LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 21/09
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 16:12-15. I have much more
to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak
what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will
glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will
take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
The “disruption revolution” starts
with the “third republic”/Future News 20/05/09
Declaring War/Future
News 20/05/09
Nasrallah’s message delivered,
Wilayat al-Faqih on the way/Future News 20.05.09
Stakes High in Looming Lebanese Election-By Patrick
Goodenough/CNSNews.com 20/05/09
Obama and the Arabs / An American message-By
Zvi Bar'el Ha'aretz
20/05/09
The
Syrian and Lebanese tracks should be a priority-By
Mara E. Karlin 20/05/09
Mideast
'extremists' have found their best possible ally in Netanyahu.The
Daily Star 20/05/09
Battle lines drawn for
Lebanon parliament polls.
By Maysam Ali 20/05/09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for May
20/09
CIA chief: Israel won't go it alone
against Iran/Israeli News
'Russia halts sale of MiG-31s to Syria'-Jerusalem
Post
France Pledges Commitment to
Lebanon Government, No Matter Election Results-Naharnet
Geagea:
Be Beautiful and Smart and Vote for the LF and March 14-Naharnet
Oukab Sakr: Aoun cut a deal with
Hizbullah and the Syrians-Future
News
Hizbullah fights a battle to avenge
Siniora-Future
News
Riad Salameh: New reforms needed to
reduce public deficit-Future
News
Eddeh: Assafir information is false-Future
News
Oqab
Saqr Accused MP Yacoub of Threatening Him following Edgy Talk Show Episode-Naharnet
Rifi:
Ghandouriyeh Spy Suspect, Nader, 'Good Catch'-Naharnet
Biden to Make 'Historic'
Visit to Beirut on Friday in 'Support' of Suleiman-Naharnet
Constitutional Council:
Cabinet's Top Priority on Tuesday-Naharnet
Qassem: March 14 Opinion
Polls Show Opposition will Win Elections-Naharnet
Cabinet to Meet May 26,
Saniora Says Lebanon to Complain to U.N. About Israel Spy Cells-Naharnet
Hezbollah wrestles with Lebanon
government in bid to grab power/Haaretz
Syrian political writer set free after 3 years in
jail-Reuters
Despite
smiles, Obama and Netanyahu seem far apart-By
Inter Press Service
Cabinet to resolve all pending issues next week, ministerial source says-Daily
Star
Israeli missile from 2006 war found in Nabatieh-Daily
Star
Vice-President Biden to arrive in Beirut Friday-(AFP)
Italy
to assist Lebanon in developing clean energy
-Daily
Star
Lebanon's software piracy rate at 74 percent in 2008, 36th highest globally and
5th in MENA region-Daily
Star
AUB
dedicates dean's wing to Fahmi Karagulla-Daily
Star
Hero
for cause of missing Lebanese remembered-Daily
Star
Five
more Lebanese citizens charged with spying for Israel-Daily
Star
Netanyahu plays up Iranian threat during talks with US lawmakers-Daily
Star
Khamenei accuses US of promoting terrorism in Iran-Daily
Star
Abbas
swears in Fayyad as premier of Hamas-free Palestinian government-Daily
Star
Obama and
the Arabs / An American message
By Zvi Bar'el
The public dialogue between U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu was intended partly as an American monologue for Arab states,
and particularly Iran.
Obama further clarified his Iran policy Monday when he explained that he does
not intend to limit discussions with Tehran by setting a date in advance, and
said he is willing to include Iran as a partner to diplomatic negotiations in
the region. Advertisement
The nuclear issue has taken on a softer tone, with Obama hinting an Iranian
nuclear weapon would be a danger to the Islamic Republic itself, as it could
lead to nuclear technology spreading to neighboring Arab states.
Obama "forgot" all about Syria, not mentioning it by name and only implicitly
including it in the hoped-for peace agreement between Israel and its Arab
neighbors.
For now, these messages may calm the nerves of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
- who is scheduled to visit Washington next Tuesday - and Saudi Arabia, which is
closely watching Obama's intentions on the Palestinian issue and Iran.
Egypt, which opposes military action against Iran, could have understood from
Obama's remarks that when he speaks of "a range of steps" that may be taken
against the mullahs, he does not mean military, but rather stricter sanctions.
Likewise, the failure to mention Syria strengthens Egypt and Saudi Arabia as
states supporting diplomatic steps in the region, forcing Syria to patiently
wait its turn. But it seems Iran was hardly impressed by Obama's conciliatory
tone. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said yesterday the U.S. uses "weapons, money
and organization" to weaken the Islamic Republic, and that Iranians must remain
"alert." In a speech delivered in Iranian Kurdistan, Khamenei blamed Washington
for "supporting terrorism" against Iran along its western border with Iraq.
Still, it seems Iran's current election campaign is what is influencing the
official Iranian reaction to Obama's overtures.
"Do not allow those who would throw their hands up and surrender to enemies and
defame the Iranian nation's prestige to get into office," he said of candidates
perceived as pro-Western. The degree to which these remarks express Iran's real
intentions will be gleaned once elections results are clear.
In Syria, the national newspapers emphasized the irrelevance of the
Obama-Netanyahu meeting. "Obama reiterated his stances and Netanyahu didn't
change his," wrote the official state newspaper Al-Ba'ath. A day earlier, Syrian
President Bashar Assad told Turkish journalists after Turkish President Abdullah
Gul visited Damascus that Syria is prepared to continue negotiations with
Israel, but "would never sit at the negotiating table without Turkey." Assad
wondered aloud how the U.S. could request Syrian cooperation against terrorism
while accusing it of supporting those same terror groups. "If the meaning of
terror is supporting resistance to Israel, then we support this resistance in
Lebanon and Palestine, as it is the people's resistance," he said. Now, all eyes
are turning to Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo, where he is expected to present
the key elements of his Middle East diplomatic plan, after completing a week of
meetings with regional leaders.
Stakes
High in Looming Lebanese Election
CNSNews.com 20/05/09
By Patrick Goodenough, International Editor
Vice President Joe Biden, pictured here in Bosnia on Tuesday, May 19, 2009, is
due to visit Beirut later this week, according to Lebanese officials. As
Lebanon prepares for an election that could have significant implications for
the broader region and U.S. policies, Washington and Tehran are sending signals
of support to each of the two main camps vying for control of the Arab world’s
most dynamic democracy.
On Friday, Vice President Joe Biden reportedly will make a brief stopover in
Beirut on the tail-end of a trip to the Balkans. Lebanese media quote government
officials as saying Biden will meet with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and
President Michel Suleiman.
Although U.S. officials will be at pains not to link the visit with the June 7
election, Washington has been a firm supporter of Siniora, whose “March 11”
bloc, led by Saad Hariri, faces a tough challenge from the opposition “March 9”
bloc that includes Hezbollah, the Shi’ite group designated by the State
Department for more than a decade as a foreign terrorist organization.
