for the Majlis
In the last 35 years, Iran’s parliament have always been looking for the supreme leader’s approval or disapproval in order to pass or reject significant bills, linked to the nuclear deal, assisting Syria financially, the military budget, etc. For instance, although the current parliament is controlled by the hardliners, they did not create a problem for Iran’s President, Rowhani (the moderate) regarding the nuclear deal. They passed it because that’s what the Supreme Leader and IRGC leaders wanted in order to get economic relief. In fact, even before Rowhani became president, Khamenei and IRGC leaders were preparing the political establishment to make a deal with the West for removal of economic sanctions. In addition, candidates for parliament also have to be approved by the Guardian Council beforehand. But even when the Guardian Council made a mistake in Khatami’s era and allowed the reformists to run and control the parliament, the reformists were immediately constrained by the IRGC forces; their newspapers were shut, and many of the members were imprisoned when they indicated that they might not align with the IRGC and supreme leader’s agenda. In closing, analysis of Iran’s elections for the parliament (Majlis) and the Assembly of Experts have been subject to political polemics, misconceptions, oversimplifications, hype, lack of knowledge, and less than scholarly work. It is crucial to look beyond the surface and realize that when it comes to major decisions such as choosing the next leaders, or the nuclear deal, etc, the IRGC- the military empire, and Khamenei, have control over political and economic life of Iran, and make the decisions. The IRGC which was created by Khomeini and empowered by Khamenei, have indeed evolved to be the father and major decision maker of the Islamic Republic.

Fundamentalists and Revolutionary Guards steal Iran’s elections
DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis February 26, 2016
Opposition leaders to Khamenei Hashemi Rafsanjani (l.) and President Hassan Rouhani
US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Kerry fondly hoped that the nuclear agreement signed with Iran would bring to the surface a new type of leader - more liberal and less liable to restart the nuclear program - in the twin elections taking place in the Islamic Republic Friday, Feb. 26.
They are in for a disappointment, say debkafile’s Iran analysts.
But one change is almost certain. The Iranian voter will be choosing for the first time on one day a new parliament (Majlis) and the Assembly of Experts, the only body competent to choose the republic’s next supreme leader. The incumbent, 75-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is not expected to outlast the four-year term of the next Assembly of Experts. He has been struggling with prostate cancer for more than five years. Treatment and surgery have failed to halt its spread to other parts of his body. And strong medication is necessary to keep him looking alert and vigorous in his public appearances.
Speculation is already rife in Tehran about who the next Assembly of Experts will choose as his successor.
Seen from the perspective of Iran’s Islamic regime, the supreme leader’s overarching duty is to continue the legacy of its revolutionary founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his successor, Ali Khamenei.
Rather than meeting the expectations of the US president, his main job is to continue strengthening Iran on its path of religious extremism, ideological subversion, export of the Shiite revolution (by terror) and the continuation of the nuclear program.
The biggest political bombshell of the election campaign was a proposal by former President Hashemi Rafsanjani to establish a national leadership council now, instead of choosing a new leader later. This was intended to replace the single dictatorial rule of the supreme leader by a collective leadership.
Iran’s fundamentalists, especially the powerful Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), were in uproar about a proposal they viewed as so dangerous for the regime that they threatened to confiscate the Rafsanjani clan’s extensive property and put him on trial for corruption and fraud.
His beloved son Mahdi has already been in jail for months on those charges.
But Rafsanjani is not easily cowed. He knew that if he backed down, the extremists would crack down on him still harder.
So this week, he announced that he had pulled the strings which gave Hassan Rouhani victory in the last presidential election. And, in the campaign leading up to the Assembly of Experts vote, he threw his support behind a moderate cleric, Hassan Khomeini, who happens to be the grandson of the Islamic regime’s iconic founder.
The IRGC and radical mullahs thereupon launched an offensive to thwart what they believed to be Rafsanjani’s dangerous plan to establish a triumvirate with Rouhani and Khomeini Junior to head a future government.
Senior radical clerics, such as ayatollahs Ahama Alam-Alhoda, Mohammad Mesbah-Yazdi, Ahmad Jannati, and Mohammad Yazi, slandered him and fought to remove his candidates for the twin slates.
