LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 16/09
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus
Christ according to Saint John 15:12-17. This is my commandment: love one
another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life
for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer
call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have
called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my
Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go
and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name
he may give you. This I command you: love one another.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Here's how Israel would destroy
Iran's nuclear program/ By Reuven Pedatzur/Haaretz 15/05/09
The Coup/Future
News
15/05/09
The frenzy to secure votes shows what's wrong with Lebanon's political system-
The Daily Star 15/05/09
Is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad really just a 'self-hating Jew'?
By Rasool Nafisi 15/05/09
Lebanon's way out of the global
meltdown-By
Hussein F. Zeaiter 15/05/09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for May
15/09
Sfeir: Existence of
Opposition and Pro-government Forces in Governance Is a Heresy-Naharnet
LEBANON: Hezbollah official says group close to
'eradicating' Israel-Los Angeles
Times
Syria Looking for Improved Relations with Obama
Administration-Council on Foreign
Relations
'Peace is still possible,' says
Pope on last day in Mideast/Haaretz
Israel: U.S. will know before any
Iran strike/Haaretz
Egypt finds massive arms cache
along Israel border/Haaretz/Reuters
March 8’s stress to the extent of
accusing Sleiman with deceit/Future
News
Paris Says Syria Halted
Cooperation, Warns Suleiman is 'Red Line'-Future
News
Sabaa: Beirut’s Slums, not a
Hizbullah exclusivity-Future
News
Majority-Minority Bickering on Appointments, Hizbullah Criticizes Suleiman-Naharnet
Feltman: Huge Differences with Syria, Dialogue with Damascus Not at Lebanon's
Expense-Naharnet
Aridi: Israel Will Not Be Able to Separate the Lebanese-Naharnet
Pharaon: We will Keep Hand
Stretched toward Partner-Naharnet
Contacts Underway to Finish Off
Zahle, Kesrouan Electoral Lists-Naharnet
Hariri: Veto Power Experiment Has
Failed-Naharnet
Gemayel: The Slogan of the Third
Republic Is a Coup d'Etat-Naharnet
Geagea: No crisis With Independent
Candidates and No Veto on Boueiz-Naharnet
Two Balloons with Hebrew Writing
Found in Iqleem a-Tuffah-Naharnet
Political Crisis in Guatemala:
President Accused of Murdering Lebanese Businessman and his Lawyer-Naharnet
Votes Up For Grabs in 'Anything
Goes' Lebanon-Naharnet
Poll-Related Security Incidents in
Lebanese Regions-Naharnet
Army Arrests 2 Alleged Spies, 2
Others Disappear-Naharnet
Lebanese report: Spies also operated in Syria-Ynetnews
Iraqi Christian community shrinks
as families flee violence-Daily
Star
Reject hatred, live in harmony,
pope says at Nazareth mass-
(AFP)
US may seek alternative to Israeli
missile shield-Daily
Star
Turkish president: Syria key to solving Middle
East problems-Jerusalem
Post
Israeli
PM denies Syria sent message through Jordan-Ynetnews
Siniora highlights need for strong
ties with Syria-Daily
Star
Iran, Syria 'do not have say' in Hizbullah decisions-Daily
Star
Boueiz takes credit for Aoun's 2005
victory-Daily
Star
Army studying bomb maps handed over
by Israel-Daily
Star
Israeli spy cells to be included in
report to Security Council-Daily
Star
Appointments failure comes under
fire-Daily
Star
Acts of violence grip Lebanon ahead
of polls-Daily
Star
'Low wages driving highly educated
Lebanese abroad-Daily
Star
Guatamalan leader accused of
killing Lebanese businessman-Daily
Star
Funding, transparency seen as key
to tribunal success-Daily
Star
AUB Job Fair looks to fill over 500
positions amid crisis-Daily
Star
Parties spend big to lure voters to
their side-Daily
Star
'Peace is still possible,' says
Pope on last day in Mideast
By The Associated Press
Pope Benedict XVI on Friday capped his Middle East visit by making a pilgrimage
to a church revered as the site of Jesus' crucifixion and assuring his followers
in the Holy Land that peace was still possible. A traditional escort of men in
black robes and red fezzes accompanied the pontiff as he solemnly walked into
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, rhythmically banging staffs on
the ground to announce his approach. Benedict knelt down and kissed the
rectangular stone on which Jesus' body is believed to have been placed after the
crucifixion. Then he entered the structure inside the church marking the site of
Jesus' tomb and knelt inside alone for several minutes, hands clasped, as
priests chanted nearby.