During a visit to Beirut last month, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
sidestepped reporters’ questions on the likelihood of Hezbollah and its allies
winning the election, but stressed that the U.S. would “continue to support the
voices of moderation.” She also said the U.S. wanted to see free elections, with
no “outside interference.”
Clinton did not mention Iran, but Tehran’s support for Hezbollah – which the
Islamic Revolutionary Guards helped to establish in the early 1980s and has
sponsored since – is an open secret.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Ali Larijani, this week described Hezbollah leader
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah as a “world hero” and reiterated Iranian support for
both Hezbollah and Hamas.
Larijani earlier disputed charges that Iran is seeking to expand its influence
abroad. “If today we help Hezbollah, it is because we feel responsibility and
not because we want to create an empire,” the Fars news agency quoted him as
saying.
Apart from financial and other forms of practical support, Iran and Hezbollah
share the doctrine known as Wilayet al-Faqih (“guardianship of the scholars”), a
Shi’ite model of government devised by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and
that forms the basis of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
While Hezbollah is an armed faction – blacklisted in its entirety or in part by
the U.S. and several other Western countries as a terrorist group – it also
carries out political functions and runs social and health projects.
Nasrallah said in a speech last Friday that his group would have no problem
governing the country.
He said an organization “that defeated Israel” – a reference to the July 2006
war which Hezbollah claims to have won – would have no difficulty ruling a
country even 100 times the size of Lebanon.
Hezbollah dominates the March 9 bloc along with the fellow Shi’ite Amal movement
and the allied Free Patriotic Movement, a secular bloc led by former military
chief Michel Aoun, an ethnic Christian.
A victory next month for the March 9 forces would pose a challenge for the U.S.
reminiscent of Hamas’ triumph in Palestinian Authority parliamentary elections
in early 2006.
International observers gave the Palestinian election the thumbs-up, leaving an
administration that had championed democracy in the Middle East with the
headache of how to deal with a government run by a terrorist organization.
In conjunction with its partners in the so-called Mideast “Quartet” – Russia,
the European Union and the United Nations – Washington refused to deal with
Hamas unless it recognized Israel, renounced violence, and adhered to previous
agreements signed between Israel and Palestinian leaders.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs in March laid out a similar position with
regard to Hezbollah, saying it would have to renounce terrorist activities and
recognize Israel’s right to exist before any engagement with the U.S.
U.S officials have also said that the Obama administration will not follow the
line adopted recently by Britain of distinguishing between military and
political “wings.”
‘Third Republic’
For an American administration, dealing with Hezbollah would be even more
sensitive than dealing with Hamas. Dozens of Americans have been killed in
attacks carried out by the Palestinian group in Israel, but until al-Qaeda
struck on 9/11, Hezbollah was responsible for the deaths of more Americans in
terrorist attacks than any other terror group.
Hezbollah has given no signal of willingness to meet either of the requirements
cited by Gibbs.
Its 2009 election platform contains no reference to relinquishing its weapons, a
demand contained in two U.N. Security Council resolutions passed since 2004.
Hezbollah’s position on Israel remains equally uncompromising. Announcing the
platform last month, Mohammed Ra’ad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc,
reaffirmed “our enmity to Israel.” Nasrallah in a speech on Monday called
Lebanon’s southern neighbor a “cancerous body” that had been planted in the
heart of the Arab and Islamic region and could never be legitimate.
The political system in Lebanon has been delicately balanced between Sunnis,
Shias and Maronite Christians, in line first with an agreement reached at the
time of independence from France during World War II (“the first republic”), and
later with an accord in 1989, at the end of the civil war (“the second
republic”). Under these agreements, the president is a Christian, the prime
minister a Sunni and the parliamentary speaker a Shi’ite.
Hezbollah’s allies are now campaigning under the slogan “The Third Republic,”
underlying their view that the election marks another turning point for the
Lebanese state.
Amin Gemayel, a Maronite and former Lebanese president, was quoted by the An-Nahar
daily Tuesday as saying that the “third republic” would in fact be “a republic
of Hezbollah, its cadres, and what they will bring to their country – a republic
of Hezbollah’s weapons.”
In a recent analysis of the Hezbollah platform, Israeli scholars Yair Minzili
and Shimon Shapira noted the top priority it gives to a push to abolish the
sectarian political system in Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s plan to end the sectarian system, Minzili and Shapira argued in an
article published by the Institute for Contemporary Affairs in Jerusalem, would
advance it towards its goal – “the establishment of an Islamic state that
provides political expression to the Shi’ite majority and a complete Iranian
takeover of Lebanon.”
“Are the Lebanese ready for a Wilayet al-Faqih type rule in Lebanon?” the
independent Lebanese news site Ya Libnan asked in a commentary on Tuesday.
“All the Lebanese should seriously think about this before casting their vote on
June 7.”
Vice-President Biden to arrive
in Beirut Friday
By Agence France Presse (AFP) Wednesday, May 20, 2009
BEIRUT: US Vice President Joe Biden will visit Lebanon on Friday for talks with
President Michel Sleiman, two weeks ahead of a tightly contested parliamentary
election, a government official said on Tuesday. "Vice President Biden will
discuss with the president the Middle East peace process, as well as bilateral
relations," the official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. Biden's
trip is set to last for three hours. - AFP
Biden to
Make 'Historic' Visit to Beirut on Friday in 'Support' of Suleiman
Naharnet/U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will visit Beirut on Friday in a show of
support for President Michel Suleiman ahead of crucial elections that could see
a U.S.-backed government ousted by a Hizbullah-led coalition, a Lebanese
official said Tuesday. Biden is expected to convey to Suleiman "a message of
support" from President Barack Obama to "Lebanon's president, government and
people" as the country moves toward the June 7 polls, the official told The
Associated Press. "Vice President Biden will discuss with the president the
Middle East peace process as well as bilateral relations," another official told
Agence France Presse. An Nahar daily said Wednesday that Biden will also meet
with Premier Fouad Saniora and other top Lebanese officials.
Sources described Biden's trip, which is set to last three hours, as "historic"
because visits by top U.S. officials have been restricted to secretaries of
state. Biden's visit comes less than a month after a similar trip by U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The sources added that Biden will
come to Beirut 11 days before U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Egypt where
he will announce a peace plan for the region. LBC TV network said Biden's visit
reflects "American and European concerns" about the possibility of the Hizbullah-led
alliance winning the elections. During a brief stop in Beirut on April 26,
Clinton said after talks with Suleiman that the United States, which has reached
out to Iran and Syria, never will make a deal with Syria that "sells out
Lebanon." U.S. officials have said they would review aid to Lebanon, including
military assistance, depending on the composition of the next government. The
U.S. has provided $1 billion in aid since 2006, including $410 million in
security assistance to the Lebanese military and the police.
