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Dr. Alauddin Saeed, writes: In memory of the leader, Fidel Castro's farewell

Posted by مؤسسة الوطن العربى الإعلامية - لندن ، المملكة المتحدة . WA MEDIA FOUNDATION - LONDON, UK | Thursday, 26 November 2020 | Posted in ,




ARAB GAZETTE - LONDON..

On his goodbye memory, I recurrent it, "Goodbye Fidel Castro" ... Farewell, O last of the genuine pioneers in the realm of yesterday and today ... O the remainder of the government officials with key insight, public entertainers and promoters of our Arab causes when all is said in done against expansionism in the 20th century and as of not long ago and we champion the Palestinian reason specifically and the Arab and African freedom developments the legend Goodbye, the genuine chivalrous warrior - and your confidant Ernesto Che Guevara - for the total freedom of Latin America from the hold and mastery of severe American and pilgrim impact .. Farewell You who remained with strength, determination, pride and respect despite American authority over Latin America and your nation set up a Cuba against the United States Which is just 140 kilometers from your nation and made medical care and training available to poor people who were your essential concern.

 You were additionally a wellspring of motivation for a few communist developments around the globe, particularly in Latin America. - I rehash to each cognizant brain - just 140 kilometers from you and couldn't have cared less about the threat of this - switching its tails constantly many thousands from the mother What her slaves and young men of pioneers and leaders of her are - you were a difficult friend to her as long as your progressive will and your purpose were not shaken notwithstanding the breakdown of the Soviet Union, your partner at that point. I turned eighty years of age. I never anticipated that, at any rate with the presence of a neighboring nation, the most remarkable nation on the planet, that attempts to kill me consistently.

 "... Farewell, Commandant, who changed your fight, unrest, and battle against the powers of abuse and oppression into creation, abundance, and an unrest against neediness, obliviousness, illness, and reliance on others in Cuba into a public monetary upheaval and an unrest for training and wellbeing.

 Farewell, incredible "Commandant", the ally of freedom developments in the entire world, the remainder of the genuine free warriors around the globe, and even the remainder of those planes, roused by them and their scholars against the powers of abuse and oppression around the globe .. Farewell, the remainder of the pioneers, appropriately .. Farewell, you last warrior in confidence for pride And the respect and eminent of his country and its identity, and without a doubt for the entirety of mankind .. Farewell, extraordinary image .. Farewell, symbol and a remarkable cycle that never tumbles off the crown of the world upset in the advanced time .. Farewell, extraordinary pioneer, incredible accomplishment Fidel Castro.



Trump's Plan For DISORDER! - By Richard Brody

Posted by مؤسسة الوطن العربى الإعلامية - لندن ، المملكة المتحدة . WA MEDIA FOUNDATION - LONDON, UK | Sunday, 22 November 2020 | Posted in

ARAB GAZETTE - London..

Although, nearly every news media, from the most liberal/ progressive, to the moderate/ middle - of - the - road, and, even, the more conservative ones, have declared Joe Biden, the victor, of the recent, Presidential election, President Trump, and his partisan supporters, have declared, there were improprieties, which they state, were an organized effort to steal the election! Is this, a true belief, panic, lying, manipulation, or another component of this President's apparent, life - long, effort, to distort facts, to his advantage, etc? Many, including, me, believe, this is Trump's pattern of behavior, and a key part of what some refer to, as the man's agenda! It seems, he believes, he benefits, by creating, confusion, and DISORDER, and, those who have read his book, realize, he has believed that, for many years. With that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, using the mnemonic approach, what this means and represents, and the potential harm, it creates, for the nation, its citizens, and the planet.

1. Denials; destroy/ destruction; disharmony: By creating differences, and disharmony, it seems, he believes, he benefits! Often, Trump's statements, rhetoric, and empty promises, appear to be, self - centered, based predominantly, on what he believes, is in his self - interest! His pattern is to continuing his denials, seeming to, either, under - estimate, fail to perceive/ believe, or not care about, the potential dangers, to create destruction. Many articles have been written, where the author states, his belief, which is, this individual, would destroy, anyone, or anything, if it serves his purpose!

2. Inferences; implications; interference: How often, have we heard, President Trump, state, Many people say, etc, in order to imply, whatever, fits neatly into his agenda? The implications of this, is creating, an atmosphere, where his core supporters, believe and support him, inferring, his words, are, Gospel! This pattern creates interference, in our historic, method of preserving the American Way of Life!

