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TheCENTCOM This OSINT publication contains foreign mediaderived entirely from open sources in andaround the CENTCOM AOR.

23 April 20

Israel Ready to Strike Iran, Lebanon, Gaza if Ordered, says Military Chief: Al ArabiyaIsraeli forces are carrying out more special operations beyond the countrys borders and will be ready to attackIrans nuclear sites, Gaza and Lebanon if ordered, the chief-of-staff said in an interview on Sunday.

JORDAN

Jordan, UNHCRs Discuss Displaced Syrians: Jordan TimesThe government and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) discussed on Sunday efforts to provide services to therising number of Syrians, which according to the UN has surpassed 110,000.

IMF Commends Jordans Economy: Al BawabaThe International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board on Friday welcomed the Kingdoms fiscal tightening in the2012 budget, urging further fiscal consolidation over the medium term.

Collective Vote Set to Decide MP Pensions: Gulf TodayThe upper and lower houses of the Jordanian parliament remain at odds over pensions for their members and thetwo sides are expected to hold a joint session and take a collective vote.

Libya Pays Jordan Hospital, Hotel Dues: Gulf TodayThe Libyan government has paid 50 million dinars ($70 million) of its dues owed to Jordanian hospitals and hotel,according to officials.

Abu Qatada Lodges Appeal with European Court of Human Rights, Blocking UK Attempts to Deport Him:Daily PostTerror suspect Abu Qatada has lodged an appeal with Europes human rights judges, effectively blocking theGovernments attempts to deport him to Jordan, officials said

Kingdom to Host Intl Military Exercise: Jordan TimesJordan and the US on Sunday discussed preparations for a military exercise that will be held in the Kingdom inearly May with the participation of 17 Arab and foreign countries.

Syrians Attacked Near Jordanian Border: Jordan TimesDozens of Syrians were injured when Syrian military forces ambushed a group attempting to cross into Jordan lateSaturday as part of a new military campaign targeting refugees, according to security sources and relief workers.

Refugees, Expatriates to Stretch Jordans Water Supply this Summer: Jordan TimesWith the arrival of thousands of Syrian refugees in Jordan and the return of expatriates in summer, the Kingdomswater supply is expected to face severe strain in the coming months, a government official said on Saturday.

Electricity Workers Protest at Prime Ministry in Escalation of Strike: Jordan Times

Around 200 Jordanian Electric Power Company (JEPCO) workers gathered outside the Prime Ministry on Sundayto protest against what they called unfair working conditions.

Foreign Direct Investments Jump Over 10-Fold in Q1: ZawyaForeign direct investments (FDI) surged more than 10-fold in the first quarter of this year, according to JordanInvestment Board (JIB) acting CEO Awni Rushoud.

Jordan Officially Free of Minefields, Prince Mired: ZawyaJordan is officially free of minefields, HRH Prince Mired, president of the National Committee for De-mining andRehabilitation (NCDR), announced on Saturday.

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: [email protected]

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LEBANON

Mikati Calls for Calm after Tripoli Incident: Now LebanonPM Mikati called on security forces to apply strict security measures following the incident that took place in Tripoliwhen armed individuals opened fire on an anti-Syrian regime protest in the citys area of Abi Samra, the NationalNews Agency reported on Sunday.

Five Israeli Planes Violets Lebanese Airspace, the Lebanese Army: KUNAFive Israeli air planes violated Lebanese airspace from above Alma Al-Shaab village, the Moral GuidanceDirectorate of the Lebanese Army said on Sunday.

Lebanese Army Arrest Suspects in Arms Smuggling: The Daily StarThe Lebanese Army has arrested a Syrian national and two Lebanese men in Beirut for planning to smuggleweapons, security sources said Monday.

Seven Injured in Tyre Restaurant Blast: Now LebanonSeven people were injured when an explosion apparently caused by a bomb shook a restaurant in the southLebanese coastal town of Tyre, a Lebanese security source said Monday.

Jumblatt on Fence-Mending Mission in Saudi Arabia: The Daily StarProgressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt flew to Saudi Arabia Sunday on an official invitation. Sources saidJumblatt would meet with Saudi Arabias King Abdullah Bin Abdel-Aziz and an array of high-ranking Saudi officials.

Report: Tenenti Appointed New UNIFIL Spokesman: NaharnetA new spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been appointed, As Safirnewspaper reported on Monday. Italian assistant UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti has succeeded Indias NeerajSingh. Singh has been appointed as the spokesman of the first international observer mission tasked with

monitoring the shaky U.N.-backed ceasefire in Syria that went into effect on April 12.

Siniora Reiterates Proposal for Technocrat Cabinet: Now LebanonFuture bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora reiterated his proposal to form an unbiased technocrat cabinet to overlookthe upcoming parliamentary elections. Siniora also commented on Kataeb bloc MP Sami Gemayels step topropose a no-confidence vote against the cabinet, and said it did not change anything in the cabinet or give it morecredibility.

Hezbollahs No. 2 Upbeat on UN Syrian Plan, says it Helps Assad: Ya LibnanDuring an interview on Saturday, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem sounded hopeful thata political solution is currently being sought for the Syrian crisis as part of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annans planto end hostilities in the strife-stricken country. By merely presenting Annans 6 point plan , this implies that Syriahas entered a new stage in which a political solution is sought and not the toppling of the Syrian regime, adding

this political solution requires some time.

SYRIA

Live Updates on Syrias Uprising: Now LebanonLive Syria blog

Annan, Haunted by Bosnia War and Rwanda Genocide, in Battle with Syrias Assad: Al ArabiyaThe shadow of past international failures in Bosnia and Rwanda hangs over special envoy Kofi Annan and the U.N.Security Council as they dig in for a prolonged showdown with Syrias President Bashar al-Assad.


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More Killings Reported as Syrian Forces Shell Homs Despite Presence of U.N. Observers: Al ArabiyaSyrian forces shelled several neighborhoods in Homs as it continued to violate the shaky ceasefire; Al Arabiyareported citing Syrian activists.

Battered Syrian Town Still Defiant against Assad: Al JazeeraThe Syrian army and its Shabiha paramilitaries have hit Taftanaz hard, targeting community leaders, families andbusinesses.

Tanks Raid Syrian Capital as UN Expands Mission: Emirates 24/7Tanks raided a rebel bastion near Damascus on Sunday, activists said as UN observers toured Syrian hot spots,laying the ground for a 300-strong mission newly approved by the Security Council.

Syria Accused of Hiding Tanks from UN Observers: IndependentThe Syrian regime was accused yesterday of playing a cat-and-mouse game with international observers as it hidtanks and used gunfire to hold back demonstrators when the UN team toured the restive city of Hama, while thepresence of the handful of monitors did little to quell violence elsewhere in the country.

Syrian Officer Killed in Roadside Blast in Northern Syria: XinhuaAn army officer was killed and 42 others were injured in a roadside bomb explosion that targeted a military busSunday in northern Syria, state-run SANA news agency.

SRCA Chief Discusses Syria with Geleta: Arab NewsSaudi Red Crescent Authority chief Prince Faisal bin Abdullah met with secretary-general of the InternationalFederation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Bekele Geleta to discuss certain humanitarian issues in theMiddle East, particularly the violence in Syria.

EDITORIALS

UN Delegation of the Terrified in Syria: Al Sharaq Al AwsatRather than the delegation of international observers in Syria monitoring the al-Assad forces implementation of theceasefire according to the Annan initiative we saw the Free Syrian Army [FSA] protecting the Blue Berets,particularly in Homs, where the head of the observer mission, Colonel Ahmed Himmiche, was present.

Cairo Must Engage More Perceptively with the Sinai Region: Daily StarAmid Egypts troubled transition, news from the Sinai is emerging again, albeit in its old familiar form. Lawlessnessis the story of the arid peninsula, which is home to an intricate set of historic, political, social and economicconditions that have transformed it into a frontier where the state has ceased to exist

Can Israel Survive: Al JazeeraThe occupation and the Iran nuclear issue have swallowed up Israel. Unless you live there, the only sense you get

of that country is that it is obsessed with Iran, maintaining the occupation and exploiting the Holocaust to keepcritics of its policies on the defensive.

