LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 10/09
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus
Christ according to Saint John 14,7-14. If you know me, then you will also know
my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him,
"Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to him,
"Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words
that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is
doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in
me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones
than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I
will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of
me in my name, I will do it.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters &
Special Reports
General Aoun says now and
then/Future News 09/05/09
US
talk of Lebanon's sovereignty sounds like a remix of an old song-The
Daily Star 09/05/09
Obama’s Dangerous Game with Israel.
By: Ed Lasky/Pyjama Media 09/05/09
Obama Administration Should Defer
to Israel’s Expertise.By: Roz Rothstein/Pyjama Media 09/05/09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for May
09/09
Canada records first death as swine
flu cases climb/Reuters
Elections for stability… No deals
over Lebanon or the tribunal/Future News
Pope speaks of 'inseparable'
bond between Christians, Jews/Israeli
News
Netanyahu: Israel will never
withdraw from Golan/Haaretz
Security Forces Seize More Spies,
Rifi Describes Arrests as Strongest Strike Against Mossad-Naharnet
Fares
Boueiz Glad he 'Avoided
Entering Chick Cage', Aoun's ticket in Keserwan-Naharnet
Aoun Announces Baabda List, Says
Jezzine Battle 'Exemplary'-Naharnet
Hezbollah win in Lebanon would be a shake-up-Richmond
Times Dispatch-Naharnet
Berri-Aoun-Nasrallah Meeting: Jezzine Polls Will Not Affect Alliance-Naharnet
Hale to be Appointed
Mitchell's Assistant as Obama Plans Sending Mideast Envoy to Lebanon-Naharnet
Hale to Geagea: Sanctions against
Syria proof of no deals over Lebanon/Future
News
Geagea, Hariri Discuss
Polls, Tribunal-Naharnet
Cassesse Eyes Judicial
Cooperation Deal with Mideast Countries, Including Syria, Israel-Naharnet
Berri to his Supporters:
Stream to Jezzine-Naharnet
U.S. Diplomat: We Will Not
Deal with Hizbullah as Long as the Party Remains a 'Militia'-Naharnet
Pope
voices 'deep respect' for Islam at start of Holy Land tour-(AFP)
US
renews sanctions against Syria despite thaw-Daily
Star
World Health Organization retains alert status as flu cases climb-Daily
Star
Hale:
No Syria deal at Lebanon's expense-Daily
Star
Khoury denies revealing start date for Syrian ambassador in Beirut-Daily
Star
STL wants deal with regional states to simplify surrender of suspects-Daily
Star
Authorities arrest three more suspected spies for Israel-(AFP)
Matar: Released former security chiefs could still face trial-Daily
Star
Election monitors unlikely to curb wrongdoing in polls-Daily
Star
UN
envoy calls Hizbullah 'threat' to stability-Daily
Star
Elections watchdog reports at least 133 electoral-law breaches-Daily
Star
Beirut conference calls for investment in green business-Daily
Star
Batroun winery aims to tempt tourists off the usual Bekaa wine trail-Daily
Star
Red
Cross urges action against conflict-Daily
Star
Aoun says…now and then
Date: May 9th, 2009 Source: Future News
As you listen to General Michel Aoun speaking, you feel the urge to seek a
shelter as his speeches resemble the flourishing calls he launched when he lead
the military government in 1988 and drove the country into two politically and
militarily abortive wars.
Aoun has never said anything and adhered to it, as he always turns against
himself and his actions. The track of the General’s variability begins from the
alleged “Liberation War” till declaring his readiness to be a soldier in the
Syrian army in 1989.
In order to understand Aoun, we must refer to some of his “classic”
declarations:
• For 27 years, the Syrian regime played the roles of the extinguisher and the
fire inciter simultaneously. Syria starts the fire just to give itself a pretext
to extinguish it, and thus justify its continued occupation to Lebanon, and any
Lebanese who dared to oppose the Syrian hegemony or resist it would be murdered.
Nowadays, Aoun speaks about Syrian ‘tutelage’ rather than ‘occupation’ as he
rides the private jet of Syria’s President Bachar el Assad to Damascus.
• During the 70s and the 80s, Lebanon was the first victim of Syrian terrorism.
This was one of the first reasons for putting Syria ahead of the list of
countries supporting terrorism published by the US ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Today, Aoun practically competes against Iran’s President Mahmud Ahmedinejad for
fighting the US being the “supreme evil”.
• Logically, the Syrian Regime cannot be separated from terrorism. Syria
actually provides an asylum for a number of terrorist organizations as it
manages its operations, and uses ‘occupied’ Lebanon as the main field for
training and maneuvers. Exactly as a group for organized crime which uses
intimidation and hype, the Syrian regime uses violence as a means to pressure
the honorable people to remain silent. These terrorism groups are tools of
pressure in foreign policy gave Syria the attention of the liberal world during
its occupation to Lebanon and suppression against the Lebanese. Now, Aoun
prohibits anyone from politically accusing the Syrian Regime.
• War against terrorism is not a strategic long-term choice of the Syrian regime
which claims to be fighting terrorism; it is merely a temporary tactical
alternative through which Syria aims at evading the responsibility for its
prominent role as a supporter of terrorism throughout the last three decades. We
must also not forget that Syria’s allies, who are currently the allies of
General Aoun, were accountable for the attack against the US embassy and the
Marines base which killed hundreds of Lebanese and Americans. Now Aoun talks
about that same regime and describes it as the supporter of Lebanon’s peace.
• The list of Lebanese victims includes names of people from various ranges who
dared to open real dialogue channels with me when I led the Lebanese transition
government. (Aoun was referring to MP Nazem el Kaderi and Grand Mufti Sheikh
Hassan Khaled). Now Aoun forgot all of those names and has focused his efforts
on finding means to defend the “virtues” of the Syrian regime.
• The Syrian regime’s direct interference in Lebanon, has clearly instigated the
Lebanese against each other at all levels, a number of Lebanese figures who
unveiled and rejected the Syrian malicious schemes were assassinated. Now, Aoun
says that other counterparts launch political accusations, as if the accusations
he launched were judicial verdicts.
• Following Syria’s withdrawal, there is a great chance the Syrian regime would
leave a number of its terrorism tools as well as its militia intelligence
system, thus, it is necessary that the Syrian withdrawal be accompanied with the
complete disarmament of all armed elements. Now, these militias are among Aoun’s
main allies.
Thus, he who has such a portfolio would better shut up despite that his
statements add some humor to the political life.
U.S.
Diplomat: We Will Not Deal with Hizbullah as Long as the Party Remains a
'Militia'
The charge d'affaires of the U.S. mission in New York, Alejandro Wolf, said the
Obama administration will not deal with Hizbullah as long as it remains an
"armed militia."
"We will not deal with Hizbullah which remains an armed militia in violation of
Security Council resolutions, the Taef accord, and Lebanon's need to become
sovereign and independent," Wolf told An Nahar newspaper's correspondent in
response to a question about a possible Hizbullah win the June 7 elections.
Asked about Britain's decision to enter into dialogue with the party's political
wing, Wolf reiterated: "We will not adopt this approach as long as Hizbullah is
a militia in violation of international resolutions." He said there was no need
for Hizbullah to remain armed because Israel withdrew from Lebanese territory.
