Bible Quotation for today/Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
Matthew 21/ 18-22: " On his way back to the city early next morning, Jesus was hungry.  He saw a fig tree by the side of the road and went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. So he said to the tree, “You will never again bear fruit!” At once the fig tree dried up. The disciples saw this and were astounded. “How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?” they asked. Jesus answered, “I assure you that if you believe and do not doubt, you will be able to do what I have done to this fig tree. And not only this, but you will even be able to say to this hill, ‘Get up and throw yourself in the sea,’ and it will.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
 

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources

More Syrian Bloodshed/By: Hussein Shobokshi/Asharq Alawsat/March 26/13

Jihad in Syria/By Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi/March 26/13

BRICS Leadership Will Be Tested by Syria/By: Salman Shaikh /Asharq Alawsat/March 26/13

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for March 26/13

Al Qaeda brigade captures Syrian-Israeli-Jordanian border junction
Geagea: New Cabinet through Parliament, not Dialogue
Mikati defends resignation, slams Aoun
Miqati Meets Rifi, Encourages Discussion on Measures for Success of Future Cabinet
Mikati’s resignation will likely only lead to ‘patch-up work’
Suleiman Hopes Miqati's Resignation Would Lead to 'Positive Shock'
Berri Says Dialogue is Urgent Amid Reported Deal to Launch Talks on Thursday
Qabbani Files Lawsuit over Assault on 2 Dar al-Fatwa Sheikhs
Phalange Party Says a Salvation Govt. Must Endorse Baabda Declaration
Independent March 14 Officials: Baabda Declaration Must Act as New Cabinet's Ministerial Statement
Strikes suspended in Lebanon after Cabinet ratifies wage hike
Army In Lebanon ends weekend clashes in Tripoli
National Dialogue round in Lebanon is on horizon
Russia for consensual solution to end Lebanon Cabinet crisis
Syria closes border to Lebanese citrus, bananas
Israeli US urges EU to overcome Iran sanctions appeals
'Israel, Turkey discuss compensation over IDF raid'
Oren: Obama visit reminds us Israel facing threats
Jordan shuts Syria border crossing, UN pulls staff
U.N. to Move Many Staff out of Violence-Wracked Syria
Rebel mortar fire hits Damascus, army gunners retaliate
U.S. Backs Syria Opposition despite Chief's Resignation
Free Syrian Army, Commander Riad al-Asaad Loses Leg in Blast
FSA: Hizbullah, Iran Might Be Guilty of Asaad Assassination Attempt
Israel doubles number of overflights in Lebanese skies
UN to move some staff out of Syria
Arab summit may struggle to paper over Syria opposition rifts
Cyprus secures bailout at cost of banks, jobs
Israel restores tax transfers to Palestinian Authority
Arab summit may struggle to paper over Syria opposition rifts
Israel says fires into Syria after Golan attack on troops
Egypt sentences Muslim to death over Copt attack

Al Qaeda brigade captures Syrian-Israeli-Jordanian border junction
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report March 25, 2013/The highly strategic intersection of the Syrian, Israeli and Jordan borders, just east of the Golan, was captured by the Al Musanna Brigade of al Qaeda’s Syrian arm, Jabhat al-Nusra on Passover Eve, Monday, March 25, debkafile’s exclusive sources report. This put the jihadists directly opposite 14 Israeli southern Golan villages and at a distance of 5-6 kilometers from one of Israel’s earliest kibbutzim, Ein Gev, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
debkafile’s military sources report that this sensitive area fell to al Qaeda in a fierce battle waged with the Syrian army’s 5th Division in the village of Sham Al-Jawla. Control of this village has opened the way for the jihadists to reach the Syrian Golan sector from the south and for direct access to the Syrian-Israeli-Jordanian borders. On a second front, al Qaeda fighters have seized control of Wadi ar-Ruqqad, a 70-kilometer long waterway which forms the Golan’s eastern boundary. This wadi rises at a point north of Quneitra on the Syrian side of the Golan, flows south through a shallow gulch to become a waterfall which drops south west into a 20-kilometer basalt tunnel of which 6 kilometers run through Israeli territory. Ar Ruqqad waters then flow into the Yarmuk River up to the point where the Syrian, Israeli and Jordanian borders connect. It is not the first time that the jihadists fighting with Syrian rebels have occupied positions abutting on Israeli soil, but this time they have gained control of one of its precious sources of water. Israel and Jordan share out the Yarmouk waters under a pact they concluded which also covers the ar-Ruqqad tributary. While most media attention in the West and Israel has been drawn to the threat posed by Syria’s chemical arsenal, al Qaeda’s descent on new, highly strategic ground affecting three nations has been ignored. US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry discussed at length in their talks in Jerusalem, Amman and Ankara the danger of chemical weapons falling into Islamist terrorist hands fighting with the rebels in Syria. Until a few hours ago, the two American visitors, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and King Abdullah were not fully apprised of al the Jabhat al Nusra’s rapid advance.
Before he left Amman for home Saturday, Obama received information that the Iraqi Al Qaeda front had begun preparing Chlorine gas-CI trucks ready to push across the border into Syria for the use of its Jabhat al Nusra partners. This poisonous gas was used more than once for jihadist terrorist attacks inside Iraq. And this peril brought John Kerry hurrying over to Baghdad Sunday, March 24. He was not able to persuade Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to discontinue the Iranian airlift of weapons and troops to Assad through Iraqi skies, but he left al-Malilki with a grave warning that Washington would hold Baghdad responsible if any of the chorine gas trucks reached Syria.
 

