LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
October 23/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12:49-53. I have come to set
the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism
with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is
accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No,
I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be
divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided
against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and
a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a
daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Hizbullah cautiously paces decay of
Iranian-Syrian ties/Mohammad Hassan/Future News/October
22/09
Aoun ups the ante/Now
Lebanon/October 22, 2009
Open debate/By: Hazem Saghieh/Now
Lebanon/October
22/09
Interview with Dr. Samir Samir
Geagea Geagea from Al-Arabiya/October
22/09
Jundallah in the Face of
Hezbollah/Mostafa Zein/AlHayat/22.10.09
Robert Fisk: End of an era for Lebanon's free
press/Independent/22.10.09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for October 22/09
Geagea: Aoun Either
Accepts Conditions or Joins the Opposition/Naharnet
Berri: Satisfy Aoun
with Portfolios of Your Own Share, Not Others Share/Naharnet
Assad Rushes Lebanon to
Form a Cabinet/Naharnet
Ban calls on Hizbullah to adhere to
Taef and resolution 1559/Future News
Sleiman back in Beirut: Arab
Initiative facilitates establishing righteousness/Future News
Chamoun calls for forming majority
cabinet/Now Lebanon
Shock at Aoun's Stance on Cabinet
Given the Relatively Optimistic Mood/Naharnet
10th
Report on 1559 Urges Lebanese to Benefit from Saudi-Syrian Rapprochement/Naharnet
Franjieh Accepts State Ministry to Facilitate Cabinet Formation/Naharnet
Williams Discusses Lebanon Incidents with Moussa/Naharnet
Elias
Zoughbi:
To observe current political activity/Future News
Jumblatt warns Aoun against falling
in the Christian share trap/Future News
Aoun
Claims Current FPM Cabinet Portfolios Plus New One/Naharnet
March 14: Security to Be
Imposed through Law Enforcement Not Consensus/Naharnet
US and Israel stage major air defense exercise/The
Associated Press
Syria rights veteran faces trial/BBC
News
Mass. Man Arrested in Terrorism Case/New
York Times
Iran says Islamabad 'directly
responsible' for arresting rebels as UN slams attack-AFP
Detonation of spy devices raises
tensions /Daily Star
Human rights group in hot water
over Israel criticism-(AFP
UNIFIL discusses 1701 violations
with Lebanon, Israel /Daily Star
Lebanese security forces conduct
series of anti-terrorism maneuvers/Daily
Star
Lebanon celebrates end of UAE
demining program in south/Daily
Star
Lebanon car-crash fatalities out of
control/Daily
Star
School book calling Hizbullah
terrorists banned/Daily
Star
Hizbullah
cautiously paces decay of Iranian-Syrian ties
Date: October 21st, 2009
Mohammad Hassan/Future News
During the last few weeks, various indications reveal that the clandestine decay
of Syrian-Iranian ties have begun to show in public.
Information prove that the dispute between the two states began on the eve of
Lebanese parliamentary elections, following the visit of Iranian Foreign
Minister Manoushehr Mottaki to Paris, where he tried to strike deals based on
the notion that Lebanon is entirely a subordinate to Tehran and was confident of
the opposition’s win at the elections.
This information explains that this Iranian behavior irritated Syria that
reacted by promising Saudi Arabia not to intrude in the elections. Damascus
greatly committed to the deal, which contributed later on to Saudi-Syrian
rapprochement. It also adds that the dispute between Tehran and Damascus
escalated after the August 19 Baghdad explosions and Mottaki’s visit to the
Syrian capital, where he demanded authorities to execute Baghdad’s request to
hand over the Baathist perpetrators residing there.
The Iranian request surprised Syrian authorities which made a great deal of
progress in ties with Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it quickened the improving ties
that were recently crowned by Syrian President Bashar Assad’s visit to Jeddah
and the Saudi-Syrian summit held in Damascus with King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz.
Resentful Syria had gone even further when it sent multiple and diverse signals
to those who may be concerned in making Iran understand that any interference it
makes in Lebanon and Palestine must be through the Syrian portal and that
crossing this red line will no longer silence Damascus. Syria translated its
attitude by refusing to handover weapons it received from Tehran that were on
their way to Hizbullah. Syrian authorities instructed Hamas political office
head, Khaled Meshaal to hold a press conference and use terms the Palestinian
movement did not use before such as: Arab Gulf or Arab solidarity. Apparently,
Meshaal’s usage of these new terms aggravated Tehran which consequently sent a
delegation to Syria to meet Hamas leaders to find out the conference’s meaning.
This information points that the Iranian-Syrian dispute might be inflicted upon
Palestinians, particularly between Hamas and Islamic Jihad (a pure Iranian
affiliate). It should be noted that Hamas arrested members of the Jihad for
launching rockets from Gaza two weeks ago. It also noted the need to track
Hizbullah’s performance in the forthcoming phase.
