LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
January 31/17
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletins17/english.january30.17.htm
News Bulletin
Achieves Since 2006
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Bible Quotations For Today
But he
turned and rebuked them.Then they went on to another
village
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 09/51-56/:"When
the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go to
Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a
village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him,
because his face was set towards
Then they went on to another village."
Even Simon himself believed.
After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he
saw the signs and great miracles that took place
Acts of the Apostles 08/04-13/:"Those who were scattered went from place
to place, proclaiming the word. Philip went down to the city of
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 30-31/17
The Terrorist attack on the Quebec City mosque is strongly
deplored/Elias Bejjani January 30/17
Assad will stay and refugees must go, says Lebanon president/Karim El-Bar/Middle East Eye/Monday 30 January 2017
Trump defends travel ban amid fierce backlash
Dylan Stableford/Yahoo News/January 30/17
Trump's heartland voters shrug off global uproar over immigration ban/Laila Kearney,Reuters /January
30/17
Trump and blacklisting of Muslim Brotherhood/Abdullah bin Bijad
Al-Otaibi/Al Arabiya/January
30/17
Trump’s first seven days and MENA issues/Dr. Theodore Karasik/Al
Arabiya/January 30/17
How do we eliminate ‘traffic terrorism/Mshari Al Thaydi/Al Arabiya/January 30/17
The heresy called cinema/Turki Aldakhil/Al
Arabiya/January 30/17
What comes first, the state or the ‘group/Sawsan Al Shaer/Al Arabiya/January 30/17
Turkey: The Purges Continue/Burak Bekdil/Gatestone
Institute/January 30/17
The Telos Group: The True Identity of the
"American Pro-Israeli, Pro-Palestinian, Pro-Peace Movement "/Noah
Summers/Gatestone Institute/January 30/17
Palestinians' Fort of Torture/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/January 30/17
Reports In Arab Media: Syrian President Bashar
Al-Assad Is Gravely Ill/MEMRI/January 30/17
Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on
January 30-31/17
The Terrorist attack on the Quebec City mosque is strongly deplored
Phares to Judge Jeanine: "Trump's executive
order is about geopolitics not religion"
Assad will stay and refugees must go, says Lebanon president
Aoun: New Waste Management Plan to be Announced Soon
Berri Laments Lack of Progress on Election Law
MP Alain Aoun Says Amendments to Hybrid Law Uninvited,
Discussions Might Relapse
Houri Says Hybrid Law Adequate at Current
'Transitional' Stage
PSP, Kataeb Reject Hybrid Law Say it 'Excludes Other
Parties'
Foreign Ministry Slams Attempt on Palestinian Official's Life, Urges Arms
Control
Qahwaji: Rights of Army Martyrs, Abductees Won't be
Abandoned
5 Hurt in Lebanese-Syrian Knife Fight in Akkar
Syrian Held in Akkar on Suspicion of Ties to Militant
Groups
AUB President Criticizes Trump's Immigration Ban
Abu Zeid after meeting Bogdanov:
Russian leadership welcomes President Aoun in Russia
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 30-31/17
Quebec mosque suspect charged with murdering six people: court
Six Killed in 'Terrorist' Attack on Quebec Mosque
Israel PM Netanyahu to meet with Trump on Feb 15: White House
Merkel slams antiMuslim bias in US travel ban
Pope Francis expresses condolences following Quebec attack
US official: Iran conducts another ballistic missile test
IRAN: Public Execution of Four Young Men of 22-26 Years Old in One Day/87
executions since the beginning of January/ US official: Iran conducts another
ballistic missile test
American values are at stake’: Barack Obama ‘heartened’ by resistance to Donald
Trump
Top ISIS executioner shot dead in ambush
White House 'Aware' of Iran Missile Test
Young Syrian Couple Separated by Trump's Travel Ban
Iraq Calls on U.S. to Review 'Wrong' Travel Ban as Parliament Urges Tit-for-Tat
Move
Netanyahu Denounces Iran Missile Test ahead of Trump Meeting
Syrian FM Calls on Refugees to Return Home
Migrants in Libya Face 'Catastrophic' Rights Situation, Says Germany
Drone Strike Kills 2 Qaida Suspects in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Condemns Israeli Settlements
Israel Seeking Clarity over U.S. Travel Ban
Links From Jihad Watch Site for on January 30-31/17
Dubai’s
Head of Security: “We completely support Trump in ban on entry to those who may
cause breach in America’s security”
Quebec
cops now say Alexandre Bissonnette
sole suspect in “Allahu akbar”
shooting at mosque
Fake
news: Daily Beast falls for Quebec mosque attack hoax, blames ‘white supremacists’
UK:
No more weekend Changing of the Guard ceremonies due to fears of jihad attacks
Hugh
Fitzgerald: “I’m a Muslim — Ask Me Anything,” Answers 1-6
Robert
Spencer: Trump Protects U.S., World Gets Enraged
Robert
Spencer: Leftists Determined to Stop Trump from Defending America
New
York City: ISIS recruiter convicted for sending Muslim college student to wage
jihad in the Islamic State
20
“vetted” Muslim refugees who turned to jihad terrorism after being allowed into
the U.S.
Video:
Robert Spencer on Muslim immigration’s effect on Christmas in the West
Dissent
memo circulating in the State Department over Trump’s policy on refugees and
immigrants
Robert
Spencer: President Trump Moves to Protect U.S., Media in Uproar
Links From Christian Today
Site for on January 30-31/17
Christian
Families Among First To Be Sent Back Home Under Trump Travel Ban
Christian
Humanitarian Charities Horrified At Trump's Refugee Ban
President
Trump, Please Think Again: Evangelical Leaders Plead For Rethink On Refugee Ban
Southern
Baptist Russell Moore Warns Trump Actions Could Harm US Interests Overseas
Bishop
Angaelos Condemns Refugee Policies That Discriminate
Baptist
Minister Challenges Franklin Graham Over Donald Trump Refugee Policy
Trump
Will Announce Supreme Court Nomination Tuesday
Trump's
Supreme Court Pick: Who Are The Frontrunners And What Do They Believe?
Bishop
Vows To Continue Campaigning For Change On Gays In Church Of England
Trump
Refugee Ban 'A Dark Moment In US History', Warns Catholic Archbishop
Southern
Baptist Mission Trustee Resigns Rather Than 'Support False Religion'
Czech
Missionary Jailed After Helping Local Christians
As
Doomsday Draws Near And The Devil Seeks To Swallow Us Up, The Only Answer Is In
Jesus
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on January 30-31/17
The Terrorist attack on the Quebec City mosque is strongly deplored
Elias Bejjani January 30/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2017/01/30/elias-bejjani-the-terrorist-attack-on-the-quebec-city-mosque-is-strongly-deplored/
What happened yesterday evening, (Sunday, January 29/2007) in the Canadian
Quebec City is brutal, barbaric and a mere terrorist act par excellence. In
accordance to all humanitarian, constitutional, common living, tolerance, human
rights, religious and ethical standards, the armed attack on the mosque in the
In conclusion, The deplorable and vicious Mosque
terrorist attach and no matter who planed or executed it remains an
We extend our condolences to the families of the victims, and wish the injured
a speedy recovery.
May Almighty God save and protect our beloved
Phares to Judge Jeanine: "Trump's executive order is
about geopolitics not religion"
Walid Phares/Face
Book/January 30/17/In an interview with Judge Jeanine on Fox News, Dr Walid Phares said "President
Trump's executive order is part of a new policy, a start not a single step, to
address geopolitical challenges in the region. It is not about religion, it
doesn't mention religion, it focuses on threats and
announces measures." Phares added: "Trump
is communicating with the President of Egypt, the ruler of the UA and the King of
Saudi Arabia. As far as I know these leaders are not Catholics..."
Assad will stay and refugees must go,
says Lebanon president
Karim El-Bar/Middle East Eye/Monday 30 January 2017
Lebanon's president has insisted that President Bashar
al-Assad of Syria will remain in office, saying he wants Syrian refugees
currently in his country to go home.
“President Assad will stay, and those who are asking for his departure are
ignoring
Aoun, a former army general during the country’s
civil war, was elected president in October, ending a 29-month presidential
vacuum as part of a political deal that made Sunni leader Saad
al-Hariri prime minister. “We were facing the prospect of a second
“We must have security forces who are always ready and
aware, and must work to strengthen the army.” On Trump, Aoun
said: “This issue is concerning for Americans first most,
and
Aoun, a Maronite Christian,
said he predicted as far back as 1994 that Islamist groups would eventually
reach power in the region – but fail. He said the solutions they proposed were
from the past in an era that needed contemporary solutions.
“Single-party, and single-religion, and single-race regimes will all not
last, and the world of pluralism is the one that will win,” he said. Aoun’s presidency will be largely symbolic, as all
decisions must be approved by the prime minister. Hariri, the son of
assassinated former prime minister Rafik
Hariri, was endorsed by parliament in November.
Aoun: New Waste Management Plan to be Announced Soon
Naharnet/January 30/17/President Michel Aoun revealed Monday that a new waste management plan for
the country will be “announced soon.”“A new waste
management plan will be devised and its implementation will relieve the
Lebanese regions of this crisis,” Aoun told a delegation
comprising the heads of
Berri Laments Lack of Progress on Election Law
Naharnet/January 30/17/Speaker Nabih
Berri said the political parties have not recorded a
progress in their discussions as for endorsing a new electoral law for the
upcoming polls, and stressed that he would reject any law that involves
“defects in standards,” al-Joumhouria daily reported
on Monday. “There isn't any progress. We are still at the beginning of
discussions. I will not approve of any electoral project that involves defects
in standards,” Berri told the daily. “I have taken it
upon myself to provide ideas and formats to stipulate a just and equitable law
based on precise criteria, but it was not taken into consideration.
