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Excerpts: Distinguishing Christian and Muslim Arabs. Saudi support for

Thursday, February 20, 2014 15:28
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(Before It's News)

Excerpts: Distinguishing Christian and Muslim Arabs. Saudi support for =

Syrian children. Iran unveils ‘economy of resistance’. Syria to miss =

chemical destruction deadline. Iran bans new reformist newspaper. Iraq pays =

bounty for foreign jihadists. King Hussein,an inspiring teacher. Natural ga=
s =

to Jordan. February 20, 2014

+++SOURCE: Al Arabya News 20 Feb.=9214:=94Israeli bill distinguishing Chris=
tian =

and Muslim Arabs advances=94,by Staff Writer
SUBJECT: Distinguishing Christian and Arab Muslims in Israel

QUOTE: =93Christians are a minority group separate from Arabs and give them =

their own representation on the Advisory Committee for Equal Opportunity in =

Employment Commission=94

FULL TEXT :A proposal to legally differentiate Christian and Muslim Arabs i=
n =

Israel passed its second and third readings in the Knesset Labor, Health, =

and Welfare Committee on Wednesday[19 Feb.], the daily news website the =

Jerusalem Post reported.

The proposal first presented by Yariv Levin, the coalition chairman for the =

governing conservative Likud-Yisrael Beitenu faction, aims to identify =

Christians as a minority group separate from Arabs and give them their own =

representation on the Advisory Committee for Equal Opportunity in Employmen=
t =

Commission.

=93I don=92t try to change the reality; the reality is there. There is a bi=
g =

difference between Christians and Muslims, and they deserve recognition and =

separate representation,=94 Levin said. =93They do not see themselves as Ar=
abs. =

They say =91we are not Arabs =96 we are separate,=92 and for 60 years the s=
tate =

treated all minorities as one homogeneous group, and it was a mistake.=94

=93In Israel, suddenly there is no difference between Arabs and everything =
is =

perfect,=94 he added.

=93In Nazareth many Christians are not treated well by Muslims, and many of =

them want to serve in the army and be an integral part of building the =

country. Christians see that this is the most secure place in the region fo=
r =

them, and they want to work together to stop extremist Muslims,=94 Levin =

explained.

Reacting to the proposed bill, The Abraham Fund, an international non-profi=
t =

dedicated to promoting coexistence between the Jewish and Arab citizens of =

Israel, wrote a letter to the Knesset committee expressing its objection.

=93We believe that the government should immediately desist from a policy o=
f =

divide and rule toward the Arab minority in Israel and from the attempt to =

create divisions between groups within the minority in order to dismantle =

its collective identity,=94 the letter read.

=93Profound issues regarding the relations between the Jewish majority and =
the =

Palestinian Arab minority in Israel cannot be solved by means of the =

legislative definition of identity categories convenient for the majority,=
=94 =

it said.

The bill is the first time in formal legislation that Christian and Muslim =

Arabs would be separated as under the proposal Christian Arabs are no longe=
r =

identified as Arabs, Aya Ben-Amos, the director of public policy and =

communications for The Abraham Fund said.

People discriminate against Arabs in the job market based on their name or =

accent, not because they are Christians or Muslims, she added.

=93I don=92t think that the change in reality should be that employers =

differentiate between Christians and Muslims and prefer one over the other, =

but rather that it should be change toward nondiscrimination toward all =

Arabs,=94 Ben-Amos said.

=93The motivation is about preferring Arab Christians over Muslims,=94 she =
said, =

adding that trying to isolate Muslim Arabs would lead to more =

discrimination.

About 123,000 Arab Christians live in Occupied Palestine, and another =

226,000 reside in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, according to the CIA =

statistics.

Churches in the West Bank are often targeted in anti-Christian =93price tag=
=94 =

attacks by Israeli settlers.

Palestinians and Arab citizens of Israel are also frequently victims of =

racist incidents in areas under Israeli control, and their perpetrators are =

rarely prosecuted.

+++Al Arabiya News 20 Feb.=9214:=94Saudi announces solidarity day with Syri=
an =

children=94 by Staff Writer
SUBJECT: Saudi support for Syrian children

QUOTE: =93to cover the needs of thousands of Syrian children=94

FULL TEXT:Saudi Arabia will hold next week a =93Day of Solidarity=94 for th=
e =

thousands of Syrian children affected by the war in their country, the =

kingdom=92s state-run agency said on Thursday[20 Feb.].