Wolf also hoped there would be a solution to the Israeli-occupied village of
Ghajar and said settling the issue of Shebaa Farms will become easier when the
Lebanese-Syrian border is demarcated. The divided border village of Ghajar "has
a big chance for a diplomatic solution which I hope will happen soon," the
diplomat told An Nahar on the sidelines of discussions at the Security Council
on the implementation of resolution 1559. eirut, 09 May 09, 10:01
Hale to be Appointed Mitchell's Assistant as Obama Plans
Sending Mideast Envoy to Lebanon
Naharnet/U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David
Hale will be appointed the assistant of Special Envoy to the Middle East George
Mitchell, An Nahar daily reported Saturday. Diplomatic sources also told the
newspaper that Hale informed President Michel Suleiman on Friday about U.S.
President Barack Obama's intention to send "Senator George Mitchell to Lebanon
to discuss in the issue of the comprehensive Middle East peace process." On
Saturday, Prime Minister Fouad Saniora discussed with Hale latest developments.
On the first day of his visit to Beirut, Hale met with Suleiman, MP Saad Hariri,
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and attended a dinner banquet thrown in his
honor at the residence of MP Walid Jumblat. Hale's accompanying delegation,
Minister Ghazi Aridi, MP Marwan Hamadeh and Lawyer Dored Yaghi were also
present.
The diplomatic sources told An Nahar that Hale's visit to Baabda palace came as
part of a trip made by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Beirut almost
two weeks ago under the slogan of "supporting Lebanon in all areas and on all
levels and stressing that there is no deal or compromise at the expense" of the
country.
Suleiman, according to the sources, welcomed U.S. support for Lebanon, stressed
on comprehensive peace and reiterated his rejection to naturalize Palestinians
in Lebanon.
An Nahar said there is no change in the U.S. position from the Arab peace plan
adopted in Beirut in 2002, including the right of Palestinians to return to
their homeland.
Hale reassured Lebanese on Friday that any rapprochement between Washington and
Damascus would not come at Beirut's expense. "As we expand our regional
engagement here in the Middle East, I would like to emphasize that there will be
no deals made at Lebanon's expense with Syrians or others," he told reporters.
Hale said Washington would keep a close eye on the June 7 parliamentary
elections. "We will be watching the election process as it unfolds," he said,
expressing "strong support for elections that are fair, free and held without
violence or intimidation." Beirut, 09 May 09, 09:11
US renews sanctions against Syria despite thaw
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Sue Pleming/Reuters
WASHINGTON: The Obama administration has renewed sanctions against Syria due to
"serious concerns" over its behavior, despite sending two envoys to Damascus
this week to try to improve ties, US officials said on Friday. "The president
felt it was necessary," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood, referring
to the renewal of the sanctions, which is required each year by Congress. "This
shows you that we still have some very serious concerns about Syrian behavior
and activities in the world."
The sanctions, imposed by former President George W. Bush, prohibit arms exports
to Syria, block Syrian airlines from operating in the United States and deny
Syrians suspected of being associated with terrorist groups access to the US
financial system. While the US has made clear it wants better ties with Syria,
which appears on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, the renewal of the
sanctions shows it is not yet ready for a significant enough improvement. "We
need to see concrete steps from the Syrian government to move in another
direction," Wood told reporters.
UN envoy calls Hizbullah 'threat' to stability
Ban 'alarmed' by group's activity in Egypt
By Andrew Wander /Daily Star staff
Saturday, May 09, 2009
BEIRUT: Hizbullah's armed wing and its activities outside of Lebanon represent a
"threat" to the stability of the country and the Middle East, a UN envoy told
the Security Council on Friday. Terje Roed-Larsen is tasked with monitoring the
implementation of security council resolution 1559, which calls for Lebanese
militias to disarm and for an end to foreign interference in the country.
The envoy said that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon was alarmed by Hizbullah's
recent admission that it had been transferring weapons to Palestinians in the
Gaza Strip through Egypt, which he described as "unwarranted interference."
He said there has been "growing concern that Hizbullah has engaged in
clandestine and illegal militant activities beyond Lebanese territory," and
urged the group to "cease any militant activities outside of Lebanon and
complete its transformation into a solely Lebanese political party."
Roed-Larsen said that he had been privy to the initial investigation being
carried out by authorities in Cairo into Hizbullah's activities in the country,
which they say were aimed at launching attacks against Egyptian targets.
Hizbullah deny this, but admit that operatives were active in the country.
Ban "condemned such unwarranted interference in the domestic affairs of a member
state," the envoy said. "Equally alarming was the fact that Hizbullah has
publicly admitted to providing support to Gaza base militants from Egyptian
territory. These activities exceed Hizbullah's stated national agenda."
He said that Hizbullah, which will contest parliamentary elections next month,
had the "most significant" Lebanese militia. The group, he said, maintains a
paramilitary capacity and infrastructure that is separate from the state and
urged for it to be disbanded. "This arsenal is a direct challenge to the
sovereignty of the Lebanese state and a threat to regional stability," he
warned.Roed-Larsen said he remained concerned about sporadic security incidents
that have taken place in Lebanon since armed clashes a year ago. "These
occurrences highlight he proliferation of weapons and armed groups that continue
to operate in Lebanon and whose existence is an ongoing violation of Resolution
1559," he said. "These are direct threats to the stability of the country and
the region as a whole." But he noted that there had been an overall improvement
of the security situation in the country since last May, when an agreement
reached in Doha broke a political deadlock that had led to the worst internal
violence since the 1975-90 Civil War. "The general improvement of the situation
in the country combined with reconciliation efforts in the region has created a
favorable environment to strengthen Lebanon's political independence and
government control throughout the country," Roed-Larsen told the council.
Resolution 1559 was adopted in 2004 amid concerns at growing tensions in
Lebanon. Roed-Larsen noted that several of its provisions have been adopted,
with presidential elections held last year and diplomatic relations established
with Syria. But one of the resolution's key elements, the disarming of non-state
militias in Lebanon has been largely ignored. Roed-Larsen told the council that
such disarmament was a necessary step towards Lebanon consolidating its status
as a sovereign and democratic state.
His criticism of Hizbullah's activities in Egypt were echoed by the US
ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, who said that Washington saw no
difference between the political and military wings of Hizbullah and ruled out
engagement with the group in its current form."Let me be clear: we see no
distinction between these groups' so-called political and military wings. Nor
will we engage with them until they completely disarm," she said in a closed
meeting after Roed-Larsen's statement. She said that the US considered a
Lebanon's sovereignty a priority. "The United States will not sacrifice
Lebanon's sovereignty, liberty, or independence on the altar of improved US
relations with one of Lebanon's neighbors."
Hale: No Syria deal at Lebanon's expense
By Therese Sfeir /Daily Star staff
Saturday, May 09, 2009
BEIRUT: US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David
Hale said on Friday that no deals would be forged with Syria at the expense of
Lebanon. "There is no deal with Damascus at Lebanon's expense and no compromise
on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon," Hale said following a meeting with
President Michel Sleiman at the Baabda Palace.
Hale also stressed the United States' "continuous support to Lebanon's
sovereignty and independence."
"The US remains committed to supporting the Lebanese efforts to strengthen their
constitutional, civil, defense and security institutions," he added.
Hale noted that his visit was to follow-up on the preparations for the
parliamentary elections. "I reiterate the US strong support to the Lebanese
government's efforts to hold fair and free parliamentary elections away from
violence and intimidation," he said. Hale, who arrived in Beirut on Friday, also
met with Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri and Lebanese Forces leader Samir
Geagea. His visit comes a day after Jeffrey Feltman, the State Department's top
Middle East envoy, held talks with Syrian officials in Damascus.
