LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
June 20/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 19:31-37.
Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not
remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a
solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken
down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of
the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they
came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but
one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water
flowed out. An eyewitness has testified, and his
testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may
(come to) believe. For this happened so that the
scripture passage might be fulfilled: "Not a bone of it will be broken." And
again another passage says: "They will look upon him whom they have pierced."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
It's
now up to Sleiman to drive Lebanon's national reform agenda.
The Daily Star 18.06.09
Hamas and Hezbollah unite to crush
Iranian dissidents.By Paul Williams/thelastcrusade.org 19.06.09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for June
19/09
Iran's supreme leader calls
Ahmadinejad 'rightful winner. Reuters-Naharnet
Sfeir:
We Do Not Want Lebanon to Be Outside of Lebanon-Naharnet
Geagea:
Nasrallah Has 'No Right to Evaluate' Sfeir's Positions-Naharnet
Jumblat, Nasrallah Stress on
Comprehensive Reconciliation in Overnight Meeting-Naharnet
Houri: Jumblatt-Nasrallah meeting,
part of March 14 overture-Future
News
MPs Geagea and Keyrouz: Sfeir
will never succumb to advices contradicting his principles-Future
News
New testimony ties Ahmadinejad
to 1989 Kurdish killing-Future
News
Khazen says Sleiman and Sfeir are
guarantee to the Lebanese-Future
News
Fattouch: to form a government on
the base of democracy-Future
News
Berri:
Resorting to Syria, Saudi is Likely if Government Formation Hits Snags-Naharnet
Israel
Sets Up Observation Post in Violation of Border, Lebanese Army-Naharnet
More
People Infected with Swine Flu-Naharnet
Hariri
for Premiership, Parliament Session June 25-Naharnet
First-of-a-Kind Hizbullah-British
Meeting Upon U.K. Request-Naharnet
Last Cabinet Session
Marred by Saniora-Tabourian Clash-Naharnet
Congress Sends Obama $106
Billion War-spending Bill that Includes Assistance to Lebanon-Naharnet
Aoun: Failure of State
Institutions to Hold Transparent Polls is Shameful-Naharnet
Harb: Court Not Convinced
of Muqdim's Guilt; Hizbullah Must Disclose Real Identity of Pilot's Shooter-Naharnet
Hizbullah MP meets British ambassador for first time
-By
Agence France Presse (AFP)
Sfeir strikes back at Nasrallah criticism-Daily
Star
Sleiman calls for unified Arab stance toward Netanyahu-Daily
Star
Najjar signs deal to set up tribunal office in Beirut-Daily
Star
Hariri praises 'perfect position' of Palestinians-Daily
Star
Lebanon's leaders should heed the dynamics of a changing world-Daily
Star
Hizbullah fighter's release in line with legal norms-Daily
Star
Foreign father's death wins minors citizenship-Daily
Star
Villages near Byblos, Batroun earn spot on tourism map-Daily
Star
Report warns against delaying Nahr al-Bared rebuilding-Daily
Star
Gemmayzeh kicks off 16th annual Exposition of Art-Daily
Star
Sfeir strikes back at Nasrallah
criticism
By Therese Sfeir /Daily Star staff
Friday, June 19, 2009
BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir said Thursday that "losers
create excuses to justify their loss." Sfeir's statements came in response to
remarks by Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who strongly
criticized him on Wednesday evening for a pre-elections statement in which the
patriarch had warned that "Lebanon's entity and Arab identity will be in danger"
should the opposition win. "We regret that matters had to reach this point,"
Sfeir said, without mentioning Nasrallah's speech.
"However, in the elections some people win and others lose. Of course the losers
will create excuses to justify their loss," the patriarch told his visitors in
Bkirki.
"We said that Lebanon will remain true to its identity thanks to the
determination of its people. We do not want Lebanon to be outside of Lebanon,"
the prelate added in defense of his earlier statements. Sfeir went on to say
that some parties wanted Lebanon to be aligned only with the East, in reference
to Hizbullah's alliance with Syria and Iran.
"We told those that Lebanon is Lebanon. It will not be with the East or the
West," the patriarch added.
"Some people did not like what we said, while others did. This is politics and
we do not want to go into that," he said.
Sfeir: We Do Not Want Lebanon
to Be Outside of Lebanon
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir said Thursday the message behind his
statements was for a Lebanon that handles its own affairs and is not subjected
to outside interferences.
Sfeir's remarks came a day after Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
strongly criticized the patriarch for a pre-elections statement in which the
latter warned that "Lebanon's entity and Arab identity will be in danger" should
the opposition win. While he did not mention Nasrallah's speech, Sfeir said: "We
regret that matters had to reach this point.
"But in the elections some were winners and others were losers. Of course the
loser will devise excuses to justify his loss," he told visiting Phalange party
member Sajaan Qazzi, who deplored Nasrallah's speech. Standing by his
statements, Sfeir said: "We said what we said with the certainty that Lebanon
has a past, a history and a future. Lebanon will remain true to its identity
thanks to the determination of its people. We do not want Lebanon to be outside
of Lebanon." "We said we do not want Lebanon to go East nor West … but we want
it to handle its own affairs and be a meeting point of East and West," he added.
