LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِNovember 20/2010

Bible Of The Day
Proverb21/13: "Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard".
 

Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Canada Welcomes UN Resolution on Deplorable Human Rights Situation in Iran/November 19/10
France and Lebanon/Al-Arabiya/November 19/10
Stop the Christian Exodus from Muslim Countries/By Dr. Hamad Al-Majid/November 19/10
Peace is the Problem, Not Engagement/Wall Street Journal/November 19/10
A Normal Life /Now Lebanon/November 19/10
Trial or error?/By: Michael Young/November 19/10

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 18/10
Williams: Indictment in Hariri Murder Case Soon/Naharnet
 Israeli Withdrawal from Ghajar Increases Division between Lebanese State and Hizbullah/Naharnet
UN to follow-up on Israel withdrawal offer/Ynetnews
Lebanon army chief: We must be wary of Israel's military 'schemes/Haaretz
Syria's evangelical Christians: Don't try too hard/The Economist
'Drones sold to Russia could one day serve Hizbullah/Jerusalem Post
LFPM leader Michel Aoun deplores one-sided focus of STL/Arab Monitor
Facebook, banned in Syria, is widely used – even by the government/Christian Science Monitor
STL Activity to Speed up in Upcoming Weeks, but Will Not Hold Negative Repercussions on Lebanon/Naharnet
Alloush: Justice is Basis of STL, We Should Await Indictment without Resorting to Threats/Naharnet
Hizbullah: Israel's Decision to Withdraw from Ghajar Attempt to Elude UN Resolutions/Naharnet
Houry says all parties but Aoun adopt a moderate tone/iloubnan.info
Gemayel: Thorny Issues Will Be Addressed, Matters are Moving in Positive Direction/Naharnet
Israel moves to counter Hezbollah/Asia Times Online
U.N. Officials to Discuss Ghajar Pullout in Israel /Naharnet
Murr to Soldiers: No Matter How Great Your Sacrifices, They Remain Much Less Costly than Strife /Naharnet
Solution to Lebanese Crisis Ready, But Yet to Be Revealed /Naharnet
5 Prison Guards Arrested over Jail Break /Naharnet
Osama Saad's Nasserite Organization Accuses Bahia Hariri of Arming Supporters /Naharnet
ORTV Denies Accusing Syria, Hizbullah in Hariri Murder /Naharnet
Israeli Withdrawal from Ghajar Will Not Change Reality /Naharnet
Hariri in Damascus Prior to Tehran Visit /Naharnet
Lebanon Will Not Accept Conditional Israeli withdrawal from Ghajar /Naharnet
Asarta: No Official Israeli Withdrawal Date from Ghajar Yet /Naharnet
Opposition Acting on Basis Indictment will Be Issued Tomorrow /Naharnet
Opposition: Indictment between December 10-20 /Naharnet
Qahwaji: Political Disputes are Part of Democracy, but They Shouldn't be Transformed into Strife /Naharnet
Islamist Riot Breaks Out in Roumieh as Security Forces Take Control of the Situation /Naharnet
Bakri Handed over to Saqr for Retrial/Naharnet

Williams: Indictment in Hariri Murder Case Soon
Naharnet/.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said he expects indictments in the murder case of ex-PM Rafik Hariri to be issued "in the coming months.""I do not know if this will happen next week, or next year because this is up to the Court President and Prosecutor," Williams said in remarks published Friday by As-Safir newspaper. While he stressed there should be no reason to delay or disable the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Williams acknowledged there were concerns in Lebanon over the indictments.  In similar remarks to the daily An-Nahar, Williams hailed Syrian and Saudi mediation in an effort to defuse tensions in Lebanon "especially that the situation in Lebanon in a source of challenge."The U.N. official also praised efforts undertaken by France, Russia, the U.S. and Turkey in this regard, pointing to a visit to Lebanon by Turkish President and Prime Minister.
In separate remarks to Radio Israel, Williams said Hizbullah was still stockpiling arms south of the Litani in violation of UNSCR 1701. He said he was worried that UN troops were not able to reach the site where a Hizbullah arms cache exploded until two days later. While he stressed the need for dialogue among the rival political parties in Lebanon, Williams hoped that the indictment would not have repercussions on UNIFIL operations.
Beirut, 19 Nov 10, 07:56

