Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next.
بحضور حشد من الصحافيين والناشطين ومسؤولي الأحزاب والقوى اللبنانية ومندوبي وسائل الإعلام، نفّذت «جبهة الإعلام المقاوم» وقفة استنكارية تنديداً بالسياسات الأميركية وحصار لبنان، ورفضاً لتدخلات السفيرة الأميركية في لبنان دوروثي شيا وإدارتها في شؤون البلاد الداخلية، وعلى خلفية التصريحات التي أدلت بها السفيرة واتهمت فيها فئة من اللبنانيين بالإرهاب ومسؤولية الانهيار الاقتصادي، وذلك في قرية «الساحة» التراثية في بيروت.
شارك في الوقفة الوزير والنائب السابق د. عصام نعمان، رئيس تحرير جريدة «البناء» النائب السابق ناصر قنديل، عضو المجلس الأعلى في الحزب السوري القومي الاجتماعي سماح مهدي وعضو المكتب السياسي وهيب وهبي، عضو المجلس السياسي في حزب الله غالب أبو زينب، عضو المجلس الاستشاري في حركة «أمل» زكي جمعة، عضو المجلس الوطني للإعلام غالب قنديل، المحامية بشرى الخليل، مدير التحرير المسؤول في جريدة «البناء» رمزي عبد الخالق، مسؤول العلاقات مع الأحزاب اللبنانية والفصائل الفلسطينية في التيار الوطني الحر المحامي رمزي دسوم، أمين عام «التجمع العربي والإسلامي لدعم خيار المقاومة» يحيى غدار، المنتج والإعلامي زياد الشويري، الأمين العام لحركة «الأمة» الشيخ عبد الله جبري، رئيس جمعية «ألفة للتقريب» الشيخ صهيب حبلي، مسؤول الإعلام في رابطة الشغيلة حسن حردان، مفوّض الشرق الأوسط في اللجنة الدولية لحقوق الإنسان السفير هيثم أبو سعيد، رئيس تيار «صرخة وطن» جهاد ذبيان، الإعلامي فيصل عبد الساتر، الناشط والخبير الاقتصادي أحمد بهجة، المستشار القانوني قاسم حدرج وحشد من أهل الصحافة والإعلام والمهتمّين.
خلال الوقفة، أكّدت المحامية الخليل على حرية الصحافة المكرّسة في الدستور، مشيرة إلى «أن حكم القاضي محمد مازح لم يتناول السفيرة في الشخصي، إنما تناول جرائم الخطر الناتجة عن تصريحات ومعلومات واتّهامات غير مثبتة قد تعرّض المصلحة الوطنية المحمية قانوناً للخطر، وبمجرد نشرها تُعدّ اعتداءً فعلياً على المصلحة وإخلالاً بالأمن العام. ومن ضمنها الاعتداء على معتقد إحدى الطوائف الدينية، والشيعة في لبنان في اعتداء يومي على معتقداتهم. وبتصريح السفيرة الأميركية تحقّقت أركان هذه الجريمة، ما دفع بالقاضي مازح إلى اتخاذ قراره درءاً للخطر يمنع فيه الوسائل الإعلامية من استصراح السفيرة».
من جهته، أكّد المحامي رمزي دسوم أن ما تقوم به السفيرة الأميركية في لبنان «هو تدخّل واضح في شؤونه وتحريض على شريحة واسعة من اللبنانيين ممثلة في السلطتين التنفيذية والتشريعية»، مشيراً إلى «أن التدخل الأميركي في لبنان ليس جديداً، وأن ما يحصل في لبنان من ضائقة اقتصادية تأتي في سياق الحرب الناعمة لأخذ ما لم يتمكنوا من أخذه بالحرب». وأشار دسوم إلى موقف التيار «الواضح من الصراع العربي الإسرائيلي، وقد أتت أميركا مؤخراً بقانون قيصر لخنق لبنان وسورية، البلد الذي يمثل رئة لبنان».
وتابع: «يتطلّع التيار ليس إلى فتح الحدود مع سورية فحسب، بل مع فلسطين المحتلة لنصلي جميعاً في المسجد الأقصى وفي كنيسة المهد وكنيسة القيامة، مؤكداً أن ليس في عهد الرئيس ميشال عون من يأتي ليملي علينا كيفية التصرف كلبنانيين».
وألقى زكي جمعة كلمة «حركة أمل»، مؤكداً «أنّ لبنان في مواجهة مفتوحة ومباشرة مع الولايات المتحدة الأميركية، وهذه ليست المرة الأولى التي تلجأ فيها أميركا إلى تخفيف وجه الوكلاء لتدخل مباشرة بذاتها. تحاصر أميركا لبنان، البلد المقاوم، بأدواتها الناعمة وقواها المباشرة وغير المباشرة، وتفتح وسائل الإعلام ووسائط التواصل الاجتماعي للتضليل والتشويه وبثّ الشائعات إلى جانب حصار اقتصادي واسع تدرّج منذ سنوات وصولاً إلى ضرب العملة الوطنية».
من جهته رأى عضو المكتب السياسي في الحزب السوري القومي الاجتماعي وهيب وهبي أنّ السفيرة الأميركية «تتدخل بوقاحة في شؤون لبنان الداخلية والمطلوب وضع حدّ لهذه التدخلات».
ولفت إلى أنّ السفيرة الأميركية دوروثي شيا «كانت تعمل في سفارة بلادها لدى كيان العدو الصهيوني، وهي من فريق جون بولتون، وأنّ عملها بعيد كلّ البعد عن العمل الدبلوماسي، لا بل تتبع للأجهزة الاستخبارية الأميركية، وأن قيامها بالتحريض على الفتنة في لبنان، هو عمل مخابراتي بامتياز».
وأضاف: «نقول لهذه السفيرة الأميركية، إنّ محاولات تأليب اللبنانيين على المقاومة، هي محاولات فاشلة، فالمقاومة حرّرت الأرض والأسرى وشكلت معادلة ردع حمت لبنان من الإرهاب الصهيوني، ومن خطر الارهاب الداعشي الذي هو صناعة أميركية بامتياز».