In a speech afterward, he told those gathered in the church not to lose hope - a
central theme during a visit in which he addressed the Holocaust,
Israeli-Palestinian politics and the shrinking number of Christians in the
region. "The Gospel reassures us that God can make all things new, that history
need not be repeated, that memories can be healed, that the bitter fruits of
recrimination and hostility can be overcome, and that a future of justice,
peace, prosperity and cooperation can arise for every man and woman, for the
whole human family, and in a special way for the people who dwell in this land
so dear to the heart of the Savior," he said. "With those words of
encouragement," he said, "I conclude my pilgrimage to the holy places of our
redemption and rebirth in Christ."
Thousands of soldiers and policemen were deployed Friday around Jerusalem's Old
City for the pope's visit to the ancient church, which tradition holds marks the
site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection. "On the last day of his
visit the pope is coming to the most important place for us," said Father Bernt,
a Catholic priest at the church. "This is the center of Christianity, so it's
very special." The pope is leaving the Holy Land having fulfilled his mission of
reaching out to Jews and Muslims, but some are giving his five-day trip only
mixed reviews.
During his visit, he led 50,000 worshippers in a jubilant Mass outside of
Nazareth, in an effort to rally his dwindling flock. He removed his shoes to
enter Islam's third-holiest shrine, and he followed Jewish custom by placing a
note bearing a prayer for peace in the cracks of the Western Wall. He won
appreciation from Palestinians for endorsing their call for an
independent state. But some Israelis were disappointed with his treatment of the
Holocaust, saying he could have gone further in a speech at the country's
national Holocaust memorial.
The pope eloquently spoke of the suffering of Holocaust victims but did not
follow the lead of his predecessor, John Paul II, in expressing remorse for the
church's historic persecution of Jews. Neither did he discuss what some believe
to have been the church's passivity during the Nazi genocide or his own time as
a member of the Hitler Youth.
Those perceived omissions led officials at the Yad Vashem memorial to take the
exceptional step of openly criticizing the speech.
Sfeir: Existence of Opposition
and Pro-government Forces in Governance Is a Heresy
Naharnet/The Maronite Patriarch Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir considered Friday
the presence of both opposition and pro-government forces in governance a "new
heresy" never known to Lebanon before. "The days we are living do not encourage
us to move forward" Sfeir said during the celebration of Antonine University in
the thirteenth anniversary of its foundation, adding "we may even say they are
frustrating days." Sfeir hoped "that our future will be better than our present
and past."He stressed on the importance of Dialogue among Civilizations expected
to be held in Lebanon. Sfeir addressed the university students saying "We hope
that the future would be better than the present if you just recognize the right
sacrifices."
He quoted a famous proverb "Search for what you can offer your homeland not what
you can take from it." Beirut, 15 May 09, 17:25
Feltman: Huge Differences with
Syria, Dialogue with Damascus Not at Lebanon's Expense
Naharnet/U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
Jeffery Feltman said Thursday that there are huge differences with Syria and
stressed that talks with Damascus will not come at the expense of Lebanon. Talks
with Syrian officials "will not be at the expense of a third country …. As
Secretary of State (Hillary) Clinton stressed two weeks ago in Beirut the United
States will not sacrifice the interests of Lebanon" in Obama administration's
efforts to improve ties with Damascus, Feltman told the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee during his confirmation hearing. He described his talks with Syrian
officials in March and May as tough, saying the U.S. has deep differences with
Damascus. But Washington is looking forward for cooperation in areas that Syria
claims to have common interests with the U.S. such as Iraq.
As for Tehran, the U.S. administration's chief envoy for the region said that
Iran's nuclear program and its increased regional influence have replaced the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the main concern of governments in the Middle
East. "When you traveled around the (Middle East) five, six, seven years ago,
almost everywhere you went, the first thing that came up was the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Feltman told the committee. "When you travel
around today, what you are going to hear about is Iran." Even though concerns
about Iran are raised by officials in the region before anything else, "we want
to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in order to remove one of the tools
that Iran uses to distract the region from what Iran is doing," Feltman said. He
called Iran a "spoiler" in the pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace through its support
for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, and Lebanon's
Hizbullah.
'We want to try to pursue some opportunities here, given the shared
international and regional concern about Iranian practices," he said. Beirut, 15
May 09, 09:18
The Coup
Date: May 15th, 2009 /Future News
Reading between the lines of what March 8 says what it wants from Lebanon is
difficult, but its true aim was revealed recently, toppling the nation’s
establishment as well as its moral and political values. Underlining their
relentless obstruction of the government’s efforts since they thanked Syria for
killing martyr president Rafic Hariri, along came Nawaf el-Moussawi to stress
the necessity of winning the elections to change the entire system. In doing so,
Moussawi opened the gates of hell, threatening the accomplishments of the
Lebanese since the Taef agreement of 1989 was ratified. What Moussawi said
amounted to the “straw that broke the camel’s back.” Now Lebanese can understand
the lies and fake slogans the opposition calls for, be it the International
Tribunal, participation in the government or even those about living conditions.
March 8 intentions to change the nation’s system are neither new nor surprising.
