LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
August 17/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint John 6:51-58. I am the living bread that came down from
heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will
give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among
themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to
them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and
drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and
drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my
flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks
my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and
I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have
life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your
ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Mar Mikhael, the new
Gemmayzeh? The old streets of Mar Mikhael may be seeing a transformation. By:
Hayeon Lee, 16/08/09
Why UNIFIL will remain UNIFIL. By:
Ana Maria Luca, 16/08/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August
16/09
Jouzou:
Does Hizbullah Want to Drag Lebanon into a New Tragedy?-Naharnet
Aridi:
Cabinet Formula Remains 15-10-5, PSP Holds onto Public Works Ministry-Naharnet
Berri
Stresses Right of Southerners to be Compensated-Naharnet
Wahab
from Syria: My Next Visit will be with All Druze Leaders-Naharnet
Sfeir:
Some Politicians Only Looking after Own Interests -Naharnet
Top officials reiterate demand that Lebanon
implement 1701-Jerusalem
Post
Report: 20 Syrian civilians killed in failed missile test-Haaretz
Hamas: Head of Al-Qaida affiliate killed in Gaza-Haaretz
Meshal: Iran turmoil won't affect Tehran support for Hamas-Haaretz
Hizbullah:
Nasrallah Statements Prompted by Keenness to Facilitate Hariri's Task
-Naharnet
Hariri
Invites Aoun to Lunch and Awaits Answer
-Naharnet
Arslan:
I Cannot Give up Democratic Party Right for Government Representation
-Naharnet
Chabert: Long Way to Go
for Lebanon to Regain 'Calm' Ties with Neighbors
-Naharnet
Hariri to Propose Formula
for Portfolio Distribution Coming Week
-Naharnet
Nasrallah Says No War with
Israel for Now, Threatens to Bomb Tel Aviv if Beirut is Attacked
-Naharnet
Questions Raised about
Bassil's Involvement in Barouk Internet Network
-Naharnet
Wahhab: There is no majority; just two
minorities and Jumblatt’s bloc/Now Lebanon
Mashnouk: Hizbullah responsible for
opposition cabinet share/Future News
Samir Franjieh: Hizbullah-Syria can
solve Aoun’s crisis/Future
News
Hezbolla leader Hassan Nasrallah: We will hit Tel
Aviv if Beirut is attacked
By Jack Khoury /Haaretz 15.8.09 /Future News
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah turned up the rhetoric against Israel on
Friday at a mass rally in Beirut marking the third anniversary of the Second
Lebanon War.
"Our position is that a unity government in which Hezbollah will be an effective
player is urgently required. Hezbollah is able to hit every city in Israel, and
I repeat: If they hit Beirut, we will attack Tel Aviv," he said. "We have two
options. One is to succumb to Israel and let it call the shots in the region.
The other is to be strong so that the Israelis would think a thousand times,
even a million times, before they launch a war against Lebanon and Hezbollah.
The option is ours."Nasrallah also said the threats exchanged with Israel over
the past few weeks did not necessarily point to a new conflict in the region.
"The Israeli threats are no more than psychological warfare," he said.
"According to my knowledge of Israelis, when they jabber they are not to be
feared. We should be vigilant when they are quiet like snakes." Last week, Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Lebanese government that it would be held
responsible for any attacks on Israeli targets even if the attacks were carried
out independently by Hezbollah. Nasrallah said Netanyahu's remarks were meant to
influence domestic politics in Lebanon in the wake of June's general election,
in which the pro-Syrian camp, of which Hezbollah is a key member, suffered a
bitter defeat. The Shi'ite leader quoted Netanyahu in the beginning of his
speech. "Netanyahu, God bless him, has written that the Six-Day War was
strategically important because it made Israel a fait accompli, and after the
Yom Kippur War Arab leaders were convinced they should make peace with it. But
the same Netanyahu now says that after the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in
2000 and the Second Lebanon War, Israel lost its deterrent power, and its
invincibility is again uncertain."