In another development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Beirut
on Monday as part of a tour to the region. Lavrov will invite Lebanon to
participate in the second peace conference to be held in Moscow. Pan-Arab daily
al-Hayat said that Beirut has already informed Russia that it will take part in
the meeting.(AP-Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 20 May 09, 08:04
Nasrallah’s message delivered, Wilayat al-Faqih on the way
Date: May 20th, 2009 Source:
Future News
Three years ago, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah notified his political rivals that the
party is grooming well trained, tough generations that would eventually echo the
principles and approaches of his Iranian-backed Hizbullah party.
In that speech Nasrallah said: “You will have to face tough, well built
generations that are capable of representing the principles of the party and its
approaches.”
His words bore varied suggestions, one of which showed that Nasrallah did not
address his political rivals as partners of the same homeland, to the contrary,
he focused on the internal ideology of the party and the way it perceives the
future of its existence in Lebanon.
A few days ago, during the graduation event of Hizbullah partisans, Nasrallah
reiterated those same words adding that those academics are a fundamental proof
that the party is capable to rule a country 100 times larger than Lebanon.
Although Nasrallah’s speech was in reply to statements that the opposition
cannot rule because the international community would limit its relations with
Lebanon, he grabbed the occasion to deliver his party’s visions and dream of
fulfilling the Wilayat al-Faqih, or Iran’s Islamic ruling.
It has escaped Nasrallah’s mind that the theory of handing future generations
the responsibility to attain historical goals, was first introduced by Imam
Khomeini who believed that all Shiite Muslim parties must put programs and plans
that help them establish Wilayat al-Faqih in their communities.
They believe that the Iranian goal can be fulfilled and empowered by implanting
the ideas in youngsters’ minds and later into their societies.
During the graduation event, Nasrallah was keen to talk about the party’s
ability and power to suppress the opinion of others, in an effort to show the
new graduating generations that control is attained by suppressing the others’
freedom of thought and speech.
He gave proof to that by referring to the May 7, 2008, brutal attacks at the
Sunni Muslim neighborhoods instigated by his party and allies. He flagrantly
described it as a ‘glorious day’.
While delivering his speech Nasrallah seemed to be sponsoring the graduation of
military squadrons more than addressing university students.
CIA
chief: Israel won't go it alone against Iran
In interview with Global Viewpoint weekly, Panetta says Netanyahu 'understands
that if Israel goes it alone, it will mean big trouble. He knows that for the
sake of Israeli security, they have to work together with others'
Roee Nahmias Published: 05.20.09, 10:14 / Israel News
Israel knows better than to orchestrate a strike against Iran by itself, CIA
Chief Leon Panetta told the Global Viewpoint weekly in an interview published
Tuesday.
Panetta in Israel
Report: CIA chief in secret Israel talks on Iran / Ron Ben-Yishai, AFP
Public radio says top officials, including Netanyahu, Barak assured Leon Panetta
that 'Israel does not intend to surprise the US on Iran'
"The Israelis are obviously concerned about Iran and focused on it," Pametta
told Global Viewpoint editor Nathan Gardels, "But he (Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu) understands that if Israel goes it alone, it will mean big trouble.
He knows that for the sake of Israeli security, they have to work together with
others."
According to the CIA chief, fighting terrorism is the organization's first
priority under President Obama's administration. "Al-Qaeda remains the most
serious security threat to America and to our allies overseas," he told the
newspaper.
Panetta describedIran as a "destabilizing force in the Middle east" through its
relations with Syria, support of Hamas and Hizbullah and its meddling in Iraq.
He said that while the US was seeking to engage Iran diplomatically, it was not
naïve about the challenges involved in this.
"The judgment of the US intelligence community is that Iran, at a minimum, is
keeping open the option to develop deliverable nuclear weapons. It is our
judgment that Iran halted weaponization in 2003, but it continues to develop
uranium enrichment technology and nuclear-capable ballistic missiles," he
explained.
Panetta also warned of the possibility that if Iran goes nuclear, other
countries in the volatile region will be tempted to follow suit. "The last thing
we need in the Middle East is a nuclear arms race," he stated.
Declaring War
Date: May 20th, 2009 Source
Future News
The interests of Israel and Hizbullah have never intersected as they do today:
Israel perceives Hizbullah as a validation to heave security concessions from
the west, specifically the United States. Hizbullah, on the other hand, uses the
Zionist Israeli entity as a pretext to justify his weapons and using them
domestically to accuse their counterparts of treason and discharge electoral
campaigns.
Furthermore, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left to Washington
preceded by political revelations indicating that it would be better for Israel
if Iran’s President Mahmud Ahmedinejad wins the presidential elections so that
the world would sense his threat due to his continual tongue slips.
Alternatively, Ali Khamenei calls the Iranians not to elect a President that
supports Western policies.
The horrific and revolting scene is completed with the statement of Hizbullah’s
Chief Hassan Nasrallah who said he and his armed organization are about to take
measures in parallel with the induction of Israel’s maneuver ‘Transformation Age
3’.
Nasrallah’s statement simply means that he and his troops are in an alert status
that permits all prohibitions and that his decision is just for notification and
is not subject to discussion.
Therefore Hizbullah does not consider the Lebanese his partners neither in
opinion nor in decision making, they just have to tolerate the consequences of
the policy of axis which it drags them to.
Basically, the Israeli hostility does not need much effort to be proven.
However, comprehending Nasrallah’s warning of ‘a security plot’ requires a lot
of effort: so if Hizbullah’s Chief has any information he should proclaim it to
the Lebanese or at least to the Lebanese government. If he does not have the
information, then his statement only aims at implying that Hizbullah’s weapon is
still vital and aims at boosting the civic concurrence around it.
The gossip about the Israeli maneuver is a precursor to a war that all
counterparts are getting prepared for, and it seems the Lebanese must swallow
its repercussions and pay their blood and wealth for it as they have always
done.
The “disruption revolution” starts with the “third republic”
Date: May 20th, 2009
Future News
While the March 14 forces are working to consolidate its positions on the eve of
the parliamentary elections with the completions of its electoral lists all over
Lebanon, the minority forces are continuing their smear campaign against the
president of the republic in particular and the state in general, using as a
pretext in their latest effort the Israeli maneuver. In this context, Hizbullah
has been trying to profit of the timing of this maneuver that coincides with the
“countdown” to the elections, but Prime Minister Fouad Siniora failed those
attempts by declaring that the government is following up this matter closely
since two weeks, and discussing whether it is necessary “to call for a meeting
of the Higher council of defense”.
Meanwhile the minority forces were overcoming the “defense strategy” issue for
which the “dialogue table” was initiated, and started to promote for a “complete
integration” between the army and the resistance based on the “continuing
Israeli threats” drawing from today the guidelines of the post elections period
such as “keeping the arms” and the state has to accept this fact, which justify
their saying “we can govern a country 100 times bigger than Lebanon”.