Hizbullah, dwelling in its own internal problems, will face a difficult dilemma
if ties between the two states keep deteriorating, especially since Damascus is
to the party its Elixir of Life.
Aoun deflates optimism…open to more talks
Date: October 21st, 2009/Future News
Before the “statement” of Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, an
atmosphere of optimism for the imminent emergence of the new cabinet lineup had
prevailed over the country… however, Aoun’s statement deflated the positive
vibes, which all local groups had acknowledged, including the MPs of the Free
Patriotic Movement.
Meanwhile, other political groups preferred not to judge the statement of the
FPM leader, pending the revelation of the full picture within the next few
hours, especially after Aoun denied that the “telecommunications portfolio in
the new cabinet has reached a dead end.”
In what he described as a “response to the campaign of alluring optimism,” Aoun
declared Wednesday that his party wants to maintain its current portfolios and
demand a sixth one since our parliamentary bloc’s size has increased from 21 MPs
to 27.” Aoun also demanded a cabinet portfolio for Marada Movement leader MP
Sleiman Franjieh despite that the latter had agreed to have a state ministry,
which had urged MP Hagop Pakradonian to say earlier “Frangieh’s acceptance to
have a state ministry is a sign for optimism.”
The FPM leader had also said his bloc “will not make any concessions without
receiving anything in return,” stressing that his party “will not let anyone, no
matter how high his post is, to stop us from being granted any ministry” and “we
have the right to participate in all public sectors.” “It seems the cabinet is
being formed without letting us know” he added.
Aoun said he does not know what is being discussed pertaining to the portfolios
and names, noting that he had agreed with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri
“to keep the contents of our recent meetings undercover, but we were surprised
with a campaign of contradictory assertions.”Note that Aoun’s latest statement
contradicts with what he had earlier told As-Safir daily last week, when he said
that all what is being circulated around the distribution of portfolios is
“distraction and speculations”, and that it would be better for some to remain
silent especially that the cabinet formation is being discussed seriously and
with a positive spirit”! Within this prospect, all eyes are on the President who
will return from his visit to Spain, so to determine his stance on the
governmental developments, while the PM-designate continues his deliberations to
form a new cabinet lineup as soon as possible.The political statements promoted
optimism on the imminent formation of the new government, except for the ‘March
14’ general secretariat which warned that “each day of delay for the new cabinet
risks the country’s stability, security, economy, and credibility.”Also on the
government formation, outgoing Public Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi
Aridi called for a calm approach to the governmental impasse, noting that all
Lebanese groups “must take advantage of the optimistic mood and form a cabinet
soon.”
Sleiman back in Beirut: Arab Initiative facilitates
establishing righteousness
Date: October 22nd, 2009/Source: NNA
Lebanon’s President Michel Sleiman returned to Beirut Wednesday night, escorted
by his spouse and the members of the official delegation, after he had concluded
his first three-day visit in Spain. Sleiman participated in an official farewell
with Spanish King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sophia, as well as Prince Philippi and
his wife Princess Letecia and the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Louis Zapatero.
The President saw a just and comprehensive peace process in the Middle East upon
related international resolutions as those issued after Madrid conference and
the Arab Peace Initiative “would facilitate the common efforts” to build up the
basics of “righteousness”. President Sleiman then traveled to Catalonia
province, where he met with its president, José Montilla Aguilera, and discussed
different matters, including the Union for the Mediterranean project. Sleiman
stressed the importance of such a project in facilitating the peace process in
the Middle East. Sleiman hailed upon Barcelona’s role in the Mediterranean
Union, pointing that Lebanon had made a suggestion for establishing a
Mediterranean Center for Scientific Research, hoping the project would be
implemented.
Chamoun calls for forming majority cabinet
October 22, 2009 /Now Lebanon
In an interview with the Voice of Lebanon radio station on Thursday, National
Liberal Party leader MP Dori Chamoun called for forming a majority cabinet,
adding that there is a plot to keep “the government void” and that he does not
rule out the possibility of Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun’s
involvement in its execution. He also said that all members of the March 14
alliance want a rapprochement between Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and
Aoun, stressing he has no clear information pertaining to the cabinet formation.
-NOW Lebanon
Aoun ups the ante
October 22, 2009
Now Lebanon
It is unlikely the cabinet would soon be formed as FPM leader Michel Aoun’s
Wednesday announcement shocks Lebanese.
Some politicians’ prediction that the new cabinet would be formed by the end of
this week seems very unlikely after Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel
Aoun’s Wednesday announcement that his bloc wants to maintain its current
portfolios and demands a fifth, since his parliamentary bloc’s size has
increased from 21 MPs to 27. Aoun’s announcement came as a shock to all those
who said the cabinet formation is at its last stages and would be formed within
the next few days.
