LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
September 23/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
8:19-21.
Then
his mother and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of
the crowd. He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and
they wish to see you." He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers are
those who hear the word of God and act on it."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
The buffoon of the Syrian
regime/Future News/September
22/09
Lebanon’s shoot-em-up mentality/By:
Ana Maria Luca/Now Lebanon/September
22/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September 22/09
Roed-Larsen
to Bellemare: No Contradiction between International Tribunal and Disarmament-Naharnet
Hariri Kicks Off 5-Day
Parliamentary Consultations on Thursday-Naharnet
Trust in Lebanese financier shakes Hezbollah's image-Reuters
Hezbollah Feels The Heat-Strategy
Page
Taliban Terrorists Let Civilians Foil NATO
Bombs
for Soldiers-Bloomberg
Clarification: Lebanon-Israel story-The
Associated Press
German and Syrian archaeologists find Bronze Age tomb in Syria-Examiner.com
Collusion led to Escape of Roumieh Prisoners from Hospital-Naharnet
Lebanese Army Takes Stringent Measures for Fear of Terror Act against Qabbani-Naharnet
Suleiman off to New York,
Meeting with Obama Possible-Naharnet
Jumblat Bitter over
Berri's Failure to Soften Allies Stances-Naharnet
Lebanese Woman Found
Stabbed to Death at NY Hotel-Naharnet
Contacts Underway to Amend
Decision to Reduce Number of Lebanese Working in Syria Banks-Naharnet
Ashkenazi: Israel Knows
What to Do in Case of War with Hizbullah-Naharnet
Sami Gemayel: Lebanon
Divided between those who Carry Arms and Citizens who Abide by Laws-Naharnet
Suleiman Urges Election
Law Based on Proportional Representation-Naharnet
Hariri to hold “non-traditional”
cabinet deliberations, al-Hayat reports/Now Lebanon
MP.
Abu Faour call says
linking cabinet formation to regional factors disrespects public will/Now
Lebanon
Iran nuclear chief says
new generation of centrifuges built/Now Lebanon
MP. Boutrous
Harb:
Taëf accord needs to be implemented/Future News
Kabbani: Assassination report is
merely rumor/Future News
MP. Sami Gemayel: we commit to laws
not bearing of weapons/Future News
Muslim Man Beheads Christian in Egypt
GMT 9-21-2009
Assyrian International News Agency
Egypt (AINA) -- Osama Araban, a Muslim man riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle,
went on a rampage last week in Egypt, killing 63-year old Coptic Christian Abdo
George Younan, in the village of Bagour, before traveling onwards and stabbing
with intention to kill two other Copts in two different villages, at least 10 km
apart (AINA 9-18-2009).
In the village of Behnay he repeatedly stabbed Coptic shoemaker Adib Boulos
before being stopped by eyewitness Behman Saeed, after whom Osama Araban ran,
leaving the victim behind. Adib suffered a broken scull and lung hemorrhage, and
is still fighting for his life in intensive care unit at Shebin el-Kom Hospital.
Osama Araban then traveled to the village of Mit Afif and stabbed his third
victim, Sobhy Barsum, a blacksmith. He also stabbed his brother Hani Barsum in
the neck -- only to be saved by a co-worker. Hani was also hospitalized.
Osama Araban was arrested the following day.
The funeral procession of Abdo Younan was attended by thousands of Copts, led by
Metropolitan Archbishop Benjamin of Menoufia Diocese and seventeen clergymen.
Hundreds of banners were held, showing the amount of anger and injustice felt by
Copts. Anti State Security chants were heard during the procession, besides
calling on President Mubarak and the government to save the Copts from the hands
of the fundamentalist who are killing them.
This incident which took place on September 16, 2009, has left Copts in Egypt
shocked and angered, not only because attacks against Copts have been
escalating, but because of the way the murder was committed.
The details of the attacks, not told by the media, but exposed by Coptic lawyers
and activists, reveal that 35-year old car painter Osama Araban not only stabbed
Abdo nine times but also by severed his head from his body -- an Islamic ritual
beheading. He then meticulously washed his bayonet with the water hose the
victim was using, before setting off on his motorcycle to the next two villages,
looking for more Coptic victims.
Egyptian State Security, which is in charge of drafting press releases and news
related to Muslim attacks on Christians, decided from the start which route they
wanted the incident to take, and tailor the news accordingly.
In an attempt to influence public opinion for the forthcoming acquittal of the
Muslim killer, the media reported that the reason for the killing was a
"material dispute."
