LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
February 03/17
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletins17/english.february03.17.htm
News Bulletin
Achieves Since 2006
Click Here to go to the LCCC Daily English/Arabic News Buletins Archieves Since 2006
Bible Quotations For Today
Prophetess,
Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, Spoke about the Child
& Thanked God for this Holy Grace
Luke 02/36-41/:"There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a
widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night
and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave
thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption
of
Our boast is this, the testimony
of our conscience that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially
toward you, with the simplicity and sincerity of God, (and) not by human wisdom
but by the grace of God.
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on February 02-03/17
Is it possible to create safe zones in SyriaظDiana
Moukalled/The Arab News/February 02/17
Beirut's last public beach: residents fear privatisation of Ramlet
al-Baida/Alex Dziadosz in
Beirut/The Guardian/February 02/17
Will Saudi Arabia Negotiate with Iran/ Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq
Al Awsat/February 02/17
The Christian God ‘Loves’ Sex and Booze/ Raymond Ibrahim/February 02/17
Syrian opposition figure to deploy all-Arab force in Raqqa
offensive/Mahmoud Mourad/Reuters/February
02/17
Canadian Press/CPC leadership candidate, "Shark Tank" star Kevin
O'Leary tells us how he'd govern Canada/ Canadian Press/February 02/17
Rashid Khalidi Worries that Jews Will ‘Infest’ the
Trump Administration/Dore Feith/National Review/
February 02/17
Arabs Should Look In The Mirror Before Criticizing Trump’s Travel Ban/A
separate State Of Mind/February 02/17
Debate in Dutch Parliament about President Trump/Geert
Wilders/Gatestone Institute/February 02/17
Trump ban is a firm and correct decision/Mohammed Al Shaikh/Al
Arabiya/January 02/17
Iran Tests Trump/Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone
Institute/February 02/17
Bring Russia to the Table and Promote America's Security/Stephen Blank and
Peter Huessy/Gatestone Institute/February 02/17
What suits the West does not necessarily ennoble the rest/Mohammed Nosseir/Al Arabiya/January 02/17
A new strategy to raise standard of education/Samar Fatany/Al
Arabiya/January 02/17
Titles For
Latest Lebanese Related News published on February 02-03/17
Democratic Gathering Delegation Meets Franjieh
oun: Constitution Won't Be Violated During my Term
our-Party Panel Steps Up Election Law Efforts before Deadline
Jreissati Sends Memo to Syria Demanding Extradition
of al-Hashem's Killer
Justice Minister Orders Probe into Suspected Corruption at Casino du Liban
Mustaqbal Urges Unified Standards in Electoral Law,
Respect for Coexistence
Hizbullah Bloc Says 'Possible' to Agree on New
Electoral Law, Calls Anew for Proportional Representation
Arslan Defends Four-Party Panel: Taken on too Much
Responsibility
Khoury Calls for Leaving 1960 out of Discussions: We
Will Find a New Law
Machnouk receives Bishop Darwish
Ambassador of Germany makes donation on behalf of German Cooperation Agency to
Orphan Care Association
Nadim Gemayel: The single
constituency ensures a healthy representation of communities
Jumblatt wins uncontested PSP president
Body of drowned Syrian child arrives at Halba
hospital
Merehbi, Bavarian Minister tackle refugee affairs
Egyptian Minister of Administrative Reform arrives in Beirut
Round table on improving protection of children from involvement in armed
conflicts
Hasbani in front of Bishop Darwich:
Eliminating phenomenon of kidnappings and security zones stringent matter
Lebanon officially rule WABA Championship 2017 while Iran and Syria make it to
FIBA Asia Cup
Lebanese Women Call for 30 percent Quota in Parliamentary Seats
CIA Releases: Franjieh Enlisted Assad’s Help after
Failing to Contain Lebanon Civil War
Is it possible to create safe zones in Syria?
Links From Jihad Watch Site for on February 02-03/17
Trump
to recast Obama’s “Countering Violent Extremism” program to focus on the jihad
threat
Nancy
Pelosi: Trump’s immigration ban “has not made us more safe”
Afghanistan:
Former child bride’s ears hacked off by husband for speaking to other men
Muslim
leader defends Trump immigration order after mosque burns down
Islamophobia: Kuwait imposes visa ban on five
Muslim-majority nations, including Pakistan
Steve
Bannon in 2010: “Islam is not a religion of peace.
Islam is a religion of submission.”
UC-Berkeley:
Left-fascists riot, prevent Milo speech, Trump threatens federal funds
Denver:
Muslim carrying “Islamic writings” shoots and kills transit security officer,
investigators baffled
Fake
news: Iraqi-American lied when he claimed that his mother died due to Trump ban
DNC
boots candidate from chairmanship race for criticizing Islamic law’s
discrimination against gays
Links From Christian Today
Site for on February 02-03/17
Christians
In Turkey: Attacked, Deported And Seen As A 'Threat Against National Security'
Trump
At National Prayer Breakfast: 'As Long As We Have God, We Are Never, Ever
Alone'
Archbishop
Of Canterbury Apologises For Sex Abuse At Church Camps
Bishop
Of London's Farewell Service: Church Must Stand United In The Face Of 'Great
Promise And Great Peril'
Archbishop
Of Canterbury 'Glad' To Meet Trump: 'I Would Try To Change His Mind'
In
A World Of Fake News, Is Fake Theology Next?
Why
It Is Wrong To Pretend That Catholics And Protestants Agree #Reformation500
Why
It's Wrong To Say You Have To Be A Christian To Be An American
7
Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About The Longest Psalm In The Bible
Leaked
Trump Executive Order On Religious Freedom Threatens To Sweep Away
Anti-Discrimination Protections For Minorities
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on February 02-03/17
Democratic Gathering
Delegation Meets Franjieh
Naharnet/January 02/17/A Democratic Gathering bloc
delegation held talks on Thursday with Marada
Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh where talks
focused on an electoral law for the upcoming parliamentary polls.After
the meeting, Franjieh lashed out at President Michel Aoun without naming him, he said: “A political party came
into power under the banner of empowering itself at the expense of others.”He said he supports electoral laws that provide
just representation for all political parties without excluding any. “We simply
support any just law, not complicated laws similar to the one suggested
recently,” Franjieh told reporters, referring to a
hybrid law proposed lately by the main political parties. “Coordination between
Marada and the PSP has been ongoing for over a year
now. Today we support them because they are facing a war of elimination under
the banner of 'Christians rights'.”The
MP pointed out that he does not reject the 1960 law but “supports laws that
serve justice for all. I don't back complicated laws," he said. For his
part, former minister Akram Shehayyeb
said: “We are open to all suggestions outside the framework of settlements.
“What we have seen lately is very dangerous,” he said. The main political
parties are discussing several formats of the so-called hybrid law but the
Progressive Socialist Party has raised the alarm over the representation of the
minority Druze community, warning that any law containing proportional
representation would “marginalize” Druze in the political system.
Aoun: Constitution Won't Be Violated During my Term
Naharnet/January 02/17/President Michel Aoun emphasized on Thursday that he will not accept any
violations against the constitution during his term, and assured that he is
keen on the Lebanese' rights. “During my term, I will not allow violations
against the constitution or ignorance against the Lebanese' will for change,”
said Aoun in a meeting with
Four-Party Panel Steps Up Election Law
Efforts before Deadline
Naharnet/January 02/17/After the four-party panel
failed to garner consensus over a hybrid-law that combines proportional
representation system with the winner-takes-all system, the committee will
intensify its meetings to find a new format before February 21, when electoral
bodies are requested to begin preparations, An Nahar
daily reported on Thursday. Sources from the panel, told the daily: “The
committee is in front of 10 decisive days during which meetings and discussions
will be intensified at all levels in order to agree on a new format before
February 21.”The four-party panel included representatives from the AMAL
Movement, Hizbullah, al-Mustaqbal
and the Free Patriotic Movement. The main political parties are discussing
several formats of the so-called hybrid law but the Progressive Socialist Party
has raised the alarm over the representation of the minority Druze community,
warning that any law containing proportional representation would “marginalize”
Druze in the political system. They discussed a law which was reportedly
proposed by FPM chief Jebran Bassil.
The committee will discuss new formats with amendments to the hybrid-law,
reports said. The country has not voted for a parliament since 2009, with the
legislature instead twice extending its own mandate. The 2009 polls were held
under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and the next elections are
scheduled for May 2017.
Jreissati Sends Memo to
Naharnet/January 02/17/Justice Minister Salim Jreissati on Thursday sent
a memo to his Syrian counterpart, demanding the extradition of a Syrian
national accused of killing Lebanese citizen Majid
al-Hashem.
