LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
May 24/08
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to
Saint Mark 10,1-12. He set out from there and went into the district of Judea
(and) across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his
custom, he again taught them. The Pharisees approached and asked, "Is it lawful
for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in
reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted him to write
a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the
hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of
creation, 'God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his
father and mother (and be joined to his wife),
and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the
house the disciples again questioned him about this. He said to them, "Whoever
divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she
divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Lessons unlearned. By: Galal Nassar 23/05/08
Syria's wager-By: Bassel Oudat
23/05/08
The Victors in Lebanon-By:
Zuheir Kseibati 23/5/08
Now is the time to move quickly to promote law-based governance- The Daily Star 23/05/08
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for May 23/08-Naharnet
Sunday's Presidential Election Session Likely to Turn Into Festival-Naharnet
Suleiman: Muscles Don't Make Security, Collective Willpower Makes Nation-Naharnet
Security Council Supports Lebanon Deal, Drops Reference to 1559-Naharnet
Harb: I will Cast a
Blank Vote-Naharnet
Hariri is Likely to Become Lebanon's New
PM-Naharnet
Road Collapses in Beirut-Naharnet
Rice: Hizbullah Hurt in the Long Term-Naharnet
Obama Reassures Jewish Voters, Says
Hizbullah Grew More Powerful Under Bush-Naharnet
European Parliament Urges Lebanese
Factions to Disarm-Naharnet
Jamaa Islamiya Hammers Hizbullah's
Resistance-Naharnet
Baabda Palace: General Out, General In-Naharnet
Sheikh Hassan for Immediate Implementation
of the Doha Accord-Naharnet
Amsheet Celebrates Local Hero Who will be
President-Naharnet
Lebanon: A Race between Optimism and
Pessimism-Naharnet
Doha Accord Saves
Lebanon from Brink but Key Issues Remain-Naharnet
Israel sets new demands for Syria peace deal-Daily
Star
A turning point in the Mideast conflict?Middle East Times
Berri summons MPs to presidential election on
Sunday-Daily Star
Fadlallah calls for 'deep' Arab, Islamic dialogue-Daily
Star
Graziano: UNIFIL's role even 'more important'
after clashes-Daily Star
Lebanese predicament: Where peace is but a truce-Daily
Star
Canada urges Lebanon to implement Doha deal-Daily
Star
British FM welcomes agreement to end standoff-AFP
US tells Sfeir LAF should take charge of security-Daily
Star
Five inmates escape Baabda Women's Prison-Daily
Star
Employees at Baabda Palace prepare to welcome new
president-AFP
Qatar scores diplomatic coup with Lebanon deal-AFP
New electoral law sets stage for competitive vote
in 2009-Daily Star
Beirut restaurants face new challenges as sit-in
ends-Daily Star
Britain gives boost to cluster-bomb ban as US
warns against it-Daily Star
Suleiman's hometown prepares for election, retains
fears over politicians-AFP
Downtown abuzz as businesses start reopening-AFP
Sunday's Presidential Election Session Likely to Turn Into
Festival
Naharnet/Sunday's presidential election session is likely
to turn into a festival as huge numbers of Arab and international personalities
are expected to attend the event. It had been confirmed that Qatar's Emir Sheik
Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani will attend Sunday's session set to start at 5 pm. He
will be delivering a speech after the President-elect is sworn in. Among those
who will take part in Sunday's session are the foreign ministers of France,
Spain and Italy.
Well-informed sources said Turkey's prime minister is also likely to attend the
session scheduled to elect army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president.
Press reports also said French President Nicolas Sarkozy is considering visiting
Beirut next week to congratulate Suleiman on his presidential victory as well as
to meet Lebanese leaders. In an unprecedented move, the session will be divided
into three parts, meaning it could last several hours.
The first part will be devoted to Suleiman's election. The second part will
witness the President-elect taking his oath of office followed by Suleiman's
speech and that of Qatar's Emir. While the third part will settle the issue of
amending one clause in the electoral law that deals with division of
constituencies.
Press reports said Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri will not allow Saniora's
cabinet to take part in Sunday's session as a "cohesive government" since he
deems it unconstitutional.
They said cabinet ministers from the Saniora government will be sitting in the
seats allocated for MPs. Media reports also said that Suleiman has agreed with
Berri to declare Monday a holiday on the occasion of Liberation Day on one hand,
and to welcome Arab and international guests on the other. Following his
election on Sunday, Suleiman is expected to start consultations with the
different parliamentary blocs in a bid to name Lebanon's new prime minister, who
in turn will hold his own consultations with the same blocs in order to form the
next cabinet. Among the candidates for the premiership post are Saad Hariri and
Saniora. Saniora, however, has reportedly insisted on quitting. Former President
Amin Gemayel has said the ruling March 14 coalition backs Hariri as new prime
minister.
