LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
October 03/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to
Saint Luke 10:17-24. The seventy (-two) returned
rejoicing, and said, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your
name." Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power 'to tread upon serpents' and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do
not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your
names are written in heaven."
At that very moment he rejoiced (in) the holy Spirit and said, "I give you
praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these
things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All
things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is
except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the
Son wishes to reveal him." Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed
are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings
desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but
did not hear it."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
The gloves are off/Now
Lebanon02/10/09
Hizbullah: To release Izeddine or
knock at Iran’s door for money/By: Huda Husseini/Future News/02/10/09
Nahr el-Bared: Aoun’s
message to Washington embarrasses Hizbullah/By: Salim Khouri/Future News/
02/10/09
Saad Hariri /the
discussions during the parliamentary consultations were serious and
responsible/Now Lebanon/02/10/09
Iran and Syria are making diplomatic headway while
Lebanon is standing still/The Daily Star/October
02/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for October 02/09
U.S.
Demands Syria Establishes Normal Ties with Lebanon-Naharnet
Cabinet Deal in the Works …
Possible Government Made from Blend of Technocrats, Top Leaders-Naharnet
Bassil
Denies Requesting Hizbullah Help in Detaining Ezzedine-Naharnet
UAE asked Lebanese to spy on Hizbullah-(AFP)
Argentine Asks Lebanon, Colombia Help in Bombing Case-Naharnet
Geagea: March 8 Not Acting
Seriously because they Don't Want Government-Naharnet
Solidere Renews Beirut
Souks, Official Opening by Year's End-Naharnet
Shiites Expelled from UAE
Deny Spying on Hizbullah-Naharnet
2 Lebanese Sentenced to
Life for Plotting to Kill Libyan PM-Naharnet
Jumblat: Cabinet Is Not
Only Made in Lebanon-Naharnet
Hariri to Maintain Talks
Until Cabinet is Formed, Warns of Consequences if Deal Not Reached-Naharnet
Aoun after Meeting Hariri:
We are in Agreement with Each Other-Naharnet
Zahra Urges Hariri,
Suleiman to Form Constitutional Cabinet-Naharnet
US demands concerte steps from Iran
to prove its nuclear intentions-Compiled
by -Daily Star
Hariri 'optimistic' after latest
rounds of parliamentary talks on cabinet--Daily
Star
Israel prepares for legal battle
over war-crimes allegations-Daily
Star
Armenian leader to hear diaspora
concerns on thaw with Turkey-Daily
Star
Jamil al-Sayyed responds to an
article in The Daily Star--Daily
Star
Lebanese Forces conference looks to
bridge liberal-conservative divide-Daily
Star
Two Lebanese charged in plot to murder Gadhafi-Daily
Star
Arab experts gather in Beirut for
key cultural conference-Daily
Star
Arab youths think up ways to solve
region's problems-Daily
Star
Saudi Arabia pledges continued
financial support for Lebanon-Daily
Star
Mercer report unfair to Beirut's
glorious perks-Daily
Star
Solidere revives traditional Beirut
Souks-Daily
Star
Ashqar backs expanding presidential
powers-Daily
Star
Suspect wanted for helping Roumieh prisoners flee/Daily
Star
No samba in our town, Tyre clerics say-(AFP)
Bahia Hariri honors Prince Khaled al-Faysal
at Beirut conference-Daily
Star
Sidon fisherman free sea turtle
entangled in net-Daily
Star
Early breast cancer detection
crucial-Daily
Star
The gloves are off
September 30, 2009
Now Lebanon
Lebanese Hezbollah members take part in a rally marking Quds (Jerusalem) Day,
the brainchild of Iran's late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
as a display of solidarity with the Palestinians. (AFP/Ramzi Haidar)
So, amid what is unfolding into a regional nuclear missile crisis, the gloves
are finally off, courtesy of an Iranian “diplomatic source” who confirmed to NOW
Lebanon what we all know but what many Lebanese would not care to admit: that
Hezbollah’s military wing is to all intents and purposes a branch of the Iranian
armed forces.
The official line is oft parroted: that Hezbollah won legitimacy and the
unwavering support from the majority of Lebanon’s Shia by taking up the banner
of Resistance and ending Israel’s occupation of South Lebanon in 2000. In doing
so, it gave the Shia a greater voice in the nation’s affairs.
But there was always a question mark as to where party’s ultimate loyalties lay.
Now, despite its oft-flaunted patriotic credentials – and as a nuclear-hungry
Iran ramps up the pressure on the West before the crucial Thursday meeting in
Geneva with the launch of a long-range missile and a suitcase full of solutions
to regional problems it created – the question appears to have been answered.