Israeli Withdrawal from Ghajar Increases Division between Lebanese State and Hizbullah
Naharnet/Diplomatic sources stated on Friday that Israel's decision to withdraw from Ghajar is aimed at cornering Hizbullah on the eve of the announcement of the indictment in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. They told the Central News Agency that the withdrawal "is not an innocent decision at all."
"The silence on Lebanon's official front helps Israel's campaign against the Lebanese government," they added. Meanwhile, European diplomatic sources said that Israel aims to "corner Lebanon through cornering Hizbullah in order to deepen the division between the state and the party." They noted that upon Israel's withdrawal, Hizbullah would attempt to infiltrate Ghajar while the Lebanese state would try to prevent it.A Lebanese diplomatic source told the Central News Agency that Lebanon has not yet received from the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon Israel's decision for withdrawal, adding that its timing is not related to political developments. "Should it withdraw from Ghajar, the majority' position would be bolstered at the national dialogue, while the opposition would have to acknowledge the March 14 forces' choice to resort to diplomacy," it pointed out. Beirut, 19 Nov 10, 18:23

Gemayel: Thorny Issues Will Be Addressed, Matters are Moving in Positive Direction
Naharnet/Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel confirmed on Friday Iran's readiness to "contribute effectively in bolstering stability and security, restarting dialogue, and finding solutions to the crises in the country." He made his statements after holding talks with Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Rokn-Abadi, during which he sensed Iran's receptiveness to reaching justice in Lebanon. Gemayel stressed the importance of Iran's position in the Middle East and its influence in the region. He said that matters are heading in a positive direction, adding that thorny issues will be dealt with. For his part, the Iranian ambassador stressed his country's keenness on bolstering Lebanon's unity. Beirut, 19 Nov 10, 16:29

Murr to Soldiers: No Matter How Great Your Sacrifices, They Remain Much Less Costly than Strife
Naharnet/Defense Minister Elias Murr reiterated on Friday Army Commander Jean Qahwaji's recent statements that political disputes are part of democracy. He said in an address to soldiers on the occasion of Independence Day: "No matter how great the army's sacrifices, they remain much less costly than the price the nation would pay should it slide into hateful strife." "On this day, I renew my commitment to standing next to you in all matters that would bolster your institution," he added. The minister lauded the army's unity and resilience in face of the adversity in the past five years, saying that it plays a primary role in maintaining stability and combating strife.
Beirut, 19 Nov 10, 16:16

5 Prison Guards Arrested over Jail Break
Naharnet/Military Prosecutor Saqr Saqr on Friday
ordered the arrest of five members of the prison guards over Tuesday's jail break in which Fatah al-Islam inmate Walid Bustani managed to flee.
Another Fatah al-Islam inmate identified as Monjed al-Fahham, a Syrian, was caught the same day after falling off a prison wall as he tried to escape Roumieh jail. Beirut, 19 Nov 10, 15:06