According to the deal brokered by Arab mediators in Qatar, the new cabinet will
be set up such as the majority gets 16 ministers, the opposition 11 and three to
be chosen by the President. The opposition's ministers will likely be
distributed between Hizbullah, the Amal Movement and Gen. Michel Aoun's Free
Patriotic Movement. Beirut, 23 May 08, 10:00
Suleiman: Muscles Don't Make Security, Collective Willpower
Makes Nation
Naharnet/Army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman said Friday
he will protect Lebanon and look after the implementation of the constitution in
order to put the nation on the path to safety. "I will look over security and
implementation of the constitution so as to put the nation on the path to safety
in light of the changes going on around us," Suleiman said in a newspaper
interview. Suleiman told As Safir daily that he will "try to play the role I had
always carried out since I became army commander."
"I cannot salvage the country single-handedly," Suleiman stressed. "This is
everybody's task. The task is that of civilians before politicians. "
He said he hoped political leaders will be convinced that "political willpower
can achieve real national partnership … to build a nation and state for all."
"Muscles don't make security," Suleiman said. "Collective willpower and
political power sharing make nations." Beirut, 23 May 08, 08:43
Security Council Supports Lebanon Deal, Drops Reference to
1559
Naharnet/The U.N. Security Council has
welcomed the breakthrough deal reached in Qatar by Lebanon's bickering
politicians to end an 18-month political standoff and elect a new president. The
council said Thursday it "welcomes and strongly supports the agreement reached
by Lebanese leaders in Doha on May 21 ..., which constitutes an essential step
towards the resolution of the current crisis... and the complete restoration of
Lebanon's unity, stability and independence."
In a non-binding statement adopted by all its 15 members, the council also
"welcomes the agreement to ban the use of weapons and violence as a means to
settle disputes, irrespective of their nature and under any circumstances."It
hailed the agreement between the majority and the Hizbullah-led opposition to
elect a new president, establish a national unity cabinet and to address
Lebanon's electoral law. The council reaffirmed "its strong support for the
territorial integrity, sovereignty, unity, and political independence of Lebanon
within its internationally recognized borders and under the sole and exclusive
authority of the government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory." The
statement also referred to previous "relevant" Security Council resolutions
calling for the disarming of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias. It did not
name Hizbullah.
While the U.S. insisted that the relevant measures include Resolution 1559 which
was adopted in 2004 and demands the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon,
other council members disagreed. Britain's U.N. Ambassador John Sawers, the
council chair this month, expressed hope that the Doha deal "will bring to an
end a dispute that has being going on for far too long." He also hoped that "in
the coming days we will see implementation of this agreement and that the
painstaking process of rebuilding Lebanese unity can begin."His French
counterpart, Jean-Maurice Ripert, for his part saw the deal as "a foundation
upon which Lebanon and its national unity can be rebuilt and its sovereignty as
well as territorial integrity reinforced."Under Arab League auspices, rival
Lebanese leaders clinched a deal in Doha to end the political feud between the
government and the opposition that exploded into deadly sectarian fighting
earlier this month. The Doha agreement calls for the election of army chief Gen.
Michel Suleiman as Lebanon's new president on Sunday after months of stalemate
and the creation of a unity government. Parliamentary elections are due in
2009.(AFP-AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 23 May 08, 04:51
Harb: I
will Cast a Blank Vote
MP Butros Harb said he was against a constitutional amendment and announced that
he will cast a blank vote in Sunday's presidential elections.
"I will cast a blank vote," Harb told Al Arabiya TV. "But I will not obstruct
the election process." Harb said the Doha agreement will "help us restructure
state authority and institutions as well as return to a democratic life."
Beirut, 23 May 08, 12:48
Hariri is Likely to Become Lebanon's New PM
Naharnet/Al Mustaqbal leader and MP Saad
Hariri is likely to become Lebanon's new prime minister. Former President Amin
Gemayel rushed to nominate Hariri as Lebanon's next PM "since he's head of the
largest parliamentary bloc." "So it's only normal that he (Hariri) becomes the
prime minister," Gemayel stressed.
Sources from the ruling majority, however, were cautious. The daily An Nahar on
Friday said consultations among opposition blocs, particularly with Hizbullah
and Amal movement of Speaker Nabih Berri, were inclinced toward nominating
Hariri to the post in a bid to defuse sectarian tensions.
Hariri circles refused to comment on this issue. Sources close to Saniora,
however, said the naming of the new PM is left for the majority, stressing that
there was no "veto" on anybody. They said Saniora does not wish to become a
prime minister again and prefers to rest. Beirut, 23 May 08, 11:53
Road Collapses in Beirut
Naharnet/A road collapsed between the
Metropolitan and Habtour hotels in Sin el-Fil at dawn Friday, causing no
casualties, the state-run National News Agency said. It said security forces
closed the road after the sudden collapse around 3 am and tenants of a nearby
building were evacuated for safety reasons.
