LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
February 18/09
Bible Reading of the
day.
Luke 12/ 8-12
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of
man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denies me before
men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word
against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth
against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto
the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what
thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you
in the same hour what ye ought to say.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters &
Special Reports
General on path with Iran, Syria.
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah 17/02/09
The bloodbath/Future New 17/02/09
Wisdom for Lebanon’s sake/Future
News
17/02/09
Jumblatt's call for restraint offers Lebanon a
chance to recover- The Daily Star 17/02/09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for February 17/09
Murr
Seeks Egyptian Weapons-Naharnet
Baroud:
Failing to Hold Elections Would Be Very Serious-Naharnet
Murr: Our Alliance with Phalange is
'Final'-Naharnet
Syrian
Official: Hariri Assassination Aimed at Nailing Down Syrian-Lebanese Relations-Naharnet
Hariri Meets Mubarak in
Cairo/Future News
Samir Franjieh: To end the Security
squares inside the streets of the Capital/Future News
The cabinet responds to Berry: 90
billion L.L were paid in advance to the Council of the South/Future News
One
Wounded in Hand Grenade Explosion in Beirut-Naharnet
Trial Begins of Abssi, 30 Other Terrorist Suspects-Naharnet
Report: Hariri Murder Suspects to Be Indicted Ahead of Polls-Naharnet
Salloukh Welcomes 'Honest' International Observers to Monitor Elections-Naharnet
Kerry in Beirut Wednesday-Naharnet
Livni: Israel Must Go
Ahead with Peace to Get World Support Against Hizbullah-Naharnet
Murr, Gemayel Seal
Alliance in Private Talks-Naharnet
Suleiman Determined to
Settle Budget Crisis at Thursday's Cabinet Meeting-Naharnet
Nasrallah to Rule if March 14
Rejects Veto Share with March 8 Majority-Naharnet
Hassan Praises Martyrs of
National Duty-Naharnet
New Syrian Catholic patriarch installed in
Lebanon-Catholic News Service
Lebanon arrests man suspected of spying on Hezbollah for Israel-Ha'aretz
LEBANON: Hezbollah threatens to shoot down Israeli jets-Los
Angeles Times
Nasrallah reaches out to rivals, warns Israelis to stay home-Daily
tar
Jumblatt: Lebanese Army arrested Zeineddine's killers-Daily
tar
HRW calls for more steps to undo sectarian stranglehold-Daily
tar
Army picks up Nabatiyeh man accused of spying for Israeli intelligence-Daily
tar
Aoun wants June balloting to take place over two days-Daily
tar
UN Report on Trafficking in
Persons: 'Denial and Neglect Undermine the Fight against Human Trafficking-Daily
tar
Abu Jamra urges Sfeir to stay out of politics-Daily
tar
Russian envoy expresses support for Hariri court-Daily
tar
Army denies abducted MEA man in its custody-Daily
tar
Lebanese should have vote at 18, just like everywhere else - Berri-Daily
tar
Orascom Telecom denies having ventures in Israel-Daily
tar
Study puts Lebanon's 2008 growth at 7 percent but expects slowdown-Daily
tar
General on path with Iran,
Syria
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
EVERY politician has the right to choose his own path, in accordance with his
beliefs provided it is not against the policy of the country. The chosen path
should not also negatively affect the interests of the country and its people.
General Michel Aoun has chosen the path of Syria’s henchmen. He decided to enter
a maze and engage in political nonsense. His actions later matched this
political nonsense, thinking people would take him seriously. The general has
confused reality with the joke. He hides under the ‘garb of justice’ to conceal
his mistakes. However, people are aware of the fact that he is one of Syria’s
henchmen, ready to serve when the need arises, particularly to either instigate
conflicts or call for peaceful existence between the Maronites and Sunnis in
Lebanon to serve the interests of foreign entities.
Aoun acts as the envoy of these entities. Iran controls Hezbollah to achieve its
goals. At some point, it has distanced from Syria due to regional and
international pressure on the affairs of Lebanon. Some parties have rejected
Iran’s interference in the affairs of certain governments in the region. Over
the last few years, we have seen how Iran tried to intervene in the affairs of
other regional nations. We also witnessed how Iran tried to distance itself from
Syria to protect its image in the international community, especially when the
international pressure on Iran mounted.
Aoun is a perfect example of a ‘muhalil’ - Arabic for someone who bends the
rules to get what he wants - in the so-called Iran-Syria divorce, especially
since the separation is not serious and there is a high possibility of
reconciliation between the two countries. The general, with a unique frame of
mind, also envisaged the freedom and independence of Lebanon but deep inside he
also wants to drive the Lebanese political ‘caravan’ in accordance with his
mood.