They branded the former president and members of a “reformist” list as British agents, a particularly malicious charge because the UK is still seen in Iran as a symbol of colonialism and meddler in foreign politics.
Ayatollah Khamenei himself harshly denounced “foreign agents” as “addicted to foreign influence,” who should be barred from the Assembly of Experts.
Young Khomenei saw the light and withdrew his candidacy for its membership. But Rafsanjani stood out to the last as a central figure in the two campaigns, even after a majority of the candidates condemned as “moderates and reformists” were barred from the elections.
In the end, the two slates were left with no more than 30 moderate candidates out of a total of 3,000 vying for the 375 seats in the two bodies.
Their defeat as a group was predestined, and the two elections leave Iran more politically and religiously radicalized than before.
A key figure expected to take center stage in the new parliament is Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, whose daughter is married to Khamenei’s mover-and-shaker son. Another is Haddad-Adel, one of Khamenei’s top advisers, who heads a faction of religious fundamentalists and IRGC officers. He is the frontrunner to succeed Ali Larijani as Speaker of the next Majlis.
They are all expected to gang up to prevent President Rouhani from running for a second term when it runs out in two years – contrary to the Obama administration’s hopes. They will also do their best to make him a lame duck and whipping boy for all the country’s economic ills for the remainder of his presidency.
He will find the new parliament less cooperative than the outgoing House under Larijani when he tries to introduce liberal policies.
Unofficial results of the two elections are expected to be released Friday night. The extremists and hardliners have engineered them so that they will win big and set Iran on a course that it is even more radical than before on such key issues as its nuclear weapons program and intervention in Syria and other Middle East conflicts. They will keep the feud with Saudi Arabia alive and pursue every possible means of venting their bottomless hatred of Israel and seeking its destruction.

Obama’s Problem with the Middle East Tango!
Eyad Abu Shakra/Al Sharq Al Awsat/February 26/16
Last week I enjoyed reading an article by the American writer Thomas Friedman entitled ‘The Many Mideast Solutions’ about what Middle East the next US president should expect to see. Before that, a friend of mine who is a senior researcher in International Affairs at a leading American university, commented on an article I had written about Henry Kissinger’s Middle East legacy; expressing his fear that the Obama Administration may be about to leave the Middle East lock, stock and barrel, concentrating instead on other areas, such as China.
Whether one accepts everything Friedman says or not, there were a host of irrefutable truths he mentioned in his article. One of the most noteworthy relates to the Palestinian question, second to the Sunni – Shi’i conflagration now – unfortunately – dominating the Syrian uprising that began as a peaceful uprising by a population oppressed by the evils of corruption, nepotism and the security apparatus of a police state for more than four decades.
With regards to the Palestinian question ,I think Friedman was right to conclude that the ‘two-state solution’ is ‘dead’, although one may not blame all those he blamed equally. True, the next occupant of the White House come next January will face a virtual state of ‘full occupation’ from the Mediterranean to the Jordan valley. The culprits, according to Friedman, are:
1. “… the fanatical Jewish settlers determined to keep expanding their footprint in the West Bank and able to sabotage any Israeli politician or army officer who opposed them…”.
2. “… right-wing Jewish billionaires, like Sheldon Adelson, who used their influence to blunt any U.S. congressional criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu …”.
3. “Netanyahu, whose lust to hold onto his seat of power is only surpassed by his lack of imagination to find a secure way to separate from the Palestinians …”.
4. “… Hamas (which) devoted all its resources to digging tunnels to attack Israelis from Gaza rather than turning Gaza into Singapore, making a laughingstock of Israeli peace advocates …”.
5. “… The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, sacked the only effective Palestinian prime minister ever, Salam Fayyad, who was dedicated to fighting corruption and proving that Palestinians deserved a state by focusing on building institutions, not U.N. resolutions …”.