NNA said the collapsed section of the road measured 10 meters long and 3 meters
wide. Beirut, 23 May 08, 10:58
Rice: Hizbullah Hurt in the Long Term
Naharnet/Hizbullah has been left weakened
by the recent turmoil in Lebanon and could pay the price in next year's
elections, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her British counterpart
David Miliband have said. "Hizbullah has lost something very important which is
any argument that it is somehow a resistance movement on behalf of the Lebanese
people," Rice told journalists aboard her plane on Thursday as she and British
Foreign Secretary Miliband headed to Palo Alto, California. "What it is, is a
militia that, given an opportunity, decided to turn its guns on its own people.
It is never going to live that down," she said.
"Yes, I think they have been hurt in the long term," she stressed. The two top
diplomats spoke a day after Hizbullah won concessions in a deal with the
Western-backed government in Lebanon. Under the agreement signed in Doha, the
Hizbullah-led opposition secured veto power in the new government.
"The context was set by an unacceptable show of force on the streets and that
did create an illusion, I think, in the first few days, of Hizbullah's
strength," Miliband said. "I think what struck us in the subsequent days is that
the reaction of the Lebanese has been very negative about that, because, as
Condi said, the guns of Hizbullah were turned on their own people," he said.
"And I think the long term consequences of that are actually potentially going
to strengthen the forces of moderation and democracy in Lebanon," he added. The
Doha agreement set the election of a president for Lebanon on Sunday after
months of stalemate. Parliamentary elections are due in 2009. Rice said the Bush
administration was supportive of the Arab League's role in brokering the
inter-Lebanese deal and dismissed any suggestion that the U.S. was losing its
influence in the Middle East. "This is not the first time that the Arab states
have taken on Lebanon without the participation of Europe and the United
States," she said.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 23 May 08, 05:27
Obama Reassures Jewish Voters, Says Hizbullah Grew More
Powerful Under Bush
Naharnet/Barack Obama has promised "an
unshakable commitment to Israel's security" and said Iran, Hamas and Hizbullah
have only grown more powerful under U.S. President George Bush's approach to the
region. In a passionate appearance at a synagogue north of Miami on Thursday,
Obama courted Jewish voters by reaffirming his opposition to talking with the
leaders of Hamas and Hizbullah and said direct diplomacy with the Iranian
leadership could help strengthen Israeli security. Obama said the three entities
have become more powerful under Bush's watch. "Nothing Bush has done has helped
Israel. As president I would do everything in my power to stop Iran from
developing nuclear weapons and insist that they stop threatening Israel," he
told the audience of several hundred at B'nai Torah. "How is it that the
Bush-Cheney-McCain policy has been good for Israel?" he asked.
On the verge of clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama is now
introducing himself to Florida, where Democrats agreed not to campaign during
the primary because the state violated the party rules by holding a primary in
January. Some Jews fear Obama's willingness to speak with Middle Eastern nations
that oppose Israel, while others wonder whether he is a closet Muslim. bama
asked his audience to hear him out.
"Judge me by what I say and what I've done. Don't judge me because I've got a
funny name. Don't judge me because I'm African-American and people are concerned
about memories of the past," he said. "When I am in the White House, I will
bring with me an unshakable commitment to maintaining that bond between the
United States and Israel and an unshakable commitment to Israel's security," he
said. Obama said he had "always been pro-Israel" and insisted his offer to talk
with the leaders of Iran did not mean he did not recognize the threat that
country posed to the Jewish state. "Just because I am open to talks with Iran
does not mean I am not pro-Israel," he said.(AP-AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 23 May 08,
06:54
European Parliament Urges Lebanese Factions to Disarm
Naharnet/The European Parliament has
welcomed the Doha Accord and urged all Lebanese factions to disarm. The
Parliament's resolution, adopted by 520 votes in favor, 6 against and 13
abstentions, "welcomes the Doha agreement reached by the parties on the election
of General Suleiman as President of the Republic in the coming days, the
creation of a new national unity government and the adoption of the electoral
law." The House "invites all the parties involved to support the Lebanese army
so that it can guarantee fully the functioning, security, law and order,
sovereignty and stability of Lebanon," noting that "the security of the country
and of all Lebanese people is dependent on the disarmament of all armed groups,
especially Hizbullah."
The House reiterates its support for the U.N. forces in the country (UNIFIL),
the international tribunal to try those who assassinated former Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri, and Commission and Council efforts to support reconstruction in
Lebanon. The resolution also calls on Syria to "refrain from all interference
that can have a negative impact on Lebanese internal affairs and to play a
constructive role in seeking to establish stability in the country."
EP President Hans-Gert ِPottering made a declaration at the beginning of the
voting session, saying: "It is with great relief as well as hopeful and
sustained encouragements that we very warmly welcome, as the European Parliament
is about to adopt a resolution on the matter, the solid and comprehensive
agreement reached by the Lebanese political leaders in Doha. Stressing the
positive reactions expressed by neighboring states and other countries
concerned, the European Parliament calls on all the parties to fully implement
the agreement. We reiterate our unfading support to the legitimate and
constitutional Lebanese political institutions and to the Lebanese army, as well
as to their efforts in ensuring Lebanon's stability, sovereignty and territorial
integrity." Beirut, 22 May 08, 21:29
Jamaa Islamiya Hammers Hizbullah's Resistance
Naharnet/The Jamaa Islamiya, Lebanon's
chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood, has said Hizbullah's resistance is the main
loser from recent violence.