Natural Gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan: Energy TribuneA phrase often repeated during the Arab Spring be careful of what you wish, it may happen now finds its starkestmanifestation in Egypt, a country profoundly tortured by horrible politics and corruption, with a burgeoningpopulation and not nearly enough natural resources.

Supporting Documentation:


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EGYPT (Top)

23 April 2012Israel National NewsAmr Moussa: Vote for me, Egypt is in Crisis

(U) Amr Moussa (Reuters)

Egypts leading candidate for president said Sunday that his country is facing daunting challenges and presentedhis decades as a senior government official as a prime reason to vote for him and not an Islamist.

According to The Associated Press, Amr Moussa said Egypt is going through an economic and social crisis thatrequires the talents of an experienced statesman, not a president who learns on the job. Egyptians go to the pollsto elect a new president on May 23-24.

Moussa served as Egypt's foreign minister under former President Hosni Mubarak and in 2001 moved over to head

the Arab League. He resigned that post last year to run for president.

At a news conference Sunday in Cairo, Moussa said he disagreed with the goals of Islamist parties, which havewon clear majorities in parliamentary elections running on a platform of Islamic principles.

I believe that Egypt has been injured, Egypt has been mismanaged and that Egypt should not get into anexperiment that has not been tried before, AP quoted Moussa as having said when asked about his top Islamistopponent, a member of Egypt's once outlawed, now powerful Muslim Brotherhood.

He added that such an experiment could enter Egypt into a period of confusion.

Critics have charged that Moussa's record as a top official under Mubarak could mean his election would mark areturn to the ways of the former regime.

Moussa pointed to his credentials as a longtime government official with deep knowledge of the system.

I believe I can start from minute one as president with my knowledge of the government, the administration, themanagement and also the connection with the world and the Arab world and the African world, and Europe, hesaid, according to AP. The country is in a major crisis. A major crisis doesn't justify at all a president who will askaround, what I should do at this point or that point and gaining experience as he goes.


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Moussa is believed to be the leading candidate, after Egypts election commission barred three of the maincontenders for the presidency last week. Those barred are ultraconservative Islamist Hazem Abu Ismail, formerintelligence chief Omar Suleiman and Muslim Brotherhood chief strategist Khairat el-Shater.

The Muslim Brotherhood is running its backup candidate, Mohammed Morsi. On Saturday, Morsi said that if hewins, he will be president of all Egyptians, but noted it is now time to put into practice the group's slogan, Islam isthe solution.

The extremist Muslim Brotherhood, which clinched the majority in recent parliamentary elections, has threatened tocancel the peace treaty with Israel by putting the issue up for a referendum and letting Egyptians decide.

Moussa recently rejected the possibility that Egypt will cancel the peace treaty it signed with Israel in 1979, sayingthe Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty is in place, and I do not think there are any circumstances that will lead to itscancellation. I do not think this will happen, and I do not think it would be wise for this treaty to be cancelled. Thetreaty will continue so long as each party respects it.

22 April 2012AlJazeeraEgypt Terminates Gas Deal with Israel.

(U) Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979, but already poor relations had worsened over the gas deal[Reuters]

The head of the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company has said it has terminated its contract to ship gas to Israelbecause of violations of contractual obligations, a decision Israel said overshadows the peace agreement betweenthe two countries.

Mohamed Shoeb, the gas company's top official, said Sunday's decision was not political. This has nothing to dowith anything outside of the commercial relations,'' Shoeb said.

He said Israel has not paid for its gas in four months. Yigal Palmor, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman, denied the

claim of not paying.

The 2005 Egypt-Israel gas deal has come under strident criticism from leaders of the popular uprising that toppledHosni Mubarak, the longtime Egyptian president, last year.

Critics charge that Israel got bargain prices, and Mubarak cronies skimmed millions of dollars off the proceeds.

'Bad faith'


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The sale of gas to Israel, which signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979, has always been controversial in theArab world's most populous country. It was the largest trade deal between the two former foes.

Egyptian militants have blown up the gas pipeline to Israel 14 times since the uprising.

On Sunday, Israel Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said the unilateral Egyptian announcement was of "greatconcern'' politically and economically.

"This is a dangerous precedent that overshadows the peace agreements and the peaceful atmosphere betweenIsrael and Egypt,'' he said in a statement.

Israel relies on Egyptian natural gas for 40 per cent of its supplies to produce electricity, the chairman of agovernment holding firm said on Sunday.

The Israeli side said the decision was "unlawful and in bad faith", accusing the Egyptian side of failing to supply thegas quantities it is owed. The dispute is under international arbitration.

Israel insists it is paying a fair price for the gas.

Mubarak defended

In January, a lawyer defending Mubarak told a Cairo court that there was not a shred of evidence linking the oustedEgyptian president to the controversial gas deal.

Farid al-Deeb said Egypt's spy agency negotiated the deal in line with international norms.

"There isn't an ounce of evidence that Mubarak was involved in the deal to import gas to Israel," costing the state

$714m in losses, Deeb told the court.

Among the shareholders of East Mediterranean, the joint Egyptian-Israeli company that carries the gas to Israel, isHussein Salem, a close friend of Mubarak.

After the many disruptions to the supply of gas over the past year, Israeli ministers have urged the speedyexploitation of recently discovered gas fields off the country's northern coast.

Israeli officials believe that exploitation of two major natural gas fields could compensate for the loss of Egyptiangas.

Israel has already moved to begin exploiting the fields, signing a deal with Cyprus to mark out maritime borders, butit faces challenges from Lebanon, which claims that the gas fields lie in its territorial waters.

23 April 2012HaaretzTermination of Israeli-Egyptian Natural Gas Agreement Serves Dangerous PrecedentMohamed Shoeb, head of the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, announced Sunday evening, that thecompany will terminate the agreement to provide natural gas to Israel, after a decision had been made onThursday, due to what he had termed Israels repeated breaching of the agreement.


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Shoeb, in interview on Al-Hayat television, stressed that the deal termination was due to failure on the part of theIsraeli side to transfer the payments owed by Israel for some months and had nothing to do with the repeatedattacks on the pipeline.

Despite this announcement, the fact that Egypt's ruling Supreme Military Council and the Egyptian governmenthadnt announced the decision officially is puzzling, raising the question what is the motive behind the decision andhow was it decided.Egypt gas

It is possible the announcement was intended to pressure Israel into calling off the lawsuit for compensation of $8billion over Egyptian failure to provide gas as promised. This theory agrees with the announcement by diplomaticofficials in Jerusalem that the decision stemmed from a business dispute.

The fact that no official announcement was made may also indicate the Egyptian government intends to issue acorrection or completely deny the announcement made by Shoeb.

Though, even if the Egyptian government denies the decision to terminate the agreement, the fact that thecompany CEO made the announcement, puts the deal in the limelight. If it turns out that Egypt had really one-sidedly decided to terminate the agreement; it may be a dangerous precedent indicating other agreements betweenEgypt and Israel may also come to an end.

The sale of natural gas to Israel had been one of the main criticisms the Egyptian opposition voiced against formerEgyptian president Mubarak, claiming that the price the Israeli company secured was extremely low, cutting intoEgypts national income.

Some have claimed the deal was made possible due to a bribe the Egyptian partner Hussein Salam paidMubaraks family in order to win the concession. Salam was indicted on this charge but fled Egypt and Egyptian

attempts to have him extradited weren't successful. Due to this background the deal has come to symbolizeMubaraks treason and the corruption of his regime.

In addition, Bedouin in Sinai claim that the pipeline and its infrastructure had been constructed on their land andthey have yet to be compensated as was promised. This is one of the reasons that some of the Bedouin familiesare willing to damage the pipeline and halt its activity.

After the revolution the agreement to sell Israel natural gas became one of the charges Mubarak and his circle arebeing indicted for. Egypts new leadership promised to look into the price Israel is paying to see if a higher rate canbe obtained.

On the other hand, the leadership of most of Egypts political parties, especially the Muslim Brotherhood, had madeit clear they intend to stand by all the agreements Egypt had signed in the past including the Camp David Accord

and the agreement to sell natural gas, as Khairat al-Shater, a onetime presidential candidate and other partyleaders had said.