وأشاد وهبي بالقرار الذي أصدره القاضي محمد مازح، والذي «عبّر من خلاله عن التمسك بسيادة لبنان وكرامة اللبنانيين. وقد أصدر حزبنا موقفاً واضحاً بدعم القاضي مازح تقديراً لقراره الشجاع».
وختم وهبي: «إننا نحذّر من التدخلات الأميركية السافرة في شؤون لبنان، وننبّه إلى أنّ السفيرة الأميركية وبعض السفراء الذين تدور دولهم في فلك أميركا، يواصلون من خلال لقاءاتهم التحريض على المقاومة وسلاحها. ولذلك ندعو وزارة الخارجية اللبنانية إلى التشدّد وإلزام هؤلاء السفراء التقيّد بالمعاهدات والقوانين الدولية، وضبط تحركاتهم المشبوهة التي تعد خرقاً للسيادة اللبنانية».
ورأى الشيخ عبد الله جبري أنّ أميركا «هي التي قتلت الشباب العربي في العراق وسورية وفلسطين واليمن، وعملت على تقسيمه وتشتيته وزرع بذور الفتنة بينه»، مشيراً إلى أن «البعض من أبناء الوطن يساعد أميركا في تنفيذ أجندتها، والقاضي مازح تجرّأ واتّخذ قراراً مناسباً ووطنياً وما حصل معه مخزٍ جداً».
من جهته، شدّد يحيى غدار على «أنّ الإدارة الأميركية هي رأس الحربة التي تريد تدمير لبنان»، مؤكداً الوقوف إلى جانب القاضي محمد مازح وموجهاً مطالبته لرئيس الحكومة حسان دياب، «الذي يعلم أنّ هذه السفيرة تريد ضربه، بأن لا يقف مكتوف الأيدي ونحن نرى كيف تلعب السفيرة الأميركية في البلاد إلى حدّ لا يقبله عقل. على رئيس الحكومة أن يتخذّ قراراً حاسماً تجاه السفيرة وبعض وسائل الإعلام تجاه هذا الاستعمار، لتحرير قرارنا كما حررنا أرضنا».
ولفت حسن حردان باسم رابطة الشغيلة إلى أننا «نواجه عدواناً أميركياً شرساً يهدف إلى خنق لبنان للتخلّي عن مقاومته ومعادلته الذهبية «جيش – شعب – مقاومة»، وهي التي حققت المجد، وحمت لبنان من العدوان الصهيوني الذي يهدّدنا كلّ يوم بحراً وبراً وجواً. ويواجه لبنان تمادياً أميركياً في استباحة سيادته، وهذا التدخل بلغ من السفور حتى أقدمت السفيرة عبر وسائل الإعلام على تحريض اللبنانيين على بعضهم البعض وتحميل فئة منهم مسؤولية ضرب العملة الوطنية التي خاضت بلادها حرب الدولار عليها»، مطالباً السفيرة بمغادرة لبنان لانتهاكها المعاهدات والمواثيق الدولية.
واعتبر السفير هيثم أبو سعيد أنّ مشكلة تدخل السفيرة الأميركية في لبنان «بدأت منذ أن تبنّت تحرّك 17 تشرين الأول، وقد تمادت في تدخلها حتى وصلت إلى زوايا الأمور الداخلية في لبنان، وقد أبرقتُ إلى الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة بأنّ هناك حواراً جارياً في بعبدا لطلب تبنّي ثلاث نقاط، السفيرة الأميركية تصرّ على التدخل في مسألة السلاح، ولكن هناك ثلاث مراحل يجب الاتفاق عليها: مَن الجهات التي ستعطي ضمانات للبنان بعد تسليم السلاح؟ هل يحقّ للجيش اللبناني أن يمتلك هذا النوع من الأسلحة كالصواريخ البالستية وغير البالستية؟ ومن الجهة التي ستتسلم السلاح الذي أشار الإسرائيلي إلى أنه خطير جداً»؟
بدوره، أشار المنتج والإعلامي زياد الشويري إلى «أننا نتحرّك دائماً كردّ فعل من دون أن نكون السبّاقين إلى المبادرة قبل الوصول إلى الأوقات الصعبة. يشهد لبنان منذ سنوات طويلة حصاراً مباشراً توّج اليوم بقانون قصير، لكن الهموم الداخلية لا تزال تطغى على الصراعات الاستراتيجية التي يجب أن تأخذ الأولوية، باتخاذنا خطوات تصعيدية تجاه الوجود الأميركي في لبنان. ما حصل مؤخراً خطير جداً، خصوصاً في هذه المرحلة الدقيقة التي يمرّ بها لبنان».
ووجّه رئيس تيار «صرخة وطن» جهاد ذبيان تحية إلى القاضي محمد مازح الذي «كان جادّاً باتخاذه قراراً باسم الشعب اللبناني، والمفارقة حصلت في وسائل الإعلام التي لم تحترم القضاء ولم تتمّ مساءلتها»، مشدّداً على “أنّ المقاومة هي عنوان الكرامة في هذا البلد بل في هذه الأمة، ولا يجوز بأيّ حال من الأحوال السماح لأيّ سفير التدخل في شؤوننا الداخلية، وتحديداً سفيرة الولايات المتحدة التي لا تقوم بأيّ عمل إلا إذا كان لمصلحة العدو الإسرائيلي”.
واعتبر الشيخ صهيب حبلي أنّ دوروثي شيا «ليست سفيرة الولايات المتحدة، إنما سفيرة ترامب، وترامب يعني إسرائيل، وهذا ما يجب توضيحه أولاً».
وقال الصحافي أحمد زين الدين: «نحن لسنا ضعفاء، لقد هزمنا أميركا عندما كنا أضعف من اليوم بكثير، من عام 1949 إلى الآن ولا يزال باستطاعتنا الانتصار. نحتاج إلى تطوير إعلامنا لنكون في مستوى الانتصارات التي حققتها المقاومة».