Today he is Aoun but tomorrow he can be the pharaoh. What really matters for him
is to ensure the movement of all political ‘caravans’ according to his will He
has opted to be the henchman of Iran and Syria in Lebanon, believing these two
nations will always be supportive of his interests. He seems oblivious of the
fact that these countries will prioritize their own interests, resulting in a
continuous cycle of friendship and enmity. Its either he doesn’t understand this
cycle or he doesn’t want to understand it.
Maybe, Aoun thinks that changing the political structure of Syria will lead to
the restructuring of Lebanon and its sectors. He collaborates with the Syrian
internal groups in Lebanon to remove all obstacles against the Syrian regime in
this country. The International Criminal Court, which was supposed to issue a
verdict on those behind the assassination of Rafik Hariri, is one of these
obstacles. The Syrian regime seems bent on eradicating such obstacles due to
fears that the court might issue a decision, which might implicate some Syrian
officials in the assassination case.
Perhaps, the message that Aoun conveyed Sunday to the Lebanese community
regarding the approaching parliamentary elections is an indication of his
attempts to get rid of the obstacles. This message does not mean anything. It
came during the fourth anniversary of Hariri’s assassination and also at a time
when the international court is on the verge of announcing its preparations for
the case. He has chosen the path of the henchmen in Syria. Nobody envies the
general for preferring to serve Syria as well as its messed-up plans in Lebanon.
Some people are blinded by their quest for power to such an extent that they
fail to recognize historical facts and deceive their country.
Email: ahmedjarallah@hotmail.com
The bloodbath
Future News
Date: February 17th, 2009 Source:
The martyrdom of Lutfi Zeineddine raises again the crucial question: When would
the bloodbath in Lebanon stop? Why insist on violence and killings against the
right of free expression?
What happened and continues to occur is the exact opposite of our entire
religious, civilized, scientific and cultural heritage. Resorting to the
judiciary and maintain the calm and wisdom, is our answer to the awful crime,
and that is part of our project to build the free society and strong state while
maintaining the civil peace.
The wound is certainly painful and would not be healed by paying condolences,
condemnation and denunciation, but by stopping all kinds of incitement and
treason accusations, accepting the other and his right to be different, as the
tutelage era is gone now and it is the era of rule according to the constitution
and laws, and this would only be applicable through calmness and dialogue.
What we in the 14 March forces want is build the unifying state and abolish all
the ghettos and mini-states, assert the citizenship and not sectarianism,
freedom and not slavery, independence and not trusteeship, prosperity and not
the disguised unemployment.
So, either the independence revolution will be victorious in a peaceful and
democratic way through the ballots, and will overthrow the “Hugs” of the
militias and opportunists, or we will fall in the trap of “revenge” and they
will be victorious then and open for them the way to continue with their
“takeover” project that started with the preliminary abstention following the
assassination of MP Gebran Tueni, and continued by blocking the roads with
burned tires, and paralyzing the work of the government and closing the
parliament, then invading Beirut and questioning the capabilities of the
Lebanese Armed Forces in defending Lebanon against the Zionist aggression.
So we can defeat this logic, we have to support the state and only the state,
and not to recognize any arms outside the legal constitutional security
services: We do not know despair and it has never made our acquaintance; Retreat
is not in our political dictionary as we are the fathers and sons of the
peaceful change; We are not killers or assassins, nor mercenaries at the
disposal of this axis or the other, but true faithful Lebanese belonging to a
civilized Arabism based on diversity and creativity and dialogue. Let us hope
this tragedy will be the last, and let us all head towards the ballots and not
the death coffins, and let our differences be beneath the ceiling of the law and
state and within the constitutional institutions, not on the streets and the
alleys.
Wisdom for Lebanon’s sake
Date: February 17th, 2009 Source: Future News
Once again, President of “Future Movement” MP Saad Hariri and President of the
“Democratic Gathering” MP Walid Jumbaltt, got over their wounds and the
incidents that took place in the past, cutting the road short on sedition with
their wisdom for Lebanon’s sake. The two leaders have actually worked to absorb
the repercussions of Lutfi Zeineddine’s death –a Druze citizen partisan of the
Progressive Socialist Party who was attacked during his participation in the
anniversary of the martyrdom of Former PM Rafic Hariri, that took place in
Liberty Square on February 14- just as they did on the double murder of two
young Sunni Muslims Ziad Kabalan 25 years and Ziad Ghandour 12 years, in what
appears to have been an act of tribal revenge by a Shiite clan in April 26, 2007
in Beirut.