The FPM leader and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri will soon meet in the
hopes to finalize the new government, although no specific date has been set
yet.
An opposition source told An-Nahar newspaper that the majority is overreacting
to Aoun’s announcement, adding that his Wednesday speech has been misinterpreted
by the March 14 alliance. “There should be yet another meeting between Hariri
and Aoun that would only end after an agreement on ministerial portfolios has
been reached,” said the source.
According to a majority source, the daily reported that Aoun did not want to
appear weakened in front of the public and making “too many concessions,”
therefore, the source added, “He tried to turn the tables around yesterday.”
During a press conference following his bloc’s meeting, Aoun insisted that his
bloc has the right to be granted “the ministries we already have, in addition to
another one, because we had 21 MPs and now, we are 27 MPs.” According to him,
the only reason Marada Movement leader MP Sleiman Franjieh agreed to accept a
state ministry is because he believed it would resolve the cabinet impasse, but
Aoun added that “the [government-formation] obstacle lies with all the
ministries.”
Sources close to PM-designate Hariri did not comment on Aoun’s speech, but
Lebanon First MPs said that a solution is still possible despite Aoun’s stance
and that negotiations are ongoing. Lebanon’s government-formation crisis has
caught the world’s attention as it was mentioned in UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s
10th report on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559. Ban
called for taking advantage of the Syrian-Saudi rapprochement as well as the
2009 parliamentary elections.
According to the report, “Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias still represent a
threat to the country’s stability,” a possible reference to Hezbollah and armed
Palestinian factions in the country. Ban also urged Syria and Lebanon to
“control the easily breached parts of their borders. -NOW Lebanon
Shock at Aoun's Stance on Cabinet Given the Relatively Optimistic Mood
Naharnet/Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has reportedly voiced shock after
Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun announced he was holding onto his
current ministerial portfolios and his demand for an extra seat. Meanwhile,
interpretations of Aoun's position, which came following the weekly meeting of
his Change and Reform parliamentary bloc on Wednesday, varied between circles
close to Hariri that insist on its optimism and the voices of pessimism
exhibited by the majority and minority which insist that Cabinet formation was
back to square one. But in any case, Aoun's position has prompted a reshuffling
of political cards, particularly after the optimistic mood that the birth of the
new government was soon.
Sources close to Hariri told the daily As-Safir in remarks published Thursday
that the premier-designate was shocked at Aoun's position, particularly since
details of a Cabinet lineup were almost completed and Aoun himself said in an
interview with a French magazine that an agreement was in the works.
Meanwhile, An-Nahar newspaper quoted a FPM source as saying that Aoun "did not
receive an acceptable offer" from Hariri, leaving the ball in the court of al-Mustaqbal
Movement leader.The source said Aoun was ready to meet Hariri "any time once he
was a suitable proposal."
He said Aoun was neither offered the justice ministry nor a sovereign portfolio
or the public works.
On the other hand, MPs from the "Lebanon First" parliamentary bloc believed the
Cabinet crisis was still open to a settlement and that negotiations will carry
on.
Opposition sources uncovered that Hariri's offer to Aoun was "not tempting at
all" as it included the ministries of Displaced People, Education, Culture,
Labor and Public Works after stripping him of the telecoms portfolio. The
sources told As-Safir that the quota Hariri discussed with Aoun during their
first meeting following parliamentary consultations was "better" since it
included the ministries of Health and Public Works in addition to Education.
Well-informed sources told al-Liwaa daily that Hariri does not intend to change
his schedule that has already been set with President Michel Suleiman between
Oct. 23-25. Sources said Suleiman, who returned home from an official visit to
Spain, is likely to contact Aoun to settle the dispute, particularly since all
parties appeared to be award of its shares in the government –be it names or
portfolios—and that Aoun would be getting four instead of three seats instead in
the previous Cabinet, including the Education and Displaced People. Some
observers interpreted Aoun's anger as a resentment of the ideas proposed to
appoint MP Boutros Harb in return for Hariri's approval to reassign Jebran
Bassil in the new Cabinet and talks about granting Harb the Justice ministry.
Beirut, 22 Oct 09, 08:29
Franjieh Accepts State Ministry to Facilitate Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh said he would relinquish his
demand for a ministerial portfolio in return for a state ministry to facilitate
formation of a new government.