An-Nahar newspaper said Hale was expected to inform Lebanese officials about the
results of Feltman's meetings. Geagea said following his meeting with Hale that
the March 14 Forces' lists across the country would be completed before the end
of next week. He added that negotiations were ongoing between candidates in
Kesrouan to reach the final formula.
Meanwhile, Sleiman said he was tranquil about the future of Lebanon and its role
in the region and the world.
In remarks following a meeting with Iranian Vice President Hassan Dahqan on
Friday, Sleiman said Lebanon's relations with foreign countries were now based
on state-to-state relations.
He added that the upcoming parliamentary elections "will contribute to the
achievement of democratic representation and will lead to more stability."
Sleiman also met on Friday with Major General Jamil Sayyed, who did not comment
following the meeting. Hizbullah MP Mohammad Raad said the opposition was
seeking to win the parliamentary majority "in order to change the policies from
which we suffered over the past four years." In remarks on Friday, Raad said:
"We want to build a state for all the Lebanese, not a farm called a state."
"We want a state that represents all the Lebanese people, with their different
confessions and sects," he added. Hizbullah nominated Bilal Farhat as the
party's candidate for the Shiite seat in Baabda. The nomination came as a
response to Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Michel Aoun, who announced
on Thursday the formation of the FPM's electoral list in Jezzine, separate from
Speaker Nabih Berri.
Media reports had said that Hizbullah offered Aoun the Shiite seat in Baabda to
settle a disagreement between him and Berri in Jezzine. Aoun said attempts to
reach consensus with Berri over that district have failed. Amal announced on
Thursday night its electoral platform in the district of Jezzine. In a speech,
Amal MP Samir Azar said the movement would "hold partnerships with political
parties with whom we compete today," in reference to the FPM's electoral list in
Jezzine. Meanwhile, Al-Liwaa newspaper said Friday a Cabinet session that was
expected to be held this week was postponed after ministers from the opposition
threatened to use veto power on a Memorandum of Understanding with the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon.
Sources quoted by the newspaper said the memorandum with the tribunal's
prosecutor office was a source of disagreement among pro-government and
opposition ministers, who threatened to put it for voting and use veto power if
the majority insisted on having the memorandum on the Cabinet agenda. Al-Liwaa
said the opposition rejected the memorandum though its ministers did not make
any comments or propose amendments. The memorandum, proposed by the Justice
Ministry, seeks to regulate relations between the Lebanese judiciary and the
tribunal's general prosecutor. Separately, former Premier Najib Mikati called
for fully implementing the Taif Accord "for the sake of Lebanon and its
citizens."
Mikati's remarks came during a gathering held by the Tripoli Solidarity bloc in
the area of Haret Al-Branieh in Tripoli. Mikati pledged to work for promote
cooperation and partnership between the different Lebanese confessions. -
Additional reporting by Mohammed Zaatari and Nafez Qawas
Netanyahu: Israel will never withdraw from Golan
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a group of Russian-language reporters
Thursday that Israel will never withdraw from the Golan Heights.
"Remaining on the Golan will ensure Israel has a strategic advantage in cases of
military conflict with Syria," Netanyahu said during a briefing he gave to the
reporters.
His comments were published Friday on several Russian-language Israeli Web
sites. A week-and-a-half out from Netanyahu's scheduled visit to Washington, the
prime minister stressed that he is ready to stand up to U.S. President Barack
Obama and that he would not give up on matters that in his opinion are critical
to Israel's security. Netanyahu said that he intends to emphasize to Obama the
need to deal with Iran and its "nuclear program, which is a major obstacle to
peace in the Middle East." "If Iran turns into a nuclear power they will force
all Arab states to ally with it, and the extreme Iranian regime that revealed
its plan to eliminate Israel will not allow Arab states to normalize relations
with Israel," Netanyahu said. Netanyahu also told the reporters that he would
not present preconditions for negotiations with the Palestinians and would not
accept preconditions from them. He said relations with Russia are important, but
called the Russian supply of weapons to Iran a mistake.
Boueiz Glad he 'Avoided Entering Chick Cage'
Naharnet/Former MP Fares Boueiz announced Saturday that he will not refrain from
running the elections and thanked those who helped him "avoid entering the cage
of chicks."
We "thank those who helped us avoid entering the cage of chicks and engage in a
blind commitment," Boueiz told a press conference at his residence in Zouk.
"We want a full parliamentary seat and do not want to become semi-MPs," he
stressed. He also promised to run in the elections although he was excluded from
Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun's list in Kesrouan district.
Boueiz said that Aoun told him six times that he will be on his list, adding
that the former MP was later surprised to hear that he wasn't included in the
Kesrouan ticket. However, Boueiz promised that the list of "Independent
Coalition Forces," in which he will be a member, will be announced in the next
few days.
In his turn, former MP Mansour Ghanem al-Bon told An Nahar daily that
negotiations are ongoing with all sides. But he said that talks with Boueiz
haven't reached any result yet.
Lebanese Forces sources stressed the party's support for its candidates in
Kesrouan despite contacts with independents. Asked about the possibility of
Boueiz joining the list that will run against Aoun's ticket, the source said:
"There is no animosity with former MP Boueiz." Boueiz announced during his press
conference that the "Independent Coalition Forces" ticket does not preclude any
partisan or non-partisan force. "You will find in it (the list) an added value,"
Boueiz said. Beirut, 09 May 09, 10:26
Aoun Announces Baabda List, Says Jezzine Battle 'Exemplary'
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun announced the Baabda
list on Saturday, stressing the unity of the opposition and saying the Jezzine
polls will be "exemplary."
The Baabda ticket includes: Ali Ammar, Bilal Farhat, Naji Gharious, Fadi al-Aawar,
Alain Aoun and Hikmat Dib. "All issues could be solved and there is no stumbling
block. We told you before that the Jezzine battle will be exemplary in terms of
voters and candidates," Aoun told reporters. He was referring to his list in
Jezzine that will run against Speaker Nabih Berri's ticket. Aoun also hoped that
his supporters would vote for the entire Baabda list. "We hope success for out
lists and hope that on the night of June 7 we would become the majority in
parliament," the FPM leader told reporters. Beirut, 09 May 09, 12:04
Berri-Aoun-Nasrallah Meeting: Jezzine Polls Will Not Affect Alliance
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Speaker Nabih Berri and Free
Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun discussed parliamentary elections on
Friday night, Hizbullah announced. The party said in a statement that the three
men discussed the June 7 polls in general, and the elections in Jezzine district
in particular.
Berri and Aoun stressed that elections in Jezzine will be held in a "civilized
manner" although the speaker and the FPM leader will have two separate lists
running against each other.
"The two sides stressed that these elections will not influence their
comprehensive electoral alliance in other districts and vowed to make efforts
with allies to increase participation and full voting for opposition lists," the
statement added. Berri and Aoun also vowed to stress on their alliance in all
means, and said election results in Jezzine will not affect the unity of the two
sides.