They fall within the framework of boycotting the government following the
assassination of Gibran Tueini up to the Doha agreement because of which the
work of the government has been paralyzed.
This also falls within the sequence of the “Third Republic,” the policy to hop
on civil peace, the Taef agreement and abolishing the principle of democracy to
be replaced by Wilayat e-faqih, or the Iran’s rule of the jurisprudent.
Answering to this coup will come from supporting the government no matter what
the difficulties are and those who dare to carry out this coup are approaching
the forbidden zone.
Here's how Israel would destroy Iran's nuclear program
By Reuven Pedatzur/Haaretz
Last update - 09:55 15/05/2009
Israeli government ministers and Knesset members who will help make the decision
about whether to attack Iran's nuclear facilities do not have to wait any longer
for a preparatory briefing by the Israel Air Force.
They can read about all the possible scenarios for a strike on Iran, and about
the potential risks and chances of success, in a study by Abdullah Toukan and
Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in
Washington.
Never before has such an open, detailed and thorough study of Israel's offensive
options been published. The authors of the 114-page study meticulously gathered
all available data on Israel's military capabilities and its nuclear program,
and on Iran's nuclear developments and aerial defenses, as well as both
countries' missile inventory.
After analyzing all the possibilities for an attack on Iran, Toukan and
Cordesman conclude: "A military strike by Israel against Iranian nuclear
facilities is possible ... [but] would be complex and high-risk and would lack
any assurances that the overall mission will have a high success rate."
The first problem the authors point to is intelligence, or more precisely, the
lack of it. "It is not known whether Iran has some secret facilities where it is
conducting uranium enrichment," they write. If facilities unknown to Western
intelligence agencies do exist, Iran's uranium-enrichment program could continue
to develop in secret there, while Israel attacks the known sites - and the
strike's gains would thus be lost. In general, the authors state, attacking Iran
is justified only if it will put an end to Iran's nuclear program or halt it for
several years. That objective is very difficult to attain.
Intelligence agencies are also divided on the critical question of when Iran
will deliver a nuclear weapon. Whereas Israeli intelligence maintains it will
have the bomb between 2009 and 2012, the U.S. intelligence community estimates
it will not happen before 2013. If the Israeli intelligence assessment is
accurate, the window for a military strike is rapidly closing. It is clear to
everyone that no one will dare attack Iran once it possesses nuclear weapons.
Since Iran has dozens of nuclear facilities dispersed throughout its large
territory, and since it is impossible to attack all of them, Toukan and
Cordesman investigated the option of hitting only three, which "constitute the
core of the nuclear fuel cycle that Iran needs to produce nuclear weapons grade
fissile material."
Destroying these three sites ought to stall the Iranian nuclear program for
several years. The three are: the nuclear research center in Isfahan, the
uranium-enrichment facility in Natanz, and the heavy water plant, intended for
future plutonium production, in Arak. It is doubtful whether Israel would embark
on an offensive with such major ramifications just to strike a small number of
facilities, when it is not at all clear that this will stop Iran's
nuclearization for a significant length of time.
The study analyzes three possible flight routes and concludes that the optimal
and most likely one is the northern one that passes along the Syria-Turkey
border, cuts across the northeastern edge of Iraq and leads into Iran. The
central route passes over Jordan and is shorter, but would not be chosen for
fear of political trouble with the Jordanians. Using the southern route, which
passes over Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, might likewise lead to political
entanglements.
To prevent the aircraft being detected en route to Iran, the IAF would use
advanced technology to invade and scramble communication networks and radar
devices in the countries over which the F-15s and F-16s fly, so even though
dozens of planes would pass through the countries' airspace, they will not be
detected. According to the authors, the IAF used this technology in the raid on
the Syrian nuclear reactor in Dayr az-Zawr, in September 2007. A hacker system
was installed on two Gulfstream G550 aircraft that the IAF bought in recent
years.
A strike mission on the three nuclear facilities would require no fewer than 90
combat aircraft, including all 25 F-15Es in the IAF inventory and another 65
F-16I/Cs. On top of that, all the IAF's refueling planes will have to be
airborne: 5 KC-130Hs and 4 B-707s. The combat aircraft will have to be refueled
both en route to and on the way back from Iran. The IAF will have a hard time
locating an area above which the tankers can cruise without being detected by
the Syrians or the Turks.
One of the toughest operational problems to resolve is the fact that the
facility at Natanz is buried deep underground. Part of it, the fuel-enrichment
plant, reaches a depth of 8 meters, and is protected by a 2.5-meter-thick
concrete wall, which is in turn protected by another concrete wall. By mid-2004
the Iranians had fortified their defense of the other part of the facility,
where the centrifuges are housed. They buried it 25 meters underground and built
a roof over it made of reinforced concrete several meters thick.
