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Gemayel to visit U.S. to speak on “existential threats” facing Christians

(WASHINGTON, DC) — Former President of Lebanon Amine Gemayel will travel to the United States next week, to speak about “existential threats” facing Middle Eastern Christians.

He will deliver a speech entitled “Religious Pluralism in the Middle East: A Challenge to the International Community” at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA on March 25.

Gemayel, who served as Lebanon’s President from 1982 to 1988, issued an early warning of possible “genocide” against Middle East Christians as the “Arab Spring” uprisings began in early 2011.

Former President Gemayel’s Boston College address comes two days before the UN Security Council meets to address the crisis of growing persecution of Christians in the Middle East.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who will chair the Security Council on the 27th of March, has called on the body to take a stand against atrocities committed by jihadists who “deny that minorities have the right to exist”.

Amine Gemayel continues to serve as the leader of Lebanon’s Kataeb Party and the head of the Beit-al-Mustakbal think tank.

His appearance at Boston College is co-sponsored by Christian Solidarity International (CSI) and by Boston College’s Slavic and Eastern Languages and Literature, Political Science and Theology Departments and the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life.

Gemayel’s Boston College speech is the latest in CSI’s series of talks on ‘The Future of Religious Minorities in the Middle East’. For more information visit middle-east-minorities.com.

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President Obama nominates U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon as new envoy to Pakistan

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — President Barack Obama nominated U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale to become the new envoy to Pakistan, according to the Associated Press.

Hale is a career diplomat and longtime Middle East expert who has been based in Lebanon since 2013. He previously served as the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace from 2011 to 2013.

If confirmed by the Senate, Hale will replace outgoing ambassador Richard Olson, who represented U.S. interests and citizens in Islamabad since 2012.

Hale is a native of New Jersey and graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He speaks fluent Arabic.

Sources say Hale left Lebanon on Sunday to travel to Washington D.C. to meet with U.S. officials about the Islamabad position.

He has held posts in Jordan, Tunisia, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, where he received several department Superior and Meritorious Honor awards.

Hale became U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon on August 1, 2013, succeeding former ambassador Maura Connelly, who served in Beirut from 2010 to 2013.

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut recently led a $25 million shipment of weapons from the United States to help Lebanon fight extremists along the border with Syria. Hale said the U.S. would continue to help Lebanon “until the job is done.”

It is unclear who would fill his position in Lebanon, if the senate confirms Obama’s nomination.

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 Lifestyle, News

Meet Carol Malouf: A Lebanese woman helping Syrian refugees

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Carol Malouf has many titles — journalist, political consultant, university lecturer, and media advisor. But in recent years, she’s added social activist to that list after launching a Lebanese NGO to help Syrian refugees.

“Lebanese for Refugees” was founded in December 2013 after Malouf was contacted by the municipality of Arsal to document the plight of over 400 Syrian refugee families, according to a report by Global Voices Online.

Malouf was inspired to raise money to provide blankets to Syrian refugees in Lebanon during cold winter months. But she realized it wasn’t enough.

The project quickly grew into large donation drives of clothes, shoes, toys, blankets, food and money, using more than two dozen trucks to distribute the aid to several refugee camps.

The NGO has raised more than $100,000 in just three months from December 2013 to March 2014, and $20,000 in January 2015 alone.

The donations come from independent donors and other NGOs and organizations, including the Islamic Relief Committee, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, the European Union, and Foodblessed.

Despite Malouf’s attention to refugees, she hasn’t lost her roots in journalism. She writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph, Al Jazeera English, and Al Joumhouria, among others. She is also a frequent commentator and analyst for ABC News Australia and other Lebanese TV stations.

Malouf was also the founding member and Senior Middle East Producer at Al Jazeera English, where she extensively covered regional and international news and political stories.

She holds a masters degree in politics from the University of Exeter and a bachelors degree in international relations. She is fluent in Arabic, English and French.

If you wish to donate to “Lebanese for Refugees”, visit their Indiegogo campaign at this link.

WATCH Malouf talk about the refugee crisis in Lebanon on France 24:

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UAE to deport 70 Lebanese citizens; VP denies targeting Shiite Muslims

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — The United Arab Emirates has ordered 70 Lebanese citizens, mostly Shiite Muslims, to leave the country, according to a report by Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Friday.

The ministry said in a statement that Bassil called his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan to discuss the issue.

“The Lebanese in the Emirates fully merge into the Emirati society and abide by its laws. They are a good factor in this dear country,” the statement said.

The Associated Press reports that hundreds of Lebanese have been “quietly deported” from the UAE since 2009. Deportation of Shiite Muslims have escalated since Hezbollah joined Syrian government forces in the neighboring civil war.

Reports add that gulf states are worried about the rise of Shiite Iran’s influence in the Arab world.

In 2013, Qatar deported 18 Lebanese expatriates after the Gulf Cooperation Council imposed sanctions against Hezbollah for its military intervention in Syria.