The source told NOW Lebanon that Hezbollah would be part of Iran’s response to
any attack launched against the Islamic Republic’s many nuclear facilities,
presumably by Israel. His logic and his candor were chilling. Hezbollah, now
elevated to the status of “regional power”, is, he said, “fundamentally tied to
the Iranian regime.” Then, as if to demonstrate this new and open spirit of
détente, the source said that any attempt by the Israelis to neutralize
Hezbollah before a strike on Iran would be considered a “declaration of war” by
the Islamic Republic. The government of Lebanon, a sovereign state and UN
member, would presumably have little or no say in the matter.
Hezbollah the autonomous regional power? In a part of the world where madness is
par for the course, this recent designation, if we are to believe the source –
and there is no reason why we shouldn’t – must once and for all start Lebanon’s
collective alarm bells ringing.
Now is definitely not the time for Hezbollah apologists – with all due respect
to the Free Patriotic Movement – to roll out the excuses they have used to
justify Hezbollah’s previous acts of mayhem and culture of obstruction, most of
which were carried out at Iran’s bidding: the 2006 July War, the 18-month
downtown sit-in between November 2007 and May 2008, and, last but not least, the
“glorious” May 2008 civil unrest. And those – again with all due respect to the
Free Patriotic Movement – who would argue that Hezbollah is no more menacing
than any other Lebanese party or who posit that the real threat to Lebanon comes
from radical Sunnis and not the oh-so-open-minded Shia, should wake up to the
enormous danger the current standoff poses to Lebanon.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Iran has all it needs to produce fission
weapons. “It has acquired the technology to make the explosives needed for a gun
or implosion device, the triggering components, and the neutron initiator and
reflectors. It has experimented with machine uranium and plutonium processing.
It has put massive resources into a medium-range missile program that has the
range payload to carry nuclear weapons and that makes no sense with conventional
warheads. It has also worked on nuclear weapons designs for missile warheads.”
If it does nothing to calm international fears – and there is no indication that
it will desist from its avowed nuclear road-map – then it is hardly unlikely
that Israel will roll over and die, especially in light of Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s prophetic declarations of annihilation.
Let us assume however that the talk is simply posturing ahead of the Geneva
meeting, that it is merely robust rhetoric designed to raise the stakes in the
regional crap shoot, and that there will be no Israeli air strike on Iran and
that Lebanon’s southern border remains in its state of relative calm. This might
be all well and good, but those Lebanese who claim to strive for a sovereign,
democratic and free nation, and yet who tolerate Hezbollah’s mischief, can no
longer avert their eyes to Hezbollah’s Iranian connection, essentially the
manipulation by a regional superpower of what purports to be a wholly Lebanese
political party for its own, potentially apocalyptic, grand plan. The Lebanese –
not least the Shia who have put their faith in Hezbollah countless times but who
are the first to feel the consequences of their adventurism – should today be
concerned. This is not about the Shebaa Farms or defending Lebanon’s borders. It
is not even about Palestine. It is a super-power stand-off pure and simple. We
would do well to stay out of it.
Saad Hariri /the discussions during the parliamentary consultations were serious
and responsible
October 2, 2009 /Now Lebanon
On October 1, the website of the March 14 forces 14march.org carried the
following report:
Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri assured that the discussions during the
parliamentary consultations were serious and responsible and enhanced the
missing elements of trust between the political forces. He indicated that the
discussions, set the foundations for the efforts to protect the Taif Accord and
reach the platform for a modern electoral law and administrative
decentralization, stressing the necessity to support this trust. He then
announced he was giving priority to the formation of a government of national
unity, adding however that all possibilities were open “if we were to hit a
deadlock once again.” He revealed there will be new meetings with all the sides
in a hastened and continuous fashion in order to secure the formation of the
government. The following is the statement delivered by Hariri at the parliament
at noon today, upon the conclusion of the parliamentary consultations:
“I have just finished a wide round of parliamentary consultations which tackled
all the national issues. Usually, these consultations are only conducted in
form, but the current stage imposed the staging of qualitative consultations
which addressed the core of the crisis in our country. After all that has
happened in Lebanon, it was only normal for us to hold deep talks, especially
since the past years produced crises-managing governments without finding
solutions to the crises. National responsibility forced us all to seek exits,
which is why I put forward before the colleagues in the different parliamentary
blocs, all the challenges facing Lebanon. They included the political challenges
related to the development of the political system, the security challenges
related to the Israeli threats and the infiltration of the forces of terrorism,
as well as the economic and social challenges related to the debt, the
electricity, water, environment and social security. The discussions were
serious and responsible and enhanced the elements of trust between the political
forces, thus opening a gap in the wall separating them.
