LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِJuly
26/2010
Bible Of
the Day
Proverbs 18:10/The name of
the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
Today's Inspiring Thought: Tower of Safety
I love the visual image this verse creates in my mind as I imagine the
incredible power and strength that dwells within the name of the Lord, Jesus
Christ. Whenever we need a refuge from the storms of life, we can simply speak
his name, and a mighty tower will appear before us. Can you see it? When we say
his name, we know he is near. And as we run into our Fortress, we are safe.
A paragraph from one of Elias
Bejjani's faith
editorials
It is very wise and helpful, especially for those greedy and vicious people to
remember that man is a mere and transient guest in his mortal body, and once God
decides to take his soul, the body becomes motionless and goes back to the
ground to be disintegrated and ending into dust. From dust it was originally
made and to dust it returns. (earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust) That
is why "down to earth" is an adjective that means humbleness and meekness.
Question: Have you seen or heard about any human being who was able to take any
of his riches with him to the grave?
Advice: Get down to earth, be humble and never ever forget that all earthy
material remain on earth!!
Free Opinions, Releases,
letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Will Hezbollah pass the test?/Khaleej
Times/July
25/10
Hezbollah
in a corner/By: Paul Salem/Khaleej
Times/July
25/10
The Lebanese-Syrian Network of
Safety/By:
Walid Choucair/Al-Arabiya/July
25/10
Time to counter Assad/West must
shun appeasement vis-à-vis Syria, regime change only viable option/By: Farid
Ghadry/July
25/10
Before he is dead/By
Zvi Bar'el/July
25/10
/Naharnet
Extended but not settled, Mamoun
Homsi’s visa saga continues/By: Farrah Zughni July
25/10
Latest News
Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for July 25/10
Former Speaker Kamel al-Asaad
Dies at the Age of 78/Naharnet
Abdullah, Assad, Qatar Emir in
Beirut: Arab Umbrella for Lebanese Stability/Naharnet
Saudi King Abdullah to Visit
Syria, Lebanon on July 29, 30/Naharnet
President Amin Gemayel: We will not
renounce the STL/Now Lebanon
Hariri Discusses Developments in
the South, UNIFIL Operations with Le Roy/Naharnet
Hariri Warns: No Compromise on
International Tribunal/Naharnet
Report: Positive Response to
Turkey's Proposal for Postponement of Indictment/Naharnet
Hezbollah Looks for a Shield From Indictments' Sting/New
York Times/Naharnet
Lebanese officials say didn't
notify
Hezbollah of Hariri charges/Ynetnews/Naharnet
Lebanon tense after
Hezbollah
revelation/Saudi
Gazette/Naharnet
Hezbollah to blame
for Hariri death: report/Ottawa
Citizen/Naharnet
Israel warns of N. Korea missile
proliferation in Mideast/Israeli News/Naharnet
Barak: Lebanon must stop Gaza
flotilla/Israeli News/Naharnet
Aoun Wraps Up Zahle Visit after
Attending Mass at St. Elias Church/Naharnet
Lebanese
Army Opens Anti-Aircraft Fire on
Israeli Jet/Naharnet
MP
Saqr: Hizbullah is Only Party
Capable of Fighting Battle of Strife/Naharnet
Syrian Ambassador in Lebanon:
Resistance Victory Reflects Positively on Lebanon-Syria Ties/Naharnet
Jumblat in Paris/Naharnet
Jumblat: We're on the Verge of a
Very Critical Period in Our History/Naharnet
Moussa Warns Political Turmoil
Threatens Lebanon's Stability/Naharnet
Fatfat: Indictment Rumors Don't
Mean There is Investigation Breach/Naharnet
Aoun from Zahle: We're Being
Daily Criticized because We're Exposing Conspiracies, But We Won't Surrender/Naharnet
MP,
Harb: We will Take the
Appropriate Stand from Indictment after its Official Announcement/Naharnet
Minister Salim Sayegh: Lebanon will
be in trouble if Hezbollah is indicted for Hariri’s murder/Now Lebanon
MP, Alain Aoun: STL has lost its
credibility/Now Lebanon
MP, Youssef Khalil: FPM rejects STL
indictment before its issue/Now Lebanon
Former Speaker Kamel al-Asaad Dies at the Age of 78
Naharnet/Former Lebanese Speaker Kamel al-Asaad passed away on Sunday after a
long battle with illness. He was 78. He was born in the town of Taybe in
Marjayoun in 1932. Al-Asaad studied at La Sagesse school in Beirut and earned a
degree in law and political science from the French university of Sorbonne in
1952. He was elected a lawmaker in the district of Marjayoun for the first time
in 1953. Al-Asaad also held several ministerial posts.He established the Social
Democratic Party in 1970. He is survived by his six children.
Beirut, 25 Jul 10,
Sayyed
Nasrallah: We Won’t Allow Anyone to Hurt the Resistance Dignity
Hanan Awarekeh/Al Manar
25/07/2010 Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah stressed on Sunday
that its part would not allow anyone, whoever he was, to hurt the dignity of the
resistance. This resistance, according to Sayyed Nasrallah, was able to crush
the new Middle East plan in 2006.
Speaking in a ceremony honoring the martyr’s children at Shahed Institution in
Beirut's southern suburb, The Sayyed started his speech by paying tribute to the
resistance martyrs.
“For 30 years, the martyrs have been the most important symbols of this country.
They are the best victory makers of this nation. They protected its dignity and
presence… We, as a resistance movement, have offered the most precious [of our
sons]. My leader in the Resistance, Sayyed Abbas al-Moussawi and my brother in
jihad, Imad Moghniyyeh, are the most precious people I have lost,” his eminence
said.
Sayyed Nasrallah added that with these sacrifices, the Resistance is the most
precious of what we have, stressing that “we will not allow anyone in the world
- small or big -to hurt its dignity.”
Hezbollah Secretary General continued, “All plots that threatened Lebanon,
Palestine and the region were stopped by the Resistance. The Resistance
prevented the plot in 1982 and the one in 2000 that aimed to accomplish the
project of [building a] greater Israel [by invading Lebanon]. In 2006, the
Resistance put an end to the new Middle East project, which was highly funded.
This Resistance made Lebanon in the heart of the regional equation after it was
inferior. It made Lebanon a player.”
His eminence stressed that the Resistance made Lebanon strong and that was why
officials come to the country, adding that this Resistance was the reason that
leaders meet Lebanese officials abroad.
Sayyed Nasrallah also thanked all people who helped the Resistance in Lebanon,
from Iran to Syria to all honorable people, however, he stressed that the
Resistance was the one that fought. He also said that unfortunately everyone,
but some Lebanese, knows the value of this Resistance, including Lebanon’s
enemies who are planning to take it away.