Report: 20 Syrian civilians killed in failed missile test
By Barak Ravid,/Haaretz /15/08/2009
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1107665.html
Twenty Syrian civilians were killed and 60 more were injured after a Scud
missile test-fired jointly by Syria, North Korea and Iran in late May strayed
off course, Japan's Kyodo News reported. The launch was an attempt to test a new
short-range ballistic Scud missile jointly developed by the three countries that
they meant to replace an outdated version, according to the Japanese report,
which quoted Western diplomatic sources. A technical malfunction caused one of
the two missiles test-fired to land in a market located in a town on the
Syria-Turkey border, killing 20 and injuring 60 more. Syrian military officials
blocked off access to the area to recover what was left of the missile, Kyodo
News reported, and told residents there had been a gas explosion. The other
missile may have landed in a border area between Syria and Iraq, the diplomatic
source told Kyodo. Kyodo also quoted a Middle Eastern military source, who said
a problem with the missiles' guidance systems caused them to go astray.
Sfeir: Some Politicians Only Looking after Own Interests
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir said during Sunday sermon that
"many" politicians were "looking after their own interests" thus hindering the
formation of a government.
"The political squabbling shows that many of those who work in politics do not
care about the good of the country and are looking after their own interests
thus hindering the formation of a government at works for the interest of this
country," Sfeir said. Seven weeks after the start of negotiations on a new
Lebanese government, rival parties agreed on the number of ministers each
political bloc will have but still disagree over who will get such key
portfolios as foreign affairs, finance, interior and telecommunications. Beirut,
16 Aug 09, 10:22
Questions Raised about Bassil's Involvement in Barouk Internet Network
Naharnet/The uncovering of the illegal internet network in the Barouk region
with ties to Israel has opened a dispute in which the telecommunications
ministry quickly denied involvement.
Bassil's involvement in this issue of the illegal internet company in Barouk was
called into question by Mustaqbal Movement member MP Ammar Houry. Houry said the
past few hours have shown that the company was established during President
Emile Lahoud's time in office and that it had functioned under Cabinet Minister
Jean Louis Qerdahi. He said the company manager is a supporter of Michel Aoun's
Free Patriotic Movement and is "very close to them, particularly to one of the
parties that belongs to this bloc." Houry pointed that the company resumed its
functions after a two-day suspension. He said equipment had been confiscated
from the internet company and that the Prosecutor General's office had closed
the company and put its hand on the dossier. As Safir daily had reported that
Lebanese army intelligence found "direct ties to Israel" after raiding the
company, examining the equipment and quizzing the staffers.The issue was
initially raised by Marada Movement leader Sueliman Franjieh during an interview
with Marcel Ghanem's Kalam el-Nass talk show on LBC. Bassil had said that
Lebanese army officier Danny Fares was the one who tracked down the internet
service in Barouk, which had been active for the past few years. Beirut, 15 Aug
09, 10:09
Nasrallah Says No War with Israel for Now, Threatens to
Bomb Tel Aviv if Beirut is Attacked
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Friday that Israel is no
longer a nation that cannot be defeated and warned that if the Jewish state
bombards Beirut or the southern suburbs Hizbullah will strike Tel Aviv. "We are
now strong. We have become a strong force. Israel is no longer a nation that
cannot be defeated," Nasrallah said in a speech via video link on the occasion
of the third anniversary of the Hizbullah-Israel July war. Addressing Israel,
Nasrallah asked: "Can you wage war to uproot Hizbullah?""No, I tell you," he
shouted. He told the rally in Beirut's southern suburbs that Lebanon must have a
deterrent military force to meet head-on with Israel. "When we have such a
deterrent force, we can tell the Israelis that they will not be able to achieve
their goals," Nasrallah insisted. He said that Hizbullah did not believe that
behind Israel's threats are plans for war on Lebanon. "But rather Israel is
seeking to pressure the Lebanese government against Hizbullah participation" in
the new Cabinet, Nasrallah said. But, nevertheless, he threatened Israel against
attacking Lebanon. "We tell the Israelis, today, that if they bombard Beirut or
the southern suburbs we will bomb Tel Aviv," Nasrallah warned. He said Hizbullah
believes that Israel also aims at blocking formation of a national unity
government "because this issue hurts the enemy." Nasrallah described Israel's
ongoing psychological war as "a failed war." TImur Jumblat, Walid Jumblat's son,
and MP Akram Shehayeb were delegated by the PSP leader to attend the rally in
the southern suburbs. Beirut, 14 Aug 09, 22:31
Hizbullah: Nasrallah Statements Prompted by Keenness to
Facilitate Hariri's Task
Naharnet/Hizbullah sources have said that statements last week by its secretary
general on the need to accelerate the government formation were driven by "its
concern to support the task of the premier-designate," the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat
reported Sunday. They were referring to Friday's televised speech by leader
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on the third anniversary of the end of the summer 2006
Israel war. The sources said that Hizbullah's "concern to support PM-designate
Saad Hariri's task in forming a government does not prevent the party from
expressing solidarity with the head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun
in the face of the campaign he is being subjected to." Meanwhile, sources in the
parliamentary majority told the paper that "statements by Hizbullah leaders, in
which they support Aoun's demands, show a change in the party's attitude toward
the government formation process." "Instead of helping to resolve Aoun's
proposals – as it had promised Hariri – Hizbullah is making matters more
complicated and is pushing Aoun toward showing more inflexibility," they said.