A Normal Life
November 18, 2010 /Now Lebanon
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea recently lamented the inability of the average Lebanese to live “a normal life” because of political paralysis in the country.
The case for Samir Geagea has become a cliché and goes something like this: the Lebanese Forces leader is credible because he is the only Lebanese militia leader to have been imprisoned for crimes committed during the Lebanese Civil War. The fact that much of his 11 years in prison was spent in solitary confinement has also added to the aura of penance that surrounds him, as did his September 2008 public apology on behalf of the Lebanese Forces for their actions during the conflict.
His supporters say that only a man like Geagea, who, in 1994, was given four death sentences that were commuted to life imprisonment for his alleged role in four political killings, and who has plumbed the depths of despair, can have discovered the enlightenment that has defined his political ideology since being released from incarceration on July 18, 2005.
The reality is that only Geagea knows if this newfound, almost Zen-like, persona is genuine. It certainly has not stopped allegations that the LF still has a strong paramilitary element that is ready to counter any domestic threat. But since his return to the political scene, Geagea’s position has always been centered on the state, its good offices and its obligation to serve the citizenry.
This is why it was not surprising to hear him on Wednesday bemoan the fact that “some in Lebanon insist on confronting global arrogance, while we yearn to live a normal life.” Geagea was speaking to a student delegation at the Lebanese American University in Jbeil, where he also said that those supporting confrontation should “free us from their arrogance before disposing of global arrogance” … “Our real battle is confronting poverty, ignorance, inequality and environmental damage.”
The cynic might argue that Geagea was, like any polished politician, merely reaching out to the next generation of Lebanese. No doubt Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) peddles a similar line to its fresh-faced followers, while even Hezbollah, with its narrow and often blood-soaked ideology, exhorts its supporters to fight its own brand of “poverty, ignorance, inequality.”
But away from the rhetoric lies the reality. Lebanon’s political dynamic has, in recent years, pitted a fractious (and admittedly impotent) March 14 against an armed and threatening March 8 that has done its level best to ensure that two democratically-elected governments never had a chance to be held accountable for their election promises, which presumably involved giving us what Geagea called “a normal life.”
But the simple truth of the matter is that the vast majority of our politicians, including many in March 14, are incapable of committing to this very fundamental ideal of providing the “normal life.” The country is in political gridlock over a murder case it is paying others to investigate, while our so-called national dialogue to discuss what we have all agreed are the major obstacles to national unity is an insult to the nation’s intelligence and a waste of taxpayer money.
There are leaders but there is little leadership on a national level. In its crudest form, leadership is a moral obligation to act in the interests of the people; to provide basic utilities; to create a functioning public sector; to be seen to act, not ignore, flagrant criminal acts; and to set an example of national probity. In all these, for whatever reason, our political class has failed us spectacularly. Instead we are subject to instability and uncertainty that eats into our minds and our pockets.
Say what you want about Geagea. It is true that his brand may be so corrupted that he has no real political capital left with which to convince the majority of Lebanese that he is more than a reformed thug. But on the evidence of his words and his actions, he has become, if not a moral compass (can such a thing even exist in Lebanese politics?), at least a voice of reason amid the mayhem that defines our “abnormal” lives.

Trial or error?
Michael Young, November 19, 2010
Now Lebanon
Although there seems to be progress with the STL’s investigation into the Rafik Hariri assassination, success in identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators remains elusive.
After more than a year of doing nothing to burnish its public image, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) has lately gone the extra mile to familiarize journalists with its activities. This hasn’t brought greater insights into the investigation of the Rafik Hariri assassination, but it has created a sense among Lebanese that things are moving ahead on the trial front and that success might follow.
It is a pity, then, that success might not necessarily follow, even though this would represent a letdown of incalculable proportions. The attention of the Lebanese is on the indictments that will be issued by Daniel Bellemare, the STL prosecutor. Their interest is largely political, particularly if Hezbollah members are accused. However, from a judicial standpoint, indictments are only a first step, after which a long and complex legal process will unfold. Success can only really be measured by whether or not Bellemare identifies, and the tribunal punishes, both those who commissioned the assassination and who facilitated it.
Anyone who seeks a measure of justice would wish Bellemare the best. The push to blame so-called false witnesses will fail, because what Hezbollah and its allies seek to impose is a charade that forces supporters of the tribunal to engage in monstrous self-deception.
Then again, party pressure can sometimes work. On Thursday, it was reported that the BBC had pulled a documentary on the Hariri assassination, allegedly because it had not complied with editorial guidelines. More likely, as The Guardian reported, the BBC climbed down after journalist Ibrahim Amin of the pro-Hezbollah Al-Akhbar newspaper wrote that the intention of the program was “to implicate Hezbollah in the crime.” If the BBC caved in, then that is disconcerting news. On the other hand, other foreign documentaries are soon coming out on the killing, and no amount of intimidation in Beirut will stop that.
More problematic is the kind of case that Bellemare puts together. It seems likely that he has enough evidence to implicate certain individuals, and if we are to believe Hezbollah’s secretary general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, party members will be blamed. Since Nasrallah has threatened to cut off the hands of whoever tries to arrest Hezbollah suspects, and since the Lebanese state is unlikely to test his resolve on that vow, the chances of a trial in absentia remain very high.
If the trial takes place in absentia, Bellemare will probably be lacking in witness testimony. While United Nations investigators did collect testimony in 2005, it is no secret that the commissioner at the time, Detlev Mehlis, was working mainly on the assumption that Syria had ordered the crime. That hypothesis was never abandoned by Mehlis’ successors. However, the most compelling electronic evidence that landed in the lap of the first commissioner after Mehlis, Serge Brammertz (who apparently, sensing the dangers, ordered that it be handed over to the Lebanese), and then Bellemare – evidence based primarily on the analysis of telephone communications — pointed to one angle of the crime, namely the circle of people who facilitated the assassination by reporting on Rafik Hariri’s movements.
Bellemare still has the testimony that Mehlis collected, but if he is wanting in witnesses on Hezbollah’s potential involvement in the crime, he may have to rely inordinately on other forms of evidence. And while his documentary and physical evidence might be persuasive, it is unclear whether or not it would be enough to reconstruct the decision-making hierarchy and specifics of Hariri’s killing. If so, Bellemare might have to depend more on circumstantial evidence, which means evidence derived through deduction from other facts.
And if Bellemare bases his indictments largely on telephone analyses and circumstantial evidence, but does not have much testimony to corroborate his information, then it will be difficult for him to win his case. Indeed, his delay in issuing indictments, one suspects, may come from the fact that he has had to firm up the circumstantial evidence to remove all possible doubts about what he will contend.
Once Bellemare issues indictments, the defense will have several months to prepare a rebuttal. The initial passion among the Lebanese for and against his decisions will be lost in a haze of procedural jousting between prosecution and defense. Yet it is then that we will be able to say whether Bellemare’s efforts might bear fruit or not. More significantly, it is then that we will be able to determine whether or not the two years of Serge Brammertz between 2006 and 2008, when the second commissioner arrested no suspects and did relatively little to advance his investigation, was fatal to the prosecution’s endeavors.
Unfortunately, the indictments, when they come, will not in any way spell triumph. We Lebanese should step back and take a deep breath. Politics is one thing, but an accomplished judicial course of action is something entirely different. Our tendency has been to confuse the two, and we may end up, not for the first time, deeply disappointed.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of the Daily Star newspaper in Beirut. His book, The Ghosts of Martyrs Square: An Eyewitness Account of Lebanon’s Life Struggle (Simon & Schuster), was published this year.