The Iranians use the centrifuges to enrich uranium, which is required in order
to produce a nuclear bomb. There are already 6,000 centrifuges at the Natanz
facility; the Iranians plan to install a total of 50,000, which could be used to
produce 500 kilos of weapons-grade uranium annually. Building a nuclear bomb
takes 15-20 kilograms of enriched uranium. That means that the Natanz facility
will be able to supply enough fissile material for 25-30 nuclear weapons per
year.
Because the Natanz facility is so important, the Iranians have gone to great
lengths to protect it. To contend with the serious defensive measures they have
taken, the IAF will use two types of U.S.-made smart bombs. According to reports
in the foreign media, 600 of these bombs - nicknamed "bunker busters" - have
been sold to Israel. One is called GBU-27, it weighs about 900 kilos and it can
penetrate a 2.4-meter layer of concrete. The other is called GBU-28 and weighs
2,268 kilos; this monster can penetrate 6 meters of concrete and another layer
of earth 30 meters deep. But for these bombs to penetrate ultra-protected
Iranian facilities, IAF pilots will have to strike the targets with absolute
accuracy and at an optimal angle.
Additional challenges
But the challenges facing the IAF do not end there. Iran has built a dense
aerial-defense system that will make it hard for Israeli planes to reach their
targets unscathed. Among other things, the Iranians have deployed batteries of
Hawk, SA-5 and SA-2 surface-to-air missiles, plus they have SA-7, SA-15, Rapier,
Crotale and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. Furthermore, 1,700 anti-aircraft
guns protect the nuclear facilities - not to mention the 158 combat aircraft
that might take part in defending Iran's skies. Most of those planes are
outdated, but they may be scrambled to intercept the IAF, which will thus have
to use part of its strike force to deal with the situation.
However, all these obstacles are nothing compared to the S-300V (SA-12 Giant)
anti-aircraft defense system, which various reports say Russia may have secretly
supplied to Iran recently. If the Iranians indeed have this defense system, all
of the IAF's calculations, and all of the considerations for and against a
strike, will have to be overhauled. The Russian system is so sophisticated and
tamper-proof that the aircraft attrition rates could reach 20-30 percent: In
other words, out of a strike force of 90 aircraft, 20 to 25 would be downed.
This, the authors say, is "a loss Israel would hardly accept in paying."
If Israel also decides to attack the famous reactor in Bushehr, an ecological
disaster and mass deaths will result. The contamination released into the air in
the form of radionuclides would spread over a large area, and thousands of
Iranians who live nearby would be killed immediately; in addition, possibly
hundreds of thousands would subsequently die of cancer. Because northerly winds
blow in the area throughout most of the year, the authors conclude that, "most
definitely Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE will be heavily affected by the
radionuclides."
The difficulty involved in an IAF strike would become a moot point if ballistic
missiles wind up being used instead of combat aircraft. The Iranians cannot
defend against ballistic missiles. The study lays bare Israel's missile program
and points to three missile versions it has developed: Jericho I, II and III.
The Jericho I has a 500-kilometer range, a 450-kilogram warhead, and can carry a
20-kiloton nuclear weapon. Jericho II has a 1,500-kilometer range, and entered
service in 1990. It can carry a 1-megaton nuclear warhead. Jericho III is an
intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 4,800-6,500 kilometers, and
can carry a multi-megaton nuclear warhead. The study says the latter was
expected to enter service in 2008.
The authors apparently do not insinuate that Israel will launch missiles
carrying nuclear warheads, but rather conventional warheads. By their
calculation it will take 42 Jericho III missiles to destroy the three Iranian
facilities, assuming that they all hit their marks, which is extremely
difficult. It is not enough to hit the target area: To destroy the facilities it
is necessary to hit certain points of only a few meters in size. It is doubtful
the Jerichos' accuracy can be relied on, and that all of them will hit those
critical spots with precision.
The study also analyzes the possible Iranian response to an Israeli strike. In
all likelihood the result would be to spur Iranians to continue and even
accelerate their nuclear program, to create reliable deterrence in the face of
an aggressive Israel. Iran would also withdraw from the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, which until now has enabled its nuclear program to be
monitored, to a certain degree, through inspectors from the International Atomic
Energy Agency. An Israeli strike would immediately put a stop to the
international community's attempts to pressure Iran into suspending development
of nuclear weapons.
No Syrian response
Iran would also, almost certainly, retaliate against Israel directly. It might
attack targets here with Shahab-3 ballistic missiles, whose range covers all of
Israel. A few might even be equipped with chemical warheads. In addition, the
Iranians would use Hezbollah and Hamas to dispatch waves of suicide bombers into
Israel. The Second Lebanon War showed us Hezbollah's rocket capability, and the
experience of the past eight years has been instructive regarding Hamas' ability
to fire Qassams from the Gaza Strip.