3. Suckers; selling; suggestions: Whether, P. T. Barnum influenced him, when he was credited with saying, There's a sucker born, every day, or something/ someone, else, did, the present occupant of the White House, seems to have spent, much of his adult life, attempting to sell something, regardless of the ramifications! His suggestions often, lack the level of consideration, which might, make a difference, for the better!

4. Oppositional: Instead of trying to bring people, together, for the greater good, and seeking a meeting - of - the - minds, Trump's pattern has been, oppositional, adversarial, and, often, polarizing!

5. Repeat; rationale; rationalize: He seems to believe, if he repeats a lie, no matter how often, it has been disproven, his rationale, will appeal, to his core supporters, and serve his interests! Perhaps, more than, nearly, anyone, we have seen, in recent memory, Trump seems ready, willing, and able, to rationalize, anything he says, and/ or, does!

6. Disorder; disorganize: Many reports claim, this President, rarely pays attention, to comprehensive briefs/ reports, etc, and seems to believe, disorganization serves him, best! Have we been witnessing, prioritizing, disorder, instead of relevant, sustainable policies?

7. Efforts; emphasis; exaggerate: At the very least, he likes to exaggerate, but it seems, his emphasis, and efforts, have been, often, far - more, sinister, than that!

8. Resist; reply; references; rhetoric: No one should be surprised, the President has publicly, refused to accept, defeat! He has resisted doing so, and his reply, is, to proceed, with his pattern, of blaming, and complaining, without evidence, etc! When, we observe his references, and statements, his rhetoric, and vitriol, many feel, instead of being, unusual, and/ or, crazy, he probably is, sly, as a fox!

Is this coincidence, or, Trump's well - considered, plan, to create, and use, DISORDER, perhaps, for his personal benefit? At the very least, this isn't normal, and/ or, unifying!

Richard has owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, Director of Development, consultant, professionally run events, consulted to thousands, conducted personal development seminars, and worked on political campaigns, for 4 decades. Rich has written three books and thousands of articles. Website: http://plan2lead.net and LIKE the Facebook page for common sense: http://facebook.com/commonsense4all
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Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Richard_Brody/492539
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10379330

THEY’RE COMING..and other examples of media madness

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ARAB GAZETTE - By: BARBARA MULTER-WELLIN

When I was a child, my mother’s Aunt Blanche liked to talk about what “they” were and were not wearing this year. I remember asking her to tell me who “they” were. “They” seemed to know so much about fashion’s mercurial rules. Who could “they” be? Aunt Blanche’s answer was vague. She replied “they” were “the beautiful people who wore designer clothes and knew everything about fashion.” Her answer didn’t satisfy me then and many years later I am still asking the same question. Just who are “they” and why are so many people willing to believe what “they” have to say about issues of much greater consequence than passing fashion trends?

Case in point: Several recent conspiracy theory videos (I refuse to call them documentaries) all using the portmanteau “Plandemic” in the title. The first, produced by former model and actor Mikki Willis, attempts to convince viewers that the COVID-19 virus was manipulated in a lab and then released to start a pandemic so that vaccine patent holders and manufacturers can reap astronomical profits. Willis’ film is basically just an interview with Dr. Judy Mikovits, a discredited virologist with a checkered past who makes a number of hair-raising claims including that Dr. Anthony Fauci killed millions in 1984 by holding up her scientific paper on the AIDS virus, that he has conspired with the Wuhan lab to manufacture and release COVID-19 for profit from mandatory vaccinations, that wearing a mask inhibits the immune system and that sheltering in place reduces bacterial flora needed to fight off the virus. Oh yes and she also claims there are healing microbes in the sand and water at the beach. Really?

Dr. Mikovits’ ludicrous claims have been widely debunked. Within days of its early May release, YouTube and Facebook deleted “Plandemic,” but the proverbial cat was already out of the bag. The video continues to be spread across the Internet, according to an LA Times article, by everyone including “vaccine skeptics, right-wing media and conspiracy theorists of every stripe, signal-boosting nefarious narratives about the pandemic among pro-Trump lockdown opponents and anti-Chinese-government outlets like the Epoch Times.”