'Drones sold to Russia could one day serve Hizbullah'
By YAAKOV LAPPIN
J.Post
11/18/2010 20:21
Israeli weapons expert says Moscow's attempts to gain foothold in the region include increased arms sales to Lebanon and Syria.
Talkbacks (17)
Russia is trying to reassert itself as a global superpower and has increased its arms sales to Lebanon and Syria as a part of that effort, according to Yiftah Shapir, director of the military balance project at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies.
Moscow is set to sell Syria the Yakhont land to sea missile – a part of the Bastion missile system – which has a range of between 300 kilometers, and would be a “game changer” if it fell into the hands of Syria’s ally, Hizbullah, Shapir told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.
“These missiles are supersonic, radar guided, and have additional navigational capabilities as they approach their target. They leave little time for response,” Shapir said. “The chances that it will end up in Lebanon are pretty high.
Shapir added that the advanced missile system would curtail the Israeli Navy’s freedom of operation around the Mediterranean, and enable Hizbullah to fire on warships near naval home ports like Haifa.
Russia has also offered Lebanon six combat Mi-24 helicopters, 30 T-72 tanks and 36 artillery guns.
“This has no military significance,” Shapir said. “In case of war, these things would not exist after 15 minutes. There is however a deep political significance – Russia wants a foothold in the eastern Mediterranean,” he added. Russia even offered Lebanon fighter jets, but Beirut politely declined, saying it had no pilots or facilities that were suitable for them.
For its part, Syria is revamping its port in the coastal city of Tartus in order to allow Russian warships to dock there, giving Russia a presence in the area it has not enjoyed in the 20 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
But Moscow has not neglected its relationship with Jerusalem – Israel has been the only weapons exporter to sell arms to Russia since World War II, Shapir said, of the sale of Israeli UAVs to Russia in recent years.
At the same time, Shapir said, Russia is not planning on arming its military with Israeli weapons. “They want to copy the UAV technology and reproduce it. This was made clear during the sale,” he said.
“My greatest fear is that in the future, we could see this same UAV technology in the hands of enemies. This could reach Hizbullah, and that would change things. Russia has its own calculations,” Shapir added. “Personally, I think it was a bad idea to sell them the UAVs.”