During Zeineddine’s funeral in his hometown Chebanieh, MPs Hariri and Jumblatt
said, “The state is our only refuge; the Lebanese army and the state will
protect us”.
MP Hariri stressed the necessity to be “wise during our march, which began with
Kamal Jumbaltt, continued to Rafic Hariri and now Lutfi Zeineddine”.
Jumbaltt assured “All of Lebanon is paying tribute to Zeineddine today; we must
get over our wounds. It is a long way yes, but we succeeded with calm and
patience”.
Secretary General of Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah met the wisdom of Hariri
and Jumbaltt with a calm speech, which he delivered during the anniversary of
the assassination of a prominent leader in the party Imad Mughnieh.
Nasrallah condemned the incidents that took place especially that things
developed to killing”, addressing his young supporters “fear God, hold
responsibility, it is not appropriate to be driven by anger and sabotaging the
country”.
In another related issue, “March 14” forces offered their condolences to the
family of martyr Zeineddine in a statement that said “another martyr has joined
the convoy of martyrs of the Cedars Revolution”, asking the LAF and the Security
apparatus to assume full responsibility and curb these practices.
Again and again…On the other hand, the debate between the Parliament and the
Cabinet is progressing as the demands to include the funds of the Council of the
South in the 2009 budget still persist. House Speaker Nabih Berry accused, the
day before yesterday, PM Siniora of “not paying one single penny of the funds
that were allocated for the Council of the South”. PM Siniora replied in a
statement “During the past two years, the government paid -according to Law 362-
the amount of 90 billion LL for the South Council. The last payment has been
made to South Council account on 5/1/2009 for the value of 10 billion LL”.
Freedom civilization versus intimidation culture
Date: February 16th, 2009 Source: private
The Lebanese tumbled down the walls of fear in February 14 and headed towards
the “Freedom Square” to reemphasize their readiness in supporting Lebanon’s
freedom, sovereignty and independence, and to prove once again that the martyr
President Hariri commemoration will always be an occasion to unite the free
Lebanese from all sects. The brutal assaults targeting women, children and elder
people in the aftermath of the massive demonstration were executed by those who
were fearfully overwhelmed by the scene, and endeavored to cover up their
weakness by resorting to violent acts such as beating, stabbing and shooting the
participants on their way back from the commemoration. The assault killed the
innocent citizen Lutfi Zeineddine and wounded 30 others which led the people of
his village Chebanieh - Mount Lebanon to block the road in the area. Yet, the
leader of the “Progressive Socialist Party” MP Walid Jumblatt interfered urging
for restraint by saying “as we stood together with MP Saad Hariri, Mufti of the
Republic Mohammad Rachid Kabbani and Mufti Kabalan when the two Ziads were
killed”
(Jumblatt was referring to the double murder of two young Sunni Muslims “Ziad
Kabalan 25 years” and “Ziad Ghandour 12 years in what appears to have been an
act of tribal revenge by a Shiite clan in April 26 2007 in Beirut.)
Head of “Almustaqbal” parliamentary bloc MP Saad Hariri said “martyr Zeineddine
is an example of the broad public base of March14 that will never abandon its
patriotic commitment to reject sedition and stress on the role of the state in
imposing justice and law enforcement”.
MP Antoine Andraous said “the big question currently is how can we live with
those monsters?” noting “our only way is to beat them in the upcoming
parliamentary elections in June 7.”
Containing the tragedy:
Parliamentary and Ministerial sources told Al-Hayat newspaper that “March 14”
and particularly MPs Hariri and Jumblatt are not ready to be involved in any
political argument regarding the assaults that targeted “March 14” supporters in
the aftermath of Hariri' commemoration on February 14. However, the death of
Zeineddinine urged both leaders to contact the security forces command demanding
the hand-over of the perpetrators who tampered in the country’s stability to the
judiciary authority as a precondition to alleviate the prevailing tension.
Consequently MP Jumblatt headed to Chebanieh to cooperate with Druze Sheikhs to
calm the situation in Mont Lebanon.
Meanwhile, prominent military sources in LAF told As-safir daily that the army
possesses a directory enlisting the names of the people who triggered the
violence and riot practices recently and is determined to pursue them and hand
them over to the judicial authority regardless their political affiliation.
Christians decide…
In another context, uncountable stances are being expressed few months prior the
fateful electoral battle scheduled on June 7, in which the citizens would renew
their confidence in the state’s authority.
March 14 General Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soueid called on the Christians
to take the initiative in the three districts of Metn, Jbeil and Kesrawan and
urged them declare their "frank and clear decision to participate in the
elections under March 14 banner, and pleaded their collaboration with
independent candidates."
General Aoun’s employment opportunities!
