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LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
June 21/15

http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletins05/english.june21.15.htm

Bible Quotation For Today/Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness
Matthew 10/01-07: " Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, "The kingdom of heaven has come near."

Bible Quotation For Today/I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Letter to the Philippians 03/07-14: "Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus."

Latest analysis, editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 20-21/15
Shaking Hands with Iran/Daniel Mael/Gatestone Institute/June 20/15
What happened in Russia/Salman Aldosary/Asharq Al Awsat/June 20/15
Waning U.S. influence/The Daily Star/June. 20/15
The Druze position is a challenge for Syria’s uprising/Eyad Abu Shakra/Al Arabiya/June 20-21/15
The Russians are coming to Saudi Arabia/Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/June 20/15
Murder in a church/Hisham Melhem/Al Arabiya/June 20/15

Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 20-21/15
Yemen talks end with no deal, UN envoy optimistic
Car bomb explodes in Sanaa near Houthi mosque, 2 dead
UN marks World Refugee Day in Damascus
German police arrest Al-Jazeera journalist at Egypt's reques
Turkey detains 4 foreign journalists at Syrian border
Former Israeli Army (IDF) Chief lands safely in London
French FM calls for renewed Mideast peace talks
Rivlin: West Bank attack a step in escalation
Brazil arrests Israeli for death of Palestinian
US: Iran threat undiminished
Fabius to meet Iran's Zarif on nuclear talks
Saudi fears on Iran revealed in leaks
France: Inaction on Mideast peace risks setting conflict ‘ablaze’
Morocco students jailed for killing Islamist fellow in brawl
U.S., allies conduct 16 air strikes in Iraq, 6 in Syria
France’s Fabius to meet Iran’s Zarif on nuclear talks
Refugees welcome here,’ say Berlin demonstrators
Not the time to pull peacekeepers from Darfur: U.S. envoy
Dubai is the Florence of the 21st century
The Russians are coming to Saudi Arabia
Murder in a church
Leotards and feminity: Stop shaming women for being women
Bahrain Frees Sunni Opposition Leader after 4 Years
US Senator McCain slams European stance on Ukraine
Greece's Varoufakis wants 'clear decision' from Merkel at summit
Mali's Tuareg-led Rebels Sign Landmark Peace Deal
Russia Warns of Retaliation for Yukos Overseas Asset Freeze

Jehad Watch Latest Reports And News
Oregon: Muslim gets 7 years for aiding jihad suicide bombers
Time Mag: Muhammad cartoons “make Muslims feel less safe”
UK Muslim baroness: PM’s call to Muslims to fight “radicalization” will alienate Muslims
New Jersey Muslim charged with plotting to support the Islamic State
Ohio Muslim said he’d “cut off the head of his non-Muslim son if necessary”
UK city shocked! shocked! by family’s flight to join the Islamic State
Austria: Muslim drives car into crowd, killing 3, then gets out and stabs passersby
Pamela Geller, Breitbart: Clear Channel Refuses AFDI Ads Countering ICNA’s Lies with the Truth About Muhammad
Islam, and the Proposed Changes to the French Curriculum
Sweet Islamic money
UK Muslim leader says Cameron’s call to fight radicalization “unhelpful”
Boston jihadis who wanted to murder Pamela Geller plead not guilty
Video: Asghar Bukhari triples down: this is your brain on Islamic supremacism

Fathers' Day: The Holy Gift Of Fatherhood
Elias Bejjani/ May21/15
"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!" (Lydia M. Child, U.S. Author)
Canadians observe Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June. It is a day for people to show their appreciation for fathers, grandfathers, godfathers and fatherly figures. Father figures may include stepfathers, fathers-in-law, guardians, foster parent, and family friends.
Hopefully, all men will have the blessed grace of being fathers. Being a father is a heavenly endowment, a great satisfaction, and a fulfilling Godly obligation as the Holy Bible teaches us: "Genesis 1:28 "God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it."
Almighty God has blessed both parents, fathers and mothers and recommended that they be honored, respected, cared for, and obeyed by their children. God's fifth commandment delineates this heavenly obligation and duty: ""Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which The Lord your God gives you." (Exodus 20:12 )
God is our Holy Father, and we all, men and women, are His beloved children. Fathers on Earth are God's servants who are entrusted by Him to safeguard, raise, embrace, support, provide and teach their children. Meanwhile fathers are required to carry their holy duties in raising their children in the fear of God, with the best of their knowledge, all their resource and means, full devotion and with all required sacrifices.
Fathers are the cornerstone of their families upon which children depend, learn, nurture, hold fast and shape their lives. Caring, devoted and righteous fathers are always given a hand by God and blessed for their rearing and erection of boundaries. Today we are celebrating "Fathers' Day", with all those who cherish fathers, appreciate their sacrifices and honor their Godly role. Best wishes to all fathers hoping they will be shown today all the due gratitude from their sons and daughters. On this very special day our deceased fathers' and mothers' spirits are roaming around sharing with us our joy and happiness, God bless their souls.
Attitudes of gratitude or ingratitude towards fathers on Fathers' Day, are very sensitive issues that affect and touch the hearts and minds of many people. These two contradicting attitudes exhibit how much a person is either appreciative or ungrateful. The majority of people hold on dear to their fathers and do all that they can to always show them their great and deeply felt gratitude, while sadly there are those odd ones out who show no gratitude, abandon them and even at times endeavour to ruin their lives and inflict harm and pain on them. By doing so and negating God's commandments that stress an utmost respect for parents, these people make themselves enemies of Christ Himself. Definitely God will be angry about such condemned conduct. This deviation from all human norms occur because of ignorance, selfishness, lack of faith and hope. These people fall into temptation, become proud of what they should be ashamed of, worship things that belong to this world and forget all about "Judgment Day".
Colossians 3/20: "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord".
Leviticus 20/09: "For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him"
Fathers no matter what must be loved, honored, dignified and respected. God Himself is a Father and He will not bless those who deny their fathers' heavenly right of fatherhood and respect. In this context, Billy Graham says: "A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society." The Holy Bible in tens of its verses warns and puts on notice all those with callous hearts and numbed conscience who show no gratitude to their fathers and break their hearts.
Isaiah 46:4: "Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save."
Even when fathers are abandoned by their children and denied their heavenly rights, they never ever hold any grudges, feelings of hatred or hostility against them. No matter what, fathers always wish their children health, prosperity and success. One of our Lebanese deeply rooted sayings portray how fathers constantly feel towards their ungrateful children: " My heart beats for my son no matter what, while my son's heart is callous like a rock". Many verses in the Holy Bible overtly call on the children to treat their parents with love, endurance, affection and utmost care. At the same time the Bible instructs parents to value the Godly delegation to them to raise their children with all means of righteous, protection and provision.
Proverbs 23/22: "Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old".
Ephesians 06/01-02: "Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. Respect your father and mother is the first commandment that has a promise added: so that all may go well with you, and you may live a long time in the land".
Many grown-up men and women do not appreciate their parents' sacrifices unless they themselves have become parents. Back home in Lebanon where the family has always been sacred, we have a saying that shows how important it is in the eyes of the God that parents are always to be respected, honored and loved. "God will not bless or facilitate the life of those who mistreat their parents and He will reply to the parents' wrath when they ask for punishment for their ungrateful children". Good, loving , faithful and God-fearing fathers know no hatred, grudges or despair. They remain, always, hopeful and keep on praying to Almighty God that their children, (grateful or ungrateful ) are constantly healthy, prosperous, happy, and successful .
Philippians 04/04-07: "May you always be joyful in your union with the Lord. I say it again: rejoice! Show a gentle attitude toward everyone. The Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God's peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.".
Happy Fathers' Day to all Fathers.
**Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com & http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
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Report: Cabinet Sessions Halted Throughout Ramadan
Naharnet 20/06/15/The Lebanese cabinet remains in limbo and its sessions may be halted during the holy month of Ramadan on hopes that they would resume after Eid al-Fitr, unnamed ministerial sources told al-Joumhouria daily on Saturday.The sources told the paper on condition of anonymity that Prime Minister Tammam Salam is unlikely to call for a cabinet session during Ramadan, pointing out that he traveled on Friday afternoon on a private visit. Minister of State Mohammed Fneish, who visited Salam early this week, asked the PM to give a one month notice during Ramadan paving the way for communications among the rival parties in order to find a way out of the governmental crisis to reach a positive outcome. For his part, Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi stressed that the PM should “resolve the matter and invite the cabinet for a convention. The cabinet's work must carry on,” he stated reiterating that it must not succumb to the conditions set by some parties.Salam suspended cabinet sessions last week over a dispute on the appointment of high-ranking military and security officials. He has been procrastinating on calling for a session to avoid a bigger dispute. Free Patriotic Movement ministers haven't also backed down on their demands. They have warned that they would boycott any session whose agenda is not topped by the appointment of the high-ranking officers.