Renowned attorney and activist Dr.Naguib Ghoraeel, head of Egyptian Union Human
Rights Organization, issued a press release on September 17, calling the crime a
massacre, and confirming that what happened was revenge against Christians. He
accused the Interior Ministry of lying I suggesting the incident "is a mere
quarrel," and warned them that no one will believe that the murderer is
"mentally unstable," should they use this defense.
Ghoraeel accused the police of seriously tampering with evidence, by insisting
on the body being removed by ambulance. "Investigators came to a scene without a
body, and then went to inspect the body in another place," he said.
Many lawyers believe that this step was taken in order to reduce the judicial
verdict down to manslaughter.
According to Copts United Advocacy, Reverend Estephanos Azer, the priest at St.
Serapium Church in neighboring Shebin el Kom, condemned the authorities and
media fabrications when dealing with cases of Muslims killing Christians. He
denied any financial dealings between the victim and his killer.
"I hope that the authorities would respect our intelligence. The media treats us
as a herd of sheep. We refuse that completely. We have logic and can think." He
went on to voice what all Copts are saying that with every attack on Copts, the
incident has to have one of two scenarios: either the killer is "mentally
deranged," or the incident is due to a "material dispute."
Taken the criticism the State Security received regarding their usual scenarios,
they have now decided to take a completely different route, never used before.
The pro-government newspaper "Youm 7" reported that Obdo Younan "Insulted Islam"
and the killer therefore decided to take revenge by killing him. This news was
picked up by other news agencies.
Following this murder, Coptic shopkeepers in Bagour, Manufiya province,
north-west of Cairo, are terrified to open their shops. "I am a watchmaker, How
can I work when I feel that if I look down, someone might jump on me and behead
me," a shopkeeper told Free Copts.
George Abdo, son of the slain victim, believes that a radical Islamic
organization is behind the incident. "For whose benefit is all this government
misleading information?" he said, "we want justice nothing more." George said
that by appeasing the radicals at the expense of the Copts, the government is
giving them a green light to do as they please with the Copts. "Pressure on
Copts will lead to explosion sooner or later. We are unable to live this way; we
have nothing to loose," he warned.
In an interview with Free Copts, lawyer activist Ashraf Ghobrial, one of the
organizers of the Coptic National Strike on September 11, called on President
Mubarak to personally intervene to ensure the safety of Coptic citizens. He said
"I am saying there must be someone behind the killer. We ask the State Security
to look for the terrorist cell behind him. If they don't, this incident will
happen again and again, in different parts of the country. We want the State
Security to protect us, all what they do is spy on us."
No Muslim has ever been sentenced justly for killing a Copt. Consequently, the
Egyptian Government's manipulation of facts is not to save the Copt's murderer
from a just punishment, but more to save its face in front of the Western world
for being blatantly unjust towards the Coptic victim, given that Egypt is a
member of the UN Human Rights Council which is responsible for the protection of
human rights around the globe.
By Mary Abdelmassih
This item is available as: html
Copyright (C) 2009, Assyrian International News Agency. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use.
Suleiman off to New York,
Meeting with Obama Possible
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman left for New York Tuesday to attend the U.N.
General Assembly meeting. Suleiman will address the General Assembly at 11am on
Friday (6pm local time). He is expected to announce Lebanon's fundamental
positions on the Middle East peace process, uphold the Palestinian right of
return, in addition to other topics like renewing a call to promote Lebanon as
the international center for interfaith and cultural dialogue. Suleiman is
expected to return home right after delivering his speech. Beirut, 22 Sep 09,
12:11
Roed-Larsen to Bellemare: No Contradiction between Tribunal and Disarmament
Naharnet/Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare met in recent
weeks with Special U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen in The Hague, sources close to
Bellemare said in remarks published by the daily al-Akhbar on Tuesday. The
sources said talks tackled the intersection of information relating to the
implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and Resolution 1559.Al-Akhbar
quoted Bellemare sources as stressing that the U.N. prosecutor has maintained
strict confidentiality in criminal investigations in the murder of ex-Premier
Rafik Hariri and related crimes. An STL official did not rule out that Roed-Larsen
would put forward questions for Bellemare concerning his meeting at the Justice
Palace in Beirut with a Hizbullah official prior to his departure from Lebanon.