Accordingly, I can say that I have provided everything I have got, and have
nothing else to offer. The ball is now in the government’s court,” he added.
Political parties are bickering over amending the current 1960 majoritarian election law which divides seats among the
different religious sects. Four-party meetings were held earlier this week
between representatives of Hizbullah, AMAL Movement,
al-Mustaqbal Movement and the FPM. The parties had
reported major progress after their last meeting on Friday. Reports have said
that odds are in favor of a hybrid election law under
which 64 MPs would be elected under the proportional representation system, and 64 MPs under the winner-takes-all system.
However, some other parties have expressed rejection of the unsettled outcome
of discussions. Berri added that shall discussions
fail, political parties have to resort to the constitution, he said: “The
solution is simple, let them abide by the constitution which states that a
Senate must be formed, in addition to other issues. “Anyway, I will not violate
the constitution, let someone else do. I am waiting for you (political parties)
to approve a law.” Voicing rejection for the 1960 law, he remarked: “The 1960
law must not have room in
MP Alain Aoun
Says Amendments to Hybrid Law Uninvited, Discussions Might Relapse
Naharnet/January 30/17/Change and Reform bloc MP
Alain Aoun said on Monday that shall discussions to
endorse an amended version of the hybrid electoral law fail this time, then
discussions would go back to square one to look for another format that meets
the approval of all. “If the hybrid election law does not work this time, we
would be back to square one and we would have to look into another format,”
said Aoun in an interview with VDL (100.5). “We are
waiting for the next four-party meeting to see what the next amendments are.
But, the indicators so far are negative,” he added. Four-party meetings were
held earlier this week between representatives of Hizbullah,
AMAL Movement, al-Mustaqbal Movement and the FPM. The
parties had reported major progress after their last meeting on Friday. Reports
have said that odds are in favor of an amended
version of a hybrid election law under which 64 MPs would be elected under the
proportional representation system, and 64 MPs under
the winner-takes-all system.
However, political parties including the Progressive Socialist Party and
the Kataeb,
have expressed initial rejection. In reference to the amendments, Aoun said they did not meet broad approval, pointing to
Speaker Nabih Berri who
expressed dissatisfaction on Monday.
Houri Says Hybrid Law Adequate at Current 'Transitional'
Stage
Naharnet/January 30/17/Al-Mustaqbal Movement MP
Ammar Houri stressed on Monday
that endorsing a new election law is essential because it draws the political
road map for
PSP, Kataeb
Reject Hybrid Law Say it 'Excludes Other Parties'
Naharnet/January 30/17/Former Minister Akram Shehayyeb of the Democratic
Gathering bloc, criticized on Monday a suggested hybrid electoral law saying it
shows “superiority and a wish to exclude others,” while Kataeb
Party chief Sami Gemayel urged the “ruling party not
to “tailor” an electoral law that suits its interests. “The suggested electoral
law has elements of superiority and an intent to
exclude other parties,” said Shehayeb, speaking on
behalf of a delegation of the Progressive Socialist Party after holding talks
with Gemayel in al-Saifi.
He announced that an agreement was reached with the Kataeb
chief on partnership and the reactivation of meetings, he said: “It is said
that the worst kind of injustice is to claim that there is justice. We have
never closed a door, not on dialogue nor on participation (in political life)
because we believe in
Foreign Ministry Slams Attempt on
Palestinian Official's Life, Urges Arms Control
Naharnet/January 30/17/Lebanon's Foreign
Ministry on Monday strongly condemned “the assassination attempt that the
security official at Palestine's embassy, Brig. Gen. Ismail Sharrouf,
faced in the city of Sidon” on Sunday. The ministry “categorically rejects
attacks on diplomats and officials who are part of foreign diplomatic missions
in
Qahwaji: Rights of Army Martyrs, Abductees Won't be Abandoned
Naharnet/January 30/17/Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji emphasized that the army is keen on its martyrs'
and abductees' rights, and assured that most of the perpetrators who were found
to be involved in the abduction and manslaughter of servicemen, were either
killed or arrested, Ad Diyar daily reported on
Monday. “The army does not neglect the rights of its martyrs or prisoners, even
if it took us some time to get that right,” said Qahwaji
in an interview to the daily. “Most of those found involved in the killing and
kidnapping of the servicemen, over different stages in the area of Arsal, were either killed or arrested respectively,” he
added. Recently, Qahwaji said he is determined to
find a solution for the thorny file of servicemen who were abducted by the
Islamic State extremist group in 2014. The IS group and al-Nusra
Front, which re-branded itself as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham in July when it split from the al-Qaida
movement, abducted over 30 servicemen in clashes with the Lebanese army in the northeastern border town of Arsal
in August 2014. Sixteen held by the Jabhat Fateh al-Islam were freed in December 2015 through a
Qatari-mediated deal that also included a prisoner swap to release a number of
inmates from Lebanese jails. The two groups had previously executed four of the
hostages. Nine hostages are still being held by the IS and their families do
not know much about their fate. Two mediators are said to negotiate their
release. Qahwaji added pointing out that the army has
become a genuine institution that works as a harmonious system, which
contributed to the activation of its performance. On the outspread of
terrorism, Qahwaji likened it to the “cancer”
disease. He said it must be uprooted and controlled from expanding any further.
5 Hurt in Lebanese-Syrian Knife Fight in Akkar
Naharnet/January 30/17/Five people, mostly Syrians,
were injured when a personal dispute escalated into a knife fight between Lebanese
and Syrian young men in the Akkar town of
Syrian Held in Akkar
on Suspicion of Ties to Militant Groups
Naharnet/January 30/17/A Syrian national was arrested
Monday in the northern Akkar district on suspicion of
having ties to terrorist groups, state-run National News Agency reported.
“General Security intelligence agents arrested the Syrian Sh. A. in the
outskirts of the Akkar town of
AUB President Criticizes Trump's
Immigration Ban
Associated Press/Agence France Presse/January
30/17/The president of the
Abu Zeid after
meeting Bogdanov: Russian leadership welcomes
President Aoun in Russia
Mon 30 Jan 2017/NNA - Member of the Bloc of Reform and Change, Amal Abu Zeid, on Monday met with
the personal representative of Russia's President in MENA region, Russian
Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhael Bogdanov,
and discussed with him the current situation in Lebanon and the region, with MP
Abu Zeid being informed that the Russian leadership
welcomes President Michel Aoun in Russia. It is
expected that a Russian official will visit
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 30-31/17
Quebec mosque suspect
charged with murdering six people: court
By Allison Lampert and Anna Mehler
Paperny,
QUEBEC CITY/TORONTO (Reuters) - A French-Canadian university student was the
sole suspect in a shooting at a Quebec City mosque and was charged with the
premeditated murder of six people, Canadian authorities said on Monday, in what
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called "a terrorist attack."Court
documents identified the gunman in the attack on Sunday evening prayers as Alexandre Bissonnette. He was
also charged with five counts of attempted murder, according to court papers.
Among the six men killed were a butcher, a university professor, a pharmacist
and an accountant, according to police and Canadian media. Police declined to
discuss possible motives for the shooting at the Centre Culturel
Islamique de Québec. "They consider this a lone
wolf situation," the source said. In
He added a personal message to
Somber parliamentarians observed a moment of silence.