Next to this political scenario, president Michel Sleiman disregarded the
several attempts that targeted him personally and followed up the security
reports regarding the situation in the country particularly regarding the spying
networks and gave his strict directions in this regard, while PM Siniora
cautioned that ”someone is trying to overcome the role of Martyr Rafic Hariri in
failing the May 17 accord to rewrite history” pointing to “the crucial role the
PM martyr played in abolishing the said accord, and this is a fact some might
have forgot”.
June 7 … the history of Lebanon
At the time March 8 forces continue playing down the crucial role of the
upcoming elections, head of Almustaqbal bloc MP Saad Hariri asserted that June 7
will be “a historical day for Lebanon” considering that what “some are trying to
promote about a possible win of March 8 forces in the elections is nothing but a
wishful thinking and an effort to intimidate the Lebanese”. Hariri considered
that “no one has an interest in disrupting the elections or obstructing it”
while wondering of the reasons that might push any party into that direction and
whether “some outside parties are affected by it”.
Hariri considered that the time is “inappropriate to hold a meeting with Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah for the time being, particularly after the latter’s speech and
the amount of tension that I don’t see any reason for it and that is contrary to
the calm atmosphere we agreed upon in Doha” stressing on the other hand that the
contacts with speaker Nabih Berry did not stop.
The majority leader reasserted the continuing “strategic alliance” with head of
the Democratic Gathering MP Walid Jumblatt, stressing on strengthening it and
that the March 14 forces managed to “overcome the obstacles it faced in forming
the electoral lists which are complete in almost all the districts of Lebanon”.
The “obstructing third” republic
In another context, head of the executive committee of the Lebanese Forces Dr.
Samir Geagea considered that “the other party did not declare that he wants the
tripartite system as he is actually applying it within the cabinet by insisting
on obtaining the obstructing third, rising a revolution to achieve this object
and still is ready to revolt again to re-obtain it”.
For his part, former PM Najib Mikati called “to strengthen the stability in
Lebanon and applying the constitution and upholding the logic of the state and
consolidate the constitutional institutions role away from the controversy of
shortening the term of the president” stressing that Lebanon cannot be ruled
“but with positive consensus and not a distorting one”.
Kesserwan … to confrontation
Election wise, The “Kesserwan-Ftouh Independent list” announced that it is
postponing the event of announcing its members that were due yesterday “based on
new contacts that could lead to completing the list”. Reliable information
revealed that in the coming hours, a complete list will be announced to face
Michel Aoun’s list in the “Maronites Capital”.
In the south, the candidate for the Maronite seat in Jezzine district, former MP
Edmond Rizk reasserted that “Jezzine independent list” will be announced next
Saturday and it will be of 3 independent candidates, expressing his regrets that
“Jezzine is being treated as a sectarian reserve” confirming that “the people of
Jezzine have today the chance to elect their representatives”.
In Beirut, specifically in its 1st district, MP Serge Torsarkissian revealed
that “the elections matter is moving toward a solution, but I will not move
before the decision that will be announced by March 14 forces to which I
belong”.
France Pledges Commitment to Lebanon Government, No Matter
Election Results
Naharnet/France purportedly will not halt dialogue with the next Lebanon
government whatever the results of the parliamentary polls were and said it
favors President Michel Suleiman to remain in the "middle" after the formation
of the new administration. Pan-Arab daily Al Hayat on Wednesday quoted a
well-informed French source as saying that the important elements from France's
point of view were that the Lebanon government should not be a party against the
other – meaning that the Shiites will not rule the Sunnis and that there won't
be an axis composed of Hizbullah and Gen. Michel Aoun that would possess an
absolute majority. The other desire was that Suleiman stays in the middle and
remains the legitimate president and guarantor of Lebanon's independence and
stability "before and after elections." The source said that the main thing for
France is to ensure that "calm" prevails over Lebanon during elections,
particularly since it is the first time that polls take place in a single day
across the country.
He said a single-day election requires "excellent organization" – with Lebanese
security forces working to ensure the security of the voting process and efforts
by local and international observers to ensure transparency of the ballot. The
source warned that the "possible perils of elections is that there is objection
to the results either politically or in the street."
France will maintain dialogue with the next Lebanon government no matter what
the elections results were, the source added. He stressed, however, that the new
government should remain committed to economic reforms and Paris-3 as well as
ensure respect for international legitimacy. The source warned that the
"possible perils of elections is that there is objection to the results either
politically or in the street."He said if Hizbullah and Aoun win, it is in the
interest of the victor to exhibit a modest victory, and not to shake stability
that could scare home and foreign countries.France believed it was important to
be in harmony with U.S. President Barack Obama who will visit Paris June 6,
regarding his reaction in the event Hizbullah came first in the elections. On
the imminent Israeli military exercises along the border with Lebanon, France
expressed hope that the maneuvers would not lead to "negative developments that
would harm the region's security and stability." Beirut, 20 May 09, 08:26
Geagea: Be Beautiful and Smart and Vote for the LF and
March 14
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea said that veto power cripples the
country, adding that people should vote for his LF and the March 14 alliance
rather than those who have blocked presidential elections and parliament. "The
obstructing third means that the country is crippled. We are against May 7 and
with June 7," Geagea said in reference to last year's May 7 events. He stressed
to visiting delegations from the North Metn that his LF is with understanding
but against the understanding between Hizbullah and Free Patriotic Movement
leader Gen. Michel Aoun. The LF leader also took a jab at opposition slogans,
saying "Think Right" should become "Think Right and Vote for the Lebanese Forces
and the Cedar Revolution."
He said people should vote against blocking roads by burning tires and against
those who obstructed parliament, the presidential elections and brought life to
standstill in Beirut's city center.
"Think Right and Work with God and Not Hizbullah (the party of God)," Geagea
stressed. He reiterated that Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will rule
the country and not Aoun if the March 8 forces win the June 7 parliamentary
elections. On the "Sois Belle et Vote" ad, Geagea said: "Be Beautiful and Smart
and Vote for the Lebanese Forces and March 14."
The advertisement is a play on the French saying "Sois Belle et Tais-Toi," or
"Be beautiful and Shut Up." Beirut, 20 May 09, 12:04
Oqab Saqr Accused MP Yacoub of Threatening Him following
Edgy Talk Show Episode
Naharnet/Zahle candidate Oqab Saqr on Wednesday accused MP Hasan Yacoub of
threatening to kill him following a tense episode on Marcel Ghanem's Kalam el-Nass
talk show.
"MP Hasan Yacoub made a series of threats against me, including a death threat,"
Saqr told the Voice of Lebanon radio station. He stressed that the electoral
process should not reach such a stage. Tuesday night's talk show episode between
Saqr and Yacoub was filled with insults and verbal abuse. Beirut, 20 May 09,
11:54
Rifi:
Ghandouriyeh Spy Suspect, Nader, 'Good Catch'
Naharnet/Police chief Gen. Ashraf Rifi said that Lebanese suspect Nasser Nader,
recently arrested in Ghandouriyeh on charges of spying for Israel, was a "good
catch."