Hezbollah launched 4,000 rockets from South Lebanon during the Second Lebanon
War, and their effect on northern Israel has not been forgotten: Life was nearly
paralyzed for a whole month. Since then the Lebanese organization's stockpile
was replenished and enhanced, and it now has some 40,000 rockets. Israel does
not have a response to those rockets. The rocket defense systems now being
developed (Iron Dome and Magic Wand) are still far from completion, and even
after they become operational, it is doubtful they will prove effective against
thousands of rockets launched at Israel.
An Israeli strike on Iran would also sow instability in the Middle East. The
Iranians would make use of the Shi'ites in Iraq, support Taliban fighters and
improve their combat capabilities in Afghanistan. They also might attack
American interests in the region, especially in countries that host U.S.
military forces, such as Qatar and Bahrain. The Iranians would probably also
attempt to disrupt the flow of oil to the West from the Persian Gulf region.
Since the United States would be perceived as having given Israel a green light
to attack Iran, American relations with allies in the Arab world could suffer
greatly. Toukan and Cordesman believe, however, that Iran's ally Syria would
refrain from intervening if Israel strikes Iran's nuclear facilities.
Regarding a possible time frame for an Israeli strike, the authors cited factors
that could speed up the decision in this matter. By 2010 Iran could pose a
serious threat to its neighbors and Israel, because it would have enough nuclear
weapons to deter the latter and the United States from attacking it. Iran's
inventory of effective ballistic missiles capable of carrying nonconventional
warheads could also be an incentive. The fear that the country will procure the
Russian S-300V aerial-defense system (if it has not done so already) might also
serve as an incentive for a preemptive strike.
So what should Israeli policy makers conclude from this American study? That an
IAF strike on Iran would be complicated and problematic, and that the chance of
it succeeding is not great. That they must weigh all of the far-reaching
ramifications that an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would have,
and that they must not be fooled by promises, should any be made, by Israel
Defense Forces officers who present the attack plan as having good odds for
success.
One of the conclusions from Toukan and Cordesman's study is that it is
questionable whether Israel has the military capability to destroy Iran's
nuclear program, or even to delay it for several years. Therefore, if the
diplomatic contacts the Obama administration is initiating with Iran prove
useless, and if in the wake of their expected failure the American president
does not decide to attack Iran, it is likely that Iran will possess nuclear
weapons in a relatively short time. It seems, therefore, that policy makers in
Jerusalem should begin preparing, mentally and operationally, for a situation in
which Iran is a nuclear power with a strike capability against Israel.
This is the place to emphasize Israel's mistake in hyping the Iranian threat.
The regime in Tehran is certainly a bitter and inflexible rival, but from there
it's a long way to presenting it as a truly existential threat to Israel. Iran's
involvement in terror in our region is troubling, but a distinction must be made
between a willingness to bankroll terrorists, and an intention to launch nuclear
missiles against Israel. Even if Iran gets nuclear weapons, Israel's power of
deterrence will suffice to dissuade any Iranian ruler from even contemplating
launching nuclear weapons against it.
It is time to stop waving around the scarecrow of an existential threat and
refrain from making belligerent statements, which sometimes create a dangerous
dynamic of escalation. And if the statements are superfluous and harmful - then
this is doubly true for a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Of course, none of this contradicts the possibility of taking covert action to
hamper the Iranians' program and supply routes. When the IAF destroyed the
Osirak reactor in Baghdad in 1981, the "Begin doctrine" came into being, which
holds that Israel will not let any hostile country in the region acquire nuclear
weapons. The problem is that what could be accomplished in Iraq more than two
decades ago is no longer possible today under the present circumstances in Iran.
The continual harping on the Iranian threat stems from domestic Israeli politics
and a desire to increase investment in the security realm, but the ramifications
of this are dangerous when you analyze expected developments in Iran's
ballistics: It is impossible for Israel to ignore Iran's capacity to hit it, and
Jerusalem must shape a policy that will neutralize that threat.
In another year, or three years from now, when the Iranians possess nuclear
weapons, the rules of the strategic game in the region will be completely
altered. Israel must reach that moment with a fully formulated and clear policy
in hand, enabling it to successfully confront a potential nuclear threat, even
when it is likely that the other side has no intention of carrying it out. The
key, of course, is deterrence. Only a clear and credible signal to the Iranians,
indicating the terrible price they will pay for attempting a nuclear strike
against Israel, will prevent them from using their missiles. The Iranians have
no logical reason to bring about the total destruction of their big cities, as
could happen if Israel uses the means of deterrence at its disposal. Neither the
satisfaction of killing Zionist infidels, nor, certainly, the promotion of
Palestinian interests would justify that price. Israeli deterrence in the face
of an Iranian nuclear threat has a good chance of succeeding precisely because
the Iranians have no incentive to deal a mortal blow to Israel.