“This discussion also set the foundation for the efforts exerted to protect the
Taif Accord and reach a common platform over the ratification of a modern
electoral law, administrative decentralization and the fight against
sectarianism and denominationalism. I believe that the image of this dialogue
will be complete in a combination government that is able to manage the affairs
of the people and the country. However, although I am giving priority to the
establishment of a government of national unity, all possibilities remain open
if God forbids, we were to reach a deadlock once again. So, I will stay
optimistic. On the other hand, the most important thing about these meetings is
the building of the trust which is obviously missing between the parties. We are
trying to build that trust because it is our national duty to do so, especially
when talking about a government of national unity which includes all the sides.
This trust must be built and enhanced and we must engage in ongoing dialogue and
consultations with the different sides. This is what I have been trying to do,
wishing it to be a new method adopted when dealing with each other.
“In the end, whoever wishes to be a partner in this government must truly feel
he is a partner, and whoever adopts a decision in this partner must feel truly
responsible and a part of this government of national unity. We cannot form a
national unity government and then transfer the crisis to the Cabinet. Building
trust is key, because the main problem between the main political parties during
the last four and a half years was due to its loss. For its part, the media also
enjoys a major role at this level. We will hold coming meetings with all the
political parties in a hastened and continuous fashion to secure the formation
of the government, for the most important thing is for us to render this country
one that is up to the expectations of the Lebanese citizens and one in which all
the Lebanese live together. We can achieve that through a government of national
unity
Hmadeh on his assassination attempt: they failed to thwart my will
Date: October 1st, 2009/Source: Future News
‘Democratic Gathering’ bloc member MP Marwan Hmadeh on Thursday hoped the new
government would apply to the vision of PM-designate Saad Hariri.
In an interview to the Future News TV, Hmadeh hoped an atmosphere of consensus
and real reconciliation would prevail over Lebanon.
On the memory of his assassination attempt in October 1, 2004, Hmadeh said those
who tried to assassinate him “have failed to undermine his determination to
follow the course of martyr Premier Rafic Hariri. Hmadeh stressed that he will
continue to defend Lebanon’s independence, Arab identity, and democratic system.
U.S. Demands Syria Establishes Normal Ties with Lebanon
Naharnet/Washington has notified Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad of the
outlines of its regional policy, which includes establishment of normal
relations with Lebanon, border control with Iraq as well as facilitate a U.S.
withdrawal in a timely manner and help push forward Palestinian reconciliation.
Pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat, which carried the report, quoted a senior State
Department official as saying that Lebanese-Syrian border demarcation also
constitutes an "important step toward implementation of Resolution 1701."Miqdad,
for his part, stressed Syria's refusal to interfere in Lebanese internal affairs
"whether it had to do with elections and government formation." "Syria is also
eager to see that the Lebanese are able to form their government soon," Miqdad
reportedly said. A senior Syrian official, meanwhile, denied in remarks
published by the daily al-Akhbar on Friday what he described as "false and
fabricated allegations" carried by certain news outlets that the U.S. has
summoned Syrian ambassador to Washington Imad Mustafa over obstacles put by
Damascus to Lebanese cabinet formation.
Beirut, 02 Oct 09, 14:01
Cabinet Deal in the Works … Possible Government Made from Blend of Technocrats,
Top Leaders
Naharnet/Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is now negotiating a Cabinet deal
apparently based on a consensus government made from technocrats or a
combination of technocrats and top Lebanese leaders. Hariri, who announced
Thursday that he will kick off meetings with leaders of parliamentary blocs to
speed up government formation, met overnight with head of the Democratic
Gathering bloc Walid Jumblat who was accompanied by Cabinet ministers Ghazi
Aridi and Wael Abu Faour. Hariri was set to meet head of the Change and Reform
bloc Michel Aoun on Tuesday. Sources from the Free Patriotic Movement told the
daily Al-Liwaa in remarks published Friday that Hariri and Aoun are likely to
hold a meeting over lunch before week's end to discuss details of a Cabinet
lineup, including names and distribution of portfolios. An-Nahar newspaper, for
its part, said talks between Hariri and legislators over the past week focused
on several Cabinet deals, including one made of technocrats only and another
made from a blend of technocrats and top political leaders. It said both deals
were being considered by Aoun and Hariri, who tends, however, to favor a
national unity government. Hariri is set to resume talks on Friday with no
specific schedule. His meetings will include Speaker Nabih Berri, Phalange Party
leader Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea as well as Hizbullah
leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's political aide Hussein Khalil. As-Safir daily,
meanwhile, said Hariri is likely to present a comprehensive Cabinet makeup to
President Michel Suleiman before the end of this week. Beirut, 02 Oct 09, 08:39
Bassil Denies Requesting Hizbullah Help in Detaining Ezzedine
Naharnet/Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Jebran Bassil denied accusations
that he has requested Hizbullah assistance in detaining Lebanese financier Salah
Ezzedine.