Under the title "Franjieh Saves the Cabinet Situation," Marada website quoted
Marada sources as saying that talk about the movement's acceptance of a "state
ministry" is accurate. "This acceptance is tantamount to concessions given in
favor of national interests … and particularly since it helps a Cabinet lineup
mature," Marada website wrote. Beirut, 22 Oct 09, 09:31
10th Report on 1559 Urges Lebanese to Benefit from Saudi-Syrian Rapprochement
Naharnet/U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon urged the Lebanese to benefit from the
successful June 2009 parliamentary elections and visits between Saudi King
Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad. In his tenth six-month report to the
Security Council on the implementation of resolution 1559 which was adopted in
2004, Ban called the polls "another milestone" in Lebanon's commitment to
democracy and urged the country's leaders -- who have not been able to form a
government -- to "transcend sectarian and individual interests and promote the
future and the interests of the nation." It is believed that the exchanged
visits between Abdullah and Assad contribute to smoothing the political
situation in Lebanon, the report said.
Ban also praised the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and
Syria and urged both countries to demarcate their border.
The report, written by Ban's envoy on the implementation of resolution 1559
Terje-Roed Larsen, warned that the presence of Hizbullah and Palestinian
militants in Lebanon is contributing to tensions and insecurity and could
eventually lead to a resumption of hostilities. The report said Hizbullah and
the Palestinian groups should be disarmed quickly.
"The presence of weapons in the country outside government control and the
continued existence of militias contribute to tensions and insecurity in Lebanon
and beyond, and could eventually lead to the resumption of hostilities unless
immediately addressed," it warned. The secretary-general said he took seriously
recent reports "of a proliferation of extremist groups activities and of arms in
Lebanon," but said the U.N. doesn't have the means to independently verify them.
He said Hizbullah's paramilitary force "poses first and foremost a key challenge
to the safety of Lebanese civilians, and to the government's monopoly on the
legitimate use of force." "I call on the leaders of Hizbullah to complete the
transformation of the group into a solely Lebanese political party," Ban said.
He reiterated that regional parties that maintain close ties with Hizbullah, a
reference to Syria and Iran, must encourage the Shiite group in the same
direction. The report also expressed great concern at the continued presence of
Palestinian paramilitary groups -- the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine-General Command and Fatah al-Intifada -- outside refugee camps near
Lebanon's border with Syria. He said he has called on the government to
dismantle four Palestinian military bases along the Lebanese-Syrian border and a
fifth base south of Beirut. Ban said the disarming and disbanding of all
militias should "take place through an inclusive political dialogue that
addresses the political interests of all Lebanese, and ultimately confirms the
sole political and military authority of the government of Lebanon." The
secretary-general urged all countries to abide by the U.N. arms embargo against
militias, saying "this is a key factor for stability in Lebanon and the
region."(Naharnet-AP) Beirut, 22 Oct 09, 09:33
Williams Discusses Lebanon Incidents with Moussa
Naharnet/U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams discussed with
Arab League chief Amr Moussa on Wednesday several incidents, including the
September rocket attack on Israel and the discovery of some wiretapping devices
in south Lebanon. Williams told reporters in Cairo that he and Moussa are
"disturbed" by these challenges to Security Council resolution 1701. He said
they agreed that it is very important to help move the parties forward towards a
permanent ceasefire, in accordance with resolution 1701, which calls for respect
for the so-called Blue Line that separates Israeli and Lebanese sides, the
disarming of militias and an end to arms smuggling, among other measures.
Al-Akhbar newspaper said Thursday that Williams' surprise visit to Cairo comes
ahead of a report that the U.N. official plans to present end of this month to
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the implementation of U.N. resolutions in
Lebanon, chiefly 1701. Williams visited Cairo a year ago, also before delivering
a report to the U.N. chief. An Egyptian official told al-Akhbar that Williams'
visit is aimed at finding out the Egyptian viewpoint on the situation in
Lebanon. "Cabinet formation in Beirut is one of the political issues that the
U.N. envoy will discuss with officials whether in the Egyptian government or the
Arab League," the official added. Beirut, 22 Oct 09, 08:36
Open debate
Hazem Saghieh ,
October 21, 2009
Now Lebanon
Lebanese who sincerely support their country’s independence recognize the many
setbacks [this cause] has steadily undergone, setbacks which have stripped
previous victories [in the cause] of their meaning. They also acknowledge their
adversary’s zeal and his preparedness to carry on to the very end and pay any
price whatsoever to prevent pro-independence and sovereignty designs from
achieving victory. Furthermore, they recognize the role that regional and
international actors, who endorse schemes which would deny Lebanon its
independence and sovereignty, play. With this in mind, pro-independence Lebanese
should establish a wide-reaching and ongoing workshop to lay out the
responsibilities that they themselves have had in bringing about these setbacks
and, from there, try to come up with a set of guidelines which would prevent,
[even] in the case of shifting regional and international circumstances,
repetition of such regression.