“They may bargain on gas and oil but they can never bargain on the Resistance,”
his eminence stressed, adding that the war on the Resistance will continue, and
(US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey) Feltman
himself admitted this before Congress.
Sayyed Nasrallah also said that the international community tried to bring the
resistance power to an end in the 2006 July War and failed. “I will talk about
this during the victory ceremony, which was postponed to August 3 upon President
Michel Sleiman’s request because he will receive prominent guests in Lebanon on
July 30.”
Gemayel: We will not renounce the STL
July 25, 2010 /Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel said on Sunday that his party
would not renounce the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) in order to put an end
to the crimes in the country, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. “Let
everyone know we will not give up on [wanting] to know the truth behind the
killings of our loved ones, friends and allies,” Gemayel said. He said that the
future of Lebanon depended on knowing the truth behind past assassinations.
“They tell us that the tribunal is politicized and that it will destroy the
country. If so, let us [make it] impartial, because no one wants innocent people
to be tried,” Gemayel said. The STL is probing the 2005 assassination of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. There are reports that some Hezbollah members might
be named in the indictment. Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun accused
the STL on Saturday of not searching for the real culprits behind the killing of
Hariri. Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah recently accused the
STL of being an “Israeli project” designed to target the Resistance by stirring
up sectarian strife in Lebanon. -NOW Lebanon
Abdullah, Assad, Qatar Emir in Beirut:
Naharnet/Arab Umbrella for Lebanese Stability
Arab authorities that helped clinch the Doha accord in 2008 are seeking to
"guarantee an Arab umbrella for Lebanese stability" amid growing tension in
Lebanon, An Nahar daily reported Sunday. The newspaper said that efforts are
underway for Saudi King Abdullah, Syrian President Bashar Assad and Qatari Emir
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani to visit Beirut next Saturday.Official sources
confirmed to An Nahar that King Abdullah would travel to the Lebanese capital
following a visit to Damascus on July 29. The sources, however, refused to
confirm reports that the king would arrive from Damascus with Assad on the same
plane.A Lebanese ministerial source told Agence France Presse that Abdullah
arrives in Beirut on July 30 following a visit to Damascus. The king will hold
summit talks with President Michel Suleiman, it said. The source added that the
meeting will be culminated by a banquet at Baabda palace in which all Lebanese
parties would take part. Qatar's emir, meanwhile, will make a 3-day visit to
Beirut during the same period to inspect projects carried out by Doha following
the July 2006 war. The emir will also participate in Army Day on August 1.
Beirut, 25 Jul 10,
Hariri
Named Mustaqbal Leader for Second Time
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri was on Sunday again named as leader of Al-Mustaqbal
Movement. Head of Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora declared the
victory of Hariri at a "founding conference" held at Biel Exhibition Center in
downtown Beirut. The Conference, which kicked off on Saturday, is also expected
to elect political figures and a Control and Supervision Secretary. It was
attended by 600 affiliates in their capacity as active members. Also
participating at the conference are about 100 observers. Beirut, 25 Jul 10,
15:57
Aoun Wraps Up Zahle Visit after Attending Mass at St. Elias Church
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun wrapped his three-day visit
to the eastern city of Zahle on Sunday after attending mass at Saint Elias
church. Head of the Popular Bloc Elias Skaff and MP Nicolas Fattoush were among
a series of current and former lawmakers who were at the church. Energy Minister
Jebran Bassil, FPM official Pierre Raffoul and Zahle's municipality chief also
attended the mass. On Saturday, Aoun said the FPM is being criticized because it
is exposing conspiracies. During a dinner hosted by Zahle's FPM Committee, the
MP vowed not to surrender to campaigns targeting his party. Beirut, 25 Jul 10,
Celebration in Honor of Hizbullah Martyrs
Naharnet/A celebration in honor of Hizbullah martyrs kicked off at Shahed
Institution in Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday. Hizbullah chief Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah is expected to deliver a speech before sundown. Nasrallah held
talks Saturday with Interior Minister Ziad Baroud, in the presence of Wafiq Safa,
Head of Hizbullah's Coordination and Liaison Committee.
Hizbullah's Media Relations Department said talks focused on the latest
developments. It said the two leaders also discussed the political and domestic
situations in Lebanon.
Earlier Saturday, Nasrallah held talks with Tawheed Movement leader Wiam Wahhab.
Hizbullah politburo member Mahmoud Qmati attended the meeting that tackled local
and regional situations in addition to prospects of the next phase. Beirut, 25
Jul 10,
Hariri Discusses Developments in the South, UNIFIL Operations with Le Roy
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri met with U.N. Under-Secretary-General for
Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy and his accompanying delegation Saturday
night. Lebanon's ambassador to the U.N., Nawaf Salam, and Hariri's advisor
Mohammed Shatah attended the talks. Discussions focused on developments in the
south and UNIFIL's operations.
Hariri also discussed with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini during a
telephone conversation the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701.
Beirut, 25 Jul 10, 12:18
Saqr: Hizbullah is Only Party Capable of Fighting Battle of Strife
Naharnet/MP Oqab Saqr said Sunday that Hizbullah is the only party in Lebanon
that is capable of fighting a battle, a condition that requires the party to
prevent its supporters from using arms in the interior. He told Future News that
the March 14 forces have no intention or military capability to ignite strife or
face Hizbullah. "Strife requires two armed parties to engage in a battle." Asked
about Sunni fundamentalists, Saqr said there are fundamentalists in all sects
and if Sunni fundamentalism existed, then Hizbullah should prevent strife and
clearly announce that there is no resort to weapons. The lawmaker denied Premier
Saad Hariri had told Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that rogue members
of the party would be indicted by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Echoing
similar statements by March 14 officials, Saqr said that only STL Prosecutor
Daniel Bellemare knows the content of the indictment. Beirut, 25 Jul 10,
Moussa Warns Political Turmoil Threatens Lebanon's Stability
Naharnet/Arab League chief Amr Moussa has expressed concern over "political
upheaval" that rose due to political and media bickering.
Arab League spokesman quoted Moussa as saying that the "turmoil threatens
Lebanon's stability and safety and encourages Lebanon's enemies to harm its
interests." Moussa "is carefully following up consultations carried out by
President (Michel) Suleiman to calm down members of the national dialogue," the
spokesman said. The Arab League chief also wished Suleiman luck in his efforts
aimed at "serving Lebanon's highest national interest." Beirut, 25 Jul 10,
Fatfat: Indictment Rumors Don't Mean There is Investigation Breach
Naharnet/MP Ahmed Fatfat stressed that talk about the upcoming indictments by
the international tribunal does not mean there is an investigation breach into
the suicide truck bombing which killed ex-Premier Rafik Hariri Hariri and 22
others. "No one knows the content of the indictment. Everything else said (about
the issue) is nothing but conclusions and media reports that are not based on
facts," Fatfat told Sada al-Balad newspaper in remarks published Sunday. "Prime
Minister Saad Hariri does not know anything about the content of the
indictment," he said, stressing that only Special Tribunal for Lebanon
Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare knows about his findings. The lawmaker also denied
remarks by Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that the tribunal has
dropped the possibility of Israel's involvement in Hariri's February 2005
assassination. "We can't judge the work of the court before the issuance of
results," Fatfat said, adding that the indictment of 4 or 5 rogue members from
Hizbullah does not mean they carried out the entire operation to kill Hariri.