=93King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has instructed that a =91day of solidarity=
=92 with =

the children of Syria be organized at the national level [in order] to cove=
r =

the needs of thousands of Syrian children,=94 the Saudi Press Agency said.

The Syrian conflict, now almost in its third year, has hit all strata of =

Syrian society, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly and =

children.

The objective of the solidarity day, according to the SPA, is to help cover =

the needs of the thousands of Syrian children living in tragic and difficul=
t =

circumstances and help international efforts in improving their living =

conditions.

The Syrian war has led to one of the world=92s most severe refugee crises, =

with millions of Syrians either internally displaced or hosted in =

neighboring states such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.

Prince Mohammad bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, the general supervisor of the Saudi =

National Campaign to Support Brothers in Syria, has ordered that =

preparations for the day of solidarity be completed by Tuesday, Feb. 25, th=
e =

SPA said.

The King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh will host an event starting 7:00 =

p.m. with participation at both the official and popular levels, the agency =

added.

+++SOURCE: Saudi Gazette 20 Feb.=9214:=94Iran unveils =91economy of resista=
nce=92 =93

SUBJECT:Iran unveils =91economy of resistance=92

QUOTE: Avatollah Ali Khamenei called Western sanctions =91a full-fledged =

economic war=92

FULL TEXT:TEHRAN =97 Iran’s top leader ordered the government Wednesday to =

create an “economy of resistance” to counter sanctions imposed over Tehran’=
s =

nuclear program.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Western sanctions “a full-fledged economic =

war” and said Iran is determined to force the West to retreat.

Iran has been hit hard by sanctions that have hit, among other targets, its =

vital oil sector. The program requires the government to diversify Iran’s =

exports, reduce dependence on sales of raw materials and promote =

knowledge-based high-tech industries.

“If (Iran) pursues … an economy of resistance, we will overcome economic =

problems and will defeat the enemy … that has imposed a full-fledged =

economic war against this great nation,” he said in his order which was =

posted on his website leader.ir.

Under the program, the government must take action to expand production and =

export of knowledge-based products, increase domestic production of =

strategic goods and develop markets in neighboring countries.

The program also encourages greater privatization and increased exports of =

electricity, gas, petrochemical and oil by-products instead of crude oil an=
d =

other raw materials.

Iranian officials say it will be harder to target oil byproducts with =

sanctions that it will be to target crude.

Western sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program also shut Iran out of the =

international banking system, making it hard for its remaining customers in =

Asia and elsewhere to pay.

An interim nuclear deal reached in November with world powers has eased som=
e =

sanctions but the core remains in place =97 including measures targeting =

Iran’s oil exports, the pillar of its economy.

Crude oil exports account for nearly 80 percent of Iran’s foreign revenue =

but have been reduced by half in the past two years due to stepped up =

sanctions. It currently exports about 1 million barrels a day =97 compared =
to =

2.2 million in 2011.

Iran says its non-oil exports have increased to about $40 billion a year, =

showing an annual 20 percent increase.

Iran and the six-nation group =97 the five permanent members of the UN =

Security Council plus Germany =97 began talks for a final deal in Vienna =

Tuesday[18 Feb.].

Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters in Iran, has said he =

had accepted the talks but doubts they will succeed, saying Washington is =

using the nuclear issue as an “excuse” to pressure the country.

In his order, Khamenei has asked the government to closely monitor sanction=
s =

and impose costs on the “enemy,” a reference to the US.

The West suspects that some Iranian nuclear activities are intended to give =

it the ability to build a weapon. Iran denies this, saying its program is =

for peaceful purposes. =97 AFP

+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 20 Feb.=9214:=94Syria to Miss Chemical Destru=
ction =

Deadline=94, Agence France Presse
SUBJECT: Syria to miss chemical destruction deadline
FULL TEXT:Syria will miss a U.N.-backed June 30 deadline to destroy its =

chemical arsenal, possibly by several months, sources said Thursday[20 =

Feb.], amid growing Western frustration with Damascus’ perceived delays.