The following text is an effort to present some major themes and questions which
would be deserving of broad discussion and review in such a forum:
-Why has reliance upon regional and international actors, which events have
revealed to be unstable and unreliable, reached such great extents? To what
extent is this reliance the product of an underdeveloped, simple-minded
mentality toward understanding the world?
-Why, within the framework of this reliance, have Lebanese pro-independence
forces been unable – or rather, why have they shown such little effort – to
pursue more radical stances which would reassure [sympathetic] regional and
international forces and would encourage their further commitment to Lebanon’s
independence and sovereignty?
-Why has a serious nationalist consciousness, a consciousness which rises above
sectarian identities, never been developed within the March 14 coalition, which
has thus far remained, as events have confirmed, a fragile collection of sects
and political parties? If achieving such a consciousness had been possible, it
would have applied added pressure upon sectarian leaders and would have
prevented such leaders from being able to disrupt March 14’s unanimity.
Furthermore, is it possible to develop such a consciousness divorced from the
widely variant rhetoric of each sect concerning Lebanon’s many issues and their
differing interpretations of Lebanon’s modern history?
-Why have March 14 forces not succeeded in reaching out to the Shia community
and attracting any significant constituency within it? Moreover, why have they
not even tried (after the infamous Quadripartite Alliance played its major role
in that regard), instead only making shallow and ceremonial overtures?
One could add many more themes and questions to the ones above. However, two
things remain certain: First, it is the end of era. More precisely, the
capabilities and effectiveness of the activities of that era have ended, and to
keep walking that line would be to continuously run into the same setbacks.
Secondly, given what we are currently experiencing in this unsure time, it is
necessary to give greater precedence to cultural issues at the expense of purely
political ones (or so-called political ones). In this context, it has become
urgent to call for open debate.
Samir Geagea
October 21, 2009
On October 20, the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) carried the
following report:
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea revealed in an interview with Al-Arabiya
television that there was “some sort of optimism over the formation of the
government. However, I do not know if this optimism is a final step or a mere
step forward. Therefore, we should wait to see how things will proceed during
the coming days.
The ministerial statement cannot feature any article that goes against
Resolution 1701, since we should take the international resolutions into
consideration and base our statement on them. Anything else would not serve
Lebanon.
The best means for the time being is to defend Lebanon and its South at the
lowest cost is Resolution 1701. It is the responsibility of the Lebanese state
to see to the implementation and non-violation of this resolution, especially
since Israel is currently undermining it.
Lebanon is now in the eye of the storm in the context of the talks with Iran and
the development of international relations with Syria. This is due to the fact
that the major confrontation for the time being is between Iran, Israel and the
West, in addition to the silent confrontation between Iran and certain Arab
countries.
The government formation was delayed until now because the president of the
republic and the prime minister-designate insisted on the formation of a
national-unity government. This allowed Hezbollah and its allies to benefit from
this insistence to achieve greater gains for their allies in the domestic and
foreign arenas, namely Syria and Iran, which is why we saw a small breakthrough
following King Abdullah’s visit to Syria.
The Telecommunications Ministry will not go to Hezbollah and its allies and the
real problem neither resides in the appointment of losers in the parliamentary
elections nor in the Telecom Ministry. The real confrontation between the March
14 team and Hezbollah and its allies is over the management of the country,”
saying that the solution in Lebanon is always based on the “no winners and no
losers” formula.
He also announced that the Interior Ministry will not go to the Free Patriotic
Movement, seeing as how “this is a key ministry which will be part of the
president’s share along with the Defense ministry. Hezbollah will thus get the
Foreign Ministry, and March 14 [will get] the Finance Ministry.”
Asked about the gains achieved by the opposition after such a long wait, he
said: “It gained the appointment of Gebran Bassil as a minister.
Today, we are focusing on the formation of the government and the contacts
revolving around it. The dialogue sessions will therefore not be resumed before
the formation,” indicating that the outcome of the last elections entailed
change at the level of the balance of power and certain people, which was why it
was necessary to reconsider this issue.
“Hezbollah is not only engaged in political action since its priority is
military and security action as part of the greater Iranian scheme. Moreover,
this party is a key part of the Islamic revolution in Iran, which is why any
escalation affecting the confrontation between the Iranian Islamic revolution
and an Arab, international or regional team, will have repercussions on the
South in light of Hezbollah’s security and military presence in it. The fate of
the Lebanese people is now linked to unknown regional and
international developments.
The West is dealing with the Iranian nuclear armament as an important strategic
issue for Iran. This is a mistake since its importance is existential and
historic, especially since the Family of the Prophet is trying to regain
succession [rights] by supporting the main causes of the Muslims, namely the
Palestinian cause,” adding that Iran was trying to show some leniency in the
ongoing negotiations to gain time and alleviate the pressures exerted on it.