"This doesn't also mean that the party they belong to is accused," the MP told
Sada al-Balad.
Report: Positive Response to Turkey's Proposal for Postponement of Indictment
Naharnet/Turkey has reportedly urged foreign countries to postpone the
indictment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon until late this year. Kuwait's
al-Anbaa daily on Sunday quoted well-informed diplomatic sources as saying that
Ankara told these states it would be better to postpone the rulings. The
newspaper said several counties in the region and abroad have approved the
Turkish demand. Beirut, 25 Jul 10,
Hariri Warns: No Compromise on International Tribunal
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed Saturday that there are attempts to
create uneasiness among the people, urging the need for calm and maintaining
national policies.
He said during the opening of the Mustaqbal movement founding conference that
the case of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has become a
national, Arab, and international cause, adding that achieving justice "is not
open to compromise and is an integral part of Lebanese consensus, ministerial
statements, and Arab summit decisions."
He continued that there are some sides that are fearing or hoping that the
assassination will be the spark that causes a Lebanese war, saying: "We have no
room for these fears and we do not base our positions on media leaks.""Hariri's
soul will not be a reason to restart strife on Lebanese land, so enough
intimidation," the prime minister added. "Israel won't be able to overcome
Lebanon as long as the Lebanese know how to maintain their national unity. The
state is charged with being up to the challenge of an Israeli assault and
Lebanese society is responsible for defending the nation," said Hariri. In
addition, he stated: "They say that this conference places the founding stone of
a Sunni party in Lebanon but I, on behalf of the Mustaqbal supporters, announce
that our movement does not have a sectarian or confessional identity." Beirut,
24 Jul 10,
Sayegh: Lebanon will be in trouble if Hezbollah is indicted for Hariri’s murder
July 25, 2010 /In an interview with New TV on Sunday, Minister of Social Affairs
Selim Sayegh said that Lebanon and the entire world would be in an impasse if
Hezbollah or any of its members are indicted by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
(STL) for the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. He also
voiced hope that the tribunal would not find Lebanese nationals to be
responsible for Rafik Hariri’s murder. Sayegh’s remarks come after Hezbollah
Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah claimed on Thursday that Prime
Minister Saad Hariri informed him in May that the STL will indict Hezbollah
members. Hezbollah’s indictment will lead to divisions in Lebanon, undermine the
stability of the country and threaten a reprise of the 2008 May Events, the
minister said. Sayegh also said that the Kataeb Party—which the minister is a
member of—is interested in the tribunal because two party members—former
Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel and former MP Antoine Ghanem—were killed in the
wave of assassinations that followed Rafik Hariri’s death. The STL can broaden
its mandate to include other political assassinations if they are found to be
related to Rafik Hariri’s murder. -NOW Lebanon
Alain Aoun: STL has lost its credibility
July 25, 2010 /Change and Reform bloc MP Alain Aoun told LBCI television on
Sunday that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) has lost its credibility. He
said that the Free Patriotic Movement – which he is a part of – and Hezbollah’s
views on the STL come based on their assumption that the STL’s investigations
are suspicious. The tribunal is probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri. There are reports that some Hezbollah members might be
named in the indictment. Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun accused
the STL on Saturday of not searching for the real culprits behind the killing of
Hariri. Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah recently accused the
tribunal of being an “Israeli project” designed to target the Resistance by
stirring up sectarian strife in Lebanon. -NOW Lebanon
Khalil: FPM rejects STL indictment before its issue
July 25, 2010 /Change and Reform bloc MP Youssef Khalil told NOW Lebanon said
that the Free Patriotic Movement – which he belongs to – rejects the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s indictment before it is even issued. “The STL is a
political tool… the FPM does not believe the tribunal is credible,” Khalil said.
He also said that the STL’s pending indictment aims at inciting sedition in
Lebanon. “The FPM has information pointing that those involved in the killing of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri had regional and international aims,” Khalil
added. The STL is probing the 2005 assassination of Hariri. There are reports
that some Hezbollah members could be named in the indictment. Hezbollah
Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah recently accused the STL of being an
“Israeli project” designed to target the Resistance by stirring up sectarian
strife in Lebanon. -NOW Lebanon
Extended but not settled
Mamoun Homsi’s visa saga continues
Farrah Zughni, July 25, 2010
Former Syrian MP Mamoun Homsi sits with his family. With his visa status in
Lebanon uncertain, Homsi says he will go back to Syria if he cannot live safely
with his family. (AFP photo)
Mamoun Homsi has reached one conclusion: The idea of human rights has lost all
its meaning. An advocate for freedom and democracy for some 30 years, Homsi did
not come to this cynical deduction while he was a member of the Syrian
parliament, or even while he was imprisoned by the Assad regime for his beliefs
in 2001. Instead, he made this realization here in Lebanon, his country of
refuge.
“There were promises made by the West and the international community,” Homsi
told NOW Lebanon. “International laws were set to promote human rights in Syria,
but none of these changes were made. This is a big defeat for human rights in
general.”
Homsi is recognized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
as a refugee, and has resided in Lebanon for three years now, where he is
obliged to undergo annual trips abroad and apply for routine six-month visa
extensions to lengthen his stay. However, his latest extension attempt - which
coincided with Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s trip to Syria as part of larger
reconciliation efforts between the two nations - was rejected by General
Security. Homsi was initially issued a July 20 deadline to leave the country,
though this limit has since been pushed back for one more month.
According to Fares Soueid, coordinator of the March 14 General Secretariat, the
July 20 cutoff was reversed after he and Former MP Samir Franjieh alerted PM
Hariri of Homsi’s situation. The prime minister, in turn, had Interior Minister
Ziad Baroud prolong Homsi’s stay until August 17. Last week, Soueid signed a
statement with Franjieh denouncing General Security’s rejection of Homsi’s visa.
Extension or not, many have found the government’s behavior disturbing. After
serving five years in Syrian prison for participating in the Damascus Spring
Movement, Homsi was championed for his nonviolent protests upon his release by
many international organizations and leaders, including former US President
George W. Bush. Homsi also enjoyed local support among the Lebanese and signed
the Beirut-Damascus Declaration of May 2006, calling for Syria to respect
Lebanon’s sovereignty. Until the past few months, he has resided in the country
with relatively little fuss.