On the same note, an informed source told the pan-Arab daily asharq al-awsat
that "despite backing the demands of its Christian ally, the Free Patriotic
Movement, Hizbullah is waging a battle that is not its own after it had
guaranteed a political formula for the government that eases its concerns." The
source added: "It is a known fact that Hizbullah and Amal will essentially
divide amongst them the ministries of foreign affairs and labor, in addition to
minor portfolios. This is a matter that has nothing to do with standing in
opposition to anyone." "Hizbullah is careful to preserve the government formula
that has been agreed upon and that guarantees the party's participation in
governance and decision-making," the source said. He added that Hizbullah will
"not stop its support for Aoun's demands as long as they do not endanger the
formula." "Hizbullah today feels that Hariri is holding on to the government
shape-up and does not seem to be threatening to abandon the task. This is why
there is no reason for the party to worry about the formula being in danger," he
said. Beirut, 16 Aug 09, 09:42
Hariri Invites Aoun to Lunch and Awaits Answer
Naharnet/Premier-designate Saad Hariri has invited MP Michel Aoun to lunch in
Qoreitem to discuss the formation of the government and the latter's demands,
the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat reported Sunday. "Hariri dispatched his advisor
Nader Hariri to Aoun and invited him to meet with the premier-designate over
lunch," the paper said quoting sources. They added that Aoun asked for "time
before giving an answer to the invitation. Aoun has scheduled a press conference
for Monday to respond to "a campaign being waged against him by March 14 forces
over his insistence to nominate (Telecoms Minister Jebran) Bassil to the cabinet
and demands for one sovereign portfolio and five other minor ones," the paper
reported. Beirut, 16 Aug 09, 10:07
Hariri to Propose Formula for Portfolio Distribution Coming
Week
Naharnet/Premier-designate Saad Hariri is expected the coming week to propose to
President Michel Suleiman a formula for the distribution of cabinet portfolios
and ministers and "to place political teams face to face with their
responsibilities," the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat reported Sunday. "Someone has to
take responsibility for the delay in the government formation and for the delay
of more important steps such as the Saudi-Syrian summit, expected to be held
following a shape-up in addition to an anticipated visit to Syria by Hariri,"
sources told the paper. Beirut, 16 Aug 09, 10:38
Arslan: I Cannot Give up Democratic Party Right for
Government Representation
Naharnet/Youth and Sports Minister Talal Arslan told Hizbullah's politburo head
Ibrahim Amine al-Sayyed Sunday he was willing to give up his own nomination to a
future cabinet but he could not forego the right of his party for
representation. Arslan insisted on the need to reach a shape-up "as soon as
possible for the good of the country and to preserve its unity." He called for a
government of national unity and of "real national partnership in order to be
able to confront Israeli threats and others on the domestic, regional and
international levels."
The leader of the Lebanese Democratic party said his meeting with Sayyed was
part of "constant coordination between him and Hizbullah" and stressed that the
"resistance is his strategic path that he cannot deviate from." For his part,
Sayyed also called for the speedy formation of a government that "can achieve
real and effective partnership." He said the timing for the government's birth
was "up to Premier-designate Saad Hariri," adding that the opposition provided
"all the required facilitations to form a government." He accused "some sides of
trying to raise malicious points and want to settle political and electoral
scores with some members of the opposition in order to cover up problems or
crisis within its ranks." "This is the real obstacle to the shape-up," he added.
Beirut, 16 Aug 09, 12:30
Chabert: Long Way to Go for Lebanon
to Regain 'Calm' Ties with Neighbors
Naharnet/French Chargé d'Affairs, Didier Chabert, said Sunday that Lebanon still
had a "long way" to go before it can regain its "calm" relations with all its
neighbors and other countries.