Egypt's ruling Supreme Military Council and the Egypts interim government also made it clear to Israel and theUnited States that all agreements will be kept. This commitment was perceived as a condition for a continuedworking relation with Israel and the U.S., relations that radical organizations and terrorists working in the Sinai aretrying to undermine.

The flow of natural gas to Israel and Jordan also symbolized the regimes ability to control the Sinai and ward offterror organizations attempts to dictate Egypts domestic and foreign policies. Both the gas company and Egypts


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security forces have spent great efforts and manpower in securing the pipeline, but after 14 explosions and thefailure to get Sinais Bedouin to cooperate, it seems that Egypt had given up.

Thus, even if it turns out that a business dispute and not the failed fight to keep the flow of natural gas flowingagainst the saboteurs in the Sinai, are what caused the termination of the deal, Egypts regime may find itself in themidst of a political storm, criticized for neglecting the nations vital interests and losing its grip on eastern peninsula,this time because of the ending of the deal.

With this in mind, it seems likely that the Supreme Military Council will instruct the Egyptian natural gas company toreconsider its decision to avoid the possibility that the cancelation of the deal will become a tool with which theopposition can criticize the regime.

23 April 2012Israel National NewsEgypt says Gas Agreement 'Suspended, not Cancelled'

(U) Gas Pipeline Reuters

A senior official in the Egyptian army said on Sunday the agreement of supply of gas between Egypt and Israel wasnot cancelled but only suspended.

According to a report on Army Radio, the official said that the suspension came about following a dispute regardingthe transfer of funds.

Earlier, Channel 2 News reported that Egypt had informed Israel that it is unilaterally cancelling the agreement. Theannouncement was made to EMG, the firm that receives the gas from Egypt.

Egypts natural gas company declared, according to the Army Radio report, that the gas agreement was cancelledfor business reasons and not political ones. According to the report, the company said that Israel had failed tohonor its obligations under the contract and did not pay for the gas for months.

Conversely, Ampal-American Israel Corporation, one of the partners in EMG, said that the termination of the

agreement is invalid. The company said it will demand financial compensation, and that it is considering suing theEgyptian government.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Uzi Landau said Sunday evening that the Ministry of Energy and Water has beenpreparing for about two years for the possibility of the supply of gas from Egypt coming to an end.

Israel is working to establish its energy independence and rapid develop Israeli supply sources, Landau said,according to Army Radio. He noted that for the past year there has not been a steady supply of gas from Egypt.


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The pipeline carrying gas from Egypt to Israel was blown up 14 times since the Mubarak regime was toppled inFebruary 2011.

23 April 2012HaaretzNo Weapons Found on Liberian-Flagged Ship Intercepted by Naval CommandosIsraeli naval forces intercepted a cargo ship in the Mediterranean on Sunday suspected of carrying arms, andtroops boarded the vessel for a "security check, but found no weapons," sources in the Israel Defense Forces said.

The ship was intercepted near the northern coast of Israel, on suspicion that it was carrying arms destined for theGaza Strip. The ship, Hs Beethoven, bearing a Liberian flag, was intercepted 160 nautical miles off the coast ofIsrael, and was boarded by fighters of Shayetet 13, the Israel Navy's elite naval commando unit. The inspection ofthe ship was carried out with the permission of the ship's captain, after he was contacted by radio and told that theship would be checked. The ship's crew did not resist, and the fighters boarded it without using violence. No armswere found on the ship.

The IDF spokesperson said that the operation was carried out "as part of routine activity to prevent smuggling ...the IDF and security forces will continue to act untiringly against the efforts of terror organizations to obtain arms inorder to harm Israeli citizens."

In recent years Israel has redoubled its efforts to prevent the smuggling of weapons to Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.Most of the smuggling is organized by the Revolutionary Guards and Iranian intelligence in order to strengthenHezbollah in Lebanon and the Islamic Jihad in Gaza. Sea routes are central to the smuggling effort, althoughairplanes are also used - flying from Iran over Turkey to Syria and Lebanon. According to foreign press reports,Israel has also attacked convoys in Sudan allegedly carrying weapons.

Only a small portion of the Israeli effort is reported. In November 2009 naval commandos seized the "Francop" andconfiscated hundreds of kilograms of armaments including Katyusha rockets. In March 2011, Israel seized a cargoship, the "Victoria," on suspicion that it held Iranian-supplied arms intended for the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Israelsaid the vessel had set sail from Syria, stopped in Turkey and had been destined for Alexandria in Egypt.

23 April 2012Todays ZamanMohamed Mursi, New Brotherhood Candidate, Pitched in to Egypt Race

(U) Mohamed Mursi (Photo: Reuters)

The Muslim Brotherhood's new presidential candidate, pitched into the race after its first choice was disqualified,promised on Saturday to govern in coalition and to steady Egypt after more than a year of political turmoil.

Mohamed Mursi, 59, the head of the Brotherhood's political party, said he would seek the votes of ultra-conservative Muslims after a popular hard-line Salafi candidate was barred too, but he promised to be a presidentfor all Egyptians.


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The quietly spoken engineer is trying to make up ground after Khairat al-Shater, a millionaire businessman and topBrotherhood strategist, was blocked from running because of a conviction handed down in President HosniMubarak's era when the Islamist group was banned.

The Brotherhood's broad grass-roots network will help Mursi, but rival Islamists and liberal candidates who servedunder Mubarak have campaigned longer and can boast better name recognition.

Mursi also needs to prove that as the Brotherhood's reserve candidate he has the authority to lead the Arab world'smost populous nation after a turbulent transition led by generals who took power after Mubarak was ousted 14months ago.

The word reserve' is over ... Now the Brotherhood and [its] Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) has a candidate witha clear program in this election, Mursi told Reuters in an interview shortly before his first campaign newsconference.

I hope the people will choose me, an Islamist candidate from the FJP and Muslim Brotherhood, and God willing thesystem will move towards stability and development, he said.

The election is the final stage in Egypt's transition to civilian rule. The army has said it will hand over power by July1, but the military, which has provided every president for six decades and has sprawling business interests, isexpected to be a powerful player behind the scenes for years.

The outcome of the race is being closely watched around the region, where Egypt has long had an influential role,and in the West, wary of the rise of Islamists in a nation that in 1979 became the first Arab state to make peace withIsrael.

Asked about relations with Israel, Mursi said: Egypt's next president can't be like his predecessor, he can't be a

follower who executes policies put to him from outside, referring to popular criticism of Mubarak as a man who didUS bidding.

An aide said Mursi was committed to the Brotherhood's pledge to uphold international treaties, a reference to thepeace deal. But the aide said Mursi would not meet Israeli officials as president, though his foreign minister would.

Mursi, echoing the position of his party which dominates parliament, promised to reach out and govern in coalition.

A coalition government led by the majority party is what will achieve the will of the people, he told a newsconference, where his more modest demeanor contrasted with the powerful delivery of the burly Shater when headdressed reporters.

Shater's first news conference was accompanied by carefully choreographed videos and music, absent from

Saturday's event.

Though the Brotherhood has pledged to be inclusive, liberals and other rivals have accused it of hogging power bysecuring the biggest bloc in parliament and dominating an assembly to draw up the constitution, prompting rivals towalk out. That assembly has now been suspended.

It also broke its initial vow not to run for the presidency.


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Rivals also question the independence of any Brotherhood candidate, saying he would take orders from the group'stop authority, the supreme guide, and this would push Egypt towards a theocracy. Mursi dismissed this, sayingthere is no room for talk about decisions coming from outside the presidency.

Mursi's main rivals in the race are Amr Moussa, a former foreign minister, Mubarak's last prime minister and ex-airforce commander Ahmed Shafiq, and Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh, a moderate Islamist expelled from theBrotherhood for announcing his presidential bid last year against the group's wishes.

The competition was reduced by the disqualification of one Islamist contender, Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, whoseSalafi views are much stricter than the Brotherhood's. Mursi said he would try to pick up the Salafi vote.

The vote of the Salafis and the [Salafi] al-Nour Party is of course targeted, as are other votes of Egyptians, hesaid, adding the Brotherhood was coordinating with Nour and Salafi figures but they had yet to announce who theywould back.