National Dialogue round on horizon
March 25, 2013/By Hussein Dakroub The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Consultations are under way to hold a new round of National Dialogue under President Michel Sleiman Thursday, political sources said Sunday, as Lebanon struggled to cope with the repercussions of the government’s resignation.
Also Sunday, the United States reiterated its support for Lebanon’s stability and renewed its call for holding the parliamentary elections, two days after Prime Minister Najib Mikati stepped down in a surprise development that threatened to throw the country into a power vacuum.
The United Nations and the European Union also voiced concerns over Lebanon’s security and stability following the resignation of Mikati’s Cabinet.
“Thursday’s dialogue session will address two key issues: The formation of a new Cabinet and a new electoral law,” a political source told The Daily Star.
The source said Sleiman was expected to launch on April 2 binding consultations with parliamentary blocs to name a prime minister-designate who would form a new Cabinet.
The ongoing consultations to solve the Cabinet crisis are focused on two ideas: The formation of a technocrat or neutral Cabinet to supervise the elections, scheduled for June 9, following a technical delay of the polls to allow for an agreement on a new electoral law, or the formation of a national unity government if the elections were to be postponed for two years, the source said.
The renewed U.S. support for Lebanon’s stability came during a telephone call made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with Sleiman.
Kerry conveyed U.S. President Barack Obama’s greetings and the U.S. administration’s support for Sleiman’s efforts and Lebanon’s position based on the “Baabda Declaration” with regard to the developments in the region, particularly the events in Syria, and working to prevent their negative repercussions from spilling over into Lebanon, according to a statement released by Sleiman’s office.
Kerry supported efforts made to hold the elections according to democratic rules and the law to be adopted by Parliament, the statement said.
“Kerry expressed his country’s readiness to support Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability and to extend aid to refugees from Syria,” it added.
Sleiman thanked Kerry for his interest in Lebanon. “Lebanon supports a political solution in Syria away from violence and from any foreign military intervention,” Sleiman told the U.S. secretary of state, according to the statement.
He added that Lebanon had taken a decision “to prevent the establishment of safe havens for gunmen and prevent the transfer of arms and gunmen through its territory.”
Meanwhile, Hezbollah lashed out at Mikati, accusing him of throwing the entire country into a political and security vacuum with the resignation of his government.
“The resignation was not a surprise to anyone of us at all. We had said since the government was formed [in June 2011] that it would last only until the beginning of the elections,” MP Mohammad Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, told a rally in the southern town Mais al-Jabal.
“It was not an issue about rejecting to extend the term of an employee at an institution, but rather the prime minister had used up all means to maintain stability in Lebanon,” Raad said.
“The prime minister, who wanted to avoid a vacuum in a security institution, has created with his resignation a political and security vacuum throughout the country,” he added.
Mikati announced the resignation of his government Friday after March 8 ministers blocked his attempts during a Cabinet session to extend the term of Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, director-general of the Internal Security Forces, as well as the formation of a body to oversee the parliamentary elections.
Leaders in the opposition March 14 coalition praised the government’s resignation, saying the move would lead to the resumption of National Dialogue.
“The government’s resignation has opened windows from which we must benefit. It could set the beginning for a return to the dialogue table but on the basis that the dialogue’s previous decisions are implemented,” former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, head of the Future parliamentary bloc, told reporters in the southern city of Sidon. He added that the 1960 electoral law, which has been rejected by officials on both sides of the political divide, is still valid and can be abolished only with Parliament’s adoption of a new law.
Mikati Saturday handed the letter of the resignation to Sleiman, who asked him to stay on as a caretaker premier until a new Cabinet is formed.
Mikati said his decision to resign was aimed at ending the political deadlock in Lebanon, while Speaker Nabih Berri urged the opposition to return to National Dialogue to discuss the formation of a government and a new election law.
“My decision was personal and the result of deep contemplation over the interests of the country,” Mikati told An-Nahar newspaper. “More than one reason led me to my decision.”
He said that in the last session of Cabinet Thursday he genuinely felt “there were no options on the horizon but more divisions instead, with the country nearing the elections and constitutional deadlines.”
“For me there needed to be a shock that could break the [political] deadlock in the hope of reshuffling the deck and pushing toward a new arrangement for the situation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the EU voiced concerns about the deteriorating situation in Lebanon, “particularly after the decision of Prime Minister Mikati to step down.”
In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton voiced regret over the political stalemate that led to Mikati’s resignation and expressed concern over security incidents undermining stability in the country. “The EU will pursue its support to the institutions, to the security forces and to the people of Lebanon to respond to the current challenges in the spirit of our long-standing partnership,” Ashton said.
Her comments come a day after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all parties in Lebanon to remain united to maintain calm and stability following Mikati’s resignation.
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said the reasons behind Mikati’s resignation were “silly.”