In an interview with LBC, Bassil said he did not call Hizbullah security chief
Wafiq Safa to inform him of Ezzedine's return to Beirut or that he had asked him
to arrest Ezzedine.
Dubbed "Lebanon's Bernard Madoff" by the local and international press, Ezzedine
made headlines last month after he filed for bankruptcy and was placed under
arrest. Madoff, the disgraced Wall Street financier, is serving a 150-year
sentence for fraud. Lebanese authorities have charged the 47-year-old mogul and
his business partner, Youssef Faour, with fraud, embezzlement, distributing
bounced checks and violating Lebanese fiscal law. During a lengthy court hearing
Sept. 25, Ezzedine continued to deny all charges pressed against him, including
fraud and embezzlement.He told the judge that he has $100,000 million-worth of
investments and deposits abroad, but that he will not be able to get profit
before 2010.
"I could then pay my debts," Ezzedine said. Beirut, 02 Oct 09, 11:07
Argentine Asks Lebanon, Colombia Help in Bombing Case
Naharnet/An Argentine judge has asked Colombia and Lebanon to help arrest a man
suspected of orchestrating the 1994 bombing of a Jewish charities building in
Buenos Aires that killed 85, court sources told AFP on Tuesday. The bombing of
the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association, a Buenos Aires headquarters of Jewish
charity groups, has gone unsolved for a decade and a half. Some 300 people were
wounded in the attack. Argentine investigators have blamed former top officials
in Iran for being behind the bombing, and in mid-May issued an international
arrest warrant for Samuel Salman El Reda, a Colombian of Lebanese descent, in
connection with the bombing. At the time of the bombing El Reda lived in Buenos
Aires, and according to Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, was the link between Iran and
Hizbullah, who investigators say were behind the attack. El Reda lived in Buenos
Aires until the day of the bombing -- July 18, 1994. His current whereabouts are
unknown, but his wife recently traveled to Lebanon, where El Reda has relatives,
officials said. Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral, in charge of the case, is to send
representatives to Colombia and Lebanon to explain the case and ask for help, a
court source told AFP speaking on condition of anonymity. Canicoba Corral
earlier called for the arrest of several former Iranian officials in connection
with the bombing, including ex-president Ali Akbar Rafsanjani, former security
minister Ali Fallahijan, ex-foreign minister Ali Velayati, former Revolutionary
Guard chief Mohsen Rezai, and Mohsen Rabbani, who worked at Iran's embassy in
Buenos Aires. Officials in Tehran have rejected all charges related to the case,
and has refused to collaborate with Argentine investigators. A 1992 bombing of
the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires that killed 22 people and wounded 200 also
remains unsolved. Argentina has South America's largest Jewish community.(AFP)
Beirut, 02 Oct 09, 07:39
Geagea: March 8 Not Acting Seriously
because they Don't Want Government
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said the Hizbullah-led March 8
coalition was "not acting seriously because they don't want a government." He
accused the Opposition of hiding behind Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel
Aoun. "March 8 is also hiding its intentions concerning the formation of a
government by making positive announcements," Geagea said. He renewed his call
for President Michel Suleiman and PM-designate Saad Hariri to form a
Constitutional Cabinet. Beirut, 02 Oct 09, 11:18
Solidere Renews Beirut Souks,
Official Opening by Year's End
Naharnet/Real estate giant, Solidere, announced it will launch Beirut Souks in
the city center before the end of 2009. Solidere has rebuilt the souks, which
were devastated during the 1975-1990 civil war, while maintaining the historical
character of the old markets.The markets, a commercial section with a variety of
shops, offices, restaurants, cafes and historical squares, cost $300 million,
according to Solidere General Manager Kheir Dweiri. Beirut, 02 Oct 09, 13:00
Shiites Expelled from UAE Deny Spying on Hizbullah
Naharnet/Hundreds of Lebanese Shiites have been expelled from the United Arab
Emirates in the past three months after refusing to spy on their compatriots and
Hizbullah, some of those deported said. "Dozens among us were summoned by the
security services in the UAE before being expelled and were asked to spy on
fellow Lebanese in the Emirates as well as Hizbullah members or face
deportation," Hassan Alayan, a spokesman for the group, told a Beirut press
conference. Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have also been forced to leave the
UAE in recent months for security reasons, he said. The UAE embassy in Beirut as
well as officials in Abu Dhabi declined comment on Thursday.