Stop the Christian Exodus from Muslim Countries
18/11/2010
By Dr. Hamad Al-Majid
Asharqalawsat
The attack on the Church of Our Lady of Salvation in Iraq not only caused murder and destruction, but it has led to wider religious, humanitarian, and legal turmoil. Among those primarily affected by this reckless Al Qaeda attack have been the advocates of a moderate, tolerant Islam, as was the case in the aftermath of the 9/11 atrocities. After 9/11, calls for moderate Islam declined significantly, and hundreds of Islamic institutions were closed. Furthermore, a large number of preachers lost their funding, and thousands of orphans and widows, who were being supported by such institutions, were displaced.
Al Qaeda’s horrific attack against the Church of Our Lady of Salvation in Iraq represents a self-inflicted blow for the organization. The noose around its neck has subsequently tightened in a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia. Even when Al Qaeda focussed its rhetoric on ‘resisting America’ and ‘targeting Americans’, this failed to resonate with a segment of their religiously indoctrinated youth. Nevertheless there was little opposition to this rhetoric from within, with members following the principle of "I do not support this, but it does not affect me." Yet Al Qaeda was soon exposed as merely a brutal force, with a skewed ideology, when it began to target Saudi Arabian economic institutions. The terrorist group launched an attack on the entire Saudi security network, firstly by targeting its head office, and then later attempting to assassinate one of its key figures, Saudi Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs, Prince Muhammad bin Naif. Whilst people became aware of Al Qaeda, they soon became disillusioned with its methods, and were not convinced by its ideology, except for fools with questionable intellect.
The Iraqi branch of Al Qaeda attempted to justify its attack on the Iraqi Church, by suggesting it was a response to an earlier incident, whereby two [Christian] women, who had reportedly converted to Islam, had subsequently been abducted by a Church [in Egypt]. If we accept such a justification, then hypothetically we must also accept a British right-wing group attacking a mosque in London, causing a massacre, in support of two Muslim women converting to Christianity, and then being detained in an Islamic institution in France. What a nonsensical pretext! What is this twisted logic? This is the shame that Al Qaeda has brought to our religion, and into the minds of its followers.
One of the most important duties for our scholars, preachers, and intellectuals, who are interested in Islamic affairs, is to raise their voices to denounce such unprovoked crimes committed by Al Qaeda against Christian churches and Shiites. This should be equivalent to our condemnation of aggressive attacks against mosques and Sunni centres, committed by some Shiite extremists, or radical Christian groups. The language of condemnation should also be strong, clear and unequivocal, because when Al Qaeda commits such crimes, it distorts the image of Islam and Muslims everywhere. We should suffocate them intellectually, and free ourselves from their heinous acts. Silence, or even the mild language that confronted Al Qaeda’s crimes in some Muslim countries in the 1990s, has helped, along with other factors, to prolong the influence of this poisonous ideology. No scholars or preachers have so far been able to stop Al Qaeda intellectually, and systematically isolate them, whether in the official public arena, or in the private domain.
In order to confront this radical trend, we can also consider a number of quotes from historical religious figures, whom Al Qaeda has tried to transform into champions of its ideology. One such figure was Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, who once famously said "the people under our protection come before the people of our own religion". This was in response to the [invading] Tartars, who had captured both Muslims and Christians [in the Mongol invasion of Damascus]. Sultan Qalawun brought both sets of prisoners, in order to negotiate with the Sheikh, and offered to release the Muslims, whilst retaining the Christians. However Ibn Taymiyyah responded with his famous retort and this represents an air of wisdom that Al Qaeda's criminals certainly lack