Hassan Alayan, a former deportee and now leader of a committee helping Lebanese deported from the UAE, told The Associated Press that it’s “unacceptable” to target citizens based on religion.

“It is a mistake for a state in the 21st century to adopt a policy of revenge on a sectarian or political basis,” he said. “This is dangerous and unacceptable.”

Prime Minister Tammam Salam said he met with UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al-Maktoum during an ongoing conference in Egypt.

Salam says the vice president vowed to follow up on the matter with UAE authorities, stressing that there is no official decision to target Lebanese citizens.

He adds that all measures taken against some Lebanese expatriates are linked to “security concerns.”

The UAE hosts more than 100,000 Lebanese workers.

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 Lifestyle, News

Want to combat corruption in Lebanon? There’s an app for that!

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — It’s no secret that bribery, nepotism, embezzlement, kickbacks, and vote-buying often plague Lebanese institutions and government agencies. In fact, the Global Integrity Index classifies Lebanon as a “very weak country” in terms of integrity.

But a Beirut-based NGO is trying to change the culture of corruption by encouraging Lebanese citizens to report an act of corruption when they witness it.

The app is called “Sakker El Dekkene”, or “Shut the Store” in English, and it was founded by Lebanese anti-corruption activist Rabih El Chaer. Citizens can anonymously report bribes, kickbacks, and other corruption by simply entering the name of the agency and description.

El Chaer says the reports are then published online for other citizens and government agencies to see. He adds that curious lawmakers have already begun watching the app, as over 3,000 Lebanese citizens have begun issuing reports.

“Corruption weighs in our lives, limits our access to information, blurs our critical thinking, impedes change and lock us in a vicious cycle of economic and political inefficiency,” said El Chaer. “We rationalize corruption and make it look acceptable to the extent that we have no incentive to act against it.”

Does this sound familiar?

El Chaer says the app could serve as a solution to introduce reforms that combat corruption.

“Our reporting tools will uncover and measure corruption across the sectors and services of the administration,” he said. “These metrics will allow to assess, plan and implement targeted reforms.”

El Chaer is the founder of the Human Rights Center at the University of the Holy Spirit in Lebanon. He was formerly the Managing Director of the Lebanese Transparency Association and a legal advisor to the Minister of Interior and Municipalities.

For more information about the app, click here.

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 Entertainment, News

Amal Clooney joins Columbia Law School as professor

(NEW YORK, NY) — Lebanese human rights attorney Amal Clooney has accepted a position as a visiting professor and senior fellow at Columbia Law School in New York City.

Clooney will join the prestigious university’s Human Rights Institute, where she will lecture on human rights law and international tribunal cases.

“It is an honor to be invited as a visiting professor at Columbia Law School alongside such a distinguished faculty and talented student pool,” said Clooney. “I look forward to getting to know the next generation of human rights advocates studying here.”

Clooney graduated from the University of Oxford in England and the New York University School of Law. She also worked for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Kofi Annan as a senior adviser when he was the U.N.’s envoy on Syria.

“We are privileged to have an international human rights practitioner of Amal Clooney’s stature join our faculty,” said Professor Sarah H. Cleveland, co-director of the university’s Human Rights Institute. “Her extensive experience advocating before U.N. and regional human rights mechanisms complements our existing offerings and will enrich the experience of our students.”

Clooney has handled cases before the International Criminal Court and Court of Justice, including several domestic international law cases in the United States and England.

She’s also writing a book called The Right to a Fair Trial in International Law, and is the co-editor of The Special Tribunal for Lebanon: Law and Practice.

Professors say they’re honored to welcome Clooney to their faculty.

“Amal Clooney’s dedication to public service and her diverse human rights litigation experience will inspire and guide our students as they learn how to use the law to advance social justice,” said Sarah Knuckey, director of the Human Rights Clinic.

“We are thrilled to welcome her to Columbia Law School’s community of international law scholars, practitioners, and students.”

 

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 Entertainment, News

Fadel Shaker says he wants to return to “normal life”

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Former Lebanese pop star turned Islamist militant Fadel Shaker said he wants to return to his “normal, natural life” in an interview with Beirut-based LBC-TV.

Shaker is wanted on charges of committing crimes against the Lebanese Army, after fleeing street battles in Sidon between Sunni Muslim militants and the army in June 2013. The battles killed over 50 people and 17 soldiers, according to Al-Arabiya.

If convicted, Shaker could face the death penalty. But Shaker denies all charges, claiming he never advocated for any radical battles against any member of the army.

“I never participated at all in the battle,” he said. “I never carried a weapon. Everybody knows that and the army knows it too.”

Shaker’s lawyer May Khansa said Fadel planned to turn himself in “in the coming days.” Al-Akhbar reports that this may result in a lighter sentence for the former singer.