Sfeir said some sides wanted Lebanon to be aligned only with the East. "We told
those that Lebanon is Lebanon. It will not be with the East or the West.""Some
did not like what we said, while others did. This is politics and we do not want
to go into that," he said, adding that it was the patriarchy's "duty to say
what's white is white and what's black is black." Beirut, 18 Jun 09, 19:26
Geagea: Nasrallah Has 'No Right to Evaluate' Sfeir's
Positions
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday slammed as "an
unacceptable insult" Hizbullah leader's criticism of Maronite Patriarch
Nasrallah Sfeir.
In a televised speech Wednesday night, Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah strongly criticized Sfeir for saying, on the eve of the June 7 polls,
that "Lebanon faced a threat to its entity and Arab identity" if the opposition
wins. In reaction, Geagea said: "I understand that Nasrallah has his
disagreements with Sfeir. But (Nasrallah's) stances toward Sfeir are absolutely
unacceptable. It is also objectionable that he evaluates the patriarch's
positions and political path." Nasrallah's remarks violate "political decorum,"
Geagea said after talks with March 14 coordinator Fares Soaid, MP Antoine Zahra
and head of the Independence Movement Michel Mouawad. "Nasrallah does not have
the right to insult (Sfeir). Such disregard of etiquettes especially in the case
of a post such as Bkirki is rejected," Geagea said. Beirut, 18 Jun 09, 17:00
Jumblat, Nasrallah Stress on Comprehensive Reconciliation in Overnight Meeting
Naharnet/MP Walid Jumblat and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed
during overnight talks the need to continue working for a comprehensive
reconciliation, Hizbullah said in a statement on Friday. According to the
statement, the two leaders held an in-depth discussion of the previous stage.
They stressed the need to move Lebanon from the situation of crisis to
cooperation and lauded Youth and Sports Minister Talal Arslan's efforts. Jumblat
and Nasrallah also stressed they would work for comprehensive reconciliation and
agreed to continue consultations during the upcoming stage. PSP official Bahaa
Abou Karroum told Future News TV network that the talks do not turn the page of
dialogue on Hizbullah's arms and the defense strategy. MP Ali Hassan Khalil also
told al-Manar TV that the Nasrallah-Jumblat meeting will have positive
repercussions on the upcoming stage. He added that the talks will open the doors
of cooperation which will be in Lebanon's favor. As Safir daily said Friday that
the agenda of the talks included evaluating the previous stage, particularly
events that took place before the May 2008 clashes. The Jumblat-Nasrallah
meeting agenda also included the stage that followed the Doha agreement and the
challenges that emerged after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's latest
speech. According to As Safir, the two officials were also to discuss prospects
of dialogue between Jumblat and Damascus, in addition to relations between
Hizbullah and the Progressive Socialist Party. Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 09:27
Berri: Resorting to Syria, Saudi is Likely if Government Formation Hits Snags
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on the need to restore "dialogue" among
Lebanese, expressing optimism about the positive impact of regional
breakthroughs on the internal Lebanese situation. Berri, in an interview with
pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat published Friday, said he would resume contacts with
the various political leaders once MP Saad Hariri returns home from a private
visit to Riyadh. He downplayed "conditions" put forth by the majority March 14
coalition for accepting Berri's re-election for a fifth term in office as
speaker of parliament. The majority demands a "balanced management" of
Parliament and a commitment by Berri to the principle of "non-obstruction" of
Parliament sessions.
"The powers of Parliament Speaker are well-known. I don't need anybody telling
me what to do," Berri stressed. He hoped that Lebanese politicians would be able
to reach a "made-in-Lebanon" solution with regards to formation of a new
government. Berri, however, said that in the event obstacles emerged, then he
believes Lebanon should call on Syria and Saudi Arabia for help. "The Syrians
and Saudis will have to work to bring matters under control because the
Syrian-Saudi harmony was and still is the key to resolving major controversial
issues," Berri added. Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 08:32
Aoun: Failure of State Institutions to Hold Transparent Polls is Shameful
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun said Thursday that the
failure of state institutions to hold transparent elections on June 7 was
shameful. "I am ashamed of the state institutions on the day of the elections.
"They stayed vigilant on the purchase of consciences," Aoun said during a
celebration of his Change and Reform bloc's victory in Kesrouan district. "I
honestly say that Lebanon's parliament speaker will be elected by the Lebanese
parliament while the government will be formed by Cairo and Riyadh," Aoun told
the crowd in Chnanir. Responding to Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir's
comments, the FPM leader said: "If they want Lebanon's decision to stay in
Lebanon then they should follow us." Sfeir said Thursday that the message behind
his latests statements was for a Lebanon that handles its own affairs and is not
subjected to outside interferences. Aoun also accused the March 14 forces of
spending $770 million during the elections "to defeat" the opposition and its
allies. "They lost their money and we won our survival. We will make them pay
the double" price, Aoun said. He said the June 7 elections were neither free nor
transparent, adding that poll observers remained silent because they were happy
with the results. "Money and power played with Lebanese destiny but you saved
Lebanon," the FPM leader told the crowd. Beirut, 18 Jun 09, 21:53
Congress Sends Obama $106 Billion War-spending Bill that Includes Assistance to
Lebanon
Naharnet/The U.S. Congress on Thursday sent President Barack Obama a massive
spending bill that includes $69 million assistance for Lebanon.