Alayan said the expelled people initially hoped to resolve the issue quietly but
were publicizing their plight given the lack of action by Lebanese and UAE
officials.
He said the group plans to take legal action and will ask for compensation.
"This is inhuman, illegal, uncivilized and is counter to U.N. rules," said Ali
Faour, a physician deported from Sharjah, one of the seven city states that make
up the UAE, which is mainly Sunni Muslim. "I was summoned at the end of July and
told I had two weeks to leave town," added Faour, who earned between 40,000 and
50,000 dollars (27,500 and 34,500 euros) a month in Sharjah. "Most of those
expelled were top businessmen and have major investments in the Emirates."
Rania, 19, said she still could not get over her sudden change of life. "I was
born and raised in the Emirates and all my friends are from there," she said,
refusing to give her last name. "We were given 20 days to leave Abu Dhabi." The
expelled Lebanese have been meeting with top Hizbullah officials, and
participants in Thursday's press conference included two legislators from
Hizbullah, which fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006. Faour denied
reports that the people expelled from the UAE, where about 100,000 Lebanese
live, had been funding Hizbullah.(AFP-Naharnet) "None of us gave money to
Hezbollah," he said. "This is all speculation and there is no valid reason for
what has been done to us. A foreign ministry official in Beirut said the UAE
ambassador had been summoned several times over the affair but had so far given
no clear explanation. "We were told through diplomatic chanels that the
expulsions had nothing to do with the religion of those involved and that
thousands of Shiites still live and work in the Emirates," the official said.
Alayan said the expulsions began in the aftermath of the June 7 legislative
election in Lebanon that saw a Saudi- and Western-backed coalition beat a
Hezbollah-led alliance. Senior Hezbollah politician Mohammed Fneish told AFP the
Lebanese government must quickly address the issue, which is financially hurting
the families involved. "These people broke no laws and there is no excuse for
what they have suffered," Fneish said. "It is a violation of their rights and
freedom." Leading Lebanese Shiite cleric Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah called on
UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan to resolve the matter. "We
call on you to save hundreds of Lebanese families who have contributed to the
development of your country," he said in a statement. "We refuse to believe that
the expulsions were motivated by politics, religion, security concern or any
outside pressure." Beirut, 02 Oct 09, 07:14
2 Lebanese Sentenced to Life for Plotting to Kill Libyan PM
Naharnet/Two Lebanese men and a Libyan fugitive have been sentenced to life
imprisonment with hard labor for plotting to kill Libyan Prime Minister
al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmoudi.
The Lebanese men -- said they were seeking revenge for the kidnapping of Shiite
Imam Moussa Sadr and his companions in 1978. The sentence against Lebanese
citizens Mehdi al-Hajj Hasan and his son Haidar al-Hajj Hasan as well as Libyan
fugitive Abdel Salam Mohammed was handed down by Military Examining Magistrate
Fadi Sawwan. The Hasans told the judge they were seeking revenge for Imam Moussa
Sadr's disappearance along with his companions in Libya in 1978. Sawwan accused
the two Lebanese men of plotting to assassinate the Libyan premier by means of
explosive substances via mail last June. Investigation was launched to pin down
a Palestinian accomplice said to be in charge of placing the explosives in the
mail. The package, bound for Libya, had been confiscated by the Lebanese General
Security. Beirut, 02 Oct 09, 10:27
Jumblat: Cabinet Is Not Only Made in Lebanon
Naharnet/Druze leader Walid Jumblat said Thursday that while he wished Speaker
Nabih Berri could be his ally, he continues to be an ally of PM-designate Saad
Hariri.
Regarding a Cabinet lineup, Jumblat said he does not agree with those who
believe that the government can only be shaped in Lebanon. "If some believe that
the government is only made in Lebanon, they are wrong," Jumblat told reporters
after meeting U.S. ambassador Michele Sison. He pointed to the "importance" of
both the Syrian-Saudi summit and the visit King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia intends
to do to Damascus. This visit "will have a positive impact on Lebanon," Jumblat
thought. Beirut, 01 Oct 09, 16:23
Hizbullah: To release Izeddine or knock at Iran’s door
Date: October 2nd, 2009
Huda Husseini/Future News
Hasan Nasrallah, Seceratry General of the Hizbullah, denied the party’s relation
to the bankruptcy file of the business man Salah Izeddine, saying that some
parties tried to exploit the issue in a bad manner, a source said. Despite the
information above, the source close to the party that spoke on condition of
anonymity said that Hizbullah is eager to free Izeddine, and that the latter
refused to declare bankruptcy but vowed to restore the rights and funds to their
owners by 2010 if he was released. Izeddine assumed his release would make him
able to resume his business in owned companies distributed over more than 20
countries.