“I hope I am wrong, but I think there is not a power in the world that can
convince the Iranians to relinquish their military weapons because that is the
only way for the Family of the Prophet to regain its status.”Regarding the
upholding of March 14 and March 8 following the government formation, Geagea
said, “They will remain because they are not mere political gatherings. They
represent two political projects and two different visions for Lebanon.
Therefore, no matter how much the political forces were to move from this to
that position, the projects of March 14 and March 8 will be upheld. General Aoun
was the founder of March 14 and a key part in it. Suddenly he moved to the other
team, but did March 14 end? Some forces may leave, but this team’s project will
continue. Both teams mark the continuation of the Lebanese division over the
vision for Lebanon. This existed in 1958 under the slogan of the Lebanese
identity on the one hand and Pan-Arabism on the other.”
Jundallah in the Face of Hezbollah
Wed, 21 October 2009
Mostafa Zein
Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein wagered throughout the years of war with
Iran on the implosion of the situation between nationalism and ethnicities. The
official Iraqi protocol used the expression Iranian ‘peoples’ instead of
‘people’. Saddam provided shelter, weapons, and training to the People’s
Mojahedin while awaiting the day he would set up a pro-Saddam regime in Tehran.
However, this day never came. All of Iraq became pro-Tehran. The strongest
movement among the opposition factions both on the domestic and foreign levels
became a group of persecuted refugees.
The Jundallah attacks against the Unity Gathering are not an achievement of
Saddam’s dream, or rather are not so till now. The attack, which targeted the
meeting organized by the Revolutionary Guards leaders for initiating a
reconciliation between the leaders of Sunni and Shiite tribes, confirms the bad
condition of the situation that is still heavily controlled. But it took place
on the eve of the meeting of Iranian, American, and European officials for
following up the nuclear file, and it is feared that the attack will affect this
meeting, after Tehran expressed some leniency in the previous meeting.
It is obvious that those harmed by this new Iranian trend were behind the
incident in order to push the Islamic Republic to be more extremist and keep the
sword of sanctions hanging above its head. The extremism appeared in the primary
reaction of the Iranian officials as soon as the incident took place. Speaker of
Iranian parliament Ali Larinjani accused the United States and Britain to be
behind the operation and said that President Barack Obama “has said he will
extend his hand towards Iran, but with this terrorist action he has burned his
hand.”
However, on the other hand, this event could lead to widening the scope of
negotiations between both parties in order to include regional security, and
hence Pakistan, which is directly involved by what is taking place at its
borders. It is waging a broad campaign on “its Taliban” and needs to coordinate
with its neighbors, just as it coordinates with Washington and NATO.
Iran was able to coexist with all the wars that raged in neighboring
Afghanistan, since the United States held an alliance with the Mujahideen for
fighting the Soviet Union until after the end of this alliance and the wars that
consumed its leaders as well as Taliban’s access to power with the support of
Islamabad… up to the US-NATO invasion of Afghanistan and the continuous
Pakistani military campaign against the movement and its supporters among the
tribes – all this in addition to coexisting with Bush’s threats. However,
throughout all this time, i.e. since thirty years, the regime was not faced with
a threat such as the one it faces today. Domestically, there is a peaceful
opposition movement led by some symbols of the Islamic revolution. There is also
an armed opposition announced by the Sunni Jundullah, who demand
self-government, according to their leader Abdulmalek Rigi. The borders with
Afghanistan and Pakistan, which constituted an area for smuggling drugs
fortified against Taliban and Al Qaeda is no longer fortified. There are those
who violate it, raising high the flag of sectarian tribalism in the face of
another sectarian flag. Jundullah is in a confrontation with Hezbollah, and
between them and in their shadow are divided bickering peoples. It is feared
that their wars will extend to other countries.
School book calling Hizbullah terrorists banned
By The /Daily Star
Thursday, October 22, 2009
BEIRUT: A leading school in Lebanon was forced to remove pages from a history
book said to describe Hizbullah as a terrorist organization after a Cabinet
minister from the group complained, the state-run National News Agency (NNA)
reported Tuesday.
Hizbullah, which has fought Israel for more than two decades, is considered a
resistance movement in Lebanon and rejects being labeled a terrorist group. It
is active in the country’s politics and holds one seat in the cabinet and 11 in
the 128-member Parliament. Hizbullah also provides social services and runs
schools and clinics. The textbook has been used for seven years by Beirut’s
International College, a secondary school, said its president, John Johnson,
according to the NNA.
The book, “Modern World History,” is printed in the United States, the daily As-Safir
reported. The US has branded Hizbullah a terrorist group. The newspaper said the
book is taught to 8th grade students. On Sunday, Labor Minister Mohammad Fneish,
a Hizbullah member, complained about the book and called on the Education
Ministry to take action against schools teaching it and remove it from the
approved curriculum.