Speaking after a mass in Beirut, Chabert said: "Lebanon has made progress in
normalizing Lebanese-Syrian ties, under the auspices of President Michel
Suleiman." He also pointed to France's "active support in this regard." Chabert
was speaking on the eve of a Security Council meeting to discuss the renewal of
UNIFIL's mission. He renewed his country's "commitment to stability in southern
Lebanon, to ensure the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701
and to condemn all violations of the resolution, including Israeli over-flights
and occupation of the northern part of al-Ghajar in addition to recent events in
the south, which are cause for concern despite having been contained." He was
referring an explosion last month of a weapons cache in an abandoned house in
the southern town of Khirbet Selm and subsequent clashes between residents and
UNIFIL peacekeepers trying to investigate the incident. He stressed on France's
"full support of the Lebanese army, which must someday have exclusive control
over the use of force across Lebanon." He voiced hope for the speedy formation
of a government "in the best conditions." Beirut, 16 Aug 09, 11:54
Mar Mikhael, the new Gemmayzeh?
The old streets of Mar Mikhael may be seeing a transformation
Hayeon Lee, Now Lebanon
Staff , August 16, 2009
L’Osteria, a café/restaurant/pub located across from the electricity building in
Mar Mikhael
Mar Mikhael is tipped to be the new hotspot for Beirut party-goers. Starting
where Gemmayzeh ends, the marker was first put down by the now-defunct 961 micro
brewery. The torch was then taken up by Behind the Green Door, an edgy pub
(rumored to be named after a cult 70s soft porn film) a few meters further down
the road, and now at least ten new pubs have either opened or will open soon,
starting a trend that could see non-stop nightlife from the edge of downtown
Beirut all the way to the Bourj Hammoud bridge.
But while nightlife and tourism is held up as a vital artery of the Lebanese
economy, the fear is that Mar Mikhael might morph into a new Gemmayzeh, with
property prices soaring and the mostly-unlicensed premises making life hell for
those who thought they lived in a relatively peaceful neighborhood.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, only around 5% of the bars in Gemmayzeh
and Mar Mikhael are legal, as most do not meet requirements, in particular one
necessitating adequate parking spaces for each establishment. Furthermore, the
municipality refuses to issue permits to many pubs because they are situated in
a designated residential area. These pubs then, for the most part, operate
illegally.
Nonetheless, there has been a steady increase in license applications to the
Ministry of Tourism since the second half of 2008, and a sharp increase since
2009. But most of these applications are for restaurants. When inspectors from
the ministry visit these so-called “restaurants,” they usually discover the
minimal kitchen and a well-stocked bar. “We cannot go on like this,” a ministry
official told NOW. “We have to find a solution and help legalize the pubs.”
Owners of bars without kitchens – in which case, they cannot even apply for a
restaurant license – resort to bribing government officials. “Of course,” said
Ramzi, a bar owner in Gemmayzeh, when asked whether this practice is common.
The recent development has already pushed up property prices. Anthony, 25, who
recently opened Dessau in Mar Mikhael, says rent is “going up faster here than
in any other area.” Tommy Tabib, who opened L’Osteria this April, predicts that
people trying to rent and open pubs nowadays will probably pay double what he
currently pays.
But what do the local residents feel about their once-sedate neighborhood
becoming an adjunct to Lebanon’s tourism epicenter?
“At 2, 2:30 a.m., we’re going to hear loud noises of people getting drunk. It’s
not good,” said Joseph, a long-time resident and building owner, who is already
concerned about how loud it has become at night. “Everything is not [about]
money,” he said. And he is not the only one. A building owner across from Joseph
was offered over $1,500 a month by someone who wanted to open a restaurant-pub
on the ground floor – much higher than what her current tenants are paying – but
she refused in order to keep the calm and not disturb the neighbors.
But even if some decline offers from prospective bar owners as new tenants,
others are taking advantage of the area’s popularity. In the eight-story
building this reporter lives in at the top of the Mar Mikhael stairs, the
landlord has doubled rents.
George, a local real-estate broker confirmed that residential prices in some
cases have tripled to $2,000 per m2. He said that an Emirati customer
unsuccessfully made an offer of $4,000 per m2 for a 900 m2 house in Mar Mikhael
just east of the EDL electricity building. And those who cannot take a
piece of the pie feel cheated. “It’s not fair,” Joseph, the same landlord who
disapproves Mar Mikhael’s new development course, complained. He has ten tenants
in his building paying him the “old rent” – what they paid before 1975 – of $300
per year. Three of the renters live in Paris and only return for summers.