The second video I’ve come across, also called “Plandemic” was released by a company called Stranger THAN Fiction. They have a fund-raising page on Patreon but I have been unable to uncover anything more about them. This almost 2-hour mishmash of TV clips and I-phone videos informs us that “The signal for the Corona Operation was Kobe’s death” because the Hebrew translation of Covid is Kobe and he is buried in Corona Del Mar. But the real plan is to use a mandated Covid19 vaccine to secretly inject biometric ID chips into everyone on earth so we can be CONTROLLED. Uh, sure. There are multiple handheld phone videos shot outside hospitals showing empty lobbies and parking lots to “prove” the pandemic is a hoax and that the patient shown in many television news clips is actually a life-size doll. Not to mention the dire warnings that 5G technology absorbs oxygen, causes cancer and/or makes you fall down dead on impact. And that’s just a limited selection of a whole lot of crazy.

Yet, people still believe and continue to spread this literally life-threatening nonsense widely.So how do conspiracy videos influence people? Here are a few of the techniques they employ:

A. Lack of Transparency: Willis and Mikovits are identified but the names and affiliations for most of the people appearing in these videos are withheld. Conspiracy theorists are fond of saying “do your own research” but how do you investigate the credibility of nameless people? This also pertains to research and studies that are cited but never identified and so cannot be challenged or authenticated.

B. Demeaning Expertise: Viewers are told they intuitively know more than highly trained doctors, scientists, engineers, etc. or many years, Americans have been encouraged to resent and distrust anything that smacks of intellectual speech or accomplishments. Conspiracy theorists are reaping that harvest, convincing people that a degree and verified experience don’t make you more of an expert on a given topic than anyone else.

C. Appealing to the Reptile Brain/Ignoring the Intellect: These videos use scare tactics (You’re going to die! Everyone you live is going to die! There’s a secret cabal of people who will control your every move!) to bypass the rational, thinking part of the human brain and speak directly to primitive, reactive portion of the brain that is responsible for instinct and survival. While this theory is a vast oversimplification in its own right, the fear response invoked by these videos do not elicit calm, rational, critical thinking. The underlying message is always: Panic, now!

D: Scapegoating: After all, we can always blame “Them.” Whoever they are. Whaddya think, Aunt Blanche?




Ahmed H. Zewail , won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry

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Ahmed H. Zewail , won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry

 

ARAB GAZETTE - Cairo

Chemist Ahmed H. Zewail won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for developing a rapid laser technique that let scientists study atoms during chemical reactions.

Synopsis

Chemist Ahmed H. Zewail was born February 26, 1946, Damanhur, Egypt. In 1999 he won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, first Egyptian and Arab to do so in the science field, for developing a rapid laser technique that enabled scientists to study the action of atoms during chemical reactions and gain more control over the outcome. The breakthrough created a new field of physical chemistry known as femtochemistry. Zewail had a long career as a Linus Pauling professor of chemistry and director of the Physical Biology Center for Ultrafast Science and Technology at the California Institute of Technology. A dual American and Egyptian citizen since 1982, in 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Zewail to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and he was later named the First United States Science Envoy to the Middle East. He founded the Zewail City of Science and Technology, a nonprofit educational institution for research and innovation in Cairo. In 2013, he joined the United Nations Scientific Advisory Board. Zewail died on August 2, 2016 at the age of 70.

Egypt: Geneva Council condemns the arrest of activists from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

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ARAB GAZETTE - GENEVA..

Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties (GCRL) condemns the arrest of three activists of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, including Ali Jasser Abdel-Razek, Executive Director of the initiative, and calls for their immediate release and an end to the systematic prosecutions against human rights defenders.

Egyptian security forces arrested, on November 19, the executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Ali Jasser Abdel Razek, after raiding his home in Cairo and took him to an unknown location. One day before, authorities arrested Karim Ennarah, the director of criminal justice at the EIPR in Dahab, South Sinai. On November 15th, authorities arrested Mohamed Basheer, the administration manager of the organization from his home.

According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), he was questioned at a State Security premise outside Cairo, and after 24 hours had passed, Karim appeared afternoon on Thursday 19 November before the Supreme State Security Prosecution in Cairo. He was questioned for 4 hours before the prosecution ordered his detention for 15 days pending investigations in the case 855/2020, charged with the following: Joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes, using a personal account on the internet to spread false information that undermine public security and broadcasting false news and statements that undermine public security and harm the public interest.