Therefore, all the declarations about developing the operational capability of
IAF aircraft so they can attack the nuclear facilities in Iran, and the empty
promises about the ability of the Arrow missile defense system to contend
effectively with the Shahab-3, not only do not help bolster Israel's power of
deterrence, but actually undermine the process of building it and making it
credible in Iranian eyes. The time has come to adopt new ways of thinking. No
more fiery declarations and empty threats, but rather a carefully weighed policy
grounded in sound strategy. Ultimately, in an era of a multi-nuclear Middle
East, all sides will have a clear interest to lower tension and not to increase
it.
Israel: U.S. will know before any Iran strike
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent
Israel has acceded to American demands by pledging to coordinate its moves on
Iran with Washington and not surprise the United States with military action.
During a trip to Jerusalem earlier this week, CIA chief Leon Panetta informed
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that U.S. President Barack Obama demanded that
Israel not launch a surprise attack on Iran. The message expressed concern that
Israel would cause an escalation in the region and undermine Obama's efforts to
improve relations with Tehran.
However, the content was nothing new: The Bush administration also sent tough
messages to Jerusalem a year ago, including a demand that it not strike Iran.
Israeli officials believe that U.S. foreign policy professionals are vehemently
opposed to an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, so this position was
transmitted from the previous administration to the present one.
The U.S. expects Israel to coordinate its military actions with Washington, a
condition to which Jerusalem has agreed due to its dependence on U.S. aid.
Senior officials in the Bush administration testified to Congress that Israel
had consulted them before deciding on its 2007 air strike on an alleged Syrian
nuclear reactor. They said Israel had explained that it considered the Syrian
project an existential threat and therefore had to act.
In his first trip to Israel as CIA chief, about three weeks ago, Panetta met
with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman
and Mossad chief Meir Dagan. Panetta was White House chief of staff under Bill
Clinton in 1994-97. In this capacity, he and his president weathered a stormy
phase of the peace process, the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin,
Shimon Peres' brief term of office and the advent of the first Netanyahu
government. During those years, Clinton visited Israel three times, so Panetta
got to know the Israeli leadership. In the Senate confirmation hearing for his
appointment as CIA chief, Panetta said he has no doubt Iran is working toward
nuclear weapons capability. Since taking office, Panetta has also visited India
and Pakistan, due to the serious domestic crisis in Islamabad and the growing
threat to its regime.
The Iranian threat will play a central role in Netanyahu's talks with Obama,
Congress and senior U.S. officials during his visit to Washington next week.
After the premier returns, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will head to
Washington for his first visit. Lieberman will head the strategic dialogue
between the U.S. and Israel, which will focus on Iran.
Egypt finds massive arms cache along Israel border
By Reuters
Egyptian security forces have uncovered hundreds of weapons and explosive
devices hidden along the Sinai Peninsula's border with Israel, the
Arabic-language Al-Quds al-Arabiyeh reported on Friday. According to the report,
forces found 266 rockets, 40 mines, 50 mortar shells, 20 hand grenades and at
least three anti-aircraft missiles.
No suspects have yet been arrested in the incident, security forces told the
paper. Meanwhile, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Mustakbal reported Friday that
earlier this year Egyptian forces arrested four members of Iran's Revolutionary
Guard suspected of organizing an espionage ring on Egyptian territory. The ring
was apparently headed by an Iranian intelligence official who entered Egypt
using a forged Iraqi passport, according to the report. Egyptian security forces
last months discovered five smuggling tunnels along the country's border with
the Gaza Strip, through which the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group was
allegedly planning to deliver explosives designated for terror attacks against
Israel. According to reports, the Hezbollah cell had coordinated its attacks
with Israeli Arab citizens. Also on Friday, Egyptian police shot and killed an
African migrant near the border with Israel. The man, who was shot four times in
the chest and abdomen, was not carrying any documents proving his identity or
nationality, the medical source said. The security source said an Egyptian
patrol detected him trying to infiltrate into Israel and ordered him to stop,
opening fire when he did not. For years Egypt tolerated tens of thousands of
Africans on its territory but its attitude hardened after it came under pressure
to halt rising numbers of Africans trying to cross into Israel. In November,
U.S.-based rights group Human Rights Watch called on Egypt to stop shooting
African migrants.
Gemayel: The Slogan of the Third Republic Is a Coup d'Etat
Naharnet/Phalange Party Leader Amin Gemayel said Thursday that the concept of
the Third Republic adopted by Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun
"obstructs the role of the president.""Adopting the slogan of the Third Republic
is a coup d'etat," and it does not respect national fundamentals," Gemayel said,
warning that it prevents the president from "performing his basic
responsibilities." "The slogans of the opposition are obstructive," Gemayel said
after a meeting with members of the March 14 list in Aley, adding "however, the
role of these forces has always been to disrupt power."Gemayel called voters to
choose between a free and sovereign Lebanon and a country that follows regional
powers.