As for the Sunni – Shi’i issue, Friedman rightly claimed that Washington under a new president is going to deal with “a no-state solution in Syria, Yemen and Libya, a non-state solution offered by the Islamic caliphate (ISIS) and a rogue-state solution offered by Iran”. He was also right to say that Russia’s Vladimir Putin was “deliberately bombing anti-regime Syrians to drive them into Europe in hopes of creating a rift in the European Union, strain its resources and make it a weaker rival to Russia and a weaker ally for America”.
Continuing from the above, I would say that the ‘no-state solution’ pertaining to Syria is now a fait accompli regardless of what happens on the ground. Political and military decisions about Syria are now taken in Moscow and Tehran, not Damascus. Bashar Al-Assad has become nothing but a ‘receiver’ appointed by a bankruptcy court and a tinderbox of sectarian blackmail and agitation. Meanwhile, the false claim by Moscow and Tehran that they are engaged in a ‘war against ISIS’ is finding an Obama administration eager to believe and a US Secretary of State willing to endorse and promote.
What the White House does not seem to accept – as Friedman seems to note – is the existence of vital mutual interests between Iran and ISIS whereby each is capitalising on the extremism of the other, using it as an excuse, and convincing its followers that its brand of extremist line is the obvious and right answer.
In the meantime, in the minds of Sunnis – especially Arab Sunnis – any serious campaign against ISIS is impossible to justify while Iran’s IRGC continues to flex its sectarian campaign across the Arab world and boast that their agents control four Arab capitals: Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut and San’aa.
Well, let’s be more specific and take two clear cut examples; the way Bashar Al-Assad and IRGC’s Qassem Suleimani relinquished control of Raqqah, and how the Da’wa Party – led Iraqi government almost ‘handed over’ Mosul!
Why should a sectarian regime like Al-Assad’s, which has founded – under the reign of the current president’s father – the infrastructure of an Alawi sectarian ‘mini state’ in the coastal region of Syria and has become an ‘incubator’ of Iran’s Hezbollah, bother about keeping the remote Sunni-majority provinces of Raqqah and Hasakah?
Why would this regime care about what befalls Tayy’, Al-Jubour, Al-‘Uqaidat, Al-Shu’itat and other tribes of the mid-Euphrates and Al-Jazirah, and try to solve their intermittent problems with the Kurds whom it badly treated and discriminated against?
Wasn’t it always more worthwhile for Al-Assad to co-operate with Iran on created sectarian militias whose task was to support the regime’s Special Forces’ ‘Defence Companies’ and other trusted elitist tools, past and present, when the moment of truth comes and the big lies of secularism, ‘progressive politics’, Arab unity and socialism are uncovered?
With regards to Iraq, the intense hatred, vengefulness and keenness to uproot the Ba’th regime under American occupation of the pro-Iran Shi’ites was common knowledge. These factors were very much behind the ‘political’ sham trials of Saddam Hussein and his subordinates; which were basically nothing more than sectarian and ethnic acts of revenge against a painful past rather than a new beginning for an open and tolerant ‘Iraq of the future’.
Then, even when Al-Qaeda exploited Sunni bitterness at being marginalized, it was the Al-Anbar Sunni tribes which rose in arms against the extremist terrorists, overlooked the injuries inflicted on them by premier Nuri Al-Maliki sectarian policies, and fought the “Sahwat’ (i.e. awakenings) uprising. However, instead of being rewarded and compensated for this act of patriotism, the Sunnis continued to be not only marginalised but also persecuted.
Such an environment of sectarian bitterness as well as machinations of regional and international intelligence agencies provided the perfect incubator for ISIS. Indeed, many ISIS extremists ‘managed to escape’ from the notorious Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad and headed for Syria, then Mosul fell to ISIS (almost without a fight), and now the whole of western Iraq is threatened with a catastrophe to millions of Iraqi Sunnis if the Mosul Dam collapses.
Obama’s Washington claims it wants nothing to do the Middle East quagmire. It may have even convinced itself that it can afford doing nothing.
But it seems to have forgotten the term ‘It takes two to tango’; given what we now know that Vladimir Putin isn’t a good dancer or doesn’t want to dance, and the same applies to the decision makers in Tehran!
**Eyad Abu Shakra is the managing editor of Asharq Al-Awsat. He has been with the newspaper since 1978.

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