The next president's handling of the army will be closely scrutinized at home and abroad. The army sparked violentprotests last year when its cabinet presented proposals for the new constitution that would have permanentlyshielded the military from civilian oversight.

Mursi said no entity will be above the constitution but did not spell out his vision for the army's status. He said thearmy's budget should be overseen by parliament but there would be a need for secrecy in specific areas.

He also said he would consult the army over who would be defense minister in a new cabinet.

The Brotherhood opposed the army's constitutional proposals but has become less confrontational. Analysts say itwants to avoid a conflict that could jeopardize the huge political strides it has made after years of repression underMubarak.

Mursi served one term in parliament under Mubarak, notionally as an independent to skirt a ban on theBrotherhood, but lost his seat in the 2005 race, which was widely seen as rigged. The Brotherhood's gains nowhave brought it closer to power than at any time in its 84-year history.

Outlining measures for improving the battered economy, Mursi identified security, Egypt's heaving traffic and thehealth hazards of street garbage as priority areas, issues that worry the public and are often raised in parliamentarycampaigns.

Economists say Egypt needs swift action to bring back investors and tourists to stave off a balance of paymentscrisis.

23 April 2012Gulf TimesMufti Told to Quit Over Trip to Jerusalem

(U) Gomaa: controversial visit


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Egypts Islamist-dominated parliament yesterday called on the Mufti to quit after a visit to Jerusalem, stepping uppressure on the state-appointed official over a trip that critics say bestowed recognition of Israeli control of the city.

Mufti Ali Gomaas trip to East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, has caused a stir in Egyptand across the Arab region, where he has been criticized for a visit that has revived debate about normalizationwith Israel.

Gomaa has defended himself, saying his trip was in a personal rather than official capacity and a response to aninvitation from Jordan, which lost the city to Israel in 1967 but remains the custodian of its Muslim holy sites. Heprayed at the Al Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.

Though Egypt made peace with Israel in 1979, most Egyptians are largely opposed to any normalization betweenthe two countries until they see that Palestinian rights are restored.

The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group and the largest party in the Egyptian parliament, has called Gomaasvisit a catastrophe. In protest at the visit, the Egyptian Writers Union also moved to terminate Gomaasmembership.

The brutal enemy controls (Jerusalems) entries, exits, mosques, and churches, the parliamentary committeeresponsible for religious affairs said in a statement, recommending the vote that called on Gomaa to step down.

Going into (Jerusalem) enforces occupation and bestows upon it legitimacy, as it also represents a sign ofnormalization with the Zionist entity that is popularly rejected.

Parliament voted to ask Gomaa to apologize to the Arab and Islamic people and submit his resignation. Thegesture cannot force him from office but carries symbolic weight and is another example of Egypts newly-electedMPs seeking to punch above the weight accorded them by Egypts interim system of government.

The country is currently governed by a council of military generals who took power from deposed president HosniMubarak. The Muftis main job is to issue Islamic legal opinions.

Ibrahim Negm, a senior adviser to the Mufti, said Gomaa had not been formally notified of parliaments vote anddoubted he would step down because the visit was not a crime.

Earlier, Gomaa defended his trip on his Twitter account. Jerusalem is in the heart of every Muslim, he said.Visiting Jerusalem increases ones feelings of rejection of occupation and injustice and helps strengthen the(Palestinian) cause.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as a future capital of a Palestinian state, although peace talks towards theestablishment of that state are at a standstill. Israel describes Jerusalem as its eternal undivided capital.

While Gomaas visit has drawn a wave of criticism in Egypt, the Palestinian Authority has welcomed it as a gestureof solidarity. Mahmoud al-Habash, the Palestinian minister responsible for religious endowments, said yesterdaythe criticism had no religious or political justification.He expected other Islamic figures to visit the city soon.

But the Hamas movement, which governs the Gaza Strip, criticized Gomaas trip as an act of normalization.

ISRAEL / GAZA (Top)


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23 April 2012HaaretzNo Weapons Found on Liberian-Flagged Ship Intercepted by Naval CommandosIsraeli naval forces intercepted a cargo ship in the Mediterranean on Sunday suspected of carrying arms, andtroops boarded the vessel for a "security check, but found no weapons," sources in the Israel Defense Forces said.The ship was intercepted near the northern coast of Israel, on suspicion that it was carrying arms destined for theGaza Strip. The ship, Hs Beethoven, bearing a Liberian flag, was intercepted 160 nautical miles off the coast ofIsrael, and was boarded by fighters of Shayetet 13, the Israel Navy's elite naval commando unit. The inspection ofthe ship was carried out with the permission of the ship's captain, after he was contacted by radio and told that theship would be checked. The ship's crew did not resist, and the fighters boarded it without using violence. No armswere found on the ship.

The IDF spokesperson said that the operation was carried out "as part of routine activity to prevent smuggling ...the IDF and security forces will continue to act untiringly against the efforts of terror organizations to obtain arms inorder to harm Israeli citizens."

In recent years Israel has redoubled its efforts to prevent the smuggling of weapons to Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.Most of the smuggling is organized by the Revolutionary Guards and Iranian intelligence in order to strengthenHezbollah in Lebanon and the Islamic Jihad in Gaza. Sea routes are central to the smuggling effort, althoughairplanes are also used - flying from Iran over Turkey to Syria and Lebanon. According to foreign press reports,Israel has also attacked convoys in Sudan allegedly carrying weapons.

Only a small portion of the Israeli effort is reported. In November 2009 naval commandos seized the "Francop" andconfiscated hundreds of kilograms of armaments including Katyusha rockets. In March 2011, Israel seized a cargoship, the "Victoria," on suspicion that it held Iranian-supplied arms intended for the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Israelsaid the vessel had set sail from Syria, stopped in Turkey and had been destined for Alexandria in Egypt.

22 April 2012KUNAMissile Lands in Israeli Occupied Town Near GazaThe Israeli army said on Sunday that a Palestinian missile launched from northern Gaza targeted the south.

An Israeli military spokesman said the missile landed and exploded in an open area in western Naqeb area, southof Israel.

According to the spokesman, who was quoted by Israeli radio as saying that there are no injuries or materialdamage No Palestinian group claimed responsibility for the missile attack.

Israel considers the Palestinian Resistance Group (HAMAS) responsible for all attacks and missile firing against

southern Israel.

In recent weeks, Israel's military chief Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz warned of retaliation directly to Hamas if missile attackoccurred.

21 April 2012Maan News AgencyReport: Counter-Terror Bureau Warns Israelis to Leave Sinai


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Israel's counter-terrorism bureau on Saturday warned all Israelis to leave Egypt's Sinai Peninsula immediately,citing imminent attacks by groups in the neighboring Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported.

"Based on information in our possession, terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip are continuing to workenergetically to carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli targets on Sinai's beaches in the immediate term," Israelidaily Haaretz quoted a statement from the bureau saying.

23 April 2012Palestine News Network40 Prisoners Transferred Amid Threats of More Sanctions in Nafha PrisonOn Monday, April 23rd, spokesman for the Central National Committee, leader of the prisoners' strike, said theadministration of Nafha prison cut off the electricity from the sections of the hunger strikers for two hours last night,closing the hot water pipes until further notice, and breaking into several rooms to conduct searches whilethreatening to impose more sanctions on the prisoners.

The spokesman said in a press release that the prisons' administration summoned 40 hunger strikers from Fatahand Hamas, and took them to an unknown location. The transfer included members of the strike committeeleadership; Alaa Abu Jazzar from Gaza, representative for Fatah, and the media coordinator Hani Khamayseh fromYamoun village.

The agreement of the "Covenant and Charter," was issued in Nafha prison, which the prisoners signed to begin anopen hunger strike that is currently in its seventh day.

Ahmad Sa'adat, the imprisoned General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine confirmed thecontinuation of his open strike in solidarity with the prisoners who began the strike, calling all political forces andPalestinians to support prisoners in their efforts until they attain their goals.

Sa'adat's statements came during a visit by the lawyer of the Detainees and Ex-Detainees Society to his solitaryconfinement cell in Rimon prison. The lawyer said that Sa'adat, who is sentenced to serve 30 years in prison, is onhis sixth day of hunger strike and will continue despite the consequences.