واختتمت الوقفة بكلمة لرئيس تحرير جريدة «البناء» النائب السابق ناصر قنديل الذي رأى أنّه يجب أن «لا تتحكّم التوجهات السياسية في التعامل مع السفراء، بل يجب أن يحكم في ذلك انتهاك الاتفاقيات والمعاهدات الدولية. ولو جاءت أميركا بالمنّ والسلوى، سنبقى نراها الشيطان الأكبر. الدولة اللبنانية «حيطها واطي» وقد توسّلت للسفيرة ولم تسائلها بشأن كلامها. هذه الدولة يجب أن ترتقي في التعامل مع السفراء الأجانب والعرب إلى مستوى الانتصارات والبطولات التي حققها لبنان ومقاومته. السفراء في لبنان يتصرفون باعتبار لبنان مزرعة فيما الدولة يجب أن تحمي سيادتها. ومن المعيب أن نرى السفيرة الأميركية تجول على المرجعيات الدينية وعلى السياسيين بمختلف مستوياتهم. نحن عيّنا السفيرة مفوّضاً سامياً في لبنان، وهذا أمر يجب أن يُعالَج».
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:20 P.M.) – The Egyptian naval and air forces, along with their special forces, carried out maneuvers along their western border with Libya on Saturday.
During the maneuvers, the Egyptian Armed Forces carried out an amphibious operation, with the support of their air force.
According to the Egyptian army statement, this exercise comes within the framework of the combat training plan for the armed forces’ formations and units in one of the stages of the “Decisive 2020”.
They explained that “this maneuver is on the western strategic border, given the sharp and rapid changes that the region is going through.”
The stage began with the implementation of a group of concentrated air strikes through a number of multi-mission aircraft for the enemy’s command centers, in conjunction with the implementation of a parachute to secure the Ras Shore.
Training was also carried out on different fighting methods and selecting the most appropriate to achieve the tasks in the least possible time and with the least possible losses.
التزامن مع وصول قائد المنطقة الوسطى في الجيش الأميركي الجنرال كينيث ماكنزي إلى مطار بيروت، اعتصم عشرات الأشخاص أمس قرب مدخل المطار، احتجاجاً على نية ماكنزي، والسفيرة الأميركية دوروثي شيا، إقامة احتفال رمزي تكريماً للجنود الأميركيين الذين قُتلوا في تفجير مقر «المارينز» في بيروت يوم 23/10/1983.
وبعد الإعلان عن الاعتصام، اضطر الجانب الأميركي إلى تغيير خطة سير ماكنزي وشيا من المطار، واختصار برنامجهما داخل حرم الميناء الجوي، فلم يخرجا بموكب، بل بمروحية، أقلّتهما من أمام طائرة ماكنزي، إلى موقف السيارات الذي جرى فيه التفجير قبل 37 عاماً، حيث مكثا لدقائق قليلة، قبل أن تغادر بهما المروحية، مع الوفد المرافق، لبدء جولته على المسؤولين السياسيين والعسكريين في بعبدا واليرزة والسراي الحكومي وعين التينة. ورفع المعتصمون شعارات مؤيدة للمقاومة وصور الشهيد عماد مغنية، هاتفين ضد التدخل الأميركي في لبنان.
Iran has postponed the announcement of those it has concluded were responsible for the sabotage at the Natanz nuclear centrifuge facility and probably other sites. However, high ranking personnel in Tehran say that “investigations have concluded and the latest explosions may well have been related; indications are that Israel, plus another Middle Eastern country, are involved. Iran is studying its suitable and inevitable retaliation”.
According to the source, “this has been confirmed beyond any doubt as an act of sabotage. The explosion at Natanz was destructive but security forces managed to thwart further attacks before the planned actions could succeed. We have carried out several arrests”.
The spokesperson of Iran’s parliamentary national security committee Abul’FazlAmoudi said Iran was investigating all possible scenarios related to the Natanz explosion. Security and intelligence officers are looking carefully into the matter and will release the results of the investigation in due course.
“More advanced centrifuges with maximum performance will be built. The Islamic Republic will retaliate against those responsible, wherever they are in the Middle East so that they learn not to repeat similar attacks in the future. The nuclear deal with the US and Europe proved useless because the Americans revoked it and the Europeans did nothing to honor their commitment “for fear of Washington’s retaliation”. The West can no longer be considered a viable partner. Iran has decided a strategic way forward, looking East rather than West”, said the source.
The facts: in recent weeks, several explosions occurred in different locations in Iran. An explosion took place at a medical center north of Tehran causing 19 deaths and 14 wounded. Iran arrested those involved in the explosion that killed mainly medical personnel. A power plant in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahwaz’s al-Zirqan district caught fire last Saturday following an explosion. A chlorine gas leak occurred at a unit of the Karoom petrochemicals plant near the port of Bandar Imam Khomeini in the Persian Gulf injuring dozens. Also, an explosion occurred east of Tehran near the Parchin military and weapons development base caused by a leak in gas storage, as initially reported. “Not all explosions are related to the saboteurs”, said the source.
“We shall not remain silent, because the Rule of Engagement has been violated. That gives Iran the right to retaliation with similar or greater strikes. The sabotage actions were carried out by the Israelis with US approval and the help of a Gulf country. This is a direct threat to Iran’s national security—but we are not in a hurry to retaliate immediately. All options are on the table and we certainly don’t want to support (US President Donald) Trump by giving him the pretext for any retaliation he could benefit from, or by diverting attention from his multiple domestic crises”, said the source.
Iran is present in more than one country and one Middle Eastern platform. It has many options for retaliation against those Tehran considers responsible for one, or for several, acts of sabotage. Iran believes these actions were intended to divert attention from the Natanz explosion that was the main target. Iran will take the case to the International Atomic Energy Agency that has access to Natanz in order to prove that it was an act of sabotage against an officially recognized nuclear site.
According to the high-ranking official, the Iranian-Syrian meeting in Damascus between Major General Mohammad Bagheri and his counterpart General Ali Ayyoub and the agreement signed to strengthen the Syrian air defense system is also a message to Israel for its action in Natanz.
According to officials in Iran, Israel – whose responsibility for the Natanz sabotage Avigdor Lieberman has already avowed – has “directly overseen the attack to slow down Iran’s unchanged path towards peaceful nuclear capability. Moreover, Israel – according to officials – wants Iran to end its support to its allies in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. These unlawful sabotage acts are not new to Iran. Therefore, the road towards nuclear capability will not cease, and support for Iranian allies will obviously increase.”