Al-Akhbar said Lebanese officers who had maintained contact with the U.N.
investigation committee stressed that the probe has reached a possible link
between the communications network which had been uncovered by Lebanese
intelligence during the early stages of the investigation and a person said to
be linked to Hizbullah. It went on to say, citing one investigator, that the
alleged Hizbullah person traveled to Syria and from there to Iraq before he went
missing. It said Lebanese security services have gathered data on the suspect,
but "quitted the dossier following the assassination of one of the officers in
an explosive device," according to a senior security official. Beirut, 22 Sep
09,
Sami Gemayel: we commit to laws
not bearing of weapons
Date: September 21st, 2009/Source: Free Lebanon
Lawmaker Sami Gemayel pointed Monday that the Lebanese people are divided into
two categories: the first believes it has the right to bear weapons, declare
peace and war and negotiate with states and a category that commits to laws and
asks for protection from the state. “We are the second category,” asserted MP
Gemayel and pointed that the concept of consensual democracy was created to
render results of parliamentary elections ineffective. “Those who win the
majority must negotiate with the minority over demands regarding government
formation,” Gemayel stressed. He indicated that Lebanon is witnessing a state of
confusion in political concepts and assured that “no political force has the
right to benefit from freedom and democracy to impose a certain ruling system
the Lebanese people obey under intimidation and threats.”
Hariri to hold “non-traditional” cabinet deliberations, al-Hayat reports
September 22, 2009 /Now Lebanon/Al-Hayat newspaper reported on Tuesday that
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri will hold “non-traditional” cabinet
deliberations with parliamentary blocs and independent MPs starting from
Thursday and lasting until Tuesday. According to the Al-Hayat, deliberations
will not have time limits and instead will be lengthy enough to allow thorough
negotiations, in which parliamentary blocs can express their views. Hariri will
not just address general themes in the deliberations, but also tackle details,
the newspaper reported. The source added that Hariri hopes to avoid the
obstacles and conditions that beset his first tenure as PM-designate. An
unidentified MP told the daily that Hariri wants to dedicate an hour of every
meeting for parliamentary blocs and half an hour for independent MPs in order to
determine their demands on representation in the cabinet.
Abu Faour call says linking cabinet formation to regional factors disrespects
public will
September 22, 2009 /Now Lebanon/Minister of State Wael Abu Faour said during a
dinner hosted by the Progressive Scouts on Monday that linking regional factors
to cabinet formation disrespects public will, adding that the Lebanese voted for
their MPs to preserve their interests, not that of any outside power. Abu Faour
also said that all political parties, especially those obstructing cabinet
formation, must demonstrate that they are eager to protect Lebanon and its
future.
Iran nuclear chief says new generation of centrifuges built
September 22, 2009 /Now Lebanon/AFP/The chief of Iran's Atomic Energy
Organization Ali Akbar Salehi said on Tuesday that the scientists of the Islamic
republic have managed to build new generation of high capacity centrifuges. "Our
scientists have built new generation of centrifuges and cascades with 10
centrifuges each are now being tested," Salehi was quoted as saying by the
official IRNA news agency. He said the new generation of centrifuges can enrich
uranium with "more than five times the output capacity" of the earlier standard
centrifuges and that Iran "plans to raise this capacity to 10 times." In April,
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had announced that Iran was testing two
kinds of new generation centrifuges.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency's June report Iran has
installed more than 7,000 uranium-enriching centrifuges at its enrichment plant
in Natanz.
Iran and the world powers are at loggerheads over Tehran's decision to continue
enriching uranium, the process which can generate the raw material to make an
atomic bomb.
Tehran and six world powers are set to hold talks on October 1 over Iran's
latest package of proposals aimed at allaying global concerns over its nuclear
program.
Lebanon’s shoot-em-up mentality
Ana Maria Luca,
Now Lebanon , September 22, 2009
The man in the red T-shirt carried a bag with two cans of beer in it. He went up
the stairs to his cozy office in Chiyyah. He wanted to celebrate the deal. He
had just sold three Kalashnikov machine guns for $700 each. His storage room was
now empty. “In Lebanon, if you buy 1 million guns, you sell 1 million guns.
There is no security, and people want to be able to defend themselves,” he told
NOW. “All parties, Christian or Muslim, have weapons now. They are all buying
again,” he said. The gun dealer, a militia member during the civil war, said he
was satisfied with his trade. The government void,sparring political parties,
sectarian rivalry and shootouts in mixed neighborhoods such as Aisha Bakkar and
Tariq al-Jdeideh are all factors that contribute to the success of his business.