"The nation's trust in it has been shaken," said Secretary General of the Jamaa
Sheikh Faisal Mawlawi in a statement Thursday.
"Hizbullah is a Lebanese party that has political aims, interests and
aspirations. It has the right to get involved in domestic confrontations that
could result in winning or losing," Sheikh Mawlawi said. However, he noted that
"the resistance used to be a symbol of the nation's pride against
Zionist-American aggression, around which hearts of the Lebanese, Arabs and
Muslims rallied." "But it (resistance) was lured into an internal political
battle … so unity of the Lebanese around it was shaken and the nation's trust in
it was shaken," Sheikh Mawlawi noted. The Doha accord, which Sheikh Mawlawi
welcomed, is a "political compromise, but the categorical settlement can only be
achieved through agreement on a concept that organizes the relationship with the
resistance under the shield of the state."
"Such a concept has been difficult, and now it is much more difficult after the
resistance...was involved in internal battles contradicting its declared
strategy and in contrast to what has been expected from it," Sheikh Mawlawi
concluded. Beirut, 22 May 08, 20:21
The Victors in Lebanon
Zuheir Kseibati
Al-Hayat - 22/05/08//
On the dawn of May 21, 2008, the Lebanese entity and republic were saved
from a seemingly inevitable death, as the images of the civil war and its fires
were revived in every house and street, but this time draped in a dreadful
sectarian cloak.
The "miracle" was realized as the instigation and accusations of
treachery will come to an end. Both the majority and the opposition can claim
victory. But the real victory belongs to the Lebanon of pluralism that will need
long years to get rid of its "immunity deficit." To this end, every loyalist and
oppositionist will have to learn that the most decent forms of politics and
patriotism lie in the commitment to one and only one standard: the sanctity of
coexistence with the other and his opinions, and defending his freedoms as if
they were theirs.
In Doha where the Qatari sponsor of the Lebanese national convention had
to be involved in the language of the majority and opposition and to get busy
with the details about electoral districts in a manner unprecedented as far as
the history of mediating conflicts is concerned, a new Lebanese dawn broke. It
is a new dawn with which the host country can celebrate for having driven the
convening parties towards the language of peace and for having cornered them at
the moment of decision and choice: either a Lebanon for all or a complete
collapse that leaves victory to none and forgets the sacrifice of both sides as
well as the identity of arms as devastation prevails.
The Doha Accord is far more than a truce if both sides to the conflict
and agreement remained committed to what they cosigned, and they will certainly
show such commitment if they are truly aware of regional and international
variations and if they abstain from chasing the fingers that set Lebanon on fire
in May, almost burning everyone along.
Yet, is it not natural to wonder about rapidly occurring regional
incidents that herald a new historic phase in the region, starting with Iraq,
passing through Lebanon and all the way to Syria and Iran, especially after the
bitter suspicions in the repeated verbal assurances uttered by President Bush
during his trip in support of Prime Minister Siniora's cabinet and his hopes to
save Lebanon's democracy?
In Iraq, Washington successfully helped the national army enter al-Sadr
city after shrinking Iran's influence in this country. It is also preparing for
a new stage that replaces sectarian-ethnic sharing, while the Bush
administration ignores Iran's need to resume dialogue over Mesopotamia's
security.
In Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh preempts the outcomes of the Doha convention,
hoping the Arab ministerial committee would help achieve reconciliation between
Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbbas, just as it has done with the Lebanese
leaders.
On May 21st, just before those leaders packed their bags to leave Doha
after five bitter days of battling for reconciliation, an official Syrian
statement concurs with a statement issued by Ehud Olmert's office in reference
to resuming indirect Syrian-Israeli talks sponsored by Turkey. Since it is
common knowledge that this sponsorship dates back to almost a year, one can only
pay attention to the expressions of "good intentions" and "seriously continuing
the dialogue" mentioned in the statement.
In other words, this is a serious attempt to move the peace efforts on
the Syrian-Israeli front forward, with the possibility of commissions meeting in
Turkey soon. In practice, this would catalyze the regional split between the
Syrian and Iranian tracks, unless the events of Bushehr, the extinguished
Lebanese fire, and Damascus's opened windows for a new phase of "serious"
negotiations with Israel, constitute a prelude to regional-international
understandings that will refashion roles in the region.
The fact that Tehran did not conceal its fears when it expressed its
disappointment hours prior to the birth of the accord among the conveners in
Doha because "Lebanon's problems should be resolved by Lebanese parties," and
voiced its refusal to "disarm the resistance of its defense capabilities," may
once again be attributed to the so-called emerging suspicions between the two
wings of the Syrian-Iranian alliance…all this at a time when Damascus rushed to
welcome the May 21st accord.