Israel seems to be trying hard to drag the US into a war situation with Iran because it can’t accept Iran’s growing strength in the Middle East, notwithstanding endless attempts to block Iran’s development during 40 years of sanctions. Israel carried out multiple assassinations against Iranian scientists and high-ranking figures to no avail. Iran has indeed been forced to rely upon itself, build a chain of powerful allies, and find ways to grow independently from the support of the Western countries due to their unfriendly attitude and disregard for signed agreements.
Israel is trying to stimulate the many Gulf countries who are anxious to run into Israel’s arms and establish overt relationships with Israel. These Gulf countries, led by Saudi Arabia, want Israeli support “to break Iran’s back”. That is nothing new; the Israeli-Saudi relationship dates back to the 80s. Bahrein, Qatar, and the Emirates all have established relations with Israel. However, Israel and Saudi Arabia cannot predict the Iranian reaction. Retaliation will come from the Axis of the Resistance. And it will come in an unexpected way.
That Ghislaine Maxwell is finally in custody is certainly satisfying for all of us who believed her completely complicit in the horrible crimes against young girls committed by her associate Jeffrey Epstein. The internet is already alive with speculation regarding how long she will last in prison given the alleged death by suicide that eliminated Epstein in a Manhattan maximum security prison back in August 2019. Before jumping to too many conclusions, however, there are a number of additional developments in her case that should be considered.
First of all, Maxwell’s arrest was not fortuitous. She clearly made some efforts to hide the bulk of her multi-million-dollar fortune, but she has been visible for those who knew where to look. She moved about freely, though keeping a low profile, and made “intentional efforts to avoid detection including moving locations at least twice, switching her primary phone number (which she registered under the name ‘G Max’) and email address, and ordering packages for delivery with a different person listed on the shipping label.”
The 18-page prosecutorial indictment stated that “The Government has identified more than 15 different bank accounts held by or associated with the defendant from 2016 to the present, and during that same period, the total balances of those accounts have ranged from a total of hundreds of thousands of dollars to more than $20 million.” Maxwell was charged with recruiting and “grooming” young women for Epstein to abuse, which could carry as much as a 35 year prison sentence.
As the 58-year old Maxwell, who has British citizenship as well as that of the United States, France and Israel, was considered to be a considerable flight risk she was not allowed bail after her arrest.
During the time while Maxwell was moving about freely, the FBI apparently did not even attempt to interview her. She spent a good deal of time with her lawyers and was reportedly seen having coffee in Los Angeles, shopping near her apartment in Paris, visiting Britain and also staying under protection in Israel. She was born in France and her father, the Israeli spy Robert, is presumed to have had citizenship in the Jewish state, which would have been transferrable to her. Both France and Israel are extremely difficult to deal with when it comes to extradition, so she presumably could have stayed in either country and would have avoided prosecution in the United States. One might also recall that Epstein had a genuine Austrian passport in a false name, a probable indicator of his intelligence agency ties. It is quite possible that Ghislaine also has some form of false identification.
When she was arrested, Ghislaine was living in a luxurious country house on 156 acres in a rural part of New Hampshire. She had bought the property in December for $1.07 million through a limited liability company that does not bear her name which was set up by one of her lawyers. Clearly the police knew exactly where she could be found. The house is a two-hour drive from the Canadian border, which might have been an intended refuge if she felt that the forces of law and order were moving in, but it begs the question as to why she would want to return to the U.S. at all. I rather suspect that she and her lawyers had actually been in touch with the authorities and some kind of plea bargain has been under consideration.
Why now? The timing would seem to relate to other developments. Only last week Federal judge Loretta Preska ruled that the documents relating to Epstein and Maxwell in the possession of litigant victim Virginia Giuffre had to be destroyed. Information about Epstein and Maxwell, extracted from a 2015 civil suit filed against Epstein by Giuffre, appear to have contained the names of individuals with whom Epstein had conducted business, both those he recorded in flagrante as well as his other clients and even his victims.
Preska ruled that Giuffre’s lawyers had obtained the documents improperly and ordered that all the materials in the files “shall be destroyed.” She also demanded proof that the material had been destroyed. The whereabouts of Epstein’s secret tapings is not definitely known, but the FBI did seize all of the papers and other data at the Manhattan mansion after he was arrested. Some believe, however, that Ghislaine has some of the tapes, presumably hidden or in the custody of her lawyers.
The loss of the Giuffre files will seriously damage the criminal case being made by the government against Maxwell as well as the lawsuit being pursued by the victims against the Epstein estate. Ghislaine has been charged with procuring young girls and “grooming” them for sex with Epstein and his prominent clients, all of which she has denied. The upcoming trial could easily end relatively quickly with a toothless admission of guilt by Maxwell and a plea-bargained minimum prison sentence. All documents relating to the case, including any recordings, would be sealed, which would inter alia protect other perceived government equities, namely the prominent individuals and the spy agencies that might have been involved either as victims or perpetrators.
There is every indication that the Justice Department aided and abetted by the media is seeking to bury certain aspects of the Epstein case. A recent documentary on Netflix “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich” carefully avoids any discussion of the likely Israeli espionage aspect of Epstein’s activities. Ghislaine’s father, who introduced Jeffrey to his daughter, was a prominent Mossad spy who received a state funeral in Israel after his mysterious death in 1991 which was attended by the prime minister as well as by all the former and serving heads of that country’s intelligence services.
Additional confirmation of the Israeli connection comes from a recent book by former Israeli intelligence officer Ari Ben-Menashe, who claims that Epstein and partner in crime Ghislaine Maxwell were engaged in blackmailing prominent politicians on behalf of Israel’s foreign intelligence service Mossad. According to Ben-Menashe, the two had been working directly for the Israeli government since the 1980’s and their operation, which was funded by Mossad and also by prominent American Jews, was a classic “honey-trap” which used underage girls as bait to attract well-known politicians from around the world. The politicians would be photographed and video recorded when they were in bed with the girls. Prince Andrew and both Bill Clinton and Donald Trump were visitors to the Epstein New York City mansion where the recordings were made, while Clinton was a regular traveler on the “Lolita Express” airplane that Epstein used to transport his “friends” to his estate in Florida and his private Caribbean Island, referred to by locals as the “Pedophile Island.”