Beirut, 09 May 09, 11:02
Berri to his Supporters: Stream to Jezzine
Speaker Nabih Berri said he gave orders to his supporters to vote heavily in
Jezzine district, An Nahar daily reported Saturday. I "will not break the
opposition's jar," Berri told An Nahar, stressing "there is no fear on the
opposition during the voting process." "I gave Jezzine what I haven't given my
hometown Tebnin," Berri said. The speaker's comments came after Free Patriotic
Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun announced his formation of a list separate from
that of Berri in Jezzine. About comments by March 14 members, specifically al-Mustaqbal
movement leader Saad Hariri, about division of shares between Sunnis, Shiites
and Christians, Berri said: "I don't know who came up with it." Division of
shares "has no place and no life in Lebanon," he said. The speaker will hold a
press conference in Musaileh on Sunday. Beirut, 09 May 09, 09:33
Geagea, Hariri Discuss Polls, Tribunal
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and al-Mustaqbal movement chief
Saad Hariri discussed Friday night latest developments and stances from the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the LF's media office said in a statement. Geagea
and Hariri met at the LF leader's residence in Merab. The two March 14 officials
also discussed the upcoming parliamentary elections and ways the coalition
should function ahead of the June 7 polls in order to hold elections in a
"democratic and calm atmosphere." Beirut, 09 May 09, 11:29
Cassesse Eyes Judicial Cooperation Deal with Mideast
Countries, Including Syria, Israel
Naharnet/The head of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon said Friday he wanted a
deal with countries in the region, including Syria, to simplify the surrender of
suspects.
"I have already prepared a draft agreement on judicial cooperation which should
be offered to all the countries of the region: Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iran,
Turkey, Israel," Antonio Cassese told AFP. The STL was created to try those
responsible for the 2005 car bombing that killed former Lebanese prime minister
Rafik Hariri and 22 other people.
Damascus, implicated by a United Nations probe, has denied involvement. The
tribunal currently has no suspects in custody since ordering the release last
week of four generals held by Lebanon for nearly four years without charge. The
accord envisaged by Cassese would allow prosecutors to interview witnesses in
third countries, to have suspects summoned to The Hague for questioning, and
facilitate the transfer of accused persons. It aims to find a way round the fact
that the national laws of some countries prevent them from surrendering suspects
without an extradition treaty. It would also be submitted to countries like
France, the United States and Argentina that have large Lebanese communities,
Cassese said.
"That does not mean that we expect there is a suspect or witness or fugitive
(there)," said the judge, at the seat of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon at
Leidschendam near The Hague.
He added that "probably, many countries will never accept" the agreement, and
may prefer to work with the tribunal on a case-by-case basis which would be
"less quick, but not impossible." He hoped to hand drafts of the deal to
ambassadors in The Hague in the next few weeks and to finalize its negotiation
and ratification by December.
Cassese said he would visit Beirut in June or July, after the Lebanese
parliamentary elections, for a courtesy call on the new government and talks
with lawyers and judges about the tribunal's rules and procedures. He had no
plans to visit Syria.(AFP) Beirut, 08 May 09, 18:06
Khoury Denies Announcing Date for Syrian Counterpart to
Assume Duties
Naharnet/Lebanese Ambassador to Damascus Michel Khoury denied Friday reports he
had disclosed the date for Syrian counterpart Ali Abdul Karim is to assume his
post in Beirut.
Following an earlier meeting with Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, Khoury was
reported as telling journalists Abdul Karim was expected to "assume diplomatic
responsibilities in Beirut after May 17." Khoury later denied giving "any kind
of statement" to the media. "This is (a decision) to be made exclusively by the
Syrian authorities," Khoury said in a statement in reference to Abdul Karim's
arrival in Beirut to assume his duties as ambassador. "Therefore, media reports
quoting me after meeting with Salloukh are baseless," he added.
Khoury had allegedly told reporters that Abdul Karim currently remains in Kuwait
pending a farewell ceremony. Khoury briefed Salloukh over his Thursday meeting
with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad who accepted his diplomatic credentials.
Formal discussions focused on "distinguished and historic" Lebanese-Syrian
relations based upon the foundations established by the presidents of both
countries, Khoury said.Last October 15 both Lebanon and Syria agreed to hold
diplomatic relations for the first time since their independence from France
over 60 years ago.Bilateral relations witnessed tensions following the 2005
assassination of Lebanon's ex-premier Rafik Hariri. Beirut, 08 May 09, 14:20
http://europenews.dk/en/node/22820
When Sharia Comes
Human Events 06 May 2009
By Robert Spencer
It is a case of happy timing. Barack Obama’s nominee as Legal Adviser of the
State Department, Harold Koh, has said that he has no objection to Islamic
Sharia law being applied “in an appropriate case” in the United States. And at
the same time, the world is witness to a veritable laboratory experiment of what
it means to apply Sharia in a place where it previously had not been in effect.
While Koh, of course, probably has in mind something like the voluntary Sharia
arbitration courts that are currently operating in Britain, Sharia is a
comprehensive system covering every aspect of life. It will not prove so easy to
separate out its elements that do not conflict with Western laws from those that
do.
And that’s why the Pakistani experience is instructive. After the Pakistani
government agreed to a deal implementing Sharia in Pakistan’s Swat Valley --
formerly a popular tourist destination -- Islamic supremacists have moved
swiftly to implement Sharia rules.
The results are illuminating not just of the situation in Pakistan, but of the
ultimate outcome of stealth jihad attempts to insinuate elements of Sharia into
Western societies:
• In Taiser, a town near Karachi, Taliban jihadists spray-painted pro-Taliban
graffiti on a church. When the church members began to clean it off, a Taliban
gang appeared and began firing into the crowd, killing three Christians. One
attacker declared: “You infidels have to convert to Islam or die.” The jihadists
also burned down three area churches.
• In the village of Sultanwas, the Taliban began broadcasting radio talks about
Islam, and issuing warnings that barbers must no longer shave men’s beards.
• In the Buner district, Taliban members punished four men who were caught
listening to music by shaving their heads and mustaches.
• Also in Buner, the Taliban posted notices warning women to stay in their homes
and not to appear in the markets.
• In the village of Luqman Banda in northwest Pakistan, a bomb left outside a
girls’ school killed four children.
• In Orakzai, the Taliban has demanded that Sikhs pay the jizya, the tax on
non-Muslims mandated by the Qur’an (9:29), and have expelled from the area Sikhs
who could not pay the exorbitant amounts they demanded.
• The Taliban executed a couple they had accused of adultery, and filmed the
execution -- the film is now circulating all over the country, viewed with
horror by urban secular Pakistanis.
All of these incidents and others like them have taken place in recent weeks, as
the Taliban has consolidated its power in Swat and attempted to seize control of
a much larger expanse of Pakistani territory. All of them are in accord with
traditional provisions of Islamic law, which forbids women to leave their homes
without the permission of their father or husband; forbids men to shave; forbids
education to women except on an extremely limited basis; mandates a death
sentence for the crime of adultery; and offers non-Muslims conversion,
subjugation as inferiors under the rule of Islamic law, or death.
Sharia supremacists want to bring this program to all of Pakistan. Qazi Hussain
Ahmad, a supporter of Osama bin Laden and former leader of a pro-Sharia
political party in Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami, recently wrote that “those who
believe that Pakistan can be secularized by separating the Islamic system from
its state are suffering from a serious fallacy.” He declared that the complete
Islamization of Pakistan “has been the genuine and long-standing demand of the
overwhelming majority of Pakistanis.”
That appears to be true: according to a February 2008 U.S. Institute of Peace
poll, 84% of Pakistanis believe that America is more of a threat to them than
Al-Qaeda or the Taliban. Apparently, when Sharia comes to them, they will be
very happy. But not entirely, at least not yet.
Mulla Nazeer Ahmad, a leader of the Taliban jihadists, has declared: “Our Jihad
is a global Jihad and we aim to...establish Sharia all over the world.”
And Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan told CNN recently that the Taliban hoped
ultimately to spread its strict Sharia adherence “even in America.” Obtaining
that goal will make their happiness complete.