"Perhaps he (Nader) is the most important suspect among the detained members of
the Israel-linked spy networks that have been arrested so far," Rifi said in an
interview published in the daily As Safir on Wednesday. Rifi said interrogation
showed that Nader had focused his work on Beirut's southern suburbs, conducting
a thorough survey of the area.
Nader was arrested over the weekend in the southern town of Ghandouriyeh on
suspicion of spying for Israel. Sophisticated equipment designed to take
photographs and transmit pictures had been confiscated from his house. As Safir
earlier said Nader confessed to working for the Israeli Mossad secret service
and that he was assigned to monitor the activities of leaders in the
resistance.Rifi said he believed a large number of Israel-linked spies may have
fled Lebanon with the start of the collapse and disintegration of the networks.
Al Akhbar, for its part, quoted a senior police source as saying Nader was the
"most harmful" among the suspects since he conducted a comprehensive and
accurate survey of the southern suburbs, including resistance posts and houses
of Hizbullah officials. Meanwhile, Israeli analyst and expert in intelligence
and strategic affairs Ronen Bergman described as a "painful blow" the arrests in
Lebanon of Israel-linked spy cells. Beirut, 20 May 09, 10:09
Constitutional Council: Cabinet's Top Priority on Tuesday
Naharnet/Cabinet will hold a session next Tuesday in what well-informed
ministerial sources described as a meeting that should prioritize the issue of
appointing remaining members of the Constitutional Council. Al-Liwaa daily said
Wednesday that the government has two important items on its agenda: First,
appointing the five remaining members of the council and second, adopting the
2009 state budget and referring it to parliament which will not be able to
ratify it as its ordinary session ends at the end of next week.
The sources told the newspaper that appointment of governors and the director of
political affairs at the interior ministry are no longer a priority because
publishing the appointments in the official gazette could take a long time and
their mandate would end after the June 7 polls. The sources stressed that
cabinet should focus on appointing the rest of Constitutional Council members as
long as everyone is convinced about the need to settle the issue. Ad-Diyar
daily, in its turn, quoted sources in the opposition as saying contacts are
underway to reach an understanding on the items of the cabinet agenda. The
sources added that the fate of Tuesday's cabinet session will be similar to its
predecessor if agreement is not reached on the budget and appointments. Beirut,
20 May 09, 10:21
Qassem: March 14 Opinion Polls Show Opposition will Win
Elections
Naharnet/Hizbullah's second-in-command Sheikh Naim Qassem said opinion polls
conducted by government loyalists show that the opposition will obtain a
parliamentary majority and called on the Lebanese to take in and accept the "new
experience" in the government. He rejected accusations by the majority March 14
coalition that the opposition calls for a tripartite division of power."We are
with all the jurisdictions under the Constitution," Qassem stressed. Beirut, 20
May 09, 11:12
Cabinet to Meet May 26, Saniora Says Lebanon to Complain to U.N. About Israel
Spy Cells
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman and Premier Fouad Saniora agreed to set May
26 as the date for the next cabinet session, the prime minister said from Baabda
Palace.
Saniora also said criticism of Suleiman is part of electoral campaigns. Some are
targeting the head of state "for the sake of electoral interests. The fact is
that the president is practicing his power," the premier told reporters after
talks with Suleiman. About the scheduled Israeli maneuvers, Saniora said: "The
government sent a letter to UNIFIL inquiring about the Israeli military
exercises at the end of May and expressing concern about what is happening." He
said the government is in continuous contact with Lebanese security agencies in
order to take precautionary measures. Saniora also described the escape of
alleged Israel spies to the Jewish state as a violation of Security Council
resolution 1701. He said the Lebanese government will issue a complaint to the
U.N. on the Israel-linked spies. An Nahar daily said Wednesday that the
government will prepare a file on the spy networks in order to hand it over to
the Security Council. The newspaper said Lebanon's mission in New York will also
bring to the attention of the council the repercussions of the Israeli
maneuvers. Beirut, 19 May 09, 20:51
Berri: We Must Remain Vigilant against Israeli Threats
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday urged Lebanon to remain vigilant against
the Israeli threats to the country as the Jewish state prepares for one of its
largest military maneuvers on May 31. "All eyes must remain open to the danger
posed by Israel, which is always prepared to engage in the Lebanese territories
either through its espionage networks or through the expansion of its
geographical area," Berri told public delegations at his Mseileh residence.
"Lebanon, all of Lebanon, is in the range of Israeli fire at all levels," he
warned.
On the elections, Berri said that linking the country's fate to the outcome of
the polls by some politicians "does not give them the right to touch upon the
very foundations of Lebanon, primarily national unity, coexistence and civil
peace." "The requirements of electoral competition do not permit (overstepping)
national taboos," he added. Beirut, 19 May 09, 18:19
Italy to assist Lebanon in developing clean energy
Daily Star staff/Wednesday, May 20, 2009
BEIRUT: The Italian Development Cooperation will assist Lebanon in developing
clean energy to combat climate change, a statement by the Italian Embassy in
Beirut said on Tuesday.
"It is possible to combat climate change in the Middle East and Northern Africa
through clean Energy," it said.
The World Bank, the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry and the European Commission
have launched a new technical assistance program in the MENA region through a
$5-million fund promoting investments in sustainable growth based on renewable
energy. The initiative was presented at the Foreign Ministry during a meeting
between the World Bank, the EU Commission, 13 area countries and Italian
organizations and unions.
Italy's Secretary of State Stefania Craxi opened the sessions, asserting that
the fight against climate change was one of the Italian G8 presidency's top
priorities and that Italy is the MENA countries' economic partner.
The basic goal, according to vice president of the World Bank for the MENA
region, Daniela Gressani, was to supply "technical assistance to facilitate the
development of knowledge and institutional skills in order to face the problems
of climate change in a region with a major scarcity of water and a population
living in coastal areas subject to flooding as a result of rising sea levels."
In particular, the challenge is "to develop the solar and wind energy in which
this region is particularly rich."
Through the fund, to which Italy is a major contributor, the Italian Development
Cooperation will be able to assist Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Yemen. -
The Daily Star
Cabinet to resolve all pending issues next week, ministerial source says
Session to decide on 'Budget, administrative appointments'
By Therese Sfeir and Nafez Qawas
Daily Star staff/Wednesday, May 20, 2009
BEIRUT: Well informed ministerial sources told The Daily Star on Tuesday that a
Cabinet session on Tuesday would solve all pending issues, including
administrative appointments and the state budget. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad
Siniora announced on Tuesday that the next session would be held on May 26.
"The Cabinet session on May 26 might be the last one before the June 7 elections
and there is a common will to get over and done with pending issues such as the
budget and administrative appointments," a ministerial source said.