This took place following the arrest of Muhammad Bashir, the administrative director at EIPR, and the Supreme State Security Prosecution charged him with several charges, including “joining a terrorist group” and “committing one of the terrorism financing crimes” and ordered his detention for 15 days pending investigations after adding him to the same Case. These accusations were based on what the Egyptian security investigations described  as “participation in prison riots to “undermine the bases of the Egyptian state and fight its stability.”

It is noteworthy that Case No. 855 of 2020 includes many detainees from months without trial, including human rights defenders and lawyers such as Muhammad al-Baqir and Mahienour al-Masry, and journalists such as Islam Muhammad and a professor of political science, Hazem Hosni. These arrests came in the context of a campaign of incitement and defamation against human rights institutions in a number of state-owned media outlets or known for their proximity to the security services, in parallel with the ongoing prosecution and arrest campaigns.

On August 25, 2020, the Fifth Terrorism Circuit Court in Cairo sentenced exiled Bahey el-Din Hassan, director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights, to 15 years in prison on fabricated charges related to “insulting the judiciary” and “disseminating false news”

Geneva Council believes that these arrests and accusations are nothing but political decisions wrapped in a formal legal framework, as part of a systematic prosecution against human rights defenders in an attempt to silence voices that seek to uncover the escalating violations of human rights in Egypt.

This attack is a response to EIPR’s activism and works on a number of files, foremost of which is monitoring conditions in places of detention and prisons, especially under the COVID-19 pandemic, and its monitoring of the unprecedented surge in the issuance and execution of death sentences. This is in addition to EIPR’s work on monitoring and documenting incidents of sectarian violence and discrimination against women. The recent campaign seems to be also a direct response to a meeting held at EIPR’s headquarters on November 3rd with 13 ambassadors and accredited diplomats, who discussed ways to improve human rights conditions in Egypt.

Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties expresses its full solidarity with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights and calls on the Egyptian authorities to immediately release the human rights detainees, quash the unfair sentences against them, and provide guarantees to facilitate the work of human rights organizations and human rights defenders in monitoring the human rights situation as signs of good governance. GCRL calls on the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forrest, to activate the necessary international mechanisms to put pressure on the Egyptian state; to stop its prosecution of all human rights defenders, and to enable them to perform their work freely and responsibly.



Al-Malki: Pompeo’s labelling of settlement products as “made in Israel” is a war crime

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ARAB GAZETTE - RAMALLAH, (WAFA)..

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riyad al-Malki said today that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement that products manufactured in the illegal Israeli settlements will be labelled as “made in Israel” represents a de facto US recognition of Israel’s annexation of the illegal settlements to its sovereignty.

“[Pompeo’s] announcement is a finishing of Netanyahu's policy of annexing settlements and consequently the occupied West Bank to Israel, which is a precise implementation of the "deal of the century," said al-Malki.

He added that this announcement necessitates immediate action at the international level, and must be rejected with all the available legal means. “It is a crime and those responsible for it must be punished, whoever and wherever they are.”

In a reversal of longstanding US policy, Pompeo said yesterday that imports to the United States coming from the Israeli settlements in the West Bank will now require a label indicating they were made in Israel. Washington’s top diplomat made the announcement during a high-profile visit to Israel, which also saw him pledge to identify US-based groups that support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and label them anti-Semitic.




PLO official: 'Made in Israel' is endorsement of land theft and plunder

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ARAB GAZETTE - RAMALLAH, (WAFA)..

Hanan Ashrawi, Member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)'s Executive Committee, condemned yesterday the US top diplomat’s visit to an Israeli colonial settlement in the West Bank as an endorsement of land theft and plunder.

“The visit of US Secretary to the occupied West Bank is a last ditch effort by the outgoing US administration to entrench its pattern of criminality, illegality, and direct complicity in the colonization of Palestine and dispossession of our people,” Ashrawi said in a press statement.

“It is also a cynical exploitation by Pompeo to advance his own personal political goals as the new face of far right ideologues in the US,” she added.

Ashrawi noted that products made in the Israeli colonial settlements in the occupied territories violate international law and amounts to recognition of Israel’s annexation of the West Bank.

“Labeling products made inside illegal Israeli settlements as 'made in Israel' or 'products of Israel' is an outrageous and illegal policy tantamount to de facto recognition of Israel's annexation of most of the West Bank,” she said.

“It is an attempt to legitimize the theft of Palestinian land and plunder of Palestinian resources that runs counter fundamental principles of international law and the global consensus,” she added.