“This is a man who hasn’t broken Lebanese law. Lebanese law allows Syrians who
are in Lebanon to renew [their visa] for a second six-month visa period without
leaving the country,” said Nadim Houry of Human Rights Watch. “We definitely are
not against better relations between Lebanon and Syria, but it’s important that
these relations not just cover political, security and economic issues. They
should also cover human rights.”
Though the visa fiasco took him by surprise, Homsi says he sensed the political
tide was beginning to turn back in March, as the Syria-Lebanon rapprochement was
gaining momentum. “We had a sit-in where we lit candles in front of the EU
building and were calling for their support for the Syrian people,” said Homsi.
“Then General Security came and they dealt with us very harshly.”
The harsh treatment, according to Homsi, has only escalated since. In addition
to the rejection of his visa appeal in June, Homsi claimed he was threatened by
a group, which he refused to identify, during one of his many visits to General
Security.
Nonetheless, Soueid, who places Homsi among “the most important and famous
intellectuals and Arab personalities,” believes there is a good chance that the
visa debacle will be satisfactorily rectified. Soueid also disagreed with
charges that Lebanese-Syrian reconciliation was coming at too steep a price,
insisting that human rights were the “ABCs of normalization between us and the
Syrians.”
When asked why Homsi’s extension request was rejected in the first place, Soueid
said he was uncertain but had his suspicions. “I think that Wafik Jezzini, the
chief of the General Security, wanted to give a gift to the Syrian regime and to
say, ‘We are here defending your interests, and we are putting pressure on
Mamoun Homsi to leave Lebanon and to go back to Syria.’”
Despite the setback, Soueid sees Homsi’s story as evidence of the
Syrian-Lebanese relationship changing for the better. “I think the intervention
of Saad Harriri [on Homsi’s behalf] at the same time he is opening new channels
with Syria is very significant. We are not under the pressure of the Syrian
regime, and we can take steps to protect the presence of Mamoun Homsi in
Lebanon,” he said.
But in addition to what he viewed as failings on the part of the Lebanese
government, Homsi also complained that the UNHCR did not play a more active role
in his case. According to Homsi, the organization offered him safe passage to
Sweden. However, when he rejected the package because he could not take his
entire family with him, the organization gave him the cold shoulder and would no
longer even let him in the building, he said.
Wafa Amar, a senior regional public information officer at UNHCR, said it was
the institution’s policy not to comment on any specific cases before the
organization. However, she could speak about the organization in general terms.
“In Lebanon, the situation for refugees is difficult because there is no legal
or administrative framework in place to address them specifically,” said Amar.
For this reason, refugees who do not have their visas renewed face a very real
danger of being deported back to the very countries from which they fled.
For his part, Homsi maintains that if the Lebanese visa issue is not rectified
and he is not presented with an option to take his entire family abroad “with
honor,” he will return to Syria to face whatever consequences await him. “I have
no legal issues and have not done anything wrong,” said Homsi. “I will not run
to officials asking or begging them to let me stay.”
Khaled Abu Toameh: The Palestinian victims no one talks about
National Post July 24, 2010 –
By Khaled Abu Toameh
When was the last time the United Nations Security Council met to condemn an
Arab government for its mistreatment of Palestinians?
How come groups and individuals on university campuses in the United States and
Canada that call themselves “pro-Palestinian” remain silent when Jordan revokes
the citizenship of thousands of Palestinians?
The plight of Palestinians living in Arab countries in general, and Lebanon in
particular, is one that is often ignored by the mainstream media in West.
How come they turn a blind eye to the fact that Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan
and many more Arab countries continue to impose severe travel restrictions on
Palestinians?
And where do these groups and individuals stand regarding the current debate in
Lebanon about whether to grant Palestinians long-denied basic rights, including
employment, social security and medical care?
Or have they not heard about this debate at all? Probably not, since the case
has failed to draw the attention of most Middle East correspondents and
commentators.
A news story on the Palestinians that does not include an anti-Israel angle
rarely makes it to the front pages of Western newspapers.
The demolition of an Arab-owned illegal building in Jerusalem is, for most of
these correspondents, much more important than the fact that hundreds of
thousands of Palestinians in Lebanon continue to suffer from a series of
humiliating restrictions.
Not only are Palestinians living in Lebanon denied the right to own property,
but they also do not qualify for health care, and are banned by law from working
in a large number of jobs.
Can someone imagine what would be the reaction in the international community if
Israel tomorrow passed a law that prohibited its Arab citizens from working as
taxi drivers, journalists, physicians, cooks, waiters, engineers and lawyers? Or
if the Israeli Ministry of Education issued a directive prohibiting Arab
children from enrolling in universities and schools?
But who said that the Lebanese authorities have not done anything to “improve”
the situation? In fact, the Palestinians living in that country should be
grateful to the Lebanese government. Until 2005, the
law prohibited Palestinians from working in 72 professions. Now the list of jobs
has been reduced to 50.
Still, Palestinians are not allowed to work as physicians, journalists,
pharmacists or lawyers in Lebanon.
Ironically, it is much easier for a Palestinian to acquire American and Canadian
citizenship than a passport of an Arab country. In the past, Palestinians living
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were even entitled to Israeli citizenship if
they married an Israeli citizen, or were reunited with their families inside the
country.
Lebanese politicians are now debating new legislation that would grant “civil
rights” to Palestinians for the first time in 62 years. The new bill includes
the right to own property, social security payments and medical care.
Many Lebanese are said to be opposed to the legislation out of fear that it
would pave the way for the integration of Palestinians into their society and
would constitute a burden to the economy.
The heated debate has prompted parliament to postpone a vote on the bill until
next month.
Nadim Khoury, director of Human Rights Watch in Beirut, said, “Lebanon has
marginalized Palestinian refugees for too long and the parliament should seize
this opportunity to turn the page and end discrimination against Palestinians.”
Rami Khouri, a prominent Lebanese journalist, wrote in his country’s Daily Star
that “all Arab countries mistreat millions of Arab, Asian and African foreign
guest workers, who often are treated little better than chattel or indentured
laborers…The mistreatment, abysmal living conditions and limited work, social
security and property rights of the Palestinians [in Lebanon] are a lingering
moral black mark.”
Foreign journalists often justify their failure to report on the suffering of
Palestinians in the Arab world by citing “security concerns” and difficulty in
obtaining an entry visa into an Arab country.
But these are weak and unacceptable excuses given the fact that most of them
could still write about these issues from their safe offices and homes in New
York, London and Paris. Isn’t that what most of them are anyway doing when they
are write about the situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip?