**Mr. Spencer is director of Jihad Watch and author of "The Politically
Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades)", "The Truth About Muhammad," and
"Stealth Jihad" (all from Regnery -- a HUMAN EVENTS sister company).
http://europenews.dk/en/node/22741
How “European Islam” Will Complete the Global Muslim Caliphate
AndrewBostom.org 4 May 2009
By Dr. Andrew Bostom
Commenting to Paul Giniewski during an interview published in the journal
Midstream from February/March 1994, Bat Ye’or had already observed that European
Islam was adhering to its traditional supremacist orthodoxy making no effort to
eliminate doctrines incompatible with true ecumenism and core Western
Enlightenment values:
A “You Complete Me Alert” –Bat Ye’or’s New Book Soon Available in Italian (See
this Apropos Video Clip: The Dark Knight-The Joker “You Complete Me” )
I do not see serious signs of a Europeanization of Islam anywhere, a move that
would be expressed in a relativization of religion, a self-critical view of the
history of Islamic imperialism…we are light years away from such a
development…On the contrary, I think that we are participating in the
Islamization of Europe, reflected both in daily occurrences and in our way of
thinking…All the racist fanaticism that permeates the Arab countries and Iran
has been manifested in Europe in recent years…
Bat Ye’or’s seminal 2005 Eurabia—The Euro-Arab Axis elucidated the ideological
underpinnings and resultant sociopolitical developments which had transformed
Western Europe into a hemi-continent of dhimmitude. The fruition of this hideous
utopian contruct—Eurabia—is a Western Europe rife with Judenhass Anti-Zionism,
Anti-Americanism, and a perverse, self-loathing denigration of its own Western
heritage, firmly rooted in both Christianity, and the Enlightenment.
Her latest work, “Verso Il Califfato Universale—Come l’Europa e diventata
complice dell’ espansionismo musulmano,” suggests what Charles Emmanuel Dufourcq
(d. 1982), the great historian of Medieval European Islam, expressed concerned
about more than 30-years ago, i.e., that historical and cultural revisionism
might precipitate a recurrence of “…the upheaval carried out on our continent
(i.e., Europe) by Islamic penetration more than a thousand years ago…with other
methods…,” is coming to pass, abetted by an effete, self-loathing Eurabian
elite, who as far back as 1975 published their own journal, entitled—what
else—“Eurabia!” (This publication was produced by the European Committee for the
Coordination of Friendship Associations with the Arab World. Eurabia’s editor
was Lucien Bitterlin, President of the Association of Franco-Arab Solidarity;
the journal was published jointly by Euro-Arab associations in London, Paris,
and Geneva.).
And even 50-years earlier, June 26, 1925, Aldous Huxley, who spent considerable
time in North Africa, wrote in a letter to Norman Douglas
One winter I shall certainly go and spend some [more] months there [in Tunisia],
about the time of the date harvest—tho’ I have no doubt that the site of the
Arabs picking and packing the dates would be enough to make one’s gorge turn
every time one set eyes on that fruit for the rest of one’s life…And to think
that we are busily teaching them all the mechanical arts of peace and war which
gave us, in the past, our superiority over their numbers! In fifty years time,
it seems to me, Europe can’t fail to be wiped out by these monsters. Intanto
Alarmingly, a cadre of influential American policymakers have bought into the
same corrosive ideology, put forth under the guise of “The US Muslim Engagement
Project,” which pays homage to its Eurabian forbears, and their self-destructive
United Nations (read Organization of the Islamic Conference) project, “The
Alliance of Civilizations,” in this odious document, entitled, “Changing
Course.”
Pope voices 'deep respect' for Islam at start of Holy Land tour
Benedict says Church can contribute to peace process
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Saturday, May 09, 2009
AMMAN: Pope Benedict XVI underlined his "deep respect" for Islam on Friday in
Jordan, on his first trip as pontiff to an Arab state, and stressed that
religious freedom is a fundamental human right. Speaking after a red carpet
welcome from King Abdullah II and Queen Rania at Queen Alia Airport at the start
of an eight-day tour of the Holy Land, the pope said he came to Jordan "as a
pilgrim."
The visit "gives me a welcome opportunity to speak of my deep respect for the
Muslim community, and to pay tribute to the leadership shown by His Majesty the
King in promoting a better understanding of the virtues proclaimed by Islam."
The pope stressed that he viewed religious freedom as "a fundamental human
right."
"It is my fervent hope and prayer that respect for the inalienable rights and
dignity of every man and woman will come to be increasingly affirmed and
defended, not only throughout the Middle East, but in every part of the world,"
he said.
AMMAN: Pope Benedict XVI underlined his "deep respect" for Islam on Friday in
Jordan, on his first trip as pontiff to an Arab state, and stressed that
religious freedom is a fundamental human right. Speaking after a red carpet
welcome from King Abdullah II and Queen Rania at Queen Alia Airport at the start
of an eight-day tour of the Holy Land, the pope said he came to Jordan "as a
pilgrim."
The visit "gives me a welcome opportunity to speak of my deep respect for the
Muslim community, and to pay tribute to the leadership shown by His Majesty the
King in promoting a better understanding of the virtues proclaimed by Islam."
The pope stressed that he viewed religious freedom as "a fundamental human
right."
"It is my fervent hope and prayer that respect for the inalienable rights and
dignity of every man and woman will come to be increasingly affirmed and
defended, not only throughout the Middle East, but in every part of the world,"
he said.
En route to Amman, the pope told journalists that dialogue between Christianity,
Judaism and Islam is "very important for peace and so that everyone can follow
the tenets of their faith."
The Church "is not a political force but a spiritual force which can contribute
to the progress of the peace process" in the Middle East, he said.
Jordan's opposition Islamic Action Front (IAF) said earlier this week the pope
was not welcome unless he apologized for remarks he made in 2006, which it says
targeted Islam.
"What we want is a change in his policies, so that it is in harmony with the
teachings of Jesus about love, peace, justice, equality and condemnations of
crimes and Zionist terrorism," IAF chief Zaki Bani Rsheid told AFP.
In a speech the pope had quoted a medieval Christian emperor who criticized some
teachings of the Prophet Mohammad as "evil and inhuman." He apologized later for
the "unfortunate misunderstanding."
In his welcoming address, King Abdullah urged an expansion of Christian-Muslim
dialogue to dispel "divisions."
Stressing the "importance of co-existence and harmony between Muslim and
Christian," the monarch warned that "voices of provocation, ambitious ideologies
of division, threaten unspeakable suffering."
"We welcome your commitment to dispel the misconceptions and divisions that have
harmed relations between Christians and Muslims ... It is my hope that together
we can expand the dialogue we have opened," he told the pontiff.
Benedict then traveled to the capital some 30 kilometers away for his first
stop, the Regina Pacis center for the handicapped. The crowd sang songs in
Arabic welcoming him, and chanted "benvenuto," the Italian for "welcome," as
they ran alongside his vehicle.
"Friends, unlike the pilgrims of old, I do not come bearing gifts or offerings.
I come simply with an intention, a hope, to pray for the precious gift of unity
and peace, most specifically for the Middle East," the pope said.
Christians in Jordan number around 200,000 of a total population of about 6
million.
After his arrival Benedict stressed that his first Holy Land trip as pontiff is
a pilgrimage.
"I come to Jordan as a pilgrim, to venerate holy places that have played such an
important part in some of the key events of biblical history," he said.
The pope will divide his visit between Jordan and Israel, with a stop in
Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.
Some groups in the region have said they expect more than platitudes from the
82-year-old head of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, with the visit raising a
daunting array of religious and political challenges.