Actress Angelina Jolie visits Syrian refugees at Turkey camp
Associated Press/ June. 20, 2015/MARDIN, Turkey: Actress Angelina Jolie is visiting a refugee camp in Mardin in southeastern Turkey as part of her work as special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees Antonio Guterres. Both are expected to visit the camp, which shelters those who have fled the four-year conflict in neighboring Syria, later Saturday. The visit is the latest in a series of trips the Hollywood star has made to Turkey, which hosts the greatest number of refugees in the world - 1.59 million, according to the latest U.N. figures. Jolie was spotted earlier Saturday walking around town, briefly stepping into a handicraft shop accompanied by her daughter Shiloh and minders. The U.N. says the number of Syrian refugees seeking its help now tops 2 million - and could be far higher. On Friday, Jolie made a brief visit to the Bekaa Valley in east Lebanon to introduce her 9-year-old daughter to a Syrian refugee child.

Justice minister urges Salam to convene Cabinet
The Daily Star/June. 20, 2015/BEIRUT: Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi Saturday called on Prime Minister Tammam Salam to convene a Cabinet session as soon as possible, and urged the creation of a national defense strategy to protect Lebanon's borders.
“We address Prime Minister Salam, with utmost love and respect, and call on him to hold a Cabinet session as soon as possible,” Rifi said in a news conference from his house in the northern city of Tripoli. “We are confident that he (Salam) will make a historic decision and defend the state from the attempts to undermine it.”The Future Movement-affiliated minister said the "obstruction" of Cabinet by the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah is “as dangerous of an adventure as Hezbollah’s participation in the Syrian war.”He said the paralysis in Cabinet, coupled with presidential vacuum and absence of legislative action, would push Lebanon into “a state of clinical death.”Ministers affiliated with the FPM announced two weeks ago that they would not allow the Cabinet to pass any decision before the body appoints successors to the country's retiring security officials. The decision, which received Hezbollah's backing, prompted Salam to cancel the Cabinet's last two weekly sessions. In addition to a Cabinet session, a meeting of the Higher Defense Council should be held to discuss Lebanon’s preparation for the possible collapse of the Syrian regime, Rifi said, adding that Lebanon needed a “national [defense] plan” to deal with the potential fallout. The minister emphasized that Hezbollah’s withdrawal from Syria was necessary to guarantee Lebanon’s security, underlining that “only the Lebanese Army” should defend the borders. “I am confident that we have the military and security ability to prevent the spillover of such developments,” he added when asked about a possible influx of refugees and militants should Damascus fall to rebels. Forces opposed to Syrian President Bashar Assad have been talking about such a scenario for more than 10 days after rebels took over the Syrian army's 52nd Brigade base in the southern Deraa province. It came three months after a coalition of anti-government forces took the northern city of Idlib, and seized the country's last key border crossing with Jordan in the south. Rifi also dedicated a part of his news conference to comment on the death of a 5-year-old Palestinian boy who succumbed to his wounds Friday after being hit by a stray bullet fired during a Hezbollah funeral in Beirut's southern suburbs last week. The child, Mounzir Hazini, came from the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk in Syria. Rifi urged the victim’s parents to be patient, blaming the “lousy spread of illegal weapons” for the incident, and announcing that he had ordered the judiciary to find and punish those behind the shooting.