“Further, Pompeo's pronouncement of hostility against states and international organizations that properly label Israeli settlement products is an affront to the international community's obligations under the law, including UN Security Council resolution 2334. These products are a product of theft. They must be boycotted, not supported.” 

The PLO official also criticized the current US administration’s willingness to provide separate designations of products coming from the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip, revealing that it is part of the administration’s plan to further divide the Palestinian people.

“Adding insult to injury, Pompeo also announced the decoupling of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, labeling Palestinian products from the West Bank and Gaza as separate entities. This is one more measure affirming that the Trump agenda was always the disenfranchisement of the Palestinian people and their permanent subjugation to Israel's illegal control. It is also in line with this administration's agenda to keep Palestinians divided and maintain the internal rift,” she said.

She also criticized the current US administration for extorting countries into accepting the Israeli violations of international law.

“This outgoing US administration has expended so much effort on normalizing egregious Israeli violations of international law, fighting the most basic rights of the Palestinian people, as well as bullying and extorting countries into accepting these crimes. These pronouncements are an extension of this hostility and complicity.”

“Such malicious measures are intended to corner the incoming US administration with layers of legal and administrative measures that maintain the destructive Trump legacy beyond his disruptive term. Outrageous as they are, these policies have very real consequences on Palestinian lives and rights that must be undone.”

She called upon the world to “recover” from the chaos Trump has inflicted.

“The entire world needs to recover from the Trump legacy and the chaos it has created. The Palestinian leadership looks forward to working with responsible states on forging a new path to justice and peace based on mutual respect and commitment to the rule of law,” she concluded.




Project to Combat Online Radicalization of Youth Launched in Rabat

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ARAB GAZETTE - Rabat..

A project to combat online radicalization of youth in Morocco was launched, Thursday in Rabat, by the Rabita Mohammadia of Ulema to counter hate speech and raise awareness among young people on the dangers that the Internet and social networks can present.

The agreement to implement this project, funded by the Japanese government in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was inked by Japan's Ambassador to Morocco, Takashi Shinozuka, UNDP Resident Representative in Morocco, Edward Christow, and Secretary-General of the Rabita Mohammadia of Ulema, Ahmed Abbadi.

This project aims not only to protect adolescents and youth from the scourges of violent extremism, whether on the ground or in the digital dimension, but also to immunize them against hate speech through acquiring the skills needed to influence the internet and inspire their peers, Abbadi said on this occasion.

According to the official, this project is part of the sustainability framework to help young people acquire the tools and skills needed to combat extremism of all kinds. The success of this project depends mainly on the preparation of attractive and eye-catching content for young people, Abbadi Added.

Speaking on the occasion, Japan's ambassador to Morocco expressed pride in his government's support for the project, the fourth of its kind in Morocco.

"We believe that this project is also a response to a concern to immunize the Moroccan society against the cyber threats that loom over the youth," he said, while pointing to the fact that "religious radicalism leading to violence is a universal phenomenon."

For his part, UNDP Resident Representative in Morocco said that this project is the result of several months of joint work, stressing that the three signatory partners will continue to work closely and jointly for the implementation of this project.

The project, totaling $454,545 in funding, provides for producing video content to be posted on social media to shed light on alternative discourses. It has four main objectives, namely, conducting a risk assessment of online radicalization content and backing domestic stakeholders in their use of new information technologies to prevent violent extremism.

The one-year-long project also seeks to raise awareness among Moroccan youth through social networks about the importance of promoting alternative discourse and to share experiences in the area of preventing hate speech online.




Oman-UK Friendship Book Marks 50th National Day of Renaissance

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ARAB GAZETTE - London,(ONA)..

Marking the 50th National Day of the blessed Omani Renaissance renewed under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, the embassy of the Sultanate in the United Kingdom today launched a booklet titled “United Kingdom and the Sultanate of Oman—A Celebration of Friendship”, which perpetuates the memory of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said. 

His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, in a message, thanked “First” establishment, which compiled and published the booklet that constitutes an important reference for the global community.

 Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain expressed her thanks to “First” institution for the “message of commitment” that she sent to His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik on the 220th anniversary of relations between Britain and Oman, as well as her thanks to all in charge of such glorious occasions.