With just 11 percent of Syria’s chemicals out of the country after a series =

of missed deadlines, an Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon=
s =

(OPCW) meeting on Friday[21

Feb.] will hear calls for Syria to do more.

Because of the missed deadlines, Syria has submitted a new 100-day timefram=
e =

that sees all its chemicals removed from the country by the last week of =

May, a source close to the matter told AFP.

The chemicals must then be taken from Syria’s main port Latakia by Western =

warships to a U.S. vessel, the MV Cape Ray, aboard which they will be broke=
n =

down at sea using hydrolysis, a process expected to take 90 days.

That would put the destruction well beyond the June 30 deadline agreed by =

Russia and the U.S. last year as part of a plan to avert U.S.-backed =

military strikes in the wake of deadly chemical attacks outside Damascus =

blamed by the West on President Bashar Assad’s regime.

“The Syrians said they could complete getting the agents out of the country =

by the end of May, that’s unacceptable,” said the source.

The U.N. Security Council on February 6 called on Syria to move faster, =

transporting chemicals and agents to Latakia “in a systematic and =

sufficiently accelerated manner”.

Western diplomats at an OPCW Executive Council meeting last month expressed =

frustration with the repeatedly delayed process, accusing Syria of =

unilaterally changing the June 30 destruction deadline into a deadline for =

the chemicals to have left the country.

“They’re going to be several months over the destruction deadline, but =

they’re saying if it’s all out of the country by June 30 then so what?” a =

diplomatic source said.

An OPCW-U.N. Operational Planning Group has come up with an alternative tha=
t =

would reduce the 100-day Syrian plan by 63 days, but the June 30 deadline =

would still not be met, said a source close to the matter.

Diplomats nevertheless want to keep the mid-2014 deadline, however =

unrealistic.

“As long as the June 30 date hasn’t passed, it must be kept as a target,” =

said the source.

Most countries at the OPCW’s Executive Council are frustrated with the =

delays, although Russia, China, Iran and India do not want to put more =

pressure on Damascus, the source said ahead of Friday’s “intense” talks.

“There’s no question of haggling, the deadlines have been agreed and they =

must be respected,” the source said.

Syria has said it does not have the right material to transport the =

chemicals and that it has been hampered by the security situation in the =

war-torn country.

So-called Priority 1 chemicals were supposed to be destroyed by March 31 bu=
t =

“they won’t even be out of Latakia by then,” a diplomatic source said.

Syria is supposed to have completely destroyed its chemical weapon =

production facilities by March 15, with another OPCW Executive Council =

meeting to be held before then.

Syria has declared around 700 tons of most dangerous chemicals, which were =

supposed to have left the country by the end of 2013, 500 tons of less =

dangerous precursor chemicals, which were supposed to have left the country =

by February 5, and around 122 tons of isopropanol.

So far just three small shipments have left Latakia, to be taken to Italy =

and transferred for destruction onto the U.S. ship MV Cape Ray.

Syria’s isopropanol is to be destroyed by March 1, according to the =

internationally-agreed timetable, and that task is 93-percent completed, a =

diplomatic source said, with the remaining seven percent “in a currently =

inaccessible location”.

U.N. Security Council resolution 2118 was passed after a massive chemical =

weapon attack that killed hundreds in several opposition areas around =

Damascus in August.

Rebels and the regime exchanged blame for that attack.

+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 20 Feb,=9214:=94Iran Bans Newly Launched Refo=
rmist =

Newspaper=94, Agence France Presse
SUBJECT: Iran bans new reformist newspaper
FULL TEXT:Iran’s judiciary has banned a newly launched reformist daily over =

an article seen as insulting to Islamic law, prosecutors said on Thursday.

“Aseman newspaper has been banned for publishing an article that insults =

Islam’s sacred beliefs and articles against Islamic regulations,” the offic=
e =

of Tehran’s prosecutor said on its website.

“In an article run by the newspaper on Tuesday, it called ‘qesas’ inhumane,=
” =

it added in reference to the Islamic law of vengeance.

The statement said Aseman’s managing director, Abbas Bozorgmehr, also faced =

prosecution.