Concerning Maxwell and Epstein, no one in the Justice Department appears to want to ask one simple question that would provide significant clarity if it were to be answered honestly. Conclusive evidence that Jeffrey Epstein was an Israeli or even American intelligence agent might well be derived from the former U.S. Attorney in Miami Alexander Acosta’s comments when being later cleared by the Trump transition team. He was asked “Is the Epstein case going to cause a problem [for confirmation hearings]?” … “Acosta testified that he’d had just one meeting on the Epstein case. He’d cut the non-prosecution deal with one of Epstein’s attorneys because he had ‘been told’ to back off, that Epstein was above his pay grade. ‘I was told Epstein belonged to intelligence and to leave it alone.’”
Why is no one in the various government investigative agencies or the mainstream media interested in what Acosta meant, even though it would be easy enough to ask him? Who told him to back off? And how did they explain it? The simple answer just might be that Epstein was in fact an Israeli spy preying on prominent figures and anything having to do with the Jewish state, no matter how malodorous, is a political hotwire and off limits to Democrats and Republicans alike. If all of that is true, we the public will not be seeing anything like a “show trial” of Ghislaine Maxwell that reveals all and names names. She will quietly disappear into the legal system and before too long she will be out and around again, taking her secrets with her.
The US occupation forces have smuggled another batch of fuel from Syria in continuation of their illegal presence in the country’s oilfields.
The US occupation forces smuggled a convoy full of fuel to Iraq from the areas it occupies in the Syrian al-Jazeera area to Iraq.
State-run SANA news agency cited local sources in al-Yarubiya as saying that 35 vehicles including tanker trucks transporting fuel and a number of trucks crossed al-Yarubiya illegal border crossing northeast of Hasaka on Friday evening, heading from Syria to Iraq.
This is while based on an earlier report by SANA, the US forces smuggled another batch of Syrian fuel by 30 trucks.
In December 2019, the US army deployed armored vehicles, pickups, heavy construction equipment and about 150 rigs to the region despite widespread condemnation of the deployment as being tantamount to robbery.
The deployments came after US President Donald Trump said in October that the US troops would remain in Syria to “secure” the oilfields there. Damascus as well as regional movers and shakers voiced their strong opposition to Trump’s decision to seize Syrian oil fields.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement and answers to media questions at a news conference following political consultations between the foreign ministers of Russia and three African Union countries (South Africa, Egypt and the Congo) via videoconference, Moscow, July 8, 2020
Colleagues,
Today, we held the first political consultation meeting at the foreign minister level between Russia and three members of the African Union. This mechanism was established after the first Russia-Africa Summit held in Sochi last October. These countries are the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are the former, current and next presidents of the African Union.
Russia and Africa are linked by traditional friendly relations, strong political dialogue and extensive trade, economic and investment ties. We have even more ambitious plans in all of these areas. Today, Russia and these African countries expressed their reciprocal interest in further building up cooperation in all areas, including the economy, humanitarian ties and political consultations.
We discussed the priorities of developing cooperation through the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum established by the Russian Foreign Ministry. It was set up for daily contact with the foreign ministries of various African countries and the mechanisms of the African Union and other integration associations in Africa. The Secretariat will oversee the organisational and practical preparations of new initiatives for the next Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for 2022 in accordance with the Sochi agreements.
Having met in Sochi, the heads of state decided that it was expedient to hold these summit meetings once every three years.
We also discussed the energy requirements of the African states. They are growing fast given the African countries’ development rates. We reviewed opportunities for enhancing the energy security of African countries, in particular, by supplying them with hydrocarbon resources and especially by developing the nuclear power industry. Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev gave a relevant presentation. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Alexey Gruzdev spoke about industrial cooperation at our videoconference.
The issues formulated by our African partners today and initiatives on the best ways to develop investment, trade and economic ties will be discussed at the Association of Trade and Economic Cooperation with African Countries. This was established last month by the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum. Large Russian companies are members of this association. They are interested in developing cooperation with African states. In addition to Rosatom, it brings together ALROSA, Gazprombank, Transmashholding, and the Innopraktika development institute, to name a few. As I mentioned, the association will be used as a platform for helping Russian companies that want to work in individual African countries or with the integration associations on the African continent.
We also discussed humanitarian issues focusing, for obvious reasons, on the spread of the coronavirus. The pandemic has made a tangible impact on many aspects of interstate relations and has done harm to the economy. This is also being felt in Africa. Our African colleagues expect this damage to be heavier than it is now.
They expressed gratitude to the Russian Federation for the assistance that our departments have rendered to African states. We continue receiving requests for additional aid. Over 30 countries have sent requests. We are reviewing them as quickly as possible. Deputy Head of Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Protection and Welfare) Alexander Simanovsky talked about this in detail today.
We agreed to continue our assistance in countering the coronavirus infection, in part, via African and global multilateral associations. We will support the adoption of decisions that favour the African nations at the UN, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
We emphasised our mutual interest in further cooperation in developing vaccines against such pandemic threats, in particular, by using the very helpful and effective experience of our cooperation (several years ago) in combatting the Ebola virus.
As part of our political dialogue, we focused on the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. This anniversary is marked this year. It is a historically meaningful document that played a critical role in breaking down the world colonialist system. It was the Soviet Union which played the lead role in adopting that declaration. We stressed the need for preserving the historical truth about colonial times. Now, many of our Western colleagues, who have a colonial past on the African continent, prefer to forget where the problems of contemporary Africa largely come from. We believe it is unacceptable to forget about that period or turn a blind eye to the neocolonial practices that continue in Africa, the harmful effects of which were mentioned by our interlocutors today.
We agreed that the establishment of the UN played a decisive role in the upcoming process of decolonization, and the UN itself appeared as a result of defeating Nazism and the Victory in WWII. There is an interesting connection: the countries that try to rewrite the history of World War II try, at the same time, to forget the consequences of the colonial past on the African continent.
We shared the opinion, and Russia made it a point, that decolonisation cannot be declared completed. UN General Assembly resolutions and the International Court of Justice demand the completion of this process, specifically, with respect to the Chagos Archipelago. Mauritius’ sovereignty over it should be restored. The sovereignty of Madagascar should be restored over the Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean and Comoros’ sovereignty over the island of Mayotte. This French territory preserves its status despite numerous UN General Assembly resolutions.