Beirut, 14 May 09, 16:01
Two Balloons with Hebrew Writing Found in Iqleem a-Tuffah
Naharnet/Two balloons with Hebrew writings on them were found Thursday in Iqleem
al-Tuffah and were subsequently examined by the army for toxins. The white
balloons, found in al-Mashaa neighborhood, had the number 700509090 inscribed on
them in addition to drawings and Hebrew writings. The discovery caused panic
among residents for fear that the balloons might have been dropped by Israeli
warplanes and might be toxic. Beirut, 14 May 09, 21:32
Geagea: No crisis With Independent Candidates and No Veto
on Boueiz
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea denied Thursday reports of a crisis
between LF and independent candidates in the second Kesrouan list.
In an interview with al-Markazia News agency, he described the relationship as
"excellent" with some of the contenders, "acceptable" with others and "normal"
with candidates such as former MP Mansour Ghanem al- Bon.Geagea denied to asked
independent candidate to join a Christian gathering as a pre-condition for being
part of the list. He also called on all independent runners to check the
veracity of such reports. Regarding the delay in the formulation of the
Kesrouan list, Geagea said: "everybody waited for the closure of candidacy
registration door and for the formation of another Kesrouan list before starting
the actual work on a new ticket that includes independents and March 14
members." "The Kesrouan list will be unveiled in a matter of days and not
weeks," he added. "There is no veto on anyone even former minister Fares Boueiz,"
the LF leader said, denying "evil" rumors that Boueiz was conditioned to join
Geagea's bloc before being endorsed in the ticket. As for the Beirut 2
constituency and negotiations with MP Saad Hariri over the Armenian-Orthodox
seat, Geagea said that "negotiations with Armenian parties are ongoing. "The
meetings so far held with MP Hariri focused on other matters as well," he added.
As for the failure of the Cabinet to approve key administrative appointments on
Wednesday, Geagea said "this is the experience of the veto power." He added: "I
hope the Lebanese would stop at the meaning of this concept." Geagea commended
security forces for uncovering Israeli spy rings saying "the government and the
official bodies were able to accomplish an excellent work." "The majority of
these rings were uncovered in Hizbullah's area of operation," he added. Beirut,
14 May 09, 17:26
Paris Says Syria Halted Cooperation, Warns Suleiman is 'Red
Line'
Naharnet/France uncovered that Syria has halted cooperation with the
international community and warned that President Michel Suleiman is a "red
line." The official stance was made by French diplomatic sources in Paris who
said Suleiman was "entrusted with Lebanon's stability and the integrity of its
institutions." "The Lebanese presidency is a red line that could not be
crossed," one source said. "France will not accept in any way that Suleiman's
position be targeted, harmed or jeopardized because of parliamentary elections
or outcome of the polls."
Paris said Damascus halted cooperation with the international community after
having adopted "positive" measures in May 2008 that helped elect a Lebanese
president, form a government, exchange diplomats as well as Syrian participation
in the prevention of the arrival of al-Qaida fighters to Iraq.
"Syria, however, stopped cooperating with the international community since
January (of 2009)," the source said. "If Damascus wants to cooperate with us and
maintain dialogue with the United States, it should act with moderation," he
stressed. Regarding the upcoming parliamentary elections, Paris believed that if
the Lebanese knew how to deal rationally with the results and act consciously,
"then things will move smoothly." "But if this team or that sought to use the
victory, then we will need a second Doha conference," the source said.
That was a reference to the Doha talks of May 2008 in which Lebanese leaders
agreed to end a long-running political crisis. That agreement covered the
election of army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president, the formation of a
national unity government and a ban on the use of weapons in any internal
conflict. France sent a clear message to Damascus, urging it to read results
"positively" regardless of the poll outcome. It also called on Syria to "behave
well" and "realize" that what will happen in Lebanon in the post-election phase
"would affect the way we are going to deal with Damascus as well as the
continued U.S. openness toward it." Beirut, 15 May 09, 08:33
Majority-Minority Bickering on Appointments, Hizbullah
Criticizes Suleiman
Naharnet/The repercussions of Wednesday's cabinet session continued as Hizbullah
accused the president of partiality after he used his constitutional right for
the first time and called for voting on administrative appointments. The
appointments, however, were not adopted after 11 opposition ministers refused to
vote and none of the candidates for first grade civil posts received two-thirds
of votes. Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah said that a consensus president should
be at equal distance from the majority and minority. He reiterated that the
opposition insists on a single basket that would include the administrative
appointments, the state budget and appointing the rest of the constitutional
council members in a balanced way.
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem called for keeping the
presidency away from bickering in order to protect it.