He buys smuggled weapons from Palestinian camps and resells them, around 15
pieces a month in insecure times like these. Kalashnikovs, M 16s, 7 MMs, RPGs;
“everything and anything sells,” he said. He has been doing especially well
since the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, he said.
“The prices went skyrocketing after Hariri died.” For instance, he said, a
Kalashnikov was $50 before February 2005. Now the price is up to $700. An M16
went from $100 to $1,200, a Smith and Wesson from $40 to $500, a type fourteen
pistol from $500 to $1,500, and a 7mm from $200 to $700. “The small guns you use
in civil war, in internal fighting,” he noted.
The Lebanese gun mentality
There are few households without a gun in Lebanon. Around 2 million guns are on
the loose in the country judging by the population and the reach of the black
market, according to Fadi Abi Allam, president of the Permanent Peace Movement,
an NGO advocating against the proliferation of illegal small arms in Lebanon.
“It’s just estimation; it’s difficult to count them,” he told NOW. "The problem
is mainly in the villages," he said. “Ninety percent of the people there are
armed. In the cities it is closer to 50%. Therefore, there is a high possibility
that we use guns in our simple daily conflicts.”But separating people from their
guns is not as simple as removing the firearms from the market. Guns are part of
the Lebanese mentality, Abi Allam said. “Guns are commodities to satisfy our
security needs. When there is a lack of trust in the government’s ability to
provide security, we have to take care of our own protection. And if you have
weapons available everywhere, you get addicted to them.” Some Lebanese do go
legal. They buy rifles from the numerous shops specializing in hunting weapons,
the only ones civilians can legally possess in Lebanon. Marwan, 30, is one of
them. He says he needs his rifle because he goes hunting every week, but he also
feels safer having it around in case of emergency to protect his house and his
family. “I wouldn’t kill anybody, but I would shoot his leg or threaten the
attacker,” he said. He wouldn’t call the police either. “They take hours to
reach the incident anyway, and then they never catch anybody,” he said.
But many Lebanese rely on the black market for their weapons purchases. Bassam,
24, got his new M16 as a present from his father. It is his new toy, he said; he
even lets his eight-year old cousin play with it and has taught him how to hold
it. “I’m so excited about it. I want to use it to defend Lebanon against our
enemies. And to defend my house, of course.”
Bassam says he’s heard “all of the useless talk” about not letting children play
with guns. “But we are in the middle of a war here!”
The loopholes in the law
The root cause of the illegal gun trade in Lebanon is that there is no single
authority to snuff out the many channels through which illegal weapons have been
entering the country since the civil war, according to Abi Allam. Also, “There
are many loopholes in Lebanese law. For example, you can legalize somebody’s gun
once he has it, but you can’t legalize a dealer. There is no license to import
guns. Plus, if you go to turn in an inherited gun from your father, you’re
risking being put in jail.”
Corruption is another factor. “The way you issue a license is again blurry.
People have papers for Kalashnikovs, although the law does not allow it.”
Legalizing gun ownership is the only way to find out how big the problem is in
Lebanon, Abi Allam said. “Why not give amnesty to people who want to give their
guns away? Give them information on where to go and what to do. And we also need
to know what happens to the confiscated weapons. The process needs to be more
transparent.”
Peace is “no profit”
But it seems nobody is willing to give up a gun in times like these, when there
is no formal government and tension on the streets can boil over into fighting
with one shot.
This means good business for the arms dealer, whose profits tumble in peaceful
times. But peace is never going to happen, he said. “When you have Israel close
by, you’ll never have peace. And if there is a conflict between Sunnis and Shia
in Iraq, there will be one in Lebanon too.”
But being a gun dealer is not an easy occupation. “There is friction between the
people in the business. Rivals turn each other in to the police; some get
arrested and the guns get confiscated. They go to jail for three years.” But he
says he’s not afraid. “Where would they take me? I have my boys inside. Even if
they put me in Roumieh Prison, I can still get everything I want inside. I can
still sell guns from prison and have my phone and my whiskey. What is there to
be afraid of?”
The buffoon of the Syrian regime
Date: September 22nd, 2009
Future News/The predictions of the Syrian regime’s buffoon that no government
would be formed in Lebanon before 2010, is an alarming bell. This buffoon is
more candid than all the political realities, and the most rational of all the
rules of political logic, analysis and Sciences.
To prove that the prophesies of the “Syrian buffoon” have always been accurate,
we shall remind of what he had heralded in the past starting from the May 7
bloody events to the incidences on 23 and 25 January or what was dubbed
"peaceful sit-ins," which left dozens of Lebanese dead or seriously wounded.