The education minister met with the school’s president Tuesday to discuss the
book, the state news agency reported. It quoted Johnson as saying the pages
concerned were removed from the book.
Hizbullah’s Al-Manar TV station said that the book described Hizbullah and the
Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad as terrorist organizations.
NNA quoted Johnson as saying during Tuesday’s meeting that the school does not
have a particular political position and does not teach the Arab-Israeli
conflict.
The International College was founded in 1891 in Smyrna, Turkey, and moved to
Beirut in 1936. It shares its main campus with the American University of
Beirut. It has 4,200 foreign and Lebanese students, including 800 at a second
campus north of the capital. Officials from the school could not be reached for
comment. – AP, with The Daily Star
Aoun bombshell blows any cabinet advances out of the
water
FPM demands six portfolios, describes reports of progress as false
By Elias Sakr /Daily Star staff
Thursday, October 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Government formation suffered a heavy setback Wednesday as demands made
by Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Michel Aoun pulled the rug from
beneath earlier progress.
Deliberations over the cabinet formation appear as if they would have to be
resumed from scratch as Aoun, in a defiant tone, demanded that his party be
granted six portfolios and be allowed to maintain the five ministries –
including the Telecommunications Ministry – being handled by his Reform and
Change bloc in the current caretaker cabinet.
“[Marada Movement leader] Sleiman Franjieh said he agreed to be granted a state
ministry because he believed it would resolve the cabinet impasse, but the
obstacle lies within all the ministries,” Aoun said.
Aoun stressed that none of the proposals he discussed with Hariri were taken
into consideration as ministries being handled by FPM were the only ones being
subject, in any proposition, to the principle of rotating portfolios.
“We discussed the concept of swapping portfolios, but alternatives proposed to
us were not acceptable,” Aoun said, a reference to substitutes suggested by
Hariri in exchange for Aoun relinquishing his demand for the Telecommunications
Ministry.
The Telecommunications Ministry has been the subject of much debate between the
majority and the opposition, given its significant role in funding the state’s
treasury; as well as its pivotal importance with regard to security issues
related to monitoring phone calls.
“We have not made and will not make any concessions without receiving anything
in return,” he added.
Aoun demanded earlier that his party be assigned a sovereign portfolio if he is
to relinquish his request for the Telecommunications Ministry. Parliamentary
majority officials reiterated Wednesday that sovereign portfolios were not
subject to the principle of rotating ministries among parties.
The four sovereign portfolios include the Finance Ministry (currently handled by
the Future Movement), the Defense and Interior ministries, which are part of the
president’s share, and the Foreign Ministry allotted to the Amal Movement,
headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
Following his bloc’s weekly meeting, Aoun added that he was not aware of the
current discussions by Hariri regarding the distribution of portfolios.
“Everyone is talking about the government in the media and it seems the cabinet
is being formed without my knowledge as if it was a majority cabinet,” Aoun
added.
Aoun also accused the majority of voicing optimism regarding the formation
process so it could later shift the blame on the FPM if negotiations over the
cabinet hit a dead end.
Tackling Hizbullah’s weapons, Aoun said that the party’s arms serve the purpose
of defending Lebanon from foreign aggression and would not be used in the
“domestic arena” except in the case of self defense.
Meanwhile, when asked about the reasons behind Berri’s optimism with regard to
the cabinet-formation despite the apparent deadlock, a source close to the
Speaker told The Daily Star on Wednesday said: “Berri is building his positive
belief based on the optimism voiced by Hariri, since the latter was conducting
the negotiations.”
On Tuesday, Hariri held separate talks with Berri, Progressive Socialist Party
MP Walid Jumblatt and Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea.
LF MP Antoine Zahra said Wednesday that Hariri informed Geagea of the progress
reached during his deliberations with political leaders regarding the
cabinet-formation.
Zahra added that the allotment of sovereign ministries had been finalized as the
Foreign portfolio will be assigned to Berri, the Defense and Interior ministries
to the president, and the Finance Ministry to the Future Movement.
Zahra also stressed that the LF should be granted a service portfolio that
reflects its popular representational size.
Separately and prior to Aoun’s speech, the March 14 secretariat general stressed
Wednesday that further delay in the cabinet-formation would be at the expense of
Lebanon on both economic and security levels.
Following its weekly meeting, the secretariat issued a statement praising the
majority’s “absolute cooperation” with Hariri, as well as the latter’s efforts
to reach an understanding with opposition groups throughout the ongoing positive
discussions.
The secretariat also stressed Lebanon’s effective role in defending itself and
Arab causes as a result of his election as a non-permanent member in the UN
Security Council.