Leaks reveal Geagea pleaded with Saudi Arabia for money to finance bankrupt party
The Daily Star/ June. 20, 2015/BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea pleaded for financial assistance from Saudi Arabia when his party was going bankrupt in 2012, one of more than 60,000 classified Saudi documents published by WikiLeaks Friday revealed.
The document, a letter from Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awad Asiri to the kingdom’s then-foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal dated March 17, 2012, recounted a meeting between Faisal and a representative sent by Geagea. “I have been visited by Elie Abu Assi, sent by Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, and he talked about the difficult financial situation their party is going through, which has reached the point where they can no longer afford the cost of party chief Samir Geagea’s protection,” the letter said.
“They have reached a point where Mr. Samir Geagea is ready to travel to the kingdom to present their deteriorated financial situation to the kingdom’s leadership.” It added that Geagea felt he was in particular need of beefed up security because his political rival Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun and Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai were “sympathizing with the Syrian regime.” The letter, classified as “very confidential” by the ambassador, recommended providing Geagea with financial assistance since he was the “real power that could be relied on to push back Hezbollah and its allies in Lebanon.”
“In addition, he is the closest of Christian leaders to the kingdom and his positions are solid against the Syrian regime,” he said. “Above all, he expressed readiness to do what the kingdom asks him to do.” Asiri also praised Geagea for holding a news conference in which he defended statements by the Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, who said it was religiously legitimate to destroy churches in Kuwait because the Arab Peninsula should not see a “meeting of two religions.”
According to a second document released by WikiLeaks on the same matter, Prince Faisal forwarded the letter to then-Saudi King Abdullah with the recommendation of supporting Geagea financially since he pledged to “work under the kingdom’s instructions.”
Geagea could not be reached for comment.
The documents were included in the first batch of about 60,000 released so far, of which several hundred relate to Lebanon. WikiLeaks said it had obtained more than half a million Saudi Foreign Ministry documents, dubbed "The Saudi Cables," which it plans to release in installments. Riyadh has not rejected the authenticity of any of the documents, but warned media and citizens from publishing any of them since they could "be untrue" and aimed to "harm the nation." A separate document dated Jan. 2, 2013 said Lebanese MP Boutros Harb was planning to split from the March 14 political camp to launch his own political group after the parliamentary elections, which were eventually cancelled that year. In a meeting with Faisal, Harb “hoped that the kingdom would support this [new political] gathering morally, politically and financially,” according to the document. It said Harb's condition for receiving Saudi assistance was that “the support does not come through [former] Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who was criticized by the MP (Harb) for being away from Lebanon for a long time.” The document added that Harb wanted to “leave March 14, which enjoys the kingdom’s support.”The minister recommended contacting Asiri to ask for his opinion. Harb declined to comment when contacted by The Daily Star Saturday evening.

Palestinian refugee camp clash kills 1 in north Lebanon
The Daily Star/ June 20, 2015/BEIRUT: A Palestinian from Syria was killed and another man wounded in an armed clash in the Beddawi refugee camp near the north Lebanon city of Tripoli overnight, the state-run National News Agency reported Friday. The man was identified as Abu Yasser, a refugee who came to Lebanon after fleeing the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk near Damascus. Other media reports confirmed his identity and said he belonged to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command. The causes of the clash remained unknown, according to the NNA, and it was not clear whether it was a continuation of a fight that took place few hours earlier between two families in the camp. The earlier fight, which media reports said had left four people wounded, occurred between the Abu Foul and Iskandarani families over a construction-related dispute. A joint force of armed Palestinian factions in the camp has been trying to prevent tensions from spreading, the NNA added.

Clash raises fears in Ain al-Hilweh
Mohammed Zaatari/The Daily Star/June. 20, 2015
SIDON, Lebanon: The latest bloody clash in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp that left two people dead and 11 wounded has raised fears that the shantytown might be heading for a new round of violence by rival factions vying for influence in the camp.
A number of Palestinian officials in the Ain al-Hilweh camp voiced fears Friday that Thursday’s five-hour fighting, pitting gunmen of the mainstream Fatah Movement against militants of Al-Qaeda-linked Jund al-Sham, might be a prelude to new security incidents in the deprived camp located on the outskirts of the southern city of Sidon.In a sign of simmering tension, a Fatah gunman Friday shot and wounded a Jund al-Sham member in Ain al-Hilweh. Ahmad Amer, a Palestinian militant belonging to Jund al-Sham, was transferred to Al-Nidaa al-Insani Hospital in the camp after being shot by Fatah member Mohammad Sayyed. Sayyed told The Daily Star that he thought Amer was going to retaliate for Thursday’s incident.“He was passing near our base and gave me a strange look so I thought he was here to kill me because he threatened to do so yesterday after I prevented him from bringing in a wounded Jund al-Sham fighter into the hospital,” he said, referring to the nearby Al-Quds hospital.
The shooting sparked concerns about a possible outbreak of fighting. However, the joint Palestinian security force tasked with maintaining order in the camp prevented any escalation in tensions and detained Sayyed for interrogation.
Jund al-Sham, which is classified as a terrorist group by the Lebanese government, has clashed in the past with Fatah guerrillas in the camp, which is off limits to Lebanese security forces.
Fears of a new security flare-up have been enhanced by signs that the fighting was not an isolated incident and had been planned to involve some Fatah members in it.
Palestinian sources said Thursday’s fighting showed that the security situation in Ain al-Hilweh is fragile and vulnerable to any setback at any moment despite the efforts made by the joint security force in the camp.
The sources pointed out that the Taytaba neighborhood, the scene of Thursday’s clashes, serves as the location of a number of armed factions, particularly Islamist militant groups which have moved from Tawari and al-Sika neighborhoods.
The Maqdisi group, which is close to Islamist factions, including Jund al-Sham, has also set up base in the Taytaba neighborhood. Taytaba is also viewed as a stronghold of the Fatah group led by Abed Sultan who is close to Fatah leader Mahmoud Abdel Hamid Issa, codenamed “Lino.”
Palestinian sources said the fighting started Wednesday night following a series of mutual provocations between Fatah members Abed Sultan and Bilal Arqoub and the Maqdisi group which is headed by Palestinian Fadi al-Saleh. Members of the men’s families later got involved in the fighting, which quickly escalated into an armed clash between their militias and allies during which machine guns, hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades were used. The two men killed in the clashes were identified as Palestinians Mahmoud Osman, a militant who participated in the fighting, and civilian Mehdi Hasna.
In addition to destroying seven cars and starting fires in many houses, the fighting also damaged water and electricity networks in Taytaba and nearby neighborhoods. However, other sources in the camp said that the fighting was the result of a struggle of wings within the current Fatah command and infiltrations of some of its ranks. The one who fomented Thursday’s fighting wanted to show the current Fatah command as weak and to present himself as an alternative to this command in any forthcoming security development, the sources said.
Meanwhile, uneasy calm prevailed in Ain al-Hilweh Friday with businesses relatively returning to normal in the camp, except for neighborhoods that were the scene of Thursday’s clashes. The camp’s residents expressed their anger as they inspected the damage inflicted on their homes and properties during the fighting, while families living in the Taytaba neighborhood staged a demonstration to demand compensation for the damages. “I wished we stayed in Syria,” said Um Ahmad, a Syrian refugee whose house was consumed by the blazes. “We didn’t know that they kill each other here too.” Other women who participated in the protests said the militants did worse to their properties than the Israeli invaders in 1982. “We heard them calling for jihad yesterday. Whose jihad? There is Palestine, under Israeli occupation, let them go practice jihad there,” the devastated Um Nabil Dahsha said. “I say it out loud: Even the Zionists did not do what the militants did yesterday.” Loubna Hamadeh, a resident of Taytaba, told The Daily Star that the militants also ruined the electricity network, as an elderly woman climbed to fix the cables.