National Post
Lebanese officials say didn't notify Hezbollah of
Hariri charges
Published: 07.24.10, 14:21 / Israel News /Affiliates of Lebanese Prime Minister
Saad Hariri denied that he had conveyed information to Hezbollah
Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, according to which indictments would be
filed against members of his group for their involvement in the murder of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. On Thursday Nasrallah said accusations that his
organization was directly involved were a "plan to harm the resistance". (AFP)
Hezbollah in a corner
By: Paul Salem
25 July 2010 The future of Hezbollah, Lebanon’s powerful Shia political and
paramilitary organisation, has never looked more uncertain.
Indeed, given rising tension with Israel and possible indictments of its
operatives by the international tribunal investigating the assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, Hezbollah appears to be hemmed in on all
sides. The most immediate question concerns the possibility of another
Israel-Hezbollah war, fears of which have mounted throughout this year, fueled
by reports of new missile transfers to Hezbollah and intermittent threats from
Israel. Those who foresee war argue that Israel is unwilling to tolerate a
heavily armed Iranian proxy on its border while tensions with Iran over the
nuclear issue remain unresolved. Although war is unlikely in the coming months,
if sanctions on Iran don’t bear fruit by early 2011, Israel might feel the need
to act. If it launched military strikes on Iran’s nuclear installations,
Hezbollah would likely join the fray and Israel would have to engage Hezbollah
at the same time. Alternatively, Israel might launch a pre-emptive war against
Hezbollah in order to rob Iran of a nearby retaliatory capacity.
Hezbollah is preparing intensively for such scenarios, building defences,
digging tunnels, and assembling a powerful missile arsenal. But, although
Hezbollah’s preparations are likely to ensure its survival, it would be
hard-pressed to justify to the Lebanese public a strategy that led to two
ruinous wars in the span of five years.
In the end game of such a war, Syria might be asked by the Arab countries and
the international community to take greater responsibility in Lebanon, in order
to contain Hezbollah and its military profile.
Moreover, if peace prevents a slide into war, Hezbollah has another problem.
Although a real breakthrough in the Arab-Israeli peace process appears unlikely,
United States envoy George Mitchell is still talking of Arab-Israeli peace as a
distinct possibility in 2011. Sources within the US administration hint that
President Barack Obama might announce the outlines of an Arab-Israeli settlement
sometime later this year.
An accord between Syria and Israel is a key element of all proposed scenarios
for Arab-Israeli peace. In exchange for giving back the occupied Golan Heights,
Israel and the US will insist on the disarmament of Hezbollah. Indeed, within
the context of the Arab Peace Plan, announced in Beirut in 2002, the Arab states
take it upon themselves to ensure the security of “all states in the region” —
code words for dealing with the threats from Hezbollah and Hamas — since the
region includes Israel.
Although both Hezbollah and Iran still argue, perhaps correctly, that Israel
will not give back the Golan Heights or allow the emergence of a Palestinian
state, the possibility of peace cannot be ruled out. If it does occur, Syria
will push Lebanon into a peace treaty with Israel and lean on Hezbollah heavily
to adjust to the new realities.
Given its popularity among Lebanese Shia, Hezbollah could continue as an
influential political party, but it would have to abandon its role as a major
proxy force for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Nevertheless, Hezbollah faces
severe political trouble, too. Although no official announcement has been made,
there are reports that Daniel Bellemare, the prosecutor for the Special Tribunal
for Lebanon, might conclude his investigation and issue indictments in the fall.
In a speech on July 16, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged
rumours that the Tribunal might indict members of his party, but charged that
the Tribunal was part of an Israeli plot to undermine the Islamic resistance in
Lebanon and has no credibility. He argued that the indictments would probably be
based on cell-phone records, and that Israeli agents had penetrated the Lebanese
cell-phone network. Indeed, the Lebanese authorities recently arrested a
high-level official at one of the country’s two cell-phone companies, alleging
that he was an Israeli agent. In describing the tribunal as part of an Israeli
plot, Nasrallah warned the government and other parties in Lebanon against
cooperating with it, or accepting its verdicts. He reminded his audience of the
street fighting in Beirut in May 2008, and made clear that Hezbollah would not
shy away from another fight if necessary.
While Hezbollah has tried to convince other Lebanese that its presence helps
maintain the country’s security and stability, regional and international
developments suggest that it faces mounting challenges. And, although the future
does not look bright for Hezbollah, it is not likely to relinquish its power
without a fight.
**Paul Salem is Director of the Carnegie Middle East Center, Beirutww
Will Hezbollah pass the test?
Khaleej Times Online
25 July 2010 Difficult times are on the horizon in Lebanon. Besides, the war
threats emanating from Israel, political divisions within the government are
expected to surface in the near future.
With the UN backed court close to reaching its verdict for the 2005
assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, some Hezbollah
members are expected to
be indicted.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has dismissed this as a US-Israeli conspiracy
to defame Hezbollah. He also advised Prime Minister Saad Hariri to revise his
position on this issue in the larger national interest. That is likely to be a
tall order for Hariri since he owes it to the Lebanese people to vindicate his
father’s assassination. It is hardly likely that he will back down on
persecuting those found guilty of involvement. Alleged to have been a Syrian
plot, it also involved figures within Hezbollah, in opposition to Rafik’s Hariri
western style government at the time. Nasrallah had previously confirmed in
April that at least twelve Hezbollah members were being questioned but as
witnesses and not suspects. Well, on the contrary it was on grounds of suspicion
as collaborators to the assassination, if one takes into account the latest
developments. Despite this Saad Hariri has apparently assured Nasrallah that
these people will be considered as ‘rogue elements’ rather than representatives
of the group, thus obviating any break of ties with the powerful Shia group. But
knowing Hezbollah, it is hardly going to distance itself from its own party
members—rogue elements or otherwise—and may decide to take this head on. It is
not difficult to guess the kind of fissures this will cause in the coalition
setup, painstakingly cobbled together in 2009. Frankly, Lebanon cannot afford
any internal instability at this time. Hezbollah leadership should understand
that sticking up for elements within the organisation that are charged with a
crime, as serious and as close to the heart of Lebanese people as this, is only
going to backfire. It will also take away the hard earned goodwill of their
contribution in the civil sector.
By taking up cudgels with the government over this very sensitive issue, it will
also expose Hezbollah to any designs Tel Aviv may have planned. A break in
relations at this point between the government in Beirut and Hezbollah is likely
to rent the country more vulnerable to a military offensive from across the
Israeli border. Tel Aviv has since some time been issuing warnings over the
alleged amassing of missiles by Hezbollah. It is also no secret that Israel is
more than eager to avenge the 2006 war with Hezbollah where it suffered some
serious humiliations.