Justice Minister Orders Probe into Suspected Corruption at Casino du Liban
Naharnet/January 02/17/ Justice Minister Salim Jreissati, who is close to
President Michel Aoun, on Thursday ordered a probe
into suspected corruption at Casino du Liban. In a
memo to State Prosecutor Samir Hammoud,
Jreissati demanded “conducting the necessary
investigations into the Casino du Liban file,
especially regarding the allowances of the chairman and the board members, the
diesel issue, the number of employees and contract workers, the Casino's
failure to honor its obligations towards the Lebanese
state, the car parking, and anything else unveiled by the probe.” President Aoun has pledged that “corruption will be eradicated” during
his presidential tenure.
Mustaqbal Urges Unified Standards in Electoral Law, Respect for
Coexistence
Naharnet/January 02/17/ Al-Mustaqbal
Movement stressed Thursday that any electoral law should be based on unified
standards in the distribution of seats and electoral to districts. “Al-Mustaqbal Movement will be fully ready to take part in the
parliamentary elections on any dates set by the Lebanese government and
according to any law that receives consensus and the parliament's approval,” Mustaqbal's political bureau said in a statement issued
after a periodic meeting. It called on the political forces to avoid “selective
standards” and to endorse “political mechanisms and electoral districts that
conform with the requirements of coexistence among the
Lebanese.” While Mustaqbal has rejected that the
electoral law be fully based on proportional representation, arguing that Hizbullah's weapons would prevents serious competition in
the party's strongholds, the Democratic Gathering led by MP Walid
Jumblat has totally rejected proportional
representation, even within a hybrid law, warning that it would “marginalize”
the minority Druze community. Hizbullah, Mustaqbal, the Free Patriotic Movement, AMAL Movement and
the Lebanese Forces are meanwhile discussing several formats of a so-called
hybrid electoral law that mixes proportional representation with the
winner-takes-all system.
Hizbullah Bloc Says 'Possible' to Agree on New Electoral Law,
Calls Anew for Proportional Representation
Naharnet/January 02/17/ Hizbullah's
Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc noted Thursday that it is still
“possible” to reach a “positive agreement” over the electoral law, as it
reiterated its call for an electoral law fully based on the proportional
representation system. “Any agreement on a new electoral law must conform with the stipulations of the Document of National Accord (Taef Accord) and the constitution in terms of ensuring
equal power-sharing (between Christians and Muslims), enhancing coexistence,
and securing correct, comprehensive and effective representation,” said the
bloc in a statement issued after its weekly meeting. “After the bloc was
briefed on the deliberations of the interlocutors and on the points of
agreement and contention, it stressed its keenness on the continuation of
consultations and pointed out that it is possible to reach a positive
agreement,” Loyalty to Resistance added. It also emphasized that “the debate
must always be based on constitution and the Document of National Accord” and
that it must “avoid selectivity.” And while reiterating its rejection of a new
extension of the parliament's term, the bloc renewed its call for an electoral
law “fully based on proportional representation and a single electoral district
or several large electorates.”“This is the format
that is compatible with the constitution and free of selectivity,” Loyalty to
Resistance noted. While al-Mustaqbal Movement has
rejected a law fully based on proportional representation, arguing that Hizbullah's weapons would prevents serious competition in
the party's strongholds, the Democratic Gathering led
by MP Walid Jumblat has
totally rejected proportional representation, even within a hybrid law, warning
that it would “marginalize” the minority Druze community. Hizbullah,
Mustaqbal, the Free Patriotic Movement, AMAL Movement
and the Lebanese Forces are meanwhile discussing several formats of a so-called
hybrid electoral law that mixes proportional representation with the
winner-takes-all system.
Arslan Defends Four-Party Panel: Taken on too Much
Responsibility
Naharnet/January 02/17/Minister of the Displaced Talal Arslan defended the
four-party committee studying drafts for a new electoral law and said it “was
given more than it can handle,” as he assured that its main task is to study
drafts that will be submitted to the cabinet or parliament, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday. “The four-party
committee has carried more than it can handle. It is not qualified to take a
final decision because its mission is limited to drafting laws in consultation
with everyone. The draft laws will eventually be submitted to the cabinet or
parliament (for approval),” he told the daily in an interview. Hizbullah, al-Mustaqbal, Free
Patriotic Movement and AMAL Movement are holding meetings aimed at agreeing on
a new electoral law before the expiry of the deadlines. The parties are
discussing several formats of the so-called hybrid law but the Progressive
Socialist Party has raised the alarm over the representation of the minority
Druze community, warning that any law containing proportional representation
would “marginalize” Druze in the political system. Referring to President
Michel Aoun, PM Saad Hariri
and Speaker Nabih Berri, Arslan added: “The three presidents insist on the need to
reach a new law and not to return back to the 1960 law. This is an
accomplishment in itself,” he added.
Khoury Calls for Leaving 1960 out of Discussions: We Will
Find a New Law
Naharnet/January 02/17/Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury voiced calls on
Thursday to leave out the 1960 election law from deliberations since everyone
else wants a new law for the parliamentary elections. “Everybody wants a new
law and we will find one. The ongoing discussions indicate that a de facto law
will not be endorsed, only a consensual law will be passed,” Khoury told the daily in an interview. Referring to the
deadlines for endorsing a new law, the Minister said: “The deadlines are not
pressing to the point being pictured. If we were able to find a law after
calling the electoral supervisory commission, then we can amend the deadline.”In order for the elections to be held on May 21,
the Interior Minister must call for elections and complete all preparations
before February 21.The majority of
Machnouk receives Bishop Darwish
Thu 02 Feb 2017/NNA - Interior minister, Nouhad Machnouk, received on Thursday, the bishop of Zahle and Bekaa for Catholic
Greeks, Isaam Darwich.
Discussions focused on the situation in Zahle and the
Bekaa, as well as on matters related to the
development of the region.
Ambassador of Germany makes donation on
behalf of German Cooperation Agency to Orphan Care Association
Thu 02 Feb 2017 /NNA - The German ambassador to Lebanon, Martin Huth, visited on Thursday the Orphan Care Association in
Sidon whereby he presented a donation from the German Agency for International Cooperation
to the "Center of Ahmed Al-Bizri" dedicated
for people with special needs, and to the "Generations of Sidon"
School, which are both affiliated with the Association. The event was attended
by former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora , MP Bahia Hariri,
and mayor of Beirut Mohammad Al-Saudi. Huth toured
the centers and departments of the Association, and he was briefed on the
social, medical, educational and psychological services it provides, especially
for people with special needs.
Nadim Gemayel: The single
constituency ensures a healthy representation of communities
Thu 02 Feb 2017/NNA - Member of the parliamentary bloc "Kataeb", Deputy Nadim Gemayel, said on Thursday that the single constituency
proposed by the party would allow closer relations between citizens and MPs,
which could therefore facilitate the process of accountability at the
parliament. "The single constituency could also ensure a healthy
representation of the communities," Gemayel said
in an interview with the Tele Liban channel.The MP then presented an explanation of this bill
and the means of dividing constituencies into 112, pointing out finally that
the criticisms addressed by some to this project were unjustifiable.
Jumblatt wins uncontested PSP president
Thu 02 Feb 2017/NNA - Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Command Elections'
Nominations Committee announced in a statement the names of candidates running
for the 15-seat membership of the Party's Command Council in elections set for
next Sunday, February 5, 2017. The Committee announced that Walid
Kamal Jumbalt won
uncontested the presidency of PSP, and Doureid
Mohammed Yaghi as Vice President. Winning uncontested
was also Kamal Farid Mouawad as Vice President and Zafer
Kamel Nasser the General Secretary. Elections will
take place after the adoption of the political document at the Party's General
Conference next Sunday at the Phoenicia Hotel.
Body of drowned Syrian child arrives at Halba hospital
Thu 02 Feb 2017/NNA - The body of four-year-old girl (Syrian), Sanaa Hammoud, has been
transported to Al-Yussuf medical Center in Halba - Akkar, the NNA
correspondent said. Her parents say he drowned in a small lake near their home
in Bebnin. Investigations are underway.