 The booklet includes private letters from His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik and Queen Elizabeth II, and articles by various dignitaries, in addition to a detailed account of achievements made by the Sultanate, the challenges it addressed within the context of different geographic, cultural, historical, diplomatic and economic scenarios. The booklet also touches on the success and progress made in relations of friendship between the peoples of the two countries.


'Insulting Prophet Muhammad is unacceptable', Grand Imam of Al-Azhar tells French FM

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ARAB GAZETTE - Cairo (UNA-OIC)..

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Dr. Ahmed el-Tayeb received at the headquarters of Al-Azhar Sheikhdom on Sunday French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian and his accompanying delegation.

"Insulting Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him, is unacceptable and we shall pursue whoever does that in court, even if we spend the rest of our lives doing so," Sheikh el-Tayeb said in reference to the offensive caricatures of Islam's Prophet published by a French magazine last month.

"We reject the term 'Islamic terrorism' as well as any other useless terms that serve no purpose. This term must not be used as it offends Muslims around the world and is simply contradictory to the truth," said the grand imam. “When speaking of Islam and its holy Prophet (PBUH), I refuse to be diplomatic.”

Muslims around the world reject all forms of terrorism committed in the name of religion and affirm that Islam and its Prophet have nothing to do with terrorism, he added.

"Al-Azhar represents nearly two billion Muslims from around the world and I previously affirmed on the international stage that terrorists do not represent us and that we are not responsible for their actions," Sheikh el-Tayeb asserted, expressing hope that European officials were aware that such incidents do not represent Islam and Muslims, especially when Muslims are often the biggest victims of terrorism.

"I am the first to protest freedom of expression if it offends any religion and not only Islam," said the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt's renowned Islamic institution.

"Transgressions are committed by all followers of religions. Since we never blamed Christianity for the terrorist attack in New Zealand, then we must also not blame Islam for terrorism committed in its name. I do not accept that Islam is blamed for terrorism," Sheikh el-Tayeb told the French delegation.

"Throughout history, Al-Azhar has opposed terrorism and we created a set of curricula that have made clear that terrorists are criminals and that they have nothing to do with Islam," he concluded.


Egypt to briefly open Rafah border crossing with Gaza

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ARAB GAZETTE - CAIRO, (WAFA)..

Palestinians wishing to return to or leave the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing, on Gaza’s border with Egypt, will be able to do so during the period between Tuesday and Thursday of this week, the Palestinian embassy in Egypt announced today.

Daib al-Louh, Palestine’s ambassador to Egypt, thanked Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el Sisi and the Egyptian authorities for facilitating the movement of passengers into Gaza and for supporting the Palestinian cause on all political and diplomatic levels.

The border crossing has been closed since the coronavirus outbreak in Palestine in early March, and is reopened from time to time to allow entry and exit of passengers. Hundreds of Palestinians and other nationals have been left stranded in Egypt or in Gaza as a result of the closure of the border crossing ever since.

Despite chilly weather, thousands of Israelis continue anti-Netanyahu protests

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ARAB GAZETTE - TEL AVIV, (WAFA)..

Despite the stormy and chilly weather affecting the region, thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday evening for the sixth month demanding their Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down.

Several thousand people gathered outside Netanyahu’s official residence in occupied Jerusalem, the focal point of the months-long demonstrations. A similar crowd of demonstrators protested outside Netanyahu’s private home in the upscale coastal town of Caesarea. Smaller gatherings took place at intersections and overpasses across Israel.

The Black Flags protest movement said hundreds of cars were on their way to demonstrate near the Israeli prime minister’s private home in Caesarea. It also said pro-Netanyahu activists hurled rocks at protesters in the northern community of Shlomi, near the Lebanese border.

For six months now, Israelis have been holding weekly protests against Netanyahu demanding him to resign over his trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, as well as his mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Netanyahu has been facing long-running charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes. His trial is scheduled to enter its evidentiary phase in January.



Grand Imam of Al-Azhar calls for global legislation criminalizing anti-Muslim actions

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ARAB GAZETTE - Cairo (UNA-OIC)..

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb called on the international community to criminalize anti-Muslim actions, following the crisis of the cartoons offending Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), published by a satirical French magazine.

"These offensive cartoons as absurd, slapstick, chaotic, and outright hostile to the Islamic religion and its Holy Prophet," Sheikh el-Tayeb said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that “it is painful that insulting Islam becomes a means for voter mobilization”.