Siniora announced the date of next Tuesday's session after a meeting with
President Michel Sleiman at the Baabda Palace.
Commenting separately on earlier remarks made by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in
which the Hizbullah leader warned of the need for vigilance ahead of Israeli
maneuvers at the end of this month, Siniora said: "The Lebanese government
referred this issue to the UNIFIL representatives to express Lebanon's concern
over the maneuvers."
He added that security and military forces were "well aware of this issue and
are assuming their duties."
Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri criticized the recent surge in harsh political
rhetoric, saying that "the necessities and requirements of the electoral race
should not lead to violating national principles."
"Linking Lebanon's fate with the outcome of parliamentary elections by some
parties should not give anyone the right to violate principles on which Lebanon
was established, mainly national unity, coexistence and civil peace," he told
his visitors in Ain al-Tineh on Tuesday.
Despite the warnings of Berri and other leaders, mudslinging intensified on
Tuesday ahead of the June 7 polls.
Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri said the March 14 Forces' electoral
platform was based on "building a state that secures the future of every
Lebanese, while our opponents want to build a state that is in the interest of
regional powers."
In an interview with Al-Anbaa newspaper on Tuesday, Hariri said: "We have no
interest in hampering the elections, and all political parties have reiterated
their commitment to holding the elections on time."
He added that "only foreign forces that might be harmed by the outcome of the
elections will seek to hamper them."
Asked whether he would meet with Nasrallah before the elections, Hariri said:
"This is not an appropriate time for a meeting with Sayyed Nasrallah, especially
[because of] his recent speech, which contradicted our agreement to maintain
calm."
Hariri also stressed his "full support" for Sleiman on Monday, saying: "Sleiman
is a president for all the Lebanese."
Addressing his visitors in Qoreitem, Hariri said members of the opposition were
attacking the president "because they don't like some of his stances." Hariri
was responding to verbal attacks by some opposition figures who have accused
Sleiman of interfering in the elections.
In other developments, the announcement of a joint Kesrouan electoral list that
would include independents and March 14 Forces candidates was postponed, a
statement by Kesrouan candidates said.
Meanwhile, a March 14 Forces' rally that was expected to be held on Thursday was
also delayed to next week. The rally is expected to gather all March 14
candidates from across the country.
Also on Tuesday, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir said the presidency
should be kept away from electoral bickering. Sfeir was quoted by visitors as
saying that the presidency "is above all else."
In other developments, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Nasrallah, and
not Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, "will govern the country if
the opposition wins the upcoming parliamentary elections. "
"If March 8 Forces won the elections, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and not MP Michel
Aoun, would rule," Geagea said.
Geagea ruled out any possibility that Israel could launch any aggression against
Lebanon, "since conditions are not suitable for such an act."
Following a meeting with US ambassador Michelle Sison in Maarab, Geagea said:
"We in the Parliament are ready to face such an aggression if it takes place. I
also think that the Lebanese army is ready to confront any security threat
within its capabilities." He added, "There is no centrist bloc, but there are
independent candidates in all the Lebanese regions and this is everyone's
right."
He denied any alleged intervention of Sleiman in the elections. He also ruled
out claims that the Lebanese Forces was obstructing the formation of a list in
Kesrouan.
In other developments, Hizbullah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan said the opposition
wanted to win the parliamentary majority in the coming elections to "change the
political power, nominate a prime minister and form a new government."
"We want to acquire this majority through democratic means and parliamentary
elections," he added. "If you win on June 8, we will carry out reforms on the
different political levels."
Also on Tuesday, MP Pierre Daccache and Saad Slim announced they would be
running in a joint list in the Baabda district. Daccache will be running for the
Maronite seat and Slim for the Shiite seat.
Baroud assures international community polls will take place as planned
BEIRUT: Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud reassured the international community on
Tuesday that "all indications show that the elections will be held on June 7
without any problems."
Baroud met on Tuesday with the head of the European Commission to monitor the
Elections, JosŽ Ignacio Salafranca, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael
Williams and European Union Ambassador Patrick Laurent, as well as a number of
Arab and foreign ambassadors. Discussions during the meeting focused on the
ministry's preparations for the upcoming parliamentary polls.
In comments during the meeting, Baroud said the ministry was working with
"absolute transparency in compliance with international standards."
The interior minister also stressed the need to complete the appointments of
members to the Constitutional Council, "to ensure all parties' acknowledgement
of the elections' outcome."
Baroud expressed confidence that delegations monitoring the vote would respect
"an honorary agreement under which they are not to interfere in the electoral
process, will respect the sovereignty of the Lebanese state and abide by applied
laws and regulations." - The Daily Star
The Syrian and Lebanese tracks should be a priority
By Mara E. Karlin
Commentary by
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
With a renewed focus in Washington on Middle East peace, many in the US capital
have re-ignited the longstanding debate as to which track of the Israel-Arab
peace process has greater promise: the Palestinian track or the Syrian and
Lebanese tracks. Although there is no such thing as low-hanging fruit in this
quest, and it is easy to be tempted into thinking that each new chapter
signifies a watershed or a crisis, the Obama administration is conducting the
current peacemaking efforts prudently. While a holistic approach to Middle East
peace is important - indeed, crucial - it is worth considering whether there is
greater potential for progress on the Syria and Lebanon tracks than with the
Palestinians.
Many dynamics have markedly changed in the years since the United States last
seriously focused on the Israel-Arab peace process. To name but a few: There is
a substantial US military presence in the region; most of the Gulf countries,
Jordan and Egypt share the same threat perception as Israel (a well-justified
fear of Iran); Syrian suzerainty over Lebanon has been substantially diminished;
Iraq has been altered radically; the Palestinians waged a second intifada and
failed; Hamas' de facto control over Gaza has been formalized; and there has
been slow progress - but progress nonetheless - on democratization. These
dynamics define the strategic context in which the latest effort to reach Middle
East peace is being pursued.
The key issues under consideration on the Israeli-Palestinian track - security,
refugees, Jerusalem and settlements - remain visceral in a way that the Golan
Heights is not. The integrated nature of Israeli and Palestinian operating space
makes this track extremely complex, as daily friction between Israelis and
Palestinians creates numerous obstacles and setbacks that are difficult to
overcome. Furthermore, the lack of a legitimate Palestinian state and broadly
functioning state institutions, and a fragile Palestinian Authority leadership,
make this track infinitely harder because it is less likely that a pseudo-state
can deliver on its promises.
On the Syrian front, the common threat perception throughout the region about
the dangers of Iranian ambitions coupled with the latest opening to Damascus by
key Arab states provide an opportunity for Syria to slowly move away from Iran
and its terrorist allies should Damascus wish to do so. This possibility is
fueled by the fact that Tehran, not Damascus, has the upper hand with groups
like Hizbullah, making it easier for the Syrians to distance themselves from
groups whose livelihood does not depend on it. The simultaneous US opening to
Syria and Iran may deepen uncertainties in Tehran and Damascus regarding one
another's willingness to choose a different path.