We think it is important to continue these discussions at the UN’s Special Committee on Decolonisation. Together with our African and other partners we will promote implementation of the existing decisions made by the world community.
In general, the talks were very useful. We agreed to draft relevant proposals that would let us start working on the agenda for the next summit, which, as I have said, is scheduled for 2022 pursuant to the understandings reached in Sochi last October. I mean that the next summit will be held in Africa.
We have adopted a joint statement following our discussions which will be distributed to the media. You are welcome to read the document.
Question: I would like to ask you about the situation in Libya. This is a source of constant concern for the international community because of the differences between the confronting parties and the discord among their supporters. Moscow keeps talking about the need to conduct a direct dialogue based on the Berlin Сonference. Russia has also backed Cairo’s initiative – recently the Foreign Ministry has started talking about the need to enhance the UN role in a Libyan settlement. How can this be done in practice when nothing really changes?
Sergey Lavrov: In practice this can be done in only one way – both sides must immediately stop the hostilities and their attempts to move armed units westward and eastward, respectively, or in any direction. Regrettably, the statement of obvious fact by our partners, notably, that the Libyan conflict has no military solution, is not leading to practical actions. At some point, last January before the Berlin conference, we invited the main parties to Moscow: Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar, Head of the Presidential Council and the Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj, and Speaker of Parliament in Tobruk Aguila Saleh. At that time, the LNA believed in its superiority on the ground and did not want to sign a document that suited al-Sarraj. In our estimate, the LNA is now willing to sign a document on an immediate ceasefire but the government in Tripoli is now reluctant to do so in the hope of a military solution once again. This is the main reason for what is happening there.
In the framework of a dialogue as sanctioned by our presidents, we and our Turkish colleagues are coordinating approaches that would make it possible to immediately announce a ceasefire and embark on resolving the other issues, including those mentioned at the Berlin Conference and reaffirmed at the meeting in Cairo in the so-called Cairo Declaration. This is the main problem now.
Recently, we spoke in Moscow with Speaker of the Libyan Parliament in Tobruk Aguila Saleh. We stay in touch with Fayez al-Sarraj who heads the Government of National Accord in Tripoli and, of course, with Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the LNA commander. We express to them that an announcement of the complete cessation of hostilities must be the first, indispensable step and that this has no alternative. Our Turkish colleagues are working with the National Transitional Council towards the same end. I hope they will manage to achieve the only correct solution under the circumstances.
As for the UN’s role and the need to increase it, we do want the UN to be more active here. Unfortunately, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya Ghassan Salame resigned soon after the Berlin Conference, almost half a year ago. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been unable to appoint a successor so far. His first proposal to appoint Foreign Minister of Algeria Ramtane Lamamra was supported by most countries except our American colleagues. They refused to support his nomination. Almost two months ago a proposal was put forward to appoint former Foreign Minister of Ghana Hanna Tetteh but for some reason Mr Guterres has failed to have her nomination approved. We tend to think that the US representatives are trying to “hobble” him.
Now the situation is like this. After Salame resigned, the UN mission was headed by the acting special representative. By circumstance, this position is now occupied by an American citizen. We don’t want the US to hold the UN Secretariat by the hand and prevent the appointment of a full special representative in the hope that their compatriot will resolve some objective that we fail to understand.
I say this in the open because it is no secret. I am hoping that commitment to multilateral principles will still prevail in this case, and that the UN Secretary-General will fully display his responsibility for the functioning of this mechanism. I am convinced that this position must be occupied by a representative of the African Union.
Question: Can you comment on the UN commission report that says Russian and Syrian aircraft strikes against civilian infrastructure in Idlib are equated with military crimes?
Sergey Lavrov: You, probably mean the commission that calls itself an international independent commission of inquiry on Syria. This commission was not set up by consensus decision, and its mandate raises many questions as does its methodology. The decision to establish this commission was pushed through primarily by the Western countries, which wanted to change the Syrian regime. They didn’t hide this. Using a vote at the UN Human Rights Council, they provided a mechanism with the established purpose of searching for evidence against and discrediting Damascus and those whom they call its allies.
The commission never went to Idlib like many other entities employed by the West in the non-government sector to gather information compromising the activities of the legitimate Syrian authorities. This so-called independent commission uses facts taken from social networks, from some sources they ask to remain anonymous referring to security considerations. These are the same methods as are currently used by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Our Western colleagues are trying to jam through a resolution based on the report prepared in gross violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention based on information taken from social networks, civil society partners, whose names and addresses they refuse to give saying that it would subject their security to risk and threat. This is why we proceed from the exclusive need to resolve and consider any issue concerning the Syrian or any other conflict based on hard facts alone, and on information for which the relevant entity is ready to be responsible. This independent commission just cannot be responsible for its statements, as has been proven on many occasions.
Question: Mark Esper has said that in the year since he became head of the Pentagon the US Department of Defence successfully restrained Washington’s main strategic rivals – Russia and China. How would you comment on this statement?
Sergey Lavrov: I do not see that there is anything to comment on here. If he thinks the Pentagon’s main objective is to “restrain” Russia and China, then this is the philosophy of the current US administration. It is really burning with a desire to “restrain” everyone except for themselves, and is seeking to get rid of everything that could restrain its freedom to act with impunity on the international stage, such as the INF Treaty, the TOS, the CTBT, UNESCO, the UN Human Rights Council and the WHO. If this is the case, this is rather regrettable. We believed that the military act much more carefully than politicians in situations that can erupt into a conflict, especially a hot conflict.
This mood and this philosophy of the Pentagon chief are really regrettable, because we are interested in developing a normal dialogue with all countries, including the United States. Telephone contacts between Mark Esper and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu were highly professional and based on mutual respect. We would like the foreign policies of all countries not to be aimed at “restraint” but at strategic stability based on a balance of interests of all states, including the world’s leading powers. The phrase “strategic stability” is being replaced with “strategic rivalry” in our dialogue with the Americans. In other words, this philosophy shows that the Americans are preparing for conflicts with any country that will attempt to defend its interests.