On Saturday he was to follow in the footsteps of John Paul II in 2000 by
visiting Mount Nebo, where the Bible says God showed the Promised Land to Moses.
The pope concludes his visit to Jordan with a prayer at Wadi Kharrar on the east
bank of the River Jordan, where many Christians believe Jesus was baptized,
before leaving for Tel Aviv Monday.
Israel will also roll out the red carpet, counting on the visit to help rebuild
its image following its December-January offensive against the Palestinian
Islamist movement Hamas that killed more than 1,400 Palestinians and 13
Israelis.
The Coalition for Jerusalem, an alliance of Palestinian advocacy groups, on
Thursday urged him in an open letter to denounce what they called "yet another
wave of Israel's ethnic cleansing crimes" against their people.
But the pope is unlikely to want to further strain ties with Israel.
They have clashed over his decision to lift the excommunication of
Holocaust-denying Bishop Richard Williamson of Britain, and the sainthood
dossier of Pope Pius XII, reviled by Israel for his stance during the Holocaust.
- AFP
Security
Forces Seize More Spies, Rifi Describes Arrests as Strongest Strike Against
Mossad
Naharnet/The number of Israel-linked cells that security forces discovered in
the past two months rose to six as head of the Internal Security Forces, Maj.
Gen. Ashraf Rifi said the ISF made the strongest security strike against the
Mossad. Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said that 17 people were arrested in the past
two months for allegedly spying for Israel. The latest arrests were made on
Friday when police seized five people in the south. Mahmoud Ahmed Shehab and his
brother Hussein were arrested in the town of Ghaziyeh. Authorities also arrested
Mouna Qandil, Hussein's wife. Later in the day, police seized two brothers who
hail from Bint Jbeil. One of the siblings lives in the town of Qana. They were
identified as Shawkat and Hussein Abbas. "The ISF moved in the past two years to
an advanced stage in its confrontation against Mossad cells and networks" after
improving technological means and receiving funding to build a device to pursue
alleged spies, Rifi told As Safir newspaper in remarks published Saturday.
"Six months following the implementation of our plan we were able to arrest an
agent who confessed to having ties with Israel. But we didn't speak out about
him at the time because we assumed that the device is not sufficient and we
shouldn't brag about it before laying our hands on the remaining members of the
cell," Rifi added.
He said security forces began pursuing and dismantling spy rings after Israel
decided to improve the function of these cells beginning this year.
"We cooperated with the security of the resistance (Hizbullah)," Rifi told As
Safir, adding that seizing Adib al-Alam, a retired general charged with spying
for Israel last month along with his wife and his nephew, "was an important
factor in finding other cells and networks.""We were able to make the strongest
security strike against the Israeli Mossad," Rifi stressed.
A security source told As Safir that the ISF in cooperation with the army
intelligence and Hizbullah's security was able through the Alam network to
discover the other cells.
"We monitored the activities of several people since early 2007 …. And later on
we were able to unveil the Israeli intelligence system in Lebanon," he added.
Al-Hayat quoted sources close to the arrests as saying that all networks
uncovered until now, including the Alam cell, function in the same way and use
the same techniques to observe, monitor and photograph specific locations. The
discovery of the Alam cell's communication means also facilitated the arrest of
other networks, particularly that each ring has a limited number of members.
Israeli officials refused to comment on the arrests. "It is not our practice to
comment on these sorts of allegations when they arise, not in this case, not in
any case," government spokesman Mark Regev said. Pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat
also quoted a former Mossad official as saying the silence is "very natural."
"What shall we say? If (we say) they are our agents we would be acting like (Hizbullah
leader Sayyed) Hassan Nasrallah who admitted that the leader of the terrorist
cell in Egypt belongs to Hizbullah … If we deny … we would anger former agents"
whom we had exposed in the past, the ex-Mossad official told the newspaper.
Beirut, 09 May 09, 08:33
Pope speaks of 'inseparable' bond between Christians, Jews
Speaking at Mount Nebo in Jordan, where Moses was said to have first viewed
Promised Land, Pope calls for 'renewed love for canon of sacred scripture'
Associated Press Published: 05.09.09, 10:40 / Israel News
Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday that his visit to the Middle East was a reminder
of the "inseparable bond" Between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, a
relationship that has been strained at
times under his leadership. He spoke from Mount Nebo, the hill overlooking the
Jordan valley from where the Bible says Moses saw the Promised Land.
Papal Mission
Pope: I go to Holy Land as 'pilgrim of peace' / Associated Press
As prelude to tour of Israel pope says Middle East 'plagued by violence and
injustice for 60 years'
"May our encounter today inspire in us a renewed love for the canon of sacred
scripture and a desire to overcome all obstacles to the reconciliation of
Christians and Jews in mutual respect and cooperation in the service of that
peace to which the word of God calls us," said the German-born Benedict.
The pope's visit to Mount Nebo was the first of many that Benedict will make to
holy places during his first visit to the Middle East. His visit to Jordan is
his first to an Arab country since becoming Pope.
"The ancient tradition of pilgrimage to the holy places also reminds us of the
inseparable bond between the church and the Jewish people," said Benedict. "From
the beginning, the church in these lands has commemorated in her liturgy the
great figures of the patriarchs and prophets, as a sign of her profound
appreciation of the unity of the two testaments."
Criticism in the Middle East
The pope sparked outrage among many Jews earlier this year when he revoked the
excommunication of an ultraconservative bishop who denies the Holocaust.
Benedict had lifted his excommunication along with three other ultraconservative
prelates in a bid to end a church schism.
The pope's forceful condemnation of anti-Semitism and acknowledgment of Vatican
mistakes have softened Jewish anger over the bishop. But another sore point has
been World War II Pope Pius XII, whom Benedict has called a "great churchman."
Jews and others say he failed to do all he could to stop the extermination of
European Jews.
The pope has also had strained ties with Muslims that he hopes to improve during
his Mideast visit. Benedict angered many in the Muslim world three years ago
when he quoted a Medieval text that characterized some of Islam's Prophet
Muhammad's teachings as "evil and inhuman," particularly
"his command to spread the faith by the sword."
The pope expressed his "deep respect" for Islam on Friday and has said he was
sorry and that the quotes did not reflect his personal views. But the comments
continue to fuel criticism by some Muslims. Jordan's hard-line Muslim
Brotherhood, the country's largest opposition group, said Friday that they were
boycotting the pope's visit because he did not issue a public apology ahead of
time as they demanded. Benedict is scheduled to meet with Muslim leaders
Saturday at Amman's largest mosque - his second visit to a Muslim place of
worship since becoming pope in 2005.
Obama’s Dangerous Game with Israel
May 9, 2009 -
By: Ed Lasky/Pyjama Media
The Jewish state is feeling the pressure from the administration over the
"two-state" question.
The Obama administration is stepping up the pressure on the new Israeli
government before a critical meeting between the president and Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu on May 18.
In the wake of comments made by influential National Security Adviser Jim Jones
(the de facto secretary of state, in my opinion) to a European foreign minister
that America will take a more “forceful hand” towards Israel than previous
administrations, comes a new riposte to show that the State Department refuses
to be one-upped by the NSC when it comes to dealing with Israel:
Rose Gottemoeller, assistant secretary of state and America’s chief nuclear arms
negotiator, has called on Israel (along with Pakistan, India, and North Korea)
to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). By including Israel on a
list of nations known to either have nuclear weapons or be close to acquiring
them (North Korea), Gottemoeller broke with a decades old diplomatic policy of
America. Since the late 1960s, America has pursued a policy of not demanding
transparency from Israel and, in return, Israel agreed not to test a bomb or
declare that it had developed a bomb. This policy was known as “strategic
ambiguity.”