In 2013, Shaker was allegedly recorded taunting the Lebanese Army, saying “we have two rotting corpses that we snatched from you yesterday.” He has also appeared in videos calling his enemies “pigs and dogs,” according to ABC News.

But he told LBC he had a change of heart — even saying he hoped the Lebanese soldiers captured by the Islamic State and Nusra Front would be freed.

Shaker became a popular pop star in the Middle East in 2002 after a duet with Arab singer Nawal topped the charts in the Arab world. The singer fell under the influence of Sunni cleric Ahmed al-Assir in 2013 after saying he was quitting his career as a singer to “become closer to God.”

He denies asking his fans to stop listening to his music, and adds that he did not have an official Facebook page or Twitter account.

Shaker appeared clean-shaven and in a black suit in the LBC interview, which was filmed in Sidon’s Ain al-Hilwe Palestinian refugee camp, according to the TV station.

Shaker says he grew up in the Ain al-Hilwe camp to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother. He once said he was proud to be Palestinian, and asked Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to grant him citizenship.

WATCH the LBC Report:

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VIDEO: Sheik tells Lebanese journalist to shut up, but she fires back

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese journalist Rima Karaki fired back on Monday night after an interview with Sunni scholar Hani Al-Seba’i turned sour.

Karaki was interviewing Al Seba’i about recent waves of Christians joining ISIS when he began discussing the historical consequences of Christian involvement. That’s when Karaki asked him to redirect the angle to present day.

Al Seba’i became combative after Karaki explained there was a time limit on his interview.

“Please don’t get all worked up,” she said. “We respect you and know you want to give a complete answer.”

But Al Seba’i wasn’t having it. “Are you done?” he asked. “Shut up so I can talk.”

Karaki fired back, asking him how a “respected Sheik can tell a TV host to shut up.” She later asked producers to cut off his microphone and move on with the program.

“Either there is mutual respect, or the conversation is over,” she said.

WATCH the video below:

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VIDEO: Lebanese basketball brawl makes worldwide news

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — A basketball brawl controversy has captured global attention after Lebanese officials banned fans from attending games for spawning a fist fight between players on rival teams.

Sports and Youth Minister Abdul-Muttaleb Hinnawi said his decision to ban fans from entering stadiums until the end of a game was supported by Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk.

The brawl erupted during a Sunday night game between Lebanon’s most popular basketball teams — the Christian-backed Sagesse Club and Sunni Muslim-backed Riyadi Club.

“There is a lack of culture and sportsmanship spirit in Lebanon,” Hinnawi said. “Political corruption has leaked into the stadiums.”

Tempers flared when Riyadi’s Ali Mahmoud and Sagesse’s Terrell Stoglin began exchanging punches, causing several of the home fans to storm the court and attack Sagesse players.

WATCH how the brawl unfolded:

Media reports say four players were injured and the game ended with less than a minute left, with Riyadi leading 109-98.

American news organization ABC News reports that brawls are not uncommon in Lebanon’s stadiums, and similar decisions to ban fans from attending games have been taken in the past.

Both teams took to Facebook to blame each other for the incident, with Al Riyadi claiming it was Stoglin’s “erratic behavior” which started the brawl and Sagesse claiming it was Mahmoud who began the “barbarian attack.”

Last year’s Game 4 of the final series between Sagesse and Riyadi caused a fight between Dewarick Spencer and Loren Woods, sparking a similar brawl between Sagesse fans and Riyadi players.

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Bassil: We are Lebanese before Arab

(MATURIN, VENEZUELA) — Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said Lebanese citizens should focus on national identity and distance themselves from Syrians and Palestinians, in remarks from Venezuela on Sunday.

“We are Lebanese first, after that we can be Syrian and support the Syrian people, or be Palestinian and support the Palestinian people,” he said. “But in Lebanon, we must only be Lebanese.”

Bassil, who described the Lebanese as “Phoenicians and Levantines,” added that Arab alliances are secondary to a Lebanese national identity.

He also criticized countries abroad for referring to many Lebanese as “Turks”.

“We are not Turkish, the Turkish have killed us and starved us,” he said. “We are not united, neither by language, history nor race – we are Arab they are not, so please don’t refer to us as Turks.”

Bassil said Lebanese expatriates should unify with other Arabs based on similar values and political interests.

“Abroad, Lebanese, Palestinians and other Arabs must unite because we have the same cause,” he said.

Bassil also added that Lebanon should not betray Syria because of “deep historic ties” between the countries. He said Lebanon should maintain these ties to ensure Syria would not “consider entering our nation again and think that it needs to protect Lebanon.”

Bassil has been visiting Lebanese expatriates in Latin American countries and signing diplomatic agreements with his counterparts over the past week. He has been praised for being the only minister in decades to visit expatriates in South America.

On Friday, Bassil met with his Venezuelan counterpart Delcy Rodriguez and signed a memorandum of understanding, a joint cooperation agreement, and an agreement on visa exemptions for diplomatic, service and special passports.

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