Trudeau was scheduled to visit
The attack was out of character for
Trump's action, which the president said was "not about religion - this is
about terror and keeping our country safe," was widely condemned in the
On Monday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters that the
FATHER OF FOUR KILLED
A father of four, the owner of a halal
butcher near the mosque, was among those killed, said Pamela Sakinah El-hayet, a friend of one
of the people at the mosque. The mosque concierge was killed, as was Ahmed Youness, a 21-year-old student, El-hayet
told Reuters. One of El-hayet’s friends, Youness’ roommate, was in the mosque at the time of the
shooting. He was unharmed, she said, but in total shock. Ali Assafiri, a student at Université
Laval, said he had been running late for the evening prayers at the mosque,
near the university in the
(Additional reporting by Kevin Dougherty in Quebec City,; Alastair Sharp and
Anna Mehler Paperny in
Toronto; David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Mark Hosenball in Washington; Writing by Andrea Hopkins, Frances
Kerry, Grant McCool; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and
Alan Crosby)
Six Killed in 'Terrorist' Attack on
Quebec Mosque
Naharnet/Associated Press/January 30/17/Gunmen
stormed into a mosque in Quebec during evening prayers and opened fire on
dozens of worshippers, killing six and wounding eight in what Canadian Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau condemned as a "terrorist attack."Police
arrested the two assailants following the shooting Sunday in the Islamic
Cultural Center in a busy district of Quebec City, police spokeswoman Christine
Coulombe said.She gave no
indication of the identities or nationalities of the two suspects. One witness
told Radio
Mon 30 Jan 2017/NNA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with
President Donald Trump on Feb. 15 for talks covering a range of security
issues, the White House said on Monday. "Our relationship with the only
democracy in the Middle East is crucial to the security of both our nations,
and the president looks forward to discussing continued strategic,
technological, military and intelligence cooperation with the prime
minister," White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters as he
announced the visit. ---Reuters
Merkel slams antiMuslim bias in
Mon 30 Jan 2017/NNA - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday stepped up her
criticism of a
Merkel said her office and the German foreign ministry would do "everything
in their power" to clarify the legal situation "in particular for
those with dual citizenship" of Germany and the blacklisted
countries.--AFP
Pope Francis expresses condolences
following Quebec attack
Mon 30 Jan 2017/NNA - On Monday morning, following the usual Mass at the Pope’s
residence in the Casa Santa Marta, the Holy Father met with Cardinal Gérald Cyprien LaCroix, assuring the Archbishop of Quebec City of his
prayers for the victims of the attack on a mosque there on Sunday night. Pope
Francis stressed the importance of for all, Christians and Muslims, to be
united in prayer. Following his meeting with the Pope, Cardinal Lacroix returned immediately to Canada.The
Holy Father also formally expressed his condolences for the victims of the terrorist
attack in a telegram addressed to Cardinal Lacroix,
and signed by the
"Telegram concerning the attack on a mosque in Quebec City: Most Eminent
Cardinal Gérald Cyprien LaCroix
Having learned of the attack which occurred in Quebec in a prayer room of the
Islamic Cultural Centre, which claimed many victims, His Holiness Pope Francis
entrusts to the mercy of God the persons who lost their lives and he associates
himself through prayer with the pain of their relatives. He expresses his
profound sympathy for the wounded and their families, and to all who
contributed to their aid, asking the Lord to bring them comfort and consolation
in the ordeal. The Holy Father again strongly condemns the violence that
engenders such suffering; and, imploring God for the gift of mutual respect and
peace, he invokes upon the sorely tried families, and upon all persons touched by
this tragedy, as well as upon all Quebecers, the benefits of the divine
Blessing." ---
US official:
IRAN: Public Execution of Four Young Men of 22-26 Years Old in One Day/87
executions since the beginning of January/ US official: Iran conducts another
ballistic missile test
87 executions since the beginning of January
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2017/01/30/iran-public-execution-of-four-young-men-of-22-26-years-old-in-one-day87-executions-since-the-beginning-of-januaryus-official-iran-conducts-another-ballistic-missile-test/
NCRI Statements/January 30/17
The Iranian regime hanged four young men, aged 22 to 26, in Mashhad and Bandar Abbas (northeast and southern Iran respectively) on Sunday,
January 29. The two hanged in
Two days earlier, two inmates, 26 and 39, were hanged in Lakan
Prison in the northern city of
Iran's Water Crisis and Expansion of the Country's Uninhabitable Areas
NCRI/30 January 2017/Berlin was hosting a summit on Wednesday January 25, held
by two science foundations ‘Heinrich Boll’ and ‘Small Media’ to discuss Iran’s
critical water situation.In their 160-page joint
report on Iran’s water crisis, the two science foundations have warned that
“ever more regions in Iran are becoming uninhabitable.”Participated
by more than 30 German environmentalists as well as academics from both
American values are at stake’: Barack Obama ‘heartened’ by resistance to Donald
Trump
Michael Walsh/Yahoo/January 30/17/Former President Barack Obama
broke his postpresidential silence on Monday, issuing
a cautious statement about President Trump’s travel ban and the protests
against it. Before leaving the White House, Obama repeatedly emphasized how
important the role of citizen is in American democracy. Now, he says he is
inspired that so many citizens have heeded his call by protesting drastic
measures that Trump took that many have criticized as antithetical to common
American values. Kevin Lewis, a spokesperson for Obama, released a statement on
behalf of the former president praising the protesters for exercising their
constitutional right of assembly and rejecting the notion that his
antiterrorism vetting policies resemble Trump’s. It is Obama’s first public
statement since leaving office Jan. 20: “President Obama is heartened by the
level of engagement taking place in communities around the country. In his
final official speech as President, he spoke about the important role of
citizen and how all Americans have a responsibility to be the guardians of our
democracy — not just during an election but every day.
Citizens exercising their Constitutional right to assemble, organize and have
their voices heard by their elected officials is
exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake. With regard to
comparisons to President Obama’s foreign policy decisions, as we’ve heard
before, the President fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating
against individuals because of their faith or religion.” The political
and personal differences between Obama and Trump are well known. Obama was
highly critical of Trump’s policy proposals during the general election but
indicated his intention to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power — widely
considered a hallmark of American democracy — and offer his guidance as needed.
Obama has cited former President George W. Bush’s graciousness to his incoming
administration despite their political differences as an example he sought to
follow. Bush famously avoided criticizing Obama publicly, though his vice
president, Dick Cheney, frequently blasted the president during television and
print interviews. During his final press conference, Obama said he would speak
out in the Trump era if he felt “our core values are at stake.”Among
the threats to those values, he said, are “systematic discrimination,” voter
suppression, “institutional efforts to silence dissent or the press” and the
deportation of children who immigrated into the country illegally with their
parents.
Top ISIS executioner shot dead in
ambush
New York Times?January 30/17/One of the Islamic
State’s chief executioners — who beheaded more than 100 people with a long
ceremonial sword — was shot to death during an ambush in Iraq, according to
published reports. Abu Sayyaf, infamous for his beefy
physique and pitch-black clothing that covered him from head to toe, was gunned
down Sunday by several shooters who rode up to him in a car near
White House 'Aware' of
Naharnet/January 30/17/The White House said Monday it
was aware that
Young Syrian Couple Separated by Trump's
Travel Ban
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
30/17/When Syrian law graduate Adel first saw the visa for the United States in
his passport, he could hardly believe he would finally be joining his wife in
New York. "I kept wiping my eyes to make sure I wasn't dreaming,"
says Adel. But Adel's life was turned upside down when U.S. President Donald
Trump issued a 90-day ban on Friday on travelers from several countries including
'Nightmare'
"I'm so confused. My feet were supposed to touch down in the land of my
dreams in just days, but now I'm still here," says Adel. Adel says he fell
in love with the country by watching
"The distance between us has become enormous." Trump faced fresh
protests on Monday over his ban on travelers from seven Muslim majority
countries entering the
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
30/17/Baghdad called Monday for the
Security ramifications
And it said that if the
Netanyahu Denounces
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
30/17/Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused
Syrian FM Calls on Refugees to Return Home
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
30/17/Syria's foreign minister on Monday called on the country's refugees to
return home, official media reported, without directly commenting on a U.S. ban
targeting them. Walid Muallem
"renewed the invitation of the government to Syrian refugees living in neighboring countries to return to their country," the
Migrants in Libya Face 'Catastrophic'
Rights Situation, Says Germany
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
30/17/Germany on Monday criticized the "catastrophic" human rights
situation for migrants held captive by traffickers in Libya, ahead of an EU
summit set to discuss migrant flows through North Africa. Media reports Sunday
said that
Drone Strike Kills 2 Qaida Suspects in
Yemen
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
30/17/A US drone strike killed two suspected al-Qaida members in southern Yemen
on Monday, a day after elite American forces killed 14 suspected militants in a
nearby province, a security official said. The unmanned aircraft struck a
vehicle in Bayhan district, on the border between Shabwa and Marib provinces,
killing two people on board, the official said. On Sunday, elite
Saudi Arabia Condemns Israeli Settlements
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
30/17/The Saudi cabinet on Monday condemned Israeli settlement-building in the
occupied West Bank, as the Jewish state prepared to vote on legalizing wildcat
communities. Approval of the new construction on Palestinian land is
"aimed at Judaization of large parts of
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January
30/17/Israel said Monday it was seeking clarification of whether U.S. President
Donald Trump's travel ban applies to tens of thousands of elderly Israeli Jews
born in Middle Eastern countries. The executive order signed on Friday banned
nationals of seven mainly Muslim countries for 90 days but has sparked
confusion in its interpretation with people unsure whether they can travel.
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 30-31/17
Trump defends travel ban amid fierce backlash
Dylan Stableford/Yahoo News/January 29, 2017
President Trump lashed out on Sunday over those challenging his controversial
executive order temporarily banning immigration from seven predominantly Muslim
countries.
“
“The seven countries named in the executive order are the same countries
previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror,” Trump
continued. “To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely
reporting. This is not about religion — this is about terror and keeping our
country safe. There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority
Muslim that are not affected by this order.”
He added: “We will again be issuing visas to all countries once we are sure we
have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies over the next 90 days. I
have tremendous feeling for the people involved in this horrific humanitarian
crisis in
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order barring people from seven countries
— including
“I think it’s a good idea to tighten the vetting process,” Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “But I also think
it’s important to remember that some of our best sources in the war against
radical Islamic terrorism are Muslims, both in this country and overseas.
“I think we need to be careful,” McConnell added. “We don’t have religious
tests in this country.” Trump was apparently unmoved.
“Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW,” Trump tweeted
earlier Sunday. “Look what is happening all over
“Christians in the Middle-East have been executed in large numbers,” he added.
“We cannot allow this horror to continue!”Others
criticized Trump for issuing the travel ban without warning, a move that led to
chaos at some
“It is clear from the confusion at our airports across the nation that
President Trump’s executive order was not properly vetted,” Sens. John McCain,
R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a joint
statement. “We are particularly concerned by reports that this order went into
effect with little to no consultation with the Departments of State, Defense, Justice and Homeland Security.”
On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” White House chief of staff
Reince Priebus said the
administration’s lack of advance notice was by design.