On the other hand, MP Michel Aoun resumed his usual tensed terms due to the
“electoral squeeze” he is suffering. Therefore when he has run out of his
customary words he resorted to the expatriates files, and embarked on
criticizing the "seasonal attitude" of the "Future Movement" with the Lebanese
emigrants during the elections
As if the emigrants have to recognize Aoun’s personal generous virtue in the
reconstruction process of Beirut, and the homeland and in the prosperity of the
country and especially express our gratitude for the employment opportunities he
opened up for the Lebanese young particularly after signing the understanding
paper with Hezbollah and his “glamorous visit” to Iran and Syria.
He blatantly called on the Lebanese expatriates to vote, because as he alleged
“it is the only opportunity for Change” and the “change in Aoun’s perception” is
to totally forget the general principles and considerations we adhere to, and
promote the semi-states at the expense of legitimacy.
Internationally, the Saudi Arabia scored a major development in playing a key
role in the re-unification and in curbing the current Arab division.
This particular step was translated through the verbal message delivered by the
Saudi intelligence chief Prince Mokrin bin Abdul Aziz yesterday on behalf of the
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz to the Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad in which he stressed "on bilateral relations and the
importance of coordination and consultation.”
Nasrallah reaches out to rivals, warns Israelis to
stay home
'We have the right' to air defense
By Hussein Abdallah /Daily Star staff
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
BEIRUT: Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah sent messages in two directions
on Monday as he called for calm locally and stressed that the resistance had the
right to possess an anti-air defense system to confront Israeli threats.
Speaking via video link during a mass ceremony in the Beirut suburb of Rweiss on
the first anniversary of the assassination of Hizbullah military commander Imad
Mughniyeh, Nasrallah called for civil peace and urged restraint following
violence which led to the death of one person after Saturday's rally to
commemorate the fourth anniversary of the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik
Hariri.
Nasrallah condemned the violence and called on all leaders to reduce tension in
their political rhetoric.
He described Lutfi Zeineddine, who was killed in Saturday's clashes, as a martyr
and offered his condolences both to his family and to the Progressive Socialist
Party.
Nasrallah relayed his respect to all martyrs and said that honoring them was a
national duty.
Tackling the issue of the elections scheduled for June 7, the Hizbullah chief
reiterated his commitment to consensus and partnership in ruling the country
afterward.
"If we win the elections, we will ask the parliamentary minority to join the
government," the sayyed said. "But if they insist on refusing to join, our team
will form a government on its own and govern with a national perspective."
Nasrallah also supported calls to lower the minimum voting age from 21 to 18 and
urged citizens to participate heavily in the upcoming polls.
On a separate level, the resistance leader was coy on reports that Hizbullah has
recently acquired air-defense weapons.
"The Israelis are worried about this possibility ... I will not confirm or deny,
but I care to stress that the resistance has the right to possess such weapons,"
he said.
"Not only do we have the right to possess anti-air defense weapons but we also
have the right to use such weapons whenever necessary," he added, referring to
thousands of Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace - even since the 2006 war.
Nasrallah also warned any future Israeli government of definite defeat if it
decides to invade Lebanon again.
"In case of invasion, the Israeli Army will be destroyed at the hands of the
students of Imad Mughniyeh, Sayyed Abbas al-Moussaoui, and Sheikh Ragheb Harb,"
he said.Moussaoui, one of Nasrallah's predecessors, and Harb, a cleric, were
assassinated by Israel, which is also accused in the February 2006 Damascus
car-bombing that claimed Mughniyeh.
Nasrallah also urged people not to be misled by the results of the recent
Israeli elections.
"I would like to tell you that the most extremist right-wing party in Israel is
better than other parties which claim to be more moderate," he said. "The more
Israel moves right, the more it reveals its real face and enmity to Arab."
He added that Israel had always disdained Arab peace plans in the past.
"Every time the Arabs decide to adopt a peaceful approach, Israel chooses to
react by waging wars and slaying people," the sayyed said. "This undoubtedly
proves that resistance should be the real choice in the face of Israel."
Nasrallah reiterated that he stands by a vow to avenge the killing of Mughniyeh.
"This promise will be fulfilled, God willing," he said, adding that he would say
no more on the matter.
Israel has never confirmed it was behind the hit, although it welcomed the death
of a man who had been on its most wanted list for 25 years.
On another front, Nasrallah also said that Hizbullah supported reconciliation
between Palestinian factions as well as between Arab countries.
"We support all inter-Arab reconciliations, particularly between Syria and Saudi
Arabia," he said, referring to a recent visit by Saudi intelligence head Prince
Moqren Bin Abdelaziz to Damascus. - With agencies