Russia looks beyond Michel Aoun in Lebanon
Free Patriotic Movement leader called upon to let go of his obsession with running for president
June 20, 2015/Gulf News/Joseph A. Kechichian, Senior Writer
Los Angeles: Russia, which cherishes its ties with Orthodox communities throughout the Arab world, seems to have turned its back on Michel Aoun, and by extension, Hezbollah, in Lebanon. Aoun, the head of Lebanon’s Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the unrelenting candidate for Lebanon’s presidency is not a consensual candidate, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. According to a report in Lebanon’s Al Akhbar newspaper, the Russian diplomat advised Aoun to allow other Maronite candidates to run. Russia is a close ally of the March 8 alliance, which includes Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian political groups. Infuriated by Bogdanov’s statements, Aoun told the Al Jumhuriyyah daily that he would call his supporters to mobilise street protests. “I will not accept a repeat of Syrian [hegenomy] and I will not allow a puppet president to be elected,” he said, glossing over his chequered past with Damascus. Aoun repeated his anti-corruption mantra, even though few Lebanese politicians boast transparent records. The FPM leader’s insistence on running for president baffles many in Lebanon as he has repeatedly failed to win a majority of votes in parliament. Bogdanov’s comments come as a real surprise to the Iranian-backed March 8 alliance who consistently counted on Russian support in the past.The deputy foreign minister said that Moscow stood at an equal distance from all political parties in Lebanon. In May, a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the March 14 leader, former prime minister Sa’ad Hariri, sparked a heated exchange between Bogdanov and the Iranian deputy foreign minister Hussain Amir Abdollahian. Pro-Hezbollah daily Al Akhbar quoted Bogdanov as telling Abdollahian that holding on to hopes of candidacy was ‘ineffective’ and would prolong a vacuum of the presidency that would have negative repercussions on Lebanon’s stability and the interests of its Christian population.

Former Israeli Army (IDF) Chief lands safely in London
Itamar Eichner/Ynetnews /Published: 06.20.15, 22:23 / Israel News
Shaul Mofaz whisked away from airport in embassy vehicle amid concerns he could be arrested; status as a private citizen reportedly prevented efforts to grant him immunity. Former Minister and IDF Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz has landed saftely in London, and swiftly departed the airport in an embassy vehicle. Officials feared that Mofaz could face possible arrest upon landing after all efforts to secure him diplomatic immunity failed due to his current civilian status.
The embassy fears that like other Israel officials in the past, Mofaz will be pursued by pro-Palestinian groups, who use UK courts to file for arrest warrants. According to channel 2 news, all efforts to secure diplomatic immunity for Mofaz failed, and the UK foreign office was unable to guarantee his immunity due to his current status as a private citizen. Mofaz flew to London in order to attend the "Jewish News" conference Monday. The Israeli Foreign Ministry, the embassy in London, and the local Jewish community pressured local officials to allow his arrival without delay, however no guarantees where made. Former high ranking Israeli officers and officials have largely avoided travel to the UK for the last decade, out of fear that arrest warrants would be issued against them. An arrest warrant was issued for former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in 2009 over her 'involvement' in Operation Cast Lead. Major General Doron Almog was forced to wait on board an ELAL plane at Heathrow in 2005, after he was alerted to the presence of police officers at the gate with an arrest warrant in his name. Almog was in London to raise money for the 'Alleh' organization, which houses children with mental illness. Former Defense Minister Mofaz and MK Amir Peretz where evacuated from London during a visit, when information came about that an arrest warrant was issued for them. Some of the former and current officials who have avoided the UK are; former Shin Bet head Avi Dichter, Moshe Ya'alon, Dan Meridor, and Netanyahu's Military attaché Yochanan Loker- who served as head of the air force directorate during cast lead. The law which allowed pro-Palestinian groups to seek arrest warrants for Israeli officials was changed in 2011. The new amendment is meant to prevent frivolous use of the UK's legal system for political gains against Israel.
The Foreign Ministry in response: " Two diplomats from the London embassy are on the way to great Shaul Mofaz at the airport. We are ready to deal with any devolpments."

German police arrest Al-Jazeera journalist in Berlin: lawyer
Reuters/June. 20, 2015
BERLIN: A leading Al-Jazeera journalist was arrested at a Berlin airport on Saturday at the request of Egypt, a lawyer for the Qatar-based satellite network said, a move he described as part of a crackdown by Cairo on the channel. International lawyer Saad Djebbar told Reuters Ahmed Mansour, one of the most senior journalists on the channel's Arabic service, had been abruptly and unexpectedly arrested in Germany. A spokesman for the German Federal Police confirmed that a 52-year-old man was arrested at Berlin's Tegel airport at 1:20 p.m. GMT following an international arrest warrant from the Egyptian authorities. The spokesman said the general public prosecutor was now checking the man's identity, as well as a possible extradition to Egypt. Cairo's criminal court sentenced Mansour, who has dual Egyptian and British citizenship, to 15 years in prison in absentia last year on the charge of torturing a lawyer in Tahrir Square in 2011. Jazeera said at the time the charge was false and an attempt to silence Mansour. "This is a very serious development," said Djebbar. "We knew that the Egyptians were going to set such a trap to harass our journalists and that is what has happened." Mansour was arrested as he tried to board a Qatar Airways flight from Berlin to Doha, Djebbar said. Egyptian authorities accuse Al-Jazeera of being a mouthpiece of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Qatar-backed movement which President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi toppled in 2013 when he was Egypt's army chief. Jazeera is also locked in a legal battle with the Egyptian authorities to try to secure $150 million in compensation for what it says was damage to its media business inflicted by Cairo's military-backed rulers.In February this year, Egypt released Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste after 400 days in prison on charges that included aiding a terrorist group.