“I don’t think you want a grace period,” Priebus
said. “Because then people who want to do bad things to Americans would just
move up their travel date two days in order to get into the country before the
grace period is over. … And if you ask, a lot of the people at the customs and
border patrol would just tell you you’ve got to just rip off the Band-Aid and
you have to move forward.”
Trump was more forceful in his response.
“The joint statement of former presidential candidates John McCain &
Lindsey Graham is wrong — they are sadly weak on immigration,” Trump wrote on
Twitter. “The two [senators] should focus their energies on
The executive order sparked a wave of protests at airports around the country
after more than 100 people, including some with current visas, were detained or
turned around.
“We’ve got a couple dozen more that remain,” Priebus
said. “And I would suspect as long as they’re not awful people that they will
move through before another half a day today and perhaps some of these people
should be detained further, and if they’re folks that shouldn’t be in this
country, they’re going to be detained. So apologize for nothing here.”
On Saturday night, a federal judge in
“There is imminent danger that, absent the stay of removal, there will be
substantial and irreparable injury to refugees, visa holders, and other
individuals from nations subject to [Trump’s] executive order,” Judge Ann
Donnelly said in her ruling.
Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to Trump, said the
chaos caused by the executive order was a “small price to pay” for greater
security.
“I was stopped many times … after 9/11,” she added. “I didn’t resemble, or
share a name with or be a part of any type of terrorist conspiracy. But this is
what we do to keep a nation safe.”
Trump's heartland voters shrug off global
uproar over immigration ban
By Laila
(Reuters) - Many of President Donald Trump’s core political supporters had a
simple message on Sunday for the fiercest opponents of his immigration ban:
Calm down.
The relaxed reaction among the kind of voters who drove Trump’s historic upset
victory - working- and middle-class residents of
In the
“Somebody has to stand up, be the grown up and see what we can do better
to check on people coming in,” she said. “I’m all for everybody to stop and
take a breath … Just give it a chance.”
By executive order on Friday, Trump banned immigration from seven
Muslim-majority countries –
In the electoral strongholds for Trump, residents seemed unbothered about
the uproar flashing across their television screens. They shrugged off concerns
about botched execution, damage to foreign relations and legal challenges
across the country.
In
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from
At airports, security officials also struggled to consistently enforce vague
rules.
But allegations of operational or administrative blunders may do little
to dampen enthusiasm for a president who rose to power on a populist and
protectionist platform, political analysts said.
Louise Ingram, a 69-year-old retiree from
"I'm not opposed to immigrants," she said. "I just want to
make sure they are safe to come in."
FEAR OF EUROPE
A senior Trump administration official said
political considerations had little to do with the executive orders. They
rather represent a reaction to the 2015 mass shooting in
FIRM BASE OF SUPPORT
Trent Lott, a former Senate Republican leader from
“Out in the rest of the country, people are excited to see the president
moving forward with securing the border," he said.
“His base is as firm as ever,” he said. “What he’s lost in the very early
polls is the Republicans who were never Trumpers and ended up voting for Trump.”
Trump opponents have succeeded in winning some early court decisions that
could undermine the practical impact of his executive orders, but Sabato said his base would perceive those as attacks from
liberal elites.
Trump could eventually lose support if he fails to keep promises
important to regions that supported him, such as delivering jobs to the
so-called Rust Belt, the Midwestern states dotted by dying factory towns.
DEEP DIVISIONS
Whatever Trump ultimately accomplishes, his election has ushered in a new
extreme of political polarization to an already deeply divided country.
“I just have not found a single person who has any neutrality at all
about Donald Trump,” Sabato said.
In
“We were told to be
She has her own opinions, of course, and said she appreciated that Trump,
in his blunt way, gave voice to them “with no sugar-coating.”
“I think it’s just too easy to get into our country and stay
illegally," she said. "I feel like he is going to – to the best of
his abilities – make a lot of things he said happen.”
**(Reporting by Laila Kearney in New York;
Additional reporting by Diane Bartz, Doina Chiacu, Steve Holland and Lacey Ann Johnson in Washington and Curtis Skinner in San
Francisco; Writing by Brian Thevenot; Editing by Lisa
Von Ahn)
Trump and blacklisting of Muslim
Brotherhood
Abdullah bin Bijad Al-Otaibi/Al
Arabiya/January 30/17
Terrorism is a harmful phenomenon. It has been spreading, and its presence has
worsened because many of the solutions addressing it across the world lack the
right vision. They fail to go beyond dealing with the moment of the terrorist
act and therefore do not tackle terrorism’s ideological and organizational
roots and origins. The roots of ideological terrorism lie in the religious
extremist rhetoric and hate, incitement and justification speeches delivered
after each terrorist act. Some hide these justifications under the pretext of
interpretation. Therefore, one must strike all sources of religious extremism
with an iron fist. Everyone must perform their roles in this comprehensive war
against concepts that support extremism and ideas and symbols related to it.
The organizational roots of terrorism which are manifested in the form of
groups, organizations and networks are also as important in this war as it is
these organizations which enable extremism and plant it, spread it and market
it. These groups also guarantee the permanent revival of terrorism thanks to
their multipurpose organizational capabilities. Islam as a heavenly religion
has not been harmed by anyone as much as it’s been harmed by extremist speeches
and groups which claim to talk on its behalf. Terrorism certainly has no
religion but at this moment in history, it’s almost limited to Islam due to the
rise of terrorist groups and organizations and their rising brutality.
In the royal letter to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Nayef,
Saudi King Salman wrote: “We are very delighted by
our sons, the loyal security forces’ heroic acts and sacrifices to serve their
religion, country, nation and sanctities.” This is royal praise of the long
successful journey in fighting terrorism inside and outside the kingdom. It
also commends the magnificent model of fighting terrorism, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, and the heroes from among security forces and
soldiers - with all their ranks - who participated in the success of this
model.
The roots of ideological terrorism lie in the religious extremist rhetoric and hate,
incitement and justification speeches delivered after each terrorist act. Some
hide these justifications under the pretext of interpretation
Sinful, misguided aggressive men. Security forces are confronting “a category
of sinful, misguided and aggressive men who violated the commands of God and
the Sunna of his prophet (prayer and peace be upon
him) and followed the paths of the devil who lured
them and embellished their bad acts for them and they thus deemed it
permissible to shed blood which God prohibited. They did not even spare God’s
houses and their harm and criminality targeted those near and afar. Fathers,
brothers, friends and relatives were not spared from their acts. God has
exposed their shame. Their acts have been thwarted thanks to God and the
efforts of the heroes, the security forces,” the king added in the letter.
Confronting terrorism through security forces is effective, and before that,
confronting it via legislations, laws and rules proved to be more comprehensive
as it provides lasting results. This is why the Muslim Brotherhood was
categorized as a terrorist group in
The Muslim Brotherhood has received great support during Barack Obama’s eight
years in power. His administration had spoiled the group and submitted to it
during the phase known as the Arab Spring.
New strongholds
If America follows suit and categorizes the Brotherhood as a terrorist group -
like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt did - many countries will also do the same
and some of these countries which have become the Brotherhood’s new strongholds
will have to reconsider their calculations especially that few of these
countries have altered their policies regarding some major issues in the
region, therefore they must be capable of doing the same in terms of their
stance from terrorist groups.
Is the Muslim Brotherhood the only source of extremist rhetoric? Is the
Brotherhood alone responsible for this extremist rhetoric and the terrorist
groups that have branched from it? The answer is certainly no. Some Salafist speeches, particularly those known as jihadist Salafism and some traditional extremist speeches which are
cited to create hate speech that represents a source for modern terrorism are
also responsible.
Political Islam groups which resemble the Muslim Brotherhood are all terrorist
groups, like the Sururi, Qutb
groups or parties like Hizb ut-tahrir.
All terrorist groups are completely related to political Islam groups. Al-Qaeda
and
Establishing tolerant religious speeches accompanied by efforts over a long
time are a must and without them, there will be no significant difference in
this war against extremist rhetoric. There will be no significant difference
unless the concepts of tolerance and co-existence are more spread than the
concepts of governance, ignorance, takfir and hatred.
Without these concepts of tolerance and co-existence, the extremism machine
will continue to produce terrorism in droves.
Finally, many European countries have been a haven for Muslim Brotherhood and
other terrorist groups for decades and they will have to reconsider their
policies amid the new reality they’re living through. The major transformation
in the American stance - if approved - will play a role in helping these
countries figure out where they stand in this long battle against extremism and
terrorism.
Trump’s first seven days and MENA issues
Dr. Theodore Karasik/Al Arabiya/January
30/17
Nobody should be surprised by President Donald Trump’s
Executive Order (EO) actions. He is doing exactly what he promised to do. Just
last week, in his Inaugural Address, Trump stated: “We assembled here today are
issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital and in
every hall of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.
From this day forward, it's going to be only
The Wall
“The Wall” on the US-Mexico border may become relevant as a symbol in
From this thinking, The Wall will become relevant in the coming years as a
symbol of steps that must be taken to preserve national integrity and promote
national patriotism. These methods and technologies will help secure borders
and prevent smuggling and other illicit activity. It should be noted that walls
and other high tech monitoring exist on the
EO 14 is a violent earthquake in migrant policy with further implications for
not only American and European liberalism’s waning hours and the rise of
European borders but also fodder for militants – and sympathizers – everywhere
With specific implications for the MENA region, Trump said at his inauguration:
“We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones -- and unite the civilized
world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely
from the face of the Earth.”