In response, Bozorgmehr said the newspaper had published the word “inhumane=
” =

in an “unintentional mistake”.

“I omitted the suffix inhumane in the edited version, but unfortunately the =

technical team sent the unedited version for publishing. Considering that =

our newspaper is newly launched and has a shortage of facilities, such =

mistakes can happen,” he told ISNA news agency.

“Some (people) want to use this incident for political mileage to eliminate =

a rival.”

The ban on Aseman, whose name means “sky” in Persian, comes just five days =

after its launch.

Bahar, another reformist newspaper, was ordered closed in October for =

publishing an article seen by critics as questioning the beliefs of Shiite =

Islam.

Mohammadreza Baqerzadeh, a cleric at a religious think tank, blamed the =

approach of President Hassan Rouhani’s reputedly moderate administration fo=
r =

such “attacks” on the law.

“Such comments and remarks made by those who do not believe in Islamic =

teachings are caused by the formation of a cultural atmosphere of the (new) =

government,” Baqerzadeh told Fars news agency.

Rouhani, who was elected in June last year, has vowed to work for more =

cultural liberation and social freedom.

SourceAgence France Presse

+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 20 Feb.=9214:=94Iraq Offers Hefty Bounties fo=
r =

Killing, CapturingdJihadists, Agence France Presse
SUBJECT: Iraq pays bounty for foreign jihadists

QUOTE: =93But nothing has yet succeeded in bringing the rampant bloodshed =

under control=94

FULL TEXT:Iraq, struggling to curb its worst violence in years, is offering =

bounties of up to $25,000 for killing or capturing a foreign jihadist =

fighter, state television reported Thursday.

The defense ministry is offering 20 million dinars ($16,666/12,165 euros) t=
o =

anyone who “kills a foreign terrorist from ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq =

and the Levant) and al-Qaida” and 30 million dinars to anyone who captures =

“a terrorist from among them,” it reported.

ISIL is a powerful jihadist group that carries out frequent attacks in Iraq=
, =

and has also flourished across the border during Syria’s bloody civil war.

The bounties are the latest in a series of measures Iraq has enacted in a =

bid to curb a year-long surge in violence, which has reached levels not see=
n =

since 2008, when the country was emerging from a brutal period of sectarian =

killings in which tens of thousands died.

Authorities have tried everything from wide-ranging operations against =

militants and offers of training and jobs for tribesmen who fight for the =

government, to restricting vehicle use in the capital.

But nothing has yet succeeded in bringing the rampant bloodshed under =

control.

Violence in Iraq has killed over 1,500 people so far this year, and left =

more than 6,800 dead in 2013, according to Agence France Presse figures =

based on security and medical sources.

SourceAgence France Presse

+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 20 Feb.=9214:=94King Hussein was inspiring =

teacher =96Prince Hassan=94 Petra
SUBJECT: King Hussein,an inspiring teacher
FULL TEXT:AMMAN =97 HRH Prince Hassan on Wednesday[19 Feb.] said His Majest=
y =

the late King Hussein was his inspiring teacher for decades where the two =

worked together to serve public interest.

Delivering a lecture upon an invitation from the Jordan Media Institute, on =

the occasion of the 15th anniversary of King Hussein=92s passing, Prince =

Hassan said the conspiracies that were woven against this region represente=
d =

major challenges for King Hussein, recounting his beginnings and =

achievements in terms of political work.

At the lecture =97 attended by JMI founder HRH Princess Rym Ali, several me=
dia =

officials and JMI students =97 Prince Hassan said: =93You have to understan=
d the =

past to understand the present.=94 Addressing students, he underlined the =

importance of setting priorities and learning how to run resources, =

stressing the importance of institutionalised Arab action.

+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 20 Feb.=92134:=94Potash company to import Israeli g=
as at =

preferential prices=94=94, by Mohammad Ghazal

SUBJECT: Nobel Energy and Israeli partners to provide natural Gas to Jordan

QUOTE: =93APC Chairman Jamal Al Sarayrah said . . .the cost- effective gas =

will =91 enhance APC=92s competitiveness in the global market and its =

profitability=92 =93

FULL TEXT: AMMAN =97 The US-based Noble Energy will provide the Arab Potash =

Company (APC) with two billion cubic metres of natural gas at preferential =

prices under a $771 million agreement signed between the two sides on =

Wednesday[19 Feb.].