It should be noted that the Syrian buffoon’s prophesy indicates two realities:
it is either he enjoys a supernatural divine blessing or he is precisely aware
of the back scene talks that take place in the black rooms of Damascus
countryside. However the latter remains a plausible analysis that the brain of a
sane human being would be able to digest.
The predictions of the Syrian buffoon on the date of the formation of the
forthcoming Lebanese government is tantamount to the “calm before the storm,”
and also reflect that the intentions of the Syrian regime towards Lebanon have
been the same whether in terms of the International Tribunal (STL), or its
ongoing attempts to re-extend its authority over the Lebanese territories and
people or in a more sophisticated word, its hegemony and tutelage over the
country.
The Syrian buffoon and the “Hand puppet” behind it as well as all its eloquent
are totally unaware that the country can no longer tolerate this dramatic
situation. Those are turning a blind eye that the storyteller’s predictions are
imbedded messages of intimidation and threats, and are a fertile ground for
security tribulations that no Lebanese official would accept especially Prime
Minister designate Saad Hariri, who stressed on the importance of maintaining
calm and dialogue within the constitutional and legal principles. In turn,
Hizbullah’s Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also warned of the
consequences of the tension and recklessness. In this case, the more imperative
question is: Who is more plausible, the buffoon of the Syrian regime, or the
political facts on the Lebanese arena and the adamant calls of its officials? In
the meantime and until we get the answer, the Lebanese must be completely aware
that any ruthless adventure would be priceless.
Hariri Kicks Off 5-Day
Parliamentary Consultations on Thursday
Naharnet/Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri will put parliamentary
consultations back on track, but this time the majority leader intends to engage
in a meaningful, lengthy dialogue rather than negotiation or debate.
Parliament's Secretariat General issued a statement Tuesday confirming that
Hariri will launch five-day parliamentary consultations on Thursday.
Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said earlier Tuesday that Hariri, who is scheduled to
return from Saudi Arabia on Thursday, was preparing to launch ever-wider round
of parliamentary consultations which are unparalleled in the history of
government formations in Lebanon, given that they grant blocs longer time than
the traditional period for hearing the demands.
Hariri has extended binding parliamentary consultations, which are expected to
kick off on Thursday for six more days until next Tuesday, excluding Sunday.
Parliamentary sources told al-Hayat that Hariri tends to allocate one hour for
each parliamentary bloc and 30 minutes for independent lawmakers, as the
premier-designate believes that the time factor contributes to the exploration
of attitudes for what they are. They said Hariri is determined to engage in
"open and honest dialogue" that would tackle various issues, including the
sensitive ones to be able to lay a new foundation for negotiations based on the
parliamentary blocs' clarity in their demands. Talks this time will tackle
issues in depth, unlike the previous round of consultations where MPs had to
answer two questions regarding ministerial portfolios and names, the sources
added. Meanwhile, MP Boutros Harb said in a television interview late Monday
that consultations will rather be "dialogue sessions, meaning that the
traditional time given for each bloc exceeds the normal time allowed for each
bloc."
"This will lead for longer delays in Cabinet formation," Harb explained. Beirut,
22 Sep 09, 08:19
Collusion led to Escape of Roumieh Prisoners from Hospital
Naharnet/Press reports on Tuesday said "collusion" led to the escape of two
inmates from Naufal hospital in Beirut where they were being treated. Prisoners
Hisham Ali Wehbe and Ali Hussein al-Sahili, who are facing several judicial
rulings issued against them, escaped from the hospital at 4:00 am Monday. Press
reports said the inmates, who were being treated on the hospital's fourth floor,
scaled down the building using blankets tied together. They said saw blades were
used for cutting bars off their hospital room window. A number of corrupt prison
officers have apparently facilitated the escape of Wehbe and Sahili. The daily
an-Nahar said Tuesday that preliminary reports showed that there was a
conspiracy behind their escap.
It said Police have arrested four officers in charge of guarding the prisoners.