Not least among the changes that will be brought by this accord is the
attempt to end the efforts once made under the banner of foiling the
American-Zionist project in Lebanon at a time when Tehran insists on direct
dialogue with the Bush administration.
What changed early morning yesterday was the signal to stop the complete
collapse of all constitutional institutions in Lebanon and to revive the
parliament to put an end to the street "dialogues."
It is a new beginning before the death of a republic at the hands of a
final sectarian blow
UN Security Council welcomes Lebanon deal
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — The UN Security Council on Thursday welcomed the
breakthrough deal reached by Lebanon's rival factions to end an 18-month
political standoff and elect a new president.
It "welcomes and strongly supports the agreement reached by Lebanese leaders in
Doha on May 21 ..., which constitutes an essential step towards the resolution
of the current crisis... and the complete restoration of Lebanon's unity,
stability and independence."
In a non-binding statement adopted by all its 15 members, the council also
"welcomes the agreement to ban the use of weapons and violence as a means to
settle disputes, irrespective of their nature and under any circumstances." It
hailed the agreement by Lebanon's Western-backed majority and the Hezbollah-led
opposition backed by Syria and Iran to elect a new president, establish a
national unity cabinet and to address Lebanon's electoral law.
The council reaffirmed "its strong support for the territorial integrity,
sovereignty, unity, and political independence of Lebanon within its
internationally recognized borders and under the sole and exclusive authority of
the government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory."
The statement also recalled previous Security Council resolutions calling
for the dismantling and the disarming of all Lebanese and foreign militias.
Britain's UN Ambassador John Sawers, the council chair this month, expressed
hope that the Doha deal "will bring to an end a dispute that has being going on
for far too long."He also hoped that "in the coming days we will see
implementation of this agreement and that the painstaking process of rebuilding
Lebanese unity can begin."His French counterpart, Jean-Maurice Ripert, for his
part saw the deal as "a foundation upon which Lebanon and its national unity can
be rebuilt and its sovereignty as well as territorial integrity
reinforced."Under Arab League auspices, rival Lebanese leaders clinched a deal
in the Qatari capital Doha Wednesday to end the political feud between
government and opposition that exploded into deadly sectarian fighting earlier
this month.
The Doha agreement calls for the election of army chief Michel Sleiman as
Lebanon's new president on Sunday after months of stalemate and the creation of
a unity government. Parliamentary elections are due in 2009. Under the accord,
the Hezbollah-led opposition secured veto power in the new government after
having seized large swathes of west Beirut from their Sunni rivals in sectarian
fighting.
West backs Lebanon government capitulation to Hezbollah
By Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies
Last update - 00:11 23/05/2008
The United Nations Security Council is expected to issue a statement on Friday
in support of a Qatari-mediated deal signed earlier this week between rival
Lebanese factions, according to which Beirut has essentially capitulated to the
demands of the Hezbollah-led opposition.
Britain, which currently occupies the rotating presidency of the United Nations
Security Council, is expected to issue the statement. The statement was
originally a French diplomatic initiative and enjoys backing from the United
States.
The declaration thus represents a Western stamp of approval to an agreement that
is in practice a capitulation to Hezbollah demands, including a greater share of
the political decision-making power in Lebanon.
The agreement was the culmination of weeks of turmoil, during which violent
incidents initiated by Hezbollah, including the group's takeover of parts of
Beirut, gripped the country.
According to the terms of the Doha agreement, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora will
resign in the coming days; the commander of the army, Michel Suleiman, will be
installed as president, and the government will comprise 30 ministers.
Most significantly, however, the agreement meets a key Hezbollah demand to
reshape the structure of government representation. Members of the Shi'ite
organization will account for one-third of the government ministers, plus an
additional portfolio, thus enabling the group to veto any government decision.
Hezbollah will now wield more political clout than it ever has in the past.
Despite enhancing Hezbollah's position within the Lebanese power structure, the
U.S. will support the Security Council statement praising the agreement, which
is viewed as a vehicle to promote the internal stability of the country.
The representatives of all Security Council member states are currently holding
consultations over the precise language of the statement in hopes that the
wording will be approved by consensus. One of the drafts being considered by the
body includes an expression of gratitude to the Arab parties who worked in
mediating the deal, among them the Arab League and Qatar.
One potential stumbling block over the final wording of the statement centers
around the issue of whether to include references to prior Security Council
resolutions passed in relation to Lebanon in recent years, including Resolution
1701, which brought an end to the Second Lebanon War.
Another Security Council resolution that is to be mulled is 1559, which includes
a clause stipulating the decommissioning of weapons belonging to the various
militia forces in the country. The U.S. and France insist on including mention
of the resolution in the statement. Libya has stated its opposition, while
Russia has also expressed reservations.
U.S. and U.K. say Hezbollah weaker after Beirut fighting
The United States and Britain said on Thursday they believed Hezbollah had been
weakened by this month's fighting in Beirut despite the greater
influence the militant group gained in Lebanon's Cabinet.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary David
Miliband rejected the view that the show of force by Hezbollah had increased its
power.