This week’s EO 14 (“Muslim Ban:) falls under the Trump
Administration’s potent and uncomfortable rearrangement of global, regional,
and local politics surrounding immigration. For Trumpists,
This American president intends to turn the
Fodder for militants
EO 14 is a violent earthquake in migrant policy with further implications for
not only American and European liberalism’s waning hours and the rise of
European borders but also fodder for militants – and sympathizers – everywhere.
Trump Administration foreign policy with Muslim majority countries not
mentioned in EO 14 is telling. These are Trump’s partners-
How do we eliminate ‘traffic terrorism’?
Mshari Al Thaydi/Al Arabiya/January 30/17
An infuriating and stubborn threat exists today that
is as lethal and harmful to peace as and wellbeing as the terrorism attributed
to extremist groups. Yes, that would be “traffic terrorism” that exists in more
than one Arab city. Frankly though, when we talk about Saudi cities,
‘Traffic terrorism’
Describing what’s happening as “traffic terrorism” is
not a media exaggeration but a term used by an expert. Colonel Dr. Zuhair bin Abdul Rahman Sharf, director of regulations at the Madinah
traffic department, used the term while delivering a lecture in March 2014.
According to the Saudi daily Al-Eqtisadiah, he said
the number of victims of traffic recklessness in
According to the statistics provided by the General Authority for Statistics in
2015, the number of traffic accidents in
This article was first published in Asharq al-Awsat on January 30, 2016.
The heresy called cinema
Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/January 30/17
Some call the talk of cinema in
Cinema on television
If by cinema they mean watching a movie on television, then eastern province
may have been luckier than other parts of the kingdom due to Aramco TV which started broadcasting in Dhahran on
September 16, 1957.This was the first television channel in the Arabian Gulf
and the second in the Middle East after Baghdad TV, which had begun
broadcasting few months earlier. Cinema has been part of the Saudi history of
recent decades. The medium has had critics, investors as well as consumers.
They don’t see anything wrong with that.
Their contribution to Arab cinema has led to visual evolution of this mode of
entertainment and spread of joy in life. This is just a small part of the story.This article was first published in Okaz on Jan 30, 2017.
What comes first, the state or the
‘group’?
Sawsan Al Shaer/Al Arabiya/January 30/17
Dr Nadir Khadim, born in a village in
Though the book was published in 2009, the violent clashes that rocked
The party’s headquarters are in close proximity to the High Criminal Court and
the High Court of Appeal. The two Bahraini courts are scheduled next month to
try 20 of those accused of multiple charges including torturing young men from
al-Daraz and Sanabis
villages. These areas have majority Shiite populations, some of whom are
accused of being state security agents.
There is little doubt that the author of the book would have never imagined
that the coercion practiced by “group” could ever amount to serious crimes such
as those committed by the defendants facing trial. The most telling example of
“group” oppression, illustrated by Dr Nadir in his book, was the exclusion of
members swearing allegiance to the group – or what he called it “loyalty”. We
believe that the silence of those willing to break away following oppression –
and the elite unwilling to counter the “group” and refusing to face reality –
has culminated in escalation of suppression leading to kidnapping, torturing
and killing.
Escalation of suppression
We believe that the silence of those willing to break away following oppression
– and the elite unwilling to counter the “group” and refusing to face reality –
has culminated in escalation of suppression leading to kidnapping, torturing
and killing.
These are not the first cases whereby Bahraini citizen have been abducted by
gangs who claim to be protecting areas under the control of religious men or
the “group”. On the 10th of August 2015, a 16-year-old boy from Al-Sanabis was abducted by seven masked men. He was suspended
from a tree and tortured.
The next day, he was told by a member of the Mukhtar
brigade that he was being tortured for being an informer. He was threatened
that he will be filmed if he doesn’t confess. He was eventually driven in a car
and dumped near Bin Khamees cemetery in Sanabis. It is known that Mohamed Habib
Al-Muqdad, a religious cleric member of the Al-Wafaq Group, was among those convicted. This “group” has
since been dissolved by the authorities for committing a number of crimes.
The latest case being considered by the High Criminal Court begins on the 9th
of February 2017. The victim, in this case, is Ahmed Musa an 18-year-old
inhabitant of Al-Shakoura district. Two of the four
defendants were arrested following investigations and witness statements. The
four defendants are being charged with “torture leading to death and false
imprisonment and the misdemeanors of theft and
vandalism”.
This case relates to the events of the 4th of October 2016 in the Al-Daraaz district where an unidentified person was found
unconscious and in a critical condition with multiple wounds. He remained in
coma for a number of days and then succumbed to injuries. The victim was
identified by the father who found his son’s picture published on social media.
Following investigations, it was revealed that the fourth criminal – who was a
friend of the one murdered – had taken the victim to the defendant named Isa Qasim’s house. He then led him to the al-Daraaz district in order for more assailants to interrogate
him and force him to confess to being a police informant.
Aren’t these crimes an extension of the call for “loyalty”?
This article first appeared in Asharq Al-Awsat on Jan. 29, 2017.
Turkey: The Purges Continue
Burak Bekdil/Gatestone
Institute/January 30/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9856/turkey-purges
What makes Turkey look more like North Korea than a European democracy is the
legal authorities' reflex to launch probes into anyone accused, without
evidence, of terrorist activity or insulting the president.
Philipp Schwartz was a Hungarian-born neuropathologist
who worked for the
In the first week of 2017, another 631 Turkish researchers and professors were
dismissed from their universities, adding to thousands who were purged during
the second half of 2016. Several Turkish scholars are now reversing Schwartz's path:
In the fall of 2016, the Philipp Schwartz Initiative received more applications
from
An Islamist and militantly pro-Erdogan newspaper, Yeni Akit, ran the photo of what
looks like a main battle tank, claiming that this weapons system had been
developed by Aselsan, a state-controlled defense company, and was capable of "even stopping an
atomic bomb." Yeni Akit
belongs to an "elite" group of media outlets whose editors often find
a seat aboard Erdogan's private jet when he travels
abroad for state visits. What is more worrying than the absurdity of Yeni Akit's claim is that few
Turks would question the story's authenticity.
Erdogan-mania can take other weird forms, too.
Another news story recently revealed that a legal investigation has been
launched into 18 residents of a small village in southern
In
Elsewhere, the headline "Top press rights defender in Turkish court for
terror propaganda" was another Turkish peculiarity. Erol
Onderoglu, the Turkey representative for Reporters
Without Borders, along with rights activist Sebnem Fincanci and journalist Ahmet Nesin, has been charged with "making pro-Kurdish
terror propaganda and aiding terrorists," risking years in prison. The
indictment proposes as evidence only the fact that the suspects had
guest-edited a pro-Kurdish newspaper after its editors were put in prison.
Erol Onderoglu (left,
meeting with European Parliament President Martin Schulz), is the
On January 16, Turks sighed with relief when, after a 16-day manhunt, Turkish
police caught the jihadi terrorist who gunned down
and killed 39 people at an upscale nightclub in Istanbul shortly after midnight
on New Year's Eve. The man was caught alive in a special-forces operation,
together with an Iraqi man and three women from
**Burak Bekdil, one of
Turkey's leading journalists, was just fired from Turkey's leading newspaper
after 29 years, for writing what was taking place in Turkey for Gatestone. He is a Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
© 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.
The Telos Group: The True Identity of the "American
Pro-Israeli, Pro-Palestinian, Pro-Peace Movement "
Noah Summers/Gatestone Institute/January 30/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9826/telos-group
In 2014, the Telos Group was
outed as an anti-Israel organization not living up to
its "pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian, and pro-peace" self-description.
Instead of building substantive bridges between Palestinians and Israelis, the
bridge Telos appears most intent on building is a
financial one between
Telos is focusing its efforts on enabling a corrupt,
oppressive PLO/PA government that has opposed peace on multiple occasions,
oppressed its citizens by denying them freedom of speech and protection from
religious persecution, and jailed journalists who dare to criticize the PA's undemocratic government and its abuses of its
citizenry -- certainly not a pro-Israeli/pro-Palestinian/pro-peace agenda.
Peace with
While Khalil appeals to UN Resolution 242's
"inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war" to justify
his position on Israeli settlements, he neglects to mention that this
"land-for-peace" resolution was premised on the Palestinians halting
all violence against Israelis and recognizing the State of Israel.
It is time to call the Telos Group for what it really
is: Anti/Anti/Anti: anti-Israeli, anti-Palestinian, and anti-peace.
At least one person was pleased about the Obama Administration's decision to
abstain from the UN Security Council (UNSC) vote on Resolution 2334,
effectively establishing the boundaries of a Palestinian state. For Gregory Khalil, the current president and co-founder of the Telos Group, an organization posing as "pro-Israeli,
pro-Palestinian, and pro-peace," it was 12 years coming. His 2004 New York
Times op-ed encouraged the
Founded in 2009 with the original name of the "Kairos
Project," the Telos Group described itself as:
"... a non-profit educational initiative that seeks to educate
A "bio" for Telos Group President and
Co-Founder Gregory Khalil reveals:
"Mr. Khalil spent the summer of 2000 in
By his own account, Khalil later advised the
Palestinian leadership on negotiations with
In 2014, the Telos Group was outed
as an anti-Israel organization not living up to its "pro-Israeli,
pro-Palestinian, and pro-peace" self-description. The following year, Telos doubled down, rebranding with that slogan as their
central theme. Their rebranding efforts included unveiling a new logo,
revamping their website,[1] and developing a more
active presence on Facebook and Instagram.