The $106 billion emergency war bill aims at ensuring that the U.S. military
efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan won't run out of money in the coming months.
It also branches off to provide money for programs ranging from pandemic flu
preparedness to a "cash for clunkers" initiative to encourage drivers to switch
to more fuel-efficient vehicles.
The Senate passed the measure on a one-sided 91-5 vote despite complaints from
several senators about the add-ons that pushed the total more than $20 billion
above the funding request Obama made two months ago. The House approved the bill
on Wednesday by a much closer 226-202 vote. The bill includes about $80 billion
to finance the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through this fiscal year that ends
Sept. 30. The Pentagon has predicted that the U.S. army could begin running out
of money for personnel and operations as early as July without the infusion of
more money. It also provides $4.5 billion, $1.9 billion above what the president
requested, for lightweight mine-resistant vehicles, called MRAPs, and $2.7
billion for eight C-17 and seven C-130 cargo planes that the Pentagon did not
ask for. On the nonmilitary front, the measure includes $660 million in
economic, humanitarian and security assistance for the West Bank and Gaza; $300
million for Jordan, $310 million for Egypt, and $69 million for Lebanon. The
bill also includes $7.7 billion for pandemic flu preparedness; and $721 million
to pay off what the U.S. owes for U.N. peacekeeping operations.(AP-AFP-Naharnet)
Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 09:58
Israel Sets Up Observation Post in Violation of Border,
Lebanese Army
Naharnet/The Lebanese army on Friday said Israel has violated the border by
establishing an observation post in a restricted area on the outskirts of
Kfarshouba hills. "In clear violation of a restricted area of Lebanese
territory, and in an attempt to impose a new reality on the ground, the Israeli
enemy on Wednesday set up an observation post at the edge of Kfarshouba and a
military position overlooking Baathaeel pond," a Lebanese army communiqué said.
"Given this provocative stance, Lebanese army units deployed in the region ran
patrols along the border," it added. The army said it was following up on the
violation with the leadership of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon "to deal with
this urgent situation." Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 13:39
Hariri for Premiership, Parliament Session June 25
Naharnet/Ongoing contacts focus quietly on electing a new parliament speaker and
the shape of the next government now that it has become a caretaker Cabinet and
with only one day left of Parliament's four-year-term. Consultations should pick
up momentum following The return home of MP Saad Hariri, at the same time as
Speaker Nabih Berri has reportedly left Beirut for a European country believed
to be Greece for a few-day holiday. Senior sources from Mustaqbal parliamentary
bloc told the daily As Safir that Hariri is certainly to become Lebanon's next
prime minister. He said consultations with Opposition leaders as well as with
the Mustaqbal bloc would resume following Hariri's return from a private visit
to Saudi Arabia.
In light of these consultations, according to the source, "a picture should be
composed" with regards to the speakership post and the shape of the new
government. As Safir quoted parliamentary sources as saying that eldest MP Abdel
Latif al-Zein will likely set June 25 as the date for a Parliament meeting to
elect a new Speaker. Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 10:26
Last Cabinet Session Marred by Saniora-Tabourian Clash
Naharnet/The last session before cabinet turns into a caretaker government was
marred by a clash between Premier Fouad Saniora and Electricity Minister Alain
Tabourian.
An Nahar newspaper said Friday that during the session, President Michel
Suleiman was listing the issues that the cabinet had failed to deal with,
including the problem of the electricity sector, when Tabourian intervened and
accused Saniora of obstructing his work. He stood up and began distributing to
cabinet ministers a negative reply from Saniora on a report that Tabourian had
prepared on the electricity sector, An Nahar said. The daily added that the
minister also wanted to distribute a booklet that he had sent to the premier's
office suggesting ways to deal with the problem of power shortage and reduction
of Electricite du Liban's financial deficit. Saniora reacted by telling
Tabourian to "stop distributing." Then Suleiman and some other ministers
intervened to end the dispute that included exchange of insults, according to An
Nahar.
Tabourian told al-Akhbar daily that he will hold a press conference to unveil
letters exchanged between him and the premiership, adding that the letter he
received from Saniora dictated to him how to work. After the session,
Information Minister Tareq Mitri denied that the clash erupted because of the
electricity problem. "It was not on the cabinet agenda and the president put an
end to it."Mitri also told reporters that Suleiman lauded the government's
effort in holding the parliamentary elections in a single day and without
mishaps. He also stressed on the importance of administrative and constitutional
appointments made by the cabinet and which helped the holding of transparent and
democratic elections.
Suleiman called on the United States and Europe to "exert more pressure on
Israel in order to accept fair peace initiatives," according to Mitri.