This is bad for the United States itself. Maybe Washington is using the alleged threats coming from Russia and China to distract the Americans from the incredible problems we see unfolding in that country. Maybe this is part of the election campaign, for the contenders need to gain points. It would be regrettable if they did this by removing all checks and balances on the international stage and by taking the freedom to venture into risky projects in the hope of getting more votes. We stand for dialogue and strategic stability, as President Putin has noted, including when he proposed a summit meeting of the permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Question: It has been reported today that Ukraine plans to withdraw from the 2012 memorandum on counterterrorism cooperation with Russia. The interpretative note reads that “this decision will allow for the creation of additional legal and political grounds for protecting the national interests of Ukraine in conditions of Russia’s armed aggression and enhancing Ukraine’s prestige.” Will you comment on this, please?
Sergey Lavrov: I am not aware of our Ukrainian neighbours’ decision to withdraw from the memorandum on counterterrorism cooperation. They are withdrawing from many documents now, which they have a right to do. They also have a right to present their decisions to terminate cooperation in any way. If they think this will help them to protect their national interests more effectively, be that as it may. But it is obvious to us that counterterrorism must not be a victim and hostage of geopolitical games. Any more or less well-read person can see that the Ukrainian authorities are playing geopolitical games. Just look at the statement made by President Vladimir Zelensky, who has said that the Minsk Agreements are only needed to ensure Western sanctions against Russia. This statement is self-explanatory. I leave this on the conscience of the Ukrainian leadership.
We continue our contacts in the Normandy format. The advisers and political aides of the Normandy format leaders have recently had a meeting. It has reaffirmed that the Ukrainian side categorically refuses to honour the Minsk Agreements, which have been approved by the UN Security Council. It has refused to answer the direct questions of our representatives to this effect. We hope that Germany and France as the parties of the Normandy format will take their share of responsibility for Kiev’s position regarding the vital document titled the Minsk Package of Measures.
Question: Is there any chance of a ceasefire in Libya and that the forces of the Government of National Accord will not cross the Sirte – Al Jufra red line, given yesterday’s reports of attacks in Al Jufra, which neither side in the conflict has confirmed?
Sergey Lavrov: I cannot say if the ceasefire has a chance or not. There is always a chance, but it is difficult to say if it will be used. There was such a chance half a year ago, as well as two, three and four years ago when conferences on Libya were held in Paris, Palermo and Abu Dhabi. A conference was also held in Berlin half a year ago, and before that there was a meeting held in Moscow. A document was adopted, an open and simple document that was only a page and a half long, which stipulated a ceasefire in the first place. One of the sides invited to Moscow and Berlin did not use that chance. Now the other side does not want to use this chance, which still exists. As I have mentioned, it is not simply a chance but a demand which has no alternatives and which must be implemented if we want to start settling the situation in Libya.
As for the military situation on the ground and which side’s forces are preparing to cross any lines, this is of secondary importance. If we agree – and it appears that all sides agree that there is no military solution in Libya – the only thing to do is to stop fighting now. Next we can use the tried and tested mechanisms such as the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission and the proposals sealed in the Cairo Declaration, including the proposal recently advanced by the head of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives Aguila Saleh, who has recently visited Moscow. I am referring to the establishment of truly collective and equal bodies of power where all the three historical regions of Libya will be represented based on a balance of interests. I regard this as an absolutely reasonable proposal.
Question: Is Russia ready to act as a mediator in the conflict around the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam?
Sergey Lavrov: We have offered our assistance, including in the form of technical support, to the conflicting parties. We can do useful things. They know this. The United States has offered its assistance as well. Several meetings have been held in the United States. We welcome the progress achieved so far.
It is encouraging that the sides have recently agreed to stimulate contacts between the concerned ministries. This topic has been discussed at the UN Security Council upon Egypt’s initiative. During the discussion held there, we proposed accelerating the coordination of mutually acceptable approaches based on the existing norms of international law and the interests of the parties involved in this dispute.
انقلب المشهد السياسي الداخلي رأساً على عقب… فبعد الاستباحة الأميركية للساحة اللبنانية على مدى أسابيع، تغيرت الصورة خلال الأيام القليلة الماضية وتوّجت أمس، بحدثين: سياسي دبلوماسي تمثل بزيارة السفيرة الأميركية في لبنان دوروثي شيا الى السرايا الحكوميّة ولقائها رئيس الحكومة حسان دياب، الثاني شعبي أمني تمثّل بالتحرك الذي شهده محيط السفارة الأميركيّة في عوكر احتجاجاً على السياسة الأميركية العدوانية ضد لبنان ومحاولة اقتحام حرم السفارة والدخول اليها.
فما هي الوقائع والمعطيات التي أدت الى استبدال أجواء التصعيد الأميركي الى حدود التلويح بإسقاط الحكومة والتهديد بالحرب العسكرية، بأجواء حوارية وهادئة؟
فبحسب معلومات «البناء» فإن دوائر القرار المعنية في الولايات المتحدة تلقفت رسائل الأمين العام لحزب الله السيد حسن نصرالله في خطابه ما قبل الأخير بجدية واهتمام كبيرين، لكنها لم توقف حربها على لبنان وكانت تراهن على خطوة سياسية أمنية تقلب توازن القوى السياسي والحكومي الداخلي وذلك عبر إسقاط حكومة الرئيس دياب في الشارع بمساعدة حلفائها من القوى السياسية المحلية وترك البلد في فراغ وفوضى اجتماعية مشرعاً أمام احتمالات الفتنة الطائفية والمذهبية، وبالتالي إجبار القوى السياسية على تأليف حكومة جديدة بشروط أميركية يرأسها أحد الموظفين المصرفيين النافذين المحسوبين عليها، وإما اجراء انتخابات نيابية جديدة تظن أميركا أنها تعبث بالخريطة السياسية للمجلس النيابي الحالي، وعلها بذلك تدفع حزب الله الى التنازل والتسليم بالشروط الأميركية في ملفات عدة أبرزها ملف النفط والغاز في البلوك المتنازع عليه في المياه الإقليمية.