Police, however, freed the doctor on duty pending investigation. Beirut, 22 Sep
09, 13:16
Lebanese Army Takes Stringent Measures for Fear of Terror
Act against Qabbani
Naharnet/Grand Sunni Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani played down a report
of an assassination attempt against his life. Qabbi stressed that the report
"comes within the framework of efforts to disrupt the political and
constitutional functions in Lebanon." The report, published by the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa
newspaper, said Lebanese intelligence disrupted an assassination attempt on
Qabbani that was to take place on the first day of Eid el-Fitr on Sunday. It
said that according to information obtained by the Lebanese intelligence, the
assassination was intended to be done by means of a suicide operation inside
Mohammed al-Amin Mosque during the Eid prayers. In remarks published by the
daily an-Nahar on Tuesday, Qabbani said al-Anbaa report also aimed at "spreading
fear among citizens as well as destabilizing security and stability in
Lebanon."Meanwhile, a security source told an-Nahar that security forces took
"precautionary measures" around mosques and religious centers during Eid el-Fitr
"to prepare for any emergency situation." He said the Lebanese army command took
Dar al-Fatwa's permission for tightening security measures around a number of
spiritual and political leaders taking part in Eid prayers, in addition to
clearing the streets leading to the mosque of vehicles. Among the security
measures was searching worshipers entering the mosque for fear of an
infiltration attempt by one or more terrorists who could be wearing an explosive
belt.
As-Safir newspaper, for its part, quoted a well-informed Lebanese military
source as saying that the army command has received information about a possible
terrorist attack against by a fundamentalist group against participants in the
Eid prayers at Mohammed al-Amin mosque in downtown Beirut. Beirut, 22 Sep 09,
09:53
Jumblat Bitter over Berri's Failure to Soften Allies
Stances
Naharnet/Druze leader Walid Jumblat is annoyed at the stubbornness of certain
political leaders, particularly Speaker Nabih Berri who failed to convince his
allies in the Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition of the need to soften their
stances vis-à-vis formation of a new government. Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, citing
parliamentary sources quoting March 8 officials, said Hizbullah could have tried
to persuade its ally, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel to change his stance
and be more humble in his demands, rather than insisting on impossible-to-meet
demands.
The sources said Jumblat has launched an attempt to reshuffle the political
cards, thinking that political circumstances were ripe for the establishment of
a centrist political bloc that does not distinguish between the Opposition and
the majority March 14 forces. They said Jumblat distant himself from his
Christian allies in the March 14 coalition without prior warning and nearly
entered into a political clash with his strategic ally Saad Hariri before
realizing the situation he was in and correcting the misunderstanding that
surfaced during his "explosive" Aug. 2 speech before the general assembly of his
Progressive Socialist Party. The sources said Berri took positive signals
launched by Jumblat, but failed to succeed in persuading his ally, Hizbullah,
from taking a similar position. The sources added that Berri's insistence on
silence does not allow him to fully adopt Aoun's demands, especially since this
adoption came before entering a dispute with Hariri that was followed by a
declaration that he was stepping down as prime minister-designate. Beirut, 22
Sep 09, 08:50
Lebanese Woman Found Stabbed to Death at NY Hotel
Naharnet/The nude body of Lebanese-born Andree Bejjani has been found on the
10th floor of a posh hotel next to Central Park in New York strangled with a
knife sticking from her neck, police said. Longtime hotel housekeeping manager
Derrick Praileu, 29, has been arrested in connection to the death. Charges are
pending against Praileu, who was arrested hours after the body of 44-year-old
Bejjani was found Saturday afternoon at the luxury Manhattan hotel. Police say a
maid found Bejjani face down on the kitchen floor in a condo at the hotel. She
was naked, with her throat slashed and a knife sticking out of it. The 44-story
hotel is on the Central Park's southern edge. The art deco landmark opened in
1931 and has 509 luxury rooms and suites as large as 2,500 square feet. Bejjani
had moved to New York from Dubai, and had been staying in a residential
condominium at the Jumeirah Essex House since August.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 22
Sep 09, 10:45
Contacts Underway to Amend Decision to Reduce Number of Lebanese Working in
Syria Banks
Naharnet/Contacts are underway between Lebanese bank officials and Syrian
authorities to amend a decision to decrease the number of Lebanese or non-Syrian
staff at Lebanese bank branches in the neighboring country, Ad-Diyar daily
reported Tuesday. The newspaper said the decision to reduce the staff from 10%
to 3% will be implemented starting end of this year.
The move came amid reports that Syrian authorities announced that Arab and
western banks operating in Syria should increase their capitals from around 30
million dollars to 150 million dollars. According to the decision, new banks
will have to up their capitals to 300 million dollars. Ad-Diyar said several
Lebanese banks that have branches in Syria are facing difficulties in the
implementation of the decision. The daily added that contacts are underway
between Lebanese bank officials and Syrian authorities to look into the
possibility of amending the decision. Beirut, 22 Sep 09, 13:26
Ashkenazi: Israel Knows What to Do in Case of War with Hizbullah
Naharnet/Israeli army chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said Monday that
the military underwent significant improvements since the 2006 war with
Hizbullah and "has the answer" to any future conflict. "Since the Second Lebanon
War, we have done an all encompassing review of the possibility we may need to
fight again in the North. We understand what we need to do next time and the IDF
has the answer," Ashkenazi told Army Radio in a question and answer session. "It
is a strong and high quality military, and I trust it," he stressed.