In July 2015, Telos announced on their blog the
launch of their newly redesigned website "and a slightly new
direction," with the stated goal to "grow and direct the pro/pro/pro
movement in
While the old Telos website originally emphasized the
slogan of "Educating America's Faith Communities for Holy Land
Peace," its new website prominently displays its "Pro/Pro/Pro
Peacemaking" slogan and an updated mission:
"By resourcing leaders at the nexus of culture, faith and enterprise, we
equip Americans to build a transformative pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian,
pro-peace movement."
While its leaders originally defined their target audience as
"mainstream faith leaders and their communities" and then
"American evangelicals," they now define their target audience as
"Americans."
Telos's rebranding efforts were quickly undermined by
its own actions; its agenda remained unchanged. Khalil
facilitated meetings with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) /
Palestinian Authority (PA), Palestinian companies, and the chairman of the
organization behind the PayPal4Palestine campaign. In 2011 (before its
rebrand), Telos posted a picture with Hanan Ashrawi on the Telos Facebook page in a photo
album titled, "Conservative Leaders Trip." Now, in 2016, the PLO
posted on Facebook two press releases[2] on Ashrawi's meetings with "a Telos
Group," featuring pictures of both meetings (one picture included Khalil). Palestinian media also reported on the meetings.[3]
Notably, Telos social media accounts did not post
about the two PLO/Telos meetings. In contrast to the rebranding's emphasis on a "pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian,
pro-peace" slogan, Telos met with an
organization and government (PLO/PA) that has monetarily supported the families
of terrorists who have murdered Israeli civilians.
On the same day as their second meeting with Ashrawi,
Telos met with Palestinian companies that are part of
a larger Palestinian push seeking to establish a Palestinian high-tech economy
in both the West Bank and
While every pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian, and pro-peace American longs for the
day when Palestinians experience genuine economic freedom, they undoubtedly
understand that money is fungible, and that in the West Bank and especially in
Gaza, financial resources and economic products often end up in the hands of
government and terrorist organizations instead of in the hands of impoverished
Palestinians. The PayPal4Palestine movement (supported by the Palestinian
companies who met with Telos) offered its assistance
to PayPal to work around any legal issues by working with
"officials." But those PA and Hamas officials are part of the very
regimes responsible for stealing resources from the Palestinian people. The
unsuccessful PayPal4Palestine movement did not call for the serious internal
Palestinian reforms necessary to enable genuine economic prosperity to reach
the average Palestinian suffering under an oppressive government.
Khalil's December 2016 New York Times op-ed provides
a key insight into what could potentially be driving Telos's
and his private economic advocacy efforts: "They [leaders] should also
help avert collapse of the partly dependent Palestinian economy by enabling
greater access of goods and people to Jerusalem's global marketplace."
On January 10, 2017, Telos shared a Jerusalem Post
op-ed by Gershon Baskin, asking, "Is the
Palestinian Authority an effective government? What challenges does it face?
Check out this opinion piece to learn more about the PA."
In the piece, Baskin, who claimed to have worked to bring "tens of
millions of dollars of private-sector investments into
"Investment in the private sector and especially direct foreign investment
in
Instead of building substantive bridges between Palestinians and Israelis, the
bridge Telos appears most intent on building is a
financial one between
While operating as a pro-PLO/PA-narrative non-profit, the Telos
Group masquerades as a pro-Israeli/pro-Palestinian/pro-peace non-profit. Based
on its leadership and their behavior to date, its
ultimate objective would appear to be an economically viable Palestinian state
on terms more favorable to the PLO/PA than to
Israelis, Palestinians, or peace -- certainly not a
pro-Israeli/pro-Palestinian/pro-peace agenda.
Given the recent UN vote, Khalil's New York Times
op-ed from 12 years ago is still relevant. Khalil's
2014 hour-long presentation to students participating in a model UN cleverly
presented the pro-Palestinian narrative as the historical perspective. His
choice of language during his history review and his version of the Israeli and
Palestinian narratives cast Palestinians in a sympathetic light and Israelis in
an unsympathetic and historically inaccurate light.
Gregory Khalil addresses students participating in a
model UN, in
During the presentation, Khalil told the audience:
"I see different conversations emerging, among key populations in
Paraphrasing a quote popularly attributed to former Israeli Prime Minister
Golda Meir, Khalil labeled
it a "racist sentiment." While there is now some question whether
Golda Meir did in fact say the original quote ("Peace will come when the
Arabs will love their children more than they hate us"), his criticism of
the quote's message was misleading. Peace with
Talking to the model UN students, Khalil promoted the
narrative that the State of Israel came into existence primarily as a result of
the Holocaust, and that Palestinians were unjustly punished for what the Jewish
people endured during the Holocaust:
"Palestinians on the ground were like, 'Wait a second! What are you
talking? Why should we be responsible for what happened over there in
Khalil's narrative misconstrues the history of the
region during, and immediately following, the Holocaust. By suggesting that
Palestinians were innocent bystanders during the Holocaust, Khalil
is misleading his student audience. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
has documented how the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin Al Husseini, met with Adolf
Hitler, sought to assist the Nazis in murdering Jews in Europe, and expressed
his desire to destroy Jews and the Jewish homeland. By inaccurately seeking to
establish Palestinians as the indigenous people of the
On at least two occasions, Khalil has misrepresented
the legal situation of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, also known as
historic Judea and
While Khalil appeals to UN Resolution 242's
"inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war" to justify
his position on Israeli settlements, he neglects to mention that this
"land-for-peace" resolution was premised on the Palestinians halting
all violence against Israelis and recognizing the State of Israel.
Historically, when
So how is the Telos Group continuing its anti-Israel
narrative and advocacy under the guise of a new direction? Demonstrating that
its rebranding is nothing more than a facade for its real agenda, the Telos Group cleverly packages and disseminates
PLO/Palestinian Authority talking points -- creating a generation of
misinformed anti-Israel activists in
In 2010, at a Capitol Hill event, Gregory Khalil laid
out the reasoning behind the Telos Group's (then
known as the Kairos Project) values-oriented
language:
"For many years, we've sort of ceded the language that relates to values,
and fundamental human rights, and social justice in favor
of a more sort of pragmatic political language. Now, I don't mean to diminish
the role of politics, because this conflict is not a theological conflict; it's
a political problem. But I'm trying to say that there are ways to engage new
voices who can be helpful rather than harmful."
As someone of Christian Palestinian descent, Khalil
should be familiar with the fact that Islamic radicals such as Hamas and
Hezbollah cite Islamic texts to justify theologically their attempts to destroy
the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Many Christians and Jews also view
this conflict not in strictly political terms, but in theological terms. While
secularists in both Israeli and Palestinian societies may view this conflict
only in political terms, to deny the theological underpinnings of the conflict
is to ignore the root causes of the conflict and to be ignorant of potential
real-world consequences of proposed conflict solutions.
As a result of this misguided perspective on the conflict, the Telos Group is indoctrinating "new voices" (the
younger generation and their influencers) on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
through the storytelling method that builds empathy for the Palestinian cause
while using language that appeals to this generation's values, sense of social
justice, and dedication to protecting human rights. Khalil's
model UN speech was a prime example of this process and agenda. Through his
language and narrative, he builds support among his model UN audience for
taking action and upsetting the status quo.
Four articles published since the Telos rebranding,
and shared on Telos's social media accounts, vividly
demonstrate that while the organization's public relations efforts were
supposed to establish the rebranding, they in fact revealed the organization's
efforts to disseminate PLO/PA talking points.
After going on a Telos Group tour, Washington Post
religion writer Sarah Pulliam Bailey wrote a glowing piece in December 2015
entitled, "How some evangelicals are challenging a decades-long stance of
blanket support for
Former Telos trip participant Justin Kron is a Christian tour guide, leading
In her Washington Post piece, Bailey had observed, "The trip focused
mostly on
"Rewriting the history of the
December 2016, Khalil was quoted in a Washington Post
article about Palestinian Christians, and also authored a New York Times op-ed
about moving the
In the Washington Post piece, Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian
(Assistant Editor of Foreign Policy) inaccurately blamed
"I and many other Americans of Palestinian Christian ancestry will often
get asked: When did you convert? '2,000 years ago,
when did you convert?' is a standard response."
In words eerily similar to those of the PLO's Hanan Ashrawi, Allen-Ebrahimian
reprimands American Evangelical Christians for supporting "Israeli
security policies" that "have...made life difficult for Christians in
"Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), an outspoken conservative Christian politician
and proponent of
Expressing similar sentiments, Hanan Ashrawi recently rebuked Greek Orthodox Patriarch of
Jerusalem Theophilos III (whose title is
"Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine") over his description of
In contrast to the PLO/PA narrative, both the Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh and Pierre Rehov have described the heartbreaking causes of Palestinian
Christian suffering under both the PLO/PA and Hamas.
In Khalil's December 2016 New York Times op-ed, he
claimed, without citing statistics or historical precedent to back up his
claims, that violence would be the likely result of moving the US embassy from
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, Khalil's
comments mirror, in part, those of Fatah Central Committee official Sultan Abu
Al-Einein, who reportedly said on January 1, 2017:
"We must prepare for a new confrontation with the new US administration,
which has declared, clearly and audaciously, that Israel and its settlements
are legitimate and legal, and has sent a delegation in order to move its
embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. I believe that any American act of stupidity
will ignite the Palestinian territories, and that the
On January 15, 2017, the day of the Paris conference on the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, Telos posted and article by its Executive
Director and Co-Founder Todd Deatherage, in
Christianity Today, about the Security Council resolution vote, Secretary
Kerry's speech, and the incoming Trump Administration's stance on the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Deatherage's
Christianity Today "bio" stated that Telos
"aims to build a pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian, pro-peace movement."