On the other hand there is also speculation that Nasrallah may start a war with
Israel to deviate attention from the Hariri indictment, something the Hezbollah
leader has dismissed. Despite this assurance who knows how quickly the situation
might escalate. It is hoped that the Lebanese people are spared the ordeal of
another conflict, having suffered more than enough over the past so many years.
Israel
warns of N. Korea missile proliferation in Mideast
In letter to North Korea sanctions committee, Jewish state's UN mission
expresses 'ongoing concern regarding proliferation of ballistic missiles from
Pyongyang'
Reuters Published: 07.23.10, 23:27 / Israel News
share
Israel has told the UN Security Council's North Korea sanctions panel that
ballistic missile proliferation by Pyongyang is destabilizing the Middle East
and urged countries to step up efforts to stop it. "Israel would like to express
its ongoing concern regarding the proliferation of ballistic missiles from
(North Korea), and to encourage the international community to strengthen its
efforts in response to these dangers," Israel's UN mission said in a letter to
the North Korea sanctions committee.
Pyongyang's Denial
North Korea: Lieberman an imbecile / Associated Press
Pariah state denies Israeli allegations of involvement in spread of weapons of
mass destruction to Syria, Iran; foreign minister 'ultra-rightist', Jewish State
making up 'sheer lies,' Pyongyang says "Israel is particularly concerned by the
dangerous effects of the proliferation activities of the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (North Korea) on the stability and the peace efforts in the
Middle East," said the letter, which was sent to the committee last week but
released on Friday.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in May that a shipment of North
Korean weapons, including rockets and rocket-propelled grenades, seized in
Thailand last December was headed for Islamist groups Hamas in the Gaza Strip
and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He also said North Korea was providing Israel's foes
Iran and Syria with aid for their missile programs.
Pyongyang was hit with fresh UN sanctions last year to punish it for a nuclear
test in May 2009, its second atomic detonation. The expanded measures were aimed
at cutting off its arms sales, a vital export estimated to earn the destitute
state more than $1 billion a year. North Korea's biggest arm sales come from
ballistic missiles, with Iran and other Middle Eastern states as customers,
according to US government officials. Iran is also under sanctions for refusing
to halt sensitive parts of its nuclear program that could be used to produce
atomic weapon fuel. Tehran rejects Western allegations that its nuclear program
is aimed at producing arms. A UN panel of experts delivered a report to the
North Korea sanctions committee in May that suggested North Korea has been using
front companies to export nuclear and missile technology worldwide and has
helped Iran, Syria and Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma.
The
Lebanese-Syrian Network of Safety
Walid Choucair
Lebanese-Syrian relations have entered a phase of seriousness in outlining the
future of cooperation between the two countries, and sketching out their joint
position in a wide regional framework. This phase also involves creating the
nature of special bilateral ties, bearing in mind all of the historical and
geographical complications and legacies, both positive and negative, of the
past.
The recent visit by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri to Damascus, the heavy
plate of items that were dealt with, the expansion of meetings that took place,
to cover a meeting between Hariri, Syrian President Bashar Assad and Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, all hinted that the challenges and
difficulties faced by the countries on the regional front each required country
to deal with the other as if they are in a single regional arena, with each
affected by the complications that arise for the other.
Most likely, the period of testing for the resumption of relations between the
two countries, ever since Lebanese President Michel Sleiman’s visit to Damascus
in the summer of 2008, followed by Hariri’s first visit at the end of last year,
has given both Syria and Lebanon the opportunity to cement their policy of
anchoring bilateral ties on new foundations. Most importantly, these foundations
include a network of interests that each has been active in using to reduce the
burdens of the past. The two leaderships might require more practice at this new
type of bilateral dealings, even though they have made good progress in learning
from the past. However, the establishment of a new method has come to allow each
country to rely on it, in order to spend efforts on key regional events that
await.
In this phase, Damascus was playing a central political role regionally, in
treating the crisis of forming a government in Iraq, as it enjoys multilateral
ties with the countries involved in this crisis, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and
Turkey, as well as big powers concerned with what would transpire in
Mesopotamia. There is no need to recall Syria’s role with the Palestinians, and
how Syria is needed to conduct a Palestinian reconciliation, etc. These are all
negotiating cards that the Syrian leadership as part of the western openness to
the country.
However, all of these roles, which have proven the central role of Damascus in
the regional arena, are insufficient to bring bilateral relations with Lebanon
up to a standard that matches the level of regional challenges in which failure
might lead to other regional roles losing their effectiveness. Just as Lebanon
required a rapprochement with Syria in order to return to a minimum level of
stability, which the country had lost since the summer of 2004, stability in
Lebanon has come to require Syria to retain its central regional role. This is
because the threats to stability will harm Damascus, in one way or another.
Therefore, the repercussions of the Israeli war against Lebanon and Hezbollah
will not see Syria isolated. Damascus, like its ally Hezbollah, is readying
itself to confront this possibility, but it wants to remove it, so as not to see
it wipe out its achievements in the process of holding various cards.
If the confrontation over destabilization via war is the first challenge, the
second involves confronting the speculation and fears of the repercussions of an
indictment in the Rafic al-Hariri assassination case, against members of
Hezbollah, for the situation in Lebanon, such that they lead to strife and
instability, not to mention the possibility that this indictment will harm
Syria, in one way or another.
As Israel is trying to protect itself from a war by using the Iron Dome project,
to intercept the rockets of Hezbollah, which in turns depends on its rocket
arsenal as a deterrent against the Israeli war option, Damascus and Lebanon are
relying on a network of regional and international relations to guarantee their
staying away from war. Some believe that the scope of joint regional and
international relations that Lebanon and Syria enjoy will let them wager on
benefiting from this safety network to banish the specter of war and the
repercussions of the indictment by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Even the
gray areas of this space can allow both Syria and Lebanon to help the other,
according to the position of each. Assad and Hariri have played a fundamental
role in developing and improving their relations with Russia and Turkey. There
is Lebanon’s good relationship with Europe, but the latter’s opening to Syria is
no less important. America is keen to support Lebanon in confronting Iranian
influence, while Syria’s dialogue with Washington is steadily moving forward,
despite the obstacles. If Lebanon’s ties with Saudi Arabia are special, and
distinguished, the relations between Damascus and Riyadh are full of deep and
ongoing coordination over Yemen, Iraq and Egypt. While the strategic alliance
between Syria and Iran continues, Lebanon is preparing to open itself once again
to the latter country.
Each of these countries has its role in its relationship with either Lebanon or
Syria, confronting the challenge of war and the repercussions of the STL. some
of them are better at dissuading Israel from war, and others are better at
treating the repercussions of the STL.*Published in DARALHAYAT on July 24, 2010.