The call on Israel to sign the NNPT also has put in jeopardy a secret
U.S.-Israel accord, writes Eli Lake in the Washington Times:
President Obama’s efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons threaten to
expose and derail a 40-year-old secret U.S. agreement to shield Israel’s nuclear
weapons from international scrutiny, former and current U.S. and Israeli
officials and nuclear specialists say.
For the past 40 years, Israel and the U.S. have kept quiet about an Israeli
nuclear arsenal that is now estimated at 80 to 200 weapons. Israel has promised
not to test nuclear weapons while the U.S. has not pressed Israel to sign the
nuclear NPT, which permits only five countries — the U.S., France, Britain,
China and Russia — to have nuclear arms.
The U.S. also has opposed most regional calls for a “nuclear-free Middle East.”
The accord was forged at a summit between Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir and
President Nixon on Sept. 25, 1969, according to recently released documents, but
remains so secret that there is no explicit record of it. Mr. Cohen has referred
to the deal as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” because it commits both the U.S. and
Israel never to acknowledge in public Israel’s nuclear arsenal.
The policy has worked well. Israel’s rumored arsenal serves as a deterrent for
those enemies who would employ weapons of mass destruction against her, given
that the nation arose from the ashes of the Holocaust and is surrounded by
enemies who would like nothing better than to stage a sequel to that horror. Her
possession of such weapons has been judged a vital strategic interest (was this
why Saddam Hussein did not place poison gas on the rockets he bombarded Israel
with during the Gulf War?).
Neighboring nations did not feel the need to embark on their own programs, nor
has this been an issue for the international community. This is because Israel
is a Western democracy, allied with America, and could be trusted with such
weapons. Israeli leaders have never broadcast their desire to destroy their
neighbors, nor have they ever harbored and nurtured apocalyptic desires to bring
about Armageddon — as does Iran’s president.
At the same time, Israel has declared that it would not be the first to
introduce nuclear weapons (and by logical extension, any weapons of mass
destruction) in the region. Such a weapon is best left sheathed.
American presidents have appreciated Israeli’s need for such a posture — and its
need not to fall under the control of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. That
treaty would lead to very intrusive investigation of Israel’s nuclear program.
Should nuclear weapons be found, Israel would be under severe pressure to
relinquish them. Given that the International Atomic Energy Agency, like all
United Nations agencies, is dominated by anti-Israel nations, this would be a
foregone conclusion. Israel would be stripped of the very weapons she deems
necessary to ensure her survival.
So why the change now?
There is a pattern emerging that this administration intends to use tools at its
disposal to pressure Israel to follow America’s lead in the region. A sign of
this has been the linkage the Obama team is trying to propound between efforts
to derail Iran’s nuclear program and efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
The prospect of Israel being compelled to sign the NNPT is another card being
played by the Obama team to “encourage” Israel to yield to American proposals on
both the Palestinian and Iranian fronts.
Other notable “hiccups” were the Chas Freeman and Durban II controversies that
went on for far too long and America’s move to rejoin the United Nations Human
Rights Council — a group that has obsessively focused on criticizing Israel
while shielding dictators.
Haaretz (the New York Times of Israel) recently published a column noting that
there has been a sharp decline in the coordination between Israel and the United
States on security and state affairs since President Obama entered the White
House:
“Obama’s people brief their Israeli counterparts in advance much less about
security and Middle East policy activities than the Bush administration used
to,” the officials said.
In addition, when they do brief Israeli officials, they don’t consult with them
or coordinate their statements in advance.
This has caused several coordination “malfunctions” between the two states in
the past two months, they said.
This followed other equally problematic incidents. The American policy shift
toward Syria and opening direct talks with Damascus followed minimal
coordination with Israel. For example, Israel was not briefed about senior
American diplomats’ trip to Damascus, which the U.S. had initiated.
Another incident concerned U.S. envoy for Iranian affairs Dennis Ross’ trip to
the Gulf states a few days ago for talks on Iran. Israel was briefed on the trip
in general details, but no consultations or message-coordination took place
before the trip. In addition, Ross did not pass through Israel on his way to the
Gulf or back to brief Israel on the talks’ outcome.
However, the official said the new administration no longer seems to see Israel
as a “special” or “extraordinary” state in the Middle East, with which the U.S.
must maintain a different dialogue than with other states.
“The feeling is that the dialogue and coordination with the Arab states and with
Europe is today no less important to the U.S. and perhaps more so than with
Israel,” the official said.
A recent White house meeting between Israeli President Shimon Peres and the
Obama team was less than comfortable for Peres, according to Laura Rozen of
Foreign Policy.
The Israelis hear that and have been making diplomatic gestures to move closer
to the Obama positions.
But what do the Iranians hear? What message are they getting?
Well the administration does not seem to be inclined to use a forceful hand with
the mad mullahs. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and others on the Obama team
have said there is no military solution to Iran’s nuclear program. This is an
implicit warning to the Israelis (and a get out of your bunker card to the
Iranians).
Regime change has been explicitly rejected. Barack Obama and his advisers appear
to believe that unilateral disarmament on the part of America is a precondition
we should impose on ourselves before we even begin to engage with the mullahs.
Instead of a forceful hand, Barck Obama has extended, in his own words, an open
hand to the Iranians.
In just 100 days, President Obama (who during the campaign had dismissed Iran as
not a threat; a claim he withdrew the following day when criticized) has praised
the “Islamic Republic” of Iran, paying homage to the ayatollahs in using that
phrase, redolent of the theocracy that reigns there. He has apologized for what
he views as mistakes America has made in the region.
The approach and the open hand were swatted away. What has been Plan B to
Iranian rejection? Silence. The whole effort to deal with Iran seems to have
been dropped from his schedule.
Even worse, the State Department has refused to place a deadline (and I am loath
to use that word) on negotiations with the Iranians. These efforts to reach
agreement can go on for some time. All one has to do is ask the IAEA and the
Europeans about their interminable talks with the mullahs and their proxies.
Furthermore, by opening up the issue of Israel and the NNPT, he has given the
Iranians one more card to play so as to divert attention from their own program.
The moral of the story is that obduracy brings rewards. Meanwhile, the
centrifuges spin away: 24 by 7.The Iranians know how to prolong “negotiations,”
as anyone who has ever shopped there should appreciate. The diplomatic world is
one grand bazaar for them.
Obama Administration Should Defer to Israel’s Expertise
By: Roz Rothstein/Pyjama Media
May 8, 2009 -
The U.S. should not repeat the misguided policies of the past.
I just returned from the AIPAC policy conference. It was a well-organized,
professional event, spanning over three days. It was wonderful to see how AIPAC
continues to grow and to feel the sense of global support for Israel which fills
the air with a steady buzz. Speakers reinforced the importance of the
American-Israel relationship and were greeted with applause and standing
ovations.
Israel’s security was clearly of concern to all who spoke, with Iran’s nuclear
aspirations being first and foremost on everyone’s minds.
The halls were filled, the mission to avert an Iranian imposed nuclear
catastrophe was clear, and the love for Israel was palpable. Yet I left
Washington with a heavy heart.
With two newly elected leaders in Israel and the U.S., dynamics are changing. It
became clear that the Obama administration is about to begin pressuring Israel
to take immediate steps toward the two-state solution. Senator Dianne Feinstein
encouraged the large delegation of California voters to help push in this
direction. She said, “Talk about it in your synagogues, your communities. Talk
about the two-state solution in Israel.”