Joel Beinin's Love Letter to the 'New Protest Generation'
by Jonathan Gelbart
FrontPageMagazine.com
November 18, 2010
http://www.meforum.org/2785/joel-beinin-new-protest-generation
Stanford University history professor Joel Beinin made the latest in a series of appearances on the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center (PPJC) Palo Alto cable television program "Other Voices" on November 2, 2010. The subject of the show was "Israel-Palestine: A New Protest Generation" and, as before, it provided a platform for Beinin's anti-Israel animus.
The show began with a brief discussion of what Beinin delightedly called the "overall decline" of the United States, evidenced by the "failure even at the crude military level in both Iraq and Afghanistan" and the resulting inability to employ the military "as an instrument of policy."
Following these inflammatory claims, the interview turned to its focus: the recent phenomenon of young, Jewish Israelis—most of whom belong to a group called "Anarchists Against the Wall"—participating in Palestinian rallies against the "illegal settlements" and the West Bank security barrier. As Beinin put it, these Israelis stand "shoulder to shoulder with Palestinians" with the goal of preventing "some of the violence that the army might direct against them."
Beinin pointed out that a culture has emerged in which Palestinians are willing to deem Israelis "one of us" if rubber bullets or other Israeli military actions cause them to suffer debilitating injuries during rallies. He described a recent tour of the West Bank led by an Israeli who had "lost sight in his left eye" at one of these rallies and, as a result, was considered a hero by the Palestinians. "I might as well have been going around with Yasser Arafat," Beinin exclaimed. This Israeli, he boasted, was one of the leaders of what he called the "successful divestment [from Israel] campaign at Hampshire College" in 2009. In fact, it was not a successful divestment campaign, as was widely acknowledged at the time.
In an ominous development, Beinin noted that these young Israelis are now "following Palestinian leadership." To be more specific, he remarked, they "help [the Palestinians] conduct the struggle as the [movement's] popular committee has decided it should be conducted." Beinin claimed that these young Israelis are motivated by their willingness to look at their "colonial privilege" and "[think] about it seriously," something the older "Israeli peace movement" did not do. Members of this "militant, persistent Israeli opposition," he later added, are willing to act repeatedly as the front line in the protests, despite the "enormous psychological and physical toll" involved.
Palestinians, Beinin contended, organize regular meetings to coordinate their activities with this new cohort of Israeli activists. He narrated a typical dialogue:
If [the Palestinians] say, 'We would like you [the Israeli activists] to bring hundreds of Israelis on this day,' we might tell them, 'that's not possible; it's a holiday. How about that day?'
"It's the Palestinians who are running the show," Beinin noted approvingly.
He went on:
The Israeli young women . . . [have begun to] meet with the Palestinian women separately. Then they come to the [larger group] meetings and say, 'This is what the Palestinian women want.'
This gender segregation is necessary because Palestinian women, as Beinin pointed out, "don't come to meetings with men they don't know." The fact that the Palestinian contingent would completely ignore its female members were it not for the participation of Israeli women apparently does not bother Israeli "peace activists."
Host Paul George commented on the "sourness of Israeli politics, the definite move further and further right" before asking Beinin, "How do these young Israelis break out of this—get an alternative viewpoint and put their lives on the line like this?" Beinin chuckled, saying "this is exactly what I'm trying to figure out." Some of the young people in the rallies have ex-Communist or otherwise leftist parents, he explained. Others are "animal liberationists who've become anarchists . . . [who] look at society and say, 'oh, no, this society is wrong from top to bottom.'" And still others have right-wing parents who "are not on for this kind of thing at all," he added. Beinin blithely commented that these "right-wing parents" are not very conservative compared to the "neo-fascism of mainstream Israeli politics."
Before turning to audience questions, the host asked Beinin for his take on the proposed legislation in Israel to modify new citizens' oath of loyalty to the state. Though individuals who choose to become Israeli citizens today must swear loyalty to Israel as a democratic state, "the new wording will call Israel a democratic and Jewish state," Beinin proclaimed, prompting audible tongue-clicking from the audience. "The content of what Netanyahu is demanding," he continued, "is that Palestinians endorse Zionism" even though "the PLO in 1988 recognized Israel." This last comment was ironic coming from Beinin, as he made sure to emphasize earlier in the program that many Palestinians today feel no loyalty to Fatah, the PLO's successor organization. Additionally, recognizing Israel in one carefully-worded political statement is a far cry from endorsing Zionism. Beinin capped off his discussion of this issue by claiming that "there are lots of Jews who don't endorse Israel as their homeland." To the extent this is true, academics such as Beinin bear some responsibility for helping to cultivate anti-Israel sentiment among Jewish and non-Jewish students alike.
In the question and answer session, Beinin was confronted about his earlier description of Israeli society as neo-fascist. He backed away slightly, saying he "wasn't ready to go there yet," before adding, "there certainly are . . . people in very powerful places in Israeli politics and society who I would not hesitate to call neo-fascist . . . and Avigdor Lieberman, the Foreign Minister, is one of them." He referred again to the "fascist element in Israeli society," claiming that leftist Israelis' own use of the term "fascist" legitimizes its use.
Beinin then contended that "mainstream Israeli political culture has a very simple explanation for [anti-Israel sentiment worldwide]: they're anti-Semites." As a corollary, he added, "the only thing that means anything [to Israelis] is any diminution of the support of the United States." In other words, Beinin continued, "the battleground is here. That's where the cutting edge of the struggle is." Presumably, by "struggle" he meant the struggle to end Israel's existence as a Jewish state. Minutes later, he and the host both encouraged the audience to actively "take on" American financial support for Israel.
As one would expect, Beinin has been energized by what he believes to be the growth of the Israeli anti-Israel movement. He did acknowledge that this movement is "still marginal in Israeli politics" and that the actual demonstrations reached their peak several years ago, but he clearly pined for a leftward swing of the pendulum of Israeli politics and seemed more than willing to give it a hard push. Hopefully, the survival instinct of Israelis is sufficiently strong to prevent that from happening.
**Jonathan Gelbart is a senior at Stanford University majoring in International Relations. He is the president of Students for an Open Society and former world news editor of the Stanford Review, an independent publication. He wrote this article for Campus Watch, a project of the Middle East Forum.