Syria's adherence to the letter (though less so the spirit) of the 1974
ceasefire agreement is an important data point, and the recent Syria-Israel
negotiations mediated by the Turks indicate Syria's willingness to explore this
track after nearly a decade's hiatus. To be sure, a posture change on the part
of Damascus will be challenging. But it is by no means inconceivable.
While the Israel-Lebanon peace process is always seen within the paradigm of
Syria-Lebanon, it is worthwhile to pursue a two-pronged approach since Syria
should no longer have a veto over Lebanon-Israel talks. Furthermore, save for
Hizbullah - wherein Iranian assistance will be critical - the points of
contention between Lebanon and Israel are actually not that difficult to
reconcile. The debate over land is minimal and it is doubtful that the Lebanese
government would use its security apparatus against Israel. Quite the contrary,
a stronger Lebanese state would in practice facilitate peace with Israel.
In fact, the parties have been indirectly discussing key security issues with
United Nations mediation for years. While Lebanon's upcoming elections may
inhibit the ability of the government in Beirut to positively engage in peace
negotiations, they would not alter the underlying strategic dynamic between
Lebanon and Israel - one that could be conducive to peace.
From the Israeli perspective, too, the Syria-Lebanon track more likely has
greater potential. In his previous stint as prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu
spent substantial time on Syria, offering Damascus a better deal than his
successors; his re-engagement on this track is likely. Similarly, Defense
Minister Ehud Barak redeployed Israeli troops from Lebanon during his tenure as
prime minister in 2000. Both had palpable failures on the Palestinian track.
Particularly given the relatively young governments in Jerusalem and Washington,
the Israelis now have an opportunity to signal their willingness to engage with
the Arabs via confidence-building measures on the path to comprehensive peace.
Substantial progress on the Middle East peace process can be made, particularly
if key states like Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia continue playing a
constructive role. While there are game-changers that could severely influence
this latest effort, primarily Iran's nuclear program, no one should be dissuaded
by arguments that anything short of complete success isn't worth it. Admittedly,
any agreement will take years to implement - a process that could be more
difficult than penning actual agreements. Yet movement a few steps closer to
regional peace, which the Syria-Lebanon track may provide, would help set the
stage for comprehensive peace.
**Mara E. Karlin served as the Pentagon's Levant director. This commentary first
appeared at bitterlemons-international.org, an online newsletter that publishes
views on Middle Eastern and Islamic affairs.
Mideast 'extremists' have found their best possible ally in
Netanyahu
By The Daily Star
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Editorial
When it comes to the decades-old Middle East conflict, consensus is exceedingly
hard to come by, but one thing upon which all and sundry currently seem to agree
is that the region is immersed in a struggle between two opposing camps, who
have been labeled by some as "moderates" and "extremists." The latter group
might as well start including Benjamin Netanyahu on their payrolls, since the
Israeli premier is proving himself to be one of the best allies of their cause.
The "extremists" have been warning us for years that the state of Israel has no
interest in peace, but rather seeks only to carry out a campaign of ethnic
cleansing and spread - like cancer, we're told - its illegal occupation and
control over Arab lands. The "moderates" counter this argument by saying that
peace is indeed possible, if only the Arabs would get their own houses in order
and show more willingness to adopt a more accommodating stance.
We have now reached a juncture at which the Arabs are showing an unprecedented
agility in their effort to reach out to Tel Aviv. All members of the Arab League
have unanimously endorsed a peace offer that would mark the end of the
Arab-Israeli conflict and the start of normalizing relations. Some Arab states
are reportedly even considering offering "incentives" to Israel in advance of a
peace deal, by agreeing to start granting visas to Israeli citizens and allowing
the Israeli airline El Al to fly unhindered through their airspace.
But Netanyahu's response to these enticing offers appear to have been taken from
the extremists' script book. Not only does he refuse to talk of halting
settlement expansion, the premier will not even utter the words "Palestinian
state," although he forcefully demands that Arabs recognize the "Jewish state"
as a precondition for peace. In fact, Netanyahu is so adamant in his opposition
to peace that he appears willing to go so far as to endanger Israel's special
relationship with the United States - as well as the very future of the nation
of Israel.
Netanyahu's uncompromising position makes the "extremist" narrative all the more
convincing to ordinary people in the Middle East: Israel doesn't really want
peace, it just wants to stave off the demands of the international community
while it continues to kill and conquer at will.
The "extremists" version of "truth" will only grow all the more compelling as
the ramifications of the current global economic crisis begin to wreck havoc on
this region. As is the case in times of crisis around the globe, people will
start look to look for a scapegoat to blame for all of their woes. They will
want to rally around a cause and identify a common "enemy" who appears to be a
threat. They will need look no further than Netanyahu's Israel.
Battle lines drawn for Lebanon parliament polls
By Maysam Ali, Special to Gulf News
Published: May 19, 2009, 23:09
Beirut: There is much at stake for political parties contesting the upcoming
parliamentary elections in Lebanon.
The June 7 vote will define the power dynamics of the country and region for the
next four years and one can sense the tension rising among national leaders and
the diaspora.
Regional and international politics often influence the Lebanese political
landscape and the electoral performance of the incumbent parliamentary majority,
the Western-backed March 14 alliance, as it takes on the Hezbollah and its
Christian ally, Free Patriotic Front leader Michel Aoun, is expected to be
closely followed beyond the national borders.
Election experts believe the tussle between the two camps is going to be a close
affair.
A total of 587 candidates are contesting 128 seats, divided according to sect
and region. Some of the districts have been redrawn according to the Doha
agreement signed by Lebanese leaders last May.
The agreement ended a five-day armed conflict between supporters of Shiite and
Sunni parties' in Beirut. It gave the opposition veto power with a third of the
cabinet's berths and resulted in Michel Sulaiman becoming president. The
agreement also stipulated that the country adopt the 1960s electoral law for the
upcoming elections, albeit with minor changes. Regions with mainly Christian
strongholds will now witness the fiercest battles.
Although the political line of the two camps has been defined since the
assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005, recent
political events could pull less decided voters in either direction.
First, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Junblatt's leaked video, in
which he is shown slamming the country's Maronites as "bad breed" caused a
schism in the March 14 voter base.
In addition, the acquittal of the four generals who were suspected of being
involved in the assassination of Rafik Hariri in 2005 may have demoralised March
14 voters and reduced the value of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, a major
pillar of the March 14 alliance.
Some elections experts claim, however, that the release of the suspect generals
has fortified Sunni sentiment in the country, bringing Sunni voters closer to
March 14.
The March 8 coalition for its part has not shown much cohesion either. For one,
tensions between the Shiite Amal group leader Nabih Berri and major ally of the
opposition Michel Aoun surfaced when they failed to forge a deal over the seats
in the southern town of Jezzine, one of the most politically sensitive districts
in the elections.