French FM calls for renewed Mideast peace talks
Agence France Presse/June. 20, 2015/CAIRO: French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius Saturday urged the resumption of Middle East peace talks, while warning that continued Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank damaged chances of a final deal. "What's important is that negotiations restart," Fabius told reporters during a visit to Cairo, where he held what he said were intensive talks with Egyptian officials on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "We need Israel's security to be totally assured, that is essential, but at the same time we need the rights of the Palestinians to be recognized because without justice there can be no peace," Fabius said. "From this point of view, when settlement building continues, [the prospect of] a two-state solution recedes." Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been comatose since a major U.S. push for a final deal ended in failure in April 2014. Israel says the process failed because the Palestinians refused to accept a U.S. framework document outlining the way forward. But the Palestinians blame the collapse on Israel's settlement building and the government's refusal to release veteran prisoners. Fabius met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry as part of a regional visit aimed at kick-starting the stalled talks. The United Nations has repeatedly called on Israel to halt the construction of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land, which it has branded as illegal and a move to erase the prospect of a Palestinian state. Fabius will head to Amman Sunday for discussions with Jordan's King Abdullah II before flying to Ramallah to meet Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. The final leg of his two-day trip will see him hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

Waning U.S. influence
The Daily Star/June. 20, 2015/Saudi Arabia has for years tended to keep a low profile, but the signing of six strategic agreements with Russia signals that this period may be over. And it is also designed to send an important message to the United States, or more specifically, the Obama administration. For too long now, the current White House administration has bided its time as far as Saudi Arabia is concerned, and hoped that the status quo would remain, no matter how Washington’s long-term friends in Riyadh were treated.
But these new agreements signed Thursday – ranging from nuclear energy to military and the economy – show that Saudi Arabia is growing tired with the Obama administration, and its divergence with its own policies on the Iranian nuclear issue, Syria, Israel and other topics. In 1926, the Soviet Union was the first country to recognize the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a state, and while they differ today on some issues – specifically Syria – the two powers are clearly keen to maintain, or renew, ties.
For Moscow too, this renewal of friendship has its obvious benefits. Understandably worried that any Iranian nuclear deal will see Tehran no longer as dependent on Russia, Putin is keen not to keep all his eggs in one basket. He will also be well aware that now these lucrative agreements are signed with Saudi Arabia, many others in the region – who view the kingdom as a leader in the region – will be persuaded to come on board, and seek such partnerships across a number of fields.
This might even pave the way for a new era in the Middle East, and restore some kind of equilibrium, not a system in which the U.S. is making all the decisions.

Shaking Hands with Iran
by Daniel Mael/Gatestone Institute
June 19, 2015 http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/6000/shaking-hands-with-iran
According to the organization Iran Human Rights, the Iranian regime has executed a prisoner every two hours this month.
“So far in 2015, more than 560 have been executed, and we are just in the first half of the year… What we are witnessing today is not so much different from what ISIS is doing. The difference is that the Iranian authorities do it in a more controlled manner, and represent a country which is a full member of the international community with good diplomatic relations with the West.” — Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, spokesman for Iran Human Rights.Now the West, with the possibility of a nuclear deal, stands to increase Iran’s diplomatic standing.
As negotiations between the P5+1 countries and Iran continue, human rights concerns under the Iranian regime remain on the periphery.The Obama Administration, over the objections of countless human rights organizations, has made clear that the United States is not seeking to alter the nature of the Iranian regime. Rather, the aim of the direct negotiations is solely to reach an agreeable compromise over the Iran’s continued nuclear enrichment. The current nominal deadline for negotiations is June 30.The Islamic Republic of Iran is notoriously the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. Proxy organizations include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Houthi rebels in Yemen. The regime’s support of barbarism is reflected within Iran as well, as Iranian leaders support unspeakable human rights abuses on a daily basis.With the deadline for negotiations only days away, June 2015 has been no exception.
According to a June 17 press release from the organization Iran Human Rights, which “supports the Iranian people’s struggle for human rights and amplifies their voices on the international stage,” the Iranian regime has executed a prisoner every two hours this month:
“According to reports collected by IHR so far in June at least 206 people have been executed in different Iranian cities. 60 of the executions have been announced by the official sources while IHR has managed to confirm 146 other executions which have not been announced by the authorities.”
“So far in 2015 more than 560 people have been executed in the country and we are just in the first half of the year,” Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesman of IHR, said in an interview. “This is unprecedented in the last 25 years! Unfortunately, people in Iran feel that the international community has closed its eyes on what they are going through.”The executions are just the tip of the crane. As IHR reported Wednesday morning, Mohammed Moghimi, a defense lawyer for civil activist Atena Faraghadani, was scheduled to be released from prison on June 16, after three days in prison.
What, exactly, was his crime?”Mohammad Moghimi was charged with ‘non-adultery illegitimate relations’ for shaking hands with his female client,” writes IHR. “He had gone to Evin Prison to meet Ms. Faraghadani and to prepare an appeal request for her 12-year prison sentence.” According to IHR sources, the forbidden handshake “happened in the presence of two agents in the room. Atena apologized for this right there… but the agents didn’t let it go and took her back to her prison ward and arrested Mr. Moghimi right there.”Moghimi release was released on condition that he meet a bail of roughly $60,000.And why is Faraghadani in prison? For Facebook posts. A Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced her to 12 years and 9 months in prison for posts against the government, which constituted “assembly and collusion against national security,” “propaganda against the state,” and “insulting the Supreme Leader, the President, Members of the Parliament, and the IRGC [Revolutionary Guards] Ward 2-A agents, ” according to IHR.
“What we are witnessing in Iran today is not much different from what ISIS is doing,” argues Amiry-Moghaddam. “The difference is that the Iranian authorities do it in a more controlled manner, and represent a country which is a full member of the international community with good diplomatic relations with the West.”Now the West, with the possibility of a nuclear deal, stands to increase Iran’s diplomatic standing — and with not even a minimal regard for human rights.While U.S. negotiators shake hands with Iranian diplomats during the next round of talks in Geneva, Iranian citizens cannot shake hands among themselves without fear of years of imprisonment. While officials, both from the West and from Iran, share updates on social media, Iranians at home face jail time for staking out the wrong position in Facebook posts.
Does Iran’s foreign minister risk going to jail? Iranian FM Javad Zarif (right) is apparently touching the arm of EU Foreign Affairs representative Federica Mogherini (second from right). Back in Tehran, the lawyer Mohammad Moghimi (inset top) was arrested and charged with “non-adultery illegitimate relations,” for shaking hands with his female client, Atena Faraghadani (inset bottom). Faraghadani was sentenced to 12 years and 9 months in prison, for Facebook posts critical of the regime.
If the Iranian regime cannot trust its own citizens’ handshakes, how can the West trust the Iranian regime with uranium centrifuges?
Daniel Mael is a fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Salomon Center.