She noted that until now, there were “excuses” for why Israel couldn’t move
forward. First, she said, Arafat was a problem. Then there were other reasons.
There must be no other reasons, she said. The time is now. She was clear that
Israel should withdraw from the West Bank as soon as possible. She was not the
only elected official who optimistically and urgently promoted this policy.
Each time I heard it, I worried. I did not understand how these people, who seem
genuinely concerned about Israel’s security, could possibly believe that the
situation on the ground indicates it is time for such a dramatic move.
We have seen this movie before. Doesn’t this administration remember? First it
was Lebanon. Arafat formed a mini-state in southern Lebanon and carried out
cross-border terrorism in northern Israel. Israel finally retaliated, sending in
tanks and ousting the PLO. In May 2000, Israel unilaterally withdrew from its
small security zone in Lebanon. The Palestinians viewed the withdrawal as a sign
of weakness and celebrated. Iran’s Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, claimed victory
over Israel and now has thousands of rockets threatening northern Israel.
Then there was Gaza, previously occupied by Egypt. Israel won Gaza as part of
its defensive war in 1967. Over the years, Jews in Gaza filled the sandy
beachfront with state-of-the-art greenhouses that grew high quality fruits,
vegetables, and flowers. In 2005, for the greater goal of peace, Israel gave up
the Gaza Strip and evacuated all Jews in the hope that the Palestinians would
take advantage of the offer of peace and beachfront land and begin nation
building. But they didn’t. Sadly but not surprisingly, Hamas has used the very
areas Israel evacuated to launch thousands of rockets into communities in
southern Israel.
Tragically, the goal of eliminating Israel remains. Listen to what terrorist
groups are saying. President Ahmadinejad of Iran declares that Israel will be
destroyed soon. Hamas calls for Israel’s destruction in its founding document
and in current speeches. Their founding document matches those of Hezbollah and
Fatah. Israel is surrounded.
But Senator Feinstein and others are pushing for an immediate two-state
solution. But with whom is Israel to have a two-state solution? The PA is weak
and fragmented with Hamas and Fatah locked in often violent confrontations. The
PA president, Mahmoud Abbas, seen as a moderate, recently stated that he does
not recognize Israel as a Jewish state, defying the logic of a two-state
solution. PA society is saturated with anti-Israel, anti-Semitic incitement.
School books teach hatred and genocide. The streets of Palestinian communities
are still filled with jumbo posters celebrating suicide bombers.
Contrary to Senator Feinstein’s claim, now does not seem to be the time.
Unjustified “excuses” have not prevented a two-state solution. There are real
and serious obstacles to its realization.
Israel wants peace and knows first-hand the facts on the ground that have
prevented it. The U.S. administration should defer to Israel’s expertise, not
repeat the misguided policies of the past and impose premature solutions from
afar which could have disastrous repercussions.
All supporters of Israel should work together to ensure that the administration
does not pressure Israel into premature, dangerous concessions, but treats it as
an equal — a sovereign, successful state that desperately wants peace but that
knows from bitter experience what will and will not bring peace closer.
Canada reports first flu death as U.S. cases climb
Sat May 9, 1:44 AM
By Daniel Trotta
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The new H1N1 flu killed its first patient in Canada,
making it the third country after Mexico and the United States to report a death
from the virus that has made more than 3,400 people in 28 countries ill.
The chief medical officer in the Canadian province of Alberta said on Friday
that the woman in her 30s who died on April 28 had not traveled to Mexico, the
epicenter of the swine flu outbreak, which suggests a more sustained spread of
the infection.
Japan and Australia confirmed their first cases on Saturday, although there have
been no deaths in either country.
The Canadian woman's death raised the confirmed global toll from the virus to
48. The virus is a strange coupling between a triple-hybrid virus with pig,
human and bird elements and a European swine virus not seen before in North
America.
Alberta was also where a herd of pigs became infected with the H1N1 swine flu,
apparently infected by a man who had traveled to Mexico.
The World Health Organization kept its global pandemic alert at 5 out of 6
because the new virus was not spreading rapidly outside North America, where
U.S. officials expect it to spread to all 50 states.
Japan said its first three confirmed cases were a man in his 40s and two
teenagers who had spent time in Canada.
Australia's first case was a 28-year-old woman who returned on a flight from Los
Angeles on Thursday.
Health officials said the woman had shown flu symptoms while traveling in the
United States in April but she had since recovered. Passengers on the same
flight were being contacted.
ONE MORE MEXICAN DEATH
In Mexico, authorities reported one more death, based on lab tests of patients
who died in past days, to raise the total to 45. A quarter of the dead were
obese, the government said.
The virus has also killed two people in the United States, where President
Barack Obama said, "... we're seeing that the virus may not have been as
virulent as we at first feared but we're not out of the woods yet.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,639 U.S. cases on
Friday, up from 896 on Thursday, a jump that has been expected as a backlog of
lab tests were confirmed. The Mexican case total climbed to 1,364 from 1,204.
Global figures stood at least 3,416 cases, according to the WHO, the CDC and
national health authorities.
Financial markets were rattled briefly after Mexico announced it had detected a
new virus on April 23. Hog futures were also hit temporarily after several
nations imposed trade restrictions, which came even though health officials said
there was no risk of spreading the virus by eating pork.
Mexico, already in recession, has said the flu crisis could knock 0.3 to 0.5
percentage points off gross domestic product as tourism revenues suffer and
after the country shut down all non-essential businesses for five days to
control infection.
A senior executive at HSBC told the Reuters Latin American Investment Summit the
flu outbreak would delay economic recovery in Mexico, saying lending would
suffer.
In Asia, countries whose health diplomacy skills were honed by SARS in 2003 and
ongoing outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza pledged to boost drug stockpiles,
share essential supplies and tighten surveillance against what they called an
"imminent health threat" to the region.
"We cannot afford to let our guard down," ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan
told a meeting of health ministers from China, Japan, South Korea and the
10-member Association of South East Asian Nations.
In Hong Kong, authorities said a Mexican man confirmed as the city's only case
had been released from hospital. Hong Kong imposed a week-long quarantine on
almost 300 guests and staff at a hotel where the man had stayed.
Those people were released late on Friday. Criticized by some for its drastic
response, Hong Kong also won praise in other quarters for its response to the
threat.
POSSIBLE OBESITY, DIABETES LINK
In Mexico, where diabetes is the nation's leading cause of death, officials said
24 percent of the dead were obese.
Diabetes was associated with many of the victims, as were cardiovascular
problems such as angina and high blood pressure, Health Minister Jose Angel
Cordova told a news conference.
These conditions can raise the risk of complications and death from seasonal
influenza, which kills 250,000 to 500,000 people every year globally and 36,000
in the United States alone.
Officials said their fast implementation of quarantine measures, disinfecting
public spaces and education about hand hygiene helped control the spread of the
virus.
But that failed to appease soccer clubs from throughout Latin America who
refused to play against the two remaining Mexican club teams in the Copa
Libertadores tournament. The Mexican teams withdrew from the cup on Friday.
(Additional reporting by Scott Haggett in CALGARY, Carlos Pacheco in MEXICO
CITY, Kittipong Soonprasert in BANGKOK, Julie Steenhuysen in CHICAGO, Laura
MacInnis, Stephanie Nebehay and Jonathan Lynn in GENEVA, Michael Kahn in LONDON,
James Pomfret and Nerilyn Tenorio in HONG KONG; Writing by Daniel Trotta;
Editing by Paul Tait)