Furthermore, the March 8 camp recently demanded that the national unity
government adopt what is known as the 'obstructing third' proposition, which
gives the opposing camp veto power over government policy.
In a fiery speech he gave at a graduation ceremony last Friday, Hezbollah leader
Hassan Nasrallah said: "Anyone who wants real partnership should search for the
guaranteeing third or the veto power in the opposition government," adding that
this rule should be applied regardless of who wins a majority in the elections.
Nasrallah said that May 7, the day Hezbollah supporters swept through areas in
the capital inhabited by Sunni supporters and clashed with rivals, is a
'glorious day' that should not be forgotten.
Future Movement leader Sa'ad Hariri has sought to denounce last year's clashes
and urged supporters to have their say on the May 7 events 'in the ballot box'.
March 14 General Secretariat official Fares Soueid said: "Nasrallah's speech
does not help Michel Aoun but rather complicates his standing within the
Christian community."
Amid all these considerations, the finalisation of electoral lists has been
delayed in several areas.
Lebanese pollsters expect both sides to gain a relatively similar number of
seats in parliament, with the possible formation of an independent bloc which
may play a big role in shifting the balance in either direction.
With less than three weeks to the elections, campaigning is getting more
intense, and expensive, as candidates strive to demonstrate power and attract
voters. For many of the voters who are not moved by political goals, tribal or
regional allegiances, June 7 is also pay day.
"I have been offered money but I refused because I know I can get more on
election day," said Sandra Al Haddad, 32, who votes in Zahle, one of the most
heated districts in the country.
An elections supervisory committee and three international organisations are
monitoring the vote on June 7 and an expenditure ceiling has been enacted in the
new electoral law but the Lebanese know vote-buying is not something that can be
tamed - at least not this June.
"Let them pay," said Mohammad Saleh, a Beirut resident who will not be voting in
June. "It's the one time the Lebanese get anything from politicians."
*Maysam Ali is a freelance journalist based in Beirut.
Hezbollah wrestles with Lebanon government in bid to grab
power
By Zvi Bar'el
Hezbollah is looking to control politics in Beirut. Will the country's electoral
system allow for the opposition's power grab? The poster war is intensifying in
the run-up to Lebanese parliamentary elections, slated for less than three weeks
from now. Signs set ablaze under cover of night are replaced in the morning by
new ones. Vote buying has reached unprecedented levels as candidates' tickets
are formed; no one believes the patriotic promises of the frontrunners.
The only really interesting question is how much support Hezbollah will win in
these elections, and, as a result, whether the present governing coalition can
remain in power. The weakness of the coalition against Hezbollah became clear
last week, along with the lack of significance for the term "majority."
A proposal to appoint two district heads and a director for the Lebanese
interior ministry is on the table. Filling these very senior offices requires
not merely governmental permission but a two-thirds majority of its members.
The proposal was put forth by President Michel Suleiman, who entered office a
year ago, following the Doha Accord which settled a political crisis that had
paralyzed Lebanon for more than a year and a half. One of the main provisions of
the accord is that the opposition - Hezbollah and its Christian partner Michel
Aoun - is to receive 11 ministerial positions out of a total of 30: that is,
one-third plus one, a number large enough to block every major decision
requiring a two-thirds majority.
The appointment of two district heads and the interior minister is exactly the
test the present government must pass.
Representatives of the opposition made an interesting request. They were ready
to approve the appointments on the condition that they would be part of a
package that included approval of an increased budget, with significant
additions for the council in charge of development in Hezbollah-influenced
southern Lebanon. Hezbollah knew that the governing coalition, headed by Saad
Hariri and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora would not agree to the deal, pushing the
appointments of the senior officials until after the elections. Hezbollah's hope
was that they would then be able to place their own candidates in these
important positions. The meeting, as was to be expected, was explosive.
Hezbollah, through the veto power granted by the Doha Accord, flexed its muscles
and won.
This result is just one example of the political power wielded by Hezbollah,
even in opposition. Real clout here, however, requires more than public support.
Last Friday Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah told supporters, "The opposition
is capable of managing a state 10 times larger than Lebanon," and he claimed
that it is about to win a large majority in the elections.
But Lebanese rules about equal representation of its various ethnic groups in
parliament means that Hezbollah cannot assume victory yet. The Lebanese
constitution, amended by the Taif Agreement in 1989, calls for 128 parliamentary
seats divided equally among Christians and Muslims, and within the Muslim
sector, equally between Sunni and Shi'ites - 27 to each. The remaining seats go
to Druze and Alawites.
This division means that each political party must gain support from members of
other ethnic groups, which was the amendment's goal: to blur ethnic distinctions
between political movements and make people cross religious aisles. According to
the Lebanese system, Hezbollah alone cannot reach a parliamentary majority and
cannot set up a government by itself.
In the previous round of elections, in 2005, held after the assassination of
prime minister Rafik Hariri, the coalition won a bloc of 72 seats, while the
opposition held 56 (with only 14 for Hezbollah). The atmosphere in Lebanon
following the assassination swept many votes into the coalition bloc headed by
Saad Hariri, the son of the murdered prime minister, while the Syrian withdrawal
from the country on the eve of the elections helped brand the bloc as
anti-Syrian, and as capable of disarming Hezbollah.
But the events that took place afterwards proved that having a majority
coalition doesn't mean you can carry out your plans. Hezbollah tied up the new
government's hands. The Second Lebanon War showed the Lebanese people that
Hezbollah could thrust the country into a major fight.
The political paralysis Hezbollah imposed on Lebanon is what allowed it to ask
for and receive one-third plus one of the total of government ministers,
rendering the coalition victory meaningless. Hezbollah will now be able to
exploit the economic and political failures of the government headed by Siniora
in order to gather support for its own candidates and those of its potential
partners, Christians as well as Sunni Muslims and Druze.
It's notable that the Syrians are nowhere to be seen in these elections. Did
Siniora have any effect on them when he announced Syria was a partner Lebanon
should improve relations with?
Are they so sure that the opposition will win that they don't feel the need to
come to its aid, or did they come to some agreement with the Americans during
recent visits to Damascus by senior state department representatives of
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? For example, perhaps they were offered
acceleration of the Syrian-U.S. dialogue track in exchange for keeping their
hands off the election process.
Saudi cyber-marraige
Things are moving into the 21st century, even in Saudi Arabia. The marriage
department of the justice ministry announced this week that the officials who
write marriage contracts will receive laptop computers for their work. Those
authorized to conduct marriages will receive information about the couples,
check on their fitness to marry and examine their medical records, all as
required by law, via computer.
And thus the traditional scene of these functionaries sitting on the ground or
at a table, and writing contracts in an elegant hand, will slowly disappear.
More than 300 such contracts are written each day in Saudi Arabia. All that
remains now is to teach the officials how to use laptops, and to order more than
4,000 computers for them.