In contrast to his organization's pro-PLO/PA actions, Deatherage
admonished Christians:
"any community steeped in the Sermon on the Mount must seek ways to reject
the fictions of a winner-takes-all world, and embrace things like working for
security, dignity, and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians."
Considering the current Middle-East turmoil, his dismissal of "the
fictions of a winner-takes-all world" shows a profound disconnect from
current Middle East reality facing Israelis and Palestinians -- the PLO/PA and
Hamas both pose an existential threat to Israelis' safety and security and
obstruct Palestinians' pursuit of freedom and prosperity.
Deatherage claimed:
"Any just end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict requires an honest
diplomatic process, accompanied by vigorous bridge-building and reconciliation
at the grassroots level. Christians in the
Unfortunately, Telos and Deatherage's
unwillingness to hold the PLO/PA accountable for their corruption and
oppression, and their willingness instead to spout PLO/PA talking points about
the conflict and proposed conflict solutions, undermine their credibility to
lead the bridge-building, reconciliation, and peacemaking efforts of Christians
genuinely seeking to ensure peace and security for all Israelis and
Palestinians.
So why was the Telos Group facilitating
meetings with the very government and organization that oppresses its
own people and, through their actions, limits Palestinians' freedom of speech
and economic activity? Why was the Telos Group,
through its public relations efforts, participating in gaslighting
Facilitating meetings among those seeking to revitalize the Palestinian economy
without necessary Palestinian reforms, Telos plans to
use congressional lobbying and their ties with philanthropists and activists to
upset the status quo and disrupt peace. Its false narrative currently targets
grassroots Americans who are genuinely pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian, and
pro-peace. Given that the upcoming 2017 Telos
Leadership Gathering's theme is "Disrupting the Status Quo: Pro/Pro/Pro in
Action," Americans should be aware of this organization's true intentions
and agenda. It is time to call the Telos Group for
what it really is -- Anti/Anti/Anti: anti-Israeli, anti-Palestinian, and
anti-peace.
*Noah Summers is a specialist on
[1] Updated April 8, 2015 according to the Telos
Group's WhoIs record
[2] April 6, 2016 PLO Facebook post, press release,
and picture. September 26, 2016 PLO Facebook
post, press release, and picture.
[3] Palestinian media report on April 6, 2016 meeting and on September 26, 2016
meeting.
© 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.
Palestinians' Fort of Torture
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone
Institute/January 30/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9854/palestinians-torture
Because it is not Israelis who are perpetrating the
abuse, the reports are ho-hum to these journalists.
Hamas is an extremist Islamist movement that does not consider itself obliged
to abide by international laws and treaties concerning basic human rights.
Indeed, the concept of human rights simply does not exist under Hamas in the
Gaza Strip, where public freedoms, including freedom of speech and of the
press, are non-existent.
In 2013, two Palestinian detainees reportedly died of torture in the Jericho
Central Prison.
A London-based human rights organization reported 3,175 cases of human rights
violations, including arbitrary detentions, by the Palestinian Authority (PA)
security forces in the
Unfortunately for them, they are not going on hunger strikes in an Israeli
prison, where such actions garner the immediate interest of the mainstream
media.
Many are willing to tell their stories. But who is willing to listen? Not
Western governments, human rights organizations and journalists. Most of them
seek evil in
As Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas and his cronies occupied themselves in the past two
weeks issuing warnings to President Trump against moving the
These reports, however, were buried, along with the abuse, in favor of attention to rhetoric directed against the Trump
Administration. Anything uttered by Abbas and senior
PA officials regarding the possible transfer of the
At one point, it actually appeared as if the mainstream media in the West was
interested in highlighting and inflating these statements in a bid to pressure
Trump into abandoning the idea of moving the embassy to
The threats included warnings that the transfer of the embassy to
Regrettably, as Palestinian officials from across the political spectrum joined
forces to broadcast sensational headlines in the mainstream media around the
world, the reports about torture of Palestinian detainees in a PA prison failed
to attract the interest of the many journalists covering the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The torture that takes place in PA-controlled prisons and detention centers is
not new.
Over the past few years, Palestinians have become accustomed to hearing horror
stories about what is happening within the walls of these structures. Yet,
because it is not Israelis who are perpetrating the abuse, the reports are
ho-hum to these journalists.
A Palestinian who points a finger at
Ironically, it is the Hamas and Palestinian Authority media outlets that
publish such reports. The two sides regularly report about the abuse of human
rights and torture in each other's prisons and detention centers as part of the
smear campaign they have been waging against each other for the past decade.
Hamas-affiliated media outlets are teeming with reports documenting cases of
torture in PA detention facilities in the
The bottom line: both Hamas and the PA, according to testimonies and reports,
are practicing torture in their prisons. Neither cares a fig for the rights of
detainees and prisoners, and both scoff at the values of international human
rights. But because human rights organizations, lawyers and relatives are so
often denied access to the Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Hamas
and the PA, they cannot get any first-hand information from the prisoners
themselves. They are people -- being tortured in prison!
All of this makes perfect sense, of course: Hamas is an extremist Islamist
movement that does not consider itself obliged to abide by international laws
and treaties concerning basic human rights. Indeed, the concept of human rights
simply does not exist under Hamas in the Gaza Strip, where public freedoms,
including free speech and media, are non-existent.
Then how does the Western-funded PA, which has long attempted to join
international bodies such as the United Nations, explain its systemic
barbarity?
For years, the PA has been acting as an "independent state" that is
recognized by more than 100 countries. As such, foreign governments, especially
American and European taxpayers, are entitled, or rather obliged, to hold the
PA accountable for human rights violations and demand transparency and
accountability. This right derives from the fact that the PA is asking to
become part of the international community by winning recognition for a
Palestinian state. Unless, of course, the international community is willing to
welcome yet another Arab state that tramples upon human rights, and practices
torture in its prisons.
The most recent evidence of torture in the
Entitled "Jericho Prison -- A Fort of Torture?" the report describes
conditions inside the prison as similar to those sensational films aired on TV
screens to draw the attention of viewers.
A Palestinian who was recently released from the Jericho Central Prison is
quoted as saying that anyone who arrives at the facility is first blindfolded
and his hands tied behind his back before he is severely beaten by five to 10
security officers. One of the most common forms of torture in the PA prison, he
recounted, is called the "shabah" position,
where a prisoner's hands are shackled and he is hung from the ceiling for
several hours. During this time, the detainee is beaten on all parts of his
body. If the detainee tries to move or change his position, the beating gets
worse. Sometimes, the "shabah" takes place
inside the prison lavatories.
Another infamous form of torture in the Jericho Central Prison is the "falaka," where the victims are whipped on their bare
feet. According to the testimony of another former detainee, who is identified
only as Abu Majd, he was subjected to the "falaka" with a plastic hose for several hours each
session. Sometimes, one of the "interrogators" would also slap him on
the face while he was being whipped on his bare feet.
Abu Majd reported that he was also subjected to
another well-known form of torture, where he would be asked to
"climb" a non-existent ladder on a wall. Because there is no ladder
and the detainee cannot "climb" it, he is punished with more
beatings.
Other former detainees recounted sleep deprivation, solitary confinement and
being locked up in a small closet with powerful air-conditioning as common
practices of torture in the same prison. This is in addition to verbal abuse,
of course, and forcing detainees to sleep on the floor without mattresses or
blankets.
In 2013, two Palestinian detainees reportedly died from torture in the Jericho
Central Prison five days apart from each other. They were identified as Arafat Jaradat and Ayman Samarah.
Earlier this month, the father of Ahmed Salhab, who
was recently detained by PA security forces and taken to the
Detainees in Palestinian prisons have reportedly gone on hunger strikes to
protest their incarceration and torture. Unfortunately for them, they are not
going on hunger strikes in an Israeli prison, where such actions garner the
immediate interest of the mainstream media.
A London-based human rights organization reported 3,175 cases of human rights
violations, including arbitrary detentions, by the PA security forces in the
During the same year, the PA security forces also detained 27 Palestinian
journalists, the report revealed.
PA political and security officials dismiss these reports as Hamas-orchestrated
"propaganda." But one does not need wait for Hamas to tell the world
about torture and human rights abuses at the hands of PA security officers.
Among the thousands of Palestinians who have experienced incarceration in PA
prisons and detention facilities during the past two decades, many are willing
to tell their stories. But who is willing to listen?
Not Western governments, human rights organizations and journalists. Most of
them seek evil in
*Khaled Abu Toameh, an
award-winning journalist, is based in
© 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.
Reports In Arab Media: Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad Is Gravely Ill
MEMRI/January 30/17
In the last few days, news and rumors have been
circulating in the media that Syrian President Bashar
Al-Assad is gravely ill or critically wounded. The rumors
– whose credibility is unclear and which were initially posted on social media
– said that one of his bodyguards had made an attempt on his life, or else that
he had suffered a stroke or had a brain tumor. Some
also stated Maher Al-Assad, the president’s brother, was filling in for Bashar while he was receiving treatment.
Reports to the same effect later appeared in the Arab media, including in a
Lebanese daily close to Assad, as well as in the non-Arab media. It is
interesting to note that many of the Arab press reports on this matter were
removed from the papers’ websites shortly after their publication.