Geagea: New Cabinet through Parliament, not Dialogue
Daily Star/BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Monday he opposed the formation of a new government via National Dialogue, as called for by Speaker Nabih Berri, favoring instead a “neutral” Cabinet to supervise the upcoming elections. “Rather than talking about holding a National Dialogue session, we should focus on the constitutional mechanism to form a new government and it stipulates parliamentary consultations so we could lift the country from where it is now,” Geagea said in a televised news conference from his Meerab residence.
He also noted that previous National Dialogue sessions, including those held last year, had not achieved any tangible results, saying rival leaders had agreed on central issues but failed to contribute positively to the country’s stability.“We held several rounds of Dialogue last year chaired by the president and agreed on the Baabda Declaration, praised by so many, but a while later what did we witness?” he asked, adding: “an attempted assassination against MP Butros Harb, the assassination of [Brig. Gen.] Wissal al-Hasan ... as Hezbollah was engaged in Syria,” Geagea said.
During a June 2012 National Dialogue session chaired by President Michel Sleiman, rival political leaders, agreed to keep Lebanon at a distance from regional turmoil, particularly the ongoing fighting in Syria. Geagea, who at the time dubbed the sessions as fruitless, boycotted the inter-party talks.
In October 2011, Hasan, who headed the police’s Information Branch, was killed in a Beirut car bombing that prompted the March 14 coalition to boycott parliamentary work involving Cabinet ministers. The Future Movement, a main component of the opposition group, said at the time it would not return to the all-party talks unless the government resigned.
Geagea reiterated Monday his view that Dialogue was not the way to go.
“I consider talking about a Dialogue session to form a new government a waste of time,” Geagea said, adding however that no political party was opposed to Dialogue as a general principle.
Following the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati over the weekend, the Parliament speaker called on the March 14 coalition to return to Dialogue in order to form a new government and agree on an electoral law for the upcoming parliamentary elections due in early June.
Political sources told The Daily Star Sunday that consultations were ongoing to hold a National Dialogue session this Thursday.
While opposing a return to Dialogue, Geagea said he supported the formation of a “neutral government” to supervise the upcoming elections, which he said should only be delayed for a short period of time if necessary.
“The only government that can salvage the country is one by the parliamentary majority made up of March 14 and centrist politicians given that we insist on holding the elections on time, so the majority and the centrists should form a neutral government to pay attention to people's concerns until the elections take place which would result in a [new] political government and all other talk is a waste of time” he said.
According to Geagea, no other type of government, whether a national unity one or otherwise, would work given the deep divisions between the March 8 and the March 14 alliances.
“I call on the centrists to think about that [suggestion],” he said, referring to parliamentary bloc headed by MP Walid Jumblatt, who is seen as the kingmaker capable of tipping the balance of power in favor of either of the country’s rival coalitions.
Joseph Nehmeh, a spokesperson for the Lebanese Forces told The Daily Star Monday, that Geagea’s proposal also stipulates that the prime minister and Cabinet members in this proposed “neutral government” should not be eligible to run for the parliamentary elections.
He also said that the neutral government would supervise the elections.
The LF’s plan is in line with that of President Michel Sleiman, Nehmeh said.
A Baabda source said that Sleiman’s office would issue a statement Thursday setting a date for the start of binding consultations for parliamentary blocs to name a prime minister-designate who would form a new Cabinet.
A political source told The Daily Star Sunday the parliamentary consultations would focus on two ideas: The formation of a technocrat or neutral Cabinet to supervise the elections, scheduled for June 9, following a technical delay of the polls to allow for an agreement on a new electoral law, or the formation of a national unity government if the polls were to be delayed for two years.
During his news conference, Geagea opposed extending Parliament’s mandate for two years, describing it as a violation of the country’s Constitution.
Lawmakers have yet to agree on a new electoral law to replace the amended version of the 1960 law used in 2009 which have raised doubts over the fate of the elections.
Geagea, along with most of the country’s main political parties and the Maronite Church, have opposed a return to the 1960 law.
As for the new prime minister, Geagea said his party would propose a candidate based on the type of government to be formed, saying he was in contact with his allies and centrist politicians in that regard.
He would not exclude the possibility of renaming Mikati to head the future Cabinet.
He also said there was a pressing need for a new Cabinet given “the catastrophic economic situation” in the country.
Meanwhile, independent Christian figures called Monday for the “formation of a new government that can fill the void,” and said any future government should adopt the policy of disassociation from events in neighboring Syria.
“[The attendees] affirm their support to President Michel Sleiman and their support for holding the elections on time,” MP Antoine Saad said, reading a statement issued after their weekly meeting at Harb’s residence.
The lawmakers and figures also called for a new electoral law that guarantees fair representation and safeguards the unity of the Lebanese.
"The attendees also said the Baadba Declaration should be adopted in the new government's ministerial statement in order to distance Lebanon from the ongoing conflict in Syria,” the statement said.