What happened in Russia?
Salman Aldosary /Asharq Al Awsat
Saturday, 20 Jun, 2015
Riyadh’s recent efforts to restore warmth to its ties with Moscow must have surprised some and raised eyebrows among others. At the same time, the step may have enthused those who have waited for such rapprochement to happen. Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s official visit to Russia has started a new phase in the Saudi-Russian relations. This new phase will not be affected by the past as much as aim at serving both countries’ interests, no matter how contradictory their positions are on other issues.
Maintaining relations to a level that is convenient to both Saudi Arabia and Russia will at least lead both sides to better understand their differences. This is not to mention that chilly ties would not be very useful in achieving convergence of views. For example, their contradictory positions on Syria should not prevent them from cooperating in other aspects, whether economic, military or even political. One should give Moscow credit for not engaging in political machinations against Saudi Arabia. This became apparent in its positive stance towards UN Security Council resolution 2216 on Yemen that gave an added political push for the international coalition’s efforts to restore legitimate President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to power. If Moscow wanted to annoy Riyadh, it could have vetoed the resolution, undermining the colossal diplomatic efforts of Saudi Arabia. The question many would ask: Does the new Saudi approach constitute a response to America’s policies in the region? In my opinion, those following the Saudi foreign policy under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz will notice Riyadh’s strong desire to give diplomacy an added push that is in line with the shifts taking place in the world and the region. Riyadh is of the view that it has the right to pursue a balanced foreign policy based on common interests. Therefore, the Saudi-Russian rapprochement should not be viewed as a message to Washington or a reaction to its regional policy. Saudi Arabia has never, throughout its history, adopted such an approach. Moreover, the historic and strategic alliance between Saudi Arabia and US will remain steadfast and of an extreme significance to Riyadh. In fact, Saudi Arabia cannot abandon its alliance with US. On the other hand, Washington itself realizes that expanding economic and political relations of its allies is a key factor in maintaining security and stability of the region and the world. Certainly, Washington would not benefit from tensions arising between Riyadh and Moscow. What happened is that Riyadh and Moscow have reached the inevitable conclusion that they should concentrate more on common interests than on differences.

The Russians are coming to Saudi Arabia
Saturday, 20 June 2015
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya
Last week I attended a closed seminar organized by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy in the U.S. capital. It was mainly about the crises in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. The looming nuclear deal between Washington and Tehran dominated the discussion, since it represents an important political turning point. Some of the attendees asked about reactions towards this deal and its potential consequences whether on political or military fronts. Others anticipated that the deal will provoke countries in the region, encouraging them to work on their own nuclear program, “without stopping to get what Iran got in the nuclear deal.” This explains the great interest in Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Russia last week. From the visit, it was clear that Saudi Arabia has decided to move into the nuclear club, by building 16 nuclear reactors, while giving Russia the biggest role in operating the reactors. This does not necessarily mean that the kingdom’s focus is on armament, but it surely means that Riyadh has decided to enter the nuclear scene. Last month, the Saudi education minister signed off scholarships for 1,000 students to study energy technologies, including nuclear energy.
The nuclear club
In my opinion, the most important feature of the Deputy Crown Prince’s visit was that it was not customary; it took place at a time when the United States and its European allies decided to economically boycott Russia, sanctioning Moscow over events in Ukraine. This time, the Saudi government took an unusual step and decided to do the opposite: rekindle its relations with Moscow, grow business ties, and sign agreements and deals in vital fields such as gas and nuclear and military technologies. This is one of the rare times that Riyadh takes an opposing line to Washington. But the reason is clear: the Saudis who supported the Western position to boycott Iran for 20 years discovered that Washington betrayed them when it decided to collaborate with Tehran, without coming to an understanding with its partners who had joined the initial boycott!
Saudi Arabia wants Russia, which is a key player in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, to be on its side
Of course, we shouldn’t read into any new developments outside political frameworks, because I can hardly imagine that Saudi Arabia has decided to turn against its alliances – but it probably wants to get out of the narrow U.S. corner, and expand its options.
Russia has always been an important country. It has recently decided to be an active key player in the region, at a time when the current U.S. administration chose to shrink its engagement policy, and adopt a policy that contrasts with the Gulf states that were facing difficult circumstances. The U.S. supported Baghdad despite its sectarian policies, and left the Assad regime in Syria to commit the greatest tragedy in the history of the region; 250,000 deaths and the displacement of 10 million. It seems that the negativity generated by Washington’s side and the dangerous outcomes resulting from its policies, made the Saudis think about expanding their choices and political investments in the East and West. Although Saudi Arabia reinstated its relationship with Moscow nearly 14 years ago, it has remained limited. No important promises of cooperation had been implemented so far: Saudi Arabia did not buy Scud missiles as agreed, and Russia did not get anything out of the gas deals. However today, it appears that the Moscow–Riyadh road has become more active. Russia's ambassador to Riyadh, Oleg Ozerov, has said that Russia has been granted an area of land to build the new headquarters of the embassy in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter. In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin reiterated his call to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz to visit Russia. President Putin has also received an invitation to visit Riyadh. Saudi Arabia wants Russia, which is a key player in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, to be on its side. Russia plays an important role in the military balance with Iran, a task that will need intensive and incessant efforts.