In its final statement, the cabinet rejected naturalization of Palestinians in
Lebanon and stressed on the right of return to their homeland in response to
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's latest speech in which he said the
problem of refugees should be solved outside Israel.
The statement also baked Suleiman's call for more Arab unity and preserving the
spirit of the resistance to face Israeli threats.
During the session, opposition ministers lauded the vetoing third while
pro-government ministers rejected it, An Nahar said. Health Minister Mohammed
Jawad Khalife also expected that the new cabinet wouldn't be formed before a
month or two, saying Saniora's chances to regain his post were 40-50%.
Tourism Minister Elie Marouni also expected that he would spend the tourism
season at his ministry, a hint that the cabinet would remain a caretaking
government for a long time.
At the start of the meeting at Baabda palace on Thursday evening, Saniora and
the ministers presented Suleiman a painting that represents olive harvest as a
token of appreciation.
Saniora told the session that the experience with the ministers and with
Suleiman was successful. The premier also praised the president for his "wisdom,
neutrality and loyalty," and his efforts to "establish the bases of democratic
work on the foundation of the respect of each other." He added that the
president had assumed his duties "with transparency and in compliance with the
constitution." At the end of the meeting, the ministers attended a farewell
dinner banquet thrown by Suleiman in their honor. Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 08:50
More People Infected with Swine Flu
Naharnet/The health ministry announced on Friday that swine flu cases in Lebanon
rose to 20 after eight people, including children, were diagnosed with the
virus. The ministry said three more students from a delegation that had visited
the United States were infected. One of the students' brother also tested
positive with the flu. The flu was also discovered in two people, including a
child, who had arrived in Beirut from Canada. The child's relative was infected
too. Furthermore, the ministry found another case coming from Canada.It reminded
the Lebanese that swine flu cases could increase as more travelers arrive in
Beirut during the summer season. Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 12:09
Ex-Israeli Intelligence Chief: Hizbullah Improving its Capabilities to
Compensate for Poll Loss
Naharnet/Former Israeli Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi
Farkash has said that Hizbullah will try to improve its military capabilities to
compensate for its loss in the June 7 parliamentary elections. "Hizbullah's plan
to improve its military capabilities is better for Israel because it facilitates
an attack" on the Shiite group, Farkash told a conference at the National
Security Research Center on Wednesday. The party "will try to compensate for its
loss in the elections by making a major leap in its military capabilities in
order to transform itself into an organized army," the former intelligence chief
said. Farkash also expected that Hizbullah would confront Israel if its internal
efforts to impose itself as a strong party fail.
He said the Shiite group is focusing on long-range missiles in its improvement
of capabilities. Farkash expected three scenarios for a new war: First,
Hizbullah and Syria would retaliate by sending rockets on Israel after a
military attack on Iran. This would flare the Lebanese-Israeli border. Second,
the possibility of tension between Syria and Israel and in this case Hizbullah
would back Damascus by attacking the Jewish state. Third, confrontations with
Hizbullah would erupt in case of a new military operation against Hamas. Beirut,
18 Jun 09, 10:58
Harb: Court Not Convinced of Muqdim's Guilt; Hizbullah Must Disclose Real
Identity of Pilot's Shooter
Naharnet/MP Boutros Harb called on Hizbullah Thursday to reveal the real
identity of the culprit who shot at a Lebanese army helicopter killing its pilot
Samer Hanna last year.
On Wednesday, a military court released Hizbullah member Mustafa Hassan Muqdim
who had confessed to "unintentional killing" Hanna and said he mistook the
helicopter for an Israeli jet.
"Military investigations did not convince the court that Muqdim was the shooter
… rather he confessed under a religious obligation," Harb said, adding he has
been in contact with the court to inquire over the case. The findings are "very
frightening because they indicate that the real perpetrator is still anonymous,"
Harb said after a meeting with a delegation from the Carter Center for Election
Monitoring. He called on Hizbullah to "confess to who the real shooter was."
Separately, Harb also commented on Wednesday's speech by Hizbullah chief Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah who strongly criticized Maronite Patriarch Sfeir for a
pre-elections statement. "Two points struck me most in Sayyed Nasrallah's
remarks: first is that he considered talk against the authority of the faqih
harms the religious beliefs of a group in Lebanon. This is impermissible and
unacceptable," Harb said. The second point, he said, was Nasrallah's criticism
of Sfeir's warning on the eve of the elections that "Lebanon's entity and Arab
identity will be in danger" should the opposition win. Harb pointed to Bkirki's
stature for Lebanon saying "no one can ignore or disavow its significance and
the role it played in the establishment of the Lebanese entity." "No one can
criticize the Maronite Patriarchy for its adherence to this entity or because it
sounded the alarm bell when it rightly felt that this entity was in danger,"
Harb added. The deputy called on the Lebanese to "turn the page … on the past
era that harmed Lebanon.""Let us begin the next phase by cooperating. Let us act
as 'Lebanese' and shun the state of agitation that prevailed in recent years,"
he said. Beirut, 18 Jun 09, 18:20
Hizbullah MP meets British ambassador for first time
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, June 19, 2009
BEIRUT: Hizbullah parliamentary leader Mohammad Raad met British ambassador
Frances Guy on Thursday in the first such contact in Lebanon between the Shiite
militant group's political wing and a senior British official. "The talks
covered the recent election and the situation in the region," Hizbullah said in
a statement. Raad adding: "I believe the doors are open to further meetings."The
British embassy confirmed that the talks had covered local politics. "Basically
the meeting covered the elections and the formation of a new government," the
embassy said.