Canada Welcomes UN Resolution on Deplorable Human Rights Situation in Iran
(No. 368 - November 18, 2010 - 8:00 p.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement after the successful adoption of a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran following a vote by the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly:
“The Government of Canada is extremely pleased by the adoption of this important human rights resolution. The international community has fulfilled its responsibility by condemning the deplorable situation of human rights in Iran and by signalling to the people of Iran that they are not alone in their efforts to promote human rights in their country. We believe this resolution sends a clear message of support to Iranian human rights defenders.
“With this resolution, and those presented in previous years, the unacceptable human rights situation in Iran has been brought to the attention of the international community, and the Iranian authorities have been called to account for their actions. We will continue to call on the Iranian authorities to take steps to end the egregious abuses of the most fundamental basic human rights of the Iranian people.
“This was the eighth consecutive year in which Canada has served as the lead co-sponsor for this resolution. The resolution highlights long-standing violations of human rights by the Iranian authorities, such as the persistent discrimination against and violation of the fundamental human rights of women and girls, stoning and amputation, widespread discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, media censorship and harassment of human rights defenders, including women’s rights activists. Canada will continue to stand with the people of Iran against the oppressive actions of the Iranian authorities.
“The Government of Canada strives to promote freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Canada expects all Iranians to be able to enjoy the same rights and freedoms to which all people are entitled.”
The resolution was co-sponsored by 41 other member states of the United Nations, and was supported by 80 in the vote earlier today, with only 44 member states voting against. This represented the largest margin ever in favour of this resolution, signalling the international community’s deepening concern with the human rights situation in Iran.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Jacques Labrie
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
613-995-1851
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874

MP Maurice Vellacott condemns
Liberal/Bloc/NDP Coalition soft on crime vote
For Immediate Release November 17, 2010
OTTAWA – Today, in the House of Commons, Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott (Saskatoon-Wanuskewin) said:
Yesterday the Liberal/Bloc/NDP Coalition proved once again that they are soft on crime and care more about criminals than victims and law-abiding Canadians.
The Liberals, Bloc, and NDP banded together yesterday at HUMA committee and supported and passed Bloc Bill C-343 that would reward youth criminals.
Bill C-343 would provide thousands of dollars from EI for parents to stay home and take care of youth criminals who are injured while committing a crime such as robbery, arson, gang activity or other criminal acts.
This bill would result in increased EI premiums for law-abiding Canadian families and business owners who would be forced to pay even more money to these criminals. It is shocking.
This bill is offensive to victims and to law-abiding Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our Conservative Government will never support a bill that rewards criminals. Unlike the Coalition, our Government will continue to stand up for victims and hard-working Canadian families.
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For further comment, call (613) 992-1966 or (613) 297-2249