Samir Franjieh: Hizbullah-Syria can solve Aoun’s crisis
Date: August 16th, 2009/Source: Future News
March 14 former MP Samir Franjieh said Sunday that the solution to the Free
Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun’s complex that prevent the cabinet
formation is in Syria and Hizbullah’s hands. “It is Syria’s call to show its
good intentions before the international and Arab communities at this particular
stage, while Hizbullah is annoyed by the fact that Iran is being isolated from
some issues occurring in the region,” Franjieh argued. He affirmed that
Hizbullah first pledged to resolve General Aoun’s chronic blockage to cabinet
formation, then the party reneged by holding the March 14 responsibility of
Aoun’s crisis. “Is Hizbullah using General Aoun to disrupt the cabinet
formation,” Franjieh asked. He said “Hizbullah does not regard the
re-appointment of the Telecommunication minister Gibran Bassil – Aoun’s
son-in-law, as an essential issue especially after such approach was rejected in
Iran." Franjieh affirmed that Hizbullah could have simply resolved the
controversial issues imposed by Aoun but apparently it is indecisive whether
taking part in the next cabinet is appropriate or not. “Hizbullah is hesitating
since the region would witness several events such as imposing sanction on Iran
and the Special Tribunal indictments,” he explained. Franjieh emphasized that
"the key expression that must be adopted in the ministerial statement is that
Lebanon shall protect the resistance not vice versa.”
Mashnouk: Hizbullah responsible for opposition cabinet share
Date: August 16th, 2009/Source: LBC
Nohad El Mashnouk, member of “Lebanon First” parliamentary bloc, said Sunday
that Hizbullah is responsible for the share of the opposition in the next
government.
Mashnouk is also member of Almustaqbal Movement led by MP Saad Hariri who was
designated prime minister on June 27 and is still consulting with the
parliamentary blocs in order to form the post-elections government. In an
interview with the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, Mashnouk added that
Hizbullah should not content with statements containing explanations for the
constitution regarding the problem of grating ministerial portfolios to those
who lost in the June 7 elections. MP Michel Aoun, leader of the opposition Free
Patriotic Movement, sticks to granting a ministerial seat to his son in law
outgoing Communications Minister Gebran Bassil, who lost one of the two Maronite
seats of the Batroun district. MP Mashnouk considered such a step to contradict
the will of the Lebanese, noting that the next government will adopt realism in
politics and will guarantee the rights of all political sides. Mashnouk,
recently elected for the Sunni seat of Beirut’s second district, also noted that
the opposition acknowledged orally its defeat in the elections, but it is
proving every day the opposite.
Wahhab: There is no majority; just two minorities and
Jumblatt’s bloc
August 16, 2009 /Now Lebanon
Tawhid Movement leader Wiam Wahhab said in an interview broadcasted on OTV on
Sunday afternoon that “Prime Minister-designate Rafik Hariri is obstructing the
cabinet formation for reasons other than the re-appointment of
Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil in the upcoming cabinet.” He also
accused Hariri of objecting to the reappointment of Gebran Bassil in order to
cover up corruption in the Ogero Telecom company. “If Bassil drops
investigations into this issue, then he will be reappointed as
telecommunications minister instantly.”Wahhab said that “appointing as minister
candidates who lost their elections is not unusual. The majority is trying to
pressure the Free Patriotic Movement, but neither the opposition nor the FPM
leader will submit.” According to Wahhab, “Today there is no majority and
minority. We have two minorities and an outweighing bloc, which is the bloc of
Walid Jumblatt.”He also said that “the delay of the cabinet formation will make
the 10-10-10 formula more favorable.”
He also spoke about Syria’s role in Lebanon and the region, saying “Syria is
ready to help accelerate the cabinet formation.”“Saudi-Syrian rapprochement has
not been frozen, and the slowdown in the bilateral talks is due to merely
technical reasons,” Wahhab said. He praised Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for
his role in protecting the Druze in Lebanon, claiming this is why he restored
relations with Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt. He also
said that Assad is the figure who “can protect the Christians in Lebanon and the
East.”
According to Wahhab, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea “has established armed
cells in his party, and we call for him to read the current regional and
international changes,” adding that “Geagea is protected by the Saudis, and
someday they will abandon him as the Americans did.”Wahhab concluded that Israel
is plotting the assassination of MP Sami Gemayel and Free Patriotic Movement
leader MP Michel Aoun.