Lebanon
tense after Hezbollah revelation
By Ziyad Aitani
BEIRUT – Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s disclosure that his party is likely
to be implicated in the assassination of former premier Rafiq Hariri could send
the country sliding back to chaos, analysts warn. In a rare press conference
late Thursday, Nasrallah said that Prime Minister Saad Hariri, son of the slain
ex-premier, had informed him months ago that Hezbollah members would be accused
by the STL. Saad Hariri is scheduled to speak Saturday at the opening of the
two-day founding convention of the Future Movement, with Lebanon waiting to see
what response he will give, if any, to recent declarations by Nasrallah. Sources
in the movement, however, say that Saad Hariri will maintain silence on remarks
concerning the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), a UN-backed court tasked with
finding and trying former prime minister Rafiq Hariri’s killers, and that he is
concerned to maintain calm and “refrain from entering into argument that may
affect stability and the progress of the court and pursuit of the truth”.
“This new situation is very alarming,” said Paul Salem, head of the Beirut-based
Carnegie Middle East Center.
“Hezbollah is in a very worrisome position and the tribunal is just one symptom
of this position,” Salem told a news agency.
Politicians and judges, including STL president Antonio Cassese, have said they
expect an indictment by the end of the year, sparking fears of a repeat of the
violence in May 2008 that brought Lebanon close to a new civil war.
Fares Soaid, the secretary general of Hezbollah’s main rivals, the March 14
Movement, meanwhile, responded Friday to calls for “self-criticism and review”
by saying that Hezbollah was not asking for “self-review” but instead
“surrender”. “His words were inaccurate and unacceptable to us and the majority
of the Lebanese who he accused of treason just for wanting the international
court,” Soaid said. According to Soaid, Hezbollah is worried at the nature of
the discourse and vexed by Lebanese-Syrian approximation.
“Only one thing can save Lebanon, and that is the return of Hezbollah to the
Lebanese state and the conditions of the state,” he said. Imad Al-Hout, a
parliamentary representative of the Jamaa Islamiya, described the Lebanese as
“seeking the truth of the assassination of Rafiq Hariri through the relevant
judicial bodies, not through the media”.“Wisdom and responsibility require
handling the presumed decision outside the media and without overreaction,” he
said. “All political powers and all the Lebanese are aware of the dangers of the
presumed decision to the political situation and Lebanese stability, regardless
of its content or whether it’s directed at individuals or any place else.”
“The only way to avoid the risks of such a decision is through joint solidarity
through the national unity government and handling the issue officially and
calmly,” Al-Hout said. – Okaz/SG with agencies
Hezbollah to blame for Hariri death: report
Citizen Special July 24, 2010 Lebanon
Reports that a UN tribunal will blame the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on the Shiite Muslim militia Hezbollah has triggered
fears of violence. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said late Thursday that Saad
Hariri, the current prime minister and son of the slain Sunni politician, had
told him that the UN investigators examining the assassination would pin
responsibility on "undisciplined members" of Hezbollah. Nasrallah said the group
"categorically" rejected the accusations as a Western and Israeli conspiracy.
Many Lebanese fear any effort to blame Hezbollah for the killing could spark
clashes between Shiites and Sunnis or bring about a repeat of a brief May 2008
conflict that Hezbollah supporters have referred to in speeches over the last
week.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
Barak: Lebanon must stop Gaza flotilla
Defense minister says plan to send aid ships to Gaza 'unnecessary provocation,'
warns Israel will stop them at sea if they refuse to dock in Ashdod
Roni Sofer Published: 07.23.10, 20:44 / Israel News /Israel has urged the
Lebanese government to prevent the departure of a Gaza-bound ships from its
territory. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Friday that according to recent
reports, pro-Palestinian activists are planning to set sail from Lebanon to Gaza
with the intent of breaking Israel's naval blockade on the Hamas-ruled
territory. "We wish to make it clear that this flotilla is an unnecessary
provocation, just like the previous flotillas," he said. The defense minister
said Israel would be willing to transfer the ships' cargo to Gaza after
inspecting it. "There is a way to transfer goods - not including weapons and
ammunition - to Gaza through the Ashdod Port, just as we have done in the past.
"Should the flotilla refuse to be escorted to Ashdod by Israeli Navy vessels, we
will have no choice but to block it at sea," Barak warned.
On Thursday night Israel's UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev accused organizers of
the aid ships Junia and Julia of seeking "to incite a confrontation and raise
tensions in our region."
Time to
counter Assad
Op-ed: Israel, West must shun appeasement vis-à-vis Syria, regime change only
viable option
Farid Ghadry
Published: 07.22.10, 18:29 / Israel Opinion
The Middle East has experienced a paradigm shift in recent years prompted by
unfinished business in Syria and Iran. At the same time that countries in the
region watch Iran and Syria expand their influence in ways that threaten the
fabric of any moderate views and the existence of Israel, the US public has
voted for a new cadre at the White House that has, with some evolving degree of
spin, been oblivious to the threats posed by Assad and Ahmadinejad.
Such cannot be said of the Bush-Cheney era with one exception: When it mattered
most, President Bush unfortunately blinked on Syria and Iran. Had he only
listened to VP Cheney, the world would be a different and much better place
today with the clipped wings of Syria and Iran representing the ultimate policy
of deterrence.
As witnesses of history speeding past us, we must unequivocally hold accountable
all those who promoted the notion of engagement, appeasement, or containment of
Syria in addition to all those who embraced the notion that Syria can be peeled
away from Iran if only we can engage with Assad. They owe us an explanation for
the very same reason they demanded an explanation for the liberation of Iraq.
For any realistic analysis conducted today to differentiate between deterring
factors separating the moderates from the extremists, it would not be surprising
to discover that the extremists have been chipping away at the moderate views
through a patient policy of "Lure and Haul." This is done at a time when
regional powers seem to have lost contact with reality as they defend against
the tide of Syria and Iran by administering the "Bucket Policy." The surge is
sweeping all of us and the dormant US Administration relies on Senator John
Kerry using a bucket to stop it.
Meanwhile, Israel, whose military establishment has resisted regime change in
Syria, finds herself in the throws of limited moves, unwanted propositions, and
concerned outcomes. The mouse, to quote a saying, never entrusts his life to
only one hole. Trusting Assad for so long has limited Israel's options to a
trickle all of which are undesirable. I, personally, do not want to be in Bibi's
unenviable position todayץ
Unused military power
But Israel has always impeded its haters and aggressors where it mattered most
for its security: Military Power. However, judging from a surprise visit to
Syria by the weapon dealmaker Medvedev and the Iranian unstoppable nuclear
ambitions, it may not be long before Israel loses to Syria and Iran in a field
long considered essential to Israel's survival.