The presidency should not be part of any team, he said, stressing that the issue
of lowering the term of the president is not up for discussion. Qassem also
challenged the March 14 forces to reveal any statement from an opposition member
that called for dividing power between Christians, Sunnis and Shiites.
Pro-minority Al-Akhbar newspaper quoted opposition sources as saying that the
president's stance during the cabinet meeting is a reminder of his position on
the eve of the urgent Arab summit on Gaza when "he tilted towards the March 14
team." However, Cabinet Minister Jean Oghassabian told Voice of Lebanon radio on
Friday that the March 8 alliance has intentions to obstruct the appointments,
adding there is difficulty to agree on a single package. Social Affairs Minister
Mario Aoun also told VDL that there is no real intention to make the
appointments or else they would have been approved long time ago. "I expect the
issue to be postponed until after the elections," he said. Ministerial sources
told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat that Suleiman will propose the administrative
appointments linked to the elections at the cabinet's next session. Beirut, 15
May 09, 10:31
Aridi: Israel Will Not Be Able to Separate the Lebanese
Naharnet/Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi on Friday called for unity among the
Lebanese, saying Israel will not be able to destroy any "bridge" that brings the
people closer.
"Today we prove that the determination of the Lebanese is stronger than the will
of the Israeli terror. Israel will not be able to break or destroy any bridge
among the Lebanese," Aridi said during the inauguration of al-Dallafa bridge.
The bridge links Hasbaya, Marjayoun and the Western Bekaa to Jezzine. Aridi also
stressed that the Lebanese "will remain steadfast and face the Israeli terror."
He said the public works ministry is capable of implementing major projects if
it continues on the right path of providing services to all Lebanese and without
segregation. Beirut, 15 May 09, 13:02
Pharaon: We will Keep Hand Stretched toward Partner
Naharnet/MP Michel Pharaon on Friday stressed the importance of establishing a
strong, effective state and vowed to keep "a hand stretched toward the partner."
He said after a meeting to discuss issues related to the upcoming parliamentary
elections that the polls "are an opportunity for convergence and dialogue."
"The current election, in some way, is staying in touch in order to continue to
strengthen the links between the residents of the area," Pharaon said. "And in
part, it is an opportunity to work for the development of the area and serve its
people." Beirut, 15 May 09, 12:13
Contacts Underway to Finish Off Zahle, Kesrouan Electoral
Lists
Naharnet/The majority March 14 coalition has intensified its contacts in an
effort to finish off the Zahle and Kesrouan electoral lists.
Tourism Minister and Phalange Party candidate Elie Marouni said March 14 leaders
held an emergency meeting in Zahle overnight in hopes that the list would be
announced on Sunday or Monday. Marouni said ongoing negotiations were also
held to broker a deal to include former cabinet minister Mehsen Dalloul on the
Zahle ticket.
Pan-Arab daily Al Hayat said Friday the Zahle list headed by Roman Catholic MP
Nicolas Fattoush, will include Toni Abou Khater (Catholic), Elie Marouni (Maronite),
Issam Araji (Sunni), Joseph Saab (Greek Orthodox) and Oqab Saqr (Shiite). On the
other hand, Popular Bloc leader Elie Skaff did not announce his ticket although
most of the candidates' names have been uncovered, except for the Sunni nominee
which awaits March 14's decision on the Sunni contestant. Skaff also has decided
to cooperate with former Secretary-General of the foreign ministry Ambassador
Fouad Turk and ruled out the possibility of replacing him on his list which
includes Free Patriotic Movement MP Salim Aoun (Maronite), MP Hasan Yaqoub
(Shiite), Camille Maalouf (Greek Orthodox) and Armenian George Kassarji.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said the joint Kesrouan ticket
between March 14 and independent candidates would be announced in a few days,
stressing that there is "no veto on anyone, including former cabinet minister
Fares Boueiz." Beirut, 15 May 09, 09:08
Hariri: Veto Power Experiment Has Failed
Naharnet/MP Saad Hariri on Thursday described the use of veto power in Cabinet
as a "failure" that only served to hinder the work of the government.
Hariri was addressing visiting delegations from the north and central Bekaa at
his Qoreitem residence. "The veto power experiment has been an utter failure and
only crippled the government's performance in many cases, as you already know,"
he said. He urged his supporters to "turn out in force" for the June 7 polls
telling them that each vote "was valuable and will influence the shape of
Lebanon's political future." The leader of al-Mustaqbal Movement cautioned his
audience that "some strangers to your areas are trying to infiltrate your ranks
and are using all possible ways to win the elections." "They want to deal a blow
to al-Mustaqbal because it represents an essential pillar in (efforts) to defend
Lebanon's sovereignty, independence and Arabism after having failed for four
years to create alternative leaderships to strike this pro-independence
gathering," he said. Hariri concluded by reminding his supporters that al-Mustaqbal
has "always supported the army and the state. Beirut, 14 May 09, 20:38