Free Syrian Army, Commander Riad al-Asaad Loses Leg in Blast
Naharnet /Riad al-Asaad, commander of the rebel Free Syrian Army, was wounded overnight in a blast that hit his car in eastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog said on Monday.
A government official in Ankara confirmed Asaad had been hurt, saying he had lost a leg in the attack but that he was in "good condition" after being rushed across the Syrian border into Turkey for treatment.
"An explosive device exploded last night near the car carrying Free Syrian Army commander Riad Asaad, who was conducting a tour of the town of Mayadeen in Deir Ezzor province," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told Agence France Presse.Abdel Rahman said Asaad had been wounded in the leg, and a relative of the commander told AFP that he had been transferred to Turkey for treatment after the blast. A Turkish foreign ministry official confirmed Asaad was taken to Turkey on Monday morning via the Akcakale border crossing and was being treated at a hospital in Sanliurfa province near the border.
"He lost one leg but in general his condition is good," the official told AFP.
Asaad was one of the first officers to defect from the Syrian state military to the rebel forces, joining their ranks in 2011, not long after the uprising began.
He served as commander of the rebel forces but has seen his official role diminished by the creation of a rebel military command headed by Brigadier General Salim Idriss.
Asaad has remained a prominent figure though, regularly appearing with rebel fighters on the ground.
Agence France Presse