Robert Fisk: End of an era for Lebanon's free press
Once a bastion of journalistic independence, Beirut's newspapers are losing
their edge
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-end-of-an-era-for-lebanons-free-press-1806896.html
Thursday, 22 October 2009
For decades, Lebanese journalism has been applauded as the freest, most
outspoken and most literate in the heavily censored Arab world. Alas, no more.
Beirut's best-read daily has just shed more than 50 staff and LBC, one of the
country's best-known television stations, has just fired three of its most
prominent presenters. The Lebanese media are being hit – like the rest of the
world – by the internet and falling advertising revenues. But this is Lebanon,
where politics is always involved. Is something rotten in the state of the
Lebanese press?
Is it by chance that An Nahar's culture editor – whose supplement campaigned
against assassinated prime minister Rafiq Hariri's plans for rebuilding downtown
Beirut – has been fired after the paper cosied up to the politics of Hariri's
son Saad, now the Lebanese prime minister designate? Is it a coincidence that
the three senior presenters on LBC represented the last supporters of the old
Lebanese Forces (of civil war infamy) still working at the channel?
Neither An Nahar nor LBC are saying anything. But the Lebanese are waiting to
find out which of their more than 20 dailies will be the next to shed staff for
"economic reasons". Will the old lefty As Safir find that it has politically
recalcitrant staff (unlikely) or will the lovely French-language daily L'Orient
Le Jour – whose 18th century French is Royalist rather than Republican – have a
battle with those writers who still love ex-General Michel Aoun, Maronite
Christian ally of the Hizbollah?
The problem is not so much the politics of Lebanon but the feudal state of the
press. You cannot start a newspaper in Beirut – you have to buy an existing
title from someone else. This costs money. So the rich own newspapers. Not much
different, you may say, from the rest of the world. But the system in Lebanon is
archaic; there are families in Beirut who own newspapers but don't publish them
– they are still waiting for a buyer.
As Elias Khoury, the sacked culture editor of An Nahar, a prize-winning novelist
and academic and one of 53 men and women fired by the paper, puts it: "Newspaper
owners were originally journalists – and with capitalism, the system did not
change. Television in this country are not the press – they are propaganda,
owned by confessional groups or parties. It's the papers that are real
journalism."
But "real" journalism is sometimes hard to come by. When the Syrian army was
still in Lebanon, An Nahar was as careful as the rest of the press in making
sure than no boats got rocked. Indeed, when the Syrian military first arrived in
Beirut in 1976, its offices were raided – to make sure that its journalists
realised that they would have to be as compliant as their colleagues on Al-Baath
and Tichrin, those titans of Baathist journalism across the mountains in
Damascus.
But, along with As Safir, An-Nahar had an edge about it. It poached a wonderful
analyst called Jihad Zein from As Safir, and under boss Ghassan Tueni it upheld
independent journalism. "Tueni offered me the cultural supplement," Khoury says,
"and if he was still in control, none of this would have happened." It is now
his granddaughter Nayla who is in charge. Along with Khoury, Edmund Saab,
co-editor in chief, Saha Bahasin and Georges Nassif also lost their jobs. They
were told to collect their dismissal notes from a Lebanese postal official on
the pavement outside the paper's central Beirut office.
"One journalist came to work at 6pm on a Friday – when the postman had left,"
Khoury adds. "He worked the Friday night and on Saturday and Sunday – and read
in our rival paper on Monday that he had been fired! This reveals things about
our work and about Beirut. The formula that our supplement is independent – that
we can say what we want – is no longer acceptable. I didn't fit. My supplement
campaigned against Solidere [in which Rafiq Hariri held 10 per cent of the
shares] and we got journalists and architects to write about how the company was
destroying Ottoman Beirut and saving only the French colonial buildings. No-one
stopped us. I could play the role of a leftist intellectual."
No more. Nayla Tueni's involvement in the majority March 14th movement, led by
Hariri's son Saad – who himself runs a rather dull daily called Al-Mustaqbal –
means An Nahar has taken on a distinctly pro-government flavour.
At the same time, LBC has dismissed three of its best-known journalists,
apparently because they were the final remnant of the Lebanese Forces on the
channel. Diamond Rahme Geagea, Denise Fakhry and Vera Abu Munsif were sacked
along with dozens of fellow staff members, including one woman who was six
months' pregnant, a fact which would normally make her un-dismissable under
Lebanese law. Even the Christian Maronite patriarch, Nasrallah Sfeir, has
expressed his concern.
The Lebanese journalists' union has no mandate to help unemployed writers. "Who
protects the rights of journalists?" L'Orient Le Jour asked last week. In
Lebanon, it seems, the answer is no one.