The source added that Nasrallah’s denial to any relation with the bankruptcy
file gave a negative result, not anticipated by the party. The Shiite investors
were provoked by Hizbullah’s stance which left them alone amid the crisis and
raised resentment among supporters of the party. That stance was reflected in
the number of Shiites who used to attend the religious rallies organized by
Hizbullah. According to the source, Nasrallah believed that imprisoning Izeddine
would not put things back together, knowing that accountants and experts
estimated cash amounts and non-monetary funds owned by Izeddine by $100 million
(although Nasrallah estimated them by $400 million following the spread of the
scandal).
Nasrallah had personally intervened and asked all educational, health, social
and religious institutions not to dispose of hundreds of thousands of dollars
donated by Izeddine, in order to be distributed on small investors who lost
their life’s savings. As for the money deposited with Izeddine by leaders from
Hizbullah, the source said that Nasrallah told those leaders that no one would
recover a penny of his money before completing the process of distribution of
funds on small investors. Furthermore, Nasrallah drew the attention of leaders
in his party to the extravagant appearances they began displaying after the 2006
July war, when the party obtained large amounts of ‘clean money’ from Iran. He
warned them against the ‘curse of money’ and ‘quick profit.’ In case Hizbullah’s
efforts to release Izeddine or return some of the donated funds went in vain,
then the party might as well knock Iran’s doors again to send another batch of
clean money, since the first amounts were polluted by the policy of quick profit
depriving those who deserved it the most.
Nahr el-Bared: Aoun’s message to Washington embarrasses Hizbullah
Salim Khouri/Date: October 2nd, 2009
Future News
Palestinian factions have held intensive contacts with Hizbullah leadership in
the past few days urging it to mediate with Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader
Michel Aoun and convince him to cease insistence on rejecting the reconstruction
of the Nahr el-Bared camp which was destroyed during the battles between the
Lebanese Armed Forces and the terrorist Fatah Al-Islam group in 2007. Aoun has
submitted a complaint against the reconstruction of the Palestinian camp to the
State Shuraa Council under the pretext that historic ruins found at the location
must be preserved. A source that spoke under the condition of anonymity
disclosed information about a meeting held between Palestinian factions and Aoun
at his house in Rabieh.
The Palestinian delegation went out of the meeting upset by the rhetoric of Aoun
who said “I am against the reconstruction of any Palestinian camp; the land in
the Gulf is spacious so why do not the Palestinians go there?!” the source
added. Moreover, Aoun showed indifference when one of the delegate members
confirmed that the Palestinian people do not want to be implanted in Lebanon or
in any other country and that rejecting the reconstruction of the Nahr el-Bared
comes in the context of Palestinian displacement project.
Aoun went beyond apathy in his reply to reiterate “The land of the Gulf is
spacious and can contain the displaced Palestinians.”
The source noted that the Palestinian factions held intensive contacts with
Hizbullah after their futile meeting with Aoun. The factions asked the party to
mediate with Aoun to refrain from mixing up the issue of rejecting implantation
and that of inflicting more displacement agony on the Palestinian people.
Hizbullah is undergoing a great deal of embarrassment in this concern. The party
realizes the fact that by rejecting the camp’s reconstruction, Aoun wants to
appear as the greatest chanter of the anti-implantation slogan.
All Lebanese political parties distinguish between implantation and displacement
which is regarded as a scheme to press Palestinian refugees to leave Lebanon to
other countries that the international community might find appropriate to be a
substitute for their homeland, Palestine.
In order to evade embarrassment, Hizbullah is trying to reach an agreement with
Aoun on how to deal with that delicate file.
A Palestinian source said that Aoun’s stance aims at “gaining the support of the
Christian popular base that accuses him of subservience to Iran and at sending a
message to Washington that entails his readiness to participate in the project
of displacing part of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon to border areas
between Iraq and Kurdistan as a prelude to implant them there.”
According to the source, the scheme aims at implanting part of the Palestinian
refugees in Lebanon and the other part in Iraq.
The Lebanese state is countering this project by dealing with the Palestinian
presence in Lebanon as a temporary situation and by acting as being not
concerned with pressing them to leave to any surrogate country reiterating that
it only agrees on one solution which ensures their return to Palestine as part
of a settlement in the region.
The Palestinian source confirmed that some figures in the FPM, known for having
connections with U.S official departments suggested to Aoun to attain two goals
by rejecting the Nahr-el Bared camp. The first is to regain the Christian
popular base by chanting the slogan of rejecting Palestinian implantation and
the second is to show the U.S administration his readiness to contribute to
pressing the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon to leave to other countries as a
prelude to implant them there.