Ashkenazi added, however, that it was not in Hizbullah's interest to start a new
conflict. "We are monitoring closely what is happening inside of Lebanon.
Hizbullah continues to become stronger," he said. Turning to Iran, the general
said the best way to deal with Tehran's nuclear threat is sanctions. "If
(sanctions don't work), Israel has the right to defend itself, and all means can
be used to achieve this," Ashkenazi added. About a U.N. report on Israel's
winter offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the general said the document
was "biased and unbalanced." Referring to Richard Goldstone, the South African
prosecutor who wrote the report, the Israeli military chief told Army Radio: "He
ignored Hamas (rocket) fire. As the one who planned the operation, I say that we
have a moral army; we did everything we could to lessen the harm to
noncombatants."
Beirut, 21 Sep 09, 16:59
Lebanon: Back to Square One?
Washington DC - September 22, 2009 (David Schenker - Washington Institute) --
On September 10, after seventy-three days of trying to formulate a government,
Lebanon's prime minister designate, Saad Hariri, resigned his mandate. Although
Hariri's pro-West March 14 coalition secured a parliamentary majority in June
elections -- and with it the right to govern -- the Hizballah-led minority
rejected the cabinet he submitted to President Michel Suleiman. Now that March
14 has reelected Hariri as its candidate for premier, the stage is set for yet
another showdown with Hizballah and its allies. As the process drags on, both
Hizballah and March 14 are hardening their positions. Meanwhile, Syria, via the
regime-controlled press, is hinting at a return to violence in Beirut. Today, on
the nineteenth anniversary of the Taif Accords, which ended the civil war,
Lebanon again stands on the precipice.
Background
After the March 14 coalition secured a majority -- 71 of 120 parliamentary seats
-- in the June 7 elections, President Suleiman offered Saad Hariri the mandate
to form a government. Throughout the summer, Hariri met continuously with his
coalition allies and opposition leaders from Hizballah, Amal, and Michel Aoun's
Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), to work out an acceptable formula for a national
unity cabinet.
Negotiations were extremely complicated. Not only did Hariri want to placate his
March 14 partners, he was committed to ensuring that Hizballah's March 8
alliance did not realize its demand for a "blocking third" -- one third plus one
of the cabinet seats -- which would provide the opposition with the ability to
stymie major initiatives and bring down the government at will. Hariri's efforts
were further complicated by leading coalition partner, Druze leader Walid
Jumblatt, who -- in an apparent shift -- opined during an August 3 speech that
his political alliance with March 14 "cannot continue."
In attempting to form his cabinet, Hariri adopted a formula -- fifteen seats for
the majority, ten for the opposition, and five for the president -- which, on
the face of it, would denude the opposition of the blocking third. At the same
time, Hariri indicated that he would not allow those who did not win parliament
seats in the general elections to become ministers, a decision intended to
preclude former telecommunications minister Jebran Bassil -- the son-in-law and
political heir apparent to Michel Aoun -- from joining the cabinet. Likewise,
Hariri designated all the opposition ministers himself, instead of allocating
the portfolios to opposition parties and allowing them to choose. Hariri
presented his cabinet to President Suleiman on September 7.
Swift Reaction
The opposition declared Hariri's proposed government dead on arrival, claiming,
dubiously, that Hariri's designation of opposition ministers was
unconstitutional. Seemingly more offensive to the March 8 coalition, however,
was Hariri's position that only members of parliament could serve as cabinet
ministers. Aoun -- who had demanded the reinstatement of Bassil as
telecommunications minister -- was particularly incensed that his son-in-law was
shut out, a sentiment echoed by Hizballah deputy secretary general Naim Qassem
when he said on September 10 that ministries were not "prizes given out in
accordance with the parliamentary elections results." Clearly the issue is
personal for Aoun. When the Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir suggested
that the appointment of losing candidates as ministers would "go against the
popular opinion," Aoun accused the cardinal of having joined March 14's leading
Christian party, the Lebanese Forces.