The lawyer said that the Israeli court issued a decision to isolate Sa'adat and that he's already lost six kilogramsand suffered illness.

The prisons' administration also moved prisoners and hunger strike participants Mahmoud Issa, Hassan Salamehand Ahed Abu Ghalmi into solitary confinement in Rimon.

The coordinator of the prisoners' committee Wafaa Abu Ghalami stated that the prisoners of the Popular Front forthe Liberation of Palestine in Majedo and Jalbou Israeli prisons have joined the strike, and it is expected that other

prisoners will also join the strike in the coming days.

22 April 2012Al ArabiyaIsrael Ready to Strike Iran, Lebanon, Gaza if Ordered, says Military Chief


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(U) Israeli armed forces chief of staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz has said this year will prove critical in trying to halt anIranian nuclear arms program. (File photo)

Israeli forces are carrying out more special operations beyond the countrys borders and will be ready to attackIrans nuclear sites, Gaza and Lebanon if ordered, the chief-of-staff said in an interview on Sunday.

In an extract from an interview with the top-selling Yediot Aharanot daily, Lieutenant General Benny Gantz said that2012 would be a critical year in efforts to halt what Israel and much of the international community believe is anIranian nuclear arms program.

We think that a nuclear Iran is a very bad thing, which the world needs to stop and which Israel needs to stop and we are planning accordingly, Gantz said.

In principle, we are ready to act.

That does not mean that I will now order (air force chief) Ido (Nehushtan) to strike Iran, he added in the interviewwhich will be published in full on Wednesday, on the eve of Israels 64th anniversary as a state.

The United States says it does not believe Iran has so far taken a decision to develop a nuclear weapon, or that the

time is right for military action, preferring to give international sanctions time to work.

But Israel, which sees a nuclear Iran as a threat to its very existence, claims Tehran may be on the cusp ofbreakout capability when it could quickly build a nuclear weapon and it does not rule out staging a pre-emptive strike of its own.

During the interview, Gantz also addressed special operations carried out by the IDF beyond Israels borders,revealing that the scope of such activities has increased significantly compared to the past.

I dont think you will find a point in time where something isnt happening somewhere in the world, he said. Thelevel of risk has increased as well. This is not something invented by Benny Gantz. Im not taking the credit here.Im simply accelerating all those special operations.

Regarding the likelihood of a war breaking out this year, Gantz said: Our intelligence assessment asserts that

given the strategic reality and instability in the region, the chance of deteriorating to a war is higher than in the past.There are no indications of war, but the chances of the situation deteriorating into one are higher than in the past.Gantz on threats from Lebanon, Gaza

The army chief added that in case of a regional war, the military will be able to cope with the rocket threat fromLebanon and from the Gaza Strip.

I cant promise no missiles will be landing here. They will be falling; many of them. It wont be a simple war, neitheron the frontlines nor ion the home front, he said. However, I dont advice anyone to test us on this front.


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When (Hezbollah leader Hassan) Nasrallah comes out of his bunker, hes concerned and rightfully so. He sawwhat happened to Lebanon last time, and it wont be close to what will happen to Lebanon next time, the armychief said. I think they understand it well.

JORDAN (Top)

23 April 2012Jordan TimesJordan, UNHCRs Discuss Displaced SyriansThe government and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) discussed on Sunday efforts to provide services to therising number of Syrians, which according to the UN has surpassed 110,000.

In a meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh and UNHCR Representative in Jordan Andrew Harperexplored ways to increase cooperation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Talks focused on identifying a government agency to act as an interlocutor and assist the UN refugee agencysefforts to reach out and register the growing refugee community, who are currently dispersed in various urbancenters across the country.

According to the UNHCR, the number of registered refugees has surpassed 14,000, with expectations that thefigure will reach 15,000 by the end of the month.

UN officials acknowledge that the number of registrations is unrepresentative of the true number of Syrians in needin Jordan, which various NGOs place at between 30,000 and 50,000.

During the meeting, Khasawneh stressed the governments ongoing commitment to provide refuge, health and

education services to Syrians fleeing their conflict-torn country in cooperation with international aid agencies, Petrareported.

Harper stressed the UNHCRs commitment to relieve the burden the rising number of Syrians is placing on thestate, noting that the agency is preparing to launch a new aid appeal.

In previous statements to The Jordan Times, Harper indicated that an $84 million donor appeal issued by theagency last month, $40 million of which was reserved for Jordan, was insufficient to meet the needs of the risingnumber of new arrivals to the Kingdom.

Jordan has opened public healthcare centers and public schools to Syrian nationals, with over 6,000 Syrianchildren joining their Jordanian and Iraqi peers this term, according to the UNHCR.

22 April 2012Al BawabaIMF Commends Jordans Economy


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(U) IMF executive directors commended the Kingdoms adaptation of a comprehensive medium-term strategy torestore fiscal buffers and reduce public debt

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board on Friday welcomed the Kingdoms fiscal tightening in the2012 budget, urging further fiscal consolidation over the medium term.

IMF executive directors commended the Kingdoms adaptation of a comprehensive medium-term strategy torestore fiscal buffers and reduce public debt. Such a strategy, they said, should encompass enhanced taxadministration, further fuel subsidy reforms, better-targeted social and capital spending, continued containment ofthe public sector wage bill and improved public sector financial management.

In its newly released annual report, the fund said that consultation with Jordan revealed that the 2012 budgetfocuses on raising domestic revenue by removing tax exemptions, revamping property transfer fees and imposinghigher tax rates on luxury goods. The budget is also based on containing current spending by freezing public sectorhiring, reducing the operational costs of ministries and reforming the present system of subsidies for gasoline anddiesel, the report said.

The budget also provides for the implementation of targeted transfers to alleviate higher fuel costs associated with

the phasing out of fuel subsidies. Based on the latest developments and macroeconomic assumptions, the reportstated that the 2012 overall deficit is expected to narrow by about 1 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP)relative to the 2011 outturn, reaching 5.25 per cent of the GDP.

With this, and given likely borrowing for own-budget entities, the public debt-to-GDP ratio would rise slightly to 65.5per cent by the end of 2012. Further fiscal consolidation will be essential over the medium term to return fiscal andexternal balances to a sustainable level, the report said.

As recent unrest in the region is likely to have engendered rising sovereign risk in Jordan and other Middle Eastcountries, further tightening of monetary conditions is appropriate to sustain the attractiveness of Jordanian dinar-denominated assets and strengthen the international reserve position, the report added.

The peg of the Jordanian dinar to the US dollar has served the country well by anchoring inflation expectations and

providing stability in a challenging regional and global environment, according to the report. The IMF welcomedimprovements in banking regulations in line with the recommendations of the funds Financial Sector AssessmentProgramme, which have helped create a liquid, well capitalized and profitable banking sector.

They encouraged continued vigilance against financial risks, particularly from rising non-performing loans. Thedirectors commended the progress in implementing Basel II regulations, noting that banks are already well placedto satisfy Basel III guidelines on capital adequacy and liquidity.

They also welcomed the authorities continued efforts to fight money laundering and terrorism financing. Theycommended the steps taken to boost the investment climate, governance and regional trade. The IMF urged further


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progress in strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks, addressing Labour market rigidities, resolving skillmismatches and tackling infrastructure bottlenecks.

The report projected the Kingdoms GDP at market prices to reach 2.8 per cent, the inflation to stand at 9.5 percent, exports at 8.9 per cent and imports at 16 per cent. The external current account deficit is expected to widenconsiderably to 9.5 per cent of the GDP in 2011, while the international reserves to reach $9.775 billion (equivalentto 5.9 months of imports), according to the report.

Meanwhile, speaking to Al Jazeera satellite channel from Washington on subsidies, Minister of Finance UmayyaToukan said Jordan is currently planning to activate its subsidies to benefit the poor, rather than serving the rich asthe situation is now. Toukan said subsidy mechanisms should be re-examined to ensure their effectiveness, theJordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

On financial problems that subsidies cause, he said: The situation is very difficult, it is not stable and countries donot have many alternatives to tackle the deficit. He explained that amending subsidy systems entails political risks,adding that it is the responsibility of finance ministers to advise governments on ways to restore a healthy economy,according to Petra.