Independent March 14 Officials: Baabda Declaration Must Act as New Cabinet's Ministerial Statement
Naharnet /Independent March 14 officials expressed on Monday their support for President Michel Suleiman in light of the resignation of the government last week.
They said after a meeting at MP Butros Harb's residence: “The Baabda Declaration should serve as the new cabinet's ministerial statement.”
They added that the government's resignation helped ease fears that some of its members would attempt to “topple Lebanon's system from their positions in power.”They noted however that the resignation “did not eliminate concerns that the illegitimate arms would once again return to harm the country's unity.”
The gatherers therefore urged the need for “wisdom and moderation during consultations to form a new government,” stressing that “those making impossible demands should abandon them.”
The independent March 14 officials also held those sides responsible “for whatever may happen in Lebanon” due to their stances.
Moreover, they renewed their commitment to holding the parliamentary elections as scheduled on June 9.
On that note, they urged the need for political powers to reach an agreement over an electoral law that would ensure fair representation among all Lebanese.
Prime Minister Najib Miqati had announced on Friday the resignation of the government over its failure to agree on extending the term of Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi and forming the authority to oversee the elections.Signed during a national dialogue session in June, the Baabda Declaration calls for Lebanon to disassociate itself from regional conflicts.

Mikati defends resignation, slams Aoun
March 25, 2013/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati defended in remarks published Monday his decision to tender his government’s resignation and slammed Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun for insinuating the move had been inspired by the United States.
“Had my resignation [letter] been written at embassies, as some have claimed, it would have faced strong rejection, given the negative responses that were made by some [Western countries] immediately after my resignation,” Mikati told the local As-Safir newspaper. On Saturday, Aoun ridiculed Mikati’s decision to resign, describing the motivation behind it as “silly,” while hinting that that the move had been hatched with U.S. assistance.
“One must look for the cause of his resignation at one of the embassies because the 1960 election law only surfaced after U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly’s visit to Mikati and [President Michel] Sleiman” Aoun said Saturday.
In a separate interview with Al-Liwaa newspaper, Mikati reiterated that he had yet to decide whether to run again for the post of prime minister.
“I cannot say that I am a candidate for premiership simply because I haven’t yet decided,” Mikati said, pointing out that he was adopting a wait-and-see approach.
Mikati announced the resignation of his government Friday, citing the Cabinet’s failure to pass a proposal to extend the term of Lebanon’s police chief, who will retire on April 1, as well as the blocking of a decision to form a supervisory committee for the 2013 polls. Sleiman suspended the government after the fallout among ministers and on Saturday accepted Mikati’s resignation, tasking the Tripoli lawmaker with continuing as caretaker prime minister. The president is expected to launch on April 2 binding consultations with parliamentary blocs to name a prime minister-designate who would form a new Cabinet.
As well as Aoun, Mikati’s resignation was also criticized by Hezbollah, which said the move had plunged the entire country into a political and security vacuum.
“The prime minister, who wanted to avoid a vacuum in a security institution, has created with his resignation a political and security vacuum throughout the country,” MP Mohammad Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, said Sunday. Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, an official in Hezbollah, also slammed Monday Mikati’s decision to throw in the towel, saying it would not resolve the elections crisis in the country.
“The resignation of the prime minister whatever the causes – personal or for internal or external political [reasons] –will not resolve the electoral law problem afflicting the country,” Qaouq told a local gathering in the southern border town of Bint Jbeil. Political parties in the country have yet to agree on a voting system to govern the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Qaouq also said the resignation of the Cabinet, which is dominated by the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition, would not lead to any negative impact on the resistance group.
“America and Israel know very well that no matter what happens in terms of political and internal changes in Lebanon that will not change anything in the equation of a strong resistance, its readiness and [the promise] of surprises,” he said. Qaouk stressed that the resistance would neither be affected “if the government changed or stayed or a new government is formed.”
Meanwhile, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea called for the immediate formation of a government, even prior to any possible relaunch to the National Dialogue.
“A new government must first be formed before Dialogue,” Geagea told Al-Akhbar newspaper, stressing that Lebanon did not need calls for all-party talks and “heroic feats of Dialogue.”
“We cannot afford wasting time due to circumstances that Lebanon is going through,” he added.
“A government to oversee quick preparations of a new electoral law, [a government] that would give new hope and new horizons is quickly required,” Geagea said.
“We want a [new] government that will put an end to the economic collapse and an immediate end to the security deterioration,” he added.
 