UK condemns Israeli settlement activity in occupied West Bank

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ARAB GAZETTE - London (UNA-OIC)..

The United Kingdom on Wednesday condemned Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly a plan to build over 1,200 units in a new settlement between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, saying they violate international law and calling for suspending them.

“Israel’s decision to advance the construction of 1,257 settlement buildings in the Givat HaMatos area of the occupied West Bank, would violate international law, and risks causing serious damage to the prospects for a viable Palestinian State,” said James Cleverly, Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, in the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

“We condemn this decision, which is incompatible with Israel’s declared goal of peace, and call for both the tender process and the advancement of other settlements in East Jerusalem and elsewhere in the West Bank to be suspended immediately,” he added.

President Aoun's address to the nation on eve of Lebanon's 77th Independence Day

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ARAB GAZETTE - NNA..

On the eve of Lebanon's 77th Independence Day, President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, delivered the following address to the nation:

"My fellow Lebanese ladies and gentlemen,
It is the seventy-seventh year of Lebanon's independence, and unfortunately, this year has been packed with all sorts of crises and hardships that have reflected adversely on the lives of all the Lebanese, whether on their livelihoods, their lifetime savings or the future of their children. Some were affected even more cruelly, having lost loved ones in the worst disaster that has struck the heart of our capital, or due to a pandemic that has invaded the world and is still reaping victims.

Yes, our reality today is not promising; but being aware of the reality does not mean accepting it or giving in to it, for our people are made of resistance to guarantee their right to existence. I am keeping my promise to dig in the rock, no matter how solid it gets, in order to open the road to salvation for the nation.

My fellow Lebanese,
Independence, as per the general concept, means political independence and the country's emancipation from occupation, mandate, foreign trusteeship, political dependence...but the Lebanese experience states that all of this is not enough for a nation to be independent, because there are many restrictions that turn us into prisoners.

Today, our country is the prisoner of a system of political, financial and administrative corruption, covered by all kinds of legalized confessional, sectarian and social shields, to the extent that corruption has become a culture and a philosophy, having its own preachers, justifiers and defenders.

Our country is the prisoner of a system that forbids accountability, jointly and severally, and provides the necessary pretexts and innovations to bypass laws and obstruct their implementation.

Our country is the prisoner of a rentier economy that has killed production and oriented it towards indebtedness, placing it forcibly in a state of dependence to meet its needs, and in subordination to creditors.

Our country is the prisoner of a Judiciary which is shackled by politics and by the predominance of the powerful.

Our country is the prisoner of obstructive vexatious policies that prevent any progress or achievement.

Our country is the prisoner of grudges and demonizing instigation that almost turns its youth into siblings-enemies.

Our country is the prisoner of external dictations and attractions and internal subordinations that make independence, sovereignty and democracy empty words.

My fellow Lebanese,
The shackling constraints are many, but breaking them is not impossible if we truly want to build the nation and achieve effective emancipation and independence. Out of obligation of frankness, I hereby tell you that reform and Statehood are subject to your will, express it!

If we want Statehood, it is inevitable to fight corruption because no powerful and active State can stand tall in light of corruption, and this begins by imposing the forensic financial audit, then by passing in Parliament draft and propositions of laws on reform, accountability and financial regulation, on top of which the restoration of looted funds, the special tribunal for financial crimes, the automatic investigation into the financial status of people undertaking a public service...and at least adopting laws that preserve and protect human dignity, most notably the Old-Age Security law.

If we want Statehood, the need is pressing to concentrate efforts on ensuring economic self-sufficiency, granting the required importance to production and its needs, which is the cornerstone in building a national and independent economy; and it goes without saying that there is no real independence for a country whose economy is externally ridden.

If we want Statehood, it is indispensable to free the State institutions from the influence of politicians and poles of reference, so that decisions and appointments would be based on competence, integrity, merit, productivity and unified criteria, which are all available in all confessions.

Last but not least, Statehood, in its most basic components, needs an active and efficient government. Hasn't the time come yet, under all the current pressing circumstances, to liberate the process of the formation of the government-to-be from attractions and from hiding behind rescue initiatives to deviate from the unified rules and criteria that must be respected and implemented on everyone in order to straighten the formation and functioning of the executive branch? Especially that this government has ahead of it missions that are labeled as immediate, urgent and rescue-oriented, most notably launching the workshop of pressing structural reforms, rebuilding Beirut and healing its wounds, developing the financial recovery plan and embodying it in laws and implementing decrees.