22 April 2012Gulf TodayCollective Vote Set to Decide MP PensionsThe upper and lower houses of the Jordanian parliament remain at odds over pensions for their members and thetwo sides are expected to hold a joint session and take a collective vote.

A committee of the upper house has turned down amendments made by the lower house to the civil retirement lawfor a second time and decided to uphold its own change to the law under which only members of parliament with

six years of civil service and four years as parliamentarians will be eligible for pensions.

The lower house had initially voted to reinstate amendments made in 1999 to the 1959 legislation, which granted allmembers of parliament pensions for life regardless of the duration of their service.

The nominated upper house rejected the bid and returned the bill to the elected lower house, which in turn sent thelegislation back to the upper house.

Jordans constitution stipulates that a joint session of the two houses should held to make a final decision ondisputed issues.

The passage of the law requires a two-thirds majority of the members of the two houses present during the session.

22 April 2012Gulf TodayLibya Pays Jordan Hospital, Hotel DuesThe Libyan government has paid 50 million dinars ($70 million) of its dues owed to Jordanian hospitals and hotel,according to officials.

The payment followed a decision made by the Jordan Hotel Association (JHA) last week to set a Sunday deadlinefor all Libyans staying in the kingdoms hotels on their governments expense to vacate the rooms unless they canpay in cash for their accommodation.


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23 April 2012Jordan TimesKingdom to Host Intl Military ExerciseJordan and the US on Sunday discussed preparations for a military exercise that will be held in the Kingdom inearly May with the participation of 17 Arab and foreign countries.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mashal Al Zaben met with his US counterpart Gen. Martin Dempseyand reviewed the plans for the military drill, for which Jordan has been preparing since the conclusion of a similarexercise in June last year, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

According to a statement posted on the US Department of Defence website, the drill, Exercise Eager Lion 12, willtake place from May 7 to May 28, bringing together more than 8,000 participants from over five continents.

The land, sea and air drills are aimed at strengthening military-to-military relationships of participating partnernations through a multinational approach, the statement said, quoting Dempseys spokesperson Marine Corps Col.David Lapan.

The Jordan Armed Forces are currently participating in a joint military exercise with Kuwait in the Gulf country,scheduled to conclude on April 27.

The drill includes training in riot control and the organization of military units under the supervision of experts inmilitary police training.

The Royal Jordanian Air Force took part in an international military drill in Bahrain that concluded last Wednesday.

23 April 2012

Jordan TimesSyrians Attacked Near Jordanian Border

(U) Syrian children grab shelter from the sun in the Jordan Valley last month. According to relief agencies, dozensof unaccompanied Syrian children entered the Kingdom on Sunday (Photo by Taylor Luck)

Dozens of Syrians were injured when Syrian military forces ambushed a group attempting to cross into Jordan late

Saturday as part of a new military campaign targeting refugees, according to security sources and relief workers.

A Jordanian military source stationed in the border region said Syrian military forces opened fire on hundreds ofcivilians attempting to cross into the Kingdom illegally late Saturday, injuring dozens.

Al Kitab and Sunna Society, one of the major charity organizations providing assistance to displaced Syrians in thenorth, confirmed that 180 families had entered Jordan between late Saturday and early Sunday, many of themsuffering from bullet wounds and third-degree burns.


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Security personnel transferred the injured to government hospitals in Ramtha and the surrounding area, where oneof them was pronounced dead on arrival, the military source added.

Relief workers say Ramtha witnessed an influx of unaccompanied Syrian children on Sunday, sparking fears thattheir parents and relatives had been either arrested or killed in Saturdays attack.

Syrian activists say the military campaign has closed major smuggling routes to prevent potential rebels and armydefectors from reaching Jordan.

The killing may have slowed in Homs and Daraa, but the regime is increasing the killing of Homs and Daraaresidents trying to flee, Abu Mohammed, a member of the Syrian Local Coordination Committee currently residingin the Kingdom, told The Jordan Times.

According to Abu Mohammed, some 300 Syrian families remain camped out in the border region awaiting anopportunity to cross into the Kingdom.

Damascus is continuing to impose a six-week-old border clampdown, barring the entry of civilians into the Kingdomthrough official crossing points and forcing refugees to cross into the country illegally.

Saturdays attack came amid a recent increase in the number of Syrians arriving in Jordan; at a pace aid agenciessay has reached some 500 per day.

Jordan follows an open-border policy, offering refuge to all Syrians crossing into the Kingdom legally or illegally andproviding urgent medical care to injured refugees.

23 April 2012

Jordan TimesRefugees, Expatriates to Stretch Jordans Water Supply this SummerWith the arrival of thousands of Syrian refugees in Jordan and the return of expatriates in summer, the Kingdomswater supply is expected to face severe strain in the coming months, a government official said on Saturday.

As the Ministry of Water and Irrigation drafts out its summer water budget, officials are struggling to secure waterfrom various sources in order to maintain a regular water distribution programme and supply sufficient water forhomes, agriculture and industry, the ministry's spokesperson and assistant secretary general, Adnan Zu'bi ,said.

"Water needs for drinking purposes are expected to reach 180 million cubic metres (mcm) this summer, when thewater deficit will range between 10mcm and 13mcm," Zubi told The Jordan Times.

The water deficit will be met by improving and rehabilitating water resources, exploring new sources, purchasing

water from private wells, establishing new water pipelines to improve the water supply process and linking waterpumps to the electricity grid, he explained.

"The water distribution programme will not be changed this summer, despite the expected deficit, because thewater budget took into consideration every governorate's water needs and the expected rise in demand, whetherdue to the return of expatriates or the arrival of Syrian refugees," the official said.

Under the water distribution programme, households in Jordan receive water once during a set period, usually aweek to 10 days, on a rotating basis.


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Scarce water resources in the country compelled the Kingdom to initiate the programme in the early 1980s toconserve limited resources and ensure a sustainable water supply for subscribers.

Heavy rains during this years wet season boosted the ministry's water reserves, Zu'bi said.

"The winter brought very good amounts of rain, which not only increased water storage in the dams but also reviveddrying springs and boosted underground water levels," he noted.

The country's 10 major dams currently hold 114mcm or 35 per cent of their total capacity of 327mcm, Zu'bi said.

"Forty per cent of the water stored at the dams is kept as a strategic reserve to ensure a continuous supply of waterto farmers in the event of a dry year," he noted.

Dams are crucial for the Kingdom to secure its water needs, according to experts. Jordan is among the four mostwater poor countries in the world, with an annual water deficit of approximately 500mcm.

Approximately 91 per cent of the countrys total area of 97,000 square kilometers is arid, with an annual rainfallaverage of 50-200 millimeters, while 2.9 per cent of the countrys land is semi-arid, with an annual rainfall averageof 400-580 millimeters.

22 April 2012Jordan TimesElectricity Workers Protest at Prime Ministry in Escalation of Strike

(U) Employees of the Jordanian Electric Power Company protest near the Prime Ministry on Sunday. Theemployees have been on strike for over two weeks, demanding increases to their salaries and other benefits thatthe company says are not feasible (Photo by Muath Freij)

Around 200 Jordanian Electric Power Company (JEPCO) workers gathered outside the Prime Ministry on Sundayto protest against what they called unfair working conditions.

For 16 days, JEPCO workers have been on an open-ended strike demanding improved financial benefits, includingfour months bonus salary each year, end-of-service allowances, better health insurance and transportation servicesfor all workers.

Although the strike will continue, Jaber Zawahreh, a member of the JEPCO workers' independent union, said onSunday that there would be no power outages as employees are still working at the companys control centre andemergency offices.

However, they are refusing bill payments from subscribers.

Sameer Hijazin, vice president of the workers union, said on Thursday that the employees had decided to give thecompany until Sunday morning to meet their demands or face an escalation, which came in the form of their protest


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outside the Prime Ministry.

Ahmad Meri, the president of the union, said that if their demands were not met by Tuesday, the workers wouldmarch to the Royal palaces in northwest Amman.