Under the 15-year agreement, Noble Energy and its Israeli partners will =

provide the company with natural gas that will help reduce the company=92s =

production costs, according to stakeholders.

APC Chairman Jamal Al Sarayrah said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan =

Times that the cost-effective gas will =93enhance APC=92s competitiveness i=
n the =

global market and its profitability, improve the prospects for future growt=
h =

and expansion, and help protect the job security of the company=92s employe=
es =

who number more than 2,000=94.

The APC=92s statement did not make any mention of Israel. However, sources =
and =

reports said the deal entails extending a pipeline from the Israeli Tamar =

gas field to the south of the Dead Sea and extending it to the APC.

It will take two years to complete the required infrastructure after which =

natural gas supply is expected to start in 2016, according to the company.

A senior energy official told The Jordan Times that the Cabinet =93gave APC =

the permission to import Israeli gas=94.

In a statement on its website, the Israeli Delek Group announced that Delek =

Drilling Limited Partnership and Avner Oil Exploration signed a deal with =

Noble Energy to partner with the US company in exporting natural gas from =

the Tamar project in Israel to APC and its affiliate, the Jordan Bromine =

Company.

Partners in the Tamar field are Noble Energy, which holds 36 per cent of =

stake, Isramco Negev (28.75 per cent), Avner Oil Exploration (15.6 per =

cent), Delek Drilling (15.65 per cent) and Dor Gas Exploration (4 per cent).

Jordan relied for years on relatively cheap gas supplies from Egypt, but =

since the Arab Spring erupted in the Arab African country, the gas pipe tha=
t =

supplied Jordan and Israel has been subject to sabotage frequently, pushing =

Jordan to rely on the expensive fuel, leading to crippling the national =

economy.

The deal, Sarayrah said, will help APC restore its position as one of the =

lowest-cost producers of potash across the world.

=93Up until 2008, APC was ranked among the lowest-cost producers of potash =

worldwide, giving it a powerful competitive edge in the global market=85. o=
ur =

favourable cost structure and solid performance enabled us to contribute =

millions of dinars in taxes, royalties and fees to the national Treasury =

annually, and millions more to community development through our corporate =

social responsibility programmes,=94 he said.

However, due to the continued rise of tariffs and energy prices over the =

past few years, the company is at present among the world=92s highest-cost =

potash producers, he said. =93This contract represents meaningful action to =

help improve our competitive position,=94 he added.

Commenting on the deal, APC General Manager Brent Heimann said the shift =

from heavy fuel to the less expensive and more eco-friendly natural gas is =

projected to produce total cost savings of JD235 million, or average saving=
s =

of JD11 per tonne of potash produced.

=93This is essential to maintain our long-term operations and growth as Jor=
dan=92s =

largest private sector earner of hard currency, one of the largest =

contributors to the Treasury, and one of the largest private sector =

employers in the country, particularly as we cope with the drop in global =

potash prices,=94 said Heimann.

The company=92s net profits fell to JD130.7 million in 2013 from JD198 mill=
ion =

in 2012 because of a rise in cost of production due to an increase in fuel =

and energy costs as well as a drop in prices globally, the company said in =
a =

recent statement on Amman Stock Exchange website.

Heimann said: =93APC conducted extensive studies which showed that the =

conversion to natural gas is the optimal energy solution, and after =

exploring realistic possible source of gas, the deal with Noble Energy =

emerged as the most reliable and cost-effective option available.=94

He added that the agreement is strictly between the APC and Jordan Bromine =

Company on the one hand, and on the other NBL East Mediterranean Marketing =

Limited, which is owned by Noble Energy of Houston, Texas.

The agreement with APC is the second natural gas agreement in the region =

involving Noble Energy. In January 2014, the energy company signed an =

agreement with the Palestine Power Generating Company for the supply of =

natural gas.

Among the APC=92s stakeholders are Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, whic=
h =

owns 27.96 per cent, the Ministry of Finance (26.88 per cent) and the Arab =

Mining Company (19.92 per cent).
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Sue Lerner – Associate, IMRA =

________________________________________
IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on A=
rab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il

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