أما هدف إسقاط الحكومة فيصب في هذا الاتجاه. فالمخطط الأميركي بحسب معلومات «البناء» تركز على إطاحة حكومة دياب وتحويلها الى تصريف أعمال كي لا تتمكن من اتخاذ اي قرار في الملفات السيادية لا سيما في موضوع النفط والغاز، وبالتالي يمنع لبنان من تلزيم أي من بلوكاته النفطية ولا عقد اي اتفاقات اقتصادية مع دول عدة مستعدة لمساعدته لكسر قانون العقوبات قيصر وإنقاذ البلد من الانهيار ليبقى أمامه خيار وحيد هو صندوق النقد الدولي.
وبحسب المصادر، بعد فشل مخطط إسقاط الحكومة والهجمة الحكومية المرتدة على صعد عدة لا سيما زيارة الوفدين الصيني والعراقي الى السرايا الحكومية واتفاق السلة الغذائية الجديدة، وتزامن ذلك مع خطاب حاسم للسيد نصرالله حمل رسائل تهديد للأميركيين وبعد تلمّس واشنطن جدية حكومية بالتوجه الاقتصادي الى دول كالعراق والصين وايران وسورية مع الإعلان عن أن بواخر المساعدات الايرانية المحملة بالمحروقات والمواد الغذائية ترسو في المياه الإيرانية تنتظر اشارة الانطلاق الى لبنان، أوعزت وزارة الخارجية الأميركية الى سفيرتها في لبنان بالتهدئة ولجم الاندفاعة التصعيدية والانفتاح على الحكومة ورئيسها للحفاظ على العلاقة مع لبنان وقطع الطريق على دخول دول أخرى الى الساحة اللبنانية. وتعزّزت القناعة الأميركية بضرورة التغيّر بعد سماع السفيرة الأميركيّة الموقف اللبناني الحاسم في عين التينة على لسان الرئيس نبيه بري برفض لبنان المطلق التنازل عن حقوقه في ملف النفط والغاز.
أما انقلاب المشهد فتجلى أيضاً بعودة قوى وأحزاب المقاومة للسيطرة على الشارع عبر التحرّكات الشعبية باتجاه السفارة الأميركية في عوكر رفضاً للسياسة الأميركية العدوانيّة تجاه لبنان، بعدما تفردت واشنطن في التحكّم بالشارع منذ 17 تشرين الماضي عبر تحريك أحزاب 14 آذار ضد الحكومة وسلاح حزب الله وتنظيم تظاهرة داعمة للسياسة الأميركية في لبنان وتطبيق القرارات الدولية، فكانت تظاهرة الأمس ضربة مفاجئة للمخطط الأميركي تلقفتها السفارة الأميركية على أنها رسالة أمنية سياسية من حزب الله وحلفائه تحمل في طياتها غضباً وحنقاً من الشعب اللبناني بمختلف تلاوينه من العربدة الأميركية وسياسة حصار لبنان وتجويع شعبه، وبالتالي تشكل جرس إنذار لبداية التحرر اللبناني من الاجتياح الأميركي للبنان بوسائل اقتصادية والسطو على القرار السيادي. الأمر الذي يهدد المصالح الأميركية في لبنان والنفوذ التاريخي في هذه المنطقة. فأدت هذه الرسالة غرضها بأن دفعت الدبلوماسية الأميركية في لبنان للعودة الى «حضن» الشرعية اللبنانية، ولذلك تنقلت شيا بين مقرّي الرئاستين الثانية والثالثة للاحتماء من غضب الشارع.
هكاذ أجهض الشارع قانون «قيصر» قبل أن يولد وأمام «أمه وأبيه» أي في سفارة عوكر المكان الذي عقدت فيه الاجتماعات ونُسجت المخططات للإطاحة بالحكومة وضرب الاستقرار، بحسب ما أكدت معلومات رسمية لـ«البناء».
فالولايات المتحدة بحسب مصادر نيابية في فريق المقاومة تعمل على خنق لبنان لكن ليس قتله، فلا مصلحة لديها بدفع لبنان الى الفوضى الكاملة والحرب الأهلية لأن ذلك يدفع حزب الله وحلفاءه من أحزاب وقوى المقاومة لتنفيذ «الخطة ب» أي اعلان الولايات المتحدة عدوة للبنان وسفارتها موقع عدواني تجب إزالته وفتح لبنان لدخول دول أخرى لإنقاذه اقتصادياً، لذلك تلقفت أميركا رسائل التهديد المتنوعة ما دفعها الى تدجين سفيرتها في لبنان وتأنيبها على تصرفاتها الأخيرة.
علماً أن مصدراً دبلوماسياً لبنانياً سابقاً في واشنطن ومطلعاً على السياسة الأميركية يؤكد لـ«البناء» أن «واشنطن لا تريد إغراق لبنان بالانهيار الكامل بل تريد الضغط على لبنان لتحميل حزب الله المسؤولية وتقليب البيئة الشعبية عليه ودفعه للرضوخ للإملاءات الأميركية الإسرائيلية». وتوقع المصدر استمرار الضغط الأميركي على لبنان مع بعض الليونة في الموقف الأميركي وبعض الإجراءات للتخفيف من حدة الأزمة اللبنانية وذلك حتى الانتخابات الرئاسية الأميركية على أن تبدأ ملامح مرحلة جديدة في لبنان والمنطقة والعالم مطلع العام المقبل مع تلمس توجهات وسياسات الإدارة الأميركية المقبلة».
وبدا الربط واضحاً بين الليونة الأميركية تجاه لبنان والمؤشرات الإيجابية الخارجية التي لاحت مؤخراً، كزيارة الوفد الصيني تلاه الوفد العراقي الى بيروت ثم ورود إشارات إيجابية من دول خليجية لا سيما قطر والكويت وإحياء المفاوضات مع صندوق النقد الدولي والحديث عن زيارة وزير خارجية فرنسا الى بيروت. ما يشير الى ضوء أصفر أميركي لحلفائها في المنطقة للتأهب لمساعدة لبنان لقطع الطريق على الاندفاعة الإيرانية لكن متى يتحول الى ضوء أخضر؟
يجب الحذر من المناورات الأميركية ما يستوجب على الحكومة الاستمرار بخيار الانفتاح على الشرق ولا تراهن على الإيجابية الأميركية فقد تخسر الاثنين معاً، فالشرق بات حاجة ملحّة للبنان من دون إقفال الأبواب مع الغرب، لكنه وسيلة تعزز الموقف التفاوضي اللبناني.
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