Jihad in Syria
by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
March 20, 2013
http://www.meforum.org/3474/jihad-in-syria

How do the jihadist rebels generally conceive of jihad in the Syrian civil war?
One useful way to look into this question is to examine the Qur'anic verses pertaining to warfare cited in propaganda statements. In this context, one recurring verse is 22:39, which runs as follows: 'Permission [to fight] has been granted to those who are being fought, because they have been wronged. And verily is God able to grant them victory.'
For example, at the start of the final rebel offensive on Raqqah at the beginning of this month that successfully took the city out of the hands of Assad's forces, a video emerged on Youtube entitled 'Statement from Jabhat al-Nusrah [JAN] on the beginning of the battle to liberate Raqqah.' In this video, one can see three fighters from JAN – the al-Qa'ida-aligned jihadist group. The speaker begins the statement with citation of 22:39.
In a similar vein, at the end of last year, a battalion calling itself 'The Free Men of the Euphrates Battalion' invoked 22:39 at the opening of the announcement of its formation. In January of this year, a claimed police defector in Hama highlighted 22:39 in announcing his defection to Ahrar al-Sham, which has since merged with numerous other battalions to form a broad jihadist umbrella group that played a key role in the capture of Raqqah.
To be sure, 22:39 is also cited beyond jihadist circles, for it was notably invoked by the prominent Islamic scholar Mohammed Ali al-Sabouni- head of the Association of Syrian Scholars and a member of the Syrian National Coalition (opposition coalition-in-exile)- as a justification for taking up arms against the Assad regime.
Coming back to JAN (on whom I focus since it is considered the most hardline jihadist group), another Qur'anic quotation cited in their propaganda is 9:39, which states: 'Fight the polytheists altogether just as they fight you altogether.' This verse appeared at the beginning of a video released through the group's official channel, called 'The White Minaret.'
JAN's channel also released a video that begins with quotation from 4:75, which speaks of the need to fight in the cause of God for the oppressed who cry out for aid: a theme emphasized in the same video.
One could go on, but the point is that by citing all these verses, even JAN places an emphasis on what might be termed 'defensive jihad': that is, fighting in self-defense and in defense of one's fellow Muslim brethren in the face of a regime seen as waging war on Islam.
Indeed, the doctrine contrasts with 'offensive jihad', which is a concept that normally relies on a verse of the Qur'an quite different from the ones cited above: namely, 9:29. Modern al-Qa'ida theorists use this verse to argue that Muslims must conquer the world for Islam. Osama bin Laden himself made this aggressive approach clear in an essay stating that non-Muslims had three choices: conversion, subjugation, or death.
This kind of grandiose vision was duly taken up by al-Qa'ida-aligned jihadists fighting in places like Iraq and Mali, where their brutality towards the local populations helped to foster alienation.
In contrast, an emphasis on portraying the struggle against Assad as 'defensive jihad' means that providing protection and aid for local Muslim populations (see e.g. here and here)- or, to borrow a counter-insurgency phrase, 'winning hearts and minds'- has become a key part of jihadist strategy, whatever their wider ambitions might be.
This also means a more cautious approach to implementing strict Islamic law for fear that doing so hastily might provoke too much resentment. Thus, in JAN's case, it is not true, pace some rumors, that the group immediately forced women's clothing stores in Mayadeen to shut upon the announcement of a supposed 'Shari'a Committee for the Eastern Region' of Syria.
Indeed, much was made of a video showing a protest against JAN in Mayadeen, but it would appear the extent of the opposition was exaggerated. It is doubtful whether there were three straight days of protest against JAN as the Syrian Observatory on Human Rights claims. In any event, Mayadeen also saw counter-protests in favor of JAN (hat-tip: @Marwouantounsi).
On the other hand, in rebel-held areas of Aleppo, where JAN and other jihadist groups have had much more time to consolidate their presence, the impact of strict application of Islamic law is far more apparent through the full force of Shari'a courts- a phenomenon well documented in a recent New York Times report.
Even so, a hint of caution remains: recently a Shari'a-court affiliated with JAN arrested Dr. Othman Haj Othman- a popular member of Aleppo's unofficial opposition council and a doctor who devoted himself to treating injured protestors in the city. Othman's supposed 'crime' was to remove a JAN flag from the hospital he was working at. Yet Othman was released only a day later, likely as a result of the outrage the arrest triggered.
In short, the jihadist groups' approach of 'defensive jihad' entails a more gradualist outlook to implementing Shari'a, somewhat similar to the Muslim Brotherhood's conception of applying Islamic law through 'gradual action…step by step, in order to facilitate understanding, studying, acceptance and submission.'
Such an approach is also supported by prominent cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi and is clearly seen in the Egyptian government's recent policies towards prohibition on alcohol.
Yet in the long-run, this strategy adopted by the main jihadist groups in Syria does not necessarily point to much more significant success than elsewhere. As Phillip Smyth notes, approximately 1000 militias could be operating on the ground at the moment, which speaks against the idea of any single faction or alliance of groups becoming dominant in the country, for rivalries between different rebel groups in such a situation- even among those that broadly share the same ideological outlook- are impossible to avoid.
Further, the end-result of a gradualist approach to applying strict Shari'a is the same as one of immediate implementation: namely, significant restrictions on civil and political liberties- particularly as regards minorities (especially the Alawites, frequently attacked in jihadist rhetoric as 'Nusayri apostates') and women- that will help to stir up at least some resentment.
To conclude, the picture is one of general chaos, with jihadist strongholds most likely to arise and endure in the north and east of Syria.
Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi is a Shillman-Ginsburg Fellow at the Middle East Forum and a student at Brasenose College, Oxford University.