"Hezbollah lost something very important, which is any argument that it is
somehow a resistance movement on behalf of the Lebanese people," Rice told
reporters traveling with her and Miliband on a trip to her California hometown.
"What it is, is a militia that, given an opportunity, decided to turn its guns
on its own people. It is never going to live that down," she said.
Miliband said Hezbollah had shown an "unacceptable" show of force in the streets
which created an "illusion" of its power. More than 80 people were killed in the
military campaign by Hezbollah amid fears of a return to full-scale civil war.
"What struck us in subsequent days is that the reaction of the people of Lebanon
has been very negative about that. The guns of Hezbollah were trained on their
own people. The long term consequences of that are potentially going to
strengthen the forces of democracy in Lebanon," said Miliband.
Zvi Barel contributed to this story.
CCD urges immediate action on
eligibility of Qazi Hussain Ahmad to enter Canada
For Immediate Release
May 22, 2008
Ottawa, Canada - The Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) is calling on the
federal government to review the application for a Canadian visa by Mr. Qazi
Hussain Ahmad, who has been invited to speak in Canada this weekend.
"Our research suggests that Qazi Hussain Ahmad is the name of a notorious
Pakistani Islamist banned in 2007 from entering Egypt, and in 2004 from entering
over 25 European countries for reasons of National Security," said Alastair
Gordon, President, CCD. "We have confirmed that a man by this name has been
invited to speak at the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) 34th annual
convention endorsed by the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN),
the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA Canada), and the Muslim Association of
Canada (MAC), and sponsored by Human Concern International (HCI)."
Qazi Hussain Ahmad is the leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a radical Islamist
movement based in Pakistan. Should the invitee to the ISNA conference be the
same Qazi Hussain Ahmad, it is troubling that he has been invited to visit
Canada and address Muslim youth at a conference whose theme is “Our Youth, Our
Future: Path to Paradise.""If the government should confirm that this invitee is the same person who is
denied entry to over 25 countries, then Mr. Ahmad must likewise be barred from
entering Canada," said Naresh Raghubeer, Executive Director, CCD. "Moreover, if
Mr. Qazi Hussain Ahmad is the same person as the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami,
those organizations sponsoring his visit must explain to Canadians why they
sought to expose Canadian Muslim youth to such a radical influence.”
In 2006, the Canadian Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN), the
Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), the Islamic Society of North America-Canada
(ISNA), the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) pledged "to move forward to
protect and safeguard Canada, to take a leadership role in challenging
extremism.”"If these same groups have, in fact, invited the extremist leader of
Jamaat-e-Islami to address Muslim youth in Canada, then Canadians will need to
understand how this action aligns with a pledge to challenge extremism," added
Raghubeer.In 2006, the Harper Government took steps to bar another Islamist, Sheikh Riyadh
Ul Haq, from Canada after CCD made public audio recordings of his promotion of
hatred against homosexuals, Hindus, Jews, and others.
"The RCMP, CSIS and the Government of Canada have an opportunity and a duty to
protect Canadians from the horrors that such incitement has caused around the
world”, added Gordon.
-30-
For more information, please contact
Naresh Raghubeer, Executive Director, CCD +1-613-216-2095
If you would like to comment on this statement or other topics relating to
foreign policy, please visit our public message forum and post your comments:
http://canadiancoalition.com/forum/messages/30658.shtml
Founded in 2003, the Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) is a national,
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dedicated to civil liberties, national security and the protection and promotion
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Backgrounder
1. Press release noting Qazi Hussain Ahmad was banned from Europe.
2. Press release noting Qazi Hussain Ahmad was banned from Egypt.
3. Report on meeting with NY Muslims and Jamaat-e-Islami.
4. ISNA 34th Annual Convention invitation
http://jipakistan.blogspot.com/
http://www.isnacanada.com/Convention/Toronto/34/doc/Flyer.pdf
U.N. Security Council backs Lebanon peace deal
Thu 22 May 2008, 21:08 GMT
By Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Thursday
welcomed a Lebanese peace deal brokered by Qatar, an agreement that may have
averted a new civil war in the Middle East.
The council said it "welcomes and strongly supports the agreement reached in
Doha ... which constitutes an essential step towards the resolution of the
current crisis, the return to normal functioning of Lebanese democratic
institutions, the complete restoration of Lebanon's unity and stability."
In the nonbinding statement, the council also urged the parties to implement all
aspects of the agreement. Lebanon has generally been a divisive issue for the
Security Council, but the statement was agreed unanimously by the 15-member
body.
Rival Lebanese leaders signed the deal on Wednesday to end 18 months of
political conflict that had threatened to push the country into a new civil war.
The agreement, which was reached after six days of Arab-mediated talks, also
paved the way for the election of a new president.
British Ambassador to the United Nations John Sawers, the current council
president, told reporters the Security Council hoped the deal will "bring an end
to a dispute that's been going on on the streets of Beirut for far too long."