When that happens, the region will, after the Syrian-Iranian-Turkish axis kicks
the Americans out and weakens Israel to the point of surrender, embark on a war
of 100 years where Sunnis and Shiites decide finally to settle their 1,400 year
history. When there is no arbiter in the ring, boxers have a free reign to kill
each other.
Today, Israel's choices are limited to one: Regime change for Syria. Forget the
progressives and the naysayers supporting Arab oppression and calling it human
rights. Forget the Left risking their necks for peace but hiding when Oslo
stares them in the face. Forget the US Administration also preaching peace
between two weekly cocktail parties at the White House.
Learn from the past mistakes that time is not on Israel's side because Syria and
Iran have been consistently winning on all fronts. Had we overthrown Assad
in 2004-05, the field would be different today and possibly much less
complicated given most Syrians are moderates or secular and not extremists as
Assad successfully painted all of us. The more time goes by, the more
Syria becomes a threat to Israeli existence and everyone seems to take advantage
of a willing Assad to poke their old enemies in the eye or to play for oil,
power, hate, and hegemony.
Region is ours to shape
To understand how Assad uses Israel's Left to his advantage, read the al-Jarida
Arabic news item that points to a heated discussion inside the Israeli
government over whether Israel should concentrate on hitting Syria, instead of
Hezbollah, in the next conflict. Two days later, Assad proposes peace to Israel
thus forcing Israelis to enter into a heated debate, which allows his regime
valuable time to prepare for his day of reckoning when Israel is weakened to the
point of surrender.
And each time peace is evoked, Israel seems to be the ultimate loser. The cards
have to be thrown up in the air again and let them land where they may land
because it is too late for Israel to win with either diplomacy or strategic
maneuvering. The only superior asset left for Israel is military might and the
only one left for Syrians is the internal Syrian societal make-up of a majority
Sunni eager to put Assad's era behind them and trade Jerusalem for a strong,
peaceful, and culturally diverse Damascus.
But if both remain unused without inflicting regime change in Syria, Israelis
will wake-up one day with their military prowess unusable and surrender is the
only option left to survive. Because Syrians have long ago surrendered to Assad,
we must tell you that the view from under his boot is rather grisly.
The region is ours to shape and it is ours to protect. As an American and a
Syrian, it pains me to see all the good Israel has to offer the region go to
waste with its democratic values, its scientific knowhow, and its influence on a
new generation of Syrians more attuned to learning than following. But it
threatens my very own existence when I see extremists represented by Hamas or
Hezbollah, Syria or Iran expand their ideology to protect their narrow interests
all of which keep us Arabs and Farsi people living under a candle light with
swelled pupils gazing at hopelessness.
*You can follow Farid Ghadry and other RPS Executive Members on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/FollowRPS
Before he is dead
In Israel and Washington, where some have begun to calculate how much time is
left before his demise, they are behaving as if Hosni Mubarak is eternal.
By Zvi Bar'el
25.07.10
"Is he already dead?" an acquaintance asked me late last week. "Not yet," I
thought. "The Egyptians are reporting that even his bodyguards are unable to
keep up with him during walks." He was not convinced. "Too bad, because he was a
serious man," he said, as if he had already died.
The "deceased" is the Egyptian president, who has not ceased to be very much
alive and very active. But in Israel and Washington, where some have begun to
calculate how much time is left before his demise, they are behaving as if Hosni
Mubarak is eternal.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in July 2010.
Mubarak remains the leader who wants and can advance political movement. If
convinced that the time has come, he could push forward direct negotiations
between Israel and the Palestinians, and he is the only one who can bring this
process under his auspices. He is also the rumbling engine behind the three-year
effort for internal Palestinian reconciliation. Mubarak is the sole Arab leader
who does not fear Hezbollah, does not talk with Bashar Assad and is blocking
Hamas. Together with Saudi Arabia, he is placing a solid wall against the spread
of Iranian influence in the region, and is leading an axis once described as
"moderate" which today faces a new axis in which the partners are Syria, Turkey,
Iran and Iraq.
Mubarak is not a Zionist activist and his policy is not determined by Israeli
interests. But the situation has developed so that Israeli and Egyptian
interests have met, and they are getting along quite well.
On the other hand, Syria is already revving its engines, so that it could
position itself for a more influential, hegemonic role in the region when
Mubarak is gone. Last week, for example, the candidates for the premiership in
Iran met in Damascus with the Turkish Foreign Minister, who also met with Hamas
leader Khaled Meshal. Syria has suddenly become a broker in domestic affairs in
Iraq, and thus its significance in Washington has increased since the U.S. wants
to begin withdrawing its forces from Iraq in August. Turkey, which engineered
the uranium exchange deal with Iran, is also aiming to become a broker in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Last week, Turkish President Abdullah Gul traveled
to Egypt to coordinate their positions.
Mubarak is in no rush to include the Turks, and like Israel he is concerned that
Turkey is bolstering Hamas at the expense of the Palestinian Authority. He
believes that the Israeli-Palestinian issue needs to remain within the Arab
context and not pass over to the Turks or the Iranians. He is concerned that
Iranian involvement and Turkish participation may have a detrimental effect on
the Arab League's initiative from 2002, which has become an important Arab
common denominator that could guarantee an end to the conflict. New partners may
not only bolster Syria at Egypt's expense - they are removed from local
interests, including those of the Palestinians themselves, and all the more so
of Israel.
However, Mubarak's initiatives, and especially his efforts to retain the
pro-American axis, are straining under particularly heavy weights. Israel is
behaving like a removed observer, as if the issue at hand does not affect it.
Instead of rushing to close a deal through Mubarak, so long as it is possible,
it is certain that this summer camp will last forever.
True, it is possible to enjoy the sensation that followed the latest
Mubarak-Netanyahu meeting - the warm embrace, the joint photo-op that is so
important - but this fling has a high price. Because in Israeli eyes the local
processes are nonsense lacking strategic value. It prefers to concentrate on
apocalyptic prognoses about "war-no war," counts the warheads of Hezbollah and
calculates Iran's uranium enrichment. Success in Israel's view is the
development of Iron Dome, or some other advanced weapon system. But the more
difficult battleground is today in the flotillas, in the UN, in the
investigative reports and in the degree of American affection. By the way,
Mubarak's strength was proven in these too, or at least in the latest flotilla
sponsored by Libya, which agreed to berth in the port of El-Arish. Mubarak
shares Israel's love for these flotillas.
In a short while Israel will have to examine what it could have managed to do
during Mubarak's era and did not/neglected to do, and in short committed a crime
against its people. The opportunity has not passed yet, but all those who are
following Mubarak's pulse should, like his bodyguards, keep up with his pace.