Merehbi, Bavarian Minister tackle
refugee affairs
Thu 02 Feb 2017/NNA - State Minister for Refugee Affairs, Mouin
Merehbi, met on Thursday at his ministerial office
with
Merehbi hailed German efforts in support of
Egyptian Minister of Administrative Reform
arrives in Beirut
Thu 02 Feb 2017/NNA - The Egyptian Planning and Administrative Reform Minister,
Ashraf El-Araby, just
arrived in Beirut to attend a meeting of the Arab Economic Forum to be held in
Lebanon. The minister was received at the
Round table on improving protection of
children from involvement in armed conflicts
Thu 02 Feb 2017/NNA - Geneva Call organization held at "Lancaster
Tamar" Hotel in Hazmieh a round table on
improving the protection of children from involvement in armed conflicts, in
partnership with Permanent Peace Movement and with the support of UNICEF, to
focus on the importance of ratifying and implementing the Optional Protocol to
the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of children in
Armed Conflicts (OPAC). The meeting was attended by the member of the Committee
on Women and Children, MP Shant Janjanian,
Director of Permanent Peace Movement, Fadi Abi Allam, Armin Kohli representing Geneva Call, Violet Warnery
UNICEF Representative, former Secretary General of the Supreme Council for
Childhood Dr. Elie Mikhael,
Representative of Minister of Social Affairs, Zahi El
Haibi, Director of the International Humanitarian Law
and Human rights, Brigadier General Elias Abu Jaoude,
and Lieutenant Colonel Iyad Abu Dargham
from the Lebanese Army Command. Members of Kataeb
Party, Progressive Socialist Party, Marada Movement,
Free Patriotic Movement, Future Movement, Lebanese Forces and Al Azem Movement also partook in the round table. In the
opening speech, Abi Allam
said that it was hard to count the number of children who were recruited and
used in hostilities, but studies and researches done by the end of the 1990s
estimated the number of child soldiers by 300 thousand. "Undoubtedly, this
feature increasingly outspread with the rise in the number of armed conflicts,
as children were exploited in around 40 armed conflicts all over the
world," he added. He said that according to a report issued by UNICEF in
2014, it was the worst year for two successive generations of children in the
world, with around 230 million children living in countries and regions
affected by armed conflicts, including 15 million suffering directly from this
phenomenon in
MP Janjanian said that the Lebanese government signed
on 17/02/2002 decree no. 7887 regarding this issue, but the parliament did not
ratify it. He pointed out that "we should spread awareness in the Lebanese
community and raise such awareness on Human Rights."
"We should ensure a safe environment for children for physical and
intellectual growth on one hand, and we should convince all parties before
submitting this protocol to the General Committee, on the second hand." He
added that we gathered altogether today because we believe in this cause. Al Haibi said that the Higher Council for Children was also
interested in the issues of protection of children at the ministry, stressing
"the need to intensify communication amongst the parties in order to
protect our children."
Hasbani in front of Bishop Darwich:
Eliminating phenomenon of kidnappings and security zones stringent matter
Thu 02 Feb 2017/NNA - Deputy Prime Minister, Public Health Minister, Ghassan Hasbani, congratulated
military and security forces for the arrest the mastermind of the kidnapping of
citizen, Saad Richa, saying
such a move enhances the state's authority and citizens' confidence with the
launch of the new tenure. "Eliminating the phenomenon of kidnappings and
terminating security zones is a stringent matter in order to consecrate the
state of law," Minister Hasbani said during his
meeting with Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Ferzol, Zahle and Beka, Bishop Issam Darwish, who visited him at his Ministerial office on
Thursday along with Zahle bloc head Tony Abu Khater and MPs Joseph Maalouf and
Chanet Jenjian. On the
other hand, Hasbani met with British Ambassador to
Lebanon officially rule WABA Championship 2017 while Iran and Syria make it to
FIBA Asia Cup
Thu 02 Feb 2017/NNA - Lebanon have locked up the title in the West Asia
Basketball Association (WABA) Championship 2017 in Amman, Jordan after beating
hosts Jordan on Day Four of competition.
Lebanese Women Call for 30
percent Quota in Parliamentary Seats
Caroline Akoum/Asharq Al Awsat/February
02/17/Beirut– Lebanese women rallied on Wednesday to call for an increased
female representation in any parliamentary electoral law approved by the
different political parties. While women constitute 51 percent of the Lebanese
population and 54 percent of university graduates, they are merely represented
in Parliament, as they currently occupy 3.1 percent of parliamentary seats.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri have stressed on several occasions their
commitment to allocate a certain quota to women to support their active
participation in political life. On Wednesday, dozens of women and activists
gathered in downtown
CIA Releases: Franjieh Enlisted Assad’s Help after
Failing to Contain Lebanon Civil War
Asharq Al-Awsat/Asharq Al Awsat/February 02/17
Washington- United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) declassified
documents exposed details which led and in part contributed to the 1976
occupation of Lebanon by Syria– carried out by Hafez al-Assad’s administration
to end the then conflict pitting the Lebanese National Movement (LNM, also
known by Al-Harakat al-Wataniyya
al-Lubnaniyya) and the Palestinian Liberation
Organization (PLO) on one side and Christian parties on the other. Considered a
critical time for
Is it possible to create safe zones in
Diana Moukalled/The Arab News/Tuesday 31 January 2017
US President Donald Trump’s administration has issued an order temporarily
banning citizens from several nations, and indefinitely banning Syrian
refugees, from entering the
Safe zones, seen as a compromise between the options of a
military solution and absolute retreat, was suggested by
Can safe areas, based on previous experiences, really provide safety, or they
are just an easy alternative to the ultimate military solution? In modern
history, there are many examples of safe zones that failed. During the Bosnian
war, the UN declared the town of
However, the
What we can learn from both examples is that areas that are intended as safe
havens for civilians require a political decision, a large military presence
and huge resources. This would be complicated in
Is it possible to create safe areas for Syrian refugees that would be enforced
by the regime,
Syrian refugees have become a major source of confusion for the world. Neighboring
Talk of safe zones is an evasion of major international responsibilities
toward the ongoing tragedy in
• Diana Moukalled is a veteran journalist with
extensive experience in both traditional and new media. She is also a columnist
and freelance documentary producer. She can be reached on Twitter @dianamoukalled.
Beirut's last public beach: residents fear
privatisation of Ramlet al-Baida
Alex Dziadosz in Beirut/The Guardian/February 02/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2017/02/02/alex-dziadoszthe-guardian-beiruts-last-public-beach-residents-fear-privatisation-of-ramlet-al-baida/
Take a stroll down the golden sands of Ramlet al-Baida, Beirut’s last public beach, and you’ll see families
fishing and smoking shisha in ramshackle palm frond
cabanas, boys kicking footballs under battered lamp-posts, and children
building sandcastles in the waves. It is a rare outlet in a city where public
spaces are few and far between. But at the beach’s southern end, the scene
abruptly gives way to looming cranes and men in hard hats driving rebars into a rising edifice of concrete.
The development, known as the
“Poor people are trash here,” says Hisham Hamdan, 59, glancing at the development as he lounges with
a lunch of fish, hummus and vegetables alongside half a dozen friends. “It’s
Ali Baba and his 40 thieves,” he adds, listing a few prominent politicians and
businessmen. “They’re mafiosos, all of them.”
He plucks a cane topped with a bust of Nefertiti from the sand and gestures
toward a row of apartment buildings. “Look,” he says. “You know how much that
is? Four million dollars. And everyone here has
nothing.” (Some nearby properties do indeed sell for that much.)
A little way up the beach, Abu Rami, a 43-year-old
department store worker who asked to be identified by his nickname so he could
speak freely, kicks a football with his son. “When I was a bachelor I used to
come out to Ramlet al-Baida
every day,” he says. “I’d run down here with my friends around six or seven and
we’d play football. We’d even come out and play football at night – we’d swim
and play and stay out late. Everyone has memories like that.”
Now, he says, people are afraid private companies will overwhelm the beach,
leaving nothing for the city’s poorer people and middle classes. “The way I see
it, the people here need to come out and protest against these companies – this
is repression against the poor.”
The roots of anger and suspicion go much deeper than one resort. For a city its
size,
Mohammad Ayoub, executive director of Nahnoo, a civil society group that advocated to reopen Horsh Beirut and is now working to revitalise Ramlet al-Baida, compares the
city’s situation to a house without a living room – the space where a family
comes together.
“The salon is where you have to learn how to deal with your differences,
because everybody owns it. You can’t watch TV alone, so you need to discuss
what to do. It teaches you dialogue, it teaches you democracy, it makes you feel a sense of belonging. This is why it’s Ramlet al-Baida
is
Such spaces are especially vital given the legacy of
sectarian division left by the country’s 1975-90 civil war, he says. But a lack
of sufficient public regulation has allowed developers to chip away at such
spaces over the years, leaving only a handful open to the public. “What do we
own in the city?” Ayoub says. “We own nothing. Why
are we here in the city; what can we do in the city? You have to pay for
everything.”