"His Majesty King Abdullah is the only one who can help us and resolve the dispute," he told The Jordan Timesover the phone Sunday.

Protesters chanted slogans outlining their demands from the company and calling on the labor minister to resign.

Mahmoud Hiari, a JEPCO employee, said the workers demonstrated outside the Prime Ministry to send a messageto the government about their demands.

"We are Jordanian workers and have the right to ask for fair social and economic demands. We have the right toenhance our families' financial situation," he told The Jordan Times during the demonstration.

He accused the government of not supporting the workers and said it had not shown any intent to resolve thedispute.

"If guest workers were holding a demonstration, their problem would be resolved quickly," Hiari alleged.

MPs, he said, were the only state representatives who had supported the workers, and were doing their best toresolve the issue.Labour Ministry Spokesperson Haitham Khasawneh said the ministry had no comment on the matter.

Previously, JEPCO Director General Marwan Bushnaq said that the workers demands would add more pressureon the companys already strained finances.

In a previous telephone interview with The Jordan Times, he said the demands were unreasonable, given that theworkers already receive three months bonus salary, social security coverage, full health insurance coverage andtransportation allowances.

Majid Shalbi, another worker who said he had been working at the company for 30 years, disputed Bushnaqsclaims, saying the company earned steady profits and was not facing any financial distress.

On the other hand, he said, he cannot afford to meet the costs of living because his salary is too low.

"I am paid JD600 a month. The university fees for my children cost me JD15, 000 for four years. How can I afford tomeet these expenses with such a modest salary?" Shalbi asked.

Mohammad Fares, another protester, said some of the company's benefits were distributed unfairly.

"Only engineers get transportation fees. We need this benefit because some employees live outside the capital," heclaimed, adding that the companys health insurance policy does not cover expensive medications.

Bushnaq was not available for comment on Sunday.

Union dispute


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The workers also criticized the Electricity Workers Union (EWU) for not supporting their strike, with some calling forthe union to be abolished.

But EWU President Ali Hadid said the union had contacted the company and submitted several demands on behalfof the JEPCO workers before the strike began.

"We presented our demands on March 28. The employees did not respect what we did and they decided to go onstrike," he told The Jordan Times over the phone on Sunday, adding that the demands presented by the EWU werefair and reasonable, whereas the workers current demands were not.

Hadid said the newly established independent union was not legal and that the EWU is the only legalrepresentative of electricity sector workers.

"JEPCO workers claimed that a great number of workers had left the union, but the truth is that no one did that," hesaid.

Hadid also emphasized that the benefits JEPCO workers are demanding will be costly.

"The electricity sector faces financial challenges and employees should consider that," he said.

Hadid voiced hope that the problem would be resolved in the next two days, saying the company was likely willingto meet the demands presented by the EWU in March.

22 April 2012ZawyaForeign Direct Investments Jump Over 10-Fold in Q1

Foreign direct investments (FDI) surged more than 10-fold in the first quarter of this year, according to JordanInvestment Board ( JIB ) acting CEO Awni Rushoud.

At a press conference on Saturday, the official indicated that FDI inflows to the Kingdom jumped to JD149 millionduring the January-March period of this year from only JD13 million in the same period of 2011.

Total flows that benefited from the investment promotion laws and incentives in the first three quarters of the yearreached JD298 million, with local investors taking a 50 per cent share, estimated at JD149 million.

Rushoud attributed the rise in FDI inflows, despite the ongoing turmoil in the region, to investors' acknowledgementof "the security and economic and political stability the Kingdom enjoys".

"Investors also see an advantage in the strategic location of Jordan, which is a gateway to other regional markets

such as Iraq and Syria," he noted, adding that skilled human resources in Jordan are also a major element ofattraction.

Investments by Jordanian businesspeople dropped from JD208 million in the first three months of 2011 to JD149million. The decline, according to Rushoud, was due to the fact that local investors are searching for schemes oflarge financial return, which are available in other markets such as Libya and Turkey.

The industrial sector attracted the majority of overall registered investments, with projects estimated at JD255million, which is over 85 per cent of the total investment volume during the first three months of the year.


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The hotels sector came second with projects worth nearly JD20 million, while around JD15 million is expected to beinvested in the amusement parks industry, according to the JIB .

The registered investments are expected to create over 4,200 employment opportunities when implemented.

The JIB chief added that the targeted volume of investments for the entire year is expected to reach JD1.5 billion,which is 50 per cent higher than the JD1 bill ion recorded last year.

The board will focus on attracting capital inflows from the Gulf region, Iraq, the US, EU, China and Korea amongother countries, Rushoud said.

He noted that the JIB will also work on moving projects from trouble-hit Syria to Jordan.

The official noted that the JIB strategy focuses on developing investments in the sectors of energy and water,medical and pharmaceuticals, ICT and tourism as well as mineral and natural resources. The government's priority,he told reporters, is to bring into the country added-value investments that can create jobs and utilize the rawmaterial of the Kingdom.

"We are focusing on the quality of projects rather than volume of investments," the official explained.

22 April 2012ZawyaJordan Officially Free of Minefields -- Prince MiredJordan is officially free of minefields, HRH Prince Mired, president of the National Committee for De-mining andRehabilitation (NCDR), announced on Saturday.

Work on clearing 500 identified minefields in Jordan has been completed, the Prince said in a press conferenceSaturday.

About 300,000 mines were removed from these minefields that cover a total area of 60 million square metres invarious parts of the Kingdom, he told reporters.

In response to a question by The Jordan Times, Prince Mired said an 18-month verification process will start soonin all minefields to ensure that the cleared areas are secure.

"We have funding and support to finance the verification process. Our situation is good and we are hoping for moresupport in this respect," he noted.

Prince Mired added that the NCDR will work extensively to return the cleared lands to their owners as soon as

possible.

"Each plot of land that has been cleared has its own specifications and the time needed for ensuring that theseminefields are ready for use differs based on each area. But giving these fertile lands back to their owners is on topof our priorities," the Prince said.

He also noted the NCDR, which has accumulated "vast experience" over the past years in de-mining and removingexplosive remnants of war (ERW), is keen on placing its expertise at the disposal of neighboring countries.


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"My main concern at this stage is how to ensure the continuity of the work of the committee and its experts. Ourteams enjoy "great skills" that can benefit countries in need of assistance," Prince Mired said.

He added that discussions were held recently with Libyan officials to discuss how Jordan can help Libya inremoving ERW.

Meanwhile, Jordan will go ahead with plans to remove ERW, he said, noting that this task is "more difficult" thanremoving mines.

During the press conference, NCDR Director Mohammad Breikat reviewed the committee's achievements over thepast years.

He said the NCDR will continue holding awareness campaigns to educate the public on the dangers of mines andERW and how to avoid being victims in this respect.

Campaigns held over the past few years have educated about 800,000 citizens across the Kingdom about thesedangers, Breikat noted.

He also highlighted the committee's efforts in assisting victims of mines and ERW, noting that Prince Mired recentlyopened a centre for artificial limbs at Princess Basma Educational Hospital.

In addition, Breikat reviewed the committee's achievements in holding international training courses on mineclearance that benefited a large number of experts and workers in the field of demining.

LEBANON (Top)

23 April 2012Now LebanonMikati Calls for Calm after Tripoli IncidentPrime Minister Najib Mikati called on security forces to apply strict security measures following the incident thattook place in Tripoli when armed individuals opened fire on an anti-Syrian regime protest in the citys area of AbiSamra, the National News Agency reported on Sunday.

The prime minister also called on the residents of Tripoli to maintain the citys stability and security.

[I call on] all factions to remain calm in order to protect the security of Tripoli and preserve its stability, the reportquoted Mikati as saying.

Earlier on Sunday, the NNA reported that armed people opened fire on anti-Syrian regime protesters in Tripoli,

injuring three people.

Lebanons political scene is split between supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regime, led byHezbollah, and the pro-Western March 14 camp.

22 April 2012KUNAFive Israeli Planes Violate Lebanese Airspace - Lebanese Army


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Five Israeli air planes violated Lebanese airspace from above Alma Al-Shaab village, the Moral GuidanceDirectorate of the Lebanese Army said on Sunday.