The Druze position is a challenge for Syria’s uprising
Eyad Abu Shakra/Al Arabiya
Saturday, 20 June 2015
The massacre recently committed by Al-Nusra Front elements in the village of Qalb Lozeh, in Idlib province in northwestern Syria, could not have come at a worse time, given the way the Syrian uprising is moving, and how it is developing. Here, I am not talking about how tragic the incident is, because Syria has witnessed far worse massacres since the uprising began in March 2011. Furthermore, it is not right to overemphasize the fact that its victims were from a “minority” when the “majority” has been suffering similar massacres for over four years. It is not acceptable to turn a blind eye to the reality that some of the leadership in Syria bluffed themselves into believing that they could easily escape from their miscalculations and evil deeds, and cover up one crime with a bigger one. Given this fact, and in addition to foreign support and international collusion, Syria finds itself where it is now—in an abyss.
A catalog of tragedies
The heinous crime committed against 25 villagers in Qalb Lozeh is one in a veritable catalog of tragedies, and a case in kind, another example of the collapse of the state in the absence of a mature, revolutionary alternative. Still, what took place in Qalb Lozeh was not only tragic, but happened at the worst possible time.It is a pity that the Assad regime’s bets paid off when it came to finding ways to destroy Syria. The Qalb Lozeh massacre was committed a few hours before rebels in southern Syria were preparing to liberate the Tha’aleh Military Airbase. Just like Qalb Lozeh and 16 other neighboring villages in Syria’s northwestern countryside, the little town of Tha’aleh—close to the airbase—is inhabited by the Druze minority. In fact, the town is the western gateway to Sweida province where the world’s largest population of this heterodox Muslim sect resides.
The Druze have inhabited Jebel Al-Summaq in Idlib province and its southeastern foothills for around 1,000 years, living mostly in peace with their neighbors. When the Great Syrian Revolt broke out in the early 1920s against the French mandate, the family of Ibrahim Hananu, the revolt’s leader, was given refuge at the home of the local Druze notable Mohammed Ali Al-Qassaab in the village of Martahwan. And when the 2011 uprising broke out, Druze villages in the region provided food and refuge to their neighbors, and cared for and treated the bereaved and wounded.
In Sweida province, in southern Syria, the Druze population has been a part of the fabric of the larger Hawran region for around 400 years. Their history in that part of Syria is well-documented, whether from the days of nationalist uprisings against the French mandate, or during their participation in patriotic movements and nationalist parties and organizations before the latter lost their way and soul. It is a pity that the Assad regime’s bets paid off when it came to finding ways to destroy Syria. The cruelest of these has been the use of excessive force in its lengthy attempts to crush the uprising. This led to the destruction of the final hope for moderation within the Sunni majority. After ensuring the angry, doubtful and vengeful current within the majority held sway, the regime then began to use it as a means to blackmail religious and sectarian minorities. These minorities were put before two choices, each worse than the other: either seeking protection from a regime that is actually using minorities as a shield, or facing the rage of extremist revenge. Incidentally, in order to ensure that everything went according to plan, the regime freed from jails a number of extremist activists imprisoned for terrorism-related crimes. Moreover, it later intentionally ignored the rapid growth of extremist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), as it did in Raqqa, Aleppo province, Palmyra, and the Damascus suburbs and countryside. Indeed, one of the Syrian regime’s henchmen in Lebanon said once in a TV interview that when the Free Syrian Army (FSA) first emerged, a worried Assad regime decided to weaken it by allowing extremist and terrorist groups to grow and expand at the expense of the FSA—thus, Syrians would be left to choose between either the regime or the terrorists.
Room to maneuver
Iran and Russia’s direct support, and the collusion of the U.S., have provided the Assad regime with ample room to maneuver. Washington’s reluctance to push for regime change, through its continuous refusal to provide the Syrian rebels with any qualitative military aid, stopped all military and political desertions, and pushed minorities to keep quiet and adopt neutrality. Meanwhile, as extremist foreign “muhajer” fighters continued to flock into Syria—many not even Arabs—the initial identity of the uprising gradually started to change, and its aims almost buried. On the other hand, patriotic rebels and opposition figures began to feel frustrated and let down by the international community, which seemed to be punishing them simply because they were moderate, and sought a free, independent and democratic Syria in which all its citizens can enjoy freedom, dignity and justice.
In normal circumstances, the two military airbases in Tha’aleh and Khukhuleh—also in Sweida province—should be wrested from the regime, more so since the regime re-equipped them for use against the rebels as well as the towns and villages in the Hawran and Quneitra regions. However, the failure of naïve as well as dubious pronouncements to differentiate liberating two airbases and “conquering Sweida”—implying punishment and revenge—only a few hours after the Qalb Lozeh massacre, was indeed a bad mistake.
Immediately, the regime seized the opportunity. A few days after failing in its attempt to withdraw its heavy weapons from the province—thus making it vulnerable to the encroaching ISIS threat—the regime suddenly decided to send reinforcements to the Tha’aleh Airbase—as a punishment to the families of 27,000 young Druze men who refused to serve in the army.
What will happen in Hawran next will surely determine where Syria’s uprising is heading. The people of Sweida, and the Druze elsewhere, are not gambling on protection provided by Assad and his backers; but it is very much in the interests of the Druze and all constituent communities of Syria that the uprising goes back to its original political aim, and get rid of those seeking to classify the Syrian people into different categories and take turns in vetting their faith and patriotism. The world has insistently disregarded the suffering of Syria even before it fell prey to terrorism, so how can we expect it to behave when it has become a hotbed of terrorism? Moreover, if we are calling on the whole world today to take notice and react to the plight of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, how can we remain silent while an inclusive Syrian homeland, that rises above sectarianism and tribalism, is under threat?