The stream of reports about Assad’s health in the Arab media and on social
media led writers on Syrian opposition websites to discuss the issue, and
particularly to speculate on possible scenarios if the news is accurate.
The Syrian regime and its supporters, for their part, denied the rumors of Assad’s illness, calling them ridiculous lies and
stressing that Assad is in excellent health.
The following are excerpts from some of the reports on Assad’s illness that
appeared in the non-Arab and Arab media, and from the articles on the
opposition websites speculating about what happens
post-Assad.
French Le Point Daily: Assad Rumored To Have Been Shot By His Bodyguard
An early report on the state of Assad’s health appeared in the French daily Le
Point on January 24, 2017. The daily reported that, according to rumors circulating on Arab social media, Assad was shot by
his Iranian bodyguard on January 21 and was taken to hospital in Damascus under
heavy guard, and some even claimed he was dead.[1]
Saudi Official Daily ‘Okaz: Assad Has A Brain Tumor Or Has Suffered A Stoke
The Saud daily ‘Okaz reported on January 27 that,
according to “exclusive information” it had received, Assad had a brain tumor and was trying unsuccessfully to conceal the visible
symptoms of his disease. Citing “sources,” the report noted that, although
Assad had met recently (on January 26) with Amir Abdollahian,
an advisor to
The report on ‘Okaz:[3] “Has Assad Suffered a
Stroke?”
Gulf Papers Publish And Then Remove Reports About
Assad’s Illness
Reports on Assad’s health situation also appeared in the Gulf press, only to be
removed from the papers’ websites after a short time; it is unclear whether
they were removed due to their unconfirmed nature or for some other reason. On
January 27, the Khalij Online news website posted a
report headlined “Has Assad Been Assassinated? Paper
Claims His Bodyguard Shot Him,”[4] and on the next day
the Kuwaiti daily Al-Qabas carried a report headlined
“Has Assad Suffered a Stroke or Been Shot by One of his Bodyguards?” [5] Both
reports were subsequently deleted.
The Kahlij Online report: “Has Assad Been
Assassinated? Paper Claims His Bodyguard Shot Him”
Report In Pro-Assad Lebanese Daily: Assad Has Suffered A Stroke, His Brother
Maher Is Running The War
The Lebanese press also addressed the issue of Assad’s health. In a January 27
report, likewise removed after its posting, the pro-Assad Lebanese daily Al-Diyar stated, citing “semi-official sources in
Later that day, the daily’s website reported that Assad’s brother Maher was
acting as president while Bashar was undergoing
treatment and would continue to fulfill this role until Bashar
recovered. Maher Al-Assad, said the daily, was overseeing the movement of the
Syrian forces and the fighting on the ground, in coordination with the Syrian
chief-of-staff and defense minister, as well as the
Russian experts and the Iranian and Hizbullah
commanders in Syria.[6]
Interestingly, in the two days following this, Al-Diyar
published reports denying the “absurd rumors”
regarding Assad’s health and assessed that he would make a television
appearance to dispel the rumors.[7]
The Lebanese daily Al-Mustaqbal, known for its opposition
to the Syrian regime, quoted a prominent Syrian oppositionist as saying that
reliable sources confirm that Assad has suffered a stroke and was taken to Al-Shami hospital under heavy guard.[8]
On Social Media, Posts About Assad’s Illness And His Possible Replacement By
His Brother Maher Al-Assad
As noted, on social media there are a great many reports on Assad’s health
situation. For example, leading Al-Jazeera Syrian journalist Faisal Al-Qassem, a vehement opponent of the Assad regime, posted
yesterday on his Facebook page, along with a large
red “Breaking News” notice: “I have been trying for
several days to verify information about the illness of the tyrant Bashar Al-Assad. I have received conflicting information
about this. Yesterday, I received information that was 90% certain that he has
had a stroke… At this point, I can say, based on information from my personal
sources, that Bashar Al-Assad is lying in bed but is
conscious, and that he is in 70% danger of dying…”[9]
Faisal Al-Qassem’s Facebook
post, January 29, 2017.
Political commentator Amjad Taha,
who resides in the
Amjad Taha’s tweet about
the arrival of doctors from Iran, January 29, 2017.
Another tweet, from the “Abu Rakan Al-Dafari” account, stated: “There is news that Assad is
seriously ill and that for this reason there is a security alert and Russian
forces presence and doctors from
Twitter user @90Drkurdy tweeted: “It appears that [the news that] Bashar Al-Assad has had a cerebral infarction is correct.
Russian military police have surrounded
Drkurdy’s tweet about Assad’s cerebral infarction,
January 29, 2017.
Private individuals also tweeted news about the appointment of Assad’s brother
Maher as acting Syrian president.[13]
Muhammad Darkoushi, vice president of the Syrian
Writers’ Union, tweeted: “Is a revolution led by Maher Al-Assad being organized
in Syria on instructions from Russia[?] In another few days the smoke will
clear.”[14]
Muhammad Darkoushi’s tweet, January 28, 2017.
Syrian Presidency And Lebanese Officials Close To Assad
Regime Deny Reports About Assad’s Illness
On January 27, 2017, the office of the Syrian presidency denied the rumors of Assad’s illness. A statement issued by the Syrian
government news agency SANA and tweeted by the Syrian presidency’s official
Twitter account stated: “The presidency of the Republic denies outright the rumors and news about the health of President Bashar Al-Assad and emphasizes that they are completely
untrue and that President Assad is in excellent health and is carrying out his
functions absolutely naturally.”
The statement added: “The Syrian people have become immune to such lies, of
which there have been many from the beginning of the war on
Tweets by the office of the Syrian presidency, January 27, 2017
Denials came also from senior Lebanese officials known to be close to the Assad
regime. For example, Gen. (ret.) Jamil Al-Sayyed, an Assad affiliate who once headed the Lebanese
general security apparatus and who was once arrested on suspicion of involvement
in the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister
Rafiq Al-Hariri, tweeted: “Rumors
that President Assad has a brain tumor! They are
bankrupt in the war against him [and now] have moved on to fortunetelling and
wishes [for] a fateful [event to take place]. Rest assured! [Assad] will
continue to trouble you…”[16]
Al-Sayyed’s tweet, January 26, 2017.
On his Facebook page, former Lebanese minister Wiam Wahhab, also known to be
close to President Assad, denied the reports of Assad’s illness, writing, on
January 29: “To all those who are in anticipation, President Assad feels fine.
He is overseeing the battles and monitoring the restoring of the [drinking]
water [supply] to the residents of
Wahhab’s Facebook post,
January 29, 2017.
Following Reports On Assad’s Health, Articles On
Opposition Websites Discuss What Happens Post-Assad
The stream of reports about Assad’s health in the Arab media and on social
media led writers on Syrian opposition websites to discuss the issue, and
particularly to speculate on possible scenarios if the news is accurate.
For example, writer Ayman Muhammad, in an article
headlined “Is Assad’s Death Sufficient [to Declare that] the Regime Has
Fallen?” on the Baladi-news.com opposition website, stated that even if the rumors that Assad was either dead or paralyzed were true,
and even if the regime and its allies acknowledged this, “this will not be
sufficient [in order to declare that] the regime has fallen.” He said that the Alawites had a firm grip on the regime, and that a
successor for Assad would quickly be found, in order to ensure its
continuation. Muhammad added that Assad’s death would not mean that much for
the Syrian rebels, and certainly would not assure the revolution’s victory,
because of the rebels’ dreadful situation on the battlefield. He noted that
even if Assad is neutralized, Russia can only alter the face of the regime
superficially: it will remove several figures and bring in several others from
the opposition with whom it is comfortable working, and thus create a situation
in which those who are voted in in “democratic”
elections that will be held in Syria will be people that the Russians want and
who will allow the Russians to control them. He concluded by stating: “Even if
there is a change in the external [image] of the regime after Bashar Al-Assad’s death, his nucleus, which is based on the
Syrian security apparatuses, will remain” and it will serve as a means for
Russia to rule Syria.[18]
Similarly, journalist Fuad ‘Abd
Al-‘Aziz, in an article titled “What Will Happen If Bashar
Dies?” on the Zamanalwsl.net opposition website, analyzed what awaits Syria if
the news of Assad’s death turned out to be true. He presented two scenarios he
said were likely in such a situation: Either Iran and
[1] Lepoint.fr, January 24, 2017.
[2] ‘Okaz (
[3] Twitter.com/OKAZ_online, January 27, 2017.
[4] Alkhalijonline, January 27, 2017.
[5] Alqabas.com, January 28, 2017.
[6] Al-Diyar (
[7] Al-Diyar (
[8] Al-Mustaqbal (
[9] Facebook.com/falkasim, January 29, 2016.
[10] Twitter.com/amjadt25, January 29, 30, 2017.
[11] Twitter.com/zaaaz41114, January 29, 2017.
[12] Twitter.com/90Drkurdy, January 29, 2017.
[13] Twitter.com/L00n7 ,Twitter.com/aboyosha3homs,
January 29, 2017.
[14] Twitter.com/Mohamedarkoushi, January 28, 2017.
[15] Twitter.com/presidency_sy?lang=en,
[16] Twitter.com/jamil_el_sayyed?lang=en,
January 26, 2017.
[17] Facebook.com/wiammwahhab, January 29, 2017.
[18] Baladi-news.com, January 30, 2017.
[19] Zamanalwsl.net, January 30, 2017.