In a press statement, the army noted that one of the hostile planes executed a circular flight above Lebanese citiesand Bekaa region and left the airspace afterwards from above occupied Shebaa farms, adding that other fourplanes executed a circular flight over southern cities and Beirut.

Israel has been violating the Lebanese sovereignty systematically in addition to occupying the northern part of theborder Ghajar village, in a blatant violation of UN resolution 1701.

Israel is also occupying Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shoba hills, as well as installing buoys in Lebanese territorialwaters.

23 April 2012The Daily StarLebanese Army Arrest Suspects in Arms SmugglingThe Lebanese Army has arrested a Syrian national and two Lebanese men in Beirut for planning to smuggleweapons, security sources said Monday.

They identified the suspects as Syrian Mohammad al-Mohammad and two Lebanese male members of Al-Hammoud family.

The sources, speaking to The Daily Star on condition of anonymity, said the three are accused of being part of alarger smuggling ring.

The sources refused to divulge further details, such as the planned destination of the weapons, saying the

Lebanese Army command would issue a statement on the matter in due time.

23 April 2012Now LebanonSeven Injured in Tyre Restaurant Blast

Seven people were injured when a bomb exploded in South Lebanons Tyre. (NOW Lebanon)

Seven people were injured when an explosion apparently caused by a bomb shook a restaurant in the southLebanese coastal town of Tyre, a Lebanese security source said Monday.

The blast occurred at midnight Sunday in the elevator of the Nocean restaurant, injuring seven people who werehospitalized, the source said.


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A policeman said a bomb had apparently been placed in the lift. It exploded on the fourth floor of the building wherethe restaurant is situated.

The Nocean is known for its dance parties in this Shia-majority region.

A security perimeter was set up around the scene of the blast. Chunks of stone and shards of glass were strewnaround up to 1,000 meters (yards) from the blast.

Several restaurants in the region have been damaged by bombs in recent months, the last in December. Twoexplosions have also targeted shops selling alcohol.

Tyre is one of the few towns in south Lebanon where alcohol is served in restaurants, which brings in touristsincluding members of the UN force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), but the recent blasts have caused several restaurants toban alcohol.

23 April 2012Daily StarJumblatt on Fence-Mending Mission in Saudi ArabiaBy Hasan Lakkis

(U) PSP leader Walid Jumblatt attends a press conference in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, July 1, 2011. (The DailyStar/Mohammad Azakir)

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt flew to Saudi Arabia Sunday on an official invitation, sourcesclose to him told The Daily Star.

The sources said Jumblatt would meet with Saudi Arabias King Abdullah Bin Abdel-Aziz and an array of high-ranking Saudi officials. Jumblatt is also expected to meet with Lebanons former Prime Minister Saad Hariri,according to the sources.

The PSP leaders ties with Saudi Arabia cooled down after he nominated Najib Mikati, Hariris rival, for premiershiplast January. Several attempts by the Druze leader to restore ties with Saudi Arabias King Abdullah have beenunsuccessful so far.


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In an interview earlier this year, Jumblatt voiced hope that the king would understand his situation which promptedhim to nominate Mikati. Both Jumblatt and Hariri stand by the side of the Syrian uprising against President BasharAssad and the Hariri-led March 14 coalition spares Jumblatt from its ongoing attacks against Mikatis Cabinet.

Parliamentary sources said it was still too early to predict the outcomes of Jumblatts visit on the domestic level orthe effects it would have on the fate of the Mikati government. But sources from the parliamentary majority did notentirely rule out the possibility of Jumblatt changing stances or shifting alliances following his visit to Riyadh.

The same sources warned that Jumblatt moving away from his alliance with the March 8 group and the consequentfall of the current Cabinet would drag the country into an extended political stalemate. But neutral sources predictthat the outcomes of Jumblatts visit would not materialize in the near future but rather in the next five or sixmonths.

23 April 2012NaharnetReport: Tenenti Appointed New UNIFIL Spokesman

Unclassified

A new spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been appointed, As Safirnewspaper reported on Monday.

According to the daily, the Italian assistant UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti has succeeded Indias NeerajSingh.

Singh has been appointed as the spokesman of the first international observer mission tasked with monitoring theshaky U.N.-backed ceasefire in Syria that went into effect on April 12.

The U.N. Security Council voted on Saturday to send 300 unarmed ceasefire observers to Syria.

22 April 2012Now LebanonSiniora Reiterates Proposal for Technocrat Cabinet


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Future bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora reiterated on Sunday his proposal to form an unbiased technocrat cabinet tooverlook the upcoming parliamentary elections.

This cabinet has proven its failure to tackle many issues and there is a fear of its [possible negative] practices,especially on the threshold of the upcoming elections, Sinioras office quoted him as saying.

Siniora also commented on Kataeb bloc MP Sami Gemayels step to propose a no-confidence vote against thecabinet, and said it did not change anything in the cabinet or give it more credibility.

He also said that there would be no difference in points of view between the Kataeb Party and the rest of March 14.

On Thursday, Mikatis cabinet which is mainly dominated by ministers affiliated with the Hezbollah-led March 8coalition won a vote of confidence in parliament, which was called for by Sami Gemayel, following the end ofthree days of plenary sessions.

22 April 2012Ya LibnanHezbollahs No. 2 Upbeat on UN Syrian Plan, says it Helps AssadDuring an interview on Saturday with reporters from Al-Manar website, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General SheikhNaim Qassem sounded hopeful that a political solution is currently being sought for the Syrian crisis as part of UN-

Arab League envoy Kofi Annans plan to end hostilities in the strife-stricken country.

By merely presenting Annans 6 point plan, this implies that Syria has entered a new stage in which a politicalsolution is sought and not the toppling of the Syrian regime, adding this political solution requires some time.

Unclassified

Hezbollahs number 2 denied that there were any splits in the composition of the army and security forces of theSyrian regime and also claimed that none of the employees in the Syrian embassies around the world quit their

jobs.

It is not clear on what basis he made the allegations , knowing that the Free Syrian Army FSA was formed by themembers of the Syrian army and security forces that defected since the uprising began in March 2011.


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Qassem said that Annans plan directly exposes the failure of the Arab and Western polices that were adoptedpreviously, since the plan leans toward a political solution for the Syrian crisis , something which Western countriesand some Arab states had downplayed.

Regarding the measures taken to control alleged arms smuggling across the Lebanese-Syrian border, Qassemsaid: This is exclusively the responsibility of the Lebanese army and Hezbollah is not responsible or concernedabout controlling the borders, or any security missions that take place [there].

As for the current relation between Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas movement, Qassem said: our relationwith Hamas movement is persistent, and is based on confronting the Israeli enemy. We dont interfere in our alliesstances. What concerns us is that the basic common standards remain, and this is present with Hamas, which weare constantly communicating and holding public meetings with.

Hamas was based in Damascus , but pulled out last year and its leaders have offered support to the Syrianopposition in their strive for freedom, democracy and reform.

Qassem sidestepped a question about the murder of Al-Jadeed cameraman, Ali Shaaban, who was killed on theLebanese side of the Syrian borders reportedly by Syrian army troops . Qassem said that Hezbollah is not beingacquainted with the final investigations and we did not contact the Syrian leadership to find out what happened .

Shaaban who is also a Shiite was gunned down as he was trying to film a report on the northern border with Syria

Al Jadeed (New ) TV reporter Hussein Khreis and cameraman Abdul Tabaja were also wounded in the attack.

Lebanons Al-Jadeed satellite television on April 9 accused the Syrian army of killing Shaaban, saying it opened fireon the crew which was on Lebanons side of the border.

Al Jadeed owner Tahseen Khayyat told the station that the Syrian army attack was deliberate and was not anaccident, stressing that the vast number of bullets that riddled the car confirm that , adding we do not need at allan investigation from the Syrian side on this subject

In an interview with the channel Khayat said we received many threats from the Syrian regime, but we will not givein, and will remain behind the truth .

Khreis told the channel: If you see the car you would think it was in a war zone,

Hezbollah, Syrias primary ally in Lebanon, has backed the Syrian regime ever since the uprising began in March2011, even though

23 apr 2012 osint levant tracker

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