Murder in a church
Saturday, 20 June 2015
Hisham Melhem/Al Arabiya
Every week I find myself compelled to write about a region soaked in blood and tears, driven by fear and hate and bereft of hope. On those few occasions when I write about less tragic subjects, I feel like I have been given a generous dispensation by random events or a different re-alignment of the stars, to maintain my bearings. Can there be anything new to be said about the pain and anguish of Syria and Iraq? The agony and despair of Libya and Yemen? The unmooring of Egypt and Lebanon? Can a conscious Arab in the second half, of the second decade in the twenty first century observing the meltdown of his/her world be anything but a Cassandra in rage? In recent years, we have seen passionate violence and cold blooded murders in the Middle East, massive killings and the uprooting of whole communities, after they were thoroughly dehumanized and demonized. It is morally indefensible to distinguish between the victims of large massacres or the death of few individuals, or the killing of one person. Still, sometimes the murder of one person, or the killing of a handful of men and women, packs so much violence, so much cruelty and so much symbolism and evil that they stand out as special expressions of man’s depravity.
In cold blood
On Wednesday night this kind of evil, in the form of a 21-year-old white man, Dylann Storm Roof ,visited a storied church in Charleston, South Carolina, and cut down 9 lives in cold, cold blood, taking time to load and reload his gun five times, just because they were black. The killer, who confessed to his crime, in fact did engage his victims and looked them in the eyes before killing them. Roof, entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and attended a Bible study with few congregants, and sat next to the church’s pastor and state senator Clementa Pinckney who was felled by the gunman’s fire. According to the New York Times, Roof said: ‘I have to do it. You rape our women and you’re taking over our country. And you have to go.’ Clearly, the killer, a believer in white supremacy and an admirer of the old Apartheid South Africa and Rhodesia, was waging a race-motivated terror attack, and engaging in a symbolic, violent retaking of America from those blacks who abducted, and abused her. It is uniquely repugnant to kill people while praying, at their most vulnerable, when they believe to be experiencing in a safe sanctuary, the eternal, the all-knowing, and all-compassionate. For someone who has not prayed in decades, I found myself in recent years denouncing loudly, extremist Israelis and Palestinians, Sunnis and Shiites, killing worshipers in churches, synagogues and mosques.
The paradox of Obama’s election
The election of Barack Obama reflected the best and the worst in America. For the United States circa 2008, to elect as president a black man whose full name is Barack Hussein Obama, 143 years after the end of the civil war, and 43 years after the passage of The Civil Rights Act, appeared to indicate that the country was ready to elect a president because of his policies and character regardless of the color of his skin or his background. For many, Obama’s election was truly a transformational milestone, confirming that the country has made significant strides in transcending the cumulative legacies of slavery, racism and segregation. Some even engaged in denial and wishful thinking, claiming that Obama’s is the first post-racial presidency.
It shall be written, that in the times of Barack Obama, America in black and white, lived through the best of times and the worst of times
But, Obama’s election also unleashed a pent up reservoir of racial resentment, and brought in bold relief enduring prejudices that are mostly disguised and masked, in the educational systems, law-enforcement, (with 70 percent of those incarcerated being people of color) and employment. With Obama in the White House, some of these masks fell off, and racial attitudes against the president and what he represents became more brazen. The president’s race was at the core of the new rebel yell, ‘we want to take back our country’ of the Tea Party, just as it was at the core of the rantings of the ‘birthers’, who claimed that the president was not born in the U.S. and those who decried the existence of a ‘Muslim’ or ‘socialist’ president defiling the White House. The murderer in the church is the product of this toxic environment.
Whose terror is more terrifying?
After the 9/11 terror attacks, and what seems to be the never-ending wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and against al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS), America’s obsession with the terror of extreme Islamists abroad can be somewhat justified. And while we have seen a disturbing increase in domestic terror attacks carried out by violent Islamist citizens, the fact remain that the greater terrorist threat in the U.S. is not from violent Muslim extremists, but from white right-wing extremists. According to Charles Kurzman and David Schanzer, ‘since 9/11, an average of nine American Muslims per year have been involved in an average of six terrorism-related plots against targets in the United States. Most were disrupted, but the 20 plots that were carried out accounted for 50 fatalities over the past 13 and a half years. In contrast, right-wing extremists averaged 337 attacks per year in the decade after 9/11, causing a total of 254 fatalities, according to a study by Arie Perliger, a professor at the United States Military Academy’s Combating Terrorism Center. Yet, the media coverage of these two types of terror attacks and the political discourse about terrorism in general in the U.S. do not reflect this reality.
A dark part of our history
The murder in Charleston came after a year in which a number of unarmed black men and teenagers were killed by police officers, with some of the culprits suffering no penalties whatsoever. These killings, which led to demonstrations and riots in some American cities, brought to the fore once again the fact that race and racism, subtle and otherwise are still entrenched in American society, and many in the political class, mostly but not exclusively, Republicans and right wing politicians and conservative opinion makers are still unwilling to deal openly and honestly with the scourge of racism,( institutional, or in terms of attitudes) or admit that the ease with which guns can be purchased are the main reasons for these race-based acts of violence.
Since he was elected, President Obama found himself on 11 occasions addressing the American people about violence committed by young men wielding assault rifles or guns killing innocent Americans in schools, movie theatres or places of worship. Some of these murders were racially motivated. A somber and angry Obama, who was physically struggling to restrain himself, said ‘I’ve had to make statements like this too many times.’ The President implicitly rejected the notion that the ugly deed was not the product of a political reality, or that this kind of evil comes out of thin air or unexplained randomness. He exposed the cowardice of many members of congress from both parties, who are unwilling to enact tougher gun laws because they are afraid – or need the largess- of the premier gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, or unwilling to speak out forcefully against racist attitudes and practices.
“We don’t have all the facts,” he said, “but we do know that, once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun.’ Addressing, the failure of the country to engage in honest introspection and serious dialogue about what to do with the ubiquity of violence in America, he added, ‘at some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries. It doesn’t happen in other places with this kind of frequency.’ Mindful of the interconnectedness of race and politics, and maybe of the numerous commemorations of the sesquicentennial anniversary of the civil war, Obama placed the murder in Charleston in a dark and painful continuum, ‘the fact that this took place in a black church also raises questions about a dark part of our history,’ a reference to the killing of four girls in a church firebombing in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963.
I have been withering in my criticism of President Obama’s foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East and of his wobbly leadership style, but I have always found him rising to the occasion during these tragic moments. The president has been too restraint, too cerebral, and maybe too conciliatory in the face of subtle and not so subtle racism emanating from some of his Republican opponents, who have reserved for him the kind of contempt never shown to previous Democratic presidents in the last fifty years.
Racism and its symbols
Hours after the tragedy, the politicization of the murder was in full swing. Conservative commentators expressed fear that the Democrats will exploit the victims in the upcoming elections and paint the Republicans as indifferent to black pain. Liberal and left leaning commentators pointed out that one of the worst symbol of racism in South Carolina, the Confederate battle flag, the flag waved by racists and segregationists was still fluttering at the peak of its pole – not at half-mast- outside the State House in Columbia, unlike the American and state flags at half-mast above the State House dome. In a powerful article titled Take Down the Confederate Flag—Now, the African- American author Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote ‘the flag that Roof embraced, which many South Carolinians embrace, does not stand in opposition to this act—it endorses it.’ The Confederate flag was the symbol of long decades of discrimination against blacks after the civil war, when emancipation did not mean freedom or economic opportunity for African-Americans who remained mostly outside the political process until the 1960s.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, a Republican and a strong Second Amendment supporter (the amendment to the Constitution that gives Americans the right ‘to keep and bear arms’) avoided the issue of stronger gun control laws, and focused on isolating the murderer from his environment, ‘There is one person to blame here,” Haley said, referring to Roof. “A person filled with hate… and we are going to focus on that one person.’ South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican) blamed Dylann Storm Roof, for his actions, saying ‘we're not going to give this a guy an excuse about a book he might have read or a movie he watched or a song he listened to or a symbol out anywhere. It's him ... not the flag.’ Like other politicians, Graham confessed incredulity saying that he cannot explain the murder. Others spoke of ‘evil’ as if it is an unfathomable metaphysical force acting on its own outside history.
It shall be written, that in the times of Barack Obama, America in black and white, lived through the best of times and the worst of times.