More Syrian Bloodshed
By: Hussein Shobokshi/Asharq Alawsat
Ever since the Syrian regime first rose to power via a suspicious and mysterious military coup, with Hafez Al-Assad and later his son Bashar assuming the presidency, dreadful political crimes have been committed one after the other without the evidence ever being shown in public, without the state ever issuing its condemnation, and without the perpetrators ever being prosecuted.
In Syria, suspicious incidents occur one after another without a straight answer being offered, for example about the circumstances surrounding a murder or its causes, and of course, without tracing or arresting the those responsible. The regime always seems content to issue a brief statement from an official Syrian source, who cannot be questioned or asked about further details.
Now we have entered a new chapter of mysterious killings being committed on Syrian soil. Last Thursday a huge explosion erupted in one of Damascus’ main mosques, killing Sheikh Mohammed Saeed Ramadan Al Bouti, one of the Muslim world’s most prominent scholars, together with twenty worshipers. However, several accounts differed considerably as to whether the explosion was actually the result of a suicide bomber, or a mortar shell.
In order to determine who was behind the blast, we must consider the incident from the viewpoint of the Assad government; a bloodthirsty intelligence regime that rules the country in accordance with the principle of “divide and rule”. The regime constantly seeks to sow the seeds of division, sedition, disorder, suspicion, and fear among the affiliates of different sects, and even among the ruling family.
A few days before the incident, the Syrian National Coalition announced that it had selected Ghassan Hitto as the prime minister for its interim government, in a symbolic but extremely serious message to the world that it intends to perform a more significant role in Syria by administering the affairs of territories liberated by the Free Syrian Army. It is commonly known that Ghassan Hitto is of Kurdish descent, and likewise Sheikh Al Bouti was also a Kurd. Furthermore, the terrorist operation on the mosque was carried out on Nowruz day, an important Kurdish holiday.
This cannot all be a coincidence. Al Bouti’s mosque was situated right next to the Russian embassy and the headquarters of a major Damascus intelligence apparatus, surrounded by barricades and troops of heavily armed soldiers. So how could a terrorist laden with explosive devices pass through such a security blockade?
This particular mosque had already witnessed similar security incidents, but the perpetrators always remained anonymous. The Syrian regime holds opposition terrorists accountable for Al Bouti’s death, but the late sheikh used to live in an extremely popular area of the city, where he could have been easily accessed and assassinated by opposition forces if they so wished. In reality, the regime seems to have exhausted its Al Bouti card; it could no longer find any use for an octogenarian who had said all that could be said in support of Assad and against the revolution.
The regime realized that by disposing of this man in a bloody manner, this would once again fuel the fears of minorities and stir up people’s emotions. But the Syrian people cannot be fooled or frightened as easily as they were in the past. The regime’s accounts, rhetoric, and statements have now become a source of ridicule and laughter.
Many have fallen victim to the Syrian regime throughout the years, whether in Syria or Lebanon, and the perpetrators have always remained anonymous. The assassination of Al Bouti can be considered within this bloodthirsty context. With every horrific chapter, the message is reinforced that the Assad regime remaining in power is not only a slight on the Syrian people; it is an utter disgrace to the entire Arab and Muslim world. Getting rid of this regime has now become a humanitarian mission, to make the world a better place.
Al Bouti was a prominent Muslim scholar who is now in the house of the righteous. We must ask God to bestow mercy upon him, and to protect Syria as well as its people.