Lebanon's outgoing government of national unity was to hold its last meeting on
Thursday before parliament is dissolved later this month to make way for the new
legislature elected in a June 7 poll. A Hizbullah-led alliance, backed by Iran
and Syria, lost the election to a Western-backed coalition. The meeting also
covered UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the press officer said. Resolution
1701, passed unanimously in 2006, ended a devastating 34-day war between Israel
and Hizbullah.
The resolution demanded the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon but
Hizbullah has retained its arsenal insisting it is needed for resistance against
Israel.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman in London said her country would hold talks with
Hizbullah members "who are legitimately involved in Lebanese politics and those
who are involved in violence and supporting terrorism. "Our objective with
Hizbullah remains unchanged: that they reject violence and play a constructive,
democratic and peaceful role in Lebanese politics, in line with the UN Security
Council resolutions," she told AFP. "We believe that occasional and carefully
considered contact with Hizbullah's politicians, including its MPs, will best
advance this objective," she added. "We will be taking a pragmatic approach to
speaking to known moderates, political figures who to the best of our knowledge
have no links with acts of violence."
In March, Britain authorized low-level contact with the political wing of
Hizbullah to stress the urgency of disbanding militias. - AFP
Hizbullah fighter's release in line with ' legal norms'
MP Fadlallah says uproar politically motivated
Daily Star staff/Friday, June 19, 2009
BEIRUT: Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah said Thursday that the release of the
Hizbullah fighter who killed Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) helicopter pilot Samer
Hanna took place in line with "all legal norms," adding that the resulting
outcry was politically motivated. Fadlallah's comments came during a news
conference he held at the Parliament.
"The uproar following the release of Captain Hanna's killer had nothing to do
with the law, but was employed for political purposes," Fadlallah said.
The clamor also "targets the [Lebanese] Army and the judiciary," he added.
On Tuesday, less than a year after the young Hizbullah fighter launched a deadly
attack on a Lebanese Armed Forces helicopter which killed Hanna, the Military
Court ordered his release on a LL10 million bail.
Quoting judicial sources, An-Nahar newspaper in its Wednesday issue said that
despite the objection from Judge Saqr Saqr, the Military Court under President
Judge Brigadier General Nizar Khalil agreed on Tuesday to release Mustafa Hassan
al-Muqadam, 23, accused of "unintentionally killing" Hanna on August 28, 2008,
when he mistook the Lebanese Army helicopter Hanna was flying for an Israeli
aircraft.
Fadlallah said Judge Mezher ruled that Muqadam had "unintentionally" shot and
killed Hanna and explained to reporters the various legal phases that took place
since th Hizbullah fighter turned himself in to judicial authorities.
He recalled the "painful and dangerous" incident that took place in the Beirut
southern suburb of Shiyah-Mar Mikhael on January 27, 2008, when Lebanese
soldiers opened fire on protesters, killing nine and wounding several others.
Fadlallah reminded the general public that "the unpleasant incident in Mar
Mikhael did not trigger uproar."
The MP tied Muqadam's release to the freedom of some of the Lebanese Army
soldiers accused of involvement in the Mar Mikhael incident.
Meanwhile, MP Butros Harb, who is the lawyer of the Hanna family, said the
powers of the military tribunal ought to be amended.
"I will submit a proposal to Parliament to amend the powers of the Military
Court to restrict them to soldiers, rather than apply them in cases between
soldiers and civilians," he said.
Harb said he feared that the killer might actually be innocent, saying that
there seems to be other people involved in the incident whose names Muqadam did
not reveal.
"I am not accusing the Military Court of anything," the MP said, "but I will
follow up on the case."
On Wednesday, Harb described Muqadam's freedom as a "scandal."
The young Hizbullah fighter told the military tribunal on Friday he thought the
aircraft had been Israeli.
Muqadam had fired five shots at the LAF chopper as it made a routine landing in
Tallet al-Rezlan in the southern village of Sujod, killing Hanna.
"We weren't in a state of alert, but we had clear instructions to fire back in
self-defense," he said, adding that strong sunlight may have prevented him from
seeing the Lebanese flag on the helicopter. "I didn't think for a minute the
helicopter could have belonged to the Lebanese Army," he said.
Hizbullah handed Muqadam over to the Lebanese authorities on August 29 and
issued a statement saying it would cooperate with an investigation.
After outcry over the release of Muqadam on Wednesday, Justice Minister Ibrahim
Najjar said investigations were not over yet, adding that the Military Court
would follow up on the case.
"The decision to release the killer was issued by the military court, and this
case raises questions about the ability to safeguard LAF officers," Najjar said
in an interview with Future News TV on Wednesday.