French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert said the Doha agreement was a "foundation
upon which Lebanon and its national unity can be rebuilt and its sovereignty, as
well as territorial integrity, reinforced."
The deal comes after a Hezbollah military campaign this month against Lebanon's
ruling coalition which bolstered the opposition's political strength. Hezbollah,
a militant group backed by Iran and Syria, routed its rivals in six days of
conflict that killed 81 and prompted the Qatari-led mediation.
The Security Council statement also referred to previous "relevant" Security
Council resolutions, which call for the disbanding and disarming of all militias
in Lebanon. It did not name Hezbollah. (Editing by Mohammad Zargham)
Lessons unlearned
By: Galal Nassar
Al-Ahram Weekly 23/05/08
The outbreak of fighting in Lebanon, however dramatic it may have seemed, could
have come as no surprise to anyone who has followed Lebanese politics since the
assassination of prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri. The Lebanese have long been
split over how that crime should be dealt with, the divisions less a response to
the assassination itself than an indication of international and regional
affiliations. The war of July 2006, triggered by the abduction by some members
of Hizbullah of several Zionist soldiers, divided the Lebanese even further.
The pro-government majority accuses the opposition of acting to further Syrian
and Iranian agendas while the opposition says the majority has bowed to US and
Zionist pressure. Neither side is wholly right or wrong.
The alliances we see in Lebanon are often less ideological than they are
expedient. The enemies of today become the allies of tomorrow and vice versa. It
has happened before and will happen again, not least because of Lebanon's
susceptibility to international and regional influences. Lebanon has been prey
to two civil wars, in the late 1950s and again in the mid- 1970s through to the
early 1990s. Both wars were driven, superficially, by domestic rivalry, though
the underlining causes were a reflection of regional and international
divisions.
The first civil war was born of Arab resistance to foreign-dominated alliances,
such as the Baghdad Pact, also known as the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO).
Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan took the lead in opposing the formation of such
alliances in the region. Lebanon, though, was undecided. Camille Chamoun,
Lebanese president at the time, wanted his country to join the Baghdad Pact.
Chamoun was seeking to renew his presidency for another term in order to have
time to prepare Lebanon for joining the pact. The opposition objected and a
civil war erupted. Chamoun accused Gamal Abdel-Nasser, then leader of the United
Arab Republic (Egypt and Syria), of arming and funding the opposition. The US
navy sailed to Lebanon and made threats. The crisis ended with Chamoun's
resignation. He was replaced as president by army commander Fouad Chehab.
Both civil wars were intertwined with developments in the Cold War. The Baghdad
Pact was generally seen as a Western attempt to contain the Soviet Union and
dampen anti-Western zeal in the Arab region. In one sense the first Lebanese
civil war was merely a footnote to the Cold War, and the second Lebanese civil
war was not very different. The war was triggered by the presence of the
Lebanese resistance in some parts of south Lebanon. Thousands of Palestinians
had fled to Lebanon during the presidency of Charles Helou and Lebanon's
traditional Christian leaders feared the influx of Palestinians would distort
the social fabric of the country.
When the Lebanese army asked the Palestinians to stop bearing weapons things
quickly got ugly. Trying to defuse the conflict, Egypt sponsored a deal, known
as the Cairo Agreement, allowing the Palestinians to carry arms within the
boundaries of their camps. Security within the camps became the responsibility
of the Palestinian resistance, not the Lebanese army. But the agreement failed
to defuse the crisis and Christian militias started to stockpile weapons. In
1975, the second Lebanese civil war broke out, pitting the Palestinians against
right-wing Lebanese groups. The opposition, led by Kamal Jumblatt, leader of the
Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), took sides with the resistance. The Syrian
army then went into Lebanon to support President Suleiman Franjieh.
The war came to a close with the signing of the Saudi-brokered Al-Taif
Agreement. Throughout the war alliances had continued to shift, with the Syrian
army supporting right-wing Christians at times and the Palestinians and the PSP
at others. Interestingly, the PSP under Kamal Jumblatt was part of the
opposition whereas under his son, Walid Jumblatt, it is allied to the majority.
Regional tensions once again shaped events in Lebanon, with the Arab-Israeli
conflict dictating the course of the country's second civil war. But why are the
Lebanese so susceptible to foreign factors?
Lebanon's politics are based on factional quotas. Every faction in Lebanon,
however fragile it may seem, has a domain within which it acts with virtual
independence. In order to maintain its political status each faction needs a
backer. The stronger the backer, the larger the share of the national cake, or
so many Lebanese believe.
The system of factional quotas was formulated by the French who, instead of
giving the country a proper system of citizenry left behind a legacy of
factional rivalries that is as divisive as it is volatile. In Lebanon's wars
there are no victors and no vanquished. Until the entire political dispensation
is reviewed it will be hard for the Lebanese to move ahead.