My fellow Lebanese,
Three months and a half have gone by since the disaster of the Beirut Port blast, and Lebanon and the world are still waiting for the outcome of the investigation. With all due respect to the confidentiality of the probe which is imposed by law and to the independence of the Judiciary, I - from my position - call for its acceleration, with no rush, because the Lebanese, and in particular those who were directly hit by the calamity, notably the wounded, the parents of the victims and the right holders, are entitled to know the results: first to unveil the truth, criminalize the culprit and exonerate the wrongfully accused, and second to free the rights of the affected.

Evidently, the investigation should include all the aspects of the disaster and not be merely confined to administrative responsibilities.

My fellow Lebanese,
Amid the challenges that we are faced with and that surround our country, it is imperative to affirm that Lebanon holds on to its full sovereign borders, and hopes that negotiations on the demarcation of the Southern maritime borders will bear fruit, whereas Lebanon will recover all its rights, pursuant to international pacts, and the Blue Line will be corrected to fit the delineated, fixed and internationally-recognized land borders.

As for what is going on around us and in the world in terms of drastic international and regional changes and transformations, what is striking therein is the recognition of Israel by many Arab States which marched towards full normalization with it; and this implies, unfortunately, a tacit acceptance of the loss of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the Golan, along with an increased frequency of American pressure before the new administration takes office, and a renewed involvement of Russia in the file of the displaced.

These changes will undoubtedly have important repercussions on Lebanon, and it is not up to any official or government to decide solely the policies that ought to be adopted regarding the new reality that requires great solidarity, especially that we are on the verge of deadlines that may change the face of the region.

It is therefore a must to launch a national dialogue to discuss the changes imposed in all political, security and defense sectors, in order to be able to keep up with this phase, whereas all differences are put aside and wills converge to come up, together, with a unified position that fortifies Lebanon and does not allow it to be the sacrifice and scapegoat of greater understandings.

Here I wish to address the Armed Forces...

Dear Soldiers,
We have an oath in common: for me, the oath of preserving the Constitution, the laws and the country's independence and territorial integrity, and for you, the oath of defending and protecting the nation. At this stage, your role is pivotal, not only to protect and defend the borders, but also to safeguard the national unity that many are seeking to undermine. This is your main mission today, and I am fully confident that you will carry it out with utmost faithfulness and commitment.

In turn, I promise you that I will not relinquish any of Lebanon's rights, nor will I sign any project that does not serve its interest.

My Fellow Lebanese,
Lebanon was notified yesterday of the regrettable decision of the forensic auditing firm Alvarez & Marsal to withdraw from the mission that was assigned to it, because the Banque du Liban has not provided it with the required information and documents which enable it to carry out its work according to the applicable international standards, and because of uncertainty that it would receive them during the remaining period.

The least that can be said under these circumstances is that this is a setback for the logic of Statehood, disclosure, accountability, judgement and transparency, because forensic audit is the gateway to every reform, for it is capable of pointing out the locations of corruption and waste, and identifying the causes of the present collapse and the people responsible for it; it had also been decided that this audit would apply to all ministries, administrations and institutions after the Central Bank, because without it, it would be vain to fight corruption. Moreover, the audit is included in all reform papers, especially the French initiative, and it is one of the prerequisites for getting assistance programs from the International Monetary Fund, the States and the donor funds...Nevertheless - or let's say therefore - the obstacles and bumps that the audit encountered were numerous, and as it overcame a hurdle, another one - harsher and harder - would emerge, and the interest-driven roadblocks remained raised in its face with a masterful camouflage, till they finally managed to strike this blow to it.

I hereby state it most clearly:

I will not pull out or part with my battle against the endemic corruption in our institutions, although it is currently an unequal battle against a solid system that has been holding the junctions of financial decisions for decades.

I will not back off in the issue of forensic financial audit, no matter what the obstacles may be, and I will take the necessary measures to re-launch its financial track.

I call on the deputies of the nation to fulfill their legislative duty on the basis of which people granted them their confidence.

And I call on the media to fight this battle with utmost honesty and transparency because here is the real battlefield for the fight against corruption.

As for you, my fellow compatriots, I call on you to stand up together, to exert pressure where needed and raise the voice in the right place in view of winning this fight, because this is the fundamental battle to save Lebanon.


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