"This decision was like a shock to me," Hanna' mother, Yvette, told LBCI
television on Wednesday, adding that her son was "killed for the second time.'
The mother lashed out at Hizbullah, saying the group "does not respect the dead,
shame on them." - The Daily Star
Foreign father's death wins minors citizenship
Judges say no law prevents Lebanese mother from passing on nationality after
husband passes
By Dalila Mahdawi /Daily Star staff
Friday, June 19, 2009
BEIRUT: In a rare move Tuesday, a Mount Lebanon court granted Lebanese
citizenship to the children of a Lebanese woman following the death of her
non-Lebanese husband, giving hope to thousands of other families to follow suit.
Under the country's current nationality law, written in 1925, Lebanese men
married to foreigners can pass on their nationality to their wives and children,
but it does not grant the same right to Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese.
Viewed as foreigners by the authorities, their families are required to pay
regular residency-permit fees and face substantial obstacles accessing
employment or affordable education and health care.
The woman in question, identified only as Samira, had gone to the personal
status court in Jdeideh al-Metn to request her three children, all minors, be
granted Lebanese nationality, reported As-Safir newspaper Wednesday. The
nationality of the father or the ages of the children were not disclosed. Judges
John al-Azzi, Rana Habka and Lamis Kazma granted the children citizenship rights
after concluding there was no law prohibiting a Lebanese mother from conferring
her nationality to her children after the death of her husband. The judges also
referred to Article 7 of the Lebanese Constitution, which states that all
Lebanese citizens have equal rights before the law.Women's rights organizations
have lauded the ruling, calling it a step toward allowing Lebanese women to
exercise full citizenship rights. Activists grouped together in the campaign,
"My nationality is a right for me and my family," issued a communiquŽ Wednesday
welcoming what they called a "bold" decision. "Judge al-Azzi came to his
decision after referring to contemporary readings, in which he found no legal
article prohibiting a Lebanese woman married to a foreigner from passing on her
nationality to her children if they are minors and her husband is deceased," the
communiquŽ said.
"The verdict was based on the principle of total equity and did not take into
consideration any preconditions except the right of women to be full citizens
and equal to their foreign women counterparts, who obtain Lebanese nationality
when they marry a Lebanese," it added. The campaign said it was "confused" and
"disappointed" by Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar's initial reaction to the
ruling, saying he had shown skepticism over whether the decision could be
enforced. "The campaign had expected him to be supportive," said the communiquŽ.
The decision to give the three minors Lebanese citizenship "was an achievement,"
Azzi told The Daily Star Thursday. He said he expected many similar court cases
to emerge in the wake of the verdict. The current nationality law "is not fair"
he said, emphasizing his "will" to change it. "Our judgment was fair."
Zoya Rouhana, managing director of the women's rights group KAFA, also welcomed
the decision. "We believe this [ruling] is a very important step forward toward
breaking the taboo" on the issue of women's nationality rights, she said.
Although human rights organizations have been urging an amendment to the law for
over a decade, the issue has gained particular momentum over the last year,
receiving prominent media coverage and support from politicians such as Interior
Minister Ziyad Baroud.
Hamas and Hezbollah unite to crush Iranian dissidents
By Paul Williams Thursday, June 18, 2009
- thelastcrusade.org
Encountering Hamas in Teheran is tantamount to meeting an African American at a
KKK gathering. And yet, the Sunni terrorist group from the Palestinian Authority
is now joining hands with the Shi’ite mullahs of Iran to crush street protests
in favor of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi and to solidify the
re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
This development was reported by the Jerusalem Post and other international news
outlets as rioting on a scale unseen in Iran for nearly a decade continued in
the wake of the elections and the allegations that the results were falsified.
The protests have now spread from Teheran to other major cities.
Hamas formally welcomed incumbent the re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad last Saturday.
Despite the blackout of media coverage, thousands of protesters rallied again in
Teheran on Tuesday and Wednesday in support of Mousavi. Israeli sources maintain
that scores of people have been killed by security forces at rallies that have
erupted throughout Iran in the wake of last week’s presidential elections.
An Iranian student passed out flyers to Jerusalem Post reporters that listed the
names of Fatima Brahati, Kasra Sharafi, Kambiz Shahi, Mohsen Emani, and Mina
Ahtrami. He claimed that these individuals were Teheran University students who
had been murdered yesterday by pro-government gunmen. “The most important thing
that I believe people outside of Iran should be aware of,” the student said, “is
the participation of Palestinian forces in these riots.”
Other Iranian protesters - - including a young man who carried a kitchen knife
in one hand and a stone in the other, also testified to the presence of Hamas in
Teheran. A young man who carried a butcher knife in one hand and a rock in the
other said, “My brother had his ribs beaten in by those Palestinian animals.
Taking our people’s money is not enough - - they are thirsty for our blood too.”
It’s ironic, the knife wielding man added, the victorious Ahmadinejad “tells us
to pray for the young Palestinians, suffering at the hands of Israel.” He
expressed his hope that Israel would “come to its senses” and ruthlessly deal
with the Palestinians.