Lebanon needs a constitutional system in which sectarian quotas are abandoned
and all citizens become equal in the eyes of their government. In the meantime,
we can only appeal to those who took part in the recent fighting to listen to
reason and end the bloodshed. When fighting erupts among the sons of the same
country every bullet strikes the very heart of the nation. Let us hope that
reason will prevail and the Lebanese once again find it in their hearts to get
along.
* Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
Syria's wager
By: Bassel Oudat
Al-Ahram Weekly
23/05/08
Damascus says that outside mediation is not needed in Lebanon. What it means is
that it is relying on its Lebanese allies to prevail, reports Bassel Oudat from
Damascus
The Syrian government watched closely as Lebanese parties convened with Arab
League negotiators in Doha last Friday. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moallem
made several phone calls to Arab foreign ministers present in the meetings,
especially Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jabr. But Damascus doesn't want to
be seen as party to the talks. When President Bashar Al-Assad met Qatar's Prince
Hamad bin Khalifa a few days before the gathering in Doha, he said that the
Lebanese conflict was a purely domestic affair. What he meant, however, was that
Arab or international mediation was undesirable.
A similar position was voiced by Syria's envoy to the Arab League. Youssef
Al-Ahmed opposed the formation of an Arab committee to mediate among the
Lebanese and shot down the idea of an Arab deterrence force deploying in
Lebanon. Such proposed measures are seen by Damascus as an attempt to reduce
further Syria's role in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Syria's official media reported minimally on the Doha conference,
offering little analysis or commentary while maintaining aloofness tinged with
pessimism. Syrian columnists and editors provided no views of their own and,
uncharacteristically, no indication of the official line. The official Tishrin
newspaper nonetheless persistently referred to the Lebanese government as being
"illegitimate" and susceptible to "foreign dictates". Arguing that the first
priority in Lebanon is the formation of a national unity government, Al-Thawrah,
another official publication, called on Prime Minister Fouad Al-Siniora to step
down.
Due to a host of geographic and historical factors, Damascus wants its ties with
Lebanon to remain close. Any attempt to scale down those ties can greatly harm
both countries, Syrian officials maintain. But Syria is not having its way. With
the Syrian army out of Lebanon, Damascus has already lost a bargaining chip in
the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The Syrians believe that current events in Lebanon are part of an attempt to
keep Damascus out of Lebanon's politics and promote US plans for a new Middle
East. The Syrians also believe that the Americans are determined to implicate
Damascus in the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri. Once
the Syrian regime is under pressure or -- better -- out of the way, the
Americans would do as they please in Iraq and the region, goes the Syrian
argument.
Abdul-Nabi Hejazi, former director of Syrian television, says that Syria is the
"only remaining country in the region that opposes the US plan for the Middle
East", and that this is why the Americans are out to get it. In a statement to
Al-Ahram Weekly, Hejazi maintains that Lebanese majority politicians are hostile
to Syria because "they are part of the American scheme." And the mistakes Syria
made in Lebanon over 17 years? "It was the current [Lebanese] government that
encouraged us to make these mistakes," Hejazi adds.
The fact that moderate Arab countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan
generally back the Lebanese majority is not lost on the Syrians. And the less
Damascus feels at home with Arab countries, the more it drifts towards Tehran.
Iran is a "strategic component of Arab struggle," a key figure in the Syrian
ruling Baath Party, Fayez Ezzeddin, told the Weekly. "The Arab and Islamic
military alliance in the Middle East is now as strong as the military alliance
of Israel and America." War is no longer an easy decision for the United States,
and this is why Washington is trying to exercise all other forms of pressure on
Damascus and Tehran, Ezzeddin says.
For now, Damascus believes that its allies in Lebanon won't accept an agreement
that is not suitable to the Syrians. But Damascus is worried that Arab and
international pressure on Iran may push things in the wrong direction. Still,
Syrian officials hope that no agreement settling the current conflict in Lebanon
would be signed without their approval. They are also confident that their
friends in Lebanon will stand their ground.
It would be risky to ignore such Syrian views, for it is hard to imagine a
trouble-free Lebanon with a disgruntled Syria next door. Syria and Lebanon still
have much to talk about, and not just about the delineation of borders in the
Shebaa Farms. So regardless of what happens in Doha or the opinions of moderate
Arabs, Europe and the US, an inter- Lebanese agreement would have to have
Syria's stamp of approval.
Political analyst Abdallah Torkomani says that events that took place in Lebanon
lately were "a pre-emptive message from Syria and Iran". The message was
directed to the future president of Lebanon, and its gist was that "he mustn't
cross the line." In a statement to the Weekly, Torkomani said that the Arabs
shouldn't wait for international solutions that "may never come". Although
Torkomani opposes Iranian "infiltration" in the region, he wishes for the Arabs
to get together with the Iranians under one political "umbrella". Perhaps Arab
moderates would talk more to the Syrians. Perhaps the Arab League would organise
a regional conference about Lebanon and invite Iran, he suggests.
Can Syria bring down any agreement concluded in Doha, regardless of the level of
international and Arab support to that agreement? Some analysts believe yes, it
can -- so long as Iran and Hizbullah are on its side.
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved