LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِDecember
17/2010
Bible Of The
Day
Psalm 58/1-11/: "58:1 Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you
judge blamelessly, you sons of men? 58:2 No, in your heart you plot injustice.
You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth. 58:3 The wicked go
astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
58:4 Their poison is like the poison of a snake; like a deaf cobra that stops
its ear, 58:5 which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how
skillful the charmer may be. 58:6 Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break
out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh. 58:7 Let them vanish as water
that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt. 58:8
Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child,
who has not seen the sun. 58:9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns,
he will sweep away the green and the burning alike. 58:10 The righteous shall
rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the
wicked; 58:11 so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the
righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”
Free Opinions, Releases,
letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Iran said to have cut
Hizbullah aid by 40% /By YAAKOV KATZ/December
16/10
Spy devices on Lebanese peaks
monitored long-range missile activity/DEBKAfile/December 16/10
The Hariri Tribunal: In Hezbollah's
Interests/By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed/December
16/10
The Lebano-Syrian lobby is
back /By: Hussain Abdul-Hussain/December
16/10
Discovery of Israeli 'spy
cameras' is good news for Hezbollah/Haaretz/December
16/10
Sarkozy’s costly pipe dream/By:
Tony Badran/December
16/10
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for December
16/10
South residents clash with UNIFIL/December
16/10
Nasrallah: The STL will blow away
with the wind/December
16/10
Lebanon cabinet shelves vote on UN Hariri tribunal/AFP
Nasrallah: Israel continues to spy on Lebanon/Ynetnews
What are Hezbollah's post-STL plans?/UPI
Lebanese army says Israeli
spy cameras dismantled/J.Post
Major blast off Lebanese coast: 'Israeli overflights in area/Ynetnews
Lebanon: Sidon explosion was
third Israeli
spying device/Ynetnews
MESS Report / Discovery of spy
cameras is good news for Hezbollah/Haaretz
Army
Dismantles Israeli Spy System in Barouk/Naharnet
Asarta: UNIFIL Doing its
Best to Facilitate Operation to Hand over Security Responsibilities to Army/Naharnet
Israeli Spy Devices Can
Monitor Lebanon, Syria, Report/Naharnet
Man Killed during Quarrel
in Bir Hasan, 2 Police Officers Wounded in Sabra/Naharnet
Indictment Against 3
Hizbullah Members, Prone to Postponement: French Sources/Naharnet
Masses of People Crowd
Lebanon Streets for Ashoura Processions/Naharnet
Israel Reportedly
Detonated Spy Device off Sidon, Israel Denies/Naharnet
Jumblat: Whatever Content
of Indictment, Hizbullah Stance Must be Rational/Naharnet
Qahwaji Signs Military
Accord with Jordan/Naharnet
Report: Cabinet Session
Could be the Last this Year/Naharnet
Cabinet Shelves Vote on
'False Witnesses'/Naharnet
Report: Iran Has Cut Annual Funding
to Hizbullah by More Than 40%/Naharnet
Hezbollah Fabricated the so called
"discovery of Israeli spying devices in Lebanon"
By: Elias Bejjani/16/12/10: DEBKAfile web site unveils the big false allegation
that the Lebanon army announced on Wednesday 15.12.10, in regards to discovering
Israeli spying devices on Both Sannine and Barouk mountains. Those who watched
the pictures aired by the LBC and checked the ones published in the newspapers
observed clearly that there was NO SNOW in both sites while snow covers at the
present time these mountains. This obvious fact gives the DEBKAfile report great
credibility and shows how much the Lebanese army leadership has become under
Hezbollah's control, especially the Army Mukabarat (secret service)
Israeli Spy Devices Can Monitor
Lebanon, Syria, Report
Naharnet/Spying devices dismantled by the Lebanese army on two of the country's
highest mountaintops -- Barouk and Sannine -- can reportedly monitor Lebanon and
Syria.
The Lebanese army announced Wednesday that it had dismantled what it said were
Israeli espionage devices placed on Sannine, Barouk. An-Nahar said that
according to preliminary information, the devices were "dangerous and
sophisticated" since they are capable of monitoring Lebanon and Syria.
"Unveiling these two systems came as a result of information obtained by the
Intelligence Directorate from Resistance (Hizbullah) sources," said a statement
released by the Army Command – Orientation Directorate. The statement said the
device on Mount Sannine consisted of visual emission and reception parts. The
second device was "more complicated," it added, without elaborating. Hizbullah
has accused Israel of having infiltrated the country's telecom sector. On
December 3, the Israeli army detonated two spy devices in southern Lebanon,
slightly injuring two passers-by, after Hizbullah uncovered their location near
the coastal city of Tyre. The party hailed the discovery as "another
achievement" of its counter-espionage teams. Beirut, 16 Dec 10, 07:05
Army Dismantles Israeli Spy Devices in Sannine, Barouk after Hizbullah Tip
Naharnet/The Lebanese army on Wednesday dismantled what it said were Israeli
espionage devices placed on two of the country's highest mountaintops, an army
spokesman said.
"Earlier today, military intelligence discovered the two devices and dismantled
them," the spokesman told Agence France Presse.
The spying devices were found on Mount Sannine, northeast of Beirut, and the
Barouk Mountain, east of the capital, he added.
"Unveiling these two systems came as a result of information obtained by the
Intelligence Directorate from Resistance (Hizbullah) sources," said a statement
released by the Army Command – Orientation Directorate.
The statement said the device on Mount Sannine consisted of visual emission and
reception parts. The second device was "more complicated," it added, without
elaborating.
Lebanon's powerful Hizbullah has accused its arch-enemy Israel of having
infiltrated the country's telecom sector.
On December 3, the Israeli army detonated two spy devices in southern Lebanon,
slightly injuring two passers-by, after Hizbullah uncovered their location near
the coastal city of Tyre.
The party hailed the discovery as "another achievement" of its counter-espionage
teams.
Wednesday's incident came amid high tension in Lebanon over impending
indictments by a U.N.-backed probe into the 2005 assassination of ex-premier
Rafik Hariri.
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) is allegedly set to implicate
high-ranking members of Hizbullah in the killing, a move the party has
repeatedly warned against.
Hizbullah, which fought a devastating one-month war with Israel in 2006, has
accused the STL, which has based its indictments on extensive telecommunications
evidence according to reports, of being part of a U.S.-Israeli
plot.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 18:45
Discovery of Israeli 'spy cameras' is
good news for Hezbollah
Supposed Israeli spy activity in Lebanon serves Hezbollah interests by reminding
the Lebanese public that Israel, not Hezbollah, is the real enemy.
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff
Lebanon announced Wednesday that the Israeli spy cameras it had uncovered on
mountaintops in the center of the country were the most advanced uncovered in
Lebanon to date.
The Lebanese Army said the equipment had been installed on Mount Sannine and
Mount Barouk, both of which provide relatively good views of Beirut and its
environs.
Hezbollah fighters parade during the inauguration of a new cemetery for their
fighters who died in fighting against Israel, in southern Beirut, Lebanon, on
Nov. 12, 2010.
According to footage screened last night on Lebanese television, the equipment
was inserted into false stones in harsh terrain inaccessible to vehicles.
If this is spy equipment, installing and operating it over an extended period
far from Israel's border would have been a complex operation.
Since the beginning of 2009, Lebanese intelligence, with the aid of Hezbollah
and apparently Iran, have been trying to uncover what has been called an
extensive spy network operating on Israel's behalf. More than 100 Lebanese
civilians and soldiers have been arrested as part of this effort, including
fairly senior Lebanese Army officers.
According to Hezbollah, eavesdropping equipment was planted in the cars of the
senior Hezbollah leadership.
Israel has never responded to the reports from Lebanon. Reports from Lebanon
need to be understood in the context of rising political tensions as The Hague's
Special Tribunal for Lebanon prepares to announce an indictment against senior
Hezbollah officials in connection with the death of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri,
the father of the current premier, Saad Hariri.
The discovery of further supposed Israeli spy activity in Lebanon serves
Hezbollah interests by reminding the Lebanese public that Israel, not Hezbollah,
is the real enemy.
Investigative reports by journalists covering the International Court in The
Hague have revealed evidence of involvement in the assassination based on cell
phone conversations that were reconstructed after the fact. Nasrallah used the
supposed Israeli control of Lebanese cell phones to prove he is being framed.
Nasrallah spoke yesterday by videoconference to a crowd of thousands, thanking
his "brothers in the Lebanese Army for working hard under severe conditions of
snow to dismantle" the spy equipment. The Lebanese cabinet also met for the
first time in a month yesterday due to the disagreement between Hariri and
Hezbollah over Hariri's decision to fund the International Court investigation
into his father's February 2005 murder. Hezbollah said it would not participate
in cabinet meetings until the funding stopped, but reversed its decision
following intervention by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, the Syrians and
the Saudis. The Lebanese cabinet did not discuss the International Court
deliberations at yesterday's meeting.
Meanwhile, on Lebanese Internet sites yesterday, the discovery of the alleged
Israeli spy equipment took a back seat to other news including reports of
Israeli ships moving toward the area off the coast of Sidon, Israeli aircraft
dropping flares and a marine mine explosion.
Suleiman Lauds Army-Hizbullah
Cooperation against Israeli Espionage, Urges U.N. Complaint
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman on Thursday lauded the cooperation between
the Lebanese army and the resistance that led to the dismantling of Israeli
espionage devices.
Suleiman also called for filing a complaint with the U.N. Security Council in
addition to other complaints against "attacks on (Lebanon's) telecommunications
system."
Israeli espionage "is in clear violation of resolution 1701," Suleiman said.On
Wednesday, the Lebanese army said it dismantled two espionage devices that
Israel had placed on Mount Sannine and the Barouk Mountain, after receiving
information from Hizbullah. Beirut, 16 Dec 10, 14:21
Hezbollah's Fabricated discovery of spying
devices
This below report unveils the big lie that the Leb army announced today in
regards to discovering Israeli spying devices in Both Sannine and Barouk. I
personally watched the lbc pictures aired and those published in the newspapers.
NO SNOW was seen in these pictures which gives the below report great
credibility and shows how much the Leb army is spineless and how deep is its
leadership is under Hezbollah's control, especially the Army Mukabarat (secret
service)
Elias Bejjani
Lebanon: Sidon explosion was third Israeli spying
device
By JPOST.COM STAFF AND YAAKOV KATZ
12/16/2010 11:08
Reports from Radio Lebanon say explosion heard in Sidon area was IDF operation
to destroy third spying device.
A mysterious explosion near the southern Lebanese city of Sidon reported
Wednesday evening was from the destruction of a third Israeli spying device that
was destroyed by IAF aircraft, Lebanese radio station Radio Lebanon reported
Thursday. The device was said to have been planted in the coastal water near the
Lebanese city. No further details were revealed.
Beirut compiles list of spy cases against Israel Lebanon arrests alleged German
spy The army has denied any reports of IDF activity near Sidon Wednesday night.
On Wednesday, Israel sustained a possible blow to its intelligence-gathering
capabilities as the Lebanese military claimed its soldiers had discovered and
dismantled two spy cameras planted in the country’s mountains by Israel. One of
the long-range spying systems was reportedly placed on Mount Sannine, which
overlooks Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley, and the second was said to be on
Mount Barouk, southeast of the capital, the army said in a statement. The system
found on Sannine included a camera, a device to send images and a third to
receive signals, the Lebanese Army said. The device found on Barouk was “much
more complicated.” The army urged Lebanese citizens to inform authorities about
any suspicious objects they find. The military was tipped off about the systems
by Hizbullah, the statement said. “Israel isn’t satisfied with spies and aerial
photography,” Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said on television
Wednesday night, accusing Israel of spying on Lebanon “with radars hidden
underground that send pictures day and night. I thank our brothers in the
Lebanese Army who have been working since morning in the snow to dismantle this
equipment.”“Israel is still a strong country,” he acknowledged, “but not as
strong as it used to be.”Nasrallah assured his supporters that Hizbullah was
ready for any IDF attack in the future.“The resistance is working day and night,
and training day and night,” he said.*Associated Press contributed to this
report.
Spy devices on Lebanese peaks monitored long-range missile activity
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report December 16, 2010, 12:31 AM (GMT+02:00) Wednesday,
Dec. 15 after receiving a tipoff from Hizballah, were there to detect and keep
track of ground-to-ground missiles installed and operating in central and
western Syria and all of Lebanon, debkafile's intelligence sources report.
Lebanese military sources claimed Wednesday night that the devices discovered
had five features marking them as hidden surveillance instruments:
1. A laser beam covering a radius of 20 kilometers;
2. A camera for visual reception of details and movements within its range;
3. A device for transmitting images and recordings to its operators said to be
in Israel;
4. A system for receiving signals to adjust the angles of the laser beam and
cameras;
5. Large batteries for powering the devices.
In a speech he delivered in Beirut Wednesday night, Hizballah leader Hassan
Nasrallahc elebrated the successful Lebanese Army operation and thanked the
soldiers "for working so hard in the snow" to locate them. He praised the
"Golden Pair of the Resistance," Hizballah and the Lebanese Army, for its
success.
However, debkafile's intelligence sources note that neither of the pair has so
far produced a scrap of evidence tying the devices they found to Israel. The
photos the Lebanese Army released of their finds showed no sign of snow or
moisture although was claimed that the Hizballah tipoff reached the Lebanese
Army over the weekend, when Mt. Sannine and Barouk Mountain were both caught up
in the violent snow and wind storms battering the Middle East. The photos
released look as though they were taken in the summer and handed by Hizballah to
the Lebanese army to support their "discovery." Some time ago, debkafile
revealed that the two peaks had been designated by Iran. Syria and Hizballah
sites for the deployed of advanced radar and anti-air missile batteries against
Israeli warplanes overflying Lebanon. Our sources further note that Barouk is
part of the Chouf Mountain range which is Druze territory, whereas Mt. Sannine
is located in the Christian area of Lebanon where Hizballah has no presence.
During the day and into the night, Wednesday saw an unusual burst of military
activity centering in and around Lebanon. Israeli warplanes and helicopters were
seen in unusual numbers over the Mediterranean coast of Sidon and South Lebanon,
dropping flares and giving rise to reports of mysterious explosions. Witnesses
said the aircraft seemed to looking for some unidentified object. Our military
sources add that the planes appeared in a different part of Lebanon from the
mountains where the spy devices were found.
Also worth noting is that Wednesday morning, the Lebanese Druze chief Walid
Jumblatt was in Damascus. He was closeted with Syrian generals, an event not
normally made public.
Another unexplained event was a bomb threat during the day which caused the
President's Palace in Baabda to be evacuated. Explosive experts backed by police
dogs searched the site but found no bombs.
During the day, Dennis Ross, Barack Obama's Special Adviser on the Middle East
and Iran arrived in Israel for special consultations with military and
intelligence chiefs.
Siniora condemns Israeli sonic booms
December 15, 2010 /The Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace at supersonic speed on Wednesday
evening are a “criminal terrorist act” aiming to “cause tension and spread
fear,” former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said in a statement on Wednesday
evening.
Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier over southern areas on Wednesday
evening and created sonic booms at low altitude, NOW Lebanon’s correspondent
reported.
The incidents occurred as the cabinet held its first session since November 10
with the controversial “false witnesses” issue at the top of its agenda.
-NOW Lebanon
Report Says Israeli Equipment Used in Hariri's Protection, PM's Office Denies
Naharnet/Security agencies protecting Prime Minister Saad Hariri are using
advanced Israeli equipment that detects hostile forces several kilometers away,
Israel Radio reported Wednesday.
It quoted Israeli police as saying that the equipment functions in waves that
are difficult to track and block.
According to Israel Radio, a French firm that bought the equipment from its
Israeli manufacturers sent it to the Lebanese government.
Later on Wednesday, Hariri's press office issued a statement denying the Israeli
report describing such allegation as "falsified news items" aimed at acquiring
information on the prime minister's protective measures.
Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 10:50
Justice Palace Evacuated after Bomb Hoax
Naharnet/The Justice Palace in Baabda was evacuated on Wednesday after receiving
a bomb threat.
Local media quoted security sources as saying an anonymous person called shortly
after midday to inform there is a bomb planted in the Justice Palace in Baabda,
11 kilometers east of Beirut.
They said explosives experts, backed by police dogs, rushed to the scene to
secure the area and search for the bombs.
Security forces, however, found no trace of bombs after a thorough search of the
Justice Palace.
Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 13:19
Jumblat: Whatever Content of
Indictment, Hizbullah Stance Must be Rational
Naharnet/Druze leader Walid Jumblat urged Hizbullah to take a "rational" stance
regardless of the content of the indictment.In remarks published Thursday by As-Safir
newspaper, Jumblat said the Special Tribunal for Lebanon was politicized with an
aim to hit Hizbullah as well as Syria." He said Washington is seeking to use the
STL as a means to pressure Iran to Lebanon. Jumblat believed the indictment
battle has turned into "a nerve-wrecking battle." "Whatever the content of the
awaited indictment by STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare, Hizbullah's position must
be rational," Jumblat stressed. Beirut, 16 Dec 10, 09:10
Man Killed during Quarrel in Bir Hasan, 2 Police Officers
Wounded in Sabra
Naharnet/A man was killed during a quarrel with a fellow citizen in Beirut's Bir
Hasan neighborhood, State-run National News Agency said. It identified the
victim as Youssef Mohammed Osman. NNA said Youssef was killed when Osman Bilal
Samha hit with a metal object. Separately, NNA said a police officer and a
policeman were wounded as they tried to curb a construction site violation in
Sabra. It said the officers were wounded when their patrol was attacked with
stones. Beirut, 16 Dec 10, 14:04
Indictment Against 3 Hizbullah Members, Prone to Postponement: French Sources
Naharnet/The indictment in the Hariri murder is likely to be postponed till
2011, As-Safir daily on Thursday quoted prominent French sources as saying.
The sources said the indictment, set to charge Hizbullah members in the 2005
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, is expected to be postponed
until after the Christmas and New Year holidays. They said the indictment is
also likely to include "a few names – not more than three," contrary to
expectations about the possibility of indicting twice that number.
The indictment is also expected to be issued against "low-ranking" Hizbullah
cadres and not high-ranking members. Beirut, 16 Dec 10, 07:39
South residents clash with UNIFIL
December 16, 2010 /Residents in the village of Hariss in the South clashed on
Thursday with a French UNIFIL patrol, an anonymous source told NOW Lebanon. The
incident began when residents grew suspicious after the patrol began to take
photographs of the area, the source said. He added that UNIFIL’s general command
alerted the LAF, which arrived to the scene to resolve the situation. -NOW
Lebanon
Nasrallah Asks Rival Camp to Step Aside in Hizbullah-STL Confrontation
Naharnet/Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday called on the
rival March 14 camp to step aside and allow his party to singlehandedly deal
with a U.N. court on the murder of ex-premier Rafik Hariri.
"The day is coming when this tribunal and all those who conspired with it will
face a scandal bigger than that those that WikiLeaks has unveiled," Nasrallah
told thousands of his supporters via closed-circuit video.
His comments came as tensions rise over the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, which is reportedly ready to indict high-ranking Hizbullah operatives
in the 2005 Beirut bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others.
The Shiite leader, who commands the most powerful military force in the country,
urged the other camp in the country to stay out of his rising offensive against
the STL, which he has described as a U.S.-Israeli plot.
"Leave this problem to us and the tribunal, for we are able to face up to it
alone and defend ourselves," Nasrallah said one night before a mass procession
was scheduled in the Hizbullah-controlled southern suburb of Beirut to mark the
commemoration of Ashoura.
The Iranian- and Syrian-backed group has warned any accusation in the Hariri
murder would have grave repercussions in Lebanon and called for an inquiry by
the nation's highest court, the Judicial Council, into what it claims was bogus
testimony given to U.N. investigators.
But Saudi-backed Prime Minister Saad Hariri, son of the slain ex-premier, has
vowed to see the investigation through.
Nasrallah accused the government, in which Hizbullah and its allies have veto
power over major decisions, of protecting the alleged bogus witnesses.
"The Lebanese government is protecting these false witnesses," he said, hours
after a cabinet session on the issue was adjourned without feuding ministers
coming to an agreement on the issue.
"The government this very night was protecting these false witnesses who for
four years have been dragging the country into strife."
Furthermore, Nasrallah addressed "some of the Christians in Lebanon and outside
Lebanon."
"I tell some of the Christians in Lebanon and outside Lebanon, who are thinking
or imagining that a Sunni-Shiite conflict in Lebanon would put them in a
privileged position, that they are wrong."
Hizbullah number one denied that his armed group was "seeking an alibi to topple
the regime."
"If we wanted this specific alibi (over the STL), we would've acted in 2008," he
added.
On the other hand, Nasrallah accused Gerhard Lehmann, an aide to former chief
U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis, of asking for "a million dollars" in return for
providing Hizbullah "with all investigation documents."
"We are still pinning hopes on the Syrian-Saudi efforts in order to reach a
solution before the issuance of the indictment, but after the indictment, no one
would be entitled to speak of anything, we will mull it along with our allies,
taking into consideration the other camp's behavior toward us," he noted.
Nasrallah also called on his followers to march en masse on Thursday for
Ashoura, when Shiite worshippers gather to mourn the death of Hussein, a
grandson of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed.
"Tomorrow is different, exceptional. What we are asking of you is attendance
that is different, exceptional, in all areas," Nasrallah said.
"The world is waiting tomorrow to see your faces ... your resolve," he added.
"Tomorrow we meet to tell the world that all Israel's threats of war cannot
underscore our resolve."
Nasrallah is expected to speak after Thursday's procession.(Naharnet-AFP)
Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 23:13
Nasrallah:
The STL will blow away with the wind
December 16, 2010
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) is a conspiracy that will “blow away with
the wind, just like all the past conspiracies,” Hezbollah Secretary General
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Thursday morning. “We reject any unjust
accusation. We will overthrow the goals of this accusation as we have [already]
overthrown part of it, and we will protect the Resistance and our country,”
Nasrallah said in a televised speech while Shia Muslims gathered in large
numbers throughout Lebanon to observe Ashura. “We affirm our commitment to
Lebanon and our national unity and declare our rejection of any strife among the
Lebanese, especially between Sunni and Shia,” he said. “In all the trials of
past years, we did not resort to sectarian discourse because we consider that
whoever resorts to such speech is weak.” “We learned from Imam Hussein at
Karbala to hold fast to the truth and not abandon it […] No one has the
authority to concede a single grain of soil, nor a drop of water, nor any part
of our holy places,” Nasrallah also said. “We will not recognize Israel and we
will not abandon a single inch of our land.”
Tensions are high in Lebanon amid reports that the STL may soon indict Hezbollah
members in its investigation of the Rafik Hariri assassination.
Nasrallah has repeatedly said that the tribunal is an American-Israeli
conspiracy against the Resistance and threatened to "cut off the hand" of anyone
who tries to arrest any Hezbollah members in the case.-NOW Lebanon
Hezbollah tells Lebanon govt to leave UN Hariri court to it
By Natacha Yazbeck (AFP) –
BEIRUT — Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday called on Lebanon's
government to step aside and allow his armed movement to singlehandedly deal
with a UN court on the murder of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri.
"The day is coming when this tribunal and all those who conspired with it will
face a scandal bigger than that those that WikiLeaks has unveiled," Nasrallah
told thousands of his supporters via closed-circuit video.
His comments came as tensions rise over the the UN-backed Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, which is reportedly ready to indict high-ranking Hezbollah operatives
in the 2005 Beirut bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others.
The Shiite leader, who commands the most powerful military force in the country,
urged the deeply divided government to stay out of his rising offensive against
the STL, which he has claimed is a US-Israeli plot.
"Leave this problem to us and the tribunal, for we are able to face up to it
alone and defend ourselves," Nasrallah said one night before a mass procession
was scheduled in the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburb of Beirut to mark the
commemoration of Ashura.
The Iranian- and Syrian-backed group has warned any accusation in the Hariri
murder would have grave repercussions in Lebanon and called for an inquiry by
the nation's highest court into what it claims was bogus testimony given to UN
investigators.
But Saudi-backed Prime Minister Saad Hariri, son of the slain ex-premier, has
vowed to see the investigation through.
Nasrallah accused the government, in which Hezbollah and its allies have veto
power over major decisions, of protecting the alleged bogus witnesses.
"The Lebanese government is protecting these false witnesses," he said, hours
after a cabinet session on the issue was adjourned without feuding ministers
coming to an agreement on the issue.
"The government this very night was protecting these false witnesses who for
four years have been dragging the country into strife."
Nasrallah also called on his followers to march en masse on Thursday for Ashura,
when Shiite worshippers gather to mourn the death of Hussein, a grandson of the
Muslim Prophet Mohammed.
"Tomorrow is different, exceptional. What we are asking of you is attendance
that is different, exceptional, in all areas," Nasrallah said.
"The world is waiting tomorrow to see your faces ... your resolve," he added.
"Tomorrow we meet to tell the world that all Israel's threats of war cannot
underscore our resolve."
Nasrallah is expected to speak after Thursday's procession.Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
Open Letter to Paul McGeough
http://www.jwire.com.au/news/open-letter-to-paul-mcgeough/13977
L.Wire/December 16, 2010 by Maurice Ostroff Read on for articleYou may recall that we
corresponded during last March about the Mabhouh brouhaha in Dubai during which
we discussed media accuracy.
I now write to congratulate you on the excellence of your “Project Gaza” article
in the November 6 issue of Good Weekend. Though I believe their dedication is
based on misinformation, as an Israeli citizen, the word and graphic picture you
drew evoked my genuine empathy with the dedicated humanitarian activists you
described,.
As sincere peaceniks, had they been better informed perhaps the flotilla
activists would possibly have diverted some of their energetic efforts to
simultaneously press Hamas to accept Israel’s existence, cease their threats to
destroy Israel and their ongoing incitement to violence and adhere to past
agreements as demanded by the US, the EU, Russia and the UN since 2006.
Reverting to the concept of media accuracy, I’m sure you will agree that words
can misinform not only by what is written or said, but by relevant information
that is omitted. In your entire article of 4,800 words sympathizing with the
activists’ anger at Israel for blockading Gaza you omitted the very relevant and
highly significant detail that the blockade is not only an Israeli operation. It
is a joint Israel-Egyptian effort. If Egypt opened its border with Gaza the
blockade would be ineffective and it is no more than fair to question the
single-minded attacks on Israel alone.
While I don’t doubt the sincerity of the activists you described so
sympathetically, a more than superficial evaluation of the circumstances points
to the influence of the psychological concept of “confirmation bias” whereby,
even well-meaning people have a tendency to favor information that confirms
their preconceptions, regardless of whether information is factual. This
phenomenon is particularly prevalent where people are exposed to what Norman
Mailer called factoids, namely dubious information that people accept as facts
only because of frequent repetition in the media. Like an anthropoid that
resembles a human, a factoid is information that resembles, but is not, a fact.
The effectiveness of factoids as a propaganda tool is emphasized by the
statement by more than one of the activists that they were influenced by the
story of Al Dura, the Palestinian boy who was allegedly shot by Israeli
soldiers, despite the fact that in 2010 a French court upheld Phillipe
Karsenty’s right to claim that the film of the shooting was a fabrication and
that Al Dura was not killed.
Another common factoid is that the Gaza blockade is imposed willy-nilly without
any provocation or purpose.
Paul, I believe you agree with me that if a report is to be given some credence
by intelligent readers it must place the events it describes in their context.
In a Columbia Journalism Q and A on Feb 11, 2009, when Katya Batchko asked
whether in your reading you noticed any mistakes or shortcuts that reporters or
publications have taken that you feel are steering the story in a wrong
direction, you replied with great insight “.. my stance that I try to convey to
you is that I don’t see it as a deliberate thing, I see it as one of the
pitfalls of the cut and thrust of the daily story. You simply see that things
are not being as fully explained as they might be. [the emphasis is mine] And
some people fall into the black-and-white delineation without trying to grapple
with the extensive grey in the whole crisis”.
Following this train of thought, I remind you that when Israel disengaged from
the Gaza strip there was no thought of a blockade. More than 3,000 greenhouses
that together with other projects could provide income for over 4,500 families
were transferred to the PA in the hope that they would contribute towards
Palestinian prosperity and peaceful coexistence. Unfortunately Gazan gunmen
wantonly destroyed them and Israel was rewarded with intensive rocket fire from
civilian areas in Gaza into civilian populations in Israel.
It is more than tragic that their leaders have deprived Palestinians of
opportunities to prosper, like the abandonment due to terror, of the successful
industrial zone at Erez, which employed about 5,000 workers in some 200
businesses half of which were Palestinian-owned. This was part of a larger Gaza
Industrial Estate (GIE), slated to provide up to 50,000 jobs. In addition a
joint industrial zone was planned south of Tulkarm intended to provide jobs for
more than 5,000 Palestinians. Additional areas were planned for Jenin and the
Kerem Shalom area near Rafah in Gaza.
Before the uprising, about 100,000 Palestinians worked in Israel. Palestinian
trucks moved freely on Israel’s roads moving thousands of tons of agricultural
products from Gaza to Jordan and beyond. Even during times of violence about
5,000 Palestinians continued to work in Israel, many in the settlements that
have since been evacuated.
Seriously missing from your otherwise excellent article is some in-depth
information about the organization that is misusing these sincere highly
motivated volunteers whom you describe so well. I know that you are intimately
familiar with Hamas but because you do not speak fluent Arabic, perhaps some
vital nuances escape you. On the other hand Dr. Walid Phares, an American
scholar who was born in Beirut, knows the language and studied the situation in
depth paints a different picture from yours. His research leads to the
conclusion that the actual goal of what appears to be a humanitarian effort is
to relieve Hamas. He explains logically, that if aid and comfort was the sole
objective of the operation, the material would have been calmly handed to the
United Nations’ agencies.
Behind the glossy picture that you saw and described so well, Phares describes
the organizers of the flotilla as “a vast coalition supporting the Jihadist
organization based in Gaza, aimed clearly at a geopolitical gain: open a
maritime path for Hamas to receive strategic support from the outside and
solidify its grip over the enclave. Spokespersons for the “flotilla” would
obviously deny the long term goal and focus on the humanitarian stated agenda..
This is not new: It is a modified repeat of previous manipulated incidents:
..obstructing the peace process by using militants wearing peace jackets. But
the more ominous development this flotilla is camouflaging a real land fleet
bringing missiles and advanced weapons to Hezbollah from Syria to the Bekaa
Valley.
Over the past weeks reports have abounded about Iranian long-range missiles
shipped via Syria to Hezbollah and satellite images have shown terror bases in
the vicinity of Damascus growing under Baathist protection. As soon as the
attention of the international community began to focus on the flow of strategic
weapons to Hezbollah, the “brotherhood of regimes” unleashed the Gaza flotilla
across the Mediterranean. Seasoned geopolitical experts would rationally link
the move to create an incident off the coasts of Gaza with the move to equipping
Hezbollah with lethal missiles.
In the end we’re looking at two flotillas, the maritime one in the south being
only a decoy for the land fleet to achieve its goal of war preparations in the
north”.
Dr Phares complete article, reproduced here deserves to be read by all who take
a genuine unbiased interest in developments in the Middle East.
This letter is being publicised as will the reply I hope to receive from you
Maurice Ostroff writes for 2nd Thoughts – a web site which counters bias and
misinformation, mainly about the Arab-Israel conflict
Major blast off Lebanese coast: 'Israeli overflights in area'
Local media say sea mine went off near city of Sidon; explosion accompanied by
'unprecedented' IAF overflights, according to reports. IDF: No unusual activity
Roee Nahmias Latest Update: 12.16.10, 00:30 / Israel News
Lebanese media outlets reported Wednesday of a major explosion off the coast of
Sidon. They said the blast was accompanied by overflights conducted by the
Israeli air force in the area and the launching of illuminating bombs. Lebanese
Prime Minister Saad Hariri condemned the alleged infiltration of Israeli
aircraft into his country's territory, saying it "stirred panic among the
residents of Sidon and south Lebanon." Hariri called on the UN to act
against "attacks on Lebanon's sovereignty." The IDF said that despite the
reports from Lebanon, its forces were not conducting any unusual activity in the
area. One of the reports described the scope of the overflights as
"unprecedented."
Lebanon:
We uncovered Israeli spy equipment
Army official claims two Israeli long range spy cameras spotted in hills
overlooking Beirut; says information received by Hezbollah
Roee Nahmias, AP Published: 12.15.10, 20:03 / Israel News
A senior Lebanese army officer on Wednesday said military experts have
discovered two spy cameras planted by Israel in Lebanon's mountains. Earlier
this month, the Lebanese appealed to the United Nations Security Council,
claiming Israel planted spying equipment at the south of the country.
Grim Forecast IDF: Hezbollah to take over Lebanon, dozens will die
Roni Sofer Defense establishment fears that day after publication of
report on Hariri murder investigation, Hezbollah will drag Lebanon into
bloodbath that will reach Israel
The officer claimed the long range spying systems were placed in Sanin mountain
and the Barouk mountains, which overlook the capital of Beirut.
The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said
Wednesday that army experts dismantled one of the systems and are working on the
second.
He said the army received information about the systems from the militant
Hezbollah group – whose members are expected to be indicted on the assassination
of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. According to the report, the equipment
included a system that can record and send signals as well as take footage, and
can be operated from afar. The Lebanese official said the spying system was
planted in an isolated area with dry rocks, which made it harder to uncover.
Earlier this month, Hezbollah said it discovered an Israeli device spying on its
private telecommunications network. More than 100 people in Lebanon have been
arrested since last year on suspicion of collaborating with Israel. Last week,
WikiLeaks published diplomatic cables revealing that Lebanese authorities were
surprised to discover that not only Israel is syping on them. In February 2008,
the army uncovered a secret Iranian communications network across the
country.The discovery sparked tensions between the central government and
Hezbollah, which culminated in public clashes on the streets of the capital.
Iran said to have cut Hizbullah aid by 40%
By YAAKOV KATZ 12/16/2010 00:56
J.Post/Terror organization faces unprecedented crisis, according to Israeli
intelligence assessments, stirring tension with its Iranian patrons. Iran has
cut the annual budget it provides Hizbullah by over 40 percent, stirring an
unprecedented crisis within the Lebanese Shi’ite guerrilla organization. This
comes, according to recent Israeli intelligence assessments, just weeks before a
United Nations tribunal is expected to accuse Hizbullah of assassinating former
Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. Iran has in recent years provided
Hizbullah with close to $1 billion in direct military aid, but due to the impact
of the recent round of international sanctions, the Islamic Republic has been
forced to cut back on the funding. The money is used by Hizbullah to buy
advanced weaponry, train and pay its operatives and establish military positions
and sustain them throughout Lebanon. The cuts in the budget has stirred tension
between Hizbullah and its Iranian patrons, further fueled by disagreements
between the top Hizbullah leadership and the Revolutionary Guard Corps officer
who was appointed earlier this year to oversee Hizbullah operations on behalf of
the Islamic Republic. That officer is Hossein Mahadavi, and his official title
is “commander of Iran’s overseas division,” which in this case is Hizbullah.
Mahadavi is believed to maintain an office in Beirut and is a senior member of
the Guard’s Al-Quds Force, which is responsible for Iran’s overseas operations.
Mahadavi was sent to Lebanon to fill the vacuum created by the 2008
assassination of Hizbullah’s top military commander Imad Mughniyeh in Syria,
which the group has been attributed to Israel. Mughniyeh was also the chief
liaison between the Lebanese group and the Revolutionary Guard. According to
information that has reached Israel, Mahadavi has clashed with senior Hizbullah
officials, including its Secretary- General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, on critical
issues pertaining to the group, which is refusing to accept the Iranian’s
authority. Israel is concerned that the impending publication of the first round
of indictments by the UN’s Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating Hariri’s
death could lead to regional instability, depending on how Hizbullah responds to
the findings. Nasrallah has said that Hizbullah would not stand by and allow its
top operatives to take the fall in what he has called a Zionist plot. The
prevailing assessment within the IDF Northern Command is that Hizbullah will
refrain from attacking Israel as part of an effort to divert attention away from
the tribunal’s findings, but is more likely to topple the Lebanese government
and steer the country toward political deadlock.
The Hariri Tribunal: In Hezbollah's Interests?
15/12/2010
By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed
AsharqAlawsat
I'm not saying this to be sarcastic, but the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is
truly in everybody's interests, and particularly those who are accused of
Hariri's assassination. This is the synopsis of my article. However the opposite
of this is also true; for rejecting the international tribunal will be the
greatest mistake that anybody could make, especially in light of some of the
rhetoric that we are hearing today. We hear Hezbollah threatening violence if
the tribunal does not stop its work, while the suspects are just a handful of
people, some of whom have already taken their secrets to the grave. However, as
we know, those who think with their weapons do not always correctly use their
intellect.
What will Hezbollah do if the tribunal issues indictments against some of its
members?
Will it overthrow the government by force of arms? Will it spread chaos by
invading the areas of its opponents in Beirut? Will it occupy government
institutions, and cripple some of the state's vital facilities, and take control
of the motorway that leads to Beirut airport? Will it target its opponents out
of revenge? Will it occupy downtown Beirut again?
If Hezbollah tries any of this it will only prove the tribunal's decision right,
and no country around the world will call for its end. Such aggression would
also be internationally condemned, rather than this issue being viewed as a
local disagreement, as is the case now. Such action will only serve to increase
the scope of the crime.
The situation looks bad, and this is not because of the old crime [being
investigated] but because of what is happening today. Hezbollah is utilizing
rhetoric that it never has before, making clear and explicit threats saying that
either the Saudi – Syrian proposal is agreed – in other words no accusations are
leveled at Hezbollah – or there will be dire consequences. This is explicit
blackmail.
Personally, I do not understand why Hezbollah is so afraid; this is an
organization whose leadership was, and remains, pursued by the law over the past
30 years. There are Hezbollah members in prison in many countries around the
world, so what is different [this time]? The argument that Hezbollah fears that
if any of its members are indicted, this will cause a crack in the relationship
between the Sunnis and Shiites in Lebanon is not believable, particularly due to
the number of cracks in this relationship caused by the Hezbollah movement
itself, including its recent threats against the Sunni community under the
pretext of preventing the tribunal's expected decision.
In my opinion, Hezbollah knows that the consequences of what it has said it will
do [if the tribunal does not stop its operations] will be worse than before.
This will result in sectarian conflict, with Hezbollah's allies, most notably
Iran, being besieged from all sides. Following this, sectarian chaos will be a
political weapon rather than merely a genuine emotional reaction. This is a
genuine threat that cannot be compared with bringing a handful of people to
justice, most of whom will be convicted in absentia.
Therefore let me say once more: the international tribunal is the solution, not
to gain revenge [against those who committed this crime] but in order to put an
end to this entire chapter.
The murder of Hariri and the assassination of so many Lebanese leaders and
politicians is a crime that cannot be forgotten, and one that no tribunal in the
world can leave half-investigated. This tribunal is the best conclusion to this
tragedy-filled decade, and I would argue that the tribunal is in the interests
of the prime suspects; for it brings a political divisive case that has lasted
for long years to an end. The tribunal will put an end to the crisis, and the
situation will return to how it was prior to Hariri's assassination and
everybody can carry on with their lives.
Canada Condemns Bombing at Religious Ceremony in Iran
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2010/399.aspx
(No. 399 – December 15, 2010 – 6:50 p.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement condemning
this morning’s bombing at a religious ceremony in Chabahar, Iran, during the
lead-up to the annual Ashura commemoration: “Canada strongly condemns the deadly
suicide bombing this morning in Chabahar.
“I am deeply saddened by this violent and deplorable attack. On behalf of all
Canadians, I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends of those
killed in the attack, and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. Our thoughts
are with the Iranian people. “The targeting of a religious ceremony near the
Imam Hossein Mosque during the lead-up to Ashura, an annual time of mourning, is
a cowardly and immoral act. Canada hopes that the perpetrators of this
deplorable act will be brought to justice.”
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Melissa Lantsman
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
613-995-1851
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
Follow us on Twitter.
Sarkozy’s costly pipe dream
Tony Badran, December 16, 2010
Now Lebanon/
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s latest trip to France served as yet another
reminder of the obvious futility of the Elysee’s attitude towards Syria under
Nicolas Sarkozy. Driving the policy has been the French infatuation with the
idea of “playing a role” in the Middle East through the Syrians. This effort has
worked solely to Syria’s advantage - and to America’s and Lebanon’s detriment.
The French, meanwhile, have gained nothing, even as they continue to inflate
Syria’s importance to justify the continuation of a failed policy.
It’s now common knowledge that al-Assad has taken advantage of Sarkozy’s
eagerness and insatiable hunger for the spotlight, manipulating miserable French
diplomacy. This was plain for all to see during the Lebanese presidential crisis
in late 2007-early ’08. With no cost to himself, al-Assad extracted French
acquiescence to Syrian interference in Lebanese affairs and (thankfully, failed)
French solicitation for American lenience on sanctions. Today he is trying to
use his relationship with Paris to try and influence its position on the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon, and perhaps obtain France’s blessing on a renewed Syrian
mandate over Lebanon under the guise of restraining Hezbollah.
Al-Assad was rather transparent as to the purpose of his visit. In an interview
with the French channel TF1, he remarked that his talks with Sarkozy revolved
around two points: “how we can assist the Lebanese dialogue in order to reduce
tensions, and the second point is the role that France could play through the
Security Council to limit interference in the Tribunal’s work and prevent its
politicization.”
The Syrian president has allegedly undertaken similar initiatives with other
members of the Security Council, but also with nations contributing to UNIFIL,
such as Italy, who, like France, are nervous about the security of their
soldiers from a possible Hezbollah retribution should the situation deteriorate
in Lebanon following the Tribunal’s indictment. Al-Assad’s bread and butter lie
in seizing on precisely these types of situations, by selling frightened
interlocutors the spectacular illusion that he represents a pathway through the
forest.
Unfortunately, it was Sarkozy who provided such opportunities to al-Assad.
Determined to break from the policy of his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, Sarkozy
is also rather eager to assert his relevance by seeking involvement in the peace
process. As secondary actors, the French have convinced themselves that the
Syrians are their ticket to achieve these goals - all with prodding from
al-Assad’s friend, Hamad bin Khalifa Emir of Qatar, who rehearsed the same act
with US Senator John Kerry in February of this year.
The most obvious problem for Sarkozy, however, is that Syria, predictably,
hasn’t delivered anything - a fact not lost on anyone, as put bluntly by Le
Figaro’s veteran correspondent, Georges Malbrunot: “France hasn’t gotten
anything out of its relations with Syria.”
This is where the Syrian quicksand typically swallows foolish “engagers” whole.
Since the process, and the illusion of a big political return, is clearly
important to Sarkozy, he cannot and will not admit failure. Instead, he
continues to double down - and continues to sink deeper. How deep? The WikiLeaks
cables provide some insight.
In one cable from July 2009, the US ambassador to France, Charles Rivkin, wrote
how the Elysee intentionally exaggerated al-Assad’s alleged intercessory role
with Iran in the release of French hostage Clotilde Reiss. In private, the
French were of course skeptical about al-Assad’s actual value in that process.
However, the reason they inflated the Syrian role, the ambassador wrote, was to
“validate Sarkozy’s policy of early engagement with Syria.” Further still, the
French floated the amusing proposition of a broader Syrian mediation role with
the Iranians - a proposal and role that the Iranians have publicly and
repeatedly dismissed and ridiculed, even forcing al-Assad to declare he would
not be playing any such role.
Which brings us to the heart of the matter. The fact is not only that Syria will
not deliver, but that it cannot deliver Sarkozy’s fantasy. It is Iran who,
through Hezbollah, controls the ground in Lebanon - a truth underscored by
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s recent visit to Tehran.
The so-called Syrian-Saudi “initiative,” as well as any French accoutrement, are
mere sideshows. The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon recently made sure to remind
everyone in an interview with Al-Hayat that Syria plays second fiddle to Iran.
Using Syria’s stock language about its supposedly unique “historical” ties with
Lebanon, the ambassador pointedly remarked: “Iranian-Lebanese relations are
richer than any other historical relationship between countries in the world.”
Of course, Damascus’s marginal role never stopped al-Assad from playing hapless
“engagers” for fools. He has perfected the sale of snake oil to anyone gullible
enough to buy. In that sense, Sarkozy has been a preferred customer. As one
diplomat commented on the al-Assad visit, “Sarkozy is desperate for a foreign
policy success.”
Few things are less effective in diplomacy than desperate limelight seekers. For
the US, whose interests in the region have suffered from the counterproductive
policies of erratic allies, this requires making sure that the French, whether
out of fear for their soldiers or because of the allure of an illusory “role” of
preeminence, don’t fumble, both on the Tribunal and Syria’s maneuvers to
reimpose itself in Lebanon. While at it, perhaps they could also try and
persuade the French to abandon the ill-advised stratagem of aggrandizing the
two-bit Syrian dictator. He is a Montgolfiere of self-puffery as it is.