Syria, too, was quick to respond to Hariri's resignation. On September 10, the
regime daily al-Watan reported that Lebanon "had entered a period of
instability" in which the "political vacuum" would be filled by "security
tensions." The paper, which is owned by Syrian president Bashar al-Asad's
cousin, added that it was unlikely a new government would be formed until
December.
Even before Hariri resigned, the Obama administration was sharply critical of
Syrian efforts to undermine government formation in Beirut. In an August
interview with al-Nahar, a "high-ranking U.S. official" -- believed by many to
have been Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman -- told
the Lebanese daily that "The Syrians are mistaken if they think that their
relations with us will not be affected as a result of what they are doing in
Lebanon.... President Obama wants to improve relations with Syria, but it would
be impossible if Syria and its friends in Lebanon continue to cripple the
democratic institutions."
In this context, it came as little surprise that on September 11 -- the day
after Hariri quit -- two Katyusha rockets were fired on Israel from Lebanon,
allegedly by a heretofore unknown al-Qaeda affiliate. More likely, some
speculate, the attack was perpetrated by the Syrian-backed Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine--General Command.
Moving Forward?
That Hariri will have an easier time forming a government his second time around
is doubtful. As Naim Qassem told an audience convened for Iftar (at the
ironically named Fantasy World restaurant) on September 12, "the reasons that
complicated this [government] formulation are the same ones that the new prime
minister designate will face." Knowing that he would be given another chance, it
now seems apparent that Hariri's resignation represented calculated political
theater, a tactic designed to pressure the opposition to make concessions. Now,
although Walid Jumblatt is openly opposing the idea, Hariri is upping the ante,
suggesting that he might not establish the cabinet based on the previously
agreed 15-10-5 seat allocation.
Still, Hizballah and its allies do not appear to be fazed. March 8 has not yet
veered from its demand for a "national unity government" that would provide the
opposition with decisive influence in the decisionmaking process. The opposition
remains confident it can achieve this influence -- the blocking third -- through
the 15-10-5 formula: all that is required is to co-opt one of the president's
five cabinet members, at least one of whom will be Shiite. Given the dynamic,
March 8 is currently focused on trying to lock Hariri into this formula.
Anything short, said Hizballah minister of labor Muhammad Fnaish in an ominous
note, "means the state enters into a dark tunnel."
Hariri and his coalition have held tough so far, refusing to provide concessions
to the minority that essentially would reverse the results of the June
elections. Precedent suggests that the deadlock could last some time; in 1969,
it took nine months for prime minister designate Rashid Karami to form a
government. But Hariri also knows that sooner or later, Hizballah and/or Syria
will likely resort to violence to force concessions from the pro-West coalition.
And while Jumblatt clarified his August comments distancing himself from March
14, he remains an unreliable ally and leaves the coalition weakened.
Conclusion
Prime minister designate Saad Hariri has indicated that he will resume coalition
negotiations after Eid al-Fitr on September 20. Although the talks will take
time, it should become clear in relatively short order whether the direction of
these talks suggests a different outcome than the first round. Ultimately, if
March 14 wants to avoid another Hizballah invasion of Beirut, it may be forced
to accept the 15-10-5 formula. Yet March 14 need not accept all the opposition
demands.
Indeed, the opposition is also playing with a somewhat weakened hand. Although
Hizballah won all the parliamentary seats for which it contended, its FPM allies
performed poorly. Likewise, developments in Tehran and the recent bankruptcy of
Hizballah's chief Lebanese financier have proved deeply embarrassing for the
militia. At a minimum, Hariri has an opportunity to weaken his FPM rivals by
excluding Bassil and relegating Aoun's ministers to peripheral portfolios.
While Lebanese government formulation should be an internal matter, Syria, Iran,
Saudi Arabia, and Egypt are all playing a part, by advising their local allies.
Riyadh and Cairo continue to play a productive role in providing political
support to March 14, but this will probably not be sufficient. If Washington
wants to strengthen its Lebanese allies' position in these negotiations, the
Obama administration will have to bring some pressure to bear on Damascus. As a
first step, the administration should follow through on its August warning,
perhaps by informing the Asad regime of the decision to postpone indefinitely
the posting of a new ambassador to Syria.
Washington has a vested interest in seeing Hariri succeed in establishing a
government not beholden to Hizballah and the FPM. No doubt, it is an ambitious
goal. But given the June 7 election results, the Obama administration, like
Hariri and March 14, should be aiming higher than a return to the status quo in
Beirut.
The Above Bejjani is posted on the following sites: American Chronicle Canada Free Press International Analyst Network