SKeyes calls meet to discuss media layoffs
Daily Star staff /Friday, October 02, 2009
BEIRUT: The Samir Kassir Eyes foundation (SKeyes) called on Thursday for an
emergency meeting to be held on October 5 concerning the arbitrary layoffs of
journalists. The media freedom watchdog called for the meeting after reports
emerged that many journalists were being sacked from Lebanese daily An-Nahar and
Lebanese television station MTV for financial reasons. SKeyes described the
incidents as “unprecedented in the Lebanese media,” noting that the television
station LBC had also announced it would be firing some of its employees.
SKeyes demanded that media institutions first explain their financial situation
before resorting to discharging employees, and the watchdog said media outlets
should encourage voluntary resignations to solve their financial problems. It
asked as well that monthly salaries be reduced for employees with high incomes.
– The Daily Star
UAE 'asked Lebanese to spy on Hizbullah'
Hundreds of shiites thrown out for refusing to monitor party
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, October 02, 2009
Rita Daou
Agence France Presse
BEIRUT: Hundreds of Lebanese Shiites have been expelled from the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) in the past three months after refusing to spy on their
compatriots and Hizbullah, some of those deported said on Thursday. “Dozens
among us were summoned by the security services in the UAE before being expelled
and were asked to spy on fellow Lebanese in the Emirates as well as Hizbullah
members or face deportation,” Hassan Alayan, a spokesman for the group, told a
Beirut conference.
“On whose behalf were they asking us to spy?” Alayan asked. “And on whose behalf
are they expelling each person that supports [Hizbullah] or Palestine?”
The UAE Embassy in Beirut as well as officials in Abu Dhabi declined comment on
Thursday. Alayan said those expelled had initially hoped to resolve the issue
quietly but were now publicizing their plight, given the lack of action by
Lebanese and UAE officials.
He said the group also planned to take legal action and would ask for
compensation.
“This is inhuman, illegal, uncivilized and is counter to UN rules,” said Ali
Faour, a physician deported from Sharjah, one of the seven city-states that make
up the UAE, which is mainly Sunni.
“I was summoned at the end of July and told I had two weeks to leave town,”
added Faour, who earned between $40,000-$50,000 per month in Sharjah.
Rania, 19, said she still could not get over her sudden change of life. “I was
born and raised in the Emirates, and all my friends are from there,” she said,
refusing to give her last name. “We were given 20 days to leave Abu Dhabi.”
Those expelled have been meeting with top Hizbullah officials, and two
legislators from the Shiite group attended the press conference on Thursday.
Faour denied reports that those expelled from the UAE, where about 100,000
Lebanese live, had been funding Hizbullah.
“None of us gave money to Hizbullah,” he said. “This is all speculation, and
there is no valid reason for what has been done to us.”
A Foreign Ministry official in Beirut said the UAE ambassador had been summoned
several times over the affair but had so far given no clear explanation.
“We were told through diplomatic channels that the expulsions had nothing to do
with the religion of those involved, and that thousands of Shiites still live
and work in the Emirates,” the official said.
Alayan said the expulsions began in the aftermath of the June 7 legislative
election in Lebanon that saw a Saudi- and Western-backed coalition beat a
Hizbullah-led alliance.
Senior Hizbullah politician Mohammad Fneish told AFP the Lebanese government
must quickly address the issue, which is financially hurting the families
involved.
“These people broke no laws, and there is no excuse for what they have
suffered,” Fneish said. “It is a violation of their rights and freedom.”
Senior Shiite cleric Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah also called on UAE President
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan to resolve the matter.
“We call on you to save hundreds of Lebanese families who have contributed to
the development of your country,” he said in a statement.
“We refuse to believe that the expulsions were motivated by politics, religion,
security concern or any outside pressure,” he added.
Iran and Syria are making diplomatic headway while Lebanon is standing still
By The Daily Star /Friday, October 02, 2009
Editorial
A series of meetings around the world this week seems to herald the beginning of
a new phase of cooperation between formerly sworn foes. Unfortunately, none of
these took place in Beirut, where competing factions have engaged in months of
unsuccessful negotiations aimed at forming a new cabinet. Although rivals in
Lebanon appeared unwilling to budge from their positions this week, two
long-time foes, Iran and the United States, seemingly made unprecedented
headway. Washington’s chief negotiator William Burns on Thursday engaged in a
one-on-one dialogue with his Iranian counterpart, Saeed Jalili, on the sidelines
of talks in Geneva between Iran and six world powers. The meeting was the
highest-level bilateral contact between the United States and Iran in over 30
years.