When asked if these militia fighters could have been mistaken for Lebanese
Shi’ites, sent by Hezbollah, he rejected the idea. “Ask anyone, they will tell
you the same thing. They [Palestinian extremists] are out beating Iranians in
the streets… The more we gave this arrogant race, the more they want… [But] we
will not let them push us around in our own country.”
Official government radio reports refuse such claims by stating that the victims
were trying to loot weapons and to vandalize public property, and had been shot
by unidentified gunmen.
This raises a larger question.
Why would Hamas, a Sunni terrorist organization, be involved in supporting the
regime of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Shiite mullahs?
The union between the two terrorist groups was brought about not by a
charismatic caliph or an ecumenical imam but rather by former Israeli Prime
Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
In December 1992, Mr. Rabin ordered the deportation of 415 members of Hamas to
southern Lebanon.
In Lebanon, the Sunni terrorists of Hamas were granted shelter and protection by
the Shi’ite terrorists of Hezbollah in accordance with the Muslim code of
milmastia (hospitality).
The exiled Sunnis responded to this gesture of goodwill by assisting the efforts
of their Shi’ite hosts to gain a foothold within Israel - - something that
Hezbollah had been unable to achieve, since the Islamic population of Israel
remained almost entirely Sunni and actively antagonistic to the presence of a
Shi’ite party within the waaf (“the land of Palestine”).
Other developments followed. Hezbollah began to train Hamas in advanced
bomb-making techniques along with the fine art of suicide bombing, a tactic that
previously had been shunned by the Sunnis because of the Koran’s injunctions
against suicide. The first Hamas suicide bombing took place within a bus station
in Hadera on April 13, 1994. The attack left five people dead and a score
wounded.
An onslaught of other suicide bombings followed throughout Israel in such rapid
succession that it became difficult to discern if the attacks were being
perpetuated by Hamas or Hezbollah.
The new spirit of cooperation between Sunni and Shi’ite terrorists resulted in a
monumental meeting between Imad Mugniyah, the head of Hezbollah, and Osama bin
Laden, the leader of al Qaeda in 1995 at the headquarters of ali Numeini, a
Sudanese sheikh, in Khartoum.
The meeting resulted in joint operations, including the bombings of the US
embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998 - - bombings, according to US
military sources, that bore the distinct signatures of bin Laden and Mugniyah.
The same signatures could be discerned on the attack on the USS Cole on October
12, 2000. The blast had been caused by a “cone-shaped charge” that contained
“moldable high explosives such as SEMTEX H.” It represented a device that had
been developed by Mugniyah for terror attacks in Lebanon, Israel, and South
America.
In recent years, Iran has given shelter to leading Sunni terrorists, including
Saad bin Laden, Osama’s eldest son; Yaaz bin Safat, a top-ranking al Qaeda
planner; Mohammed Islam Haani, the mayor of Kabul during the reign of the
Taliban; Saif al-Adel, the military commander of al Qaeda; Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,
the al Qaeda operative in charge of the expulsion of US troops from Iraq; and
Ayman al-Zawahiri, bin Laden’s second in command.
And so, for many observers of events in the Middle East, the presence of Hamas
on the streets of Iran to support Ahmadinejad and the ruling mullahs comes as
small surprise.
“We have been screaming at them [White House officials] for years that these
guys all work together,” am overseas operative told the Washington Post. “When
we hear back that it can’t be because they [the terrorists] don’t work that way.
That is bullshit. . . These guys all work together as long as they are Muslims.
There is no other division that matters.”
The union of Sunni and Shi’ite radicals on the streets of Teheran broods ill for
Israel. An attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities could trigger a backlash that
would reverberate throughout the Muslim world.
Iran's Khamenei demands halt to
election protests
By Fredrik Dahl and Parisa Hafezi
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday
demanded an end to street protests that have shaken the country since the
disputed presidential election a week ago and said any bloodshed would be their
leaders' fault.
(Editors' note: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian
restrictions on their ability to report, film or take pictures in Tehran.)
He defended Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the rightful winner of the vote and denied
any possibility that it had been rigged, as Ahmadinejad's opponents have
alleged.
"If there is any bloodshed, leaders of the protests will be held directly
responsible," Khamenei said in his first address to the nation since the
upheaval began.
"The result of the election comes from the ballot box, not from the street," the
white-bearded cleric told huge crowds thronging Tehran University and
surrounding streets for Friday prayers. "Today the Iranian nation needs calm."
Supporters of runner-up Mirhossein Mousavi have called another rally on
Saturday. If they proceed in defiance of Khamenei's explicit warning, they risk
a severe response from security forces, which have so far not tried to prevent
mass demonstrations.
State media have reported seven or eight people killed in protests since the
election results were published on June 13. Scores of reformists have been
arrested and authorities have cracked down on foreign and domestic media.
Mousavi has called for the annulment of the election result, which showed he won
34 percent of the votes to Ahmadinejad's tally of nearly 63 percent.
Iran's top legislative body, the Guardian Council, is considering complaints by
the three losing candidates, but has said only that it will recount some
disputed ballot boxes.
Khamenei said any election complaints should be raised through legal channels.
"I will not succumb to illegal innovation," he said, in an apparent reference to
the most widespread street protests in the Islamic Republic's 30-year history.
"START OF DICTATORSHIP"
Khamenei's address followed six days of protests by Mousavi supporters. On
Thursday, tens of thousands of black-clad marchers carried candles to mourn
those killed in earlier rallies.
He said defeated candidates were wrong to believe "that by using street protests
as a pressure tool, they can compel officials to accept their illegal demands.
This would be the start of a dictatorship."
He dismissed charges by Mousavi supporters of fraud. "Iran's laws do not allow
vote-rigging, especially at the level of 11 million," he said, referring to
Ahmadinejad's victory margin.
The enemies of Iran, the world's fifth biggest oil exporter, were targeting the
legitimacy of the Islamic establishment by disputing the outcome of the
election, he said.
State television coverage showed Ahmadinejad and defeated candidate Mohsen
Rezaie attending Khamenei's speech.
There was no sign of Mousavi or two former presidents who have backed him --
reformist Mohammad Khatami and the powerful Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who
clashed with Ahmadinejad before the election in a rare display of leadership
division.
The supreme leader, Iran's ultimate authority, in theory stands above the
factional fray, but Khamenei acknowledged his views on foreign and domestic
policy were closer to those of the hardline Ahmadinejad than of Rafsanjani.
He attacked what he called interference by foreign powers which had questioned
the result of the election.
"American officials' remarks about human rights and limitations on people are
not acceptable because they have no idea about human rights after what they have
done in Afghanistan and Iraq and other parts of the world. We do not need advice
on human rights from them," he said.
Many European countries and international human rights organizations have
criticized the election and its aftermath, but U.S. President Barack Obama's
administration has muted its comments to keep the door ajar for possible
dialogue.
People chanting slogans and holding posters of Khamenei, Ahmadinejad and the
late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei, the father of the 1979 Islamic revolution,
packed streets outside the university.
Outside the university compound, thousands listened intently to his speech
booming from loudspeakers set up along the street, at times cheering and
chanting to voice their approval for his words. At the same venue, hundreds of
university students had demonstrated in support of Mousavi on Sunday, throwing
stones at riot police trying to disperse protesters outside the gates.
"With this speech, the leader has finished all problems," one middle-aged cleric
in the crowd said afterwards. "The differences between the politicians will be
resolved."
Some in the crowd for Friday prayers were draped in Iranian flags. Others held
placards with anti-Western slogans.
"Don't let the history of Iran be written with the pen of foreigners," one flyer
said, reflecting official Iranian anger at international criticism of the
post-election violence.
(Additional reporting by Dominic Evans and Hashem Kalantari in Tehran; Editing
by Alistair Lyon and Andrew Dobbie)
It's now up to Sleiman to drive Lebanon's national
reform agenda
By The Daily Star /Friday, June 19, 2009
Editorial
In May 2008 newly elected consensus President Michel Sleiman inherited a
fractured Cabinet, a divided Parliament and the reins of a country driven to the
brink. As Lebanon's steward and Doha's executor, Sleiman led the nation through
the perils of political deadlock and a fiercely contested parliamentary
election.
On Saturday, June 20, Parliament's mandate ends and Prime Minister Fouad
Siniora's government dissolves. The horse-trading to fill the new cabinet is
already under way, but whatever its composition one thing is clear: The next
government will inherit Sleiman, a committed and even-handed head of state.
In this sense, June 21 is the first day of Sleiman's presidency. Now he can, and
must, set the national agenda. This is no small task and one that could entail
real political risks. The path to reform is gradual and difficult, and will
likely be opposed by a variety of parties at different stages.
But we hope and believe the president is up to the challenge. In his inaugural
address, Sleiman spoke of committing to "one national project with open minds in
order to achieve the interests of the country." What made this speech, which is
as relevant today as it was when it was spoken, remarkable was the attention
Sleiman paid to explaining that project.
Leaders in the region, democrats and autocrats alike, often enshroud their words
with affecting but hollow calls to nationalism or faith. Sleiman called for
substantive policy changes. His words were a manual for advancement.
In itself, this was commendable, but it won't be enough. Sleiman needs to craft
the mechanisms through which the government can implement change. Pundits often
refer to Lebanon as a car, noting that even with a new driver you have the same
engine. Sleiman needs to take the wheel. But he also needs to fix the engine.
To do this he will need help from both political blocs and the growing field of
independents. The March 14 coalition, winner of the parliamentary elections,
should present itself as the most willing partner in reform. Although the bloc
won the polls, their margin of victory was not overwhelming. March 14 did not
win a mandate on the style and efficacy of its rule, but rather attracted voters
interested in stability and uncertain of where an opposition victory would take
the country.
If the ruling coalition does not succeed in delivering on its promises and
helping the president implement his, 2013 will not be so kind.
When he took office Sleiman said the chief "attribute of democracy is the
handing of authority through free elections." This has been done. He also said:
"The people gave us their trust in order for us to achieve their ambitions."
This is the next phase.