BRICS Leadership Will Be Tested by Syria
By: Salman Shaikh /Asharq Alawsat
The humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Syria is probably the most serious crisis facing the world today. And yet, the international community is struggling to find a way forward. With more than four million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance and three million internally displaced—a conservative UN estimate based on surveys of 6 out of 14 governorates in Syria—the humanitarian response to the plight of civilians so far has been entirely inadequate. A recent UNICEF report highlighted the two million children maimed, orphaned, and suffering from malnutrition as a result of the conflict – an entire generation “scarred for life”. Meanwhile, over one million refugees are seeking asylum in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. This number will likely hit the three million mark by the end of 2013—a ticking bomb for countries based on delicate social, ethnic, and sectarian balance.
Humanitarian access in opposition-held areas, where assistance is most urgently needed, is extremely limited. The humanitarian policy dilemma has shown what a mess we are currently in. Under General Assembly resolution 46/182, the United Nations cannot operate inside rebel-held territory without the explicit consent of the Syrian government. As that government’s authority is waning, however, many wonder whether we should be bound by the sovereignty of a tyrannical regime that continues to aggravate the crisis. Others, meanwhile, are advocating for direct humanitarian cross-border action in coordination with the internationally recognized Syrian National Coalition. With the election of Ghassan Hitto as the interim prime minister of a transitional government in “liberated” areas, this call will no doubt grow louder.
It is time for the international community to overcome this obstacle and allow for a more effective humanitarian response in Syria, whenever and wherever it may be required. One way forward would be for key countries such as Brazil, South Africa, and India to support a more aggressive effort to ramp up the UN’s cross-border aid operations inside the country. Such an opportunity presents itself at the forthcoming 2013 BRICS summit in Durban next week. These countries should use their influence to secure a Security Council endorsement of this approach, principally by applying pressure on Russia and China.
Furthermore, they should use their direct channels with Assad to insist that the regime allow for cross-border operations and give full humanitarian access to all areas of the country.
Why the BRICS? Given their rising prominence on the world stage, it’s become clear that these nations play a key role in steering the international response to this crisis. Bouthaina Shaaban, political and media advisor to Assad, travelled to South Africa last week to deliver a message to President Zuma, urging BRICS nations to intervene to stop the violence in Syria and encourage the opening of a dialogue. Three weeks ago, she was in India, doing the same. It goes without saying that such cynical diplomacy on the part of the regime should be met by more purposeful calls to spare the lives of civilians. This is a strategic opportunity for the BRICS to use their influence and play a more decisive, helpful role.
There is no time to lose. To date, the international community has failed in its responsibilities to protect the Syrian population. Even with regard to the funding of UN humanitarian operations, only 20% of the $ 1.5 billion pledged by international donors in Kuwait in January has been honored.
International inaction in Syria will leave a lasting legacy of insecurity and suffering, while the spillover effects of this humanitarian crisis will only contribute to the growing instability in Syria’s neighborhood and across the greater region. The BRICS nations, along with the international community, have a responsibility to act now. Given the state of emergency on the ground, however, humanitarian cross-border access alone may not be sufficient. In order to protect civilians, guarantee the safe passage of relief organizations as well as refugees attempting to leave the country, there is a growing imperative for the establishment of humanitarian corridors and civilian safe areas along the sensitive borders of Syria. Make no mistake, such safe areas will have to be secured and protected by all means possible. Here, there will be much to learn from the UN’s experience in Bosnia in the 1990s, involving an assessment of what went right as well as wrong.
The BRICS and their international partners should be ready to endorse such measures. The situation demands it. Yet at a minimum, they must now demand that Assad allows the UN to cross Syria’s borders to reach civilians in need. The UN has the required institutional knowledge to deliver aid to fragmented areas making it the organization that is best placed to do so in Syria. Enabling the UN to undertake a country-wide response would help prevent the politicization of assistance as well as ensure a coordinated response in crucial sectors such as water, sanitation, infrastructure reconstruction, food assistance and education. The end goal would be to ensure that the UN is able to meet the basic needs of all civilians and upholding fundamental humanitarian principles in this bloody conflict.