That breakthrough followed another unprecedented meeting in Washington a day
earlier. Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who was granted rare permission to
travel to the American capital on Wednesday, met during his visit with two
ranking US congressmen on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, according to
the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. Moreover, Mottaki also announced on
Thursday that his nation was willing to engage in even higher-level talks with
the US and other world powers than those which took place in Geneva this week.
The apparent thaw between the Iranians and their American adversaries coincides
with Syria’s gradual return to the international fold. Saudi King Abdullah is
reportedly planning to visit Damascus within the next 15 days as part of ongoing
efforts to repair the rifts that have emerged between Riyadh and Damascus over
the last few years. The Syrians have been making similar progress in restoring
bilateral relations with both the US and France, with Foreign Minister Walid
al-Moallem visiting Paris this week while Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal
al-Mekdad was meeting with ranking officials in Washington.
In the midst of all of this rapid diplomatic movement, rival Lebanese parties
have largely stood still. Leading members of Lebanon’s opposition have recently
remarked, however, that the current atmosphere is ripe for an agreement. Could
this be a reference to the swift developments involving Iran and Syria? If so,
their remarks belie any claims of independence.
There is, however, some truth to the argument that the increased contacts
between Iran, Syria and their former foes could augur well for Lebanon. But
these developments could just as easily end with a devastating impact on this
country if rapprochement efforts suddenly collapse. And that’s all the more
reason for the Lebanese to get their house in order without delay.
Jamil al-Sayyed responds to an article in The Daily Star
Friday, October 02, 2009
Editor’s note: The following is a response by former General Jamil al-Sayyed to
an article written by Chibli Mallat, editor of The Daily Star’s law page, and
published on September 17, 2009, in The Daily Star with the headline “The
failures of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon are lessons to be learned.” Sayyed
was freed in May this year by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon after almost four
years of incarceration for suspicion of involvement in the February 2005
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
With all due thanks to Mr. Mallat for considering in his article that the four
generals possess the right to explain and receive compensation for their false
political arrest (an arrest that lasted for approximately four years and was
without legal motifs), it is essential to respond to Mr. Mallat’s slander. Mr.
Mallat is a professor at Lebanese and
American universities,
and he is an international criminal attorney.
Therefore, he should not allow himself, according to professional standards, to
accuse people without any proof or evidence except that which he has read in
newspapers during the political arrest of Mr. Sayyed. Mr. Mallat also does not
have the right to use such proof in a newspaper article that he signed as an
attorney and a university professor.
First: Mr. Mallat mentions in his article that “Major General al-Sayyed brazenly
shadowed journalist Samir Kassir for weeks on end just because of Kassir’s
courageous criticism of the police state Sayyed was putting
in place …”
Mr. Sayyed asks Mr. Mallat to look at the investigation reports of the
Independent International Investigation Committee and of the Lebanese judiciary
in order to assure himself and to assure others that the patrols that followed
Samir Kassir in 2001 did not belong to the General Security nor to Major General
Sayyed;
they instead belonged to the intelligence department
of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
It is to be noted, however, that the General Security took an administrative and
legal measure at the time. They examined Samir
Kassir’s passport. Kassir
was born of a Palestinian father and a Syrian mother, and his passport was
registered at the town of Hermel in the Bekaa. The General Security’s measure
was public and was officially announced in the media at the mentioned time.
Second: As for Mr. Mallat’s words, “Jamil Sayyed, who oversaw one of the worst
moments for Lebanese civil liberties in recent history …,” Mr. Sayyed asks Mr.
Mallat to have enough courage to present him with detailed evidence of his
actions, as well as the actions of his institutions. He also asks him that the
defendants seek Mr. Mallat’s representation in filing a lawsuit against Mr.
Sayyed.
Mr. Mallat knows that even though arguments occurred between the General
Security and the media, no journalist was hit, murdered, arrested or kidnapped
by Mr. Sayyed, the General Security or the police state, noting that Samir
Kassir, Gebran Tueni, May Chidiac and others were murdered after Sayyed left his
position and after the police state was placed under the hands of the militias
and the money of Saad Hariri, Walid Jumblatt, Samir Geagea
and others.
Sayyed’s history shows how he rebuilt the General Security after it had been in
the hands of militias. It also shows how he made the General Security one of
Lebanon’s and the Middle East’s finest institutions. The United Nations, the
Council of Maronite Bishops and the Lebanese people can all confirm to this.
What is demanded of Mr. Mallat is a little respect, seeing how he writes about
his admiration for the current government; a government of false witnesses,
freedom, sovereignty and independence.