**Tony Badran is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
The Lebano-Syrian lobby is back
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
December 14, 2010
The Lebano-Syrian network in Lebanon might not yet be back in full swing, but in
Washington those loyal to Damascus appear to be back in business. A group of
them requested a meeting this week with senior officials at the White House in
the hopes of warning the United States of post-indictment violence should it
continue to support the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). Such a meeting could
constitute the beginnings of a comeback after years of being on the outside when
it comes to Lebanon policy in Washington .
James Zogby, the long-sitting president of the Arab American Institute (AAI),
requested and hoped to chair the briefing. A Catholic of Lebanese descent and a
“political organizer,” he has made a lucrative business out of his organization
skills. But to accommodate the biggest number of patrons, Zogby has had to wear
different hats.
Even though he does not speak Arabic, Zogby most days poses as an Arab-American.
When the Quran-burning frenzy hit America and the world, he stood alongside
religious leaders who gathered at the National Press Club to denounce the act.
Only when need be, Zogby signs off as Lebanese-American. He did so once to
endorse Barack Obama’s presidential bid, knowing that the Lebanese-American
community – rather than the Arab-American one – had a decisive role in the swing
state of New Hampshire .
During the days of Syrian occupation of Lebanon , a network of Lebanese
profiteers and aspiring politicians was formed in Lebanon and the United States
. It included the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL), Lebanese members of
the American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the Lebanese Embassy and a
handful of Lebanese-Americans. The network received commands from Beirut as well
as from the Syrian Embassy in Washington .
One of the network’s main purposes was to market the Syrian regime as an
“indispensible player” in the region as well as vindicate the Syrian occupation
of Lebanon as temporary and sanctioned by an elected Lebanese government. Trips
of congressional delegations, sponsored by Lebanese-Americans, always made their
first stop in Damascus before showing up in Beirut . For more than a decade,
these Lebanese-Americans – and Lebanon ’s diplomatic corps – worked as an
addendum to the Syrian mission in Washington .
Ambassador Fareed Abboud – the protégé of former President Emile Lahoud – was
the last Lebanese diplomat to serve Damascus . In September 2004, Lebanon ’s
Permanent Representative to the UN, Sami Kronfol, was suffering from a chronic
illness. Abboud went to New York to lobby world powers, especially the French,
against UN Security Council Resolution 1559.
After the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14,
2005, the administration recalled its Ambassador to Syria Margret Scoby and cut
contacts with Abboud, who nevertheless kept visiting New York to convince the
Security Council against a series of resolutions that endorsed an international
investigation into the Hariri crime.
According to the blog of Syrian Ambassador to Washington Imad Mustafa, his three
best friends are Abboud, chairperson of ADC Safa Rifka and Daoud Khairallah,
professor of International Law who has written several articles bashing the STL.
Rifka and Khairallah are both reportedly attending or involved in organizing
James Zoghby’s requested briefing.
One of Abboud’s closest friends is Fadi Agha, who once identified himself as
Lahoud’s advisor on foreign policy. Agha blogs on Friday Lunch Club, where
authors try to conceal their identity. He is also connected to the Beirut branch
of the Lebano-Syrian network, headed by former Information Minister Michel Smaha,
in partnership with Bouthaina Shaaban, advisor to Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad.
Since Smaha was banned from traveling to the US in 2007, and has since delegated
two disciples who frequent Washington in his stead. One of them is former
Lebanese ambassador to the US , Abdullah Bou-Habib, who heads the Issam Fares
Center in Beirut . Fares, through his son Nejad – who sits on the ATFL board –
has been a generous funder of this network.
Lebanon ’s Cedar Revolution forced the network to take a break. Abboud and
Mustafa were isolated in Washington . ATFL feared the backlash of
Lebanese-Americans and stopped sponsoring Congressional delegations’ trips to
Syria . Smaha was banned from entering the US , and Agha restricted his activity
to blogging. In fact, it was his blog that mistakenly leaked news of the
requested White House briefing, tipping off other Lebanon watchers and
complicating Zoghby’s plans.
But 2010 witnessed a Lebano-Syrian comeback. Mustafa was invited and attended
the ATFL annual gala for the first time since 2005. Zogby s apparently working
to further the network’s activity. Its requested briefing with senior
administration officials, to bash the tribunal, is as of now scheduled for
Friday.
The administration appears to have been caught off guard, not understanding at
first the ulterior motives. In the coming days it has a chance to correct its
course. One thing is certain though. The Lebano-Syrian lobbying network in
Washington is reviving itself. Effort to undermine the STL looks like the tip of
the iceberg.
**Hussain Abdul-Hussain is the Washington correspondent of Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai
Maurice Vellacott, MP
Saskatoon-Wanuskewin
MP Maurice Vellacott votes for Bill C-510,
to outlaw coerced abortion
For Immediate Release December 15, 2010
OTTAWA – Bill C-510, proposed by Conservative MP Rod Bruinooge, would have made
it illegal for anyone to coerce a woman into an abortion through threats of
violence, withdrawal of financial resources or denial of a place to live.
Bruinooge acknowledges there are already general laws against coercion and
making threats, but he believes a specific prohibition against coercing pregnant
women into abortion needs to be spelled out as a message to potential offenders
and to society at large. “Bill C-510 was an important
law for a society committed to the protection of women,” said Conservative MP
Maurice Vellacott. “No woman should feel that she has no recourse when being
coerced to destroy her own baby.”
Bruinooge says the bill, also known as Roxanne’s Law, is a response to the
murder of Winnipeg constituent Roxanne Fernando, who was beaten to death by
three men because she refused to have an abortion. Her body was found in a
frozen ditch outside the city a few days after she vanished.
Laws like Bill C-510 exist in Germany, Italy and France without
inhibiting legal access to abortion. This law could
also have pre-empted a rise in the practise of “gendercide” in Canada,” said
Vellacott. “Recent research indicates that a cultural preference for male
children can result in coercion towards abortion of female children, even in
Canada.” Faye Sonier, legal counsel with the
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, recently wrote, “Unfortunately, as a result of
some cultural preferences, abortion coercion can also take place, with tragic
results. In recent years, studies and media coverage have brought the world’s
attention to gendercide and sex-selection. In certain cultures where boys are
the preferred heirs, women are being pressured to abort their female
babies.”“Bill C-510 is an essential amendment to Canadian law in a society
committed to the protection of women,” concluded Vellacott. Regretfully, the
bill was defeated today with a vote of 97 to 178.
For further comment, call (613) 992-1966 or (613) 297-2249