As one of the few exceptions, Ramlet al-Baida (“white sands” in Arabic) has long been a magnet for
suspicions about developers’ intentions. Activists point to a 1925 decree
declaring everything up to the highest point the waves reach to be public
property. However, since the 1960s, a string of exemptions, loopholes,
violations and favouritism bestowed upon developers has gradually eaten away at
the coastline and left the beach one of the last bastions of free access, they
say. The nearby Dalieh outcrop is also under threat,
although construction hasn’t started.
In a cluttered and dimly lit office in central
Back in the late 90s, Darwish says his group
discovered a plan which showed that former prime minister
Rafik Hariri – famous for his extensive postwar real
estate dealings – wanted to turn the area into a marina, an effort quashed by public
lobbying. Controversy flared up again in 2015 when a judge permitted two
companies owning plots on the beach to close them to the public. The judge
reversed her decision, but activists were on high alert.
Security forces stand guard during a protest outside the gates of the Eden Rock
Resort development, on the south end of Ramlet al Bayda beach,
Amid the atmosphere of distrust, civil society leaders
have trouble seeing the
Achour Development expresses a very different view of
the situation. In an office overlooking downtown
An assistant brings copies of the plot’s ownership records, the project’s
building permit, clearance from the order of engineers, and a map showing that
the development is hundreds of metres from the part of the beach considered
public.
To Beirut with hope: how the city shaped by refugees makes room for new
arrivals
Given regional turmoil, the new resort represents a “courageous and ambitious
project” that will add hundreds of jobs to an economy badly in need of them, Abou Mjahed says. “Lebanese
departments are travelling all over the world to encourage investors to invest
in
He says objections to the project are rooted in misunderstandings and, in some
cases, conspiracy theories that assume the entire Lebanese government is
arrayed against the public. “It’s against the laws of nature.”
Back at Ramlet al-Baida,
the nuances of the legal debate are of little interest to most beachgoers; many
take it as a given that the system is rigged against them. “There are
politicians who are monopolising everything. They come down and take money and,
so long, it’s over. They can do what they want,” says Abu Rami,
the department store worker. “The Lebanese people need to stand together.
You’ll find people coming out and demonstrating against this repression, this
theft – three quarters of people are with them but they stay in their homes.”
Why? “Maybe people are distracted,” he says. “They’re busy just getting by.”
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on February 02-03/17
Statement by the National
Security Advisor General Mike Flynn
Agencies/February 01/17/“Recent Iranian actions, including a
provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel
conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants,
underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along
about Iran’s destabilizing behavior across the Middle
East. The recent ballistic missile launch is also in defiance of UN Security
Council Resolution 2231, which calls upon
John Bolton on Iran Sanctions Bill: We
Won't Let Them Get Nukes /جون بولتون:
لن نسمح
لإيران ان
تمتلك القدرة
النووية
Newsmax/February 02/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2017/02/02/john-bolton-on-iran-sanctions-bill-we-wont-let-them-get-nukes/
House Republicans introduced a bill Wednesday for new sanctions against Iran
after President Donald Trump's national security adviser Michael Flynn put the
nation "on notice" for a reported ballistic missile test – a bill
that, former ambassador John Bolton said, vows: "Won't let Iran get to
nuclear weapons.""Iran has made a mockery
of the international community with its missile program, support for terrorism,
and human rights abuses," Rep. Peter J. Roskam,
R-Ill., wrote in a statement.
"Just this past weekend, the Islamic Republic conducted a ballistic
missile test in violation of the U.N. Security Council. The
"So, the fact they were testing at the reentry
level shows exactly what the Iranian missile program is for: to deliver nuclear
weapons." Bolton has long spoken out against President Barack Obama's
controversial dealings with
Flynn's statement Wednesday and the ensuing legislation proposal signal a
movement in policy with the new administration, which is tougher on
" ...The legislation that's been introduced in the House of
Representatives couldn't come at a better moment, and if the Iranians don't
like it, let them pull out of the deal." Cavuto
noted
Dumb deal' drags Australia-U.S. ties to
new low after tense Trump call
By Jane Wardell and Colin Packham/February
02/17/SYDNEY (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump labeled
a refugee swap deal with Australia "dumb" on Thursday after a
Washington Post report of an acrimonious telephone call with Australia's prime
minister threatened a rare rift in ties between the two staunch allies. The
Post reported that Trump described the resettlement plan as "the worst
deal ever" and accused
Trump white house signals tough line on
Iran
AFP, Washington Thursday, 2 February 2017/President Donald Trump’s national
security advisor signaled a toughening US stance on
Iran Wednesday, condemning a recent missile test and declaring America was “officially
putting Iran on notice.”In his first public remarks
since taking office, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn accused former
president Barack Obama’s administration of having “failed to respond adequately
to
US expected to impose fresh sanctions on
Iran
Agencies, Washington Thursday, 2 February 2017
The United States is expected to impose sanctions on multiple Iranian entities
as early as Friday following Tehran’s recent ballistic missile test, but in a
way that will not violate the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, sources familiar with the
matter said on Thursday.
One source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said about eight Iranian
entities were to be sanctioned, or “designated” in US legal jargon, for
terrorism-related activities and about 17 for ballistic missile-related
activities under separate existing US executive orders. The source declined to
name the entities.
Trump puts Iran ‘on notice’ after missile test
Earlier, President Donald Trump said his administration has put Iran “on
notice,” echoing comments from his top national security adviser that the US
will act against Iran unless it stops testing ballistic missiles and supporting
Houthi militia in Yemen.
Trump and his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, didn’t elaborate on
what retaliatory actions the
“As of today, we are officially putting
“The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to
Top Khamenei
ally: Useless for US to threaten Iran over missile test
Reuters, Ankara Thursday, 2 February 2017/A top adviser to Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday Iran will not
yield to “useless” US threats from “an inexperienced person” over its ballistic
missile program. US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Michael
Flynn, said on Wednesday the
Imam in US disputes man’s claim that mom
died due to travel ban
The Associated Press, Dearborn, Michigan Thursday, 2 February 2017/A
Detroit-area woman whose son told television stations that she died because
President Donald Trump’s travel ban prevented her from returning to the US for
medical care actually died several days before the order was signed, the leader
of a mosque said. Imam Husham Al-Hussainy
spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday about comments Mike Hager made to TV
stations in
Top Khamenei
ally: Useless for US to threaten Iran over missile test
Reuters, Ankara Thursday, 2 February 2017/A top adviser to Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday Iran will not
yield to “useless” US threats from “an inexperienced person” over its ballistic
missile program. US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Michael
Flynn, said on Wednesday the
Trump honors US
navy seal killed during Yemen raid
AFP, Washington Thursday, 2 February 2017
President Donald Trump on Wednesday made an unannounced visit by helicopter to
Delaware to honor the Navy SEAL killed in a daring
raid in Yemen, the first American combat death since he became
commander-in-chief. Chief Special Warfare Operator William “Ryan” Owens of
Illinois, who reportedly was a member of the famed SEAL Team 6, was killed
Sunday in a rare ground assault in conflict-torn
But “you never want to call something a success 100 percent when someone’s hurt
or killed,” he told reporters.
Civilians ‘likely’ killed in US raid
Civilians were “likely” killed in a US commando raid in Yemen over the weekend
and children may have been among the dead, the US military’s Central Command
said Wednesday. The January 29 raid against Al-Qaeda in the
UN chief backs Syria delegates plan for
Geneva
AFP, United Nations Thursday, 2 February 2017/United Nations Secretary General
Antonio Guterres on Wednesday backed his peace
envoy’s plan to pick representatives from the Syria opposition to the Geneva
talks if the groups fail to agree on their delegates.
UN envoy Staffan de Mistura
came under sharp criticism from the
Syria: Ceasefire meeting to convene Monday
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Friday, 3 February
2017/Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry announced Thursday the second round of Syria
peace talk to be held in Astana on February 6.
Turkish warplanes kill 51 ISIS militants
in
Reuters,
AFP,
Kubis voiced concern over the “extremely high
percentage” of civilian casualties, adding there was “clear evidence” from gunshot
wounds that civilians were being targeted by
UN rights experts urge Iran to halt
execution of juvenile
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Thursday, 2
February 2017/A group of United Nations human rights experts are appealing to
Iran to immediately halt the execution of juvenile offender is scheduled to be
executed by hanging on Saturday. Hamid Ahmadi was 17 years old when he was sentenced to death in
2009 for the fatal stabbing in 2008 of a young man during a fight between five
boys. Since then, Ahmadi’s execution was scheduled to
take place and halted three times at the last minute. The court relied on
confessions reportedly obtained under torture and ill-treatment at a police
station, where Admadi was denied access to a lawyer
and his family. “To our knowledge, in the case of Hamid
Ahmadi, the most stringent guarantees of fair trial
and due process contained in international human rights instruments have been
disrespected and, the allegations of torture and confessions extracted under
duress were not taken into consideration nor did the lead to any
investigation,” the human rights experts said. “Any death sentence undertaken
in contravention of a Government’s international obligations, and particularly
when a conviction is based on confessions extracted under torture, is unlawful
and tantamount to an arbitrary execution,” they stressed.
Qaida Stands to Gain from Trump Strikes
on
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
02/17/Al-Qaida is gaining ground in
Under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, the
The
Qaida Kills Yemen Police, Targeted in U.S.
Raid
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
02/17/Suspected al-Qaida militants in southern Yemen killed six policemen
Thursday and their jihadist group was targeted in a raid likely carried out by
the U.S. Navy, security and tribal sources said. In the first incident, a
vehicle exploded as a group of about 30 members of the Yemeni security forces
traveled from the town of
Netanyahu to Visit London for Talks with
May
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
02/17/ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to visit London next week
for talks with British counterpart Theresa May, the two governments said on
Thursday. Netanyahu's office said he would travel to
Palestinian NGO Worker Pleads Not Guilty
to Helping Hamas
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
02/17/ The Gaza head of a major U.S.-based NGO pleaded not guilty in an Israeli
court Thursday to aiding Palestinian militant group Hamas, his employers said.
Hardliners Hold Out in West Bank
Settlement Outpost
Associated PressNaharnet/January 02/17/Police moved
into a synagogue of a wildcat outpost in the occupied West Bank Thursday to
remove dozens of hardline Jewish settlers barricaded
inside on the second day of an operation to evict residents.The
eviction of settlers and their supporters came just hours after the government
unveiled plans for 3,000 new homes in other West Bank settlements, viewed by
the global community as illegal and barriers to peace with the Palestinians.
Police on Wednesday managed to remove all but one of the 42 families living in
the Amona outpost near Ramallah in line with a High
Court order that found that it was built illegally on private Palestinian land.
On Thursday, large numbers of police moved in to evict the last remaining
family, carrying them and supporters out of a house one by one with the mother
screaming loudly as she was dragged away, an AFP correspondent reported. Police
had tried to negotiate the voluntary departure of dozens of
"anarchists" who had barricaded themselves inside a nearby synagogue,
but entered after talks broke down. Hundreds of far-right activists slipped
past army roadblocks early on Wednesday in a show of support for the Amona residents.Police said they
removed 800 people, making 13 arrests. They said 24 officers sustained minor
injuries in scuffles with protesters, some from rocks and glass bottles thrown
at them, others with chemical burns from cleaning fluid launched by the activists.Around 100 police were positioned Thursday
outside the synagogue wearing protective glasses with the first line of
officers carrying shields. Eliana Passentin,
a spokeswoman for the Benjamin Regional Council which covers settlements, told
AFP that police were being "very violent" on Thursday, "very
different from yesterday.""We condemn
violence on both sides but people here have a right for peaceful civil
disobedience," she said. Police said they intend to finish the eviction on
Thursday, after which the defense ministry would
begin to remove residents' possessions before bulldozing the structures.
'A new era' -
When announcing the latest round of new settlements on Tuesday, Defense Minister Avigdor
Lieberman said Israel was entering a "new era" in which settlement
building would return to normal. All Israeli governments since 1967 have built
settlements but none has formally created a new outpost since 1992, before the
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on February 02-03/17
Will Saudi Arabia Negotiate
with
Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al Awsat/February
02/17
The reply to the question in the title above is:
maybe, but! To explain the answer, one must understand the Iranian motives to
want to engage in dialogue with
Zarif’s statement doesn’t necessarily equal
Some might wonder what
During the presidency of former U.S. President Bill Clinton,
The agreement stipulates that
As soon as the
Therefore, the statements of Iranian FM are no more than extensions of
The issue is as simple as that, and there are evidences to support that.
Hence, there is no rupture of relations in politics and there is nothing
wrong with initiating dialogue and negotiations even if done through back
channels. But, there is no room for goodwill in politics either, especially
with
If
Consequently, if
We have witnessed
History taught us a lot about the Iranian tricks, and the
reformists-hardliners game.
So,
The Christian God ‘Loves’ Sex and Booze?
Raymond Ibrahim/February 02/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2017/02/02/raymond-ibrahim-the-christian-god-loves-sex-and-booze/
Muslim cleric arguing that the Christian God “loves” immorality.
In keeping with ongoing revelations of just how immoral some Muslims view
Christianity—to one cleric, Christian church worship is worse than murder and
bloodshed—here is another Muslim cleric that appeared on an Arabic language television
program claiming that the Christian God “loves”—and thus demands that his
followers love—immoral behavior. This is precisely
why, argued the sheikh, that
After the more sane-looking host pointed out that in Christianity,
fornication and adultery are sins, and that secular
No, fornication and adultery are not forbidden in Christianity. You see,
God is love for them. This is one of their false teachings. The foundation for
Christianity is that God is love. So what does “God is love” mean? It means
that God loves everything. And why does God love everything? Because
God is the source of everything. This means God is the creator of
fornication and adultery. So who makes you commit fornication and adultery? God. Thus “God is love” means that God loves everything he
created, and therefore we are obligated to love it too…. God is the one who
created fornication and adultery; he is the one who created alcohol—so who are
we to hate things that God created? God is love and so we are to love
everything he created.
This sort of thinking—connecting Christian beliefs with immoral behavior—is not new for Muslims. It goes all the way back
to Islam’s first encounter with Christianity, in the guise of the Byzantine
empire, which withstood Islam’s onslaughts for centuries, till its demise in
1453.According to Nadia Maria El Cheikh, author of
Byzantium Viewed by the Arabs, “Byzantine women are strongly associated with
sexual immorality.” In Islam’s oldest writings, European Orthodox Christian
women are portrayed as the “most shameless women in the whole world,” always
“prone to adultery,” which “is commonplace in the cities and markets of
[T]he image that they [Muslims] create in describing these women is
anything but beautiful. Their depictions are, occasionally, excessive,
virtually caricatures, overwhelmingly negative…. In fact, in
Several centuries later, in a written excerpt that goes
to great (if not pornographic) lengths, Persian court scholar ‘Imad ad-Din (d.1201) portrayed Frankish Catholic women as
“all licentious harlots, foul-fleshed and sinful.” “They dedicated as a
holy offering what they kept between their thighs” and “maintained that they
could make themselves acceptable to God by no better sacrifice than this.” He
had particular contempt for one young woman who “walked proudly with the cross
on her breast,” since this proved for the learned Muslim that she “longed to
lose her robe and her honor.”
And, just as the earliest Muslims (falsely) portrayed sexual profligacy
as a hallmark of Christian piety in Byzantium, so the Persian wrote, “Now among
the Franks a woman who gives herself to a celibate man [monk] commits no sin,
and her justification is even greater in the case of a priest, if chaste men in
dire need find relief in enjoying her.”
Such is Islam’s centuries-old calumny against Christianity, because the
latter teaches that “God is Love” (1 John 4:8). Of course, none of this should
be surprising; for the Bible also teaches that there will always be those who
“call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20).
http://raymondibrahim.com/2017/02/02/christian-god-loves-sex-booze/
Syrian opposition figure to deploy
all-Arab force in Raqqa offensive
By Mahmoud Mourad/Reuters/February
02/17
CAIRO (Reuters) - A Syrian opposition figure who says he controls 3,000
Arab fighters has told Reuters they are training with U.S.-led coalition forces
in preparation to help drive Islamic State from its de facto capital in the
city of Raqqa.
Ahmad Jarba commands the Syrian Elite Forces,
described by the
Its involvement in the battle for Raqqa,
alongside the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), is welcomed by
"Now we are preparing for the battle of Raqqa,"
Jarba said in an interview in
The SDF launched an operation in Raqqa province
in November aimed ultimately at seizing the northern city from Islamic State.
The first two phases captured territory to the north and west of Raqqa and the third will seek to take remaining areas.
One decision awaiting U.S. President Donald Trump is whether to directly
provide weapons to Kurdish fighters as they push toward Raqqa.
Trump has made defeating Islamic State a key aim and ordered his joint chiefs
of staff to devise a plan in 30 days to defeat the group.
ARAB CONTINGENT
The United States considers the Kurds allies in
Jarba said he had struck a deal with the
U.S.-led coalition in December to deploy his all-Arab force in the fight for Raqqa.
"In the last two months there have been meetings with senior
officials of the American army and the international coalition forces against
terrorism," he said.
Colonel John Dorrian, spokesman for the
U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve, described Jarba's
men in December as a "notable" force, and said the Syrian was an
influential player in the region.
The SDF also confirmed in December that Jarba's
forces would be joining it from the second phase of the attack on Raqqa.
'FEUD WITH TERRORISTS'
Jarba enjoys strong ties with
He aims to attract new recruits among locals who helped expel President Bashar al-Assad's army from northeastern
"There is a feud between us and this terrorist organisation,"
said Jarba, who hails from northeastern
He welcomed Trump's move to heal differences with
"What we are hoping for is that there will be a
American-Russian agreement, because the differences between
Jarba said he would likely visit the
(Writing by Lin Noueihed; Editing by Mark
Trevelyan)
Canadian Press/CPC leadership candidate, "Shark Tank" star Kevin
O'Leary tells us how he'd govern Canada/ Americans trust me more than Trudeau:
O'Leary
Canadian Press/February 02/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2017/02/01/canadian-presscpc-leadership-candidate-shark-tank-star-kevin-oleary-tells-us-how-hed-govern-canada-americans-trust-me-more-than-trudeau-oleary/
OTTAWA - He's a household name in Canada and the U.S., and Kevin O'Leary
intends to use audiences in both to convince Canadians he's the right man to
lead this country.
Millions of Americans watch his reality TV show "Shark Tank" each
week, making him a household name in a country that's overhauling all of its
international relationships, O'Leary said in a wide-ranging interview with The
Canadian Press.
Case in point: on Tuesday, O'Leary met Conservative MPs, and later glad-handed
with party members whose support he needs to become leader; this morning, he
was planning to be on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange for the opening
bell.
He said he would be talking up the Canadian economy and trade in a way the
current Liberal government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has failed to do
in the weeks since U.S. President Donald Trump was elected.
"This is an opportunity for me to do something I don't believe any
Canadians had an opportunity to do," O'Leary said.
"I've built a trust over a decade with them on television, and to be able
to explain our relationship in a unique way, in a way that they will trust.
Trudeau? I'm better known in the
Those conversations are part of a long game O'Leary said he's playing when it
comes to carving out his path to victory in the Conservative leadership race, a
campaign that comes to a close May 27 when members choose a permanent new
leader.
The moment O'Leary called his now-campaign chair to confirm he would run came
just before Christmas, when the federal Finance Department issued a report
predicting budget shortfalls until at least 2051, with debt levels exceeding
$1.55 trillion.
The thought of his two adult children buried by that kind of debt was
unthinkable, O'Leary said.
It's his kids — 20-year-old Trevor and 23-year-old Savannah — that seem to be
serving as the touchpoints for O'Leary's nascent
political campaign.
He said he intends to win by targeting voters in the 18-to-35 demographic and
convincing them to first join the party, and then to back him in 2019 for prime
minister.
His secret weapon? They've seen him on TV.
© Provided by thecanadianpress.com
"There's no other candidate that connects with the young with the way I
can," he said. "They grew up with me; I've been on television
forever."
While he's running on an economic platform first, on social issues he said he
intends to be where his kids are on the political spectrum. And in 2015,
neither of them voted Conservative.
So when his daughter tells him that protecting and championing the rights of
lesbian, gay, transgender and intersex Canadians is important, he listens, he
said.
And to social conservatives within the party who don't agree, or who don't want
to legalize marijuana or permit doctor-assisted dying, he has a simple
question: "Do you want to win a majority government?"
He's already providing hints of what life might look like under an O'Leary
majority government.
A series of angry letters he's been trading with Ontario Premier Kathleen
Wynne, who he blames for destroying the
Any province that gets in the way of his plan to get the country to 3 per cent
growth in GDP will feel the heat, he said.
"Call me when you fix it or suffer the consequences of a prime minister
with a big stick," O'Leary said. "There's
many many tools you have as a prime minister — you
start at transfer payments all the way down."
Since announcing he was joining the race in late January, O'Leary said his
campaign has signed up 9,000 members and raised $300,000, an effort he said
that dwarfs that of any of the 13 other candidates in the race.
Fundraising numbers released Tuesday show Maxime
Bernier raised $586,000 during the final three months of 2016, with Kellie Leitch, the next closest candidate, came in at more than
$355,000.
Rashid Khalidi
Worries that Jews Will ‘Infest’ the Trump Administration
Dore Feith/National Review/ February 02/17
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/444457/rashid-khalidi-nazi-slur-jews-rats-infestation
The famous Columbia professor repeatedly used a Nazi-era metaphor to depict
Jews as vermin. Rashid Khalidi is unapologetic. The longtime Columbia University professor last month said
repeatedly that supporters of Israel would “infest” the Trump administration —
language that evokes the imagery and metaphors of the Nazis. But for all the
on-campus sensitivity seminars and trigger warnings that dominate our age,
don’t expect an apology in this case. Apparently, no language, even if it is
dehumanizing and deeply rooted in historic anti-Semitism, is out of line in
condemning
Professor Khalidi is well known as
Who are “these people?” In his view, they’re a bit crazy but also
scheming. Khalidi explains:
There are a group of people, a lot of them in
Free speech is a blessed thing, and hypersensitivity to offensive
language is a curse on college campuses. I have no desire to stifle discussion,
but it’s fair to ask: What’s become of “reasonable people can differ”? What’s
become of civil discourse? What’s become of the golden rule? One has to suppose
that Khalidi would take offense if someone analogized
Palestinians, rather than Jews, to rats or cockroaches.
His remarks may not be the ugliest comment along these lines that ever
emerged from the Middle East–studies faculty at
What makes it especially nasty is its historical resonance. To be sure,
not all criticism of
While characterizing his opponents as nonhuman, Khalidi
complains that “these people . . . have a vision whereby there’s no such thing
as the Palestinians.” But that’s not an essential trait of
Further describing
I know Rashid Khalidi personally. I was a
student in his Modern Middle East course last semester and had several private
discussions with him. So after his radio interview, I wrote to him and
suggested he publicly clarify that he didn’t mean to characterize his political
opponents so harshly. He replied by pointing me to the statement he gave to the
Forward.
In that statement, he acknowledged “infelicitous phrasing,” but that’s
even less of an apology than the classic non-apology “I’m sorry if anyone took
offense.” In an e-mail to me, he then renewed his attack on “these people” as
having “a racialist disregard for Palestinians” and using “anti-Muslim,
anti-Palestinian and anti–international law rhetoric.” In other words, Khalidi doubled down on his insult when he should have
simply said “Sorry.” Rather than grant that both sides of the
Palestinian–Israeli conflict have points worth hearing, Khalidi
painted
Many good people are puzzled about how the Arab-Israeli conflict can
fester and rage for more than a hundred years. A key reason is that
Rashid Khalidi’s uncivil words demonstrate the
problem. They damage the very people he favors. After
all, the Palestinian people would benefit from mutual accommodation and peace
with
— Dore Feith is a junior at
Arabs Should Look In The
Mirror Before Criticizing Trump’s Travel Ban
A separate State Of
Over the past few days, I watched Americans old and young protest against
their president’s travel ban. It was a sight to behold – those people who were
taught all their lives to fear Arabs, Muslims and to have all kinds of negative
connotations with them were standing up for human decency.
The protests haven’t been exclusive to the
Meanwhile in the Arab world, crickets.
Not a single Arab country had anything to say about the ban. They
couldn’t even muster the guts to stand up with their own. I guess that whole
“Arabism” theme is only nice when used from Arab Idol and The Voice podiums.
What some countries did was the exact opposite:
The two Arab countries that have taken the most refugees are
As a side note, that is also the exact same number of Americans that have
been killed by terrorist attacks from the countries Trump has banned, while the
number is 2500+ from the Gulf countries that he has not banned and who haven’t
taken in any refugees.
In fact, Gulf countries have made their visa requirements for other Arabs
so disgusting that no one dares speak up against it. I personally have no
intention to ever work or live there, so I suppose I can speak up.
KSA has increased its visa price to $1200 for Lebanese nationals in an
attempt to curb the number of Lebanese coming in for work, and as a political
retaliation at the country not giving it the blowjobs it always needs.
The UAE has made it near impossible to obtain work visas for it as well,
and depending on the Emirate you’re applying to work in, you could be rejected
entirely despite having proper paperwork. Moreover, the UAE has made it near
impossible for Syrians whose families are in the country to get visas to visit;
case in point: a Syrian friend of mine who was born and raised there couldn’t
go see her family since moving to Lebanon for university studies, but was able
to get a 2 year US visa (prior to the ban).
The UAE’s situation doesn’t stop there. They’ve
been systematically targeting people for deportation based on their religious
affiliation. If the Lebanese state had any decency, they’d publish the list of
Shiite nationals who were deported just for being Shiites.
As mentioned above,
As a Lebanese, I need a visa to enter every single Arab country even if
for a visit except
In fact, it might be hard to believe but
What’s worse, the story doesn’t just stop with visas. While Americans
protested against a ban that doesn’t even affect most of them, has there been any protests in the places we come from? In
the grander scheme of things, has there been protests
against the horrendous visa requirements we have for each other to begin with?
Do Lebanese dare to speak up against the rules the Emirati government
humiliated them with? Or Saudi visas? Or any Arab visa?
Do we even stand up for minorities in our countries? When was the last
time we had protests for some parts of our societies that were oppressed? When
did Muslims have mass protests for the persecuted Christians in some Arab
countries? When did we have mass protests for women rights? LGBT
rights? KSA has Muslim only roads. Just saying.
Yes, those of us who stand up are courageous because it’s so difficult to
do so in the first place, but the rest are complacent and satisfied. With what? Religion, money, lack of
education… you name it.
Yes, Trump’s ban is all kinds of messed up. But then again, aren’t we all
kinds of messed up too? Let’s take a hard look in the mirror at how we treat
each other before panicking about how others are treating us, because the fact
of the matter is: we treat other Arabs worse than Trump could ever do.
So thanks to the Americans protesting for us.
You’re greater than even I thought you were.
https://stateofmind13.com/2017/02/01/arabs-should-look-in-the-mirror-before-criticizing-trumps-travel-ban/
Debate in Dutch Parliament about
President Trump
Geert Wilders/Gatestone
Institute/February 02/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9878/trump-debate-wilders
Geert Wilders: President Donald Trump, what a relief!
What a relief in comparison with the leftist dictatorship of the fearful
cowardly and willfully blind leaders that we have in
the rest of
I tell you, Foreign Minister, that, in two weeks'
time, President Trump has passed an immigration policy that is more effective
than that of your entire cabinet as long as it has existed. As
long as it has existed. They did it. And I tell you something else. If
we in the Netherlands, in Europe, had done what Mr Trump does – namely close
the borders to people from places such as Syria – then these people, including
terrorists, would not have come our way and then a lot of innocent people,
innocent victims of terrorism in Europe, would still be alive today.
Speaker of the House: And your question is?
Wilders: So stop shedding crocodile tears. My question is: Learn from Trump and
stop chickening out like cowards.
Foreign Minister Bert Koenders:
I would like to say to Mr Wilders that what he proposes is exactly what is
ineffective in the fight against terrorism, namely the famous divide and rule.
Ensure that the people in your own society no longer have any rights. Ensure
that you look away when it comes to human rights. Ensure that the Iraqis, with
whom our soldiers at the moment are fighting against
The chaos we now see in the international world when it comes to air travel,
does nothing to do increase the security of our people. On the contrary, it
tears people apart. I will tell you one thing from my experience as foreign
minister who frequently visits the
Wilders: A lot of words, but absolutely no content.
What this minister, Mrs Merkel and Prime Minister Rutte
have done – what is written large on their foreheads – is open borders. Come on
in everyone, do come in. Even when you have a fake passport or no identity
card, come on in everyone. And we've seen what happens then. We have seen that
with the asylum influx, the tsunami of asylum seekers, which was already
disruptive in itself, terrorists have come along from countries such as Syria –
because you agreed with it, because you refused to check them – who, all over
Europe, from Paris to Berlin, have murdered innocent people. You'd better stop
talking about security! Just stop it. Because of the open borders and bringing
people from Islamic countries here, attacks were committed in
Koenders:
Balderdash, Mr Wilders, balderdash! Really, how are you even able to concoct
such an amalgam. As if the Dutch
government is responsible for the terror attacks. First, the people who
commit these attacks are responsible. Second, you know damn well that, when it
comes to refugee policy and counter-terrorism, you toss it all together, as if
there is no screening, as if the threat of terror comes only from the outside –
often people from one's own society are involved – and as if trampling human
rights and large groups of people does not lead exactly to what we want to
avoid, namely radicalization and terror. You prescribe the wrong medicine. It
will not work and you will make the country unsafe with it.
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The
articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of
Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced,
copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone
Institute.
Trump ban is a firm and correct
decision
Mohammed Al Shaikh/Al Arabiya/January 02/17
We can’t conclusively claim that President Donald
Trump’s decision, to prevent citizens of
Moreover, President Trump telephoned the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques and
a friendly conversation took place between the two in which they agreed to fight
terrorism, and strengthen the historical ties. This clearly indicated
definitely that the decision has nothing to do with Islam and Muslims.
His decision is aimed at protecting the
Needless to add,
All the countries listed in Trump’s executive order are banned temporarily for
objective reasons and it has nothing to do with racial and religious
discrimination as Iranians and the Muslim Brotherhood claim
Objective reasons
All the countries listed in Trump’s executive order are banned temporarily for
objective reasons and it has nothing to do with racial and religious
discrimination as Iranians and the Muslim Brotherhood claim. When analyzing a
situation, it is important to be fair and objective to all the dimensions of
the matter. So we can honestly say that the motives and justifications behind
the decision was a matter of national security.
There is indeed precedence of some countries banning citizens from conflict
zones from entering their territory as a precautionary measure. Let us not fall
for the bidding of human rights organizations, which deal with humanitarian
issues from an ideological point of view, not based on reality and their
manifestations on the ground. A prudent politician, who cares about security of
his country, doesn’t pay attention to what should happen but to what is
actually happening.
As for the decision to ban Iranian citizens, it is a brave and good one that
was awaited since the time of President Barack Obama. However, Obama was too
indulgent with
The question is how do one trust a state that is
sponsoring al-Qaeda leadership and issues them travel documents in order to
carry out terrorist acts in the
**This article is also available in Arabic.
_______________________
Mohammed Al Shaikh is a Saudi writer with al-Jazirah newspaper.
Iran Tests Trump
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone
Institute/February 02/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2017/02/02/majid-rafizadehgatestone-institute-iran-tests-trump/
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9880/iran-tests-trump
"Regarding the issue of production of ballistic missiles for hitting
moving targets, I should say that we are among a handful of countries that have
gained the knowhow (in this field)". — Iranian Brigadier General Hossein Salami, January 29, 2017.
"
Helpfully, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn has put
Right after the executive order from the White House to put a hold on issuing
visas to seven countries including Iran, Tehran has test-fired a ballistic
missile. The
Intriguingly, on the same day that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC) test-fired a ballistic missile, Iran's state media outlet Tasnim News Agency quoted IRGC Brigadier General Hossein Salami who bragged about Iran's ballistic
capabilities and achievements. General Salami boasted that
"Our enemies have stood against us with complex and special tactics and
techniques...In order to confront them, we need to take the initiative and
employ special methods, techniques and tactics...Regarding the issue of
production of ballistic missiles for hitting moving targets, I should say that
we are among a handful of countries that have gained the knowhow (in this
field)".
"
Technically speaking, for
In addition, due to their range,
According to a previous report obtained by the Associated Press, the launches
are "destabilizing and provocative" and the Shahab-3 medium-range
ballistic missile and Qiam-1 short-range ballistic missile fired by
"Instead of being thankful to the
Trump administration has officially put
Nevertheless,
US allies are on the side of
Continuing to take the lead in adequately addressing Iran's destabilizing behavior and violations will be extremely critical at this
point because it will define Iran's behavior, whether
Tehran will be taking Trump administration seriously afterwards, ensure US
allies' security, and it will restore US global image and leadership.
Helpfully, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn has put
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh,
political scientists and
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The
articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of
Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced,
copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone
Institute.
Bring Russia to the Table and Promote
America's Security
Stephen Blank and Peter Huessy/Gatestone
Institute/February 02/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9877/american-security-russia
Putin's Russia is determined to demilitarize NATO in Eastern Europe, end Western
economic sanctions, allow the permanent amputation of Ukraine's sovereignty and
territorial integrity including the Crimea, secure Bashar
Assad's rule over all of Syria, and in general establish Moscow in world
affairs on a plane of "equal status with Washington".
This last goal is not going to be acceptable to any
Energy policy is the key. A smart, aggressive, and self-interested energy
policy makes
The
The proposed American conventional modernization must embrace the entire zone
from the Baltic to the
Realistically, the US-Russia rivalry will remain in place -- but a "strong
and nationalist
The rivalry between the
The new President seeks to modernize the
These plans will no doubt rub up against Mr. Putin's objectives. Putin's
This last goal is not going to be acceptable to any
Nevertheless, since both sides wish to negotiate, the two urgent tasks for the
new administration are: 1. formulation of strategic objectives, and 2. adoption
of a strategy that gets the
For his part, Putin has redoubled his efforts to intimidate the
Strategic Choices and Realities
How can a President Trump strategy negate Russian
efforts at intimidation?
The two critical strategies lie with US military and
economic power. The military side is already well known. President Trump has
not only aggressively embraced the nuclear modernization but his defense team has also publicly advocated rebuilding the
conventional deterrent and creating a successful cyber-strategy. The
modernization of conventional and nuclear capability and its deployment at the
earliest possible time to Europe will have two immediate advantages: it will
demonstrate the resolve to uphold US commitments to her NATO allies; and it
will force Europe into commitment to raise is defense
spending in order to field effective and capable military forces in Central and
Eastern Europe -- as the new defense secretary
highlighted in his Senate testimony.
This enhanced ground, sea, air, cyber, and electronic set of capabilities will
reassure Europe and continue to deter
Meanwhile,
It is true that sanctions alone—which will probably continue to at least July
unless rescinded—are not a strategy. But when applied together with a real buildup of NATO forces and
In fact, the EU's decision to continue the sanctions actually reflects the
success of Trump's pressure on
The proposed American conventional modernization must embrace the entire zone
from the Baltic to the
The
Energy Policy is the Key
Here is where history can be a useful guide. A key pillar of then-President
Ronald Reagan's successful strategy to end the Soviet empire was to
dramatically lower energy prices through the decontrol of domestic oil prices
in January 1981. Subsequently in 1985 Reagan successfully got both
Both 1981 and 1985 Reagan administration efforts had the effect of dramatically
curtailing Soviet oil export earnings. This meant a serious loss of revenue to
the Soviet government which hindered their ability to invest in the military
technology modernization effort needed to meet the challenges of the 1970's
revolution in military technology. Soviet industry simply could not meet new defense needs without securing major technology transfers
and investments from the West.
Fast forward to 2017. The new President, incoming
Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, have
long supported increasing
Now we also know
Both sanctions and the low energy prices have affected this capability and
preserving them is very much in
Increasing US oil and gas production, coupled with Canada and Mexico's
potential could easily make North America the energy giant on the globe, break
the back of OPEC, and give the United States significant leverage in world
fossil fuel policy and prices. The Keystone pipeline, as well as other
pipelines, refineries, and terminals can be greenlit
to enhance the production, distribution, and export of American oil and gas.
At a Capitol Hill event two years ago, the Ambassadors from the three Baltic
nations told us that getting American natural gas to Eastern Europe would be an
extraordinary achievement, as it would—in their words—"turn Russia from an
energy bully into an energy supplicant".
Gas converted into liquefied natural gas (LNG) can be exported from the
Beyond that process the EU is constructing interconnectors across all of
Central and
The new administration can also accelerate the process which grants terminal
construction licenses, as well as approval for oil and gas exports.
Alternatives such as the Southern Gas Corridor from
These initiatives deserve Federal government, support as they advance American
and NATO economic and strategic interests vis
a vis
The failed 2009 reset with
Realistically, the US-Russia rivalry will remain in place -- but a "strong
and nationalist
Unfortunately,
*Stephen Blank is a Senior Fellow at American Foreign Policy Council. Peter Huessy is President of Geostrategic Analysis.
© 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The
articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of
Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced,
copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone
Institute.
What suits the West does not
necessarily ennoble the rest
Mohammed Nosseir/Al Arabiya/January 02/17
“I strongly believe that this is the ultimate solution” is a phrase that
politicians often use to frame and mobilize their followers. But when this
phrase is stated by a politician attempting to impose a solution on another
country, we must challenge his proposition! Western politicians, unfortunately,
have become quite conceited about their ideas and policies. Convinced that if
it suits them it must be good enough for others, they often attempt to enforce
these ideas on the rest of the world. Their superiority has given them a
universal political advantage that is undeniable – but unjustifiable.
Technological advancements and abidance by proper democratic mechanisms
certainly constitute a blessing that lends western nations a degree of political
and economic authority. However, this superiority does not mean that their
respective politicians’ international outlooks are always correct, entitling
them to force their ideas on others.
Western political elites whose ideas shape the world are often unaware of the
political dynamics of other countries and do not truly care to enhance their
knowledge in this regard. This obviously includes newcomers to the political
scene, such as US President Trump who, in fact, has no political background.
Applying the western world’s thinking mechanism and tools to other parts of the
world has proved to be an abject failure! The political and economic dynamics
in each part of the world is often unique; inherited cultures, citizens’
perceptions, and their readiness to digest and adapt new mechanisms vary from
one country to another.
Debating ideas
Western politicians and thinkers often debate ideas that have major
implications for other countries. While some of them have had more
international exposure than others, it remains true that the entire western
society operates within its closed circles and abides by its own thinking tools
that are not always suited to the rest of the world. Decision-making in the
western world is quite clearly structured; politicians’ ideologies and goals
are patently clear and their political circles of influence are known well in
advance. By contrast, in regions such as the
Internal political mechanism
At home, within the framework of their democratic process, Western politicians
tend to act softly, offering their fellows many promises; with regard to
external issues that are often isolated from their internal political mechanism
however, their behavior is ignorant and arrogant.
Most of the challenges that we are facing in the
A new strategy to raise standard of
education
Samar Fatany/Al Arabiya/January
02/17
Francis Ricciardone, the President of the American
University in Cairo (AUC), held talks with senior officials in the Ministry of
Culture and Information in a bid to develop a new strategy to increase academic
cooperation with partners in the region.
His visit was significant because it comes at a time when there is uncertainty
about the new American administration. Ricciardone,
who is also a former diplomat, told reporters that under the new Trump
administration, “American globalized audiences are concerned about
The AUC President’s offer is an indication that all is not lost between the
Standard of education
In line with the new vision and the alarming threat of terrorism, seeking
academic cooperation with reputable academic institutions is critical to
promoting a high standard of education that can counter the intolerance that
has led to extremism, violence and conflict.
In order to develop society economically and culturally, educationists are
required to change the rigid mindset that rejects anything that is foreign and
refuses to adopt a modern approach to a progressive life. One of the most
positive initiatives to address the problem so far is the Irtiqa’a
program that measures the effectiveness of Saudi parents’ engagement in their
children’s education. The objective of the program is to engage 80 percent of
Saudi parents in school activities by 2020. The idea is to encourage the
participation of parents in the learning process of their children. The
implementation of this program is very much needed to produce better
educational standards among students and engage parents in their children’s
upbringing. This will allow parents to discipline their children and build
character in our youth with proper guidance and support.
Meanwhile, academic experts assert the importance of developing our school
curriculum and introducing the English language and updated knowledge. Students
graduate with little or no language skills. They struggle to write any official
document and lack eloquence, which makes them inefficient at any job they take.
Saudi educators urge the need to teach English at an early age. English was
introduced in Grade 4 in primary schools for boys and girls in the 2011-2012
academic year. The Ministry of Education also
announced that it is planning to teach the language below Grade 4. Meanwhile,
many parents are enrolling their children in international schools because they
want them to be fluent in English, the global language of science, business and
technology.
Qualified teachers
Education is fundamental to the development of every nation. If we are to
provide quality education for our students we need qualified teachers who can
enhance creative and critical thinking. We need to invest in boosting the
teaching profession and empowering educationists with updated knowledge and
modern technology to increase their respect among students in our schools. The
Arab nation cannot catch up with advanced countries without developing
education and abandoning old ineffective teaching techniques.
Reforming our educational system remains a critical challenge. Our nation will
not prosper if we continue to lag behind the fast developing countries of the
21st century. We need a new strategy to raise educational standards. Supporting
international academic institutions in the Arab world could be of great benefit
to our students, some of whom may no longer feel safe to travel beyond the
**This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on January 28, 2016.