Why UNIFIL will remain UNIFIL
Ana Maria Luca, Now Lebanon
Staff , August 14, 2009
Indonesian UNIFIL soldiers posing with tourists in the Fatima Gate area, in
South Lebanon.
It is a hot Sunday afternoon in South Lebanon. It’s even hotter on the hill
overlooking Fatima Gate, the closed border pass between Lebanon and Israel. But
the five Indonesian soldiers wearing blue vests and helmets don’t seem to mind
the heat. They have huge grins on their faces and are greeting tourists, shaking
hands with the locals, hugging children, taking pictures with visitors and
saying their goodbyes with a traditional bow.
A mile away, a UN tank is parked in the shadow of an olive tree. Five Polish
soldiers watch the Blue Line and the Israeli farmers working in an apple orchard
beyond the barbed wire. Nothing seems to disrupt their quiet afternoon other
than a small bus of curious young people waving at them.
The two patrols are part of the 12,000 UNIFIL troops from 28 countries sent to
Lebanon as peacekeepers. They act primarily as observers, tasked with
coordinating with the Lebanese army when and if UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR)
1701 is breached.
The tranquility is deceptive, however. The South has not been so quiet lately.
There have been “incidents” – one of which was an explosion at an arms depot
allegedly belonging to Hezbollah in Kherbet Selem in late July. Then, the locals
were not so friendly, hurling stones at the UNIFIL soldiers when they tried to
investigate the incident.
The incident prompted Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to ask for an extension of
the UNIFIL mandate for another year, but the Israeli government seized the
opportunity to ask the United Nations to turn the peacekeeping mission in
Lebanon into a peace-enforcing one. If the change were to occur, UNIFIL would be
able to fight any side that breaches 1701.
It is an unlikely development. According to Timur Goskel, who was a UNIFIL
spokesman for 24 years, none of the countries participating in UNIFIL would be
eager to risk their soldiers’ lives.
UNIFIL is the UN’s the second-most expensive peacekeeping mission after the
former Yugoslav countries. The budget for maintaining the mission in 2009-2010
is $ 589.7 million, according to official figures provided by UNIFIL. The
troops’ remit is to patrol the Blue Line and clear unexploded ammunition found
in the area between the Litani River and Lebanon’s southern border with Israel.
“It is a quiet mission, and the Europeans, who make up most of the troops, are
happy with it the way it is. Who would still stay here if they were to go to
battle?” Goksel asked.
Though French President Nicholas Sarkozy visited his country’s soldiers in South
Lebanon at the beginning of January 2009 and pledged they would not leave UNIFIL,
some countries with troops in the peacekeeping force have doubts. Spain lost
three soldiers in June 2007 in a bomb attack that targeted a UN patrol close to
the Israeli border. The incident had a strong impact on Spain’s appetite for
sending its troops to South Lebanon.
The military attaché of the Spanish Embassy, Colonel Rafael Ropero, noted that
those behind the attack were never found. He told NOW that believes the Spanish
public is unlikely to react positively to the idea of sending soldiers to
Lebanon if UNIFIL’s peaceful mission changes, especially considering the country
withdrew its contingent from Iraq due to pressure from the people. The reaction
of other countries involved in UNIFIL would be similar, he said.
“I don’t think that the Security Council will decide any change, because none of
the countries will agree. UNIFIL’s job is difficult even now when they have to
keep being neutral. They receive criticism from both sides just because they do
not get involved in Lebanon’s internal politics,” Ropero said.
In addition, Hezbollah sources told the Kuwaiti media that UNIFIL troops have
been seen conducting evacuation drills in case of a possible Israeli land
invasion in South Lebanon in 2010.
UNIFIL had no official statement on the report. However, the troops were
conducting routine earthquake response exercises on Monday and Tuesday, a UNIFIL
source told NOW.
Goksel noted that the Israeli government has been pressing for armed UNIFIL
interference in Lebanon since the UN peacekeeping mission arrived here 30 years
ago. “At first it was the PLO they wanted UNIFIL to confront,” he said. “Now
there is Hezbollah. There is nothing new about them trying to follow their
country’s interest. But that doesn’t mean it will happen.”
http://yabeyrouth.net/content/view/27389/15/
http://14march.org/news-details.php?nid=MTU2Njgw
http://www.al-seyassah.com/editor_details.asp?aid=6146&aname=إلياس%20بجاني
http://leilamagazine26.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-post_7235.html